Nova

[Wyosch]

Catherine watched Caine walk off with a sorrowful expression on her face, her worry pushing away her panic from what had just happened.
"No. No he has not.", she replied to Alma, frowning thoughtfully.

How come Caine seemed perfectly fine and at ease with her alone, yet went back to his previous state when Alma joined?

"Give him some time to earn your trust. It took me some time too, and if I had been wrong it would've cost my my life. But Caine is a great guy who just happens to carry a lot of baggage. But then again, we all do, don't we?", Katy mumbled, flashing a soft smile at Alma before she looked into the direction Caine had left in.

She wasn't sure if it was a good idea to follow him and ask him if he was okay, or to let him be and come back on his own.

 

[Fleckvieh]

Caine shifted back into his wolf form and sat down in the middle of the garden, looking up at the fireflies that lit up the ceiling of Low Under.
A soft breeze from one of the many air recycling systems down here ruffled his greyish-brown fur, that looked almost golden in the soft light of the fireflies and the lights shining through the windows into the garden.
He didn't understand his own trust towards Kate, didn't get why he felt safe around her, but he wished he could feel the same around Alma, so he wouldn't behave like a asshole. But he just couldn't help it.

Alma frowned thoughtfully while she was watching Caine in the garden.
Shrugging, she turned to her bag of groceries.
"You won't want to hear it, but what worries me isn't Caine", she explained. "What worries me is that Caine won't even be the hardest case. He has a wild heart, but one of those I will need has no heart at all."
She picked the bag up and brought it into the kitchen, flashing a soft smile at Kate.
"But let's not hassle about the tomorrow. I'll make us dinner now. A specialty from my sisters and me."

 

[Wyosch]

"No heart at all?", Katy repeated, raising an eyebrow at Alma. Even though she wasn't on Earth right now and she was seeing things everyone would see as mythical - a being with no heart wasn't able to live. So Alma probably meant having no heart as in being cold-hearted, thus showing no affectionate emotions whatsoever.

"I doubt that there'll be a case harder than Caine. If he wanted to he could have just killed the both of us, especially me while you were gone. I put myself at an extreme risk when I used reversed psychology to wake him up - but I just... I don't know if I can take a risk like that again when we'd meet someone like you described.", she explained, turning her head into direction of the garden where she saw the tip of Caine's wolf fur shimmering in the light of some little bugs that looked a lot like fireflies - but in this world they could just be flying lamps.

"I don't know if I am the one you need for this job, Alma... There's just so much in this world that freaks me out and I'm afraid I won't cut it. What if Nova gets extinguished because of me? Because I failed? I would never be able to forgive myself. Are you sure I'm the one you need...?"

 

[Fleckvieh]

"Trust me Kate- the Oraculi are cold as ice, hard as diamond and heartless as machines. They are trained all their life to have no emotions. They would kill their own children if they had to."
Alma shuddered a bit at the imagination of what would await them in Cer Paravel.
While she was working in their dinner, she looked back at Kate over her shoulder.
"What you did with Caine won't help you with them, I'm afraid. You'll basically be dealing with the mindset of a sociopath."

She smiled faintly at Kate, motioning her head towards Caine. "I don't think I will be able to convince you that you are just the right one for this, but I think he might be. Ask him to look deep into your eyes. He will know what means. When he does, focus on nothing but his pupils. Try to see into him. A Cainsson's eyes are the clearest window to a soul you will ever find.
I bet what you will see will convince you of your abilities. Trust me."

 

[Wyosch]

"Why would you even need someone like that to help then? How am I supposed to get someone to work with us when they can't feel empathy nor emotions? That's just psychologically impossible.", Catherine replied, her expression just gaining a more helpless expression with every new word she said.
Getting someone like Caine to work along was already hard - and dangerous - enough.
Luckily Caine hadn't been entirely gone yet.
How was she supposed to talk to an emotionless machine if she relied on emotions to manipulate and change people? (Of course manipulation as in reverse psychology)

Katy sighed desperately, just nodding at Alma and watching her cook for a moment before she just decided to join Caine in the little garden.
"I'll go check up on Caine. If you need any help with cooking just call me, yeah?"

She smiled faintly, making her way outside and lastly letting sitting down on the grass next to the wolf.

"Are you alright?", she asked softly. "You kinda stormed off after Alma introduced herself."

 

[Fleckvieh]

Caine of course had heard the entire discussion between Alma and Katie, thanks to his fine ears.
When he had been worried a little bit before, he was almost scared now.
She was the alpha, she needed to be okay! The whole mission would go down the gutter without her, and even worse- she wasn't feeling well!
Wait what?

"I trust you, but I don't trust her", he sighed softly at her question, before taking his eyes off the fireflies and turning his face towards Kate, turning human at the same time. She'd probably feel more comfortable talking to someone who looked like a person and not like an animal.

"You doubt yourself", he said silently.
Could he risk it? Could he risk to open up so much to this person? To anyone?
On the other hand- if not her... Then nobody.
"Katherine, look into my eyes", he said silently.
His deep green eyes locked to Katie's shining blue ones, and all of a sudden, his rough voice appeared in her mind, but without the constant silent growling in it. The voice of someone who had been through too much but had seen the light at the end of the tunnel.

You are the only one I can trust. Alma freed me from slavery, but you freed me from myself.
at least if it comes down to you.
i still have a lot to learn, but I believe I can do it if you help me.
you can help everyone.
you are amazing, so brave and patient. I don't understand why you seem to care about me.i don't understand it but I don't want it to stop. Don't stop. Stay. You have to stay. We can do it, with you. I understand why Alma chose you. You shine. You shine like the moon. You can unite us. You can show us the way. Not just you... Not alone. You are not alone.
I will help you. Don't give up, Katie... You are the only thing in this world I can believe in... But you didn't mean it when you acted so cold to me to make me fight again...did you? I don't want to disappoint you...

looking back at the stars, he sighed softly, blushing deeply. "If you look into a Cainsson's eyes you can hear how he truly feels and thinks about you."

 

[Wyosch]

Catherine gasped as she suddenly heard Caine's voice in her mind, especially since he wasn't talking and since it sounded as if he was in her thoughts. If that even made sense.

She listened closely to what he said - or thought - tears starting to gather in her eyes.
She was quite an emotional person, and although most had told her that it was a bad combination for a psychiatrist to be emotional, it had helped her to understand her patients a lot better. Not only that, she also thought that it was good to show emotions, especially since many people prefer to lock them away nowadays.

Katy swallowed thickly as Caine's voice disappeared from her thoughts, wiping away her tears with her arm.

"That is the sweetest thing someone has ever said to me...", she replied, smiling lovingly. "The second sweetest thing was a psychopath telling me he would not enjoy killing me.", she giggled akwardly, looking at the Cainsson with a soft smile on her face, her eyes sparkling proudly.
"Thank you, Caine. I needed to hear that.", Catherine sighed silently, closing her eyes for a moment before she opened them again and looked up at the nightsky.
"I won't leave you, Caine. And I will help you, I promised that. And you also won't disappoint me. Okay? You're doing great. I'm proud of your progress. Usually someone with a past of abuse opens up like you just did after years."

 

[Fleckvieh]

Caine looked at Kate with big eyes for a moment, confusion, overwhelmedness and surprise equally written in his gaze before he hesitantly stretched out his hand and carefully wiped a last tear off her cheek, watching out not to scratch her with his claws.
"For the record- I wouldn't enjoy killing you either", he chuckled a bit helplessly, before he took off his simple linen jacket and hung it around Kate's shoulders to protect her from the cool evening air. After all her coat was still soaked with his blood and he didn't want her to freeze.

"Here. I don't ever freeze anyway", he mumbled. To be honest- he hadn't expected such a strong reaction from her; not at all. Probably because no one had ever cared a shit about his feelings and opinions, and now there suddenly was this caring, amazing woman, telling him he counted something, telling him she cared.
And guessing from how she was looking at him right now, she really did.

"I don't even know how you got me to opening up", Caine admitted with a crooked smile, watching the fireflies again to distract himself a little bit.
"I don't know, I just-... I feel safe around you."
He shrugged.
"And I won't let you down either! Promised! With Alma's mind and your heart and my-... My eh-... Me having your back- we will do this!"

 

[Wyosch]

Catherine thanked Caine with a soft smile as he put his coat around her shoulders, watching him with big eyes for a moment as he seemed to be trailing off in his thoughts.
What was he thinking? Was he thinking about opening up? Regretting that choice?
Katy wasn't sure, but it did look like as if he was thinking really hard about something.

"I don't think it was my working that made you open up.", Katy replied, winking. "I may have pushed you into the right direction, but it was still your decision to open up to me."
She smiled softly, looking up at the nightsky once more.
"I don't know why you'd feel safe around me. I mean look at me - such a fragile little human.", she joked, softly swatting his shoulder.
"I feel honored though that you feel so comfortable around me."

She let out a soft giggle as Caine didn't seem to know what his strengths were, and so she shook her head and grabbed his hand to grab his attention.
"Alma's mind, my speech and your heart."

 

[Fleckvieh]

Caine just smiled softly at Katie before he leaned back and lay down on the grass, using one arm as a pillow while his other hand was still resting in Kate's - a pose that spoke of a lot of trust for an animal.
"Maybe that's the point", he said shrugging. "You are just a human. You are new to all this, unaffected by all the prejudices against some kinds in Nova. You are open."

He tightened his grip on her hand a bit, her small, fragile hand almost disappearing completely almost paw-like, big hand.
Her skin felt cool, but that probably was just him having a body temperature of about 104 °F (40 °C), like the rest of his kind.
"You are right though-"

Smirking softly, he held up their hands to show how ridiculously small Kate's looked compared to his. "You are such a fragile little human."
Caine raised one eyebrow playfully, before his expression turned curious.
"Hey can I ask you something? What is it like, for you? Talking to someone from a different world, who has more in common with a dog than with you? Does it feel weird for you? Especially with my claws and fangs and stuff...?"

 

[Wyosch]

"Everyone has prejudices. Even if they have never met someone, the moment they do - there's prejudices running through their mind.", Catherine replied, smiling softly at the man as she watched him for a moment.
He had such pretty eyes. Their color was honestly the prettiest green she had ever seen.

Katy giggled softly as she saw how her hand just disappeared in Caine's. She really did have tiny hands - especially compared to his.
"This fragile little human will kick your ass, mister.", she joked, laughing softly.

She tilted her head as he asked her about what she thought of talking to him.
He so didn't have any self-esteem.

"You may have more in common with a dog than a human being, but you are more human than any other human I have ever met.", she replied, a loving smile on her face.
"And honestly I hardly notice you having claws and fangs. You should see some women on Earth with their long claw-like nails! And the fangs are actually quite cute."

 

[Fleckvieh]

Caine's eyes gained a mischievous sparkling as he raised one eyebrow at Kate.
"You? You little miss Sunshine kicking my ass?", He chuckled. "Don't make me laugh!"
He chuckled softly as she swatted his shoulder, before he growled playfully and jumped up, throwing her over on her back so he was kneeling above her, his one hand still holding hers while he kept himself up with his other hand beside her head.

"Yeah I see how you'd kick my ass", he laughed, gently blowing a streak of hair out of her face before he grinned his saucy, fanged grin again.
"Cute, heh? You're certainly the first one whose ever called my fangs cute."

Pushing himself off of Katie again, he went back to lying beside her and watching the human beside him. "Are there still werewolves existing I'm your world or have they gone extinct there already? They are close relatives of my kind, you know? We are like the missing link between Werewolves and Wolfen."

 

[Wyosch]

Catherine stared at Caine with a soft smirk on her face, giggling.
"Well had you warned me I would've totally kicked your ass! Can't you see how muscular I am?", she replied, winking.

It was still hard to believe that this was the same guy who they had saved this morning. He was just so different in comparison.

And even though she had no idea how he had changed that much, she really liked it.

Katy woke up from her thoughts as he asked her if werewolves still existed, raising an eyebrow.
"Werewolves are nothing but children-stories and movie-material on Earth. Are you telling me werewolves did really exist?"

 

[Fleckvieh]

"oh yes, just as muscular as a cucumber", Caine laughed, rolling over onto his side and resting his head on his hand while he smirked at Katie.
"Of course Werewolves are real. Or, were. They're almost extinct by now because they all went homeless at some point- and in lack of shelter from moonlight started to hallucinate, drive insane and lastly killed themselves."

He slightly shook his head.
"Cainsson's aren't that good with moonlight either, but at least we don't drive insane."

Just as suddenly as he had gone serious, Caine went back to happy and stretched out to smell a small flower they was growing nearby- immediately sneezing again.
God how embarrassing!
He just chuckled awkwardly, scratching his head for a second before he smirked softly at Kate.
"Hey Katie? I just- after this is all over and we saved Nova- will you go back to your world? Like, will the end of this journey be a goodbye?"

 

[Wyosch]

Catherine looked at Caine with big eyes at his question, a thoughtful frown on her face.

She hadn't even thought about that yet. Then again she'd only been here in Nova since this morning. Defeating evil and saving this world would still take a while.

Though the question was still one to be asked.
Would she really go back home? Return to her lonely life where she practically lived in a mental asylum?

Or would she stay here? In this beautiful, magical world with Alma and Caine?

"I-", she mumbled, looking at Caine for a second, losing herself in the pretty green of his eyes before she continued.

"No. It won't be a goodbye. I believe I- I think I'll stay here. There are enough beings here that will need my help, no?"

 

[Fleckvieh]

Caine looked at Kate full of Hope, his eyes big and sparkling like the ones of a puppy that had just been told it had a new home.
Would she really stay?
Could he still come to her then?
Would they even be friends?
Or-...?

He blinked a couple of times. Where had thought just come from?!
When he looked into Kate's eyes once more, he suddenly lost sight of everything else, as if she was the only thing existing, a bright light in a world that didn't matter.
Gravity?
He could defy it. She could.

When the world returned to normal, he stared at Kate for another moment, before he, his eyes still wide, turned back to look at the ceiling.
That hadn't just happened, had it?!
He hadn't just been imprinted!
...had he?

"I'm glad you want to stay", he mumbled, his voice rough as he was fighting for countenance. "If Alma is cooking what I think she is, she'll still need some time. You up for a swim in the pond over there?"

 

[Wyosch]

"Me too.", Katy replied, slightly tilting her head as she noticed a change in Caine's expression. He looked as if he was fighting to keep his countenance, as if he was trying to hide whatever emotion he actually wanted to show.
"Are you okay?", she asked, just to be sure that she wasn't over-analyzing or anything.

As the Cainsson asked her if she wanted to go for a swim, Catherine nodded excitedly.
When had been the last time she had ever gone swimming?
It definitely was a very long time ago because she could only remember going swimming with her family - who had been dead for over 18 years now.

"Hey, Caine - just... I mean I know you think I can help Nova but am I really a logical choice? Like wouldn't it be easier to get someone from Nova self? I mean, I know nothing about this world and its people. What if I fail?"

She knew she should stop expecting the worst. She knew she should stop worrying. She knew enough tricks to help her focus, but honestly she doubted anything like that would help.
She knew she was doing everything she helped her patients not to do, but how was it possible for somebody to not worry if the future of an entire world lay in one own's hands?

 

[Fleckvieh]

"heh, yeah, i-I'm fine", Caine chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head while he got up, gently pulled Kate up with him and already made his way towards the pond.

On his way, he already slipped out of his shoes and pants, wearing one of those tight boxers underneath that made sightly butts look even greater, revealing that his legs weren't all that human either- though they weren't furrier than the regular male leg, they were, despite relatively human, yet clawed, toes, kind of digitgrade and animalistic.

However when Kate spoke of her doubts, he turned back around and went back to her, completely let cold by the fact that he was only wearing briefs, and gently cupped her face to make her look into his eyes.
"Kate-... There's not much I believe in. In fact, the only thing I believed in until now is death. But now that I know you, I believe in so much more. I believe in you. I know you can do this and I know you are just the right one. And you know why? Because you are a fantastic psychiatrist, an amazing person and a strong, brave woman. And you have me. I will help you wherever I can, okay?"

Smiling softly, he ran his nosetip over her cheek for a moment and planted the smallest of kisses on her forehead before his soft grin appeared on his face again.
"Now c'mon, Lady, eater's waiting for us!"

 

[Wyosch]

Catherine watched Caine walk over to the pond, just blinking a couple of times before she shook her head and followed him, hesitantly - and slowly - taking off her shirt, her shoes and jeans following, revealing a body most women could only dream of having.

Even though she wasn't fat nor ugly, Katy felt extremely uncomfortable, especially with her legs not being clothed, now showing old, faint scars all over.

Kate swallowed thickly, especially when she looked over at Caine again, walking over to the pond and gently putting her foot in to see if it the water was cold. To her surprise it was actually quite nice, and so she slowly made her way in, smiling softly as she noticed that the water came up until about her belly-button.

"I gotta say, Caine - nice shorts.", she giggled, winking while she playfully raised an eyebrow at him.
"I hope you're ready for a water battle!"

 

[Fleckvieh]

Caine felt the same heat rising to his cheeks as before, and really had to keep himself together to not blurt out something like 'my God you're beautiful'.
"Wow", was the only thing that made it past his lips, although it did sound more like "wuff".
He wouldn't even have noticed Kate's faint scars if it hadn't been for her insecure glance at her legs.

But lastly she was standing in front of him in the water and he didn't know what to say.
Nothing at all?
Probably, but he was an idiot with his adrenaline breaking every record.
"Hey-", he said silently, and this time his voice was gentle and soft. "You don't mind my scars, do you? So why should I mind yours?"

At her comment about his shorts, he just raised an eyebrow, a challenging look on his face.
"What? Would you prefer man panties? Oh or maybe a thong?"
Laughing softly, he splashed some water in Kate's direction. "You are challenging a killing machine to fight? Wow Missy, bad- bad idea!"
Laughing softly, the splashed some more water to her.
"You have absolutely no chance against me!"

 

[Wyosch]

A soft blush appeared on Kate's face as Caine seemed to stare at her, especially when he let out that weird-sounding bark. Was he staring at her because of her scars? Or because of that insecure vibe she was showing?

However when he mentioned not minding her scars, her eyes lit up and a big smile appeared on her face.
Katy did have self-esteem, but whenever it came down to her legs - the scars - all of her self-esteem just seemed to vanish.
She never wore shorts or short dresses or skirts, no matter how hot it was - she did everything to hide her scars.
She knew there was nothing to be ashamed of, but what kind of psychiatrist would she be with a past of self-harming?

At Caine's comment about his shorts, she let out a soft giggle, nodding at him.
"Oh a thong would be really hot.", she replied, winking - laughing as he splashed some water to her.
"Oh well, mister, you're going down!", she smirked evily, trying to splash as much water into his direction as her small hands allowed her to.
"Down I say! You're going down!"

 

[Fleckvieh]

At the first 'down', Caine just blocked the water with his arm, the second one however got him good.
Okay maybe he had let her ein there.
Just maybe.
He just loved that happy look on her face, how her eyes were sparkling when she was laughing.

At the next 'down' he just dived under the approaching wave and surfaced under Kate, so she was sitting on his shoulders when he stood up again.
"Come again?", He laughed, playfully pinching her big toes.
"I only see one going down,and that's you. Like THIS!"
Laughing, he let himself and Kate fall backwards into the water, chuckling softly as he raised one eyebrow at Kate after getting up again.

He was still smiling when he wiped his dark blonde hair out of his face and leaned against a rock at the edge of the pond, watching a fish swim around him, apparently confused by the sudden turmoil.
He carefully stretched out one finger and ran it over the fish's back as it swam by again.
"Look at you, so pretty and fragile and not afraid of someone who could break you in two with just one hand...", He mumbled softly.
Was that meant to address Kate or the fish?
Probably both.

 

[Wyosch]

Katy surfaced again, letting out a content sigh as she ran her fingers through her hair while she made her way to Caine, leaning against the rock next to him.
She hadn't had this much fun in ages, and to be honest she felt like a child playing in the water like this.

She watched Caine with a soft smile, taking in every little detail of the Cainsson.
His fangs that were actually really cute.
His pointy elf-like ears.
That body. Like damn. She had always thought men with bodies like him only existed in movies, but here he was with that firm chest and- okay enough daydreaming.
And of course his eyes.
The most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. Just so- so beautiful. There were no words to describe how beautiful she thought his eyes were. Just really beautiful.

"I don't think a fish can distinguish between someone able to break them into two with their bare hands and someone who can't. They're just fish who only keep swimming.", Catherine replied, smiling softly.
"Just keep swimming, keep on swimming~"
She let out a soft giggle, watching the fish swim off with a peaceful expression on her face.
"Even though this world is at war, more than mine, I have never felt this relaxed and at ease."

 

[Fleckvieh]

Caine could barley focus on Katie's joke; he still had that picture in his mind how she had just looked at him. Her eyes had been sparkling, and even though it was more than obvious that he was no human at all, the look on her face had seemed as if she was looking at a hot guy in a bar.
And her heartbeat had sped up for a second when she had been staring at his chest and abs.
She probably hadn't even noticed that she was staring so obviously.

"can I just say that you look beautiful?", he mumbled silently, staring at the water. He knew she would probably never see him as more than a friend at best, but it just felt fair to let her know that she was beautiful.

Trying to change the topic, Caine pointed at a plant on the water that looked a lot like a glowing white waterlily.
"I bet you've never seen one of these before! They grow naturally in Da'Moore, but you can buy them all over Nova. What makes them so special are their seeds -"
He carefully tapped his finger against the shimmering bloom, and it opened up, sending a bunch of flying and glowing seeds into the air, much like those of a dandelion.
Caine was watching them with dreamy eyes.
"that's the only good memory I've ever had, till now; me and one of my older brothers used to belong to the same master, back when I was about five or so, and one night after I had been whipped for dropping an egg, Kuzo woke me up to show me one of these that had grown behind the shed where the slaves slept. Back then He said 'whisper your dreams to them, Caine. They will carry them into the sky so the gods can hear them and make them come true.'"
He smiled softly, before he looked up at the floating seeds again.
"a home", he whispered silently.

 

[Wyosch]

Catherine blushed to a deep red as Caine complimented her, nervously running her fingers through her hair while she flashed a soft smile at the Cainsson.
She felt like a crushing teenage girl.
And she honestly wasn't even sure why. Maybe it was just Caine's looks making her knees shake, or perhaps it was more than just the pretty man beside her.

Katy's nervousness disappeared as Caine started talking about the glowing flower, listening to him with big, sparkling eyes.
It was incredibly cute how his eyes sparkled and his ears twitched when he was excited. Alas, he seemed excited.

She watched the seeds fly off up into the sky, watching them disappear behind clouds with a soft smile.
"Can I try too?", she asked, making her way over to another one of those flowers, repeating what Caine had done.
Upon the seeds flowing up into the air, Catherine turned around to Caine with a soft smile, whispering,
"A home."