Wellspring Arms & Meditation Center, Tuesday

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

Occasionally, Cable liked to do work that wasn't shady manipulation of events behind the scenes wasting his days on town paperwork at town hall. Which meant that today he was back at Wellspring, setting up a toy target on the far end of the shop.

Jan was of an Age now, and she now owned a nerf gun. It was time to start practicing.

That didn't mean the Open sign wasn't on the door, of course. But it did mean that any would-be customers might have to duck.

[[ open! ]]

Comments

[trigons_child]

Wellspring Arms wasn't on Raven's way to 'Dite's, but she took the long way around town to pass by just to see if Cable might be in. After what Jono had told her, she just wanted to thank him for bringing him back to Fandom.

"Mr. Cable?" she called timidly as she stepped inside, completely unwary of any imminent nerf attack.

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

A projectile suddenly shot straight past her and bounced off the wall right besides the door. "No headshot!" Jan whined. "Haveta headshot."

"Put the weapon down, Jan," Cable said.

[trigons_child]

Raven jumped in surprise at the shot, but she didn't sense any true malice, just a child's disappointment, and the weapon had bounced off the wall.

"I am sorry," she said. "I did not mean to interrupt."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"It's fine," Cable replied. He took the little nerf gun from Jan's fingers. She promptly started pouting, but he ignored it. "How can I help you...?"

[trigons_child]

Raven gave a smile to Jan then looked back to Cable.

"I just wished to give you my thanks," she said. "For Jono -- he told me you convinced him to return to Fandom. And for that you will always have my deepest gratitude."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome," Cable said. Jan flailed and yelled something incomprehensible about Her Gun, but he ignored it. "He's better off here than there right now... I remember that time period being... complicated."

[trigons_child]

"Most assuredly," Raven agreed, nodding. "His friends are all here, and we will give him whatever help he needs."

She hesitated a moment, wondering how much she should ask about the future. "You are from his future?" she said. "That is how you knew what was happening to him?"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"I am, in several ways," Cable said vaguely, "But I don't keep tabs on everyone--" Well, not for lack of trying, "--just the bigger picture."

[trigons_child]

"Will he be all right?" Raven asked. "I have seen glimpses of futures where he seems more adjusted to his new appearance. But do you think anyone will try to harm him because of who he resembles now?"

She knew it might be cheating in a way to ask for answers, especially when one future didn't necessarily guarantee the same for this timeline, but she had to know if she had to be on her guard against anything.

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"They might," Cable said. "There's no way to be certain." He regarded Raven. "The future's never what it used to be," he said. "Especially not now that I've lifted him back out of his particular here-and-now."

[trigons_child]

"And it would be foolish to waste too much energy worrying about this Apocalypse and what may be instead of focusing on the now," Raven said, nodding slightly. "Jono is here and safe now, and that is what matters."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

This would be the point where Cable was not mentioning the bit where he was technically responsible for Apocalypse's revival, wasn't it?

"It is," Cable said, with a nod. "And I trust you'll take care of him-- not that he isn't always welcome here."

[trigons_child]

...that was be a brilliant idea!

"He has many friends here, and I am glad that you are one of them," Raven said. "I know that in at least one possible future he did not return to Fandom and spent a great deal of time alone and in pain because of it. Your intervention spared him that, and as I said you have my gratitude. If there is ever anything I can do for you in return, I will do so gladly."

Not that she had the slightest idea what she could do for him, but she had to make the offer.

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"That's not necessary," Cable said, hoisting Jan up onto his lap. "But thank you for the offer. I hope this won't needlessly complicate anything..."

[trigons_child]

"I do not think it would," Raven said, a trifle confused. "I do not see why."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"You weren't expecting him," he said. "Nevermind..."

[trigons_child]

"I had forewarning that something like this could happen, but I thought it was far off in the future," Raven said. It had happened after their possible future child's birth and after she'd graduated Fandom, after all. "It changes things now, yes, but not in any way I am not prepared to deal with."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"Good," Cable said, passing Jan one of her rag dolls so she wouldn't make a fuss. "He's had a rough few years - he'll need the support."