I Don't Get It (Ardan)

[Cillian McWolfe]

"More like I accept that it might happen."

[Tina Bennet]

She stared at him hard, still rolling the marble between her thumb and forefinger as it started to light up and charge.

"Why does making people happy really give you that much happiness, too?

[Cillian McWolfe]

"Sometimes. Not always. But I want to make the world a better place, a place that maybe I will have kids in one day, start a family. I'm not going to lie, there are days I don't want to put on my makeup, that I don't want to go out and perform, but it's a job. And I do take pride in my work, even on the days where I just want to sleep or do anything but."

He watched her charge her marble up but made no move to chastise her or stop her.

"If it was easy all of the time it wouldn't be worth doing because everyone already would."

[Tina Bennet]

That was one thing she loved here; she wasn't told no for toying with her powers when there wasn't a training ground. The marble grew brighter, teh charge slower as she contemplated his words.

"So you want to be the best and change the world in your own way. Just not by fighting."

[Cillian McWolfe]

"Violence should always be the last resort, it is only for when all other options are exhausted. A life taken or destroyed cannot be undone."

[Tina Bennet]

She looked down and to the side, silent.

[Cillian McWolfe]

He'd put an arm around Tina and pull her close, giving her shoulder a small squeeze of silent comfort. It didn't take a genius to guess somewhere in her rough and tumble life she had lost someone, many people had. It's something he hoped could be changed in the future.

[Tina Bennet]

She tensed when he touched her, but didn't pull away or protest when he wrapped an arm around her. Leaning into what was probably the closest thing to a hug she'd had in a while, she huffed and remained silent for a moment.

"Mine was." A weak protest at best; it was true, but her tone said she'd lost more people to death than her lucky revival.

[Cillian McWolfe]

He shook his head.

"No, it wasn't. You might draw breath, but death always leaves its mark on the soul."

[Tina Bennet]

"Hmph." She coudln't say no to that, but didn't want to think about it, either. Instead, the tiny teen flicked the marble up into the sky, letting the explosion go harmless above an empty area above the road instead of the village or their camp.

"I wanna learn to make them into fireworks."

[Cillian McWolfe]

He smiled at that.

"Well, that I think is something you can do. I'm sure a creative girl like yourself can come up with tons of color and shape combinations for your explosions."

[Tina Bennet]

Her lips pulled into a small smirk at the change in conversation. She was't fooling him and she knew it, and she still thought his reasons were kind of dumb, but he'd gotten this far doing what all he did, so that said something about Ardan as well as his plan. She'd stick with the circus for now. They could count on her to be the best bodyguard.

"No shit." She rolled her eyes and grinned.

"So hey, where are we headed next? Cause I was thinking we could go east and stuff. Plenty of people miserable there." You know. Where the castle fell.

[Cillian McWolfe]

"That's actually not a bad idea. I don't know if we can get to the crash site now, but we can see how close we can get, and help out where we can."

[Tina Bennet]

Tina nodded in approval of Ardan approving of her idea!

"I have those sometimes."

[Cillian McWolfe]

He snickered.

"I can see that. You are two for two tonight. The fireworks are a wonderful idea if you ask me."