Caius only sighed with further context as she made it very clear she was only going to use louder sounds. “And I cannot bail you out all the time either. You could be using the time for something more productive like practicing your spellcasting” the mercenary pointed out in turn. He wasn’t scolding for the sake of it there, the slightly increased inflection of his voice indicated that it came from his own mindset than a more generic and general thing. Caius was always overly practical in almost everything that he did. He was always considering the most practical route in matters. So he was trying to apply that in this.

“I think if you used the time you’ve put towards pranks instead towards your studies, you would be a master in no time” he brought up, though a thought came to him and he began to muse aloud. “Then again… You’re spending a lot of time making potion bombs and the like. Maybe you could become a specialist with those? If we can find a controlled environment for you to test them, I mean… Preferably not on your peers.”

And there it was. The practical approach. Less deriding her and more encouraging her into making lemonade with these lemons she was producing. But he didn’t know how it would do when the basis of this potion making was spite for this boy.

“So he’s not doing it to look cool in front of the other students or stroke his ego, then” he continued to muse as Claire gave more context on this boy. “In fact, he’s not deterred even when those looks would do so if he was. That means he has another reason” Caius suggested, though decided to let Claire piece that herself.

But then things got weird.

A benefactor who was her twin sister but also not? Her heart was split in two and chaos flooded one half and made a person? And that person wasn’t trying to destroy Torensten and was instead conquering the wod of business? Something about a Lightning and a future self?

At least she seemed to piece that Leo liked her. Even Caius could see that. And he literally never noticed this stuff.

And then there were disappearing outlanders, and really overall that was just a lot.

“I…” he trailed off, not sure where to start. “I know I shouldn’t believe you but I’ve literally punched one of my own gods in the face.”

Exhausted. That was how he looked and sounded after she had just bombarded him like that. He could see the tram beginning to descend though, so they would have to get off soon.

“I’m sorry. There are several things you need to slow down and explain to me if you want me to understand any of that.”

So she had a place. She just chose to prank her fellow students anyway. The mercenary couldn’t help the long sigh that followed. Yeah, that sounds about right. That’s about what he expected out of Claire. While it took no effort, it was the fact that she kept doing it that was the problem.

“Yeeeeah, and if his intentions were good, then that just makes you look like a jerk” Caius pointed out bluntly. Unprovoked antics tormenting someone showing affection? Yeah she was in the wrong for that one. “Might be time to have a conversation with the lad. And if you’re too prideful to do it, I suppose I could have a word with your sister and see if she can help. I know you didn’t want her to know, but she’s a good resource if you can’t handle it on your own."

He wouldn't tell Serah about this specific incident if she really didn't want him to, but it did sound like there may need to be a conversation about her specifically picking on another student. Sheesh, when did he become this girl's parent? He honestly didn't know.

But then things got complicated. All of a sudden, this girl had the answer to every theory he'd ever had about this world. Even if she probably couldn't prove it, per se. It was a lot to digest, but Caius was beginning to realize he had never really talked to anyone about the memory thing. Especially not anybody that had actually experienced it.

"I've had my suspicions about this sort of thing for some time" Caius admitted as he tried to wrap his head around it. "I've been all over Zephon. I've met hundreds of people, but while I can remember the scenarios... Details about many of these people have become sketchy in my head. I can only remember little things, no matter how significant that incident may have been."

He frowned as a specific incident came to mind, and he brought a hand to his face with a sigh as he propped his elbow on the table.

"I literally found out that the very King who founded my homeland did so on lies and betrayal, uncovering a conspiracy that had been hidden by his descendants for generations until it was forgotten completely. It's the very reason that my world has been reduced to nothing now. To the point that in retrospect, being sent to Zephon was almost a blessing. But I can't remember who told me any of this for the life of me. Even stranger, I feel like I've heard the story twice."

He mused a bit longer about some strange incidents he'd dealt with.

"Then there was the ruins near Aljana. There was only myself, this sniveling traitorous merchant and another guard that went on that expedition. Suddenly the guard is gone without a trace and the merchant doesn't remember they existed, and even I can't remember them very well. Then another guard pops up and it's like he was there the entire time. Then that guard disappears too and the same thing happens. Finally, right before we get to the treasure chamber, some newcomer whose not a guard this time just appears out of nowhere with no idea how he got there, so he joins the party. I don't remember him very well either, but I don't think that was Zephon's work."

He shrugged at that. It was weird and he had hypothesized about it many times, but he had never been able to figure it out. "Oh and then the merchant found a golem control rod and tried to kill us for the treasure. But I don't think that had anything to do with the nature of the world either... He was just a jerk."

He smiled with the slightest hint of cheek. "Made him think I was going to kill him before I knocked him out with a tranq. But that's beside the point. That was my first thought that we could be summoned and then sent back home, but I never really could prove it until you just told me that another version of you was here and then wasn't."

But the smile didn't last as something else struck him. "I hope they were sent home anyway. I've lost a few Dragonblades and some close friends, who just... Disappeared. My memories of them are faint, but I can't help but miss them. I hope wherever they went, they're happy."

One particular memory that he could still recall ever so faintly made him look down slightly and hold his cheek. That was the last time he'd seen that particular person, and he'd never had the chance to say anything to them after that. It was frustrating, not being able to recall them despite feeling a connection he didn't understand, just knew that it felt right and had made him happy. And then it was gone and he had struggled to remember, but now he could barely piece together their face.

In some ways, this world was a paradise. But in others, it was a hell far worse than the Ten Years of Darkness ever could have been.

His expression only began to sour even more as he talked about it. It was clear as day that Caius had been trying to "tough it out" so to speak for a very long time. The mercenary had been bottling up his feelings and not often speaking of it. Only Celes and Yuna really knew about the next part. "Then there's the time thing. The place I come from is called Lucis. I served the King of Lucis as a member of his Kingsglaive, and after a few years of service was killed in stopping an assassin. I think I took the assassin with me, but... I don't know. I met my King here, and one of my senior officers guarding him, but uh... I'm from a different point in time from them. The King is now just a Prince and he's younger than I am, as is the officer. They don't know me, and I had never met them in their time. I also feel like I've gone through this same process of meeting my King, yet younger, twice. But I can't remember the first time very well and it's like this itch that I should remember but I can't prove it, not even in my head. If your theory is right, that may very well mean I've gone through this twice and one of them was replaced, even if I can't prove it."

This was complicated, and the mercenary massaged his temples with an irritated groan. It had brought back some bitter feelings to talk about, and he wasn't able to hide them like he usually did when it all just came out at once.

"I've never met someone from my time period. I feel like I might have once, but it's like it never happened it's so faint. It drives me crazy. I remember even telling Celes that I did, but that's... Pretty much all I remember about that reunion ever happening."

He took a deep breath, trying to center himself back to calm again as he looked to Claire.

"I guess only question I have is what sort of hell have you been through that led to your heart literally being broken in half and creating another person? How does that even happen?"

------

The tram would eventually reach its destination and the two would need to step off. In time, they would come to a cozy, two story building with a small courtyard attached to the back.

The Wyvern's Rest.

It was a bit small. The first floor was just a single large room with walls separating the different parts of it. The entryway was mainly just a desk with a young woman minding it. The next was a lounge, complete with a fireplace, chairs, and a place to grab food and drink. There were places that led to where one could use facilities, store equipment and cook, but they were still adjacent. Upstairs though, led to many different small rooms. All for housing the mercenaries who stayed here, as well as a few bathrooms.

"Welcome to the Wyvern's Rest. It's not glamorous. But it's home."

As the two stepped in, mercenaries would suddenly stand at attention and salute when they came by. "Sir!" shouted some of them, and Caius would gingerly salute in return. At the front desk was a young woman of eastern features. Claire might recognize her as one of the older students at her school.

"Welcome back, Mr. Caius. Have you brought a new recruit?" inquired the women, though Caius shook his head. "Not today, Tomoe. This is a social call, I said I would show Claire the Rest."

"A social call?" Tomoe echoed, her gaze fixing over Claire with a curious eye. "Oh my goodness, she's adorable! I didn't know you had a daughter, Mr. Caius! You really do look a lot younger without that beard, but wow!"

Caius blinked a few times, but eventually shook his head. "She and her sister are friends I met during the trip to Provo. Watch out for her, she'll have you wrapped around her finger if you aren't careful" spoke the mercenary leader, doing his best to put on the brave and professional face again.

“I’m not sure if that’s something I can do, Claire. I’m essentially a stranger, while your sister is a teacher. She’s in a far better position to do so than I am” Caius pointed out when Claire tried to insist that it was better he do it than her sister. At least she was amenable to the idea of talking this out, finally. “If you don’t want her to do it, it may be best you do it yourself.”

He wasn’t saying this out of any lack of desire to help her, of course. But practically speaking, Caius knew that he wasn’t a good choice for this. She mumbled a bit about if her parents could come back, and Caius sighed with a frown. “I wish” he spoke softly. “To be honest, I don’t know if I died. I don’t even know if the assassin died. But he’s here and I’m here, right after I attempted to fell them and everything went black. I felt life leaving me. And then I was here. And I’ve accepted that this may well be an afterworld. Though the longer I’ve been here, the less likely it seems.”

He chewed his lip a bit. “I’ve looked for my family” he admitted quietly. “I’ve looked for years.”

And with no success. He continued to be alone and out of place.

But things continued to get complicated as Claire insisted that Lumina was actually from the heart of the other Claire, the one that had been here long ago. Caius had never met this “predecessor” so he didn’t really know anything about what she was like. This predecessor gave up everything to protect Serah, becoming a “god killer” of sorts. That was… Well, a lot. The fact Claire knew the gods intended for her to go through that in the future must not feel good.

But she was here now. And she could have a real life. And he hoped she knew that.

When they arrived, Claire commented on the respect the recruits showed. “I’ve never been a big fan of the salutes. We’re not a military, we’re a family” Caius admitted softly. “But Celes and I founded the Dragonblades together. If they feel they want to acknowledge that, it’s their choice.”

Oh yeah, he hadn’t exactly called himself the leader of the Dragonblades to Claire, had he? He did tend to leave that part out. Claire began her mischief right away, hugging Caius as the mercenary gave her a side-eye and a roll of his eyes. Tomoe would squint a moment before clasping her hands together. “Oh my goodness, it’s little Claire! How are you? Yes, the Professor can be a bit… Much sometimes. But he does teach us a lot if you can stay awake!” she chirped cheerily. “I’d be happy to tutor you! You can come to the Rest while I’m on my lunch break and you can go over what you’ve learned with me! I don’t mind! It would be good to review my lessons too!”

But Caius’ peace without having to be involved was interrupted when Claire would suddenly insinuate he needed to go on dates.

“Did… You just try to set me up?”

“Come on, Mr. Caius!” chirped Tomoe. “I think that sounds like a great idea! I was much happier after I met my girlfriend! You deserve to be happy too!”

Caius sighed at that. Was he really going to be pressured into another date just like that?

“... Why the sudden interest in my dating life, you two?”

Caius rubbed his temple as Claire showed she really did intend to set him up. Wasn't this whole thing about scolding her for pulling pranks on campus? But then she just had to guilt him, and she knew full well she was doing it, by bringing up this story about how her sister needed help. So it was this Lumina whomst she was referring to. Her "sister" so to speak. She even offered for it to not have to be seen as a romantic thing. Boy, she was really pushing on this, wasn't she?

"I imagine depending on how far in the future we're talking, she might be a little young for me anyway" Caius muttered, the 500 years old thing having flown over his head as he didn't understand a lick of it. And in truth, he wasn't sure about the idea of a date with her sister. While Serah might have been ok, if not for the fact she was with fiancé, someone who was Claire's exact twin would just... Well, remind him of Claire everytime he looked at her. Considering he had grown protective of young Claire, he wasn't sure if he could easily go into this sort of thing with any thought to romance.

Then again, he knew nothing about romance. That book didn't really help. It was full of clichés and just... Things that didn't really apply in real life. And trying to follow it in the "date" with Celes had backfired terribly.

"I don't know. I'm not very good at dates. My... Date success rate is very low" he admitted, scratching his head sheepishly in turn. "I didn't exactly have time to practice this sort of thing back home. I'm not really sure I'm as good of an option for her in terms of going on a date as you say. The person your sister picked might be better."

Well, there it was. Something he hadn't even told Celes or the others. Then again, there really hadn't been an opportunity to bring it up.

"Oh come on, Mr. Caius!" pouted Tomoe, now very much in on Claire's shenanigans. She looked to Claire then, to answer her question. "Her name is Yue! She's in my year, we hit it off after my sound potion accidentally went KABOOM in class. Her instincts were sharp and she quickly covered my ears when she realized I was in point blank range. She's super sweet and caring, and always makes up for when I do something clumsy or don't notice where I'm going! But she gets too serious sometimes and she needs to learn to lighten up. But that's what I'm for, right?"

Caius shook his head. "Alright" sighed the defeated mercenary. "I can't promise anything... Romantic, but I'll at least meet your sister."

He really had been right about Claire having people around her finger.