Out of the Blue

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<sub>Benedict scratched his chin when the guy spoke. Even if he knew Reuben's name, would he even trust Caden to be around this man? He was the most violent and sinful man in Dula, last he heard, but then again... everything in Dula was sinful. Going there was hell to him, especially since he shared the same last name as their leader.

"I don't know..." He shrugged. Lila seemed to trust him too, and her intuition was pretty good. In fact, she seemed adamant on them staying together. He'd have to make that comment. "I believe my horse seems to like you, oddly enough."

I don't trust him as much as you do, Benedict. I just know something I cant tell you... Lila whinnied. Bleh, it was hard being a horse sometimes!</sub>

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It was probably wisest that Andy not mention that he was somehow connected to the Star Man on a technicality. It would probably not only confuse the boy greatly, but cause him to let out a high-pitched squeal of doom and that would probably burst Andy, Benedict, and Lila's eardrums to beyond the point of repair. Caden smiled cheerily as Andy said Reuben wanted to see him. Yay! He could get to see Reuben again one day!

"Um... I g-guess I c-can look f-for him a-around the d-docks then..."

Caden was blissfully unaware of how unsure Benedict was of trusting him around the man, but in the boy's opinion, he couldn't be that bad, right? He had finally told him that Reuben was around here~!

"H-How do y-you know m-my brother...?" Awkward questions, go!

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<sub>Andy wouldn't, mainly because he knew the kid would be excited, and he didn't want to draw attention to himself. He'd already gotten looks for throwing the guy overboard, but right now he would stay near the horse and hide himself there.

"To be honest I was never good around animals, though..." Andromeda murmured. he then lifted his eyes to observe Benedict. So he was a wandering priest, huh? Oh well....

"Well, I'm not going to be meeting with that guy any time soon, so I'd better run off." Man if only he could take the kid, but he assumed Benedict was taking care of him, so that was good, even if... Benedict seemed to be about the same age, if not a little older than Reuben. Huh.

The Caden asked THAT question. Andromeda's face screwed up in an awkward expression. "Um... it's a long story that you're better off not hearing."</sub>

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<sub>Benedict watched the man carefully, not noticing Lila was being sassy as per usual. She trotted in place for a moment, getting bored of standing in one place. Didn't Ben have places to go anyway? Plus Andy looked like he was about to leave.

"Well, I'm sorry for bothering you... ah... sir." He never got the man's name. Which one was he...? Oh well. Caden seemed to sk about how he knew his brother and he was curious too, but Andy seemed to skirt the discussion.

"I see..." He frowned.

You can tell me someday! Lila shook her mane and looked over to Andy.</sub>

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Lila was quite calm, and that made Caden happy. If Lila had been freaking out, that would have been a bad sign, but since she wasn't, he wasn't going to worry too much despite what Benedict was thinking! Lila was a very smart horse. Either way, Caden really wanted to go hunting for his brother, but he had promised Benedict that he would go with him to the sermon.

"I-I'm s-sorry too! B-But th-thank y-you~." Now he could hug his big brother at some point! He hoped Reuben would come back quickly, so that he could hunt for him.

Of course Caden tilted his head cutely as Andy said he really didn't want to know. The implications would go over the boy's head as he didn't know what sort of things that Andy did to people. He was too young.

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<sub>Andromeda looked over to the kid. Better Reuben tell him about Andy himself. He then adjusted his hat again as he looked at Benedict and Lila. He'd have to leave them now, since Benedict didn't seem to want him here or anything. Lila, however... he didn't know what was on the horse's mind. She looked innocent with her big brown eyes.

"No it's fine. Really the people who should be sorry are the drunkards." He then gave a two fingered salute to Benedict and Caden as they probably wanted to head off.

"If I see Reuben before you, I'll let him know, okay?" Andy's been seeing the kid more often anyway, since the man wanted to keep an eye out on the kid. It had nothing to do with him wanting to father the kid though. Not at all.</sub>

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<sub>Benedict shook his head. Oh well, either way, he was happy to let Andromeda on his way. For now, he would help Caden find his brother. Lila trotted in place before Benedict got her moving and she would head towards the church they were going to go to. Benedict ruffled Caden's hair.

"That was... um, pretty interesting." He spoke up. Finally he was in peace and could head over to the church! "Hm, tell me a bit more about your brother."

He was curious. Benedict never really had siblings of his own, just those he considered family. He was alone most of his life and nobody knew who exactly the mother was, where she went, or even who the father was. Too bad he JUST MET his father.

"Well... I'd like to know. I never really had any family."

OH COME ON YOU STUPID PRIEST! YOU JUST MET YOUR FAMILY!</sub>

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Caden waved goodbye to Andy, as that was the polite thing to do, beaming a bit. He had some idea about his brother's whereabouts! He could find him and hug him one again, finally! And use him to hide behind those girls that liked to dress him up. He wasn't a living doll!

"Okay~. He's really nice, and really smart. He played with me a lot!" Caden babbled on a bit. "He always wanted to go adventuring... and he could build Clockworks, too! He was the one that actually built Garn for me~."

Caden hugged Benedict as best as he could from where he was sitting. "B-But... you have me and Lila right?" Sure they weren't family, but they loved him!

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<sub>Benedict trotted along with Caden in tow, looking down at the kid. Man, he was so innocent. It kind of surprised him. Especially for an orphan like him. Then again, what could he say? Benedict nodded when Caden spoke up. So he was like an ideal big brother and built Garn for him, huh? How nice of him!

"That's really nice of him!" He smiled at Caden and patted him. Man, if only his life was like that. he had to get up really early to take care of Lila, get his basic education, and help the priests with their work. He enjoyed it, though.

"I know. I treat everyone as my family, but..." He paused and then looked down as Lila flicked her ears back in interest. "I just want to know who's blood is akin to mine."

I know that feeling, priest. Lila's ears went down. She didn't know her mother very well either, nor her father!</sub>

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For all Benedict knew, though, that was Caden's interpretation of him. After all, didn't many younger brothers admire their older brothers? The child continued to babble on a bit about Reuben and his admirable qualities in the way that only a young child could do. Come to think of it, Benedict was only a little bigger than Reuben, wasn't he, and a priest? Maybe Reuben was now an airship captain!

"Uh huh~. He always was real nice to me and mum and dad and apparently the lady that lived next door." Even though he didn't remember that lady. "But some people were mean to him and called him 'bastard'."

That wasn't a nice word, not at all. He looked up at Benedict with concern as the other talked about wanting to know whose blood was kin to his. Oh... that would make sense. That was an important thing to know, wasn't it...?

Caden really couldn't say anything, so he stroked Lila's fur and leaned back to hug Benedict much more affectionately.

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<sub>Yes, Benedict was quick to become a priest mostly due to age shifting but Benedict worked very hard to have that position, even if he didn't earn money over it. He'd have to get a job if he wanted to settle down, but right now he was going to have to make sermons and deal with what God wanted him to do.

"So he was nice, and you had a next door neighbor! Sounds ideal..." He looked down at the kid. Man, and the child lost it all... "Bastard? That usually means a child to unmarried parents... were your parents unmarried when they had him?" Caden might not know, but it did make him wonder.

What sinful activity happened around Reuben? Was the kid to be blamed for it? Probably not. He was just a child and probably normally baptized. Not only that there were always rumors.

"They might just be rumors, I don't know, but anything can be possible under God's watch..."</sub>

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Caden probably didn't care how Benedict had gotten there at this age, considering that the man was probably doing a very good job. He was kinder than the people that would tell him that Reuben was a sin and that was why God was punishing him. But God was supposed to be kind, he wouldn't punish him for something like that!

"Uh huh~." Caden could chirp praises all day in the manner that only a little kid could, but now was not the time. "No... I think they were married. They were married before Reuben's birthday."

He stared up at Benedict with those big eyes. "But... that doesn't mean he's a bad person, right? God wouldn't hurt us for something like that... would he?"

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<sub>No, Caden. You weren't in trouble. Benedict was just curious himself. Plus, not only that, it helped him connect better anyway, since he was an orphan or so he thought. He would ride along with Lila, who just rolled her eyes at the conversation. So they were married and... there were rumors.

"Hm, how odd." He murmured, but then Caden spoke up. He then looked down at Caden when he explained this. The poor child. He had to live with his brother's rumors too!

"Everything happens for a reason, and there's a reason behind it too. Whatever happened, it was a random event that happened to catch your poor brother. God loves everyone and in the end, if we acquire salvation and believe him in; that is all He asks of us." He patted Caden. "Reuben shouldn't be blamed for someone else's sinful activity. If he believes in God and goes to church and be a good boy, he shall be saved."</sub>

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Caden shifted his position on Lila, brushing her hair so that it wasn't messy with his fingers while being careful not to yank on it, and looked back up at Benedict when the other began to talk. Yes, he was an orphan, no different from the groups of other rag-tag kids that ran around trying to get money and food.

"I hope that God loves us and forgives him for stuff." Caden beamed a bit as Benedict patted him, feeling better. "We're not bad people! I know he isn't!"

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<sub>Finally, Benedict stopped at the church where he needed to be and he looked over at Caden, who was doting on Lila. Hah, he'd have to cut his own work off on Lila, since she was being so spoiled! Lila herself flicked her tail happily at Caden when he petted her. What attention!

I could live off this! She whinnied to herself as seh stopped and let Benedict get off and tie her to a post. She still didn't understand why he did that, it's like she wouldn't run away.

"If you believe it, then he does, Caden." He smiled at the kid and helped him down. he didn't want to tell Caden that there were bad people out there, but he wouldn't... the child is too innocent.</sub>