Cassius was pleased to see everyone was in better spirits to some degree. Though he... did shrug at Hitori's response to him. As far as he saw it, it was just blind loyalty; not that he wasn't used to that from where he was from. It was just unusual to see such an older being act... like a domesticated animal to him... He found it oddly charming. Though... For the next few hours he found himself sitting next to Blank and Baku. There were many questions about to be answered.
Cassius took his helmet off as he swayed over. "Your friends are on their way. A vision shows their safe return, the red one is injured however... Though, it is nothing these lovely gentlemen can't fix." He grinned somewhat trying to show he was confident in those around him.
"I am curious... Who are you working for... Mr.Svent, was it?" The Leader holding the brandy took a light drink.
"Hmm... I suppose if we are in the same boat, it is better to dispense with the secrets..." Cassius tilted his head left to right, cracking his shoulders, adjusting his posture to sit up straight on the sideways barrel. Blank took a seat by him, somewhat poking his ears.
"Err....?"
"Sorry, just Karn never likes when I touch her ears, and let's be honest... You look to feminine to fight, you do have the Charisma to lead... But yeah, tell us who you are working with." He gave a slight grin at Cassius' eyebrow's slight twitch.
"If you must know, I am with the Regent of Lindblum. If you need to see papers, they are in my boot... not that they smell. I mean, the only thing here that reeks aside from the blood on your blades and breaths is just the half naked man swooning over me." Cassius closed his eyes in frustration. "And if you must know... I do know how to fight."
"Pompous when irritated... Yet sharp like a arrow and twice as fast... But what are you doing aside from... This...?" Baku looked to the resting Princess, she was laying on her white robes in her orange jumpsuit.
"There to- Here rather to be sure we don't have... unnecessary casualties..." Cassius felt his eyes shifting in Hitori's general direction as he rolled his shoulders.
"Well, I saw our ninja here talking to the Engineers... Want to tell me about that? I think we are all just dying to know."
"Here, here." Baku raised his glass before taking another drink.
"Simple, they work with me in Lindblum's research and development... I am... The next deputy director seeing as I have Ifrit... And the previous director held, but... That is something another will have to answer for... but seeing as he is no longer alive... I unfortunately have to take charge..." Cassius felt his hands clasping together, digits interlocking.
"So... You're like me. You like working, but hate taking responsibility?" Blank felt his grin recede slightly. He did not quite feel sorry for him, but he did want to understand the puzzle before him.
"Errr? No. Just I never expected to... Well... Stand in I guess? I'm just usually the guy who holds a list of things I need to check off, I don't bark orders around, I just inspect things. This is... New to me. I was not really one for... Fighting like he was, but seeing as he died... I am going to assume he did what he had to so we may safeguard the future... but... enough about me... What about you?" Cassius felt his gaze looking to the demi human who scratched his gut.
"A Pioneer of craft. I enjoy the stage, the lights, and the praise. And the literature. But where I came from? I did not have the most well versed of upbringings. But fuck the lords of Treno, the uppity rich bastards are why our city is in shambles... You can boast about trying to inherit all these meaningless treasures, but to what does that make a man?"
"Treasure does not make a man... A man makes the treasure, the journey, and the effort." Cassius replied lowly as he saw the man's gaze somewhat intensify.
"Exactly my point! So... All this? This was the result of me trying to have my own adventure, finding others with the same goal. Have fun, have women, have just everything at your fingertips even if just for a few nights, to going back to square one!" Baku roared with a resounding chuckle, at which startled Cassius. "Why do what you love once and quit after obtaining what you seek? It is such a thrill to go out swinging, exploring, and fighting in the vast wilds... To going into cities busted up with more loot... Then hold a play the day after, just to get a few hours of praise. Those are the people we call men. The people who build their lives. Just like how we built the Prima Vista. And a second one we shall build." He took a large swig.
"Heh, I suppose that is a stance to live by... risky and all... But, that does not sound very safe." Cassius looked down.
"Bah. Safe? Where is the fun standing behind a clipboard and checking list off? Where is the excitement? 'Oh here is a new product on the assembly line! Cheeeck!' Sod off with that 'Safe' life style. No adventure or passion! That is what you lack! But if there is one damned thing I see in you!? It is compassion!" At this point, Baku was poking Cassius in the shoulder.
"If you cared not for one bloody thing, you'd have left already. Your kind knows how to avoid death. Yet here you are, baby sitting us. Attempting to learn... But it does not have to end here with your adventure..." Baku at this point downed the bottle. Maybe he was just drunk rambling, to lecturing Cassius on his safe life style... But he wasn't wrong, and he cut him deep to the point where he held his breath, what little of it he had. "But no, you care enough to learn... you stood up to me earlier because you believed in it... and that is Tantalus material." With this, Baku proceeded to slam his fist into Cassius shoulder for Blank to catch him from rolling off the barrel.
Cassius just watched in awe... soon the crew returned... Then not too long after, Randy, Wylde and Karn.
Cassius stood up and helped Randy over to Garnet, Blank of course helped him, but Cassius did not speak, he had no words, but concern...
"Dren. Hitori... Think you can help out Randy...? I know he'll live and all... but these people should be treated..." Cassius took a breath. He sat by Randy for the time being.
"Heart not even gold can captivate... Heh." Baku fell back, a loud thud echoing in the planks of the ship.
Ada returned to Hitori's shoulder, but not before giving Karn a hug on the side.
Blank quickly recapped to Karn what she had missed, which wasn't very much... But it did not help their situation that their boss was laid out from the fatigue and brandy he drank.