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♥ Who: Gladio and OTA.
♥ Where: Everywhere.
♥ When: January 3rd.
♥ What: Gladio finding his feet and meeting the locals.
♥ Rating: PG-13

Another Strange Place:
[Gladio had been walking toward a small group of children, smiling as disarmingly as a man as large and seemingly intimidating as he could. The adults were nowhere to be seen, aside from some of the elderly. He'd hoped to gain some information. Anything, to help...

But between one step and the next... everything went dark. Not not a bad kind of dark. It felt... strange...

... When Gladio opened his eyes to see sky above him, white clouds, blue, clear sky... He turned his head slightly to see... nothing he expected. Instead of rustic houses, dirt paths, wooden fences and children at play, he saw white. White pillars and columns shaped like trees. Red and white ornaments. Strange looking birds. And he was laying down in the centre of it all.

He rose slowly, turned and dropped his legs over the edge of slab of carved stone he lay upon. When Gladio looked down he still wore the same clothes he'd been wearing (black leather pants, dark brown tunic, black cloak), so at least that hadn't changed. There was a sigh as he lifted a hand to scrub across his face.]

Damn train's done it again...

[Was this a side mission? Why had he been pulled away? And where was everyone else? When Gladio looked at his wrist he frowned, his SCA was gone. That didn't bode well. He was just contemplating calling out when a strange robot approached him... and that's where Gladio found out that he wasn't in Irivar anymore.

He was lead from the stone slab into another area to find more robots... he was handed a tablet, some local currency... and sent him on his way.

Gladio stepped out of the, what was it? He looked back and up. Temple... definitely a temple. He stepped out... and immediately sat himself down on the steps in the snow to try and work his head around what the hell he'd gotten himself into this time.]

A Teeny Tiny Fortune:
[Having noticed the strange booth, Gladio approached curiously. These robots were a strange thing, but so was the box that he was handed. He shook it as directed, a small, amused smile on his lips.

Then he was given a piece of paper.]

"The smallest things can bring the biggest rewards." Huh... good things in small packages, right? Thanks.

[Still looking very amused, Gladio shoved the paper in his pocket and turned to go.]

Stuck On You:
[Apparently he needed to look for a place to live. This was a big step up from a small room with a smaller bed shared between four people.

Gladio had taken his cloak off and had it wrapped over one hand. The laces of his leather tunic had been loosened and he was considering just taking that off as well, but figured near stripping in the middle of the street could be frowned upon.

He was so distracted by his surroundings that he wasn't paying attention to where he was going. Gladio bumped into someone. Automatically he reached out to stop whoever he ran into from hitting the ground... except that never happened. Wait, why couldn't he let go?]

Sorry! You okay?

Taking Stock:
[He'd found his way to the centre of the city it seemed. He'd found a fountain, an interesting structure that Gladio stood for a while, just looking at. He moved around it slowly, looking at all angles, before he sat himself down on the edge.

He stretched his legs out in front of himself and sighed.

So far this place didn't seem to have anything in common with where he had been before... He was starting to get a sinking feeling.

It was cold, there was snow everywhere, but nothing that was going to bother him so much that he was rushing to get indoors. He'd spent so much time inside over the last few months, even the snow was welcome.]

Home Away From Home:
[Houses... Small houses bunched together... And he was supposed to find one.]

Right... so how the hell does this work?

[Gladio walked up the street, then down it again, before he stopped in front of a house that appeared to be vacant. The tablet thing claimed it was unoccupied, so he walked on in.

After having a look around, he laughed to himself and did what was necessary to become the new owner... and then dropped himself down on sofa. Well and truly done.]

Wildcard:
[If you have another idea for a prompt, have at it, I'll run with anything. Though if you'd like to contact me I can be found on plurk and discord:

JustAnotherUsername | Theo#4816 - poke me as needed![

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Era...

I've just come from a place with not one, but two Nocts. Prompto and Ignis where there too. Not the same ones here.

I've heard alternate realities, multi-verse stuff that went over my head.

But sometimes it's easier to think I'm a copy. Helps me sleep at night. Means I'm still there for my little sister, and she's not alone.

[So think he's being stupid all you want, he has his reasons for hoping he's a copy...]

What? No— Not that, the other thing. The not having people and having to start over thing. And you sounding as though being tired of fighting is some horrid thing you'll be rejected for feeling.

[ And, okay. Fine. She'll acknowledge what he's theorizing as well: ]

...And your clone theory has a gaping flaw in it. I can explain a more viable one to you, if you like.

Ah, that. [He shrugged a single shoulder and chuckled.] It's true. Partly.

The guys haven't been through the same things I did before, with those guys. A lot can change in four months... And longer for them.

The guys here just remember the asshole I was back home. I'm not the same person, Era. And now I've gotta work out who that is here as well. But I will. With time.

[A smile.]

I only make guesses, I've no idea. But shoot, tell me your idea.

Then tell them that, Gladiolus Amicitia.

There is nothing wrong with admitting you've changed. What would be wrong is closing yourself off from them without explanation, or giving them an opportunity to help.

You aren't the only one who has changed, you know.

[ She sighs and shifts a little where she sits as she tries to think of the best way to explain her current theory. ]

Think of every single moment in time as its own location. A person can be taken from any moment in time. Therefore, in theory, the same person could be taken from multiple 'locations' in time.

If time continues on in that person's absence it becomes a separate timeline, like a new branch on a tree.

The way things work here is that our souls are taken and brought here, while remaining tethered to our bodies at home. Time is 'paused' while we're here, resuming only when our own worlds tug our soul back.

Here, our bodies are definitely not clones. The resources for such a thing don't exist, and if they did the natives would have organic bodies to live in again if they chose to.

The biggest issue with your 'clones' theory is that souls cannot be cloned, nor are they something easily created.

Yeah, I know that.

[They all had too. He'd noticed it, of course he had. And he would explain himself, when he had the chance. Oddly it was easier to say all of this to a stranger than it was to those who should have been closer to him.

But in time he'd come clean.

If they hadn't already guessed.]

Multi-verse... A kid called Peter tried to explain that to me.

But clone, copy, shadow... just words to mean 'not the original'. But it's an interesting take on it. [He just wondered how that translated to someone who had been somewhere before. There'd been no mention of souls on the Trecker. Just a need for people with the skills the Trencker wanted to save alien worlds.

Could his body still be there, then? Frozen in that place, waiting for his soul to return and time to restart?]

If you apologize to Noct for being an asshole I'm sure he'd understand. He's good that way, you know—at understanding what isn't said, and knowing when to be patient rather than push for answers.

Having conversations through text helps, too. If you're talking through a screen it feels... safer, I suppose? Less judgmental. And you can take your time with phrasing and answering.

[ She shakes her head. ]

No. We're all original. Our souls are just being shuffled around. And if you've doubts about your soul we could always ask my... [ ...what was Hades to her now? ] ...ex-fiancé...?

[ She sounds very unsure of this title for him. ]

Um. He goes by Emet-Selch, and there is no other with keener soul sight than him.

[Apologise... maybe he should. Maybe she was right. It'd be worth giving them a chance to see past what he was before to who he was now. Gladio nodded. He'd do it, when the others weren't so... delicate. Nearly dying, sickness and stress, Gladio's issues could wait until all that was dealt with.

He took another sip of his hot chocolate, it was getting cooler now.]

Lets not, eh?

Just in case... Ignorance is bliss sometimes.

[A curious smile.]

Soul sight though?

Edited (accidentally pressed enter!) 2021-01-12 03:33 (UTC)

You'll run into him eventually, and if he makes no comment about it then your soul is unremarkable to him.

[ She takes an unnecessarily large gulp of her drink. ]

Every soul has its own unique shade of colour and intensity. There is no hiding your identity from his eyes.

... I feel like I want to avoid him.

[He sounds almost amused.]

Thats a level of intimacy I don't want sharing with a stranger.

[His soul was his own, and it should be up to him to share its inner workings, not someone else to take a peek at its colours.]

Intimacy would be a mingling of souls, which is very noticeable.

His kind... The gift of soul sight was common, though varied in strength. Soul sense was how they identified each other, since all unique physical traits were hidden in public spaces. My first incarnation could not 'see' souls, but could identify them by their sound.

To him it's no different than a sighted person seeing the face of a blind man.

Depends on your definition. I think looking at someones soul is real intimate.

Might make sense where you guys come from. But I'll... keep an open mind.

[It was the best he could do.]

It isn't as foolproof any longer due to genetics and the extinction of his kind, but you used to be able to tell the general colour of one's soul by the colour of their eyes.

[ She finishes off her hot chocolate. ]

Do you know how I knew who you were?

I figured Prompto.

[Gladio still had a little more left, but he'd finish it, even if it was cold.]

His pictures?

[ A shake of her head. ]

You feel like one of Noct's, and I'd already met the others. It was easy to guess.

[... Gladio wasn't entirely sure how to take that, or if it was supposed to sound as strange as it did...

It took him a handful of seconds to formulate a reply.]

Right. That's different.

[ She shrugs. ]

I'm familiar with the feel of Noct's armiger.

That, yeah.

[He laughed.]

Makes a bit more sense now.

It took a little while, but once I got to know them better it wasn't too difficult identifying the different armigers!

[ She is understandably very proud of this.

She also tilts her head, angling her horn in the direction of the laundry room before setting about unfurling from her spot. ]

Your clothes are finished drying.

[Magic was so strange, but he could understand what she meant at least.

But knowing his clothes were dry was a good news.]

Then I can get outta your hair.

I'm not going kick you out the door the moment you're dressed. [ She places her mug and uneaten cookie on the coffee table and gets up, heading off to fetch his clothes.

Knowing the climate of Lucis was similar to Thanalan, Era spares a moment to gather up a nice, thick scarf and a winter cloak to go with Gladio's shirts. On a whim, she also grabs a dagger with what looks to be an ivory sheath and hilt, placing it neatly on top of the much more substantial stack of clothes.

When she returns she hands the pile over for Gladio to take. ]

Didn't think you would.

[But he didn't want to overstay his welcome too.

When Era returned with his clothes, and the extras, he gave her a questioning look as he took them. His shirt went on first, it was still warm from the dryer! The green jumper went over that. But the rest...?]

... You sure?

From what I understand, Lucian winters are mild at worst in most areas.

[ Of course her memories of Lucis are limited, and technically only memories of other people's memories, but from what she recalls feeling it was very much like Thanalan. Desert and savannah; larges swathes of dry ground with patches of hardy vegetation. ]

Because you're the brother of my brother I want to make sure you keep warm. And because I hit you in the balls with a tail I've used to cave in skulls I want to give you something useful.

[ She imagines that wasn't exactly a pleasant experience. ]

It's shape is multipurpose, and the hilt should be long enough to fit your hand—I always make them a bit larger, so Ardbert can use them too.

[She knew of their winters? Gladio was genuinely surprised by the things people seemed to know about him and his world who had never been there. It was something he had to get used to. Being surprised every time someone knew his name would get old real fast.

Her answer, though, caused Gladio to laugh loudly, a full, deep laugh.]

Yeah... a scarf is the least you can do for my balls.

[He was teasing, but his attention was brought to the dagger. When he picked it up though, the weapon was dwarfed within his hand, yet he could admire the craftmanship. While daggers weren't his preferred method, but he carefully pulled the blade free of it's sheath to look it over.]

Balanced well... it's a sweet dagger. You sure you're okay giving it to me?

The scarf is for your neck, not your balls. That's what the dagger is for. [ Era chuckles for a moment, amused, before quickly falling silent as she realizes how that sounds. She rephrases: ] It's for hurting your balls.

[ ...Wait, no. That sounds even worse. ]

...The dagger is recompense for the traumatic testicular injury I gave you.

And I'm very okay with it. I have at least eight others in the same style, though that one uses some of my better scales.

[Gladio just stared. He watched her dig a hole deeper and deeper. Worried his balls would jump back up into his body to hide from her since she seemed pretty damn intent on doing them actual physical harm!

But in the end he burst out laughing. Again.

What? It was funny. His nuts didn't think so, but he could see the humour in it.]

Then I guess I'll take it! [He grinned.] Just... lets not start a collection of daggers, huh?