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5 am in the morning, slashing rain on the windows. A harassing phone ringing invaded the Marshal's living room, he was sleeping on the couch, uniform still on, basically he passed out.
-What?- he grunted over the phone.
An upset and sharp voice, too many information, too fast. Cor's eyes widened, he switched from half asleep to completely awaken in ten milliseconds.
-Wait! Say again-
Same tone in distress.
-Slow down Crownsguard! Where's Drautos?-
The Marshal was listening very carefully.
-I'm coming now. I'll be there in 20 minutes-
...
Monica Elshett was waiting with an umbrella outside the west gate of the Citadel. She was an irreproachable officer, not easily impressionable and unlike the majority of the Crownsguard she treated the Kingsglaive with respect.
In the meantime a Glaive and a lieutenant from the royal guard were debating about which group was supposed to be in charge.
-Back off Glaive, this is the Citadel!-
-It was a Kingsglaive operation, release our sniper and we'll leave immediately. You had your princess back anyway-
-Having Amicitia back is not an answer-
-Too bad...-
The door opened with a dull noise, Cor Leonis stormed in.
-Enough!-
The silence embraced the Crownsguard office in split seconds. No more yelling, no more swearing. Everyone on their toes.
-What the hell is going on?-
-Sir, we ask permission to go back to our regiment, sir-out of the silence, the Glaive asked.
-Usually I would say: granted. But it's 5:30 in the morning and I have been dragged out of my bed- he hissed, - feel free to elaborate a bit-
There was a look between them, then the Glaive continued.
-We performed a rescue mission for the Crownsguard, but now they refuse to let us go with the whole team-
Monica glanced over Cor's shoulder and she raise her eyebrows slightly.
-Can someone, anyone at this point, shed some light? Now!- Cor's patience was wearing thin.
-Captain Drautos has provided assistence for a rescue mission concerning a Crownsgard, Gladiolus Amicitia. We did rescue Amicitia, and brought him back unharmed, but now the officers are complaining about one of our operative. For no reason they are stalling us here- frowning, - no offence, but there is a war waiting outside, we have orders- quite bold the Glaive, he stared aggressivegly the officer while speaking with the Marshal.
-No reason? That's not correct- Monica objected, - the so called "operative" is a kid with no registration ID, and he's injured. Badly-
-Also we might have to discuss how he sustained these injuries- the lieutenant took a stand as well.
-Nonsense- the Glaive muttered and shook his head.
-Okay, stop!- patience over. -Where is this kid?-
-He's not a kid. We should go back to our assignments asap, Captain Drautos can provide better insights about the extraction team. Besides our missions are classified, these Lieutenants' clearance is not enough- respectfully hostile. Kingsglaives means immigrants, Crownsguard means aristocracy, not a great combination, at least within Insomnia.
-How about my clearance?-
-You're the Marshal-
-Indeed- he cut to the chase -where is he?- Cor's tone was at once blunt and accusatory.
-Room three- Monica answered swiftly, handing him over a redacted document.
The air was still around them, like before a storm. He moved to the guardroom without turning back.
When Cor arrived at the interrogation room number three, he looked around with clinical interest. In fact there was a kid in there, for Insomnia standards, you might be a man or a kid depending on where you were in Lucis.
He was at most 15 years old. Albino, hair and skin as whitest snow, eyes red as blood. He had his right arm in a cast, a patch on his left eye, plus a tight dressing around his chest. His hair was dirty with dry blood and dust, his shirt ragged.
He was calm and vigilant, wary. The Marshal recognized his cold glance, a soldier, not a crybaby kid, but still... he was awfully young.
Well, actually the Marshal was fifteen when he joined the Crownsguard, and he definitely didn't like being called "Kid" but he was an exception. Different rules back then.
-I'm Cor Leonis, you are?-
Silence.
-Pleasure- he sat on chair opposite. He kept reading Monica's doc for a couple of minutes. The kid was looking at him, staring, studying him like an animal with an incoming danger.
-A pile of shit, this mission- he said bluntly, - it's really early and I want answers. I'm the Marshal of Lucis, Drautos' commander. You have to talk with me-
A spark in his eye, finally something made sense. Hierarchy.
-Let's try again: who are you?-
-S13NOX. Class Argentum -
Cor raised an eyebrow without looking up from the docs.
-Lovely- sarcasm, -I meant your name-
-S13NOX – again.
-Are you kidding? What's your name?- he stared at him straight in his red eyes.
-S13...-
-Stop with the fucking code- he shut him up.
Silence.
-Who's your CO?-
- Drautos-
-Were you part of the rescue mission?-
-Yes, sir-
-But Drautos wasn't, so... who was your CO on the field?-
-Drautos-
Cor sighed, loudly. Again, his patience was wearing thin.
-Where was the mission?-
-Nebulawood, Duscae. Niflheim transport airship, class Gaviano-
-Your orders?-
-Find the Crownsguard before the airship departure. Rescue him, dead or alive. Do not engage-
-Wow! Why is that? Apparently you were outnumbered, in a very crap situation, not really prepared, with what?- he blinked, he was still reading the document - three cadets? Cadets?-
- Kingsglaive cadets-
-What's the difference?-
-They don't cry-
The next minute was intense. They stared at each other, and for Cor was like been slapped, and wake up again.
-So, three kingsglaive cadets and yourself- he defined the group, - I would say: not a dream team. Anyways, why retrieving a dead body? -
-Orders-
-Crazy orders- icy cold tone of voice, - who asked for that?-
-The Crownsguard. Amicitia is a Lord of Lucis, they wanted him back. Dead or Alive.-
-You don't say-
Silence.
-Who gave these orders?-
-Drautos-
-Which is not here now?-
Silence.
Cor snorted with a dark look in his eyes.
-What's your role?-
-Advanced support-
-Advanced?-
-Yes, sir-
-Are you also a sniper?-
-Yes, sir-
Cor sighed. Everything was consistent except that he was talking with a kid.
-Are you a cadet as well?-
-No, sir-
-What are you then?-
-Advanced sup...-
-Yeah, yeah, you said that already- the whole story was becoming annoying and twisted, too many gaps. - How long have you been under Droutos command?-
He thought for almost a minute.
-Two years, one hundred fifty five days. I lost track of few hours today, I can do an estimate if you like, but it won't be accurate-
The look on Cor’s face seemed puzzled, just for a second.
-That's awfully accurate, kid-
-It's not -
A new type of silence now.
-Great- Cor hissed and shook his head.
-What happened? This report says that you reached the prisons grid alone-
-It wasn't a prison, but a damaged transport ship. Crownsguard Amicitia was trapped inside, but undetected-
-Fine! Why were you alone at the end?-
-The extraction team retreated in bravo-2. Unexpected enemies in the grid. Engineers-
-Did you engage?- he looked to his injuries.
-No, I didn't-
-You look like shit, mate. Have they kicked your ass? The Niffs?-
-No, they haven't-
-So what?-
No answer for almost two minutes. He was struggling to elaborate an appropriate answer.
-A misunderstanding. Crownsguard Amicitia engaged-
-Engaged...?- Cor was really confused now, -engaged you?... in combat?-
-Correct. He misunderstood my approach-
-Fuck!- he sighted -I need coffee for this-
Silence.
-Okay then, how about your approach?- skeptical, clearly not convinced.
-I declared my intention, but he thought I was an enemy-
-How so?-
-I look like one of them, it's an understandable mistake. He was in distress-
-What the fuck, kid! No, you don't and he is a fucking Crownsguard, not a wench in distress- he yelled.
Silence.
-Let me recap: when the crazy mission went south, you proceeded solo and Amicitia did this to you when you rescued him from Gaviano-
-Not accurate, but correct-
-Who patched you up?-
-Doctor Feens, Crownsguard consultant-
-So, what does he say?-
-Concussion, break in the right ulna, bruises on my ribs, a couple could be cracked, and a mild retro-orbital hematoma bleeding behind my left eye. It's under control, I'll recover my sight, eventually-
Cor's eyes widened.
-Anything else?- beyond sarcastic.
-Doctor Feens didn't say-
-Monica!- Cor shouted, keeping his glance on the kid.
Less than five seconds.
-Marshal?- she looked at the albino, briefly.
-I need a coffee, Drautos and Gladio in detention. Now and in this order!-
-Apologies, Captain Drautos is not reacheable at the moment, a mission at the Balouve Mines. We have no signal, they are underground- she coughed – Amicitia is with a doctor now, for an assessment-
-For what?-
-Pardon?-
-Injuries, did he sustain any? Does he need a doctor at least?-
-Well... bruises, and a wrist sprain I think-
-A sprain?-
-It seems so...-
-Great- Cor was mad, in a bad way. Slowly he stood up from his chair. Deep breath in.
-Escort Gladio in detention, immediately, he can bring an ice pack with him. No one is allow to talk with him- the tone of his voice was somehow aggressive.
-Yes, sir-
-Take this one to the doctor, again. -
-Something wrong?- she seemed confused.
-You tell me-
-Yes, sir-
-Someone needs to drag Drautos here, asap. I don't care about his mission, as he's not at the front line. Is that clear?
-Crystal-
He left the room.
They were still debating at the gate, but this time they were standing at attention as soon as Cor arrived.
-At ease- he sighed. -It's a mess- he said bluntly, -we need to sort this out, unfortunately Drautos is not here, but I am. So, my rules-
-Yes, Marshal- the Glave.
-Good. You're dismissed for now, but don't leave Insomnia. Falkner?-
-Yes, sir- still standing at attention.
-Arrange a guard detail for our guests-
-Yes, sir-
-We... with all due respect, we don't need a detail... sir- the Glaive was nervous.
-You do now, you're under investigation along with the Crownsguards involved-
-For the mission?-
-Other troubles I'm not aware of?-
-No, sir- clearly he wasn't feeling comfortable with this solution, -there were no Crownsguards involved in the mission- he swallowed twice, -they were waiting at the rendezvous point-
-We will question them in any case. Anything else?-
-No, sir-
-Great! Clear the west wing then- no more talking, the Marshal stormed out.
...
2pm, it's still raining. Cor's phone rang.
-Finally, Titus-
"I had to suspend a mission. Hope it's important"
-You tell me, I have one of your kids. A weird one-
"Did you arrest a Glaive?" annoyed more than surprised.
-Not exactly. He is pretty stubborn, saying you are his only CO-
"What? Throw him in detention Leonis, I'll pick him up later. Is there anything else that need my immediate attention? As I said, I was in the middle of something" He was irritated.
-He's an "advanced support"- Cor sneered and Drautos felt it in his voice.
"Where is he?"
-Not so fast, I want answers first-
"Definitely we need to talk, but not over the phone. In the meantime you have to lock him up"
-Sorry, what?-
"You heard me, it's dangerous. You shouldn't have brought him within Insomnia"
-Your fucking black ops brought him here-
"I doubt that, I..." suddenly he stopped.
Someone was talking with Drautos, then he spoke again, his voice was concerned.
"I'll be there in a couple of hours. Lock him up, trust me!
-He's half dead! -
"If he's still alive, lock him up"
-What the fuck are you talking about?-
"He is a it. Do it! I'm coming now" Drautos hung up on him.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
5pm, no more rain. The Kingsglaive's Captain was late.
Drautos looked around a couple of times, the south gate was completely silent, it didn't feel right to him, too quiet. Just few guards at the entrance, Crownsguard of course, this gate was an highway for the Citadel.
-Titus, at last- Cor voice was cold as ice.
-The Immortal in flesh- he mocked him, just a bit, testing waters.
Cor kept walking towards a corridor. Drautos followed.
-You were supposed to be here at 5am, with your Glaives- No time for greatings, nothing, -do you know what happened?-
-I wouldn’t know. I wasn’t here. Remember?-
Cor was skeptical. It was true that the Glaives were facing an investigation, so no external contacts were allowed, but he was also aware of how resourceful Titus was, in terms of keeping his team under control. His own control.
The Marshal led him in an empty room, barely furnished, just a table and three chairs. No windows.
Drautos exhaled unevenly: half a breath, and then the other half. Cor was beyond mad, he needed to be careful.
-Is this an interrogation room?-
-No, why?-
The captain's look was suspicious, but for now he wanted to play along. Besides, he had not much of a choice, Cor Leonis was his Commander after all. Officially at least.
-Sit-
-I’d rather stand-
-I don't. Sit down- it was an order, meanwhile he sat on chair opposite.
Drautos was frowning, but he sat obedient and complying. He could feel the friction between their roles in that very moment. Challenging Cor now would have done more harm than good, as things stood.
-Who is he?-
-Is not that simple-
-Make it simple then- terse. He was staring at him, judging.
-Before that, did you lock him up?-
Cor raised an eyebrow, clearly annoyed.
-Are you serious?-
-I'm deadly serious, this is not a bad joke. I need to know, and we need to act if you haven't already-
The Marshal remained quiet.
Drautos snorted. Though his casual position, arms crossed, remained the same, his shoulders were knotted with visible tension.
-Fine- he ceased resistance, - he is a it. I told you already, it's dangerous, because it's a weapon not a soldier. It's completely stable and under control with me, but we are not in the right environment here, its reactions might be erratic-
-A weapon?- scornfully tone.
-It took me a while to understand, but now I know, and I see things differently. I would like to offer a better explanation, I really do, trust me, but I can't and to be honest with you, I'm not sure you want it-
-Excuse me?-
-Hear me out, just for a second- he was stalling, he needed to put this in the right way and he had just one shot before losing Cor's attention. -You cannot unknown this Cor, once you have faced the truth, there is no turning back-
-Oh, really? You don't say- he scoffed at the preamble, - who do you think you're talking' to?- he shot the man a dark look.
They stared at each other, both on edge, for very different reasons.
-I was in your shoes few years ago-
-You mean: two years, one hundred fifty -whatever-fucking days ago?- quite aggressive now.
The captain's face was blank for a moment. He realized Cor had already talked to it. It was simply too late for a contingency plan. This was damage control.
-How do you want to do this?-
The Marshal raised his right eyebrow. He stared at him annoyed, not a word.
Drautos stayed quiet for a long minute, he needed to get the words exactly right. No misleading info, no twisted concepts.
-Okay then- he took his time to elaborate, -I met IT almost three years ago, few miles from Cartanica in the middle of the Succarpe region. The ship it was on had an emergency landing, it wasn't a battleship, just two MT pilots and a human researcher in charge of the cargo, aka the thing-
-The kid?-
The captain rolled his eyes.Cor was stubborn, he knew it.
-You should really stop humanizing it, it's not a human being-
-He looks like one, he bleeds, he talks, so for now it's a He for me. Continue- In a word, irremovable.
-The researcher was badly injured, but he lived long enough to explain what that thing was. Not really fond of the Empire, just a lab rat- he smiled thinly, with a dark look in his eyes, -it's a IS unit, class Argentum-
"Argentum" rang a bell. Cor straightened in his chair.
-Like an Imperial Sniper unit?-
-Sort of, yeah. The standard IS are NOX type, the argentum class are human-like units-
-Human-like?-
-It looks human, it's organic and very convincing, but it's not. They wanted them like humans, it's the whole point. These units are human replicas, no robotics component, deamon blood, human cells and a brain enhancement due to nanites injected while they were a bunch of cells. Basically through these and the bar code they can plug the units into bio-computers and teach them things and program them – he sighed, then he took a long, deep, audible breath, -Cor, do you understand what I'm saying?-
-Still waiting for the plot twist- he was clearly fed-up with the technicalities.
-It's a wetware machine, like an organic computer with daemons blood. These things have programs and drives in their brains- Something about Cor's voice was making him lose patience. -They are stronger, faster and non-predictable like standard MTs, Niflheim was creating single unit assassins, for the Six's sake!-
-Was? And now?-
-According to the lab guy there were three prototypes, but I couldn't find much, all docs were heavely redacted. This is a Research Chief Verstael Besithia's project-
-Wait! The imperial researcher who developed the technology used to create Niflheim's magitek infantry?- Cor was hunched up under the weight of all these news.
-Bingo- Drautos confirmed it, smiling in a sneaky way. -I'm pretty sure I stole the real deal, the only one fully functional. These units have issues, according to the researcher it's difficult to keep them alive, after just few missions they mess up with the orders, but they are fucking unstoppable until they reach the point of no return-
-And you brought one of these things home. Like a souvenir?- Cor was mad again, in a deeper new way now.
-Not exactly- he didn't want to argue, he had to. He gave him a sad look -I was trying to put it out of his misery, but then the rescue team arrived and the biotech guy turned it on, something went clearly wrong, the thing followed my orders instead of his -
-You said he wasn't fond of the empire-
-I did, but then the empire came-
Silence.
-Then what?-
-I used it, to save my glaives and it worked. We took back Kashard because of that thing- he took a deep breath first, -and yes Cor, damn it! At first I was fooled by his appearance, but I know better now and I won't let you make the same mistake-
-What the fuck Titus?!- the Marshal was upset.
-After seeing it in action, merciless and ruthless, a cold assassin, I wanted to dispose of it asap, but I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it. There was so much to learn, and we were losing so much- he shook his head, then he tried to get a hold of himself, for a second -it's a letal assassin, It has creative ways of thinking strategies and tactics. It elaborates inputs and plans, it seems loyal and reliable, but it's just a tool, a tool that can kill you too-
The conversation lagged again. Still air between them.
Cor stared at him for minutes, too many. He wanted to yell at him, to smash him againt the wall, but he couldn't, he was still digesting the fact that the Kingsglaive went rogue at some point, without him noticing.
-So you were going to inform me of this exactly when?-
-How about never?- Smug face on.
Cor had to refrain himself from beating him up. A long silence followed.
-Spare me the attitue. What the hell were you thinking?-
-Clarus knows-
This hit the Marshal very hard. He wouldn't have imagined something like that. He couldn't have. He was abruptly tired of this conversation.
-He doesn't want to know the details. Carte blanche, they turned a blind eye on this matter-
-They?- he hissed.
-The king knows too. Not the whole thing, obviously, but enough to decide that he doesn't want to understand more-
-Reggie knows?- no royal protocol, he didn't believe him. -Does he know you are using a kid for your black ops?-
-He knows I have a IS unit prototype-
-It's not the same-
-It is cor. Come on, that's mere semantics. It's a weapon, like the machines that you kill day in and day out. This thing has a face, a human face, that's all-
Cor's glance was icy cold. Then he threw few documents on the table.
-What's that?-
-Doctor's assessment, on your special weapon-
-Oh please- he pushed back the pile of papers, -yes, it bleeds, we have already established that, it also heals faster than a human being and its blood is contaminated, it's toxic like a standard MT miasma, just with lower concentration-
The Marshal snorted.
-I have to break the deadlock in our romantic negotiations, Drautos. We are going nowhere here- he said after a couple of seconds. Slowly he stood up.
-Meaning?-
-You are quite useless. I wanted answers, these are just excuses-
-No, you don't- he was pretty harsh now, regardless their ranks -this is the truth Leonis, no sugar coating, period. It's a tool, a dangerous one, and you need to send it out of Insomnia swiftly-
Cor gathered all his documents with graceful movements. Then he leant against the wall, arms crossed.
-What do they know? I mean your Glaives-
-He is a sniper, a former Niff soldier that I rescued in Cartanica, a young one- it was a He in this narrative.
-Just like that?-
-Why so surprised? They don't care, as long as it saves their lives. Why would they?-
-He's pretty weird, you know. No questions at all?-
-He's traumatized, so?-
-Sweet- his tone was snarky.
-They are all a bit traumatized in the Kingsglaive, or did you not know that either?-
-Wow- now Cor's voice was low and angry, -is that your professional opinion?-
-It's reality. They come from war zones, plus we brought them in when they were just kids, real kids. His majesty is sharing his magic with us, not his lifestyle- he lifted his eyes to the Marshal, -For hearth and home- he repeated the Kingsglaive motto with a weird voice.
-I thought you believe it-
-I do- he shook his head slowly, -don't get me wrong, it's part of the job, this is war. There is no room for sentimentalism or nostalgia. I respect them, no pity-
-How about the Crownsguard? Here a heads up: they usually ask questions- Cor was studying Drautos, his gestures and reactions.
-They weren't part of the plan, not really at least-
-It was supposed to be a joint operation-
-If they say so- his tone was saying more than his words.
-Why the avanced support?-
Titus laughed, with no joy whatsoever.
-Is it funny?-
-Actually, it is- he said, -Clarus asked for it. You know, his boy was involved, he wanted to increase a bit his survivor rates. Understandable-
This confession ushered in several moments of silence. The captain answer seemed very flippant but his voice suggested otherwise. It was the sort of answer that required an immediate clarification or qualification, but he offered nothing for very long minutes.
-He called me as soon as Gladio went offline, after the inspection of the airship in the Wetlands. A nasty request, I want to be honest with you, I would have said no to anyone else, but it's Clarus. It's quite difficult to say no to him- he confessed again, with no shame. -I'm sure you were his backup plan- a pithy remark.
-Sure- The Marshal glanced at him. He glanced back.
-I have been honest Cor, now you need to trust me-
He made a dismissive sound.
-You want him back- he said after a long while. He wasn't asking.
-Of course I do, I cannot leave it here. Have you been listening? It's dangerous-
-Might be nice to have someone deadlier than you in the room for a change- he smirked.
-What's that supposed to mean?-He sounded alarmed.
He snorted with a quirk smile on his face, then he stepped away from the wall.
-I told you, the Crownsguard has questions-
-That's ridiculous- It sounds like he was losing his cool – you can shut them up-
-Really? How?-
-You are the fucking Marshal-
-I am indeed, and I didn't know anything about this crap- he hissed. -I'll keep it quiet Titus, for now- his voice was awfully calm, but it sounded like it was shrieking a warning.
Drautos heard the message loud and clear.
-Look, it's a messy situation, and clearly you didn't see that coming from Clarus. I get it. But you need to pull yourself together and let me take that thing outside Insomnia. Speak with Clarus if you have to-
-How do you handle him?-
-What?-
-Answer me!-
-Screw you! This is a rabbit hole Cor-
-As you said before, I cannot unknown this, besides I really want to find the rabbit at this point-
Drautos was about to say something else but his phone chirruped. Like an alarm buzzer.
-Time's up, Captain?-
-I have an operation going on at the Balouve Mines- he reminded him with an annoyed look in his eyes.
-Other kid-Niff-machines?- still mad of course.
-For the Gods sake, this is insane-
The phone chirrupped again.
-You'd better get going-
-I cannot leave the IS unit in Insomnia, also you arrested the rest of the team. What am I supposed to tell them?- slowly he stood up. He didn't want to add friction, but apparently there wasn't any other way with the Marshal.
-I'll release your Glaives end of play tomorrow- this was the only deal on the table. -I want to learn-
-This is a mistake-
-May be, but it's my call. Now, last chance, how do you handle him?-
-You can't, it recognizes only me as his CO, to be honest I don't know why either-
-He understands hierarchy, and the chain of command-
-So what? You think you can just outbit my role?! It's a weapon, you cannot test it here-
-Nice try- he smirked, - dismissed. You can pick up your glaives at the east gate. Enjoy Insomnia for one night, you deserve it – He was very wry, then he left the room.
-Cor?!-
-I'll be in touch- it sounded like a threat. The door closed behind him.
...
-Monica?-
"Yes, sir?"
-Put the sniper in detention-
"He's in the medical ward of the Crownsguard. Sedated, the doctor said it's a miracle he was conscious-"
-Feens?-
"No, Averet"
-Okay then, put a couple of guards in front of his room-
"Is everything alright sir?"
-It will be. Gladio?- Cor's tone was more than a little prickly.
"Still in detention. He asked to speak with you"
-Great, I'm coming- he hesitated for a second, -Monica?-
"Still here sir"
-Did someone notified the Shield?-
"Not yet, sir. He's just aware Gladio is safe and sound. Should I inform him about the detention?"
-No, don't. Let me speak with him. I'll see you later – He hung up directly.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
9:15 pm clear sky and a tension headache for Cor's evening. Monica was waiting the Marshal in front of the detention wing of the Crownguard Academy, with a couple of pills and a glass of water. Always perfectly on time, efficient and capable, one of the few able to withstand the Immortal's standards.
The Marshal walked into the Bennu wing like a bull in a china shop. He looked tired, but his eyes were clear, better than when she’d seen him last.
-Good evening, Sir- Monica stood beside him in a blink of an eye, holding out the glass and the tablets.
-What are these?- He frowned.
-Aspirins-
-How do... nevermind, thanks- nowadays he didn't bother anymore asking about her superpower, it was pointless, she was like a clairvoyant, that's it. He took the tablets and kept walking. -Fill me in-
-He's completely fine. He had a mild wrist sprain and bruises. He also passed the psychological assessment with flying colors, he's fit for duty- she said with a strange look in her eyes.
-Wait. What?- he raised his right eyebrow, then he suddenly stopped in front of the gate of the detention rooms.
-He was MIA for three days, sir. It's standard procedure, we needed to evaluate his state of mind-
Cor stared at Monica for several seconds.
-He assaulted his rescuer. He's obviously not fit for duty, and I don't need a shrink telling me otherwise-
-Trauma assessment, sir. Not the incident with the Glaive, they probably didn't talk about it at all-
Cor rolled her eyes -Who did the assessment?-
-Aliena Norther-
-Who?- he was annoyed, - is he sleeping with her by any chance? I would like a different shrink in that case-
-That's inappropriate, Sir- she scolded the Marshal without a second thought, in the Crownsguard she was the only one with the guts to do so.
-Would you like to upgrade doctor Norther clearance for the case, sir?-
-No need, I will assess him myself-
-With all due respect Marshal, you're not qualified- always outspoken in a very professional way.
Cor couldn't help but chuckled.
-Also, the Prince is asking about him-
-What about it?-
-He's looking for Gladio- she clarified.
Cor blinked twice.
-I get that. He's in detention, what's not clear for his highness?-
-Prince Noctis is sixteen years old-
-Noted. Meaning?-
-He doesn't know about the MIA situation and the investigation, both of them are classified. It's quite difficult to justify why perfect-score-Amicitia is in detention though-
-Oh great, trouble lying to a kid? You're letting me down Monica -
Monica didn’t look sorry. She stared at him with her condescending smiley face.
-He can escalate this to his father, who happens to be the King. I can't be deflecting with our King, sir-
-Fine! I'll take care of him, later- he blurted out, today was apparently never ending. Cor's patience was completely gone at this point. He snorted, quite loudly, -One last thing-
-Yes, sir?-
-The sniper?-
-Still sedated in the medical ward. Still guarded- Monica was skeptical. Silent questions all over her face.
-What?-
-We are guarding a sleeping man, sir- she said, -a sleeping kid- just to be accurate.
-We are, you got a problem with that?-
-I'm confused-
-So am I. Hopefully perfect-score-Amicitia will be able to shed some light-
She nodded quietly. Cor entered the room.
Gladiolus Amicitia, nineteen years old, Crownguard officer, Eldest son of House Amicitia, sworn protectors of the crown, and major pain in Cor's neck since the age of six.
Gladio was born to be a Shield of the King, since he was able to walk he started his training to achive this goal, Clarus' goal. Unfortunately his personality was shaped for the job, somehow he didn't realize the difference between having a dream and being pushed into one.
When Gladio saw Cor made an ugly sound of scorn or mirth. He was like a lion in a cage, restless.
-Marshal-
-Gladio- his tone voice kinda deep and judging, - please, take a sit-
They were both tired of this annoyingly long day. The young man sat obediently, military style.
-Happy to have you back- Cor took the icebreaker role, but his voice wasn't happy at all.
-Happy to be back... I guess- he noticed his look, obviously.
-What happened on the Gaviano Ship?- straight to the point.
Chit-chat time was over.
-It wasn't an abandoned wreck, MTs were retrieving containers and tech. I got stuck inside when they put the airship in lockdown- he explained briefly, -I sent a message to bravo-5, then I went offline-
-In a very different situation I would love to hear the story of your first screwed up mission outside the training room, but I really don't care at the moment. I read Lester's report- Cor cut to the chase, -Do you realize how reckless you have been?-
-I didn't screw up! It worked- arrogant, with a smug face. Classic rookie approach.
-Oh yeah?- The reply came in the form of icy eyes and a guttural scraping, then he sighed -this was supposed to be a routine recovery mission. Instead, Drautos had to arrange a rescue mission, where exactly it worked out?-
-We got the files. This is a win- he insisted, stubborn.
-How about talking of the Glaive you assaulted?-
Gladio straightened in his chair. He knew it was coming, but somehow Cor's reaction wasn't the one expected.
-He shouldn't have been part of the team, the Kingsglaive shouldn't keep him among them- he gritted his teeth.
-This is beyond your rank Crownsguard. You have deliberately attacked a fellow Glaive- he stared at him, clearly mad, - this is serious Gladio, you are not ready for the real field-
-What are you talking about?-he hissed, quite aggressively. “Not ready” wasn't acceptable for his vocabulary, for his father's expectation.
-Did you panic?-
-What?-
-If you did, it would make sense. Actually, it's the only way for this shit of making sense- he muttered at the end.
-What the fuck, Cor!- He blurted out, throwing the protocol out of the window. Underneath his armor of military training, Gadio was an aristocratic spoiled child from the Citadel. -Of course not! You know me-
-Apparently not-
A pause.
-Did you engage on purpose?-
-It's not what you think-
-Okay, well, then enlighten me, because we are stuck here, and we have a Glaive in the Medical ward -
-He wasn't that bad- he said in a barely audible voice
-Oh Really? And how you know that?-
-He was doing just fine and he didn't say anything about it, not to me, not to Lester-
-How shocking, a soldier ending his mission without whining, never heard of it- he was mocking him, aggressively.
Silence.
-Okay, he looked fine, that's all I'm saying-
-Fine- he repeated wryly – he almost lost his eye-
Another pause. Gladio was beating around the bush, trying to elaborate it right, or at least in a way acceptable for the Marshal.
-It's complicated- doesn't matter how you look at it: this was the wrong answer.
-You have got to be shitting me- Cor replied sharply, -enough! What the fuck happened on that ship?-
-I did engage- he confessed, the look in his eyes was resentful, -I was crossing the cargo grid, trying to reach the containers, then out of the blue he appeared on the vent pipes above the corridor. He was walking through the laser detectors undetected, you know what does that?-
-MTs- Cor's reply was cold, -did he declare his intentions?-
-Sort of- he snorted.
-It's a yes or no answer-
-Yes- Gladio was pissed, -did you hear what I said? He was undetected in the middle of a Niff laser grid-
-What did he say?- Cor proceeded with his questioning, ignoring Gladio's comments.
-Are you serious?- he stared at him, barely blinking.
The Marshal stared him back, impassive.
-Something like: “I'm your extraction support” -
-And after that you engaged?-
-He was a Niff! You bet! You would have done the exact same thing in my shoes-
-No, I wouldn't- calm and quite disappointed, he leant against the back of his chair, crossing his arms. -There are no human soldiers left in the empire army, just officers, high rank officers. But you came from the kindergarder, you couldn't know something like that, I mean, you have the knowlegde, about the MT soldiers, but you don't use it in the right way under pressure -
-What are you implying?- a growl his voice.
Cor stared at him, straight in his eyes.
-You panicked Gladio, like a boy- he declared bluntly, he didn't mollify the truth, he was supposed to be a big boy, not a kid.
Cor could see Gladio’s chest heave with disbelief. The not-so-big boy refrained himself from saying something very inappropriate and he clenched his right fist.
-He was acting like one of the enemy's machines- his angry voice was restrained too.
-Yeah, I get that- he sighed, - I understand what you're saying, but still... to many injures, he didn't fight back, right? - Cor was displeased, Gladio failed to fulfill his expectations. His face expression was talking, loud and clear.
Silence. Brooding silence for almost a minute.
It was weird, Gladio was realizing now what happened for real, clearly he had a completely different narrative until few minute ago. A different story, one good enough to fit the role of perfect-soldier which wanted to sell.
-No, he didn't- he answered finally.
-Aggravated assault then-
He swallowed.
-Once you calmed down, did you follow him? Willingly?- questioning wasn't over yet.
Silence again. Gladio was basically playing a rewind in his mind.
-Did you foll...-
-He blew up the EMP shield. My transmitter turned on again, I got a message from Lester. He confirmed they have a former Niff sniper in their ranks-
-Clever- he wasn't talking of him.
Cor got out of his chair, taking a deep breath.
-Fuck- he said with a severe dark look in his eyes. Suddenly he was so tired.
-Are you gonna press charges... sir?-
-I should, totally- he snorted, -you would lose your priviligies, but you know I can't, smartass-
They stared at each other for a sec.
-It was a classified operation- Gladio muttered, relieved. Being a Crownsguard was everything to him.
-Correct- cold the Marshal's tone, very cold, -you're not off the hook though- this was both a threat and a promise, -we are going to keep this quiet, but you will have to make amends-
-What do you mean?-
-You will get a demerit-
-What?- his eyes widened, - the mission doesn't even exist, how can I explain that?-
-Stupidity. I'll find an official way with Drautos and the Crownsguard. Besides, Monica knows.-
Gladio froze for a second.
-How did she...-
-She called me, when the Glaives were a bit weird concerning the kid-
-Which kid?
-The sniper-
-He's not a kid- he muttered, then he shook his head, but he didn't reply any further.
-Do you remember his face? His features?-
The young Shield was astonished. He didn't remember at all, just blurred images, light hair? A slender body?
-I think not- Cor sighed, -from now on no more missions with the Kingsglaive, unless I personally authorize you. Second, I need to understand what's going on with them, if you hear something, you'll come to me immediately-
-Oh jeez, are you saying that I have to spy on them?-
-How could you? You're not a glaive, but you still have ties, use them-
He looked bemused.
-We are going to keep their sniper here, you'll help with that too-
-Are you insane?- He was glancing at Cor suspiciously, -what about Drautos?-
-This is none of your concern-
-Oh really?-
-Really- he said, bitter voice. -Don't screw this up, or I'll make you pay, officer- that was just a threat.
Gladio was quiet as he weighed the options.
-You cannot talk about this with anyone, and I mean it. Not even Ignis, is that clear?-
-Yes, crystal clear-
Cor nodded in wordless agreement, then he headed for the door.
-What did you say to the shrink?- he asked before leaving the room.
He frowned, the question was truly unexpected.
-It's supposed to be private, my safe space eccetera, you know?-
-Nice try-
-Nothing special, we talked about me feeling comfortable with the situation, no traumas and a lot of bullshit to be honest with you-
-Great- he said wryly, - is she good?-
He shrugged.
-Not a great breast and she is too pesky about emotions. Are you looking for a date Marshal?-
-Fuck off, boy. Did she realize you panicked?-
-I didn't p...- he stopped halfway through, -she didn't-
-Fine. You're free to go, the prince is annoyingly looking for you. No mistakes- He shot him a severe glance, then he left the room.
...
11:48 pm the medical ward of the Crownsguard Academy was silent in a dark embrace, lights on just in the corridors and common areas, no visitors, no external staff.
The sniper was resting in room 12, he was in a deep sleep when the guard checked on him at 11:52pm, but he was completely awake at 11:54pm when he left. Eyes opened, perfectly on alert, new environment, new challenge.
He remembered his conversation with the doctor, he ordered strong pain killers, this was the reason why he was asleep. The iv support was still set, but the little bag was empty, the pain was much more under control now, something distant, and his eye wasn't throbbing so badly, also the headache was behaving quite well, just a mild tinnitus was flogging his thoughts, like a broken radio fighting for a signal. More or less his mind was sharp and clear again, for a roughly assessment he would have said seventyfive percent operative.
Out of habit he removed the iv and checked the room for additional exits, slow movements in order to avaid noises, he didn't want to attract the guards' attention. Ninty degree vison wasn't great, but good enough to see two men standing outside his glassy room, non-comissioned officers probably, in their mid-twenties. Sloppy and not so well disciplined, this was his biased opinion toward the Insomnia soldiers. An IS Unit shouldn't have biased opionions, probably an MT Unit would ignore the partial data, but he was an Argentum class, he was supposed to be better, much more accurate, much more creative in his evaluation and strategy, he was pretty sure that an MT couldn't assess Gladiolus Amicitia, unlike him.
Suddenly a cell phone chimes turned him away from his thought, one of the guards picked up.
-Carter speaking?-
The sniper couldn't hear, but now the NCO was standing at attention in front o no one. He was genuinely afraid of the person on the line.
-He's still asleep. The doctor is checking on him every ninety minutes, something due to the concussion-
A pause.
-I wouldn't say different opinions, just different orders. Feens was supposed to send him back with the Kingsglaive this morning, but...- he stopped.
A long pause, his shoulders were really stiff. He was pretty uncomfortable, and his peer next to him was too.
-Yes, sir. Goodnight sir- finally he hung up. It hadn't been a long conversation, but it felt like it.
The guard sighed heavily.
-Let me guess, it wasn't Lieutenant Elshett-
The guard on the phone shot him a tense glance.
-The Immortal wants to transfer the kid in the morning- he said.
-Is he sending him back to the Glaive?-
-Possibly, but we are not allowed to communicate with them-
-What do you mean?-
-It's a Crownguard transfer, no external parties allowed-
They regarded each other, and then the sniper in the room.
-Why does he care? I thought Drautos would have picked him up as soon as the drugs wear off-
-No idea, but someone screwed up pretty bad if the Immortal is involved. It's the only reason I can think of-
They chuckled, quietly.
-Bloody glaives-
The guards were way too relaxed, he would have been able to escape, if he wanted to, but technically he wasn't a prisoner, his orders weren't very clear about an unexpected staying in Insomnia, so for the time being he would have played along... studying them.
The IS Unit closed his right eye, then he pretended to sleep until 6 am.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
8:45 am, it was raining again. The sniper was discharged from the Medical ward of the Crownsguard Academy. He barely spoke to the doctor, answering everything with three type of sentence: yes, no, I don't recall.
The guards didn't ask anything at all to the mysterious kid-glaive, they were curious of course, but no one was reckless enough to ignore Cor's orders. They drove him to the west gate and Monica took over from there, after deflecting eight calls from Drautos with her annoyingly reminders of protocols and procedures. The ones Drautos was ignoring, just to be clear.
The IS Unit was compliant in each and every step of his transfer, like a puppet. He didn't complain about the blindfold or the tracker on his wrist, submissive and quiet. He was good at silence, he knew it made people uncomfortable, but usually it wasn't a problem, Drautos would have sent him away and no one would have noticed. This was the first time exceeding the ninety six hours threshold.
Understanding the new situation was his new priority, in the absence of a CO. He had to find weaknesses, and flaws in their procedures, just in case he would need an escape.
Monica was clearly an higher rank, better disciplined and trained, he could tell by her stance she has been a military woman for many many years, despite her age not too advanced. Furthermore, he noticed she was ambidextrous with probably a preference for guns and long range rifles. A sniper shouldn't fight another sniper in close range, or so Drautos used to say to him.
She drove in silence for forty seven minutes without exceeding fifty miles per hour or so, he counted. Insomnia was loud and alive, but they ended up in a very quiet place, somewhere on the north-west side, he couldn't be sure.
-Stay put for five more minutes, please- she said icily before getting out of the car. She was good at concealing her intention and state of mind, but clearly she wasn't comfortable now, not with him actually, but with the situation itself.
He simple nodded, impassive. A poor choice not to tie him up, he wouldn't make such a foolish mistake if the situation were reversed.
The creepy quiet place they were in was called Wyvern, until seven years ago it represented the main training facility for the Crownsguard Cadets. The facility was a three parts compound, a primary building shaped as an hexagon and two additional structures, a gym and a shooting range close to a small park with a lake. The scenario looked timeworn and grim, no fancy lights, no polished bridges, it almost didn't feel like Insomnia. Somewhere forgotten, not just abandoned.
Cor Leonis was waiting outside the entrance, in the parking lot, heedless of the rain.
-Everything in order?-
-Yes, sir- she looked back to the car for a second, she hesitated -are we sure about this?-
-Absolutely- this untruth didn’t look good on him, but she couldn't tell.
Instead she nodded.
-Drautos is getting nervous. He called multiple times- quick report, – are there others?- she asked, cautiously.
-I'm not surprised. I'll deal with him when he'll come for the glaives this evening. Just keep him busy for today- another order, he didn't answer immediately her last question. - I don't know, but it's definitely something to find out sooner rather than later-
-Yes, sir-
-I'll see you later, you can leave now-
-Yes, sir- slower this answer, one last glance to the car, then she left.
Cor waited two entire minutes before approaching the car, he had to prepare himself for this game. He took a deep breath in then he breathed out opening the door next to him. Calm and still, a soldier, not a kid.
-You can remove the blindfold now. Step out of the car- Cor ordered, he was treating him like a Cadet. Sort of.
Obediently he stretched out his hand and took it off. Quick look outside, somehow the silent creepy place felt familiar. Not a word.
-You have new orders- he announced.
-From captain Drautos?- he asked with a plain tone of voice.
-From me- he specified drily, -I told you already, I'm Drautos' commander. Do you understand what it means?-
-Yes, sir-
-Have you ever received orders from someone else?-
-I have, during missions-
-Good, then you know the drill. Come with me- another order, before heading to the main building.
He followed, three paces away .
Inside it was a bit better, still fully functional the structure, but it was an ocean of dust and carelessness. They walked through the second wing, called Dalmasca, according to the signs they passed by in the corridors. They stopped in front of a double door with a sign: Dormitory.
-This place is going to be your new assignment. You will stay here for a while. Come on in- he opened the door.
The dorm was completely clean, it smelled like a hospital after the antiseptic treatment, one bed was set in the corner next to the window.
The kid looked around, still silent.
-There is a pretty strong security system on this facility, you have access just to the Dalmasca wing on the ground floor, the gym and the park, up to the fence. The tracker on your wrist is a monitoring support, with a GPS, completely waterproof and with an anti-hijacking system, if you try to remove it, it will release an electromagnetic pulse rated to reach your nanites. Do you understand what it means?-
-Yes, I'll die due to organs failure, or embolism-
His answer was awfully calm and disconnected, emotionless. It hit hard on the Marshal, but he didn't show it at all.
-Correct- he confirmed icily, -you receive a little shock alert in your wrist when you are reaching a threshold, at that point you have thirty seconds to go back into the closest safe area. You'll find instructions and a map in a document in your drawer- he pointed towards the bedside table.
-Is that clear?-
-Yes, sir- he didn't flinch at all. Three third of the current Crownsguard cadets would have panicked already.
Cor headed to the windows, they faced north, the park.
-You will train yourself here, like a standard Cadet, meanwhile we will assess your status-
-I'm not a cadet-
-Fair point, but we don't know what you're, so this is your starting point-
-You know what I am. An IS Unit, class Argentum-
-We have no IS Unit in Insomnia, nor within the Glaives in theory. This is a compromise, we have to learn-
Silence. His blood red eye was staring at Cor, the colour was disturbing in a way the Marshal didn't notice when they first met.
-What do you need to know?- he asked, something wasn't right for him.
-Everything- he retorted cryptic, -are you human?-
-Biologically, yes-
-So, it's a yes-
-Biologically-
They stared at each other, this was going nowhere.
-Can you elaborate a bit?-
-Biologically I resemble a human being with enhancements. I'm a human-like Unit, this is part of my design, but I'm not a human, my nanites implants are MT cyborg-like-
-Which kind of enhancements?-
-I can self-repair at almost any level if the main system maintain consistency. My immune-system is designed to adapt quickly to diseases, my brain chemistry is slightly different due to the nanites, I can process information faster-
-Any miasma? Or daemon-like mist?-
-Micro dispersion in my blood, not contagious-
Cor looked at him. The rabbit hole was deep.
-And for these reasons you're not human enough?-
- I wasn't born, I was created and shaped as a human- he insisted. Difficult to say if he didn't want to be human or if being human would have questioned the core structure of his way of thinking, something clearly not acceptable.
-It's a bit too philosophy crap for me. In some way you have been brought to this world, not born, fine I get that, but you have a human body and thoughts-
This was tough for the sniper. Drautos' Commander wasn't okay with him being just a weapon, he took a couple of minutes to elaborate something different in order to clarify the misunderstanding. Misunderstandings are dangerous, they lead to retaliation.
-A human chooses, an IS Unit serves, sir. There is no choice-
Cor's eyes widened. He suffered the blow this time, his composure cracked.
-Drautos told you so?- his voice was tense.
-No, this is my core designation-
-Where is that coming from?-
-Imprinting-
-What?-
-Basic guidelines embedded in my nanites-
A pause. The marshal diverted his glance, his resolution was challenged, making him doubt himself.
-Would you like to choose?- He finally asked, after a sticky silence, lasted for too long.
The IS Unit human-like type resembled a kid now, confused and lost. He blinked.
-I don't understand the question, sir-
-You're pretty smart, what's wrong with my question?-
-I cannot choose-
-Let's rephrase this. Do you want the chance? Free choices, no CO orders?-
He was puzzled, this option was clearly unthinkable.
-The question is not relevant for an IS Unit class Argentum-
Cor chuckled, somehow reassured, his head cocked, pensive concentration in his eyes.
-Fine. Let's keep this one on hold for now-
-Yes, sir- he replied, trying not to sound relieved. The unthinkable question was still burning in his head.
-As I said before during your time here we will treat you like a crownsguard cadet. It might happen to meet others, Cadets or Officers, you will have to pretend to be one of our snipers in training. I'm the only one you are allowed to talk to about your Niff origins, unless I say otherwise, is that clear?-
-Yes, sir-
-What's your name among the Glaive?-
-S13NOX- again the code.
-Really? The glaives call you like that?-
-No, they call me sniper most of the times, but few of them know my recognition code-
-Drautos suggested this solution, I presume-
-Yes-
-How does he call you?-
-NOX or Argentum-
-Fine, you're going to be Cadet Argentum-
He just looked at him skeptical, but this was an order, no room for complains.
-Are you answering in such complete way because I'm Drautos' commander?- another change of subject.
-Correct-
-Why do you believe me?-
-I have been exposed to evidence that you're the Marshal, and I know the Marshal is Captain Drautos' Commander. Also, he is commander in chief of the Corwnsguard and by affiliation of the Kingsglaive-
Cor smirked.
-How do you feel about Corwnsguard Amicitia?- completely out of the blue.
Silence.
-I don't understand the question, I don't feel anything-
-Great- he scratched his neck, - how do you feel about Amicitia? Meeting him again, perhaps?-
He blinked, puzzled, like Cor was talking in a foreign language.
-He attacked you, and you sustained many injuries due to that incident- incident wasn't the right word, but for the greater good he used it, -are you afraid?-
-I'm sorry, afraid of what?-
Cor was astonished, staring at him, emotionless, genuinely clueless about why he was asking in the first place.
It took a whole minute to the Marshal, in order to rebuild his composure.
-Afraid of Gladio- he said, -I mean Amicitia-
-Why?-
-Let's try another way. Why didn't you fight back?-
-My orders. Do not engage-
-Great- terse again, he swallowed. The conversation with the kid was getting darker for some reason. -Are you afraid of confronting him?-
-Confronting how?-
-In combat again-
-I'm not-
Silence, Cor looked at him, trying to analyse his reactions, but there weren't any. Calm and still.
-Do you think Gladio is a dangerous opponent?-
-Potentially he is, but... no, not really-
This was a sucker punch. He opened his mouth and closed it.
-Not really? Why is that?-
-He's not very strategic, he goes all in, without thinking about his surroundings, or the battlefield. I had to let him smash my arm to avoid him setting off the laser alarm grid- he replied quietly - He's undoubtedly very strong, in a one on one match he's probably going to be very challenging. I presume he is very good in a training environment, but not in the field-
-Wait!You did what?- he frowned.
-He was using a two-handed sword, class claymore, in a cargo space-
-Of course he was...-
Cor was amazed, this was a consistent and ruthless evaluation of Gladio, his analytical skills were impressive, but also concerning. The kid wasn't just quiet, he was an attentive observer.
-Glad to hear that you have no problem with Gladio. You two might have trainings together-
He looked bemused, but he nodded.
-Good, I'm taking my leave now. You have your orders, we'll catch up in a couple of days-
-Yes, sir-
He left.
...
The IS Unit checked the folder as soon as the Marshal reached the corridor. Orders. He needed orders, a clear direction, something familiar.
A military document was definitely reassuring for him. He had to perform physical activities, verify the virtual walls in the perimeter, keep clean ad tidy the dormitory, evaluate the ground floor of the Dalmasca wing and attend tests with the medical team. Also meals and bed times were scheduled. Easy. Too easy actually.
The only thing making him on edge was an handwritten note: we are testing you on a variety of levels. Be creative..
He inspected the room thoroughly, no cameras, no bugs, no control system. Just the tracker on his wrist sounded not enough, a sloppy decision.
When he finished the general checks he covered his wrist with fabric and then retrieve a phone from his left boot, stolen in Monica's car. At this point the carelessness shown by the officer might seem part of a bigger plan, but he ignored the thought for now, he had other things going on in his mind, additional orders. A mandatory requirement from Drautos: you always need to find a way to get in touch with me.
The phone was perfectly functional just a bit out of date and with a cracked screen. He assessed it as a backup phone. He found two years old unread texts for a certain Iggy. The contact list had just one name saved “NLC”, features and functionalities were basically untouched, and the phone system was locked in a very sophisticated way allowing to call and text just the saved number, probably the owner was another crownsguard, or a high ranked officer.
An IS Unit class Argentum was supposed to be creative, capable of great problem solving and troubleshooting, but he was completely stuck, no chance to contact Drautos, and a non-clear- variety of tests incoming.
The real silence took over.
For the first time in a very long time he felt the difference between being alone and his attitude of being lonesome. That night he couldn't sleep so with no reason he read the texts on the phone.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
06:00 am Wake time
Running Route around the Lake, 3 laps - 10 km.
06:45 am Shower. Dalmasca Wing.
07:15 am Breakfast in the canteen, Dalmasca Wing. Yellow box.
08:00 am General clean up, Dalmasca Wing. Green box.
09:30 am Documents filing, Dalmasca Wing. Room Tidus -Terminal 108-X2.
12:00 pm Lunch in the canteen, Dalmasca Wing. Orange box.
01:00 pm Free time.
02:00 pm Physical assessment, Gym. Room Bash - Teminal 112-Y3.
03:00 pm Lessons, Dalmasca Wing. Room Veve - Terminal 213-Z5.
06:00 pm Free time.
07:00 pm Dinner in the canteen, Dalmasca Wing. Red box.
08:00 pm Free time.
11:00 pm Bedtime. Lights off. Dalmasca Wing Shuts down.
The standard schedule above could have some variations, based on the day of the week or on Cor's orders. Such as medical assessment on Wednesday with doctor Averet. Free time on Sunday, a lot of free time, too much free time for an IS Unit. Shooting session on Thursday, with lieutenant Monica Elshett. Training with Gladiolus Amicitia on Friday, but they will start after his full recovery. Additional/special requirements on Monday, usually 1:1 with Cor Leonis.
The weekly agenda was way too easy, he had to many hours on his own, alone in his mind scenarios. The unthinkable questions didn't disapper, it was like having an heavy shadow he was forced to drag around during his tasks.
How do you feel? Are you afraid?
Why asking something like that? It wasn't necessary, in general he has no need to feel. Feelings compromise decision-making processes, it's mandatory to to avoid them, an IS Unit has to ignore them in order to be excellent, not just functiontal. Not correct: it doesn't have them, therefore an IS Unit class Argentum is excellent.
Would you like to choose?
Wrong question. That part is not up for negotiation. A tool doesn't need to choose, it serves.
Running was helpful, routine physical activity kept him in check, but it didn't shut down his brain, his annoying overthinking. There were no missions to think about instead of the questions, no strategies to improve actual tactics, consultancy with the Glaives or weapons maintainace. Nothing. Free time, too much free time. What's free time?
S13NOX realized quick enough that the terminals were in the only places with a 24/7 surveillance system, there was no way to use or to tamper them for something different of their intended use. He spent one week trying to find a solution for his impossibility of getting in touch with Drautos. He disliked the idea that there were questions about his loyalty, but probably his CO was having doubts right now. Also, the CO matter was a throbbing point in his head, Cor Leonis was in charge now. Technically he was doing right, but his core orders were specifics, and not really questionable by a different chain of command.
In conclusion, with the benefit of hindsight, his first week at the facility had to be qualified as amazing compared to the following ones. Less questions, focused in his target, no doubts. Good old days, doubtless.
After two weeks he felt uncertain about any path that didn’t come with agony. And agony wasn't the right word, but boredom wasn't in his vocabulary and paranoia wasn't allowed. An IS Unit class Argentum doesn't have time for being bored, it has missions to accomplish, or it dies trying, and if it develops paranoia it needs maintenance.
Being Cadet Argentum was complicated. It was like a role play without a script, talking the wrong language and with no guidelines. Pretending to be a human among humans paying attention to others' behaviours was more than challenging, it was frustrating, they had expectations, standardized reaction types and social cues.
He had too many variables in his equation. Leonis, Elshett, doctor Arvert, Amicitia. Different personalities, different goals, different grasp of the situation. No Drautos.
S13NOX was in disarray, it wasn't supposed to be like that, it was easy to handle the day to day, but simply the straightforward Cadet-life was to unbearable.
At this point he had memorized all two hundred and two lines of texts from the stolen phone, not understood all of them though, but he could repeat them by heart. NLC and Iggy had a completely different way of talking/writing, it was like a secret language. Probably he would have needed something like that in order to contact Drautos.
11:05 – Tell me u are awake. Please, it's really important yh.
11:27 – Prompto. Coming now.
11:31 – Prompto is not even a real word.
11:33 – It is! like pronto but even more promptly. Prompto!
11:31 – Whatever. Tower east.
11:45 – YH?!?
11:50 - PROMPTO
Prompto. S13NOX really liked this non-real-word, something unusual and unconventional with a inherent meaning in it.
-Cadet? Are you listening?- Doctor Averet huffed. First name Vaan, thirty seven years old, Crownsguard medical officer. 180 cm tall, approximatily 75kg, he walked with a limp, almost unnoticeable. Not dangerous, definitely not a threat in combat. If the IS Unit would have arranged an escape Wednesday would have been a good day. At the moment it was just an hypotesis, no plan needed for now. Just not yet.
-Cadet?- again. He was pretty annoyed now.
The sniper was spacing out. Unacceptable
-Prompto- he said suddenly, then he realized he was still in the medical room of the Dalmasca Wing. It was Wednesday.
An apostrophe appeared at one corner of the doctor’s lips.
-What's that?-
-Pardon?-
-What's “prompto”?-
Silence. This was a mistake.
-Oh gosh, is that your given name?- Averet incorrectly assumed that, misinterpreting the sniper's look, -my apologies, I wasn't mocking you-
-No, problem- he played along. He actually needed a fake name for the role play of the Crownsguard Cadet, Prompto was a name useful like any other, even if it wasn't a name technically.
-Okay then, let's recap: your sight is totally fine, you're actually recovering pretty fast. Your last scan is also clean, no more retro-orbital hematoma, this was my main concern- he showed his laptop screen to him.
The sniper leaned out for a second, nodding. He didn't understand the scan picture, but he wanted to see his computer. No wi-fi connection, no network at all. Besides, there were cameras in the medical room as well.
He leaned back.
-Your ribs are completely fine, your ulna is not healing at the same speed, but as I said before your progress are off the charts- he was surprised, more than that actually. He had questions, lots of them, but clearly he couldn't bring himself to ask. Cor's orders, likely. -Anyway, your prognosis is really good. Just be careful with your right arm, do not stress it, no heavy lifting etc., also with the new lighter cast be mindful when you run, don't jerk it - something was disturbing for the doctor, but he kept his professional composure, but seeing these results with an original five-weeks prognosis was really a lot to take in without questions.
-Yes- terse as usual.
-Okay- he said closing his laptop, -I'll see you in a couple of weeks then. Have a nice day- he dismissed him swiftly.
He nodded, then he left with no further questions, he never had questions actually. Another thing the doctor couldn't really stand about him.
Averet waited less then fine minutes, then dialed in.
“Marshal”Cor's blunt answer, cold voice.
-It's Averet. Medical check completed. He's improving, fast. Too fast...-
“Doctor, we discussed about this already, this is none of your concern”
-With all due respect, I'm his physician, I need...-
“It's classified. Your clearance is not enough. Anything else?”
-I'll send the data by end of play today, however I have to flag that he seems bored and quite frustrated, I can see signs of depression. Clearly he's not used to time off in his day-to-day life. Here he's in isolation basically, with too much time, time to think. I know, I'm here for a physical point of view, but you know, just saying... - he wanted to put his comment in the right way, but he failed.
“Noted. Thank you doctor, appreciated” he hung up.
Averet snorted.
15:03 – Crescent road 15, u there?
15:04 – Where?
15:04 – FGS! Turn left on Rabanaste st.
15:06 – Prompto!
He was reading outside, next to the gym. Acronyms and abbreviations were fascinating for the sniper, he couldn't translate all of them, but he found intriguing just trying to.
That day he forgot to check how long doctor Averet took from the medical room to the parking spot. An IS Unit shoudn't be sloppy like that. For a minute he felt like officer Elshett. Unforgivable.
He had other three hours of “free time”, he kept reading.
19:23 – Gladio, is looking for u
19:29 – busy
19:34 – Noct?
19:34 – still busy
19:56 – Training room. Now yh!
10:00 – Wake up!
10:09 – cant
10:09 – Meeting with CA. You have to!
10:13 – no, not coming
10:14 – Noct?! I'm coming in
10:15 – u r outside?
16:08 – how long Iggy?
16:09 – 2 weeks left
16:29 – I want my phone back!
16:30 – It's in good hands with me.
16:30 – I'm not a child
16:31 – really?
16:33 – fuck
NLC or Noct was a real piece of work for Iggy, or at least it seemed so to the sniper. He was quite rebellious and impulsive, not really compliant with rules and obbligations. Disrespectful and somehow selfish, a mercurial personality. Absurdly enough he found him charming. Probably he was malfunctioning.
...
3:00pm Thursday - shooting range
-And this one?-
-Festal LSA-4 tilting lenses- he answered emotionless, as usual.
Monica looked at him a couple of times, he seemed pretty different without the patch on his left eye. She stopped staring and she moved to another rack with rifles.
-Among these, which one is the best for you?-
-None- he said bluntly.
She smirked with appreciation.
-Which one is the best for an average sniper?-
-That one- he pointed with his left hand, -Vestia TG-87 laser sight-
-Good choice-Monica nodded, -we have already clarified that you have an impressive score, also for a trained sniper. What we want to test today are your strategies in a dynamic environment- she said heading for the stairs, she was going toward the building next to the shooting range field, -come with me, we will run few simulations-
-Yes, ma'am- he followed.
He loved Thrursdays, a lot. Actually that wasn't accurate. He loved Thursdays, but just in the afternoon. No questions with multiple answers, with no answer at all, or with a psychological point of view involved. He was good with weapons, fucking good used to say Drautos. He knew stats and performances and Monica wasn't looking for a human approch to the weapons, he treated him like a soldier, nothing more, nothing less.
Fighting came naturally to an IS Unit class Argentum, whose abilities were born of strength, "natural" aptitude and relentless practice in the simulation chairs. It was a fascinating weapon, but Monica didn't see that in him, she was seeing a boy too involved in warfare.
After three perfect scores the officer seemed fed-up with the same output over and over again.
-Cadet, you can stop now- she said firmly through the earpiece.
-How about section D?-
-No need, you're free to go. We're done for today- something in the tone of her voice seemed gently tolerant, which clearly confused the IS Unit.
-Yes, ma'am-
Monica's phone was ringing, this the reason for the quick leave forced on the sniper. Cor Leonis.
-Yes, sir?-
“Finally, how is going?”
-All good, we have just finished the last simulation- straight answer, without dwelling on comments or opinions.
“Insights?” he asked after a pause.
-He's probably the best sniper I have ever seen in the past ten years sir. Better than me, just to be clear- she replied tersely.
“I doubt that”
-I don't, sir. Plus I wasn't that good when I was fifteen- under normal circumstances, that would not be a cause for anxiety, the Marshal himself was a soldier since the age of fifteen, and in the Kingsglaive the majority of its members started the training at twelve. Nevertheless Monica was troubled by this soldier kid.
“Quit beating around the bush, what are you implying?”
-He's so good because is a cold-blooded assassin, sir. No hesitations, no emotions, no distractions. He doesn't pay the price to the adrenaline and his nerves, he's calm and focused, like a veteran-
Both in silence. Her silence, however, seemed to be worse.
“Do you agree with Averet?”
-Yes and no- she was cautious.
“How so?”
-You're pushing sir, I can see that. I do understand why you're doing what yo're doing, but this is going to break him, and I'm not so sure it won't harm him- at the end she spoke up. Eyes on the last simulation results. -Crushing his way-of-life can be very destructive or liberating, either ways are traumas. He's not bored or frustrated with me because he enjoys this, and he knows this, it's familiar and somehow safe. It's a coping mechanism in order to avoid chaos- she stopped for a second, -I'd rather not to push him beyond the breaking point-
Another pause.
“Do you think I would?”he asked drily.
-I wasn't implying...-
“No, you're absolutely right. I have to be thorough in this evaluation or I won't be able to fix this, especially with Clarus, I am the monster now. I get that.”his voice was quieter than she expected.
-I didn't say that sir- slightly upset her voice.
“It wasn't necessary” he snorted over the phone, “He needs to feel reality not just analyse it, Monica”
-He might break before understanding-she rose again a fair point.
“We are running out of options. If I have to push him into hell first, so be it”
-I understand, sir- not really, but she knew her place and what was at stake with the Kingsglaive.
A long pause.
“Send over the last results. We'll catch up later” he said abruptly, then he hung up.
...
18:07 – Hey, did you check the agenda?
18:08 – no. Bored
18:09 – How about studying?
18:10 – go to hell
18:12 – not prompto?
18:13 – die
S13NOX was lonesome. He was not always alone, but he was always lonesome. Even in a group, he was somehow separate. More a concept, a state of mind of being apart from the others.
At the training facility he wasn't lonesome though, he was isolated, may be forgotten like a traitor. He was failing. His muddled thoughts arriving at this conclusion were generating a spiral of chaos in his mind.
Suddenly he felt dizzy. He was outside, close to the lake and to one of the virtual perimeter lines. He lay his cheek against a boulder covered with warm moss, trying to keep his thoughts even and in check.
Having time off was out of discussion in the Kingsglaive, there were resting period and he had them too. Maintenance. Clear and defined, usually they counted them in hours, not even days. It was reassuring. Here there were no deadlines, just a sequence of days all the same, over and over again.
Boredom and paranoia were battling that day, in a mixed and twisted way. The sniper was still on the grass, staring at the clouds.
-The nimbostratus- muttered. It was heavy and dark, and he knew he would get drenched if he stayed outside. A strorm was coming, but from so far away that he had plenty of time to get under cover. He didn't, he just lay there and watched it approach, inexorably. When the first thunder struck he closed his eyes and let the storm soak him.
He missed dinner. He didn't care even if his logic inner voice was reminding him about the 10 km next morning. After a quick shower he lay on his bed and turned on the stolen phone. A mistake is also a creative way of changing status quo he thought with a dark look in his eyes. He texted.
“PROMPTO”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
10:57 pm “Who s this?”
It appeared on the phone one hour and twenty minutes later, but the sniper didn't notice till morning. Absurdly enough he slept incredible well that night. They weren't supposed to be impulsive, an IS Unit shouldn't be like that, the creative thinking of a class Argentum shouldn't mean being careless and this plan was more than careless, it was a gamble.
He was trying to do something different for the chance of a change, but when he got a response he wasn't actually sure on how to proceed. He ignored it, he had his morning tasks to attend, but unfortunately this didn't mean not thinking about it.
He run his usual 10 km in a crappy time, he was out of breath by the end of the third laps. Unacceptable. He was starving, but he couldn't bring himself to eat all his breakfast, he just tasted something because he openened the box, the yellow one, but spacing out was his new normal now. He run out of time.
”Who s this?”
NLC's reply was surprised, understandably. He probably thought he got away with it and now the phone was coming back to expose his breach of the rules back in the days. May be he was mistaken him for Monica Elshett. According to the texts time they were two years old, a messagge now was more than unlikely and it might represent a threat, right? Nope, wrong point of view, missing details. The sniper didn't know if NLC was a cadet, and certainly he didn't seem like one.
He didn't clean up really well that day and during his filing duties his level of typos had a spike. Besides he couldn't check the phone in the room Tidus. Additional stress.
11:03 am “Iggy, is that a joke?”
11:05 am “werent u at the conference?”
NLC was persistent, and this plan wasn't a plan, but just him throwing a tantrum in a very bad moment. Unfortunately he couldn't stop now, he had to make it holding water, somehow. Also, this guy on the other side had a phone, one not locked probably, he could be his way of making contact with Drautos, but it was a long shot.
There was already a story: Prompto Argentum, a sniper Crownsguard/Kingsglaive cadet in special training. He was instructed about a bunch of different tests, why not playing this card as well? Unorthodox technique of info gathering?
He didn't attend the recorded lessons in room Veve and nothing happened. He was to focus on the story needed for his Persona, Cadet Argentum, so he didn't notice. Sloppy again.
04:33 pm “Prompto Argentum, and you are?”
04:36 pm “is this part of the training too? Copy”
Copy? He pressed the button too fast, he wasn't a military radio message, but he was trying to create a misunderstanding, something usually he would have avoided due to retaliation, but as they say necessity is the mother of invention. So here he was.
04:50 pm “Training?srly, who the hell r u?”
04:55 pm “Gladio, is that u?”
This was bad, really bad, too many abbreviations, the sniper was struggling with them. Also, the guy seemed pretty pissed.
For the first time the IS Unit was happy about the “free time” slot in his day. Texting was exhausting.
06:02 pm “No Gladio. Cadet Argentum, training facility. I found this phone here, I thought he was part of the simulation. My apologies”
Prompto Argentum sounded like the TV weather guy in his texts, that was the best he could do without guidelines. Something broke through, NLC didn't reply immediately.
06:13 pm “My apologies?”
06:13 pm “You rly wrote that? Gosh”
06:13 pm “Okay. Sorry. That's my phone. What r u talking abt?”
06:14 pm “Simulation of what? Texting?”
06:16 pm “Evidence analysis”
06:17 pm “Great”
06:17 pm “Why my phone is in this thing?”
06:18 pm “That's my question. Are you a Cadet?Copy”
06:18 pm “FGS. NO! And stop copying!!”
06:19 pm “Got it”
06:19 pm “AW that's my phone”
06:19 pm “Noted”
Silence. Texting was also stressful for the waiting periods.06:26 pm “Your name is Prompto? rly?”
06:26 pm “It is.”
06:27 pm “Wow”
06:27 pm “So, you read my texts and thought they were part of your thing? Cause of Prompto?”
06:28 pm “Yes” Not really, but it seemed a brilliant idea in that moment.
06:30 pm “Sick”
06:30 pm “I'm not sick. Well, I am, but I'm recovering from my injuries”
06:33 pm “.............”
06:33 pm “u r Cor's Cadet”
Pause. NLC knew things.He definitely knew the Marshal, it wasn't good.
06:35 pm “I am”
06:36 pm “Yep, I can tell by the way u r texting” suddenly he reduced the amount of abbreviations.
06:36 pm “Sorry to hear about your injuries”
06:38 pm “Why?”
This was a mistake. It slipped through his fingers, before he could stop himself, he shouldn't ask questions like that, not to a stranger potential asset he was trying to recruit through manipulation. Manipulation wasn't the right word.
06:41 pm “You are injured, it sucks”
Silence. The IS Unit wasn't understanding the flow, he froze.
06:46 pm “Still there?”
06:48 pm “Sorry, I'm here”
06:49 pm “Okay then, about the phone, what r w gonna do?”
06:54 pm “I cannot leave the facility, I'm in training”
06:55 pm “Crownsguard Cadet?
06:59 pm “Sort of. Liaison with the Kingsglaive”
07:00 pm “No way! Rly?”
07:02 pm “Yes?”
07:02 pm “Sick!”
07:02 pm “I mean, great!”
07:03 pm “r u alone in the simulation thing?”
07:04 pm “Yes”
07:05 pm “Boring. Cor is heartless”
07:06 pm “He seems fine”
07:08 pm “I meant strict, fucking strict”
07:09 pm “He's the Marshal, he must be”
This pause was honestly too long.
07:16 pm “Can I keep the phone? Not for the simulation”
07:17 pm “Well... yeah, why not, but it's locked right? It was 2 y ago”
07:19 pm “It is”
07:20 pm “Well, okay, u can text me then, if u r bored”
07:20 pm “I need an escape window from my life too. I won't tell Cor”
07:22 pm “Thank you”
07:22 pm “No sweat”
07:25 pm “I'm not sweating”
07:26 pm “.... sure”
07:28 pm “Anyway, I'm Noctis”
07:31 pm “Noctis is your given name?”
07:32 pm “Your name is Prompto, r u rly judging my name?”
Clearly the sniper wasn't understanding the connection between these two things.
07:34 pm “I won't”
07:35 pm “Great. Nice to meet u”
07:37 pm “Likewise”
07:38 pm “I gotta go now. Good luck!”
07:44 pm “Thank you?”
He missed dinner too, and he got an headache from all the texting with NLC. Noctis: a non-cadet, non-officer, non-military in general, who knew Cor Leonis well enough to call him Cor, no formalities. He had heard that name before, somewhere, but he couldn't recall when. Did Drautos mention it? The unknown number on his phone, the man with a rich baritone voice, when he was on the recovery chair half-asleep he had eavesdropped pieces of their conversation by accident, but at that time it was just a name, a weird one.
This new-status-quo-chance was becoming really complicated.
...
Cor didn't like the Citadel, he never did, since the times of King Mors, when he was just a hothead from the Crownsguard, with too much arrogance and a officer rank at the same age of the other cadets. He joined the Crownsguard at age 13, and became King Mors's bodyguard at age 15, the youngest ever for the position. Something that nowadays the King wouldn't have allowed anymore.
Cor Leonis publicly criticized Regis's retreat from Accordo in the Great War, calling the then-crown prince and his men "a bunch of cowards”. Prince Regis hired him immediately, he was so impressed with the young firebrand's willingness to speak truth to power, promising him to do better. Eventually they became friends.
Cor rarely stayed in his designated office at the Citadel, after twentysix years he was still feeling uncomfortable amongs the silver-spoons, even if his best friends were silver-spoons as well. Politics and politicians, he wasn't wired for that, one set of rules for the aristocracy and one set of rules for the rest of the people. A necessary evil King Mors used to say, but Cor wasn't sure about that.
The Marshal was 41 nowadays, much more wise and balanced, not a hothead anymore, but still rebellious in his own way.
-Cor- the Shield of the King stormed in - why I summoned you and I'm the one coming down here?- his voice was deep and dryly.
-Clarus-
Lord Clarus Amicitia was a middle-aged man with a shaved head and blue eyes. He was the Head of the Crownsguard, officially, while the Marshal was its Commander and the Kingsglaive Leader, their clashing roles had never been a problem before. Clarus had always been more focused on the Council and the politics landscape changings, he never stepped in in Cor's decisions and Regis never asked him to. A nice agreement, but at the end of the day just a gentlemen's agreement.
-Are you avoiding me?- Clarus asked straight out. No pleasantries.
-Not that I'm aware of- condescending tone, - Should I?-
-For gods' sake Cor, this is childish. Is this about Gladio by any chance?- impatient the Council Member, he stared at the General.
-You tell me, is it about your son?-
Clarus rolled his eyes.
-I have just asked few questions about the reason, I'm not interfering with your decisions, I'm trying to understand. That's all.-
-Really- clearly not convinced, -do you check on every Cadet or Officer?-
-What are you talking about?-
-Gladio- he crossed his arms, -you need to back off Clarus. I know you mean well, but you're messing with his head in a bad way-
-Gods!! You demoted him, because he went MIA one day? In a cargo? Of course I had to ask-
-First, it's just a demerit. Second, we are talking of three days-
-So, why forbid any other mission with the Kingsglaive? When is he supposed to learn?-
Cor snorted, in a dark and annoyed way.
-He went missing for three days- he clarified again, - for a Glaive is a death sentence, we didn't call MIA anymore after 24 hours- his reply was drily, - you have arranged a rescue mission with Drautos, without consulting me, using cadets because they were out of range of the real glaives. Did you think about them? Those kids you used for your kid. Your fucking arrogant kid?- Cor got out of his chair and took a deep breath. He knew this was coming, and actually he was avoiding the Shield for this very reason.
Clarus sighed, then he glanced sideways at the Marshal, his eyes ice cold.
-Gladiolus is not a kid, and neither those cadets- he shook his head, keeping his composure, -are we really doing this Cor? Are we comparing our ranks?- he was showing some kind of annoyance.
-Gladio is an outstanding soldier, he's even better than you in single combat, he's one of my best Cadets-
-But...- Clarus stepped in, -and I know everything before “but” is bullshit-
-He's not ready- Cor said it without hesitation, the forbidden words.
-Because of that mission?-
-Because of you Clarus. He needs to take his own decisions, they are all yours at the moment. Since he was a toddler you took away his free will for good, selling this holy duty of being the Shield. And now he's a man ish, but incapable of basics decision making because he never had the chance, his life is a bunch of your choices. When he was out there, you weren't, and it definitely served the purpose this exercise, now we know: he's not ready-
Silence.
-I disagree-
-Shocking- sarcastic his tone, - look Clarus, he uses the same type of weapon as you, even if when he was nine he loved flamberge swords. Rings a bell?-
-He's an Amicitia, first born, we all use that type of sword, it's tradition-
-It's brainwashing! You know, I never ever said anything about that, but now I have to say something, especially if you are trying to manipulate the Crownsguard-
-I beg your pardon?- he was outraged.
They stared at one another for a very long minute. Then Clarus took a deep breath and looked away.
-Why are you questioning now? Why not back then when he was 10?-
-Because I understand where you're coming from my friend, even now. I understand what it means, you had no choice, so Gladio has no choice either. Simple- quite brutal, but honest, - Also, now I know better, he's an amazing swordsman, but he needs to understand the battlefield lack of rules and to account unpredictable factors as well-
-He needs experience, this is why I asked about your decision-
Another pause. Cor was staring at him, judging.
-I would have rescued him myself, no Drautos, no glaives. Why didn't you ask me directly?-
Clarus shook his head and leaned against the wall.
-And no Crownsguard report?-
-What?- the Marshal was puzzled.
-There it is, your face. That face!- he pointed, -you're a clever man, Cor. You always were, but you also are adamant about procedures and transparency-
-Good Lords, are you serious?-
-I am, we cannot have Gladio's role questioned at this point-
-Which point? Am I missing something?-
-He is his highness Shield-
-So?-
Clarus was hesitating, he glanced at him. He couldn’t read Cor as easily as he could read Regis. He couldn’t tell if he was mad at him or disappointed.
-When Prince Noctis visited Tenebrae to recuperate from his back injury, he has been recognised as the Chosen King by the Oracle. So I had no choice, no more flamberge or different career path within the Crownsguard. Regis asked me to get Gladio ready for what will come- he said it emotionless.
For a moment the Marshal was quiet, thinking. A long silence.
-Are you trading your soul and honor to accomplish Regis' request?-
-Excuse me?-
He looked at him, doleful and tired.
-I'm talking of your agreement with Drautos-
-Which agreement?- suddenly wary.
-The IS Prototype-
It was not puzzling because it was unexpected that word here, at the Citadel. Clarus struggled to piece this information together, but he managed to keep his composure.
-How much do you know?-
Clarus voice, now calm, hit Cor really hard, his confirmation hurt him.
-Too much, probably. That mission was a train wreck, Drautos confessed because I made him-he said, -He's with me now-
-What? You have it? Where?- the Shield was on edge.
-It- he repeated, -like Titus, he's a thing for you, a tool-
-Cor we are talking of a IS Unit so... yes, it's a tool-
-I'm afraid not. He's human and I have three doctors saying so, and I would have never imagined you having something to do with a mess like this. Lucis is abducting niff-lab-kids now? Seriously?-
Clarus came forward, and was now standing a single pace away, his face wiped clean of any expression.
-It's one, only one, prototype. I totally understand what is disturbing you, but no, it's not human, it looks like a human being. I had the same reaction as you when Drautos came to me with his proposal-
Silence. The shield could see contempt in Cor's eyes, but he was listening at least.
-My first order was: let him go, because he was a kid, a very very troubled kid. We had to let him go within Niflheim borders of course, no retaliation, no records. But he didn't listen, he came back for Drautos, his chief. He slaughtered four civilians in order to do that, Niflheim civilians- he paused, -he also saved seven Glaives and our mission at the north border. When I met him, asking questions and details about what happened, he didn't flinch, not even a bit, he was covered in blood with several shards of a grenade in his legs and he was calm. He described a scene incredibly gruesome with no emotion at all- another pause, he went back, leaning against the wall, staring at Cor. -At that point I saw the truth, he was a It-
-When?- asked the Marshal, in a detached voice.
-Almost three years ago-
-Why did you chance your mind?-
-About the pronoum?-
-About letting him go-
They stared at each other again for a very uncomfortable minute.
-It doesn't have a shut down button- he replied bluntly, -also, during my visit, Drautos and I have seen a phase 3. I had a change of heart-
-A what?-
-IS Unit prototype in its terminal stage-
Immediately, Cor stiffened.
-At that stage they are vicious bloodthirsty killers. S13NOX shot him down. Drautos has a contigency plan in place for it, in case it goes rogue as well, and at some point it will. They all do-
The Marshal opened his mouth and closed it. He needed to process.
-I have to presume Reggie is okay with that?- he hissed..
Clarus took a deep breath. Clearly, he struck a nerve.
-He never met it, but yes, he's on board- he said with a dark look in his eyes.
-Great- he scratched his neck, nervous, - and what about you? Are you okay using this kid – Niff-Unit ?-
-We are talking of Gladiolus!-
-So, it's okay to use him, if it's for your son. How about other occasions?-
-Cor...-
He shook his head.
-Gladio almost killed him, by accident, he was panicking like a little girl, but the sniper had orders: do not engage, so he let him. Gladio is human, acting like a monster, but we can justify him right? He was panicking poor kid, who doesn't try to kill his rescuer in panic-mode, right?-
-Cor, we are friends, but choose carefully your next words- first warning.
-See? Can you see it, Clarus? The hypocrisy? He might be human, but it's so much easier having him in a grey area and qualify him as a it, a human-like weapon. It brings us relief this version of the story- he was overwhelmed, to face his own powerlessness was awful.
-I appreciate you have concerns, but I have been through a lot of scenarios and this is really the best outcome. Drautos has it under control- he was resolute, -where is it now?-
-Under control-
-Cor...-
-If Regis will order me to hand him over, I will, until then, it's none of your concern, Lord Amicitia-
Clarus' patience was wearing thin.
-Don't do that. Don't put the king in this position-
-Gladio cannot attend new mission Clarus, period. Takeaways about this parent-teacher session: give him some space, he's not ready for the field now, but he'll figure it out. I'll keep you posted-
The Marshal was heading towards the door.
-Cor, I can't let it go, concerning the prototype-
-Send my regards to the king-
-Cor!-
He left the door hanging open without turning back.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
07:01 “r u a morning person?”
07:18 “I think I am”
07:24 “7:24 Cadet, r u sure?”
07:25 “Yes, I was outside, running”
07:25 “What? When? It's raining!”
07:26 “Half an hour ago. That's not relevant”
07:27 “It was haling too”
07:28 “Still irrelevant”
It was like that now, after almost a week of silence Noctis started to text him out of the blue. Most of the time because he was bored, annoyed or against something that he had to do no matter what. The sniper found those messages strange and quite often confusing, but also useful, he hadn't to do anything to engage the conversation. For some reason talking with a kingsglaive was interesting for NLC.
The sniper was getting used now of having the stolen phone silenced in his pocket. Noctis was a bizarre chatter, random information, random complaints, random times of the day and night.
He talked about Iggy, short-name for Ignis, his tutor-guardian-cook-handyman, and Gladio, short-name for Gladiolus, the very Lord Amicitia he rescued when all of this started, but the IS Unit or the Cadet haven't shared this detail with NLC, too risky. Also, technically Cadet Argentum havent't met him yet.
16:11 “Prompto?”
18:03 “Hello”
18:07 “Hello?”
18:07 “Where have u been?”
18:08 “Training”
18:09 “How was it?”
18:09 “What?”
18:10 “Your training”
18:11 “Standard”
19:04 “do u like the Kingsglaive?”
19:15 “what do you mean?”
19:16 “do u like them? The Glaives?”
19:16 “It's not relevant if I like them or not”
19:18 “Liar”
It was difficult having those piecemeal conversations. A gamble each and every time. Noctis was moody, sometimes frustrated, sometimes just plain rude against events or duties, but he was also introverted and complicated in a fascinating way for the sniper. Or, stated more correctly: Prompto was fascinating, the Is Unit was puzzled.
23:54 “r u from Insomnia?”
23:57 “no”
23:58 “I figured”
23:59 “why?”
00:04 “how comes that u r a CG now?”
00:06 “what?”
00:07 “A Crownsguard? You were a Glaive right?”
00:12 “Yes”
00:12 “So?”
Those kind of questions were the worst. He couldn't lie, lying meant facing the truth of not knowing how to handle this. The past was heavy upon him and the present was just a role play, a means to an end. Complicated.00:19 “It's classified”
00:20 “Rly? R u playing the classified card?”
00:22 “I have no card”
00:22 “U r using a non-authorised phone”
00:26 “True”
00:26 “Then?”
00:28 “In my last mission something went wrong”
00:28 “We didn't cooperate well with the CG”
00:29 “and u got injured?”
00:29 “Yes”
00:29 “Cor got mad?”
00:30 “Yes”
00:32 “how abt the liaison?”
00:34 “I need to improve. I'm like a CG cadet now”
00:36 “Not a chance, glaives are too different”
00:39 “How so?” he actually knew: they don't cry.
00:40 “They are an elite army”
00:39 “You are talking of the magic, right?”
00:41 “Also that yes, but I'm saying they are badasses”
00:41 “They live in war their whole life. CG is an under-barrier army”
Simple like that. He liked Noctis' approach, he usually stated facts, without political reasons in the middle. No meddling due to politics or "special agreements", just the truth even if it's not the best picture of reality.
00:46 “Still there?”
00:48 “I'm here”
00:50 “Sorry”
00:51 “for what?”
00:54 “Reminding you of war”
00:54 “I haven't forgot"
00:56 “Yeah, I bet”
00:59 “Night Prompto”
01:09 “Night?”
Complicated. Noctis was a complex person, someone who is difficult to understand, not good or bad, just complicated. His facade of disinterested rebellious teenager was merely a deception, something that simply didn't work with Prompto Argentum, another deception, but perfectly functional for the rest of the audience.
...
Cor woke up in a terrible mood. He looked tired, he had lost hours of sleep to playing and replaying the conversation with Clarus in his head, trying to decide if he had been wrong or right or if it even mattered his point of view.
He went to Wyvern early in the morning, without giving a shit about the time table arranged with Monica. He had to speak with the sniper. It didn't matter it wasn't Monday.
He ambushed the kid during his cleaning duty.
-At ease, cadet-
The sniper was standing at attention with a mop in his left hand. It would have been funny, but he was so serious, staring straight ahead waiting for orders.
-Drop it, we are taking a walk- said the marshal heading down the hallway.
-Yes, sir- he followed immediately. Still a soldier, not a cadet. Still not quite settled in.
Cor leaned against the wall outside, crossing his arms.
The sniper was still bad at conversations, and so he could not quite disguise the fact that he was nervous, first of all it was Thursday, not Monday, and secondly he was having a non-planned catch up with the Marshal, may be something was wrong with his results.
-I said at ease, cadet-
Clearly he couldn't stay at ease, but he tried to relax a bit his shoulders, in order to seem that way.
-We have never discussed your missions so far. I would like to know more about your life within the Kingsglaive- Cor said quietly staring at him for a little while. Those red eyes and white hair were still disturbing.
-My missions, sir?-
-Yeah, types, objectives, targets- he clarified terse, -did you always act as a sniper?-
-No, sir-
-Can you summarise your “advanced support” tasks?-
-Coverage, backup support, intelligence, infiltration, rescue, securing perimeters...- a list, plain and emotionless. He might have continued, but Cor raised his hand to stop him.
-Did you kill targets?- he asked bluntly. This was the real question actually.
-Yes, sir- emotionless again.
Cor knew the answer already, but hearing it was a completely different story. His calm voice and look were more than disturbing. The marshal got his first kill when he was thirteen, he remembered of being calm in front of his officer the whole time, but he was definitely messed up inside, and that memory was the dominant one. Watching the sniper he could tell with no doubt he was really okay with his actions, no regrets or second thoughts, no burdensome trauma at all.
-Do you remember your first kill?-
-I do-
-How was it?-
-An execution. I shot him in the head- no hesitation, no regret.
For a second Cor remembered his conversation with Clarus. He let out a strange, unsteady breath. He stared at him, this was a rude awakening. The silence had been stretching out between them too long.
-What happened?-
-Drautos orders-
Another hit.
-Wait, did you ever fight for Niflheim?-
-No, just trainings. My first combat request was under Drautos command-
A rabbit hole, down and down.
-Is that okay with your core guidelines?- Cor wasn't sure about the terminology, but he used it anyway.
-Yes, Drautos is my CO-
-Right...- he said with a dark look in his eyes, -and the lab guy?-
-He was not-
Another pause. They stared at one another for few seconds.
-Yeah... sure, but he was in charge of your status, right?-
-Correct-
-And you shot him-
-Yes-
-Because Drautos ordered it...-
-Yes-
Cor shook his head. He was abruptly tired of this conversation, he couldn't stand the kid freedom from disturbance. The sniper's voice was calm, his countenance was seraphic, for the Marshal was unacceptable.
-In cold blood? Did you shoot him in cold blood?- he was somehow upset, he averted his glance.
-I shot him- he confirmed cautious, -but I have warm blood, I am homeothermy -
Cor stepped away from the wall and had to stay in silence for a long minute in order to keep his composure. Unsteady breath again.
-For fucks sake, kid! How did you feel that day? You killed that man-
He was mad, really mad. The IS Unit and the Cadet were both lost, he couldn't understand the progression, what triggered his mood?Unknown. So he stayed quiet.
-Answer me!- He blurted out impatient,raising his eyebrows..
-I killed him- he confirmed again, confused.
-And what did you feel?-
-What... did I feel? - his face was puzzled, like he wasn't understanding the question.
There was a long silence, and then, in an oddly diffident voice:
-Emotions, sensations, feelings... anything?-
Silence.
-I hope I’m not speaking out of turn- said the sniper, faltering voice, -I have no feelings about my targets or my actions. I can summarise the situation for you, clarifying dynamics and options, but...-
Cor stopped the questioning for a moment, looking at him with steady eyes.
-Did you ever kill civilians? Directly or indirectly-
-Yes-
Deep breath in, hold for a second, and out. Cor's mantra.
-Why?-
-I had to apply the trolley dilemma to my decision making approach. Killing the civilians was the right choice. I killed four persons in order to save thirteen-
Cor was very silent after that. He frowned.
-and if you didn't?-
-All seventeen people would have died-
Relief, at last, but he didn’t relax.
-Where did you learn the trolley dilemma?-
-Simulations-
-Right...- Cor shook his head, he was tired, tired to the point of nonsense, but he couldn't stop now, -how old are you?-
-Sixty three cycles-
-What?- Cor blinked twice, -how many years, roughly? you can round up-
-Almost sixteen years-
-Great- he sighed, - what's a cycle anyway?-
-Nanites turnover cycle, each of them takes three month. My ageing is based on them-
Something new every day.
-Fine, this is a conversation for another time. You are old enough, do you know what remorse is?-
-Yes. Remorse is like regret or guilt for a wrong committed-
-Do you feel it?-
-No, sir. Why would I?-
The Marshal stared at his red eyes, no doubt whatsoever.
-Did Drautos ever ask you to kill without a reason?-
-Reason?- he was hesitating.
-A clear explanation concerning targets or missions in general-
-I do no question my CO's orders- straight answer.
-Under any circumstances?-
-I'm a IS Unit-
Impasse. A situation in which no progress is possible, this was Cor's situation at the moment.
He understood the sniper's point of view, but he couldn't accept his passive role of being a weapon, like an MT, a tool. For some reason in his heart of hearts he knew he was human, with no doubts at all, but proving it was becoming a tough quest.
-Physically you feel better now, am I right?- Cor changed the subject out of the blue.
-Yes, sir. I'm fully functional-
-You are healed, Cadet-
-Yes, sir- it was pretty clear he didn't understand why the conversation changed.
-Well then, next Friday you will start your training with Gladio- he glanced at him for verification.
-Yes, sir- emotionless as usual.
-Unlike you, he feels remorse-
-Pardon?-
-Gladio feels regret about his actions, about the mission-
-I don't understand- his face was blank.
-You need to feel in order to understand, how was the name? Prompto?-
-Yes?- he was staring at him, his eyes oddly wide. Hearing his made up name was a weird experience.
-Well Prompto, here a new task: you have to feel and build up a good understanding of the situations based on moral grounds, not just strategies and stats-
-How can I... feel?-
-You are a class Argentum, figure it out-
The order sounded like a death sentence to the sniper, but he nodded anyway.
-Dismissed Cadet-
Cor knew this was a sneaky request, probably the extra-push Monica wouldn't have given to him, but they were running out of time and options.
...
22:58 “Hello, I have a question”
23:01 “stilted conversation incoming?”
23:04 “sorry what?”
23:05 “Nevermind wu?
23:06 “????”
23:06 “wu = what's up?”
23:11 “Do you have a good understanding of ethics and morality?”
23:12 “WTF”
23:16 “what?”
23:18 “Where the hell are you? What kind of training r u attending?”
21:22 “This is an assignment not a training”
23:25 “great”
23:18 “so... do you?”
23:24 “I have common sense”
23:27 “What that means?”
23:29 “okay no, no way. Texting doesn't work”
23:35 “ohh, okay sorry”
23:35 “no I mean, I have to speak with you directly”
23:36 “aren't we speaking now?”
23:37 “FGS. I'm calling you!”
23:37 “what?”
23:38 “Why? Is not a good moment?”
This one was tough, there was no logic reason for not talking with NLC, but somehow he felt awfully uneasy about the idea of talking, losing the “thinking” windows needed most of the time in order to maintain the facade of a normal cadet. As usual logic won the battle.
23:44 “no, it's fine I'm in my dorm”
23:45 “ calling now”
The phone rang as expected, but Prompto Argentum needed almost thirty second to press the button and answer. He had dry mouth like a kid with intense anxiety issue.
-Hello?- the sniper didn't recognise his own voice at first. It sounded weak and uncomfortable.
“Hey! Nice to phone-meet u Prompto” Noctis' voice on the other hand was kinda deep and appealing.
-Likewise- terse.
“You sound pretty uptight, you okay?”
Silence.
-I'm breaking the rules, I shouldn't...- it was kinda true, and he sounded really sorry about it, a perfect excuse.
“Riiight” his tone was skeptical, “I didn't know Cor was such a dick with the Glaives”
-Pardon?-
“Nevermind” he continued, “ so about the assignment, ethics and morality? What's that about?”
He took almost half a minute to remember why they were talking. The sniper shook his head, something was very wrong with him, he probably needed maintenance.
-I need to evaluate my tactical assessment on moral grounds as well-
“Okay, what's the problem?”
-This is the problem-
Noctis paused.
“Ooookaay.... I mean, how do you usually assess your tactics?”
-Strategic advantages, probability of success, pros and cons-
“Sounds about right, but I presume the assignment is about morally fucked up decisions, not just standard plan of action where the rules are clear”
The IS Unit couldn't say anything. Silence again, he froze.
“Prompto are you there?”
It was super weird, feeling the word “Prompto” as his own designation code, like S13NOX. His name.
-Yes, I'm here. Sorry, I'm trying to...- to process, and I'm failing he would have said, but he couldn't.
“How long have you been with the Kingsglaive?”
-Roughly three years- this wasn't an accurate answer, but Cadet Argentum was allowed to approximate.
“Wow” he cleared his throat, “and how old are you?”
The age again, the sniper frowned, apparently ageing and morality were connected, a concept a bit blur for him.
-Almost sixteen years-
This time was Noctis' turn of being speechless. He thought of a standard cadet, but clearly he wasn't, and somehow was odd to speak with someone of his own age, but with the feeling that they were decades apart.
Seconds passed and then minutes. Silence.
-Noctis?- Prompto's voice was toneless.
“Yeah, still here, sorry I was thinking” taut voice, different tone, full of disguised emotions, “I'm sixteen too, by the way” he paused for a second, he was feeling uncertain about his role in this conversation now, he was embarrassed, something that Prompto Argentum couldn't recognise. “What i'm trying to say is... nevermind, do you have an example for these decisions with moral issues involved?” off the track and back in few moments.
-Remorse-
“What about it?”
-I need to feel it, regardless the right tactical decision, I need to feel it because... it's how is supposed to be??- confused about this, very confused.
“You lost me...”
-It's the trolley dilemma. Actually I used it in a logic way, but it's supposed to be an experiment in ethics -
“it's what??? which dilemma??”
There was a pause, just a breath too long.
-If you kill a person in order to save many others it should cause you remorse, regardless the greater good achieved-
And silence again.
“Wow! That's... intense” he stalled for a bit, “I mean, the concept is weird, you are saying that you have to feel remorse, but it's not how remorse works”
-How so?-
“You cannot force yourself to feel, you're feeling something or you're not, no middle ground. You can pretend, but it's a different story”
It was a terrible news for the fake Cadet, so he stayed quiet and obviously Noctis misunderstood.
“Prompto did... you ki..” he was hesitating, “did you kill someone to save many others?” his voice unsteady, cracked.
-Yes- simple answer, calm as usual.
The next pause was different. A strange uneasiness, Noctis wasn't coping well with the IS Unit's bluntness, and unfortunately the sniper wasn't able to detect it, to translate the meaning of this.
“No remorse?” he couldn't stop himself from asking.
The sniper didn't reply immediately and someone else broke the stalemate. A voice on NLC side, Ignis was calling him.
Noctis coughed .
“Hey Prompto, I... I gotta go now. Night” he hung up without waiting for an answer.
-No, never- he replied after several minutes, with the annoying sound of the interrupted communication.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
02:00 pm Friday.
Gladiolus Amiciatia had represented a bunch of orders for S13NOX. He had been an unusual rescue mission, with a very high failure rate, an Insomnia whim as Drautos described it. And now he was a comrade for Prompto Argentum. Something Officer Elshett advised strongly against, but the Mashal decided otherwise.
Gladio had a brutal and ferocious personality, he was an amazing swordsman, a tough fighter, nonetheless not a great a soldier, not a great strategos either. His judgment was biased by his father's ideas, his point of view wasn't his own, it was something inherited, twisted and reshaped. The IS Unit qualified Gladio as a problem on the field, someone you need to keep in check with accurate damage control plans. Gladio saw the world in absolutes, black and white, and Prompto was a gray area, so he didn't like him, but he wasn't aware of that yet.
The indoor training room at Wyvern was a long, wood-panelled room, eerily similar to the training room at the Citadel, not so polished of course, but definitely resemblant, with packed sawdust floors and a thick iron-wooden post at one end. Racks of weapons on the east wall.
Gladio was waiting inside, disguising his nervousness with a serious look in his eyes, he did feel remorse, but he couldn't show it, it would have been a sign of weakness.
-Officer Amicitia- said the sniper with dead voice.
They both wore black cargo pants and a tank shirt, standard training outfit for the crownsguard.
-Hi- terse.
He despised the calm expression on the IS Unit face, he felt like he was mocking him, and on top of that he had to look twice at him, admitting to himself that he didn't remember the guy at all, like Cor said.
He stared at him for a long minute. The sniper was shorter than him, younger, slender and pale, he had hair and skin as whitest snow, eyes red as blood, quite unforgettable, but still he didn't remember him.
-You are a crownsguard cadet now, I have been told to call you Prompto, is that correct?- skeptical about the name, it didn't sound right to him.
-Yes- just that, no small talk, nothing.
-Do you know why we are here?-
Gladio was unusually nervous, his massive sword in his right hand seemed out of place, Prompto so skinny and somehow harmless at first sight. He felt like in a dream, it couldn't be real that he engaged in combat this kid with full strength, those red eyes glowing in the dark had misled him back on the Niflheim ship, and now it was so humiliating facing him in a training session that he could barely keep his composure. This was the real punishment from Cor, not the detention, nor the demerit, but standing in this very room with the glaive under twenty security cameras and face reality. He was a kid.
Gladio put down his weapon and took two wooden swords instead, throwing one at the sniper. He caught it with no effort, a clear and neat movement of his left hand, there were more things in him than met the eyes .
-How are your combat skills?-
-On average-
-On average for what?-
-IS Units standard- straight answer, Gladio knew almost the truth, no need for excuses, at least not elaborated ones.
-IS Units are better than MTs?-
-Way better-
-How so?-
-They are cleverer, their strategies are less predictable-
-And do you feel like one of them?- the knight's look was puzzled.
-No, of course not- here the “almost”, - but my training is comparable and I have definitely more inventiveness - nice lie, simple and easy.
-Basically you are saying you're a better assassin than a MT or a IS- Gladio's voice was guttural, he was fighting in his head a brand new set of biases for this Niff-kid.
-Correct-
-Are they alive? MTs?-
-They are living impaired-
– Are they what?-
-They are not alive, but also not non-living, as they have living cells in their core structure-
The knight felt sick for a moment, he clenched his hand on his sword hilt. The sniper was impassive, no emotions whatsoever, and this was disturbing.
-Stop chatting, let's begin-
-Yes-
Slow start, just testing the waters.
Gladio had to recognise that Prompto was after all a decent swordsman, on average, who was not exerting himself for that, it wasn't his specialty, a sniper wasn't supposed to be fit for this. After twenty minutes they had traveled almost the full length of the training area, and were drawing alongside the post. The sniper's breathing was undisturbed.
Gladio was clearly holding back, quite a lot actually. He was studying the kid, the soldier and the assassin all at once, but also he was refraining himself due to his memories of that night on the Gaviano ship.
The next time Gladio engaged, Prompto ducked and swung around the post, so that he had the length of the training area again at his back. He stared at the knight, analysing his movements.
-Are we just going to go up and down? Why are you not engaging?- asked the sniper.
-I am- retorted Gladio annoyed.
-Not really- insisted the sniper, challenging him to deny again.
Galdio unleashed a strike, full strength and with brutal speed, giving Prompto no time to do anything but bring up his sword. He felt blade catch blade with a screech of wood, and watched the force of the impact travel through the sniper wrists and arms.
-You mean like that?- said Gladio wryly.
The sniper dropped his sword with a look of pain in his red eyes while losing his balance stance and ending up on the floor.
-Fuck- hissed the knight to himself. His anger was having the best of him again.
Silence.
The sniper checked his arm quietly, his wrist was trembling, still adjusting to the impact.
-Are you okay? too much?- he couldn't avoid the mocking hostility in his voice, but again he felt guilty.
-I am, and no, it was okay- he answered after a moment, staring at him.
-So, stand up, unless...- ... I broke other bones of yours, he couldn't say that out loud, for a split second Gladio froze, likely Cor would have killed him for that. -What are you thinking?-
-How to take you down with as less injuries as possible- too honest, too blunt.
They stared at one another, Gladio had to take a deep breath.
-So you wanted me to smash you down?- he frowned.
-I needed to face the impact of your strength in order to calibrate my defense- he confirmed shameless about the trick, -parrying two-handed I might be able to handle three or four of these- he was a quick study. Gladio found himself smirking, if he wouldn't had been the glaive from that night he might have liked him.
-You think you can take me down, do you?-
-I do, but I need to be careful and I would have to sacrifice something-
-Something?-
-My structural integrity- he replied and then picked up his wooden sword, now cracked.
The knight looked puzzled, the glaive special weapon was uncanny and his clear mind was utterly dangerous.
-Ideally, how would you fight me?- he was uneasy, but he had to ask after Gaviano.
-I would shoot you, from long distance, you are not very stealth-
-Right, you're a sniper after all- his voice was tight, - and in close combat?-
Prompto stared at him.
-Let's find out-
This time he engaged first, parrying, and countering in a deadly flash. Speed was his only advantage with Gladio, and he knew it well.
The crownsguard's swordship was superior under too many aspects, but he was clearly arrogant about it, he didn't think he could lose with the soldier niff-kid.
Gladio disengaged, walking a circle around his opponent as he gave him space to recover, playing with him.
Hi there, opening...
When Gladio attacked again he swept his blade up, putting his whole body into weathering it, the wooden blade broke and the hilt reached Gladio's neck.
-You're dead, officer Amicitia- declared the IS Unit toneless.
He froze, feeling the wood shards close to his skin. The crownsguard was repressing everything into a single hard kernel of distaste, he was desperately trying to keep control.
Unbelievable. Unacceptable. The silence went on a moment too long. The sniper didn't recognise the knight's inner battle happening in front of him, so he didn't give space.
-Officer?-
Gladio snapped. He lashed out in a fit of anger, he literally slammed the IS Unit into the paneled wall, just in time for Monica to see him landing on the racks.
-Prompto!- Cor's lieutenant yelled with eyes wide open. The sniper heard it, in a weird slow-motion effect and absurdly he felt the name as its own, then darkness.
-How is he?- Monica asked with ringing voice, she was nervous.
-He's sedated now. Mild concussion, again, he has three cracked ribs, and a lot of bruises, also he has flayed skin on his back, I presume the rack wasn't in a good position for his landing- the doctor was clearly mad, - nevertheless he got lucky he absorbed quite well the impact-
-Nothing involving him has anything to do with luck-
-What do you mean?-
-Skills. Dangerous skills-
-What are you saying?-
-He provoked his sparring partner, on purpose -
-He's fifteen, do you really want to sell that?- he raise his eyebrows slightly.
-Almost sixteen, actually-
-Wow, such a difference- Averet shot the woman a dark look, -listen, what are we doing here? I have just put this kid back on his feet and now we are back to square one, help me to understand please-
-Training- she answered dryly, -he's a cadet, this is not a leisure centre-
-This is not a training centre either, the Crownsguard official training facility is...-
-This is none of your concern-
-Monica!-
-Don't look at me like that. You know about the problems with the kingsglaive-
-Actually I don't, this is beyond madness-
- The Marshal knows what he's doing.- loyal as usual to Cor.
-Does he?- sarcastic.
-Vaan!- this was a warning, she wouldn't have allowed any other insinuation about the general of Lucis.
-All right, I give up- taut voice, -I'll check on him tomorrow, he should recover fast enough to smash himself again before the end of the month- he stormed out of the infirmary, swearing.
The lieutenant sighed. Then she took her phone and dialed in.
Yes?
-It's Monica- flat voice, -Averet has finished his examination: three cracked ribs, a concussion and bruises-
"Great" gravelly voice, a long pause, "You can say it, Monica"
-I told you so, sir?- she said it, -Gladio is going back to the Citadel now. Is he still part of the plan?-
A longer pause.
"He is"
-Sir...-
"I appreciate your frustration, but we need to rescue him from that night. Gladio is still trapped on the Gaviano ship in his mind and unfortunately we need the kid to bring him back"
-He's nineteen sir, we have time for that, at the moment he is transferring his frustration on Prompto, and we shouldn't let him-
”It's the only way, especially because we are proving something here, and we are running out of time”
-Drautos?-
No answer needed.
"Did you check the cameras?"
-Briefly, at least he didn't try to kill him, he just... lashed out- she sighed, - but still, no control on his rage, this is beyond unacceptable for an officer-
"True, but it's classified. I'll speak with Gladio, again"
-No detention? -
"No need, talking with me it's worse than detention for him"
She was hesitating.
-Is this really necessary?-
"I'm trying to save them both, Monica"
-Yes, sir. I understand- she didn't.
...
The sniper came back to himself in stages, his drugged limbs heavy against the cushions, they had taken him back to the dorm, patched up. He had a better knowledge on Gladio's weaknesses now, but also new unknown feelings and a prescription of three days off from duty.
Prompto Argentum shouldn't have beaten Amicitia in training, he knew that, but IS Unit old habits die hard. He needed to know in order to evaluate the problem, even if he shouldn't engage a crownsguard, no matter what, he was dwelling quite a lot recently on hypothetical contingency plans.
The sniper stared at the ceiling for hours with the company of the annoying imaginary sound of his tinnitus due to the concussion. He wasn't calm and ready for the next move, he actually didn't know the next move at all. Being alone with no interaction requiring a played role was supposed to be a plus, but instead he was feeling restless and the pain for his injuries was unsettling, something really stupid since there were no major damages. Malfunctioning? He shouldn't, he was barely a phase one.
He wanted to talk, because deep down he was troubled, something quite ridiculous for an IS Unit.
Noctis had stopped texting him days ago, after the trolley problem dissertation. This was another type of problem, something happened, but he wasn't able to understand where the issue was and the silence wasn't the same in Insomnia. He hated it.
He should have given space to NLC, from a strategic point of view there were too many unknown variables about his behavior, he couldn't afford to lose his trust forcing unwanted dialogues on him. He had to be patient. He had to be clever.
The tinnitus was so persistent though.
23:18 Noctis?
He texted. That was definitely a mistake.
23:25 Hey. Trouble sleeping ?
23:25 I just woke up
23:26 what?? It's 11:26 PM!
23:26 Sedatives
23:27 WTF? r u okay?
23:28 Yes, I'm 70% functional, just few injuries
23:32 Again? What happened?
23:33 close combat training
He didn't reply, he called instead. Prompto stiffened, confused by his thoughts, he was happy about this reaction.
”Hey” Noctis' silvery voice was concerned.
-Hey- he wasn't prepared for that. He felt a surge in his chest.
“What happened?”
-Nothing special, my opponent didn't like my strategy-
Hearing Noctis was reassuring, but also confusing, he was a class Argentum prototype, he shouldn't have needed any reassurance.
“What do you mean?”
-He's capable of anger, of brutality, but his actions are straightforward, no cruelty. He was mad because outsmarted, that's it. I lowered my guard, it's my fault if I ended up like this, it's kinda embarrassing - he confessed in a distracted way, like telling Noctis was actually telling himself.
He really wanted to talk. He felt relieved, less in distress, but also fury, outrage and somewhere buried beneath these a new emotion that twisted and roiled in his belly.
“Cor is really okay with that?”
Who knows?Who cares? he wanted to say, but he didn't.
-The Marshal wasn't there- said instead.
“I mean, in general, is okay with that? With you guys hurting each other”
-It's training-
“Umm... makes sense, I suppose”
A long silence. Prompto could hear his nervous breathing over the phone. NCL was uncomfortable talking about that, but he was still listening to him.
“Hey, about last time” wobbly voice now, “ I'm sorry”
-Why?-
“I kinda judged you, and I really shouldn't, I have no right...I'm... basically an idiot, sorry”
-Judged me?- he was confused, - because I have no remorse?-
“Actually I think you have it, Prompto” he said after almost a minute in silence, clearly uncomfortable. Too much for a sixteen years old Insomnia civilian.
-No, I told you- he said drily, -I have no remorse, my decision was right, but apparently I need to feel it- the sniper insisted and for the first time Noctis felt it, frustration in his usually toneless voice. He was torn inside.
“Probably remorse has a different shape for you, a different name, but I think you are already feeling it, and it's troubling you”
There was an unhurried pause. Prompto was thinking, and the outputs were unpleasant.
“I'm sorry” NLC apologized again.
-What for?-
“That you had to face a real trolley dilemma, not just thinking about the moral difference between actively killing and letting die” the analysis was completely different this time, thorough and thoughtful. Someone helped out the young man to realize that.
Another silence.
-Rules are complicated here, I don't understand most of the times-
“No morality ground on the field?”
-Military approach, and more clarity, clear orders and missions. Here is weird and... fake-
“Fake how?”
-Peace, and moral thinking-
Prompto somehow felt him swayed on the other end of the phone, like he’d been dealt a blow.
“We are fucking bastards, judging under the barrier. You're right, we are fake, everything is fake in Insomnia” he said bluntly, it just came out. This was a sore spot. He made himself say no more than that, though the words crowded in his chest, the sniper heard his breathing change.
-I didn't mean to accuse, there is no accusation for Insomnia-
“You don't have to protect the name of the crown with me!” a twisted misunderstanding.
-I'm not. I have no opinion for the rulers of this country- emotionless, again.
Noctis froze.
“You made a covenant with the King! For his magic! You're fighting his war!” Noctis' tone was now neither reassuring nor pleasant.
-Yes, so?-
Silence.
“Do you at least believe in this war? That we can actually win?”
-I don't-
“Why are you fighting then?” his voice broke, something desperate within the rage of his words.
-Orders-
“You might die for the king of Lucis, and your answer is: orders!!” he yelled in shock.
-I'll die, eventually. Why bother asking a pawn which are its dreams on the chessboard?- The sniper tone of voice wasn't calm, it was rough and thick. SN13NOX didn't understand, but Prompto Argentum was mad.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
08:00 am "Where r u exactly?"
Monday morning, an unexpected text message after their last conversation. Prompto was back to normal, but Noctis clearly wasn't. Mad-Prompto had compromised S13NOX's plan.
08:50 am "Training facility"
08:56 am "no u r not"
09:16 am "I am"
09:18 am "I checked. No Prompto in Galbadia"
09:19 am "I'm not in Galbadia"
09:19 am "Where r u then?"
09:25 am "It's classified"
09:25 am "oh please. This is bullshit"
09:26 am "sorry"
No more texts, no more calls after that, nothing. Day after day in a new version of silence.
He actually needed the silence and the solitude, the time alone to think, but he couldn’t reason, the pounding in his head was too strong, the emotions in his chest in a tangle, confused and messy.
Prompto was still mad beneath his self-control, this was a new emotion for him, a new state of mind. His "trolley-dilemma" decision was right, damn right, no one should have asked him to feel remorse, or to feel at all.
Wyvern was a fortress of isolation, very different from Galbadia, the new crownsguard training facility. There were no guarded entrances, but a solid fence embraced the whole thing, marking a boundary, controlling access and preventing escape. Just in the park the fence was less elaborated, better mingled with the surroundings.
Prompto loved his morning run around the park and the lake, his thoughts seemed to clear up a bit while he was running.
It was his first day back on schedule with his running duty, after a forced resting period due to the new injuries. His face still marked with bruises and his chest not so comfortable with the shallow breathing, but he didn't care as soon as the doctor gave him the green light for running he wanted to start again.
Usually, especially at the very beginning, he used to check his surrounding during the three laps run in the morning, checking fence hypothetical access points, weaknesses in the structure, etc., but now after so many weeks of captivity, he just stopped his soldier approach to everything, without realising it. Something the IS Unit wouldn't have done under any circumstances, but Prompto did.
He noticed the young man like an error in the immutable picture of the Wyvern outside section, an error in the consistency. He was wandering around a sealed gate in the fence halfway through the park. He was a teenager, sixteen or seventeen years old, tops, 176 cm tall with spiky black hair and blue eyes, wearing a school uniform and a lost look on his face. No visitors was in the rules list provided by the Marshal, so this couldn't be a coincidence.
The soldier mode kicked in immediately, he took cover behind a tree and slowly moved closer to the fence. The guy was checking his smartphone with a puzzled look on his face, he swore a couple of times, pretty impatient. Then he felt it in his pocket: the phone was ringing, vibrating actually. The young man was Noctis and he was calling him.
Just a matter of deductive logic, but this simple information froze the IS Unit. He looked at the phone for a long minute, elaborating a proper response. This was a chance, but also something else, a risk, something unexpected. Prompto gave up to his cover and come forth to the sealed gate. They were ten paces apart, at that point he picked up.
-Yes?-
-Hey!- said Noctis hearing the voice twice, within the device and next to him. His eyes found Prompto, he’d been smiling politely when the call went through, but now his face froze in the middle of the smile.
They stared at each other, ten meters or less apart. It took them more than a minute to hang up. For a very long moment they just looked, caught in each other’s eyes, in each other's differences, like two worlds meeting by accident.
-You shouldn't be here- the sniper broke the ice, his tone was dryly.
Noctis was still staring at him, surprised. Prompto in front of him was clearly unexpected, not a match for the mysterious cadet on the phone, the assassin with no remorse whatsoever was a teenager like him, with somehow an angelic appearance. The white hair and red-blood eyes were quite a shock, just the bruised seemed to fit the bill for NLC. He coughed twice, then he reached the fence.
-Well, nice to meet you too- he said, -you shouldn’t be here either, you know?-
Silence. The sniper kept his distance.
-Wyvern is closed- Noctis insisted, -it has been closed for years-
-You really shouldn't be here- said again, -how did you find me?- carefully he moved few steps forward, now they were standing in front one another. It was awkward.
Noctis snorted, -GPS, never heard of it?-
The sniper felt his stomach drop. This was an unbelievable silly mistake, a rookie mistake, an IS Unis doesn't make this kind of errors.
-The phone is heavily locked- he tried to retort something.
-Well yeah, but the person in charge of it has an OCD, he wanted to know where I was-
-Clever- he admitted it, his voice was calm and steady now, back in control. -You found me, but you shouldn't have, it's against rules and protocols, my training in this facility is classified. I told you-
-Why?-he asked bluntly, his shoulders were knotted with visible tension.
-It's a crownsguard facility, but I'm a glaive and I'm supposed to be a link between them, but not in Insomnia, out there- he pointed his arm toward north in order to emphasize the concept.
-A liaison for a war that you don't believe we can win-
-What I believe is irrelevant-
-It's not! Goddamn!- NLC was pissed, his dark eyes flashed furiously. There was a dangerous, narrow-eyed pause,then he reached out and grabbed the sniper through the fence pulling him closer. Too close actually.
-You'll die eventually, and you have nothing to say about it?! how dare you?-
The sniper didn't react and that was surprising for the IS Unit, but Prompto was in some kind of facade-role-mode in front of Noctis. He stared at him without flinching, just a puzzled glance in his eyes, so red and so deep.
Silence. Still air between them.
Out of the blue a shock broke them apart. Noctis let him go immediately feeling the electric shock in the wrist, surprised. It was like an alert from Prompto's wristband.
-What the fuck!- he yelled-
The sniper had stopped dead in front of the gate the moment he had received the shock, his face turning white as though in reaction to a slap. The pain was minimal for him, barely qualified as pain, was the meaning of that shock the real problem: trespassing.
The black screen on the wristband was now showing a countdown of thirty seconds.
-Hey!- Noctis was calling him, but Prompto seemed like underwater. The countdown implacable, twenty five seconds. - Prompto! For Gods' sake, what's happening?-
Hearing the name brought him back to his senses, the IS Unit back in charge.
-Trespassing, I need to go back or...- he couldn't say the truth to him, so he stopped. He turned around and run away as fast as he could. Noctis was still yelling at him.
The closest safe-area in that point of the park was close to a bench next to the lake, one hundred and thirty meters away.
He made it. The little barrel of his chest was rising and falling rapidly, he was really painful to breath due to his bruised ribs, his pale face covered in a thin sheen of sweat, his stomach heaved, his heart, in the cage of his chest, was pounding.
What was that? He was profoundly upset. It had been like trying to kill himself, he couldn't explain why he didn't react immediately.
The phone was ringing again.
-ye...yes?- his breathing was still noticeable, and his pulse rapid.
“Where are you? Why did you run?” NLC voice was concerned, “ are you okay?”
-I... I am- he answered slowly, -now, I am. I cannot cross the thresholds-
“You didn't, you were inside”
-Yeah I know, I mean... virtual thresholds, borders that I cannot cross or... anyway, I'm sorry, I had to run. You really need to leave now- his voice was close to break.
“What?” he was mad again, “I'm not leaving! I want an explanation. We are in this together, we both broke the rules remember? I won't tell anyone, you should know that by now, stop running from me”
And again: hi there, opening. Here the chance to get in touch with Drautos, but he needed the young man's trust in order to do that and for Prompto this was more dangerous on another level.
-The Kingsglaive- he started with a low tone, - is operating independently, usually it's fine like that, as the Marshal is the link between us and the Crownsguard. However things changed in the last couple of years, Captain Drautos has been more... more in charge of sensitive decisions, and now the General wants to re-assess the situation, due to a mission-
A kernel of truth in order to buy his trust, he was and he wasn't lying at the sametime. It was just a mean to an end, a strategy a class Argentum was made for, or at least it was supposed to be like that for an IS Unit. Prompto reacted to Noctis' silence, on the other end of the phone with inevitable tension.
“When you got injured the first time, right?”
Noctis was engaging the conversation, this was a relief.
-Yes-
“And now?”
-Now... we are trying to create a different liaison, not just at the top senior level. If I work with both sides I might be able to help in term of misunderstandings- a different type of lie, still a lie though. Prompto's voice was breathy, it was easier to cover how uncertain he was about this move, how guilty he felt in that very moment.
“It sounds a good plan, why all this secrecy though?” still skeptical NLC's voice.
-Really, you don't know why?- sneaky voice and subtle meanings implied. The sniper wasn't used to this type of emotional feedback, usually he executed strategies without second thoughts whatsoever, but now... manipulating Noctis was troublesome, he felt remorse for that, without even realising it.
The words were awful in the silence that followed them. He knew that at least.
“Sorry, I'm an idiot... again” the sniper felt the breath forced out from his lungs, “it's stupid, how we forget, every day basically, how we live our lives in this pampered fake peace while you guys...” Noctis took a deep breath, “I understand. I'll keep the secret, just... don't cut me out, I want to know, plus we are sort of friends you and I”
-Friends- said Prompto, he sounded puzzled. -is that what we are?-
The sniper's voice was tightly knotted, as though the answer was not so obvious for him, but apparently it was for Noctis.
“Kind of, yes” he confirmed straightaway, “this is uncharted territory. I have never spoken with a glaive... never questioned my narrow point of view” he hesitated for a few moments, “I don't know when it started, this hatred between Insomnia and the rest of Lucis, I don't understand why... why they are not just grateful to the Kingsglaive”
-This is a war of attrition. It's normal, regular people don't deal with frustration in their day to day, they need to have a scape goat in order to stay focused. Blame someone more than something, not just an enemy, but also an ally, for the problems or the failures etc, it helps them keep control- he said it calmly and emotionless. The truth, this truth, hurt the young man on the phone like hell.
“How can you say it? Like that, with no rage, no anger... just with... acceptance?” thin voice, just a whisper through the phone.
-We are not civilians Noctis. We are supposed to deal with this, it's part of our role. There is a reason if the glaives spend just limited period of times within Insomnia-
“So they cannot feel it properly, I mean the peace, or whatever you wanna call it”
-Correct- the sniper's answers were ruthless, and he wasn't aware about how much pain he was causing to the young man. Nonetheless in this way he was learning NLC's idiosyncrasies.
“Why doesn't it bother you?”
-What?-
“This! Fighting for a country with spoiled people insulting who's actually on the field, paying the price” Prompto sensed his tension, vibrating through his words, “I know you don't believe in the King but...” .
-I didn't say that- he interrupted him, firmly.
“What? You did! ”
- I don't believe in this war, in the Kinsglaive war. The strategy is weak, inconsistent and faulty, but the King is not his strategy, he's much more, he's a ruler, he had to make a tough call, that's it-
“You... you might die because of this call” Noctis voice was trembling, flat hatred in his voice, he was mad, not at him, at this situation.
- I know- toneless voice.
NLC's breathing changed, he could hear it from the phone.
There was a pause, a long one. Then an alarm went off on Noctis' phone.
“Fuck! I'm late” tight voice, “I have to go” .
-Then go- simple, no hesitation from the sniper.
“I just...” there was some kind of uneasiness in him , “I want to have a proper talk about that. I'll come back” .
-You really shouldn't. It's risky, and I'm pretty sure they will punish you too if we get caught-
“I don't care”
- You're pretty reckless-
“Can we meet at the fence next time? Not too close to the thresholds?”
-Why?-
“To see each other”
-It's a not necessary risk, you know?-
“I want to see your face when you tell me how you feel about this war”
The surprise the sniper felt when he heard that made his stomach feel hollowed out. He couldn't reply back straightaway. The IS unit took over.
-No, you shouldn't come back to Wyvern again. I'm not completely alone here- his voice sounded concerned for the consequences, not his, but on Noctis' side, exactly in the way he needed to hear it in order to want to break the rules again.
“I'll come anyway. Yes or no?” he insisted.
Nervous silence, for almost a minute.
-Fine, but we need to plan this a bit better, no surprises-
“Deal!” his voice had a spike, he was thrilled. “Bye now!”
He hung up.
Usually the sniper didn’t really care about anything. His heart was free of worry and desire, he longed for nothing, wanted for nothing, his mind silent, his breath steady. He wasn't like that now.
Prompto felt awful, checkmate for the IS Unit class Argentum.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
11:43 pm Monday– Citadel Crownsguard
Cor was reading a report in the hallway with heavy bags under his eyes, he have just finished a not very useful catch up with Gladio. Again the perfect score Amicitia was in denial, he had some kind of PTSD, but he couldn't bring himself to face it, the future shield of the king cannot have traumas, this was a Clarus' unwritten rule.
-Marshal- a grating voice reached Cor from the corner. Gladio was approaching with a dark look in his eyes, - is this a joke?- he asked aggressively. They were alone in the corridor.
The general raised his eyebrows slightly.
-I don't do jokes- he said drily.
-Oh really? I have to do trainings with the rookies, are you serious?-
-Try not to send them in the infirmary on your first day-
Gladio gave an irritated shake of his head, but he refrained himself from saying anything he might have regretted later.
-I didn't assault him again- he tried with a modulated voice, under control.
-Spare me. I saw the footage-
-Oh please, did he complain so much about it that you have to do that?- irritation sawing at his voice.
-He's a glaive, of course not- he cast a single annoyed glance to the crownsguard.
They stared at each other for a long moment.
-He's not a glaive- murmured the young shield. He hated how small and petty his voice sounded.
-No?-
-No, he's not. You know that, stop playing games!- he said, aggressive again, -I used my ties, as you ordered me to do. It's a Kingsglaive support, Drautos uses him in special occasions, that's all-
-Special occasions. Lester said that?-
-No, Crowe. Altius-
-Your Friday girlfriend is not the most reliable source of truth, you know that- the Marshal tone was cold and gruff.
-She is not my girlfriend- he pointed out sharply.
-It's not Friday – Cor smirked. He was testing waters with Gladio's self-control.
-She has been in three missions with him-
Silence.
-And?-
-She doesn't like him- he clarified in advance, -but he saved her, twice apparently-
-So grateful-
-She is grateful, but he's too unpredictable and not reliable in terms of help, he might help you or let you die with the same odds, and they usually don't understand how it works with him. Just Drautos does-
-Does he?-
-If you don't believe me, you can ask them yourself- quite conflicted. His voice was a little hoarser than it had been starting out.
Silence stretching between them.
-Did she define the "special occasions"?- Cor asked again while leaning against the wall.
-When the missions are fucked up- he replied bluntly, - it's what you want to hear, right?- gravelly voice.
-I just want the truth- no expressions and toneless, he shot him a severe glance.
-They call them: gamble missions, there is a massive betting round about these within the glaives. They bet on their life basically- he said after a quiet minute. He was trying to maintain his composure, but Cor could hear irritation pulsing against his words. -The gambles are missions with flaws in intelligence data, not solid intel and usually not enough men for the tasks. Drautos is the only one in charge of the reports for the Citadel, so...-
-Okay, so the majority of the black ops are "special occasions"-
-Kind of, the captain is not using the sniper in all these missions. It's the "fun" of the betting game- quite composed now.
-Yeah, I get it, he uses him just in the very low survival rates ones. Or in "special rescue missions"- allusive reference on purpose.
Gladio made himself look at Cor. The truth was an awful presence in his chest, but he didn't argue again about it.
-I don't know that, Crowe didn't say- Cor could see Gladio's pinched expression, the tightness in his jaw and around his eyes.
-You don't know...- skeptical, he sighed, - well dismissed, I have a meeting with the Crownsguard-
There was a pause. Cor pushed himself away from the wall eventually.
-I cannot attend these trainings with the new cadets- said the young shield, his voice was tightly knotted.
-You have to, that's an order-
-For fuck sake!- he protested vigorously, -you're doing this out of spite-
-Out of spite!- he repeated drily, -another concussion, three cracked ribs, do I really need to continue?- Cor's look was threatening.
-It was a training session not a dance lesson- he said, - is he too delicate?- he said with an arrogant sneer.
-Wake up moron! You lost in that "dance" session, like a newbie- he retorted, it was like slapping the young knight in the face, -instead of learning something from it, you lashed out and sent him to the infirmary, again!- he shook his head with disappointment.
-Gladio? Cor?-
A third voice reached them out of the blue. They both froze. The prince was approaching from the other end of the corridor, he was wearing his training suit.
-Your highness- the Marshal kept his composure, disguising the surprise, - training session?-
Noctis looked at him for a second, then to his friend and trainer.
-Yes, with Gladio- he stared at him for a second.
-Oh, I see-
-Sorry Noct, I'll meet you in five at the training room. I need to finish a conversation with the Marshal- Gladio looked back at the prince, dismissive as a general of a child.
-No Need, please don't keep his highness waiting- Cor took his leave quite hastily, he shot him a cold glance, then he walked away.
Gladio dug his fingernails into his palms. That condescending tone was irritating, but he didn't say anything else, he couldn't in front of Noctis.
-Hey- said the prince, -what happened?-
-What? Nothing, why?-
-You were clearly arguing- the look in his blue eyes was oddly serious.
Gladio frowned.
-Different opinions, that's all- he cut it short – we better hurry-
-Who did you send to the infirmary?- he asked upset.
-None of your business, let's go now, we are late-
-Really?!-
The young shield laughed, he was different his level of patience with the prince. A good crownsguard in charge of his royal highness, even if the subject of this conversation was annoying for him.
-Eavesdropping is not very princely, you know-
-Fuck off! I'm serious, I want to know- his voice was somehow concerned and irritated at the same time, especially after seeing the knight laughing.
-A minor accident during a training session, it happens, it's normal Noct- said Gladio, steadily.
-Cor seemed pretty mad to me-
-So what?- he stared at the prince, shoulders square, chin tilted haughtily.
Gladio's personality was fierce and brutal, it was always difficult for Noctis to challenge him. He clenched his right fist.
-Do you feel bad at least?- his voice was thick, controversial emotions hidden in it.
The knight was puzzled, he didn't understand why he was so persistent about a trifle, he was used to a more disinterested prince, bored about everything and quiet like a piece of furniture.
-Why are we discussing this? We have a session, remember?-
-You're both late- another voice, footsteps approaching. The future hand of the king was joining them.
Ignis Scientia was raised alongside the Prince to be adviser to the heir apparent. An intensive education had instilled in him the resourcefulness and composure required for the role. He was an eighteen years old with the same knowledge of an old man, quite cerebral always diligent and reliable, in charge of Noctis' life by order of the king himself.
-Iggy- said Gladio, icily - his highness is having a moment-
-Your highness?-
Noctis frowned.
-If my trainer smashes people during trainings I would like to know the details- he retorted shooting a dark glance to his future shield.
-Gladio? How about an explanation?- Noctis found Ignis between them, that he had intervened bodily with his elegant movements, feeling Noct's distress.
-There is no explanation Iggy, it was an accident. The cadet is completely fine- He was growing impatient.
Ignis sighed, a long look to the future shield of the king.
-Noct, please bear in mind that your training sessions are different from the standard Crownsguard- as usual obliging, -Gladio would never hurt you-
-I wasn't asking because I'm concern about me- the prince retorted again, fed up with the “you are different from the others” situation. He clenched his fist again, then he walked away without saying a word.
-Gladio?-
-Save it-
-I would love to, but I can't if you upset the prince in such a noticeable way-
-Oh please, Iggy. I'm not opening that door-
-Horses for courses, my friend- posh as usual in his expressions as well, - what happened?-
-Nothing, for gods' sake! A cadet got hurt, Cor complained, Noct overheard us and now he's whining about it, no big deal-
-I wouldn't say whining- he corrected him, again with lovely manners, -he seemed sincerely preoccupied. Plus, why the prince is so concerned about a cadet? He doesn't speak with them, does he?- he insisted politely, but persistently.
-You're the babysitter, you tell me-
There was a pause.
-Did you hurt this cadet by accident?-
-Yes, again it was a training session-
-It's unusual-
-What's unusual? We are crownsguard, did you never end up in the medical ward?-
-I did, but I never heard the marshal complaining about bruises or minor accidents though- quite implacable in making his point.
-So what?- dead voice, he was annoyed about the whole conversation.
The stared at each other.
-It's me Gladio, I appreciate your coolness with the prince, but there's no need for it between us, we are both part of his royal retinue, I think we prefer clarity over facades, so... what's going on? You're acting weird recently, it has been a while now. After your classified mission with the Kingsglaive something is bothering you, and now this-
Gladio's look got darker and darker.
-You're imagining things, Iggy-
-Am I?-
-Now I really need to go- he ended the conversation.
-By all means, have a safe session-
Gladio left without saying goodbye.
...
15:43 pm Friday– Wyvern
Blond hair strands and freckles. They were simply appeared, one morning they were there on Prompto's face. His fair skin was in general more pink and his peculiar blood-red eyes were becoming greenish within the not so bright red anymore.
Cor was starring at him holding doctor Averet's assessment report. A lot of red notes.
The IS Unit was expecting some kind of punishment concerning his trespassing in Insomnia, outside the Wyver his personal embassy, he was fully prepared for retaliation, but the Marshal didn't mention it at all. He looked at him with a severe glance in his eyes as soon as he arrived in the room and the conversation diverted immediately to his appearance.
Prompto felt relieved, but the IS Unit was wary, probably there was a hidden test he wasn't paying attention to.
-I'm sorry, say it again?- the Marshal looked baffled, he was looking at the sniper with a concerned look.
-I haven't had a reset in weeks, my nanites are going in quiescent mode- Prompto repeated again with calm voice, toneless as usual. He wasn't surprised about his new look, less angelic now.
-What's a reset?- he was puzzled, - quiescent mode? You mean what? It's a state or a period of inactivity? Is it temporary? Some kind of a dormancy set up?-
-It's like an energy saving mode or safe mode- he tried to explain a bit better, - a reset recharges the nanites. I'm supposed to have one every ninety six hours, but it has been weeks since the last one-
-Every ninety six hours?-
-It's protocol-
Silence. Drautos voice whispering in his head.
-Okay, wait a second, your ribs- he said suddenly reading a specific line in bright red on the report, -they are healing slowly because of this?- he pointed at his blondish hair, but he meant the nanites.
-Correct, my repairs are not a priority anymore in energy saving mode, unless I'm in real combat, but I'm not recently, so-
Silence. Cor's eyes wide open, staring at him.
-Okay then, does Drautos know?-
-Yes, sir-
-How many times have you been in “safe mode” before?-
-Never-
He tensed, and his gut tightened.
-The Six, kid! Why haven't you said anything about that?-
The IS Unit looked surprised, like the questions wasn't making any sense. It took him a while to answer.
-Just my CO should discuss about my dismissing process and nanites protocols. I thought..-
-Drautos- he jumped in with cold voice.
-Yes, sir-
-So, about your injuries- Cor was trying to pull himself together, keeping his composure,- are these going to heal normally? I mean, normal speed-
-Like a standard human being, yes- always specific.
-Fine- he took some notes in a file on his laptop, he was typing quite aggressively on the keyboard, -how about this power saving mode? How long can it last? What happens if the nanites do not recharge?- his voice suddenly croaky.
-It can last up to two whole cycles, six months ish- the sniper was analysing Cor's reaction, something wrong. -Then, there is a off system mode, it's not completely safe, but it's manageable, I might display malfunctions though-
-Malfunctions? Such as?-
-Minor strokes, tachycardia, tissue hypoxia, beginning of organ failure- he didn't flinch, not even a bit, while describing a death sentence.
Silence, a very uncomfortable pause. The Marshal's thoughts were an alarmed clamour. His mind tried to deny it, but he knew what he’d just heard.
-You... are you dying Prompto?- he finally asked.
The name again. It was unsettling hearing it as its own.
-I'm in saver mode. I'll expire if I exceed the off system mode capacity, or if I gain too many non-revertible damages during this period. Nonetheless, you shouldn't reactivate me even if I have just revertible damages, my performaces would likely decrease anyway in that case. You should dismantle me-
Cor felt his stomach drop. Speechless for a minute, not sure about what he heard.
He sighed deeply, frowning and putting aside in his head the emotionless approach of the sniper.
-Well, thanks for the clarifications- he said with a dark look in his eyes, - as you're not healing as fast as before I would recommend to take it easy, it would be great not having broken bones for a while. So let's put on hold your Gladio's days-
-Yes, sir-
-I need to know everything about your...- he struggled with the word – maintenance requirements, no more surprises. You have to notify each and every non-standard event. Is that clear?-
-Yes, sir-
-Well then. How can we recharge your nanites?-
-We can't-
-Excuse me?-
-We need a NOX chair. A charging device and particulates of daemon blood-
This simply explanation ushered in several moments of tense silence.
-Amazing- he murmured drily, then he swallowed, - I suppose Drautlos has one-
-Correct-
-Son of a bitch- he hissed checking the report again.
A very, very long pause, then -Other options?-
-There is a survivor mode for the nanites- the sniper voice sounded less firm than usual, like he had to answer the question but he didn't want to.
-Sounds lovely, how it works?- sarcasm. The Marshal was pretty fed up with all of these, but he was holding up for the greater good.
-If I inject myself with daemon blood before the end of the off system mode, I can recharge them partially. The procedure is not completely safe, I might show temporary incapacitating side effects and other type of malfunctions-
-Great, an example?-
-Loss of vision or hearing, labyrinthitis, dizziness, cognitive distress, nausea – he listed a few then he stopped, - I won't be functional for a variable period of time, until the miasma will be absorbed and dealt by the nanites-
Cor looked at him and realized the sniper wasn’t sure what would have come from this procedure, only that it would arrive with problems and that it was essential he be ready to meet it. It might be bad or good and usually he didn’t really care, but somehow he did at this very moment.
-And you never tried this, right?-
-Never-
-Great- drily again, he frowned. -Okay cadet, dismissed-
-Yes, sir- he hesitated, just for a second, then he left.
Cor needed a moment, it was mad and frustrated. He didn't know how much time passed. Not long enough for the tension in his back to unwinch.
The screen of his phone turned on. Timing was a bitch: Drautos was calling.
He picked up for the first time in weeks.
-What?-
“Good evening Marshal, finally you're using your phone again” annoyingly sassy
-What do you want?- dead tone.
“My sniper back. It's not safe for Insomnia, plus the Shield is getting nervous”
-It's none of your concern-
“It is when your rational thinking is on holiday”
-I'm not sending him back. Period.-
“This is a big mistake Cor. Also, having Clarus in the know doesn't help at all. Especially now”
- Why is that? What's happening “now”?-
“The safe mode kicked in, actually it should have started a couple of weeks ago, am I right?” even sassier.
Silence.
“Don't be stubborn, you had your trial period with the Prototype, now let it go. Insomnia and the crownsguard need to forget about this nightmare”
- Too bad, I will never forget-
“That's on you, your choice. Don't drag down the others”
- Titus, do you realise that I'm your commander?-
“I do, it's the reason why I'm having this conversation. I'm sorry you had to lose your view about the glaives. Reality sucks, but here we are”
-Give me the chair- he cut to the chase, his voice cold and gravelly.
“I can't”
-That's an order-
“We cannot move it without destroying it, Cor. You have to send back the IS Unit, asap. The lack of reset is a stress for its system, it might switch to phase two faster or shut down due to errors backlog” His voice was unpleasantly precise, “I told you, it's not human”
-Where's the chair?-
“Leonis!”
-Where is it?- there was a clear threat in his voice.
A stalling minute.
“Speak with Clarus” he hung up.
Cor let out a strange, unsteady breath. There was no sound but his breathing and a ticking clock in his head.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
4:00 am – Citadel
It was four in the morning and even the birds were quiet, the whole wing of the building was asleep. Doctor Averet was nervous, dark circles around his eyes, pale and anxious. The silence of the room made his blood as cold as the winter air that crept through an open window, even if it was late spring. He was waiting for the Marshal in his office, a crownsguard escorted him without saying a word, he had been called during his night shift. This was his new way of talking with the General in order to stay off the radar.
Cor burst into the room fifteen minutes later, Averet tensed and his brows snapped together. Today was a bad day, he could tell just looking at his entrance.
-Thank you for your time Doctor- he said hasty closing the door behind him.
-Marshal- he murmured.
He sat at his desk dumping a bunch a papers on the table.
-What's this?- he pointed to the documents.
Averet mouth was suddenly dry, he swallowed a couple of times, then he leaned over to read.
-A list of options, we... we need additional tests and exams, we cannot make assumptions based on just his information- his voice was unsteady.
-A biopsy? Are you serious?- his tone was harsh, another glance at the documents.
-If we want to know the truth we have to investigate what's inside. I'm not a fan as well, but...-
-Don't you dare treat the kid like a guinea pig, I have involved you in this because you promised answers, not more questions and troubles. This is a slippery slope, doctor, we cannot afford any risk at this point- Cor's eyes were icily.
-I would never...- he sighed, -Marshal, as I said before, I want to help, but we are completely blind, no knowledge whatsoever. We are not equipped for that-
-I need answers with what we have, I'm running out of time- he said imperiously, -can you help him? Yes or no- he stared at Averet with a black expression on his face.
When the doctor brought himself to speak his voice was unexpected. It was low, with an agreeable trace of huskiness and with a hint of more power than his role would suggest.
-It's not that easy, it's not a yes or no answer, sir- he said, -it's beyond complicated and to be honest with you I'm not sure I can properly understand the biotechnology involved here, not with what we have here in Insomnia-
The air was so brittle it could snap, and if it didn't, Cor might, his patience at an end.
-I have given you full clearance, now it's your turn. Find a way- he stared at him -without vivisect him. He's your patient not you rat-lab -
Averet sounded like his teeth were clenched. It took a moment to arrange his words.
-I'm concerned about Prompto, sir. I don't think of him as a rat-lab or anything like that, but I'm convinced that we need to know way better this whole thing – he glanced uneasily at the Marshal, - I appreciate your trust, when you explained the situation of the young sniper of the Kingsglaive. I really want to help and I'll do whatever I can to do so, however we must take into account the possibility of a failure- paused for a second, -we might need Drautos-
-This is not an option-
Cor glanced at him. He glanced back. There was a wordless, tacit agreement in it.
-Is it true? About the nanites?- When the marshal spoke again he stood up from his chair, leaning against the desk.
-I don't know, it might be true- cautious in his reply.
-Meaning?-
-It's definitely a symbiotic relationship, his healing speed proves it, but from a genetic point of view Prompto is...enhanced as well, it means they made him in a way that can accept this symbiosis. Just to be clear if I inject myself with these nanites I will die straightaway, but as you said he has been built with them since day one, they can coexist without igniting an autoimmune reaction or a rejection- he paused for a second, - however the daemon blood is an unknown variable for us, if the compatibility is balanced by that... yes, there is a chance the nanites might become a death switch for the host without the particulates of daemon blood-
Cor allowed the silence in the room to stretch out. He was processing, slowly, he was tired to the point of nonsense.
-Why do you call it death switch? He's not a machine- he said icily.
-My apologies- he said promptly, - he's not an MT, absolutely not, he's a human being with enhancements, but the nanites cycles process behaves like a machine activity that needs to shut down under specific circumstances-
-In plain english?-
-His bio-compatible parts can affect his organic system, but we don't know how exactly, we are basically speculating-
-Why is changing?- jarring tone.
-Well, his appearance is an harmless side effect to begin with, now he's just looking like how is supposed to be, from a genetic perspective- he swallowed, quite tense.
The spectral light in the room was becoming bright and aureate, the dawn approached.
Cor raised an eyebrow, annoyed. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the new light, he was incredibly tired and for a moment Averet was able to count on his face how many nights of sleep he had skipped.
-Is he dying or not?-
Here the question. They stared at each other for long moment.
-I don't know. Based on the information you gave me, I would say, no, not yet and his medical assessment corroborate that- he took a deep breath. There was another pause.
-Is the safe mode a real thing?-
-It's consistent with what he said, but I cannot confirm the nanites behaviour without specific tests- He tensed again.
-Great- Cor frowned.
-Marshal, are we implying that he's not reliable?- quite concerned the doctor.
-No, not really, he might say what he thinks it's the truth, but the truth can vary, that's just a matter of perspective. There is something off about his “core guidelines”-
-Do you mean the whole Drautos CO thing?-
He nodded.
-Well, it sounds weird, but we don't know the circumstances of their encounter on the ship. We are basically guessing...-
-It's all we got, an educated guess-
-He's healing slowly though- he muttered, not sure that they were at the same page.
Cor's thought were blank. A strange occurrence nowadays, he normally had tons about the mystery soldier kid, his thoughts were usually twisting and turning, suffocating him with their whispers having Drautos' voice. And now silence.
-We need to recharge those damned nanites- he blurted out after a long pause.
-We don't even know how they work, how they use the blood daemon particulates- the doctor shook his head, -if we could speak with Prompto about...-
-No!- he said drily, - if we open that door we won't be able to come back, I also want to protect the glaides from this madness of Drautos- He merely laid out this confession and waited.
They sat knee deep in silence.
-Do you believe Drautos was acting for the greater good of Insomnia?-
-I'm not sure what to believe anymore- he hissed, -I need a contingency plan for the kid, doctor- that's was an order.
-Are we considering the worst case scenario as well?-
-At this point we have to-
They stared at each other for a long moment.
-Understood- he said with a pensive tone, -if you can provide the samples I... I'll try my best, sir-
There was a tenseness to Cor's muscles that made him more like a mannequin than a man of flesh and bone. Then he nodded.
-I'll take my leave now-
Averet left the office with a darker look in his eyes and a heavier burden on his shoulders.
...
08:01 “Gate, 6pm”
08:07 “no, too risky”
08:08 “it's been two weeks”
08:09 “too risky”
08:11 “Gate, 6pm”
At six o'clock Prompto Argentum was standing in front of the sealed gate behind the park, tre meters from the virtual threshold. The IS Unit was quite disappointed, Noctis was proving again that his recklessness had no bounds and most important that he was going downhill with him.
-Hey- NLC voice switched from silvery to dubious as soon as he saw Prompto. He was starring at him with a surprised look on his face.
-Hey- said the sniper back, -you ignored my warning-
Still staring.
-What?- he said, - oh come on! You're paranoid. It's been two weeks!-
-I'm cautious- his voice toneless as usual.
-I need to speak with you- he said annoyed, but then he paused. Still staring.
The sniper couldn't ignore his glance any further, -Something wrong?- he frowned.
Noctis forced himself to look away, at least for a couple of seconds.
-Sorry, no... it's just... you, you look different. Are you okay?- he was hesitating, but he couldn't help himself from staring at his hair and eyes. Prompto's angelic look had been a great deal of a shock and now he seemed just too normal. He felt somehow disappointed, and feeling that was frustrating and weird at the same time, he flushed like a kid in front of the wrong Christmas present.
-Oh- he said quietly, -side effects of my medications, don't mind my appearance- he lied gracefully, without wavering.
Easier said than done for NLC.
-Ah- he murmured. Again he was vaguely disappointed, which must have meant that he had hoped for a different explanation, even if he didn’t know what that something different would have been.
-You know, you could have called me- cold voice, the sniper was in prickly mode.
-So annoying! I said it already, I want to speak face to face-
He raise his eyebrows slightly. The IS Unit within him was complaining.
-What is it about?-
Something made him hesitate, searching Prompto's face beyond the fence, -It's about a crownsguard that you might know-
-A crownsguard?-
-Gladiolus Amicitia-
The sniper tensed, this was an unexpected development. A long pause.
For a moment the silence seemed weighted, the IS Unit was suggesting dark scenarios.
-Oh- he muttered, - I know him, ish- he didn't lie, not entirely, too risky to deny that now.
Noctis misunderstood his tension and uneasiness, he looked down with a restrained fury, clenching his right fist.
-You don't need to cover for him, okay? I'm not Cor-
-What do you mean?- he was clearly puzzled, he didn't understand his frustration and collateral reactions. He opened and closed his eyes with stupefied blinks.
-I know Gladio is the guy of your close combat training, the one who hurt you- wobbly voice, he looked away embarrassed for his acquaintance and for a second he didn't dare meet his eyes.
-Officer Amicitia is learning as well- completely calm, no grudge whatsoever.
-How can you say that?- His blue eyes flashed furiously.
-He's not fit for the field, but he must be. He probably needs time to process, I have just highlighted something he wasn't ready to see- Prompto didn't know how blunt and frank he was in stating his opinions. Hearing about Gladio surprised Noctis, profoundly. The perfect soldier wasn't so perfect after all and he had to fight inner demons like everybody else, nevertheless he couldn't forgive him, especially after overhearing his conversation with Cor.
-He's a jerk- he said with a thick voice, - but I would have never imagined he could do something like that in a training-
-Something like that?- he repeated still on edge, the sniper wasn't following at all and the IS Unit was proposing awful backup plans.
-Cor was really mad with Gladio, he shouldn't get away with it, you must complain-
-Uh? Complain for what?-
-Don't “uh” me! Complain for his actions!- a bit too passionate about that.
Finally the sniper understood, for some unclear reason Noctis was concerned about his training environment.
-There's no need, I let my guard down, my bad- the words came out on a rush of relief that made him feel weak. Prompto felt also uneasy, Noctis' kindness was difficult to assess and process. On the other hand this conversation was just a nuisance for the IS Unit, but it also meant something else: the main game was still on.
-What?- NLC looked at him with eyes wide open, -he smashed you! Quite literally -
Here we go, a chance. The young man was so sympathetic with the situation that he could have just asked him for a simple phone call with an unlocked device, and all of this would be over, a walkover. Prompto stared at him, but didn't ask.
-I'm a kingsglaive- he said instead, lying, - not a crybaby-
-You're sixteen!-
-So what?- he hissed between his teeth suddenly aggressive, he shot him a furious glance.
Then there was absolute silence for almost a minute.
-What the fuck! Prompto! - said Noctis moving close to the fence. He was clearly upset about this, but he had felt a prickle of uneasiness in his stomach when the sniper retorted sharply, they were both sixteen, but he was the only one allowed to cry.
-In the field is the same, no mercy. So why should it be different in a training?- taut voice, his fingers trembling with some kind of rage, he was actually mad, but it wasn't clear about what exactly. The IS Unit would have milked the situation, but Prompto couldn’t.
-Why?- murmured Noctis surprised, - how about a fair fight? At least in a training! At least between knights!-
They were gazing at one another, halted in the half-light of the fence, once again two worlds too far away from each other.
Prompto had an icy look in his eyes.
-I'm not a knight. I'm a pawn- he looked him straight in the eyes.
Noctis clenched again his fist. It hurt.
When the sniper spoke again his voice was steady and flat.
-No fight’s ever fair. Someone’s always stronger -
A simple fact that struck Noctis like a sucker punch, no discussion about honour and beliefs. Nothing. The kingsglaive was meant to face unbalanced fights all the time, regardless its soldiers' odds. He drew in a painful breath.
-I'm a glaive, I won't live in Insomnia, I don't need the illusion of a fair fight- he did absolutely nothing to make his words easier to accept, and then he left.
Noctis didn't say anything, he couldn't. He stood there, completely frozen, watching Prompto going away.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
09:00 am Citadel - Crownsguard
A rainy day, quiet and sleepy. Spirits were high that day, good news from the frontline, the Kingsglaive had won a battle close to the northern border, against Airships from Calcano. Drautos ' name was on everyone's mouth that day, just one person wasn't talking about the incredible turn of the events: Cor Leonis.
Monica Elshett, as a general rule, hid her emotions, it was part of her job being inscrutable and she was damn good at it. She was delivering documents from the Shield of the King, she figured they were intel or orders he'd rather not hand over to the Immortal and so as usual her face was blank. She knocked twice.
Almost a minute of time lag before an incomprehensible answer, hopefully a random "come on in".
-Sir?- polite and shrewd, she closed the door behind her.
Cor was recomposing himself, he probably fell asleep on that chair after the morning brief. He looked tired, and somehow older, up too late too many nights in a row working and studying on documents and reports. Monica hated seeing him like this, but nothing she thought of in her head sounded like something she could actually say to him. The Marshal wouldn’t tolerate pity.
-The Shield is looking for you, Sir-
Still stun he stretched his neck.
-Clarus? What he wants?- sleepy voice, but strained.
-Well, I presume he would like to discuss Drautos' success at the Cadorio Pass- she decided for the long way, carefully she placed the documents on his desk, a quick check on him without staring for too long.
-Really? I'm incline to think he wants to scold us- he retorted, -about our poor level of intel and judgement-
She seemed puzzled, quick look at the pile of documents. She knew was bad, but she didn't expect that bad.
He looked at her first, then the papers. He sighed.
-You can ask, Monica. Spare me this silent punishment-
-Sir?-
-Say it-
A long pause. Out of the silence, she asked, -Did you anticipate this, Sir?- Her eyes glittered in the grey light of the office.
-Not quite- completely calm, no deflecting, he leaned back against the chair, - but I was definitely expecting something-
-We suggested a withdraw... sir-
-We did-
-It was the right move-
-Indeed-
-But they won... sir- she objected, politely, but with a tense voice -they stalled for a week after our proposing the retreat to the kingsglaive, after saying that it was impossible to hold the Pass... and then they won-
-Correct. They did- he sounded sceptic, -and yes, now we look like idiots in Clarus' eyes, incompetent and without a clear view on the warfare- he smirked.
Monica stared at him for a long moment, realising what was really happened. Eyes wide open.
-Why? Did you...- she muttered.
-I wanted to know and now I do know- he glanced at her.
She was mad. Pure anger, almost as comics characters do, so lost in that moment and the torment her brain was in, she was frozen. He'd seen it first in her eyes, then a tension of her muscles, an inability to think clearly soon followed. She barely kept her composure.
Cor straightened in his chair.
-We weren't progressing fast enough, with the reports, the missing details in the missions, the numbers... I had to turn the table. It worked Monica, breathe please- he said bluntly, not really tactful about her hurt feelings at the moment.
-How can you...- she took a deep breath, when she spoke her voice was steady and cold, - how can you say it? We lost our credibility. Drautos will claim that we are not fit for support or joint missions... and for what?-
-The truth-
-Which truth? We have no evidence of any kind, and the kid is with us, this was a Glaides thing- puzzled again.
-How did they win without their secret weapon?-
-Pardon?-
-Think about it. Crazy odds on their side, our intel ended up to be forged and our prediction model for the MTs failed just after the proposal. What's your approach about coincidence?- The word coincidence was meant to be sarcastic. Cor had said "I don’t believe in coincidences" so often that he no longer needed to.
-Do you think Drautos has staged this? But how?-
-Who knows.... but with the right intel, there is a lot that you can do. And now he has a formal invite to Isomnia, my ban has been lifted without clashing with me- taut voice, cold eyes.
-Clever-
-Too clever- he corrected her with an unpleasant tone, -this is Clarus' doing, indirectly-
Monica tensed.
-What do you mean, Sir?- she was hesitating.
-Probably he promised the invite, then Drautos has created the right opportunity- he sighed, he was very tired.
She felt a cold bit of relief over this, which she quickly extinguished. Monica’s heart was like a bird and a stone at the same time, she just couldn't think of the Insomnia rulers in a conspirator mode; her relief was way too palpable, but so was her shame.
-He lost three glaives for this "opportunity"- when she spoke her voice was concerned, -why does he want him so badly? Especially if he is more than capable of turning the table without him-
There was a moment of silence, where Cor considered what he wanted to say.
-This is a milion gils question Monica- he didn't lie, but she felt the deflection, - we need to re-arrange our visits to Wyvern, or he will find him in no time. Speak with Averet-
-Yes sir- she didn't leave immediately, she was stalling, a profound sense of uneasiness was devouring her. Silence.
-Yes?- Cor frowned.
Unsuccessfully, the officer struggled to put her thoughts into words, the rain on the windows was a sad reminder. Finally, she replied: -when I called you that morning I...-
-You did the right thing-
Nodding a general farewell she excused herself.
...
18:45 pm Wyvern – close to the lake.
Prompto hadn't spoken with Noctis for a week, and for the first time the silence between them was frustrating. The sniper was supposed to be calm and unruffled in these situations, but he wasn't, S13NOX wasn't able to contain Prompto's feelings and doubts. He was regretting his aggressiveness with NLC, in a way that he couldn't properly understand.
He was lying half-asleep on the grass in his gym suit, the ribs weren't fixed yet and his human traits were spreading. His blond hair was capturing the sunlight giving him a refreshed look, his eyes were completely blue now; his every morning reminder about his personal ticking clock and because of that he couldn’t bring himself to reach out for Noctis, not after his last epic fail at least.
-Hey!- silvery voice – still blond?-
The sniper woke up in split of a second, like an adrenaline rush in battle. He jumped up, eyes wide open, surprised for not noticing. Noctis was staring at him.
-Ah- he mumbled.
-Missed me?- he asked with a sly tone while approaching the shore.
-What?- confused, it shouldn't be like that, but Prompto was actually feeling relieved. He took too long to realise that he was within the perimeter, too shocked for an IS Unit standard reaction. At the end he stood up.
-How did you pass the gate?- he was wary now, looking around with a suspicious look.
Noctis smirked, -I know a couple of tricks-
This wasn't reassuring for the sniper.
-We have cameras around the perimeter-
-I know, I entered from a blind spot. Wyver is well guarded around the buildings, not so much in the park-
-You didn't text- the soldier mode was kicking in. Noctis frowned, annoyed.
-Really?-
He glanced at him. He glanced back and Prompto took over.
-You're reckless- he said, but somehow was smiling and the tone wasn't scolding.
Noctis laughed, just once. A big, careless laugh, full of round vowels. He clearly found nothing about is recklessness funny, but Prompto's look was priceless.
-Is that funny?- the sniper asked puzzled, staring at him, probably for too long.
-Actually yes- he kept smiling for a moment, quietly.
His smiling face was incredible for the sniper. He could see how it came from deep inside to light his eyes and spread into every part of him. Drautos' smile was different, a facade of something else, a mean to an end, Noctis on the other hand smiled with more than his mouth, and he heard it also in his voice, in the choice of his words and the way he relaxed. He was simply beautiful.
-I'm sorry- finally he said something.
-For?-
-Being annoying- he hesitated. The sniper was really troubled about the idea of a real quarrel.
The young man sighed and walked close to the water.
-You're not- he said, looking at the lake, his voice disembodied, - I'm just too blind, too privileged, too stupid- he paused, -I wish you could experience something better than a glaive's life, but I'm just a kid from Insomnia, I know nothing and I want to judge. Since I know Gladio quite well I thought I might help, but...- he sighed again. It didn't come out right, words missing, concepts twisted up.
A long pause.
-You did-
-Umm?- Noctis raised an eyebrow, confused. He turned.
-You helped me, you still do- he confirmed -I understand regret now-
Prompto saw the shock register on his face before he could hide it.
-Ohh really?-
-Sort of...- it was his turn to smile, in a very enigmatic way.
For a second NLC thought Prompto was on the verge of asking him something more, but he just kept looking at him, a long, unselfconsciously studying look, and said nothing at all.
Prompto's lack of social cues was entertaining, but sometimes difficult to handle. Blushing wasn't an option, so he looked away.
-So, how have you been?-
-Fine- terse as usual.
-Trainings?-
-Not many and not with the Crownsguard Amicitia-
-I'm glad- NLC's expression was pleasant, with an inkling of wistfulness, while the soft glimmer of his blue eyes betrayed his concerns.
The sniper misunderstood, like ninety percent of Noctis' teens reactions.
-About the knight, I wasn't offending Lord Amicitia...-
-Lord?- He frowned.
-Well, the officer, but he is also a Lord...-
-So what?- suddenly with a severe tone.
Apparently they were arguing again and also this time he hasn't noticed how that happened.
Silence. Noctis' eyes were cold as ice.
Their conversations were so much more than their words, but sometimes their languages were just incompatible.
-I expressed my evaluation of him quite bluntly with you, I shouldn't have- this was a bad slippery slope, still misunderstanding of course.
-Why not?- asked NLC, dryly. He stared at him for a long second, then he sighed, this time he dropped it, somehow he was calibrating. -
-He's an acquaintance of yours, plus ours point of views are pretty different- said Prompto with a not so steady voice.
-He's a jerk, it doesn't matter if he's a Lord or whatever, you should be free of saying it- he paused, remembering their previous conversation about it, -it's not about being weak, you know? It should be better than that, the Glaives should see some respect in Insomnia, especially coming from the Crownsguard. The kingsglaive are facing reality instead of hiding like all of us-
The IS Unit was completely puzzled, but Prompto Argentum was moved, unfortunately he wasn't able to translate the feeling for the soldier in his head, a warning from his old self was surfacing, he had to make a decision about his plan right now.
-I'm going to say something blunt again- he spoke after a minute or so, his glance diverted to the water. - We represent war for Insomnia and its citizens, it's true that we didn't cause it, we are just part of it, but this resemblance of peace will never allow a clear understanding of the difference between correlation and causation- he smiled, but his expressions was sad and pensive, - Amicitia stepped out his comfort zone and he hasn't recovered yet, the Crownsguard won't go easy on him too. It must be really difficult to be awake in a dream-
There was an intense moment where Noctis' face washed blank with confusion, like his brain cogs couldn't turn fast enough to take in the information from his ears.
-What are you...-
-You made me realise that I have accidentally woke him up- he said with a very quiet voice, he was still processing.
-You lost me- he shook his head, confused, - what are you talking about?-
The sniper was calm again, in control. He looked at him for a long moment.
-You need to leave now-
-What?!-
-I'll text you later, don't get caught on your way out-
Noctis was too surprised to do anything, he just stood there with eyes wide open.
-I'm here right now!-
-Yeah, that's the problem- he started walking back the running path.
-What do you mean?-
-I might want your phone, if you stay any longer-
Noctis at this point was bewildered. He raised his hands in a resigned gesture.
-You can have it-
There was rage on the sniper face when he turned back to him.
-Don't-
-Prompto!?- he called, - what the fuck are you talking about?-
-I woke him up, I don't want to do the same with you-
-I'm not Gladio, for Gods' sake!-
-Thanks Six- he said icily while walking away.
-What the hell is that? A breakdown?-
-A cautionary tale-
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
06:10 pm Galbadia
The new Crownsguard training facility was more a posh academy than a military organization. A galvanising sentence greeted its Cadets from the front gate saying:
“When we put aside the false dichotomies of "them" and "us" we lay the foundations of unity and equity.The true unfortunately was very different, no one of the sons of Insomnia Aristocracy used to join the Kingsglaive, they were all in the Crownsguard, judging. There was no unity, no equity, no respect.
The Shield of the King insisted for having Galbadia close to the Citadel, less than fifteen minutes away by car. Due to the drop in the enrolments in the last five years,the building was way smaller than Wyvern, it seemed like a college or a uni, concentrated on multiple floors, with no shooting range and a lot of gyms. The cadets here used to go on the south gate for trainings with weapons and no guns were allowed before graduation. Violence had to stay away from the heart of Insomnia, it was a Kingsglaive prerogative, not something the aristocracy would like to associate to the crownsguard.
The shiny capital of Lucis symbol of resistance against the Empire was a sad compromise between what it used to be and what it was supposed to represent. Nowadays Insomnia was like a polished red apple rotting from the inside. Beautiful and bewitching while was selling a dream for its citizens and a nightmare for all the others. In the age of a fake enlightenment that had followed the era of greed and vanity, hypocrisy was the new holy book.
Drautos walked in the hallways of Galbadia like a Prince among commoners, all those cadets had developed a reverential attitude toward the Captain of the Kingsglaive, he wasn't at the same level of The Immortal yet, but definitely on the right path.
He was wearing his kingsglaive uniform, unbuttoned at the collar as usual and a smug smile on his face, his personal way of saying “I manage war not cotillions”. He ambushed the Marshal at the academy following Clarus' advice.
-Leonis- he said with an annoying smile.
-Drautos- Cor replied dryly. This was expected, nonetheless irritating. However his voice was not exactly warm, of course, but nor was the ice edge polished to cut. He had already decided to play this game at his best.
-You are a hard person to locate- Titus was somehow friendly, like they used to be before their disagreement, not friends though, they have never been friends, but in friendly terms yes, and that was the trick to have a fully functional Kingsglaive chain of command.
-Not so hard apparently, you found me-
-We need to talk- the glanced at each other for a long second.
Cor nodded, then he headed to a room, an empty classroom.
Drautos followed obediently.
-I'm listening- said the Marshal without beating around the bush any longer. A dark look in his eyes.
-Clarus is concerned, but he wants to trust your irreproachable common sense-
-Is he?- sarcastic tone, - or he's concerned about Regis asking questions?-
Silence, they stared at each other.
-The King knows about the prototype, I told you-
-True, absolutely, but he doesn't know everything, does he? And I have the feeling that the chair and the kid's status are not part of his info package-
-Can you blame him? For not wanting to know?- sly as usual Drautos, but cautious this time.
-He's the king of Lucis-
-He's a man that happens to be the king. So what?-
They stared at each other. Cor was mad under his strong self-control. On the other hand Titus was calm, there was no anger, no sadness, no joy or resentment.
The marshal sighted, -Let's cut to the chase, I'm not sending back the kid, I still want the chair, and I still don't like you in Insomnia, did I miss anything?-
The captain shook his head, it took him a minute to arrange his argument.
-You always had your honour like a shining armour and the most glorious stubbornness to stand up for what is right, or what you think is right- he looked at him in the eyes, - I had never been very handy with the concept of right and wrong. It's not so clear Cor, it's not black and white, I have always admired you for being able of such a neat distinction even on gray areas, with no doubts, no second thoughts. This war is different, we know that, you know that! Return the prototype and stop with this passive resistance with the crownsguard-
-Save your breath, I'm not Clarus- terse, he shot him a piercing look, -you sold your honour Titus, for what exactly? Fake victories? Did you tell your glaives?-
-Now are my glaives?- he was aggressive for a second, he let his frustration to surface.
-They are not mine, are they?-
They confronted each other in silence, for a long minute. It was simply too late for persuasion, no contingency plan would have gained his trust back. This was worst than damage control and Drautos knew it.
-I'm not here to persuade you, not anymore. You're the General, you have to do what it's necessary not just the right thing- he insisted, there was no turning back now, - he will die here, period. There is no discussion that will change that- he not it, intentionally, -it can serve a better purpose out there with me, we have few shots left and you know that- again, deliberately It.
-I have checked your strategies, you're not even trying to win, to lead a real offensive against the Empire- Cor's voice was thick.
-Because we cannot win Marshal. This is attrition, that's it, we can slow them down, nothing else. There is no win for Lucis-
-Did you inform the King?-
-It's not my job, it's Clarus' call-
-And when were you going to tell me?- Cor demanded with angry look on his face.
-Never- he said. He didn’t say it in an annoying way. Just never, simple. -Don’t look at me like that, Immortal- Drautos said, - you knew it, since Cartanica you... just wanted to believe, and the results helped you, but those results are linked to the Prototype. The glaives are not enough, in his heart of hearts the King knows-
Silence, another tense moment.
-What happened at the Pass? The kid wasn't with you in Cadorio-
-We were supposed to lose-
-But instead you won-
-A fluke- he stared at him, -I have a mole among the glaives, general- said Drautos out of the blue, -I almost died in Cadorio, Glauca was there, waiting for us, but we survived and they retreated. Now I have a short-list for the mole competition-
-Clarus?-
-He doesn't know... yet-
-Is this your strategy? Bonding over the mole situation?- he was wary, but he was still listening.
Drautos shook his head slowly.
-Give me a break, Leonis- he frowned, - I told you, the truth is harsh and unpleasant, but I'm here to cooperate and find a way-
-Still... you won-
-Barely, and one of my man might kill me in my sleep-
-I'm not sending the kid back-
-Even if I'll recharge the nanites?- he was negotiating. Cor glanced at him with a dark look of disapproval.
-Great, are you blackmailing me now?-
-Compromise, never heard of it Leonis? It's part of the job-
-I won’t argue ethics with you. I'm your commander!-
-You're, and you should obey the Shield, General, but you don't. Here we are then: a compromise is the only way out- a smile flashed across his face, -one mission, one recharge, back to square one, and we can restart arguing about the non-human-niff-kid-
Cor clenched his fist.
-If he survives- he corrected him dryly.
-If it survives- confirmed Drautos smirking.
The conversation stalled. There was absolute stillness between them. Impasse.
-Your choice Immortal- he broke the silence heading toward the door.
-Why do you need him?-
-I need to find the mole, and Nox is pretty good at these things. We have enough disadvantages as we are, no need for extras- emotionless his eyes and stentorian his tone of voice. He looked back at the marshal, stonewalling on the door.
-What's the mission?-
-Standard patrolling, in Leide. And no, the chair is not there, but I'll make sure we will have a recharge, after- a flash in his eyes, smug face.
-Impressive- he wasn't impressed at all, his voice was wryly, -you want him to kill the mole during a patrol, quietly with no drama among the glaives, an accident... am I right?-
-I'll apprehend him or her and I’ll surrender the traitor to Insomnia, quietly, because the kingsglaive is like a brotherhood, they're suffering enough without having to deal with mess like this. Then it's up to the court martial, not me-
-Sure...- he hissed, wryly again.
-Let me know your decision, sooner rather than later-
-You were an exemplary officer headed for the top. What happened, Titus?- he stopped him from leaving, he needed to ask.
-We lost- he said ruthless, bluntly, - and no one has the guts to say that out loud- the captain looked the marshal briefly up and down, - enjoy the evening General- then he left the room.
Cor's brain stuttered for a moment and his eyes took in more light than he expected, every part of him went on pause while his thoughts caught up. Just for a second, and he didn't show it on the outside, he kept his composure. It hurt, badly, but he was ready to do the next move.
...
11:15 pm Wyvern
Prompto's scheduling was changed quite a bit after the nanites issue, healing was supposed to be his top priority now. He had lots of free time, too much actually, he was bored most of the time, or anxious dwelling on his thoughts, confusing thoughts.
As an IS Unit class Argentum he failed, he threw away a clean shot due to remorse. Something new, unacceptable. Betraying Noctis seemed so painful, so wrong in so many ways that he had to withdraw and made up a new plan, a less efficient one unfortunately, but at least bearable for the weak soul of the Cadet Argentum.
He wasn't supposed to have feelings or wishes, just mirroring them in order to look human, not being human. Prompto couldn't remember when his heart was free of worry and desire. When he longed for nothing, wanted for nothing, when his mind was silent and his breath steady. But the IS unit could.
They say "once you have mastered being alone, you are ready for the company of others". It was such a lie. He wasn't ready at all when he met NLC, even if he was a master of solitude. The unclear bond he had shared with him had been like a bridge out of his fortressed mind, it allowed him to set foot outside it's protective compound and explore the other side. And now he was lost, without compass, without discipline, his orders weren't a source of relief anymore, they represented pain and anguish. Choices, when he wasn't supposed to have a choice, an IS Unit obeys.
So now, no matter how many people surrounded him, he was alone, but this type of loneliness was stranger and upsetting.
“Hey, are you there?”
Prompto was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The stolen phone next to his right ear. Noctis voice was addictive and frustrating at the same time.
-Sorry- he finally replied, -I'm here-
“Are you going to explain yourself for a change?” NCL was really persistent.
-I told you, I'm breaking too many rules, it's not fair, I'll jeopardise the project- he tried to keep his voice toneless, it was becoming difficult to lie, at least to him.
“Because of my phone?” clearly skeptical.
-You would lend it to me-
“So what?”
-Game over, end of the simulation- he actually didn't lie, it was awfully true, but distorted.
“I don't get it. Fine, no phones, but why sending me away? I know about the CCTV cameras okay?”
Silence. Prompto's mouth was dry like a desert. He needed to lie, but he couldn't bring himself to.
-I'm tired- he confessed, lying while telling the truth, a new way. A weak one for the IS Unit. -I'm not used to this, no mind tricks, no subtle trainings, just missions and targets. It's easier, you execute orders without questioning your point of view- his voice was sad and pensive, - I'm grateful for the remorse, for the understanding at least, but I don't feel better now that I feel, I'm not a better soldier, probably I'm worse now-
“How was it? I mean before” Noctis was hesitating, he wanted to know, but he was fearing the answer.
-Clear, I guess-
“Clear?”
-Imagine a light source within a shard of pure clarity, one light, one source, no shadows, no doubts- low voice, quiet -When your world explodes from the inside clarity is what you want next to you-
“Is that how you feel? Your world exploding?”
Pause. Tension, he didn't mean to be so honest.
-No, not really- he lied, - it was a metaphor. In combat you don't want to question the status quo, otherwise you might make mistakes, and people lives depend on you-
“How about after the combat situation? Would you challenge the status quo then?” Noctis' silvery voice was suddenly concerned.
Silence. The silence was a poison to them, for in that void of sound the secrets behind their conversations were laid bare.
-No, I can't, I couldn't- His voice hitched, embarrassed by his own weakness. Embarrassment felt like a weapon of the Gods for Prompto, capricious as they are. It was a torment for the meek personalities, the ones not bold enough to be immune. He used to be one of them, but not anymore.
“You...”
-I need to go back- he interrupted him, and saying it out laud was liberating.
“Wait!” Noctis seemed in shock, surprised. Surprise wasn't an emotion he had ever taken well, “Where?” he asked on edge.
-The kingsglaive, I'm not fit for this liaison role anyway- Prompto heard his reply like an external event, he didn't want to leave, but somehow a part of him knew better. It was necessary. Insomnia was a lie, a dream, and he didn't want to wake up anyone else.
“That's it! Just like a snap of fingers and you go back” he was mad, his voice tense and tight, “Where are your orders in this?”
-They might be wrong, you taught me that Noctis. You see? No more clarity, I even think orders can be wrong sometimes-
Suddenly quiet. The answer alone hit him really hard.
“You shouldn't feel like a pawn! This is different” he was kind of panicking.
-How so? If I stop being a pawn I'll have questions, demands - he sighed, -this dream needs commitment-
“Again with the crazy thing about sleeping?” a slippery slope, he was mad but also concerned. He took a deep breath “do you really thing we are so ignorant? Irredeemable?”
-It's a metaphor. And no, I'm not judging, at least not yet-
“Whatever! It's annoying”
-I think it's incredible, Insomnia is incredible, but you will wake up one day and the war will be there-
“We know already!”
-You do, but you don't feel it. It's a big difference, and now I know what it means, thanks to you and the Marshal-
“So you want to go back now, before questioning strategies and goals and being inefficient for that?” NLC's voice was really cold.
-Something like that. I'm useful as a soldier, not so much as a rogue unit- he was calm, he had realised something even if he couldn't grasp completely the range of his own feelings.
“Well, you can't. Cor won't let you!” he was really upset.
-We will see, I'm just half CG remember?- his voice was perfectly peaceful.
“This is insane. Why would you do that?”
-I just want this dream to last a little longer-
“Why! For fuck sake, why? We don't deserve this! Let's wake up then!”
-Well, I think you do, but you definitely need more time. You will wake up eventually, just not because of me-
Silence, for almost a minute.
“Prompto?” Noctis' voice broke.
-Umm?-
“Don't leave me in this nightmare or I will never forgive you”
He hung up.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
5 am Mistwood – Duscae
A vast blanket of white hung heavy over the hills. It suffocated every building and every tree, swallowing every distant object and vanishing around every corner. Fog in Nebulawood was like white wool, drifting past the trees in fleecy flakes that looked as if they had solid substance.
This region was also known as Mistwood, a fog-laden forest located in the western Malacchi Hills, a lot of stories surrounded the region, most of them due to the Astral Ramuh.
The kingsglaive used to avoid this part of Duscae after losing the area a couple of years ago in a head to head with the machines. MTs were just too good in a battlefield with environmental variables like that, at the end magic was just not enough. Niflheim ambushes were way too elaborated in these foggy woods, but every now and then rescue missions or special ops in Nebulawood came out in the to do list of the glaives. Gamble missions of course, always with body count at the end. Probably like this one.
Kingsglaive camp was deep into the woods, in Insomnia they had talked about a mission in Leide, a very detailed report was sent to the Marshal as standard procedure, the facade of a Crownsguard control over the Kingsglaive. They were actually in a different region with a completely different rank of dangerousness. The special guest of the team was worried and puzzled about the whole thing, Gladio didn't expect a change of script with no one complaining, no one asking for reasons or better information at least. He felt foolish and childish, exactly the boy Cor was talking about in their last conversation, the one not ready enough.
-Okay guys, listen up- the CO of the mission called the glaives with a cold and flat voice.
Seifer Lester was a twenty eight years old man with a nice degree in messes and troublesome missions, he looked like a man in his late thirties, lot of scars and few tattoos, he was one of the veterans of the kingsglaive, always annoyed with someone from the Crownsguard and with a dark look in his brown eyes. A very good soldier for Drautos, a glaive who understood the problem of the Kingsglaive and Insomnia, their differences and their incompatibilities, and more important a man who knew his place.
-This is Charlie one- he pointed a spot on a map, - the target is in Bravo two, unfortunately the empire is reshuffling its patterns, we have multiple MTs squads patrolling all around these areas, probably few of them are with AS and IS Units. We will split in three teams, the plan is simple: diversion, in and out, no mistakes and we will be back in Insomnia by dusk- he explained briefly, - you have all the details on your devices along with the designated leader of your team. No rescue mission if you're late at the rendezvous point. We'll leave in twenty- the clarification about the no rescue policy was clearly for Gladio and Gladio only.
A lot of additional information followed, no-go areas, escaping routes, weapons assignment, coordinates and so on, without realising it the Knight stopped listening half way through. He looked at the glaives feeling inadequate, somehow deficient of the right state of mind and experience.
He spaced out for a moment thinking irrelevant things, his training when he was a kid, his father's speeches about duty and honour, nothing really useful at the moment, and when he came back the soldiers were leaving the briefing, all the glaives still laughing on Lester's note about the no rescue clause. No "yes sir", no military protocol, nothing.
-Rescue mission? What's that?- said a guy with a smug smile on his face while swarming with the rest of the team.
The only crownsguard officer was at a loss for what to do next, so he stalled a bit in order to get the CO's attention.
-We are not in Leide- Gladio said icily, looking at Lester like he was a stranger, -and this is not even close to "patrolling"-
-You're right, we are not, change of plans. Things change fast out here, this is not the Crownsguard Amicitia, I told you that last time as well- he was calm, but also on his toes, the presence of the officer wasn't planned, but clearly a call back to the Crownsguard for confirmation would have involved the Marshall, a strong no. -I didn't want to create a fuss about it, but you can obviously stay in Charlie one, you have no obligations-
-What?- spark of rage in Gladio's voice, - are you kidding me?-
-On the contrary, I totally appreciate that you are upset due to the new settings, the crownsguard works differently, I'm happy to rearrange for you. You came here for a patrol not this- if there was resentment and anger for the unexpected guest it was laying underneath his calmly tone.
-I'm not leaving- he said dryly, -I'm just pointing out that the Marshall had different details and no one seems care about that-
-Noted, but this is above our pay grades and ranks. Drautos will sort this out-
-There is a chain of command!-
-Indeed-
The Knight clenched his fist, but didn't reply back on this matter, somehow he was trying a different approach, something that Ignis would have appreciated.
-So, this is how it works here, right? A fake report to Insomnia and we all sleep well- okay not completely in Ignis Scientia mode, the tone of his voice was full of sarcasms.
-Watch your tongue. Out here the rules are different Amicitia, it's not a training and to be honest with you I'm no sure why you're here, I accepted the Marshal's order of having you with us back then, but you weren't supposed to be in a real mission. This is not like the Gaviano recovery. We might have to engage this time-
-Of course not, it's patrolling right?- he mocked him for a second.
Lester didn't react at all. Flat voice and emotionless look in his eyes.
-It's an emergency. It was supposed to be a standard patrol, but...-
-As you said, things change fast out here, it's a common occurrence with you guys, you re-view the terms of missions, locations and targets on a daily base, am I right?- slightly more aggressive his tone now. -I wonder, how can you call it emergency if it's just the usual?-
Silence. They look at each other for a long minute, then Lester gave Gladio a condescending look and he was very surprised to find that he was gazing back at him steadily instead of brooding in anger.
-You're with Eagle three, you better get going- he said, pointing with his chin to an tent at the far end of the camp.
Gladio didn't move.
-The sniper is basically a solo team, why is that?- He kept asking instead.
-It's his usual. He's not really a team player you know, plus magic is not his speciality- patient Lester, he was studying his annoying guest.
-He has no support-
-He doesn't need it-
-I..-
-You don't know how we operate- he stopped him from dragging further the conversation, looking him straight in his eyes, - a piece of advice Amicitia: this is not Insomnia, the shiny Crownsguard, death is an option. You can learn something today,...your choice-
-How about the sniper? He's sixteen you know-
-I was younger when I joined, when most of the glaives joined. Not impressed- he cut to the chase, -Just to be clear: he won't get the order to save your ass this time. Are you sure about your previous statement? This is really the only thing I need you to think about now- he abruptly shut down Gladio's chain of complaints.
They stared at each other for long moment, then the IS unit voice broke the tension between them.
-Eagle two and three are ready in stand-by - The sniper's voice was awfully calm. He wore one of the dark mimetic uniform, at first Gladio didn't recognize him, too comfortable with the stress of a very risky mission basically forced upon them due to "an emergency".
-Great, thanks Sniper. I leave officer Amicitia with you- Lester said dryly shooting a dark glance to Gladio before joining the operatives of his team.
-Well I...-
-You should stay- the IS Unit interrupted him without hesitation, -it's an high risk mission and you're a Crownsguard Officer-
-Hey! What are you implying?- he hissed aggressively.
-You're not familiar with the glaives tactics, short-term decision style and problem solving- he was blunt, but he was right.
-I'll adjust-
-You won't-
Silence and tension, bad combination. Gladio could feel the irritation coming up. His anger would come like an impossible build up steam, burning him on the way out and burning the one on the receiving end, but it didn't explode this time. Looking at the IS Unit he saw something incredible and unexpected, regardless of what had happened between them, he was trying to protect him.
-Believe it or not, I need to see today, with the Glaives- said Gladio with steady voice, looking straight into his eyes, - unless you have a last minute advice, I'm taking my leave, my team is ready-
The sniper gave him an odd look. Prompto was actually concerned.
-Amidst the turmoil of events, do not lose your presence of mind- he suggested at the end, -in the heat of battle, the mind tends to lose its balance, detach yourself from the chaos and bear in mind: no rules on the battlefield. When you'll feel it remember that you are your own worst enemy - then he left without saying goodbye.
Gladio frowned, sceptical.
The teams departed in twenty for real.
After the never ending lights of the city of Insomnia, Prompto underestimated the utter blackness of night-time in the woods, something that felt stranger now, not like in the past. His captivity had changed him, somehow he had gone soft, less in alert mode. Very bad for a IS unit in a mission like this one.
The plan went south almost immediately, miles before Bravo Two. Unexpected heavy armoured troops, more IS Unit support and laser grids. Rifle shots and firaga explosions broke the stillness of the night, the sleepiness of the fog, that was Gladio's baptism of fire. Way different from the Gaviano mission, or anything else he had ever experienced.
It didn't go well and smooth, too many unaccounted variables had led to errors, each team improvised and the plan become just a messy thing no one was really caring about. The critical elements in this war with machines was speed and adaptability, the Kingsglaive was good at it, but the details for the mission were just sloppy and inadequate, it was simply too much regardless how good with the magic and dynamic tactics they were.
Gladio felt the panic clearly this time, beginning like a cluster of spark plugs in his abdomen. Tension grew in his face and limbs, his mind replaying the last blast from the AS, and the blood, so much blood. Someone had died just next to him, while talking to him. His breathing became more rapid, more shallow. He lost entire moments, without knowing what was happening, he heard things, glaives casting spells, yelling at him, giving orders may be? Who knows.
In that very moment he remembered Prompto's words, and deep down he was grateful, because those words saved him. He managed to come back to his senses and he stayed present, feeling the panic, embracing it, but without giving in to it. At last he found his way to fight without losing control.
When a very dark communication came in he was vigilant.
“Eagle three, reporting in: Bravo two all clear.” The IS Unit didn't disappoint the expectations, regardless the bad intelligence of the mission.
“Roger Eagle three: Stand by. We have the box.”
“Copy that.”
“Eagle Two, are you in position?”
Silence.
“Eagle Two, are you in position? copy”
“Craig and the other two are dead, Crowe is helping with the retreat. I'm taking over... copy." Gladio's voice was tight.
Almost a minute of silence followed.
“Copy Eagle two. Join the retreat asap. We have done here”
“You are still in Bravo Two, correct?” Gladio voice was worried.
“None of your concern Eagle Two. Go to the rendezvous point!” Lester hissed in his comms. “Eagle three, we need a diversion.”
“Copy Eagle One. There are fuel tanks in the east corner, next to the airship. I can manege something for you”
“Do you have a clear shot? Copy”
“Negative. I need to move, 5 minutes”
"Wait!" Gladio suddenly spoke again, "if you do that, you'll cut yourself out"
“Correct, but I can create a secure path for Eagle One”
“Are you suicidal?!” shouted Gladio
The clangour of the swords and the sounds of bullets and magic had died away, the shouting of the slaughter was hushed, silence lay on the red-stained grass. Just the Knight yelling mad was violating the silence.
"Eagle Two, last warning: go back with your team!" really aggressive now.
“Don't do that!” he was screaming in the comms, "Lester you cannot give that order!"
"Shut the hell up Amicitia! You are a damn brat. This is war not a fucking game! Eagle Three, proceed"
Gladio widen his eyes but he couldn't hear the rest of the conversation, Crowe knocked him out with a low energy thunder, the darkness embraced everything.
...
The Knight woke up in a camp in Leide with a massive headache and in handcuffs, his mouth was dry and he had a tinnitus in his right ear.
-Oh great, you're awake Lord- a mocking tone, Crowe was next to him with a condescending look in her eyes mixed with disappointment. -We are in Longwythe Peak, your chariot is here, you're going back to Insomnia-
-Wha...t? Wait- Gladio was confused, he sat down slowly, -where is Lester? How about the sniper?-
-Too many questions for an insubordinate guest whose brain blacked out for almost half mission. I bet it felt longer to you- she was scoffing him, -that was your real first, am I right?- a dark smile on her bruised face, -all your talking during our Friday nights... bullshit- a clear expression of contempt, she was humiliating the knight.
Gladio tighten his jaw.
-At least tell me if he's alive- he blurted impatient.
-Why do you care?- she retorted annoyed, -you're not a glaive and certainly you're not his friend. I heard about your Gaviano situation, Lester told me-
-Neither is yours, right?-
-That's debatable-
-Don't give me this shit Crowe, not now!- something about his eyes was ferocious and alive.
On the other hand the glaive didn't flinch for a second, she was a soldier, not some kind of a delicate lady from the upper class of Insomnia.
-This is our life Gladio. Clearly you liked the stories over a beer, not the real thing, this is why our meeting point can only be within Insomnia. I can describe you a bad day or a tough mission, but just with filters and sugar coating, I can make you laugh about how pitiful a fellow soldier has been during a mission, pissing in his pants- she sighed, - and you laughed hard, I remember, because you would never do that, right? Guess what? You did much worse, and look at you now, my Lord-
He couldn't reply, he couldn't go mad about it, probably for the first time his pride didn't force him to react. He just listened, fists clenched.
-No one, in the kingsglaive, would have questioned the CO during the mission, especially not when that mission is going south, badly- she remarked her dark look hissing, -and not because we are idiots, too weak to stand for what is right. We know better, we know that something like that makes the difference between life and death- she shook her head.
-He basically ordered eagle three to die- Gladio voice was deep and troubled.
-So what? We are soldiers, are you in shock? You have just realised that dying is part of the job?- mocking again.
-It's not what I'm saying!-
-What then?-
The looked at each other, Gladio saw all her disappointment in her glance. He knew immediately that there was no argument possible, he averted his eyes.
-Lester uses the sniper like a tool, may be is my shock talking, but I couldn't just listen to his orders. You're right, I'm not fit for this, following orders blindly is complicated, it requires a trust that I just don't have. You're better than me, I'm a fucking privileged kid from Insomnia, but I made it through yesterday because of him, so... yeah, I had to question Lester's decision...- he swallowed twice, then he leaned forward looking at the dirty floor, in silence.
-The Sniper is alive, but as usual he's a Dautros' responsibility- she said after a long minute, staring at him with a new look in her eyes. -He's not here and he won't join us any time soon. Go back playing in the Prince's garden, that's your place. Forget about us, about the mud and the real war outside the wall- a radio beeping stopped her, she looked at the entrance, -that's your cue- and she left.
A black armoured vehicle was waiting outside, dark glasses. When the knight opened the door he found that the Marshal himself was behind the wheel. They were all too relaxed in the camp, clearly no one knew about him.
-Gladio- he said with a flat voice.
-Cor- he replied taking the seat on the front, next to him, but without looking at him whatsoever.
-So- he started the real conversation three miles later, breaking a tense wall silence, -anything to say?-
-I'm not ready- Gladio confessed without hesitation, embarrassment or rage crawling from within.
The General didn't lose his pose, but he felt relieved.
-You made it- he said, a simple statement that was anything but simple, -it was real this time Gladio, you graduated from kinder garden. Like it or not-
-I don't think so- he murmured looking outside the side-window, -I blacked out, I panicked and I'm no match for the glaives-
-You ate a fantastic quantity of humble pie yesterday- Cor smiled, -now we have a chance for you-
-For what?- he grunted.
-Growing up-
The knight frowned, but he kept it quiet, he wasn't willing to argue, not anymore.
-The sniper is gone- he said after few other miles of persistent silence, -they really need him, you know...- he paused for a second, trying to put together his thoughts in a better way, -I'm not justifying them, I'm saying that they shouldn't being forced in such a dark corner. That mission was a train wreck-
-Sympathetic for the former niff soldier now? Are you growing fond of him?-
-I owe him-
-Great to know- Cor smiled again, -let's go get him then-
-Wait, do... do you know where he is?-
Cor smiled.
-Wait! What was that? This crazy mission?-
-A proof of concept-
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
6pm – Citadel
Two weeks have passed since Duscae. Nothing changed, everything was different.
The crownsguard uniform was ostentatiously elegant, the right attire for the Citadel and the King, a reminder to the past, the glorious time of the undefeated army of Insomnia, now gone after King Mors' Wall. On the other hand Kingsglaive standard uniform was humble and practical, a nice fit for either a fight or a diplomatic encounter.
Gladio had stopped wearing his uniform after the Duscoe mission. It didn't feel right on him anymore, a costume, not a uniform in his eyes, too polished, too outrageously inappropriate for what was reality outside the barrier. Mud, blood, despair.
His clothes choice wasn't the only thing changed in the knight. He had become somehow cautious about his thoughts on the glaive, less judgemental, his opinions weren't rushed and arrogant as usual. Not humble, never, he wasn't in his DNA, but in Ignis' words: a nice improvement.
The knock came quietly first and then there was silence. Gladio was spacing out, he looked at the door for three seconds before answering.
-Come on in-
-Hey- speaking of the devil, Ignis entered the room, -Noct is looking for you-
-Sorry, too busy. I rescheduled-
-I'm aware. For the third time in a row... not suspicious at all- he retorted sharply, a silent critique in his voice.
Gladio shot a dark look to him.
-What? I proposed Kendal as replacement, but the prince didn't want him – he added, clearly annoyed by this conversation.
-It's the Prince-
-So?-
-Gladio, cut to the chase, what happened?- Ignis' green eyes could be very inquisitive.
He didn't answer this time. He looked away, clenching his right fist for a second. Part of him felt humiliated and hopeless, something he wasn't used to share.
-Have you ever been to a Glaive funeral?- he said out of the blue, distracted, looking at some papers on his desk, without actually seeing them.
-Sorry... what?-
-Probably is the wrong word... ceremony? Last goodbye?- Gladio's voice was quivering, something was bothering him at a very deep level, - I'm in general a cantankerous sort, you know? You told me that multiple times, is cantankerous a real word?-
-It is- dry tone, sharp look in his eyes.
-Well- he started again, - it never bothered me before, being me you know. I was certain enough about my skills, my role... my duty... been harsh was just part of it, but even I would admit that there has been more of it lately, after the Gaviano mission I... I lost it- that was hard, admitting his inadequacy, he sighed -not to mention an almost jealous crazy fascination for a sixteen years old kid soldier used as tool for warfare-
-Gladio?-
-I went to one of these, whatever they are, ceremonies?... I'll go with that... ceremony... and... something was amiss- he looked straight in Ignis' eyes with conflicted feeling in his glance, -Insomnia is walking on a pile of bodies, and there is no word for them, no thank you, no... nothing...we are deceiving ourself in this fake bubble of peace – he had opened his arms, embracing everything in the concept, then silence. He diverted his glance and sighed again – so, I'm rescheduling the Prince's sessions, because if I want to be his shield one day I need to feel a bit more of reality and pass the message the Crown Prince. I want to know the names, Ignis. I can accept that they are dying for us, for the King, for Insomnia, but I need to feel it... not behind a glass, but with them on the field-
The knight stayed quiet for several moments. He wouldn't have never expected such a conversion with Gladio, not even in his wildest dreams.
-So this is it. Duscoe fallout- Ignis said with a taut voice, - please, don't take this in the wrong way. Do you realise that we have no time for breakdowns? It's very noble, my friend, what you are trying to do with the glaives, how profoundly you want to know them in order to honour them... but you are from the Crownsguard, you cannot just switch to the Kingsglaive and risk your life to prove a point- Ignis was using his Mr. Scientia professorial voice, the one that exuded certainty.
Gladio's expression changed, the subtle signifiers of shock imperfectly repressed. He was somehow annoyed, actually gawping surprised about his friend reaction, but still willing to talk.
-Please- he said, - I warned you not to take it in the wrong way-
-Is there a non-wrong way?- his guard was on now.
-Okay- a pause, -this conversation is going round and round in circles, lately. Where are we? Where we stand? All the protests? Murmurs? Rumours?- he sighed, -then back to square one, the Kingsglaive does something, the Crownsguard intervene on the strategy, we are all back on the same page again and we move to the next day, next challenge, etc. etc.- he looked back to the Shield-to-be, -it's hideous my friend, we all know that, but we have to stick to this even if we are conflicted, struggling between responsibilities and honour, it's an awful war, but this city, this limited land of peace, is what we got left and the King is dying-
This simple statement ushered in several moments of silence. They looked at each other.
-Undoubtedly we leave in an uncertain period of time, we must act as solid pillars for the crown and the future king of Lucis- Ignis proceeded, -I appreciate your concern about the war and the glaives, but the situation is ultimately delicate, we cannot trouble the prince with additional uncertainty-
-Additional?-
-Yes, Gladio, if you haven't realised yet the Prince is already exploring the ambiguity of our lifestyle, questioning Insomnia-
-No, I haven't. I have just seen a very quiet and bored young man so far, not really aiming for the crown- he admitted without shame, - but good for him. He needs to know better, he needs to prepare himself. The Crownsguard is not enough. We are not enough!- he retorted aggressively.
Disagreement, it was palpable between them. Impasse.
-We are his best shot-
-Clearly not-
-Gladio please...-
-Please what? It's true. We won't be able to guide anyone at this rate. He's the prince, but what is he exactly?-
-Being the prince is not so much an existence as a concept, he is both free and imprisoned, utterly superfluous as a man, but quite indispensable as a ruler. He has an impossible job, he has to look human enough to be compassionate with his subjects, but at the same time unreachable, not questionable, because touched by the Gods- Gladio, in that very moment, saw Ignis' prospective through his words, but he didn't withdraw.
-You want him to stay blind and what did you say? Unreachable? Well my friend the daemons and the empire are very keen to reach him, trust me-
Ignis rolled his eyes.
-I want him to stay disciplined. Focused.-
-For gods' sake- he hissed, -are you listening to yourself?-
-I am- firm both his voice and glance, -a Prince devastated by the state of the art of this war has no use for the throne. He will see, one day, at the right time-
-And in the meantime?-
-Go back to the Crownsguard, Gladio. I understand that you and the Marshal had some kind of wake up call within the glaides, but... don't forget the bigger picture- I looked at him for a long moment.
-So, my dad talked to you-
Ignis did absolutely nothing to hide it. He nodded, slowly.
-Great- he was clearly pissed now, -thanks a lot for Clarus' political point of view on the prince- The shield-to-be looked away, annoyed. Very annoyed,
-The Shield is right about Noctis' role. It's not fair, true, but still... we have no other option-
-Mr. Dad likes to talk about choices- Gladio was saying while looking at the window, - but these days I keep wondering if we made the right one, using the barrier in the first place. Hiding in an eternal siege with no way out-
-That one was King Mors' choice. We inherited the strategy- Ignis' voice was calm and firm, there was something in his eyes that Gladio recognised. A hint, a flicker that suggested Ignis' willingness to do whatever he had to do to protect Insomnia. -I'll speak with the prince, resume your schedule with him-
There was a long pause, the he headed out, but before doing so he gave him that pitying look he'd found so infuriating lately.
-Yes sir...-
...
Dalmasca infirmary was disturbingly quiet, the silence was a real presence there, not just absence of sounds, it was oppressive.
Dr. Averel was sitting pensively behind his inner-office desk in the medical pavilion, he had never been this nervous on a research assignment. He was looking at numbers and charts with a meditative face and furrowed eyebrows, his patient was still unconscious in the next room. He checked on him every hour.
When the phone suddenly rang felt like a relief from the tenseness of the silence. He winced.
-Y...yes?- he picked the phone up, his voice uneasy.
On the other side someone was quite concerned. Low voice.
-Some effects proved to be more difficult than we expected- he said, still uncomfortable, -no, well... the nanites are clearly responding, his cells regeneration rate proved it, but... -
The look on Averel's face changed immediately, darker and if possible more anxious.
-Sure, no problem... I'm coming... I'm coming now-
In a very clumsy rush he grabbed his stuff, then he left the infirmary,muttering. He walked fast under the dimming-glowing-dimming lights of the medical block, with the CCTV cameras completely off. Security was complicated now. Risky.
The sound of his steps embraced the corridor for quite a moment, then silence again. Wyvern was just for ghosts now.
Noctis witnessed the scene hiding behind the closet. He was standing there since lunch time, he had sneaked in following the nervous doctor from Galbadia. His left leg had gone numb multiple times and more than once he thought to give up, but he didn't. He couldn't. Too many questions, too many lies. Plus Prompto was just two rooms away.
He limped like an old man, then he reached the room with the beds and the usually beeping machines, no one was beeping. Technically no one was here to hear, because no one was supposed to be here. Wyvern, the glorious training facility was dead, like the hope of fighting back.
The prince slowed down after regaining the use of his leg, his resolution was shaking a bit. He wanted to see him, no doubt, but now, three steps away... he was scared. He took a minute, may be two, then he stepped in.
Prompto wasn't in a bed, he seated on a very weird mechanical chair, tons of levers and blinking lights. He had multiple IVs in his arms and bandages on his chest, he had been tighted up to the chair with black strips. Around his head, neck, chest and wrists. He was wearing a green hospital gown and the most surprising thing for Noctis was to find him with his old appearance. Hair and skin as whitest snow, probably also his eyes where back to normal, well... to the Prompto's normal.
The sniper was asleep, in a sort of coma or something.
The crown prince stared at him for a very long moment, unsure about his presence, shallow breathing, clearly distressed from this view of him, incapable of moving. Eyes wide open, afraid of the sleeping sniper, he was looking at him like a painting, a mere shadow of the person he has been. Noctis had to hold his breath in order to raise his hand and touch him. He reached his right shoulder first, a gentle unsteady caress, the relief was incredible, he was really there.
Something broke. Relief,
-Prom...pto- he whispered and he stammered. His gaze swung to the sniper. The voice was unexpected. It was low, with an agreeable trace of huskiness and with a hint of more power than the afraid expression would suggest.
Noctis hand slipped on Prompto's arm, down to his wrist. His blue eyes were glued to his sleeping face, Prompto represented a mix of contradictions, a great living enigma for the young prince, he was intense and wary, resigned, but somewhat resilient, defeated albeit defiant... all at the same time.
Over the past few weeks, Noctis had played his reunion with the sniper over in his head many, many times, trying to imagine what shape it would take. A lot of options, but it wasn't any of those, reality was way different, a different fabric of complexity. Now he could see the pawn, the young man talking about the silly dreamers of Insomnia.
He played for a second with Prompto's wrist, then he intertwined their fingers.
-I saw the report. Well, I... stole the report and... - he murmured, -you're name was not on it, and the glaives were listed as numbers. A list of tools, not people, not soldiers just... pawns – his voice broke, a very dark look in his eyes, he was staring again. The words died on his lips, he just couldn't go on. It all sounded so hollow.
-I wanted to know the truth, I needed to... but when I did see I... I couldn't- he sighed, humiliated, -I can’t - it was a raw admission. -I can’t think straight- the words were torn out of him, wide-eyed in the silence, Noctis said them again in a different voice, his blue eyes dark with the exposure of the truth. - I can’t think without you- he said it softly. There was more than one admission in Noctis’ words.
He could feel its own tension, sharp like the feel of his own heartbeats. He held his former mood within him, constrained, and converted into something else.
The prince swallowed down the words rising in his throat. As he had swallowed everything, since that night in Cor's office.
-You were right - he said half way toward the door, -but in order to get what I want, I have to know exactly how much I'm willing to give up. Like it or not, I have to be awake for that- he smiled, -thanks for the dream-
He stood in front of the double doors for a long second, one last glance to Prompto, then he left.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
3pm CitadelEvery quarter the Crownsguard and the Kingsglaive high officers used to meet in one of the most fancy room of the Citadel, along with the Shield of the king and sometimes with the king himself, in order to discuss the state of art of the war and going through a painfully and annoying "performance calibration session". They’re a time for senior officers to discuss the performance of their individual platoon members, applying common organizational standards across rank levels, with the Shield playing the role of the moderator. Conceptually, there’s nothing all that weird about calibration and re-assessment, it's a war evolving on a daily base, but... but that’s conceptually.
A group of highly opinionated, often insensitive and outspoken officers get together in a room shielded from prying eyes and decide how bad can be the next day in the field, for who is fighting the war for real. The narrative for the people outside the room was always credible and respectful, a necessary blunt evaluation of the results in order to improve, just numbers not human beings.
A lot of filters applied to these data about the characteristics, behaviours, and lives of the soldiers involved, allowed the high Command to constantly evaluate, judge, sort, rank, and single out individuals at unprecedented scale for a single war, all without treating them as people.
Combat data, successful rate, casualties, MIA, tons of numbers always without names therefore without emotions, no stories behind a number of deaths, just information and reports in order to address tactical issues and problems without thinking at the blood spilled outside the barrier.
This time the King didn't attend and the Shield left earlier. Cor Leonis found himself looking at Drautos smirking face, an annoying smug smile saying: I told you so.
The uncomfortable meeting ended around midday, all the attendees swarmed away silently avoiding each other and the Marshal returned to his office with a new throbbing headache, with the only win of having avoided a one to one with the Captain of the Kingsglaive.
Just as Cor finished up his report and looked at the list of Glaives' numbers, there was a knock on the door, reminding him his next trouble in the calendar: the prince's request. Training in the field with the glaives and Gladio. Nonsense.
-For Gods' sake- he murmured, then he cleared his throat - come on in- dry tone, tired, his eyes were bruised looking from fatigue. He swiftly changed his posture on the chair, trying to disguise how exhausted he was.
The door opened slowly and there stood a man the Marshal didn't know, wearing a weird robe and a wide-brimmed hat, with a black and white spotted handkerchief gently arranged around his neck. Something about his clothes, or the way he stood, made Cor think: Niflheim.
-Gods! you're the marshal?!- the man seemed very surprised, he had knocked at the door with a silver plate on it saying "General Leonis", but now was in shock to actually see the Immortal in the flesh.
-And you are?- Cor's voice was sharp now, annoyed.
The man stepped forward into the light and took off his hat. He was a bearded, dour man of about forty, with deep-set eyes and furrowed brow, lean and pale-skinned. His expression was calm and courteous just on the surface, he was quite nervous.
-Well I'm...Balthier. Balthier Shinra- said the man with a weird tone that implied this information alone contained a subtle message.
-Great- hissed Cor, frowning, not sure about "the message".
-Vaan said that this was the place... but...-
-Averet sent you? Are you aware that this is the Crownsguard HQ?- quite sceptical, but then Cor connected the dots, - great, it means you're real. He made it at last- he pointed to a chair in front of his desk, - take a sit and fill me in, I was actually waiting for someone else, but... nevermind, I need an update about this as well- the Immortal shot a glance to the stranger, - an update about "the man we can count on to get things done in tough condition"- clearly he was quoting someone.
The man looked troubled, but followed the instruction, he took a sit and a deep breath as well.
-Change of plan, my apology. Vaan is dealing with the machine right now, the cooling system is very sensitive and our journey from Lestallum wasn't easy. Something came up and we had to improvise. Unfortunately I cannot stay in Insomnia for long, I have a lift to leave town in half an hour so... happy to have this informal chat and leave... sooner rather than later-
-Such a hurry- kind of sneering, Cor looked at him for a long second, -no offence Mr. Shinra I need a better explanation than this. You just barged in, but I'm not sure what you're talking about. What's going on with Averet? what machine? -
Balthier looked back at him, suddenly feeling how bad the situation was, his so called "friend" had just framed him for a face to face with the Marshal. After a moment of silence he sighed and then nodded briskly, - Okay, okay, one step back- he started with some kind of disguised anxiousness in his voice, -Just to be clear: everything I'm going to say is...well, off the records and confidential, right? Some kind of "never happened" thing-
Cor smirked.
-Are you asking because you're a Niff?-
-I'm asking because I WAS a Niff-
quite emphatic the tone - and this is Insomnia-
-What's that supposed to mean?- His voice was low, and grating.
Friction. The enormous four-faced clock hanging on the wall reminded again Balthier that he had just one shot for a safe way out. He took a deep breath and shook his head doubtfully.
-Do you have many Niflheim refugees in Insomnia?-
-Few- still grating his voice.
-Former Niflheim scientists?-
-What's your point?-
-I'm not judging Marshal, there is a war between our countries... in my position, as you can imagine, I need to think in advance, I cannot stay and i cannot share too much my real name in Insomnia. That's it-
-I'm curious now, why are you here if you're so terrified of us?-
-Vaan is very persuasive-
-Reeeealy? Are we talking of the same doctor?-
Impasse. The silence had been stretching out between them too long.
-He blackmailed me. Better?-
-Not really- he snorted, - but anyway, carry on-
-Look Marshal, I don't want any troubles, I kept my end of the bargains, now I want out-
-Good to know, but I'm still in the dark, what the hell is going on?- he didn't raise his voice or anything, but the man now was wary.
He gave Cor a long, slow, silent appraisal. Then he pinched the bridge of his nose. He probably fought in his mind an immediately strong urge to flee as fast as his legs would take him, but he resisted and kept some sort of composure. He was undoubtedly used to handle pretty well the pressure, typical Niff.
-I'm Balthier Shinra- he repeated himself stressing the surname.
-So?- Cor's patience was wearing thin, he was tired of the whole conversation, especially after the body count meeting.
-Fabulous! Vaan is even more twisted that what I thought- he frowned, -I didn't know I would have met the Marshal,or that you wouldn't have been up to speed with the whole thing. I thought that I could say "the machine is here, good luck", and leave Insomnia, but it's not the case so... let's star from the beginning, I'm Balthier Shinra, or I was at least, and more important I was one of the Verstael Besithia's assistants, my whole family was-
-Was...- Cor hissed dryly with a dark look in his eyes, - and now?-
-Now they are all dead, and I live in Lestallum with a fake ID-
-The best thing to say to the Marshal of Lucis- just irony, it wasn't threatening him. He was listening now, very carefully, the name Shinra didn't mean anything to him, but Besithia awakened some sort of controlled rage.
-I was one of the biotech in charge of the
MT and IS Units, memory maintenance, core settings etc. When I left, six years ago, I stole documents and supplies from my lab before faking my death, I never touched that stuff in my new life in Lucis, but recently I had to, and here came in Vaan and his weird questions about special units maintenance- he paused for a sec, he had Cor's full attention now.
-Go on- icy voice.
-Well, long story short, I had a portable core imprinting machine, one for emergencies. As promised I gave it to Vaan along with the instruction and the maintenance notes. I'm done now- probably the cold voice didn't help, Balthier summarized a bit too quickly the story, - now I would like an assurance that it's over, no more contact, no more favours... or blackmailing-
-Not so fast, what's a core imprinting machine? What it does?-
-It allows you to structure the unit memory or you can create a clean slate for an old one. It's cross-class compatible, and if they haven't chanced the protocols, and usually they don't in less than 10 years, the machine is still capable of interacting with any kind of unit, also new ones-
-What do you mean with clean slate?- “
-No remnants data of past missions, targets, general behavioural data etc.-
-Like a brainwash?-
-What?- he was puzzled, -more like a formatting process of a computer...-
Cor went quiet. It took him almost a minute to recalibrate, the former Niff Biotech guy was talking of machines, but on the other hand he was applying these information to Prompto.
-They are kind of alive those things-
-Oh, that's unexpected- genuinely surprised, again. Balthier smirked.
-What?-
-No, nothing I...I didn't expect such a finesse in Lucis, I mean, they are just bloody enemies for you. Quite difficult to handle and take down. I thought there was no time for a philosophical analysis of the situation, am I wrong?- it was not an obvious criticism yet somehow, it was condescending.
-Answer the question- Cor hissed.
-It's not that easy, I might just confuse you and...- clock's ticking.
-Try me- flat voice. Still air between them.
-Okay...- he straightened in his chair, - yes, they are... sort of alive..., they call them living impaired. They have been built with human cells,
embryos... but mixed up with machines and daemons' miasma, so...-
-Do they have memories? Consciousness? Awareness of their existence?-
-What?!-
-Answer the question!-
-Really, you don't want to go there- tense, his thin lips quivered.
-Why not?- Under the surface the Marshal was mad.
-For the same reason you don't pet the rabbit that you're gonna eat later - he retorted bluntly, brutal.
This time the silence went on a moment too long. Cor was speechless for several seconds, a dark look in his eyes. Balthier leaned back in his chair and clucked his tongue sympathetically, he knew exactly what the Marshal was feeling right now: discovery. And it was ironic and unfortunate that he was the Marshal.
-So about this machine, it's a reboot tool, am I correct?- steady voice, icy.
-Yes- not really, but the clock was ticking and Balthier didn't want to miss his lift.
-How do you know Vaan Averet?-
-Friend of a friend-
-You just said he blackmailed you-
-I know, not very nice, but I have complicated friends-
Cor raised an eyebrow and shot him a piercing look.
-As I said before, there are no Niff scientist refugees in Lucis, still... here I am, do your maths- not very cautious now, but he was answering, he knew he couldn't do otherwise, - Can I go now? Through the gardens?- he pointed one of the windows.
-That depends-
-On what?-
-How do we contact you if something goes wrong with the machine?-
-You don't- plain and simple.
He did absolutely nothing to make his words easier to accept. The whole thing was arranged as a one off. Cor frowned.
-If something goes wrong I won't be able to help in any case- he added after a long pause, - I have already handed over the machine and the few spare parts that I had with me, it's fully functional, we tested it in Lestallum and again here this morning, Vaan knows how to use it-
They stared at each other for a very long second, then the Marshal exhaled unevenly: half a breath, and then the other half.
-South corner, you need to go through the hedges- said Cor, -good luck-
Balthier relief was visible on his face. He didn't say anything else, he nodded, there was a wordless, tacit agreement in it, then he left the office.
Cor's thought were blank. A strange occurrence, these days his thoughts was twisting and turning his mind, suffocating him with their whispers: the charging chair now broken, Drautos, Prompto in a sort of coma, Clarus...
Now just silence, waiting for a new hurricane of thoughts.
He waited tensely sitting prim in his old winged armchair, wringing his hands, thinking about the machine. Tension grew in his face, his mind replaying the last conversation over and over again.
When Averet burst into the room he barely noticed. He was aiming for the windows, without even bother to check the main desk, and its occupant.
-Damn! Too late. Fucking Balthier...- he swore and just in that moment saw the Marshal.
He froze. Like a cluster bomb exploding in his brain, turned his mind to a mental soup of conflicting instructions.
-So you're back- said Cor carefully, keeping his tone civil. Cold eyes.
-Ma-marshal- in a split of a second he was standing at attention, rebooting his brain somehow. In spite of everything he was a Crownsguard officer.
-At ease doctor, my meeting ended earlier- dry voice, tired in a way beyond Averet's imagination. -He is gone, but apparently we got what we need, am I right?-
-Yes sir, apologies for the weird arrangement- embarrassed, his super stealth plan flushed down the toilet, and Balthier's identity exposed to the Marshal himself. He diverted his glance, -I wasn't trying to hide Shinra, but...-
-I get it, Doctor, I get it,... I'm the Marshal, we are in the Citadel and he's a Niff- calm icy voice, - carry on-
-He's the man, Sir- stiffy tone, - I mean Shinra, he's the man I talked you about, and yes, he was able to help -
-Did you tell him about Prompto?-
-Of course not, I made up a story of a quiescent IS unit that we have retrieve from one our mission in Cartanica -
-Why the machine?- his tone was deep and judging, - I thought the idea was to find a nanites expert-
-It was sir, but Shinra's main expertise is not about the nanites, and to be honest I think we have a better option here, the machine wasn't in the picture, but we have it now and Drautos doesn't know about it- the doctor said, with satisfaction.
Averet was beyond tired too, physically and mentally. He was exhausted, but there was a spark in his eyes, hope may be.
-Better option?-
-The machine can put in a stable quiescent mode the nanites. It doesn't matter that we have lost the chair sir, Prompto would be like a normal human teenager, without a very thorough exam no one will notice the difference-
Cor looked puzzled.
-Wait a sec! How about the brainwashing... I mean... the memory reset?-
Averet's triumph was suddenly curbed.
-We cannot avoid that, if we use the machine we will erase his memories, but it's possible to save few checkpoints... emm... how can I explain it? Basically core information, maintained throughout the process-
-Such as?-
-I don't know, his name? May be few of ours-
-His name?- Cor gave him his severest frown, - he will wake up knowing his name and nothing else?-
-Yes sir, but... - he clenched his fist for a sec, - it would be better in this way, he's a kid used as a weapon, it would represent a fresh start for Prompto. We can define a story, a background, using the checkpoints and just free him from his chains-
Cor went silent. He knew that he would have changed the equation, telling the truth to the doctor, he couldn't object about the chains, but neither he could agree with Averet. He had been the soldier kid back in the days with King Mors, he would have killed if someone had tried to make this kind of call for him. Unfortunately Vaan Averet couldn't understand a cruel and twisted concept like this. Cor didn't bother to try an explanation.
-He will still wake up in a bloody war- he said instead, - with no family, no friends, no guidelines, but probably muscle memories for combat and weapons-
-Yes, but within Insomnia, as a citizen under the wall, not as tool at the mercy of the Kingsglaive- he retorted, - we can be there for him, indirectly-
-You cannot guarantee that and probably we can't even guarantee the outcome of this... process -
Another minute went by. Clearly they had a different point of views, but truth be told: they had no charging chair anymore.
-True... there are risks, and we need to prepare if we want to go down this path, but the recharge gives us time. We can customize the Adam process for the kid?-
- Adam?-
-Oh sorry, Advanced De-fragmentation Alteration Memory. ADAM.-
-Catchy- his voice was dripping with sarcasm.
Averet was uncomfortable with the super laconic mode of the General, he felt the friction between their ideas and distinctly the Marshal was somehow hostile toward the whole plan.
-This is the best that I can do- he broke the silence after a long moment, he needed to arrange the words appropriately, - I know it's not ideal, not perfect, probably not what you were looking for when you came to me with the truth but... ADAM is a potential solution to an impossible situation- he stood still, strong of knowing what he had done to get this option on the table.
-I know- said Cor, his sigh was of a softly deflating, it was as if a tension had lifted yet left him with a melancholy instead of relief, because it was true, this unexpected option was probably the best they could achieve. -And I'm grateful Averet, I truly am-
The doctor nodded.
-I can't say yes or no right here and right now. As you said before we have time, I need to see the final plan for this ADAM, all the side effects, issues or possible things that might go south, then I'll make a call-
-Yes, sir-
-In the meantime, we have to keep Drautos under control. The Shield is looking into this as well, and unfortunately his sympathy for the situation is harder to find than empathy at a psychopath conference- a dark look in Cor's eyes, - no records about ADAM or the machine-
-Understood-
-Great, dismissed-
The Immortal didn't even notice the door closing behind Averet, he was staring at his desk, facing in his mind the transition, the feeling of it, he was becoming a person he never wanted to be.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
7 am Galbadia – training room
Alexander, this the name of the major Galbadia training room, Cor would have said an arrogant name. It was uncomfortably large compared to its sister at the Wyvern facility, it reminded him of a posh hotel foyer, not just in the space but in the artwork too, tapestries on the walls and a couple of benches for an hypothetical audience. It was annoyingly fancy, even the racks for the weapons were exposed like in a gallery more than a training room.
The Marshal was standing in the middle of the wooden floor staring at wall. Clouds in his mind, in the inkiness his mind supplied demons real and fictitious, it reminded him of deadlines both near and distant, decisions that needed to be made.
For a very long moment he felt lost in his thoughts, mountains of lies. Lies for the Crownguard, for Clarus, for Monica, for the Prince. The only thing that was there after searching for so long was betrayal and disappointment. He slowly seeped in how much of a fool he had been, living in his own dream world. Honour was just a word now, a memory, his past self would have laughed at this situation, mocking him for being just like the others instead of the one who makes the difference.
-Nonsense?! - blurted Noctis from the door, livid with rage. He looked at him for a long moment, as if piercing into Cor's soul. - This is your explanation? A nonsense?-
The Marshal winced, nothing really noticeable, he was caught off guard. Just for a second, lost in his darkest thoughts, remembering his time with King Mors, when he was young and the world made sense. He took a moment to understand the Prince burst of rage, but then back to normal with his composure.
-Your highness?- in a blink of an eye he took stock of the situation, back into his role.
-My request. Denied because it's a nonsense?!?!-
-Yes, denied- he confirmed without hesitation, he walked quietly across the big training room to the door like a cat. Cor came to stand two steps away, firmly facing the mad sixteen year old future king of Lucis.
-Nonsense is not an explanation! I want a real reason-
More silence. The Marshal's brow corrugated.
-It's dangerous, your highness-
-Seriously Cor? It's dangerous... I'm pretty sure you can do better than this-
-Fine- said the Marshal icily, - it's a nonsense for the Crown Prince going outside the barrier for a training. A risk that neither I nor your father would take under any circumstances- a serious look in his eyes.
-So are you training me for what? Bridge tournament with the aristocracy?-
-Why not, Lucis Aristocracy is quite aggressive at the card table-
Noctis looked really pissed. The Marshal sighed, the conversation wouldn't have ended fast enough.
-Your trainings are a strategic event, not a tactical one- he explained as well as he could, voice cold.
-A strategic event?-
-A theory Prince Noctis, not a real thing- bluntly, too much probably.
-Wow- clearly bewildered, and also very mad, - so that's it? I bust my ass every week for a theory, not the real thing. Amazing! You have such a great expectation for me-
-I haven't said that, prince. You will be the King one day, our commander in chief, your role is strategic- the Marshal regretted his first answer and now was too late for a formal rephrase.
-Really? You went to Accordo with my dad back in the days, how strategic was that? Let's have more respect for each other than these petty semantics-
Another minute of awkward silence went by. Cor could feel the contempt in the young man's eyes.
-We want you to be prepared your highness, hence the training sessions, but we also want you to be safe while doing so, and the war is now reaching a point where we are not allowed to be reckless. Losing you, or just risking it, would throw our balance into disarray-
-So the answer is: prepared, but not too prepared, like for the real thing- he retorted, - people are dying outside the barrier, but I just need the theory. Is this your explanation?-
Cor sighed again, this was an ethic problem, technically the mental state of the Crown Prince wasn't in his to do list, not his role, but apparently it was now. - I have no idea what you think you know, but you don't-
-Really? People are not dying?-
-Your highness...-
-Is there a war at least?-
-Prince Noctis-
-Why are we staying locked up within Insomnia then?-
-Enough!-
The young man licked his lips nervously, he knew he was pushing his luck. Silence.
The prince's presence seemed to buzz around Cor like a fly that you can never swat. Well... he was the future King, being patient with him was part of the job, but today was quite a difficult task for the General. He said nothing for a while, studying Noctis' expression, then a faint smile appeared on Cor's face.
-Did Gladio drag you into this questioning mode?-
-Gladio?- he was puzzled, but also annoyed by the implications, - why when I ask something, anything, Gladio is the name that pops out?
-Did he?-
-No, he didn't! It might shock you Marshal, but I have questions sometimes, on my own-
Something was very wrong with the prince, in Cor's eyes the whole conversation felt off.
-Why would you ever want to go outside? Have you forgot your last time?-
-I was eight-
-You almost died- he pointed out with terse voice.
-Almost is the keyword-
-Prince Noctis please, this a technicality-
-I'm a Prince, I embrace technicality, apparently it's the only way of living in this... cage- he opened his arms referring to Insomnia under the barrier.
Cor's patience was wearing thin, this wasn't the right time for an ethical confrontation, but he could see the young man's frustration, what was driving his challenge to the status quo.
-Ten Crownsguard officers died that day, your highness. The King himself had to step in against the daemon. If I may, I would say a very pricy "almost"- grudgingly respectful glance in his eyes.
Game over. A very primitive tactic, but logical and more important... effective. The Prince couldn't reply to that, he felt guilty and spoiled and pathetic, he didn't know the names of the dead Crownsguards, and immediately Prompto's resigned voice popped in his mind. We are just pawns.
When Noctis looked up, defeated, he searched Cor’s eyes for pity, for mockery, for scorn even, and didn't find any. It hurt more this way.
-So, this is it Marshal?- he swallowed, -I'm not good enough, but I cannot be better, because it's too risky-
-What do you mean? You're the crown Prince, no one is accusing you. I'm just reminding your highness about those who gave their life for you...- cautious now. He saw something in that very moment, hidden, disguised into something else within the young man's inner conflict.
-I don't remember- he confessed while clenching his fist, - that day, what happened, the officers... nothing, just darkness and the pain in my back-
-And?-
-And now being safe is the rule, the one and only. I'm supposed to be King at some point in this game, aren't you scared of that? Terrified actually, because spoiler alert: I'm not the right guy for the job-
Great. Cor didn't say anything, staring at him. He frowned for a second, still fighting the headache caused by his own thoughts.
-Your Highness... Noctis, I'm not sure what pushed your anxiety about your role, but it's not happening any time soon, we have a King, your father, and it's going to stay this way for many years- impossible to say if he was lying or not. Cor was a good liar, if needed, but most of the time he used the truth, because he believed his versions of the truth.
-I assure you Marshal that I am quite unremarkable, but as bad as I am now I don't want to be like him so.... you should be the one with anxiety right now- he was getting angry again, but in a composed way this time.
-What? Like whom?- Cor was puzzled now. He knew the answer but he was hoping for a misunderstanding.
-My father-
That strike hit hard the Marshal, because it required more than a dismissive answer, but he wasn't the right person for this conversation. Not now, probably not ever with the current circumstances of the Crown and the ruling Council.
-Why not?- he was cautious and wary, but he had to ask, - King Regis is a fair man- he meant it, honestly, but it wasn't the only thing that came up in Cor's mind.
Probably Clarus would have said something different, something better, but unfortunately he wasn't the Shield of the King, well skilled with rhetoric and political games, or even just a fan of his strategies. He was a soldier at the very core of his essence, and a soldier should not discuss principles with a ruler.
-Fair...- Noctis' voice was sceptical, a dark look in his eyes, disappointment, - not for all, fair with the Aristocracy, no doubt, with the council,sure, I bet... but how about the rest of his subjects? His Soldiers, his Glaives?- he shook his head. - I'll be bad too, don't get me wrong, but he... my father, he is bad right now-
Still air between them. Impasse.
-I don't want to be a King of an eternal siege. Forgetting about reality, where the real borders of the Kingdom are-
-Prince look... -
-General Leonis-
Saved by the bell. A breathless officer stopped their very uncomfortable conversation, he bowed as expected as soon as he recognized the Prince, but he didn't leave in order to let them finish. Cor knew that it was a tricky situation for the young man, he could lose something escaping the conversation with him, he hesitated, just for a sec but... the bigger picture always wins.
-What is it?- Noctis made the call for both of them.
-Doctor Averet is looking for the General, something with the Kingsglaive, your highness-
-All yours- the prince took his leave with no sign of doubt, waving his right hand.
Cor was frozen, but in a very compose way, he didn't say anything, he just bowed, sort of, he gave him a long considering look while he was walking away. Letting him go now was a mistake, nonetheless the legendary Immortal felt relief. Talking about the King, or to be honest about what Regis was become, wasn't the easiest thing to do for the Marshal. After king's Mors decision concerning the barrier Cor Leonis had stopped his career as an adviser, so there was no point in criticizing the current King and his decision about Insomnia.
…
9:30 am Wyvern
Vaan Averet was a reliable person, 36 years old, an average soldier, not really meant for the battlefield, he was a good doctor and a decent human being. Monica had described him exactly like that eight years ago, before introducing him to the Immortal. They say survival adaptations are born of necessity, Vaan's best skills tended to mirror that logic.
He was a man driven by his wit, but with a strong sense of humanity even if he was fundamentally a scientist. Definitely not a believer, he needed facts, proves and evidences and unfortunately the war was proving a failure in strategy and common sense, telling him the whole truth about the Crownsguard was a risky move.
Confiding and relying on him was actually a real gamble for the General, he needed an ally, an officer able to see Clarus Amicitia more as a politician than the Head of the Crownsguard, with independent ideas, that's for sure, but at the same time he needed a soldier willing to follow orders with no questions whatsoever. Vaan wasn't that good with the latter.
-Hope it's important-
Cor stormed in Averet's office. The doctor lost an heartbeat, really a bad start for an already tough conversation.
Like a homemade sweater the Immortal was beautifully composed and thoughtful in appearance, but itchy and irritable in comfort. Cor was somehow annoyed about this summoning, even if he was the one who said: call me if something change.
Not the best time for additional bad news.
-Ma-marshal,... yeah I... I think it is- his voice was unexpected, low and with carefully uncommitted tones. Testing waters, - Prompto... he's awakening-
The news hit Cor like a sucker punch. He went silent, completely frozen, but just in the inside.
-What?- he looked around to check a calendar near by, still confused, sort of distraught actually. He was like he’d been dealt a blow.
-I know, it's earlier than expected, but... he is- not comfortable the doctor seeing that reaction.
-Three weeks earlier?- he hissed.
Averet sat up straighter, suddenly on guard.
-It's odd, that's true, but still manageable. The machine is responding well to our customizations, we will be able to have an operational plan in few weeks-
He hoped to be reassuring, but the Marshal's dark mood got worse.
-An operational plan? Seriously? We haven't even tested this ADAM on a real machine-
-You mean... a living impaired thing?-
-Whatever-
Silence. Words left him, Averett felt the disagreement between them, different point of views, different ideas. Cor allowed the silence in the room to stretch out, he needed time to process.
-Marshal, are we still...?-
-We are- he said dryly, his composure was back. - It might be complicated, with Prompto awake, and his questions, especially because we cannot tell him the truth, he would never accept that, not in a thousand years-
The doctor nodded, but actually they had agreed to disagree about that. Averet was a "full disclosure and consent from the patient" type, on the other hand Cor was more a practical and “the chain of command wins” type.
-Will he resume his trainings?-
-He will-
-With Gladio...?-
Silence again, they stared at each other for a long moment.
-I know what you're thinking, but no, it won't be like before. They are comrades now, for real-
-Because of the mission in Leide...? the one... for the chair...- he hesitated, it wasn't an easy subject, especially now that he knew the whole story, sort of... - I understand conceptually sir, but not viscerally-
-We paid a price doctor, and it took a toll on Gladio too, more than the Gaviano mission. I have full responsibility for what happened in Leide... it shouldn't have been like that, we are not Niflheim, no executions without trial, but... Drautos – he didn't finish the sentence, a dark look in his eyes, - we'll never know the truth, but what I can tell you is that they need each other, because they are so different-
-And the mole?-
-Dead in the “accident” apparently- murder was the right word, - The official report arrived this morning-
-Come on! They cannot say that!-
-They can-
-But the Crownsguard must... Gladio was there!-
-Just as a guest doctor, Lester was a member of the Kingsglaive- patient about that, he knew he was asking a lot to the righteous doctor, - Clarus would never open an investigation just because his son was there, on the contrary from his point of view it's a good reason for not asking questions - Cor said it bluntly without hesitation or concerns.
-He could have died too-
-Not this time-
-Why not?-
-I was there. He made me promise-
“He” was clearly Clarus Amicitia.
Vaan swallowed his uneasiness, then he nodded again. They had this conversation before, more than once, but all the times he had to ask again, adding options for the same ending. He just couldn't wrap his head around that.
This time the bell was a ringing phone. From nowhere came the sound of an old fashioned telephone, so authentic that Cor scanned the room for an antique, something that wouldn't look out of place just in an old movie. Another evidence that this wasn't Galbadia, but this was too much for Wyvern as well.
-Sorry about that- said the doctor in a haste, - It's just a signal, from engineering, it means the secondary generator is up and running now-
-Who re-activated that telephone for the Six's sake?- said Cor puzzled.
-Oh- clearly embarrassed the doctor, - I did... I asked Cid, I was in his shop a couple weeks ago, it was an easy fix-
-You fixed a 50 years old telephone because you need to communicate with the engineering department?!?- he stared at him.
-It's not that old- he muttered uneasy about his spy approach.
-Really?- Cor frowned, - No calls from engineering on your cellphone, are you serious?... Doc this is paranoia-
-I just want to be careful, sir-
Cor sighed, tired. The sigh that came was a signal, not of his resolve leaving but of the level his patience had reached.
-I told you already, there is no beef between the Crownsguard and the Kingsglaive, this Drautos' situation is a one off-
-And the Shield is okay with that-
Silence, their gazes locked. The marshal felt his hands clenching, but he forced himself to relax, he couldn't reply to that, as you make your bed, so you must lie on it
-Why do you need another generator?- Cor changed the subject.
-The machine is consuming a lot of power -
-And this didn't come up during the test with Shinra?-
-Apparently...-
-Lieutenant?-
The doctor averted his look, focusing on the floor, on a specific chipped tile in the corner. He was very uncomfortable, more than how he was talking about the telephone from the past century.
-It's just an unexpected hitch, but nothing major... however yes, the customizations on ADAM is impacting his power consuming level- he confessed, still avoiding any kind of eye contact with the General.
-And?-
-Well... we might have just one shot for a test before the real application-
It was the sort of confession that required more than honesty, but the doctor offered nothing for very long minutes, not even an apology. This ushered in several moments of silence.
-I know is not what we expected, what you expected... sir- Averet took the courage to raise his eyes on the Marshal.
The room was very quiet. Cor didn't look back at him.
-Let's see the result of this so called “test” first- terse tone, icy voice.
-O...okay – kind of surprised the doctor, but he decided to carry on, - we need to consider the situation of course, if Prompto will sustain too many injuries the nanatis will activate too much for what we need to do. After the recharge it's... he's in a very good place for the ADAM project-
-I'm aware, his trainings will be about strategy and shooting in an empty shooting range – Cor sighed, loudly, tired and looking at the doctor he saw the same tiredness, he was mad about the situation, not mad at him. His composure didn't break.
-Very well, sir-
-You know Averet, sometimes, we know the role we are meant to play, sometimes we don't. I'm not sure which is better to be honest with you, but I'm glad you're here. I'm grateful.-
The doctor was touched by this unexpected declaration of gratitude, a small smile played on his lips.
-Well sir, time will tell-