Under A Darkened Sky

by eravalefantasy

Ava Callidus' story continues... A missing king and heavy losses usher in a ever growing darkness. Plans have changed, relationships have broken and no one can risk being on their own. Under a darkened sky, Gladiolus Amicitia looks to mend the damage his pride inflicted on those closest to him.

4. What Were You Expecting

The wooden chair scraped against tile before Cor lifted it, slamming it down near Gladio. "Sit and listen."

"Marshal, I apologized-"

Standing rigid with his arms crossed, Cor nodded toward the chair, his speech slow and deliberate accenting each word. "Sit and listen." He waited for Gladio to take a seat before continuing. "You apologized. I heard. But it's still clear you are incapable of setting aside your ego long enough to understand how you hurt others and damaged your relationships."

Gladio understood he'd have to face Cor eventually. He'd messed up and suspected Cor might have more than a few words to say. "You mean Ava."

"All right, so all I'll say about Ava is she explained her perceptions of what took place." Cor said, grabbing another chair he sat against the wall. "And you attempted to the same. The problem is you lack the humility to understand the damage you caused, but I'm not here to work things out between you. That's for you both to decide what happens next."

"Thanks."

Cor shook his head. "Don't thank me. If it were my decision, you'd be on permanent watch in the power plant until the King returns, but for what it's worth . . .you did well in Altissia."

"Wait a minute, are you serious? You think I did well after that don't be a butthead speech?"

For a moment, Cor stared back at Gladio. "I don't recall using the word butthead."

"Close enough."

Pursing his lips, Cor responded. "You and Ava seem to hear different words whenever I speak. Must have been that school you both attended. How to annoy your elders by not listening. You both graduated that class with honors."

Gladio laughed and then quickly tried to sober his reaction. "Sorry. I guess I should be grateful you don't think I screwed everything up."

"I didn't say that either. Do you recall our discussions about mission objectives and outcomes? Altissia had its share of mistakes, but the king survived."

Even though Gladio understood what Cor said, he slouched forward in the chair. "I know, but Lady Lunafreya and Iggy. . .I should have done more."

"The Oracle was not your responsibility. While we may never know what truly happened, it is clear she guaranteed the king's survival." He waited before continuing. "Ignis explained what happened when you were separated; the choices made were his alone. Had you interfered, the consequences might have been even greater."

Gladio pressed his lips into a thin line, biting back the need to lash out. His stilted speech and clenched fists bore the weight of his emotion. "With respect, you don't know that. We should have. . .I should have tried harder to find him and Noct." He sighed. "We could have succeeded if we'd stayed together."

Shaking his head Cor disagreed. "I would have done the same. Wes said you and Prompto helped get the people to safety; you risked yourselves to see innocents safe."

Not wanting to listen, Gladio stood. "Innocents," Gladio scoffed. "While we ran around the city directing traffic, Ignis. . .you saw what happened to him, right? He shouldn't have been alone."

"Listen well. Not every battle will be won; not every task will be completed, but even in the face of those small failures lays the path to win the war. The Shield stands before the king even in loss. If you break now, who will stand with him?"

Logically, Cor's words made sense, but Gladio didn't want logic, he wanted answers. "At what cost?"

"Are you the Shield or not?"

"Yes, I'm the Shield! All right? I know what I have to do, but sacrificing others is not what I'm about. I'll take any hit, I'm ready to give my life for Noct, but I'm not all right serving up everyone that matters to me, not if I can change it." The small safe house didn't leave much room for distance, but Gladio crossed the room toward the far wall. "It's not too late to fix what I can."

Cor followed, resting a hand on Gladio's shoulder. "For what it's worth, I understand."

"Sorry, Marshal. I don't think you do."

"Then think on this- the three of you still have a path to follow. The king will return," Cor said, "but for me, all those I had sworn to protect are dead because of the Empire except for the king and one other. Remember that when you think to judge."

The painful truth of Cor's admission diminished Gladio's anger; he apologized before changing the subject, the one that still weighed on his heart. "About Ava," he said, "I need your help. She's hurting, and it's my fault. I've apologized, but I can't leave it as it is and I'm not sure how to get her to listen."

"It's not my place to interfere or try to explain."

Gladio stared up at the ceiling, hands gripping the side of his neck. "What am I supposed to do? Say something like sorry I was such an ass, but I love you?" Gladio stopped realizing what he'd said in front of Cor. "Shit."

A corner of Cor's mouth lifted. "Simplest is often best Gladio, although I'd suggest something a little more heartfelt and perhaps skip the cursing. For now, give Ava time."

"Yeah, all right. Thanks, Marshal."

l-l-l

This is Dave speaking. Y'all know my voice by now. Don't matter where you hail from, we're here keeping the light burnin' in Lestallum. It's mighty dangerous out there on your own so, give us a holler at LFF-1500, we'll send a hunter to fetch you and yours and bring 'em to safety. There's plenty of room, food and shelter here in Lestallum; so remember, just one quick call to LFF-1500. Ask for Raven. Until then, stay safe.

The recorded radio spot ended, and Dave turned the machine off while Ava and Ignis kept silent. Offering a half smile he turned to face them both. "Good enough?"

Ava forced a thin lipped smiled. "Mmm hmm, it's great, Dave." She felt the firm grip of Ignis' hand on her elbow holding her in check.

"Don't you worry about those phone calls; we've got hunters who'll see to them." Picking up the machine he tucked it under his arm and with a sharp whistle called his dog from his rest. "Well, I'll tell the boys to broadcast this right away, see ya' later, Raven."

Ava waited until Dave's retreating footsteps guaranteed he'd exited the service hallway. Palms down of the work table she leaned over, head bowed. "Ask for Raven. What was he thinking?" Ava asked, turning her head toward Ignis. "Forget that, am I allowed to stab people?"

At first Ignis said nothing, choosing instead to answer with a quieted sigh. "No, you may not stab people, and I'm surprised you would ask. As for the rest, his heart is in the right place." He paused. "Your rather surly attitude of late begs the question- where your heart lies."

She couldn't deal with yet another lecture or dissection of her relationship or lack thereof. Unwilling to broach the subject of Gladio again, Ava shifted the conversation. "When do you leave for Hammerhead?"

The building tensions between Ava and Gladio increased over the time he'd remained in Lestallum leaving Ignis and Iris with little hope of arranging any reconciliation between them. "I see. So am I dismissed, my lady?" He stepped away, heading toward the corridor.

"Ignis wait. I. . . you're trying to help."

He didn't face her. "How kind of you to remember." Another moment passed and Ignis turned around. "If remaining here is too much, then consider joining the party leaving for Hammerhead. A few days and a change of. . .company might be in order."

A firm knock on the door frame interrupted them, Ava surprised to see the Marshal inside the Leville. "I planned to suggest something similar Ignis; my thanks for doing so."

"Marshal." Ignis tilted his head toward Ava. "Tomorrow morning, we leave at six. I shall inform Miss Robyn you intend to accompany the group."

Cor shifted out of the doorway allowing Ignis to pass. "Whatever is going on between you and Gladiolus needs to end. Either walk away or stop avoiding the situation."

She huffed and walked further into the kitchen. "It's not that easy," she said, "I thought you would talk with him."

Crossing his arms Cor, repeated her words with little inflection or emotion. "You thought I would talk with him." His lips pressed into a thin line, Ava had been on the receiving end of many lectures that began with the simple expression.

She'd have to stave off the impending dialogue or face one more reprimand by Cor. "It's not that I'm asking you to act in my place-"

He cut off her rationalization. "Aren't you? Ava, you're adults-at least in years. The two of you need to work this out, not me. End it, fix it, it's not for me to decide. What I must do is point out to both that the longer you fixate on your relationship you do a disservice to the people counting on you."

The retort rested on her tongue, but Ava held back and tried to appeal to Cor. She felt trapped, not wanted to give in, but she understood what Cor had said. "I don't know what to do." The vulnerability in her words was no act; she'd been able to push her personal life aside to prepare Lestallum and the Leville for the time to come, but no longer. "I need your help."

He sighed, a slight frown taking over his earlier strictness. "Ava, I can only advise you as I have before."

"I can't. . .do. . .things like this. Give me a base to infiltrate, an enemy to track or send me on some mission to fetch something-that I can do." Grabbing her neck with both hands, she closed her eyes. "I wish. . . it doesn't matter. I'm going to Hammerhead tomorrow, Gladio will leave by the time I get back."

She understood the disappointment in Cor's face, he'd always had such high expectations for Ava.

"Avoidance is not a solution."

Ava had worked on keeping her anger in check, but Cor's unwillingness to help aggravated her. "You're not very good at being supportive. I thought you might care to be at least somewhat interested."

A deeper frown settled, tightening his jaw. "Acting like a child is unbecoming. Welcome to adulthood. If you want to know my thoughts, I'll share. Gladiolus allowed his ego to speak for him and once he started he couldn't stop. You wounded him and he fought back rather than allow rational thought to guide him through."

"How is that my fault?"

Cor stepped closer. "It is not your fault, Ava. You are not responsible for Gladio's actions, and I understand he's attempted to apologize. The next step is yours. You need to decide if you can forgive and try again, or stop playing games. The future is uncertain, resolve what you are able before it is too late."

l-l-l

Robyn's turn at the front desk had left her agitated and done with people; she'd only agreed to take on the extra work in exchange for a bed and laundry privileges. Training the Shield's kid sister had been added on in the last few weeks. Robyn wasn't allowed out on Glaive missions, despite her protests she didn't need the King's magic to fight, Libertus refused to budge.

Iris waited in the small seating area, attempting to practice a dagger twirl Robyn had showed her. Robyn sighed dramatically after the fifth time the dagger clattered to the floor. "Iris, you'll injure yourself and then where will that leave me?"

"Sorry, Robs. I can't seem to get it."

"I can see that," Robyn said flicking her eyes up long enough to catch Iris. "Practice your grip instead. As soon as Dustin shows up, we're history."

Iris stood, scuffed her boot along the floor and huffed. "That's so lame, what's wrong with the way I hold the daggers? Ava taught me."

The slow rise of Robyn's green eyes to meet Iris' comment left little doubt to Robyn's opinion. "Ava does it wrong."

"Wait a minute, Ava is a great fighter! How could she be wrong?" Iris picked up her weapons and moved to the desk.

"Ava can fight, I'm not saying she can't. I'm saying she holds her blades wrong." Robyn held out her hand. "Here, watch me." She gripped the dagger in her right hand, the tip pointed toward her arm. "All of you do the same damnable thing; hold your blades pointing toward your forearms. Why? Wasted movement to slice the target in front of you. Sure, it looks cool, but it's not practical." Robyn flipped the dagger around, the tip pointing out. "Look, you can do whatever you like when we're done, but with me, this is how you wield a blade, got it?"

Iris punctuated her agreement with a nod of her head. "So, Robs. If I can get better with the daggers, could you teach me how to be a gun-"

"Not a chance. Stick to the blades." Cutting off Iris with a glare and slash of her hand through the air, Robyn couldn't risk showing Iris even the basics of being a gunner, not without incurring the wrath of at least a few of those in residence. "Look, the Marshal, Ava and even Libertus told me to help you with your blade skills, that's it." A quick sweep of her eyes showed they had the lobby to themselves. "Plus, I'd like to avoid any disagreements with your brother."

Iris rolled her eyes. "Ugh, Gladdy is no big deal. I can handle him. Please?"

"No soddin' way. Don't invite trouble."

Iris checked the lobby and leaned out the front entrance. "There's no one here, Gladdy is probably talking someone's ear off or looking for Ava."

Leaning closer, Robyn surveyed the room again before pressing Iris. "Let me ask you something, because I don't get it. Ava seems intelligent and capable, what possessed her to choose your brother?"

She laughed in response. "Oh, Gladdy's harmless; he's sweet when you get to know him. You'll see."

Hands raised, Robyn conceded to Iris. "Pass." Dustin's entrance from the service corridor ended their conversation.

"Miss Robyn, if you would add Avis to the group leaving for Hammerhead, and see if you can fit her into one of the arranged vehicles."

Robyn shook her head, but held back. All the vehicles were full. Snapping at the messenger made her no better than those who she railed against. "We're full up, Ava can take her truck and we'll shift two Glaives around to ride with her."

Dustin and Robyn continued to discuss possibilities unaware of Gladio's entrance to the lobby; he listened to the discussion realizing they meant to send Ava out without backup. Interrupting the conversation with his presence, Gladio leaned on his elbow. "I'll go. I can ride backup for her."

Iris piped up. "I'll go, too."

All three of the others refused Iris' request, but Gladio spoke first. "You're not going." Giving his sister a sideways hug, Gladio explained. "I know you want to help, but you should trust in the skills of those around you."

Robyn's nostrils flared. "Hey, maybe you should listen to your own advice."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She tired of the group not trusting in Iris' skills. Only Ava had shown faith, seeing Iris' potential. Iris refused to sit still and watch others defend her and the people she cared about. "You're her blood; show a little loyalty."

"It's okay, Robyn, Gladdy isn't being mean."

Robyn left the counter to face Gladio; barely reaching his chest in height, she refused to back down. "You walk around like you own this city, and your ego enters the room long before you. That's a problem." She crossed her arms, meeting his eyes as best she could. "You can toss around fancy titles and family names all you want, but the truth is-you lost the king. You. The one fucking job that fell to you and you failed, leaving us with all this."

"You don't know shit."

Once she started, Robyn couldn't stop. "I know enough to understand that you don't think. You react. So does Iris, and I'm trying to break her of that bad habit." Pointing her finger into Gladio's chest, she continued her tirade. "Maybe if you use that thick head of yours more often, your girlfriend wouldn't have needed to save your sorry ass in Meldacio, and as for what I know? I've seen and heard enough to understand that if you could stop brooding for five fucking minutes and say what you really think to the people that matter most to you, it'd get a little easier to be around you." Robyn huffed, straightened her jacket and moved toward the front entrance. "Let's go Iris."

l-l-l

Despite his anger, Gladio kept his composure long enough to find Ignis near the storage rooms and ask for a few minutes.

"How can I help?"

"The woman at the front desk who is she?" Gladio had to remember the subtle changes since Ignis lost his sight. Before his ordeal, Ignis could express his attitude in his facial expressions and stares, but the blank face turned to Gladio gave little insight into Ignis' thoughts. "You know, the short redhead who likes to say fuck a lot?"

"Yes," Ignis said, "that would be Robyn–a hunter born in the Protectorate who survived the fall of the Crown City." Ignis continued. "How many times did she curse at you?"

Gladio couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, you got me. A few. Maybe two or three, I wasn't taking notes while she was yelling at me."

"Come now, Gladio. I doubt Robyn raised her voice, she has a particular flair for colorful language and idioms that convey the truth of the matter far better than a raised voice could."

Ignis had a certain way of speaking; Gladio heard the dig in his words, he'd gotten used to picking out the thinly veiled sarcasm often spoken by his friend. "Fair enough. Why is Iris following her around?"

Weskham interrupted to ask Ignis a few pointed questions, delaying his response. The two talked about the supply lines and Cindy's assertions, Hammerhead needed little else over her requests. Soon, Gladio joined the conversation, asking questions about the mission set for the morning.

"It's rougher there," Weskham explained, "nothing like Meldacio, but we are changing the groups every few months. Hammerhead's fortifications require a few modifications and between the roaming fauna and the increased daemon activity, we need additional help for two or three days."

Meldacio had been more than Gladio expected. They'd fought daemons with Noct, and Gladio believed they'd had a few close battles, but staying in the undercroft seemed to attract the toughest daemons to their location. The rush had waned in a week, always being ripped from sleep to assist another group of hunters pinned down or on the verge of collapse. The battles had lost their appeal; it wasn't an occasional thing, but constant.

The time had given Gladio the distance he thought he'd needed from Ava, hoping to find some way of letting go, but instead it only deepened his thoughts and concerns of her. He'd tried waiting until Ava approached him, but he problem was, she hadn't.

"Gladio?" Ignis' voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Are you unwell?"

"Huh?" A quick scan of the room revealed Weskham had left. "Sorry Iggy. What were you saying?" The knowing laugh from Ignis needed little commentary. Gladio rubbed the back of his neck in response to his embarrassment at being caught thinking about Ava. "Yeah, I know. I've got it bad."

"To say the least, but we were speaking of Robyn before the interruption," Ignis said, "You can find Iris and Robyn near the power plant. Robyn has taken over Iris' training."

His right hand clenched into a tight fist. "Like hell she is, that's my sister. Who's idea was that?"

"I believe Iris had asked Ava, but her duties to Lestallum and chasing after every issue from Hammerhead to Meldacio had kept her busy, and Robyn agreed to assist," Ignis explained. "Iris has been doing well and improving under Robyn's tutelage."

Gladio thanked Ignis, promising to check in before the convoy left for Hammerhead. Gladio didn't care where he sat, but he wanted in on the mission. "I've gotta check on . . . something, but when we get to Hammerhead? The three of us, you, me and Prompto. . .we gotta talk, all right?"

l-l-l

"Iris!" Gladio raised his voice for the third time attempting to stop the sparring match.

Iris blocked Robyn's advance and shifted her body to dodge the follow-through. "I'm a," she ducked, turning to her right, "little busy, Gladdy."

Not used to being put off by Iris, Gladio called out his broadsword slashing through the center of the sparring space, sending Iris to stumble back a few steps. "Gladdy! What are you doing?"

"Ending this." The broadsword disappeared, Gladio placing his hand on Iris' shoulder. "This is not what father wanted for you, Iris. You shouldn't be fighting. Leave that to the others, all right? He wanted Ava to protect you, not send you out into battle. Please, go back to the Leville."

Iris shook her head. "I'm not a little kid, I want to help." The slight quiver in her bottom lip nearly convinced him to stop, but before he could speak, Gladio faced a new foe.

"You really are some sorry asshole. We are surrounded by things that want to fucking kill us. That includes Iris. If Lestallum's power dies, so do we all."

Gladio scoffed, staring down at Robyn's reddening face. "This is none of your business."

"News flash, if Lestallum is invaded, your sister could die without knowing how to fight properly. Look at her; she's not a meat head like you. She can't rush in smashing things until they die. Iris needs to fight smart." Robyn stood without flinching once. "Guess what, I take this seriously, and if there's any room for caring about anyone else besides you in there, you'll back the fuck off and let me make sure Iris is still standing when the time comes." Robyn turned her back and moved away.

"I don't know you." He couldn't argue against Iris' safety, Gladio didn't like the idea of Iris fighting, but leaving her unprepared if he wasn't around wasn't the answer either.

"No shit, but if you need confirmation, talk to Cor or Ava, at least they understand. You're so entrenched amongst yourselves; ex-Guard and Glaives alike, you think no one else can be capable. We hunters can't do magic, but I've been roaming forests and getting by on my own since I could walk. I know survival. Ava wouldn't have entrusted me with Iris' training if I was a fuck up."

Staring at Robyn, Gladio still didn't like the idea, no matter how capable she thought herself.

"Tell you what. You and me. Right here." Robyn paced in front of him. "First contact wins. You win, I go away and you get to explain to Ava and Cor why I'm not training your sister. If I win? You leave and let me do what I was asked to without big brother breathing down my neck."

"Fine." Gladio rolled his shoulders. "Let's do this." He turned away to see to Iris when a kick to the back of his knee caused Gladio to wobble.

"I win," she said, "who turns their back on an enemy? You're even dumber than I thought. How have you survived for so long?"

Gladio turned to face Robyn, her glare daring him to push back. "What the hell was that?"

"This isn't a game! You can roll your shoulders, glare and growl all you want, but when it comes down to it, you weren't ready. Now, kindly fuck off and let me teach Iris the right way to survive."