Chapter 8:

Gladiolus was spent.

A whole week of this training with the Glaives shit and he was just downright tired. He and Ignis were used to training with the Crowsguard, which they were technically a part of now, but the Glaives were on a whole other level. Their ability to warp and use magic made them a lot more unpredictable as opponents, and admittedly he'd grown complacent, having been besting the rest of the Crownsguard for the better part of a year. Ignis was his only true competitor. Gladio was the strongest, sure, but Iggy was light on his feet, faster than him, and a better strategist. He always kept him on his toes, and he was proud to call him an equal.

But both of them were getting their asses handed to them by these Glaive guys.

Noctis and Prompto were wiped too, and they'd decided a trip to the comic book store was warranted as a reward for having finished their first week of preparation for Altissia. Gladiolus, though he liked comics, wasn't a huge fan of comic book stores; they were always packed with people, and while he liked to socialize as much as the next guy, they were always too small for all the people inside them, and he was already a big guy… it made him a little claustrophobic. Ignis preferred literature to fantastical superhero tales, but since it was Friday night, the two of them didn't really want to waste the weekend.

So Gladio had gotten Specs to agree to go to the bar with him.

It was something they didn't get to indulge in very often. Noct and Prompto were still underage, and he and Ignis were usually so busy with their duties at the Citadel they didn't get a chance to get out into the rest of Insomnia. But tonight seemed as good a night as any, and Ignis, surprisingly, agreed to go with him.

He'd known something was up with Iggy ever since he'd missed dinner with them on Monday and fed them leftovers Tuesday, but he didn't want to pry.

A night out at the bar seemed like the perfect way to get him to open up.

His favorite place was The Roadhouse. It overlooked one of the lakes in town, but it wasn't all that fancy. It was a bar, but it also served food, and the venue was surrounded by big, glass windows, and it was perfect for live music, so he'd often come to grab a bite and jam to the latest bands, as well as chat up the cute girls who came to do the same. And if he ever felt claustrophobic, he'd go out to the deck overlooking the water. The place was perfect.

Ignis, for all his sophistication, admittedly liked it too.

They were seated in a booth up against one of the glass windows. They'd ordered some food, as well as some drink, and were sipping at the things halfheartedly, quiet having settled between them. Gladio had a beer - a dark, stout thing - while Ignis sipped at his brandy. The lean young man could actually put alcohol away quite impressively, and Gladio had to commend him for that.

"Long week," Gladio grunted, gulping down some more of his beer. It burned the back of his throat, but it was a welcome kind of pain; kind of like the burn in his muscles after a good workout.

"Indeed," Ignis agreed, swirling his drink in his glass. He was quiet tonight, and not meeting Gladio's gaze, instead eyeing the facility in which they were seated. He'd always been an observer, but even this was unusual for him.

"How do you think training is going?" Gladio inquired, trying to keep the conversation afloat. Ignis shrugged.

"As well as to be expected," He mused. "Admittedly, Prompto is keeping up surprisingly well."

"Yeah, the little guy's not so worthless after all," Gladio snickered. The prince's best friend wasn't an expert in combat like the rest of them, but he'd been able to keep up wth Cor's relentless drilling. Even if the Marshal still hadn't let him fire a shot.

"No, his stamina is impressive for someone with no prior training," Ignis agreed. "I look forward to seeing if he's able to aim a firearm as well as his camera."

"That'll be the day," Gladiolus leaned back, taking another drink of his beer. "How do you think Noct's doing?"

Ignis paused. The two of them always discussed their liege at large; that was part of their job. But they'd grown close with him as friends over the years, and it was harder now to separate the lines of duty from friendship the farther they endeavored in their service to him. "Noctis's ability is unparalleled. It's his lack of motivation that concerns me."

"Yeah, same as when he was a kid," Gladio nodded. He eyed the bar; it was only 8:30pm. The true night-hounds and troublemakers still weren't out yet. "How about you? You been feeling alright?"

Ignis blinked at him, readjusting his glasses. He gave little away, as he was a stoic man, but Gladio could tell he was taken a little aback by the question. "I've been fine. Does it not seem so?"

"Nah," Gladio shrugged, trying to stay casual. "You just seemed kinda far away this week. We missed you Monday, and you gave us leftovers Tuesday."

Ignis rubbed his hands together, visibly uncomfortable. He brandished his glass of brandy, taking a swig, and wincing at the burn of it. "Yes, well, I had… prior engagements."

"Oh yeah?" Gladio egged him on. "Like what?"

"Is this why you lured me out here this evening?" Ignis asked with a grimace. "On the false pretense of friendship, just so that you might investigate my personal affairs?"

"That… and I really wanted a beer," Gladio grinned at him. Ignis looked spiteful for only a moment; a smile broke his facade.

"Yes, well," He paused again for another sip of his drink. "I had an appointment Monday evening."

"An appointment?" Gladio barely resisted the urge to use air quotes as he spat out the word. "What kind?"

"I had a meeting with Lady Inertia of Tenebrae," He said plainly. Gladio had been taking a sip of his beer and nearly choked on the thing.

"A meeting?" He laughed. "Like…of a sexual nature?"

"Don't be indecent, Gladio," Ignis chided him. Gladio didn't care; the joke was too good. It wasn't like Ignis to arrange meetings with beautiful women. Alone. "It was a simple discussion over the state of affairs between Tenebrae and Lucis."

"And where did you conduct this little meeting?" Gladiolus encouraged Ignis. Ignis readjusted the tie he was wearing, visibly uncomfortable.

"At her apartment," He conceded slowly. "I attempted to proceed in her office, but she was… hungry."

"She was hungry?" Gladio laughed. "Do you realize how this sounds?!"

"Barring your lewd interruptions, she had missed lunch Monday," Ignis offered. Was the guy turning red? "And as you well know, Cor never allows us lunch either, so she offered to cook for us both."

"And how was her cooking?" Gladio winked. "Gonna bring her home to your uncle?"

"Actually, milady wasn't familiar with Lucian spices, so…" He couldn't even look him in the eye. "I allowed her to rest while I made us a meal."

"Were those the leftovers we ate!?" Gladiolus made a face. "Oh, I feel so dirty now!"
"Enough, you ridiculous cur," Ignis spat. Gladio knew he wasn't saying it out of malice; he was embarrassed. "It was innocent."

"You're transparent, Iggy," Gladio was laughing. "We all know she's a beautiful woman. And you were in her apartment."

Ignis was adjusting his glasses, speaking through clenched teeth. "I procured troubling information there, Gladio," He interrupted his jests. Gladio's stomach lurched; what did he mean?

"Go on."

Ignis paused, leaning in and lowering his voice. "Both Lady Inertia and Lady Lunafreya fully expect the empire has nefarious intent behind this armistice."

"And?" Gladio was cutting to the chase now.

"I asked her why she hadn't tried to persuade her lady from trying to stall, or even entirely bar negotiations from occurring," Ignis looked older now, and more tired. "But Lunafreya believes their best chance at repelling the empire is through this alliance."

"What does Inertia think?" Gladio asked. Ignis shook his head.

"She disagrees, of course," He stared at his empty glass, solemn. "But she's powerless to change her lady's mind. She must stand by her side, even as she feels ruin is approaching."

"You're thinking about Noct," Gladio crossed his arms. "What if Noct decides to do something that'll put him in danger, and you can't do anything to stop him?"

Ignis nodded slowly. "The thought haunts me more than any other."

"That's part of our job, Iggy," Gladio finished his beer off, a sour taste in his mouth. And it wasn't from the alcohol. "We gotta stand by him, even if it means he falls."

"An outcome I could never forgive myself for," Ignis mused as their food arrived. Nodding at their server with appreciation, the two were quiet, humbled by the situation Inertia of Tenebrae was experiencing with her liege, and just how they themselves might handle the same with their prince.

"Well… what was she wearing?" Gladio asked through a bite of his burger. He laughed when Ignis choked on his own food, flustered by the implication.

"Gladiolus!"
"Calm down, Specs," He teased. "Just pulling your leg. She's a real stunner, though."
"That she is," Ignis agreed.

"You're into her, aren't you?" Gladio asked sincerely. Ignis shook his head.

"She's an ambassador to Tenebrae, Gladiolus," Ignis all but wagged his finger in Gladio's face like a schoolteacher. "My position mandates my cooperation with her."

"Cut the crap, Iggy," He interrupted his friend, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "She's a good looking girl who's been real nice to you. You might be Noct's retainer, but you're still a man. Maybe if you eased up once in awhile you could be happy for once."

Ignis didn't answer, mindfully chewing his food, seemingly deep in thought. The entirety of their service together, and Gladiolus had never witnessed Ignis so flustered by a woman before. It was a little jarring, sure, but more than anything, it made Gladio hopeful that his partner in crime might actually indulge in a woman's touch. He was so enrapt with his duty to the kingdom, his responsibility to Noct, and his intellectual pursuits, he forgot to allow himself to feel things. This might be a good start.

Only when he was munching on his fries did he see the beauty sitting by the bar.

She wasn't seated with anyone, just twirling a straw through her nimble fingers, lithe legs crossed towards the stage. He could only see her in profile, but she had impossibly long hair that framed a straight nose and round jaw. She had a discerning gaze, as though she were trying to work out a math problem, but she was wearing a black dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, and he couldn't help but gawk a little. There were other good looking girls in this place, but this one in particular commanded the room. Was she waiting for someone?

"Iggy, you wanna be my wingman?" He asked suddenly, dropping his silverware and rising to his feet in one fluid movement. He was a man on a mission.

"Not particularly, Gladiolus," Ignis sighed. He'd been dragged into Gladio's escapades on more than one occasion. But Gladio only half-heard him, already beelining for the girl at the bar.

She didn't see them approach her, so Gladio took the seat next to her, anything but shy.

"So do you usually go to bars by yourself?" He asked curiously, taking in her perfume. Something light; not offensive like all the hoity-toity stuff other girls wore. "Or was this seat reserved for me?"

Ignis had begrudgingly taken the barstool next to him, pulling out his phone to preoccupy himself while Gladio tried to woo the girl at the bar. But when she turned to face him with a look of surprise on her elegant features, he choked.

"Inertia!?"

Ignis looked up from his phone, alarmed. Only after Gladio had said her name did he actually notice that it was, in fact, Inertia Izunia sitting at the bar of the Roadhouse. She barely resembled the pious ambassador he had run into several times at the Citadel; her dress, though still tasteful, hugged curves he didn't remember her having, and she wore heavy makeup on her naturally impressive features. Only now did he realize she hadn't really worn much makeup, if any at all, while acting as Lady Lunafreya's retainer and ambassador of Tenebrae, as her smokey eye brought out the brilliant whites and blues of her eyes, and her freckles were all but hidden by the foundation she wore. Eyelashes extended, lips plump, cheeks red; it was Inertia, alright. But a very different Inertia than he was used to seeing.

She couldn't hide the surprise on her features. The flowing, cola-red hair she usually wore in a braid was styled and cascaded freely down her back. Sheepishly, she tucked a strand behind her ear.

"Gladiolus?" She inquired. "What are you doing here?"

"Grabbing a bite to eat," Even the confident Gladiolus struggled to form the words now. "What are you doing here?"

"Reconnaissance," She mumbled. She sounded almost ashamed by the word, looking around frantically as though she would be caught. When neither Ignis nor Gladio answered, she endeavored to explain a bit more. "A favor for an old friend." She bit her lip.

"You look out of this world," Gladiolus whistled, elbowing Ignis. Ignis wanted to crawl into a hole at this point; Gladio's tactless come-ons were hardly how Lady Lunafreya's retainer should be greeted. But he was struggling with his own attraction to her, even now as he tried to regain control in this diplomatic incident.

"Thank you," She smiled. "Ignis! Have you been well?" She leaned forward past Gladio to get a better look at him, and Ignis readjusted his glasses out of nervousness.

"Surviving, Lady Inertia," Ignis bowed a little; it was a reflex at this point to behave in such a manner before others of his station.

"Training hasn't killed you lot yet?" She laughed lightly, taking a glass from the bar and pulling the straw to her lips. Unless she was drinking hard liquor with ice, Ignis assumed it was just water.

"Not yet," Gladio leaned back on the bar, puffing his chest out a bit. Ignis tried not to roll his eyes; he was like a bird puffing out its feathers in a mating ritual. It was all a bit much. "We're hard to kill."

"That's good," Inertia nodded. "And how do Noctis and young Prompto fare?"

"The same as us, milady," Ignis spoke before Gladio could. "Though they're indulging themselves at a comic book store at present."

"Ah," She nodded. "I'm jealous. I love comic books."

"Do you?" Gladio gaped at her. She nodded, looking back towards the stage again; who or what was she looking for?

"Very much so," She assured him. "They were a staple of my childhood."

"Might I ask who it is you're looking for?" Ignis inquired. While he hated to interrupt their casual conversation - it was the first time he'd been able to unwind in months - her visible discomfort had him a little on edge. He hadn't seen her flustered before, and he wondered just how much trouble they could be in.

"No one of consequence," Inertia assured him, pushing back from her stool. Gladio grabbed her wrist, and both she and Ignis were surprised by his audacity.

"I don't think so," Gladio shook his head. "How stupid do you think we are, Inertia?" Slowly, she sat back in her seat, eyeing the two of them. While Ignis didn't entirely agree with how Gladio conducted himself, his intuition was almost always right.

"You can trust us, milady," Ignis assured her. She hesitated, looking to each of them for something Ignis couldn't place. But soon, she spoke.

"I'm meeting an informant here," She explained, lowering her voice. "There may be a traitor among your ranks."
"Come again?" Gladiolus barked. Ignis put a hand on his shoulder to sit him back down, as he'd risen to his feet in his fervor. Inertia blinked.

"I'd appreciate your discretion," She chastised Gladiolus quietly, nodding at Ignis as though to thank him for his intervention. Ignis nodded back, the understanding between them passing as naturally as the very air they breathed.

"What do you mean a traitor?" Gladio demanded in a whisper. She shook her head.

"Not here," She twiddled her fingers, uncrossing and recrossing her legs. "If you wish to help me, return to your table and stand watch for any suspicious figures in the establishment while I meet with my contact."

Gladio looked to Ignis, who looked to Inertia. She pled with desperate eyes, and no words. Ignis hated the bait and switch of this entire situation; finding her here, done up to look almost entirely different, meeting someone about potential treason in their counsel; but something about the way she looked at him impelled him to trust her.

"How do we reach you, should we notice anything amiss?" Ignis asked. Her eyes melted; he could see just how much she appreciated his trust.

"Just text me," She gestured to the purse around her shoulder. "Text me anything. Even a single letter. I'll know what it means."

"Come on, Gladio," Ignis nodded towards their table, leading him away. "We've a job to perform."

Thank you, She mouthed. Ignis didn't let the smile grace his lips until he and Gladio had their backs to her. If there was a traitor in their ranks, he should be worried, scared, disgusted, even, but as they sat down at their table, and he saw Inertia sitting, back straight and posture pristine at the bar, he could only feel glad.