theshipyard | ✨ .//. Ziva Ganajai » Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood

It didn't take much effort to imagine how she would feel were she in his position. What would she be doing if she'd woken up in his shoes? Maybe that was the best way to start.

If she suspected her handsome new companion of withholding information she certainly didn't show it. He'd used a few keywords impossible for her to miss, though. "got to", no other choice- at least no other GOOD choice. The lack of a time frame or limit was equally telling in its own way. That friends would be worried should have been a given, so she didn't think that was his main concern, but he might have been shaken up by the ordeal himself. Of that, to some extent at least, she was sure.

Those very same ears that Gladiolus was busy studying began to move as she thought, perking up with the barest quiver first as she listened (his voice was so pleasantly deep, unmistakably masculine, and his own accent struck her as exotic in an intoxicating way that she couldn't deny enjoying), then swiveling back and down just so.

"I give you my word my friends and I will do what we can to see you back home safely... but... I can't say how quickly that will be. Our own situation is... complicated at the moment."

For the first time since they'd dispatched the monsters there was an uncomfortable edge to the miqo'te's voice. She was reluctant to drag a stranger into their problems, especially when those problems involved incurring the brunt of the Empire's wrath- however long term that goal might prove to be. She sat a little bit stiffer in her seat, not out of worry for the upcoming battle, but the risk of making their fight his fight unwillingly.

Ahead of them the first signs of the Mol camp came into view, their watch tower standing tall and dark against the vibrant green of the plains. It was then that Ziva suddenly realized that Gladio's arrival may very well have been the mysterious feeling she'd had that day. The man came with no small number of questions and riddles, but she was sure of one thing: All would become clearer in time, it always did.

There was no other choice in his mind. He had to get back to Noctis at any cost except their lives. It was his duty and damn it they needed him, but deep down inside, it was the knowledge that he couldn't live with himself if he failed. He was the King's Shield, meant to be at his side, but even more so... Noct was his friend and his brother. He had to get back to his friends. There was no other option in his mind and he would find a way as soon as possible.

Didn't mean his mind wasn't currently a bit occupied watching the little motions of her ears and how truly cat like they seemed. He wondered if she purred. (And that quiet part of his mind that murmured how he could make her purr, which he pointedly ignored for now.)

Complicated. Oh boy... what had he landed in the middle of? Little did either of them know that 'the Empire' was a problem for them both and it was far, far too similar to be anything but disturbing.

"What do you mean by 'complicated?" he asked, but when he caught sight of someone else, he actually grew even more confused because something was off about the shape of their head. Given the distance, he couldn't tell it was because he was looking at horns.

Well, at least he wasn't alone in his thoughts. Urges she'd long since thought shelved stirred in her because of their proximity, among other things. His scent, voice, and not least of all his looks certainly didn't "help" either. Ziva forced those thoughts and feelings aside, chiding herself in a rare moment of full restraint. He was a stranger in need, possibly not even from her world, never mind her realm, and she was in no position to go getting all worked up like that no matter HOW easy he made it.

Even having thought so, however, Ziva remained almost painfully aware of his position in relation to her and suspected that the awareness would linger at the back of her mind until either something was done about it or she'd found a way to sufficiently distract herself. The old her would never have even considered the latter, but Gladio's circumstances were unique enough to warrant a bit of extra consideration. priorities.

(But if the opportunity ever presented itself and he expressed interest, she'd probably be in some serious trouble.)

Unbeknownst to him that willful determination, that driving need to see a task to its sucessful conclusion was a trait that they shared. The taste of failure was the most bitter, one that Ziva couldn't bear having to stomach again, not after everything that had been lost- everyone she had lost. Once she heard his story she was bound to be determined to move heaven and earth if that was what it took to see him returned.

But for the time being "complicated" was where they stood, described his plight and hers to an uncomfortable degree.

Vari's gait slowed, less urgent as her rider let up on the reigns and began to ease into a more upright sitting position again. With a weary exhale she offered back a helpless shrug, simplifying the explanation for the sake of time.

"How's 'in the middle of preparing to win over an army to help take down an empire' sound for you?"

The humor in her tone was dry at best, but not bitter, nor angry. Twelve help her, the prospect THRILLED her. For as much as she hated knowing that people suffered under the Empire's heel it was still those moments that she lived for, being out on the field fighting the toughest battles for those who couldn't, leading the charge as it were. For so many reasons... but most of all, as a dear friend once said: for those who they'd lost, and for those who they could yet save.

Her eyes landed on the figure just before his had, then scanned the area around the tent for the familiar ones of her own friends. Finding what she was looking for a glance back over her shoulder was spared.

"My companions'll no doubt have more to say about your... situation, if you're willin' to share your tale with a small audience?"

(ooc: I was thinking maybe Zi would think to bring him to the leader of the Mol since she's so, well, wise and all that. How do you wanna play this part though? And would it be better to leave him hope that he can make it back in time, give a time frame, or shut down any inkling of hope he can return? POOR GUY no matter what. O: )

It most certainly didn't help that Gladio himself was a bit of a furnace - he poured off body heat and as close as they were thanks to the double saddle, it would be impossible to miss it. Thankfully for them both right now, until there were questions answered, Gladio was a bit on the distracted (and worried) side to think too far down certain roads that in another situation he would have very happily walked down.

"An empire?" That took him by surprise, but the whole thing really did. He'd somehow come into the middle of another group that needed to take down an empire? Preparing to win over an army? What exactly did she mean by that?

"Maybe a mutual discussion of our tales might be in order, here." One, he needed to know what he'd gotten into the middle of for his safety and two, he might be more willing to share his if the same trust was given in return, but that depended entirely on what their situation was. He had to protect Noct, even at a distance, even with his words.

Then he finally saw one of the natives as a Mol woman turned, a smile on her face as she spoke to one of her fellow tribesmen. Gladio's jaw nearly hit the ground before, after only a moment or two, he managed to gather himself. They all had horns!

[ooc: To tell him he can never go home would pretty much break Gladio and turn him determined, angry, and possibly dangerous... but to give him hope without a time frame means he'll fight for it and be ready, you know? He GOT here somehow, has to be a way to return home, but 'the gods will make it known when they are ready to send you home, just as they brought you to us in our hour of need' sort of deal?]

Even as she took notice of things on a more visciral level she still made note of other things, like his verbal cues. An empire, not the empire. That wording stood out to her and it seemed all the more important given the other details about the man's arrival. If he WAS from her world (which seemed more and more unlikely), he must have been from very, very, VERY far off indeed. That potential revelation chased away any chance of Ziva focusing on any other aspect of his company until they solved the mystery said company presented so prettily before them.

Gladio wouldn't be able to see the look on her face, but her tone might paint enough of a picture. "I'm of the same mind. But before that, introductions."

Laid out before them as they crested the rise of one more gentle slope, keeping a distance from the mammoths dotting the landscape to the west and the morbols roaming the grassland to the east, at the end of the winding path sat a cluster of tent like structures. It was there that Ziva guided her mount, slowing the pace as they drew closer. The others would be curious, they'd have questions, she didn't want to throw her new companion to the proverbial wolves without some warning, especially having felt him tensing in the saddle.

"They're friendly. The Mol are the most peaceful tribe you're like to find here on the Steppe, aside from the Questir."

(ooc: Sounds good and reasonable to me! I'll be free tomorrow night in case we need to hash anything out, big or small, vague or specific. But if you need to reach me throughout the day you can shoot me a PM or a message on Discord if you wanna. You mentioned TS (Teamspeak?), so I'm not sure if you use it. I can send you my username/number if you do, though, and want it for faster contact.)

[ooc: moved out of title since it got long. I usually let people know how I cried through the last two hours of game play and shouted at my TV screen through the last six as my heart broke. XD It's just a brilliant story and characters. It has some plot holes but hell if the fandom sure doesn't fill those in along with the DLC. XD

I can't do TS during the day, but I can PM or Discord though I honestly don't use the latter outside of gaming very much. ^^; I do a lot of PMs and Plurk.]

An empire. To him, it would always be THE Empire, but something about this wasn't fully making sense. How far away had he come that the Empire was spread out even to here? Right now, however, the more pressing matter was the kind of people he was looking at. The young woman waved with obvious familiarity towards Ziva, and while she certainly didn't look like any manner of beast, it reminded him too much of horned daemons to be immediately comfortable.

"Ziva!" The Miqo'te would recognize Cirina where Gladio did not, the red-head coming over and beaming up at the Warrior of Light but looking somewhat uncertainly towards Gladio before also giving him that same warmth. "You've brought a friend! Will he be staying for dinner?"

Friendly indeed, Gladio thought, trying to hide the confusion and somewhat horror from his face. The woman had scales and horns and a tail like a dragon, but the smile and warm radiated from her despite the strange appearance leaving Gladio very uncertain about what to do on this. Cat women, dragon women... yet they didn't seem to think his not-an-animal-person was strange.

"Hey there," he finally said, pushing down all of those confused feelings and giving a small smile. While typically he wanted to seem as imposing as possible as the King's Shield, this... wasn't that sort of time. In a strange place, with almost nothing to his hand, he needed to keep from driving off the potential help.

Cat people, dragon people, dwarfs, elves, and then the beastmen besides. Oh, Gladio would be in for quite the surprises in his coming days, but for the present...

Ziva's light hearted air returned at the sight of her newest Xaela companion, bringing her red feathered mount to a stop close by, working on dismounting even as she responded.

"If the Mol will have him!" She agreed, grinning. She could make out, in the near distance, Hien and Lyse, both clearly curious as well.

Soon enough they'd have a small crowd to contend with and that may turn out to be for the better. Rather than explaining again and again, meeting in one place and telling the story once would be good, because as much as she enjoyed spinning a good tale, her own curiosity was eating away at her profusely. The sooner they had recent events sorted, the sooner they could move to those burning questions she was positive they both had.

The tip of her ears gave a slight flick as she motioned excitedly. Strange as it may have been, the happenings thus far of the day had her brimming with a more positive sort of restless energy than the one she'd set out with, and she was glad for it. For just the time being it was a somewhat welcome distraction. She turned her attention towards Gladio again and gestured towards the redhead with one hand. "This is Cirina, she's one of the friends I spoke of, and quite the welcoming hostess, besides, as you can see."

A friendly gleam in her eye, she went on introducing the two.

"I think it best to gather everyone together for this, easier than answering and asking questions more than once."

Though, to her surprise, she realized a part of her wouldn't have minded having just the two of them talk things over. A passing impulse, but still a surprise. Time was too pressing to linger needlessly.

Gladio, in later days, might laugh at himself at how grateful he ended up being to meet Hien purely purely because of the fact that the man was a damn human. It just felt like a massive relief that he wasn't some odd man out in this world full of animal-humans, but that didn't mean he didn't stay near Ziva. There was something that felt like an instant bit of a connection with her, something easy, even if he was still getting used to the whole cat-woman thing.

Despite his uncertainty, he flashed a smile and nodded to Cirina, considering no one had offered a hand shake he wasn't going to until they did. "Nice to meet you. Any friend of Ziva's is a friend of mine." Trying to play it off light and easy as if he hadn't woken up in a completely unknown land.

"It's wonderful to meet another of the Warrior of Light's companions!" Cirina said warmly, making Gladio mouth 'warrior of light?' to himself with a glance to Ziva, but decided that would be a question for later. "I'm certain that he will be welcomed just as the rest. I will speak to our Khatun and see what bides us with the addition of your friend." She gave a smile in return before quickly ducking off towards a nearby tent. Gladio watched her go, not sure what a Khatun was, but for now there were so many others around.

(Lizard-people women were tiny, but it was strange to meet someone his height when it came to nearly all of the men who were built lanky but strong.)

"I... don't mind talking about this," Gladio said cautiously, looking to Ziva, "but you mentioned a map? I think there's a few things I'd like to make sure of before we go into this discussion." Like if absolutely any of his theories were actually correct at all.

She honestly thought nothing of the title in such casual use. It had become so ingrained with who she was that hearing it was as easy as hearing her name. When Cirina mentioned it there was no outward change in Ziva's demeanor, only a smile of gratitude. With a brief wave after Cirina her hands then found her hips and she looked over to Gladio as the au'ra took her leave.

"You want to try to get your bearings first, am I right?"

The blonde guessed, though the reason wasn't that important. Somehow she found she trusted Gladio at his word.

Gesturing for him to give her a moment she moved towards a bag of her supplies and retrieved a pair of scrolls. Holding them up in triumph for Gladio to see she led them then to a small space off to the side where the two of them could have some peace. It was still in the open, but shielded from the winds by an outcropping of rock, and out of immediate view of the majority of the Mol besides. It was there she settled down in a cross legged position and motioned for him to join her.

"Let's start with the world map. If you're likely to recognize anything it'll be something on here..."

Rolling out said map on the ground for him to see that "if" wasn't something she cared for, for his sake, but there was no point in hiding her suspicions from him. He may have already had them himself.

Unfortunately, Gladio had a sinking feeling his one theory, and unknowingly Ziva's top one as well, would prove to be the true one. So he folded himself onto the grass beside Ziva as she rolled out the map and blinked when one thing became very pointedly obvious immediately - he couldn't read the map. He stared down at the unfamiliar writing and his eyes narrowed, swearing for a moment or two that it almost formed familiar words but- nothing.

Add another notch in the 'oh shit' theory.

Gladio turned his attention instead to the outlines of the world, searching them for the familiar shape of Lucis' near-peninsula. Given the amount of times he had stared at maps in talks of protection and the Wall and war in the year leading up to everything that had gone wrong, he was certain he'd be able to pick out the point that stuck out into the ocean away from the rest of the continent, the familiar dots of blue for the massive lakes and the Vesperpool, the depth of the Disc or the height of the Cauldron...

Nothing.

Not a damn thing, anywhere. Slowly Gladio sat back, a certain sort of primal horror wanting to fill his chest, but he couldn't let it. Instead, he took a slow breath before looking to Ziva. "I can't read it," he admitted flat out, which surprised him even more given that he could understand her. "But even with that," his finger traced the outline of the nearest continent, then gave a broader circle over the whole map, "I don't recognize any of this. My homeland's pretty distinct and hard to miss on a map, and it's just... not there."

But what, exactly, did that mean? Eorzea might not have been entirely unfamiliar with visitors from other worlds (oh, there was a whole infamous story behind the day Shantotto, the most terrifying Black Mage of Vana'diel, accidentally managed to come to Eorzea...) but Eos certainly wasn't, and even more so Gladio damn well wasn't.

"Shit."

[ooc: I am totes flat out making some shit up here about how Lucian magic might work in XIV (aka: him being able to understand people like the Echo), because who knows. XD Besides it occurred to me I probably fucked that up early on because I had Gladio summon his weapon which probably shouldn't have been able to happen at all, so now I'm just rolling with it.]

(ooc: One of the things I've done in the past when I played Serah Farron in games was to say that whatever that world's magic equivalent was would sustain her powers (to varying degrees depending on the game). So for instance, if she were to come to Eorzea where magic isn't based on the amount of chaos in one's heart, her magic might be twice as potent as usual and require her to adapt so she doesn't burn someone to a crisp with a fire spell. You could do something like that with Gladio, just say that storing and summoning it pulls on his own aether, save for when he's in an area with a surplus of it (like Mor Dohna)?)

A long, slow exhale broke Ziva's silence, though she kept her gaze on the map for a long moment after. A part of her had hoped for his sake that she would be proven wrong, but...

She sat back next, folding her arms over her chest with a frown, her tail ticking behind her as a sign of her agitation, her eyes following the path of his finger as Gladio traced the land masses on the map and went on.

"I hate to say it, but I thought as such... For one, the way you summoned your weapon, and the way you turned up out of thin air. Magicks like that can only be performed by a mage adept in their arts. I should know." Having had two companions who had done just that, one of whom had barely lived to tell the tale and the other who'd turned up bare as his name day in lands then yet unknown.

Her gaze shifted from the map to the sky for a moment as she pondered, then Gladio.

"The good news, at least for you, is I happen to be companions with one such individual. It'll be some time before I meet with her again, though, and she's not in any shape to attempt such a thing at present. I mean... assumin' you want to get back, that is."

For all she knew he'd be glad to be in a new world. She didn't know his circumstances, after all, and once again she had to refrain from bombarding him with questions, something evident by the look in her eyes as she studied him.

[ooc: I kinda was thinking something along those lines. Gladio's ability to summon his weapon is tied into the Crystal that is the spirit of the planet, but it's tied *through* Noct. (I have no idea how much of XV you know so I'm trying to be spoiler-free here. XD) So I'm thinking because Gladio's close to Ziva, who's the WoL and has those crystals that are tied to Hydaelyn... it works around her. Because what the hey-ho it works for now. Plus it'll be fun to figure out for them later? XD]

It wasn't unusual for someone else not to be able to summon a weapon like he and the others did, given that it was exclusive to people somehow tied to the Crystal, so that didn't even strike him as odd. However, he had to agree on the 'turned up out of thin air' part and scratched his jaw, thinking on it. "The weapon summoning bit or the appearing out of no where bit? The magicks that can be performed by some kind of adept mage, I mean."

It was weird because the only reason 'adept mage' came off his tongue that easily was because he liked his terrible fantasy and romance novels. Oh yeah, he loved history, read philosophy of battle and warfare, but he liked his trash, too, and those two words sounded right out of it. In fact, pretty much all of this felt right out of a novel.

Maybe I really am dead. At least the afterlife has cute girls in it.

'Not in any shape to attempt such a thing at present' sounded like a whole lot of words for someone who was somehow recovering from a bad injury or a near death, neither which settled well with him. However, the fact that there was someone with that kind of knowledge gave him hope. "I gotta get back. There's people who need me and I'm not about to leave them any longer than I have to." From the tone his voice took, it was obvious how much cared about them. "So if there's someone out there who might know how to get me home? I need to talk to this woman."

(ooc: That'll work nicely, I think! Apples to apples, so to say.)

"The appearing out of no where bit." She confirmed, rolling the world map back up for the time being. Debating briefly on whether or not to bother with the other she simply settled on setting them both aside, watching him again. "She's done something similar before... I can't promise anything, but she may be able to shed some light on the situation."

Failing that, perhaps the crystals of light could be of some use, but she didn't want to get his hopes up, or give him the idea she could attempt such a thing right that moment. His determination to return and his reasons for doing so echoed similar sentiments she'd felt before, quirking her lips in a little smirk at the irony as she gave him an either approving or empathetic nod.

"Having seen you fight something tells me your friends are lucky to have you. I'll do what I can, but at the moment I've pledged my blades to the cause here. There's a battle coming. My companions and I plan to see the Mol to victory before we can move on to the next."

"Whatever information she can give us," because Zira, for the moment, was the only connection he had going. He had no idea what her fancy title meant, but inside, he was wondering if it was more than coincidence that they met. 'The Warrior of Light', Cirina had called her. Given that he was the Shield for the Chosen King, the King of Light... well. He wondered, but he said nothing. That didn't mean he wouldn't ask about her title, though, when he had a chance, even if he wasn't ready to give up the rest of that information in return.

"Dare I ask what kind of battle? What do the Mol need to be victorious of?" Because there was something in those words that hinted at something far greater. Cirina had also mentioned companions, and while he had met a few of them briefly, they stood out vividly as not being exactly part of this tribe that otherwise consisted of lizard-dragon-people. So, what was going on here that he didn't know about?

Ignis, he mused, probably would have it figured out by now.

It would be fascinating to learn about the similarities between their worlds, even just the coincidental ones, but until such a time as they had the opportunity to discuss them...

"They call it the Naadam. It's a battle royal held once each year to determine the rightful leader of the Steppe, until the next. All of the tribes will be taking part." She explained. "One of my companions, Lord Hien, means to win the Naadam to unite the people of the steppe to fight for him. We mean to liberate his homeland from the empire, you see. This is just one step."

Ziva had never been one to guard her tongue too closely unless she felt the strictest need, or was advised otherwise- and even then she was more inclined to follow her gut and if her gut said "share" then that was what she was going to do. Putting that aside Gladio had every right to know what he was potentially being dragged into.

"But a welcomed additional result, of course, will be that the Mol tribe take leadership of the Steppe."

Gladio wasn't at liberty to tell many things because it was all part of Noct's protection. Yes, Noct wasn't here and yes, it might help him in getting home, but he hadn't gotten that far in his trust just yet. Give him some time.

However, everything Ziva was telling him was almost overwhelming in what he was hearing. A little gesture of 'hold on', because he wanted to make sure he had all of this right in his head. "Lord Hien - the one I met before?" he didn't seem much like a Lord, but he did have that natural charisma of a leader, so he could see it. Then again, Noct never seemed like much of a King unless you had been there through certain choices he had made. "So his homeland is under attack from the Empire?"

There was a darkening on his brow, one that was of an old hate, but more so, confusion. "I don't understand. How could that even be possible?" A momentary hesitation, then the first small show of trust came through. "Our homeland... we're fighting against the Empire. They've conquered-" Gladio looked away in a sign of hurt, subtle, but there. "Everything. We're some of the last of the resistance against them." Not full trust, but it wasn't entirely untrue, either. He just wasn't about to tell her that one of his traveling companions was the King of one of those conquered lands.

It wouldn't come as a surprise to those who knew her to hear "patience" among the ways used to describe her. It was something she'd learned twice over, once in her homelands when she was first taught the ways of the hunt, and again in her travels as she came to realize the importance of biding her time in battle as well. If nothing else, her enemies often times practiced the trait, and so she'd learned to if just out of necessity. She could wait, though sharing (and talking, he'd soon find) came as easy to her as breathing. There weren't many things she had need to keep close to her heart, but those she did she had long since learned to be mindful of.

She offered a wry smile, a silent apology. Her tongue had a tendency to get away from her, she knew. Maybe a habit she'd picked up from spending so much time with so many dignitaries and nobles and ambassadors. Traveling with Alisae and Lyse had begun to correct that trait, but not in full, not yet, after months of treating with the Ishgardians, and many more months besides apart from the pirates of Limsa Lominsa where she'd last experienced a shift in speaking habits.

Her eyes studied the various expressions that flickered across his face, through his eyes. She didn't have an answer for him, but tried anyway, unaware of the show of trust he was demonstrating but not blind to his somewhat guarded behavior.

"Well that explains why you're eager to return, at least in part..."

It was a tone of understanding.

"I don't think our enemies are one in the same. More like as not they're simply men of the same ilk. Hungry for power, seeking to spread their idea of 'peace'."

If it wouldn't have been repetitive to do so she might have offered further reassurance that they would try to return him home.

Our situation sounds much the same, though not identical. Doma fights for liberation after twenty-five years. How long has Gladio's home been under Imperial rule...?

Her thoughts turned, unbidden, to Minfilia and the Warriors of Darkness. Her obligations in Eorzea were numerous and pressing, but if there were an opportunity for her to go, try to make a difference in another world, would she take it? Of that she had no doubt. Too many other questions kept her from sharing her musings, not least of which was the matter of her lack of familiarity with Gladio, his world, his situation, and the man himself. Still, it was a natural urge to want to help those in need. She chose to keep those thoughts to herself for the time.

Gladio's patience was... questionable. Sometimes he had infinitely more than others, but most of the time, it was less than the average unless he was training. Then, he found his patience willing to stretch more than normal.

"I don't think they know a damn thing about peace," Gladio grumbled but nodded anyway, though it left him slightly disturbed that their enemies were named in the same. The Graleans... it was hard to think of them as anything but monsters, but in truth Lucis had known next to nothing about the inner workings of their enemy's nation.

"One step at a time." Start simple. "So Hien's working to get his nation freed, and he's trying to take over an entire other nation of people to use them as his army by somewhat deceptive means?" Because that was what it sounded like. Use this culture's battle to take them over and then command them. Or maybe he was missing something in all of this?

And... Ziva was okay with this? "What happens to these people after he's done with them? He's supposed to be leading them and this other nation?"

"Not take over. He wishes to earn their respect and willingness. Here on the Steppe-" She gestured with a wave of her arm out over the grasslands, where more towering beasts could be seen still roaming the grasslands and the hills. "-that means a show of strength and cunning, and it must needs be done on their terms."

She welcomed the challenge, relished in the idea of what they were meant to face. Still, she couldn't give the whole picture and wouldn't speak for Hien, it might be best, then, to let him tell it instead. She frowned, thoughtful in her consideration for her next words.

"We have to prove ourselves capable warriors first, before they'd even consider. Beyond that... I think it best to let Hien and Cirina explain the Naadam, and his exact intentions. As for what comes after, I imagine the Xaela will return here to the Steppe and resume life as usual for themselves. No one will force them to fight. That decision falls to each individual, or their clan leaders."

She wanted to say more, to advise him to meet others from the Steppe first, knowing that he would soon see for himself that these were the types of people who welcomed a chance to prove their mettle on the fields of battle. Instead she held her tongue and let him take in what she'd said so far, hoping she'd done a better job explaining on the second go-round.

Gladio's expression grew thoughtful as he listened, fingers coming up to scratch the beard at his jaw as he turned it over. That made more sense, though he wasn't entirely certain he thought it fair, but often things weren't fair in war. That was what this was, at least for Hien and Ziva as well. It was war for them, but from the sound of it, the people here (the Xaela, he presumed cautiously) weren't a part of that war, so Hien was making them a part of it. That was the part he disliked, for war was a terrible thing at a terrible cost. However, her words that it would be the decision of not just one man but many - these clan leaders - dissolved some of his concerns over the idea.

His lips thinned out before he spoke again. "This Naadam will show you guys are worthy of following, if you win it. Okay, I'm with you on that. But... it means you're bringing an entire group of people, sounds like a lot of them if you're going through all this to win them over, into a war they're not a part of. Even if it's just having each of these clans need to make the decision to follow the guy who won the fight they use to pick a leader, you're also asking them to possibly go against that command to fight, which means an unfair pressure to follow because that's what they've done before. Then what happens after? Hien, no offense meant, is leaving them without a leader if he goes to rule his own nation, isn't he?"

Given that he was coming from a war himself, though a war very different in creation and scope, he could understand both sides. "But he needs these people, doesn't he? To help free his own people?" His voice became softer, showing that he honestly did understand the concept behind it and the need, but he needed to make his own decisions about how much he was getting involved in Ziva's fight. She was getting involved in his, to get him home, and he would repay her that, but there was a big difference between war and repayment.

Again, Ziva felt uneasy speaking on someone else's behalf, but in the time she had known Hien, after hearing his willingness to offer up his own head if his people so desired to accept their lot with the empire... she also couldn't sit silent. She knew with a certainty she couldn't very well explain, that-

"That's just it. We're not sure that Hien will be the one to win. We all will take part. Whoever manages to attune with the Steppe will be named khatun. It could be me, or it could be Cirina, or it could be any of the existing warriors of the Mol. It could be Hien, or- if you chose to participate -it could even be you. Should one of us win, well... that I can't say. None of us are in positions to remain here to rule. Hien has his homeland to see to, and the others theirs. Me..."

She offered a rueful smile and a half shrug.

"Warrior of Light is a bit of a hefty title, with no small number of responsibilities." Not formal ones, but as good as. "There's always a new foe to face, a new battle to fight. I'm needed elsewhere, and the Steppe will go on as it always has. I imagine we'll leave leadership in the hands of the Mol and they'll consult their gods to determine who among them should lead, but should they ever have need of us I know that any one of us would be willing to return to offer what aide we could."

She hoped that answered the first question. As for the second-

"But... yes."

There her expression grew troubled, disquieted by the reminder of the look of defeat almost all of the Empire's "subjects" wore, of the attrocities that had been committed in the emporer's name. The memories rose and left a taste like bile in her mouth, and Ziva couldn't help the scowl marring her otherwise normally pretty face. Her fists clenched from where they rested now atop her knees, hard enough that the leather of her gloves around her fingers audibly stretched under the strain. Her ears quivered with the weight of her anger.

"Twenty-five years they've been subjugated. The look in the eyes of most of these men... I thought I'd seen everything, until I saw how brutally these people had been broken."

Edited 2017-08-08 14:29 (UTC)

[ooc: I've always had this little theory that maybe XV is XIV waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay in the future. XD The similar names, the same stuff, it could be that the Crystal of Eos is the last aetheryte or something...]

Gladio frowned at the idea of being named leader of anything - he might be a damn good leader of a people who fought for a living and valued strength of body and mind - but his duty was to Noct over anyone else. If he chose to be a part of this, all he had to do was help to get one of them put in charge of all of this, something he could most certainly do. An 'if' still hung on that, though.

His eyes closed as Ziva told him about what the Empire had been doing here in the wake of their occupation and as sad as it was to admit, he wasn't even surprise. The little bits of information that Lucis had been able to get about Niflheim said that it was miserable for its subjects and it seemed to be just as true here. Given that, he could understand why they would be working so hard to free the people of Hien's nation. It was impossible to miss the truth hidden in the subtle physical movements Ziva showed.

It was easy to reach out and put a hand on Ziva's closest. "I don't know what this Warrior of Light title carries, but... I don't know this world, or the stuff happening. You need some help in winning in this fight? I'll lone you my blade in exchange for you helping me find my way home." Simple enough, right?

At least they were on the same page, in more regards than one, but for the time being the important one being the matter of leadership of the Steppe.

Under his touch some of her tension eased. It was as if his hand on hers reminded her that they would make a difference, grounded her back in the reality of the present. It was companionable, and kind... and considering she was supposed to be the one offering him reassurances it served to get her head back on straight rather quick at that.

Their eyes met, and Ziva gave a determined nod, confidence and determination returning to her gaze. "Aye... That sounds like a fair enough trade."

She tried for- and managed she thought -a wry, crooked grin for a moment.

"Just don't feel like you're obligated to get yourself tangled up in our affairs. I gave you my word and I mean to keep it, getting you home hale and whole." Not to demean what he offered, of course, but she wouldn't be able to live with herself if he got injured or worse on account of their mess. It was meant to be a light hearted comment, though she wasn't sure how he'd take it. "Still, I for one will be glad to have that blade of yours behind us, even if just for a time."

To that, Gladio just shurgged. "I don't feel obligated, or at least not entirely, but I understand it. The whole needing to deal with an empire and free your homeland? I know that too well." His lips pressed thin for a moment before he let out a sigh and brought up a faint smile. "Besides, politics? Not my thing, but you're talking about a fight where the strongest proves themselves?" He gave a bark of a laugh, the smile becoming more real. "Practically designed for someone like me." He loved a good fight, always had, and this sounded like it was going to prove to be something he would more than enjoy.

"Least I'm not having to fight against you. You're a quick one." He moved to get back to his feet, it didn't sound like they had a lot of time to sit around and shoot the breeze after all, and offered down his hand to help her up. "I'd like to know more about how these people fight, if you've got any insider knowledge on it. ...And what I need to know about this Naadam to be a part of it." The more he knew, the better off all of them would be when he tackled into this head first.

Just be safe, guys. A thought up to the Six to bring back to his friends, hoping they would do the smart thing and get to a city and stay there until he could find a way back.

(ooc: I spent most of this week/end power leveling 1-64 to refresh myself on story, but then some RL things went down this weekend with a friend of mine. What a month already. :/

As an aside, this feels like it's probably a good point to do a little bit of a time jump, even if just a small one to after things have been talked over, unless you feel it would be better to thread out for Gladio's sake. If you agree, though, I wondered what you might want to thread out next?)

It didn't exactly reassure her, neither the knowing that on another star a similar empire was conquering other lands for power, nor that Gladio had first hand experience dealing with it. It was still better to have a similar or identical enemy and purpose than to be on opposing sides though, she figured, so if there was ANY good that came of their common problems, it was that it might help bridge any gaps they discovered along the way of getting to know one another. Differences of opinions, beliefs, policies, morals, religion, almost anything could be looked past for the sake of achieving a shared goal.

Something else she was grateful for, steering away from the heavy topic of recent events. Thinking on the Garlean's- no, the Empire's recent atrocities was, quite frankly, exhausting at best and sickening at worst. Talking about the Xaela and the Naadam, by comparison? More than pleasant.

Laughing at this candid interest and anticipation (she thought it might be anticipation)- not mockingly -Ziva took a moment to ease back to rest with her palms bracing her weight against the ground behind and to either side of her. With a downward-to-upward flick of her eyes over his body and a devilish smirk she seemed to be saying that the feeling was almost mutual.

"Really? That's too bad. I think I'd enjoy the challenge, and the spar."

Shockingly enough she really did mean a fight, though she wouldn't deny hinting at a double meaning.

"I'll tell you what I know. There are some few dozen tribes and clans who'll be participating in the Naadam, though, that I've yet to learn about myself. Cirina will have to tell us both about some of them. We've been a bit too busy with preparations for me to ask."

I feel like I should apologize for her brain...

No it's perfect. XD

... I might really have to pick up this game and give it a play. The more I learn the more I like.

*URGES* Is it a perfect game? No. But the characters and the story it builds up makes it worth it.

I can definitely handle imperfect if the character/story are good and the gameplay's fun!

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XV actually uses English and Japanese so well crap. XD I actually double checked.

LOL The more you know. No worries, though! We can wing it.

^^

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... Wait. Is that seriously the name of the empire in XV

/snicker Gralea is the name of their main capitol. The empire as a whole is Niflheim

So Gralea and Garlemald... Graleans and Garleans, I can't LMAO

Yeah they weren't real original or subtle.

lol I love it!

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URGES Is it a perfect game? No. But the characters and the story it builds up makes it worth it.