revivalproject | [Open] If You've Seen One Apocalypse...

WHO: Gladiolus Amicitia, Open
WHERE: Mines, Southern Temba
WHAT: Life at the Mines Defenses, Being A Hero
WHEN: Throughout October
WARNINGS: N/A

I. The Grand Lucian Tradition of Walls | Mines

In a way Gladio had a lot of reasons to distrust the instinct to 'head underground' when things got rough. Simple truth of the matter was that hadn't worked out much for people trying to avoid daemons back home. But this place isn't Eos, and the new invasion of these movie and video game creatures wasn't the same as daemons. They were, though, annoying. And not driven back by light Gladio expected.

Took him time to figure out the place would be safe, but Gladio hadn't hesitated once he figured it out. He'd gone deep enough to get his weapons out, rigged up a rope to strap his shield across his back when he wasn't using it, and then set back out into the city. From there it was a matter of killing Zombies while grabbing materials. Big crates he could slowly push, large chunks of rubble he could put on his shield and haul behind him, one or two of the emergency supply crates that he knew the location of. From there, well, it was a simpler matter.

Which led to a moment like this. Gladio sitting on the top of the barricade he had put time into making in the mines with the help of anyone he could get a hold of. A book recovered from his room rests open in his hands, his massive sword balanced easily across his lap. The position both lets him look back down into the secured area on one side of the barricade, and the potential hostile direction up tunnel.

A perfect point to be sitting watch for motion while keeping himself distracted while he rested up. Because it was better not to go journeying out for supplies or to rescue people if he wasn't rested up.

"Afternoon. I think. Not sure down here," he says as he catches sight of someone moving around. "Enjoying your zombie free time?"

II. Let Me Be Your Armor | Southern Temba

No shelter is enough to hold Gladio in place for long. It wasn't in the apocalypse back home, of course it wouldn't be here. Rested up, loaded with water bottles, and weapons in hand, Gladio headed right back out to the surface of Temba. Which was why he was out here now, his massive sword easily cleaving a head from a nearing Prompto-like Zombie.

Why was he taking out this particular cluster of them? Well, he'd thought he'd seen something that looked like smoother motion out this way. Shouting to try and confirm whether someone was around seemed foolish, so of course he didn't do that. But slowly cutting his way there? Definitely something Gladio was willing to do.

All he could do was hope that if someone really was out there that he was nearing, they could hold on long enough for him to find them.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

It catches Leo up short to be noticed, but then, he wasn't really trying that hard to sneak up on the barricade. He'd just... rather not deal with too many people, when he's making clandestine trips out of the mines and all.

He straightens up and walks closer, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Closer to evening," he says. He hops up to the top of the wall, only really needing to grab one handhold and swing himself up. "When you live underground long enough you get used to it."

Though they did get some sunlight in their old lair... Less so in the new one. Living on this planet is the most vitamin D Leo's ever gotten.

"You've been busy..." He nodded to the barricade.

Keith had been busy, too. He'd been patrolling outside, looking for stragglers who might need help getting to shelter. Unfortunately, when he ran into some issues, his bayard stopped working, and the Agrii still hadn't seen fit to give him his Marmora blade. But, he was making do as best he could. Some of the construction tools he'd been using to rebuilding the house he and Lance had claimed as home were pretty handy as weapons.

Was it? Gladio looks intrigued by that conclusion from Leo. Not that he can argue against it or for it either way.

"I spent years above ground in constant darkness, still never got great at judging what time it was. You've got a skill."

Of course he's been busy. Gladio offers a nod as if to say 'do you expect anything less'? Come on, Keith, you should know your copilot is just like this.

"Got a decade of experience in securing places like this. Putting it to use for people's safety."

Keith climbed up. Honestly, he hadn't been surprised at all that it was Gladio doing it. He nodded, settling in where he could keep look out the same way Gladio was and then they could watch each other's backs if needed.

"Definitely a good idea," Keith said softly. He took a deep breath, letting out a small sigh. It was quieter here than back in town for obvious reasons. He needed a small break before going back to look for any more stragglers. Some people had hunkered down in town, and others were also still back there fighting off the zombies and other things. The storms made it impossible for him and Kosmo to teleport people to safety right now, but that didn't mean they couldn't get in there to help defend someone and escort them across the distance.

Leo hums at that. "Maybe it's just my turtle instincts telling me to go to bed, then."

Not that he ever listens.

Gladio's explanation is interesting, though. How does someone spend years above ground in darkness?

"Did you live in the arctic or something?"

"I try to be full of them. Not always going to succeed, but I'm trying," Gladio says with a shrug. "Figure this is going to be a bit shorter of a defending a location than it was back home. So it's almost like a vacation. Just annoyed this happened just as the school was supposed to get started, and we haven't pinned down the trouble makers."

Who could have impunity to move now.

Turtles have that instinct? Gladio is intrigued by that, not that he can argue it's wrong or not. Leo would know better than he would.

"No. My world as we all knew it, it ended. Apocalypses do shit like that."

"Oh," says Leo awkwardly. "Uh... Sorry?"

Yeah, he has no idea how to respond to that one.

"It's fine. I've had a long time to come to terms with it," Gladio promises. "So relax. Don't be that nervous around me?"

"Tch, who's nervous," Leo says, only a little defensively. "I just wasn't sure what to say. They don't make Hallmark cards for that, you know."

"They should. Could if we still had companies that made cards back home," Gladio notes, his eyes dancing with amusement.

Leo laughs at that. "Oh yeah. 'Happy Apoca-versary!' 'The world's dying, but my love for you is going strong!' Stuff like that. Make tons of money."

"We also didn't have much money," Gladio admits with a laugh. "But yeah, something like that."

Though his sister had started a 'business' in fashion during the Long Night.

“Well, maybe money doesn’t matter so much when the world’s ending.” That sounds nice, actually. Leo’s never cared much about money. “So you can just give the cards away.”

"Sadly, no. Paper was limited and vital."

There were a lot of problems in trying to make sure civilation survived."

Leo’s face falls. “So much for that idea, then.”

Why even suggest it if he’s not going to play along? Man, adults are lame…

"But we did make weapons. Beautiful fucking weapons. We had our art in the way we fought to live."

Leo looks mildly intrigued at that. Not that he’s a weapons buff or anything, but he likes his swords, so it’s something he can relate to.

“What kinds of weapons?”

"Swords of multiple types. Great axes. Maul class weapons. Shields. Crossbows. Giant shuriken. Polearms and knives and guns."

Anything they could fathom.

That’s basically the whole spectrum of things. It doesn’t give Leo much insight into the guy in front of him.

“Yeah, but what about you? What’s your weapon of choice?”

Gladio pats the greatsword resting across his lap. The sword that was basically as long as he was tall.

"This. The occasional ōdachi. And greatshields with an off-hand dueling dagger. I'm capable in a lot more than that of course. I was responsible for training the royal heir, as well as working on the training and field readiness of parts of the royal guard."

What’s with all the guys and their big swords recently? Well, not like Leo never used one.

“I used to have an odachi!” He grins. “That’s pretty cool. So I guess you were like, super important back home.”

Seriously, he did? Gladio looks Leo up and down, shocked. The kid carried a sword larger than he was? Well, it takes all types he supposes.

"I picked up the skill for it from my mentor. My sister has a better hand with normal katanas than I do though. I'm a lot more force and a lot less speed after all."

But yeah, he was important.

"I was the Shield of the True King."

It wasn’t a good idea and he likely wasn’t using it right most of the time. Really, it was for the best he had his katana and shorter swords now.

He feels good to have shocked Gladio, though, so he won’t mention that he was pretty clumsy with it.

He whistles at that information. “That’s a fancy title.” Leo kind of wishes he had a cool title like that…

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