runs_on_batteries | IC Inbox/ Interactions 2.0

[He smirked and shook his head.]

Still not big on asking people questions I see.

[It wasn't really a criticism so much as acknowledging a personality quirk that still existed.]

Era? Uh.. she was pretty unhappy about what the gods want us to do here. She said we had skills better suited for other uses, but.. I don't want to come off like I approve of being porn stars for gods, but it could be a whole lot worse.

[He got the cake sliced and on plates. He took a small piece and gave a larger piece to his friend. Carrying it over, he set it down in front of him and took his seat.]

I'm more interested in you than her though.

It's not my business to pry into such matters.

[ Have a bit of a teasing smile coming on. ]

I only ask since Gladio had an... interesting encounter with her. [ An amused look comes on his face. ] Ask him how she hurt him. [ Her tail whipped him in the balls she said.

He picks up his fork, pausing a moment. ]

Certainly, what do you wish to know?

[Tony sighed sadly.]

Yes but you miss so much. You miss getting to know people. You miss finding out where they're from, what they think, what they know. If all you do is talk, the only information you get is your own and you already know that. Trust me, I've learned that the hard way.

[And spent many years wishing he'd gotten to know Peter and the others who disappeared better.]

Take us for instance. I know you. I could write a book about you from your favorite childhood pastime to your greatest fears to exactly how to make you wake your neighbors at night. The last time we talked all you wanted was to tell me about Noct. What the hell was up with that? I'm a stranger that one of your brothers has accepted into his house without a blink of an eye. Isn't there anything you'd like to know about me?

[ If Tony is looking at Ignis' wrist then the mark that was on him is gone. His sleeve falls back a bit, revealing a bit of skin.

Have a confused sigh. ]

I suppose you have a point, but it's the way how I was raised. I tend to observe more than ask, take you for example. When you first entered the cafe, I knew you were a newcomer right away just from your footfalls alone. My hearing has gotten sharper lately.

[ Ardyn had been so difficult for him to accept, particularity since he's the soul reason for their problems back home. Tony, however, may be new, but he's a friend of Gladio's ]

I'm... a bit lost as to what happened there. [ Have a frustrated sigh at himself over that one. ] It hasn't been a pleasant few months on top of that.

Of course I'm curious about you, but we parted on bad terms before I got a chance to ask. I know you know me and how that came to be and what's in store for you back home. [ Other than that, he doesn't know much. ] What's your world like?

[He breathed a soft laugh. He knew that too- at least the part about how Ignis had been raised. The rest he could imagine now that his eyesight was gone, though that didn't make it unimpressive.

He was about to make a joke about only getting the cookie part of an ice cream sandwich when he noticed something. He reached out and caught Ignis' wrist. It wasn't so firm he couldn't pull away but Tony turned it and then brushed his thumb along the skin at his sleeve.]

We'll get back to that question but.. where did that little rainbow that you had on your wrist go?

Pardon?

[ He's a bit confused when Tony grabs his wrist. Give him a moment to think here. ]

Oh.

The bears, [ he murmurs quietly to himself, but loud enough for Tony to hear. ] I wasn't aware of them or what they could do when we first met, I'm aware of them now. If it was a rainbow then that must be the reason why I told you some of the things I did.

[ Have a heavy sigh. ] I suppose I can't escape the truth, for lack of better term, from this world for too long. They had a mistletoe last month that pulled a similar experience, but I got lucky and dodged that one.

My deepest apologies, it sounds like I was effected by this world's strange occurrences and I wasn't aware of it.

Say what? The-

[Oh wait. Someone- no, Pyra- had mentioned imprints. Could that mark have been the imprint she was talking about?]

You think you had a compulsion to tell me that story? Alright, I've heard worse excuses than that.

Well.. my world sounds a lot bigger than yours and we have different animals. Most of the countries in my world don't have kings, though business tycoons can have almost as much power as one might- and I'm one of those. I'm just your average billionaire, philanthropist, former playboy, superhero.

[Ignis would almost be able to hear the grin on Tony's face.]

The bears. You don't have a mark on yourself, do you?

It explains a bit about how our last encounter went.

[ Ignis thinks back to how Tony reacted to Rio joining his lap for a moment. ] Seems like both of our worlds have cats, and I'd assume you already know quite the bit of the animals that are on Eos. Alright, what wouldn't I know about that's from your world?

I don't want to overload you with questions, so let's take this apart bit by bit here.

[Tigers.

The word might as well have been a splash of ice water or a kick in the groin. What was he even doing here? This was a mistake. The loss of the relationship he had felt so fresh in that moment, he could barely breathe.

He took a steadying breath to try and compose himself again.]

There's nothing that important really. Did you try the cake? The one you make is a lot better. You're not the type of cook to leave out an ingredient as a secret are you?

[He knew the answer, but he needed to distance himself from that question. It was stupid. He asked Ignis to ask him questions and then had a bad reaction to the first one asked.]

[ Ah? Did he ask the wrong question here? He's confused a bit, but he lets it go for the moment. He won't push Tony into answering that one then if it brought up awful memories. ]

What about the superhero bit?

[ He hadn't forgotten about the cake, but that does remind him to fetch something later, not now. ]

Indeed I did, but something feels a bit off about it. It's the fault of the replicators, after all.

[ Have a soft laugh at the last question. ]

No, I'm not. [ At least that he's aware of. ] The replicators are doing a good job of that though.

[Tony sighed and shook his head. None of this was Ignis' fault.]

No, it's.. I had a pet name for you is all. It's nothing.

[He knew it wasn't for Ignis either, but maybe not quite as hard.]

Superhero bit.. I was part of a team of individuals with specialized skills to protect our world.

[He frowned and looked down at the plates with the bad version of Ignis' favorite cake.]

You know what, you're right. This isn't working. Do you know how to read braille yet?

[ Oh. It's neither of their faults really, Ignis hadn't known that bit. ]

I see.

You ran into Regis, he gave me a few things on my birthday. A moment.

[ Ignis gets up from his spot and works his way into his room. He grabs the Braille books from atop the dresser then makes his way back out to the table where he'd been sitting. ]

I've been studying it a bit since.

[It was turning out to be very hard and awkward to get to know each other like this. It was like how he used to interview people when they arrived on the train. Gladio was right too. They needed this to happen more naturally.

He wasn't sure where Ignis was going with his question, but when he saw the book he understood.]

Ah, okay. So you're working on learning it. Hmm.. , well I was thinking.. we should get the group together and play some cards and maybe if this rain ever stops grill out. I've been working on ideas on how to make playing cards out of scrap metal but I could make the cards have braille numbers on them. Why don't I help you learn this?

[ Alright, there are a few things that he's going to pick apart here that Tony just said. He flips the book open as he nudges the plate of cake away from him, setting the book down between them. ]

You'll be waiting on the rain to stop for a while, I'm afraid. These things usually last for a few weeks.

[ Ignis pauses a moment, considering. ]

If you'd like, I can extend the offer to the other two... and Pyra, if you don't mind. I've taken her into the family.

[ Ignis doesn't say things like that lightly, but he lets her call him Iggy. ]

What card games are you thinking of?

Certainly, I've only just started studying the basics.

Straight?

[Ugh. He just got here! He wanted to see the sun! He already figured out he could only go so high up and that didn't quite reach the clouds. It wasn't much fun flying in a downpour of chocolate. There were other houses though.. maybe they could borrow one and use the open space somehow.]

Of course, them too, Noct and the Pup. What about Reggie? And I was thinking poker but there are lots of card games out there. It doesn't have to be a card game if there are other games we could play.

[He got comfortable and took another bite of the cake. It wasn't as good, but that didn't mean it was bad. Hmm, how best to teach braille?]

There maybe small breaks [ but who knows, Ignis hasn't gotten lucky yet and this nonsense started up a few days ago ] but you have to get lucky with it.

[ He pauses for a moment as something else clicks, he had been quite busy to make this connection with Gladio, with Noct and Prompto bedridden and in the recovery stages. ]

You haven't seen the sun in quite a while, haven't you? [ It won't be too much longer, he hopes. He can feel the sunlight when it's out.

Reggie? Then that one clicks. ] Ah, Regis. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you've befriended him.

[ With Eos and Tony's world having cats, he does wonder if Eos has a poker, but by a different name. ] I'm not familiar with poker, I'm afraid.

[Tony frowned and thought. When was the last time he had seen a sun that was similar to the one back home?]

No, not for a while, I'd guess. I'm not too sure.

[There was some discomfort in his tone from having to admit the ambiguity there. A more appropriate word to 'discomfort' was haunted.]

We only ever saw it if we stopped at a world with an atmosphere similar to ours and had a few temperate days. That combination didn't happen very often. Usually the worlds were volcanic or a blizzardy tundra and on the train, it was just the Void.

[It took him a moment to pull himself back to the rest of their conversation.]

What games do you know?

[ There's a pause here, concerned. A look comes over his face as if he's considering something here. He sighs and removes his hand away from the book, settling back a bit. He hadn't pushed Gladio too hard, but it's neither of their faults.

He's definitely picking up on Tony's tone here too, not missing the discomfort. ]

When Gladio first arrived here, it was an awkward time too. He spoke little of the train. These worlds, it was to save them, correct? [ He'd at least remembered that much. ] He spoke of a little girl too, who helped him through a dark period, but he hadn't wanted to open up about it.

[ Have a small helpless shrug. ]

Yet, you've told me more about this train. [ A small pause as his brain connects the Void itself. ] The Void was darkness. [ It's the state of Eos, if he and Prompto ever go back home. Noctis is asleep in the crystal. ]

That was the goal but we didn't always succeed.

[He sighed hearing mention of his daughter again. It was hard knowing she was still out there and he might never see her again.]

Don't let him fool you, Ignis, the whole thing was a dark period. Madoka might have made it a little easier at times, but we were captives and powerless to the Voidtrecker forces, whoever they were. He's suffered greatly and I wouldn't expect him to open up, especially when he isn't feeling safe with you three to begin with.

[He wanted to go on, to tell Ignis off again about how the other young men should be rallying around Gladio to help him deal with what he'd been through not sniffling over something stupid, but he held his tongue. If that wasn't a display of how much he wanted to get along with this new Ignis, nothing was.]

No, the Void... [He took a second to think of how to describe it.] It wasn't nothing and it wasn't darkness. There were colors and shapes inside it. The elves in our train said they heard voices and singing. I learned later that was a way they described their magic. So whether it was literally singing or not, I never did figure out, but it could drive a person mad. If you looked at the Void long enough or listened too closely, you'd hear or see things that were terrifying and they wouldn't be able to describe it later.

People got sick from the Void. We never did figure out how that happened, but it wasn't just in someone's mind, although it often was. A little boy said he kept hearing violins playing and even though he was a violinist, the sound was enough to make him cry in fear. I'm sure it sounds like I'm adding to my story here for affect, but I assure you, I'm not.

... That was Madoka? [ That was Tony and Ignis' daughter on the train. Have a surprised sound at that. Gladio hadn't mentioned her by name, just by a cute little girl. ]

I know, [ his tone going gentle, not wanting to fight again. He wants to get along here too. ] he's adjusting to a new Ignis, Noctis and Prompto. We offered him a place to stay, but he denied and after a while, I hardly blame him. He needed the space to get used to us again and he said that the train was cramped. This world, it sounds like it's a vacation compared to what you two have been through. [ This train sounds like hell and he doesn't know what Gladio's told Noct or Prompto either. ] Perhaps this is what he needed, is someone from the train that understands him better than us three do.

[ He can admit that much, it's been over a month and a half, and while they've been training at Gladio's place, he feels disconnected from his friend. Ignis isn't a fan of the distance and wishes to close it, but he knows he has some work to do. He has walls to break down inside Gladio, he missed his friend most of all. Gladio showed up for his birthday, but he seemed more interested in giving Ignis his gift then leaving right away. That wasn't the best place to get into a discussion so Ignis had... let him go. The past few months haven't been helping either, this is the first he's felt like he's been given a break. Yes, the strange rain and bears are annoying, but his family is safe. Maybe he can sit down with Gladio again and try to talk. For now, he's willing to talk to Tony, perhaps that can shed some light on what happened on the train a bit. ]

I just hope that someday, he can feel safe around us again. Prom understands better, having come from the Fleet. [ And it's been three and a half years since Prom's seen Gladio last. ]

No, it's alright, I believe you. [ Starting from the very moment he'd arrived on this world actually, and after what the four had been through back home on Eos, the Void doesn't sound too far fetched from the weirdest thing that they've been through. The Void sickness doesn't sound pleasant in the slightest though and as he listens to it, he exhales a breath, again surprised at how awful this place was sounding. ] This Void sickness, you didn't experience it yourself?

What else happened on there? This is sounding more and more unpleasant; and it's the people that made it for you two, isn't it? [ This is his take away the more he hears about the train. ]

Hold out your hand.

[He gently pulled off his wrist the bracelet his daughter had made him with tiny white conch seashells on it. He placed it in Ignis' hand, trusting him fully.]

This is from her. You would've liked her. She was a lot like you. Very polite to a fault and brave and sweet.

[He nodded, knowing what Ignis was saying about Gladio.]

He probably did need the space, but it's possible you guys gave him too much. Would you have told Noct or Prompto just how badly you had been hurt somewhere or that you need them or would you have too much pride for that?

[Tony sat back and gave a soft laugh at that. This place was definitely a vacation. It hadn't come out that he was, in fact, the leader of that train but he was sure it would eventually.]

We'll see. It might help if you pass this along to Noct. Gladio won't be thrilled, but I think he should know how bad it really was.

[That reminded him. He might need to go see if he couldn't find Prompto.]

It affected everyone every now and then, myself included.

[He had no idea what was his PTSD and what had been the Void sickness. For someone with a perfect memory, he flat out didn't remember some of it which was terrifying. Since it was requested and he loved to hear himself talk, Tony went into detail describing the layout of the train itself and the fact there was no way to access the engine room.]

The only time we ever heard from anyone was when these random announcements were played that we needed to get ready to do a mission or people say they heard the conductor ask them to the engine room right before disappearing for a stretch of time. It was random. We never knew if the person was gone and would come back or gone for good. Gladio disappeared for a while. I thought we were going to have to put Prompto on meds, he was so upset.

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