[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. ]
[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.
no subject
[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.
no subject
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. ]
no subject
[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.