voidtreckerexpress | Excuse the mess but we live here.

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Excuse the mess but we live here.

Who: Gladio and... anyone! If someone from Blue Team wants to come assist, they can!
What: Gladio has a mission. And is bored. So bored.
When: Egret 19, dawn. Or as dawn as you can get. And will be going on almost all day till he gets to the cabins.
Where: Currently the dining car. But he will be everywhere!
Warnings: Just a bunch of silliness, really! ^^ Gladio has only one working arm currently so this should be highly amusing. Come help him, chat to him, judge him as you pass by, whatever floats your goat.

Gladio was no stranger to getting down and dirty with the troops. His father had taught him well. Just because he was the Kings Shield didn't put him above others, he needed to do his part to the cause, so to speak.

Which was why, when the Shield discovered that his 'Team' had chores to do, he found himself in the store carriage picking through the cleaning supplies to get a start on doing just that. What else did he have to do, exactly?

After picking through the cleaning products that he would need, Gladio headed for the next carriage. For now he was only going to clean the common areas, without having permission from the other passengers he wasn't about to go barging into bedrooms demanding they get the hell out so he can tidy up their mess. No, he would start from one end and work his way through. The dining carriage was his first port of call. He had polish and cloths for tables and chairs and anything else he could find that undoubtedly had layers of dust. The kitchen he bypassed and up he went, armed and ready to do battle with dust bunnies and coffee rings.

The fact he only had one usable arm did not deter him. He didn't really need two to clean, right?

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"A merc, huh?" Gladio cocked his head to the side and looked the guy up and down. He was a little on the clownish side, acting the fool and borderline childish. It had reminded him just a bit of Prompto. But he knew how capable a fighter he was and now he was looking at this other guy, really looking at him... he was seeing hints. It was in the shoulders, the arms. There was strength there. And then the eyes. There was something...

"I believe it." Gladio replied with a low chuckle. "Personally I'm military trained. My job was to protect my Prince, now my King. But I've met a few mercs in my time. Most were good. Are you a good..." He gave a little gesture of his hand for the guy to fill in the blanks, because so far he had no idea what the guys name was.

Of course out of all of the possible people to run into, it just had to be someone who protected a prince. Of course. This is his kind of luck. No wonder the way he was getting scolded earlier felt so familiar! He sure hopes that whichever prince Gladio is protecting doesn't have to be on the receiving end of that, sheesh...

Before he can get too lost in that thought though, he realised he's practically being asked a question here. "Oh-- I'm a swordfighter, mostly. There's some other weapons I can use if I try, but swords always felt the most comfortable to me."

There's the tiniest moment of hesitation before he holds out his hand to Gladio, hoping a handshake from the other might just not crush every single bone in his hand. "My name's Inigo, by the way. And.." Any hint of hesitation is quickly replaced by a slightly too hopeful smile, as if this part only seems to have been fully processed by now. "You really believe it?"

"Gladio." He grinned and took the hand offered in his one good hand. No, he didn't shatter the guys hand. While Gladio's grip was firm, it was also warm and his smile friendly. He wasn't trying to make a point of strength here.

"I help train fighters back home." Gladio replied. "I trained Noct. So yeah, I believe you when you say you can fight." And as if to prove it, the hand he'd been shaking he turned over so that Gladio could see the palm. They weren't the delicate, smooth hands of someone who didn't know what hard graft was. Which puzzled him given the way the kid had reacted toward being asked to clean up his own messes.

"Maybe one day you'll show me what you're made of." Gladio chuckled. "And I'll go easier on you next time you mess up the dining room."

".. thanks, Gladio."

It comes out after a moment of pause, but it sounds very genuine. Honestly, Inigo's starting to feel a little bad for having gotten such a rough first impression of the other. Not that he wouldn't freak out again if Gladio yelled at him, but.. he doesn't seem super strict now. Not in a constant-no-fun-allowed kind of way, anyway. There's a lot you can tell from someone's handshake, and Gladio's is definitely a good one.

Although the most important part is that Gladio believes him. For real. And so quickly too. Inigo is so very unused to people giving him the benefit of the doubt, so it means the world to him. While he's trying to look at least a little cool here, there's no way he could stop a hint of the dumb grin it gives him from slipping out anyway.

"I'm curious to see what a guy like you can do too."

Gladio grinned. And showed him.

He moved his good hand to the side and in a flash of warm blue light he materialised his sword. The thing was as tall as Gladio was and nearly as wide. Black and gold and beautifully ornate, and wickedly sharp.

"When I'm fully armed, I'm pretty handy in a fight." Gladio winked, showing he was teasing and making a joke of the fact that he was currently only able to use a single arm.

Well.

Now that's something Inigo didn't expect. Especially since he had no idea that Gladio was able to pull out his sword that way, nor that he could do it with only one hand.. and especially not that the sword would be that size. Inigo's jaw is just about on the floor. He may not be as much of a nerd for swords as his cousin is, but that doesn't mean he can't appreciate something like this.

The admiration is obvious on his face even as he metaphorically picks his jaw off the floor and laughs. "That was a terrible pun, but I'll forgive you it since that sword is amazing. I mean, I'm no bad swordsman, but I'm nowhere near the level of skill that has to be required to wield something like that."

Gladio thought it had been pretty damn good! But he couldn't help laughing, even as he twisted the sword, causing it to swish through the air until he was holding it out by the handle toward Inigo.

"You won't know unless you try." He had shorter swords and he would probably offer one of those to him in a minute, but he was curious if he was being humble or not.

"Huh?" Inigo glances from the sword's handle up to Gladio's face and back. Like he can't believe what he's seeing here. Is Gladio really letting him hold his sword? Sure, Gladio said he believed Inigo earlier, but this feels like such concrete proof of that fact that it just completely baffles the boy. Trust isn't extended to him like this very often, and so when it comes across his path now, he's not sure what to do with it.

Other than to try to live up to it. Because failure when he's being trusted is unacceptable.

".. Alright."

He's still feeling nervous as all hell, but he actually grabs a hold of the handle. The sword is much bigger and heavier than what he's used to, and it shows, but as he puts a bit more strength into it, Inigo actually manages to hold onto it without dropping it like an idiot. He does have some muscle, after all.

"This is really different from what I'm used to.." Inigo even sounds more contemplative now, like he's actually taking this seriously. "Almost more like the axes I've trained with a few times back home."

For a second or two Gladio didn't think Inigo would take him up on his offer. And he wouldn't have really blamed him if he'd said no. That was very much the guys choice. There was no tricks, he wasn't teasing and he wasn't trying to put the younger man on the spot. He was just honestly curious as to his capabilities. That fact he'd seemed so shocked made him wonder if he had to fight to get people to understand just what he was capable of.

So he waited for Inigo to get a good enough hold of his sword and slowly let go. There was a moment where the sword dipped, but Gladio grinned when the kid was able to actually hold it up.

"It's called the 'War Buster'. It's a Greatsword. You're right, it lends itself more toward axes than actual swords because of how heavy they are and difficult to wield. But with practice you can account for that." He'd been using swords like this for so long that he could wield it like he imagined Inigo would be able to wield a normal sword.

"Lots of practice, no doubt." It's not that he can't imagine himself ever using something like this, but it's so far from his usual style that Inigo knows he'd really have to dedicate himself to practicing it for a long time to even be able to get used to this weight in his hands. Just holding it up like he does now is already much more of a struggle than he's used to with swords.

Although it makes sense, considering what Gladio looks like. That guy is so ripped! No wonder he'd be able to handle a sword like this.

"Don't get me wrong, I mean this in a positive way, but.. it really seems like a "you" kind of sword. It's exactly the kind of thing I'd imagine a guy like you would wield."

"Lots." He agreed with a laugh. Many years, in fact. Too many years.

With a smile, Gladio held his hand out for his sword to be returned. He didn't want Inigo to struggle needlessly with the sword after all. He'd seen what he'd wanted. Inigo wasn't just all talk. He could back up his words.

He laughed again, louder and more cheerful this time. "Can't imagine me with a little knife or something, huh?"

Inigo will gladly return the sword. He's doing so the moment Gladio holds out his hand like that. Not that he doesn't like the sword, it's awesome, but Inigo is pretty sure he's going to regret holding it for so long if his muscles would start to ache because of it in the morning.

"No way." His reply is almost comically fast. But it's just the truth! A big guy like Gladio with a small knife? He'd probably have a hard time being as subtle as the kind of guys that use those where Inigo is from, considering his stature. "I'd show you my sword from back home, but unfortunately I can't just pull it out of nowhere like that."

He's surprisingly calm under witnessing that ability though - he's seen weirder here on the train at this point.

"And this place sure doesn't seem to like giving us weapons, even though it expects us to fight. So you've gotten lucky to have yours with you like that."

Gladio laughed loudly, very amused by just how quickly Inigo replied to him. Was he that bad?

"I'll give you that. Little knives aren't my thing. But I can use them in a pinch. I've trained with different weapons. Guns aren't my style. But great swords are what suit me best." He had the size and strength to use them and it just worked.

He let the sword return back to the armiger and grinned.

"I'm lucky to have a King who has the ability to share his magic with us. Especially since this train really doesn't like to give weapons." He gave Inigo a curious look. Maybe the kid wouldn't be able to answer him, but maybe...? "Any idea why that is?"

.. kings can share magical weapons with other people in the place Gladio comes from? That sure is a fact that Inigo is mentally filing away. That would for sure be a useful thing to have in his world too, but.. no, wait, scratch that, it'd probably end up being yet another way in which he'd be letting everyone down as a prince.

So instead of remarking anything about that, he blinks as he takes in the man's question.

"I don't think we've been given any official reason. I always assumed it was since they didn't want them falling into the wrong hands. It only takes one person who gets a little too stab-happy, you know?"

"I suppose I could understand that..." Gladio agreed with a slow nod. But then he began to laugh. "Guess the train didn't take into account us who could summon them, huh? I could get 'stab-happy' and make short work of a lot of people before anyone thought to stop me." He said this so matter-of-factly, as if he were speaking about the weather and not murdering half of the train.

"I won't." But he could. And it would show the train for the idiot it was not making sure people were properly armed when surrounded by fighters and warriors from so many different worlds.

"Besides, hard to do much of anything with one hand. I'll be glad when I can get use of my other." It was driving him insane. Truly insane. But he supposed it was better than being dead so he was lucky there.

Inigo just stares. He opens his mouth, as if he wants to say something but then closes it again as if he thinks better of it. It takes another attempt or two before he actually manages to speak up.

"You do know you just gave me a near heart attack there, right?"

Please, Gladio! Can we not make jokes about you murdering half of the train! Don't you know stress is bad for the baby? A baby like Inigo?

"Although I suppose you're right. There's a lot of people here with magical powers as well. I guess I'm one of the few who fall outside of the boat by not having a way to fight unless I have a weapon with me." Which is a bummer. And doesn't do much to help Inigo's already low self esteem. But he forces himself to smile again as he says it in order to keep things light.

Gladio burst out laughing. That was the reaction he had been shooting for and Inigo hadn't disappointed him. The kid really was just lucky Gladio was a chill guy who wasn't likely to go crazy in that way. He grinned, not sorry in the slightest, it was way too funny.

"Hey, I don't have any magical powers either." He pointed out. "This thing where I can summon my sword? That's a gift, a skill allowed to me by my King. He could take it away easily and I'd just be a normal guy. I can't use magic or anything like that." Ignis had more of an affinity with magic, same as Noct. He and Prompto were the normal ones in the group. Not a magical bone in their bodies. "So you're not alone, kiddo. Us normals gotta stick together."

Yes, truly thank Naga that Gladio is a chill guy! It's not that Inigo hasn't faced guys as big as him before, but usually at least their swords were slightly smaller? And even then it wasn't exactly fun!

"Hey, some of us normals don't have a king to give them fun party tricks." At least Inigo is pretty sure his father couldn't do that. And even if he had been able to, would he even have shared that gift with his disappointment of a son? No way. He keeps his tone light though, like he's just needling Gladio for fun. Especially since he drops the exaggerated poutiness after a moment.

"But I guess you're still normal enough to be allowed into our exclusive normal people club. Besides, you seem like a pretty cool guy."

(The way he says cool makes him sound like a 70 year old who's still getting used to the word.)

"The coolest." Gladio laughed, not sure if that was strictly true but he wasn't about to argue with it. "Thanks for letting me in the club, even if I have a cool trick to hide my swords." Because carrying around a 7 foot sword on his back just seemed like a pain in the ass. Who would want to do that?

"But listen, kid. I was actually doing something and you've distracted me." It was said with affection and Gladio was certainly not upset at having gotten to know the guy. "I need to get back to my cleaning. But you and me? When you get your hands on a sword, I wanna see what you're made of."

Inigo laughs at that last part, though perhaps with a tad of awkwardness sprinkled in considering he's only now realising that right, he's totally keeping Gladio off cleaning! Inigo's such a blabbermouth that he hardly realised it until now. Thankfully the big guy doesn't seem upset because of it.

"Sure. I'll make sure to bring a helmet." It's a joke, okay, he's.. at least pretty sure Gladio isn't just going to knock him around! "Then I'll see you again later. Good luck with cleaning."

"I'll get Noct to lend you a sword if you don't have one of your own." He was sure Noct would allow it if he vouched for the guy. One of the more basic swords, didn't need anything fancy.

He smiled as he stood and gathered up all his cleaning things. "I'll see you around, Inigo." Grabbing everything up with his one hand, his smile widened and he headed out to start his cleaning in another area.

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Excuse the mess but we live here.

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