[Video]

[callmegladio]

[The feed opens on Gladio, sat in his garden, the sun shining down on him. The sky is bright, the weather warm but a cool breeze ruffles his hair. The garden is well tended, green and well kept. The scene might have been a lovely and calm one if not for the serious look on Gladio's face. He's not quite looking at the screen, but off to the side, seemingly lost in thought for a long moment before he heaves a heavy sigh.

Still not looking at the screen, he starts to speak.]

It's been long enough. I've had time to think, so I'm going to tell you why I did what I did.

[He goes quiet again, considering his next words.]

I know... some of you are pissed we did this. You were happy livin in blissful ignorance, trusting this world without question. And for a while I was too. Till I realised how messed up that was.

I was so desperate for a peaceful life I didn't think...

[Gladio glanced at the screen then, his eyes narrow slightly.]

When did we all just roll over and accept this insanity? We were kidnapped from our homes, our families, and trapped in this bubble. We were given the most basic info and told to accept it. The most basic food we can't even really call 'food', and we accepted it. We were given tasks and rules and hoops to jump through, and we accepted it. We were forced to touch, kiss, hold and reveal secrets to strangers, and we accepted it. It was the 'will of the Gods'. We all just nodded and accepted it. Why? Why have we accepted all this? Why do people keep coming and going? Where do they go? Do they just go home? Or are they taken? Are they being hurt? Experimented on like the animals they had us catch? Why do these weird things keep happening? Why can't they answer our questions?

And why are we terrorists for wanting answers? We hurt no one. We destroyed nothing. We're the heroes of this world, right? Here to save the planet. So what are they keeping so secret?

Why aren't you all asking questions?

Why're you just rolling over and accepting their truth?

[Again he looks away, heaved another heavy sigh and brought a hand up to rub tiredly at his eyes. He definitely looked tired. Stressed. His tone shifting from angry to confused to desperate for people to understand, and for himself to understand why no one else was fighting.]

We're forced from our homes... Our families. We form bonds with people only to watch them vanish. And... I don't know bout anyone else, but I didn't consent to this. I never signed up for this world.

I want answers. We wanted answers. And we weren't gettin them. So we went looking for them.

[Here he laughs, low and without humour. A shake of his head and a sardonic glance at the screen.]

The fact the natives reacted the way they did should be a red flag. What're they protecting so badly? What's so secret? What aren't they telling us? Is it about what really happened to this world? Who these 'Gods' are? How we actually got here and why? Where our friends go when they suddenly disappear?

And we're the bad guys?

How's that make sense?

[Gladio shrugged and with one last sigh he reached out and switched the feed off. He'd said what he wanted. Now he would lie down in the sun and try and calm down.]

Comments

[Audio]

[original_is_best]

Never forget that we have been in jail since we arrived. On occasion the walls are just slightly narrower...

[callmegladio]

Yeah, I agree. Can't leave our bubble? Sounds like a prison to me.

[text]

[pinkmin]

I went back home and died again, to answer one of your questions.

[callmegladio]

Oh sweetheart, I'm sorry. That... that should never have happened.

Threadjacking with permission!

[runs_on_batteries]

[The text back has been set to private]

Again? That's terrible. Here I thought it was bad enough knowing when I return home I'll die. How is it that you've died twice?

[video]

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn pressed a hand to his eyes, choosing his words very carefully as he spoke. It wasn't anger straining his voice, but definitely a tone of stern disappointment.]

Did you then also stop to think that perhaps this realm's natives know little more than us? It's been clear enough to me that the populace didn't expect our arrivals, and I have noticed nothing indicating that to have been some elaborate deception.

I'll confess myself biased in the respect that coming here has only been beneficial to me. For you and others less inclined to go along with such a situation, I do have little else but sympathy. But you can't just go around demanding answers that others likely don't even have. Did it not once even occur to you that the answers you seek are not being concealed, but instead simply do not yet exist?

Consider it this way--in antiquity, were the people of the coastal villages blamed when an ocean wind brought storm and ruin to the land? Of course not--we sought to placate the Hydraean or the Fulgurian. We of all people should understand what it is to be held to the ever-changing whims of the unreachable divine, and I for one fail to see anything unbelievable about such a concept.

You are not wrong to feel frustration. But you are acting on it in entirely the wrong ways, and casting suspicion where we have no reason to cast it at present.

[callmegladio]

[The video feed just shows the sky. Gladio has his phone in the grass beside him, he's not bothered to pick it up as he listens and then, after a pause to gather his thoughts, he replies.]

Point one. What are they keeping so hidden and secret if they don't know anything? What're they hiding from us? Why the hell can't we demand answers after most of you guys have been here for a year or two? I think it's about time someone demanded answers.

Point two. This isn't antiquity. I'm not about to bow down and placate a god because I know what it's like. I'm tired of being subject to their whims.

Point three. I don't blame the natives. Most of them, at least. I think there's some that know more than they're letting on. I'm suspicious, and you should be too. I don't get why you're acceptin this, Ardyn. Why you're not saying "hold up, just what's in that second research tower that's so secret?". You're not curious?

Maybe we could have gone about it another way. But asking would have gotten nowhere.

[runs_on_batteries]

Damn you're sexy when you get mad.

[callmegladio]

Heh, you dork.

But I'm not mad. Just tired.

[Video]

[firstbump]

[[ Ardbert is frowning deeply. ]]

You do realize that if there was any chance of you being correct, their best move now would be to kill us all and start over, aye?

But I know they won't, because you're wrong.

You never bothered to ask me or anyone else I've seen about the information we already knew. You never tried to talk to them, either. I know this because your words show you know nothing about these people.

They are kind. They are good. They've forgotten what it's been like to live and breathe and eat. And until now, they've forgotten what violence was.

But now you've reminded them. To a people so unfashioned to violence, this was akin to a murder in broad daylight, and they reacted in kind to protect those they love and knowledge that might be their only chance at saving their world.

Not that it might save them or us now, so thoroughly you've damaged the trust and love we needed to survive.

How can your heart be so closed and so tainted with suspicion that you can't see the truth right in front of your face? That you resort to violence before anything else? What in the seven hells is wrong with you?

[Audio]

[original_is_best]

[Since he offered, Verstael's question was simple and calm.]

Where is Rin?

[Text]

[callmegladio]

what violence? no one was hurt. nothing destroyed. so what violence?

video

[iustaegis]

Gladio...

[ He sounds frustrated. Sad. Angry, and it's clear that he wants answers-- answers that their hosts will not give them. It's a complicated, delicate subject, and one that she can't readily give answers either to, too, let alone debate at the moment. ]

Will you stop engaging in contact, then?

[callmegladio]

... Is that what you took from this, Pyra?

[He is. He's all of those things and so much more. But mostly he was tired.]

I'm not changing who I am.

[video]

[unnecessaryflourishes]

Do you think that we have not been asking questions? That we had simply blindly accepted what we had been told? Or had you simply come to assume that because you could not see that which had been learned that it was of no importance? That we had become lazy and complacent; blithely accepted that which we had been given? That which we may not truly enjoy?

[A pause, both to let the barrage of questions sink in and to give Emet a moment to reign his emotions in, somewhat.]

We are none of us here of our own accord. But to jeopardize what little good-will may have existed between we who have been called to this world by forces we do not understand and may never understand is folly. To then claim that you have "destroyed nothing" is a gross misrepresentation of the truth. You may not have destroyed buildings, it is true. But you have shattered the natives' trust in we who are as guests in this world. Destroyed what little progress has been made in earning that trust. And for what? For curiosity? Impatience?

If there are answers you seek, seek them out through other means.

Re: [video]

[runs_on_batteries]

Yes. That's exactly what I think because that's what I've been told by a number of people. I've been told people haven't done anything including from your own household. If you had anything useful to share why wouldn't it have been in that information packet that Era created for us or shared in the information center with Verstael?

This is exactly your problem, Emet. You don't listen. Gladio told you what the reason was and your ego was talking so loud you couldn't hear it. We had legitimate reasons to be concerned for the safety and well-being of people who had disappeared from here. We were seeking out answers but we were also making certain no one has been trapped in those towers like those animals we've captured for them.

video

[stardiving]

[Estinien is entirely impassive as he responds, with his hand folded under his chin. Almost like he is 'rolling over and accepting it', which couldn't be farther from the truth. He's not best pleased to be here, but it's what is happening, and he knows where his strengths lie. They're not in diplomacy or discovery--he's well and accepted that.]

Say, then, that you and yours found some gruesome, horrific truth in your mission. What would you have done then?

[Audio]

[original_is_best]

It would seem that if we found such a scene we would have to attempt to rectify it.

If we were unable, one of us would need to survive in order to inform the public.

video

[sweetlies]

Are you, all of you, completely out of your mind? Blissfully ignorant? Trusting without question? How utterly pretentious of you to take action for all of us!

Allow me to point out that they have no reliable methods of producing food as most of us know it and don't breed animals for meat as it's difficult enough to feed them for preservation, let alone food stock. Especially when they had no need of it prior to our arrival.

And never once have I been forced into physical contact but the harmless incidents when the gods magic has gone out of control.

We've gotten information before, documented it, shared it. With each other and with them. They've been, until now thank you, been delighted and curious by our being here. We had members of our community become rather highly regarded by them in fact.

You haven't had the opportunity, but I had a chance to speak with Magolor a few times and he was considered an ambassador between us and the natives, given access to areas not normally allowed us. And do you know why?

Because he was curious but not daft. He earned their trust and that access while you forced it as if it were you're right. We are guests here.

Maybe we didn't sign up to be here but we are here and we're alive. And this world is gradually recovering. The natives went above and beyond what was necessary at times to ensure our comfort. And you've gone and shat on that progress.

Private, voice

[dontcallmebro]

[Someone else sounds very tired when he responds, although he tries to sound calm and casual.]

I don't think most of them are gonna come around that quickly - it's a pretty damn shocking thing to hear after everything has been going so smoothly for months. Well, apparently, anyway. [Maybe because he expected this sort of backlash. Probably from experience - it wasn't as if Avalanche's efforts were well-received by the general population back home.]

We did take a big risk going in there. Not just getting caught.

[callmegladio]

I don't think any of them will come around, Cloud. We've shaken up their peaceful world.

[His words come a little muffled at first with Gladio scrubbing his hands over his face, then he sighs and drops them. His phone is still at his side, he'd not picked it up, he didn't need to to talk to Cloud.]

It's all a mess.

Video.

[hot_handed]

YEAH, YEAH WE GET IT ALREADY. [Katsuki rolls his eyes.] The gods suck and natives suck and people are pissed. Who said anyone was rolling over and accepting shit? I ain't a fucking dog.

You can do what you want, but your method's fucking stupid and mine is better. Keep 'em distracted for me since that's what you and the other idiots are good at.

Switched to private

[runs_on_batteries]

[Katsuki would be able to see Tony come over and swipe Gladio's phone before switching the feed to private.]

I'll give it back if you really want to talk to biker guy.

[He grinned teasingly between the two of them before Gladio rolled his eyes.]

Anyway, 'who said anyone was rolling over and accepting shit'? Are you listening to these people? I know you're smarter than that, but you need to be listening to this. This is how really bad things are allowed to happen in the world because good people get too comfy and don't ask questions. Upsetting the peace and quiet over the potential safety of those who may be getting hurt takes priority. This has happened throughout history, so pay attention to it.

I still want you to help us, Kit Kat. Especially with everyone giving us shit right now. I want you to tell us off and act like you're distancing yourself from us, me especially, okay? But don't really. I'm always going to be here for you if you need me and this is just for a little while okay? I don't want you getting hurt because of what we did.

It was the right thing to do and I don't really give a shit what anyone is whining about now. We can take it, so don't overreact to it. Tell Ashido too, okay? She's important to me too.

[Video]

[connectsthedots]

[A well-dressed (if markedly old fashioned) woman appears on the screen, hands folded in her lap. Gladio might recognize her as the self-proclaimed reporter who had stopped by the jail.]

Were I one of the first to react here, I’d point out that talking down to and being so judgmental of the rest of us was quite rude and would likely only stir things up further… but, well, the comments here already prove that point. I’m afraid you must lie in the bed you make in that regard.

That said, though, I’m not here to further condemn you. I must agree their overall behavior and lack of transparency with us is highly suspicious and has been since the beginning. Though your tactics may have been a bit extreme, I can also see the logic. It is just a pity you were not more, ah, subtle. [read: too bad you dummies got caught.]

[Audio]

[original_is_best]

I'm afraid it will be quite difficult to be. The area we entered raises alarms should any organic life move about inside of it.

And that alarm was set before any had ever given them reason for doubt. It would seem that despite two years of peace they set snares for us regardless. I suppose I must commend them for their foresight, but it doesn't bode well for us that they would take such efforts. Moving forward we shall be aware that they are on guard for any lifeforms.

video; private

[menaretrash]

[ Ann's making damn sure to use the private function on her device to reply to Gladio -- this isn't about cats or anything fun, after all. And as much as she loves Seto, she doesn't want any interruptions right now. ]

How can I help? What do you need me to do? You should have said something, you know. I'd have been glad to come with you and help.

[callmegladio]

Wasn't for me to say anythin, kiddo. I was just along for the ride.

[Gladio looks very tired when he replies to Ann, but he manages a smile for her. He's grateful.]

I'm sorry about this. Just needed to vent. This whole thing's gotten outta hand.

[text] walks in late with no starbux

[daikonrose]

[ Normally, hearing all those sentiments from someone else would get Kyoko fired up, ready to rant and vent her frustrations loudly enough to make up for all the times she's bitten her tongue. But, well. She's kinda in the middle of some stuff.

Still, even if all she can drum up is a few short words in the middle of the night, hours after all the arguments she skimmed through were done, she does want to say something. ]

"We haven't all rolled over and accepted it"... is what I would say, but I think it would ring pretty hollow at this point.

[callmegladio]

sorry, kiddo. i lost my temper. I didn't mean that.