A LAWFUL WASTELAND
Dec. 8th, 2022 04:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
counterattack[ it's December 8. Law turns 18 today. at this point, he's been living in Copalli for over a year. during the final relic fiasco, he achieved trance within about five seconds (because it's basically overlimit) and faced Tiamat in her castle because he had a score to settle with dragons (dragons, wyverns, same shit) and had enough taking shit from these mother fucking guardians in this mother fucking jungle. it was epic.
anyway, it's a few months later and Law lives in Tikal again, down at the bottom of the crater. they've built bridges and pulleys aboveground, as well as created a system to keep the crater from filling with water when it rains. although most of his farm was lost during Tikal's fall, he's rebuilt it bigger and better than ever and repopulated it with even more chickens, hogs, cows and even a few semi-domesticated mist monsters. there's also proper crops, probably due in part to at least one friend or another planting on the huge expanse of land he's set up there. he also rebuilt the inn that collapsed on top of him back then, and this time it's actually finished. he got a local business manager to help run the place and they export animal products and crops all over Copalli. the inn is booming. it's great.
all is well.
except now it's his birthday and Law is just trying to go about his business like he doesn't know that, strapping on his fancy wolf gauntlets and shouldering a big pack of supplies to go make some delivery trips to the other cities. nothin' to see here, not ya lil dude all growed up, a solid 5'9" (and a half) with some cool tribal tats done over his wyvern scars and something of a more mature countenance, buuuuuttt still the dweebo dorkus doofus meathead he's always been.
ANYWAY, THIS IS #LATERGRAM INCENSEDVERSE. medallion him, meet him at any of the cities, fight monsters together on the road, pretend there was a party planned that he's trying to sneak out of showing up to, WHATEVER WORKS. ]
anyway, it's a few months later and Law lives in Tikal again, down at the bottom of the crater. they've built bridges and pulleys aboveground, as well as created a system to keep the crater from filling with water when it rains. although most of his farm was lost during Tikal's fall, he's rebuilt it bigger and better than ever and repopulated it with even more chickens, hogs, cows and even a few semi-domesticated mist monsters. there's also proper crops, probably due in part to at least one friend or another planting on the huge expanse of land he's set up there. he also rebuilt the inn that collapsed on top of him back then, and this time it's actually finished. he got a local business manager to help run the place and they export animal products and crops all over Copalli. the inn is booming. it's great.
all is well.
except now it's his birthday and Law is just trying to go about his business like he doesn't know that, strapping on his fancy wolf gauntlets and shouldering a big pack of supplies to go make some delivery trips to the other cities. nothin' to see here, not ya lil dude all growed up, a solid 5'9" (and a half) with some cool tribal tats done over his wyvern scars and something of a more mature countenance, buuuuuttt still the dweebo dorkus doofus meathead he's always been.
ANYWAY, THIS IS #LATERGRAM INCENSEDVERSE. medallion him, meet him at any of the cities, fight monsters together on the road, pretend there was a party planned that he's trying to sneak out of showing up to, WHATEVER WORKS. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-19 04:18 am (UTC)[ Now now, none of that. Law immediately rethinks that thought and shakes his head as if to say, forget it. It's easy to say, considering what happened, but who knows how things would've turned out, in the end? He just got finished saying that Dahnans don't live very long, and Zephyr was already pushing toward 50. That's a pretty big deal for a slave, never mind a resistance fighter. Either way, you're lucky not to keel over or be gunned down before you're old enough to have a family of your own. There's a more or less unconfirmed theory that the Renans leave certain people alone long enough to let them breed just so that they don't ever, y'know, run out of Dahnans to subjugate, but once you're past your "prime"? Forget it.
Still, it's hard not to still think about even after all this time, knowing just how safe he would've been with Alphen and the others. He would've been fine. Probably. ]
My mom was strong, too. Stronger even than my dad, sometimes, I think. But they wanted me born free, so she... did what she had to do, I guess. I dunno if there were any guarantees on me taking over the Crows after my dad... it just would've gone to whoever was best fit to lead. I'm not really sure I'm leader material, honestly.
[ He's ideal leader material, he just has growing up to do. He's only eighteen, after all. And aren't the best leaders the ones who don't go around saying what great leaders they are? Eh. Whatever. ]
I think... they wanted me to be free to walk my own path, whatever it is. That's what everyone should be allowed to do. Choose their own fate and face it head-on.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-19 08:40 pm (UTC)[ Nobody should be beholden to some bullshit prophecy or be saddled with a burden before they were even born. His thoughts drift to Noctis for a moment, along with every time someone had spouted something about the Chosen King. Gladio was content with his own as a Shield no matter what road it brought him down, but there were some things he couldn't accept. Things he didn't want to accept. For years he'd imagine how life was going to be like under Noct - he'd take over the Crownsguard one day, that was a given. Maybe he'd settle down and get married too, just like his old man. Kids? It's an idea, but there probably wouldn't be any real "need" to now that...
No.
One of his ears flicks in irritation and there's a few choice words poised to fly from his tongue but if his time in this world has taught him anything? If his time with Law has? Then he needs to take a breath and re-ground himself. Prophecy or not, they should all be allowed to choose. That's why... ]
So... If being their leader isn't on your path — which, I think you'd be a damn good one for what it's worth — what would you wanna do once everything was settled? Here, back home... Hell, assuming you had the power to snap your fingers and get whatever the hell you wanted, what would it be? No limits. What would you want waiting for you on whatever road you took?
[ What would you carve out with the tools your parents gave you? ]
I mean... Did your parents ever envision anything for you that you liked the idea of? For instance, uh. My mom, she'd...
[ He can't remember the last time he ever spoke to anyone about his mother. You know, obviously outside of his immediate family like Iris, his dad, and the Hesters. He'd never even told Law about her and the realization makes his mouth go dry. Gladio shakes his head and lightly nudges Law's shoulder with his own, laughing softly. ]
You first.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-19 10:31 pm (UTC)[ He's just not sure where he belongs. It didn't really feel like home, being back in Ulzebek. They didn't all exactly welcome him with open arms, either. Not to say that he didn't feel welcome, but—it just didn't feel the way he thought it would. It was no "Simba coming back to claim Pride Rock," that's for sure. There's nowhere for him in Cyslodia, either. It's easy to envision what he thinks he could do with his life: fight. Help others. But it doesn't feel like an answer, at least not when he thinks about Dohalim and his vow to return to Lenegis, or Rinwell and her mission to uncover Dahna's lost history. Shionne and Alphen have a future they want to realize together, and Kisara's always had a backup plan or two or ten. Where does that leave him?
Brows drawn together, the best he can come up with after a long moment of searching for an answer is that maybe he'd be some kind of bounty hunter or mercenary. Nothing wrong with that, right? He glances up as Gladio prompts him further, interested, sort of hopeful for that way out of the subject, but when the ball winds back in his court again, Law goes right back to searching for an answer. ]
Well... haha.
[ There's only one thing he can think of there, and as soon as it comes to him, he—laughs, sort of. He's not really the crying sort, but the instant pang he feels is almost enough to push him there, his voice a little tight. ]
Most of the time, all we ever talked about was the fight. The liberation of Dahna. Finding a common ground with the Renans so we could achieve peace. That was the big ideal in our house... an end to the bloodshed. And I mean, yeah, that's what I want. Of course that's what I want. That's what I've been fighting for all this time. But I was kinda—I used to really fixate on the part where they'd say that once the fighting was over, then we'd all be together all the time. We could go out without risking our lives, I could have friends, we'd see other realms, try new things... we'd do everything. T-Together. Like a real family. I know that's not possible now, but... that's still the future I want to live in. I just don't want to be left behind again.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-19 11:23 pm (UTC)His fingers squeeze and Gladio tilts his head to drop it atop Law's. It's not the most comfortable angle but... It's contact. Contact they both probably need more than either is willing to admit. ]
You won't be. If something ever makes you leave, you're gonna drag your old man back with you by the scruff and demand whatever gods exist that he stays with you as he is. If they say no, then... Well, you just do what we did to some of ours. Make them agree. You're right in that it wouldn't be the same, but... You could show him at least. Show him 'n carry her memory with you guys. Hell, ten gil says I could bully the rest of the guys into coming with.
[ Dahna wouldn't be the Eos they knew and loved but anything beats the future that awaits them, right? ]
'n I wanna meet her too. Tell her all sorts of embarrassing stories so she'll have something to tease you about in the future.
[ The far, far, far future if Gladio has anything to say about it. ]