[PROMPTO] ☠ the times they are a changin' | for carbungle

[real_life_rpg]

From his first memory until the age of ten, Prompto had had a happy childhood. He had lived in Gralea with his mother. She was a scientist for the Empire so she worked a lot, but she always made an effort to make Prompto feel loved and special. Of course, a lot of that love was shown in the form of junk food and sweets so Prompto had been a plump young thing. His life drastically changed not long after his tenth birthday after his mother died during a freak accident at the research facility. Afterwards, he was sent to live with his father Verstael Besithia - the Empire's Imperial Research Minister. That happiness and warmth he had known in his life were gone. His father was constantly cold towards him. Had the poor boy put on a strict diet and exercise regime.

The only time Verstael ever showed any sign of warmth was when he was showing off his research and projects to Prompto - something the boy had little interest in, which only served to build more barriers between them. The Empire's Magitek army freaked him out. It made him uncomfortable that the clones being used looked just like him. The whole thing made his skin crawl. And don't even get him started on the Chancellor. He just creeps Prompto out.

The two constants in his life, however, is firstly the knowledge that the Kingdom of Lucis is the enemy. He's heard stories all his life about how the Lucians were evil monsters, set to destroy the world, and that Prince Noctis would one day seal the fate of man and purge them from Eos. He had no reason to believe it wasn't the truth. Why would the Empire lie? Secondly, his secret friendship with Lady Lunafreya - their letters sent back and forth via Pryna. Luna, however, always spoke so fondly of Noctis in her letters

When news of the upcoming peace treaty broke, Prompto was so excited. Finally, the world would know peace. He was also exicted that he would be attending the signing in Insomnia. He would get to see the city he had heard so much about, in person. He would get to see the crystal. He would get to see Luna in person. He couldn't be happier.

The day before the signing, King Regis held a gala to welcome the Empire to Insomnia. Somehow during the course of the evening Prompto found himself talking to King Regis. The man was king of an entire kingdom and yet he made time to speak with a nobody like Prompto. Funny, in those few moments Prompto felt more warmth and kindness than he had ever felt from his own father. Either the stories about Regis were greatly exaggerated or he was an evil mastermind who could fool people with facades of kindness.

All too soon it was time to retire for the night. Prompto was still munching on the delicious snacks as he made it back to the guest suite he was sharing with his father. Verstael shot him the most disgusted of looks as he entered. "Boy, do stop filling your face. You're a disgrace. Don't you remember what a vile creature you were?"

Prompto's heart instantly sank and he disposed of the rest of the snacks in the trash, which seemed such a shame given how nice they were. "Sorry Dad." It was then that Prompto noticed Verstael wasn't alone and that Ardyn was also in the room. Prompto excused himself to the en suite to ready himself for sleep. From the bathroom he overheard Ardyn and Verstael talking about increasing the production of the Magitek army. Wait... increase? That couldn't be right, surely? But he had heard correctly, they were talking about increasing the output of troopers tenfold.

He waited until he heard Ardyn leave before he left the bathroom. "Hey Dad? If we're signing a peace treaty... why do we need more MTs? Surely if there's peace we won't need them?"

"Foolish boy. There will be no peace as long as the false king sits the throne and has the Crystal. Do not involve yourself in matters you do not understand." Verstael stormed off to bed, leaving Prompto alone with his thoughts.

No peace? His mind drifted then to just how many MTs the Empire had brought with them. Surely a few to guard the Emperor was normal, but they had brought ships full of them, hovering just outside Insomnia... His father's words replayed over and over in his head - no peace as long as Regis sits the throne and has the Crystal... Crap... This... wasn't a peace treaty at all. It was an ambush.

His ruffled his hands through his hair, tugging at it with frustration. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He couldn't just rest knowing this whole thing was likely a set-up. He felt sick to his stomach. He couldn't exactly just march up to the King and tell him. One, he'd never get close enough with MTs stalking his every move outside of the suite, not to mention the King's own security. Two, even if he could get close, why would the King even believe him?

Think, Prompto. Think. The Prince had already left for Altissia. He remembered the King saying so earlier in the evening. But maybe... maybe... Prompto knew Noctis and Luna communicated via Umbra the same way he and Luna communicated via Pryna. Maybe there was a slight chance he could get a message to Noctis the same way. He didn't even know if it would work or if Noctis would even believe him but he had to try. Sure enough, Pryna was right there waiting for him. He grabbed some paper and wrote a simple note.

' Treaty a trap. King and Crystal in danger. '

He didn't sign it. He doubted it would be intercepted, but just in case... He pet Pryna as he gave her the note. "Please, girl. Deliver this to Prince Noctis..."

Prompto wasn't sure what else he could do but wait. Sleep didn't come easy. The day of the signing arrived and he could only hope Noctis had received his warning. Still, the uncertainty had his stomach in knots. He could barely concentrate, so tense about what could happen.

All too soon all hell broke out in the signing room. Both sides drew their weapons. Without even thinking, Prompto positioned himself in front of the King, his gun pointed at the Empire. "Stop this!! What happened to peace?!"

"Stand aside, boy. This does not concern you." His father's words dripped with loathing. How could Prompto have been so blind not to see the Empire were the monsters all along?

What happened next was a blur. Battle rang out through the room. Explosions elsewhere in the Citadel as the Empire targetted the Crystal. Prompto wasn't sure how, but somehow he found himself at the end of a corridor, beneath a stairwell, covered in blood and cradling a fatally wounded King Regis against his lap. The stench of death, blood and metal filled the air. His once white robes were stained various shades of red and brown. He torn off some of the material to try to stanch the worst of the King's bleeding. Luckily the corridor provided cover on three sides, there was only one direction any danger could come from so Prom was sure to keep it covered with his gun, even as he tried to help the King. He had suffered his own injuries too. Most notably, his shoulder which had been shattered by a gunshot. The bullet still inside. Luckily, adrenaline was keeping the pain at bay for now.

He idly wondered if Noctis had received his note? Maybe Pryna hadn't made it in time... Maybe Noctis just didn't believe him. Either way, Prom wasn't sure what to do now. He didn't want to risk moving Regis and he didn't want to leave him to try and find help in case he was attacked or simply died alone in a freaking corridor. For now, Prom was firmly froze in fear, doing all he could to keep the other man alive.

Comments

[carbungle]

Noctis made an affirming noise at the chocobo spiel, pocketing his wallet. (Chocobos were absolutely the best, and curiously enough, this brought some much-needed context for the inexplicable charm that always hung from Cor's sword, in retrospect, since he never seemed to carry much fondness or affinity for the birds himself.) He made a mental note to take out the map once they finished with the important stuff; it might cheer Prompto up to know just how close they were to the chocobo farm, though they have some work to do before they can venture that far. Gotta work before they can play.

At Prompto's question, he sat quietly for a moment, mulling it over. Where to even begin. He wanted to know everything, but was it better to wait for the others so Prompto doesn't have to relive it more than once? He looked really badly affected by what went down, more than Noctis expected, considering it wasn't even his country on fire. If it was that bad, though, Noctis could always pass the story along to the others, and they could question him as needed. Might be better not to overwhelm him. They'd sort of developed a rapport on the back of the truck, something Noctis had found as unexpected as it was kind of... awesome? It was incredibly rare that he found anyone who fought well at his side, something that had taken he, Ignis, and Gladio years to perfect. With Prompto it had come about weirdly naturally. He wanted to see if it was a fluke or not, and that meant giving Prompto fewer reasons to up and vanish on them- or switch sides back to Niflheim, if the opportunity arose.

That was ultimately what sealed it for him. This was a conversation for the two of them, not the others. They could figure the rest out later. "Um... I guess first of all, who are you? Why were you in Insomnia? I know your name, but Luna didn't give me a lot of details, just that you two were friends kinda like her and me." He waited a beat, and then added, "Also... I want to hear what you know about Luna."

He'd been told she would be in Altissia. He'd wanted her far away and safe. But he couldn't keep ignoring that niggling little feeling in the back of his mind, that he was missing something crucial. Prompto had hoped she was safe... if she'd gone to Altissia, why would he say that?

[real_life_rpg]

"I..." Prompto found he was struggling with the words. The others already knew he was a Niff and had accepted him into their rag-tag group of runaways. But to actually say out loud who he was? What if Noctis decided that was a step too far and left him here alone? Or worse, took his blade and stabbed it right through Prompto's heart.

"The name I go by is Prompto Argentum. But that's because I go by my mom's name. My real name is Prompto Besithia." He gave Noctis a moment for that to sink in. He couldn't lift his eyes to meet Noctis'. He couldn't bear to see what hate might be there.

Instead, he sank in on himself more, hugging his plush tighter. "Yeah, that Besithia. My dad is Verstael Besithia, the Imperial Research Minister. Or the Mad Scientist. Both are accurate."

Why was it so hard to speak? They were outside but Prompto felt like there were walls closing in around him. It was hard to breathe. "I've lived with him in Niflheim. At the First Magitek Production Facility. As you can probably guess from the name, it's where most of the MTs are created. Hundreds of them... thousands..."

He pushed his glasses up his face so he could wipe away the tears that were welling in his eyes.

"I came to Insomnia with him for the signing. I didn't know it was all a lie until the night before, I swear! I really thought it was a real thing. It wasn't until I overheard Dad and the Chancellor talking about increasing the production of the MTs that I even began to suspect anything. I wrote the note as soon as I had doubts. Honest, Noct. I... I didn't know it was all a sham."

More tears rolled down his cheeks. Big, fat drops, plopping onto his lap. "The Empire decided that Luna would come to Insomnia too. They sent troops to get her. But... I didn't see her. Not that night. Not at the signing. I don't know if they didn't make it to Insomnia or if the plans changed or if she just wasn't in the treaty room. That's why... that's why I hope she's safe. She has to be safe. Right?"

[carbungle]

Noctis was quiet for a while after Prompto finished speaking, his expression unreadable as he mulled over the half-dozen bombshells just dropped on him. Prompto Besithia, son of the man who made the MTs currently destroying his home. The fact that they were planning to make more, despite the treaty meant to end the war, despite Insomnia being the last hurdle to overcome before they controlled the entire world and all opposition was defeated. The fact that Luna was meant to be in Insomnia, not Altissia, and everything he'd been told about the wedding had been nothing but a lie.

On top of all of that, Prompto called him Noct. The familiarity of it made something in his chest twinge, like it felt wrong and right at the same time.

The silence lasted almost too long, broken only by the sound of Prompto crying, before finally he exhaled through his nose and buried his face in his hands, elbows on the table to hold him upright. He stayed like that for another handful of moments, too. Fuck. Fuck. Everything was real bad, wasn't it.

"I don't... know," he finally whispered, his voice muffled by his hands. "I hope so."

He had almost lost his father today. He didn't know what he would do if he lost Luna instead. He hadn't even made it to Galdin, for Astrals' sake. He was supposed to get married, it was all supposed to be over. Instead it was like the whole world was falling apart.

Carefully he lowered his hands again, his gaze fixed on the table. He kind of wished he could cry the way Prompto was, but mostly he just felt numb, overwhelmed and trying not to drown in it all. He was the prince. He had to stay strong, had to step up and lead the way his father would, if he were awake and healthy enough to do so. Everyone would be counting on him, going forward. He reached into his pocket, suddenly remembering it, and gazed down at the ring of the Lucii in his palm. It felt... wrong, holding it. His dad was still alive, it shouldn't be his. He could feel the magic pulling at him nonetheless, frightening and ancient and immensely powerful. Put it on, it seemed to whisper.

Instead he put it back into his pocket and stood up, beginning to pace from one side of the table to the other, suddenly unable to sit still despite his exhaustion. "If Luna's okay, she'll send Umbra soon. We'll have to believe in that until we know more." The thought of Luna dying, or the thought of them being in the same city and having to unknowingly abandon her... both options would leave him frozen, unable to move forward. His only choice was to deny the possibility. Wherever she was, she'd be safe for tonight. Gods, he hoped she was safe.

[real_life_rpg]

Prompto braced himself for the attack that never came. He had told Noctis who he was and he was still breathing. It would take a while to decide if that was a blessing or a curse. After all, the future was looking rather bleak for all of them.

And it was all just beginning. Who knew where it would all end.

He wiped his eyes on his plush and adjusted his glasses. "Here's hoping the fluffball turns up soon. I just hope wherever Luna is that she's safe and she knows we're thinking about her."

Prompto fell into an uncomfortable silence then, holding out his hands to stare at them. They were clean but he could still see and feel the blood. "Did you know... today is the first time I've ever fired a gun at a living person, before? First time I've ever killed someone."

His stomach twisted at the thought of the Glaive he had shot in the head. At the others he had killed along the way. MTs were different. Not that he had enjoyed killing them either. He had just done what he needed to do.

The more he looked at his hands, the more he thought back to the Citadel. The noise, the blood, the smell. Within seconds he was out of his seat and to the side of the caravan to puke up his guts, retching until all he could do was dry heave.

[carbungle]

Noctis winced, pausing in his pacing, taking one step closer- then one back- then stood there awkwardly as Prompto threw up, unsure what to do. Before too long he turned and jogged up the steps into the caravan, disappearing for a minute. When he returned, he crouched down next to Prompto, wrinkling his nose and giving him an awkward pat on the back, offering a wet cloth out to him as he finished purging whatever was left in his stomach.

"I get it," he said quietly. He'd been mostly sheltered from the war all of his life, but he was no stranger to the gruesome nature of life, death, and the fine line between that one rode while in real combat. You didn't learn that sort of thing in training. He'd gotten disturbingly used to seeing blood and gore at a young age, watched Crownsguards shield him with their bodies, watched the people of Tenebrae burn and die to protect him and his father. He'd seen his people bleed for him, he'd endured an assassination attempt here and there, and some of the blood he'd washed off his hands earlier hadn't been from his father but instead the soldiers he'd killed on the way in. They weren't all MTs. "People used to tell me that the first one's always hard. I kinda think they all are."

Some targets were easier than others, admittedly. Violently defending himself against an insurgent Lucian trying to knock the royals down a peg was harder than killing an enemy soldier, but they were all still human lives. He wasn't proud to have killed anyone.

"For what it's worth... thanks, for doing that to help us. I'm sorry it ended up like that." Traitors or no, they were his father's Glaives, which made his family at least partially responsible for the blood on Prompto's hands. However they failed the Kingsglaive to make them bite the hand that fed them, it was worth considering... and apologizing for.

[real_life_rpg]

Considering Prompto had spent his life in the middle of the Empire, he had been ridiculously sheltered from all things death and war. He had been safely tucked up at home when his mother perished. Hell, the poor kid hadn't even known she was dead for the first few days. He'd just assumed she was away working as she often was.

The only reason he knew how to use various types of guns was that he had taught himself just to relieve boredom at the facility. There were always weapons hanging around waiting to arm the MTs and the Troopers. He just decided one day to learn how to use them. Almost dislocated his shoulder the first time he fired one.

Still, it had proved an invaluable skill today. He had killed. But he had also helped to save the King. To get both Noctis and Regis out of Insomnia in one piece. That was what he had to focus on. It was hard though. His mind kept repeating the events of the day over and over like a looped recording.

He took the offered washcloth and wiped his face. He muttered an apology while gesturing in the general vom vicinity. At least he had moved away from the seating area before blowing chunks.

Once he looked almost presentable, he chanced a look at Noctis. "I told you back on the truck, 'I got your back'. I meant it." He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not a soldier. I'm nothing really. But I'm with you. If you'll have me."

[carbungle]

I'm with you.

One would think that three small words meant very little, in the grand scheme of things. The Kingsglaive had all sorts of fancy pledges and vows, had bowed and politely obeyed orders around him for as long as he could remember. Growing up in the Citadel, he got used to being bowed to, and though it irritated him, that was the sort of "normal" he could expect, as the prince of Lucis. Being set up on a pedestal like that meant no real friendships could be forged, both inside and outside of the Citadel, aside from Ignis and Gladio. No family, besides the close-knit circle of his father and his Shield's relatives. (That made him think of Iris- he hoped Gladio managed to contact her somehow, and that she got out of the city safely.) He'd had too many lonely or miserable days surrounded by people who only viewed him as a royal or the Chosen of the Six not to recognize when someone was different.

Most people would find the informality appalling. Prompto would have been scolded for calling him anything but 'Highness', had he gone through the formal guard training, would have written him up for failing to bow or kneel when appropriate. Instead there was barely an ounce of respect in him, talking to Noctis like he wasn't a prince more often than not. Treating him like... an actual person. It stood out to Noctis immediately, though the nickname annoyed him a little. Most people didn't get away with that; not even his father or Luna called him Noct. It was pretty much just Ignis and Gladio, though it occurred to him that it was weird he hadn't corrected Prompto's assumption, either. Huh.

Against all odds, Noctis found himself smiling a little, finding Prompto's enthusiasm infectuous. He stretched a hand out, fingers closed into an offered fist. "In that case... welcome to the Crownsguard, Prompto Argentum." He intentionally picked that name- not because it was a convenient and safer alias, though it was. Not because he didn't want to think of Prompto as someone associated with the MTs, though he didn't. It was the name Prompto offered first, and the one he'd chosen for himself. That was good enough for Noctis, and better than whatever the world thought of as "real".

Ignis and Gladio were so going to yell at him later, but screw it. He had a good feeling about this, and after the hellish day they'd all had, he wanted to hold on to that positivity as long as he could. If this bit him in the ass later, he'd deal with the consequences, but somehow he doubted it'd be the kind of problem the others might expect.

[real_life_rpg]

To his credit, Prompto had called Noctis 'your Highness' the first few times he addressed him. That quickly gave way to 'Prince Noctis', then to 'Noctis' and finally the odd 'Noct'. It hadn't even been a conscious decision, either. It just... happened.

Prompto had never had a friend before. But back on the truck, in the heat of battle, he and Noctis just clicked. It felt like he had known him forever. That said, he wasn't foolish enough to believe that they were friends. Noctis was still the Prince of Lucis, after all. And Prom... well, he was just Prompto.

A shocked sound escaped him as Noctis welcomed him to the Crownsguard. Him? Prompto? A Niff? At first he was sure he had imagined it. But there was Noct, fist out, waiting. Wait... fist? That... that wasn't a handshake. That was..! Oh right! A smile crept onto Prompto's face as he bumped his fist against Noctis'.

Ignis had been on his way to the caravan when he stopped to observe the sight ahead. Prompto, dressed in Noctis' clothes. Wearing glasses. Looking far from a Niflheim enemy and more like a scared child. He couldn't remember the last time - if ever - he had seen Noctis so unguarded.

Noct had always been such a lonely child. Shy and withdrawn after the Marilith attack. Seeming aloof and standoffish in later years.

He had never really connected with his peers. Every day Ignis would pick him up hoping that he would have news of a new friend, to want to invite them over for video games or a meal. That never happened.

It was the fact that he knew Noctis was so lonely and withdrawn that he often let things slide, like a less than clean apartment or unfinished homework. The reason he often turned a blind eye to Noctis sleeping in or napping - unless there were important meetings or training, in which case Ignis had to be firm. He was sure sleeping was Noctis' coping strategy for a lot of things - lingering pain from the attack, loneliness, the weight of royal duty, depression.

If he removed all the external factors - that Insomnia had been attacked, that Prompto was a Niff, that the world was going to hell around them - and just focused on the two young men in front of him, then he could almost picture the friendship. However he couldn't just ignore the facts, it would go against every fibre of his being, against his every duty to Noctis.

He had to remain vigilant. To remain wary of this newcomer to their group. He adjusted his glasses and made his way over to the caravan.

"Gentleman. Gladio and the Marshal shall take first watch. I suggest the rest of us get some sleep while we can. But first, do bring me your soiled clothing so I can try to save it from staining."

Prompto almost jumped away from Noctis. He had forgotten that the Big Guy and Tall, Suave and Terrifying were there too. "Sir, yes sir!"

[carbungle]

"Hey, Specs." Noctis had to fight back a grin at Prompto's reaction to Ignis as he straightened back to his feet, moving towards the caravan to fetch the laundry. He should feel bad for it, but it was probably on the safer side to let Prompto be at least a little scared of his retainers for a while. Just in case. It wasn't as if things were going to get any better for a while, and it was hard to completely trust the vocalized loyalty of someone who had literally turned against their country that very afternoon, even if it was to their benefit. There was having faith in people, and there was being an idiot. They couldn't afford to take every risk when things were so precarious as is.

Any trace of humour faded from his expression as he made himself refocus. "How's my dad doing?"

Ignis frowned, looking understandably uncomfortable, but not grieving at least. "He remains stable, but not yet out of the woods. Additional healing will have to come in its own time."

Noctis nodded, expecting an answer like that, though there was no hiding his disappointment. He wanted to see his dad again and talk to him, but that obviously wasn't in the cards for today. He was no longer a child, so he wasn't going to sulk about it, but there was no denying the wave of unhappiness he felt from the news. Here he'd been worrying about how he would manage becoming Luna's husband, something he'd been wholly unprepared for, but taking over for his father, even temporarily, was on a completely different level. Thank the Six that Ignis was with him- he, Gladio, and Cor would help him figure things out. Maybe part of what made Prompto such a reassuring presence to have around was that he looked even more lost than Noctis felt.

He handed over the bloody clothes so Ignis could head off to take care of it, then gestured for Prompto to follow him inside, picking a bunk for himself and trying to get comfortable. It was a bit lumpy, but it sure beat the open dirt. "We'll probably be on next watch, so we can figure out the specifics later. Ignis usually drives, so he should get the most sleep... by then I should recharge enough to make some potions, if you wanna help while we wait for Dad."

He couldn't give Prompto access to the armory yet - too risky on day 1, Gladio would definitely skin him for it even if he wanted to - but he at least needed a primer on Lucian magic, spells, and healing that went beyond "here's a flask, blow stuff up". Maybe a visit to a nearby haven during some downtime would help them suss out what kind of skills they could depend on from their new ally.

[real_life_rpg]

Anyone with half a brain would be scared of Ignis. Sure, Gladiolus was built like a freaking behemoth - which in itself was terrifying enough. But Ignis? He was a whole new level of scary. He looked like he would incredibly good at interrogations - the kind of interrogations where nails are ripped out of nailbeds and eyes are wired open. And that he would be very good at making a 'problem disappear'. Prompto truly hoped he wasn't the 'problem' in this situation.

That said, when Ignis departed with the laundry Prompto opened his mouth to ask if they should go help him. Only to be ushed inside by Noctis. He figured a request from Noct outranked one from Ignis. But then, Ignis did seem to be able to firmly put his foot down when it came to Noctis. So, maybe Ignis was the one in charge?

It was all very complicated.

Prompto followed Noctis into the caravan. There wasn't a whole lot of room, and not much of a choice when it came to beds. Still, he took the one furthest away from Noctis. He didn't think Noctis' retainers would take too kindly to a possible enemy/spy/assassin bunking with the prince.

"Sure, Noct. Whatever you need me to do. Hey, Noct? I'm glad your dad's doing okay." 'Stable' was a lot better than 'dead', after all. Still, they would all feel a lot better once he regained consciousness.

The bunk wasn't the comfiest. But neither was it the most uncomfortable place Prompto had slept, either. Honestly, he was just grateful to have a bed. There had been nothing stopping Noctis from pushing him off the back of the truck and leaving him for dead.

"Hey, Noct?" He said again, voice soft, weariness and exhaustion creeping in at the edges. "G'night."

[carbungle]

Noctis wouldn't confirm or deny any of that, if Prompto were to ask. He'd never found Ignis scary because he was just Iggy, who yes, had a glare that could kill the weak-hearted folk, but who also made stupid puns and high-fived himself for it when no one else laughed, who once tried to style his hair into a pompadour to look taller before his growth spurt kicked in. He could and would kill for Noctis. He knew at least four ways to disarm and gut someone with a single dagger swing. He also sulked like a five-year-old when they ran out of Ebony.

Maybe it was just a lack of exposure- Ignis was strong-willed in most cases but Noctis was a weak spot for him. If Prompto did his part and kept making Noctis laugh, he may just come around in time.

Noctis was quiet for a long moment after Prompto spoke, lying on his back, head pillowed on his arms as he stared at the ceiling of the trailer. Today was wretched, and he feared so much of what lay ahead of them, what would be expected of him, and whether or not he'd be strong enough to face it. It had all come to a head years before he ever thought he'd have to be in power, even though he'd been training and preparing for this for most of his life. It wasn't as if he could openly admit he was terrified, but... he was. The only reason he'd not completely lost his composure was because he wasn't alone. And Prompto was helping, against all odds, despite still being very much a stranger. Either he had good instincts or the worst.

He'd ask Ignis later, but for the moment he just rolled over onto his side, closing his eyes. "Thanks... night, Prompto."

He was asleep in seconds, and didn't so much as stir an inch when Ignis returned a bit later. He took a moment to hang up the damp but much cleaner clothing, then checked on Noctis, casting a cautious glance from one to the other. Finally he settled in for his own rest in a bed between them, a careful and obvious barrier shielding his prince from the Niflheim boy.

Halfway through the night he was awakened by a text from Gladio, advising him of the shift swap. He and the Marshall would be in need of a decent sleep, too. He roused Noctis (with some difficulty as always), crouching down beside the bed and looking meaningfully at his charge once his eyes were open. "Come along, Noct. Your father's waiting."

If there was one way to get Noctis up and fully conscious, it was that, but rather than immediately agree, Noctis rubbed at an eye and prodded Ignis back towards the bed. "Yeah... go back to sleep, I'll take it with Prompto."

Ignis frowned tightly, looking like he'd half-expected it and not happy to hear it. "Noct. I really don't believe it to be wise, getting so attached so quickly."

Were it anyone else, Noctis would have rolled his eyes. "I'm not getting attached." A look. "I'm not! You'll be driving tomorrow, I can sleep in the car. If Dad wakes up he can confirm Prompto's story, and it'd be easier to just point and go 'hey, you know this blond guy' than try to get a confirmed ID when he almost-" He halted, glancing down, and scuffed a hand through his hair. "It's logical. I thought you'd like that."

"I don't dislike it," Ignis countered, sitting on the bed at his side. "But I do hope you understand my concerns about leaving both you and the king alone with a stranger from Niflheim- one with strong personal ties to someone with a great deal of political power, I might add."

Noctis didn't answer immediately. It wasn't as if he didn't know already; just because Prompto hadn't seized an opportunity to kill him didn't mean he never would. The others had been drifting in and out of their general vicinity for most of the day, so maybe there just hadn't been a good time. But the prince and the king alone, while the others were all asleep and half a block away? If there was ever a time, it would be then. He had doubts it would happen, but not enough faith in Prompto to lay his father's life on the line. Not yet.

"No guns," he finally said, dragging himself to his feet. "If anything happens, I've got one in the armory for him. I won't let my dad get hurt again." He liked Prompto, liked how relaxed and informal things currently were between them. Wanted to see where it went. But if he made a move to do anything to his dad, all that would be over in a heartbeat.

Ignis stared him down for a long, unhappy moment, then exhaled and pat his shoulder. "...Very well, Noct. But you'll be the one to inform Gladio yourself."

Noctis winced. "Thought you wanted me alive." He ignored Ignis' amused hum, letting him have that small payback, and moved to Prompto's bed, rapping his knuckles against the metal bedframe to make them ting and vibrate. "Chop chop, Prompto."

[real_life_rpg]

Prompto hadn't expected to fall asleep so quickly, nor had he expected to fall into such a deep sleep. After all, he was in a strange place with strange people who had every reason to want to murder him. Not to mention it had been one hell of a traumatic day. But he had fallen into a deep slumber almost as soon as he closed his eyes. Exhaustion taking over after adrenaline checked out.

He stirred at Noct's awakening, taking a few seconds for his brain to catch up to exactly where he was and why. "Hm? Oh. Is it time to switch already?" His voice was thick with sleep, his hair mussed. He sat up and fingercombed it into some level of presentability. Although fresh from the shower and with no product, the blond locks hung down, framing his face. It made him look a lot younger than the styled (and blood-stained) do had done.

Prom scrubbed at his face and reached for his glasses, stifling a yawn. "Let's do it." He contemplated putting his contacts back in but thought better of it. His eyes were still quite sore and he could see well enough if something happened and his glasses broke.

He pushed himself to his feet and slunk past Ignis as best he could while trying to avoid eye contact. Yep. Ignis was definitely some kind of deadly assassin in his mind. He grabbed the packet of chips he had bought earlier from the table and pushed them against Noct's chest.

"You gotta eat, bud." Looked like Ignis had some competition in the whole mother hen thing. He grabbed his half-empty soda from the table outside, despite the fact it was now warm and flat (and possibly had bugs in it) and cradled it in his hands as he crossed towards the garage, trying to wake himself up more.

When Gladio saw Prompto walk in he was not impressed. He shot Noctis a glare. "Oh hell no. You have got to be kidding me. You really expect me to leave the safety of you and the king in the hands of some Niff punk!? The hell you even thinking, Noct? Your brain get unscrewed today?"

He folded his arms firmly across his chest, puffing himself up to full-size. Definitely looked more like a behemoth like that. In fact, behemoths were probably friendlier. "Looks like I'll just have to stay."

"Gladio, don't be ridiculous. You need some rest." Cor hoped he would be the voice of reason, but given how stubborn Gladio could be, he doubted it.

"Ridiculous? I'll tell you what's ridiculous. Putting the lives of our king and our prince in the hands of the enemy."

It hurt Prompto to hear them talk about him like that when he was right there. But he understood. He was a Niff. He was the enemy. His dad created the MT army that attacked Insomnia. These people had absolutely no reason to trust him. Even if the King could corroborate his story then was no proof that the whole thing hadn't been planned from the start. That the Empire hadn't orchestrated the whole thing to infiltrate the royal retinue. Maybe the Empire was waiting for his signal to attack.

Still, it made Prom feel so small and helpless. "You... you could tie me up if you want... Somewhere I can look out for danger and shout Noct if I see anything..."

[carbungle]

To Gladio, Noctis did roll his eyes. It was more or less the response he'd expected to get, but that didn't make him any happier to receive it. "Don't be a dick, Gladio. He helped save your life too, or were you not paying attention?"

Not to mention saving the king... though Gladio wasn't mollified, scowling and crossing his arms, stubborn as ever. "Yeah, putting on a solid act to earn your trust. Looks like he's doing everything right, huh?"

"What the hell would be the point in keeping my dad alive just so he could get us alone and kill us later?" Noctis threw his hands up in the air. He was already over-tired, he did not want to just stand around arguing about this. Gladio standing his ground just made Noct more annoyed, so he grabbed Prompto by the wrist and marched past his Shield, shooting him a glare just daring him to do something about it and not stopping until he was at his father's side, crouching down to brush a hand carefully over the man's damp and dirty hair. He still looked pretty bad, but his chest rose and fell steadily enough that just the sight of him was the most reassuring thing Noct had seen all day. He pointed to a spot nearby for Prompto. "Park it. You're staying. Gladio, what'd you spend all those years training me for if you think I can't handle a single 'Niff punk' on my own? I'll be fine. You're the one who's got two kings to shield tomorrow, so get some rest before I do something crazy like order you around."

That netted him a snort from his Shield, which he considered a victory, though it was easy to tell that Gladio was still mad about being asked to leave. He wondered briefly if maybe he should have left Prompto to sleep and taken watch with Ignis, but the truth is he was still feeling incredibly restless, and he would much rather have Ignis and Gladio both fully-rested and at their best. Most of his sleep-deprived flaws can be balanced out with magic and fast healing, and the others didn't have that luxury. Anyway, he and Prompto had some work to do.

Thankfully Cor stepped in to help again, gripping the other man's shoulder, and between Cor and Noctis outnumbering him and matching his stubbornness, he finally snapped, "Fine, but when shit goes south I'm gonna run you through a hundred drills before I let you apologize for being wrong." Token threat given - and after growing up experiencing plenty of Gladio's 'I'm mad at you' drills, it truly was a threat - he reluctantly turned to head for the door, Cor a step behind him after exchanging a nod with each of them. He had his own reasons to be wary, but thankfully was more reasonable.

"His name's Prompto," he called out after them, and he could feel Gladio's scowl in the returning silence. Still, they left the garage, and when Noctis and Prompto were left to their own devices and he took a moment to exhale and settle in for the long haul. "Don't worry about all that, he's just doing his job. Today was... hard on him, too."

He could sympathize. Clarus is almost certainly dead, so Gladio has even less reason to feel charitable towards any Niff right now. Iris probably hadn't responded to his calls yet, either, else he would have mentioned it or texted. Losing one's entire family was more than reason enough to hate every Niff on sight.

[real_life_rpg]

"Yeah, I get it. I'd hate all Niffs too if the roles were reversed." Didn't make it any easier to cope with the big guy looking ready to crush his skull at any given moment though.

Prompto drew his heels up onto the seat, much like he had outside of the caravan. He tried not to let the anger and hate get to him. There wasn't anything he could do to change Gladio's mind about him right now except for be on his best behaviour. Still hurt like hell though.

He focused his gaze on the King. The steady rise and fall of his chest was definitely a huge improvement from earlier when Prompto had been trying so desperately to keep his blood inside his body. That awful rattle of his chest and gurgle of blood had eased too. Prompto could only hope that meant good things.

Back at the caravan, Ignis had not gone back to bed. He had intended to. But then he saw Prompto's phone and camera. It wasn't an invasion of privacy when the safety of the king and the prince were on the line, right? It was just him doing his duty. Besides, it was Prompto's fault for not locking his phone.

The phone didn't have much on it. King's Knight. Robot Chocobo Attack. Moogle Sim 3. An anxiety app with mindfulness and breathing exercises. A calorie counting app - which if it was accurate showed the boy had only been eating between 600 and 800 calories most days. The usual notepad, calculator, calendar and camera. The only contacts in his address book were 'Mom' and a long-since closed take-out place.

The camera didn't give much more insight. Mostly photos of flora and fauna. Nothing useful in way of photos from within the facility. Ignis had thought maybe there would be some photos from the Citadel - possible escape routes, weakly guarded blindspots - anything that could be considered intel to pass on to the Empire but the only photos of the Citadel were of the antique vases and paintings along some of the halls and the banquet hall. A photo of the bathtub in the guest suite. Many photos of the food. The only photo that even contained the Crystal was taken from the road leading up to the Citadel showing the Crystal between the towers and looked just like any other photo of the Crystal any glossy magazine or book had ever published.

Either the boy was a genius at covering his tracks or he really wasn't a deady threat at all. Still, Ignis was not prepared to take any chances and prepared to tell Gladio and Cor his findings when they arrived.

[carbungle]

"He doesn't hate you. He just hates what you represent." Probably not a comfort, really, but he figured one was better than the other. A personal hatred was harder to scrape off one's mentality than an associated bias. Noctis had a pretty powerful distaste for the Niffs himself, but Prompto had made a solid first impression that helped a lot with the whole 'not all bad' concept. "Anyway, it's just more incentive to prove him wrong."

He reached down to wind his fingers around his father's, feeling how chilly he was, thanks to bloodloss and the unheated garage. The area was a desert, but it still got cold at night. After rubbing his dad's hand for a minute to warm it up, he tucked it back under the blanket covering him, gently tugged the crown free from his hair and set it aside in case he accidentally rolled in his sleep, and leaned back. He needed to keep his hands busy, lest he fidget. He'd put the energy drinks in the armory already, so he called the phoenix feather into his hands first in a soft flash of blue light and grabbed a small table, setting it up in front of his seat.

"Hey, so... tell me what happened? At the signing, I mean... how'd you end up with my dad? Or just- anything you remember. We might need the info later." It wasn't much of a distraction, since the memory couldn't be a pleasant one, but he'd held off before and he really needed to know. Not just about his father, but everyone else who must have been in that room. How much of the council was gone? Clarus? The Niffs who started the fight? It was important to find out both- even a vague list of allies, and enemies.

[real_life_rpg]

"I'm gonna try my hardest to prove my worth. To all of you. I don't know what I can bring to the team, really. I mean I definitely don't have the Big Guy's strength. But there has to be something I can be useful for." He would prove himself to Noct and the others or die trying. He didn't want to think too hard on the dying part though, since it was a pretty high probability.

Prompto almost felt like he was intruding on a private moment between Noctis and Regis, so he averted his gaze to the floor. Yep. Totally lots of interesting things to see there.

He only lifted his head once Noct summoned the feather into his hand. The whisps of blue were just as mesmerising to Prompto now as they had been when Noct pulled out a potion for him or when he warped. His fingers itched to capture it on camera.

"The signing? Oh..." He knew the question was bound to come up eventually. He rubbed at the back of his neck nervously. "Well. It's kind of blurry but I'll try my best. So, right. After I sent the note I was all kinds of anxious and nervous. And all the next day until the signing I still felt kinda sick. You know that feeling you get deep in the pit of your stomach when something isn't right? But I didn't know what else to do. So, we all go to the signing room. I still feel sick. But everything seems kinda okay."

Just talking about it made Prompto feel nauseous all over again. "There were a few whispers and mutterings on both sides. People whispering stuff to the Emperor. People whispering stuff to the King. And then it was like BOOM. Everyone went crazy and drew their weapons at each other. I didn't even think. I just got up from my seat and put myself in front of the King." With his gun on the Emperor.

"I tried to make everyone stop, but no one listened to a nobody like me and then it just went crazy. There was fighting everywhere. It was like being inside a kaleidoscope but instead of pretty colours it was fighting." Prompto's hand dropped to his knee, which was bouncing with nervous energy.

"It was hard to keep track of who was in the room. But I think the Emperor and my Dad were ushered out. No doubt they had their escape planned from the start. The Chancellor too. I lost sight of Ravus. But there was this guy with the King. A big guy, bald, with kind eyes. It was him who bought us time to escape. But the King had already been wounded. We got as far as the corridor you found us in before he collapsed. I managed to drag him to the end so there was only one direction we could be attacked from instead of being in the open."

His brow furrowed. "The big guy who saved us... he was stabbed by General Glauca. He um... he's the military supreme commander and magitek infantry leader of Niflheim. He's the one who injured the King too. And then you guys showed up and you know the rest."

[carbungle]

Prompto had mentioned that before- defending his dad, pulling the gun on the emperor. It was as wild then as it was hearing it again, but after Prompto shielded him back on the truck, he could buy it. If his dad had been willing to guide Prompto down that corridor to seek safety, either he'd been desperate enough to accept the help or Prompto had endeared himself that Regis had wanted to save him, too. And that sure sounded like something his father would do.

There was a harsh difference between knowing what must have happened and hearing what did happen, however. Noct's hands hovered over the feather without doing anything with it yet, his shoulders hunched, head bowed as Prompto finished. Glauca. Of course it was him, again.

"I know Glauca," he said harshly, trying not to sound as angry as he felt. It wasn't Prompto's fault, it wasn't like he did it. But that man... it was personal, back then and now. "He came after us when I was a kid, over in Tenebrae. He killed Luna's mom." His fingers clenched, knuckles going white, and he forced them to unclench lest they drew his own blood. "The man he killed was Clarus Amicitia, the king's Shield. Gladio's father."

And an uncle to him in all but name; the Amicitia family was near as much his family as his own father. The thought of him taken down by that monster, a masked man too cowardly to even show his face, left to die in the Citadel without his king... he'd have hated it. He suspected Gladio will want to have a talk with the king before too long, get the full story from the source. Perhaps spare a moment to mourn with the man who cherished and admired his father just as much as Gladio did. Gods, but he hoped Iris at least made it out. He'd checked his phone at least two dozen times over the course of the evening already, but not so much as a single text.

He leaned back in his chair, abandoning the feather until he could at least calm down a little. He wouldn't be able to focus on the magic like this.

[real_life_rpg]

Apparently, Prompto was making it a bit of a habit to endear himself to important strangers from Lucis. First Cor, then Regis, and even Noct. It wasn't even a conscious attempt to do so, his warm personality just shone through. If it weren't for the fact he bore an uncanny resemblance to a much younger, far less crazy Verstael Besithia it would be hard to even picture him as part of the Empire at all.

When Noctis clenched his fists in a tight death grip, almost tight enough to injure himself, Prompto wanted nothing more than to reach across and pull him into a hug. That felt like crossing a line though. Fist-bumps were one thing, but full on hugging? The big guy would run in here and stab him for sure.

Clarus Amicitia. Prompto wasn't sure how he felt about knowing the name. On the one hand, it made everything more real. Real people with real names was a lot harder to deal with than nameless masses in a crowd. On the other hand, he now had a name to put to the face of the man who saved his life.

It also explained why Gladio despised him so much. Not only was he a Niff, which was bad enough in Gladio's mind. But he was a Niff who had escaped alive with the King, when it should've been Clarus by the King's side.

"If it hadn't been for Lord Amicitia... neither the King or I would've made it out alive." Well, technically, if it hadn't been for Noctis and the phoenix down then the King would've perished anyway. Prompto had tried his hardest to keep the King alive and safe. He didn't have healing magic, he didn't have a lot of first aid knowledge. All he could do was keep the pressure on the wound and try to keep Regis conscious.

He feels sick to his stomach again as he thinks back. If Noctis hadn't shown up, he doesn't know what he would've done.

"I still can't believe it was all a lie. Everything is fucked up. If the Empire had just signed the treaty the world would be at peace right now." Prompto heaved out a sigh. "You know what the first thing I was gonna do after the treaty? I was gonna enroll at the university in Insomnia." Poor sunshine boy really hadn't known it was all lies.

[carbungle]

"I was supposed to be getting prepped for a wedding by now." Noctis exhaled a noise that was halfway a sad laugh, running a hand through his hair, still messy from sleep. Between his casual clothes and the glasses, Prompto sure as hell looked more like a uni student than a political figure. (Or the son of one, anyway.) He tried not to think too hard about what-ifs, especially relating to his future with Luna- at least not until he knew that she was safe. Instead, he focused on the rest of what Prompto said.

He'd barely ever given university a thought, certainly not seriously. Not that education wasn't important for the heir to the throne, but his priorities had been more about learning matters of state, getting to know the council, understanding things about his father's job that he'd managed to mostly evade throughout his life until graduating high school. The occasional night courses would have been the most he'd been allowed to think about, and the pragmatic choices for those would have been political theory, economics, whatever else that Ignis opted to recommend to him rather than his own interests. 'What do I want to be when I grow up' wasn't something he had a choice in anyway, so what was the point.

He hadn't had any actual close friends to talk about it with though, besides listening to the chatter of his peers a few years ago, so colour him curious. "What would you have taken if you got in?"

He didn't know the process of applying for university in a foreign country - with the peace treaty, would that have made it easier for Niffs to come and go within the barrier? wouldn't it be dangerous? - but he did know that the city had a bunch of high-quality schools. Ignis had recommended a handful to consider for those night courses.

[real_life_rpg]

"Aw hey. On the bright side you can still get married, right? I bet Luna will be in touch soon enough to let us know she's safe and where she's heading next. Then you guys can meet up and then wedding bells."

Prompto wasn't really sure what the failed signing meant for Noctis and Luna in terms of them having to get hitched. But they could still choose to do it if they wanted, right? Nothing like a wedding to bring smiles to peoples' faces.

He seemed to settle down a little when it came to discussing university rather than the events at the Citadel. His posture relaxed and he slowly uncurled from his huddle.

From his research, what he had learnt was that if the treaty had gone ahead then people like him from Niflheim or other lands outside the Wall would be able to apply for a visa, allowing them to come and go to Insomnia as they pleased, seek accommodation and employment for the duration of their course providing they had no criminal convictions and were of sound character.

Prompto had always known he didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps, much to the older man's disappointment. The clones freaked Prompto out. And that was before the whole Starscourge part. He just wanted to nope the heck out of there. His lack of love for science only served to deepen the divide between him and his father.

A soft smile settled on his lips. "Hm. Well definitely some kind of photography course and um... chocobo husbandry." No politics, no history, no weaponry. Photos and chocobos.

[carbungle]

Did he want to get married? He hadn't really had the chance to give it much thought- everything had moved so quickly. No one had asked if he wanted it, he'd been told it was going to happen and that was that. The obligations of the throne, easing the burden on his father, forging a lasting peace for the world, etc. All good reasons not to fight it. He hadn't gotten a chance to ask Luna what she wanted, either- had been kind of afraid to ask. She was always so honest in her letters, and seeing her confirm that she had misgivings, or only viewed him as a distant friend, or outright didn't want it... his heart ached at the thought that his marrying her might make her unhappy. She already had so much on her shoulders as Oracle. Plus being the wife of a king came with certain... expectations, particularly in a line as critical to the world as the Lucii (though perhaps less so now, since the line had remained unbroken waiting for the Chosen, and he was already born, so). They couldn't just get married and live as platonic roommates forever if she had other preferences.

Regardless, it wasn't his primary focus, and wouldn't be for a while. In truth he probably wouldn't dare broach the subject unless Luna brought it up first. By the sound of things, she likely had as much of a challenging day as he did.

So, Prompto. Noctis tilted his head, considering the idea. "Right, the chocobos... actually, I forgot about that." He reached into his magic and pulled from it the map he'd gotten from Cindy the other day, unfolding it and pointing first to one spot, then another some distance away. "Here's where we are right now, and way over here... chocobo farm."

They needed some good news, after everything they'd been through with more to come. May as well give them something to look forward to.

[real_life_rpg]

Prompto leaned over to look at the map, eyes following Noctis' finger. "Wait, what? A chocobo far? Like a legit, actual chocobo farm with chocobos?! Dude!! That is so awesome. Aw man, I wish we could go. I bet it's the most magical place in the whole of Eos."

His whole face lit up at just the thought of a farm of chocobos. "I kinda had this dream once that I could buy a couple of chocobos and go live in the wilderness with them. I'd build a wooden cabin for me to live in and a stable for them. I'd grow greens for them and vegetables for me. And there would be a stream or lake for water. I know it's a dumb dream, it'll never happen. But... it's always been that little glimmer of hope that keeps me going, y'know?"

Again, Prompto was either a genius mastermind of manipulation. Or he was a literal cinnamon roll.

"Back at the facility it's so dreary. There's no windows and it's all artifical light. Outside is just snow. And the labs scare me. But just picturing a life away from all of that... I'd even settle for just one chocobo."

[carbungle]

Noctis smirked, folding the map up again and dismissing it; he was definitely, definitely leaning towards the cinnamon roll theory. He'd seen Iris show the same kind of enthusiasm when visiting the royal stables, so he could totally buy into the idea that Prompto genuinely felt that way. If the reality of what Prompto's life had been like wasn't so sad, he might have been tempted to tease a little. Instead, his response was more genuine. "It's not dumb. If nobody ever dreamed about taking care of chocobos, there'd be none of them left- the war almost made them go extinct. It's because of people like you that they're not just storybook creatures now." He considered leaving it at that, and then more quietly added, "I used to want to run an animal shelter. Can't exactly blame you for loving chocobos."

The conversation made him feel a little better, more confident and focused on what they were doing here, so he tugged the table a little closer to himself and leaned over the feather once more, hovering his hands just above the curls of down. After a few seconds, a warm blue light began to flow into it, weaving itself into the tips and soaking inward to the center. The more magic flowed into it, the more it began to pulse with energy. He'd keep working on it while they talked.

[real_life_rpg]

Prompto found himself mesmerised by the magic. He didn't think he would ever grow tired of watching Noctis. Um, watching Noctis' magic that was. A curious part of his mind wondered what would happen if he swirled his fingertips in the dancing blue light. His smarter, logical mind warned him that was probably a really dumb idea.

"Hey, if you ever get tired of the whole royal thing. You're welcome to come live in my wood cabin. We can adopt all the stray cats and dogs as well as chocobos."

Did offering to run off and live in the woods together count as kidnapping? Prompto really hoped not.

"But first... we kick the Empire's ass and get the Crystal back right? Then the Lucis-Caelum-Argentum Sanctuary for Chocobos and Other Creatures."

[carbungle]

If it was kidnapping, Noctis didn't sound bothered by it at least; he stifled a quick snort of laughter behind his hand instead. That name might take some extra work.

"Better set it up inside Insomnia then, or I'll be no help." He kind of had to end up back there eventually, what with the whole future-king thing. Assuming they did successfully kick ass and reclaim the Crystal.

He finished with the phoenix down, lifted it to give it a little spin between his fingers to make sure it was fully saturated with the required magic, then tucked it back into the Armiger. Next up: the energy drinks Prompto had purchased, which he lined up and began turning into potions, one by one.