Prompto Argentum (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
hashtag_chocobro) wrote2022-06-27 01:07 pm
hashtag_chocobro) wrote2022-06-27 01:07 pm
Zegnautus Keep; Gralea, Niflheim, Eos. Wednesday, 07/13, 756 ET [06/27 FT].
Well. Despite what Prompto said, things were not entirely alright. After all, there was little time for them to dwell on this reunion, and still a long ways to go. Mind racing, body sore from the elaborate device they had strung him up on to wait for Noct to come and find him like some sort of booby trap, and the general weight of the last few days in captivity finally lifting off his shoulders, Prompto followed them through the stations and hallways, until Ignis' voice stopped them all again.
"Noct," he said firmly, and then quieted with his question. "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" ask Noctis, and Prompto, too, started to strain his ears to try to pick up on what Ignis had.
"I've heard this sound before," Ignis said slowly, and then with resolve. "On the train. Just before you weapons failed you. Whatever it is, it's nearby. And it may hold the key to restoring your power."
They didn't have to go far, though, before Ignis let out a fierce announcement. "It's here!"
"This thing?" asked Noctis, doubtfully, as they all slowed to a stop before a large stone chamber. Different from some of what they'd seen before, and, Prompto realized, with a different sort of door than the one they've been passing through before. A door that Noctis was trying as they spoke, pushing it forward with no give. "Door's locked."
"It's coming from within," Ignis reported with certainty, and then frowned as he considered. "Is there no way through?"
Noctis and Gladio started to feel around for some sort of lock or switch, especially since they were getting no response out of the console right in front of it. Even Ignis took a step forward to feel around the walls of the chamber. And Prompto realized that he was the key to this one.
Literally.
"There's a way," he said, softly, knowing it would have eventually come to this, but still not quite ready for it. He stepped forward, walking slowly, stiffly toward the console, and then took a moment, looking down at his wrist. Lifted it up toward the console, which lit green with a cheery beep as the doors started to pull away and open.
He looked over at Noctis a little worriedly. It was one thing, to have heard and speculated on what they'd suspected ever since that weird weekend in Fandom, but it was another thing to have the proof right there. And with the knowledge that he had now about everything? Did they really understand the gravity of it? The extent?
"Neat trick," he said with a faint, mirthless laugh as he looked up hopefully toward Noctis, "huh?"
"And to think," said Ignis, with a soft smile sent his way, "we had the key with us all along."
Perhaps he'd just built it up in his mind so much that this almost complete lack of response from the others left his confused and uncertain, but Prompto looked between them all and shook his head. "You guys really….you guys are really okay with this? That I'm one of…one of them?"
"Whatever," said Noctis, almost immediately, even a little insistently. "Who cares where you were born?"
"I don't see you turning against us," Ignis added. "Not now, or ever."
Prompto had to smile a little bit at that. "Thanks," he said, "guys…Still. I….can't change where I come from. What I am…"
"Since when does where you come from," Noctis challenged, "matter to you?"
Considering how he'd spent his whole life obsessed over that exact thing, Prompto looked up at Noctis with a confused blink. "Huh?"
And Noctis grinned at him, lifting a hand to lightly punch his against the shoulder. "You never once treated me like a prince."
That was...not entirely true, Prompto felt, but he had to laugh a little, as Gladio snorted with a "He's got you there" agreement.
"Never so much as a Highness," Ignis added.
"We're done here," Noctis said with a note of decision, ducking his head to Prompto a little before turning to continue on through the door. "C'mon, crown citizen."
As Gladio moved to go help guide Ignis after him, Prompto stood a little stunned, as all the worried and fears that had been compounding inside of him over the past week turned out to be just whisps of nothing, inconsequential, and he felt Gladio's hand give his shoulder a guiding nudge as well. "You're one of us," he said, "right?"
And there was something about that last bit of validation, from the one person he felt he'd have to work the hardest to earn it from, that finally made it settle in that, hey, maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.
"Unless you'd rather not be," said Ignis, smiling as he regarded Prompto in passing. Not really looking at him, obviously, but still seeing him all the same.
And Prompto, ducking his head with one more soft smile, followed them into the chamber.
[[ at least the last parts are relatively short ones as this mess of a chapter ties up what it needs to before we can move on! Part 4 of 6 of Final Fantasy XV Chapter 13 "Redemption", where I had to alter a loooooot because half the dialogue in this scene wouldn't have even made sense for FH!Prompto, but that's not reason to not try to squeeze in just a little bit more clone drama while I can! ]]
"Noct," he said firmly, and then quieted with his question. "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" ask Noctis, and Prompto, too, started to strain his ears to try to pick up on what Ignis had.
"I've heard this sound before," Ignis said slowly, and then with resolve. "On the train. Just before you weapons failed you. Whatever it is, it's nearby. And it may hold the key to restoring your power."
They didn't have to go far, though, before Ignis let out a fierce announcement. "It's here!"
"This thing?" asked Noctis, doubtfully, as they all slowed to a stop before a large stone chamber. Different from some of what they'd seen before, and, Prompto realized, with a different sort of door than the one they've been passing through before. A door that Noctis was trying as they spoke, pushing it forward with no give. "Door's locked."
"It's coming from within," Ignis reported with certainty, and then frowned as he considered. "Is there no way through?"
Noctis and Gladio started to feel around for some sort of lock or switch, especially since they were getting no response out of the console right in front of it. Even Ignis took a step forward to feel around the walls of the chamber. And Prompto realized that he was the key to this one.
Literally.
"There's a way," he said, softly, knowing it would have eventually come to this, but still not quite ready for it. He stepped forward, walking slowly, stiffly toward the console, and then took a moment, looking down at his wrist. Lifted it up toward the console, which lit green with a cheery beep as the doors started to pull away and open.
He looked over at Noctis a little worriedly. It was one thing, to have heard and speculated on what they'd suspected ever since that weird weekend in Fandom, but it was another thing to have the proof right there. And with the knowledge that he had now about everything? Did they really understand the gravity of it? The extent?
"Neat trick," he said with a faint, mirthless laugh as he looked up hopefully toward Noctis, "huh?"
"And to think," said Ignis, with a soft smile sent his way, "we had the key with us all along."
Perhaps he'd just built it up in his mind so much that this almost complete lack of response from the others left his confused and uncertain, but Prompto looked between them all and shook his head. "You guys really….you guys are really okay with this? That I'm one of…one of them?"
"Whatever," said Noctis, almost immediately, even a little insistently. "Who cares where you were born?"
"I don't see you turning against us," Ignis added. "Not now, or ever."
Prompto had to smile a little bit at that. "Thanks," he said, "guys…Still. I….can't change where I come from. What I am…"
"Since when does where you come from," Noctis challenged, "matter to you?"
Considering how he'd spent his whole life obsessed over that exact thing, Prompto looked up at Noctis with a confused blink. "Huh?"
And Noctis grinned at him, lifting a hand to lightly punch his against the shoulder. "You never once treated me like a prince."
That was...not entirely true, Prompto felt, but he had to laugh a little, as Gladio snorted with a "He's got you there" agreement.
"Never so much as a Highness," Ignis added.
"We're done here," Noctis said with a note of decision, ducking his head to Prompto a little before turning to continue on through the door. "C'mon, crown citizen."
As Gladio moved to go help guide Ignis after him, Prompto stood a little stunned, as all the worried and fears that had been compounding inside of him over the past week turned out to be just whisps of nothing, inconsequential, and he felt Gladio's hand give his shoulder a guiding nudge as well. "You're one of us," he said, "right?"
And there was something about that last bit of validation, from the one person he felt he'd have to work the hardest to earn it from, that finally made it settle in that, hey, maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.
"Unless you'd rather not be," said Ignis, smiling as he regarded Prompto in passing. Not really looking at him, obviously, but still seeing him all the same.
And Prompto, ducking his head with one more soft smile, followed them into the chamber.
[[ at least the last parts are relatively short ones as this mess of a chapter ties up what it needs to before we can move on! Part 4 of 6 of Final Fantasy XV Chapter 13 "Redemption", where I had to alter a loooooot because half the dialogue in this scene wouldn't have even made sense for FH!Prompto, but that's not reason to not try to squeeze in just a little bit more clone drama while I can! ]]