The sun was blistering that afternoon as the four brothers trek down the field on Chocobo back. Gladiolus scans the grasslands his eyes narrowing against the harsh rays of the sun searching for the van that the tipster said had been attacked preventing the shipments of vegetables and spices from arriving on time to Lestallum.
Noctis and Prompto were side by side chatting lazily as the gunmen would occasionally snap a photo of them, himself, or the surrounding area. Often he would comment on whatever caught his eye calling them perfect photo opportunities.
As for Ignis, he was having a rather hard time. The cough that he had woken up with and claimed that was just allergies had stuck with him and as the day progressed he had developed a sore throat leaving him feeling slightly agitated.
The fiery tingle which flares up whenever he swallows only made me cringe and grumble feeling the urge to kick and punch something. He must have been frowning because Prompto suddenly appeared next him his clumsy blood red Chocobo chirping happily as it nuzzles against Ignis' blue Chocobo.
"You feeling okay?" Prompto asks gently earning a nod and a sigh from Ignis "Yes, I'm fine...my throat just bothers me tis all." He admits softly.
"Oh. Do you want us to stop and get you some medicine?" Prompto asks worried earning yet another shake of the head from Ignis "I'll be fine." He says reassuringly.
Prompto nods as he steals a few pictures of Ignis before thrashing the reins on his Chocobo sending it to pick up speed as races to catch up to Gladiolus. Sighing Ignis does the same making his bird race forward only to bring his Chocobo to a sudden halt with a sharp tug of the reins.
"Do you see the van?" He asks falling in line beside Noctis who simply gives him a tired shrug "Not yet..." he sighs "I'm starting to think that this van doesn't exist."
"Well...since it doesn't exist lets say we go get lunch." Prompto says rubbing the neck of his Chocobo.
"Come now, just because you don't see the van now doesn't mean it's not around here somewhere." Ignis says his eyes scanning the field for the vehicle. That's when he spots something shimmering in the distance just beyond the trees.
"Over there! Amongst the trees, I do believe thats the van." He calls out his voice breaking a bit into a harsh rasp earning him a glance from Gladiolus. Ignoring the older male Ignis thrashes the reins and both he and his Chocobo leap off the small hill making their way towards the supposed van.
Noctis looks up at Gladiolus who shakes his head "I swear he's always doing the most when he shouldn't be. He won't be happy till he falls out." He growls as he follows after Ignis.
Noctis watches as the older men race off "I'm just happy that we found it...I can't wait to go to sleep." The king mumbles.
"When do you ever not think about sleeping?" Prompto teases making Noctis yawn "When do you ever not think about Cindy?"
Prompto felt his face heat up "I do not always think about Cindy!"
"Aranea then."
"Noct!" Prompto practically screeches before thrashing the reins to get his Chocobo to run. He didn't want Noctis to see his reddening face.
Ignis slowed to a stop seeing that what he had saw was indeed the van. He climbs off the bird stumbling a bit he makes his way to the vechicle inspecting it for the reason behind its abandonment.
All four tires had been slashed, the passenger side door torn right off and was nowhere to be seen. The front windshield was smashed in and the body of the car was littered in scratches. And as for the driver, Ignis had found him in the drivers seat that is what was left. It looked like he had been attacked by an alpha Voretooth before the beast fled.
Ignis shudders at the memory of the dead man as he makes his way to the back of the van just as Gladiolus walks up, his Chocobo left a few feet away.
"You're right about the van. Any sign of the driver?" He asks crossing his arms. "They never left the van. Voretooth had gotten them." Ignis says gesturing to the drivers side prompting Gladiolus to investigate.
As he does so Ignis bends down to check the cargo but the second he does a wave of dizziness washes over him making him sway to the left. Nearly toppling over Ignis catches himself as he places a hand to his forehead hoping that the slight pressure would ease his spinning head. A few coughs from the younger male brings Gladiolus to the back of the van with dog tags in hand "He was a hunter Krish Novak it says." He tells Ignis who at the moment didn't care.
"He was a hunter?" The voice of Noctis and the loud chirp like kwehs of Promptos' Chocobo soon reach them.
"Yeah, we should drop this off at the HQ whenever we stop by." Gladiolus says stashing the tags into his pocket. "Agreed..." Ignis says sounding a bit distant. He opens his mouth to say something more but instead lets out a soft pant as he tugs at his shirt repeatedly in a lame attempt to cool off "H-However we need to get this to Lestallum first." He says. Why was he so hot all of a sudden he could hardly breathe and he could already feel sweat pooling beneath his clothing.
Closing his eyes Ignis continues "We should call the Regalia...i-it will be the easiest way to transport the goods." Ignis says weakly.
The other three look at him wearily, he looked like he was going to faint "You okay Ignis?" Prompto asks "You look like you're going to pass out." He admits.
Ignis however only shakes his "Don't worry about me...I'm fine. Just feeling a bit hot is all." He says with a heavy sigh "Shall we be going?"
The heat was already unbearable for Ignis and stepping into Lestallum would've floored Ignis if it wasn't for him leaning against the Regalia.
"Man its hot."
"Take off your shirt."
The usual banter between the two went as usual as Ignis slowly makes his way to the trunk. His fingers sloppily fumble with the latch.
"Hey let me get this Iggy." Prompto says opening the trunk, taking out the box, and closing the trunk.
Every step felt like it took more energy than the last.
Ignis felt like he was suffocating. With the heat of the town topped with the sweltering summer heat made him feel like he was breathing through a straw. His purple leopard print shirt was drenched in sweat making it look like he had a bucket of water dumped on his causing it to stick to his skin uncomfortably as he staggers a few feet behind his friends.
His vision blurs and doubles as his head spins making him sway to the left nearly colliding with the wall and crates that are stacked against it. Every step making his breath come out in heavy pants and his stomach churns violently at the smell of cooking meats and sweets. The group round the corner walking into the heart of the market, each brother twisting and sidestepping to avoid collision with other market-goers and tourists.
As Prompto and Gladiolus follow the king, Ignis slows down as he places a hand on the side of a building for support. His knees knocked as his body begins to tremble. Ignis knew something was wrong he knew that he was most likely having a heat stroke and he needed to cool off. Swallowing, he pulls himself from the wall and heads to the street food vendor. Pulling out the plastic white chair which Ignis collapses into his muscles screaming as he tries to relax causing them to tighten.
"What can I get for you sir?" The vendor asks walking up to the table besides Ignis. Ignis opens his mouth his tongue feeling like it was replaced with a thick wool sock "A glass of ice water please." Ignis mumbles "Of course." The vendor says heading to his stand to fetch the drink. As Ignis waits he begins to sloppily unbutton his shirt and remove it along with along with his blazer not caring if it was considered indecent.
Ignis groans miserably as he rests his elbows on the red and white checkerboard table and lowers his head into his hands as he massages his temples. The intense heat beating down on him the rays making the sweat on his back and neck glisten. His head pulsating from a headache that seems to be getting worse by the second.
The soft thud of a glass being set down reaches his ears bringing him to look up at the vendor. His exhausted emerald eyes following the second item set before him, a small plate with freshly baked hot bread. "Excuse me, but I only asked for some water." Ignis says weakly grabbing to glass of water.
"I know, it's on the house. I figured you'd like something to eat, not to mention it should settle your stomach." The vendor says gently turning away from Ignis who thanks him.
It took everything in Ignis' power to not greedily gulp down the chilly water. He didn't want to throw up the much needed drink and despite sipping the water it didn't stop him from cringing when his headache briefly spasms from the brain-freeze. He orders another glass as he nibbles on the bread.
Noctis finishes his exchange with the tipster who had began rambling about his crops and the struggle his family has had been dealing with due to their errand boy slacking off. The raven haired king was more than thankful for the boring conversation to finally end leaving him to look for his friends who as usual scattered about the market like roaches when the lights come one.
He first spotted Gladiolus flirting with a saleswoman at the shop over, Prompto was a little ways down most likely looking at trinkets, and Ignis was nowhere to be seen.
Noctis steps from the stand and looks up and down the market hoping to see some sign of his advisor. He walks up to Gladiolus tapping his shoulder getting the larger man's attention "You seen Ignis?" Noctis asks causing the bigger male to shake his head.
"He's not with Prompto?" He asks turning away from the woman "I don't see him with him." Noctis says looking over to the blonde who was approaching them "Hey Prompto, where's Ignis?" Noctis asks his voice picking up a worried tone.
"Oh I think went to get something to eat or drink...he's over there." The blonde says pointing to the vendor in the back of the square. "He didn't look to good." He adds leading the older brothers to where Ignis was.
Noctis walks through the stands his eyes landing on the food stands and tables he was about to say he didn't see Ignis when he spots a shirtless figure slumped over, their arm out and over the table as their head rests on their outstretched arm. The vendor was standing over them pressing something white to their body.
Fear grips Noctis' heart as he sprints up to the table quickly following behind him were Gladiolus and Prompto.
"Ignis!" Noctis shouts as he falls beside the vendor. The king looks his advisor over noticing that Ignis' face, shoulders, and neck is a bright shade of red. His breathing was coming out in weak gasps as he mumbles on about something incoherently.
"Is he okay?" Noctis ask looking to the vendor who brings the white object, which turns out to be a cloth with ice cubes wrapped in it, back to Ignis' neck and back. "I don't know." The vendor says nervously "He just collapsed suddenly."
Noctis places his hands against Ignis' neck only to feel how cold clammy his skin was. Concerned Noctis looks up at Gladiolus and Prompto "What's wrong with him?" Noctis ask feeling a terrible mix of emotions swelling up.
"I think it's heat exhaustion." Gladiolus says looking Ignis over "We need to get him indoors, we don't want this to turn to heat stroke...though it looks like its headed that way." He says seeing the flushed appearance to the slightly younger male's face.
"C'mon let's move him." Gladiolus says helping Ignis up to his feet.
The world around Ignis spun violently making his headache pulse and eyes spin. The voices of his friends were way too loud and the colors of the town were too bright for his eyes.
"Ignis can you stand?"
It sounded like Gladiolus but why was he asking him if he could stand of course he could stand.
"I don't know..." Ignis' voice was incredibly weak resembling a soft mumble "I feel...so tired." He murmurs as his eyes slip close.
"Whoa, no no no you gotta stay awake Iggy. You can sleep when have cooled you off." This time it was Prompto who spoke gently shaking him.
The heat beating down on Ignis wasn't helping his situation, it only made him feel worse and was making him painfully aware of his churning belly. The water and bread he had consumed was sitting uncomfortably in his stomach.
Ignis stops listening to his friends who were going back and forth about something he just didn't care about. He feels Gladiolus lift one of his arms and loop it around his broad neck as his arm loops around his torso. Ignis tries to walk but his legs feel like their made of gelatin as they collapse underneath him and he's half carried half dragged by Gladiolus.
Ignis groans against the motion of the other walking as his belly comes to churn. His mouth floods with saliva as it leaves a funny taste in his mouth. He swallows hoping to keep down what's in his stomach not wanting to make a fool of himself, bad enough he isn't wearing a shirt.
"We're all most there Iggy. Look were going up the steps of the Leville." Noctis says rubbing the older male's back. The gesture Ignis knows was meant to comfort him but it felt horrible causing him to writhe against the touch.
"Welcome to the Leville, will you be requiring a room?" The man at the front desk asks his attention going to Ignis when he whimpers. "Uh yeah I think we'll be staying a day. Right?" Gladiolus asks Noctis who nods.
"Uh guys. Ignis doesn't look to good." Prompto says gesturing to the advisor causing Gladiolus shift him bit earning a groan from Ignis. The tactician felt his mouth water once again however this time he didn't have the strength to keep it down.
Gladiolus was about to ask the other if he was okay but was cut off by Ignis suddenly vomiting onto the carpet of the hotels lobby. The other guests in the lobby all react differently a few walk out, some jump back commenting on how that was just disgusting, and others seem more sympathetic by asking if he was okay.
Luckily it didn't last longer than a few minutes but when it was over Ignis couldn't help the sob that escaped him he never felt so humiliated in his life. He begins to apologize as Gladiolus leads him up the stairs and out of sight from the few judging eyes.
Once in the room Gladiolus lays Ignis down on the mattress and proceeds to undress Ignis. "Noct, go fill the tub with ice cold water." He says tossing Ignis' belt, gloves, socks, and pants to the floor as Noctis disappears into the bathroom "Prom, go get a bunch of bagged ice." Gladiolus adds sending Prompto out of the room. Gladiolus turns his attention back to Ignis who now lays only in his boxers and scoops him up.
"Noct, is the tub ready?" Gladiolus calls as he carries Ignis into the bathroom.
"Not yet." Noctis says turning to face them.
"Well, it'll gotta do. We'll just keep filling it up, get his legs." Gladiolus says as Noctis helps him lower Ignis into to tub causing him to gasp and as he tries to wiggle away.
Holding Ignis firmly Gladiolus splashes the water onto Ignis "Do we have a cup? We need to cool him down quickly. " the larger male says sending Noctis to go find a cup or bowl.
When Noctis returns Prompto had also returned with the ice which they use to fill the tub.
The three of them spend the next hour cooling off Ignis.
Once dried off and in his pajamas Ignis is back in bed. His skin was much cooler and has returned to its normal shade. However in the following hours Ignis health took a turn for the worse.