Chapter 3: Prompto Argentum

Noctis opens the back door to Ignis' car and slid to the other side to let Prompto in next to him. His new friend placed his bag in the floor board and slipped into the sleek and expensive car. He thought to himself that the car he was now in must have cost a fortune but of course, that's nothing when you're royalty.

Ignis had watched Noctis enter the car in an odd fashion and had noticed the unknown passenger who was now in the car with the two men. He raised an eyebrow through the rearview mirror at the Prince. "Uh, Noct?"

Noctis had completely forgotten he didn't run anything by Ignis about Prompto coming over. "Oh, this is Prompto Argentum. I asked him to come over. That's alright, right?"

Ignis pushed his glasses back to comfort "Yes, I suppose it is, although, I would have liked to know this beforehand." The spectacled man scolded. "So, Mr. Argentum, do your parents know you will be coming with us for a bit?"

Prompto was frozen, everything that had happened today had finally registered with him. Him. Prompto Argentum. A nobody who barely even saw or knew his parents, was going to the Citadel. The Citadel, where the royal family, Prince Noctis, the beloved King Regis, where they lived with all their expensive furniture, and clothes, and servants. Not many people Prompto knew had servants, actually, Noctis was the only one he knew who did. He always planned on getting the courage to meet Noctis for Luna but he didn't expect it to happen like this or this fast. He had it all planned out. He was going to catch Noctis in distress and be a hero. How he planned the Prince to get caught up in something like he had planned, he did not know and knew it was farfetched of a goal.

"Ignis, call him Prompto and he said they didn't care." He heard Noctis answer for him after he escaped from his thoughts.

Ignis nodded "Very well then. You must not speak much Mr. Arge- Prompto I mean." He corrected himself.

"Oh, I'm just a little shy. Sorry." He bowed his head in an apologetic gesture and Noctis snickered next to him.

"Please, you do not have to apologize." Ignis sympathized. "It must be very strange and a very different atmosphere then what you are used to as I am just now meeting you and assuming you and then Prince have not been friends for long."

"It is." Prompto agreed.

Ignis put the car in gear and pulled out of the circle around where he had waited for Noctis to come out from detention and down the hill towards the Citadel. Noctis leaned his head against the window to look out as his advisor drove him home with his friend. He saw a small park overlooking the vast lake that was below. He then remembered the blonde he saw walking this morning. That blonde he saw had been Prompto.

He lifted his head up from the window to look at the blonde who was intent in playing King's Knight on his phone. "Hey, you play?" He asked his blonde friend.

Prompto looked up slightly startled "Oh, oh yea man!"

Noctis' face lit up and pulled his phone out to launch the app that has taken most of Lucis youth including Ignis and Gladiolus' attention by storm "Cool. What's your username?"

"Uh…" Prompto's face grew red "Don't make fun of me but I was like thirteen when I made it. Its Chocoboy2348."

Noctis' cheeks were growing red now but not because he was embarrassed but he was trying to contain his laughter when a snort escaped. "Gotcha." He looked back at his phone to type the name in. "I added you."

"Prince_of_Chocobos? That you?" Prompto raised an eyebrow at the name. "You like chocobos too?"

"Mhm." Noctis nodded and placed his phone beside him in the seat. "So, this morning I saw you walking to school."

"The bus doesn't come down my road since I'm close enough to the school for them to not send a bus route and too far away to leave last minute and well my parents go to work really early."

"How far do you live from the school?"

Prompto pointed out of his window. A road that went down further. "About a block."

Noctis' eyes widened he couldn't believe the blonde walked the distance every day. He hated walking up the steps to the Citadel every day. "Do you need rides? Ignis wouldn't mind giving you one."

The spectacled man looked up at the two from the rearview mirror at the mention of his name and nodded in response.

"Its fine. I don't want to be a free loader. Plus, I need to stay in shape."

"Tell you what." Ignis spoke up. "You tell Noct if you ever need a ride and if the weather is in climate to walk in, expect that we will provide you with a ride."

"Oh, wow! T- thanks! Really!"

Ignis nodded "Anything for a friend of his highness."

Friend. The Prince of Lucis' friend. All day Prompto had been battling people acting like this. He couldn't believe he was doing the same. But then he thought to himself that he wasn't being obnoxious like the others. He was only like this in his head which was working out for him. Him and Noctis had hit it off pretty well today.

He decided to give himself an inner pep talk to keep him calm 'Calm. Okay, calm. You acted like this when you got Lady Lunafreya's message. OMG, though it's the Prince! Okay, I'm okay.' Prompto practiced breathing exercises while he had an inner break down.

Noctis looked at his new friend concerned by his sudden change of expression "You alright?"

"O- oh, me?" Prompto stuttered "Yea man! I'm fine."

Ignis made the turn for the Citadel and stopped at the gates as they had to verify the identity of every car that entered through them. The Kingsglaive made a confused look when he looked at the blonde he had never saw before, which caused the blonde to turn bright red. The man who was a kingsglaive nodded to the one operating the gate and they slowly opened, after Ignis stated the blonde was with the Prince.

Ignis drove up the not too long but still lengthy enough paved driveway to the Citadel.

Prompto's eyes grew wide as they drove. He had always seen the Citadel from a distance. Who couldn't? He admired the artistic street lights that adorned the sidewalk to the very large and ominous, yet beautiful building. He thought he saw gold dawn parts of the building as an expensive decoration. He was completely amazed by the height of the building and was surprised it didn't reach into the crowds. He thought there must be at least 300 rooms inside the building by the size. What would someone need that many rooms for anyway? That thought quickly became unimportant as the car came to a stop and in front of them were a large set of stairs that had to be at least 20 or 30 feet or more.

Another glaive opened Prompto's door and he stepped out with Noctis sliding out behind him "Wow!" Prompto said in amazement, almost breathless.

"Well, Mr. Argentum, you'll be able to meet the King, since he requested Noctis to see him as soon as we arrived." Ignis spoke coming around the corner of the car to hand the glaive the keys to park the car in the royal garage. "What a lucky man, not many people get to see his highness in person anymore."

"Ha! Good one Iggy!" Noctis scoffed "He's gonna see me get my ear chewed off."

"Hey!" a voice from atop the stairs shouted at the men at the bottom of the stairs. "You guys comin'?" It was Gladio who always greeted the two men if he had not joined them.

The three men began to walk up the stairs. Prompto was hesitant at first but slowly followed. He didn't know whether to be formal, be himself, he didn't really know how to act at all in this situation really. Never did Prompto ever imagine he would actually be on the steps to the Citadel, even with Luna having told him Noctis needed a friend. He still doesn't know or understand why the Prince, the most popular guy in Insomnia needed a friend and was even more puzzled at the fact Luna picked him. She could have picked anyone else but she picked Prompto Argentum and well Prompto guessed you shouldn't question the Oracle.

Noctis slowed his stride up the steps to bump Prompto "Hey, don't start acting weird now. That's Gladio by the way, he's like my body guard." He pointed at the muscular man who was now greeting Ignis with a friendly hug.

"Dude, he's huge!" Prompto whispered loudly in shock.

Gladio looked the scrawny blonde in front of him up and down as if he could instantly see something that said Prompto was bad news or not. "Who's this?"

"That's Prompto. Stop scaring him." Noctis scowled at the larger and slightly older man.

Gladio chuckled "Nice to meet you Prompto! You should let me work you out sometime." He winked flirtatiously at the blonde who looked completely horrified.

Noctis rolled his eyes "He's just messing with you. He means he wants to get you to train some. Like I said I do."

Prompto let out a sigh of relief.

"What else would I have meant?" Gladio said as he grabbed Prompto's arm. "It's good to protect yourself these days you know."

Prompto nodded as the muscular man let go to walk away with Ignis. Noctis motioned for Prompto to follow him inside the Citadel's large decorative doors that were already opening for the two.

Prompto was in awe. It had to be the most elaborate foyer he has ever seen in his life. The walls were a shade of grey with silver lining and the floors were a grey and white marble with black marble diamonds. There was a reception desk in the left corner and Prompto thought that must be for dignitary visitors and such. The two walked down a hall to the main elevators.

'A freaking elevator!? Jeez, they're loaded, well they are royalty Prompto.' The blonde thought to himself before they stepped into the elevator.

Noctis leaned against a black padded wall "By the way, my dad isn't normally as mean as you're about to see him. I'm pretty sure he's pissed at me right now for not 'conducting myself as a Prince'." He mocked an Ignis styled impression.

"It's kinda my fault though, like he should be mad at me. I was the first one to say something."

"No." Noctis shook his head. "It's really my fault, so I'll take the blame."

Prompto looked worried and started to doubt everything he was doing "Should I even be here? I mean I am just a pleb so…" He looked down at his feet.

Noctis shifted and scoffed "Dude, I invited you! My friend doesn't need appointments to see me."

'Friend.' That word coming from the usually distant prince's mouth was a shock to Prompto and it stayed in his mind, hitting him that he really is accomplishing what Luna asked. Now, all he wondered was about the saving part and when that would come in.

The elevator dinged, letting the two know they arrived on their chosen floor. They both stepped out and the room split into three different hallways almost uniform to the one they first entered. Noctis led Prompto down the hallway that was straight ahead of them. Prompto began to be even more amazed as they walked down the hallway. There were large portraits of past Lucis Kings, Queens, and their crowned heirs. On the right of the walls were the coronation day for the princes and princesses of Lucis with the parents standing behind them. One portrait stood out to Prompto. There were two siblings. The one in the robes and crown had slightly longer hair than Noctis' and was the one to sit on the throne. There was the younger sibling standing next to the crowned prince. He lay his hand on the older sibling's shoulder. His face was what had caught Prompto's attention, instead of looking calm like the others in the portrait, he looked tense His face was pursed and his other had was balled up into a fist.

Noctis stopped walking and turned around to notice Prompto was staring at a portrait "Hey." He said as he walked back over to his friend. "Oh, that's, uh, Prince Izaiya, Izuya, no, umm, Izunia. Yea that's it I think. Don't remember anyone else's name in it though, only because he was the first and only Lucis Prince to be assassinated." He blushed. "I'm still kinda learning but you almost have to remember something like that."

"You have to learn about all of these people?" Prompto gestured to all the portraits around them.

Noctis simply nodded.

"Wow, and I never would have known someone from the royal family was assassinated. Kinda scary when you think about it." Prompto followed, after they began walking again.

"They didn't want it plastered in history books since it was an inside job and not terrorism and ever since then, security has been unbearingly protective."

"Better safe than sorry though."

"Noctis Lucis Caelum! My son! The Prince of Lucis to his people!" King Regis shouts up from his throne and closing his conversation with Cor. "What were you thinking!?"

"I know, not prince like, I won't do it again. Okay?" Noctis spoke with a nonchalant attitude.

Prompto stood frozen and straight, not knowing what to do in the presence of the King. He also had to admit he was slightly terrified at seeing the King so heated.

Regis rubbed his temples at his son "Please do be more careful. I cannot have my son acting like an entitled brat towards his people. I'm sorry but there was no nice way to put your attitude." The king looked up and noticed Prompto and his stiffness. "Please, boy do not be so stiff. A friend of my son is a dear friend to us all. I do apologize for you having to have witnessed this conversation with me and my son."

Prompto relaxed slightly but also felt weird to hear the King apologize to him.

"His name is Prompto, dad."

Prompto realized after standing there that he had been being rude and hadn't properly introduced himself. "O- oh! I'm Prompto Argentum sir! I- I mean your highness!" he bowed and cursed himself under his breath.

"Please, please, no need for such a formal introduction." Regis gestured for Prompto to lift his head back up. "Say, will you be joining us for dinner? It would be a pleasure for you to join and I would love to get to know you more then but I am terribly busy at the moment."

"I, uh." Prompto hadn't expected to be invited to dinner by the King himself.

"He'll be there dad, but we have, uh homework!" Noctis grabbed Prompto's wrist and led him to his wing of the Citadel.

As they were moving quickly through the halls Prompto asked "We had homework? And uh thanks for you and your dad inviting me to dinner."

"The homework was a stall. I just didn't want you to have a heart attack." Noctis giggled some.

"Hey! I wasn't that nervous!"

"Sure." Noctis said leading them to his wing.

They had gone into Noctis' own personal entertainment room where the prince would watch TV or play video games. Noctis had left to change into more comfortable clothes then his uniform. Prompto looked through the photos on his camera from the other day while he waited.

Noctis came back in wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants. He plopped down next to Prompto and noticed a picture of a sunset the blonde had taken. A tree with no leaves was on the side. It was the tree that never blooms. Noctis never found it interesting or different from other trees but the way Prompto could work filters had left the prince in awe. The sun was in the middle, surrounded by clouds and let just the right amount of light to shine through.

"Hey, that's really good. You really know how to take pics." He spoke up about the photo.

Prompto blushed "You think so?"

Noctis nodded.

Prompto placed his camera down next to him and faced Noctis. "So, uh, I got the feeling earlier when you invited me over that you planned on talking to me about something that seemed kind of important. So, what's up?"

Noctis took a deep breath. It's not everyday someone shows up in your life and has seen Umbra before. Also, he was slightly worried about Luna and why she would contact and stranger and not him. Noctis was almost sure no one has ever seen the traveling dog before either. He had no way of knowing how he would go about this.

"Ok, so this might sound really weird."

"Dude, I'm sitting here with you, the prince, who I've just met today and I'm a nobody who somehow made you like me enough to be my friend. It's been more than weird."

"Thought you didn't care that I was a prince." Noctis joked sarcastically.

Prompto felt stupid for what he said "No, I- I don't man, it's just, it's hard to explain. This is all a shock kinda."

Noctis chuckled at how the blonde took what he had said so seriously. "I get it, I was just kidding but uh, that drawing on your note in detention."

Prompto lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "You already asked me about it bro."

Noctis took another deep breath "I know, but when did you see the dog?"

Prompto became even more confused "About 2 years ago, probably. Dude, why is this so important?"

"And the book, did it happen to have anything written in it from Lady Lunafreya?"

Prompto was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable now. Why did any of this matter to Noctis besides the fact the dog was in fact, in relation to Lady Lunafreya? Was he not supposed to help the other dog, Pryna, that caused Luna to send Umbra for some reason. He couldn't have left the dog to die and he would've never had the motivation to talk to Noctis. Prompto then thought none of that could be relevant. The only part that was relevant was what the letter said and Prompto had remembered it:

'Dearest Prompto,

I do sincerely appreciate that you have helped nurse my dear Pryna back to health. She appreciates it as well and I hope you are doing well yourself. Maybe one day when I visit Prince Noctis again, we can thank you in person but this will have to do, for now. Speaking of the Prince. You two know each other and must be friends, right? Please, do me another favor, even though you owe me, a stranger, no such favors. But, please, if I was wrong and the two of you are not as close as I thought, get him to open up to you, be the friend he is in need of. I fear he has isolated himself and it will only hurt him. So, please, be a hero and save your prince in distress dear Prompto. Show him the light so he does not succumb to the darkness that is coming. Please. I await to hear your response and see both you and Noctis someday.

Until we meet, Lady Lunafreya.'

Prompto couldn't quite say to Noctis 'Hey, one of your best friends thinks you are going to be evil and I gotta save you somehow.'

Noctis put a hand on the thinking blonde's shoulder gently shaking him. "Prompto?"

Prompto had drifted into thought without realizing it. "Oh, sorry man. Yea, Lady Luna, she uh, her dog… Pryna?"

Noctis just nodded as he listened to the blonde.

"Mainly, she thanked me for helping her. The dog had gotten hurt somehow." It wasn't a complete lie, he thought.

"Oh, that's it?" Noctis asked a little concerned.

"Yea, what else would she have said after I saved her dog."

Noctis sat back and shrugged "I haven't talked to her in a little over two years."

Prompto thought about, if Luna had worried about Noctis so much, then why didn't she talk to him herself.

"What!? Why? She talked like you two were close."

"She had to stop contacting me unless it was important. Tensions are high in Niflheim." He began to looked even more worried at the mention of the issue.

Prompto felt insensitive for asking "Oh, hey man, I'm sorry."

Noctis shrugged "It's just good to know she's okay. She's like a sister t me but hey, wanna play some video games?"

"Do I ever!" Prompto agreed.