So many reviews, guys, I'm happier than I can say. And still motivated it seems, so here is another chapter. I hope it doesn't linger too much. We got action in the end! And I really need to find a cover for this story. I'm thinking of trying myself at drawing one, or maybe just using one of the official images from the game, but I don't know…

So far, I try answering your reviews through PMs. For those unlogged, thanks for reviewing and reading! Every new review makes me happier and gives me more motivation. And there's a lot so I'm pretty motivated. Without further delay, have chapter four!

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Unexpected

Chapter 4 – Rushing doubts

"A refugees' camp?" Noctis asked as they filled the car.

Amicitia was sitting next to Luna, his legs too long to fit comfortably in the first row like he'd tried the other day. Prompto had asked the young woman what kinds of photos she'd liked to see and was shooting away as Ignis drove out of their parking space and unto the road.

"Iris mentioned a few were forming all over the country. Most people are aiming to go to Lestallum. It's pretty much the only town that can keep daemons away at night and receive such a massive number of people," Gladio explained.

"I escaped the city by walking along other refugees. When the empire sent ground soldiers after us, everyone went their separate ways."

"How did you manage to escape?" Ignis asked, his deep voice suggesting curiosity.

"I almost didn't try to at first. There were so many people suffering... It was a woman and her son that forced me to run with them. As the darkness fell, I lost trace of them too. I had been walking for hours, keeping daemons at bay with my magic when you found me."

She managed to keep a straight face during her explanation, but Noctis knew how much it had cost her to leave anyone behind. He felt bad, knowing those persons were his people. The ones he was supposed to protect now that the King was gone. Many might have been killed during the first night. And the country looked like a no man's land, with few working cities and more ghost towns than anything. Insomnia never slept, welcoming half of the kingdom's populace between its walls. It was impossible for this many people to all escape unscathed.

"Hey, is that car fuming?" Prompto asked.

"That was us a few days ago," Ignis sighed.

"We should help them," Noctis heard himself saying before to even think it through.

Delaying his trip might seem wrong, but if he was supposed to save his country, every citizen had to count. Luna came out of the car to check on the family that was waiting by the side of the road. She gave a check over to each member, making sure none were wounded or affected by the blight. Noctis had bought a few repair kits, only to have Ignis shut up about what had happened with the Regalia. Neither of them knew the repair kits wouldn't work on their customized car.

Removing his jacket, Gladiolus tried helping with the reparations, soon roasting under the blinding sun. The operation was long enough for the small group to eat lunch with the family and after collecting the dirty dishes, both cars left, with a brooding Noctis in one.

"Next time, we'll hand a repair kit and leave right away."

"I think it was fun," Prompto told him.

"I'm covered in oil," Gladio complained.

"And you almost broke the machine even more than it already was," Ignis observed.

Luna's smile turned upside down as she felt a pull in the air. Noctis was arguing with Prompto about the number of monsters they had killed and if they should take up a few hunts to refund their finances. But over their voices, another voice covered all noise, ringing in her ears. It had to be a giant. An Astral surely, but she hadn't heard one since the first manifestation of her powers. For a few minutes, she couldn't understand the words. When she did, her entire face fell, understanding dawning.

Find me, Oracle and make your plea for your race. The scourge is growing.

The words repeated themselves in a chaotic loop, one collapsing over the other, turning into gibberish and she winced after ten minutes of torture.

"Everything okay with you, young lady?" Gladio inquired.

Luna tried to shrug it off.

"We're about the same age, no need to call me that," she reminded him, hoping that would be enough.

"Then loosen up. You look stiffer than a board."

"Gladio, that's no way to talk to a princess!" Prompto interfered, clearly shocked by the lack of respect.

"I'm the one sitting next to the holy woman, and I'm trying not to freak out about it!"

That was half a joke half serious and Luna understood that more than between her and Noctis, her role had to be defined for the entire group.

"I've heard so much about each of you from Noctis… It feels as if we already know each other. I hope we can all become good friends. And I don't mind if you act casually around me. Besides, I'm no princess."

How could she call herself that with her home occupied by the empire?

"Even with all that dirt and the simple clothes, you've got the looks and attitude of a princess," Prompto insisted, not entirely realizing how direct that sounded.

"Oh really? Thank you, Prompto."

Noctis crossed his arms over his chest, hoping that if Prompto could get more comfortable around Luna, that would mean less "smooth talk" practices with the man. He liked his friend a great deal, but seeing him around Cindy -or any girl that interested him at the moment, really- almost hurt. The gunman always seemed to throw himself at impossible challenges.

Ignis had to refuel at Hammerhead and since Cindy was busy tinkering with another broken car, the quintet agreed to grab a bite at Takka's restaurant. The man mentioned a few beasts that had been giving him a hard time for his delivery and the promise of a nice steak made Noctis wonder about delaying their trip towards the nearest motel a bit more. Luna had been silent most of the dinner, picking at her food, her clear eyes fixed on the declining sun and the few people outside. Her gaze lingered on the families and the couples despite herself, and in her ears, over the playful banter of the four men, the words of an Astral were still echoing.

…plea for your race. Growing… Scourge.

She could almost feel the menace beneath her skin and shivered despite herself.

"I think the best you could get from that girl is pity," Gladiolus was warning Prompto.

"Pity is a first step. It's better than nothing."

"We should get going," Ignis sighed, refusing to give any more rope for the blond man to hang himself with.

"It's almost dark," Luna sighed. "Aren't you afraid of daemons showing up?"

"I'll be driving," Noctis cut in. "We'll get there faster and we are sleeping in real beds tonight."

After buying a pair of boots that really fitted Luna from a travelling arm vendor, they hit the road, Noctis making good time with the light they had left before nightfall. Ignis always had trouble accepting to let the prince drive. He'd never really gotten over the first time his majesty had driven with him.

"Ignis, you should relax. You've been driving for most of the day already," Luna told him, now sandwiched between him and Gladiolus.

Noctis wondered if she felt too surrounded by men. She seemed to acclimate just fine, but would she dare to complain? She was the definition of self-sacrifice. She had stopped complaining when she was sixteen, at least in her letters to him. She had confided in him sometimes, but never as much as he did.

"I'm not tensed, Lunafreya."

"He's honest there. Ignis's spine must be different from ours," Noctis observed, taking a curve and giving more speed to his motor.

Ignis's intake of breath was audible to the four of them.

"Do you have to drive like this?"

Noctis snickered, while Prompto shot a picture of the backseat's occupants. Luna was wearing Ignis's coat over her t-shirt tonight, keeping the garment closed with both of her hands.

"What I don't get is why you don't have security belts in this car…" she observed.

"I guess my father got too many other options."

"Or maybe he enforced the law about respectful driving to make sure seatbelts weren't necessary," Prompto added.

It took a moment for Noctis to realize he had mentioned his father without thinking about the fact he was dead. He focused on Luna's face in the rear-view mirror, to keep his grief at bay. She had put one hand on Ignis's shoulder, asking him if Noctis' driving justified such vigilance on his part.

"He can't be that bad."

His eyes went back to the road. He'd better not mess up the engine like he did the other day!

Ignis was messing with his new glasses, the broken ones waiting to be replaced in one of his numerous pockets.

"I'd say he has improved," the advisor started. "But he's a daring driver. I bet your presence makes him just a little more prudent than his usual."

"I can hear you, Ignis."

The chamberlain smiled in answer. At least, the Longwythe Motel was visible now and Noctis felt a brief sense of relief. No daemon had shown up. It was almost 9 when they booked two rooms. The bathroom being shared between the guests, the guys gallantly let Lunafreya freshen up first. Prompto and Noctis actually sat in the hallway next to the door, playing king's knights on their phone while they waited for their turn. A warm shower would be welcomed after the stressful days.

"You keep on losing, Noct. Maybe we should browse today's pictures instead. I took some good ones."

Luna seemed to be his new favorite subject, and Noctis couldn't exactly blame him. After going over Prompto's selection, he reviewed them a second time, studying two of the car ride more carefully.

Luna seemed lost in thoughts as Gladio was gazing at the road and the prince gave directions to Ignis. In fact, she looked in pain.

"Did you notice anything special about Luna today?"

"What kind of special thing?" Prompto asked suspiciously. "I've been taking pictures, but I swear I wasn't ogling on her."

"No, not like that. She looks concerned. Here and there toom" Noctis said, pointing at the pictures where it looked worse to him.

"She must have a lot on her mind," Prompto remarked. "She's incredibly tough."

"You can say that again."

But deep down, Noctis wondered if he shouldn't have been more careful about her. He'd been so focused on her for the first few days, he was worried his friends could feel left out. He wasn't sure who needed his attention more.

"You took an awful long time to get out of the tent this morning," Prompto reminded him. "Are you going to tell me what happened between you two or not, man?"

"Nothing happened."

He almost sounded regretful about it and realized his mistake a moment too late.

"Ah ha! I knew it!" Prompto exclaimed, raising his fist in victory.

"Knew what?" Luna asked curiously.

She'd just come out of the bathing room, wearing a bathrobe and carrying her boots under one arm.

"Huh…"

Noctis felt as dumbfounded as his friend. Her hair was down, still dripping here and there. She smelled clean, looked natural and far more reachable than the almighty Oracle that gave solemn speeches on the radio.

"Nothing, he's just fooling around," the prince said, getting up.

"Have a good night Lady Luna."

"Thanks, Prompto. The two of you have a good night too." She cheered back.

Her smile was cheerful and amused. Somehow, it made Noctis feel like a child. But if he could have seen her face when she turned her back on them, he'd know she was blushing furiously. She tried to play it cool, but it felt strange to be around him in these circumstances. Strange, exhilarating and not enough all at the same time.

…

Noctis and Ignis checked on Luna an hour later. The young woman had finished drying her hair and smiled at the sheepish look on Noctis's face.

"We thought you'd like some fresh clothes'" Ignis explained.

The guys had gone through their spare clothes, Prompto giving up his red sleeveless shirt, while Ignis fixed one of Noctis's jeans to fit her.

"We should be able to buy you some real clothes in Galdin Quay."

"But I thought we were supposed to check on refugees' camps?" she whispered, taking the small bundle of clothes from Noctis's hands.

"If we find some as we travel, we'll stop, but they must be hiding."

"Especially if they're on foot," Ignis added.

"I see," Luna whispered, eyes forlorn. "Well, thanks for looking after me."

"Don't mention it. It's the least we can do."

Noctis didn't know if he should say anything more, but Luna looked tired.

"Have a good rest."

She inclined her head, graceful despite her fatigue. She had almost forgotten the Astral's voice when she slipped beneath the covers of her bed. But the Starscourge was expanding. She permitted herself to hate what the world was expecting from her for a few minutes. As she closed her eyes, Nyx's last fight and Regis's death flashed beneath her eyelids. Her own helplessness. How Noctis was hurt despite his brave face. And the Astrals were asking her to press him on.

There must be another way. Or at least more time.

…

Luna didn't look entirely awake in the morning. Her new attire made her look like a tomboy, but she finally seemed comfortable as she walked around without having to hold her ripped skirt in place. She ate with gusto the breakfast Ignis had prepared by the side of the car. Galdin Quay was close by and although a few people asked them if they really were Prince Noctis and Lady Lunafreya, nobody slowed them down. They were mostly happy to see them together and alive with what had happened in Insomnia.

Ignis got behind the wheel and Luna spent the two hours ride playing a guessing game with Prompto and Noctis. She was relieved not to hear the Astral anymore. Arriving by the side of the beach made Prompto even more exuberant than usual. The gunman wanted to shoot pictures of everything.

"If you keep that up, we'll never be done with the shopping we have to do."

The luxurious resort had a small selection of clothes, but much to Luna's pleasure, they also had a couturier ready to alter clothes. She ordered a white dress, a jacket, and one pair of pants, pretty sure that with a few modifications, the shirt she had would be perfect for the trip. Noctis didn't refuse any expense, simply checking with the local tipster which hunt could cover the price. By the middle of the day, fewer beasts prowled the area and Luna was properly equipped to face the world.

Her jacket was black, with short sleeves of white leather. The hood was in a soft material, a dark shade of grey with the collar surrounded by white triangles that pointed upward. Her boots were laced on the front, stopping just below her knees. Her moon pendant glinted in the sunlight as she twirled on herself once, waiting for the comments of the guys. Her hair was in a half bun, practical without catching the attention. Although with a face like hers, the attention was caught right away.

"Not bad," Gladio admitted.

"It seems… more appropriate."

Ignis had some reservation about bringing a woman on the battlefield, but he knew better than to voice them out loud.

"You look awesome," Prompto complimented her. "I never rocked that shirt as well as you do."

"Feeling up for a test run?" Noctis asked. "We could use one last hunt before setting back on the road."

She nodded her approval, feeling like a different person entirely. She knew it was childish, but she never had the right to run out in an open field after becoming the next Oracle. Or to wear anything other than white, or dresses. She had learned to run in high heels, knowing one day she might escape her captors and answer her true calling, instead of doing the empire's biding. Now, she felt as though she was finally freed from her prison.

Gladio was watching her closely, observing the way she ran, the way she hoped on rocks and reacted if one of the guys bumped into her. She seemed to adjust well so far. They went to the beach, taking on a trio of gigantic crabs. Luna channeled her light to get the beasts away from her while Prompto broke their articulations with his precise shooting, Noctis hacking and slashing through them, closely followed by Ignis. It was over so fast that Gladio wondered if he could really have a chance to test the girl. So he suggested one on one training.

"You're quick on your feet. If you can dodge on your own, we won't have to throw you around like we did in that trench."

"I wouldn't mind that," Luna declared.

Noctis seemed ready to interfere, but Ignis shot him one look. It meant that if he wanted her on the team, he'd better let the others welcome her in their own way. For Gladio, it was making sure she was up to the task.

"I'm not going to hurt you. You simply dodge out of the way," the big guy told her.

Luna noticed how anxious Noctis looked. It had taken him years to be able to compete with Gladio's sheer strength and expertise. She guessed she had more than one person to convince in that little performance.

When Gladiolus charged at her, she stood her ground, channeling her magic. Golden globes of light formed a line from her left hand to her right. Her trident appeared, blocking the gigantic sword. She flinched from the shock, but effectively managed to halt his attack.

"Wait a minute, she can summon weapons too?" Prompto exclaimed. "How unfair is that?!"

"I can only invoke one," she explained. "But if I need to defend myself, I can. I didn't do it the other day because I was afraid it would get in the way in that cramped space."

Gladiolus nodded, taken aback for the first time since she'd shown up in the middle of the night.

"She's full of surprises," Ignis commented.

Noctis simply smiled, finally seeing a way for this to work. Luna might not be a fighter yet, but she had the will and the strength to make up for it. She called back the trident, Prompto still muttering over royal lines and chosen people and unfair powers, but he clearly wasn't mad about it.

A buzzing from Gladio's pocket turned the discussion short. Luna walked up to Noctis, looking mischievous. He smirked, understanding what she must be thinking.

"To my defense, I started fighting him when I was nine and couldn't yet summon weapons," he told her. "But that was neat."

Gladio's raised voice interrupted any sort of small talk.

"Iris! You could have gotten yourself killed!"

Noctis looked up, Luna whipping her head around. Gladiolus had planted his sword at his feet and was gripping the handle with white knuckles. Prompto turned motionless for the rest of the half conversation they could hear.

"You sure? Stay there until we reach you, you hear me?! No detours, no running into imperials."

As soon as the tall man hung up, his friends were all over him.

"What was that about?"

"The roads are blocked. They barely made it to Lestallum with Jared and his grandson. My sister thought passing refugees from Cleigne to Duscae behind the empire's back would be a good idea."

"How'd she do it?" Noctis pressed him.

"Through underground tunnels," Gladiolus explained through clenched teeth. "She's been wounded, something superficial she said, but…"

Luna paled, understanding what he must be feeling.

"We need to remove the blockade and find the refugees before the empire does."

"And how do we do that, your Highness?" Gladio barked back.

"We train on the beasts we'll meet on the way to the Duscae blockade, keeping our eyes peeled for people in need of help. Cor wants me to put the empire back in its place."

"I can heal the people we'll find. It will be faster than gathering the potions or antidotes they might need," Luna added.

And I might find the Astral in Duscae.

"Let's start by getting back to the car," Prompto suggested. "My feet are killing me."

They rushed back, barely collecting a few curatives before to roll out. They didn't notice the flash of a camera as they left, or the smug grin on one journalist's face. People might have seen the prince or his fiancée, but nobody had alerted the empire yet of where they were. That scoop might get him enough gils to retire from his day profession and focus on what he'd rather do.

…

Luna was leaning closer to Noctis, wanting to give Gladio some space. The man was beyond himself with worries and Prompto hadn't the heart to even try and cheer him up. Any joke would feel out of place. Before long, Noctis slipped one arm around his ex-fiancée's shoulders, letting her rest her head in the crook of his neck. Her palm laid on his thigh and the touch didn't feel as intrusive as he'd thought. It helped him forget what was coming.

They stopped as the sun went down and hiked their way to the closest camp site. A few beasts showed up, but it wasn't until a dark shadow covered them that Noctis realized he might have another sleepless night in front of him.

"Is that… an imperial ship?" Prompto asked.

"Spot on. They're dropping on us!" Ignis warned.

Luna stepped to the side, readying herself for the fight. Noctis called his engine blade and aimed himself. He warped-strike two soldiers while they were still free-falling. There were so many of them, the less touched ground, the better his friends could get through them. Gladiolus took out his sword, before to get pushed down by Ignis so they'd evade a curtain of bullets.

Luna stood back, taken back to the night in Insomnia and the refugees that fell behind her as she was pulled away against her will. She wanted to fight, but even if those soldiers were supposedly nothing but machines… Something stopped her from raising a hand against them. Instead, she noticed that Prompto had taken a hit and rushed to his side.

Noctis clashed into three magiteck soldiers, their steel hissing against his blade. The glint of their eyes was a dark fire. He rolled on his side, warped-turned and slashed and barely evaded an axe aimed at his throat. What machines could move like that?! This kind of programming simply felt wrong. The metallic corpses clawed at the dry earth. He called upon the thunder spell he'd mixed on an earlier hunt, frying their system. Raising his eyes and catching his breath, he noticed three more machines. Maybe one more was still moving behind him, but his gaze was on Luna. She had finished treating Prompto and was running towards Ignis.

She didn't make a detour from the magiteck soldiers, taking the shortest route. Gladio crushed one of the soldiers' head, panting and heaving. Prompto emptied one charger in the second one's face. Noctis had barely any energy left for his magic, his arms and legs sore from all the jumping, warping and wall-hanging around. Luna was almost past the MT when the quake hit. The mechanical doll let go of its weapon in front of her. She tripped on the handle, almost falling on the blade but managed to roll on herself. The soldier's eyes flashed redder at the sight of her. As if someone had driven her picture in every of their circuits, to make sure they'd react to the oracle. An iron hand pointed a gun to her head.

Noctis might be imagining things, but he felt pure fear gnawing at his heart. So he reacted. He warped himself right on it, the shot ringing in his ears as his spear, his blade and his axe all went through the soldier. The bullet had grazed his left arm, but Luna was fine, had to be fine and she seemed fine as she looked up at him, out of breath.

"Is it over?" she asked, her voice whiter than her face.

"For now. I think."

Prompto grunted, staring at the sky.

"There will be more," Ignis warned. "We should find another camp, further from here."

The advisor treated himself with a potion, refusing Gladio's extended hand.

"Back to the car or we walk?"

Noctis helped Luna back up, barely refraining himself from hugging her to make sure she was really there.

"What makes us more visible, Ignis?"

"At this hour, the car's worse than walking."

"Everyone's up for it?"

Luna nodded with the others, although she couldn't hold back a shiver. She had been shot at before. But she had felt something in the air. Something coming from the soldier. Like a will of its own. And the quake. What could cause a continent to shake suddenly?

Noctis didn't let go of her hand as they ran into the night. If the empire was dropping soldiers from the sky on anyone walking by, he had to make sure his people were safe.

To be continued…

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Okay, so less fluff here, but more action. The adventure part of the story is shaping up. You know, I never have enough genres to classify my stories. But I think my set-up is pretty much done. Now, I need to keep up with it and stay consistent. I might have been writing and updating like crazy, but it's only because I need this story out of my system. And the updating time will eventually slow down. Please please keep on reviewing. It helps so much!

And as for the fluff, it will be back in next chapter. :D