Author's Note: I wrote another short story, a bit longer than Revelations. It's a companion to Momentis, as is Revelations. It's a prequel to Revelations and is concerned with Prompto and Gladio's experiences after Ignis was injured in Altissia. It's called Waiting and Worry.

Momentis
Part III: Beyond the Wall

Bittersweet Aniversary
by Philippe de la Matraque

Ignis handed out the last award to one of Sania Yaeger's students. She told Ignis the young man was a verified genius. He was going to devote his time to looking for a cure for those infected by daemons. Sania caught him before he could leave. "You know that friend of yours never found my rainbow frogs."

"I remember that you never told my friend, King Noctis," he told her, "where to find them beyond 'the water.' He had more pressing things to do."

"Well, maybe you could pick up where he left off," she tried.

She started to continue, but Ignis held up a hand. "Look me in the eye, Professor." He took off his glasses. "I have only one and it doesn't work. You'll need to try to rope some other hunter into finding your frogs." He replaced his glasses. "Or find another avenue of study."

Bina saved him from further arguments, saying he had another engagement, when, in fact, he was done for the day. Ignis thanked her and let her lead him back to the golf cart where Sindra was waiting to drive him back home. Gladio and Prompto were both in town for Gratitude Day, and Ignis was looking forward to catching up with both of them. Even it was over a cold, bagged dinner. He was more surprised to find that Aranea had jointed them for the meal.

"There's the man I wanted to see," she said as he approached. She waited for him to be seated. "I've got good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"

Iris spoke up. "It's Gratitude Day. Get the bad out of the way and end on a good note."

"A sound plan," Ignis agreed.

"It's taken Biggs this long to scout all of Zegnautus Keep. The Crystal is gone."

That was bad news, very bad news. "Ardyn," Ignis said. "He must have moved it." He sighed. "And the Regalia?"

"Wedge has it," Aranea replied. "It's on its way here."

"It's a wreck," Gladio said. "Why do we want it?"

"Dude," Prompto argued, "it's the Regalia!"

"I want the headlights, actually," Ignis explained. "If we can replicate them—"

"We'd make travel safer for everyone," Prompto finished.

"Boys," Aranea said. "That wasn't my good news."

"My apologies," Ignis told her. "I side-tracked us."

"Yes," she agreed, "well, I have something for you." She slid something across the table to him.

Ignis lifted it. It was thin and flat. He unwrapped it and was disappointed, at first, to find a book. But then his fingers felt a texture on the spine. Little bumps and raised letters. Ignis removed the glove from his right hand. He felt the front cover. Here the raised letters were smaller but he could make out BRAILLE. Below those letters were patterns of bumps arranged in rectangles. He flipped to the first page with more bumps. It had raised letters as well as bumps. 'A is for apple.' Ignis felt the corresponding bumps and noted the arrangement that made up the letter 'A.' He flipped the page. No raised letters there.

"Ah, it's a mystery," he said.

"Huh?" Prompto grunted.

"Well," Ignis explained, "you know I'm going to go page to page just learning the alphabet. Then I'll be able to go back and find out what the other twenty-five letters stand for."

"The suspense is killing me," Gladio commented.

"Thank you, Aranea," Ignis said. "This opens up a whole new world for me."

"Wedge found a whole room full of Braille books. I've dropped off the rest with that library of yours."

"Okay," Iris said, changing the subject. "Who's got a date for the dance?"

"I do," Aranea replied.

Ignis chuckled quietly. "I do, as well."

"I've got a date," Gladio offered.

"Anyone we know?" Prompto asked.

"I doubt it but it's a small world these days," Gladio replied.

"One of the new residents from Altissia asked me," Iris said. "I think a lot of the Lucians are too intimidated. Prompto, there are a lot of lovely ladies in town."

"I live in hope," Prompto held. "Someday Cindy will come. Maybe tonight. Where's Talcott, anyway?"

"Oh, he had a date," Iris replied. "If he's not here, it means he's having dinner with her after their dance. Our little boy is growing up."

They spent the next forty minutes catching up. Gladio had been assigned to clearing daemons from areas around Lestallum. Most recently, he'd been up in the Pallenrath Pass. He'd taken a few Arba as well, which helped to fill their sandwiches with a bit of meat this evening. Ignis was not surprised to hear that Prompto was staying close to Hammerhead. Cindy however was too involved keeping the trucks on the road to give him much attention. Iris and Aranea left to get ready and the three men kept talking a bit longer. Now that they were alone in the dining hall, they took the time to acknowledge that this year's Gratitude Day marked four years since Noctis entered the Crystal.

During the dance, Aranea had shared how she had cleared and Insomnian mall with Iris and Cor a few weeks ago. Iris had taken exceptional interest in a formal dress shop. As those dresses had little survival value, no one bothered to loot them until now. Iris had helped Aranea choose her dress after she'd picked out one of her own. All the rest were brought back to the Used Clothing shop in time for Remembrance Week. Ignis could feel the low back to her dress along with sequins and lace.

She walked him home and, this time, she stayed over. He got a full tour of her new dress before they removed it together.