What's this a long overdue update?! ...Yes, yes it is. Thank you for your patience.

Thanks for the favorites, follows, and reviews!

Chapter 25

In Search of Flowers and Hunters

Mia stopped at the doorway, scanning her room one final time. Her bed was primly made, like it was (almost) every morning. Her desk and its contents were either neatly organized or stashed away in drawers. Out of her small collection of notebooks, she took the one with the most blank pages. She didn't know what kinds of adventures (or troubles) she and her friends would get into, but she wanted to remember every moment of it. At the behest of her mother, her festival costume hung off her closet door to be thoroughly cleaned. Other than that, everything seemed to be in order. She wasn't about to leave a messy room behind.

Her parents waited for her at the shop's entrance, holding disposable cups of coffee in their hands. They must've gone out while I finished packing, Mia mused. Sauntering over to them, she noticed their expressions weren't entirely natural. Hers must've look similar to theirs, she supposed—smiles tinged with sadness and a little apprehension. This was bound to be the furthest Mia would be away from home so of course her parents were concerned for her wellbeing. Pushing those thoughts aside, Mia accepted the third cup offered by her mother and breathed in the lovely aroma.

"So, today's the day," Sano sighed. "You're officially flying the coop."

Purposely exaggerating her eye roll, Mia sneered, "Don't get sappy on me now, old man."

"I'm not gettin' sappy," he huffed. His mirthful smirk fading, her father crossed his arms and stared straight into his daughter's eyes, searching for any sign of hesitance. "Just makin' sure you're prepared."

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

"Well, all I want is for you to be safe," her mother interjected as she grasped her hand. "My wishes also extend to Prince Noctis and your friends."

Mia's eyes widened a bit at her remark of Noctis's title. She never recalled mentioning it to her parents in any conversations. "You knew this whole time?"

Exchanging glances with her husband, Clementia elaborated, "Not at first. We realized it the night you invited your friends over for dinner. We put two and two together after they told us they were heading to Altissia. Besides, Noctis is basically a one-of-a-kind name. We just figured His Highness wanted to keep a low profile so we refrained from asking." Mia thoughtfully hummed; with various news outlets covering the betrothal between the oracle Lunafreya and the prince of Lucis, Noctis's name was thrown around quite often. In hindsight, it was the natural conclusion to the group of rather peculiar strangers.

"In any case, thanks for keeping it a secret," Mia chortled. "The guys'll be very grateful."

"Speaking of those boys," Sano interrupted with a hard stare. "They might be your friends, but you're still the only woman among them."

The elementalist threw her father a dull look. "I know what you're insinuating so yes, I promise to be wary," she deadpanned, not bothering to rebut his suspicions. "That being said, if I didn't trust them with my life, I wouldn't be going." The little grunt told Mia he was satisfied with her answer.

"They are indeed capable gentlemen," her mother sighed dreamily. "Handsome to boot, as well. I wouldn't mind if one of them courted you." The exasperated groan brought an innocent grin to her face. "I'm only kinda kidding."

"Yeah, sure, okay, mother. I'll let you know how that goes," Mia offhandedly dismissed her jest, to which Clementia grinned wider. When she checked the time on her phone, the elementalist felt a painful tug on her heartstrings. The guys should be heading over to the Regalia by now. Her smile turned bittersweet when she glanced back to her parents. "Time to go."

Since she didn't want a prolonged goodbye, Mia gave her family a quick emotional embrace and left her home.

With the Assassin's Festival concluding the night prior, Lestallum had entered a bizarre state of recovery. As per usual, the reality of life set in. Despite the early morning start, construction workers were already at work repairing the damage caused by the empire. Street sweepers cleaned up the remaining trash around the city. Crews of volunteers dismantled the temporary stalls. Other crews removed the abundant decorations, including the makeshift walls blocking the main road. At the other end of the spectrum, the festival attendees, locals and visitors alike, were either sleeping off hangovers or lethargically packing for their return trips.

A slow exhale escaped Mia's lips as she firmly clutched her bag. This was it. After today, there was no telling when she would return to Lestallum.

Was she anxious? Definitely. Was she having doubts? Absolutely not.

"Yo, Mia!" The booming voice calling out to her broke her train of thought. She stopped in her tracks, turning to the obvious source. Gladiolus's stature made it easy to pick him out of the crowd immediately. Once he approached, he swung an arm around her shoulders and tossed a roguish grin her way. "Lookin' forward to being squished between me and His Royal Highness, my dear apprentice?"

"Best part of the trip, I just know it," she scoffed, earning a low chuckle from him. She proceeded to greet the rest of her friends, only to raise an inquisitive eyebrow at Noctis's and Prompto's long faces. It wasn't their usual I'm-too-sleepy-to-function expressions, either—they actually looked depressed about something. She waved a pointed finger between the two of them. "What's up with the frowny faces?"

"They're taking down the decorations," Prompto whined.

"We didn't even get to do what we wanted at the festival," Noctis grumbled.

Mia barely contained her laughter. Little children were taking the festival's end more maturely than these two were. Granted, it wasn't fair considering what they were forced to deal with, but it was still hilarious nonetheless. Giving them both a sympathetic pat on the back, Mia offered, "There's always next year." She finally lost it when they both groaned in unison.

She continued to giggle until she slid into the Regalia's middle seat. With a quick peek backwards, Mia bade Lestallum a silent farewell as it disappeared in the distance. Sighing softly, the elementalist fidgeted in her seat to find a comfortable position to be in for the next few hours. Unfortunately, it took more effort than it should have due to her present company. She was sandwiched between an already dozing off Noctis and the natural heater that was Gladiolus. Fortunately, Gladiolus relinquished some space to her by stretching his arm along the backrest. This allowed her to sit straight instead of awkwardly leaning against the prince.

"Mia, I've been wondering," Prompto spoke up after the first twenty minutes passed by in silence. Gaining her attention, the blonde twisted his body to look towards the backseat passengers. "What's gonna happen to your shop?"

"My dad's covering for me," she replied. She assumed he was asking about her flask trade in particular. "I made sure he has enough magic essence to complete the remaining orders. After that, well, magic sales will be put on hold until I return. I asked Dave to get the word out to the Hunters so they don't pester my family about it." The gunner made an "oh" sound and sat down again, curiosity satisfied.

Everything returned into silence then, with the exception of the radio playing music in the background. To pass the time, Mia pulled out her phone and found Elias had sent her a message.

Sorry for not seeing you off... I'm hungover.

It was sent a few minutes ago which meant he was barely conscious. Mia inwardly rolled her eyes as she messaged him. Of course you are.

Her phone vibrated seconds later. Don't judge me, brat. It was worth it. Watch yourself out there. Don't worry, I'll take good care of your bike!

Mia typed her response with a little more force than she should have. If you ruin my bike, I will end you.

He replied with one heart symbol and said nothing more.

"Someone's having fun over here," Gladiolus stated after seeing the amused look on the woman's face. Deciding to be obnoxious, he leaned his giant body against her in an attempt to peek at her screen. "Who's textin' you?"

"Wow, so nosy," Mia retorted in a singsong tone as she pressed her phone to her chest, all the while trying to support the extra weight. "I don't see how it's any of your business, Muscles—jeez, you're heavy."

He countered her judgmental frown with a wolfish smirk. "Now I wanna know even more."

"Too bad for you—"

"It's Elias," Noctis sleepily answered in her stead. He ignored the elementalist's half-glare to shift his position, his head resting against the window. "I saw the name while she was texting."

Gladiolus guffawed while Mia planted her face in the palm of her hand. "Does privacy mean nothing to you guys?" she grumbled under her breath. She was met with another round of chuckles from everyone in the car, including Ignis. A loud sigh escaped her, "All of a sudden, I have a yearning for the solitude of my bike."

The party made a pit stop at Old Lestallum, the designated halfway point between Lestallum and Cape Caem. This also provided an opportunity to check on the town post-infiltration of Fort Vaullerey. When they were last here, the townsfolk were worried about retaliation from the empire. From the looks of it, however, no such events have happened. In fact, there seem to be little to no imperial activity in the area. Mia preferred to believe that was a good omen.

Gladiolus was acting very odd during their meal at the Crow's Nest. All throughout lunch, he remained peculiarly quiet as he read something on his phone. That in itself was caught Mia's attention—usually he's invested in physical books instead of digital ones. Strange as it was, the elementalist opted to say nothing. If it was pertinent to the rest of them, he would tell them in time.

She didn't have to wait long; as they ambled over to the Regalia, Gladiolus spoke up. "Hey, uh, guys, I have a favor to ask." Everyone halted in their step to turn to the Royal Shield. Said man rubbed the back of his neck, as if sheepish about what he wanted to say. Again, very weird. "Mind if we take a little detour?" Gladiolus continued. "I wanna do something for Iris, and I need your help... specifically, I need Noct's help."

"What's this now?" Noctis inquired, his interest piqued.

Relieved that his interest was piqued, Gladiolus shed the awkward pretense. "Well, my sis puts on a brave face, but I know it's not easy for her. I want to do something to show that I care. And that's where you come in."

"Yeah, sure thing," the prince agreed immediately. "What do you need me to do?"

"Pick a flower."

The brief silence that followed was a little uncomfortable and comical (at least to Mia). "...A flower," Noctis repeated dully with a raise of his brow. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Gladiolus retorted. He reached for his phone to show them a picture of what he had in mind. "Problem is, it's a particular flower that only blooms at dawn, indigenous to these parts. But Iris has always had a soft spot for 'em."

Mia examined the picture—bright pink flowers with six petals against a rocky landscape—and recognized the plant. "Oh, those are rosies," she pointed out. "They're pretty rare."

Prompto tilted his head slightly. "They're called rosies?"

"An apt nickname for the Rosea Aurora, also known as the Pink Dawn," Ignis enlightened them after a hasty internet search on his phone. As he scanned more of the article, Mia mirthfully watched the man become increasingly interested in the flower. "How fascinating," he mumbled more to himself than to the others. "It's a highly light-sensitive, nyctinastic plant. It's blooming period is solely at dawn and closes by noon. But somehow the flower will stay in its bloomed state if it's obtained during said period. Remarkable."

"Maybe we should pick some for Specky as well," Mia suggested. She met the advisor's gaze with an innocent grin.

"Regardless," the brunette cleared his throat. "His Highness will have to be conscious before the sun rises."

Noctis pursed his lips, looking none too pleased about waking up before his usual time. He acquiesced, in the end, because Iris was just as important to him. If there was something he could do to brighten her day, he would do it without question. "Early morning, huh?" he sighed as he placed his hands on his hips. "Well, at least it'll be easy pickings. You can count on me." He paused to look at the rest of their friends. "Everyone okay with it?"

"I don't mind," Mia answered, clasping her hands behind her back. "I personally would like to see such rare flowers." Plus she enjoyed seeing the considerate, older brother side of Gladiolus.

Prompto echoed her opinion with a nod. "Ditto."

"Considering Cid has yet to contact us about the boat repairs, I suppose we can spare some time," Ignis reasoned. "Granted if he does indeed call, we leave immediately... with or without the flowers."

"Then it's settled," Noctis nodded as he nudged his Shield. "On your lead, big guy."

The Royal Retinue then drove to Lambath Haven, the closest safe zone to the supposed dwelling of the Pink Dawn flowers. Lambath was located on the far outskirts of the Rock of Ravatogh. Like most of the terrain in the Cleigne region, the haven's surroundings were uneven and rocky. The easily walkable areas were flat, speckled with stones of various sizes, and colored black because of the volcanic soil, which allowed the numerous patches of vegetation all around to grow rich and vibrant. And of course, it had an impressive view of the Rock of Ravatogh.

After taking in the scenery, everyone was assigned different tasks to hasten the setup of camp. In addition to her personal belongings, Mia brought her own sleeping bag for her place in the tent. She contemplated bringing her dad's old tent but it would simply take up too much space in the Regalia's already packed trunk. Once everything was settled, Ignis took note of their ingredients and contemplated what to cook for dinner. Gladiolus dragged Noctis and Prompto out into the field to train and spar. The latter two made their displeasure vocally known—one pleading to take pictures instead while the other wanted nothing more than to relax at camp. Gladiolus didn't budge, thus they begrudgingly followed behind the tattooed man.

Mia, meanwhile, spent her afternoon scouting for Lambath's elemental deposits. She didn't bring her extraction kit this time around, as her magic supply was filled before she left Lestallum. No, her intentions were simply to check the conditions on the deposits. The blizzard outcrop was the closest, situated in between the other two deposits. It jutted from a little rocky "island" which was surrounded by a sea of volcanic earth. With some effort, Mia lifted herself onto the protruding stones and carefully maneuvered over to the magical cluster. She touched the glowing rock and was met with an immediate coldness. Reactively shivering, the elementalist gave the deposit a scrutinizing examination. The chilly sensation exuding from the rock meant magic was prevalent. The pulsating glow was bright and consistent, another good sign that the magic flow within the area was normal.

Mia recalled Noctis absorbing the magic essence directly into his body and how the deposit's veins dimmed. She was too fascinated to process it at the time, but now her mind was reeling with questions. She'd never seen an elemental deposit fade to black before and it was a little more than disconcerting. Assuming Noctis didn't completely absorb the magic, how long would it take for the deposit to recover? Would it recover at all? How serious would the repercussions be if one deposit was completely drained of magic? Mia stopped herself from heading down that train of thought. She doubted Noctis, or anyone else really, could provide enlightenment to her questions. Alas, they would remain unanswered until she discovers the truth for herself.

Returning to the task at hand, Mia proceeded to examine the fire and lightning deposits with equal intensity. She breathed a content sigh. Nothing was out of the ordinary. The haven's protective ward functioned perfectly.

When she returned to camp, Ignis was lounging on a chair with a can of ebony at his side, taking a rare moment of peace to relax. His expression was rather serene, but every now and then his eyebrows furrowed whenever he wrote in his journal. Mia lingered in silence longer than she should have, but she assumed he didn't get a lot of free time to himself. She found the tranquil atmosphere around him too important to break with measly conversation. Luckily for her, she didn't have to.

"Everything alright over there?" Ignis inquired without looking up. The amused smirk on his face signified he was aware of her unintentional staring.

"The haven's working superbly," Mia replied evenly, countering his knowing look with a blank one. "No daemons or monsters attacking us tonight."

"Wonderful news," he chuckled as he took a sip of his drink. Since there was nothing much to do besides wait for the others to return, the elementalist joined his company on the adjacent chair, which she plopped onto with carefree inelegance. Mia pulled a knee up to her chest as she leaned her head against the back of the seat. She closed her eyes to the soothing sounds of Ignis scribbling in his journal. She wasn't sure if she dozed off or not, but the next thing she knew, Ignis had shut his journal with a snap. "If you don't mind me asking," he began. "What is your favorite food? I shall make a note of it so I can cook it one of these days."

"That's sweet of you, Specky," Mia smiled as she opened her eyes. "But I'm not a picky eater. I'll be happy with whatever you cook."

"Surely you have a preference," he insisted, his expression serious.

He was determined to get a proper answer. Humming aloud, the elementalist tapped her chin and gave it more thought. "Well, if I had to choose a favorite, I'd say some kind of seafood. It's a rarity in Lestallum. When fish and the like are selling at the market, my family takes advantage of it. So I guess it's that… or cakes. All the cakes."

Laughing softly, Ignis wrote her answer in his journal. "I'll see what I can do."

The rest of the afternoon passed rather uneventfully after that. Gladiolus returned with an exhausted Noctis and Prompto, snickering when the two youngest cursed him under their breaths. While they rested, Mia and Ignis began preparations for dinner, the former readying the ingredients for the dish the latter decided to make. Their meal was delicious and their conversations were, as per usual, filled with lighthearted teasing (mostly at the expense of Noctis). It was a perfect way to end the day.

A hushed conversation was what stirred Mia awake the following morning. The voices were low and mumbled but she was able to ascertain the culprits: Gladiolus and Noctis. They were getting dressed, judging by the sounds of ruffled clothing being donned and zipped. In her half-awake state, she curled into her sleeping bag, attempting to both fall asleep yet also listen in on the discussion.

"Okay, let's go pick that flower," she heard Gladiolus say. "Ready, Noct?"

"Just to check," Noctis yawned not-so-quietly. "You sure you know where to look?"

Gladiolus made a noncommittal grunt. Though Mia couldn't see it, he probably shrugged as well. "Bound to be around here somewhere."

"It's a pretty big somewhere to look," the prince drawled. Mia could practically imagine the skepticism on his face and the cheeky smirk of the bigger man.

"C'mon!" There was a light slap on the back, followed by a low exclamation of annoyance. "It'll feel great when you find it."

"If I find it."

A third person cleared his throat, interrupting the Shield's encouragement of the prince. "You two can handle this on your own, I presume?"

"Yeah, we got this," replied Gladiolus. "We'll let Blondie and Ellie Elementalist catch up on their beauty sleep."

"Is that my new nickname?" Mia snorted, finally letting her friends know she was awake even though she made no intention of moving. "You can do better, Muscles."

Now it was his turn to snort. "I'll work on it."

After the flower seekers left, Ignis shuffled about (presumably to look prim and proper like he always did) before exiting the tent to do who-knows-what. She stopped caring when sleep decided to reclaim her again. When she awoke some time later, she was the only inhabitant of the tent. She used the chance to freshen up at her leisure. It was mid-morning by the time she took her first breath of fresh air of the day.

"Good morning," Ignis acknowledged her presence first. "Sleep well?"

"Yup," she replied as she gave a cursory glance around them. Prompto was relaxing on a chair, swiping through pictures on his beloved camera. Ignis, meanwhile, was in the middle of cooking breakfast for the party. Neither Gladiolus nor Noctis were present. "Guess they're still searching?"

"Indeed," he nodded. "Though I suspect their delayed return is due to a certain someone's inability to operate before dawn." They both laughed at the truth of his words. On a normal day, Noctis didn't fully function until noon, so waking up as early as he did would have definitely slowed their progress. "In any case, breakfast will be ready momentarily."

With a nod, Mia joined Prompto around the dwindling campfire, patting his shoulder as she sat down. "Heyaz," the blonde greeted her with a grin.

"Hey," she greeted back before pointing to his camera. "Did you run out of memory?"

"Nah, I just like looking at all of 'em. Wanna see?"

Taking him up on his offer, Mia moved her chair so it was right next to him while Prompto clicked some buttons on his camera. He decided to show his most recent photos and work backwards, beginning with an ethereal picture of the rising sun. Another displayed the Rock of Ravatogh in all its ominous glory, and the ones after were of the scenery. Prompto accumulated a ton of new photographs in a very short amount of time. Predictably, there was also a hefty amount from the Assassin's Festival. While some could be considered artsy (like close-ups of lanterns or a daredevil mid-leap off the tower), there were others that were more comical and spur of the moment. The ones with Noctis and Prompto making weird faces at each other in a photo stand-in display made Mia laugh the most.

As they continued to look through the memories, Mia blinked in surprise at one in particular. It was a picture of her extracting magic essence from a blizzard deposit. Although she knew there was a spile drilled into it, Prompto had framed the picture in such a way that it seemed like she was the one producing the magic. There was a slight blur on the edges of the photograph, indicating it was modified somewhat, but it was the choice of filter that produced a mystical feel about it, especially with the vibrancy of the pretty blue dust.

"When was this taken?" she inquired.

"It was the day you first camped with us," Prompto answered as he rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. "Sorry, I took it without you knowing. I can delete it if you want."

"Don't even worry about it," she dismissed his worry. "It's a really great picture, Snapshot. You even made me look decent. That's a superpower."

"Dude, shut up," he huffed, eliciting another round of laughter. "You always look awesome in pictures."

Nudging his arm, Mia grinned, "Only because I have a fantastic photographer." Her grin widened when her compliment set his cheeks ablaze.

For Prompto's sake, Ignis mercifully intervened. The advisor bent at the hip to hold out the first tray of food to the elementalist. A gourmet cuisine would be a better term for what was displayed: a singular piece of crisp toast under a lettuce leaf, thinly cut gighee ham, and a slice of cheese. A birdbeast egg, sunny-side up, topped off the dish. "Your breakfast, my lady," he announced with eyes closed. "Croque Madame, cooked to perfection."

Mia offered an awkward, sitting down curtsy in return. "Much obliged, good sir," she thanked him merrily, accepting the tray. Simply staring at it almost made her mouth water. Ignis certainly had a knack for taking basic ingredients and transforming it into something amazing. She made a pleased sound after she took a bite. "Absolutely scrumptious."

A smirk twitched onto his lips before giving an over-the-top bow. "I'm honored it pleases you so."

Mia attempted to mirror his straight façade but failed horribly, resulting in hearty laughter instead. She couldn't help it; it always brought a smile to her face when she recognized his more humorous side. While Ignis was a professional when it came to practiced stoicism, he also knew how to have fun. His subtle ways of displaying his affable side were shown through the mirthful twinkle in his eye, in his mannerisms, or in his words.

"So…" Prompto interrupted dully, thus shattering whatever strange atmosphere hovered over them. "Where's my breakfast, Iggy?" Ignis chuckled as he excused himself to get his and Prompto's portions. The blonde gave the elementalist a suspicious look. "What was all that about?"

"I don't know," she admitted with a shrug. "It just sorta happened." Her reply didn't convince him whatsoever, but the topic was forced to end because they spotted Gladiolus and Noctis returning to the haven. "Welcome back," Mia waved at them. "Did you find them?"

"Mission accomplished," Noctis gave her a thumbs-up. As if the bouquet of flowers in his other hand wasn't obvious enough.

Placing her tray on her chair, the curious woman approached him to examine one of the rarest flowers in all of Lucis. The Rosea Aurora was just as lovely as its name. Each flower had five rounded petals, colored bright pink around the edges which then faded into a soft minty green near the pistil. It was smaller than the more common flowers—it would fit in the palm of Mia's hand and then some—and genuinely smelled like crisp morning air. Very appropriate considering its short blooming period.

While Ignis took the flowers to store them safely, Gladiolus swung an arm around the prince's shoulders and pulled him close. "Thanks, Noct," he beamed. "Couldn't have done it without you."

"Not really sure you needed me," the royal drawled with a dubious raise of his brow. Even he was skeptical by the sudden request to search for the flowers. It was indeed odd that he had been very insistent for Noctis to accompany him on his quest.

Under the heated stares of his friends, the Royal Shield ruffled his hair rather nervously. "Well, thing is…" he began, his hesitance only increasing their nosiness. "I-I'd like you to give Iris the flower. That'll mean even more to her."

Ah, should've known he'd noticed it as well, Mia mused while Prompto "oohed" in the background and Ignis chuckled.

Noctis was the only one who didn't seem to understand. "Why?" he questioned, cocking his head to the side. "What's wrong with it being from both of us?"

A collective sigh rang throughout the camp, leaving the dark-haired royal to his befuddlement. "How clueless can you be?" Gladiolus mumbled under his breath as he ran a hand down his face. "Look, just hand it to her for me, okay?"

Apparently over it now, Noctis shrugged. "I guess I can do that."

As he sauntered over to Ignis for his share of breakfast, Mia glanced up at the tattooed man with a disbelieving stare. "Has he always been this dense?"

Gladiolus sighed once more. "I'd say it's gotten worse over the years."

The Royal Retinue were on the road again by noon. After a quick discussion, they decided to take the route heading south; it was a longer drive but it bypassed the majority of traffic they would've encountered had they gone through the towns and outposts. During the ride, Mia commented on a random conversation, only to halt midway through. Something interesting caught her eye. The Malmalam Thicket was quickly coming up on their right, but her focus was solely on the faded beige truck with a familiar dog pacing anxiously near it.

"Can we stop for a sec, Ignis?" she requested, leaning on the console between the two front seats. "Next to the truck, if you can."

"What's up, Mia?" Prompto asked as the brunette pulled off the road.

"Pretty sure that's Dave's truck," she said more to herself than to him. "That's Nanaki… but I don't see Dave." Ignis parked behind the truck at a respectable distance. The moment Mia jumped out of the car there was a loud bark, followed by a bronze-colored dog jumping on her, tail wagging. She gave the canine a loving pet on his head as she kneeled down in front of him. "Hey, boy," she cooed. "Where's your owner?"

"He ventured into the Malmalm Thicket to look for tags," Dave's teammate informed her after realizing who she was. "Linda went with him but it's been two hours." When Mia showed alarm, the hunter ruffled his hair in frustration. "Look, it wasn't my idea, alright? You know the Hunters need permission from HQ to enter but Dave was being stubborn about this. Said he wouldn't go too far in."

"What's the big deal about Dave heading into the woods?" Prompto inquired. "Do you really need permission?"

"Malmalam Thicket is strictly off-limits to hunters except in case of emergency," the man replied as a matter-of-factly. "It's been that way for years." Who were they to question the orders of HQ?

"Then we'll look for him," Noctis stepped in. He exchanged knowing glances with his friends. "Not like we need to abide by these rules." They already broke the rules not too long ago to grab the Royal Arm that resided deep within the woods. Why not do it again?

The hunter scanned the elementalis's odd group of friends, wondering just who would be crazy enough to traverse the forbidden forest. "If you're serious about this, take Nanaki on your search," he relented, gesturing to the dog who seemed to be giving pleading puppy dog eyes to him. "He won't be happy if you go without him."

"Alright," Mia nodded before beckoning the dog to follow. "C'mon boy, let's go find Dave."

The trek into the deeper part of Malmalam Thicket was foreign to Mia, but she trusted Noctis's guidance. On the off chance he was wrong, Nanaki was hot on Dave's trail. The dog eagerly sniffed at the ground, tracking the scent of his dear owner. Once they crossed a rickety bridge, monsters became more prevalent. The few encounters they were forced into were nothing too difficult to handle. It also helped that their canine companion was great at distracting the monsters.

Mia knew they reached the dangerous section of the woods when the trees began blocking out the sunlight. Along the way, she noticed there were multiple wooden signs stuck into the earth that read: NO HUNTERS ALLOWED.

A bark alerted her to Nanaki running ahead toward the two figures in the distance. Dave and the woman turned to the noise and blinked in surprise to see familiar faces this deep into the woods. "What in tarnation are you guys doin' here?" Dave asked while the woman knelt down to give his dog affection.

"Heard a hot tip sayin' you were in the area," Noctis casually answered, as if this was a normal situation.

"Worried about me?"

"About you breaking the rules."

"Finally, someone who gets it!" The woman—Linda, if memory served—patted off the dirt on her pants before waving over to the male hunter. "Please talk some sense into him," she pleaded with them. "He's been standing here, debating if he should get those tags himself or not, for hours. I'm not getting anywhere with him."

Dave narrowed his eyes. "It's not that simple—"

"Won't you get in big trouble if HQ finds out?" Mia countered with an even gaze. "Especially with Ezma? You know she has eyes everywhere."

The hunter flinched and rubbed the back of his neck after hearing his mother's name. "You got me there," he grumbled as he looked down at the ground. "The thicket's off limits to official Hunters 'less it's a matter of life an' death." He sighed in disappointment. "Reckon it's too late in this case. One of our hunters headed into the woods on a rescue mission and hasn't come back." He paused, hesitant to say what he was about to request. "Hate to ask you guys, but—"

"We can take up the search for you," Noctis volunteered without missing a beat. Everyone else agreed.

Dave laughed humorlessly. "Sorry for the trouble," he apologized, motioning further along the trail. "Oughta be a hut a little ways ahead. Lady there might know somethin' 'bout the hunter. I'd go myself… but regulations say collectin' tags ain't reason enough to head into the thicket. We'll head back." As he motioned for Linda and Nanaki to start moving out, Dave waved over his shoulder to those who were staying behind, "Be safe. Hate to lose y'all in there, too."

Gladiolus stretched his muscles, preparing for what may lay deeper within the forest. "Time to go tag huntin'."

"Perhaps we should heed Dave's suggestion first," Ignis recommended. "Ask the woman who lives in the woods."

"Might as well," Noctis shrugged nonchalantly.

Folding his arms behind his head, Prompto asked, "Who'd be crazy to live out here?"

"The witch, obviously," Mia retorted. He wasn't very amused by her answer.

Mia walked behind the guys since they were more familiar with this area than she was. According to Ignis, the trail eventually heads straight into the heart of Malmalam Thicket, where the royal tomb resided. The route leading to the forest residence presented itself as a smaller dirt path that veered off the main trail between narrow trees. Another sign prohibiting hunters was placed in front of it. Besides the one sign, Mia found it odd there weren't any additional warnings to stop people from actually traipsing through. Either Ezma trusted her Hunters wouldn't go against HQ orders, or the person who lived here didn't care too much. Or both.

Following the path led them to a dwelling sheltered beneath the forest canopy. A retaining wall of various stone sizes surrounded the property, which included a hut, a small farm, and a round umbrella table with a lounge chair. The hut was built with grayish wood, weathered from years of exposure to nature. Standing in front of said hut was an elderly woman, hands clasped in front of her. She wore a three-quarter, long-sleeved dark red dress, black boots, and a black shawl that covered her shoulders and head of gray hair. A string of dark-colored beads hung around her neck.

Mia jumped when she felt a poke in her side, courtesy of Prompto. "Is… is that really the witch?" he whispered nervously.

"Looks like it," she answered. "You probably shouldn't say that to her face, though."

The woman smiled at her new visitors, as if she was expecting them. "Welcome, dearies," she greeted. "It is I, Kimya, you seek?"

"Just… searching for some dog tags," Noctis replied after a pause. If Mia had to guess, he was taken aback by the woman's strange manner of speech, as was she.

Kimya made a noise of recognition as she tilted her head up in thought. "Belonged to a fallen hunter, it did, yes? Deep inside the woods, it lied." She then motioned to her home behind her. "In my cabin, it is now. Sent here by their leader, you were?"

"More or less."

"How come the Hunters aren't allowed here?" Prompto inquired, curiosity overriding nervousness.

Kimya shook her head. "Because a strong enmity toward me, they bear. Cast me out into the forest, they did. 'A witch,' they called me. Brew potions, I do, so a witch I must be."

Ignis pursed his lips, a fist touching his chin in thought. "So those rumors weren't entirely fabricated."

The old woman chortled. "Believe them, you do? Then explain, I shall. But first, grab what you seek, I will. Here, you wait."

As she disappeared into her home, Noctis exhaled a sigh of relief. "Well, this is convenient. We didn't have to search."

"Indeed," Ignis assented as he scanned the area. "She claimed to be an apothecary, yet I don't spy any curatives lying around."

"She's really a witch then?" Prompto asked, this time sounding more hopeful than anything.

Gladiolus leaned against the retaining wall and crossed his arms. "Can't imagine the Hunters would've banished her for nothing."

"Sad, but true," Mia concurred. Sometime in the past, Kimya associated with the Hunters, or maybe was one herself. From personal experience, Mia knew how critical Ezma was of anything that could inflict harm upon the Hunters. The only reason Ezma accepted her joint work with the organization was because Mia promised she would stop her flask trade if it became too troublesome or dangerous. Whatever Kimya did was dire enough to be outcasted.

Once Kimya returned, she handed the dog tags to the prince, who then tossed it to Mia. Dave and his team were probably long gone by now so responsibility of the tags was handed over to the only one carrying a bag (aka Mia). "Thanks," Noctis said. "So, are you gonna explain now?" Ignis cleared his throat rather audibly—his way of scolding his charge in a stranger's company.

Paying it no heed, Kimya elaborated on her previous words. "Brew potions, I do. But very special, they are. Understand them, some do not, so 'witch,' they call me."

"What kind of potions?"

"Repel the daemons, they do. At havens, they are used. The Oracle's blessing, my potions strengthen."

"That's what the blue runes over the havenstones are!" the elementalist gasped in revelation, receiving confused stares from her friends. "Now it makes perfect sense!"

"Uh, Mia?" Prompto called out to her. "What are you talking about?"

The younger woman was almost giddy with the new information. "Remember when I mentioned haven runes draw power from the elemental deposits surrounding it? Well, now it's only half correct. It's the combination of those magical properties and the Oracle's blessing that create the protective ward." Still seeing the blank stares on all but one of their faces (no surprise who), she tried to simplify her explanation even more. "Okay so, the Oracle's prayers stretch across Eos, right? At specific points in the world—havens, in other words—that blessing is magnified because of the magic residing naturally within the earth." Taking a breath, Mia utilized her hands for a visual demonstration. "Long story short: Oracle's blessing plus elemental deposits equal protected havens."

"…Oh."

Kimya smiled at her, impressed with her knowledge. "Experience with havens, you have?"

Mia nodded once. "It sounds to me like your potions were created for the good of the Hunters," she commented. Much like what she intended her magic flasks to be. "What happened to cause such hostility?"

The old woman's smile dropped to a grim line, a sullen expression of a painful past. "Particular occurrence, there is not. Long ago, healing potions, the Hunters wanted. Brew them, I did, but very angry, their leader grew. Dangerous, my potions are, my sister said. Make them, if I must, but alone, I shall be. Receive help, I shall not."

"Your own sister kicked you out?" Gladiolus frowned, adding under his breath, "That sucks."

"And she made the woods off-limits," Prompto added on. "Must be lonely."

"Terribly cruel, it was. But fault her, I cannot." Kimya pointed to her chest with an extended index finger. "Follow her heart, she said. Very important, that is. Learn to decide for himself, her son must. If he does, lead the Hunters, someday he will."

"Are you… talking about Dave Aubrnbrie?" Mia asked slowly. "That would mean Ezma is your sister." Kimya confirmed both suspicions with another nod. How did she not realize it before? Appearance wise, it was so obvious now. Even the way they dress was similar. If Mia didn't know any better, she would have thought they were twins. I guess that's what Ezma meant back then, she thought, recalling the conversation she had with the hunter leader at Meldacio HQ. "Ezma told me I reminded her of you," Mia continued aloud. "She had a wistful smile while saying it. Perhaps she's ready to make amends?"

"This old woman's hopes, do not rise," Kimya dismissed her assumption. "But gratitude, you shall receive." She turned her attention back to Noctis. "Find that which went missing, you did. Now, to the man, that tag you must deliver. To you and to him, a message, I have: only one true path, there is not. Follow not others, but your own heart, you must."

Although the remainder of their drive was relatively short compared to where they started, their spirits revitalized once the lighthouse of Cape Caem came into view.

"Really looking forward to Iris's cooking!" Prompto eagerly sang as they neared their destination. "She always cooks awesome grub!"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Ignis muttered.

"Aw, don't be that way! It's different when a girl cooks for you."

"Is it?" Mia questioned whilst raising a brow. "If I were to cook you the worst meal imaginable, you'd eat it with no complaints?"

He didn't hesitate. "Sure, I would!"

"I wouldn't," Gladiolus snorted, crossing his arms as he leaned into the cushioned seat. "I'm not putting my stomach through hell just to make you feel special."

"Ditto," Noctis concurred, mimicking both his pose and his expression.

Sandwiched between the snickering duo, the elementalist shot them a glare each. "Glad to know I have such great friends to keep me grounded." The heavy sarcasm dripping from her every word produced another round of chuckles.

A collective sigh of relief resounded moments later—they finally arrived at Cape Caem. They also weren't the only visitors, it seemed. With daylight to spare, a woman not too far from them had set up a shop of sorts for travelers looking for a quick rest. There was also a squad of hunters present, engrossed in discussing strategy for their monster bounty. Paying little mind to them, Mia grabbed her belongings from the Regalia's trunk and waited for her friends to do the same.

Iris and Talcott met them half way up the hill with huge grins on their faces. "Welcome back!" Iris greeted them ecstatically. She all but jumped into her big brother's arms to hug him. The older Amicitia returned the love with a tight squeeze.

Talcott mirrored her happiness by greeting his idol first. "Welcome back, Prince Noctis! And everyone else, too!" He received unisoned, energetic high-fives from Noctis and Prompto, which added to his already giddy mood.

"Hiya, Talcott," Mia chuckled, happily accepting a warm hug from the boy. "It's been awhile, hasn't it? How have things been around here?"

"It's been good!" he exclaimed after releasing her from the hug. "Uncle Dustin finally got the water running to all the bathrooms so the showers are working! Oh, and the farm is starting to show progress! Aunt Monica planted carrots a few days ago and today I saw them coming out of the ground!"

"Ooh, interesting!" she humored him as he led the way to the lone house on the cliff. "You'll have to show me later."

The house had gone through vast improvements since the last time Mia was here. The excess cobwebs in every gap and layers of dust on every flat surface no longer existed. The rubbish collected messily in the corner had been sorted through. A rustic green metal shelf held items either Dustin or Monica decided to scavenge for parts. The wooden floor had been lightly polished, at least to a point where Mia was confident she wouldn't get splinters walking barefoot. All the hanging light fixtures were working now. The long dining table was clear of junk and available for use in its entirety. Nine red chairs surrounded it, four on each long side with one at the end nearest the kitchen. There was also a faded couch against the wall now. Despite only seeing two-thirds of the first floor, the appeal of the rustic abode was apparent more than ever.

Iris pointed to a door on the left interior balcony. "The boy's room is over there," she reminded the guys before pointing to the set of stairs on the right. "And the girl's room is on this side." Leaning toward Mia, she quietly added, "It's a lot nicer, too."

The elementalist giggled. "I'll take your word for it."

"Anywho!" the young Amicitia sang, diverting the suspicious stares. "You should get settled in first. I'll go tell the others you've arrived—"

"Before you go, Iris," Ignis intervened, stopping her from leaving. His even gaze locked with Noctis, who stiffened immediately. "I believe His Highness has a few words to say."

Since the girl stood a little distance away, she didn't get to see why Noctis suddenly jolted. Mia, who was positioned slightly off to the side, had the perfect view of it all. Using perspective to his advantage, Ignis had slyly handed Noctis the bouquet of rosies directly behind his back. How he managed to hide that without any of them noticing, Mia had no idea. One of these days she would stop questioning the man's effortless subterfuge. Today was not that day.

Iris tilted her head to the side at her friend's nervous mannerisms. "What's up, Noct?"

He was at a point of no return now. Gulping, Noctis combed through his hair with his free hand and drifted his gaze to the floorboards. "Oh, you know… nothing."

Rolling his eyes, Gladiolus stepped in with a little shoulder bump against the ball of awkward that was Noctis Lucis Caelum. "He has something to give you," he explained since the prince lacked the capacity to.

Iris's eyes lit up excitedly. "Something from Noct?" she repeated. "For me?"

Tossing his shield a quick glare, Noctis exhaled a slow breath as he presented the bouquet to her. Knowing who the flowers were for, Mia insisted the bouquet appear presentable. Thus, Ignis tied the flowers together with twine and wrapped it in a burlap cloth they cut from some item they bought at a Coernix Station awhile ago. Regardless of its origins, the end product was enough for Iris to gasp.

"It's beautiful!" she gushed as she took the bouquet. She breathed in the subtle fragrance and grinned from ear to ear. "I love it! Thanks, Noct. You're so sweet!"

Gladiolus stood tall, extremely content and proud of the outcome. "I'd say you made her day, buddy," he commented, a smirk playing on his lips.

Snapping out of his sheepish state, Noctis entered his cool guy state and shrugged. "All's well that ends well."

A forced cough turned his attention to Mia, who signaled to Iris with her hand. "There's something else you need to say now, Princey."

And just like that he reverted to a mumbling mess. "Oh… yeah. You're, uh, welcome… I guess."

Mia groaned into her hands. Ignis placed his hands on his hips and sighed. Gladiolus threw his head back and guffawed.

"Wow," Prompto drawled as he made grabbing motions at the air around his best friend. "You can just feel the awkward."

Noctis's face exploded crimson. "Sh-shut up, Prompto!" he hissed, swiping the grabby hands away from him.

Ignis shook his head, disheartened. "So close, and yet so far away."

"What does that mean, Iggy?!"

"Ain't he cute when he's flustered?"

"Gladio!"

"Let's add this to the list of things I can tease Princey about!"

"You too, Mia?!"

Leaving Noctis to fend for himself from his friends' teasing remarks, Iris giggled softly behind her bouquet of flowers.

Author's Note

...Hi. It's been awhile, hasn't it? I'm very sorry about my unannounced hiatus. I had a lot obstacles writing this chapter. Besides real life events, I hit major writer's block. When I finally found my muse again, I ended up rewriting huge chunks of the chapter because I felt like there wasn't enough content to justify my extremely delayed update. While I was away, however, I managed to put together a timeline of events complete with what I want ALIM's ending to be. The story is far from over (especially with the way I write) but having a clear goal in mind definitely helps the process.

(I also may or may not have already planned out a sequel...)

Anywho, I don't plan to disappear for three months again so I'll see you all in the next one!

Responses to Guest Reviews

Guest1995: Thanks for your kind words, as always! I'm glad you liked my version of the Assassin's Festival. If you can't tell, I really enjoy developing on ideas already presented in the canon because typically in the game it's a one-and-done kind of thing. There's so many chances to turn a good scene into a memorable (and logical) scene but we rarely get to see it.