Here is the new chapter. We're closing the brief Loqi's arc with it and also Ravus' situation. We have confused action, I apologize in advance for it, and we have some Fleuret's siblings time too. Also, Iris is getting scolded by everyone. Don't be mad at me for it.
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Unexpected
Chapter 38 – Don't trust me
Please don't be mad at me.
Prompto rolled his eyes. Iris almost never texted him. Except to ask where Noctis was, or what they were doing when she was bored. Finding out she'd vanish in the middle of the night had made him half-worried about a potential kidnapping -or worse, Pryna getting hurt! - , until Luna voiced the possibility the girl had received news from her "friend" from Insomnia.
I'm not mad, he wrote back. But you'd better tell me where you are and what went through your mind to leave us like that.
I: It was irresponsible, I know, but Luna's brother was in danger.
P: Luna's brother? Seriously?
I: Prompto, he could use her help. Can you drive her here? We're at the base near Insomnia, in the secret passageway. He's out of immediate danger, but when he called me this morning, it was an emergency.
P: So you're at his beck and call? All those times you were hanging back and staying silent, you were thinking of that guy? Iris…
I: I wasn't! I only helped him because he's Luna's brother. Think a minute. If she's sad, Noctis will be sad too, right? Anyway… I'll explain when you get here. Are you coming?
P: You're lucky the others aren't back yet. But I won't let you hear the end of it so soon. And just wait till your brother knows of this!
Prompto closed his phone, wondering how he was supposed to break the news to Luna. She'd just been treating Cid and now, she was supposed to rush to her brother to heal him from whatever state he was in? Never mind how he'd try to explain things, the princess was going to worry. And for the drive, he wondered if he could control the big motorcycle Gladiolus had left behind. It was worse than a manual car for him.
…
Even though Noctis had called forth Ramuh, Loqi managed to evade the first strike of lightning and was only grazed by the second one. The prima pilots all had good reflexes, but it seemed that being cranked up had made the young soldier even better than when he'd last seen him. Although Noctis wasn't worried. He was way better himself.
He warped in mid-air, changing his direction to evade the missiles shot at him over four different times. He cut one in half, threw fire and lightning to the others, his weapons rushing around him. It was exhilarating to fall from the sky and know he was still in full control. He'd always tried to get his father to tell him how it felt. To be in that curtain of metal. To feel invincible. He'd been there a few times, but it seemed stronger lately. He wanted to get done with the fight as quickly as possible, because with that feeling came a grave realization. The people around him weren't invincible. If he could save them from some fighting here and there, he would.
The bullets rushed through the air, bigger than his thumbs. And it was almost a waltz to coordinate his moves to evade, repel, and out warp the projectiles. His feet hit the mech's shoulder a second, his sword, axe and spear rushing around. He cut off canons, broke down guns, running, jumping and phasing. He felt the ghost of dizziness, the shock of a clawed hand hitting his blade running through his arms. Aranea's ship landed on the side, the guys rushing out to support their prince in the fight. Crowe used fire on the mech's legs while Ignis warped forward, Aranea leaping into a tremendous jump. The pilot shook off Noctis and rushed about, firing left and right. His cockpit's windshield was cracked, but he had a lot of hidden guns and turrets on his Prima. Gladio had to phase through one clawed hand and managed to stop the next hit, the shock reverberating through his arms.
"You threatened hundreds of people to get to me." The prince stated.
"I couldn't go back to the empire empty-handed." The teenager retorted from his seat, sending a barrage of bullets that Crowe destroyed with a new spell.
That soldier had scavenged a mech from some fallen imperial dropship, gathering parts and missiles in the last few days. All those resources thrown away in a futile attempt at hurting the Lucian king.
"You are not going back to the empire." Noctis warned him, feeling his anger growing with every new attempt.
Aranea landed a devastating hit, tearing off one of the claws, only to be hurled back by a violent kick that might have shattered her ribs if she hadn't moved fast enough. This mech was way too mobile.
Gladio grunted:
"We should get rid of him for good."
Noctis wanted to agree with him, but the people gathered all around the Prima made it harder for him to use his full potential. They all knew their adversary was desperate and desperate persons could try anything, awful things. He threw a brief glance at Ignis, who gave him a serious look.
No time to be soft. The man had threatened the security of every refugees in Free Crown.
"You should have run." Noctis whispered bitterly.
"I won't run away this time! For Aldercapt!"
"He's going to blow himself up!" Aranea warned.
The Prima's core was flashing through the cracks in its armour and the air was rapidly filling up with static. A violent ringing burst in Noctis' ears, making him even dizzier than before. Could his royal arms protect him from this sort of deflagration? And more importantly, could the others get away fast enough to escape the radius?
"Get back!" He called out to his friends.
Crowe did as told, Ignis only reluctantly backing away until Aranea had a hold of his arm and made sure he wouldn't rush back in. Meanwhile, Gladiolus refused to move an inch.
"What are you doing, Noct?!"
He was doing what he thought best, but it wasn't as though they had time to explain things. He'd caught Loqi's furious eyes for an instant and knew this thing might do more damage than expected. Not to mention the man wouldn't miss him. If he moved, the Prima would go right for him. And it still moved freely, even in that sorry shape.
"Get back, Gladio, it's an order!"
The crystal core was now glinting so fast it was impossible to follow and lightning bolts ran through the air at random, the magic going unstable. Ignis tugged against Aranea's arm.
"How far can this explosion go?" he asked her.
"I don't know. He's messed with the thing enough, it's unpredictable. Iggy, the debris might kill us if we don't take cover."
Which explained why Noctis didn't want anyone else staying close. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it yet. The ringing was a rattling of metal now and while the prince rushed forward, his royal arms hacking through the prima, the thing whirled around, slashing and hitting back like a mad puppet.
"Gladio, phase through it!" Ignis shot to the large man, accepting to run this time. The shack was closer than the dropship and would have to do.
Noctis had to use two swords to hold the remaining claw back as his other weapons shifted all around him, stopping bullets or darts he didn't even see. And the infuriating sound of metal snapping rang stronger. Like a wave rippling out. The fire burst out, the crystal core letting out all of its energy. Noctis absorbed most of its heat, his armiger shielding him from the debris. Then he heard the first yells of pain. The Nif man was burning alive. His eyes shone crimson as the deflagration pushed him back, still floating in the air, shards of metal grazing him. If this was a test of strength, he would pass it. He hadn't used a single ether since the beginning of the fight. His limits were so much further, he barely recognized himself. Iron and steel finished raining down to the ground. The air in his lungs seemed filled with ashes. The smell of burned flesh. His thoughts were slowing down.
Why didn't he run?
The weapons floating around him vanished one by one as he lowered himself back to earth's level. It felt uneven under his feet and if it hadn't been for Gladio's strong arm, he might have collapsed to his knees as he touched down.
"What the hell, Noct?"
"You okay?" the prince asked his shield.
"I ran out of magic for the day, but yeah, I phased through it somehow. Why did you stay this close?"
"Because he'd come after me if I'd move."
"I hate those primas." Crowe whispered.
"You and me both," Aranea added. "This smoke is going to alert dropships for real now. We'd better get a move on."
"Dino's in there." Ignis pointed out.
The man had been tied up to a chair inside the shack and sported a few bruises.
"Why did you even let that man near you…?" Crowe asked the journalist.
"I'd put up a hunt for stones, I had to meet up with him to get the goods." He defended himself.
"Maybe you should have worried a bit more about your contact's identity. We were all lucky this time." Ignis stated darkly.
Noctis had already downed two vials of potion and seemed more like himself, but everyone was wondering if this fight hadn't taken things too far. Relying on the Armiger couldn't get to his head. This had been one desperate man's attempt. What would happen if there was more than one of them?
…
Iris woke up first this time too. She'd ended up falling asleep next to Ravus, sharing the small hospital bed with him. He was on his left side, his arm tightly wrapped around her, his large hand actually snuck under her shirt, his fingers brushing her back directly. And she could feel his breathing on her, his face buried in her chest. That was slightly too close, even when she knew what he'd gone through for her. Her first reflex was to push him away, to which he snuggled even closer to her, grumbling a few incoherent words in his sleep. The only thing she perceived as she gently touched his shoulders was:
"Warm…"
Despite herself, the young girl felt compelled by this more innocent side of Ravus. The man had been through nothing but losses and torture lately. She gazed up to the ceiling, surprised that she even managed to fall asleep with her flashlight still on. Her skin almost felt on fire where their skin brushed. He wasn't doing it on purpose, there was no reason to panic, but she knew how it looked. And she remembered Gladiolus' worried look as he tried to have her realize the risks she'd taken. And as she squirmed a bit more and felt his hold on her resist once more, his hand only pulling her closer, most of her sympathy slipped away. She hadn't been that close to anyone… like ever. There was a limit and conscious or not, she'd better draw it now.
"Wake up, Ravus."
It wasn't as instantaneous as the time back in the cave. The former army commander had pushed himself too far. He groaned as his brain slowly woke, his body a concert of pain and sores.
"I just want to get up, you can go back to slee…"
There was no reproach in her tone, except maybe for a slight hesitation somewhere that puzzled him until he realized just how close they'd been sleeping. He almost yelped from the sheer shock and let go of her faster than she'd expected from a half-dead guy. He was pale and lacked too much blood to blush, but he looked quite embarrassed.
"I didn't mean…"
Iris got to her feet, not sure where his excuses might even go. She'd been a simple source of warm, like a snuggly blanket.
"You were cold, Ravus. It's all fine." She cut him off.
He blinked, still slightly drowsy.
"You could have kicked me or something," he objected.
"I think you've been kicked around enough already. I'm going to call the others so Luna can come up here… Don't try sitting up or moving around too much."
He frowned at the mention of his sister, but didn't voice any complaint or retort. He had the impression he'd been ordering Iris around ever since she'd walked into that cave with him. She was an ally, but he owed it all to Luna. And her betrothed. Iris was back before he could even clear up his thoughts, telling him Luna would be there in a matter of hours. The girl got busy cleaning up the place. Ravus didn't try to sit up, or to roll over. He stayed as motionless as possible, his eyes glued to her. She was such a small thing. Anyone would underestimate her at first glance, but she had the same strength as any Amicitia and her nerves were pretty tough for someone as young. His stomach churned as she collected the shreds of flesh to dispose of them.
He trusted that girl. The annoying brat was reliable, damn, she was surely the only reason why he was still alive today. And she wasn't exactly annoying. Not as much as the various and confused thoughts running through his head. He hadn't been quite coherent when he'd called her and was trying to remember if he'd said anything he shouldn't have. He had broken down more time in front of her than he'd done with Lunafreya and that thought scared him. The fact she was young didn't make Iris any less threatening. And he had given up any semblance of control, letting her take charge. His sister was coming and the whole prince's retinue would surely be with her. He was in no shape to face Noctis and his bitterness, no shape to make any demands and be taken seriously. His throat felt too tight as Iris' eyes met his. She looked lost and almost as confused as him.
Maybe she regretted answering his call? It wasn't as though she owed him anything. It wasn't like…
"What's on your mind?" he asked her, unable to endure the silence any longer.
Iris blinked, crossing her arms almost defensively.
"When you're officially safe, I'm going to get into so much trouble."
He managed a low chuckle, feeling a mix of guilt and empathy fighting over his heart. She should have been a simple tool to keep an eye on Luna. Like a lens or a mic. But the lens had a voice and some bite. He'd made her cry the other day by mentioning her father.
"It was your choice. Even though I can admit I didn't give you much of a choice."
"You're un-be-lie-va-ble! When was the last time you'd eaten? You couldn't even tell me when you had last slept. How long did you run around Insomnia with Drautos hunting you? And you kept texting me as though it was nothing."
"Hey! I've never intended to need anyone's help," he retorted, managing to sit up despite the lack of sleep and right arm.
"You asked me where I was almost 30 hours before you called for help. What was up with that?"
"Well, you were too far to be of any help. And I should have been able… There's no point arguing about it now." He observed with a sigh.
"I don't think we're done yet. You might be from the same blood as Luna, but at least, when she pushes herself to the brink, Noctis is there to catch her."
He gritted his teeth, his stomach rumbling loudly, making him look even more pitiful.
"I've already said that I'd been stupid. It won't happen again." Ravus argued.
"Don't make promises you won't keep. As long as you're not done with that crazy goal of yours, you won't stop. It's a miracle you've gotten this far without some guardian angel recharging your batteries or forcing you to get some sleep."
The insult didn't prickle as much as the look in her eyes. She was angry at him and it wasn't even for the right reasons.
"The deal was exchanging intel, not keeping an eye out for each other," he admitted, shifting till his back touched the head of the bed and he could move his left arm freely.
Iris had settled to look for some sort of rations, but didn't wait for the next point of his new argument.
"You can't give me any intel if you die."
"Which words do you want me to use then? It won't happen again," he repeated. Much to Iris surprised, he went on: "I was careless, that's true. I got rash and cocky, fine! And making you responsible of my well-being by asking for help wasn't fair."
"Well, I did come to help. And I don't think you could steer clear of trouble even if you wanted to. But I do believe that you can try to take better care of yourself. Because Luna won't like what she sees when she gets here."
Getting scolded by a 15-year-old. How the mighty had fallen. Ravus let out an exasperated breath and ran one hand through his hair, pulling at a few knots a bit harder than he should. The pain was familiar by now. Always echoing in the back of his mind, eating away at his sanity. It kept his doubts silent and pushed him forward, an old enemy he'd befriended since the first burns he'd gotten from the empire. Enduring it was all he could do, because it was all Luna ever did as she tried to take away the pain of others. If the pain ever stopped, he might slow down, he might even let the memories come back.
"Thanks. I definitely needed to hear that. Can you get me my phone?"
His voice was harsh and he mentally winced for it, but the hurt was done.
"How long will you keep ordering me around?" Iris complained, not making a step in the direction of his old clothes, and thus his phone.
"You don't have to stick around, but since you're still here…"
"What are you trying to prove with this sort of talk?! I'm not going to forget all the awful things you did because you buried my father. But we'd reach a point where we respected each other while talking on the phone. I'd rather have that in person too, if you don't mind."
His jaw tensed slightly as he mumbled a set of numbers.
"What?"
"The password on my phone. Open it and check for yourself what's in it. I just wanted to check a few things before Luna arrived."
He didn't repeat the numbers and Iris looked at him with wide eyes for an instant. Somehow, the new information and his suggestion felt like an order when considered together.
"Can't you relax for even a few minutes?"
"I slept a couple of hours." He protested, sounding so sincere, the girl wanted to laugh or slap him in the face.
They might have argued longer, but a knock on the door interrupted them. Lunafreya was here, flanked by Prompto and Cindy. It didn't take long to determine Prompto was curious of checking the rest of the rooms for resources while Luna needed to spend some time alone with her brother. Iris didn't even need to be told. She followed the two blonds outside of the small infirmary, giving a warning look to the gunman.
"I know I was reckless, I'd rather not hear it a hundred times."
"Fine!" Prompto retorted. "Then you'll hear it a thousand times."
Iris turned her attention to Cindy.
"I'm sorry for dragging you all the way out here with what's going on with Cid…"
"It's fine, Takka and Cor are driving him up to Free Crown anyway, so I'd rather do something useful instead of sitting back home fretting over that old man."
…
Luna sighed as she sat next to Ravus, quickly asserting his state.
"Iris said you'd let me heal the blight this time," she started, her voice trembling on the last three words.
He nodded, his throat even tighter than before. The look on her face was almost breaking his heart.
"Will you try inflicting it on yourself again once you're healed?" she asked.
"You took away the sword…"
"Ravus Nox Fleuret, for heavens' sake, tell me the truth!"
He swallowed down the knot and answered:
"Maybe? I don't think it could even work. Luna… I know I've crossed too many lines. But I need to give you a contingency plan. It's not because I wish things to go wrong. They'll just go wrong as they always do."
She wanted to tell him wrong. She wanted to give him the assurance his efforts would be wasted, but as much as she wanted people to nurture hope, she'd only started to hope for herself recently.
"No contingency plan should imply that my brother loses an arm or his life. From what Iris told me, you ran all over the city for more than three days. I ran one single night."
"Well, I'm older and I…"
"Ravus, stop. Just stop justifying it. I'm your sister, there's no need for pretenses with me. I don't want you in danger or in any sort of pain. I don't know what you're running from, but it's not the empire..."
The truth in her words was almost painful, but he'd dealt with that pain often enough. Her hand seemed small in his own, and he squeezed her palm, keeping his face straight.
"I know it's selfish to ask for it now. But I can't… I might have overestimated myself."
It cost him to admit as much and Luna didn't add anything, looking back into his eyes, squeezing back his fingers.
"You're still human, brother. It's not a bad thing. And I will fix everything I can. But I'm worried the blight isn't the worst thing you've put yourself through."
"You're telling me?"
Lunafreya noticed the trembling in his frame and smiled, before to cup his cheek.
"Mother wanted you to be happy too, not only me, brother."
The knot felt like shackles now and her hand went up, shuffling his hair before to pull his head down. He needed her help to stay upright as their forehead touched, accepting for the first time to lean on her. In every meaning.
Luna had healed wounds for him with her magic before. Her light had warmed him a dozen times, reminding him of the prayers his mother would use to lull him to sleep when he'd had nightmares. But this time was different. This time the wounds she wanted to fix ran deeper. Ravus resented himself for being weak. He should have healed his blight himself with the successful vaccine, but it was still a mere formula waiting to be tested. And he needed all his strength to capture daemons for his final tests.
He thanked the Astrals Luna couldn't read his thoughts. She shone from the inside, as though her soul was visible, her eyes pure gold under her eyelids for an instant. She didn't say a word, her prayers running inside of her mind. And as the stains slowly erased themselves, Ravus could tell his sister was fixing a lot more than just the illness. Her magic reached for the stump, cleansing the flesh from any infection. It itched as she quickened the healing process, but he wouldn't protest. Until she tried imbuing new vigour in him, to reduce his fatigue.
He moved back, not caring for balance, eyes hard and jaw set.
"Are we both going to keep overdoing it until one of us topple over?" he asked her.
"Oh, so it was a competition…" Luna snickered.
Ravus rolled his eyes, wondering how he could turn things around. Being truthful was the only way to go, or so it seemed.
"I'm not a very good brother, needing to be rescued when I'm trying to save you…" he sighed. "And I suck at comforting you too. So just… smile, that bright smile you always get when you talk of a certain prince."
It was instantaneous. Her face brightened and she bit her lower lip, unable to believe how easy it was for him to make her smile, even in such dire circumstances.
"Be fair, Rav. I want you to be happy too. You know you have a right to your own life, don't you?"
He didn't want to go through this sort of talk. Being her brother was already more than he could ask for with all the people he'd hurt or killed.
"Luna…"
"Don't spend it all on me. I know this research is your bigger goal, I know it drives you, and I can support that, although I think you should have a little more trust in me. But what I'm getting at here… Ravus, you can't keep on sacrificing yourself. I'll always be there for you, but you need more than a sister…"
"Luna…" he repeated, warningly this time.
"Okay, let's take it from another angle. You're ready to put everything on the line for your goal, even other people, like Iris."
Ravus was almost reassured that she brought that up.
"As I've told the girl, it won't happen again."
"Is that how you talk to her?!"
"I'm trying to keep some sort of distance. You know I don't do friends and she's already seen me at my worst twice."
Luna couldn't help the smirk that grew on her face at that.
"Well, despite you being as charming as a doorknob, it seems she likes you enough to rush over when you're in mortal danger. And I'm grateful she did. I just don't want to see something similar happening in the future. She's a good girl."
Ravus was still trying to understand how charming a doorknob could be. He had a bad habit of pushing people away, but his princely pride was hurt. He could be charming if he wanted to! Luna helped him up to his feet after giving him his boots back. She'd borrowed a spare coat from Cindy's old man. It was a bit small for her brother, but it still looked better than walking around half naked.
"What were you up to in Insomnia?"
"More research. Burying a few bodies. I've got unfinished business there, so don't expect me to join your little team."
"I wouldn't dare to do so." She sighed. "But I really wish you'd be more careful. And that you'd talk to me too, whenever you'll call Iris in the future."
He blinked at that, noticing that they were now headed to the door, which meant their conversation would soon be as good as public.
"I thought you didn't want to hear about the blight more than you've already…"
"Who says we can't talk of anything else? You need to lay off the work, brother, since you've given your resignation… You're the only person I know who really remember Tenebrae. Gentiana was in fact Shiva and won't talk to me anymore since she forged a covenant with me."
It seemed Iris had left out a few important details. Although she might not be in perfect terms with Lunafreya, in which case, she couldn't help it.
"If it's to hear about your prince all the time, forget it."
"Don't be like that. I just want my brother back. I'll refrain from gushing over Noctis if it makes you feel better. And you'll let me know what you miss from home and how you even manage to hold on, being always on your own."
Her demand wasn't exactly preposterous. And if he was to answer her question, Ravus could admit he didn't do that well on his own. Not that he did well around people either. Despite her care, he couldn't stand fully straight and was leaning heavily on her. As they walked out and back into the tunnel, they met the rest of the rescue party.
Cindy couldn't wait to get back to Hammerhead and barely gave a look to the prince of Tenebrae, leading the way back to the outside world. Prompto felt Iris' unease and lingered in the back with her, while Luna helped her brother walking. Regis' sword was tied to Ravus' belt once more and the gunman wanted nothing more than to pry it off. It was Noctis' father's and the rightful legacy of his king. It was only for Luna's sake that he didn't say a word about it.
The road back was uneventful, Cindy too tired to make any comments on Iris' rash attitude or Ravus's aspect. The man lied on the back seat, Luna looking after him while the younger members of the group shared the passenger seat.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Prompto told Iris as a turn in the road got them bumping into each other. "I know there aren't many princes out there, but that guy looks like a lot more trouble than our Noct."
Iris' answer was an elbow in his ribs and a very serious: "Cut it out, it's not even like that!"
Could she even call what she felt for Ravus something akin to friendship? The man was close to insufferable, but he treated her like a grown-up, or at least, he didn't spare her like everyone else tried to. But now that Prompto had mentioned it, she couldn't think of anything else. No matter how many time they'd talked together, she'd never really considered him as a Highness. Despite the state of his home country and before to be an army commander, Ravus was a prince. He sure didn't act like one, but being surrounded by royalty her entire life, Iris couldn't see them as such different people. What did a title mean, when a man was ready to forsake as much as Ravus did?
…
Noctis and Gladiolus were both in the Regalia while the other three were taking Aranea's dropship to get back to Hammerhead. They'd drop Dino in a resting spot earlier, having a long talk with him about risks and security measures. They'd confiscated anything that could have the coordinates of Free Crown from the man, Ignis consciously deleting potentially compromising information from his phone. The man had been angry, but hadn't protested much. He felt already bad enough for causing such a situation.
The shield had voiced concerns about letting the prince behind the wheel, but Noctis needed the distraction. He'd been so worried. The whole ordeal had him realize how precarious Free Crown's situation was. They needed to collect weapons, they needed to reinforce the structure of the mine to safeguard the habitable parts of any potential cave-in. An attack couldn't happen. If he had the whole crystal, he might even create a wall for the future city. The idea didn't scare him as much as before. Those hundreds of people depended on him and his judgment to survive. A single mistake or in this case, taking too much time to find Loqi and they could all be gone. Just as fast as Insomnia had fallen.
Losing any fight was more than he could bear and although he was happy that this specific treat had been dealt with… he was starting to wonder when the next one would show up. And if he would be strong and bright enough to save everyone…
"You know, you got us pretty worried for a moment." Gladiolus told him. "Jumping off the ship as though you had a parachute ready. All this flying around with the armiger is still pretty new. It gets on my nerves actually."
Seeing him going somewhere he couldn't reach and thus couldn't protect him. Noctis tried shrugging it off, knowing how bad his friend wanted to keep his duty.
"I saw my father doing it a dozen times. And don't try to pretend it wasn't effective. That guy blew himself up from the sheer confusion we created, attacking from every side."
"It was pretty cool," Gladiolus admitted. "But I just wonder if you should keep on talking all those risks. The mission was capital, don't get me wrong. But you're not dispensable, Noctis. Soon you'll be king in name and station. And I hope that you remember that we're there for you and can take risks too."
"Sure man. Just don't try to hog all the credit to yourself." Noctis tried as a joke.
They were in for a surprise as Luna and Iris welcomed them to the garage with news about a peculiar visitor. Cindy had finally fallen asleep and Prompto was keeping an eye on Hammerhead's phone in case anyone called for a towing.
"Your brother is here?!"
"And you're the one who went out and saved him!?"
Less to say, Iris was in for some serious scolding while Noctis sat down with his fiancé to see how they planned their next move with this news in mind. The rest of the team was already there, but Ignis had decided they'd better get some rest before to even comment on the situation. Noctis took some convincing, but agreed to sleep before to try and speak with Ravus. He was so on edge, he might have jumped at the man's throat at first sight. The guys would share the RV while the girls bunked with Cindy and it didn't take long for everyone to catch up on the news over dinner.
Dino hadn't threatened their country yet and the threat was gone. Ravus was staying in Takka's room for now, missing his prosthetic arm. Any news from the capital he could give, Iris already knew, since she'd been exchanging texts with him for the last week or so. She'd reported it all to Luna and Noctis, relieved not to have to lie her way out of it to share the intel she'd gotten. Now they knew about Ace Drautos- a name that had made Crowe snarl from the hard feelings- and of the civilians still hiding, trapped inside the capital. Cid was now in Free Crown, under constant guard. Apparently, his main nurse was a guy, which didn't sit very well with him. The old man was already better, he'd called Cindy twice in the last ten hours to complain about the invasive bath he'd been given and the absence of sky. The prognostics sounded pretty good for her paw-paw.
In the early morning, they met around breakfast, sitting on either side of the main counter, the restaurant still closed to the public. Takka wouldn't be back before Cor could escort him to Hammerhead.
"Luna thinks we should still focus on Titan for now. So everything is still going to happen as we planned it. Gladio, Luna and I will leave for Cauthess while the rest of the team heads for Cleigne." Noctis declared.
Ignis took over for the rest of the explanation:
"We'll keep in touch and should meet up in Lestallum before we take on Quezacoatlz's fortress. Taking out the dropships will make rescuing Insomnia' citizens much easier. We need to take out the eyes they have on our roads if we want to move that many people around."
"I'd rather have Iris going to Cauthess with us." Gladiolus observed.
He didn't have to say why. It was written all over his face. Iris raised her hands above her head in surrender.
"I know I've been careless twice now. But Ravus had refused to give me any intel on Insomnia unless I'd keep things quiet. I'm as eager to know what's going on as any of you."
Crowe frowned, the excuses sounding a bit too clumsy to comfort the girl's brother.
"I think the next time, you should warn us before you rush off." Luna declared. "I'm glad you saved Ravus, but we shouldn't keep anything from one another on this team. Not when it puts you in danger."
She wasn't targeting Iris only with her speech, Noctis could tell she most certainly knew he was hiding some things from her for once, but he decided to worry about Iris' situation.
"No matter what excuse you have, you're still young." He warned the brunette. "And I don't think any of us wants you under the influence of a former imperial soldier, I'm sorry to say it like that Luna… So, Iris, the only reason you're still on the team right now is because we can't lose a fighter at the moment. Cor's too busy to join and leaving you behind sounds like it would only backfire."
"I'm not under anyone's influence!" she protested.
"Maybe not entirely, but you still let him state his conditions and abide by them." Aranea interfered. "You could have saved him just as well with Luna and Prompto backing you up."
The younger Amicitia could only nod in agreement. It didn't exactly feel as though everyone was ganging up on her. She had been careless. She owed a scolding or two. Heck, she should have held her own against Ravus and warn Luna from the start, it might have saved her from some embarrassment. But she wondered if he'd told her that he'd buried her father with his sister around. She wondered if he'd talked as freely if they hadn't been alone.
"I don't want the fortress disabling mission to go south." Noctis went on. "But consider yourself warned. When you insisted on being part of this team, you had to know there would be tough choices. And you can't do as you please."
"I know," she whispered. "I was so concerned about you guys barely trusting me that I managed to lose what little trust I had with this whole thing..."
Gladiolus didn't like the sound of that. Wasn't it his place as her older brother to make her feel comfortable within the team? Had he voiced too many doubts about her? She was at an age where he barely knew what to do around her. Give her time or be patronizing?
"I think we could be saying this instead. When did we lose your trust? You were so sure to know how we'd react, you didn't even dare to try and talk things out until you found yourself in a desperate situation where explanations would have taken too much time." Crowe commented. "You didn't have to wait. I think this team is more a family than an army at his stage."
"Wait, I didn't mean to say…" Iris started, looking even closer to tears.
"It's okay, Iris. You've been meaning to make your part ever since Insomnia fell." Gladiolus interrupted her. "I'm just worried. And I guess that's what everyone is trying to convey."
She tried to smile, but her mouth seemed stuck upside down and soon, her brother was next to her and pulling her in a warm hug. Having someone's life depends on her, no matter who it was, must have been awful for the young girl. The team disbanded for the rest of the morning, Noctis suggesting they take more time off before they'd leave. He had to talk with his future brother-in-law. And he dreaded it.
"Why does he still have my father's sword?" he asked Luna for the nth time as she walked with him towards the room.
"He's been running and crawling all over Insomnia and got his arm torn off for the second time. You'd rather he'd lost the sword?" The princess reminded him.
"I'd rather he'd give it back to its rightful owner. I can get him another sword."
Much to their shock, Ravus appeared in the doorway to his room, still looking pale, his beard entirely gone. He had to lean against the wall for support, but he looked as proud as ever.
"I've told you before, your Highness. I'll give you the Glaive when I deem you worthy of it."
All the fury and hate surged back in the young man's heart at the uncalled jab.
"You think I care about your opinion?!" Noctis retorted.
"Well, I still owe you a revenge match. I can't be on par with your powers, but I think it would be fair to leave me one royal arm. Not to mention that those things stab you when you collect them. It's fine for the kings of old, but your father is only half-buried at the moment."
"Ravus!" Luna exclaimed, unable to believe him.
Noctis didn't answer with words. He punched the smirk off his face, sending him to the floor and would have fell on him with both fists if it wasn't for Lunafreya getting between them.
"Please, not now. He might be delusional from the pain…"
Ravus looked insulted at the insinuation, already raising himself on one elbow, and Noctis barely contained himself, his face red from anger.
"I won't have you talking of my father like that!" he warned.
"My point still stands. Luna doesn't need a skewered fiancé."
They'd never think of it, but it was true that Regis' glaive was still perfectly tangible. It wasn't a gravure on a tombstone like the other royal arms.
"Even if you were right, I wouldn't let you keep it. It has nothing to do with…"
"I won't lose it if that's what you're worried about." Ravus groaned back.
"You really have some nerve, talking back in the state you're in. I'll have Cindy keep an eye on you. If anything happens to her because of you…!"
"You think you can make me any more miserable?"
"I can take away Iris' phone to make sure you stop slipping weird ideas into her head."
Lunafreya saw the very slight tension in Ravus' jaw at the threat. It was so small, Noctis missed it, but he held his ground.
"Did you keep tabs on us? Or was it just to take your mind off that research you're doing? No matter which way, I swear, Luna's family or not, if anything happens to Iris because of you, you're a dead man. And it won't even be my fault. It's not like I can control Gladiolus when he's mad."
"Nothing will happen to her." Ravus answered, holding back Noctis' glare. "What else do you want to know?"
"Why did you share intel with Iris? And how can we trust it?"
"I've defected. Ardyn wanted my head two days ago. Now he must want someone else's skull. Feeding lies to Lucians wouldn't get me anything."
It wasn't a full answer, but Luna squeezed Noctis' arm, hoping for the confrontation to stop. She was pretty sure her brother's stump had reopened and needed medical attention. Except the guy was too proud to act carefully even in this state.
"I don't have time for this." Noctis sighed. "Let's agree on one thing here. As soon as you're back to full health, I'm getting my father's sword back."
"Fine with me." Ravus retorted. "You stay safe, Lunafreya."
"I'll try. Don't do anything rash while we're gone. No running away, alright?"
Ravus shrugged in answer and the royal pair walked out, Noctis more adamant than ever on leaving. The door was barely shut behind them that the Oracle was already voicing her concerns about the brief argument.
"I'm sor…"
"Don't apologize for him, Luna. You're not responsible of your brother."
"Doesn't make it any easier to see him acting like that. He wasn't always so angry."
Each sibling had reacted differently to the loss of their mother and Tenebrae's independence. Noctis wondered which path he'd followed if he was in either of their shoes. But those questions wouldn't help him in the long run. He still had so many things to do.
Gladio had talked things over with Iris, reassuring her that he would still be there for her and support her even when she made mistakes. He also admitted that saving someone wasn't a mistake, but had her promise not to rush off again. The guy was clearly torn as both teams regrouped, Cindy staying closer to her city boy.
The bikes had been stocked in the dropship, Aranea already kicking off the engine. Ignis exchanged a few words with Noctis and Luna, before to head into the ship. Crowe promised Gladiolus she would look after his younger sister in his stead.
"I'll keep you updated with our situation too." The former Glaive added. She'd recently gotten herself a phone, a gift from Libertus so they could keep in touch.
"You'd better." He shot back.
The look they shared was rather long and a lot of words could have been said, none that was needed. Prompto and Cindy weren't as discreet, the first concerned about leaving her so soon, the second pretending she'd be fine.
"I'll have the princess' brother ta keep my mind off things. Believe me, he's goin' ta wish he ain't run inta trouble. I'm a lousy nurse." She kidded.
"Just keep texting me, alright?"
"Sure."
Their kiss was as brief as possible. Cindy might have followed if the situation was different, but with her paw-paw still under medical attention, she didn't want to get too far from him.
Iris received one hug from Luna, slightly shocked from it, since it was the first one since she'd met her.
"Thank you for enduring my brother. If he ever proves too much, hold your ground. He won't have enough energy to challenge you for long."
"What are you talking about?"
"I just have a hunch he's going to call you again."
At the moment, Iris wasn't sure the prospect pleased her. Noctis gave her a brief look, as though to ask if she felt up for this new mission. The brunette nodded vehemently. If she was going to prove her worth to the team, this sounded like her best chance. Maybe her last chance.
"We should get to Cauthess by the end of the day. I hope the covenant won't take us too long, but there's no telling what's waiting for us at the meteor site. We'll send you news around 12:00 and 20:00 every day. We meet back up in Lestallum once we're done. Try not to let Ignis get hurt out there. No need to make him immune to potion just yet."
"Don't worry, Noct, I'll cover every of them." Prompto said.
"I know you will. Cindy, thank you for your help."
"Don't mention it. This distraction might actually help me. Just get out there and kick some imperial asses!"
Gladiolus insisted on driving the car this time around and it didn't take long for Aranea's ship to lift off into the skies. As they sat on the backseat, Noctis and Luna huddled close, hoping Titan would be as kind as either of the Astral they'd contacted so far. They both knew better than to entertain false hope, but the silent treatment the Oracle had received from the gigantic Astral seemed to indicate he'd calmed down. Or was he simply confused since the order of things had been changed?
To be continued…
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Titan is up next I swear, with less dialogs and more action. I've planned up the 15 to 20 next chapters or so. Altissia is still far... Your support for this story means the world to me. I've edited the major mistakes I managed to notice in here.
Next chapter will see Noctluna, a new royal arm, surely more talking with ancestors and Titan. Ravus will take a break for the moment, but he will be back for more screentime.
And his fight with Noctis was just what I needed. It's their third meeting in the story and punches are still exchanged. It will take some time before those two make up.
As always, reviews are more than welcome.