Chapter 20: Waking up the Sleeping Princess

Time has passed since the day of the rite, the inhabitants of Accordo are back to their normal lives despite the damage in the city.

*In a hotel*

Erik: Noct is it awake?

Ignis : Yes between

Erik: Hello to you, Noctis.

Noct : Hi Erik

Waldo: Yo Noct, you're getting over it.

Noct: I'm sore all over, but it could get better.

Waldo: He's better, for sure.

Noct: Very funny, and Reza she didn't come to see me, how is she?

Erik/Waldo:...

Noct: What, what's up guys?

Erik: Reza is...

In another chamber was Reza's sleeping body, bandages on his wounds...

Noct: Oh, no, no, no, not that.

Erik: She's been in a coma since the day of the rite.

Noct: What happened to him?

Erik: We don't know, we found her like this and she was holding this in her hand.

Erik gave Noct the ring now with the purple crystal with inside the stone the insignia of Insmonia Noct holds the ring trembling.

Noct: It's not going to happen again, that's not true!

Ignis : Noct we can't know what's...

Noct : Do you remember what happened the last time she was in a coma ! Eh Ignis

Erik: What's he talking about?

Ignis: It was 10 years ago, while she was in the car Reza had an accident, the car fell off the cliff, but when we found her the car was empty We searched all night to find her in a cave with injuries, she was in a coma for 1 year.

Erik: 1 year! I knew that Reza had an accident that left him with this scar but I had no idea it was so bad.

Ignis : Noct stayed at her bedside all the time, even several times a day, hoping she would wake up.

Erik: Poor guy, how awful it must be.

Noct : Reza you hear me wake up! Please, this isn't funny REZA!

For a second Noct remembers him trying to help Reza get out of that car before she falls down and hears her scream again as she falls down and screams his name.

Erik: Noct stop.

Noct: I don't want to relive it, I'm not going to relive it!

*Flashback*Insmonia 11 years earlier

We're in a room, in a Reza bed 10 years old and now 11 in a coma wearing a breathing mask...

Noct:* weeping*

Without Noct noticing, the king entered the room and put his hand on his son's shoulder.

Regis: Noct

Noct : Father

Regis: Don't worry, I'm sure she'll wake up eventually.

Noct: But...today's our anniversary... and we can't even celebrate it together* cry* I wish she'd wake up...

Regis: I know, son, I know.

Noct cried some more and his father took him in his arms...

*Fin flashback*

Noct: I don't want to be alone, she's all I have left...

Noct took his hand in his hand, the others thought it was better to leave him alone and left the room, Noct looked again at the ring in his hand.

Noct: Looks like I'm not the only one who got a ring.

Noct put the ring on Reza's finger and took his hand again.

Noct: Please, if you can't, take me to where Reza is.

Reza's ring began to shine and when Noct opened his eyes he found himself in an unknown place...

Noct: Huh what, but where am I?

Carbuncle: Noct

Noct: It's you, but why are you here, where are we?

Carbuncle: We are in the world of dreams, but this time in Reza's world.

Carbuncle : I'm linked to Reza as much as you are, when you were in a coma she invoked me to wake you up and then gave me to your father in the form of a statue.

Noct: She summoned you, tell me, can you help me wake her up?

Carbuncle : I will lead you to her, but to find her you will have to travel through visions of the past and the rest is up to you, only you will be able to bring her out of her sleep.

Noct: All right, I'm with you.

Noct followed the little creature into the world of dreams, a light then blinded him and Noct found himself alone without Carbuncle.

Noct: I'm in the throne room.

Noct then saw his sister child sitting on the throne, admiring the room.

Noct: Reza when she was a kid, would it be a vision of the past

Regis: That throne looks good on you, you look good, girl.

Reza: Forgive me, father. I just wanted to...

Regis: Don't apologize, for it's yours too and it's just a chair, it's not that throne that makes a king.

Reza: So what's making a king father?

Regis: To protect and remain loyal to the people.

Reza: But why teach it to me since Noct will have the throne?

Regis: So that you too can know and be able to help him if he needs it.

Reza: I get it, father.

Then it was the end of this vision and Noct was transported somewhere else, but this time to a city.

Noct: Looks like Igdrasil but there's something different Noct saw a hooded girl running towards him, he thought she was going to hit him but she teleported and put her feet on his head knocking him to the ground.

... : Gee, sorry.

Noct: You might want to watch where you're going

But before saying another word, the girl's hood fell off and in front of him is a Reza of at least 13 years old.

Noct : Reza

Reza: You know my name, who are you?

Noct: Uh, I'm...

Princess or are you?

Reza: Oh please don't say that I saw me, please don't say that I saw you.

Girl: Princess?

Noct:* Take her hand* Follow me.

Reza: Where?

Noct: Far away from her

They both start running, Noct always holding hands with Reza.

Noct: I think we got away from him.

Reza: Thanks for your help, what's your name.

Noctus: Uh... Noctus is my name... Noctus.

Reza: Nice to meet you, Noctus. Shake hands. Funny, that sounds like my brother's name.

Noct: Uh, yeah, then why were you running away from that woman

Reza: I was tired of studying, always boring stuff.

Noct: Oh I see, you're all alone?

Reza: Usually I have a friend with me but I didn't want to involve her in my affairs.

Noct: And you have family?

Reza: She doesn't live here, I'm all alone*suspicious* I miss my brother, but I doubt it's mutual, he must not think about me.

Noct: You're wrong, I'm sure your brother misses you more than anything and if he were here, he'd hug you so hard he'd break your bones.

Reza: You think

Noct: I'm sure

Reza: I'm worried, father's seriously ill and Noct must be so lonely...

Noct: *I'm sure he'll feel it, your brother's probably a tough guy.

Reza: *laugh* So I'm gonna go back, before they have a heart attack, I'm glad I met you.

Noct : Me too

Reza: Goodbye

Noct: Goodbye

Noct saw the young Reza going away and that was the end of the second vision, Noct found himself in a place with nothing around him.

Noct: What is it this time

Reza: Noct

Noct: Reza it's really you, I mean I want the real one...

Reza: I'm the real deal, I don't like you poking around in my head, bro.

Noct: You know you're in a coma right now, come back with me.

Reza: Is it really necessary for me to come back

Noct: What are you talking about Reza, of course it's necessary.

Reza: I don't know who I am anymore, a princess, a queen, a people's girl* tears ran down her face*

Noct: You're everything you just said* reach out his hand* come on come on everybody's waiting for you

Reza smiled and took his hand

*In the real world*

We're back in the room, Reza awake in the arms of Noct trying his tears, Erik watching them from the door...

Ignis: So

Erik: Reza's awake.

* Later in the day*

Reza walked into Noct's room, he was in bed...

Reza: Hi.

Noct: Hi

Reza: Can I sit next to you?

Noct: Sure.

Reza also sat on the bed right next to Noct...

Reza: You okay?

Noct: How about you?

Reza: I feel like my body's about to explode.

Noct : *laugh*

Reza: (Sighing) Noct I have a confession to make.

Noct: Yeah?

Reza: Ten years ago the day of the accident, do you remember when I said I don't remember anything from that night?

Noct: Yes and?

Reza : That's not quite true.

Noct : What ! But then

Reza: That night I made a pact with a deity...

Noct: What! But you were 10.

Reza: All I remember is this cave and this monster that was going to attack me and a light and then he appeared.

Noct: Who?

Reza : Zenith the Lightning Keeper

Noct : You woke up a deity without wanting it and you made a pact with her when you were only a child, which you say is enormous.

Reza: Yeah.

Noct : Reza

Reza: Um.

Noct: Thanks for telling me.

Reza: You're welcome. *sigh*

Noct: I feel like there's something else going on.

Reza: Yes, there's something else, something happened while I was sleeping.

Noct: What? You saw your life flash before your eyes in a big flash of memory.

Reza: I wish that's all it was, you wouldn't believe me...

Noct: Always say, and I remind you that I too saw things in my coma 12 years ago, and you make me even more curious...

Reza: I... I saw dad, I mean, his spirit.

Noct: Oh please.

Reza: Forget it.

Noct: Oh, come on, it was probably a hallucination.

Reza: I'm serious, I know he was there, I know what I saw.

Noct: Okay, let's say I believe you and what did he reach out his hands to take you into the light

Reza: Dont be ridiculous , he wasn't even facing me, he turned his back on me as if he was ashamed to look at me and he addressed me.

Noct: And then he talked to you, and what did he say?

Reza: One sentence, "Take care of your brother and don't let him drown."

Noct: Drowning in what?

Reza: So I don't know, and I don't think he's talking about alcohol.

Noct: Whoo

Reza: * nod your head * What are we gonna do now, Noct?

Noct: I don't know, I think we just have to move on.

And here we come to chapter 20 I won't be able to write for 2 or 3 days because it's Christmas and I'm taking this opportunity to celebrate in advance the happy holidays to all of you.