Momentis
Part V: The Beginning of the End

The Sky is Falling
by Philippe de la Matraque

They were first noticed during Remembrance Week. That the reading of names of those lost this year was the shortest yet made Ignis feel thankful and a hint of pride. Not just in himself. In everyone. Despite the worsening of conditions outside the walls, Lestallum and its outposts were proving to be strong and safe still. And her people were proving to be resilient, having gone through an apocalyptic event and so many trials since the world had begun to go dark more than eight years ago. They were strong and capable of surviving another year, or a few, however long or short it would be now.

Prompto had noted them first, on their yearly outing near the anniversary of Noctis's disappearance into the Crystal. Ignis had suggested they collect some of the particles for analysis back in the city. By the time they returned to Lestallum, Ignis could feel them, light flecks in his hair and on his nose. People commented on them in the streets and cafeterias.

Bina stood behind his desk, looking out into the street below. "It's darker out there," she noted. "Even with the lights."

That intrigued Ignis. He closed his Braille copy of the paper and turned toward her. "Far darker?"

"Hmmm." She thought for a minute. "No, just a little. Not like what we can see out our windows, over the wall."

"Gladio delivered a sampling of the particles to Dr. Cairne yesterday when we got back," Ignis told her. "He'd like to get samples from various locations to compare."

"They look like specks of soot floating in the wind," she said. "I hope they're not dangerous to inhale."

"Do they float or fall?" Ignis asked.

"Fall really, just kind of float down, you know?"

"I think they are heavier than the air," he told her. "Which makes them less likely to enter our respiratory systems in any great number. Still, until we know for certain, we should perhaps advise everyone to wear a bandana or other face-covering when out of doors."

There was a soft knock at the door. Gena's voice followed it. "Dr. Cairne is here to see you."

"Send him in," Bina answered, moving to the front of Ignis's desk. She stayed standing and Ignis stood as well. "Please, have a seat."

Ignis had his hand out and Cairne shook it before sitting. "I thought I'd give you our preliminary findings." As Ignis sat again, he could hear Cairne hand something to Bina. She shook it. Glass, with soft contents, flaky perhaps. The particles, he deduced. "They're photophilic," Cairne went on. "They absorb light."

That would explain the street looking somewhat darker to Bina. "Are they dangerous?" Ignis asked.

"That will take more study," Cairne replied. "Mr. Amicitia is asking for volunteers, hunters or fighters who plan to go to various localities to hunt."

"As long as they can take those samples safely," Bina commented. "Why now?"

"Perhaps Ardyn wishes the world to become darker still," Ignis offered. "Or they've been there all along but in less numbers. Now they've increased in concentration to the point that they're falling down."

"The only way to know the latter for sure, is if we'd sampled them before, perhaps at high elevations," Cairne remarked. "But we didn't. As for Ardyn, he seems an unpredictable foe."

"In the immediate sense, yes," Ignis agreed. "I wouldn't put anything past him."

"Perhaps Commodore Highwind could take some samples from higher altitude." Cairne's statement had come with a level of excitement, as if the idea had just come to him.

It wasn't, on its face, a bad idea. "We can certainly ask her," Ignis said. "Though she and her men have been busy of late, given the upturn in daemons and dangers out there. We should also get Dr. Marin on board. We need to know if they're dangerous if inhaled or ingested."

"Ingested?" Bina asked.

"Well, if they're falling in the streets, they're falling everywhere," Ignis stated. "That includes the pastures where our livestock feed, the land where wildlife does the same, and in our lakes and rivers. So maybe Dr. Yeager as well."

"They should probably be filtered out of our drinking water," Bina commented with some urgency. "Excuse me, gentlemen," she said. "I want to get someone on that right away."

"Of course," Cairne said, standing. Ignis stood, too. "I think I'll be going, too. I'll contact Yeager if you can call Marin. She and I tend to rub each other the wrong way." He chuckled a bit at that.

Well, Yeager rubbed him the wrong way, so Ignis was fine with that arrangement. "Of course," he replied, offering his hand again.

"We'll let you know as soon as we find some answers," Cairne promised, shaking the hand. Then he followed Bina out the door.

Ignis put in a call to Dr. Marin, who said she wanted to see a number of the hunters returning for Gratitude Day. They've been out there breathing, so their lungs may hold some answers.

After getting the doctor on the case, he called Aranea.

"Oh, I can confirm there's more of them at altitude," she said. "We stay up there too long and they start gumming up the intake manifolds. We have to descend and clean them out at least once a day. If it gets worse, we might be grounded."

Ignis smiled at that thought. "I can think of one benefit to that possibility."

"One," she agreed, "but more detriments. Airship is still the fastest, safest form of transport we have."

"I remember," he told her in seriousness. "And I understand the need. I've got Dr. Marin on the case to see if the particles are harmful."

"I've told my men to cover their mouths and noses for now," she said. "I don't want to take any chances."

"We'll let you know as soon as we do," Ignis assured her. "Dr. Cairne would like some samples at altitude. Any chance of that?"

"Won't be a problem," she replied. "Have him load us up with some beakers when we leave on Monday."

"Leave?" Ignis was under the impression that she was deployed. He turned to face the large window behind his desk.

"Ah, handsome as ever," she commented. "I wouldn't want to miss Gratitude Day," she teased. "I do hope I can find a date for the dance this year. It's kind of late in the game."

Ignis smiled. "I think Vyv said he was free." He chuckled. "Dinner and a dance, milady?"

"Mmm," she purred. "And what about after the dance?"

Ignis felt his face grow hot in anticipation. "If you don't mind a twin."

"Well, I have a surprise for you. I'm giving my guys a night off Sunday. We'll have the airship to ourselves."

Bina returned. Ignis could recognize her footfalls. "Sounds good," he said, turning back around. "I'll have Cairne ready some beakers for you."

Aranea laughed. "I'll send Jer for them Monday morning. See if you can get off work early. I'd like to go for a walk before dinner tonight." She cut the line.

"Is she coming to the dance this year?" Bina asked. And he could hear her smiling.

Ignis sighed. Maybe he was blushing. "The Commodore is agreeable to collecting samples. And yes, she's coming this year."