It had been a week since Sania had decided to stay and help care for Ignis during his down time, since her being there Ignis improved drastically the one thing the others noticed first was his coughing had nearly gone away and wasn't as violent. He still had stiffness and his chest still erupts with pain when he sneezes or coughs but he figures that was going to go away once he fully recovered.
Ignis, also is able to get up and go about his day without collapsing or needing assistance which was in his book a huge plus. He was more than happy to be able to get out of the motel and help with hunts and drive once more. For him that was something he felt like he should've been able to do but he knew he was just too weak and would've slowed them down more than he already did.
She had his thanks and he wasn't sure of any other way to show it than making her dinner and offering to assist her anyway possible. She adored the meal and told him not to worry about anything else but he insisted leaving her to request one simple thing.
A Voretooth tail and back appendage.
Gladiolus tried to convince Prompto to allow them to use the tail and wing from Demyx, the pet Voretooth that had taken a liking to the blonde and followed him everywhere. But Prompto had threw the biggest tantrum one that could rival Iris's.
Prompting a lecture from Ignis and a fit of tears from Prompto as he vows to protect his oddity of a pet. Leaving the ultimate decision to be going out a on hunt to fight wild Voretooth instead.
So after coming up with a schedule the boys call it a night looking forward to putting their plan in to action the following day.
Ignis was the first one to wake up, this time at the hour he had usually been known to get up at like he has done so many times before he had fallen sick. Sitting up, Ignis, rubs at his eyes with a yawn. He grabs his glasses putting them on and reaches for his phone before crawling out of the tent.
Standing up straight Ignis begins to stretch his fingers interlacing as he does so bending left to right and straight up his night shirt rising in the process exposing his belly. He pops his back before dropping down and stretching out his legs. With his mini workout complete Ignis gathers his shoes and bangs them twice against the ground to shake out whatever might've crawled inside during the night. He pulls on his shoes and hurriedly steps off the haven.
When Ignis returned he was greeted by Gladiolus "Hey, look at you you're up early today, you must be feeling better." He says causing Ignis to nod "Indeed. I woke up today and I didn't feel stiff. On top of that I have energy almost like I have Ebony flowing through my veins." Ignis chuckles. Gladiolus laughs gently patting Ignis on the back "Well it's good to have you back on business Iggy, just promise us that you'll take better care of your health."
"Hmm, I will." Ignis says smiling. He makes his way over to the ice chest and opens it "What are you in the mood for? I could eat about anything right now, it'll be nice to have real food for a change. I wish not to see another bowl of soup for a long time." Ignis says shuddering.
"But you gotta give it credit, its also part of the reason why you're up walking around." Gladiolus says dropping down doing push ups.
"True. How about a chicken biscuit with eggs benedict?"
"Sounds good."
The sun was now sitting high in the sky when Noctis finally emerges from the tent his feet dragging as he yawns. "Good morning Noct. How's about some breakfast?" Ignis asks already fixing the lazy king a plate "Thanks..." he pauses as he takes the meal looking it over before looking up at Ignis "I guess this means you're feeling better, huh?"
"Iggy is like on a whole new level. Just look at him, he's better than ever." Prompto says smiling "I heard from Gladio that he woke up super early like he did before the flu." He adds.
Ignis simply smirks as he joins his brothers at the chairs with his own dish "I'm glad to finally be able to help you three out instead of being a burden." He says cutting into his breakfast.
"Burden? When were ever a burden?" Gladiolus asks with a raised brow "Was he ever a burden?" He asks Noctis and Prompto.
They shake their heads "Nope." Noctis says biting into the biscuit and chicken.
"Never." Prompto adds smiling.
Ignis gives a soft weak smile his eyes stings a bit as the feeling of happiness blossoms in his heart making him wipe at his eyes.
"Aww look at him, he's all mushy now." Teases Gladiolus as leans forward and playfully punches Ignis's shoulder causing his chuckle as lightly swats Gladiolus's arm away.
"Oh come now, I am just happy to know you three didn't mind taking care of me." Ignis mumbles as he pushes his food around with the fork.
"You seriously thought we were gonna let take care of yourself? You couldn't even sit up on your own. Let alone move." Noctis says sounding hurt "Listen, Iggy. You mean the world to us so that was nothing compared to what you do."
"Yeah, we'd gladly do it again...if we had to." Prompto says.
Ignis wasn't sure what it was, he sure hopes it was simply his allergies irritating his eyes for he found himself tearing up again. "You guys better stop. Anymore sweet talk and you'll have him crying buckets over here." Gladiolus teases.
The group continues to tease and jest as they finish up their breakfast.
"I swear, I thought they would have had added these guys along time ago...hmm guess I can't complain seeing how they are here now." Prompto whines as he slumps against the passenger side door peering at his phone.
"Tell me about it. Now that I have like zero Regalite I gotta grind just to add him to my team." Noctis complains. "You suck that bad at Kong's Knight that you gotta use all your Regalite?" teases Gladiolus as he turns to the next page in his book "No I don't suck! I just like like chancing my luck in getting five star characters." He snaps back.
Ignis simply shakes his head as he picks up his can of Ebony and sips at it. He turns onto another road enjoying the casual banter. He found that he had been enjoying the banter more than he had before, he actually looked forward to the chatter that they all often got into. He wasn't sure what it was that sparked that need in him to have them talk and be noisy but he loved it. He could only assume it was because he so sick the past however long and they were quiet around him to allow him to get rest. If that was the truth Ignis was thrilled to be healthy now.
He sets drinks a bit more from the can before setting it back down in the cup holder "What about you Specs?" Noctis asks leaning forward.
"Pardon?" Ignis responds blushing for he wasn't paying attention. "I was saying that I'm not the only one who spends my regalite on characters." Noctis grumbles.
"Well, I spend mine on continues, and at times weapons. I do enjoy the game but I'm not very good at it. If it was on a console that would be a different story." Ignis says.
"Well at least you use them. Gladio just a cheapskate!"
"You can't be cheap when you're in a game."
"Can too!"
"Cannot."
"Yeah you can, not spending anything counts as being cheap!"
"Sure thing..."
The two of them go back and forth for the rest of the drive, even as they pull into the parking space of the Chocobo Ranch. The soft kwehs and chirps of the chocobos and chocochicks cause Prompto to look up from his phone with a gasp and wide eyes "Chocobos!? We're visiting the chocobos?" He asks curiously looking over at Ignis.
"Well yes and no. We need a voretooth tail and back appendage and seeing how Wiz has a constant problem with the beasts trying to hunt the birds I thought it best if we collected the needed items while we help him out...a win-win if you think about it." Ignis says turning off the engine.
"Oh, I like that idea." Prompto says nodding.
The group climbs out of the car and trek to the Malacchi Hills which they had marked on the map when they had visited the ranch for the first time.
"So after the mission can we see the chocobos?" Prompto asks curiously as he holds his camera up to his eye looking around searching for a the perfect photo op.
"Certainly."
"I don't see why not."
"You and those birds."
"What can I say except that chocobos are totally the coolest thing ever?"
Gladiolus was about to say something when the soft snarls and growls of their needed hunt made themselves known. Ignis pushes up his glasses "It's time, stay alert." He says as he summons his spelldaggers enhancing them with fire.
Gladiolus chuckles "Just like old times huh?" He quips causing Ignis to smirk as he dashes forward and strikes at a voretooth who falls to the ground scrambling to get back up only to be struck again by the daggersmen, who succeeded in killing the beast.
"Yeah that's our Iggy!" Gladiolus cheers.
"Good one Specs, you're good as new!" Noctis grins.
"Caught that one in a photo." Prompto smiles.
Ignis couldn't keep himself from blushing "Oh come now it's nothing special." He says softly. Noctis laughs "To us it is, for the past however long you were bed ridden remember? We're just glad you're healthy again. It's nice having you fight with us again." He explains as he finishes off the voretooth he was fighting with a warp strike.
"Well it's nice to be back." Ignis says smiling as he switches to his lightening spelldaggers, twirling them a bit Ignis dashes forward and with amazing speed he zips around slashing at the three remaining voretooth. Before switching to the ice daggers an slams the ends into the ground inflicting damage onto them.
Seeing the opening, Gladiolus lifts his massive greatsword and swings it around performing Maelstrom on the beasts sending their broken bodies flying and landing in the grass with a thud. Seeing that no more of the wolfish creatures were coming the friends send their weapons away "Well I was expecting more of a challenge." Gladiolus grumbles disappointed.
"Well they are just voretooth. Not very strong." Prompto pipes nodding as he stores his camera in his pocket.
"Lets just get the parts Sania needs and collect the bounty. I'm ready for a nap." Noctis yawns.
"When are you not ready for a nap?" Prompto asks crossing his arms. Noctis looks thoughtful "I'll get back to you on that." He says moving towards where Gladiolus stood over one of the beasts cutting off the wing like fixture.
When the boys arrived at the Hunters Headquaters in Meldacio, the destination Sania suggested they meet up at for she also needed to work with Dave. As they park they are greeted by the sight of Sania standing on the porch in front of the store with her arms full. In her grasp she holds a purple teddy stuffed tonberrywith a small bouquet of flowers and card resting amongst the flowers.
"What's all this?" Noctis asks curiously as he and the others walk up.
"It's a gift for your dear friend. Poor ol boy was sicker than a featherless Chocobo in winter. I'm just happy to see that he is all healthy and I just wanted to give him a gift for gettin' better." Sania says smiling as she steps forward and hands Ignis his gifts.
"You needn't to do this, thank you." Ignis says smiling his eyes going to the stuffed tonberry. "Aw I know, but just the thought of me not showing you boys any form of thanks and relief just ain't fair. Besides, I couldn't rest easy knowing your friend was sick." She adds.
"Well, just a fair warning...Iggy is always gettin' sick." Gladiolus teases causing Sania and to look over at Ignis who blushes "Not by choice...I have a lot on my plate and I-..." the look he was receiving from the biological engineer causes his words to falter. The look he has used so many times before with his King now being directed at him and to honest he couldn't hold the gaze. He found himself looking away nervously as shame fills his belly.
"Now, you're telling me that you don't have time to rest?" Sania questions her arms crossing.
"I...uh." Ignis starts to say.
"Nope, I ain't havin' it." Sania says waving her hands "On doubt Mr. Royalty here needs constant supervising. He's a big boy and on top of that you got two others here who'll watch him while you're relaxing." She explains.
"I understand..."
"Now. I want you to do as I say."
The others couldn't help but find it amusing that Ignis was getting a taste of his own medicine. They shake their heads as they wait for the young woman to finish chewing the royal advisor out.
"Now, promise me you'll go some sleep." Sania says putting her hands on her hips and meets his gaze.
"I will." Ignis says softly his face red with embarrassment. "Yeah we'll be sure to get him to bed." Gladiolus says as he walks up with the tail and wing "Here's the stuff you wanted." He says holding up both. This causes Sania to light up happily "My Six, thank you boys so much. Let me repay you boys with this." She says smiling as she hands them four thousand and six hundred gil. "Now if you boys will excuse me." She says as she walks away taking the items she requested leaving the boys to walk back to the Regalia "So where to next?" Ignis asks as he fishes out the keys from his pocket.
"How about we get lunch?" Prompto suggests.
"Yeah." Noctis agrees.
"I like that idea." Gladiolus adds "I could go for a burger."
"Then let's go set up at a haven, I'm looking forward to getting back into a routine. I do miss cooking for you all." Ignis says smiling softly "Well we do miss your cooking. I swear we could only take so much of Prompto's cooking." Noctis teases.
"You and me both." Prompto groans "I see why I always ate out." He adds climbing into the Regalia.
"It wasn't that bad." Ignis compliments "I thought it was lovely."
"You couldn't taste anything!" Prompto whines.
"Anything that Iggy doesn't have to do for himself he likes." Noctis says smiling.
"Who doesn't?"
"Guilty as charge."
With that the black car pulls our of the headquarters.
The Regalia pulls into the parking lot of the Crow's Nest parking lot as the stars begin to dot the night sky. The friends climb out of the car and enter the restaurant where Prompto shows the tipster the photo evidence of him and the others fighting the beast they were sent to wipe out.
After they are paid they request menus deciding to eat out wanting Ignis to just be able to relax once they get to the motel.
"I never know what to get. It all looks good." Prompto says looking over the menu.
"Just get a cheeseburger." Gladiolus says "That's what I'm getting."
"Yeah, that sounds good." Prompto says looking over to Noctis who sighs as he looks over the menu "I'm just gonna get nuggets." The king says with a yawn.
"What are you getting Iggy?" Noctis asks hoping to get an idea.
"Just a soup. Perhaps a salad as well...I'm not really in the mood for anything heavy." He says reading the list of soups.
After flagging down their waitress and ordering the boys fall into a bout of chatter even up to the point where their food was delivered. The four ate relishing in each others company.
"So should we camp or...?" Noctis asks as he bites into the last nugget.
"I don't know...it looks like its going to rain." Prompto says looking out the large window.
"What's wrong with camping in the rain?" Gladiolus asks his eyes narrowing.
"Uh the fact we gotta go out in it when we gotta pee!" Prompto cries.
"Or the simple fact we're camping in the rain. I don't hate it...only when we do it in the rain." Noctis adds.
"Well we do have a little gil. I don't see a problem with staying in a motel." Ignis says knowing thats what the younger boys were hinting at.
"Ya!"
"Woohoo!"
Gladiolus just shook his head as he smiles "Yeah yeah, let's just finish up and get there before the downpour does." He says eating a french fry.
"I'll pay for the food!" Prompto says as he climbs out of booth.
"I'll get the running..." Noctis says as he climbs out after Prompto.
Ignis, all the while sitting with Gladiolus sips on his soda.