Unhelpful

After what felt like a kilometre of pushing - ok, maybe 50 metres in real terms - Noctis seriously considered asking Ardyn to have the Imperial military pick them up. Ignis had mobile phone reception again, but the phone at Hammerhead was busy at all times, by now at least 30 cars - ok, more like 5 - had passed them without even looking, and the sun was burning down relentlessly as they struggled to push their luxury vehicle forward.

"How come the chancellor hasn't had a heat stroke under all those clothes?" Prompto asked, panting as he braced himself against the A-pillar on the passenger side. "Just looking at him makes me dizzy!"

"Then don't look," Ignis retorted dryly from behind the steering wheel.

"Less talking, more pushing!" Gladio reminded them.

"Believe me, dear Prompto; I'd rather endure a heat stroke than expose myself to the sun," Ardyn replied. Neither Noctis' pleas, nor Ignis' diplomacy, Prompto's groans nor Gladio's threats of violence had been able to persuade him to help them push the car. At a safe distance from Gladio and his greatsword, the chancellor ambled along behind the Regalia.
"How about a break, actually?"

"From what?" retorted Gladio angrily. "You're not even helping."

"Of course I am helping. If it wasn't for me, someone might have run into us."

"Someone can run him over for all I care."

"We only rested five minutes ago," Ignis remarked.

"Really?" Prompto whined. "Seems like an eternity."

Compared to the others, Noctis fared no better.
"Hey Iggy, when do I get to steer again?"

"When it's your turn."

A buzz from the mobile phone on Ignis' ear made him prick up his ears.

"It's ringing," Ignis stated in surprise. A moment later, someone picked up. "Hello? We need a tow."

Prompto threw his fists in the air. "We're saved!"

Noctis sighed in relief. "Finally."

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long for the garage's truck to find them, and the trip to Hammerhead was not far either - thanks in part to their physical efforts. Less pleasing was Cid's cost estimate. After Prompto and Noctis discovered in the shop next to the petrol station that they should have exchanged their pocket money for gil, Ignis revealed to them that a third of their travel funds had been spent on the towing service alone. In fact, the repairs would have swallowed all their money had Ardyn not footed the bill.

"Great, now we owe him money, too," Gladio complained.

"Not at all," the chancellor replied, shrugging. "If I hadn't spent the money on you, I might have used it to fund another hat collection, and I think we can all agree that your venture is the more worthwhile investment. Nonetheless, it would be good if we didn't break down more often. Otherwise, my savings will be exhausted as quickly as yours."

"As for our savings, by the way ..." Ignis hooked. "It wouldn't be a bad idea to earn us some extra money while Cid takes care of the car. The repairs will take some time."

"Let's ask the local tipster for hunts," Gladio suggested. "There are problems with monsters of some kind everywhere, and the jobs usually pay well."

Noctis could think of nicer activities than to keep walking through Leide's wasteland in the heat.
"How much money have we left?" he asked his advisor.

"Enough for room and board," Ignis replied. "But not enough to pay for the ferry to Accordo on top of that."

"No slacking, Prince," Gladio teased Noctis. "Somehow we must pass the time. Might as well do something for the people."

"I've never been any good at waiting around," Prompto said.

"Me neither," Noctis confessed.

Ardyn intervened. "If I may offer you a more specific suggestion ... Apparently there is a Bandersnatch on the loose nearby and a handsome reward awaits the one who kills him."

Prompto took a step back. "Now it's official: the chancellor wants to kill us."

"What are you looking at? With my help, this will be child's play."

Gladio looked unimpressed. "Why should it? Most of us don't have any significant hunting experience yet, and last time I checked, you were a politician, not a professional monster hunter."

"But I know how to handle a sword and I am notoriously bad at dying."

"Then hunt the Bandersnatch by yourself. It's your funeral."

Vague memories of a fight between Ardyn and three Magitek soldiers entered Noctis' mind.
"Didn't you say you knew magic?" he asked.

"Oh yes, but no such magic as yours."

"What kind of magic then?"

"You know; card tricks. Pulling bunnies out of hats."

"Not buying it."

Ardyn laughed. "I can't tell you every secret of the Empire, can I?" he merely said, "All right, then. There was also a report in the shop about an aggressive Dualhorn around here. Perhaps you would like to ask dear Cindy about it. Unless you don't feel up to the task of handling a furious grazing animal?"

Noctis glanced at Gladio.

"Sounds more like a task for us," he said. "Do you still want to join?"

Ardyn waved it off. "I'll pass. To lure me back out into this wasteland it will take a little more excitement than that. I will wait for you here. After all, I may assume you will return to collect your vehicle."


I'm not even sure if the Bandersnatch is an official hunt, but it's there in Leide, it's way too powerful in early game, and it made sense to me that if the boys go hunting, Ardyn would want to tackle the meanest thing around. (I mean, how do you find a decent challenge if you are immortal?)
Anyway, not much to see in this chapter. Move along.