Onwards
Once again, Noctis and his odd companions sat in the Regalia, the rear of which had recently been decorated with a bright yellow Chocobo sticker. They were still on their way to Lestallum, albeit the distance had grown significantly shorter over the last hour.
Things are looking up for the local farmers: Hunter HQ reported this morning that Deadeye, the ferocious Behemoth that had been prowling these parts of late, was slain by some of their finest.
"Did you get that?" Prompto leaned forward to turn up the Regalia's radio. "They're talking about us."
Wiz Forlane, owner of the Chocobo Wiz Post, wishes to express gratitude on behalf of the birds, both wild and tame, as well as himself and his employees. "With Deadeye out there, we were close to givin' up shop, but now we can finally operate again."
"Thank the Six they have no clue just how bad that fight went," Gladio said.
Upon hearing the news, Noctis felt an unfamiliar kind of pride. To think that these people were grateful enough to issue a public announcement, and not just because he was royalty, made him glad they had taken on the challenge. Was that how it felt to be a king in service to his people?
Over the past years, Regis' duties had barely extended beyond maintaining the Wall, attending strategic meetings and occasionally showing himself at an opening ceremony. Although he had told Noctis of the travels he had undertaken when he was young, Noctis had never quite been able to picture his father on a road trip.
The world was certainly different outside of Insomnia's walls, and sometimes it felt like everything Noctis had learned in order to succeed his father was nowhere near enough.
Sighing quietly, Noctis stood up in the still moving car and lifted himself onto the headrest of the back seat to feel the wind on his skin for a while.
When he leaned back on the Regalia's trunk, Ardyn shot him a glance. With a mix of shock and surprise in his expression, he then eyed Prompto, Gladio and Ignis, giving the latter an especially questioning look.
"Excuse me? Are you seeing this?"
"What are you talking about?", Gladio asked and shut the book he had just begun reading.
"I believe he is referring to Noctis' behaviour", Ignis clarified.
"Correct me if I am mistaken, but isn't it your primary duty to protect the young prince? Why would any of you allow this? Surely, you have realised that his Highness will go overboard once you need to avoid a stray Mesmenir on the road."
Ignis looked at Noctis through the back mirror. "This is less a matter of allowance and more a matter of a mutual disagreement."
"Yeah, we've had the odd discussion," Noctis added. "What do you care, Ardyn? You're not my retainer."
"Oh, please, by all means, stay where you are," he said and turned back to face the road. "If you tumble off the car and end up as a bloody stain on the asphalt, you'll go down in history not only as the last king of Lucis, but also as the one to die the dumbest death. It will bring Somnus' legacy to a most fitting end."
Noctis winced at the image. Now that was taking it a bit too far.
"Geez, Ardyn. No need to get insulting."
"I thought you wanted to hear the truth from me more often."
Reluctantly, Noctis slid back onto the car's seat. Anything just to stop Ardyn from arguing with him.
Gladio raised an eyebrow. "That worked."
"Perhaps I shall be more direct with you the next time we come to a disagreement," Ignis concluded.
"Perhaps I shall have you arrested for conspiring with the enemy."
"He doesn't mean it," Ardyn said.
"Naturally," Ignis agreed.
Lestallum was a very different city compared to any other Noctis had been to thus far, but despite of it being built around a power plant, it was scenic in its own right. It reached from the meteor shard to the edge of the Taelpar Crag canyon and its outlook offered a perfect view of the ever burning Disc of Cauthess. Incidentally, the outlook was also where Ignis parked the Regalia. From there, they set out to meet Gladio's sister Iris and the retainers of the Amicita at the Leville hotel, greeting quite a number of random passer-bys along the well. The unusual friendliness of the people at Lestallum took some getting used to for Noctis.
When they eventually entered the hotel's foyer, Iris came down the stairs from the second floor. Although she had fled from the battle for Insomnia and lost her home just recently, she seemed about as chipper as Noctis remembered her.
"Gladdy!" she called, waving at her brother and laughing. "Look at you all, holding your own out there."
The smile fell from her face the moment she noticed there was stranger accompanying them. She hesitated to step closer. "Who's he?"
"If I may." Ardyn lifted his hat and bowed slightly. "I am but his Highness' humble escort and opener of Imperial doors. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Amicita. Call me Ardyn, if you like."
Her smile returned. "Polite. I like it."
Ardyn had fooled her far to easily with his courtesy, and judging by Gladio's expression, her brother did not like it at all. "Tone it down, man. There's nothing for you to gain here."
"Gladdy's kinda right," Iris said. "We escaped from Insomnia with the bare minimum. C'mon, let's go upstairs to talk. Jared and Talcott will want to see you, too."
Just when she set a foot on the lowest step of the stairs, Noctis' head started throbbing. Images appeared before his eyes, of an inhuman face, rocks and fire. Of some place he had never been to. The headache was strong enough to seep into the rest of his body, but thankfully faded just as quickly as it had come over him. Even so, it left him feeling slightly disoriented, as though he was somewhere he should not be.
Ignis placed a hand on his shoulder. "What is it?"
"That headache came out of nowhere," Noctis said, trying to shake the feeling from his head. "I think … I saw the meteor?"
"A vision?"
"I'm not sure."
I understand that it is somewhat finicky to animate these characters getting in and out of a car, so I'm not complaining about missing seat belts.
But to have Noctis sit on the Regalia's trunk just because it looks cool is that moment where Ignis really should pull over and be like:
"I ask you to keep the recklessness to a minimum."
But since he doesn't do that, I'll let Ardyn handle it. His way.
(And another chapter I did not know how to end...)
