Noct may have been the second to go to sleep but he is the last one to wake up. He looks around the caravan to see it empty. He twist to reach for his phone, it's still morning but late. The prince is shocked that Ignis didn't wake him up.
"Morning your highness." Ignis says walking in, the door creaking as it opens and closes. Noct groans as he moves to cover his face. Wanting to sleep more since he doesn't get to.
"Where are Prom and Gladio?" He asks, Ignis moving around the small kitchenette.
"They went on a morning jog, just got back and are sitting at the cafe for their breakfast." Ignis informs him.
"I'll join them." Noct says getting down from the top bunk.
"Are you sure?" Ignis wonders, looking at Noct like a mother would when they know their child isn't going to like something but they are being stubborn.
"Yeah." Noct answers like he's going to prove the advisor wrong, going to the bathroom to wash and brush his teeth. Ignis watches as he comes back out and goes to the door. Noct steps out, and before the door is closed he comes back in. Ignis raises one of his eyebrows in a 'I knew it' way.
"It's rather humid around this area." He tells the prince. Noct nods, yeah he could feel it.
Ignis sits on the table to eat his breakfast as Noct changes into something less, going for black everything, cargo ankle pants, boots, and a t shirt with a short sleeve jacket. Iggy doesn't know how any of that is better but whatever the prince is comfortable with.
Noct walks out the caravan which isn't far from the post. It doesn't take him long to find the cafe, or find the his two friends. Gladio sees him first, raising his hand to catch his attention. Prompto sat looking down at her camera, she must be looking through them. "Princess is up. Thought we wouldn't see you till the afternoon." He smiles. Prompto looks up and turns to him, she seems also as shocked. Noct just sits down, ignoring his comment.
"How are you wearing that?" Prompto asks, she herself sporting a red tank top, grey sports shorts and sneakers. Gladio is almost matching, grey tank top and black gym shorts, with sneakers. Noct just shrugs.
"He doesn't do much that's how." Gladio answers reaching for his drink.
"Alright, two breakfast sandwiches ready." The old man from last night says.
"Thanks Wiz." Prompto smiles as she puts her camera away. He sets hers down with a smile then Gladio's with a nod.
"We still up for this afternoon?" He asks the table.
"Definitely." Prompto answers instantly.
"What's this afternoon?" Noct asks. Prompto looks at him, beaming wide, as if she had the sun in her hand.
"Chocobo riding lessons." She tells him.
"Young lady here said she's never ridden one before so I offered to teach her." Wiz adds.
"Can I join. I can help?" Noct says.
"Sure." Prompto aggrees, then turns to Gladio who is in the middle of eating. "Think Iggy would like to join us?" Gladio takes a second to think about it as he chews. He looks between the two. This would be a very good chance to let the two have some private time. Ignis would be very upset if they interrupted them. They don't need third and fourth wheels. Plus Wiz would be there to, that is plenty of people getting in the way.
"I don't think he wants to do anything in this humid. Count me out, I think I'm going to chill in the caravan." Gladio says.
"With Ignis?" Prompto asks, not insinuating anything but these two have done a lot for her and Astrum and they still have to deal with Noctis, and that's who they are paid to deal with. They deserve some time with each other. "Okay. If you want." Prompto says not looking at the look Gladio is giving her. "Guess it's just me and Noct." She says.
"I'll meet you both at the stables then, around 10." Wiz smiles, having no clue what just happened or why but not really caring. "Would you like anything?" Wiz asks Noct.
"He'll have a breakfast burrito." Gladio answers.
"Wha-" Noct looks at Gladio dumbfounded.
"Okay." Wiz says going back inside.
"What?" Gladio asks.
"You wouldn't like anything else on the menu." Prompto tells the prince who slumps in his chair. He knew them enough to know it's true.
"You never know." Noct mutters.
"We know." Gladio and Prompto say at the same time before they dive into their meal.
They enjoy their breakfast. Ignis coming out of the caravan to join them in talking for a bit before he gets up and goes into the shop to see what else there is and if they need to buy anything before they leave the next day. Gladio moves to the caravan. Noct eats his breakfast as Prompto sits next to him, looking through her camera once again. Taking pictures of him or the area they sat in. Noct let her take picture of him, it's not like she always takes pictures of him. Plus it would suck to have pictures of her trip, of their trip and not have any of himself in them. He was there too.
When time came they went to the stable to meet Wiz. The old man waiting for them by two chocobos already saddled up. Noct didn't need any instructing, he's ridden chocobos before. He did help explain things to the blonde. When it became time to finally sit on one she couldn't contain her excitement. As she sat on hers (Cinnamon is what Wiz calls him, thought he would be perfect for the blonde) she asked Wiz to take pictures of her. She never wants to forget this moment. As Wiz took pictures of her Noct moved in close as he sat mounted on the one the man lent him.
"Why don't you both go riding for a while?" He suggest. "The forest is a great place to go riding and the chocobos love it." He hands Prom her camera back.
"I don't mind. You want to go?" Noct asks looking at the blonde.
"Hell yeah!" She says beaming, slipping the cord of her camera on her wrist.
"Then when you both get back I should be here but if I'm not, just put them in the stable and make sure it's locked. When your done with that come and tell me so I know." He tells them.
"Okay." Prompto answers. Noct just nods with a grunt of understanding. "Ready?" She asks turning to Noct. He nods. "Let's go Cinnamon!" She shouts flips the rains, the chocobo goes flying forward.
"Hey wait." Noct says flipping the rains to his. The prince can hear Wiz chuckling behind him, must be chuckling at Prompto's enthusiasm. "Prompto!" Noct shouts as he makes his way, chasing her. Cinnamon is fast. "Prom!" He calls when he spots her still sitting on her chocobo taking pictures.
"Hey Noct! Finally caught up." She smiles at him and he can't be too upset with her when she's smiling at him like that.
"You should be careful. Can't wander off on your own like that." Noct tells her kindly.
"But Wiz said chocobos are good at sensing danger so I should be fine as long as the chocobos are too." She tells him.
"But there are still dangerous wild creatures around. Just stay close." He tells her. She nods.
"Okay." She says as he gets closer.
They ride in silence, the prince besides her as she takes pictures of the forest. They ride silently besides her camera clicking and the clomping of both chocobos feet on the ground nothing is said. Noctis takes a big whiff of fresh unpolluted air. Enjoying the sound of the natural fauna rather than the busling of the city. It's so peaceful out here. He wouldn't mind staying here forever if he could.
But he knows he can't. He is worried about how the world is going to react to Luna's engagement to Sol. He's about ready for the world to explode from the news. He's also ready to turn down any letter suggesting his engagement to other families. He's got his eyes on someone already. His father already knows this. He's gotten some embarrassing talks from his father, trying to help him.
Until then he's going to keep it slow. He doesn't want the media thinking Prompto stole him from Luna or something equally as ridiculous.
"Hey Noct," the prince snaps his head to her, "can you store my camera in the armiger for a while? I want to ride without having to worry about my camera going missing somehow." She explains.
"Sure." Noct says holding his hand out, she places her camera on his palm. He focuses, connecting his body, his connection to the crystal to the camera. Prompto stares as her red camera disappears in blue flecks and small crystals. It never stops being cool seeing Noct use magic.
"Woah." She lets out. Noct looks at her.
"You can use magic too."
"I know. But still. Gladio says I'm not there with my training yet. And it's not like I use it as often as you do." Prompto says.
"I use it cause I've been trained to since I was young. You'll get there." Noct says smiling at her. Prompto lets out a gasp, eyes widening as she and Cinnamon stop in their tracks. Noct pauses, twisting to face her. "Prom?" He wonders. Her eyes move to him then back.
"N-Noct." She stutters almost scarred, hands gripping onto the reins tightly with a slight tremble of both hands. "I thought Niflheim retracted all their soldiers. W-why are there MT?" She moves a shaky finger to their right. Noct twist the other way to see not one but four MT units standing there staring at them. Not really doing anything just staring as if they were equally as shocked to see them there.
Noct's eyes widen. Why are they here?
