Prom decided to give the two a little room to talk, taking a slow walk with Rose back to Ul'dah. As much as he did want those answers and to learn more about Noctis, he didn't want to feel like he was invading the conversation. He knew especially since Kipih was asking the questions, there would be barely any chance for him to even ask things of his own. So still he planned to try and ask things for later, if they ever did get that chance.

When he got back into Ul'dah and left Rose at the chocobo corral, he found Noctis standing nearby. He walked over to him and smiled. "So how did it go?"

"Whew… I am glad you warned me. That wasn't an interview… it was an interrogation…"

Prom laughed. "I told you. She's a good reporter, if not a bit scary at times. But let me talk to her and see what she has to say."

Walking over to her, he saw that she was jotting notes down in a book. She smiled at Prom as he came over to it and she put the book away. "Noctis was very cooperative, and I have lots of juicy morsels for my feature article. Lest you wonder, he was on his way to meet his beloved fiancée… Will the two sweethearts be reunited? With such a timeless tale of romance the next edition of The Raven is certain to fly off the stands!"

Prom frowned, giving her a stare that he knew she would understand.

"C-Come on, don't look at me so. It's been so long since I last graced the front page. And as promised, I will help Nocits find the answers he seeks. I've already put the word out to my colleagues, and I expect to hear back from them any moment now."

A moment after she got a call on her linkshell and got the information she needed. She seemed rather happy with what she heard, telling Prom that she now had a good lead from her sources. From what she had been told, they were to head out to Gridania to find witnesses as Kipih said.

Kipih said that she wanted to stick around to help as well guide Noctis around, but Prom felt he was just so she could investigate him and ask more questions. Either way, Noctis agreed and the three of them planned to take an airship over to Gridania. So the three of them, plus Prom's chocobo, got on the airship and the airship soon took off to their location. During their flight, Noctis seemed rather in awe over the sights as they flew over the land, but he didn't say much else about it.

When they arrived, Kipih led them through Gridania where they asked various witnesses about the mechanical soldiers. When all was said and done about the investigation, they headed over into Old Gridania, just outside the theater. Noctis seems to be staring at everyone they passed and everyone went to lean against a post and sighed.

"Everything okay?" Prom asked.

"Cat-people… Cat-people everyone…" he muttered. "Y'jhimei wasn't kidding…"

"Y'jhimei?"

"Oh, guess I never mentioned that to you. But before I came here, I was helping out this girl. She said she was from another world, and she had the ears and tail… and she said they were real. Didn't really believe her until now."

"So somehow a Miqo'te ended up in your world and you ended up in ours?"

"She had messed with a teleporter from what she told us… not that she meant to, but it just kind of happened. But uh, yeah that's kind of it."

"I don't think her name is familiar to me, but out of curiosity what weapon did she use?"

Noctis shook his head. "She didn't have a weapon, but she could cast magic from this book she had."

Prom nodded. "Ah, an arcanist. Not extremely likely that I have run into her then, since that guild is in Limsa Lominsa."

"All these names… I don't know how I'll ever keep track of them. But uh, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, go right ahead."

"You were talking about weapons. You were using a bow and arrows back there and you were like, really good."

Prom smiled proudly. "Thanks! I pride myself to be a great archer. I am training to be a machinist though."

That seemed to catch Noctis's attention more so than before. "A machinist?"

"Yeah, you know, dealing with firearms and other gun types of things. And still a good weapon to use from far range, which is what I really prefer. Something about that?"

"I uh… I just didn't expect that. But uh, good for you? Sounds like you got things handled."

"Thanks! You were pretty good too, you know with that sword of yours. Pretty unique."

"Uh yeah, thanks. Just something I'm used to."

"Should we check in with Kipih now? Pull her from writing probably a million notes," Prom said.

"Sure."

They moved over to where Kipih was standing, pulling her away from writing down more notes. "So, were you able to learn anything about the mechanical soldier?"

Prom nodded. "Yeah. One man saw them near the Hawthorne Hut."

"I see! In that case, if we were to keep watch at the Bramble Patch, we should be able to find them eventually," Kipih replied.

"Well then, what're we waiting for?" Noctis said before walking off.

"Hey wait!" Prom called, but Noctis was already running off further into the area. "He couldn't just wait a few seconds…"

Kipih sighed. "Prom, please hurry after Noctis. You know as well as I how the Twelveswood can be a veritable maze even for the locals, and it wouldn't do if he were to lose his way."

"Of course. You know I can handle this," Prom replied, offering a smile. "I'll make sure he stays on the right path."

"I'm glad. Now go before he gets too far!"

Prom ran as fast as he could to catch up to Noctis. Thankfully being a Au Ra meant that he was taller and faster than that of a Hyur, but Noctis still was pretty fast. But he was able to catch him before he headed off in any wrong direction.

"You need to wait!" Prom said as he grabbed onto him. "Can't just go running off again without direction."

Noctis's shoulders slumped. "Sorry, I guess I keep getting ahead of myself."

Prom hummed softly in thought. "Just like N'oct…"

"Well just remember these woods aren't for just running through. I've spent a lot of years here and I still get lost sometimes."

"You live here?"

"Well not originally. Not born here, but I came here as soon as I could to learn from the archer's guild. But yeah, it's my home now."

"Ah, gotcha. So uh, where are we heading?"

"Out to The Black Shroud, specifically The East Shroud. Come on, this way," Prom said as he led Noctis along.

They headed out towards The Bramble Patch, and when they got there, all seemed too quiet at first. The two of them began to look around, trying to see if they spotted anything, but Prom knew that could only mean trouble. They determined that they would have to wait it out while still staying in the area.

The sun was already setting through and before they knew it, it had grown dark outside. That was when a strange sound was heard right nearby where they had been. Prom and Noctis ran towards the sound and came to a stop when they saw the creature several feet before them.

"What the…?! That's a daemon! That thing's dangerous. We can't leave it running around."

"Then let's go kill us a big monster," Prom said as he cracked his knuckles.

"You sure you can handle it?"

"Please, I've handled things twice as big as that thing. You just focus on being close and I'll stick it from afar."

Noctis grinned. "Come on then, let's do it!"

When the battle was over and the creature defeated, Noctis stood over where it had been. It was a bit surprising to watch the strange monster fade into darkness, but from the way Noctis was looking at it, he was used to it.

"First magitek troopers, now a daemon… What the hell's going on?"

Prom could see how stressed Noctis looked over the situation. He still didn't get a lot of the words that he was saying, still all sounding so foreing and strange, but he saw Noctis's expression. That weary and worried expression was enough to tell him just how Noctis was probably feeling about the entire thing.

"Hey, how about we take a rest? We could use it after a day like today."

Noctis stared down at the ground, letting that same sad expression spread across his face. But then he lifted up his face and he offered a small smile. "Yeah, after a fight like that, I could certainly use a break. Right! So let's set up camp."

"Sounds good! And a great night to do it anyway," Prom replied.

Together they got out the supplies that Prom had in his chocobo's saddle pouch after he called her over. They set up the tent and some chairs, and Prom started to make a small fire pit and soon things seemed to be really coming together.

"Hey, do you happen to have any food with you? Kind of forget about that," Noctis said as he fixed one of the poles on the tent.

"Yeah, I got plenty of stuff. What do you want?"

"You have any rice? If it's cool with you, I could try and make something."

"Yeah, I have that. Just check the satchel. Should still be some boxes in there," Prom replied.

"Great, you just sit and relax and I'll set it up."

Noctis cooked with the rice for a few moments as well as some other ingredients. Prom just waited by the fire, poking it and tending to it when it was necessary. Eventually he heard Noctis say that he was done and he saw that the man had made two large Doman Rice Balls.

He set them down on the table between them before picking up a cup. He then sat down in his chair and stared at Prom. He was giving the same gaze that he had given when they had first met, something that was filled with confusion and uncertainty.

"So, what's your story? I never got to ask. Why do you go around doing what you do?" Noctis asked with a small smile.

"Me? Well I…" Prom stared at the fire as he began to think.

He hadn't really given it a lot of thought… not for a long while at least. He was sure his resolve was the same as it had been from when he first started, even with what had happened. He knew deep down he was still doing what he could. It hurt to bring those memories up to the surface, having had them buried down in his chest for so long, but he wanted to give Noctis an honest answer.

"Just you know… being with my friends. Doing what I can to help people and make their day better."

Noctis's smile faded slightly as he looked at the mug in his hands. "What, you just wanna hang out with your friends? Making their day good? You really are…"

With him trailing off, Prom leaned forward in his chair. "Really are what?"

A sigh escaped Noctis's lips. "It's weird, or at least it feels weird to me. But you're like… you are just my friend. He's the life of the party, always ready with a quip to make us smile. We were traveling together… me and him and a couple others. Hearing your story, I couldn't help but be reminded of them… of him."

Prom's heart twisted slightly, feeling a sense of longing that he had not had in forever. Noctis was speaking in present tense about his friend. His friend was still alive, whoever he was. Noctis had a friend whom he traveled around with and that said friend would be the one to make the others happy… just like he would.

It made him curious about this friend, but also the slightest bit jealous.

"And what is his name? If you don't mind me asking," Prom asked.

Noctis chuckled softly. "That's the weird part…" Noctis lifted his head and looked directly at Prom. "His name is Prompto."

Prom gasped. He could feel his heart begin to pound against his ribcage. "Wait, that name… you really are serious about that?"

Noctis shook his head. "That's why this is kind of weird… see you. I keep looking at you and thinking it's Prompto… but you're Prom. You're someone else yet… you remind me a lot of him, in so many ways."

"W-What kind of ways?" Prom asked, feeling his hand trembling slightly.

"You look a little like him, but uh, he doesn't have the scales and horns? He's like me, just a human. Shorter too, like more around my height."

Prom found himself chuckling. "Well I can admit I am on the shorter side of the Au Ra average height. But uh… since you said that… I guess I should say my side of the story."

Noctis raised an eyebrow. "Your side?"

Prom nodded slowly. "I had… I had a friend. My best friend, unlike any other. And his name… it was N'oct."

Now Noctis was the one to gasp. "Seriously? My nickname?"

"Well, sort of. I assume your nickname doesn't have an apostrophe after the 'n'."

"No? Why? Does that matter?"

"N'oct was a Miqo'te. Seeker of the Sun. They have a naming convention where the first letter represents what tribe you are from. So N'oct was from the Aldgoat tribe. Don't ask me how it works or makes sense. Miqo'te traditions have always been confusing to me even when N'oct tried to explain it."

"So I'm guessing this N'oct, he kind of looked like me?"

Prom nodded as he closed his eyes. He let the memories dance around in his mind, bringing back the images of what N'oct looked like. He never could forget those fierce deep blue eyes, or that rare but wonderful smile. His voice… his laugh. Prom had been clinging on to them, but they were starting to grow hazy. But now that Noctis was here and his voice was nearly the same, it brought back all of the memories as clear as day.

"Yeah."

"Except… he was a cat-person?"

Prom nodded again. "He was."

Noctis laughed a little. "Guess it would only make sense."

"Why's that?"

Noctis leaned back in his chair, looking up at the stairs. "I kind of have a reputation for sleeping a lot, especially during the day. My friends always joke that I am part cat."

Despite the heavy weight in Prom's chest, he managed to laugh a little. "Sounds a lot like N'oct. Though the joke I had was he must have been part Keeper of the Moon since he was always trying to sleep during the day."

He could see that Noctis was staring at him with a rather dumbfounded expression.

"Oh uh… Keepers of the Moon are nighttime Miqo'te. Seekers of the Sun are daytime ones. N'oct was the odd Seeker of the Sun who liked to sleep during the day."

"Sounds just like me," Noctis smiled, though it was quick to fade away. "I notice you are saying was… can I ask… did something happen?"

Prom wrapped his arms around himself, trying to keep himself from shaking too much. Last thing he wanted was to have Noctis notice how hurt and heartbroken he was over the memories. He didn't need to let that much pain resurface for someone else to see. But he would still tell Noctis the truth… or at least as much as he was able to.