Chapter Summary: A dragon soars.
Notes: In which I shamelessly indulge in talking about one of my favorite subjects.
"Oh man, please tell me we're stopping," Prompto practically begged from the back of their pathetic little procession through the dry plains of the Weaverwilds.
"Wuss," Gladio teased, though Noctis suspected the taunt was more to maintain his overly masculine, tough guy façade than anything else. Everyone was running on fumes at this point. It had taken hours of extra hiking to find a more secluded haven near Hammerhead and Noctis was sure they would've been out of luck if they hadn't come across a large break in the fencing that sliced through the wilderness miles out from the garage. The wooden posts had seemingly been smashed inward, the charred and warped remains strewn at their feet around a massive gash in the tall barrier. On the other side a haven hadn't been immediately visible but with a little exploration they'd finally spotted a raised plateau of solid rock tucked safely away in tiny glade. Noctis smiled to himself at the sight of the blue runes glowing faintly with protective magic. It was all going to be worth it soon.
The prince glanced over his shoulder to check on his weary retainers. They were all looking a little worn down, unused to the long car rides and rough terrain outside the city. Ignis in particular was looking a little more ruffled than normal. Noctis was sure his advisor would never admit it, but he had to be crawling in his own skin. It had been over a week of nonexistent privacy in cramped hotel rooms with zero opportunities to stretch his wings. Ignis needed this.
As if to prove the prince's point the advisor choose that moment to speak up. "It is getting rather late; perhaps we should consider accommodations for the night. Daemons will be out soon." Ignis was using his reasoning voice, thankfully still quite a few steps below his do as I say or face the bloody consequences voice, but a definite sign that he along with rest of the party were steadily reaching the end of their rope.
Noctis faced forwards again. "Yeah alright, let's crash here."
"Oh thank goodness!" Prompto looked about ready to collapse then and there on the rough stone. "So, anybody want to share with me why this haven is so much better than like, the last three?"
Gladio must have caught on to Noctis' scheme at some point or another because he gave the gunner a significant look toward Ignis.
The gesture was not missed by the advisor. He stiffened where he stood, forgetting about setting up his cook station and probably coming to the conclusion that Noctis' insistence on passing by the last handful of havens had been less to do with avoiding the Imperial presence at Formouth Garrison and more for his own benefit. He leveled his prince with an expression of open suspicion.
Noctis shrugged, not feeling particularly remorseful. Ignis worked hard at taking care of everyone else but sometimes he needed a little shove in the right direction to do things for himself. "Figured since we're out here all alone a little airshow might be nice."
Ignis frowned. "I hardly think that's wise. Furthermore, we've yet to set up camp."
"Come on, Iggy, I've done this a few times. I think we can handle it. Go, catch some air," Gladio threw in from over his shoulder as he started pitching the tent.
Ignis' frown remained, though his eyebrows rose a fraction at the shield's unexpected betrayal, his resolve wavering.
Like a shark to blood in the water, Prompto bounced forth, suddenly full of his usual energy and cradling his camera close. "Please, Iggy! We're runnin' out of daylight here and I wanna capture that wingspan in the sunset glow."
"No, absolutely not. I'll not be parading about for photographs." Ignis once again dug his heels in, determined not to make a spectacle of himself.
"Oh come on, please! No one's gonna see 'em but us." Prompto crowded further into Ignis' personal space, impersonating a kicked puppy for all he was worth.
"Yeah, nobody's going to want to look at his pictures anyway." Noctis ignored Prompto's strangled noise of protest. "Besides, the sky's nice today."
And it was. The late evening atmosphere was already kissed with the red and orange hues bleeding off the sinking sun. The vibrant colors soaked into the wispy clouds overhead, their forms rambling and soft, adrift in the gentle breeze that wove through the tall trees of the forest and carried the bayings of nearby wildlife bedding down for the night. Ignis' defense died off as he gazed up at the wide open expanse of a brilliant canvas for once untainted by the smog of the city or the Crystal's wall. Because for all the advisor wore every inch of decorum and grace Citadel life had immersed him in, he was no more free of the same siren song Noctis imagined called to all denizens of the air. As long as he'd known him, Iggy had always loved to soar.
The three Lucians silently waited out the dragon's sulky reluctance to admit defeat. "I suppose a quick flight couldn't be too damaging."
Noctis tried to keep the smirk from being too obvious on his face. "That's the spirit, Specs."
Ignis gave the prince a withering glance but proceeded to march to the far corner of the haven all the same. There was a brief flash of magic and suddenly the campsite became much more cramped. As a dragon, Ignis was roughly the height of a large anak and at least twice as long, wings decorated with brilliant red markings and shimmering flecks of black extended out beyond the humble boundaries of the haven. His tail hung off the edge of the raised rock and easily could have curled itself more than halfway around their budding camp. He was likely still growing if Noctis' limited studies on the dragon's bonded to kings past could be considered any kind of reliable standard. He'd certainly come a long way from the skittish ball of feathers the prince had met below the Citadel all those years ago.
The dragon's slender neck craned toward the heavens and with one movement of his powerful wings he was up, shooting past the tree tops and gaining altitude fast. Prompto was already snapping pictures in rapid-fire bursts, trying to track the fleeting silhouette gliding along breathy currents against the fading light. It was always unexpected, watching Ignis fly. The advisor typically kept his emotions in check; everything was controlled precision with him. You'd never expect the guy could move like this, so alive and free, but in the air Ignis became something outside of the restricting mold he'd been fitted to.
Ignis stayed aloft for a while and once Gladio was satisfied with their shelter for the night Noctis occupied himself with scoping out the best view from the comfortable fold-out chair furthest from the tent. Watching Ignis was nice for a bit but as the dragon attempted more dizzying maneuvers Noctis found his eyes lazily drawn down to the remains of an unusual structure that stood out starkly against the surrounding nuances of nature unchecked. It was all crumbled stone and twisted metal – an observation tower of some kind possibly, if Noctis attempted to reconstruct the odd ruin in his mind's eye, with the remnants of its rusted stairwell still springing up from the center of the wreckage. There was a salty flavor to the air here, making Noctis assume they were not too far removed from the ocean. Ignis could probably see it from above. Maybe it's connected somehow to the mysterious fallen tower.
Idly, Noctis wondered if his dad would've known its purpose. He'd have to ask him someday after this was all over. Yeah, like that'd happen. Noctis rolled his eyes at his own thoughts. His old man never had time to just talk or deal with any of his crap period really. Maybe that was why he couldn't quite shake the uncomfortable feeling that surged up in his gut every time he remembered how something had just been off about their last words on the Citadel steps.
It could've just been stress from handling the Empire along with the whole political circus that went with the peace treaty and his own son's sudden betrothal, but Noctis had expected more of a scolding for his flippant dismissal to his father's warnings. And the way Regis had drunken in the sight of him, as if he might never lay eyes on his son again, had been a bit odd to say the least and made Noctis anxious enough to reevaluate everything he'd overheard from court gossip to what he'd gleaned from the reports Ignis had drilled him over recently – all to try and figure out what exactly would justify his father looking at him like he'd just been offered up as some kind of pagan sacrifice. Of course, his dad might've just been worried about sending them all outside the wall for the first time, even if it was pretty ridiculous. Noctis had his deadeye best friend, the meanest looking shield anybody had ever laid eyes on and a literal dragon accompanying him every step of the way. What could possibly happen?
Eventually Ignis did rejoin them on solid ground, looking a bit flush from exertion and the exhilaration of flight, but insisting on beginning preparations for dinner none the less.
"Enjoy the view?" Noctis asked once Ignis was behind his portable stove and cutting into something that possibly could have been the dualhorn rib steaks they'd acquired earlier that day, hard to say from his limited vantage point.
Ignis paused in his work. After a lingering hesitation he returned to slicing the meat into more manageable portions. "It was rather pleasant."
Noctis grinned at Ignis' back. "Good to hear."
A short time later, once they were all situated around the fire with stomachs filled, Ignis shared his suggestions for the coming day's itinerary. "We'll need to get a bright and early start tomorrow if we're to make any headway toward Galdin after cashing in today's bounties to pay for the Regalia's repairs."
"Ugh, don't remind me. All that work, up in smoke – poof!" Prompto brought his hands together before pushing them apart from each other and waving them over his head in what he likely believed to be an accurate impersonation of dissipating fumes.
"Well, at least Cindy will appreciate the effort," Gladio tried to placate with a smirk.
"You think?" Prompto asked excitedly.
Ignis nodded along through Prompto's squawk of indignation after having one of the legs of his chair kicked by Noctis, pulling out a small notebook from this back pocket and probably preparing to make note of other supplies they'd need to purchase. "And Master Cid, of course."
"Great, wouldn't want to disappoint our number one fan." Noctis leaned back, slumping further into his chair.
"Old man's just got it out for you, Noct." Gladio shrugged, clearly amused.
"Don't I know it. Hey, that reminds me, what'd the old timer want with you before we left?" Noctis had noticed Ignis get pulled aside by Cid while they'd been checking out the merchandise at the convenience store. His father's old friend had kept his opinions anything but private ever since they'd first pushed the Regalia all the way up to his dusty garage, which made the prince suspect the man of sharing more than just complaints.
In response to the question Ignis cleared his throat by primly coughing into his fist, a nervous gesture the prince didn't see often, before setting aside his notebook. "Ah, yes. It seems Cid is privy to more sensitive details than we'd first assumed. He approached me with an interesting proposal. Should we choose to provide him with the proper materials, he is prepared to construct some light defensive wear as well as a riding apparatus suitable for my native form."
"Huh, so dragon armor and … a saddle, that'd be interesting alright." Gladio crossed his arms, glancing skyward and likely trying to picture what said items would even look like.
"Armor?" Prompto squeaked in awed excitement. "Whoa, like, we could fly with you, in the air and stuff?"
"In theory, yes." Ignis nodded calmly, though he subtly leaned a bit back from Prompto's coming barrage of enthusiasm.
"Sweet! This is going to be so wicked. Wonder if it'll be made of metal or leather – or something. Do you think it's gonna be big enough for all of us?" Prompto's elation only seemed to escalate. "I've always wondered what that'd be like."
"It's pretty fun, even if Specs won't do the really cool stunts with passengers," Noctis teased.
"Just because you believe yourself exempt from physical harm does not mean everyone else is convinced." Ignis gave the prince a stern look over his spectacles. "And I'd rather lose as few feathers to your clinging as possible."
Gladio scoffed. "Guess you won't have to worry about that anymore."
"Oh yeah, dragon riding here we come!" Prompto punctuated his cheer with an explosive fist bump between himself and Noctis.
Ignis sighed. "I wonder if it's quite too late to rescind Cid's offer."