Note: I now have a fantastic beta-reader to help me polish everything up and chat ideas!

6. Across the Great Ocean

There were only so many interesting pictures he could take when they were surrounded by the sparkling blue waters of the Cygillian Ocean. He got plenty when they first left, including a selfie of himself with the lighthouse in the background, as per Noctis' request to take more pictures of himself, but his interest waned the further they got from the shores of Lucis.

Prompto flopped onto the bench seat next to Noctis, who was turned so he could stare into the water. "See anything cool?"

Noctis shrugged. "Hard to see anything when we're going this fast."

Prompto refrained from looking over the edge, knowing his motion sickness would kick in hard if he did so. He was doing well so far, but he wasn't going to tempt fate. He looked at his camera instead. "Yeah, it's too bad we can't stop and let you fish; I bet there's lots of big ones here, too. But we shouldn't keep Lady Lunafreya waiting."

"It'll be good to see her again, though," Noctis said with a soft sigh.

Prompto deleted a blurry picture of the shoreline and then looked away from the camera to face his friend. Noctis moved so he was sitting in what Ignis would consider a manner befitting a prince.

"Wanna look?" he asked, holding up his camera.

Noctis nodded and scooted over until they were nearly touching.

Praying that his blush wasn't obvious, Prompto turned the screen so his friend could see as well, and began the process of saving the pictures they liked the most.

"But that one's awful!" Prompto burst out when Noctis indicated he should save one of his selfies. The sun had caught at a bad angle in it, making his face look much redder than it really was. "No way, dude!"

"I like it," Noctis said.

"Nope. No, I'll take another one, but we're not saving that. I look like I've been outside all day and got a terrible sunburn!" Prompto said, erasing it even as Noctis made a sound of complaint. "Hey, look how silly Gladio looks in this one!"

Gladio, who was sitting on the bench in front of them, glanced up from his book, but made no move to turn to see it for himself. He listened to them for a moment before going back to his reading.

Prompto saved that one and Noctis tried to stifle his laughter.

After a while, Ignis exited the bridge where he'd been talking with Cid about what they should expect once they arrived in Altissia. The old man insisted on coming along after all the hard work he put into the repairs, and they were all grateful for his presence, especially when it meant the Regalia wouldn't be unguarded while they went ashore.

Ignis joined them just in time to see a photo featuring Noctis with his mouth wide open in preparation of biting into a juicy burger.

"I think Lady Lunafreya will quite appreciate that one," he said with a note of amusement in his voice.

Noctis shot his adviser a dirty look. "We're not keeping it."

"I dunno, I kinda like it," Prompto teased, pretending to think about it.

"You deleted the selfie you didn't like!"

"My camera, my rules," Prompto decreed, holding it out of Noctis' reach as the prince stretched forward and tried to snatch it from his hands. Prompto grinned, silently daring his best friend to try again… and forgetting that Noctis was never one to back down when his pride was on the line.

Noctis lunged and Prompto squawked as they both went tumbling from the bench, landing in a heap on the deck of the Royal Vessel.

Gladio chuckled at the sight they made.

The camera slid out of Prompto's reach, but before he could scramble to retrieve it, Noctis rolled over on top of him and pinned him in place. Prompto felt like his face was on fire, his heart beating so loudly that he was sure everyone else could hear it, even over the pounding of the waves against the boat as they sped across the water.

"I won't let you up until you promise to delete it," Noctis said, his mouth twisted up into a triumphant smirk.

Prompto blinked, his mouth suddenly dry. "I, uh, no?"

Why were words so hard?

"Then I guess we'll be here for a while," Noctis said.

Prompto was absolutely not staying in that position for any longer than he needed to. Nope. No way. Either his head would spontaneously combust or something else bad would happen, like the ocean swallowing them all to bury his mortification, and both of those would require too many explanations.

He made a half-hearted attempt to wiggle free, but Noctis' hold was firm. "Okay, okay! I'll do it."

The pressure lifted and Noctis stood so that he could ease himself back onto the bench seat, his back evidently bothering him after their little tussle.

Prompto retrieved his camera and checked it over for damage as he sat back down next to Noctis. His finger hovered over the delete button and for a moment he entertained the idea of saving it instead.

He pressed down.

"There. All gone," Prompto told him.

"Thanks," Noctis said, flashing him a smile. "Have any good ones of Iggy on there?"

Prompto grinned back. "Let's find out."

Ignis remained impassive as they scrolled through to find any of him that could be deemed silly or embarrassing, but no matter how hard they looked, they found nothing. He remarked that he had no "bad sides", which only encouraged the pair to try harder.

As they drew closer to Altissia, birdsong filled the air. A flock of seagulls flew in circles overhead, never breaking away to land on the rocky outcrops.

"How odd," Ignis murmured, adjusting his glasses as he watched them.

"What's up, Iggy?" Gladio asked.

Prompto and Noctis looked up from their plotting.

Ignis gestured to the birds above them. "The behavior of the seagulls here is unusual, is all. I don't believe they typically fly in a formation like this for so long. "

A low cry echoed across the water, almost haunting in tone, and the Royal Vessel began to slow. Prompto was about to ask Cid why they were stopping, when a horn jutted up out of the water, followed by the massive form of a whale-like creature. It breached completely from the water and then crashed down, making the boat rock violently.

"Wh-what the hell is that thing?" Prompto asked, gripping the side of the boat so hard that his knuckles turned white.

Noctis leaned over the edge, his eyes wide with delight. "Whoa, look at all of those fish!"

"The fish?! That's what you're focusing on and not the giant creature trying to capsize us?" Prompto asked incredulously.

"Well now," Cid's voice cut across the deck. "Never thought Ah'd get the chance to see the Legendary Bismarck. Count yerself lucky, boys. The fishermen 'round here count his sighting as a blessing."

Noctis was still gazing at the sea creatures as though he were seconds away from leaping in to join them.

Ignis gave a hopeless sigh, removing his glasses to clean off the ocean spray. "I suppose we could stop for a short while."

Noctis had his fishing rod out before Ignis stopped speaking, quickly switching lures to something better suited for the ocean. He settled into a comfortable position and cast out his line, lost in his personal joy of fishing.

Best friend that he was, Prompto dutifully raised his camera and captured him in action.

.

.

Before they disembarked at the Altissian docks, Ignis made them all change out of their Crownsguard uniforms and into something that would allow them to walk around without attracting too much attention. Prompto didn't see how a white shirt and black cap was going to stop anyone from recognizing the Crown Prince of Lucis, but it was worth a try.

Cid waved them off, promising to keep an eye on things from the Royal Vessel. As agreed, he would take off first thing in the morning, retreating to a safe distance in case things went poorly with Leviathan.

"You can find Weskham down at a little place called 'Maagho'. He'll help," he told them.

The only problem was actually finding it.

The streets were built like a labyrinth. Walkways crossed over one another, stairs led up one way and down another, some into dead-end streets. Everywhere they turned, there were fancy stalls set up with unique trinkets, all designed to attract tourists. At one, Noctis found a cactuar figure and couldn't resist purchasing it. Talcott would appreciate the gesture for sure.

Ignis had a map, but it was virtually useless for anything except vaguely pinpointing where they were standing within the city limits.

Gladio peered over Ignis' shoulder, trying to help make sense of which way they needed to go. By the way Ignis kept frowning and shaking his head, Prompto assumed they weren't having much luck. Really, they would be better off asking for directions from one of the locals.

He left them to it and joined Noctis in investigating one of the many market plazas. Everything was so colorful and lively that it was hard to figure out where to start, so they picked one to their left and began to work their way around, taking a look at everything there was to see.

It was easy to forget they weren't on vacation.

He and Noctis stopped near a stall selling a number of unusual hats. Prompto spotted a captain's hat and wondered if he should get it for Cid as a small way to thank him for everything he'd done for them.

"So, when do you want to tell Ignis and Gladio?" Noctis asked as they moved away without buying anything.

Prompto's mood soured. "I dunno. Figured we'd get settled in first and then I'd do it." He met Noctis' gaze and something about the intensity he found in those dark eyes made him look away with a shiver.

"Do you want to talk about it some more? We never had time to go over what Rhyos told us and work it into your explanation," Noctis said, keeping his voice low. It was doubtful that anyone around them would glean anything important from their conversation, but it never hurt to be careful.

Prompto shook his head. "Probably better not to mess with it. Look, let's just worry about finding Maagho's right now. That's what's important."

Noctis studied him for a moment and then gave an exhausted sigh. "Fine."

Prompto swallowed, fighting back the sickening feeling that he was a disappointment. Why couldn't he do the one thing he promised both Noctis and Iris? Why was it so hard to find the strength to tell Gladio and Ignis?

He kept his head down and was only able to muster up a fake smile until they reached the very last stall, which had a sign proclaiming that they sold the World's Best Gelato.

Prompto had seen at least three other places proclaiming the same thing since they began their walk from the docks.

"Do you think we should?" Prompto asked, glancing back at Ignis and Gladio. They were still looking over the map, though they had acquired help in the form of a young woman whom Prompto assumed was a local. It never ceased to amaze him how easily Gladio charmed the ladies, despite his intimidating stature, but she looked perfectly at ease as she stood next to him and helped map out their best path.

"We'll get them some, too," Noctis said, choosing not to remark on the fact that they'd finally asked for help. "What kind do you want?"

Prompto took a few minutes to deliberate before settling for a vanilla swirled with Duscaen orange, while Noctis got one called sea-salt for himself, a simple chocolate and vanilla for Gladio, and one ulwaat berry for Ignis.

By the time they rejoined their friends, the woman was gone.

"So, did you figure it out?" Prompto asked.

"I believe so," Ignis said as he folded up the map. He made no complaints about having dessert before dinner, wordlessly accepting it from Noctis. "Maagho is only accessible by gondola, so we will have to take a ride to reach it."

"We also heard that Lady Lunafreya's wedding dress is on display somewhere around here. Sounds like something we should check out," Gladio mentioned. He took a huge spoonful of gelato and stuck it into his mouth, the very taste morphing his face into one of bliss.

Prompto looked down.

He was sure it was a beautiful gown, perfectly suited for the Oracle, but it was also a reminder of a wedding that never happened. A wedding staged by Niflheim in a pretend gesture of peace. A wedding that he could have sworn was still going to happen.

He frowned, trying to remember when they had gone from "going to Altissia to get Noct hitched" to "going to Altissia to wake Leviathan and earn her blessing". Had it been when Insomnia fell and he just never caught on to their change of plans? Was it some unspoken thing?

A spoon appeared inches from his nose and Prompto went cross-eyed to look at it.

"It's weird. You should try it," Noctis said before shoving the ice-cream into Prompto's mouth.

"Wha-mmph!"

Prompto refrained from spitting out the gelato as salt hit his tongue. There was a sweetness behind it, easing the taste, but it didn't stop him from making a face. "Oh, that is weird."

"Told you," Noctis said as he swiped a scoop of Prompto's in return.

"Hey!"

A small scuffle broke out between them, which by some miracle didn't leave either of them with their dessert melting on the ground. Ignis attempted to calm them, while Gladio stood by and did nothing.

"If you're quite done," Ignis said sternly, swiping Noctis' cup of gelato and replacing it with his own. He took an experimental bite of seasalt. He frowned. "May I inquire as to why you chose this flavor?"

"Some kids were talking about how good it was. You're always telling me I need to branch out more, so I figured I'd try it," Noctis said, shrugging. He looked much happier with the flavor of ulwaat berry.

"Clearly they have poor taste." Ignis gave Gladio a look as he snuck in to try it for himself.

The shield hummed thoughtfully and swapped his half-eaten cup for the sea-salt. "It's not that bad."

Once they finished eating, Ignis took out the map and guided them through the streets. It took them a few wrong turns to find it, but it wasn't too long before they were standing at the store front where Lunafreya's wedding dress was on display.

Prompto snapped a quick picture and tried not to think about how something meant to bring renewed hope to the people of Eos was instead the centerpiece of horrific tragedy.

Noctis took his time standing there, voicing none of his thoughts to his companions. It was only when he began to walk away of his own volition that anyone dared to break the silence.

"Now we just have to find one of those gondolas, right?" Prompto asked. "Shouldn't be too hard."

It wasn't.

Everyone was able to breathe more easily once they were on the boat and off the winding streets. They relaxed and enjoyed the slow voyage, and Prompto could tell that Noctis spent the time making mental notes of every fishing spot, just in case.

As Ignis said, Maagho was only accessible by boat and was located in the underbelly of the city. It allowed for a crystal-clear view of the broad Cygillian. Fishing vessels were able to dock around the back of the restaurant, allowing easy access to fresh goods.

An older gentleman - whose hair had long been gray - stepped forward to welcome them, introducing himself as Weskham Armaugh, proprietor of Maagho.

He regarded Noctis with fondness and invited them to order whatever they liked from the menu.

For all that Altissia was the capital of Accordo and had a busy tourism industry, there was a peacefulness to the city that was different from anything they'd felt before. Insomnia was busy in an anxious way, constantly moving and never staying still. Even Lestallum, which was way more laidback than Insomnia, had a presence that moved with a sense of urgency or purpose.

Altissia was all about moving at your own pace.

It was nice.

If he had the time, Prompto knew he could spend days, maybe even weeks, exploring the city and not get bored of it. He mused on the odds that he could come back and do that one day as their food arrived and everyone began to eat.

They had chosen to sit at the bar, and Prompto was tucked between his best friend and Gladio, while Ignis was on the other side of Noctis, likely because the prince was the least likely to try and sample his food.

He listened to the conversations around him, hiding his grin into his food when Ignis broke away from talking to Weskham in order to scold Noctis for nonchalantly moving his vegetables over to his plate.

At least Weskham looked amused by their antics.

The peace couldn't last forever, of course. As Noctis requested a look at the dessert menu, a hush fell over the bar. The four of them turned around, fearing the worst, but saw no imperial guards coming for them.

Instead, there was a stern-looking woman with short blonde hair, dressed in a stylish turquoise suit. She carried herself with an air of importance as she made her way towards them.

"I believe that is First Secretary Camelia Claustra," Ignis quietly told Noctis.

Prompto was sure they were about to be asked to leave the city. Why else would the First Secretary of Accordo travel down to speak with them personally? Just having them in the city meant her people were at risk of encountering imperial soldiers.

They all listened as she stated that she was aware that they were in Altissia to wake the Hyrdraean. She had already spoken about it with Lady Lunafreya, who was being kept in a safe location and hidden from the empire, but she still had reservations about allowing them to rouse the Tidemother.

It was with that information that Noctis agreed to speak with her at her private estate, and it was the most diplomatic act Prompto had ever witnessed from his friend.

"So, what do you think, Iggy?" Gladio asked once she was gone.

"I believe that speaking with her will be our best chance. Unless I'm mistaken, she has no desire to allow the Empire to gain complete control over Accordo. She must believe that allowing you and Lady Lunafreya to call upon Leviathan will be in her best interests, but we will not know for sure until Noct speaks with her," Ignis said. He turned to Noctis, who looked stiff and uncomfortable at the reminder of why they were in Altissia. "I believe it's time for us to retire for the night. Tomorrow, you will be able to speak with her and we can make plans from there."

Noctis nodded.

.

.

Morning came bright and too early for Prompto, even after a night of restful sleep. A feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach dragged him down, preventing him from being his normal ray of sunshine. Luckily for him, Noctis was far grumpier in the mornings and all of Ignis' focus was on getting him ready for his meeting, while Gladio tried to help.

Ignis forced Noctis into a chair so he could properly fix his hair, and that was when Noctis' eyes met Prompto's from across the room.

Normally, there would be some form of silent communication which would pass between them, like Noctis begging his friend to save him from Ignis' perfectionism, but all Prompto found was an unreadable expression.

Again, he was struck by the thought that he was a disappointment. That Noctis was angry with him for not keeping his promise. It was the only thing that made sense.

Suddenly, the airy room they'd been given felt suffocating.

He stood up, trying to remember any breathing exercises that would help, but his anxiety only rose as he garnered attention from Ignis and Gladio as well.

"Prompto, is something the matter?" Ignis asked.

"No!" Prompto blurted out, mild hysteria flooding his chest. "No, um, I just need to step out for some air, I think. Good luck with your meeting, Noct!" He gave his friend a thumbs up and then practically ran for the door and yanked it open.

From behind him, he caught the start of Gladio saying "Hang on, I'll come-" but didn't stop to hear the rest.

It was much easier to breathe out in the fresh air, and Prompto quickly hung a right to head out into the wider city. A walk was just what he needed to clear his head and calm down.

He let his thoughts drift, trying not to let himself get bogged down by the negative ones. He moved to the unfamiliar beat of a foreign land, standing out even as he went with the crowds, letting them direct him for a while, until finally he came to a fountain in an area that had less crowds.

Prompto took a seat on the raised edge and tilted his head back to look at the blue skies, letting a soft sigh pass over his lips.

Noctis was likely speaking with the First Secretary by then. He hoped his friend was faring well and that he hasn't messed things up by running out on everyone, but he did feel better after his walk around the city. His mind was finally clear.

He knew he could tell them. Iris had helped him practice until his voice went hoarse and he was sure he had everything straight, and he didn't want to let her or Noctis down.

"What am I going to do?" he asked himself.

Prompto hadn't expected an answer, so when a dog barked right next to him, he nearly fell over in surprise. His eyes went wide at the sight of the white-and-cream dog staring up at him. He blinked, frowning as though he was having trouble believing what he saw.

"It can't be... Tiny?"

She barked again and wagged her tail in excitement.

Prompto laughed and reached out to pet her, his worries ebbing away as he lavished her with attention. He sat up after a moment and she hopped into his lap, clearly enjoying herself as she settled in.

"I'm really glad to see you, y'know? I was worried when you disappeared. When I was a kid, that is. If not for Lady Lunafreya's letter..."

If not for her letter, much of Prompto's life would be different. He never would have found the courage to reach out to Noctis and become his friend. He wouldn't have gotten to know Gladio or Ignis. Would he have made it out of Insomnia during the invasion? So many hadn't...

Tiny whined to get his attention and Prompto resumed petting her.

"I owe you a lot," he told her. "Maybe you can help me again? I have to tell my friends something really important and I'm afraid of how they'll react. It's silly, I know it is. They'll be disappointed that I've hidden it from them, but maybe that's what scares me the most... I don't want to disappoint them. I've worked so hard to prove that I can stand by Noct's side and not get in the way. Some secrets are necessary..." His hand strayed to his wristband. "...but not this one."

Tiny nudged his hand and he smiled at her.

Prompto was sure he made an odd sight, sitting on the edge of a fountain and talking to a dog, but being able to voice his thoughts to Tiny was helping his nerves settle. She was a very good listener.

"I just need to go up there and tell them. Like ripping off a bandage, right? It's too bad I can't take you with me when I do it, but you belong at Lady Lunafreya's side, not mine. She needs you," Prompto told her.

A figure in white. The glint of light on the trident.

Prompto closed his eyes and pushed the vision away. "I don't think she's safe, Tiny. There's something – someone – who wants to hurt her. I know the First Secretary told us she's safe here, but..." He trailed off as he looked down at Tiny, whose twitching ears were the only indication that she was still listening. Her eyes were shut, as though she were asleep. "I guess you wouldn't be here if you thought she was in trouble. And this is a nice place to think."

He sat there, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the laughter of children around him, the feel of soft fur between his fingers, and the chatter of the locals and tourists as they went about their daily routine. There was just enough going on around him that he didn't lose himself to negative thoughts.

By the time Tiny woke with a wide yawn, he felt ready to march back to the Leville and tell his friends everything.

She gazed up at him for a moment, and then stretched up to lick his cheek. With a soft bark, she jumped down and vanished into the crowds.

"Thank you," Prompto whispered after her.

.

.

Noctis didn't know what to do.

After Prompto fled the room as though a pack of daemons were clawing at his heels, Ignis and Gladio turned to Noctis for answers. He had them, but they weren't answers that were his to give. He stayed silent, just as he promised he would, and shrugged each time they asked.

He wished he could help somehow. Prompto was clearly struggling, and Noctis assumed that it had to do with his powers and the fact that he still hadn't come clean about them, but it didn't seem to matter how much he tried to reassure Prompto. All he could do was continue to be there for his friend, though if it went on for much longer, he doubted he would be able to stop Gladio and Ignis from tying Prompto down in order to get their answers.

Ignis sighed heavily. He did that sometimes, when he thought Noctis was being particularly stubborn about something, but was willing to let it go for the moment. "The two of you will have to tell us what's going on eventually. I believe I speak for both of us when I say that we hope it is sooner rather than later."

Noctis grunted and hoped that he was right and that was as far as Ignis was going to push.

"Still can't believe he ran off like that. What the hell happened to the three of us escorting you to the estate?" Gladio asked grumpily.

"Plans change," Ignis said, his tone one of patience. "I believe you are now ready to speak with the First Secretary, Noct. Shall we go now?"

Noctis breathed in deeply. "Yeah… Actually, could one of you stay in case Prompto comes back first? I don't want him to feel left behind."

"Very well," Ignis agreed. "I will stay and look over our supply of curatives. It would be prudent to stock up before your Trial with Leviathan. Gladio, do you mind?"

Gladio stood up and stretched. "Sounds like a plan to me. Let's get going, Noct."

Hoping that he hadn't just left Prompto to fend off Ignis on his own, Noctis left with Gladio. He was sure they'd be fine.