Bonus: Plot
Hey guys! As a little bonus chapter I'm posting my very first plot drafts of Night Light and Exomnis. This is how these stories were born. So if you ever wondered what my writing process is.. well, now you know. It's literally just this mess of a Google Doc.
NIGHT LIGHT FULL INITIAL PLOT
Name: Night Light {FFXV/OT4}
(AU where Regis is alive, Noct is out exploring the world just without Prompto because he never escaped Niflheim)
- Prom is a MT and the OT4 (Technically OT3) kind of find him (he's one of those MTs that wandered away from battle) and boom he's not trying to kill them
- After much arguing OT3 let him live, deciding that he can be killed by wild beasts instead
- At Wiz Chocobo outpost, Prompto is trying to take a Chocobo
- Prom gets chased off, but then steals ingredients from the store
- In the fight a chocobo runs off, Prom is found trying to feed it the ingredients he stole, as well as eating them himself. It's night time, and he has his helmet off.
- He turns and is trying to hide his face from them, but out of nowhere a sabertusk jumps out, trying to bite at the Chocobo. Prompto throws himself in the way and gets bitten instead, letting out a very human scream of pain as his exposed arm (He's taken his gloves off, so he can eat food) is bitten into
- Noct freaks the fuck out because he realises he's a human
- They hide him at a nearby haven deciding it isn't safe to keep him in the outpost
- Prom seems to be getting on pretty fine, but has random violent outbursts?
- He takes his mask off to eat in the morning, and his skin starts burning immediately
- DO A VAMPIRE JOKE
- He begins throwing up daemon blood, expelling it from his body
- One morning he goes to throw up and the mask is off to puke, Noct notices that he's outside without his mask on, realises it must be his body working out the daemon blood when it's gone he won't burn
- After a few more days Prom goes outside without the armour, and he's weak but fine
- He starts becoming a part of the group, they go on hunts to earn Gil etc
- Happiness
- Chocobro kisses and huggies
- Prom feels awful because Ignis gets hurt and it's 'his fault' and goes off into the desert /to cry/ and get away
- They don't even realise he's ran off, too busy infighting, until they hear him screaming
- Prom has his gun but fighting the group of sabertusk at close range is hard, they've pinned him and the guns gone flying, and he's being attacked. He almost dies, and they have to rush him to a hospital
- Turns out he's in much worse condition than he's been letting on: the doctor reveals how he's had internal bleeding for about a week now, and that it's a good job they took him to a hospital, because otherwise his heart would have likely grown unstable causing a heart attack, or his lungs would flood with blood. Possibly both.
- He undergoes major surgery, and after Noct explains that Prompto is an MT they get an ex-imperial soldier to operate on him, the man supposedly fixing everything that was wrong. When the group ask who he is, he simply says he's a 'man of no consequence' with a tip of his fedora.
- (Ardyn puts a low concentration of daemon blood in. Prom comments he feels uncomfortable when he goes outside next, and his skin is sunburn at the end of the day, despite the weather being mild. This blood is enough to make him react badly to Magitek generators, but not enough to make him die in sun)
- They get an uneasy vibe from Ardyn, but trust what he did, seeing as Prompto seems completely fine.
- The man says he had to put a little demon blood in Prompto, to strengthen him. So he has to keep his armour on for a few days, or he'll burn up outside?
- Soon after, Noct gifts Prompto a gun. Prompto tears up and and Noctis thinks it's over the fact that they've trusted him with a weapon -which it is, in part- but Prompto says it's because he's never received a gift before.
- Prom's happy and feels accepted, until they go to Hammerhead.
- They're exhausted, ready to sleep in an actual bed
- Cid freaks out and tries to shoot Prom because of his red eyes, and ends up threatening everyone
- They get pretty much kicked out of Hammerhead and have to stay in the nearby haven
- Things are going great and everyone's happy, Prompto ignoring the black daemon blood he'd still feel rising in his throat every once in a while, the blonde going for a 'pee break' to throw his guts up, only to force a smile and pretend like nothing happened. He didn't want to worry then, he didn't want to be a burden. He refused to be.
- The Empire send a huge machine at Noct and the gang, and as revenge Prompto sneaks Noct and gang into imperial base under the premise he's 'captured' them, to destroy the base. He agrees to do it because there's no generator in there: it's a fairly new base.
- they continue travelling. While they're in an outlier region a truck with a Magitek generator in it drives by , causing Prompto to snap and try to kill Noct. Gladiolus gets angry and chokes him nearly killing him, until Noct forces him off. Gladiolus yells that prompto's a traitor/Spy/the enemy etc. He goes to go into the camp to go to bed like always but Gladio forces him out, taking his gun and saying 'mutts of the empire can sleep out in the dirt where they belong' Prom does as hes told and goes outside, curling up on the floor. The three can't sleep, listening to the sound of muffled crying and small whimpers from Prom.
- 'Noctis felt his gut wrench and his heart twist at the pathetic noises, wanting nothing more than to go outside and comfort the boy he'd been so close to calling his friend. The sounds continued in the silence of the night, and they were almost enough to make even Gladio feel bad.
- Almost.
- When they wake in the morning Prompto is gone, and none are all too surprised. Noctis is worried but Ignis says he'll come back, he just need his own space. Gladiolus says he hopes Prompto never comes back, and Noctis yells at him, asking him if he ever thought about what proms feeling or has been through. He spent so long building up even a bit of self confidence, of thinking he's human, and you just tear it all down over something he can't control!?
- Noct's heart drops as he finds a note from Prompto, saying that he's sorry for being a burden to them and that he's going back to Niflheim where he belongs. 'I'm just a defect, I don't deserve you. I'm sorry' signed - {his code/model name}
- Ardyn is waiting for Prom in Niflheim, and he captures him and slowly breaks him down, taking him apart to unleash the dark daemon side. Turns out that Ardyn put a experimental specially built Magitek Crystal inside Prompt during the surgery? the point of which is it reacts to Magitek generators without the need for daemon blood, the same thing that caused him to lash out at Noct. Ardyn uses his person changing thingy to pretend he's Gladio or Ignis (he tried Noct at first, but he can't seem to impersonate him just right, and despite how shattered Promptos mind is, he can never seem to convince him that he's the real prince) to see if Prompto will kill them when near a crystal. He doesn't.
- Prompto didn't know when he started hoping Noctis was coming to save him. Why would he; he was just an MT, after all. A mutt of th Empire as Gladio put it. But, for whoever reason he started dreaming, dreaming that Noct would walk through that door and lift him up and carry him off to safety. The thoughts persistently stayed, until they turned into hopes and desperate pleading with the astrals that his half coherent dreams would come true, and he found his thoughts constantly on the three men he hoped would be his saviours.
- "what do you want with me!?" "My dear boy, I want nothing more with you than to see you break"
- He plays tricks with his mind, pretneding to be nocti ignis and Gladio, until Prom seems completely broken down. Ardyn notes it's interesting that he can only fool Prompto into thinking he's Gladio's or Ignis, while Prom always knows he's fake if Its Noct hurting him. However he focus on his friends and on the hope that they're coming to get him, despite Ardyn's promises they're not.
- Ardyn taunts him over the fact that his blood was inside Prompto for the healing process. Bets he didn't even notice, because "behind all the sunshine you're a daemon inside too". 'Bet you never thought you'd have me inside you again, hm? Guess you were wrong" Prompto knows it's a stupid taunt, a low blow, something he shouldn't be affected by.. but he cries anyway, a barrage of unwanted memories eager to make their presence known at Ardyn's words.
- When Prompto was in the Empire before, he was ardyns toy. He was doomed a failure, a defect, an experiment to create human- like MTs for reconnaissance purposes. An experiment that went wrong, so he was given to Ardyn. One day Prompto tries to escape, and Ardyn is pissed. Prompto starts ranting about how it's not fair for them to try and kill the Prince of Lucis -he's heard about Noctis, because the officers talk freely of their plans in the training camps- and how why can't they just let him live his life!? He's done nothing wrong! This touches a nerve with Ardyn, who hisses 'boy.. don't talk about things you know nothing about' Prompto is scared but persists, and calls Ardyn a monster for what he's doing. Ardyn is pissed "A monster? fine, you know what? We'll send you off on an airship, with all the other MTs. Your special treatment is over, little one: you're getting on that airship, it's dropping you off to wherever the Prince and his little friends are, galavanting around Lucis as if they actually care.. and then, when they cut you down like all the other Magitek Troopers? Then you can see just who the real monster is here"
- Ardyn eventually has to leave [to launch the attack on Insomnia] and says it's a disappointment that Prompto didn't break, and he's sad that he can't take him to go witness the destruction of 'your beloved insomnia', but says there's only room in the Imperial Aircrafts for real MT's, not defects. Prompto spits that he'd take being a defect any day over becoming a mutt of the Empire. I'll never be some dog of the empire! Ardyn laughs saying "oh my dear [code name], you already are~' and leaves. Prompto assumes this is another one of Ardyn's tricks, and that the man will come back eventually.
- Ardyn is not coming back, and Prompto is dying of starvation, thirst, and injuries that are far beyond healing.
- Prompto feels sick as he realises: Ardyn might really let him die. He's sent him off to die before, by the hands of the Prince. He clearly doesn't want him alive anymore. So... what reason does he have not to let him die? He's just a toy that isn't fun anymore, being discarded.
- Why does he always get thrown away?
- Prompto dies in the cell. After all the torture, is he really going to die from mere neglect?, and Noct carries him off into the 'white light of heaven', because he died by the hand of the Empire. Have this and make them think it's a happy ending
because I'm a terrible, terrible person
- then have the next chapter where it's a newspaper article or service about how Noct was killed, (car bomb?) on the way to Niflheim. Reasons why he was going to Niflheim was unknown.
- Regis is dead from grief of losing son and it's the Insomnian citizens (crowns guard?) accepting their fates as the Empire's warships loom above Insomnia, ready to rain both fire and darkness down on the once city of light. Without its Prince and king, a city doomed to fall.
(Have this be Nyx reading the paper, as the Empire ships rain above them, grasping for just a shred of normality before the world changed forever)
Luna being forced to watch from an empire ship, ring of Lucis in hand? Use this to elaborate on 'how your precious husband' died
ALT ENDING
- driven by his fury Regis launched an assault and took over Niflheim . Found the MT who was reported to be travelling with the Prince weeks prior, dead in a cell. No sign of chancellor Izunia.
OR
Story ends as Noct shows up, Lucis having taken Niflheim by storm just to get Prompto back (and win the war, but this was the main reason for their attack) Noct scoops Prom up in his arms and Prom asks where they're going, and Noct says 'home'
EXSOMNIS INITIAL PLAN
Title ideas: 'Night Light' in Latin, or 'awake' in Latin? Maybe 'forever awake'? (If not, have that as the title of the final chapter)
- post it as a part of a series, as part 2?
Aeturnum vigilax
Aevita vigila
Exsomnis
Aeturnum exsomnis
Iam exsomnis
Nox lumen
-
Plot: the Bois rescue prom from Ardyn early. Prom is slowly recovering, high key ptsd and trust issues. One night Gladio starts abusing him, telling him he's worthless etc, but it's actually Ardyn in disguise. They figure this out and Ardyn taunts them a bit, humiliating prompto. Noctis warns Ardyn to never come near prompto again, and Ardyn laughs, saying that Noctis has gotten attached. Says he hopes Noct has fun with his toy, then leaves.
THE BOYS DONT KNOW ARDYN WAS TAKING GLADIOS FORM. PROM IS EXTRA JUMPY AND COLD AROUND GLADIO AND THATS COS HES TRAUMATISED AFTER ARDYN, BUT THE BOYS DONT KNOW THIS AND THINK PROM IS JUST ANGRY ABOUT BEFORE.
Prom is really shaken up. (Either gap between here and next scene, or this is a continuation from last scene)
Yo so this happens at the end:
They rent out some chocobos for the day to do some side quests, and Prom seems happy for a bit. But when they're at camp the blonde opts to stay with the birds, won't even sleep in the tent with the boys anymore. Gladio asks why, and Prompto kind of gives him a cold look 'dogs of the empire sleep on the floor where they belong, remember?'
Next chapter starts with prom being super extra jumpy around Gladio. And then we get him alone in the tent, thinking back to what happened last night - Gladio abused him.
Ignis gives Gladio a look from where he's cooking, and says a simple 'you deserved that' before continuing to stir. Gladio reasons that yeah, he did. Buys prom a gift at an outpost and tells him that while he knows it isn't much, he feels really bad about what he said, and he didn't mean any of it. He thought Prom was genuinely trying to kill noct, and he was just trying to do his best. Prom says that he forgives him, knows he's a good person at heart. Reasons that maybe the reason he still can't help but be scared of Gladio is because Ardyn took his form to hurt him. At this point he's crying. Gladio is upset 'oh Prom..' he mumbled, and opens his arms for the blonde. They hug, prom crying into Gladio chest.
Prom accepts his apology, and they hug it out. Iggy and noct come back to prom sleeping on Gladio, who's also sleeping.
They are running low on money, and need to go on a hunt. Noct suggests he and Prom stay at camp, saying that prom should b in battle right now. Prom feels bad that he's holding back the group and insists he's fine and can go. Os they begrudgingly let him go. On he hunt the monster is coming for prom but he's completely out of it. He almost gets killed, and Gladio saves him. Yells at him to 'wake up, Prompto!' Before killing the monster.
They're walking back and prom is walking in the back with Noctis (note that Gladio doesn't make prom walk in front) and the two talk. Noct assures prom that Gladio didn't mean to shout, he isn't angry -because Prom is shaking, and voicing his worries that he really isn't good enough for the group, that he's still the enemy- and that Gladio wouldn't shout if he didn't care.
When they get back to camp Iggy Cooks prom his favourite meal -I believe you said you liked this before, yes? Group hug, with prompto recapping that he remembered Master - Loqi- explaining to him what love was. "I-I think.i love you guys." And they hug him and tell them they love him too, and will always protect him. Ot4. End with them saying they're going to go back to insomnia. "Let's go home."
That's all, folks! As you can see the whole thing with Ardyn in Night Light was meant to be quite a bit darker than it was, and there was going to be more physical torture. I decided to focus on the emotional manipulation instead because I believe its harder hitting on both the reader and the character's development. Also, Ardyn capturing Prompto and impersonating Noctis/Gladio/Ignis while torturing him is pretty overdone, and I'm not actually sure if the Prompto in my AU would have actually been capable of recovering from that?
And uh the Exsomnis plan was a bit of a mess, I chopped around the order of events a lot because the plan in my head ended up quite different to the plan I had written down. I didn't want to rush Prompto's recovery because that shit takes time and I wanted to respect that.
Anyway, hope you all enjoyed. See you next project! 3