Chapter 10
New Friendship
Hinata leaned back against the cushioned white leather seat, staring absently at her plate of food in front of her. Its savory scents only managed to make her stomach twist with nausea. Letting out a sigh, she looked out the window beside her. She could hear Velcia and Ben chatting with each other, their voices mixed with the soft tunes of the diner. They had turned in their hunt and received the reward, but she couldn't bring herself to enjoy it.
"Are you alright, Hinata?" Velcia's voice cut into her thoughts.
She nodded as she looked back over to Velcia, who was getting ready to take another bite of the sandwich she had ordered. Her orange hair was still damp from taking a shower when they had returned from the hunt, no longer frizzed and covered with dirt. A smudge of red sauce was beside her lips as she chewed and waited patiently for Hinata's reply.
"Yeah," Hinata strained a smile, "Just, not that hungry."
"Still thinking about the hunt?" Velcia asked, her voice a bit muffled by the food in her mouth.
"I'm trying to get over it," Hinata shrugged. "It was just the first living thing I've ever taken down." She leaned her elbows on the table, looking down at the plate of jambalaya in front of her. "My mom always used to tell me no one had the right to decide who lives and who dies. And I guess I've always taken that to heart. Now though? With Thaanix, these hunts... I don't know."
Velcia swallowed her food, wiping her face with a napkin as she took in a deep breath. "I understand. It's something I used to have a difficult time with, as well."
"How did you get past it?" Hinata asked.
"Well…" Velcia leaned back in her seat, looking outside towards the old beat up Rv and the copper truck. "The monsters that roamed around Thebes were dangerous and savage. In the Coliseum , at least, they were contained. Outside of there, you could never know what you might run into, or where, but it was always good to be prepared for it."
"So… fighting them in the Coliseum let you practice taking them down," Hinata surmised.
Velcia nodded. "It was a supervised area where I could learn their weaknesses, and if I failed, no one around me would be getting hurt." She looked back to Hinata. "I would never go seek them out myself in the wild, but a few creatures did occasionally appear near the shop, and due to my training, I was able to help take care of them."
Hinata looked to her food, thinking it over. "Basically, you only ever killed to protect others."
"Yes." Velcia smiled. "And I think that should be the only reason anyone would kill." She paused for a moment, before adding, "That is why you took down that Garula. I don't think anyone could blame you for that."
"Yeah…" Hinata nodded a bit slow, finally taking a bite of her food. She made a bit of a face before laughing softly.
"What is it?" Velcia asked.
"I think I've been spoiled by Riku's cooking," Hinata admitted with a laugh in her voice. "This… is a bit greasy."
Velcia laughed as well, replying with a hushed voice, "I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so."
They chuckled together and began chatting about different things as they finished their food. Ben quickly joined in on their conversation, having to be repeatedly reminded to keep his voice down when he would get excited. They were just heading back to the Rv after finishing their food, when they heard the purr of the Regalia pulling into the station.
Ignis was driving as he was before with Prompto in the front seat, who was turned around completely in his chair, chatting with Noctis. He fell a bit backwards as Ignis came to a stop, shutting off the engine. Hinata shifted a bit nervously as she noticed the looks all of them gave her and Velcia, particularly from Gladiolus. He got out of the car first, his large muscled arms crossed over his black tank top as he eyed the girls suspiciously.
"Welcome back!" Velcia chimed, as if oblivious to their unease as she shined a sweet smile.
"Thanks," Gladiolus replied shortly, approaching them as the rest of his friends went to take Cindy the headlights. He stopped a few feet in front of them, looking over at Hinata. "Iggy told me you two are wanting us to train you?"
"Sort of," Hinata admitted, rubbing her hands together in front of her. "I was hoping I could possibly learn your Kingsglaive powers?"
Gladiolus raised an eyebrow, "Powers, huh? Why?"
"We sort of explained it to Ignis—" Hinata began, pointing behind him.
"I mean why exactly?" he interrupted her. "I want details, not vague bullshit."
Velcia and Hinata exchanged a look. "He… did tell you we aren't from around here, right?" Hinata said a bit hesitantly. "The details might not make a lot of sense."
"Try me," he pried, his arms tightening.
"Ah, lighten up, big guy!" Prompto's chiming voice cut through the tension as he patted his hand on Gladiolus' shoulder. "Hina's fine! Just give her a chance."
"It's Hinata," she corrected him with a slight smile, before seeing the looks they sent her. "Um, I mean, Hina is totally fine. Nicknames are great."
"I don't trust them," Gladiolus simply stated, looking over his shoulder at Ignis approaching with Noctis at his side.
"Why am I not surprised?" Ignis sighed, sending a polite smile to the girls. "I see you fared well while we were gone."
"Yes." Velcia smiled, as if ignoring all of the tension around them. "We even completed a hunt for a group of Garulas."
"I'm surprised you're all still in one piece." Noctis smirked as he came up and leaned his arm on Prompto's shoulder. "Found your dog, by the way."
Hinata's eyes lit up. "Jack?"
A jovial bark was heard in reply as Jack peeked up from behind Noctis' shoulder and immediately flew towards Hinata, bombarding her with doggy kisses and whines. Hinata giggled, almost forgetting the others were there as she pushed Jack back and gave him a scratch behind the ears.
"I'm glad you're ok, Bud," she told him, smiling as he leaned into her hand. "I was starting to get worried about you."
"So he is yours," Gladiolus realized, his hardened expression softening as Jack came over to him. He patted Jack's head and let out a small chuckle. "Noct and I found him as we were entering the channels."
"The little guy helped us find the headlights!" Prompto told them. "Ain't that right, boy!"
Jack barked, giving Prompto a quick lick before going back to Hinata. As he landed on her shoulder, his ears went down and he started to whimper.
"Oh, it's ok, Jack!" Ben chimed in, startling everyone except Ignis. Velcia held out Ben's tablet, his face showing on the screen. "We know you didn't mean to get Hina hurt."
"It's Hinata," Hinata mumbled under her breath, realizing everyone was going to be calling her Hina on this trip.
"They definitely aren't from around here," Noctis said, lazily yawning as he stood back up straight.
"Nope!" Ben's screen changed to a picture of the Highwind. "We came on our ship!"
"Ben," Hinata scolded with a harsh whisper, grabbing the tablet from Velcia.
"That looks like some sort of old sailboat," Prompto laughed.
"Old!?" Ben exclaimed, before a bright light suddenly flashed around all of them. When the flash ended, they were all back on the deck of the ship. "Welcome to the Highwind!" Ben announced proudly.
A string of gasps and curses escaped the boys as their mouths all fell agape, even Ignis had to catch himself and go back to his poised state. Hinata's eyes widened as she realized when Ben had done.
"BEN!" Hinata's voice cracked as she glared down at her hands, realizing they were empty.
Ben's metal arm went over her shoulder, back in his robot form. "See Hina, this will— AH!"
Hinata grabbed his shoulders, barely able to keep her voice down. "Ben, you send everyone back down to the planet, right now! You are breaking every single rule for the World Order!"
"But they already knew we were from a different world…" Ben squeaked, unaccustomed to Hinata being angry with him.
"That doesn't matter!" Hinata snapped. "This is something completely—"
"Are-Are we seriously in SPACE?!" Prompto's voice cut through their argument, being the first one of the new visitors to talk. His hands were on the sides of his head, his mouth gawked open.
Hinata let out a long sigh, sending a glare back to Ben before motioning her head towards them. Ben beamed and ran forward.
"We sure are!" Ben chimed. "I told you we came on a ship!" He leaned against the railing all nonchalant, stretching out his arms beside him. "Pretty nifty, huh?"
"This is remarkable," Ignis spoke up, his hand to his chin as he scanned over every piece of the ship. "This is unlike anything I would have expected a spacecraft to look like."
"Have you never seen one before, either?" Velcia asked, walking up to him a bit excitedly.
"Only in the movies, I'm afraid," Ignis admitted with a bit of a sheepish laugh.
"A… movie?" Velcia repeated, before shaking her head and clearing her throat when Ignis and Gladiolus gave her a look. "Ah, this is all a bit new to me, too. I recently joined the team and where I come from, we didn't have these space vessels, cars, or those movies."
"Just who are you guys?" Noctis asked, his voice drifting as he stared out at the endless stars, leaned against the railing and completely ignoring the rest of the ship.
"It's… a really long story." Hinata finally engaged them. "You weren't supposed to see this." She sent another glare to Ben. "But, since you did… we use this ship to go to different worlds for missions. Sometimes to get different supplies or to help out with things... "
"And right now, we're going after this crazy power hungry monster!" Ben exclaimed, motioning towards Hinata. "Who's an exact Replica of Hina!"
Hinata cringed, feeling all of their eyes falling on her. Velcia's hand went on her shoulder in support. "She's… more powerful than me," she began to confess, feeling a lump forming in her throat. "Obviously knows and has mastered everything I can do, and… she's already hurt a lot of people…" She swallowed hard, averting her gaze.
"That's why we need your help," Velcia finished for her, looking straight to Gladiolus.
Gladiolus stared at the two of them in silence before letting out a loud breath. He turned around as he ran a hand over his face, walking over to the railing with Ignis following suit. His hands tightened over the railing as he stared out at the stars, Ignis standing beside him.
"Are we seriously going to do this…?" Gladiolus asked with a hushed voice.
"I don't know," Ignis simply replied. "Are we?"
Gladiolus breathily laughed. "Leaving it to the shield to decide, huh?"
"You already know where Prompto and I are with the situation," Ignis reminded him. "And I am sure Noct will be indifferent either way-"
"I think we should help them," Noctis joined their discussion, getting surprised looks from both Gladio and Ignis.
"What, they touch a soft spot in that stubborn heart of yours?" Gladiolus asked, getting a slight glare from Noctis.
Noctis scoffed as Ignis said, "My only concern is if Hinata is able to gain our powers and they end up somehow replicated again."
"You don't have to worry about that," Hinata got their attention, overhearing their discussion. She took a deep breath as they all turned around to face her. "We destroyed the facility that was used to experiment on me. All the research, everything, it's gone."
"Experimented on you?" Prompto repeated, his eyes scanning over her with a saddened glint.
Hinata cleared her throat, shifting her weight as she nodded and averted her gaze. Velcia squeezed her arm as she stepped forward and assured them, "So you don't need to worry about your powers falling into the wrong hands."
The others all looked to Gladiolus, waiting for the final word. Gladiolus had his arms crossed as he let out a long audible sigh. "Alright… we'll help."
"Really?" Velcia gasped in surprise, clasping her hands together in front of her. "Thank you!"
"Yes." Hinata smiled softly, looking back at them. "Thank you." She pushed some hair behind her ear and stood tall. "We'll do our best to keep up."
"Perfect!" Ben chimed, skipping towards the Navigation. "Now that that's settled, time to head back!"
With a simple keystroke, a bright light surrounded them and they appeared back in the parking lot of Hammerhead. Prompto patted himself with his hands, as if making sure he was actually there.
"That was weird!" he exclaimed, shaking it off as if thoroughly creeped out. "I don't think I'd ever get used to that!"
Noctis chuckled, turning towards Gladiolus and Ignis. "So, where we headed for this?"
Gladiolus put up his hands. "Don't look at me, that's Iggy's job."
"Indeed." Ignis nodded, placing his hand to his chin as he looked over at the girls with their odd tablet and ghost dog. "Somewhere that is open, yet secluded, would serve our purposes best."
"Any ideas?" Gladiolus asked.
Ignis nodded once more, looking to the others. "I suggest we make way to Alstor Slough"
"Haven't been there in a while." Gladiolus stretched his stiff arms. "Probably have a few hunts stacked up that we can take care of."
"Oh! And I have so many photo op ideas!" Prompto chimed, looking over to the girls. "I wonder if I could either of them to model for me."
Noctis chuckled, patting him on his shoulder. "I think you'd have better luck with a Flexitusk."
Prompto sighed, staring up at the sky. "Yeah, you're probably right."
"We'd better head off if we wish to reach our destination before sundown." Ignis motioned his hand towards the car. "Are there any more supplies that need to be procured before we leave?"
"Noct and I will take one last look around the station!" Prompto saluted, linking his arm through Noctis' and dragging him to the gas station store.
Ignis looked after them before going to the girls and explaining their destination and plan. They both agreed readily, making their way to their copper truck once the boys returned from the shop. Hinata got into the driver's seat of the truck, letting out a breath of relief that it was somehow already air conditioned and much cooler than outside. Velcia shut the door to the passenger side, handing Ben's tablet to Hinata as Jack rested on the dashboard with his tail wagging wildly. Hinata carefully placed Ben in the rectangular indentation in front of her, immediately hearing the engine purr in response as it made connection with the truck.
They looked out the window, watching as the boys piled into the Regalia and Ignis turned on the ignition. Ben easily backed up the truck, following after the boys as they went out onto the road. Hinata leaned back in her seat, staring out the window as Velcia asked Ben question after question about how he was able to control the vehicle and how it worked. The desert slowly began to fade out, a humidity replaced the hot, dry air, and lush greenery covered the dust.
They saw a few Garula packs in the growing forest, as well as several other creatures Hinata didn't recognize. A slight drizzle of rain began to patter against the truck as they pulled into a small station after the boys. It was even smaller than Hammerhead, with only a small convenience gas station and a cafe. Off to the right of the gas station was a black van with its trunk opened, showcasing various kinds of weapons. Hinata glanced her eyes over them as they pulled into a parking spot.
She welcomed the cool rain as she got out of the truck, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. Velcia came around the side, with Ben in her hands and Jack on her shoulder. She looked around in wonderment as she stopped beside Hinata.
"It's amazing how different this area is from Hammerhead," she told Hinata, wiping away a raindrop that landed on her nose.
"Yeah," Hinata agreed with a small smile, "I'm just thankful we won't have to deal with that dust and heat the whole time we're here."
"You and me both," Velcia agreed with a soft chuckle, making Hinata smirk in response.
They looked up as Gladiolus approached them, noticing the other boys heading into the convenience store. He motioned his head towards their truck, "We're going to leave the cars here and ride the rest of the way on chocobo."
"On a what-now?" Hinata asked.
Gladio chuckled, "You'll see." He turned and motioned his hand for them to follow. "We have to wait for them to arrive, so go ahead and look through the store for anything you'd like to buy. Iggy will want to know what types of food you like."
"Oh, ok," Hinata followed him, trying to figure out what she and Velcia had signed up for. She looked beside her to Velcia, who sent her a smile and a shrug.
They went inside the shop, greeted by a bell as the doors opened. There seemed to be a little bit of everything stacked on the shelves and on display. Ignis was beside the produce, his hand to his chin as he carefully examined their freshness. Prompto and Noctis walked lazily around the shop, making comments on little things they spotted and laughing with each other.
Ignis noticed the girls walk in and sent them a polite smile, waving them over. "I was curious what type of food you both prefer."
"Oh! Will you be cooking for us?" Velcia asked, coming up beside him and looking over the ingredients. "I would be happy to help in any way I can. I especially love making cinnamon sugar-pastries."
"Did you say—" Prompto ran over, leaning over the counter, "cinnamon sugar?"
Velcia brought her hand to her mouth as she laughed, "Yes, although, I'm not sure they'll be as amazing as you think."
"Sam said she really liked them," Hinata mentioned, sending a smile to Noctis as he walked over to be with Prompto.
Ignis chuckled, "I suppose we'll have to see if we have the necessary ingredients for you to make them. Is there anything either of you are opposed to?"
"As long as it's nothing sour, I won't complain." Hinata shrugged, "I won't be much good in the kitchen though. So you probably don't want me helping."
"Ah, don't worry," Prompto waved her off, roughing up Noctis' hair, much to his dismay. "You're cooking's probably better than anything Noct could make."
"Hey," Noctis growled, shoving Prompto's hand from his hair. "Uncalled for."
"Are you saying you didn't almost burn down your apartment when you attempted to make your own dinner?" Ignis asked, glancing up with a smirk as Noctis simply glared back and the others laughed. Ignis cleared his throat before moving on, "But not to worry Hinata, the others rarely assist me with meals, so there is no expectation for you to help. I would however, gladly accept the offer for help from Velcia."
"Oh good," Velcia smiled with a soft laugh, "And as for me, I'm not a fan of spicy foods, but I will manage if that is all we can make for a meal."
"Uh oh, Gladi won't be too happy about that," Prompto noted. "That man lives for spicy food."
"The spicier the better," Noctis agreed, grabbing Prompto's arm. "We're going to grab some grub. You comin', Hina?"
"Oh, sure," she smiled, a bit taken aback by their offer. "I'm still pretty full from lunch, but I'll get a drink at least."
"Don't spoil your appetites," Ignis warned them as they walked off. "I will be expecting you to eat all of the food I make you later."
"Thanks Mom," Noctis rolled his eyes, "We'll keep that in mind."
Hinata chuckled as she followed them outside, welcoming the rain once again. They went into the cafe called The Crows Nest and sat together at the bar, where they also found Gladiolus talking about possible hunts with the chef. He waved at them nonchalantly as they sat beside him, going back to the multiple flyers spread out in front of him on the counter. Hinata eyed the flyers a bit uneasily, recognizing a few of the creatures as ones they had seen on their drive out there. She was mostly silent as Noctis and Prompto talked amongst themselves, only speaking up to give her order. As the chef went to make their food, the boys turned their attention to Hinata, staring at her until she began to get uncomfortable.
She stared back at them before finally shaking her head and asking, "What? Is something on my face?"
"What's your world like?" Prompto asked suddenly, swivelling his bar stool back and forth.
"Oh," Hinata pushed back some of her hair behind her ear. "Well… that's sort of hard to explain. Even the world I'm staying at isn't actually my world. Just one I'm using as a home for a bit."
"So you've been to a lot of worlds?" Noctis asked, leaning lazily on the counter, peeking up at Hinata through the dark hair falling over his eyes.
Hinata thought about it, mentally counting, "Uh, yeah, actually. I think I've been to about seventeen of them."
"There's that many?" Prompto leaned forward. "Well which one is your homeworld?"
"Destiny Islands," she replied without thinking, before pausing and laughing a bit awkwardly at herself. "That's the one the felt the most like my home, anyways."
"Island life, huh?" Noct asked, taking a sip of his drink. "I wonder if it was anything like Galdin Quay."
"Wow," Prompto gazed up towards the ceiling. "Seventeen different worlds… That sounds amazing." He looked back to Hinata, excited. "You think we can go to one of those worlds with you sometime?"
Hinata opened her mouth in surprise, before Gladiolus' laugh caught their attention. "You forget we have our own mission?"
"Well I dunno, maybe after we're done." Prompto shrugged, before smirking and placing his hands on Noctis' shoulders. "Maybe a honeymoon trip for Luna and Noct!"
Noct scoffed, burying his face in his arms. "Who said you're coming on that with us? Aren't honeymoons supposed to be private?"
Hinata looked between Prompto and Noctis, "You're getting married?"
"Yep," Gladiolus came around, a stack of hunt flyers in his hand as he patted Noctis' back. "On his way to marry the Lady Lunafreya."
"Oh, well congrats!" Hinata smiled at Noct even though his face was mostly concealed by his arms, but she could see a faint smile in response.
Before another word could be said, their food arrived and they all went to enjoying it while occasionally exchanging comments about what they were going to do. Gladiolus went back outside, saying something about going to rent the chocobos so they could get on their way. It wasn't long after they had finished their food and paid the required Gil, that Gladiolus was retrieving them.
Noctis and Prompto ran out ahead of Hinata, Prompto saying that he couldn't wait to see his little Noodle again. Hinata paused when she came out of the cafe, seeing a group of large adorable birds mingling with the boys. Prompto was bear-hugging a lavender colored one, talking about how much he missed it and the bird simply cooed, rubbing its large, curved beak along his head.
Velcia giggled, placing her hand along the head of one of the birds, a golden yellow one that was rubbing into her touch with a cheerful smile. She glanced over, seeing Hinata and waved at her. "These are the chocobos! Aren't they adorable?"
Hinata smiled, walking forward to join them, being greeted by another golden chocobo that stopped right in front of her. It stared at her with its large childlike brown eyes, tilting its head side to side as it looked her over. "H-Hi," Hinata greeted, lifting up her hand and beaming as the bird instantly nuzzled into it. She laughed, running her hand along its silky feathered neck. "You're really cute."
Jack barked, flying up next to her and sniffing the chocobo. It looked up at Jack, flapping its wings and letting out a loud "Kweh!" Jack's tail wagged wildly in response, giving a small lick to the bird's beak.
Hinata laughed at their interaction, still running her hand along its long neck. Near the base of it attached to the leather saddle was a shimmering nameplate. She grabbed it, reading the name, Chica.
"Chica," she repeated the name, getting another Kweh in response as Chica tapped its beak on Hinata's head. "That's your name, huh?" She asked, her smile only growing as Chica nodded proudly and rubbed against her, cooing and nestling her hair. She looked over to the others, seeing them already getting on their birds. "So we're really riding these?"
"Do you need help getting on?" Prompto asked, walking over with his chocobo right behind him.
"I should be ok, I think…" Hinata backed up, looking at the saddle on Chica's back. Placing her foot in the hold on the side, she hoisted herself up, staggering a bit as Chica was taller than expected.
"Good job," Noctis nodded towards her with a smirk, patting the neck of his pure white chocobo. "You ready to go then?"
"I think so," Hinata grabbed the leather reigns, trying to keep her balance. She looked over to Velcia, who had Ben strapped to her belt; she seemed completely natural on top of the bird.
Velcia caught her glance, sending her an excited grin and a thumbs up, that made Hinata chuckle.
"Let us be off then." Ignis called back to them, flicking the reigns to his gray-blue bird and leading the way out of the station.
The rain was just beginning to stop as they left, leaving a humid but cool air that was much appreciated. Hinata wobbled a bit on Chica, watching the others to see how they relaxed and leaned with their birds and she followed suit.
"It took me a bit to get the hang of Noodle." Prompto told her, riding up beside her with his bird.
Hinata looked at Prompto's lavender bird. "You seem really familiar with him. Are you able to rent the same chocobo every time?"
"Sure are!" Prompto explained with a grin. "They are basically ours, but when we aren't using them, they go back to the chocobo farm."
"Were you the one that named him Noodle?" Velcia asked.
"I did," Gladiolus called back from up ahead with a laugh, his red bird flapping its wings. "Prompto was taking too long to think of one."
"Yeah, but it just seemed to fit him so well!" Prompto laughed, patting Noodle on the head.
The girls laughed and Hinata glanced over at Velcia's golden bird, "What was yours named, Velcia?"
"Oh! Ginger!" Velcia told her, running her hand along Ginger's feathers. "I think it fits her perfectly." She giggled when Ginger let out a Kweh in response.
They traveled along the road at first, before jumping over the metal railing and running into the thick forest. Hinata felt the wet air in her hair, goosebumps covering her skin as she did her best to keep up with the others. Chica navigated through the trees with ease, needing little to no direction from Hinata. The sun was beginning to set as they came into a large clearing that had a glistening lake in the center. Hinata's mouth fell open at the sight of the tall massive creatures that stood in the water. They reminded her of the dinosaurs she often read about growing up with incredibly long necks that were bent down towards the water's surface. She was completely mesmerized by them, not noticing as Chica came to a stop with the others on a cylindrical rock structure. She shook her head, looking back to the others, noticing glowing white markings along the stone they stopped on.
She carefully climbed off Chica as she saw the others doing the same and looked around. "Is this where we're staying?"
"Yep," Noctis tossed her a folded camping chair that he summoned out of a blue mist. "You've been camping before, haven't you?"
"Um, yeah," she unfolded the red chair, placing it near the fire pit in the center of the rock. "Been a while, though."
"Just sit and relax," Prompto assured her, grabbing a camera that was hanging from his neck and snapping a candid picture of her. "We'll set everything up!"
"I would be happy to help," Velcia stepped forward, patting Ginger on the head as she left her side. "Is this a spot you all normally camp at?"
"On occasion," Ignis told her, "These havens are scattered throughout the land of Eos for travelers to take refuge at night without the worry of Daemons."
"Daemons?" Hinata asked, sitting down in the seat Noctis had given her. "What are those?"
"Denizens of the night," Ignis told her, setting up a makeshift kitchen and grill with things they were easily able to summon out of the same blue mist.
"They're like…" Prompto brought his hand to his chin, "Creatures of darkness that only appear at night or in dark caves?"
Hinata narrowed her eyes, "So… like Heartless?"
"These sound different," Velcia went forward, helping Gladiolus set up a large tent. As she held a bar in place, she added. "Heartless can appear at any time, these Daemons for some reason wait for night."
"That's true," Hinata got out of her seat, grabbing some wood from Prompto to help start the fire. "But the Daemons won't bother the havens? Is it because of the glowing markings in the rock?"
"I'm unsure what exactly keeps them back," Ignis admitted, looking through some of the ingredients he bought for their trip. "But I do believe those markings have something to do with it."
"So, Heartless, huh?" Noctis asked, holding out his hand as he summoned a spark of fire from his palm. "What are those things?"
Hinata stared at the flames as they ignited and flickered over the wood. "Sort of the same thing. They're creatures that are created when people lose their hearts to the Darkness, basically just what's left of them."
"Lose their hearts?" Noctis repeated, shifting a bit uneasily as Prompto also seemed a bit unnerved by the idea.
"That sort of thing happen a lot in those worlds you go to?" Galdiolus asked, summoning another tent for the girls and going to the other side of the haven to set it up with Velcia beside him. He scoffed under his breath, "That's a sentence I never thought I would say."
"Yeah, unfortunately," Hinata admitted, leaning back on her hands. "A lot of Darkness in the universe. They're usually what we run into in most of the worlds we go to. This is one of the first I haven't seen them at."
"That's a relief," Noctis sighed, leaning back and looking up at the darkening sky as a few stars began to appear. "How many other worlds are out there?"
Hinata looked up at the sky with a fond smile. "Riku used to say that every star is another world, so billions, to say the least."
"Who's Riku?" Prompto asked, noticing Hinata instantly blush.
"OH… sorry, I said his name without thinking." Hinata pushed back her hair, clearing her throat as she focused her gaze to the fire. "He's a really great guy that I've known for a few years now."
Prompto snickered, "Something tells me he's more than just a great guy."
"Heh," Hinata awkwardly laughed, "Yeah, maybe."
They continued to chat, as Gladiolus finished setting up the other tent and Velcia began helping Ignis prepare dinner. The sun completely disappeared under the horizon, the cool night air made Hinata shiver even with the warmth of the flickering flames. She jumped slightly when Chica snuggled up behind her, her feathers providing a warm pillow as she leaned back into her.
It wasn't long before Velcia and Ignis were handing out steaming bowls of what Ignis called 'Veggie Medley Stew'. Hinata gratefully took her portion, welcoming the heat radiating off of it onto her cheeks. After a couple cooling blows, she took a bite, unintentionally letting out a sigh of satisfaction from the taste.
Gladiolus chuckled, "Yeah, that's usually our reaction to Iggy's cooking, too."
The others laughed, continuing to talk as they enjoyed their meals. Ignis softly scolded Noctis multiple times for avoiding the vegetables in the stew and giving them to Prompto, but ultimately did nothing as he merely sighed and went back to the conversation. After dinner, Prompto went to Hinata's side, showing off his camera and a few of the pictures he had taken that day.
"These are so cool," Hinata commented, chuckling at a picture of Jack posing with Gladiolus in the mines.
Prompto laughed, "Thanks! I'm not very good, but it's fun to take them. You know, for the memories!"
"Yeah, I agree," Hinata smiled, before pausing when she saw a picture of her on Chica, staring in wonderment at the large creatures at the lake. Her hair was blowing in the breeze, a tranquil expression on her face. Hinata's smile grew as she looked it over. "I don't suppose I could get a copy of some of these to take back with me?"
"Um, of course!" Prompto quickly agreed.
"Better be careful what you wish for," Noctis spoke up. "By the time you leave, you'll have a whole suitcase full of pics."
Hinata chuckled, "I probably wouldn't mind that, honestly."
Gladiolus let out a loud yawn, stretching his arms. "Well, I'm calling it. Time for bed."
"Already?" Prompto sighed, turning off his camera.
"Yeah already," Gladiolus nodded, getting up from his seat and scratching the back of his neck as he made his way to the tent. "We have to be up with the sun tomorrow, so better rest up."
"I'm always ready for sleep," Noctis sprang up from his seat, already escaping into the tent before Gladiolus could even enter. He poked his head out for a moment with a small wave, "See you tomorrow."
Hinata and Velcia both smiled, waving back as he disappeared once again. Prompto sighed wistfully, getting up and stretching his back. He wished everyone goodnight a bit solemnly and also entered the tent. Ignis shook his head at his comrades as he went to safely putting out the fire.
"There should be a lamp inside your tent for light," Ignis informed them, motioning towards their red tent situated on the opposite side of the haven. "If you are in need of anything, do not hesitate to let me know."
"Thank you," Velcia smiled, "I hope you all sleep well."
"You as well," Ignis smiled at them as he went towards his tent, allowing a small yawn to escape him. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Hinata and Velcia both bid him farewell.
Velcia immediately went over to their own tent, going inside and igniting the lamp inside. She smiled as Hinata joined her inside and then looked over everything that was prepared for them. Two fluffy sleeping bags were situated beside the other, with ample amount of room between them. In the middle was a small pillow where Jack was already curled up and slumbering, with Ben's tablet leaned up against it.
Letting out a sigh, Velcia sat on her sleeping bag, looking over Ben's tablet. "I haven't heard a thing from Ben since we left Hammerhead."
"Yeah, I noticed that, too." Hinata agreed, sitting at the entrance to the tent and looking out at the stars.
"Well, I hope he's alright," Velcia undid the bun in her hair, allowing her orange hair to fall freely around her shoulders. "It's not like him to be this quiet."
Hinata laughed softly, "Yeah, it is a bit weird. Maybe he's just tired." She looked outside again. "I… I think I'm going to stay up a bit longer, stargaze a bit."
Velcia looked Hinata over, a worried expression washing over her, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," Hinata strained a smile towards her, "Just not super tired yet."
She left the tent without waiting for a reply, going to the edge of the haven and sitting down, allowing her legs to dangle off the edge. The moon was full and bright, lighting the world with a dim ghostly glow. She could faintly see the silhouettes of the large creatures in the distance at the lake, the sight of them still bewildering to her. Leaning back on her hands, she looked up to the sky, seeing the blanket of stars above her. It was a breathtaking sight.
Several minutes of peaceful silence passed, before Hinata heard their tent rustling as Velcia came out. She glanced over, sending Velcia a smile as she came to sit beside her. Velcia smiled back before joining her to look up at the starry sky.
"I don't think I've ever seen so many," Velcia softly spoke. "They're beautiful."
Hinata nodded. "Yeah… The last time I saw a night sky this gorgeous was back in this world called Prydain." She felt Velcia look over at her as she explained, "Riku and I went there on a mission over a year ago. We camped out in the forest with these two bounty hunters Riku was working with." A fond smile appeared on her face, "I just remember looking up at the stars with Riku as the hunters told us stories about crazy past jobs they'd taken." Her eyes downcast to her lap. "It… was really special."
"It sounds like it," Velcia smiled, "Thank you for telling me about it."
"Heh, of course," Hinata smirked towards her.
Velcia averted her gaze, looking back to the stars as she inhaled deeply. "I… don't mean to pry… but, are you doing alright?"
Hinata's expression fell as she looked away with a scoff. "I'm that obvious?"
"Well, no," Velcia admitted, "But… I know what you've been going through and I just want to make sure."
Hinata chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to figure out what to say. "Just… a lot on my mind, I guess."
Velcia nodded, "Do you need to talk about it?"
"Yeah," Hinata laughed bitterly, "But I don't know if I can bring myself to."
Velcia surprised Hinata with a light laugh of her own. "I know all too well how that goes."
"I bet," Hinata sent her a sad smile, before downcasting her gaze again. "How…" Her voice trailed off as she swallowed hard, "How did you get over it… after losing your dad and Denerre?"
Velcia blinked, looking up at the stars as she thought it over. "I suppose… in a way, I never did." Hinata looked over at her as Velcia placed her hand over her chest. "I always keep them in my heart, I still think of them everyday, even if it hurt to think about them for a while."
Hinata turned towards her, having dozens of questions racing through her mind. She looked down at her hands fidgeting in her lap. "What did you do right after it happened?"
"Stayed in my shop for a while," Velcia nodded slowly, a sad smile on her face from the memory. "My grandmother wanted me to live with her, but… well, she didn't really understand and sort of made things worse. Eventually I went to visit my Aunt and Uncle, Denerre's parents, and they took me in." She laughed softly. "They were having a hard time with it, too, but they were very encouraging and we all made it through together."
She pushed some of her hair behind her ear, her smile growing. "We both understood the pain of what had happened and… we had never been very close before that horrible night, but it brought us together in a way we probably wouldn't have otherwise. We wouldn't talk about Denerre or Papa at all, just spent time together and trying to work through it. It… really helped; being around people that just understood…" She looked to Hinata, smiling softly as she reached forward and placed her hand over Hinata's, "And eventually, we did start talking about Denerre and Papa. We'd talk about the memories and the struggles we were having since they were gone… the regrets of things we left unsaid…" She averted her gaze and cleared her throat. "Just having someone there to listen can do wonders."
"I'm glad you had them." Hinata told her, looking out towards the lake. "I guess… I shouldn't be trying to rush it."
"I know it can be hard not to," Velcia assured her. "There's that part of us that wants to snap back to our old selves as if nothing happened, but… at some point you have to accept that something did happen, and it's alright that you're hurting." She paused for a moment, as if deciding if she wanted to add something. Inhaling deeply, she went with it, "James sounded like a good friend. There is nothing wrong with grieving him."
Hinata took in a sharp breath, just the mention of his name making her heart twist. She nodded quickly, her hands tightening against Velcia's. "H-he was... I still feel like he's here, but I have to keep reminding myself that he isn't."
"I think he is still here," Velcia told her, noticing Hinata barely darting her gaze to her for a moment. "As cheesy as it sounds, but he's still in your heart. Maybe… you should try talking to him sometimes. Say those things you wished you had or tell him how hard it is without him." Hinata nodded before she added, "It helps to get it out."
"Y-yeah," Hinata shut her eyes, taking in a shaking breath. "Thank you…"
"Of course," Velcia retracted her hand. "And for what it's worth, I'm always here to listen if you need to talk. I'd love to learn more about James."
Hinata sadly smiled to herself, "Thanks." She sighed, looking back up at the stars as their conversation reached a lull. After a few minutes of peaceful silence went by, she spoke up, "Um, I wanted to ask you something…"
"Yes?" Velcia asked, looking over at her.
"I… keep these journals, sort of a recollection of everything that's happened for memory's sake and just to keep a detailed account in case anyone's ever interested to learn what we all went through… but, uh, I was wondering… if you would mind writing a bit in them. About what happened to you…"
Velcia blinked in surprise, "I… I'm not sure what to say."
Hinata shook her head with a nervous laugh, "Yeah, sorry, forget I said anything. You probably don't want to write about that, especially in someone else's journal."
"No-no," Velcia quickly shook her hands and head, "I meant, I'm honored you would let me write in them! Are you sure you don't mind?"
"Definitely not," Hinata sent her a small smile, "I think it's important and I'd like to have record of it… especially because of those off-worlders." She looked back towards the stars, "Something tells me we'll see them again."
"Part of me hopes not," Velcia admitted, before nodding. "But, yes, I would really be honored to write my experiences in your journals. Thank you for asking."
"Of course," Hinata's smile grew.
"Well, I should be headed to bed," Velcia told her, patting her hands on her lap as she moved to stand. "Oh, but I actually wanted to give you something."
She stood and went back into the tent, coming out with a glass cup of a steaming drink. The bottom of the cup lightly glowed as she summoned a simple spell to warm it. She knelt beside Hinata, handing her the drink. Hinata took it and stared at the green translucent liquid, before glancing back up at Velcia with a confused gaze.
"Um, Riku might have mentioned to me that you've been having trouble sleeping," Velcia sheepishly admitted, noticing Hinata's cheeks warming. "I had a similar problem for quite a while and created this tea to help me sleep." Hinata looked back at the drink as Velcia explained, "It's a combination of various herbs and a light sleeping potion I made. It will help you sleep without any dreams, so… no nightmares."
Hinata darted her gaze up to Velcia's, noticing the slight frown on her lips. "You had them, too?"
Velcia nodded, "For a long time… So I understand." She cleared her throat as she stood back up, "After you drink it, you'll only have a few minutes to get to bed before you pass out." She laughed softly, "So make sure to be close and ready for bed before then."
"Why do I sense there's a story behind that?" Hinata asked.
"Because there are... quite a few," Velcia admitted with a giggle, causing Hinata to join in. She made her way back to the tent, about to go in, "Goodnight, Hinata."
"Goodnight," Hinata smiled towards her, "And thank you."
Velcia simply smiled, before escaping back into the tent. Hinata looked back down at her drink, taking a sip and letting out a sigh as she felt its warmth spread through her. It was surprisingly delicious, with a flowery taste and a hint of sweet honey. Just from the first sip, Hinata was already feeling drowsy, she slowly drank the rest, her thoughts drifting to James and the more pleasant memories they had together. It wasn't long until she was flickering in and out of sleep even from where she sat outside, shaking her head, she forced herself into the tent and was slumbering the moment her head rested on her pillow.
"Psssst…." Ben's whispering voice made Hinata scrunch her eyes as she nuzzled more into her pillow. "Pssst…! Hey… Hinata…. Psssst!"
Hinata let out a long slow sigh as she opened one of her eyes, seeing Ben's face bright on the tablet, his eyes lighting up when they made contact. Beams of sunlight trickled in from the opening of the tent as she grumbled, "...What?"
"Oh good, you're awake," Ben beamed, his voice still hushed.
"Yeah, because you woke me up," she mumbled, letting out a yawn as she sat up. She blinked a few times, realizing she wasn't feeling drowsy or tired at all.
"I'm restless," Ben complained, "and bored, and lonely… wanna hang out?"
Hinata looked over at him with a raised eyebrow, opening her mouth to tell him no, before she heard Velcia let out a sleepy groan as she turned over in her sleeping bag. Letting out a breath, Hinata grabbed Ben's tablet and left the tent. Jack awoke from the rustling and perked up immediately, following them outside. Hinata let out another yawn, feeling the cool morning air around her. The sun was just beginning to come up from the horizon, the sky was still lighting up and the world quiet. Hinata looked around, realizing that they were the only ones awake. Chica perked up her head, letting out a quiet kweh, which Hinata assumed was her way of saying good morning.
"Morning, Chica," Hinata whispered, running her hand along her feathery head.
She heard an animal call out in the distant, sounding like a low drawn out groan. Looking up, she saw the lake with the large creatures still grazing through the water. With a small smirk, she made her way off of the haven and to the lake.
"Hey, put me down," Ben told her as she neared the lake.
"You won't be able to see anything," Hinata warned him, doing as he asked.
"Not a problem!" Ben assured her, "Look at what DiZ taught me yesterday!" A light whir of a propeller made Hinata step back as Ben's tablet began floating in the air. "Ta-dah!"
Hinata blinked, staring at him for a moment before smiling, "You're starting to remind me of Toodles."
"Who?" Ben turned towards her, tilting his tablet to the side.
Waving him off, Hinata continued walking, "Oh, a robot friend of my dad's."
"DiZ had a robot friend?" Ben asked, making Hinata freeze.
"You know DiZ is my dad?" She asked, turning towards him.
"Well sure!" Ben laughed, "I know all sorts of things in my new form. DiZ gave me all sorts of upgrades." He floated ahead a bit, Jack following close behind. "Oh, and he told me last night."
Hinata let out a breathy laugh, "So that's where you were yesterday. Talking with DiZ?"
"Yep!" Ben chimed. "He called me to his computers to get all mad at me for bringing those guys to the ship, but after it all worked out, I just decided to keep him company! And I helped him with a bunch of stuff. Even helped him decipher a couple of Vexen's journals!"
"Really?" Hinata asked, following after him. "I'm… surprised he let you help."
"Yeah, he was really nice!" Ben told her with a laugh, "A lot nicer than he's ever been to me anyways."
"Yeah," Hinata smiled to herself, "He's been changing a lot lately."
"Probably cause of you, if I had to guess," Ben surmised, thinking for a moment before lighting up and coming towards her. "OH! That reminds me, Happy Birthday!"
Hinata's eyes widened and her cheeks warmed, "W-what? How did you know? Wait… my dad probably told you." She laughed to herself, "I can't believe he actually remembers."
"Why didn't you tell anyone it was coming up?" Ben asked with a pout.
Jack landed on Hinata's shoulder with a whine, licking her cheek. She patted him on the head as she shrugged, "No one that knew remembers me, well… except my dad… but with everything going on, it didn't really seem like something right to bring up, you know?"
Ben sighed heavily, "Well I wish you had told me at least. I'm happy I found out before it was too late."
"I'm sorry I didn't," Hinata placed her hand on top of his tablet as they went on towards the lake.
"So, how old are you now?" Ben asked, getting back to his excited self.
Hinata chuckled, "Seventeen." She paused, "It will be Riku's birthday soon, too. Our birthdays are really close together, but we've never really gotten to celebrate them since we've known each other."
"Why not?" Ben asked as they came to a stop near the edge of the lake.
Sitting down on the lush grass, Hinata brought her knees to her chest and shrugged. "Too busy, too much going on." She smiled to herself, "Riku always promises me that next year will be better and he has this whole extravagant plan to make it really special, but… we haven't been able to yet."
"Well, I'll plan something special for Riku's birthday," Ben told her adamantly, following her gaze towards the towering creatures in the water. "Wow! I haven't seen something that big since my days with Captain Flint!"
Hinata smirked at the thought, wanting to ask more, but also wanting some peace and quiet. She stared up at the creatures, admiring them as they peacefully grazed through the water. They were completely gray in color, walking on four legs with spikes all along their backs and long necks. Two long tusks came out from their snout, almost covering a single red eye that lazily looked around.
"Can you scan them, Ben?" She asked, watching as Ben flew up higher without question.
"Catoblepas!" Ben informed her, reading off information, "Can always be found in the lakes, especially in Alstor Slough. They are mostly docile creatures unless provoked; and enjoy snacking on mushrooms found in the forest! Oh that's fun!" Ben flew back down to Hinata, scanning the area, "There's mushrooms all over the place out here! Let's go get some!"
He flew off before Hinata could object, with Jack following close behind with a jovial bark. Hinata simply sighed, smiling as she continued to watch the creatures for a few minutes, before getting up to help Ben search.
"Where are they?" Hinata asked, coming up beside him.
Ben turned towards Hinata, a map appearing on his screen with a large circle drawn. "In this vicinity!"
"You can't tell me exactly where they are?" She asked, crossing her arms. "I thought you scanned?"
"I got the general area!" Ben told her defensively, upturning his tablet as he turned away.
Jack barked, getting their attention. Hinata jogged towards him, seeing him floating over a small group of mushrooms. She held out her scarf, creating a makeshift basket as Jack placed the mushrooms inside. They gathered a few more piles until Hinata's scarf was full, and went back to the lake's edge. She waited until one of the Catoblepas were somewhat facing her and placed the large pile of mushrooms on the ground, before scurrying back to a safe distance to watch.
"Oh this is so exciting!" Ben shook in the air, Jack barking in response.
"Shush," Hinata waved at both of them, watching as the Catoblepas slowly turned towards the pile of mushrooms.
With heavy steps, it went towards the edge of the lake, each of its steps rumbling through the ground. It looked over the small group, blinking its large eye a few times, before lowering its neck and eating the mushrooms.
"He's eating them!" Ben borderline squealed as he tried to keep his voice down. "He's so close!" He turned towards Hinata, "Let's go pet him!"
Hinata scoffed, "Not on your life, that thing could eat me in one bite."
"Fun ruiner…" Ben grumbled, lowering a bit, but laughing when Hinata swatted the top of his tablet.
Jack's tail wagged wildly, floating back and forth before suddenly flying forward to greet the Catoblepas. Hinata almost stopped him, but realized there was nothing that could really harm him, so she watched with interest. Jack barked, getting the creature's attention. It lifted its eye to him, still eating the mushrooms. Jack landed on one of its tusks, letting out a string of barks as he was obviously communicating with it. The Catoblepas lifted its head, letting out a low grunt that made Jack jump up and nuzzle his head. He came floating back to Hinata and Ben, barking a few more times as the Catoblepas watched him.
"What is he saying?" Hinata whispered to Ben.
"Oh, he's asking the Catoblepas to come say hi!" Ben chimed.
Hinata gasped, scrambling to her feet as the Catoblepas leaned out its neck towards them, its face right in front of them. Hinata could feel its warm breath like a strong breeze as she stepped forward, reaching out her hand. She cautiously ran her hand along its rough snout, looking at its large red eye that looked them over.
"H-hey," she greeted with a shaking voice. "Please don't eat me."
Ben laughed, landing on the Catoblepas' tusk. "This is amazing! You're amazing!"
Jack barked, getting a grunt in response from the Catoblepas that made Hinata startle back a couple steps, before she laughed nervously and came back forward. She could hear the shutter of a camera going off somewhere behind her, instantly letting her know that some of the others were awake, particularly Prompto.
"She's so close to it!" Prompto whispered, taking a dozen more shots before Hinata could figure out where he was.
"She has guts," Gladiolus agreed, "That thing could eat her in one bite."
"That's what I said," Hinata raised her hand, glancing back towards them with a smirk. She gasped as the Catoblepas nuzzled into her, before it lifted its neck back up and grunted a goodbye to Jack. She let out a breath, falling back on the grass with her heart pounding. "That… was something."
"Something?! That was incredible!" Prompto exclaimed, running forward and sliding down next to her to show her the pictures. "Just look at these awesome shots I was able to take!"
Hinata looked over them, pointing out a few that were particularly great, and requesting copies for herself. Gladiolus came over as well, standing as he watched the Catoblepas go back to the lake and ready to defend them if the creature turned on them.
"Sorry if I woke you guys up," Hinata told them, glancing up at Gladiolus.
"Nah, we always get up at this time," Prompto waved her off, placing his camera back around his neck. "Noct is still waking up, but Specs and Vel are already busy making breakfast!"
Hinata's stomach rumbled in response, making Prompto laugh. "Heh, I guess I'm ready for some food."
"Then let's get back to the haven," Gladiolus began walking back, waving at them to follow. "We have a few hunts on the agenda for today already, so we'll be busy."
Prompto jumped up, jogging after Galdiolus as Hinata paused, the familiar dread settling into her. "I guess I'm going to have to get used to taking down those creatures… huh?" She softly spoke to Ben as she got up.
"I think it's a good idea," Ben told her. "I mean, you'll have to get used to it eventually, right?"
Hinata cringed slightly, "Yeah, I guess so." Taking in a breath, she shook away the thought and followed the others, ready to enjoy her morning with her new friends.
***Author's Note: Hello Everyone! I hope all of you are doing well! I apologize I'm a bit late with this chapter, only a week late, but still! I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. A bit of a slower, more relaxing chapter this time around; I wanted to make sure to do some world building and let everyone get used to the new characters before we get into the thick of it. I'm really having a lot of fun with Eos and am really excited to keep going with it! We should be here for the next two chapters! So a bit of a long stay, but I'll try to make sure it doesn't overstay its welcome! There's just a lot that needs to happen.
If you couldn't already tell, Alstor Slough is my favorite spot in the game. It's the sort of place that I would love to go camping at and the Catoblepas are just my all time favorite creatures in the game! (Well, other than the Chocobos) We'll be going to other places, too. It's just a good starting point!
Anyways, I hope everyone has a wonderful week! See you next time!***