A/N

Sorry for the short chapter. I had planned to make it longer than my usual chapters but my college work has been piling up on me and I wanted to release the next chapter ASAP but I do plan on releasing a new chapter every other week and having it at least 15,000 words and again sorry for the shorter than usual chapter .

Chapter XXII: Trouble In Paradise

"To your right, Noct!" Gladio shouted as Noctis dodged the giants right attack. "We can't take this thing on by ourselves!"

'Then it's a good thing we're here!"

Prompto slid down into the pit while firing fire embedded rounds into the titan with Ignis following behind him "You guys alright?"

"Never been better" Noctis said giving his older brother a sarcastic thumbs up "Great, now that we're all here, maybe we actually stand a chance! Gladio, Ignis, Prompto, you guys give me cover while I make my way on top of this guy!"

"Wait! What?!" Was all Prompto could say before he noticed that Noctis had already warped himself to higher ground. "He can't be serious…"

"Well he is YOUR brother." Ignis said with sarcasm in his voice as he summoned his daggers "In any case we better take the titan's attention away from Noctis."

Ignis and Gladio leaped towards the titan and both began unleashing a barrage of slices and lunges at the titan's exposed torso, while Prompto held back firing his seemingly endless array of dust filled bullets. Noctis took advantage of his friend's attempt at a distraction and warped his way towards the titan's upper body. Noctis had reached towards the shoulders of the titan, but the giant had begun to take Notice of Noctis' movements and swung his right hand into his shoulder at an attempt to kill the young Prince. Dust filled the air as the tremendous hand caused a mini earthquake and filled the air with blinding dust. Noctis appeared above the titan's head with his Engine blade in hand and plunged down unto the unsuspecting titan. The titan made another attempt at Noctis' life as he free fell above him, but before the titan's hand could connect, Noctis tossed his sword to the side and warped to it, barely dodging the attack. Noctis then took the time he had for the titan to recover to resume his plunge into the titan's skull. Noctis summoned his greatsword and thrusted it into the giant's skull. The titan bellowed as he made another swipe, this time connecting to Noctis, knocking him off. Noctis quickly regained his composure in mid air and warped himself onto the titan's chest.

"Lend me your strength!" Noctis shouted at the Titan as loud and commanding as he could, to show the titan that he was the one in control. The titan took notice of the young King as the sound of helicopters in the distance grew nearer until a swarm of Niflheim attack choppers came into view and began firing at the titan. The titan threw up its arms keeping the rain of bullets from hitting its face. As the helicopters continued firing a group of Niflheim soldiers began to propel from the helicopters.

"Who do we fight?!" Prompto questioned, reloading his gun.

"Anyone who doesn't look like they belong in a boy band!" Gladiolus responded sarcastically

"D-Do we really?..." Prompto said as he looked over his wardrobe

"... We kinda do…" Noctis said disappointed

"I mean… Look at you and your brother's hair styles. You guys look like anime characters who joined a boy band."

"OH MY GOD WE DO!" Prompto shouted in horror as he dropped to his knees "WE'RE ANIME CHARACTERS WHO FORMED A BOY BAND!"

The soldiers began firing at the titan as they landed, bringing the four friends out of their mid realization. "We can talk about a wardrobe change later, if we make it out alive!"

"Screw this!" Noctis shouted as his friends fought off the Niflheim soldiers. Noctis desummoned his weapon and summoned the Sword of The Wise and the Axe of The Conqueror and warped himself into the air, above the titan. Noctis tosses both of the Royal Arms towards the titan and warps to them. He twirls, mid-air, attacking the titan with both weapons. Noctis then regains his composure and summons the rest of his arsenal as they, along with the Royal Arms, revolve around their user. Noctis launches the crystalize weapons, knocking the titan back. With most of his energy gone Noctis exhaustingly fell to the ground, next to his teammates as the remaining soldiers and helicopters stood in standby.

"What are they waiting for?" Prompto said as he helped his little brother back to his feet "Aren't they going to attack us?"

"They're waiting to see what happens next." Gladiolus said as he put one of Noctis' arms around him to keep him from falling.

"Noctis Lucis Caelum." The titan said as he regained his composure. "The heir to the Lucii bloodline."

With what strength he had left, Noctis stood on his own and walked closer towards the titan.

"My strength… it's what you seek, correct?"

"Yes! I-I beg you… please… lend me your strength!"

"Are you willing to pay the price for such power?"

"Y-" Noctis began but stopped himself and looked towards the ground, contemplating "Yes…"

"Very well... " A stream of light emerged from the towering titan and began to surge into Noctis. Noctis seemed to be suspended in mid air as the light entered him, until there was no more and the titan that had once inhabited the crater had vanished. Noctis fell again to the ground, unconscious. The crater began to tremble as it seemed to cave in on itself.

"We have to get out of here!" Ignis shouted while looking for a way out of the giant hole. Just then a single helicopter descended into the crater and the helicopter doors slid open to reveal a familiar face.

"Fancy meeting you lot here."

"Emerald told me he usually spends his time in the library reading comics." Yang encouraged as she pushed her little sister towards the dorm room door as the rest of the girls followed behind. "This would be the perfect time for you to talk to him!"

"I-I'm not sure about this, Yang." the redheaded teen said as she tried with all her might to stay in place, but only to have her attempts shattered as her older sister's upper body strength was too much for her to handle.

"Do you trust me, Ruby?"

"I-I mean… sort of?"

"That's good enough!"

Ruby let out a small pout as Yang continued to push her towards the library doors with little to no effort in the task.

"Are you sure this would "help" Ruby?" Pyrrha questioned as she noticed Ruby's look of discomfort and uncomfortableness.

"Maybe." Yang replied with a small shrug "but hey, this'll teach Noctis!" A small devilish smile ran across Yang's face as she said muttered those words seemingly to herself.

"Look there he is!" Nora shouted as she pointed enthusiastically into the library door to a teen with grey spike styled hair wearing a black and grey zip up jacket and black pants, reading a comic book.

"Go get 'em little sis!" Yang shouted as she pushed Ruby into the library, who had still been in her pjs.

"Alright, Ruby." She said in her head "You've got this. This'll show Noctis that he's not the only one who thinks I'm cute!"

Ruby awkwardly made her way to the table the teen had been sitting and stood silently as he slowly raised his head from his comic "Uh…. yes?"
"I-Is it okay if I sit here?" Ruby said blushingly pointing towards the empty seat next to him.

"Sure."

"S-So… what you reading?"

"Scott Pilgrim VS The World"

"OH MY GOD I LOVE SCOTT PILGRIM!"

"Really? It's one of my favourite graphic novels!"
"Have you seen the movie? It's soooo good."

"There's a movie? You're kidding!?"

"Nope! I-If you want…. I actually have the DVD m-maybe i-if you want… we could watch it together…"

Mercury began to slightly blush, but was able to keep his cool like composure "S-Sure… there's no one in my dorm right now… if you're free?"

Ruby heavily blushed, her cheeks matching the colour of her hair "Y-Yeah…. Sure!"