Noctis nervously fidgeted as they finally reached the front porch of the house. It was nice-ish. It looked like it was really worn out, but otherwise ok. There was a girl on the front porch who ran down the steps and stopped right in front of him.
"You weren't kidding when you—. Do you remember me?" she asked. Noctis shook his head.
"I'm Iris, Gladio's baby sister," she said, "Did Prompto spike your hair?" Noctis nodded. "Looks nice. Everyone's waiting inside." Noctis stayed close to the others. Prompto pushed his way forward, so did Iggy and Gladio. Letting Noctis walk in behind them.
"You really are a kid, Your Majesty!" It was another kid. He was about the same height as Noctis wearing red plaid and khakis.
"You're going to have to reintroduce yourself, he doesn't remember anyone he met after he was eight," Iggy said.
"I'm Talcott Hester. My grandad was Jared Hester a butler for the Amicitia family," Talcott said.
"Nice to meet you," Noctis said.
"Do you like cactuars? I never asked grown up you," Talcott said.
"The monster from the old stories?" Noctis said with a blink.
"Actually, Noct, we fought one. Little bugger was fast," Pronto said.
"You guys saw one?" Talcott said. His eyes were wide and he was shaking.
"We did indeed," Ignis said, "It was quite by accident outside Alastor Slough."
"Why didn't you guys tell me? That's so cool!" Talbot said. Noctis was confused. It wasn't often he met kids his age. Was this a normal thing to like monsters?
"Is that? It's a carbuncle!" Carbuncle preened under Talcott's attentions.
"Noctis summoned him," Prompto said.
"Really?" Talcott said.
"Yeah," Noctis said.
"Why don't you two go outside and play with Carbuncle for a bit?" Gladio said.
"I'll show you where the best view is!" Talcott ran ahead of Noctis who looked up at Ignis who nodded. He followed the other boy out into the dusk and to a view of the coast. He'd never seen the ocean in real life before. It was nice. The moon was rising over the water making it look all silvery. It reminded him of how Luna looked in the moonlight.
"So what's it like being a kid again?" Talcott asked.
"I don't remember not being a kid, so I can't tell the difference," Noctis said looking at Talcott.
"Really? Your memories just stop and start here?" Talcott said.
"Sort of," Noctis looked over at Talcott, "My last clear memory is just after we left Tenebrae, after the empire invaded. We were home and then I remember being in that cave with those kids." Noctis looked back at the sky, "I was scared, even after the others saved me because I didn't know how I'd gotten out of Insomnia. I saw the Regalia and hid in it. I wanted someone, anyone to help and that's when Carbuncle arrived. He explained everything to me."
"Carbuncle can talk?" Talcott said.
"Not exactly. Here, I'll show you," Noctis said. Carbuncle nodded and Noctis's phone buzzed. Noctis showed Talcott the screen.
Hello! I'm Noct's friend Carbuncle! This is how I talk! Much easier now than a long time ago.
"How did you talk before cell phones?" Talcott asked.
Magical paper I had to give them. People usually ended up losing it. A frowning Chocobo emoji popped up.
"Are you like His Highness's pet or something?" Talcott asked.
No way! I'm no one's pet!
"He helps me," Noctis said, "Guides me, and is my friend."
That's right!
"Sorry about calling you his pet," Talcott said.
Apology accepted.
"You really weren't kidding," Iris said.
"Have you know me to ever pull a prank on this scale?" Ignis asked.
"Fair enough," Iris said.
"How will this affect the quest?" Monica asked.
"For now, our hopes are pinned on reaching Lady Lunafreya in Altissia. Her powers are our best chance at breaking this curse and restoring Noctis to adulthood. We'll figure out something else should the worst happen, I assure you, but for now we can only wait for the boat to be ready and for Altissia itself."
"I'll inform Cor. He might know something else we could try," Monica said.
"If you think it'll help, do so," Ignis said.
"Are you guys going to go off hunting again" Dustin asked.
"We currently seem to have enough cash for the moment," Ignis said.
"But a little more can't hurt. Hey, Prompto, didn't that guy in Lestallum offer you a photography gig?" Gladio said.
"Vyv from Meteor Publishing. We got those pics of the Disc of Cauthess for him, you know, pre-Titan. He wanted us to get a shot of Angelguard if we can," Prompto said.
"Looks like we're headed to Leide," Gladio said
"With Noctis or are you leaving him here?" Iris said.
"It's for the best we minimize the chances the Empire finding out about Noctis's current state. Also, travel over long distances like that with a child would inevitably slow us down," Ignis said.
"We'd also be too busy worrying about Noctis to fight all out," Gladio said.
"Plus, he's probably better off hanging out with a kid his own age," Prompto said.
Noctis had no idea how to relate to a kid his own age, whatever that was. Talcott was going on about Cactuars and their 1000 needles and other stuff and Noctis had nothing to add to the conversation. Maybe this was why his father was making him go to public school—made him go.
"Are you ok, Your Highness?" Noctis looked over at Talcott.
"I'll be fine. I uh, don't—didn't—know many kids when I was this age," Noctis said, "I mean I do —did— know some but they never got past that I was the Prince."
"I'm sorry. Did I overwhelm you?" Talcott said. Noctis nodded hesitantly. His phone buzzed.
It's not your fault, Talcott. Noct's never been good with relating to normal people, even as a grown up!
Carbuncle yawned at them.
You two should get inside and get some sleep.
"Oh, that's the time? I should have been getting ready for bed already!" Talcott said before he raced off inside.
You too, Noct. Like it or not, you're currently a kid too.
"I'm just going to look at the moon a big longer," Noctis said.
Sure is pretty tonight!
"Yeah. Do you think I can be…fixed?"
Fixed?
"Turned back into big me," Noctis said.
If magic can do it, magic can undo it, right?
"I hope so," Noctis said.
Prompto even told you not to worry about stuff that might not happen.
"I know, but he's usually the one I have to cheer up, like that night on the roof," Noctis said. He blinked. That was a memory from being his adult self. "I'm getting my memories?"
Why not? You're still you even if you're smaller!
"You're right, I'm still me," Noctis said. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen and soon. He looked back at the moon and yawned before shuffling to the house.
Noctis sat up panting. He looked down at his legs and moved one making him breathe out a sigh of relief. Just a nightmare.
"Are you ok?" It was Talcott in his plain gray PJ's, making Noctis self-conscious about his Justice Monsters Five PJ's.
"Just a bad dream," Noctis said.
"Where did you get those?" Talcott asked.
"Not sure. Some little town on the way here," Noctis said. He summoned clean clothes from subspace and climbed out of bed. Talcott was staring at him.
"How did you do that?" Talcott asked.
"Magic," Noctis said.
"Could you always do that?" Talcott asked.
"Not sure," Noctis said he found the bathroom and a few towels and set about taking a quick bath. He exited the bathroom fully dressed and his hair was flat. He had no idea how to spike it back was gone from the room making it feel empty. There was some evidence the older guys had been there. He walked downstairs and saw there was Talcott finishing off some toast. There was a pile of toast on a central plate with another being filled with some sort of fruit with a small container of jam next to a butter dish. Noctis only took a couple slices of the toast and buttered them.
"You like this jam, trust me," Iris said picking up a piece of toast and spreading it with jam offering it to him, "It's made with Ulwaat berries." Noctis looked at her oddly. Right. He knew her.
"Thanks," Noctis said taking the toast. He took a bite and it was just as he remembered the taste from Tenebrae. He finished off the toast and added more of the jam to his other pieces.
"You really like that jam," Talcott said. Noctis nodded.
"It reminds me of the tarts Luna and I would have when I was in Tenebrae," Noctis said, "I hope she's ok."
"You'll find out soon! She's the one you're going to see in Altissia!" Talcott said.
"Luna's already the Oracle?" Noctis said.
"She has been for a while," Iris said, "You two need to clean up and go play. We've got this, alright?"
"Where are Iggy and Prompto and Gladio?" Noctis asked.
"They left to go take some pictures for money. Prompto's actually pretty good at photography," Iris said.
"They left me here?" Noctis said.
"It's just because they don't want to endanger you," Iris said.
"I'm not helpless!" Noctis said. He was not!
"But you're not as strong as you normally are." Monica looked at him. Carbuncle trotted into the room with Noctis's cellphone and placed it on the chair next to Noctis. It buzzed,
They aren't doing this because they don't care but because they care too much. Noctis put the phone in his pocket and stood up walking out silently. It was just like his Dad all over again.
MP:Noctis being a sulky prince was too fun to write. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Also Noctis mentioning a cactuar being a "monster from the old stories" is something I took from the "FF XV: A King's Tale" bonus game (which I got because I pre-ordered FF XV). If there's a way to get it, do so. It's surprisingly fun for a mini game (I call it that because it's really short) and it also references The Princess Bride during a really cute exchange between Kid!Noctis and Younger!Regis, which is always a good thing in my book.