Ignis and Gladio proceeded to arrive at Maagho. Weskham looked up at them with a quirked eyebrow.
"I could have sworn yours was a group of four," he said.
"Under ordinary circumstances it is, but we have a unique….predicament that has altered how we are able to conduct ourselves," Ignis said.
"We need to get in contact with the Oracle and we need to do it as soon as possible, or things could really take a nasty turn," Gladio said.
"Does this unique "predicament" affect both or just one of your other members?" Weskham asked.
"I'd rather hold off giving out too much information in an area controlled by the Empire," Ignis said.
"I understand that you're wary, but if I had to guess only one member of your party is afflicted by whatever this is but he's important enough that another of you is accompanying him, which means this is a serious issue indeed," Weskham said, "Would that I could help you on the Oracle's location, but the media's been conspicuous with their silence which all but screams a governmental intervention. It's not the starscourge is it?"
"Fortunately, it is not quite that severe but it has caused complications," Ignis said.
"Hello gentlemen." Ignis looked over at the source of the voice. It was Camelia Claustra, First Secretary of Accordo, "I had thought there would be more of you."
"Circumstances change plans," Gladio said, "These ones require the aid of the Oracle. It's not the scourge, but it has caused problems."
"You mean such as a diminishing of strength?" Secretary Claustra said. The pair exchanged looks. Ignis decided to act as if she did know.
"In a manner of speaking," Ignis said.
"We do have the Oracle in our custody but the Empire is demanding we turn her over to their custody. I had hoped to speak with the King of Lucis about this, situation, but it would appear that won't happen here. If you could relay the message to the King, he is free to meet with me to discuss the terms in a less open environment and one that would be less judgmental of appearances." With that the Secretary left with her guard.
"She knows," Ignis said.
"It's not like we've been making an effort to disguise him," Gladio said.
"Guys! I need your help!" Prompto arrived.
"Where's Noct?" Ignis said.
"That's the thing I need your help with," Prompto said, "Oh, isn't that the guy from Cid's photo?"
"Weskham," the man said.
"Prompto, what happened?"
Ten Minutes Earlier
"Enjoy your gelatti!" the vendor said. Noctis had a scoop of chocolate on a cone. Prompto had two scoops of vanilla.
"This is sweeter than ice cream," Noctis said.
"Yeah, twice the sugar!" Prompto said.
"Twice the sugar crash later," Noctis said rolling his eyes. The crowds sort of pushed them along and Noctis nearly dropped his gellati. Luna. Her portrait anyway. He'd remembered hearing news reports about the wedding dress on display. It was beautiful. His own garments for the big day were also being designed by the same designer but his father had asked them not to be revealed before the wedding.
"Wow," Prompto said. Noctis was too busy staring at the dress. Luna. "That's it, we're going to make this happen! Once you're not like this and we've taken care of things, we're making sure this happens." Noctis looked up at Prompto and looked away blushing. They stayed there finishing their treats. A couple came up,
"It's gorgeous," the woman said, "It's also so romantic."
"If you'll be my Lady Lunafreya, I'll be your Prince Noctis." Prompto and Noctis exchanged looks and burst out laughing. The couple gave them a disgusted sniff but they didn't care.
"Man, it's as if they think the whole thing is some happy little fairy tale!" Prompto said, "Prince Charming? More like Prince Charmless!" Noctis just kept laughing.
"Want to go see the arena?" Prompto asked. Once their laughter had died down and they finished their frozen treats.
"Sure!" Noctis said. They boarded the gondola north, because this was the only way to reach the station that led to the Coliseum. As soon as Noctis stepped off the boat he froze. He knew this place. He recognized the fountain. He'd been here in a dream. In the world of his dreams whenever he really was this small. How?
"Noct, buddy, you look pale?" Prompto asked.
"I…was here in my dreams when I was really eight," Noctis said.
"But you've never been here before now, right?" Prompto said.
"Yeah, but it looked almost exactly like this," Noctis said. He wondered ahead of Prompto and stopped dead. Ardyn. What was he doing here? The man looked directly at Noctis and it was like he knew exactly who Noctis truly was. The smug condescension in his face bloomed into what could be mistaken for a magnanimous grin. Noctis knew better.
"I am not talking to him like this," Noctis said before he took off running.
"Noct!" Noctis found a bridge and crossed it hoping to get back to the rest of the city only to end up in a dead end.
"What's up with this treatment? You act as if I would hurt you?" Noctis backed away. He didn't know why he feared Ardyn while he was like…this but something was screaming for him to get away, far away, from this man at all costs. He needed….He closed his eyes and reached out.
"Oh no need to bring one of the Six into this," Ardyn said.
"I'm not," Noctis said snapping his eyes open. The light flashed and Carbuncle reappeared with a chirp.
"How cute, so what are you going to do with this creature?" Ardyn asked.
Noct, he's really really strong. Even if I boosted you like last time, he's too powerful for you to fight!
"What?" Noctis said.
I'll get you a warp point! Carbuncle took off too fast for Ardyn to catch which left Noctis and Ardyn seemingly alone.
"Has he run to get help?" Ardyn said, "All I wanted to do was ask you how it is you came to be like this." Noctis just backed up again. "Must be hard, an adult mind stuck in a child's body, with childish reactions, and a child's limitations." Noctis glanced over and the magic reached out to him, he summoned a short sword and threw it as hard as he could warping away from Ardyn and landing over in the next section of the city. He kept running. Something told him if he let Ardyn catch him, not only would he be stuck like this, but things would be worse.
"You think the Chancellor knows?" Ignis said.
"I think he definitely knows. There were rumors in Lucis and those two others didn't keep their conditions secret," Gladio said.
"If the Imperials get him while he's like this he's toast," Prompto said. Weskham raised an eyebrow.
"You wouldn't be referring to the two Hunters who ended up looking like they took a dip in the fountain of youth?" he said, "Tipsters talk to one another, so I've heard of the pair. Are you telling me that Reggie's boy also ran afoul of the same thing?"
"Perhaps," Ignis said.
"So, that's why he wasn't here, because it would have looked odd for him to be here at the moment," Weskham said, "And he's on his own in Altissia. It's not a good city for a child to be lost in. There are areas that are dangerous after dark."
Noctis found another bridge and crossed it onto a cluttered landing. There were canisters there filled with elemental energy. He held a hand out and was relieved that he could still draw the energy out. He drained them all and heard the scuffing of metal boots on the ground. MT's! There was another staircase downwards so he took it and found himself in some sort of underground gallery. There was a painting of a woman in red before him and no other way out except where he came from.
"The Lakshmi. It is said the painting is haunted." Ardyn! Noctis whirled around and saw Ardyn lazily leaning against the entryway. The fading light made him seem all the more menacing. Noctis felt that animal fear return. He trembled a little and hated that he couldn't control his emotions as well as a child. Then he heard a scream. He whirled around and the painting had come to life as a ghostly woman. Trapped between Adryn and a ghost.
"Noct!" Prompto! He shot at the Ghost woman and Gladio burst in and grabbed Noctis and tucked him under his arm.
"Chancellor, I'd ask what business you had here, but as you can see, we had other pressing concerns," Ignis said entering the fray.
"Oh, I'm sure anything I have to say can wait," Ardyn said before he walked away.
"It's haunting the painting," Noctis aid.
"Really? Cool!" Prompto said as he dodged an attack. He threw something at Gladio and Noctis leaving Noctis to catch it as Gladio defended one handed. Prompto's camera turned out to be what he'd thrown.
"Gladio, you can put me down," Noctis said.
"Not on your life!"
"Noct! get a pic of this. It's a ghost!" Prompto said. Noctis shrugged and snapped a few pictures for Prompto's sake and sent the camera into subspace to protect it. Noctis summoned a sphere of Meteor Rain.
"Get behind Gladio! Gladio, switch to the shield," Noctis said. Gladio glanced down and saw what Noctis had. The others did too and soon they were ready and Noctis flung the sphere at the ghost and the balls of light rained down upon it battering it into oblivion.
"Where's my camera?" Prompto asked once Gladio set Noctis down. Noctis pulled it out of subspace and handed it back to Prompto.
"Those are some sweet shots. If this whole freeing the kingdom thing doesn't work out, we could be photographers," Prompto said.
"If Luna can't fix this, maybe we'll have to," Noctis said straightening his clothes out.
"Is everyone alright?" It was an Altissian guard.
"Just a run in with the restless dead, but we're no worse for wear," Ignis said.
"You defeated the ghost?"
"Sure did!" Prompto said.
"The Secretary's been offering a reward to anyone who can put this ghost to rest," the guard said.
"Could that reward be an audience with the Oracle? We have a member of our party who could use her help," Gladio said.
"I will see what I can do," the guard said. They followed him up and they came out next to the First Minister's Estate.
"Wait here," the guard said. Noctis looked up at the darkened sky. It was pretty.
"Why'd you take off like that? The Chancellor's a creep but you've never been scared of him before," Prompto said.
"I don't know," Noctis said, "How did you find me?"
"Carbuncle lead us right to you," Gladio said. Carbuncle trotted into view with a proud chirp.
"I wonder if there is something you're more attuned with in this form than you are as an adult, and that's why the Chancellor unsettles you so," Ignis said.
"He made some comment about me being trapped with Childish reactions and limits, maybe he knows," Noctis said, "I mean maybe he knows that a kid can sense something that adults won't."
"The Secretary will allow only the one who needs to see the Oracle in," the guard said upon his return.
MP: It's Friday! Here's the update.