Note: This is story was originally written to be a music fic, but since FFdotnet doesn't allow links, I will just leave the raw text. If you want the 'full experience', I have this story on AO3 with links and pictures. Just Google Haprilona ao3 and you'll find the story under the same name!
Chapter 2
Noctis woke up to the sound of air raid sirens blasting. Hurriedly he scrambled off the bed, but tripped thanks to his sheet-tangled feet. Cursing, he kicked off the bothersome cloth and hastily pulled on his boots and vest before strapping on his Engine Blade and Cerberus. The walkie-talkie clipped to his hunter's vest buzzed as hunters exchanged daemon location coordinates.
The door to his room burst open. A wild-eyed Prompto stood there with a half-eaten ration bar in his hand.
"Noct, we're under attack!" He disappeared as quickly as he had appeared.
"I can hear that", the alarmed hunter muttered under his breath and ran after his friend.
Civilians rushed further down to the lower levels and the bomb shelter. The sounds of crying and screaming for loved ones' names drowned under the sirens' wailing. Noctis pushed through the sea of people and up the stairs. He could hear the rattling of a machine gun coming from outside.
He saw MTs running across the wall, their unsettling red eyes staring into the darkness as they sent coordinates to the main computer which in turn forwarded them to the hunters. A group of armed men dubbed the 'elite melee force' and also known as Unit 1 stood by the gates, ready to engage. Among them was Gladiolus with an improved Force Stealer in hand. Ignis was within the central command giving out orders. His background as royal tactician had come in handy during chaotic raids such as this. His knowledge and past experiences with the different types of daemons was crucial when defending the fort.
Prompto stood at the wall, a gun in each hand and with night vision goggles on. Noctis hurried up the stairs to his friend and briefly clasped his shoulder in greeting.
Aranea's commanding voice crackled from the walkie-talkies. 'Unit 2: dozen arachnae and bombs coming from the west. Stand by until you are within range. Unit 3: ready the big guns. We have red giants heading your way. Fire at will.'
"Copy that. Unit 2 standing by", Noctis replied to his walkie-talkie. He took Cerberus from his back and rested the sniper rifle's barrel against the top of the wall. He could clearly see the different elemental bombs floating towards the fort even without the aid of his scope. The machine gun kept firing from the other side of the fort. He could distantly hear the clinking of bullets bouncing back from armoured skin.
'Unit 3: stop wasting goddamn bullets on the giants! Only advanced machinery works on those bastards. Take care of the small fry with the regular guns!' Nothing went past Aranea, it seemed.
'C-copy that!' By the sound of it, they had a greenhorn on the machine gun. Just great.
The sounds of manic squealing and screaming grew in volume as the pack of arachnae approached the wall.
'Unit 2: open fire!'
"Here we go", Noctis muttered and closed one eye to aim through the scope. An arachne fell. Then another.
"Noct, get the bombs! They're growing too fast!" Prompto shouted over the sound of shooting.
Noctis turned to face the bombs and shot. The bullet pierced the closest bomb, but the daemon refused to back down and only increased its size further.
"Get down, it's gonna blow!"
Noctis shot one last bullet through the enormous bomb before throwing himself to the concrete floor. The bomb shrunk and fell to the ground with a low moan, its flame extinguished. An arachne took the chance to climb up the wall without having to worry about bullet rain and jumped on the defenceless hunters who were still recovering from the false alarm.
With the Engine Blade in hand, Noctis struck the disgusting creature's side. The daemon screamed in outrage and attacked. He parried the blow, but the arachne was too fast for him. One of its powerful spider-legs disarmed him with a quick strike. Seeing its prey stripped from his only line of defence, the feminine creature made to lunge at him again. Noctis barely managed to evade by jumping sideways, the pointy ends of the spider-legs grazing his vulnerable side. The arachne was already at his back before he got on his feet, one of its legs pressing him against the hard floor and feminine clawed hands reaching to slash at his vulnerable occiput. He would've likely died had Prompto not opened fire and killed it.
Gasping in relief as the pressure from his back lessened, Noctis picked up his weapon and staggered to his feet. "Nice save!"
"It's nothing." Prompto had already returned to lean over the wall and killed any daemons attempting to float or climb up the wall.
A resounding explosion shook the ground.
'Several bombs managed to penetrate the north gate. Unit 1 engaging.' It was Gladio's voice.
"Oh no", Prompto breathed.
"Concentrate on the fight, Prompto", Noctis barked. The blond snapped to attention and continued to fire. Goblins that had climbed the wall from the northwestern corner took the gunmen by surprise and swarmed them. Noctis rushed to engage them in melee combat and tried to keep them occupied long enough for the hunters to recover and reposition themselves. The walkie-talkies buzzed, but Noctis couldn't concentrate on what was being said.
'Aranea, more giants coming from the north. They mean business this time.'
'Copy that. Ignis, is our newest toy ready yet?'
'Cid's making final adjustments. We'll be ready in five.'
'Make it two. We're running out of time!'
From the corner of his eye, the former king could see Aranea jumping high up in the air and diving down on an iron giant. Her magitek lance pierced the armoured hide and ended the horror film reject in its tracks.
Noctis was struggling to keep the overwhelming number of daemons under control. "Prompto, little help here?"
"One Prompto Special coming right up!" He removed Gravity Well from his back, aimed and fired. The small magitek vacuum sucked in the pack of goblins. Noctis took out a magic flask from his pocket and tossed it. The goblins screeched in agony as they burst up in flames. The magical fire melted their sickly skin until nothing but charred bones remained. The stench of burnt flesh was enough to make a lesser man faint.
"Sweet!" Prompto exclaimed and turned back to empty another clip on the wall-climbing arachnae. The tide was slowly turning in their favour. The western wall was nearly clear from daemons.
'The cannon is loaded, Commander. Ready to engage.'
'About time. Unit 1, fall back to the courtyard. Unit 2, assist Unit 3.'
Noctis waited until his entire unit had left before making his way to the northern wall. As he was about to leave his post, he spotted something outside the fort. Pausing, he looked through his scope. It couldn't be…
"Luna!" His shout drowned under sounds of screaming, guns firing, daemons roaring and sirens blasting.
She's going to get hit by the blast if I don't get her to safety!
Without giving it any more thought, he tossed a rope ladder over the wall and climbed down. Little Luna stood motionlessly in the darkness. Her dirtied white dress and pale skin seemed to almost radiate with faint light. Most daemons were engaging Unit 1 within the fort, but few stragglers remained behind and spotted her. She didn't even lift her gaze as three imps squealed in delight, their dim yellow eyes gleaming with bloodlust. The closest one jumped on her and wrapped its bony fingers around her throat. She let out a terrified scream as if suddenly realising the danger she was in. His blood ran cold.
With an enraged roar, Noctis thrust his blade through the harassing imp. He dislodged the sword from its small body and cleaved its head off. Black blood stained the grass.
"Luna, get behind me!" The girl scampered to her feet and hid behind the older man.
Another imp shot magical draining beams, but Noctis easily blocked them and struck down the daemon along with its remaining friend. His walkie-talkie buzzed.
'Fire the cannon!'
Before he could register what was said, a shockwave knocked him over and he knew no more.
I need to get him to a doctor, he's bleeding fast!
I'm sorry I tricked you.
The infirmary is already packed and we have our hands full with the previous lot.
What do you mean?
But he's the leader of Unit 2!
I needed to get you away from the ronins.
I don't care if he was the bloody king of old Lucis! He is no more important than the men in there.
I didn't even notice them…
Noct! Noct, buddy, can you hear me? He's freezing!
They snuck inside from a crack one of the red giants made.
His heart is slowing down. We need to get him to warmth. Help me carry him. Aranea's fetching Ignis.
Thank you...
Gladio, do you have the thermal blanket and medical supplies?
You need to get better, Noctis. Your friends still need you.
Got them right here.
Can't I stay here with you?
Take off his clothes. Prompto, I need you to be my eyes and help me clean his wounds.
Why would you want to stay here?
Just need to wrap the wounds now...
I miss you.
Now all there is left to do is wrap him in the blanket and make sure he stays warm.
I'll be there for you when you wake up.
Will he be all right?
Promise?
He should be, but best to have a doctor examine him. Afraid there's only so much I can do without vision.
I promise.
Noctis slowly woke up to the pungent scent of herbs and potions mixed with the stench of blood and vomit. He was lying on a hard surface. His whole body felt heavy and numb from an unnatural cold. He was chilled to the bone, but at the same time he felt feverish and his face was burning up. The bright lights above him chased the remaining sleep from his sore eyes, causing him to wince in discomfort. He must've been taken to the infirmary. Groaning, he tossed his arm to cover his aching eyes.
A shadow loomed over him and shielded him from the lights. Noctis carefully lifted his arm to peek at the newcomer. A blurry image of Prompto's worried face stared back at him. Slowly his frown melted into a wide grin and he turned to the two men behind him. "Ignis! Gladio! He's awake!"
"Thank the Reaper", he heard Ignis breathe in relief.
All three came to hover over him.
Brown strands poked out from Ignis' usual styled-back hair and the clouded shades sat crookedly on his nose as if he was too distracted to notice it. His scarred lips looked a little swollen – probably from a brief reunion with Aranea after the battle.
Gladio's clothes had burnt holes from close combat with the bombs and red giants from before. The fine hairs on his tattooed arms had burnt off and the worst burns were covered in cooling gel patches. His jaw was clenched in worry, but his hazel eyes were full of relief seeing his liege alive and well.
Prompto's eyes and nose were red and puffy. If Noctis squinted, he could make out dried tear stains on his freckled cheeks. Fresh tears were already welling and glinting in his blond lashes. His lips quivered as he tried to keep a smile on. His hunter's vest was dirty and his bare arms were covered in scratches and bruises. His night vision goggles were damaged, presumably from when they had jumped for cover from the bombs.
"How are you feeling?" Ignis gently lifted the blanket covering his torso to check the bandages with his fingertips.
Noctis' voice was wheezy and weak. "Like I've been stomped over by a rampaging behemoth and received a kiss from Shiva herself." He was already out of breath. Gasping, he clutched to his painfully constricting chest.
Gladio huffed and helped the younger man down a warm drink mixed with a potion. The Leiden spices did little to hide the potion's bitter taste, but Noctis was glad to note that the chest pain was fading until it was nothing but a dull throb. "You're lucky you're alive. Had you been any closer to the gate, there wouldn't have been anything left of you to put together. The hell were you doing outside the fort, anyway?"
"Thought I saw a civilian", Noctis ambiguously mumbled.
"Did you hit your head? How would a civilian get outside the fort? Was probably just one of those creepy samurai daemons. From a distance they appear human enough."
A clicking of heels alerted the men to a new presence.
"To be fair, had he been at the wall instead of outside, he would've been ambushed by the ronins that sneaked in from the east." Aranea approached the quartet with a barely noticeable limp. Her famed dragoon's battle gear carried a stench of burnt human flesh and a peculiar stale smell Noctis had learnt to associate with spilled daemon blood. It had seen better days; the remains of her ruined leg guard were barely hanging together. While her armour was of the finest quality all of Eos currently had available, even it couldn't withstand the brutal might of a red giant's humongous blade. She sported several cooling gel patches for burns she had suffered on her unprotected abdomen and chest. "Good to see you among the living, Highness."
"Likewise. I take it we won?"
The dragoon smirked. "Wouldn't be here if we hadn't."
"Thought as much."
"The walls took quite the beating and we're currently working on repairs. No civilians were harmed during the conflict, but we lost a good number of hunters." She closed her eyes briefly in a silent prayer. "All good men and women."
Noctis lowered his gaze. Even if it wasn't directly his fault, he still felt every death heavily on his shoulders. Had he not been selfish, all of this might've been avoided. Had he done what Ardyn wanted, those hunters might still be alive.
"I know that look." Aranea interrupted his self-piteous thoughts. "No use moping over something you can't change. Just concentrate on getting better. We need all the hunters available - we're not out of danger yet."
"Will do."
She gave him a final pat on his uninjured arm before leaving.
An awkward silence hung over the four men. Noctis looked around him. A curtain separated him from the other patients, but he could hear a quiet chorus of groaning echoing in the cold room. The daemon raid had taken a lot out of them.
Gladio cleared his throat. "Iris and Talcott are coming back. When the MTs sounded the alarm, I told them to stay in Lestallum for another day. Should be safe to return now. They'll be happy to know you're still in one piece."
Noctis absently hummed in reply. The blessed numbness from sleep began to fade. The skin on his face, arms and hands felt like it was on fire. He licked his dry lips and winced when his tongue touched the raw skin of his split lower lip.
"Wonder what made the daemons try raiding this place", Prompto thought aloud. "I mean, they're supposed to be scared of the lights, right?"
"Correct", Ignis agreed. "There were unusually many of them in one place at the same time. It was as if they were organised and driven by a common purpose."
Gladio crossed his tattooed arms and leant his back on the nearby wall. "Might be Ardyn. He likes to toy with us. He's the one who's behind all of our problems."
"He sent just enough forces to make us struggle, but not enough to wipe us out." Noctis' voice was hoarse and his expression grim. "That son of a bitch." It went without saying that Ardyn's daemon assault was meant as a mere reminder of his failure, but it was also a sign of impatience, a demand for him to fulfil his calling and grant the immortal man satisfaction.
Noctis' stomach growled mournfully. He hadn't eaten anything for over a day.
"Want us to go get you something to eat, buddy? The kitchen's using a flexible ration serving schedule thanks to the raid."
Noctis offered a grateful smile. "You're the best."
"Aw right! Let's go get all of us something to eat before the best parts get taken!"
The three men took their leave. Noctis carefully sat up in order to not open any healing wounds. The skin on his arms was raw and red from healing frostbites. His right hand which hadn't had the protection of a glove was wrapped in a bandage. Curious, he carefully unrolled it to reveal frozen and hardened fingertips. Disturbingly bluish and black blisters covered his pinky and ring finger while his index finger was bright red and swollen - and it itched, badly. Not able to resist the temptation, he scratched the waxy skin. The fragile skin tore open. He hurriedly wiped the fresh blood with the bandage.
A passing nurse came over to him, kindly cleaned the mess and applied salve before rewrapping his hand in a fresh bandage and moving on to check on the other patients. As the itching subdued, he let out a sigh of relief. He leant his elbows on his knees and looked around the bleak room thoughtfully. The infirmary had been a laboratory before it had been repurposed. The tables posing as beds were highly uncomfortable, but he supposed most of the patients were pumped so full of morphine that they didn't even notice the discomfort.
The sound of nails scratching against the concrete floor brought the former king back to the present from his musings. Umbra sat down next to his bed and wagged his tail in greeting.
"Umbra, what're you doing here? Thought they wouldn't let dogs inside."
There weren't many pets in Fort Highwind. A few hunters had canine companions, but most civilians had to leave their pets behind when moving here. There was simply no room for them. Only hunters were allowed to have pets and only if said pets were trained to hunt or fight.
Umbra stood up on his hind legs and leant against the bed. It was then that Noctis noticed the red notebook sticking out from the case that was specifically made for it. His heart beat rapidly as he pulled the book from the case with his healthy hand and flipped to the most recent entry. On the next spread after the pressed flower he had found after Luna's death in Altissia was a sticker depicting the mythical being known as Carbuncle. Underneath the sticker it read in Luna's elegant handwriting: 'Get well soon!'
It was as if she was still alive.
A tear fell from his eye and stained the notebook's page. He managed to wipe his eyes before more fell and ruined the inked words. Umbra let out a sympathetic whine.
She still looked after him.
With a shuddering breath, Noctis carefully turned around and let his warmly clad feet touch the cold stone floor. Slowly, he stood up and supported himself against the wall. He pulled the thermal blanket from the bed and with some slight help from Umbra he managed to wrap it around his shivering frame. The silver-hued material rustled with every movement he made.
He needed to find Luna. Umbra took the notebook between his teeth and dutifully followed after the hobbling hunter. The few nurses he came across were too busy checking the patients to pay him any mind. All of them looked tired, like they hadn't had any rest since the sirens first sounded the alarm.
He halted when he caught his reflection in a mirror above a sink. His skin looked as if someone had tried to peel him like an orange. Dark and bloodied open cracks of skin blemished his forehead, cheek and chin. His chapped lips were a faint shade of blue and his ear tips were as dark purple as his frostbitten fingertips. The skin on the tip of his nose was literally peeling off - and it smarted like hell. Whatever it was that he had been caught in must've been some sort of high-potency blizzard spell. He'd have to ask Cid about it later.
Noctis found Luna in a body bag in an old storage room-turned-morgue. There hadn't been any need for morgues when the base had been under Niflheim command. The only casualties they suffered were machines which could be dismantled to pieces and thrown to scrap metal. Now the room had two dozen fresh bodies from the daemon raid waiting to be buried.
Noctis opened the body bag. Luna's single lifeless eye stared blankly past him.
"I got your message."
He dropped his hand to caress her unmarred cheek. It was cold and damp to the touch just as he had expected.
"I don't know how you're doing what you do, but… thank you. Not just for saving my life, but for being there for me." He lifted his hand and gently combed her messy bangs with his fingers to cover her missing eye. He sensed someone standing behind him. He zipped the body bag shut and turned around.
Little Luna stood silently next to Umbra. She had put the red notebook back to its holster.
With great effort, Noctis knelt down in front of her and lifted his hand to push her dirty blond hair aside and reveal her pale neck. Bruises from where the imp had attempted to strangle her tainted her skin. "Does it hurt?"
She shook her head.
Chuckling, Noctis dropped his hand to take her small hands in his. Her skin was slightly chilled and its texture was coarse and similar to cardboard. Chilblains covered her fingertips and toes, but she seemed otherwise unaffected by the blizzard blast. His body must've shielded her from the worst of it.
"Still as talkative as ever."
Her only reply was a coy smile. As he attempted to stand up, she supported him until he was safely back on his feet. She slipped her hand into his and led him back towards the infirmary with Umbra in tow.
By the time his friends returned to the infirmary with food, Little Luna had disappeared, but he wasn't worried anymore. She had promised to stay by him while he had been knocked out cold. He liked to think he could contact her whenever he wanted through the notebook, even if he wasn't sure how Umbra would deliver it, considering he didn't seem to acknowledge Little Luna's existence. There was also the matter of him not being able to write with his dominant hand for the time being. He wasn't about to ask Prompto to write for him.
They ate and talked in hushed voices as to not disturb the other patients. According to the nurses Noctis would be out of bed within ten days, perhaps even sooner. His wounds were healing unusually fast. Ignis figured it might have something to do with the Lucian royalty's blood, but Noctis knew there was nothing left of the Astrals' or the Crystal's blessing in him. Only Prompto cast him a knowing look, but said nothing.
The next day Iris and Talcott arrived and wasted no time in visiting their friend. Iris fussed over him like a mother hen and did her best to make his stay in the depressing environment as pleasant as possible. She even brought him a handheld radio she had purchased from Lestallum. It was left on to play on low volume. She had happily beamed when receiving plenty of praise and thanks for her deed from the other patients. The music calmed down even the most restless patients and helped their healing process.
Iris made it her job to visit Noctis every morning in the infirmary and deliver breakfast for him before going to the farm with Talcott. She happily chattered to him about her visit in Lestallum, how her crops were fairing and how she was proceeding with mending his old prince's fatigues. While Noctis was truly grateful, he silently wished she wouldn't bother with the clothes. Most of the denizens of Fort Highwind weren't aware of his former status and he preferred to keep it that way. He had failed his people and he wasn't ready to shoulder the accusations and anger that were sure to follow if his identity was to become known.
Within eight days he was allowed to return to his and Prompto's room.
His friend had had the sheets and their single rug washed for his triumphant return. A single elegantly carved wooden vase filled with sylleblossoms stood on the nightstand.
"Guess who paid me a visit", he grinned at the dark-haired hunter.
"Cindy?"
Prompto's hand shot up to cover his heart. They both knew Cindy didn't have time to visit her 'Paw-paw', let alone Prompto. "Now that's uncalled for!"
Noctis grinned in return and patted the freckled man's shoulder. "Were you actually around when she came?"
"Yup! I showed her the pictures we took near Caem. She really liked them."
Mortified, Noctis cleared his throat and retrieved the vase before settling down on the edge of the bed. The flowers were freshly picked, which under normal circumstances would have raised the question how she could've brought them from another continent to here in less than a day, and on foot no less. He had stopped questioning logic long since he first met Little Luna. Rules of nature didn't seem to apply to her. Her mere existence was an unexplainable anomaly. The flowers were as vibrant as he remembered and they brought much needed colour to the bland grey room. Their sweet smell rekindled memories from a time when sunlight still existed in the world.
"And guess what! She let me take her picture!"
Noctis glanced up at the excited blond in interest. Prompto flopped down next to him with his camera.
"Didn't have time to check the picture yet myself. Wanted to get the bed ready for you."
"Thanks, by the way." Noctis affectionately bumped shoulders with his friend.
"Hey, no prob." Prompto grinned as he browsed through the pictures. His expression fell as he found what he was looking for. "Huh?"
"What is it?" Noctis peered over Prompto's shoulder.
"I can't find it. There's just a picture of the wall."
Curious. He had seen Little Luna's reflection in the van's rear mirror. And it wasn't like only he could see her. How was it that Prompto hadn't been able to capture her on camera?
"Maybe she's camera shy?" Noctis lightly jested.
"Didn't seem like it. Did a cute little pose for it and everything." He shrugged and deleted the picture. "Maybe next time I'll get you both on camera. Might work then."
"Prompto, c'mon. I'd like to get this over with before Luna mistakes me for her grandfather."
"There in a jiffy!"
Noctis drummed his fingers against the van's wheel impatiently. He had been bedridden for only eight days and he was already itching to get back into action. Most of the hunters injured in the daemon raid were still expected to recover for another three weeks. He knew he was privileged, but being stuck between four walls had slowly driven him towards insanity. His friends had taken turns on looking after him, which had helped him pass the time, but at the same time he wasn't allowed to leave the infirmary. Umbra had guarded his sleep until the nurses requested him to be removed for hygienic reasons. The next night Noctis had briefly gained consciousness and seen Little Luna's silhouette sitting in the faint light on the edge of his bed and swaying to the quiet music coming from his radio. He didn't recall sleeping so soundly for a long time. In the morning he found Iris sitting in Little Luna's place and he wondered if his tired brain had conjured up the pleasant image from a subconscious wish.
"I'm leaving with Umbra if you don't hop to it!"
The door on the van's passenger side opened as Prompto rushed inside. The stench of gysahl greens nearly made Noctis gag.
"What's up with the extra equipment?" Noctis held his nose and eyed his friend's vest pockets that bulged with greens. A belt hung from his waist with several pouches. Noctis could see a bandage roll sticking out from one of them.
"Iris got a call from old Wiz." Prompto's voice was heavy with worry. "One of the chocobos from the farm freaked out and fled while Talcott was leaving through the gate."
"Guess we better find her, then. We can leave the daemon scouting for later." Noctis drove the van to the recently repaired north gate where an old all-purpose MT unit halted them for inspection before opening the gate for them.
"Shouldn't take long with Umbra helping us." Prompto did his best to stay positive. He glanced to the backseat where the dog sat. The canine woofed affirmatively.
"If there's anything to find", Noctis replied grimly. "The daemon activity has increased in Maidenwater."
Prompto's blue eyes widened as countless horror images ran through his overactive mind. "Don't say that!"
"I'm just being realistic."
"Nuh-huh. You're jinxing it."
Noctis shook his head, but kept his gaze on the bumpy and poorly maintained road. His reflexes kicked in when a figure became visible under the hallowed headlights. With a startled gasp, he hit the brakes and steered the van past the roadblock.
"What was that?" Prompto rubbed his neck where the seatbelt had dug into his skin from the sudden jerk.
Noctis checked the wing mirror, but saw nothing in the darkness. "Stay here. I'll investigate." He took his Engine Blade from the backseat and switched his torch on. Carefully he crept to where the van tracks had went off-road.
The shaft of his torch illuminated the unmoving figure's pale skin and ragged clothes. Noctis sighed in relief.
"It's okay. It's just Luna", he called back to Prompto before lowering himself to his knees and toning his voice down. "I could've run over you. What were you thinking?"
The van's door opened and Prompto made his way towards them. "Everything cool?"
Without any warning Little Luna grabbed Noctis' hand and pulled him to his feet.
"H-hey!"
She was surprisingly strong for such a petite creature. His hand was held in an iron grip as she dragged him away from the van. Noctis could hear Umbra barking and Prompto struggling to keep up with all of his equipment weighing him down.
"Where are you taking us?"
They ran for a good fifteen minutes. When they reached the forest's edge, she slowed down and pulled Noctis back before he could stumble past her. He looked behind him and saw Prompto's torchlight move faintly in the distance. Umbra had remained behind with him and watched his flank for any surprise attacks.
An insistent tug on his sleeve brought Noctis' attention back to the girl. She lifted a finger to her lips to signal silence. Her pale blue eyes were serious as she beckoned him to quietly follow. They crawled on all fours through the thick vegetation. Noctis could hear distant growls of sabertusks and squeals of goblins. Beasts and daemons were fighting over the ownership of the hunting grounds. Prompto finally caught up with them and collapsed on the forest ground with a loud wheeze. Little Luna visibly tensed along with Umbra. She zipped unnaturally fast to Prompto's side and covered his mouth with her small cold hand. He stiffened in surprise; it was the first time he was in physical contact with what he had speculated to be a ghost of some sort.
Noctis hovered over his friend and informed him of the lurking danger nearby using hand signs. Nodding, Prompto quietly turned to lie on his stomach before kneeling up to crawl after the two. Little Luna took point and led the men past the beasts and daemons to a giant's kettle. She pointed down and disappeared into the darkness. Noctis removed a coil of rope from his belt and tied its other end to a nearby pine tree. He was about to climb down when Prompto placed a hand on his shoulder and halted him.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he whispered. "I mean, we don't know what's down there." He peered nervously into the nature-made hole.
"She wouldn't risk having me drive over her if it wasn't important", Noctis argued.
"Uhh, Noct? She's kinda dead, remember? I don't think you could actually hurt her."
Noctis' gaze fell from his friend to the rope in his hands. "She was injured during the daemon attack. She denies feeling any pain, but I'm not about to go out of my way to find out if she can fall to a sword." He tied the rope around his waist and checked if it was secure. "You can stay here with Umbra if you prefer."
Prompto didn't appear any happier with that suggestion. "With a pack of beasts a stone's throw away?"
"Or you can follow me."
The agitated blond ran a hand through his messy locks. "You know how much I hate deep dark places."
Noctis cast his friend an impish grin. "Think about the treasure."
"I bet all the treasure's been pillaged by now. If there were any, there'd be some kinda superboss guarding it!"
"I'll go check it out, then. Watch my back. I'll tug the rope twice when it's safe."
Prompto quietly groaned in protest, but helped his friend lower himself down.
The cavern wall was slippery from a recent downpour. Noctis lost his hold a couple of times, but the rope kept him from plunging to his death. He cursed as his boot slipped and he hit his hip painfully on the hard rock wall. Regaining his hold on the rope once more, he found his footing and continued his slow descent into the abyss. He could breathe freely again when his feet finally found solid ground. The torchlight felt harsh for his eyes in the heavy darkness.
"Luna?" His whisper was loud in the enclosed space. He untied the rope from his waist, placed his hand on the damp rock wall and followed it. Just as he spotted Little Luna's dirtied pale feet, he heard a weak kweh. He hurried to the kneeling girl's side.
The chocobo's feet were bent in an unnatural angle. He suspected she had broken them from the fall. She lay on her side, crushing her right wing underneath her full body weight. The chocobo was missing feathers on the neck. Angry red claw marks peeked underneath a strip of dirtied white cloth. Noctis dropped his gaze to Luna's dress. It was only then that he noticed that its hem had shortened drastically since he last saw her in the infirmary. It was closer to a long-hemmed top than a dress. Modesty seemed to be the last of her worries. The strip of cloth had managed to staunch the bleeding, but it was nearly soaked through.
"Wait here." Noctis went back to the rope and pulled it twice.
"Noct?" Prompto's voice bounced from wall to wall until the echo was an incoherent noise.
No good.
Noctis activated his walkie-talkie. "Prompto, I need you down here. Luna found our missing friend and she's not looking good."
The transmitter crackled with static, but he could make out something resembling a 'coming'. He hoped the noise hadn't alerted the beasts and daemons.
The bird whimpered pitifully. Little Luna had pulled the chocobo's head to rest in her bare lap. She silently stroked her bloodied feathers.
"It's gonna be okay, girl", Noctis murmured.
A sharp yelp alerted Noctis to his friend's presence. He hurried back to the gap and managed to catch Prompto just in time as he fell the last few feet. The wind was knocked out of his lungs from the impact.
"Oof!"
The two men lay motionlessly for a second as they recovered from the fright.
"So this is what it feels like to be saved by a prince", Prompto wheezed.
"Get off me." Noctis pushed his friend and greedily gulped in air. "Did they hear you?"
"Don't think so. Think they took their fight deeper into the forest."
Noctis helped his friend on his feet and noted the rope was missing from his waist. "Did you even tie the rope around you?"
"I did! I'm just not good with knots", Prompto mumbled and averted his gaze as he scratched the back of his head.
"I'll have Gladio give you a thorough survivalist's training course when we get back."
"In my defence I didn't sign up for extreme sports. I'm a scout, not an archaeologist!"
A raspy kweh reminded Noctis of what was at hand. Without needing any encouragement from his friend, Prompto rushed to the chocobo's side and began to unpack his first aid kit.
The two men worked in silence. They changed Luna's rags to a fresh bandage and attempted to reset the legs to their natural angle, but even with the two of them they couldn't do it. Her legs were simply too thick and big. She thrashed and warked in pain.
"What're we gonna do, Noct?"
"She's way too heavy. We can't pull her up." He rubbed his sweaty face in frustration. He knew there was little they could do. A chocobo with a broken leg had little hope for survival. Iris would be devastated. Prompto began to pace as he tried to brainstorm for a solution.
"Maybe if we could tie the rope around her and the other end to the van-"
"Prompto." The dark-haired hunter interrupted him. "The van can't get through the bushes and trees. And there's the beasts to think of."
The freckled man's shoulders sagged. "Are you saying we have to-", his voice trailed off and his eyes filled with grief as he gazed upon the suffering bird.
"Yes." Noctis took the discarded cloth ripped from Luna's dress and tied it around the chocobo's head to cover her eyes. Little Luna took a few steps aside to give Noctis a clear shot. Prompto stood in stunned silence as his friend took one of his handguns. Noctis had left his Cerberus in the van. "I'm sorry."
Prompto averted his eyes as Noctis cocked and aimed. The gunshot nearly deafened the two men as its volume doubled in the enclosed space. With a final cry of pain, the majestic bird slumped down. The bullet hole appeared clean from the front, but the back of the bird's head was a mess. Blood had splattered on the rock wall behind the chocobo as well as on Little Luna who had been standing too close. Dread twisted Noctis' guts as he saw her with fresh blood covering the remains of her dress and coating her unhealthily pale skin and tangled hair. She remained completely unmoved by the violence and only gazed back at him in mild curiosity.
"W-we should leave." Noctis visibly shivered and handed back the gun to Prompto with a trembling hand.
Neither Iris nor Wiz took the news well. The chocobo had been an offspring of Iris' first race chocobo. Seeing her hazel-brown eyes shine with tears made Noctis feel even worse. Maybe he could have done something more if he had stopped to think for a moment longer. He awkwardly held Iris and patted her back, unsure of what to do. Old Wiz had sat down and leant his head against his palms. As an animal lover himself, Noctis sympathised with the old man. But it was different for Iris and Wiz. They lived with these animals and worked with them on a daily basis. To them it was as if they had lost a family member.
Hesitantly Noctis pulled away from the young woman and affectionately tugged at her ponytail. Her hair had grown as long as her brother's. She had tied the top half of her hair up in a ponytail while letting the lower half drape over her shoulders. Her face was devoid of the childlike roundness of her teenage years and replaced by a strong feminine jaw and cheekbones. She reminded him of how Mrs Amicitia had looked back when he was barely fifteen and visiting Gladio's home for the first time. Iris was still as lively as she had been as a teenager, but she had toned down her mannerisms. Her girly skirt and shirt had been replaced by a farmer's overalls. Underneath she wore Gladio's old Crownsguard tank top which she had modified to fit her much slighter frame. She had visibly gained more muscle on her arms from the heavy labour and looked more similar to her brother than ever. There was no mistake the two came from the same family.
She weakly smiled at him and wiped her eyes.
"Thanks for ending her suffering, Noct. I can't imagine how horrible it would've been if she were to starve to death or if a beast had followed her down there."
"Sorry I couldn't do more."
Noctis spotted Little Luna sitting next to Wiz. He could see her bare upper thighs peeking out underneath the ripped hem of her dress. She was still covered in chocobo blood. A chill ran through him and he had to resist a shudder. She looked lost and confused as she stared at her stained hands and picked at the dry blood coating underneath her fingernails. Her white skin looked paler than ever in the hallowed light of outdoor lamps and he could clearly see the bruises on her neck.
Iris lifted her hand as if to touch Noctis' arm, but withdrew when she noticed he was looking past her. She followed his gaze. Noctis held his breath and studied Iris' expression for any signs of recognition. She turned and furrowed her brow in confusion.
"What are you staring at? You look like you've seen a ghost."
He turned to check his wrist watch, only to remember he never wore one. Prompto was the one who cared about passage of time, not him. "I, uh, just remembered there's something I have to do. I'll see you later!" He hurried back to the van.
Closing his eyes, he leant his back against the car. What was going on? Didn't she realise she was freaking him out with her strange apathy towards her appearance? It was one thing to have a loved one's friendly ghost following you around, but completely another when said ghost looked like nightmare fuel.
He nearly jumped out of his skin when Prompto touched his shoulder.
"Dude, it's just me! No need to test your hunter reflexes on me."
Noctis ran his hand through his long ebony hair and took a few calming breaths. "Sorry. Guess I'm a bit jumpy today." He slid down until he was sitting on the ground, his back resting against the van's wheel. Prompto settled down across from him.
"You've been a little shaken even since you shot the chocobo."
Noctis absently picked at the grass and kept silent.
Prompto bit his lower lip and restlessly fumbled with his hands. "There's nothing else we could've done for her. That's what you said yourself."
"I know." Noctis tossed the blades of ripped grass.
"Then… What's up?"
Noctis' hand found another patch of grass to rip. "I keep seeing her."
Prompto chewed the inside of his cheek as he recalled the cold skin of a ghostly hand covering his mouth. "Luna?"
The dark-haired hunter nodded without lifting his gaze.
"Thought you wanted to see her."
"Not all bloodied and dirty. She looks like a rape victim."
With a thoughtful hum, Prompto crossed his arms and eyed the ground between them. He kicked the sole of Noctis' boot as an idea dawned on him. "What if you take her to shower? And if we ask Iris to make her a new dress?"
"How would that work? She can't see her and it'd be super weird if I cleaned her."
"Well, if nobody else can see her then it won't matter, right? I could guard the door while you do it."
Noctis sighed and bumped the back of his head against the van in frustration. "Still need to find her a new dress."
Prompto pulled a blood-soaked rag that might've once been faded white from his vest pocket. "Could just mend her current dress with this and have it washed?" It was the cloth Noctis had used to cover the chocobo's eyes. He hadn't even noticed Prompto retrieving it.
"Didn't realise you knew how to."
Prompto awkwardly chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "I don't, but Ignis does. He might teach me how if I tell him it's an emergency."
Noctis crossed his arms. "Okay, fair enough. What will she wear while you mend and clean the dress?"
"Iris finished mending your shirt, right? She could wear that."
The image of Little Luna dressed in his old skull-printed shirt brought a slow smile to his face. It was big enough to reach her knees.
"Fine. That's a sound plan, I guess."
"'Course it is. I came up with it." Prompto grinned and dusted his hands off as he stood up. "I'll go get Umbra."
"Guess I'll go find Luna, then." He got up on his feet and backtracked to the barn. Wiz had left to tend to the chocobos while Iris had gone inside. Little Luna had disappeared. Maybe he could try contacting her through the notebook Umbra carried around?
"Is it too much to ask for you to stay put?" he mumbled and kicked a rock from his path.
He found Little Luna waiting for him between Umbra and Prompto. His friend looked disturbed as he awkwardly made small talk to the silent girl. Noctis rubbed his temple in exasperation. Figures.
"Remind me, how did you talk me into this again?" Noctis grunted as he carried a bucket filled with a sponge, a hair brush, a towel, his mended skull-printed shirt, a soap bar and even a schnapps glass filled with shampoo stolen from Iris.
"Oh, you know. Besides referring to your fear of horror film girls, I might have threatened to tell Luna about the time when you drew hearts with Noct+Luna all over your school notebooks and how you practised your best cursive by writing her full name over and over."
Noctis ducked his head in embarrassment, silently glad Luna was waiting in the shower room instead of walking with them. He had seen name carvings of various couples in the public school's restroom and ended up doing the same in a less permanent way. It had been oddly satisfying at the time, somehow. He had never been one to give voice to his feelings.
The men entered the empty shower room. It was the middle of the night and the next person returning from sentry duty shouldn't be arriving for another hour or two. Little Luna sat patiently on a wooden stool and poked her finger through a hole near the torn hem of her dress. The cloth was practically tearing itself apart.
Noctis awkwardly cleared his throat and set the bucket next to her.
"All right. We need you to change out of your clothes." He unfolded the towel and held it in front of her to preserve her modesty. He turned his head away and closed his eyes for extra measure. Prompto held back a snicker. The dirty remains of the dress fell to the floor. She kicked it and sent it flying right into Prompto's face. Her small hands covered her open mouth and her normally glazed eyes were wide open in embarrassment and surprise.
A small, barely audible snigger escaped her. Noctis opened his eyes and snorted when he saw Prompto fumbling to get the dress off his head. Soon his clear laughter joined Little Luna's muffled giggles.
Prompto pulled the dress from his head. His hair reminded Noctis of a chocobo now more than ever. "Yeah, all right. Very funny."
Noctis grinned at the blond and turned back to the girl in front of him. Immediately sobering when he remembered her nude state, he lifted the towel further up to shield his vision.
"Uh… So. How am I supposed to be doing this without coming across as a creep, exactly?"
"You could start by turning the shower on."
Noctis kicked off his boots and made his way to the shower stand. He turned the tap and yelped when cold water poured on him, soaking his vest. Prompto scratched his head and watched his friend fumble around.
"You're getting the towel wet."
"You're not helping!"
Little Luna crossed her arms over her adolescent chest and eyed at the older men in amusement. With a roll of her eyes she turned the water's temperature to warm and took the soap bar and sponge from the bucket.
"Hey, I think she's managing on her own."
"You better not be watching her, Prompto!" Noctis growled, but firmly kept his head facing away from the girl.
"I'll, uh, get the dress fixed!" the flustered man called and left.
Luna switched off the water and began to scrub her filthy skin. Noctis squeezed his eyes shut to make sure he wouldn't even accidentally peep at her. Only the steady sound of sponge-on-skin let him know he wasn't alone in the shower room making a fool of himself. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if someone was to walk in on him now and they could only see him kneeling next to the shower stand and holding a towel in front of him? Then again, maybe that would be better considering what the alternative was. Maybe he could claim Luna was his daughter? But a father wouldn't act so flustered in front of his daughter, would he? His nanny hadn't made a big deal out of seeing him in his birthday suit.
A poke on his side snapped his eyes open. He glanced down at the girl who held the sponge in her left hand as an offering. Puzzled, he took it from her and watched her turn around and gather her hair over her shoulder to expose her back. Oh.
Not having enough hands, he dropped the towel and scrubbed the dirt and blood from her back. Tiny scratches and cuts covered her skin. It was as if Little Luna had dived through a thorn bush and escaped goblin claws while she was at it. For such an unnatural being, she sure seemed to be affected by her surroundings. Noctis set the sponge aside and took the small glass and emptied its contents on her head. With tender fingers he washed her filthy hair.
"I'm sure Iris wouldn't mind even if she knew. I mean, if she could see you, I wouldn't have stolen it in the first place. Kinda hard to explain why I need her shampoo of all things if I'm not going to use it myself", he rambled. "Would be easier if she did see you and I could've just asked her to do this for me."
Her wiggling toes along with clenching and unclenching hands implied discomfort. He rushed to correct himself.
"Don't get me wrong. I don't mind doing this. I mean, I do. That is, I want to help you and take care of you, but it kinda feels wrong. Just a regular geezer washing a little girl. Totally normal. Nothing wrong with that. Nope. Nothing at all."
He turned on the water and rinsed the foam from her hair and skin.
"All right. All nice and squeaky clean." He picked up the discarded towel and wrapped it around her small frame. It was big enough to cover her whole body. She gave him a sunny smile in gratitude and hugged his waist. A low chuckle escaped him as he stroked her wet hair. "Guess it's been a while since you felt clean."
She rested her cheek against his stomach and closed her eyes.
"If you promise not to disappear on me for a day, I could show you the handheld radio Iris brought me. Could see if we find a song or two to dance to." It was so strange yet heart-warming at the same time to suggest something as silly as dancing to a dead person.
To hell with logic, he thought. I'll take what I can get.
"I still remember, you know. You said you loved to dance and that you would've danced with me had my leg not been hurt. You danced with Ravus whenever you could and you didn't let the height difference hold you back. Kinda like us now."
Little Luna let go of him and took a step back before nodding and grinning. He couldn't help but return the grin. After drying her hair, Noctis helped Little Luna into his skull-printed shirt. As he had speculated, the shirt engulfed her whole body; the neckline revealed her small shoulders and the baggy sleeves reached past her elbows. She did a little twirl as her seal of approval.
Dead or not, it was definitely the Luna he remembered from his time in Tenebrae.
"You can keep switching the stations as much as you like. Won't do a thing."
Little Luna pouted.
"I did tell you there's only the one radio station in Lestallum broadcasting. We're stuck with whatever they're willing to play for us."
Setting the radio back on the nightstand, she took a single sylleblossom from the wooden vase before sitting down next to him on the bed. She hid the vibrant flower in his vest's inner pocket and turned to stare at the wall and kick the air with her feet restlessly.
Umbra lay in his usual spot. The notebook and its casing had been removed from him for the night.
Not wanting to ruin her night, Noctis took the notebook in one hand and wrapped his other arm around her. It reminded him of the times when his own father had read him stories. He had felt warm and safe tugged under his arm.
"Wanna know a secret?"
Her eyes instantly lit up as she eagerly stared up at him.
He flipped the notebook open to the last entry. "That Carbuncle sticker you got me was pretty fitting. I never told anyone, but I saw him in my dreams when I was sick. And when I woke up, my dad had left a Carbuncle figurine to guard my sleep."
The droning of the radio hosts came to an end and a traditional Accordian waltz began to play.
"Sounds like our cue." Noctis put the book aside and stood up. Little Luna hopped to her feet and lifted the oversized shirt's hem to curtsy just like she had been taught in the manor. With a humorous gleam in his eye, Noctis bowed in return, took her small hand in his and placed the other around her skinny waist. She in turn stepped on his booted feet to reach him better while holding onto his arm to keep herself steady.
It was utterly ridiculous and yet the former monarch couldn't recall having this much fun in years. Their dancing was closer to a slow dance than a waltz since there wasn't much room to work with in his and Prompto's quarters.
Little Luna's recently brushed hair swung with each movement. Her normally sickly pale skin seemed healthier than ever and even though the bruises on her neck were still visible, they didn't stick out nearly as badly as before and her cold skin didn't feel as icy anymore. Noctis could barely remember the fact that she was deceased. She looked and felt so real. He could even smell her soap and shampoo whereas before he hadn't smelled anything; no dirt, no blood, nothing. She had yet to utter a word to him, but her facial expressions and body language were more expressive than ever.
The door creaked open, but neither of them paid any mind. Prompto quickly switched on his camera and snapped a photo. He had barely expected to see Luna, let alone his best friend, smiling and laughing as the unlikely pair swayed to the music. The blond hurriedly closed the door behind him and placed Luna's mended dress over the bed's headboard before taking more pictures. This time he'd have her photo for sure.
Prompto had danced with Luna through a few livelier Lestallumian songs before the radio hosts continued on about the state of the world. At that point Noctis had switched the radio off. It was nearing three in the morning. They would have to wake up early in order to not miss breakfast. His friend had already passed out and slept soundly in the top bunk. The dark-haired hunter hadn't even gotten the chance to argue about having Luna take one of the beds for herself. Noctis supposed it wasn't so bad; he had already seen her nude, more or less, and doubted he could do anything worse. What was sharing a bed with a prepubescent girl?
He pulled the blanket up to Little Luna's chin and let his arm cradle her small frame against his side. Her head rested against his chest while her blonde crown lightly tickled his bearded chin.
Perhaps he was looking at this from the wrong perspective. True, they were betrothed once upon a time and true, he had loved her like a husband loves his wife. But things were different now. It was almost as if he was experiencing paternal love for the first time. Noctis had felt something similar when he first set his eyes on Talcott and his cactuar collection. He had been so eager to fulfil the child's wish and gathered all the cactuar statues he had come across, just to please the boy. Sort of what he had done tonight; he had danced and told Little Luna stories when normally he wouldn't consider doing either, not even to the fort's other children. He would merely watch from afar and smile to himself as the young ones played with what little they had available.
It was nothing short of a strange feeling, but it warmed his heart and brought him a sense of peace. Turning his head, he placed a soft kiss on the girl's temple. She looked up at him with an unreadable expression. As Noctis brought a hand to caress her cheek, he noticed something strange.
There were seams at the sides of her head; as if an additional layer had been placed on top of her face. He traced the barely noticeable edge. It felt like she had a life-like mask glued to her face. His short nails scratched at the seam and gently attempted to remove the outer layer. Suddenly her small hands shot up and pushed his hand off the seam. Her glassy eyes were wide with panic.
"Luna?"
She vanished before his very eyes. The shirt sagged as the body inhabiting it disappeared. He sat up in surprise and lifted the shirt. He could faintly smell the scent of her soap from it.
The mended and washed dress had disappeared from the headboard as well.
She was gone.
A/N: Sorry I took a while.