Persona is Latin for, "a mask" as worn by actors.
Chapter Nine: Persona
All around him, there is a flurry of activity. The comings and goings of the work staff scrambling to prepare everything before his big moment. He watches in barely suppressed amusement when he receives the occasional nervous and wary glances thrown his way, before the obligatory bow in respect to his birthright. The anxiety is palpable. He can read it on their faces and it takes a lot not to smirk in order to increase their discomfort. No one ever considered how their own actions made himfeel and now he had to consider theirs. Which he does, because he knows what he will say now will affect everything he has done thus far. In their eyes they ask him not to mess this up but there is also have distant and deeper hope that he will. Because they all do not expect much from him after all. They also did not have any idea what he has already done for their sakes and though he does not plan to enlighten them. He only hopes that his actions help his kingdom get through victoriously. For now, silence was his only card to play.
It is another reason to keep his words and thoughts to himself. It means he needs to keep that element of surprise and thus, keep his advantage. An advantage that he thrives on. Especially when he meets each of their stares head on with a face void of expression. His mask is firmly settled and gave nothing away. Something he knows sets them off balance and gives them a clear message that he was not to be trifled with.
"What?!" snaps Pro defensively when yet another backstage hand gives him that wary look. "Never seen a Prince before?!"
"You'd think he slithered out from Etro's gate," grumbles Glad with a glare of his own and his well built arms cross imposingly in front of his chest.
Perhaps they would prefer that I did, he mutters in his head as another hand gives him that same look before scurrying away in the face of his friends' wrath.
"Have you ever noticed how people look at you?"
"Like they hate me almost as much as they are curious."
"I would not say that it is hate that I see in their gazes," she said, looking around them while he was too busy looking at only her.
He marveled at how she could stand out and shine so brightly even when they were surrounded by so many people.
"Are you certain they are not merely staring atyou?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.
"No, they are most definitely looking at you," she said, giving him one of her smiles.
"What do you see in their gazes?"he asked, curious to hear her thoughts.
"I see wariness. I also see expectation," she answered. "You have a certain aura about you."
"My haughty persona?" he asked.
Something he has heard before. Plenty of times.
"No," she said with a shake of her head. "I think they expect you to do much, yet are uncertain if they can trust you." She peered at him closely as if she could have read into his mind. "But theycantrust you. I know they can."
"And how can you be certain of this?" he asked skeptically.
Her only response had been a secret smile on her plush lips. He had thought at the time that she had been paying him back for all the those times he had merely remained silent to her queries. Now, he wonders why. Why she kept that answer a secret. What had her thoughts been. She must not think the same now as she did then. Not when she has sided with the man they had both despised so much. Though, he suspected he had not despised Niveus as much as she had. Her siding with his rival was something else he can blame himself for however. He had all but thrown her to the clutches of his enemy, no matter how unwittingly. No matter that he had believed the other man dead when he had pushed her away. No matter he had done so thinking that she would finally be free. Had he known the other man had survived he… well he cannot say if he would have done any differently. Or would he?
"Noct?"
"Yes?" he asks, looking up to find Ignis in front of him while holding out a transmitter.
"Hei wouldn't wait and is already inside the Dome. Thought you might want a live feed."
"Multitasking," mutters Pro. "As if you didn't have enough to worry about right now."
"No, I think Hei is right to hurry," puts in Glad. "Niveus would probably make his move while you're speaking and Hei would be the best to track him down."
"But he cant be everywhere at once," argues Pro. "Plus he's in the Dome. Who's to say that Niveus is even there?"
"At least he seems to want to help us," he adds in. "We would be completely in the dark about the Contractors were it not for him. Especially considering our enemy has a powerful ally in Yin and who knows who else with abilities."
"Noct," says Pro hesitantly. "Why aren't you more pissed off about Stella being with that snowy bastard?"
"Upset?"
"Come on, Noct."
"They are betrothed."
"Which means squat now and you know it," says Glad.
"It didn't mean anything before," adds in Ignis.
"Your Majesty? You're on in five," says one of the camera men, before rushing back out.
"That is my cue," he says, glad to be saved from answering.
"Noct," Glad stop him.
"One thing at a time," he responds. "I can only deal with things as they come." He lifts the transmitter and places it easily in his ear. "Two things at a time, I suppose is more accurate. You are not helping me by making me think of her right now."
"You're right. Sorry. A little insensitive of us," apologizes Pro.
"We just worry, Noct," says Glad.
"I have to go now," he says, but he gives them each a nod to show that there are no hard feelings. "Wish me well."
"You'll do great, Noct."
"You can speak better than the rest of us. You'll be fine," reassures Pro.
"Thanks," he responds. Turning from them he takes a deep breath before walking through the curtains and into the den of vultures waiting to get their bite of him.
Bulbs flash fire across his retinas and he is momentarily blinded by their intensity. He can feel the heat of all those lights bearing down him. It reminds him of dawn, when he feels the oppressive light and feels the instinctive urge to run and hide back into the shadows. A part of him wishes that he could do that now. The urge is there. He will not though. He cannot hide and it scares him to realize that if he is to be a success today, he needs to show a side of himself that he has always kept fiercely guarded. He needed to expose a bit of vulnerability as well as his determination to deliver his people and his country from this new territory that they face. This is something that is nearly impossible for him after a lifetime of perfecting the persona that they all know. He looks out into all those skeptical faces and countless camera lenses and he cannot think of anything harder.
"Why must I do this?"
"You need to practice, Sweet heart."
"Mother, what is there to know? I only need to know how to fight."
"There is more to being a Prince than wielding a weapon, Dear One."
"But Iwantto learn how to fight, Mother," his younger self protested. "Not stand around in frilly frocks on a stage to be looked upon like this."
"He is quite right, my Queen," his father's deep baritone voice rumbled in. "Noctis has no use for any of those skills. He should be trained as a soldier." His father motioned for him to run along but he manged to hear the last bit of his parents' conversation.
"He must learnallthe etiquette required of his station," his mother's soft voice argued.
"He will only be useful as a soldier," his father responded dismissively. "That isall he will ever be."
If only his father could see him now. The perfect soldier. The efficient killer. Now, the public speaker. Something his father had never wanted him to be involved with. All because he had never wanted him to be king. Now, here he was.
The irony.
The complete irony of fate.
A genuine smile threatens to touch his lips and he looks at all those that stare at him so critically and suddenly feels a strength previously untapped.
"As has been mentioned before, I would ask that there be no questions while I speak for what I have to say, people have been waiting to hear. My coming to you directly is long overdue. " He quickly glances across the manyfaces before continuing. "I know that many of you have been demanding answers and thus far, all responses given from this podium have been disappointing and highly unsatisfactory. I too am frustrated with the lack of real answers. I want answers as much as everyone here does." He takes a deep breath. "But I would like to start where it is due. No one feels the loss of my father, our fallen King, as acutely as I do. We were all robbed of a proper mourning period when the Dome appeared and turned our lives upside down. Since then, many things have taken place. Many of those things, we do not understand and certain things that had previously been thought impossible, are possible. To make matters even worse, there is a group of people that has taken it upon themselves to not only invade our borders but to brutally murder our leaders."
He lets those words sink in for a moment.
"I know the rumors. I know many think that it was I who is the mastermind behind all these senseless killings. That I would do such a thing in a pathetic attempt at gaining power. There is no way to convince those who have already convinced themselves of my guilt. I am not here now to try and persuade them to think otherwise. I do stand here before you now to ask that you please follow me through this incredibly challenging time. As we no longer have an active government, I am assuming the role given to me by my lineage. Until we can establish a working government again, I will act as Regent. Our laws are still in effect. We must protect our city and our people. This I entreat as a man who must reluctantly step up in order to take swift action in a heated situation. We all must agree that quick action should be taken and this I am doing. We must deal with the many threats that our great nation is under attack from and all those who are responsible for these recent atrocities will be dealt with justly and swiftly. While we do that we must also strengthen our efforts on figuring out where and why the Dome is here. There is much we must do and the only way we can is by working together."
"I'm all set up inside the Dome. Not seeing any activity yet," he hears Hei through the transmitter. "Wait. A small cluster of stars are active."
"I am not picking up anything on the onsite cameras," replies Ignis.
"Something is going on somewhere."
"Now is a time of trial for us as a nation. What we do now will prove whether we are as strong as we have always been proud to be or if we will weakly crumble under the pressure of change and opposition. I will do all in my power to see that the latter does not happen." He pauses to collect his breath. "I would ask that when the time comes, when we start to see incredible things to come..."
"Something is definitely happening. Are you sure you don't see anything on that end?"
"No. All looks clear."
"...that we not react in fear, but with bravery. Please, support me in this war that others have started and we will see it to its conclusion stronger..."
He is just about to conclude when he notices a odd distortion in the lights ahead of him.
"Get down!" he shouts just before a shot rings out from the illusionary void and a bullet bounces against his shield. "One of the Contractors can make himself invisible," he rushes out before he teleports in front of the visage to protect the screaming reporters.
More shots ring out but he is able to deflect those too. With a wave of his arm, three of his swords are flying in the air towards the translucent figure but they only hit air as his assailant ducks out of the way just in time. He grits his teeth and strains his eyes to catch any distortion in the area around him again. When that proves futile, he snatches one of the bright lights and flashes the surrounding area. Instantly, he sees his predator turned prey and teleports just in time to stop them from making their escape. His arm shoots out and grabs them by the scruff of their neck, then tackles them onto the ground as the guards all circle around them. He makes sure he has the individual properly pinned before he speaks.
"Since you are no longer incognito, I suggest you show me your face," he says, tightening his grip to convey that it is not really a suggestion. "They really can do anything," he mutters to himself when the transcendent figure changes and he can see the man that he holds prone to the ground.
A middle aged man. Very nondescript and would pass for utterly ordinary in a crowd. A perfect choice if one could choose who became Contractors and what they could do.
"Good catch, Noct," says Ignis' relieved voice. "Are you all right?"
"Made an otherwise boring event rather stimulating."
"Yin!" Hei's voice gasps on the other end of the transmitter.
"She's there?" Ignis' voice asks.
"It's her observer spirit," replies Hei amid the sounds of pursuit.
"It might be a trap," he warns.
"Doesn't matter," Hei answers. "I need to see..."
"What? Do you see Yin?"
"Stop!" shouts Hei and the pursuit becomes more heated. Then it sounds like the rapid sounds of air, like he is flying and then a heavy landing upon a hard surface.
A worth chase while his was over before it had officially begun, though no less important. He stands while the guards take over and secure the man.
"Will you make this easy? Or will you be difficult?" he asks with his stare set upon the man.
"You do not deserve to rule," the man bites out angrily.
"I know," he says simply and the man's eyes widen in surprise.
Did the people think he did not know these things? That he had no self awareness? No sense at all?
"But there is also no one left who does," he continues evenly. "But I will not allow my people to fall into the hands of invaders either."
The man frown at him suspiciously. Obviously, not trusting that his words are sincere.
"Now, who sent you?"
The man clenches his jaw stubbornly in response and he almost lets out a frustrated sigh. In his ear, he can hear the clanking sounds of metal against metal and frowns. None of what Hei had told him suggested that Yin was a fighter, but perhaps he should have assumed that she was. Nobody is speaking but he can hear Hei's labored breaths and someone else's breaths. Someone familiar… His alarmed eyes fly to the man.
"Did Niveus send you?"
He has his answer in the man's involuntary response.
"It doesn't matter what I tell you. It doesn't matter who sent me either."
"Of course it does!" he snaps. "We are at war and not just from our natural enemies. Your actions have consequences. There is always something who will be forced to pay for the actions you take. Were you really prepared for something you love to pay if you had succeeded or failed to kill me?"
He sees the small amount of uncertainty in the man's face and shakes his head grimly. The mask is begging to slip with his frustration and impatience. He looks to the surrounding guards and jerks his head.
"Take him in for questioning. Bound at all times considering he can blend into the scenery so well."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the guards reply with a bow.
He then hears the sounds of shooting electricity and closes his eyes. Though he already knows the next words that are to be spoken, he still nearly flinches when Hei speaks.
"I have Stella."
A vision of Stella's beaming smile dashes across his vision and he feels that sharp pain pierce through his chest.
"Bring her to me, will you?" he asks softly.
"I'm getting a car ready right now," says Pro. "We'll get her and bring her in safely, Noct."
"Thank you," he says and for the first time in his life, he does not know how to keep his mask in place.