The Femme Fatale Fifth Wheel
Game Release: Part I
Prompto and Noctis passed notes back and forth in class. They'd text, but being caught enough times, and on threat of Prompto's life by Gladio and Ignis, they'd decided to settle for something a little more old school. There was just one problem: Solaris - the girl who sat in between their row of seats.
Prompto insisted she was pretty laid back, though Noct didn't really know her all that well. She'd transferred there only in the last year and so not many knew her. In Prompto's defense though, she did give off a pretty laid-back vibe. Coming into school with bike shorts under her skirts, always being called out because she'd put her legs up on her desk, letting the end of her skirt fall down toward her hips revealing her black shorts for all to see. It was like it was intentional or something.
Solaris would always start at least one day a week in class like this, her black buckled boots resting on the desk, showing off her nicely toned legs, her blazer splayed open in nonchalance with her tie undone or missing, her white uniform shirt never tucked in, and her dark hair always pulled back in a high messy bun or ponytail. She looked – cool, in Prompto's own words. Noct had to agree. He liked her style. Cool indifference.
He tried to get Noct to talk to her, but Noctis was never one for making friends as most were only interested in power and status. Prompto's shyness didn't exactly help things either. But evidently, Solaris was okay with allowing the two to pass notes back and forth between them. She was also discreet about it, waiting for the teacher's back to be turned to avoid trouble, which in Noct's book ticked her favorability in the right direction.
One day, however, Solaris seemed to be in a mood. Noctis, ever early because of Ignis' hatred of tardiness, sat in his seat finishing up the last of his history homework as Solaris entered, slamming her books down on her desk, making him jump. He looked up at her and she looked back, an irritated expression on her face.
"What, your highness?" she asked. "Have something to say?"
She looked ready to kick someone's ass, even his if it came to it, though he doubted she could.
"Nothing, sorry," Noctis said, turning back to his homework and trying to avoid looking her in the eye.
She sighed in frustration, as though she'd wanted him to take the bait. Man, whoever pissed her off, Noctis thought. Wouldn't wanna be that guy.
She sighed again, a little less pissed, and slid her bag to the ground with a thud, then put her feet up on the desk, letting her skirt fall way beyond where it normally did, as if to make a statement. She put her ear buds in and turned her phone's playlist on, blaring one of Noct's preferred songs from a popular metal band. At least she had taste in music. Noctis went back to his homework, tapping his foot along to her music.
Prompto came in fifteen minutes later, showered and hair styled in his new experimental style and yelled to Noct, startling Solaris, even through the music in her ears.
Prompto ducked his head in apology to her, threw his books on his desk then went over to Noct's seat to chat for a few minutes.
"So?" Prompto asked excitedly. "Seven Remake? Comes out at midnight tonight. You coming with to pick it up?"
Noctis sighed. "Come on, Prompto, you know Iggy'd never go for letting me come."
Prompto immediately started to sulk.
"You know the stupid security risks with the crowds, the time, blah blah blah."
"Sucks being the Prince sometimes, doesn't it?" Prompto asked. "I hate that you have to get permission for everything, man."
"Not everything," Noctis said, stretching. "But the fun stuff, yeah, pretty much."
"Ugh, can't you even try?" Prompto whined. "I don't wanna go alone."
"I did try, Prom," Noctis said. "When they first announced the midnight release at the store. Iggy took a hard pass, Gladio was there to shut me down too, and basically, they just don't see the importance. Or the fun."
"That's because those two wouldn't know fun if it bit 'em in the ass," Prompto said sulkily.
"Don't get me started."
"Take your seats. Class is starting." The teacher was in front of the room and Prompto waved sadly at Noct, heading back to his own desk.
Prompto quickly whipped out his notebook while Noctis put aside his homework, ready to take notes. As a Prince, he was never allowed to let his grades slip, so keeping up with schoolwork and doing well was as much a princely duty as any of the others were. He sighed, already bored.
That is, until a note slid onto his desk from a female hand. Noctis looked up. Solaris rolled her eyes over at Prompto who was looking at him expectantly. And the note passing began in earnest. Prompto trying to convince Noctis to try once more with Ignis letting him attend. Noctis telling him it was futile, rinse and repeat.
This excessive note-passing lasted almost an hour, Solaris passing the notes back and forth between them, before Prompto handed her the note to pass back and she suddenly opened it and read it. Her face became a mixture of annoyance and entertainment. Both Noct and Prompto stared at her in fear, wondering what she was going to do. Finally, she looked at both in turn, scowling and glaring.
The two teens held their breath, waiting for the boom to drop. Then, hastily, Solaris scrawled out a note beneath Prompto's writing, and handed it to Noctis once the teacher's back was turned.
Stop being 3rd graders and text. You'd save me my arms and my sanity. If you'd rather remain archaic, then I want in on whatever it is you two are always going on about. I reserve the right since I seem to be your mail woman every damn day.
Noctis looked up at her, relief that she didn't threaten to turn them in. That would make things awkward and more difficult for him. Not so much for Prompto, but Gladio and Ignis would see to it he'd get it for both of them, in training and in looks from Specs.
Noctis smiled at her. Then read Prompto's note, again chiding him to ask again. Then responded to both.
Prompto, you know I can't. Even I admit it's too much of a security nightmare, so I won't ask again.
Solaris, thanks for not turning us in and doing this for us. It's old school, but it's so my advisor can't track my texts in class to Prompto and think Prompto's some sort of 'bad influence' on me. Which you aren't, Prom. No worries, alright?
Noctis passed the note back at the best available chance. She read it, then responded and sent it over to Prompto.
It's Sola, by the way. Prompto, lay off the guy. I heard about the midnight release. It'll be awesome, yeah, but maybe there's a small way around it. Not the best way, but a way. If you wanna let me in on it.
She passed the note over to Prompto. He read both notes and responded, suddenly intrigued.
Okay, plan please? We gonna sneak Noct out and disguise him? Or go to another store? I hear there are a few others doing the same that are a little more low key. Not as well planned for the midnight party, but better than nothing. And sorry, Noct, I just really want you to come man. So we can geek out together.
Notes were passed back and forth throughout the day, a plan falling into place that even Noctis was satisfied with. Of course, it required Sola's help, and she'd have to come along with Prompto, according to her anyway.
"Think of this as a date," Sola said hours later as Prompto and she walked down the street toward the game store to get in line.
Prompto immediately blushed. Solaris elbowed him and laughed.
"You are too easy. I'm kidding," she said. "Besides, who goes on a date with another guy in her ear and a go-pro on their head?"
Noctis laughed in both their ears. He had been given generous permission by Gladio and Ignis to borrow their earpieces along with his own so he could witness the midnight-release from the comfort of his living room. It hadn't taken much convincing. In fact, Ignis was actually shocked that Noctis was taking the time to ensure his own safety despite the draw of the anticipated new game.
"So can you hear me, big guy?" Prompto asked, pushing his earpiece in like some movie villain.
"Loud and clear," Noctis said. "I can see you too. Nice night for a release party."
"Dude, I just wish you could see Sola's outfit! She cosplayed and everything for this!" he said incredulously. "Why didn't I think of that? I could've been an awesome Cloud!"
Sola rolled her eyes. "Stop pressing on the earpiece, Prompto. It's automatic two-way."
"But I look like James Bond when I do it," he whined.
"No, you look like an idiot."
Prompto pouted. "Harsh."
She just smiled at him. "And I agree, you would've made a good Cloud, but then people would've actually thought we were together or something," Sola said. Prompto perked up at her words, but then blushed again.
"Why, who'd you dress up as?" Noctis asked.
"Dude, she looks friggin' sweet! She dressed up as-" Sola clapped a hand over his mouth.
"And hence, why I'm the one wearing the go-pro and not Prompto," Kaylara said. "We're here!" Sola sing-songed. "So how many copies do we need to get our hands on?"
"Store said only one per customer. Even with pre-order tickets."
Sola swore.
"What are we watching?" Gladio's voice cut through Noct's conversation as he walked into Noct's apartment. "Oh, Prompto. How exciting," he drawled.
"This is Noctis' alternative solution to attending the midnight release party of the video game he and Prompto have been anticipating," Ignis replied from the kitchen. He was currently wiping down the counter tops.
"So whose got the go-pro on their heads?" Gladio asked.
"Girl from class who sits between us," Noctis said. "Name's Solaris."
"Solaris, huh?" Gladio grunted, grabbing a beer from the six pack he had placed on the counter for himself and popping the top. "She cute?"
"You know she can hear everything you're saying, Gladio," Noctis said. "She says her name is Sola and your voice carries."
"Good to know," Gladio responded, smiling.
The crowd in the store was crazy and packed. Aside from Sola cosplaying (supposedly), there were several others. This had been a highly anticipated game in Insomnia for months, if not years.
"You got my pre-order ticket, right?" Noctis asked.
"For the hundredth time, Highness or whatever you go by, yes," Sola said, her voice coming through his earpiece.
"Why can't I hear anything?" Gladio said, already bored.
"Hey, Sola, can you turn the go-pro sound on?" Noctis asked.
"I could, but I'll have to cut my earpiece off to avoid feedback."
"That's okay. If the sound sucks, I'll tell Prompto to let you know."
"Sure thing." There was a small beep indicating her earpiece shut off and then a few seconds later, sound cut in on the video feed on Noct's laptop.
"Crap," Noctis said. "I'm going to hook my laptop into my tv so I can get my sound system on. Then it'll really feel like I'm there."
There was laughter from the female holding the go-pro. "She sounds cute," Gladio said.
"Prompto, how's she gonna hear me?" Noctis asked.
"Relax, pretty pretty Princey, I just muted myself," Sola said. "I can still hear you."
"I like this chick already," Gladio said, taking a swig of beer.
"Excuse me, who is that? Because 'chick' is a word for baby chocobos, not women," a suddenly harsh female voice came through Noct's sound system as the hookup went through. The picture appeared on Noct's television too.
"Much better," Noctis said. "Sorry, not Gladio's comment. I got you on my system. I can see and hear everything now. As can he, Sola."
Noctis turned and grinned as she started berating Gladio for objectifying women and making threats on his life.
"I'd like to see you try, hon, but hey, anytime you wanna go a round," Gladio said, taking another swig of beer.
"Gladiolus, that is not becoming behavior of a proper Shield of the Prince," Ignis' voice chided.
"Now who's that?" Sola asked.
"Welcome to my world, Sola," Noctis said as Prompto laughed. "I give you Ignis, my advisor, and Gladio, my Sworn Shield."
"So the famed Scientia and an Amicitia," Kaylara said.
"You keep up with the tabloids," Prompto grinned.
"No, but my father keeps up with politics and I keep up with our history class," she responded. "Are we in line?"
"I think so?" Prompto said uncertainly.
"Damn, there's so many people here, even I'm uncomfortable," Sola said. "Who knows how many pervs are on this side of the go pro. We already know there's one on the other side."
Prompto tried not to laugh, but Noctis burst out laughing. Tears started to spring from his eyes, and he said, "Holy Six, this is better than being there!" Noctis said, laughing and crying.
"I live to please, your Highness," Sola bowed and everyone in Noct's apartment got a shot of the chaotic floor of feet and people.