lucian royalty takin over here

[carbungle]

♥ Who: Noctis Lucis Caelum + Open!
♥ Where: Just a catch-all for some stuff
♥ When: Now! + January catch-all
♥ What: The prince of Lucis has Things To Do
♥ Rating: PG? will update as needed


( a. have you met my emotional support scarf - Open to All! )

[At first glance, it's just a normal guy walking down the street, nothing to pay any mind. Getting closer however reveals that he appears to be... talking to himself? Or at least having half a conversation, glancing at the empty space by his shoulder and speaking, then looking down at his communicator for a silent response. It probably looks kind of weird, and he's quite preoccupied with it. Maybe try getting his attention?

Those who can sense magic might notice not just his, but a secondary presence at his shoulder, small and invisible. Those who can't sense magic might just hear it... squeak?]


( b. friendship is magic...? - Open to Family/CR he's inevitably harassing )

[Noctis is venturing out to find… people! People he knows. And likes. Or just wants to know and like better. Basically he's trying to visit his friends and family, in part for a very specific question but also just to try that whole open affection thing he keeps getting told to work on.

If he knows where you live, he's paying a visit! Otherwise, mayhaps he'll find you in the street or in a shop somewhere by chance.]


( c. girlfriend? girl! friend!! - CLOSED TO LUNA )

[Going out for a date is all well and good but for Noctis a night in is just as (if not more) enjoyable, and the fact that Luna feels the same and had suggested it makes him appreciate her all the more; thus, the only thing on tonight's agenda is a meal at home and each others' company. He'd helped her prep whatever dish she'd opted to make, but once it's ready to be cooked and he has nothing to do, he parks himself at the table with his tablet out, opening up the design doc for King's Knight 2.0. Prompto's not around so he can finally ask her without spoiling the surprise.]

So... if you were gonna pick a character to play, what kind would it be?


( d. those ding dang head whispers - CLOSED TO REGIS )

[A little later into the month, after weeks of stressing about it and hiding and wishing he was a hell of a lot stronger, Noctis at last makes a decision. No more putting it off- it's time to face his future, his responsibilities. Time to learn about what the hell he's meant to do going forward.

He sends a message to Regis, requesting a one-on-one meeting, while the house is otherwise empty. He's late to arrive once a time is decided, pacing and circling the house first, anxious and hating it. Coward, his mind is scolding him. Just do it already.

Finally, he steels himself for the last time and steps up to knock on the door before he can change his mind again. No going back now...]

Comments

[scourgingstars]

Hm...I don't know, truthfully. I've never thought of it in terms of being enjoyable; fighting was just something I did to keep myself and others safe.

[carbungle]

[....

both of these impossible brothers uuuuugh]

Just... throw me a bone? Not even a single one?

[scourgingstars]

I...I don't know? Daggerquills, I suppose; they're hard to reach from the ground, and I find some entertainment warping if nothing else. Why?

[carbungle]

Daggerquills...

[He thinks a moment, and- right, right. Those things. He taps the name out on his tablet, adding to a list of collected monster names.]

Like I said, a project. Did you know you can commission customized VR games at the cafes?

[scourgingstars]

Oh--I had no idea. I've only tried it once or twice myself, I'm not fully sure what goes into it.

[he's...still working on more advanced technology, okay.]

Were you planning on one?

[carbungle]

[It's okay Ardyn, you're an old man, he gets it.]

Yeah. There's this game we used to mess around in almost every day back home, King's Knight- it's a mobile RPG to play with friends. [Enjoy the jargon, uncle.] I wanted to- I mean, Prompto's really been missing it. And if we can recreate it in VR, Iggy can play it again, too.

[scourgingstars]

...That's a pretty good idea.

[he'll just roll with it, okay.]

Quite clever, actually. So you're looking for ideas to incorporate into it?

[carbungle]

Yeah. A game like this, it's better if a lot of people play it, right? And most of us in town are fighters of some kind, I've noticed. They've gotta be feeling cabin fever in here.

[He knows he certainly is, even if he loves to be lazy. The adventure of a new battle every day is missing from his life, and it's weird.]

Is there a better way to drag a bunch of warrior-types into trying the game than letting them fight something familiar and fun again?

[scourgingstars]

It's a smart move, to use such a thing to compensate for such things we can't quite find here. Is it going well?

[carbungle]

About as well as can be expected.

[He tilts his communicator in Ardyn's direction, so he can see the size of the text document with all his disjointed notes and messy details. It's... quite long, numerous pages of shorthand and code and theoretical features.]

Turns out that video game design is a lot harder than I thought it was.

[scourgingstars]

[He blinked a couple times, putting on a small smile in a failed attempt to hide how little he understood a single word of what he was looking at.]

Well, it does at least seem like you're putting in serious effort.

[carbungle]

Effort's gonna factor in when I actually have to organize it into something coherent. Right now it's just a lot of rambling. I'm getting help with it though, so it'll make sense eventually.

[scourgingstars]

That's good to hear. I might even look forward to see what comes of it, eventually.

[carbungle]

There's no might about it. I am 100% going to drag you into at least one game with me.

[In other words, no choice.]

[scourgingstars]

Alright, very well.

[Ardyn laughed softly, not putting up much of an argument.]

If you insist, then I'll be happy to play a game with you.

[carbungle]

Good.

[That's one down. At least this brother doesn't put up a fight.

Leaving the tablet where it is, he slips off his chair and walks over to the kitchen area, intent on helping himself to a drink. May as well, if he's going to stay a while.]

You'll have to pick a class- I'm still working on the player characters. What do you think, would you wanna stick with healer, or try something different?

[scourgingstars]

I don't know...probably? I really don't much care for fighting at all, but at the same time it would feel wrong without my sword.

[carbungle]

[HMMMM.]

...Slasher cleric? It'd work as a normal sword on enemies, but if you swing at your allies you heal them instead.

[Violent healing seems kind of wild to imagine in practice and he suddenly really wants to see it.]

[scourgingstars]

I-...maybe? That seems slightly unsafe.

[carbungle]

It's just VR, it isn't gonna hurt anybody.

[If they were smashing potion bottles on one another's heads that would be a different story.

Drink acquired, he leans back against the counter to face Ardyn again, right leg lifted so he can rest his foot on the side of the cabinet rather than the floor. Sorry for your furniture, family.]

[scourgingstars]

...A fair enough point. I suppose that's as useful an approach as any, for a healer with a sword.

[carbungle]

Plus it'll keep people on their toes. You should be in something flashy- bright colours so they know not to dodge.

[scourgingstars]

I'll leave that up to you. Never cared much for bright colors, myself.

[as evidenced by the 'entirely shades of off-white' wardrobe]

...I do like red, though.

[carbungle]

Red? Wouldn't have guessed. I can do red.

[One more distinction between this Ardyn and the one in the future, then. Good to know. Though that would explain his general wardrobe. Not like Noct is one to judge considering his normal black ensembles.

He kicks off the counter and heads back over to sit with his tablet, adding to his notes and opening the sketch program Pyra had introduced to him. He has a pen for it now so it won't just look like a bunch of messy scribbles, hopefully.]

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn glanced down briefly, then back up at Noctis himself. He didn't...think he was imagining things, but it might not hurt to check.]

...If I might ask you an odd question, is your leg bothering you?