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

awww yeah

[carbungle]

[Having people actually notice Carbuncle is kind of fascinating for Noctis, after years of being literally the only one, so he's quietly and pleasantly surprised at the question. He glances sidelong at the little creature on his shoulder, and as it shrugs, he gives it a little scratch under the neck.]

This is Carbuncle. A Messenger, for the Astrals on Eos. Can you see it?

[unsunderworld]

Not clearly, but I can detect at least something of the shape. Quite an interesting aetherial friend.

[Carbuncle, a messenger of the gods, of all things.]

[carbungle]

It's definitely that.

[There's a squeak at his shoulder, and Emet should catch a buzz on his communicator, a little present from an unknown contact-

👾 😮 ❓ ]

[unsunderworld]

I can't say I've seen anything of the like. From what I know of your world, Elidibus' role as Zodiark's Emissary would be more akin to your Oracles.

[Hmm, curious. Don't mind him just pulling that communicator out of his pocket and then proceeding to look even more amused. His words next address that space over Noctis' shoulder where Carbuncle's head rests.]

...Clever, and quite perceptive. Think of me as a being of soul and aether alone, who merely occupies a body, rather than being naturally born to one. It's close enough to the truth without requiring a detailed explanation.

[carbungle]

Messengers are the opposite of Oracles. An Oracle speaks to the gods on behalf of the people, and Messengers speak to people on behalf of the gods. Usually better that way- most people can't handle direct contact.

[He should know, as someone who barely survived it himself. Voices aren't meant to shake the skull like that.

He tilts his head curiously at Carbuncle, then to the man, puzzled. Soul and aether??]

Did it say something weird? It does that sometimes.

[unsunderworld]

That much, at least, seems true enough for the gods of any realm.

[Though tempering is somewhat a different hazard from voices man was not meant to hear.

In response to the question, he turns the phone screen towards Noctis, wiggling it slightly.]

I daresay it wished to know of my nature, unless I am greatly off the mark. I'm sure that it finds me just as interesting as I find it.

[carbungle]

Oh, yeah. Sounds like something it'd do.

[He bunches his shoulders as Carbuncle switches from one to the other, leaning more closely towards Emet-Selch.]

Might be wondering about "aether", that word doesn't really exist for us. It's what you call magic, right?

[unsunderworld]

Not quite. Aether is the energy, 'magic' is the application of it.

[Or the most common application, at any rate.]

Think of it more akin to life energy.

[carbungle]

Life energy... like HP, maybe.

[In a video game. Of course.]

So combining the two might be like... making an elixir?

[Throwing darts at a board; he's still bad at magic theory, at least when it comes to the complicated stuff. The power of kings, he's got in the bag! Elemental and life stuff... ehhh.]

[unsunderworld]

No, no. Aether is the energy behind magic, the same way electricity is the energy behind a computer.

[It's okay, Noctis, you've got a college professor who is, if not overjoyed at dumbing such things down, at least used to it.]

[carbungle]

Got it, got it.

[That makes sense. He's not stupid by any means, but he's never had a mind to prioritize the thing he'd apparently been mostly incapable of wielding anyway. Effort better spent on things he can excel at instead. Though that may bite him in the ass later.

Carbuncle barks softly, and another message is promptly delivered: ⚡ 🚶 ⚡ ]

Is it weird for you too? To call it Carbuncle.

[Based on the terminology, he's assuming the same world as Era.]

[unsunderworld]

[He'd be correct.]

Not especially. It is I suppose rather like a dragon who insisted on being called Dragon, but one's own identification is ultimately a matter of choice.

[He is, indeed, from the same world as Era Ra, the au ra.]

Or mytho-historical precedent, as the case may be.

[carbungle]

Mytho-historical precedent? What do you mean?

[Can you be a little more specific, dude.]

[unsunderworld]

Oh, just that once you've been calling an entity something for a century or two, people don't tend to want to change the name.

[This is a slight poo-poo gesture. It's not that important.]

[carbungle]

[Eh, if this guy's dismissing it, he's not going to push. The clarification makes sense enough, and his relationship with mythology is complicated as it is.]

Huh... never thought to ask an Astral that kind of thing. I wonder if they used to have different names. Like that one Messenger that forgot, yeah?

[He glances sidelong at Carbuncle, who yawns.]

[unsunderworld]

It's entirely possible, though I would think it very far in the past, given that your world seems to have had relatively little linguistic shift in the last two thousand years.

[You and Ardyn speak basically the same language which shouldn't be logically possible, but eh, whatever.]

Names of gods tend to remain consistent as one culture develops from another, especially if they share a common language.

[carbungle]

Some things have changed, though most of it's probably slang and tech terms. [Ardyn and Somnus are certainly a lot more formal than he's used to.] Not a lot of people know the ancient language, and hardly anybody can understand whatever it is the Astrals speak. Hell, even if you can, they barely want to make any sense.

[This is probably better conversation for one of the Oracles, admittedly. He only speaks the one tongue, and understands?? the gods?? ...It's complicated.]

Language works weirdly here, anyway, so I don't know if I'd be able to tell the difference. Everyone understands each other just fine, but I doubt we're all using the same words.

[unsunderworld]

Oh, almost certainly not. Don't point that out to our hosts, you might find it used as some other incentive - 'you can only understand someone when you're in contact with them' or some such nonsense.

[The great thing about his truly expressive face is that it can express just how ugh that idea makes him.]

And if the effects of magical healing on the illnesses are any indication, my Gift would do nothing in such an instance, even though it should make such restrictions meaningless.

[carbungle]

[Noctis smirks at that.]

You're the one who said it. If the gods are the ones doing all the weird magic stuff, and that happens, I'm totally blaming you.

[unsunderworld]

Let us hope then that they were not listening.

[SIGH.]

Though if they were, no doubt it would be to that instead of anything else. I would give an empire or two for something better to do with my time.

[carbungle]

Better, like what?

[He has plenty of things on his own list, but he's curious about the general mood of town. Asking for things isn't likely to get you far if resources are low.]

[unsunderworld]

Anything I might do with my mind. There's a terrible dearth of mental stimulation here.

[Your initial assessment of him as a snotty academic wasn't wrong, Noctis.]

[carbungle]

[Ohhhh. Yep. Okay, that tracks.]

I haven't really had that problem. There's so many different worlds all gathered up here that just talking to people and hearing about them's been enough for me.

[unsunderworld]

Learning is engaging, to be sure. But I want for application.

[He gestures up, at the buildings.]

There is nothing for an architect to do in a city already designed and built. And so it is, unfortuantely, with many of the skills that bring me enjoyment.

[carbungle]

There's plenty of messed up buildings around here- feels like half the city's abandoned. Maybe you can redesign a few to keep yourself busy. Eventually they'll need more housing, if we fix this place.

[Which is optimistic at best, since they've seen little tangible improvements since arriving, but you never know.]