hugtopia_logs | King of the Future

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King of the Future

♥ Who: Verstael, Noctis
♥ Where: Verstael's abode
♥ When: After this
♥ What: Traumatizing Noctis with future Lucis plans
♥ Rating: Nothing notable but potential death/violence/etc mentioning

Why he had agreed to this he wasn't certain. Noctis was important to other people, but to Verstael he was some king from the distant future that mattered little to his current circumstances. Nothing he had seen had caused him to regard Noctis as more than that. Despite having figured out who he was, he still saw him as little more than 'a friend of the boy'.

But, he had said he would. To some degree he almost hoped Noctis would stand him up. That way he could keep working without interruption and he would likely make better progress as far as he was concerned. Still, when he heard a knock at the door he let out a soft sigh and set aside that hope. Better to just get it over with. Hopefully it wouldn't take too long.

He opened the door to what should have been a typical townhouse like all the others Noct had seen, but some furniture had been thrown out, others had been brought in or built, and it was looking more like a lab now than a home. Extra desks to work on, new shelving put together to hold the growing collection of files along the walls, not a hint of homey decor that most people would like. Plain, sterile, and a bit ominous with that giant magitek engine he was working on just sitting out on one side of the room. Noctis might not recognize what it was, but it almost looked like a cage of sorts, created to house a power source that he did not yet have inside.

Plenty of paperwork was out of all varieties. Some out of place, as there were remedial worksheets for math sitting to the side. The simple addition and subtraction problems clearly weren't meant for him.

Others were journals he was working on accumulating data about the city, people and events that had occurred within.

But what Verstael led him to was a timeline. Their timeline, to be precise, though it started long before Noctis was born and he only took into account what had happened over a few years. Though it started slightly before, the first event listed on it was the passing of the Empress, followed by various events that occurred within the Empire at the time that Noctis had likely never heard of. His discovery of Ardyn, the recovery of Ifrit followed by the subjugation of Ifrit, various details about research into the scourge and what he discovered when, and the timeline continued beyond into Verstael's future, filled in using what he had learned from Cor and his journals, to include his work on the MTs. A small note was scribbled above the point where MTs were created that said, "Should MTs exist?" But he only went into the beginning before he stopped and the timeline ended.

Underneath the timeline pinned up on the wall he had various stacks things. Self-help guides, details about what the Starscourge was, notes about how MTs were created based on what he'd read, notes about Niflheim politicians that Noct had likely never heard of seemingly weighing whether or not they were a threat to the Emperor.

Still, he didn't seem to expect much of Noctis, waving a hand up to direct his attention to the timeline and asking almost flippantly.

"Have you any ideas?"

He didn't expect to get anything. He entirely expected Noctis to say some snarky remarks about the Empire and leave. Why was he wasting his time on this again...?

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"We'll see. Perhaps there will be a way to communicate. But as it is, what else do you expect? I cannot be on all worlds. We would have to formulate plans for each, seeing as each is at a different point."

His priority was, of course, his Eos.

But that didn't mean he had to eliminate any possibility of helping other ones. "Beyond that, how would you expect me to help any others if I am unable to help myself?"

He considered that, with some reluctance. Pyra had asked him if he would be willing to help an enemy, and his answer had technically been "depends", but ultimately for Verstael, "no". The man may not have lived it all yet but there was still history there, and he hadn't endeared himself or shown remorse the way Ardyn had. At the same time, though, the timeline and the effort shown here was self-interested but at least some progress. Maybe worth considering.

After a long pause to ponder it, Noctis could only offer another question: "Will you stop your emperor from taking over Lucis? End the war?"

"I can't make promises beyond what I have control over. I can suggest that His Radiance speak with King Mors, but I cannot control what the pair do."

He folded his arms and looked to the timeline. "I have been struggling as is with how to reach out to His Imperial Majesty. Contact for business is simple enough, but should the nobles or generals perceive me as threatening their positions I shall have to avoid being assassinated."

He stated it so plainly, as if he was contemplating a somewhat complex grocery list, then mused aloud, "I shall have to evade assassination both within and outside my lab."

Not exactly promising, but not a no, either, and he won't expect miracles here. He knew better than that. Nodding to himself, Noctis crossed his arms. "...War's wasteful. I saw what it's been doing to Lucis for years, and from what I've heard it hasn't done Niflheim any favours either, even if you're winning. Everything that we've poured into fighting- resources, food, people, all that could be reallocated to support countries, or trade, or something. A more balanced peace treaty - a real one, not some fakeout to steal the Crystal - could benefit both countries."

An overly simple way of suggesting something unbelievably complex, maybe, but that was where all good ideas have to begin. And it was what he truly wanted, no matter what timeline it might be for.

"I don't know how much stock I'd put in Mors, but any Lucian king would want peace. War doesn't help us accomplish what we're meant to do. You want ideas? Don't give Ardyn any power, don't let him help you make an army to take over the world, don't use Ifrit for anything but defense if you have to use him at all. He hates humans, so any info he'd share with you would just lead to our destruction. That's how it goes, isn't it? Ardyn gets his knowledge and over time the world goes to hell."

"That is a problem in and of itself. Ardyn has already turned Ifrit. I cannot know everything that was shared, however..."

He paused momentarily. He had to see things in a different light now. For his part, he'd never really distrusted Ardyn before. Thinking of him as another potential enemy now was quite new. He frowned.

"I have already asked the Ardyn here what I may be able to do that would keep him from killing me. However, he has yet to suggest anything. If Ardyn's goals are different than what I had originally thought, then I will have to consider what he will do should I start changing the plans."

"I don't know what exactly his plan is, but whatever it is, he's contradicting himself over different generations."

He half-reached for the timeline, then paused, looking back to Verstael and holding out his hand instead. He wasn't about to mess with the supplies here or the timeline set up already without permission first, lest he get chewed out. People who draw timelines on walls could be weird like that.

"Can I add something?"

He actually wanted to add something? Color Verstael intrigued. He didn't have high expectations, but he wasn't about to stop him. With a small flick of his hand he gave Noct the go-ahead.

Noctis drew an extended line at the end of the existing timeline, and added "ME 756 - Ardyn" to the top of the page. He began to write two lists side by side, with an arrow that bounced between them in sequence of order.

The first was:
NIFLHEIM
-arranges peace treaty for emperor
-helps in attack that steals Crystal/kills king
-(probably) tips off army to destroy Titan
-(probably) tips off army to block access to Ramuh

And the other:
LUCIS
-clears blockades stopping access to Titan
-saves us from Meteor volcano
-breaks up a fight between us & Nif commander (after we wrecked Nif base)
-clears blockades to steyliff & hired merc to escort

Once finished, he stepped back and gestured to the... well, the mess. "He's playing both sides. Created problems for us and then was conveniently there to solve them. If you want to outsmart him, you should be doing the same thing- except for the countries, instead of secretly against them."

It was surprisingly reasonable. More than Verstael expected, at least. Thus far he'd heard little more than, well, many loud complaints about Niflheim. Certainly he didn't believe that Niflheim had never done any wrong ever - he had his own criticisms as most would about his country and some things that had happened historically. He wasn't particularly receptive to suggestions that would simply let the other side win, however, and complaints didn't do much to progress any cause.

"I had always thought Ardyn a valuable ally. Strong, resourceful, clever, the potential for unlimited knowledge... In the short time we had been working together it had been quite... enjoyable."

He rarely got to communicate with others as a peer.

All the more regrettable, then, that he had to view him in another light now. It felt like a loss somehow. All that time a new flame had been lit within him, wasted. Nothing but the machinations of a man who didn't care for him nor his country.

"He won't be simple to trick. I'll need to buy myself enough time to find a way to treat the scourge."

Noctis could only shrug at that. He sure did not miss the Ardyn of his time one bit, so Verstael was on his own there. "I wouldn't expect it to be easy. Someone that old, with the knowledge of an even older god in his head has got to be as smart as he is crazy. We knew he was up to something the whole time, he didn't even bother to hide it, but he kept forcing us where he wanted us. He always had the upper hand."

He had hated it back then - still hated it even now - but at least time and distance had given him some extra clarity about the whole situation, not to mention getting to know the true, uncorrupted Ardyn here.

"His end goal is what I don't know yet, but based on the results, he probably wants to destroy both Lucis and Niflheim. Or the whole world, with the Starscourge. There's gotta be a way to mess it up behind his back."

"I may need to find a way to build another lab in secret, with as few people aware of it as possible. He does not spend all of his time at our facilities, so if I could manage to divide some resources..."

The hard part here was that Ardyn could see memories. Which meant the more people who knew about it, the more likely Ardyn could find out no matter how well hidden. Which would make it quite the undertaking to keep it unknown.

"Perhaps... I could find a way to have it machine built and operated. No memories to steal, then, and Ardyn is less interested in technology..."

A dangerous game indeed. But that's what it was to deal with Ardyn.

"I shall have to strategize further." With a sighed he made a few notes underneath Ardyn about potentially using machines. He followed the rest of the timeline with the tip of the pen, without writing, until it stopped at another spot and was reminded of something.

"Ah, you are a friend of the boy. What was his number?"

Because he knew that he'd have numbers somehow even if he hadn't seen his own journals. Also? Totally normal for friends to memorize other friend's barcodes.

The boy... he could only assume that meant Prompto. The question still netted Verstael an odd look. "His number? Wh- the MT thing?" He frowned, glancing away awkwardly. "I don't know. He didn't tell me and I didn't ask. Who cares?"

Nowhere in any universe anywhere did he ever want to - or plan to - think of Prompto as a number. He had a name, and that's all mattered to Noctis.

"Ah." What do you mean friends didn't memorize friend's barcodes? Noct must not be a very good friend. "Very well. I will ask him later then."

For now he simply made a note to remind himself: 'Terminate ___________'.

And at the sight of those words, Noctis lurched forward immediately, slamming his hand down against the paper where the note was made. "Hey!! What the hell!? You can't do that!"

He actually flinched, a bit startled, and a little confused.

"Why not?"

Why not. He couldn't even dignify that with a response.

"You can't just kill him! What did he ever do to you?"

It was impossible not to be incensed at the implication, at the very idea of someone killing Prompto. No reason would be enough to convince him that it could be acceptable, but the idea of someone doing it so... nonchalant... it was infuriating, and he wasn't afraid to let that show.

Hmm. Did he not know? Possibly, but Verstael had a fairly clear explanation.

"Nothing in particular. However, he did request that he not exist."

Hence the note, but with a flick of his hand towards the notes above MTs, he added, "I do not know if he has the right to determine that for all of them. However, I can grant his request for himself."

It took a moment, but the horror that dawned on Noctis's expression as those words sunk in made it blatantly obvious that he definitely didn't know. His wide eyes shifted from Verstael to the note below them, and he lifted his hand to look at it again. Terminate. Terminate. What a wretched and heartless way to plan something so horrible.

"Are you sure?" he asked, finally, his voice strained. "You didn't misunderstand what he meant? He really asked for this?"

He wanted to believe that it was just a lie, some twisted fabrication cooked up by a cloning scientist working for the enemy. Even if the confusion on Besithia's face seemed genuine, it couldn't be right. Prompto would never.

But... what if he did?

Verstael shrugged. Thus far he'd seen Prompto some, but he'd never gotten close to him. The boy was... nothing like him. It was disappointing.

"He did not wish to exist and he did not wish to procreate. He thought the world would be better off."

A hint of lurking irritation colored his tone. What an absolute waste. Here he had the best genes in the world and he was throwing it all away. He wasn't even offering the potential of passing those genes on to someone who might make better use of their natural talents.

It had been a straight up insult to Verstael. "He believes there may be something wrong with his genes."

Nor did he want the other MTs to exist, but Verstael had questioned whether Prompto should have the authority to make that sort of decision. It seemed logically inconsistent to let him. But if he didn't want to exist, he could make that happen.

And maybe somewhere, deep within, it stung. He still had a human side, and knowing that he would have no progeny, no continuation of the line... It hadn't exactly been something he spent a lot of time thinking about, but coming here and finding out so suddenly his line would be cut short had been unnerving. A future with so many possibilities slammed against a concrete wall and stopped short.

Noctis stared down at the page for a long moment, unable to wrench his eyes away from that ugly, ugly word. He wasn't sure exactly what Prompto could be thinking, but he could hazard a guess. A particular rooftop conversation came to mind, his anxieties and hangups, his desire to earn his place and truly belong. Noct could never view him in the same light as the MTs who hunted them and were used to ruin Insomnia, but for someone who already had those self-worth issues to find out they were once destined to become one? Yeah, it checked out that he might have some issues with that, too.

He bent down abruptly and crossed the word off the page, shaking his head. To hell with Prompto's wishes. Whatever he was thinking, it's wrong, and Noctis refused to go along with it.

"Don't do it." His voice is firm, more quietly angry this time now that he understood the source of the note. Verstael might be his own kind of monster for accepting the request without question, but Noctis could believe his claim unless Prompto said otherwise. "I'll talk to him."

And he'd do everything in his power to keep that damn number away from this man, unless the end result would be sending Prompto to Lucis where he belonged.

"Perhaps you will have better luck. I informed him that there would be nothing wrong with his genes, but he didn't listen despite my expertise."

Frustrating, really. It might not have happened yet, but Verstael could put himself in his own future shoes, and he saw no reason that he would manipulate genes to be weaker. Prompto didn't seem to take to that explanation, though. How could someone with his genes be so foolish?

But for that part, he didn't argue against Noctis. He had no reason to. Prompto was nearly a stranger to him, and they hadn't formed a bond despite meeting. The boy didn't even like science class. Clearly some sort of horrible mutation happened during his fetal stages. He held neither any particular love nor resentment for him, and had no reason to pursue a goal that would alienate potential allies - or, in this case, any potential truce they might have.

Noctis wasn't so sure it was the actual genetics that was the major concern, but he knew too little of the situation to really comment one way or another. Prompto only told him recently after all, and didn't go into much detail- Noctis didn't ask, either. Where Prompto came from or how he was born wasn't important, he thought. Apparently he should have dug deeper after all.

All of that was for a different conversation, though, not something to debate with this man, so he straightened up and looked back at the board.

"Anything else you want?"

"Quite a bit, but it's unlikely you're the correct person to deliver."

Though, if he were honest, Noct had proven more valuable than he initially suspected he would. Which actually did cause him to pause after saying that, evaluating. Perhaps he had judged too quickly.

"Unless you happen to have a clearer step by step guide on how to rejuvenate someone who is... despondent."

Despondent... as in depressed? His eyes scanned over the timeline, zeroing in on the most obvious source based on the conversation thus far: the empress. Even for an enemy, he could sympathize with that sort of loss.

It made him think of his dad, and how he must have suffered after losing his wife. Noctis knew there must have been times when he struggled, when the pain was too much to handle. It had been shown in the days where he'd buried himself in his duties, shirked his family life under the guise of serving the people, to avoid questions or perhaps to just avoid seeing the child who so closely resembled the woman that he missed. He'd seen photos, he knew. That excuse only worked if the king was in council meetings or trade negotiations, not viewing flowers on television or attending a festival with his own private entourage when they could easily experience it together. Understanding the situation better as an adult took the sting off, but those memories remained nonetheless.

It's why his response was, eventually, "Does he have any children?"

"One. An infant son. He hadn't much time to celebrate his arrival, though."

It had been completely overshadowed. A disservice to the young boy for certain, but not one that Verstael had looked deeply into. He could pity the boy in his own distant way. Especially since...

"I have learned recently that he will die young. He does, however, leave behind a daughter."

That would be their future. A shame for the boy to have such a tragic life.

...Ah.

Noctis closed his eyes for a moment - just a few seconds, long enough to catch himself and remember where he was - and crossed his arms over his chest. That was... eerie. Uncomfortably so. But at least it gave him a response that might be halfway useful one day.

"Do not bring it up here," he began, very carefully, "But one thing that can help a man through the grieving process is being reminded of what he still has left. Having a child is a big deal, and the kid needs a father. Maybe you can get him to focus on that, and everyone'll be better off for it."

For all the bad days they'd had, there were still plenty of times where he'd managed to make his dad smile. There were times when Regis surprised him by following through on his promises, and he cherished those memories dearly. They were happy, in their own way, and Regis wasn't the king that Mors was. Family could make all the difference; it could make one consider more carefully the choices made and how it might affect those around them. An emperor that cared about lost lives - like that of his son - might think twice about carrying on an endless war.

"Ah, distract him with something positive."

He tiled his head as his gaze fixed on that part of the timeline. A calculated way of looking at it, but at least with pure intentions. Depressed or not, his Emperor was a good man. Others had not thought that the Emperor cared about his son. Verstael couldn't believe that to be the case, but it had been rather difficult to convince others about anything positive when it came to His Radiance. All they seemed to see was a vile monster - nigh unimaginable to Verstael.

"Perhaps... I had judged you too quickly," he murmured softly, his eyes locking on Noctis for a moment before he took the pen back and his gaze turned to the part with the MTs. He didn't often change his mind, but he was willing to when he was given good reason. Noctis had been rather reasonable and given decent input.

He more completely filled in the scratched out word, so that it was completely and neatly covered, leaving only the note about MTs. "Very well. You may have the boy." He knew how to give and take. This was something Noctis wanted and mattered little to him in the scheme of things. And thus far, Noctis' input had given more than Prompto's, so he would allow it to overtly override Prompto's desires.

He placed some notes about the First Magitek Production Facility and when it is supposed to be created underneath.

Noctis scoffed mildly, shaking his head. Yeah, he'd kind of gotten that impression based on how the man talked to him. "Well, don't get too used to it. My priority's gonna be me and mine, just like you. But so long as the war doesn't follow us here, and our goals don't conflict..." He shrugged. "There's at least two Lucian royals who might be willing to coordinate with fixing things, if it means peace."

He may not be born for a while - let alone useful - but Verstael was clearly looking into things as a long game. May as well let him know what he was in for.

"I figured as much."

It didn't bother him. It was the natural way of things. People protected their homes and people they knew before they protected strangers. He was just baffled why so many didn't seem to understand that when it came to him.

"I have considered speaking further with Regis. He is not the king yet in my time, but it seems in approximately seven years..."

He wasn't sure how much they could manage in their current situation. With King Mors at the head, and no experience in a place like this, trying to negotiate peace would be quite difficult. Neither side would trust the intentions of the other.

"There is much to be done. If we are to be successful I will require some cooperation. I hope to find more concrete answers concerning Ardyn as well. I cannot distract him for the amount of time it would take to find a cure. He's too clever for that."

"...Why are you so confident that there is a cure to find? Even the gods can't do that much. The Oracles can barely make a dent in the infections cropping up around the world all the time."

He'd been one of the lucky ones, deemed important enough to see the Oracle so soon after his attack that the Starscourge hadn't sunk in too deeply. It was always there though, under the surface. The sickness left scars that don't ever heal. His magic, stifled and and stuttered for the rest of his life no matter what anyone did, was proof enough of that to him.

He seriously doubted one man in a lab could undo what the Astrals have been unable to purify without help for millennia.

"I suppose that means I'll surpass the gods, then."

His confidence didn't waver one bit.

"There's a difference in the methods previously used and mine. I don't rely on the divine to get my results. Ardyn, the Oracle, the gods... The kings as well, they have all depended on such power. You can't keep using the same methods and expect different results. It's almost a guarantee of failure." He gestured slightly towards the journals that went further into the future. "The predictability of that dependence is a large part of what leads to the downfall of both Lucis and the gods. Anything can be defeated if you know how. ...That includes the Starscourge. Give me the time and the resources and I shall prevail where the Astrals did not. Of that, I have the utmost confidence."

And it showed. On his face as he proudly held it up despite barely being Noctis' size, in the unflinching expression, in the firm stance he held like he was ready to resist being pushed over. He could do this. He knew he could with every fiber of his being.

Too much. That was way too much. Noctis glowered back at the man for a long moment, then glanced away and turned towards the door.

"Plenty of people would call that arrogance, and I'm not here for it. Be careful it doesn't make you screw things up a second time."

Either way, he was on his way out. The concept of changing the future was still something he struggled with - because what if it just made everything worse? - so it felt a lot like betraying his whole destiny to be doing it at all. Theorizing about a potential alternate universe was toeing the line, but he had to be cautious lest he cross it.

He watched Noctis walk around with his chin still raised and somehow gazing downward. But he spoke before Noctis left.

"This is why I prefer logical consistency over morals or emotion. Were we to announce that Niflheim may produce a cure for the Starscourge in a mere 15 to 20 years, would your citizenry have the same response?"

He doubted it. People were desperate. He hadn't even been looking for a cure and some turned to him for answers. He'd never particularly been trying to go down that path before, but if he did...

As far as he saw it, Noctis was spitting in the face of any potential cure because he did not like the man producing the results. It made no sense to him to be against looking for a cure or to see such actions as a cause to an apocalypse worse than their apocalypse.

Noctis considered not saying anything, just leaving it at that. He knew the people of Lucis - of the world - would want a cure, of course. But the Starscourge is one part of the bigger picture, and the bigger picture had so much to do with Niflheim. Their magitek that ravaged the country, their lust for a so-called heritage of a nation so long dead - and one where all of them came from - that any land claim would belong to more countries than just them, their war that spanned literally hundreds of years. What happened to the world goes so far beyond all of their small and short lives. That was why the power of kings was needed, a collective of a hundred gathered together. That was why the might of the Six alone wasn't enough. Why Niflheim alone wasn't enough, and would likely not be enough regardless of what Verstael planned to alter.

"Depends on what Nilfheim wants in exchange," were his final words as he walked out the door.

The people might welcome a cure. But Niflheim had never been a charitable country, and having seen the timeline on the wall he knew now how far back the experiments with daemons went. He wouldn't place his trust in them to save the world they've been slowly destroying for centuries.

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King of the Future

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