♥ April (Lasai) Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

April (Lasai) Event Log
Lasai is a beautiful month. The weather is warmer, the sky is a breathtaking blue again, and with the flowers from Ainir growing nicely, the entire city of Havenwell just feels more alive with every breath. It's a time of renewal, of rebirth, of Ainea's greatest strength as her adherents open the temple gates to invite people and robots from all walks of life to enter and share together. What should be a joyous time, however, is suddenly interrupted as the earthquakes mount day by day through the start of Lasai. Those messages that people have been receiving since Nalom? It seems it's time for the gods to deliver on their promises.

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❥ PROMPT I: The Wild Wild West (East, South and North)

As Ainir gives way to Lasai, one morning the earthquakes, which had been growing more frequent again, suddenly mount in their intensity. The entire city is shaking and the native residents cower despite their faith in their gods' protection. The guards along the wall shout alarm and abandon their posts as the walls start to shift under the strain. When the last of them are safely away from the walls, the barrier and the wall itself quivers. The citizens cry out in alarm and fear until they realize that the walls aren't falling - they're moving. And they're moving further out. As everyone in Havenwell looks on, the walls and its surrounding barrier fluctuates and expands, sliding through the city streets as if on hidden tracks, avoiding buildings and ruins, pushing the toxic air and the storm further away. They finally come to rest and snap back into place, new walls rising from who knows where to fill in the gaps. The barrier strengthens and the earthquakes stop, and as the dust settles, a cheer rises from the citizens.

"Praise the gods! Praise the off-worlders!"

Among the din of their celebration, however, other cries start up among the newly incorporated ruins. Cries that sound like howls and screeches, and certainly do not sound human. Grab your weapons and steel yourselves, off-worlders, with the addition of this new space comes the need to clear it of anything potentially dangerous that got caught up in the expansion. Not all creatures you'll find are hostile, but some certainly are. Docile ones might just fetch a nice price from the Research Towers and the Conservatory if you can capture a mating pair.

OOC: These are the creatures you can encounter in the city as you go through to clear it. It's not an invasion level of infestation, as the majority of creatures will prefer to remain inside their known territory beyond the original barrier, but you will on occasion need to take up arms and fight. Next to their names are the frequency with which you can find them, ranging from common to extremely rare.

• Inky Black Spiders (common - hostile): These relatively small, black spider-like creatures have very basic melee attacks, using their fangs and their sharp legs to bite and claw at people. Those who were around in October when the wall broke will recognize them as the most common enemy back then. Their exoskeletons are hard and when they die, they smash into a black goo. They tend to travel in packs, using sheer numbers to overwhelm their prey.
  
• One-Eyed Lizard (uncommon - docile): An iridescent scaly purple and green lizard approximately 8 to 10cm in length from tip to tail. It has a single eye at the top of its head that can rotate to see 360 degrees around it. This creature's main defenses are its tough hide and a spine on the tip of its tail which it whips at predators to dissuade them from eating it. It's more likely to run than fight, however, and can usually be found sunbathing on exposed rock with its eye closed.
  
• "Bone Giraffe" (extremely rare - hostile): A nearly 20-foot tall, long-necked skeleton of a four-legged creature long dead with a single curved horn protruding from its skull and a sharp snout. It's usually found lying in a heap, as if it laid down and died that way. A black seven-petaled flower sometimes (but not always) grows from the skull and beneath the skeleton is an oily black film. Touching the oil slick activates the creature, which draws the oil up into the skeletal cage. Its main attacks are brute force, using its bony legs and neck to kick and slam against its prey, and its acid breath. It breathes a black fume that sizzles and burns anything it touches.
  
• Rive Talon (rare - hostile - medium): In the past these creatures may have been canines of some form, now they seem to have melded with the detritus of the fallen buildings and creatures of the landscape. Extra spikes, ridges, and protrusions extend from its body at odd angles. Many of them are metal or stone, rather than bone. And some of the bones clearly were not originally its own. (Suggested by Sierra!)
  
• Outskirts Hare (uncommon - docile): A shy creature, roughly the size and shape of an earth hare, covered in fuzzy-looking, curly pink hair and cat-like whiskers. Normally quite timid, this creature's poor eyesight causes it to flee when it feels threatened, and relies largely on a sense of touch to navigate its surroundings. Contact with this creature's fur is markedly pleasant, but its skin discharges an oil that causes mild skin irritation on contact when it's nervous. Active mostly at night time. (Suggested by Mel!)
  
• Ansaurini (rare - annoying): a bipedal feathered bird with sharp claws and teeth good for chomping; some possess flight capabilities, but the majority are prone to a lazy waddle. Mostly harmless and deceptively unassuming until you turn your back- and suddenly it's run off with something it stole off your person! They are excellent at escaping, though they can be traced back to their hoard, and if their collection is raided they will make a lot of noise in protest. Just watch your back- they will try again until you leave their territory. Truly, a horrible thing.
  

❥ PROMPT II: Welcome to the (Urban) Jungle

Once the creatures are mostly taken care of and the newly revealed area is deemed safe enough to venture into, the city council will put out a call for those willing and able to assist the natives with a clean-up effort. The city outside the walls is badly damaged, left to the ravages of the time and the ever-present storm, which means clearing dust, debris, and flotsam is a high priority before people can begin to repair the new districts and salvage material or live there. Thick brown vines cover large parts of the city, grime from the storm is caked onto windows, rocks and scattered rotted bones and twisted metal can be found in roads and crashed through buildings. The atmosphere in this part of the city seems to mirror the decrepit state of the land, too, feeling heavier and grayer and more depressing than it has any right to be. Going out with people and helping together, taking breaks to lean against one another tends to help clear away any negativity that this land seems to bring to your thoughts, however. Since it's dangerous to go alone, be sure to take a friend.

The biggest concern is the vines, so natives offer to lend machetes to the offworlders to help the hack them away. The vines look brown and dead, the leaves withered and curled up. When characters hack into them, the vines release a puff of yellowish dust. Inhale the dust or get it anywhere near your face and over time, you'll begin to get sleepy - very sleepy. It's hard to keep your eyes open, no matter your resistance to poisons or magic, and eventually you'll find yourself falling asleep wherever you are. And once you're asleep? The vines start moving, crawling toward you at a snail's pace. Hopefully you did bring a friend because you'll need their touch to wake up and stay awake long enough to get away from the vines before they pull you deep within their grasp.

❥ PROMPT III: Take a Load Off

Not everyone can fight or clean or even wants to do it, so while those who are more suited to being on the front lines are off doing their thing, those who remain behind must begin the effort of preparing everything that people will need to live in these new areas. At the temples and in the main square, the priests have set up large rest areas with blankets and pillows, and are busily putting together repair kits for mechanics and explorers to use as they go through the ruins. Those who want a place to rest that doesn't require going all the way back to their homes might find these waystations more convenient.

At each, characters can find hot soups with chunks of hearty replicated breads and both hot and cold drinks available for any who wish it. They're trying to replicate pain medications and bandages for people who have been injured while exploring or fighting off the monsters who were unlucky enough to be left inside, and will ask you to try it if you're injured. Taking this medication might have some unintended side effects, however, like a feeling of euphoria or delusions of grandeur or even something as banal as turning your hair a shocking shade of chartreuse - the effect, if you want one, is up to you! The rest areas also have robots "skilled" in giving massages that are looking to test their newly acquired skills and with four pairs of arms, they can work on two people at once! In fact, they're rather insistent about giving you a free massage if they hear even the slightest hint of fatigue in your voice and will usher people into their curtained off booths regardless of whether they know the other occupant or not. These robots are still learning though, so anyone curious enough to try may need to work with their partner to give these robots pointers. They're trying, but not having fragile little flesh bodies is a major obstacle in learning how to have a gentle touch.

❥ PROMPT IV: That Which Remains

With the opening of the city, there seem to be a lot of buildings that need cleaning. Some are so dilapidated that they're better off demolished than repossessed, and most are residential and commercial buildings reminiscent of the ones the offworlders are used to seeing everyday in the Havenwell they've all known up until now. However, among the ruins of these older sections, those intrepid enough to venture and explore may find a few unique gems awaiting them. Just remember: the first rule of urban exploration is to never go alone. You never know what might be lurking in those abandoned buildings or what obstacles might be in your way. Doorways blocked by rubble will need more than one person to remove them. Frightened (and frightening) animals might be lingering in the dark. And, most importantly, you don't want to fall through the floor and vanish into a basement. There seem to be quite a few weakened floors out there. In the following parts of the expanded city, characters can find these interesting ruins:

• Northwest: The Arena - In the northwest of the newly opened area, characters can find what looks to be a ruin of a large open air oval building. The building itself is almost 3 stories tall with walls overgrown with brown vines and dead foliage. There are doorways that have no doors, instead being high archways through which people can access in the interior. Stairs lead up into what looks like worn stone benches and down below is a rubble-strewn open area. Part of the walls have collapsed over time but it's very clear this place was used once as some sort of viewing area. It'll take a bit of work to clear this place until it's usable!
  
  There are archways with stairs that lead downward, but you'll need some help clearing away the rubble to get to what's below! If you're successful in getting beneath the arena, you'll find hallways with empty rooms that vary between large enough to possibly be some sort of training room to small enough to be just enough space for someone to put a slim single cot or bed and maybe a wardrobe to have a small private room. Some rooms have rusted metal that may or may not have been weapons at some point, while others have faded wall paintings, chipped and worn with age. It's hard to make out, but with enough reconstruction work, you may just learn who used to haunt these halls.
  
  
• Southeast: The Baths - In the southeast of the newly opened area, characters will find a domed building unlike the rest of the architecture around it. It's extremely large, for one, and squat, while the rest of Havenwell's buildings seem to be lean and tall. The walls are made of the same stone, but the dome above is broken glass. There are several metal sliding doors set in the walls, but many are fused shut with grime and years of disuse. One main door, larger than the others is sightly ajar, however, and with some help characters may be able to force it open.
  
  Inside, they find an expansive lobby with white floors that must have sparkled before all the grime, dirt, and broken glass took over. The dome overhead reflects the light, making the interior of the building as bright as outside. At the center of the lobby is a dry fountain with two broken statues - four armed humanoids holding urns. Their heads are missing and many of the arms are broken and lying in the dry basin. From the lobby there are alcoves in every direction and two hallways that lead further into the buiding in opposite directions. In each alcove are low stone seats and round basins sunk into the ground that are either dry with a black film around the inside, or full of a dark oily substance that's nearly coagulated.
  
  Go down the hallways and you'll find identical looking chambers. First, you enter an open area with broken sinks and mirrors, with stone cubbies on the walls. Then when you pry open and push past the metal sliding doors, you'll find yourself in a wide open semicircular area filled with baths of different sizes, shapes and depths. Some are free-standing stone tubs, others are large basins sunk into the ground, and still others are rectangular and just big enough for one or two people to lie down in. Each of these basins are like the ones in the lobby, either filled with that same coagulated black ooze or dry with a black film inside. Looks like it's time to get cleaning because each basin also seems like they might be able to be retrofitted to produce water perhaps.
  
  
• Southwest: The Factory - In the southwest, closest to the wall, the characters can find an imposing square building. It has small thin windows and boasts a plethora of chimneys and smokestacks on the roof, some of which are crumbling or broken with age and exposure. There are two square doors, both of which are large enough to drive a truck through and made of metal which needs to be pried open before accessing the inside. Once inside, the characters find a massive operation geared toward ore and mineral processing and metallurgical refinement. The machinery is old, but extremely well laid out, as it seems this plant was used to process huge volumes of minerals and ores before being lost to time. There are stations for every imaginable part of the refining process separated neatly so they can work efficiently, but all of the machines are broken or currently inoperable and will need significant work before they can start functioning again.
  
  Explore the refinery and you may still find one or two of the ores lying about. They contain an unknown metal that gleams a slick oily silver. At the back of the refinery is an industrial elevator which is currently inoperational. Peering down through the cracks, however, reveals that the shaft goes a long way down. The view of just how far is obstructed by a shimmering rainbow-colored barrier, not unlike the one that is just outside the walls.

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This event will run from April 15th to 30th, although due to the areas and effects not technically vanishing, feel free to continue playing with it for some time beyond. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread.

Comments

[iustaegis]

[ That "I" doesn't have the pronunciation of a reference to self. Hm... ]

Consider it done. [ He knows how to sew, and that's fine. She steps behind him, hand going to the parts where he had been struck to inspect the tears in both the jacket and shirt, parting them to peer at the skin beneath. She presses a finger to the skin: it's smoothed over. There are clues to there having been a wound there, but from farther away she wouldn't have been able to tell. She knows it had hurt him during the fight. Some wounds are to be expected, though, when one is in battle, and she's doing him a disservice by posing as a novice.

"--cultivating trust and friendship--"

She has a long way to go, to be worthy of this power he's granted her. But the guilt is lessened, knowing that she might use it to help him in the present. Pyra steps to his side again, rejoining their hands. ] ...I'm not going to get in trouble with your father or Cor, am I? For not being a better honorary crownsguard.

[ She asks this lightly, not at all serious.... But a part of her does wonder if she better be prepared. ]

[carbungle]

[He doesn't flinch when she touches him; that's good. He'll have to give it a thorough check later, but it doesn't feel any different from the usual healing he's gotten via the retainer's connection. Feels a bit like how it'd been back when they first started out, leaving Insomnia, still learning how to navigate around one another in real battles, how to save each other from a sudden and unpleasant death. In time, she'll get there.

At her question, he shrugs his shoulders as they continue walking.]

Who says we have to tell them?

[UNHELPFUL. Actually Cor's likely to notice if the bruises get in the way of practice, but considering being out here is practice, maybe they'll get away with it.]

It's fine, though. It's not like I never get injured, no matter who I'm with. [She's seen his old scars, she knows this. And he's collected a few more since he fell asleep.] I'm alive, and you were there. That's all that actually matters.

[iustaegis]

[ They continue to walk down the street.

It's likely this won't be the last of his injuries, even if she wishes they would be. But perhaps he didn't mind the battle for what it was, giving him a rush of adrenaline and a way to spend energy. He didn't seem out of practice. Rather, his skills had only become more refined. ] ...True. Healing also gave me a perfect excuse to run my fingers through your hair.

[ You're welcome. ]

[carbungle]

[Pfft. He lifts his free hand to touch his hair, teasing at a loose lock and looking a little shy, cheeks turning pink.]

You, um. Definitely have a gentler technique than I'm used to.

[And one he's not complaining about.]

[iustaegis]

It is supposed to be healing, isn't it?

[ Why wouldn't it be gentle? If she didn't go for his hair, it'd have probably been his shoulder. ]

[carbungle]

It's healing, yeah, but it just takes a touch. Doesn't matter what kind it is.

[That offers a lot of freedom as to how exactly one heals.]

[iustaegis]

U-um.... [ She's following this line of logic along-- ]

So even if someone punches you...? Mid-battle?

[carbungle]

[His head tilts.]

I... probably? No one's tried that one. And they'd better not.

[He gives her a look. Don't get any ideas!]

[iustaegis]

[ She won't! She'd be shocked to hear if anyone who he trusts to heal him actually trips him up instead! ] I think I might stick with the top of your head.

[ So... anyways. ]

Oh... so. Lightening, mm?

[carbungle]

Hm? What about it?

[Oh, she's never seen him use it before... well, there hasn't really been anything to use it on, either. It's too volatile in his hands for practice.]

[iustaegis]

What do you mean "what about it"? [ She sighs, shaking her head once. Really, this guy. ] As if that isn't impressive at all!

[ Especially after considering he had trouble with magic before! ]

[carbungle]

That move isn't new, you've just never seen it before.

[He lifts a hand, a couple of little sparks dancing around his fingers before he stops; any more than that would be dangerous.]

You saw the spread of it- it isn't safe to use around other people, it's too volatile. So yeah, it looks impressive, but it's not all that helpful in close quarters.

[iustaegis]

[ That's three minimizing counts against one honestly impressive lightening spell. It isn't safe, it's not helpful, too volatile. He says these things, but he's used it here, safely. He didn't hurt her, and he planned to use that spell in a wide area.

She places a hand upon her hip. ]

.....All right, if that isn't impressive to you. What is?

[carbungle]

[The question gives him pause, because yeah, okay, his concept of impressive is pretty wild compared to most people. But that comparison is part of the problem; he knows too many exceptionally capable people.]

Watch my dad or Cor in action, if you ever get the chance... that's how magic is supposed to be used. They can pinpoint their spells, and they can use a few I don't even know. Or Ignis, he can channel the elements through his daggers with the kind of skill you wouldn't believe unless you saw it. I never said I can't use magic, just... it's safer when I don't. Never got the hang of it.

[He doesn't like how it hurts his friends. Battles are hard enough without making them worry about friendly fire.]

[iustaegis]

[ He’s comparing himself to two others who have years of experience on them, in the case of Cor and Regis. And while she practically hears how he looks up all three of them for their prowess... it doesn’t sit right with her that he’s putting down his own abilities.

She squeezes his hand. ] ...I think you are impressive. [ Does it mean anything at all, being an outsider to his tribulations? Quickly, she adds: ] And I doubt they think otherwise, too.

You can reach them, you know. Practice. Training.... I think you know you can, too.

[carbungle]

...Yeah.

[His words may agree, but his tone doesn't. Training here... well, maybe it's possible, eventually. But those skills don't carry over when he goes home, as he's already learned. And back home, there's no time left for anything. No way to train and no one to teach him. Is there any point in bothering?

This isn't the time or place for any of that, though, so instead he clears his throat and shrugs it off.]

I think I'm cool enough with my swords already, I don't need magic to kick ass. And now I've got you, so what's there to worry about, right?

[iustaegis]

[ She pauses, pursing her lips as she chances a glance at him from the corner of her eyes. She hadn’t thought him as complacent before, and even if he wasn’t training with her or another, he’d be working on something else such as their video game.

Now he doesn’t seem interested in furthering his skills? It’s strange. ] Not worry, but— [ Hm. How does she put this.

Pyra angles her head more to look at him. ] You already are impressive. But the man you can become tomorrow, the day after that, or a month from now as you learn and grow— when I think of what more you are surely capable of, it’s— [ She lets out a breath. ] It’s exciting. [ She squeezes his hand. ] I’m even excited to meet the Noct of tomorrow. [ And the Noct of the future, too, when he learns all those things or designs new things or even jokes about new things.

This excitement of which she speaks translates to a warm smile, as if she’s already proud of both who he is and what he may become. He won’t be able to do that if he remains idle. ]

[carbungle]

Pyra...

[He should tell her, he thinks. Probably. It doesn't seem right to accept that kind of encouragement under false pretense; would she feel foolish later, or think her words insensitive despite not knowing? He wouldn't blame her, but he can't dictate how she'd feel.

On the other hand, he has no desire to spoil what she's trying to say with a douse of reality. She's the kind of person who'd likely cry for his fate, considering she already has over much less; telling her would only kill the mood. She's smiling right now, and she looks so content. His gaze drifts briefly to Umbra, as if the Messenger can guide him on the right thing to do, but the dog only picks up the pace, continuing forward down the path they were walking.

So... Noctis follows. Forward is the way to go.]

I don't like it, [he admits, finally.] Being bad at things. I was for a long time, with warping or even pulling things out of the armory, simple things that even new Kingsglaive recruits could do. With everything I've managed to learn since then, it's... hard to go back to that. It's why I've focused so much on getting better at what I already know.

[iustaegis]

[ They both follow the messenger, not that she knows where Umbra leads.

She recalls that not to long ago he had spoken of something similar— about how he had wanted to improve. And before then, he had been adamant on training with her, interested in refining his magic. He admires his father. He has a whole legacy of kings before him that he bears upon his finger, a constant reminder that one day he too must stand among them, beside them, equal to them, and not in their shadow...

Yet he already shines so brightly on his own. ] Ah... [ She pauses, hesitant. He must know already, that many people learn the same skill at different paces. He has a talent for many things, while in others he might need more practice. Perhaps a little reminder, an example, might help with knowing he’s not the only one who has gone through this. ]

You know... [ She’ll begin with being vague, just in case he’d rather not continue this subject— and just in case she herself finds it too much. It is difficult, it always is, be she finds his hand in hers steadying. Besides, her intention here is to help and reassure him. ] I knew a member of your family who... didn’t learn how to warp too quickly, either. It took him time and practice to develop that and, ah, even some of his magic...

[carbungle]

[It's easy to assume who she must refer to. She's met them all here, but as far as he knows, she was closer to Somnus than anyone. And he, like Noctis, lived under someone else's greater shadow.

For her to bring him up is unexpected, so he carefully avoids the name, instead tentatively asking,]

How'd he deal with it?

[He doesn't imagine she would be lying, of course, but even so it's a hard pill to swallow, that a man with such indomitable presence had struggled and failed at anything. He'd seemed so capable, spoke with certainty. Maybe Noctis was just asking about the wrong things.]

[iustaegis]

[ Somnus had suffered in silence. It had been a privilege to hear what he had to say, in the time she knew him. She recalls traveling to the top of the mountain with him within a virtual reality, of becoming privy to one of his memories when he had been young. ] He... stood up, after failing a warp. Dirt on his nose, a few scratches— Each time, he stood up again.

[ He too, did not want to be left behind, but it had been more than that. There were other things he had done. Amazing things, great things, and yes, frightening things, and he carried it all like a mourning shroud. ] With his magic... he developed incredible spells. [ The one they saw beyond the barrier, for instance, then the one he had shown her one other morning. ] He had to— [ There was an imperative at the time while he was still alive, a pressing need to develop skills he wouldn’t otherwise have. ] He had to, to tame the scourge’s spread. [ If he didn’t succeed, he and many more would have perished, others would have fallen. He had managed, but it cost him a premature death, a damaged family, and more. ] Then for Lucis... he worked with his Shield, his queen, and others of his guard.

[ ...As she suspected, it is too much to speak of him so much. Drawing a breath, she turns slightly to look at Noctis, because this— what she’s telling him— isn’t ultimately about Somnus. ] Practicing swordsmanship, refining magic, working with those one trusts, picking oneself up after falling....

You’re... just as capable as that. If not more in some areas. [ Because let’s face it, Somnus wasn’t a people person. Noctis is far more personable and relatable, he can easily work alongside others. ] We’re here to help you get there, as well.

[carbungle]

[Tenacity was built into their bloodline from the very inception, it seems. There's comfort to be found in her words, no vague implications but rather an obvious intent. She's trying to encourage him, though he can tell by her hesitation that it can't be easy for her to speak about Somnus. Is it better, or worse, he wonders- these reminders. It's not good that it hurts her, as she must miss him terribly, but bottling things up can't be good either.

...Not that he should have any kind of opinion about that, all things considered. Everything he's kept hidden these days... he hasn't even told his best friend, or his father. He's not sure when (or if) he will. In the face of that hypocrisy, is he really one who should be asking for her hidden thoughts or feelings about a man she'll likely never see again, someone she cared deeply for and shared months of her live with?

He ducks his head as they walk, trying to steer his thoughts back on topic, but his fingers curl more firmly around hers. It's like with Luna; those feelings and that grief are difficult to give voice, but he's not alone, as she said. Neither is she.]

I know. While I was gone... I learned a lot, but I had to learn it on my own. [Lonely, frightened, desperate and angry. Cruel teachers, all of them.] I don't want to do that anymore. What we had going before was better.

[They'd only just begun to shake things up, to bring swords into the mix now that she has one- it had been a fun new branch of the kind of training they were capable of. And his progress since meeting her had been leaps and bounds above what he'd managed to learn in Insomnia as far as raw power goes. Severed as he is here from the full roster of Royal Arms, that growth had been something of a safety net for him. He misses that. Feeling safe, feeling confident. Feeling good about his power and how he can share it.]

[iustaegis]

[ Feeling his hand curl more into hers, it unwittingly also serves to steady the edge she had been teetering from speaking of Somnus. Curious how such a simple gesture can accomplish that, even more so when she realizes that he had meant it more to stabilize himself. It’s as if they’re capable to supporting each other, even when hurt. It’s not weakness, but empathy.

Indeed they had at least two, no, three different reasons to train together before he had fallen asleep. The first had been to develop his magic, the second had been to meditate and tap into his family’s ring, allowing him to commune more clearly with the old kings, and the third had been to instruct Pyra on how to utilize the light he had bestowed upon her (and how to use a sword). This had fallen to the wayside when first his father had gone asleep, then when Noctis too had fallen into slumber. She hadn’t wanted to insist upon practice when he wouldn’t be able to focus, but perhaps...

In his world— ”I had to learn it on my own.” She may not know exactly the circumstances, but she does know how despondent, exhausted he had looked upon waking up. He had run through a gauntlet, but it’s knowing what new power he’s obtained and managed to accomplish by himself that earns him another wide-eyed look before she settles.

He’s not alone anymore. He knows this, but that can’t prevent him from feeling lonely. Before Noctis had left, he had said family. It had reassured her. Perhaps he needs a little reminder here, too. What he went through alone, he doesn’t have to go through again. They can’t undo what’s been done, but they can build new memories: that is a promise the future potentially holds.

She musters a smile. He says he wants that? Then there is no question: let it be done. ] So— let’s. Let’s train again. [ They’re already doing it in some sense, putting their combined skills to the test. She turns slightly, taking a few steps forward to be just ahead of him, walking backwards and tugging at his hand. ] Not alone. Together.

[ There’s almost a hesitant pause before she adds: ] Family, remember?

[carbungle]

[He looks at her for a moment, surprised by the words, but- he did say that, didn't he. And he'd meant it- family had always meant more than blood for him, having gone his entire life with only a single living relative. Prompto, Ignis, Gladio were his brothers, Iris a sister. Clarus and Cor as sort of uncles, even Drautos once held that title. None of them shared blood with him, but he'd shared his life with them, some longer than others, still treasured in his heart. Here there'd been Somnus, and Ardyn still, family he didn't know or never thought he would. The friends he'd met here and had come to cherish. He doesn't know where Pyra stands, in all of that; she's someone undefined but precious, categorized with a question mark the way Luna is. Was. Not a sister, not a lover, someone he wants to spend time with and protect as long as they allow it.]

Family, [he echoes, as the moment passes. There'd been hesitation in that moment, but when he speaks, it's with certainty.] I remember.

[Even with all his distractions and difficulties, he's not about to forget that.]

We're kind of training now, aren't we? "On the job". Getting to see how you are in action with the sword. So... let's start there.

[Stalling, perhaps, to some extent; he's not sure what he wants to keep working on yet aside from that. It's hard not to find it a little pointless still, now that he knows those memories are not retained beyond this place. Even if "pointless" is too strong a word, his previous urgency is gone and replaced by unease. There'd been training with the ring, but he knows how to use it now, and he knows it hurts him. Training with magic, but the spells he was missing relied on the ring as well. Meditation to hear the voices of the past kings...

...he's... not sure he wants to listen to them for a while. Even wearing the ring these days is hard; he remembers them in the Crystal, a hundred souls echoing the words of a god, wishing for his death and an end to their long undeath.

Warping, though, and Pyra's training. That... he can do that. At least for a while, until he figures out the rest.]

[iustaegis]

[ She claims she's a novice, and she's fine with posing as a one. He's more than capable of protecting them both, she believes, with his arsenal of abilities, magic, and healing. The only thing she hasn't seen develop is some sort of magical shield, which must be a part of his repertoire somewhere along the line.

And his voice sounds a little softer now, his posture slight more relaxed. Perhaps this small talk helped. She hopes it helped. She wants to continue what they had before, too, and see wherever it goes. ]

Such as a field exam...? [ He had mentioned, jokingly, that this could be a test of what she's learned as well, so she echoes it here. ]

You didn't give me a grade for the last battle.