those rebellious teenage years come a-calling

[carbungle]

♥ Who: Noctis and Ardyn
♥ Where: Regis & Ardyn's place, woo
♥ When: /NONCOMMITTAL HAND WOBBLE, some time in September
♥ What: Some talking! About important things! AKA: "would you like to try a little blasphemy, as a treat"
♥ Rating: idk PG at least, probably


[It's well after his birthday - and post-afterglow of what a damn good day he'd had, because he'd wanted to ride that wave as long as he could without ruining it - that Noctis finally resolves himself to have a talk he'd been rather anxious about for... well, probably a few months now. It had started out as just a theorized thing between he and Pyra, something to work on in the background. But the truth is, if they really want to go for it - really, really make a solid effort - they'll need extra help. They'll need Ardyn on board. And he doesn't know what that means, he doesn't have a plan or a method or anything, but.

But.

He really wants to try, turns out.

And so, one particular afternoon when he knows Regis will be manning the potion shop, Noctis ventures over to the house and knocks on the door (rather than letting himself in, which might indicate things are more serious today). Should Ardyn open the door to invite him in, he'll be greeted by an awkward shuffle and an offered bottle of some of this really nice fruit wine from Shoremere, almost like an apology.]

Hey. You free for one of those talks?

Comments

[carbungle]

[That nets an amused noise out of Noctis, and he takes another swig of the wine. It feels a lot more celebratory than commiseratory now.]

We came across a few underwater ruins, though we only managed to get inside one of them. Are you talking about Steyliff Grove?

[scourgingstars]

I think it was called something to that effect, yes. Hard to forget, with the suspended water for a ceiling. [He leaned his head on one hand, looking thoughtful.] Then there was that tower to the south, or what was left of it.

I don't know how much simply having been there and studied the ruins would help, but it's something, should we find a lack of research materials elsewhere.

[carbungle]

Costlemark? We went there too. [He... has been to a lot of ruins, at this point.] I didn't see anything that would count as research material there, but they always had loads of daemons.

[He drums against the table, mulling over the idea.] Those ruins ran deep. Like... way underground. We must've gone down for miles, and when we reached the end we could still see cables and machinery going even further down. Maybe they dug way too deep and found something nobody wanted. Do you know about any ruins that go deep underground?

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn said nothing, lapsing into the deep concentration of someone trying to navigate memories as worn down and broken as the ruins of Solheim themselves. Staring at the half-empty glass in front of him without seeing it, a long silence passed before he began to form a response.]

I think-...I can't be entirely certain, but I can almost remember Aera mentioning one other. We--I don't think we ever had the time to venture quite so far as Ravatogh, but I'm almost sure she spoke of another rumored to be somewhere in that region. Do you know anything about that?

[carbungle]

Ravatogh... we climbed the volcano, but I didn't see any ruins directly. There were some weird lights to the north of it, though- reminded me of some of the Niff's magitek field generators. If there were ruins over there, They'd have set up tech nearby for their research.

[Makes him wonder what else could be out there.]

...Come to think of it, they found Ifrit on Ravatogh, didn't they? He ended up there after the Astral War.

[scourgingstars]

That's what I was told by Verstael, so that legend at least is proven fact. He was chasing traces of Solheim and the scourge alike, to the best of my recollection, so it's logical he would have found his way to the Infernian's alleged resting place. It then follows that you may very well have brushed past whatever else they thought worth examination if you were there.

[carbungle]

It kinda fits in all the corners, doesn't it. Astral War, Starscourge, Solheim, Niflheim. Good place as any to start, at least. And having a basic idea makes it easier- like doing a keyword search or something.

[Instead of just using the Eos equivalent of "I'm Feeling Lucky" in the Moogle search engine of his brain, actually having options would serve them much better.]

I'll ask Pyra, see if we can bring anyone else in. [He pulls out his communicator; may as well start things off and loop her in on the conversation. She might have insight he's not thought of.] If she can do it... would you want to come along? Or would that be too much?

[Ardyn hadn't been too keen on the extra memories - totally understandable - so Noctis doesn't want to assume anything and make it worse.]

[scourgingstars]

I don't know, it...

[Ardyn trailed off and sighed, shaking his head. No, it didn't feel right. Of course he had reservations--and how could he not--but that shouldn't have stopped him.]

No--if I can come with you, I will. As long as we're together in this, you shouldn't have to do all of the work on your own.

[carbungle]

If... you're sure. [He'll have to trust Ardyn to know himself well enough and recognize his own limits, though admittedly their family isn't great at that.] I'm not alone, though, if that helps. Pyra's always with me when we do this.

[scourgingstars]

I admit I don't like the idea, but I'm willing to try all the same. As I said--I want to help however I can.

[A pause, then:]

...Besides, if there are Solheim ruins out there and it is possible to see them, I'd like to.

[carbungle]

You might not be saying that when we're neck deep in stupid puzzles, but sure.

[At least one of them might enjoy it. Ruins nerd.]

[scourgingstars]

I'm...sure it'll be fine?

[He said, with all the confidence of the one who was regularly bodily pulled by his arm through stupid puzzles.]

[carbungle]

[Meanwhile Noctis is always the one who has to drag himself through it because he's expected to lead. We'll see how this goes with the two of them together.]

Probably. In theory. This is assuming we even find anything- it's really hit or miss with this stuff. [He reaches for the bottle to refill.] Hey, did you ever go to Ralmuell with Aera? The Oracle training ground? Or was that just a thing for them.

[scourgingstars]

[super well.]

Hm...the name does sound a bit familiar, but I don't think so. I never had the chance to travel beyond Lucis, so if it was in Tenebrae I'd not have seen it for myself.

[With a long suffering and mock-annoyed sigh:] It wasn't as if it was easy to go quite so far out at the time.

[carbungle]

Can't exactly criticize. I only went there twice in twenty years, and transportation's way easier in my era.

[He would have gone back to visit, if not for... everything.]

I saw it, through the crystal. It seemed pretty ancient too, and the Oracles know a lot about the prophecy stuff. Might be a good option for later.

[scourgingstars]

...I wouldn't mind coming along if you do, if you'll have me. I always did want to see Tenebrae, even if the reasoning and method is certainly...well, unexpected.

[carbungle]

Hey, we're nothing if not unorthodox in this generation.

[Him and Ardyn, technically.]

[scourgingstars]

I'd rather be that than boring. Being a little unorthodox may well work in our favor.

[carbungle]

It's done wonders so far, so who knows.

[He checks his communicator again, typing a few responses, then leans back in his seat and finishes his wine, sliding the glass away from himself.]

Pyra says she can bring you in. If you're up for it, she'll come over now and we can give it a shot.

[scourgingstars]

...Well, there isn't much point in waiting, right?

[it's fine it's fine it's cool it's fine.]

I'm ready whenever the pair of you are.

[carbungle]

[Noctis studies him a moment, trying to determine whether or not he's really okay with it, but ultimately opts to trust the answer he's given.]

Okay, she's on her way then. We can leave a note for Dad, in case he comes home before we're done... think we'll all fit on one of the beds, or should we take the floor?

[scourgingstars]

[He was about as fine with it as he was going to be, which was going to have to work.]

We can take up space in my room and I'll deal with the floor, gods know I've slept in worse places.

[iustaegis]

[ Noctis had asked if she could bring others into her crystal-- to which she had answered yes. Imagine her surprise when Noctis had replied by naming his very own uncle!

Not too long after that, she meets them at the (senior) Lucis Caelum household. ]

So... The plan is... what, again?

[ JUST. Double checking. She thinks she heard them right-- enter crystal, access remote memories, only together, and also with Ardyn's own knowledge and guidance. ]

[carbungle]

We're looking for more memories, or clues, or whatever- in some ruins of Solheim. Ardyn said Aera knew about a ruin around Ravatogh, and I thought I saw something when I was up the mountain, and it's connected to the Astral War, which is when a lot of people think that the daemons first appeared. So it's a place to start.

[He gives her a light but meaningful nudge.]

I told him... about what we're trying to do. He's in.

[scourgingstars]

Wholeheartedly, of course. I can't let my dearest nephew run about doing something reckless without me, that wouldn't be any fun whatsoever.

[we joke to cope in this house]

I don't know how much help I can be, but I'll do all that I'm able.