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

[scourgingstars]

[The same rush of shadow came back over the edge of the stone landing, reforming into Ardyn who now looked like he had seen a ghost. other than himself.]

I, ah...well.

I don't think there's a floor.

...Ever.

1/2

[iustaegis]

[ It’s alright, he says, right before he goes, and she gasps, bringing a hand to her chest. The other shakily reaches for Noctis’ as the second tick by.

Was this a mistake? She knows they were trying to find a solution, but at this cost? No, no—

This is a very grueling minute. ]

[iustaegis]

[ OH GOOD HES BACK—



Yeah yeah this family if full of self sacrificing people and maybe she should expect it, but god damn that doesn’t mean she can’t be sad about it!

She’s going to drop Noctis’ hand to give Ardyn a hug. ]

[carbungle]

[Her hand is welcomed during the duration Ardyn is gone for, and when he returns, Noctis is watching for it instead of looking away, made further anxious by not only the atmosphere of this place but also the time dragging on with nothing else to do but wait. It wouldn't feel right to try and explore without him, even if there was nothing they could do to help him if something went wrong (except maybe jump in after him and share his fate, whatever that may be) so instead he can only hyperfocus on everything else. Why was it built like this? Why is their magic sealed, but not Ardyn's power? (Though that is technically a good sign, considering they're here to learn about the scourge.) Why is there… black slime oozing from the ceiling into the abyss below? What the hell is this place?

He can't blame Pyra for needing to hug him when he gets back- Noctis halfway wants to do it himself, and only doesn't because he's too busy being both annoyed (of course his powers work, so unfair) and horrified by the declaration.]

…So… don't fall off, in other words.

[If you die in the crystal world do you die in real life??]

[scourgingstars]

[Pyra's hug was reciprocated along with a gentle pat to the head, gods knew he needed it with how today was already proceeding.]

It's alright--see, I told you I would be right back. [He shook his head and looked back to Noctis, clearly hating just about every second of this.]

Are...we really quite sure about this? What happens to us back in reality, if something goes wrong?

[iustaegis]

[ Okay…! Okay! See, she’s calm. A little teary-eyes but she’s wiping them away. Ardyn’s fine, she’s fine, Noctis is fine. They’re all okay.

Stepping away from him, she puts on a meager smile again. ] This is a memory, right ..? No matter how dangerous, I should be able to bring the both of you back.

[ She thinks? Her own power is fuzzy here. ]

[carbungle]

It's a memory, yeah…

[He sounds less sure than he'd like himself to be, though. It is functionally the same as what they've experienced before, but it still feels a little different than it usually is. More visceral… does that mean more dangerous, or is it just a matter of perception? They know so little about this place that it's still impossible to tell. Makes it all much more frustrating… also more worrisome.]

Maybe just- expect the worst, hope for the best? Let's not take any more risks than we have to. It does look like we can't play it totally safe, but we can do our best. [He glances at Ardyn.] That means you too. Even if it's safer for you to do it, let's not go down there again. See that? [He points off to the side, where another streak of black goo drops off into the abyss below.] I feel like that's a good indication of what could be down there.

[scourgingstars]

You don't need to admonish me, last I knew you weren't my mother. We'll continue with a little extra caution, just to be sure.

[There wasn't any real frustration to that, Ardyn swiftly distracted by looking to the walls with a quietly thoughtful stare.]

...It's hard to tell. One would think I'd be able to sense something like that, but it's impossible to say what I'm feeling right now. I certainly don't like it, but something is far more comfortable than I want to admit to.

[iustaegis]

[ She is rather curious about the goo… Probably best not to touch it. As for what Ardyn says, she bows her head, thinking. ]

It’s a memory, but… [ And one that does not belong to either of them, yet it holds some sort of special connection to them. ] …Do either of you feel a sense of deja-vu?

[carbungle]

That's not- ugh, whatever.

[See if he ever tries to play it safe again!! He shrugs and focuses back on the actual problem- namely, the ruins and its general vibe.]

I don't feel it any more than I would in any other Solheim ruin. A lot of them kind of look the same- they've got similar symbols, glyphs, mechanics, all that. So a lot of this is familiar to me in that sense. I don't feel like I've been to this place before, though. Which is kind of weird because I should, since I've been carrying this memory for months now.

[He pauses, as that particular realization brings a very different thought to mind.]

It's more like... no one's been here. Ever. Someone had to have built it ages ago, but no one remembers it. Any memory of it exists outside of time. [A beat, and then,] Oh.

[A ruin of time and space, that exists... outside of time and space. Huh.]

[scourgingstars]

That...really doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but I presume both of you know much better than I would.

[i am 2000 years old and what is this]

[iustaegis]

[ If no memory of building it exists, was it ever truly built-- ]

Mm... I think, from what it sounds like, this place's temporal effect makes it isolated from other memories. [ Briefly, she wonders if there's a chance that they won't remember any of this happening once they leave. She hopes not, but they're here already, and they've got its vast, deep mystery to solve. ] So anyone's else memories of... [ She gestures to the ooze that drips into the abyss, then to the dungeon at large. ] this won't be found. It exists, but only as it does now, not whenever it was being constructed.

[ She... thinks?? At least that would explain why he can't find another memory of some architect constructing these ruins in the first place. ] It's self-contained.

[carbungle]

This is gonna give me a headache.

[Noctis grimaces. Learning about the past is hard enough already, so many events and timelines to remember- now some kind of space-time distortion's entering the equation? What a nightmare. Really, they're lucky Pyra's here, as they have a much better chance of making sense of any of this with her help.]

Maybe we should just... head further in? Or at least figure out where "further in" even is? Whatever answer we're looking for isn't gonna be in the doorway.

[scourgingstars]

I'm fairly sure I've already got one.

[This is a lot to deal with and all of it is baffling.]

Noct's right--we may as well get this over with and see what we can find.

[iustaegis]

[ ...Right. Theorizing later. She gives a sheepish smile to both of them before turning and peering into the dark. ]

...So. Should we split up to see what those other switches do? Or should we go one by one?

[carbungle]

[Noctis feels some part of him seize up, right to his soul - which is fitting, considering that's kind of where and what they are right now - at the idea of trying to explore this place alone. It's a sensible idea, sure. It would get them through this horrible ruin that much faster, maybe find the answers they're searching for. And another part of him feels like he should be in here alone, that their presence in this place is more of an anomaly than what should happen. He'd be fine if he went on his own. But he just doesn't... want to.

He open his mouth, shuts it, glances away, his eyes drawn uncomfortably to the looming darkness hiding in every shadow. His hands fidget at his sides, and one subconsciously reaches out until he hooks a pinkie around Pyra's finger, wordlessly voicing his protest.]

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn frowned slightly as he tried to make out details in the darkness; much as he could see a little more clearly than the others, he couldn't quite see enough, which in itself was a disturbing realization. He could probably handle some measure of this alone--maybe it would be better that way, rather than let the pair of them see him likely to dissolve into shadow for maneuverability's sake.]

[...Then he looked back to Noctis and Pyra, swiftly coming to a conclusion and shrugging his shoulders.]

Oh, no, we can't do that. I'm hopeless on my own, without the two of you I'm liable to get completely lost. It's better if we stay together on this.

[iustaegis]

[ The pinky that links with hers will be reinforced by a proper weave of her fingers with his, as well as a turn of her head in his direction, smiling fondly.

...Splitting up? Of course. What was she thinking.

Ardyn's comment only cements the decision. ] Guess we'll just have to help out each other. [ In a partly playful, partly no-actually-she's-being-serious-because-you-two-are-wild tone: ]

So. What button first?

[carbungle]

[He opts not to dwell on the relief he's feeling, but really, thank the Six. He didn't want to split up, not even remotely. Instead he looks around, searching for the emblems they could try. It's a bit dark even with the light they have on them, so he can only see two right now.]

Let's try that one. [He points to the one on the side of the staircase, below where they're standing.] Unless Ardyn can get through those bars and up the wall to the one by our daemon friend, in which case- start there, because usually this stuff gets unlocked piece by piece.

[He is absolutely willing to cheat to get them through this terrible, terrible place.]

[scourgingstars]

Hm... [he looked across the space to the button by the statue, frowning in thought.]

...I might be able to make it that far. I can certainly get past those bars without trouble, at least. Would you like me to try?

[iustaegis]

[ Pyra doesn't have a problem with it, but she'll defer to Noctis and Ardyn on this of which switch to hit first, and how.

She is curious about that statue, though. ]

[carbungle]

[Noctis gestures for him to go ahead. Ardyn's shadowy step isn't really any more creepy than the rest of this place, and it's not even a power he remembers Izunia using. If it helps them, why the hell not use it? (He can keep his saltiness about that power working to himself, if he must.)]

Go for it. The sooner we get answers, the better, right?

[scourgingstars]

If you say so.

[Moving horizontally was a little more difficult than simply up or down, but he hadn't spent late nights practicing at the arena for nothing. Ardyn took a breath to quickly collect himself, then disappeared in a flash of shadow that moved in the blink of an eye, crossing the room and hitting the switch before rematerializing.]

apologies!! was swamped this weekend ;;

[iustaegis]

[ That's one switch down, and the heavy sound the switch makes after being activated is one of progress.

Pyra looks for the other, or whatever obvious path there is towards the next one. ]

smooches u both

[carbungle]

[Scarcely a moment after Ardyn hits the switch, a huge wrecking ball drops from a chain out of the darkness of the ceiling and slams down onto the bearded statue left of the entrance with a tremendous crash. Noctis staggers back in surprise.]

Whoa, what the hell!? Is this place supposed to destroy itself?

[As the dust and the broken pieces settle, he glances at the other two briefly then jogs back up the walkway to see the destruction from above. The path that the statue had been blocking is accessible now, with the arm leading up to another switch, right beneath an intricately designed golden door. It looks just like the Solheim symbols he'd seen in other ruins, and it usually signified "more stuff through here", in his experience.]

...Yeah, uh. That looks like the next path. Hang on, I got this one.

[He'll just... start climbing. Sure, it would be easy to make Ardyn grab them all, but a man's got his pride.]