victory_road | [Open] Gonna take a..long walk outside today~

Holy-- [ Prompto begins to run alongside Noctis, before hearing a sound he hadn't before.

His Null was letting out a growl. It was the first time his starter hadn't sounded shy when being somewhere like this. This... darkness. At least it didn't seem--

Whoops. Prompto just tripped over, letting out a yell. Guess who banged into the nearby ledge and fell backwards. ]

[Okay yep this was dark. Very dark. Probably why the place was called Dark Cave, huh?]

Prompto! You alright?

[Managing to get his gear out of his pocket, Noctis turned it on so there was at least a little more light.]

What happened?

[Fluff and Pride had both ended up near Prompto in the scuffle, the bidoof looking pleased as punch as his little nub tail wagged about.]

Uhh... the wall popped up in front of me?

[ He's trying to give a little smile, but he's embarrassed. His Null gives a little grumble, looking to Fluff with a bit of a frown. However much of a frown the Pokemon can give. ]

Shit--

[ And then Prompto is suddenly looking though his bag. His Togepi was resting in there!! ]

Funny how they do that. [It comes out as a drawl but Noctis is worried about the other, kneeling down carefully so he doesn't jar Bean around too much.] Are you sure you're--

[He startles as Prompto suddenly starts digging through his bag, eyebrow going up as he starts to say something--

Wait.]

Your Togepi was in there right?

[Meanwhile, Fluff just gives Null a derpy looking bidoof grin, waddling over to the other 'mon and rubbing against his legs.]

Yeah - and I don't wanna crack Magus! I don't even know if that eggshell is actually part of 'er or--

[ Oh thank the Six - out comes the Togepi, who's just giving a little confused look. She... she doesn't seem hurt. Like, at all.

But Null tries to shake away Fluff, giving a huff. They should get moving, and no that doesn't mean run off again. ]

But-- I'm fine. Really. Probably just a scratch.

[Noctis and Bean both relax at the sight of the Togepi, the munchlax squirming slightly to let the prince know she wanted down. He obliges and she immediately moves closer to Prompto and Magus, peering at the Togepi with a curious tilt of her head.

You alright, little friend?]

As long as you're sure..

[Eyeing the other for a moment longer, Noct stands and offers a hand to the blonde.]

Come on. Let's see if we can navigate through here.

[Fluff just churrs at the other, puffing up a bit before waddling over to settle by Pride who just huffs lightly.]

[ Magus seems to pause for a little before... letting out a yawn. She was asleep during that?! But she nods. She's fine. Isn't it night-time? Can she go back to sleep? ]

Yeah, just - no more running, right?

[ Prompto says, taking Noctis' hand and standing - a little shakily. He's hurt his ankle a little, but nothing which'll stop him walking. Letting out little grunts as he did, however - little whines.

thisisfine.jpg, in other words. ]

Yeah, sorry. I was just worried about Fluff.

[The bidoof had a tendency to wander without worry and Noctis was also worried that the silly thing was going to get hurt.

Bean looks pleased with Magus's nod and scampers over to where Fluff and Pride are, scooping up the bidoof without hesitation.

There. Problem solved.

Noctis grins a bit before his gaze is on the blonde once more, frowning as he notices the wincing and whines.]

..You sure you're okay, Prompto?

Nah, I get it. We've gotta defend these guys.

[ It's almost like they're bodyguards. Or parents. ...No, the former is more fitting. Prompto wouldn't want to think about what sort of creature could give birth to all these and be their parent. (Introduce this man to a Ditto sometime.)

But at that concern, Prompto shakes his head. ] I think... I hurt my ankle? Defending myself from that wall, I mean.

[Noctis is suddenly completely and totally focused on Prompto, gently taking a hold of both of his arms to steady him.]

Maybe we should just set up camp near the entrance or something for right now. There's no reason to push yourself. It's not like we have a deadline or anything.

[And he really doesn't want you hurting yourself worse, Prompto.]

...It's weird.

[ Prompto says, letting himself be manhandled by Noctis - yeah, that's a bit of blood on him. But he's gotta push himself. ]

Not having a deadline, I mean. If we wanted, we could set up home here and never leave. Buuuuut I'd miss the warmth of a bed.

[Snorting softly, Noctis gently leads him back towards the entrance so they at least have a little more natural light to set up camp with.]

Yeah I don't know if I'll ever get use to it. I kind of miss Gladio and Ignis hounding me to do things and that's not something I ever thought I'd miss.

[Honestly? He just really missed the two of them.

Once they're closer to the entrance again he drops his bag to the ground before taking Prompto's and setting it aside as well, nudging the other to sit.]

I'll get everything set up. You just rest.

What, you're not gonna take a nap?

[ He jokes, as he's sitting now - letting himself lean back, and begin to fiddle with his PokeGear. Now he can see the light, he can see a few Zubat, a few other Pokemon. He swears he sees some... puppies? Nah, they're gone into the dark now. ]

But you had 'em pretty much all your life telling you where to walk and what to eat and everything. It's gotta be weirder for you then for me, right?

[He can't help but snort, giving Prompto a dry look.]

I mean, I can if you want me to.

[Noct's too preoccupied by getting their sleeping bags out to notice any of the Pokemon that have been drawn close because of their presence but Bean has definitely noticed. And if Pride's soft growling is any indication, so has he.]

Yeah, I guess..but we were all on the road together for awhile before we ended up here. I'm pretty sure Ignis got plenty of mother-henning in on you.

[ As he begins to mess with the edges of his clothes - nervous to finally admit this - his Hoothoot sits by him. Not because he's nervous, but because of the wild Pokemon. ] Actually we weren't on the road at all because I came here before we set out?

[ Look at that awkward smile. He's been trying to hide it, but it's not too big a secret, as compared to... some things. He adds, quietly, not noticing any of the wild Pokemon: ]

We were gonna set out tomorrow. Uh, tomorrow from then.

[Noctis had been in the middle of spreading the sleeping bags out when Prompto spoke, the words causing the prince to go still.

They hadn't...what?

He sits back on his heels and looks at Prompto in the dim light, a confused and perhaps a little bit of an upset look on his face.]

You're..kidding, right?

...No?

[ His voice sounds almost like a kicked puppy. He wouldn't kid around about that. Even if he was a big kidder most of the time - or at least, seemed that way.

After a moment, he shaked his head - trying to move a bit before wincing. ] Need help setting those up?

[ Subject change, go? ]

Forget about the sleeping bags.

[It comes out quickly, Noctis shaking his head as he stares at his friend. Their Pokemon all seem to realize that things have suddenly gotten tense between the two trainers and have gone quiet--even Fluff.]

You don't...you don't have any memories of being on the road? Of everything that's happened so far?

How can I remember things which haven't happened?

[ He asked, his voice betraying his words. Quiet, he was glancing around. Just as he feared - he'd missed something big, hadn't he. (Was it missing it if he hadn't done it yet? He should have pretended to have been mothered by Ignis. Pretending would have been great. Just as it always is. Damnit.)
The only sound from their Pokemon is coming from IE.exe, who's chattering a little as she patrols to stop wilds from getting to her pack. ]

[He didn't know. He had no idea that Insomnia had fallen or that they hadn't made it to Altissa and that they were trying to get help from the Astrals to stop everything that was going on.

Noctis sank backwards, sitting heavily on the ground now as he sucks in a breath and let's it out very slowly. His head hurts a bit and he can't seem to look at Prompto or really anything for that matter, gaze flitting about as he tries to find words.]

You...

[His voice breaks--outright breaks--as he realizes that he's going to have to explain it all. He's going to have to tell Prompto and, in turn, relive it.]

[ The breaking voice is what makes Prompto realise just how much must have happened. He's about to joke - not a fairy-tale trip, huh - but he doesn't... want to.

He doesn't move. Just weakly nod his head, giving a look as if to say he doesn't need to know. (He wants to know. Good or bad - maybe he could help, if he knew just what happened. Be somebody to make Noctis smile.)

And that's when he moved a little more, to the sleeping bags. They just... need to be unfurled a bit more, right? R-right. He hadn't seen Noctis like this before, so he just needs to help him. ]

[Noctis stays where he is, staring down at his hands now because he doesn't--he feels helpless. This isn't the sort of conversation he expected to have. He had never considered that Prompto may be from a different point in time than him.

It takes him a moment, even after the blonde has moved, for him to find his voice, the prince taking a deep breath before closing his eyes as he lets it out.]

We...we got started on the trip. There wasn't a boat though and before we could catch one...Insomnia was attacked. It--it fell.

[ ...It took Prompto a moment.

No, not just a moment. His expression turned from 'are you kidding' to horror within a minute. As it sunk in. Lips trembling, he couldn't help but... laugh a little, that sort of awkward laugh as he tries to find words.

But his throat seems suddenly dry, as everything about that sinks in. That would mean-- everybody's gone. Everything's gone. And in the future for him - he can't change it, can he? If he could, then Noct'd have already changed.

Words eventually come to him. ]

...was it the Empire?

[ Or... did the Wall fall? Anything could have happened, and he felt sick just thinking about it. Having all these questions swirling around. But Noctis probably has... handled some of this already. If not all of it. Shit. ]

[He can't look at Prompto, can't bring himself to see the emotions playing out on the other's face. Noctis had already dealt with all of this once before and having to do it again was a little more than he wanted to deal with. Once had been quite enough.]

Yeah...they.. [A bark of sharp laughter escapes him as he runs a hand through his hair, looking out the entrance of the cave.] They claimed they were visiting for peace negotiations.

[Despite his best efforts, he's trembling and can feel his eyes starting to burn which seems to only frustrate him more as he hastily rubs at them with the hand that had gone through his hair.]

Goddammit..

[ He knows about it already. Well, not yet. In the future - he shouldn't need to know now, right?

(Damnit. Prompto had hoped this time travel shit hadn't come up. This was confusing. It was hurting his head and heart both. But of course it was them, of course they'd attack.) Prompto almost felt... he shouldn't be this affected. Because it hadn't happened yet. It hurt to even think about but it hadn't happened but Noctis wouldn't lie.

His knuckles had turned as pale as the rest of his body, gripping his sleeping bag. It took all his effort for the words to come out - raspy and holding back his own tears, voice lowering to a whisper. ]

...I'm sorry. I-- we don't need to talk about it, if you don't want?

[ Because he shouldn't know this yet. Because Noctis shouldn't be suffering like this having to think about it. Prompto had thought this would be a nice vacation away from nothing too big - but instead maybe it's an escape for Noctis. He's hurting inside from every little thought, of how much could have happened. Shit. ]

[Open] Gonna take a..long walk outside today~

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