[Her questions are usually more of a strain than that, so he's initially surprised when she so quickly moves on. It's a small mercy as well, one he's grateful for. Today's meant for games, for storytelling and working on a fun side project, not family drama that he lacks the freedom to share. There's bound to be other days for sating curiosity on both sides, and he doesn't mind indulging that for the most part, though he still knows very little about her. ...Which is why he still wants to know all of this stuff!
He perks back up at her question about the game. It's silly and not at all important, but it's still something he's passionate about so he can't help it.]
It's a pretty classic RPG, story-wise. There's this giant evil dragon, Tolfidan, who kidnapped the princess of Olthea and took her away to his kingdom. Four heroes of her homeland are blessed by the god Khalam, giving them the power to go on a quest and rescue her and defeat Tolfidan. It's a kingdom of monsters, so there's a lot of those to fight, dragons included.
It sounds like a power fantasy and an opportunity for others to feel like heroes. RESCUE THE PRINCESS FROM EVIL DRAGON. Maybe you'll get to marry her at the end, too! ]
Will you be incorporating a story into this remake? No reason you can't have a prince needing rescuing instead.
That's true, we don't have to push for cliches just because that's how it went in the old version. It didn't matter that much to me in the real game, since the best part was the missions, not the finish line.
[Something something the real treasure was the friends you made along the way.
His lips quirk into a knowing smile.]
I'd be okay with rescuing a prince, it's been known to happen. Though Prompto might complain.
[At that... his expression shifts, an uncomfortably sad kind of smile this time, and fiddles with his arm bracer as he is wont to do when he doesn't know what to say.]
Sure, once. It's a dangerous world.
[An obviously evasive answer, but the sort she might find familiar, considering how often she dodges his questions. She doesn't need more of his sad stories.
Instead he readjusts the tablet in his lap, searching for that drawing program she'd used. He can't do much without a proper pen, but he can at least get some rough sketch ideas down.]
Back home the main characters are all guys. We should add some girls to this one, at least half and half. I want you and Luna to play with us, too.
A dragon-slaying adventure to save a prince in dire need-- even with just you or Luna.... [ Her eyes shine brightly. ] There's no way the team would lose.
Yeah, for sure. [Like he'd ever disagree with praise about her. He knows his own skills but she's just- amazing, okay.] She uses a trident, so... maybe a dragoon?
[He starts roughing out a little drawing of a woman in sharp-looking armor carrying a big spear, in a cartoonish style.]
[ She looks over at his tablet. Hey, they drawing isn't half-bad. This, she did not know about him. And the way he smiles when speaking of Luna is... Hm.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. ]
Not just any dragoon. A valiant one. Peerless. And... beautiful, right?
I think that's only fair. Two of the heroes are the handsome heroic types.
[Though his capacity for drawing something beautiful is questionable; he's no fine artist. Years of communicating with Luna purely through a journal, and growing up in the Citadel with no friends his own age besides Ignis left him time alone to find ways of entertaining himself more often than not, and ample opportunity to practice. Talented, no, and his hand is too unsteady to call it art. But it's a few marks above a stick figure at least.
He tries to follow her suggestion, giving the character narrowed eyes and a cool, confident smile, with long flowing hair.]
She look at his depiction, noting the sure smile the character has. If he had not mentioned Luna, she would not have known it was her; but with her name in mind, that smile is undeniably hers. It has a quiet resolve, but a loud bravery all the same.
And.
Huh. He likes long hair, does he? She's going to just pull this guess out of left field, but-- ]
[Probably mostly for Luna. He thinks a moment. He's never seen her in battle, but he's seen her working, and any time she's had to travel or attend to her Oracle duties, she's kept her hair up and out of the way. It's very practical, very her.]
I think she'd tie it back. So she can focus on what's going on.
Pyra leans back. As she thought, this would be better to let him discuss this with someone of his own world, rather than a stranger. What is he doing here; he's taking time from what he could have with Luna. ] I've... spoken with her only two times. An... Oracle, right?
[What's this, it's loving Luna hour? He's so down.]
Yeah, that's kind of all it takes with her. I don't think I've ever met anyone as strong as she is.
[She's so! Resilient! And devoted! Carrying his burden all across Lucis, waking the gods, keeping him safe by remaining at a distance... and all alone, too.]
[ Awww, look at him. He seems so happy, talking about her. And excited too; discussing her seems to come easily to him, and indeed it brings a smile to his face.
That is important. She will continue this topic. ] Ehh, stronger than you, as well? [ She chuckles softly, flipping to a new page in her tablet. ]
[Is she stronger than his lame-ass self, who's only good for fighting? Without question.]
It's just, y'know... there's different ways to be strong, right? She did so much for me, for all of us. She woke the gods, she carried my- my burden, [His hand subconsciously lifts to press against his chest, where the ring hangs under his shirt, before he realizes and pulls away,] and she did it all by herself. I'd never have gotten anywhere if I'd had to go alone.
[And it isn't automatically weak to travel with friends, or to depend on other people. He knows that. But to be able to do what needs to be done without a support system to push him forward? That requires real strength, and it's the kind that he lacks. After everything that happened, he'd surely have fallen apart without them.]
[ Waking the gods.... Yes, she mentioned that to Pyra before, and about how much of a toll it takes on her. She had also mentioned she served her King-- who, after Pyra had asked, she had named as Noctis. His "burden", however?
Her eyes follow the movement of his hand to his chest, then it's back to meeting his gaze. ] ....Someone mentioned to me, that little can be achieved alone, that there will always be someone.
I can't speak for her, but... I imagine she might have been thinking of you as a source of strength. [ So in that way, she wasn't truly alone?? ]
[It sounds like something she'd say, even if he doesn't always understand it. That isn't new, though- she's always believed in him, even when he himself couldn't. Her conviction made him try harder, made him push himself to be better. It's been that way ever since they were children, when he'd made that first promise to her.]
If that's true then it's definitely mutual. She thinks way too highly of me, but... I want to be the person she thinks I am, eventually.
[And if she believes in his potential as king, or Chosen, or whatever, he'll keep trying until that belief becomes reality. Somehow.]
[ "If that's true"-- there is a surefire way for him to know if it's true or not, and that is to leave Pyra and go to her, right here, right now.
Still, the rest of what he says gives her pause. ] W-wait.
[ A beat. She's going to see if she can parse his thoughts. If Luna believes in him-- and Pyra is surely arguing that she does, as surely as Pyra believes in Noctis himself, for she's seen what he can do, she's seen the light in his heart. ] That doesn't sound right.
Isn't the person she thinks you are-- the person who has given her strength while apart from you-- how you are right now?
[ None of this "thinking too highly of me" business, no siree!! ] You're enough, Noct.
[He purses his lips at that, glancing downwards, his tone awkward and a little quieter.]
...Sure.
[Much easier to say than to believe; he may disagree (and what does she know? all she has to go on is what he's told her, and half the time he's full of shit) but he doesn't want to start an argument about that since he figures she won't take no for an answer. It is fundamentally untrue, though.
Someone good enough would have saved her, and he doesn't. He needs to be better.]
[ .....This isn't the reaction she had hoped for. He seems subdued, quieter. Encouraging words are supposed to help. What went wrong here? A saddened look upon him is exactly what she had been trying to avoid!
Before, he would become more flustered with any compliments. Is it because of the topic itself, with Luna? But he had seemed so happy discussing her. Again, she wonders: what went wrong? ]
No, no, you didn't... it isn't you. Just- there's a lot of pressure... some stuff happens, and...
[He scrambles for the words to help her understand without fully explaining it; he won't say it, not when Luna herself doesn't know. The weight of it on his own shoulders is already too much.]
Cor... told me something. When I go back I've got a job to do, a really important one, and... I fail. I let her down, and people get hurt. [His lips purse tightly. People die.] I'm not enough, like this. I have to do better.
[ So, it seems he's already learned a part of his future at least regarding this. It doesn't sound happy, and it's no wonder why his smile had faded so quickly.
...She knows he must do better. She had thought it multiple times before-- he is not there yet. That hesitation persists. She had mentioned to him before: What you are thinking, you are correct: With more power you can... protect what you wish to protect. Then she had asked him if the sunrise he saw that day with his comrades, if it is part of the future he wishes to safeguard. His response:
"Yeah, of course."
But after their last conversation, she wonders if it would do well to remind him of that.
(Briefly, her gaze drops to the middle of his chest; she recalls during one of the warps in which he had taken her along, how her hand had felt something there--)
While she is afraid of her words, while her curiosity burns to know more of whatever has happened, she can only offer this: ]
....You wish to become stronger.
I can help you again, if that is what you wish.
[ IF HE'S SERIOUS. She will do what she can to train with him. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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He perks back up at her question about the game. It's silly and not at all important, but it's still something he's passionate about so he can't help it.]
It's a pretty classic RPG, story-wise. There's this giant evil dragon, Tolfidan, who kidnapped the princess of Olthea and took her away to his kingdom. Four heroes of her homeland are blessed by the god Khalam, giving them the power to go on a quest and rescue her and defeat Tolfidan. It's a kingdom of monsters, so there's a lot of those to fight, dragons included.
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It sounds like a power fantasy and an opportunity for others to feel like heroes. RESCUE THE PRINCESS FROM EVIL DRAGON. Maybe you'll get to marry her at the end, too! ]
Will you be incorporating a story into this remake? No reason you can't have a prince needing rescuing instead.
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[Something something the real treasure was the friends you made along the way.
His lips quirk into a knowing smile.]
I'd be okay with rescuing a prince, it's been known to happen. Though Prompto might complain.
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She looks at the curve his lips, noting the coyness to it, the knowing smile, then back to his eyes.
Is there a story she's not getting. ] As in, you needed rescuing before?
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Sure, once. It's a dangerous world.
[An obviously evasive answer, but the sort she might find familiar, considering how often she dodges his questions. She doesn't need more of his sad stories.
Instead he readjusts the tablet in his lap, searching for that drawing program she'd used. He can't do much without a proper pen, but he can at least get some rough sketch ideas down.]
Back home the main characters are all guys. We should add some girls to this one, at least half and half. I want you and Luna to play with us, too.
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A dragon-slaying adventure to save a prince in dire need-- even with just you or Luna.... [ Her eyes shine brightly. ] There's no way the team would lose.
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[He starts roughing out a little drawing of a woman in sharp-looking armor carrying a big spear, in a cartoonish style.]
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. ]
Not just any dragoon. A valiant one. Peerless. And... beautiful, right?
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[Though his capacity for drawing something beautiful is questionable; he's no fine artist. Years of communicating with Luna purely through a journal, and growing up in the Citadel with no friends his own age besides Ignis left him time alone to find ways of entertaining himself more often than not, and ample opportunity to practice. Talented, no, and his hand is too unsteady to call it art. But it's a few marks above a stick figure at least.
He tries to follow her suggestion, giving the character narrowed eyes and a cool, confident smile, with long flowing hair.]
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She look at his depiction, noting the sure smile the character has. If he had not mentioned Luna, she would not have known it was her; but with her name in mind, that smile is undeniably hers. It has a quiet resolve, but a loud bravery all the same.
And.
Huh. He likes long hair, does he? She's going to just pull this guess out of left field, but-- ]
You like her hair down, too, is that it...?
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Huh? Sure, though I guess it just naturally went that way...
[Noctis tilts the drawing a little, scrutinizing it. Long hair is pretty, yeah, but he's not fussy.]
Would be more practical in a fight if it was short, right? I can change it.
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Mm... This is for Luna, correct? How would she wear it, do you think, in battle?
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W-well... not just for Luna, but...
[Probably mostly for Luna. He thinks a moment. He's never seen her in battle, but he's seen her working, and any time she's had to travel or attend to her Oracle duties, she's kept her hair up and out of the way. It's very practical, very her.]
I think she'd tie it back. So she can focus on what's going on.
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Pyra leans back. As she thought, this would be better to let him discuss this with someone of his own world, rather than a stranger. What is he doing here; he's taking time from what he could have with Luna. ] I've... spoken with her only two times. An... Oracle, right?
She's very admirable.
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Yeah, that's kind of all it takes with her. I don't think I've ever met anyone as strong as she is.
[She's so! Resilient! And devoted! Carrying his burden all across Lucis, waking the gods, keeping him safe by remaining at a distance... and all alone, too.]
She's amazing.
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That is important. She will continue this topic. ] Ehh, stronger than you, as well? [ She chuckles softly, flipping to a new page in her tablet. ]
And she's here in this world, too.
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[Is she stronger than his lame-ass self, who's only good for fighting? Without question.]
It's just, y'know... there's different ways to be strong, right? She did so much for me, for all of us. She woke the gods, she carried my- my burden, [His hand subconsciously lifts to press against his chest, where the ring hangs under his shirt, before he realizes and pulls away,] and she did it all by herself. I'd never have gotten anywhere if I'd had to go alone.
[And it isn't automatically weak to travel with friends, or to depend on other people. He knows that. But to be able to do what needs to be done without a support system to push him forward? That requires real strength, and it's the kind that he lacks. After everything that happened, he'd surely have fallen apart without them.]
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Her eyes follow the movement of his hand to his chest, then it's back to meeting his gaze. ] ....Someone mentioned to me, that little can be achieved alone, that there will always be someone.
I can't speak for her, but... I imagine she might have been thinking of you as a source of strength. [ So in that way, she wasn't truly alone?? ]
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[It sounds like something she'd say, even if he doesn't always understand it. That isn't new, though- she's always believed in him, even when he himself couldn't. Her conviction made him try harder, made him push himself to be better. It's been that way ever since they were children, when he'd made that first promise to her.]
If that's true then it's definitely mutual. She thinks way too highly of me, but... I want to be the person she thinks I am, eventually.
[And if she believes in his potential as king, or Chosen, or whatever, he'll keep trying until that belief becomes reality. Somehow.]
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Still, the rest of what he says gives her pause. ] W-wait.
[ A beat. She's going to see if she can parse his thoughts. If Luna believes in him-- and Pyra is surely arguing that she does, as surely as Pyra believes in Noctis himself, for she's seen what he can do, she's seen the light in his heart. ] That doesn't sound right.
Isn't the person she thinks you are-- the person who has given her strength while apart from you-- how you are right now?
[ None of this "thinking too highly of me" business, no siree!! ] You're enough, Noct.
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...Sure.
[Much easier to say than to believe; he may disagree (and what does she know? all she has to go on is what he's told her, and half the time he's full of shit) but he doesn't want to start an argument about that since he figures she won't take no for an answer. It is fundamentally untrue, though.
Someone good enough would have saved her, and he doesn't. He needs to be better.]
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Before, he would become more flustered with any compliments. Is it because of the topic itself, with Luna? But he had seemed so happy discussing her. Again, she wonders: what went wrong? ]
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[FECK
And now he's flustered, wide-eyed and worried.]
No, no, you didn't... it isn't you. Just- there's a lot of pressure... some stuff happens, and...
[He scrambles for the words to help her understand without fully explaining it; he won't say it, not when Luna herself doesn't know. The weight of it on his own shoulders is already too much.]
Cor... told me something. When I go back I've got a job to do, a really important one, and... I fail. I let her down, and people get hurt. [His lips purse tightly. People die.] I'm not enough, like this. I have to do better.
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...She knows he must do better. She had thought it multiple times before-- he is not there yet. That hesitation persists. She had mentioned to him before: What you are thinking, you are correct: With more power you can... protect what you wish to protect. Then she had asked him if the sunrise he saw that day with his comrades, if it is part of the future he wishes to safeguard. His response:
"Yeah, of course."
But after their last conversation, she wonders if it would do well to remind him of that.
(Briefly, her gaze drops to the middle of his chest; she recalls during one of the warps in which he had taken her along, how her hand had felt something there--)
While she is afraid of her words, while her curiosity burns to know more of whatever has happened, she can only offer this: ]
....You wish to become stronger.
I can help you again, if that is what you wish.
[ IF HE'S SERIOUS. She will do what she can to train with him. ]
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