genessia | ☍ first strike.

Uhhh...

[how had he managed to do that? jaune stares in mild concern. should he wake him? should he just let him sleep? he doubts he'll be thrilled either way.

finally, tentative, softly:]

Good morning?

( actually jaune, it is, in fact, not a good morning. no mornings are good, mind you, noctis really is more of a late-riser type. so that soft voice of yours is going completely ignored. well, maybe not completely. have a slightly displeased— )

Mnngh. ( in response, as he turns over the opposite way again.
looks like he might need a little more coaxing than that... )

Oh. You're one of those sleeping-in types. Okay. That's fine. I would sleep in too but it's really not safe there, uh...Blueberry?

Because your hair is blue.

A-anyway. Yeah. What should I do? [He clears his throat, and starts to sing. There's nothing soothing about his voice. It's very off-key and awkward.]

The best time to wake up would be right now
Or else someone might come and take your redbills out
I'd probably try to help you sir but it's a really long walk
So if you don't want to die on your first day wake up and please talk.

( there's no other excuse for this.
one of the guys turned on the radio and left it on some amateur hour station. maybe their idea of a joke? something to get him up and going?

it seems to have worked at any rate, because here's a grumbly noctis, reaching around to find the source of the noise, and shut it off. his phone, maybe?

sleep-eyed and out of it, he's grabbing for the device, and trying it turn it off, coming face to face with... )

What the...

[Bracken didn't pay a lot of attention as he walked up to the water many yards away from the docks. Fish for dinner - but he had his own unique style that, unfortunately, might disturb Noct's fishing.

Quietly, he summoned up a whirlpool in the water, watching it sweep in wide circles at an unnatural speed. It started out large, and as he drew it closer to himself it shrank, until he could get down on his knees and shove a bucket in the water to scoop out whatever poor fish got caught up in the vortex of doom.

Of course, doing all of this was creating quite a stir in the water and scaring other fish away. He didn't really think of it since he didn't 'fish' in a traditional way, and didn't even check to see if anyone else was.]

( and there was noctis. just enjoying the peace and quiet that came with his favourite pastime. something nice and normal that didn't have to do with alternate worlds or waking up with strange gemstones and smartphones... and this guy had to come in with his magic.

he didn't really notice at first, at least until the whirlpool started to rise, and the water he had cast into was suddenly spinning, withdrawing and... rising up?!

noctis is making a gesture here, one hand still firmly gripping the rod. it's a mix of 'what the hell, guy' and 'are you even serious right now' with an upturned palm. )

Hey what's the big idea? ( what kind of fishing was that!! )

[He flinched, obviously not expecting to hear another voice even though Noctis hadn't exactly been hiding. Stumbling with the bucket, he managed to keep from dropping it as he turned his eyes to him. He had been intending on doing his thing and walking away, but clearly someone was upset.

For a moment he glanced nervously around to make sure he was the one being spoken to.]

D-Did... Did I do something wrong?

[This man. This man does not know how to fish normally.]

You're scaring all the fish. ( noctis sounds a little annoyed, but it doesn't seem to be escalating any further than that. this guy seems to genuinely have no idea what he's doing after all... in both the offending and fishing angles of this encounter. )

What are you even doing over there anyway? ( he reels his line back in as he asks, seeing as how he'll have to re-think his whole gameplan again, now that the fish have been upset.

no thanks to you, bracken. which is why noctis is still frowning— just a little. )

[He glanced at the water, and it seemed to take him a second too long to get it. It wasn't as if it took him minutes, but humans tended to be perceptive when it came to little things like that, so it was definitely noticeable to anyone normal.]

O-Oh... S... Sorry...

[He mumbled a weak apology. By now he'd let the spell die, not needing it anymore, and just the remnants of it were left to settle down on their own. Upon being asked what he was doing, he glanced down at his bucket before holding it up.]

I-I'm catching fish. For dinner.

[And he had caught something. It wasn't hard when he could control the water the fish were in and trap them. He didn't really choose what size he got that way - there was a medium and a few tiny ones that wouldn't be good for much. Enough to eat, though.]

Do... Do you want one?

[He said it seemingly as a peace offering, since Noct seemed upset.]

That's not any way to catch fish... ( it sounds like a mix of a groan along with the words; you might almost think noctis was personally affronted by the very idea. ) Sssshesh.

What are you using there? A bucket? And some kind of magic. ( there's a glance at the water as it settles back down. it was still going to take a bit for the fish to settle again... ) Yeah, I'd say that just about ruins the whole experience, trying to fish like that.

( in other words... he'll pass. )

[Geez, he really was doing something wrong. And he messed everything up. Panicky as heck, he defaulted to his natural response.]

S-Sorry.

[He glanced down at his bucket. But he'd gotten fish, right? How had he done it wrong, he thought that was the goal?]

I-It's just water magic. I... I don't know any other way t, to fish.

Don't be sorry, just— ( jeez. now noctis was starting to feel sort of bad. he scratches the back of his head for a moment then shoves the rod in bracken's direction. )

Here. Try this. ( apparently he's ready to teach if this guy doesn't have any idea of what to do. )

[He dropped the bucket as the rod was shoved at him, and it threatened to topple over but fortunately stayed up. It wasn't as if he'd never heard of a fishing rod before, but he'd never used one, and cluelessly reeled in the line as he looked it over.

Glancing up timidly at him, he shifted his hands to awkwardly hold onto the handle. He wanted to use it right. He didn't like doing stuff wrong, he just wasn't sure what he was doing. Still, he didn't ask, he just tried to look like he knew what he was doing and failed fantastically at it, casting some furtive glances to the side to look for approval.]

Don't look so tense. ( noctis moves his shoulders a little, as though to show the poor guy how to loosen up a little. fishing was supposed to be a nice relaxing past time. ) It's not going to do you or the fish any good if you're just going to stand there wound up so tight.

( he circles around the mage a little, pinching his chin with his thumb and forefinger. ) Relax your grip, there's no need to hold it like a bat. There you go, yeah, like that.

[He initially flinched at being touched, but slowly relaxed. He wasn't scared of Noctis - he was just timid.

Following instructions as best he could, he loosened his grip and and wiggled the rod a bit, watching the line bounce. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any fish there. Probably because he'd scared them away.]

I-I don't see any fish...

D-Do you think... If I make an explosion o-over there, will they come back s-so I can catch them?

[Magic solves everything.]

What? ( noctis' features seemed to all screw up at once at the very suggestion. ) No, I don't think that would help at all. In fact, it would probably have the completely opposite effect.

( he's shaking his head... ) They probably retreated deep under the surface after all that magic, I'm sure you really wound them up. Fishing takes patience though, you get me?

Go on, try casting. Like this. ( he does the motion a couple of times, a flick of the wrist, making it look easy. )

[His eyes were flicking back and forth, looking at what Noctis was showing him and then trying to repeat it. Perhaps not as smoothly, but it wasn't as if he couldn't shake a stick back and forth. He could at least get it to go out after a couple tries - though it was doubtful he could cast it nearly as far as Noctis.

He gaze kept moving back and forth, constantly looking for approval. He was a little hesitant to ask, because asking could potentially invite people to tell him he was doing a bad job, but he did speak up rather timidly for a man of his size.]

I-Is... Is this okay?

Not terrible, at least. ( there's some room for improvement, but it's still a far cry better from shoving a bucket into a water vortex or whatever the hell you were doing, bracken. )

But you really need to learn to relax. If you're uptight the whole time about doing it wrong, you're going to miss out on enjoying the whole process.

Reel it in, slowly, all right?

I-I'll try.

[Though he didn't tend to relax until he felt confident about what he was doing.

Glancing down at it, he starting slowly reeling it in. Though, he was concentrating more on the rod itself than looking at the water.]

D-Do you fish lots?

Whenever I can. ( he seems proud of this. ) It's a great hobby you know, and much less of a spectacle then... whatever it was you were doing before. I mean, sometimes you just shouldn't mess with the tried and true method, you know?

( do you know, bracken? because noctis seems pretty content to go on about this subject... that is, until. ) Whoa, looks like you've got a bite, give it some slack— there you go, not too much, now bring it in just a little...!

I-I just thought my boyfriend m-might like fish for dinner...

[It was a weak defense barely mumbled. If Noctis said he was doing something wrong, then he must have been. But he didn't mean to!

When the initial bite hit and there was a tug on the line, he flinched and nearly threw the rod away as if he himself had suddenly been bitten. The small burst of panic sent a rush of adrenaline through him, and he immediately started reeling. It took couple seconds for him to comprehend Noctis' words.

Slack... Slack meant not reeling? But then how did he get the fish? Even if he didn't understand he stopped.

Though he did everything as instructed, taking in what he was being told to do took him and extra second than normal, and reacting to things an extra half second. It made reeling the fish in not quite as smooth as it could go, as with each turn of the fish he adjusted a bit later than he should have.

Still, it wasn't so bad that he couldn't do it at all. He followed what he was told as closely as he could, and after some struggle the fish was right up next to the dock, swishing around.]

If you don't wake up in 5 minutes I'm going to come steal all of your starter things.

[ No one should be allowed on video to be this gross and embarrassing tbh. ]

( it is gross, isn't it emerald? totally embarrassing too, probably. but you know what? you're just some part of a weird dream that noctis is literally trying to swat away, squeezing his eyes further shut. )

Mmmh. No way. You can't... ... ( his chest rises and falls a few more times before he finally mumbles out— ) have it.

Look out, there's a huge monster with tusks about to impale you!

[ She's not anywhere actually near the bay or she would actually come steal his crap. ]

( there's a snore-snort at that, as it almost seems to rouse him. his friends have probably tried tactics like this on him before however, leaving him almost immune to its effects.

instead, as he groans a— ) Knock it off Prompto... ( and turns over again... this time actually falling out of the cocoon and onto the ground.

end of nappy time, i guess. there is no one slightly annoyed noctis on the ground, rubbing his head, then the small of his back, as he returns to the land of the waking. ) What's the big idea anyway, jeez...

( he's just now starting to realize this isn't kansas anymore... )

[ Emerald winces almost sympathetically- almost. Even if it's a very thin layer of water in the Bay, it's still water, and it's still winter outside. The warmest for that day in Genessia was 32F if she remembered right. It was why she was sticking to Nova, at a nice (still chilly but not freezing) 57. ]

You might want to find someplace warm before you freeze to death.

Edited 2017-01-25 01:27 (UTC)

Thanks... for the tip. ( little miss disembodied voice. the chill hadn't quite set in yet, but as he stands up again, he works to ring out his shirt first, running a hand through the wet patch that covered most of his hair.

probably a good thing that the smart phone didn't get ruined in the process, which he reaches for now, just as he starts to shiver. ) Wh-who are you, anyway?

Emerald. I was brought here too, a lot of people were.

So, what, you're from... ( getting a look at her— ) Lestallum or something?

( yep, shivering is a go. ) I need to g-get out of here.

The World of Remnant. It's a completely different planet than where you're from since there's no Lestallum where I'm from.

Yeah, you're going to get super sick.

Well that's sure a wake up c-call. ( insert various chilly sound effects here, as he starts to rub his arms. )

So aside from how weird that sounds— k-know the best place to warm up ne-eeear by?

Uh..

[ She refuses to send him to Schnee Company on principle. How about.. ] I think Amagi Inn is right there.

[A look of confusion settles within Regis' eyes once he spots this video. He was about to head out to the Ivory Tower until he came across this recording. The King blinks his eyes several times curiously as he tries to figure out what's happening. It's not until the fumbling camera settles upon the young man's face that he realizes whom it is.]

...Noctis?

[The name comes out as a shocked gasp and his phone accidentally falls from his shaky hands. It hits the floor of his apartment loudly with a thump loud enough to wake anyone doing their best Sleeping Beauty impersonation. Regis slowly kneels down to pick it up. His bad knee been troubling him terribly lately. The old king has yet to see a physican about it.]

Noct? Is that truly...you? [He questions as he picks up the phone. It takes a moment to work the camera on this device but once he does, Noct will see those familiar green eyes staring at him with such surprise.]

Oh, Noct, how is this possible--

[Regis takes a moment to catch his breath here. The entire time he fogotten to how to breathe.]

If this is a dream...then don't ever let me wake.

[So terribly close to tears, Regis does his best to retain his composure. It's difficult. The poor man never thought he would ever see his dear son again. He thought he lost everything and everyone in this mock Purgatory but to see Noctis alive and well---his heart feels weak. Woefully weak.]

Edited 2017-01-19 13:08 (UTC)

( the name doesn't reach him with the first call. but that loud sound of the microphone hitting the ground on the other end seems to stir prince charmless from his sleep. his eyes flitter open, slowly at first, reluctantly. )

Nngh... ( was it time to get up already? hadn't he just gone to bed? what had he been doing up until now? ... )

Dad— ( regis was dead. ) Hnn. ( he gets himself up finally, the sobering early morning thoughts enough to rouse him awake. freeing himself from the cocoon, which certainly felt more comfortable than the crystal, noctis reached down to pick up the phone he'd apparently dropped. ) Great, dreaming again.

( he's half expecting carbuncle to show up somewhere. until he turns the device over in his hands to see his father's bright green eyes.
his hands start to shake as he listens to his dad's voice say those words... "if it is a dream—

his watery eyes go wide. ) Dad! What is— How are— ... You're... ( he's pressing a hand against his head, wincing as he does so, trying to make sense of this. ) This is inside the crystal...?

No, it's...not. [It took a brief moment for Regis to find his voice again. He was actually speechless for a moment. Not only is he shocked by Noctis' sudden emergence but he's also shocked to hear that his son was slumbering within the heart of the Crystal. The Draconian, Bahamut, must've granted his son access to the Crystal after Noct reclaimed it.] Does this mean...your journey is coming to an end?

[He whispers quietly to himself as if to make sense of what he knew of the prophecy.]

I see. [A pained expression passes through his face briefly before Regis suddenly speaks. Much like earlier, his voice is gentle but this time there's sternness there.]

You are far from all you know, Noct. This isn't our world.

( noctis' hand finds its way through the mess of his hair. everything that happened was slowly coming back to him. insomnia, altissia... that damn chancellor! yeah, his journey had been coming to a close... the one that regis had seen him off with a smile since the very start! he's quiet, listening to the words that are unmistakably coming from his father, shaking his head finally as he concluded. )

Yeah, no kidding it's far from home. ( his voice starts off low at first, but builds momentum as the emotions take over... ) Because you're here. You're—!

( alive.
dammit.
there's a soft choke, and he winces. looking off to the side as one of his fists meets the pillow-y softness of the cocoon. )

[Regis falls silent at the sudden shout. He could feel the anguish within his son's voice and it hurts worse than any blade. A gentle sigh escapes him as he settles down upon a nearby chair.]

I'm...quite aware, Noct. [He smiles ever so slightly. His heart is still racing quite a bit but he's fine.] I live yet again, my life was...returned to me.

[ His apartment is sparse in décor but classically whimisical in exceuction. Noct might be able to notice the dark furtunire that sits in the distance along with the matching candles left unlit upon the dining table close by. Every piece of furtinure is oddly reminscient of the Citadel. The old king has been subconsciously recreating his old life here piece by piece.]

Noctis, do you know where you are? I'll come to you.

( hearing his dad say that, that his life was returned to him... it's enough. for now. noctis takes a breath, releasing it slowly along with all those emotions. there's no time for that now, after all. he needs to be a king. he needs to be like his father.

the camera focuses back on noct's face again, his features reset as he drinks in the surroundings behind regis, and shakes his head, thinking always of that brace, and the way his father moved the last time he saw him. )

Nice try, but I'll come to you. Just tell me where to go and I... I'll be there.

[A humored chuckle escapes Regis far too quickly than he could stop. Noctis' crude sense of honesty gets him every single time. The Prince honestly doesn't have much of a filter when it comes to it. He just says the first thing on his mind. It's quite refreshing, honestly. Regis can't help but smile and nod. The king is quite aware he can't exactly walk very well.]

Then let us meet in Fayren. I actually own a quaint little apartment here. Not as fancy as the Citadel but it shall do. [It takes a moment to text in the location but once he does, Noct could see it on his phone.]

There we go. It's marked now.

( noct stays quiet as he checks out the locale. he didn't miss the comparison his father made to the citadel, but couldn't help but quietly ascertain that he didn't have much love for that place, anyway. at least... not while he was growing up. now though, in this strange world, maybe even it would have been a sight for sore eyes... )

I'll be there soon.

( all right, so maybe it's a little later than soon. were the guys here, surely one of them would have made some snide remark about how he'd gotten them all lost again... but they weren't here. and his father was.

that was still sinking in around the time he finally made it to the complex regis was talking about. he half-hoped the king would be outside somehow, what would he do, buzz himself in to his father's new home?

that was weird.
this was weird.
well, here went nothing. )

[It took all of Regis' willpower not to fret as he waited for Noctis. The poor man paced around his spacious living room about four times before sitting down at last. He checked out the window a few times to spy on the courtyard but each time he saw no trace of his son. The old king then attempted to contact Noctis a few times via text but thought against it. He shouldn't rush the poor boy. Noctis wouldn't like that. While he doesn't truly doubt that Noctis is safe, Regis couldn't help but wonder what what's keeping him.

He's lost, isn't he? Oh, hell---

Regis should've just packed his things earlier liked he planned and met Noctis there by the bay. While he's still learning about this odd world, Regis had more time to acquaint himself with Genessia more so than Noctis. The boy is as helpless as a chocobo chick at times, especially with directions. With that known to him, Regis rushes towards the closet to put on his coat until he head the bell from downstairs. The gentle ring froze him completely. His heart races within his chest with a loud thump and his worry eased away for slight dread.

That's Noctis. His son is actually here...

Regis has to remind himself how to breathe once he makes his way towards the door. He opens it hesitantly before stepping out towards the foyer. This lovely complex in Fayren is an ornate building oddly reminiscent of something you would envision from a fantasy novel. It's all Elven designed in architecture, absurd amounts of white stone and white birch wood in fancy spiraling patterns reminiscent of roots and tall wide windows. The outside of this lovely apartment complex is very much reminiscent of a grand manor than a building. It has a very wholesome and homey vibe to it despite the slight mystical element to it. Quite different from Insomnia that prided itself in cold steel.

Regis makes his way down the spiraling staircase with his cane at hand when he opens the lobby door. It's then that his heart leaps to his throat once he sees that familiar nest of black hair framing his son's face.]

...Noct?

[The Six be damned! He can't stop himself from getting a tad misty-eyed here.]

( sure, it's a nice enough place. noct's eyes dance around from feature to feature, from the architecture to the ceiling, the pillars to the floor... anything to keep his mind occupied while he waited. his jacket is off, carried in his hands, which he hadn't noticed he'd been wringing until that moment.

this is real... he had to remind himself. it's real, and he's here. any minute now he's going to—

as if on cue, as the door opened, noctis turned. his legs seemed to move on their own without him knowing, carrying him in a dash towards the door, the familiar sound of that cane hurrying him... as he stops just in front of his father.

there's only a small distance between them now, but the prince moves no further, re-living that moment on the steps of the citadel before he left insomnia... the last time he saw regis alive. there's so many things he wants to say now, knowing the terrible fate that awaits both of them outside of this world. so much to tell him, so much to ask him, and yet, the only words that sound themselves are... )

Hey... dad.

Edited 2017-01-29 22:05 (UTC)

[Just that simple greeting alone was enough to move poor Regis to tears. He struggles for a long moment to stop them but he can't. He just couldn't. Regis steps forward a little shakily as he reaches for Noctis, his hands resting upon the youth's shoulder before patting that fluffy black hair. He stares at his son with such muted glee upon his face until suddenly tossing his cane aside and hugging Noctis as tightly as he could.]

I...I never thought I would see you again. [He confuses sadly with such sadness.] Oh, Noct, I'm so sorry.

For everything. I...I'm just glad you're here.

Sorry? You're sorry? ( that probably didn't come out right. but here's noct, trying to hold back a sob that's building in his throat. he squeezes his eyes shut, nearly losing it at the touch of his father's hand on his shoulders, then finding its way up to pat his head... )

You've got— ( his words are breathy, pained, as though he needs to take in air after every one spoken. ) You've got nothing to be sorry for. I get it now. ( his hands are balled into fists again, trying to focus on the feeling so that the tears don't come— though he can't stop himself from pulling up his nose.

just like a child still, in so many ways. and yet... ) I understand why you did all all those things. Why you had to— ( and he looks down, unable to look regis in the eye as the rest finally spills out. )

I just wanted to make you proud. To... to walk tall.

Edited 2017-02-01 23:15 (UTC)

[He could see his son's struggles as clear as day. Noctis is on the brink of tears and he feels awful for it. Regis could only imagine how heavy a burden those strong shoulders now carry. He feels terrible for the him, his heart goes out to Noctis.]

You've made me proud, I'm certain of it. No matter what transpires, I'm proud of you. [It takes Regis a moment to regain some semblance of composure but he manages in the form of a loving smile. He's grateful to see his dear son again.]

You're...looking a little worse for wear though.

[He chuckles softly.]

Feel free to seek rest here. I had...another room added just in case-- [Regis held out hope that he would see Noctis again.]

It's not as exquisite as the Citadel but it shall do.

( how many times had he fantasized those words in his head ever since hearing about regis' death? i'm proud of you... )

You're one to talk. ( it's a joke, there's a burning need to lighten the mood. to remind himself that it's okay to be happy about his father, and him, being in this strange world.

both of them alive.
there's another quiet sniff, as he's banishing those tears again. it just won't do to have two emotional wrecks of lucis losing it in the foyer of some foreign world. )

Why don't, ah— why don't we go inside. With you living in a place like this I 'm sure we've got some catching up to do.

☍ first strike.

[Video]

no subject

no subject

no subject

[Action] Disturb fishing times?

sounds good /o/

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

video;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

video;

spoilers in these here tags

Major spoiler alert!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

video ⏩ action.

action.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject