#game present

[ardynzunia]

@chosenbythecrystal  continued from here Noctis stared at the man for a moment, glanced down at the sign, then looked at him again. That was unexpected. Both having the sign stuck to him and seeing the man drunk.

"One, I'm twenty – not a tyke. Two, pretty sure you're too drunk to be anyone's minder."

“What? I’m fine,” Ardyn said, flopping over the table as he did so. “And twenty’s pretty young, specially if ye don’t get out much. I mean, my daughter never got to twenty, but uh. you know my half brother he did, didn’t know half as much as I did at that age.” 

Ardyn rubs his face, himself rather confused about how he’d gotten himself in such a state. He’d been fairly certain he’d only had a couple drinks, enough to get himself tipsy. He couldn’t afford going on a bender while with the young men, things were a little too fraught at the moment. There was that drink bought for him though. . . maybe he was slipped something? An imperial hoping for some information from a friend of the prince.

“You know? Think I might be a little drugged,” He admitted. “You might be right about me not being anyone’s minder tonight, not paying attention I s’ppose.”

[ardynzunia]

continued from here with @chosenbythecrystal

Noctis tensed as he felt the cool metal of the blade press against his throat and he let out a soft sigh.

Dead.

If Ardyn was an enemy – if he really wanted to hurt him – he’d be dead. The man had taken to launching surprise attacks on him lately. Gladio approved since he was much stealthier than he was and better suited to the task. Noctis needed to be ready at all times, after all.

“I get the point. You can put the knife away now.”

Ardyn chuckles in his place leaned up against Noctis before stowing his knife away with a flourish. He takes a camping chair nearby, briefly patting Noctis on the way. It really was lucky for them Ardyn was on their side. The poor boy was rather abysmal at noticing an attack from behind, though it seemed that he came by that naturally. Somnus was better at direct combat as well.

“I’m sure you’ll get it eventually,” Ardyn said. “Though we might want to focus on other tactics, don’t want you getting so use to fake sneak attacks that you fall for a real one.”

[ardynzunia]

@chosenbythecrystal

continued from here

Waking up didn’t come easy to the Prince – he’d been drifting in and out of consciousness for a couple of hours before he finally came to and even then, he felt like he’d been mowed down by a behemoth. His head was pounding and his entire body was aching like crazy. His attempt to sit up in bed was thwarted when the pain in his chest flared up prompting him to slowly lower himself down with a groan.

Memories of his meeting with the Archean flashed through his mind – the Astral had really done a number on him. He didn’t understand it. He was Bahamut’s so-called chosen – not something he’d asked for, yet he had to prove himself to such a degree? After calling him there with agonizing headaches too.

“Man...I hope not all of the Astrals’ tests are that hard. I honestly thought he was going to kill me down there.”

Ardyn glanced up when he heard Noctis groan. The other’s weren’t in the room at the moment, Ardyn having convinced them all to rest for a while. Noctis’ had been out for a while after collapsing once they got out of the Archean’s crater. They were all more exhausted than himself, who’d procured an airship for their escape, so he took to manning Noctis’ bedside while they slept.

“I wouldn’t count on it,” Ardyn said derisively, “The Astral’s aren’t particularly known for being compassionate to humans.”

He honestly would have tried to prevent even the first pact from being made. But unfortunately Noctis would very likely need at least a couple to get the crystal to respond to him, and to garner Bahamut’s attention for the end of everything. So for now he just tried to support, while also constantly reminded the younger men that the gods were not actually on their side.

[ardynzunia]

@mortiferumhelianthus continued from here

  Prompto considered the offer for a long moment, pursing his lips before nodding. “Sure, why not?” he grinned. “Is it just gonna be the two of us though?” he asked, tilting his head to the side slightly. So far Ardyn had proven to be a trustworthy sort, mostly, but he was still a little skeptical about the strange man.╠

“That’s right, though truly we’ll be rather separated as well.” Ardyn answered. “There’s a small Niflhiem diplomatic office in the lower rungs, Just a pop up placed in the last couple weeks, but I have some good info that a few important files might be there today. It could do Cor a lot of good if we got a hold of them.”

Ardyn tugs Prompto along as they talk. A good way not to be noticed while getting the boy to their destination more quickly. He stops just in front of a small trailer before he speaks again. With a quick movement he grabs Prompto by the shoulders, and points his vision toward a young woman in an imperial uniform. She’s pretty enough, if a bit plain, and more important she’s the reason he needs the blonde.

“That’s our target,” He whispers. “She’s the only one in the office today, when the delivery is made I need you to get her out of the office and distract her while I get in and take the documents. She has a thing for blondes and fancies herself into art. I want you to take that lovely camera and pretty face of yours and woo her, alright? “

[ardynzunia]

@infideliis  from here

“No.”

“A male, born into a line of women and rendered useless by basis of his sex, can be only a punishment. My only question is a punishment for whose sins, my mother’s or my father’s, and what sins were they. My father’s, I imagine. My mother was more devout than my grandmother.”

“That’s bullshit,” Ardyn growled. “Your parents views are worthless, part of a line so twisted from Aera’s original vision that it isn’t worth spitting on. The first Oracle had a son and daughter as well you know? Neither were considered more or less than the other, and regardless of gender the child not chosen as oracle was meant to be a help. Not some extra item to be discarded as worthless.” 

He took Ravus’ head in his hands and looked him close in the eye. The fury of a man who saw an injustice to his family burning in his eyes. 

“You are not a punishment, and you are not a mistake,” He said again. “Those who raised you being to foolish to know your worth do not define you.” 

[ardynzunia]

continued from here with @painedprince

“Who’s to say they’re your fish?” He huffed. “I guess it is your boat…”

“Yes, and I rather think one or two fish is a perfectly reasonable fee for it’s use,” Ardyn said. “Especially since, of the two of us, I’m significantly better at *cooking* it.”

He ruffled Noctis’ hair to show he was simply teasing, and checked through the cooler to see what exactly he could whip up with what was available. It looked like a couple Tuna and a Bass, all perfect for a light meal with what he had in the fridge. In fact, he had a few prawns, he could probably whip up a nice stew. Which, to be honest, consisted of most of his repertoire.

[ardynzunia]

From here with @infideliis

The harshness of the shout took Ravus’s breath away; how comical it could be that such a large man could be reduced to a small, frightened child so easily behind closed doors.

“Y-Yes, of course.” Chastened, he was quick to leave Ardyn, the door closed quietly behind him.

It was simply a bad day, he reasoned.

It had been a bad day for Ardyn. A mixture of little annoyance’s and his own mind rebelling against him leaving him in an angry state that he wished to drink away. When the door opened he thought it a maid or some tourist picking the wrong room and yelled, only to instantly regret it when he saw the momentarily vulnerable look on Ravus’ face.  He growled at himself and got up from his chair to give chase. No one deserved to have Ardyn take his sour mood out on them, but especially not the young man he’d been desperately trying to be a friend to.  “Ravus wait!” He called, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap lad.”

[ardynzunia]

Continued here with @infideliis He rubbed Ravus’ back as the young man coughed up most of the Altissian ocean. Though it felt more like comforting a child than helping with saltwater lungs.  “If she’s anywhere, It will be on the boat with the boys.” Arydn answered, “It would be the best place after Leviathan finished her rampage. Do you need help to walk Ravus?” His guess would be Ravus would say no, but in fact need at least some help. His interference in the battle may have kept Noctis and Luna alive, but it meant Leviathan caused even more havoc than she might have. Half the city was falling apart, and most people that were left in town had chosen to stick to boats until the infrastructure could be checked out. Even the passable streets involved some climbing, and to Ardyn’s eyes the young man didn’t seem up to it.