livestudioaudience | R4 Viewing Party - no crying til the end (if you can help it)

[ He breathes in sharply, too sharply, when he sees them both. It's their meeting he views first, and he doesn't realize he's gritting his teeth until his jaw starts to ache too much. ]

... Of course she'd thank him.

[ His voice sounds so heavy when he says it, and he lets out a shuddering breath.

And the more he watches Prompto, the more concerned he gets. ]

... Prompto, when and where the hell did they take you from?

If the apparent trend holds, he'll think it as early as will be painfully inconvenient.

[Sure, he was always the jumpy sort, but this was more than that. Like he expected something around every turn, or like he'd...expected to be sneaking around somewhere...aw, hell.]

[No, no way. That wasn't back quite far enough, not judging by his age as far as Ardyn could tell. It wouldn't make sense to erase such a short timeframe. Still, Ardyn couldn't quite place another point that would be likely no matter how he thought about it, and that was starting to unsettle him.]

... Maybe. I don't know, something just doesn't add up. He's more freaked out than he should be if they made him think he was way early in our trip.

[ There's a distinct note of unease in his voice, and Noctis frowns. ]

... You heard what he said to Luna, though, right?

[ I'm just glad you're alive! ]

Now that you mention, I'd nearly missed that. Fantastic.

[or in other words, 'ah, shit'.]

So that means after Altissia, or... [...wait.] ...When did you find out Lunafreya being declared dead was a lie?

After Altissia'd make sense, with how much he looks like he's gonna jump out of his skin.

... We found out pretty early on, though. She sent Umbra with a message.

If that's the case... [Ardyn trailed off, frowning slightly. Altissia to Zegnautus Keep was such a short timeframe, it almost didn't seem plausible just on that alone. Even far enough past it that he would still look that young sounded like it wouldn't be enough. Then again, forcing someone to remember they weren't what they thought as well as making sure they knew the sun might never rise again? That sounded like something the network would do.]

...How much did he tell you about where he'd been, when all of you reunited in Gralea?

... He told me enough.

[ He lifts one shoulder in a shrug. ]

Enough for me to be really worried now.

It's a far shorter timeframe than I would expect them to erase, but it-...

[But nothing else quite fit correctly with the limited information they had so far.]

'It's not good' is a tremendous understatement of the situation he's likely to end up remembering.

[ For a while, he just... falls quiet. Watches the screen.

And then his face turns very, very pale as something falls into place. ]

Noctis? What's-

[How long were you in the dark?]

... [Ardyn cursed under his breath in a language that he would still maintain was not Latin.]

Edited 2017-10-17 01:10 (UTC)

It's--

[ Tell me. Were you worried about me? ]

Prompto, when we found him--

[ Of course I was. What kind of question is that? ]

... He thought-- I think he thought we didn't want him to be one of us. If-- What if he still thinks that, after all this time?

[Fucking gods damn it.]

That's- [Wherever the simulated consciousness they were watching now had ended up--and damnable gods please let them be somewhere--that was possible enough to send a very real chill through a very human body.]

...We've no way of knowing for certain how far ahead he's likely to remember. [Which was true, but Ardyn had a sinking feeling Noctis was closer to the truth right now.] Judging by his age he could have come from some point while you were in the Crystal, at the latest.

... This is so screwed up.

[ And he hates it. He hates it so much. He hates that so many viewers out there have seen this--what Luna and Prompto have gone through, and he hates that he can see them and he's unable to do a godsdamned thing to help them. ]

Feeling so helpless, it's-- damnit.

[Ardyn didn't answer at first--they'd all felt nearly as helpless last season, but the definite foregone conclusion of the whole thing made it exponentially worse. And he hadn't even been close to Lunafreya or Prompto to begin with--he'd been the farthest thing from it. So he couldn't even comprehend how Noctis was feeling and had no right to even pretend it affected them in nearly the same ways.]

[Frustratingly, that also meant he had no idea how to help or even if he could without overstepping some line he'd set by ruining things in the first place.]

...I know. We're going to make them pay for this even if it should be the last thing all of us ever do.

[Sup. Someone is coming by with coffee, holding it out in front of Noctis' face.]

I know this is like the worst situation ever, but that Lunafreya girl is hella adorable.

[You've got good taste in ladies, Noctowl.]

So how ya holding up, buckaroo?

[ He takes the coffee, and he's so disoriented by everything that he takes a drink. ]

... Yeah. She is.

[ The word radiant runs through his mind, and he thinks about just how much he's missed her. If this weren't a doomed season, he'd be happy she'd have another chance at living when all of this ended.

But fate's never been that kind. ]

... S'pretty hard.

[At least it won't taste like coffee per say. There's so much sugar and cream in it that is tastes more like coffee flavored sweet milk. Someone has a sweet tooth, and she's showing it. Sorry, Noctis.]

Her appearance just screams princess... No one like that exists back home anymore. It's a little refreshing.

[She can only imagine what Lunafreya would look like in a dress. It's something she hopes happens if these people get their clothes back like she did.]

I can't imagine... but if you don't want to watch this season on your own, I don't mind sticking around to view it.

Yeah. She's always been like that.

[ Bless you, Nari. He actually drinks the coffee-flavored milk. ]

... You're kind of amazing, you know that?

I think... it'll be very hard for anyone to dislike her. I might not be in her presence, but she radiates peace and light.

[She blinks at that, tilting her head.]

How so? I personally think I'm a walking wreck, so... why would you think that?

[Hey so Noct guess who's coming through the living room when this first plays.

And guess who's gone still and stiff and wide-eyed at this entire sweet exchange.

Yep, it's the Janeyquest. You ought to get in on this, it sounds like you've been inducted into it for over a year and it's about time you caught up.]

Damnit, Prompto, making promises you don't know you won't be able to keep...

[ ... he just happens to look over at Jane when she comes through. ]

... Jane. Hey.

...

[She just. Ducks her head and sniffs, rubbing her eyes.]

I-If she's talking about all of that...then she doesn't know what happened to me yet. What must've happened to her...oh, God...

[Sorry Noct, she's sort of fading in between being here and being in existential sorrow over her best friend's fate.]

R4 Viewing Party - no crying til the end (if you can help it)

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

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject