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

Alright.

[ And he falls quiet. His hand tighten around the cup. ]

... They cared about each other a lot. Pretty screwed up it had to end like that.

...Just a bit, yes.

[An understatement on both sides if ever there was one.]

[ Noctis lets out a shaky, humorless laugh. ]

Was it like this for you? Feeling so helpless.

...More or less. Though I think this is worse--most of us managed to take last time moderately more in stride than this abject insanity.

... Because you knew there was a chance you'd see at least some of us when it was over, right?

Effectively, yes. We were still planning to track down the prison shortly before we encountered each other. This is...drastically more complicated. Even knowing it's no more than a simulation, I doubt any of us have the slightest idea where to start looking to recover all of them.

... You think the network's got them at their headquarters or something?

That seems the most likely option, if you ask me. I'd have to see if Xander might have any indication of where they might be, since their season was more or less the same.

... Yeah. I'll make sure to do that.

[ He takes a sip of the tea, frowning a little. ]

No matter what we do, we've gotta do it before that fifth season.

...Right. I don't even care to contemplate what they might be planning for that, since every theoretical option seems worse than the last.

Well, that makes one of us not thinking about it.

[ .... there are like a thousand scenarios he can think of and every last one of them really sucks. ]

I did, decided every potential idea was horrific, and quickly decided to stop dealing in hypotheticals before I drove myself insane.

... Good point.

[ But he can't stop thinking about it. Gladio and Ignis. What better way to round out the crew than bring in the last two? The adviser and the shield.

... and then there are others. Iris and Talcott, because while they're kids (depending on what point they're taken from, of course), that hasn't stopped them before. Ravus, because what's more heartwrenching than a brother following his sister in death again? Cor--though he's pretty sure Cor'd give anyone a run for their money. Cindy, because breaking down someone so cheerful makes for damn good television. Any of the Kingsglaive that perished in Insomnia--Nyx Ulric would be a good one, from the network's point of view.

... and finally, probably the worst option of all, the one that'd make Noctis fight tooth and nail to get to the bastards: Regis.

He inhales sharply and tries not to think anymore. ]

[He'd be lying if he said he hadn't considered possibilities. Even assuming the 'final season' wasn't what might happen when the network finally caught up to them...there were more than enough other alternatives to consider. Ravus had occurred to him once or twice, as did Aranea. Admittedly, he almost pitied anyone stupid enough to cross Gilgamesh or Vandeae, but--]

[...there was still one faint and distant possibility that bothered Ardyn every single time it presented itself at the back of his mind. It wasn't likely, it surely wouldn't happen with how far back they would have to reach, but-]

... [He seemed to have forgotten that conversations usually involved two people speaking, having fallen silent with a blankly distant look on his face.]

[ He's so caught up in his own thoughts that the silence doesn't register. When he finally drags himself out of his head, he realizes Ardyn's sort of. Staring off into literal space. ]

... Ardyn.

What-

[Right, this was hardly the time to get lost in his own head. (Again.) He wasn't of much use to anyone like that.]

...Sorry, I'm alright.

Right.

[ Except he doesn't believe him for a second. ]

You need anything?

[ noctis you should worry about yourself for once, jesus christ ]

[It was almost funny, how he was a terrible liar now.]

I'll be fine. I was just...thinking. Should really stop doing that.

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

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