IC Contact | Hugtopia

[carbungle]

| voice | text | video | action |

Please use the new post going forward!

Comments

a day or so after THAT

[carbungle]

[So, Noctis gets the text, of course. And ignores it immediately when he sees who it's from. No thank you, not in the mood. He wouldn't feel too inclined to read it even on a good day, based on their last interaction, and he sure has hell isn't now, with the gutwrenching news he just received from Cor. He's holed up in his room at Prompto's place trying to ignore everything until his head stops spinning, until his heart calms down.

Eventually he reads it. Then he reads it again. Then he ignores it again for a while.

Finally, though, Ardyn receives a simple and somewhat cryptic reply:]

wth that's so formal

for a guy who wants 2b alone u sure have a lot 2 say

[...which is not the kindest of replies, but it is a reply. For... what it's worth.]

[scourgingstars]

[It was a few hours before Ardyn responded, having taken the time to actually consider that perhaps communication just wasn't what it used to be.]

I wasn't aware written correspondence had been simplified so. Is this better?

[carbungle]

you still txt like Ignis. whatever tho, idc

--I don't care

[It's not like the message had been incoherent, just. Brevity. It's a thing.]

you don't have to use my title, it's weird coming from you.

Seriously tho why DID you message me? you made it pretty clear you didn't want anything to do with me

[scourgingstars]

The situation, complex as it may be, is not your fault. It was careless and cruel of me to speak so thoughtlessly.

I only wanted to apologize.

[carbungle]

yeah I got that part.

[He should. Probably say something about that.

....ugh.]

Apology accepted? idk I was kind of an ass too. Not like you asked to be here. I just

I don't know. The future's

really bad

[scourgingstars]

Are you alright? I imagine this must sound improper from someone like me, but is there anything I can do to help?

[carbungle]

Here? no. It's everything waiting on the other side that's the problem

but it's a Lucis vs Niflheim thing

[And he doesn't care about that, right?]

[scourgingstars]

[...]

The war I was ostensibly unearthed to fight is none of my concern. But it was once my calling to help those in need of it, and I find it difficult to turn from that even now.

So if you've the desire to speak on the matter, I have naught but time in which to listen.

[carbungle]

[Nnngh. Does he want to? No, not really. But he's been doing a lot of thinking these last few days, and he has some questions that he's not sure where to bring yet. It can't hurt to... just check, maybe.]

You're supposedly some kind of immortal, right

do you know if a type of magic exists to bring back people who've died

[scourgingstars]

If such a thing existed, I would have utilized it myself long before now. I'm afraid, however, that it simply doesn't.

[carbungle]

[He's not surprised, by any means. Such a power would be too convenient- and selfish, besides. Even if he could bring someone back, there's been too many lives lost - too many gone early to the grave - to justify choosing any of them. People who have died for him, or because of him, those who will die in the future...

It's too much. He should have known.]

That's what I figured.

thanks anyway

[scourgingstars]

[A long pause followed that, Ardyn struggling with himself over whether to leave it at that or reach out a little further. It seemed like a bad idea, but at the same time...he really had no ability to ignore something so blatant, even as cynical as he was now.]

Have you lost someone, as well?

[carbungle]

[Oof. Yeah, he asked for that one, didn't he.]

no

[He's tempted to leave it like that, but it would be so blatently transparent that it's embarrassing.]

It happens when I go back. I'm trying to figure things out.

[scourgingstars]

But you’ve advance warning. That is already a good start, is it mot?

[carbungle]

It's a start, sure. But I don't want to leave it up to chance, not when I'm the one who fails to save her

[Based on what he's heard, he's... not the most reliable method of helping her in this situation. what if he screws it up again, even knowing how it goes?]

[scourgingstars]

[Another pause.]

I'm sure you won't believe me, but I understand that sentiment well.

I'll still listen, if you wish to continue.

[carbungle]

not much else to say. that's all I've been told.

[Most of it, anyway. He's not sure why he asked if he wasn't prepared to talk about it yet, but... gods, he's not thinking straight. It would've been worth it if it saved Luna, but if he can't get anything from this, what's the point? It's not as if he wants comfort from this. Not from a stranger, or a possible enemy. Or. Whatever Ardyn is, now.

Truth be told he doesn't know if he believes the man or not, but silence won't help him figure it out, so after a long pause of nothing he sends-]

who'd you lose

[scourgingstars]

[A longer pause that time; like Ardyn was writing out a response, thinking better of it, and starting over several times. But, after a minute or two:]

My betrothed, Aera.

I failed at a critical moment, and she died in my place. Neither of us even realized I was unable to be killed in the first place, so it was all for naught either way.

[carbungle]

....wth

[He has no idea who that is, but that's kind of? eerie?]

are you sure i'm some weird kind of descended twin for your BROTHER and not like

you

[scourgingstars]

Reasonably sure.

[carbungle]

sorry

[That must have sounded pretty wild, even to him.]

it's just

we were supposed to get married, too

[scourgingstars]

I'm sorry. You must be in terrible pain.

Is there no way such a thing could yet be prevented?

[carbungle]

[As more time passes it's less pain and more worry and urgency- it hasn't happened yet, but right now it's a certainty for the majority of his companions from Eos. He's the only one it hasn't happened for yet- which means it's up to him to fix this.]

I don't know yet. I'm trying to figure it out, but easier said than done.

[scourgingstars]

I imagine such a thing would be easiest with benefit of hindsight, so I find that understandable.

Is there anything I can do to help?

[carbungle]

Not unless you can wake up four of the Six and convince them to make a covenant with me.

[Since as far as he knows, that's what kills her.]