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[ She stares out into the expanse of the lake as he casts his line. She follows suit, after reeling back in her own a second time

Inhaling, she can begin to see what he means. It's peaceful, even if it's a VR, and there's a calming mindlessness to the repetitive motions of reeling and casting as the boat gently rocks beneath them. It is nice... if only because he seems a little bit more relaxed, and she wants nothing more than to facilitate that for him, whatever it takes. She's grateful that he agreed to this at all. ]

Quiet... then. [ She nods, softening her voice. ] ...I like it.

...Yeah. Me too.

[His voice is quiet as well, a hushed and half-distracted calm that's been absent from his tone for some time. It only lasts a moment before he shifts back to normal, but the effect this place is having on him is fairly obvious.]

Usually I've got an audience of backseat fishers. Kinda nice to have someone over here for a change.

[ Of course she's here with him. For him, really. Asking him for "help" to learn fish hadn't been about her in the first place. It had been a pretense for him. After a momentary's pause, she brushes her elbow against his side, nudging him gently as if to remind him that, yes, she's there. ]

Backseat fishers... with commentary, perhaps?

[ And who were the backseat fishers, she ponders. His brothers, or veteran fisherman gathered on the dock to see some prince incognito cast out his line? ]

[Less about forgetting she's there and more about forgetting everything else, but he appreciates the gesture nonetheless, glancing sidelong at her for a moment before returning his eyes to the lake.]

Plenty of it. They loved to let me know how they thought I was doing, like I couldn't mop the floor with 'em if it was a contest.

[The words are a complaint, but there's something in his tone that belies a deeper feeling behind them: familiar if subtle affection, a longing for simpler days when the most harsh of exchanged words were about how to reel in a pike. Most of his relationships involve a fair share of teasing, so.]

Hm... They really weren't easy on you, were they? [ She adjusts slightly how she sits, straightening her back in a lazy stretch as she watches the line bob within the water. ]

But they helped you. Like Gladio? With that one memory that we saw within the other VR. [ The one where he was carrying the giant fish Noctis caught back for him! ]

[Noctis pauses then, slowing the spin of his reel as he thinks back. Memory... the one on the mountain. Was that the last time he'd gone on a proper outing with Gladio? It, too, feels much further back than it actually is. They'd been so excited that whole day- from the moment at dawn when they ventured out, to the fated catch, to an incredible dinner at Meldacio alongside their fellow hunters, courtesy of Ignis and the borrowed base kitchen. It was... fun. A lot of fun.

Been a long time since Gladio smiled at him like that.]

...Yeah. That whole trip was his idea. He was the one who got me into fishing, back in the day.

[ ...She definitely brought up the wrong thing, there. Best to not inquire, or shy away from asking too much about any memories. She can understand how good memories may be clouded, changed to something bittersweet or stained with pain, after something heartbreaking has happened more recently.

So. ]

...Let's try to catch a bigger fish, today.

[Some memories are easier than others, it seems. Still, his issues with certain Shields aside, none of that can ruin their camping trips or his love of fishing, so he's content to jump back on the safer subject.]

Bigger than that guy? Bold ambitions. You need to get something biting, first.

[He gives her arm a light nudge and points to the left side of their boat.]

I've got a good feeling about that spot over there.

Fisherman's instinct? [ She jokes softly. ] Or is this another Eos-specific magic clairvoyance you have?

[ Looking over to where he indicates,she nods, reeling back in her line. All it takes is a little adjustment, and she's on the other side of their little boat, her back now against his. He'll hear her casting her line out again, the bait hitting the calm surface of the water before it sinks beneath. She's not exactly sure what she's waiting for here, or how hard a fish might tug upon the line, but she's ready. Or so, she tells herself that she is. ]

[He hums, leaning back against her.]

Neither. It's the words of a pro.

[A pro fisher, normally, but in this specific case a pro gamer. Sometimes fish in this GAme happen to favour a particular spot on the map, and he's noticed a pattern.

Very soon she ought to feel a sudden light tug on her line a couple of times, before suddenly it pulls- and the game comes to life. FISH ON!]

Whoa, finally got one.

[ Feeling the tug at her line, she nearly drops her rod in surprise. She leans back a bit against him, planting her feet against the bottom of the boat securely. ] Oh--!

[ What did he say before-- turn the rod a bit, slow and steady reel it back in, be patient, and...! ]

Got you!

[ It's maybe ten inches, snout to fin, but she looks proud of herself as she holds the fish up, still hooked by the line. ]

It's--... [ --still squirming around, flapping on the line. Pyra attempts to grab at it, only for its fin to slap at her fingers. She laughs, still quite pleased. ] Feisty little guy, isn't he?

Hey, look at you.

[A brighter smile is on Noct's face as he looks at her this time, taking in the sight of the fish. It's more of a guppy compared to what he's used to catching, but no fish is too small to celebrate in his book. He automatically holds a hand up to her, palm spread.]

Nice catch.

[ Oh, she knows this one! A high five. Her hand taps against his.

...Or was he offering to take the fish. Oh well. ] This is... my first fish! [ Excitedly, she brings the fish down into a bucket on the boat so it's not just dangling haphazardly upon the line. ] Hehe~ It's so... cute. Now what, do we name it?

[ Giggling again, she leans over to slip the hook from the fish's lip, careful. ]

Well... if it was a real fish, [-heh, reel fish-] I'd say not to, because it's gonna become dinner later.

[Never name what you eat! That's a major rule.]

Since this is a game, though, you can do whatever you want. So sure, go for it.

[ Immediately-- ]

--Mk. I Polaris.

[ WOo, she's so good at naming things. ]

...That's about what I expected, yeah.

[The name itself? Not in a million years. But the convention... yeah, it checks out.]

[ It is her first fish!

She prepares her rod again. ] So judging! [ She shakes her head with an easy, not at all serious smile. ] But when I happen to catch a hundred fish and more, giving them numbers will be useful! You’ll see!

Except that the way you do it involves remembering three names instead of one...

[He swings his own rod out again, reeling in nice and steady on the opposite side.]

Anyway, no judging. Just don't expect me to remember all of them myself.

[ She casts her line out. ]

It's not as if you've caught any fish to name yet, yourself!

[ How's that for back-seat (front-seat?) ribbing! ]

What's that? You don't want my help? In that case, lesson over- time for the exam.

[He gives his rod a quick expert twist at just the right time to snag something that, based on the size of the splash, is an absolute beast of a fish, steadily beginning to real it in. Seems she's awakened the spirit of competition in him.]

[ There's RNG to this game, whether either her or his line may actually bait a decent sized fish, although, he's absolutely right that the rest of it does indeed involve skill that she doesn't have. This won't stop her from trying to compete, however.

The boat rocks when he earns himself a catch, and she extends her arm out to the edge of the boat to stabilize herself as she glances back at him. It must be a trophy-sized fish, and he makes it look so easy, the way he's bringing his line back. ] Just-- what are you bringing up from this lake, a refrigerator?!

[ She feels no tug from her own line. Dammit, do something, game! It's making her eat her own words! ]

Maybe a mini-fridge.

[He leans back and forth as the boat wobbles, completely at ease out on the water, the speed of his reel shifting as the fish struggles against him. At last, there's one more splash right up against the boat, and Noctis reaches down to pull up a beefy fish creature, not especially wide, but nearly as long as he is tall. It takes some effort to hold it up, and despite the obvious exertion, he looks pleased with himself.]

Damn, not bad at all.

Oh...! It’s as tall as you! That‘a amazing!

[ She balks. Not only did he manage to catch a large fish, but he’s pulled it up and into the boat expertly. Competition aside, she can still praise him for doing a fine job. ]

—Although I... don’t think that’s going to fit into the bucket.

You wouldn't think so, but...

[It's a video game! And that bucket's meant to carry as many as they can catch in the time limit. He gives the fish a nudge, and it drops into the bucket as it shrinks, until the two fish are seated together, proportional but sized to fit. Their score and max weight are displayed on the side of the bucket now, 1-1.]

Round 2? [He's already casting the line, oops.]

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1/2

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