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drysaladandketchup · 6 years

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Regarding Ignis (A long rant and partial character study)

Okay so I’ve seen a few posts going around lately about Ignis and how SE has really given him the backseat treatment, and it’s given me some thoughts of my own I just need to get out.

So a lot Ignis fans (or just ffxv fans in general) have, at some point or another, pointed out the lack of pretty much any backstory for Ignis. Which I wholeheartedly agree with. But I’ve also spent a lot of time being annoyed that his presence in the main game (especially prior to chapter 10 and on) feels... kind of lacking as well, compared to the others.

Now bear with me on this one. This is going to be very long so I apologise in advance.

I’m going to preface this by saying that I think all the bros (and Luna, for that matter) have missing story pieces, but when you put the collective bits together, both in game and out, Ignis seems to be lacking the most.

For starters, while a lot of the pre-game content is vague, we still have some info regarding the bros, and DLC and the Brotherhood eps also shed some light on things.

We known a bit about Prompto, Gladio, and Noctis, in terms of childhoods, families, and/or certain developing moments for them. But with Ignis it’s all still very vague. Everything we know about Ignis only really pertains to his role at Noct’s side, in the Citadel.

Now I love Ignis and Noct, and their relationship is the most interesting and important to me, in any and every way people want to see it (people who follow me obviously know this), so I fully admit I have a huge bias here. I like knowing how Ignis’ and Noct’s lives interweave. I like knowing about them together, or in relation to each other.

That being said, Ignis is still my favourite character. Indeed he quickly topped my list of favourites. So of course I want to know more about him in general, and SE just doesn’t give us that.

He met Noct at the age of six (or three depending on which material you want to listen to, which in and of itself is confusing), but what was he doing before? What would his life have been if he hadn’t come to the Citadel? What was his home life like? Does he have siblings? Does he have friends in or outside of the Citadel? Hobbies? What was his schooling like? What’s his home like when he’s older? We don’t even know anything about his parents or their relationship, other than Tabata stating they were alive before the fall of Insomnia. Newer datalogs say House Scientia is a line of royal retainers, even, so was Ignis ever going to have a choice? We only have the vague mention of an uncle from Parting Ways, though we don’t get much of a read on him or his and Ignis’ relationship, and the scene was cut from the game.

Ignis is a skilled cook, but it’s still debatable (because of varying sources) whether he actually likes it or not. It’s pretty assumed he does, but he admits he learned it for Noct initially. He doesn’t really have a thing that’s just his; something he likes or liked for himself from the start. And no, I don’t count drinking excessive amounts of coffee a viable “quirk” of its own.

Tabata said he mostly lived in the Citadel, that he was more like family than a servant/retainer, and datalogs mention an “advanced education” he recieved, but there’s no more details; no specifics on what that means. It’s so vague that it really doesn’t mean much in terms of actual tangible character points.

And one of my biggest questions: was he brought to the Citadel to be Noct’s friend first (since he was, you know, six freaking years old) or was the plan always for him to be an advisor? Because despite what the game makes it sound like, it’s more sensible to think they would bring Noct a child to be friends with and that the job came later once they’d become close friends.

We do know from offical material that Ignis took on a lot of retainer-type jobs on his own accord, like the cooking and general caregiving he does for Noct; we know that was his choice. Those aren’t the jobs of an advisor. Ignis, whether groomed to be this way or if it’s just his nature, is very much a caregiver type of person; not because he thinks Noct is a child, but because he wants to help Noct any way he can because he understands the burden on Noct’s shoulders.

Which brings me to Brotherhood. Unlike Gladio and Prompto, Ignis’ Brotherhood episode starts with him already well into his years and working for Noct, and while all the bros episodes relate back to their relationship with Noct, Ignis’ doesn’t show anything really personal about himself, or relate to a backstory in any way. In fact, half the episode is just as much about Noctis as it is about Ignis.

Ignis, throughout the entire series (game, anime, and so on), always just kind of exists as is; as we’re introduced to him. Not a lot of growth from point A to point B that we get to see.

The only bit of development we are kind of given is in how Ignis views Noct and their relationship before, during, and after the argument in the episode. Still, it isn’t much, and fans differ on where Ignis stands on the matter. Ignis believes in Noct and his abilities as King wholeheartedly in the game, but did he always? It’s hard to tell; we never really hear about it properly. How does Ignis feel in terms of balancing friendship with duty throughout the years? Everything is all speculation.

Now let’s look at in-game stuff, shall we?

The bros all have their own quests. But I was always annoyed that Ignis’ seemed a little lackluster compared to the other two. Prompto’ photo ops and his quests are light-hearted, plus the conversation with him and Noct on the motel roof reveals more of his character and addresses his and Noct’s friendship with a more serious tone; something that doesn’t happen with Ignis or really with Gladio, and I’ve always been confused and upset by that.

Gladio’s quests are all unique, plus his noodles quest, and his one-on-one with Noct during the Titan fight.

But Ignis... his two cooking quests bear some nice dialogue, sure, but there’s no real event. And we learn what we already knew; Ignis has been with Noct since early childhood, and that he’d cook for him. Nothing new. Nothing that sheds more light on Ignis. And the glasses quest is... supposed to be funny or light-hearted I guess, and it is, but it’s not telling either. It shows Ignis in a less serious light which is nice, but if anything it felt like an afterthought; like the devs just needed a third quest and weren’t sure what to do for Ignis.

In fact, it feels like the devs just weren’t sure how to handle Ignis’ character the way they did Gladio and Prompto and Noctis.

Ignis and Noct never get a real serious and heartfelt one-on-one that deals with either themselves, their relationship, or the events of the game. The moments him and Noct are alone are during the base infiltration (so no time for a heart-to-heart), and the very brief exchange on the train after chapter 10. You could mention the exchange after Noct wakes up in Altissia, but even then Noct asks about Ignis’ injury, Ignis deflects, and the plot smothers any chance of Noct and Ignis really talking about... anything. I love the moment, but it’s hardly even an exchange.

They don’t really get to talk properly and get personal. The cooking quests are the closest, but it’s all more fun banter than any of the serious conversations I was hoping for. A lot of what we understand of how close they are comes from brief dialogues within scenes, small expressions or actions; stuff that is more subtle or nuanced. Now subtly and nuance are good and fine, people don’t need to be beaten over the head all the time. But the game likes to beat you over the head with seemingly everything else, so why not this too then?

Ignis doesn’t get as many focal moments in cutscenes either, nor in dialogue; he literally takes a backseat to the story or the other characters a lot more often. Which isn’t to say he doesn’t get any focus, but I remember thinking, especially when I first played the game, that he sort of felt like the “odd man out” of the group.

For all the moments of Ignis being this intelligent, loyal, and badass friend, it tells us what he is, but not who he is, in a sense.

Now, his blindness and subsequent handling of it is a really big turn for his character. He’s struggling more to maintain his usual poise and functionality. For the first time his stoic facade cracks and we see him trying to cope and adjust; we see he’s frustrated. We can tell, though he doesn’t outright say it, that he’s scared of being left behind or of being a burden. Yet he also doesn’t back down, even blinded, as seen during the Malboro fight. He’s tough and determined, and he reminds Noct to do the same; to be strong, but to be kind to himself as well.

So, a good character moment; some focus specifially for him. Not a backstory, but at least it’s his current story developing. Problem is it gets swept aside by the main story soon after Cartanica, which is annyoing but also unavoidable given how the story was progressing; focus had to shift with everything happening and Noct, the player character, being seperated from him repeatedly (now, whether the story pacing here is good or not is a conversation for another time). But regardless, it’s the moment a lot of people really fell in love with Ignis. He became a point of inspiration.

Then the 10-year timeskip happens.

What we know: Prompto and Gladio worked with the hunters, worked to help the outposts and took up roles that allowed their lives to move on; they didn’t forget Noct, of course, but they tried to move forward. Which is healthy, really. Hell, it’s even mentioned or implied that both of them are in relationships of some kind.

Ignis spent a lot of time adjusting to his blindness, which is actually realistic, and as soon as he was able to hunt and take care of himself again he was off. Talcott mentions how he’d been searching old ruins for information, likely about Ardyn, the Lucii, and anything pertaining to Noct and his fate.

It’s implied he took losing Noct the hardest, and he didn’t recover quite the way the others did. He took up fishing, and took frequent ventures to Galdin. He never mentions having any sort of relationships (though honestly I’m totally happy with this, personally), and we know the bros don’t even see each other all that often after a while, so he even lost the support of his friends.

He was left to stew in his own juices. He stewed in the loss of Noct longer than anyone. Given his words and actions in his DLC, that’s tragic and not entirely healthy, but it’s also not really surprising either.

But what irks me is that despite it being 10 damn years, the bros don’t really act like that’s a long time when Noct returns and everything sort of just falls back into place. It’s too fast, and once you look past the genuinely emotional side of it all, it’s kind of awkward. The game doesn’t give the player time to adjust, or the characters to really interact, because it’s just go, go, go. Whether it was development timelines or a conscious choice to keep the player off-kilter and emotional, I couldn’t say. What I do know is that after all that, Ignis doesn’t really feel any different in the future. He’s back to how he was before he went blind.

Hell, in the Kings of Yore fight, whereas Gladio and Prompto get their little dialogues with Noct post-fight, Ignis doesn’t after the Somnus fight. God knows he and Noct should have a lot to say to each other after everything, but nope, nothing. It’s a small thing, I know, but it adds to my feelings of him constantly being overlooked.

He’s such an amazing character, but his story feels kind of stagnant. Even without the development or heavier backstory he still carried his weight as a likeable and admirable character, which is really great, but that’s exactly why people notice the holes in his character story and want more.

So, what do we know about him, in terms of his personality? He’s poised, stoic, analytical, logical, academically-minded, loyal to a fault, protective, determined, confident (to the point that he can be boastful and overconfident), sympathetic, compassionate, and he has a wisdom and maturity beyond his years. He’s also totally capable of joking, both with silly puns and a darker, dry wit, of having fun and doing dangerous stunts, of making poor decisions due to lack of experience or stress. Basically he can and does act his age, for those of you who call him a “fun-killer”.

Thanks to his DLC we’re also reminded that he can be brash, aggressive, irrational under pressure, and can feel terrified, distraught, desperate, helpless... basically he’s human. He shows all of these traits at one point or another in-game, yet fans and the devs alike seem to forget all too easily.

Or, oftentimes people mistake his stoicism, the way he plays things close to the chest and sometimes exudes an air of indifference, as him being cold and apathetic, but he’s really not. He’s just not this bright, outgoing, extroverted, happy-go-lucky person who outwardly shows huge amounts of care and affection equally across everyone he knows. And that’s okay! That’s how a lot of people are! He’s human! None of the bros are carbon copies of each other, so Ignis being this way shouldn’t be as shocking to some fans as it seems to be.

Basically he’s pretty well developed emotionally; just not story-wise.

Collectively he encompasses a lot a traits I love in a character, and regardless of how the game used him (or didn’t) I couldn’t help that he piqued my interest. Which relates back to my previous point; if fans like a character, they want them to be fleshed out, with backstories and a serious and decent involvement in the story.

Now, about Episode Ignis: some knocked it for it’s lack of character development so here’s my two cents on that.

They’re right; it doesn’t change anything in terms of his past. It isn’t the backstory it boasted it would be. Once again we learn nothing about Ignis in terms of his origins.

However, it is still a great story for other reasons. Did we already know Ignis was insanely loyal to Noct? Yes. Did we know Ignis was pretty damn capable in a fight? Yes. Hell, many fans, prior to Ep. Ignis’ release, guessed Ignis had used the ring, or at least that he was refusing to tell Noct the truth of what happened to him in Altissia.

But while the DLC is no backstory, it does tell us one thing; the intensity of Ignis’ feelings regarding Noct, and how far he’d go. People who think Ignis was out of character in this DLC simply because he was so emotional need to understand something; he’s human. Ignis is twenty-two, Altissia is basically a warzone and he’s fighting through it on his own for the most part, he’s likely physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, he’s most definitely in all kinds of pain and he’s worried for Noct, who has been this constant friend and focal point in his life for so long.

And they are friends; actually, you could easily argue that “friends” isn’t even a strong enough word (either from Ignis’ side or mutually). Ignis loves Noct; and it’s the kind of love that transcends typical romantic, brotherly, or platonic feelings. It’s a very rare kind of love both in fiction and in reality.

I realize there’s a fair argument to be had about how healthy or not this is or if it’s fair to Ignis given his upbringing, but again; conversation for another time.

So, do we learn anything about Ignis’ past in his DLC? No, and that’s upsetting. But we learn how far he’s willing to go under pressure; that he isn’t immune to fear, to selfishness for the sake of another, to anger and pain and desperation.

The implication that he was ready and willing and planning to die with Noct in Insomnia, or that he rejects a world without Noct... regardless of how you feel about that line and what spurred it, it’s telling and it’s powerful.

In fact, as I mentioned before we don’t know where and how Ignis draws the line between his duty to Noct and his friendship with him, but Ep. Ignis makes it clear; his duty takes a backseat if it means leading Noct to harm or unhappiness.

Ignis puts his personal feelings of friendship and love for Noct above his duty, and indeed above the needs of the world. Even when asking Noct to stop, Ignis asks out of his own desire to have Noct live, but he doesn’t stop Noct from making the choice, nor does he stop Noct when Noct decides to continue on, merely reminds him that he has his friend’s support. Ignis never actually takes away Noct’s ability to choose for himself in the game.

So once again, Ignis is, you know, human; he will forget his duty for Noct’s sake. Ignis proves that while he admires Noct’s resolve and who he is, he probably wishes, just this once, that Noct had been a lesser man and given up their journey. Seriously, listen to Ignis’ voice during that credit scene in Ep. Ignis; he’s struggling to speak calmly, he sounds like he’s about to cry. He’s hurting. But he submits to Noct’s decision even so. In a way, Ignis is being both selfish and selfless all at once.

So, my point here is that, while new character developments and backstory are good and important, not every moment in a character’s life is going to involve either. Just like real life; not everything you do is going to change you or be this big life-altering moment, it’s simply going to be a statement to who you are as a person in the here and now. Ep. Ignis is not so much a growth, but rather a reveal; we’re seeing Ignis at his most raw and intense and vulnerable, with his walls torn down. And while that may not be what everyone wanted, that doesn’t make it bad, nor is it without purpose.

So, do I wish his DLC had more about Ignis’ past and how he is without regards to Noct? Yes. But given the timeline of his DLC, it’s also not surprisng where his focus would be. While this rant is about his lack of backstory and development, I will argue that while Episode Ignis was not that, it’s still very much important to his character. Frankly, I was also just happy Ignis was getting so much focus from the game finally.

I’m not going to talk too much more about the DLC because there’s a lot that could be said about it with a multitude of arguments, but instead I’ll segway to my last point, and back to how the devs use Ignis and why they do him dirty.

Ignis get’s shafted the most in promotional stuff. Hell, there’s been more questions answered with regard to the other characters than Ignis. A lot of his promotional stuff or involvement in promptional stuff, especially lately, has been treated either very poorly (basically dumb, goofy stuff) or he just hasn’t been there at all. I’m sure a lot of you recall his birthday posts from the official sites, as well as his complete absence from the Valentine’s day art (though I wasn’t entirely upset by that for reasons I won’t mention here).

Perhaps the biggest slap in the face is that his presence in the community, made worse by the devs themselves, is that often he’s just a joke. The most obvious being the “mom joke” (that even made it’s way into the game), and the ever-lasting and at this point super annoying “recipeh” joke. It’s old; it was old two weeks after the game came out. His character feels more like a joke to the devs than someone worthy of actual development and serious conversations.

I want Ignis to have fun; not be made fun of.

In fact, I often wonder if the devs made all these ham-fisted and poor, non-humourous choices to try and make Ignis appeal to the fans who complained he was too serious or thought he was too cold to the bros. Maybe, maybe not; it still irks me regardless.

Now, I’m aware of my bias here. Do I like Ignis having fun and being funny? Yes. But I also really like his seriousness, and his maturity and stoicism. His focus, his confidence and resolve all appeal to me. Hell, it’s what makes his emotional outburst in his DLC and his feelings about Noct hit that much harder; they break his facade. His mask cracks with regards to Noct. That in and of itself is telling about how strongly he feels about Noct.

Ignis is an insanely amazing character, and I know this post may sound like I’m bashing him, but I’m not trying to. This post exists because I love him immensely; I love what we do know about him, I love his relationship with Noct, and I love who he is as a person.

I just wish we knew more. I wish he was treated better by fans and the devs; like he’s actually, you know, one of the four main characters.

He’s the textbook definition of, “still waters run deep.” It’s just upsettingly clear that the devs don’t actually want to delve into those depths, at least not in the main game.

If any of you made it to the end of this insanely long post than thank you, you’re a hero.

If you wanna discuss this with me that’s cool, just don’t start a fight with me over this. I’m a tired bean and these are only opinions based on my own preferences and interpretation of things.

#ffxv #final fantasy xv #ignis scientia #long post #this is also a tiny bit of an introspective on ignoct #ramblings

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thedragontamerying · 6 years

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So I’ve had this idea for a while and just recently got the courage to go ahead and write it. >///< I don’t think writing body movement or actions are my strongest point so this was kinda a challenge when it came to the dance steps, but I hope you all enjoy nonetheless! In case it wasn’t obvious from the stated ages, this story takes place years before the main ffxv story does (think Brotherhood).

If you want to see what kind of dancing is in this you can watch a video here and if you want to hear the music that plays you can listen to it here. (I really like the music for this. It’s so bouncy!)

Tagging: @insomniasix @theyearofdiamonddogs @zoeyredbird1 @seal-pai @ffxv-ocs-unite @sgt-paintbrush

[Masterlist]

Belle of the Ball

“A dance?”

Artemisia sighed. “It’s more of a ball.”

“Ooh, fancy.” Her father, Dimitrios, whistled as he dried off a recently washed dinner plate.

Artemisia groaned in her seat at the dinner table, cupping her head in her hands. Her mother, Sotiria, leaned against the small kitchen island table. “Well, what’s so bad about that?”

“Didn’t you hear what I said earlier?”

Her father turned off the sink faucet and turned around, sheepishly smiling at his dejected daughter. “Sorry hon, I think the water might have drowned you out a bit. Ya gotta learn to speak up a little.”

“Plus you know we have bad hearing.” Sotiria pointed at her ear. “Old age and all.”

Artemisia sighed.

“Just give us a quick run down, Arty.”

“A ball? You mean, like the really big fancy ones?”

Ismene hummed in confirmation to her nervous student as she sorted out some papers through her filing cabinet. “We used to have one every year before The Wall came up. Back then it was used to keep good spirits between Insomnia and foreign royalty. But thanks to Niflheim and our current security, we haven’t had one in a long time.”

The nineteen year old narrowed her eyes in thought. “So why have one now?”

“The king is hoping it would help keep good spirits between the few noble families in the city. Apparently some of them are annoyed that the only time their invited to the Citadel is if it’s for important business.” Ismene smirked hearing the small scoff from Artemisia.

“Did they forget that we’re at war right now?”

“A majority of them aren’t involved in the Crownsguard or the Kingsglaive, so that possibility is actually higher than you think.” Ismene glanced over her shoulder at her student. “Regardless, it will be a fun night.”

Artemisia fidgeted. “These sort of things aren’t really for me, Ismene…”

“I’m aware.”

“Do I really have to go?”

Ismene rolled her eyes at Artemisia’s reluctance. “Yes, all Citadel officials have to be present for it.”

“Technically I’m still in training, so…” Artemisia’s retort died under Ismene’s stare.

The older woman sighed. “Artemis, I understand it can be nerve wracking having to keep up appearances around all those strangers. But the more you do it, the more you’ll become accustomed to it and it will become second nature for you. And trust me, it’s not as bad as you think it will be. It’s all just formality, after all.” Artemisia stared down at her fidgeting foot as Ismene continued. “You won’t have to discuss politics with anyone or try to prove yourself. Trust me, if anyone has anything important that they need to discuss, they’ll come to me. Besides, the prince and his friends will be there as well. You can spend the night with them, that will be fun. Plus I’m sure the prince will enjoy having you around to be his escapegoat from talking with anyone else.”

Artemisia fidgeted. “I don’t really… have anything nice for a royal ball.”

Ismene closed the newly organized cabinet -- though Artemisia doubted it would stay that way for long -- and grinned at her apprentice. “No need to worry about that. We can go on a little shopping trip and we’ll find something nice.”

Artemisia weakly smiled, her hesitance still obvious.

“I assure you, Artemis. You’ll have a great time.”

Artemisia’s parents, now seated at the table with her, lightly nodded and hummed in understanding.

“I guess I see where your anxiety is coming from…” Sotiria tapped her cheek thoughtfully.

“But still,” Dimitrios interjected, always one to look on the bright side. “If you’re not obligated to talk to the fancy folk, then it’s just a regular dance right? That’s not bad!”

“It’s more than that, Dad!” Artemisia exasperated, laying her head on the table and covering the top with her arms like they could shield her from the dreaded future. “I’m going to embarrass myself, I know I will. Or worse, I’ll embarrass Ismene and Noctis.” She’s known Noctis for ten years and had been officially working under Ismene for six years. Within that time she has grown comfortable with a majority of other Citadel and Crownsguard members, but not so much with other high-born members of Insomnia that regularly met with the king. Despite every bit of logic and experience she’s had with nobility and even royalty -- granted though, Noctis and Gladiolus didn’t really fit the mold constructed for people of their position -- she couldn’t help but still have this feeling of inferiority and awkwardness. She knew it was ridiculous, especially since she was not the only ‘common-blood’ amongst Noctis’ friends. Prompto had no titles or enormous riches, yet he never seemed to care about the sociological position of the rest of the guys. Whatever it was that caused his seemingly carefree attitude, Artemisia wishes she could get some of it too.

“Artemis, I think you’re overthinking things again.” Sotiria sighed. “I highly doubt Ismene would put you through something like this if she didn’t think that you were capable of handling it.” Artemisia glanced up at her mom when she saw the reministant smile on her face. “Besides, if the prince wasn’t embarrassed by you at all when you were younger then there’s no way you could embarrass him now.” Artemisia couldn’t help the small huff of amusement from her nose. She had a point; if Noctis wasn’t weirded out by their first meeting, then chances are he could handle any kind of awkwardness she might unintentionally throw his way.

“I vote that you go!” Dimitrios shouted, his handing standing tall over his head. “But I want pictures! You gotta let me take pictures first before you go to the dance.”

“That’s the only reason you really want her to go, isn’t it?” Sotiria looked at her husband suspiciously, reading him like the books that he creates.

“Well, that fancy school Ismene put her in didn’t have any dances, so we never got to see her dressed up like the princess that she is.” Dimitrios cried dramatically.

“Dancing isn’t really something that a tactician needs to know, Dad.”

“Whatever, the vote is two-to-one so you’re going to that dance, little missy. And I’m taking pictures!”

Artemisia couldn’t help but giggle at her father’s declaration. Her smiling mother shrugged, hinting that there was no way she was going to get out of the ball now. “Ismene said that you guys can come too, if you’re interested.”

“Oh no thanks, that’s too fancy for us.” Artemisia’s parents said in unison, giving her a thumbs up. “Good luck though!”

Hypocrites...

While Artemisia had accepted her fate to the night of the ball, all the preparations were turning out to be more overwhelming than the actual event would. The boutique that Ismene took her to was absolutely gorgeous and the dresses were breathtaking.

Also expensive. Very expensive.

Why was everything so expensive?!

Expensive enough that Artemisia didn’t touch anything that wasn’t specifically handed to her. One dress alone was going to put a major dent into her savings, she didn’t want to risk breaking something else and paying for that too. Thankfully, Ismene was friends with the owner and was able to get a discount for her. After that was a visit to the salon to consult with a hair and makeup artist. Artemisia had worried that her recently cut hair would limit her styling options, but the stylist declared that a good stylist has no limitations. Artemisia decided to trust his enthusiasm.

The night finally came, and after meeting with the cosmetologist, sorting out her new dress and enduring several minutes of an impromptu photoshoot from her gleeful father, she had made it to the Citadel with Ismene. Ismene had ushered Artemisia to on ahead as she spoke with Cor. Artemisia fidgeted with her hands as she made her way to down the luxurious hall towards the ballroom. The echo of her heels was slowly drowned out by the growing noise of the party goers as she neared the door.

“Quit it Ignis…”

“At least try to look presentable, Noct.”

“Prompto, turn the flash off on that thing.”

“Sorry Big Guy, the lighting in here is horrible though.”

Artemisia heard the muffled voices of her friends just beyond the door. She hesitated, her hand raised just inches from the doorknob. She groaned defeatedly before taking a deep breath in and shaking the tension out of her arms.

“I just want tonight to be over.” Noctis’ complaint was cut off as the door creaked open. The four men’s attention landed on Artemisia as she shut the door behind her with a sheepish smile. She stood awkwardly as the guys looked her up and down.

“H-How do I look?” She held her arms out slightly at her side, showing off the long blue transparent fabric that trailed below her arms. Silver bands around her biceps and her wrists kept the fabric from touching the ground. Her dress was a light blue color that descended into a darker blue at the bottom. The clothing was long enough to end just above her toes, her high heels keeping the fabric from touching the ground. Her hair had been tied back into a small braided bun with her side bangs framing her face.

After a moment of silence, Noctis shrugged. “It will do, I guess.”

Artemisia playfully glared at her friend, immediately picking up on the teasing tone in his voice. Prompto elbowed Noctis, causing the latter to laugh. “Don’t listen to him, you look amazing!”

“Indeed, you look beautiful.” Ignis added.

Gladiolus was quiet for another moment before clearing his throat. “Yeah, you look really nice.”

Artemisia smiled, a light shade of pink on her cheeks. “Thanks, guys. You guys look great too.” Noctis wore an all black suit that had small lines of white traveling down. She’s seen him wear it on the few occasions he attended business with the king, and everytime he wore it he looked just as handsome as his father. It always brought a smile to Artemisia’s face. Prompto’s suit was light blue with a white shirt underneath and a matching blue bowtie. The color brought out his eyes and made the freckles on his face stand out. Ignis’ suit was a dark maroon color, with a black shirt and a darker maroon vest. His usually combed down hair was slicked back for the special night and Artemisia knew that he was going to be popular tonight.

“Why aren’t you wearing a suit?” Artemisia asked Gladiolus, the taller man wearing his usual guard uniform. Gladiolus shrugged nonchalantly, though his furrowed eyebrows hinted at some disappointment. “On duty tonight, along with a few other Crownsguard. Those nobles can get kinda rowdy with enough wine, and someone’s gotta be there in case his highness here gets ganged up on.”

Prompto snickered. “I’m sure some of the girls down there would love to get a piece of ya, Noct.” Noctis rolled his eyes, obviously not fond of the possibility of being gawked over by a bunch of strangers.

A signal from a nearby Crownsguard member alerted the five that it was time for the king and prince to make their entrance, the party goers being deemed safe and all security in place. Prompto ran ahead of the others, stating that he wanted a good spot to get some pictures of everyone coming out. As the other four made their way down to the ballroom, Noctis offered up his arm to Artemisia. She raised a brow at the unusual gesture. “Having you with me might save me the trouble of declining all the dads here from meeting their daughters.”

Artemisia giggled. “Think I’m enough to scare off competition?”

“Good enough for me.”

Artemisia couldn’t help but laugh more at the flattery, locking her arm with Noctis’ and tugging him a bit closer for a playful cuddle.

Despite the uplifting verbal affections from the guys, as soon as they entered the ballroom, Artemisia’s body went rigid and her breath hitched in her throat. She could see the eyes of all the attendees focus on them as the group stood behind the approaching king and his entourage. The king smiled and greeted his son and his friends, all of them bowing in return before the older man looked out from the balcony at the party goers down below, welcoming them all.

King Regis continued on with some sort of speech that Artemisia felt like she should be paying more attention too but she couldn’t distract herself from all the eyes on them. The happy smile that she had a few minutes ago fell into quivering attempt of a smile. She tried to keep up appearances but it was becoming increasingly more difficult as the king’s speech rattled on. Not even Prompto’s distant attempts to get her to smile for his camera helped. She couldn’t relax with so many strangers looking at her. Logically speaking, she knew that they were looking at the king and Noctis and most likely didn’t pay her any mind, but that didn’t make the anxious feeling go away. It definitely felt like people were staring at her. Why would they staring? Did she look bad? Was she underdressed? Overdressed? Did it look like she was trying too hard?

Her hands felt clammy and her temperature seemed to rise once she noticed a couple glance in her direction and then whisper amongst themselves. Questions of why they suddenly started talking once they looked at her ran through her head like a bullet train, with multiple negative answers coming in just as fast. Her eyes slowly moved down to her arm that was still interlocked with Noctis’. Am I making Noctis look bad? Oh Gods, I must be so gaudy next to him. I should just move back more so--

Her attempt to disappear to the back was foiled by Noctis, who secured her arm around his tightly once he felt her move. She looked at him questionly but quickly noticing a similar look of uneasiness in his eyes. Her tense muscles relaxed slightly, her desire to comfort her anxious friend overriding her own worries.

“And with that, please enjoy the festivities.” King Regis finally finished speaking, the attendees clapping before slowly dispersing around the ballroom as music from the orchestra began to play. Many took off to the side lines to talk amongst themselves and enjoy the treats provided by the Citadel staff while a few couples began to dance to the music. A few of the king’s entourage bowed to Regis before descending down the balcony staircase to join in the merrymaking as the king came over to Noctis and his friends. “I’m glad to see that you decided to come tonight. I was worried that you wouldn’t.”

Noctis scoffed. “Even if I tried, Ignis wouldn’t have let that happen.”

Regis chuckled and looked at Ignis with a grateful smile. “Thank the Astrals for him then.”

“Merely doing my duty, your highness.” Ignis stated.

Regis turned his attention to Artemisia. “It’s nice to see you, my dear.” The older man smiled. “You look lovely tonight.”

Artemisia blushed shyly, averting her gaze to the ground as she lightly bowed. “T-Thank you, your majesty.”

“I hate to take you away from your date,” Noctis blushed and clarified that she was not a date before his father continued, “But I would like it if you could greet some of the guests with me.”

Noctis groaned but relented to the request after Ignis shot a look at him. The two young men followed Regis down the stairs after excusing themselves. Artemisia gave a small wave goodbye before sighing, figuring that she was going to have to continue the night on her own. “Artemis,” she jumped slightly hearing Gladiolus’ baritone voice and saw him standing by the opposite flight of stairs with his hand held out. “Need help getting down the stairs? I’m sure those heels don’t make walking easy.”

“Heh, yeah, thanks.” Artemisia chuckled sheepishly, placing her hand into his larger one. Artemisia lightly gripped the fabric of her dress to lift the hem slightly as a precaution as they walked down the curved stairs step by careful step. “You looked nervous,” Gladiolus said once they fell into a slow stepping rhythm. Artemisia weakly smiled, “Yeah… It’s stupid, I thought everyone was staring at me…”

Gladiolus gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Even if they were, I can tell you now that’s it’s not because of what you were thinking.”

Artemisia gave a genuine smile in thanks before the two fell into comfortable silence as they approached the bottom of the stairs. Taking the moment to look out to the crowd, she had seen some of the younger women stare at Gladiolus, giggling amongst themselves flustered. “It’s a shame you didn’t get to dress up,” Artemisia smirked, “I bet you would have looked good.”

Gladiolus snickered. “Won’t argue with you there. But I make anything look good.” Artemisia playfully rolled her eyes, chuckling at the teasing look in his eyes. Gladiolus slowly released her hand once they reached the end of the stairs. “I’m also a pretty good dancer too.”

“Oh really? Those giant feet are capable of keeping a beat?”

“Ha! Trust me, you won’t find a better waltz partner in all of Insomnia.”

Artemisia lifted a brow. “Says who?”

“Iris… When she was five.”

Artemisia laughed. “Can’t argue with that, I suppose.” Gladiolus smiled down at her as Artemisia calmed her laughter to quiet giggles. Gladiolus opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to say something.

“Gladio!” The young man blinked in surprise to hearing his name so suddenly. The two looked over Artemisia’s shoulder and saw Cor. “We got a couple of rowdy ones over there. Make sure they don’t cause any trouble.” Gladiolus nodded, but as soon as Cor walked off his figure visibly slacked and he sighed. “Five minutes in and someone’s already drunk. The people here know how to party.” Despite the joke, Artemisia could see smallest bit of reluctance in his eyes. “Duty calls.” Artemisia nodded in understanding, though she desperately wished he could stay. As he walked off, Gladiolus looked back to Artemisia. “Stop worrying so much, okay. Try to mingle and have some fun.”

Artemisia blinked at his command as he walked off and left her by herself. There she stood, awkwardly smiling at anyone who happened to glance at her before she gave in to her nerves and decided to move over to the food table as far back in the room and stay there for the whole night. She knew that Ismene and Gladiolus would be disappointed to see her keeping to herself, but at least she’d have the comfort of luxury sweets for the next two hours.

Indulging herself on the different types of snack food and drinks, Artemisia found the most empty corner of the room to wait out the rest of the night. Occasionally she caught sight of the guys, but Noctis was constantly being pulled back and forth by enthusiastic party goers. Gladiolus seemed to be the most preoccupied, either keeping watch over Noctis and saving him from the crowds or just trying to make sure no one got into a drunken fight. She had actually talked to Prompto off and on several times, but he was excitedly preoccupying himself with his photography and she didn’t have the heart to ask him to sit with her for a while. Surprisingly enough she hadn’t seen much of Ignis, though she assumed that he was making up for any lack of sociability from Noctis by speaking with the guests.

Artemisia took a sip from her drink, glancing at the large clock on the upper balcony. She sighed seeing the time. Forty-five minutes down, another seventy-five to go.

The clicking of approaching shoes caught her attention and she immediately perked up once she recognized the maroon suit. “Oh Ignis! There you are.” Artemisia greeted her friend as he approached the table. Artemisia handed him a cup of water. “I was wondering where you ran off to.”

“Entertainment,” Ignis thanked her for the drink and took some small sips, “Noct is no savant of conversation, so I’ve been picking up the pieces.”

How did I guess…

“What about you?” Ignis looked down at Artemisia suspiciously. “You haven’t been sitting here the entire time, have you?”

Artemisia averted her eyes away from his, a guilty blush on her face. “Uh… Well, I’ve said hello to anyone that has walked this way.”

Ignis sighed. “Come now, Artemis. You shouldn’t be wasting the night away, especially not when you’ve gone to the expense of dressing for it.” Artemisia sheepishly smiled and remained quiet; she knew he was right. She went to all the trouble of coming and she wasn’t enjoying it at all. Regardless, she couldn’t find the nerve to socialize with the crowd of strangers.

The two stood in silence, Ignis taking sips from his drink as they watched the other guests. Some of them were dancing in the middle of the room, staying within their small circles and avoiding each other gracefully. Those who weren’t dancing were either waiting for an opening to join in from the side lines and enjoying the sight or talking amongst themselves. The current song slowly started to die down, the piece coming to an end. Artemisia looked up and saw that Ignis seemed to be staring at her from the corner of his eye. “What?” He didn’t respond, instead swallowing the last of his drink and placing the empty cup on the table. He walked forward as the music came to an end the dancers slowly dispersed from the floor, a few other couples ready to take their places. Artemisia blinked when Ignis held his hand out for her.

“Dance with me.”

“Huh?!” Artemisia’s face flushed red at the sudden request. “I-I-I… Uh… I d-d-duh…” She sputtered before regaining control over her mouth. “I-I appreciate the gesture Ignis, but I d-don’t dance.”

“Then let tonight be an exception.”

“Let me reiterate that: I CAN’T dance.”

“Neither can a majority of the people here.” He took hold of her hand, practically dragging her on to the dance floor once the music started. “Don’t worry, I can show you.” Artemisia stumbled as they walked onto the floor, surprised by Ignis’ unusual insistence. She regained her balance once Ignis stopped and saw that they were at the center of the dance floor. She immediately wanted to run back into crowd and disappear for the rest of the night, but Ignis kept her with him as he brought her hand up to his shoulder. He excused himself before placing his hand on her bare left shoulder blade. He held his left hand out and waited for her to take it with her right. “I-Ignis, really, I can’t…”

“Yes you can.”

Artemisia was taken back from Ignis’ persistence, looking at him widened eyes. After a moment, she hesitantly took his hand with hers. Ignis squeezed her hand, tightening his grip to steady her as he began to move. “First step back,” he instructed as he stepped forward with his left foot, making Artemisia step back with her right. Artemisia tried to follow Ignis’ movements as he continued through the simple waltz steps, trying to guide her body in the right direction with his own. She stepped to the side a bit later than him though and accidentally stepped on Ignis’ toes with her heel. He didn’t make any noise but Artemisia saw the small flinch of pain. “I’m so sorry, Ignis! S-See, I told you I can’t dance.”

“It’s alright, Artemis. It was just a small misstep.”

A couple more of those missteps and Artemisia was starting to worry about Ignis’ potentially bleeding foot. “Really Ignis, I think we should stop.”

“It’s your first time dancing the waltz,” Ignis didn’t loosen his hold on her as he continued with the dance, “Mistakes are going to be made, but how else will you improve.”

A few more foot mishaps and Artemisia finally began to understand the motions. She watched her feet, going where her dance partner directed her with his body. He’d step forward, she’d step back. He’d step to the side, she��d follow in the same direction. Ignis went into a turn and she nervously let him carry her through the motion. “See? You’re a natural.” Ignis praised. Artemisia sheepishly chuckled, looking away from her feet to meet his eyes. “I think I have a better teacher than anything else.”

The two friends continued dancing along with the rest of the couples, the crowd around them minding their own business while enjoying the festivities. Artemisia glanced around the room as they moved, confident enough with her body now to know where she should go. She made eye contact with Noctis, the young prince looking as begrudgingly as before and Prompto standing next to him and looking through his camera’s photos. She smiled at Noctis, trying to communicate with just her eyes how impressed she was at herself for learning how to dance somewhat. Whether he understood or not, he boredly blinked before looking over at the orchestra and a suspicious smile formed on his lips. Artemisia raised a brow as Noctis whispered to the conductor before looking back her and giving her a small thumbs up.

Suddenly the peaceful music cut off, leaving just the confused chatter of the guests the only noise in the large room. The dancers all came to a slow stop and looked over at the musicians, just as confused as everyone else for the abrupt cut. The conductor quickly went through music sheets as the musicians did the same, for some it looked like this was going to be the first time they going to play for the night. He looked over his shoulder at the guests apologetically before bringing his players to attention. He spared one more seeking glance down at Noctis, who gave him a big confident nod.

The conductor brought his arms up in the ready, holding them there as everyone looked on in anticipation. After a few moments of silence, the conductor slammed his arms down and a row of trumpets rang out. The sudden loudness startled the guests as the new lively music played, the new combination of jazzy trumpets and saxophones with the loud beating drums leaving them unsure on what to do. Artemisia glanced at Noctis again and saw he staring at them with the a smug grin.

Actually, it looked more like he was staring at Ignis, as the latter stared back at him and the two seemed to have an almost telepathic conversation. Artemisia detected the smallest hint of challenge between the two before Ignis returned his attention to her. He held out his arms in the same position as before expectantly. Artemisia blinked at the strange interaction but slowly took the position she had before. “What’s going on Ignis?” She instantly regretted giving him her hand when he simply said “Follow my lead.”

She gulped, knowing she wasn’t going to get out of this. “Long strides to the my left.” Ignis instructed through the loud music. Allowing her body to be guided by him, Artemisia focused on trying to keep up with his long steps, their feet moving quickly in tune with the upbeat music.

The crowd around them watched the two, confusion turning to amusement. The lingering dancers cleared the floor for the two friends’ impromptu dance number. “On my mark, hop.” Artemisia anxiously looked at Ignis but nodded. At his signal, the two lightly jumped in the air, the hem of Artemisia’s dress rising with the motion before gracefully settling as she came down. As she hit the floor though, her accidentally staggered forward and would have fallen directly on her face if it were not for Ignis’ hold. “S-Sorry Ignis--”

“Don’t worry,” He reassured as he brought them through a motion similar to the waltz, “Keep going.”

They glided around the floor, leaping and bouncing to the beat of the music. The crowd -- aware or not of the mistakes and missteps Artemisia made -- watched excitedly at their animated dancing, occasionally cheering whenever they sprung in the air for a graceful leap. And despite the watching eyes, her own mistakes, and her previous worries, Artemisia had to admit that she was having fun.

The two centered themselves in the middle of the large clearing as the music became more thumpity. Their feet bounced to the beat, swinging in place and lightly kicking out. Artemisia watched her feet to hopefully avoid stepping on her partner again and followed the actions of his nimble feet. “I’m actually surprised with how well this is going…” She whispered to her bouncing friend.

“You shouldn’t be.” He replied, “You’re a fast learner, this was to be expected.”

Artemisia smiled at the compliment and took the time during their simple repeated movements to look around the crowd. Noctis and Prompto were in the same place as before, with Prompto now wildly taking as many pictures as possible of her and Ignis -- he was going to parade those off for the rest of the week no doubt. Noctis had a small pout instead of his previous grin, but he gave a small smile back when she caught his eye.

“I’m going to lift you.”

“What?” Artemisia’s eyes went wide as Ignis’ hands went to her waist and lifted her above the ground as the trumpets rang out. Her hands instinctively grabbed his shoulders as he lifted her in an ark motion.

He gently brought her back to the ground and the two bounced back into the quick waltz motion from before. As the music began to build up, the trumpets’ notes becoming bouncy and the percussion adding suspense, Ignis brought the two of them back to their quick, long strides. “Keep your legs pointed out and jump.” Just as the trumpets erupted, the two lifted up in a grand leap, their legs mirroring each other as they remained pointed out on each side. Landing without trouble, Ignis maneuvered them to the center of the floor as their feet kept with the closing music. With one more thunderous note, Ignis spun Artemisia to his side for the finale.

The crowd immediately broke into applause, cheering and clapping for the wonderful performance. The two heavily panting dancers glanced at each other before Ignis bowed in gratitude to the audience, his arms gesturing to Artemisia as a direction for the praise. Flustered from the attention, Artemisia sheepishly curtsied in thanks. She glanced down at Ignis, taking note of the soft glow of pink and the small proud smile on his face that she returned.

Noctis and Prompto made their way through as the crowd slowly dispersed and to their friends. “O. M. G. Guys, that was amazing!” Prompto cheered, his eyes bright with excitement. “And I got some amazing shots if I do say so myself.”

Artemisia gave a breathy laugh in response before looking to Ignis and Noctis. “As fun as that was, care to explain what that was about?”

“Quickstep…”

Artemisia glared at Noctis before Ignis answered. “Noct here was upset that I had tried to teach him how to dance like a proper gentleman before tonight and he thought spontaneously changing the music would confuse me and would prove his claim of me being a ‘bad, pushy teacher’.”

Artemisia snorted seeing Noctis’ guilty frown -- his idea was easier to figure out that he anticipated. “Really Noct? You thought you could trip Ignis up?”

Noctis begrudgingly sighed. “I know, I know, of course he was perfect.”

“While I would argue that it wasn’t perfect and that there is much to improve on,” Ignis’ humble aura dissipated as he shot Noctis a teasing smirk. “I will say you could be at the same level if you had followed my teachings.”

Noctis lightly blushed, embarrassed by the truth behind his words. “I can get by just fine, thanks.”

“Is that so? Well,” Ignis lightly shoved Noctis towards Artemisia as another song began, “Have at it, then.” With one more tired grin over his shoulder, Ignis disappeared into the crowd of people.

Artemisia smiled at her noticeably awkward friend. “We don’t have to dance if you don’t want to Noct.”

Before the young man could respond, Prompto squeezed in front of him. “I do!” The enthusiastic blonde grabbed Artemisia’s hand and began marching them back onto the dance floor, ignoring Noctis’ protests. “Let’s cut a rug, Artemis!”

The rest of the night was spent trading between Noctis and Prompto as the two tried to prove that they could be as smooth as her previous partner, every misstep and punctured foot followed by a laugh and good hearty fun. And despite her feet aching and her body being sore by the end of the night, Artemisia decided that if every future dance ended like tonight --

I wouldn’t mind it

#ffxv fanfic #ffxv oc #ffxv game rewrite #ffxv #chocobros x oc #ignis x oc #gladiolus amicitia #noctis lucis caelum #ignis scientia #prompto argentum #artemisia thanos

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cherryblossomcheesecake · 6 years

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God & His Priests & His Kings: Chapter 6 - A FFXV OC Fanfic

Hi guys, this chapter is a behemoth for me. It might not be entirely interesting for some of you cuz I know some people are just waiting for Soo and Noct to reunite and that is coming I promise. This chapter is setting up for the climax of this part of the story, and we will eventually get to hear the voices of other characters in regards to events happening in the story. Also this trilogy will be expanding into a four part series since I feel like I'm starting to bring God & His Priests & His Kings to an unintentional close. I mentioned this in the last chapter when I posted it on AO3 but I did some research into age of consent and marriage laws for my country, and minors as young as 16 can consent to sex with no more than 5 yrs older than them and is not in a position of authority (like a cop). You can also be legally married at as young as 16, with the permission of a legal guardian or parent. I'm sort of basing certain aspects of Goryeon law on that of my country since I'm familiar with it. I feel that I should also clarify how old characters are rn, so Ravus is 24, Luna 20, Soo is 17 (although she can be considered 25 since she lived 17 yrs before coming to Eos 8 years ago), and Noctis is 16. This is mainly done for anyone who may be concerned about underage situations that occur between characters throughout the fic. As always, find me on ao3, ff.net or twitter under CherryBlossomCheeseCake/Cherry Blossom Cheese Cake/CherryWrites.

Words: 3,154 Uploaded: 06.14.18 Master List Previous Chapter

Light of the Seven - Ramin Djawadi

I had spent plenty of time with Gyeong-Hui and Se-Hyeon as the wedding was organized over the next two weeks, numbly moving through life as time moved on. The princesses were attempting to put together a ceremony and reception that would reflect both the cultures of Goryeo and Tenebrae.

"The ceremony should be held in the grand temple at the heart of the city, allowing the people to see their newly wedded princess, and for them to be married before all the Astrals." the first princess suggested, a scribe taking down furious notes as we spoke, "How should the alter and pillars be decorated?"

"Perhaps in garlands of holly, and white cherry blossoms mixed with forget-me-nots? White and blue are the colours of the Nox Fleurets after all." Se-Hyeon offered, looking to me for approval.

I nodded in response, absently thinking that the two flowers would complement each other well amongst the green.

"The reception could be in the forest garden to the east, there's plenty of room there for the entire court to gather." I offered, remembering the tall trees of Tenebrae that slightly resembled those in that garden.

Gyeong-Hui hummed in agreement, gesturing for the scribe to write it down, "And of course you will wear the hanfu that was designed for you some years back. The court ladies will also retrieve some of the bride gold from the vault so that you are adequately adorned."

I nodded lightly, sighing as the two continued on with planning. Realizing that I was a touch more distracted than usual, the first princess dismissed me from the room.

Court ladies fell into position behind me, following me through the palace as I made my way back to the third princess' apartments. I strolled through the halls at a slow pace, not really focusing on my surroundings as I knew the way without thinking.

"Ah, Princess. How lovely to see you outside of formal meetings for once."

The sickeningly sweet tone of the chancellor came from the hall to my left, the man coming to a stop just steps away from me.

I shifted uncomfortably before bobbing in a small curtsy, avoiding his gaze.

"Chancellor Izunia, I hope all is well with you and your party. Are you enjoying your stay in Goryeo?" I inquire politely, suppressing a shudder as I felt his gaze lock onto me.

"This trip has certainly proved more fruitful than expected, your highness. His excellency was pleased to hear that you had accepted the proposal, and looks forward to meeting you after the wedding." Ardyn boasted, his tone changing slightly at the mention of the emperor.

My brown eyes finally locked onto his golden gaze, seeing numerous emotions swirling within them, specifically one of satisfaction as he looked down on me. I couldn't hold back the shiver that crawled down my spine then, forcing a smile that surely resembled a grimace.

"I shall anxiously await our meeting then. Good day, Chancellor Izunia." I replied, curtsying once more before bustling off once again, catching the faint tip of his hat towards me as I left. His golden gaze never straying from me until I was out of sight.

I sat at the desk in the third princess' bed chamber, playing with the letter that was addressed to the third princess in Eun-Byeol's handwriting. I carefully opened the letter, unfolding it to read its contents.

My Dear Friend,

Word has spread beyond Goryeo of your marriage to the high commander in a bid for peace. I think you are so brave to sacrifice so much for the kingdom and its people. I hope that you and your intended grow to have a marriage where you are both content with the life you will have together.

I wish I was able to attend the wedding but duty on the mainland keeps me from wishing you well in person. I will join you in Tenebrae after the wedding, to help ease the transition from one place to another, and to make sure the high commander keeps to the terms of your arrangement.

If there is any business I can conclude for you on the mainland before my departure, do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

A Thankful Friend

I smiled fondly at the third princess' neat characters, tracing them on the paper with a finger. I set the letter down on the desk before pulling out some blank stationary, an inkwell and pen.

My Darling Friend,

Thank you for supporting my decision. It was not easy to make but I was willing to sacrifice everything for our home and the people I love.

The high commander has been very kind to me, even when the decision of future peace remained uncertain. I certainly do not oppose to this match from what little he has shared with me.

Enclosed you will find a letter addressed. Please mail it to the designated individual as soon as you get this.

I look forward to our reunion in Tenebrae following the wedding.

Sincerely,

Lee Eun-Byeol, Third Princess of the Elected Council of Goryeo

I set aside the first letter, taking a deep breath and began penning the next.

My Dearest Noctis,

I know my last letter may have only just reached you, but here I am writing another.

Goryeo has fallen on hard times, and each and every one of us are making sacrifices to keep our country thriving. We have been able to reach a formal peace with Nifelheim, however it deeply impacts our friendship.

Please know I'm completely heartbroken when I say that from this point on, I can no longer receive or send letters to and from you. My duty to my country has grown exponentially in the past few weeks and I can't jeopardize the progress made by continuing our correspondence. I'm so deeply sorry, if I could avoid this, I would. But this peace is too new and fragile to risk it.

Do know that I love you and I'm so proud of who you're becoming. Keep your friends close and treasure them. You need someone to watch your back since I am no longer able.

Goodbye.

Yours,

Soo

Tears fell from my eyes as I folded both letters together, placing them in a single envelope. I addressed it to the room the third princess resided in at Galdin Quay, wiping tears away before they stained the paper.

I stood from the writing desk, walking over the the burning fireplace with the princess' letter in hand and tossed it into the flames to remove the evidence of its existence.

I watched the fire eat away at the paper, hearing the door to the bed chamber slide open and closed. I could tell it was Myung-Hee who entered the room, the movement of her skirts spreading the smell of the floral scented oils she used for her hair and skin.

"Am I doing the right thing? Throwing away the life I've built for a shred of peace?" I questioned, continuing to look into the fire as if it could provide me with answers.

"You are doing the honourable thing, and that is the bravest choice of all." my mother replied calmly.

I turned towards her, tears filling my eyes and spilling over once more.

"Then why does it hurt so much?"

Myung-Hee walked over and pulled me into a tight hug, allowing me to cry into her chest like I was nine years old again. She slowly lowered us to the floor, holding me tightly as I cried myself to exhaustion.

The day before the wedding I was a complete bundle of nerves, fidgiting more than what was considered appropriate in polite company. Ravus appeared to be more calm than I, however I could see a hint of nerves within his eyes as we ate lunch in one of the private gardens. We sipped at our tea and ate, content with looking around the garden and sharing each other's company for the most part.

Ravus broke the silence first, clearing his throat as he shifted.

"I was in contact with my sister, Lunafreya. She requested that I extend her well wishes to you and that she looks forward to meeting you." he began, "She was worried that our match would be unhappy for us both due to both its political nature and our gap in age."

"I hope you informed her that her concern is appreciated but unnecessary. I knew going into this arrangement that it would not be my ideal scenario, but I am willing to be kind and respectful if the same courtesies are extended to me." I replied, sipping at my tea.

"I did tell her of that and informed her that we have been getting to know each other without difficulty." the former prince confirmed before retrieving a box from his coat, "She also sent along a gift for you."

I took the heavy box from him, setting it on the table in front of me before opening it carefully.

Inside the box rested a pendant and chain made of white gold, flowers and vines twisting around the pendant, holding a sapphire in place at the centre.

"It's beautiful…" I murmured, lightly trailing my fingers along the vines and flowers.

Ravus smiled faintly as he caught sight of the gift.

"That has been worn by every Nox Fleuret woman on her wedding day. I believe this is Lunafreya's way of accepting you as a part of the family." He offered, watching in amusement as I stared up at him wide eyed.

"I shall take good care of it, high commander." I promised, drawing the makings of a smile from him as I carefully closed the jewellery box once again.

I could hear the excited the chatters of the court gathering within the main hall from the side room I had been sequestered off to early in the morning.

I sat in front of a mirror as my mother and other court ladies twisted and pinned my hair up into a style suited for weddings and married women.

It was a strange sight for me, the style so particularly different from how I wore it as a court lady, and even more so than the let-down style unmarried women wore. There were minimal decorative pins due to the size of the head piece, only one which accompanied the piece that was settled in the hair pinned to the back of my head.

The head piece was the last to go in my hair, the swirling piece of gold decorated with butterflies, flowers and birds, with fine gold chains hanging down in front of my face and other parts of the piece. The chains matched the simple gold earrings I wore that dangled just shy of brushing my shoulders. The pendant given to me by Luna was tucked between my breasts, the long chain allowing it to be placed securely under my bindings.

They had powdered and painted my face lightly, covering my lips in red that matched the colour of the hanfu I was to wear. I stood from my chair slowly, allowing the court ladies to remove my robe and replace it with the various parts of my gown.

My mother and Chae-Ryung assisted me into my skirt, holding my hands as I stepped into the opening, allowing the others to pull it up and fasten it above my hips. Both women release my hands to slide the top over my arms, pulling the front closed and wrapping the tie around my waist. An overcoat was placed on top of it, the heavy scarlet silk embroidered with golden thread and beads lining the hems and collar.

Mother held my hands gently, pulling my attention towards her. Her brown eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her expression a mix of both joy and sadness.

"This may not have been the way I envisioned your wedding, but I am glad to have seen the woman you've become and to have been a part of this moment in your life. I love you, my darling, do not hesitate to reach out to me if you need to." she whispered, hugging me tightly, "You have made both your father and I so proud."

I nodded in response, the chains of my head piece clinking lightly as they brushed against each other.

Myung-Hee released me slowly, smoothing out non-existent wrinkles as a eunuch called for us from outside the room.

"That's your cue. Be brave, my daughter." mother murmured, brushing a hand against my cheek before exiting the room quickly.

I followed her at a much slower pace, stopping in the open door to face the bowing eunuch.

"Your highness, they are ready for you. You will be unaccompanied as you requested." he informed me, rising from his bow to catch my nod.

"Very well. Lead the way."

The eunuch gave another short bow before hurrying off, leading me towards the main hall of the grand temple. We stopped short of the entrance, the eunuch signalling for me to wait before he ran to inform the head eunuch that I was ready.

"Announcing Her Royal Highness, Third Princess Eun-Byeol."

I took a deep breath to settle my nerves before walking into the main hall, the court proclaiming my good health and long reign as I walked past them up the aisle. I could see out of the corner of my eye my mother trying to hide her tears from her position behind the first princess.

My gaze focused on Ravus' figure situated at the foot of the altar, turning slowly as to offer me his hand. I accepted it with a slight tremor, allowing him to guide me up the small set of stairs to stand before the high priestess.

The old woman nodded politely before raising her hands up into the air.

"We have gathered before the gods to witness the union of not only two individuals, but of two great nations. May this union not only bring happiness to these two houses, but to these nations being united in peace."

The high priestess lowered her arms slowly, looking between us with her cloudy eyes before speaking.

"Ravus Nox Fleuret and Lee Eun-Byeol, have you come here to enter into Marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?"

We answered in unison, "I have."

"Are you prepared, as you follow the path of Marriage, to respect and honour each other for as long as you both shall live?" she questioned, her eyes falling onto Ravus at this point.

"I am." we confirmed, the blonde gritting his teeth slightly as he replied.

The priestess shifted her gaze over to me, "Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from the Astrals and to bring them up according to the teachings and faith of the Hexatheon?"

"I am." we answered once more, a small tremor making its way down my spine.

The priestess paused for a moment, as if weighing the honesty of our answers before continuing, "Since it is your intention to enter into the covenant of Holy Matrimony, join your hands, and declare your consent before the Hexatheon."

Ravus took my right hand in his left, staring into my eyes with utmost seriousness before proclaiming our decided upon vows.

"I, Ravus Nox Fleuret, take you, Lee Eun-Byeol, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will respect you and honour you all the days of my life."

I took a deep breath as I prepared to say my own vows, my hands gripping the blonde's tightly out of nerves.

"I, Lee Eun-Byeol, take you, Ravus Nox Fleuret, to be my husband. I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to respect you and to honour you all the days of my life." I swore, my hands shaking slightly in Ravus' grip as I looked into his eyes.

"The vows have been exchanged before the gods and it is only by their hand that this marriage can be undone." the priestess proclaimed, sealing our fates in that moment, "You may kiss the bride."

The inclusion of the kiss was of the Tenebraen tradition and obviously took Ravus by surprise as he stood there for a moment in shock before leaning forward slightly to close the gap between us. The kiss was simple and short, but long enough to be deemed appropriate for the court.

"Go in peace before the Astrals and have a fruitful union." the high priestess said, dismissing us and closing the ceremony.

The applause of the court was thunderous as we walked down the aisle, the tolling to the temple bells adding to the celebration. We walked directly out of the temple, presenting ourselves to the public for the first time as husband and wife.

The guards allowed us a few moments of waving to the common folk before ushering us towards the palanquin so we could return to the palace for the formal presentation.

The return to the palace was silent, the only sound being the cheers and cries of the people as we went past. Ravus assisted me out of the palanquin and continued to hold my hand as we were guided into the palace and made to wait until the court had gathered in the throne room.

The blonde turned to me, staring down at me as I stared back up at him.

"I'm sorry that it had to come to this, your highness." he said quietly, mismatched eyes reflecting his sadness clearly.

I shook my head in the negative, "We all do things that we may not necessarily want to in the name of love. But I could think of far worse men to be married to, Ravus."

The former prince had a hint of a smile on his face at my use of his name, nodding before turning to face the closed doors.

"I promise if you do not wish to perform the traditional duties expected of a wife, you will be provided a space for you to call your own when we reach Tenebrae." he swore, bringing a smile to my own face.

"Thank you." I murmured, turning to face the doors as well.

The large wooden doors slowly began to open, allowing us to be seen by the court. Ravus and I stepped into the room hand-in-hand, diplomatic smiles in place.

The court and noble families clapped at the presentation of our marriage, the first and second princesses standing on the dais with the Nifelheim embassy standing at the base.

My brow furrowed in curiousity as I couldn't find the chancellor's figure among the brigadier general and the small amount of human soldiers they had brought as an escourt.

The thought was fleeting before the deafening sound of gunfire and shattering glass filled the air.

Next Chapter

#ffxv #final fantasy xv #final fantasy #ffxv fanfiction #fan fiction #my fics #original characters

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chalabrun · 6 years

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the case for nyx & noctis (theory)

Alrighty, so as I’ve peddled through the material, I have a theory: that Nyx and Noctis are much closer than what was insinuated in-game. Granted, while we never really see mention of Nyx beyond a few easter eggs, there’s little proofs I’ve picked up on I think allude to them being closer than what we initially believe.

Regardless of whether you like the idea of Nyx and Noctis being bros in arms, Nyx being a big brother figure, or you were among the bewildered shippers who fell into Nyxnoct hell like I did big time shhh but have no real substance for them knowing each other beyond the mutually superficial belief it’s their status as XV’s protagonists that unites them, here’s something I hope might open your eyes and make you see otherwise.

As usual, due to length I’m going to split this up into parts as it’s going to get wordy:

Parting Ways: The only canon Nyx & Noctis interaction we have (and why it’s substantial)

The prologue: "Drautos, he’s in your hands!”

Did they train together?

Nyx is never mentioned in-game (but why it doesn’t invalidate him)

FFXV: Comrades (the PC, Libertus and Noctis)

Lastly...

Parting Ways: The only canon Nyx & Noctis interaction we have (and why it’s substantial)

If you’re wondering what Parting Ways is, it’s a background script detailing the Chocobros and their interactions with others as they’re getting ready to leave Insomnia and embark on their road trip across Lucis before they finally leave for Altissia where he gets engaged and weds Luna, and the rest is history. However, you’re probably wondering: what was their interaction? Parting Ways is, admittedly, not common fandom knowledge. I, personally, didn’t know about it until very recently.

In the notable section I’m speaking about, Nyx picks Noctis up in the Star of Lucis and ferries him from the Citadel to his apartment so he can begin packing with the others. At first glance, this doesn’t look like anything much. Libertus even bemoans how it’s like they’re expected be to baby-sitters now. Except, this has much more leverage than it appears.

In what world would a mere Kingsglaive be allowed this level of clearance? Regardless of this being a fantasy game or not, even games such as these acknowledge a hierarchy of some sort, especially where royalty is concerned. Even if Noctis would rather have people treat him otherwise, he’s still the Crown Prince. As crown prince, no ordinary person can be entrusted with the task of being chauffeur to royalty. Why might this be?

I think, knowing the nature of Regis’ character and the charge he gave Nyx in a life or death situation, that the king trusts Nyx on a deeply personal level. Despite his many flaws, considering how this was before the turmoil of the invasion, it was under rather peaceful circumstances. Knowing Regis, it’s extremely likely that Noctis and Nyx have known each other. Considering Nyx himself said Regis took him in like one of his own twelve years ago, and sees him as a father figure, this could allude to IC closeness between the two. To an extent that Regis would entrust the task of driving his son on such short notice to Nyx, which would’ve made sense for a Crownsguard to do, but a Glaive? Unthinkable.

Remember: the Crownsguard is the personal guardsmen of the royal family. The Kingsglaive are not. They’re something like a mercenary/soldier unit, but not fit to do something of the likes the should’ve been designated to someone like Ignis or Gladio.

Well, unless Nyx actually knew Noctis beyond this one occurrence. That there was a bond of trust that existed beyond king and glaive. That Noctis himself trusted Nyx enough to be around him, let alone driving his car (Drautos makes a note of this in Kingsglaive).

Remember, Nyx joined the Kingsglaive at the time it was founded twelve years ago; at around the time Tenebrae fell and Noctis was disabled by a Maralith attack. For Regis to think Nyx could get along with his heavily traumatized son doesn’t sound too inane, I think. For them to have fostered a friendship, even.

However, their relationship could stem beyond even that. Though, more on that, later.

The prologue: "Drautos, he’s in your hands!”

Alright, this probably seems extremely insubstantial. It’s just Noctis casually waving his father off one final time, passing the responsibility of his father on to one of his generals. There’s really nothing more to it, right?

Well, kind of. In Kingsglaive, prior to his flagrant betrayal, Drautos is seen with Nyx in Noctis’ car. This suggests another degree of connectivity between Noctis and the Kingsglaive, and by extension, the idea that Noctis likely bore some degree of familiarity with the Kingsglaive beyond them copping use of one of his cars when it was convenient. Granted, it might not look to be much more than that, but remember the above: using the prince’s personal possession, likely a car that was recognizable (that was a “gift” from Audi in the real world for Noct’s 20th birthday), means it would’ve just been more than Regis’ leniency, but likely Noctis’ own familiarity with the Kingsglaive and being alright with them using his personal possessions before.

Again, it might be reading into this too deeply, but remember: the Kingsglaive is the equivalent of Lucis’ standing army, while the Crownsguard is the personal guard. The KG being temporarily reassigned to guard Insomnia during the peace treaty signing isn’t enough to evoke this level of trust. It had to have come from somewhere, that thing likely being Noctis having known not only Drautos, but Nyx as well.

Specifically Nyx, though that comes next.

Omen: Noctis & Nyx’s kukris

What’s like the strongest piece of evidence to my theory is in the Omen trailer. From what we know, it is confirmed that the kukris Noctis is seen using are, in fact, Nyx’s. So, that begs the questions: how did he attain them? Omen, at its root, is simply what would’ve happened if Noctis had left the Crown City on his own. Where the novella of parting ways would’ve been altered. Likely, it might’ve been stripped of the Chocobros’ involvement outside of good-byes, but it’s significant because it makes me wonder where Noctis got Nyx’s kukris at all.

Which leaves me with two theories: Nyx either entrusted his beloved weapons to Noctis--which would make sense since he’d be embarking on his own--or, which would be supported by the fact that Kingsglaive’s production began around 2013...when the transition trailer for Versus to be converted into XV was released that same year. Again, why is this significant? This trailer shows gameplay of Noctis in Insomnia, presumably when the invasion is taking place. Earlier Versus trailers continue to support this as Noctis, in his earliest scenes with Stella, show him in Insomnia as well some footage of he and team-members in the same treaty room where it was to be ratified.

This gives credence to the idea that Nyx and Noctis could’ve met during the invasion, fought together, and saw Nyx give his kukris to Noctis.

Again, the old script changing is a moot point. Where Nyx is concerned, there have been leaks released of a Stella model in Kingsglaive, as well as some concept art and fully-rendered scene.

It takes years for pure CGI to be rendered, even for something as short as the Omen trailer likely took awhile. That a studio outside of Square’s own production was in charge of this likely meant Omen’s production and release fell within the timeline of an older version of the script; an older version where Nyx and Noctis fought side-by-side.

Again, consider this render:

Sure, it might just be for the sake of promotion between both of XV’s protagonists, but this is clearly staged after the invasion of Insomnia. Noctis is wielding one of Nyx’s kukris. Considering it’s confirmed officially the ones in Omen are Nyx’s, again--the likelihood of Omen Noctis having encountered Nyx before or after the invasion and being the inheritor of his iconic kukris seems extremely likely to me.

And what would’ve been required beforehand? Why, for them to have known each other, of course.

Did they train together?

I honestly believe so. Why? Remember: none of the other Chocobros can warp. This ability is unique to line of Lucis and the Kingsglaive, and they’re the only ones we see doing it. The only time we see them do so is a special Chain Link when they embattle the Adamantoise, but otherwise, only Ignis is seen doing so when he puts on the Ring of the Lucii that grants him access to the king’s magic (he even says so when donning it Verse 2 with Ardyn; how he might not be of royal blood, but if a Glaive (Nyx) can--why can’t he? Which alludes to the idea that Ignis can’t warp and like otherwise).

Also, consider these gifs:

This...

...compared to this:

Or even this tactic--

...compared to this:

It’s evident in XV how the Chocobros all have fairly good synergy when fighting one another, what with them having those link strikes and moves that all meld pretty well with each other.

However, I think Noctis having know-how on how to use Nyx’s kukris and emulate his fighting style is inherent, even outside of Omen. Why? When you find Nyx’s kukris in Chapter 14, Noctis already knows how to use them. This isn’t simply a case of his diverse familiarity with a wide range of weapons, but possibly because he’s familiar with them. He trained with all those weapons, so--what if he trained with Nyx’s, too? With the glaive himself? Remember, Omen was merely canon divergent from the time of his departure on. For him to have trained with Nyx before makes perfect sense.

Let’s recap with this:

None of the Chocobros but Noctis can warp outside of unique and limited circumstances.

Therefore, he had to receive his warping training from someone, and given his familiarity with Drautos (who isn’t shown being able to warp in KG) and Nyx, this likely fell to Nyx (also considering Drautos’ duties as both Captain and General Glauca, he likely was too busy to).

Nyx demonstrates many times in KG where Regis places implicit trust not only with the fate of Insomnia, Luna, but even his own son in something as mundane as being driven back to his apartment to pack up. It’s mundane, but given how close Regis was with Nyx, entrusting his son’s training to him makes sense, also.

In short, I think Noctis having received training from Nyx makes the most sense from what I’ve gathered so far.

Nyx is never mentioned in-game (but why it doesn’t invalidate him)

This is much shorter, but you have to wonder: how can this be if Nyx is never mentioned in-game? Thing is, this doesn’t really mean much. Because someone else tremendously important in-game doesn’t mention Nyx, either.

Think of the only person in KG who lived on after Nyx’s sacrifice, who was by his side the entire time, who also was a major character in-game.

Lunafreya Nox Fleuret.

As shown here, even though she never once mentions Nyx even by name, she still wore the hair clip he gave her by proxy of Crowe. Meaning? He still had a monumental place in her heart, that she wore it right until she died, and even in the afterlife beyond. So, for Nyx to have had a similarly lasting impression on him isn’t unthinkable.

More proof?

Remember this? From left to right, the corpses are Iedolas, Regis, Luna....and Nyx.

Thing is, why Nyx? Ardyn specifically conjured this with the intention of rattling Noctis. In the wiki, on Nyx’s page it says Nyx’s hanging cadaver was meant to discourage Noctis. Why discourage?

Now, I could understand if Ardyn had a personal fascination with Nyx. However, unlike Luna or Regis, Ardyn never met Nyx in person. He witnessed the destruction of Insomnia, likely heard tale or even saw some of Nyx’s heroism after he donned the ring. So, a personal fascination could make sense in that context.

However, these corpses weren’t chosen for Ardyn’s gratification. They were specifically selected to taunt Noctis. This was an illusion sustained on Ardyn’s magic, after all. Why would he keep them manifested for ten years except on the night of the fateful battle to encourage despair?

Remember: Iedolas was the figurehead of Niflheim, likely a target of Noctis’ hatred. Ardyn hanging him likely could be symbolic of the futility of facing himself, as an all-powerful enemy brought down by Ardyn’s whim would rattle even the most lionhearted hero.

Regis and Luna are no-brainers. Regardless of how you feel about Regis’ actions or Noctluna in general, Noctis loved them implicitly. Regis was his father, and Luna was his fiance. He says he loves them in a monologue and flashbacks before he deals that final blow and the Lucii spear him through.

However...Nyx. The wiki says he was strung up there, too, to discourage Noctis. Again, Iedolas, Regis, and Luna make sense. But for Nyx to be up there, too, can mean only one thing:

That Noctis was close to Nyx in some way, shape, or form. Close in a way the game never reveals, but close nonetheless.

FFXV: Comrades (Libertus and Noctis)

Let’s consider Comrades here, too. Love it or hate it, Comrades is still a part of canon. Now, I believe it’s AU, yes, but like Verse 2 of Episode Ignis it’s still a canon divergence.

Now, the scene I want to draw the most attention to is actually the epilogue.

The interaction I think is the most substantial to this post, in particular, is that of Libertus and Noctis’ interaction. While it may have been brief, what with Noctis exchanging only a few words, it was monumental for Libertus to have been there--to go so far as someone branded a traitor and fight alongside the PC to redeem themselves.

How so? Remember, Libertus was among those glaives who betrayed Regis. I think it’s credible to think, that while Lib’s redemption didn’t happen within KG proper, it was there that it begun--the second he rammed Glauca with that SUV. When he helped Nyx and Luna in fighting him, in getting Luna to safety while Nyx fought in that final battle.

So, for Libertus’ loyalty to have carried that far, feels like direct parallelism between Noctis and Nyx: how their actions changed hearts and mind, and how their sacrifices enabled the world to be saved. As without Nyx, without Noctis, many more people would’ve died. I think Libertus was aware of this, knowing the parallels between Nyx and Noctis and where their actions led them for the sake of the greater good.

It’s even apparent in that secret scene at Hammerhead where Noct and the bros reflect on the glaives’ sacrifice--redeemed traitors or no--and how this likely extended to Nyx’s, as well. For Libertus’ sacrifice, his being there to an awakening Noctis, likely would’ve never happened if not for Nyx.

Lastly...

Do you see the chair Nyx is seated on here? Feel like you’ve seen it before? Look again:

It’s almost identical to the one Noctis sits in here, which brings me to my last, final parallel between them.

That’s because they’re both sitting on a nearly identical throne.

Nyx and Noctis were both kings for a night.

Like how Ignis was able to repeat what Regis had told him as a boy about standing tall, so too did Noctis share the same sentiment of not wanting to have people sacrifice their lives for his sake (in Nyx saying to Regis, “Is this the way of our king? Sacrificing Lucian sons to save his own?” Noctis said something to the same effect in the Lucii’s tomb to Cor).

Wielding the power of the Ring, summoning the Old Wall, Nyx did what no non-Lucian king has done before--maybe not originally since its first designation. For Nyx to have summoned the old wall alongside the magic and powers he wielded--compared to Glauca’s magitek-enhanced own--is spellbinding. In doing this, Nyx became a king for a night. He achieved the highest respect from Regis, who saw him as a worthy inheritor of the Lucii’s power second only to Noctis, the True King. Compared those previously, even Ignis wasn’t able to summon this much power, even if he was able to stop Ardyn in his tracks and facilitate Noctis surviving (if you go by Verse 2), Nyx gave himself selflessly. He perished by the dawn’s first light.

In exactly the same way Noctis does.

Both men wore the ring for selfless reasons, and gave their lives so the people of Eos could live to see the dawn breaking. Between them, the weight of their sacrifices is unquantifiable. What they did for Lucis cannot hope to be replicated after, that much I am certain as even canon shows.

And it is for this reason that I believe Noctis and Nyx knew each other, and why their connection cannot be overlooked by anyone.

#nyx ulric #noctis lucis caelum #nyxnoct #nyx x noctis #my headcanon

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curriebelle · 6 years

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Episode Ignis Feels Like Fanfiction and That’s a Good Thing

Ok so I’m having a Thought.

You know when people say something reads “like fanfiction”, and it’s meant to be a criticism? The phrase is one of those intangibles, one of those agreed-upons, where no one can define it quite accurately but everyone thinks they know what it means. Usually it’s a combination of deviation from the original tone, bleaching out character flaws and complexities, a lack of understanding of nuance, and a reverent or worshipful attitude towards old characters, moments, settings, and iconography (and iconography is just the Stuff. Star Wars iconography is lightsabers, wookies and Jedi robes).

That’s a pretty reductive description of fanfiction of course, because a lot of fanfic - whether it’s well or poorly written - doesn’t necessarily follow those patterns. Weirdly enough, saying a sequel or reboot reads “like fanfiction” often implies that the writer doesn’t understand something about the source material - that they’re oversimplifying, or they’re fanning about while failing to understand what a “good” sequel would actually require. And that’s pretty ironic, because fans - obsessive detail-hoarding, secondary-character-worshipping pastiche-crafters that they are - often know the source material better than anyone, sometimes better than the creators themselves, and they are very aware of what they are erasing or changing when they move Marvel into a fluffy coffee shop AU.

But I’m kind of digressing, because my point is that “this feels like fanfiction” shouldn’t be seen as a criticism, but rather as a gut feeling that we need to unpack. Sometimes it leads to legitimate criticism that, while worth addressing, actually has very little to do with fanfiction. And sometimes it leads to this weird 4:30 am conclusion: Episode Ignis is when “this feels like fanfiction” should be deployed as a compliment. Spoilers onward, for both Episode Ignis and FFXV.

I’m talking specifically about the alternate ending, here, which is tantamount to an FFXV fix-it fic. In this version Ignis averts the tragic ending of FFXV, and though he prepares to sacrifice his own life to do so, it ends up costing nothing. Ignis survives with even prettier hero-scarring than he gets in the regular plot. The episode fills in a sizable story gap after Leviathan knocks Noct out, and closes a few additional plotholes (I wondered what happened to that one obnoxiously overdesigned Imperial guy: turns out Ravus stabbed him). It spends some time with likable characters (Ardyn, yeeee) and underdeveloped characters (again, Ravus). Ignis gets roughed up and drenched, loses the glasses, and I’m 90% sure the animators made his eyes bigger in the cutscenes for extra pretty. He gains maximum plotline power, and Adam Croasdell voice acts the shit out of some sassy comebacks and anguished screaming (ok, this is unrelated, but when he’s doing the regular stormbind combo, it sounds like he screams FUCK in one of his battle grunts and it makes me laugh every time). He can liberate Altissia more or less by himself, and that’s before he drives a goddamn speedboat away from pursuant megarobots. So for anyone calling Mary Sue, yes, Ignis dives headfirst into that. He basically becomes Magic James Bond.

The whole episode is also pretty blatantly queer-coded. We get a very cuddly flashback to kid Noctis, and Ignis’s vow to stand at his side. Ignis is monomaniacal when it comes to finding Noctis. Noctis eiher drops the l-word, referring directly to Ignis and the freshly fridged Lunafreya (I’m still salty about that one, sorry), or says Ignis will always be in his heart depending on the ending. There’s a fantastic gifset going around of the official couples in previous Final Fantasies (Squall and Rinoa, Tidus and Yuna) declaring the exact same thing Ignis does in the alternate ending. “Rinoa, even if the world turns on you, I’ll be your knight”. “There’s no way I’ll let Yuna go”, even if I have to break all the rules of your stupid religion. Even if it costs my own life, I won’t let you take Noctis away. The queer subtext here is one of those things where it’s purposefully vague - just enough emotional evidence and physical contact that you can read romantic feelings there if you want, but just short of an actual romance to leave interpretations open. If you’re convinced Noctis and Luna were in love, Episode Ignis probably won’t debunk that.

So Ignis and his Episode are both powerful, emotional, pretty, potentially kinda gay, and ridiculously awesome.

And honestly, it is phenomenal.

Episode Ignis is a blast to play. His combat style is very fun and quick and fluid and flashy, and the grappling hook in the first portion makes you feel superheroic. Killing Ardyn, meanwhile, makes you feel godlike. It is an incredible surge of adrenaline to take on armies and deities by your lonesome. The gameplay and narrative reflect each other here, just like they do in the base game. FFXV seems happy at first, and the combat is pretty entertaining with all the goofy combo-attacks, but that game is a tragedy. It’s all the more tragic by how fun it is to begin with, and by the end it is painful to play. Characters get older, places fall apart, people die, and you have to escort Ignis around for a chapter while he grows used to being blind and Gladio constantly bitches at you for walking too fast. The photo mechanic is introduced to break your heart later, to show you how fleeting youth and pleasure can truly be under backbreaking destiny.

And in retaliation, Episode Ignis thrives on the power of Fuck You. Long commutes by car, mundane in the moment but peaceful upon reflection decades later? Fuck You, I have a grappling hook. Sections that force you to walk slowly through a dungeon and think about what you’ve done? Fuck You, I’ve got two daggers, lightning teleportation and button-mashing hands. Musings about the ravages of time, and aching nostalgia for youth? Fuck You, Ignis is prettier than ever. A tragic ending pre-ordained by prophecy? Fuck You, Ignis is going to re-write that fate by being clever, patient, and brave enough to sacrifice his life, but double Fuck You, he gets to live as well. Bullets flying, health bar low, multiple explosions and Atlas Ripped decking airships in the background? Fuck. You. It’s time to make some fucking soup.

With all that in mind, it makes sense that people might accuse Episode Ignis of being tone-deaf, of being fanfiction in all the “bad” ways - it neglects the nuance of the original, and papers over complex themes so everything can end up hunky-dory, but I still think that’s too easy.

Here’s the thing: Episode Ignis can only exist as fanfiction - or as alternate-ending DLC, I guess. FFXV is the story of Noctis and his story has an ending and it’s horribly, horribly sad, but it’s also what the story is built around. You might find it too depressing or too grim or you might find it just right, but it is well-structured. FFXV is careful with its themes and patterns and foreshadowing.

Because of that care, Ignis screwing Ardyn’s plans out of whack and saving Noctis from his fate couldn’t occur in the main game. FFXV is not about Ignis. It’s about Noctis. And the gameplay, built as it is around creating nostalgia - photographs, long car rides, camping, friendship - wouldn’t work if the ending wasn’t agonizing enough to make you long for the good old days. Maybe Noctis didn’t have to die or maybe he did, but the ending of FFXV was always going to hurt.

FFXV is an emotional project, and that project is to make the player painfully nostalgic. With that intriguing goal achieved, Episode Ignis exists as a response, and it can never really be more than that. It’s an ending I like better, but it is an alternate ending.

If you think about it, Episode Ignis didn’t need that alternate ending. It could have existed perfectly well as a companion to FFXV, filling in a much-needed blank (and without the alternate ending that’s exactly what it does). But in making a response to FFXV instead, they challenged a lot of assumptions FFXV needed to make in order to tell its story. FFXV assumes its prophecy is the only answer, as do its characters. FFXV yanks a great deal of agency away from Ignis, Prompto and Gladio when it asks them to sit still for a decade and wait for their friend to die without hunting for an alternative

Why can’t they try something else? Why can’t they defeat their nemesis on their own terms? I mean, who the heck does Bahamut think he is, anyway? Who says the ending can’t be happy, and the future can’t be bright?

Those are exactly the questions a fanfiction writer would ask. FFXV created those questions, and Episode Ignis addresses them, but in a way that acts as more of a breach than a closure. It’s one route to a happy ending - so maybe there are more. This is also the reason I brought up the queercoding in Episode Ignis. If there is any genre that needs a complete overhaul from grimdark tragedy into happy endings, it’s the scourge that is the modern queer romance story. There are so many of those bloody stories ending in anguish or separation or suicide or displeasure, and not nearly enough fairytales. Having a tragic ending overturned by the power of queer love is an insanely empowering experience, and that’s probably why you see so many posts about how Ignis’s gay love can pierce the veil of death and save the day. Episode Ignis didn’t need its queercoding any more than it needed its alternate ending, but the two make sense together: both of them are stories that people are absolutely aching for.

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything quite like this - a company actively revising their story, overturning its mood, questioning its plot, granting a completely different ending, and then asking fans to pay 6.99 for it. It’s different from alternate film endings, because those are DVD extras and one always wins the theatrical release. It’s different from re-imaginings or adaptations because Episode Ignis is...just not quite that. It can’t exist on its own, unlike most remakes. Video games are always fluid texts to a certain extent, but now developers are even relinquishing the solidity of lore and cutscenes. It’s so odd.

At the decision point of Episode Ignis, you can use R1 and L1 to flip the camera back and forth, moving between a shot of Ardyn and a shot of Ignis. It’s a tiny, insignificant moment, one that almost feels like a mistake - like maybe the developers couldn’t figure out how to stage a normal shot-reverse-shot. But that moment became an oddly powerful synecdoche for what Episode Ignis was to me. If you want to look at this story from a different angle, well, go for it. Here’s another place you can point the camera. Maybe the sun will rise over there too.

#ffxv #episode ignis #what the fuck it's six am #happy 2018

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tenebrianflower · 6 years

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LIST OF DESIRED PLOTS

Under the cut is a list of plots I really wish to RP. It is by no means a complete list, considering I’m constantly coming up with ideas, but it is what I’ve got thus far. If you see one that interests you please IM me, ect. And ideas can be tweaked as well! what I wrote isn’t 100% what has to happen!

Queen Lunafreya

A few different variations of this idea, but all in all Luna survived the events of FFXV, and helps to rebuild her homeland of tenebrae where she fulfills her role as queen.

The Ten Years of Darkness

Again after her survival of Altissia, Luna recovers from her injuries. Two ways this verse can work:

1. Ravus (or someone else) takes Luna, and hides her from the world, and more specifically from Noctis. No one is allowed to know Luna is alive.

2. Noct & Crew take Luna and protect her personally ( next verse is more expanded on this idea)

During the ten years of darkness however, a sort of lost and confused Luna spends the ten years attempting to defy the fate of the gods. She dedicates herself away from her duty as Oracle (considering she alone cannot bring back the light and is aware of all that is happening) And commits herself to finding a way to save Noctis from his fate just as she had been spared from her own.

Road to Recovery

The previous verse but before the 10 years, if Noctis and his friends manage to save Lunafreya, and keep her alive. This again can branch in a couple of directions:

1. While Luna recovers, since she has such a sever physical injury the bros drop her off to rest and recover with the rest of the crew (Cindy, Iris, Cor, ect). They come back and visit her from time to time and see how she’s doing.

2. They wait until she’s stable enough (sort of like Iggy) and take her on the road with them u.u. Luna gets to go on an adventure and travel with the bros.

Things in Altissia

No really set ideas, but I feel like its a real waste that Noctis and Luna never got to meet up in the most romantic city. At least let them go on a date or something, it’d be adorable.

Meeting in the After Life

I want this with a lot of characters. Either Luna welcoming someone after they’ve died.

or Regis, Nyx, Her mom, ect welcoming Luna to the afterlife, and telling her that she did a good job. ;-;

Life as a Lucian

This AU diverges very early on, in that in the attack on Tenebrae, young lunafreya had kept hold onto Noctis's hand instead of letting go and staying in Tenebrae. She, Regis and Noctis would all escape and return to Lucis. Twelve year old Luna would learn to live in the city, since it was in such contrast to her own home. Noctis and Regis would become like family to her, although as they grow older she still holds a special fondness for Noctis.

Different schools often kept the two from spending far too much time together. While Noctis (and Regis's decisions) opted to put him into the public school system, Luna went onto a more prestigious private school. With a four year age gap between them as well, more often then not the type of school they were attending would be entirely different.

In highschool for Noctis and the beginning of college for Luna, the two's relationship started becoming a bit more intense. Instead of just being the very close childhood friends they'd been since they met, a loving relationship had blossomed, and the young couple claimed to be dating. Though with Luna commuting back and forth from school, on top of her need to be a perfect student, it was as if their relationship was long distance.

Live by the Creed

This post was real long, so here is the link to what I wrote about this AU

Mermaids

Lunafreya is a blue and white Betta mermaid :3 Otherwise I’m free to ideas.

Angel Above

After her death, Luna becomes a guardian angle for the bros and helps them on their journey. Whether she can physically help, or can be seen can very.

In Another Life

An AU where everyone is born into a new life, with no recollection of their previous, what had happened in their past lives or what positions they’d held. The cast however meets up at some point (not all at the same time) and whenever they meet, a very weird instant connection is felt.

Eventually, they will all learn what happened and who they were. How tho I don’t know

Mind Control

Still only a vague idea, but I want someone to take control of Luna’s mind. Where she has to fight within her own head to keep herself from doing commands she doesn’t want to fulfill.

Baby plots

Not a specific verse, I’m just a slut for AUs where Luna is pregnant/has a baby. Because she’d be the most loving mother in the world u.u

#plot post #important plot list

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zetsubou--artsu · 6 years

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Special thanks to @avistella for making this lovely FFXV character template <33333 //laZILY COPY AND PASTES INFO FROM HER GAIA THREAD LOLOLOL I swear one of these days I WILL fill out a proper written template for Io. BTW!!! I just noticed that the font used is the default Century Gothic Font and while it is similar to the font used, I found a much closer font named Tex Gyre Adventor. I have it uploaded here, in case you guys wanna use it and stuff ouo b

Anyway, further info for Io below the cut lmao

Specifics: Name: Io Gloria Pacem Age: 21 Height: 168 cm ( 5' 5" ) Race: Human Weapon/Combat Style: Rapier and darts coated in poison/lightning. She is mostly support and tactics. Personality: Gentle and caring in nature, she frets a lot when her friends are in danger. She is also unfazed by a lot of things, so expect her to shrug off weird comments and situations. She will tease those closest to her when the opportunity arises. Think of the caring big sister/mother you have. Gallery/Toyhou.se: [Click here! Her profile's not done yet though OTL"] Extra prompts: What does she like? Her friends, singing, teasing her friends, Ignis' cooking, Ignis in general, Shi's writing, Nix's ribbon dancing, Emi's harmonica-playing, Chocobos! What's a big no-no for her? Her friends getting injured, Iron Giants and Fire Giants, also Goblins Favorite Color? Any shade of green! What can she be seen doing during long break periods? She sometimes sing (which are mostly in Latin) and sometimes, she helps Iggy cook. Her worst fear? She doesn't like seeing anyone of her precious friends in peril ;;w;; Relationships: With Ignis? Very sweet, vanilla, she will NEVER make him choose between her and his duty to the crown, likewise Ignis will never make her choose between helping her people and him, THEY'RE PUN-DORKS AND WILL TALK YOUR EARS OFF WITH DUMB PUNS, she gets kiiiinda iffy with him if he doesn't take care of himself and loses sleep over everyone, he lectures her if she ends up over-extending herself and gets hurt in the process, Ignis would at the start not have too much courage to initiate most romantic encounters, Io is alright with it and respects him but one of the boys and horsemen just pointed it out to him, and soon enough he is now the instigator, but Io would retaliate in teasing him, theRE'S A LOOOOOT OF SUBTLE TEASING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THEM, AND A LOOOOOT OF FLIRTING, BUT THE OTHERS RARELY SEE IT BECAUSE OF COURSE THESE TWO TACTICIANS WOULD MAKE A GAME OUT OF THIS, if someone notices they lose, no one notices and its a tie, it becomes some sort of continuous bet between them, AKA who loses first is in charge of dishes, something like that. With Prompto? She appreciates his photographs (cameras are sooo hard to get to in Pacem!), he thinks she's a nice big sis, very supportive towards his relationships, Prompto thinks she can get a bit nosy with all the questions, they bond over Chocobo/Chocochick facts, Prompto is Io's sworn brother (please don't mess with him if you don't want an angry lashing from Io), she's one of the few people who accepts Prompto as he is so please don't hurt her because Prompto NEVER misses with his shots. With Noctis? Fascinated (and no doubt worried) about Noct's constant lethargy, Noct waves off her concerns but is thankful for it, Io loves fussing over cleaning his clothes/dirt on his face and hair/just generally mother-hening him, Noct pales and realizes h E HAS ANOTHER MOTHER HEN IGNIS WAS BAD ENOUGH, would sometimes sing him songs if he has a nightmare, usually asks her privately for a lullaby if he has a nasty dream, Tiiiiny bit awkward remembering that had things gone differently he would be her fiance, she feels familiar to him like he's seen her somewhere within Insomnia before, Io's little brother and Astrals protect you if you hurt him, Noct's older sister and he secretly ships her with Ignis. With Gladio? Very VERY rough start and Io is kinda tense around him, after that 'don't get in the way' incident when they first met he's kinda awkward around her, she would offer advice whenever he and Noct train, he appreciates a third opinion aside from Ignis, she slowly warms up to him and soon she'd also be one of his teasing buddies, Gladio would play along but if the opportunity presents itself he'll turn the teasing to her and Ignis, they do get into arguments especially when it concerns about Ignis and where his loyalties would lie, she would heatedly answer back how she'll NEVER make him choose, there's also arguments involving Io's over-compassionate nature that would make her rarely say no to people in need of help, Io would point out that as the royal retinue it is technically their job to do so, they don't talk for a day but they apologize at the end of it.

#ffxv oc #original character #OC #fanoc #final fantasy xv #final fantasy 15 #final fantasy 15 oc #final fantasy xv oc #art by OP #ffxv #digital art #full color #full body

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voxiferous · 6 years

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prompts for @domesticfluffsimulator. Believe it or not, I remembered all of these off the top of my head - we’re only missing ONE. I spent so long making them that i couldn’t forget them! :D

1. LUNA BEING A TOTAL BADASS AND DEFEATING LEVIATHAN IN BATTLE (side bonus of saving noctis’s ass)

2. f/f pairing of your choice on a date at the citadel skywalk (i think this would be good for crowna but idk, please feel free to pick whoever you want :D)

3. gladnis soulmate au where what you write appears on your soulmate’s skin. ignis secretly has gladio’s tattoos (this was consensual)

4. au where prompto burned or cut off the barcode in high school and noctis is finding out about it now some months later (promptis)

5. au where prompto dies in zegnautus keep. but first, he programmes one of his clones with his memories and feelings, in the hopes that it will replace him so that noct never has to mourn for him.

6. au where prompto meets one of his clones during episode prompto. this clone is remarkably similar to versus xiii prompto, ohoho. he helps out ffxv prompto somehow

7. ignis is caught crossdressing by his bros, and is really embarrassed about it, so gladio, prompto, and noctis go out and buy kilts so four of them can wear skirts together and look cool :D

8. dfab transgender cor on roadtrip with regis, clarus, and cid

9. something inspired by this photoset - aliens? demons? angels? curses? magic? robots? dreams? you decide!

10. ravus with hanahaki - flower disease - where when you’re pining for someone you start coughing up blue flowers (sylleblossoms?) until they eventually kill you, unless you confess to your crush. i think ravus/noctis for this one, but any ravus pairing is good, just not ravus/ardyn or anything like that

11. during the dark world, noctis appears to the bros in the form of (an) animal(s) - cat, chocobo, dog, maybe even stuff like voretooth or anak - and they always know it’s him cuz his fur/feathers/whatever are always black. he does this to protect them, and also just because he misses them, sometimes

12. ignis and coctura having a cook-off. bonus points if they are flirting, dating, or married

13. gladio x aranea - one of them asking the other out, or their cute first date

14. noctis, prompto, or ignis meeting their younger self (30 > 20, or 20 > 8-10)

15. this is a long shot, but since you are the queen of rarepairs, could you please write ravus x noctis’s noncanonical older brother mors (who was named after his grandpa)? (mors is better at being a king than our dearly depressed noctis, and a little more outgoing < i recognise this is practically ravus x oc though so if you don’t want to take this one it’s fine!) pov of an outsider is fine, like maybe noctis sees them kissing and is like ‘oh no, now both princess of lucis are gay’ lol idk

16. fic set in the au where lucis will win the war as per your meta (maybe nyx perspective???? idk)

17. Okay, I originally was going to ask you to do something inspired by 2 of my meta posts, the colour symbolism one and the one with my headcanons for the chocobros in skirts. Well, my blog got deleted, so i can’t link you to those posts. but i can copy/paste both metas in their entirety into this post. so here they are (to be clear, this is TWO prompts):

Colour symbolism

black is the royal colour. this one detail could really have a big effect on the worldbuilding, but we don’t really see any evidence of said worldbuilding in game. so… here are my thoughts on it. I headcanon that commoners do not wear black at all. or rather, that there is a specific shade of True Black that they can’t wear. the school uniforms we see Prompto and Noctis in in brotherhood are an approved shade of off-black. a lot of times, a rich, dark navy blue (”formal blue”) is substituted for occasions where people of other nations would wear black. the closer one is to royalty, the more black one is allowed to wear on one’s person. In the past, there was a strict colour hierarchy, but that has relaxed over time. Now it’s just True Black vs. off-black, which is ranked in the same category as formal blue, dark green, and dark purple. Dark brown is not particularly popular in the modern day, but in some parts of Lucis it is the traditional formal colour of choice. a Lucian tourist may still be shocked to see people in Altissia or Tenebrae wearing shades that look suspiciously close to True Black. also, it would be a huge diplomatic faux pas for a diplomat, noble, or politician from a foreign country to wear black in the presence of Lucian royalty. Noctis only ever wears black, as does Regis, of course. Noctis would have a terrible time dressing himself if he were told to wear something that isn’t black - he has no idea how to match colours in an outfit. Gladio generally wears black on the job but enjoys wearing other colours for more casual activities (as we’ve seen by his green-jacket outfit). in contrast, Ignis’s suit, unlike many Lucian commoners’ suits, is True Black, which anyone who sees him on the street would be amazed and a little intimidated by. Prompto doesn’t wear much black, of course, but I like to headcanon that Noctis gave him his True Black wristband. Anyone who sees Prompto wearing that would instantly know that Prompto has won the favour of someone in a noble house. and anyone who sees the Regalia in street would immediately know that a member of the court must be inside, at least until Noctis gets around to customising it. in the distant past, white was the colour of mourning and only worn at funerals, as in many real world Asian cultures. it would be super cool if Luna’s white dresses were not intended to symbolise religious purity, but actually represent the link between the Oracle and the Astral Realm, or death; a reminder that the Oracle is the last thing between a Starscourge victim and a funeral. btw, this makes Ravus essentially a goth. though whether he wears white out of love for his sister or because he just likes the colour is unknown. of course, we’ve also seen that Luna’s wedding dress is white, but that can be attributed to newer cultural interactions between Lucis, Tenebrae, and whatever countries existed before Niflheim became an empire. Thus, her wedding dress and Oracle garb contain symbols coming from two different cultural traditions. the fact that the wedding dress is white is actually a symbol of Niflheim’s control over the wedding, since the Oracle is traditionally allowed to wear another colour on the day of their marriage. The traditional colour of marriage garments is yellow, to symbolise that the person you are marrying is the light of your life. The traditional colour of healing and purity is royal blue, like Luna’s sylleblossoms. lastly i would like to remind everyone that if my headcanons are in any way accurate, then wearing black underwear would probably be as gauche as printing the american flag on your butt. and if commoners aren’t allowed to wear True Black, then all black lingerie that exists must be the regulation approved shade of off-black anyway. noctis has to get his boxers hand-sewed

clothing-has-no-gender skirt post

skirts are for everyone. boys in skirts need more love, so here they are, feat. iris. pls love them

disclaimer: all the skirts depicted in this post are good skirts and HAVE POCKETS

noct and prompto’s school has both skirt and pants options for their uniforms. prompto switches between skirts and pants depending on the season and how he feels that day. noct doesn’t like the uniform skirt because it matches the ties so it’s not black

noctis prefers dresses to skirts because he’s lazy and dresses mean no need to pick a whole outfit; and prompto prefers skirts because that boy loves layers just look at his crownsguard outfit; but both of them will wear either skirts or dresses as the mood strikes them.

gladio hates wearing dresses because he finds them impractical. he only owns like, two, and one of them has a hole in it. ignis prefers dresses to skirts because he likes the way they look. he regards both dresses and skirts fashion items more than anything

ignis is the chocobro most likely to wear a skirt or dress as formal wear, including as part of a suit. he attends court in skirts a lot

gladio is the kind of practical guy who wears short skirts with spandex underneath them (like female athletes irl)

neither ignis or noctis will wear miniskirts. i’m torn as to whether prompto would wear them, since he’s known to have body image issues, but since he is a runner he may feel that his legs are nice enough to pull off the miniskirt look, with or without spandex. headcanon this one at your own discretion

the only other skirt gladio really wears is essentially a utilikilt (the cargo-shorts equivalent of a skirt, basically). these things are really practical and fashionable, so after seeing gladio in his utilikilt, all the other chocobros want one too. no word on who actually gets one

prompto has at least one regular kilt, if that distinction even matters in a world where any man can wear a skirt. what i mean is he likes pleats and plaid

noctis has been known to wear leather skirts. he pulls them off surprisingly well, as well as a mean combat-boots-and-skirt combo

noctis prefers to warp in pants because he’s afraid of flashing the MTs, but warping in skirts feels really cool so sometimes he does it when no one is around. also, skirts that are too long will mess up the landing, so he refuses to own any that go past the knee, just in case

noctis loves handkerchief skirts. ignis thinks they are awful

this makes ignis the most likely to wear floor-length skirts. prompto will wear them, but it’s not a style he prefers except maybe in formal wear

yes, iris does get gladio’s skirts (and shirts, she likes sleeping in them) as hand-me-downs. she has to take in the waists to be able to wear them. one time she prematurely took one of gladio’s skirts that they both liked and altered it in before he was done with it. they still argue about it to this day

ignis wears the fewest skirts on the roadtrip because all of his are fancy. he has a couple of nice ones for the wedding (T.T) and for galdin quay. noctis wears the second fewest because he is the most comfortable warping in pants, so his are also primarily reserved for rest stops. then there’s gladio in his spandex-and-skirts combo and prompto in a kilt, kicking ass and taking names. fuck yeah.

AND THAT, AS THEY SAY, IS THAT.

#domesticfluffsimulator #vox asks #thanks again for taking all these requests!!#really excited to see what you come up with!

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scribblindown · 7 years

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Final Fantasy XV (Actor AU)

Dang this ended up long, I guess I got carried away ;; I'll keep it under the cut. Also, I refer to them as [character]'s actor, or just [character] on and off, but I'm mostly referring to their actor.

Final Fantasy (the television series):

Final Fantasy is an anthology science fiction and fantasy series that started in late 1987.

Originally it was produced only by the Japanese studio Square Enix, but as it became more popular, different countries come together to help make this series. Therefore it is now under multiple production companies, distributors, and is aired in multiple networks worldwide.

They currently have fifteen seasons, not counting their many spin-offs, movies, and crossovers with their sister series, Kingdom Hearts.

Constantly gets questioned on why the actors wear so many belts and buckles.

Stella Nox Fleuret:

Was an elegant and kind actress that was in a handful of blockbuster movies, so she was already well-known.

She was set to be in Final Fantasy Versus XIII, which was already in mid-way through filming, but they were making slow progress due to scheduling issues with Noctis' actor.

However, Stella's actress was suddenly in a near-fatal car crash, putting a halt to Versus XIII completely.

Not only was she hospitalized for many months, she decided that she wanted to take a break from acting because her traumatizing experience made her want to spend more time with her family.

She was even unsure if she wanted to go back to acting at all. Even if she were to take on any projects or roles, it would be the local ones, so she wouldn't be too far from her family.

She specifically told director Tetsuya Nomura this and didn't want to hold them back. Nomura respected her decision and took her off her contract soon later.

This was a very hard decision for her because she loves the series and her costars. Also, no one blames her for doing what she did. Everyone is still on great terms with one another. If another star is in the same town as her, they will call her up and they will have lunch together.

But because of this they had to scrap Versus XIII completely. With one of the major actresses suddenly pulling out of the show, it left a major gap in the story and production.

Money was lost, fans were left dumbfounded, and everyone was at a loss.

This led to a change in teams, production companies, and Nomura passed the director role to Hajime Tabata. It was eventually reworked into Final Fantasy XV, with major changes happening to the story line and character designs. Such as:

"What??? A plain white button up??? No, give him a purple leopard print shirt!!!"

Noctis Lucis Caelum:

Is the same actor that played Sasuke in Naruto and Naruto Shippuden. That's right, I went there.

Because he was still working on Naruto Shippuden at the time, Versus XIII was in the works for the past five years (not ten years like irl) before it eventually became FFXV. But everything worked out in the end because he finished up with Naruto and was able to give FFXV all of his attention.

He is a half-Japanese actor, and while he spent most of his life in Japan, he can speak English perfectly. This is due to the fact that his parents are divorced and used to pass him back and forth from their respective countries.

His uncle is a talent agent, and suggested the role of Sasuke Uchiha to him. The rest is history.

His personality is actually really close to Noctis'. While he can keep up the brooding, cold facade that he did for the past ten years for his other role, and work the cameras so he can come off as charismatic and charming, the actor is slightly socially awkward and introverted, but everything is smooth sailing if you get along with him and he's so kind to fans and tries to answer as many questions as he can on social media.

Cor's actor kind of intimidates him, and the actor who plays young Noctis drew a crude picture of the Immortal when he was off set. The two giggled about it like schoolgirls without realizing that Cor was right behind them.

Cor later asked for the picture, had them both sign it, and keeps it on his fridge.

He met some of the other actors of the FF series. Sephiroth's actor scares him and Noct has a slight crush on Lightning's.

He actually likes vegetables, so whenever he has to take them out and eat a burger or something on camera, he feels like they taste so bland.

His favorite costume is the Moogle Chocobo Carnival one. Usually they're in sweltering weather and his regular leather costume and king costume aren't very forgiving.

He was playing a prank with Prompto's actor on set and it backfired and he got himself locked in the Regalia for an hour.

He kept the Ring of Lucii after filming, the Moogle Chocobo hat, and his king costume. They made a king costume specifically for close ups and several copies for his fight scene with Ardyn that was meant to rip/be torn. He once wore the costume to take out the trash.

He does most of his own stunts, but has a body double that does the fishing for him because the boy can't fish for shit.

He is a cat person. The dogs who play Pryna and Umbra kind of sense this, so Noct has to keep dog treats inside his pockets when doing scenes with them.

He loves Vincent Valentine the most out of the entire franchise.

Prompto Argentum:

His older brother in real life is Loqi's actor (Thanks to @chocobro-hijinks this headcanon is giving me double vision.) who inspired him to act at a young age.

Loqi's actor is mostly a theatre actor, and when Prompto saw his big bro on stage, he was like "Ah! That's what I want to do."

He was a child actor that was in small family movies that focus mostly on comedy. They're the type of movies with the cheesy front cover, and barely anyone has even heard of it.

When he auditioned, his FF knowledge was zero to none, so he was like, "Oh, what about those clouds and lightning???" Nomura saw right through him, but felt like he fit the role of Prompto very well, so he gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Is the social media king. He does some light vlogging on the side, and if acting doesn't work out he can become a full-time Youtuber, no problem. He also has a Tumblr under a common name like "FinalFantasyFan4Life" or something; no one knows that it's him. He spends his break time on set reading headcanons, adding comments to some of them, and reblogging fanart.

He is a Promptis shipper.

He doesn't take any of the pictures himself. When he takes a selfie, he turns the camera around and holds it, but there will be a crew member taking the picture for him.

He says that his favorite moment on set is eating all the food that "Iggy" makes.

Is a big fan of Cor's actor's work. When he first met him, he almost stopped breathing.

Since he didn't do very many "large" productions like the rest of the crew, he is still considered sort of a rookie compared to the others. Because of this, he often goes to Cor's trailer when he is stuck on a scene and they figure it out together.

After filming ended, he kept Prompto's bracelets and bandanna as a memento.

He hates the cold, so when he was filming for "Episode Prompto" the second Tabata calls "Cut!" between scenes, he will legitimately jump into his trailer and sit in front of the heater for the entirety of his break.

If he has to stay outside, you will see him curl up into a big ball on his snowmobile with at least five large jackets piled on top of him. You can only see his blue eyes when he does that.

"So do you miss your crew members? Like Noct, Gladio, and Ignis..." "Oh yeah, but I bet they have it really rough too. Like sitting by the fire, or in a heated hotel room."

During a choreographed fight scene he accidentally slipped up and kicked Noctis in the head and gave him a concussion. Noctis insisted that it was okay, but Prompto felt so bad, and was so freaked out that he was apologizing through tears and sobs.

Ignis Scientia:

Started his career by modeling as a child for luxury, designer brands with a couple of guest roles in soap operas. When he got into his teens he started to focus on acting.

Never has any bad press on him?? He seems to do no wrong and never has any bad pictures taken of him, even if it was secretly. He's either the most boring person ever, or the most perfect.

He mostly did psychological thrillers, or suave spy movies like 007.

Is the Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston of their world.

He doesn't cook any of the dishes seen on the series, but to get into character he took cooking lessons and can replicate any of them perfectly. Most of the time during his "cooking" scenes, he's just assembling things according to instructions.

The line, "That's it! I've come up with a new recipeh!" was improv. He loves it so much, he repeats it often.

Is a jokester despite his image, and loves fooling around on set. If he pranks you that means he likes you.

During an interview he pulled out some Gladnis smut fanfiction the he found and read it in his most passive, monotone voice.

Didn't know that he was supposed to go blind until the very day he was supposed to put on the makeup.

Is allergic to coffee beans, but since he was cast into the role relatively late, they had already requested Ebony cans and vending machines to be made. The "coffee" that you see in mugs is dark hot chocolate and if he drinks out of the can it's usually water.

Has scarily good twenty/twenty vision, and sometimes his glasses are just empty frames. He goes to push them up, and ooop he almost pokes himself in the eyes.

He is fond of his current costume. He felt that his Versus XIII outfit was very plain and made him look like a "basic mafia mobster."

Had a high fever while filming "Episode Ignis," but insisted that they film anyway because his sickness helped him act better. (Poor babe.)

Kept Iggy's gloves and glasses after filming.

Gladiolus Amicitia:

He started out as a stunt double, fight choreographer/stunt coordinator. He was originally brought into the show to help the actors with their fight scenes, but they were looking for a forth member of the Chocobros and he already got along great with the crew and cast, so he got the job.

Was totally pumped up to not wear a shirt most of the time in XV, because he worked so hard to get his rippling nine-pack.

His favorite emoji is the flexing bicep. He uses it at the end of every caption he posts, even if it doesn't really make sense. The fans eat it up though.

"It's such a nice day today! 💪" "Just having lunch! 💪 "

His actor is the real mom friend of the crew. Iggy is responsible and all, but if Noctis or Prompto do anything stupid, he mostly watches in the background smugly. Gladdy Daddy to the rescue.

The cast once got together and read complementing, positive tweets from real fans to Gladio for a video. Noctis looked Gladio right in the eye with a straight face, and said, "Sweet dreams...Daddy." Prompto continued this by saying, "Let me have your children, Daddy."

Gladio burst out laughing and turned bright red.

He is such a college student at heart that he doesn't mind eating all those cup noodles. But due to shooting the same scene over and over in one go, he sometimes has to go through eight cups at a time. He knows that it's not good for you, and occasionally has to spit it out off camera. It breaks his heart.

Is bisexual. He doesn't bring it up often, but he came out publicly before, but to the media it seems as if they skipped over that fact. He doesn't really mind, but he get exasperated when interviewers constantly try to press that false facts that he's straight onto him.

After a particularly tiring day filming, he fell asleep on a table with his head down. When he woke up, he found out that his tattoo body paint rubbed off on his cheek. He didn't know this, and the other guys wouldn't tell him until a crew member had to come up and stop him.

He kept Gladio's necklace as a memento.

LMK if you're interested in knowing more about the other characters, or even FFVII's actor au! Sorry for continually mentioning Sasuke though, I just love that asshole so much.

#final fantasy xv #final fantasy 15 #ffxv headcanons #noctis #noctis lucis caelum #prompto #prompto argentum #ignis #ignis scientia #gladio #gladiolus amicitia #stella #stella nox fleuret #final fantasy #slight naruto #actor au

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