Let us go then. [ He stands up to go, taking Noctis by the hand again and shuffling to walk out. Takka wishes them well and to have a safe journey.
Ignis only lets go of Noctis' hand when they reach the Regalia. He slides easily into the drivers side seat. He'd forgotten that he gave the keys to Noctis before he went to change. ]
Oh, uh- [Noctis pats awkwardly at the jacket pockets until he finds them, passing them over. He'd forgotten about that.] -right, sorry. Wonder if I'll have to learn how to drive again?
[He likes the idea of Ignis driving everywhere, but it's not very fair. Still, if that memory is slow to return, he won't be much use regardless of what he wants.]
We'll see, one thing at a time. [ He takes the keys and pops them into the ignition, feeling the Regalia come to life. The top is down since it's a really nice day outside. ] I believe it'll come back to you naturally.
[ He gets the car into drive, shifts both of his hands onto the steering wheel as before, then he looks around Hammerhead a final time.
This is it, the start of their journey together. They'll be back here of course to turn in the bounty later. Ignis just hopes that they don't have any problems on this journey, but that isn't to be.
So, with a final breath he gets his foot on the gas pedal and leaves Hammerhead, giving it a farewell... for now. ]
----------
[ They make it to the parking spot okay, conversation light, but truth to be told, Ignis had been rather distracted. He kept on glancing in his review mirrors, spying out a car that had been following them. Not close, but far, but close enough to cause him concern. Knowing what he knows about his life hanging in the balance, he half-way expected to be bumped off the road, but that wasn't the case here thankfully.
He's safe with Noctis. But Hammerhead provided even more comfort with people being around, now that it was just the two of them, Ignis isn't sure if he's being overly paranoid or not.
Both hands are gripping the steering wheel tighter than he needs to as he watches the car go by them. He doesn't even realize he's doing it until he exhales a sigh of relief. He peels his hands off the wheel and gets the car into park, shuts the car down and takes keys out of ignition. He leans his head back for a second.
He just can't shake off this feeling in his gut.
I'm in danger here, with a target on my back. Honestly, it makes sense for his next attack to be out of any city limits. Even though he was warned properly, he's still on edge about it all. He doesn't want to die, especially with Noctis next to him, with Noctis being real and here. ]
Noct... [ He turns his head to look at him now, reaching out a hand to take his, interlacing their fingers. ]
I'm on edge. [ fear lacing his tone. ] That car that went by us, I can't help but have a bad feeling about it.
... I'm afraid. [ tone a whisper as he admits that one, afraid for his life, for Noctis' safety, but he shouldn't worry, but he does. Even though he doesn't say it, his eyes are pleading for protection. ] We shouldn't separate for now, stay close by my side. [ He had no plans of letting Noctis out of his sight to begin with, but now he wants to remain closer to him. ]
[Under normal circumstances, Noctis might have been bored by the trip, preferring to doze or play with his phone until they reached the next destination. But for Noctis, this is a fresh new world, unexplored as it had been that fateful day they'd left Insomnia for the first time. His eyes are rapt and attentive, watching every bit of dusty scenery go by, vast cracked stones, winding roads, huge wildlife rumbling their way through the brush beyond the barriers. Leide isn't especially inspiring countryside, but Noctis watches it all, hungry for any sign of familiarity that might trigger a new memory, waiting to be reclaimed.
Because of this, he doesn't notice the car trailing them or Ignis' discomfort- not for a while at least. Eventually though he happens to glance over and spot it: tension in the man's body language, the way he holds tightly to the wheel. It doesn't feel quite right, and it makes him look around more carefully. That's right... this place isn't safe. he can't afford to relax and just enjoy the trip, as long as their enemies are still out there. After that the trip is quieter, with Noctis also keeping a careful watch on their surroundings.
Eventually when they park, and Ignis reaches out to him, he relaxes only marginally again and twines their fingers tightly.]
You don't have anything to worry about, Iggy. I'm not going anywhere.
[There's an air of unspoken danger in his tone, and a promise: I won't let anyone touch you. He hasn't forgotten the man from yesterday, with the gun at Ignis' head. How close he'd been to too late. Never again.]
[ It could be just him being paranoid, but he rather not take any chances here. He relaxes a little at Noctis' touch and words, hearing his tone.
Ignis being in danger as he is, is why they had gotten weapons. ]
Thank you. [ He's not letting go just yet. ]
Let us be extra cautious out here, I believe that they had someone in Hammerhead as a backup in case someone saved me. It makes sense really. [ Just in case if the job wasn't finished, they would want a back up. Plus, he had been in a shack not too far from Hammerhead itself.
He exhales a breath. ] I will not let that stop me from helping you get your memories back.
[ He squeezes their joined hands again. ] Let us do what we can here to do, the hunt. [ They're losing daylight out here. ] Perhaps we can get camp set up in the meantime.
[Noctis doesn't pull away, or even look like he'll make the attempt; Ignis is the one in need of reassurance, and he's happy to provide it as much as he needs. This journey is mostly for him, anyway- for Ignis, they could have gone back to Insomnia, surrounded him with friends and trustworthy allies to protect him instead of just Noct. Instead they're on the run, doing their best. A little comfort is nothing in exchange for that.]
If we do the hunt now, we can take care of the camp afterwards, instead of leaving everything here. At that point, maybe I can get the rest set up while you cook.
[He's really looking forward to Ignis' food again.]
[ Ignis takes one more look outside and seeing the sunlight slowly fading away from them. It had taken a little bit to get out here, after all. He lets out a hm sound as he considers it.
Camp stuff can stay in the car for now, he supposes. He does want to set up camp regardless and see if that helps out Noctis with his memory. ]
Alright, we are running low on time for the hunt. [ He release Noctis' hand then makes a move to get out of the car, pocketing the keys. He opens the back door to pick up his daggers then shut both side doors, locking them on his side. ]
The hunt shouldn't be too far from here. I am curious what you can do combat wise.
[Oh, right. Combat. As Noctis retrieves his sword and straps it in place with the belt - which feels weird, but where the hell else is he supposed to put it? - he hesitates, glancing around to see if he can spot the target.]
What I can do... is it a good idea to just dive right in, then? What if I don't remember enough?
[Last thing he wants to do is trip up during battle and get one of them hurt. Especially not with Ignis already at risk.]
[Instinct... right. It's not especially confidence-boosting that his first instinct is to throw his sword at the first beast to teleport directly there, something he knows he can't do... anymore. Right, because he could do that.
Oh! He remembered a thing he could do! That's super not helpful right now, but okay, it's a start.
Instead, he ducks a bit lower, trying to stay out of sight as much as possible until he gets close enough. As they draw near, one of them spots him and moves to intercept, so he picks up his pace into a steady run, unsheathing his blade and taking aim at one of the legs before it can raise up to stomp him, slicing through something important enough to make it shriek and rear back. That draws the others' attention, and he has to quicly roll out of the way to avoid getting trampled. Off to a good start, he... thinks? Yeah! He didn't die immediately, so that's good. It's starting to come back to him, as he ducks and weaves through the fray.]
[ As Noctis leaps into the fray first, he can't help but watch for a few seconds, giving Noct a chance to get ahead of him first. Blades at his sides, Ignis leaps into the battle. He normally would be side by side with Noctis, but since it's just the two of them, they have to spread out a bit. Out of habit, he supposes, he chucks a dagger at one of the Anaks, and throws his other immediately right after it.
Oh bloody hell, he shouldn't have done that. Now he has to retrieve his daggers and not get hit by the anaks. One of them does hit him in the chest, causing him to stumble back out of the battlefield. An 'oof' escapes him and he takes a second to get his bearings together, but it's a second too long. A hand wraps itself around his wrists, yanking him further away from battle.
He starts, struggling against it, heart dropping. This is it, what he's been worried about since they parked here. The next attempt on his life. Before he can attempt to yell for help, a voice goes off in his head.
"He won't help you."
What? Where did that come from? Suddenly, he's taken back into the shack in his mind, seeing Noctis standing over him, seeing the hand that burns reaching out to him.
No! Noctis wouldn't do that, he wouldn't hurt Ignis, his memories gone or not. Noctis wouldn't kill him. Ignis refuses to give into that seed trap and snaps himself out of it. He doesn't have time to think as to where that came from.
Wrists are tightly tied behind his back and he can feel himself being pushed to the ground, landing hard on his stomach. A knee is driving itself into his back. A soft hiss of pain escapes him as the knee hurts his wounds from yesterday's beating he took. That's going to leave a nasty bruise that he doesn't care to think about.
Where's Noctis? Eyes scan wildly around the area, despite his face being on the ground. He can see the anaks. He thinks he sees a flash of a sword somewhere, but he isn't sure. ]
Why...? [ He asks quietly, why do these people want him dead so bad? The answer itself sends a chill through his body, as everything clicks into place now. He doesn't think about it, he can only focus on the blade pressing itself on his throat.
Green eyes spy out Noctis, but no, something's wrong. It's Noctis, but, he's reaching out to him again, just like in the vision. Ignis winces a little.
It's not real. It's not real!
Just a trick of his mind.
He's trembling, he realizes, though he doesn't know what's scaring him more. Being in danger or the mind tricks that's happening. ]
Don't kill me. [ Ignis isn't sure who he's talking to at this point. His attacker or the fake Noctis. The vision Noctis. His attacker snorts and lets out a too late.
Eyes shut and all he can see is that blasted vision. He opens his eyes back up again and sees Noctis there again. He's not real.
"He won't save you."
That blasted voice again, trying to plant a seed of doubt in his mind. Between that and the vision, he's shaking pretty hard.
Shut up, shut up!
You're not real, not real!
Noctis wouldn't hurt him, he wouldn't kill him. Noctis will help him, save him. Not this opposite of what his mind is trying to do.
He's scared, terrified. The blade nicks him a bit, spilling out a little bit of blood. But he can't focus on that. His attacker is forgotten, eyes wide, struggling within his mind to chase away the fake Noctis. ]
Noct! [ He needs Noctis, the real Noctis, the one who will help him out of danger. ] Help, Noct!
[ A hand clamps itself over his mouth, his attacker fed up with Ignis yelling for help. Beads of sweat drip off his forehead as he prays quietly that Noctis heard him. His Noctis and not the blasted vision that's before him.
He's rational enough to know that this is a trick of his mind, but he also knows that this is going to hurt him mentally no matter what happens here. He'll have time to think about everything later, if Noctis saves him....
Please. Ignis refuses to die like this, but he can't move again. He's in trouble yet again and yet again there's nothing he can do to save himself. If he only hadn't thrown his daggers then he wouldn't be in this mess....
His attacker removes his hand off Ignis' mouth, but his knee is driving itself harder into Ignis' back. Ignis lets out a yell of pain, teeth gritting. ]
[Noctis doesn't notice at first; he's focused entirely on staying alive, re-learning how to dance between the legs of the angered beasts, where to move and when to strike. He can't warp or phase anymore, so it's more risky to be attacking up-close like this, but he does have the benefit of some fire and healing abilities courtesy of the Astrals who revived him, so it balances out... somewhat. It's still difficult to keep an eye on the beasts around them, as well as Ignis.
As the fight progresses, he begins to notice it- how difficult it is. The anak are large and faster than they look, and there seem to be too many focused only on him. At some point when he twists around to avoid a particularly nasty hit, he notices an absence around him. Ignis. Where did Ignis go? He tries to get out of the fight, but he's momentarily surrounded and can't easily escape. While he's trying to maneuver around the anak, he spots a dagger discarded on the ground, and hastily retrieves it, ducking between a set of legs and booking it for a nearby half-collapsed building to get out of eyesight and perhaps shake off the anaks' interest. The hunt can wait, he needs to find Ignis right away. He's not on the battlefield, so he didn't fall... he wouldn't have left Noct like that, would he?
...Would he? Everything in Noct's memories says otherwise, but... it's not like he has that many memories to verify. It's not as if he could blame Ignis for not wanting to babysit his amnesiac self...
No. No! He'd say something, if it bothered him. Ignis isn't like that. Stubbornly he forces away such thoughts to the back of his mind. Once he finds Ignis, he'll see for himself what this means. There must be something wrong. Once the opening appears, he dashes away from the hunting grounds, ducking to keep out of sight as he follows what looks like a trail, like something - or someone - had been dragged away. The sight only fuels him to move faster. It hasn't been that long, they can't have gone far...
And then that shout of his name catches his ear, and he speeds towards it, spotting figures near a hidden outcropping, almost out of sight. He could have missed it, if not for the warning. And there's a man, standing over another, blade lifted-
It's all Noctis needs. He flings the dagger with all his might, catching the attacker right in the shoulder, the force of it knocking him off of Ignis. The man rolls, getting back up into a crouch, rips the dagger free and snaps some nonsense about revenge or justice or whatnot- Noctis barely hears it. He doesn't care. All that matters is the man on the ground, the blood in the sand, and the pain he's in.]
You'll regret this.
[As he approaches the man, unmoved by the sword the man points at him, his eye gleams an eerie crimson, the fiery glow in the crackling marks on his hand and face bright in the fading sunlight of dusk.]
Walk away from him right now, [he snarls, lifting his hand, fire between his fingers.] Unless you want to die.
[He's inclined to kill this threat to Ignis' safety regardless- one less person they have to watch over their shoulders for. What the man does next would determine if his death is slow and painful, swift and merciful, or a long time away after a hefty prison sentence.]
[ Ignis is putting up a fight, struggling when he sees the blade about to come down on him. He twists his wrists, desperate to get free. Pain radiates through his back as he keeps struggling, very well aware that the knee on him isn't doing him any favors.
He's breathing hard, sweating and afraid. Then he hears footsteps rapidly approaching and then--
--the man on him rolls off, cursing.
Ignis doesn't move after that, watching his attacker rip his dagger out of his shoulder. Wait, that's his dagger, could it be...?
As his attacker spouts out nonsense about this being revenge and justice, Noctis comes into his view. The man snarls at Noctis' threat, saying that this had been between him and Ignis and to stay out of it.
Too late, Ignis thinks quietly to himself. His eyes are on his attacker, watching his movement. While the sword is being pointed at Noctis, the man spares a quick glance at Ignis then promptly chucks the dagger at Ignis. He starts a little, rolling out of the way.
A miss.
Ignis yelps out in pain as his back complains about the movement, but he's alive.
He quits rolling, stopping somewhere behind Noctis. He's safe for the moment.
That man is a dead man after that, even Ignis knows that, even with his mind being tortured before. When Noctis had showed up, the fake that he'd been seeing had disappeared. Ignis focus in on that and on the threat that he'd heard in Noctis' voice towards the man.
Blood is slowly pooling out of his neck, the cut isn't deep thankfully. He's not sure what happened after the dagger had gotten thrown at him, he spares a glance towards Noctis and his attacker...
[He'll be much better once this man's in the grave. Since he didn't accept Noctis' offer for mercy, he sees no reason to grant another. As soon as he throws the dagger at Ignis, Noctis is moving to intercept, his blade unsheathed as he swiftly closes the distance between them. His reflexes are so instinctively protective he may as well have been warping. It's by no means a fancy sword, but it's sharp enough to get the job done, tearing through the man's arm as it's still outstretched from throwing the dagger. Should have focused on the one still armed, rather than the man tied up in the dirt. Their attacker shrinks back with a scream, bleeding helplessly, though to his credit he holds his sword with the unwounded hand, trying to stay on the defensive. Noctis prowls like a lion defending his pride, carefully placed between the man and his target. He has a choice: flee, attempt one more charge, or stand here until he bleeds out. Noctis glowers at him, the grip on his sword tightening, his eyes challenging. Choose wisely.
The unnamed terrorist at last recognizes his fate and kicks dirt in his direction, trying to run. The most prudent of choices, maybe, but none would spare his life. He'd lost the chance to escape when last Noctis offered. He rushes towards the man's unprotected back, lunging forward to stab his blade clean through, sinking in to the hilt and twisting in a way that cuts off the man's bloody gasp. A kick of his foot under the man knocks him to the ground, impact sliding the sword back out of him, though Noctis leaves it in place to keep him pinned, crouching down as he struggles.
He's not fond of taking human lives, but he'd admit if pressed... these men, who threaten to take Ignis away from him? He could kill these men, no problem. This one might have a few moments left in him, so Noctis glances over his shoulder.]
Ignis, can you stand? Got anything you want out of this guy?
[He could heal the man up to the edge of death without pushing him over the cliff... but only if Ignis wants him alive.]
[ Between his back aching and the ropes tearing a bit into his wrists from struggling as hard as he did, he's finding it rather difficult to get up on his own. That and he's shaking pretty badly from this encounter.
He tries to get up, but ends up collapsing back on the ground. No go. He's flat on his stomach again, groaning at the movement. He'll need assistance once the man is dead and gone.
He doesn't like taking human lives either, but this is different. His life is in danger from this group of terrorists who hate the dawn. ]
I... [ surprised at how scratchy his throat feels. ] Finish him off. [ He'll spare no mercy either as long his life is in danger, as long as he keeps it that way and keeps Noctis hidden from the public. ]
[That's all Noctis needs to hear. He wrenches his sword free, ignoring the man's shriek of pain, and sets his other hand down on his head, muffling his voice in the dirt and lighting him ablaze from head to toe. They've committed no crime, this was self-defense, but the last thing they need is someone else tailing after them because they found a body and misunderstood the situation. He's not going to jail for ending the life of a terrorist.
Once the man is silent and smoldering, Noctis stands up and returns to Ignis' side, retrieving the dagger as he passes and using it to slice through the ropes holding him down. He gets an arm under Ignis' back to carefully help him sit up.]
[ He's quiet after that, shutting his eyes as Noctis finishes the job off. He tries to ignore the screams of pain coming from his attacker, instead focusing on the fact that he's safe. And alive.
He does jump a little when he feels Noctis at his side. He gets his eyes open and looks up at him. He's breathing easier, flinching a little at Noctis' touch - both from the pain and the mental trauma that he's about to go through. He shoves the latter aside as hard as he can. ]
... The hunt was a good coverup. [ Ignis agrees quietly as he allows himself to be sat up. He brings his hands out from behind his back once his wrists are free from the ropes, wincing a little at the rope burns on his wrists.
Is he alright? No, he's not. He's wounded both inside and outside. ]
My neck... [ He tilts his head a little to the side, allowing Noctis to get access to heal him there. ]
I'm hurt pretty bad, Noct. [ another ripple of pain shoots through his back, causing him to wince in pain again. ]
[He'll start with Ignis' neck, carefully pressing his fingertips against the wound, a soft white light glimmering between them. It shouldn't take long for Ignis to feel himself healing, warm and steady like a potion. He's annoyed that he wasn't more careful, now. He should have been watching for Ignis during the fight.]
[ He does as he's told, staying still. He can feel himself being healed there and he breaths out a sigh of relief from it. ]
My back. [ He murmurs quietly once his neck is healed. Noctis will find Ignis' back in bad shape, covered in bruises from yesterday's attack and from the one just now. The one being more apparent from where there was a knee being driven into his back. ]
[Noctis moves his hand when he's sufficiently healed the wound at Ignis' neck, gently brushing his fingers over the scuffed marks left by the man's foot. He tries not to let it anger him again; it's not as if he can kill the same guy twice, though he'd kind of like to.]
How about... you stay a little closer to me, going forward? Until all of this is resolved. I don't want to lose you, Iggy.
[ He'd like that, a lot. Maybe it'll help him get over the visions that he'd seen both in his mind and on the outside. Last thing he wants, is to be afraid of Noctis. He won't let this thing beat him.
When he hears the need in Noctis' tone like that, he shoves down the lingering fear and gets an arm around Noctis' waist. ]
I don't want to lose you either, Noct. [ He's the one in danger here, but: ] That man, told me four words. "Death to the dawn."
[ He exhales a breath, letting Noctis heal his back a bit as he talks. ] There was a group of people who got away with unspeakable crimes before the dawn returned. They're after me for it, it's even more important that we keep your return a secret. [ Otherwise, they'll both be in danger.
It took this group five years to get access to Ignis, now that he's on the run, they'll be after him. ]
[Noctis is quiet for a long moment, looking thoughtful, then mumbles,]
Maybe we should let them know.
[It isn't Ignis' fault that the dawn came back; he shouldn't have a target painted on his back for something Noctis himself caused to happen. If he could draw some attention onto himself, Ignis might be safer... and at least Noctis has more power with which to protect himself.]
[ Ignis finds that he doesn't have a lot of strength to argue, he's mentally drained from the past couple of days. ]
... I'd like to get us somewhere safe. [ he says quietly, eyes flickering fear for a briefest of moments, all too telling that there's something else going on with Ignis, not just the attack.
Though, being around Noctis is helping him tremendously, but he knows that mental break is coming soon. ]
I need you with me. [ his free hand goes to push himself up and off the ground, eager to get away from here. ]
[He notices the non-answer, but he doesn't press the issue right now; better to get someplace away from here, and talk when Ignis feels ready. He helps Ignis up to his feet, steadying him first, retrieving their blades, and then guiding him back towards the campsite.]
Guess we should've set up first after all. Maybe we can finish that hunt tomorrow, huh?
[ He's quieter on the way back to the campsite, sticking near Noctis as close as he can. Ignis exhales a sigh of relief when they get back to the campsite. He'd like to wrap up the hunt then put as much distance between them and Insomnia as he can.
He fishes for the keys out of his pocket, then quietly hands them to Noctis. It's like he had gone mute, not wanting to talk at the current moment, the rush of danger leaving his system, the vision fading, but very much haunting his thoughts again.
He'll follow Noctis to the car and help carry stuff back to the site, keeping his thoughts down for now. ]
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Ignis only lets go of Noctis' hand when they reach the Regalia. He slides easily into the drivers side seat. He'd forgotten that he gave the keys to Noctis before he went to change. ]
You got the keys on you, Noct?
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[He likes the idea of Ignis driving everywhere, but it's not very fair. Still, if that memory is slow to return, he won't be much use regardless of what he wants.]
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[ He gets the car into drive, shifts both of his hands onto the steering wheel as before, then he looks around Hammerhead a final time.
This is it, the start of their journey together. They'll be back here of course to turn in the bounty later. Ignis just hopes that they don't have any problems on this journey, but that isn't to be.
So, with a final breath he gets his foot on the gas pedal and leaves Hammerhead, giving it a farewell... for now. ]
----------
[ They make it to the parking spot okay, conversation light, but truth to be told, Ignis had been rather distracted. He kept on glancing in his review mirrors, spying out a car that had been following them. Not close, but far, but close enough to cause him concern. Knowing what he knows about his life hanging in the balance, he half-way expected to be bumped off the road, but that wasn't the case here thankfully.
He's safe with Noctis. But Hammerhead provided even more comfort with people being around, now that it was just the two of them, Ignis isn't sure if he's being overly paranoid or not.
Both hands are gripping the steering wheel tighter than he needs to as he watches the car go by them. He doesn't even realize he's doing it until he exhales a sigh of relief. He peels his hands off the wheel and gets the car into park, shuts the car down and takes keys out of ignition. He leans his head back for a second.
He just can't shake off this feeling in his gut.
I'm in danger here, with a target on my back. Honestly, it makes sense for his next attack to be out of any city limits. Even though he was warned properly, he's still on edge about it all. He doesn't want to die, especially with Noctis next to him, with Noctis being real and here. ]
Noct... [ He turns his head to look at him now, reaching out a hand to take his, interlacing their fingers. ]
I'm on edge. [ fear lacing his tone. ] That car that went by us, I can't help but have a bad feeling about it.
... I'm afraid. [ tone a whisper as he admits that one, afraid for his life, for Noctis' safety, but he shouldn't worry, but he does. Even though he doesn't say it, his eyes are pleading for protection. ] We shouldn't separate for now, stay close by my side. [ He had no plans of letting Noctis out of his sight to begin with, but now he wants to remain closer to him. ]
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Because of this, he doesn't notice the car trailing them or Ignis' discomfort- not for a while at least. Eventually though he happens to glance over and spot it: tension in the man's body language, the way he holds tightly to the wheel. It doesn't feel quite right, and it makes him look around more carefully. That's right... this place isn't safe. he can't afford to relax and just enjoy the trip, as long as their enemies are still out there. After that the trip is quieter, with Noctis also keeping a careful watch on their surroundings.
Eventually when they park, and Ignis reaches out to him, he relaxes only marginally again and twines their fingers tightly.]
You don't have anything to worry about, Iggy. I'm not going anywhere.
[There's an air of unspoken danger in his tone, and a promise: I won't let anyone touch you. He hasn't forgotten the man from yesterday, with the gun at Ignis' head. How close he'd been to too late. Never again.]
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Ignis being in danger as he is, is why they had gotten weapons. ]
Thank you. [ He's not letting go just yet. ]
Let us be extra cautious out here, I believe that they had someone in Hammerhead as a backup in case someone saved me. It makes sense really. [ Just in case if the job wasn't finished, they would want a back up. Plus, he had been in a shack not too far from Hammerhead itself.
He exhales a breath. ] I will not let that stop me from helping you get your memories back.
[ He squeezes their joined hands again. ] Let us do what we can here to do, the hunt. [ They're losing daylight out here. ] Perhaps we can get camp set up in the meantime.
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If we do the hunt now, we can take care of the camp afterwards, instead of leaving everything here. At that point, maybe I can get the rest set up while you cook.
[He's really looking forward to Ignis' food again.]
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Camp stuff can stay in the car for now, he supposes. He does want to set up camp regardless and see if that helps out Noctis with his memory. ]
Alright, we are running low on time for the hunt. [ He release Noctis' hand then makes a move to get out of the car, pocketing the keys. He opens the back door to pick up his daggers then shut both side doors, locking them on his side. ]
The hunt shouldn't be too far from here. I am curious what you can do combat wise.
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What I can do... is it a good idea to just dive right in, then? What if I don't remember enough?
[Last thing he wants to do is trip up during battle and get one of them hurt. Especially not with Ignis already at risk.]
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I believe in you, Noct. Follow your instincts on this one.
[ It doesn't take him too long to spy out the target. ]
Ah, there. [ He gives Noctis' hand a squeeze before he lets go. Readying his own daggers. ] You go first, I'll be right behind you.
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Oh! He remembered a thing he could do! That's super not helpful right now, but okay, it's a start.
Instead, he ducks a bit lower, trying to stay out of sight as much as possible until he gets close enough. As they draw near, one of them spots him and moves to intercept, so he picks up his pace into a steady run, unsheathing his blade and taking aim at one of the legs before it can raise up to stomp him, slicing through something important enough to make it shriek and rear back. That draws the others' attention, and he has to quicly roll out of the way to avoid getting trampled. Off to a good start, he... thinks? Yeah! He didn't die immediately, so that's good. It's starting to come back to him, as he ducks and weaves through the fray.]
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Oh bloody hell, he shouldn't have done that. Now he has to retrieve his daggers and not get hit by the anaks. One of them does hit him in the chest, causing him to stumble back out of the battlefield. An 'oof' escapes him and he takes a second to get his bearings together, but it's a second too long. A hand wraps itself around his wrists, yanking him further away from battle.
He starts, struggling against it, heart dropping. This is it, what he's been worried about since they parked here. The next attempt on his life. Before he can attempt to yell for help, a voice goes off in his head.
"He won't help you."
What? Where did that come from? Suddenly, he's taken back into the shack in his mind, seeing Noctis standing over him, seeing the hand that burns reaching out to him.
No! Noctis wouldn't do that, he wouldn't hurt Ignis, his memories gone or not. Noctis wouldn't kill him. Ignis refuses to give into that seed trap and snaps himself out of it. He doesn't have time to think as to where that came from.
Wrists are tightly tied behind his back and he can feel himself being pushed to the ground, landing hard on his stomach. A knee is driving itself into his back. A soft hiss of pain escapes him as the knee hurts his wounds from yesterday's beating he took. That's going to leave a nasty bruise that he doesn't care to think about.
Where's Noctis? Eyes scan wildly around the area, despite his face being on the ground. He can see the anaks. He thinks he sees a flash of a sword somewhere, but he isn't sure. ]
Why...? [ He asks quietly, why do these people want him dead so bad? The answer itself sends a chill through his body, as everything clicks into place now. He doesn't think about it, he can only focus on the blade pressing itself on his throat.
Green eyes spy out Noctis, but no, something's wrong. It's Noctis, but, he's reaching out to him again, just like in the vision. Ignis winces a little.
It's not real. It's not real!
Just a trick of his mind.
He's trembling, he realizes, though he doesn't know what's scaring him more. Being in danger or the mind tricks that's happening. ]
Don't kill me. [ Ignis isn't sure who he's talking to at this point. His attacker or the fake Noctis. The vision Noctis. His attacker snorts and lets out a too late.
Eyes shut and all he can see is that blasted vision. He opens his eyes back up again and sees Noctis there again. He's not real.
"He won't save you."
That blasted voice again, trying to plant a seed of doubt in his mind. Between that and the vision, he's shaking pretty hard.
Shut up, shut up!
You're not real, not real!
Noctis wouldn't hurt him, he wouldn't kill him. Noctis will help him, save him. Not this opposite of what his mind is trying to do.
He's scared, terrified. The blade nicks him a bit, spilling out a little bit of blood. But he can't focus on that. His attacker is forgotten, eyes wide, struggling within his mind to chase away the fake Noctis. ]
Noct! [ He needs Noctis, the real Noctis, the one who will help him out of danger. ] Help, Noct!
[ A hand clamps itself over his mouth, his attacker fed up with Ignis yelling for help. Beads of sweat drip off his forehead as he prays quietly that Noctis heard him. His Noctis and not the blasted vision that's before him.
He's rational enough to know that this is a trick of his mind, but he also knows that this is going to hurt him mentally no matter what happens here. He'll have time to think about everything later, if Noctis saves him....
Please. Ignis refuses to die like this, but he can't move again. He's in trouble yet again and yet again there's nothing he can do to save himself. If he only hadn't thrown his daggers then he wouldn't be in this mess....
His attacker removes his hand off Ignis' mouth, but his knee is driving itself harder into Ignis' back. Ignis lets out a yell of pain, teeth gritting. ]
Noct.... please... [ a quiet whisper this time. ]
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As the fight progresses, he begins to notice it- how difficult it is. The anak are large and faster than they look, and there seem to be too many focused only on him. At some point when he twists around to avoid a particularly nasty hit, he notices an absence around him. Ignis. Where did Ignis go? He tries to get out of the fight, but he's momentarily surrounded and can't easily escape. While he's trying to maneuver around the anak, he spots a dagger discarded on the ground, and hastily retrieves it, ducking between a set of legs and booking it for a nearby half-collapsed building to get out of eyesight and perhaps shake off the anaks' interest. The hunt can wait, he needs to find Ignis right away. He's not on the battlefield, so he didn't fall... he wouldn't have left Noct like that, would he?
...Would he? Everything in Noct's memories says otherwise, but... it's not like he has that many memories to verify. It's not as if he could blame Ignis for not wanting to babysit his amnesiac self...
No. No! He'd say something, if it bothered him. Ignis isn't like that. Stubbornly he forces away such thoughts to the back of his mind. Once he finds Ignis, he'll see for himself what this means. There must be something wrong. Once the opening appears, he dashes away from the hunting grounds, ducking to keep out of sight as he follows what looks like a trail, like something - or someone - had been dragged away. The sight only fuels him to move faster. It hasn't been that long, they can't have gone far...
And then that shout of his name catches his ear, and he speeds towards it, spotting figures near a hidden outcropping, almost out of sight. He could have missed it, if not for the warning. And there's a man, standing over another, blade lifted-
It's all Noctis needs. He flings the dagger with all his might, catching the attacker right in the shoulder, the force of it knocking him off of Ignis. The man rolls, getting back up into a crouch, rips the dagger free and snaps some nonsense about revenge or justice or whatnot- Noctis barely hears it. He doesn't care. All that matters is the man on the ground, the blood in the sand, and the pain he's in.]
You'll regret this.
[As he approaches the man, unmoved by the sword the man points at him, his eye gleams an eerie crimson, the fiery glow in the crackling marks on his hand and face bright in the fading sunlight of dusk.]
Walk away from him right now, [he snarls, lifting his hand, fire between his fingers.] Unless you want to die.
[He's inclined to kill this threat to Ignis' safety regardless- one less person they have to watch over their shoulders for. What the man does next would determine if his death is slow and painful, swift and merciful, or a long time away after a hefty prison sentence.]
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He's breathing hard, sweating and afraid. Then he hears footsteps rapidly approaching and then--
--the man on him rolls off, cursing.
Ignis doesn't move after that, watching his attacker rip his dagger out of his shoulder. Wait, that's his dagger, could it be...?
As his attacker spouts out nonsense about this being revenge and justice, Noctis comes into his view. The man snarls at Noctis' threat, saying that this had been between him and Ignis and to stay out of it.
Too late, Ignis thinks quietly to himself. His eyes are on his attacker, watching his movement. While the sword is being pointed at Noctis, the man spares a quick glance at Ignis then promptly chucks the dagger at Ignis. He starts a little, rolling out of the way.
A miss.
Ignis yelps out in pain as his back complains about the movement, but he's alive.
He quits rolling, stopping somewhere behind Noctis. He's safe for the moment.
That man is a dead man after that, even Ignis knows that, even with his mind being tortured before. When Noctis had showed up, the fake that he'd been seeing had disappeared. Ignis focus in on that and on the threat that he'd heard in Noctis' voice towards the man.
Blood is slowly pooling out of his neck, the cut isn't deep thankfully. He's not sure what happened after the dagger had gotten thrown at him, he spares a glance towards Noctis and his attacker...
Is Noctis alright? ]
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The unnamed terrorist at last recognizes his fate and kicks dirt in his direction, trying to run. The most prudent of choices, maybe, but none would spare his life. He'd lost the chance to escape when last Noctis offered. He rushes towards the man's unprotected back, lunging forward to stab his blade clean through, sinking in to the hilt and twisting in a way that cuts off the man's bloody gasp. A kick of his foot under the man knocks him to the ground, impact sliding the sword back out of him, though Noctis leaves it in place to keep him pinned, crouching down as he struggles.
He's not fond of taking human lives, but he'd admit if pressed... these men, who threaten to take Ignis away from him? He could kill these men, no problem. This one might have a few moments left in him, so Noctis glances over his shoulder.]
Ignis, can you stand? Got anything you want out of this guy?
[He could heal the man up to the edge of death without pushing him over the cliff... but only if Ignis wants him alive.]
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He tries to get up, but ends up collapsing back on the ground. No go. He's flat on his stomach again, groaning at the movement. He'll need assistance once the man is dead and gone.
He doesn't like taking human lives either, but this is different. His life is in danger from this group of terrorists who hate the dawn. ]
I... [ surprised at how scratchy his throat feels. ] Finish him off. [ He'll spare no mercy either as long his life is in danger, as long as he keeps it that way and keeps Noctis hidden from the public. ]
I've heard enough from him.
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Once the man is silent and smoldering, Noctis stands up and returns to Ignis' side, retrieving the dagger as he passes and using it to slice through the ropes holding him down. He gets an arm under Ignis' back to carefully help him sit up.]
He got the jump on you, huh...
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He does jump a little when he feels Noctis at his side. He gets his eyes open and looks up at him. He's breathing easier, flinching a little at Noctis' touch - both from the pain and the mental trauma that he's about to go through. He shoves the latter aside as hard as he can. ]
... The hunt was a good coverup. [ Ignis agrees quietly as he allows himself to be sat up. He brings his hands out from behind his back once his wrists are free from the ropes, wincing a little at the rope burns on his wrists.
Is he alright? No, he's not. He's wounded both inside and outside. ]
My neck... [ He tilts his head a little to the side, allowing Noctis to get access to heal him there. ]
I'm hurt pretty bad, Noct. [ another ripple of pain shoots through his back, causing him to wince in pain again. ]
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[He'll start with Ignis' neck, carefully pressing his fingertips against the wound, a soft white light glimmering between them. It shouldn't take long for Ignis to feel himself healing, warm and steady like a potion. He's annoyed that he wasn't more careful, now. He should have been watching for Ignis during the fight.]
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My back. [ He murmurs quietly once his neck is healed. Noctis will find Ignis' back in bad shape, covered in bruises from yesterday's attack and from the one just now. The one being more apparent from where there was a knee being driven into his back. ]
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How about... you stay a little closer to me, going forward? Until all of this is resolved. I don't want to lose you, Iggy.
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When he hears the need in Noctis' tone like that, he shoves down the lingering fear and gets an arm around Noctis' waist. ]
I don't want to lose you either, Noct. [ He's the one in danger here, but: ] That man, told me four words. "Death to the dawn."
[ He exhales a breath, letting Noctis heal his back a bit as he talks. ] There was a group of people who got away with unspeakable crimes before the dawn returned. They're after me for it, it's even more important that we keep your return a secret. [ Otherwise, they'll both be in danger.
It took this group five years to get access to Ignis, now that he's on the run, they'll be after him. ]
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Maybe we should let them know.
[It isn't Ignis' fault that the dawn came back; he shouldn't have a target painted on his back for something Noctis himself caused to happen. If he could draw some attention onto himself, Ignis might be safer... and at least Noctis has more power with which to protect himself.]
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... I'd like to get us somewhere safe. [ he says quietly, eyes flickering fear for a briefest of moments, all too telling that there's something else going on with Ignis, not just the attack.
Though, being around Noctis is helping him tremendously, but he knows that mental break is coming soon. ]
I need you with me. [ his free hand goes to push himself up and off the ground, eager to get away from here. ]
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[He notices the non-answer, but he doesn't press the issue right now; better to get someplace away from here, and talk when Ignis feels ready. He helps Ignis up to his feet, steadying him first, retrieving their blades, and then guiding him back towards the campsite.]
Guess we should've set up first after all. Maybe we can finish that hunt tomorrow, huh?
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He fishes for the keys out of his pocket, then quietly hands them to Noctis. It's like he had gone mute, not wanting to talk at the current moment, the rush of danger leaving his system, the vision fading, but very much haunting his thoughts again.
He'll follow Noctis to the car and help carry stuff back to the site, keeping his thoughts down for now. ]
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