text;; elevencrows (+1 log prompt)

[founderinglight]

So it seems that the androids remembered my request from some months ago regarding tattoo equipment, and thus I suddenly find myself in possession of a large amount of such. Considering the mix of people here, I thought I'd put out word for if anyone is interested. I'm not experienced in this in particular, but I have a good amount of artistic skill and a very steady hand.

[Sometime after the message, Izunia can be found out on the deck, watching the sunset as is his usual habit. Unusually, though, he's not drawing or sipping at a warm drink against the chill.

Instead, he's turning a set of metal knuckles over in his hands - those who've seen his Royal Arms before will likely recognize the silver-with-blue-sheen material of the magical weapons, and even if they don't, the wing motif is as consistent as ever. He seems very much lost in thought, expression alternating between fondness and sadness, always a bit wistful.]

Comments

[burninglight]

[suddenly this is far less funny and ardyn is vastly less comfortable.]

It was-...it started out as seeking ways to minimize casualties. He called it the 'Deathless Project', because its purpose was to stop Niflheim's soldiers falling in battle. But even I couldn't sublimate an entire daemon army, and the initial magitek cores were unstable. The soldiers lost their sense of self and identity in complete mental collapses.

[Ardyn shifted almost nervously, twisting the ring on his hand.]

Eventually, Verstael concluded that there was no risk of ego death if his subjects were too young to have developed an ego. From there, the slippery slope descended into replicating himself to provide the necessary numbers. Around the time the production of magitek troopers began to present results, one such subject went missing.

...That subject was Prompto. Twenty years later I knew him the instant I saw him, because he looked exactly as Verstael did when I first met him.

[founderinglight]

Damn. That does fill in the rest of the pieces.

[As he'd said, Izunia has never asked Prompto exactly what went down. That Noctis found Prompto chained in a cell had been enough to explain the boy's overall traumatic reaction to Ardyn, combined with everything else.]

I knew that he had some background of the sort, but I didn't realize that he was a clone of Verstael directly. Damn.

[burninglight]

...He's the one who killed Verstael before he became a daemon outright, with...considerable direction on my part. 'Entrapment' is likely a better word.

It's...I'm not exactly proud of the things that happened out in the facility. But I can't very well say 'I don't want to talk about it' considering it's almost entirely my fault to begin with.

[founderinglight]

No, I suppose not.

...You did have a bad habit of trying to replicate your trauma on others.

[burninglight]

...I've noticed. Ravus and Prompto did seem to get the worst of that, outside of Noctis himself.

[Ardyn ran a hand through his hair and leaned his head back, staring at the sky.]

Leonard assured me I was worse than the Director, when I told him that story. And you know, twisted as it is that actually made me feel better? I felt as though...Ardyn Izunia's actions weren't being brushed aside just because Ardyn Tenmyouji existed.

[founderinglight]

Unlike Prompto, I'm not sure Ravus will ever be repaired.

[Sigh. Nox Fleuret senior is stupid but he's not the subject of the day.]

Prompto asked me at one point if someone like him had a soul. I told him even the worst daemon he could imagine did. Can't say if that's you or Verstael anymore, brother mine.

[burninglight]

Hate to say it, but even Verstael had one at some point. Can't say it lasted him long.

[Road to hell, etc etc.]

...Prompto's a good kid. Better than what he came from, by far.

[founderinglight]

Oh, I had no doubt about that. 'Mad' and 'soulless' are hardly the same thing; you were certainly never the latter.

[Is it weird to feel some affection for your brother's all-the-evils-in-the-world phase because he was still so obviously your brother? Probably. It's whatever, though.]

He is perhaps the very best of us. Those of us here at the Station, certainly - you and I are a pair of old bastards who have no hesitation about stabbing people and questionable morals about many other things, and Ravus is Ravus.

[burninglight]

...I can't fault Ravus' persistence, neither can I speak poorly to his willpower.

But a kujata can slam its head against a mountain with all the persistence it likes, and yet the better option is still to go around it.

[founderinglight]

He means well. He just means well with incredibly poor skill.

He intended to use the Ring to get revenge on the Lucian line for fuck's sake.

[burninglight]

You will note I did not praise his ability to think things through.

[founderinglight]

And I am agreeing wholeheartedly.

[Sigh.]

Well, this only adds to my stubborn determination to give Prompto some kind of family that isn't neglectful or pants-on-head insane, you realize.

[burninglight]

I can't very well do it, and someone needs to.

[Another slow sigh.]

The one I knew--from the first season, we actually got along well enough after a bit. I hope he's doing alright.

[founderinglight]

He's had so little parenting that he mostly doesn't know how to handle it. Eats the food, though, so there's always at least that.

I hope so, too.

[burninglight]

...Lucina will look after him. I'm not too worried, just...he's had a rough time of it in any world.

[Shaking his head, Ardyn ran a hand through his hair again.]

I think he'll be okay. There's people like you to help him out if he needs it.

[founderinglight]

It did take a while, for him to deal with seeing your face on someone else and for me to get knocked down a peg or two. He's one of the people I can trust to speak to me honestly - we support each other that way.

[burninglight]

Well, I'm certainly always in support of you being knocked down a bit.

[founderinglight]

I needed it.

[Self-deprecating and a little fond.]

Prompto's the only baseline for normal I've got.

[burninglight]

Well...could have worse ideas of 'normal', really.

[founderinglight]

Mmm.

[With a hum of agreement, Izunia turns his attention back to the set of knuckles he's holding.]

Do you want these, then?

[burninglight]

...

[A long silence, Ardyn's legs drifting idly more than eagerly swinging at this point.]

Keep them. If you wanted to trade for something, go ahead and ask--but I don't have any attachment to those as you do.

[founderinglight]

...I wish she could have known you. One of my biggest regrets.

If there's one thing I still pray for, it's that somewhere out there, there's a world where we all lived happily and normally, free from all of this.

[burninglight]

...Don't. Just...just don't.

[He was far, far too tired for hypotheticals and why he hated them.]

[founderinglight]

[Let him find his comfort where he can, Ardyn.]

I've a few that are less emotionally loaded, if you'd like.

[burninglight]

I'm not exactly lacking in weapons. One or two one-sided trades aren't going to hurt much.