vengefulness | Empatheias Inbox

[life at the eos house is a bit hectic for a while — so hectic, in fact, that she actually forgets to call ardyn for a few days. by the time she remembers, she feels horribly guilty about it — so much so that, when she does finally get around to reaching out to him, he might be able to detect some anxiety on her end despite her best efforts to seem calm and composed.]

Hey, Ardyn? Are you free right now?

[Even if she did contact him before now, he would have been trying to keep to himself. Now that he's had a nice little chat with Noctis though, he feels much more inclined to moving about more in the open. Granted, he'll still try to avoid being seen with Iris even if this falls under being approached first.]

What a pleasant surprise. I take it you've settled in now?

Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine.

[he doesn't sound terribly annoyed, so that's a relief! ...at least, that's what she tells herself. it's kind of impossible to tell, with the way he talks.]

I'm so sorry I didn't talk to you earlier. I wound up getting picked up by my brother and his friends, and I'm living with them now... but there are so many other people living here! It's pretty crazy.

[If anything, she'll only be picking up a slight amount of amusement from him. Most of Ardyn's positive emotions are quite muted.]

Never fear, you've nothing to apologize for. ...your brother is here? Another strange coincidence. I have to wonder if Eos isn't somehow being targeted by this place. You know, I could have sworn I saw King Regis the other day.

[a lengthy pause, during which iris wishes she could just restart the conversation.]

Um, yeah. About that: he's, uh... he's here too. His Majesty is... a funny guy.

[don't ask. she thinks that so hard that she actually says it.]

...So you can imagine why living here's been really weird. Actually, everyone is from Eos! Er, except for this house-guest we have. She's only staying a week or so, I think, but she's invisible, or something? I can't get used to her.

Edited 2017-03-15 00:10 (UTC)

[Luckily for Iris, he won't ask. An extended conversation about people from Eos would just open Ardyn up to some questions that he doesn't have good answers for.]

It does sound busy. I prefer a quiet and peaceful living space myself.

[So there's really no need for her to ask her housemates if Ardyn can stay too. Really.]

Ah, but it is good to hear that you've been doing well. I've been spending my time holed up doing research. Unfortunately, none of it has been too fruitful as of yet. I'm starting to think we'll just have to make do here for awhile.

Yeah, I figured you might.

[she giggles. see, ardyn, no need to worry! she never planned to invite you over at all.]

I sort of came to the same conclusion. That's actually why I called.

[in the privacy of her room, she flops onto her bed and stares at the ceiling.]

Remember what I said about wanting to be a hunter?

[Of course he does. He can't say that he expected for her to still contact him when there are so many people she knows she could turn to, though. This definitely feeds into his theory that she's generally expected to be a good little girl and sit at home while big brother handles things.

That makes her easy prey.]

I do. Have you found a job that tickles your fancy?

I don't think my fancy is how I'd describe it...

[a little flash of amusement, as she laughs to herself, and then she rolls over and attempts to be serious.]

Apparently, it's hunting cave spiders? Um... they're just big spiders, I guess. Totally gross, if I'm being honest, and I'm probably gonna scream, but you can't be picky about the thing you're gonna kill, right?

I really wanna try it, but my brother would flip if he found out. I mean — he'd be okay with it, you know, but he'd want to come along. That ruins all the fun. And I bet if I asked anyone else in the house, they'd wind up telling him... So, will you come with me? You don't even know him, so you're perfect for keeping it secret!

[nothing could be more vulnerable than a teenage girl eager to prove herself on her own.]

So you're looking for insurance instead of someone to hold your hand, yes? A wise decision. It's never a good idea to venture off into the unknown without at least letting someone know where you're going.

[Which is not an option if Gladio would just hover around her as soon as she told him.]

Taking down a few spiders sounds simple enough. Have you procured a weapon yet if you need one?

Oh... well, you know, I have myself.

[there's an oddly dangerous tilt to the way she says that, but her next few lines are cheerful enough.]

Learning to use a weapon might not be a bad idea, though! There was another hunt bill up for fire cobras, which sound so cool, but I wasn't sure how I was going to kick something that was all fiery. Plus, I think they're more dangerous than the spiders, and there's no sense hopping into the frying pan. Know what I mean?

[she pushes herself off her bed and looks out the window.]

...But, yeah, I just want you to come along in case I'm biting off more than I can chew. 'Cause you... you'd give me space?

[after all, ardyn doesn't have an interest in protecting her... not the way everyone else does.]

...But you wouldn't just leave if anything happened, either.

[...right?]

[He picks up on that slight anxiety and makes an attempt to project reassurance in return, but in all honesty, he's not very good at this yet. It's going to take quite a few more classes for him to be able to give off a feeling that he's not actually experiencing.]

I'll not abandon you if that's what you're getting at. So I'll be playing support... it's been a long time.

[A trickle of dark humor makes its way through the connection, but Ardyn snuffs it out quickly enough.]

Perhaps in the future you could learn to use a ranged weapon to handle monsters such as fire cobras that it would be best to not touch, but for now I think your skills should be sufficient. I'd be happy to accompany you.

Great! Thanks, Ardyn!

[warm relief and gratitude washes over her — and, consequently, it laps at the edges of his mind, too. she really needs to work on keeping her feelings to herself. there's a pause, as she does the emotional equivalent of wrapping a phone cord around her finger (a kind of winding up, and winding down) — and then she just says, simply:]

So, I'll see you tomorrow, then? We can meet, um, there's a spot...

[...the benefit of telepathy is that she can just sort of show him what she's thinking of, rather than tell him. so she does.]

[That certainly is a benefit. It's a little more disconcerting than simply hearing a voice in his head, but he'll get used to it.]

Tomorrow it is. That will give me a chance to get some supplies together.

[He'll have to carry his things like a normal person. What a bother...]

[ She'd almost sent this through Umbra, but she was certain the disclosure that she was initiating contact with the one who'd eventually take her life would be enough of a blow... She held no interest in adding insult to injury by utilizing one of the dogs in this endeavor. Especially the one she'd used to communicate the most with Noctis. Luna had re-written the brief letter more times than she could count, burning the rejects to not leave a trace. ]

Chancellor Izunia,

I hope this day finds you well and you've been able to properly settle into life here upon the island. I deeply apologize for my absence upon your arrival, however, I fear I had fallen ill. It would seem we are not immune to certain emotional illnesses native to this land.

When you have a moment to spare, I would greatly appreciate a chance to speak with you. I believe we have a few matters to discuss. [ Such as the truth of what he is, what he's capable of, and what he intends to do whilst here. She would still carry out her sacred duties here if needed, but if he truly was capable of the magnitude of destruction she suspected... She couldn't risk allowing herself to be overwhelmed by the Starscourge, allowing this beautiful world to suffer the same fate their own was careening towards.

She leaves the letter at that, signing it with her formal title and full signature - far colder than she'd have opted for had it been anyone else. While she had no intentions of hiding from him and avoiding the situation, she also held no illusions of her own personal safety going into this. Caution, formality, and respect were going to see her through to a point. She would bear the burden of any poor outcomes if he agreed to see her and do her best to reduce the possible collateral damage should it go south. ]

[If that bird were guided by traditional means, it never would have found Ardyn. He never stays in one place, drifting about the town as he searches for anything that catches his interest. For now, he accepts that there's little he can do about his circumstances and he's decided to wait this adventure on a new world out. What are another few years to him? As far as his research has uncovered, no otherworlder has ever had to stay for a period of time he would find unbearable.

The message from Lunafreya comes as quite a surprise. That Prompto would be so rash as to approach him after Noctis specifically told their little group to stay away from him was not entirely unexpected, but the Oracle? One would think she'd know better. He can't deny that he's curious what she might want... but he's not about to send a letter back. It's with some trepidation that he reaches out to her telepathically — the only method available to him that won't leave a trace.]

Lady Lunafreya. This is a surprise. Whatever could you possibly want with me?

[Like it or not, some of his hate seeps into that message... along with just the tiniest amount of wariness.]

[ It's unnerving to hear his voice in her mind, knowing what she knows. She catches the edge of hatred, but doesn't allow it to get beneath her skin. Luna cannot fault him for what he feels, having been dealing with only a taste of what could possibly be within him since she was a teen. The plague's corrupting properties are only a side effect of his condition, festering and darkening everything within him.

Her tone is calm and even, a rhythm she'd adopted at a young age after Niflheim invaded and her life was forever changed. ]

Such discussions would be far better to have in person, wouldn't you agree? I would be available to meet tomorrow at a location of your choosing as the others will be setting out for their camping trip. [ It's a risk sharing that information, but it's one she's hoping will help her in this endeavor rather than hurt. She knows what could possibly happen, the ultimate result to such a meeting... It's a risk she's willing to take, however. She will deal with the fallout from those that would only want to protect her by stopping her from doing this later. ]

[She wants to meet him. There's a brief flash of curiosity, then that wariness grows considerably. Save for Noctis once he's finally ascended, only the Oracle poses any potential trouble for Ardyn — he doesn't relish the thought of her trying to heal him again.

Perhaps a reminder of what he's capable of is in order.]

Very well. Meet me at the beach near the port around ten o'clock.

[Taking her near the water should suffice, but he adds:]

Just in case you have any noble ideas in that pretty little head of yours, know that I will consider your touch to be an act of aggression. I won't hesitate to strike you down if you try anything. I'll see you on the morrow, my lady.

[Ardyn cuts off the connection immediately afterward, not wanting Lunafreya to pick up on that strange mixture of fear and hope that remembering her attempts to heal him in Altissia sparks inside him.]

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march 13th; voice

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handwritten note sent by bird, evening of 3/30

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