melodiesofeternity | Event || Once Upon A Dream

Event || Once Upon A Dream

Who: All characters who signed-up!
When: May 31st - June 04th
Where: The Dream Width (+ Curti Center & Airships)
What: Event log for the Once Upon A Dream Event! Should your character have their own memory, start your own top-level with said memory. If not, then tag around in other characters's memories! Furthermore, feel free to use the Mingle threads at the Curti Center and in the Airships for non-memory related CR. Please refer to the OOC Post for details and plotting. Plot Memories and the second Airship Mingle will be unlocked on May 25th.
Warnings/Notes: Memories with specific warnings will be marked as such by their players.

Please use the following form for your memory's title line:
CHARACTER'S NAME | MEMORY TITLE | WARNINGS (IF ANY)
We will add links to your memories here as the event progresses!

Mingle: Curti Center | Airships #1 | Airships #2
Plot Memories: The Dream | The Nightmare | The Premonition
Holographic Messages

Adrien Agreste | Then and Now
Aqua | Thorny Pathway | cw: spoiler for kh 0.2
Castor | Lord of the Inferno | cw: fire, mind control
Ena | Zera Hamlet, Reprise | cw: mutilated corpses
Futaba Sakura | Early Days | cw: references to verbal abuse/neglect and auditory hallucinations
Ignis Scientia | For The Life of the Chosen | cw: spoilers, violence, death
Irhya Pendhula | The Parting Glass | cw: violence, amputation
Johnny D'Amico | United Earth Prisoner
Kanji Tatsumi | You're a BOY, you know! | cw: bullying, mild homophobia
Lelouch vi Britannia | Julius Kingsley
Monika | Just Monika | cw: spoilers, possible horror, possible deletion
Nanamo Ul Namo | A Good Memory
Noctis Lucis Caelum | Light of the Crystal | cw: chapter 13 spoilers
Okuyasu Nijimura | Lending a Hand | cw: blood/injuries
Prompto Argentum | I'm not one of your experiments! | cw: episode prompto spoilers
Selphie | The Answer | cw: gore/death
Takashi 'Shiro' Shirogane | The end of the beginning | cw: end of season 2 spoilers
Tidus | A Broken Dream | cw: death, bullying

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The scenery changed again which only meant that something happened. Whether he reached Noct or no or if they reached the end of the memory- he's probably about to find out. This place is... Ignis doesn't know what it is, but it probably has to do something with the Crystal. That's where Noct had headed for before, right?

His head fills in with voices of memories he both remembers and doesn't, words he said, words he heard and words he most likely said to Noct in the future at some point. King Regis' voice too- so loud and clear and as bright as the day he first met Noct.

The hug and weight of Noct pulling him into a hug makes Ignis refocus on his King and he sighs in relief and wrapping around him tightly. As if afraid that this weightless space will make Noct float away somewhere.

"Thank heavens, you're awake."

He's solid. Something solid besides himself and Bahamut's grasp. To say he's relieved is a severe understatement and brings a tear to his eye, but he doesn't shed them. Instead he only holds on tighter in response, almost as if afraid that, like Prompto, he'll slip between his fingers thanks to this place.

"Don't know about that," he mutters, trying to hide the fact he's smirking by resting his chin on Ignis' shoulder. "Pretty sure I'm dreaming right now."

Because how in the Draconian's name does one explain both of them being inside the heart of their Star?

Edited 2018-05-27 11:32 (UTC)

Ignis would chuckle himself if he wasn't terrified of the situation they were in. He doesn't need an explanation- at least not right away. They probably won't have a lot of time for it either if memory's about to come to an end soon.

"Well, apologies, but you do have to wake up from the memory." Or you will end up floating in Dream Width and Ignis is going to lose it.

"You came for me when I was lost and I woke up when memory ended. Thank you." If he has to guess, the similar will happen with Noct's memory. "I'm glad I managed to reach you in time..."

A quiet, bitter chuckle escapes him at that. Waking up... When ever was he good at doing that? Especially since that bastard's memory seems incredibly persistent in keeping him here.

"No sweat." It's the least he could do, considering. Yet when he feels like the memory is about to restart itself, his fingers bury themselves in Ignis' shirt. No, not again. Please.

That's when he hears a familiar yip. Blinking, he sees a familiar phone floatingin the space behind Ignis, just in reach. He grabs it, just in time to see the screen and read it aloud.

"'Don't worry, Iggy. Even if he doesn't this time, I'll make sure he does.'" He pauses. "Carbuncle?"

Another yip, followed by a sticker of a bunch of hearts. Little troublemaker. Always looking out for him, even in memories.

A forest that almost looks like a fantastical Duscae, an eight year old Noctis running after a blue fox with a ruby crystal on his forehead. Ignoring Titan and Leviathan, eyes fixed on the Messenger. They jump through a golden portal and into the city streets of Altissia, where he'd been once for a festival when he was even smaller. Another portal, into the dining hall of the royal apartments. One last one, leading to the steps of the Citadel...

This time'll be a piece of cake compared to our last adventure. You're already almost there!

When Noct's fingers dig into his shirt, he knows something's wrong. Something about the memory. It will probably end soon... Ignis grits his teeth as he holds even tighter onto him. He wants to ask if there was a way to make sure he'll wake up when the soft 'yip' resonates through this weightless place.

"Hmm?" Ignis peers over at the phone, a small smile now tugging on Ignis' lips. Carbuncle. Ignis remembers the figurine, standing next to Noct's bed at all times. Keeping the nightmares away.

His hand rests over the phone and Noct's fingers, giving a small nod.

"Thank you, Carbuncle."

From the sound of it, Ignis will have to leave Noct, any moment now. And he has to brace for it because, once they are out, he needs to get them to the ship, fast.

He'll have to, and they'll both hate it. He's almost awake when he hears that voice again, the one that beckoned him to Reflect the first time, just before he awoke on that ship nearly two months ago.

'Now enter into Reflection, that the Light of Providence shine within.'

No... NO. Wake up. He has to wake up...! Yet as he tries to cling harder to Ignis, his hands just pass through. Just like the time he tried to break through to him. Something catches in his throat. First Prompto, and now Ignis, too.

He isn't sure if he screams or not, but several profanities he's fairly certain his father would lovingly scold him for (especially the ones that take Bahamut's name in vain) are on the tip of his tongue.

The memory of the blue Messenger lies down on his chest, tiny paws kneading just below the collarbone as the memory repeats, kicking Ignis out.

Fifteen minutes. It's another fifteen minutes before suddenly the nebula around him fades, revealing him and one other person in strange white and black armor that looks right at home in outer space conditions. Noct is barely aware when he feels hands shoving him backward, and directly for the ship Ignis is on.

"Damn, sonova-" He doesn't finish that thought, reaching out with his free hand as if to grab him from the nebula before it fully forms, but his fingers touch nothing but empty matter. Not again. Not again—! He can't see this again even if it's with someone he barely knows in comparison...!

His back soon hits the floor of the airlock on the airship. Noctis hisses, grimacing as he takes hold of the side as it automatically closes and begins to pressurize. "Shiro- Shiro!"

Grab your king before he exits the ship, Ignis.

That voice- it was familiar. Like the voice that told him about the destiny that awaits Noct. Was it the same? And where did it come from?

Ignis didn't have a lot of time to think about it. He felt Noct slipping through his fingers as the memory came to a close and for the second time in his life, Ignis felt panic rise in his head. First in Altissia, and here. It takes an iron will to convince himself that they will both wake up after the memory ends and that they will be fine.

-

Whoever the person was that pushed Noct towards the ship has Ignis' extreme gratitude. It was long push and pull battle to get back, getting lost in the memories that completely drained him. His head feels woozy but he's conscious enough to grab Noct as he was pushed to the airlock and drag him inside.

"Noct-! No! Wait!"

Ignis lunges for him as Noct makes a dash for the door. He grabs him, hands tightly around his upper arms and chest, dragging him away from the door.

"You can't go out there!" Ignis says, finally managing to get Noctis away from the door and let them close. His out of breath and on the edge of his strength, but when it comes to Noct, he'll always find extra to keep him in check and safe.

It doesn't entirely register who it is that grabs him, only that it's one more barrier between him and saving a friend who risked his neck to get him back to safety. Blind to all but panic and the need to save one of the few he's met here he connected with so quickly-

"Let- go of me!" Augh, curse the black mage's notoriously weak physical strength stat! Because the moment he's out of his own memories, all his powers are gone, leaving only the asterisks. Yet when the doors close, he feels as though reality hit him like one of their blizzaga grenades. Especially as it registers who it is holding him back, and a shaky breath leaves him.

"But- He's my friend, too, Specs!" he nearly shouts, but exhaustion is taking its toll as some of the fight leaves him. "I have to-"

He can't leave him out there like that.

Despite Noct being a black mage with weak strength stats, Ignis was too tired to hold him back for an indefinite time. The only thing he can count on now is trying to reason with him. He pushes him against the wall, hands holding onto Noct's shoulders to restrain him.

"Highness, calm down!" He was on verge of giving Noct a slap to calm him down but he was afraid that in his panic Noct might throw a fireball or two. On a ship. Hopefully, calling him by the title will help.

Ignis pauses, before speaking again. "Noct, you can't just charge out there. You will get lost in a memory nebula before you can reach him. Please, listen to me," Ignis pleads him, voice cracking a bit.

He'd do a lot more than just fireballs if it didn't mean the safety of the others on board. It's the only reason he hasn't used any spells yet: something in the back of his mind telling him not to that eerily sounds a lot like Ignis' voice. Something he calls a conscience.

Being pushed into the wall is a shock to his system, and the title is like a bucket of cold water being tossed in his face. Tired and panicked blues search green for one good reason why he shouldn't go back out there, and find it. His eyes narrow, not in anger, but distress and grief.

"...Damn it," he mutters, a whole lot packed in the two words. Because Ignis is right, and the one associated with these feelings... It would be harder to wake him up from it. He knows this.

His shoulders sag as his gaze falls. Practically slumping into Ignis' hold as he tries to keep himself from shaking.

Ignis' hold lets up a bit when he realizes that Noct is going to listen to him, albeit reluctantly. It cuts through Ignis' gut seeing him like this and not being able to do anything about it. All he knows is that he can't let Noct risk his life without any backups.

His own legs give in a bit and when Noct slumps forward, Ignis catches him and lowers both of them on the floor, not being able to support them both. Hands wrapped around him tightly.

He wants to say that it will be alright but- he's not sure. Because what Ignis did earlier is the exact same thing Noct wanted to do now. And he feels lucky that it worked.

Noctis lets himself be guided to the floor, and he doesn't complain when Ignis holds him close. He just... needs to calm down, and the reminder that he isn't alone is helping that a little bit. Also keeping him from bolting out there again right away, but that's likely more a comfort to Ignis than himself.

He just sighs, buring his face in Ignis' shoulder as he tries to focus on breathing. Hands slowly reaching around to return the hold. "...Hear from Prompto?" He asks, more out of concern than anything. "He... I remember him being there, but..."

He was less successful than Ignis was, and even more so than Shiro.

He does need to calm down as well as Ignis. This was a rollercoaster of emotions and stress- both on body and brain and they need a break. Because if Ignis knows Noct the way he thinks he does, Noct won't calm down until he reaches and saves Shiro.

But he needs to collect himself before he does anything or his mind might melt. Those memories felt... real. Ignis can still feel shocks from both Noct's and his memory.

"No," Ignis shakes his head. "You found me and got me out." He frowns, fingers digging slightly into Noct's clothes. "Don't worry. We'll look for both of them as soon as we take a break. Alright?"

They felt real because they are real. At least, they are to Noctis. His head is still spinning with what he's seen and relived and each time brought up different flashes of other events.

He's about to try and pull out his iMog slate, see if he can reach Prompto on it and pray he answers, when he remembers the tiny weight in his left hand. He blinks, before pulling away just enough to look at it and show Ignis.

... Carbuncle's totem.

He closes his hand around it again after a few moments and nods. "Y-yeah." Good plan. Like most of Ignis' in general. "He... saw the whole thing. My getting pulled into the Crystal." There's no way to sugarcoat it. They both know. "Don't think he heard the Draconian, though."

Ignis is not denying that the memories didn't happen. But the way they manifested- it was too much for him. Having to hear prophecy over and over again and then Noct's memory too- all those daemons and the Crystal. He knows it happened and just the thought of it makes his stomach twist unpleasantly.

He looks down at Noct's hand when he pulls away and can't help but smile- Carbuncle. He followed Noct through whatever bullshit magic brought them here just to protect Noct. He places his hand over Noct's where he's holding the totem and squeezes it briefly. 'Look after him, Carbuncle.'

"I... didn't hear much of Draconian either. Except for the last sentence before we left the memory." Enter into the Reflection... "Also... from. Before-" from the Prophecy. Damn the Six, he can't even say it. He knows it's true, that it's not some hallucination, but his heart and mind is still refusing to accept it.

"I know." He knows, because he... "Prompto told me, when he tried confirming whether I knew or not." About his future. About having to die for all of them. He wanted to bring it up earlier, planetside and away from the risk of them being trapped in a memory, but every time he tried... he clammed up.

Curse his inability to say how he feels eighty percent of the time. Yet despite admitting this, he doesn't pull away. Instead resting his forehead on Ignis' shoulder.

"But, to see it like that," In Ignis' memories, knowing that Pryna had shown him that on her deathbed... "I'm sorry, Iggy. You'll try to stop me, and I won't listen. Not after all their sacrifices to see us that far."

Including yours. he doesn't say, but it's there. In his voice, in the way his grip tightens slightly as his shoulders sag. After a couple moments, letting it sink in, he adds, "...Can't help but think she showed you that for a reason, though. Pryna always did."

Ignis should've expected that Prompto would bring it up. He should've done it first though and not let others do things he's responsible for. There was a plan of bringing it up after the trip, maybe with Gladio around to tell him as well but- this happened. "Did you know?" Ignis asks quietly.

He can see why he would try to stop him- out of worry or something along the lines. Especially because he has no eyesight in the future. "I suppose I tried to stop you because of my state..." the image of himself with scarred eyes flashes in his mind. Perhaps, there was a way deeper, personal reason, but that doesn't matter. "My powers to protect you at the time were extremely limited."

Pryna... Ignis still doesn't know why she showed him that. "A reason... I can't seem to find it." His hold on Noct only tightens. "If... if there is a reason for it then why... why can't I change it?" his voice breaks.

"...why can't I keep protecting you from everything?"

He really should have. Though to Prompto's credit, he took over an hour to tell him how he found out himself. It should have been him. He should have told Ignis and Prompto, and yet Pryna, sweet Pryna who likely hated having to show Ignis that in the first place had...

Noctis pockets Carbuncle's totem before he wraps his arms around Ignis again, even tighter this time. "Yes," he answers, just as quietly, fingers grasping the back of Ignis' shirt in a vice. "It's the last thing I remember: The Draconian telling me how to stop Ardyn then letting me fall deeper into the heart of the Crystal."

If he's being honest, he's surprised the recollection of that argument didn't come into play. Which makes this even harder. "You said," he begins, "that it was because we lost so much. Too much. I wouldn't hear it." He doesn't go into how he broke down into tears after he pushed him away having all but yelled at him, the guilt he feels for having done so when his closest friend was just opening up to him. He didn't even implore farther as to why.

It's one of his few regrets. Along with not having been there when... Luna needed him most.

His eyes start to sting again and he buries his face into Ignis' chest. "Wish I knew," is all he can say before his voice cracks as well. "I keep asking myself that."

Every time Prompto looks at him and, for a brief second, it looks like tears are going to form again. How Clarus tried to get him to take off the Ring their first day here. How his father always looked so sad whenever they both neared the throne room.

Why can't he protect the ones he loves from the heartache caused by what he's been instructed to do?

He knew... probably not at the time but the Draconian told him. At the last moment, when Noct had no other choice but to go through with it. All of them praise the Astrals and their age and wisdom and yet- what kind of Astral prays, asks for someone's death?

Ignis felt, for the longest time, like a child lost in the woods. Just wandering around, trying to find a way back, something to help him. But the only things he ran into were wild animals and chasms, so deep you can't see the end.

"I won't stop looking..." Ignis says firmly, his eyes stinging as he feels Noct trembling in his hold. Dammit. Damn it!

No other choice indeed, and while he likely would have gone through with it without question... There is a reason he swore more using Shiva's name or the stars in general instead of Bahamut's. Unless it was to curse.

Because he will do anything, anything to save his people; their Star. And it tears him apart inside knowing what's likely happening without him there and the Oracle line being snuffed out completely. How they're likely suffering an eternal night with little hope of day ever returning. He tries not to think about it, but at night... it all comes back.

Why does he get to enjoy the sunlight when his people suffer in the dark?

Yet like with many things, he keeps his mouth shut. Only continues to hold onto Ignis and the reminder that he isn't alone. That something other than him is solid. He's silent for quite some time save the shaky breaths that don't quite become a sob, yet as he starts to calm...

"...Ardyn's boot is the last thing you remember, right?"

Ignis knows all of that. Noct is too selfless despite his outward appearance of being lazy and disinterested. He worries about everyone and everything- which is probably why he is royalty and not Ignis. The only thing Ignis worries about is... something he can't save from the destiny that's rapidly approaching his way.

Noct will never be alone. And if Ignis isn't around, Prompto will be. And Gladio. The only way any one of them would leave Noct's side is if they die.

"Yes... he knocked me out." Ignis doesn't even stop to feel embarrassed before admitting that. He was exhausted from running, fighting, yelling that he's not too surprised for being knocked out. However... "Why do you ask?"

Won't be alone until the last moments, maybe. He saw that vision, Ignis. He saw him alone on the throne, surrounded by his ancestors.

"...Because that's not his style. Not without some ulterior motive." He frowns, loosening his grip enough to look Ignis in the eye. "He killed Luna in front of me. Ran her through with a dagger while I could only watch. And tricked me into pushing Prompto off a train, before knocking me out with Prompto's own pistol so I couldn't undo my mistake. He doesn't just stop at knocking someone out."

Not unless they need to be stopped. But why? He can't think straight, not like this, but he feels like there's some kind of clue there. He just can't see what it could be. It earns a groan of frustration because it's right there.

The look in Ignis' eyes is thunderous when as Noct lines up everything that Ardyn did that he didn't know about. Luna, Prompto, the illusions, the tricks. Noct is right- according to this Ardyn was after something. But what?

"Alright, calm down. We will think through this slowly." Ignis pauses. There's a patch, a blank space - according to Noct's and Prompto's story- where he lost his eyesight. How did that happen? Hm. Maybe he should start from the obvious thing and then try to draw some conclusions from that.

"At the Altar- people present were Lady Lunafreya, me, you and Ravus. He assaulted Lady Lunafreya already and Ravus had to follow his orders. I hardly matter in any grand scheme of things so- he was after you. That is the only conclusion I can come to. Especially with the fact that I... lost my eyesight." Prompto mentioned it happened while they were in Altissia.

Ignis shakes his head. They can't think like this and his brain is almost completely melted from diving into those memory nebulas. "Come on, let's get some tea."

And to think those were just the things that involved him directly. He has no idea if Prompto told him what happened after he was pushed from the train, and that's something for Prompto to tell; not Noctis. Though Ignis likely already had an idea considering how roughed up everyone but Gladio was in his memory.

Noctis takes a few steadying breaths. It's... hard. It became an instinct to swing first, ask questions later whenever his... very much removed uncle came into the picture. He isn't here, Lucis Caelum. He isn't here.

"You matter to me," he mutters, and really, that likely was all there is to it. Why else would he use Gladio's image to get Ignis to drop his guard? Not that he can completely think what he's seen through, his own head swimming as he recalls how Ardyn seems to know just who to use to get to them most. The fact of his friend's later vision loss gets a wince out of him, for more reasons than one. "...Right."

That means letting go, though.

Ignis doesn't know all the details but he knows the synopsis of it. He didn't want to push their friend more than he was comfortable with- he looked in a lot of pain just remembering the events.

"But not to him," Ignis says, his chest swelling up when Noct says that. From all the information he heard about future and Ardyn, Ignis can only conclude that the man would just toy with him before killing him. But... how did he live?

Ignis helps Noct stand, not letting go of him. He has hand wrapped around his middle as they slowly make their way to the lounge area. Or maybe they should go to the medical wing."Are you alright? Can you walk?"

Event || Once Upon A Dream

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