lazybox | Get in time traveller

Get in time traveller

[Altissia. The ring, burning into his finger, burning into his skull, and he knows the price without asking, knows before it's paid. The thing you value most, isn't that always how this works in fairytales?

Ravus. Noctis. Ardyn, and that little revelation barely enters his mind at the time, the familiar glowing signature of a warp in an unfamiliar color. The prophecy, the visions that hang in his mind, a last wish from a woman who spent her life to ensure it, Lunafreya's final message to ensure that Noctis would survive.

The last clear words he can remember clearly, You've a calling to fulfill, and then Prompto and Gladio's voices, concerned, in a blur...

And then nothing. Just the feeling of a ring's power, setting him alight from fingertips to crown -

It's still in him, that power. The ring of the Lucii binds to its wearers for life, knotting strands of light into their souls, be they kings or anyone else.

(He had expected to die. Living is harder.)

And in the depths of his unconsciousness, in the place where he knows the things that he hasn't had time to consider, Noctis and Ardyn and prophecy and all of that terrible weight -

From there, from the connection of the fire in his soul that will never go out, that can only be smothered and locked away in the dark, a voice says, what would you give to change fate?

And, of course, he answers, Anything.

----

In another world, Ignis Scientia wakes in Altissia, his face scarred, his vision burned away, and continues on.

In this one, Prompto Argentum enters the room just in time to see a flare of purple flame lick along his friend's body and leave nothing behind, not even a char mark on the wrinkled sheets.

And Ignis?

Ignis wakes, with a groan and a hand pressed to his face, in the back of a cart that trundles to a stop to pick up another passenger, a young healer with cheeks not yet sunken by pain and eyes not yet yellowed by plague. He wakes bereft, on some fundamental level, of the touch of magic that bound him to Noctis, the hum of energy that bound retainer to prince...

He wakes with the imprint of a ring on his finger, the memory of agreeing, and not the damnedest idea where he is.]

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[Do they even have coffee, is the question Ignis finds himself fixating on as Ardyn leaves and returns. He's sunken a bit more into the chair, but leans forward for the glass and forces himself to sip it slowly. No point in making his stomach upset.]

Thank you. For all of this. I'm sure that even injuries aside, I must be in quite the state.

It's nothing, truly. This is...just sort of what I do, to be honest.

[He shrugged, dropping into a chair opposite Ignis with a slight laugh.]

Regardless, it's -

[Hey is that the sound of the door opening?

It sure as heck is, and a highly similar voice calls out - ]

Ardyn, are you back yet? I've brought dinner.

[Ignis, intterrupted, blinks at Ardyn, and then looks down into his water glass. Well, that is certainly not what he was prepared for.]

I assume that's who we've been waiting for.

[Ardyn muttered something under his breath in an old and forgotten language that was unmistakably 'oh, fuck' in tone. He quickly stood up with a bright smile, speaking rapidly:]

Darling brother, please don't be too alarmed, I may have run into a bit of trouble on the way back.

[Brother? Ignis barely has time to register the comment before he turns and startles, slightly, at seeing Ardyn's face again - this time, minus the scarring, and looking all the more like Noctis for it. Izunia, meanwhile, has just taken in his brother's face, and it's shocking enough that he doesn't even seem to have noticed the guest.]

A bit of trouble with what, the Infernian himself? Sit back down this instant!

[It's slightly touched with hysteria, Izunia passing Ignis in order to put his hands on Ardyn's shoulders and attempt to push him back into his seat. It would be amusing, if not for the clear worry on the newly arrived twin's face.

Twins. That's certainly not something Ignis would have expected from Ardyn. And it makes the situation all the stranger, because he can't recall any twins in the royal line, not even stretching all the way back to -

...Surely not?]

Brother, dear, you’re making quite the scene of yourself—

[He managed to shoot Ignis a half-enbarrased smile before he was suddenly shoved back into his chair, wincing slightly at the motion.]

It was just a minor—perhaps moderate incident, you know how territorial the wildlife can be at this time of year. Really, Izunia, I’m quite alright.

[...Izunia? The puzzle just gets more complicated. That name, even putting aside the fact that it matches up with the future Ardyn's alias, certainly doesn't appear in any Lucis Caelum family rolls. Ignis can't even recognize the language, an oddity that had occurred to him before, but one that hadn't been worth considering at the time.]

You're not fooling me, Ardyn. Those are burns, and the only things that can cause burns like that around here are daemons -

[At the mention of that, Ignis winces, just slightly. Izunia, meanwhile, grows just slightly in volume.]

and IT'S STILL LIGHT OUT.

[Huff, huff. Izunia goes to sit in his favorite chair... And only now does he realize that there's already someone seated there.

Cue the two of them staring at each other for a moment.]

Ah - my apologies, I didn't realize -

No, no, it's nothing. I didn't mean to intrude. Please, just pretend I'm not here.

[Ignis says it with a smooth smile, because something about it does catch him with its humor. Somehow, a brother who got so caught up in a concerned lecture that he didn't even notice a third person in the room... It's not what he ever would have imagined Ardyn's home life to be like.

Izunia, for his part, seems to be trying to not smile in response, instead sighing and pressing a hand into his jaw, cupping his own cheek.]

Not at all. Though I do wish that Ardyn would warn me before bringing people home...

Goodness, is it light out? I hadn’t noticed.

[he said, digging the hole deeper but not about to tell the truth.]

Must you speak of me as if I’m not present? Heavens, I would have given warning had I realized I’d be running into Ignis ahead of time. Alas, it was naught but a pleasant surprise.

Ardyn.

[Fond exasperation, with a hint of 'I know that's bullshit but I'm not going to call you on it in front of the guest.'

...Who has some fairly similar burn marks remaining, still, and don't think that Izunia has failed to notice.]

You're just fortunate I brought home extra.

[And, without any further ceremony, there is a paper takeout bag on the table between them. Perhaps surprisingly, Ignis only widens his eyes briefly at the incredibly blatant use of magic.

Then again, the smell of the food - foreign but tantalizing, making his fingers already itch for a notebook of recipes that he doesn't have - is enough to overwhelm most anything else.]

Ah - thank you, truly. I feel as though I haven't eaten in days.

[One day, at least, time travel aside. Breakfast in Altissia, trying to convince Noctis to eat something in spite of his nerves - ]

Please, don't concern yourself. Just don't take the one with the red wrapper, that's mine. Am I setting up the guest room, Ardyn, or is this one going to yours?

[...It is a good thing that Ignis hadn't yet made a move for the food, because he chokes fairly loudly at that.]

Tact, Izunia.

[Ardyn had flushed just slightly red, faltering to cone up with more than that.]

The guest room’s more than sufficient—Astrals know where Gilgamesh is deciding to sleep lately, but I’ll let him know when next I see him. Is that alright with you, Ignis?

It's hardly my fault you make me play 'Patient or Paramour' so often of late.

[Sorry Ardyn, Ignis needs a second, coughing gently into his hand. And not just because of the implication that he might be sleeping with Ardyn.]

The guest room will be more than sufficient. Thank you.

[Ardyn Lucis Caelum and Gilgamesh, gods. One of them alone might have been coincidence, but both is indisputable. It appears that he at least knows when he is, if not where.

The era of the Founding. Astrals, Lucis probably isn't a kingdom yet, if the Founder King is here eating takeout with his brother instead of dealing with the trappings of royalty. The Ring of the Lucii itself - Ignis catches himself thumbing where it burned into his finger, one of the marks Ardyn didn't take - may not even exist yet.

And here he is, faced with a sack full of ancient Solheim takeout. He can only imagine how many historians might risk their lives for this opportunity.

So, without further ceremony, he forces his tired muscles to move once more, leaning forward to peer into the bag. Some kind of hot sandwiches? At least the one in the red paper wrapper is obvious enough. Ignis takes one of the white ones instead and sits back into the chair.]

It smells magnificent.

Guest room it is. I'll be back shortly.

Do excuse my little brother, if you will. [Ardyn sighed heavily, rolling his eyes and immediately regretting the gesture. He covered that up by reaching over for a sandwich himself—hand notably missing a ring of any kind.] He’s a terrible lack of a filter between thought and spoken word, but he means well. How are you feeling?

...Tired. Possibly I'm only awake because I'm more hungry than exhausted, which this should serve to rectify.

[He lifts the sandwich in one hand before putting it in his lap to start unwrapping it. Hmm, that's not quite what he was expecting - some kind of flatbread?]

I fear I can't make any particular promises for my state of consciousness afterward.

[White herb sauce, looks potentially drippy so keep the back end in the wrapper. Lettuce, onions, tomato, some kind of seasoned meat?

Definitely won't kill him. So, time to carefully arrange the wrapper to avoid dripping on him and dig in.]

Oh, you needn't worry. I'll deal with damage control in a sense and handle explaining the matter as best I can while you're resting.

[he said before practically inhaling the sandwich.]

[...gotta get the energy for healing somewhere, y'know.]

[Presumably that's why there's still two additional sandwiches on top of Izunia's. Ignis knows the signs of a human black hole when he sees one. For himself, he forces a measured pace, to avoid aggravating his stomach.

Normally, he would probably be on a hospital food diet right now. But splitting the damage, in whatever measure, has probably set his recovery forward quite a bit. He... probably won't puke this back up.

(It would be a damn shame if he did. Note to historians: ancient Lucis knew how to eat.)]

I feel as though I should wish you luck. You don't look to be having much success pulling the wool over his eyes.

...Thank you for not telling him.

[Ardyn brought his hands together, fidgeting slightly in a way befitting a nervous kid rather than...well, Ardyn.]

It's been easier to keep quiet until now. I've always been careful to avoid dealing with visible injuries I couldn't make excuses for, but I could hardly just let you suffer like that.

I imagine he's likely saving the thorough questioning for later. It's what I would do.

[If it was Noctis coming home with not quite explicable injuries and a mysterious stranger, that is.]

I find I'm growing prone to repeating myself, but it seems at least one more 'thank you' is due.

[Ardyn just shook his head, glancing away.]

You truly have no need to thank me. This is just...my purpose.

[Now isn't that a strange sentiment. All the more so because it's familiar, because Ignis knows what it means to have a calling.

The thought makes the last words he can remember hearing in his own time stick in his mind again.]

That doesn't mean you deserve no thanks for it.

I don't need gratitude just for doing the right thing.

You acted at harm to yourself, not to mention potential awkwardness.

[Speaking of potential awkwardness, his name is Izunia and by the sound of footsteps he's coming back. What perfect timing to cut off Ardyn protesting thanks any further.]

It's hardly grand, but the sheets are clean. Use it as long as you like.

Thank you. Your family has extended me a great kindness.

[Izunia shakes his head slightly as he sits down, grabbing the red-wrapped sandwich from the pile.]

I may not have Ardyn's gifts, but I'll not turn out someone in need, either. Stay as long as you need.

R...right. We're hardly lacking in space, so you're more than welcome for however long you wish.

[he's fine this is fine.]

[He's called out and fearing for his life is what he is. Meanwhile Ignis serenely eats his sandwich as though nothing was said while Izunia was out of the room.]

That goes for you too, Ardyn. Don't think I've missed how healing always exhausts you.

[You're going to regret letting these two meet.

For now, Izunia placidly unwraps and bites into his sandwich, as though the strength of the peppers in it can't be felt throughout the whole room.]

And don't think I've missed that eating like that is going to kill you one of these days.

You've no room to talk, your morning cup is more sugar than coffee.

[Ignis, in the background, makes a face that screams 'OH THANK GODS THEY HAVE COFFEE.']

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