[no one gets (air)left behind]

[founderinglight]

[The police have taken your Mastermind, and the spaceport is yours, it seems, for the time being, without any further interruptions.

Except...

Why is there another ship parked at the door? (The door, it should be noted, furthest from the police cruiser.)

There's one more person who intends to put on an appearance today, it seems.

-> Investigate?]

[[Welcome to the Airleft Bonus Continuity CMO and catchall post! For those who aren't familiar, the TLDR of Airleft is "Airlocked, but a bit to the left." The short version is that this one time, at Space Mall, Church and Ardyn ran into someone very familiar... Running basically the shittier version of Armigod. Wanna meet space dad's actual bro? Now's your chance.]]

Comments

[burninglight]

[In the middle of his looting the spaceport and looking for Price to kick his face in...Ardyn may have noticed the ship at the door. And may have approached cautiously, ready to call up a sword if necessary.]

[founderinglight]

[Looks like the pressure in the causeway is still getting up to atmospheric levels, so there's a good chance to look at the ship through a window.

It's pretty nice! Bigger than the infamous limos, for one thing, though it'd be a tight fit to pack everyone aboard. In fact, it seems to be the absolute minimum size required to carry everyone, if need be.

It's also painted black with gold accents.]

[burninglight]

...

. . .


Oh, the fuck he did not.

[founderinglight]

[The fuck he did.

As soon as the door opens, a familiar voice rings out, the speaker not yet in view - ]

Sorry we're late! Please tell me you didn't all die.

[burninglight]

[And the second Izunia does decide to step into view:]

[WARP-DROPKICK]

[founderinglight]

[It's okay, this is why he's out in front instead of the small teenage girl.

But also, he mis-timed the phasing for something that isn't Ardyn's infamous kick and so now he's. taking that straight, on, jesus fuck.]

Ow. Missed you too.

[burninglight]

Shut up. What the hell are you doing here?!

[founderinglight]

Well, I was going to fuck shit up until we got you back, but that's apparently unnecessary.

[burninglight]

You're a little late! And what makes you think I wanted your help?!

[founderinglight]

I know you didn't.

[He presses a hand into his stomach, but straightens, and there's... a slightly different set to his shoulders.

Also, he appears to have gone to an undercut with a stylized sunset worked into the shaved part, if Ardyn's looking for details. With that and the tattoo still at his neck, there's little chance that anyone won't be able to tell them apart, at least for the moment.]

But even if my particular doom is to always be too late, at least it's not never.

[burninglight]

[He'd address how ridiculous Izunia looked later. For now, he pointed accusingly with his left hand--now bearing a black ring with a blue streak.]

I would have preferred 'never'.

1/2

[founderinglight]

You ate a fucking death cookie and talked about how sure you were I didn't love you, so quite frankly, stuff that up your ass and deal with it.

[He pauses, takes a deep breath.]

italics are me refusing to go fuck around with google translate latin

[founderinglight]

...I didn't come here to fight with you.

[And lets it out, slowly and evenly.]

Wherever you go, my love goes with you. I wish I could make that stick in your heart the way your memories of your new family did, unable to be altered or erased.

[burninglight]

Too bad, because I can't fight that underfed treant and I want to punch something!

[...he has not exactly learned the healthiest coping mechanisms for anger yet]

You are not my family. Not after what you did, not ever again.

1/2 AGAIN

[founderinglight]

[I mean it's not like Izunia has learned the best of them for grief.]

Maybe so. But you will always be mine. My family, and -

[It's not really a warp so much as a very quick-moving phase, directly into Ardyn's space - ]

[founderinglight]

[ - and concluding with a weight, pulled from Izunia's Armiger and settled heavily onto Ardyn's shoulders.]

- the only king I would ever bow to.

[Heavy black fabric with gleaming gold - a king's raiment, unmistakably. But it is not some imitation of the modern kings. The shoulders are less ornate, the collar wider to accommodate the everpresent scarf in closer against Ardyn's neck. And the cape part is two layers, a short one of plain black and a longer of lacy fabric -

- that's identical to the layer of such on Ardyn's old coat. Close inspection will reveal the slight irregularities of hand-stitching.

Izunia doesn't stay close long enough to close the dangling chains around Ardyn's neck, but steps back in one swift motion and bows, deeply as he is able, at the waist.

Theirs has always been a line of grand gestures. He can only pray that this one carries the meaning of his heart.]

drives by, doing absolutely nothing

[press_start]

Izunia-san, I did say that this entrance was a bad idea.

[The small anime girl pokes her head out the door, and stares for a split second at the twins.]

….ah! Tenmyouji Wakasa Church Caledonia -san. I'm acting pilot while Izunia-san is... over there. Carry on, I'll be inside if you need me.

[burninglight]

Just Tenmyouji is fine, pleasure to meet you.

[...hey, you haven't done anything to him lately.]

Kitchen's upstairs, help yourself before Noctis steals the rest of it.

[press_start]

I'm glad to be able to finally meet you in person. I'm not hungry, though, so it's okay. I'll look after the ship while you do what you need to.

[burninglight]

Very kind of you, dear. I hope my brother's not been too much trouble.

[press_start]

I don't mind trouble. The worst thing he's done is turn into an armoured ghost and cover his apartment in black cloth.

OTA: izunia's co-pilot. potential sdr2 spoilers!

[press_start]

[Chiaki can be found in the cockpit, keeping the ship ready to fly at a moment’s notice. Interestingly, all the screens and dials appear to be communicating in binary; she has a pair of headphones on, and slides them off when she notices people.]

If you keep walking there's a toilet… there's also a pantry. We don't have much food, though.

AND FINALLY AN OTA TOPLEVEL

[founderinglight]

[So, like, who the fuck is that, just kind of casually roaming the spaceport?

Just kidding. Whether you were in Round 5 or chilling in deadland for who knows how many months, you probably all know exactly who he is. There's only one person who can look that much like Ardyn without a hardlight, after all, and the detail-oriented may even recognize the blue scarf around his neck, ends hanging loose down his chest, as being a match for the orange one.

Though he's done something extremely questionable with his hair since you last saw him, those of you who have seen him before at a certain shitty sword store in the real spacemall. He's far too old to have an undercut with a stylized sunset shaved into the back of it. Those who are less familiar would probably also note the tattoo of a crow in flight visible on the side of his neck.

In particular, he might approach anyone from Rounds 2 or 5 just long enough to offer them a Free Punch Coupon (redeemable for one free shot and non-transferrable). Other than that, he mostly leaves people alone, letting them come to him in the Bar and Grill, the aquarium, and the memorial concourses, now empty. If it hasn't been thoroughly looted yet, you can also catch him sitting thoughtfully in the tattoo parlor, hand over the crow flying on the side of his neck.

There's a few people he is taking the time to seek out, though. You know who you are.]

[nightcure]

[ For a good moment, Noctis doesn't think anything of the guy chilling out at the memorial concourses. He's here, too, to grab some more stuff to put in the Armiger, so-- ]

Oh. Hey, Ardyn. Guess you beat me here.

[founderinglight]

Wrong twin.

[Without skipping a beat - ]

Hello, Noctis. It's nice to finally meet you in the flesh.