[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

[founderinglight]

[Then don't.

But he bites it back, saying nothing, daring to hope.]

[motherfucking_ghost]

So you want to just walk away. After everything he's done.

[There's a conflict of emotions on Church's face. He's had a very, very long day, frazzled and fucked up and all he ends up saying is:] Okay.

[burninglight]

...yes. I think I do.

[Ardyn wasn't looking directly at Church, but it was clear even from tone and posture alone; he wasn't defeated so much as exhausted.] I'm...so sick of all of this. I don't want to dignify this whole thing with vengeance, I don't want to be the monster he and Bahamut turned me into, I just--don't...want any of it.

Izunia...I don't care what you do from here forward. But if ever we meet again, it has to be on my terms. You can't come chasing after me like this no matter how benevolent you think your intentions, not after all that.

[founderinglight]

[There's a long, empty pause.]

I don't know if I know how to do anything else. I can't -

[He's exhausted, too.]

- I'm tired of waiting and hoping on the slimmest possibility.

[motherfucking_ghost]

...Fucklord might be our ride out of here, though, unless Ein managed to steal back our ships.

[burninglight]

Too fucking bad, Izunia. How long do you think I waited for you or Gilgamesh back then? Pleading forgiveness, begging the empty stagnant air for those I loved to come back for me and take me home? Either accept my terms, or I will make absolutely certain we never see one another again.

[Ardyn scowled, hands starting to shake again.]

We'll find another way out even if we have to call our friends in the gods-damned space law enforcement to give us a ride. I'd rather build a spaceship out of spare parts than accept help from him now.

[founderinglight]

...Fine.

[He can't force Ardyn to do anything.]

But I'm not leaving now. Believe it or not, there are other people I want to see here.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Look at that. He managed to make friends.

[He finally. finally. lowers the bottle. It doesn't leave his hand, because he hasn't taken up the offer to be taught how to use any of this magic yet because he got it like an hour ago and it has been A Day. His attention ratchets to Ardyn instead, at long last, pulls him closer.]

Let's go.

[burninglight]

...fine. Do what you will, just stay away from me.

[Ardyn swiped the back of his free hand over his eyes quickly, trying to keep the tremor in his hands from spreading to the rest of him like it threatened to.]

Lead the way, Leonard. [Because he wasn't quite present enough to remember which way was out of here.]

[founderinglight]

Who said anything about friends? I'm letting people cash in their free punches.

[There's an almost audible snap as Izunia's cheerful mask slides into place and he finally - finally - picks himself off the floor, starting to brush himself down.

He'll let them get a head start, though.]