IC INTRO - MARCH

[phantasmods]

Sometime after the showdown, those with communication devices from the station will all get a collective message -

Okay, everyone come back! We might need to do a final sweep or two of the beach, but it looks like most of the Fissure is stabilized! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

Everybody go ahead and come back up - and bring anyone else you found with you! I know I saw a couple new faces on the drone cameras. (*･▽･*)

Also, if you get a chance, check out the new door leading out of the residential area! It's a surprise for all your hard work. (´◕ ◡ ◕｀) There's also food in the kitchens if you're hungry and want something warm!

With that in mind, grab your new friends and go ahead and come on back.

STATION EXTERIOR

Upon returning to the station, the first thing most will probably see is Up, standing on the rooftop to congratulate everyone on a mission accomplished and also handle any questions the new arrivals might have that haven't gotten answered yet. They stand tall and graceful beside the ramp... Most of the time. Occasionally, one might catch them trying not to fidget with the belt that now hangs fashionably askew on their hips.

For those who want to seek out the surprise Charm promised, there's a second ramp leading down off the far side of the roof, as well as the door he mentioned on the network. Both lead to the shiny new viewing deck, with its mismatched furniture, half-roof, and view of the beach.

Charm himself is here, long android limbs spread across one of the lounge chairs as he fiddles with one of the wind element crystals in his lap. It occasionally reacts and blasts the tails of his red scarf in random directions, but he doesn't seem to mind.

STATION INTERIOR

Those adventuring to the kitchens will find that there are four large pots arranged in a line beneath a set of heat lamps on the stove. Three contain curry - labeled "mild," "spicy," and "the fire of a thousand suns" in neat handwriting - while the last contains plain rice. An assortment of mismatched bowls and utensils sit on the counter nearest the pots. (Welcome to Keystone Station, you'll have an easier time finding matching cutlery at your local Goodwill.)

In the common room, meanwhile, the boxes of clothes and trading post are set up again. Those who investigate something fluffy in a particular box on the end of the couch may discover a girl and friend taking a nap...

Comments

[nightcure]

[ Oh hell yes. Noct gently lifts her up, much like he would a cat. ]

Thanks, Jojo. Alright. [ He's smiling as he turns to Prompto, mostly because she's so goshdarned cute. ] Ready when you are.

[photoshooter]

One, two, three--smile!

[Snap! Prompto knows it's perfect even before he sees the result, and he leans in at Noct's shoulder to show him.]

Look at that, your face doesn't even look weird! Jojo, way to work your magic. You oughta be in movies.

[Have a happy scritchie, Jo.]

[nightcure]

Wow, my face never looks weird.

[ Offended!! But Jo gets a scritchie from Noct, too. ]

She's a good girl.

[trashcats]

[SCRITCHIES this is a happy possum who is just gonna rub her head against Prompto's hand because yay scritchies.]

[photoshooter]

[He is loved and chosen. Prompto smiles, dopily happy and not afraid to show it.]

Anyway, you can get a spare outfit out of these boxes if you need one. ...Wait. Do you? Do you have all our stuff?!

[nightcure]

[ Noct gives Josephine another lil scritchie, then puts her back down in her soft and warm bed. What a good girl. ]

Yeah, I do. [ Doink, did you ask for some contact lenses? Noct hands 'em over. ] Now you can look like less of a nerd again.

[photoshooter]

[Prompto kicks him in the ankle a little, but takes the lenses excitedly.]

Oh, man, lucky! Wait, hold on, can you--

[He palms the lens case for a moment, puts a hand on his camera, and then, doop doop doop doop, his gun and bedroll and everything else he was carrying (except his camera and phone, which, of course, he can't ever put down) disappears into Bahamut's pocket space.

He lifts his fist to heaven triumphantly.]

I never have to carry anything ever again.

[How's it feel to be loved, Noct?]

[nightcure]

Oh, I see how it is. You're just happy I'm here so I can be your pack mule again.

[ But even though he sounds annoyed, he's watching Prompto with a grin. ]

What, no thanks? Keep being rude to me and I'll dump all your stuff.

[photoshooter]

[Prompto grins right back and sticks his elbow in Noctis's ribs.]

Thaaaanks, Noct! My hero.

[<3 <3 <3]

Some of that stuff you can dump in my room anyway, if you really want. Oh, you should take the room next to me! I think it's open. Or it was when I last saw it, anyway.

[nightcure]

Hey! I just got out of a battle, I'm still recovering.

[ He elbows Prompto right back, with a little huff. ]

Yeah? Consider it taken, then. What are the rooms here like, anyway?

[photoshooter]

Ehhh, they're okay. They've got their own bathrooms and stuff, and enough room for a bed and a couch. But no windows.

[It's actually kind of driving Prompto crazy, all that matte silver metal and no light. No air.]

I can show you if you want.

[nightcure]

No windows? Man... Too long here and I might go crazy.

[ He says it lightly, but it's probably absolutely true. Oops. ]

Yeah, that'd be great.

[photoshooter]

Okay, this way. See you later, Jojo!

[He waves to Jo and hops ahead to lead Noct toward the dorms, turning to walk backwards and talk to him.]

I mean, we can still go up to the roof and there's a lot of room to play around on the next level down. Oh, I've gotta show you the chickens, too! Oh, man, you'll love them. But yeah, it should be better now that we've stabilized the beach and stuff, so we can just go outside whenever instead of like before.

[He faces forward again, rubbing the back of his neck, and keys in the code to open his room.]

Aaaand here we are! Home sweet home.

[It's. Well, it's a dorm. And Prompto hasn't done much to make it homey. But there are a couple drawings up on the walls, at least, and it's not like a dungeon or a cell or anything.

He sits on the bed and kicks his feet.]

Like I said. Not the worst place ever.

[nightcure]

[ Watching Prompto so at easy, walking with him like this... it makes being here easier. Prompto's been here a while--a month, Noctis remembers his saying--an he wonders if it was as easy as it is for Noctis. When he first got here, anyway.

... But Prompto was alone. Noct isn't. He's pretty damn lucky, he thinks, to have this piece of home here with him. It accounts for the little smile he's wearing as they walk, anyway. ]

I've got a feeling you have a lot to show me. Slow down, dude, I basically just got here. [ He shoves his hands in his pockets, looking around as they go.

And when they get to Prompto's room, Noctis is quiet for a bit while he looks around. It's definitely a dorm, yeah, and it's not his apartment or anything, but it could be way worse. Noctis just flops down on the bed next to Prompto, and after everything he's been through? It's heaven. ]

Oh, man, I could sleep right here.

[photoshooter]

Pfft. You could sleep anywhere.

[Prompto pokes him fondly in the face. Ugh, he still can't believe Noct is here. That he's real. That he's okay.]

Gotta warn you, if you do conk out, I'm gonna play King's Knight without you.

[Because it's not like he can leave now, not when it'd mean letting Noct out of his sight for a second.]

[nightcure]

Not anywhere.

[ Noct swats his hand away, huffing lightly. ]

That's just cruel. I'll lay on you and make it impossible for you to play.

[photoshooter]

If you do that, I'll make it impossible for you to sleep! I'll squirm, dude. I'll squirm for. Ever.

[Poke poke poke.]

[nightcure]

Yeah, and I'll make you regret it.

[ He grabs Prompto's pillow and sits up, smacking him in the head with it?? SO RUDE. ]

[photoshooter]

[Prompto laughs loudly and falls back, trying to fend Noct off with his hands.]

Hey! No! Not the hair! And why would you hit a guy with glasses!

[nightcure]

[ WHOOMP there it goes again!! goodbye, prompto. ]

Yeah, I used to hit Iggy all the time in training!

[photoshooter]

This isn't training, it's betrayal! Betrayal!

[This time Prompto latches onto the pillow to keep it from coming down again, still laughing breathlessly.]

I thought you were tired!

[nightcure]

Cheater!

[ He punches the pillow (not too hard) and flops over next to him, laughing. It's been how long since he laughed this hard...? God, he doesn't remember. ]

Yeah, but I'm never too tired to mess with you.

[photoshooter]

[He play-scowls--it doesn't really work, he's smiling too much--and swats Noct's arm with the recaptured pillow.]

Wow. I drag you out of a spooky wind cave and feed you my snacks and this is how you repay me. With rudeness and stealing my bed! See if I ever save your butt again.

[nightcure]

[ He snorts, reaching over to lightly flick Prompto in the forehead. ]

Yeah, and then you dumped all your crap in my armiger and threatened to play King's Knight without me. I'd say we're pretty even.

[photoshooter]

[He snorts, too, smacks at Noct's hand, and pushes the pillow into his arms once more so he can roll onto his stomach.]

Fiiine. I guess you've earned a nap, you big baby, if you really want to take one. But I have so much to tell you, dude!