Just a flock of birds, that's how you think of love

[photoshooter]

Who: Prompto Argentum photoshooter and open
What: A log that isn't about chickens! Come jogging, celebrate a special birthday with MEAT MEAT MEAT, witness something odd in the tech lab, or take a romantic picture in the rain.
When: April 2 - 8
Where: (i) The beach, baby! (ii) Keystone kitchen (iii) Tech lab (iv) Tempest Seacaves
Warnings: Nah.

Any day, early morning, Glitterstone Beach

[Prompto's been feeling better these days, what with the prospect of a new feathery addition to hype and his boyfriend moirail best bud in town. With his hugest source of anxiety quelled, he's been keeping more regular hours and a more regular diet, and the best way to maintain that is to get up early to get some exercise in.

Every morning, rain or shine--and it's mostly rain, this week--Prompto's out jogging down Glitterstone Beach. If it's wet, all he does is throw on a poncho made out of a garbage bag. Ain't nothing keeping a boy from his cardio.]

April 2nd, evening, kitchen

[It's not common knowledge, but today is a very special day for a very special meatstick. I mean man. And while Gladio might not be here for the boys to celebrate with, Prompto can't let his birthday go unobserved.

Besides, he's been wishing he could help out a little more. Most folks he sees in the kitchen lately are a little... well, they make him feel less bad about himself, let's put it that way.]

Let's see... I'm sure I've seen Ignis do something like this...

[There aren't any instructions on the packages of razorbone steaks, but Prompto swallows his fear like the manliest of men and reaches for the salt and pepper shakers.

Soon, there's a delicious smell of cooking pepper-crusted meats--venison-like, if you happen to have that kind of creature on your home planet--as Prompto, nervously humming, does his best to sear those steaks. They might come out overdone, or over-salted or -peppered, but there's buttery pre-made mashed potatoes heating up in the microwave to go with them and a variety of fresh fruit set out in bowls, and, hey, at least he didn't burn anything.]

Too bad we don't have any Cup Noodle. That would've really taken the cake.

[Also, at least he didn't try to make a cake.]

April 5th, late night, tech lab

[Mmm, machinery and the smell of grease--no better antidote for nightmares. Sort of. Maybe. Prompto can think of a bunch, actually, but it's too late at night to bother the chickens and he certainly doesn't want to wake anyone else. So, he's put his glasses on his nose and stuck his arm in the guts of something engine-like, trying to distract himself from the quavery chill of his dream by getting the thing started.

It starts, to some yelping, and Prompto yanks his arm back and away as the engine chokes out some dust at him, sputters, and then quiets to a jittery hum. Prompto coughs and shuts it down again, pulling off his glasses to wipe them on his shirt, still spooked by the noise.]

Ugh, warn a guy next time, would you? You scared me!

[He breathes on the lenses of his glasses to fog them up, then stills very carefully.

This close, even unaided, it's hard to miss the frost that's spread across the front of his glasses, forming delicate fractal patterns.]

April 8th, day, Tempest Seacaves

[But anyway, he's not gonna think about that.

Even though it's the fifth in a series of miserably rainy days, Prompto pulls on long sleeves and heads out--not to the beach, but just to explore the caverns, jacket against the wind. Now that it's stabilized, it's a lot safer down here, and he takes his time to snap photos of crystals and cool rock structures and those creepy fish things in the tidal pools.

Eventually, he finds his way to the eastern overlook, where he sits to eat a sandwich lunch. And just in time--the sun finally breaks through the clouds, and Prompto laughs and drops his sandwich back into the Armiger to take pictures of the resulting rainbow over the sea.]

Comments

April 5

[stormkingofshepherds]

[Nathaniel actually jumps back as well. He has Macy at his side, and the Lampent pair Memo and Fran hovering behind him, giving off a soft unearthly glow.] I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep, and then I heard the sounds.... [And then he notices the frost.]

...it's...not that cold in here, is it? [Considering Macy is grass-type, she should be more sensitive to it than he is.]

[photoshooter]

I...

[Prompto fumbles and almost drops his glasses, then folds them up and presses them against his shirt. Who knows whether it's to melt the frost or just hide the evidence?]

M-maybe it was the machine? Some of the stuff in here is, is magitek...

[stormkingofshepherds]

...yeah, that could be it. I admit I'm unsure what half the things here do... [He leans against a wall.] You...couldn't sleep either?

[photoshooter]

[He'll deal with this ice thing later. Or maybe never. Never sounds good. Prompto breathes out and nods, glancing away.]

Uh, yeah. Well, I woke up. [Alone, in the closed space of his room. He rubs his arm.] You too, huh? Maybe it's the weather.

[stormkingofshepherds]

[He nods, slowly.] Maybe. I sleep better these days, but sometimes I still dream about old memories. [He's pretty sure Prompto can guess exactly which memories he's referring to in this case.]

[photoshooter]

Yeah.

[Prompto doesn't ask. He doesn't need to.]

...You're welcome to stay here for a while, if you want. I wouldn't mind the company.

[And he waves gently at Macy and the Lampents. That'd be a great name for a band, by the way.]

[stormkingofshepherds]

[He nods.] I wouldn't mind your company, either. Although I was hoping to get a drink first. I could bring something here for you... [Memo taps him on the shoulder, making him blink. The Lampent points at the door.] Oh, would you...? That would be useful. Just water for me.

[photoshooter]

Oh--water for me too, please! [And, in an undertone:] Pokémon are so cool...

[stormkingofshepherds]

[The two Lampent salute in mirror image poses, before floating off down the hallway. Nathaniel smiles.] I suppose it'll take longer for anyone here to get used to them.

[photoshooter]

The only animals I ever met as smart as your Pokémon were Lady Lunafreya's dogs. And they're special.

[He settles in his seat again and pulls a stool out for Nathaniel, too.]

I wish we had something like them on Eos. They're way better than daemons, for sure.

[stormkingofshepherds]

[He sits down gratefully, Macy still hovering next to him.] From what you've told me of daemons, I can't disagree with your assessment. What exactly do you mean by "special," though?

[photoshooter]

Umbra and Pryna? They're... hmmmm. Well, I'm pretty sure they're magic, because Lady Lunafreya is magic. They're like her own Messengers in a way. They're always able to find us, no matter where we are in the world, and they... sometimes, they help us in ways that don't really make sense.

[Prompto turns aside for a moment, then admits:]

Pryna... actually died, a while ago. But she showed up to help me when I needed it.

[stormkingofshepherds]

[Nathaniel blinks a little in surprise at this comment. No wonder he had that reaction to being told about Brian and Ninda's spirits returning.] That's true loyalty, isn't it? The kind that lasts after death.

[photoshooter]

Yeah. I'm still not sure whether or not it was a dream, but... either way, it was real to me. I owe her so much.

[She was a good dog.]

Without her, I wouldn't have ever met Noct, you know? And I can't imagine life without him now.

[stormkingofshepherds]

[He smiles.] Yeah, I understand. I guess...I'm the same way with my team. Gideon and Kimber have stood beside me ever since we first met, and I've done the same for them. Even if it's only a short period of time when you compare it...

[photoshooter]

I don't think I've heard this story.

[More friends? Prompto's always here for more friend talk.]

[stormkingofshepherds]

Well, they showed up to apply for Quan's Hope around the same time I did. Gideon's a bit rash and hotheaded, while Kimber's the more cool-headed one. Guess it makes sense that they would specialize in Fire and Ice-types respectively. Gideon once decided to climb an entire mountain just because he thought there might be something there. And he was actually right-there was a new Legendary slumbering there, waiting to be awakened. She helped us and Quan out a lot.

[photoshooter]

Woooow. She didn't call him or anything? I mean, even in her sleep? Our gods do that sometimes, gave Noct an awful headache.

[stormkingofshepherds]

I think he felt something from her. But Quan's Hope had another employee who was more sensitive to stuff like that, so in the end it was her who managed to realize her true identity and wake her up.

[photoshooter]

I see. Man, it sounds like you guys had an awful lot of adventures together.

[stormkingofshepherds]

Yeah, we did. [He smiles.] A lot more than I'd expected to have when I joined Quan's Hope, but I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything.

[photoshooter]

I know what you mean.

[Quiet heart-to-hearts on motel roofs with Noct--there's nothing more important than those moments.]

I hope I get to meet them someday. Gideon sounds a little like one of my friends, I'm sure we'd get along.

[stormkingofshepherds]

[A nod, then a pause.] Ah, if you do-don't be surprised by Kimber. She and Kyurem...kind of share a body. Her arm's covered in ice the shape of his head, now.

[photoshooter]

Uh. Okay, that's surprising, but I guess I'm getting all my surprise out now?

[There. He looks surprised.]

Doesn't that, like, hurt her arm...?

[stormkingofshepherds]

That's precisely the reason I brought it up now. [He smiles.] It doesn't seem to. She's already an Ice elementalist, so the cold doesn't seem to bother her as much as it would others.