monday, week one

[moraled]

[He has to check the graves.

He's been avoiding it, as if it were unjust and wrong for him to go to the graves of two young girls who deserved better than their fate. They should have been able to do something to save them--

But they couldn't.

That's their guilt, and he can't avoid it by avoiding the graves.

He wasn't expecting to see a figure there already, though.]

...Ah. Young Noctis.

[Whoops. Didn't mean to interrupt your mourning your dead girlfriend time.]

Comments

[moraled]

[Thanks Noctis.]

Indeed--but not all of the rules require murder. [There's gotta be a way...] I do not have the answers you are seeking, not yet.

But do not give up hope. A possibility exists.

[elemancy]

I'm not planning on giving up. Last thing I want is for them to win.

[the less they can get their way with this crap, the better. he wants no part in actually giving them the satisfaction of winning.

fuck them, basically.]

[moraled]

That is all anyone could ask of you.

["Don't give up." "Don't despair."]

I, too, give you my word that I shall not give up on interrupting and derailing this wretched game.

[elemancy]

[at least it seems like they're on the same page about it. it's really hard to tell what people will do when the stakes are high.

but barnham does seem to be the sort that's interested in upholding some semblance of dignity here.]

Let's find a way to beat them at their own game. Even working in their parameters... there's gotta be some way. [they're just going to have to be vigilant, he guesses.]

[moraled]

[It's all he's good for tbh, to be serious and boring to the end.]

Agreed.

[Barnham is quiet for a moment, before--]

The answer may yet lie in one of those boarded up buildings, or the False Sheriff's office. However, we must not risk too much just yet for the sake of a "perhaps".

[elemancy]

Right. Not gonna do us much good if we go poking our noses where Scrap Heap doesn't want us. Next thing we know, we're the ones in the bonfire.

[it's not a risk he's willing to take just yet. maybe in coming weeks, there'll be a good and safe way to do this, but he's not about to just throw his life away, either.]

[moraled]

[he's proud of you, you're by far the least shounen and therefore concerning protag here.]

Indeed. That is correct. We cannot change this situation if we are dead.

Watch yourself, first and foremost. The rest... we shall do what we can.

[elemancy]

[the protag game changes a little when you're royalty and have a country to look after, apparently.]

You got it. I'm not planning on getting too reckless. You, uh... make sure you look out for yourself, too.

[though...] Not... that you needed me to tell you that, I guess.

[he's trying here.]

[moraled]

[... Noct you cute

He snorts softly despite himself, amused.]

Indeed. I thoroughly intend to survive--there are tasks I must accomplish in my home as well, that cannot wait for much longer.

[So them's the breaks.]

You may certainly trust me to be cautious, if nothing else.

[Except... in trials?? Where he's loud.]

[elemancy]

You better. I'll be pretty pissed if I have to come over here and do something like this for you too.

[it's .... said jokingly.

kind of.

because it's true, noct really doesn't want to have to leave flowers at barnham's grave because he's really dead. he believes that barnham will be careful, but it's definitely the sort of thing he feels like he should be saying anyway.]

[moraled]

You shall not have to.

[At least he sounds confident. He nods simply, arms crossed.]

It is the duty of a knight to protect those who cannot defend themselves. However... a knight who cannot defend himself can defend no one.

[He'll look after himself as best he can, don't worry.]

[elemancy]

Can't really argue that. Defeats the point of that whole knighthood thing, right?

[he gets it. he may not be knight, but it's not like he doesn't know people like that. he gets it—it's a duty and a lifestyle, and one that someone like barnham would take a lot of pride in upholding.

gladio may have taught him a lesson or two about how that works.]

[moraled]

Precisely.

[not that he's...probably a knight anymore in name since he's got the whole prison sentence thing but... you can't take the knight out of a person.]

I do like to believe I am the trustworthy sort--though I am aware this, at the very least, requires proof more than words.

[So he'll try not to be dead.]

[elemancy]

Definitely the kind of thing that works better in actions. At least... that's how I think it is.

[actions speak louder than words and all that. besides, knightly types really do just have that sort of integrity that shows, no matter what words they say.

he gets it all too well.]