prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .011

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You awaken amidst the darkness with only a faint light to greet you. Your body is hemmed in by shards of crystals, gently sparkling and possibly pricking your skin. The surrounding landscape is dyed in the pinks and purples of the dusk filled with crystals protruding from the ground, some as large as a skyscraper. After an hour or two of wandering through the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. Because of the strange phenomena during the past months when scientists observed the sudden appearance of rainbow crystals in the sky, the government has been feverishly combing through the moon for more Moonblessed to be rescued. You’ll eventually be brought into Iris’s moon government center.

You all may have your usual inquiries — Where are we? Who are you? What's going on? — and the Prismals are almost too eager to answer. They tell you about their world and about the first appearance of the Moonblessed as the medical staff give you an examination to make sure you’re not carrying any viruses or biological hazards. If you react violently, you may be restrained and nerfed with a specialized neurotransmitting gun that releases a numbing agent through the top of your spine. Once the examinations are over, you’re informed that you will be provided accommodations on their planet during your stay. You will then be escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the Iris moon and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as the local Prismals.

The next destination: Prismatica.

▶ There and Back Again
Iris Moon, Government Center (Arrival) and Planet Prismatica, City of Lunatia | top

Welcome to Prismatica’s hub, Lunatia, the city of your dreams! A bustling metropolis lush with bright lights, vibrant colors, luxuriant plant life, and all the conveniences of technology absent from your own world… It seems like paradise to all the uninitiated. After a quick tour of the city, new arrivals can find themselves getting cozy in their new homes.

A Settle in your new home at Level 2 to find new roommates and say hello to your neighbors! City officials will give you directions to the designated districts across Level 2 and instruct you to pick out a unit. Each apartment complex has a different aesthetic, some may look cozy, some stylish, and some bizarre. The free accommodations have a basic living space that can only fit two or three people at most in one unit.

Starter Chromaspace furnishings are provided which can be controlled with the touch of a built-in panel. Examples are color-changing curtains, transforming sofa beds, cabinets turning into tables, etc. Customizing your apartment or moving out will have to wait until you earn more chroma. Until then, why don’t you check out your new neighborhood or explore the city levels? Maybe your new roommates or neighbors can give you a “hand” with allowance for dinner.

B As a Remooning gift from the Lunar Scientia Headquarters, the dedicated team from the Amphoria Room has released their latest perfected technology: Amphoria Pods. These VR Pods, which can fit up to four people at a time, have been set up in the gaming hub within Level 1’s PrismaPlace. They allow users to upload sceneries of their world in order to create a realistic holographic landscape of their homes that others can access and play around with, granting everyone the means to relive past memories with their loved ones as well as interact with the bestiary of other worlds. The pods also use the same technology that enhanced the popular virtual game, League Match Action Online (LmaO), which means you’re liable to feel the chill of cold environments, the burning heat from boiling water, the hard slap of your ex-lover, or the biting sting of a stray wasp. All who use the Amphoria Pods for the first time this year will also receive a small amount of Chroma in case things get too real.

▶ God Save Us from the Queen
Level 1, PrismaPlace and Level 2, Greatmoon Groves | top

The first month of the year is packed with two of the most important winter events this season: Queen Elara’s birthday and the League Match Action Online (LmaO) PVP semi-finals. It just so happens that the Queen of Lunatia is also a huge LmaO fan. Coincidence? Definitely not! LmaO players and royal family fans alike can meet her at PrismaPlace, where she will be appearing in cosplay of her favorite hero, Ah-Kari, while holding a body pillow of Commander GareBear. You, too, can get an autograph or selfie with the birthday girl if you’re willing to fall in line! Her bodyguards will also be in LmaO cosplay, keeping the crowd under control during the long wait.

Queen Elara

Good day to you all! This may come as a surprise to our guests the Moonblessed, but I am a normal person despite my exalted position. Please do not think of me today as Queen Elara. Instead... my name is Ah-Kari, sorceress of the crystal! With my soul fan blades, through the darkness, I shall slice all who dare hurt my commander in twain!

But when she is not meeting and greeting...

Queen Elara

My comrades, we're going to make history today. We're going for a new record. Perhaps the highest kill counts or the fastest clear for this map — it matters not. We’ve practiced day and night for this tournament, so let us show everyone that we’re not to be taken lightly! Also, the livestream is going in the royal archive, so make your successors proud!!

... she will be furiously grinding her character and training her skills in LmaO in the hopes of qualifying for the finals. Spectators will see her bring her own team full of hapless palace attendants who are there to either serve as her practice match partners or provide support to the one-woman army that is Queen Elara.

PrismaPlace is packed with giant crowds, many of them also in cosplay. While the semi-finals are taking place, new and old LmaO players alike can participate in the game’s current campaign: players who form teams get an improved chance of spawning unique monsters as well as winning rare items and skins in those prized lootboxes! Teams can also try to clear the event’s story together, featuring an aerial battle fought on griffin-back, which is heavily inspired by the popular Lunatian epic, The Battle of Abraxas, a colorful and complex story about the conflict between two families fighting over the fictional land of griffins, Abraxas.

A Progression in the event requires acquiring a griffin mount and getting it ready for battle. You can lure a wild one to yourself with a special veggie pie on a fishing pole. Should the griffin reject the lure, your character will be caught in a wind gaol and can only break out with the help of other players. Should you succeed, raising the griffin is a tedious task that involves players training alongside their respective griffins, running laps with them, taking them to hunt monsters, and feeding them properly. Depending on their diet, the food you give them will affect the color of its plumage and their battle stats.

Or you can skip the hard work and simply moonlace with your teammates through all the progression bars and required materials to save time. Once finished, you’ll be able to battle one another through the thunderous aerial domain of Abraxas. Clearing the event will net you an event-exclusive skin inspired by the royal family’s shining celestial robes and a weapon skin of a body pillow with your favorite character, so do your best!

B In celebration of Queen Elara’s birthday, the office of the royal household is hosting a modest tea party in the Greatmoon Groves. Swiffy bots that are normally programmed to remind visitors to keep the groves clean are now playing a birthday jingle on repeat. For people who prefer to be away from the blinding neon lights and the thumping techno music of PrismaPlace, this is the ideal escape. Unlimited tea and cookies are being served!

The tea is a soft-colored lilac concoction made from Ehrysian tea leaves that are known to cause a huge spike of alertness and is popular to Moon Knights and office workers with long night shifts as well as gamers for those all-night grinding sessions. The assorted cookies have either Ah-Kari or Commander GareBear printed on them. In case it isn't obvious yet, both are the birthday girl’s favorite LmaO characters.

Any Moonblessed looking for extra income is welcome to be royal attendants for the day; the hours are paid by Demichroma. They must be properly dressed up as maids or butlers (outfits provided by the royal household) as they serve tables.

▶ Say Cheese
Level 3, Caihong | top

Meanwhile, Caihong is in the midst of Remooning festivities in celebration of the new year, and merriment usually lasts a fortnight, filled with fireworks in the sky. Upon entering the district, beautiful Prismals with rat ears and tails greet you with a Happy Remooning and eagerly tug you along to join in.

Those welcomed will receive a pack of multi-colored sparklers, mooncakes topped with cheese, and a glowing drink called Champagne Supernova, poured in a thin glass in your hand. If you are over eighteen, the rat Prismals will ask if you prefer your drink with a kick. If you say yes, then they will add flavorful ice that causes extreme intoxication and might leave you to be susceptible to all levels of suggestion. Saying no (or if you’re under 18) will simply leave it as a sweet drink.

A One of the party games being played by the locals is called Lucky Tail, which is basically pinning the tail on the holographic rat stand-in — with a twist, it must be played with a partner! Another participant will blindfold you, spin you around, then push you forward. The stand-in is located at the end of unsteady elevated platforms forming a maze, filled to the brim with distracting objects underneath. They’re long, they’re thick, and they’re vibrating furiously in an attempt to knock you off the platforms.

Your partner must guide you by voice to successfully navigate through the maze! The game is rigged with various mechanisms, so stepping on specific platforms will activate a number of traps against you or your partner: machines that may tickle, drop colorful slime, or cause the platform to repetitively spin, and who knows what else?

Should you manage to get through the obstacle course and pin the tail successfully, you and your partner will win copious amounts of Demichroma, courtesy of Buwan from Buwan’s Stop.

B Another attraction is a fun magic glamour booth known for its face or body swap features. The booth staff, clad in their festive rat paraphernalia, will encourage you and your friends to take aesthetic shots using an illusion generator. The effects last an hour. Photographed images can be instantly uploaded and shared in Prismagram. New year, new you! Why not take the chance to celebrate this momentous occasion in a unique fashion? It’s all in good humor.

There are two buttons to press: (A) CUSTOM or (B) RANDOM. Pressing A will allow participants to customize their desired effects. Pressing B will cause the illusion magic to randomly rearrange participants in questionable positions, new outfits (or lack thereof), and you may even come out of the booth looking like your best friend or your worst rival. The possibilities are endless!

▶ Questions
If you have any questions regarding this test drive meme, please ask them in the Questions thread below.

▶ As a reminder, test drive memes are for new characters only. However, current players are more than welcome to use these prompts for their own posts in the IC communities, personal inboxes, catch-all posts, etc.!
▶ As our test drive memes are game canon, feel free to keep any threads that happen here as canon for your character should they be accepted.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ For a few blissful moments, Luna is smiling at him, and things are just perfect, everything bad is far away, and all that time apart didn't even matter at all. And then she's asking if he's also just arrived, and she... shouldn't have to ask him that? His breath catches, hesitating to answer as he tries not to let his own smile immediately drop.

It's alright. She's still here, she's still kissing him back, and even if she doesn't remember the months they'd spent together here, everything he'd struggled to say, all the bravery it took to even kiss her like this the first time—

And she doesn't remember it. His face warms with embarrassment for the assumption, and with the chroma on top of that, he's suddenly sweating. Great. Very cool. And he has to explain why he just kissed her out of the blue, but worse: he has to explain everything, and he's not even a little prepared to do that. His hand drops from where it covers hers, and he should probably stop touching her completely, step back to a more respectable space, like normal people who haven't seen each other in person in a lifetime should stand, but...

Yeah, he's not doing that. Noctis doesn't step back, and his hands slide down her arms and rest there, probably more possessive than he has any right to be, but he just can't bring himself to let go of her after it's been so long since he was able to touch her, or even talk to her like this. ]

It's... I've been here for a long time.

[ A part of him is tempted not to explain, to just play it off, start things fresh. But he doesn't want to lie to her like that. He's not sure he could lie to Luna even if he wanted to. She deserves the truth, and he trusts her completely. It's just... There's so much. And talking about it all... He struggles to even find a place to start. ]

And you were here with me. But you don't remember that, I guess.

[ Poor Noctis. She can see the look on his face, and suddenly she's feeling extremely confused because it's not just the look that he's got, she can almost sense the disappointment that he's feeling.

She's glad that he doesn't step back and away from her, between years apart and that sudden kiss, she's realizing just how touch starved she is. She's glad for his touch, his mere presence, and it's all she can do to not be stupidly in absolute awe right now.

He says he's been here a long time. That she was there with him, too, at one point, and that revelation is somewhat startling. Her head tilts slightly, brow furrowing for a split second as she considers this. He's got no reason to lie to her, and she believes him.

But it doesn't make sense, because if she were here, she'd surely remember such an event, wouldn't she? ]

How long...?

[ Because she'd just seen him, honestly. Held him in her arms as Leviathan bestowed her blessings upon him. Passed the Ring to him. ]

Forgive me, Noctis... because you are correct. I remember no such time spent with you, though I wish that I could. I would give anything to remember having the pleasure of being in your presence for any given time.

[ She's going to assume, of course, that their time together was pleasant enough, given the way he'd just kissed her. She hopes, at least. ]

[ It's been how many years since they've known each other, exchanged letters, heard each other give speeches on the radio, and everything? There should've come a point a long time ago where Luna saying stuff like that did anything other than make Noctis breathless and warm, but it still hasn't happened yet. It's all he can do not to just lean in and kiss her again, because there's no other way he can express how much her faith means to him. He's so bad at saying it. But he shouldn't really just be kissing her all the time either, should he? The last thing she remembers...

...Is something he really doesn't want to think about. He'll have to ask about it at some point, talk about it with her, but it's not going to hurt anything to put it off a little longer, right? He slides his hands down her arms to catch her palms with his thumbs and bring the back of her hands up to his lips and whisper there quietly. ]

I'm just glad that you're here now.

[ That's an understatement, but it'll have to do. With a smile, he nods to the side and tugs her hands, pulling her gently along. No point standing in the middle of the street, making a spectacle of themselves, right? And if she just got here... ]

Did you find a place to stay yet? Settling in alright?

[ She looks like she's doing fine, and Luna is one of the strongest people Noctis knows, but he remembers that Prismatica, waking up on the Iris moon for the first time and everything that comes with it, is a lot, even if they've been through worse. There aren't any tables or benches nearby to sit at, but there are photo booths, which is where Noctis is leading Luna now. Even if they're not taking pictures, it's a place to sit, with a curtain for privacy and everything. Someplace quiet to talk, and that's good enough to start. ]

[ The last thing she remembers is something that she doesn't particularly want to bring up right now, either. Not when everything is still so surreal and warm. Right now, she just wants to reconnect with the one person on their star that she'd been dying to see the most.

He's surprised her by greeting her with a very welcomed kiss, and now he is on the right path to making her turn bright red with his sweet gestures and words. The feelings she's had for him for years run deep, and never had she expected him to feel the same way, especially under the circumstances. ]

I am glad to be here with you as well. More than you could ever know.

[ Tomorrow's not promised. It wasn't at home, and she doubts that it is here, either, and she doesn't plan on wasting a single moment of this apparent second chance that she's been given. She's looking forward to meeting people, to making new friends and starting a new life where no one knows just who she is or the title she carries.

But most importantly, she's looking forward to finally being able to spend time with Noctis.

When he tugs, she follows with no resistance, happy to be at his side. ]

I have been granted an apartment, which is very much a kindness I was not anticipating. [ She pauses, though, considering something for a split second. ] It is a lovely apartment, but I'm afraid I've very little knowledge of the technology it is equipped with.

[ Twelve years deep in the heart of the Empire and far away from the only place on their start that even had that sort of technology freely accessible to it's people, it's only natural that she'd be a little bit clueless on how to use half of the things in her apartment, alas. ]

You've been here a while... have you made lots of new friends? Do you enjoy life here?

[ Because surely he must feel the same way as she does; with a new world comes a certain freedom. No titles or crowns or fates to bear down on their young shoulders. She's certain there are other responsibilities here, other things to worry about, but it's a far cry from where they'd come from.

Lunafreya is glad for these photo booths right now, too. Not only is she ready to sit down, but they offer a quiet, safe space to be able to speak as freely as they wish without any sort of prying eyes or listening ears. She pushes the curtain back, slipping inside and making sure to use her free hand to keep it open for Noctis as well as she takes a seat on the small bench that resides within. ]

Are you the only person from home here? Other than myself, I mean.

[ For all the time Noctis has spent here on this foreign world, nothing still feels routine or normal, so it's impossible to take any of it for granted. After living the way he had for his entire life... Lunatia can't ever feel like anything more than a sweet dream. And there's nobody who can understand that feeling like Luna can. He can't even imagine how much more she must be feeling it, the way this place feels better than dreaming, because dreams always end in nightmares.

It's downright pedestrian, hearing her talk about the apartment she's been given, and Noctis' smile curves a little cheekier at the mental picture of her trying out all the technological features these apartments have, some of which are alien even by Lucis' standards. ]

You'll figure it out.

[ She won't need his or anybody's help to do it, but if it's an excuse to spend more time with her, he'll eagerly volunteer, when the time comes. For now, he lets himself settle on the bench beside her, the curtain falling closed, and the light of the screen in front of them prompts them to pick what kind of settings they want for their photos, but all of that goes ignored. There's not much space on the bench for them to be very far apart, and as far as Noctis is concerned, that's just perfect. Even bathed in artificial blue light, Luna is radiant, and it feels like forever since she's been really there in front of him for him to just gaze in quiet wonder at. The questions can't even distract from it, and he answers them without putting too much thought into anything. ]

It's had its ups and downs, but the fighting is pretty contained when it happens. There's a lot of downtime. The guys are here. They've... disappeared once or twice, but they're all here now.

[ Ups and downs, and Noctis' voice lifts and falls with the memories the words bring. ]

My dad's here. Cor, too.

[ Ups. Luna's here. It's more than he dared to hope for, that he'd see his dad and Luna again before... Well, here, someplace that feels alive. His arms rest across his knees, fingers laced so he doesn't keep embarrassing himself with how desperate he is to keep touching her. Just sitting with her is already more than enough. But, with the ups come... He frowns, tone dropping. ]

And Ardyn.

Are you certain of that?

[ If she sounds far more amused than she should, it's because she is. Honestly, the faith Noctis has in her and in her near non existent technology skills is really sweet. It's probably a good thing he hasn't seen her messing around with all of the things in her new abode, 'beeping' and 'booping' all of the buttons to see just what they did -- it's a little overwhelming.

It's a good thing she has someone here to properly show her just how half of this stuff works. Luna will never turn down spending any and all time with Noctis, whether it be messing around in an apartment full of foreign technology, perusing the streets, or sitting in a cute photo booth having a chat.

He seems happy enough, and for that she is grateful. Noctis deserves the world and more, after all, she thinks so at least. She can't help it as she peers up at him, listening to him speak about his time here and his experiences; this is the first time outside of both their youth and an absolute warzone that she's actually had the time and privilege to really, really look at him.

The last time they'd spent any quality time together, he'd been shorter than her. Small and confined to a wheelchair thanks to injuries far worse than any eight year old should have to endure. She can recall how quiet he'd been, briefly at least, and the sheer joy she'd felt that first time he'd laughed and smiled.

He's still the same sweet person he was then, albeit far taller and healthier. He'd been adorable back then, but now he's absolutely stunning. A handsome, strong young man with all the weight of the world bearing down on those shoulders of his, but at least for the moment, there's a small reprieve within this world.

At the mention of his father and Cor, she visibly lights up, sitting just a bit straighter than she had been moments before. ]

Your father as well? That is wonderful to hear. I don't think I had the privilege of meeting Cor, but I have heard many stories of his feats.

[ Who hasn't, though? Cor gained the title of 'Immortal' for a reason. But Noct's tone changes, and he mentions Ardyn. She closes her eyes and lets out a soft sigh. ]

Well, perhaps it is best that he is here and not at home, wreaking havoc. At least here, he can be supervised. Has he caused you much trouble?

[ Even if the technology takes her some time to learn (and embarrasses her, which is a look Noctis would like to see, honestly, considering he's usually the one out of his depth between the two of them), she's fought through way worse than holographic rooms. She's one of the strongest people he knows, and his faith in her is unending. He's not the only one to feel that way, either. He's always been lucky to have a friend like her, and even a chance at being more than that, to live with her like they did, even for a few months... He's even luckier, just to sit with her like this. That he got to see her again at all, and that she isn't just a voice on the wind. He shouldn't be greedy for more than just her eternal support, but he is. After being apart for basically their whole lives... how could he not be? It's all he can do just to sit next to her and act like he doesn't want to hold her and never let go.

He huffs a breath, smiling, at the idea of Luna meeting Cor. There's a face off he's looking forward to. If you ask him, Cor doesn't stand a chance. ]

Think the Marshal's got his hands full keeping up with my dad, but I know he'd love to meet you.

[ Ardyn, on the other hand... Noctis frowns at the the gently flashing screen in front of them. "Supervised" is one way to put it. And Noctis can't say he's been behaving, exactly, but— ]

Ardyn... He knows his fate is waiting for him back on Eos. That's what he wants, too. He dies, and I bring back the light. Just like the prophecy says.

[ Except that Noctis is supposed to be resolving himself to his fate, and this place has only made him do the opposite. He looks over at Luna again, a hundred questions held in his lungs, but he doesn't have the breath to ask any of them. What she remembers, what she doesn't. What she told him, and if that's what she really believes is right. He almost doesn't want to know. What if he's wrong? Her duty is to him, but that's by will of the gods. If what he wants isn't what they want anymore, then would Luna... ]

If I could change things, about what happened, I would. You know I'll do anything to be with you. Whatever I can.

[ If she were ever asked, Luna would be the one to say that she was lucky to have a friend like him. He'd been her only true friend, the one person who she had continued contact with over the years, even if over pen and paper. She'd never expected him to keep up with it, to continue writing her; he had far more important tasks and people to deal with. And yet, he'd continued over the years, filling pages and pages of their notebook with stories of happiness, sadness, and everything in between, all decorated with stickers and photos to boot.

He will never realize just how much that meant to her. How much he means to her. Perhaps that can change, though -- she's been blessed with a second chance here. A chance to tell him everything that has been in her heart for many years, and to show him just how much she truly cares about him.

Her smile widens at the quip about Cor and his father, because she can almost picture it in her mind's eye. ]

I am most certain that your father must be putting him through his paces, indeed.

[ Ardyn is a more somber subject, though. She can't bring herself to hate the man -- he's just as trapped in fate as she and Noctis are, after all. But she also knows his heart is full of hate and vengeance, and she can only imagine what he's been dragging everyone through, even here. ]

I am not surprised. He must be very tired.

[ She knows enough about Ardyn, at least. About what he is; and she hopes that when the time comes, that he, too, can find some sort of peace at the end of everything. But that time is not now.

When Noctis speaks, she turns her gaze back up to him and reaches to take one of his hands, shaking her head. ]

I know you would. [ This is not a conversation she'd anticipated having so soon, but here they are, and she's going to roll with it. She takes a deep breath. ]

I don't want for you to be with me, though. Not at home, at least, not for a very long time. What I want most for you, is to live a full life with nothing but happiness. [ She knows what fate has in store for Noctis, though, and the longevity of his life, no matter how hard she wishes and prays, isn't up to her.

But if anyone can defy fate, it's Noctis. He's defied the odds before, and she really, truly hopes that he can do it again. Gently, she squeezes his hand and allows herself a small smile. ]

What we don't have at home, however... we can have here. [ Time. This time is temporary, even she knows that. Nothing lasts forever, but she'll take whatever they can get. ] I am glad to be able to be with you now, Noctis, no matter how long that may be for.

[ If there were any doubt about what Luna remembers from Eos, and Altissia, her answer puts those thoughts to rest. And more, too. Noctis is somber as he listens, and he wants to argue, because that's what he wanted for her, too. That's what she deserved, more than him, more than anyone. And it was taken from her. Maybe Noctis wasn't given a choice by Bahamut, but Luna had even less of one. Maybe ten years or more encased in crystal with only a god and his own memories for company isn't much of a life, but at the end of it, he'll be able to stand up on his own and walk tall to that ending, whatever it is. Luna never got that chance.

But if he can change things and give to her, he will. The people of Eos deserve to live in a world of life, but not at the cost of so many others. They'll find another way. Maybe Luna will help him find it. ]

Thanks, Luna.

[ She's right, though. Like always. There are way more important things to worry about right now than death and destiny. The gratitude Noctis feels is more than he can put into words. "Thanks" just isn't good enough, but it's all he's got. ...Well, that and her hand on his, which he looks down at for a moment before leaning in and kissing her softly again, putting gratitude and warm affection in a way that's way easier to express. ]

And yeah. Me too.

[ He breathes the words against her lips. It's not "I love you." Not even close, and he needs to get the words out. But she's here again somehow, and though Noctis knows he shouldn't waste time... That's all this place does, is encourage it. He doesn't let himself get miserable about what he can't do, what he should, and what he needs to. He smiles instead. Even if things aren't perfect, even if they never are, at least they have each other right now. His smile brightens and his head tilts as he leans back again, still holding onto her hand. ]

Want to take a picture?

[ They definitely won't regret it if they do. Definitely. Noctis doesn't know what kind of photo booth this is or what kind of effects it may or may not have, though. He just wants to remember this place, no matter where either of them go or how things end up. They'll have to fight to have something close to this kind of peace back home, but they have it easily here, which is all the more reason to make the most of it. ]

[ He's thanking her, but she thinks that it should be she who thanks him. It's as if twelve years hasn't passed, or that an entire stretch of ocean separated them at one point. It's a literal dream come true, to be at his side once more. It's all she's ever wanted, after all, and for the first time in a very, very long time, Lunafreya feels truly happy.

If this really is some sort of dream, she doesn't think she ever wants to come out of it. Especially when he's busy kissing her like that, it's such a foreign, wonderful feeling, almost as if she's about to float right out of her own body. She smiles against his lips as she returns his affectionate kiss, and everything is absolutely right in the world. This is how things should have been, she thinks. At least it's how things are now, and that's what's important. ]

You're wonderful.

[ That slips out before she can stop it, not that she's trying very hard, of course. But it's the truth; he's far too sweet, too kind for his own good, and her heart is so full that it's about to burst. But they are in a photo booth, and in their lives, they've taken exactly zero photos together. ]

Yes, I think that would be a very good idea.

[ Tomorrow isn't promised, not here, not anywhere. So a photo is an extremely good suggestion, she thinks. She finally turns her gaze away from his sweet, handsome face and back down to the screen, to the glowing options that have been appearing on and off for the last several minutes since they sat down. ]

There are lots of options to choose from... which one shall we pick?

[ The compliment isn't expected (it's not deserved, for sure), and Noctis doesn't know how to respond to something like that. He wants to be wonderful, though. He wants to be whatever Luna needs him to be, to keep her smiling like that.

Which Noctis isn't great at either, apparently, since instead of returning the compliment (How could he? If he could even find the words, he'd never stop telling Luna how incredible she is and how much she means to him...), he just smiles on the right side of awkward and focuses on the camera settings in the hopes that she won't notice his face warming up. Purikura style photo booths aren't new to him, but he's never been in one on Prismatica before. It seems easy enough to figure out, though. Lots of icons. He scrolls down the filters and stops on one that has a bouquet of flowers. ]

This one looks alright.

[ It's not that he's into flowers, okay. He might just happen to know someone who is. And he might just be into flowers now truthfully. They're pretty and soft and smell good, but they're a hell of a lot more than that, too. It's almost funny how a vase of live flowers in a room can feel like a ray of light in the dark sometimes.

Except as much as flowers have grown on Noctis and he's working on his green thumb, wearing them is another thing. As soon as he taps the button and the image overlays itself on the screen, his eyes go right to Luna. She looks beautiful in that wreath of wildflowers strung through her hair, even cartoony as it is, and Noctis' own expression probably gives away exactly what he's thinking. As soon as his eyes move over to the reflection of himself, though, he immediately pulls a face. ]

Or maybe not this one.

[ Yeah, she makes it look easy, but not everybody should be wearing flowers. They just don't look good on Noctis at all. No need for a picture of that. He reaches out to flip through the filters again. There's probably something better in here... ]

[ Noctis doesn't have to be anything but himself; his mere presence is enough to soothe her soul. Just having him sitting so close to her, hand in hand is more than enough for her. Being together with him brings about an inner peace she hasn't felt in a very, very long time.

It's a good thing that he's accustomed to these things, because she hasn't got a clue how to use anything in this place, let alone a simple photo booth. As a matter of fact, he almost seems like a pro... ]

Have you used many of these at home?

[ He sure seems like he's used his fair share, the way he navigates this one with ease. She hadn't really gotten a grand tour of Insomnia, not including the whole fleeing for her life thing of course, and she hadn't had a chance to see for herself all of the technological wonders it held.

Even still, she can almost picture Noctis and Prompto on their way home from school, taking photos together in one of these. He'd mentioned Prompto enjoyed photography, and he had sent her quite a few photos of the two together. It's an adorable thought, honestly, and something she's going to have to ask him about later.

Right now, though, there are flowers on screen. She blinks a few times, before glancing over at Noctis -- he may think he doesn't look good with flowers, but she disagrees. The petals are lovely in his hair; they're bright enough to almost make him look like he's glowing. They give him a ethereal look, she thinks, but the face he makes clearly states that he's not thinking the same. ]

No? I think you look very handsome, though you hardly need flowers for that. If you don't like it, though...

[ She glances back down at the screen -- there's a little icon with a pair of glasses on it. She reaches forward to tap it, and suddenly their reflections are wearing ridiculously large sunglasses, copious amounts of multicolored glitter gently floating down around them.

The amount of detail in this filter is hilarious, considering that if she looks hard enough, there's a reflection in their non existent lenses -- palm trees and a beach. That's... ]

I think I prefer the flowers, although you do look lovely in those sunglasses.

[ He can pull off any look, though. He could be wearing a trash bag and make it look good... ]

Couple of times.

[ The answer as to whether he's used a photobooth before is empty and distracted as he flips through the filters, trying to find one that isn't more animal ears. Like seriously, don't they have enough of those already in this place? Maybe that's the point. Anyway, he's gotten dragged into photobooths plenty by schoolmates (you know which one, the shutterbug), but he's never been in one with Luna before. These pictures have to be special. Not the flowers. Definitely not cat ears.

His eyes lift as she calls him handsome, not to his own image in front of him, but to hers. It's not like it's unusual for someone to say he looks nice, or unusual for Luna to pay him a compliment, but... He just doesn't know how she can do it. Think so much of him like that. Say it easily. It's one thing to hear her voice on the radio talking about hope and faith, or read her letters, but it's different to see it in her expression. She's looking at the UI now, but Noctis keeps looking at her profile, marveling at whatever new effect she's just put on them, and he realizes how much he's missed this. Just being able to look at her whenever he feels like. Just knowing that she's there. It's hard to take his eyes off her, and as soon as they're back on the screen, he frowns, immediately regretting the decision. ]

Sure, I look good in anything.

[ Even a trash bag, which is basically the kind of clothes he wears most of the time. As baggy and plain-looking as he can find. They let him get away with it, after all, and Noctis has always taken and run with whatever freedom he could get. If it didn't look like a prince (or a king) should be wearing it, he wanted it on. Tropical sunglasses are bad, though. Even for him. And as funny as the two of them look together, like poorly disguised celebrities or something, it's not the kind of memory he needs to save. ]

Let's try something else.

[ The next icon down is a pair of bells, and that seems safe? But when he presses it, it gives him a bare, slender neck that's definitely not his, and a pair of breasts barely contained by white tulle that definitely aren't his, either, along with a tiara and more white sheer fabric that barely shows behind all his spiky black hair. ]

Uh, I...

[ Sure enough, Luna's reflection is in a sharp black suit. There are white flowers falling in the background, and Noctis can't decide if this is really funny or if he wants to be mortified. His expression is somewhere between guilty and pained, but he can't bring himself to say "not this one" when... When it isn't... When they should be... His hand still hovers over the bell icon and the next one down, torn. ]

Edited 2020-01-30 20:59 (UTC)

How fortunate that you are an expert in photography booths, then.

[ She sure wishes she could have been a fly on the wall during those photo booth sessions of theirs, honestly. Or any of their other shenanigans, really. Sometimes, she wonders what life would have been like if they'd been able to grow up together. She'd never change the decision she made that day in Tenebrae, she stands by her choice to let go of King Regis's hand so that they could have an easier escape, but the thought of being able to grow up alongside Noctis, Prompto, and their other friends is both amusing and a little bit heart warming.

They'd had such a good time, those weeks spent together in Tenebrae -- she'd done anything she could to get him to laugh and smile, even if that earned her dirty looks from her disapproving brother. Popping wheelies with his wheel chair, telling one another silly stories. "Sneaking" out of the manor at night to go star gazing, even though unbeknownst to the dynamic duo, his father and her mother knew perfectly well that they were sitting out among the flowers, pointing at different constellations and having candid discussions about them.

She can't even begin to imagine the things they'd have gotten into together in the Crown City. This may not be the same, but she's pretty sure there's going to be a lot of things they're going to end up getting into here, at least.

King and Oracle? Who are they? They're allowed to just be here. And Luna is just fine with that.

His quip earns him a smile, and she uses her shoulder to very lightly nudge him. ]

It is true. You could pull off any look that you wanted to.

[ Even oversized cartoon sunglasses. His eyes may be on her, but hers are certainly on him, and she knows she's right. Every filter he scrolls through, even if the image is brief, he manages to look good in all of them. Glitter, animal ears, he's very photogenic, that's for sure.

Suddenly, though, their images on screen change -- Noctis is in a white dress, and she is in a suit, and she doesn't have to do any sort of double take to realize just what this is. His expression is a dead give away to what he's thinking, and yet... ]

What a gorgeous bride you make, Noctis.

[ She doesn't want this to get awkward. They were engaged at home, yes, but that hadn't been their own decision, and she's never thought him obligated to carry out that particular 'duty'. Not at home, and not here. She never wants him to feel that sort of pressure again, especially here, where duty and destiny and fate are but a memory away.

Marriage or not, Luna will always love Noctis. But right now, she is happy to simply exist at his side. A peaceful life alongside him is all she's ever really wanted, and it's what she's finally getting. She can't complain. ]

If you don't like this one, there are others to choose from still, yes?

[ Things could've been very different for both of them, that's for sure. Noctis changed after the Marilith attack and his trip to Tenebrae, but it wasn't just about the people who were killed on those trips just because he went to those places and the line of Lucis has always ben an insignia for death. He made a friend on that trip, someone who knew the burden of being "chosen" even better than he did and who could smile and be excited about life anyway, someone he could just be himself with. ...And then they were ripped apart, and they kept in touch the only ways they could, but it wasn't ever the same. That taste of what he had in Tenebrae would haunt him for the rest of his life.

But maybe haunt isn't the right word. Even from a distance, Luna's always been a light in the dark. Even with everything that happened, he's still grateful just to know her. Joking around with her in a photobooth really feels like living out a good dream. And even ending up in a virtual dress in a virtual wedding neither of them signed up for... even that's not enough to make it a nightmare. Luna, ever the calming presence in the face of disaster makes a joke out of it, but Noctis just shakes his head. He can still see it, that mannequin behind glass with Luna's photo beside it. The dress she never got to wear. Voice stormy, he answers. ]

This isn't right.

[ And without any more explanation than that, he shuffles forward off the bench, blocking the screen briefly, only to shove himself between Luna's hips and the far wall, wiggling into the small space until she's forced to move over or else risk ending up calling in his lap. The picture of the dress and tux on the screen flash, struggling to reset to the new arrangements of bodies. Even before it's figured itself out, he's looking at Luna instead of her reflection and telling her with gentle sincerity. ]

You'll make a way more beautiful bride than I do.

[ Should that be in the past tense? No, he definitely said it right. Maybe she won't still want to marry him, but... But she will, right? It shouldn't be something either of them have to worry about here, but even after all those months they spent living together... It's still something Noctis is constantly thinking about. Just more time he shouldn't waste. Just more dragging his feet as he fumbles over feelings he's always had but never learned how to deal with. ]

[ His tone worries her, but his words do even more. He stands up, and for split second, she thinks that perhaps maybe she said the wrong thing. Perhaps it's still a sore spot that she's only made worse, and she's about to apologize when he shifts.

They'd looked hilarious before, but now as he moves, their images go in and out of focus and the dress and tux flash in and out of view. It's a show all on it's own, but Luna is more concerned about trying to keep Noctis from tripping over her feet. She reaches up to lightly place a hand against one of his arms to try and steady him as she begins to scoot to the other side of the bench to give him room in the space she'd once occupied.

As the image readjusts to overlay the tuxedo on him and the dress on her, it's still just as funny. She's no where near as... endowed as her cartoon body, but it's cute none the less. She can't focus on that right now, though, not when Noctis says things like that.

You'll. That's the word he's just used, and it makes her want to ask him if he means that. If that's a thing he really wants -- it's what she wants, even if she'd disliked how it all went down and the burden it placed on him at home, the thought of being married to him and remaining with him for the duration of their lives had been an exciting, wonderful prospect. ]

You are very kind to say that, though you'll make for a very handsome groom, you know.

[ For all she knows, he's not even talking about getting married to him -- he may be hinting that she'll make a pretty bride for someone else. She doesn't think so, though, but that thought is still there. They'd never had any time to talk about it or talk anything out, really... though he'd mentioned that she'd been here before. So maybe they did, but she just doesn't remember.

A glance back at the monitor just confirms what she's already told him. ]

You already do.

Edited 2020-01-30 23:49 (UTC)

[ The image on the screen is nothing like what their wedding would've looked like. Noctis had his wedding suit tailored what feels like ages ago, but he remembers exactly what his reflection looked like with all of it on, the vest, the sash, the gloves. Even the cuff-links. And he never had the privilege of seeing Luna in her dress, but he's seen it. He's seen her out of it, and the shimmering image in front of them could even come close to what the real thing would be like, how terrifying it would've been. How magical and perfect. It'll be like that, someday. Just like how he pictures it. If that's what she wants, if she says "yes," he'll make it happen.

If he ever gets up the guts to ask her, that is. It's not that he doesn't want to. He wants to right now, to drop to one knee even though there isn't enough space for it, to propose when they're already engaged with a ring he doesn't even have. That's why he can't. The ring and about a thousand other reasons. When he does it, he's set on doing it right. Not like some cheesy VR cartoon. The real thing. Everything has to be perfect. Luna doesn't deserve any less.

She certainly doesn't deserve to have Noctis silently brooding next to her either, though. He can't say that, but he can't ignore it, either. He has to say something. He tries, curling his hand under hers again on the bench, linking their fingers. ]

So... This one?

[ It's too serious, to close to a proposal he isn't ready to make, and Noctis feels his face flushing warmer even as he shrugs and tries to play it off. ]

The sunglasses weren't really that bad.

[ Their wedding would have been a large, elegant affair. At home, at least. One that was completely planned for them, one that they got absolutely no say in. Even still, she'd been looking forward to it, knowing full well that with the encroaching darkness there would be no wedding in the long run, but it was a nice thing to thing to think about.

Of course, thinking about it had caused an immense amount of guilt as well; while it was a nice pipe dream, to be married to Noctis and remain with him, to grow old together and to live out their days happily, she also knew very well that a wedding meant placing an even greater burden upon his shoulders.

If Noctis ever does decide to ask her, ring or no ring, her answer will always be an outstanding yes. To spend her life with Noctis, at least here, is more than she could ever hope for.

His face is turning red, and it makes her smile again. Makes her lean up to press a warm kiss against one of those flushed cheeks, lingering there for a moment longer than necessary. ]

Honestly, no matter the background, so long as we are together in the photo that is all that I care about. Sunglasses, flowers, or weddings... it matters very little.

[ His hand is in hers again, and she allows her own fingers to slide between his, palm to palm, so that she can lift their hands between them. His hand is warm and solid, further proof that this is real. He is real, and they are finally, finally together again. ]

This is what matters.

[ The kiss is unexpected, and though it doesn't help the warm flush under Noctis' skin to abate at all, it does relax him in an entirely different way. Her words are the same kind of reassuring, but they don't feel half as real as that kiss on his cheek had, or the press of her fingers as she lifts their hands, palms pressed together. She's right, and she puts it way better than Noctis ever could have. This is what matters. Just being here with her, together. Way more than a future that may or may not happen.

Noctis huffs a quiet laugh, eyes dropping briefly to her slender hand pressed against his, really there, warm against his cooler fingertips, before he lifts his eyes again magnetically, up to meet hers again. ]

Yeah. Just being together. For better or worse.

[ And just as magnetically, leans in, brushing his lips against hers again, voice gone quiet. ]

For forever, or as long as you'll have me.

[ The costumes track, and as they kiss, there are the bells and doves on the screen, though Noctis isn't paying attention to notice them. It doesn't really matter at all, just like Luna said.

Although it kind of matters a little bit when the camera flashes and the whole booth lights up with it as the picture's taken, and the next moment, there are actual white petals falling like rain in the both, a bird fluttering its wings in Noctis' face as it attempts to escape the small area, and the stiffness of a pressed suit hemming Noctis in uncomfortably from every inch. He looks down at himself in horror. What happened to his normal, comfortable clothes?? Has this thing been VR or whatever the whole time? And then back up to Luna, and she's— Wow. ]

[ This is all Luna has ever wanted: a peaceful existence spent alongside Noctis. To finally be able to meet each of his friends and to finally have some sort of sense of normalcy. What hadn't been a possibility in the slightest at home is a gift freely given here, and one she will not let go to waste.

He leans in again, and she eagerly meets him half way. There's so much she wants to tell him, especially now that they've been so open about their affections. Now, she'll finally get that chance. ]

I would have you longer than forever, were it possible, I can promise you that much.

[ It's the truth, too. Forever at his side doesn't even seem long enough, especially after everything that they've been through. She's content to lean in and press her forehead against his, eyes closing for a moment as she thinks of what she wants to say next. How does one eloquently say 'I love you'? He's already managed it, and now she just needs to do the same.

That's what she'd intended to do, at least, but their photo is being taken. Which is wonderful! But when the flash fades, it's suddenly raining white petals and there are actual birds fluttering around in a panic, enough that there are feathers flying as one manages to get tangled in her veil.

...Wait. Her veil?

She manages to free the poor little thing from the lace, and her cheeks are suddenly a bright pink as she realizes that Noctis is dressed up in a very nice suit, looking every bit the regal groom, even with distressed birds and feathers and petals flying around. She knows that this is not what he'd have been dressed up in at their actual wedding, that he'd likely had a suit tailored specifically for him, royal insignias and all, but seeing him in a neatly pressed suit makes this far more real than she could have ever dreamed.

Except they are not getting married, nor are they at any sort of wedding venue. She's also one hundred and ten percent certain that they were just wearing normal clothing.

Well. That happened. ]

I am afraid that I've not seen technology like this before. [ Much like... the rest of the technology in this place. ] Or is this some sort of magic?

[ There's no way that they can just walk out looking like this. Not that she'd mind, of course -- Noctis looks very handsome, and she's extremely grateful that those outfits tracked back onto the right people, otherwise this would be extremely compromising.

She hasn't even looked down at herself yet, and when she does, it makes the flush in her cheeks deepen because this dress is far, far more... revealing than the one she'd had at home, that's for sure.

A bird lands atop the tiara that holds her veil in place, but she hardly notices. She looks back up at Noctis. ]

I suppose this means we are married now.

[ That's said with a straight face, clearly serious. Except that lasts all of two seconds before she can't keep the smile from tugging at the corners of her lips, and she leans up to kiss him again, placing a hand against his cheek. ]

Though I still maintain that you'd have pulled off this dress far better than myself.

[ It's definitely not the kind of wedding day he'd pictured. Those poor birds?? And in this cramped of a space, with the artificial lights and music... It's more embarrassing than anything, and helping the (probably fake? hopefully??) birds find their way past the curtain and out of the booth is at least a good distraction from everything else really awkward about this.

It's not enough of a distraction from how beautiful Luna looks in a white veil and dress, though. It has to be something like the VR video game, and Noctis opens his mouth to explain that, but he ends up just making a flustered sound and shrugging. It feels more like magic. Tingly. Kind of nauseating. Exciting. Electric. That's all got nothing to do with the VR, though, does it?

We're married now. Noctis' eyes lift only briefly to the dove that's perched on Luna's tiara, and he gently lifts it away, guiding it to fly out the curtains in a flurry of wind and feathers as he meets her in another kiss kept brief only for their breaking smiles. ]

Well, I forgot the ring this time, so. We'll have another chance.

[ He definitely won't be the one in the dress the next time, but it's easier to joke around that be serious about it, and he's grateful to Luna for that, too. He feels light, worry-free and happy in a way that's almost dizzying, and that isn't safe. Is he really allowed to be this happy? There's still so much left ahead of them...

Anyway, at least they got their picture. Noctis leans back, tugs at his collar, bats away some petals that fall out of his hair and then reaches past Luna to pull open the curtain. Hopefully this'll all turn off as soon as they're out of the booth, because if he has to walk around in this stuff... He really might die of embarrassment before they can make it anywhere to get changed. ]

Have you eaten yet, Luna? Come on, let's find some place a little, uh, roomier to sit for a while.

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Sorry for the delay. I was hit by, I was struck by, a smooth stomach virus orz

D: think it's going around. Hope you're feeling better!!