★ // i only wanted to say

[scourgingstars]

Who: Ardyn + open
What:me hastily writing in a backstory Ardyn being introspective.
When: ~2/26
Where: Islet 4, shack 1 + the Storyteller's temple
Warnings: Episode Ardyn Prologue spoilers, anything else noted in subject lines.

[islet 4 shack 1; daytime]

[He'd wanted to try something different. Even the mere attempt sounded better than remaining stagnant...and heavens knew he'd done enough of that for a hundred lifetimes. Why not try something different, since he could hardly just burn the whole archipelago down.]

[(He could try, but it wouldn't be worth the trouble.)]

[But of course Ardyn didn't truly believe it would ever amount to anything. 'Balance', what a joke. No one was ever going to comprehend how impossible it was to resurrect something so long lost. No matter how present such a light had been for a brief moment, no matter how he'd almost enjoyed himself in that whole mess with the ink, that person was dead. He'd died long ago, along with-]

[...Better not to think about that. Lock it away as he always had, ignore thoughts of a past far beyond his reach and forget about it. Ardyn just sighed to himself, leaning back against his sleeping chocobo and waiting in his shack for the sun to go down. He'd have to find something to do with all this restless energy.]

[enso, storyteller's temple; evening]

[Ardyn rarely came here if he could help it, and he went inside even less. The last thing he ever needed was to deal with the divine, and he was nowhere near trusting the Storyteller given their entire situation. So why, exactly, had his vague wandering of the island brought him here?]

[There was no conscious answer to that question he could come up with that sounded satisfactory. He was just here because he was here--because the stone structure felt familiar for reasons he didn't dare linger on. Idly he brushed a hand along the outer wall, frowning slightly as he tried to figure out just what he was doing this close to the one place on Enso he detested.]

[...Maybe he was just feeling nostalgic today.]

Comments

[islet 4 shack 1; nearing evening]

[shatteredlenses]

[It's getting close to sunset when Ignis arrives at Ardyn's shack. It's not unusual for him to show up with Leilani in tow considering how much Ardyn likes chocobos, but it's not his chocobo that accompanies him today. Oddly enough, he is flanked by both of Gladio's companions, the Shield's chocobo, Tiana, on one side and his tigerlily, Leo, on the other. Indeed, it's almost as if the pair of animals are the only things keeping Ignis on his feet, herding him toward the shack even though he is half afraid that if he steps inside he will find its occupant gone as well.

It takes more effort than it should to raise his hand and knock, but he eventually does so, before sliding inside as he so often does, two concerned animals at his heels.]

Ardyn?

[scourgingstars]

Over here.

[...Something was wrong today, Ardyn getting to his feet in the suddenly crowded shack and lightly tugging on Ignis' arm to guide him further inside.]

What's going on? Did something hurt you, because you need only say a name and I'll see to it myself.

[Remarkably strange, that the idea of killing who or whatever upset Ignis seemed so natural that he said it without thinking.]

[shatteredlenses]

[When Ardyn gently pulls him, Ignis doesn't just move farther into the shack. Instead, he all but collapses against the redhead, hands twisting into his coat, body shaking.

It's not a verbal answer, but it certainly does answer the question as to if he's hurting.

Ignis is quiet long enough that Leo presses tight against his leg, making soft, sad sounds. Almost as quietly, Ignis finally speaks, his voice a desperate whisper.]

Swear you'll not leave me too. Please.

[scourgingstars]

[That explained things quite clearly. Ardyn thought he'd recognized the bird, but this reaction set everything neatly into place.]

[...He should have felt relieved, or at least that cold vindictive joy that came with an annoyance being cast out of the way. But...strangely, there was none of that. Just a faintly confused Ardyn bringing his arms around Ignis' shoulders.]

Far more persistent forces have tried to be rid of me. And yet, none have succeeded. I should say my record is well on your side.

[shatteredlenses]

[Normally, such a flippant reassurance would make Ignis laugh, but at the moment all he can do is nod his head where it is resting against Ardyn's shoulder. The grip he has on the redhead's coat doesn't loosen, though. It's almost as if he can't bring himself to let go; he's just too afraid that Ardyn will vanish the moment he does.

Astrals, it's so unfair to Ardyn that he's here mourning over Gladio's departure after how much tension has been between the two, but breaking down more than he already has in front of Prompto isn't an option. Ardyn was the only other person he could think to go to, that he wanted to go to.

At least he's not crying? That probably won't come until he's alone. Maybe once he feels he's ready to go add something for Gladio to the memorial garden.]

Sorry.

[Ignis isn't quite sure why he's apologizing other than he knows how hard it is for Ardyn to process this kind of emotion and he feels bad for dumping it on him.]

[scourgingstars]

Hush. Come here.

[He guided Ignis over to sit with Hresvelgr, settling in beside him. It looked like this was just how today would go, complicated emotions or not.]

I'll not be going anywhere. You've trusted my word on less.

[shatteredlenses]

[Ignis doesn't resist when Ardyn pulls him toward Hresvelgr which is likely for the best considering how closely Leo and Tiana follow. Once both he and Ardyn are settled, the tigerlily and chocobo waste no time joining them.

Hopefully, no one is planning on going anywhere for a while.

From where he's rested his head back against Ardyn's shoulder, Ignis can't help but let the smallest hint of a smile cross his lips.]

True.

[He falls quiet a moment before continuing, fingers curling and uncurling unconsciously in Leo's ruff.]

Can I ask you a favor?

temple

[sealedvessel]

[There is no particular reason for the Hollow Knight to be here, of all places. But there is never much of a reason for them to be anywhere. The freedom to go wherever they feel like is, in a way, still kind of a novelty they're not used to.

So they don't think much of stopping to stare at the figure they spot here.

Curiously, they walk up towards Ardyn, putting their own hand on some of the stone, then looking towards him.

Is there something about the wall?]

[scourgingstars]

...hm. [Ardyn shook his head, letting his hand fall away. The question was clear no matter how unspoken, yet it was one for which he had no answer.]

No, it's nothing out of the ordinary. Hardly anything of interest at all.

[sealedvessel]

[They knock softly against the wall, as if they're not entirely convinced. But there's nothing out of the ordinary, really, just as he says.

So they look at him, head tilted. Wondering. Then why?]

[scourgingstars]

Haven't the slightest idea.

[This one was--no, 'trustworthy' was too strong a word. But they were too similar to ignore, and if Muffet was any indication Ardyn was far more likely to tolerate someone who wasn't human.]

...Perhaps I've just a terrible, incurable case of painful terminal nostalgia.

[sealedvessel]

[Nostalgia...

They can understand that much, nodding more to themselves than to Ardyn. There isn't much here that reminds them of Hallownest, but whenever something does, they feel the same way.

They don't know if Ardyn understands sign language or not - the Hollow Knight is still learning - but it's the closest they have to a voice, difficult as it is to do this with one hand. Worth a try.]

Like home?

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn raised an eyebrow at that--not because he didn't understand it, but only that it caught him off guard.]

Memories from another lifetime. 'Home' is something so far off for me that it may as well have been a dream.

storyteller's temple

[shiritai]

Oh–

[ The foliage around here is so thick – and Violet's footsteps are so careful and light – that the soft noise of surprise she makes is the first actual sign of her presence. She'd made her way over here with an armful of flowers, gathered from the beach, and she hadn't expected to see anyone else. So when she realizes there's an unfamiliar man here, Violet stops and offers him an apologetic bow of the head. ]

My apologies – I didn't intend to interrupt.

[scourgingstars]

[For only an instant, Ardyn wasn't sure who he was looking at. Gold hair and clear blue eyes, for just that one split second a name he hadn't called in gods only knew how long was caught in his throat.]

[No. Snap out of it. Heavens above, this nostalgic mood would be the death of him. Again.]

Nothing to interrupt, my dear. I was hardly doing anything important.

[shiritai]

[ The corners of Violet's mouth turn up, just a touch, into a tiny smile. It's the look of someone enjoying a private joke with themselves, though it's hard to imagine what, exactly, could've gotten that sort of reaction.

Hodgins would've made his way over here too, she thinks. If he were here. ]

Then, I won't be getting in the way if I find a place to lay these?

[ Her arms are full with the flowers from the beach, so she lifts them a little for him to see. They're all in shades of blue, some approaching purple, with splashes of other colours mixed in. It's not an exactly professional arrangement, but it's pleasing enough to the eye. ]

[scourgingstars]

Do as you will. I'm not likely to linger here for all that long.

[shiritai]

[ She says nothing more, but gives him a short nod and then steps past to make her way to the outer wall. It's a sad, crumpled sort of structure and it makes Violet wonder if the Storyteller might feel the same way.

She stoops down to carefully lay the flowers out, setting them against the wall to keep them from getting trodden underfoot by anyone who might be passing. While she's doing that, she speaks up again. ]

Do they spend much time at all here, at the temple?

[scourgingstars]

The Storyteller? I’d not honestly know. They’ve been here on the rare occasion I’ve ventured inside, but I don’t claim to know where else they might travel.

[islet 4]

[want_to_belong]

[To say things had been bad would be an understatement. After Gladio's disappearance the chocobro shack had felt like it had fallen apart. Prompto did his best to stay strong. Not just for Ignis and his loss, but for Shion and his recent loss.

But Prompto was falling apart too and he didn't know where to go. He couldn't place that burden on people he knew that were already in so much pain, so against his better judgment he ended up wandering over to Ardyn's shack and knocking hectically at the door.]

[scourgingstars]

[He'd gotten the idea of the situation by now, but to say this was a surprise was an understatement. Ardyn opened the door and narrowed gold eyes at Prompto as if waiting for an explanation...then simply stepped back to let him in, Hresvelgr and Tiana curled up off to the side.]

[want_to_belong]

Gladio is gone.

[He spat it out quickly, as if he had no breath left, when he stumbled inside. His movements were panicked, erratic, and his mind was obviously distracted and going all over the place as his words came out like a stream of consciousness. Everything that he'd been holding in.]

Dude, he wouldn't leave if he had a choice. He wouldn't come here and start a relationship with Iggy and just... ditch him. There's no way.

[It could only mean he didn't have a choice. Something that they'd long figured, but this time it struck much harder. Gladio had straight up started a life here.
And it all came with a sense of helplessness. Because if something could get Gladio, what chance did he have?

He paced around Ardyn's room frantically.]

Something's really, really wrong.

[scourgingstars]

I'm aware.

[He leaned back against the wall, Hresvelgr getting up and stretching her legs to come over and nuzzle up to Prompto.]

It's no different from any number of other people that have up and vanished.

[want_to_belong]

[His breathing was rapid, near hyperventilating, but he always had time to pause and pet the chocobo. He paused his pacing, scratching her on the head.]

I know. I know. But this time. [He shook his head.] If he had any choice he wouldn't have left. I just...

[Had been going through his mind the implications of that.]

Like... Every time we're on Mu, I tell people it's sort of like a dream place that people end up before they end up here. But what if this is all a dream place? What if there's no time travel shenanigans happening? What if... What if we're all dead, and this is part of the afterlife or something? And I'm just remembering myself at 20? There's other people here who have been totally aware that they were dead...

[scourgingstars]

You're speaking to one, yes.

[Ardyn sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.]

It's entirely likely that's precisely the case, as a matter of fact. Or at minimum it is not an outcome that would at all surprise me.