Voice | UN: IGNIS

[soupreme]

[A gentle clearing of the throat, and a man speaks in a clipped, poshly accented voice. Every word perfectly enunciated.]

To all fellow unwitting tourists,

What is the singular fact about this city and/or our presumed hosts you wish someone had told you upon your arrival?

Much obliged.

Comments

[soupreme]

Edge is an interesting name for a city, though I suppose I can't say all that much, given I hail from Insomnia. What was once the crown city of Lucis, on the planet of Eos.

Another time, another place, and I would have been terribly intrigued to meet someone from another world.

[astraphilia]

Midgar Edge was built for refugees from Midgar after it was mostly destroyed—kinda long story. It ain't that creative as names go, it's just 'cause it's on the edge of what used to be Mid...

[ he trails off, because the rest of the sentence just parsed for him, and those are familiar words indeed. Insomnia, Eos. Reno, who had been going through this whole conversation without once checking the display name, glances at it before he continues, ]

Midgar. Hey, you happen to know a kid named Prompto? Real cute, enthusiastic, likes chocobos and taking selfies?

[ he looked at the display name but not the other replies to this post, or he'd answer his own question. ]

[soupreme]

I'm sorry to hear your city was destroyed. So was mine. There's nothing quite so devastating as losing a home... or the people who made it one.

Prompto? He's a good friend of mine, though I wouldn't call him a 'kid' at this point in our lives. At heart, perhaps. He was always our light in the dark.

[astraphilia]

Yeah, he's a real sweetheart. He's gonna lose his shit that you're here.

[ in a good(?) way...? mostly? ]

I'm Reno. Prompto's told me a lot about you.

[soupreme]

Really? It hasn't been so long since we've seen each other. To the best of my recollection, we had dinner together last month.

A friend of Prompto's is a friend of mine. How do you know one another?

[astraphilia]

There's another thing you should know—time is kinda weird here. You and he might be... from different points on your timeline, so to speak. You just saw him last month, but he's been here as long as I have.

[soupreme]

We have briefly encountered each other more recently than a month, I believe we were both at Hammerhead just last week.

I don't understand how that is possible. Surely someone would have noticed if he simply up and disappeared.

[astraphilia]

I wish I had the answers for ya, but it is what it is. There's a girl here from my world, she's a full two years behind me. Honestly, I ain't convinced we do go missing back where we're from, but the science of it is still kinda beyond me.

[soupreme]

Two years.

Had much changed? I imagine that would be... startling to hear.

[astraphilia]

Almost everything. Turns out two years is a long, long time.

[soupreme]

It is.

I have... some concern in regards to when and where Prompto was taken from.

[astraphilia]

...What kinda concerns?

[soupreme]

You called him a 'kid'.

Was that simply a term of endearment?

[astraphilia]

Sure, halfway. He's also a lot younger'n me.

[soupreme]

And you are...?

[astraphilia]

Thirty—two. As of a week ago.

[soupreme]

Ah.

[A painfully long pause.]

Does he seem... happy?

[astraphilia]

...Most times. He missed you a lot, you and your other friends.

[soupreme]

Thank you for looking out for Prompto. I am in your debt.

I wish to see him, however... I fear the shock may be detrimental to his well-being.

private;

[astraphilia]

You're from further up the timeline than he is, huh? That's why you wanted to know his age.

[soupreme]

Yes.

I turned thirty-two this year. The same age as you.

[astraphilia]

I don't know how much older you are than him. But I do think it'd be kinder to see him and let him handle the shock than to stay away, after how much it's hurt him to be here alone.

[soupreme]

That's not all. I lost my sight, and my appearance has changed for the worse.

[Ignis doesn't know how much. He hasn't seen himself in a decade.]

The future is a difficult place to be. I don't want to take away his hope or happiness... prematurely.

[astraphilia]

It's not like I'm not sympathetic here, man. I'm in the same position, bein' from the future and knowing how things change.

[ this is a curious position for Reno to be in, because he understands exactly where Ignis is coming from, but he's also seen what the solitude does to Prompto—how he's always texting Reno in the wee hours because he's afraid of the dark and can't sleep, how he goes quiet and distant sometimes when something reminds him of his friends. ]

...Do what you gotta do, just. I dunno. I think you should tell him, for what that's worth.

[soupreme]

You're right.

I owe Prompto that much.

He stood by me when nobody else would or could.