These days I've been taking that heavy so lightly [Group text; action for Arcrion]

[photoshooter]

[The good news first: Prompto has a job!

The not-so-great news: They're still trapped in another world with no idea where they are, why they're there, or how to get back--or whether there will be anything left of the world if they do. Every time he thinks about his talk with Stella, dread churns uncomfortably in Prompto's stomach, and he can't let go of his worry for Noct, for Ignis, for Eos. For himself. What's happening back home, if Noct's springing Ardyn's trap only to find Prompto not there? Will he be okay? Will Prompto be okay, out here, with no idea how to support this other Noctis by himself?

There's also the fact that Noct appears to be turning into some kind of lion cat, and Prompto doesn't know where to even begin wrestling with that. He's choosing to pretend it isn't happening, as much as he can. As long as it isn't bothering Noct, he can deal.

So Prompto's trying to focus on the positive, for now, and he really does love his new part-time work walking dogs in the city. They're really great dogs, different kinds, big ones and little curly ones and all of them his new best friends. Dogs are so good. Mankind doesn't deserve them. And they leave him plenty of time to take photos and explore his surroundings, though he hasn't had much luck finding out more about those weird cultists who brought them to Eludalsia.

Part of the problem is he's been tired. Taking care of the city's cute puppies isn't really strenuous, but it's like the sun itself boils the life out of him; but then at night, when he could rest, he feels fine. So it's not like he's sick or anything. Reasonably, it must be stress, but he's got to keep it together. He's one of the grown-ups. And he's tired of not pulling his weight.

That said, most of his research has been limited to trawling the weirdly official-like information he can find online on his retooled phone (thanks, Yuusei!), and he hasn't found much.

Today, when the light of the noontime sun is just too much, he retreats to his favorite off-leash dog park, lies down on a bench in the shade, and sends a group text to everyone who took a phone and gave him their number:]

anybody find out anything about some group called the joyous???
when i described the people who summoned us, that's the answer i got. "that sounds like the joyous order." but the coffee guy didn't know much more than that. just that they're a cult and he doesn't think they're ""dangerous.""
if you've got any other intel pls share with the class! thnx!
- prompto a.

[Anyone visiting the park in Arcrion this fine day may come across a familiar blond supine on a bench, one freckled arm thrown over his face, looking a little washed out as a Maltese, a Dalmatian, and a big, fluffy mutt frolic nearby.]

Comments

text

[planetary_bonds]

Joyous? Haven't heard of them.

[Strange name for a cult.]

If there's one thing I've learned not to underestimate, it's cults. I can nose around the shadier areas of this place for information.

[Guess who's found himself frequenting the extensive subway network. This guy. It reminds him of home.]

text

[photoshooter]

are cults rlly active where you're from?
i don't have much experience with them

text

[planetary_bonds]

I've clashed with a few in my time. There might be more behind the scenes, but we're more focused on repairing the damage they did to our city first.

They may seem harmless, but on the off-chance that they do actually have access to mysterious powers, it's not wise to ignore them. And considering these Joyous cultists apparently had the power to summon us from our homes, there must be something at work here. If the average townspeople won't take them seriously, then that's all the more dangerous, it means they can effectively hide what they're doing.

[lostcompany]

There's a lot in Tokyo, but having gods hanging around in the flesh looking for followers helps. Usually it's people in a bad situation looking for a hand up out of it.

Once they hit critical mass they usually turn into legit organizations, but that doesn't happen often. It's hard to keep the city stable when groups like that take shots at each other.

[So the Ashura-kai deals with it.]

I gotta wonder what these guys want. Life seems pretty good out here.

[corruptedcoil]

[ Oh look, it's a message from that cute lady Bahamut popping up - messages from her are slow. ]

I've heard that name as well, in my questioning. Alas, I have not found a library with reliable information yet. (At least, one I have not been observed within harshly.) However, we should not underestimate any cult - queer name or not. (We must find a way to observe them, lest they take advantage of us and our confusion.)

Related to my first point, I have gotten multiple comments that I look like a demon. Is that true? I feel my appearance seems more dragon-esque. Demons and other Voidsent (the term used in my world for beings such as that) are far more twisted looking then I.

- Bahamut, the Dreadwyrm.

[photoshooter]

you DEFINITELY don't look like any daemon i've ever run into.
also, you're way nicer. and not a mindless monster trying to kill people. so plenty of points in the "nope not a daemon" column.

[corruptedcoil]

Thank you. However, those words do not comfort me fully - for there are reasons to think I may slip to mindlessness.

But I have not been called nice much. Many fear me, even before seeing the Dreadwyrm.

[lostcompany]

By my standards kind of? Demons can look like whatever. You don't really feel like one though.

Like not in a weird way. They make the air sort of staticky.

[corruptedcoil]

There are many odd forms of Demon and Voidsent in my world, as well. But that sensation is one I would associate with Ramuh, the Lord of Levin.

[n_octis]

[ It's not that he's clingy. It's just... Noctis is trying to cling to the familiar, as his body shifts. He was still unaware that his Togekiss had a human form - and that she had slipped off to get her own job. Plus, he seemed to be able to hear everything so much more and he was terrified. A hero should not be terrified, even if something unknown (Unown?) is happening to him. Even if he can't just cry and go home and have his family comfort him.

But Noctis is still very cautiously watching the dogs from nearby. Not even announcing he's near to Prompto - sort of. Staring. He still wasn't used to these creatures, okay. They didn't seem to speak the same tongue as his dear friends. It was annoying. But it was the job that Prompto chose, and he seemed to like him. Honestly, so did Noctis - even if they were loud and drool-y and scary at times.

(Noctis would be seeking a job, but his body was covered in this fur and everybody stared and his body was so sore. And besides, he... might have stolen a fishing pole and has been spending a lot of time with that. And his Togekiss cooking it. At least he's keeping his clothes on, even if the fur is bursting out of it and he doesn't wanna move.)

Of course, the dogs might be able to smell the boy hiding in nearby bushes, who smells of fish and is slightly wet from one of the streams in the garden. ]

[photoshooter]

[The Maltese, Silvia, catches the first whiff of him.

She stops chasing the big mutt (Bruno) and freezes, every fiber of her tiny, ten-pound body quivering with this new smell. Or, no, not a totally a new smell--it smells a little like her new whiny friend who takes her for walks! And also, fish. Her butt waggles with unrestrained excitement.

And she's off, yipping twice, to Bruno's confusion. Pilar, the Dalmatian, also finds herself stymied for a moment, but suddenly she's bounding towards Noctis, too, ready to make new friends. Poor, slow Bruno decides he won't be left out, either. Boofing like a champ, he follows his quicker friends towards Noct and away from Prompto, who, for the moment, only turns his head to see what's going on and whether he needs to chase them.]

[n_octis]

[ Oh god. Noctis is staring at the dogs suddenly screeching at him and boofing and--

He is not moving, frozen in fear - even if they all seem friendly, something in his blood is making him freeze... and start to let out a low warning sound. Don't you dare come closer, or he'll... he'll seem to hide himself more in the bushes, hissing deep in his throat. If he had a tail - oh please he doesn't want a tail he's already feeling aches all over his body - it would be as up as his fur felt. ]

text

[lostcompany]

Okay, did some asking around at the temple, got some weird looks and MOSTLY nothing. Here's the something: the gods died out ages and ages ago, and there's this theory out there that when humans die out they'll be the gods of the next world, like it's a cycle. The Joyous Order is in a (long) list of groups that talk about this theory. They don't get along with the temple and the Jena people.

Nobody I've met outside the temple has heard of them? They must be really small.

[n_octis]

[ you get a text from a togekiss

congrats, but she is using Noctis' phone. Because it's a secret she can become human at all. ]

What once was, will be again.

every world must fall, and every world must be born again.

[lostcompany]

[cat bro that's so weird...]

Super reassuring.

But yeah it sounds ominous to me too. The end is nigh and it'll be awesome! But no big, we're not gonna hurry it along or anything.

[txt]

[maximumest]

What is a cult

[lostcompany]

Organization that's REALLY devoted to a god or mission and does dangerous things because of it.

[According to him.]

[soft_focus]

I thought that was an army.

[maximumest]

And the person you spoke to said they're not dangerous

[That someone NOT Prompto is responding hasn't occurred to him yet, texting is a weird thing.]

[missleadingquestions]

[Maya's been doing her best to go around Arcrion and get used to the layout every day, and that permits a daily walk by the park. It's this routine that lets Maya stumble upon this tired blonde.

Since she arrived here Maya's found herself awfulky dehydrated-- she'd swear she's been drinking so much water these days, and has even acquired some bottled water to carry around with her. As she notices Prompto in the park and heads past his charges, she drops one of those water bottles in Prompto's lap without ceremony. Then, as priority dictates, she stoops to pet that maltese and give it a proper greeting.]

Hello! Hey there buddy. [She croons to the dog, and then--]

Hey, Prompto.

[photoshooter]

[Prompto squawks and almost accidentally flings himself off the bench, then looks at Maya with pure, affronted incredulity as she greets the dog he's walking instead of him!]

Wow! Wow. Really, Maya? Really.

[Sitting up, Prompto holds the bottle of water by the top, points to Maya with the bottom, and addresses the Maltese instead of her.]

Come on, Silvia, don't tell me you're just going to stand by when she treats me like that! We've got a connection, right, Sil? We get each other. We're linked. ...Sil?

[Yeah, no, the Maltese is already enchanted, jumping around and putting her paws all over Maya and hardly standing still to get petted at all. Prompto frowns mightily and sinks into his seat, sulking.]

Fine. I see how it is.

[missleadingquestions]

[Maya gives Silvia little squeaky air-kisses, ruffling under the dog's ears.]

Good girl, Sil! That's right, ladies first!

[She looks over Silvia's wagging tail and smirks at Prompto.]

Come on! I even brought you water, don't pout at me.

[and now some action, or almost-action]

[lostcompany]

[Popping out on the surface in a sparsely populated town was weird; walking around a city that feels that much more like Tokyo, but populated and green and under the sun, might be even stranger.

It's disorienting. Especially when he's on his own, when having more people around him than he's ever seen in one place does nothing to provide any kind of direction. Hallelujah's been orbiting his fellow monsters-to-be even more tightly since arriving in Arcrion, parting from them only with specific plans on where to go and when to return; a subway trip directly to Yusei's shop, a quick walk down the road to grab lunch, two hours on the dot spent at the temple library or an odd job. There are texts, constantly, to everyone, checking and double-checking location, condition, whether help of any kind is needed.

Kid keeps himself busy.

After the group chat, a private text:]

You finish up yet or still walking?

[ACTION MEN]

[photoshooter]

omw back rn

- prompto a.

[He's texting one-handed, since the other's full of leashes.]

u?

- prompto a.

[lostcompany]

Done here. Where you at?

You can drop the signature thing now you know