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

[photoshooter]

well sometimes cults are just weird
and also sometimes people don't think cults are cults they just think they're like
i dunno
nerd conventions or something

[maximumest]

If they're not being dangerous and cults are dangerous then nerd convention might be the beter words to use

From what I've seen of this place I'm surprised they even believed you got summoned

as opposed to being on a variety of interesting forest mushrooms

[photoshooter]

dude lol!!
you've got a point buddy
i don't remember a lot about them but they did NOT look like they knew what they were doing

[lostcompany]

Well, who they're dangerous to is up in the air. Sometimes just themselves. Sometimes they're just SOCIALLY dangerous to themselves.

I'm not an expert

[maximumest]

Can you stop doing that it's getting hard to keep track of what you're writing when you keep doing that

[lostcompany]

Doing what?

[maximumest]

talking to yourself

writing, whatever

[photoshooter]

ah
broly
you know this is a group message right

[maximumest]

Every response is the same jumble of numbers

Just stick to one it'll be easier

[photoshooter]

you know what, explaining this is gonna take time so i'm just going to put a signature on all my texts
people who are used to phones pls do the same

- prompto a.

[lostcompany]

Oh that's a good idea.

- Hallelujah

[maximumest]

[This sure is a skeptical stare nobody can see.]

Anyway if the definition of cult requires dangerous and they're not then they're not a cult

So this nerd convention doesn't seem to be doing anything where I am but then again I didn't tell anyone I'm from another planet or got summoned yet either

[lostcompany]

Summoning people from other worlds seems potentially dangerous?

What should we do if we FIND one of them?

- Hallelujah

[maximumest]

People from other worlds?

If they look stronger than you don't fight them

[photoshooter]

so, don't fight anybody, ever. got it.

- prompto a.

[maximumest]

For you that might be a good idea

Though you can still learn to get stronger if you wanted to

[photoshooter]

i've got enough on my plate right now keeping a roof over me and noct's heads.........

- prompto a.

[maximumest]

Remember. Planetary demolition companies.

I'm not sure even his amazingly fluffy and soft bird is going to be able to do much about that.

[photoshooter]

some ppl just aren't meant to be strong, you know?
if i embrace my destiny as a fragile pool stick, that's a kind of strength, too. supposedly. idk i don't really understand philosophy.

- prompto a.

[maximumest]

You're wrong, everyone is meant to be strong

Some simply never make the effort to

There are different kinds of strength, if yours isn't in the physical, then try the mental, or even the metaphysical

There is magic here, you could learn it

It might be cheap shots but if it can stop even me, and I've destroyed a galaxy, then something like Frieza's employees won't be as much a danger at all

[photoshooter]

why did you destroy a galaxy

- prompto a.

[He can't even work up the energy to be alarmed, here. This is just Broly. This is Broly's life.]

[n_octis]

Unova is crafted to be protected from anything outside, including planetary demolition and world destruction via errant wishgranter.

[ Stella is still using Noctis' phone. She stole it. ]

Then again, there are multiple gods watching over that small segment of the planet.

[maximumest]

Unless one of those gods is Beerus I wouldn't assume all is well and safe

That's how planets get blown up

[planetary_bonds]

There's more than one of us talking.

It's a group chat.

[and to prove his point SURPRISE IT'S A TOTALLY UNRELATED PERSON]

[maximumest]

[Thoroughly skeptical, this one isn't going to get a response BECAUSE CLEARLY IT'S ALL THE SAME PERSON, PICK ONE PROMPTO]