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

[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.

[photoshooter]

well you were nice to me! helping me get out of those chains and all
most daemons mostly just try to run us over with mine carts and attack us and stuff. maybe you look and talk a little intimidating but you're no daemon.

[corruptedcoil]

I would not keep one imprisoned. Even if you were my enemy, in that situation, there is no reason to not free any prisoners. (You are not my enemy.)

Daemons, then, are simply monsters with special origin? Interesting. Can you tell me more?

[photoshooter]

they're, um
well i don't know too much about the technicalities but from what i've heard
daemons are
ugh well i guess they're people or animals who got infected by the starscourge which is a kind of
like
plague? from the stars. it makes our days shorter and our nights longer besides bringing more daemons into being.
man it's really hard to explain stuff that's normal in your world but apparently doesn't exist elsewhere

[corruptedcoil]

I can imagine it can be. I am not familiar with those terms, but from your description it reminds me of what Primals do.
I am not Urianger - one of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn (a group who works to stop the Primal and Ascian threat - later, I will explain Ascian if it is required), so please excuse me if this does not make as much sense as he would make it seem. However, he would also write in a rather archaic way which would make it more complex. (It is more endearing then it seems.)

When one is corrupted by the touch - or mind - of a Primal, their bodies may mutate to become more adapt to fighting for them. For example, Spoken tempered by Leviathan may become more fish-like, and some Sylph (Faery-like plant beings who protect their wood) who are tempered by Ramuh have been observed to grow beards. It is one of the risks of fighting and destroying them. For once one is tempered, they cannot be saved - their minds are taken by the Primal. Only those blessed by the Crystal are immune to this influence. Those who are tempered also desire to spread their influence though kidnappings, to temper more. It is not simply Spoken who can be tempered - I have witnessed a tempered Morbol. It was disgusting.

Though our terms are different, there are similarities. But it is difficult to explain. We, however, share the concept of Moogle. An odd thing to share, but it is something. (By the by - progress on creating a Wind-up Moogle has stalled during my research.)

[photoshooter]

(aw, sorry about mr. moogle! but i'm sure you'll have time once we get to the bottom of this ╭( ･ㅂ･)و ̑̑ )
but that is pretty weird! it sounds like our worlds have a lot of THINGS in common, but somehow they're still really dissimilar when it comes down to the big things. like, our astrals don't do that to people afaik. (at least i hope not.) they only even really interact with a couple chosen bloodlines and that's it, they mostly stay out of mortal affairs.
what about chocobos?
nobody else's world has chocobos as far as i've heard, not even noct's.

[corruptedcoil]

What is that after your sentence?

There are Chocobo, yes. They are bred in Ishgard and shipped out throughout the greater land - for either transport use, or for Chocobo Racing. There are other uses, but those are the ones which my brother and grandfather both tended to talk about. (When I traveled to seal myself, I took a stop in a Chocobo Forest. It is perplexing how only the Black ones are able to fly without training. Is it the same for you?)

(Noct is your friend, yes? I have heard theories on multiple worlds, but if he is that unfamilar, then I suppose it is true.
There are theories that my world has multiple worlds - and the Void is one of them, traveled to though Voidgates. However, there is no conclusive proof either way. If there is a world with less volatile Gods then mine, it may be nice.

...Bahamut was imprisoned, however, for thousands of years. I would not expect anything but anger from one stuck in a situation they hated for that long.)

1/2

[photoshooter]

it's a face! see?
【°∀°】 this one's happy
“(`(エ)´)ノ this one's a bear or a dog waving hello!
ˎ₍•ʚ•₎ˏ THIS ONE'S A BABY BIRD!!

basically it's a fun way to add some flavor and personality to your texting style!

2/2

[photoshooter]

well at least one other universe is getting things right
(though i don't think any of our chocobo can fly? their wings are too small and their bodies are too big. they can kind of glide for a while with a rider, that's all.)
(and yeah noct is my friend but he's d e f i n i t e l y from some kind of parallel dimension to eos. it's okay, we're working on getting each other up to speed)
don't get me wrong tho, our gods are VERY volatile or mercurial to say the least
titan tried really hard to smash us the first time we met him but then he ended up helping out later
basically they have their own agenda and i'm pretty sure none of them think very much of humans but they also don't want the world to fall into darkness again i guess
so they work with us
or with the king at least

[corruptedcoil]

We cannot discount the possibility that Chocobo - and other beings - are simply named other things in other universes.
(I apologize that I have no illustrations to demonstrate, but Chocobo can fly once they have been trained - along with other creatures Spoken have deemed ridable. The strangest, in my opinion, is the Adamantoise.)
(I am glad. It may be selfish, but I hope that if anybody comes here from Eorzea that they are not from my world. They may come from somewhere where my brother isn't a blabbermouth. How do you delete text.)

Titan is very volatile in my world as well, but no Primal is known to be helpful. Titan, however, is the Primal of the Kobold and is very dangerous. Those who fight him tend to be left injured from falling into cracks caused by his tremors. But they also are agents to help the world fall into darkness, due to the chaos of Ascians.

I mentioned Ascians briefly before, but they are agents of Chaos who desire to bring their God, Zodiark, back. The only one who has given us information without the desire to kill us is a heretic friend.

[photoshooter]

[There are many important things to respond to in that text, but.]

adamantoises can fly?????

[corruptedcoil]

Yes. They spin in circles. They are brought for this purpose from a gambling establishment in Ul'dah.

[photoshooter]

but they're so... ginormous.

[corruptedcoil]

Perhaps we are thinking of similar beings given the same name? (The ones I have seen are as tall as a Roegadyn - one of the Six Races. [Hyur, Elezen, Lalafell, Miqo'te, Roegadyn, and Au Ra.] 7'6.7", if you require the measurements. However, these ones are specially bred and tames - wild ones can grow up to quadruple that size.

There may be larger, but I have not seen them.)

[photoshooter]

the one adamantoise i saw was basically the size of a small mountain. or a large mountain. once you reach a certain point of personal smallness, scale doesn't really mean anything anymore.
anyway, he took like three days to kill, *non-stop.* it was hell.
but i got some pretty good pictures i guess

[corruptedcoil]

Excuse my language, but fuck that. There are Primals of that scale, but not regular monsters.

That I know of. There are legends of Dravanians who have grown to that scale over thousands of years, but they are unconfirmed - none who have seen one have survived.

But am I reading right - did you take breaks from battling to illustrate your own success?

[ alisaie 'doesnt know about cameras' leveilleur is judging you. ]

[photoshooter]

not LONG breaks! just long enough to snap a pic or two!
you had to have seen him bahamut he was SO BIG.
and so ornery
ugh
what an unbelievably majestic pain

[corruptedcoil]

Would that not take at least an hour to get it down? Irresponsible. Unless you required rest.

[ < unaware of cameras ]

I know that sometimes, somebody needs rest and recovery during combat. However, those are good times to give assistance to others though passive abilities or ask for a Bard to assist, if you have one.

[photoshooter]

hey, i only spend, like
a few seconds lining up my shot when we're in the middle of a fight
i wouldn't leave my friends in the lurch like that! even i don't make that much of a difference in battle, anyway

[< unaware of the problem]

[corruptedcoil]

Nobody is that fast in art.

And everybody is important in combat. You are not a Dragoon, are you?

[photoshooter]

i don't really know what that is so i guess not
also do you not have cameras where you're from?

[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.