show me your thorns.

the youngest prince of the country of nohr

wields the legendary tome brynhildr, which can be used to control earth / gravity / life energy (though to what extent exactly is not entirely clear in-game)

comes off more than a little harsh / blunt at times due to his pragmatic nature and can also seem ruthless, though that’s not exactly the case

if you were raised by garon you would be a mess too

cares deeply for his family + retainers, though he seems to have difficulty showing such outright

“smart but emotionally constipated”

fates’s story was also kind of a mess but we had some good characters

tomatoes are neat

✦ “Sorry, I teach combat and war strategies at a school where I come from. Or I did a while ago.” She was hardly a professor anymore by Fodlan’s standards. She was more or less an asset of the Adrestian Empire these days. But after the way? She’d been thinking she might want to go back to teaching again. “When I see someone training I’m just drawn to their technique out of habit.”

The boy seemed a little rough around the edges attitude wise, but he didn’t come off as hostile. Most people didn’t like being critiqued by strangers and so that she could understand. 

“Right. So the way you distribute your weight when you swing your sword is a little revealing. You’re accounting for the centre of gravity as if you were on horseback subconsciously and over-correcting when you swing. This leaves an unnecessary opening if the person you were fighting caught onto it. I wouldn’t say it’s bad that you have this problem, it’s just a testament to how well trained you are to fight mounted.”

⯌ : he’s taking this impromptu lesson in earnest, for there is no downside to improving his decidedly average skill with the sword whilst trapped once again upon the island. though there’s that innate reflex towards embarrassment upon receiving criticism, leo knows better than to rebuke another simply for offering it up, even if they are otherwise low on the ladder of his trust. he’s curious about her origins, but there’s no easy lead-in that would allow him to inquire without heavy-handed bluntness, so he refrains.

it’s easier now to accept the situation for what it is: a learning experience.

‘if i must be honest, i don’t often fight unmounted.’ a pause. ‘of course, that’s all i’ve ever done here, but even then i tend to ignore the more... physical aspects of combat.’ there’s no use lying about any aspect of his ability when seeking improvement. he suspects that this woman may very well see through any attempts on his part.

nohreason / leo !

          “—!” His name nearly rolls off Noctis’s tongue upon catching sight of him, however he fortunately prevents himself from doing just that. Even if he had considered Leo an ally now, he still wasn’t quite comfortable displaying such familiarity if it wasn’t exactly necessary. As luck would have it, Leo manages to notice his presence without being addressed and in response Noctis makes his way towards him with the intention to speak with him.

          “You’re back, huh…?” That’s all he left it at, since saying anything along the lines of ‘I’m happy to see you’ would be inappropriate, given where they were.

⯌ : he’d expected no fanfare upon his return to the island; really, leo figured he was like as not to find himself effectively alone this time around. to find that was not the case was something of a pleasant surprise, though the smirking smile that displays itself across his lips isn’t a good indicator of that small bit of relief he feels.

‘you know, i’d have thought you might forget about me in the time i was gone.’ a pause, as he considers his words a bit more carefully. ‘i am... somewhat glad to see that’s not the case.’ it’s a cautious statement — it’s easier to maintain a careful distance than to allow any potential attachment show, when the likelihood of this all being ripped and torn away is high and ever-looming on the horizon.

‘noctis.’ he’ll be the first to use names, lest they both stay hesitant and awkward during the entirety of this reunion. ‘i can only presume you’ve been here the entire time, then?’ he pauses, realizing the insensitivity of such a blunt remark, but he does his best not to show as much. ‘we should go somewhere that bears less resemblance to derelict ruins before we... catch up.’

@nohreason​

✦ “Not to interrupt your training, but are you used to fighting on horseback by chance? Your standing posture seems to suggest it, just from how much weight you put into it.”

⯌ : the sword has never come to him as easily as magic has, but leo strives to improve nonetheless. granted, it’s still with the shoddy practice weapon he’s held onto since his last time here, but there will always be time to replace it.

as this woman approaches him, he’s understandably wary — especially so given that he’d thought he’d found a relatively isolated locale — but she seems possess good intent, insofar as he trusts his ability to gauge such from a complete stranger. still, for lack of anything better do, he’ll oblige her criticism.

‘very astute.’ he leans on the wooden blade slightly, one hand atop the hilt. ‘unfortunately, my beloved mount isn’t here with me, else i wouldn’t bother practicing like this.’

          It’s odd—him beginning again only to note on the peaceful state of their surroundings; at first, Noctis reacts to the shift of topic with raised brows, yet seconds after he finds himself scrutinizing the clearing, listening to the chirping of distant birds, and the wind breezing past him. It was a fact, in the end, that he had already known—after all, he wouldn’t have come here if it hadn’t been, though taking it in now, he would agree that it was more peaceful than he had initially thought. “Yeah… guess so…” Thereafter does a soft smile cross his lips, unseen to the other, though it soon vanishes as he catches him suddenly acting aloof to his presence now, which had heavily contrasted his actions just minutes ago. All he could do in response to his words was reach for the back of his neck awkwardly whilst contemplating whether he should truly leave or not, even despite the young man’s offer. Then what follows after was his name; it was short, quite easy to commit to memory, though still he avoids saying it ( for his own reasons ). That doesn’t stop him, from repeating in inwardly to himself however, and only after doing that does he respond with his own.

          “Noctis.”

          A silence then onward settles between them, yet it’s eventually broken as he backtracks to address a few things he had said earlier on. “… Apologizing… shouldn’t that be my line…? I mean, I’m the one who walked in on you doing that, so… uh… sorry… about that.” At this point, he starts pacing around to avoid gazing at the other entirely—if only to make him seem less inelegant about what he’s about to say. “… It’s a pretty rare gift to have back in my world… magic… truth be told, I don’t even know how it all works…” It was obvious by how he had presented himself; Leo appeared insightful and self-assured when speaking to others, completely the opposite of him. With all that to consider, admitting as much was a little more than embarrassing. 

          “… You disappointed? Sorry I can’t be more informative.”

it’s an unusual situation, and leo can’t seem to find it in himself to drive the other from his sight even as he ventures further into an experiment that has embarrassingly personal origins. it doesn’t help that his efforts thus far to get any manner of flora he grows to live longer than a single day have all failed. still, tight-lipped though he intends to remain about his motivations, it alleviates some of the strangeness of it all to have company as he fails over and over again.

that the other begins to talk of his own volition is a good start. helpful, at least, in distracting his focus from his own self-directed disappointment.

<<Not particularly, really. I’ve always wondered about the magic of other realms, now that I know they exist. Incomplete pieces of knowledge are knowledge, nonetheless.>>

he shrugs his shoulders, then drives one gloveless hand into the dirt. his free hand has remained (gloved and dirt-free) upon brynhildr still open in his lap. he supposes he could offer some interesting tidbit of information about the magic of his homeland, but divulging too much too soon is a concept that grates against his sensibilities. that, and he cannot quite shake the inability to trust a stranger entirely; that would just be foolish. it’s better he keep some secrets, brynhildr being a source of his strength among them.

the chill of winter hasn’t yet seeped into his bones, but the air bites the back of his throat with every inhale. the snow hasn’t quite disappeared from the landscape, instead dwindling to ashen remains here and there. the death throes of the season are here — the cold will remain the longest. it doesn’t bother leo, used to worse and longer with less sunlight to brighten the day, but it does make for an uncomfortable outing.

especially when a young woman knocks into him at top-speed. presumably she’s en route to something (or someone) important, but assuming the best of the situation has never been leo’s strong point. the scowl that crosses his lips as he rises to his feet is not quite legendary, but it isn’t helped by the slush that has soaked into his good winter clothes and the cold that has begun to freeze him from the inside out.

the weight of the blunted sword in his hands makes him ill at ease; a physical weapon will always feel uncomfortably foreign in comparison to his beloved brynhildr. still, leo has felt the obligation to continue training with the sword (lest he lose any semblance of skill he might have had, and further disappoint the xander in his memories) and thus had he approached camilla with the notion that they could spar together. it had seemed like a good idea, overall, though perhaps motivated by an entirely different reason.

he had been lonely, but leo would sooner rip out his own still-beating heart than voice such a sentiment. there was no reason for him to stew in his solitude as he so often did of late, but the desire for company had overtaken him. even more specific was the singular heartache reserved for his family, notoriously absent from the island but for his dear elder sister, and often had he felt too proud to seek even her attention. as much as he loved camilla, he always ended up feeling like the younger brother he technically was around her, and that always left him with a strange mixture of emotions both good and bad.

approaching her under the guise of getting in training, on the other hand? perfectly reasonable.

he raises the practice sword (procured with some difficulty, understandable when the island requires the use of real weapons) unsteadily in his right hand, the gesture entirely too unfamiliar to him still.

he’s not been watching this man for long — somehow leo suspects that a man this large and skilled with a blade, even one wrought of wood, isn’t the type to let himself be snuck up on. still, in the snowy wood he supposes his steps alone are enough of an announcement, but he places no faith in being pardoned for visiting unintentionally. he’d only been out and about to check on a few botanical experiments of his, anyhow.

“That is assuming that they’d care about providing us with a more comfortable weather.”

“However, I think I could be capable of pulling off a weather change of that sort! Not forever, as per the limitations our captors submit us to, but I could give it a shot at making the weather more fall or spring like.”

<<I suppose you’re right.>> that much he concede; it’s obvious those in charge don’t care about what they do or how they live much beyond the supposed ‘experiments’ on the lot of them. what intrigues him now is the man’s claim to be able to change the weather. surely it’s just a boast? or is he really capable of magic powerful enough to shift the weather?

✧*:･ﾟ| OH yes, the youth a tricky sort, and something of seeing such a YOUNG FACE adorned in this regalia disquiets him. That is how it was like in the olden days when life expectancies were short and plagues blew death upon entire villages. If only they were buying sweets instead! Yet, done is done, and those steelly eyes wouldn’t be deterred from their goal, even if he put everything he could into trying to PERSUADE otherwise.

IT is a path they have already chosen; may as well be the dotty old man to a most logical and decisive CONCLUSION.

❝CAUTION, yes … Do not communicate with anyone who does not look like they’re from the city,❞ he croaks. Easier said than done, of course, for as it is, no one TRULY looks like they belong here. What is belonging in a city of forced immigrants? Nonetheless, he follows the CONVICTIONS behind his words and floats. Gliding along queerly with no need to root himself to earth. A silent ghost; or would be if it were not for his size. ❝I cannot gain altitude for long, but if you wish for me to do so; to have a DIFFERENT point of view – I am ready.❞

leo nods along absentmindedly, his attention more readily absorbed by their surroundings as they begin to walk — or, at least, as one of them walks and the other floats. he’s still not quite certain what to make of that particular facet of the gentleman who has become his wayward travel companion. magic, perhaps? what else could it be?

<<I have no intention of engaging in conversation with anything else within these woods unless I absolutely must, thank you.>>

his focus is redrawn at the man’s latest remark, uncertain what to make of it but somehow not surprised nonetheless. while the revelation draws no outward reaction, the gears have begun turning in the young strategist’s mind as he considers their next steps.

Ah, he’s embarrassed.

It’s a rather cute look, Zero thinks. Leo was never really a hard person to embarrass, especially since all one had to do was point out whether his clothes were on backwards or not, but it still made the outlaw’s lips curl in an amused smile. He chuckled lightheartedly at his words - not expecting him to ask him that, but he can’t say he’s too surprised either. Though he doesn’t indulge much in the activity nowadays, he did know how to dance.

     “A dance. With you. My, Lord Leo. I’m rather worried that you      might be losing your hearing. Do remember to take care of your      body.”

Gently, he took Leo’s hand in his after his teasing, giving his lord a bow with the amused smile still on his face. His hand was soft, warm. He couldn’t help but give it a gentle squeeze, wanting to feel more of it. Dark blue eyes look right up at him, twinkling in the light of the ballroom. He pulled him from his seat, leading him to the dance floor. It was filled with people, so they could blend in easily if they needed to, which he figured he might want to if he’s so embarrassed right now.

     “And here I thought you knew everything about me. I suppose      I can’t fault you too much. You hired me to kill, not to dance. To      answer your question, I do know how to dance. And I’m more      than willing to show you how I can move…”

still he hopes that his face has not flushed in apparent embarrassment. it isn’t often that zero manages to catch him off his guard these days, but somehow leo finds himself precariously positioned and prone in this conversation. it’s a bit of a throwback to the older days, when he had not quite accustomed himself to his roguish retainer’s strange and cynical sense of humor.

and yet it’s very different now.

<<I’ve been taking perfectly good care of myself, thank you very much.>> he’s ruffled, that much is certain, and it is well and truly difficult not to let it all shine through. instead he scoffs, dismissive of the commentary. <<My hearing is just fine. It’s just too loud here.>>

it’s when zero takes his hand that he finally finds himself at a loss for words, though thankfully he does not sputter or lose face by spewing unnecessary lines to fill the brief quiet that seems to have filled the space around them and only them. that he allows himself to be led to the dance floor without saying anything stupid is miraculous, he supposes, but he is well-practiced in staying his tongue when the situation requires it.

he wills the right words to come to him, just as he wills himself to remain composed, proper. just this once — and perhaps never again — he’ll be able to enjoy a moment like this, hopefully perfectly preserved in memory. just this once, he’d like to enjoy himself. perhaps it’s unfitting that he harbor any lingering emotions towards the other man when their relationship has always been that of lord and retainer, but leo feels he deserves this night.

<<If I must be truthful, I’d never had the opportunity to see you dance. It never came up in conversation.>> it makes sense that he would know how, of course; this is entirely irrelevant to the train of thought his mind is now set upon. he braces a hand upon the taller man’s shoulder, his other still clasped within a surprisingly warm embrace.

✧*:･ﾟ| DISTANT, pleasant, somewhat glazed over stare prods the youth’s. Despite being remarkably prickly, his attitude has yet to stress out Siebren. To be fair, he’s not hostile, yet simply sharp. Sharp, the scientist can handle. He’s touched worse. Sometimes, it is the DOTTY OLD MEN who are the prophets, the purveyors of knowledge.

WORDS may have spoken of monsters, but Siebren’s eyes are utterly placid. Foolish? Or unafraid? Well, he could not so easily offer his life story to the boy, and he wonders if he’d even be BELIEVED. I’ve faced monsters. They ate my mind. But, I’m still here. ❝You may think me odd, but I am not deterred by monsters.❞

EVEN so, he DID offer help, and even more than that, proves himself delighted that the youth would accept. ❝Excellent! You’re CORRECT about an extra set of eyes. Always be things that simply require different perspectives to understand.❞ Yes, he’s not afraid of monsters, and perhaps FOOLISHLY SO, but that didn’t mean that he dislikes company.

INDEED, he’s positively beaming as eyes glance upwards between the boughs of trees thick enough to house his apartment room. Open glances all around, the weather is PLEASANTLY temperate against his armour clad skin. Despite the youth’s prickly demeanor, he continues to be cheery, perhaps eerily so; almost as if the mist is more his home than concrete floors and steel walls.

❝NO, it would not work so well,❞ he murmurs. ❝The Wood is not so EASILY tamed, not even to those who have a mastery at survival. This direction … ❞ He begins, with a float of his body to tug him along. ❝ … It feels UNFAMILIAR to me. Unexplored.❞

always he hesitates to admit fault in his own actions, to expose any shortcomings in his own behavior, but leo finds it somewhat easier to speak to this stranger than most. already he’s revealed his own momentary failure in accurately charting his route throughout this place, and the old man seems not to have judged him. perhaps it’s just a foolish fear of appearing anything less than outwardly perfect and confident that stirs him so.

either way, he’s still not quite sure what he’s gotten himself into with this old man. not deterred, indeed. he’s liable to distrust every word that comes out of the man’s mouth, and yet he himself has no better suggestion to offer or pronouncement to make on the situation; for once leo finds himself devoid of the necessary information to make a decisive judgement and offer direction (literally) for their greater good. in truth, he knows nothing of these woods beyond rumor and happenstance.

might as well rely on the old man.

<<Then I suppose we might head in that direction.>> a pause, as he surveys their increasingly foreboding surroundings with a cynic’s eye.

@nohreason ➴ ( sc ) !!

To anyone who knew Claude, seeing him completely surrounded by books wouldn’t be too much of a surprise.

Spirale’s library certainly had a lot to offer in terms of its book collection, though whether or not they had what Claude was seeking was an entirely different story all together. That, of course, didn’t mean he was going to give up so easily. He didn’t even notice the stares he was given as gloved hands flipped through the pages of the book in his hands, as several books laid along the table he occupied. 

( Seriously, there were a lot. )

     “… So far, there doesn’t seem to be any information      about the island here.”

Well, information he was looking for. Sure, there was information about the island, but it wasn’t the specific one he was looking for. A sigh left his lips, cheek resting on the palm of his hand.

     “Maybe I’m looking in the wrong place… Maybe there’s      something hidden here.”

it’s difficult to involve himself in another’s business, but when the other party is decidedly loud enough to be clearly overheard without leo exerting overly much effort to listen in, it’s just as difficult to stay quiet. that aside — he’s attempted the same research, with nearly the same fervor and no results to show for it. surely he should at least tell the man it’s a hopeless, wasted effort.

that, and a tinge of curiosity motivates him as he approaches, neutral expression upon his face lest he otherwise unsettle the stranger from the get-go. leo knows that he himself would be wary of just anyone approaching him out of nowhere, but even armed with his own general distrust of others he cannot quite bring himself to let this go.

<<You’ll have to pardon me for the intrusion, but — >>

A tale about rats? You can be sure that the orc had been curious about the children’s book and picked it up to read. The fonts are a little smaller than he’s used to, which makes it eve more of a challenge to read. Maybe it would be easier to read if every book or newspaper had bigger letters. He then perks up from his book as he’s being talked to. As he smiles at the other, his ears go slightly up as well. The apparent grudge is completely lost on him. He may be too proud to accept help in a fight one against one, but when it comes to learn to read, or generally more about humans, he doesn’t have to think hard.

“I would like some help.” The word he points to is omniscient.  He knows what all-knowing or all-wise means but omniscient is not a word he’s heard before. Let alone how to pronounce it.

this isn’t exactly how he had intended to spend his day at the library, but he supposes it could be worse. the other doesn’t seem quite so off-putting now that he’s spoken, and for once leo is entirely within his element here. with a slight sigh, he rises to his feet and approaches with steady steps to see what, exactly, the orc is pointing at. to his surprise, it’s not an entirely simple word — though of course it is one he already knows.

<<The word is omniscient.>> gaze focused on the book (apparently a children’s story, if the cute illustrations are anything to go by), he points one finger directly on the word as he thinks of a simple explanation. his little sister always hated when he responded to simple questions with complicated answers, and he’s since realized that teaching is a difficult task in its own right. certainly it’s one he’s not well suited for.

     // @nohreason

          “Hmm… Where to begin…?“

     Ike may have a rather serious expression plastered on… but his inner focus was on a matter that most would simply consider trivial: where to go for dinner. Having found himself at the Star Trail, one of the patrons had explained the purpose of this area– to provide meals, prepared as though they were freshly made from the worlds of the outsiders brought to Radiale City. For Ike to be able to indulge in any meal from his homeland of Tellius once again… It’s a small comfort, but one he’ll fully embrace and appreciate during his stay here.

     Arms folded across the chest, a single finger tapped along his arm as the hero mulled over his options. Does one simply find a booth with the food they recognize? Are they all capable of providing these familiar meals? And whichever the case may be, where should he even start? The chance of endless possibilities wound up leaving Ike at a crossroads… And if he was unintentionally blocking anyone off while lost in his thoughts, he remained unaware.

leo considers himself a relatively patient man, but far too often it seems the world delights in testing the absolute limits of his willpower. were it a more serious situation, he might have been inclined to wait quietly, but this man blocks the entrance to one of his favorite locations — a casual restaurant where everything is tomato-themed.

perhaps it’s more important than he’d like to let on. regardless, this giant of a man stands in his way, and shoving him or otherwise attempting to physically (or magically) move him seems beyond rude, and certainly an untoward action for a prince to undertake. he stands there, waiting, as the man continues to stand perfectly in the way, and just this once leo wonders if perhaps being shorter might almost have worked in his favor. alas. the words leave his mouth without much thought.