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year 5, quarter 3
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[attr=class,lyric1]i am noctis, prince of lucis and
[attr=class,lyric2]king of fishing
[attr=class,bulk] Alex hadn’t been kidding when he’d told Noctis that he had a few fishing jobs lined up that the prince could take. He’d half expected that the blond man was just trying to further entice him into joining the Rising Stones (it had worked of course but that wasn’t the point). For his part, Noctis was more than happy about getting paid to fish. It at least took his mind off things, like worrying about his friends or what was going on back home. It sounded like the other three were here at least, but that didn’t change what had been happening on Eos with the nights getting longer and Ardyn planning…something. It’s not that Noctis wanted to face the red-haired man again, but someone had to. He didn’t like to think about what the man had done to the world in the meantime.
Still, it was hard to dwell on much of anything when he was seated on a dock with his pole in a lake. It was his first time being in the Torensten area, and the weather here reminded him a lot of Galdin Quay. Plenty of sun, clear water, the sense that if he ventured into town, he could get a delicious drink with coconut in it. There wasn’t much not to like.
He was currently on the hunt for a large fish native to the coast of Sonora. It was supposedly an invasive species that had been demolishing the lake’s population of local fish, so the city was paying for someone to finally catch the huge sturgeon. Noctis had caught a few smaller bites so far, but nothing that would signal the king of the lake had decided to take interest yet. No problem though. Noctis would switch out the bait if he had to and keep this up for as long as it took.
Or at least that’s what he intended until the prickling sensation started.
When Noctis was distracted, he would sometimes barely notice the feeling of someone calling on his magic. When he did feel it, it was usually small, like a brief tingling over his skin, but he imagined that would get worse the more people that he shared his magic with. There were only three people in the world that he’d given it to, after all. He couldn’t imagine how bad the feeling had gotten for his dad near the end, with whole armies calling on his magic.
Point being, someone was using Lucian magic. Someone close was using Lucian magic. Bolting upright on the dock, Noctis stared in the direction of the city skyline, his heart beating a little faster as he weighed his options. Alex had met Prompto multiple times, but he wasn’t sure where the blond had gotten off to recently. And Ignis and Gladio were supposedly up in Sonora even if they didn’t know that location yet either. Which meant…
“Prompto,” he muttered, nearly forgetting to reel in the line in his haste. He was definitely a lot less careful than normal as he packed up his tackle box and banished it back into his glaive along with the fishing pole itself.
He had a city to explore now after all. If nothing else, he could just follow his intuition.
Post by Caius Dragelion on Feb 4, 2022 11:10:17 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
Believe it or not, Caius was also fishing.
The former Kingsglaive didn’t take Vordun into the vicinity of the city much, but now that he was allowed, he felt a little more comfortable bringing him in once in awhile for fishing trips, as Vordun very much enjoyed those. And it gave Caius a chance to relax his mind too, while doing something practical at the same time. It was on the outskirts of the city that he had found a dock where there weren’t many people around, brought out his gear and got to fishing. He hadn’t once thought that stuffing his fishing gear into the glaive of king’s magic he possessed would be able to be sensed, at least not by anyone in this world. There had been one, but Caius’ memories of them were vague, and the buzz in his head that indicated their presence had disappeared completely one day. It wasn’t long after that he couldn’t even remember their name. This wasn’t the first time though, that a person of note had disappeared from the face of the planet and left a hole in his memory. So Caius’ guess was that they had returned to their world. Leaving not a single Lucian King left. Or at least, as far as he knew.
So here he was, laying against a dragon who was curled up and napping, watching the ocean while his bait bobbed to and fro in the ocean. Though eventually, a small buzz in his head could be felt. He couldn’t sense as strongly as the King could, but it was there.
[attr=class,lyric1]i am noctis, prince of lucis and
[attr=class,lyric2]king of fishing
[attr=class,bulk] Noctis had thought he might have to venture into the city to locate the source of the magic, but after whistling for the chocobo that he’d rented, his intuition actually sent him in another direction. Specifically to the beaches that were a few miles away on the other side of the lake. It was a sizeable body of water to cross, and while Noctis had felt pretty isolated in his own corner of it, he discovered after mounting the chocobo and dashing off around the perimeter that there were actually a few other people out and about. Some were fishing like he had been, and others were out on the water in small rowboats or just plain swimming. He raised a hand to some of them as he dashed by, though he secretly hoped that none of the fisherman would catch the king sturgeon before he could manage it. Still, there were more important matters to deal with right now, even for him. Finding his friends qualified.
It was a relaxing ride down to the beach with the warm wind whipping his hair around his face and the ocean horizon getting bigger and bigger as he approached. The white sands seemed crowded with people, but after hesitating for a moment, Noctis steered the chocobo in a different direction. It was a little too crowded for his taste, and he felt like Prompto would feel the exact same way.
After running down the coast for a little ways, Noctis came across a lesser-used corner of the beach. It looked like an ideal fishing spot actually, and after slowing down to look at it, he noticed a bright blue mound that was glinting in the sun near the water. Squinting at it, he urged the chocobo a little closer so he could get a better look at it. Was it a big boulder? Some kind of animal?
Having lived his entire life under the crystal bestowed upon his family by the Draconian, it took Noctis longer than it should have to realize that the creature lying on the beach was a dragon with its blue scales glinting in the sun. Unfortunately, the chocobo realized a split second after he did, and it reared up with a sqwauk of fright. Noctis landed hard on the sand as the bird tore off down the beach for safety. “Wait-” Noctis stretched out a hand, but ended up dropping it and his head with a sigh as he let it go for now. He’d go collect the bird once it had a chance to calm down.
Not that he really blamed it. Keeping a careful eye on the dragon, Noctis rose to his feet to see if it would attack him, but it seemed more sleepy than anything. In fact, it didn’t seem to be napping alone, and Noct blinked in surprise as he finally noticed the blond man fishing next to the creature. Laying on the dragon actually, which felt like a power move. If Prompto were here, Noctis had a feeling that he would be losing his mind over how cool this guy was.
“...Hey,” He greeted him a little lamely since the man had just watched him wipe out in the sand. He stayed where he was up the beach for now until he knew for sure that the dragon didn’t mind strangers. He wasn’t out to provoke anyone’s pets. “I’m guessing that’s your dragon.” It was probably the other way around actually, since he wasn’t sure you could strictly control a dragon. Maybe this guy was some kind of dragon tamer though.
That prickling feeling of Lucian magic was back and stronger than ever. “...You haven’t seen another guy around here, have you? Name’s Prompto, and he’s got blond, spiky hair. Kind of short. Maybe 5’8…”
It was worth a shot when the source felt so close.
Post by Caius Dragelion on Feb 19, 2022 18:31:46 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
The little buzz in his head was getting a bit louder, and more annoying at that. It was eventually enough for Caius to take notice, and he would steadily open his eyes. He had almost fallen asleep at the fishing spot. Not that he figured anyone would try to attack him around here, not with Vordun there. But a chance for a nice nap in front of the ocean was interrupted further when the panicked squeak of a chocobo caused Vordun to sit up, causing Caius to nearly bonk his head in turn. "Hey!" he protested when he lost his pillow, but Caius was able to get up in time. He looked over to see the bird running away. That was weird, if there was a chocobo here, then...
“...Hey,”
Caius would look over when the voice struck a chord. He knew that voice. He knew that voice very well. And it caused Caius to jerk to his feet at full speed as he walked over a few paces to see if it really was who he thought it was. And so it was.
"... Your Majesty."
No, Your Highness. He could tell. One look at him told everything. This was Noctis, but... It wasn't his Noctis. It wasn't the King. He was younger than he was, just like Prompto. So this was the Noctis from Prompto's time, then. This was... Weird, to say the least. Noctis had been far older than him when he had joined the Kingsglaive, yet this one was just a lad. But the voice, the face... It was unmistakable.
Vordun moved to sniff at Noctis, but Caius held out a hand to indicate for him to stand down for now. He didn't want to cause an issue. "Aye, Vordun is my friend. He won't hurt anybody."
Where did he even start? He was... Well, he had mixed feelings. To see a Noctis at all after so many years was an experience he wasn't sure if he was ready for. Or if he would ever be ready for it. How did he feel? Relieved, happy to see Noctis? Or disappointed that it clearly wasn't the King he had served? Fate was cruel, just as this world was. But Caius had learned this a long time ago.
"I've met him. I just directed him a few days ago, actually" Caius answered when Noctis asked after Prompto. While disappointed that he didn't recognize him, Caius wasn't surprised either. They had never met in his time.
He stepped forward, eventually extending a hand when he was close enough. "My name is Caius, Your... Highness, pardon me. I was a Kingsglaive before being sent here. Prompto is off to Sonora to free your other two retainers from imprisonment."
[attr=class,lyric1]i am noctis, prince of lucis and
[attr=class,lyric2]king of fishing
[attr=class,bulk] The blond guy jerked to his feet like Noctis had woken him up pretty abruptly. The prince felt bad about that honestly—it was a beautiful day to be down by the water, and the man and his dragon had seemed to just be minding their own business. Noctis was feeling pretty sheepish about barging in even before he noticed that the man was staring at him like he’d seen a ghost. Frowning, Noct was about to ask him what was up, but he froze at the title the stranger used to address him. Your majesty.
After weeks of not being recognized anywhere, it caught him completely off guard, and all he could do was stare at the man for a moment. The title wasn’t…wrong necessarily. His father was dead, but Noctis still didn’t feel that he deserved to be called a king yet. He’d never been crowned, and it wasn’t a title he’d even felt that he could use while Lucis was still under the empire’s control. He wasn’t a king of anything if his nation had been conquered, and maybe he never would be a king now that he was trapped here on Zephon. He’d never have the chance to set things right like this.
“...You’re from Lucis?” He finally managed, stepping forward to look at the man better. He was tall and built and looked to be just a few years older than Noctis himself—maybe around Gladio’s age. He honestly suspected that the guy probably came from Insomnia itself, since in his experience, nobody outside the capital city much cared for the royal family. Not that he could really blame them when his dad had pulled back the wall and left them to fend for themselves against Niflheim and the daemons. Even if his father didn’t have a choice, it was still a part of his legacy that made him uncomfortable to remember.
The man reassured him that the blue dragon—Vordun apparently—was friendly, so Noctis held out a cautious hand for the creature to sniff. It was the hand with the Ring of the Lucii on it, and he lightly stroked a few of Vordun’s scales before he got completely distracted by the man saying that he’d met Prompto just a few days ago. “Seriously? You’ve seen him?” That perked the prince right up as he looked at the blond stranger. “I met someone else who knew he was here, but we weren’t sure where he’d gotten off to.”
Had he finally met someone who could help him find Prompto? Still, even that was set aside for the moment when the man held out a hand and introduced himself as Caius. The weight of his words weren’t lost on Noctis, and when he shook Caius’ hand, it was with a solemn respect that was unusual for the prince. He knew what the kingsglaive had fought for and risked during the fall of Insomnia, and it would haunt Noctis to his last breath that he hadn’t been there to help.
“I’m Noct,” he introduced himself in return, which was unnecessary since Caius had known him on sight. He wanted to show him that he didn’t have to stick to titles while they were in another world though. “If you were a glaive, then…thank you. For everything you did for Insomnia. And for serving my father.” It was only after letting go of his hand that he realized something was a little odd about that considering what had led him here. “Actually, this might not be by chance. I came down this way when I thought I felt someone using Lucian magic. You…would have lost yours though, right? After the fall.” Specifically after his dad had died, but Noctis didn’t really want to go there, and he doubted that Caius did either. Too many memories.
Shaking his head, Noct tried to focus on the last thing that Caius had said. “Then you know where Ignis and Gladio are too? I heard from Alex—er, he’s the guy who found me first—that they were in some kind of trouble in Sonora, but we didn’t know where to start yet.” Caius was turning out to be a treasure trove for finding his friends, so he would have liked the guy immediately just for that even if he hadn’t been a kingsglaive.
Post by Caius Dragelion on Mar 2, 2022 23:07:41 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
"Yuna referred him to me when he found out I was Kingsglaive. Then I referred him to a contact back in Sonora, unfortunately. You just missed him by a few days" Caius answered as he nodded to Vordun to indicate it was safe when Noctis held out a hand. Vordun would lean forward and sniff at Noct's hand. Seeming to find something familiar about them, Vordun leaned into his hand when he pet him, which got a small laugh out of Caius. It was likely the power of kings sleeping within him, if Caius was to guess.
Though as he continued, Caius couldn't help the smallest, most bittersweet smile. He had mistaken him for a Glaive of King Regis. Because of course he had. Why would he think differently? Caius had known this was coming the moment he had first lain eyes on him. He had known ever since meeting Provo that if he were to find Noctis here, it would likely turn out just like this. So it seemed he'd had some time to come to terms with that fact. Introducing himself by Noct, seeming to establish that boundary in a way that even Caius understood well enough, Noctis thanked him for his service to his father. The smile was all he could manage. There was no point in correcting him, not right now. It would be a fruitlessly confusing discussion right now, when there wasn't enough of a foundation of trust there. He would tell him more another time.
"I never lost it. I had thought myself fallen in battle while trying to prevent an attempt on my King's life. But next thing I know, I'm here and still have my abilities. I've had a few years to improve on them, even. I suppose I probably have your presence here to thank for at least some of that" spoke Caius as Noctis inquired about his abilities. He was telling the truth, but he decided to omit a few details. Such as what King he was referring to in particular. Noctis moved onto his retainers, and some informant of his named Alex who Caius didn't recognize. He sighed, scratching his head. "By what Prompto told me, they've found themselves in a Sonoran prison somehow. None of us know which one. I sent him to an informant in hopes they could pinpoint which one. I don't know if they're going to be able to negotiate a release, though."
He left out the part about staging a jailbreak for now. While this indeed was Noctis, he knew nothing about this version. Nor where his loyalties lay. It was better to be safe than sorry.
[attr=class,lyric1]i am noctis, prince of lucis and
[attr=class,lyric2]king of fishing
[attr=class,bulk] Noctis dropped his head forward when Caius gave him the bad news that he’d just missed Prompto by a few days. “Figures…” Ironically, Noct himself had just come down from Sonora and Provo, so they must have passed each other in transit at some point. That was just his luck. If the gods existed here, then they weren’t exactly on his side this time.
Then again, when had they ever been?
Caius shared that he still had his powers, which made Noctis raise an eyebrow. Lucian powers were supposed to be connected to the sovereign who had given it to them, so he should in theory have lost it after Noctis’ dad had died in the attack on Insomnia. He nodded slowly though as Caius explained a little further. “So you were brought here during the invasion? I…guess that could make sense. If this place exists outside of time for Eos or something.” That was the only thing that could make sense really. If Regis was still alive at this point in time for Caius.
It was weird though—he never thought he’d see a kinsglaive again. Especially not one who had been willing to die for his dad, so he tucked his hands in his pockets as he offered his gratitude. “...Hey. Thank you. For trying to save him.” It wasn’t nearly as eloquent as a king should probably be, but Noctis was worried that he’d get emotional if he put anymore into it. This stranger probably didn’t want that from him when they’d just met.
Meanwhile, Vordun was actually being super friendly and rubbing all over his hand, which brought a slight grin to Noct’s face that he normally reserved for cats. “Sorry for thinking you might attack me, buddy. I’d give you some fish if I had any on me.” Not that a fish would go very far for a dragon—maybe a Behemoth would be a better present. Its meat hadn’t been too bad in the Cup Noodles that Gladio had made for all of them either.
Noctis’ smile slipped off his face though when Caius shared that Ignis and Gladio were locked up north in a Sonoran prison. Prompto was apparently trying to negotiate their release, which…good luck with that, from what he’d seen. “...They won’t let them out. I don’t like what I’ve seen of Sonora so far. They’re too much like the empire for my taste,” he shared bluntly.
…Alright, so Noctis had maybe deserved the rough treatment when he’d almost been arrested for car-jacking in Sonora, but it was really all one big misunderstanding, and Caius didn’t need to know that part. Enough of his dad’s retainers had thought Noctis was just a kid without him making the first kingsglaive he’d run across here think that too.
“Can you tell me which informant?” Shaking his head, Noctis turned back to Caius with a serious expression. “I’m glad Prompto’s on it, but I need to help them too. They’ve always been there for me.” Always. Even when it had cost Ignis his eyesight. Plus Alex had told him they weren’t exactly kind to otherworlders in Sonora. He didn’t like to think about what was happening to his friends.
Post by Caius Dragelion on Mar 16, 2022 14:27:26 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
“I don’t understand it, myself. I only know what I know. I had my abilities before I left Lucis, and I had them when I woke up here” he remarked with a shrug. He had debated on it many times in his head, but what was important was that he was still capable of protecting people at his full capacity. He would have taken this path even without his magic. But it certainly helped, and that he was grateful for. He decided not to address the part about the invasion. It wasn’t time yet.
But what came next would cause Caius to look away slightly, chewing on his lip. Hard.
“... Yeah” he spoke quietly, quickly nodding his head twice in appreciation. He wanted to tell him, he really did. But he knew it was best not to. Not right now. Possibly not ever. But being thanked for saving him? It was… Well, he didn’t know how to feel. He knew who Noctis meant. He meant King Regis, his father. Someone that Caius had never met, much less served. The King that Caius had served, who he had given his life to save, stood right there before him. And yet, it wasn’t him exactly either. But he would take the thanks. Knowing that at least one Noctis knew the lengths he had been willing to go, he supposed he could take some solace in that. Didn’t make this any less weird though. Or any less bitter to swallow.
Noctis would probably think he was acting this way because of the memory of failing King Regis. Perhaps it was best to leave it that way for now. Noctis didn’t need Caius’ likely death on his conscience, even if it wasn’t him per se. He had enough to deal with, getting his friends out of the brig. There was no point in being a burden to him. Caius at least smiled though when Noctis gave Vordun attention. When he mentioned fish, Vordun perked up and began sniffing Noctis as if looking for more fish. “We’re literally fishing, Vordy” Caius reminded him in turn. “We’ll get you fish. You’re welcome to join us of course, Your Highness” he then offered in passing to Noctis. He didn’t know if he was planning to leave right away or not.
“Nope” came a blunt answer as Noctis remarked that they wouldn’t let his friends go. “I stay the hell away from Sonora most of the time, and for good reason. I only pop in here and there because it feels like the right thing to do. Can’t punish its citizens for poor leadership. And there are many who need our help.”
Noctis wanted to know who the informant was. Caius gave an exasperated sigh, the reasons for which Noctis would soon know why. He was really about to refer him to someone that he wasn’t even sure he could trust? He liked Cissnei, he did. She seemed nice enough. He would happily buy her a drink next time he was in Sonora. Just might cover his own since she had established she had her own agenda and wasn’t afraid to fight dirty for it. Nor were her compatriots, who had painted a picture of how their group operated well before she’d given him a reason to doubt. Not that she was that subtle, she’d blatantly told him she considered the Dragonblades competition. But this world had steadily turned his lack of trust in anyone, into blind trust. Now we were back to lack of trust, complete with whiplash. It was, perhaps, a lesson he had needed reminding of in the end anyway. If someone gave him any reason to distrust them now though, he was going to. So he wasn’t sure how he felt about sending his Not-King there.
God, he hoped this one was as responsible as the one back home.
“Yeah. I would look for him yourself first, but if you really need a pointer, she goes by Cissnei. Runs a business in Sonora’s capital, if I recall. Nice enough girl, but always has her own agenda. Whether that’s money, or preserving her business unopposed. Or anything else she gets on mind. She will probably charge you, by the way. But just keep your head on a swivel, and like with literally anyone else you meet in Sonora, don’t give your full trust to anyone. You’ll probably have to work double time if you find Prompto” he remarked, burying his own forehead between his fingers with a light shake of his head. “I am far from an expert on women or why people pursue them on sight, but I saw the way he looked at our intern. Even if I pretended not to notice” he made bluntly clear. “If I’m being honest, she probably has him eating out of the palm of her hand. She’s very good at manipulating events to her liking, I’ve seen it firsthand. She’s good. Too good. Even if the people involved are tonberries. Those things rarely listen to reason, and yet… Took her all of twenty seconds.”
He'd have reconsidered sending Prompto there if they weren't low on options in Sonora. But he didn’t actually think Cissnei would hurt him. He worried a bit though about what he might tell her regarding their breakout plans and how it might be used. But he’d warned him. If he ignored the warning, it was his fault and they would just have to deal with the consequences. He still felt bad though.
[attr=class,lyric1]i am noctis, prince of lucis and
[attr=class,lyric2]king of fishing
[attr=class,bulk] Caius got a bit emotional when Noctis thanked him for trying to save his dad, so the dark-haired prince politely glanced out towards the sea to give him a moment. Truthfully the whole topic was getting him pretty worked up too, but he was glad to have met a glaive, even if they were far from home. Especially one that had almost given everything for his father. He just wished he could thank Caius somehow, but he didn’t really know the man well enough yet to tell what he would want.
Well. Maybe a way home, but Noctis was itching for that himself.
The blue dragon seemed to understand human language pretty well, because he visibly perked up when Noctis mentioned fish. Caius invited him to join the pair of them, and Noctis brightened before remembering that he had to high-tail it back to Sonora now. “Maybe just for a little bit. Sounds like I need to get back up north.” He wasn’t relishing the return journey either. It had been freezing and he had spent half of it clinging to Alex on the back of a chocobo after their stolen taxi had exploded.
That whole escape wasn’t his finest moment. Ignis would probably have a heart attack if he ever heard the story, but he really hadn’t had much of a choice. Plus he’d left gil behind to pay for the car. That made it better, right?
…Right?
Morally dubious scenarios aside, he really didn’t like the picture that Caius painted of Cissnei. She sounded like the kind of girl that Prompto would trip and spill all his secrets to before he even had time to take a breath or think about what he’d just done. Noctis also let out a slightly pained noise when Caius described some kind of run-in Prompto had apparently had with Caius’ intern. For everyone’s sake, he hoped she at least wasn’t too young.
“Yeah, you’ve definitely met him,” he said a little sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry if he made her uncomfortable. He’s been like that with girls since high school. I always figured he’d calm down someday.” Probably. Hopefully. At least maybe once he had cause to be less desperate, though the thought of him going off and having a normal life with some faceless stranger made Noctis a little uncomfortable. His life was always going to end up right here, but Prompto could have taken a different path if he’d wanted. Ignis and Gladio could have too, really.
He’d never known how to tell the three of them just how grateful he was for them choosing to share his fate.
Clearing his throat, Noctis crossed his arms to cover that brief vulnerable thought. “You don’t seem to trust her much. How’d you two meet?” He asked instead. “And…anything you know about Sonoran prisons in general?”
That last question may have been a bit too blunt in showing where his head was at. If there was no getting Ignis and Gladio out peacefully, then he’d storm the walls if he had to. Somehow Noctis thought a glaive would respect that line of thinking though. The ones he had known before had always been soldiers of action. Hopefully Caius wasn’t any different.
Post by Caius Dragelion on Apr 3, 2022 11:26:22 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
Noctis accepted the invitation to fish, so he would walk back to where he and Vordun had been sitting, and make a bit of room for Noctis. "I should have enough equipment for the both of us, I always prepare spares" he brought up as Vordun would soon enough move to curl up beside Caius, staring down at the water as if anticipating when the next fish would appear. Though Caius couldn't help but laugh a bit when Noctis said that Prompto had always been like that. "She seemed fine with it. I doubt it's the first time someone has looked at her that way, though he at least didn't try to pick her up. A few recruits have tried, and she's brushed them off pretty well. Some got to be a bit too much, though, one wound up taking a Blizzard to the face. To his credit, Prompto was well-behaved enough by comparison."
Caius didn't really understand what would prompt someone to completely go gaga like that over someone just on sight. What thought process led to that? He could almost swear he had been able to feel that once upon a time, but he couldn't for the life of him remember how or why. It felt like a different life lived by a different person. Still, while he didn't understand it, he knew that people did it. So he definitely had his concerns regarding how Prompto would fare with Cissnei. He could at least see how some would find Cissnei appealing. She was beautiful, even he could see that. Perhaps if he were a different person, he would have shown up at her café with flowers in hand.
At the least, Caius could appreciate Noctis being blunt and just saying what was on his mind. He never did like dancing around these things. "I don't think she's a bad person at all, if that's what you're wondering. I wouldn't send Prompto her way otherwise, no matter how desperate our situation is" he decided to make clear right from the start. "We've run into one another a few times on the field. The most prominent of such was when we ended up on the same job trying to deal with a colony of aggressive Tonberries. She was able to negotiate our way to handling it peacefully, or as peacefully as you can get with Tonberries. She's shrewd and resourceful, incredibly so. Doesn't mind getting a bit forceful and bold to get what she wants. She's also skilled at collecting information that most cannot get very easily. I hold great respect for her capabilities, and I do intend to send her something nice at some point for helping Prompto out, even if I'm sure she's already gotten something for her services. But between my encounters with her and her cohorts, I've also come to understand how secretive they can be. I always get the impression that I don't know much about her at all, and she keeps much close to her chest. What I do know is that she's not afraid to get her hands dirty, or use what she has to get what she wants. She considers the Dragonblades to be competition, and I get the impression from a previous incident that she isn't afraid to use what information she gets to her advantage, even in a dirty capacity, to ensure that her own business is at the top of the heap. No matter who she has to use it against. And that's why I worry about how much information gets divulged to her about this" he admitted full on. "Not knowing the full extent of her character, but also knowing some of the lengths she'll go to without knowing exactly how far that extends, there's a lot of risk there. Especially in this scenario. When it comes to a Sonoran prison... There is never enough precautions you can take."
He sighed. "At the least, I have full confidence that she is more than capable of getting the job done. Though odds are, you'll have to protect Prompto from divulging too much. If I had known you were around, I would have probably sent you instead. Even if I don't like sending any of you anywhere near Sonora, but... I mean, your friends are there. You're going regardless of whether I like it or not. Just... Be careful, and don't trust anyone fully. Not just my informant. Sonora breeds selfishness. And for many, it's not a choice."
He thought about Noctis' question regarding prisons. "Unfortunately not. If I did, I wouldn't need an informant" he admitted as he would finish setting up some bait for Noctis to use. "I don't like going to Sonora period, much less anywhere near its prisons. There's no reason for me to anyway. There's not much work to be had for a mercenary when their police force is as strict and tight-laced as they are. When I do operate in Sonora, it's mainly in the smaller cities. I only go to the capital itself if I'm meeting someone. Or if a giant robot house thing shows up."
He shrugged his shoulders in turn. "At least Cissnei doesn't have to worry about us being competition for her in the capital" he joked at the thought. "It wouldn't surprise me if, once you get your friends out of Sonora, you end up having no desire to return to it. Not many stay in Sonora by choice. Gotta question someone's sanity if they do."
