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year 5, quarter 3
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Ah, archaeology! Now, who was the more sophisticated? Ignis had an appreciation for old ruins and the scope and scale of a land in its past. He could picture various ruins, if he thought hard enough about them. Temples where ancient kings lie, waiting. He’d studied quite a range of historical subjects while growing up in the citadel, but that knowledge from other lands had been somewhat limited. He briefly wondered if he and Lady Aera had laid eyes on the same thing once before -- new in her time, and a relic in his own.
The thought was beyond fascinating. If they had the time and effort, Ignis was sure they could draw a picture of the world as they had both known it. But, perhaps, that would need to be saved for another time. It would be rude to gush about such a thing while he was helping her with her chore.
“Archaeology is quite fascinating,” Ignis acknowledged Aera’s words while he found another root, pushing his glasses up with his less dirtied hand as they attempted to slip from his nose, “I can only imagine the things you have seen.”
They worked once more in a comfortable silence, the sounds of rustling grass and shifting dirt mingling with the chorus of nature surrounding them. Ignis focused on the task at hand with a dutiful fervor, satisfied to simply put his mind to something. As he found another root, Aera broke their silence. Traveling? He hadn’t, of course, having spent most of his time healing up in the city after he’d been found. However, Ignis had taken plenty of time to grill others about the world around them. Information and knowledge were his greatest assets.
“I’m afraid I haven’t personally left the area yet,” Ignis admitted, his voice burdened by a shame he knew was undeserved, “But, I have asked many questions about the land to others. Perhaps that could be of some use?”
Stepping carefully back to the road, Ignis set down his newest load of roots as he considered everything he’d been told about the continent they’d been forced to call home.
“We’re in the city of Provo,” he began, gesturing somewhat with his hands as he spoke, “Which is centered between the two others greater powers of this continent; Sonora, to the east, and Torensten, to the south. Provo is the main trading hub between the two. All I’ve heard about Sonora is that it is rather cold and the streets are much less friendly. Torensten is near the sea, and has apparently seen its fair share of hurt recently.”
The words people spoke to him didn’t quite make much sense -- dragons, destroyed cities, heroes. It was fairly all gibberish to someone who had only been in the world for a few days and couldn’t see any of the evidence.
“There were a couple of interesting places no one has truly elaborated much on,” Ignis continued, wandering back off of the path and into the grasses, cursing very softly as a shrub branch snagged the ankle of his pants, “A … Crystallus Divider, and the World Sight. No one I’ve spoken to seems to know much about them, other than telling me to keep away from the Sight. The Divider seems to be a place for religious fanatics.”
And yet, the Crystal felt important to him. As if he needed to see on his own, that it wasn’t the one he’d been thinking of.
“My apologies. I wish I could give you more information.”
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
It typically took Cloud a moment to find the words he wanted to say, or so Ignis had noted so far in their short time conversing together. He gave the swordsman a moment to figure out how best to describe his situation, yet he was unprepared when Cloud spoke up. His brows furrowed in concentration as he nearly lost his grip on the flank of meat he was turning upon the sword at the young man’s words -- saving the world. It sounded like something out of a fairy tale, and yet, it also felt so similar and real.
That was preposterous, though. There was no way Ignis Scientia could have been involved in doing something similar. He pushed the thought far from his mind, thinking he must have simply blended an ancient memory about a cartoon Noctis enjoyed with reality. Instead, he focused on the descriptions of Cloud’s friends.
Barret, a proud father, loud and boisterous with his weapon and his voice. Cid, the cursing, chain smoking mechanic (why did that sound familiar?). Red XIII -- an interesting name, for an interesting description. An animal but not an animal? That could apparently speak? Yuffie, a thief from the sounds of it. Or a con-artist? Cait Sith, a cat robot. That … was somewhat peculiar. Vincent, the quiet and theatrical sharpshooter.
Cloud’s voice was warm as he spoke about his companions, as odd as the descriptions were. It was clear he shared a bond with them, and such knowledge warmed Ignis’s heart. If his hands hadn’t been so close to the heat, he likely would have simply paused to listen, to bask in the well-disguised care Cloud had for his lost friends. Instead he kept to work, summoning a dagger to his left hand and grabbing one of the small bowls with his right, carefully scraping half of the vegetable mixture into the bowl with the dulled, back edge of the dagger. No need to cause damage to the sword, after all.
As Ignis took care of the second batch of vegetables, Cloud finished his explanation. The name Tifa left his lips, and the young man’s tone changed entirely. Scientia paused, placing the second bowl on the wooden ground next to him. Tifa … She clearly meant a lot to Cloud. Strong and always taking care of others. The way the mercenary spoke about her, for a moment Ignis could picture nothing short of an angel. Cloud’s voice betrayed him that warmth and longing, for someone he clearly cared for.
Warm memories betrayed one to cold, unforgiving loneliness. Ignis frowned, remembering the ache in his own chest. He missed Noctis dearly, he knew, because Noct was a brother to him. But, there were others too … People and memories who had been stolen from him, much like his sight, when he woke up in this strange world. People he longed to remember, to find, and to know were safe. The blonde swallowed, taking a breath and composing himself. Now wasn’t the time to fight the fog in his mind. There would be plenty of time for that when he tried to rest, as happened every night.
“That’s quite the group of friends,” Ignis chuckled warmly, glancing over the fire with a small smile, “If I find any of them, I’ll be sure to try and point them your way, and reassure them that you’re alright.”
He procured another couple of sharpened sticks from his pack and reached forward, pinning down one of the flanks with his dagger and skewering it with a fair bit of ease. Balancing it across one bowl of vegetables, Ignis made quick work of the second flank, stabbing his dagger into the ground beside him before grabbing the second bowl. Skewered meat in one hand and a bowl of vegetables in the other, he happily offered them out to Cloud -- or, the relative space where it seemed the mercenary was.
“Thank you for your help, Cloud,” Ignis told him sincerely, clearly implying that he was thanking the young man for more than just poking around the vegetables, “I’m afraid it’s not my best, but I do hope you enjoy it.”
Someday, he would be able to cook Mr. Strife a proper meal, were they to ever cross paths again. To make up for having to eat with a stick and cooking over a sword.
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
In which Iggy knows every detail about Noctis because its his job
Cloud seemed a tad hesitant to agree to his newly assigned task. Ignis couldn’t help but give a coy, knowing smile. Yet another young man in his life that hardly knew anything about cooking, it seemed. It was so shockingly common, it led Ignis to wonder how they experienced life up until now. What were their worlds like, their home lives? Was food cheaper and more readily available on the streets, perhaps? Did someone else cook for them, or did their jobs provide? Simple, silly little questions that gave him some temporary distraction from his own mountainous problems.
With the vegetables being taken care of, Ignis reached forward and gave the meat a touch, testing how easily it bounced back against his fingers. It was hot, of course, but pressure was the only true way of determining the cook on a piece of meat if you couldn’t read a thermometer. It still had too much give, meaning it was not near done enough. Ignis gently grasped the sides of the meat, flipping them onto their other sides to gain a sear and more cook time. He gave the cooked side a gentle prod, feeling that the crust was hardened and thoroughly cooked. A few more minutes on the second side and it would be ready.
Over the steady crackle of the fire and sizzle of the food came Cloud’s soft voice. "I uh... I'm sorry about everything you're dealing with. With your sight and your memory. You want to tell me anything about your friend, maybe I can keep a look out for him. Call it even for the food."
Ignis waved a hand, nonchalant, “Life throws many, many roadblocks our way. Overcoming them is a part of the experience.”
That was, of course, and understatement. But, it was Iggy’s job to keep a positive attitude and to always look for a solution, no matter the situation. He was bred for the challenge, and however he’d lost his sight … He was confident it had something to do with Noctis. The blonde gently touched at the scarring beneath his left eye, the skin texture unnatural under his fingers.
“I pray to the Six that Noctis is here,” Ignis sighed, leaning back slightly, his shoulders hunched as he frowned, “He wears a black jacket with a dark shirt underneath, long, black cargo shorts, and black boots. I know, it seems excessive, but that’s the style in Insomnia these days.”
He could see Noctis so clearly in his mind. Everything from his sweet face as a child, to his more moody, teenager years. The stubborn sighs, the devilish smirks, the hesitant, shy looks when he knew he’d done something truly kind and felt bashful being praised for such.
“He has black hair that frames his face, slightly longer on the right side. It’s unruly on top of his head and behind, sticking every which way depending on the wind. One glove on his left hand, and subtle, blue eyes,” Ignis rambled on, having memorized every detail of his dear friend and brother over the years. Realizing that was likely quite the lengthy description, the blind man laughed lightly, “Ah, that was probably information overkill, wasn’t it? When there’s only one face you remember, it definitely sticks out, maybe more than it once did.”
That was a lie, of course. Ignis had memorized every detail about Noctis because that was his job. To serve the future king, to be his carrier of knowledge, to help ease his burdens. To be his best friend.
Ignis sat back up straight, prodding at the meat to give it another test. Good, it was nearly finished! He fumbled for his nearby bag, pulling out two small bowls he’d managed to trade for a couple of days before. For the meat, they could probably skewer it on sticks he had … Not the ideal situation, but when one lacked plates and forks, one made due.
“Good, we’re just about ready. Now, while I tend to this, why don’t you tell me about these friends you’re searching for? If I hear their names, I’ll be able to hopefully point them your way.”
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
He was … right? Those vague memories, fleeting as quickly as birds disturbed by the movement of steps, had been accurate. Ignis may very well have stood there, stunned and still as stone, if he had been alone. It was the first time he’d recalled something that was just beyond his grasp, slipping through his fingers like water in a stream. Perhaps his memory was coming back to him, slowly, but surely. Ignis drew in a deep breath, letting the scent of soft earth ground him back into reality, to keep his head out of the clouds.
There was still a rather disturbing situation at hand here, was there not? Lady Aera clearly seemed to be from a time far before his own. She mentioned dying. Could Aera have known she was dead? Did she remember it? How confusing and awful it must be, to be plucked from a time before machinery and technology and placed in this world. Sure, Ignis couldn’t see the world he was living in, but it felt familiar enough.
Did she feel childlike wonder, at seeing her first advanced piece of technology? Or fear?
Ignis set down his found roots on the path, knowing Aera would be able to see them there. He headed back into the brush, ready to busy his hands to keep his mind from wandering too far as he contemplated the various thoughts rushing through his mind. The knowledge that people from the same world, but different points in time in that world, were now sharing the same, unknown land was … A lot, to take in. Then, the subtle irony -- he could have been plucked from any moment in time, yet he was pulled from the moment he was terribly injured and blinded. How lovely.
On the upside, at least Aera spoke warmly of what she remembered. It sounded very near and dear to her. Familiar as well; he could picture wide open plains and see the carefully crafted weapons of he and his friends clearly. Wait, friends … ? Ignis frowned, milling about the grass as he half-heartedly searched for more roots to pluck. Right, he had friends other than Noct. Of course he did.
"I would venture that you grew up in a more advanced environ. What was your city like? Its people?"
“Ah, Insomnia,” Ignis spoke, a touch of fondness in his voice. Of course he remembered the crown city in all of its glory, though he could not picture its people. “The crown city is highly developed. I spent most of my time in the Citadel, tending to my duties to best serve Noct. I was his retainer, you see,” he spoke of it proudly, recalling the adoration he had for his assigned role. Something he’d been training for ever since he was a boy himself. Tending to his best friend in every way, from knowing all of the ins and outs of current politics to perfecting his favorite meals.
The blonde paused, furrowing his brows, “It may be hard to comprehend, but … There were buildings, so tall and wide everywhere you looked. Roads with cars, sidewalks always busy with people out and about on their daily activities. The city was so very vast, it took quite some time to get from one end to the other. The Citadel itself seemed almost endless in both height and rooms, always abuzz with activity. How I managed to be everywhere I needed to all in one day is beyond me, now. The city it self was protected by a magical barrier created by the King with help from the Crystal.”
He could see Noct standing outside of school, waiting for Ignis to collect him and take him back to his apartment, clearly unimpressed with the amount of homework he had due. He could see the inside of Noct’s apartment, spotless only because of his own intervention. He could almost remember daily spars with someone … the face fleeting, but the feeling of being thrown to his back was not.
“When we left the city, however, I do remember the open plains. Creatures of all sorts visible, even from the highway. The world was … wondrous.”
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
Ignis continued to cut his vegetables as a near silence overtook the room. He figured such a thing may happen, as it was clear that Cloud was not the talkative type. Most of their exchanged words up to this point had been short and precise. He couldn’t say what would make a young man like Cloud so seemingly bashful or contemplative. Perhaps he had an old soul, much happier listening to stories than telling them. The blonde nearly opened his mouth to apologize for putting his companion on the spot, but Cloud’s soft voice cut through the silence, over the crackle of the fire.
"...Used to be a mercenary. Now I'm just... on the road. Tryin' to find some friends of mine. I don't know this area too well."
A mercenary? How interesting. Cloud Strife didn’t seem the mercenary type, or so Iggy had come to believe in their short time spent together. Such a soft spoken man, willing to help a stranger in need, taking on any work, anywhere. Briefly, Ignis wondered what kind of life Cloud must have lived up to this point. Where he’d come from, what he’d done. It was in his nature to want to know the ins and outs of others, in order to best strategize their movements and use in potential battle situations.
Not knowing the area well, seemed code for; I’m not from here.
Well, as far as that went, they were two peas in a pod.
"What about you? You from around here?"
And with that, the tables turned. Ignis shook his head as he finished cutting up the last of the peppers in his stash, waving a hand over the sword in front of him. The heat was certainly building, and the meat was just beginning to sizzle. Once it reached a peak temperature, it would only take a few minutes on each side to sear thoroughly enough.
“I’m afraid not,” Ignis replied smoothly, despite the way that information weighed heavily on his shoulders, “It appears we’re walking similar paths. I’m searching for a friend of mine, as he’s the only memory I seemed to have clearly retained from my life before I woke up in this strange place.”
The blind man de-summoned the dagger from his hand, allowing it to disappear into thin air as easily as it had first come to be. With practiced expertise, he grabbed the vial of oil and drizzled some onto the sword, further away from the meat and fire in order to execute a lower cooking temperature. Ignis piled his chopped vegetables onto the oil drips, reaching into his bag to adorn them with seasonings.
“I have never laid eyes on this land,” he admitted, smelling one of the spices before deciding to pinch some liberally over the peppers and tomatoes, “I woke up here some time ago, injured and blind, with no idea what happened. It’s been a journey, to say the least.”
Ignis said the last bit with humor, though there was a hidden mirth just barely lacing his tone. He knew the small smile on his face was likely haunted in some way, despite the positivity he desperately attempted to force into it. Releasing a held breath through his nose, he urged it to roll off of his shoulders. Away, away. He could worry about such things another time -- not while entertaining a guest.
“Do mercenaries accept food as payment?” He joked with a small laugh, pulling out a small, sharpened stick from his pack and offering it to Cloud, “Maybe I could use your services one day, should you choose to resume that line of work. For now, I would ask that you please stir the vegetables best you can with this. I’ll be needing to focus on the meat.”
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
There came the sadness, the pity that Ignis had been used to hearing as of late. He wasn’t offended, of course. She was not sad for the state of his eyes, but for everything -- as he was as well. Losing his sight had been difficult, but not near as difficult as losing his memories and his knowledge had been. Every day felt like a new day of discovery, and while that could have been exciting, for him it was simply frustrating. Frustrating that he could remember so little about his very own life.
Aera had met others with similar memory problems. Well, that was certainly new information. Though he knew he should simply feel terrible for those in the same boat as himself, he couldn’t help but feel a slight comfort. He wasn’t the only one, then. With that knowledge, he could comfortably continue on as he had before; waking every day with the mission to remember more, experience more, and retain every bit of it.
He felt strange, standing still in the middle of the unknown. For a moment, Ignis felt a slight sense of panic, having felt he’d forgotten how many steps away he was from the path. To distract himself, he knelt back into the brush, hands searching for the leaves that Aera had described to him before. At last, success. The waxy leaves and stems gave way easily to a plucked root. The scent of freshly moved earth filled his senses, as Ignis felt along the root itself; cool from being under the ground, a small film of moist earth, the root end like a tail, covered in small trichomes.
There is something to be said, for not suffering alone.
“Right you are, Lady Aera,” Ignis confirmed, feeling around the grasses for more waxy textured leaves, “I hate to say that I find some comfort in knowing I am not one-of-a-kind, from our world. Perhaps, there is hope for me to find the only friend I do remember.”
Another root was plucked from the earth, joining its sister in Iggy’s left hand. Two roots hardly seemed helpful, but really, he felt accomplished for having discovered even one in this state. He would remember how the leaves felt against his fingers, how they pricked at the skin. He would remember the feel of the roots, and the subtle scent buried underneath the smell of fresh earth. He would remember this.
“Your name … It sounds so familiar to me,” Ignis admitted, pushing his glasses back up his nose as they began to dip with him being bent over for too long, “I wish I could place it. Fleuret. All that comes to mind is … blonde. White patterns. Important, to Noct.”
No more waxy leaves met his fingers, and so Ignis stood, offering out the few he had managed to collect for the time being in the direction he heard Aera moving.
“I do recall quite a bit of historical knowledge,” the blonde murmured, more to himself as the thought sat more comfortably amongst the rest of his strained mind, “Different times … Do you remember? Anything, from your time?”
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
The young man’s voice felt burdened and awkward. Perhaps he wasn’t used to such formalities. Then again, for reasons the blonde couldn’t remember, he felt the need to immediately address everyone so formally. His upbringing dictated it, and the thought of immediately calling a complete stranger by his given name alone felt foreign. Then again, sharing a tiny, broken down hut in the middle of nowhere stretched the definition of strangers. Ignis’s mouth curved into a small, forgiving smile as he heard his companion shift his weight from one leg to another, likely looking over their surroundings, “Cloud it is, then.”
A breath of a moment passed while Ignis wiped one hand clean of spices with a rag. With a proper cooking surface, he would be able to complete so much more than just a skewered, potentially tough piece of meat. Hopefully there was something around-- "Got a sword we could use. It's pretty big. Gimme a sec--"
“Pardon?” Iggy felt the stunned surprise slip from his lips before he could catch it, his eyebrows shooting up toward his hairline. The young man’s voice was so soft and reserved, he hardly seemed the type to be hefting around a large sword. Though, from the sounds of it, that’s just what Cloud had. Footsteps approached the fire, nudging the burning wood about. Ignis could hear something in the air, temporarily muffling the fire as it moved in front of him. The heat of the room changed, just enough to notice -- warmth, diverted.
After a few more rustling noises came the all clear, "Okay. All yours."
Curious, Ignis reached forward with his left hand, finding a hard, metal surface. He leaned forward further, tracing his middle finger across the expanse of the metal, feeling where the heat was pooling, checking the surface for grooves or dips. The metal was beginning to heat rapidly, but that hardly bothered Ignis. He’d lost most sensitivity to heat in his fingers long, long ago. Where others felt the beginning of singed skin, he felt comfortable.
“I must hand it to you, Cloud,” Ignis smirked, clearly proud of his companion, “You have an eye for inspiration and creativity.”
The blonde reached into his bag, grabbing a vial of cooking oil. It wasn’t much, definitely only enough for what they would enjoy tonight, but the taste of a long desired, delectable meal would be much worth it. Ignis poured a bit of the oil in the center of the sword, before grabbing and laying the two stretches of meat across it. There was no immediate sizzle, and that was fine. It would take a few moments for him to find the true temperature range they would have to work with.
While the meat began to find its time to cook, Ignis pulled out one more surprise from his travel pack; a few peppers and two wild tomatoes. He had one small bowl to work with, more a cup to draw water from a stream, but it was better than nothing. He set the vegetables on the pack, placing the cup in front of him as he summoned a dagger to his hand. The familiar weight of the weapon, summoned from thin air, was the most comforting thing he had in this strange world.
Well, aside from perhaps the food they would soon be sharing.
Ignis took his dagger to the peppers first, slicing them into coin sized bits with an expert hand. Flicking away the seeds felt second nature as he placed the completed bits into the cup, readying the tomatoes to join them. It wasn’t the perfect vegetable medley, two somewhat sweeter options, but it was all he’d managed to find that wasn’t a tough root.
Seasoned well and sauteed on the sword, they would taste as good as anything, at least. The spices on the meat were just beginning to tease the room with their aroma -- and soon, more tempting scents would follow.
“So, Cloud,” Ignis broke the silence, gesturing to his companion for a moment before returning to slicing his vegetables, “Tell me a little bit about yourself. I’d love to take this opportunity to talk to someone aside from myself.”
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
Ignis almost missed the rest of her explanation as his mind attached to that one, familiar word. His fingers fumbled amongst the greenery, diving down into soft dirt as he caught himself from falling forward in his crouched position. He swallowed dryly, uncertainty filling his lungs as the name tumbled over and over in his mind. That was the name of his world, was it not? Or was he simply longing for such familiarity that the word inserted itself into his vocabulary?
Preposterous. It was no common name. The only explanation had to be that … It was the same place.
However, Lady Aera Fleuret seemed convinced she was from a different point in time, mentioning the technology around the area was new to her. For as much as Ignis couldn’t remember, he did recall machinery and tech quite easily. The grind of gears, the whir of electricity. Big machines that seemed too impossibly large to move, flying through the sky with ease. Cars cruising along the roads. If anything, Provo seemed too quiet. It was missing the constant buzz of technology that would sing along with the movement of humans. There was plenty of machines in the area, of course, but not the sheer number that Ignis felt there should have been.
This information altogether … What did it mean? The blonde hardly had the time to begin to piece it together, before the question was turned around on him. Ignis kept low to the ground, his hands retracting from the dirt as he considered how to answer that specific question. Would he be revealing a vulnerability of himself? He couldn’t lie, but without a perfect memory, he couldn’t be sure if he were telling the truth, either.
Lady Aera had hit the nail on the head, so flawlessly. He was missing more, so much more than his sight.
“You would be correct,” Ignis replied smoothly, clearing the hesitation from his voice as he relaxed his shoulders, “I woke up in this world with a grievous injury, and quite the case of amnesia I’m afraid.”
He didn’t have much to explain, for better or worse. The few key memories he had all involved a boy named Noct, and the fierce desire to protect him was ever present. Aside from that, everything he seemed to know was … Situational, educated type of knowledge. The names of beasts, cities, weapons. Detailed maps in his mind, now useless in another world. Historical knowledge. He had a name, he had power, but other than that Ignis had very little to treasure.
Dusting his hands free of the dirt, Ignis rose to his full height for a moment, stretching his long legs, “I came from Eos as well. I know that I am from Insomnia, the crown city of Lucis, but other than that I …”.
The fog in his mind taunted him, refusing to part even now, with another suffering soul so close.
“I don’t remember much else.”
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
it's almost dinner time, gotta feed this kid before he withers away
From only their few moments of interaction, Ignis felt he had picked up on bits of Cloud’s personality already. He was a man of few words, his voice quiet and yet heavy. He was kind enough to give shelter to a complete stranger, yet wary enough to hang back in his own space. Not unlike a cat, Ignis thought to himself as he gave the flank meat a quick sniff, finding nothing but salt and the pleasant scent of herbs he’d put in the parchment to help keep the meat fresh. It hadn’t spoiled -- the blonde was relieved he correctly remembered how to treat it without refrigeration.
Cloud admitted to it having been a while since he’d eaten, and if Iggy heard the reaction correctly, the young man rubbed the back of his neck in a possible nervous tick. The movement was as familiar as it was mysterious. Noct did the same thing, though how he remembered that or why, he couldn’t say.
There was hesitation in Strife’s tone, likely betraying the rest of his body, "Only if you've got enough to last you until you get where you're going."
“Luck favors the prepared, Mr. Strife. You don’t need to worry,” Ignis stated confidently, taking a seat close to the fire. He set the parchment wrapped meats aside for a moment, instead digging into his travel pack and pulling out various, smaller bags. Each one was a different spice; either found in the wild, or traded for. He carefully opened one pack at a time, smelling each spice before keeping some out and putting others back. Satisfied with his choices after a few moments, he was ready to begin.
He carefully extracted the first of his spice choices from the bag, piling some in one palm while collecting his meat with the other. Ignis coated each side of the flank carefully, taking his time to feel that each centimeter was dutifully coated. Typically, he would have loved to use more herbs and oils, but with limited supply came limited flavor profiles.
It did not mean, however, that they had to have a limited experience.
“We’ll have to spit roast these I’m afraid,” Ignis mentioned to his companion with a wave. He had a couple of metal stakes in his pack for such a use, but really, he could do so much more if only he had something to use a cooktop. Cooking the meal in a bit of olive oil with fresh herbs … not to mention getting to saute some of the greens he’d found.
Ignis tilted his head in thought. Well, they were in a crumbling building. Perhaps there was a steady, thick plank of wood they could use as a cooking surface? It wouldn’t be preferable, but it would at least give him the option of feeding his friendly companion with a little more extravagance.
The blind man tapped a spice rubbed finger against his knee, “Actually, Mr. Strife, would you happen to see anything around we could use as a cooking surface? A thick plank of wood ought to do the trick, unless you happen to be carrying a skillet by chance.” While he would find it fairly humorous for a starving man to be carrying only a skillet, Ignis still wouldn't be colored surprised if it were true.
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
"That would be lovely. As long as I'm not keeping you from anything pressing."
While he couldn’t see it, Ignis could very much hear the happiness in her tone of voice -- like sunshine, peeking through the parting clouds on a spring day. He drank it in all the same, just as the sun’s rays would warm his skin, having someone to speak to warmed his heart. The blonde kept his simple smile, shaking his head as he acknowledged her words, “No, of course not. I’m more than happy to help.”
Ignis removed himself from the patch of herbs, walking a few steps forward, a hand coming forward to find the tree he knew to be to his left. Where was it -- ah, there -- the bark felt cool against his fingers as he grounded himself, keeping his mind aware of his position in the field. The wind continued its gentle lull, blowing in quietly from the west. The leaves in the trees barely stirred at the subtle movement in the air, but it was enough for Ignis to be sure of where he was standing, and what might lie ahead.
"My name is Aera Fleuret."
The name gave Ignis pause as he blinked his eye, confusion and recognition both fighting at once for his attention. Fleuret? He … knew that name, did he not? The only name he truly remembered, Noctis, wasn’t the same, yet he could have sworn he’d heard the very same name come from Noct once before. Yet, the more he reached into the darkness of his blank memories, the more the name eluded him. He saw something -- white and red. Kind eyes.
It was gone, as soon as it had come to him.
“The pleasure is all mine, Lady Aera,” Ignis continued, nodding his head as he pushed the thought from his mind at the moment -- no need to appear anymore addled than he already was. The young woman seemed every bit as pleasant as she sounded, as if a permanent smile were curled at the end of her lips. He listened to her describe the type of plant she was searching for, and it seemed easy enough instructions for him to follow. Waxy with sharp edges … It reminded him of a type of bush that he was certain he once fell atop, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly where or when that had happened in his life.
The sense of that familiar itch and prickle, though, when the edges of those leaves had touched him could be his guide to help out the fair lady. Ignis turned back toward the green area, bending down every foot or so to feel at the plants. Thin twigs came his way, and once, the delicate petals of flowers. He frowned, fingers dancing over the foliage as he searched along, not wishing to bother Aera by asking for any further assistance. He could do this. He could.
“Might I ask you a personal question, Lady Aera?” Ignis inquired instead, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose as he bent back down at the waist, hands eagerly searching the flora, “You said this land is new to you ... Where is it that you've come from?"
It seemed the only non-strange way to ask if she’d woken up in a new world. After all, Ignis didn’t take the news well when he’d been found in the forest, either. Disoriented and injured, he’d taken days to accept the fact that none of the city names sounded familiar, nor did any of the people. Instead, in his mind, he contained an encyclopedic knowledge of … well, of a place that didn’t exist, as far as these people were concerned.
Her voice didn’t fit in, among this world and its people. Neither did her name, his mind quietly whispered.
Something prickled at his fingers. Ignis let out a small noise of triumph as he felt the waxy texture of the leaves, his fingers carefully tracing down the length of the stem until it touched the soil. He attempted to pull the root from the surface, though, it had little give. The blonde gave a hmph and let it be. If there was one here, there were surely more.
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
