Well that sure happened

[notbymyside]

[Ango truthfully isn't much of a cook, relying mostly on takeout food to keep himself fed. But takeout isn't an option here, and after that...colorful trial, he doesn't have it in him to trust food that he isn't preparing himself.

It's not bad, really. Just rather plain. There is also a noticeable lack of meat among everything he's prepared too. And it all goes well with the liquid diet he's supplying, courtesy of the jazz bar. Plenty of booze bottles and glasses can be found for your drinking needs. He's sure he's not the only one who wants to forget that whole cursed trial.]

Food and drinks are in the opera house. Be sure to drink responsibly.

-Ango

[There are also no decorations, beyond the mess left behind from earlier.]

Comments

[reanbeans]

I'll admit...it's not going to be easy, and I'm not imagining anything other than a road filled with difficulties.

[ If it all amounted to nothing, that just meant that was all they were in the end. And Rean couldn't accept that as a sure thing. ]

Let's keep trying, to make that belief a reality. In the meanwhile, do you mind if you walk with me a little? There's something I wanted to show you, if you have the time.

It's what Your Highness left behind, but it isn't a bad thing.

[ Not just the letter, really. ]

[promittere]

Difficulties seem to be all that's in store for us.

[Optimism! But not really. But he can admire wanting to change that, even if things seem stacked against them.

He presses his lips together, before nodding.]

Yes, of course. I have plenty of time.

[reanbeans]

For now, at least.

[ Rean offered a weak smile.

Then, he lead the other to near his room and went inside before retrieving some bottles. When he came back out, even though the other wasn't near him, it was obvious something about them. They seemed to give off a light, particular sound—that of music. ]

Your Highness made these before he passed away this week.

...And you know, there was a time where he had people by his side, but he couldn't change how things were in the country. He had to work hard, with the odds against him. Before he was killed, he'd still been in the midst of that, and back home, I had been trying to do the same.

Even if the situation here was different from the one back home, I couldn't deny that it felt just as difficult, if not more because there's more of a lack of support here. I've had my doubts, but never have I heard them more strongly when I saw the Prince's dead body.

But maybe...that's why I know to keep my hopes alive too. Otherwise, I'd let the despair swallow me whole before I could ever hope to see the light.

[ ... ]

Tell me, Ignis:

I know so little of you. But does hope keep you going, someone, or something?

[promittere]

[Ignis looks at the bottles, curious about them. He assumes Rean will explain what they're for at some point, though they could simply just be decoration.]

...

[He lets out a breath, closing his eyes for a moment.]

The world I left behind...there are people there who need me. My...king. I've been at his side for almost my whole life, and I cannot sit idly by and let him suffer.

[He shakes his head, as if trying to shake away a nasty thought.]

But here I am powerless to save him, so I can only hope I can get back to him.

[reanbeans]

...I can understand how things can be hard here on top of everything else, then.

[ Rean remembered speaking to Iago and in a way it sounded kind of like a similar situation. ]

Do you mind if I ask you how you served your king back home...?

[ A right-hand man, if that was what Ignis was, could have done a number of things. ]

[promittere]

Yes...

[And that's a hell of a question.]

I did everything that was asked of me. I was...an adviser, a guard, and...a friend.

[And he was lucky to have Noctis as a friend.]

[reanbeans]

That's...honestly incredible. I don't think that's something I can easily do all at once.

[ Rean couldn't help but think of Mueller for a moment. ]

Ignis, I can't say I know your situation or circumstances, but thank you for telling me this. I know it wasn't easy...and I'll continue to believe in the outcome where you'll wind up right by your king's side.

[promittere]

It was necessary.

[He won't say why, but...At the end of the day, he would do even more for Noctis. He would move heaven and earth for him.]

I... Thank you, Rean. Hopefully I'll be able to go back to him. And hopefully you can go back to your home as well.

[...]

Do people need you?

[reanbeans]

[ Rean didn't even pry, figuring that the other had his reasons. Doing so would be impolite, after all. ]

...Thanks. I'll be hoping the same.

[ He'll pause at the question, but then he'll nod. ]

I know the others are up against a considerable threat back home, so if I were there it'd be easier for them to handle. Though I know if worst comes to worst, they could move on without me.

I do also have a family, and I'm sure my younger sister would like to see me back home too. So I'm going to do my best to make sure I'm there for all the people who need me.

[promittere]

[You're a true bro, Rean.

Ignis considers him for a moment, mouth twisting. A considerable threat... He supposes he can say the same, though Ignis' concerns are more personal, he can't deny that there's very much a threat out there.

God. He's going to get a headache, at this rate.]

Hopefully they won't have to move out without you, and you can see your sister and family again. [He shakes his head. He doesn't have a family to go back to, not anymore, but...] All's well that ends well.

[reanbeans]

...Thank you, Ignis. That means a lot, hearing that.

[ He tried his best.

Rean will give a conservative smile, that barely reached his eyes, but had nothing but a spark of honesty under the weariness. Nothing so forced as it may have looked. ]

So, all's well that end's well, indeed.

[promittere]

It's the least anyone can say.

[He can't fault the smile for not reaching his eyes - with everything happening, how could anyone be happy or comforted?

Their plight isn't over yet.

Still, he decides to change the topic, motioning to the bottles.]

So what are these for, then?

[reanbeans]

Oh, these? His Highness had made them, so I decided to keep them around as one way to remember him by.

It might sound strange, but I thought while I was talking about him a little to let you hear the music he didn't have a chance to play for everyone else. I don't think everyone would entertain the idea much, but I'm sure there being a few more ears to hear it would be nice.

He was always so eager to have people hear what he'd play, after all.

[ Though he wasn't about to bring them everywhere with him, of course. ]