Ignite My Heart (Ignis X Reader)

Chapter 23

Fan Requests are over! Time to get back to the game. Get ready because things are about to start getting crazy and awesome at the same time.
-----------------------------------------------------------

We all awoke early in the morning, hoping that we could get to Altissia as soon as possible. Ignis requested that we try to look our best, so I put on my Glaive uniform. It feels like forever since I've worn it. The boat was down at the shore below the lighthouse. Iris, Monica, and Talcott decided to walk us there to say goodbye. We step inside the elevator inside the lighthouse and Iris informs us that they've moved the Regalia below the deck of the ship. She seems sad as she tells us this, almost as if she doesn't want us to go.

When we reach the bottom, we find a small lit up room with Cid and Cor waiting inside. Cid had requested we call when we were ready so that he could drive the boat. I assume he brought Cor along. I wonder why. Things are a bit quiet and awkward at first. I find Noct staring down at a framed picture nearby, and he looked upset. I took a closer look to see what looked like four men by the Regalia. They almost looked like...

"Something I need to get off my chest..." Cor spoke up. We all look at him, waiting to hear what he has to say. He looks down at the floor hard with his arms crossed, like he can't make the words come out.

"What's that?" Noct asks to encourage him to continue.

He eventually uncrosses his arms and stands up straight. He looks Noctis in the eye as he says, "I'm sorry. Sorry I wasn't there for your father." Noct looks slightly taken aback by this. I thought he'd be upset at the mere mention of his father again, but the look on his face shows understanding, almost as if he committed the same sin. I cross my arms and look away, realizing that I had messed up to.

When I can no longer bare the silence, I begin to tumble over my own words, "I-I...um" I can feel all their stares piercing me. I sigh, still refusing to look up, "I'm sorry too. For lying about why your father assigned me as one of your retainers... Maybe one more Glaive could have saved him and Insomnia after all." I look up. Everyone is looking down now. No one knows what to say.

"Ain't nothin' nobody could've done to stop what happened." Cid said, losing his harsh tone for once.

"Yea," Noct responded, "I realize that," Something about Noct seems closed off and reserved. Although this wasn't unusual. He's been this way the whole trip. In fact, he's probably always been this way.

"But you need to realize just what you mean to the boys by your side... Oh and her too," I look up slightly confused.

Noct looks up at the four of us. I can see a hint of feeling in his eyes for the first time, "I do."

"Even if they can't solve your problems," he pauses for a moment and then continues in a sad whisper, like he's reminiscing, "you can't hide what's goin' on from 'em." He leans forward and raises his voice back to a normal tone, "Remember, those ain't your bodyguards, they're your family."

I'm even more surprised now. I didn't think I'd be this accepted in just a few months. I look to the boys, wondering if maybe Cid was just confused about my relationship with these guys. As though they read my mind they all give me a reassuring nod.

"Trust in 'em always," I could see Cid was holding back tears, probably remembering his time spent with King Regis. Eventually, he stands up and begins to hobble towards the exit.

"Wait! Cid!" Iris stops him, "We should all take a group photo. Who knows when we'll see each other again." We all group up together as Prompto sets up his tripod. We talk amongst ourselves as he makes some adjustments.

"Ready or not!" He yells to get our attention. He quickly runs over to get in the shot. When the light flashes we huddle around the camera to take a look. This sure is an emotional moment for us all. Finally, we get up on the boat and I watch as Noctis waves to Iris and Talcott goodbye.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, next on the docket is Leviathan." Prompto says as he takes pictures of the ocean. We had been mostly silent before discussing what comes next. We also began discussing about Lunafreya's possession of the Ring.

"Do you know how Lady Lunafreya got the Ring, Y/N?" Prompto asked.

I nodded, "Lunafreya came to the Crown City while we were gone. Some Glaive had been ordered to bring her to King Regis, get the Ring, and escape."

"Oh, right! You said you were originally going to escort her, didn't you?"

I look out at the sea as if I'm lost in thought, "Hmm. But they replaced me so that I can escort Noct instead."

"Who'd they replace you with?" Gladio asked.

"I'm not sure. I found out last minute that I was reassigned, and I didn't really have time to say goodbye to anyone." It's silent for a moment.

"What are the odds the empire will crash the pool party with Leviathan?" Prompto asked.

"Consider it a guarantee," Ignis sighed.

We were silent for most of the trip after that. Cid asked us to pay an old friend of his a visit while we're in Altissia. He runs a dinner and had traveled with him and King Regis years ago. Cid claims he can pay for a room for us. As we near Altissia we get a signal on the radio. Its a news woman reporting that Lady Lunafreya will give a speech before awakening Leviathan. We eventually reach a city built on the water. It looks much fancier than Lucis, and everything is much brighter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After reaching the restaurant and figuring out our living conditions for the night we decided to order some food. The food at the restaurant is a lot fancier than I am used to, but it's still pretty good. Not as good as Ignis' cooking though.

"My dear Camelia, it's been a while." The restaurant owner says. We see an older woman approach us. She seems really grumpy for some reason.

"I heard about your distinguished guests," she looks to us and crosses her arms. She jumps into conversation right away, "I won't waste your time. My name is Camelia Claustra."

"First secretary of the Accordo Protectorate," Ignis finishes.

"You should know we have Lady Lunafreya in our care," Noctis seems a bit tense when he hears this. "And the empire demands that we surrender her."

"What?" Noct begins to get angry. Camelia then explains that she won't surrender her if the King of Lucis has a better offer. She requests Noct to visit her at her estate as soon as possible and leaves before we can say anything else. We decide to head for the hotel first to discuss our plans, and wait to take Noct to the secretary in the evening.

"However, the four of us may not be allowed inside." Ignis points out.

"What should we do in the meantime then?" Prompto asks.

"Just do whatever," Noct answers.

Gladio and Prompto decide they want to go to the arena later, but Ignis interjects.

"If you don't mind I have other plans for Y/N"

The two boys begin giggling and smirking, "Oh no. We don't mind at all." Prompto says.

"Just make sure to be 'safe'" Gladio adds. I smack him as hard as I can on his shoulder.

"Don't be a perv!" I yell.

"What the hell? I was being completely innocent!"

"Yea. Okay." I respond sarcastically.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Hey guys. I'm really sorry. I know this chapters late. Its been a rough couple of days.

Anyway, what would all of you like to do on your date with Ignis?