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Chapter 36: Train Ride

Although the morning was pleasant and eventful, the fast approaching sunset grew concerns amongst the group. They spread out through the train, talking to people willing to talk, asking them if the shorter days seemed odd. Their fieldwork was rudely interrupted by the Empire attacking the train, creating chaos and ceasing the train's movement. At present Noctis, Prompto and Elena had just finished defending the train from the various Magiteks and machinery that came from all different directions.

"Argh! Can't these metal heads just leave us alone?" Prompto groaned, reloading his guns and putting them away.

"You make it sound like you can just ask them nicely," Noctis commented sarcastically.

"Well at least I got to stretch my limbs," Elena piped in happily, having transformed back from being a Griffin. Both young men gave her a disgruntled look. "What?"

"Unbelievable!" Prompto groaned.

"What's got the Chocobo all grumpy?" Noctis snorted at Elena's reference to her love interest.

"Don't worry about it. Let's just get back on... the train!" Noctis' eyes widened for the train was beginning to move and could potentially leave them behind. The other two gasped running to try and jump on. Noctis was able to warp to the top of the train, while Elena transformed again with Prompto riding on her back.

"What the heck would we do without shapeshifters eh?" Elena's cheeks burned from Prompto's compliment.

"Can't celebrate yet!" Noctis growled summoning his engine blade. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the smirking figure in front of him: Ardyn.

"Can this get any worse?" Prompto grumbled summoning his gun back.

"Now. Now, gentlemen," Ardyn mocked, "And lady," he added eyeing Elena who frowned at him. "Surely you wouldn't want those frightening expressions to remain permanent on your young faces,"

"Then get lost!" Noctis growled charging at Ardyn with the others following behind. Ardyn successfully dodged and parried every attack the three threw at him. Noctis was blinded with anger remembering Ardyn was the one who stabbed you in Altissia. Yet in his haste to inflict great damage onto the chancellor, he pushed who seemed to be him off the train. Only to find out seeing a smirking Ardyn reappear to his left, that the person he thought to have pushed off the moving train wasn't Ardyn, but his beloved best friend.

"PROM! NO!" Elena screamed, immediately transforming into a wyvern and flying at high speed towards where Prompto fell.

"This is a great opportunity to practice," Ardyn said, holding out a rifle and aiming it at Elena.

"ELENA! LOOK OUT!" Noctis yelled, charging at Ardyn in an attempt to knock the gun out of his hands.

A shot was fired. Luckily Elena had heard Noctis' warning and flew straight into the trees nearby to hide. Noctis took another swipe at Ardyn in anger, only for the chancellor to disappear, his mocking laugh echoing.

Noctis' phone began ringing of all times. He answered it quickly having seen it was Ignis.

"Ignis!" Noctis could feel his worry over the missing couple take over. "We need to stop the train! Prompto fell off the train!"

"Noct! Calm down!" Ignis also sounded less collected than usual. "What do you mean Prompto fell off the train?"

"Ardyn. He created an illusion that Prompto was him. I pushed him off while we were fighting,"

Ignis breathed. "And Elena?"

"She flew after him,"

"We can't stop the train Noct. Prompto will be fine. Especially if Elena is looking for him,"