Note: This is story was originally written to be a music fic, but since FFdotnet doesn't allow links, I will just leave the raw text. If you want the 'full experience', I have this story on AO3 with links and pictures. Just Google Haprilona ao3 and you'll find the story under the same name!

Prologue

"Noct, you must go alone."

"What?"

"If you can obtain the Crystal's power, we may yet be able to turn the tide. Elsewise, we are all like to perish here."

"Iggy's right. It's our only chance."

"But what about you?"

"We'll manage somehow! Just get moving!"

"You could still get to the Crystal... if you went on your own.
Your friends will have to stay behind."

Hangar gate closing. Please stay clear.

"You'd better think fast. I don't envy you your decision.
Betraying your friends for the greater good - the mark of a monarch!
Step forth, Your Majesty! If you wish to obtain the Crystal's power, you must be prepared to lose all else."

"The hell are you waiting for? The gate's closing!"

"… I …"

Gate closed.

"I'm not leaving you here to die!"

"Oh, Noct…"

"…I can't lose you guys, too."

Chapter 1

"Thanks for the ride, buddy." Prompto turned the handle to open the van's door.

"No prob. I'll pick you up on my way back. Stay safe."

"You too. Oh!" He turned around in his seat and flashed his fellow hunter a sheepish smile. "Keep the headlights on."

Noctis faintly smiled to himself. "Ignis told you to remind me?"

"Yup!"

"Alright. Will do. Send my regards to Kimya."

"Sure thing!"

With a final parting smile, the freckled blond switched on his torch, checked his handgun and jumped off the vehicle.

"Forgetting something?"

Prompto stopped in his tracks, cast a questioning glance over his shoulder and yelped when Noctis threw an empty sackcloth in his face.

"Helps if you can actually carry the potions back here from Malmalam Thicket, don't you think?"

"Woops! My bad!"

With a shake of his head, Noctis watched his friend's shaft of light disappear into the oppressing darkness before he stepped on the gas and continued his own journey. His destination was Cape Caem. Aranea Highwind had sent him off to retrieve some old junk that Cid had left lying around. Apparently it was important enough to require him to "get it right now, on the double". Ever since she had been unofficially appointed as the leader of the former Fort Vaulleroy, she had become even bossier than before. She just loved to put his former royal backside to work. Such a slave driver.

The hallowed blue shafts cast from the van's headlights guaranteed him safe passage without any daemon hindrances. He had personally led a scavenger hunt through the ruins of Insomnia to retrieve all the available enhanced headlight parts and blueprints. Cindy and Cid had secured a year's worth of food provisions and weapon supplies by building brand new headlights and lamps and trading them with the people of Lestallum. There weren't many safe settlements in Lucis anymore. Lestallum's population had tripled when rumours spread of the new lamp technology that kept daemons at bay even within the previously daemon-infested power plant. Besides Lestallum and Hammerhead, the only truly safe settlements were the formerly abandoned Niflheim bases; Fort Vaulleroy in Cleigne, now known as Fort Highwind and Formouth Garrison in Leide which had been renamed Meldacio Stronghold.

Umbra poked his snout out from the backseat and let out a single cheery bark.

"Almost there, boy."

Noctis pulled the van to a stop and parked it next to an old decayed sign. The sign used to have a cheerful painting depicting a lighthouse on a hill along with a large text welcoming the traveller to Cape Caem. Now illegible, the sign was bent from the middle as if something large had crashed into it. Noctis killed the engine, but kept the headlights on just as Ignis had advised.

So far Caem seemed to have only a few scattered daemons here and there, but one could never be too cautious – especially when he had to succumb to fighting like a regular person with nothing but his Engine Blade tied to his hip and Cerberus, his sniper rifle, on his back. It had been nearly a decade since Noctis lost his bloodline's powers in Gralea. Both the Crystal and the Astrals had turned their back on him when he refused to leave his friends' side for the sake of a trap masquerading as an uncertain victory. Darkness had engulfed the world and it was all because of him; he hadn't been ready to sacrifice his friends for the greater good. He knew this and he carried the burden heavily on his shoulders. It had taken him many years to come to terms with his decision and its results. All he really could do now was plough forward, do what he could with the abilities he did have available and keep those he had been born to rule over safe.

With a weary sigh, Noctis switched on his torch and left the van's hallowed lights. He trekked to the old house on top of the hill with Umbra by his side. Iris had begged him to retrieve her sewing kit while he was around. She claimed it was for sewing stitches on wounded hunters, but Noctis had a sneaking suspicion she planned on mending his torn prince's fatigues. Even after all these years, Iris still nurtured a crush on him and spent every moment trying to please or impress him. He had tried to let her know that she didn't need to put up a show for him and could just be her sweet self and act normal like she did with everyone else, but he was never good with words. He felt sorry for the younger Amicitia. His heart had always belonged to someone else and was no longer his to give away.

The house was in relatively good condition considering nobody had looked after it in its previous owners' absence. It took him a little while, but he eventually located a faded pink cloth bag containing needles and thread. He put it in his rucksack. The denizens of Caem hadn't had the time to take anything besides the absolutely necessary when the call to evacuate came. Noctis secretly found it impressive how Talcott had managed to pack his cactuar collection on such short notice.

Cid had left most of his stuff lying around in an unused storage room within the house. As Noctis rummaged through the several pieces of equipment, engine parts and what he could only describe as trash, he felt a chill wind blow from the open doorway.

"Should've put on more clothes", he muttered to himself as a shiver ran down his spine. Umbra's ears perked and his mouth opened to pant happily. Movement caught his eyes from his peripheral vision. Noctis' stance grew tense and his hand went automatically to his blade's hilt, but he forced himself to relax. Umbra wouldn't act so friendly if they were in the presence of daemons. Slowly Noctis rose to his feet and turned around.

His eyes widened and his breath hitched. He couldn't believe his eyes.

In the doorway stood a girl who uncannily resembled his deceased bride in her younger years. She was barefooted and wore a familiar white summer dress. Her skin was ghostly pale, but she didn't seem ethereal in any way. Her feet and the hem of her dress were dirty, her skin was decorated with cuts and bruises and her normally perfectly straight long blond hair seemed like it hadn't been brushed for weeks. Her messy bangs shielded her downcast eyes.

Noctis was paralyzed as a million questions ran through his head. What was happening? Was he hallucinating? Was this truly Luna? But how? She died. He saw Ardyn gut her like a fish. Why was she twelve again? What was she doing here?

Umbra's sharp bark broke him out of his stupor. He didn't have time to so much as utter her name before the girl dashed away.

"Wait! Come back!" He stumbled after her. Panic contracted his chest. He couldn't lose her again!

He chased her down the hill, past the van, all the way to the rocky shore.

"I won't hurt you! Please, stop!" She kept running. She was surprisingly nimble; whenever he was gaining on her and within arm's reach, she would suddenly gain an unexpected burst of speed and elude his arms.

"Luna!"

She slowed down and turned around. Panting, Noctis bent over to let his hands rest against his knees as he tried to catch his breath. The girl said nothing and merely waited patiently. Once he straightened up, she began to slowly make her way towards the sea. Noctis followed, but didn't dare to come too close lest she run away again. She kept going until the sea level reached her thighs and the hem of her dress was soaked. All of this was so unreal. It had to be a dream! But he could clearly feel the icy cold water numbing his calves and feet and the chill wind blowing through his hunter's uniform. He pinched his arm for good measure.

"Ow."

He was definitely not dreaming. He could see the girl's reflection from where his torchlight hit the surface. So not a ghost. Did ghosts have a reflection? His record of horror movies wasn't exactly impressive. Maybe said movies weren't the most reliable source for facts, either.

She watched him expectantly and beckoned him to come closer. Hesitantly Noctis came to stand next to her. He nearly lost his balance when his booted feet stepped on something tube-like. The girl knelt down and motioned to him to help her search for something. Noctis followed her example and felt around blindly. He was tempted to 'accidentally' touch her arm under the murky water's cover. Not because he was being a creepy old dude groping little girls – his nose wrinkled in disgust at the mental image – but because he needed to make sure she was real and solid. He was playing around in icy sea water with his dead would-be-wife's twin for Reaper's sake! None of this made any sense. He reached towards the girl next to him, but his hands caught hold of whatever he had previously tripped over. As he pulled it above the surface, he realised it was attached to something heavy.

A decayed pale arm broke the surface. Gasping, Noctis let go of it and turned to stare at the little girl next to him with wide eyes. She stood up and watched him silently, her head slightly tilted in curiosity.

"The hell you brought me here for?"

She pointed down to where the corpse lay.

"Who are you and why do you look like Luna?!" He stumbled to his feet and tried to grab her by the shoulders, but she easily sidestepped. He lost his balance and crashed next to the corpse. He turned around and hastily sat up. The girl lifted the corpse's hand above the surface and held it in front of him. It was a woman's hand. His eyes settled on the ring adorning one of her slim fingers. He saw a small scar next to the ring. Was it truly…?

He took hold of the hand and brought it closer to his face. Though the skin had lost all of its colour and was slimy from years of floating in sea water, and the hand was smaller than the one he remembered holding as a child, he could recognise that small scar anywhere. When Noctis had fretted about carrying a scar on his forehead from his near death experience for the rest of his life, Luna had shown him her hand and told him the story behind her scar.

"They are memories, Noctis. Past experiences that shape us into what we will eventually become." She always sounded so wise to him, even as a child – especially as a child. "You will remember every story behind every scar for the rest of your life. Even when you are old and your memory is not what it used to be, you will still remember the scars."

"Is that why Gentiana has a good memory? Does she hide a lot of scars under those robes?"

"Certainly", she had easily agreed to his childish theory without batting an eye. She had been so ready to entertain his silly ideas in order to get him to ease up and feel comfortable.

With a shuddering breath, Noctis stood up and lifted his bride's corpse from the sea's icy embrace. Her body was thin as if she had been starving during her last days, but at the same time she was surprisingly heavy from the excess salt water inside. His heart wrenched painfully in his chest when he saw the sorry state her body was in. Her only remaining eye stared emptily at nothing, while the other had been presumably gnawed by sea life. Her cheek had stretching holes through which he could spot the remains of what once were pearl-white teeth. Her small button nose and chapped lips with uptilted corners only confirmed her identity.

He couldn't even start guessing how her corpse had remained in such a good condition for a decade. It had travelled miles, all the way here from Altissia. Seaweed was tangled between her darkened wet locks. What was left of her once pure white ceremonial Oracle's dress was now unrecognisable; the bottom was torn all the way up to her thighs and dirtied from years of grime. The cloth underneath her right breast was darkened by blood from the old stab wound. The straps that once held the bodice snugly against her chest had snapped and left her small breasts exposed. Awkwardly Noctis averted his eyes and attempted to lift the useless scrap of cloth to cover her decency.

Splashing of water returned his focus to the forgotten girl beside him. She made her way back to the shore. Noctis followed and kept his eyes firmly glued to the younger counterpart. He didn't want his memory of Luna to be tarnished by a decayed corpse. He wanted to remember her as young, carefree and healthy.

"I can't bury her here. I guess I could bury her next to Jared, but… The least I can do is to offer her a proper grave with a coffin", he mumbled to himself.

Wait a minute.

Luna was dead, her corpse in his arms was proof enough, but what about the girl in front of him? Was she Luna as well? Maybe he could ask her opinion on the matter. She was the one who had wanted him to retrieve her body, after all. Not that he had managed to get out as much as a peep out of her so far, but it didn't hurt to try.

"Hey, Luna?"

The girl glanced at him over her shoulder. At the same time his hold slipped on the corpse and he had to balance her against his knee to fix his grip. Luna's head lolled against his chest, her single blank eye staring up at him. With an uneasy shudder he dropped his gaze to the slightly gaping mouth where water trickled down from the corners of her lips. Something moved inside her mouth. A small sea critter poked its head out between her parted lips. Nausea churned his stomach and he hurried towards the shore to set the corpse down on the rocks. He emptied the contents of his stomach a few steps away and spat the foul taste from his mouth before wiping the remaining drops of vomit on his sleeve.

At least he now knew the girl responded to Luna's name. He'd ask about the funeral arrangements when they were on the road and without a corpse stealing all his attention. Little Luna stood at a reasonable distance and watched his every move closely. Noctis knelt next to Dead Luna and gently pressed beneath her ribs. Water sputtered from her mouth, along with several unwanted inhabitants.

"Man, that's disgusting."

He carefully gathered Dead Luna in his arms and walked to the van. Little Luna quietly followed.

"Hope you don't mind if I put you in the trunk. Don't wanna scare Prompto to death. One corpse is enough for one day." He retrieved a plastic bag and with some effort managed to slip Dead Luna inside. The bag wasn't big enough to cover all of her, so he decided to leave her feet visible. They were more intact than the rest of her and less likely to traumatise any weak-hearted eyewitnesses.

Long untamed grass rustled when Umbra cantered towards the van. He had been patiently waiting by the house for Noctis' return, but had sensed that something was off and come to investigate. Seeming to recognise his mistress somehow, he let out a mournful whine and pawed at the trunk. It couldn't possibly be by smell. Noctis was sure ten years of drifting in the sea had washed her from all the familiar smells that Umbra associated with Luna. With all that had happened so far that day, he really should stop attempting to explain everything with logic. None of it made sense.

"Sorry, boy. Better you stick with this one." He pointed at Little Luna. "Doesn't talk much, but neither does the one inside."

Curiously enough Umbra didn't seem all that interested in the girl. Noctis returned to the house and searched for the components he had originally come to look for. He quietly chatted to Umbra and Little Luna to ease his nerves. He packed everything remotely useful looking he could fit in his rucksack and returned to the van. Umbra hopped to the backseat without so much as a request from Noctis. Little Luna made no move to enter the van.

"Aren't you coming? Thought you wanted to make sure I wouldn't disrespect you- her", he corrected himself. Man, this was confusing.

Little Luna merely shook her head sadly and stared at her toes. What was that all about?

Noctis knelt in front of her and looked up to her glass-like blue eyes.

"Hey. I don't want you to stay here all by yourself. Even if you're not Luna, I still want you to come with me, okay? I live in a nice place – well, as nice as nice can be. There's light, there's people. Hell, we even have a radio that occasionally works. Entertainment is minimal, but sometimes we get a nice treat with a song or two played from old records. Lestallum still has one working radio station. I'm sure you'd like it there. It's way better than here, anyway." He was rambling, but he really wanted this girl to come with him. He couldn't leave her here in good conscience, even if she was a ghost or just a figment of his imagination. "So what do you say?"

Little Luna lifted her left hand. He noticed the same small scar he had seen on Dead Luna. She offered her pinky to him. With a small chuckle, he lifted his right pinky and shook hers.

"I still remember that, y'know. Been over two decades, but I still cherish each and every moment I had with you."

Little Luna's blank face slowly melted into a familiar heart-warming smile. Gracefully she nodded and curtsied. Grinning, Noctis helped her into the van and to settle next to Umbra.

"Seat belt on. No police around, but if Ignis finds out I'm driving with unsecured kids on-board, he's gonna make me eat beans for a week. Fate worse than de-", he stopped himself and shook his head. "Way too soon. And not funny. I'll shut up now." He secured the seat belt on Little Luna and closed the door before hopping on the driver's seat.

"I like it when you talk."

Noctis wasn't sure if he had truly heard her speak or if it was just his wistful mind playing tricks on him. He peered at her from the rear mirror. She was absently staring out of the window and leaning her chin against her small palm. Nothing suggested she had said anything.

With a faint smile, he started the engine and took his phone to dial Prompto.

"Hey. I'm done here. Get ready for pickup in half an hour."

Prompto didn't even notice the silent girl in the backseat. Not a surprise considering she was sitting directly behind him. Still, Noctis couldn't help wondering if he was the only one who could see Little Luna. The drive back to Fort Highwind was pleasant. Prompto kept chattering about the old witch in the woods and praising her potion brewing and cooking.

"Y'know, she's the one who came up with those runes that protect the havens. That's why she can be lonesome in the middle of nowhere and not worry about daemons ambushing her in her sleep. Wonder if we could ask her to create some runes for the bases. I mean, I like hallowed blue light as much as the next person, but it'd be kinda nice to have the classic yellow light."

"Yeah, would be nice."

"Sooo." Prompto tapped his feet with restless energy. "What kept you for so long? I mean, I know Cid's organised mess is a mess no matter what angle you look at it from, but it shouldn't have taken that long."

"I, uh, got side-tracked. Had to find Iris some of her old stuff and took a while finding them." Noctis kept his eyes firmly on the road. He didn't want his best friend to think he was losing his mind. If he or anyone else saw Little Luna, he would explain. If not, he would know he was finally cracking.

"Huh."

Prompto subtly eyed his best friend from the corner of his eye. The former king's unkempt appearance reflected the drastic change in his life. Gone was the lazy and relatively carefree youth who couldn't get up at a decent time. In its place was a burdened man who was hardened by life and past mistakes. Sometimes, Prompto barely even recognised his friend anymore. Thankfully those moments were few and far between. Noct was still Noct underneath that scraggly beard and unkempt hair.

"So, how's Iris?"

"She's fine. You should know, you see her as often as I do", Noctis replied evasively.

"I know, I know. I mean. She's liked you for a long time. And it's been a while. Shouldn't you, y'know, maybe think about giving her a chance and settling down?"

"Like you do with Cindy?" the former king gave him a pointed glare before returning to watch the road.

"Hey, I'm still working on that! You know how she's married to her work now. Poor girl barely gets a wink of sleep with how much she's tinkering in the Hammerhead garage."

"Yeah."

Noctis saw Little Luna staring at him through the rear mirror. Her posture was tense and her small hands were gripping the edge of her seat. The conversation had alarmed her, it seemed.

"Afraid Iris will have to find someone better suited for her. I don't-", he sighed and rubbed his face with his free hand. "I can't give her what she wants." Little Luna's gaze seemed to soften at that. Was she worried he would move on and forget about her? Fat chance. She had been his pillar since they were children and she had continued to support him from a distance, even when his mistakes cost her life.

"Noct, I know you can't put the past behind you. I get it. But everybody deserves happiness and a second chance." Prompto's voice dropped to a quiet murmur. "Even you."

"It's not just about letting go of the past. I'm not the same man I used to be. Even if I could ignore all of this." He vaguely gestured at the darkness around them. "I can't just revert back to that kid she took fancy over Reaper knows for what reasons."

"Yeah, hard to style up your hair without any gel. But you could shave the beard if you miss the good ol' days."

Noctis rolled his eyes, but couldn't keep himself from snorting. He glanced at Little Luna. He wondered what her opinion was on his current look. Probably 'too old'. Did she share Dead Luna's opinions or was she forever stuck as a preteen? So many questions. Should he ever get the chance to ask a single question, he would have to spend an hour just choosing what to ask first.

"You're late. I'm not even going to ask why your pants have taken a swim." Frankly, Noctis had already forgotten about his drenched clothes. Too much had happened in such a short time for him to remember something as mundane as cold and damp.

"Nice to see you too, Aranea." Noctis hopped off the van. Prompto grinned and waved as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

Aranea had changed out of her usual battle gear in favour of wearing a regular Niflheimian officer's uniform; a black coat with red trimming and a white front adorned with Niflheim's pompous red coat of arms. Once upon a time said symbol inspired fear and despair in the opposing side. Now it was a mere relic of days gone by.

"Did you secure the goods?" Aranea was not one to waste time with idle banter.

"Yeah. Got them right here." He patted the trunk. As Aranea moved to open the trunk, Noctis remembered the corpse he had left there.

Shit.

He took a deep breath and counted to three.

"Why do you have a body in the trunk?" Her voice betrayed no emotion, and her piercing grey gaze spared him no judgement.

"Didn't wanna leave it lying around. The least I could do is to bury it."

She lifted one slim brow dubiously, not believing him for a second. "Then why bring it here instead of burying it where you found it?"

Noctis played with his uniform's cuffs. A nervous tell he hadn't quite learnt to keep under control. "Gonna need to make a coffin for it first. Didn't have any tools to make one there."

"Awfully lot of work for a stranger's corpse. Did you know this person, by any chance?"

Noctis glanced at the pale unmoving feet poking from the plastic bag and swallowed heavily. His silence was answer enough.

"You did, didn't you." It wasn't a question.

With a defeated sigh, he lifted his weary gaze to meet hers. "It's Luna's", he admitted.

Her commanding posture faltered. "The Lady Lunafreya's?"

With a solemn nod, Noctis carefully pulled the plastic bag to reveal her.

Aranea didn't even turn up her nose in disgust, instead her eyes saddened with pity. She had seen too many mangled corpses to be disturbed by them anymore. "Where'd you find her?"

"Near Caem, she had drifted to the shore. I hope to give her a proper burial."

"Understood. If anyone deserves a hero's sending, it's her. Carry on."

Prompto opened the van's door to let Umbra out. Little Luna followed the dog and silently watched her surroundings in what Noctis presumed to be fascination. "Oh, hello. Noct, I didn't realise you brought a friend."

So they could see her. Did they recognise her, though? Probably not. Most of her public photos and portraits were from after her ascension to Oraclehood. Even if Prompto had seen a picture of Luna as a child, he doubted he would put two and two together. Little Luna looked like she had been through hell and back again. If the actual Luna hadn't been so mangled and had moved around, he wouldn't have been able to tell which one was the real deal.

"Isn't the dog always with him?" Aranea absently commented. Prompto's brow furrowed in confusion. He glanced at the girl and then back to Aranea, but the dragoon seemed to be looking right through her.

"Well, yeah. But I meant–"

"Is Cid at the garage?" Noctis hurried to interrupt his friend. He wasn't quite ready to give up on his sane status.

Aranea cast an amused glance to the hunter. "Where else would he be? C'mon, those supplies won't carry themselves. Get to it." She marched off, presumably to the command tower where she and Ignis, now her second-in-command, spent most of their days discussing and maintaining order. Ignis had put his diplomatic aptitude to use by taking the role of an ambassador of New Lucis, the united last people of the old Lucis. He was often negotiating trade relations between both the bases, Hammerhead and Lestallium, as well as between New Lucis and other countries, such as Tenebrae and Accordo. Such discussions were mostly done over phone as travelling had become increasingly difficult.

The trains within the continent of Terraverde didn't operate as they used to, thanks to the daemon outbreak in Niflheim. Most train tracks were in a state of disrepair. The lack of hallowed light technology and seasoned hunters discouraged able men to repair the train tracks. Said lights were only available in the largest settlements, such as the newly founded town rebuilt from the ashes of Fenestala Manor.

Airships were a rarity. Only Aranea's two airships remained operational within Lucis. Tenebrae wasn't much better off with only a handful of imperial airships while Accordo had none to its name. Aranea's ships were mainly used to trade between Tenebrae and Accordo and only for the most important goods, such as medicine. Regular trade was done through sea or car traffic.

Gladiolus, on the other hand, had found his calling in construction work. He, along with a dozen other men and women, had built the underground settlement beneath Fort Highwind where civilians took refuge. He had also been part of building a protective wall around a farmland where Iris and Talcott spent most of their days growing crops and tending to livestock. Said mini-fort was under Biggs and Wedge's watchful eyes and under the protection of the remains of Aranea's MT units.

The farmers had managed to grow crops during the first year after the events in Gralea, but as the daylight completely disappeared, they had to get creative to ensure the people wouldn't starve. Through many months of trial and error, Cindy had managed to invent floodlights that imitated sunlight and enabled crops to grow naturally. Iris' crops were in high demand and the farmers were ever looking for more fertile land to expand their fields. That was where Prompto and Noctis came along. As well as being seasoned hunters, the two of them were reconnaissance scouts who surveyed areas for daemon territories, fertility of the ground and in turn, places where new settlements could be set up, food could be grown and advancements could be made.

Noctis could almost see the gears turning in Prompto's head. He shifted weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably.

"So, uh, who's your friend?"

"A survivor I found hiding in the lighthouse." Little Luna didn't seem to even realise she was being discussed. So absorbed was she in taking in her new home. "I'm gonna go take the goods to Cid and show her around. There's something I wanna talk about afterwards."

Prompto's expression immediately sobered. "About the funeral?"

"Yeah." And Little Luna's identity. Noctis couldn't keep it a secret forever. He would have to make sure Prompto didn't promote her presence in case they were the only ones who could see her. He had to think of a place for her to spend the night as well. His and Prompto's room came to mind, but he wasn't sure what to think about sharing his bed with her. The floor was out of the question and he wasn't comfortable with the idea of having her stay with strangers, even if she wasn't visible to them.

Noctis took Iris' cloth bag and gave it to the girl. "Mind helping me with this? Got my hands full."

Her expression serious, she took it from him and held it like it was the Lakshmi of Altissia. With a fond smile Noctis threw on his heavy rucksack and checked that his weapons were securely strapped on out of force of habit.

"C'mon."

Cid was cranky as ever, but Noctis knew by now from the pleased gleam in his aged eyes that he had brought him the correct parts. The old mechanic hadn't paid any attention to Little Luna. She silently stood next to Umbra, her pale blue eyes darting around the garage in wonder. Said garage held several old MA-X Cuirass magitek armours from a time when the base had been under Niflheim control. The hunters utilised the remaining MTs and machines to their best ability to cut the unnecessary human losses. Unfortunately not even Cid knew how to fix the aging machines nor did they have spare parts available.

As the trio left the garage, they passed an MT on patrol. Its gun arm was missing along with its helmet and most of its metal face. Its remaining arm was cut off from the elbow and only few wires poked from the stub. In combat it was no better than a moving target, but in sentry duty it did its job; it could see in the dark and alarm the hunters of any daemon activity or report if any of the hallowed lights went out.

Little Luna's head turned in every direction as she attempted to memorise and map everything in one go. Somehow Noctis found it endearing. He would always cherish the young ones of the garrison-turned-shelter and admire how the children could maintain such an innocence and sense of wonder when the adults saw nothing past the doom and gloom. He dearly wished he could return to those days in Tenebrae.

"Noct!"

The hunter turned around to face his former bodyguard and advisor. It had taken Ignis many years, but the level-headed man no longer relied on a cane thanks to his thorough training and endless source of patience. Had their roles been reversed, Noctis doubted he'd be anywhere near as competent on his own, relying on senses other than the one he was most used to. He would never admit it out loud, but Ignis' determination to overcome his then fatal weakness was a great inspiration to Noctis who struggled to find his place in this post-apocalyptic world without his powers. He was just another man now. Not a king, not a prince, not even a warrior with magical capabilities – just another hunter who could be just as easily felled by a stray bullet or a well-aimed daemon claw. He was as vulnerable as the rest of them and not any more capable of protecting his fellow man than a seasoned Meldacio Hunter HQ's veteran.

"Hey."

"We heard the news", Ignis' soothing accented voice informed him. "How are you fairing?"

"As good as can be expected, I suppose. To be honest, I find myself often questioning my sanity these days." He glanced behind him where he expected to find Little Luna with Umbra. She was nowhere to be found. Iris' cloth bag had been carefully tied to Umbra's back. She was right beside him just a moment ago. He peered beneath the large floodlights, but saw no sign of her dirtied white dress. She couldn't exactly disappear into the shadows unlike the rest of the hunters in their dark clothes. Had she up and vanished? "More often than I'd like to admit", he muttered to himself.

"Quite the chance you found her in Caem of all places", Gladiolus agreed. Ignis said nothing, but Noctis could see from the crease on his forehead and the small twitch of his lips that the svelte man did not believe in such chance. The heavy-built man lifted his large hand and affectionately squeezed his liege's shoulder. "Don't worry. I know someone with a knack for carpentry. I'll talk to him and let him know Lady Lunafreya requires a proper coffin. We won't spare any good materials and make sure she gets the burial she deserves."

Noctis lifted his hand to cover his bodyguard's and solemnly held the older man's gaze. His voice was thick with emotion and gratitude. "Thank you."

With a final squeeze the tattooed man let go of him and glanced at the former king's canine companion.

"Is that Iris'?"

"Oh. Yeah, she asked me to fetch it for her. Have you seen her around?"

"She and Talcott headed to Lestallum to get supplies. They'll probably stay there overnight and return in the morning."

Night. Morning. Such words were meaningless with no sun or daylight. Still, they clung to old habits and used clocks and calendars to keep track of time. Noctis hardly cared anymore. He left when he was ordered to and returned when he could. He slept when his body was ready to collapse from exhaustion and stayed alert the rest of the time. Passage of time meant nothing to him. All that mattered was survival and looking after each other.

"I see. Do you mind taking this to her dorm?"

"Don't wanna get your male ego hurt by having a little bit of colour in yours?" the tattooed man joked.

"You know it. Pink's more of your colour, anyway", Noctis grinned easily.

"Wuss. Hand it here." Gladio took the bag from Noctis and felt it in his hands. "Did you use it as fishing bait or something? It's damp."

"I, er, tripped while I was carrying Luna back from the shore." It was partially true.

"You better hope it dries by the time Iris gets back. She'll snap your scrawny neck in two otherwise."

"Yeah, well, you can thank me later. I know you secretly think she's cute when she gets mad", Noctis gave his old friend a good-natured shove.

"Only when she's mad at someone else", Gladio agreed with a chuckle and shoved him back before leaving the two other men alone.

They stood in silence for a few seconds, before Ignis cleared his throat. "Is there something you wish to discuss, Noct?"

"What makes you think that?"

"I sense you're more tense than usual from the tone of your voice. You're also uncommonly restless. I can hear your boots shuffling against the asphalt." He should've known nothing went past his blind friend. What he had lost in sight, he seemed to make up for with freakishly accurate assumptions based on hearing, smell and touch. That, and Ignis had known Noctis since he was a child. He knew him inside out; every quirk, every habit and every tell.

"I've lost something and I'm not sure where to look." He eyed their surroundings, but still couldn't find any trace of Little Luna. He knelt next to Umbra, hoping the dog would somehow understand his silent plea to find her for him. Instead the canine took advantage of his master's current height to lick his cheek. Noctis weakly laughed and scratched behind the dog's ears. "I'm not even sure if what I lost exists or if it's a figment of my imagination."

"Hm. A curious statement", Ignis commented. "You've lost something that may or may not exist. A memory, perhaps? They can be fickle things."

It slightly unnerved the dark-haired hunter how close the blind brunet hit the mark. A memory indeed.

"You're right."

"So, this memory of yours." Ignis removed imaginary dust from his old Kingsglaive uniform. His uniform was in the best condition of the trio. He took maintaining its optimal condition very seriously. "Does it have anything to do with Lady Lunafreya's recent appearance, perchance?"

"Right again."

"It has been a long time since you talked with her. Are you afraid you're losing memories of your time in Tenebrae?"

He hadn't really ever thought of that. He held each and every memory very close to his heart and couldn't even imagine losing a single one. He wasn't entirely sure what he wanted from Little Luna. To take care of her, perhaps? Make up for past mistakes by returning the love and affection his bride had given him through her actions and letters? Or simply to cling to a physical manifestation of his most precious memories?

"No. Never. Those memories I will carry with me to the grave. They've been with me every day ever since father took me back to Insomnia."

Ignis adjusted his shades. Sometimes Noctis wondered if he wore them for the familiar feeling of having them rest on his nose or to spare civilians from seeing his scars. He suspected it was a bit of both.

"A memory related to Lady Lunafreya, which you're not entirely sure exists." Ignis pondered aloud. "Yet you do not believe you've forgotten any memories of your time with her. Are you referring to the most recent memories in Altissia?"

"No. It's-", he shrugged and belatedly realised Ignis couldn't see the gesture. "Complicated."

"I see."

"No, you don't."

A small smile curved the tactician's lips. "No, I do not."

Noctis gave Umbra's head a final pat before standing up to his full height. "Guess I'll just have to keep looking."

Ignis hummed. "Best of luck with that. Let me know if you're any closer to finding what you seek."

"I will."

Noctis had searched everywhere for Little Luna. He had even gone to the infirmary where Luna's body had been taken temporarily in wait for the burial. He had taken a small scrap from her torn dress and offered it to Umbra in hopes that he would manage to locate the elusive girl with it, but even that had not worked.

Tired and defeated, the raven-haired hunter made his way back to his and Prompto's shared accommodation which resided underground along with the other denizens' homes. It was as modest as the rest of the barracks; a small room with nothing but a single nightstand, a bunk bed and a wardrobe. There was only enough space to move around the bunk bed. Umbra hopped onto the end of his bed and settled down for the night. They had missed supper and would have to wait till morning for food. Dining hours were strict to keep everything going and organised. The garrison had ten thousand people to feed on a daily basis. It would've been absolute chaos had Aranea not put her foot down on the matter and made sure everything went smoothly and according to plan.

Prompto was lying on the top bed and fiddling with his camera. Entertainment was sparse. Both men had lost their old Insomnian smartphones after two years of service and had had to replace them with regular Niflheim standardized cell phones. Prompto still brought up King's Knight occasionally and all the memories they had playing the game. Sadly, their new phones were only good for phone calls. Texting was unadvised to avoid jamming the phone lines. The lines had to be open for long-distance communications between New Lucis and the other countries at all times. Walkie-talkies were given to each hunter, while MTs used a special code signal to report their patrol results to the main computer.

"Welcome back, buddy."

"Sorry I kept you waiting." Noctis stripped himself off the weapons, scarf and hunter's vest before kicking off his old trusty prince's boots. They had endured surprisingly long. He supposed he had his father to thank for that. King Regis had made sure both his son and the Crownsguard wore clothing made of durable high-quality materials. Noctis changed out of his damp hunter's shirt and pants. Neither he nor Prompto had proper sleepwear. They and the other denizens of Fort Highwind had long since learnt to be ready around the clock in case of a bold daemon attack. Larger hordes had dared to attack the fort even with the hallowed lights. Fortunately such occasions were rare, but it had instilled a sense of vulnerability and vigilance in each one of them. Always be ready. Always be alert.

"Hey, no prob. You wanted to talk about something?" The freckled blond plopped onto his stomach to peer down at Noctis.

"Yeah. About that girl."

His clear blue eyes lit up in interest. "She seemed nice. Did you show her where the showers are? She looked like she's been rolling in dirt the past month."

Noctis dropped his gaze to his hands. "I, um. I kinda lost her."

"Well, it's a big place. Maybe one of the girls took her under their wing?"

"Maybe." That seemed too optimistic even by Noctis' standards. How could a little girl just vanish when he turned his back for a second? Granted, she was fast when she wanted to be, but he doubted she would leave him like that without letting him know. At first he had presumed she went back to Dead Luna to make sure she was being treated well and with proper respect, but she had been nowhere near the van or the infirmary. He had backtracked to the garage, but Cid had seen no little girls. He had checked everywhere on the surface level. It wasn't out of the question that she might be at one of the underground levels, but why would she go there on her own?

"Prompto. I'm gonna say something that will probably make you think I'm going crazy, but just bear with me, okay?"

Prompto blinked at him curiously and rested his chin to rest on his folded arms. "Okay."

"It was Luna."

As expected, he didn't register what the raven-haired hunter was implying. "Huh?"

Noctis sighed, rubbed his face and lifted his head to look up at his best friend. "The girl is Luna. As in the same Luna that is currently very much dead. Don't ask me how that works. At first I thought I was hallucinating or having some weird visions, but then you saw her, too. And when I lost sight of her, it wasn't because of her running off on her own. She just vanished the second I looked elsewhere. Kinda like what Gentiana used to do."

"You said you found her in Caem?" Prompto's voice was heavy with disbelief.

"Yeah. She showed me where the corpse was. Wouldn't have found it otherwise. It was in knee-deep water."

Prompto let out a low whistle. "Wow. Dude, I don't know what to say. Seems unreal to me."

Noctis chuckled humourlessly. "Oh, believe me. I've been questioning reality a lot for the past six hours."

"Maybe she just wanted you to save her from being eaten by wildlife and now that that's taken care of, she decided to leave?"

Noctis lay back on the bed and tossed his arm over his weary eyes. One of Umbra's ears was pointed towards the conversation in half-interest. "I guess. Was hoping to have a chat with her. She didn't talk back at all when we were alone in Caem."

"What would you talk about? I mean, she's just a kid. Can't go burdening her with too heavy stuff."

"I'm not too sure about that. The last time I saw her she was a child. I was, too. When she gave me the ring, she appeared to me in a vision. We were both in Tenebrae, surrounded by countless sylleblossoms and she was there. Right in front of me. As young as I remember her from our childhood." His voice trembled. He had never told anyone about the vision and how much Luna's final farewell had affected him. "She was a child, but then she changed into an adult. I don't think this Luna is different. She reacted when I called her by name and she seemed to understand all the things she should've considered as too 'adult'. She even seemed a little worried when you brought up Iris during the car drive."

"I completely forgot she was there to hear it! I hope I didn't upset her or anything." Prompto hopped off the bed and set his camera on the nightstand. "Think we'll see her again? I never got the chance to show her the photos we took for her." He grinned at the sullen man.

"I swear, if you're even entertaining the thought of taking 'sultry pictures' of her, I'll put you in a box and have you shipped back to the MT factory", Noctis grumbled.

"I know you wouldn't do that to me, buddy!" Prompto singsonged. "I'm surprised you even remembered all that. I promise I won't take any weird pictures, but you can't deny me a portrait! C'mooon, we don't have any pictures of her", he begged.

It was true. The only picture of her he had seen was the portrait next to her wedding dress in Altissia. He wanted a picture of Luna as a memento more than he dared to admit. It already seemed so weird and it bordered on creepy; a man in his thirties fantasising about having a picture of a twelve-year-old girl. He was beginning to wish Little Luna had taken the appearance of how she was in Altissia. Perhaps she thought it was less painful for him to see her the way he remembered her instead of how she was on the day she died.

"Fine. One picture. If we'll ever see her again, that is."