Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or RWBY or any of their respective characters or concepts.

~.~.~

At a younger and more naïve age, he would've sat upon his throne and pridefully basked in the way the sunlight gleamed brilliantly upon the spotless obsidian floor outstretched before him. His father had groomed him since childhood for the day he'd ascend the ornate steps to that regal perch and he'd spent much of his adolescence pining for it. A golden chair garbed in ruby threads, adorned by a dark set of stairs on either side that curved as gently as the wings of a dove. In his dreams, he looked out over the whole world from that chair, from his Citadel, and the world would stare back at him and wait to hear him speak.

Now?

Now the grandeur of it all tired him like nothing else could. The stone angels in the council chambers that lifted those candelabras so gracefully into the air never failed to draw a scowl from him. Walking across that damnable priceless red carpet that lay outstretched before the front doors of the building felt like crossing a bed of hot coals. He found a particular joy in watching the dirty boots of his Kingsglaive muddy, scuff, and tarnish the marble that lined the hallways.

Oh, he understood the need for regality better than anyone alive. The citizens of his kingdom and, more importantly, influential foreign dignitaries needed proof of Lucis' prosperity and majesty. Reputation was half-built on the illusion of brilliance and the shadow of greatness, after all. The mere image of his immaculate Citadel inspired more confidence and awe in his rule than any speech or law could ever hope to manage. Still, illusions and shadows were just those. He often lay awake at nights, wondering how the money and labor it spent to build and maintain such a castle could better be put to use. How many lives could've been saved if those funds had gone to the Hunters? How many hungry could go fed, if even for a day? How much time and resources could be spared if he and his fellow leaders could drop this charade of airs for a single moment?

He owed more than a single grey hair to such thoughts.

Maybe he'd let the stress of his position turn him cynical. Perhaps he was simply old. Truly, it was pointless to wonder about the what-ifs. He would never be allowed to shed the graces of a king, even if it were for the betterment of his people and the efficiency of his reign. That wasn't how this game was played and every player in it knew that much. All he could do now was bear the weight of faux perfection for another handful years, until the next king proved ready and worthy to inherit that chain.

Speaking of which…

King Regis Lucis Caelum turned to the man standing beside him, an eyebrow arched above a flat gaze, "He's late, isn't he?"

Cor Leonis, the "Marshal," the "Immortal Shogun," lifted the sleeve of his black Crownsguard uniform and glanced at the ticking wristwatch beneath it.

"He was supposed to be here five minutes and fifty-ni—six minutes ago," Cor announced, growling in frustration, "I told him that he was to arrive at sunrise."

"Apparently that posed too much of a challenge for my dear son," Regis sighed, reaching up to massage his temple in a vain attempt to stave off an on-coming headache.

"Shall I, Your Majesty?" Cor bowed his head.

Regis nodded, "Give the command."

"As you wish," the soldier nodded, turning to address the throne room's other occupants, "Rise."

Having been knelt before their king for the past six minutes in complete silence, Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia, and Prompto Argentum slowly rose to their feet.

"The first one of you to drag Prince Noctis out of bed won't have to join him for his punishment," Cor declared before smirking, "A punishment that I will be personally overseeing, by the way."

The trio bobbed their heads in understanding. Bowing once more to Regis, they released a parting chorus of "Your Majesty" before straightening. Turning on heel, the three calmly crossed the long stretch of dark obsidian to the tall, ornate door on the far end of the room. It was only when the door was firmly shut behind them and the group of friends was standing in the hallway that they all shared a look…and promptly broke out into a full sprint towards Noctis' bedroom. Had he been able to, King Regis would've congratulated the young men on their show of restraint in the face of such a threat. A punishment with Cor meant one thing and one thing only—training.

A no-holds-barred, full-force training session from hell with the Immortal Shogun? Regis chuckled.

He'd be fleeing the country right now if it were him.

~.~.~

Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum didn't really dream all too often. Maybe that was weird, considering his penchant for naps and talent for sleeping in. You would think a person who slept so much would dream plenty, but the vast majority of the time, Noctis simply closed his eyes and, when he opened them again, hours had passed by. No amazing adventures, no impossibly surreal encounters—just a brief bit of mindless darkness. So, on the rare occasion where he did drift off only to find himself standing on a white sandy beach, with a sturdy rod in his hand and an endless, crystal-clear ocean before him, he preferred to savor it for as long as he could.

"—tis!"

Noctis couldn't keep the grin from his face as he spotted his bobber get tugged beneath the gentle lapping of the waves. As the line ran taught, the prince turned his pole and began to carefully reel his catch back to shore. He laughed. This would be the twelfth fish he'd landed thus far and, from the fight it was putting up, this one was a whopper.

"C'mon, Noc—!"

"Damn it! Op—!"

"—ocked."

A cool, refreshing breeze ran across the waters as his prize leapt up, shattering the surface of the sea and scattering diamond-like droplets into the air. As the absolute giant of a fish twisted around in the wind, Noctis felt his jaw drop in sheer awe. The thing was as huge as Gladio! Quickly digging his heels into the sand, Noctis adjusted his grip on his fishing rod and redoubled his efforts. There was just no way he could let this utter legend of a find be the one that got away. He'd never forgive himself otherwise.

"Cor's gonna—!"

"—alm down."

Noctis felt his hands tremble, though he couldn't tell if it was because he was nervous or excited. He was entirely focused on the battle in front of him. His eyes were glued to the shadow of that monster, watching every twitch it made with bated breath. Everything had to be perfect. The tension could not be allowed to grow too high. Every turn of the reel would have to be calculated with flawless timing. His hands and eyes would have to diligently gauge his catch's will and energy, only striking when the fish had tired itself out from its ceaseless flailing.

"Screw this! I say we just kick the stu—!"

"—ait, I can go get—!"

Far off in the distance somewhere, Noctis could hear something slam into the ground. Whatever it was, it fell hard and loud enough to send a series of ripples across the deep blue waters. The prince paid it no mind, however. He was just a few moments away from his grandest, most hard-fought victory yet. The beast was drawing ever closer to the shoreline. Dragged into the shallows and with less string separating it and Noctis, its ability to move—to fight—was slowly being robbed from it.

"…the key."

"No time, Specs. Prompto, grab—"

"—essir!"

It was so close now. He could've stretched out his arms and grabbed the monster with his own two hands now if he wanted, but that could wait until after it was lying in the sand next to him. Its splashing and floundering grew more frantic as it felt itself being pulled out of the water.

"On my mark, got it?"

"Sure thing, Big Guy."

Just a few more inches and Noctis would've won enough bragging rights to last him a lifetime. He'd be a hero, a legendary fisherman, with songs sung in his honor on every wharf and in all the sea-soaked taverns in the world.

"You know, there are gentler ways to wake a person."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Iggy."

"The Marshal's sure as hell not gonna be gentle with us, so why should we be with Sleeping Beauty here? Alright, Prompto—one, two…"

The prince let out an exhausted breath. Hunched over with his hands propped on his knees, Noctis wiped the sweat from his brow as he stared down and admired his handiwork. Chuckling victoriously to himself, he let an appreciative whistle slip from his lips. He reached down to pat the behemoth lying in the sand beside him and smirked, "Just wait until the guys get a load of—wh-whoa! Ugh!"

And just like that, his world was pulled out from under him. Gone were the heated white sands of the pristine beach. The sparkling waters of the sea had faded from view. Most heartbreaking, though, was the fact that his colossal fish was nowhere to be seen. Reality had come crashing in and taken his hard-earned victory, leaving him with nothing but a sore back and broken hopes. A pained, tired groan echoed out from his throat as Noctis groggily opened his eyes. As he did, the prince found Prompto and Gladiolus staring back at him, each holding a firm grasp on one of his ankles. Hovering behind them was Ignis.

"Mornin', Noct!" Prompto greeted cheerfully.

"Well, look who's finally up," Gladio sighed, shaking his head, "And all it took was for us to literally drag your ass out of bed…again."

"Good morning, Noctis," Ignis coolly greeted, "Tell me, do you remember how many times I reminded you last night to set your alarm? I believe it was three."

Kicking out of his friends' grips, Noctis reached up to his nightstand and grabbed a hold of his scroll, "What are you talking about? I did set my—oh."

"Oh?" Ignis raised a brow.

"No batteries," Noctis stated lamely, staring at the dead device in his hands, "So, uh…that would explain a lot, I guess."

"I'm quite certain that I also reminded you to charge your scroll," Ignis sighed.

Prompto chuckled, "Well, what do you expect? Noct's never exactly been a morning person."

Ignis shook his head, "Or an afternoon person, or an evening person, or—"

"Okay, okay, I get it," Noctis rolled his eyes as he climbed to his feet.

"Oh, you'll get it alright," Gladio frowned, "Cor's not happy."

"Cor's not…? Oh," Noctis mumbled tiredly before realization washed over him like a cold wave, "Oh shit."

"Indeed," Ignis muttered, "And I believe we all know what to expect of the Marshal when he's displeased."

"Oh crap!" Prompto shivered, "I almost forgot about the Marshal!"

"Don't worry," Gladio slapped a comforting hand over Prompto's shoulder, "I promise that he hasn't forgotten about you."

"Dude, so not helping!" Prompto groaned, "I can't take another one of his training sessions! Do you know how long it took me to grow all my hair back after the last one!?"

"About four months, give or take," Ignis chimed in.

"I actually started to miss your Chocobo hairdo. Gotta admit, though, seeing you go all chrome-dome was hilarious," Gladio laughed, ruffling the younger boy's hair. Prompto squawked in protest, his hands shooting up to defend his golden locks from the muscular young man's assault on his follicles.

"Not cool, Big Guy!" Prompto shouted indignantly, "And my hair absolutely does not look like a Chocobo butt!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Noctis smirked. Before Prompto could make a retort, Ignis saw fit to get their morning back on track. Clearing his throat, the stern man brought an end to the conversation and drew all eyes towards him.

"Prompto's resemblance to the rear-end of a Chocobo aside—"

"Not you too, Iggy!"

Ignis continued, ignoring Prompto's interruption and look of betrayal, "Need I remind you all that both the Marshal and King Regis are waiting on us?"

To his credit, Ignis only took a mild amount of amusement from the way the color visibly drained from his three friend's faces. The hole they (or rather, Noctis) had dug themselves into already ran deep enough and it only got deeper—Cor was no doubt counting the seconds as they stood here, joking and wasting valuable time.

"R-Right, so, uh…why don't you guys go on ahead?" Noctis nodded, "I'll get dressed and meet you guys there."

Gladio scoffed, "Hoping to have us take the worst of whatever's brewing back in the throne room? Nice try, but it ain't happening. If we go down, we're going down together."

"Besides, if we left you here alone, you'd just fall asleep again," Ignis crossed his arms.

Prompto sniggered, "He's got you there, Noct. For someone who's gonna rule over Insomnia one day, you couldn't stay awake to save your life."

Gladio rolled his eyes at the younger man's joke, "That was terrible."

"What?" Prompto frowned, shooting Gladio a look of surprise, "C'mon, that one was pretty good and you know it!"

"Gentlemen?" Ignis spoke up again, "King Regis? The Marshal?"

"Right, fine," Noctis sighed, stepping towards his closet, "Look, can't you guys just wait in the hall while I get dressed? A little privacy is all I'm asking for."

"In that case, you might find your privacy a bit lacking for a while," Ignis replied, "At least until someone can come out to repair your door."

Noctis' face scrunched up in confusion as he glanced to the entrance of his bedroom, "My door? What about my—what the hell did you do, Gladio!?"

"Whoa, who said I did it!?" Gladio held his hands up defensively, "…Okay, it was me, but so what!? You wouldn't open it!"

"So you decided to tear it off the damn hinges!?"

"To be fair, he didn't tear it off," Prompto shrugged, "He kicked it."

"Oh, that's much better!"

"We'd be standing out there all day if we waited for Your Highness' lazy ass to roll out of bed!"

As he watched Noctis and Gladio fall neatly into yet another one of their famous arguments, with Prompto circling around the two in a poor attempt to play the mediator, Ignis sighed. He lifted the pair of glasses from his face and brought a hand up the pinch the bridge of his nose, 'It's going to be one of those mornings, isn't it?'

~.~.~

The air was still and the mood was tense, as was always the case whenever King Regis addressed Prince Noctis as a ruler rather than a father. Behind him, Noctis could hear the light patters of Prompto shifting his balance uncomfortably from one foot to the other. He could not and dare not turn away from his father to check, but the dark-haired youth was certain that Gladio and Ignis were just as aware of the awkward atmosphere that hung over them all. The prince doubted they let it show as easily as their blond friend did, of course.

"Prince Noctis, you stand here today not only as the prince of the esteemed Kingdom of Lucis, but as the sole heir to the bloodline of Lucis Caelum," Regis was calm yet commanding, his voice carrying with it an intensity that belied his old age. Every word spawned an echo in its wake and every pause left a chasm to fill. How someone who always spoke so softly could boom as loud and with as much gravitas as his father did, Noctis would never know. Regis carried on, "I needn't remind you that the men and women of our family are entrusted with far more than the prosperity of our kingdom. We bear the name of the Kingdom of Lucis because it is our lineage and our birthright. With that birthright comes the power to protect and nurture the lands we rule. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Noctis answered, his head bowed in a show of reverence that his flat tone failed to carry, "I am aware."

"Then you should know that the reason I have summoned you here this morning is because of that power," Regis pursed his lips, "Tomorrow marks the passing of the first true moon to arise since you have come of age. As such, it is time for you to begin the ancestral trials to consolidate your rightful inheritance under your control."

Noctis resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Whenever he was acting as King Regis, his old man had a bad habit of overstating things. In layman's terms, he'd turned seventeen about a month back. That meant that it was his turn to take up the family tradition of activating and empowering his semblance, a power that everyone who bore the name Lucis Caelum had called upon for as far back as their family tree went.

"The Armiger is a power unique to our bloodline—a gift bestowed upon our family from the Heavenly Six who chose us above all others to guard the Kingdom of Lucis," Regis explained, "Wars and peace alike have hung on the mastery of kings and queens over such a strength. With each new generation, said strength grows in accordance with the skill of its wielder…and gaining proficiency becomes that much more of a challenge."

In other words, it let him to teleport and warp around. Its true utility, however, lied in its ability to allow the monarchs of Lucis to call upon the might of the previous rulers through their weapons. In the blink of an eye, a veritable armory of legendary royal arms could be at his disposal—well, as long as he found the arms first. So, simply put, it was his job to go out and find 'em all.

"Your journey shall be long and arduous. It will beat upon you. You will know little mercy," the king paused, his breath hitching for the briefest of moments, "But you must walk tall, Prince Noctis, and endure. When you come to stand before this throne again, it will not be as Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum. You shall ascend these steps, don the Ring of the Lucii, and claim your rightful place as King Noctis Lucis Caelum, Lord of the Kingdom of Lucis and Protector of the Lands. Go forth, Prince Noctis, and prove the worth of your blood."

King Regis ended his speech and silence claimed the room. One by one, Noctis could feel everyone's eyes fall upon him. Regis, Cor, Gladiolus, Ignis, Prompto—they were all waiting to hear what he'd say, to see how he'd respond to the task set before him by the king. His trembling hands clenched into fists, Noctis raised his head to stare at his father. He opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing. Instead, Noctis gave a curt nod and stiffly turned around to storm out of the throne room. His three friends watched his back as the prince walked off without another word, only shaking out of their stupor once the door slammed shut behind him. Each of the three gave a short yet respectful bow to their king before quickly taking off after Noctis.

Regis released a heavy sigh as he turned to Cor, "Well…I suppose that could've gone worse."

"That's true enough, Your Majesty," Cor nodded.

"My son doesn't seem all too pleased with his position, does he?"

Cor nodded again, "But he accepts it all the same."

"I know very well that Noctis accepts his role," Regis sighed, "I only wonder if he wants it."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, I doubt Prince Noctis himself knows what he really wants," Cor offered the man he'd sworn both sword and soul to a sympathetic smile, "Noctis is still young. With a few more years under his belt and a bit more maturity, I'm confident that he'll make a fine ruler."

"A few more years, is it? I'm afraid I don't have many left," Regis pushed himself to his feet and stretched his back, "As clichéd as it might sound, I'm not getting any younger, Cor. Now, how are the preparations going?"

"As per your request, Chieftain Ghira is expecting my arrival in Menagerie tonight. I don't know how long the negotiations will take, but I can't see anything getting in the way of the evacuation plans," the legendary Crownsguard informed Regis with a solemn gaze, "I received word from Monica this morning. She's already in Atlas, scouting for any undiscovered tombs."

"Above all else, Ghira has been a reliable friend," Regis wore a nostalgic smile as he stepped away from his seat, "And Monica has yet to fail in anything I've asked of her. I'm hardly worried that either of them will disappoint me now."

"And yet, somehow, you still look troubled," Cor mused, humming as he followed a customary two steps behind his king, "Your Majesty surely can't believe that Ozpin won't keep his word. The arrangements with Beacon have all been settled for months now."

"Doubt Ozpin? Never. There are times when I feel that I trust the man more than I do myself," Regis chuckled, "No, it's not Ozpin that I'm worried about."

"You think Noctis won't be happy with the situation?"

"My son has always had a bit of a rebellious streak," Regis sighed, "Noctis' training with you and the other Crownsguard has helped to temper it somewhat over the years, but that attitude of his persists. I only fear that he will not…adjust to life as a huntsman-in-training at Beacon Academy, especially considering how he has yet to be informed that he will be attending."

"If Your Majesty told him, Noctis would start asking questions. Keeping him in the dark was the best decision, even if he won't realize it for a while," Cor said before chuckling, "And, well, the young prince probably won't be scoring any points with Glynda during his stay, but I think he'll enjoy it all the same."

"I hope so," Regis laughed, "Come, Cor—we've much more to discuss, but first I wish to bid my unruly son goodbye as a father, not a king."

"At once, Your Majesty."

~.~.~

By the time the three youngest members of the Crownsguard caught up to Noctis, the prince was already halfway through an elevator set to take him all the way back down to the ground floor of the Citadel. Spotting his friends approaching, Noctis stuck his hand out to draw the metal doors back just as they were about to seal shut. Ushering them inside, Noctis silently thanked whatever architect had suggested making the elevators in the palace so large—Gladio's height and muscles caused the warrior to take up twice the space of a normal man. Pulling his arm back, the doors finally closed and the four began their descent, quiet as the grave. Noctis winced. It seemed a touch of the stiff atmosphere of the throne room had followed them out.

"So…" Prompto breathed a sigh of relief and shattered the silence, "That was kinda intense, don't you think?"

"Don't think too deeply on it," Ignis frowned, "It was only a ceremonial speech. King Regis' father recited those same words to the king when he turned seventeen, as did the queen before him and the king before her."

"Well, even if it's just a tradition, it still means you have the king's blessing to start looking for the royal tombs," Gladio nudged Noctis' side with his elbow, "And that means we're gonna be out of the Crown City for a while. We'll get some fresh air, do a little camping, see the world—that's gotta get your blood pumpin', right?"

A small smile found its way to Noctis' face, "Yeah, I guess."

"And that's next on the to-do list, right? Getting to the first royal tomb?" Prompto asked curiously. Beside him, Ignis nodded.

"It is indeed. The servants spent the morning loading our luggage onto the Regalia, so we should be able to head out immediately if we so wish," Ignis glanced towards Noctis, "If we leave now, we should be able to reach the first tomb before sunset—it's fairly close by, if memory serves. You did at least remember to pack everything you'll need, right?"

"Of course I did," Noctis stifled a yawn, "I even triple-checked and everything. Why do you think I was up so late?"

"Ooh, triple-checked?" Gladio laughed, throwing an arm around Noctis' shoulders, "Someone's eager!"

Noctis shrugged out of his friend's hold, "Sort of…"

"If that's the case, then I suppose there's no sense in waiting," Ignis hummed, "I'll fetch the car at once."

Prompto grinned, practically bouncing with excitement, "Oh man, this is gonna be soooooo sweet! Just the four of us out on the open road, wind in our hair as we drive around, kicking ass and taking names! Awesome!"

"Something tells me you're hyping yourself up a bit too much," Noctis shook his head.

Gladio smirked, "Don't even try to act like you aren't looking forward to this."

"Never said that," Noctis smiled.

A small, pleasant chime sounded above them just as they felt the lift settle against the ground. The elevator doors parted, revealing the glistening lobby that the servants spent endless hours cleaning every day. They took pride in the way the sunlight flew in through the pristine glass doors and cast a sparkling glow over the marbled floor and ornate columns within it. He didn't have anything against them, but somehow, seeing how clean the room was kept always managed to get under Noctis' skin.

"Gentlemen, I'm off to the garage," Ignis declared, stepping out into the lobby, "I'll bring the old girl around front."

"Got it," Noctis jerked a thumb towards Gladio and Prompto, "Tiny, Prompto, and I will meet you outside."

"Whatever you say, Scrawny," Gladio scoffed. Giving his friend a hearty slap on the back, Gladio sent Noctis stumbling out of the elevator. Catching his balance, Noctis turned to offer the muscular man a glare while the brawler shared a snicker with Prompto.

"Go easy on the royal spine, you hear? I'm still nursing a bruise from your wake-up call," Noctis huffed.

Gladio's laughter died down to a chuckle as he passed by the prince on his way to the exit, "Of course, Your Highness."

"I'll be back in a just a moment," Ignis smiled, "Try not to kill each other before I return."

"I'm not making any promises," Noctis stated flatly. Ignis only gave a light chuckle as he turned and walked off in the direction of a particularly long corridor that Noctis knew led out into the palace's massive and very private parking garage. The three remaining friends made the short walk to the doors and stepped outside the Citadel, taking a deep breath of cool air and reveling in the breeze as it flowed around them.

The Crown City of Insomnia was the grand jewel that lied in the center of the Kingdom of Lucis.

It was a saying he'd heard repeated over and over again during his youth. Every time life slowed down and Noctis was really had the chance to look at the city he was raised in, he always rediscovered the truth in those words. The way the skyscrapers stretched out into the wild blue sky above had left him breathless as a child. In any other city, the elegant architecture and statues that lined the roads would've clashed horrendously with the more modern, flashy style of the many arcades, diners, and hobby shops that he'd frequented over the years. In Insomnia, though, everything blended together like the strokes of a genius' greatest painting. It was perfect exactly as it was—nothing needed to be added and nothing needed to be taken away.

A harmony of elegance and excitement that one could find nowhere else.

"Get one last good look at the place before we leave," Gladio suggested to his two shorter compatriots, making his way down the steps to the road, "We won't be seeing the Crown City again for a while."

"C'mon, dude, don't say that!" Prompto sighed, "You'll bum me out!"

"He's right, though," Noctis glanced towards the blond beside him, "If you wanna take some shots of the city, do it now."

"Man, you two are such buzzkills…" Prompto groaned, retrieving the small camera he kept in his pocket at all times, "Alright, let's see…hey, whaddya say we get one of all four of us by the Regalia? And then we can take another together when we finally get back! You know, kinda like a before-and-after sorta deal."

Noctis smiled, "Sounds good to me."

"Sweet! I'll got tell the Big Guy!" Prompto took off after Gladio, hopping down two steps at a time, "Hey, Gladio! I have this awesome idea for a photo!"

Now alone, Noctis turned back and stared up at the Citadel, his gaze stony and his mouth drawn into a thin line. To be quite honest, he still wasn't sure what to think about…well, everything. Here he was, seventeen-years-old, about to head out with his friends on some grand adventure so he could come back and sit on a pretty chair for the rest of his life. He was supposed to lead a kingdom? He'd never even left the city before now! A prince that knew more about fishing than war, economics, or even his own people was going to be ready for leadership after spending a few years on a road trip?

'Somehow, I doubt this is gonna pan out how Dad wants it to,' Noctis frowned.

"Prince Noctis!"

Noctis' eyes trailed downwards, falling from the peak of the Citadel before him to King Regis, who called to him as the ruler stepped out into the morning sun. Seeing his father approaching him, Cor following close behind, Noctis let out a small sigh. Once Regis had drawn closer, the prince noticed the man's somber gaze.

'What now?' Noctis instinctually bowed his head, though he couldn't hide the sarcasm dripping from his words, "Yes, Your Majesty? I was just about to leave on my harrowing quest, so if you could make this quick…"

"I wanted to remind you that, wherever you go, you will be a representative of the royal family," Regis stated evenly, "So please remember to act in a manner befitting a prince."

'Figures,' Noctis nodded, "I will, Your Majesty."

"…Are you prepared?" Regis wondered aloud.

"I spent all night packing," Noctis shrugged, "If there's anything I forgot, we can just stop somewhe—"

"I do not speak of the journey," Regis corrected his son, "Once you leave the Crown City, you cannot return until you have become a king in your own right. If you set foot down this path, Noctis, you will not be able to turn back. Are you prepared to accept that?"

Noctis snorted, "I don't have much of a choice, do I? I'm the heir to the throne of Lucis—it's expected of me."

"…No, I suppose you don't. You are right," Regis sighed, shaking his head, "Forgive me. It was a foolish question."

"It's fine," Noctis turned to continue down the steps and join his waiting friends, "Well, if that's everything, then I guess I'll—"

"That is all I will say as king," Regis reached out and laid a hand over Noctis' shoulder, a small, oddly fragile smile breaking out on his face, "But there is more I must say, as a father to his son…if you'd allow me the time, that is."

Noctis blinked, turning back to face his father, "Uh…y-yeah, sure, Dad. Go ahead."

"Take care of yourself," Regis began, "I know you've heard this a thousand times before, but the roads can be treacherous, particularly at night. Grimm prowl the lands freely, many of them knowing no fear. The huntsmen and huntresses do their work to keep them at bay, but it is always best to err on the side of caution."

"I'll be careful," Noctis smiled, "I promise."

"Good," Regis nodded, "I just need you to know, Noctis, that however this trip of yours shall end and whatever its results may be…I am proud of you, my son."

Hearing those words, the prince turned sheepish, glancing away and shoving his hands deep into his pockets, "R-Right. Thanks, Dad."

Distracted by the sudden praise as he was, Noctis hardly even noticed that his father had taken another step closer to him. It wasn't until a pair of arms was wrapped around him and his head was pressed against Regis' heart that the prince realized that Regis had drawn close enough to pull him into an embrace. Caught off-guard by the sudden hug, Noctis blanked, unsure of what to say. With no small amount of uncertainty, he returned the gesture. Noctis felt his father tremble in his arms and froze.

"Dad…?"

"I love you, Noctis," Regis breathed, "I always have and I always will."

"I love you too, Dad," Noctis frowned, stepping back out of his father's hold, "Is…everything okay?"

"Okay? My only son is leaving home!" despite himself, Regis laughed, "There isn't a parent in the world who wouldn't be disheartened."

"I'll come back soon," Noctis chuckled, "I'll even bring you back a souvenir or two, so do me a favor and don't worry so much. You've got enough grey hairs as it is."

Regis smiled, "I suppose that's true. Well, I won't keep you any longer—I know you must be eager to set out with your friends. Take care, Prince Noctis, and walk tall."

Noctis nodded, a playful smirk on his face, "You take care as well, King Regis."

With nothing else to say, Regis turned and disappeared inside the Citadel. The prince looked to Cor, who hung back expectantly.

"I'm counting on you and Drautos to look after him," Noctis told the veteran.

"The Crownsguard and Kingsglaive will guard His Majesty's life with our own," Cor bowed, "You have my word, Prince Noctis."

"Thanks, Cor," Noctis said before wincing, "And, um…I'm sorry about this morning."

"Oh, please don't worry, Prince Noctis. I'll have your training exercises all planned out by the time you get back."

"That's…kinda what I was afraid of," Noctis sighed. The loud and abrasive screech of a car horn sounded behind him, drawing Noctis' attention to the road. He found Prompto leaning over the driver side door, arms outstretched as he wrestled with Ignis to reach the steering wheel or, more specifically, the horn. Gladio, who was busy laughing as he watched Ignis struggle to fight off Prompto's hands, noticed that the blond's honking had earned the notice of the prince and waved him over.

"Waitin' on you, Noct!" Gladio called out to him. Noctis glanced back to Cor, who only nodded towards the Regalia.

"Go on," Cor urged the prince, "Can't keep them waiting forever."

"I guess not," Noctis chuckled. The dark-haired youth waved goodbye to Cor before heading down towards the Regalia and his friends. Once Prompto saw the prince approaching, he quickly detangled himself from Ignis and whipped out his camera. Running over to the prince, Prompto slung an arm around his friend's shoulder.

"So," Prompto grinned, "How do you wanna do this?"

Noctis blinked, "Do…what?"

"Dude, did you forget already?" Prompto groaned, waving the camera in front of Noctis' face, "The picture, man, the picture!"

"Oh, right," Noctis hummed, shrugging, "I dunno. You're the photographer, aren't you? Just do whatever you feel like."

"Leaving it up to me, huh? Alright, let's see here," Prompto frowned, tapping his foot as he surveyed the scene before him, "Decisions, decisions…"

"What decisions?" Gladio frowned, "Just snap a pic already so we can get this show on the road."

"I don't wanna hear anythign from the peanut gallery while the master's at work! I need complete silence!" Prompto snapped, "This is the big kick-off to our trip! Everything's gotta be perfect—the lighting, the posing…"

Noctis raised a brow, "Posing?"

"No worries, Noct," Prompto smirked, "It'll look great—trust me, I got just the thing! Alright, Iggy, outta the car. Gladio, stand right there and cross your arms. Iggy, you stand on the opposite side of Gladio and give me a cool, above-it-all sorta look. Great! Okay, Noct, you get between Gladio and the Regalia and do that broody pouty thing you do."

"What broody—"

"Perfect! Hold it just like that!" Prompto enthused, "Now just let me grab the tripod and set the timer…"

~.~.~

The soft purr of the engine sounded for miles in all directions throughout the sparsely populated drylands that lay just outside the walls of the Crown City. Now that they were off the main road, all that was left before them was an endless stretch of empty pavement—the perfect place to let the Regalia show off what she could really do. His father's car was like nothing else anyone could ever hope to find cruising down the street. Every individual part that went in to making it had been specially crafted by the best engineer his father could find, an old friend by the name of Cid. Regis cherished the Regalia and kept her in top condition at all times. Noctis had been staring at the vehicle from afar his entire life and yet, between Cid's know-how and his father's care, the machine had yet to age a single day. Her performance spoke volumes of that.

She practically glided down the concrete. The cracked, arid ground, thin and mangle trees, and scatter patches of yellow grass all became nothing more than colored blurs as they passed by. In the distance, Noctis could occasionally spot small black dots huddled amongst the towering rocks and far-off bluffs—Grimm on the hunt, either too stupid or too powerful to worry about hunters spotting them in the daylight.

"I gotta admit," Gladio smirked, looking down at the scroll in his hands, "It came out lookin' real nice, Prompto."

Prompto's confident laugh drifted back from the front seat, "Was there ever any doubt? Between my masterful skills and the fact that we're all the most photogenic dudes around, there's no way it wasn't gonna be a great shot!"

"The first of many, I'm sure," Ignis nodded, his eyes firmly glued to the road ahead of him as he kept a firm yet gentle grip on the wheel. Gladio handed the scroll to Noctis, who joined him in the backseats. Apparently while the prince had been saying goodbye to his father, Prompto had been busy calling dibs on shotgun. Taking the device in his hands, Noctis stared down at the shot they'd spent a good ten minutes getting just right.

Gladio stood at the far right, his powerful arms crossed over his chest and a good-nature smirk resting on his face. Beside him, Noctis saw himself leaning against the hood, apparently doing "that broody pouty thing" he did. Noctis frowned. He wasn't broody, he was just…contemplative. On the opposite side of the Regalia, Prompto was crouched down with a cheesy grin on his face. The blond's arms were outstretched towards the vehicle as if he were a gameshow host presenting some lucky winner with a brand-new car. Next to him, Ignis stood tall and smiled calmly, his hands resting comfortably in his pockets. With the sun reflecting off the polished dark metal that made up their trusty steed, it captured them all in a serene glow.

"Awesome," Noctis smiled, "You really outdid yourself this time."

"Thank you, thank you," Prompto dipped his head and threw his arm outwards in a stage bow, "I sign autographs, if anyone's interested."

"I'll pass."

"Me too."

"I as well."

Prompto pouted and slumped into his seat, his ego thoroughly deflated, "You guys suck."

"Anyone mind if I see what's on the radio?" Ignis asked, ignoring Prompto's huffy declaration. When no one raised a complain, Ignis reached down powered on the radio, slowly turning the knob until the hissing static that first met their ears faded away into a clear voice.

"—ellow Atlesians, dear brothers and sisters from the world over, rejoice! I have been given the great honor of being the first to introduce to you the glorious next step in mankind's valiant struggle against the vile Creatures of Grimm. For years, our researchers have been hard at work, designing the most flawless artificial intelligence and combat-ready automatons. All their tireless efforts have at last culminated in our newest and grandest tool against the Grimm yet: the revolutionary Magiteck So—"

"Booooooring!" Prompto whined, cutting off the broadcast.

"Considering who we are and whom we serve, I can assure you, Prompto, that keeping up-to-date on global affairs is quite important," Ignis stated in his usual matter-of-fact tone.

"C'mon, Iggy, it's our first day out of the city! You really wanna spend it listening to the news?" Prompto nudged the coolheaded man's shoulder, "Have a little fun!"

"You will have enough fun for the both of us, news or no news," Ignis argued, "Besides, I'm the one driving, so I'm the one who decides what we're listening to."

"I offered to drive!" Prompto protested.

"I did, too," Noctis chimed in.

Gladio smirked, "They've got you there, Specs."

"True, but I would prefer that all four wheels stay firmly on road at all times," Ignis frowned, "And considering that this is King Regis' car, I'm quite confident that he would agree with me."

"I'm not that bad of a driver!" Prompto shot back.

Ignis snorted, "Is that right? Because I happen to recall a certain time when you begged the Marshal to let you take one of the Crownsguard's bullheads for a spin."

"That was one time!" Prompto pouted, "And it's gonna get fixed…eventually!"

Noctis glanced to Gladio, "And Iggy says we fight a lot."

"Right?" Gladio snorted, shaking his head.

Sighing, Noctis let himself slip back against the cushy leather of his seat. He'd stayed up late last night to ensure that he was ready for this trip and was awoken far earlier than he was used to so that he could set off on it. The sun's rays blanketed him in a comfortable warmth. His eyelids grew heavy, his friends' bickering grew ever more distant, and Noctis realized just how tired he really was. A little morning snooze would do him some good. Besides, he was certain someone would wake him up when they got to the tomb. Letting out one last breath, the prince drifted off to sleep.

~.~.~

He'd always enjoyed the Lucian climate. It was a lush one, borderline tropical depending on where you were in the kingdom. Compared to the harsh winds of Atlas or the blistering heat of Vacuo, the vast majority of Lucis was a kingdom locked eternally in a pleasant springtime warmth. Whether you were on one of its pristine beaches or in its lush valley, the muggy swamplands or the arid desert, anyone could find themselves drifting off to a lovely nap just about anywhere in Lucis. Truly, it was such a pity he didn't have the time to stop and enjoy it.

Glancing out the window, he hummed. Through the passing masses of fluffy white clouds, he could spy one of the many black threads that ran across Lucis, intercepting and interlocking with one another to create the biggest and most complex spider web of roadways in any of the five kingdoms. Briefly, he pondered where amongst that wide, wild net of streets was his esteemed guest.

'Hopefully he hasn't already arrived at the tomb,' he mused, 'That would certainly create a bit of confusion, now wouldn't it?'

It was doubtful he had much to worry about in that regard, though. From the way Regis had spoken of his son, it seemed like the lad had a tendency to drag his feet. He supposed that he couldn't fault the boy for that. After all, not every royal child could be as bold and rash as King Regis had been in his own youth. He chuckled.

"Sir?" the voice of one of his pilots burst to life on the intercom.

"Yes?" he called out.

"We have located the tomb," the captain informed him through a round of static.

"Excellent. I would appreciate it if you could land nearby, then. I'll be making the trek out to it myself, so I would prefer a shorter—"

"About that, Sir. There seems to be a bit of a…complication."

"Complication?" he blinked, "What complication?"

"We've spotted quite a few Grimm converging on the burial site."

"Oh dear," he frowned, "That is quite a complication."

"We could fly low enough to open fire on them, but we would risk collateral damage to the tomb. If that's not an option, we could put a call out to any hunters that may be in the area, but they may not be able to respond for—"

"That won't be necessary," he stated evenly, "Land far enough away from the site so that we won't draw the Grimm's attention. I will still be making the walk on foot by myself."

"…B-But, Sir, the Grimm—"

"Are of little consequence," he sighed, glancing down to the murky liquid in his mug, "Rather, they might make a good test for our young prince. It would be interesting to see exactly what he's capable of."

"As you wish, Sir."

"Thank you. Oh, and please, if you would be so kind as to have the stewardess bring me back another cup of that delightful blend from Menagerie," he smiled, "It would be very much appreciated."

"At once."

The intercom went silent, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Well, to be truthful, it was more accurate to say that he was left alone with his thought. For a handful of days now, all he'd been able to think about was his dear friend Regis and how cruel fate could be. A great king and a greater man, forced to make the deepest of sacrifices in the name of family and country. He never had believed that their peaceful days would last, but for the first victim of the coming era to be good King Regis? Unthinkable.

Tipping his head back and emptying the last drops of his third mug of coffee, Professor Ozpin sighed and patiently waited for his fourth to arrive.

~.~.~

Kingdom Come

Prologue: Walk Tall

~.~.~

So I beat FF15 myself and watched that last campfire scene a couple of times now and I still can't get through it without tearing up. FF15 isn't perfect by any means—it's got flaws. The actual story of the game is pretty short. It becomes super obvious where the developers had to make cuts in the gameplay and story to actually get the game onto shelves. It's a failure of the game's storytelling that you have to watch a separate movie, play a different game, and sit through an entire anime series if you wanna get the full story. That said, Noctis and the gang are easily the best FF characters in years. I haven't felt this attached to a JRPG party since Persona 4. The way the four of them play off each other, from their own little quirks to their rolls in the main plot of the story, is really great. You feel the connection that all of them have built up over time and that's why I wanted to write a story with them.

Besides setting up some plot points, I wanted to used this prologue as a way to kinda test the waters when it came to writing the four of them together. I feel like I did alright capturing their interactions as a group and individuals, but I'd really appreciate it if you guys could let me know what you all think.

Now, onto the part I know some of you are reading this author's note for—pairings. Yes, there will be pairings. I don't really wanna say them right now, because I'd rather develop them over time and let you guys experience the connection without immediately viewing them as a couple. I will, however, say this: there aren't a lot of stories in the FF15 x RWBY crossover section, but the majority of them seem to pair Noctis with Ruby, Yang with Prompto, Ignis with Weiss, etc. I want to let you all know that I will be diverging from that path somewhat. Some of the pairings I just mentioned won't be happening in this story. Some of the pairings I mentioned will be happening in this story. I'm going to look at the characters' circumstances and situations and try and form relationships based on common ground and natural interaction. So…yeah. That's all I have to say about that.

Onto the story details. In this fanfic, the Kingdom of Lucis is one of the big kingdoms, alongside Vale, Atlas, etc. Tenebrae, Altissia, and Niflheim do not exist. Some of the characters from those countries may still show up in the story, but they won't be from those countries. Demons also don't exist. Their role has been stolen by Grimm. I just don't see any reason to have both demons and Grimm acting as antagonists when they're so similar concept-wise. Magic such as Thunder, Fire, Blizzard, etc. doesn't exist either outside the Maidens. The Six (Shiva, Ifrit, Bahamut, etc.) are still around and will play a large part in the story, but the Starscourge won't be a factor in the plot. I think that's everything? I'm not sure. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.

I'll try to get the first real chapter out soon. Take care, guys.