FFXV: Subvert Fate

13 - Keycatrich Trench

"I'm beginning to think we're going to be spending a lot of time underground," Prompto grumbles as they enter Keycatrich Trench.

Noct is spinning the key Cor gave him to unlock the tomb around his finger. "Oh, quit your crying," Noct says to Prompto, then drops the key. It clangs so loudly on the ground that they all jump. Chrys raises a signature eyebrow at Noctis which he ignores.. "Here we go," he says.

"Keep it real, huh?" Gladio tells him.

In a wide antechamber ahead they come across a door and rudimentary shelters, sandbags piled to make crude areas to hide in. "What is this place?" Prompto asks.

"It appears to have been a shelter," Ignis muses.

"People lived in here?" Prompto asks.

"Those seeking refuge from the wat, most likely," Ignis confirms. Chrys is just ahead of him and has a pallor to her that Ignis does not think is from the flickering light from their torches. But before he can ask, Prompto continues glibly.

"Wars. What are they good for?" he asks with a shrug. "Wonder if anyone's still living here."

This time Ignis is sure he sees Chrys shudder at the thought, her expression looking a bit grey. She catches him looking and hurriedly follows Noctis so he has to catch up if he wants to talk to her. Shrewd indeed, Ignis thinks to himself, recalling his conversation with the marshal.

They find a generator up ahead which provides light in some places but not in others, giving some tunnels eerie shadows. Broken cables on the ground become a hazard with live ends. Gladio takes the lead, moving carefully when he comes to shadowed areas. Prompto is panicky, jumping at every stray noise. Chrys looks wry about this, but otherwise is quiet, about as dynamic as an automaton as she stays close to Noct.

Ahead, there is a sudden clinking noise and Prompto jumps behind Chrys, grabbing the backs of her shoulders and squeaking, "What was that?!" in such a high-pitched voice that Chrys winces, rubbing her ear.

"My bad, kicked a can," Gladio says ahead.

"You are killing me here, big guy!" Prompto hollers, loud in the confined space. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack or somethin'?!" he yells, shaking his fist at Gladio from behind the safety of Chrys's shoulders.

Chrys peels herself out of Prompto's grip. "Are you trying to deafen me?" she asks, rubbing her ear dramatically.

Prompto sniffs at her dramatically and puts his hands on his hips. He appraises her and she quirks an eyebrow in question back. "Yesssss?" she drawls at him.

"Ever wonder if people, like, died here? And their tormented souls, just sorta, remained behind?" he asks her, pitching his voice in a spooky whisper.

"Ghost stories? Really?" Chrys asks him, folding her hands over her chest.

"You know Chrys is made of sterner stuff than that," Noctis says, playfully punching Prompto's shoulder. There is a flicker of something Chrys hides with a small grin for her prince.

Prompto jogs ahead of her, his lapel torch bouncing wildly. He sneaks over to the shadows and makes his hands into pretend claws.

"If you pop out and try to scare me, I will feed you to the first creepy crawly we meet in here," Chrys informs him. When Prompto begins to purse his lips to make ghost noises, she adds, "In pieces. Small ones."

Her joking lightens the darkness around them. Although Chrys never sees herself as particularly influential in the group, when her humor returns, it is noticeable. They've all been down lately, but normally they find a way to joke and Chrys is an instrumental cog in that dynamic.