The Photo Hut - Thursday

[flamesburned]

Prompto hadn’t come back and Liz didn’t know what to do. She had been out and about with Noctra handwavily trying to find him, searching the island as best they could and now she wasn’t sure where else she could look. She was scared that Prompto had ended up back in Insomnia and she didn’t know what she was supposed to do if that was the case. She was trying to stay focused and hopeful that she could find him but she was terrified of the alternative.

Noctra was currently asleep, Liz didn’t want to disrupt her routine too much but she was planning on heading back out searching once Noctra was awake. She had the baby monitor with her and was keeping a close eye on it. She also had her phone with her, keeping it close in case somehow Prompto managed to get through to her but after not hearing from him for a couple of days she wasn’t sure if that was possible.

She had a blank work document up to do some work but the last thing she felt like doing was work, maybe she could just try calling Prompto again.

[the Photo Hut is open!]

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

Around lunchtime Steven came by. "Liz, hello! How are you today?"

[flamesburned]

Liz looked up from her phone, when the door to the photo hut opened. She had dared to hope for a moment that it was Prompto and she trembled, “um…not good,” she finally admitted, “Prompto’s missing and I …I don’t know what to do,” she managed.

[hasaknightjob]

"I heard," Steven said, giving her a look of sympathy. "And here I was coming by today to see you both regardless. Was going to invite you to Llewellyn's birthday party next week."

Nothing was going to get in the way of the party, right? Of course not! Everything would be fine by next Friday and not in any way worse.

"There's no word then?" Steven asked. "From him or Gladio?"

[flamesburned]

“I’m sure Prompto would love that, if he was here,” Liz said with a small smile, “I think a party sounds like a lovely idea,” she really hoped Prompto was going to be back, she really didn’t want to think about the possibility he’d returned to Insomnia.

She shook her head at the last question, “I haven’t heard anything, I’ve been searching the island but there’s been no trace,”

[hasaknightjob]

"How long's it been, then?" Steven asked. "Stark told me Gladio'd gone missing yesterday. I mean to say that's when I heard, he was gone Tuesday."

[flamesburned]

"I last saw him Tuesday morning," Liz said softly, "Ignis came by Tuesday afternoon to ask if I'd heard from Prompto and then I haven't heard anything since, I've tried calling him and Noctra and I have been out for walks around the island and there's been nothing, I ... I'm scared he's ended up back home," she said quietly.

[hasaknightjob]

Given that it was Prompto and Gladio, that did seem to be a likely reason why they were gone. Still, "But Ignis is still about? That might be a good sign, yeah? Wouldn't they likely all go if it was a portal snatching them up?"

Steven honestly had no idea how those sorts of portals worked. But he did want to help Liz keep some hope alive.

[flamesburned]

Liz bit her lip as she tried to cling desperately to that hope that she would see Prompto again, "I ... he's still here, even though he was the last of them to return to Fandom ... it ... it could be a reversal of how they arrived..." she had to admit quietly.

[hasaknightjob]

"Was Gladio the first to go last time as well?" Steven asked. "If you saw Prompto Tuesday but no one saw Gladio that day?"

[flamesburned]

"Prompto was the first to return to Fandom last time," Liz said quietly, "and then Gladio arrived a month later, I ... I think Gladio went missing on Monday, he's been gone longer,"

[hasaknightjob]

"Perhaps Ignis shouldn't be alone right now?" Steven said. "If there's a chance of a portal snatching him up? Not that I'm an expert on how these things work."

[flamesburned]

"I don't know how the portals work," Liz admitted quietly, "and why it happens the way it does, I've been touching base to let him know if I've had any luck finding Prompto, so far I've been able to reach him," she wasn't sure what she would do if Ignis disappeared as well.

[hasaknightjob]

"That's something at least," Steven said. "Maybe regular check ins to be sure he's all right?"

[flamesburned]

Liz nodded, "that's what I was thinking, if Ignis is still here ... there's a chance that Gladio and Prompto are still somewhere on the island right? I just haven't been able to find it yet?" she was trying to sound hopeful but she knew the odds weren't looking good just yet.

[hasaknightjob]

"Would you like me to ask Llewellyn to look into it?" Steven asked. "Not that I think any sort of crime has been committed, but he is a detective. He's good at sussing out situations."

[flamesburned]

“That would be good if you could do that,” Liz said quietly, “it would be a good idea to have more people helping searching, there might be something I’ve missed in my searches,” she admitted.

[hasaknightjob]

"He's very clever," Steven assured her. "If there's anything to find, he'll find it."

Of course the if might be the key word there, but Steven wasn't going to mention that.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell stopped by to see Liz and see if maybe, just maybe, she'd seen or heard from either of the yeti missing men. "Liz?"

[flamesburned]

Liz had felt rather guilty that she hadn’t checked in with Nell, especially since she had heard that Gladio was missing as well, “Nell,” she said, her voice trembling slightly, “come in please,”

[mylandmyrules]

"Hi, Liz," Nell said. "I came to see if there was anything I could do to help. If I could maybe watch Noctra for you so you could take a little break or if you maybe needed someone to talk to?"

[flamesburned]

“That’s very kind of you,” Liz managed a tired smile, “Noctra’s asleep right now, I’m trying to not disturb her routine too much, I don’t know if she’s realised anything’s wrong yet,” she admitted, “how have you been coping? I heard about Gladio, I’m sorry,” she said softly.

[mylandmyrules]

"I'm... I'm okay," she said. She wasn't really, but she was working on it. "I'm worried a lot. But I'm here to check on you. Is there anything I can do to help?"

[flamesburned]

Liz nodded, understanding how that felt, "you being here has already helped," she assured her, "but if you'd like to stay longer and talk, I would like that," she said softly.

[mylandmyrules]

"Then I'll stay," Nell said. "That's an easy enough thing."

[flamesburned]

Liz gave a small smile, "thank you," she said quietly, "Noctra normally sleeps a few hours in the morning, so she'll probably wake up soon, I was planning on taking her for another walk around the island when she woke up to see if I could find Prompto,"

[mylandmyrules]

"I'm happy to come along if you want," Nell said. "I've been searching myself, but haven't sen a thing."

[flamesburned]

“I would like that,” Liz said quietly, “I’ve done a fair bit of searching but maybe I’ve missed something? It might not be a bad idea to have extra help,”

[mylandmyrules]

Nell nodded. "It can't hurt and who knows, right?"