Sentinels and Guides;

[inborn]

 

Sentinels and Guides Shipping Meme
A Sentinel!AU Meme

 

There are special people in the world: Sentinels--whose five senses are incredibly enhanced, sometimes to the point of overwhelming and who can easily lose themselves in fugue states--and Guides, the empaths with the ability to ground a Sentinel and focus them. Meant to be the protectors of the Guides, for every Sentinel there exists a guide that is their perfect match. In some universes, when matches are made, a Sentinel and Guide form a soulbond to fill the feeling of emptiness.

How easy was it for you to find yours? How are Sentinels and Guides treated in your universe? Or maybe you're one of the normal, unremarkable people. Do you fear Sentinels and Guides? Despise them?

 

Rules
1) Post with your character/canon in the subject header.
2a) Choose whether your character is a Sentinel or a Guide
or
2b) If you don't know or don't care, just leave it blank!
3) Information about Sentinels and Guides can be found here and here. Information on 'The Sentinel' which this meme comes from can be found here.

 

4) All the tagging! Have fun 8D

Prompts
oo1. The Meeting: 
How did you meet? Was it at an event organized specifically for finding your other half? By accident? Did you follow a mystical calling to them? Some other way?

oo2. The Bonding: 
Do Sentinels and Guides in your universe soulbond? How does it go down? Is there a ceremony or do you just retreat to the bedroom?

oo3. Rejection: 
Sometimes Sentinels or Guides propose a match but it's just not perfect. You don't feel the pull or maybe you think there is someone better or maybe you're already claimed. Maybe you were claimed and someone better came along?

oo4. Protection: 
Sentinels are meant to protect Guides, any Guides, but it's even worse when they feel their Guide is in danger. They go feral; blind to anything but stopping and killing whoever threatened their Guide or the bond. Maybe someone attacked your Guide or you haven't bonded yet and you feel threatened or maybe you're the one doing the threatening. Whatever the reason, Sentinels in a feral state are dangerous and only their Guides can stop them.

oo5. Lost: 
Sentinels often lose themselves in their senses. Either you're a Sentinel who has lost themselves or a Guide that has stumbled on one or a friend trying to draw them out. Unbonded Sentinels will find it hard to escape without a Guide. Or maybe you're bonded already which means you just need yours to come home.

006. Persecution: 
Sometimes normal people or the government fear the power of Guides and Sentinels. Guides are empaths, feeling the emotions and sometimes passing thoughts of others and it can make people feel violated. Sentinels often have enhanced strength, which can make them dangerous. So they scorn them, hurt them or in the case of governments, regulate them.

oo7. Death: 
Unbonded Sentinels and Guides eventually lose themselves to the empty cavern inside them. Torn apart from the inside by the feeling of something missing. Breaking the soulbond of a Sentinel and Guide is agonizing and horrifying, leading quickly to death for the remaining partner. 

oo8. Old-School: 
Guides used to be treated on the same level as slaves. Unable to work unless their Sentinel said. Not allowed out on their own. They used to wear collars and couldn't own land or inherit money. Maybe the old ways haven't completely fallen out of style. 

oo9. Unbonded: 
Nothing is worse than being an unbonded Guide or Sentinel. Always looking for your other half to fill that empty feeling but you probably have friends that aren't your match or who are trying to set you up with someone. Maybe you're skeptical about the whole love at first sight thing and haven't been looking.

o10. Wildcard: Some mish-mash of the above or anything else you can come up with!

Image from weheartit / original meme by imadeamistake 

Comments

[jumpthegun]

When Ignis steps over, he's bearing two large serving platters, one with the fish, and one with the chips. He sets them down, and then straightens up, putting a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "Given his connection both to the potion trade here and to Gladio, it may behoove us to bring John into the conversation. Secrets are difficult to keep." There's a piercing glance cast at John that he endures as best he can. He's not going to be intimidated by this lot... except when Ignis implies he's having wild sex with Gladio. Maybe then. "Although there are means to do so, when necessary."

John licks his lips. "I'm happy to offer any and all knowledge I have on the matter. I was involved in some of the requisition requests for my unit. Not organizing them, but at least reviewing shipments of medical supplies, including potions." To Prompto, he adds: "Lady Lunafreya's family bestows a blessing on our healers, and we're given some small measure of her abilities. Nothing like the whole of it. That blessing ended with my discharge a few months ago, though."

[takingaim]

Prompto happily shifts himself into a seat, looking over the meal and taking a deep breath. "That smells so good," he groans, but he's leaning on his forearms and looking back and forth between Noct and John curiously, letting others take the first grab for the meal right now.

Noct nods, but his tone remains neutral as ever when he continues. "Someone's been putting fake potions out there. They'll heal you, but you'll pay the price later. It's like..." he struggles to find the right word, but Gladio takes it up.

"It's like something out of a zombie movie. They eventually start acting differently, get this black substance around their mouths. It started over in the States first, but now... it's cropping up here as well. Noct and Lady Lunafreya are meeting to see what can be done about it, considering the two of them and Regis should be the only three people capable of it at all."

[jumpthegun]

Gladio will get what may well be a disturbing burst of interest from John across their Bond. It's tempered by some horror, which might help even things out. Fascinated horror. "Bloody hell..." It's followed up by steely resolve as John reaches for the spatula to serve Gladio first without really thinking about it. Unless someone stops him, he'll dole out portions to Prompto, Ignis, and Noctis, before finally serving himself last and sitting back down. He can't comfortably reach the chips to serve them out.

"Indeed," Ignis replies, glancing over at Gladio and offering him a mildly amused smirk.

"How are they keeping this quiet?" John asks. "That's not something... I know there's a black market for potions, but I'd think something like that would get out."

[thenightisyoung]

Gladio ends up giving John a bit of a look, but shrugs at the whole being served first thing. Ignis still ends up serving Noct first, usually, and it's just sort of commonplace with them. No big deal though. The horror, however, he can understand. He's seen some of the effects second hand through pictures and it's a nightmare.

Prompto ends up helping out with the fries, with his own Sentinel first, then going around the circle back to himself. "It's super creepy," he murmurs, shivering visibly.

"Because the only people who've died from it so far have been people buying off the black market," Noct points out, stealing the vinegar from the center of the table. Prompto goes for the ketchup. "Seven in the states, one here."

[jumpthegun]

John's already claimed not to be a purist, so he doesn't chastise Prompto for being an American and using ketchup instead of vinegar like Noct. Let the man eat his chips as he liked. The food smells amazing, but John's more focused on the conversation than actually eating. "Have you had a chance to examine the bodies? Has anyone received some sort of treatment?"

Ignis clears his throat, and John blinks, looking over at him. There's quiet disapproval there.

"Mm... After dinner. Sorry." The doctor drops his attention down to his food. But his mind is thrumming now, wondering what exactly is happening, who's making the potions, what they can do to stop them. Because clearly the goal is to track down the people doing this. Is it going to be Noctis and his lot personally? The chance to help with this is undeniably exciting. And while it's grim and horrible talk, John's an Army Doctor. He's seen hellish things over in Afghanistan, and while his nightmares are filled with them, there's a part of him that longs to be back there, to be living on the edge, every moment brushing by and escaping death.

It's also easier to forget that he doesn't belong here when they're in the thick of something like that discussion. But polite discussion is more appropriate for dinner. Right. He takes a bite of the fish, and it just about melts in his mouth with flavor.

John looks over at Ignis again, this time looking a little shocked. "I think this is literally the best grilled fish I've ever had."

The other man's stoic mien shifts slightly, and he has a sense that there's approval there. "Thank you, John. Noct, why don't you tell us what game you and Prompto were playing?" To prompt the conversation in another direction. Dinner, and then business.

[thenightisyoung]

Look, they're American! Ketchup goes on fries, man! Prompto would have wrinkled his nose at the vinegar, anyway. He's still working on calling them 'chips', while Noct digs the vinegar taste on them. The others dig into their food eagerly, but it's obvious they're used to Ignis' cooking because only Prompto lets out a quiet groan of pleasure at the flavor, but otherwise doesn't say anything directly.

Through their Bond, John will feel Gladio's approval as well. Anyone who can make Ignis happy, and he knows well Ignis' subtle emotions to be able to tell, only makes him happier.

While Noct is still usually brief in what he says, it's clear that around Prompto, the prince says more. Prompto happily fills out the space between Noct's explanations, and yet somehow he's actually the first to finish. When had he even been getting food into his mouth? Gladio contributes a little, but it's often throwing a rope towards Ignis to drag his friend into the conversation.

Prompto's clearly curious about John, and he asks a few questions - about being a doctor, about being in the army, how he and Gladio met - and while Noct pretends not to be, he's just as clearly listening keenly to every response. Gladio watches, only chiming in on the last thing, but mostly seeing how John takes to all of this.

[jumpthegun]

John rolls with the conversation as best he can, being the odd man out in a company that's well-used to the ebb and flow of each other. He's not sure he's talked this much in one sitting since he'd been discharged. He and Ella had tried to discuss things, but there had always been that air of judgement hanging over her with her title--therapist.

As Prompto is the most talkative, John finds himself focusing on the other Guide. The general questions about his service and career as a doctor are answered with a smile. He's happy to regale the younger men with med school and war stories, the funny ones. They're mostly ones where he's only a side player in the act or observer, as well. It's a theme. When questions turn to anything more personal, John gently deflects, redirects with questions about the other person. Or he sidesteps the answer with a joke. While it seems like he's replying to everything easily and openly, anyone paying attention might be able to note that John's gaining more information than he's actually giving out.

Gladio will be able to sense some wariness across the Bond whenever John's purposefully deflecting. There's no malicious intent; John's not gathering information or putting the others off to a purpose, it's just how he's managed to survive as an unattached Guide up until this point. Be genial, but blend in, be pleasant, but unmemorable, don't give people a reason to think you particularly stand out.

"Is everyone done, then?" John asks when he's finished up telling the brief story of his and Gladio's encounter at the Clinic. "I can start clearing the table."

[iwillshieldhim]

Gladio watches John throughout, and while John clearly isn't trying to deceive the others, he can feel that something just under the surface, something that leaves him faintly on edge. Yet, even as it does, he understands it. John, not yet, isn't one of them, and he's in a completely new situation. While Gladio is the kind to wade in and make friends, he can understand if his Guide isn't so keen on opening up that quickly.

Still, he tries to gently nudge John through the Bond, seeing if maybe he can get the other to loosen up. A sort of mental shoulder-to-shoulder touch. Relax. See, when he's not too focused, he can work through the Bond.

"Oh man, someone else who will help clean up!" Prompto chirps, clearly ribbing his Sentinel though who rolls his eyes with a tiny smile playing on his lips. Prompto sits back and looks very content, rocking back in his chair, which Gladio teasingly knocks the front legs to send Prompto backwards, but he catches the chair before Prompto can get more than a few inches. Doesn't mean he doesn't yelp though.

"And that's why you don't rock your chair."

[jumpthegun]

The little nudge through the Bond does produce a reaction, though, it may not be the one Gladio was aiming for. The Guide flicks his gaze over for a long moment, and then returns to things as they were. He can appreciate the attempt for what it is, but he's not going to encourage the Sentinel working over his mood for the moment. He's too much on edge in the unfamiliar situation to just relax. Even without immediate danger, there are others lurking at the edges of the room and the conversation. He still hasn't impressed Noct, and while he's being brought in on some details, the doctor is still wary of being sent away for coming off strange or somehow broken.

At the antics with Gladio and Prompto, though, John does snort. He rises from his own chair and begins gathering dishes. "I can teach you a trick to get back at their lot in a bit here, Prompto. Worked like a charm for me in the Army." He offers the other Guide a wink. Talking to Prompto one-on-one has been on his list of things to do since his discussion earlier with Gladio. This provides a nice excuse.

[iwillshieldhim]

Has this been John's life? This constant guard up, almost brutally tight wall that can never be let down? How he remained unbonded for this long? The whole thought has Gladio slightly sickened because no one should have to live like this. Isn't healthy, far as he's concerned. It also makes him want to work at the problem, try to show that at least with these guys, John has a safe place. ...He isn't about to let any other Sentinel so much as touch John. (Yet Noct somehow never comes into that equation.)

Prompto, though, lights up at John's offer. "Yeah?? Just tell me when and where, I'll be there." He flashes a grin towards John with that. "Anything I can use against these guys."

"Shit, the Guides are already teaming up against us. I'm pretty sure we're fucked." Gladio nudges Noct under the table, who smirks. Prompto, with a growing grin, chirps up with a 'language!' towards Gladio, then yelps again when Gladio threatens his hair with a ruffle.

"Yeah. Guess we'll have to watch our backs from now on." Noct actually looks a little easier, though his gaze does occasionally slide back to John.

[jumpthegun]

John heads over with the plates and starts rinsing them off before putting them into the dishwasher--what kind of hotel has a bloody full kitchen and dishwasher? The penthouse of one of the most expensive in the city, apparently. "Could do to just show you now, if you'd be willing to play guinea pig, Gladio."

The Guide raises his brows at the Sentinel as he heads back over and sits down, the picture of absolute innocence. Over the Bond he'll get a sense of mild amusement cast in Prompto's direction.

[iwillshieldhim]

Gladio has to admit - he's curious. So he crosses his arms with a grin and brings his chin up. "That a threat, doc? Come on, hit me with your best shot."

Now John has Noct's attention, dark eyes turning to the doctor and peering curiously. Just what does this new comer think he can do to Gladio? Prompto couldn't do much of anything to Gladio that Gladio doesn't want, but maybe this guy knows something.

A chance to prove his strength, if he wants, or he can keep it just between the Guides. Prompto certainly looks interested, after all.

[jumpthegun]

"Not a threat, just a request." John smiles back, sensing the curiosity and sending back mischief and amusement. "Does anyone have a coin?"

Ignis speaks up, pulling a 1 gil piece from his pocket. "Will this do?" His own gaze is sharp and calculating on the Guide. John tries not to think about how he just made himself the center of attention in the room with this little show. He needs to be focused.

The Guide takes the gold-colored coin and smiles gratefully at Ignis. "That's good, yeah." He returns his attention to Prompto. "A Guide's job is to assist a Sentinel. All those heightened senses and battle rage, it's easy for them to get lost in it without a tether, if they're not careful. They can end up doing more harm than good. We ground them. Pull them back down. But what if you turn the clock the other way?"

He flips the coin in his hand and catches it before holding it up and out to Gladio. "Look at this." That command is deceptively benign as John locks gazes with the Sentinel. Gladio will get a sudden blast of pheromones that crank his senses into overdrive--vision, sight, sound, smell, taste. But they come with a directed focus. The coin in John's hand. It will be difficult to resist observing the coin with an unnatural intensity, completely zoned out from the world around and locked on just what John's directing his senses toward, but he may still be able to.

Noct might find himself getting unintentionally side-swiped by some of the effect, as well, although John's fairly good and directing his abilities to a target. They're all pretty close together, though, which makes that more of a challenge.

[iwillshieldhim]

"The other way?" Prompto asks quietly, uncertain what John even means by that. He tilts his head as the coin exchange happens and Noct mutters something about this hopefully not being a magic trick, but he's super interested.

Luckily for Ignis and Prompto, they're immune to John's actions. Yet before a Prompto can even sniff the air, trying to pick up what John's doing, he sees Gladio tense up.

Gladio has never been hit so hard by a Guide in his life. Prompto certainly can't do it but... before he can do anything John's scent hits him like a truck and his whole world feels, only to fall focus on- the coin. It becomes everything for an unknown length of time, in realty a few seconds, before he has a realization of what's happening. He tries to fight back, and now Prompto picks up Gladio's scent super strong as the two almost battle it out.

But John's older, more second hand at this. Gladio might get further in that fight than any Sentinel has before, thanks to the Bond, but he can't shatter out of it.

"Whoa." A breath from Prompto as he waves his hand in front of Gladio's eyes. Only then does he realize Noct is also staring at the coin but he ends up being able to turn away and looks almost ashamed before covering it up.

[jumpthegun]

Gladio's scent and pheromones hit back in return, and John wavers for half a second, mind and body priming for submission to his Sentinel. The Guide in him senses a Sentinel in need, in distress, and it demands he fix them. It's something the doctor's had to get used to pushing down over the years, though. He's never had quite this much trouble with it, though. John's breathing turns a little shallower, his pupils dilate, and a flush comes to his cheeks he has to put more focus on maintaining the effect while he stares Gladio down.

Usually, he'd be able to talk, respond to Prompto, or take notice of Noct, but he's actually having to fight himself and Gladio's dominance more than he thought he would. It's a little more intoxicating than it probably should be, the challenge of it. And a part of him wonders if he'll be able to use this very often with Gladio already showing signs of being able to resist it.

Ignis, unaware of any of the scents looks from John to Gladio, and then over to Noct. The latter he watches closely as the young prince pulls himself out of whatever effect the older Guide is imposing. "John, I believe that may well be sufficient for a demonstration," he cuts in.

It's a struggle to maintain his casual air as John flicks his gaze over to Ignis. "Right. The pheromones shift, something to soothe and ground, to rein in Gladio's senses and expand his focus once more to the rest of the world. John's movements aren't quite as fluid as before as he hands Ignis his coin back. Gladio's sharp scent makes John want to crawl across the table and just lay his head in the other man's lap, petting and soothing him until all is well again. That's entirely out of the question, though, and he ends up just clearing his throat and blinking a few times.

John turns to look at Prompto again. "Just something like that. I basically just turned Gladio's senses up to maximum and directed his focus to an object. It's one of the first things I worked out how to do one my own. Helps getting away from a Sentinel you don't want to deal with if you can turn them slack-jawed and staring. I think it's a bit different between Gladio and I now. That, uh... usually doesn't take that much focus on my side to maintain."

Sorry for default icons and phone tags for the while. ^^;

[iwillshieldhim]

Gladio comes to fully with almost a start, something that runs through the whole of him sharp as an electric shock then settles again before he has time to think of it. His mind still reeled, but now it is purely natural, just in shock of what happened. That... that's what John had talked about before, being able to do. How he could control other Sentinels even though they hadn't been Bonded. He isn't entirely how he feels on it, like his world has been ripped out of his control and for a Sentinel it's a wholly disconcerting feeling, almost like a terrible Rage - except he had fought it more during it. Rages he lost himself entirely, but this he doesn't... know. He just doesn't know.

Prompto is oblivious to Gladio's uncertainty and is beyond curious. "That was amazing! I've never seen anything like it. I can keep Noct out of a rage but only kinda... Gladio I can't do anything with really- will you teach me?" Prompto sort of looked and sounded like an eager puppy, all wide eyes and even a slight wriggle in his body.

[jumpthegun]

Ignis clears his throat and pushes his glasses up, noting the distress from both Gladio and Noct at the display. It's unlike anything he's heard of before, if John's description is accurate. Who's ever heard of a Guide weaponizing their abilities? It's intriguing, to be sure, and he makes a few mental notes on what he'd like to go searching for online tonight once everyone turns in. But while the man can appreciate it intellectually, seeing it first-hand is more troubling.

"Perhaps it would be best to see if our resident Sentinels are willing to be tested for you to develop such a skill, Prompto."

John glances over at Noct. He can feel the uncertainty coming off of Gladio, and it's nothing new. The Sentinels in his unit were never entirely comfortable with his abilities being targeted at them in that way, and John hadn't actually used them in that manner too often, just when someone decided they wanted to try anything with the unbonded Guide... or on enemies. He really hadn't the slightest remorse mucking about with them and their own Guides on the battlefield.

The doctor sends out a pulse of reassurance to Gladio across the Bond and continues to pump out soothing pheromones for Gladio's benefit, as well as Noct's. "Ignis has a point there. Happy to walk you through how I do it, but we'll need a volunteer for you to really get much practice on it."

[iwillshieldhim]

Prompto looks sharply at Ignis as if that idea only just came into his mind that it might be a point (which is exactly what happened) and he bites his lip. "Right, I-"

"He has me. He'll learn it," Noct suddenly speaks up, something hard in his eyes. Ignis and Gladio might well know it's a determination because John had managed to pull him in and his ego is hurt.

"You sure?" Prompto can feel his Sentinel's anger but John might notice that he can't sense Noct's anger at all. Nothing. Only that determination in his eyes will give him a clue.

"Yeah." Noct looks to John, almost challenging. Gladio ends up snorting, but underneath John will feel something like kinship? The two Sentinels are matched in their feelings.

[jumpthegun]

John's generally good at reading people, even without his Guide abilities. It probably should have been a tip off as to what he was early on. He sees that determination and challenge, and feels some sense of it radiating from Gladio. Has he just made an enemy? That really hadn't been his intent.

"Maybe we can put in a little training time tomorrow, then," John replies, gaze leveled on Noct. Gladio it might be slightly more difficult not to show submission to, but the other Sentinel isn't his. Nor does the Guide have a Bond tugging at him to contend with. While he's pheromones are still of the soothing variety, his expression mirror's Noct's own. John will not be cowed by some Sentinel, even a prince. Even a prince he is actively trying to impress. His stubborn streak has sometimes been a problem.

He does look away after a moment, but it's only to smile tightly at Prompto. Then it's over to Gladio. "Are you all right?"

[iwillshieldhim]

"Yeah." Just that and nothing more. Gladio's not sure what to feel just yet about what John just did. On one hand, there's a sort of Sentinel pride on just how strong his particular guide is, to be able to do that to him and Noct. On the other, he prides himself on his strength and his ability to be that defense, that Shield. To find what feels like a chink in his armor, a weakness, leaves him unconsciously defensive.

He wants to be able to fight it off, like he would any other potential 'attack' even if it's from his own Guide.

"Thanks, both of you!" Prompto beams a smile towards John and Noct, but Noct's gaze is far off and thoughtful. He does give a slight nod; he can feel Prompto's joy through their bond and in turn, Prom can feel the stream of odd feelings and acknowledgement.

"Thanks for dinner, Iggy. Good stuff." Gladio's a powerhouse with his meals, and he's almost done.

[jumpthegun]

"My pleasure, as always," Ignis returns with a slight incline of his head. "With all of the excitement today, perhaps a discussion of our black market potions can wait."

Gladio will feel a momentary spike of excitement from John across the Bond, but it's followed swiftly by disappointment. "Oh, right... It's... nothing I should know for tomorrow?" He glances toward Noct, then Ignis again. "Will I be going anywhere with you tomorrow."

Ignis tilts his head thoughtfully. "You're not particularly needed in the session, but I'll leave that up to our fearless leader. How about it, Noct? Would you like Dr. Watson to attend our meetings tomorrow? I'll see he's dressed appropriately, if need be."

The casual comment about seeing that he's dressed makes John flush in embarrassment and there's the urge to interject, once more, that he can see to himself for clothes if they just tell him what he needs to buy. But the Guide bites his tongue. He's had that argument with Gladio and nothing had particularly come of it. He suspects there will be little difference with Ignis or his opinions on the matter.

[iwillshieldhim]

It is just something John is just going to have to get use to. Gladio's long since learned to just deal with Ignis as he is, but then again he tends to stick to his uniform if he has to look decent and he doesn't give a damn what Ignis says the rest of the time. He can't protect John from everything that's going to come his way from this group and John's a full grown man who can manage on his own.

Noct looks at John, then asks in a tone almost like he doesn't care, "do you want to come?" Something in his gaze suggests that John's answer will be important. He doesn't understand why the doctor would care about this when he hasn't been involved.

Gladio frowns towards his prince at the question, though. "Prompto goes with you," he points out.

"He keeps me from getting bored."

[jumpthegun]

"People are being hurt." John takes little notice of the exchange about Prompto, or the implication of it. "Of course I'd like to help however I can. If those potions get out to the general public or into the military? We rely on them for the battlefield. Soldiers start getting wary of potions, it's only a hop, skip, and a jump to start worrying about magic, itself. Medics need to be able to trust their supplies whether it's the front lines or some A&E clinic here in London."

That's probably more than Noct actually needed to know about John's thinking on the matter, but his tone and expression are entirely earnest. There's no time for pretense when people are dying in what sounds like truly horrifying ways.

"I'd like to come, Your Highness. Please." He doesn't drop Noct's gaze, even if the show of submission might win him some points here. The important part is the young prince knowing how much he actually cares about this now.

[iwillshieldhim]

Noct holds that gaze for a long while, before looking away calmly, almost bored. "Noct." Then he goes back to his food, leaving Gladio to lean over and whisper low, "think you can come." Complete with approval through their bond.

Noct isn't fond of being called a title by anyone close to him.

Prompto frowns, looking between the two Sentinels before going quiet in a rare move for him. Gladio doesn't looked bothered at all but he does share a look with Ignis, one that suggests they'll talk later. Prompto briefly glances to Gladio, like he wants to ask something, but he bites his lip and drops his gaze after a flicker over towards John.

[jumpthegun]

The approval is a little strange when there's this... awkward silence across the table and the exchange of looks that John doesn't miss. What exactly is going on here? Did he do something wrong? Something right? Gladio's words suggest the latter, but Prompto's silence makes him wonder. Some of the concern might edge back through the Bond for Gladio, even as the Guide puts on a mask of general indifference.

Ignis clears his throat again. "Regarding the potions, Lady Lunafreya has received some lead on a new shipment of black market potions that will be arriving in the city next week. It's unclear if any of them will be contaminated, but we'd like to intercept the shipment, regardless... without it appearing to be the act of royalty."

"They're gonna steal the potions and just pretend to be another rival black market gang," John translates.

Ignis adjusts his glasses. "To put it more succinctly, yes."

"And are all of you going to be involved in that? Your faces aren't exactly unknown." John doesn't have that particular problem, yet. Yet. "I'd be happy to step in, if you need me to."