Ryella climbed the stairs to the boys' room. She'd eaten breakfast with Iris and Talcott, but had found the boys to be absent. One or two of them was understandable, but all four of them? That was a bit unusual. Curious to know what was going on, the brunette made her way to the door of their room. She gave a few knocks, watching as the door opened to reveal Ignis.

He smiled politely. "Good morning, Ryella. Come on in." He stepped aside, letting her in.

"Good morning," Ryella responded with a smile.

The girl immediately saw the others. Noctis was still in bed, as was expected. Gladio was standing by, doing squats. As for Prompto, he sat on a bed, a small dumbbell in his right hand. He was weightlifting, which was something Ryella had never witnessed him do. Although Prompto was small and thin in physique, compared to someone like Gladio, he was far from being scrawny. The girl subconsciously bit her lower lip, her gaze glued to the movement of the boy's arm muscles with every lift of the weight. Her heart sped up at the sight.

"Morning, Ryella."

The girl stiffened, her eyes darting up to meet Prompto's gaze. A light blush stained her cheeks, but she tried to hide it with a bright smile. "Uh, g-good morning. Sorry if I'm intruding, but none of you were at breakfast."

"You're not intruding, don't fret," Ignis told her.

The gunman paused his weightlifting. "And Iggy, Gladio, and I got up a bit earlier, so we've already eaten. As for Noct..." He glanced at his best friend. "He still refuses to get up yet."

Ryella gave a slow nod. "Ah, well, I'll just leave you guys to it." She turned to leave.

Prompto shot off the bed, nearly dropping the dumbbell in his hand. "Wait!" Ryella stopped, turning back around to face the boy. He set down his weight and grinned, his face growing red. "Sooo, Ryella..." He shifted on his feet, nervously tucking his hands behind his back. "I was wondering if, maybe, you'd like to go for a walk or something? There's actually something I wanna show you."

With a shy smile, she answered, "Sure."

The blond snatched up his camera, a giddy grin on his face. He hurried over to the brunette, offering his hand to her. She took his hand, and the pair left the room. They climbed down the stairs and exited the house. From there, Prompto led the way, guiding Ryella over to the fence at the edge of the cliff. The girl looked out at the lovely ocean view, feeling the breeze blow through her hair.

"Is this what you wanted to show me? The beautiful scenery?"

"N-no... What I want you to see..." He fumbled with his camera, his cheeks heating up. "It's all on this camera."

"Oh, pictures?" Ryella giggled. "Couldn't I have seen these inside?"

"Well, yeah...but I just...like the privacy out here." He swiftly added, "And if we stayed inside, you'd have everyone looking over your shoulder. I want only you to see all of these."

The girl's smile faded. She was growing a bit worried by what he had to show her. "Wh-what's this about?"

Her question went unanswered as Prompto pulled up a set of pictures on his camera. He then handed the device to Ryella, muttering about using the arrow buttons to scroll between images. The first few pictures were simply her in dragon form when she'd first met them at Ravatogh. After them was the selfie with her an Noctis in it. Next were several images of her using fire magic in the Greyshire Glacial Grotto. The Guardian was still confused. Those were all just typical photos. She glanced at the boy briefly, seeing that he fidgeted nervously with a red face, his head hung down. Ryella continued to silently scroll through images.

The picture with her and Cindy came up. The girl blushed lightly, remembering that she wore so little for that photo. Images of the iced over Balouve Mines came up after that. That was another time she had utilized her magic to fight for her friends. The next was the beachside photo of her at Galdin. Ryella's eyes began to widen a bit in realization. All of these images are of me. I hadn't realized he'd taken so many. She kept going, a darker blush creeping across her cheeks. She was surprised to find a photo of her asleep while only wearing the gunman's vest to cover her body. He took a picture of me then?!

With each picture, Ryella grew more and more embarrassed. She'd been the center of many of his shots. She stumbled across the images he'd taken of her slurping her Cup Noodles, and even the one where she licked her lips cutely afterwards. After a few more pictures, she paused on the final one. It was from last night, where she was dressed in the skimpy, black leather outfit. She was stunned. Although she had known Prompto liked her, she didn't know to what extent. But to find so many photos of her stored on his camera, as if they were precious moments he never wanted to forget, was eye-opening. Prompto...he really feels so strongly about me?

She slowly looked over at the blond standing beside her, a permanent blush staining her cheeks. "P-Prompto... Wh-what is all this?"

She held the camera out to him. With a red face, he carefully took the device from her. "Y-you see...um, from the beginning, I'd felt...some kind of connection to you." He refused to meet her gaze as he stumbled over his words a bit. "I-I still remember when you first showed us what you really looked like. You went from that ferocious dragon...to a stunningly beautiful girl." Ryella stared at him, wide-eyed. "I-I've had this...feeling...ever since, and it keeps growing with each day that passes."

"Wh...what feeling?"

Prompto slowly met her gaze. He took her hand and brought it up to his lips, pecking the top of it. "This fondness I have for you." The girl gasped lightly. Prompto's eyes were locked onto hers, and they showed complete honesty and seriousness. "Ryella...I-I really...really like you. I adore you more than anything. I've never ever met a girl as amazing as you."

Ryella stood frozen in place, unable to move or speak. She was completely stunned by his sincere words. Even though she had known how he felt, hearing him actually say it was completely different. But for some reason, the whole situation gave Ryella an odd feeling. Why does this seem so familiar? Before she could give it much thought, Prompto's face was right in front of her. His hand rested firmly on her shoulder while he inched closer. His eyes closed as he leaned in, planting his lips against hers. The girl's eyes went wide. Memories flashed through her mind. Clement---he'd kissed her much like that, and in mere moments, he had been lost to her. A strong feeling of déjà vu overwhelmed Ryella. It was too much for her to take.

With tears in her eyes, she placed her palms against the boy's chest, forcefully shoving him off. Prompto stumbled back, hurt and confused by her abrupt reaction. But he swiftly took notice of the tears running down her face before she twisted around and ran away from him. His immediate thoughts were that he did something wrong. Dammit, Prompto, you should've asked her first! I probably didn't do it right! I bet she hated it! I don't want her upset with me! He silenced his thoughts and chased after her, tucking his camera away.

"Ryella, wait!"

Despite his calls, the girl kept running, and so did he. He had to catch up to her. He had to apologize. He had to make sure she was okay. Ryella didn't even know where she was going. She simply felt the need to escape. It pained her to think of what would happen if she allowed everything to continue the same way it did before. She could clearly hear Prompto following her, calling out for her to stop, but she just couldn't. Her legs kept moving, and she didn't want to have to face him, although she knew she couldn't keep running. After weaving around the trees and bushes, and crossing the path leading to the lighthouse, Ryella came to a grave.

She stopped in front of it, panting. The name carved on it read, "Jared Hester". There was a wreath of flowers placed at the foot of the stone. The girl fell to her knees in front of it, sobbing uncontrollably. Prompto was quick to find her, breathing heavily after chasing her. He felt horrible seeing her cry because of him, and the fact that it was in front of the memorial made for a precious life lost made him feel even worse. Slowly, he approached the girl, crouching down beside her. He hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder, his eyes darting back and forth between the brunette and the ground at his feet.

"Ryella...I-I'm sorry." She looked at him, tears cascading down her cheeks. "I'm sorry...if I hurt you. I never meant to do anything to make you feel this way. I...took things too far."

Seeing how apologetic and hurt he was over it, Ryella knew she needed to straighten things out. "I-I'm the one...who should be s-sorry..." Prompto looked over at her in slight surprise. "I shouldn't have p-pushed you... I-I shouldn't have ran. You didn't do anything wrong."

He blinked at her, a bit relieved to hear that. "So, it wasn't because of me? Then what's the matter?"

Ryella tried to control her cries, but couldn't contain her hiccups and sniffles. "I-I was... I-it's just..."

The blond brushed her hair out of her face, letting his hand linger against her cheek. "Calm down, it's alright. Just talk to me."

The Guardian sadly turned her gaze to the ground, quieting her sobs. "The last time I was kissed like that...I lost him..." The boy's eyes widened. Ryella suddenly wrapped her arms around him and burst into tears again. "It felt like everything might repeat itself! What if it happens all over again?! I don't want to lose you too!"

Prompto carefully hugged her, soothingly rubbing her back. "Ryella, I thought we'd moved past this. You can't be afraid of what might happen. You need to live freely, without the fear of losing others. As they say, 'better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all'. And you don't have to worry, 'cause I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

Ryella looked up at him with hopeful eyes. "You promise?"

He gave a reassuring smile and wiped away her tears, all while pulling her to her feet with him. "I promise. You won't lose me."

The girl abruptly leaned in, shyly pecking his lips. They both blushed, and Ryella bashfully looked away. "To be honest..." She smiled lightly. "I really l-like you too, Prompto."

A giddy, goofy grin spread across the boy's lips. He couldn't help but laugh purely out of relief. "Thank the gods, I'm so happy to hear you say that! What a load off!" Ryella ended up laughing as well. But once they both quieted, they stared into each other's eyes for several moments. "Sooo..." Prompto leaned closer, his forehead nearly touching hers. "How about we try this again?"

Without waiting for a response, the gunman swallowed hard and closed his eyes, pushing his lips against hers. Ryella was ready for it this time, letting her eyes flutter shut. She pushed away all the fear and worry in the back of her mind, relishing the moment instead. Prompto's lips were lightly chapped compared to hers, but he was nothing but gentle. She could tell he was just figuring out what to do, so to help, she returned his kiss, moving her lips against his. With that little bit of reassurance that he was doing something right, he experimentally moved his lips in different ways until he seemed to be nearly in sync with Ryella. The two were in pure bliss, and everything around them seemed to melt away. But the kiss was over all too soon when they finally separated. They both smiled with joy at each other, their faces still tinted red.

"Wow..." the gunman breathed out. "That was...amazing." He suddenly pulled the girl into a tight embrace, running a hand through her brown hair. He nuzzled the side of her head and quietly told her, "Don't be afraid of losing people you care about. We can take care of ourselves. So please don't cry anymore, because no matter what, I'll be ever at your side."

Ryella smiled, clutching onto his vest. She relaxed in his arms, burying her face into his shoulder. For once, she actually managed to forget about all the fear and pain of loss. She felt safe with Prompto, and Noctis and the others too. And she knew how capable they all were. She truly believed they could face just about anything if they worked together, and with her power, she would fight to protect them as well. She owed them all so much. They saved her life, taught her bravery, and healed her broken heart. She had once feared she'd never recover from her losses, but thanks to them---Gladiolus, Ignis, Noctis... Prompto---she would be able to move on.

Prompto released the girl from his hold, looking into her vibrant green eyes. "So...does this mean we're a thing now?"

Ryella giggled. "I suppose it does."

The blond excitedly fist-pumped. "Score! I've got the most mind-blowing girlfriend in the world!" He took her arms and pulled her in. She laughed as he peppered her cheek with kisses. He then grinned, gazing softly at her. "But seriously, thanks for accepting this loser." He planted one final kiss to her forehead.

"You're not a loser, Prompto." She slipped her hand into his. "Just because you weren't born of royalty or nobility doesn't mean you're not a wonderful person. Now, I feel the need to just soar. Would you like to fly with me?"

"Yeah, but before we do, I'd like to get a picture with you, if you don't mind." He grabbed his camera. "I never wanna forget this moment."

"Of course."

They moved away from the grave and in front of the fence at the edge of the cliff. With the sea at their backs, Prompto held the camera out in front of them. He wrapped his free arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer so they'd fit in the shot. Ryella rested a hand against his chest while hugging his side. They both smiled brightly. The boy clicked the button, and with a quick flash, their image was captured. He swiftly checked the photo to make sure it turned out right. He then took his new girlfriend by the hand, walking her back toward the house. Ryella went around the side of the building, out of sight, so she could undress and transform. Once she did, she went back around to get Prompto. Before the boy could climb on, the front door opened, causing them both to look at their friends, who exited the house.

"Heyaz!" the blond greeted. "What're you guys doing?"

"Just thought we'd get a little fresh air," Gladio said. "And Noct and I are hanging with Talcott."

"As for me," Iris began, "I'm going down to the shop with Ignis."

"And what about the two of you?" the bespectacled man asked with curiosity.

Prompto grinned. "Nothing much, just gonna go flying with my new girlfriend is all!"

"Aww, that's so sweet!" Iris gushed. "You guys are really cute together! I bet you're both so happy!"

"Better believe they are." Everyone looked at Noctis. "Ryella's been nothing but ecstatic all morning...well, except for that jolt of sadness a few minutes ago." The dragon bashfully turned her head away. "Been kinda weird feeling these emotions for so long, but as long as you two are having a good time, I can put up with it."

"Great!" Prompto scrambled up onto the Guardian's back. "See ya!"

With that, Ryella turned and darted toward the cliff. With the boy hanging on tightly to her fur, she leapt over the fencing, taking flight. She soared out over the ocean, giving them a lovely view of Cape Caem from afar. Prompto always enjoyed the scenery from the air, and that time was no different. It was thanks to Ryella that he'd ever gotten over his acrophobia to even appreciate such an opportunity. He had so much faith in her that he didn't even fear the possibility of falling. The dragon flew all around the cape before gliding down and perching on a rock that jutted up from the shallow waters.

"Whaddya say, Ryella? Wanna kick it up a notch?" The beast turned her head to look back at him. She squinted one eye and groaned questioningly. The boy laughed. "Don't worry about me. I'd kinda like to see what you can really do in the air. Just don't let me fall, 'kay?"

Ryella barked in response. She spread her wings and, after taking a moment for her and Prompto to prepare, took off. She quickly picked up speed, going much faster than she usually would. She suddenly shot upwards, climbing higher and higher. She beat her wings hard, flying straight up into the sky, reaching heights neither of them have ever been. She finally stopped, and instead, dipped forward. With her wings tucked in, she dove, plummeting down toward the water. She also spun, corkscrewing down through the air. A mixture of screams and laughs echoed from the blond.

"Yahoooo!"

Ryella inwardly smiled, glad to hear Prompto was having fun. Reaching the ocean, the dragon straightened herself and pulled up, barely avoiding splashing into the water. She drifted over the surface of the sea, catching her breath. Prompto collapsed against her back, enveloped in her thick fur. He could feel every breath she took, every movement of her muscles, each beat of her heart. It almost felt like he was a part of her, even if only for that brief moment.

"That...was...awesome!" The gunman sat up with a huge grin plastered to his face. "Flying with you has become one of my favorite things to do! It's just so much fun!" Ryella purred in agreement.

Before long, the pair were back on the ground, and Ryella was in her human form once more. The entire group sat outside together on the porch, even Iris and Talcott. They chatted for a bit, and Ryella played simple tunes on her lyre. The young Guardian could hardly express just how free she felt. For once, she understood that the past shouldn't impact her decisions now. She couldn't let herself fall into despair, because she knew that the power she and her friends had together could get them through anything. That's what she now believed---that their strength was enough. There was only one way she could express how she felt, and that was through song. She began strumming a soft melody that quieted the others. She slowly stood and walked over to the fence at the edge of the cliff, gazing out at the ocean.

This song is called "Believe" and is by Elliot Berger & Laura Brehm.

"Trying to hear music from silence
Watching as everything falls away
Taking steps in the open air

"Blindly following something
As it pulls me to the edge
I know I'll go somewhere

"I'm taking off into the endless sky
I'm opening my heart and I free my mind
I won't let fear keep me from flying
The one thing I need cannot be seen
It's to believe"

Her angelic voice was easily heard, as if carried through the gentle breeze for her friends to listen. Although she was still in earshot, Prompto rose to his feet and walked over to her side. He smiled softly at her, and she, in turn, flashed him a small smile as well.

"I was scanning the surface
Looking everywhere for a sign
Have not yet found meaning

"Wasn't ready to let go
But it's clear I have to leave
For tomorrow's waiting

"I'm taking off into the endless sky
I'm opening my heart and I free my mind
I won't let fear keep me from flying
The one thing I need cannot be seen
It's to believe

"I was wishing for some guidance
For a path I could understand
But all I need is to believe in
What I have always had within

"I'm taking off into the endless sky
I'm opening my heart and I free my mind
I won't let fear keep me from flying
The one thing I need cannot be seen
It's to believe"

Ryella stared out at the sky. She actually thought she saw Reynard and Clement, and even her father, Damon. They all stood tall with pleased smiles. With watery eyes, Ryella smiled back at them. With an approving nod, her father turned, fading away. Reynard and Clement slowly turned as well, the smiles never leaving their faces as they vanished. That was all Ryella needed to see to know that she was following the right path in life, just as her loved ones had hoped.

Prompto suddenly wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Y'know, I bet they'd be real proud of you," he told her, as if he'd seen the same thing she had. "And happy for you too."

The sound of footsteps caused them both to turn their heads to see their friends. "You have come a long way since we first met," Noctis said.

Gladio crossed his arms and nodded. "Went from a scared little girl to a dependable woman."

"Your family would be so proud," Ignis said with a slight grin. "You've accomplished so much in the time that we've known you."

The girl shyly smiled. "That makes me happy to hear. Thank you, all of you, for helping me this far. All I want now is to help you complete your journey, and to make sure that Noctis can fulfill his calling. Know that I will remain with all of you until the very end."

"Well ain't that the sweetest thing I ever did hear." Everyone turned their heads to see Cid shambling over. "Reminds me of the good ol' days when I traveled with Reggie."

"Master Cid," Ignis greeted.

"Sorry for the wait, but I finally got that boat up an' runnin'. Perfect timin' too, while the weather's good. Y'all hurry on over and we can set sail."

After gathering their things and getting the Regalia loaded up, the group went on over to the lighthouse. Before climbing into the elevator, Umbra showed up with a quick message for Noctis. The prince quickly read the most recent page of the notebook before writing a response. He then saw Umbra off before taking the elevator down to the harbor hidden below. When the elevator stopped, the group found both Iris and Talcott waiting for them.

The prince smiled lightly. "We'll be seeing ya, Talcott."

The kid gave a small bow. "I'll be waiting for your return."

Past him stood Iris, a sad smile on her lips. "I guess it's goodbye for now."

"We'll be back before you know it," Gladio told her.

While the boys descended the stairs to see Cid and Cor, Ryella stopped in front of the younger girl. "Iris, I have a small favor to ask."

"What is it?"

Ryella took Iris's hand, placing her pendant in her palm. The younger girl gasped lightly, knowing how important that necklace was to her. The symbol of her family, House Praesidio, had been passed down through the generations. Iris blinked questioningly at the Guardian.

"I want you to hold onto this for me," Ryella explained, "just until we get back."

"But, Ryella, this pendant is so important to you."

"Which is why I'm asking you to keep it safe for me. To be honest, I don't know what awaits us in Altissia, but to forge a covenant with Leviathan..." She shook her head and smiled. "I don't want to risk losing this. Just please, take care of it for me, Iris. I'll retrieve it as soon as we return."

Iris slowly nodded, enclosing her fingers around the pendant. She then engulfed her friend in a hug. "I'm gonna miss you. Be careful out there."

Ryella eagerly returned the hug before pulling away. "I will. Don't worry."

The Guardian turned to climb down the stairs, but paused when she realized the others were talking. "Something I gotta get off my chest," Cor said. "I'm sorry. Sorry I wasn't there for your father." Ryella decided to wait so she wouldn't interrupt. "I swore an oath to protect the king, but I wasn't strong enough to uphold it."

"Ain't nothin' nobody could've done to stop what happened," Cid responded, walking over and taking a seat on the sofa.

"Yeah, I realize that," Noctis replied.

"But you need to realize just what you mean to the boys by your side."

The prince glanced at his friends. "I do."

"Even if they can't solve your problems," the elderly mechanic began, "you can't hide what's goin' on from 'em. It hurts like hell." He leaned forward in his seat. "Remember---those ain't your bodyguards, they're your brothers. Trust in 'em. Always."

Ryella quietly walked down the stairs to join her friends. "And I'll still be by your side as well, Noct."

Noctis turned his head, smiling slightly at the girl. "Course, you're one of us now." He gestured her over with his hand. "Hell, you're my Guardian."

"So she's the one I've been hearing about," Cor said. "The young Guardian accompanying the prince."

"Allow me to introduce Cor, head of the Crownsguard," Ignis chimed in, introducing the two. "Marshal, meet Ryella, Noct's newly appointed Guardian."

Cor's stern expression didn't change, which intimidated the girl. "Then I trust you'll keep an eye on these boys," he said.

Ryella swiftly bowed her head. "Yes, I-I will. It is my duty to safeguard my master."

"She lives up to her name," Gladio assured. "She's proven her strength more than once."

The marshal gave a nod of approval. With that, the group followed Cid onboard the boat. The elderly man started up the ship, and after a moment, they got moving. Noctis noticed Talcott and Iris running over to the edge of the pier.

"Hey!" Talcott called out. "Your Majesty! Please come back soon! We need our king!"

Noctis cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Yeah! Count on it!"

He watched the two waving, all while growing more and more distant. He finally went and sat down, looking out at the ocean as they exited the hidden harbor, sailing out into open waters. It won't be long now. I'm coming, Luna.