"We've got it on its last legs!" Prompto shouted, firing his gun at the beast.

The treant roared in pain and swiped its long tail at him. He managed to duck under it. Noctis summoned flames and Ignis threw a vial of fire elemancy at it. The treant was engulfed in flames. It cried out before collapsing, its plant-like body being consumed by the fire. Everyone took a moment to catch their breath.

"Now that that's taken care of, let's get that royal arm," Gladio said.

The five walked away from the burnt ashes of the monster and over to the tomb. Noctis unlocked the door and everyone went inside. The prince collected the weapon. At their rate, his arsenal of weaponry would soon be completed.

"Great," Lorelai said. "So, can we get out of here? I don't know about you guys, but I could use a break from all this nature."

"How about a trip to Lestallum?" the prince suggested. "We haven't been there in a while."

"We have been camping nearly everyday," Gladio stated. "I don't mind that, but a little civilization is always a nice change."

"Not to mention a chance to restock on curatives and such," Ignis added.

"Woohoo!" Prompto cheered. "Soft beds, baby!"

All five agreed on Lestallum. They made their way out of the Myrlwood, fighting any monsters that attacked them on their way. Once they finally got back to the Regalia, they all climbed in. They sped down the road, finally leaving the Vesperpool behind. They passed through Meldacio and finally arrived at Lestallum. Lorelai stretched her arms and legs.

"Nice to finally see people and buildings again. Seems like we were camping for more than a week."

"Let us first rent our rooms at the Leville," Ignis said.

"Then we can have fun, right?" Prompto asked.

"Right," Noctis answered.

The gang headed to the hotel and rented a couple of rooms. "Now, I'm off to the market," Ignis said. "I'd like to see what ingredients I can procure."

Gladio began following him. "I'll come with you."

Watching the two leave, Lorelai hummed in thought. "You know, shopping doesn't sound like such a bad idea. I think I'll do just that."

"Mind if we tag along?" Prompto asked.

She smiled. "Sure, if you want."

The prince shrugged. "I've got nothing else to do."

Lorelai led them along. The two watched her happily walking ahead of them while humming to herself. They didn't know exactly where she was going, but they didn't mind. It was just nice to finally relax after so much training. Noctis noticed the dreamy look on his best friend's face as he stared at the girl in front of them.

"So?" he quietly questioned the blond.

"So, what?" The gunman looked at him, confused as to what he was asking.

"You gonna ask her out again or what? This is the perfect time to. We're not going anywhere for a while."

Prompto's cheeks turned a light pink. "Oh, p-probably later."

Truthfully, Prompto was afraid to. He knew Lorelai considered him a close friend, but he still didn't know how she felt about him. Her actions often confused him. They sometimes hinted that she might return his feelings, but other times it seemed like he was trapped in the friend zone. He honestly felt like the latter. He still believed he wasn't good enough for an amazing girl like her, and didn't see how she could ever like him as anything more than a friend. But he continued to cling to that little bit of hope that he was wrong and that Lorelai did like him, even if just a little.

Lorelai suddenly stopped at a clothes shop. She turned toward them with a smile. "I'm looking for some new threads. What about you guys? Want to find something different to wear?"

"I think we'll pass," Noctis replied. "But go ahead. Shop 'til ya drop."

"Why are you shopping for clothes anyway?" the blond questioned.

Lorelai glanced down at her current clothing. "I've been wearing the same thing for a while now. I figure it's time to find something new."

Lorelai entered the shop, leaving the two boys standing outside. They talked a bit, waiting for their friend to return. After nearly an hour, Lorelai finally exited the shop in a brand new outfit. She had on a crop top, a vest, short shorts, stockings, boots, and an armband on each of her upper arms. Her locket and bracelet from Prompto were the only things that were still the same.

(This is her new outfit)

Prompto's eyes scanned over her appearance and he whistled. "Lovin' the new outfit, Lora."

"You look great," the prince added.

The girl smiled brightly. "Thanks. I thought this looked pretty nice. I even got a few extra things too." She held up a bag for them to see. "Though it's mostly things like underwear."

"Not gonna show those off for us?" Noctis asked, a smirk creeping across his lips.

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Don't count on it."

Noctis glanced at his best friend and nudged him with his elbow. Prompto cleared his throat and nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

"So, Lora, you wanna... maybe, I don't know... go for a walk later?"

She rested her free hand on her hip and tilted her head to the side. "Isn't that what we're doing now?"

Prompto's brain was fumbling for a response when Noctis stepped in and explained, "He means after the sun goes down. Lestallum can get pretty lively at night, y'know."

Lorelai smiled brightly. "Oh, okay then. Sounds good to me. For now though, let's get something to eat. I'm a bit hungry."

Lorelai turned and began walking. Prompto mouthed a "thank you" to the prince and they both followed her again. The three stopped at a restaurant and ordered some food. Ignis and Gladio saw them from down the street and joined them.

"Hey, looks like someone went clothes shopping," the tattooed man said with a grin, looking over the girl. "Nice new outfit Lora. It really suits you."

Ignis smiled. "I must agree. You look very lovely."

"Thank you," she replied. "It was time for a change. Not to brag, but I've got a pretty well-developed sense of style." She flicked a strand of hair. "Guess those ten years living in a palace helped with that, huh?"

She giggled at herself and Noctis asked, "Then how come you were always wearing simple clothes before?"

"Obviously so she wouldn't draw attention to herself," the advisor responded. "She wanted to blend in with the people here."

Lorelai nodded. "Exactly. Though I'd like to think I still wore things a little different from most hunters."

"A bit," the shield said.

The group ate their meal and headed back to the hotel upon nightfall. Lorelai put her bag of clothes in her room before going to the guys' room next door. She poked her head in with a smile.

"Hey, Prompto, ready to head out?"

Prompto nodded and jumped to his feet. "And where are you two off to?" Ignis asked.

"Just for a walk," the blond answered simply.

He quickly left the room and walked with Lorelai out of the Leville. Just as expected, the streets were filled with women from the plant and their friends and families.

"It really does get lively at night," the girl commented. "I almost forgot that this is when most of the womens' work shifts end."

"Yeah. So, anywhere you wanna go in particular?"

"It doesn't really matter to me," she said. "Anywhere you want is fine."

He nodded in understanding and began leading the way with Lorelai by his side. Since she didn't mind, he wanted to walk her to the most romantic location - the outlook. But he was going to save that spot for last, after they'd walked the streets a bit. They did pass by a few musicians along the way. The upbeat tunes caused Lorelai to hum and sway to the beat. Prompto laughed a bit at her.

"This is why you're so much fun to be around. You just go with the flow."

The girl laughed. "You're fun too, Prompto. You always find a way to make people laugh."

"I know!" he replied in an overly dramatic voice. "Sometimes my awesomeness is astounding!"

"Definitely!" she replied with a small laugh, playing along. "Whatever would I do without your awesome self in my life!"

Throughout the walk, they joked and laughed. When they were nearing the road, Prompto's hand brushed against Lorelai's before gingerly taking hold of it. His heart sped up when he felt her hand lightly squeeze his instead of pulling away like he feared she might. With a bit more confidence now, he led her across the road and down the steps toward the outlook. He headed straight for the benches that overlooked the land. The area was vacant and hardly anyone was around. Prompto stopped beside a bench and released the girl's hand.

"How about a break?" he suggested. He bowed slightly. "A seat, m'lady?"

Lorelai giggled. "My, what a gentleman."

She took a seat and Prompto sat beside her. It was much quieter there, not like the center of the town where everyone was gathered. A cool breeze blew over the two as they gazed out at the night sky. Prompto took a sideways glance at the girl beside him, steadily reaching for her hand again. He gently took hold of it, feeling her clutch his hand in return again. Her hands were soft compared to his. Though he wore gloves, his exposed fingers were rougher than Lorelai's.

"Prompto." He looked over at her. Her gaze stayed fixated on the stars. He watched her scoot closer and lean her head against his shoulder. His face heated up and he hoped that she couldn't hear the pounding of his heart. "This was meant to be like a date, wasn't it?" He gasped lightly, causing Lorelai to giggle, knowing she was right. "I'm okay with that. I always have fun with you."

"S-Same here," he softly replied, mentally cursing himself for stuttering. "I just really like spending time with you."

"Me too."

After a few moments of silence, Prompto shifted a bit. "Hey, how about another picture to commemorate this night?"

Lorelai picked her head up, noticing the blond grabbing his camera. She smiled and nodded. Prompto held his camera in front of them and leaned closer until his cheek was pressed against Lorelai's. The two grinned happily, and with a click of the camera, their image was captured. Prompto moved away from her and checked the photo.

"Aw yeah, that's a keeper!" He then stood up. "C'mon, we should head back. It's getting kinda late."

He held his hand out to her, which she eagerly took and rose to her feet. After putting his camera away, the gunman began walking the girl back to the hotel for the night.