...Do you think being a prince is all fun and games? You don't know how many times I wanted to run, how many times I thought about all the things I just can't do, for myself or for my people.

I couldn't run away either. It's not that easy to run away—but that doesn't mean giving up on what's right. I exist for a purpose too, even if I wasn't made my some guy in a lab or something.

[his tone is a little darker at that. how much has he had to face that he wasn't ready to? he's not ready to be a king. he wasn't ready for regis to die, for his home to be stolen. he wasn't ready to fight off magitek troopers—

or what happened to luna.

or ignis.

he hasn't been able to run from a single thing that he's wanted to, because he exists for a purpose. to be king. to be... a true king?

something like that.

luna's words reverberate in his head, and he loses track of things in his own emotions—noct himself is on the verge of tears from how frustrated and overwhelming it is to have to admit all that, but he doesn't seem to shy away from the words she says, either.]

I don't care what you are. [he finally says—after an alarmingly long silence, tone grim... but still honest. that's been the thing with noct this whole conversation, hasn't it? there's still a note of honesty to it.] I care about who you are and what you're about.

[that's where he's hung up.] Don't... you're not the same as that guy, so don't like you are.