[Noct sits in silence for a moment looking out the window; as the train begins to pass a snowy mountain range covered in mist, Prompto comes running by, then tries to stop and slips when he realizes he’s passing Noctis]
Prompto: Whoa! There you are, buddy! Did you see this? It’s unreal! Noct: Yeah. Never seen anything like it. Doesn’t make any sense.
[Noct looks around the dining car and suddenly realizes that no one else is moving; everything is blanketed in grey and everyone is frozen in place; Prompto is missing; Noctis stands] Noctis: What’s going on?
[Noctis suddenly hears Ardyn’s voice behind him] Ardyn: It’s a real mystery.
[Noct turns to find Ardyn standing in the dining car-- noteably, "Ardyn" has Ardyn's voice but the intonation, the manner of speaking is all wrong. He sounds more like ... well, a casual teenager than Ardyn/Absinthe usually does. The bit starting at 2:56 is a very good demonstration of this. ] "Ardyn": I’m not liking that snow cloud. Kind of gives me the chills. Like, who comes up with this stuff? I couldn’t dream something like this if I tried. It’s a wondrous world. Noctis: The hell are you doing here!?
[Noctis springs to punch Ardyn in the face, but he dodges] "Ardyn": Whoa, what’s going on!? Easy there, buddy. Didn’t see that coming. You alright?
[Noct conjures a sword and swings it at Ardyn, who steps back just out of range] Noctis: Shut up! Ardyn: Be careful there! Wait—is this for real?
[“Ardyn” begins to run away; Noctis pursues him into the cabin car; Ardyn runs into one of the cabins and shuts the door; Noctis jerks the door open] Noctis: Show yourself!
Suddenly, Ardyn leaves over from behind Noctis] Ardyn: Uh…Noct?
[Noctis swings around with his fist, hitting nothing but air; Ardyn has vanished again] Noctis: That son of a bitch…
[Noctis runs to the next car, where he sees Ardyn backing away] Ardyn: C’mon, Noct. You’re scaring me! Seriously, man, cut it out!
[Ardyn passes to the next car, where Noctis continues to doggedly pursue him] Ardyn: It’s not safe. Plus, you’re causing a scene. Quit playing around, okay?
[Noctis catches up to him and conjures a sword once again, which he immediately takes swing with, attempting to bisect Ardyn horizontally] Noctis: You think this is funny!?
[Ardyn ducks the blade, then quickly scrambles to his feet, and runs toward the next car] Ardyn: Dude, are you seriously trying to kill me!?
[Noctis follows him into the space between these two cars] Noctis: Why wouldn’t I!? I’ve got you now.
[Ardyn is barely able to stand, so out of breath is he; he’s holding one hand out, trying to convince Noctis to stop] Noctis: What’re you after, following me around this whole time? It’s all YOUR fault—
[Noctis puts his elbow against Ardyn’s neck and shoves him against the door to the next car] Ardyn: What are you talking about? Do you really mean that, Noct?
Noctis: What—are you saying it’s not? Ardyn: Yes! What good would it do me to hurt you!? Noctis: Who cares!? Ardyn: Noct, please. Can’t we talk for a sec? Noctis: Never.
[Suddenly, Noctis is thrown violently to the floor as the train’s brakes bring it to a screeching halt]
[Note: The reason “Ardyn” is talking like Prompto throughout this scene is because the person Noct sees as Ardyn actually is Prompto; Ardyn is using his powers to swap appearances with Prompto, which continues into the next scene where Noctis thinks he’s now talking to Prompto but is actually speaking with Ardyn]
---
[Noct comes to on the floor with “Prompto” awakening him] Prompto: Noct! Are you okay? Noctis: No. Where’s Ardyn? Prompto: Wait—he’s here? If he is, that would explain all this weird stuff happening. I bet he’s behind the train stopping. Ignis and Gladio went up to inspect the engine room. I say the two of us go check out the rear. Noctis: Yeah.
[Not runs back the way he had come while in pursuit of “Ardyn”; in the car before the cabin car, the train suddenly shakes and windows shatter all around; Noctis falls to the floor, but quickly gets back up] Prompto: Did they bomb us!? Noct, we have to protect the people!
[Noctis runs onward into the cabin car, where a magitek trooper jumps through the glass and pursues several people; the civilians run past “Prompto” and Noctis] Prompto: Head to the next car! Noctis: Leave these guys to us!
[Noctis destroys the magitek trooper] Prompto: So much for a safe ride. More of ’em might be on board. Let’s check the rear! Noctis: We need to get the train moving again. Prompto: I’m sure Ignis and Gladio will come up with something. Noctis: Hope so. Let’s go.
[Noctis runs onward, moving through the dining car] Prompto: How bad do you think it is? Hope nobody got hurt.
[ MONTAGE of "Prompto" and Noctis destroy a lot of magitek troopers swarming the train; "Prompto" fights with guns while Noctis uses a mix of sword and magic. ]
[ Cut to -- ]
[Down below, on top of the train, stand “Ardyn” and “Prompto,” the former holding one of the latter’s own guns on him (they both have Prompto's appearance); Prompto’s hands appear to be up; Noct point-warps down to the train near them] Noctis: Prompto!
[Noct takes a swing at the gun “Ardyn” is holding, knocking it to the roof of the train, and then another swing at “Ardyn,” causing him to fall backward off the train; at this point, Noctis becomes able to see that it is Prompto who is falling; so horrified is Noctis at the realization, he doesn’t even look behind him to see Ardyn standing there, holding up one of Prompto’s guns]
Ardyn: How long were you in the dark?
[Noctis turns to look at Ardyn but is left completely open to the blow to the back of his head that Ardyn administers with the butt of Prompto’s gun; Noct falls to the roof of the train, unconscious]
Ardyn is a Bad Man
THE SCENE; Noctis + main party are in a train passing through the mountains:
Transcripts are from https://thelifestream.net/final-fantasy-xv-lore/final-fantasy-xv-chapter-by-chapter-lore-exposition-and-development/final-fantasy-xv-chapter-by-chapter-lore-exposition-and-development-part-3/ :
---------------------
[Noct sits in silence for a moment looking out the window; as the train begins to pass a snowy mountain range covered in mist, Prompto comes running by, then tries to stop and slips when he realizes he’s passing Noctis]
Prompto: Whoa! There you are, buddy! Did you see this? It’s unreal!
Noct: Yeah. Never seen anything like it. Doesn’t make any sense.
[Noct looks around the dining car and suddenly realizes that no one else is moving; everything is blanketed in grey and everyone is frozen in place; Prompto is missing; Noctis stands]
Noctis: What’s going on?
[Noctis suddenly hears Ardyn’s voice behind him]
Ardyn: It’s a real mystery.
[Noct turns to find Ardyn standing in the dining car-- noteably, "Ardyn" has Ardyn's voice but the intonation, the manner of speaking is all wrong. He sounds more like ... well, a casual teenager than Ardyn/Absinthe usually does. The bit starting at 2:56 is a very good demonstration of this. ]
"Ardyn": I’m not liking that snow cloud. Kind of gives me the chills. Like, who comes up with this stuff? I couldn’t dream something like this if I tried. It’s a wondrous world.
Noctis: The hell are you doing here!?
[Noctis springs to punch Ardyn in the face, but he dodges]
"Ardyn": Whoa, what’s going on!? Easy there, buddy. Didn’t see that coming. You alright?
[Noct conjures a sword and swings it at Ardyn, who steps back just out of range]
Noctis: Shut up!
Ardyn: Be careful there! Wait—is this for real?
[“Ardyn” begins to run away; Noctis pursues him into the cabin car; Ardyn runs into one of the cabins and shuts the door; Noctis jerks the door open]
Noctis: Show yourself!
Suddenly, Ardyn leaves over from behind Noctis]
Ardyn: Uh…Noct?
[Noctis swings around with his fist, hitting nothing but air; Ardyn has vanished again]
Noctis: That son of a bitch…
[Noctis runs to the next car, where he sees Ardyn backing away]
Ardyn: C’mon, Noct. You’re scaring me! Seriously, man, cut it out!
[Ardyn passes to the next car, where Noctis continues to doggedly pursue him]
Ardyn: It’s not safe. Plus, you’re causing a scene. Quit playing around, okay?
[Noctis catches up to him and conjures a sword once again, which he immediately takes swing with, attempting to bisect Ardyn horizontally]
Noctis: You think this is funny!?
[Ardyn ducks the blade, then quickly scrambles to his feet, and runs toward the next car]
Ardyn: Dude, are you seriously trying to kill me!?
[Noctis follows him into the space between these two cars]
Noctis: Why wouldn’t I!? I’ve got you now.
[Ardyn is barely able to stand, so out of breath is he; he’s holding one hand out, trying to convince Noctis to stop]
Noctis: What’re you after, following me around this whole time? It’s all YOUR fault—
[Noctis puts his elbow against Ardyn’s neck and shoves him against the door to the next car]
Ardyn: What are you talking about? Do you really mean that, Noct?
Noctis: What—are you saying it’s not?
Ardyn: Yes! What good would it do me to hurt you!?
Noctis: Who cares!?
Ardyn: Noct, please. Can’t we talk for a sec?
Noctis: Never.
[Suddenly, Noctis is thrown violently to the floor as the train’s brakes bring it to a screeching halt]
[Note: The reason “Ardyn” is talking like Prompto throughout this scene is because the person Noct sees as Ardyn actually is Prompto; Ardyn is using his powers to swap appearances with Prompto, which continues into the next scene where Noctis thinks he’s now talking to Prompto but is actually speaking with Ardyn]
---
[Noct comes to on the floor with “Prompto” awakening him]
Prompto: Noct! Are you okay?
Noctis: No. Where’s Ardyn?
Prompto: Wait—he’s here? If he is, that would explain all this weird stuff happening. I bet he’s behind the train stopping. Ignis and Gladio went up to inspect the engine room. I say the two of us go check out the rear.
Noctis: Yeah.
[Not runs back the way he had come while in pursuit of “Ardyn”; in the car before the cabin car, the train suddenly shakes and windows shatter all around; Noctis falls to the floor, but quickly gets back up]
Prompto: Did they bomb us!? Noct, we have to protect the people!
[Noctis runs onward into the cabin car, where a magitek trooper jumps through the glass and pursues several people; the civilians run past “Prompto” and Noctis]
Prompto: Head to the next car!
Noctis: Leave these guys to us!
[Noctis destroys the magitek trooper]
Prompto: So much for a safe ride. More of ’em might be on board. Let’s check the rear!
Noctis: We need to get the train moving again.
Prompto: I’m sure Ignis and Gladio will come up with something.
Noctis: Hope so. Let’s go.
[Noctis runs onward, moving through the dining car]
Prompto: How bad do you think it is? Hope nobody got hurt.
[ MONTAGE of "Prompto" and Noctis destroy a lot of magitek troopers swarming the train; "Prompto" fights with guns while Noctis uses a mix of sword and magic. ]
[ Cut to -- ]
[Down below, on top of the train, stand “Ardyn” and “Prompto,” the former holding one of the latter’s own guns on him (they both have Prompto's appearance); Prompto’s hands appear to be up; Noct point-warps down to the train near them]
Noctis: Prompto!
[Noct takes a swing at the gun “Ardyn” is holding, knocking it to the roof of the train, and then another swing at “Ardyn,” causing him to fall backward off the train; at this point, Noctis becomes able to see that it is Prompto who is falling; so horrified is Noctis at the realization, he doesn’t even look behind him to see Ardyn standing there, holding up one of Prompto’s guns]
Ardyn: How long were you in the dark?
[Noctis turns to look at Ardyn but is left completely open to the blow to the back of his head that Ardyn administers with the butt of Prompto’s gun; Noct falls to the roof of the train, unconscious]