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VROOM!! VROOOOOM!!!
The recording of the Regalia’s engine that Cindy set as her ringtone for Noct roared from her phone. She roused from her sleep and blindly groped across her nightstand, fumbling for the source of the racket. After knocking her hat and tool belt off the table in the search, she finally grabbed it.
She squinted at the glowing time: 1:56 AM.
Ugh. This had better be an emergency.
She accepted the call but before she could even grumble “Hello” the line exploded.
“CINDY!!OH-MY-GOD-WE-WRECKED-THE-CAR-AND-DAEMONS-ARE-EVERYWHERE-YOU-GOTTA-COME-GET-US!!!”
“Noct?” She mumbled sleepily as she struggled to make sense of all the shouting. Monsters’ roars and ringing steel nearly overwhelmed his words.
“Is that Cindy??” Prompto asked cheerfully amidst the rapid fire of his pistols. “Tell her I said HI!”
“Oh! And Prompto says hi,” Noct dutifully added.
“Noct, you know I love you, but could you please put Gladio on?” Cindy groaned. She rolled out of bed and stretched, already fairly certain where this conversation was going. Things sounded dire and she needed details.
“Sure thing!” Noct said. “Gladio! CATCH!”
Static filled the line as the phone was hurled to the King’s Shield.
“Oi! Cindy!!” Gladio boomed, far too chipper for this ungodly hour of the night.
“Gladio, what’s going on?” Cindy yawned. She cradled the phone between her shoulder and her ear as she wiggled into her shorts.
“Well, for starters,” Gladio grunted as his greatsword rang loudly against its target. “After dinner, Noct thought we could make it from Galdin Quay back to Hammerhead before the daemons came out. It was already getting dark, so we decided to take the cutoff road past the old Balouve Mine as a shortcut. It was going great until Noct wrapped the Regalia around an iron giant’s leg. We’ve been fighting the metal bastard ever since.”
“Hey! It jumped right out in front of me! I had no time to react!” Noct protested.
“Noct.” Ignis deadpanned. “An iron giant is over fifty feet tall. It didn’t jump anywhere. You were driving too fast.”
“What?!” Noct gasped, his voice pitched high in offense. “I was not-”
“Poor Reggie. She’s gonna need a lot of repairs. What about the rest of you?” Cindy asked before their conversation devolved into squabbling about Noct’s driving abilities.
“Nothing a few potions won’t cure,” Gladio growled, accenting his words with the sounds of combat. “If only this damn thing would stay down!”
Grabbing her boots, Cindy tiptoed down the hall to the garage. She paused by Gramps' door. Hearing soft snoring, she smiled to herself. Might as well let the old guy rest. Waking him up to tell him she was going out on a call would only cause him to lose sleep with worry. She’d leave a note by his coffee mug in case things took longer than anticipated.
“Iron giants aren’t known for being accommodating like that,” Cindy chuckled. She scribbled a quick note, tugged on her boots and grabbed Daisy’s keys from the rack in the garage. “As Gramps likes to say, discretion is the better part of valor. No shame in making a break for it. There’s a haven just north of the mine, on the left hand side of the cutoff road. If you look in that direction, you should be able to see the holy glow.”
“Hmm… I don’t… wait-THERE IT IS!” Gladio exclaimed. Cindy could hear his broad grin in his voice.
“But the camping stuff is in the car… Which is under the iron giant,” Noct moaned.
“We’re not camping, we’re just trying to stay alive until Cindy picks us up. Come on! Move your asses. RUN!” Gladio ordered.
“Alrighty! I’m on my way. When you bugger off, the iron giant should disappear. I’ll grab the Regalia, then pick you up at the haven. We’ll all be back at Hammerhead safe and sound before you know it.”
“Cindy, you’re my hero!” Prompto shouted in the background.
“Hero work costs extra, ya know,” Cindy teased. “Especially after sundown.”
“It’s worth every gil,” Gladio huffed as they ran. The daemons’ roars receded as they escaped through the darkness. “Thanks, Cindy.”
“No worries. See you boys soon.” Cindy signed off and hung up. She tucked her phone into her pocket and slipped out the side door, heading straight towards the massive flatbed tow truck parked beside the garage.
Moonlight gleamed on its shimmering yellowstone paint. Checkered accents and white lettered tires added a racy touch to the hulking vehicle. Supplemental light bars adorned every side of the truck, glinting like predators' fangs, each custom fitted with holy light bulbs to repel daemons.
“Evening, Daisy, ol’ girl! I hate to interrupt your beauty sleep, but we’ve got an emergency call.” Cindy smiled.
She trailed her fingertips across the cool metal fenders as she circled the truck. Although she kept Daisy fully outfitted with tools and supplies at all times, she always did a quick inspection before heading out on a call. If anything was wrong or missing, best figure it out now instead of on some dark daemon-infested road.
Satisfied everything was in order, Cindy hopped behind the wheel and turned the key.
Nothing happened.
“Aw, Daisy! Come on!” Cindy rolled her eyes. She tried the key again along with a little sweet talk, “I know it’s late, but we’re the only ones who can help. The Regalia is wrecked, stranded, and-”
The massive engine roared to life.
“I knew it!” Cindy laughed. “You’ve got a soft spot for ol’ Reggie. I don’t blame you. She’s one magnificent machine. Although she’s got nothing on you.” Cindy caressed the dashboard.
Shifting into first gear, the huge tow truck lurched forward.
“Take it easy, partner. We’ve got plenty of miles ahead of us.” Cindy chided as she eased down on the gas pedal, smoothly upshifting as Daisy rumbled across Hammerhead’s repair yard, past Takka’s 24-hour diner, and out into the night.
Cindy flipped the first in the row of custom switches on the center of Daisy’s dashboard initiating a powerful electric hum. Bright beams of holy light so white they were almost blue shone from her headlights, illuminating the road ahead. Distant screeches and roars echoed across the desert.
“That’ll keep any daemons out of our way,” Cindy nodded with satisfaction. “I’ve asked the hunters to keep an eye out for any more of these lights that they can find. There’s rumors of a set that’ll fit Reggie in the Crestholm Channels, but that place is home to some real nasty beasties. Those headlights would protect them, but I’m not sure if the boys are ready yet…”
Daisy’s engine growled.
“Yeah. I guess you’re right,” Cindy affectionately patted the crimson steering wheel. She leaned back against the worn white leather seat and sighed. “If Reggie had holy headlights, they wouldn’t be in this mess and we’d still be snug as a couple of bugs in a rug. I’ll tell the boys about it and let them decide what to do. Making my own decisions is hard enough, I can’t make theirs for them as well.”
Cindy reached for the radio dial, hoping to listen to some energetic Afrojack to help her stay awake. The chill tune of “Sky Smilin’ Down on Me” filled her speakers. She advanced the track but the same song played. “Huh? I know I have more music on here.”
After fiddling with the dials for several moments with no success, Cindy conceded defeat. “Fine. Lucian Cruisin’ it is.”
As Daisy's radio happily played the jaunty tune on a loop, Hammerhead’s luminous safety gradually shrank in the rearview mirror and darkness closed in around them. Cindy’s eyes roved from scanning the shadowy landscape to checking Daisy’s dashboard gauges. No monsters in the road. Voltage. Temperature. Oil pressure. So far so good.
Although Daisy was nie unstoppable and always made it back to the Hammerhead in one piece, she wasn’t the fastest chocobo in the race. To make the best time, Cindy planned to take the paved road south towards Longwythe, then take a short 4x4 trail across the desert to the Balouve Mine. She should be able to pick up the Regalia first, then continue north on the gravel cutoff road to the haven and grab the boys.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Something glinted in Daisy’s headlights. A car was off the side of the road, steam slowly curling out from under the hood. Cindy squinted, scanning the deserted roadside. Not seeing any stranded drivers, she shrugged, downshifted for more power as the road began a gradual uphill section.
When she released the clutch, Daisy stalled.
“Oh, come on! I know I didn’t miss a gear,” Cindy huffed. She quickly restarted, but when she tried to shift, she stalled again.
“Alright. Alright. If that’s what you want, we’ll stop.” Cindy shook her head. She coasted to a stop near the disabled vehicle. “You know we don’t have time to fool around, right? Reggie and the boys are counting on us.”
Daisy’s engine rumbled as Cindy shifted into neutral and yanked on the parking brake.
Cindy ran her fingers down the entire row of dashboard switches and holy light blazed to life all around Daisy as the supplemental light bars activated. Shadowy figures circling the car screamed and fled away from the sudden brightness.
“You daemons go on and get out of here!” Cindy shouted as she hopped down from Daisy’s cab, waving her hat like she was shooing away a flock of mischievous chocobo chicks. Sure daemons were dangerous, but she didn’t have time to be scared when there was work to do. Besides, she had absolute faith in the reliability of Daisy’s lights. The ol’ girl never let her down.
The truck’s huge engine softly idled, keeping the lights supplied with ample power. Safely within the brilliant halo, Cindy strolled towards the disabled vehicle. Suddenly, a shocked woman popped up in the driver’s seat.
“Ahhhhhh!” Cindy screamed. She clasped her chest. Her heart raced under her fingertips. Daemons might not give her pause, but she wasn’t immune to a surprise.
“I’m so sorry!” The woman apologized, holding up her hands. “I was on my way to the Longwythe to deliver supplies when something happened to my car. I couldn’t even see through the steam pouring from the hood. After I pulled over, coolant spewed everywhere and it wouldn’t start again. I didn’t know what to do. I’ve been hiding inside, hoping daemons won't find me.”
“Sounds like you’re having one of those nights.” Cindy smiled. “The name’s Cindy. I run the Hammerhead Outpost up the road. Pop the hood. Maybe I can fix you up enough to get to safety.”
“Really?! Awesome! If there’s anything you could do, I’d really appreciate it. I'm Noa, by the way.” Noa said.
By now Noct and the boys should be cooling their heels at the haven. Although she needed to hurry, Cindy couldn’t leave someone stranded. She grabbed her tool belt and joined Noa at the front of her car. Steam rose from the overheated engine as spilled coolant evaporated into the chilly desert night. After a quick inspection, Cindy located the culprit.
“You’re in luck, Noa! Your top radiator hose split right at the barb.” Cindy proclaimed.
“That’s lucky?” Noa asked in confusion. She leaned over Cindy’s shoulder to see the damage.
“Sure is! Although the hose is ruined, there’s enough left for an emergency repair. It’s an easy fix.”
To protect herself from the scorching hot parts, Cindy pulled on her gloves. She unscrewed the clamp, deftly carved off the split section with her pocket knife, tugged the hose tight to fit on the barb, and reclamped the line. Snatching a jug of coolant from Daisy’s supplies, Cindy removed the cap and dumped the whole thing directly into the radiator.
“All set! The radiator hose shouldn’t be pulled that tight, but it’ll do ya for a few miles. I’d recommend you turn around and head north. The Hammerhead outpost has a 24-hour diner, rooms for rent and a full service repair shop. I hear their mechanic is a real genius!” Cindy winked.
“Wow! You saved me!” Noa pulled Cindy into a tight hug and held on like she just grabbed a life preserver while lost at sea. “I thought for sure I was going to die out here.”
“No worries.” Cindy laughed. “You did good yourself. You remained calm, stayed with your vehicle, and kept outta the daemons’ sight. We all have to do what we can. I’d love to stick around, but I’ve got people waiting on me. Keep to the road and you’ll be just fine.”
“Thank you so much! You’re a real hero!” Noa exclaimed.
“Aw shucks. I’m just doing my part. No big deal.” Cindy waved as she hoisted herself back up into Daisy’s cab. She watched the Noa’s taillights slowly faded in her rearview mirror before continuing on her way.
Daisy’s engine purred like a comfortable coeurl.
“You were right.” Cindy fondly rolled her eyes. “I’m glad we stopped too.”
Arriving at the turn for the 4x4 trail, Cindy engaged Daisy’s differential locks and began to crawl up the rocky trail. The huge vehicle bucked and jostled but never slowed her relentless ascent. The entire Leide valley opened up below them as they climbed higher with every switchback. Luminous starlight muted desert’s reds and oranges into deep shades of indigo. Even knowing the land teemed with danger, Cindy couldn’t help but be awestruck by its beauty.
The last incline was nearly washed out, but the loose scree did little to thwart Daisy’s low gear crawl. Scattering gravel in all directions with her heavy tire tread, Daisy clawed her way forward. Finally clearing the last hurdle, Cindy pulled on to the old cutoff road.
“Alright, partner,” Cindy said as she flicked on a few more lights. “Reggie should be around here somewhere so we have to- OH MY!”
“Oh you poor baby!” Cindy gasped as Daisy’s headlights illuminated the wrecked Regalia. The entire front end was crushed. After Noct hit the iron giant, it must have stomped poor Reggie for good measure. Coolant and fuel bled freely from ruptured lines. Rich metallic turquoise paint flaked from her damaged frame. Slivers of twisted bare metal gleamed bright under the stars.
In one fluid motion, Cindy whipped Daisy into position, flicked on all the holy lights, and raced out of the cab. She’d done enough recoveries to practically run on autopilot, but she carefully completed every step. Short cuts make for a long day.
Daisy’s engine idled up, almost whining, as the winch slowly dragged the mangled Regalia onto the flatbed.
“I know. I don’t like seeing Reggie like this either, but we’ll get her right as rain soon enough.” Cindy said. She stifled a yawn as she cinched down the final ratchet strap.
Satisfied the Regalia was secure, Cindy hopped back in the cab. She wasn’t done yet. They picked up their first passenger, but they still needed to collect four more.
After yet another cheery playthrough of “Sky Smilin’ Down on Me”, they arrived at the haven. The soft blue glow radiated tranquility and peace, offering the world a glimpse of pure magic. Cindy grinned and yanked the chain for Daisy’s airhorn, boisterously shattering the calm.
HHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Four silhouettes leapt up at once and raced towards the tow truck.
“Hiya fellas!” Cindy waved from the driver’s seat. “Did someone call for a lift?”
“Shotgun!!” Prompto exclaimed. He got to the truck first and proudly hopped into the passenger seat. “Thanks for coming, Cindy! I knew you’d save us!”
“Cindy saved us long before she got here.” Gladio glared at Prompto smugly sprawled in the spacious front seat as he, Noct and Ignis crammed into the backseat. “That iron giant really had us on the ropes. How did you know there was a haven here?”
Once everyone was safely onboard, Cindy shifted Daisy into gear and finally started down the long road back home.
“I hike all over this place. I know these parts like the back of my hand,” Cindy laughed, continuing the conversation as she drove. “It’s no big deal.”
“I beg to differ,” Ignis interrupted. He adjusted his glasses. “It is a very big deal to us. Without your assistance we would be in dire straits indeed. You have our eternal gratitude.”
“You’re welcome,” Cindy said. “I’d do anything to help my friends. And even if you weren’t my friends, I could never pass up someone in need.”
“Ahhh!! Cindy! You’re so cool!” Prompto gushed.
“Sorry for waking you up in the middle of the night though,” Noct said sheepishly.
“Don’t worry about it.” Cindy caught Noct’s eyes in her rearview mirror. “While I don’t understand the details, I know you’re on some kind of quest to bring light back to the world. Helping out any way I can is my way to fight the darkness right alongside you.”
Noct smiled, a rare and subtle gesture. “Prom is right. You are pretty cool.”
Prompto took the opportunity to proclaim that he is, in fact, always right, which began an animated squabbling session. Cindy laughed and added her two cents where appropriate, keeping the lively conversation rolling. Daisy seemed to enjoy the company too, as the track finally switched from Lucian Cruisin’ to Afrojack.
Although they were weighed down with five extra passengers, four human and one massive royal machine, somehow the tow truck seemed lighter than ever.