There seemed to be something of a tease in that, something that didn't come to him lightly but that once flew from his lips like lashes from a whip. Now, no more, not in the nature it once had. But what Noctis said, how he said it, kept the Genome's gaze longer than he wanted to consider it.

It held deeper meaning, he knew somewhere, and he was tempted at first to redirect the man to something - someone - else. Why would Noctis want to stand with him on something? Clearly, the man just didn't know what it was he was getting into with Kuja, but he thought he might string the king along a little anyway, to see what happened.

"I remember, but I didn't think you were so serious about it. You may regret that later." He turned to the clock again, tail flicking. "If you intend to follow me, we're going up as far as we can to see what makes this thing tick... or not. I'd like to see it working again."