cotejardin (cotejardin) wrote in angellogs, @ 2017-05-09 22:19:00 |
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Entry tags: | balthier, isannah mied bunansa |
Who: Balthier, Isannah.
When: Tuesday afternoon
Where: A park
What: Balthier meets up with his sister.
Rating/Warnings:
Status: Complete
Balthier looks - the differences are hard to see unless you know him. He’s wearing only one ring instead of the brightly colored assortment, and the coat’s lacking his usual ink stains on one arm. The waistcoat is a new one, but it fits, and the white shirt under it makes him stand out enough as he makes his way over. It’s easy to tell when he sees Isannah, by the way he brightens and straightens his back.
He looks kind of tired and thinner than the last time they met.
Isannah’s half dazed still, at the world she’s managed to find herself in, while getting ready to engineer an escape for Balthier. Her little brother should never have been imprisoned in the first place, and she’s used her anger at the situation to help channel energy and ideas for an escape. Of course, when she and Evan were just ready, with several of Balthier’s smaller things, since no one was going home again...she’d found herself here.
At the moment, she’s shouldering the large backpack she’d been wearing to head out, several items packed into it that she’s sure her little brother might take some comfort in now. And she’s SO glad to be seeing him here. When he turns up, looking sharp as always, even though she thinks he’s overly thin, and tired looking. Isannah beams, and, since they aren’t officers here, launches herself toward him, full tilt.
“Little brother! May I give you a proper hug? Or is that a bad idea?”
Balthier offers his arms. “Not a bad idea at all. Am I -” He oofs a bit as he ends up resting his forehead against her shoulder. Okay, he missed this. “Am I that little still? And - I’m all right. I got healed? It - I don’t know when you got pulled here.”
“Ev and I were getting ready.” Isannah wants to cling, but makes herself hug a tiny bit more gently than all of that. He deserves the biggest hug in any of the universes, but she’ll restrain herself for now.”To come and get you. He’d just found out from Father…” and she twitches a little, saying THAT name, or title, or whathaveyou. He’d really stopped being a father when his obsessions took over.
“And you aren’t SO little at home, no. Dashing as ever.I did bring someone special along though, who might want to say otherwise.”
“Are you all right?” Balthier pulls back a little to look at her face. “I got teleport - do you even know what’s going on? There’s a food cart near here that does sandwiches and drinks.” His eyes flick to the bag, and - there’s the blush heading for his eartips even if it’s fading the rest from his face fairly quickly. “I get the feeling you’ve got some things from home if you were planning on finding me? That’d be amazing.”
“I’m good.” Isannah isn’t quite.She was terrified for him,and so was Evan, and they spent a worried amount of time trying to get ready with one of their friends from the guard,and his manservant, who had become more like a messenger between them than anything else,and she’d quite liked him, but, other than that, and being worried about those left behind. Is Evan here? Are the others? It doesn’t seem it yet, so in the meantime, she’s going to be a bit concerned, but her main priority, the brother she’s meant to take care of, always, is right here in front of her and she’s glad for it.
“I’m fantastic,you’re here. And I really have no idea, but I’m seeing you. It counts for a LOT of weird things. And a food cart sounds good. I...there was a note attached to a card that said it was symbolic cash and came out of an account?
“So - to sum it up -” Balthier shifts to have an arm around her back. “We’re not home. Which is probably obvious. There’s something here that’s been teleporting people here. Like people wake up here from tons of places. Sometimes they’re well - sometimes they’re really not. I got teleported here. Gabranth did. His brother did. And - you. There’s other people like us. An entire building with mostly people from the same world from different points in time.”
“Gabranth and myself were in Nalbina. I think his brother was outside? Possibly near.” He’s leading the way. “There’s money, to get you started, and there’s usually interest in getting you to work you like and that kind of thing. Or just time to heal.” He exhales. “I’m sort of discussing magic with the group that found me, because it sounds a bit like things in their world. But - it’s - it’s okay.” The shop does grilled sandwiches and some kind of syrup in soda water affair. How this differs from soda water that already has the syrup in it is lost on Balthier. Still - it’s pleasant enough.
“Gabranth’s brother.” Isannah smiles. “That must be something of a relief to you.” She says. “I know that you...you had been worried for him, hadn’t you? There was something about the way you sketched him when you put him in a knight’s uniform, and those awful prison pants.” Isannah shudders, thinking of how horribly inadequate they had seemed to protect anyone from anything.
“Other people like us..though. I’m glad to hear it. It was a scary thought that I might be alone. And then, best of all, you ended up here, but it’s good to hear that there are more people who understand. And you...they’re to be trusted?” She asks, and smiles. “They sound lovely if they’re helping you. And there’s a WEIRD coincidence.” Isannah’s never been very good with theoretical anything. Give her a person before her eyes and a goal to get through, any day, over magic or math or anything like that.
“So I thought I’d never see you guys, since with luck, you’d never be somewhere as bad as that.” Balthier says. He orders a sandwich, and one of the little hot chocolate plus coffee things the little stand does. He’s fairly certain it’d horrify Arno, but he likes it. And it’s warm and not too sweet. “So - about - about Basch. There’s - something I never told you and Evan. I think it was a bad idea. But - I didn’t - I didn’t want to make things worse for you two. Or worry you guys.”
“We DO have ways around it” And she pauses. “Well,. Evan has a big mouth, anyway, and is clever enough to know when to use it and when to shut it up. If he got involved with something like that place, he’d talk his way out. And I could fence mine.” She pauses. “Maybe. The idea of you in there, though….” She shudders, then picks out an iced coffee, and ends up choosing one of the sandwiches with the pretty grilled green fruit and cheese. It looks like it’s going to be nice anyway. “Avacado.” she muses. “It sounds like a nice food, anyway.”
And once they’re sitting, she’s leaning in a bit, trying to make it clear that she’ll be there if he needs someone to lean on for whatever this is. “You can tell me now. I won’t judge. I might still worry but that’s my JOB.”
“Evan’d complain if you took his hat,” Balthier points out and then winces a little. “Sorry. Maybe he’ll end up here too. And then all the family that - that I miss will be here.” He leans against her arm. “I was gone for - what - a month? And I feel like I should negotiate this. Make sure you’re comfortable with me clinging and trying to not sniffle like some toddler.”
Balthier takes a deep breath. “So - I think - something went wrong. I - remember things, in the past. Gabranth was there. Basch was there. My father was there. You and Evan - there were siblings, but you weren’t there, not when I was older. I don’t know why. It’s not the past - entirely, because I remember my father inventing nethicite. Back then. And him going mad when I was seventeen.”
“Well, yes.” Isannah grins.”It’s how he always gets when I take his hat.” She sounds oddly proud of being able to make it happen almost weekly now. “And maybe he will. He’d like it, I think. They sell these hideous plastic sandals…” It sounds like something HE would wear. But then her brother needs her, and she turns serious, to hear this.
“You remember things in the...but who’s past?”
“I remember when Dalmasca was conquered. Then. In the past. There was an explosion in Nabradia. In Nabudis. Which basically destroyed it. And - Nabudis is the dead capital. Now.” Balthier waves a hand. “So - past, maybe? But the history’s all wrong. And - I remembered Gabranth’s brother was in Nalbina’s dungeons.” He takes a bite of his sandwich. “I went there to try to get him out. I mean, the - the now Basch out of there. And father was there. He knew what I was planning. So he had the memories too. Gabranth remembers nothing. Basch - recognizes he knew me before he met me kind of thing. It’s - bizarre.”
Balthier trails off. “I know it was stupid. Going there alone. But I had the rank to get in, and - I wasn’t sure he was alive, you know?” Or existing. “Or real. I couldn’t ask you two to follow me and risk everything on a hunch -”
“You’ve been holding that a long time.” Isannah shakes her head a bit. “How did you do it? I might have gone mad if that were me. And Father…” She shudders at that thought. “I’m so sorry that’s happened to you. You ought to have been able to trust him. Seeing someone’s past some other you’s past, hardly seems like a reason to harm you. And Basch...it’s good he’s here too. But so, that sounds like all he remembers? That’s a bit of odd right there.” And even less for Gabranth.”
And even though it was stupid that’s still not an excuse.
“Balthier.” Isannah’s voice is firm, the words particularly strident. “Of course it was stupid. Of course it was dumb to go ahead alone, but even so. There is nothing that can justify locking you up in the ouiblette.” There’s a little twitch at her left eye. “We would have gone, yes. You’d have had to practically tie us down to keep that from happening. There’s nothing we wouldn’t risk for you. I mean, we care. You and Evan..you’re the most important people that I’ve got.”
Balthier feels like he’s dangerously close to sniffling. Terribly embarrassing. “I can show you where I’m living? Probably need to run the idea by the guy who’s running the place, but -” He takes a deep breath. “It’d be nice. Living together again.” He pauses and wipes absently at his eyes. Why is he so broken up by this? “You know - we’ll never have another summer season of coming out parties to go through. No more debutantes, and no more political dinners.”
“It would.” Isannah grins. “I’d like it very much if they’ve got room for now. It’s been too long since we’ve had the chance. And ah the lack of summer seasons.” She seems to really relish this. “None of the ridiculous dress uniform option we were stuck with.” She makes a face. “I hated those skirts on the women’s sets. Made me feel like an old woman with no taste whatsoever. I don’t know that I’d have wanted to wear a fluffy dress, but….something that wasn’t as frumpy as ours.”
And she looks gleeful at the idea here. “We can wear what we like, when we like. Eat what we like, when we feel like eating.” There’s a little bounce in her step at that. “Sounds amazing. “
“Have the guests we want. Be antisocial and sleep in sometimes. Skip ironing our shirts and it’s not the end of the world.” Balthier’s smiling at her. “You know - that reminds me.” He digs around a little on the phone before sliding it over. “Gabranth and his brother took some photos when I was visiting. We could visit them? It’s - they’re rebuilding bridges with each other. I’d like you to like Basch. Or at least - tolerate my fumbling attempts to invite him in.” As - it’s not even a crush thing as much as - Basch is safe in his mind.
The photos are of them sitting around the table with a plant on the windowsill behind them. There’s also one of Balthier dozing off with Basch’s arm around his shoulders. Noah - looking at it and trying to remember how Isannah might know him - he looks a bit thin and tired, but at the same time, he’s smiling a bit and cupping a hand over the phone to hide Sebastian’s texts on it. He’s also dressed pretty casually in some kind of textured weave shirt, and some jeans.
“Wearing terrible slippers if we want to,” Isannah smirks. “I saw some with leopard print on it, on my way to find you. I don’t know WHO wears that sort of a thing, but I believe I will pass.” And then she’s scrolling through the photos. Grinning. “Quite a few of Basch.” She teases lightly. “Is there something you’d like to tell the rest of us?” Hmmm? And you’d like me to like him? Is he afraid of that not being possible? Because he SEEMS charming enough.”
“I just -” Balthier’s blushing. “He’s had a time of it. I did as well, but - the scale and the extent -” He waves a hand. Basch would say that didn’t matter. “I don’t know what he wants in his life. I don’t want to push him to think about it. But - a friend would be - a friend who’d join us for coffee in the morning sort of thing. That’d be amazing. I think. From what I’ve seen. So - to like him. If we can.”
He hesitates and eyes their food. “I could check in. Make sure it’s fine, and - well - we could head in. I get the feeling I’d be more than just beside myself if you showed me what you’re carrying, and I suspect you’re tired. Would that be okay?”
“The scale and the extent don’t matter, not really.” Isannah can’t help pointed out. “The bottom line is that things happened to both of you that shouldn’t have. If you can find any slices of happiness out of those dark times, you grab that and hang onto it, okay? Sure, check in. And then, I’ve got a few things that should,by rights, go back to you. We tried to get ahold of what we could, and were just about to flee but…” And she’s unzipping the bag now, pulling out a few things, bit by bit. The first item’s very fuzzy in some spots, while others have only the smallest bit of ‘fur’ left.
“I think that someone missed you.” Isannah says, carefully picking up the soft plush, then walking it over to her brother across the table, humming with each ‘step’.
“You -” Balthier’s eyes widen, and he reaches to pick the little stuffed lion up. And he’s totally not going to cry about this. It’s not like - Niflet was something he got when he was pretty tiny. He always remembered him being in the set of stuffed animals in the nursery. He had been young enough that ‘Ifrit’ was hard to say, and well - talking around a lion’s ear that you’re chewing on didn’t help. So - Niflet. He’s pretty sure his father suggested that Niflet vanish when he got older, but instead the lion just ended up in his room. And he carried him around for a ridiculously long time. “Thank you.” And well, settling Niflet in his lap and tucking an arm around him is totally a logical and sensible thing to do. “You know, I think I missed a lot of people. Probably good to take him along to meet everyone again.”
Isannah smiles, glad to see Balthier’s eyes opening wide for a happy reason,and takes a breath, then lets out a low, quiet roar. “I DID miss you.” she intones, in that same ‘lion’ voice. And then, she’s tugging out a smaller box that makes little shaking noises to show him. “Evan couldn’t find what you were wearing,when they...well, we found your spare shiny bits.”
“Just because I’m a bit of a bower bird -” Balthier says, reaching to check out the box. “Ah - it’s got the one you got me when I was old enough to go out drinking. And Evan’s earrings he got me.” The tradition was that you’d have a ring or something with a bit of magicite in it for - well - practical things. Night vision, for going home, or a detox kind of spell for nausea or suspect eggs eaten way too late, or even healing magic for small tumbles or the like. “And I’m only a year younger than you.” He tugs on the ring Isannah gave him. “If Evan shows up, I’m going to be unable to escape without a sun hat, won’t I?”
The set he lost had a detox magicite chip, to try to cure any infections, and the rest were things like healing and a sort of perk you up energy one. He’d honestly bought the last set deliberately before he headed out. Since - well - if he and Basch could escape, having a variety of magic sounded like a good plan.
“A bit?” Isannah raises an eyebrow and then grins at the sound of discovery. “And please you know neither of us will when that occurs.” Not that she’d mind TOO much, she guesses. “Sunhats ARE probably generally a good idea. Something about protection that I wasn’t quite listening to.” she admits, her expression not as sheepish as it should be. “But think of the terror we could cause.”
“Gabranth has a friend, you know. I can bore you with stories of that.” Balthier carefully moves Niflet aside and lean to hug her. And if he’s a little teary eyed - well - she’ll survive. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Oh REALLY?” Isannah raises an eyebrow. “I think that’s less bored and more amusing, if you ask me.” She sounds pretty fond as she says it though. “It’s good he’s found a...whatever sort of friend they are. He deserves it.”
“He does. He’s so much happier here.” Balthier uncurls to get up as his phone beeps and offers her a hand up. “I warn you, we may get crowded a little bit on the way in, but it’s just curiosity.”
“Crowded, hmm?” Isannah raises an eyebrow. “Sounds like you’ve made some interesting new friends, little lion.” She leans over and reaches up to ruffle his hair. “Well, shall we storm onto the breach, then?”