Fall of the Houes Bunansa ch2

Deigned to partner with a Hume pt 2

“She was beautiful Axle! Just like the stories say. Can you believe it? A real live Viera! I’ve always wanted to meet one. Ho…I can’t believe I forgot to ask her name.”

The burly Bangaa gave a hardy laugh. “Aye beautiful creatures Viera are indeed.”

It was later in the day and Ffamran was having in lunch at the Moogle Mechanics Guild, just down the street from the Academy. He usually spent much of his free time there. He had made friends with the Bangaa Ex-Brawler Axle, formally of Balfonhiem, who worked at the Guild doing heavy lifting and such.

Ffamran had been bullied a few years back, as were many of his fellow peers who attended the “Academy of Dorks” as those who took pleasure from tormenting the meek liked to so colorfully refer to the Academy of Knowledge and Wisdom. Well he had been bullied. That is until he meet Axle one day and the Bangaa taught the boy a thing or two about fighting and defending ones self.

“Viera are mysterious beings, Kupo.” Commented Nono “All secretive everything, you know, Kupo. Sorry to say but I think they’re a bunch of snobs, Kupo!”

“Ah Nono, don’t say that.” Says Ffamran. “They’re culture is most likely vastly different than ours. I’m sure if we can get to know them, you’ll find they really aren’t so bad. I mean more and more of them are coming into our world right? That means they want to expand their horizons. And now one’s come to Arcadia…to the capital, city of knowledge and wisdom. Think of the information we can exchange. She’s been to Rozarria! I’ve always wanted to know about Rozarria.”

“Ah Kupo! Don’t hold you’re breath Ffam. A Viera’s already been to Arcadia and she was just as secretive as the rest of ‘em Kupo.”

“Eh? Really? When was this?”

“Ah yer talkin’ about Dr. Gwen ain’t ya lad?” Asked Axle

“Sure am Kupo.” Nono nodded

“Dr. Gwen?” Ffamran “I’ve heard of her…but no one ever told me she was Viera.”

“That’s because she doesn’t like people saying she’s Viera Kupo.”

“Why not? That’s what she is isn’t she?”

“Ah, something about Viera who leave The Wood not being Viera any more Kupo.”

“That’s preposterous! You don’t stop being something just by leaving a place. Humes that leave Dalmasca to come to live in Arcadia don’t stop being Humes just because they move to a new place. And even if you come to a new place and adapt to a new culture and way of life, you’re still affected with the culture you grew up with.”

Axle shrugged “Well she got it in ‘er head that she’s ney a Viera any longer. An’ she’s lived among the Humes many a decade, I’m guessin’ she feels more Hume than Viera.”

“Hmmm…” Thinks Ffamran “I suppose… How long has she lived among the Humes?”

“I don’ rightly know lad. I only know it was long before I was even a wee babe suckin’ ma ma’s teet when she ventured into our world. Rumor says she was one of the first.”

“Is she still in the city? Maybe that Viera knows her.”

“I dunno if that other Viera knows her Kupo, but she’s not in the city any more. She studied at the Academy’s Graduate School maybe 20 years back Kupo. I was just a little Moogle then, had barley just sprouted my pompom Kupo. Pop remembers her better than I do. Last I heard she lives in Bujerba. She comes to the capital every so often for lectures though.”

“Hmmm, then maybe Professor Fawkes knows her. I’ll have to ask him when I get back to school…”

Just then they heard the shop bell ring as someone walked into the front office.

“Excuse me; I heard this was a mechanics guild…” came a woman’s voice. “Is anyone here?”

“Aye! Back here lass.” Called Axle “What can we do for ye…”

Everyone was taken by surprise to see a tall dark woman with rabbit ears suddenly come walking into the shop.

“Ah! You’re the Viera from this morning!” Ffamran pleasantly surprised

“Oh, ‘tis Balthier.” Says the Viera

“Eh? Are you referring to me?” The confused young Arcadian asked

“Yes.” She said plainly

“That’s not my name you know.” Ffamran said tilting his head curiously

“I know.” The Viera said in the same plain manner

The boy sighed “Well, if you know it’s not my name then why are you calling me that?”

“Since I did not know your real name I gave you a name, as a reference.”

“And do you make a habit of assigning random names to people.” The boy asked curiously

“It is not a random name.” The Viera said tiling her head “It is a name for you that I felt fit the circumstances for our meeting.”

“Oh? Then who’s Balthier and how does the name fit our meeting? ”

“Balthier is a name from an old Viera tale. He was a Hume who lost his life because he meddled in affairs having nothing to do with him.” The Viera said in her flat straight forward manner

“Ah. How can she say something like that that in such an unfeeling way?” he thought

Out loud he said “Oh, well sorry to have been meddlesome.”

“Oh, I have offended you.” The Viera made it a very plain statement, not apologetic in anyway.

“Well people usually don’t like their efforts to help others being called ‘meddlesome’…”

“I did not say your effort to help was meddlesome.”

“No, you just felt it proper to name me after a character in a storythat was meddlesome.” Ffamran a bit annoyed

“Hmm, I suppose I did.” The Viera stated plainly

“So if you don’t think me meddlesome, why name me after someone who is?” Ffamran getting frustrated at this game of twenty questions

“Because you seem like the character…the kind of person people use easily and throw away easily once they are of no use.”

“What?!” now he really was offended.

“In the story, Balthier is a nice, kind man. He went out of his way to help people and fight for others. However when the time came when he himself needed help, his so called friends abandoned him, cutting their losses saving themselves, leaving him to die all alone.”

The statement threw Ffamran and he didn’t know how to respond.

Nono fluttered up to her getting in her face. “Oi! That’s no way to treat a guy who helped you out Kupo!”

“Oh, I have said something wrong again.” The Viera hung her head a bit.

Ffamran noticed that though her overall expression and manner remained blank and rather unemotional, her eyes were sad ever so slightly.

“Nono, it’s alright.” Said Ffamran. “No need to ruffle your pompom over it. I don’t think she’s said it to be mean. Right?”

“I meant no offence. Meeting you only reminds me of a character from a story my Aunt told me as a child, and not knowing your real name I only use him as a reference.”

“See there?” Ffamran to Nono “Now, it’s not polite to get up in a lady’s face like that. She’s new to the city. We don’t want her getting it in her head that Arcadians are rude and short tempered now do we? Apologize.”

“Sorry Kupo.” Nono said his pompom drooping.

“I’m…um sorry…for… offending your friend.” Said the as if she didn’t quite know how to respond.

“Ne, how do you feel about that story? Personally.” Ffamran asked the Viera.

“Well I…” The Viera pause to think about it. “I’ve always liked the Balthier character and I feel rather sorry for him, and think his friends loathsome cowards who should feel great shame for abandoning their comrade. A Viera would not make the mistake of getting involved with something that has nothing to do with her…however we would not leave someone who had helped us to die alone. ‘Tis quite dishonorable.”

Ffamran smiled feeling a bit better and decided that he liked the Viera. She was a bit strange but then again, wasn’t everyone a bit strange in their own way? People are so fascinating …

Ffamran was pulled out of his thoughts by bells chiming “Ah! Is lunch over already?”

The boy scurried to gather up his things and sprinted for the door. “Ah!”

He suddenly skittered to a stop and wheeled around “My real name is Ffamran by the way. Ffamran Mir Bunansa. What’s yours?”

“Fran...” The Viera tilted her head looking at the boy. “Ffamran…I don’t think I like that, it doesn’t suit you…I think Balthier is a better fit.”

The boy laughed “Fine then. Call me Balthier all you want.”

“Ok I will then.” Said Fran plainly

The bells chimed again. “Ho Gods I’m late again!”

“Bye Fran! See you later!” He called as he bolted out the door.

“What an odd boy…though rather interesting…for a Hume”