Fall of the House Bunansa:Ch 7

Decline into darkness in which Fran tries her hand at lighting up a gloomy Balthier.

“Ah! Sir William!” Balthier called to one of the solders “Welcome back!”

The solder turned and smiled walking over them. “Ah, Young Master Ffamran. Lady Silvia you’re as lovely as ever.” The solder bowing to the lady. “Nice welcome to come home to.”

It had been about one and a half months since the party Dr. Cid led to Gilruvegan left. Balthier had just got word the other day that the party had made contact again after clearing the Jagd and arrived at Rabanastre. They would depart on an afternoon airship for Arcadia the following day. Balthier and his mother went to meet them on arrival.

“So how was it?” Balthier asked excitedly “Was the Feywood really as treacherous as everyone says it is? Did you find the ancient city?”

“Yes and Yes.” Sir William said to Balthier’s questions. “The creatures of the mist are quite fierce indeed. Monstrous creatures, and the ones inside the city even more so. I dare say we hardly got out alive.”

Balthier’s mother gasped “Is everyone alright?”

“No worries My Lady. There where injuries but we were good enough to think to bring someone licensed for level 9 white and green magicks. Everyone’s quite safe.”

“Oh thank goodness.” Silvia sighed with relief

“Ah, but I bet Father’s disappointed if it was too dangerous to do any exploring…”

“True the team wasn’t able to explore very much when we got inside, but Dr. Cid really doesn’t seem all that put off.” Said Sir William

“Really? And how’s that?” Balthier inquired curiously

“Fascinating! I never would have thought of that.” Came a voice

Balthier turned to see who it was. “Ah. It’s Father!” Balthier ran towards him “Father welcome back!”

But Cid didn’t appear to notice his son and seemed to be absorbed in something else.

“Father? Hello?” Balthier waved his hand in front of his father’s face. At that Cid turned looking cross.

“Bah! How rude! Don’t interrupt, I taught you better manners than that.”

Balthier tilled his head curiously. “Hu? Interrupt what?”

“Hm?” Dr Cid turning his head back in the direction he was looking before “Oh, he’s just my son, pay him no mind… you were saying…” Cid paid no attention to anything else around him as he seemed to be deeply engaged in conversation. But with whom, no one could tell. Cid nodded occasionally and would say ‘Hmm, I see’ or ‘Fascinating’. But there was no one else around Cid that he could be talking to.

Lady Silvia came over “Darling welcome back.” She beamed

But just as she went to reach out to embrace him, Cid suddenly turned and started walking briskly in another direction, as if he hadn’t even seen or heard his wife.

“Come now, we can go to my Laboratory directly.” Cid said to no one “We must start straight away. Yes, yes, no time to waist… no time to waist at all.

…

Fran tilted her head looking down at Balthier. He had come into the shop after school as usual but he’d been there a full 15mins and hadn’t said a word. Usually he’d open his mouth the very instant he walked in the door, but this time he hadn’t said a word.

“Balthier not talking…” Fran thought. “Something might be wrong.” Fran had found that a vast change in a Humes behavior was usually and indication something was wrong. She had confirmed this with Gwyneth for he had been like this ever since his father came back and she had agreed that there is probably something bothering the boy.

“Yes” Fran nodded to herself “Something is surely bothering him.” The Viera, coming to a consensus with her thoughts. Fran figured Balthier would have been chattering non stop about his father’s adventures to the Land of Mist. But the first day, all she had heard about was how Cid was suddenly acting strange and had shut him self up in his office, and since the boy had reverted to his current state and only ever came in to the shop to sit looking rather gloomy and down hearted.

“Humes have a word for this …” Fran thought, deeply contemplating Balthier’s emotional state. “Sulking? or…Dejected… maybe… Hmmm... There was a word the Humes used to cover the general state of sulking and feeling dejected and over all being sad… what was it again?

Ah! Depressed. Yes. That was it. Balthier seems depressed.” Fran felt rather accomplished being able to recognize another Hume emotional state. There were just so many, and a lot of them seem sort of a like, but Fran had found that there were varying differences making it rather difficult to decipher.

“Ok… so I’ve identified his emotional state.” Fran continued on her assessment of the situation. “In circumstances such as this, one would try and…comfort the person in some way….” Fran then began wracking her brain going over all the ways Humes use to comfort one another. After thinking long and hard, something came to mind.

“Balthier.”

“Hm?” The boy looked up. “Ah Fran. Sorry, my mind was wondering a bit.” Balthier put on a bright smile, all signs of his implied depression faded away. This threw Fran. Maybe he wasn’t so depressed after all and her gesture for comfort would seem out of place or inappropriate… no. no… Gwyneth had told her about Humes disposition to mask unpleasant emotions. They did it as an emotional defense or a way to not to be bothersome to those around them…

“Did you want something Fran?” Balthier asked

Fran’s thoughts snapped back to the task at hand “Ah. Um yes…I was just wondering if you’d like a hug.” The Viera said in a very straight forward manner as if she’d asked if he’d like a cup of tea.

“Huh?” Blinked the young Arcadian. “Where’d that come from? Do I look like I need a hug?” Balthier smiled

“Um…yes?” The Viera tilled her head. “You’ve seemed…Depressed lately and I’ve heard that when Humes are depressed they some times gain comfort if someone gives them a hug.”

Balthier was speechless. The fact that Fran was worried about him and would go as far as to try and comfort him touched him deeply. “No, that’s ok. But… Thank you. Your sentiment really means a lot to me.” Balthier gave her a small smile that was genuine and not a mask to hide anything.

Fran was weary but it did seem Balthier was sincerely comforted by her gesture. She felt a bit proud of herself and decided to take it a bit further. She heard Humes, when depressed, are comforted when they’re minds are taken off of whatever it is they are depressed about, also when eating comforting foods they enjoy…

“There is a new café that has opened. They have a wide variety of cakes teas that you may find to your liking. Would you be reminiscent on going?” The Viera inquired, again in her flat nonchlant tone of voice.

But Balthier saw the gesture for what it was and was moved as well as stunned. Fran really was sincerely trying to make him feel better. He smiled completely forgetting his woes. “I… Well. If a beautiful lady asks who am I to decline?”

Fran nodded, satisfied with her effort, and counted it as a successful attempt at comforting a Hume. It gave her a strange new set of feelings. She was happy she had been able to cheer up Balthier a little, and it made her realize, she hadn’t liked the feeling of having him be sad. What did that mean?

“Shall we be off then?” The young man standing.

Fran nodded.