badfic_manor | 001 Video

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001 Video | Action

Hello? [Fran sat up, taking in the area where she now found herself. Being surrounded by trees wasn't particularly alarming to her, but this was not where she recalled having fallen asleep.

She tilted her head slightly, as if listening for something. But nothing answered. There was no responding hume voice and the Woods were as silent as they had been to her for many years now. There is another moment spent in silence before she takes note of the communication device in the grass next to her.

The viera reaches out, curiously tapping the screen with a long fingernail that's more like a claw before picking the device up and turning it in her hands.] What manner of technology is this?

[The question was thoughtful, musing in a way that suggested she didn't expect an answer. When she stops turning the device, focusing on what appears to be the screen, a tanned woman with white hair and bunny ears comes into view. She appears to be wearing some sort of ornate leather helmet and her eyes are narrowed as she looked the screen over.]

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[She managed a very slight smile at Balthier's familiar face as she got to her feet. Even if she wasn't certain of her location, the fact that he was here was something of a comfort. Although the manner in which he reacted suggested that they had been apart for far longer than perhaps a few minutes. While that might be possible, she didn't think that she'd been asleep for that long. No. There was something amiss here - some trickery at work.] Without companion or partner, that would be quite a lonely story, I think.

[With a few steps she closed the distance between them, standing close to Balthier without appearing to physically be in his personal space. Fran took a moment to quickly check him over. The sky pirate appeared to be in good health, even if the way he was acting was slightly perplexing. She raised her eyes to his, asking a question:] You've not been waiting long, I hope.

Not long at all. [despite the small smile and the words, his eyes told a different story. He had been without her for months. He had known before that if she left him now, she'd take away the biggest part of him (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ykMNtzMT8) was ever not with him, he'd miss her. He hadn't realised just... how much.]

Lies. [It's more a statement than an accusation. Balthier had been here for a while - wherever "here" was. Although for how long, she could not yet be certain.] It was just a few moments ago, that I last recall having seen you.

[She had, in fact, just been with him before finding herself waking up in these woods.] What is this place? [Fran glanced around at the unfamiliar foliage once more before returning her attention to the sky pirate.] Is it not Ivalice? [The question is more formality than anything. She's certain that this isn't anyplace known to her, but if Balthier has been here longer, he undoubtedly has some information of their current predicament.]

That's not an uncommon occurrence here; for companions that arrive later to have been with them before they arrive, no matter how long they've been here. It's not important how long I've been waiting, don't worry yourself about it. [All that mattered was that the author saw fit to bring her here at all.]

This place is known as 'The Manor', the author is the name of she who brought us here. This world is a world outside of our own, from what I've been told.

[She gives him a long look but lets the subject drop. If he doesn't wish to speak of his time here alone, she's not going to pry. Were it important, he would tell her. Of that she was certain.] Is there much to be done here, for one who is waiting?

[The sky pirate had never been much for sitting idle, and that he was still in this place at all - waiting or not - was not a comfort. Perhaps together they would be able to find a way out, but Balthier was resourceful enough on his own that the possibility didn't seem likely.] This 'Manor,' it is not easily escaped? What sort of world is this?

There's been plenty, and not much of it good.

It's a world on it's own, from what I've heard and seen. If you go far enough out in any direction, you find yourself back where you started. There are times when the world appears to be a different place, but it's still this world no less.

This... author, she orchestrates these things? [The gods were a familiar concept, but the author didn't sound like anything they'd come up against before.] Is she open to negotiations?

What purpose does it serve to trap us here? [That there was no foreseeable method of escape was not good. Of course, they might have come through worse in the past. She was hesitant to say that this wasn't the worst that had been thrown at them. To assume such a thing was asking from trouble from the gods. Or this author, whatever she was.]

You can communicate with her by writing on certain walls. Whether she listens or not is a different matter entirely.

[he shakes his head] no purpose I can find beyond her own amusement. Her motivation for doing so is also unclear, with the way she keeps moving us from one place to the next.

She would give us these... [Fran holds out her communications device.] And yet insist that we commune with her by writing on specific walls?

[She shakes her head as well, resting a hand on her hip.] Then we are here to provide her entertainment. What is she?

She gives us those to communicate with each other, but they have a habit of turning on by themselves, so one must wonder if that was the only reason for it.

To all inents and purposes.... a hume. But what hume has the power she does... [he shakes his head. Before now, he'd have claimed it impossible.

While fran may sense the presence behind him thanks to her senses, only Balthier can see or hear him properly. and it's clear that, under his calm exterior, he just bristled as he heard the voice.]

Maybe she hasn't pulled you anywhere at all, and you've started your own path to madness.

[Balthier speaks in a cool tone, more directed at his ghost than Fran.]

And her newest game begins.

...I see. [Fran opened her mouth to say something more, but she froze when she noticed another presence aside from Balthier. She couldn't see anything, but what she felt was nothing pleasant.

Balthier's reaction indicates that he can see or hear whatever is there better than she can, which is slightly unnerving. Whatever trick this author is up to, Fran doesn't like it. And she doesn't care much for the effect it's having on her hume partner either. But since she can't grasp what exactly it is, Fran is forced to rely on Balthier's senses this time.] What game is this? [She takes a step towards him, the only action betraying her concern.]

It seems she has brought the past back to haunt us.

[the ghost behind him doesn't like being ignored. So it speaks to him again.]

Ffamran-

[Balthier shakes his head] I discarded that name. [it still hurts to hear his father say it. But he knew this was a mere illusion of his father, and had no interest in what it had to say, as he knew that it could be nothing good with the author in control. Especially after the week they'd had last week.]

[She glanced behind Balthier at whatever was haunting him that she couldn't physically see before returning her gaze to him. After a moment she turns to walk through the Woods, talking while she moves.] It is Cid, then, that she has called here. [It's a statement, not a question. There was little else that could cause the sky pirate to react in such a way.]

He is following you then? Shall we go? [While moving was probably futile in the long run, Cid hadn't been there when Balthier had first appeared. Perhaps they would be able to put some distance between him and themselves. That might put Balthier more at ease. Although knowing that the author's creation of Cid was about wasn't going to make relaxation easy.]

Indeed it is. [He nods, and begins to follow Fran closely. It was almost reminiscent of when they had first met. Him trying to break free from the shadow of his father, even if it wasn't in such a literal sense, and Fran being there as a much needed friend to help.

of course, he knew that the author wasn't going to let him escape that easily, and was unsurprised as Cid followed.]

Everything I did was for the good of mankind. It pains me you turned your back on that and ran. Fool of a pirate.

[sadness lined his face as the thing repeated his father's last words. But as he had then, he would now stay with Fran.]

...She knew him well, I see. but if she knew him well, it also means I'll not get the answers I seek. We'd do better to ignore him, and familiarise you with the manor. [Easier said than done. though.]

No matter how well she knew him, this... phantom is not the man that you knew. [She slows, glancing over her shoulder.] It is something made to hurt. Do not heed it's words.

He cannot hurt you. [Not necessarily true, but she says the words with a conviction that suggests otherwise. Whatever manner of ghost this is, it certainly seems to be capable of dredging up the past... But the real Cid had died at the hands of them and their friends. And Fran was certain that whatever this thing was, it was not actually Cid.

She faces forward again, moving through the foliage, following instinct more than trying to find a specific direction. Right now she was mostly concerned with seeing if they might distance themselves from the author's creation. And it mattered little which direction they took since all paths seemed likely to end at the same place if there were no real way out.] The manor, is it big?

We had bigger buildings in Ivalice. From the outside, at least. Inside, it's much larger than it appears. There's also a desert, where the store is, and the lake.

[The ghost of Cid is still there, but lapses into a thoughtful quiet. Balthier is glad for this, but he's unsure what it means. Nothing good, of that, he's sure.]

Things here are not all that they seem then? [The fact that there were larger buildings in Ivalice wasn't so surprising, although she wasn't yet aware of how many people had been brought to this place. Most humes, though, seemed to live rather extravagantly. They seemed to enjoy displaying their wealth. Although if the manor had been designed by someone with no intent of occupying the dwelling herself, perhaps she would then be less likely to make it as impressive as many of Ivalice's buildings. If the manor was larger than it seemed though, that could make things troublesome. It would be much easier to conceal a hidden room in a space that was not all that it appeared. And that, in turn, could make the space more difficult to navigate.] A desert? [That was interesting.] How does it compare to the deserts in Ivalice?

["Back home" wasn't something that she was going to say. Fran wasn't even sure that she could really call Ivalice home. When she had been young, she would have said that the Wood was her home. But now her home was more about the company than the location.

At the mention of a store, she frowns slightly.] What service does the store provide?

You can buy food and other such things there, but in place of money, we use cards. Which seems like rather a pointless exercise to me.

As for the desert... Well, it doesn't have the beasts prowling the sands. It also is one of the places the "fourth wall", as it is known, is located. That is what stops us from getting out. It's not visible, but you awaken in your room when you pass it.

Cards? [She gives him a look that says, "Really?" It isn't that she disbelieves him, but it does seem that buying things without the use of money would be a rather odd practice.] This fourth wall? It is the magick that prevents escape?

[He takes his ID card out of his ~~hammerspace~~ pocket, and shows it to her] Not long after I arrived here, the store appeared, and we were given these.

It is. There is no way to break it, either. I doubt she would let us, even if she hadn't... limited us. [was hoping not to bring that up so soon, but Fran needed to know.]

[Fran studies the card for a moment. It doesn't appear to be any sort of currency that she's familiar with. If that was all it took to buy food, it seemed that one might as well be stealing what they needed. The hume running this place seemed to have little idea of how a world should run.

After a few moments of searching ~~up her ass~~ her person, Fran finds a similar card.] This is used in place of money?

[She turns her attention forward. They're nearing the edge of the Wood, although what exactly lies beyond isn't clear.] Limited how? Does magick not work here? I cannot sense the mist... which might aid.

We can use our magicks here, unless the author decides that we shouldn't be allowed. [which happens too often for his liking.

He stops her with a gentle hand on her shoulder.] It's better off demonstrated, but we should remain here to do so. Away from the prying eyes of others.

The author has absolute control here? For that to be possible for a hume... [She trails off. It was unfathomable that a hume should have that much power.

When Balthier touches her Fran stops, turning to face him.] How have we been limited? [That he feels the need to show her is worrisome. That means that their magicks have been visibly limited. Balthier's discomfort at the subject is also unsettling, but she waits, without further question, for him to show her.]

Well, we have seen what the wrong power can do in the right hands. And the wrong ones.

Are you referring to me with that, Ffamran?

Somewhere in there, yes. I'm sure you will know where when you think on it.

[Saying nothing more to the spirit, he summons up Zodiarc who, unlike the last time she would have seen him, was about the size of a large dog. Balthier left him long enough to get a good look, and dismissed him.]

The more powerful of our magics have been effected, too.

Yes. [Fran didn't respond to the second part. It was obviously not intended for her. Hopefully Cid's spirit wasn't intending to plague them forever since she knew that Balthier couldn't simply ignore the man. It was much easier if he was at least out of sight. She couldn't fault her partner for occasionally dwelling on what had happened between him and Cid, but that didn't make his presence any less unwelcome.]

I see. [She lowers her gaze to take in the rather diminutive form of Zodiarc. He did seem less powerful than when she had last seen him, in addition to the obvious change in his size.] There is nothing we can do to... improve this condition?

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Re: [Action] .....And I will be singing that song the rest of the day now XD

[Action] If she lives him now, she'll take away the very heart of him? /helps

Re: [Action] GDI

[Action] <3 I do it with love. (Also... leave, not live. Gah typo.)

Re: [Action] hehe, I knew what you meant <3

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[Action] Have a sleepy tag before I go to bed. Does this even make sense...?

Re: [Action] Yes *snugs*

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Re: [Action] Yes snugs