[ Balthier had arrived that morning to attend the housing tour. Absurd, really. He has toured countless fine buildings, but never to inhabit them. He's lived on the Strahl for the past six years or so, and before that in his father's apartments in Arcades.
His father who is dead.
He knows normalcy helps deal with grief. With upheaval. And he needs to stay somewhere once his welcome at Diadem runs its course. But this town feels too quiet, too sleepy, too...rooted to the ground.
There's some sort of festival going on so he turns to roaming. He's dressed to stand out (fashion and ungodly expensive food is about the only thing bringing comfort right now) so he's having to restrain from pickpocketing tendencies. Instead he observes, his fingers spinning and spinning the ring on his left pinkie finger.
He'd never admit it, but he's immensely curious about these firework connection cookies. He wonders if they'd go off with a certain someone at home. He stays away -- he's not certain if it would be more crushing for them to come up blank or to point to starting something new here. Beginnings are endings too.
He's wandering through the stalls looking for some diversion (or tea) when someone calls "hey" and touches his arm. He looks up to see sparkling fireworks above the man's head.
It's 6 years of piracy that keeps the stutter in his heart from his voice. ]
Well hello stranger. You come on strong, don't you?
II. Setting a Spark
His father who is dead.
He knows normalcy helps deal with grief. With upheaval. And he needs to stay somewhere once his welcome at Diadem runs its course. But this town feels too quiet, too sleepy, too...rooted to the ground.
There's some sort of festival going on so he turns to roaming. He's dressed to stand out (fashion and ungodly expensive food is about the only thing bringing comfort right now) so he's having to restrain from pickpocketing tendencies. Instead he observes, his fingers spinning and spinning the ring on his left pinkie finger.
He'd never admit it, but he's immensely curious about these firework connection cookies. He wonders if they'd go off with a certain someone at home. He stays away -- he's not certain if it would be more crushing for them to come up blank or to point to starting something new here. Beginnings are endings too.
He's wandering through the stalls looking for some diversion (or tea) when someone calls "hey" and touches his arm. He looks up to see sparkling fireworks above the man's head.
It's 6 years of piracy that keeps the stutter in his heart from his voice. ]
Well hello stranger. You come on strong, don't you?