{ Ten - Phone Call to Celes - Action in Figaro } (Slightly Forwarddated)

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

[After escorting Basch and Noah to Narshe and paying Penelo a visit in Lindblum, Balthier has one more order of business to attend to, this time without company. Ring ring, Celes!]

Comments

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

Sky pirate, if you please. There's a world of difference. Thieves are men who must steal to eat. Sky pirates do it with style, and have a far keener eye for real treasure.

[He sees that smirk. Are you, perhaps, enjoying yourself?]

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

[She's certainly not telling if she is or not.]

I didn't say I was calling you a thief, did I? [That smirk is tugging at her lips a bit harder now.]

But since we're here, are we doing dinner before or after the nice long walk around the veranda?

[Yes, she does actually know how these things work.] If you're good, I might tell you more about me.

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

Caught. [He offers a genuine smile.] But perhaps note the difference for future reference.

That's entirely your decision. If you're still not hungry, however, do at least allow me to buy you a drink? [He inclines his head slightly, clearly interested by her offer.] That would be a treat.

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

You're as bad as Locke. [Her smirk slips a bit sorrowfully, but it's only for a second.]

Dinner. I have no plans to go on a drinking binge tonight. [There's a place up ahead, though, and she indicates it.] Don't go getting all smug or the deal's off.

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

[At first, he almost asks for clarification, but the faint twitch of her lips is enough to stay him. Lover? Perhaps the reason for her pain. That would make a great deal of sense, and confirm his suspicions. He merely gives her forearm a very faint, discreet squeeze, as his hand is still laying against it.]

Dinner it is. And who's being smug? Is it so terribly wrong to look forward to such an event? [Smirk.]

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

[She glances down when his hand squeezes her arm, but then looks back up and doesn't comment on it. So he can read her. She'd better try to keep better control of herself in the future.]

That depends on how your wallet feels. If you're treating me, you'd better be prepared for a long night.

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

[He chuckles faintly.] Seeing as I did bring you here against your will, it's only fair that I treat.

[Also, a gentleman always pays, but he's not going to voice that at the moment. Likely not to be appreciated in present company.]

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

[Well this looks like the place. Or a place. A good place? Something.]

Such a gentleman.

[Yes, she really just said that.]

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

[Indeed, it looks like a rather nice sort of place, especially for a port town. He smirks in reply.]

Will you brandish your sword at me if I hold the door?

[And, without waiting for a response, he steps forward to do just that.]

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

If you're lucky, I can get over it.

[Which means not comment on it, as she moves ahead of him and into the place. Of course, if he's going to play the part of a gentleman kidnapper, she's going to make him work for it. So, for once in her life, she will let someone else figure out where they're sitting and who to talk to.]

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

[The establishment seems to be of the "seat yourself" variety, and he inclines his head towards one of the tables by the large picture windows before walking over and pulling a chair out for her. A gentleman always waits until a lady is seated before he makes himself comfortable.]

Much talk of luck. Should I be keeping my fingers crossed?

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

[Well, she did ask for this. So, she takes the gentleman route with a nod.]

Yes, actually, you should. Or I might decide to stop playing the part of a lady and go for what I know best.

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

[He grins, helping himself to a seat a moment later, neatly pulling it a bit closer to the table.]

Consider them crossed, then. [He tilts his head towards the window, causing his earrings to jangle softly.] So. What might I do to earn this life story of yours?

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

I didn't say full life story, just a little bit of it. Do you have any requests or shall I just jump into that special ability of mine that I only touched on briefly earlier?

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

[He puts both hands up in polite defense.]

That, I leave up to you. I did say I wouldn't actively pry, and I intend to be true to my word. Whatever you are comfortable sharing will be quite sufficient, love.

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

[She gives a soft, amused huff of breath before ordering a gentle wine for the evening. Once both drink orders are placed, she turns back to Balthier with a more serious look.]

I wasn't kidding when I said it's not a pleasant story. I'm what they like to call a Magitek Knight back home. At a young age, I was infused with the essence of an Esper. I later learned that the only way to harness the power of an Esper was to kill it.

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

[He listens with interest once the girl waiting their table has gone, gingerly resting his elbow against the table and settling his chin into his hand, rings bright against his tan skin.]

A victim of science, then. Those responsible were harvesting Espers? [Espers in Ivalice were few and far between; powerful and hostile beings that had to be defeated to be mastered, commanded. He couldn't imagine any mere human taking hold of and killing one of those.] They're far more like people where you come from, then. Your friend, Terra -- she is part Esper, is she not?

[He frowns, clearly disapproving of these faceless scientists in her story.]

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

Something like that. They wanted to create better soldiers. And that's what they got.

[She was fortunate that her drink order came just after his question, so she could hide her surprise better. Stirring the liquid in the glass just a little, she glanced back up at him.]

What makes you think that? [Terra's background isn't her story to tell.]

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

[He shook his head slightly, still resting against his hand.]

I thought I caught a whisper about it on the network some time back. Thought of it when I saw her change at the Sunleth Waterscape. Curious, nothing more. It's her own business, after all.

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

Her story, not mine.

[She picked up her glass and used it as a distraction, taking what most people would have considered a gulp and not a sip.]

There's more to the story, though. I was only the second person they put through the treatment. Kefka was the first and it went horribly wrong for him. It warped his mind. He was never the same after that.

[She's pretty sure she doesn't need to say how lucky she was that the same didn't happen to her. It could have ended terribly for her.]

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

[He offers a grim nod in reply, pausing to take a sip of his own wine before he responds properly.]

Enough to make one wonder why they would continue on with such a study, after being met with such poor results during the first round. [His tone is only slightly wistful, though enough to betray that he knows something of madness firsthand.]

I'm glad you did not suffer similarly.

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

They were desperate. They wanted to harness the power of magic. And they succeeded.

[She pauses to look at him with a tinge of gratefulness. She catches the tone, but doesn't comment on it.]

Thank you... so am I. Dealing with life is bad enough when you know you had a choice.

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

Desperation. Not an uncommon motivator. [He says this with some degree of distaste; man trying to harness the power of magic beyond natural means is always messy, in his experience. If the Empire hadn't wanted nethicite so badly...]

Have these experiments been put to an end? They're not continuing such studies where you're from, are they?

[magitekrune.livejournal.com]

[She shares his distaste on the subject. Noting his tone, her eyebrows raise slightly, but again, she doesn't comment.]

I wouldn't know. About a year ago, I stopped working for the Empire. I know they were still working on harnessing the power of Espers, but I don't think anyone else had undergone the experiments Kefka and I did. I could be wrong, though. It's not like I kept tabs on them after I betrayed them.

[...And that was a bit more than she'd wanted to say, so she takes another "sip" of her wine as a distraction.]

[theleadingman.livejournal.com]

I somehow feel that "betrayed" is the wrong term, when it's for a noble enough cause. [He pauses to take a sip of his own wine before lifting his glass.] Though I betrayed my own Empire, as well. I commend you. Cheers.