You lift my spirit, take me higher, make me fly

[prez_leg_cramp]

Characters: Laguna, Balthier, and Sephiroth
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: Memoria Tiemz
Location: Memoria
Date: February 1804
Warnings: Cuteness?

Comments

[prez_leg_cramp]

“Laguna?” A soft, female voice called out from behind him

[xbalthierx]

"Of course you are, my dear boy," Cid replied, patting his head. Balthier huffed slightly, only to snatch a book from the table.

"All you ever do is work. Must you, father? I have finished my studies for the day... I had hoped we may play a game..." He spoke as he pondered the book, grinning at his father over his shoulder.

A nod from Cid came. "A game it is. What would you like to play, Ffamran?" His voice was so gentle, so fatherly. A bright smile remained on Balthier's young face.

"I want to pla--" He cut himself off as his father vanished, along with the book in his hands. Bringing an empty palm up to his face, Balthier sighed into it before turning to look at Sephiroth and Laguna. "I don't suppose you were both selectively deaf to that little display?"

[prez_leg_cramp]

Laguna nodded, giving a sad smile and shrugging. "Yeah, it was my past. I was 27, then."

He smirked though, in amusement, when Balthier snapped out of his own memory. "Nope! So how old were you? And was Angeal from your past?" He asked both men.

[sixth_sefira]

Sephiroth nodded once in response to Laguna's question, "Yes, he was. I was 17 back then."

Turning his attention toward Balthier, a slight smile briefly crept onto the general's lips as he gave the man an amused look. "Eight whole years and seven whole months, hm?" He asked, one pale eyebrow rising in query.

[xbalthierx]

Just simply glaring at Sephiroth, Balthier shook his head, covering his eyes with his hand again, sighing slowly. "I was a child, as you can tell. Enough of the sarcasm," he murmured, his voice tight with annoyance.

He didn't deal well with teasing and, this time, it was perhaps well deserved.

[prez_leg_cramp]

Laguna couldn't help the laughter though. "Still though, I wonder why you got a memory of when you were eight whole years and seven whole months old, hm? Sephiroth was a teenager and I was 27."

And proposing to Raine. "In any case, we should probably keep going and find a way out here."

But as soon as he turned his head, they were all gone and he was suddenly in Raine's home. The woman in question was in bed, looking utterly exhausted but happy as she caught sight of Laguna. "You're late," She whispered.

Laguna walked over to her and looked at the child in her arms, Ellone was still asleep on the other side. "I know, I'm sorry."

He reached out to touch the baby's head but then everything suddenly disappeared again and he closed his eyes and sighed through his nose. "Oh c'mon, gimme a break."

[xbalthierx]

"Another?" Balthier asked as Laguna started interacting with an empty bed, soon shaking his head as he awaited Sephiroth's behaviour. If these were supposed to be good memories, since he knew that he was happiest when he was a child, then something had to include Fran and being a pirate, right?

He couldn't begin doubting his contentment in front of these two.

[sixth_sefira]

"It would seem that whatever is doing this isn't ready to let go of us so quickly." Sephiroth replied, blinking once in silent surprise as their surroundings once again suddenly became rather overly familiar. Almost painfully so.

Walking away from Balthier and the other man, he paused at the end of the canon and looked down at the sea below. Everything looked exactly like it did in that one simulation that last time.

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess.
We seek it thus, and take it to the sky."

Turning around headed back in Genesis & Angeal's direction as Genesis continued to read, coming to a halt several feet from them as Genesis finished the verse. "Loveless, Act I

[xbalthierx]

The change of scenery was intriguing and Balthier crossed his arms, sighing gently at the light breeze. It was pleasant, even as Sephiroth started playing out what he assumed was another memory. Turning his gaze out towards the ocean, he let Sephiroth continue without paying much attention.

However when that sword started flying, Balthier was quick to snatch hold of Laguna's arm and dragging him off towards the bulk of the structure they were stood on, and away from the edge of the cannon.

"That thing shouldn't be allowed in public." The man, not the sword.

[sixth_sefira]

The fight continued, Moving in-between the duo and fighting both of them. The ebb and flow of it almost automatic considering how well the three knew each others movements. Crossing swords with Angeal, he let some small amusement show. "Is that the best you can do

[prez_leg_cramp]

Laguna gave a startled yelp when he was suddenly pulled away and brought to an area of the cannon that was away from Sephiroth's large sword. He didn't catch what Balthier meant about "that thing" but it was an amazing display of swordsmanship to watch, even if he had no idea what the general was fighting.

Once it finally seemed over, Laguna tentatively stepped out from where he and Balthier had been hiding. "...what was that?" He asked. "That was incredible!"

[xbalthierx]

Balthier shook his head, sighing as he did. This was absolutely insane. Their lives were in danger now.

Anger was bubbling inside him but Balthier soon lost that anger when the skies were suddenly concealed by old stone walls and a certain Sun Cryst shimmered over at the back wall, glowing and swirling, just swelling with power. His eyes saddened slightly, for the briefest of seconds. "The Pharos at Ridorana," he murmured, almost too quietly. Taking a slow shaking breath, he looked towards Sephiroth and Laguna for a moment but soon found himself distracted by the sudden roaring of the Cryst.

It was about to explode.

Balthier's eyes fell upon Cid, brought to his knees in front of them all. Jogging towards him, the very imposing figure of an Occuria blocked his path. "Let him by, Venat. It is done." Cid stood, though his injuries, particularly bullet wounds, were far too much to contend with. "Ah, how I have enjoyed these six years."

"The pleasure was all mine," Venat hissed, vanishing from sight

[sixth_sefira]

Sephiroth watched as Balthier moved through his apparently memory, arms shifting to cross over his chest as he realized likely what the memory was about or at least whom Balthier was interacting with. Once it was over, he looked over back toward Balthier and away from the roaring glowing stone.

"Are you alright?"