This is a Final Fantasy 12/Final Fantasy 7 crossover. All characters belong to Square Enix/Square Soft and their affiliates. Only the story is mine.

Prologue

Aerith. Balthier. Two beings from entirely different worlds. One where technology reigns and Mako energy is harnessed by a terrible power hungry corporation. The other where civil war can break and the monarchy is replaced by terrible dictatorship, run by judges.

How can it have been that these two have met?

A great rift in our universe must be repaired... and a greater evil is awaiting to be awakened by foolish human beings. Those who have no power and those who seek to use it for selfish means.

I fear I will not be able to help them when the time comes... It is up to them. A sky pirate and a flower girl...

Chapter 1 ~ Pirate

You would think that running along the roofs of Bhujerba was easily done. Not so if you are an Imperial in heavy armor. Balthier leaps from building to building using the stealth and dexterity of a French PK performer, not to mention the stretch that is required in pants to move in such a way where legs are practically in splits in mid-air.

"Catch me if you can, lead-heads." He laughs.

The sad excuse for a street patrol tumble one after another as their heavy boots and unyielding chain mail pull them down. The Captain of these guards runs up from the streets below. From behind his helmet is a good set of eyes. He had been able to follow Balthier from the royal household for nearly five blocks now, and has yet to lose him.

Balthier checks with his pursuers from behind. He stops. Cockily he tosses a pouch into the air and catches. A gunshot and then a bullet whizzes passed his ear. He ducks and then slides down the roof.

"I do believe you're trying to kill me." He acknowledges, feeling a trickle down his neck. "Blast. You are quite the good shot."

"Enough!" shouts the captain, clearly exhausted of the chase and would rather arrest the man and do lord knows what with ruffians like him. "Give me what you have stolen from the royal house and I might consider sparing your life."

"How kind of you." Balthier bows, mocking him. "But I'm afraid I can do no such thing." He then draws a large double barrel shotgun rifle from his hip. "We can end this now, if you like."

Although the captain has fantastic eyesight, the Captain's courage is not as good. He faces off with Balthier, fearing the worst for his life. The two men cock their guns. The tension mounting, both do not move, for fear of setting off the other. At that point, who knows what is going to happen.

"Take the shot!" bellows the Captain.

"If you say so." Balthier closes his eyes and shoots. The sound of both guns goes off. Silence. Balthier opens his eyes. In front of his nose is the Captain's bullet. Holding is a figure of what looks like a woman, but blue and glowing. She has wild hair and eyes like stars.

Greetings, Balthier, she says in a voice as clear as a summer wind. I thought you would be in danger.

Turning on his charm, Balthier pushes some of his ruffled hairs back into place on his head. "It isn't in my nature to be caught in such a predicament. Who might you be. I believe you are not from around these parts and we have not yet met." He grins.

You are right. I know you quite well. I have known you for a long time.

"I have no recollection of you at all."

It was long ago... But I am forgetting myself. Balthier, in another world there is a girl who needs you.

"No surprise."

Please. She puts up a hand, silencing him. All I can tell you is that she is in danger of dying, along with her world. She needs your help, Balthier. She crushes the bullet in her hand. All I can do is save you this one time. You will need these where you are going.

She drops different colored marbles in his hand. He looks at them strangely. When he looks up, action has resumed as usual. The bullet that Balthier shot hit the Captain square in the knee, causing him to collapse into a screaming, yelping heap on the ground. "All according to plan" Balthier thought. And without a moments hesitation runs down the street in the opposite direction.

Turning the corner he sees something not resembling anything he's seen before. A large cat creature with a scar over one eye. It appears on his fur that a XIII is tattooed to it. The cat nods it's head and runs down an alley.

"Odd." Balthier ponders as he follows the animal down the path. Aside from the fact that his sudden urge to follow the cat was odd, the whole day, in fact, was odd. First he is accosted for borrowing a paltry few coins which were owed to him my a servant in the royal household. Then he had the audacity to call the guards and accuse him of stealing. "I suppose I have no choice."

The sound of the guards grows louder and louder in the distance. The cat has stopped in front of a large blue window of all things. Not as blue as the lady who had "saved his life" and to whom he had a great fondness for as she was a BEAUTIFUL- I mean GORGEOUS- creature indeed...

The animal jumps through the window. It starts to shrink and disappear.

"Bollocks!" he shouts and dives head first into the ever-shrinking window. It disappears. The guards arrive in time to see a small stich disappear into oblivion.

Where am I? What's going on?

It

feels

like

I'm

falling...

But I'm really floating. How can this be?

The lady in blue appears to him. Oh, hello, gorgeous creature...

Balthier, now is not the time... Come with me. This way, let me guide you through the darkness. As of now I am only a guide. When you have need of me, call me. Fabula.

She kisses his forehead and everything goes foggy then black.