Author's Note:
Spoilers up to the Feywood
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"The prodigal son he called you," Basch said as they walked into the pristine halls of Draklor Laboratory.
"You have the make of a street ear, captain," Balthier replied, looking straight ahead. "The princess didn't say anything to you?"
Basch shook his head and watched the sky pirate as he walked. Balthier made a sound in the back of his throat and Basch sped up his steps so that they were now walking several paces ahead of the others.
"So you are the missing son of Doctor Cid, the…prodigal son," Basch said after they had taken out a group of Imperials, wiping blood from cheek without a second glance.
"The leading man actually, you ought pay more attention," Balthier said with a cocky grin as he ran threw his spear threw the last Imperial that had come at them from around the corner. "So which part do you, captain, play in this?"
Fran stood behind them, Vaan and Penelo both watching her with interest and she attempted to teach them how to cast Curaja. Ashe was too preoccupied with her own thoughts to pay much attention to anything beyond her sword.
It wasn't until later, when they entered the Feywood and had found a suitable place to camp for the night that Basch remembered Balthier's question. The sky pirate was sitting on the opposite side of the small fire, talking quietly to Fran. Vaan had been assigned guard duty for the next two hours and he could be seen as just a vague shadow in the mist filled air. Ashe and Penelo were sitting quietly side by side, splitting their day's rations into six even parts.
Basch stood, leaves crackling under his boots as he walked around toward Balthier. Fran gazed at him quietly, her black eye narrowed slightly. The Viera had always bothered Basch. It seemed as if she knew everything about him just by looking at him. As if she knew, if one went by the softening of her features, just how deeply his feelings for Balthier were.
"May I help you?" Balthier asked.
"An answer to your question," Basch said, kneeling down. "I would be the ghost."
Fran had moved over to Penelo and Ashe, distracting them from the two men with a quiet story of Viera legend. Balthier smirked and shook his head.
"Wrong again, Basch," he said, leaning back onto his elbows and crossing his ankles, a playful smile replacing the smirk. "You, my dear captain, are the canary."