Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot bunnies who attack me with ideas.
Warning- Balthier/OC. If I said the of OC pairing I would spoil some of the story so just be warned another FFXII guy will be paired with an OC.
Notes: This chapter is before the events of the game. The next chapter or two will be during the game.
Chapter 1- Many types of marks
It was a nice sunny day in Rabanastre and two female sky pirates where at the bar in town looking for hunts and info on treasures they could steal. One had blue eyes and long brown hair appearing to be the older of the two while the younger had short blond hair and brown eyes.
"So there is nothing good today, we are not going to go fight a slime." The younger one said as the older on sighed.
"It is slime or we end up going out in the desert to kill an overgrown snake. Why is there nothing good to steal anymore?"
"Who knows Echo? Everyone wants to be a pirate nowadays so there isn't much treasure left. I guess we will go kill the slime, you know Fira right?"
Echo nodded and looked at her partner. "Wait Alyss maybe we should get new bolts for your crossbow. You know that I am only good at magicks and should you get knocked out I would be dead."
"Okay to the weapons shop and then the sewer."
After picking up new bolts for Alyss the and they set out for Lowtown.
Once there a kid ran into them and apologized. "Hey sorry."
"No problem, I bet that happens a lot with how dark it is down here." Alyss said but before the boy could run off Echo grabbed his arm.
"Hand back our money and I will let you go. I know time are tough with the death of King Rasler and Queen Ashe but that is no reason to steal our money."
The boy handed back the bag and left the two.
When the two made it to the waterway they saw the mark was already killed.
"Great there goes our paycheck." Echo said noticing the two figures walking out from behind a pillar.
"Well I am terribly sorry if we caused you to lose your pay."
"Honest mistake. Excuse my rudeness but have we met before?"
"Probably not, you may have seen our faces on wanted posters though."
"I see but you in particular look familiar." The man said looking at Echo.
"My name is Echolensa...not that it would mean anything to a hunter. Maybe you just saw me on the street before or something. We will go do the hunt with the snake and be at the bar later if you want to further investigate us."
"We are not thieves, we are sky pirates and I think we will take you up on that offer but before you go what is the other woman's name?"
"I am Alyss."
The man nodded and turned to leave. The Viera then spoke up for the first time. "We will introduce ourselves should you live through your hunt."
With that the women head out for the desert and found their mark. "Alyss with one more shot it should be dead. I will ready a water spell if not."
Alyss shot her crossbow but got poisoned first and killed the snake with her shot picking up the skin
"The things we do for money. Echo you better be readying Posiona."
Echo cast the healing spell and then cured her partner.
"The things we do indeed. Who drinks wine with snake skin mixed in anyway?" Echo asked walking back to the town.
"Well let's return to the bar and hand this in. Maybe we can meet that cute guy again."
Upon entering The Sandsea bar the women gave the skin to the owner and noticed the man and Viera.
"It looks like you have succeeded. I am Balthier and this is my partner Fran. Please join us we owe you for stealing your mark."
"We are bus-"
"Yes of course! Come on Echo it will be fun."
"You are only 19, you can't drink anything."
Balthier laughed at the little fight. "We don't have to tell anyone, let her live a bit."
Echo shook her head and sat down as Alyss had a huge smile on her face.
"You two are sky pirates then? It is strange we have never run into each other before this if that is the case. Where do you usually work?"
"We are usually out in the lands destroyed by the war like the Necrohol of Nabudis but we never fight there, we run like the wind and get the treasure. Other then that we work a lot in the desert here doing hunts because treasure is so scarce now." Alyss stated being the more friendly of the two.
"Interesting, so what is your ship called? All good sky pirates name their ships. I called mine the Strahl."
"Stella. We have just started out though, we are not famous such as yourself."
The waitress interrupted and asked them for their orders.
"I will have whatever the lady here wants. As for the other two I have no idea."
Fran ordered some water and bread and Echo ordered a glass of wine without talking to much.
"I will have some wine with a salad covered in cheese."
The waitress who happened to be a teen subbing in with blond hair in braids nodded and left to get the orders.
"If I may ask how did you two deiced to become pirates of all things?"
Alyss looked down and became a bit solemn. "We where both running from different things so we thought why not escape to the sky? We just became pirates out of need for money and the fact we weren't waiting tables ever again like we did to afford a ship."
"I see. It seems everyone is running from something doesn't it? I wonder if any of us will ever have the strength to stop running."
The waitress returned with their orders. Echo and Fran began to talk with each other.
"They seem to be getting along well. Then again he has a way with the women. I am shocked you aren't going nuts over him."
"I guess I am immune to his charm. He seems nice but not my type. I will just drink my wine and let Alyss pursue her 'free adventure and love' as she calls it."
"You do not desire the same? You where hurt by the one you loved then?"
"You could say that, I wouldn't say I loved him though."
Fran left it at that knowing she wouldn't get more out of the woman. She turned her attention to Balthier and Alyss. She didn't want to have to carry a drunk Balthier back to the ship.
Alyss ate her salad in peace while Balthier discussed what him and Fran would go do for money in hard times.
"Alyss took her first sip of wine and smiled. "Echo why did you never let me drink this before it is great." Echo rolled her eyes and took a small sip of her drink in response.
"You know Balthier...This is the first time in a long time I have had a fun night out. Thank you for that."
"I could never deny a woman in need of a nice night out. It is getting late and I have to leave tomorrow on a lead for treasure but perhaps we will meet again."
"We will meet again!" Alyss said starting to show she was not ready for alcohol in any way shape or form.
After Balthier and Fran had left the two women went back to their ship.
"Hey Echo do you think we will see them again?" Alyss asked as they got ready to go to sleep. They shared a room because all the other space was storage.
"I think we will see them again. You should get some sleep though." Echo stated as she was changing the pillow cases out.
That night Alyss made a promise she would pursue her adventure and free love, by finding Balthier again. Also the free love part was something she had to work on with Echo.
When they had first met Alyss remembered that Echo was wearing what looked like an engagement ring but she said it was a family heirloom and hasn't worn it since. It looked expensive for a heirloom but perhaps it was one although to Alyss it was more fun to think that Echo had some mysterious romance in the past.
Alyss knew Echo better then to think that about her. She was always serious and usually her plans where well thought out. If she said their was no past romance she meant it.
Neither of them really knew what the other desired to get away from but they just knew they had to run and that was enough to have made them partners and friends. Then what would happen if Balthier was right and one of them stood up to the past? Would this all be forgotten?
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Author notes: This is a fic for a friend of mine. That being said time to move to the title and chapter titling.
This chapter really was just titled "Many types of marks" based on the fact at the end Balthier is now Alyss' mark she will hunt.