Author's Note: I've changed the approach to this little project slightly but the over all plan is exactly the same :P

Enjoy my version of Balthier flight from Archadia

Title: Running away

Characters: Ffamran Bunansa (Balthier)

Summary: when Ffamran meets two sky pirates after they attempted to steal from the empire he decides that the life of a judge is not for him. Meeting mew people along the way he plans his escape.

It was late afternoon when the two pirates were brought in. They'd been caught attempting to steal from the royal treasury.

Ffamran Bunansa watched from his mentor's side as the scruffy teens were dragged past. They couldn't have been much older that Ffamran's eighteen years.

The girl was swearing and struggling. She bit down hard on the hand of the guard holding her who almost dropped her with a startled yelp. He growled and backhanded her across the face. The little vixen spat blood in his face.

Her companion sniggered and received a smack round the head for his efforts.

Ffamran looked slightly green, "We...we are to interrogate them?"

Gabranth glanced down at his young student and nodded, "Aye. I shall to the talking however, all you need do is document what is said."

Ffamran nodded but he had a bad feeling about the whole situation.

The girl was tall, almost as tall as Ffamran. She appeared to be older than her male companion with a shock of dirty blond hair under a green bandanna. Her pale blue eyes glowered accusingly at Ffamran as he settled into a corner.

The male was slightly smaller all bones and mussel. He had a mop of red hair and a smattering of freckles across his cheeks.

Gabranth stared them down and the boy squirmed under his scrutiny.

"Why were you in the palace treasury?"

"Would you buy looking for a wash room?" the girl asked her eyes twinkling.

Gabranth hit her across the face. She winced and spat a globule of blood onto the worn flagstones.

"You bastard!" the boy exclaimed.

Gabranth snarled at him and he fell silent.

"Maybe you would like to answer the question for her hmm?"

"Yeah sure," the boy drawled rediscovering his confidence, "We wanted to count the number of gold tiles on the fricking ceiling."

Gabranth glared dangerously, "Do not make this any harder on yourselves than it all ready is. You do not want to make me angry."

The girl snorted defiantly, "Do your worst," she challenged.

Gabranth left half an hour later with no forth coming answers, "Judge Bunansa, clean them up," he ordered.

Ffamran nodded and winced as the door slammed shut. He sighed heavily and crossed to where the girl lay on the floor, "You really should just tell him what he wants," he said softly.

The girl glowered at him, "Never."

Ffamran shook his head and removed his helm setting in on the floor beside him.

"Y-your just a kid!" the girl gasped, "You can't be much older than Archedious."

Ffamran shrugged, "I guess. I am Ffamran Buansa, who are you?"

"Cally," the girl coughed.

Ffamran held out the flask of water that he always carried, "Here."

Cally drunk greedily from it before flopping back down on the hard flagstones. Ffamran helped the boy drink to then set about cleaning them up as best as he could.

"You don't agree with all this do you?" Cally said at length

Ffamran sighed, "I do not agree with torture."

Cally grinned, "Well well a judge with a conscious what is the world coming to?"

Ffamran gave her a small smile. Cally heaved herself into a sitting position and rested her head against the wall, "Have you ever heard of sky pirates?"

Ffamran nodded, "I have. They are rumoured to be filthy and terrible dangerous."

Cally snorted, "And the empire is not?"

Ffamran shrugged, "Touché."

"We're gonna be the greatest sky pirates Ivalice had ever seen," the boy boasted.

"You can't do that chained up in here in death row," Ffamran pointed out.

The boy glowered, "Thanks for the reminder."

Ffamran sighed, "I apologise, that was uncalled for."

The boy gapped, "A judge apologise? The world has gone mad."

Ffamran grinned, "I aim to please."

After a few silent minuets Cally turned to look at Ffamran, "Have you heard of the 'Tales of the sky'?"

Ffamran shook his head, "No."

"I'd like to recite some of it for you. You never know it might help you out."

The boy rolled his eyes, "Yeah 'cause this is such a good time for a story."

Cally ignored him, "In the skies a I fly. Free as the wind herself. I sail to horizon's unexplored to steal treasurers long lost to time herself. My Strahl soars upon a silver sky and together we shall know no bounds."

Ffamran smiled, "That sounds beautiful."

Cally nodded, "That's what it truly means to be a sky pirate. To feel the wind in your hair and the longing of freedom only the sly can give. The rest are all pretender's."

Ffamran nodded, "You've put a lot of effort into this pirate thing."

Cally nodded, "Yes, Its far better than my life before," she sighed, "How hard did that master of yours hit me? I feel kinda strange."

Ffamran frowned and lent over to examine her and swore, he must have mist it some how. A large gash ran down her side soaking her shirt. He swore again as Cally's eyes flickered closed. Some where in the background the boy was yelling.

Gabranth stormed into the interrogation chamber, "What the hell is going on here?"

"She's hurt!" Ffamran stated panicking.

Cally fisted a shaking hand in his hair and dragged him down so his ear was in-line with her mouth, "Find Esme," she whispered, "Tell her...tell her the leading man..." she trailed off her eyes rolling and her head lolling back.

Ffamran stared at the body in his arms and suddenly all his inner hatred for the empire seemed to boil up inside him begging to be released.

He stared blankly as two guards took Cally from his unresisting grasp. He could hear nothing but Cally's last words echoing round his head even when Gabranth asked if he was well. He moved mechanically as his mentor steered him from the chamber silently berating himself for leaving his student alone with pirates.

On the way out the boy grabbed his shoulder, "Look for the cat with the sown up eye," he hissed.

Ffamran paced his room anxiously. Down stairs he could hear his father ranting to a person only he could see. The eighteen year old shivered, he needed to get out of here. Maybe this Esme could help. If he helped her them she in turn might help him.

Quickly he came to a decision.

Glancing in the mirror as he grabbed his coat the adolescent did a double take. He looked terrible. His cheeks once full of colour were pale and deep shadows ringed his eyes. His caramel hair hung limply around his face and Ffamran decided he was long over due a hair cut.

He sighed and turned away. He been avoiding the dinning room since the last incident and the kitchens were poorly stocked any way.

Ffamran slipped quietly out of the house and out onto the streets. They were quiet, unnaturally so. In the taverns there were hushed whispers of war.

Ffamran slunk down the narrow empty alleyways glad for once he didn't stand out in Old Archades. As the youngest judge ever in his armour he stood out like a sore thumb so he had mad an effort to be inconspicuous.

He sidled up to the crumbling tavern that identified its self as the May Rose. Deciding that this would be a good place to start looking, Ffamran pushed open the door and slipped into the crowed of unwashed patrons.

Looking around he frowned, looking round for this Esme person. The young girl behind the bat gave him a sympathetic look, "Can I help you?" she asked batting her eyelids.

"Do you know where I can find a woman named Esme?"

The girl scowled, "In the back," she said pointing.

Ffamran thanked her and slipped through the half open door.

A woman sat lounging cat like in the back room on a pile of crimson silk cushions. She was tall and curved in all the right places. Her stringy black hair was streaked with silver and her left eye was sown shut.

Ffamran suppressed a shiver, this was no ordinary woman, this was a sky pirate.

On the woman's right sat a man. He too was tall his bronzed skin almost golden in the poor light. His head was shaved and a tattoo of a ruby dragon was em blazed on his back. The man glanced up from the hookah he'd been inhaling from, cold onyx eyes meeting Ffamran's anxious blue-grey.

"What do yer want?" the woman asked glowering, "I thought I told Selphie that we wren't t' be disturbed."

Ffamran gathered his wits, "Are you Esme?"

The woman shrugged, "'pends who's askin'."

"Cally sent me, she said to tell you about a leading man?" Ffamran said by way of explination.

The woman looked him up and down then let out a rough jerky cough that Ffamran realised was a laugh. "Sit yer ass down."

Ffamran shut the door firmly and strode purposefully over to a purple plush cushion and sat. The woman snorted at his actions

The man stretched, "So what does Call have to say for herself? Quite a mess she's dropped into."

Ffamran sighed, "Cally's dead."

The woman froze and her companion paused in mid draft from the hookah I front of him.

"What do yer mean?" she asked dangerously.

"She's dead," Ffamran repeated, "Some kind of injury to her side. I am sorry," he added as an after thought."

The man swore and Esme looked shell shocked, "Those military bastards!" she growled.

"How did you came across such information?" the man demanded.

Ffamran sighed, "I work in the magister's offices."

The man was on his feet in seconds his hand around Ffamran's throat. Esme stood too and put a hand on the big man's arm, "Let him go Rue, we may need him yet."

Ffamran nodded, "You will," he said confidently, "Cally's companion is still in the dungeons."

The man, Rue swore darkly, "This just keeps getting better and better."

"I can get you in," Ffamran offered, "But I want some thing in return."

Esme chuckled, "I think I might learn to like ye boy. What is it that yer wanting?"

"I want safe passage out of Archadian Empire."

Esme grinned, "All this talk of war scarin' ye?"

Ffamran shrugged, "I have my reasons."

Esme nodded, "Deal, tell me what ye know about the offices."

"The guards rotate in shifts of five hours," Ffamran informed them, "There is a three minuet gap between."

The woman nodded, "So three minuets t' get in. we'll need the access codes."

Ffamran grinned slyly, "I can take care of that"

The man grumbled some thing inaudible and the woman smacked him round the head with a talon like hand.

"I have also plotted numerous escape routes to the aerodrom and there is a ship, a new model in the hanger that's security locks aren't quite finished," Ffamran told them.

The woman grinned, "Your a slimy little bastard yer know. Betrayin' yer own kind. Ye been plannin' this fer a while?"

Ffamran shrugged easily, starting to relax, "If you think the empire treats her enemies poorly, I'll have you know that she treats her own even worse."

The woman threw back her head and let out a throaty laugh, "Yer a sliver tongued chancer yer are boy."

Ffamran let a wicked grin cross his features, "Are we done here?"

The man nodded and offered him the hookah as if that was all it took to seal the deal. Despite his better judgement Ffamran took a draft. It tasted of apples and cinnamon.

The woman lent over and smoother his hair as a mother would her child, "Don't get could feet now," her voice was low, a threat wrapped in silky musk.

It was gone midnight by the time he left the tavern. He was hurrying along the streets when a claw like hand clamped down on his shoulder and Ffamran found himself face to face with a Lizard faced Bangaa.

He glowed and tried to pull away, "What do you want?"

"Want boooy, the bossss wantsss yer."

Ffamran shivered and pulled away, "We I'm afraid I don't want to meet him at all."

A large bronzed hand lifted the Bangaa off its feet and hurled it into a wall. Esme grinned, "Figured yer'd have a little trouble on the way home."

"Thank you for your assistance," Ffamran said quietly.

Esme waved it way, "I don't see why Coldheart's interested in yer," she frowned, "Then again he does have a thing fer good lookin' boys, I'd watch yer self if I were ye."

Ffamran shivered again, who ever this Coldheart was Ffamran did not want to meet him.

The lights were off when he finally arrived home and the eighteen year old didn't dare turn them on less he wake his insane babbling father. Instead her felt and fumbled his way to his room.

He peeled off his cloths and slipped into his night cloths climbing into bed. He allowed himself a little smile of triumph come tomorrow night he would be free.

The judicial offices were filled with rumours of war. Ffamran lent against the wall and watched the proceedings with nervous interested.

"Are you well?" a gruff voice whispered in his ear.

Ffamran glanced round then up, "Perfectly Judge Magister."

Gabranth frowned at his student, having mentored the young noble for the last five years he could tell there was some thing wrong. "Since went do you refer to me by my formal title? You usually take every opportunity not to."

Ffamran shrugged and turned away, "Do you feel that the empire could possibly be wrong?"

Gabranth's eyes widened in shock, "That is dangerous talk."

Ffamran rounded on him, "All this killing is wrong."

"Is this about yesterday?" the older judge asked.

Ffamran glowered darkly and said nothing.

Gabranth sighed, he only had himself to blame for yesterdays events, he should not have left Ffamran there alone.

It was dusk when Ffamran left his father's home. He dressed in a pair of well worn leather trousers and a white soft cotton shirt. Across his back hung the pistol he'd acquired from his father's chest.

He met the pirates outside the offices and entered his code. The door slid smoothly open and they slunk in.

The corridor's were dark. Almost every one had left for the night and only the night watch remained.

Ffamran nodded to Esme and Rue, "Lets go."

They hurried along the dark corridor's towards the dungeons. Archedious was still hanging in the interrogation chamber looking a little worse for wear. Rue helped him down and steadied the red head when he wobbled, swaying on his feet.

Ffamran held out a flask of water which the red head snatched and drank from greedily. Esme who was keeping watch stuck her head round the door, "We have to go."

Ffamran glanced up, "What? I thought we had a few minuets left."

"We did," Esme agreed, "But there's a Judge Magister in the building."

Ffamran swore, "Who?"

Esme rolled her eyes, "Who do you think? The one you of all people would least like to meet this night."

Ffamran paled, "Gabranth," he murmured.

Esme nodded, "Now lets shift some ass!"

Ffamran pulled out his pistol and followed her out into the hall. They were almost out when disaster struck. The clanking of heavy armour signified the approach of a judge. Esme grabbed Ffamran and yanked him behind a towering pillar but Rue and Archedious were not so lucky. A the last second Archedious faltered and fell.

Rue attempted to get the red headed pirate behind the other pillar but was walked in on by none other than Judge Magister Gabranth himself.

Ffamran swore softly under his breath. Esme nudged him in the ribs, "Give me your pistol," she hissed.

"What do you have in mind?" the eighteen year old whispered back.

Esme flashed him a feral grin, "Play hostage."

Ffamran gapped, "But? That's not..." he trailed off as Esme haulled him from behind the pillar his own gun at his head, "Back off!" she barked, "You take one more step an' I'll put a bullet in his pretty head!"

Gabranth's eyes narrowed beneath his helm, "Let him go."

Esme shook her head, "Not until we're far away from here I aint."

Gabranth raised his sword, "How do you manage to get into these situations Ffamran?" he asked, "Aren't you supposed to be at home?"

Ffamran shrugged innocently, "I forgot some thing and had to come back for it. The next thing I know I'm being grabbed by some unsavoury pirate and have a pistol at my head."

Gabranth sighed, "Let him go and I shall allow you five minuet head start."

Esme snorted, "Your well know for your ruthlessness. You shall most likely shoot us in the back as soon as I drop the whelp."

"I protest at that!" Ffamran complained.

"You are also well known for abandoning comrades in favour of the greater good. I have no doubt that you will leave this one to our mercy," Esme stated with a shrug of her shoulders.

Rue heaved Archedious over his shoulder, "Get out of our way," he ground out.

Gabranth scowled beneath his helm, this was not going the way he expected. He could only step aside and let the pirates leave.

Ffamran threw him a half accusing look as he was dragged past but said nothing. Inside Gabranth felt some thing he hadn't even known existed break.

Esme let go of him as soon as they were outside, "Run," she hissed shoving his pistol back into his hands, "We meet at the aerodrom."

They scattered. Esme taking the most noticeably route, Rue and Archedious taking the less obvious one and Ffamran took the middle one.

It wouldn't have taken Gabranth very long to sound the alarm, especially since he believed Ffamran a hostage.

Ffmaran sprinted down the silent streets. It reminded him of the time his father had taken him to the cemetery after his mother's death, Ffamran decided that he hated silence with a biter loathing.

He rounded the corner and grinned, the aerodrom was in sight. He slid between the huge hanger doors and sidled up to the prototype ship. The first of its kind and the last. The scientists had scrapped it because it would be too expensive to reproduce. And it was all his.

He ducked into the spacious docking bay and smiled up at the ship. His one way ticket to freedom.

"You okay?" it was Esme. She slipped round from behind the ship.

Ffamran nodded, "Never better," he replied with a huge grin.

Rue and Archedious were last to arrive. The red headed teen was ghostly pale and lent entirely on Rue for support.

Ffamran had already hacked the terrible security codes and they were about to board when the muzzle of a gun nuzzled the back of Esme's head.

The tall man with a face of a tomb stone and hard steal eyes stepped round, "My my. dear Esme, were you really planning to make a brake for it without giving me what is mine?"

"Coldheart," Esme spat.

"The boy is not for you," Rue growled shoving Archedious into the ship he firmly placed himself between the new comer and Ffamran.

Coldheart sneered, "I'll take him and there be nothin' yer can do about it."

Esme glowered, "You shall not have him."

Coldheart laughed, "I can't see yer doin' any thin' about it though."

Rue reached for his cutlass and Coldheart spun the gun blast echoing round the empty hanger. Esme gasped running to her partner's side dropping to her knees next to him.

Ffamran glared and lifted his own pistol, "I belong to no one," he stated coolly.

Coldheart grinned broadly, "We shall see my little laughing lad." he turned to the hanger, "Take them!"

Esme swore darkly, "He brought the whole bloody crew?"

Ffamran scowled and crouched next her, "How's Rue?"

Esme shook her head, "He is lost to us."

A large beefy man grabbed Esme and hauled her to her feet in meaty paws. He leered down at her and she shivered in disgust.

The woman that swiped Ffamran's pistol and twisted his arms up behind his back was surprisingly strong for a petite girl. She grinned wickedly and liked Ffamran's cheek, "I like this one, may I keep him?"

Coldheart roared with laughed, "Nay this one is going to require some specialised attention. The girl pouted but did not press the issue.

Coldheart turned back to the ship, "Take them aboard, the rest of you back to the Dawn Riser."

Ffamran scowled as he was manhandled on board, not the way he had been expecting to leave Archades.

A clatter of armour signalled the arrival of the judges and Ffamran felt a tiny bit of guilt as she saw the look on Gabranth's face as he was dragged onto the ship. The Judge Magister had lost his helm in the rush and now looked upon the scene with anger and worry.

Ffamran almost felt bad for putting his mentor through all this trouble, almost.

The hatch swung shut and the unnamed ship soared out into the pale light of dawn. The Strahl, Ffamram thought, that would be a good name for her. Once he got out of this current mess and reclaimed her of course. He would be the greatest sky pirate Ivalice had ever seen.