First of all, I am really, really, really sorry that I haven't updated for such a long time. 2008 was a very stressful year for me and writing just didn't come to me, even if I had wanted to. Even now, I am going through a rough time.

Anyway, I started to play XII again and thus, revived my eternal love and yearning for Ivalice. Thus, I'll be continuing this.

Though I've been thinking, that perhaps this would best fit in the FFXII-timeline after the game, but way before Revenant Wings. All the confusion about the time and memories that Vaan has – remembering that he has lived in our modern world with Basch and his brother – can be straightened out by saying the usual thing in fantasy fanfiction:

the times in the two worlds are different. Or the fact that... whoops, I almost spoiled you.

Warnings: OOCness (but that can't really be helped), more confused Vaan, plotholes (wait, does this have a plot?) and Balthier being mean.

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He didn't realize why it was so dangerous to say their names. Basch von Rosenburg didn't even sound that ominous! So the first thing Vaan did, when they met this short, dark-haired person – clearly a royalty, those clothes looked really expensive and clean – was to tell Basch's name aloud.

Balthier sighed and thought ".. moron."

Later on, when they were running from a group of lizard people, heart pounding in their chests, running and running and running, Balthier occasionally sending a bullet towards their chasers or the zombies emerging from nothingness, Vaan didn't have time to think about moronic stuff or what was for dinner. He only had time to think about the fact that he was actually damn scared. Or would have been, if he hadn't been in such a company.

Balthier seemed to enjoy the chase, like he seemed to enjoy life in general. Even Fran, whose heels were clicking whose long white hair kept brushing her back as she ran first, her long legs taking far larger steps than any, even she seemed to be content. Well, those guys were skypirates anyway, in the middle of their illegal deeds, they were pretty much used to it by now.

Vaan's yearning for skypiracy grew and he tried to run faster, nearly forgetting that the ones yelling and running behind them, would tear them apart if they got them.

Just when they managed to shake off those nasty predators, when they reached the stairs leading out of the mines, just when they nearly saw the great sky...

Vaan groaned and accidentally banged his head on his desk. He had fallen asleep in the middle of a class. Again. Penelo giggled behind her hand next to him and called him an airhead in a hushed voice. Luckily, the teacher of chemistry was practically deaf – or just uncaring – and didn't seem to notice the two blondes at all, scribbling her notes on the blackboard, going on and on about things that didn't matter at all, Penelo copying sentences with eagerness, Vaan staring out of the window and diving back into that dream-like trance he had been for the past week and a half. Just a week, that felt like a month. So much had happened. But.. he frowned. What's with the skypirate-thing, that seemed to visit his dreams so very often? Pirates didn't sail in the sky! That was impossible. No such air-crafts existed anyway. Vaan just knew that, he had been interested in space ships and rockets and boats and everything that didn't move on land since the beginning of his time. Only thing that remotely reminded him of anything that a skypirate would use was Millennium Falcon in the old Star Wars.

But.. yes. It was Star Wars. As in, complete and utter fiction. Though Vaan couldn't help but me disappointed at that. How cool it would be... snapping from his daydream a little too quickly when the bell rang, he stumbled up and pouted at Penelo, who always had the most fun when watching her friend's clumsy actions.

"Vaan~ you do know what class is next?" She asked, dragging him out of the classroom, ever so eager. PE was her absolute favourite, especially because of the appearance of a new teacher with gorgeous legs. Not that Vaan had stared at her legs. But no woman had legs that long! He absent-mindedly wondered where she had come from, only snapping out of his daze because Penelo had started to huff next to him.

"Vaan! I know you're in love with miss Viera, but please, at least listen to what I've gotta to say!" She shook her finger and then started to jog down the corridor. Vaan had no choice but to follow.

This time, the PE class was mixed, since half of the girls had somehow magically stayed at home, apparently faking sickness. The class was to be held outside on the school grounds, baseball or something. Vaan groaned for the tenth time this day. He loathed baseball and was notoriously bad at it. Approaching the field didn't feel fun at all, especially with Larsa by his side, who was already yapping about his strategies for the day, or Penelo jogging behind them, laughing and eyes shining because she had sighted her new idol, Fran standing beside the field, still so very tall, even when changed out of her high heels, and a group of boys showering her with their love letters. Vaan sneered and kicked a stone, not preparing for the moment miss Viera turned to him, her ageless eyes so very distant.

The vision kicked hard this time, it was the first in three days, the last time had been when he visioned ashen-blonde-haired woman dressed in white standing beside his bedroom door. Vaan stopped at his tracks, eyes widening and staring. Fran stared back at him, but this time her clothes were.. no less than very provocative, kind of like a black armour, with a helmet and long bunny ears and a bow tied to her back. She managed to make herself look really intimidating, but even then, Vaan felt the familiar ache inside his chest, the one he had felt when he first heard the name Ivalice in his dreams.

If the vision had continued for longer, he was sure he would have started crying. Gladly, Penelo snapped her fingers in front of his face and asked if he was okay.

"I'm.. I'm.. uh.." he muttered and fidgeted, Larsa raised an eyebrow, but they closed the remaining distance to the field anyway. Fran looked normal again, or as normal as she could look, scanning the students gathered there.

"Settle down, kids." Had her voice always sounded so sensual, but so custodial at the same time? Vaan shivered and looked around for his dad, who was nowhere in sight. Maybe Basch was too preoccupied in the teacher's room -

"I apologize for being late," the gruff voice exlaimed and Vaan shrugged and grinned at his step-dad, who seemed to have ran from the school here. Basch shot him a look, but offered a tiny smile, then focusing on Fran, who watched him with indifference.

"We haven't started yet." They talked for a while and the rest of the class went by uneventfully. Vaan glanced at Basch from time to time, eager to tell him about his new vision and new dreams, since the last time the man hadn't said anything about the name Ivalice or his doubts about Balthier and Fran.

Or maybe Vaan should talk to Balthier, since he seemed to be the catalyst for the whole thing. The mere thought made him completely lose his concentration, blush and run into a classmate.

"Look where you're going, you airhead!" The big boy said and kicked him for good measure. Vaan yelped and pouted, muttering a tiny 'sorry," then stumbling forward to the dreaded literature-class.

The atmosphere was different compared to the last time Vaan was there and that was the day before yesterday. He stopped by the door, gaping and frowning and wondering what was so gradually different, Larsa and Penelo and Kytes were sitting in their places, professor Crowley was looking for his books, Balthier sitting near the teacher's table, writing something, his tight black trousers leaving nothing to imagination. Vaan coughed and quickly went to his seat, feeling mildly embarrassed. Penelo hid a grin and Larsa swallowed his teasing words, when the professor started the class.

Vaan pretty much missed the theme of the class for today, for he was too preoccupied in watching Balthier, frowning at the man and wondering how on earth he was going to talk to the man about all of the strange happenings. Maybe he had been daydreaming for the past week and a half? No way something like his dreams could be true, no matter how flushed he got when remembering dream-Balthier and his words that had felt magical. Drifting back from his La-La-land, he blinked, looked around and realized the class had already ended and that every student was backing their bags, Larsa yelled something about an appointment with his scary brother, Penelo wished Vaan good luck – for what! He yelled after her, but she only grinned – and patted his back and was gone.

.. Woah. A hand appeared on his desk, as did a hint of knowing smirk, as he leaned down and started to speak.

"Be good and stay here for a moment, Vaan. I have some things I would like to discuss with you," Balthier purred and then backed away a bit, waiting for the rest of the students to go, even those girls handing him their love letters. Which he brutally threw in to the garbage bin, muttering that he doesn't have the time to concentrate on teenage girls. Teenage boys, on the other hand, especially this one, he had the time.

"So."

".. S-So." Vaan blinked and felt a bit, okay, really nervous under the gaze that Balthier was targeting him with.

"We haven't had the chance to really talk yet, now, have we?" The blond shook his head and the older man smirked slightly at that, before his expression turned into a serious one.

"But now we have to. Something large is looming in the horizon," Vaan peeked out of the window but didn't see anything, without even realizing that maybe the man didn't mean literally, "and you're going to have a part in it. I know what you have seen." Balthier wasn't looking at him, his arms folded, staring out of the window, looking at something that wasn't visible to Vaan.

"Um.."

The man snorted and after a long moment of silence, turned to the boy.

"Ivalice." The name resonated within both of them, Vaan shivered and looked away, before he got caught by a memory of the dream-Balthier, fidgeting on his seat.

"But.. how can you know that name, what is all of this anyway!" He complained, though couldn't deny that his heart had started to beat faster at how the name had rolled of Balthier's tongue so very easily.

"Easy now," the man laughed shortly.

"What you have seen is a reflection from Ivalice, your mind woke up to its existence when us, me and Fran, came to this school. We came because of you. And your friends too, but to a lesser extent," Balthier explained but he could have blabbered on and on and Vaan still wouldn't have understood. His cynical side – he did have one, it just was.. very much hidden – told him that he was being stupid, that this man was being stupid, but his dominant childish side was jumping up and down. You should at least trust your own eyes, you know, he thought and nodded.

"Okay.. but.."

"No buts, Vaan." The way Balthier said his name sounded different now and Vaan flushed, pouting a bit.

"S-show me a proof then!" The man started to laugh.

"Do you not have all the proof in the world you need?" He continued, leaning forward over the student's desk and ruffling the boy's blond hair.

"This world is not for you. For us. And it has never been." Going serious again, Balthier lowered his – still dazzlingly handsome – face to Vaan's level and caught his stare and held it there. The boy couldn't turn his gaze away.

"You might remember living here since you were a little kid, but that is simply not true. You belong to Ivalice, in Ivalice. I do not know why or how you are here or why your friends are here and do not seem to remember the adventures they went through – or else they would have recognized us for who we are - , but I know the reason why I and Fran were sent here." Balthier's slow grin sent a chill – a pleasurable one, mind you – down Vaan's spine.

"Once again, Ivalice needs heroes. The Gods -

"Do not smile upon us," said a third voice. The older man didn't even flinch, but the boy gaped. Fran didn't make a sound as she stepped inside the classroom, carefully closing the door behind her – her nails were really way too long – and coming to sit next to Vaan, those unnerving ageless eyes gazing at him with indifference.

"Ah, Fran. Indeed it is so, that the Gods of Ivalice has once again left us poor Humes – and one Viera – to do what we can to do. Of course, we wouldn't be doing any of this if our young Queen wouldn't have promised to pay us. There is, after all, a profit in everything," Balthier smiled like a panther.

Vaan's head was spinning, so he didn't catch that the man told Fran something, making something akin to a smile appear on the exotic face.

"I see," she said and then turned to Vaan, reaching out her long arm and touching the boy's face, making him wince, for her nails really were too long. But she didn't draw back her hand nor did she seem to care much, instead, she was concentrating. Balthier watched silently, seeing things that Vaan didn't see outside of the school.

Then it happened and Vaan felt like he was dreaming again. But this time the pictures, the feelings were there, so very real.

"Are these..?" He managed to mutter, not seeing the classroom or the other two, seeing himself and Penelo and Larsa.. and Basch with dark-haired man dressed in armour, and a woman with ashen-blonde hair. The ache, the pain was there again, longing for something so familiar and could even smell the sweet scent of Galbadian lilies, and the strange scents of the Bazaar. He saw and felt and knew that these were not merely dreams, but memories. He hadn't even realized that he said it aloud, snapping back to this side of the reality when Fran withdrew her hand.

Vaan's eyes were suddenly very large.

".. Wha?" Was the most intelligent answer he could manage. Balthier snorted.

"I think it is time for you to talk it over with you.. step-father. Basch was always a man of few words but for him to go to an entirely another world, it's quite incredible," he said, a little disbelieving, even when he didn't dare to say aloud that he had almost put the other members of their little group ahead of money. Almost.

"Even I was not informed about all the details and since this world shuns the Mist, it lessens the powers we have." Balthier shook his head.

For the first time, Vaan saw something like a hint of pain in the man's usually proud posture. Even it reminded him of something and made his head ache more than it did now.

"I..I..um..."

"Do not mind Balthier. He has been broody ever since we came here. As have I. We cannot be free in this world," Fran purred, her hand settling on the boy's shoulder.

"Ivalice is our home," she continued, sighing softly.

"And since our dear Queen," Balthier suddenly spoke, sarcasm in his voice, "needs help and the Gods are not listening, how could we say no?" Fran threw a look at the man, which only made him more amused. Vaan got a bit more confused, scratching his head.

"But.. why do you need me? I mean, that stuff, that I saw, I just thought I was going mad or.. wait, you haven't shown me any proof yet! Nothing more than witchcraft and.." Fran sighed and shook her head, saying that Humes never change. Balthier coughed – a long-forgotten conversation between the two, perhaps – and then opened the window.

"Please, look outside, Vaan. If that is not your proof, then by Gods, I do not what can I do to make you convinced. You are way more hard-headed than I remember." Vaan frowned, stood up from his seat and peeked outside of the window.

Well.

If that didn't make him convinced, then he was really stupid. The air-craft hovering just a bit over the tallest treetops near the school was like something out of the older Star Wars, though with a taste of fantasy within it. He rubbed his eyes, but the.. thing was still there, innocently hovering in its place, waiting for its masters to come. Balthier patted his shoulder.

"The Strahl, my princess and my lover," he said affectionally, Fran smiled a little and leaned back on the chair, throwing one long, long leg over the other. Vaan decided to be amazed instead of shocked, his eyes started to practically shine.

"That's so cool." All the confusion and irritation forgotten – his concentration really did not stay for long in one thing – he tried to look closer. That thing was definitely real. He didn't even wonder why no one else seemed to see it, in a matter of seconds, a little boy-ish exitement had made him throw the rest of his remaining brain cells to the previously mentioned garbage bin. Even if he did not remember a thing about being in Ivalice before, but … wait a minute. He turned to the other two in the classroom and frowned.

".. Than you remember? Huh? Have we met before?" Balthier and Fran exchanged looks, the former, amused, the latter, indifferent again.

"Yes, Vaan. You were born in the small kingdom of Dalmasca which you and us and a few others saved from the clutches of the Empire. We have met. That happened about a year ago, you and your friends, as well as your step-father came here then by a twist of fate. Do you really not remember?" The older man leaned closer and Vaan smelled the scent of danger and gunpowder from him. A small part of him started to believe that he wasn't dreaming.

"I don't.. but you guys seemed familiar when you came. I just thought it was because.. um..." the boy went quiet again, suddenly embarrassed to say it. Balthier snorted.

"Never mind that now, you rascal. Go home and talk to mister von Rosenburg," sarcasm, again, "and come to us tomorrow. We will talk to your friends later on," he commanded, Fran nodded in addition and Vaan couldn't find it in himself to say no.

"O-okay, but.. okay, I'll.. just go."

He half-ran out of the room, leaving the two to themselves.

"I miss my leather-trousers," Balthier hid a yawn behind his hands. Fran stood up.

"At least you are a Hume, like the rest of this world's population. I wouldn't want to be mistaken for a shameless playboybunny," she said blankly, making the man smirk predatorishly.

"I am the leading man, have you forgotten? I do not mind hiding in the midst of this world for a while, if I get such a fine profit out of this. Though I admit, the air is suffocating here. I pity you, Fran, for you have to hide your true self under a Hume-disguise." If Fran wasn't so used to the man, she would have probably hit him.

Suddenly, she missed her bow. Very much.

–

Sorry for short, short chapter and more confusion that I most likely created.

Next up, Basch's reaction to what Vaan tells him, more visions and some tricky, tricky decisions. The new threat that hangs over Ivalice is.. ?