Disclaimer: I don't own FFXII...crap.
"Check out our merchandise! It's the final day of our end of the month sale!"
Balthier eyed the shouting vendors as they tried to lure customers to their stands. "This is certainly a quaint little town."
Fran tipped a brow. "You come to this conclusion from watching atop a building?"
Balthier straightened his throat. "Well, I'm not sure what kind of warrant Archadies has put up for the return of the ship, so we may as well play it safe and watch from above."
Fran turned to him. "And why would Archadies want your ship?"
Balthier focused absolutely all of his attention on a black beetle crawling in front of his shoe.
Perhaps he should have mentioned that...
"...You stole it?" Surprisingly, Fran's tone was almost— indifferent, so much so that Balthier actually looked up. The viera seemed to be rolling the situation around in her mind for a bit, and Balthier was relieved to see her shrug, and go back to watching the people below.
Balthier smiled. He'd never expected Fran to be so...uncaring. It was a little uplifting, considering the fact that they were actually in serious trouble. After Fran's careful mechanical overhaul on the ship, she'd managed to restore the back-up engine, and the ship was able to fly for a time, on nothing but electricity in the generator. However, it was still imperative that they get some gas.
Balthier sighed. This was a particularly rural town and it seemed as though the place hardly knew what an airship was, let alone have any fuel– not that he could afford it.
Standing, Balthier dusted the bits of sand from his pants and shirt. He may as well have a look around.
"Let's get a closer look." He held out his hand.
Fran looked at him oddly before grasping it, and allowing him to help her to her feet.
Balthier climbed down the side of the building, landing into an alley below, with a cloud of sand and dust at his feet. Fran landed without a sound.
The pair made their way to the main street. Venders were still yelling their pitches at the people as they walked past.
Balthier's eyes wandered over various potions and trinkets, along with several bottles; the contents of which he didn't want to know. Honestly, his intention of landing was in fact to find gas, or food, or perhaps some of the other necessities he'd heedlessly left at home. Of corse, this was impossible due to the fact that he was profoundly short on gil.
He looked to Fran who had a distinct frown on her face. Children ran around, narrowly missing her legs as they chased one another. A few other people stared, not used to the sight of a viera.
Balthier chuckled. He was glad that he'd been able to convince her of leaving her bow and arrows in the ship.
After passing a few more tents, Balthier began to feel the extent of no gil. There were so many supplies he still needed, and he found that the few rations of food left over in the back of their ship wasn't nearly enough to last very long if it were just him, let alone Fran.
He passed a tent of armaments, this one operated by a particularly fractious seeq. However, that didn't stop Balthier from looking. He stopped in front of the humble shop, and looked over the various daggers, short swords, and...guns?
Against one of the makeshift canvas walls hung a single barrel rifle, light weight, ornate in design with an antiquated finish— the most perfect weapon of projectile warfare he'd ever seen!
He looked over at Fran who hadn't bothered to say anything. She took to looking at the bows of differing sizes and styles along the back wall.
The seeq squealed irritably. "Hurry and find somethin' you like. A fellow would like to close shop and take himself a bit of a nap."
Balthier straightened his throat. "How much for that fine piece of equipment there on the wall over there?"
The seeq gave a piggish grunt. "The Altair? Far more than your wee pockets can handle. Don't make 'em like that anymore. "
Balthier's eyes widened as the seeq continued to describe the weapon.
"Excellent firing range, minimal maintenance, heh, if I was one for the battling scene, I'd take it up myself!" He squealed jovially.
"How much is it?" Balthier asked again.
At this Fran looked up, abandoning the selection of bows, and took interest in the conversation.
"Nothing short of 30,000 gil. I ain't the hagglin' type either, so none of that bargainin' stuff. The price is the price."
Balthier nodded. "We'll think on it. Come on Fran."
Fran shot Balthier a look as soon as they were a few vendors past the irritated seeq.
"What are you planning?"
Balthier looked up at her. "If we are to continue on like this, I see it only fit that I obtain a weapon. I have to protect what's ours don't I?"
Fran narrowed her eyes slightly. "You have not the means to purchase that gun."
Balthier lifted a brow. "How did you figure that?"
Fran smirked. "You offered me a place as co-pilot on the ship, rather than offering me any sum of gil."
"Oh." Balthier shrugged. "It seemed to work out, didn't it?"
Fran remained silent.
XxX
Soon, Balthier and Fran reached the end of the street. Vendors continued to yell and shout, advertizing their supplies. It seemed that the market had gotten quite a bit larger. More people were shoving through the street. Parents were attempting to calm their children from the excitement of the crowd, loud raucous men attempted to barter with the shop owners, and women had their hands full of baskets and crates of things they'd purchased.
Fran was becoming increasingly more nettled with the size of the crowd and the noise it yielded. Balthier noticed this, and he hoped she wouldn't snap and take it out on the large crowd. He decided it was best to take her attention from the market goers.
"Do you see anything you like? Perhaps a new bow?"
She turned to him and frowned. The potions there were a frivol compared to even the most novice slave maker, and the bows they were trying to sell were ridiculously flimsy. There wasn't a chance that they'd stay together during a battle.
"I think not."
Balthier shrugged. "Alright, well, could I convince you to stand the crowd a bit longer? I want to take one last look."
Fran folded her arms. She didn't see anything there worth looking at.
They passed a few more shops, and Fran found themselves back directly in front of the armory again.
"Excuse me," Balthier walked up to the seeq, who had retreated to the back of his tent and was comfortably sitting on a wooden crate.
The seeq squealed and narrowed his tiny eyes. "What do you want?"
Balthier smirked. "I think I will take that gun." He reached forward, snatched the weapon from the wall and took off in a sprint.
Fran looked at Balthier a bit stunned, but she quickly followed him.
The seeq squealed madly, attempting to jump over the wares in front of him. One of his short, chubby legs caught the stand, and with a high pitched yell, the entire tent fell over on top of him. The confused market goers quickly started moving to the side as a man and a viera shortly behind him ran as fast as they could out of the market.
XxX
Balthier grinned. As he held the Altair in his hands. Surprisingly he'd gotten away without so much as a scratch on its perfectly crafted barrel.
Balthier continued to beam at his weapon, It was perfect. He couldn't have asked for a finer
piece. Of course, there was a multitude of things he could have stolen in place of the gun (food, a first aid kit, money, etc.), but in seeing it for the first time, much like his ship, he had to have it.
Fran was seated in the co-pilot seat next to him, arms folded looking out into the distance.
She turned to him.
"Is this what you plan to do with the rest of your life?"
Balthier looked up, caught a little off guard by the question, but then he smiled, setting the Altair by his chair.
"It wouldn't be such a bad life, would it?"
Fran said nothing, but turned her gaze back to the sky.
Well, that's that. I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you thought with a review!
