Summary; It's been 2 years since the Bahamut. Larsa and Penelo are engaged, Basch is captain of the army of Rabanastre, Ashe has been repairing Rabanastre after the it has once again been freed and Balthier and Fran have returned to skypirating, searching for treasures. But what of Vaan? And what about the talks of a strange creature in the Nabreus Deadlands that has defeated every hunter that challenges it? When Balthier and Fran hear about it they immediately take the hunt, but why does the creature act so strangely, and who's the stranger that's following them?
Disclaimer; I do not own Final Fantasy 12, except as a copy of the game on my PS2.
………………………………………………………………………………………...
Baltheir gave a small moan as he slowly came to. He opened his bleary eyes and looked around the room he suddenly found himself in. It appeared to be a ruin of some kind, the decorated amber coloured floor reminded him a little of the Necrohol of Nabudis and the Sochen Cave Palace, in front of him lay a figure surrounded by Magicite. As he pushed himself onto his arms he heard a moan come from the figure as it to began to wake up. Only to be accompanied with the sound of a large creature walking towards them.
………………………………………………………………………………………………...
Finding Comfort in the Strangest Places
The figure moaned again, Balthier was sure it would wake up; instead it fell asleep once more. Balthier cursed in his head as the sound of the approaching creature grew. The pirate stayed as still as possible, hoping that if he didn't move than the creature would miss him, though he knew it was probably an impossible hope.
He froze, completely still; if anyone had looked they would have thought he was either a statue or dead. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a large claw stop next to him, other than that he couldn't see a thing of the creature, he assumed was hovering over him, about to devour him. To say he was surprised when the beast lay down next to him was an understatement. After a few minutes of waiting for any sign of movement Balthier began to feel drowsy. He felt his eyelids grow heavy as he realised a sleep spell had been used on him, he tried to fight it, but found himself quickly being overpowered by the magic of the spell as his mind fell into oblivion.
He didn't know how long he had slept, but when he opened his eyes he quickly realised the beast had gone, he no longer felt its overwhelming presence nearby. The pirate pushed himself up to see if the creature had really left. When he saw no sign of life, other than the figure in front of him, he breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he would get the chance to live another day.
He heard the figure moan again, and this time he heard the rustle of cloth as its body began to move. Balthier stared at the figure as it pushed itself up, quickly realising it was a Viera, though her ears looked bedraggled. He froze when the Viera turned to face him.
"Who are you?" the Viera's eyes were hard and intimidating. Balthier didn't say a word as she looked him up and down.
"Who are you?" she demanded, Balthier noticed she was being careful how she moved and saw several recently healed wounds on her arms, legs and waist, "Why are you here?"
"Who are you?" Balthier returned, his pride refused to let him back down.
The Viera seemed surprised at Balthier's come-back, at least she looked surprised, despite having been travelling with Fran for so many years he still found it hard to tell what the Viera were thinking or feeling.
"I am Jytr, now who are you?"
Balthier froze again at the mention of the name. Jytr, but she was dead, killed by the Myst, how was it possible for her to be here.
"I'll ask again but be warned my patience is wearing thin. Who. Are. You?"
Balthier hesitated, but the Viera's glare made him hurry, "…Balthier, my name is Balthier,"
Now it was the Viera's turn to be surprised, "The sky pirate? The one who travels with Fran?"
Balthier simply nodded, ignoring the Viera's surprised look; one few people out side of the Viera ever saw. Jytr quickly turned serious as she looked at the pirate.
"What are you doing here?"
"I don't know," Balthier shook his head, "I was attacked in Golmore Jungle by Vayne Loyalists, now I wake up here,"
"He saved you," Jytr closed her eyes in thought.
"…saved me? Who? Who saved me?" Balthier prodded.
"Perhaps it would be best if you left,"
"Not until you tell me what you meant. You're supposed to be dead, killed by the Myst, but you're here, why?!" Balthier demanded.
Jytr looked away, as if ashamed, or afraid of something.
"This has something to do with the Myst doesn't it?" it was more of a statement than a question, "Where is it?" Balthier demanded, his eyes burning, "I'll kill that monster by myself if I have to!"
Balthier stood up and made to leave, only to be stopped by Jytr as threw herself onto his arm, clingin to him, refusing to let him go, her own eyes burning with determination.
"You will do no such thing!" she hissed.
Balthier paused mid-step at the tone of the Viera, he glanced down at her as she tried to stay up, though she was already starting to collapse as her leg brushed the ground.
"Why do you say that?"
"You have no idea…" Jytr shook her head, "The Myst is the one that saved you just as it saved me, when I was first tracking the Myst I was attacked by fiends, there were too many for me to handle, when I thought I was about to die, the Myst saved me, over time it's been healing me as well, you see the Magicite," she gestured at the Magicite that had surrounded her, "the Myst gathered it and used it to heal me…argh!" Jytr yelled as a searing pain ripped through her body, a cut that ran across her stomach and leg had opened and blood was starting to pour out of it.
Balthier didn't waste time on words; instead he hurried back to the circle of Magicite and set her down in the middle of it.
"Thank you…" the Viera muttered as she fought the pain.
"Don't talk," Balhtier looked at the wound and quickly used Curaga to stop the bleeding, "Just sleep,"
"Thank you," the Viera muttered again as she let herself fall into oblivion.
Balthier stood there, crouched over the sleeping Viera for a while, he didn't know how long he had stayed like that, but the next thing he knew was him whirling around at the sound of a pebble bouncing on the floor.
Behind him, standing just behind a cave wall, on hand resting on the stone, though when Balthier looked closer he saw it was gripping tightly to the wall, as if afraid, was a figure in a tatty old cloak.
"Vaan…?" Balthier watched as the figure pulled the hood down to reveal Vaan's face, tight and drawn with worry and fear.
Balthier stood up, "Vaan," he whispered softly, and, like a dog being called by its master, the thief ran towards him, arms flying wide at the last moment as Vaan latched onto him, burying his head into the pirate's chest as tears started to flow from his eyes.
"Balthier," said pirate felt his heart flutter as his name passed the lips of the boy.
"Vaan what are you doing here, it's dangerous, the Myst could come at any time," Balthier held the thief tighter while his eyes searched the cavern. Despite Jytr's talk on how it had been the Myst that had saved him and her, he still didn't trust it.
"I…I…" Balthier felt Vaan freeze in his arms, "I know it's dangerous," the sky pirate looked down at the thief incredulously, "Then what are you doing here, the Myst could come back any time," he looked Vaan in the pleadingly.
"It already is," he whispered.
Balthier looked at the boy as he watched him walk away from him, stopping only when he was several feet away from the sky pirate.
"Balthier…I'm sorry," with that simple sentence, Vaan closed his eyes.
"Vaan…?" Balthier asked, confused, he wanted to know what was wrong with Vaan, why was he acting this way.
His question was answered as Vaan began changing right in front of his eyes. Mist seemed to pour out of the young boy as his body stretched and twisted, falling onto all fours as his skin was covered in grey, white and silver scales. His nails grew into monstrous claws and his cloak fell to the ground as a pair of wings sprouted from his shoulders, a smaller set sprouting off the main pair. His golden amulet grew with him, looking like a giant collar. Around one foot a small binding ring appeared, slowly rotating around it, the points looking sharp and deadly. A tail burst from the boy's waist, long and powerful, another, larger binding ring appearing on it as well.
Vaan's face pushed out into an enormous snout as his mouth became full of large fangs and his hair spread, becoming a long shaggy mane several feather like protrusions resting among it at odd intervals. Balthier noticed another binding ring on Vaan's opposite hind leg appear. A wolf like mask appeared over Vaan's head, an intricate pattern barely visible etched onto it and a Fenrir like horn in the middle.
"You're the Myst…?" Balthier stumbled backwards as he stared at the creature Vaan had become. So many things seemed t fall into place for him, why the Myst had appeared, what had happened to Vaan, so many things were clearer now.
Balthier watched as the Myst, Vaan he corrected, turned his head away in shame, his eyes tightly closed.
"Vaan, I'm sorry…" Balthier breathed as he felt his strength leave him. He almost collapsed onto the floor when Vaan's enormous head was right next to him, giving him support. Balthier weakly raised a hand and stroked Vaan's cheek. Vaan leaned into the gentle touch, a small tear leaked from the corner of one eye.
Balthier seemed to sense Vaan's inner turmoil had quickly placed his arms as best as he could around his snout attempting a comforting hug. He felt Vaan pause as he gave a small comforting smile, Vaan smiled inwardly to himself, though it showed in his eyes, he realised he was being shown something even rarer than a Viera showing her emotions.
He saw Balthier yawn and gently nudged him. Balthier grinned sheepishly, touched at the concern Vaan was showing him. He yawned again and let go of Vaan's muzzle, laying himself down onto the floor and slowly closing his eyes as he let sleep over take him.
Vaan watched for a moment as Balthier drifted to sleep, glad that he was back with Balthier, glad that he had been able to bring the sky pirate some measure of comfort, just glad that someone knew about him. Stretching, not even caring about the possibility that creatures might try and attack, he quietly laid his enormous bulk down next the sky pirate, curling around him and the Viera slightly to keep them warm, and let himself fall asleep, wishing that this moment could last forever.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
There it is the answer to so many of my reviewer's questions and congratulations to those that figured it out, well, please enjoy and review! Oh! And sorry it took so long to update.