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.

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Departure

Balthier watched Vaan, still in the form of the Myst sleep. He couldn't help but run a gentle hand over a large scaly cheek as he slept, his enormous chest gently expand as he breathed in and out. He heard Jytr move and slowly moan as she woke up.

"You're still here," she said.

"Of course, where else would I be?" he said with a small smirk.

"I thought you said you were going to kill the Myst," she accused him.

"I was," he agreed, nodding.

Jytr waited for him to say more. Balthier just continued to look at Vaan, his face blank, but his eyes seemed to shine as if holding back some secret.

"What are you hiding?"

"Who says I'm hiding anything?" he answered back, realising it was pointless to deny he was hiding his emotions to a Viera outright.

"No one, but your eyes give you away,"

"Maybe I am, but it is of no concern of yours," Balthier finally looked at her.

"You're right, it isn't, but it is clear you need to tell someone,"

Balthier chuckled to himself, "I will, in my own time,"

Jytr shook her head, "Even for a Hume you are confusing,"

"How so?"

"One moment you're threatening to kill the Myst, the next you look at it as if it's something special, a loved one," Balthier started, he couldn't help it, the comment was too close to the mark for comfort.

"I am right am I not?"

"Yes," Balthier's face hardened, hoping that the Viera would leave the subject at that, no such luck.

"What is your connection to the Myst?" Jytr just looked at him in the silent, unnerving way all Viera looked with, both intimidating and yet comforting at the same time.

Balthier shuddered, "He was a Hume once, two years ago he disappeared, because…I, turned him away, I guess the Mist changed him into this,"

"And?"

"And what? There's nothing else to tell,"

"Do you love him?"

Balthier sighed, "Yes,"

"Then why did you turn him away?"

Balthier paused, as if considering his answer, "I do not know,"

Jytr was silent for a moment, her eyes studying him, "You Humes are confusing,"

Balthier watched as she walked over to one of the exits waiting for the Myst to awaken so they could leave. He thought about what she had said and smirked to himself, his hand not leaving Vaan's scaly cheek.

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Penelo stood in front of a shop in Rabanastre holding a small crystal up to the sun, watching how the light shattered into so many different colours, a rainbow dancing in her hand. So far the hunt for the Myst had not gone well. Many hunters had left the hunt because of their wounds; several had died from creatures that shouldn't be out of the Feywood or the Pharos. Even worse was the disappearance of Balthier. The Sky Pirate had last been seen in the Garif Village before he rented a chocobo, they could only guess that he had been killed or captured by the Vayne Loyalists, the Viera had told them about the gunshots and sounds of fighting, but what troubled her most was the Mist that had been present when she'd gone, along with Basch to check and realised the Myst had passed through again.

Penelo put the crystal back, letting it float back to the others, somersaulting and dancing around in the air before coming to a standstill. Fran seemed to be affected the worst out of them, but then, Penelo reminded herself, Fran had known the Sky Pirate the longest and would undoubtedly feel the pain of his disappearance.

"Penelo," the girl looked up to see Basch walking towards her from the Clan Centurio building.

"Basch, what is it? Have they found Balthier?"

"No, but Larsa is worried about you, the evidence of the Loyalists in Golmore Jungle has a lot of people scared,"

"I'm capable of looking after myself, Larsa knows that,"

"He does indeed, but you can also help calm people down, and the added protection in Archadia and Rabanastre would help set hi and mine at ease,"

Penelo paused, mulling over what Basch had just said, "I suppose you are right, but until Balthier is found I'm going to keep looking, with any luck he's found Vaan as well,"

"What makes you so sure?" Basch asked his confusion evident on his face.

"Just a feeling, I just know that their both safe and…I don't know,"

"Make sure you are back in the city before Nightfall," Basch said before walking away.

"I will," Penelo almost skipped towards Migelo's to stook up on a few provisions before she left for Giza.

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Fran stood looking into the forest just far enough away from the village to feel comfortable, her ears twitched as she sniffed the wind. The mist still clung to the trees, some monsters feeding on it like the drunks she had occasionally seen around the inns she had travelled to with Balthier.

If Penelo had seen her she would know she was right about her feeling worried, almost visibly scared, the news of Balthier vanishing just a outside Eruyt village made it all the worse, she had been so close to saving him.

But something prevented her from worrying too much, she didn't know how, but she knew he was safe, and had found some answers to the questions he had once had, ones she had noticed had been plaguing him for almost two years, she knew they were to do with Vaan despite how much the Sky Pirate had Denied it.

A breeze rustled the branches and leaves that littered the forest path, and Fran Smiled.

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Hope you enjoyed Chapter 14, and sorry for those of you who have been writing to me about updating but I just can't seem to write at the moment so it may be a while before I update again, it may not, so please, continue to read, enjoy and review!