It's finally here! yeah! Well it's Vaan, Basch, and Fran. Time is broken and it's up to them to fix it. I also feel my writing has improved in this chapter I guess. Enjoy!

Broken Shards

Vaan winced in the dull light, a dark wall of stone between his eyes. His nose brushed against its rough surface and claustrophobia made his breath short. He gasped and shoved against the barrier in panic, he couldn't breath. The ground gave way beneath him and a surprised yelp escaped his mouth. He hit the ground and it stole the air from his lungs, convulsing he clutched his side in pain.

High above him was a narrow bench Vaan groaned and rolled to escape its sickening plainness, and his eyes befell a lock of tangled white hair. Vaan sat up; Fran's flawless face was statue still. He pushed himself towards her and entered the halo of cold that wreathed her body. It frightened him when he shook her freezing arm and her eyes remained closed like a real statue.

Vaan pulled himself to his feet, and almost fell as blood rushed from his head and into his toes. The room's width was barely longer than the span of his arms. He stumbled to the door and put his ear to it, voices bled through but only a murmur of the loudest words. Vaan grabbed the latch and gently pulled; the door gave way to his touch. He opened it a fraction of an inch and peered into the room beyond.

He wasn't what you would call a mastermind, but he was good enough a thief to check if the coast were clear. People sat around a table, arguing. The door creaked as he slid it farther open and Vaan slid back into the dark. A Bangaa turned her head, and was at the room sniffing around. "Don't lie boy; I know you're awake in there." she whisper sticky sweet. Vaan stifled his breath and slid into the dark, but the Bangaa was unshakable. "Hey! It's awake, what should I do with em?"

The lizard pressed her eye to the door crack, and Vaan imagined it laughing perversely. The yellow slits disappeared and Vaan sucked in a lungful of air, pushing away sinister thoughts. His fingers curled into fists as the door creaked open and he threw himself with a half feral cry. He charged into the bright light and a stunning whap to the head stopped him dead. "Gee, try ta show yew some fudgin' cour'sesy and all ye Humes wan' ta do is figh'."

The Bangaa gave a mighty shove and threw Vaan forth into the beyond. It was a small room in dark paneling, windows were absent and the best relief on its walls was the door, guarded by Seeq and Bangaa alike. Mismatched chairs sat around a grand dark wooded table, inlaid with fine silver lines in the shapes of the clouds. The assortment of mugs and glasses sitting about, or being held, reflected the various species there, not just Bangaa as Vaan had feared, but it ranged from Hume to Moogle, with everything in between. Rank didn't seem to be determined by money, for some wore fine silk and soft leather sandals, while others possessed worn leather, or metal adornments that had lost their burnish.

Vaan winced anticipating another blow to the head, but none came; he apprehensively looked around the room crushed by their stares, and on the other side of the table, bless the gods sat Basch. He rushed towards the captain in relief, but a strong arm grabbing his shoulder stopped him.

"Do you know who that man is?" The voice was heavy with Bhujerban guile; Vaan caught the captain's eyes, as he was turned around to face the Bhujerban.

"He's Captain Basch Fon Ronsenburg." Vaan declared bluntly, as he stared into not so friendly brown eyes, the man had a shadow of a smirk.

"That he is boy, and he's why you're here." Vaan was pushed towards an open chair near Basch.

"What did you do to Fran? How come she isn't waking up?" Vaan stopped and rubbed the lump on his head; he looked at Basch, "What did they do? She was hardly breathing." His voice was almost a whisper by the time he stumbled the rest of the way to his chair.

"The resistance doesn't take to bribing anymore; or do you get tired of waiting for what you want?" Acid may not have seeped from Basch's calm voice, but his eyes glowed with contempt.

"You're the resistance?" Vaan plopped down into his chair and stared at the room in surprise. The man had a tight smile on his still youthful face, ignoring him.

"I'm surprised that you'll even co-operate with us captain." He was talking to Basch and Basch only, "I honestly thought a man of your…standing…would be off doing something else." Vaan looked from the captain's burning eyes to the resistance's spokesperson.

"Hey, if you wanted to know what he was doing why did you attack us? You could have just followed and found out." Basch glanced at him, obviously telling Vaan not to get involved, but that fire had died in the Captains eyes.

The man noticed but let his wry, youthful tongue get the best of him. "We were following you, for quite a while, and you did nothing." He retorted smartly.

Basch's eyes didn't reignite, "One cannot seek, for which they do not know hides." Basch replied gruffly, the brown eyed Bhujerban pulled out a chair, and sat with a pensive expression.

"Could you blame our anxiousness, with the 'kingslayer' on our doorstep?" He rubbed his chin and looked across the table to Vaan and Basch, "Could you imagine what it was like watching a dead man walk the streets of the city you protect, watching a man who had been called a murderer among other things, walk those streets alive when your leader had sworn he was dead. A man, which you knew nothing about, a man who is dead. How would he make you feel?"

Vaan ground his teeth as the man sat arrogantly over him, "Nervous?" he croaked. The man looked at him as if he didn't realize Vaan existed prior to that moment, and the corner of Basch's mouth twitched, Vaan could have sworn it was a smile. The resistance man leaned back in his chair looking almost perplexed.

"Nervous, is not how I would put it…what was your name Bharda?" He said it with a sigh and friendly voice, and shot an anything but friendly glare at Vaan.

"None of your busi—"

"His name is Vaan, and his brother died at the hands of mine; fallen with Nalbina." The man looked at Vaan with serious eyes.

"It's not about you, captain; it's about how you'll affect our operations here, and now. Weather you chose to murder in the past, or no, you are what you are to the masses and what you do will weigh heavily with us." He narrowed his eyes, "I would tell me what that choice may be, or else it might dark in your future again."

Basch gave a grim smile, "The man who does another man's dirty work is never properly or kindly repaid." The Bhujerban looked away obstinately.

"Tell us what you are about captain and you can be free of us." He announced slowly, his accent barbing it with distaste and frustration. Vaan kept his mouth shut in determination, but Basch's was slowly ebbing away.

Fran suddenly appeared from within the closet's interior, and strode past the resistance members slowly. Stopping in front of the brown-eyed man and taking her time to stare about the room, while ignoring the touch of his surprised, greedy, and angry eyes. "If you wish to know our purpose, then we must trust our confided. Deemed fit you would, if you aid us in finding our missing companions. Then it would only be fair to tell of our plans."

The Bhujerban locked eyes with her, "How would you know this? Viera." She to stand behind Vaan, and met the teen's stare with a nod.

"Even if one cannot respond it does not mean they cannot hear; I also have news of my own I must share if we are to find Balthier and Penelo once more." The Bhujerban leaned back in his chair with a sigh staring without really seeing the ceiling.

"Given Bharda I have little other choices to choose. There is something still weaving and I will not get in the way. There is reason a man who is dead breaths and I am eager to know." He shook his head, as if he was regretting all he was saying to them. "What is the news that you have learned Viera?"

Fran pulled out a chair and sat effortlessly sitting lightly upon it.

"My name would be Fran, and the wrought has already been broken. We merely try to fix it." The Bhujerban shot her a uncertain glance, wondering what the Viera Fran referred to, something did seem to askew, if it was this war had even happened, then it had been wrong for countless year.

Surely, I would have felt it before now. It could not be that, this was not broken before now. There must be something else, but what? I hope it was good, and the deal with the Bangaa is that She lisps, I wanted her to have a bigger role in here, but I just couldn't find room :( Maybe she'll have the spotlight a little later on XD