Chapter 3: Basch and Co.
Ewok asked for the direction to the bathroom, hoping to get a drink, perhaps splash some water on her face to get rid of the murky tiredness that seemed to be creeping into her veins. After gaining her bearings, and muttering about the lack of a minimap, she headed off, through the small ship, getting lost even though it wasn't larger than the average apartment. Eventually, she found the bathroom. She pressed the open keypad and the hydraulics hissed. She would have proceeded to the sink but it was blocked by a man whose fashion sense seemed to have gone on the last airship out of Dalmasca. He had his back to her, and she could see the rough weave of a red vest, tan shorts with armour and shoes which seemed a mix between sandals and boots. He was leaning close to the mirror, just finishing shaving. He must have caught sight of her in the mirror, because he spun and looked at the short girl staring gob smacked at him. Of course she knew Basch would be here, but seeing him in the flesh really brought it home to her. She wasn't on earth anymore.
"Hi" she said in a small voice. For a stoic ex-knight he sure was intimidating.
"Hello" his voice was deep and husky, and she almost fainted. Much better than in the game. "Who are you?"
"I'm Ewok" she grinned, a safeguard against hyperventilation and possible drooling, "Balthier summoned me from Earth"
"Ah" understanding flickered in his eyes. "Fran told him not too. I am Basch" He reached out and took her hand in his, gripping it lightly. "What causes you to visit the bathroom, Ewok?" he said in all seriousness.
"Uh, just wanted to get a drink of water. Balthier said to go to the bathroom" It took all her self control not to start rolling around on the floor laughing. He was hilarious.
"Aye" he put down his razor, and grabbed a cup that he proceeded to fill with water. What an old-fashioned gentleman, exactly the opposite Balthier, who made up for this with his oozing charisma and charm. Accepting the cup with good grace, she thanked him and turned out of the bathroom where she leaned against the wall and sipped the flavourless liquid, trying to clear her head. Her thoughts were muddled, she couldn't sort them out. Finishing her drink, and still totally and utterly confused, she was about to turn back into the bathroom to put the cup back when two teenagers ran into her, bowling her over. Wincing slightly as she hit the hard floor of the airship, she gazed up at the pair. A boy with platinum blonde hair and a bizarre metal vest which hardly covered his chest looked down at her in confusion, as did a girl with blonde hair in two small plaits.
"Uh, sorry about Vaan" the girl with plaits called Penelo apologised.
"Hey, it's your fault too!" Vaan replied. "Anyway, who are you? Are you a sky pirate?"
Basch poked his head out of the bathroom, looking for the source of the commotion. Seeing Ewok sprawled on the ground, the knight helped the fazed girl to her feet. "Vaan, Penelo, don't run in the airship, Balthier will kill you… "
"And I can see you all over the security cameras, so you two, watch where you're going. And I swear Vaan, I will confiscate all of your Ethers if you keep running around like that…" the sky pirate's voice crackled over though the intercom.
"Basch, who's this?" Penelo asked.
"This is Ewok, she'd from Earth"
"Oh…right, so she's not a sky pirate" Vaan asked disappointed.
"…Not yet", Ewok grinned.