ff-kh-luvrgrl: i'm SOOOOOOOO sorry! ((falls at your feet and sobs in apology))
please forgive me! i've been busy with school, activities, and my other stories. I haven't been able to play ffxii lately, so i haven't really been inspired or whatever to write more of this story. (for some reason, ffx-2 inspires me to update MWB. Oh, well.) i'm forcing myself to write this because one of my reviewers from Master Will Burn commented on this fic as well, and as my excuse for being stuck was destroyed a while ago, i decided to kick myself into action!
this chap is dedicated to ExileFromLife, who generously gave me her opinion on something, and kelly116, who reviewed my two (active) multi-chap fics and got me off my lazy butt.
Peter: ff-kh-luvrgrl does not own Final Fantasy XII or any of the characters in this story. Don't sue!
me: also, i will be skipping some of the more... embarrassing scenes. have fun reading!
ON WITH THE FIC!
OoOoOoOoOoO
Remember me?
chapter 8
October 31, 2007
November 1, 2007
OoOoO
((A/N: i'm starting from right after "Lamont" joins the party. no complaining.))
((Vaan POV... he's so fun to write as!))
As we approached the mines, Balthier turned towards me. "The Lhusu mines: one of the richest veins in Ivalice."
"Under Imperial Guard, no doubt," Basch grumbled unhappily.
"Actually," Lamont inputted, "no. With but a few exceptions, the Imperial Army is not permitted within Bhujerba." We all stared at him wondering how he knew this. Or, at least, I did. This kid just shows up and decides he'll stay with us. Oh well, I don't really mind. It's nice to not be the youngest in the group! "Well, shall we proceed?"
Looking at the others, I see Basch and Balthier look at each other with a mix of surprise and amusement. Turning back, I see Lamont walking away, so I follow him, hearing the others behind me. After walking a few yards, however, I feel someone grab onto my arm and pull me back, Lamont quickly walking a few steps backwards to our little hideout. Balthier is still holding onto my arm as we hear the heavy clanking of a Judge's armor, almost covering the soft, padded footsteps of the elderly-ish man with him as well as the footsteps of the two aids following them closely.
"You will forgive me for asking," says a slightly accented voice, echoing slightly from the Judge's helmet. The hand on my arm tightens slightly, trying to pull me farther into hiding, as the other group is getting closer, but I ignore it, choosing to focus on what the Judge is saying. "But you are diverting the purest of the magicite-"
"I can assure you," the older man interrupts, "it reaches Lord Vayne most discretely." I ear a creepy chuckle issue from the Judge at this statement.
"You wear your saddle well."
"Be that as it may, I have no intention of being bridled, your Honor." Ooh, this guy is gonna be in trouble... I think...
"Then you prefer the whip? Stubbornness will you not only broken, Excellency, but Bhujerba as well." Excellency? This guy's royal? Okay, so maybe he won't be in trouble. The group disappears from our view, and Lamont waits a second to come out of hiding. Before he does however, I start to turn... and see Balthier staring daggers at the person holding my arm. Whipping around, I can feel my eyes widen when I see Basch standing directly behind me.
"Halim Ondore IV," Lamont states. I yank my arm, and Basch lets go immediately. I take a few steps away, covering it up by walking toward Lamont, who is still speaking, "the Marquis of Bhujerba. The Marquis served at mediator at the Negotiations of Dalmasca's surrender. It would appear that he is somewhat less neutral now." Man, where did this kid learn all of this?
They say he's been helping the Resistance," Balthier intones. Lamont turns his head towards him sharply.
"They say many things," he states, somewhat annoyed.
"You're seriously well informed," Balthier says suspiciously. Where is he going with this? "Who did you say you were again?"
"What difference does it make?" I interrupt, walking forward again. Either Basch wasn't watching where he was going, or he meant to get that close... "We have to find Penelo." Looking back, I see a slightly hurt expression flash across Balthier's face.
"And Penelo is your-" Lamont starts, but I interrupt him.
"She's a friend," I state, still looking straight at Balthier. Tearing my eyes from his, I look at Lamont, who is staring at me questioningly. "She was kidnapped and taken here." Out of the corner of my eye, I see someone moving. Too close! I run toward the entrance to the mines, the rest of the group following me.
OoOoO
me: and that's the end of the chapter!
good-bye!
just kidding! I wouldn't do that to you guys, not after you've been waiting so long.
well, back to the story!
OoOoO
((Missing a bit... let's just say they kicked some major fiend ass... they've reached that one mining site now...))
"This is what I came here to see," Lamont stated, pulling something out of his pocket. Vaan, curious as per usual, Leans in to get a closer look.
"What's that?"
"It's nethicite," Lamont explains, "manufactured nethicite."
"...Nethicite?"
"Unlike regular magicite, nethicite absorbs magickal energy. This is the fruit of research into the manufacture of Nethicite. All at the hands of the Draklor Laboratory."
Balthier starts, but no one seems to notice. Lamont stands up and starts to walk further ahead. "So this is where they're getting the magicite," he muses to himself.
"Errand all attended to, then?" Balthier asks the boy, approaching him.
"Thank you," Lamont tells him, not paying attention to what Balthier is doing. "I'll repay you shortly."
"No, you'll repay us now. We have too much on our hands to go on holding yours. And where did you hear this fairytale about "nethicite"? And where did you get that sample you carry? What do you know about the Draklor Laboratories?" By this time, Balthier has back Lamont up to the wall. The others look on in interest as Balthier puts his hand on the wall, blocking Lamont's escape. "Tell me, who are you?"
"Balthier-" Vaan begins, but is cut off.
"You kept us waiting, Balthier!" An ugly baanga appears from behind the group, three other Baangas soon emerging as well. "You slipped away in Nalbina. We missed you. First the Judge, and now this boy. The whole affair has the smell of money about it. I may have to wet my beak a little."
"Keep your snout in the trough where it belongs," Balthier says insultingly, turning toward that baanga. "This thinking ill befits you, Ba'Gamnan." Said Baanga growls in frustration.
"Balthier! Too long have I gone unpaid! I'll carve my bounty out of that boy!" Balthier's eyes widen slightly, and he unconsciously takes a step towards Vaan.
"Where's Penelo?" Vaan demands. "We're taking her back!"
"The girl? Why keep the bait when you've landed the fish? We cut her loose on the way here and off she ran, crying like a babe!" Ba'Gamnan taunts.
Suddenly, Lamont throws the nethicite at Ba'Gamnan's head, causing the baanga to lose his balance. He runs past the baangas, grabbing the nethicite as he passes it. Balthier is the first to follow, shoving Ba'Gamnan aside as he passes. Fran steps on the baanga as she trails Balthier closely, Basch and Vaan a bit behind her.
"Hey!" Vaan says as Fran turns a corner, leaving his and Basch's sights.
"After them!" Ba'Gamnan orders, and the two hear the four baangas as they give chase.
"Hey, wait up!"
"We'll not be able to take them all!" Balthier states as Vaan and Basch reach the other two. Lamont is already far ahead. "Fight who we must, leave the rest." The party takes off as they hear the other group catching up. Ignoring the attacking fiends, they focus only on losing the baangas.
Hurt and exhausted, they cross into another section, where they pause to catch their breath.
"It would not seem they follow. We've lost them," Fran states, and the party heaves a sigh of relief. They take a minute to heal each other before continuing on to the entrance where Lamont - and a big surprise - awaits them.
"I see you've been out walking without the company of your cortege... Lord Larsa," the Judge states when he sees Lamont.
Vaan and Balthier glance at each other in surprise, then closely watch the scene. The judge indicates someone who the two cannot see. "We caught her wandering out of the mines. You must take care with such undesirables about."
"I was kidnapped-" a familiar voice begins, causing Vaan to straighten, eyes wide. Balthier grabs onto him to keep him from running out.
"Silence!" the Judge orders Penelo.
"If it is a crime to wander on one's own...Then I, too, am guilty," Lamont tells the Judge. He turns to the older man. "Marquis. I trust that your estate can accommodate another guest?" The man nods slightly.
"Why not?" Lamont turns back to the Judge.
"Judge Ghis, I shall heed your counsel. I will not travel unaccompanied any longer." Walking up to Penelo, Lamont grabs her hand and guides her away.
"That was unexpected," Judge Ghis states.
"Thank you, Penelo," Lamont says just loud enough for Vaan and Balthier to hear.
"O-Of course," she replies.
"What's Penelo doing?" Vaan whispers to Balthier. "And what's the deal with that Lamont?"
"That's no 'Lamont'," Balthier murmurs in response. "Larsa Ferrinas Solidor. Fourth son to Emperor Gramis... and brother to Vayne."
"What? That kid?!"
"Do not worry," Fran states, walking up beside the two. "I believe he will treat her well."
Balthier grins at Vaan. "Nobody knows men like Fran does."
"Our purposes lead the same way: to Ondore. We must find means to approach him," Basch remarks.
"The Marquis is channeling money to organizations opposing the Empire. We'll start there," Balthier replies as they leave the Lhusu mines.
"Marquis Ondore announced my execution 2 years ago. If news of my survival were to spread, the Marquis may find his position compromised," Basch remarked thoughtfully.
The men he's funding bear little love for the Empire. They won't be thrilled to discover that the rumors of your death were, in fact, greatly exaggerated. If we were to raise a clamor to that effect, we might just get their attention."
"Nothin' to it!" Vaan declared. "I'll just go around town spreading the word."
OoOoOoOoOoO
me: weeeeeeeeeeeell? whadja think?
btw, i'm so sorry if there are any strangely spelled words in here. the english dictionary thing in my spellchecker decided that any group of letters is spelled correctly - even if it's gibberish. (grr...) so now, i have to use the British English and Canadian English (which are pretty much the same), where some words are spelled differently, so i'm sorry if anything looks weird.
Also, did you know that the guy who voices Ba'Gamnan is the same guy that voices Vincent Valentine from FF7 (in AC and Dirge of Cerberus)?