A cloud of smoke came up from Golmore Jungle. A little ways from the exit towards the Paramina Rift was the Strahl's crashing point. From the inside of the ship the two sky pirates began to stir.
"Fran, are you alright?" Balthier asked his partner.
"I am fine, and you?" she replied.
"Could be better if, oh I don't know, maybe me ship hadn't crashed into this God forsaken jungle..." he replied irritably. "Don't suppose we have another stone, do we?"
"We do, but it will not fly. It does not work in Jagd. We will have to leave her, go to Archades, then come back and fix her. Not to mention that I have yet to check the engine to see if it is still functional." she replied.
She went to move and felt a pain sear through her leg. 'I have been injured' she thought to herself as she sighed in defeat. She then looked over to her partner. "You have been cut. Do you require assistance?" the Viera asked.
The former judge looked down at his arm. "Well fancy that." He said as he looked at his partner's leg. "Come Fran; let us go to the medic ward." Balthier said as he pulled himself from under the pilots' seat.
They walked in silence as they proceeded to the ward. "What are you thinking about? Balthier asked, unable to read his partner.
"Nothing." Fran replied. Baltier looked in to her eyes and could tell that she was lying. He then gave her a skeptical look. "Don't tell me then." He said with a slight pout.
"I wish not to speak of it." She said in her usual monotone. They entered the medic ward and a moogle looked up from behind the counter. "What is the matter, kupo?" she asked.
"Did you not feel or hear the ship crash?" Balthier questioned with a hint of irritation.
"We have been injured. Can you cover them?" Fran interrupted before her partner blew a gasket.
"Sure thing, kupo!" Alta the moogle chirped.
As the duo was getting their wounds bandaged, Balthier examined his partner. Fran was staring distantly out of the window. 'What could possibly be bothering her so much?' he contemplated as Alta finished patching up his arm.
"Sir." Alta spoke, breaking Balthier from his thoughts, "Can you please leave the room so that I can finish Miss Fran's wound?" the moogle asked.
"What?" he said at he looked at Fran. His eyes wondered down her cocoa skinned body, taking in her foreign yet familiar beauty. His eye then met his partners injured leg. A sudden sadness over came his body. He remembered his partner after he had to carry her out of the Bahamut. She fell unconscious after she told him that he was a 'supporting role'. He had never felt lonelier. After they escaped the airship, he found himself walking into the village in the Dalmasca Estersand. Once there, she remained unconscious for 2 weeks. Balthier has started to believe that she would never wake up. He had never seen her, his partner, his best friend, his viera, in such a frail state, so lifeless. It was then the pirate realized that he would be empty without her, and that he would do anything to make her happy.
"Balthier, something troubles you?" Fran's voice rang though his head like music.
"No, sorry. You'll be fine?" he asked as she nodded her head yes. "Then I will be making the necessary preparations for us to make our journey to Archades for a new stone." He replied as he walked out. He closed the door and proceeded to the engine room. "NONO!" he yelled and the moogle mechanic walked in.
"Yes, kupo?" he asked.
"Check the engine for damage. If there is any, fix it. Fran and I are going to Archades for a new stone. Can you have it done by the time we get back?" the pirate asked.
"You can count on me, kupo! Though, it would be nice if you would quit trashing her up though." The moogle pouted.
"Alright, Alright. I'll try to take an easy on her." Balthier promised.
In the medic ward, Alta was finishing patching up Fran's wound. "What's wrong, kupo? You seem deep in thought." The moogle shook his pompom.
Fran looked at the moogle. "Nothing that concern's you." She said unintentionally harsh. She then noticed the moogle look down. "Sorry, my thought put me at unease." Fran apologized. Her thoughts returned to the sky pirate. 'Perhaps I was too harsh with Balthier.' She thought. She gave a deep sigh. "These feelings hurt" she accidentally said aloud.
"What feelings?" Alta asked.
"Nothing. Are you done?" the way farer asked.
"Yep! Take an easy on that leg, kupo!" Alta said as she walked Fran to the door. Fran thanked the moogle and walked to the store room where she found Balthier rummaging through the supplies. The viera kneeled down beside the pirate. Balthier jumped in surprise. "What did I tell you about sneaking up on my like that?" he said jokingly.
"I am sorry" she said as she looked at the supplies by his feat, "Are we almost prepared to leave?"
"Impatient, are we?" he replied with a smirk. "Yes. We can either walk all the way there or we can stop in Rabanastre and take an airship from there. Which do you prefer?" he asked.
"We can go to Rabanastre and decide from there. Also, while in town, we could visit Penelo and Vaan to thank them for watching the Strahl." Fran stated.
"To Rabanastre it is then!" the pirate said as he finished packing his stores. "Take care of her Nono!" Baltheir yelled as they left. "Now, Golmore jungle, here we come." He said as the two walked towards the Ozmone plains.
There is chapter 2. R&R. oh. by the way, i am still thinking of some side parings. suggestions? my sister tells me to do a penelox Larsa..tellme what you think,,,