Chapter Twenty: Imperial City Archades, streetears and ardents

' Wow.'

Vaan was in sheer awe as Archades unfolded around them, filled with well-dressed peoples who either strolled under parasols or ran hither and thither in urgent activity. The city was a sight to behold.

Fran who had been to Archades but once before in fifty years was also impressed. Not enamoured however, despite her choices she was too much Viera still to be comfortable in such a metropolis. Only the Imperial cities of Rozzaria could rival Archades in scale and population.

Balthier vanished into the throng quite quickly, having whispered his intentions to Fran as they crossed the bridge from Old Archades.

The Streetear Jules, a man Balthier loathed almost as much as he respected the man's cunning, was quick to provide aid. Though at a price.

Fran strolled the red hued streets of Trant, Nilbasse and the other Ardent dominated districts of Archades with her usual calm, though something in the familiar stares she attracted from the Archadians reminded her of just how far she had strayed from the Wood.

Penelo and Vaan proved to have natural aptitude to the ways of the Streetear, though the Princess was stilted and awkward when trying to strike up conversation.

Everywhere the lazy, yet precise, diction of the men and women loitering in the streets on the oft chance of some passing entertainment, reminded her of Balthier.

Archades was a city full of jaded minds and shallow hearts. Fran understood now why Balthier, on the rare occasion he spoke of his home city, both dearly missed her and feared returning. The city and its prodigal son shared the one cynical soul.

' It's not what I was expecting.' Penelo was breathless and bright eyed as she hurried back, Pinewood chops in hand.

'The city, I mean, and the people.' Penelo shoved the Chops in her pack and looked about her, raising her gaze to watch sky cabs zip by.

' It's nothing like home, it doesn't seem friendly like Rabanastre, I guess, but it's not the horrible place I thought it would be.'

' Yes.' Ashe said joining them as they waited for Vaan and Basch to finish their 'reconnaissance' of Vimt's Armaments. ' I had built up a picture in my mind of the hated city of the Empire. What I find does not quite fit.'

Penelo nodded, ' I kinda see Larsa living here, and Balthier. I don't think I could do it. Where are all the Seeq and the Bangaa? There aren't even many Moogles. Not like Rabanastre.'

' They are not allowed.' Fran said.

'What?'

'In Archades only Humes are permitted to sell goods and own businesses. It is forbidden for the other races to work in those fields, unless no Hume is prepared or able to provide the service.'

Penelo looked scandalised, suddenly angry, ' But that's stupid! Why would they have such a stupid rule? I can't imagine Larsa liking that!'

Fran shrugged, ' Balthier said it is because Archades treats its people so poorly that even the Vulgars must have someone to look down on.'

Penelo looked as if she was sucking on something sour as she considered this explanation. ' I take it back, this place is as bad as I thought.'

Ashe smiled faintly, looking about her at the clean, sky scraping city around her. ' Tis almost a pity.' She said slowly, thoughtfully.

'That a people as clever and industrious as the Archadians are so riven with prejudice. That such a city could produce someone like Larsa and, by the same family, create a monster like Vayne.'

Fran studied the Princess, wondering if Ashe knew how far she had come along her own journey, to speak so diplomatically about the Empire.

' Tis the nature of Humes, good and ill reside within the one body and within the one city.'

' Hey, what are you talking about? Penelo we've still got Chops to get.' Vaan bounded over, Basch walking sedately at his heels.

' Tis a strange system.' Basch commented, ' This trading in gossip. I feel it says something for the mentality of its people, though I admit I know not what.'

Vaan shrugged, ' They're bored I guess.'

'Bored?' Ashe asked, she was perhaps the most willing, aside from Penelo, to encourage Vaan's opinions.

' Yeah,' Vaan swiped a finger under his nose and looked about with unselfconscious interest.

' I mean look at them all,' he waved a hand at the well-to population of Archades who loitered without intent on the streets as ambitious, eager criers and streetears weaved in between them.

' All these people just hang around waiting for someone to talk to them, total strangers like me and Penelo and they seem so happy to talk to us. Gotta be bored, to do that, right?'

They all looked at Vaan, Fran knew that they were all sharing some variation of the same thought. Only Penelo felt need to vocalise it.

' You know Vaan sometimes I think you might actually have a brain.'

'Hey!' Vaan cried in mock indignation then he grinned, 'I have plenty of brain, I'm just saving it for when I need it.'

Penelo rolled her eyes, grinning and shoved him in the stomach, Basch chuckled and Ashe smiled.

Fran remained impassive, her eyes drawn to the imposing building on the skyline, dwarfed in size only by the Imperial Palace.

'What is that building? I had noticed it before. It seems finer made than some of the others.' Ashe followed the direction of Fran's gaze.

'It is our destination. The Draklor Laboratory.'

The mood became sombre instantly. Vaan and Penelo shared some form of whispered communication, too low for even Fran's hearing.

' Where is it anyway?' Vaan asked. ' I know Balthier said to meet him at Central, is that where Draklor is?'

Fran nodded, ' I believe so. It did not exist as it is now, when last I came to this city.'

Vaan opened his mouth, Fran tensed imperceptibly; Penelo elbowed him in the stomach. Vaan grunted and looked at her aggrieved.

' I wasn't going to say anything! I learned my lesson the first time. I was just gonna say that we should get on with finding Chops.' He added sulkily.

' Very well Vaan, let us make haste.' Basch smiled and led the boy off, pointing out a likely target for information.

Penelo turned to the Fran and Ashe, ' I think it's like that Jules person said, I think this information thing is just so Archadians can be superior, like they don't need Gil or something like the rest of us paupers.'

Ashe nodded, ' I did not like the looks of that man, Jules, I trust him not.'

She turned to look up at Fran. But it was Penelo who asked the inevitable question.

'Is he really a friend of Balthier's?'

' An associate, not a friend. Pirate's oft times have need of information just as we do now.'

'You know him then? He didn't say anything to you.' Ashe pointed out.

Fran merely shrugged not at all sure how much of their dealings Balthier would want divulged.

'I am a lone Viera of little consequence, to one such as the streetear I am of less note then the air he breathes.'

Ashe pursed her lips, ' And what of renegade Princess's? I wonder that we trust this man, when information is his bread and butter, he could sell us all out to the Empire.'

Fran shook her head, ' It is the nature of intangibles, such as information, the sharing of it diminishes its potency, only in keeping truths hidden do men like Jules prosper.'

Ashe looked ready to pose a reply, or perhaps a further question, but Vaan returned, brandishing the last of the Chops triumphantly.

' Central here we come!'

He and Penelo raced each other all the way back to the sky cabs, laughing and exuberant as they weaved their way through the languid, genteel boredom of Archades.