Chapter 2: All's Fair in War and Other Things

'Don't break it.'

'Princess, how in the world could I, of deficit strength as you have so keenly pointed out, break a sword?'

Ashe sniffed, and reluctantly handed over her blade and shield to an alarmingly confident Balthier. As he proceeded to familiarise himself with the weapon, she studied the Altair that he had handed in exchange. Suddenly, aboard the docked Strahl during the early evening, she realized that she had absolutely no knowledge of how to use a gun in battle.

'This is a fool's game,' she murmured, running a hand along the barrel. 'I am surely disadvantaged with such an inferior weapon.'

'Its not the weapon,' Balthier retorted edgily as he tried out another grip on the sword, 'its the wielder.'

Her stomach flipped as he swung the sword in a way that would make Basch proud. Or angry.

'You're...experienced with swords?' she asked in a deceptively calm voice.

Balthier stopped and looked at her directly.

'No.'

Liar.

He smiled, all charm. 'You want help setting up my gun?'

Ashe picked up the weapon and stood up straight. 'I can handle it perfectly well, thank you.'

Balthier shrugged indifferently. 'No time like the present then. Shall we begin?'

'What...now?' she spluttered, 'but...but we haven't properly established the full terms yet!'

'Oh?'

They stepped out in to the Tchita Uplands. Ashe was fast losing confidence in the open air.

'We need a third party to bear witness to our battles,' she explained. 'To ensure no foul play comes about and-'

'You think I would stoop to cheating?' Balthier interrupted, and Ashe's face turned red.

'No, I just-'

'Fine. It may please you to know that I have already approached a medium. I have asked Vaan as our shadow, and he waits on the outskirts of the uplands.'

'Vaan?' Her heart sunk as she spotted him afar, cutting grass with his sword in earnest. The thief seemed to hero-worship Balthier for reasons she couldn't quite fathom. She wouldn't put it past him to lie about the number of monsters Balthier defeated, or worse yet, actually help dispatch of them in order to aid his victory

'No need to worry,' he drawled, seemingly sensing her immediate disapproval. ' I assure you that Vaan is quite trustworthy.'

'I suppose he is,' she muttered grudgingly, turning her focus back on the terrible gun before her. 'For a common pickpocket. Although I must warn you, Balthier, any unfairness will not go amiss.'

'All's fair in war and other things, Princess, I'm sure you're quite aware of that.'

And with that, he nodded and stepped off to search for prey.

Wait. Had the contest already started?

Ashe sighed deeply, and picked up the Altair. She would never admit this to Balthier, but the weapon was rather pretty. It would fare rather well as a decorative item on a palace wall. Which proved her point, really; such weapons were not ideal for great battles.

A couerl shuffled out from a tuft of tall grasses, giving her a start. It immediately appeared to sense her anxiety, and snarled.

She instinctively moved in closer to the beast, before realising with a jolt that she had no shield. She was unprotected against all manner of attack, and could not risk severe injury.

But she had a gun. Surely, a close range shot would be more effective than one far away, and finish the deed quicker?

Hoping for the best, she aimed the rifle and pulled the trigger, closing her eyes in preparation for the sudden shot.

Nothing.

The couerl snarled louder, stamping its pudgy paws.

'What?!' She tried again, pressing down on the trigger harder. However, the gun was as good as useless in her hands.

'Balthier!' she shouted across the plains, aware of the couerl's short temper. 'What nefarious deed is this?'

However, the pirate had long disappeared from sight, probably revelling in his trickery. What was she supposed to do now, weaponless? She had never taken well to unarmed combat...

The couerl bared its slimy fangs, and prepared to pounce. Ashe held the gun like a stick, cursing its light and flimsy frame.

'Ashe!' shouted a voice from across the plains. 'Remember the safety latch!'

She spotted Vaan anxiously approaching up the hill, ready for attack.

Her mind took a moment to break down Vaan's message, before realizing: the gun was locked. She fumbled with the safety latch and breathed as she heard a loud click. She steadied the gun at the couerl once more, and sure enough, a bullet flew from the barrel in to its target. The beast roared, and she took advantage of its confusion with the release of a few more powerful, well aimed shots.

Vaan. seemingly satisified with his role in the affair, waved and run in the opposite direction, as Ashe watched the coeurl take its last breath. However, any sense of victory and pride in her gun skills was overshadowed by a dull rage that made her heart pound and her head thud.

Balthier had knowingly left her defenceless. She should have know better than to trust a sky pirate, who would do anything to achieve his own selfish ends! He had left her with a locked gun and a short supply of bullets at her perusal. He had made it literally impossible for her to win. She may have been seriously injured if not for Vaan's unexpected appearance.

Well, she was not partaking in a corrupt game any longer. Even if he seriously relinquished his ship, he would probably rig it to behave in some villainous fashion! And he could whistle for his kiss from one of the Rabanastran harlots for all she cared.

Her temper rapidly rising, she angrily followed Vaan's path, where it was sure to lead her to Balthier's location. She wanted her equipment back, and then an early night to forget this sorry mess.

It was not hard to find the sky pirate, a short distance away and directly in the middle of battle with a Malboro. She stopped her descent to observe his tactics, and smiled despite herself. Balthier, it seemed, was reluctant to get too close to the Malboro, and spent a lot of time dodging and defending attacks with his shield. He handled the sword impressively, but as he moved too often, missed his target by a significant degree.

The Malboro seemed to become increasingly frustrated by Balthier's enigmatic dance, its tentacles flailing in all directions. Ashe with a jolt recognized that movement. The creature was readying to release a noxious breath that would inflict several nasty ailments upon its target. Surely Balthier was aware of this?

He probably believes he can defeat the thing himself, the fool, a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Where was Vaan?

'Balthier!' she called across, unable to bear any more. 'Flee now!'

Balthier turned his head only for a moment, and this second of hesitation was all the Malboro needed to execute its attack uninterrupted. Balthier groaned in pain as the creature released its vile breath over him, and he bent over, blinded, poisoned and completely incapable of landing an accurate attack

He could no longer fight alone, Ashe realized. She tried to ease the trembling in her hands in order to steady the Altair so that she could pull the trigger.

Two shots run out. One missed the Malboro by an inch.

The other hit Balthier square in the chest.

She gasped as he the blow struck him to the ground, where he lay, unmoving.

A/N: Hmmm. This has gone on longer than expected. One more chapter, and its a wrap. Thanks for the reviews so far!