Final Fantasy Frontier 86 (Patreon)

"So this is our would-be benefactor...Andrew, was it? You're quite a bit younger than I expected," remarked a fairly tall and athletic man with short, slicked-back brown hair with blonde highlights, sharply styled sideburns, and green eyes. His body was garbed in an embroidered gold and olive vest over a high-collared shirt, formfitting black leather trousers with leather shin pads, steel, open-backed sandals, and crisscrossing black belts with large, brass-gold buckles. He normally sported several pieces of jewelry and wielded a long-barreled pistol, but they had been confiscated during his arrest.

"Nice to meet you too," replied Andrew, wearing an easy-going smile as he shifted his gaze to the final member of the group, a youth with tanned skin, windswept blonde hair, blue eyes, and an athletic frame garbed in a loose-cropped open metal vest fasted together by a pendant and dark pants held up by a red, sash-like belt that was tucked into a pair of knee-high, multi-tier steel greaves.

"And you must be Vaan," Andrew added, causing the youth to stare at him with awkward confusion, scratching his head as he asked, "Have we met? Sorry, I don't really remember."

"Penelo sent me," explained Andrew, causing Vaan to perk up quite a bit, smiling as he asked, "You know Penelo? How is she? Did she make it back to Migelo's safely?"

"She's fine," answered Andrew, pulling out a sword-like dagger, flipping it in his hand, and handing it to Vaan handle first as he asked, "I assume you know how to use one of these?"

"Of course," replied Vaan, lying through his teeth. He wasn't completely without experience using daggers, but his weapon of choice was swords and cavalry blades.

"Neat trick," remarked the brown-haired man, better known as the Sky Pirate, Balthier. "I don't suppose you brought enough for the rest of the class?"

"Pick your poison," replied Andrew, materializing a rectangular table and waving his hand to produce several long-barreled pistols, bandoliers, and stylish holsters, causing Balthier to whistle in appreciation before picking one up, inspecting it as he asked, "What's the catch, magic man?"

"There is a man further beyond this place," stated Andrew, gesturing to the completely decimated door behind him as he explained, "I won't go into too many details, but he was imprisoned on false charges. I've heard you have a penchant for playing the 'leading man,' so I want you to rescue him and, if he asks, assist him in the matters to follow. Do so, and not only will your debts to me be paid in full, but that which you seek will be within your grasp."

"I prefer my parts thoroughly scripted," remarked Balthier, settling on a stylish silver revolver with two barrels, one for firing standard munitions and the other for muzzle-loaded specialty rounds.

"However, considering the circumstances, I don't suppose I have much choice but to improvise," he added, using a speedloader to seat seven .605mm tungsten slugs before snapping the chamber shut and sheathing it in the accompanying holster.

"And what about you, bunny-bunz?" asked Andrew, looking to Fran as he questioned, "Will you be fighting with your hands and feet, or would you prefer a weapon? I have plenty."

Though she would prefer not to be further indebted to Andrew, seeing Balthier accept a weapon prompted Fran to answer, "I would entreat you for a bow or an instrument able to channel the essence of nature and the spirits..."

"Will something like this suffice?" asked Andrew, materializing a fairly simple but still stylish-looking bow with silver, blade-like edges tipping twining wooden limbs reinforced by the same silvery metal. This made it useful as both a ranged and melee weapon, even more so with the bows enchantments giving its user increased dex, vit, and critical hit rate.

"There are powerful magicks in this bow..." remarked Fran, experimentally pulling back the drawstring with ease despite it having a resistance rating of 80kgs.

"Glad you like it," remarked Andrew, placing away the remaining pistols and table by sweeping his hand over them. Balthier observed him as he did so, but it was Vaan who exclaimed, "How are you doing that!?" with a wide-eyed, inquisitive look.

"Trade secret," replied Andrew, punctuating his statement with a wink as he added, "At least for now." Then, as the paralysis magic he used on the guard should be wearing off within the next hour or two, he gestured with his thumb toward the destroyed door and said, "We should get going."

"Hopefully to someplace with a cool bath and a fresh change of clothes," said Balthier, taking the initiative to lead the way, prompting Fran to follow close behind.

"Hey, wait for us...!" exclaimed Vaan, hurrying to catch up. He wanted to talk with Andrew and ask him more about his mysterious abilities, the tail behind his back, and how he came to know Penelo, but he didn't want to get left behind even more.

Watching the youth run off, Andrew took a moment to inform Penelo that things were going smoothly and that she should board the earliest flight back to Rabanastre. She wanted to wait for them on the surface, but when he told her they would likely be exiting somewhere in the Estersand to avoid the guards at Nalbina, she reluctantly agreed to meet up back at Migelo's.

Though he would rescue her the moment she beseeched him for help, Andrew hoped that, by separating from Penelo and sending her back on her own, she would be abducted like in the canon. He was sure he could find some other way to direct the party to the sky city of Bhujerba, but if he wanted to 'see things through to the end,' he should let them play out as close to canon as possible...

...

..

.

Entering the room containing the massive shaft, Andrew found the group of Balthier, Fran, and Vaan activating the mechanisms that pulled up each of the suspended cages. Most of them were empty or filled with corpses, but the one nearest the stairs and entry had the person Andrew expected to find, an incredibly emaciated, tortuously scarred, nevertheless well-built man with a tall, currently lean frame, long blonde hair that naturally flowed away from his scalp, an unkempt beard, goatee, and closed eyes, the left of which had a blade scar above it, running from the edge of his brow to his earlobe. He was currently bare-chested, exposing numerous scars, and his wrists, ankles, and thighs were bound in thick leather belts that limited both his movements and blood flow.

"Well, this is unexpected..." remarked Balthier, frowning as he recognized the man immediately. He wasn't the only one, either, as Vaan balled his hands into fists, gritting his teeth as resentment burned in the depths of his previously clear eyes.

Stirring at Balthier's voice, the withered man opened his eyes, revealing clear and determined blue irises with a hint of excitement as he remarked, "You're not Imperials. Please, you must let me out of here...!"

"All in good time-" said Balthier, but his words were interrupted by Vaan leaping onto the man's cage, shouting, "You want us to let you out!? You, the man who killed the King!?"

"I would never do such a thing...!" exclaimed the man, his expression and the look in his eyes exuding sincerity from the depth of his soul. However, as the true reason Vaan was angry was due to his brother's fate, he failed to notice it, rattling the cage as he shouted, "You're lying! If it weren't for you, Dalmasca wouldn't be in the sorry state it is now! And my brother, he would still be alive...!"

"Please, you must believe me! I love Dalmasca and would never betray His Majesty! I was framed!" contended the man, known throughout the continent as a Kingslayer and traitor, formerly the Captain of the Knights of Dalmasca, Basch fon Ronsenburg.

Before Vaan could continue baby raging, Andrew plucked him from the cage by his collar, remarking, "He's telling the truth. Besides, this isn't the time or place to throw a tantrum. If you have a problem, settle it with him once we get out of here."

"Let go of me...!" exclaimed Vaan, teary-eyed as he thrashed about and glared at Basch indignantly.

"People who refuse to communicate civilly shouldn't speak," said Andrew, casting Silence on Vaan, hindering his whining. He never liked Vaan as a character, as the youth never really did anything of note despite being the so-called protagonist of the game. He was basically just there to serve as a foil for the characters that actually did things to better their situation or shape the world around them. Penelo fell into the same category, but she was at least cute and polite, a stark contrast to Vaan's hotheaded, brash, and tactless nature...

Attempting to shout but realizing he couldn't speak, Vaan grabbed his throat before staring up at Andrew with wide eyes and a look of betrayal on his face.

"Relax," said Andrew. "I'll return your voice if you agree to calm down and put some thought into your words. Screaming your head off when we're supposed to be incognito and busting out of prison is beyond senseless."

Punctuating his statement, Andrew poked Vaan in the head, removing his Silence status as he added, "Now, be sure to choose your next words very carefully."

Furrowing his brows, Vaan rubbed his forehead as he poutily asserted, "You're a real jerk..."

"Then, feel free to tell me how your actions help anyone in this situation," countered Andrew, crossing his arms and waiting. However, before Vaan could say anything, Balthier stated, "Come, now, children. We don't have time to tarry."

As Andrew and Vaan looked over to him, Balthier climbed onto Basch's cage, holding the chain as Fran activated the mechanism that lowered it, causing it to begin its descent.

"We away!" said Fran, rushing to grab the chain. Vaan panicked and did the same, leaping out and grasping the chain, but even if he hadn't, he could have ridden one of the other cages down. As for Andrew, he just leaped off the edge, surprising the cage-riding trio as he plunged head-first into the Misty depths, musing, "See you at the bottom."

Seeing Andrew disappear seconds later, Balthier remarked, "Reckless, that one..."

"And frightfully powerful..." appended Fran, sliding down the chain to stand beside Balthier atop the still-imprisoned Basch's cage, lowering her voice as she added, "I've never witnessed one so attuned to the Mist. It's like it waits upon him, eager to answer his call..."

"Then let's do our best to stay in his good graces," replied Balthier, his voice equally low as he stared into the gradually clearing Mist and added, "At least for the time-"

Interrupting Balthier's words, Vaan slid down the chain, landing atop his head with his butt, exclaiming, "Oops! Sorry, Balthier...!" as the 23-year-old Sky Pirate's brow twitched.

...

..

.

"Thank you for freeing me..." said Basch, rubbing his wrists to regain some of the feeling in them. It had been days since the last time he could move them freely. If not for the Mist within the shaft helping to sustain him, he must have needed to amputate them due to how often the blood flow was routinely cut off to his extremities.

"We're not out of the woods just yet," responded Balthier, shifting his gaze to Andrew to ask, "Think you could afford the former Captain a sword and some proper clothing...?"

"You can't be serious," said Vaan, crossing his arms and glaring at Basch as he accused, "Even if you didn't kill the King, you're still responsible for my brother's death. He put his trust in you, and all that got was him being labeled a traitor and tortured to death."

Seeing a glimmer of his former subordinate in Vaan's face, Basch asked him, "Are you Reks's brother? You have the same-"

"Don't think you can just say his name whenever you want!" shouted Vaan. However, when he noticed Andrew staring at him with a warning deadpan, he lowered his voice and added, "I'll never forgive you..." in what was meant to be a resolute tone but was interpreted as petulance by all but Basch.

Placing his hand over his heart, Basch firmly stated, "I'll not ask for your forgiveness. But, for the sake of Dalmasca and the dream your brother fought and gave his life for, I must flee from this place and meet with the Resistance. So long as the Empire remains in Dalmascan lands, our fight, my duty, is not finished..."

Though he wanted to lash out and ask what Basch knew of duty, Vaan ultimately stormed away in a huff. Fran followed after him at Balthier's behest, and since Andrew had enough equipment in his Item Box to outfit the entire Resistance, he had no qualms about offering Basch a spare set, albeit after dousing the horrendous-smelling man with a Watera spell and giving him both a Hi-Potion and an Ether to consume...

...