Summary:Vaan is a simple seventeen year old boy who sees freedom in the skies. Balthier is a dashing sky pirate. It only seems right that fate would bring these two together.

A/N: AU, because I haven't finished the game yet, and this takes place after the events of the game. I have limited knowledge of the ending, and I will use some elements from that to my advantage, but other than that this is considered AU. R&R please! Comments are the sustanance of writers!

Prologue

The first time Vaan and Balthier met, they were both thieves, fighting to steal the same treasure. The series of events that followed that night were fantastic, dangerous, and above and beyond anything they would have expected. Battles and arguments were fought, each having its own kind of passion, its own kind of magnitude. Friends were made, as well as enemies. Their lives, and the lives of others, were drastically altered by the changes that faced Ivalice.

And what changes they were. Ashe was now a queen; Penelo had practically eloped with Larsa; Basch remained an ever faithful guard to his majesty and never left her side; Balthier and Fran were missing, presumed dead. And Vaan. Vaan was now a sky pirate. All his life he had dreamt of flying, being free to roam the skies. And when he had met Balthier for that first time, the striking sky pirate had only made him want that life more. And now he had it. He even had his own airship, well, kind of. Since Balthier and Fran were missing, there was no one to take care of the Strahl. Balthier had once told Vaan that if anything untoward would happen to him, the Strahl was in Vaan's hands. So the beautiful airship fell into Vaan's possession and he worked to take good care of her, if only for his long gone friend.

For about a year Vaan travelled the world, pirating and visiting all the places he could. He saw many new things and met many new people. Being a thief for the majority of his childhood, pirating came easily to him, and he quickly gained a reputation for himself. So quickly in fact that he made a few enemies in every corner of the world and earned himself a new name. Tarasviin the sky pirate, he was now known as. It followed with him a reputation of being quick and nimble like a fox and able to get out of almost any trap.

Many hunters have tried to get him, and all have failed. For this reason Vaan flaunts himself. Every town he goes to, he extends his stay. He struts through the streets, reveling in the feeling of intimidation others feel around him. Taking a page out of his old friend Balthier's book, he adorns himself in treasures. Rings and bracelets, earrings all the way up his ears, outlandish and stylish clothing, and a hint of a daring smirk.

One thing he does not let himself fall to is a cocky attitude. Though seemingly battle hardened pirate on the outside, when one deigns to speak to him he is eager to converse back, and all the sweetness of an eighteen year old Dalmascan orphan shines through. He gladly smiles and talks to you in a gentle voice. And in a conversation with him you could forget you were talking to an infamous sky pirate with a bounty on his head. At least you could forget that until said bounty hunters interrupted and Vaan would have to leave the city and find another place to pillage.

It was one such situation that Vaan found himself in on a visit to Balfonheim Port.

Vaan opened the door to the Whitecap. The inside was dim, lit only by a few sconces and candles at each table scattered throughout the room. All the more better for me. He slid into a seat at the bar, various jingling noises coming from the many pieces of jewelry that adorned his body. He motion to the tavern master.

"A glass of your finest ale," he said without preamble. The large seeq who happened to be tavern master and owner of the establishment walked over, glaring.

"Sorry," he said, not a trace of apology in his voice, "we don't serve your kind here."

Vaan rolled his eyes and sighed. This had been happening more often the past month. He looked imploringly at the seeq.

"Oh, come on. It's been a busy day for me and I could really use a drink." The seeq didn't budge.

"Well then go find your drink somewhere else kid." Big. Mistake. Vaan bristled and looked at the tavern master challengingly.

"Who are you calling a kid?"

"You wanna start somthin' master sky pirate, huh? Well go ahead. I know a group of bangaas that are dyin' to see your head on a plate. I can have them here faster than you can say 'ouch.'" Vaan was on the verge of leaping out of his seat when a hand gently grasped his shoulder.

"Now, now. Really Gormik, there won't be any need for that. I'll take two glasses of ale please, and don't go saying you won't serve me now." The seeq, Gormik his name was apparently, grunted and filled the order. He plopped the two glasses down in front of Vaan, glaring the whole time. Grumbling to himself, the seeq trudged off to deal with other customers. The hand removed itself from Vaan's shoulder and his unknown rescuer sat down next to him. Vaan turned to see who had helped him. The face that met him shocked Vaan to say the least, though he should have known. Taking a sip of ale, Balthier gave Vaan a glance and a small smirk.

"It's good to see you again Vaan."

A/N: so this idea just popped into my head one day and i decided to try it out. please r&r and tell me what you think? should i continue?

TBC?