A small misunderstanding {Balthier//Closed}

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent blinked, his eyes closing as he took a small moment. What the hell? He sat up softly, his hand rubbing his eyes as his clawed hand gripped his head. His head was thumping, his chest hurting. He twisted his claws through his head, his crimson gaze opening as he looked over the world before him. What the hell indeed. He looked around the world before him, seeing nothing like his own world. He was laying on the ground by what looked like an old city… a really really old city. He lifted his heavy body off the floor, taking a wobbly step forward as he groaned out. That taught Vincent to go through doors he didn’t know about.

“Wow… must say… looks nice…” He turned his body, looking over the rest of the world around him, loving the view that was before him. He looked towards the tree behind him, reminding himself that this was the way to get back to that other world.

“Right… were to start…” He turned his head, looking over the old looking world before him, a small smirk growing over his lips as he moved closer to the city. It didn’t take long for Vincent to get there, and once he was there… wow. It looked better than what he thought it would. Taking a breath, he already felt the odd looks, but he was all too familiar with him. He moved through the small roads, his gaze moving over the walls, taking everything in. This place had a growing darkness too, Vincent could feel it in his core, he knew that feeling from his own home world, and to be honest… he wanted to see what the other worlds were doing to solve the problem.

His mind was torn from its track as his clawed limb was lifted from his side; a short man dressed in expensive clothing was looking over Vincent’s hand with a smug look on his lips and an evil glare in his eyes. ‘Naïve man…’

“Do you mind?” Vincent listened to the man as he shouted out a price for Vincent’s claw, seeming to ignore the fact that Vincent wasn’t going to sell it. Growling softly, seeing that his man had obviously never been told no before. Next thing Vincent knew, the man’s hands were on his cape, and then the man touched Cerberus, and that was a big no.

Before Vincent knew it his claw had managed to wrap itself around the male’s throat, crashing the male against the wall behind Vincent, another small growl echoing from Vincent.

[Balthier]

"My-my-my, you're certainly not from around these parts if you go and do things like that. Causing unwanted attention to yourself? A stranger in a strange world should consider learning to keep a low profile" smirked a certain sky pirate who at this point in time had the barrel of his gun pointed straight towards the middle of the stranger's back. He rarely liked to bring his weapons out in public, too many snitches and sneaks to go running off and get the authorities. But this scene had instantly sparked his interest, a newcomer from another world, now he was always curious about things like that. Places to go, people to see, things to steal.

In fact, that was why he was here at the market as it was, after a certain chat with two others who ended up in a bizzare world similar to him, Balthier had decided to take his leave eventually and slipped away from the two, they seemed to be the type not to cause unwanted trouble, so he thought it best to perhaps not get involved with them. It was that evening when the alarm bells were rung that a thief had gotten into the palace and the guards lay chase to a skycraft that flew so much further and faster than theirs. Balthier had made a clean get away with enough treasures to last him a good long while. Now it was a case of selling them.

He smiled slightly and then placed his gun casually on his shoulder before slipping it away, while he took his sack of stolen treasures in his other arm and clapped the stranger on the shoulder. "Don't worry about him. He finds it difficult getting to know people - this is his way of saying hello" he squeezed the stranger's shoulder to urge him to let go of the smaller man, who hastily pulled away and scrabbled back behind his stall.

Without a moment's hesitation, Balthier spun the oddly-clad man around and led him down the streets and winding alleys, before finally heading down a more deserted area of town, that only the street kids and sewer rats would scurry into. "Well now" he began, letting go of the man and settling his bag of spoils aside while he slipped a few bullets into his gun (it had been empty beforehand), "You have sparked my curiosity, though you could have certainly been more subtle about it" he smirked, holding his weapon out at arms length towards the stranger and raising an eyebrow, "So tell me, who are you, where are you from, and how did you get here?"

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent’s head tilted back, looking over the male that threatened him and the pulled him away. His crimson eyes narrowed as his hand moved naturally to Cerberus, pulling it out as he aimed it towards the male before him. Vincent didn’t like the way this man spoke to him, the mere fact that he’d drawn his weapon first was more than enough to get Vincent slightly annoyed with the situation. He tilted his head; Cerberus laying straight, despite its weight, Vincent didn’t seem to buckle under it.

“I apologize if I don’t take people touching me all too well…” His blood like gaze didn’t move from the male before him, Vincent knew that that would be dangerous, even for one that didn’t die. His voice was soft, just like always, it just had a rather jagged edge to it, like a viper that was been cornered by a large dog, and Vincent hated been cornered.

“The names Vincent and my world is my own… as for the matter of me being here…” He paused, tilting his head slightly, his cloak moving over his body slightly, almost seeming to try and hide his body from the line of fire, cloaking it, in a way, to avoid a direct hit.

“As for subtly… you really shouldn’t be one to talk…pulling your weapon on a stranger like that…” Vincent took a small breath. He’d been a TURK long enough to be able to read most guns, to figure out what damage a weapon could do before it was actually fired, but this was another world, and Vincent couldn’t let his guard down for even a moment. Without even noticing, Vincent’s mind was already preparing for what seemed like a fight and one between two gunners… very nice combination.

“I must admit though… that weapon looks lethal…” Vincent tilted his head once more, his eyes moving to the gun, taking in its shape, its size, the amount of bullets it had at one time. He needed to be as prepared as he could.

“Now it’s your turn… friend… who are you?”

[Balthier]

"This is true" Balthier chuckled faintly at the 'subtly' comment and shrugged faintly,
"Though these are dangerous times, and I think you would have to agree with me that you are not the most friendly-looking fellow." The kid and the girl he had met not to long ago, Sora and Rinoa, they didn't look threatening at all, so Balthier played the friendship card all-too easily, however, 'Vincent' as he called himself was far on the other end of the spectrum. What with all these portals now, you couldn't be too careful with whom you ended up facing.


"Vincent?" he mused thoughtfully for a moment, then offered his most charming of smiles, and gave a polite bow for added effect - still not moving his Fomalhaut from its target.
"Welcome to Ivalice, Vincent. I trust you will enjoy your stay here, regardless of how short it may be" He smirked faintly and then stood upright once more.
"And you do not know my name?" he sounded faintly disappointed and shook his head.


"Clearly I havent crossed your world yet, or you would have heard of me" he placed one hand to his chest in greeting and tilted his head,
"Balthier, Sky Pirate and World-Traveller, at your service" he greeted the strange-clad man, never taking his eyes off him, and not so much as lowering his gun with all the various arm-movements he made. He wasn't going to take any chances with someone like this, for all he knew, this 'Vincent' could be a villain in his own world. Pehaps sooner or later he should inform the Ashe about these matters? Though, Balthier thought with a sly smirk to himself, perhaps she was already well aware of the matter, and was keeping it from him instead.


"Well it seems we're at a bit of a Bhujerbian stand-off wouldn't you say? I suppose if I asked you very nicely to lower your weapon, you wouldn't do so unless I lowered mine first, am I right?"

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent turned his head, his eyes looking over the weapon once more. Balthier? He’d never heard of this male, not once, and he was, in a way, glad that his world hadn’t seen the likes of this pirate around before. A smirk grew on Vincent’s pale lips, seeing how the male judged him already by just one look, and Vincent knew... that if he had to fight now, that he’d surprise the male more than this... Balthier expected, solely because Balthier could not see from one look Chaos.

Vincent hoped that he had the upper hand if the male did in fact attack, but even then, Vincent had surprises that Balthier didn’t know about, at least not yet. Vincent licked his lips... a sky pirate... that was... interesting. Vincent’s mind wondered to Yuffie, thinking that maybe this man was like her, taking what she wanted with little regard to others, stealing the materia she wanted without even a second thought.

“I have never heard of a Balthier in my world, if I had I would have faced you long ago... can’t be having a pirate adding to our problems” His voice was still low, an almost growl, but it wasn’t as hostile as it had just been a moment before. Vincent laughed softly, nodding his head as his gaze moved back to Balthier’s. At least the man was streetwise in this, knowing that Vincent wouldn’t lower his weapon till Balthier had first done so.
Vincent’s lips turned into a soft smile,

“And what is wrong with the way I dress?” He tilted his head. Vincent knew what was wrong with his outfit... it was mostly that he looked like the undead. A pale face, a claw for hand, blood red eyes, and not to mention a cloak that moved on its own.

“It's only in this world that I get odd looks...” Licking his lips, Vincent took a small breath. The last thing he wanted was to be targeted as the bad guy in anything, but he knew that there was no way that he’d change himself for some world that wasn’t important to him.

“And you would suppose right...” Vincent move slowly, almost pivoting about Balthier’s location, his shoulders lowering slightly, Cerberus keeping true.

[Balthier]

"Well then..." the sky pirate mused as he kept his gun held true and his gaze upon the newcomer who stuck out of the world like a sore thumb. The least he could do was to see if he had something more... world-like to wear. Though he couldn't talk. Balthier had been lucky in the worlds he had visited so far, having discovered that apparently his dress-sense in Ivalice wasn't far different from some of the worlds out there, though... judging by Vincent's attire, he wondered how much he would draw attention to himself if he found himself in that place next.

"This does mean we're in a bit of a sticky situation then" he commented, placing a hand on his hip as if trying to lighten the mood with his casual body language, regardless of the fact he still had his gun barrel pointed firmly towards Vincent. Normally in cases like this, he would have Fran to deal with all the fiddly work, most notably, subduing the other so he could lower his own weapon and then talk peacefully, or some other situation like that. However, he hadn't heard from Fran in a little while, even though he had sent his postcard off to her weeks ago. He had begun to wonder if she was alright.

He eyed Vincent carefully once more. There was something about him he just didn't trust, and he had already gathered that one should beware those who came from other worlds, as their powers and opinions might far differ from his own. How to deal with a situation like this then if you couldn't trust the person whom you were standing opposite? How to deal with it when you did not know their conventions, or thought processes, the way they behaved in battle... and that weapon. How could he be sure that even that behaved as a normal gun did...?

"It seems you have me at a bit of a disadvantage, Vincent" he said eventually with a shrug. "It would be unfair for me to lower my guard and weapon when you clearly have the upper-hand regardless"

[Vincent Valentine]

One eyebrow rose slowly at Vincent looked over the male. He had the advantage? Really? Tilting his head, his eyes shimmering softly as he thought for a moment, he knew he had a few surprises up his sleeve, but what stopped Balthier from having his own? Taking a small breath, Vincent weighed the options out. He did have Chaos, and Vincent couldnt die, at least not by any weapons he knew about. His mind wondered for a moment, only to flicker with an idea. His eyes changed slightly as he sighed. Vincent couldnt die... so why was he standing here holding his gun up in self defence?

“I’m glad you think i have the upper hand... considering this is your world” Vincent tilted his head once more, his gaze falling over the males figure once more. Immortality wasn’t something that could be stolen from you, the laws of your body were the same no matter the world you’re in. Breaking his gaze with Balthier, feeling that it was now or never. His hand fell, Cerberus aiming for the floor as Vincents gaze moved to the sky. To those looking at Vincent, he seemed to have gotten bored with the situation, finding something more worthy of his time in the sky rather than at the male that was pointing a gun straight at him. but in truth, Vincent was panicking slightly, think that maybe... just maybe... he had gotten Balthier wrong and that the man could very easily kill Vincent right here.

“I mean... i don’t know the rules of this world... and not to mention you are very much in your element than i am mine” Vincents gaze fell to Balthier’s once more, a soft somewhat hidden smirk growing on his lips as he kept Cerberus at his side... maybe he wouldnt be able to get the first shot in, but he’d definitely get the second shot.

“Well... it seems now that you are in control my dear friend...” Vincent took a small breath, looking back over his shoulder, blinking down the small path before moving his eyes back towards Balthier. “So enlighten me on this world... if you may...”

[Balthier]

Balthier raised an eyebrow. He did not take this 'Vincent' fellow to be the sort who would just give up like that... No... something else was certainly going on, and he did not altogether like it. Still, if the stranger wanted to play this sort of game, for now the sky pirate would oblige. He smiled and shrugged his shoulders gently, lowering the barrel of the gun ever-so slightly, though not enough to avoid getting a direct shot if he whipped it up swiftly enough.

"Well as I said earlier, Vincent. Welcome to Ivalice. Specifically the Royal City of Rabanastre. Home of princesses and paupers, merchants and messiahs, beggars and beasts, tyrants and theives. This is our world and I'm afraid it seems like you certainly don't have a part in it" he sighed and then gestured vaguely to the exit of the alleyway. "Now, I'm not entirely sure as to what world you came from. As you were so unspecific, so perhaps I can offer to pay for a chocobo and send you back to...wherever it is you came from?" he suggested.

Balthier then gave a faint smirk and pointed the gun back up at Vincent once more. "Otherwise, I feel we may end up in some sort of situation I feel may result in quite a bit of unsavoury favour with the two of us and the royal guard" he cocked his head in the direction of the alley exit as two men dressed to the nines in thick heavy armour walked past, thankfully not taking note of the oddly-clad man or the other holding the gun towards him.

He raised an eyebrow back at Vincent, "However, if you wish to pursue this line of thought, perhaps we could make our way to Lowtown? At least there we can make as much noise as we wish and the guards will do little to stop us?" he suggested, holding one hand out open in the faintest hint of a shrug. "Its your choice"