This story is set after the party reaches Old Archadia, but before they storm into the Draklor Laboratory. I set it as such because that's where I was in the game when the idea for this came to me.

Please know that as I'm writing this, I'm still playing the game. I have no idea how the storyline ends, or who ends up with who- if at all. Either way, I'm asking you not to flame me on account of the character pairings, I honestly don't know any better… and it's my short story for crying out loud. ;o)

In advance: This isn't going to be long- I have yet to finish "A Simple Game," because it's such a monstrosity of a piece. Something small like this should tie my writer's crave over until I can get my notes together to finish my initial Final Fantasy story.

Furthermore, this story isn't huge on explaining character backgrounds- seeing how people interested in Final Fantasy are into Final Fantasy fanfics, I would hope they know the games they read about.
A quick refresher for those who just need a visual: The story starts in the Dalmasca Estersand village outside the escape shaft of the Barheim Passage. You might remember it as the village with the ferry.

Thanks for reading!

For the Love of War

Chapter One: The Hunt Begins

"Please…slow it down…
There's a secret, magic past world
That you'll only notice when you're looking back at it;
All I wanna do it turn around-
I'm goin' down to sleep on the bottom of the ocean,

'Cause I couldn't let go, when the water hit the setting sun…"

-White Daisy Passing
Rocky Votolato

"He's got a bit of a soft spot for you kids." –Balthier

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"A bat, you said?"
"'Eh, not just any bat, the Bloodwing. Biggest bat in all Ivalice- I'd bet my life on it."

Basch looked at the Bangaa for a moment before turning to Balthier, who stood behind him.

"What do you make of it?"

The younger sky pirate let out a small chuckle, glancing down at the Bangaa's recently deceased partner lying in the sand.

"I'd say we don't need his life to prove the thing's worth a good run."
The ex-prisoner looked hopeful, "So you'll take the job?"
Basch hesitated, then turned to the rest of the group, "We'll need a moment to talk."

Without waiting for a reply, the old general motioned for the rag-tag team to gather a distance away from the Bangaa who had posted the Bill for the named monster, Bloodwing. As they walked, one of the younger members- and somewhat the founder of the group- looked over at him, confused.

"What's the hold up?" Vaan spoke up, "You know none of us object to the hunt."
"Easy there," Balthier interceded, "Let the old man speak."

Basch nodded and began to explain, "I wanted to make sure everyone was okay with the mark before going in after it- and before you younger ones start chiming in asking why, let me explain." He glanced toward Vaan, who nodded him on, "The monster we're chasing is at least a level five mark. Now I know we've taken down bigger, but this one is in the Barheim Passage-"

"And most of us remember the good times we had there not so long ago." Balthier smirked.

"- Needless to say," Basch continued, "The place was dangerous before, and it's only worse now. The monsters are stronger, and many of them are undead."

"Ooo," Penelo shivered, moving closer to her childhood friend, "Dead ones are the worst."
"Or the best, if they're not already dead," Vaan replied with a grin.

"So you're just making sure we know our risks before going in?" Ashe spoke from beside him.
"Precisely," He confirmed, "The last thing we need is to lose to a monster, not after coming this far."

"Unfortunately we won't be able to go any further without the gil these marks have to offer," Fran reasoned from her place slightly behind Balthier, "Teleport stones can only take us as far as we've already been, and we need the gil for the supplies to keep going."
"The mines should also provide us with loot to sell, too," Her partner agreed, "Undead monsters usually drop the best things to take to the Bazaar."

"Why anyone wants 'Blood-stained Bones' I'll never know," Vaan muttered.

Basch cleared his throat, "My point is; this hunt is dangerous- and if there's anyone who doesn't think they're strong enough- it's okay. We can always wait to go after it later."

"Or for the next mark, since I'm sure someone else will have gotten it by then." Vaan sighed, "C'mon Basch, you've gotta stop worrying about us, we can handle ourselves."

The older man looked surprised, if only for a moment, then let out a small laugh, "I would normally agree with you, Vaan, but…" He trailed off, looking for a decent explanation before shaking his head slightly, "I'm just trying to be careful… I'll go tell him we're accepting the hunt."

Without another word he walked back to the Bangaa, leaving the group in silence. Unsurprisingly Vaan was the one who broke it.

"Wow, wonder what's got him so scared."
"Vossler's death vexes him still," Fran answered calmly before anyone could scold the loud teenager, "The General has seen many deaths in his life, and he is yet young."
"I'm sure he'll see many more in the years to come too," Balthier picked up, "But he doesn't want one soon, not from this group."

The two youngest members of the team gave a puzzled look to the pirate, who merely shouldered his Aldebaran and glanced at them as he began walking toward the village exit.

"He's got a bit of a soft spot for you kids."

Fran followed him away, the impending quiet only to be delayed for a minute more by the Princess, "'He's grown attached to you' is what he means."
"I figured that much," Vaan answered, "But why?"

Ashe sighed, looking past them to the man who had protected her since as long as she could remember.

"Basch…is a very shrouded man- he always has been- yet I have no doubt his heart is pure. He puts others before himself, and he cares for people that otherwise would go unnoticed…that's all I need to know to trust him."

She ended her short speech with what almost looked like a longing gaze toward the general, then followed after Balthier and Fran, leaving the two young Rabanastrians to think on their upcoming mission.

"Do you really think it'll be that dangerous?"
Penelo, who had been quiet for some time, nearly startled Vaan. He looked at her, feeling a sense of protectiveness come over him at the sight of her.
"It shouldn't be too bad," He assured her, "Besides- we'll be together, what can go wrong?"
"We could get separated," She answered distantly; "Like before, when you had to come and get me…"

The thief frowned at the memory of his best friend being kidnapped by Ba'Gamman and his clan. He never really told her, but Vaan had been terrified they wouldn't get to her in time. After all they'd been through, losing her would be almost as bad as when his brother had died in the war.

"Penelo," He spoke, bringing both of them out of their unpleasant thoughts, "…Nothing will happen, okay? We won't get separated, not this time."

The girl smiled slightly, and reached over to give his hand a small squeeze before looking toward the front gate of the little Estersand village.

"We should go," She said, "Basch is already at the gate, and everyone's waiting."
She started to leave, but Vaan grabbed her wrist, "Penelo-"
She turned to him, wide- eyed, only to be met by him reaching into his belt pouch and pulling out what looked like a thick bracelet.
"Here," He said, slipping it on the wrist he held, "It protects you from Stop status…" He chuckled softly when she drew her wrist up, gazing at the band in awe, "I know how scared you get when you can't move."
"Vaan," She breathed, "Where did you…?"
"Come on, we've gotta go."

The older of the two teens took off for the gate, and Penelo barely skipped a beat before running after him. Soon the group would be heading across the Dalmasca Estersand to reach the abandoned shafts of the Barheim Passage, one of the most dangerous areas they'd been on their journey across the world of Ivalice.