So two thieves walk into a bar...

[fealty_to_none]

Who; Gambit - (playsforkeeps) and Balthier - (fealty_to_none)
What; Two like-minded gentlemen have a drink. Because Remy is playing tourguide and Balthier is too sober for this shit.
Where; A bar in the marketplace
When; Shortly after Balthier's arrival.
Rating; I can't see this being more than PG-13
Status; Ongoing

Comments

[playsforkeeps]

Gambit had been close to the market when their conversation started and he'd continued making his way in that direction even before he'd agreed to meet Balthier there. The man from the video was easy enough to pick out the crowd even as Gambit himself kept to the shadows of a stall across the way for a moment, watching this newcomer, sizing him up. He noted the man's careful consideration of his surroundings, and his organized means of doing so. This was a man who was used to adapting to a new situation. It was something Gambit could appreciate in another. He might actually survive down here.

After a moment's pause, the King of the New Orleans Thieves Guild walked from the shadows, joining the crowd meandering about before approaching Balthier. He might as well have just arrived for all appearances. "Bonjour, mon ami."

[fealty_to_none]

Balthier felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. For a moment, he had the fleeting notion he was being watched. He glanced around, taking in his surroundings, but saw no one. he must have just been letting the stress get to him.

And then there was the man with his curiously coloured eyes. Balthier straightened, and nodded in greeting.

"A pleasure to meet you at last, Gambit." He extends a hand, always common courtesy.

[playsforkeeps]

Gambit took the offered hand and shook, nodding in greeting as well. "You too, homme." He smiled a friendly smile. "Hope you don' mind bein' trapped in de land of de dead, 'cause yo' gonna be here a while."

[fealty_to_none]

"Mind? Of course not. I'm positively livid. However," he gestures for them to be on their way, "It would seem I am at least in good company so my complaints are few."

[playsforkeeps]

"Don' get dat often." He chuckled as he started off, assuming Balthier would fall into step beside him. "Swamp rat, scoundrel, no-good dirty thief? Oui." He chuckled and shook his head at the same time. Apparently, even if you didn't ask questions, he was forced to divulge all sorts of information. "'Course, you might get de same." He shrugs. "Who knows?"

[fealty_to_none]

"The 'no-good' certainly. 'Dirty'? Absolutely not. And 'thief' though technically accurate, sells me a bit short. I'm a sky pirate." He looks mournfully up at the dark gloom of the cavern. "Though I suppose 'thief' will have to do here as I am without both ship and sky. Alas."

He turns back to Remy, giving the mutant an appraising look. "It seems those throwing about insults do you a bit of a disservice as well. You seem neither rat-like nor dirty. Perhaps a bit scruffy." He shrugs, keeping pace easily.

[playsforkeeps]

Gambit raised an eyebrow at that particular comment. "An' bein' a pirate's better than jus' a lowly thief, eh?" He shrugged. "You don' know me, homme."

[fealty_to_none]

He gives a wry smile. "I meant no offense as it seems likely in your world things are very different."

The smile turns a little wistful.

"Where I am from, we are a dying breed, a dwindling thorn in an encroaching empire's side, while many of our own turn to the profits it offers in exchange for the freedom of their former comrades. To hold the title 'Sky Pirate' and roam the world free of the shackles of empire... it is a feat that for those who manage it take pride in it."

He gives a low chuckle. "Perhaps though, with things as they are, the skies will be free again. Enough of pirates though. Would you tell me about thieves in your world?"

[playsforkeeps]

It sounded like a fairy tale to Gambit's ears, and not an entirely unattractive one. He could see himself much the same, if the world was different. He'd never enjoyed authority figures, even if he himself was one more than once in his life. "That don' sound too bad, homme." And he meant that.

"Thieves in my world come in all shapes an' sizes, mon ami. You got yo' petty crooks, holdin' up ol' ladies fo' dey purses, common shoplifters, things like dat. Den," he adjusted the collar of his coat, "you got people like me, professionals trained from birth in de art."

[fealty_to_none]

"That last bit sounds promising." Balthier stops outside what seems to be a rather large bar. "And this looks promising."

He opens the door to the dull murmur of activity inside the bar. Everyone seems to move as if in a daze.

"You say you're a professional. I take it to mean you belong to a clan or guild or other such organization?"

[playsforkeeps]

At this point, Gambit was nearly oblivious to the strange way of the locals and he hardly paid it any mind. He found them an empty table, nodding at Balthier's question. "You could say dat, homme." And he was grinning in that fashion that told you he was laughing at an inside joke. "De guild ain' dat organized outside of New Orleans, but oui. A guild."

[fealty_to_none]

For Balthier who reveled in the sound and chaos and life of cities, it was still a shock to the system. He expected taverns to be teeming with life- dichotomies of triumphs being celebrated and sorrows being drowned, emotions running high all over. This gray world full of mindless obedience seemed almost hellish. He was so busy being disturbed at the absolute dullness that he missed Gambit's grin.

"A guild of thieves..." He smiled to himself. "It sounds like a grand alliance. Have you all a common goal in mind that separates you from the average mugger, or are you more of a loose alliance?"

[playsforkeeps]

He smiled. He'd never met anyone who'd ever heard of guilds outside of stories, video games, and history books before. It was refreshing. "Mo' like an ancient clan."

[fealty_to_none]

"Puts me in mind of Clan Centurio..." He gives a low chuckle, recalling Montblanc's rather repetitive greeting. "Though perhaps less with the hunting of dangerous beasts and more with the parting of valuables from their less-than-worthy owners." He waves the bartender over. "Are there many such clans in your world?"

[playsforkeeps]

"A few. De New Orleans Thieves Guild's where I call home, but dere's an assassin's guild dere, too." He chuckled and placed his order when the bartender arrived. "'Course, we never worry 'bout worthy or less-than, mon ami. It's jus' about who's payin'."

[fealty_to_none]

Balthier ordered a Mhadu. He was rather surprised that the bartender had simply nodded, instead of giving him a quizzical look. So far it had seemed he was the only thing from Ivalice here. Perhaps he could get his hands on some sky stones... but he could only be so lucky.

He turned his attention back to Gambit, deciding to mull that particular tidbit of information over later.

"Ah, so it is all just business. Fair enough. If I may, what happened to the Old Orleans that they needed a new one?"