Thieves of the Sky

It is recommended that you clear Ch. 2: Ruins of Deserta before playing.

• Mog: I sense another Torsion in the area, kupo.
• ???: Oh? I wasn't expecting an audience.
• Warrior of Light: Who goes there?
• ???: The leading man of this little story, of course.
• Vaan: Balthier!
• Vaan: What're you doing here?
• Balthier: I should be asking you that. I see you've made some interesting friends.
• Vaan: Er...yeah. We're working together to seal the Torsions spreading destruction throughout this world...or something like that.
• Mog: And we're always looking for new friends that can help us, kupo!
• Cloud: So what does the "leading man" want with the Torsion?
• Balthier: For treasure—the rarest kind, mind you. What else would a sky pirate want?
• Vivi: Sky pirate? So you're a thief who flies on an airship? That's so cool!
• Vaan: By the way, what happened to the Strahl? You lose it?
• Balthier: Along with my partner, I'm afraid. We're not in Ivalice anymore, are we?
• Mog: Everyone here was summoned from a different world, kupo.
• Balthier: If only I had my airship.
• Mog: We have one, kupo! We can take you wherever you want!
• Balthier: Is that so? It appears the moogles here also know their stuff when it comes to machinery.
• Mog: I can feel the light radiating from you, kupo! Come with us!
• Balthier: You're asking me to trust you, a complete stranger? I'd rather not be murdered today, thank you.
• Vaan: What? You don't trust me?
• Balthier: You know how it is. Besides, it's against my policy to work for free.
• Cloud: Understandable.
• Balthier: Well, take care. Maybe we'll meet again.
  

(Balthier leaves)

• Vivi: Is he really going to be okay on his own?

• Rem: So the Torsion's up ahead, right?
  

(Balthier arrives)

• Balthier: Hmph. I got my hopes up when I saw you were with a lady. A shame she's but a child.
• Cloud: You again? Did you follow us?
• Balthier: We're going to the same place. It's only logical that we'd run into each other again.
• Balthier: Are you fighting alongside them too, my dear?
• Rem: Yes, I'm a soldier, after all. Well, I am back home, at least.
• Balthier: At your age? What a barbaric world.
• Balthier: Then again, I guess no world is free of those who exploit the innocent.
• Sazh: Happens where you're from too, huh? Makes you sick, doesn't it?
• Balthier: Hey, you there. You said you were searching for new allies, correct?
• Balthier: I really hope you have a good reason for recruiting children.
• Mog: Only a select few can close the dimensional distortions eating away at this world, kupo.
• Mog: And those are the ones who bear the light.
• Mog: Just like you, kupo!
• Sazh: So what's it gonna be? We could really use the help.
• Balthier: You'd be better off without me. The fewer, the better, as they say.
• Vaan: Who says that? I've never felt that way.
• Cloud: You have any skills?
• Balthier: I can steal certain enemy abilities.
• Balthier: When an enemy enhances its defenses, for example, I can swipe it and take it for myself.
• Mog: You're exactly the kind of person we need right now, kupo!
• Mog: My senses are telling me that the enemy up ahead is tough!
• Rem: I know it's asking a lot, but could you help us?
• Balthier: You just don't give up, do you? All right, lead the way.

(After the Torsion is closed, Balthier picks up something on the ground)

• Balthier: Well...I guess this belt should suffice as payment.
• Balthier: It was a pleasure doing business with you.
• Hope: Um, sir... Would you be interested in fighting with us from now on...permanently?
• Hope: I would feel a lot more comfortable with you on our side.
• Balthier: I commend you for your manners, but you still have a lot to learn, I'm afraid.
• Balthier: Man cannot live by goodwill alone. Especially sky pirates. What's in it for me?
• Warrior of Light: So you do not share our desire to save the world?
• Balthier: If something were to happen to it, I'll just take to the skies, free as can be.
• Vaan: But you don't have your ship.
• Mog: Never fear, kupo! You want an airship? We've got one!
• Y'shtola: Is a reward truly the only thing you seek? ...Nay, I sense you are worried about someone.
• Y'shtola: And If I may venture a guess, I would say that person is your dear partner, is it not?
• Balthier: You have quite the intuition. I like that.
• Mog: All the more reason you should come with us, kupo!
• Mog: I have the power to find those who bear the light!
• Warrior of Light: It would be in your best interest to join us.
• Warrior of Light: After all, finding your partner would be a reward in itself, would it not?
• Hope: Everyone helped me reunite with my friends from back home. I'm sure we can help you too.
• Balthier: I guess any self-respecting leading man needs to do something heroic every once in a while.
• Balthier: But I'm doing this for me. Don't forget that.
• Mog: Of course, kupo!
  

(Everyone leaves, except Balthier and Y'shtola)

• Y'shtola: Perhaps a man can live by goodwill after all.
• Y'shtola: Or maybe it's that the "leading man" simply couldn't turn his back on those in need?
• Balthier: Hmph. You can read men like a book.