Arena

[After Vaan enters the arena area, two bodies drop from a balcony about two stories up. One of them is either unconscious or deceased; the other, a red bangaa, feebly looks up from where it landed at Vaan’s feet and pleads for help. Before Vaan can do anything, two seeq land on the ground, and the bangaa tries to crawl away. The seeq easily overtake the weak bangaa and proceed to beat him with their clubs. Just as one is about to land a killing blow…]

Vaan: No, don’t!

[…the club is swung anyway, and the bangaa falls limp. The seeq now turn to Vaan and look menacingly at him.]

Vaan: He was defenseless…

[The leader, a seeq with an absurdly ugly, disarrayed set of teeth, drool dripping from his mouth, approaches Vaan, dragging his club in a Neanderthal fashion behind him; he grumbles something incoherently to Vaan. Vaan doesn’t notice until too late the third seeq who jumps down from above, hitting Vaan as he lands. He blacks out.

When he opens his eyes again, he’s been dragged into the pen in the center by the seeq. He scrambles up from the ground and tries to run, but the gates on all four sides close on him. He’s trapped, and the seeq gang begins to close in on him, but they stop when they hear a voice.]

Balthier: Something stinks in here all right. I’ve changed my mind. This is no dungeon, it’s a sty.

[The seeq leader begins grumbling incoherently again, this time at the speaker. Balthier appears on the other side of the fence. He spits and cracks his knuckles.]

Balthier: I said you’re the one that stinks, hamshanks. Hear me now?

[Balthier jumps down into the pen next to Vaan.]

Balthier: You all right, Vaan?

[He proceeds to smirk and wave provocatively at the seeq.]

[After defeating Daguza, Gwitch, and Galeedo…]

[People approach the pen, looking on in admiration at the ones who defeated Daguza. Then they hear the sound of a door opening, and the prisoners all retreat into the shadows with bitter backward glances. Balthier and Vaan take a hint and press up against the wall closest to the approaching party, out of their sight.]

Balthier: Great. They just don’t give up, do they?

[Imperials file in and line the stairs, standing at attention. A hoplite walks in and looks around, followed by the green bangaa from the earlier scene in Lowtown, who scowls and looks around himself.]

Balthier: Now is looking like a good time for us to leave.

[The two hear a sound. Fran stands at one of the gates, quietly opening it just enough so they can crawl out. As they approach, Fran murmurs to Balthier.]

Fran: Through the oubliette, there’s a way out. Only –

Balthier: Only you sense the Mist.

[Fran nods]

Balthier: Then we’ll need weapons.

Imperial: What did you call me? Say that again!

[Balthier, Fran, and Vaan’s attentions are directed back at the Imperials with bangaa]

????: What, you couldn’t hear? I merely said that the lot of you are incompetent fools. If you’ve the sky pirate in your hands, where is he?

Imperial: You’d have done better, Ba’Gamnan? By your own words, it was the Imperial army who caught this sky pirate of yours. We’ve done your job for you! We don’t require the assistance of filthy headhunters. The Empire will restore order here.

Ba’Gamnan: Eh? What’s that you say now? Maybe I’ll whet my blade on you… before I kill Balthier.

????: [yet another voice] That’s enough, Ba’Gamnan.

[From the doorway, another Imperial, this time in an ostentatious horned helm and blue and red cape bearing the insignia of House Solidor, makes his grand entrance.]

Fran: A Judge.

Vaan: Judge?

Balthier: Hmph. The self-proclaimed guardians of law and order in Archadia. They’re the elite guard of House Solidor. Which effectively makes them the commanders of the Imperial army. If you ask me, they’re more executioners than judges. Not a friendly lot, at any rate. What are they doing here?

Judge: [to Ba’Gamnan] The Emperor is willing to overlook race for his more talented servants. However, those that do not show respect will receive none in kind. (Ba’Gamnan begins to object, but he talks over him) You travel freely through our lands because the Emperor wills it. Am I correct?

[Ba’Gamnan grumbles, then says “Bah” and throws his hands up before turning away.]

Judge: [to soldier] Where is the Captain?

Imperial: We have him in solitary, Your Honor. We’re ready to begin our interrogation.

Judge: This does not concern you, bounty hunter.

Ba’Gamnan: [frustrated, to his henchmen] He’s in here somewhere! Find him!

Henchman 1: – Bwagi, that way!

Henchman 2: – I was going this way!

Balthier: Time for the hare to follow the fox.

Fran: The magicks binding the door to the oubliette are quite strong. Too strong even for my talents.

Balthier: That’s why we’ll get them to open it for us.

Vaan: How is going deeper into this place –

Balthier: [cutting off Vaan] What’s wrong? You don’t trust her? Viera’s noses are sharp. If she says there’s a way out, there’s a way out.