The Paine in My Heart – Shinobi of Darkness
Chap. 4
[Disclaimer: I don't own anything of final fantasy, so you can't sue me. And like Shinra says: "I'm just a kid." ^.^ Technically, not anymore, but…you know. ¬.¬' I'm a fan. So I write Fan Fics. Live and let live. u.u.]
"I hate this place." Paine frowned, crossing her arms. They all stood on a cliff watching the sunset. Gippal rubbed a hand along his face while Baralai moved to sit beside a rock. Paine stood behind them with her arms crossed also watching the sunset in the horizon. Her eyes shifted to the crystal waters below it and the arched ruins that emerged halfway from it. She had yet to set up her sphere recorder. Nooj turned away from the bright sunlight, stepping forward toward the travel agency.
"Yeah… can't say we had a lot of good memories here," sighed Gippal. Apologizing for the night before, He hadn't been able to save most of his tattered and torn clothes. But He managaed to find a pair of trousers hidden in a chest in one of the rooms and borrowed one of Nooj's old shirts. He wore his Al-Bhed jacket over it. He looked out into the sunset, as did Baralai. He hated for them to depart from such a long journey. But it was evident that staying together would be costly and chance of escape from Maester Kinoc and his followers, was little. He shook his head and dropped his eyes to the grass. He wouldn't admit it, but he'd miss them dearly. Most of all, he'd miss waking Paine in the morning, or spying on Baralai in the Cabin, and even teasing Nooj on the deck. He'd miss it a lot! He frowned. "But this is where it started so this is where it should end."
"I'd hate to see it end like this. Anywhere's fine, but here." Mumbled Baralai who still had his eyes fixed on the golden sun. Paine nodded. She turned her head and looked off toward Nooj beside the Travel Agency. He had his back turned to them, a hand against the wall, and he was leaned forward as if tired. She could see his head lowered.
"Hey." She said drawing a bit of curiosity and concern. Baralai and Gippal turned in Nooj's direction. "You okay over there?"
He waved a hand behind him but remained in his position, still with his head lowered and back turned. Paine blinked. This is the end of the crimson squad, Nooj realized as he shook his head slightly. He shut his eyes. Everyone will depart from here and go on. But… what about me? Where will I turn? He blinked. What… about… the death seeker? Paine looked on as he stood there frozen in place like the statues that marked the many lands of Spira. She gave a slight frown, trying to sort through the many reasons why he'd be standing alone with his back turned on everything. Her ultimate conclusion: the aftermath; what would happen after they had left him behind, and after they left each other behind. Gippal and Baralai caught her attention.
Nooj straightened from the wall with slight hesitation then moved to turn around. He had yet to lift his eyes from the green and brown surface in which he stood on, and notice the others who engaged in conversation. He could hear Gippal's voice among the rest, relentlessly making jokes and reminiscing about their trip along Baralai's vessel. And he could hear Paine's laughter. He loved that. He would enjoy that voice for as long as he could without once ever stopping her. As her 'captain', it pleased him to see her smiling. And to him, her smiling, was a good thing. Then he heard Baralai. He looked up and saw Baralai patting her on the shoulder as well as Gippal's shoulder. They all were smiling, but for what? Their departure? The last hours that they're spending with each other? Or the days in which they've enjoyed? For what, he didn't know. And he wouldn't know until he, him self, found that answer. They all turned to face him.
"Hey Nooj!" called Baralai, "Come join us, you're missing out!"
Nooj waved them away. "No thanks, I'll just wait here. You all can have your fun." He flashed a smile, to throw them off, but Gippal wasn't convinced. He came running up with that grin that could swoon a hundred women and a hundred more. Baralai joined him, running up to Gippal's side with a calm smile of his own.
"C'mon, Noojie!" jeered Gippal, "Stop moping around and have a little fun once in a while. You gotta loosen up! We rarely see you smile."
Nooj blinked. "I laugh. Isn't that enough?"
Gippal rolled his eyes and Baralai crossed his arms. "The only time you'd ever laugh was with my jokes and its only because Paine's around. Any other time, it's a sin for you to even crack a smile."
"Nuisance." Nooj sighed, turning away. "Paine's not the cause of my laughter. It's your stupidity."
"Oh, is it?" Gippal raised a brow. "My jokes must be that damn good, huh?" Gippal smirked, taking pride in his achievements of how it was him who made the man smile and not Paine. He rubbed a hand against his jaw line and grinned then moved the same hand to swipe through his blonde hair. "Man, never new I could work magic like that."
"Oh, I never said it was your magic. It was mostly due to your bratty behavior. You two are the worst people I've ever journeyed with." Nooj grinned through his sarcasm, looking at the two. Gippal didn't get it off hand so he quirked a brow in confusion. Baralai though, got it and immediately started to laugh, holding his middle. Gippal scratched his head. Nooj softly joined in on Baralai's delight.
"I-I don't get it. Explain, please." Said Gippal in Al-Bhed.
"Hey guys!" called Paine, setting up her sphere recorder. She locked in the recording sphere and opened the lid, freeing the lens from darkness. They all turned in her direction and waved. She propped the device to her eye and squinted the other. "One for old times sake, huh?"
Baralai and Gippal advanced toward her, laughed and jumping in delight. Except Nooj. He stood in the background crossing his arms.
"Why are still recording? Your job here is done." Commented Nooj. She turned the camera on him, catching him as he looked in her direction. She shrugged an answer.
"Not sure. It just stuck with me, I guess." Gippal stepped up to the camera, taking the spotlight from the others and smiled.
"Hey, Paine." He said, smiling into the camera. "Bet you never seen a more handsome guy than me, eh?"
"Fortunately, I have." She rolled her eyes and easily submitted to a small chuckle. Gippal pouted.
"What? Who? No one can look as good as me—Hey! Paine!"
Paine had already taken Gippal out of the camera's eye and turned the recorder on Baralai. He stood there waving with that sincere smile of his and boyish charm. Paine tilted her head.
"Say something, 'Lai."
"Huh? Uh…right." He placed a hand to the back of his head and smiled. "I'm Baralai of the Crimson Squad. This may be the last day of our journey, but it's one that'll live on with me forever. Maybe we can do this again sometime. And until that time, I'll eagerly await. How's that?"
Paine smiled. "…Perfect."
"Captain? What about you? What're you going to say?" She asked, turning the camera on Nooj. She advanced toward him with the others close behind. He looked up and pushed his glasses up onto his nose. Baralai and Gippal joined his side and each wrapped an arm around his shoulder.
"What's there to say?" He tilted his head then looked to the guys on each side of him. Gippal patted Nooj's chest.
"C'mon man, think of something good. And try not to be so boring. We don't need another sad story about you hating life and us, your 'brats'." Gippal chuckled. Baralai Joined in.
"Yeah, Nooj. Say something inspirational so that if someone of Spira were to find this, they'd be amazed of how we were the last of the Crimson Squad to survive. It'd show courage and triumph."
Nooj nodded slowly, taking in their requests. He paused then turned to the camera.
"Come on, Nooj. Say something to the Crimson Sphere." Smiled Paine.
He gave a final nod.
"I'm… Captain Nooj, one of the members of the Crimson Squad. Gippal here," He said looking over to his left. Paine followed with the camera. "…Is my navigator. And Baralai," He turned to his right and Paine turned the camera on Baralai. "He's the engineer. But you, Paine," She returned the camera on Nooj. He held out a hand in her direction.
"Huh?" she said.
"You're my pilot."
Gippal raised a fist into the air and hooted. "Haha! Yeah! Dr. P! Whooo!"
Paine chuckled. "Nooj. That's flattering."
"Well…you wanted something. And…that was all I could think of." Nooj shrugged.
"It was nice." She nodded, still with the camera on the three. "A little too nice. Even for you." She smiled.
Nooj smiled. "Sorry if it was befitting. They were begging for something out of character."
Gippal raised a brow. "Hey! I was not begging. Baralai was, not me. I don't beg."
Baralai laughed. He made his way over to her and removed the camera from her hands. "Paine, It's your turn to say something."
"But I'm the recorder." She blinked, watching him set the camera down on a large rock. He positioned the camera so it'd capture them from head to toe. Gippal led her to Nooj and Baralai soon followed. Baralai sat a hand on her shoulder and gently shook it.
"Go ahead," He whispered, smiling at her. She nodded then turned to the camera, once again falling into that stance where her arms are crossed.
"Once to the recorder," said Gippal as they all stood before its view. Paine shrugged then stared at the recorder while Gippal and Baralai both nodded. Nooj remained still, watching the others.
"I am Paine, the Recorder for the Crimson Squad." She paused to look at the guys who all stood along side her. "I must say, I had a great time working with the guys despite the many outtakes from Gippal," She glanced in his direction and he smiled, rubbing the back of his head. "And will most certainly never forget them."
She turned around, dropping her hands to her sides. "How was that?"
"Perfect." Answered Nooj.
"So…" started Paine as she walked to claim the recorder once again. They turned to face her. Behind the camera, she was shaking. Hurting to see them leave. This just couldn't be the end of the Crimson Squad. After all that they've endured, this is it? It can't be! She brushed the back of her hand against her face, quickly wiping the tears that had begun to fall. "What do we do now? Say our goodbyes?"
Nooj nodded and Gippal and Baralai removed their arms from around him. "That seems about right."
"Well," said Gippal as he stepped backwards, swinging his arms back and forth. Paine followed him with the camera. "I guess this is goodbye. Goodbye Paine." He waved before turning his back on the recorder.
She turned the camera on Baralai as he followed in Gippal's direction, waving. "This is where I depart as well. Goodbye Paine."
The recorder then settled on Nooj as he was stepping slowly away with his cane. "Paine, this is…a see you later. We'll do this again sometime."
"Stay safe, Nooj."
Paine took a few steps back with the camera. She adjusted the focus, zooming in a bit to get all three standing before the Travel Agency. She sucked in a sharp breath, discarding the coming hurt that seeped inside. She cleared her throat.
"This is the last of the Crimson Squad. The group is disbanding, leaving to go their separate ways." She followed Nooj with the recorder as he began to walk west from the Travel Agency then turned to Gippal and Baralai as they trailed off east. Gippal and Baralai jolted forward behind a trail of gunshots, and fell into the dirt face-first. Paine gasped, turning the Recorder to where the shots came.
"What the…? Nooj?!" She gasped, stumbling back a bit with the camera as he came into view, pointing the gun at her fallen allies. He then turned the gun in her direction and advanced. She kept recording.
"What are you still doing here? I said your job was done!" He yelled.
He then fired on her, knocking the sphere recorder offline.
[I'm not sure if I should continue to do this story. I was thinking of continuing it from Paine's position as a member of the Gullwings. And how once again, she met the other members of the Crimson Squad through her journey. Reader's response could solve this problem. I'd appreciate it. ^^ Thanks - SoD]