This is supposed to be a conversation between Baralai and Nooj shortly
after the Vegnagun incident. Idea came to me when I was on the toilet.
Interpret that how you want.
Contains spoiler of good idea, you have been warned.
Normal disclaimer applies. -FFH
"Did you talk to Paine?" Baralai asks.
Baralai and Nooj were walking through the Farplane depths, preferring to walk up rather than across the Farplane flower field like Yuna, Rikku and Paine were.
Nooj looks over at Baralai. This is the first time he has spoken since Shuyin released him.
"...No."
"I can't believe you, Noojster." A new voice from behind them says. Turning around, the men see Gippal swaggering up towards them. "You said you were gonna talk to her!"
Nooj sighs and begins walking again, focusing on the patch of light ahead. Baralai watches this quietly, then smirks.
"Thought you were gonna walk your girlfriend home."
This stops Gippal dead mid-swagger. "What does that mean?" He asked, glaring playfully at Baralai.
"Nothing Blinkie." He replied, running a little to catch up with Nooj. Gippal hurries up to them and takes hold of Baralai.
"It's a good job your followers don't see this kind of behaviour, huh?"
The two broke up laughing, holding each other, their laughter too shrill to be sincere. Nooj turns and looks down on them, chuckling slightly.
"Lucky Paine didn't hear that. Let's go." The other two men looked at each other and ran to catch up with Nooj.
Paine sat on her bed in the cabin nibbling a bar of chocolate. She wasn't supposed to have stuff like this but on some occasions you'd do anything to get a blond mongrel out of your face. She just wanted to think.
Lying back on her bed she stretched her long legs up into the air and then back down. After she had lowered them for the fifth time she came face to face with Yuna. With a well-concealed grunt of annoyance she sat up. Yuna sat on the edge of Paine's bed gingerly, playing with her own chocolate.
"You should eat that." Paine said, startling the other girl. The older girl didn't respond. Paine popped the rest of her chocolate in her mouth and threw her wrapper in the bin by the bed. She sat looking at Yuna for a few moments, wondering if she should pry into her mind.
I know, she thought, I'll leave it to Rikku. She'll come and find Yuna in a few minutes anyway.
Yuna looked up sharply, Paine was getting up to go.
"Paine!" She said reaching out and catching hold of the other girl's hand. "Don't go."
Paine looked down at Yuna. Reluctantly, she sat back down and raised her eyebrow quizzically. Yuna looked down at herself - not letting go of Paine and began to cry suddenly.
Oh, no. Now I know what the phrase 'bursting into tears' means, Paine thought unhappily.
"Rikku!" Paine shouted, trying to get out of Yuna's grip.
"No, no. Not Rikku." Yuna said getting herself back under control. She let go of Paine and scrubbed at her eyes with the palms of her hands like a little girl.
"Why?" Paine asked gently, moving towards the other girl worriedly. Reaching out, she brushed the other girl's hair from her face. Yuna rested her head against Paine's cool shoulder, strongly reminded of how it was with Lulu. Childhood memories of falling down and going to her with scraped knees and cut fingers along with her face above her bed when she was ill raced across her mind like clouds scudding across a tempestuous sky. Paine put her arm round her, letting her sob quietly into her shoulder.
After an unknown period of time, Paine pulled Yuna away and looked into her face. "Now, what's wrong?" She asked firmly. Yuna gulped air and hiccupped weakly.
"When you and Rikku walked through the portal in the flower field the Fayth came back hic and said that he'd try his sniff, hic best to...hic"
Yuna threw herself back into Paine's arms, crying harder than ever.
"Try his best to what?" Paine asked, wondering if this was that secret between Rikku and Yuna. Yuna shook her head, spraying tears onto Paine's bare skin, making her shiver. "Is this about this 'him'?" Paine asked, no sympathy in her voice.
Yuna felt the other girl stiffen slightly. She nodded her head without looking up.
"Well, I'll leave this to Rikku, then." She said standing up.
"No! No, Paine, please!" Yuna clung desperately to what she thought was her friend.
"Why?!" Paine shouted, silencing the talk between Darling and Barkeep. "Why should I do that?! Huh?"
"-Paine"
"You and Rikku have been talking about this 'him' all the time, 'he' this and 'he' that! Well ,I'm sick of it! I'm sick of being left out just because I wasn't your stupid guardian or because I was a girl! I'm SICK OF IT!"
"Hey, hey, hey! What's all the shouting about?" Brother said, glaring at Paine. Buddy was right him. Same as ever.
"We could hear you in the cabin." Buddy said, standing back.
"You made Yuna cry!" Brother screeched running at Paine only to be held back by Buddy.
"No, I didn't!" Paine shouted, halting Brother's attack. "She set herself off and decide to cry all over me and she WON'T TELL ME WHY!"
"Yuna?" Brother asked, squatting next to her. She brushed his concerns away arrogantly. Paine pushed past Buddy and Rikku, who she had not seen, and went up to the deck.
Baralai watched the Celsius cross the sky and imagined that he could see Paine on the deck. He was sitting on the edge of dock 1, letting the wind from the Celsius ruffle his silver hair. He didn't hear Nooj come up behind him until he cleared he said his name.
"Baralai, it's time." Baralai stood and followed Nooj to the podium.
"Do I even need to be here?" He asked Nooj, nervously. He hated public speaking almost as much as he hated the cheap fabrics from Besaid.
"Yes. We're here now anyway. You'll be fine." Nooj said confidently.
They rounded a corner and came across Gippal dancing around, punching the air.
"Hey, Baralai! You're stiff, man."
"Oh, shut up." Baralai said in good humour, throwing a mock punch at Gippal, "Have you forgotten that your weapon is that great, err,...honking gun?" He said, pointing at their weapons in the corner. This time it was Nooj and Gippal's turn to laugh while Baralai stood off to one side, smiling politely, hands stuffed in his pockets.
"Are you ready, then?" He asked.
Spira's three leaders walked out to rapturous applause from their Luca audience.
"Right. We'll go and speak to them." Brother said, meaning Baralai, Gippal and Nooj. "but we'll act normally." He said, tightening his arm round Yuna and glaring at Paine who was standing by Shinra. "Yes?"
"Fine." Paine said, walking away from the bridge, boots hammering a cross tattoo against the sides of the machina.
After their brief conversation with Nooj et al, the Gullwings went back to Besaid – Yuna's decision of course.
Paine thought Baralai was looking a bit down. She had wanted to stay and talk to him but Brother told her to come on.
Baralai had gone to sit by the dock after talking to the Gullwings. He thought Paine looked a bit distant with Rikku and Yuna. Paine went after that. Baralai knew Nooj was hoping she'd stay.
Paine lay on her bed (again) eating a bar of chocolate (again) thinking about the guys (again) when Yuna came and sat on her bed (again). Paine looked over the railing at Brother and Rikku.
"What now?"
"Nothing!" Yuna said looking at Paine who lay back down and picked up a sphere. Looking at Yuna through its crimson hue, Paine saw her turn and look at Brother and Rikku nervously. Paine began tossing the sphere from hand to hand, her eyes not leaving Yuna.
Brother shouted from downstairs suddenly, "Paine is leaving the Gullwings!"
Paine looked at Yuna. "Is that a question of am I fired?"
Yuna looked down and was about to say something when Buddy called the Gullwings down the Engine Room. They were almost in Besaid.
Paine watches Yuna jump from the Celsius into 'his' arms. She smiles off to the side. Rikku thinks she's smiling at her. Dumb blond. When Wakka shouts they look to the shore. The entire Crimson Squad is there, Paine tries to run to them but is held back by Rikku.
"Let them have their moment." Paine looks at her gone out.
"Who cares? Look they're running inland now."
"Yeah, but you'll ruin the moment if you go after them."
Paine pulls her arm free and waves at the three men on the shore. They're trying to get her to run to them. She points to Rikku and Gippal and starts bouncing in confusion. Paine tosses up her hands in frustration and walks back into the cabin.
Baralai smacks Gippal (who is shouting "what about Rikku?") and gestures that he's going to her. Nooj makes out as if he is going to follow him. Gippal grabs his arm,
"Err, Noojster won't the sea rust ya leg?" Nooj scowls but heeds him.
"Hi, there." Baralai says. Paine sits up on her bed.
"What now?"
Baralai looks down. "Nooj is thinking about re-starting the Crimson Squad instead of having all these parties." He gestured towards her shyly, "We thought we better have someone from the Gullwings, too."
"So go ask Yuna and Rikku. I've been fired."
"Paine?" He comes over to her and sits beside her, stroking her hair. She leans on him, breathing in his smell. "You ok?"
Fighting back tears she nods. "Sure."
"Well, we still want you...Come on." He pulled her to her feet.
"Hang on."
"Paine?"
"Need my sword."
They leave the Cabin together, hand-in-hand. Paine puts her finger over her mouth in a shush gesture at Barkeep and Darling. They leave all together and head towards Mushroom Rock Road where the rest of New Yevon and the Machine Faction are.
Well? All written in one day. -FFH
"Did you talk to Paine?" Baralai asks.
Baralai and Nooj were walking through the Farplane depths, preferring to walk up rather than across the Farplane flower field like Yuna, Rikku and Paine were.
Nooj looks over at Baralai. This is the first time he has spoken since Shuyin released him.
"...No."
"I can't believe you, Noojster." A new voice from behind them says. Turning around, the men see Gippal swaggering up towards them. "You said you were gonna talk to her!"
Nooj sighs and begins walking again, focusing on the patch of light ahead. Baralai watches this quietly, then smirks.
"Thought you were gonna walk your girlfriend home."
This stops Gippal dead mid-swagger. "What does that mean?" He asked, glaring playfully at Baralai.
"Nothing Blinkie." He replied, running a little to catch up with Nooj. Gippal hurries up to them and takes hold of Baralai.
"It's a good job your followers don't see this kind of behaviour, huh?"
The two broke up laughing, holding each other, their laughter too shrill to be sincere. Nooj turns and looks down on them, chuckling slightly.
"Lucky Paine didn't hear that. Let's go." The other two men looked at each other and ran to catch up with Nooj.
Paine sat on her bed in the cabin nibbling a bar of chocolate. She wasn't supposed to have stuff like this but on some occasions you'd do anything to get a blond mongrel out of your face. She just wanted to think.
Lying back on her bed she stretched her long legs up into the air and then back down. After she had lowered them for the fifth time she came face to face with Yuna. With a well-concealed grunt of annoyance she sat up. Yuna sat on the edge of Paine's bed gingerly, playing with her own chocolate.
"You should eat that." Paine said, startling the other girl. The older girl didn't respond. Paine popped the rest of her chocolate in her mouth and threw her wrapper in the bin by the bed. She sat looking at Yuna for a few moments, wondering if she should pry into her mind.
I know, she thought, I'll leave it to Rikku. She'll come and find Yuna in a few minutes anyway.
Yuna looked up sharply, Paine was getting up to go.
"Paine!" She said reaching out and catching hold of the other girl's hand. "Don't go."
Paine looked down at Yuna. Reluctantly, she sat back down and raised her eyebrow quizzically. Yuna looked down at herself - not letting go of Paine and began to cry suddenly.
Oh, no. Now I know what the phrase 'bursting into tears' means, Paine thought unhappily.
"Rikku!" Paine shouted, trying to get out of Yuna's grip.
"No, no. Not Rikku." Yuna said getting herself back under control. She let go of Paine and scrubbed at her eyes with the palms of her hands like a little girl.
"Why?" Paine asked gently, moving towards the other girl worriedly. Reaching out, she brushed the other girl's hair from her face. Yuna rested her head against Paine's cool shoulder, strongly reminded of how it was with Lulu. Childhood memories of falling down and going to her with scraped knees and cut fingers along with her face above her bed when she was ill raced across her mind like clouds scudding across a tempestuous sky. Paine put her arm round her, letting her sob quietly into her shoulder.
After an unknown period of time, Paine pulled Yuna away and looked into her face. "Now, what's wrong?" She asked firmly. Yuna gulped air and hiccupped weakly.
"When you and Rikku walked through the portal in the flower field the Fayth came back hic and said that he'd try his sniff, hic best to...hic"
Yuna threw herself back into Paine's arms, crying harder than ever.
"Try his best to what?" Paine asked, wondering if this was that secret between Rikku and Yuna. Yuna shook her head, spraying tears onto Paine's bare skin, making her shiver. "Is this about this 'him'?" Paine asked, no sympathy in her voice.
Yuna felt the other girl stiffen slightly. She nodded her head without looking up.
"Well, I'll leave this to Rikku, then." She said standing up.
"No! No, Paine, please!" Yuna clung desperately to what she thought was her friend.
"Why?!" Paine shouted, silencing the talk between Darling and Barkeep. "Why should I do that?! Huh?"
"-Paine"
"You and Rikku have been talking about this 'him' all the time, 'he' this and 'he' that! Well ,I'm sick of it! I'm sick of being left out just because I wasn't your stupid guardian or because I was a girl! I'm SICK OF IT!"
"Hey, hey, hey! What's all the shouting about?" Brother said, glaring at Paine. Buddy was right him. Same as ever.
"We could hear you in the cabin." Buddy said, standing back.
"You made Yuna cry!" Brother screeched running at Paine only to be held back by Buddy.
"No, I didn't!" Paine shouted, halting Brother's attack. "She set herself off and decide to cry all over me and she WON'T TELL ME WHY!"
"Yuna?" Brother asked, squatting next to her. She brushed his concerns away arrogantly. Paine pushed past Buddy and Rikku, who she had not seen, and went up to the deck.
Baralai watched the Celsius cross the sky and imagined that he could see Paine on the deck. He was sitting on the edge of dock 1, letting the wind from the Celsius ruffle his silver hair. He didn't hear Nooj come up behind him until he cleared he said his name.
"Baralai, it's time." Baralai stood and followed Nooj to the podium.
"Do I even need to be here?" He asked Nooj, nervously. He hated public speaking almost as much as he hated the cheap fabrics from Besaid.
"Yes. We're here now anyway. You'll be fine." Nooj said confidently.
They rounded a corner and came across Gippal dancing around, punching the air.
"Hey, Baralai! You're stiff, man."
"Oh, shut up." Baralai said in good humour, throwing a mock punch at Gippal, "Have you forgotten that your weapon is that great, err,...honking gun?" He said, pointing at their weapons in the corner. This time it was Nooj and Gippal's turn to laugh while Baralai stood off to one side, smiling politely, hands stuffed in his pockets.
"Are you ready, then?" He asked.
Spira's three leaders walked out to rapturous applause from their Luca audience.
"Right. We'll go and speak to them." Brother said, meaning Baralai, Gippal and Nooj. "but we'll act normally." He said, tightening his arm round Yuna and glaring at Paine who was standing by Shinra. "Yes?"
"Fine." Paine said, walking away from the bridge, boots hammering a cross tattoo against the sides of the machina.
After their brief conversation with Nooj et al, the Gullwings went back to Besaid – Yuna's decision of course.
Paine thought Baralai was looking a bit down. She had wanted to stay and talk to him but Brother told her to come on.
Baralai had gone to sit by the dock after talking to the Gullwings. He thought Paine looked a bit distant with Rikku and Yuna. Paine went after that. Baralai knew Nooj was hoping she'd stay.
Paine lay on her bed (again) eating a bar of chocolate (again) thinking about the guys (again) when Yuna came and sat on her bed (again). Paine looked over the railing at Brother and Rikku.
"What now?"
"Nothing!" Yuna said looking at Paine who lay back down and picked up a sphere. Looking at Yuna through its crimson hue, Paine saw her turn and look at Brother and Rikku nervously. Paine began tossing the sphere from hand to hand, her eyes not leaving Yuna.
Brother shouted from downstairs suddenly, "Paine is leaving the Gullwings!"
Paine looked at Yuna. "Is that a question of am I fired?"
Yuna looked down and was about to say something when Buddy called the Gullwings down the Engine Room. They were almost in Besaid.
Paine watches Yuna jump from the Celsius into 'his' arms. She smiles off to the side. Rikku thinks she's smiling at her. Dumb blond. When Wakka shouts they look to the shore. The entire Crimson Squad is there, Paine tries to run to them but is held back by Rikku.
"Let them have their moment." Paine looks at her gone out.
"Who cares? Look they're running inland now."
"Yeah, but you'll ruin the moment if you go after them."
Paine pulls her arm free and waves at the three men on the shore. They're trying to get her to run to them. She points to Rikku and Gippal and starts bouncing in confusion. Paine tosses up her hands in frustration and walks back into the cabin.
Baralai smacks Gippal (who is shouting "what about Rikku?") and gestures that he's going to her. Nooj makes out as if he is going to follow him. Gippal grabs his arm,
"Err, Noojster won't the sea rust ya leg?" Nooj scowls but heeds him.
"Hi, there." Baralai says. Paine sits up on her bed.
"What now?"
Baralai looks down. "Nooj is thinking about re-starting the Crimson Squad instead of having all these parties." He gestured towards her shyly, "We thought we better have someone from the Gullwings, too."
"So go ask Yuna and Rikku. I've been fired."
"Paine?" He comes over to her and sits beside her, stroking her hair. She leans on him, breathing in his smell. "You ok?"
Fighting back tears she nods. "Sure."
"Well, we still want you...Come on." He pulled her to her feet.
"Hang on."
"Paine?"
"Need my sword."
They leave the Cabin together, hand-in-hand. Paine puts her finger over her mouth in a shush gesture at Barkeep and Darling. They leave all together and head towards Mushroom Rock Road where the rest of New Yevon and the Machine Faction are.
Well? All written in one day. -FFH