Writing with plot? wtf?
For 31_days, I give you something that actually has a plot. It's part two of a large Paine backstory arc. It's set about a year before the Crimson Squad events/FFX events--give or take a couple of months. That would make Paine 15 and Nooj 18.
Paine walked along the beach aimlessly, kicking at the waves. The wind played with her hair, tangling it up with her arms and wrapping it around her neck. It would be a chore to brush out all the snarls it was accumulating, but for now she didn’t care.
Djose’s beaches were not especially beautiful, all rock and pebble-filled sand, but Paine liked them. They reminded her of the small rocky mountain village she’d come from. She had taken to wandering along them at sunset, mostly because it was the only place and time she could be alone in the entire area. She thought she might be the only crusader to like being alone. She looked out across the shore. Perhaps not the only crusader.
Standing not fifteen feet away was Nooj. He stared out at the grey waves, still as a statue save for the wind tugging at his hair. She turned to go. Much as she wanted to stand beside him and watch the ocean together, she would leave him be. Paine understood about the desire to be alone. Her sword betrayed her, though, and struck against a rock. At the tinny noise, Nooj turned to her. They light reflected off of his glasses, hiding his eyes.
“Paine.” His voice was mildly surprised, but not angry. She nodded and opened her mouth to apologize. He waved a hand to cut her off. In the silence that followed, she realized hat it was the first time he’d said her name. She hadn’t been aware that he even knew it. Just before the silene dragged on long enough to become awkward, he spoke.
“I thought I was the only one who liked to watch the sun set from here.”
“Why’s that?”
“The fiends come out at night.” She didn’t say anything and they watch the sun finish setting. When it dipped below the water, Nooj said, “You should head back. The night fiends are more dangerous than those of day. More than a new recruit can handle.” She nodded, but didn’t move.
“Maybe you should walk me back, then.” Her heart was suddenly pounding. He snorted, but replied, “Fine. Let’s go,” and began to stalk off. She started after him and said, “I wasn’t serious, Nooj.” She bit her lip. The hell she wasn’t.
“Then walk back alone!” he snapped. “Either way, I have to return eventually.” He kept moving, the tapping of his cane echoing off the rocks.
The basilisk chose that moment to attack. They didn’t have a warning save for the rustle of scales on rock, and then there were eyes glaring down at them out of the dark. Nooj shoved Paine away and hit the ground, rolling to the side as the fiend strikes the ground were they had been standing. He yelled “Don’t look it in the eye!” and drew his gun. His shot grazed the serpent. It hissed and flared out its hood, poising to strike again. Nooj lay on the ground, his cane several feet away. He couldn’t get out of the way, but he didn’t even try. Paine noticed this with a small corner of her mind as she ran towards the basilisk. By the time it noticed her charge, she had already lept into the air, scoring a deep gash into its flesh. The fiend shrieked and pulled away, writhing in agony. She tried to follow through with another strike, but the wind returned and blew her hair up in her face and her swing went wide. She flailed, trying to see and she could smell the rot on the beast’s breath. She swung wildly in front of her, hoping to keep the fiend at bay long enough to regain her vision.
A gunshot ripped through the night. The sound was followed by the heavy thump of the creature hitting the ground. Paine finally managed to sweep her hair away from her face. The fiend lay a few feet away, already beginning to dissolve into pyreflies. Before it disappeared completely, Paine saw a bullet hole directly between its eyes.
“You killed it,” she said unnecessarily.
“Couldn’t have it killing you, now could I?” Nooj replied dryly. He glanced around, seeking his cane. “You need to do something about your hair. Next time you may not be so lucky.” Paine made a face as she remembered her moment of panic at not being able to see. She reached behind her and gathered up her waist-length hair in one hand as she lifted her sword with the other.
“You’re more likely to cut your hand off that way than your hair.” Nooj had retrieved his cane and was cautiously lifting his weight to stand. “Come here.” He pulled a standard-issue knife from his belt and motioned for her to turn her back to him. He swept her hair up in his mechanical hand, and Paine shivered at the cool kiss of metal to her neck. She felt a gentle tug as Nooj pulled the knife through her hair and then her head was curiously light. She turned back to face him. He held over two feet of hair in his hand.
“Do you want to keep it?” She shook her head. He opened his hand and the wind carried it away. A few strands caught in the gears of his fingers. “The camp is just around the corner.” He turned and began to walk away. Paine followed silently.
He touched me.
Paine walked along the beach aimlessly, kicking at the waves. The wind played with her hair, tangling it up with her arms and wrapping it around her neck. It would be a chore to brush out all the snarls it was accumulating, but for now she didn’t care.
Djose’s beaches were not especially beautiful, all rock and pebble-filled sand, but Paine liked them. They reminded her of the small rocky mountain village she’d come from. She had taken to wandering along them at sunset, mostly because it was the only place and time she could be alone in the entire area. She thought she might be the only crusader to like being alone. She looked out across the shore. Perhaps not the only crusader.
Standing not fifteen feet away was Nooj. He stared out at the grey waves, still as a statue save for the wind tugging at his hair. She turned to go. Much as she wanted to stand beside him and watch the ocean together, she would leave him be. Paine understood about the desire to be alone. Her sword betrayed her, though, and struck against a rock. At the tinny noise, Nooj turned to her. They light reflected off of his glasses, hiding his eyes.
“Paine.” His voice was mildly surprised, but not angry. She nodded and opened her mouth to apologize. He waved a hand to cut her off. In the silence that followed, she realized hat it was the first time he’d said her name. She hadn’t been aware that he even knew it. Just before the silene dragged on long enough to become awkward, he spoke.
“I thought I was the only one who liked to watch the sun set from here.”
“Why’s that?”
“The fiends come out at night.” She didn’t say anything and they watch the sun finish setting. When it dipped below the water, Nooj said, “You should head back. The night fiends are more dangerous than those of day. More than a new recruit can handle.” She nodded, but didn’t move.
“Maybe you should walk me back, then.” Her heart was suddenly pounding. He snorted, but replied, “Fine. Let’s go,” and began to stalk off. She started after him and said, “I wasn’t serious, Nooj.” She bit her lip. The hell she wasn’t.
“Then walk back alone!” he snapped. “Either way, I have to return eventually.” He kept moving, the tapping of his cane echoing off the rocks.
The basilisk chose that moment to attack. They didn’t have a warning save for the rustle of scales on rock, and then there were eyes glaring down at them out of the dark. Nooj shoved Paine away and hit the ground, rolling to the side as the fiend strikes the ground were they had been standing. He yelled “Don’t look it in the eye!” and drew his gun. His shot grazed the serpent. It hissed and flared out its hood, poising to strike again. Nooj lay on the ground, his cane several feet away. He couldn’t get out of the way, but he didn’t even try. Paine noticed this with a small corner of her mind as she ran towards the basilisk. By the time it noticed her charge, she had already lept into the air, scoring a deep gash into its flesh. The fiend shrieked and pulled away, writhing in agony. She tried to follow through with another strike, but the wind returned and blew her hair up in her face and her swing went wide. She flailed, trying to see and she could smell the rot on the beast’s breath. She swung wildly in front of her, hoping to keep the fiend at bay long enough to regain her vision.
A gunshot ripped through the night. The sound was followed by the heavy thump of the creature hitting the ground. Paine finally managed to sweep her hair away from her face. The fiend lay a few feet away, already beginning to dissolve into pyreflies. Before it disappeared completely, Paine saw a bullet hole directly between its eyes.
“You killed it,” she said unnecessarily.
“Couldn’t have it killing you, now could I?” Nooj replied dryly. He glanced around, seeking his cane. “You need to do something about your hair. Next time you may not be so lucky.” Paine made a face as she remembered her moment of panic at not being able to see. She reached behind her and gathered up her waist-length hair in one hand as she lifted her sword with the other.
“You’re more likely to cut your hand off that way than your hair.” Nooj had retrieved his cane and was cautiously lifting his weight to stand. “Come here.” He pulled a standard-issue knife from his belt and motioned for her to turn her back to him. He swept her hair up in his mechanical hand, and Paine shivered at the cool kiss of metal to her neck. She felt a gentle tug as Nooj pulled the knife through her hair and then her head was curiously light. She turned back to face him. He held over two feet of hair in his hand.
“Do you want to keep it?” She shook her head. He opened his hand and the wind carried it away. A few strands caught in the gears of his fingers. “The camp is just around the corner.” He turned and began to walk away. Paine followed silently.
He touched me.