Weapon of Choice (Final Fantasy X-2, Paine, #2)

[owlmoose]

Title: Weapon of Choice
Fandom: Final Fantasy X-2
Character: Paine
Theme(s): #2, Sword
Rating: PG
Spoilers/Warnings: Minor, for Paine's backstory and the game
Wordcount: ~6000
Disclaimer: Characters, places, and themes from FFX-2 are copyright Square Enix.
Notes: This story has been over two years in the making. It was one of the first ideas I

Comments

[muggy_mountain]

I like how you made Paine's father supportive (and alive). Though I don't normally read FFX-2 fic, I'll bet she's one of those characters people give a Wholly Traumatic Childhood. His reasoning for giving her a sword makes sense, and is demonstrative of both his acceptance of Paine's decision and the parental need to see his daughter off safe

[owlmoose]

Thank you so much for the detailed feedback! I really appreciate your taking the time to comment on each vignette.

I'm a little confused by what Nooj is envying

Your first instinct is correct: it's her ability with the sword, more specifically the fact that she's able to wield one, something he can't do anymore. Might be too subtle?

Are these arranged chronologically?

Yes. I agree that these two scenes are probably too similar to be one after the other in the story, and I considered either cutting one or inserting a different scene to break them up, but I couldn't come up with an idea I liked well enough, nor could I give either of them up. (I know, kill your babies; I've never been very good at that though...)

Thanks again! I'm glad you liked it.

I

[kunstarniki]

This is truly excellent. I had to postpone reading it because of a dental appointment and it was well worth the wait

Re: I

[owlmoose]

Many thanks for the high praise! That is exactly what I wanted to do: show Paine in brief flashes, snapshots at her at different times in her life, but always as a swordswoman.

Nooj lying about the shooting was, to me, a combination of Shuyin's influence and self-preservation. He wants to get his friends the medical attention they need, but he can't confess; even if he had wanted to do so, he wouldn't be much good to anyone locked up in a cell -- or, perhaps, so Shuyin influences him to believe.

I have always been fond of weaving in and out of the first person (I blame Diana Gabaldon, really), so I'm glad to hear that it works here.

Glad you enjoyed it. :) Thanks for your comments.

[first_seventhe]

I really enjoyed this! I liked seeing your thoughts on Paine's backstory -- it's a good balance between the hardships you'd expect of someone growing up in Spira, and nothing that's too unbelievably tragic (I'd say Paine has her share of tragedy with the Den of Woe). I like that she's sentimentally attached to the sword from her father, but that -- as was foreshadowed -- she ends up having to leave it behind.

I especially liked the bit about Paine acting as a bodyguard/guide -- it's just fit very well with her character, somehow. Making use of her skills in the best way she can.... but not, necessarily, loving it.

I'd love to see more of the dress-sphere recording one, too!

[owlmoose]

I always have a lot of fun playing with dressphere meta. I had thought of including that scene before you asked me for more, a year or so ago, but that convinced me to work it in.

I like the bodyguard thing, too. It suits the loner she became after the Crimson Squad disaster, I think -- she doesn't have to depend on anyone, it gives her an excuse to keep fighting, and it pays the bills.

Thanks for your comments! I'm glad you liked it. :)