A/N- Ok, it's almost Halloween and I couldn't resist doing a piece on ShinRa's finest and their Halloween scares. WARNING: this does contain a few spoilers about what happens in A Lover's Dream so if you don't want the sneak peak then just don't read. Read and Review
Summary: So Halloween is coming up and ShinRa has decided to host a party for the SOLDIERs and Turks. When a few tricksters decide to shake things up, pandemonium breaks lose.
Genesis was rather looking forward to going to the company party tonight. It was Halloween abut he had no costume picked out. After all, Halloween was one of his favorite holidays. He loved to play pranks on his friends and his darling wife was always more than happy to help him in his devious designs.
"Genesis, are you sure this doesn't make me look fat?" The woman who just inhabited his thoughts turned to question him.
"You look marvelous," he said in return. Kate had picked out the most adorable pirate costume. She had a flowing white shirt with ruffled at the neck and on the ends of her sleeves, with skintight black leather pants and her normal shiny thigh-high black boots. To top it all off she wore a black captain's hat with a blue feather in it. She looked spectacular. Genesis loved the outfit on her. She looked sexy and beguiling.
He on the other hand had no idea what he was going to wear just yet. The two had gone out to do some last minute shopping. They would have done it earlier but there had been no time to between his SOLDIER missions and her own mercenary missions. So here they were, looking through the picked over costumes in one of the specialty shops that Midgar always had around this time of year.
Kate walked over to him and wrapped her hands around his waist. He loved feeling her wrapped around him.
"You know Genesis, I absolutely love you," she murmured into the fabric of his shirt around his neck.
"I love you too sweet," he said to her. And he meant it, she was his world. When she pulled back, she turned to the side.
"So I suppose I will get the pirate costume. Now we just have to find something for you to wear," she said happily.
"Easier said than done," Genesis mumbled to himself. He was always picky about what he chose to wear. He was a fashionista after all. Kate just turned and shot him a hot glare. She would find something cute for him to wear. She was determined.
Sephiroth was skulking about his office, in his usual somber mood. He had tons of paperwork to do. He always did. No one seemed to understand that the paperwork was important to him. It was part of his duty to ShinRa. His friends were always blowing it off and turning it in at the last possible moment. Even at the moment, Genesis and Kate Rhapsodos were out doing some shopping even though Genesis was already behind on his own paperwork. Sephiroth just sighed.
Genesis, Kate, Angeal, and Zack had all managed to convince him to go to ShinRa's stupid Halloween party this evening. He didn't know why he had agreed. He hated parties. Hell, he didn't have anything to wear either. It was supposed to be a costume party. Sephiroth just didn't do costumes. He loved his black leather trench coat more than anything on Gaia. It would be a miracle to get him out of it.
Or so he thought. That was the moment the Puppy decided to crash his way into Sephiroth's office. Even though he was a 2nd class SOLDIER, Zackary Fair had to be one of the clumsiest people Sephiroth had ever known.
"Zackary, what do you want now?" Sephiroth asked in a slightly annoyed voice.
"Well you know Sephiroth, you decided to come to the party and everything right?" Zack started in. He had a stupid mischievous grin on his face.
"Yes, Zackary, I know. I agreed to go to that stupid party, even though I have billions of other, more important, things I could be doing. Zack just snorted.
"Like what? Your paperwork?" the black haired puppy asked mockingly. Zack was one of the few people who could talk to Sephiroth like that and not get the pointy end of Masamune shoved through his sternum. Sephiroth just sighed. He knew it would be a losing battle to try to convince this young man of the importance of paperwork.
"So what brings you to my office now?" Sephiroth asked instead.
"Well, Sephy, I just thought since you only decided to go this morning and didn't have any time to go out shopping like the Rhapsodoses, that I would lend you one of my old costumes and help you make any alterations you need." Sephiroth just stared at him as if he were an idiot. Which he was if he thought The Silver General was going to dress up.
"Zack, I'm not dressing up," Sephiroth said flatly. Zack just grinned.
"This picture I have of you on my cell phone says a different story," Zack said with a careful edge.
"What picture?" Sephiroth said cautiously. There was no telling what Zack had managed to drag up.
Zack got out his phone and flipped through a few of the pictures on it before stopping on one. He held up the phone for Sephiroth to see. On it was a picture of Sephiroth curled up on Angeal's couch wearing his favorite pajamas, which just so happened to be Moogle print. To make matters worse, he was cuddling his precious teddy bear Johnson.
"Zackary Fair, I am going to kill you," Sephiroth yelled as he summoned Masamune to his hand. Zack let out an echoing laugh as he danced out of the way of the massive odachi and out the door.
"I'll see you at my place before the party so we can pick out your costume, Seph," the ravanette called down the hallway.
Angeal was in his apartment clipping his herbs while humming a song. This day was going swimmingly well. Today was one of his very few days off. He had actually managed to bake a chocolate cake, take a nice relaxing bath, and he was able to take care of his precious plants. They desperately needed it after the lack of attention he had been giving them lately. It was a miracle that they weren't dead already. Not to mention that there was going to be a kick ass Halloween party tonight hosted by ShinRa Electric Company itself. Today was a spectacular day indeed.
His silent reverie was broken however, when his boisterous lover decided to make an appearance in their apartment earlier than he was expecting him.
"Hey Puppy, you're home early," Angeal said casually. Zack just grinned.
"They ended up giving me half the day off in order to prepare for the party. Lazard had something important for me to do which involved me taking some time off," Zack kept grinning as he said.
"What does the Director have planned?" Angeal asked suspiciously. There was no telling what scheme their oh so humorless boss had concocted.
"You will see later," Zack said. He wasn't going to spoil Lazard's fun by telling anyone just yet. This was going to be so much fun. "Have you decided on what costume you are going to wear tonight?" the Puppy continued, trying to turn the conversation away from the surprise.
"Hmm, now that is the question," Angeal mused. He had a few ideas and luckily he had all the right bits and pieces of clothing to make any of them work. "Do you know what you are wearing?" he asked Zack.
"Yup," Zack said. "I'm going to go as a rockstar."
"That sounds absolutely lovely, Zack," Angeal said. It gave him a totally new idea on what he was going to go as. This was going to be quite an exciting evening after all. He was just lucky the entire company knew he and Fair were together. That made things a hell of a lot easier.
It was finally time for the party to begin. It was 10 in the evening. Luckily ShinRa had decided to let everyone have the day off tomorrow so each person could enjoy the evening fully. There was a fully stocked bar and the lighting and decorations were perfect. The lights were low and creepy and there were tons of orange and black streamers hung around the ballroom. The guests were just beginning to show up when Kate and Genesis arrived.
"You look great, Gen," Kate cajoled her reluctant lover. Genesis wasn't particularly pleased with her choice in his costume, but she was queen when it came to getting her way. Which was why he was dressed as an adorable black and white kitten. A kitten. Complete with ears, tail, and whiskers drawn on with eyeliner. He couldn't believe he was out in public like this. Then he spied Angeal and Zack across the room. Apparently Angeal's lover had gotten hold of him too. Zack was dressed as a typical rockstar with black leather, plenty of silver accessories, and an electric guitar strapped across his back. Angeal was dressed as a fangirl. He was wearing a schoolgirl's uniform with a plaid skirt and button down top. Even worse, his glorious black hair was pulled up into pigtails and he was holding a small sign declaring whose fan he was. It read "I love Zack, the Rockstar." Genesis giggled. It made his costume look downright respectable. He threaded his fingers through his wife's and walked across the room hand in hand with her.
"So 'geal, looks like Zack got his hands on you after all," Genesis casually teased his childhood friend. Angeal blushed a little bit.
"Actually, this was all my idea. Not Puppy being a rockstar or anything. Just the part about me being his biggest fan," Angeal said. He was blushing even harder now. He wasn't so sure this had been the brightest idea after all. Kate laughed a little.
"You look good Angeal. You two make a great couple. You might even win the prize for funniest costume," she said with a slight hint of her laughter still in her voice.
"I don't know about that one," Zack cut in. "Sephiroth has on quite the costume." With the mention of his name, the Silver Demon himself walked into the room. He was scowling like a raincloud. The entire room fell silent. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. The greatest SOLDIER to have graced the halls of ShinRa was dressed as a fairy princess. He had silver wings; his hair was pulled up into a graceful pony tail, and atop his head sat a glittering tiara. In his hand, instead of Masamune, there was a sparkly wand. Zack burst out laughing. He couldn't believe Sephiroth had actually showed up in the outfit he had put him in. Sephiroth just growled, daring anyone else to laugh. The conversation quickly started up again. The entire room knew that Seph could summon his great sword with merely a though and no one wanted to be on the receiving end of it.
The party was going on quite well, with the exception of the three embarrassingly dressed Firsts. It was getting close to midnight. Lazard was having a great time watching his SOLDIERS enjoy themselves. Sephiroth was quite a sight to behold. He was glad he had bribed Zack to make the General look ridiculous. It was well worth the dinner that the Director had promised to him and Angeal.
Suddenly all the lights went out. Lazard looked around but couldn't see anything past the tip of his nose. He hoped it wasn't an attack. Although he knew that all the people in the room carried at least on weapon on themselves at all times he still didn't want his evening to be ruined. Then came a voice from the ceiling.
"Bloooood," came the whispered voice.
"Fiiirrrre," came a second voice in the same chilly octave. This was really starting to freak everyone out. Over half of the people in the room were slightly drunk and started to crowd around each other.
Then out of nowhere, there was a light coming from the hallway. It was a pale blue color. In it could be seen a faint outline of a humanoid shape. Someone screamed. Lazard looked around in the faint light that the creature was casting. Kate Rhapsodos was comforting her husband so Lazard could only assume that the scream had come from Genesis. Lazard halfway agreed with the redhead on the scream. People were beginning to back up against the far wall. Of course they were all highly trained warriors but this was Halloween. The night when the souls of the damned returned to Gaia in an attempt to claim as many of their brethren and taken them back with them. And of course there were plenty enough damned souls at ShinRa to make it worth their while to make a special stop. This was getting freaky.
Then the apparition in the hallways tripped.
"Damn it Cloud, you and your clumsiness," the first voice from overhead said.
"Sorry, bro, the cords from the megaphones were in my way," the second voice said.
Lazard got an idea of what was going on.
"Fair! Strife! You two are in so much trouble," Lazard called out. The lights came back on as suddenly as they had gone out. The ravanette and the blonde then walked into the ballroom with sheepish grins on their face.
"What the hell do you think you were doing?" Lazard said in a calm voice that contradicted his words.
"Well, sir, it's Halloween, we thought it would be fun to give everyone a scare," Zack began to explain. Cloud just nodded along with his best friend's words. Lazard sighed. He supposed he wouldn't punish the boys too harshly. After all, it was kinda funny looking back on it. Having a room full of ShinRa's elite scared out of their pants was well worth it.
"Ok boys, you aren't in trouble," Lazard conceded. Both boys visibly relaxed and Cloud let out a relieved sigh. "But," Lazard continued, "you do have to clean up after the party." Zack and Cloud both groaned. That was going to be one hell of a job considering how many empty bottles were strewn across the tables in the room.
Lazard turned away and smiled a small smirk. This Halloween was definitely going to be one that ShinRa remembered for a long time.
A/N- *phew* I think that's actually one of the longest things I've written in a long time. It was worth it though. I couldn't help but putting Sephy in a fairy costume. The idea was just too irresistible. I think he would make a darn cute fairy too. Well, anyways, review my lovelies. Tell me what you think of my caffeinated hallucinations.
-BeautifulTemptation