Title: Where are they Now?
Rating: PG
Pairings: 1+2
Summary: What do characters do after their series ends? (Fusion/x-over with Final Fantasy 8.)
Notes: GW/FF8 crossover. Sort of.
AC-197
--
"Heero! Check this out, we got a reply back!" Duo skidded to a stop in the kitchen a' la fuzzy-socks, and held up an official looking letter.
"And?" asked Heero, eyeing the raggedly opened edge of the envelope.
"We got the job! Rehearsals start a week from Friday, so they've already got scripts lined up for us."
"How did you talk them into letting you keep the braid?"
"I applied for part of the sharp-shooter, remember? Two words, buddy: 'cowboy hat'."
"Hn."
--
"Man, I LOVE this get-up!" (clump -sque-eak- clump) "-is costuming always so-"
"Hold still, please."
"Sure, whatever. Were the chaps your idea?"
"Yes. Now I'm going to curl most of your braid up on top of your head, but I'm leaving the bottom foot or so of it loose to make up a ponytail. This means serious bobby pins and fixing, so try not to get into much hand-to-hand during the fight scenes."
"No prob. I'll just stand at the back and ahh... sharp-shoot things."
"Exactly. Oh, and could you hand me that rubber band over there?"
"Here."
"Thanks, luv."
"Why does my character wear two extra belts?"
"Look, just try it on will you?"
rustle rustle, zip, ca-click...
"Anything else?"
"Yeah the necklace chain, but watch it, the points on the pendant are sharp."
"Hn."
"Boy they really type-cast you, didn't they?"
"Why do you say that?"
"No reason..."
The afternoon sun shone down bright and hot on the small group gathering outside the director's trailer office. Most of them were young, and all of them were in costume. Duo joined the people milling around, and was immediately mobbed by two blondes and a brunette.
"Irvine Kinneas, I presume?" The speaker was the brunette, a petite girl with liquid green eyes, and hair that flipped outwards alarmingly along it's lower two inches.
"Ah am now..." Duo grinned.
"Thank god!" The ash-blonde girl on Duo's left glared across at the blonde skater-looking guy across from her. "See, SOME people can remember the rules!"
"What IS she talkin' about?" Duo asked the brunette.
"The director had so much trouble with people slipping out of character while he was filming 'Final Fantasy Seven' that he's not letting us tell each other our real names." she shrugged. "Yeah, like THAT'S gonna last..."
"How's it goin'?" the blonde boy interrupted, "So, you're Irvine, huh? I play Zell Dincht, you know, the hand-to-hand fighter?"
"Ahh..." Duo had missed most of that sentence while checking out Zell's side-of-face tattoo.
"I'm Selphie." The brunette introduced herself, rescuing him.
"Quistis Trepe." The ash-blonde added.
"Have you acted before, or is this your first-" began Selphie.
"WHERE is SQUALL?" interrupted an irritated male voice behind them.
"Seifer." chorused Selphie and Quistis. Zell rolled his eyes.
"You!"
Duo turned to find himself nose-to-chin with yet another blonde. This one had both the looks and the warmth of a marble statue, and sported a long white duster.
"Yeah, you! You came in with him, why's he taking so long to get changed?" the young man demanded.
"How the hell should -I- know?" Duo pointed out, tactfully.
"Terrific. Another wise-ass..." Seifer muttered.
"You play one of the bad guys, don't you?"
"THE 'bad guy', actually. What tipped you off?"
"Call it a hunch," Duo told him, seriously.
"Hm." Seifer seemed flattered by this, and went else where to continue his search for their AWOL co-star.
"Bright lad, isn't he?" murmured Quistis, dryly.
"Takes all kinds," agreed Selphie.
"Don't under-estimate him, though," cautioned Zell.
"Hey cowboy!"
The four of them turned to see Seifer's quarry, decked out in an effective combination of black clothing and leather straps. At his side was a very unique-looking weapon, combining the attributes of both a sword and a revolver. Heero looked quite pleased with himself.
Quistis looked pleased, but not impressed.
Zell looked intimidated.
Duo gave Heero a frank and favorable appraisal.
Selphie noted the look on Duo's face, and muttered something about, "It's always the cute ones".
"He- I mean, Squall, what took ya?" grinned Duo.
"We're using our character names?" Heero deduced.
Duo nodded.
"Mine's Irvine Kinneas. ...And who might you be?"
"Squall Leonhart." Heero replied, coolly.
They shook hands, just for the hell of it.
"This is going to be a long shoot..." Quistis observed.
-end-