(A/N:)
*Steals candy of all who opened this page* MUAHAHA-HAHAHAHAHA! Happy Halloween everyone! Er… Happy Saturday for those of you who don't celebrate it I guess.
A few days ago it suddenly hit me that Halloween was coming up. (Actually I first realized that there was candy that had to be liberated downstairs) Originally this chapter was supposed to be something different, but it was Halloween and I just had to! I was so worry I wasn't going to finish it in time since I actually wrote 2 different things for Halloween. D: OMG my writing was totally bipolar this week!
Disclaimer: I still don't own the characters from FFVIII nor do I own the characters they dress up as. I don't own the lyrics either. I own the other character's you don't recognize though.
Title: Cub of the Pride
Chapter Three: Trick or Treat!
"Those Loires are up to something." Kiros looked suspiciously around the room. It was pointless however since there was no one else in Ward's office except for the two of them. Ward rolled his eyes exasperated at his fellow advisor's paranoia. "I'm serious, Ward! Laguna's been really secretive this whole month, and I think that Ellone is in on it."
Ward quirked an eyebrow at the man before giving it some thought. Their friend did seem to be acting more peculiar than usually. Strangely enough the president was seen hanging out more often with these two women. Laguna always said that he had appointments with them, but when asked what the appointments were about he always changed the subject.
When Kiros tried asking the women what they did for a living but they only giggled and enigmatically replied that they did a little of this and a little of that and a little of everything. Their coy smiles made the two reel back in shock. Laguna wasn't that kind of man was he? Wasn't he the man whose leg cramped up when he gets nervous around women? The thought of Laguna socializing with that kind of women seemed hard to believe especially two at once.
Kiros had not noticed at first since he had been avoiding Laguna since the whole "Mowon Incidence", but even he eventually noticed that the three of them were not working together as much as they had before. Laguna had been seen arguing with those in charge of budget over something. Something about ordering something and the budget people arguing that it will ruin the whole budget. It was overheard that it will be an event that the people of Esthar would not forget before he left with the two women each on an arm. That picture and scene caused rumors to begin flying around. There was going to be a big event and somehow those two women were involved.
"Ward, are you listening to me?!" The mute man answered by throwing his paperweight at the other. Kiros caught it with a frown and placed it back onto the table. "You can't tell me that you haven't noticed the way Ellone giggles at the sight of you? They are up to something. I don't know if Squall knows. The kid has been playing with Griever leaping out from behind corners growling and roaring like a lion scaring people. Then there are the guards… have you notice the way they seem frustrated and annoyed lately. I heard them mumbling about not being paid to do this type of shit."
Ward shrugged as he tried to read one of the documents on his desk. "You don't think that Laguna is… you know…" The big guy just gave Kiros a flat look at his vague question. He fidgeted with the buttons on his shirt as he tried to word it. "You don't think he's─"
There was a knock on the door and after a moment a woman poked her head in. She wore a measuring tape around her neck. Catching sight of Kiros she stuck her head back out into the hallway. "Kathy, he's not in there! Mr. Seagill is in here." She opened the door wider leaving it opened as she made her way to the desk. "Good afternoon, Mr. Zabac, I'm here for your fitting." She gave them a bright smile and a quick bow. "If you step over here we can get started." Another girl, probably Kathy, walked in. The other girl also held a measuring tape of her own.
The two stared blankly at her and then stared at each other confused before returning the look to the young woman in front of them. "A fitting? I don't remember scheduling a fitting. Did you, Ward?" Kiros got a negative. "What is this for exactly?"
"Well, Mr. Loire ordered us to prepare your outfits for the big event." Kathy replied and she unfurled her tape measure with a snap like a whip. "Mr. Seagill, I will handling your fitting so I need you to come this way."
"Wait a minute!" Kathy grabbed Kiros' arm and dragged him an open portion of the room measuring the length of his arms. "What is this big event?!"
"Don't you know?" The other girl was having problems trying to get Ward out of his chair. "Mr. Loire, Ms. Nevil, and Ms. Fuern are─"
"Tanya! It's a surprise." The two women that had been hanging around Laguna were standing in the open doorway to Ward's office. The blonde mimed zipping her mouth. "Don't ruin the surprise, dear."
The girl flushed chastised. "Oh! Sorry ma'am!"
Kiros ignored Kathy as she wrapped the tape measure around his waist and her comments ("Oh wow you're really skinny!"). "Dilena, what in Hyne's name is going on?!"
"We told you Advisor Seagill. We're only doing what we need to." Her redhead companion answered and the two shared a secretive grin.
As Kathy took the measurement around his neck Kiros felt like they were measuring him for a noose. Ward ignored the chaos in his office and continued his work forcing Tanya to measure him in the chair as he moved.
"Mowon!"
Kiros cringed and quickly glanced around to see if Laguna was around. The dark skinned man was in the clear. He was getting a little desperate if he was resorting to trying to get the information out of a toddler who only began talking two months ago. Though Squall was always around Laguna maybe he picked up some words that would shed some light on the whole situation.
"Yes, what has Moron been doing?"
"Se- …Se-" The boy frown as he tried to recall how to say the word. "Secwet?" Kiros' face fell groaning, and Squall patted his leg like a kicked puppy.
"Squall, do you know what the secret is?"
The toddler stared innocently up at his uncle as he chewed on Griever's tail. Stormy blue eyes darted around the room before he gave a quick nod. "Fun secwet. Mowon was f-fi…"
"Fitted?" Kiros offered and Squall nodded again.
"…fitted fow a suit."
"A suit?" Kiros' eyebrows shot up to hairline. As president of Esthar Laguna already had plenty of suits. Why would he knew need a new suit? Unless it was a special type of suit.
Squall leaned in to whisper conspiratorially in the man's ear. "Sis is getting a dwess."
"Squall, have you been fitted?" The boy nodded with a wide grin. "Are you getting a suit too?"
The boy only lifted up his lion plushie and made growling noises. "RAWR!"
"We'll play later. Squall, I need to kn─"
"Squall! Where are you?" Kiros froze as Laguna's voice echoed down the hallway.
"Uncle Kiros has to go now." He patted the young Loire on the head ruffling his brown hair. "Don't tell Moron you saw me." Before Squall could do anything Kiros had already sprinted off.
"Ah there you are, Squall!" His father lifted him off the floor as he rounded the corner. "Don't go wandering off like that."
The brown head bobbed once and he nuzzled his face into his father's shoulder and affectionately chirped. "Mowon!"
Laguna's eye twitched and he darkly muttered under his breath. "Kiros…" His hand involuntary twitched like he was choking something.
Much to Ward's annoyance Kiros grew more and more suspicious as the week grew to a close. He was possessed to figure out what Laguna was planning. The silent advisor had locked Kiros into one of the supply closets for three hours when he suggested that the two of them sneak into the ventilation system above Laguna's office to find out what was happening. It wasn't like they were some terrorist group spying on presidential meetings. (A/N: Ward obviously refuses to pull such an Avalanche move. This ain't FFVII.) Maybe Laguna's crazy plans were rubbing off on the youngest of the trio.
Perhaps Kiros' paranoia wasn't quite as unfounded as Ward dismissed because one day Kathy, Tanya, and a bunch of their helpers ambushed them. The heroes of the last Sorceress War found themselves strong-armed into what the girls had been working for the past couple of weeks.
About twenty minutes after the ambush Kiros was storming into Laguna's office. "WHAT IS THIS?!" The tall man gestured wildly at the scarecrow costume he was wearing. The costume was well made as the straw didn't go flying around everything with his wild jerking movements.
The very metallic-looking president flicked his green eyes and quickly looked his advisor up and down. "Oh, Kiros, you look great." The man gave him a thumbs up in approval and then went back to painting whiskers onto the growling lion cub in front of him. "Where's Ward?"
"Probably too embarrassed to show his face in public, I sacrificed my ego to walk through the Presidential Residence to get here." Kiros drawled crossing his arms and trying to ignore how itchy his costume was. "Seriously what is up with these costumes? Why is there yellow carpet everywhere? AND WHAT DID YOU DO TO THE SOLDIERS?!"
Laguna ignored him and turned to Ellone who was clicking the heels of her red shoes together. "Elle, can you go tell Ward that he's being silly and bring him here?" The girl skipped out of the room her blue gingham plaid dress rustling with her movements. He finally finished the face paint on the cub and warned the little one not to touch it before letting Squall run about the room.
Kiros stormed up to Laguna and loudly rapped on the metal funnel he was wearing on his head. The thing clanged horribly and the Tin Man winced at the noise. "Ok talk now! What is going on?!"
"Geeze, Kiros, it is called Halloween." He stood up his costume clanking with the action. "You act like you never celebrated it before." Kiros gaped at the man. "Besides Ms. Fuern and Nevil helped me arranged this whole thing for the children. After Adel's reign parents are still a little paranoid to let their kids outside, and so we decided to create a special candy route inside the Presidential Residence. Inside, guarded, and one route all the way through. All they have to do is follow the yellow brick road!" The president's chest puffed proudly. "I'm such a genius."
"Are the guards your brilliant idea too?"
"Of course! I had to stick to the theme and plus it's Halloween!"
There was a giggle outside and they turned to the door to see Ward shuffle miserably into view. Elle sat on the black furry creature's broad shoulders holding onto the leash to the collar that Ward was wearing. Since Ward was much too large to fit into a picnic basket he wore part of one around his hips hanging off of suspenders. The face paint and doggy ears were at odds with the stormy expression he wore.
"Now that Dorothy and Toto are here let's be off!"
Laguna grabbed Squall's hand and the child looked up at his father. "Mowon?"
Laguna glared at Kiros who took a step back holding up his hands placating. "Have a heart."
"Get a brain!"
"Come work at the Presidential Residence he says!" The guard eyed the mummy bandages that he was wearing. "The president is nothing like the tyrant Adel. He would never make us do stupid nonsensical things. He's such a level headed leader. He always puts the people's feelings first. The president is the greatest leader of the history of leaders. I'm obviously the biggest Loire fan of all-time!"
"SHUT UP MAN!" His fellow guard smacked him upside the head. "The kids are going to be here any moment now." The guard stuck fake plastic vampire teeth in his mouth before sinking to his knees. The front part of a shoe was attached to the front of the knee so that when he was on his knees he would look like a munchkin, a vampire munchkin, but a munchkin all the same. "Do you remember what we're supposed to do?"
The mummy sulked at the other and sank to his knees carefully adjusting the bag of candy he was to give away. They better be paid extra for this. Randomly the guard busted out into song.
Ding-dong the Witch is dead
Which old witch?
The Wicked Witch
Ding-dong the Wicked Witch is dead
The vampire beaned his friend on the head with a lollipop. "Wrong song!" He hissed. "It's Follow the Yellow Brick Road!"
"But I like the other one better!"
(A/N:)
Yay there is the fluff part of the Halloween inspired stories that I wrote. If you haven't go check out the darker themed fic I wrote "Reap What You Sow". Seriously after the title of the last chapter you people should have seen this coming! And yes the Wicked Witch is supposed to be Adel, but it's not like she's completely dead though. Maybe Odine is the Wizard though?
Btw what do you think Kiros suspected was happening? I dunno if I hinted it enough, and I didn't really want to go into it. Perhaps it will always be a mystery?
I think I've been overposting updating lately. (Seriously 1-2 chapters a week) I think I'm going to take it a bit more slowly from now on and not burn myself out. Maybe replay a few games or two like I wanted.