*****Balamb Docks: Midnight*****

A tall figure stood in the shadows, puffing on a cigarette, waiting quietly. He inhaled heavily on his cigarette, and ran a hand through his thick, blonde hair. His emerald eyes looked out onto the nearby ocean, watching the waves crash against the sand, as the moonlight reflected off of the water.

"Where in the hell is he!" He thought, pacing back and forth in the shadows.

A soft laugh, a woman's, was heard in the distance.

"Come on dammit! No one can see me here!" He turned up the collar on his trench coat, just in case someone he knew happened to stroll by. After a few more minutes, a voice was heard to the left of him.

"Yo Almasy, ya asshole! How ya been!" Seifer turned quickly to see an old acquaintance of his walking up slowly.  The tall man wore a brown trench coat, unbuttoned to reveal a blood red shirt beneath.  Seifer had known him for a long time. 

"Shut the hell up Dante! No one's supposed to know I'm here!" Seifer said through clenched teeth. He grasped Dante by the collar of his black coat, and pulled him into the shadows.

"Damn man! Take it easy! There's only drunks out at this hour anyway!" Dante said, straightening his coat, and running a hand through his multi-layered brown hair. Hispurple eyes sparkled in the darkness as he spoke. "So, Almasy, why'd you call me out here at this time of night?"

"I have a proposition for you." Seifer said, a glint of evil in his eyes. "Remember back in the old days, you used to do sniper work?"

"I still do a job occasionally, Almasy. Why ya got an ex-wife you need capped?" Dante let out a deep laugh, his rough features twisted into an evil smile.

"No! Shh! Keep it down! I….have a bug I need exterminated. A sort of thorn in my side...."

"Ah, I like this. Keep going." Dante said, with an evil sneer.

"There's this girl back at the Garden that I like a lot. A whole lot. The problem is that an older man came visiting there a few days ago, and decided he was going to steal her away. Just like that. And this bastard is a fool! An idiot! He can't even take a few steps without falling all over himself. That son of a bitch." Seifer spat out the words with such hate that even the evil Dante took a step back.

"Whoa man, you must really be hung on this chick. So you want me to uhh...get rid of him for ya?"

Seifer pulled out a bag filled with gil. "It'll be well worth your while Dante. I believe this will help you find the finer things in life."

Dante licked his lips greedily at the site of the bulging sack of gil. "So who exactly do I have to knock off?"

"His name's Laguna Loire."

"Holy Shit! You mean the President of Esthar!" Dante's purple eyes widened, and he backed away even further from Seifer. "I don't think so man! Do you know what would happen to my ass if they found out who did that? It would be the electric chair for me!"

"Listen Dante; I have it all worked out. It's a fool proof plan. And I will pay you half in advance. Nothing will happen. Do you know how many people have it out for that man? And he's a president. They'll probably lay it off on Galbadia or something. No one will ever suspect me, or you."

Hesitation shone on Dante's dark features. He scratched his stubbled chin, and ran a hand through his layered hair again. Finally a wicked grin shone across his handsome face. Always up for a challenge, he shook Seifer's hand and said, "Count me in Almasy. Besides, it's not every day you get to kill a president.."

**************************************************************


Quistis awoke with a start. Her long blond hair disheveled, she pushed it from her eyes to see the alarm clock. It read 7:30 am.

 "Oh Hyne! I'm supposed to meet Laguna in an hour!"

Quistis jumped quickly from bed, and got into the shower. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she stepped out of the shower and dried her hair. After putting her unruly tresses up, she dressed quickly, and headed out the door to meet Laguna in Balamb Town.

*****Meanwhile*****

"Stop shaking Laguna! Calm down!"

Laguna rung his hands nervously as he waited outside of the local shops in Balamb Town. He was waiting for Quistis, so they could pick out their costumes for the ball. He had been up since the crack of dawn thinking about Quistis, and what had happened between the two of them. "I hope she shows up soon...I can't take much more of this waiting." Laguna glanced down at his watch. It read 8:45 am. He smiled at a passing couple, and stepped back a bit further, not wanting anyone to notice him. He didn't need any publicity at the moment.

Suddenly a soft hand on his shoulder made him jump a little. He turned to see Quistis standing behind him with a small smile on her pretty face.

"Hello Laguna. Glad to see you're here." She smiled, and smoothed the front of her pale yellow sweater down. Laguna's green eyes fully took her in. She had her hair tied up in it's usual style, and was wearing a pale yellow sweater, and white jeans. She looked beautiful, with her glasses on, and her eyes shining.
 

"Glad to see you could make it Quistis, you look lovely today."

Quistis smiled warmly; glad to see the handsome man in front of her. 

"Why thank you Laguna."  Quistis said, blushing slightly.

"So…. we'd better get going.  There's a costume store a block down from here that we can check out.  Shall we?"  Laguna offered Quistis his arm, and she gladly took it.

They walked down the street slowly, arm in arm, chatting happily.

*****Meanwhile*****

"Ok, Dante.  Here is the plan.  Trust me, we can't fail this."  Seifer lit a cigarrette as he sat at a local bar in Balamb Town.  Just blocks from where Quistis and Laguna were shopping.  Dante sat across from him, also smoking, the light of the cigarette shining in his purple eyes.