-[gala music] Eyes on Me - Faye Wong(final fantasy 8)-

It was a night of glittering elegance, set under the towering crystal

chandeliers of the ballroom at the prestigious Eorzean Gala. Guests

swirled and twirled in their finest attire, while orchestral music played

softly in the background, setting a romantic tone for the evening.

Thancred, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his hair

immaculately styled, stood beside Y'shtola in a stunning gown that

shimmered like the stars themselves. The evening was supposed to be the

date—a moment to finally win over Y'shtola's heart with his gentlemanly

charms.

But as the evening began, it was clear that Y'shtola wasn't as impressed

as Thancred had hoped. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, her

gaze scanning the ballroom with an expression somewhere between

indifference and mild annoyance. She had agreed to the date out of pity,

mostly because she'd felt bad for Thancred's persistent attempts at

romance, but she wasn't about to let that spoil her night.

"Quite the spectacle, isn't it?" Thancred said with a grin, trying to be

charming as he adjusted his cufflinks. "I'm sure you'll be utterly

dazzled, Y'shtola."

Y'shtola raised an eyebrow, tapping her foot lightly against the floor.

"I'm not here to be dazzled, Thancred. I'm just here... because you asked

me, and because it seemed polite."

Thancred's smile faltered, but he brushed it off. "Well, if you must

know, I'm not just here to impress you with my suit. I've arranged for

something truly spectacular tonight. A gala dinner fit for royalty." He

gestured to the large, opulent dining table, laden with delicacies and

extravagant dishes that only the wealthiest of Eorzea could afford.

"Let's eat, shall we?"

They took their seats at the long table, and for a brief moment, the

conversation flowed as they sipped wine and sampled the rich fare.

Thancred was sure this would be the moment he'd win Y'shtola's heart, and

he eagerly waited for her to acknowledge his efforts. But she continued

to look around, occasionally bobbing her head as if in annoyance.

"Really, Thancred," Y'shtola sighed, sipping her wine, "You couldn't have

picked somewhere a little less... ostentatious? I would have been happy

with a quiet dinner."

Thancred felt a bead of sweat form on his brow. The mood was slipping.

Just as he opened his mouth to respond with his usual wit, the

unmistakable sound of laughter cut through the air. He froze.

It was a familiar, mischievous giggle—one that could only belong to one

person.

"Is that..." Y'shtola trailed off, looking around the ballroom. Her ears

flicked in irritation. "No... it can't be."

The sound of a small clink of a bucket being tipped over echoed through

the ballroom, followed by a chorus of gasps and shrieks. Suddenly, the

beautifully set dinner table was covered in an avalanche of Chocobo

feathers and dung. The mix of yellow feathers and brown muck spread like

a storm cloud, spilling across the table in a hideous, smelly mess.

Y'shtola recoiled in disgust, instinctively raising her arm to shield her

face from the flying mess. Thancred, his face turning a deep shade of

crimson, looked in horror as the entire table became engulfed in the

unpleasant onslaught.

In the middle of the chaos, standing on a balcony above them, was the

source of the commotion—Tataru, grinning like the devilish little

Lalafell she was. She was holding a large bucket above her head, proudly

dumping the contents onto the gala's dining table, all while giggling

maniacally.

"Surprise!" she yelled, her voice high-pitched and almost sing-songy.

"You didn't think I'd miss this event, did you? I thought it needed a

little more... flair."

Thancred's face contorted with rage, his usually cool demeanor completely

shattered. He stood up from his chair with a growl, nearly knocking the

table over in his haste. "TATARU! YOU LITTLE—"

But before Thancred could finish his tirade, Tataru, still laughing,

darted down a hall and disappeared into the shadows. Thancred's eyes

narrowed. "She's not getting away with this."

"Really?" Y'shtola muttered, staring down at the ruined dinner in

disbelief. "This is what I get for agreeing to a date with you,

Thancred?"

"She's ruining everything!" Thancred's voice was full of fury as he began

to march toward the exit. "I'm going after her!"

Y'shtola sighed, her face flushed with embarrassment. She leaned back in

her chair, rubbing her temples. "This is what I get for giving in to your

relentless charm... Tataru's bullshit, of course."

Meanwhile, Thancred was charging through the ballroom like a wild man,

dodging servants and guests who were all too shocked to react properly.

"Tataru!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, "Get back here!"

Tataru's laughter echoed through the corridors as she led him on a merry

chase, hopping and skipping in her usual carefree manner, clearly

enjoying every moment of her mischievous antics. Thancred chased her

through the lavish hallways, but she was quick, disappearing around

corners with her usual speed and agility.

As Thancred was out of sight, Y'shtola just shook her head and muttered

to herself, "Well, I suppose that could've gone worse." She then lifted

her glass of wine and took a long sip.

Despite the ruined date, there was no denying that Tataru had

successfully done exactly what she did best—create chaos. As the

orchestra in the ballroom began to play again, this time more subdued due

to the incident, Y'shtola silently cursed her luck and mentally vowed to

never agree to another evening like this.

At least she had the entire night to herself once Thancred got back.

And Tataru? Well, she was still laughing her little Lalafell heart out,

plotting her next prank.