Even though the streets of Square World hustle and bustle as usual, it is a little different at Square Studios today. There's a big event at Square Studios today, the big annual FF costume party, where all the characters must participate and one of each previous FF game character will represent that game, for a costume contest. A special festival, you can say, just for characters of Square studios. That is why, somewhere in the city, in a bar called the 7th Heaven...
“All right, listen here! It's time to discuss on the battle plan for this event! All these years we didn't win and this year I am not going to allow that to happen!”
Barret said while slamming on the table in front of Cloud. Cloud just looked back at him.
“We only entered once before...”
“That's not the point! FF7 is by right the most interesting one and we must come out with something that could stun others, something that others don't have...” Barret interrupted and started lecturing.
“That is why all of us gathered here today to discuss on Cloud's costume, ideas, anyone?” Barret looked around him and saw his ex-co-characters around him, thinking. There's Tifa, Sephiroth, Cid and Yuffie gathering ideas and thinking. Vincent is now Laguna in FF8, thus not allowed to 'participate'. Aeris...
“I don't know... President Shinra?” Cid blurted out.
“Maybe Rufus! You two look quite alike!” Tifa then suggested.
“You can always borrow my costume...” Sephiroth then said and put a pose.
“... Jenova?” Yuffie gave another weird suggestion.
Cloud just looked at all of them stupidly. What do they take him for?
“Why am I the one that had to go?” Cloud asked and Tifa approached him.
“You are the main character! Who else other than you? Hm... perhaps... Cait Sith?” Tifa answered with a smirk on her face. Cloud just sat on his chair supporting his head with his hand that was placed on the table. Ideas really started to get weird...
“Uh... where's Aeris...?”
Cloud suddenly asked out a question that he wanted to ask for some time. Aeris is working in the 7th Heaven as a waitress. But he hadn't seen her for some time. It seems that she... is avoiding him. The others kept quiet and suddenly Tifa reached out something from her pocket.
“Aeris took leave today. But she did left us a note though. She said that it will definitely win you the contest. Strange, she specified only to open it in front of Cloud...” Tifa opened the envelope and pulled out the note and read. He eyes grew large and then a burst of laughter came out. The others gathered around her and when they saw the note, started laughter wildly too. Cloud just looked at them, somehow in horror...
“Aeris' idea is the best! I really like this one!” Cid cried out loud.
“I loved this one! I still dreamed about it and can't hold myself from laughing!” Tifa then continued and Cloud had a bad feeling about this.
“So now...there is only one thing to do...” Barret walked towards Cloud with a sinister smile. Cid followed him too and then Sephiroth. Cloud looked at the three in horror. What can it be...
“Wait... wait...”
Nearby bypassers reported on a man screaming coming from the 7th Heaven. The big brave Cloud was in deeeeep trouble.
There is now a new female FF7 character that many gamers really remember about. A cute, shy, girl, wearing a blue long dress, with a pony tail and spiky hair...?!!! This is... this is...
“Presenting... Miss Cloud!” Tifa presented with her arms wide opened and Cloud was seen standing there, wearing woman's clothing, looking away from the others. The others clapped their hands and Cloud started to get furious.
“You guys... don't really expect me to wear this to the costume party... right?” Cloud made a useless effort in talking his way out of this.
“You know... according to many of NPCs and crew, the character they found cutest isn't Tifa, Aeris or Yuffie. It's you!” Cid said while pointing at Cloud.
“Look at that shy look, how... innocent... How she blushes... and avoided eye contact from others... just like a girl that had never fell in love before... she perfect, just perfect!” Cid continued to joke around.
“Come on, Cloud! You want to win this, right?” Tifa looked at Cloud with a pityful look. Cloud just kept quiet.
“Now that's my girl! Now go out and holler a cab and have a fun time of your life!” Tifa suddenly turned violent and pushed Cloud out of the 7th Heaven. Cloud tried to reenter the bar but it was locked tight. Looking around him, there is only one place he can go in this costume. It can only be...
“Look at me, girls. I am the coolest villian ever... I am...”
Zell said while posing in front of some NPCs. His tone was cold. He then turned around, flicked his sword and gave a sinister laugh.
“I am... Sephiroth. Bwah ha ha ha ha...”
“The actual Sephiroth is much cooler, you know.” An NPC started saying.
“Oh... he's my idol! I would do anything to be with him!” Another NPC continued.
“Why must he be with Tifa?!”
The NPCs started talking among each other and ignored Zell that was standing right in front of them. Disappointed, he went off to look for other characters that he knew well.
“Hey Squall, what in the...”
Zell looked at Squall that was standing at one side from head to toe. Squall is dressed in Red, with very Curly and Glittering ornaments all around him. His hat is like a jester's. Hm... familiar...
“I... seen this before... let me think, let me think...” Zell scratched his head and recalled his memories.
“It's Kefka. Villian of FF6.” Squall answered coldly. Zell then burst out into laughter. Squall felt stupid in this costume. He should be a vicious and fearful villian. Now he felt like... a clown.
“Wow, Squall! Look at that one! The one dressed up as Aeris, she is... she is...” Zell pointed out to girl with a pink costume that Aeris usually wear. She had her back facing the two, Zell just couldn't wait to see her face, she can't be...
“Hey! You two are already here too!”
The girl spotted them and ran towards them. It's... it's...
“Raine! You looked...”
Zell stared at her in awe but immediately notice the hostile aura being emitted from Squall. Words are written on Squall's face. 'I will kill you.' Zell then became more polite.
“I don't know... this costume seems so hard for me to dance...” Raine started complaining about her costume.
“Try folding your dress up, I think it's easier that way...”
Squall just stood there, being an ornament. Little did he know how close the two became.
“Hey, wait a minute, why must I...”
“Don't move, just a little bit, a little bit... here, it's done!”
A bunch of female NPCs then spaced out around Rinoa. Rinoa was standing there, looking at the others blurly. Rinoa... with thick spectacles... a fake pony tail... some make up that make her older, a lab coat and some scientist like clothings... hm...
“Who... should I be...” Rinoa asked the other female NPCs.
“Shera, Cid's sweetheart in FF7. You looked like...” A female NPC gave Rinoa a mirror.
“My high school self... Shera looked much better.” Rinoa replied and some of the NPCs agree. She looked at them and they gave her a sinister look.
“You are good-looking all the time and grab hold of all the guys. We won't allow that to happen tonight.” Rinoa just listened quietly and felt the hostile presence surrounding her. Scary...
“Hm... everyone are almost here, except for the one from FF7. I can't seemed to find her anywhere.” A crew member, dressed up as a Shinra soldier, reported to Reeves, as the tall, fearless King Arthur of the KOTR in FF7. Reeves took a look around and can't seemed to find her.
“All they've put under the description of the candidate is a cute girl from FF7. I don't see Tifa, Aeris or Yuffie. Are you sure you didn't see them?” Reeves asked his crew member in return.
“No. I didn't. Hm... I wonder are there any more FF7 female characters...” The crew member replied and rubbed his chin.
(Good... nobody noticed me yet...)
Standing in one corner alone, Cloud... as Miss Cloud looked around, but trying to cover his face up, somehow still feeling embarressed with his costume. He is a lean, mean, tough, musculine man! Now... he is actually cuter than many of the girl here. Hm...
“Excuse me, Miss. Can you give me a hand here?”
Cloud turned towards the voice and saw a crew member dressing up as Ifrit. He seemed to be having a bad time blowing up balloons for the event. Cloud just walked towards him.
“The helium balloon pump just broke down. Reeves need these balloons for the opening event that is going to start in 10 minutes time. Can you help me with it?” The crew member asked for his help and Cloud just nodded without saying a word. One by one, he blew up the balloons using his breath, racing against time. This is good, as long as he is not with the crowd...
“Oh my god! There he comes! Over here!” A girl among the female NPC shouted out towards a person coming in through the main entrance. The other girls went wild too and shouted along. Rinoa just sat there ignoring the others. Something seemed to be bothering her. Something that happened just a few days ago...
The one making a big entrance is Laguna, wearing Locke's costume from FF6. He is...
“He's so cool! I am going to faint!”
Laguna looked around the place and then looked at the bunch of female NPCs. He made a slight smile and then they just gasped. He walked to them, slowly, slowly, and right pass them. He walked right towards Rinoa and lend out his hand.
“Care to be my partner tonight?” Laguna said and Rinoa just stared back stupidly. She didn't even know that he arrived. She's been too bothered... with that night... The female NPCs around her just looked at her, wondering.
(Cloud... he's not coming...)
Rinoa put out her hand and Laguna just took it and the two walked away towards the middle of the hall. The music started playing and people started dancing. Rinoa, despite her nerdy appearance now, still managed to charm Laguna's heart.
“Let's party!”
Zell cried out and Raine tagged along with him, starting to perform some syncronised dance moves, impressing the crowd. Squall just looked at them from a side, stupified. He didn't know that his mother can dance that well. The two just danced so well together, as if they had been practicing for some time. Hey... all those nights when Zell isn't around... had he been practicing with Raine?
Not before long, Zell and Raine are already the star dancers of the place. Like professional dancers, the two aimed to win the dancing contest and will not give any chance to the others. With some of the crowd cheering, they dance just get better and better...
“Wow. I really feel like joining in.”
The crew member that is blowing up the balloons said and Cloud just nodded. Cloud took a look at the balloons. His job is almost done. He can then join the crowd but...
“Hm... this helium balloon isn't large enough... can you make it bigger?” The crew member handed Cloud a previously pumped helium balloon and Cloud just untied the knot and started blowing. It is at this time he saw Rinoa with Laguna...
“Hey, careful!”
Cloud got a shock and lost control of his breathing. The helium air in the balloon rushed into his throat and he felt like his eyes are going to pop out. He quickly let go off the balloon and then started catching breath.
“Are you okay?”
“I... I...” Cloud tried to say something but his voice came out differently. It was more high pitched than his normal voice. He didn't really feel very well. He need to...
“I am sorry for causing you such trouble. Here, take a seat here and rest. I will finish with the remaining job.” The crew member felt guilty and offered Cloud a seat and continued with his job. Cloud, who just now saw Rinoa and Laguna together, couldn't find them in that massive crowd ahead of him.
Rinoa and Laguna are now dancing at the middle of the crowd, with many girls that still hadn't had a partner envying her. Though Rinoa tried as hard as she could to act like she enjoyed Laguna's company, but she still seemed bothered, till Laguna could sense it.
“Something's bothering you?” Laguna asked Rinoa but she just kept quiet. She gave him a slight smile but Laguna just looked back, as if his eyes are questioning whether everything is alright.
“I... I...”
“Cloud isn't here, right?” Laguna said and Rinoa blushed, feeling ashamed of how transparent she is. Laguna continued to dance with her.
“Something happened between you two? You two seemed very quiet for the past few days.” A gasp escaped from Rinoa's throat and she avoided looking at Laguna. Inside her mind, Cloud's face in the dimly lit room was still clear. His eyes, his expression...
“Excuse me. I...”
Before Rinoa could finish, Laguna let go of her hand and nodded in reply. Rinoa thanked him and walked away from the crowd. Immediately, a few girl surrounded Laguna. Laguna tried to catch another glimsp of Rinoa but he couldn't he was slowly being pushed away from her. Rinoa just left the crowd, without anybody noticing.
Cloud, with helium still in him, was sitting and resting at a corner, waiting for time to pass by. The crew member that requested for his help had left to finish his job and then party, making him alone there, like a loser. Suddenly, Cloud felt someone walking towards him.
“Is this place taken?”
Cloud lifted his head a little upwards and saw Rinoa looking at him. He immediately tilted it back down and shook his head. Rinoa moved forward and pulled the chair and sat down on it.
“You seemed lonely. You don't have a date?” Rinoa asked Cloud and Cloud just shook his head, careful not to reveal his face to her. Rinoa leaned backwards and looked towards the crowd.
“Mine... didn't turn up. He should... but I couldn't find him anywhere. I wonder... if he... is still avoiding me...” Rinoa spoke sadly and Cloud stole a glimsp at her. Could the person... be him?
“I... I don't know... I had never been so close to anyone...if it isn't because of an interruption we might had... it might just be urges at that time... I don't know...” Rinoa said and images started to form in Cloud's mind. Her face in the dimly lit room, how vulnerable she looked, the touch of her lips against his...
“Do you... love him?” Cloud asked unconciously and his voice came out differently due to the helium air and Rinoa just hung down her head. A moment of silence. Then she spoke.
“I... don't know... there is this other guy...”
Other guy? Could it be... Stefan? Stefan might had given up on her but there's not telling whether she still...
Rinoa made a soft sniff, as if she was crying. She lifted up her head and then made a forceful smile to Cloud.
“I am sorry... I didn't mean to bother you with these things... ha ha... what am I doing talking about my heart with a stranger... it is nice knowing you... I appreciate your company... really...”
“I...”
“Are you okay? Your voice changed all of a sudden.”
Cloud suddenly realized that the helium gas in him is out and sweat started oozing out of him. He quickly avoided Rinoa but Rinoa just pursued her curiousity.
“Hey... you looked familiar...” Rinoa pushed forward towards Cloud and then suddenly she pulled off Cloud's pony tail. It's a wig! That could only mean...
“You...!”
Rinoa grabbed Cloud by the collar and took a good look at him, Cloud tried to avoid her sight but now he could see that she is really, really furious.
“How dare you trick me into this...” Rinoa's eyes are burning, as if a steam engine is about to explode...
“And now... the winner of the costume contest goes to this mysterious contestant which we even had a tough time finding. Mysterious... oh so mysterious... we proudly annouce the winner...”
“Cloud as Miss Cloud of FF7!”
All the spot lights in the place suddenly shone at Cloud and Rinoa, which is still strangling Cloud. The two looked at the crowd dumbfounded, and the crowd looked back with their jaws wide opened. Wow. What a way to win a contest.
Stormguy storms in to say...
(I haven't attended much costume parties myself... not popular in my place. I could only make a rough outline and make it as funny and charming as possible, with Cloud dressed up very uniquely. Well, Crossovers in a crossover. Not bad. Here you got another chapter of my fic.)