Where:  The Balamb Garden Quad area.
Who:  Irvine Kinneas and Selphie Tilmitt, and a few NPCs.
Why:  Irvine's had a note left on his door that says:  Irvine (and a little heart's drawn besides the name...) - If you ever want to see your hat again, deposit a paper-bag full of unmarked Train Tickets under the stage, in the Quad. Something totally bad will happen if you call security! Or the police! (There's a crossed out beginnings of a signature, below it. Silly Selphie.)
Date of Log: June 24, 2000.

Hiding under the stage in the Quad, Irvine can't hold back the grin crossing his lips. So, little Miss Selphie thinks she can hold _his_ hat for ransom does she? Well, today is the reckoning day, that's for certain. Occasionally, he peeks out when he hears the sound of footsteps, but so far, he's just had to wait.

Selphie comes trotting down the Quad steps. No, -skipping-! Having noticed the lack of a note and a photo of Irvy's door, she decidedly came here first. Wearing The Hat, one hand resting atop it as she skips, Selphie doesn't -really- expect a bag of unmarked Train Tickets. That'd be -so- cool, if she got them, though! She's thinking maybe one, or two. But that's enough for her! Easily Entertained? Yes. Slowing to a trot now, she approaches the stage, looking around curiously. Wonder where he is. Huh.

Ah hah! There she is. Irvine stays back in the shadows, letting her poke around a little bit. Patience, cowboy, just a little bit of patience. Then, as soon as Selphie comes within decent range, he attacks... but not really. No, instead he makes a grab for her, trying to pull her in under the stage with him. Oh yes, the whipped gunman is going to be extracting just a wee bit of revenge.

Selphie huh's. Just as she places her hands on her hips, and stomps her foot in annoyance, she's suddenly aware of something not right with this situation. Why? Because for one reason or another, a certain cowboy has grabbed her! And -dragged her under the stage-, no less. Well, at least he's -there-. Letting out a little yelp! at the initial movement, The Hat falls, a few feet away from said stage. Save yourself! "Wha--!" She's not even aware of the position she's in, as she "Heee~eeey!"'s in protest, kicking. >< Totally not funny! "What's going ooon?!"

Releasing the now captured Selphie as soon as she's been drawn under the stage, the Cowboy chuckles, holding up a pair of tickets, apparently train tickets for her to see. "I couldn't get an entire bag of them. Will two suffice?" He's not really out to take advantage of her, even under these cramped quarters, but the temptation to drag her under was too irresistable. For the moment the hat, the thing that started this whole situation, is forgotten.

Selphie blinkblinks widely as she asessessessess(Crap!) the situation, lips pursed. Yuh-oh. But -- hey! She gets train tickets, right? "B-but!" Almost pouting, she questions, "How'd you know it was me~?" Awwww. How sad. n_n She doesn't even think anything bad about the situation, other than the fact that it happened. So she's alone with Irvine under the stage... Why are people staring? n_n

Oh the rumor mill will be running rampant a few days after this one. Already a few students are smiling quietly to themselves, some even boldly gesturing toward the stage. Irvine's never cared about the gossip, however, and shrugs his shoulders at the question. "Who else had my hat to begin with?" He doesn't mention that the note was nearly signed by the perpatrator too. "Besides, I'm a master sleuth, it's elementary, my dear." A wink, the playful grin, Irvine's in flirt mode again.

   Selphie ohyeah's, quietly, as she ponders her mistakes. Index to her lower lip, she frowns lightly. "...Well, -that- sucks," she laments. But! There's still train tickets! So it's not all bad. Whoohoo. And as Irvine explains his Slueth-ness, she rolls her eyes! ...But can't help but smile, noting, "Whatever...!" She tries to think of a good comeback. '_' "...Master -Sloth-, more like it!" ...Riiiight. That... was creative. n_n; But she giggles, anyway. Whatever.

Irvine leans back against his palms, leaving the tickets between his fingers still. Oh he's not giving them up just yet, nope. Acting slightly hurt by the 'sloth' comment, he protests, "Selphie, darlin', you wound me. Me, lazy?" Of course, he's well aware of his penchant for slacking off. A day on the lawn staring at the clouds is far better then being stuck in a classroom staring at a screen.

Selphie's giggles slow as she sees her tickets grow farther from her. o_o "...Yes," she perks, "-you-, -lazy-!" She wants those tickets! Not that she's gonna get them any quicker by insulting the holder. Sitting on her feet, hands resting on her knees, she hrmph!s. "Now, do you want your hat back, or -not-?" She -tries- to sound all cold and mean. She really does. She just... Doesn't succeed, is all.

Irvine hmms, one hand lifting to stroke his chin as he considers the situation. "Well... Yes. I suppose you want your tickets too." He flicks them up, holding them just barely out of Selphie's reach. "Shall we complete the deal, you little terrorist, hat kidnapper you?"

     Selphie, as is expected, reaches immediately for said tickets. Greedy little thing! She, of course, doesn't reach them. But still. Hrmph!'ing at the titles she's earned, she -tries- to surpress a little smile. "Yeah! Totally." Hand moving to her head, she realizes... The Hat is no longer on her head. o_o Huh. Musta fallen off. "Yer hat's outside, gimmie the tickets and I'll get it." Selphie's forgetting that kidnappers rarely return the stolen object, but -- oh well. n_n

Tilting to the side slightly, blue eyes seek out the missing hat, spotting it a few feet from the stage. Shew, no one's stepped on it. Irvine holds the tickets out to little Terrorist Selphie as he starts scooting forward to retrieve it himself. He's still grinning, "I'll get it myself, thanks, darlin'."

    Selphie pouts. "You don't trust me?" Well, why should he?! Silly girl. But the pouting doesn't last, as she snags her precious Tickets. "...I'll forgive you," she admits, brightly. n_n "Whoo-hoo!" Of course, in this sudden fit of happiness, comes a moment of -clarity-. Selphie suddenly realizes that, if he's going to call her a terrorist, she -might as well act the part-. And, ding! The moment presents itself, and the Little Terrorist wastes no time in trying to beat Irvine out of the under-belly of the stage. Must! Reach! Hat! First!

"Oh no you don't!" Irvine laughs, darting out just ahead of Selphie, fingers closing over the brim of the hat just in time to swing it away from her. Of course, this paints an interesting picture to the students hanging out in the Quad. 1. Irvine hides under the stage. 2. Selphie gets pulled under the stage by him. 3. All quiet under there... 4. Suddenly Irvine and Selphie nearly simultaeneously pop out from underneath trying to snatch the hat. He rolls over onto his back, dropping the hat back onto his head, fingers still holding onto the brim, just in case.

      Selphie rrrrg!'s, scrunching her nose as she's beat! "Bummer," she 'curses,' on her hands and knees. o_- Grrr. 'Glaring' down at Irvy, she notes, matter-of-factly, "If I'm a -terrorist-, then don't they normally like, -not- give the things they ransom back?" She stuffs the tickets in one of her back pockets, hastily. "That's totally... anti-booyaka!" It's obvious she's just playing around, but maybe the Cowboy'll play along. Makes for good entertainment for the assembled, anyway. And prolly a nice view for anyone behind her. o_o;

Irvine does not let go of his hat, regardless, grinning at Selphie in that distinct 'I win' manner. "Well, you can try taking it from me by force, terrorists do that, you know." Oh sure, he'll play along, but not really for the assembled students' benefit.
One of the bystanders laughs and yells, "Take it from him!" Yeah, they're getting into this too from the sound of it.

Selphie huh's. "...They do?" She'd forgotten about that. That's not fair! ...Or is it? That grin just fuels her efforts, and the encouragement from the crowd doesn't help much, either. See that glint in her eye...? Well, even if you don't, it means 'trouble,' with a capital, 'oh, crap.' And, at the risk of getting -many- more pokes and prods from the gossiping girls, Selphie decidedly -does- try to take The Hat back by force. How, you may ask...? Well, the only way she can think of on such a spur-of-the moment, without harming The Hat. She goes for a Tickle-Manuever. o_- "Booyaka!" Her battle cry.

Hey, that's not fair! Irvine might have wanted to shout that, but unfortunately for the cowboy, he's quite ticklish and immediately starts squirming, trying to roll away from Selphie's quick thinking maneuver. Laughing, he tries to hang onto the hat with one hand, attempting to get Selphie to quit with the other one. It's clear to see, however, he's not going to win this one. He's running out of breath. "S-stop.... ok, uncle!"

Selphie blinks. It worked? "Whoo-hooo!" Beaming, and delving into her task with vigor, she -smirks-. Yes! An evil little smile, indeed. Using both hands, she can't very well steal the hat back right now. But -- uncle? She doesn't -really- want to stop, but it wouldn't be nice to continue. (Thinks the Terrorist. Tsk.) Pausing in her endeavor only to hold out her hands, and chirp, "Gimmie," she seems proud enough. Bwa ha ha!

Irvine peels the hat off his head again, holding it out to Selphie as he gasps for breath in the aftermath of the vicious tickle attack. His sides are starting to hurt, after all. Someone in the crowd whoops, and a bunch of amused students start clapping for Selphie's victory. "Hey!" the cowboy shouts breathlessly, "Stop encouraging her!"

Selphie gri~ins. Irvine thinks -he- can grin? He ain't got -nothin'- on this one. Snagging the hat, and plopping it promptly back on her head (it looks better on her, anyway! n_-), she patpats Irvy's cheek. "Poor thing!" Of course, she doesn't really do much to aid him. A--... Clapping? They're clapping for her? Blinking, and looking around, she... regains that grin, as she hop!s up to her feet. "Shyeah!" n_n Nudging the Roper with her foot as he shouts, she -bows-. "Thank you, thank you...!"

Slowly rising to his feet, Irvine mutters, shoving his hands into his pockets as yet again, Selphie gets the upper hand on him. It's fake though, and he ends up grinning slightly anyway, gesturing towards Selphie, exclaiming for the crowd of bystanders, "Yes, Selphie the Terrorist has won again. Beware anyone with a hat."

     Selphie giggles at the situation, elbowing Irvine lightly as he warns the others. "-Not- funny," she insists, though she's laughing. Turning to him, and abandonning her spotlight, she -beams- up to him. "Do I make a good terrorist?"

"Yes, indeed you do. You terrorize me everyday," Irvine says sounding only semi-sincere, followed by a wink. He reaches up, tugging at his ponytail again. Looks like he's going to be hatless a lot longer then he thought. With the show supposedly over, the onlookers have dispersed slightly, hanging out in their little cliques again or marching off to their destinations.

   Selphie , looking smugger (is that a word?) than she should -ever- be allowed to look, promptly plucks The Hat from her head. Gasp. "Well, since you're soo~oo kind," she teases, holding it up to the cowboy with both hands, "I -guess- I should, like, return the kindness!" Awwww. It -does- smell like Selphie, and moreover, Selphie's perfume, though. So there.

Irvine takes the hat, giving Selphie a dubious look. Is this another trick? Nah, doesn't seem to be. The hat is flipped back atop his head and then his nose wrinkles slightly. Oh man, that's going to drive him crazy... yet, well, maybe not. Holding his hand atop the hat for a moment to relish having it back again, he smiles down at the would-be terrorist, "Thank you."

Selphie nod!s, smiling pleasantly. "Mmhmm!" Lacing her fingers behind her back, and rocking up to her tiptoes, she bubbles, "That was -sooo- funny! I didn't know you were -ticklish-." This is just her revelling in the glow of victory, is all. Don't mind her. "Stupid GFs. I bet I knew about that when we were little!"

Irvine clears his throat, not about to give Selphie anymore ammo to use against him, but hey, this cat's out of the bag already. "Yes, actually, you were merciless back then too." He remembers, mostly for lack of junctioning, and the refusal to do it since the Ultimecia conflict. The hat is tipped forward slightly, ah, now he feels complete.

      Selphie laughs, proud of her younger self, somehow. Resting her hands on her hips, she looks left, right, and then back up at Irvine. "...Well. What do terrorists and victims normally -do- after a stand-off? I don't keep -that- much up with the news...!"

Irvine gets thoughtful for a moment, one eye squinting as he considers a good answer to that. "Well, if the terrorist doesn't kill the hostage..." and a hand reaches up for his hat again, no way anyone's killing his hat, "... and the demands are met, well, I guess they just part ways. But, I hear that in some instances, the hostage and the terrorist actually form bonds." Not that he can imagine his hat forming a bond with anyone but him... still, it is now permeated with Selphie's scent.

Which isn't -bad-! It smells -nice-! Doesn't Selphie smell nice? Of course. Ooooh'ing at his explination, she taptaps her nose, thoughtfully. o_- "Well~... What about the family of the hostage? Since they should all be on good terms, do they continue giving the terrorist stuff, even if they don't have anymore hostages?" Beam. Aw, how cute!

Though in reality this is obviously untrue, Irvine's easily charmed by Selphie's greatest weapon: Cuteness. Forget the nunchuka, forget her fierceness in battle, no, it is her cuteness that can cut the cowboy to the quick far better then anything else. "Well, it can happen, sure." And yes, the hat _does_ smell nice, that's the _problem_.