(A good portion of the ramble gang is scattered about the main room of the mansion, waiting for Hunter to make an appearance...For the most part, everyone is watching College Football - Except for Raven, who continually insists that it should be turned to curling, and Kuja, who is far too busy filing his nails to care - and also having their own side conversations among smaller, broken-up groups.)
Reno: You know, much as I liked some of the events that came from these gatherings, they're still annoying as hell...Blackjack.
Irvine: -tossing a few fifties out of his hat at Reno- Enjoy.
Reno: Sure. ^_^ Hey Jenet...You wanna do something tonight?
Jenet: I love ya, hun...but keep dreaming.
(Kou snickers and starts to say something, but is cut off by the crashing open of the front door, kicked by Hunter.)
Hunter: And now that I have your undivided attention...-adopts a loud high-school jock voice- We goin' to Vegas!!!!!
Rufus: Great...And I'll be the one paying for plane tickets...
Hunter: Much as I wish I could force that on you, Shinra, I chartered a private jet. -he grins wide and makes a peace sign- Yatta Ze! -with that, Hunter bounds away and up the stairs-
Aeris: I wonder about that boy. He's worse than Sephiroth sometimes.
Sephiroth: And what's THAT supposed to mean?
Aeris: -giggle- I think you know.
Sephiroth: ...How dare you?! I am one with the planet and I will-
Aeris: -now gravely serious- Run me through again? Just try it, buddy. I was off-guard last time.
Fawkes: -laughs his ass off-
Sephiroth: Shut up.
Fawkes: -laughs harder-
Sephiroth: ........
Sion: So I guess Rude and Squall aren't the only ones who can pronounce "........".
Rude: .......
Squall: .......
Sion: Yeah, yeah, the silent "I'll kill you" act... Volt does that too, ya know. You two aren't scary.
(Rude cracks his knuckles and Squall toys with the hilt of his gunblade, both looking
stone-faced at Sion.)
Sion: Uh...Did I just say something...? Heh...Heh......Heh.......
Red: -looking up from where he was sleeping and cocks his head- You did say something.
Sion: Shhhhh!
Red: -cocks his head further, then shakes it- Humans are silly creatures. -he drops his head and goes back to sleep-
Raven: It's almost as dumb as his fascination with my sister...
Sion: What fascination?!
Everyone: -_-;;
Hunter: -sliding down the stair railing- Doesn't matter...let's go... -he looks around- Why don't I see suitcases and sunglasses and tanning lotion and the like?
Zell: -falling in the skylight and flopping off the couch, as per usual- Because I wasn't here!
Dauragon: So predictable it's hard to even find him stupid anymore.
Hunter: -shaking his head- Pack! Now! -he whips out his sword, sending everyone scattering except for Red and Kuja, and Dauragon, who moves at as plain of a pace as normal-
Red: Silly creatures...-he rolls over and licks his paw, going back to sleep again-
Hunter: -waves his sword over Kuja's head- Pack! Pack! -he pauses, and loses all force since he's just not getting through to Kuja- Uh...Kuja, you have to pack, too.
Kuja: Oh, honestly, hon. I don't need to pack. I can get everything I need in Vegas. After all, Rufus and Daurie simply wouldn't dare turn down Raven's favorite shopping partner.
Hunter: Can't you run just to humor me?
Kuja: -holding up his hand, nails facing towards Hunter- This is a painstaking process, and the light here is just right. I can't move, for I may disturb a very delicate balance.
Hunter: -sigh- Whatever.
::An hour later::
(Everyone's at the airport, including Red, who got shoved in a kennel.)
Zell: Look, ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream! Can I get some ice cream?!
(Rufus and Dauragon both put their hands to their foreheads, for once thinking similarly. They both sigh and shake their heads.)
Rufus: -pulling out his wallet and handing Zell a twenty- Here's your allowance...have fun.
Zell: Yippee! -he dashes off to the ice cream stand-
Sion: What the...?
Jenet: Is he ALWAYS like that?
Kou: Yep. And even Reno's not that bad on his really big binges.
Irvine: Not even close.
Reno: -mumbling- He pays the idiot more than he pays me...
(Dauragon's cell phone rings and he flips it open, talking rushedly and speaking with an increasingly angry tone. He finally gets fed up, yells some truly unprintable things and snaps the phone like a twig.)
Dauragon: -breathing heavily- Reno, Rude. You're hired. -pulling out a checkbook and hurriedly writing checks- Your first payment. And as soon as we get back from Vegas...I want you to kill Mugetsu. Understood?
Reno: -wide-eyed- Yes Sir!
Rude: -grins-
Sion: You people still scare me...
Sephiroth: BOO!
Sion: AUGH!! -dives for cover behind Aeris-
Fawkes: -laughs-
Aeris: Jumpy, isn't he? o_o;;
Sion: Uh...Hehe...I thought I saw a jetliner zooming toward the window...yeah...
Squall: And you hid behind a woman. You really are an idiot.
Sephiroth: -sneaking up behind Sion- BOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Sion: AAAAAAAAUGH!!!!!! -he shoots across the room, forgetting to let go of Aeris' dress before doing so, the buttons down the front unsnapping and the dress coming away in his hands-
Fawkes: -falls over and rolls about laughing maniacally-
Aeris: -not totally naked, but trying very hard to keep her composure- That...was...unexpected...-she twitches, spinning on a heel and nailing Seph squarely across the skull, sending him flying-
(The rest of the gang glance between the floored Seph and Sion hiding under the drapery of Aeris' dress over his head. They all sigh, and Hunter takes off his coat to put around Aeris.)
Reno: He must be suicidal.
Irvine: Or psychotic.
Kou: Or both.
Jenet: Aw, he's just a big sweetie.
I/R/K: -_-;;
Hunter: -looking around- What're you all looking this direction for? .....What?! -he grumbles and walks past everyone with Aeris, and Red's kennel- And would someone please collect those two? My arms are full.
Irvine: You don't think-
Reno: Those two? No way.
Kou: Agreed.
Jenet: But they are cute together.
Kou: And are you sure you're not losing it?
(Jenet makes a devilish face in Kou's direction)
Kou: Uh...never mind.
Hunter: -yelling from down the terminal- DAMN IT! WOULD YOU HURRY UP?!
(Everyone exchanges quick glances and then runs off down the hallway to the plane, Kuja tailing with a quick strut)
Fawkes: -still laughing-
Seph: -hanging over Rude's shoulder- Shut...up...
::Several hours later, after a (Fortunately) fairly uneventful plane ride::
(The ramble gang wanders out of the terminal and Hunter spots a fairly tall man wearing a pair of dark sunglasses, and a silver suit with a red flame design ascending from near the bottom of his pants on the left side, rising to cover most of his right side. Hunter goes about knocking the members of a very loud choir aside to get to the man.)
Hunter: Vegas, man! How you doin'?
Reno: Since when was he crazy enough to start speaking to an entire landmass?
(The man and Hunter give each other a quick guy-hug [You know, those half-hugs that guys do where they clasp hands first and then pat backs])
Vegas: I'm good, man. I'm good. Hey, there's a really big flight coming in, we might wanna get outta here before they show up.
Hunter: -shrugging- Works for me.
Vegas: Hmmmm. Alright, you can come with me, I brought my new Eclipse... I can get as many limos as you need. How many we need?
Raven: Three.
Vegas: That was awful quick. You su-
Hunter: -discreetly elbowing Vegas in the side- Don't question her. She's still riled from Zell almost opening the airplane door
mid-flight.
Vegas: -nodding discreetly as well, noting now Raven's slightly disheveled looking state- Gotcha...
(Vegas whips out a cell phone, making a quick call and motioning for everyone to follow him. They head outside and almost immediately three limos pull up.)
Zell: Wait! We forgot our luggage!
Kou: For once the moron says something useful.
Jenet: You really don't like him much, do you?
Irvine: Come on, babe. You couldn't tell?
Vegas: -snickering- Look, you don't have to worry about that. Watch. -He waves a hand to a nearby set of doors and a group of airline attendants come out, carrying all the bags- See? -he grins- Yo man, come on. They know who they're supposed to take.
(Vegas and Hunter exchange glances and dash away, Hunter rolling out his sunglasses from a pocket and smoothly sliding them on one-handed while running.)
Raven: I'm beginning to wonder about that boy.
Rufus: How so?
Raven: Well, look at him. He dresses well, a minor point since every one of you does, he's heavily into weightlifting and proper conditioning, he likes watching hot, sweaty men crawl over and beat the crap out of each other, he knows hot guys who are in that profession all around the country, and now in this case we meet one of them and they head off alone. Running. Finally, he's never had a girlfriend. I wish I didn't think this, but I'm beginning to question his sexual orientation.
(Rufus doubles over laughing and falls on the trunk of the limousine, pounding on it. He rolls over and falls on the ground, turning red in the face.)
Reno: You're kidding.
Raven: Am I?
Irvine: Seriously, Rave. That ain't funny.
Raven: -sigh- I wasn't trying to be.
Kou: Right... that's enough of that joke now.
Jenet: -smacking all three across the back of the head- Are you daft?
(All three men look at her quizzically, to which Jenet throws up her hands in frustration. She opens the door on one of the limos and ferociously kicks the three in, following them herself.)
Reno: Ah! Ow! The heel! The heel! Watch the heel!
Jenet: -looking disdainfully at Reno- Let's get going, shall we? Who's coming in this one?
Aeris: I'll go.
(Sephiroth looks between the three limos and pouts, noting Aeris in the immediate one, Rufus at the first, and Zell still by himself in the last. He finally decides to get in with I/R/K, Jenet and Aeris.)
Sion: -looking between them all with Red- So...
Red: The last one. There will be an accident if that driver is forced to handle Zell alone.
Sion: Riiight.
(Sion and Red hop in their limo, and that one along with the second head off. Kuja slips in the door of the first limo after Raven, and Dauragon looks down at Rufus, still red-faced with laughter. He reaches down, grabs Rufus and chucks him in the vehicle, following after with a few grumbles. Finally, the last limo heads out.)
::After the limo ride::
(Everyone piles out of their limos, approaching Vegas and Hunter, who are propped against the wall chuckling.)
Raven: You LIVE here? -she looks around in awe at all the gold construction-
Kuja: Hm. Expensive, but too gaudy.
Raven: You're right, it is... Oh well. Some people just don't have our taste.
Vegas: Hey! -he grumbles-
(The two wander inside, followed by Rufus, who looks at Hunter and laughs.)
Hunter: Any clues what he'd be on about?
Dauragon: Don't ask.
Hunter: Works for me.
Vegas: Yo, Blondie. Here's your access keycard. -he flips a keycard to Dauragon-
Dauragon: "Blondie"...? -he eyes him irritatedly and goes inside as well.
(Sion and Red wander by mumbling, Sion rubbing his temples, Red hanging his head. Vegas tosses them a key as well.)
Zell: Duck!
(Vegas hits the floor, and Hunter just shakes his head as Zell jumps on the back of a golden swan sculpture.)
Zell: Yippeeeeeeeeeee!
Vegas: -getting up and dusting himself off- Hey, stop that!
Hunter: Can that be broken easily?
Vegas: No...
Hunter: Don't bother him then. He could've already found something that would cause more damage.
(Vegas shrugs as I/R/K and Jenet walk up. Irvine urgently begins to say something, but Jenet claps her hand over his mouth, to which Hunter raises a brow.)
Jenet: Just can't trust these boys with anything you tell them, you know! -she giggles and licks her lips-
Hunter: -grinning- I guess.
Vegas: Room key. -he hands her a card, which she shoves in the front side of her dress and winks-
Aeris: -behind the other bunch- You know, Ra-
Jenet: -grabbing Aeris and dragging her off- You too, honey!
Vegas: Women... but... DAMN! -he looks over his shoulder at Jenet-
Hunter: I'd watch it, though. I think she's up to something.
Sephiroth: -walking by with Fawkes- More than you can imagine.
Hunter: And that's supposed to mean...?
Sephiroth: You'll see.
(The door closes behind Seph as Vegas and Hunter trade glances. They look out at Zell, shake their heads and go inside.)
::Raven's room::
Raven: Ugh, look at these pillows!
Kuja: -sigh- It's almost making me uglier looking at them... -inspecting himself in a pocket mirror, and then the wall-mounted one, then comparing the two- But I suppose I'm just too pretty to deform.
Dauragon: Give me the orange pillows.
(Raven and Kuja throw them to Dauragon, who rips them to shreds and tosses them in the trashcan.)
Dauragon: Solved.
(Vegas and Hunter come in the door, with Zell bounding past them like a three year old, walking past everyone's individual rooms, Vegas pausing at Raven and Dauragon's room.)
Vegas: -glancing at floating bits of pillow stuffing- I was going to tell you I could have the place redecorated any way you wanted, but it looks like you already got started on that. -he shrugs and keeps walking, placing a bunch of room keys on the table, enough for everyone- Alright, everyone! There's a piece of paper and a pencil on every room's nightstand! You decide how you want them decorated, write it down, it'll be ready tonight! Soon as that's done, we're goin' out on the town! So make it quick, aight?! -Vegas nods his head to himself, making an exit-
Hunter: -wandering about, poking his head in rooms- Zell, uh... the pencil ain't edible.
Zell: -gnawing through a pencil, he pauses to speak, and as he does, small wood shavings fly out with every word- Whuz's dis tingy?
Hunter: A pencil, dude. You write with it. You know, on paper. You do know what paper is, right?
Zell: Uhrrrmmmmmmm.....
Hunter: Forget it. -he wanders to the next room, where Sion and Red are happily reclined on their beds- I guess you guys are enjoying yourself.
Red: -yawning, rolling over and stretching- Indeed. ^_^
Sion: -snore-
Hunter: -blinks a few times, makes sure his eyes aren't fooling him- Sion and Red, content... who'da thought... -he shrugs to himself and keeps going, and pauses as Kou comes flying out the next door in front of him-
Kou: Oh, no you don't! -he dives back into the room-
Hunter: What the... -he peers into the room and sees I/R/K battling over the remote like a trio of shoot fighters- fu.......
Reno: It's mine, it's mine!
Irvine: Buuuuuuuuull-shiiiiiiiiit! -he tackles Reno and all three men go flying off the bed they're fighting on top of, revealing Jenet with the remote, boredly flipping channels-
Jenet: Boys, boys, boys... -she swats them all over the head, giving them pause-
Kou: -holding Reno in a sleeper hold- Say, where'd the remote go?
Irvine: Dunno... -he looks about bewildered, sticking his head under the bed to check for it-
Reno: -gurgle-
(Hunter blinks slowly, rubs his eyes and checks again to make sure he's actually seeing what he thinks he is, then slowly and quietly backs away from the room, quietly wondering if it would be suicidal to continue checking the rooms. Nevertheless, he continues fearlessly. The next room, though, is Seph and Aeris'. Hunter groans, and fingers his concealed pistol, pondering shooting himself.)
Sephiroth: -looking at Hunter from his crouched fetal position in a corner of the room- I hate my life. You know that? I hate it.
Fawkes: -sympathetically laughs-
Aeris: You very well should, mister planet. Look at all the people you killed!
Hunter: Okay, this is not gonna work!
(Hunter walks across the room, grabs Sephiroth and drags him out by his cape, Fawkes following with a mild consistent chuckle. Hunter drags him all the way to his own room, snatching his bag and tossing it over his shoulder.)
Hunter: We're switching rooms, be happy.
Sephiroth: I am. But you know, maybe you want me pulled out of that room for another reason?
Hunter: Keep telling yourself that, Seph. Maybe it'll make you feel a little less like a girl kicked your ass.
Seph: Hey!
(Hunter smirks and spins on a heel, returning to the room where Aeris is. Aeris blinks at the bag over Hunters shoulder as he drops it.)
Aeris: -blinking more- You didn't throw him out a window or anything, did you?
Hunter: Oh, come on! This is me, babe!
Aeris: That's why I'm worried.
Hunter: Tch... -sigh- Worried about what, exactly? I mean, you two obviously don't get along.
Aeris: He hasn't paid back enough yet. -she smiles, looks around, and begins humming as she begins to unpack, leaving Hunter to worriedly blink-
Hunter: -carefully and coolly slipping out the door- Something in her head must've fused. I know she wasn't always crazy. -he continues muttering, heading towards the kitchen for a glass of water. He notices Rude and Squall kicked back around the table, playing cards- Uh, guys... Don't you need to find a room?
Rude: ....... -swigs his beer-
Squall: Couch is fine. -Slaps a few cards down-
Hunter: For both of you?
Rude: Floor is fine.
Hunter: Uh... how about I find you guys some beds?
Rude/Squall: .......
(Hunter blinks and goes back to muttering, heading into the kitchen to get a glass of water. He grabs a glass, fills it quickly, draining it halfway, then leaning back against the counter and sighing, eyes closed. He sits for a moment, and begins taking another drink as he hears a loud *THUNK*. He opens his eyes and looks around, discovering Zell firmly wedged
in between the racks of the open dishwasher.)
Zell: -pencil bits flying as he talks- Hallo.
Hunter: -spitting out the water in surprise, making a clean spray across the kitchen- What the fuck?
Zell: -pencil bits still flying- I dwahpped my Hot Vheels.
Hunter: You... -He blinks, and pulls his pistol out of the holster, holding it to his head and cocking it. He pauses, then pulls the gun away, setting the hammer back into normal place, tightening his grip on the gun, and pistol whipping himself into unconsciousness.-
