“Guys, does this look O.K.?” Karna asked as she straightened his black tie. He wore a dark blue dress shirt, black slacks, a black belt with gold buckle, and black dress shoes.
     “You look fine,” Rajin said as he tied a black headband on. The posse member was clad in a SeeD dress uniform, complete with intricate metalwork on the shoulders. “The question is will Fujin like this?”
     “She’ll be surprised, that’s for sure,” Zelgadis said as he laced up his boot.
     “What do you mean?”
     “I’ve seen pictures of how you normally dress, and this is a real nice change.”
     “Errr... thanks.”
     “Has Alex come out yet?” Seifer asked as he poked his head around one of the stall doors in the men’s changing room, otherwise called the second largest bathroom in Trabia.
     “Not yet,” Adderson replied as he tied a gold chain around his neck, looping it over the collar of his black turtleneck. He then brushed his hands over his black slacks to make sure there was no dust before pulling on a black sport coat with golden buttons. “Why, is something wrong?”
     “Not really,” Seifer replied as he stepped from behind the stall door. The room went silent, since he was dressed in a black tuxedo with a shimmery black vest and black tie. He looked at all of the blank stares before saying, “Too much, right?”
     “Are those shoes patent leather?” Gourry asked. Zelgadis smacked him.
     “I swear he’s going to drool when he sees you,” Squall said as he hooked the final clasp on his dress jacket. “But why are you wearing a tux and not a dress uniform?”
     “Consider it a whim. I’ve never worn a tux before.”
     “Just like me, except minus the tux part,” Irvine said as he stepped out of a stall clad in a SeeD dress uniform with the Galbaldia insignia joined with the Balamb insignia on his left breast. Everyone in the room blinked in unison, which made a creepy sound in the renewed silence. “Let me guess... you were expecting me in cowboy regalia, right?” Simultaneous nodding around the room. “Well, I hate to disappoint you, but the only thing cowboy that I’m wearing right now are my boots and my hat.”
     “And you still look marvelous,” Alex said as the door to his stall opened. As he stepped out it was like a baby spotlight was placed upon him, making what he wore stand out more.  Baggy black dress slacks, brown dress shoes, a shimmery red shirt with silver dragons embroidered in it, a red T-shirt underneath the dress shirt, and a baggy black sport coat comprised his ensemble. His left ear shone with a small golden ring in the lower lobe, a small emerald stud in the upper. His ponytail was pulled into a multitude of tight braids, each one with a small black elastic holding it in place. “Well, what do you think?” he asked, bish bubbles floating around the room.
     “Very.... casual,” Adderson said as he tied his shoes. All the bish bubbles in the room suddenly popped.
     “Well, no more than you mister turtleneck.” Alex snapped, flames leaping up around him from anger.
     “All right you two, no fighting,” Zelgadis said, stepping between the pair. Alex immediately chilled out, and Adderson sighed. “We’re here to have a good time, remember.”
     “Yeah, I guess,” Alex sighed as he brushed some of his bangs out of his face. He glanced around the room before asking, “How much longer until the party starts?”
     “Under an hour,” Zell said as he set down a microphone and ear piece. “That was Jessica with our update. She’ll be by shortly to see how we’re doing.”
     “And to drool, no doubt,” Seifer said. Everyone else sighed.
     “Oh well, we’re all pretty much ready, right?” Squall asked. Everyone nodded. “Good. Let’s go and have a good time.”

     In the shadows of the ball room a pair of eyes shone with an eerie shade of red.
     “He’s here,” a creepy voice said, “I can sense him. I can smell him. I can even taste him.”
     “What will you do when you have him?” another voice asked, this one belonging to the wizard Guile.
     “I’ll make him suffer greatly for all that he’s done to me in the past,” the creepy voice replied, “I just need for you to get him to a certain place in the mountains, where I will be able to bend time and space to create a doorway to a certain pocket dimension.”
     “How do you expect for me to do that?”
     “He already has feelings for you, so play with those emotions. Tell him you’re taking him to a nice place to, how you say, make out.”
     Guile blushed hotly under his mask. “I... I don’t know...”
     “Just do it or I’m going to leave your body and take all of your powers with me. Do I make myself clear?”
     Guile sighed. “Yes master. As you request.”
     “Very good,” the voice said as the eyes stopped glowing. “Very, very good.”

     “How much longer until the party starts now?”
     “Fifteen minutes and then it’s party time.”
     “Can I ask a seemingly stupid question?”
     “Yes Zell, what is it?”
     “Just why are we crawling around like this?”
     Karna turned his head and replied, “Some of us want to get a sneak peek at what the girls are going to be wearing tonight. And don’t you dare look at my ass, you pervert!” he added as he turned back around and cracked heads with someone.
     “Ouch,” a familiar female voice said, “watch it you klutz!”
     “We’re busted, aren’t we?” Gourry asked. Everyone else nodded. “Thought so.”
     “So, you guys were coming to spy on us, weren’t you?” Lina said.
     “It’s not what you’re thinking,” Zelgadis said. He blinked before saying, “Wait a minute... you’re all doing the same thing.”
     “No... no we’re not,” Amelia protested, “We’re... err... we’re looking for Celia’s contact lens.”
     Celia looked up and blinked, one of her eyes the normal green, the other one brown. Alex moved closer to her and looked for a moment before saying, “Wow Celia, I didn’t know your eyes were brown.”
     “Oh, just drop the subject,” Celia grumbled. She sighed before adding, “Will you please help me find my contact lens?”
     As the group looked around in search of a possibly non existent contact lens the lights flared on and in the doorway stood Jessica and the other instructors and high ranking people in Trabia dressed in SeeD dress uniforms. She glared at them before saying, “O.K. you guys, just exactly what are you doing?”
     “Looking for Celia’s contact lens,” Karna replied as he squinted to see who was standing in front of him.
     “Trying to regain my vision,” Selphie said as she rubbed her eyes.
     “Found it,” Celia said triumphantly as she held up a small lens, which everyone gathered around to look at. “Thanks for helping me find it guys.”
     “The entrance and introduction parade is going to start soon, and they’re lining up for it as we speak,” Jessica said as the group stood up. “So hurry up or else you’re gonna miss it.”
     “All right, all right,” Lina sighed as she grabbed Gourry by the ear, “come on yogurt brain. We want to get a good place in line since I’m hungry and all.”
     “Lina.... wait... ouch... Lina, let go of my ear.”
     “I’m not going to let you go until we get food Gourry, so stop squirming.”
     Everyone else sighed as they followed Lina and Gourry to the anteroom outside of the main ballroom and the quad, where other students and some of Trabia’s instructors and faculty were gathering before the parade into the ballroom.
     “Names please,” a short girl with long raven hair said as they entered. She blinked before adding, “... For the announcement of the couples.” a nervous smile crossing her lips.
     “Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev.”
     “Zelgadis Greywords and Amelia Will Tesela Seyruun.”
     “Alexander West and Aeris Gainsborough.”
     “Fujin and Rajin.”
     “Karna Kimaguri and Anessa Cambridge.”
     “Seifer Almasy and Celia Chere Briggs.”
     “Irvine Kinneas and Selphie Tilmitt.”
     “Squall Leonheart and Rinoa Heartilly.”
     “Zell Dincht and Quistis Trepe.”
     “Adderson Martin and Sylphiel Nels Raada.”
     “Tenal Griffin and Jessica St. Josephine,” came from behind them, and everyone turned their heads to see the newcomers. Tenal blushed and tried to hide. Jessica waved to them and bumped Tenal with her hip. “Hey all, are you ready for the party of the century?”
     “Hell yeah,” Alex said as the doors swung open to the quad and loud techno music poured out. He smiled before exclaiming, “All right! They’re playing Sun Beneath the Sea by Bic & Bac. I love this song!!”
     “I thought this was supposed to be a formal ball,” Squall said to Jessica, who shrugged.
     “It may be formal, but here at Trabia we like to party with the best of them,” Jessica replied, “besides, they’ll play the school anthem when they announce the couples, and there will be slower music for slow dancing.”
     “Actually they’re going to be playing something more hyperactive than the school anthem,” Selphie said. Squall and Jessica looked at each other, then at her.
     “Selphie, is there something that you’re not telling us?” Squall asked.
     Selphie looked into his eyes, then glanced down at her feet and began to chew her lip. “Umm.... well.... I had them change the music.”
     “To what?” Jessica asked, glaring at her.

<music: Iczelion theme Dancin’ Doll>
     As the first chords played through the quad Alex perked his ears up, since he’d heard the song so many times in the past. Karna also perked his ears up, since he was a self proclaimed expert on techno and dance music. A moment later the quieter music faded out into a fast paced techno song.
     “You got them to play Dancin’ Doll,” Alex and Karna said in unison. Selphie smiled and nodded. “Tilmitt, you are the bomb!”
     “They’re introducing the couples as we speak,” Zelgadis said, alerting them to what was happening.
     “Places people,” Squall instructed, “let’s make this look good.”
     The couples in front of them didn’t know what to make of the music. Some stumbled down the center of the room. Others caught the beat and danced down the aisle. A couple of the couples decided to demonstrate their gymnastic skills, with much amusement and some applause and wild cheering from the audience.
     “You guys are up,” Jessica said, nudging Alex and Aeris after Gourry and Zelgadis had lead Lina and Amelia down the aisle. “Make it good.”
     Alex held his arm out, and Aeris looped her arm around his. They then stepped onto the dance floor, the colored strobes bringing out the hilights in Aeris’ hair and the silver shine on Alex’s shirt. Aeris waved to the people on the sidelines, and Alex flashed victory signs to all he saw. When they reached the end they turned and bowed to everyone, receiving much applause and some cheering.
     “And now to wait for the others,” Alex said to himself as the next couple began their walk down the aisle.

 <music: Sonic CD Metallic Madness Past>

     Half an hour after the introductions were done and dinner had been served the DJ put on some really loud dance music. Alex grabbed Seifer and Irvine and dragged them onto the dance floor. Strobe lights flashed and spotlights moved around the floor as people moved with the music.
     “This music has a good beat that we can get down to,” Alex said as he felt the rhythm and the beat before he began to move with the music.
     “You can say that again,” Irvine said as he put his hands up above his head and shook his head around, his ponytail catching the light.
     “I feel like I have two left feet,” Seifer sighed, “I’ll leave the two of you to yourselves.”
     Off to one side of the dance floor stood Selphie, a pair of night vision binoculars allowing her to see everything in the room. “You’re not going to walk off like that,” she said, smiling evilly when she saw Seifer trying to leave. She passed the binoculars to Karna before she turned to a large switch on the wall. “And now to raise the dance floor,” she said to nobody in particular as she threw the switch.
     The floor beneath Alex, Irvine, and Seifer clinked and shuddered before it began to rise above the rest of the floor. Fujin, Anassa, and Rinoa found themselves stuck on the same chunk of floor, which rose about six or seven feet above the main floor before stopping, spotlights training upon it.
     “Now what do we do?” Rinoa asked as she glanced down over the edge.
     “We show everyone else that we know how to dance,” Anassa replied as the music switched to a new song.
<music: Da Rude Sandstorm>
     As the first notes of the song came on Alex kicked forward, using the force to propel him down into a half split. He bounced back to his feet, where he spun around before dropping down into a back over bridge. He kicked back into a handstand, his jacket flopping down around his head. He flipped back up to his feet, his jacket dropping back around him, his braids flipping around. He miscalculated his landing, though, and wound up falling backwards. Fortunately for him Seifer was there to catch him around the waist. Seifer flipped Alex over his shoulder and back onto his feet before resuming dancing.
     Fujin and Irvine danced close together, Irvine with his hands behind his back, Fujin with hers up over her head. They grooved down towards the ground together, then moved back up before Irvine held his hand out. Fujin took it and he spun her around before she dropped back into a dip, nearly taking the cowboy with her. As she came up she wrapped one leg around Irvine’s hip, and Irvine put his hands on her hips before she jumped and he caught her. The result was Fujin being held over Irvine’s head in a perfect flying form. Irvine spun around a couple of times before Fujin wrapped her arms around Irvine’s and flipped down, the force of her landing propelling the cowboy up and over her head. When they landed Fujin was wearing Irvine’s cowboy hat and they were face to face.
     Anassa and Rinoa were dancing back to back throughout the song, mirroring each other’s movements in time with the beat. Most of their moves had to do with arm motions and hip shaking, with a few drop back moves and some drops towards the floor added for effect. As a finisher the pair performed simultaneous no handed cartwheels, Rinoa coming up into Irvine’s hands, Anassa into Fujin’s. As the music came to an end everyone in the room applauded and cheered. The six were nearly thrown from their feet as the floor they were on began to descend back to level ground.
     “I guess our show is over,” Fujin said, “oh well, it was fun, wasn’t it?”
     “Hell yeah,” Anassa, Irvine, and Seifer replied.
     “The next show is about to begin,” Jessica said as the six stepped down from the stage, “so be ready to be amazed.”
     “By what?” Alex asked as he brushed his fingers through his hair before rejoining Aeris.
     “Presenting Guile the Magnificent,” Selphie exclaimed over the PA system. All spotlights in the room moved to a stage against the far wall, where smoke poured around the center. There was a brilliant flash of light, and in the blink of an eye there stood the wizard whom they had met earlier. The room was instantly loud with applauding and whistling. One rather tipsy female threw her bra onto the stage, which was quickly retrieved by her boyfriend.
     “Thank you for your applause,” Guile said, waving to everyone, “and also thank you for that undergarment, but I see you’re already taken.” When Guile saw Alex in the audience he blew the mage a kiss before continuing. “For my first trick I need a volunteer.”
     “You should do it Alex,” Irvine whispered in his ear, “you’re more powerful than he is. Show him how it’s done.”
     “No way,” Alex replied, “I’m making it a point not to cross him, especially when he can cast the Blast Bomb without a boost spell.”
     “I’ll go up for the first trick,” Zelgadis said, clapping Alex on the shoulder, “if anything happens I know you’ll come to save me.”
     Alex nodded, and Zelgadis raised his hand high, a globe of light forming in his palm. Guile saw this and said, “You, the one with the magic. Come on up.”
     “Way to go Zel,” Lina said, “show him a good time!”
     A sweat drop formed on Zel’s head as he ascended to the stage. Guile put an arm over Zel’s shoulders and led him to the center of the stage. “Will you please tell the audience your name?”
     “Zelgadis. Zelgadis Greywords.”
     “Well Mister Greywords, we’re going to have some fun with you tonight.”
     ‘Why do I dread that phrase?’ Zel asked in his mind, ‘He sounds like Xellos.’
     ‘Is that the purple haired guy who is in your memory?’ Madeen asked. A sweat drop formed on Zel’s head. ‘I’ll take that as a yes.’
     ‘I would rather not think about him right now,’ Zel replied, ‘just be ready to send a signal to the others if anything should happen to me.’
     ‘Roger that big blue....’
     ‘And for pity’s sake, don’t call me big blue. You know I’m sensitive about that subject.’
     “You appear to be under some sort of spell,” Guile said as he walked around Zel to look at him from every angle. This snapped Zel out of his telepathic conversation with his esper. “Am I right?”
     “Technically it’s more of a curse,” Zel replied, “but yeah, you’re right.”
     “How would you feel if I told you that I could reverse that magic for a short time?”
     Zel’s eyes opened wide with surprise. Could anyone do that, even for a short while? Rezo, who put him under the spell or combination of spells, was long dead, and he had yet to encounter somebody who was powerful enough to shatter the spell. But could this Guile really do something like that?
     “Go for it Zel!” Lina cheered, “This is your ticket to what you’ve wanted and been searching for!”
     “It’s only for a short while,” Guile said apologetically.
     “I’ll do it,” Zelgadis said, “even if it is for a short time, I would like to be human again.”
     Guile placed his palm to Zel’s chest, and Zel felt himself blushing as his heart rate increased. Guile shut his eyes and bowed his head. “Accept this power and the wish granted you by the stars above. In the name left unspoken in the stream of time let the bonds be shattered, even for a short time.”
     The lights in the room dimmed as a magic circle of gold and silver formed beneath the two. A mystic wind blew up around the pair, and it centered around Zelgadis, wrapping him like a cocoon. When the wind dissipated the lights came back up, and on the stage with Guile stood a very human Zelgadis.
     The audience was silent for a moment before breaking into applause and cheering. Guile formed a mirror in his hand, which he handed to Zelgadis, who looked into it and nearly dropped it in shock.
     “I..... I’m human again,” Zelgadis said as he touched his face and ran his fingers through his hair without worrying about spearing himself. “I’m really human again.”
     “That you are.”
     “Wow Mister Zelgadis,” Amelia said as she pounced on him and hugged him, “It’s nice to see how handsome you are.... not that you weren’t already handsome...”
     “I think Amelia is trying to tell you that you’re looking good Zel,” Alex said as he and Lina joined them on the stage. He stepped up and gave Zel a hug that seemed to last an eternity. “And I think you’re looking good as well,” he whispered in Zel’s ear, causing him to blush.
     ‘And now for the grand finale,’ a creepy sounding voice said in their minds as a dark magic circle formed beneath them. The four looked around as the hairs on the backs of their necks stood on end due to the tremendous energy in the area. A mystic wind began to blow around them at gale force, taking pieces of the stage with it.
     “Bloody hell,” Alex said as he crossed his arms in front of his face to deflect any incoming debris, “What the hell is going on?!”
     ‘I’m getting revenge on you for all the pain you caused me in the past,’ the voice said as Guile blinked in behind him and used his wand to cut off his airway. ‘So die!!’
     “Leave him alone ya creep!” a pissed off female voice said from the rafters. Those on stage looked up to see Kirinis MaCall dressed in a crimson satin gown, her hair pulled back by a band of the same crimson. “I’m comin’ to the rescue, so just hold on a minute,” she added as she leapt backwards off of the rafter, the rope attached to a harness around her waist dropping downward with her. When the rope went taut she rocketed forward like a human wrecking ball, aiming for Guile with the heels on her shoes. Unfortunately for her Guile moved out of the way at the last possible moment, pushing Alex to the side, and she sailed harmlessly by.
     “Give her an assist!” Lina shouted as she coughed from the dust that was being kicked up.
     “Dust Chip!” Celia shouted. Several blades of ice formed between her hands, and these she hurled at the rope.
      As Kirinis sailed towards the ceiling the blades slashed the rope, the arc from the swing great enough for her to flip onto a rafter. She crossed her wrists as she landed, the bands around them glowing. Her clothing melted away as a skin tight black and blue body suit and boots formed. Shoulder armor and a tactical wrist computer also formed moments before a dark green visor formed over her eyes. She pulled a large caliber handgun from behind her back and took aim at Guile, the sighting scope in her visor giving her a tactical advantage. “Don’t do anything funny you creep less you wind up missing your double - oh and seven.”
     “Say farewell to your friends,” Guile said as he, Amelia, and Zelgadis vanished in a cloud of smoke, the magic circle vanishing with them. Alex and Lina stared in shock, since they easily could have been the ones snatched up by the wizard.
     After a few moments of oppressing silence Lina managed to gasp, “They’re gone.... they’re really gone. He got them and took them with him.”
     “Bloody hell,” Alex grumbled as he punched the floor, “this was supposed to be something fun, and instead it turns into a fiasco.”
     “So where did they go?” Celia asked as she joined the stunned pair on the stage, “Since in order to teleport one needs to know the destination and have a picture of it in their mind.”
     “You’re the resident realm dancer,” Kirinis said as she leapt down from the rafter, “Can you lock onto their location?”
     Celia gave her a less than pleased look before saying, “Don’t you think I want to do that? My telepathic bond with Zelgadis has more or less been severed, and I’m willing to bet that Alex’s is having the same problem.”
     ‘We can help you to find them’  Hydra said in Celia’s mind, ‘I can sense Leviathan and Madeen are still together, and they’re not very far away at that.’
     ‘There is, however, an outside source blocking direct communication,’ Alexander said in Alex’s mind.
     “Bloody hell,” Alex sighed, “if only we had a map and some sort of motive. I mean, who would want to hurt me this much?”
     “Who knows,” Seifer said as he hugged Alex reassuringly from behind, “but we’re here for you.”
     A small globe of light appeared above them, and out of that formed a rolled up scroll, which dropped into Lina’s awaiting hands. The sorceress unrolled the parchment and gasped. “This is a map of where we are,” she said, “and there’s a big red X near where Ultimecia’s castle was.”
     “Which means that we need to go there to find our friends,” Adderson said. Lina nodded.
     “We should send a scouting party ahead to check it out,” Squall said.
     “I agree,” Kirinis said, “Which is why I’m going to be team leader. Briggs, Gabriev, Inverse, Raada, and West are with me. We’re going to go there and....”
     Before Kirinis could finish her sentence she found herself standing on a ledge overlooking the Trabia area. She turned her head to see Lina, Alex, Gourry, Sylphiel, and Celia standing with her, all equally puzzled. “Where the hell are we?”
     “You are at the gateway to an even greater destiny,” a creepy voice said. The six turned to see Guile standing on a ledge above them, Amelia by the throat in one hand, Zelgadis by the throat in the other. “Welcome Alexander West. Welcome friends of Alex. Welcome to your doom and defeat!!”
     “Put a cork in it buddy!” Lina grumbled, “otherwise I’ll stick a Ragna Blade someplace quite uncomfortable!”
     “Just try it,” Guile said as a gateway opened behind him. He turned and stepped into it, leaving the other five to blink in awe. He poked his head out a moment later and said, “Well, aren’t you coming? This doorway won’t stay open forever.”
     “We’re gonna take you out you creep,” Alex grumbled as he leapt skyward, his star sword forming in his hand. A force wave crashed into him and smashed him to the ground.
     “Uh, uh, uh..... no attacking somebody who is half in and half out of subspace,” Guile said as he pulled Zel’s upper body through, “if I die, then your friend here gets cut in half.”
     “That’s playing dirty,” Sylphiel cried.
     “Not to mention forcing our hand,” Gourry added.
     “Exactly. If you want to save them, come and get me.”
     With that he vanished into the portal, leaving the other six in shock. After a few moments Lina turned to the others and said, “I don’t know what’s on the other side of that doorway, but it gives me the creeps.”
     “Well, we have to save Zel and Amelia,” Celia said, “so I’m ready to step into the unknown.”
     “Ditto,” Alex said, “Zelgadis and I made a promise a while back that I’m going to honor right now.”
     “If Sylphiel’s going then I’m going,” Gourry said, “and if Lina’s going I guess I have to go.”
     “Thanks a lot, yogurt brain.”
     “Any friends of yours are friends of mine,” Kirinis said, “So I guess I’m in.”
     “Then we’re in agreement that we go in and save their butts?” Lina asked. The other four nodded. “Good. It’s unanimous.”
     Lina turned and began to jump from ledge to ledge until she reached the gateway, with Alex and the other four following close behind. When they reached the gateway they nodded to one another before joining hands and jumping into the unknown. As the gateway closed behind them Seifer and Irvine were just barely making it to the top of the ridge, and they stared in awe as the entrance to the next dimension closed.
     “Bloody hell,” Seifer sighed, “we’re too late.”
     “And the others won’t be too pleased when we give them the news,” Irvine said, “and I can just picture Trabia being reduced to rubble by Alex’s friend.”
     ‘One minute I’m hugging Alex... the next minute he’s spirited away from me. I wonder what that means when that happens?’ Seifer pondered as he looked at Irvine, ‘Is it a sign of what’s to come in our future? Or a random occurrence? I just hope he doesn’t leave us and never comes back.’
     “Well, we can’t just stand around,” Fujin said from behind them, “We need to go and get reinforcements ready in case they break through the dimensional fabric or unless we find a way to punch through ourselves. And Seifer... for pity’s sake... now is not the time to space out on us. We need you just like Alex needs you right now.”
     “We can’t just stand around and mope... we don’t have the time,” Anassa added, “we need to go and tell the others. That way they know what’s going on and can pray for our friends.”
     “I suppose you’re right,” Seifer said as he turned from the ledge. He glanced heavenward, a light wind ruffling his hair. ‘Alex, please come back safely.’

go to next?
or return to the insanity?