*****The Next Day*****
Irvine scanned his gun case, observing his various rifles, handguns, and equipment.
"Hmmm", he thought. "I think I will practice with my handguns. Haven't used these in a while." He picked up two large handguns and held them in his hands. They were completely black, except for the gold lettering on the handles. The gold lettering said the name "Raven.
They were the best set of handguns made in Balamb, and Irvine was lucky enough to win them one night in a poker game with a drunken gunman.
"All right boys." Irvine pointed the guns in front of him. "Time to see what you can do."
"BANG! BANG! BANG!" Irvine expertly shot three cans from a fence that was at least 400 yards away from where he stood.
"Excellent", he said, blowing the smoke from the two barrels of the Ravens.
"Hey Irvine man! What's up?" Irvine turned to see Zell approaching.
"Hey Zell, how've you been?"
"Great! I got a date for the festival. So, have you picked from the hundreds of prospects?" Zell asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
"Well, I'm working on it", replied Irvine, reloading his guns. "Hey Zell, I need your help. Take these coins here, and walk fifty feet out there." Irvine gestured towards a tree in the meadow.
"If you say so," replied Zell, taking the coins.
"When you get out there," continued Irvine, "Throw the both of them as high as you can."
"At the same time?" Asked Zell.
"Yes." Irvine replied as he pushed Zell in the direction he had pointed in earlier.
As Zell made his way out to the spot, Irvine took in a couple of deep breaths. "Stay Calm, Stay Focused," he thought. He was never any good under pressure, and this one fault made Seth the better marksman. "You can do this."
Irvine was about to attempt the close to impossible. He was going to shoot two little coins in the air. At the same time. One would think that this would be a piece of cake for a gunman of Irvine's level, but he was going to add a little challenge. He was going to do it all backwards. Irvine turned slowly around, so his back faced Zell. Zell stared at him, watching his long coat blow in the breeze, waiting for his signal to throw the coins.
"NOW!" Irvine shouted.
"GOING UP!" Zell yelled.
Irvine listened for the whistle for the coins through the air. When he knew the time was right, he drew his guns up beside his head facing backward toward the coins.
"BANG! BANG!"
Zell heard the guns fire from the place on the ground where he'd fell after throwing the coins in the air. He heard two small clinks as the coins hit the earth in front of him. He looked up and in surprise, noticed that they each had a steaming bullet hole through the middle.
"Oh Wow!" Yelled Zell.
He snatched the two coins up, and ran over to Irvine.
"Jeez man! I knew you could shoot, but this is beyond what I thought you could do!"
"I can't believe I did it!" Irvine said, staring at the two coins Zell dropped in his hands.
"Allright Irvine! Gimme five!" Zell shouted.
Irvine let out a laugh and slapped Zell's hand.
"Seth, look out, you're not gonna know what hit you!" he thought excitedly.
Suddenly Seth came walking up, almost as if he was reading Irvine's thoughts.
"Nice guns Kinneas", he said gesturing to the Ravens at Irvine's hips. "I saw your little circus act. So you can shoot backwards. Pulease. Why don't you hand those guns over to someone who could really show you how to use them. Like me." His green eyes glowed with amusement.
"I don't think so Seth." Irvine's violet-blue eyes challenged Seth's yellow-green ones. "Besides, you'd probably just end up shooting yourself in the foot."
Zell, who had walked up beside Irvine, started laughing at the comment.
"Shut up Shorty!" Seth yelled angrily. He shoved Zell, and he stumbled backward. "Why you piece of…" Zell's famous short temper flared up. He started quickly toward Seth, cracking his knuckles, when Irvine stopped him.
"No Zell, he's not worth it."
"Jerk." Zell muttered under his breath.
"Anyways Kinneas," Seth continued, losing interest in Zell, "I see your practicing. For what I wonder? Hmm…" He smiled mysteriously. "Well, I have a challenge for you Mr. Big Shot. I challenge you to a contest. Marksman to Marksman. The day before the big Garden Celebration. We're gonna settle who is the better gunman, once and for all. We'll meet in the training center at Eight AM sharp. The man who defeats the most monsters within oh say… Seven minutes, wins the title of "Best Gunman in Balamb."
Irvine looked at Seth, to see if he was serious. Nothing in those cat-like eyes said he was joking.
"Well…." Irvine said, thinking. "All right Seth, I accept your challenge. But why don't we make it a little more exciting. How about the one who loses the contest gives up sharp shooting forever. Just packs his bags and leaves. There should only be one sharpshooter in Balamb Garden anyways."
Seth flashed his white teeth in a leer. "That's fine with me Kinneas. I hope you can get all of you crap packed, because in two days you'll be waving goodbye to Balamb Garden." Seth replied as he strolled away.
"We'll see about that Seth!" Irvine yelled after him.
"Oh Cool! How exciting!" Zell said. " I know you're gonna kick his skinny ass Irvine!" Zell said, as he took off running toward the Garden. He was most likely going to tell every person he came across about the contest.
"Two days," Irvine thought, after Zell had left. "In two days, my fate will be decided. Will I be destined to stay here with my friends, and what I love, or will I lose, and end up unhappy forever?" Irvine closed his eyes. He shivered, even though his clothes were more that enough to hold out the autumn chill. "All right Irvine", he thought to himself, "You have never been good under pressure. In two days, though, you must forget all of that and succeed. Just don't think about it." Irvine started back towards Garden, his mind racing with thoughts. "I have to win! Lauren will never look at me again if I don't."
Sheer determination took over Irvine as he made his way back to his room. As he lay his head down on his pillow that night, only one thought ran through his mind before he slipped into a deep sleep. "I Will Win!"
*****The Next Day*****
By the time Zell had made his run through the Garden, every single living thing knew about the "fight to the finish" between Irvine and Seth. Irvine made his way through the crowded halls, carrying his favorite shotgun, Exeter. He was on his way to practice with it out in the field.
"Hey Irvine! Good Luck Tomorrow!!"
"Thanks!" Irvine replied, waving to a guy he had never met. Everywhere people that Irvine had never spoke to before were patting him on the back, shaking his hand, and wishing him good luck.
"Irvine!" Zell came running up.
"So Zell, I see that word gets around pretty fast here huh?" Irvine said readjusting his hat, after a large student slapped him roughly on the back, and wished him luck.
"Now what kind of contest would it be without the excitement for hundreds of eyes watching your every move."? Zell replied.
"It would be a great contest." Irvine said rolling his eyes. "I don't know if you forgot, Zell, but I'm not the best performer under pressure, and all of those eyes on me isn't gonna help any."
"Oh yeah man! I forgot!" Zell said slapping himself on the forehead. "Why don't you just forget about that? Just focus on one thing. Defeating as many monsters as possible."
"Easier said than done, Zell." Irvine said nervously.
"Anyways, Irvine, I came here to let you know that Quistis and I have the rules figured out. We've already discussed them with Seth, and he thought they sounded fine. Now you have to hear them and agree."
"All right, Shoot." Irvine said.
"Ok, here it goes." Zell took a deep breath and cleared his throat. Then in his best voice, he read the rules from the paper he held in his hands.
"The contest will last for exactly seven minutes. You and Seth will start at the same point in the training center. After the contest starts, though, you can go anywhere within the training center. You are allowed to carry two types of guns. A pair of handguns, and a shotgun. You will have a pre-chosen person come with you to keep count of how many monsters you defeat. You are only allowed to use regular handgun and shotgun ammo. No Demolition ammo, Fast ammo, Pulse ammo, etc. You must return to the starting point after the seven-minute bell sounds. You will be able to hear this bell throughout the entire training center. No magic whatsoever can be used nor can any GF's be summoned. This will be grounds for disqualification. The man with the most monsters defeated after the seven-minute bell, wins the title of "Best Marksman in Balamb". Whew! That's it!"
Zell handed the paper to Irvine to look over.
"These sound good to me." Irvine said as his eyes scanned the paper.
"There's just one problem, though." Zell said. "We haven't found a judge for the contest."
"Hmmm.." Irvine said rubbing his chin. "That is a problem. Without a judge the contest can't take pl—
"Hey Irvine, Zell, What's up" Squall walked up, interrupting Irvine mid-sentence.
Irvine and Zell both looked a Squall, and then at each other, each one knowing what the other was thinking.
"Hey Squall, how ya doin?" Irvine asked Squall.
"Yeah Squall, ol' buddy ol' pal, how have ya been?" Zell asked, walking up to Squall, and putting his arm around his shoulders.
"What did you do this time Zell?" Squall asked, rolling his gray-blue eyes.
"Not a thing Squall!" Zell replied innocently. "Actually, I needed to see if you would do me a favor. You see, we need a judge for the upcoming contest between Irvine and Seth, and we haven't found anyone yet… And wouldn't it be great if THE Commander of SeeD was the one to judge it?"
"Irvine, you're going to be in a contest?" Squall asked confused. He had been out of the garden for the past few days.
"Yeah," said Irvine, "It's kind of a long story, but the bottom line is that I'm tired of hearing Seth talk crap all of the time. So I'm taking him up on his challenge. He challenged me to a contest in the training center. To see who is the best marksman."
"He has to kill more monsters that Seth within a seven minute time limit to be exact." Zell said enthusiastically.
"I don't know about this…." Squall said, always cautious.
"Oh come on man!" Zell said. "There isn't anyone else in Balamb Garden, besides Headmaster Cid, who will have to be more honest! We can't go wrong with you!"
Zell dropped to his knees and clasped his hands together dramatically. Puleeeassse Squall! Please! Please! Please! Please! Pleeeasssse!!" Zell asked in his whiniest, loudest voice. A group of young ladies walked by giggling at Zell begging at the blushing commander's feet.
"You'd better say yes, Squall." Irvine said laughing. "It's no telling how long he can stay down there."
"All right! Allright! Just get up Zell!" Squall said through his teeth.
"Awesome!" Zell shouted, jumping up from the floor.
"As long as neither of you get hurt." Squall added.
"Everything will be fine Squall! Now the contest will go on! I'm gonna go tell Quistis!" Zell slapped Squall on the back, and took off toward the cafeteria.
"So Irvine", Squall said, after Zell had run off. "You sure this is what you want to do? I mean Seth is pretty good."
"Yeah this is Squall, I'm not afraid of him," Irvine replied, his eyes showing anger.
"I'm not saying you are, Irvine, just be careful. I don't trust him." Squall put a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Thanks Squall, you know you really are a great friend… despite what everyone says!" Irvine said as he messed up Squall's hair.
Squall laughed, and walked off, his hair still flying in all directions.
Irvine stood outside of Balamb Garden. He looked around the vast meadow that surrounded the beautiful school. He closed his eyes, and let the clear crisp breeze blow his hair back, and send his long jacket flapping. He could hear his heart beating beneath his blue vest. Bum-Bum. Bum-Bum. He had been practicing with his rifle for the past half and hour, and the sound of the loud shots still echoed in his ears.
"I wonder if Lauren will be at the contest." He thought. "Seth has probably told her all about it. I wonder whom she will cheer for? Hmph.. He's probably got her convinced that he's gonna win this thing no matter what." Suddenly a soft hand resting on his shoulder interrupted his thoughts. He snapped out of his thoughts, and was so startled by the hand, that he dropped his shotgun. "BANG!" A loud shot broke the silence as the shotgun blasted when it hit the ground.
"OH!"
Irvine recognized the cry behind him, and turned to see Lauren crouched to the ground, with her hands over her ears, and her eyes tightly closed.
"Lauren! Are you OK?" Irvine shouted, as he grabbed her wrists gently and took them from her ears.
"Irvine! I'm so sorry! I guess I shouldn't have walked up so quietly. You're gun scared me to death!" Lauren said, her blue eyes looking into Irvine's.
"No, I'm sorry Lauren." Irvine said, finally letting her wrists go. "You just have to get used to the noise."
Lauren blushed a little. "Well, I saw you practicing, and I wanted to come over and wish you luck with tomorrow's contest."
"Oh, so you've heard about the "fight to the finish" huh? How'd you find out?" He asked.
"Well, I heard it from Seth, first, but it's also all around the garden."
"Well, I hope you can come." Irvine said shyly, which wasn't like him.
"I'll try my best to make it." Lauren replied just as shyly. "Well anyways, Irvine, I gotta get going! Good Luck Tomorrow!"
"Thanks a lot Lauren." Irvine smiled.
Lauren smiled back, and then turned and walked slowly away. What Irvine didn't realize, though, was that Lauren hadn't come just to wish him luck, she was also hoping that Irvine would ask her to the Garden Festival. She was just too shy to ask him herself.
After she had left, Irvine picked up his Exeter, and continued to practice diligently until nightfall.