Decisions are going to be made. At the end of the chapter for future plot I'm going to need your guys suggestions. So if anyone is reading this and wants to see one thing or another fine. It's called the dating game and it's going to definitely effect how Marco snaps, seeing we all know he's crazy. This won't happen though until much later in the story, but I want to plan it out right now.
Bullseye
The next four months nothing of significance occurred. I fell into a fucking routine, wake up, go to class, practice, sleep. Thunder even beat my ass on a specific schedule. I eventually began to go to the range every damn day. I practiced with the pistols, learning various styles to hold the gun. Irvine came down to supervise me from time to time, and he fucking liked what he saw. I wanted to be the best.
Than I received my goddamn nickname. Clutch used his gun too, and he saw me firing one day and noticed I hit the bullseye a lot. He said, "Hey Bullseye you hit it like that all the time?" The nickname stuck. I learned how everyone got their fucking nicknames also. Clutch was good with machines and crap, being an engineer kind of helps out. Bass played guitar, Janet liked to sing and sounded like Janet Jackson, some singer out of Trabia. Bones got his nickname because he broke all of his goddamn bones in his right hand, broke his left leg twice, had broken seven ribs, broken his nose eight times and finally had broken his collar bone. If he wasn't in Garden it may be bad, but Kadowaki was a genius at healing people. Finally, Willow got her nickname because she had a green thumb.
The alarm went off, but I had forgotten not to set it. I rolled over, nailing the snooze button down. I flipped the switch off and attempted to sleep again. No luck. Garden had the week off until the day after New Year's, so why sleep? It started yesterday, December 22nd.
I got up and was greeted with goosebumps and cold air. I peered at the clock, 8. I walked over and took a shower, allowing my skin, body and mind to wake up. I got out, refreshed and invigorated. I went to my room and put on my now usual get up.
I don't know when, but Irvine kept saying be yourself so I began to dress how I felt comfortable. I wore black pants, picked up a few, they're called Levi's. I guess some new company or something. I picked up a pair of boots, military boots for military training. I wore a belt with an eagle engraved into the buckle. I had a black wife beater with a jacket made of jean fabric material, of course black. I wore a necklace I picked up a month ago, it was an arrowhead with an eagle on the front. I didn't bother with the last part, two chest holsters for my guns.
I walked to a mirror to see how the getup faired. Not bad, but my hair was a mess. It was definitely shaggy, but I didn't feel like cutting it. It was all over the place, and some girl in the hall told me that I had a strange resemblance to Headmaster Leonhart, minus the scar of course.
I again looked at my friend the timepiece, and was surprised to see it was already 10. Funny how time flies. I crept out the door, relieved Thunder hadn't woken up to bestow upon me my morning beating. My stomach roared in displeasure. It was running on empty, so I walked to the Mess Hall. I picked up my meal, which consisted of three pieces of French Toast, four pieces of bacon, a granola bar and a box of milk. I sat at our usual table, Willow was the only person there.
"Hey Bullseye." Willow said, in a sweet voice that showed a hint of being tired. She looked like Hades this morning. I thought of it for a second, and snorted in laughter. "What's so funny?" She asked. "Nothing, just a though occurred, did you happen to get even a wink of sleep last night, you look awful." I replied, putting genuine concern into my voice. "No, my roommate got asked to the Christmas festival and kept bugging me with what she should wear. I finally told her to go stark naked if it was such a problem." She said, than began to giggle. "Well she definitely would have the most original dress their…" I said, we both started to laugh at that.
I thought over for awhile what I should do with all the extra time now gained with Christmas break. I could train, but I do want to have some kind of life outside of my guns. I had signed up for Irvine's extra classes over the break, they were for anyone interested in field techniques with guns for various situations. It was highly suggested to be taken to anyone wanting to know how to use their guns in new situations. That would take up some time, but I did have a day open to go out, and I just had received money from Garden. I guess they give it to all cadets, like an allowance, Seeds make millions more than us but 500 gil was burning a whole in my pocket.
"Willow, I was wondering if you'd like to go out shopping with me this tomorrow, I'd like to just look around and was wondering if you were interested." I said. Why not, girl's like shopping don't they? "That sounds good, anyone else going?" She said, looking up from her breakfast after that. "Just you so far, I'll ask the gang though." I replied. We ate in silence, and soon after I had put my tray away and headed back to my room.
I walked into a tornado. Thunder was up, mad and looking for a target. I snuck into my room as he was still yelling, I heard bitch and canceled. I took out the Goldstars. I put on my holster's and than put the guns in them. I put the addition to my belt on, it held magazines for the guns. Three for each, making 120 shots including the one in the gun. I crept out, but hit the table. Crud. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE!!" Thunder thundered. "I was, uh, just, uh, going to the, uh, training center." I whimpered out. I knew what was coming. "Well, uh, you, uh, muttering stuttering fuck, if I told you once I've told you, uh, a million times, FUCKING KNOCK!" He said. He was gradually making his way towards me, but I didn't feel like getting hit today. "Ok, gotta go!" I said, making my escape from the room before he could even blink. Look out training center here I come.
Instead of heading to the right like I had been, I went into the training center. I wanted to see what I had learned. I entered and was greeted to a mini jungle. Interesting. Two doors lay ahead, I choose the one to the right.
Garden had remodeled two years before I came, it was a lot less lavish but seeing a sorceress wasn't around to kill besides Rinoa and we all goddamn know Squall wasn't about to kill his piece of ass that she wasn't going to have one fucking finger layered on her.
I was greeted to a Grat. I rolled before it could hit me with it's extensions. I had already drawn the Goldstars. "Time for work boys!" I yelled it.
For some reason I was a cocky shit on the field in my youth.
I fired, slow, steady but still fast enough to put meaning in it. I dropped the Grat. I felt myself grow stronger and picked up the Fire left behind. I continued on my way up the path, dropping the Grat that came across. Either Grats were easy or I was good. Than a Geezer came, my first challenge. It jumped me and clawed my pants, tearing them. I fired upon it, driving it back. It slid to the left, but it was a distraction, a Grat accompanied it and this time the whip hit. "Ok, let's play!" I yelled, turning around to face the Grat, I fired, dropping it. I put two fresh clips in my guns and was knocked down by the Geezer when I turned around. I rolled firing all the way, it yelped and fell limp, disappearing. I cast a cure on myself, stopping the bleeding in my leg. No reward.
I made my way almost all the way around the training center when the T-Rexuar spotted me. Spotted is the wrong term, it erupted from behind some trees, I had barely moved were it jaws snapped down on the air left behind. My heart was racing in my chest. I wasn't ready to deal with this yet. "Come here big boy let's get acquainted!" I fired at it's head, angering it. It was a juvenile, it was small but still very dangerous. It whipped it's tail around, sending me flying across the training center. I landed hard next to a pair of black cowboy boots. "It's slow Marco, you can take it." Irvine said to me. "Irvine, what are you doing here?" I said, taking a breath getting pulled to my feet. "Watching." I found the inspiration and smiled. Game time.
I ran into the beast, firing. It tried to bite at me, I easily rolled to the left, firing into its side. Click, click, magazine time. I reloaded, as it attempted to tail swipe again, I jumped back and fired into its side again. It turned, facing me, screaming. I fired right into it's face, hitting it's right eye. It stepped back painfully when I made my first mistake. I fired to quick and my left gun jammed. It was worthless right now, I threw it down reloading the right one. I continued firing at its head. It was blinded in the right side so I skipped to the right side. It flew a tail at me in feeble attempt, easily dodged. However, it was a 360 spin and I got nailed by it's head, I flew for the second time today. I rolled this time, but I still had hit my head hard. The T-Rexuar saw it's opportunity and charged me, nailed me in the chest with it's frail arm. I fell. Then I heard the reply. Shotgun blasts.
"Not bad Marco, but this may have been too much too soon, I'll take care of it!" Irvine yelled between the blasts. He was working the T-Rexuar back, casting a Curaga on me. I stood up completely refreshed. "Remember what I said about Limit Breaks?" Irvine yelled, reloading as the T-Rexuar stood still in stop. "Yes!" I yelled. "Try it once, I stopped it and you were hurt but you can still trigger it." I focused my energy to my gun. "Fireside." All of my energy went from my head to my gun. I opened fire.
I was taught that whenever you use a limit break you should say something before to engage your break. You don't even realize you do it until you do it. Fireside was mine, but it was very special because the damage caused was easily one of the most devastating limit breaks if not the most devastating. I was the only one who could do it.
My gun instantly glowed a fire orange, each bullets spraying out as a fiery ember from hell. I tore the T-Rexuar apart. It screeched and fell down, disappearing afterward. "Bullseye!" Irvine yelled. "Not bad, your one of the best pistol marksmen I have ever seen, they are an attachment to your body." Irvine said, tipping his cowboy hat. He smiled at me. "Did you pick those clothes out yourself?" I nodded. "Ok, what are you trying to blend in with the night? Add a little color to your ensemble kid." Irvine said. I laughed. "What's wrong with how I dress?" I asked. "Oh, nothing if you work at a funeral home, but if that's how your comfortable…" Irvine trailed off, laughing. I left the Training Center, heading to my room. I had spent more time their than I had thought, 4 hours. Strange how time flies.
I moped around the rest of the day. Thunder was out, thankfully. I cleaned my guns and fixed the jam in my left pistol, not as difficult as it sounded. I eventually went to the Mess Hall and the rest of the gang was their, I asked them if they wished to go, no one did. I wasn't much into talking though, I was worn out from the T-Rexuar. I went back to the dorm room and slept the rest of the day.
Soon enough the next day was upon me. I woke up, dressing in my usual ensemble. I skipped the holsters, I was going shopping and Garden transport would take us so there would be no need to walk. I ate and met Willow at the Garden gates, but there was someone else there. "Marco, I talked to Janet and she decided she wanted to go too!" She said, smiling and waving at me. Janet said hi as well and we were on our way.
Balamb was a more coastal town, so it wasn't cold. If it was Trabia we would be insane to go out the way we were dressed, Galbadia wasn't very warm either at this time of year. I guess Esthar stayed the same temperature year round, but they were so xenophobic that no one really went to Esthar anyway.
The day went on without a snag, the girls visited more stores than me and I ended up caring the bags. Well I offered, my dad taught me about being a gentleman at a very early age. However, soon they went shopping for me. "What's wrong with how I dress, Irvine told me yesterday that I need color and now you're trying to change me!" I shrieked. "Marco, there is not one bad thing about how you dress… if your on a covert operation." Janet said, laughing. "Yeah I mean you don't look bad, it's just that you look like a giant chocolate bar." Willow added. I frowned, "you know Irvine said I looked like I worked at a funeral home…" We all laughed at that.
"Seriously, I don't want to try on anymore clothes." I said, what seemed hours later. We went into a store called 'Glade's' and ever since I had been trying on clothes. "Marco you don't want to purchase something that doesn't fit, do you?" Janet asked. "Trust me, I'll risk it." I replied, sarcasm dripping from my tone. They had coaxed me into buying blue jeans over the black jeans I wore, white t-shirts over my black wife beaters but now I need something over the t-shirts, but every shirt in the store either made me look like I was three or a drunk fashion designer. "Guys, seriously just get the blue jean jackets, who cares if I look the same, I'm comfortable like that." I whined. "Marco, you'll like yourself better if you look sharper." Willow countered. After another half-hour I convinced them to the blue jean jackets. The bill ran 290 gil. Not bad.
We visited a bookstore, they flocked to the chick section of romance books, I looked around for a bit. A book settled into my view, drawing me in, it screamed for my attention. The History of Firearms by Sean O'Connor. It had a picture of some type bolt action rifle I hadn't seen before. I opened it, the introduction captivating me. I flipped my find over looking for the expense. 25 gil. The girls caught up to me and we purchased our books together, leaving the store.
Our final destination was a jewelry shop. The girls looked at some necklaces, but I walked around looking at different rings. One caught my eye. It was an eagle with water getting thrown off it wings, the ring was platinum. I looked at the price, 3178 gil. A bit out of my range, but I made a mental note to start saving some money. We left after Willow got a necklace with a rose charm on it.
The Garden transport vehicle came and picked us up. We chatted on the way back, a little about this and that. "I have to admit, this was fun today." I said. "You know, maybe we could do this some time in the future when we all have more money on us." Willow replied. Janet nodded in approval.
We staggered into Garden at dusk. It was about 17 and we were all hungry. The group wanted to know what we had gotten, I told them about my new wardrobe. "You know I wasn't going to say anything but you looked like a country western goth how you were dressed Marco." Bass said, laughing. "Yeah, me neither, it wasn't any of my business but seriously you looked like some angry mortician or something." Bones piped in. "You know I really don't see what was so bad with how I dress, I was comfortable with it and all." I retorted. I finally came into my dorm room, Thunder was out thank-fully. I put my new wardrobe away and eagerly dug into my book.
It was 22:17 when Thunder came in. He didn't sound mad but I didn't feel like gambling with my body. I put the book down and fell asleep.
Over the next three days nothing really big happened. Thunder found another date to the Christmas festival, but the book I had sufficed enough. It was a great fucking read too, every goddamn thing about that book was good. However, Irvine's gun course came and went the most important thing about it was to choose your target's wisely. The shrinks always ask me what the big fucking importance of all of this was, and I honestly don't know. Maybe some bullshit about Garden wasn't all bad or I had a life or before the innocence wasn't stolen I don't fucking know, all I do know is that Christmas at Garden was my favorite of them all, the simplicity and how I can change my image just like that. Oh, I did look like some son of a bitch funeral parlor asshole too.
Well that chapter was harder than I thought to write, I just kept getting writers block. Now its time to decide. Marco will fall in love with a woman later in the story, but the way I see it he has two choices and what will happen with each. The first choice is the woman betrays Marco which causes his snapping. The second is the people around Marco betray him causing the woman to leave him. Either way he snaps. Well maybe in the reviews you could tell me.
