Chapter 7: Shooting Targets The wind tossed my hair around as though making it dance to some silent music. The air smelt of fresh spring. I wanted to hold this moment forever. I felt peaceful. My mind was suddenly cleared, as if the wind had blown away my troubles. I felt the overgrown daisies brush my ankles. They were so innocent, so pure. I looked up at the clear blue sky. It was like a blank canvas before an artist decides what to paint. I followed the directions Xu had given me and followed the path of daisies up a hill. The climb was a little steep and the back of my thighs began to hurt, I hadn't done much exercise in the last month. For I couldn't concentrate when I tried. I don't need to say why. But I wish I had now. I was puffing when I got to the top. Filling my lungs with the fresh spring air, I didn't notice him at first. I was too busy studying the view from the top. If I were an artist I would paint this. I let my eyes take in the view. Deep valleys of forests filled with a deep green. Patches of green grass stood out here and there like someone had mowed down the trees. A gushing river ran through the middle, like a silver thread, and if I listened hard enough I could almost hear a tinkle as the clean water spilled across the rocks. It was a truly magical sight. The first shot scared me. The bang rippled through my skin and echoed in my ears. I must have jumped a foot. It was then that I notice Irvine, crouched just a few metres away, rifle in hand. "Give me some warning next time!" I yelled, hoping he'd be able to hear me through his earphones. I wasn't too keen on tapping him on the shoulder, just in case I got a bullet in my head. He heard. "Sorry, Quistis." He said smiling and taking off his earphones, and shaking his long brown hair from his face. It was a girly gesture and it made me smile. No matter how hard he tried to be macho, he would never lose his sissy boy nature. "What brings my little princess up here?" he asked patting the grass beside him. I sat next to him, suddenly glad to be away from the garden. "What brings you up here? You're not shooting any of those cute animals in those forests are you?" I asked, pouting my bottom lip. He laughed. "Only a couple... nah clay target practise, you know, gotta keep up my aim." His voice had the usual charm to it that I remember used to make me fuzzy inside. But after a few hours it was just another voice. "And what do I owe the pleasure to, Quistis?" "I need..." I paused, trying to think of the right word, none came so I simply said. "Someone to talk to... a friend," I said sighing heavily. "Well, you've come to the right place. What do you want to talk about?" He said, collapsing backwards onto the grass. I didn't think about what I was going to say; it was easier that way. "I'm in love with Squall." I said. It was the first time I had said it out loud. I always knew it deep inside but I was afraid if I told someone it would become more real and I would have to face up to my emotions. "So?" he muttered from where he lay looking up at the sky. I couldn't believe my ears. What had he meant by 'so?' I'd expected him to sit straight up, shake me and say 'what the hell are you thinking, women?' When I didn't say anything, he continued. "And let me guess you made out?" What was he; a psychic? "H-how did you know that?" I asked, astonished. He really was a psychic! "No, not really. It's just what I'd do with a girl as pretty as you," he said. "What, you'd go out with Squall?" I said, only half joking. He really was an unpredictable guy. "Yes." He said it so seriously that I couldn't help myself. I burst out laughing; boy, did it feel good to laugh again. He joined me and after a few moments I'd quietened down to a mild giggle. "Oh Irvine, what am I going to do?" I said holding my head as I remembered why I'd come up here. "What can you do? You can't help your feelings for Squall. Nor can you hide them, same for him," "You didn't answer my question," I sighed, brushing my hair from my face. "I'm not going to tell you what to do, because that's up to you. But what I am going to say is whether you chose to believe it, you and Squall are soul mates. You're meant to be together. And no-one, not even Rinoa can change that." And with that Irvine got up and headed down the hill.