ITEMS TO GET: Varies on performance

   In this event, Zidane, Freija, VIVI, and a few NPCs are competing (during a 12-minute time period) to earn points by killing the various animals in the streets. To win, you have to kill monsters as quickly as possible, end up at the fountain plaza with under four minutes remaining (any more and the boss won't be there), team up with Freija to fight the boss, knock out Freija during the battle, and defeat the boss alone, earning yourself enough points to secure a victory. This isn't easy; fortunately, you don't have to win to proceed on with the game. Even if you get killed by a monster, you'll end up at the same place -- you just don't earn the rewards or the bragging rights.

   Three kind of monsters appear; Mus (blue squirrels), wolves, and birds. Each has about 200 HP -- the birds have slightly less, the others slightly more. Zidane should be able to kill them in one or two hits; how many it takes is a mostly a function of luck. Be sure to have him equipped with the best weapon available (the Mithril Dagger) and the Beast Killer special. Don't waste time using any Trance Mode attacks; you don't need them to kill the enemies and the animations waste time. Loading time is counted against you, which means you'll need to use the time that you do have to move quickly. Starting holding the controller in the direction you want to move while the screen is still loading. Having an analog controller helps immensely, as it gives you much more controller over Zidane's movement.

   Before you start, go to the Options menu -- the last item on the menu -- and scroll down to the first blue bar. This is the battle speed, crank it all the way to the right to make the battles run as fast as possible, saving some time. Also, rearrange your items list so that Hi-Potions are in the upper-left corner; to arrange stuff, choose the middle command on the Item menu and then choose the lower option to rearrange your items. (The top option is the auto-arrange.)

   Zidane starts in the palace bedroom. Save your game with the Save Moogles, then return to the front of the palace (where the airship landed) and descend the stairs on the left. An aide is waiting here; walk onto the tram to the left. A brief scene featuring Steiner and Garnet follows; get ready to move. As soon as the scene ends (the last line is Steiner shouting "VIVI~~~~~~!"), Zidane's tram pulls into the clock tower station and the timer starts ticking.

   Run southeast down the steps and dash outside the office. Outside, immediately turn and run along southwest the side of the building; you'll collide with the Mu as you do so. Kill it, then curve around down the steps. (Ignore the bird perching on the archway; you'll only get two points for killing it.) On the next screen, head southwest, but turn around as soon as you see the bird flying it. As you move back towards the stairs, the bird will attack you. Defeat it, then run back up the stairs and hurry into the tram office. (Again, ignore the bird on the archway.) Inside the tram office, run up to the tram, hit Circle once to bring up the menu, and pick the second selection to go to the statue plaza. (You may find it easier to use the D-pad to navigate the menu.)

Run, run! Or you'll be well done!

   As soon as the tram stops, arc over to the stairs and run up. Move diagonally up and to the right to the next screen; try to hit the wolf (not the cat!) without breaking your stride. Kill it, then run up the stairs in the distant right corner. As you do, a Mu will come running down at you; keep running forward until you hit it. Defeat it, then turn around and run back into the tram office. (Don't go up the stairs to the next screen!) Run up to the tram and double-tap Circle to go to the main section of town.) At this point, you should have a little under 8 minutes left on the clock.

   Run down the stairs -- the dark area in the middle of the top of the screen -- and you'll emerge into the main street. A bird swoops by carrying a Mu. Don't wait for it; instead, run northwest until you're just to the right of the "line" that all the flowerbeds are on. Turn north and run parallel to the flowerbeds; as you're about to go up the stairs, Zidane should turn around and "freeze" as a bird swoops down. Defeat it, then continue due north. A Mu will jump out of the building and pounce on you. Kill it and run north. (At about this time, Zidane will be in need of healing; use a Hi-Potion as quickly as possible -- Triangle, Circle, Circle, Circle, X, X, X, X.)

   On the next screen, curve slightly to the left and defeat the wolf waiting on the steps of the first house. (You can't really tell what it is; it's just a slightly moving brown mass.) Continue due north into the alley on the left. Run down the middle of the street, curving slightly to the right to hit the boar. As soon as you defeat it, run directly northeast into he bird hovering in front of the church. Kill it, then run back out of this screen. Immediately turn right. As you run to the right, VIVI will race by, being chased by a wolf. You should hit the boar; if not, turn and hurry after it to catch up. Kill the wolf, then quickly swig another Hi-Potion. Run into the street on the right; on the next screen, move around the left side of the fountain to reach the boss. Freija will jump down to help you; rapid-fire through the dialogue as quickly as possible to bring on the fight. You should have somewhere between 3 and 4 minutes remaining; Freija will probably be in the lead.

   In order to win the contest, you must defeat the Zagnail with Zidane alive and Freija knocked out. (Otherwise, Freija will get points too, and ends up winning.) However, you'll need Freija's help at first, so have her use her Jump command (the second one), while Zidane hits with physical attacks. (You can theoretically steal a Needle Fork or Mithril Gauntlets from the Jagnail, but only try stealing if you have lots of extra time.) Keep track of how much damage you're doing -- you can pause after each blow and add it up on a calculator. The boar has 1500 HP; when you get within 200 points or so of this number, attack Freija (with both herself and Zidane) and knock her out. (To attack one of your own party members, tap right when selecting a target.) You'll also likely need to use another Hi-Potion on Zidane; the Jagnail hits pretty hard. Once Freija is killed, have Zidane finish off the boss with a final strike. If you did everything correctly, Zidane will end up with about 220 or so points and will be the leader. Just loiter around in the plaza until time runs out; you'll hear the victory music if you won.

   The five heroes convene in Cid's room. The winner will be presented with some items; they all go into the same pool, but the items you get depend on who won:

• If Zidane scored the most points, a winner is you! You'll receive 5000 gil.
• If you defeated the boar but had fewer points that Freija, Freija wins. She (and, consequently, the party) is rewarded with a bracelet.
• If you didn't beat the boss (either it killed you or you ran out of time), VIVI wins, and your prize is a measly Tent.

   You will also receive a Key Item regardless of who wins. A Burmecian messenger then runs in and announces that Alexndria has attacked Burmecia before, like all good messengers do, collapsing dead. The five heroes and Cid discuss the matter further at a banquet; during the meeting, Zidane, VIVI, and Freija are put to sleep. Garnet and Steiner leave, and the remaining characters (Zidane and co.) are sent off to Gizamaluke's Grotto.