Dilandau ate in silence with the Dragon slayers. They guys were talking about what they saw in the arena. Guimel was talking about how quick she was when he fought her.

"Man, I never saw her jump!"

Miguel laughed at that remark.

"Like you ever see something when you fight!"

"Shut up Miguel! Can you say you saw her attacks coming?"

"No, but at least I did something!"

They slayers all continued their lunch, laughing and talking. Dilandau sat up suddenly, causing his chair to shriek against the floor. The slayers all shut up, unaware their general was there. Gatti gulped loudly, for he was sure they would all receive a beating for their misbehaviour.

"Dragon slayers, you are to go practice with your guymelefs. Chesta, go find Ombre and show her the ropes"

"Yes sir!"

The Dragon slayers all exited the room, going towards the hangar and Chesta toward the dorms. Dilandau drank his wine, enjoying the taste. His mind was stuck on Ombre, unable to figure out what he felt for her. He was curious to find more about her, but it plagued him to see she was sad. He loved her fighting skills, the way she moved, the way her hips swayed from one side to the other… "She's beautiful…Oh my god, what's happening to me!! I don't love her, I appreciate her skills and want to know more about her, that's all!!" With these thoughts, he walked to the docking bay.

Arriving there, he mounted his blood red Alseides, and made the way outside the base leading his Dragon slayers to the training field. He glanced aside to see if Ombre was ready. Seeing she was, he took his intercom.

"Chesta, take Ombre with you and teach her the two first training drills, along with the use of the crima claw, understood?"

"Yes Dilandau-sama!"

he looked at his men, how they fought. For the first time in years, he was proud of his slayers. They were using their melefs as efficiently as a professional dancer would move. He decided to joined them, feeling the urge to fight roaring in his heart.

On the other side of the field, Chesta and Ombre were discovering her abilities. Chesta showed her how to use her body to activate movement in her melef. After an hour, she was almost as good as he was, being only a little slower. He then taught her how the crima claw worked, how to will the liquid metal to any weapons she wanted. Ombre quickly caught the trick, and she was soon able to form a perfectly shaped sword. Chesta was proud of her talent and his teaching. He called his general to show him what Ombre achieved in less than two hours.

"Dilandau-sama, Ombre is ready to fight you."

"I'm coming Chesta"

Dilandau left the others in their fighting to go test Ombre. He was surprised to hear Chesta so soon, but after what he had seen in the arena, nothing could really surprised him. He stopped his guymelef right in front of Ombre's.

"So Ombre, are you ready to fight?"

"Yes Dilandau-sama."

"You'll have to fight me with your melef, using all the techniques you learned. I will then choose if you are worthy of becoming a Dragon slayer."

Dilandau lunged at her, transforming his crima claw into a sword. Ombre did the same thing and blocked his attack. He pushed hard on her sword, but she pushed as hard on his. Dilandau stepped back and swung another blow at her. Ombre blocked it again, and counter attacked by slicing his leg. Dilandau turned around and clashed hi guymelef against her, making it fall. He withdrew the crima claw and kneeled his Alseides beside Ombre's guymelef. Ombre stepped out of the guymelef and Dilandau did the same.

"You have done great Ombre. It may have been fast, but all the other slayers weren't as good as you when they faced me. All except Chesta. You should thank him for his teaching, you did great."

"Thank you Dilandau-sama."

With that, Dilandau looked around him. The Dragon slayers had all stopped their training to watch the match between their general and the young woman. When they saw Dilandau exit his melef, they all kneeled theirs, knowing this fight would either end up by a new Dragon slayer, or by a kill. Seeing Dilandau wasn't going to kill Ombre, they jumped out of their guymelefs.

"Ombre, you have proved yourself worthy of becoming a Dragon slayer."

Ombre kneeled in front of Dilandau. The others slayers all looked at her, happy to see she would become one of their own. Dilandau drew his sword and placed it on her left shoulder.

"I, Dilandau Albatou, general of the Dragon slayers, proclaim you, Ombre, official Dragon slayer."

With these words, all the other slayers kneeled around her. Ombre stood up, and bowed to Dilandau. The general smiled at her and look at the others.

"Everyone, head back to the base. You're free of duty for the rest of the day. Dismissed."

The Dragon slayers all took their Alseides back to the docking bay and headed for the showers. Ombre headed to her room, and sat on her bed, thinking about what she wil say to Dilandau tonight. Her mind still searching for an answer, she made her way to the shower the slayers had assigned for her.