Okay! Sorry for the lateness, but I kinda have a big AP test tomorrow, so bare with me. This update is kind of… nerdy. So forgive me in advance. I wrote this one during biology, while thinking 'What would determine your job?' So here's my answer to the problem that's been nagging me to death. Phrases in italics are just definitions if you don't understand what I'm staying. This is basically the only true "nerd" chapter for now.

Disclaimer: If i owned MS, GM events would actually be fun. But i don't, so they still suck.

Chapter Seven

"B910.Your up next."

Rick was back in line next to Jackie and Bradley. Brad gulped and stepped forward. Grendal and Athena were silent. It was obvious the boy had no talent for their jobs. No one wanted a skill less apprentice.

"Alright, boy, let us see what you can do."

Brad picked up a two handed Blunt Weapon (BW). Three trainers appeared. Brad's three companions, if you could call them that, watched with condescension. He awkwardly swung it about, trying to get a steady grip. Alex's face displayed her distaste of his lack of dexterity or grace.

A weapon is a part of your body. You must treat it with the utmost care and respect. You don't use it like a heavy club for a caveman, to bash some snails over the head with recklessly.

She almost spit on the floor in disgust, but remembered where she was and who was watching her.

When the fighting was over, Alex looked at her new comrades. Jackie had a crooked twinkle in her eyes.

"I guess there's a reason why some people are 1st, 3rd, and 10th, and a reason why some are one thousand and ninety sixth."

It was like looking at the aftermath of a violent car crash. You want to look away, but something keeps your eyes watching, and you don't have control. You are forced to examine the horrible results.

Jackie tried her hardest not to laugh, and it took all her free will to hold her snickers in. First, Brad tried to hold the Mace. Or, at least, she thought it was a Mace. Then to see him swing it around like a who had just received his first toy sword was nearly unbearable.

He charged the first trainer, with no regard to his own safety. Swinging wildly and unpredictably, he managed to make contact with the trainer's neck. It dropped instantly. The other two closed in, one hopping on his back, the other raised a Spear over his head. Brad wrestled the second one of him, throwing it to the ground and smacking it with blunt force. The third managed to nick his arm, and scored a blow to his stomach. Brad roared with pain and randomly chopped his large weapon through the air. It connected with the trainer's skull, and it too disappeared from sight.

Well, I guess it got the job done.

Brad's breath came ragged and heavily as he stood before his judges.

"At least he beat them all."

Dances with Balrogs mumbled. He seemed embarrassed for Brad. Yet, the boy kept his head up high with self-assurance, like he owned the world.

"He defeated his enemies while obtaining minimal injuries. He has proven his strength."

"Mage man, I wouldn't go that far. It was only three of your little toys."

Athena Pierce's voice was steady. She could have been talking about the weather or the lunch choices with her tone. She shifted slightly in her seat and her eyes connected with the Dark Lord. A message was in her eyes, undecipherable, but still present. The Thief's boss's eyes glinted in acknowledgement and he reached up to scratch his right ear.

None of it escaped Alex's scrutinizing mind. She was more aware of her surroundings then most ever were. She scoured people's faces, body language and movements. It had taken years of practice and determination, but it was a skill she had near perfect. People thought that since she didn't talk much meant that she didn't listen. But in fact, she talked less because unlike the imbeciles of today's world, she actually thought of what she was saying before she said it. That alone distinguishes somebody. Nothing ever escaped her sharp eyes. At least nothing so far had.

Brad still stood in front of the Four, as he waited for a signal that would allow him to take his place. Grendal and the other three were discussing his performance in a hushed tone. Finally it seemed they reached a verdict.

"Bradley, please return to your place in line."

He walked with an unearned air of self righteousness and returned to his place next to Rick. No one knew whether Brad had passed or not, but everyone knew better then to ask.

"J737, please step forward."

Jackie stepped forward nervously.

"Well, go on girl, grab a weapon."

Try as she must, Jackie couldn't get her legs to move. She stood there horrified, rooted to the spot.

It's as if a the ground grabbed her legs and pulled her down. She's not going to move.

Grendal's face changed from passive to annoyed.

Finally Alex stepped forward.

"You can do this. Go forward and grab a weapon. Even Brad did it, so it couldn't be THAT bad, now can it?"

Alex whispered into Jackie's ear. She gave her arm a reassuring squeeze and then stepped back in line.

As if a spell was broken, Jackie strode forward to grab a wand. Instantly, dozens of clouded orbs filled them room. Jackie closed her eyes in concentration. At once, the globes lit up. She smiled lightly, looking tired.

"Very well then. Good job indeed. When a trainee with Cleric potential grabs a magical weapon, orbs, instead of trainers fill the space. Think of about ten orbs equal to one trainer."

T here had to have been, at least fifty orbs in that room, maybe sixty

Grendal's behavior confused Alex. His face had changed once more from annoyance to an unidentifiable look. Next, he tried a cheerful smile.

"You may take your place-"

Jackie was terrified. She couldn't move, and didn't know why. She willed, commanded, demanded and even begged her legs to move. They silently refused. She saw the Four getting annoyed. She couldn't blow this, her one chance to grow stronger. She once again pleaded with her immobile feet. Nothing happened.

Then she heard Alex's voice. It seemed far away, as if a fog of some sort separated her from the rest of the world. Her vision was blurred, her thoughts jumbled, her ears filled. Then, a heat on her arm. Suddenly, her body was her own again. She stepped forward hurriedly, grabbing at the wand.

Shiny, spheres which encircled a hazy fog appeared. She counted five dozen of them. She focused her energy and willed light to spring forth. When she opened her eyes, every single one of the orbs was shinning. She felt dizzy, weaker, as if the magic had taken some of her energy. It probably had.

Grendal smiled at her.

"You may take your place back with-"

"No. Not yet."

A deep voice called out. For the first time that day, the Dark Lord had spoken. He looked intently at Jackie. She tried to swallow, but a lump in her throat made it hard. She looked up expectantly at the mysterious man, waiting to hear what he had to say.

If I was REALLY mean, I'd end the update here :P

Chapter Eight

"No.Not yet. J737, please step up to the table."

The voice belonged to the Dark Lord, ruler of the Thiefs. From his quiet demeanor and lack of vocals, many expected the man to be quiet and to have a wispy, shy voice.

He's like me. Unlike the others, he is a thinker, a listener. They mistake his reserved manor to mean he is shy and maybe even stupid. But, he is a calculating, and perceptive manAlex thought.

"The way you move and react is amazingly sharp for a mage. Tell me, what are the jobs of your parents?"

"My mother was a Bandit, and my father a Mage." Jackie replied, looking uncertain as to why the information was revelant.

"And your grandparents, on your father's side?"

"Both Theives."

"So your great-grandparents are all Mages?"

"How did you know that?"

"It's very simple my dear. Each parent has DNA that make them up. Some of this DNA determines your bloodlines. Bloodlines, as you must have learned, show you the best job for your body. So, as scientifically proven, you have the will to work at any job you like, regardless of bloodlines. But, if you fight them, and pick a different job, it will be much harder, and most likely, you will never advance into your second job."

The Dark Lord looked at all four trainees. Alex and Rick had the understanding look of teenagers who pay attention during class, while Brad looked completely and utterly lost. Jackie just looked preoccupied. He sighed loudly.

"Let me simplify it for some of you. If everyone of your ancestors were Clerics, you would have Cleric blood. But, if you wanted to become an Archer, which is perfectly acceptable,"

He glanced at Athena Pierce. She smiled knowingly.

"You could be. But, chances are, you would never get much further then Hunter status, which is assuming you got there to begin with."

"Now, we get a little more complex. Each gene in a person has a dominant and recessive trait. I'm sure you remember that from your classes. Each job has a recessive and dominant trait marker.

"Therefore, if J737's mother was a Bandit, she would have the Bandit dominant trait.She would either be a homozygousBandit dominant and recesseive Bandit, or a heterozygous[Bandit dominant and in this case Mage recessive Bandit. The recessive is unknown.

"If her father was a mage, he would have the dominant Mage trait. But if both his parents were Theives, that means that both of them needed parents with Mages traits, which is where he got his bloodline from.

"Since her great grandparents were Thieves, it shows a recessive trait of Thief that has been carried down through generations. Without that gene, There would be no way for her grandparents to be Thieves. "

"If A heterozygous mage mixed with any form of Thief, there would be a 50 or more chance of their offspring being a thief. But, rarely, someone with a recessive carried trait mixes with a dominant of the same trait, we get co-dominance.

Co-dominance is when both traits are present. Take a roan bull. He has a white and red coat, which indicates his mother was either white or red and his father was the opposite. J737 here could have both jobs."

"You couldn't have just said that to begin with?"

Dances with Balrogs grumbled.

The Thief Lord smiled.

"Of course not. I would have to explain myself. So, pick up the dagger and claw, Jackie, which ever you perfer, or even both."

Jackie picked up the dagger and strapped the sheath to her belt. She then strapped the claw to her arm, which revealed a new set of subi throwing stars. Six trainers appeared.

The Dark Lord smiled at his proper assessment. The Six opponents circled Jackie.

Jackie took deep breaths, trying to clear her mind and focus on the task ahead. The claw felt, well it felt right.

Like a part of me.

She threw a star, as a test, it sailed over the trainers head.

That felt, well wrong.

She readjusted her grip and threw the star differently. It sliced through the air, hitting her target with deadly accuracy and precision. She took out three more the same way, focusing her strength into the throw. She released star by star, willing them to the perfect path. It took up energy, but in the end she ignored the exhaustion and grinned with pride.

She nimbly drew the small blade and attacked with the same fatal accuracy. With this weapon she was more sure of herself, for she had taken lessons in self defense at the order of her grandmother. They had finally paid off. Atlast all of the trainers disappeared, leaving a proud girl standing tall in the middle of the room.

"Excellent work."

Jackie grinned widely at the Dark Lord's approvement. It was well known that he seldomly gave compliments.

"Now, you must choose J737,"

Grendal's voice cut through the moment.

"You must choose which job you want as your major. The job you choose dictates which clothes you wear and who you answer to."

Jackie thought hard.

The Dark Lord seems more friendly, and smarter. He seems like a better teacher all together.

"Well...?" Grendal asked impatiently

She started slowly,

"It seems smarter to choose the Dark Lord's guidance. If I choose to be a Thief, I will have the proper weapons and supplies. I could also learn the path of the Cleric, since you do not need weapons to heal. It seems like the best choice.

And, I won't have to deal with a soggy old man like you She added silently.

The Dark Lord's eyes shined with approval.

"Step back in line,please."

And so there remained one trainee left to test.

Haha. I guess i cut you guys off again.

Well!That's all for now folks.

More hints! Search! Search I tell you!!!!

Looks at reader Your not searching hard enough!!!!!

I'll post the next chapters sometime this weekend, most likely tomorrow-friday.

Once again, bare though this nerd-a-thon.

comments, critiques, reviews, 'you-suck-so-stop-witting'-ings[yes thats a verb now, Are always welcome.

Dak