O.o this really took forever didn't it?

Ganz:... you've been very neglectant of this haven't you?

Well... shut up.

XXXXXXX

Lloyd knocked on the door, he opened it and walked in.

"..."

"HYAAH!" A sword came in his direction and Lloyd, a bit shocked, side-stepped it, drawing his swords and knocking the person back. He got the ambushing man against the wall with his swords.

"What the hell?" Lloyd squinted at the man.

"Well." The tall man smiled approvingly, "you managed to dodge and counter-attack my move." he said. "Excellent."

Giving him a weird look, Lloyd drew back, still watching suspiciously as he lowered his sword to speak with him.

"Psh... that was barely an attack..." Lloyd mumbled.

"What was that..." Gerald, the beirded man glared.

"Nothing..." Lloyd replied blankly, unphased by the look that never could match up to one from Kratos.

"Hmm... let's continue."

"What now?" Lloyd wondered aloud.

"We proceed to the training ground! there, we shall fight, and if you can manage to beat me... you will pass the test."

"Sounds easy enough..." The brunette boy shrugged.

"You sound really sure of yourself... I won't hold back..."

"If that's the case, then I won't hold back either."

"...Fine! let us begin!"

The two went up to the training grounds and Lloyd drew his two swords against Gerald's one. Immediately, Gerald lunged at him, clashing his swords against Lloyd's crossed ones that rose to his own defense. The man moved quickly, he drew back his sword briefly and swung at Llyod again. Lloyd side-stepped the move and managed to get behind him.

The brunette boy shifted to the side as Gerald started to turn, he held his ground as Gerald started to ram his elbow towards his stomache.

"Whoa!" Lloyd jumped back, he quickly recovered and jumped at him again.

"Rising falcon!" he jumped into the air and plunged into Gerald head-first. Gerald recoiled and struck back, Lloyd dodged and moved in again. "Beast!" he hammered into Gerald brutally and knocked him over.

It ended with both of Lloyd's swords at his neck.

...Silence. The older man had an awe-struck expression, staring into the eyes of the young swordsman.

"...You're pretty good." The man smiled unexpectedly, "we could use you."

"Well..." Lloyd smirked, closing his eyes and lining his chin between his pointer finger and his thumb. "I was trained by the best..." at the thought, a brief image of Kratos flashed into his mind. He shook his head and stepped away, holding out his hand to the man kindly.

"...Take it."

"Hm..." Gerald rose on his own, brushing himself off, "Your kindness might hurt you someday... you seem a little too trusting of those who you just met... but you're strong... the boss is waiting for you on the top floor."

"Wait, you mean...?" Lloyd trailed.

"I thought I said you would pass if you beat me... I know when I'm defeated... though, I'll admit, it's kind of embarrasing that you're so much younger than me..." Gerald cracked his jaw a bit as he flexed it with his hand, making a face a bit at the grotesque sound.

"Get going."

"Right..."

Lloyd turned to start walking, he heard the shifting of movement forward and quickly slid to the side, drawing his swords and holding his ground against Gerald, smirking.

"Hm..." Gerald's eyebrows rose in approval, "you're very alert I see... I wonder who trained you."

"Uhh..." Lloyd's eyes widened, "well... he's... well, I guess harsh could sum it up..." he laughed nervously.

"I'd like to meet him."

"Y...yeah..."

xxxxxxx

"Come in." a strong-souding feminine voice echoed out from what seemed like a helmet.

"What's up with these people and knowing I'm here before I knock...?" Lloyd muttered as he entered the room.

He was right, the voice was coming from someone with a helmet on, knights armor. Two blades on the sides of the helmet, tall and curving upward. Slits cut into the hemet where the eyes should be, that's probably where she seen out of. The armor seemed to be a faded copper red, tinted purple. The breastplates matched the helmet and the shoulderplates were widely out-stretching.

"Gerald is quite the fighter... but you don't seem phased by this... " The woman observed, taking note of Lloyd's calm condition.

"Well... he caught me off guard a bit but he didn't seem too difficult."

"Interesting... We could use you. You're strong."

"Yeah, Gerald said that already. I'm pretty much used to the line already..."

"Hm... only one who fights to protect another can aquire true strength...

"I know that already." Lloyd said, staring at her. "Dwarven vow number two... never abandon someone in need... I weild my sword... for those in need of help, and those I care about." He said. "...obviously." he trailed.

"...I like that about you, what's your name?"

"Give me your name and I'll give you mine." he remarked.

"That sounds a little arrogant, don't you think?" the woman asked. "...My name is Elwen."

"Lloyd."

"Well... Lloyd, the tests are complete, report down to Thanos, he'll go over the procedures with you. Clear?"

"Crystal."

"Alright."

Lloyd turned and left, leaving the cheif there at her desk, watching as he closed the door behind him.

XXXXXXX

Lloyd descended to the first floor to catch what the two people in the room were talking about. The man with facial hair and the boy with messy almond-colored hair.

"That tubby guy you were with earlier failed." he said bluntly.

"He what? Oh man..." The brown-haired kid groaned.

"Well, anyway, I guess you need to know where you're staying. From the message I got, you're getting a roomate."

"A roomate?"

"Yeah, some other hotshot kid totally owned Gerald and passed the test with flying colors..."

"Really? who is it?"

"I think that's him there." Thanos pointed over at Lloyd, who blinked, having been discovered.

"Oh... so you've heard..." Lloyd approached the two.

Jack, the younger boy, raised an eyebrow at Lloyd.

"So you're this hotshot kid..."

"Yeah, well... I guess."

"Yeah... both of you, grab your stuff and follow me."

"Got it." Jack and Lloyd said in unison.

'where's Presea...?' Lloyd thought, taking a quick glance at the stairway as they left.

XXXXXXX

Exiting, they took a brick road down a path with a few street-lights. There was a short, brick ledging to their left as they trailed along it.

"Here it is." Thanos came to a stop before an opening in the ledging, he waved to the side.

"Where?" Jack looked around excitedly, "where is it!"

Lloyd remained silent, waiting for Thanos to point.

"At the bottom of those stairs there." he motioned to the set of stairs that curved down under the bridge that went a few feet furthur down the pathway they were on.

"Are you serious?" Jack descended the stairs and stared down at the door.

"Tomorrow... you two will be assigned to a unit... so be there first thing in the morning. Do NOT be late."

"Uh..." Lloyd blinked, looking off to the side, "I have to get up early...?"

"Yeah, is there a problem?"

"Ah, no..."

"Later" Thanos said, turning from him with a wave, his hand high in the air.

Jack had a look of dissapointment on his face, slouching over and groaning, "the benefits aren't exactly what I thought they'd be..." he said, sighing and continuing down the stairs.

"You really think it's that bad?" Lloyd asked him, following. "...Though this guild thing is getting kind of boring..."

Jack glanced over his shoulder at Lloyd as he opened the door, "you think?"

"..."Lloyd shrugged, entering their room behind the other brunette.

XXXXXXX

Gah, what a pathetic chapter. It's like... it seemed like I wasn't absorbed with it.

Ganz: well... it could be because you have a lack of enthusiasm today.

Could be.

Ganz: Yes.

yeah...

Ganz: agreed.

Yep...

Ganz: Review please.

...What he said...