It took a while to write but it's here. Lots of character commentary in this one. Hope you like it. It also has my first fight scene so if i could get some reviews on that it would be nice. Enjoy. ~The Defied~

DISCLAMER: Radiata Stories is owned by Square-Enix and Tri-Ace. It's their game, I'm just writing a parody of it.

Chpt 3: Selection Trials First Round: You Can't Beat Me

It only took a few minutes to reach the doors that led to the knight selection trials. Jack was excited, here was where he was going to prove himself, become a knight. He couldn't wait. As they got to the door, a guard took their weapons with a quick "Weapons please" and then told to grab blunt versions of the ones they gave up.

Ridley's mouth fell open slightly as Jack handed Arbitrator to the guards. Jack looked at her raising an eyebrow.

"For a farm boy you have a pretty impressive sword." Ridley grabs an axe and heads for the door.

"Well, it was my dad's sword. I'm just carrying it until I feel strong enough to use it." Jack says picking up his bag and a blunt sword.

"It will be a rainy day in Dysett before that happens." Ridley opens the door and walks in.

"Jeez are you this snappy with everyone." Jack walks in after her.

Ridley turns around glaring at him. "No I'm…."

And someone punched Jack in the face, knocking him over.

It was an annoyed looking Roth.

"Ow! What was that for?" said Jack rubbing his cheek.

Roth pokes his finger into Jack's ribs. "First off you're late. The selection trials are going to be starting in five minutes. You were beggining to make me think you got cold feet."

Jack pushes Roth's hand away frowning. "Well you see…."

"And second," Roth points over at the girl, smiling, "you walk in talking with a cute girl to boot. You might start making me jealous."

If glares could kill the girl's stare would've had Roth staked to the wall.

"Whoa Roth you have the wrong …."

The girl humph's. "I don't have anything to do with this idiot."

Roth laughed. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the orc this morning."

"Roth…."

The girl glares at Jack stopping him short, then focusses on Roth again. She looks Roth over, her glare's intensity increasing (how is that even possible).

"Anyone thinking you two could be knights must've been a few hides short of a crocogator."

Roth's smile disappeared. It took a minute for us, throwing a few minor insults in myself, to finally boil down to at least a semi-civilized conversation. Only then did we notice the other knight candidates, most of them listening and repressing laughter, were staring at us.

Sitting on a bench was an average looking guy with brown hair, a sword leaning against the wall at his side. There was a nearly bald guy with a skinny column of hair sticking straight up in the air, wearing what looked like a cooking apron over regular work clothes. The closest thing Jack could see to a weapon on the man was an oversized ladle. Over to the side, standing in-between two benches was a slightly pudgy fellow in maroon armor carrying an axe like Ridley's in his hand. The last noticeable guy was a man in fancy purple armor, all smooth curves ending in sharp points, with a black and green stripped under garment beneath the armor. He also was wielding a sword. Unlike the others though he seemed to have some weird midget guy in really old school knight armor waiting on him hand and foot.

The other half dozen people looked like Jack and Roth, young hopefuls looking for a shot at knighthood. Unlike Roth and Jack though all of them seemed under trained and full of a juvenile sense of invincibility, all of them bragging about what they were going to do as knights. Sure both Jack and Roth had talked a good game, but they had years of hard core training under old Karna to back up their had already realized and accepted that the chances were that only one of them would make it in.

Roth and I look at one another and quickly gave an apology for the commotion.

Ridley looks at the two of us shaking her head. "Idiots."

Roth sat down on a near by bench rubbing his forehead. "Russell where the heck did you meet this she-dragon."

The girl smiled slightly, directing an amused yet quizitive look at Jack. "Your name is Russell?"

"No my name is…." Jack stopped, feeling really stupid. "Um, I still haven't introduced myself have I?"

Jack sticks out his hand. "Jack Russell."

The girl looks from his hand to his face and back frowning a bit. The girl shakes her head, her glare toning down a few levels, then grabs Jack's hand. "Ridley Silverlake."

Roth rolls his eyes. "Well it's nice to see that at least one of you farm boys has at least a few manners."

Roth was about to make a retort when something crossed his mind. "Wait. You're Ridley."

Ridley made an of-course-idiot look. "That is what I just said. Why are you so surprised about it."

Roth sat down crossing his arms, his I-know-something-you-don't smirk forming on his face. "Oh no reason." He shrugs. "You two are just fighting each other in the first round."

It took a second for it to register, but almost as one both me and Ridley shouted, "WHAT!"

We rushed over to the board looking at the names of our opponents.

"Huh." Jack sighs finally finding his name and Ridley's on the same bracket. He looks over at Ridley smiling. "To bad for you Ridley, I'm not to good at holding back."

Ridley glared at Jack again. "In your dreams farm boy. I just hope you make this at least mildly worth my time." Ridley walks over and sits down on an empty bench and closes her eyes.

"Well what's that suppose to mean." Jack says stomping his foot on the ground.

Roth laughs. "It means she thinks she'll kick your ass genius."

Jack glares at his friend, then looks the board over for Roth's name. "Hey Roth it looks like you and me won't be fighting until the final match."

"Yeah I know it should be a fun match. I've been meaning to kick your ass in public for years."

"Oh yeah. We'll see about….."

Ridley opens one of her eyes. "This is all under the assumption that this monkey," She points at Jack, "can make it past me." She glances at Jack a smirk on her face. "Which he won't."

Before the conversation could dissolve any further a guard walked in from the stadium door.

"We will now begin the Radiata Knight selection trial. Would the competitors Paul and Star please step into the stadium please?"

The brown haired and purple armored man both stood up walking towards the stadium. As the sounds of steel on steel chimed behind the doors, Roth and myself debated on who would win the fight. Ridley of course was sitting quietly on her bench with her eyes closed, effectively isolating herself from the others in the room. No less than a minute later, Paul walked out, barely even a scratch on him. The little knight dude quickly ran into the stadium, then dragged out a frightful and unconscious looking Star. "Victor: Paul."

"Would the next competitors Jack Russell and Ridley Silverlake please enter the stadium."

This is it. Jack thought standing up. I talked a good talk, but if Ridley is as good as she's been bragging about then she is the real deal. A real challenge. This is going to be tough.

Unbeknownst to Jack, Ridley was having thoughts along the same lines. He talked a good talk, but he probably isn't as well trained as I am. If the calices on his hands are from sword practice and not farm work, then he might be a bit of a challenge though. This might even be entertaining.

Both of them walked over to the door and into the stadium. They took up positions opposite each other as a man in white official's robes stepped up looking between the two of them. "The rules are simple. You get one point for each hit landed on your opponent. It is an immediate victory if your opponent becomes incapacitated. Do not kill your opponent. Do you understand the rules?"

Both Jack and Ridley nodded, staring each other down.

"Ready."

Ridley noticed something change with Jack as the official raised his hand. Gone was his restless, boyish eagerness. It was replaced by a calm seriousness, a focused, seriousness entering his eyes. This might be tougher than I thought. Ridley thinks, lifting her axe, ready to fight. The official slashed down his hand, backing away quickly.

"Begin."

Jack rushed in eager to end the fight fast. Ridley caught Jack's sword on the shaft of her axe as he slashed towards her side. Jack ducked under a quick right-left slash, knocking Ridley off her legs with a quick sweep of his foot. Using the momentum of her slash Ridley tucks into a roll. Pivoting at the last moment to avoid a thrust from Jack's sword, she aims a savage kick at his stomach. Jack side steps the kick bringing up his guard as Ridley's axe connects in a reckless but powerful one handed swing. The blow staggers Jack giving Ridley enough time to properly regain her feet. Jack regains his balance barely blocking Ridley's next swing. The blow sends Jack flying off his feet across the floor. Standing up Jack grips his sword with excitement. She's even stronger than I thought. A smile slowly creeps onto Jack's face. I've got to beat you. No. I'm going to beat you. With a shout Jack charges forward sword held low as Ridley rushes to meet him.


On a balcony overlooking the fight two men sit, appraising the two knight candidates and their fight. The yellow haired man, exuding an air of leadership and power, rests his chin on his hands. He looks down, quite surprised and happy to see such an exciting match.

"These two candidates show great promise." He looks over at the short slightly pudgy brown haired man in blue plate armor standing next to him. "What do you think Sir Ganz?"

Ganz turns towards the yellow haired man, a beaming smile on his face. "Why I would quite agree Lord Larks. They are both astounding candidates."

They both look down as Ridley slams Jack into the wall with a slash from her axe. As Jack falls to one knee Ridley brings her axe down in a quick lumber jack style over head chop, but not quick enough as Jack pushes off the wall tackling her to the ground. Unabated, Ridley rolls back with the tackle, getting her feet into Jack's stomach, kicking him up over top her. Jack twists in mid air landing on his feet, skidding across the floor, as Ridley rolls up onto her feet. The two close again, sword and axe flying together in flurry of sparks and sounds. Lord Lark leans forward as the fight drags on.

"At this point, win or lose I believe both of these candidates should be considered new knight trainees."

Ganz nods his head. "Why yes of course sir." A gleam enters his eyes. "To think that I would get such promising knights under my command."

The two return to watching the fight, with expectant faces.


Jack rebounded off the ground onto his feet panting heavily. Ridley was leaning against her axe breathing heavily. We stared each other in the eyes knowing that this attack was going to be it. I charged forward holding my sword low to the ground. She slapped her hands on her cheeks, then grabbing her axe, spun in a complete circle. She swung her axe at me with all her strength and momentum yelling "Wild Pitch." I ducked under the blow, using my sword to deflect it away from my head. The sheer power of the blow sent Jack's sword flying form his hand as he struck a hard flat blow to Ridley's wrist. The axe went flying across the coliseum as her right hand went numb. Before she could recover, Jack grabbed the collar of her shirt, tossing her over his shoulder. Ridley landed with a loud thud on the ground, hitting her head. Jack jumped on top of her pinning her to the ground, but the fight was over. She was unconscious.

"The winner is Jack Russell."


Thank you for reading the third instalment of A (NEW) Radiata Story. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews would be great. Chpt. 4 won't be out for another week or so. A fight between friends. Who will win?

~The Defied~