Woot. I have gone through ten minutes of a minimum 20 hour game. Also I am very long winded when I write, so please tell me if you think i've been writing to much info without getting to the point. Also thanks for reading up to this point. 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.

Chapter 6: The New Knights in Town


The two friends layed on the stadium floor for another minute laughing. Apparently Jack was too injured for another dose of herb extract to work, so they had sent some guards to go retrieve a stretcher to take him to the infirmary. In the mean time the official, (we later learned his name is Junzaburo) had the other candidates step into the stadium and stand in a line. They left Jack and Roth to sit where they were at, against the wall (that was a good idea since neither of them probably would have been able to stand.)

A large set of double doors on the stadium floor opened up as two men walked in. One was slightly short and pudgy with light brown hair and mustache and blue armor. He appeared to be wearing the crest of the Great Lion of the West. Beside him was a tall man wearing glasses in an important looking blue and white shirt and robe combination. He had an aura of calm command about him. As the two walked in, Junzaburo bowed to them before turning back to the candidates.

The man with glasses walked up to Junzaburo and whispered in his ear. "The tournament winner Roth Cosfeeal has passed the selection trials. Also the runner up Jack Russell has also shown skill far and above that of any normal knight trainee."

Junzaburo nods and turns to talk. "Wait, there will be one more…Ridley Silverlake."

Junzaburo turns his head in suprise. "What? Three knights in one trial? That hasn't happened for decades!"

"No it has not, but Ridley Silverlake has shown as much skill and promise as the others."

"Very well sir? But is Ganz up for the task of leading three such promising knights?"

"I have already gotten an assurance from Ganz that he is up to the task. I also believe he is ready as well." Larks pushes up his glasses. "Also, do you not recognize the first two candidate's names."

Junzaburo looks at the boys, a puzzled look on his face. "You can't mean . . ."

"Yes Roth is the son of Sir Karna and Jack is the son of Sir Cairn."

Junzaburo, unsure about this realization replies. "Is it truly wise then to have them under Sir Ganz's command? I mean, Sir Ganz, he IS the son of Sir Gawain, as I'm sure you know."

"Karna, Cairn, Gawain. Roth, Jack, Ganz." Larks turns and looks at Ganz. "I believe their entwined fates could make them a powerful team." Junzaburo after thinking for a moment finally nods his head in agreement. Larks stands up straight. "Junzaburo, carry on please."

Junzaburo clears his throat and turns to Lord Larks. "Introducing Lord Larks, Prime Minister of Radiata and Commander-in-Chief of the Radiata Knights." Junzaburo turns to Ganz. "And Captain Ganz Rothschild of the Rose Cochon brigade. New recruits will be placed under his command."

He turns towards the knight candidates, clearing his throat again. "And now for the tournament results!" He looks back and forth across the competitors.

"Dadadada….da dum. Roth Cosfeeal" He turns to Roth. "There will be two others." Everyone seemed to perk up, listening intently. "Dadadada… dad um" He turns to Jack. "Jack Russell." Jack and Roth turn to each other and smile merrily. The other candidates were on their toes in anticipation.

"The third and last to pass is not here at the moment but. Ridley Silverlake."

Jack sighs, and smiles, a look of grave misfortune evident on his face. Ridley's words echo in his mind. I want to win on my own, with my own strength, not because my father said so.

Roth turns to congragulate his friend, but stops and looks at him puzzled. "What's with the gloomy face?"

Jack watchs as the other candidates shuffled out of the stadium. "Oh just that Ridley told me that she wanted to win with her own strength, not because her dad's influence earned her pity points."

Roth stared at me confused. "So, that doesn't explain the gloom and doom face." Roth smiles. "You know unless you like her or something."

Jack shakes his head and shrugs, wincing in pain. "No no no no. It's not like that. I mean you met her. You know what she's like when she's nice. I haven't known her long, but she's probably going to assume she won on pity since she lost the first round. Which means she's probably going to be angry and frustrated. Being the most immediate non-superiors she's most likely to take out her frustration on us." Roth's smile disappears.

The one named Lord Larks after talking with Junzaburo walks over to where Roth and Jack are sittin. "I am very impressed with both of you and am looking forward to your futures in the knights. But do not get overconfident. You are both a long ways away from becoming proper knights. Today you fought for yourselves in the interest of becoming a knight. You were both strong. As a knight though you must now hold your swords to protect others. For only when you fight for someone else's sake do you become truly powerful."

Lord Larks looks between the two candidates. "Do you understand?"

Jack and Roth nod. "Yes sir."

"Very good. I must be off." Lord Lards walked of as the portly guy came over to us. "Why hello. My name is Ganz Rothschild, captain of the Rose Cochon brigade. We shall hold the inauguration ceremony as soon as Master Jack and Lady Ridley get back from the infirmary."

Almost as if on queue two guards walked in with a stretcher. Jack turns to Roth, a tired smile on his face. "Well I'll see you when I see you." Before Roth could answer Jack was asleep. The guards loaded him up on the stretcher and took him away.


Jack woke up in a big room in a white bed. He rubbed his eyes and looked around. As looked to his left he saw Ridley lying in the bed across from him, asleep. He sat up very stiffly, the injuries from his fight with Roth still aching. He and Ridley were the only two in the room. His stuff and Arbitrator were lying next to the bed. When he looked over at the clock he realized it was the middle of the night. He'd been unconscious for hours. Still tired and sore he layed his head back onto his pillow. As he began to drift off to sleep he turned to Ridley's sleeping form. "So you, me and Roth are going to be in the same brigade. We're going to be knights and have all sorts of adventures together." Ridley turns over in her bed facing away from Jack, still asleep. "Haha. Well it'll be fun, the three of us." As the world began to go dark he said three last words. "Good night Ridley." After another second Jack was snoring lightly, sound asleep. Still facing away from Jack, Ridley opened one of her eyes, a small smile on her face. "Good night idiot." She whispered before she too fell sound asleep.


Jack woke up early in the morning. As he sat up and looked around he noticed that Ridley was gone. Still a bit stiff and sore, he hoped out of bed and changed into his regular clothes. He then grabbed his wooden practice sword out of his bag and began doing some drills to loosen up. During the middle of his drills, a bland looking man in one of the castle's steward uniforms walked in. "Oh master Jack it is good to see you awake. If you would be so kind as to follow me to your new room." Jack went and put his sword back in his pack, the hosted his stuff up over his shoulder. "Yeah sure no problem."

The infirmiry was on the second floor. Jack followed the steward through a door into a stairwell. As they got to the 1st floor Jack stopped, but the steward kept going. "Um, aren't the knight rooms on the first and second floor?"

The steward turned around eyeing Jack blandly. "Why yes they are Master Jack, but you are a knight trainee. Thus your room is in the basement. After you have shown your valor and strength as a knight they will relocate you to one of the regular rooms."

Jack sighed and followed the man down the stairs scratching his head. "Well ok. I guess I understand." Jack smiles as they get to the bottom of the stairs. "I'll just have to work hard and become an awesome knight."

The steward sighs and walks through the door leading into the basement as Jack fantasizes about becoming a knight. "Follow me Master Jack." The two of them walk down the hall and stop at the door to one of the rooms. "This will be Master Jack's room."

Jack opens the door and peeks in. The room had two bunk beds and two desks with chairs. The bunk bed on the far wall had dirty clothes, trash and a yellow rubber ducky on it. Sitting at the desk opposite from him Jack could see a person sitting down and writing. All around the desk and on the floor were balled up pieces of paper. The second bunk bed up against the right wall was relatively clean compared to the second, but still looked as if it had been thoroughly used and less thoroughly washed.

Jack quietly shut the door and looked back at the steward. "Uhhh, this place is a dump."

The man in the desk opens up the door and walks out. He has short black hair, like a bowl cut, blue eyes, and was a freaking monster. He is a full head taller than Jack and layered in muscle. "I thought I heard someone. Can I help you?"

Jack looks back at the steward. "There must be some kind of mistake. This is his room right."

The man rubs his head. "Yep, it sure is."

The steward looks to Jack. "There is no mistake master Jack. This gentleman is Master Leonard. He will be your room leader."

Jack frowns. "Room leader …? I thought knights were supposed to get their own rooms."

The steward looks at his watch. "Oh is it that time already?" He begins to walk away but turns around. "Master Jack. You will find your trainee knight's armor on your bunk. Later today will be the inauguration of the Rose Cochon brigade. It will be in the third floor meeting room. You are expected to be there, so don't be late."

Jack sighs. "Oh, all right." This was not how he was expecting to start off his knight career.

The steward bows. "I believe that will be all." As he begins to leave he turns back and faces Jack again. "Ah, yes. I neglected to introduce myself. I am Al, the castle steward. If you need help or are confused about anything at all, please do not hesitate to come and ask me. If you will excuse me gentleman." Al turns and walks away.

"Hey wait up…." Jack calls after him, but too late. Jack frowns.

Leonard pats him on the shoulder. "You're Jack the new guy, huh? Nice to meet you."

Jack looks back into the room. "Are we both staying in there?"

Leonard nods. "Of course." He points to the bunk on the right side of the room. A simple suit of leather armor with yellow cloth sleeves and a red tunic with the symbols signifying it as trainee armor was laying on it. "That's your bed back there."

Jack sighs and heaves his stuff onto his shoulder. "Well I guess it isn't toooo bad."

Leonard smiles. "Well come in and get changed." The two walk into the room and shut the door.


Jack spent the next few hours reading through the Radiata Knights Charter. The thing was to boring and serious for him to really get. The only thing he truly understood was one line. "Knights of the same brigade are as family." Family. An image of Roth and Ridley fighting, with him inbetween, passed through his head. Yeah a family.

An hour before the inauguration meeting Jack pulled his knight trainee armor off the bunk and put it on. After Jack put on his new trainee armor he felt a bit embarrassed. And very uncomfortable.

Leonard was sitting on one of the chairs in the room, an amused smile on his face. "Well who looks like a little lord now?"

Jack frowns at the armor. "Am I really expected to fight in this getup?"

Leonard laughs. "When you make captain, you can wear what you like. Until then, you stick with regulation."

Jack smiles a bit. "You know pops that really doesn't make me fell any better."

"Hey who you calling pops, I'm only twenty-one, okay?" Jack laughs.

Leonard looks over at the clock. "Hey Jack isn't your meeting with your brigade in a few minutes."

Jack looks at the clock, a horrified look on his face. "Oh crap, I better get going then." Jack runs through the door.

"I hope he knows where he's going."


Fifteen minutes and an endless number of corridors later, Jack finally made it to the meeting room.

"I am SO dead." He puffs as he sprints down he hall.

Just ahead he ca see the door to the room. Jack bursts into the room panting. "Sorry I'm late."

He looks up to find a surprised Ganz looking at Jack. "Late? Why Master Jack the meeting doesn't start for another ten minutes. You are the first one here."

Jack takes a seat on the other side of Ganz wondering how he had gotten to the meeting early. A few minutes later Roth walked in. He was wearing a set of armor much like Jakes, but it had a black trainee tunic and trimmings and grey sleeves. Upon seeing Jack a huge smile plastered itself on his face.

"It's suprising to see you here early. You're usually late to everything." Roth sat down next to Jack. "It's almost as if someone told the castle steward to give you the wrong meeting time on purpose."

Jack glared at his friend, and then slowly smiled, a murderous urge passing through his mind. "Yeah, it's a mystery."

Ganz looked between the two of us smiling. "Ah I see you two already know each other. Good good."

The three of them talked idly about how one another looked in their new armor until Ridley walked in two minutes before the inauguration was to start. She was wearing a pink set of cloth armor complete with metal forearm bracers, a leather chest piece ... and a skirt.

Roth looks up smirking at Ridley. "My, my. With your attitude I would never have seen you as being someone fond of wearing pink." She just stood and glared at Roth scowling.

"What's this?" Ganz states looking from Roth to Ridley. "Is there a problem here?"

Before Roth or Ridley could rebuke Jack, being honest as always, simply states. "There shouldn't be. I think she looks good in pink."

Jack wasn't sure but he thought Ridley's scowl softened for a second when she looked his way. But whatever he saw it was gone now, replaced with her stinging glare.

"I didn't ask for your opinion." She sat across from Jack and closed her eyes. After a few moments of silence the inauguration began.

Ganz stood up looking at all his new recruits a smile upon his face. "Well let us begin." Ganz started by welcoming everyone officially into the ranks of the Radiata Knights. He continued on to the official inauguration of the Rose Cochon brigade and the duties of the brigade there after. Throughout the speech Ganz became slightly concerned that he was dreaming leading to montages of pinching and slapping. At the end of the inaugurational speech he sat back down and addressed us all. "Now starting today we are a team. Teamwork is what we need." He looks between Roth and Ridley. "It is the fundamental basis that has allowed the Radiata Knights to become so great. So if you could at least separate your differences and work together when necessary I would be most grateful."

After a quick round of "Yes, sir"s, Jack raised his hand.

"Yes Master Jack."

"So, captain, what does Rose Cochon mean?"

"Hmm, how to put this." Ganz closes his eyes and thinks. "It is a symbol of our undying devotion to the kingdom and its people, and our pride as knights."

Roth shakes his head. "How exactly do you get that from Rose Cochon?"

"Well, "Rose" stands for pride and valor, and "Cochon" is the loyalty-to-country bit."

"Really?" Jack says half sarcastically.

Ganz looks over at Jack. "Well…. No, but I'd really really like to think it does."

Ridley sighs.

Roth just sort of frowns a bit.

"Right…"

"Anyway on a more important note, I have wonderful news." Ganz puffs up his chest with pride. "Lord Larks has given the Rose Cochon brigade a very important mission." That caught everyone's attention. Ridley even opened one of her eyes.

Jack and Roth sat forward. An important mission? "Really what is it?"

"We must protect a dwarf who will be carrying metal and weapons for trade. It is our mission to bring him and his cargo safely to Radiata." Ganz looks expectantly upon his trainees. "It is a real honor that the brand new Rose Cochon has been given such an important assignment."

"Important, huh?"

"We leave first thing tomorrow morning. The journey will be long, so please make sure you are all prepared, that will be all."

The three trainees stood and filed out of the room. Once the door was closed the three headed together down the hall way.

Jack turns to Roth and elbows him in the ribs. "Hey what was that for."

"I think you owe someone an apology."

Roth looking surprised looks from Ridley to Jack. "What?"

Jack just stares at his friend.

"Fine, Fine. Hey Ridley wait up." Ridley stops and turns towards Roth and Jack frowning as the two catch up. "What do you want farmboy? To insult me again, or call me out." Roth looks at Jack, a pleading look on his face. Jack just stares stubbornly at his friend.

Ridley crosses her arms and stares at Roth. "Well?"

Roth gulps, turns and looks Ridley in the face. "I'm sorry for being a jerk earlier."

Ridley looks at Roth suspiciously. "Apology accepted." She turns to leave, but Jack grabs her arm before she can go.

"What are you doing?" She says harshly, turning around to face Jack.

Jack looks her straight in the face and smiles. "Now it's your turn."

Ridley looks annoyingly at Jack. "My turn to what?"

Jack's smile broadens. "To apologize to Roth of course." Both Roth and Ridley look at Jack a bit surprised.

"Why should I apologize to him?" Jack sighs and leans against the wall, but Roth interceeds before he could aswer.

"Well you haven't exactly been a bundle of cure drops to me either." Roth says.

Ridley looks from Jack to Roth and sighs. "Fine. I'm sorry."

Roth sticks out his hand. "Apology accepted." Ridley looks from Roth's hand to Jack. Jack nods. Ridley and Roth shake hands. Jack smiles pushes off the wall and stands with his new disfunctional brigade mates.


Well there you go. next chapter i hope to cover the trip to earth valley, the goblin trio in the pub, and maybe some ill advised trianing in the mines. Until then. ~The Defied~