Beta read by: SinikkavonWolperting and istoleyourcheesecake

This is the second place winner prize (10k fic + sketch) for my 250 follower giveaway on tumblr. Will be doing another one shortly for hitting 300, which I hit, so as soon as these are posted, I'll start that one.

Anyway, hope you all enjoy. ^-^ This one was a lot of fun to write, and I thoroughly enjoyed working on it.

Prompto cut his eyes over, his teeth played with his lip as he gazed into the watching and judgmental eyes of the prince's adviser. From where he stood with the other trainees, he could feel the weight of the man's scrutiny. It was already clear the guy didn't completely trust him, but did he have to keep this close of an eye on him like this? His feet shuffled under the pressure of it, and he turned his attention away to try and shove his discomfort from mind. But, it still lingered in the back, a slight itch that constantly reminded him that Ignis was still there.

He swallowed thickly and his light blues drifted to his feet. He had no idea why he was getting so worked up about this, it shouldn't have been bothering him this much, yet, for some reason, he had this deep need to just be good enough for them. The blond had thought that just being accepted would be enough for the brunet, but apparently it wasn't. He took a deep breath and slowly released it to calm his nerves.

"Argentum," called Gladio as he paced in front of the row of trainees, stopping just before the younger man. "Come on, you're up," he said as he waved a hand for him to follow. Every time the beast of a man stood that close to him, Prompto felt the beginnings of a shiver tingle in his spine. He just had this air about him that caused him to be on edge everytime he was within a couple feet. Then again, most of the time they were that close, it ended up with the blond on the ground gasping for air. Perhaps that had something to do with it.

He looked side to side, making sure there wasn't another among them that shared the same name...which he kind of hoped there was. "R-right," he stuttered anxiously and cautiously stepped forward, there was a slight tremor in his limbs. Finally, he willed himself to raise his head to look to those piercing ambers that practically saw straight through him. As he stared back, flashes crossed his mind of the previous sparring matches he witnessed with the others against the shield. None of which ended well for the brute's opponent. Despite them being new to all this and fresh when it came to combat, Gladio sure wasn't going easy on the lot of them.

"You plan on being part of the Glaive and you can't even face your opponent with confidence?" the larger man scoffed, folding his arms. "Come on, move your ass already, your enemies aren't going to wait patiently for you to be ready," he needlessly reminded, taking an unexpected step towards the blond, eliciting a sharp gasp and a step back from him.

Before he had the chance to react, he felt the connection with the ground before he even knew what happened; the air was forcefully expelled from his lungs, and he was left gasping for breath as he turned over to his side. Leaning over him, he could still make out the amused chuckle as he struggled for a proper inhale. "Is that all you got? How the hell did you even get accepted as a trainee?" he asked rhetorically, shaking his head and began strolling back down the line to choose his next target.

Still on the ground, Prompto squeezed his eyes shut in both pain and frustration, both hands clenched, leaving dug out trails in their wake. "Dammit," he choked out, working his way to his hands and knees, one arm shifted to wrap around his throbbing abdomen. Turning to look over his shoulder, he noticed all the sympathetic and questioning looks that were now resting on him. It was damn right humiliating. All the others, they were at least able to put up a fight before losing...but him, it wasn't even considered a match. Locking his jaw to keep it from quivering, he stumbled back up to his feet and began to stagger back in line. But, he paused part way there and cut his eyes back over to stare at the back of the large man.

He wasn't sure what it was that snapped, but the words, 'How the hell did you even get accepted as a trainee?' rang through his skull, and he was moving before he could stop himself. Only when he was a couple feet away from the man was he aware of what he was doing, and by the point it was too late, he already made his mistake the moment he acted. Again, Gladio was easily able to grab a hold of his arm as he flipped him back down. Only this time, he had the blond pinned, one arm twisted and pressed against his back.

"You wanna try that shit again?" Gladio growled, his words a mere inch from the other's ear; his warm breath brushed over the gold locks. A pained hiss escaped Prompto's lips when his arm was twisted just a little bit farther. Any more and he was certain it would either break, or something was going to pop out of place. Just when he didn't think he could tolerate it anymore, the pressure was released and Gladio got back to his feet.

The younger man simply stayed where he was, his breaths coming in quick and shallow as a few drops of sweat trailed down either side of his face. He didn't even want to look at anyone right now. He wasn't shamed just once, but twice now, and the second time he should have had the advantage, but it just ended with the exact same result.

"Now, get the hell up and get back in line...or do you need me to drag you there?"

"I-I can get there myself," Prompto replied, losing his patience and didn't even bother to hide it from his tone. Brushing himself off, the dirt stains on his clothes mocking him, he dragged his feet back to his spot and kept his focus on the ground. He could still feel it though, the eyes of the others on him...the watch of the adviser as he spectated that whole ordeal. And that did nothing but make him want to curl up somewhere far from view. All he accomplished was making himself look even worse in both of their minds and the humiliation was doing its job of scraping out the inside of his heart.

For the remainder of this session, he just stood there, never spoke again and never moved or so much as twitched from that spot. One by one, Gladio beat all the others, but at least they all managed to last more than a split second. Maybe he was right...maybe everyone was. Perhaps he didn't belong here at all. To be honest, he wasn't sure why he was here. He knew that if it wasn't for the recommendation from Noctis himself...he wouldn't be. He was only here because he had connections. It was no wonder he got the looks he did.

The blond fell into his bed the moment he got back, lying there, unmoving while the others in the same dorm went about their business, talking amongst themselves. He didn't listen to a word of it, and there was no telling how much of it was about him. Then again, he really didn't want to know.

His mind kept flashing back to the earlier events, and he went over the different scenarios that could have played out. If he had just stayed a bit quieter, or been a bit quicker. With each thought, his hands clenched tighter. But all of those were wrong and he knew it. He should have just stayed in line and lost with pride. Of course, he couldn't do that, he had to retaliate and vent his irritation with himself in one way or another, and he chose the stupid and idiotic way.

All he wanted to do was get some sleep and forget this day even happened. That was too much to ask for when a knock on his, and the other three's, door. All of the others spun in the direction of the disturbance; it was rare that someone came by so late. Whoever it was didn't wait for an answer before the creaked the door open and peered inside.

"Argentum." Prompto's eyes snapped open; he already knew who it was just by how precise the name was spoken.

"Yeah?" he asked, voice a tad timid as he pushed himself to sit on the edge of his bed and looked back into the jade and heavy gaze. "You, uh, need something?" he went on, his mouth drying, knowing full well what this was about. It wasn't often Ignis would come himself for someone, and when he did, it normally wasn't for the best of reasons. The blond dreaded every moment of this little visit.

Without a word, the brunet stretched out an elegant hand and waved the trainee over, beckoning him to follow to speak privately. The other compiled, though his heart thrummed in his chest and his mind buzzed with the possibilities. This had to be about earlier, about the fight with Gladio. There was nothing else this could have been about, nothing he could think of anyway. Once they were a good distance away, Ignis paused to turn and face him. For a moment there was no sound, nothing other than insects coming to life as the night approached them.

"I'm certain you're quite aware that your behavior this afternoon was unacceptable," the adviser said, eyes narrowed and effectively holding the young trainee in place. "As such, I also know that you know that it cannot go ignored. That is no way for a member of the Crownsguard to conduct themselves. Not only did you attack a superior, but to charge a man from behind...there is no honor in that. You're lucky Gladiolus didn't dismiss you immediately for that. And, I'm certain that if it weren't for His Highness' insistence on you being here, he would not have given it a second thought."

Prompto could only a mumble a small and ashamed 'I know,' and lower his head. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking," he replied quietly, afraid the man was about to do just that, send him on his way, deny him the chance to make it up and prove himself...if he even could do that. After today, he doubted that were possible anymore. What little respect he might have had was now lost, down the drain, all because he couldn't keep his emotions under control. "It won't happen again…" he promised.

"It shouldn't have happened the first time," Ignis nearly snapped, his irritation clear. "Unfortunately, it's not my place to make such decisions, but that doesn't mean I can't interject when I feel it necessary," he assured. "I don't want you to take this personally, but if it were up to me, you wouldn't be here right now. I fear for the prince's reputation for the recommendation. So, I'll ask you, since there is nothing more I can do, don't make this into something he will regret. I'm only looking out for Noctis' wellbeing, and thus far, being seen with someone of your caliber hasn't been the most benefiting to his image nor his behavior."

Still, the blond could do nothing other than just stand there and take it. He couldn't argue when he agreed with each and every word being spoken. "I understand," he muttered, attention still downcast. "None of this should reflect on Noctis, it has nothing to do with him. I swear, I'm not trying to make him look bad, I'm really not," he rambled, voice nearly inaudible as he tried his best to keep his emotions and guilt in a tight hold.

"Perhaps not on purpose, but it has happened, and it's about time you start fixing that. Now, you should get back to your room," Ignis suggested, turning his back to the blond. He took a couple steps before stopping again to glance over his shoulder. "Things are only going to get more difficult from here. So, remember, don't even think about making light of the honor it is to be recommended by His Highness." With that, he continued on his way, leaving the young man to stand there alone, running the words through his head over and over. Each time they echoed within his skull, his chest tightened more and more.

Prompto drew in a shuddery breath and just started walking. There was no thought put into the movements, he just had to move, he needed to go for a walk. He knew that if he stood there he would do nothing but soak in that doubt and self-hatred that had been reinforced by the adviser's lecture. If he could just clear his head. The blond fell into an easy pace, hearing nothing but his own footfalls and the occasional second set as he trailed along the sidewalks. He didn't know how long he had been going for, but after what had to have been at least an hour, he could sense the tugs of sleep teasing him.

Yawning, he pulled out his phone to glance at the time. It was nearly midnight...he had been walking for nearly two hours. Reaching up to rub at his eyes, he turned back around. He wanted to keep going, but he had to take the trip back into account. Meaning it wouldn't be until at least two in the morning until he got back. That was unless he ran instead. Which, he would have, but his whole body was far too sore for that at the moment, thanks to the day's exercises.

So, walking it was, and as expected, it wasn't until late into the night that he got back. But, on the upside, at least all the others were already asleep by the time he got back, so there were no prying questions. As carefully and quietly as he could, the blond slipped into his sheets and allowed the material to consume him. Though, exhausted as he was, it took quite some time before he was able to finally get some shuteye, but it wasn't exactly the most restful.

Prompto stood there, silently watching as one by one the other recruits were receiving their letters, all of them getting accepted as an official Glaive one at a time. He couldn't stifle the smile that was tugging at his features, knowing that it was only a matter of time before his name was to be called.

He shifted on the spot, anticipation consuming him. Any minute now, any second, and he would finally be a part of the guard, he'd finally be able to stand next to Noct and feel as though he belonged. He cut his eyes over to the prince himself as he shook hands with each recruit as they were called out, and on either side of him were his adviser and his shield, both doing the same and welcoming the newest member of the Crownsguard.

He was next, his hands clenched at his sides as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. And, at last, the three of them looked his way when his name was called. He didn't even hesitate jumping up to his feet and he began pacing towards them, confidence in his steps as he went. But, it was strange...he wasn't getting any closer. If anything, they were only getting farther and farther away.

He then started running, but he was still making no progress; his heart was beating painfully against his ribs and his breaths were coming out fast and shallow. What the hell was going on?

"If it were up to me, you wouldn't be here right now." called out from ahead of him as Ignis looked to him, his face set in a firm scowl. The man folded his arms and averted his gaze in shame before turning his back on the blond and walking away, eventually fading away into darkness; darkness that slowly enveloped around them all.

"How the hell did you even get accepted as a trainee?" Gladio asked next, sharing the same mask as the adviser as he placed his hands on his hips. He looked from the prince and then back to Prompto with disapproval in his gaze. When the shield turned away as well, the blond's pace slowed, and his chest clenched when it was only Noctis left standing before him, still so far out of his reach.

Prompto sighed heavily and stared right into that dark gaze. "Noct," he muttered, brows lowered in confusion. "W-What's going on?" he asked, trying his damnedest to keep his emotions in check, but he was failing miserably.

For a moment or two, the prince said nothing; he simply stared back with a sorrowful look on his face, almost as if he were upset with Prompto himself. As far as the blond was concerned, he was, and he had every right to be...he failed him, he failed the both of them. He dropped to his knees and stared after the raven as he followed the example of the older men, leaving the other there to himself to soak in his misfortune.

Before he knew it, his alarm was sounding off, instantly rousing him and causing him to jerk into wakefulness. His breaths were coming out shuddering and a cold sweat covered his features. Trying to settle himself down, he told himself over and over again that it was just a dream and draped one of his arms over his eyes. He bit down hard into his lower lip to prevent it from quivering so much and tossed his arm back to his side in frustration. This was getting ridiculous, he couldn't even sleep without being reminded just how much he was messing all this up, or how much he was letting those around him down.

Groaning, Prompto shuffled to sit up, wanting nothing more than to just lie right back down. He was completely drained, and all of his muscles screamed and protested for some rest, more so than the day before. To be fair, he just didn't want to go out there and face Gladio again, none of them really. After yesterday, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to look any of them in the face without being suffocated with a sense of disgrace for acting the way he did. It was nothing less of childish.

The others were way ahead of him, all of them getting dressed and getting prepared to head back out. He didn't know how they were all able to get up so easily when there he was barely able to move. But, his mind wandered back to the night before, and back to the words of the adviser, and his hands clutched at the sheets. They were supposed to be words of inspiration, or he wanted to take them as such, but right now they were doing nothing aside from draining what remained of his motivation.

Taking a deep breath, he finally pushed himself to his feet. There was at least one thing the man said that rung in his ears, something that he would hold onto and use as his fuel through all this. If not for him, he had to make sure Noctis didn't regret the recommendation. He knew that failing would hurt his friend more than it would himself. He could live with it, people expected it, and it wasn't like he could go any lower. But the prince, he already had so much resting on his shoulders, he didn't need this to add on top of it as well.

Prompto dragged his feet and shielded his eyes as he stepped outside; he definitely didn't get enough sleep and now the sun was bearing down on him just as bad as everyone else was. "Great," he mumbled to himself, falling into a lazy step behind all the others. As he approached the training grounds, he stopped, and his brows furrowed in confusion. Gladio wasn't there, but instead someone else, someone he recognized. Somehow, this only made him more nervous and timid once he noticed just who it was. He swallowed the lump in his throat and straightened even more as he drew closer and fell unto line with the rest.

"Alright everyone, looks like I'm in charge for today," the Immortal announced, hand drifting to rub the back of his neck. Prompto couldn't believe it...Cor was actually here, standing right in front of him so casually. The man wasn't even that close to him and wasn't even talking to him directly, and already he was a nervous wreck.

No one said a word as the older man paced back in forth. "Today, I have something different planned for the lot of you. Up until now, your training has been focused on hand to hand combat and endurance. But, I think it's finally time we get to your weapons. Now, everyone has their weapon of choice and those that they excel at. Not all of you will be skilled with all of these, so don't get disheartened if you aren't the best with a sword or a lance or any others." He paused with his hands clasped behind his back and glanced over them to make sure they were all listening and understanding well enough. "We will start with the sword." He gestured with his left hand to a stand containing said blades...all of which were less than appealing to the eye.

Seeing the expressions, Cor smirked, "You didn't honestly think we were going to allow trainees to practice with real blades right off the bat, did you? You will begin with wooden swords, this is for our safety as well as your own. Once we feel you are ready for a real one, then they will be provided. But, until then, I don't want to hear any complaints about the current setup."

Of course, no one dared to question or argue with the man. "Also, if it turns out that you fail at handling any of these after so many sessions, you will be dropped. It does not matter how well you did up until now, if you cannot properly wield a weapon, you have no use as a guard."

A shuddering and anxious exhale seeped from the blond's mouth. He'd never held any sort of weapon before, let alone fought with them. All along, he knew this moment was coming sooner or later, but now that it was finally here, it didn't feel real anymore. One by one, Cor went down the line and handed the recruits their swords, and once he reached Prompto, he was practically shaking where he stood as he held out his hand.

The Immortal glanced to the trembling limb and scowled at the sight of it. "I hope those nerves of yours get better, can't fight with unsteady hands," he commented, handing the weapon over.

"Y-Yeah," the blond replied, quickly bowing his head and took the wood in both hands, gripping tightly in an attempt to still the shivering. He had to get over this. From the looks of it, no one else was reacting in this way. Then again, they all got here for their skills in one thing or another. So, of course they were more confident.

"Now, what we're going to do is split you all into pairs, and I want you to fight one another. This is training for the real deal, so I don't want to see holding back, and this isn't a game. I will keep an eye on things, and I better not see any foul play either," he warned, giving them all a glare that made their blood run cold. He seriously wasn't kidding.

It didn't take long to pair them all up, and Prompto warily watched his own opponent for some time. His mind buzzed with anticipation and fear; he had no idea what to expect, or how good this guy was with a sword. Gladio was one thing, but he at least knew what he was capable of. This guy across from him was nothing compared to that brute, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to wield a blade. The other turned the hilt over in his hand and took his stance without a word, and the way he stood, the way he held that thing with such grace and it appeared so natural. All of a sudden, Prompto wanted to just give up or switch partners.

"Whenever you're ready," the other trainee said, his eyes glaring at him with fueled fire. Nodding, the blond tried his best to hold his steady. The fact that he, again, caught a glimpse of the adviser out of the corner of his eye wasn't helping his situation in the slightest. This day, too, he was being watched. It's been like this every day though. But now he had two people he respected watching him. Not that he didn't respect Gladio, but this was a man he had never met before. Not to mention Ignis was the one that would be the most difficult to be accepted by.

"I'm ready," he whispered, seeing how this was going to end from a mile away. He honestly just wanted to hurry up and get this embarrassment over with. Still, he wasn't going to go down without some sort of resistance, and as soon as the other charged at him, he held his sword up to block. But, what he didn't expect was for him to swing low, right for his legs. In one fluent swoop, both the blond's legs were knocked out from under him, instantly bringing him down, hard.

He let out a hiss and cracked an eye open, seeing a hand held out for his. "You gotta keep an eye on your opponent as a whole," the other advised, giving genuine information. Prompto nodded and grunted as he got back to his feet. "Sorry, I may have went a bit overboard there," he apologized, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Shall we try again?" he asked, taking a few steps back to get some distance between them. "You can strike first this time, alright?"

Prompto nodded, not that he thought it would make much of a difference, but it couldn't hurt to try. Or, he couldn't make more of a fool of himself than he already had. Taking a moment to compose himself, he took his time to look the other up and down, making sure to take note of everything he could before he slid one foot forward, getting ready for the attack. 'You got this,' he told himself, unsure if he actually believe that to be true, but what other choice did he have. With that in mind, he just went for it, pausing momentarily to take in how the other was reacting, and that split second was all it took for the other recruit to block and push back, again sending the blond on his back.

"You hesitated too much," he said this time. "If you're reluctant like that, it becomes obvious what you're thinking and you become easy to read." Like the first time, he helped Prompto back to his feet. But, he didn't lift his gaze from the ground and his sword was held loosely in his hand.

"This is hopeless," he sighed, letting the hilt slip from his grip and clatter to the ground. "It just doesn't feel natural."

"You just started though, of course you're not going to get the hang of it right away. I've been training with swords for the majority of my life," the other chuckled, and Prompto appreciated the effort, but it did little to make him feel better about it. Glancing around, most of the others were evenly matched. There were only a few that were as bad as he was with this, but they also did better than him with the normal combat.

The other man offered a sympathetic smile. "Hey, it doesn't matter if this one isn't your forte," he shrugged. "Like Cor said, maybe this just isn't your thing, you're probably just made to wield something else. It's no big deal."

"Maybe," the blond breathed out, forcing himself to crouch down and scoop the weapon back up. "Let's just keep going," he said, flinging the wood to rid it of all the dirt that dusted it. They were still watching. And, despite how he viewed all this, he figured it would only look worse to give up than it would to just be terrible at this. "Gotta at least act like I know what I'm doing, I guess."

This went on for at least another ten minutes before they switched partners, and then again. They probably went through five different matchups before Cor called a stop to it all and ordered them to return the weapons back on the rack and all of them back in line. Once all was said and done, Prompto was more frustrated than ever. Not once did he come out on top. It was just his luck to get all the ones that at least had an idea of what they were doing. There was one or two he managed to last for at least a couple minutes with, but nothing more than that. He took a deep breath and tried to hold his head up. He couldn't continue to let them see him defeated like that.

Once more, the Immortal stood out in front as he looked to each and every one of them, as if he were looking right into their souls and weighing their worth. "Let's move on to the next," he announced as the previous rack was rolled away and a new one replaced it. "The lance," he said, waving a hand towards it. "Bare in mind, this is much different than the sword, a slashing weapon. This is a piercing weapon and requires much quicker movements," he explained. This followed the same formula as the first; he passed out the weapons, pared them up, and watched them all go against one another. Not surprising, the outcome was the same for the blond. Same with the daggers.

One after one, he was put down by his own defeat and self-esteem. None of these, not a single one was working for him. He didn't expect to be a pro with any of them his first time laying a hand on them, but he didn't think he'd be this terrible with all of them. Everyone else seemed to be a natural with at least one, like it was their calling, but not him. All he could think about through all this was how much he was letting Noctis down. He was a joke and now the both of them would be seen as such all thanks to his inabilities.

"We'll be taking a quick break. You have twenty minutes," he announced, clapping his hands together signalling they could go about now. Before Prompto could stroll away, a firm hand landed on his shoulder and held him in place. "A quick word, if you don't mind." The blond froze initially, caught off guard from seeing the Immortal so close to his face.

"Of course," he said quietly, his voice almost betraying him.

Cor stepped away and called for the younger man to follow with his finger. Looking around first, the blond followed after him, unsure what this was about. Whatever it was, he was getting the same vibes he was from when Ignis did the same. Honestly, he was prepared for the worst, and he doubted this man could say anything more than what the adviser already had.

"What is it?" he asked when he was lead to a table just out of the way and just out of earshot of others.

Cor took a deep breath, and Prompto's own stopped. "I've noticed you aren't particularly excelling at any of the combat," he started. And, the blond was wrong, oh so very wrong. Somehow, hearing that from someone such as the commander, and saying it right to his face no less. There was not an ounce of humor about him either. "But, that's not all I have to say," he went on, noticing the falter in the young man's expression. "We only covered three weapons, there are many more, many more opportunities to prove yourself," he assured. "There is one thing I've noticed...you're quite observant. Though you failed with all the combat thus far, it wasn't from lack of watching your opponent, but rather a lack of experience." He offered a light and warm smile. "I'm pretty sure this next exercise will be right up your alley though," he said, pushing himself back up to his feet. As he walked by, he patted Prompto on the shoulder once more.

He was at a loss for words; was that his way of comforting someone? He took in a sharp inhale and held it for a moment before he got up as well. Prompto just hoped the Immortal was right, that there was still some sort of hope for him. That's all he had to go on right now because there was nothing else that was working so far.

When Prompto got back, he was the only one still in the training grounds, the rest had gone off to carry out their own business and whatever else it was they needed to attend to. It was so empty, and peaceful in a weird way. Seeing as he was alone in what felt like forever, he lowered himself to the ground to soak it all in, to relish in the tranquility while he could. Maybe he would have enough time to think about what Cor said and to rid himself of all other thoughts before the rest returned. For the most part, he was able to cast aside most of it, but there was still a few whisperings behind the facade of confidence he built up.

By the time that wall was in place, albeit a fragile one, the others started to file back through, all falling back into place as they awaited their next instructions. Not a moment later, Cor was there as well, and the two of them shared a short and meaningful glance before the commander quickly looked back away.

"You melee prowess isn't the only thing we'll be testing," he said with a hint of knowing and mischief in his tone. "To be well rounded, the guard also needs its ranged fighters. So, for those of you lacking in the close combat, fear not, there is still a chance you'll find your place." It was as if he were talking to the blond directly, and he straightened as the older man continued to speak.

Reaching to his hip, Cor retrieved his pistol from his side and held it for all to see. "This, is what you all will be trying next. Guns. Like the others, these are not loaded with real bullets. Yes, they will hurt if you get shot with it, but it won't be lethal. Regardless, these are not to be aimed at one another. Do you all understand?" There was a chorus of 'yes sir's and he nodded in response. "Then, one by one, please step up and take one," he instructed. This was it, the moment Prompto was waiting for; the moment that would give him a chance not to be a complete disappointment.

He chewed on his lip as he was the next to step forward and retrieve his gun. Upon picking it up, he was surprised by the weight of it. He didn't expect it to be light, but this was way heavier than he had imagined. Returning to his spot, he turned the metal over in his hand, inspecting every inch of it and looking at every nook and cranny. He had no idea how to even use this thing, and again that seed of doubt had been buried back in his mind.

Luckily, Cor was kind enough to explain to all of them the proper way to hold and fire, going over it slowly and clearly until everyone got the idea. Even knowing all this though, Prompto was still iffy on actually firing it. Cor made it look so easy, so natural and fluid. This time, unlike the other weapons, they would go up one at a time and shoot at a target...which meant all eyes would be on the one firing.

He watched as the first two went up and did their rounds, both of which hit the target. Neither hit the mark, but they both his the outer ring. Still pretty good considering the distance of the target. Fortunately, for him at least, the third one was a miss, as was the fourth. The fifth, however, hit a hell of a lot closer than the first couple. It wouldn't have been quite so embarrassing now if he completely flopped on this test. Or it wouldn't have if he had done decent on any of the others…

His heart was thrumming once more, and his hands trembled as one at a time, Cor went down the line and asked the recruits to go forward. So distracted by his thoughts, he nearly jumped when the Immortal tapped him on the shoulder. "You're up," he said, giving the blond a small nod.

Returning the gesture, Prompto glanced back to the weapon and slowly approached the white line. Raising the gun and aiming it, he swore under his breath as the sight wavered and he couldn't tell if he was on the mark or not anymore. Before he could fire, however, Cor placed a single hand over both of his and leaned closer. "You need to calm down and hold it steady," he reminded. "Nothing is more dangerous than a gunman with unsteady hands."

Prompto took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few seconds. Cor was right, he just had to believe in himself a little bit. When he opened them back up, he couldn't help but glance in the direction of Ignis, and his heart dropped to see another figure next to him, leaning on the railing. Gladio was there was well. How long was he there?

'It doesn't matter', he said to himself. In the end, it really didn't matter what they thought. This was something he was doing for Noctis and himself, and no one else. The two of them could think what they wanted, but he couldn't let that affect his performance anymore. Taking their opinions to heart was only hurting him. 'That's right, it doesn't mean a thing.'

The blond took a deep breath and willed his arms to still themselves, and for the first time since he started this training, he felt somewhat comfortable, even with so many sets of eyes staring at him, watching and judging his every move. He waited a few seconds, to make sure his arms were as steady as they were going to get and then took a few more to line his shot up as best he could. Then, with a quick and silent prayer to himself, he squeezed the trigger, closing his eyes the moment before he shot. It was the kick more than anything that he didn't expect, that and the noise, and he flinched as both struck at once, but he didn't open his eyes. There was complete silence when the echo died down, zero feedback from those around him, giving him no idea how well he did.

Against his better judgement, he cracked his left eye open and refused to exhale as he looked to the target. At first, he wasn't sure he was seeing right, thinking maybe he was looking at someone else's mark. But that couldn't be, they switched the target out for each of them. It wasn't the best, but he wasn't too far off from the center. The bullet hole was on the second outer ring. He didn't know how to react, didn't know what to feel or what to say. He had thought for sure he would miss, but he actually hit it.

There was an unexpected clap on his back as the pistol was plucked from his hands. "Nice work," Cor muttered, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. He nodded for the blond to get back in line so the next recruit could take his place. As he stood there, he stole a quick glance at the adviser and shield, and he couldn't help but feel a small swell of pride when they both wore a somewhat amused mask. Not impressed by any means, but it wasn't the scowl he had grown so accustomed to seeing from them.

As the rest stepped forward and took their shots, Prompto paid no attention to any of it. It wasn't that much of an accomplishment, but to him, it meant more than anything that he managed to find something that was for him. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back. This was a nice start, and from here, he was sure he could only go up. After all, he was already at the bottom, so there wasn't much lower to go from there.

By the end of the day, they all filtered back into their dorms, all exhausted from the day's training. Though, despite that, most were in rather high spirits, most likely for the same reason the blond was. Many of them had finally found their knack, or at least close to it. Slowly, they were all falling into their own little place, and it was a relieving feeling for them all. Maybe Prompto hadn't realized it himself before, too caught up in his own concerns, but he guessed everyone was stressed and worried about this training. They all came into this not knowing what to expect and barely knowing a thing about combat. Well, a few did, but the majority were as new to it as him. They were just obviously more physically inclined than himself.

Prompto lied flat on his bed and let out a relieved breath, for once, he was sure he'd finally be able to get some real sleep. Now that the worst of his thoughts were fleeing him, he had nothing nagging him from the front of his conscious. "Don't worry, Noct," he whispered to himself, "I won't make you regret this." He just hoped he was right about this.

He was quick to go under, not once did he wake up, and he wouldn't until morning rolled around and he was again awoken by the familiar sound of their alarm blaring through the room and bouncing off the walls. He actually woke up with relative ease, feeling well-rested for a change. Prompto stretched his legs out and his arms behind his head before he ultimately got to his feet, ready for yet another day of training. He already knew they wouldn't be doing the same stuff as the day before, and that was alright with him; he found his forte, so it was fine with him if that was all he was good at.

They all, once more, resumed their formation, all with their hands crossed behind their backs as they waited for someone to finally show up. Soon enough someone did, and he wasn't sure if he was happy to see the shield again or not. The last time he saw him he didn't seem to hold the same view of the blond as usual, so he was unsure how Gladio even felt about him anymore.

"First, I think I should congratulate each and every one of you," the shield started off with, giving out the first genuine compliment since all of this had started. "I gotta say, some of you did quite a bit better than I had first anticipated." With that comment, Prompto didn't miss the small glance in his direction. He felt a minor heat rise to his face, but it was gone a moment later.

Prompto let out a small sigh, relieved that for once he wasn't being chastised or talked down to. Maybe things were finally turning around for him. "Second, we'll be doing something a little bit different today," he announced, a grin of intrigue sliding onto his face. "Instead of fighting me one on one, I say we make things more interesting. I want two of you to come at me at a time. A part of being a Glaive is the ability to work well and fluently with others. If you aren't a team player, then you won't last as one of us."

For some reason, unlike all the previous matches, this one didn't make the blond uneasy. Maybe it was the new confidence he had, or maybe it was the fact that it would no longer be one on one and there wasn't as much to worry about. Whatever it was, he was beyond thankful for it. Then, to make things even more in his favor, he just happened to get the same guy on his side that he sparred against first with the sword. To be honest, out of all of them, this was the only one he'd actually talked to, or the only one that took it upon himself to talk to Prompto.

"You ready for this?" the other asked, reaching out to pat the blond on the upper arm.

"Oh yeah...you bet," he replied in feigned excitement. He was still nervous, of course, but they had a better chance now. And now, he had backup, so that had a better chance at this. No one had beaten Gladio as of yet, not one on one. But, if it was two on one, then just maybe...if they were lucky.

There were a few other pairs that went before them, the both of them took that opportunity to observe and watch how the large man took more than one person at a time and learned from it. It was probably the only chance they had at putting up a fight. They didn't care if they won or not; if they were able to make the man struggle, it was a win in their book. "You got any ideas yet?" the other recruit asked after the third pair's defeat.

Prompto thought for a moment, but eventually shook his head. "Not really, I swear the guy has no blind spots," he muttered, already sounding as though they had lost. "But," he added, lifting his head back up, something flashed in his eyes as he thought about it more, "they keep coming at him at the same time. I think he expects that from all of us." He was sure he was onto something, he was waiting for them, he knew they were both coming, so of course he was prepared for a double attack.

"So, what you're saying is one of us should just stand back?" the other asked, eyebrow raised in question. He appeared to be skeptical at first, but as he watched the fourth match-up, it clicked, and he understood what the blond was referring to. He was right, they were all going at this in the exact same way. All of them went head on and at the same time. Gladio was essentially fighting the same tactics over and over again.

At long last, it was their turn. Surprisingly, neither of them were as worried as before. They had a plan at least, which was apparently more than the others had. So, they hoped that would at least count for something, it had to have. The others never worked together, not really. Sure, they went at the guy from different angles, but other than that, they were all out for themselves when it came down to it.

"You two," the shield said, only slightly out of breath as he pointed to the two of them and waved them over.

They shared a mirrored look with one another and both nodded to the brute. "Yeah, I think so," Prompto replied nervously. It was a strange feeling that was churning deep down. It was like excitement mixed with apprehension, and he didn't know how to describe it. They both followed the shield back to the center of the area, and they took their spots. So far, it almost looked just as all the others did, and Gladio merely smirked to himself with a small shake of his head.

The other recruit took the lead, rounding to stand a few feet in front of the brute as he took his stance. Meanwhile. Prompto went off to the side, and so far it wasn't much different from everyone else. But, the difference became clear when one charged at the shield while the blond stayed as he was, not even budging. The larger man couldn't help but raise a brow in curiosity. He ignored it for the time being and pushed most of his focus on the other.

"What, your partner's taking notes or something?" he asked as the two collided.

The younger man didn't say anything, too concentrated on not being pinned to the ground when the weight hit him almost full force. He then stepped a bit to the side, slowly tempting the other to turn with him. This was kept up until Gladio's back was to Prompto. Both the brute and his current opponent held eye contact, the connection holding his attention as he dared not to look away.

All it took was a few more seconds before the blond finally stepped in; keeping his steps light and slow, he kept his body low so his shadow wouldn't creep into the man's line of sight. This was it, the best opportunity he had, and he sure as hell wasn't going to miss it. All he could do was go for it and hope for the best. Taking a deep and steady breath, he leapt for it, pushing off the ground with his left foot, he wrapped both arms tightly around Gladio's shoulders. There was no way he would be able to hold him still, but the surprise of it would be enough to take his attention off the other man, and that's all they needed to get just a slight advantage.

The other acted fast and aimed one of his shoulders towards the shield, and charging full force, he slammed it right into his chest, effectively knocking the breath out of him. For the first time that they had seen, Gladio was the one that took a few steps back, one arm wrapped around his torso and his eyes scrunched in discomfort.

"Can't say I expected that," he muttered, straightening back up "What are you two waiting for? It's not over," he reminded, coming at them again. This time there would be no attack from behind, not when he was expecting it now anyway. The two of them each went in a different direction, forcing Gladio to choose one or the other. To Prompto's dismay, he ended up being the lucky one to be chased after. As flattering as that was, he was seriously dreading the impact that he knew was about to hit him.

The blond did what he could to avoid the large man, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he began to tire. A quick glance at Gladio, and he couldn't help but be envious of that endurance. "Come on…" he panted out just a moment before he felt the back of his shirt being yanked back. He had no time to retaliate as he was tossed to the ground. The throw was enough to tease his vision with stars. He let out a few more coughs and tried to push himself back up, but a heavy foot on his back effectively held him in place.

Prompto hissed in frustration between his teeth and glared out of the corner of his eye. He knew this was coming, saw it coming from a mile away. But that was ok, they actually managed to make Gladio back up and take a breath for once. To be honest, that was the first time since he started here that he'd seen that.

He looked away just for a moment to see his partner just a few feet away, staring the brute down. It was already over though, they lost. Even so, neither of them wore a mask of defeat, but instead it was one of satisfaction. It was a start and it was progress. Of course none of them would be able to take down the protector of the prince, he had that position for a reason. If they were able to do that, then it probably would have been time to replace him with one more suited.

With a silent understanding, Gladio removed his foot and held out a hand to help the blond stand, which was accepted with gratitude. As he got to his feet, he stumbled slightly as his knees tried to buckle and a hand raised to press against the side of his head as it throbbed, and the sticky substance under his fingertips caused him to flinch. He hadn't realized until now just how hard that collision had been.

"Good job," the larger man said to both of them, giving them a firm pat on their shoulders. "The both of you have improved. Go ahead and get back in line," he instructed, cocking his head to the side. As they began to follow orders, he reached out to stop the blond before he could take another step. "Hold up," he muttered, beckoning Prompto to turn back around and face him. "You should go get that looked at," Gladio suggested, pointing towards his temple. "May have went a bit overboard, but I figured you'd be able to handle it."

The blond took his hand away to gaze at the red staining it. "Right," he muttered, placing it right back where it was. He knew it was bleeding, but that was a bit more than he had first assumed. And, now that he thought about it, it was still throbbing painfully.

"You good to make it there on your own?" he asked, his tone showing genuine concern. Prompto merely just nodded with a hum, his eyes automatically darted around as his nerves started to get the better of him again. He had no idea why, but being under this man's eye for longer than a minute always somehow got under his skin. Such an intimidating presence.

Convinced that all was well, the shield got back to the other recruits, and Prompto watched only for a few seconds before he turned and started heading towards the closest building. He strolled on in, keeping somewhat to himself as he walked down the short hall and turned to the last door on the right and pushed his way in.

"Hello?" he called out, cracking it open just enough to see a much older woman sitting inside, her nose stuck in a book. She glanced up just long enough to wave him in and gestured to the examination table, which he timidly jumped up to sit on. For a moment, he sat there with his hand still on his head and the other curled in his lap. His gaze scanned around, soaking it all in, looking to each and every piece of equipment that was in there.

"Let's see what we got," she sighed to herself. Not sounding annoyed, just more tired than anything. She poked and prodded, earning a hiss here and a groan there. "Doesn't look too bad," she said. "Just needs to be cleaned and covered and you'll be good to go."

She worked quickly and gently; her fingers were slightly chilled and she talked quietly to herself the whole time. Once she was finished up, she clapped her hands together and sat herself back in her chair and rolled away. "There you are, hun. Need anything else?" she asked as she plucked her book from the counter, raising her attention to the blond.

"N-No, I think that's all," he muttered, hand reaching to inspect the area once more. "Thanks," he nodded, hopping to his feet once more.

Without another word from either of them, Prompto carefully and quietly stepped back out. He paused to take a deep breath and started walking back down the hallway. As he walked, another set of steps soon joined him, and he glanced over his shoulder to see the adviser a few feet behind him. At first he ignored the man, but that was proved to be difficult when the brunet cleared his throat, clearly wanting another word with him. Why did everyone seem to want to talk to him lately? Surely there were other trainees that needed a lecture here and there as well.

"Yeah?" he questioned, spinning around to face the other. He tried to keep his unease and anxiousness from showing on his features, though he was positive he was failing miserably.

At first, Ignis said nothing, he simply looked the blond up and down, taking in his appearance and posture, and there was something different about him. He was holding himself with more confidence and less fear than he had the first time they spoke, and his gaze narrowed. "You know...maybe I was wrong about you," he admitted after a few more seconds. "But, I must say, seeing you handle that gun, and just now with the team exercise, I was intrigued to say the least."

"Th-Thanks?" Prompto replied, not knowing what he was supposed to say as a reaction. Was that a compliment? He wasn't sure, but it was close enough to one, and probably the closest he would ever get to one coming from this man. So, he would take it.

"However," he continued, stitching away that glimmer of pride before it was able to fully catch flame, "you still have a long way to go. That means, don't get ahead of yourself and don't let this small apology go to your head, understood?" he asked, arms crossed over his chest. Prompto nodded and muttered a small 'understood'. "Good. I look forward to what you have to offer and what the future brings," he added with a ghost of a smile. "I'm sure His Highness will also be delighted to hear of these improvements; I shall pass word onto him, that is, if you would wish for that."

Prompto blink a few times in confusion and shock, but he was elated to say the least. "Of course!" he exclaimed, allowing his excitement to get the better of him for a split second. "I mean...yes, please," he corrected, calmer. "I would appreciate that."

"Very well, I'll be sure to fill him in. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have matters to attend to," he informed with a small bow of his head. "And, I'm sure you should be getting back as well; I believe they are just about finished with their session and will soon be starting the next."

The blond perked up at that and he wasted no more time in rushing back down the hall, really not wanting to get another lecture for taking too long. But, he paused one more time to face the adviser again. "And thanks again," he called back. "Thanks for the apology and, uh, you know," he clarified, not knowing how to explain it. It didn't matter though, Ignis was pretty sure he knew what the kid was trying to say, and he offered a small wave and an actual smile this time.

Prompto couldn't quite explain it, but having both Glaido and Ignis seeing him in a different light, even if it was only a slight difference, it felt nice. He was almost accepted by them. Only thing to do from here on out was to continue to improve and prove himself, and then maybe one day he'd be able to stand next to them as equals.