Lance Lockhart

There's nothing worse than having potential. The ability to become anything you want and people watching you and expecting you to be great. 

Maybe that's why I lost myself in videogames their linear storyline and main characters who knew who they wanted to be made it easy. All I had to do was guide them along their path. 

But I'm getting distracted, The assembly had erupted into chaos with people pushing and pulling each other and using their abilities to get by.

Even if it wasn't stated simply getting to the room is the first part of the exam and is testing our ability to act fast and effectively. The game uses this as a tutorial to teach you the combat, however, combat is unnecessary for me here.

My room is room R and looking at the walls I can see signs labeling the rooms.

"RAYYY"

A shout called for me within the crowd and I look over and see Lance holding his spear above the crowd and leveraging himself over another.

"RAYYYY you got room R too right?"

I while being pushed around and trying to keep my balance respond 

"Yeah we need to--

 ZIPPP

Running past me was Joy Taylor the speed of her run knocked me off balance causing me to start falling. I cant fall here if I fall I wont be able to get back up.

CRASH 

Lance had thrown his spear near me at an angle so that I can use it to stay on my feet. I'm unsure why he's helping me but I cant pass up the opportunity!

I use his spear to lift myself up and pick it up to help with defense.

"Ray glad I caught you buddy you got room R right?"

"Yeah I did we can't get preoccupied here with the confusion we have to use the chaos here to get to the room first its important" 

"Whys it important if we get their first? We have 10 minutes surely if we just wait for people to calm down space will open."

The test has a hidden condition among the 26 rooms only the first 50 students to arrive at each one are allowed inside but I can't just tell lance that and I've still got to convince him.

"No we can't afford to wait for people to calm down we have no idea if there's a limit on the room or if we have to do anything else within the 10 minute timeframe so we have to move as quickly as possible"

"you really thought of all that in the first minute of the test? You're something else Ray Ignare" 

"Flattery can wait I have a plan"

"A plan? How? You barely know how my ability works."

He may not know it but I've played through this game hundreds of times and know everything about him and how his ability works and the best use of it to get through this is-

"You can summon your thrown spears back to you correct?"

"I can but I usually just summon a new one"

"We're going to get you to the room and once you're there you're going to recall this spear"

I gesture the spear he had thrown to catch my fall

"I will ride this spear like a broomstick and make it to the room as well"

"Sounds like a good plan but how are you going to get me to the room?"

"We just need a little distraction"

Lance pauses to think about it for a moment.

"Ok I'll trust your judgement Ray Ignare"

Springing into action we split up! He runs towards the room and I run towards the center of the assembly. I sure am lucky Lance is on my side I have no chance fighting through two thousand S class hopefuls. 

Lance is probably only using my plan because he could just make it to the test on his own but if my plan works he can gain an ally. Right now all I can do to move on is to make myself useful!

In the center I look at the rudimentary spear in my hand its only wood so it shouldn't be too hard to break. Using my hand and foot I'm able to stomp it in half. 

I'm getting some strange looks from others but that's ok. I grab the non sharp end of the broken spear and-

"Ignite" 

It lights up effortlessly and I throw the lit half straight into the air

The stick that had been broken off from the spear hits a chandelier that had been the center piece of the room and the whole thing is set on fire

I saw this interaction on accident during the second semester final exam in the game the chandelier is extremely delicate and is also a gas lamp allowing for it to easily combust--

I'm instantly yanked by the half of the spear I'm still holding.

The crowd shouted 

"Some lunatic set the whole celling on fire!"

The spear pulled with much more force than anticipated I'm barely hanging on but I cannot let go! Slamming through bodies testing my bodies grip strength I tumble and roll until I orient myself in front of the door of R room.

"Your plan worked Ray your distraction allowed me to slip through in an instant"

"Yup *huff* glad it *huff* worked"

Pushing open the door we walked in and see a screen saying to await for further instructions. Of course the test isn't over yet but it feels good knowing i made it past my first real trial in this world.

"Hey Lance?"

"Yeah?"

"Why'd you come find me?" 

"I didn't seek you out or anything I just saw how calm you looked and thought that it would be a shame if I didn't keep my promise to get to know you better."

"Well thanks"

I reach out my hand to properly greet my roommate for my stay here at the academy

"You're too formal but don't mention it you helped me get here anyway so it worked out for the both of us"

He meets my hand and we have a firm handshake to cement the friendship, however, there is still no telling how he will react to the next part of the test...

In the game Taysom ends up in room C and doesn't interact with Lance till chapter two of the game but by that point Lance is not anything like he is now he's the monster who does not hesitate to cut others down with his spear in order to graduate. 

Well it doesn't matter what Lance is like later since he's so friendly now though I wonder what pushes him to change so much in just one semester and if I can prevent it.