L.S.T.R

Chapter 8: Training Days

The new Semester has started off with a hectic start. With Blake revealing her past, the transfer students from Atlas Academy, Laurentum dealing with his inner demons as well as getting attacked by his longtime rival and old friend Adam who is after his head. Oh, and the epic food fight that pretty much wrecked the cafeteria, it all started with a "Yang" clearly.

It was heading into the evening….

Team L.S.T.R is in the simulation room working on their teamwork and skills. They are facing off against a pack of Beowolves in old ruins. They are prowling around them as they are back to back with each other.

Topaz smiles as he looks around. "Guess you can say this will be a real dog fight." He snickers. A loud groan can be heard from River and Silver chuckles a bit. Laurentum gets his stance ready as the first wolf charges at him. They scatter from its swipe and Laurentum charges in blade in hand and cut off its arm. With his other hand he grabs the Grimm's mask and freezes it solid. He sheathes Bloody Sengo and holds it like a baseball bat and swings at the now ice wolf. Upon contact it shatters into ice dust. Loki takes over and puts on a big grin. "Ha you're outta here." As he points to the sky like a baseball player after he hits a homerun. Laurentum resumes control and direct orders. "Wild Sniper." Topaz nods and rushes into the pack of Beowolves. Silver changes magazines in her sniper rifle and takes aim. Topaz is going on a rampage against the Grimm beating them into submission using his shaolin techniques he was taught from a young age. "Calm like water and also ever changing…." He spreads his legs gaining balance. "Sea Dragon's Roar!" his aura engulfs him as he releases it and a shockwave like a sea wave knocks back all the Beowolves. As they get up from being knocked down they are picked off by Silver. "If I can't even hit these targets I can't call myself a Huntress-in-training." She hits her targets in different areas on each testing her skills. A new group come out from the old building and Topaz use his semblance and becomes fully incased in metal. Silver aims at the back of Topaz and fires into him as they ricochet off him and into other Beowolves around him.

Laurentum is looking at the plan execute and nods with confirmation as it's going smoothly. He is sitting on a Beowolf with Bloody Sengo in its chest as he pulls it out as the Grimm turns into black smoke. "Ok nicely done over there. River, "Red Wolf"." River nods as she pulls out Bliss & Retribution and begins her assault on the Grimm mowing them down with it in assault rifle mode, while Laurentum is watching her back cutting through the Beowolves that try to attack her. Laurentum sticks his sword in the ground and an ice shield forms around the as River begins charging her aura into her gun. After she finishes charging Laurentum cuts a hole on the roof and she jumps out into the sky and fires concentrated red energy shots at the packs of Grimm leaving black smoke in their wake. From the ice shield forms ice wolves that run at the Grimm. River shoots the ice wolves and they glow red and upon attacking the Grimm they explode with a red burst.

River lands next to Laurentum who whistles at the field and rubs her head, which leave her face blushing. "Good job Riv, better than the last few tries." He says to his teammate. "I just had to get the energy levels right so your ice sculptors wouldn't explode from being charged with my energy shots." She explains.

Laurentum walks over to a panel and switches off the simulation as the room turns from an abandoned ruined city to an empty room with holo projectors.

The team of youths walked out the training room and walked to the showers to clean up. After 20 minutes the boys can out and another 20 before the girls did. "Jeez take any longer will ya?" Topaz says being impatient. "They're serving meatloaf tonight and I got to get there before Nora eats it all." River rolled her eyes and Silver smiled softly. "Sorry had some…..things to take care of." Silver admits blush a little. Topaz and Laurentum looks confused before an aroma hits them and they immediately understand. "Oh? Ohhhhhhhhhhh…." Topaz says. "Well take care of yourself Silver or else Loki might try something stupid. Anyway the endless stomach here is right Nora might eat all the meatloaf." Laurentum says as Topaz agrees then catches on to Laurentum's remark.

Team LSTR walks to the cafeteria and grabs their dinner and sits at a table where they find Teams RWBY and JNPR.

"Oh sup guys was the training session good?" Yang asks as Topaz sits next to her stealing a piece of bread off her tray which results in a punch to his arm. "Pretty good got me starving good thing Nora didn't eat all the food before we got here." As Topaz digs into his food.

"Oh she tried convincing the lunch lady to give her fourths and when they said no she kind of threatened to break their legs. Don't worry Ren gave her his seconds so it worked out." Jaune explain as a happy Nora is eating her meatloaf. "Mhmmafhfgh" "She says but it's so good." As Ren translates his partner food speak. Ruby speaks up and adds to the conversation. "Oh I heard a ghost last night you guys." Nora swallows her food and lets out a huff. "A ghost you say? Was it passing through walls and stuff? Was their some kind of accident related to your room? How many ghosts was hmhmhmhm." She continues as Ren puts his hand over her mouth.

"I'm serious the ghost wasn't talking more like moaning and I couldn't see so well in the dark last night but I'm pretty sure it said you got to keep quiet or they'll hear us. So there's two ghost." At the end of Ruby's ghost experience Topaz nearly chokes on his meatloaf and downs a glass of water. While Yang's face is beet red. Everyone knows what is going on except Ruby, Nora and Jaune. Loki comes out laughing hysterically and falls out his seat legs kicking in the air. "Uhh Sis sorry that was me last night I was uhhh having a weird dream." Yang tries to explain. Topaz is looking away from the group as she says this. "Must've been some dream huh Yang?" Loki sits back at the table wiping a tear from his eye. "You know I sense that Silver might start having some weird dreams, tonight maybe." Loki says looking at Silver who is now blushing. Loki smiling getting closer to her then sniffs a couple of times and pulls back. "I mean never mind might not be the best of times for some "dreams" I mean the "Moon" is full tonight." He stumbles as River punches him in the arm and looks at him with a glare as if saying "Don't even think about it." And he puts his arms up in defense.

Ruby at this point is even more confused. "Wha? Moon? Dreams? What are you guys talking about?" Nora surprisingly catching on speaks up. "Ohhhhh I know you're talking about your peri….mamhmfmf." Ren covered her mouth just in time and sticks thumbs up with his other hand. Yang turns to her naïve sister and looks her in the eyes.

"Uh sis you'll learn about all this stuff when you're older ok?" Ruby pouts and makes a childish face that says she wants to learn now much to the disapproval of Yang.

After Dinner the three teams go back to their rooms. Laurentum is putting on his shorts and opted to sleep without a shirt tonight due to it being kind of humid. "Hey Topaz maybe you and Yang can find more…appropriate times to do your business." Laurentum says bluntly as Topaz's face blushes and covers his eyes with a smile on his face. "Sorry bro I know it was stupid but it's just….you know man." Topaz says trying to get out a thought and Laurentum looks at him. "Yea I get it you two are in a relationship and it's been a couple of months and well you of all people should know how flirty Yang gets." He says to the red headed lion fanus.

"What about you and River? How's that coming along?" Currently in the room is only the two as River and Silver are brushing their teeth in the bathroom. "Well right now is kind of awkward, I like Riv but Loki likes Silver so I can't really be in a relationship with the both of them so I'm stalling until something can remedy this." Laurentum explains his own relationship woes. Loki comes out sighing. "I don't want to be a bother brother it's your body so you should date River." "What about you and Silver she will feel upset and that'll mess up the team chemistry we have right now thus affecting our teamwork." As the two switch personas and talk to each other. The two girls walk out the bathroom in their pj's and River looks at the situation. "What you three talking about?" she asks. "Nothing!" the boys say in unison with Laurentum and Loki going in "Unison mode" they dubbed it thus their voice was fused together. Silver walks to her bed laying down grumbling. Loki notices this and walks to her bed. "You ok Silver?" the young wolf fanus asks. Silver looks at him with tears in her face. "I'm ok just feeling kind of emotional right now." Loki startled tries to console her as her emotions go a half 180 and she gets angry. "Who said I needed your help I'm fine see?" she wipes away her tears and push her face back into her pillow.

Loki jumps back to his bed and hide behind it like a scared puppy. "Jeez chill out will ya no need to snap at me cranky." "Well it is that time of the month for her so just gotta ride it out big brother." Laurentum says as he gets on their bed. Topaz starts to meditate and River rubs Silvers head consoling her. "It's ok Silver boys will never understand the body of a female." She turns to the two boys. Laurentum looks innocent then Loki takes over and gives a big smile. Topaz still meditating gives her a thumb up.

The next couple of weeks were uneventful Laurentum expected Adam to make his move but instead it was quiet and he took this time to resume his body training. He needed more muscle so that Loki can use his semblance without a risk of breaking any bones like he did a few weeks ago testing his limits thus breaking his arm. Over time his body became more toned out and the added muscle didn't hinder his speed or the swings of his blade from laido style which he was also polishing up on.

Topaz was still thinking about the girl who took his punch filled with aura and got away taking this as a challenge he brought out a training book the monks who raised him left him with as a guide to continue getting stronger. Most days he would keep his body in shape mostly working on his own speed which he was lacking in. He was far ahead of his peers at the temple in the mastery of the aura techniques he learned. The style he knows are several different forms which are Lion, Dragon, Wolf, and Bear as the main four other styles were made as the core element was that each generation disciple had to create their own technique to truly become a master as well as master three moves from the main four. In his case he already mastered five from the Lion and two from the Wolf. Clearly he still had a long way to go.

Silver was already a master at sniping from a distance in one location but needed to broaden her horizons. Her Qiang spear skills were in need of refinement and more practice. She needed to be able to defend herself if her location was to be exposed. Silver also worked on running and gunning being able to accurately hit targets with her sniper in midair or while on the move. She also worked on her semblance abilities as it needed physical contact to be used, but wanted to be able to use it more freely.

River spent most of her time working out with Laurentum since they both used the laido sword style. With him she was making progress leaps and bounds. Loki noticed that she was expending too much aura in one go when using her semblance so she practiced moderation in her charged shots. Loki put her through a rough speed course to increase her speed. Since their team had high speed and mobility between the two, he wanted her to be able to be uncatchable and too fast to zone in on target.

In an abandoned warehouse…

Adam was growing impatient he was put on stand by two days after the leader told him to continue trying to kill Laurentum. He's been inside the secret warehouse doing nothing wasting his time while Lucretcia was watching T.V. she was watching the newly animated series of X-Ray and Vav.

"Arrgh I've had enough of this why we can't go kill Laurentum now, it would be quick and we could at least go back to doing more important things." Adam roars as he cuts into the wall with his blade. The young girl gets up and puts a cold hand on his shoulder. "Calm down Adam now is not the time and more importantly not the place. Our leader must have his reasons to why he's holding us back." She says in a cold emotionless voice. It has always worried him how the handpicked apprentices the leader choose always come back emotionless and highly skilled. Talking to her reminded him of the early years with Laurentum how he was cold towards everyone. It wasn't until Loki appeared was truly when the two rivalries got heated.

He gazed as his new partner walked back to the couch and resumes watching T.V she was young around the age of fourteen but she has the skills of an highly skilled assassin which probably makes her the deadliest fourteen year old in all of Vale.

Her appearance changed a bit since the last time. She now wore a black tank top that had multiple stars on it exposing her bellybutton and zip up white hoodie with a jean jacket that's been cut punk style no sleeves. Her cargo pants replaced by dark jeans and still wearing her white combat boots. Her tonfas inactive on her sides always ready.

A series of beeping coming from the wrist of Adam as the silent alarm goes off. "Someone found us?!" he says as he makes way to the door as it's busted down and smoke comes pouring in and from the smoke a hooded figure steps in his face hidden.

"I don't know who you are pal but you came to the wrong place." Adam threatens but the man is not scared as he pulls out a small black stick that extends into a medium sized sickle. The man charges and attacks Adam with great strength as Adam tries to block his attack but the weight of his swing was unworldly. Causing him to be sent flying off his feet to the wall through it.

Lucretcia equips her tonfas and starts firing at him, but before the shots gets close to him he presses a button on his sickle and a weight and chain drops. He twirls them at high speeds blocking the shots and swings the weight at her as the chain extends small rockets speeds up the weight. She side steps the weight at it hits the wall and goes through it leaving a small going into it, the man pulls and brings it back.

Lucretcia looks at the hole behind her, no unnecessary force around the hole and it was a clean hole as if it was made with a precision tool. "The power and control are off the charts. This guy is the real deal he must've spent his entire life perfecting his fighting style." She says to herself. Adam roars and comes bursting through the hole and let loose a flurry of slashes which are parried by the hooded man.

The man dodges one of Adam's thrusts and swings his chain around his wrists locking them in place. Lucretcia comes running in but with a hefty pull the man swings Adam into her and the two collide into each other knocking the two in front of the T.V. The hooded figure retracted the chain and weight and charged at them spinning the weight preparing to strike before a voice came out the T.V. "Loki! Hold yourself!" and the figure stops like a machine and stood completely still. Adam got up and helped Lucretcia up as well.

"What? Why did he…" before Adam could finish the voice began speaking. "I see you two have been slacking a bit in your training but no matter this one is on a whole different level to begin with." Adam recognizes the voice he hears and so does Lucretcia. It's the voice of the person that made her into what she is today she immediately gets on one knee and before the T.V. "Master this one approaches waiting for orders." She says.

The perfect soldier the man thinks to himself. Where Laurentum had a bit more free will with Loki appearing Lucretcia was more obedient and followed every order without question. The number of assassinations she pulled off is mind boggling. Adam walks over to the figure pulling off the hood revealing his face which causes Adam to take a few steps back. "What is this old man? What trick are you pulling?" Adam looks dead into the eyes of the person before him. He has the face of Laurentum exactly with an added feature of a scar over his left eye but his eyes were the most interesting part as they were pure white. They had no shine or glimmer it was like looking at a blank piece of paper as if he was blind.

Lucretcia looks behind her and takes a sharp breath. "Who is…" "This my young warriors is Loki the dead brother of Laurentum or might I say soulless body of his brother. You see the baby born wasn't dead we told his parents that in order to get the body and gave them fake ashes instead." The leader states. Adam is a little disturbed and confused. "What you mean soulless?" The man can be heard making a smirk. "When Laurentum was in his mother's womb he was very sick the doctors were positive he would die after birth but something strange happened at first the doctors believed the other twin used his entire aura to heal is sick brother at the cost of his life but with the birth that wasn't the case." Lucretcia walks over to Loki and places her hand on his face. "What happened then if he wasn't dead then what?" "Loki as he calls himself left his body soul and all and went into Laurentum's healing him but left his own healthy body functional but soulless it's like having a brand new car but no keys to turn it on. It wasn't confirmed until Loki himself appeared from Laurentum's body masking as another personality was I more than sure it was real. I took his body and using technology kept him alive and made him strong well more like he was going to be strong his body is much sturdier that Laurentum's but not as fast as his brothers. I stored him with knowledge of multiple combat skills and turned him into what I've always wanted…..The Ultimate weapon….a weapon who will kill for the cause with no remorse. Laurentum was how you can say a close perfection but Loki ruined that. Lucretcia my dear you have done well for me proving your better than your predecessor but Loki here is almost perfect."

Adam picks up on his last words. "Almost what does he need now?"

The man appears in the T.V. his hair slick back snow white with black leopard eyes and scars all over his face and a smile that can send chills down even the Devil's back. "That's simple to be perfect there can only be one. two weeks from now during the festival Loki will kill Laurentum and his own soul making him…Perfection."