Chapter 10
Pack mentality
Watching Jaune get thrash was one thing Loki did not enjoy watching in Glynda's classes, and the fact Cardin is the one dishing out the punishment made Loki question Glynda's teaching habits at not seeing the fact Jaune had no fighting style nor skill, the only thing he had good traits for was planning and scheduling classes.
And right Now Loki was having plans to help Jaune learn swordplay.
Looking to Jaune's aura levels he groaned as the blonde was knocked onto his back, signalling the end of the Match.
"Cardin, that's enough!" Glynda declared with the bully stepping down while Loki simply got up and went to help him up.
"Students, as you can see, Mr. Arc's Aura has now dropped into the red. In a tournament-styled duel, this would indicate that Jaune is no longer fit for battle, and that the official may call the match." Glynda said as Loki helped Jaune to his feet, not noticing the angry look Cardin gave him.
"Mr. Arc, it's been weeks now. Please try to refer to your Scroll during combat. Gauging your Aura will help you decide when it's appropriate to attack, or when it is better to move to a more... defensive strategy. We wouldn't want you to be gobbled up by a Beowolf, now, would we?" Glynda said with Loki giving her a disapproving look.
"Really Mrs. Goodwitch?" Loki said with Glynda giving him a look back, before she relented and sighed.
"Remember, everyone, the Vytal Festival is only a few months away! It won't be long before students from the other kingdoms start arriving in Vale, so keep practicing! Those who choose to compete in the combat tournament will be representing all of Vale!" Glynda said as Loki noticed the sad frown Pyrrah was giving Jaune who had his head down in shame.
"Come on Jaune, don't let the closet hider put you down" Loki said with Jaune nodding as he followed after their group of friends, with Nora giving Loki a look as he currently wore his uniform without the vest and sweater.
"If you want we can help you learn how to fight, not everything is self taught" Odin offered jaune who had a look of pondering.
"I'll think about it, thanks guys" Jaune said with Loki patting his back lightly.
"What are friends for Jaune" Loki said as they made it to the cafeteria, with Nora the centre of attention.
With Loki sitting across from her catching food in his mouth she threw.
"So! There we were, in the middle of the night..." Nora began her tale of her dream, throwing a grape into Loki's mouth.
"It was Day" Ren said with a nonchalant voice as Nora tossed another Grape into Loki's mouth.
"We were surrounded by Ursai..." Nora added with Loki giving her a raised eyebrow, smiling at her energetic look in life, leaning to the right to catch another grape, making her smile with a giggle.
"They were Beowolves." Lie Ren added with the two laughing at each other as Nora tossed another grape into Loki's mouth, making him stand up to catch it.
"Dozens of them!" Nora declared with Jaune, Ruby, Pyrrah and Yennefer listening in interest while Loki paid full attention to both Nora and Ren.
"Two of 'em." Ren said with Nora looking to him with a pout.
Before looking to Loki who sat in wait with a smile.
"But they were no match... And in the end, Ren and I took them down and made a boatload of Lien selling Ursa skin rugs!" Nora said with Loki frowning in confusion.
"I get it's a dream but don't Grimm Dissipate upon death?" Loki questioned before turning to the others, with Jaune shrugging before going back to eating his food.
"She's been having this recurring dream for nearly a month now." Ren said with Loki smiling before taking notice to Gabrielle glaring across at a distant table, making Loki turn at the sound of evil laughter, making the others follow suit to see a fourth year student known as Velvet Scarlatina with her right ear being grabbed by Cardin.
"Why isn't anyone doing anything?" Pyrrah questioned with Loki raising a hand.
"Wait for it" Loki said with a smirk as Cardin continued to pull Velvet's ear she had a scowl of annoyance before she was released with Cardin yelling in surprise as he was lifted off the ground by a tall and athletic-looking young man with shaved-short black hair and tanned skin, Yatsuhashi Daichi had a look of extreme annoyance on his features as all the students new and old went back to doing what they were doing.
"Is there a reason your annoying my teammate?" Yatsuhashi questioned as Velvet rubbed her ear, looking to Cardin in annoyance.
"Hey Yatsu!" turning to the voice of Loki Velvet instantly had a smile with Yatsuhashi.
"Yes Fenris?" Yatsuhashi questioned with Loki smirking.
"Give him some slack he just thinks he's top dog here!" Loki said with the entire cafeteria laughing, except Cardin and his team, along with their group of friends who were confused.
"Very well than" Yatsuhashi said before dropping cardin onto his ass, making the bully grab his throbbing head while the tall teen leaned down.
"This will be your only warning" Yatsuhashi said before walking to Loki who waved to velvet.
"How are you doing Loki, finally a student here?" Velvet questioned with Loki nodding.
"Yep, this is my team here, Gabrielle Moon, Odin Alfadir and his sister Yennefer, team RWBY is Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xaio Long, team JNPR is Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren and Pyrrah Nikos" Loki said with Velvet smiling with a small wave while Yatsuhashi bowed.
While everyone else just stared in awe struck.
"How do you know so many people here?" Jaune questioned with Loki shrugging.
"I grew up here, call me an unofficial student back than" Loki said with Yatsuhashi looking at Jaune with a frown.
"Aren't you the one I helped get out of the locker?" looking to the tall teen with a squint Jaune had a look of recognition.
"Oh yeah, I never really thanked you for that, so thanks"
"No need to thank me, whoever is friends with Loki is a friend of mine" Yatsuhashi said with Jaune smiling in thanks.
"So where's Coco or Fox, finally hitting it?" Loki questioned with velvet lightly hitting the back of his head with a sisterly smile.
"No matter how many times you pressure them into dating it will never work" Velvet said with Loki rolling his eyes, allowing the three teams to socialise with the other two fourth year students, with velvet and Blake getting along fine while Pyrrah and Yatsuhashi traded information about weapons, with Ruby butting in every so often.
Leaving Nora and Loki to toss food to the other with Nora giggling each time Loki caught a grape in his mouth, smiling at each other with Ren hiding a smile to the exchange before the bell rang for next class.
"Are you certain there is no evidence of whoever caused this act of violence?" Ozpin questioned the Vale's police director who stood on the other end of the Scroll call with a look of resignment.
"No, all evidence leads straight to your son because of what he's left behind in the past, but this looks like something a psycho would do, bodies hanging from intestines, spines torn out and stabbed back in, bones crushed to near paste, I keep telling my superiors this isn't your son, I just want him to shed some light on who else this could be"
"I will see what he knows, take care Director" Ozpin said with the man nodding before the call cut off, allowing Ozpin to lower his head in tiredness as Hoshi reformed beside him.
"It's too soon"
"What?" Ozpin questioned with a voice of worry.
"His powers have developed beyond what I expected, it should have taken two more years for it to mature" Hoshi said as her eyes had a glazed look, telling Ozpin she was seeing something.
"What shall we do?" Ozpin questioned as Hoshi blinked with a frown of confusion.
"That's… strange?" Hoshi said with Ozpin frowning himself.
"It's not doing anything… just standing, motionless, waiting" Hoshi said as her eyes glazed over once more to see where the being stood which was an abandoned warehouse within Mountain Glenn.
Showing its body now spiked with bone like protrusions jutting its shoulders and back, its once human face a mask of bone breaking and repairing in a continuous cycle of self-repair, glaring at a blank wall with unfocused hatred.
Sitting within Doctor Ooblecks class, Loki easily kept up with the speedy teachers antics, his team and friends struggling to take notes, Ruby somehow barely keeping up as she wrote down her own notes, helping Weiss keep up with the Heiress thanking profusely.
"Yes! Yes, prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution-more popularly known as the Faunus War" Oobleck said as he zoomed to his desk to point to an island on the map.
"Humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing Faunus population in Menagerie." Oobleck said before moving to the side for his coffee, with Loki rolling his eyes towards before leaning back.
"Now! While this must feel like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively recent events! Why, the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day!" Oobleck said before once more taking a sip of his coffee.
"Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your Faunus heritage?" it was this moment Loki looked to the Faunus within the classroom hesitantly raise their hands, with poor velvet doing the same, making Loki give a saddened look to the sight before he glared to a non-caring Cardin who was barely paying attention.
"Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!"
"I mean, I mean, I mean just look at what happened to The White Fang! Now, which one of you young scholars can tell me what many theorize to be the turning point in the third year of the War?" Looking to the other students Loki saw Weiss raise her hand.
"Yes?"
"Fort Castle"
"Precisely! And, who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?"
It was this moment Loki saw Cardin about to flick a paper football at Jaune's head, until Loki sent a tiny ball of fiery ash at it, burning it into nothing with Cardin Frowning before looking up to Oobleck.
"Yes Miss Nikos!" Oobleck said with The gladiator lowering her hand.
"Night vision, the Faunus can see perfectly at night" Pyrrah said with Loki agreeing, making his eyes glow to prove a point.
"Mr Winchester, you looked like you wanted to add an answer to the question" Oobleck said with Cardin crossing his arms with a smug look.
"Well, I know it's a lot easier to train an animal than a soldier"
"Of course a hairless monkey would know that answer Cardin" Loki said with the Bully turning to Loki with a scowl.
"You got something to say!?" Cardin said with bravado, expecting Loki to back down, only to pale as Loki placed a clawed hand on the edge of his desk, grinning savagely at Cardin.
"Yeah, Leave my friends alone, or I mess up your face!" Loki growled out before he sat down, making Cardin back off as Blake spoke
"General Lagune was inexperienced, and made the mistake of trying to ambush the Faunus in their sleep. His massive army was outmatched, and the general was captured." Blake said with an approving Nod from Oobleck who turned back to the map, allowing her to turn to Cardin.
"Perhaps if he'd paid attention in class, he wouldn't have been remembered as such a failure." Blake said with Cardin mid-way of getting up before he saw the warning glare Loki gave him.
"Mr Winchester, I suggest you sit down unless you want extra readings" Oobleck began with Odin and Loki high fiving discreetly, with Nora also high fiving Loki.
Walking out of the classroom with his group of friends, Loki moved to Jaune who perked up.
"Ready for those lessons of swordplay?"
"Wait you were serious about that?" Jaune questioned with Odin walking to Loki's side.
"Of course, who do you take us for, morons like Cardin?" Odin questioned with Jaune shrugging, getting the attention of Pyrrah.
"What seems to be the problem?"
"Nothing Pyrrah, everythings fine" Jaune said before Odin had a look of pure genius.
"Actually, Pyrrah, you up for helping Jaune learn how to wield a sword" Odin questioned with Jaune looking at him in worry.
"I will be glad to help" Pyrrah said with Loki smirking.
"Than it's agreed, Jaune, your gonna be a true knight when we're done" Loki said with a smile that made Jaune smile back slightly.
"Thanks guys, I guess" Jaune said before Pyrrah dragged him ahead with Odin and Loki trying to keep up.
Following Pyrrah and Jaune to the dorm rooms Odin and Loki followed them onto the rooftop with Pyrrah standing behind Jaune who looked over the edge.
"Uh, Pyrrah, I need training not therapy" Jaune said with Pyrrah having a look of horror while Loki and Odin laughed at the scene, making the two turn to them.
"Oh Oum, that's just rich!" Odin laughed loudly with Loki on his knees hitting the ground during his laughter.
Standing back up to wipe his tears of joy he looked to the two.
"You chose the worse place to help Jaune Pyrrah, there are so many health dangers up here that even I don't think it's a good idea" Loki said as he approached the edge of the rooftop.
"He has a point" Odin said with Pyrrah blushing at her mistake before Jaune placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It's alright Pyrrah, at least you had the thought of helping" Jaune said.
"I have a personal training arena near the academy, we can train there" Loki said with Jaune looking to him with a smile.
"Thanks you guys… I don't know what to say, the three of you are going out of your way to train me" Jaune said with Loki shrugging.
"Ah it's alright, so what if you snuck your way into beacon" Loki said before clamping a hand on his mouth as Jaune gave him a horrified look.
"What?" Odin questioned Jaune, not in anger but pure curiosity… and a bit of respect, looking to Jaune who had his head down he turned to Pyrrah who stared in neutrality.
"I, faked my transcripts to get into beacon" Jaune said with Loki snapping out of it to speak.
"My dad already knew he faked his transcripts, but the fact Jaune's reasons for wanting to join was and I quote "My grandfather and dad were warriors before me, I have seven sisters who follow in their footsteps, now It's my turn to help protect those who cant protect themselves". He didn't accept you because you showed your transcripts, he allowed you entry because you said the right words of being a Huntsmen… and plus, we come here to learn, so as far as I see it… your ready to learn" Loki said with the three staring at him before Jaune spoke.
"You are way better at giving speeches than your dad" Jaune said with the four laughing
"I get that a lot" Loki said with a smile.
Sitting down in a circle to plan the training schedule the four had been their four an hour before they finally made their way to their dorms, with Loki and Odin bidding Jaune and Pyrrah farewell, with Loki following after Odin before he heard Nora call his name.
"Loki hold up!" turning to his friend of team JNPR he took notice to her cheeks reddening.
"Hey Nora, what's up?" Loki questioned as Nora stood in front of him with a smile.
"I was wondering if you wanted to head out to Vale some time" Nora questioned with Loki tilting his head to her question with Odin choosing that moment to but in.
"He would love to go with you to vale Nora, Right Loki?"
"I was already gonna say yes" Loki said with a look of annoyance towards Odin who he shoved lightly off, making him chuckle as he walked to their teams dorm, leaving Loki who turned back to Nora who was smiling brightly.
"Yeah, Sure, Tomorrow is Saturday so we'll head out tomorrow, sound good?" Loki questioned with Nora skipping in place.
"Yes, We'll meet up at the Bullhead bay at lunch time" Nora said with Loki nodding, turning to head to his dorm room Nora pecked his cheek before somehow vanishing, leaving a stunned Loki as he looked around for her.
"Huh?"