Chapter 11
Forever Fall
walking out of the movie theatre with Nora happily eating Popcorn, Loki stretched his arms as Nora walked close to his side.
"I have to admit, that movie wasn't that bad"
"Yeah, especially when Spruce Willis got the machine gun and cleared that hallway" Nora said happily with Loki having a look of thought.
'I'm fairly sure you meant the other guy but I'm not complaining" Loki said with the two walking in comforting silence with Nora leaning into Loki's side, making the two share a smile before laughing softly.
To say after the first date was exceptional, even though the movie theatre was being renovated yesterday Nora had insisted they go to the firing range, much to Loki's surprise and delight, and today they managed to see another instalment to Spruce Willis' movies in the cinema, with Nora hooked onto the movie like Jaune and now Loki who smiled as he brought Nora into a one armed hug, making the girl laugh at his boldness while willingly leaning against him, making him smile down to her.
Before Loki was shoved by someone rushing by, making Loki turn to the guy to yell until he noticed his arm rippling with ash particles, but these ones were a mixture of colours, before he felt his mind pulse.
Forcing him to his knees as he gripped his right arm as he felt a searing pain rushing up to his head, forcing him to see images, along with a skeletal figure in the shadows calling for him.
"Make us whole"
Letting out a yell as his arm exploded with ash with Nora kneeling down to help him, looking to Loki's eyes they were rapidly changing from golden to blood red.
"Loki!" Nora said urgently as a crowd began to gather, some ready to help while others didn't even care.
Until a woman in sunflower dress walked to Loki and lightly poked his forehead, causing a golden ripple to spread over his body as he lost consciousness, allowing a disguised Hoshi to look to the left to see a cloaked being turn its head to her, showing its skull face breaking apart and reforming from ash particles before walking off.
Walking urgently into the medical wing of Beacon Academy, a worried Ozpin stepped to a room where team GLOY and JNPR stood outside of with frowns of worry, turning to see his look of utter panic he opened the door to see a nurse applying bandages to Loki's right arm, flinching ever so slightly with ashes leaking through the bandages like blood.
Moving to his son's side Ozpin looked to the Nurse with a nod, getting ne back she left the two alone, with Ozpin sitting down as Hoshi appeared beside him.
"This was one of his abilities seeking him out… wasn't it?" Ozpin questioned with Hoshi sighing in defeat.
"It was, whatever it did, it caused a fraction of his power to surface, forcing his body to adapt to the new energy which caused his arm to… become damaged" Hoshi said with Ozpin sighing.
"We won't be able to keep him protected Hoshi if this is happening now than something senses trouble in the future if it's seeking him out" Ozpin said with a voice of worry and seriousness as Hoshi crossed her arms.
"If that is true then he'll have to go back to where his abilities took form…" Hoshi said with Ozpin looking to Loki.
"The devil's pit" Ozpin said with a voice of concern as Hoshi vanished.
Hours later
Groaning for the first time after losing Consciousness, Loki blinked the blurriness away from his vision Loki looked down to his left arm to see both Nora and Blake sleeping, with Blake and Nora sharing a blanket.
Leaving Loki sitting up with a smile, moving to move into more comfortable position before the same skeletal being appeared in front of him, roaring in anger before Loki sat up fully awake with a shout of surprise, startling both Blake and Nora from their sleep as Loki looked around frantically with his eyes glowing in the dimly lit room before Nora and Blake ran to him.
"Loki it's okay, it's okay" Blake said with the werewolf Faunus calming down as he laid his head back.
"We're in Beacon by the way" Nora said with Loki rubbing his face before he noticed the bandages wrapped around his right arm.
"What happened?"
"People said some guy came up to you and shoved you, he hasn't been seen since, your arm was severely burnt" Blake said with Loki looking to Nora.
"Not such a good date, huh?" Loki questioned with the hyperactive member of JNPR laughing softly.
"Not really, the movie was good, maybe we can do this again once your on your feet tomorrow, just without the burning arm"
"We have a trip to Forever Fall forest tomorrow" Blake stated with a tired look in her eyes, making the three turn to a clock which showed it was midnight.
"I guess I'll see you two tomorrow then" Loki said with the two sharing a giggle before they stood up.
"Just be sure to get some rest, that arm isn't going to heal overnight you know" Blake said before leaving the two.
Allowing Nora to turn to Loki with a smile as he leaned back.
"Are you gonna be alright in here?" Nora questioned with Loki smiling cheekily.
"I do miss my teddy bear" Loki said with Nora smiling at him as she got comfortable, making Loki lean back.
"You know… you're the first guy I've ever been comfortable with aside from Ren" Nora said with Loki looking to the ceiling in thought.
"I guess that's cause you've known him since childhood, huh?" Loki said with Nora nodding absentmindedly to the question.
"Yeah, in the village I met him, he was the only one who showed kindness to me being homeless" Nora said with Loki looking to her saddened expression, seeing her eyes on the brink of watering he acted quickly and pulled her into an embrace, resting her head on his chest she looked up to see Loki looking to the ceiling with a worried frown.
"You're here now, which means whoever your parents were will be proud that you are here, hoping for a future better then today" Loki said with Nora looking down in thought before smiling slightly, leaning her head down with her eyes closed.
"At least you have parents you remember, I barely even remember what my mother looks like, heck even my dad, I think I had a sister or brother" Loki said before he heard soft snores from Nora, making him look down to see her sleeping face, ever so peaceful.
Making him chuckle before he sighed, laying his head back to sleep the rest of his night off.
Walking with his team as they followed Glynda through Forever Fall forest, Loki let out a yawn as Jaune and team JNPR hung close to GLOY with Jaune carrying most of the handed jars from Glynda, with Odin calling it endurance training with Yang agreeing as she snuck her own jar on the luggage.
With Loki helping Jaune hold up the weight by taking half of it, with the group enjoying the scenery with a low whistle.
"Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so." Glynda said with Loki admiring the scenery before he looked again at seeing the silhouette of a figure in the trees before vanishing as he blinked, making Loki rub his eyes as Glynda spoke.
"Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here by 4 o'clock. Have fun!" Glynda said with Loki turning to her.
"You have a different view of fun Glynda" Loki said with the teacher giving him a look.
"I gave you that book didn't i?"
"Yeah before I sold it to a student" Loki said before running away from an angry looking Goodwitch, with teams JNPR, GLOY and RWBY running after them.
Leaving a scheming CRDL behind.
The team not noticing a figure following Loki from above, causing leaves to fall down.
Panting like the canine family being he was, Loki let out a laugh as Glynda gave him a look of annoyance as she leaned against a tree, her glasses barely hanging onto her face until she fixed them.
"You still have the same amount of stamina as you did when you were younger" Glynda panted as Loki stood with a smile.
"Maybe more than back then" Glynda said as she noticed he barely looked winded.
"I never stopped parkour when I've been gone Glynda"
"You did Parkour?" Ruby questioned with a frown as Loki returned said frown.
"Your kidding right?" Loki questioned with Ruby leaning away from Loki's stare before Jaune gasped, dropping the literally semi-indestructible jars with a look of recognition.
"No way, you're the guy who created Parkour here?" Jaune questioned with Loki taking a heroic pose with a wall appearing behind him with vales emblem hanging proudly behind him as inspiring music played.
Breaking the pose with the background shattering to the ground he nodded.
"Yep, one of the many ways I kept in shape when not fighting Grimm, I even got a national festival request for it in Vacuo and Vale, Atlas were too serious and with a serious case of stickus in assus to accept a festival made by a Faunus, although the general saw the benefits of my workout regime, so that's a plus" Loki said as he leaped up to grab a branch, allowing him to pull himself up and down, making all but Glynda stare at him in awe, turning away to keep watch of the other present students Glynda left.
"So that makes you as famous as Pyrrah, just not in the fighting way?" Weiss said with Loki dropping down with a shrug.
"I was never really into the tournaments back then until her agent smack talked me into fighting in a tournament" Loki said with Pyrrah having a look of surprise.
"My agent did what?" Pyrrah questioned with an angry tone of voice.
Making Loki shrug it off.
"It's no big deal, I only fought to shut him up anyway, now let's get these jars filled" Loki said as his fingers became claws which he used to slash the tree, allowing the sap to leak out as Team RWBY and JNPR went to fill their own jars.
Leaving Loki to slash more trees for his team.
It was after they filled their jars did they look for the other teams, with Loki walking to Nora that he heard glass shattering.
Turning he saw Odin with his spear held high with a Jar of sap half way down the blade, confusing the eight before looking to the clearing where a panicked teen stood.
Making Loki squint at seeing a laughing cardin behind the teen.
Walking to Odin he pulled the jar of sap off of his spear to throw it back at Cardin who let out a "Oof" as it sent him to the ground, shattering the sap onto his chest as Loki turned back to team JNPR.
"Serves them right" Nora said with a smile as she held an open jar of sap, with its contents around her mouth, making Loki wipe a finger on her cheek, getting a drop of sap on his finger he gave it a taste test.
"Hmm, tastes like syrup" Loki said with Nora smiling cheekily before bringing him into a kiss, making him slouch in surprise before enjoying the taste until they were interrupted by a scream from Russell Thrush.
"URSA!"
Turning to the teen who ruined the moment his eyes widened at smelling an Ursa.
Turning to Odin who nodded in understanding before they rushed towards the sounds of growls and roars.
With Nora noticing falling leaves following after the two from above, making her look up to see a figure leaping from branch to branch above.
"Get Goodwitch" Nora said before rushing after the two, her hammer Magnhild in hand in its hammer mode.
Watching the Grimm stalking towards his downed form, Cardin raised his Mace to fight off the Ursa until it swung its right paw, making his Mace fly out of his grip.
Leaving him in the Mercy of the grimm before it looked up to greet Loki's right knee, sending it back with Odin landing beside Loki who turned and helped Cardin off the ground.
"On your feet Winchester" Loki said as he stomped on the ground with a ripple of ash reaching outward towards his mace, sending it into the air with Loki grabbing it.
Handing it to Cardin the three stared at the Ursa Major as it growled at them.
Looking to Loki in a new light Cardin frowned in determination as he grabbed his mace, ready to fight…
Until something landed behind the Ursa, making it growl in confusion before its head was grabbed and torn in half, leaving the three to stare at the being as it dropped down, showing bone light armor covered in dried blood, two horns jutting out the back of its head as red orbs stared at the three, more so towards Loki with a rumbling growl.
"Okay, what the hell?" Cardin questioned as the being stood tall, nearing the height of Yatsuhashi.
"We're doomed, aren't we?" Cardin questioned the two with Loki un-holstering his two hand-cannons.
"I'll keep its attention on me, you two try and flank behind it" Loki said with Cardin nodding with Odin lunging forward with his spear shooting ahead of him, nailing the being through the chest Loki blinked as it the wound bled out a shower of burning ash, looking down in surprise Odin leaped up and catapulted himself over the being, landing a good few feet he raised his hand with his spear shooting into his grip, leaving the being holding its chest before it turned to Odin with a fierce glare, before it was knocked on the head by a passing Cardin who ducked to avoid a backhand.
Leaving Cardin beside Odin who stared at the growling being with a calculating look.
Making it let out a roar until Loki shot it's back.
Making its bone break off and reform asit turned to Loki with an arm shielding its head as Loki approached, allowing cardin and Odin to rush up behind it for an attack, with Odin Leaping up with his spear poised to impale while Cardin went to smack the back of its knees.
With Loki rushing forward with his weapons firing to keep its attention on him.