Chapter 22

Memory of a scorpion

Standing in the forever fall forest with his adopted son and Assistant, Ozpin watched in full fascination as Loki was crouched down with his hands outstretched towards a boulder in front of them on its side.

Watching Loki sweat and curse in unknown languages not from Remnant, Ozpin frowned in worry for Loki as he noticed blood slowly leaking down from his ears before the blood began to float back into his ears as Ozpin saw movement from the stone boulder much to his and Glynda's astonishment.

Watching further as the boulder was slowly lifted off the ground, seemingly untouched by gravity as it and smaller stones began to float, it was this moment Loki broke his stance and panted heavily, showing he had a blood nose as Glynda went to help him, going to wipe the blood she stopped in surprise as it began flowing back, allowing Loki to catch his breath as he stood up shakily, leaning onto Glynda as he turned to Ozpin.

"So… how's that for ya, dad?" Loki questioned with Ozpin opening his mouth until ironwood approached.

"Quite a feat, if I can say" Ironwood said with a look of respect for Loki who smiled, showing a canine as he turned to the still floating boulder.

"So how long does this last, I would like to know so I can warn my men to watch out for falling stone boulders?" James questioned with Loki looking to the boulder, his eyes glowing briefly, followed by the boulder lowering for a second before returning to floating, making Loki raise his brows.

"Huh, it seems permanent" Loki said as he approached, walking around it he moved a small pebble with his right hand, making it hover away towards Glynda who held her hands out with the small stone floating in her hands…

"It's like magnets, when two are near each other differently they push away from each other" Glynda said as Ironwood approached the large boulder, looking to his right arm he hesitantly moved to the boulder which moved away from his hand, making him watch it float away into a tree gently.

"You are something else, Mr Fenris" James Ironwood said with Loki smiling as he scratched his head, before he reeled back at feeling blood in his hair.

"You should get yourself checked up on at the nurse's office, while you were demonstrating you began to bleed and heal" Ozpin said with Loki frowning in thought before he nodded.

Saluting lazily Loki vanished with small sparks of electricity.

"He's getting stronger Ozpin… much stronger than I anticipated" Ironwood said as Ozpin hummed in agreement.

"That's exactly what Hoshi said" Ozpin said as he began to walk back to Beacon.

"Be sure Loki is present for his class Glynda" Ozpin added with the woman rolling her eyes with a smile.

Rushing forward with Miló and Akoúo̱ at the ready, Pyrrah Nikos clashed with a shield of hardened ash as she and Loki were chosen to spar to see if they were ready for the tournament, with the class watching excitedly as Loki reached through his shield and grabbed Pyrrah's shield, startling her as he leaned to the left and threw her over his shoulder, allowing him to run after her with his ash shield breaking down and following him like a shadow, throwing him upward like a spring board.

Looking up at Loki who had his fists raised with lightning coursing through them Pyrrah rolled out of the way as Loki made impact, sending a blast of electricity outward Pyrrah summersaulted further away as Loki stood up, smiling as his eyes glowed with sparks reaching out of them as the area of sparks rushed back to his hands.

Leaving Pyrrah on the defence as the lightning was extinguished, leaving Loki with his hands reaching for Lucifer, loading stun round he flicked the cylinder back in with a smile, one which Pyrrah returned as she rushed forward seeing as Loki decided to play fair.

Firing at Pyrrah who raised her shield the two approached each other, seeing this Pyrrah rushed towards Loki who grinned as he holstered lucifer and waited for Pyrrah.

Watching her rush at him suddenly Loki leaned to the to the right to avoid the shield bash Pyrrah sent at him, leaving herself wide open with Loki palm striking her back, knocking her off the ground with a small shockwave spreading outward, sending her sliding out the ring with a wince as the victory hoon went off for Loki, who approached with a friendly smile, holding a hand out to Pyrrah she took it with an equally wide smile.

"I see you took my words to heart choosing another style"

"Well, your victory over mine in the tournament made me think"

"And that's the match!" Glynda said as she stepped onto the arena with Loki looking to Nora who smiled, making him wink at her before looking to team RWBY, making his smile leave as he saw Blake looking at her book, looking even more sleep deprived than before.

Turning to Glynda who spoke while looking at her scroll.

"Well done, you two, You should have no problem qualifying for the tournament." Glynda said with Loki looking back to Blake with a worried frown.

"Alright, now I know that's a tough act to follow, but we have time for one more sparring match. Any volunteers? Ms. Belladonna?" seeing Blake slam her book shut at hearing her last name, Glynda took notice to her sleepless eyes with a worried look.

"Ms. Belladonna, are you alright?" Glynda questioned before they turned to a raised hand, making Loki narrow his eyes as Mercury sat with a lazy lean in his chair.

"I'll do it" Mercury said with Loki standing calmly while Pyrrah noticed his tenseness.

"Loki?" Pyrrah said as Glynda spoke with Loki turning to her.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright?" Pyrrah questioned with Loki calming himself.

"I don't trust him and his team, every time they speak to me I always feel there's a hidden modem under their actions" Loki said before he looked up as Mercury spoke.

"Actually, I wanna fight... her." Mercury said with Loki letting out a low growl, hinting to his wolf side as his eyes glowed while Pyrrah pointed to herself.

"Me?" Pyrrah said before she noticed Loki's clawed hand twitch, making her look at him to see him glaring at Mercury.

"I'm afraid Miss Nikos has just finished the match. I recommend you choose another partner." Glynda said with Pyrrah about to accept the challenge until Loki spoke.

"I'll have a round" Loki said with no room for arguments, making Pyrrah and Glynda look at him in worry as Mercury shrugged, standing up he moved down to the arena as Cinder and Emerald watched in full focus.

While Nora watched in worry as Loki had a hidden grudge against this Mercury Black.

Leaning to Nora Yang spoke.

"Did something happen between those two?" Yang questioned with Nora shrugging.

"I don't know, but they fit the warning his future self gave us" Nora said as Pyrrah returned to team JNPR, watching with a worried frown as Mercury strutted onto the arena with Loki taking off his coat, showing his black tank-top beneath, showing his well built body with Nora drooling at the sight, seeing the holstered hand-cannons over the outfit Ruby had stars in her eyes as she now saw four hand-cannons, one on his upper thigh while the other two sat over his rib area's, cracking his neck Loki fixed his leather gloves from his rogue hunter outfit, along with his pants rippling into the same pants with the hand-guns also joining this fight.

Seeing this Mercury spoke with a raised eyebrow.

"Overcompensating are we?" Mercury said with Loki giving him a deadpan look.

"No, I just like simple guns, even the ones that pack a mean punch to the head" Loki said as he un-holstered his new hand-cannon, showing it had two barrels instead of just one, it was painted black with white edges.

Bringing out his other new weapon, Loki grinned as this one was painted with red eyes looking down to the two barrels, showing a painted grin on the bottom barrel.

"Meet my new weapons, Jekyll" Holding his black hand-cannon, Loki showed it had lightning dust imbued rounds while raising his other weapon.

"And Hyde, I made these, especially for you… metal foot" Loki said with the crowd growing confused while Mercury stared in alarm.

"Don't look at me like that, I can smell the scent of steel from your feet, that and I can hear the grinding of joints whenever you move around, you really need to oil them" Loki said with a grin while Mercury scowled.

"Are both combatants ready?" Glynda called out to them, with Loki calling out "Ready"

While Mercury got into a running stance, his eyes set as a glare.

"Come on, don't tell me your all bark and no bite" Loki taunted with his canines growing, letting out a challenging growl.

Hearing the buzzer to the spar Mercury rushed forward with Loki standing in wait, watching Mercury go for a spin kick Loki leaned back to avoid being kicked in the face, seeing the follow up kick he watched as the world slowed to a crawl, seeing Mercury moving at him at a snail's pace Loki walked around the prick to send his own kick into the teens back, turning to take aim he fired both Jekyll and Hyde at Mercury's knee-caps.

Watching as the world resumed he dispelled the lightning in his muscles with Mercury flying forward with both his knee-caps being shot, making him groan in pain as he fell onto his face, making the crowd wince as Mercury coughed.

"He didn't pull any punch's that one" Yang said to Nora who merely nodded as Mercury got up, wiping his mouth of the drool he coughed up he turned to glare at Loki who stood with a disappointed look, which evolved into one with disinterest as he holstered his weapons.

"What too chicken to keep using them?" Mercury growled as he got into another fight.

His only answer was Loki cracking his knuckles as his eyes glowed menacingly.

"You want me to make you throw up again?" Loki questioned with Cinder watching the fight more.

Letting out a growl Mercury rushed forward with a kick aimed at Loki's head, seeing this Loki raised his right arm to block the strike, Loki stared at Mercury who left himself open, rushing forward Loki sent a unrestrained right hook into Mercury's stomach, making Mercury lean forward, which allowed Loki to send another right hook into the teens face, showing once more he was not holding back as the buzzer went off, showing Mercury's aura was near non-existent, while Loki's was unscathed.

Approaching the downed student, Loki crouched down to speak to Mercury.

"Listen hear Black, you may be here for the tournament like all the other kingdoms, but let it be known I do not trust you or either of your teammates, especially that Cinder chick, I never really did trust the control freaks" Loki said as he got up, grabbing Mercury by the collar he held him effortlessly to the medics who winced as Mercury now sported a bloody lip and possibly broken jaw, along with two fractured ribs.

Leaving Loki in the arena before he looked up at hearing the lunch bell.

Which allowed him to see Blake startled awake from her book, making Loki frown in worry

"That is all for today. And remember, the dance is this weekend. But you all have your first mission on Monday. I will not accept any excuses." Glynda said as Loki retrieved his coat, putting it back on he went to join his team until Emerald stopped him, with Cinder observing.

"You ever heard the term restraint!?" Emerald said with feigned anger for Mercury.

"Bite me!" Loki said as he walked on, making Emerald blink at his rudeness, making her narrow her eyes as he returned and held a wallet out to her, making her eyes widen as he held her wallet.

"That's payback for trying to take mine" Loki said before flicking it into her hands, making Emerald gawk as he ran to catch up to his team, leaving Cinder angry that two of her people were outsmarted.

Seeing Loki joining them, Odin spoke as Nora hopped onto his back, making him smile up to her.

"What was that about?" Odin questioned Loki who sighed.

"I don't trust those three, even before one of them tried to take my scroll" Loki said with Ruby raising an eyebrow.

"Which one?"

"Emerald, tried to pickpocket me" Loki said with Ruby narrowing her eyes as she looked back to the classroom before she took notice to Blake lagging behind.

"Blake…!" seeing the cat Faunus visibly flinch at his words, Loki frowned in more worry with Nora making him stop and turn to Blake like a horse.

"Are you alright?" Nora questioned with Loki frowning in worry as she looked at them with sleep deprivation clearly the problem.

"I'm fine" Blake said as she began to walk away, if not for Loki grabbing her by the shoulder, making her turn to see his eyes staring at her sternly.

"No, you clearly need sleep, those obvious bags under your eyes have darkened ever since the run in with Roman and the Paladin" Loki said with Blake trying to muster a glare, it would have worked if it were anyone but Loki who glared back with his eyes glowing.

"Blake, get some sleep" Loki said with Blake defiantly refusing.

"The White fang are still out there, I have no time for sleep" Blake said as she began walking away.

"What about the dance?" Nora questioned with Loki looking up to her.

"What?"

"The dance this weekend, You want to come with us?" Nora questioned innocently with Blake frowning at the question.

"I'm sorry Nora, But I won't be able to" Blake said with Loki narrowing his eyes at her, seeing her sway in her steps he sighed.

"You have to do something Loki, she's hurting herself" Nora said with Loki looking after Blake in thought.

"I'll figure something" Loki said as he continued walking after his team and Nora's.

Allowing her to rest her head on Loki's to have a nap, making him look up with a small smile.

Walking down the hallway after dropping Nora off, Loki had been more worried for Blake as old memories had surfaced from his time away from Vale, it was memories of his many close calls with an assassin.

Seeing Blake stepping out of her team's dorm room, Loki took instant notice to the aggravated look she had as she closed the door rather forcefully, making him stop and watch her walk away in the direction of the library.

Frowning at her fleeing form he frowned in determination as he approached team RWBY's dorm.

It was that moment Jaune had appeared out of nowhere.

"Hey Loki…?" Jaune said with Loki jumping at his sudden appearance with Jaune stepping back.

"Jesus Jaune don't do that" Loki said while holding his chest, with Jaune smiling apologetically before he frowned.

"Whose Jesus?" looking at the Arc with his own look of confusion Loki spoke.

"Don't worry about it, I don't know half the stuff of what my head is remembering"

"You had amnesia, when?" Jaune questioned with Loki giving him a look which made Jaune hold his hands up.

"Alright, I won't ask, anyway, do you think Pyrrah will say yes if I ask her to the dance?" again he gets a look but one of bewilderment from Loki.

"Jaune, she will say yes even before you finish the sentence, just go ask her, I have to check on team RWBY"

"Oh, alright" Jaune said as Loki knocked on the door, waiting for it to open he was greeted by Yang opening the door.

"You know where Blake is?" Loki questioned with Yang instantly answering.

"She said she'll be at the library, why?"

"I want to have a word with her, it'll help everyone if she finally see's reason" Loki said with Yang nodding.

"Good luck than" Yang said with Loki nodding before he began to go after Blake.

It had taken him half an hour of looking for Blake in the library, with Loki looking through every isle of books it was when he found other students at the research terminals he saw her bow.

Walking to her with a frown of worry he stood beside her as she was slowly swaying in her seat, making him sigh and exit the tabs she was on, making her turn to see him lift her up with little resistance, not even fazing the few students in the library as he carried her out, making her weakly hit his back as he had her on his right shoulder.

"Loki, put me down" Blake said as he left the library, not seeing a mop of golden yellow hair following them in curiosity.

"Not until you see reason as to why pushing yourself like this can be fatal" Loki said as he entered a building, making his way to a classroom he set her down on the desk while pulling up a chair for himself.

"Loki, if you're going to tell me to stop, you may as well save your breath." Blake said as Loki sat back with his arms crossed with a stern look which made Blake look away.

"And like I said, I'm not letting you continue until you see reason" Loki said with Blake mustering up a glare.

"And I don't need to see reason, you all still need to see how huge of a threat the White Fang are if their working with Roman" Blake said with Loki sitting forward.

"And we will, but I want to tell you something, something that was caused by what your doing right now that I had done" Loki said with Blake and a hidden Yang paying full attention.

"What did you do?" Blake questioned, curiosity now in her mind to her fellow Faunus.

"It was two years ago, when I was still travelling Remnant, I had finally established a spy network that had gained the attention of something that had also caught my eye in return" Loki said as he looked to the left.

((Flashback))

Walking away from a trading post with a bag of supplies on his shoulder, a fifteen year old Loki held up a map with roads leading to many towns and villages his now organised spy network set up shop in.

Looking ahead while putting away his map, Loki brought out his scroll for any news about his recent discovery, looking to the files image it showed the mask of a Grimm but with a crown a queen would wear.

(What I found was called the Grimm Queen by my sources who had their own networks)

Opening the file as he walked on the road, the young Loki read over what little info he could get of this Grimm Queen, and the many sources he had were all gibberish and misinterpreted.

But his most recent contact had given him the most useful tip of where to find more information, which was also the cause of vales, failed expansion.

A Dragon under Mountain Glenn set in slumber by this Queen, and right now Loki was close enough to make a hike there.

(I was too into my search for this queen to think of covering my tracks, the Queen wasn't a simple leader of a pack of Grimm, no… it was an actual person with contacts of her own)

Walking to the base of the mountain with a sigh of exhaustion, the young Faunus looked around to see a stream of water running down the hill and ultimately the mountain in silece.

Walking down to it to get a good few gulps of water, the teen stopped at seeing a pack of wolves lounging at the other side of the stream, pups seen running around in their own way of fun, looking at the pack a second longer Loki took notice to a black wolf staring back at him with crimson eyes.

Making Loki frown in curiosity at the odd sight, reaching into his backpack to get out a camera he stopped at hearing the wolf pack give out warning barks and growls, looking back up he saw the entire pack up and facing towards him, the black wolf barking louder than the others.

(I learned that day, that whoever I was tracking… had others under her command, I was meant to be silenced one day, but I managed to cheat death, who happened to be a Faunus with a thirst for blood)

Spinning around to see a shadow looming over him the young Faunus leaped out of the way of a scorpion Faunus' stinger meant for his head, seeing the Scorpion Faunus Loki saw the crazed smirk lingering on the assassin's face, Loki stared at golden eyes that screamed lunacy.

((Flashback end))

Looking up to Blake, Loki spoke.

"I had barely escaped that bastard who had hunted me down for three days after that, he got the hint to back off after he pushed me to my limits, I gave him a nasty scar down his chest, matched with a bite on his right wrist" Loki said with Blake frowning in worry.

"Loki, i-"

"I'm trying to say, Blake, is don't do what I did, don't become careless, don't overwork yourself like I did" Loki said as he got up and approached Blake, cupping her chin in his right hand he stared at her with eyes of compassion and care, making Blake stare as his eyes glowed soothingly.

"Don't make the same mistake I did, Blake" Loki said before bringing her into a kiss, making Blake go wide-eyed before she leaned into the kiss, making a hidden Yang smile while silently egging the two on.

Pulling away from Blake so he could place his forehead onto her, Loki spoke.

"Please, get some rest… or I'll pinch a nerve again" Loki said with a smirk that made Blake smile warmly.

"I will, Loki. I will"

Sitting within their given Dorm, Cinder sat on her bed sewing fabric for an outfit as Emerald checked off a list while Mercury laid on his bed with gauze wrapped around his chest area along with an ice pack tied to his jaw, a black eye seemingly imprinted into his being.

"And Finally, Pyrrah Nikos and Loki Fenris, both renown for fighting in the tournament for their prowess and Loki's first ever victory against the once queen of victory, Pyrrah-"

"We can skip her for now, I want to know about Loki Fenris, the supposedly loved by all Son of Ozpin" Cinder said with Emerald looking to her scroll.

"Not much is known about him, all that is known is Ozpin found him in a crater outside of Vale, which later became known as The Devils Pit, which has been off limits to everyone after his last visit inside the mine, that and he can break down and rebuild his body into ash particles as a way to move around quickly" Emerald said with Cinder frowning.

"This sounds familiar" Cinder said offhandedly before gesturing for Emerald to continue.

"Alright, that and he has shown growth in powers never before seen in Remnant, the most prominent one being he is now able to channel the power of lightning into his body to help move fast" Emerald said before they turned to Mercury.

"Whisch I hath da misphortuneth oth feethling" Mercury said before he began to groan.