Hello Readers, welcome to the newest addition to the Team LMNS series. Hope you guys enjoy it!
"You see anything up there!?"
Leaf could here Millie calling him from down below. He balanced himself on the large tree branch he was currently perched on.
"No, not yet Millie!" he called back.
From atop the high tree he could hear her let out a cry of frustration.
"We're never gonna find that Temple!"
"Don't fret, it can't be that hard!"
"Oh really!? Then why haven't we found it yet!?"
"It would be easier if you would help me look!"
Millie groaned before quickly scampering up the tree with the use of her claws, Wolfsbane.
"Happy?" she inquired.
"Nope, we're still lost,"
Millie slugged his arm.
"You just can't be pleased can you?"
"Look who's talking,"
Milleth giggled.
"Think you can throw me up?" she inquired.
"It's worth a try, as long as you've been laying off the..." A look from Millie shut him up.
Leaf held out his hands, Millie jumped onto them and was then hoisted up high into the air. After a second of air time she landed into Leaf's arms.
"See anything?"
"I think so, over there," she pointed.
Leaf sighed.
"That looks like a long walk..." he whined.
"Lazy," Millie teased, poking his nose.
"Hey, that's mean,"
"Why don't you just use your semblance? It could quicken the trip,"
"It takes up energy, I want to save it just in case we get into a big battle,"
"With what?"
Leaf thought for a moment.
"I don't know, a Death Stalker?"
Milleth rolled her eyes.
"Alright, let's go!"
"To the Temple we go,"
Leaf leapt off the tree. Millie climbed onto his shoulders.
"Onward!"
"Do you have any idea where we're going?"
Nail and Synthia had not yet found the Abandoned temple.
"Nope, how about you Nail?"
"No clue," he replied, his voice hinting his growing worries.
He felt a hand on his shoulder, Synthia gave him a smile.
"Don't worry, we'll find it soon," she said.
"I hope you're right," Nail retorted.
...
Nail and Synthia both looked foward in awe. Before them, was the entrance to what looked like a large cave.
"Wow," Nail said, marveling at its size.
"You think we should go in?" Synthia inquired.
Nail observed the cave a minute longer before turning away.
"No,"
"Why not? The temple could be inside,"
Nail shook his head.
"I just have a really bad feeling,"
Synthia rolled her eyes.
"It's okay Nail, I'm sure we can handle whatever's inside," she said, making her way closer to the entrance.
"Wait!" Nail cried.
Synthia turned to face him.
"Step to the side a bit," he instructed.
Synthia complied, moving out of the way. Nail held up the Star Striker, and put an arrow on its string.
"Let's see what's inside first,"
He let go, the arrow zipped toward the cave, and disappeared into its darkness.
"Nail?"
With a loud CLING the cave was suddenly filled with light. Nail stepped forward, Synthia right behind him, both peered inside.
"See anything?" Synthia inquired.
Nail took a moment to study the cavern's interior.
"This cave's a lot smaller than I thought," He said. "Hmm..."
"What?"
"There's a small tunnel that's still a bit dark...but I think I see something,"
Nail suddenly jumped back, his face filled with fright.
"Nail, what's wrong?"
Nail sputtered for a moment, unable to get the words out.
"Nail? Nail!?"
Synthia struggled to get the words out of him.
"What. Did. You. See!?"
The ground beneath them suddenly began to rumble. Nail, instead of using his words simply pointed into the cave and let out a scream. Synthia looked through, eventually gasping after realizing what Nail had been screaming about. The ground beneath them shook harder as a loud roar was heard.
"RUN!" Nail yelled.
"I spy something...green!" Millie said.
Leaf rolled his eyes, he and Millie had been playing this game for what felt like forever.
"Really? Does it happen to be my hair?" Leaf asked with a twinge of annoyance.
Millie, riding atop his shoulders giggled.
"Yep, how'd you guess?"
"Millie, 'my hair' has been the answer since we started playing,"
"Yeah, yeah, its your turn, you grass-haired kitty-cat,"
"I spy..."
Leaf suddenly stopped.
"You spy what?"
"I spy two things, one yellow, one black,"
"Two things!? That's not fair,"
"I'll give you a hint..."
"What?"
Leaf pointed. Millie hopped off his shoulders and squealed.
"Yay! Friends!" She bolted forward, tackling the two students to the ground.
"M-millie!?" Leaf cried.
"Yang! Blake!" she screamed.
Yang smiled sheepishly, Blake gave Leaf a look. Leaf shrugged, pulling Millie off of them.
"Sorry, she get's a little excited sometimes," he explained, holding his friend in place.
"Nice to see you guys too, anyone seen Ruby?"
Blake elbowed her, pointing to the sky.
"Hey, Leaf?"
"Yes Millie?"
"I spy something Red!"
Nail and Synthia were still running from certain doom when they bumped into a certain red-head.
"Synthia?"
"Pyrrha?"
The two girls shared flustered looks.
"No time to talk, Death Stalker!" the both said in unison.
Nail looked from girl to girl, dumbfounded.
"You guy's know each other?"
"It's a long story," Synthia replied.
"One that we cannot discuss at the moment," Pyrrha said.
Two Death Stalkers burst through the trees side-by-side, both let out a ground-shaking roar.
Nail, Synthia, and Pyrrha exchanged glances and took off.
...
"So," Synthia started, all three students were running along side. "Who's your partner?"
"Did you guys happen to see someone flying through the sky, screaming in a way not considered 'manly'?"
"You mean that blond guy who was screaming like a girl?" Nail inquired.
"That's him,"
"That guy? How did you too meet?" Synthia asked.
"I should ask you the same,"
"Touche,"
Nail leapt into the air, firing a shining arrow backwards, a sudden blast of bright resulted in the combined cries of the Grimm behind them.
"Good job Nail," Synthia exclaimed.
"That'll only buy us a minute of time," he said. "Let's hope we lose them,"
"Ursas, Death Stalkers, Nevermore, oh my!"
The comment brought a smile to Leaf's face.
After what could possibly have been, the craziest reunion, everyone, all students, as a team rushed to their journey's end.
"You know what Millie? I think I've had enough of Grimm for today," he said.
The Nevermore flew over them, the Death Stalkers were probably close behind. The team separated into pairs, taking cover behind different structures of the ruins. The Nevermore perched on a large tower in the middle of the canyon.
"That's going to be a problem," Ren, a boy who had arrived to the Abandoned Temple on the back of an Ursa spoke up.
Jaune, who stood several feet away alongside Pyrrha, shouted a warning. The two Death Stalkers had arrived. The group reunited, making a break for the structure. One Death Stalker lumbered on by, the other headed straight for Leaf. He leapt out of the way, the Death Stalker grabbing onto a nearby pillar. The other's were currently held up, Ruby shot him an alarmed look.
Leaf sighed, looking between him, Millie, Nail, and Synthia.
"We'll handle this one, you guys go ahead!"
...
"You really think we can take this thing?" Nail inquired.
Leaf nodded, though reluctant.
Millie smiled.
"Come on guys, we're Huntsmen, this'll be a piece of cake,"
The Death Stalker roared.
"Let's do this!" Millie yelled.
Millie jumped forward, with the swipe of a claw she was smacked back to the ground. Synthia dashed forward, Leaf turned to help Millie. The Stalker swiped again, Synthia slid under it and delivered a quick slash to its claw. The Death Stalker roared, but the attack did little to affect it. Synthia leapt away before it could strike again.
"That armor's tough," she said. "It's not going to be easy to pierce,"
"I guess we'll have to find away to crack its shell..." Leaf muttered.
"What?"
"Nail, cover us,"
Nail nodded, taking point atop a large pillar.
"Millie, Synthia, follow me,"
...
Nail fired several arrows onto the Death Stalker, the Grimm replied by marching towards him, grabbing his pillar.
An explosive bolt from behind momentarily distracted it, the Death Stalker spun around and roared, Leaf smiled.
"Come here ya little bug," he said.
The Grimm lumbered towards him, something sharp collided with its side. Millie stood several feet away, jeering the beast.
"Over here!" she yelled.
The Death Stalker changed position, this time heading for her. Before it could strike, Synthia landed infront of it, slashing it's head. She dove out of the way as its tail came smashing into the ground. Nail fired another arrow, this one embedding itself into one of the Grimm's eyes.
The creature cried out, this time most definitely in pain. It roared, slashing around blindly, running right into a large column. It cried out once more, an explosive bolt brought its attention elsewhere. Nail put out another eye. The Stalker was suddenly attack from behind in a flurry of the combined forces of Synthia and Milleth.
The monster turned again, another eye was put out. This time the attacks were focused on its front, Leaf shooting it several times. The Death Stalker let out a pained screech, then immediately shot up as its mouth was filled with arrows. The Grimm had had enough, it ignored the others, heading straight for Nail's pillar. Just as it reached, the pillar pitched forward, then slammed down onto one of the Stalker's pincers. Nail, had jumped to safety.
The Death Stalker roared, frantically trying to pull itself free, its arm eventually detached, leaving it badly wounded.
"What now?" Nail inquired, regrouping with the others.
Leaf observed the large, injured Grimm before them.
"Millie, you go for its stinger, Synthia, try to keep its focus on you, Nail, you and I will take care of its other Pincer,"
Millie lit up.
"Should I use it?" she asked.
"Only if necessary," Leaf told her sternly.
She cheered and ran off towards the Death Stalker.
"Use what?" Synthia asked.
"Her semblance,"
...
The Death Stalker struck with its stinger, Millie jumped and latched onto it. The tail raised up, Milleth kept cutting at it. The Stalker raised its tail farther back, most likely to launch her like it did with Jaune.
"Nope, I am not having any of that,"
Millie flipped off the stinger, then leapt toward it delivering several powerful slashes. She landed against a pillar, shooting several claws into the weakened stinger. The Death Stalker struck again, Milleth only smiled at once.
"1...2...3!"
At the very last second before impact, Millie jumped forward, the stinger passed right through her, and smashed right into the pillar. Millie burst into laughter.
"I love that phasing power!"
With the tail stuck inside the structure, Milleth delivered one more strike. finally cutting through.
"Tail's done!" she exclaimed.
...
By the time Millie had signaled her objective's completion, Leaf and Nail had managed to get rid of the Death Stalker's final appendage.
"Now, all we have to do is get through that exoskeleton," Nail said.
Leaf grinned.
"What?" Nail inquired.
"You guys distract it, I'll take care of the rest," Nail nodded, and joined in the assault of the large Grimm.
Leaf ran towards the Death Stalker's stinger, the golden barb was still stuck in the pillar. A few explosive bolts were enough to free it. The stinger fell down, Leaf made his way towards it.
"Hope this works,"
Leaf touched the Stinger, then disappeared.
After a second he reappeared high in the sky. Both he and the stinger plummeted to the ground. He made his way atop it, somewhat surfing it through the sky.
"I really hope they've kept it steady,"
The ground was getting closer and closer, until finally-
CRASH!
The Death Stalker had exploded from the impact, its Exoskeleton easily shattered by the impact. Leaf had teleported himself onto the ground.
His group jumped back, staring in awe at the mess. Leaf rejoined them.
"How'd you do that?" Nail asked.
"My semblance, teleportation," he replied.
Leaf looked around, bits of the Death Stalker were littered around.
"That was extraordinary," Synthia said.
"I know right!? Look at that crater!" Millie squealed.
Where the Death Stalker once stood had been reduced to a large hole, the stinger stationed in the center.
"Enough about that, the Grimm's dead, lets check up on the others," Leaf stated.
The group made their way over to Jaune, the blonde was seated on the floor, exhausted, along with Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora. Ren, in particular, looked like he was about to throw up.
"Where's the Grimm?" Leaf asked.
When Jaune failed to answer, due to his attempts to regain his breath, Pyrrha answered for him.
"Gone, Nora smashed it, along with the bridge, to bits,"
"Leafy here used the stinger of our Death Stalker as a wrecking ball," Millie exclaimed, crushing Leaf in a hug.
"Wrecking ball?"
"I'll explain later,"
Nora suddenly jumped between them, a large grin present on her face.
"Hey guys look! It's Ruby!" she cried, gesturing to the cliff.
The group turned, just in time to see Ruby behead the Nevermore.
"Leaf Thorne, Milleth Terrabolt, Nail Morthen, Synthia Sora, you four picked up the-"
Leaf was momentarily distracted by a friendly nudge by Milleth.
"You four will go by Team Luminous, led by-"
"Here it comes!" Millie squealed.
Ozpin simply ignored her and continued.
"Led by Leaf Thorne,"
The words hit Leaf like powerful blow from a Death Stalker.
"M-me?" he stammered.
Jaune had previously had a similar reaction.
"Yes, congratulations young man,"
The crowd cheered, Leaf found himself being congratulated by his new teammates.
"I knew it!" Millie cried, almost tackling him to the floor with a hug.
"M-me?" he repeated, although it came out as nothing but a squeak.
Later That Day
Team Luminous, led by Leaf Thorne.
Leaf recalled Ozpin's words as he sat on the edge of the roof. It was nice, staring out into lights, it was quiet, calm, the perfect place to think. It would have seemed much more beautiful if Leaf hadn't been so deep in thought.
Led.
Lead.
Leader.
He was a leader.
"I had expected to be a good fighter, but a leader?" He thought aloud.
He didn't know the first thing about leading.
"Hey Leafy?"
Leaf jumped, he had been so deep in thought he hadn't noticed a certain friend of his take a seat beside him.
"Hello Millie," he deadpanned.
Milleth bumped him, Leaf turned to her with sad eyes.
"What's our new, fearless leader doing up here all alone?"
Leaf shifted uncomfortably, scooting over slightly.
"Please don't call me that,"
Milleth scooted closer as she replied, "What? A leader?"
"Millie..."
Millie sighed, leaning into his shoulder.
"Leaf, this isn't something you can just teleport away from," she said. "Ozpin made his decision,"
Leaf sighed.
"Maybe he was wrong,"
Millie gave his arm the most powerful of punches. Leaf jumped back, giving a short yelp, Milleth shot him a glare.
"Ow! What the heck was that for!?" he cried.
"I will not tolerate you putting yourself down like that!"
Milleth said this in such an angry tone, Leaf flinched.
"Millie-
Millie shushed him, her glare still present.
"I don't care about how "unqualified" or "unworthy" you think you are!" she yelled. "You led us today, and you led us good!"
"Millie..."
"Apologize!" she suddenly commanded.
Leaf gave her an incredulous look.
"To who!?"
"Yourself!"
Only Millie could say this as if it was a completely normal thing.
"You're kidding,"
Instead of replying, Milleth pointed to the ground.
"Millie, I'm not going to-"
Millie deepened her glare, pointing at the ground once again. Leaf sighed, and got onto his knees.
"Millie..."
"Do. It."
Seeing how his attempts of protest were futile, Leaf obliged.
"I'm..." He paused, Millie gestured for him to continue. "I'm...sorry...Me," he mumbled.
"I can't hear you," Millie said, cupping her ears for emphasis.
Leaf rolled his eyes.
"I'm sorry Leaf!"
For what seemed like forever, neither student said anything. Millie, somewhat content, eventually burst into laughter. After a moment Leaf joined her. She collapsed beside him, still giggling.
"You're crazy, you know that?" Leaf said with a smile.
"I know, but you love me anyways," Milleth replied.
The two laughed for a moment longer before a new voice appeared.
"What are you two crazy kids doing up here?"
Synthia, alongside Nail, emerged from the roof door.
"Just hanging out, how are you too holding up?" Lead inquired.
"I finished decorating my side," Nail replied.
"Oh yeah, decorations..." Millie stated.
"You guys planning on coming back downstairs soon, or should we just leave you two to it?" Synthia said with a short laugh.
"We could use your help..." Nail began.
"Don't worry, we'll be down soon," Leaf said.
With that, Nail and Synthia retreated back into the building. Leaf and Milleth stayed a bit longer before standing up.
"You know what Leaf? I think you'll make a great leader," Millie smiled.
"If I don't, I'll always have you and the others by my side every step of the way," he replied.
"Always,"
Milleth disappeared into the building, Leaf close behind her.
"Always," he silently repeated.
Well, hope you guys enjoyed it, I understand if you don't. If you're going to criticize, could you be a bit constructive with it. Help would be appreciated. See you next time!