Here we are at Chapter 121. Time for a few flashback moments to get a couple of questions answered before the main event begins. I do not own RWBY or Tales of Berseria. They belong to their respective owners. I only own my OCs. Here's chapter 121. Enjoy.

Chapter 121: It Begins

...Flashback begins...

In a vast white void, Summer Rose stands, watching over the faint form of a sleeping Laphicet Crowe floating before her. Laphicet sleeps peacefully as her mind drifts to her loved ones back on Remnant.

"How is he?" Summer asks out of the blue.

Suddenly appearing behind her, Maotelus hangs his head next to her form, "His existence is out of danger for now. But, after having so much of his strength stolen by Innominat in their separation, this is all I can do to prevent him from fading completely. If Velvet can defeat Innominat, then I might be able to take his energy and return it to Laphicet. That would allow him to regain his strength. It may not be enough to fully restore him, however. But, it will be enough to keep him out of danger,"

Summer hums, "Hmm, I'm worried about them. All of them. Ruby, Yang, Qrow, Velvet, everyone. I can feel the darkness slowly coursing through Remnant. Ruby and her friends may have stopped Salem and saved Haven, but the challenges that await them in the future will be far more difficult. Salem will not hold back next time," she worries.

"That is why I have called for some additional support," Maotelus turns his head to look back.

Summer looks to see Lailah appear behind them, "Lailah,"

Lailah bows to them, "I heard you were calling for me. Did something happen?"

"Your old friends from Remnant were victorious in stopping Salem from destroying Haven Academy and in claiming the Spring Maiden's power and the Relic of Knowledge. However, an unforeseen complication has revealed itself. The malak that Artorius used to try and control the world, Innominat, has somehow managed to separate himself from Velvet Crowe's younger brother, Laphicet Crowe. It would seem that his hunger for Velvet's despair, and a sudden thirst for revenge, had given him the strength he needed to split them in two. He now dwells in your world, and is now aiding Salem. He seeks to destroy Velvet and consume her. With my powers, I could deal with him without much trouble, but I cannot directly interfere with the events of another world. But, that does not mean that someone else can't. I know this is much considering you already agreed to aid my world, but I must ask you... will you go to Remnant to aid Velvet Crowe and her friends?" Maotelus asks.

"Please, now that Salem lost at Haven, and that Innominat is helping her, she will send everything she has at Velvet, Ruby and their friends when they reach Atlas. I cannot help but worry about what might happen to them," Summer says.

Lailah smiles and shakes her head, "You needn't worry about that. I will always be there to aid those that need it. If you believe that they need my help, then I will gladly accept this quest. Though I am no longer Pyrrha Nikos, and I now live in your world, I still hold much care for Remnant. For the people that call it home... and for those that I cherished as my friends and loved ones. I will do everything in my power to help them,"

Summer smiles back, "Thank you, Lailah,"

"So, what exactly must I do?" Lailah asks.

"I will send you to the continent of Anima, near the port city of Argus. Your old friends will arrive there soon enough. But, I have already predicted several challenges awaiting them there. Some, you may help in; others, you must not. There are some challenges that they must overcome on their own. But, like you, I have faith in them. Just as I have always had faith in Velvet. How exactly you go about handling this will be up to you. Even in your new life, you still know Remnant and those that live in it better than I do. I will fall back on your prior experience," Maotelus says.

"Very well. Will I be there only for a limited time like Velvet's old friends?" Lailah asks.

Maotelus nods, "Yes. Due to your former connection to Remnant, you would be able to dwell there for a longer period of time than my old friends. But, you will not be able to dwell there forever. There are still duties you must perform in my world. But, you will be there for some time. Long enough to help your old friends on their way through this difficult time,"

"Very Well. Then, if you are ready, I shall leave for Remnant at once," Lailah says.

Maotelus raises his right hand at her, "Good luck to you, Lailah the Pure," he says as a white light forms in his hand.

Lailah closes her eyes as she is engulfed in the white light and is transported to Remnant.

…

Sometime later, after appearing back in Remnant, Lailah finds herself in the city of Argus in Anima. Lailah looks around, feeling a sense of nostalgia at seeing her old home after so long.

"Argus, it feels like a lifetime ago that I was last here. Then again, I guess it has in a way. The others should be arriving here soon. I'd best prepare for their arrival,"

With that, Lailah traverses through the city, waiting for her old friends to arrive. Soon enough, she sees the members of Team JNR arrive, followed by Team RVWBY along with Oscar and Qrow afterwards. Lailah looks on from a distance, watching her old friends leave the military base after failing to get through. She watches Jaune the most, seeing the red sash around his waist, and smiles at seeing how much he's grown. She always knew that he had potential. Watching them as they figure out a new plan after the first one gets shut in their faces, Lailah waits for the time when she believes they will need her help. One night, she walks through a park in Argus, eventually coming across a statue of her former self in the middle of the park. It feels a little weird to her, seeing a statue that was made in her memory after her death. While she did indeed die that night at the Fall of Beacon, she still lives even now. This must be what Velvet felt like when she died and was brought back to life here on Remnant. Of course, this isn't the first time she's been to this statue. She came her before and met Velvet when she was unsure of what to do next. As she looks on at the statue, she feels a presence approaching from nearby. She hides behind some foliage and waits to see who arrives.

A few moments later, she sees who it is and her eyes widen in surprise. Walking up to the statue is a woman with short red hair and glasses, holding a bouquet of flowers in her arms.

"...Mother," Lailah mutters.

"...Hello, dear, I'm back," her mom talks to the statue. "You won't believe it, but I actually ran into that boy to mentioned in your letters. I believe you said that his name was Jaune. I admit, at first glance, it was a little hard to believe that he was a huntsman, but then when I talked with him, I saw what you meant. He truly is a kind boy, and I can see the inner strength you spoke of. I'm glad that you made such wonderful friends while you were at Beacon... I miss you... So much, but I know that you didn't regret your decision. I know that you did everything in your power to try, just as any true huntress would. And just as you did, I will believe in your teammates, in your friends. If you had that much faith in them, then so will I," she places the bouquet down at the feet of the statue, wiping away a stray tear from her eye, and then leaves the park.

Lailah watches her go, feeling herself tear up a bit at seeing her mother again. However, she knows that she can't try and go talk to her. Pyrrha Nikos is dead, and she can't go back to who she was before. But, seeing her mother smile, how she continues to live and move forward, and have faith; it helps give her the strength to move forward as well. Feeling a new sense of vigor, Lailah leaves the park to continue her mission.

…

Some time passed later, and Lailah finds herself in Mantle. Her friends had already made it to Atlas before her, and it seems they've been keeping themselves busy with a mission to send Amity coliseum into the atmosphere and send out a mission to the world about Salem and the Relics. She been able to watch over them without being noticed, and even managed to keep her existence a secret from Ironwood and the military. It probably wouldn't go so well if they found out about her. She watches as some of her friends help out with the mission at the launch site, and while some help out with defending Mantle. Of course, this gives her a few things to smile about. One time, she watched as Jaune was working as a cross-guard for little kids making their way to school. While that was nice to see, what was really amusing was when she saw the children's mothers starting to hit on Jaune and try to get his attention. They would either pose for him, smile and wave at him, or give him food and gifts. Lailah found herself giggling whenever she saw that since it happened more than once. Well, Jaune had grown since Beacon, and he's definitely become more handsome as well.

"I bet it's the new haircut," Lailah notes one time.

Lailah continues to help them when she can and when necessary. Those times become even more so when Salem arrived at Atlas and Ironwood abandons Mantle. That would be the time when Lailah truly steps onto the stage.

...Flashback ends...

On the Monstra, after having been brought back by Neo, Emerald is summoned to the throne room to meet with Salem. She went to Amity against Salem's orders. She can only imagine that this will not go well. She arrives in the throne room, finding Salem alone... except for the Hound sitting next to her throne, and Innominat standing next to her.

"You summoned me... my queen," Emerald kneels before her.

"Emerald... I believe I gave you strict orders not to make a move without my permission," Salem then suddenly casts a spell, causing several Grimm arms to pop out of the floor and pull Emerald down onto her knees, pinning her in place. "Now, what could've possibly made you think that going to Amity was the best course of action?" Salem rises from her throne.

"Those kids... were planning something... The robot girl, Penny. She was there," Emerald says.

Salem makes the Grimm arms pull Emerald's face to the floor, "I still don't see how that gives you permission to do as you please. It was that kind of self-centered attitude that cause Cinder to stray from my plans... and look what happened to her because of it. The moment you put your desires ahead of my own, they will be lost to you," she makes the Grimm arms pull harder, causing Emerald to start yelling in pain. "But... perhaps that is my fault," she says and releases Emerald, who takes a few deep breaths. "Perhaps instead of pulling you down, I should be lifting you up," she offers a hand to Emerald, who takes it. She then offers Emerald a small beetle-like Grimm. "You recognize this. This will allow you to claim the Winter Maiden's power, just as Cinder once did with the Fall Maiden. The fact remains that I need the Winter Maiden to open the vault and claim my staff, and I can think of no one better suited for such a role than you. Now, our dear friend Watts managed to get a message out to us despite being confined in Ironwood's facility. He implanted a virus in Ironwood's puppet, thus making things simpler for us. While the puppet seems to be blocking the virus, it won't be long before Watts' work does its job. I want you to find her for me, and use that gift of mine to claim the Winter Maiden's power for yourself. I also want you to find Watts, and free him from his imprisonment. Whether my hound finds the girl before you do, you will have her power, and I will have my staff. And when that happens, you will finally have your chance... for revenge," Salem explains.

"Velvet Crowe," Emerald mutters with hate.

"Velvet Crowe is the Fall Maiden. As such, we need her power in order to open the vault in Beacon, once we find it, and secure the relic within. Of course, we can't simply kill her before that. If she dies before we retrieve her power, then the Fall Maiden's power will go to someone else, likely one of her friends. And that will put us right back where we started. So, once you have the Winter Maiden, and the Fall Maiden's power, you may do whatever you wish with Velvet Crowe... but NOT before. Understand?"

Emerald reluctantly nods, "As you wish,"

"Good, now then, please stay for a bit. I will summon the others. What's about to happen next is something you won't want to miss," Salem looks out back at Atlas with a sinister smile.

…

Meanwhile, back at the Schnee Manor, Velvet helps Weiss tend to Nora, who continues to pass in and out of consciousness.

Weiss sighs, "I hope she gets better soon,"

"She will. Nora is strong. She won't let something like this stop her. Besides, I know she wants to see Nora again," Velvet places a hand on Weiss' shoulder. "And I know she isn't the only one. I know you're worried about Yang too,"

"It's that obvious huh," Weiss glances away. "Do you... Do you think she thinks poorly of me? That I let her down by not staying with her to help out in Mantle?"

Velvet kneels next to Weiss, "Hey, don't even think about thinking about that stuff. Yang loves you. A lot has been going on right now, but that's one thing that hasn't changed. I know that when we see her and the others again, she'll be happy to know that you're alright. There may be times where you guys won't exactly agree, but I know you'll get through it. That's what it means to love someone and to be loved,"

Weiss eventually smiles and wipes a tear away, "Thank you, Velvet," and the pair hug each other.

…

Back with Yang's group, Yang drives the hover-bike with Ren and Jaune riding with her, and with Lailah sitting in Jaune's lap since there's nowhere else to sit.

"I'm sorry about this awkward position," Lailah apologizes.

Jaune smiles, "Don't worry, it's fine. There's nowhere else to sit anyway. Hold on for a moment," Jaune pulls out his scroll and sends out a message. "It's heading straight for Mantle. I repeat, a large mass of Grimm is heading straight for Mantle. Please, anyone..." Jaune calls out over the comms.

"You really think anyone's gonna hear us all the way out here?" Yang asks.

"I don't know, but we have to warn them somehow. It's worth a shot at least," Jaune replies.

Just then, they see an Atlas airship fly in and move to land in front of them. Much to their annoyance, it's Winter and the Ace Ops that greet them. Winter and Harriet are the first to jump out of the ship.

"Great, you guys," Yang glances at Lailah. "Best if they don't find out what you are for now," she says, and Lailah nods before they get off the hover-bike.

Jaune steps up, "Did you hear our message? It's right there. We need to hurry, now,"

Harriet and Winter glance at each other before speaking, "Where is Penny?"

"Are you serious? We don't have time for this. There are people in both Mantle and Atlas that are in danger!" Jaune exclaims.

"People are in danger because you kids are acting selfish!" Harriet retorts.

"That's enough," Lailah steps forth. "None of yo should be fighting each other. That is exactlt what Salem wants you to do,"

"And who would you be? What do you want?" Winter asks.

"My name is Lailah; I'm a friend. And what I want is to help save Remnant. That is my objective and their objective, just as it is yours," Lailah says.

"If you're a friend of theirs, then you're an enemy to us!" Harriet gets ready to charge at her, but Winter holds out a hand to stop her.

"You say that you're here to help Remnant. If that if the case, then would you be willing to tell us where Penny is? We need her. Atlas, and Remnant need her," Winter asks.

"I'm sorry, but I do not know where Penny is. And even if I did, telling you wouldn't help save Atlas or Remnant, it would only help to destroy them. Winter, tell me, what is it you truly seek?" Lailah steps closer to them.

"Don't take another step!" Elm aims her rocket launcher at Lailah.

"Stand down!" Winter orders her, which she complies to.

"Winter, I am not your enemy, and neither are they. But, you must feel it, deep within your heart that to sacrifice so many innocent people will not unite Remnant, it will only divide it further. And that is precisely what Salem wants. If you leave Mantle to die, the rest of the world will know, and then they will take only one course of action... to turn against Atlas. If that happens, then Salem wins. Winter, please look within your heart; find the answer that you truly seek," Lailah pleads.

Winter is silent from Lailah's words," I..."

Harriet growls, "We don't have time for this crap! Just tell us where-," she stops when the ground suddenly starts shaking violently.

The shaking can be felt all the way in Mantle as people begin to panic. The shaking goes on for a few more moments and then stops... only for a large geyser of black ooze to explode up and hit the shield. It hits it with enough force to break through, and the ooze hits the rock side beneath the city. From the ooze, several large Centinel Grimm sprout forth and move to attack the shield generators. The Grimm get close and bury beneath the earth under one shield generator. As this happens, everyone within the city watch on their scrolls or monitors, all shocked beyond belief at what they're seeing. The Atlas airships try to stop them, but the Grimm move too quickly before they can kill all of them and burrow beneath another generator. Two of the generators lose their foundation and fall off the side of the kingdom, and the shield itself shuts down completely, leaving the Kingdom of Atlas completely vulnerable. Just then, the giant Whale Grimm flies over the side of the kingdom, outside the city limits, and lands on the outskirts. It opens its mouth as a large pool of black ooze flows out of its jaws. From the ooze, an army of Grimm rises up.

Salem has finally made her move.

And that's the chapter. We got to look at a few things that Lailah did when she arrived in Remnant, and Lailah meets Winter and the Ace Ops. Meanwhile, Salem's forces break through the shields, and begin their attack on Atlas. What will our heroes do now, with Salem's army bearing down on them all? Until then, please Read and Review.