Here we are at Chapter 122. After this past episode of RWBY, I am incredibly PISSED OFF! It basically made everything in the previous episode null and void. WHAT THE HELL! I swear if they actually do that to Yang and end it there for her, I will go ballistic! *Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out*. Now then, time to see how the gang handles the war for Atlas as it gets underway. I do not own RWBY or Tales of Berseria. They belong to their respective owners. I only own my OCs. Here's chapter 122. Enjoy.
Chapter 122: War
Outside the city walls, in the agricultural section of the kingdom, the Monstra Grimm opens its mouth, releasing waves of black ooze from its jaws. From the ooze, swarms of Grimm of all types rise up and charge ahead towards the city. Awaiting them is the Atlas military. Soldiers, robots, Paladins, and airships alike stand ready, their weapons locked and loaded. Some are nervous at facing such an enemy, but they stand firm to do their duty. The Grimm charge forth like a swarm of insects towards their prey. Shots soon ring out as the military fire at the Grimm. The Grimm lose numbers, but attack relentlessly. Soon, human and Grimm clash in the deadliest battle since the Fall of Beacon. Within the city, Ironwood uses the CCT to speak to the people of Atlas
"Citizens of Atlas, please calmly evacuate to the nearest underground subway station for safety," Ironwood calls out.
It's not long before the people of Atlas begin panicking as they race to the subway stations. But, that panic gets worse when the people start seeing aerial Grimm flying over them and into the city. Squadrons of Atlas airships arrive to shoot them down, but as the chaos spreads, the civilians are caught in the middle.
At the Schnee Manor, Velvet and Ruby watch the battle through a window with worried expressions on their face.
"Salem... broke through the force fields. She's actually attacking Atlas now," Ruby is having a hard time taking all of this in.
Velvet holds her close, "The city isn't defenseless. Ironwood's army will hold the Grimm back for as long as possible. That should buy us enough time to figure out what to do next. We can't give up here. We simply can't,"
"Do you think... Yang and the others are okay? We still haven't been able to contact them," Ruby worries.
"Knowing Yang and the others, I'm sure they're okay. Remember, you all have come a long way since Beacon. They may still be down in Mantle, and right now, Salem isn't focused on Mantle. Which means she's safer than we are right now. We just have to believe they'll be alright. After all, Yang is your sister," Velvet tries to soothe her worries.
It seems to work a little bit, but not enough to completely calm Ruby down. As they speak, the chaos outside the manor continues. Meanwhile, outside the battle itself, Winter and the Ace Ops fly over the city as they approach the battlefield, with Yang, Jaune, Ren, and Lailah all tied up with them.
"We can't get the hard-light shields back up sir! They've taken too much damage!" they hear over the comms.
"Then don't waste resources on them. Beta squad, the creature?" Ironwood asks over the comms.
"We've tried bombs, missiles, but we can't even make a scratch on that thing, sir," one soldier calls out.
Winter then radios in, "Sir, Schnee here. Penny is still MIA, but we've apprehended Arc, Xiao-Long, Ren, and one other and have them in our custody,"
"Understood. Stand by for further orders, and keep those fugitives under a tight leash," Ironwood orders her.
"Yes, sir, understood," Winter replies before ending the communication.
"Still just following orders," Yang says condescendingly.
"We're doing what we have to in order to save Atlas," Melina says.
"Please, you must know that fighting each other like this will not solve anything. It most certainly won't solve the dilemma we find ourselves in now," Lailah stands up, somehow free of her restraints, shocking the Ace Ops.
"What the-How'd you get yourself free?!" Harriet gives Marrow the controls and goes to put her handcuffs on Lailah. "Keep an eye on her, Vine," Harriet walks back to her seat.
Vine nods, but the second he turns back to Lailah, he finds her free from the restraints once again with a smile.
"How do you do that?" Vine asks.
Harriet looks back and growls, "Will you stop it already?!" she is about to go at Lailah again, but Winter stops her.
"That's enough. It's obvious that we're not going to be able to restrain her. But, it doesn't look like she's going to fight out of here... Right?" Winter stares at Lailah.
Lailah, "I don't want to fight you because we are all on the same side. This isn't about orders, or fugitives and military. This is about humanity against Salem. SHE is who you should be fighting against. We are not your enemies here," Lailah then looks to Harriet. "I know you're hurting... you've been hurting for a while now. But, this is not the way to heal your pain,"
Harriet growls again, "Listen, you little-,"
"That's enough!" Winter stops her, though Harriet looks ready to disobey that order.
However, before they can escalate, they fly around the city and see the Monstra, along with the battle going on around it and the swarms of Grimm flying over it.
"That Grimm... That's where that thing took Oscar. Right into that, and behind all that fighting," Jaune laments.
"That's impossible. Grimm don't take prisoners," Vine says.
Yang looks at him, "Well, this Grimm did. It actually scared off the other Grimm, tracked us down, and then attacked and took Oscar. If you would just let us go and-," Yang sits forward, only for Vine and Elm to hold her back.
"Please, do not abandon one of your allies so easily. Or else, you may end up abandoning them all. Is that what you think will achieve your victory?" Lailah remains calm.
"You don't get to lecture me about allies. Hell, where the Hell have you been all this time, huh? Because this seems to be the first time you been anywhere near the battlefield, princess," Harriet lashes out at her, but Lailah simply sighs.
"Harriet..." Melina mutters sadly.
Just then, the comms come back, "Cease fire. Manta squads, concentrate fire on secondary hostiles. Command is working on another solution for the creature," Ironwood says.
Winter joins in, "What solution do you have in mind sir?"
"We aren't making any progress attacking that thing from the outside. But, if we attack it from the inside, it could be vulnerable. The science team is putting together a bomb," Ironwood says, stunning Winter. "When it's complete, we'll drop it off as close to the creature as possible. Then your team will deliver it on foot," he says, as Winter closes her eyes, realizing the implications of such a plan. "We're sending you the coordinates now,"
Winter opens her eyes, "Of course, sir. We will hold the point, and we will get it done. Over," she ends the call.
Her words shock the group, "But, Oscar's still inside that thing!" Jaune yells.
"You can't do this!" Yang tries to get up, only for Vine and Elm to stop her again.
Winter's expression becomes somber, and her right hand starts shaking before she clenches it to stop.
"Winter," Lailah gets her attention. "Is this what you truly want? Is needlessly sacrificing others for the sake of victory the only thing that matters to you? Is your duty as a soldier more important than your duty as someone who wishes to protect not just Remnant, but the people that call if home?" Lailah asks.
Winter looks away, unable to answer her questions, her emotions all in a flux and devoid of harmony, which Lailah can see quite easily.
…
Back at the Schnee Manor, Velvet is helping Weiss tend to Nora, bandaged up and unconscious.
"That should do for the bandages for now. It's still mind-boggling in a way. I knew that Nora could absorb electrical energy into her body and go to her muscles, but... I guess I thought she had no limit to that," Velvet notes as she collects the dirty bandages.
"Her scars... She took in way too much power. Her body, her semblance, couldn't handle all that energy at once. Her aura should be healing her, but those scars don't appear to be going away anytime soon," Weiss puts a few medical tools away.
Velvet raises her hand and stares at it, "It's cruelly ironic. I have all this power within me, I died and came back to life in another world, and yet... I can't do anything to help a friend with her condition. I guess all I'm good for it just destroying stuff, just like any other demon," she laments.
Weiss turns to her, "No, you're not 'just' some other demon. You fought for what you believed in back in your old world, and you haven't changed that since you came here. A normal demon would just go around, killing people right, just like the Grimm. But, you don't do that. You protect people. You protected Ruby more times than I care to count. You helped me and Blake sort things out back at Beacon when I found out she was a Faunus. You helped Yang, Jaune, and the others. You're strong, Velvet, but not just in the fact that you have a lot of power in you as a Therion, or that you have the Fall Maiden's power, or that you're a skilled warrior. Even though you do have all of that. You're strong in that you have a heart that cares about others. You and I have met people who don't possess such a heart, in more ways than one, and you know what happens to innocent people because of people like that. But, you're not like them. You've saved people. Besides, I know that part of you won't change because you would never do that to Ruby,"
Her words touch Velvet's heart a bit, and she smiles a little, "Thanks, Weiss," she then looks back out the window when they hear the distant booms of explosions outside the manor. "It looks like it's getting worse out there. How long do you think the military will be able to hold the Grimm off before they're overrun and the Grimm take the city?"
Weiss stares out the window, "I... I'm not sure. But, if I had to guess... if things don't change soon, the military won't last before the sun is up in the sky,"
Velvet looks back out the window. A moment later, they hear the door open up and look to see Ruby and Blake walk inside, carrying a few cups of warm tea in their hands.
"How is Nora doing, Weiss?" Blake asks as she walks up to the window, sipping her tea.
Weiss sighs, "I've done all I can. She should be out of the worst danger now, but she needs a doctor, or else that won't last very long," she notes as Ruby hands her a cup of tea.
"Hey, if you guys hadn't been working so hard to help, she still would've been in worse shape. You ARE helping," Ruby hands Velvet her tea.
Blake sits in one chair by the fireplace, "Hopefully May can get in touch with the others. I hope... I hope they're okay," Blake worries as she looks out the window.
"We have to believe that they're okay... I at least can't give up on Yang. I have to believe she's okay," Weiss mutters as she joins Blake by the fireplace.
Velvet sips her tea before looking back out the window, "Well, if they're still down in Mantle, then they're safer than we are. As long as they're nowhere near that thing out there. I doubt even with the Fall Maiden's power at full force that I could take it on. Especially when it keeps creating more Grimm faster than the military can kill off. If nothing changes soon, eventually the military will be destroyed and the city will be at Salem's mercy. And we all know that she doesn't have any mercy to give to anyone,"
"But, how can we take it down? It's way bigger than a Leviathan," Ruby notes.
"Penny sent out our message to the world, but do we just sit here and wait for help to come? If they even come," Weiss laments.
Ruby stares at her cup, "How did things end up so messed up like this?"
Velvet looks back at her before May walks into the room, "Fiona said your friends haven't been heard from in a while. Unfortunately, the last thing on their minds right now are a couple of kids. Come one, I've got the ship ready to head-,"
"No," Velvet interrupts her. "We can't just leave. Not with all of that still out there; with Atlas still in danger,"
"It is chaos at the crater. Atlas has its army, but we are all Mantle has. People are dying down there," May retorts.
"So, that's it? We just abandon Atlas and live it to its fate? If Salem wins here, then it won't matter what we do at the crater or Mantle. If she gets her hands on the staff and uses it for anything else, then Atlas will fall and crush everyone beneath it," Velvet argues.
"May, don't you have family here in Atlas?" Weiss asks.
May narrows her eyes, "...No. Mantle needed me, and to the Marigolds, that meant that I was no longer their 'son' anymore. And I made sure that everyone knew that I was no longer their daughter. So, they're on their own. They've got Henry. Yours has Whitley. You understand what I'm saying,"
Weiss looks sad, "I wouldn't be so sure about-,"
"Whose side are you on anyway?!" May stops her.
"We've heard that before," Blake gets her attention. "You're not the first one to ask us that?
May stalks towards her when Ruby steps in, "There are no sides here. We want to help everyone in both Atlas AND Mantle. There is no choosing one over the other,"
"Ruby's right. If we choose one over the other, than we're no different than Ironwood who is keen on only saving SOME people, not trying to save everyone. We can't quit, even when things are like this," Weiss defends her partner.
May takes a breath and calms down, "Fine. Then what do you suggest we do to get out of this mess?" she crosses her arms.
The others are unable to say anything immediately. Meanwhile, Whitley listens in on their conversation from outside the doorway before a thoughtful expression appears on his face and then he leaves to take care of something from the looks of it.
…
Meanwhile, back with Yang's group, the arguments continue.
"You can't just blow that thing up with Oscar still inside it!" Yang stands up, but Elm and Vine hold her back again.
"That creature causes more damage by the minute. We're out of time," Vine says.
"Are you serious? Is victory all that matters to you?" Jaune retorts.
"Winter" Lailah gets her attention. "Is this what you really want? I know you want to save Atlas, as do I, but is it worth needlessly sacrificing innocent lives? The difficult choice is not victory at any costs. The difficult choice is victory with as little loss of life as possible. That is even more true in times of war. You know this as a soldier, but tell me, what does your heart as a huntress want you to do?" Lailah calmly walks forth.
"Either you cut the crap, or I cut it for you!" Harriet stands and threatens her.
"Enough, Harriet!" Winter orders her to stand down.
Jaune steps up before things get worse, "Winter, wait, please give us a chance to try and rescue Oscar first before you drop the bomb. We could... We could be your test run," Jaune suggests. "You don't know what's waiting for you inside that thing. So, we can go in first ahead of you and scout it out... and look for Oscar while we're inside," Jaune explains his idea.
"We can't send the four of you into that monster. It's suicide. We must think calmly about this," Vine says.
Marrow looks back, "He's right. It's too dangerous!"
"But wouldn't you do it for Elm? Vine? Harriet? Melina? You guys are supposed to be a team, right?" Yang asks.
Marrow looks at Harriet, who glares back, and marrow looks away in sadness.
Melina glances away, "It's... not as simple as that,"
Elm holds Yang's shoulder, "We can't let our emotions get in the way of making the right call. To trade four lives just for one is stupid,"
"No... It's not," Ren says for the first time in this conversation, gaining their attention. "Oscar is our friend. We will do whatever it takes to find him. Because we CARE about him," Ren looks at all of them.
Harriet scoffs as she gets out of her seat, "You know, I thought you were the most level-headed out of all your little friends, but you're just as naive as they are. Your feelings don't matter; the job matters. When you lose someone on your team, you move on. Replace them. Like Marrow replaced Tortuga and Winter replaced-,"
"NO!" Ren shouts as he stands up. "No one. Is. Replaceable," he says, but then his eyes widen when he suddenly sees red flower petals flowing around Harriet, though only he can see them. He realizes that his semblance is evolving, allowing him to see more than ever before. And that's not all he sees. "...You don't actually believe that. You are FURIOUS about losing Clover, and... You miss him," he speaks her true feelings.
Harriet gets mad at his words, "You don't know anything about me!"
Ren looks from her to Marrow, seeing blue petals around him and then around Melina. He then sees orange/red petals around Elm, and green petals around Vine, and then finally pink petals around himself.
It then dawns on him, "That's why you lost to Team RVWBY. They understand how they feel about each other, and are true about their feelings. But you guys... You fight how you really feel about each other. So, you'll never truly work as a real team,"
Elm cannot accept the truth, "Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!"
She goes to punch Ren, but Winter gets in the way, "Everyone, calm down!" she stops Elm, who calms down. Winter stares at the others, seeing the determined look in their eyes. "Fine. We will drop you as close as we can to the monster," she agrees to Jaune's idea, much to Harriet's shock.
"You can't be serious. They're fugitives. And traitors!" Harriet disagrees.
"I outrank you," Winter stares her down, forcing Harriet to back off. "If you aren't out in time, we drop the payload. No matter what," she tells them.
Jaune nods, "We understand,"
"Winter" Lailah speaks. "...Thank you," she smiles, making Winter glance away,
Marrow doesn't really like the idea of sending them into the Monstra, and even Melina seems hesitant about it as well. The airship flies in and lands on the outskirts of the battle, near the Monstra. The side door opens up and Yang's group are set free and given their weapons.
Ren walks up to Marrow, "I know you don't like this either. In fact, you don't want to be a part of it at all anymore,"
Marrow hesitates, "I... I have a job to do. And I'm going to do it," he then walks back to the cockpit.
Ren then turns to Melina, "I know you feel the same way about this, just like him," his words make Melina look away in uncertainty.
Yang is the first to leave, firing off her gauntlets to shoot her out of the airship. Jaune tosses Ren his pistols before drawing his sword and joining them.
"I know you don't either," Ren says as he looks back at a solemn Winter, seeing petals of all colors flowing around her, showing that her emotions are out of balance.
Ren then leaves, and Winter looks at Lailah as she prepares to leave, "Just who are you exactly?"
Lailah smiles back at her, "I was a friend of your sister's... before I died. And I know that she is worried about you, Winter. Your sister lost people she cared about once before. Please, don't make her lose you too," and then she leaves, her words leaving Winter in a ball of confusion in more ways than one.
…
Back with the others, the group is walking down the main steps to the front door of the Schnee Manor, trying to figure out what to do next.
"Wait, what about Qrow and Robyn? If we can break them out, then we-," Ruby thinks.
May facepalms, "No, see, you just don't get it! This is not a situation where everyone wins. Now, you all can come with me and we can help Mantle, who actually needs our help. Or, I can drop you all off at the front lines if you still want to help Atlas. Your aunt and uncle can't help us. We have to choose. So, choose," May tells them.
Most of the group are hesitant, but Velvet remains resolute and gets right in May's face, "I choose to help everyone. I know you only care about helping Mantle, but doesn't that make you no different from Ironwood, who only wants to protect Atlas? If you want to go, then that's your choice. But, I'm staying here because HERE is where we can save both Atlas and Mantle. I haven't given up yet, and I'm not about to start now,"
May is about to yell at her, but she gets interrupted when they hear a knock on the door. Everyone takes out their weapons and slowly approach the door, in case their visitor isn't the friendly kind. Weiss slowly opens the door, and gasps in joy when she finds Klein standing outside.
"Klein!" Weiss happily greets him.
Klein nods to her, "Miss Schnee. I believe there is a patient here that needs my help,"
"I-I'm so sorry, Klein. It's my fault that you were-," Weiss apologizes.
Klein takes off his hat, "Please, do not worry, my snowflake. It had nothing to do with you... And everything to do with Jacques," Klein says as he and the others walk inside and he slams the door.
"Well, that's nice of you. But, how did you know that we'd be-,"
Klein looks ahead, "Ah, Master Whitley, I'm so glad that you rang," he says as Whitley walks down the main stairs. "May I please see the patient? I heard that it's urgent,"
"Yes. She's in Weiss' room. Just go down the-," Whitley points up the stairs.
"I haven't been gone THAT long, Master Whitley. I believe I can find it," Klein then heads up the stairs to see to Nora.
This leaves an awkward silence between Weiss and Whitley, "You're called Klein?"
Whitley looks away, "That girl needs a doctor. It's not like I did it for you," he crosses his arms.
Weiss smiles, "I know. That's why it means so much to me," and then she walks up and hugs her little brother, much to his surprise, though he returns the hug.
"And here I thought he was no different than his old man. Boy, was I wrong," Velvet mutters, a slight distaste in her mouth.
However, the touching moment is interrupted when they hear a crash outside the front door.
"Whitley, did you call anyone else?" Weiss asks, but Whitley shakes his head.
Velvet opens the doors and sees that something crashed in front of the manor. They all go outside and reach the crater, only for some of them to gasp when they find a wounded Penny in the center.
"Penny!" Velvet exclaims.
Penny slowly reaches up towards them, "I'm... sorry..." and then passes out.
And that's the chapter. Yang's group managed to convince Winter to let them go rescue Oscar, though they only have a limited time to do so. Meanwhile, Penny reunites with Ruby and Velvet's group, but not in the best condition. Who knows what will happen next? Until then, please Read and Review.