RWBY: Team CRML

Chapter 52

Chrome

As Blake carried Chrome back to the others, the two saw the mech Cordo was piloting had it's right arm covered in ice and rock, making it useless. "Chrome!" Yang immediately spotted the two and rushed over. "You okay?" she asked as she looked him over.

"Yeah, just a bit sore." he replied before looking to the mech. "What happened here?"

"Cordo wouldn't go down without a fight." Yang said as she glanced back at the mech.

Suddenly, a loud roar came from the ocean. Looking passed the mech, an enormous Grimm, a Leviathan, was slowly approaching with countless flying Grimm. A moment passed before everyone began climbing into the aircraft. Once everyone was inside, Liam looked back from the co-pilot seat.

"Everyone good?"

They all nodded. "Then let's go." Maria said before taking off.

As they flew over the Leviathan, Liam watched as it continued to head for Argus. "We can't leave yet."

"He's right." Weiss agreed. "We have to take that Grimm out."

"How?" Nicci asked. "It's enormous."

As they talked, the Leviathan shot an electric beam at one of the shields protecting Argus, destroying it as the beam hit one of the poles. "It tore right through..."

"All squadrons, fall back to evacuation procedures. Disengage Leviathan! I repeat, disengage! Over!"

"No, wait!" Ruby grabbed the radio. "We can stop it!"

"Who is this? Identify yourself!"

"I'm a Huntress. My team and I are heading to the Leviathan and can weaken it for you to attack!" Ruby replied. Everyone looked at Ruby in shock.

"We can?" Jaune asked.

"We can." Ruby replied as she gestured to herself and Liam.

"Ruby, when I said 'trial by fire'-

"I did it at Beacon and then again at the farm with Liam." Ruby told Maria.

"Yeah, but I did it once." Liam replied, catching on to what Ruby was referring to. "I don't know if I-"

"I know you can do it, Liam." Ruby told him.

"Manta 5-1, your ship is currently flagged as hostile. You will receive no support, over."

"Fine, we'll do it alone if we have to." Ruby growled back into the radio. "We can hit it while it's stopped at the next barrier. Ren, you're up!"

Jaune amplified Ren's aura as he masked the ship, Maria weaving the ship between the air battles between Grimm and Atlas forces. The Leviathan made its way to the next barrier and charged another energy breath.

"We're too late! Pull up!" Qrow shouted.

Maria pulled the aircraft up and out of the way as the Leviathan fired its breath, destroying the next barrier and toppling a cupola off one of the buildings in Argus. Ren and Jaune collapse as their Auras are drained.

"Damn it...!"

"That's all I've got!" Ren said.

"Guys? It's on the move again! We need to stop it!" Nicci told everyone as she pointed out the window.

"What do we do?"

Ruby looked down for a moment in thought, before to looking to Weiss. "Think you can summon your Queen Lancer for me and Liam?"

"Yeah." Weiss nodded before kneeling down and creating a glyph. Right outside, another glyph formed as the Lancer emerged. "Go!"

Ruby looked to Liam before opening the door of the ship and hopping onto the Lancer. "Liam, come on!"

"Ruby, I don't-"

"Just come on!" Ruby shouted.

Sighing, Liam did as told and jumped onto the Lancer behind Ruby. "We're good!" Ruby told Weiss.

Nodding, the Lancer began flying towards the Leviathan as the airship flew around the front of it. "Ruby, I don't know if I can-"

"You can." Ruby reassured him.

The side door of the airship opened again but this time it was Yang, Chrome, Nicci and Nora firing shots at the Leviathan to get its attention.

As the Leviathan turned to the airship, the Lancer flew behind it. Closing her eyes, Ruby began to think back on the events that got her to where she is now. But for Liam, he wasn't sure what to focus on, his thoughts shifting from memory to memory. Hearing a low growl, Ruby opened her eyes to see the Leviathan turn its attention to her and her brother.

"What?!" Ruby looked to her hip, the Relic of Knowledge attatched to her belt. "No, no, no, no!" the Leviathan lunged at the two. As Liam shielded himself, Ruby did the same. "J-JINN!"

Time slowed to a stop as a blue woman with chains emerged from the Relic. "I'm sorry..." Ruby sighed in relief. "I don't have a question for you. I just... I just needed a little more time..."

"I know..." Liam spun around at the new voice. "and while you don't seek knowledge, just this once, I shall give it freely. I will not allow you to use me without a question again..." Jinn then smirked. "Even if this was clever." Liam was in awe at the sight of her but knew now wasn't the time for questions.

"Liam." Ruby said softly, getting his attention. "Remember what Maria said back at the farm?"

"Y-yeah..."

Ruby didn't say anything else. She just nodded her head as she smiled. Turning back to the Leviathan, Liam did the same. Closing his eyes, his thoughts immediately drifted to the events at Beacon as he remembered Maria's words. "Focus on the people who care about you. Life is precious. And it must. Be. Protected."

Thinking of Pyrrha, and the helplessness he felt as he failed to save her wasn't enough. Thinking of his father didn't help either.

Time slowly began to return to normal and Liam was struggling. As a last ditch effort, his mind made up something he wanted. Standing on a cliffside, her black and red hair and cloak drifting in the wind, stood Summer Rose. Next to her was his aunt, Raven. And standing next to Liam himself, a gentle, caring hand on his shoulder, was Weiss. The three people he cared about above all else.

Feeling a warmth in his chest as a single tear streamed down his cheek, Liam opened his eyes at the same time as his sister, her Silver eyes and his one shinning brighter than ever. Once the light returned to their eyes, the Leviathan stood before them, encased in stone. As the two watched it, the Leviathan suddenly crumbled, the pieces falling into the water.

Looking at her brother, Ruby smiled as Liam stood in disbelief. "I knew you could do it."

Hearing a loud splash come from their left, they looked over to see Cordo, in her mech, walking over to the Lancer. The mech was also missing an arm. Having the hatch open, Cordo looked at the two siblings.

"I suppose I should thank you for protecting Argus." Cordo said softly. "The Atlas military can handle the stragglers."

"What, uh... What are you saying?" Ruby asked.

"I'm saying I don't think anyone would notice if one more ship went missing in my lengthy report." Cordo replied. "I think you've earned it."

Closing the hatch, Cordo turned around and ran to help the Atlas ships.

A couple hours later

Inside the airship, Liam sat in the back next to Weiss, the two of them away from the others and huddled next to each other. Yang and Chrome were holding each other's hand and Marek sat in the corner of the ship, his head bowed.

Team JNPR sat next to the right side of the ship and Qrow was sitting in the co-pilot seat.

"How much further?" Marek asked.

"Almost there."

"Hey, Blake?" Yang said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Where's my bike?"

"Oh!" Blake rubbed the back of her head. "About that!" she began to chuckle nervously. "Adam...may have...kind of...blown it up...?" she grinned nervously as her cat ears folded back.

Yang's eyes widened. "You're joking!"

"Nope..." Chrome told her.

"I... Agh... Hmph!" she growled as she slumped against the wall. "I loved that thing." she then glared at Blake. "You owe me a new motorcycle!"

"What exactly happened with Adam?" Blake asked as she looked to Chrome.

"He didn't give me any other choice." he replied. "I had to...make sure he wouldn't follow us further."

Everyone seemed to get what he meant. "Oh..."

As everyone fell silent, Ruby sat down next to Marek. "You look a bit lonely." she told him.

"Guess old habits die hard." Marek said with a shrug. "Even though you guys are all cool with what I am, I still feel more secure by myself."

"Maybe...I could help you break that habit?" Ruby offered.

"I..." Ruby gently took his hand in her own. Marek's first instinct was to pull away, but Ruby squeezed his hand ever so softly.

"We'll start off slow, okay?"

"...right..."

Away from everyone else, Weiss looked to Liam. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." he replied as he smiled at Weiss. "I've never been better."

"That's good." Weiss smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Hey, if you've never seen Atlas in person before, you don't wanna miss this." Qrow told everyone.

Getting up, everyone approached the front of the airship and peered out. "Is it weird that I'm sorta nervous?" Ruby asked.

"No, I'll believe we've made it to Atlas when I see it." Yang replied.

"Well... believe it."

The airship comes out of the clouds, and the floating city of Atlas could be seen. "Wow!"

"You know, you make the trip up to Atlas over and over, but you never get used to that view." Maria said before her prosthetic eyes began to mess up. "Oh, come on!"

Suddenly, Weiss leaned forward, staring at something. "Weiss, what is it?" Liam asked, taking notice.

Everyone followed her gaze, and notice above the city of Atlas many Atlas Airships.

"The Atlas air fleet... I knew all of our ships were called back, but..."

"They're set up like they're expecting an attack..." Qrow said.

Suddenly, the radio turned on.

"Manta 5-1, welcome home..."

End of chapter 52