The Spark of Hope

Chapter 20 -Attack On The Mech-

Third Person POV

Caroline Cordovin controls the giant Atlesian Mech, which trudges the ocean, and goes after the airship Maria and Weiss took before.

"You're joking, right? You want to fight this thing?!" Weiss says through comms.

"We've fought giant monsters before. This is just a tiny old lady... with one very big robot," Ruby says.

"You little spider-roaches thought you could creep your way to Atlas?! Well, let's see how your resolve holds out against the might of the Atlesian Military!" Cordovin says.

Cordovin prepares to take down the airship with a missile that pops out from a slot on the arm cannon. The missile fires and tracks the airship, but suddenly, it explodes harmlessly just right behind it. Cordovin turns to see Ruby with her Cresent Rose. Ruby lowers her weapon and glares at Cordovin while the others get ready to fight.

Cordovin growls, "So be it!!"

Cordovin prepares to shoot the missile at Ruby and the others. Weiss and Maria see Cordovin doing do in shock.

"Dive!" Weiss says.

Weiss unbuckles her seatbelt and gets off from her seat while Maria dives for the landing. As Maria heads to the others, Weiss approaches the airship door with Myrtenaster in her hand. She jumps off and raises her weapon creating a rock wall and protecting the group from Cordovin's ice Dust attack.

"That was close," Oscar says.

"We need to figure out how to stop Cordovin and protect the airship until we do," Ruby says.

"Let's give her more targets to focus on," Jaune suggests.

"You mean us, don't you?" Nora says.

"The blonde dose have an idea, that mech, judging by the size of it, is not used to take on small enemies. It's most likely for giant Grimm that come from the ocean. So we can turn our size to our advantage. All we have to do is be smart with it," Titan says.

"Maria, can you keep the ship out of harm's way?" Ruby asks through comms.

"They can take my driver's license, but I won't let them take this ship!" Maria says.

"Very reassuring," Ren says deadpanned.

"Very," Sienna says.

"I'll be more useful if I go with her. From up high, I can try to spot a weakness," Oscar says.

"Well, he's not the only one who can grab a bird's eye view," Qrow says as a smile forms.

"You said you needed me on the ground?" Weiss asks Ruby.

"Not exactly," Ruby says as she smiles nervously.

As the team strategizes, Cordovin keeps an eye on their location keenly. Suddenly, her eyes widen as the group splits into three: Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Sienna run down the left path along the cliff, Maria flies the airship to the right with Titan behind, and Ruby, Mystogen, and Qrow fly straight up into the air using their Semblance and his corvid form, respectively. Ruby and Mystogen reforms from their Semblance and fires Crescent Rose, and Ace cracking the mech's windshield and causing Cordovin to growl. She fires a volley of missiles to Ruby and Mystogen's location.

The two land on a tree and use their Semblance to dodge the missiles. Ruby eventually reforms and runs along the missiles before freefalling down to the ocean. An incoming wave is frozen by Weiss as Ruby slides along it. Mystogen joins with four still on the cliffside.