Day 2: Cinder Fall / Penny Polendina
Genres: Suspense/Drama
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.
Chapter 2. Toy Soldier
She'd seen it all that day, not too long ago.
Like a hawk who watched a sparrow from afar, Cinder was very cognizant, and had taken note of everything Ruby Rose did - after all, she was the youngest person of interest on Cinder's list, so naturally she deserved a little extra attention.
She'd been tracking Ruby that day in town when the young girl had separated from her partner, leaving the Schnee heiress at the Transmit Tower and running off after an unfamiliar girl with bobbing ginger hair.
Initially, Cinder was admittedly upset that she wouldn't get to have her prey all to herself after all, but she still opted to trail along in the shadows behind the pair.
She'd seen the way they'd ran from the authorities, seen the way the speeding truck had almost killed her precious flower-
-seen the way that girl had stopped it with her bare hands.
And most importantly, she'd seen the metal beneath her skin.
Cinder had seen it all.
And now there was a new name on her list.
Ruby had called her Penny, and although the girl didn't attend Beacon Academy, Cinder still had various means of obtaining what she desired. It required a bit of extra work, but in the end, Cinder would have exactly what she wanted.
It had been after the dance. She'd caught sight of the little robot girl there, conversing with some others and having a good time.
Only after Cinder had completed her mission and evaded capture after her encounter with her favorite Rose did she decide to have a little more fun.
She broke away from Mercury's swaying dance for a moment, holding up a finger to signal to him and Emerald that she'd be back - eventually.
Like a vampire bat, Cinder glided across the congested dance floor with the stealth and shadow of an apparition, slipping through the mass of sweaty bodies clogged with cologne and perfume. It was all tastelessly inferior when compared to her own superior choice of scent, after all.
There were guards on either side of the girl known as Penny, and when Cinder made eye contact, they addressed her instantly.
"May we help you, Miss?"
Cinder's red lips curled up into a smile.
"I'd simply like to have a word with my dear friend, Penny."
She'd done her homework and taken her notes on this girl; using her name and the word 'friend' were already major bonus points toward making her first impression.
The guards were clearly astounded that someone knew Penny so well, but if they'd used her name so amiably, they could only assume Penny knew them.
"Very well. Miss Penny?" They called her name and motioned her over. Cinder met her teal-green eyes with a predatory smile.
"Sal-u-tations!" Penny said with a salute to her guards. "What would you like to talk to me about?"
"This young woman says she would like to talk to you," one of the guards informed her.
Penny looked Cinder up and down with curious eyes.
"Do I know you? You don't seem very familiar. How do you know my name?" she wondered.
Cinder replied with a tone of politeness, one she'd perfected over the years to ensure it was impossible to pinpoint the false pretenses. "I've heard so much about you from my dear friend Ruby," she purred. "I'd love to talk to you for a moment, if I may."
Penny instantly perked up at the mention of her friend's name.
"Oh! You know Ruby? She is a very good friend of mine! So then if you're her friend, you must be myfriend, too! I would very much like to talk to you!" she agreed.
Stepping forward, Penny moved toward Cinder, and her two guards followed. Cinder's inviting smile instantly turned into a warning snarl.
"I'd like to have Penny to myself for a moment, please," she growled.
The guards hesitated. Penny turned them with a smile.
"I don't mind! It's quite alright! I'll just be a minute! I promise!"
She hadn't hiccuped at the time, because she'd wholeheartedly thought it would be the truth.
With reluctance, the two guards stepped back. Cinder smiled once again and reached out to take Penny's hand. Penny blinked in surprise at first, but then smiled too. She followed along eagerly, keeping pace with Cinder through the crowds. Cinder led the girl outside, where they wouldn't be… interrupted.
At last, she turned back to examine her plaything, though was certain not to let go of Penny's hand. She needed to keep her little butterfly in the web.
"So," the girl said. "What is it you would like to talk to me about?"
Cinder didn't reply, but merely pulled Penny in closer. Crimson fingernails slipped along the smooth skin.
"Remarkable," Cinder murmured. "It doesn't seem artificial at all."
"Um…" Penny tried to take a step back, but Cinder didn't let go. "You… said you knew Ruby, right? Did she ask you to find me? Is she with you?"
Again, Cinder didn't reply. She trailed her fingers up Penny's arm to her dress, then squeezed the back of her neck.
"I must wonder…" she breathed huskily into her ear. "What makes you tick?"
"What-"
Before Penny could finish her question, Cinder took action. She ignited a bit of the Dust infused with her dress and trailed it down to her fingertips, sparking it-
-and channeled it directly onto Penny's throat.
Penny's eyes flashed green for a terrifying instant, her vision entirely helpless and blocked out by a pixilated screen. Various random codes and numbers swirled before her eyes before giant red letters spelled out a single word to her:
- R -
And suddenly her entire body was convulsing, little flames of pain shooting through her limbs and her chest. Penny cried out in agony, sheer terror consuming her as her entire system was corrupted and infiltrated by some foreign, deleterious virus brought upon by the Dust.
Cinder watched it all, her lips glued into a wicked smile through it all.
"Amazing," she said. "I could use you. Oh, how I could use you…"
Penny couldn't even utilize her own defense mechanisms, the strong flow of burning Dust far too powerful to allow her body to function properly.
Cinder increased the flow of Dust, wondering just how far she could go; if she played her cards right, she'd be able to take control over the vessel herself, bend this girl to do her bidding. To have this girl at her beck and call, able to locate James Ironwood's most precious documents…
How convenient that would be.
Cinder had always wanted her own toy soldier. A puppet.
After an agonizing moment, she removed her hand.
With a feeble cry, Penny was on the verge of collapse. But Cinder grabbed her once more, pulling the girl in to her.
"Oh, hush. I promise not to do it again. At least not right away. And I promise to become your very,very good friend."
When Penny's vision had cleared and she was able to see once more, she blinked rapidly, the little flames still flitting about inside of her. With one swift motion, she made an attempt to free herself, blades starting to form on her wrists.
But Cinder was having none of it. She quickly sent another shockwave of Dust through Penny's chest, effectively crippling her, letting her drop to the ground.
"My, my," she said. "This will never do. I guess I'll just have to silence you for now."
She stepped forward, looking down at the form of the girl in the pretty little dress. Her eyes were glazed over from pain, tiny sparks emitting from her entire form.
Cinder glared down at her, forming another ball of harsh fire in her palm. She had no time or patience for clemency.
Penny desperately tried to get her system running again, but she didn't have enough time-
"I…" she whimpered. "You're not… my friend…"
Cinder laughed cruelly.
"Of course not."
Penny could only close her eyes and wait for the pain…
But it didn't come.
When she next reopened her eyes, it was not the strange woman who had hurt her that stood above her, but Ruby. She was helping Penny up frantically, bombarding her with questions.
"Penny! Penny, are you okay? What happened? Why were you out here? Was anyone with you? What's wrong?"
The ginger-haired girl shook her head, realizing she could see clearly again, and the sparks of pain were fading away. She couldn't manage much, but she did get out a few words.
"Ruby…" she wheezed. "She's… not your friend…"
Ruby didn't get the chance to ask what she'd meant before Penny had fallen unconscious in her arms.
Cinder had been forced to flee at the very last second, but she didn't mind.
Now that she knew what she did, she could come back any time she pleased.
She'd have them both - her little rose princess and her little toy solider.
Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow.
But she'd have them yet.
She'd make sure of it.
A/N: I'd love to see these two clash (but Penny win).
Please review!
