Chapter 2 - Spiteful lies
Even the busy streets of Atlas couldn't stop the icy breeze slipping through the crowds. The cogs of the world continued to turn, it seemed, unfazed by the aftermath of the months before them, and yet, an instilled sense of fear was left ingrained at every turn. Soldiers patrolled every street corner, leaving a sense of anticipation, a nonexistent enemy in waiting. Only the wind filled the silence as the world moved in a hushed scurry, gazes lowered in a rush to get to the safety of shelter. Overhead, the airships patrolled the skies, once providing a sense of safety, now only leaving a lingering sense of dread as they hunted amongst the clouds. The stars now dwindled few and far between as the light of the city drowned the heavens. It was almost saddening, Ruby thought as she walked, that the constant pursuit of advancement had left Atlas feeling out of touch with the world.
Ruby kept her hood up as she pushed past everyone, only glancing up momentarily to reassure herself she knew where she was going. Even so, the streets seemed to entwine with each other, leaving her often wondering if she was going in circles. It was hard to believe she could feel more lost in the heart of a kingdom that in the depths of the forest. Nora, on the other hand, seemed to have more confidence in herself than Ruby, taking long strides as she skipped ahead, humming a tune. Annoyed voices followed her as she effortlessly pushed past groups of people, followed by indistinctive muttering. Eventually, she did slow down, giving Ruby a chance to catch up and walk alongside her when the streets seemed to clear, giving them indication that they were getting closer to the academy.
"So!" Nora smiled "You've yet to tell me this amazing plan of how you're going to see your little robot-buddy!" She smiled at Ruby, linking arms with her as she walked.
"It's not necessarily a plan" Ruby eventually answered, pondering. "My first guess was to find Professor Ironwood. If he had repaired her, then he'd know where she is, right?" Nora nodded at the thought, but slowed down, looking at Ruby.
"Are you completely sure she's been repaired?" Nora asked in a hushed voice, almost not wanting to doubt Ruby, but her scepticism overshadowed her hope. "I mean, we saw her at the end of the fight, she was literally ripped limb from limb...do you really think they'd repair her?"
"Of course he would!" She argued. "She wasn't just one of the soldiers, she was a daughter to him. She's a technological advancement, the first synthetic entity capable of generating an aura. She wasn't a robot, she was a person!" Her words were tinged with emotion as she spoke about her, causing heads to turn as they passed her. Nora tightened her arm on hers, slowing down.
"Ok, ok!" She reassured. "If you're so sure, then I'm with you every step!" she smiled at her, giving her arm a shake, "Chill out, petal!"
Ruby took a breath, continuing to walk. "I'm sorry I just...miss her so much" her voice trailed as she leaned against Nora slightly as she walked
"I know, and we're going to find her! Now, which is they way to Ironwoods office?"
"I don't know, I was following you" she muttered, quickening her pace as Nora tugged her along. She was suddenly pulled to a halt as Nora dragged her back, looking around curiously.
"Then we better ask for directions!" She smiled.
Echoes slipped through the empty corridors of Atlas Academy, as a few straying students made their way to their dorms for the night. The two girls couldn't shake the feelings of longing, seeing students still able to carry on with their education, despite everything that had happened, while they were forced to flee as Beacon Academy was attacked. Nora had taken Ruby's hand, giving a sense of comfort as they slipped past the dorms, past classrooms and up stairways, until they stopped in front of 2 large doors. The two girls were in silent agreement that this would be Ironwoods office, as the style of the doors contrasted the rest of the school, creating a renaissance look, yet still keeping to a crystal white theme, with "Professor James Ironwood - Headmaster" written on a silver plaque on the door.
"Would you like me to go in with you?" Nora finally muttered, looking over at Ruby who remained silent as she stared at his name. Shaking her head, Ruby smiled at her reassuringly, letting go of her hand and lowering her hood.
"I'll be ok, I shouldn't be too long" She smiled at her. Nora nodded and wrapped her arms around her quickly, squeezing her a little and letting go, before stepping back smiling at her. Ruby returned the smile, before turning back at the door; the sense of anticipation grew in her stomach. Finally, she raised her hand and knocked three times, leaving lingering echoes. A silence followed, as she began to wonder if he would even be there so late at night. Finally, a voice beckoned her in, and she reached out and turned the door handle and pushed against it, Nora giving her a final thumbs up of luck.
His office was oddly a lot larger than she expected, that she was surprised she'd even been able to hear him from his desk at the other side of the office. The large windows gave the room a scenic view, as the lights of the kingdom surpassed the horizon. The desk stretched across the back of the office in a semi circle, with a risen screen above it lighting up with a number of files and images. Professor Ironwood watched the screen intently, before finally closing it and letting it drop into the desk. Ruby walked towards the desk, her boots echoed as they hit the tiles. Ironwood watched her patiently as she approached, leaning back in his seat.
"Erm, P-Professor Ironwood, my name is Ruby Rose," Ruby stammered, suddenly unsure on where to start. "I travelled here from Beacon Academy, I-I'm sorry it's so late but I came here to ask you a few questions." her voice shook as she spoke, and she swallowed hard. This moment had played in her head through her weeks travelling through the forest, and she struggled to understand why she had suddenly lost her words. He responded by sitting forward in his chair, resting his elbows on the table, and motioning to a seat in front of his desk
"Take a seat, Miss Rose" Ironwood said. Even when speaking quietly, his voice took a naturally loud tone, reaching the far corners of the office with ease. She scurried forward, quickly taking her seat at the desk.
"Now," He stared at her intently, causing her to shrink back into her seat like a scolded dog, "May I ask what you want to ask questions about?" he raised his eyebrow, watching her. She swallowed, finding her voice once again.
"Er...Penny, the girl at the tournament...You built her?" She asked, her mouth dry as she tried to find the words. The question seemed to catch him off guard as he suddenly sat up, clearing his throat as he collected an answer.
"I led the team behind her development, yes" he answered quickly, yet sternly. He had expected questions, but this has been a number of months since he was pressed for answers by numerous groups. It had been easy for him to assume the topic had been laid to rest, yet now it had arose again, he was oddly left struggling to give a straight answer.
"I knew Penny for a long time, Mr Ironwood" Ruby eventually answered, answering his questions before he had the chance to ask them. "I'm very sorry about her death, but you understand, she meant a lot to me as well…" her gaze lowered slightly, as Ironwood began to feel sympathy for her. Watching her for a few seconds, he slowly began to recognise her prominent features, as he looked down at her cape and her outfit.
"You..." he muttered to himself, causing Ruby to look up. "You were the girl at the docks." She thought back to the night she'd first seen Penny fight, how she was left baffled by her strength and abilities when she first assumed she was human, and gave him a quick nod. Before he had the chance to push any questions about that night, she continued.
"She was destroyed at the fight, but has your team had any thoughts of repairing her?" Ruby asked, watching him. Even with his calm approach, it was easy to see the question had caused him to panic slightly, his eyes widening. He hesitated, but sighed, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a flask, unscrewing and pouring most of the contents into a half full coffee mug in front of him and returning it to his pocket. The coffee cup met his lips as he took long gulps, warming his stomach and burning at his throat, closing his eyes, before placing the now empty mug in his desk, and standing up. Ruby watched the whole thing, unsure on how to respond, as she waited for his answer.
"Ruby Rose, I'm not sure what you're hoping for right now, but the world is in a state of war." He answered finally, "Do you really think I have the time to be building robotic experiments, when the majority of my soldiers have either been destroyed or shut down?" the underlying anger in his voice caught her off guard, and he continued before she could answer. "Penny Polendina was a chance for my students to expand past robotics and build something more than soldiers. My kingdom is currently facing grimm attacks, the White Fang and the loss of a maiden. Frankly I dont have the time to pursue experiments, I have a kingdom to protect."
Ruby rose to her feet, causing her seat to fall back. "She was more than an experiment!" She yelled, balling her hands into fists. "She was your daughter!"
"That's ENOUGH!" Ruby stumbled back, surprised by his outburst. Sighing, he returned his arms behind his back and lowered his voice. "In answer to your question, no, we have had no thoughts of rebuilding Penny."
Pain shot through Ruby's chest, feeling the tears form at the corner of her eyes. Ironwood silently returned to his seat and lifted his screen up once more, not giving her a glance.
"If that will be all, Miss rose, then may I ask you to leave?" It was more of a command than a question, and Ruby nodded silently, turning around. As she turned, however, her eyes were drawn to a full trash can at the end of his desk. It was filled with blueprints, some ripped up and others simply screwed up and chucked there. One, however, had fallen to the side, just visible to her. On it, a sketch of a robot prototype was easy to make out, too small to be a soldier, yet still human like in proportions. Ruby slowed, staring at it for a few seconds, before looking back up at Ironwood, who had gone back to reading reports on his screen. It was easy to see that she wasn't going to get anywhere with him, as she turned and stormed out of his office, making sure to slam the door hard enough to frustrate him.
Nora was stood patiently next to the door, raising an eyebrow at Ruby's flustered look. She slowly approached, tilting her head.
"So how'd it go?" she asked, "Everything hunky-dorey?"
"Not yet" Ruby muttered through gritted teeth, grabbing Nora's arm and rushing through the corridors, dragging her behind her.