"Salutations, Ace Operatives!"

As Penny passed through the hallways, she was rather surprised to run into the Ace-Ops returning from a strategy with General Ironwood.

"What's up, rustbucket?" Harriet joked.

Operative Bree liked to make jokes like that. Penny assumed they were good-natured, but still felt a sting regardless. "Ruby and I have the night off, so I was going to show her a cafe in Mantle that I think she will enjoy."

"Do you..." Marrow began, "eat or drink?"

"I am not required to," Penny explained, "but I have processors designed to resemble the function."

"Well, I'm glad taxpayer money went to that," Harriet snarked.

"Be nice," Clover cut in. "We all need time to relax and unwind, and it's good that Penny has a way of doing that. Have a good evening, ma'am."

"Thank you, Operative Ebi. To you as well," Penny replied with a nod.

Clover mustered a grin as the five walked off. But as they did, Elm called back. "Enjoy your date!"

Date.

Amazing how one word can give a person pause. Penny was familiar enough with the colloquialism to know what was being implied, but had some trouble determining where the line was drawn.

As such, she decided to fall back on literal definitions.

Date. Noun.

1 - The time at which an event occurs.
2 - Duration.
3 - The period of time to which something belongs.
4a - An appointment to meet at a specified time, especially a social engagement between two persons that often has a romantic character.
4b - A person with whom one has a usually romantic date.
5 - An engagement for a professional performance (as of a dance band).

4a was the most correct. Did the meeting with Ruby hold a romantic character? Define romantic.

Romantic. Adjective.

1 - Consisting of or resembling a romance.
2 - Having no basis in fact, imaginary.
3 - Impractical in conception or plan, visionary.
4a - Marked by the imaginative or emotional appeal of what is heroic, adventurous, remote, mysterious, or idealized.
4b - Often capitalized : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of romanticism.
5a - Having an inclination for romance : responsive to the appeal of what is idealized, heroic, or adventurous.
5b - Marked by expressions of love or affection.
5c - Conducive to or suitable for lovemaking.
6 - Of, relating to, or constituting the part of the hero, especially in a light comedy.

Difficult to pinpoint. Ruby as an individual could be referred to as a romantic, by the older definition of relating to heroism, but this was not likely to be the romantic characterization usually ascribed to a romantic date. Define romance.

Romance. Noun.

1a - A medieval tale based on legend, chivalric love and adventure, or the supernatural.
1b - A prose narrative treating imaginary characters involved in events remote in time or place and usually heroic, adventurous, or mysterious.
1c - A love story, especially in the form of a novel.
1d - A class of such literature.
2 - Something (such as an extravagant story or account) that lacks basis in fact.
3 - An emotional attraction or aura belonging to an especially heroic era, adventure, or activity.
4 - Love affair.

It seemed it all came back to the obvious. Define love.

Love. Noun.

1 - Strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties.
2 - Attraction based on sexual desire. Affection and tenderness felt by lovers.
3a - Affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests.
3b - An assurance of affection.
4 - Warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion.
5a - The object of attachment, devotion, or admiration.
5b - A beloved person, often used as a term of endearment.
6 - Unselfish, loyal, and benevolent concern for the good of another.
7 - An amorous episode.
8 - The sexual embrace.

Penny was not a sexual being. Strip that away, and what was left? Was Ruby someone she admired? Found benevolent? Shared common interests with? All of these were certain. Did she feel attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion toward Ruby? Three more affirmations. Unselfish, loyal, and benevolent concern? Yes. Absolutely.

Conclusion. Penny loved Ruby. To that end, her desire to spend time with her was romantic. Logically, their later meeting was, indeed, a date.

"Oh."

She would have to thank Operative Elm for bringing this to her attention.

"Penny, something wrong?"

Penny turned to see Ruby in casual wear. Somehow, despite seeing her in normal clothing before, this caused strange reactions in Penny's stability systems.

"I'm simply excited for tonight," Penny replied. That wasn't technically a lie. She'd be fine.

"Great!" Ruby exclaimed.

Penny reasoned it was best to address this new concern directly. "Ruby?"

"Hmm?"

"Operative Elm categorized our agreement to go to the cafe as a 'date'," the gynoid explained.

Ruby blushed and began to stammer. "Wh-what? Date? That's... that's not..."

This response gave Penny cause for concern. "Do you not want it to be a date?"

"I..." Ruby paused. "Do you want it to be one?"

Penny reviewed the terminology again. Cross-referenced it with her feelings towards Ruby. "Yes," she affirmed, less forcefully than she may have wanted to.

Ruby smiled. "Great! I... wasn't sure if you... you know..."

"I feel... romantically towards you, Ruby," Penny admitted.

"Wow..." Ruby said, face fully flushed. "I... didn't think you liked me like that."

"Do... you feel the same?" Penny asked, worried.

Ruby's embarrassment finally reached a point where she couldn't speak properly. She simply nodded.

"Sen-sational!"

Ruby smiled fully. "Couldn't have said it better myself."