I'm back with another chapter for ya'll.
Disclaimer: I do not own Iron Giant and RWBY, they belong to their respective owners.
Chapter 10: Deception and Defense Mechanism
(On Screen)
Ruby groggily woke up in her bedroom and quickly realized it was still nighttime. "That's right, Torchwick drugged me." She quietly said to herself when she heard the government official talking in the hallway on the phone. So as stealthily as she could manage, she crept out of bed and listened in on the conversation.
"Yes sir, the thing is real, and I not only have incontrovertible evidence, I know where it is hidden."
Ruby felt her stomach drop as she remembered telling Torchwick were the giant was hidden.
"I don't know who built it, but it's massive and we're running out of time," continued Roman. "There's no doubt we should act…the question is…can you afford not to?"
The line was silent for a few moments until Roman got an answer.
"Thank you, sir, you won't regret it." And with that Roman hung up and made his way to the guest bedroom which was right across from Ruby's.
Hearing him coming, Ruby quickly hid behind her door and waited until she heard the other rooms door close. Peeking out and not seeing anyone, Ruby made for the front door only to slam into Roman who had obviously known she was eavesdropping.
"The Army arrives int the morning, don't get cute."
Ruby just glared at him as she walked back into her bedroom and slammed her door in his face. "I gotta warn Tai," she muttered to herself and quickly walked to her window to climb out but found that it was nailed shut from the outside, no doubt Roman didn't want her leave.
(off screen)
"That crafty son of a-"
"Qrow, watch your language!" ordered Tai.
The drunkard just shrugged and took a sip of his flask, angering Tai and making the teens giggle while Winter and Glynda rolled their eyes in annoyance.
(on screen)
Ruby's door opened to reveal Roman with a deadpanned stair, one that Ruby returned with a glare of her own.
"I'll be watching you," taunted Roman as he backed up into the guest bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed while keeping an eye on the girl across from him.
Ruby angrily stomped and climbed into her bed, pulled her red hood over her head and crossed her arms angrily, all while giving the Roman a hateful and defiant glare.
The battle of wills had begun.
The hours seemed to pass slowly as the two adversaries fought to stay awake. It was well passed midnight and Ruby was starting to feel the temptation to close her eyes and sleep but forced herself to remain awake. Roman could feel himself getting tired but pushed on, he knew that the girl wouldn't last much longer, and he was right, after another thirty minutes, Ruby's eyes finally closed and didn't reopen. The government agent smiled in victory as he watched the girl roll over with the back of her red hood now facing him.
He checked his watch and saw it would still be a while before sunrise and decided to rest his eyes a bit. Confidant that Ruby would still be asleep, he closed his eyes and nodded off.
(4 hours later)
Roman still in his sitting position was jolted awake when his arm dropped to the floor. Startled, he quickly looked into Ruby's room and sighed in relief when he saw the back of the red cloak was still in bed.
"Morning Roman"
And just like that, his relief turned into shock when Ruby strolled passed his room and waved him good morning with a smile on her face. Scrambling to his feet, he rushed into the girls bed pulled the blankets off to reveal the hood of the cloak was wrapped around a basketball and pillows were used to imitate a body laying asleep.
Roman grit his teeth in anger that once again he'd been duped by the girl.
(Off screen)
"Ha! In your face Roman! No one outsmarts me." Ruby cheered in victory at her alternate self for tricking the criminal.
"I'll admit, it was a clever move…for a dunce." Complemented Weiss who was instantly pulled into a hug by her leader.
"Aww, thank you Weiss! I knew you cared about me."
"Let go of me you dolt!"
Blake gave a tired smile while Yang giggled at the sight.
"They're like an old married couple aren't they?" asked the cat faunus.
Yang shrugged, "Yeah, but we love them all the same."
Meanwhile with team JNPR, Nora was cheering for Ruby for outsmarting Torchwick while Ren tried in vain to calm his girlfriend down.
(On screen)
"For some reason the Army is our front yard, Mr. Torchwick." Stated Summer with suspicion as she came up behind the government agent who steeled himself and tired to give a charming smile but came out forced.
"Please call me Roman."
(at Tai's junkyard)
The blond junk artist rubbed his neck as he stepped out of his home with a cup of coffee in his hand and paused when he noticed a bunch of military vehicles headed his way.
"Okay," he muttered and took a sip of his coffee.
Summer was confused and concerned all at once, how could she not be when nearly an entire platoon of soldiers had showed up at her doorstep led by General James Ironwood who hadn't explained much, only stating that it was a matter of national security and the she and her daughter needed to accompany them. So, for about fifteen minutes she sat next to her daughter in the military truck with a thousand possibilities racing through her head.
Arriving at the junkyard, Roman immediately climbed out of the jeep he was in and stomped towards the blond man who didn't seem to be concerned with the large number of soldiers on his property.
"All right, where is it?" demanded Roman.
"What?" asked Tai in confusion.
Roman's anger was at its limit and the blonds chill attitude was not helping. "You know darn well what. The monster, the giant thing. The metal man!"
"Ooh the metal man," said Tai in comprehension. "Jeez, you were scaring me there for a second. I thought I was under attack or something. He's here in the back, come on I'll show you," Said the artist and lead the large group to the back of the warehouse.
"You guys got here just in time," explained Tai as he flipped his keys around the key ring in a deliberately slow manner, angering Roman and amused Ruby and to some degree Summer as well who found the laid back man charming somewhat.
"This rich cat, some industrialist wants him for the lobby of his company. He whipped out his checkbook on the spot. I said, hey you got him for the rest of your life, but I gotta let go the moment I give birth? I mean come on, give me time to cut the umbilical."
Ruby was desperately holding in her laugh as Roman's frustration started to show on his face while Tai talked on. Even her mother found the whole thing amusing and couldn't help but giggle a little at the artist's antics.
Finally, Tai unlocked the door, "Here he is."
Roman rushed in expecting to see a towering metal giant that would cause untold destruction. Instead he and everyone else saw a giant metal giant sitting cross legged with a bunch of signs and other pieces attached all around its body, all in all, it looked like a massive sculpture, not a rampaging metal monster.
Roman couldn't believe it, he thought he'd finally did it. The smoking gun was a sure thing! But somehow once again he'd been duped.
"Anyway, I haven't sold him yet. So if you really want and if, you know, you throw in….a competitive bid." Tai continued to speak but was ignored by everyone, especially a livid Ironwood who was a second away from tearing Roman a new one.
"Sir listen- "Roman stammered but was cut off.
"Step outside Torchwick," Ordered Ironwood with a no nonsense tone.
Ruby was perched on the top floor of the warehouse grinning to herself as she watched General Ironwood angrily scold Roman.
"You realize how much hardware I brought out here?! You just blew millions of Lien out of your butt!!" Ironwood shouted at Roman who could look nowhere else but the ground.
Back inside, Tai was showing Summer his collection of sculptures and explaining how he made them.
"I gotta admit, I'm relieved that this is what Ruby was talking about," Summer told the man as she looked at the massive giant. "I mean, I was beginning to think it was real." She continued and noticed Tai tense and rub his neck awkwardly. Thinking she offended him, Summer quickly backtracked. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I like." She quickly said. "But do you really need all this stuff on the surface?" she asked, referring to all the signs and other material attached to the giant.
"No actually," Tai nervously answered as they continued to walk around.
"It just seems kind of slapped on and not as thought out as this other piece," Summer explained and pointed to another one of the sculptures.
"You like that one?" Asked Tai, surprised that someone other than Ruby actually liked his work.
"Yeah." Summer answered with a smile, one that Tai returned and the two slowly continued their tour.
Back outside Ironwood was still scolding Roman like there was no tomorrow.
"You'll be inspector of toilet by the time I'm finished with you! Now pack up. I'll expect you back in Atlas to clear out your office." The General finally ordered and climbed into his jeep and drove off, leaving a dejected and defeated Roman behind.
"Yes, sir." Was all Roman could say as he stood motionless with his back bent and head dropped in utter defeat.
"I see why Ruby sneaks out here," said Summer to Tai as the tow neared the exit. "You mean, you know about that?" the blonde man nervously asked. The silver-eyed woman just grinned in cheekily, "No I do."
Taiyang's eyes widened, he had just been played, but all he could do was smile at the woman who was starting to make him feel something that he wasn't sure what it was, but he definitely liked it. As the two exited the warehouse Summer gave one last glance at the giant and couldn't help but think that there was more than meets the eye and she was sure her daughter and the man next to her knew something.
Ruby grinned from her vantage point as she watched the slumped Roman climb into his jeep and drive away. "Goodbye Roman, and all that implies." Finally, when everyone was gone, Tai entered the warehouse where the giant was still sitting dead still.
"Ok, you can move now," he shouted.
Instantly the giant let out a sound of relief and began to remove all the pieces that were slapped onto him.
"Nice job," Tai complimented as he watched the giant stand up and exit the warehouse, no doubt to spend time with Ruby.
(off screen)
Everyone was cheering in happiness at the fact that the on-screen Roman was dealt with and would probably never bother anyone again.
"Ha! Serves that criminal right. If I was really in charge of him, I would've put him on desk-duty in an isolated office for the remainder of his days." Said Ironwood who was looking quite pleased with his 'other' for punishing the man accordingly.
Ozpin nodded in agreement, "A fitting punishment for such an individual."
"I wouldn't celebrate to early," said Ethan, popping back into the theatre.
"What? Why not?" asked Jaune with everyone nodding with him.
"Just because you've ended his career, doesn't mean you've seen the last of Roman Torchwick. Also, I feel I should warn you, there's still a scene that you need to see, and it will be a massive tone shift."
Once again, their host vanished in a flash and a now anxious crowd resumed watching with much more trepidation.
(on screen)
Ruby was crouched behind a car with her water gun at the ready. She put her finger to her ear as if she had a ear-piece in and spoke, "Thruster to base, I'm going in." she then stealthily moved around the junkyard while speaking to herself. "Only one creature could create such destruction. The hideous, people eating, killing machine, ATAMAO!" The red-headed girl exclaimed and aimed her water gun at the back of the giant was sitting and twiddling his thumbs in a disinterested manner.
"No Atomo," He mumbled out. Noticing a sign in the junk, he reached out and picked it up and attached onto his chest before spinning and facing a bewildered Ruby. "I Superman!" The Iron Giant declared with the sign, now revealed to be a massive 'S' stuck to his chest.
Ruby shrugged and went with it, "Okay, Superman. Take this!" she shouted and aimed her water gun at her massive friend. Instantly the giant's eyes turned red and locked on the 'weapon' in the girls hand.
"Stupid gun," muttered Ruby, not noticing the change in her friend as she crouched and tried to fix her jammed toy, unknowingly saving her life from two plasma rays fired from the giants eyes that just missed and flew over Ruby's head.
Tai was busy welding junk pieces together for a new sculpture when he noticed the bright green rays shooting from the giant's eyes right at Ruby. Face paling in horror, the junkyard owner sprinted as fast as he could towards the now dangerous machine.
The green rays finally stopped, and the giant blinked in confusion, for the past few seconds he couldn't seem to remember what he was doing.
Ruby finally unjammed her toy gun and stood back up and faced her friend who seemed to be very confused. "Hey what's wrong?" she asked in concern, but the giant just rubbed his head in confusion. Thinking it was nothing, Ruby decided to continue the game.
"As I was saying, take this!" she said again and fired water from her gun.
Again, the giant's eyes instantly turned crimson and locked on the perceived threat.
Ruby immediately noticed the change and could only stare at her friend with a mix confusion and fear. Her eyes widened and her whole body froze when a blast of green plasma was fired right at her.
Luckily, she was saved by Tai who rushed as fast as his legs could carry him and dive-tackled the girl out of the way.
Once again when the rays stopped firing, the giant was left confused and disorientated. He then noticed Ruby was missing from her spot. Hearing movement from underneath a car, he picked it up to reveal Tai and Ruby, but the man was standing protectively in front of the young girl, putting himself in between the giant and Ruby.
"Get back!" Tai ordered with a yell.
The giant flinched at the tone and tried to reach for the two, but Tai pushed them further back. "I said get back! I mean it!" he yelled out again.
"No stop, why?" Giant pleaded, not understanding why he was being treated this way.
Ruby tried to get passed Tai but he just held her back with his arm and carefully maneuvered them around the junkyard, keeping himself between Ruby and the giant at all times.
"It was an accident, he's our friend." She tried to plead, but Tai wasn't listening.
"He's a piece of hardware. Why do you think the Army was here? He's a weapon! A big gun that walks!"
The Giant looked as if he were physically struck, being compared to a gun, the thing that killed the innocent deer was hurt more than he would've imagined.
"I-I not a gun," he desperately pleaded.
"Yeah, what's that?" Tai asked in anger, pointed to the scorched wreckage caused by the giant's eye rays. "You almost did that, to Ruby!"
If he could, the giant would've vomited everything he had eaten. The fact that he came a hairs breath away from killing his best friend was making him feel sick, so so sick.
"No," he said in complete sadness and horror. Turning around, he began running, his long strides instantly making him get a big distance away.
"Come back!" screamed Ruby as she broke away from Tai and chased after her friend. "GIANT COME BACK!" She yelled.
Tai stared at her retreating form and was about to head back inside when he noticed Ruby's water gun on the ground. Picking it up, realization hit him like a ton of bricks, "It was defensive, he reacted to the gun!" Quickly running inside, he put on his jacket and grabbed his motorcycle keys. It didn't take long to catch up to the red cloaked girl who was still running in the road.
Stopping in front of her, Tai tossed a helmet to Ruby who caught it and looked at him in confusion. "You're won't get there fast enough on foot."
Ruby smiled in relief and happiness before climbing behind Tai and the two drove towards town to hopefully catch up to the giant.
Far ahead, Giant was shuffling forward in the snow with no destination and an aura of sadness and self-loathing around him. Glancing back, he gave a sigh and returned to walking, the 'S' sign that symbolized Superman laying in the snow behind him, completely forgotten.
(screen darkens)
"That was….something," said Yang, not knowing what to say.
"It would seem there's more to the Giant than we first thought," said Ironwood, making everyone look at him.
"What do you mean General?" asked Weiss.
Deciding to elaborate he explained, "At first we thought the Giant was sent to the planet by accident or as a scout maybe. But if it has a weapons system like we just witnesses then perhaps it sent not just to scout, but to conquer."
That was a heavy thought, the giant already showed it could repair itself from heavy damage, if what the General was saying was true, and the giant was sent to conquer the planet, there was noting that could stop it.
"I DON'T BELIEVE THAT!"
Everyone looked at Ruby who had shouted and stood up.
"I don't believe that someone who didn't even know the difference between a rock and a tree would take over the planet! I don't believe that someone who acts like a massive child and cannonballs into lakes are evil!"
The teachers and headmasters were looking at the young girl with surprise and shock on their faces.
"Miss Rose, you have to understand, we don't where that giant came from and why he was sent to Earth. For all we know that amnesia is being faked, he can heal himself so why can't he fix that small bump on his head and remember his purpose?" questioned Ironwood.
"I don't care! Just because he's a machine doesn't mean he's any different from us! He was clearly sad and felt bad for what he did and that's good enough for me!"
With her rant done, Ruby vanished in a storm of roses and appeared at the back of the theatre with her knees hugged to her chest. Yang was about to go and comfort her but was beaten by Penny who flew with her boosters directly to the girl.
Everyone else was staring in shock at the normally shy girl who had just stood up the headmaster of Atlas Academy.
"Friend Ruby? Are you okay?" she asked.
Looking up, silver eyes met emerald. "Yeah Penny, I'm fine." Answered Ruby, but it was clearly a lie. Penny hesitated for a second before sitting next the young leader who jumped at the unexpected action.
"I know I don't understand people and emotions that well, but I can tell that you're not ok Ruby." Said the freckled android. Ruby looked at her with surprise written on her face at how perceptive she was.
"We're friends, right Ruby?"
Ruby immediately answered, "Of course we are!"
"Well friends tell each other when somethings bothering them right? So please tell me what's bothering you?" Pleaded Penny with an adorable pout that made it impossible to for Ruby to resist.
"Alright Penny, I'll tell you." Ruby finally relented, making the android smile in happiness. "I'm just mad at the way the General was speaking about the Giant. The way he spoke was as if the Giant wasn't able to make his own decisions and that he's soul purpose is too destroy and conquer just because he's a machine and not a person."
Penny remained silent as her friend explained further.
"Obviously that bothered me, then I though about you Penny." Admitted Ruby, making the freckled girl blink in surprise. "You thought about me?" she asked, making Ruby nod. "Yeah, I thought about how you would be treated if everyone knew about what you are, and I don't know, I just snapped."
Penny felt an unfamiliar feeling of warmth inside of her body and couldn't decipher what it was, but it was a pleasant feeling and she wouldn't mind feeling again.
"You're one of my friends Penny, and I don't want my friends do get hurt, by anything. So yeah, that's my reason for snapping like that, pretty silly huh?" Ruby said with embarrassment.
"No its not!" exclaimed Penny while grabbing Ruby's hands and making the girl yelp in surprise. "Your concern for your friends is one of the things I admire about you Ruby. There's nothing wrong with wanting those you care about to be safe from whatever dangers they may face." Penny then closed the distance until she nose to nose with the now blushing Rose. "It's one of the reasons I really like you Ruby."
Whether it was the close proximity or the wording, Ruby face resembled her cloak in color and was frozen for a few moments before recovering. "Aww, thanks Penny, you're a great friend." Ruby pulled the now surprised girl into her arms for a massive warm hug that made both of them smile happily.
(With the others)
"You think Ruby is gonna be ok?" asked Jaune as he and the other watched the youngest member of their team talk to the strange girl Penny.
"I'm sure she'll be fine, she stronger than we know," said Pyrrha, putting a hand on a worried Yang's shoulder.
The group watched as Penny and Ruby spoke and eventually hug each other with smiles on their faces.
"There see, she's alright," said Weiss with slight sound of relief in her voice.
(sniff)
(sniff)
The group turned to find Ethan standing beside them with tears threatening to fall from his eyes.
"Ethan? Are you crying?" asked bewildered Blake, she then noticed the he was writing in a notebook and took a quick peek and made out the words 'Nuts and Dolts' Status: In progress. Ethan slamming the book shut, startling her out of her musings and saw that he was no longer holding back his tears and was once again stoick, or at least trying to be.
"What are you all staring at?"
"NOTHING!" Replied everyone.
Raising his eyebrows, Ethan said nothing and cast a final glance at the two girls in the back row, his gaze lingering on Penny a second longer before vanishing.
"Your future will not happen, I swear." Was the final thoughts of the interdimensional being as he vanished.
A/N: DAMM YOU ROOSTERTEETH!!! DAMM YOU!!!
Ok that's out of my system, I'll admit I'm still reeling from the Volume 8 finale, it was like a double punch to the gut and my emotions. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review and give me feedback, I enjoy reading them but I won't pay attention to trolls and flames who want nothing more than some attention.
See you next time. Ja Ne!