Chapter 25 – Memories of Kuchinashi
Ruby
No, no, no, no, no…
Goddamn it Watts, I should have seen this coming! Of course he wanted to do this, set her off just like last time. I can't lose her again… not again… not again.
She ran as fast as fast as she could, with Cinder flying beside her and Pyrrha sprinting with ease across the terrain towards the city of Vale. They were close, they could already hear the cars, and as they ran up the hill, they saw the streek of green headed directly for the city. Pyrrha aimed down the sides of her combined weapons, getting a good look at her. She could see Penny's body sparking with green crackles of energy, and she even seemed to be jolting. "She's fighting it still; we need to get to her."
"I'll ground her before she can get to Vale." Cinder assured.
"Please don't hurt her!" Ruby screamed desperately.
"I won't!" Cinder assured, blasting ahead of them, flying so fast that she created a sonic boom around her body after breaking the sound barrier. Her amber eye glared at Penny who was getting closer and closer to Vale, Cinder just kept flying after her, then Penny looked back. Cinder could see it from all the way back here, her glowing red eyes. Penny kept on accelerating whilst Cinder caught up behind her, blowing the leaves from the trees and even ripping plants up from the soil from the shockwave created from her intense speeds.
Cinder grew closer and closer, but Penny suddenly spun around and launched one of her Floating Array swords towards her. "Shit!" Cinder growled, spinning through the air as she avoided it. Penny kept moving in the same direction thanks to her thrusters, but now she was moving a lot slower than before. Her Grave Dust Swords formed around her, and they formed into their laser turret configuration. "Penny! I know you're in there! Listen to me! This is Watts! Fight it!" Cinder yelled as she tried to stay close to her.
"I am… a machine… a weapon… must destroy… must fight… must burn it all." Penny's voice sounded completely devoid of life, then she started to fire her lasers at Cinder. The Fall Maiden kept on flying after her, having to dodge the incoming lasers.
"Sorry Ruby, but I gotta try and ground her." Cinder said to herself, forming a pair of fireballs in her hands, then she threw them towards the Android. They shrieked as they flew forward, but Penny shot them out of the air. Penny suddenly blasted forward, colliding into Cinder. The two of them spun through the air, remaining in the air thanks to their different forms of thrust.
"Enemy Scanned… health… deteriorating…" Penny robotically said, but Cinder punched her in the face, then they both came diving down.
Cinder ran out of time, because they were crashing down into the Docks of Vale. Penny kicked Cinder away and she smacked into one of the huge red cranes that would lift heavy crates onto Cargo Ships and fell onto the ground. She groaned in pain, coughing, and forced herself back onto her feet, forming her Obsidian Axe in one hand.
Penny hovered high in the air.
"Must complete my mission." Penny said, turning to stare at Vale. In her eyes, her systems had a specific objective marked – The City of Vale. Team C.P.P.R saw what Penny could do whenever Watts hacked into her, the weapon that Ironwood designed… a last resort against overwhelming odds. A choice that was made for Penny, without her input… and now that was always going to be a part of her.
But the best they could do is get her to Pietro in the city and get that virus out of her head. The weapon cannot be removed, but at least Watts' backdoor into her body's systems can be. Cinder tightened her grip on the handle of her axe, ready for the Hacked Penny to make her attack. But Penny immediately went to fly towards Vale again, but Cinder threw her Axe at her, it exploded into her side, knocking her out of the sky. Cinder launched forward but Penny swiftly got up and punched Cinder across the docks, sending her crashing into the wall.
Cinder shook her head, looking up to see Penny flying at her once again, forming all the swords of Floating Array, pitching them at her. Cinder gasped, being pinned to the wall by the swords that all landed around her, then Penny smashed her arm against Cinder's reddened throat. Penny gritted her teeth, and her eyes were glowing red, completely hacked by Watts' damned Black Queen Virus.
Cinder swung her head into Penny's, then the sky darkened, bringing a huge lightning bolt down atop Cinder, blowing the wall apart, destroying her swords. Cinder stood tall, eye aflame and glowing as the wind spiralled around her. She held out her hands, forming the two Obsidian Battle Axes, ready to fight tooth and nail against Penny if she had to.
"I don't wanna hurt you, Penny… but if I have to I will." Cinder warned.
Penny stared right back, then she saw her green eyes flicker back momentarily, causing her to shriek in immense pain, grabbing her head. "Cinder! I can't hold on! You… you have to stop me!" Penny begged before the Black Queen hijacked her once again, kicking the real girl out and letting the puppet assume control. Penny held out her hands, forming the Floating Array once more.
Three remained over her head and started to shoot green lasers repeatedly Cinder, whilst she threw the other swords forward. Cinder blasted forward, shattering the ground beneath her feet, dodging the incoming green projectiles of superheated light. She slashed one axe across Penny's defensive aura, but as she brought the huge axe downwards, the swords stopped her strike, then Penny shot Cinder in the chest. The blast threw Cinder back, causing her to bounce across the ground.
Cinder drove her axe into the floor, twisting it around and using that momentum to throw one hell of a dropkick into Penny's chest. That attack broke Penny's stance, and Cinder slid across the ground, slamming the axe down at her shoulder to try and pin her to the ground. Penny caught the axe, crushing it in her hand, then thrusted upwards, punching Cinder up the jaw.
She grunted in pain, bouncing off the ground, then Penny flew towards her, grabbing the Fall Maiden by the throat. She pummelled Cinder into the ground, ripping up the concrete ground with every single slam into the ground that she made. Penny dug her heels into the ground as she slid towards an inactive Cargo Truck. She twisted around and smashed Cinder into it with all her might.
The whole truck tipped onto one side, crashing into the ground with great force. Cinder grunted, imbedded into the cab door, then Penny smashed her boot down against Cinder's throat, blasting the thruster into her. Cinder yelled in pain as the green flames burned against her aura. Penny gritted her teeth aggressively as she forced her deeper against the door, bending the metal, crushing her throat and burning her.
Until…
A flurry of petals slammed into her from behind, freeing Cinder from her lethal strike, allowing her to breathe again. The Red Petals carried Penny away and she smashed the girl down into the ground, tumbling with her. She held Penny down against the ground, sat on top of her. "Penny! Penny please! It's me! Ruby! You're girlfriend!" Ruby begged, Penny stared up at her, still only with blood red eyes. But for a moment she saw the green flicker back, but not enough for Penny to get a word out.
Penny fired a powerful beam of green light towards Ruby, the only reason it didn't hit her was due to Ruby's speed. She darted out of the way as the laser cut clean through one of the cranes, sending a huge crate of Schnee Dust Company Dust crashing down into the ground. The fragile dust crystals all detonated in an incredible display of fire, lightning, ice and even gravity. Huge spikes of rock came erupting up from the crate and came crashing down around them.
Ruby rolled out of the path of an incoming chunk of burning rock, swiftly drawing Black Thorn, opening the Scythe Blades, staring Penny down who glared right back at her. "Penny… please… I know you can fight this! Please! I don't want to fight you." Ruby begged with tears in her silver eyes, but in Penny's? There was nothing, just another life form she had to exterminate.
Penny said nothing, just immediately launched her swords forward. Ruby slashed Black Thorn into them, smashing them apart with each strike, but Penny rushed her and kicked Ruby in the chest. Ruby was just fighting defensively, not wanting to hurt the woman she loved. But Penny just kept on slashing at her, Ruby swirled around and her and grabbed her by the arms, shoving her down against the ground. She held her there and desperately tried to find the panel in the back of her head where they could easily shut her off before they could get her to Pietro.
Penny suddenly created a powerful pulse of green energy that threw Ruby off her and blew the power lines around them. The lights in the docks and in multiple blocks of Vale went out from her pulse, causing a major power outage. Ruby landed on both feet, only to be punched in the face by Penny, so hard it smashed her through the wall of a building.
Penny walked towards Ruby, only to feel something hard wrap around her wrist. She stared down at her arm and saw a metal cable wrapped around her hand and wrist, tightly holding her arm back. She looked forward and saw Pyrrha doing it, using her Polarity against her once more. She was not able to use her polarity directly on Penny due to her upgrades, especially now that the cables were gone and replaced with floating Grave Dust weapons.
Pyrrha raised her other hand and launched a large chunk of metal into Penny, smashing her across the docks. "There's a panel on the back of her head, hidden by her hair. If we can take it off, we can safely deactivate her. Looks like we're gonna have to carry Penny to Pietro." Ruby explained.
"Ruby… I know you love her. But you have to fight her, Penny is not gonna stop. And if we don't deactivate her here and now, she is gonna start killing people. We have her in a safe place right now, the only people in danger is us. We need to take this opportunity to get this done, okay?" Pyrrha asked her, and Ruby panted, snapping out of it. They turned to see Cinder rising from the truck Penny pinned her too, still in the fight despite the hard-hit Penny delivered.
"Okay… okay… Penny's tough, especially when she's hacked. But we can still beat her if we're smart. Like I said, we just need to get her down so I can get to the back of her head and hit the switch." Ruby explained.
"That won't… hurt her?" Ruby asked.
"It's basically her sleep mode. She uses it all the time to sleep like us, this is just the manual way of doing it, mainly for me to do repairs. It hurts… at least this way she doesn't have to feel it." Ruby explained, Cinder descended and landed beside them.
"A quick painless way to knock her out? Sounds good to me… we just gotta get to it." Cinder sighed.
"I can try and use some metal things to restrain her, but the Grave Dust complicates things. She can still attack us without even being upright." Pyrrha explained.
"Not if I'm fast." Ruby stated.
"Well, let's hope you can work as fast as you talk." Cinder replied, eyes igniting once more. "Because she's back."
Penny threw the panel off with ease, then suddenly fired a powerful and large green beam of energy towards them. The laser sliced straight through the buildings, causing the plaster render to break apart instantly from the heat. Fires ignited and spread swiftly from her attacks, then she shot across the ground towards them, scraping her swords into the concrete floor, creating a deafening screeching sound. She pulsed up in the air, then slammed both feet into Pyrrha.
She crossed Ira Red and Crocea Mortem together, taking the hit, but even then, she had to roll across the ground to recover from the strike. She charged forward with Ruby and Cinder beside her. Penny blasted a beam into Cinder, then roundhouse kicked Ruby aside with ease. That was when she twisted around and grabbed Pyrrha by the throat and threw her into the floor with all her might. Pyrrha bounced up off the floor, her red aura flickered from that one hit, but she still had more than enough Aura to keep her going.
Pyrrha rolled and landed back on both feet, throwing Ira Red at Penny, but she batted it aside, sending it flying. Pyrrha opened her hand, and her polarity made it shoot all the way back into Penny, smashing into the back of her head, knocking her forward and then Pyrrha caught it. Pyrrha rushed her, then smashed her knee up Penny's jaw, so hard it sent her up in the air, then Pyrrha slammed both feet down into Penny's ribs. The two crashed down into the ground, but Penny fired her thrusters, sliding away from Pyrrha, and the sudden movement blew Pyrrha off her feet.
Pyrrha growled in frustration, but Penny banked across the sky before diving down towards her with all swords extended. Cinder launched into the side of Penny, smashing her off course. The two hovered in the air, and Cinder punched her across the face. Penny threw her swords forward, slashing Cinder repeatedly, and even blasting powerful belches of green fire at Cinder from time to time.
Penny slammed both feet into Cinder, causing the Fall Maiden to flip backwards, but she immediately righted herself, and then formed her Obsidian Bow. She drew it back and shot three explosive arrows towards Penny. They exploded in front of her, and through the smoke, Cinder zoomed into her, grabbing Penny by the face and descending back down into the ground. She smashed Penny down into the concrete floor, but Penny's Grave Dust weapons shot at her once more.
Every time they managed to get the upper hand against her, Penny would always find a way to gain the advantage. Ruby flew forward in a flurry of petals, and she hooked Black Thorn onto Penny's throat, slamming her down against the ground. She quickly tried to get onto Penny's back so she could find that panel. Cinder helped hold her down whilst Pyrrha ran to help, panting and sweating from all the running she had been doing.
Goddamn it… the one time I wish I could be speedy like them…
"C'mon, c'mon where are you?" Ruby stammered desperately as she moved Penny's huge fluffy locks of ginger hair out of the way.
"Damn why did you have to have such pretty hair?" Cinder groaned.
"IT'S NICE UNTIL IT GETS IN THE WAY!" Ruby yelled with frustration, she finally moved the right locks aside, finding that bald spot hidden underneath where that small panel was located. "There!"
Penny's eyes snapped open, and they shone bright red. Her body began to crackle with arcs of green electricity, Cinder's eyes widened. "Shit! Ruby get back!" She yelled, but it was too late. Penny screamed with fury, unleashing a blinding green blast of energy from her reserves. The shockwave was so powerful it blew both Ruby and Cinder away. Ruby dug Black Thorn down into the ground whilst Cinder had to slam her Obsidian into the floor.
Pyrrha stood her ground, using Ira Red and Crocea Mortem as anchors. Penny kept on emitting those searing hot flames at her enemies. Ruby raised her arm, feeling her aura being withered away by the constant furnace of heat being unleashed by her girlfriend. She used Black Thorn like ice picks, swinging each forward as she tried to get closer.
"PENNY! YOU ARE NOT A MACHINE! YOU'RE A PERSON! JUST LIKE US! DON'T LET WATTS WIN!" Ruby screamed at her, then they saw her red eyes flicker off. But the blast furnace wasn't stopping, but she was back for a few moments.
"Ruby! I'm sorry I can't stop it! It won't stop!" Penny cried out.
"Shut off your systems!" Cinder yelled.
"I… Can't! IT WON'T LET ME!" She cried out, pressing her hands against her head, dropping to one knee from the immense pain it was doing to her. Like someone was pressing their hands against her temples and started squeezing. The agony was indescribable.
"Penny! Please!" Ruby cried out.
"Ruby… don't let me hurt anyone else! Not like Kuchinashi! NOT AGAIN!" Penny screamed, Pyrrha and Cinder looked at each other and then at Ruby.
"You won't! I promise you!" Ruby assured, Penny started to shriek from the pain, and they saw her eyes start to flicker from green to red again. "Penny!"
"NO! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Penny screamed.
Then the green disappeared and turned red.
Cinder gritted her teeth, then shot forward with all her might, despite all the damage the searing heat was doing to her, she flew into the heat anyway. Cinder roared from the pain as she reached her hand out, igniting a fireball in her palm, gritting her teeth. Penny suddenly snapped her head to face Cinder, just as Cinder launched the fireball at her. The fireball struck, but Penny directed all her power into the laser, hitting Cinder directly.
"CINDER!" Ruby screamed, as the Fall Maiden was thrown miles away, directly into the city. She came crashing down in the middle of the street somewhere, scaring the civilians. Cinder groaned, falling unconscious as steam trailed from her body after her aura broke.
"Oh crap… it's just us now." Ruby stammered.
"She gave us a window! C'mon!" Pyrrha called, spinning Ira Red and Crocea Mortem through her fingers.
"Pyrrha… Nikos… Ruby… Rose." Penny's voice sounded scrambled, and they saw the constant sparks of green electricity bursting from her twitching body. Her Grave Dust weapons circled behind her as she stared at them. "Weakness… failure… betrayal…"
Pyrrha and Ruby both charged towards Penny, the Rose launched forward in a blast of Petals, then kicked Penny in the chest to knock her back. Pyrrha slid underneath Penny and slashed across her leg, dropping her down to one knee. Ruby hooked Black Thorn underneath Penny's chin and slammed her down against the ground with all her might.
But Penny blasted a green laser into Ruby, which smashed her against the wall. Pyrrha tackled Penny to the ground, shoving her head down against the ground. She reached one hand out to the downed cables, and they came flying towards Penny. She used her Polarity to wrap the cables around Penny's body.
They restrained her arms behind her back and around her legs, holding her still.
"RUBY! NOW! Before her Grave Dust cuts her loose!" Pyrrha yelled.
Ruby sprinted over and dodged the few remaining Grave Dust weapons that shot green lasers at her. Ruby fired her Volcanic Pistols at them, destroying them and jumped over to Penny. She landed on her back and held her hair back. She found the panel a lot faster this time. She carefully used Black Thorn's blade, lifting the panel up and off her head, revealing the vital circuitry inside.
Including the Deactivation Switch.
"Sorry Penny." Ruby tearfully said, grabbing the switch and twisting it.
Penny instantly shut off, her eyes went black, and her body went completely limp on the ground. It was like she just died, but what gave them solace was how Ruby described it. She was just sleeping right now, and they could reactivate her at any time. But with Watts' virus? It was definitely a smarter plan to carry Penny to Pietro so they can get the virus out of her first.
Pyrrha let the polarity wrapped cables drop, then she saw Ruby begin to cry. She sniffled and sobbed, holding Penny close. Hugging her lifeless body, even though she knew she was still technically alive in there. "Ruby?" Pyrrha softly reached out to her, Ruby held Penny's head against her shoulder, kissing her cheek affectionately.
"I want this to be over for her… to get this fucking thing out of her head. It… it brings her so much pain…" She cried.
Pyrrha shuffled up beside Ruby and gently held her hand, smiling. "She'll be okay… if anyone can save her, it's the man who built her." Pyrrha assured.
Ruby wiped the tears from her eyes. "Y-Yeah… I'm gonna kill Watts… I swear to the Brothers' Grimm… I'll tear him apart for what he has put her through."
It never ceased to disturb Pyrrha, seeing this dark side to Ruby. After remembering her as a girl who would never kill… to this?
It did sadden her.
But maybe one day the old Ruby could feel welcome in this world again.
Pyrrha looked at Penny's body, then at Ruby, remembering what she heard them say. "Ruby…"
Ruby looked at her.
"I need to know." Pyrrha said, Ruby closed her tearful eyes. "So does Cinder… we need to know what happened in Kuchinashi."
Ruby caressed Penny's hair as she cradled her, then exhaled, cleaning her face of tears. "Okay… here it is then. Every last… bit."
No more secrets.
It was time to hear the truth.
Penny's Past
Six years ago…
The last thing Penny remembered before she was on her own… was Watts. In that dark room in Cypher's Ridge, the same day that Jackdaw Branwen was captured. All that she had going in her head that day was where's Ruby? I wanna see Ruby… please tell me I didn't hurt her…
But she never got to see her… because there Watts was, infiltrating and hiding within plain sight like he always did. The man was a genius, and still was even now. She didn't even realise she actually fought Ruby when she broke out thanks to Watts' involvement. She was alone… battered and damaged.
She hid alone in the alleys of Argus, hugging her knees. She could not cry actual tears, but she still knew what it felt like to cry. All she wanted was to see Ruby… and that monster set her off like a ticking time bomb. She turned her head when she heard the Argus Military sprint through the streets trying to find her, so she ran, using a cloak to keep herself hidden. She watched from a distance as the fight between the Rogues and the Hunters raged on Cypher's Ridge's airfield. It broke her heart, because from hear she could spot the recognisable Glyphs of Weiss and Winter Schnee, but also the easily recognisable sounds of Yang's Ember Celica Shotguns.
She wanted to help them… she could have helped them… but what could she do?
If Watts spotted her, he could just do it again.
So she did the only thing she could do, the only thing that would stop her from killing innocent people. She ran away, and eventually flew off into the sky, disappearing.
She was out there in the wilds for months, not even realising that the Inhumane Necessity happened during her exile. Covered in grime and suffering from rust in her exposed joints where the artificial skin had been peeled off from attacks by Grimm. She sniffled as she slowly walked alone in the woods, her hair long and dirty.
She just sat down on her own.
And cried.
She just wanted someone… someone to see her.
Someone to finally be there for her.
She just wanted to see Ruby again.
What she had no idea of was that the Inhumane Necessity had happened, and the Academies were no more. The Huntsmen and Huntresses were being hunted like dogs. She only first learned of this when hiding in the woods on her own. She kept to the shadows, hearing the blood curdling screams.
It was a Huntsman, screaming in immense agony as she saw a Praetorian Knight driving its Sceptre down into his back, he coughed up blood before he died. There was a second, a Huntress, and she fired her weapon into the face of the Praetorian Knight. It recoiled back and snarled, only for the cybernetic Scorpion Tail of Tyrian Callows to erupt through her breast. He lifted her off the ground and threw her down onto a rock. He pounced up onto her with that demented grin, eyes glowing purple.
"The time of the Huntsmen and Huntresses is over… you are all just… parasites… from a world long forgotten already." He giggled.
Penny's eyes widened with fear.
Ruby?
No… no…
He giggled maniacally, and Penny looked away as he slowly tortured the poor Huntress to death, covering her ears to not hear her screams.
She remained there, looking through the crack in the tree a few hours later when it grew dark. Crows and Ravens were picking at their corpses where they fell, not even given a proper burial. Rain fell relentlessly, drenching her body and hair, it was freezing cold but luckily, she couldn't feel it.
She knew she was alone again, so she walked to the savagely butchered bodies of the Huntsman and Huntress. She could not even tell who they were from what Tyrian left behind. But she could at the very least give them a burial. She used her hands, pulling up the soil and mud, opening a hole for them, and taking what was left and gently placing it in the grave. Then she buried them, using sticks to mark their graves.
"I'm so sorry… I wish I knew your names… but… I hope you can rest now." Penny softly said, then she turned to walk away, disappearing into the darkness.
Penny was gone for a long time, but she had no idea that Ruby never gave up on her. After stealing the Relic of Knowledge from Salem, they had yet to really use it. Ruby sat on a bench at the Summit's Claim with the Relic sat on her lamp. She rocked it back and forth… an ancient relic… and she was playing with it like some toy. But Ruby could not stop thinking about it.
We never found her…
This world was becoming lonelier by the day, and it hurt. The whole world was against her, yet Penny's safety was the only thing that seemed to linger the most in her mind. She just held the Relic, staring down at it, then the blue smoke rose from it. Jinn moaned as she stretched her body, sighing as she floated over to Ruby, sitting down beside her, crossing one naked leg over the other.
"Are you going to ogle me all day, or is there a question in that pretty head of yours?" Ruby blushed at the compliment.
"S-Sorry… I… I do have one but…"
"But what?" She asked curiously.
"I don't want anyone else to be involved in this… just me. This is something I have to do." Ruby explained, Jinn nodded her head and she rose up and crossed her arms.
"I believe I know what it is you seek. Well then… you know the risks, Ruby. Take me somewhere secluded and ask me the question. Then leave the vicinity before Salem sends her minions after you." Jinn said. "Although the rest will be up to you."
Jinn transformed into the cloud of blue smoke and retreated back into the Lamp. Ruby let out a shaky breath, then she got up and approached the room where Yang was working on her new Cybernetic Arm that was made for her. Still tweaking it in places to make it her own. "Yang… is dad here too?" She asked.
"Yep." Ruby yelped, jolting, not realising her Dad was literally right by the door with his arms crossed.
"Gods, you scared me." Ruby gasped, hand to her chest, Taiyang chuckled, ruffling his little girl's hair.
"Sorry kiddo." He chuckled. "What's up?"
"I… I need to tell you two something. Promise not to be mad." Ruby said.
"Uh oh." Yang chuckled. "Here we go."
"What?" Ruby asked.
"You're gonna propose something crazy, right?" Yang predicted.
"Uh… kinda." Ruby admitted.
"Awesome. Give it to me." Yang said, Ruby sighed though.
"I need to ask Jinn a question… alone." Ruby said to them both. "I need to take her somewhere secluded, but I don't want anyone else going with me. This… I have to do this alone."
"There's crazy… and there's just plain stupid." Yang retorted.
"I have to." Ruby said.
"What? Why? What the hell could you possibly ask her that could be so important that you don't want us to know?" Yang questioned.
"It's not about you not knowing… it's that I don't want to risk anyone else. And besides, having lots of people out there for what I wanna do here? It's too risky… it'd be safer for me to be alone." Ruby explained.
"What do you plan to do?" Taiyang asked her with concern.
"Well I don't plan to assassinate Salem, if that's what you're worried about. It's… more personal." Ruby explained, Taiyang looked at Ruby then he walked towards her, and he sighed.
"All your life… I coddled you. And then I wasn't there… I was… broken. Wasn't there enough for you… and I realise now how much of a mistake that was now. I have to trust you – to trust your instincts. So… if you really believe doing this alone is the best way? Then I trust you. Just… come back, okay?" Taiyang asked her, Yang sighed, knowing he was right.
The small family all shared a loving hug with the littlest member. Then Ruby left the Summit's Claim, taking the Relic of Knowledge to a secluded little waterfall. A beautiful setting.
The water crashing down was a beautiful backdrop for her as she rested the Relic of Knowledge down in front of her, closing her silver eyes, exhaling. "Jinn…" She spoke, and thus she rose in a pillar of blue smoke. She rose up high and held out her arms with that signature smile on her face, golden chains clinking together.
"Aah… I do appreciate the scenery. So then, Miss Rose. What is your question?" She asked, floating forward with flare.
Ruby stood up and spoke plainly.
"Where is Penny Polendina?" Ruby asked, Jinn smiled softly at her, then she spun around, forming a blue smoke around her. Ruby looked around, finding herself in a strange place. It was definitely here in Anima judging by the landscape, but she did not recognise it. But by the looks of it, the place was some sort of swamp. The marshland had life everywhere, and she followed Jinn who walked over the swampy water.
"Is this right now?" Ruby inquired.
"Correct." Jinn answered. "You see, Penny has been alone for a long time. But I can promise you this… she needs your help. In fact I think she just needs you." Jinn explained as they grew closer. Ruby stopped and saw the sign in the road near this swamp, noticing a name that would soon become very familiar to both her and especially Penny.
Kuchinashi
"I've heard of that place." Ruby muttered.
"Yes, Kuchinashi. A wonderfully beautiful town which overlooks the gorgeous waterfalls of Anima, similar to this one, but far grander." Jinn explained, then Ruby continued to follow the Spirit towards an outcropping, and in the shadows was a campfire. Ruby gasped, wide eyed, crouching down in front of Penny. Her body had been badly damaged over the years without any real maintenance… she looked almost unrecognisable.
The side of her face was most gone, clawed up or eroded to the point her titanium skull was on show. But the other side was mostly intact… and she could see it was Penny. She looked heartbroken, Ruby reached out to caress her cheek, then saw the state of the rest of her body. A missing leg, a hole in her side… it was incredible she was even alive from the damage she had suffered over the years.
"She does not have much more in her. I fear… she may soon… end her suffering." Jinn warned, hovering on the other side of Penny, looking at Ruby. Her eyes widened with fear.
"I need to get to her." Ruby gasped, Jinn smiled.
"Got get her, tiger." Jinn winked, then the vision ended, and Ruby swiftly got up and grabbed the Lamp, immediately leaving the area before Salem's Praetorian Knights could arrive. And within a few minutes, they teleported to that very location.
Ruby watched from the woods, smirking as she pulled her black hood up. "Good luck catching me, assholes."
Ruby moved as fast as she could, crossing the continent to get to Kuchinashi as soon as she could. Dodging Black Gallows patrols and killing anything in her path. But eventually… she found the sign. Her eyes widened when she saw it.
"Kuchinashi…" Ruby gasped when she saw it.
This was it… the place…
Please be okay, Penny…
… please…
Ruby didn't care for the mud, or the creep critters that lurked in this swamp. She immediately trudged into the water but kept her eyes open. As she walked through, she stopped, and her eyes widened… finding a rusted feminine leg in the mud. She crouched down and picked it up… instantly spotting the marks of razor-sharp teeth. Oh shit.
It did not take look to discern what did this.
The water erupted behind her as the cavernous jaws of a huge Crocodile Grimm burst out towards her. She darted aside just in time; red petals floated through the air. The massive beast had a long narrow jaw with a rounded snout at the end… and it was massive. It created a deep guttural growl, its scales rattled, making the water vibrate. "Sarcosuchus…" She identified, the massive Prehistoric Grimm roared at her, and lunged forward, but Ruby spun Black Thorn through her fingers. She spiralled around the creature and slashed through the scales up its back. The armour plating was impossible to cut through, even the bullets were doing nothing.
She landed on a branch and the massive creature vanished into the water once more. Ruby kept her eyes peeled as the huge beast circled her from under the algae infested waters. But it did not stay submerged for long, it erupted up from the water and snapped its jaws at her. It smashed the branch she was perched on to pieces, but she flew forward in a flurry of petals, and slid across the mud.
It was a lot of slower on land, but fast with its attacks. It swung its tail at her, smashing her into a tree, then it lunged towards her. But Ruby yelled with rage and flew forward with both Black Thorn Scythes open, and she slashed straight through its jaws. She cut deep into the membrane holding its mouth together, causing it to clap down. It hissed deeply at her, then Ruby shot forward, cutting through one of its legs.
It hardly even noticed the amputating, then fired a volley of spikes from its back, which came crashing down all around her. Ruby bounced from tree to tree, then yelled with immense rage at the beast, and her eyes lit up the swamp.
The power of the Silver Eyes made the Sarcosuchus howl to the sky, reduced to stone. Ruby landed before the frozen beast, and she finished it off with one hard strike, shattering it to tiny pieces. Ruby stood tall, then approached Penny's leg, picking it up and storing it in her bag. I can repair this for her… I can repair all of her, I just need to get her back.
She followed the path she saw and found the outcropping.
Penny was there, sat the exact same she was a week ago, the fire was long extinguished. She was just sat there… but her eyes were still glowing green. Ruby gasped, feeling a lump in her throat, and she put Black Thorn away. She carefully approached the damaged girl. "Penny? It's me… Ruby." She softly spoke, crouching down in front of her. Penny didn't move, just staring blankly, at first Ruby thought Penny was gone… then her hand twitched.
And her head slowly turned, her optics stared at Ruby, and she saw her face finally show emotion.
"R-Ruby?" She softly stammered.
Ruby smiled with tears in her silver eyes. "Salutations." She softly giggled.
"Ruby?" Penny gasped, eyes widening more. Penny immediately wrapped her arms around Ruby, that was it for her. Ruby broke down into tears, sobbing with joy to finally hold Penny again. It felt like an eternity they hugged for. "I… I thought you were gone I… I didn't know what to do I… I…"
"It… It's okay." Ruby sniffled, wiping the tears away, pressing her head to Penny's. "I'm here now… I'm so, so sorry I took so long. A… A lot has happened."
Ruby sorted herself out, wiping the tears from her face. "Okay… I gotta somehow stay focused. I'm getting you out of here."
"Wait… there's a Grimm… it…"
"Sarco, I know. I got the ugly bastard." Ruby promised with a smile, Penny's eyes widened, and she giggled.
"Language!" Ruby laughed, probably for the first time in a whole year.
"I've missed you so much, Penny. But I know a lot of people who will be very happy to see you again. Maybe not as much as me… but I don't think anyone can." Ruby smiled, she then looped one arm under Penny's shoulders and the other under her leg. She carried her, much stronger now than she was a few years ago.
She took Ruby all the way back to the Summit's Claim, eventually arriving at the Gates with her in her arms.
The doors slowly opened, Yang and Taiyang were already there with Ren and Nora. Everyone gasped with disbelief, Eryka and Winter climbed down from the watchtower together and they were both amazed at what they saw. Yang approached and looked at Penny, despite the damage she suffered… it was still Penny, she could tell right away. It was a warm reunion, and Ruby spent days with Penny, constantly. Repairing her, talking with her… cheering her up.
It took a long time, but eventually, Ruby managed to repair Penny completely, fixing her self-healing module to safe her artificial skin. Repairing her leg with Yang's help and reattaching it, filling the huge gunshot wound she suffered, and getting her brand-new clothing as well.
Penny laid in the bed, and Ruby stayed with her.
"Ruby…" She softly said, looking at her face again with a smile, able to recognise herself once again. "Thank you… thank you so much." She softly said with a bright smile, Ruby smiled, and she struggled to speak. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah… there's just… something I have to get off my chest. Something I never got to tell you before… before you fought Pyrrha in the Vytal Festival." Ruby revealed, she shuffled close to her.
"What is it?" Penny asked her with a curious smile on her face.
"I… well… y'know… uh…" She awkwardly stammered.
Penny sat upright with a sweet smile on her face. "Are you okay, Ruby?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, definitely yeah…"
"Your heartrate is incredibly high."
"Is it? Oh that's normal, right?"
"Sometimes… have you done a marathon?"
"Uh… not since I found you." Ruby giggled.
"So what's wrong? And why are you blushing?"
"I am? Oh gods… I am bad at this… uh… words…" Ruby flubbed, scratching the back of her head. Penny tilted her head, constantly smiling happily at Ruby.
Ruby looked at her and squeezed her eyes shut. "You and I… we've always been close… and… well… I…"
Ruby's heart was hammering now, and she just gave up with words. She advanced towards Penny, gently kissing her on the lips. Her eyes widened with total disbelief at what just happened. "Y-yeah…"
Penny stared at her and held her hands together. "Y-You… feel that way towards me?"
"Yeah… I… I love you." She finally admitted. "I've had a crush on you for a really long time and I wanted to… tell you that."
"But… I'm… a robot." She said to her, and Ruby smiled and sat next to her on the bed.
"Penny… do you really think I would sprint across a continent… to find a robot? Or would I do that for someone I love?" Ruby asked her, gently holding her hand. "It's like I told you. You're not just nuts and bolts… you're just like me. A person… I don't care if you have a metal skeleton or not. You're the first person I've ever met that I felt this way for… and I just… wanted you to know that."
Penny still looked shocked, but then she smiled back at her. "I… I am not very experienced with… kissing." Penny giggled.
"Eh, neither am I. Guess we'll have to figure it out together, huh?" Ruby asked, then her eyes widened. "Wait does that mean you feel the same –"
Penny stopped her from talking by kissing her right back, then she giggled adorably. "Yes, Ruby. I do too…" Penny admitted, Ruby blushed and smiled.
"Wow… so I guess that makes us girlfriends now." Ruby nervously said, and Penny giggled back. Then they both shared a passionate kiss together, holding each other close.
Finally they were happy.
And for the next five years it stayed that way, being a productive member of the Summit's Claim, and she helped them carry out their missions against Salem. Constantly rebelling against her time and time again.
But then… it happened.
Nine months ago…
They had a tip that Watts had been to Kuchinashi, and they had a plan to capture him, interrogate him on information for Salem. This was where it all changed. Penny walked with Ruby, clad with a cloak and hood just like her girlfriend. Yang, Nora, Ren, Eryka and Winter were with them on this mission. "Any eyes on Watts?" Ruby asked.
"Nothing yet but be ready for anything. We know he is deadly; we just need to knock him out." Winter explained, they all had Black Gallows Restrainers to use on him as soon as they would spot him.
Kuchinashi was a beautiful place, with a gorgeous view of the mountains, rolling emerald hills with forests of pink blossoms and the stunning waterfalls. Penny smiled in awe at the beautiful view with Ruby beside her. "Would make for a nice vacation spot, huh?" Ruby asked her with a smile, making Penny giggle.
"Yeah, it would." She agreed.
It didn't take long for it to happen though, Eryka heard Dulcis screech, and she spun around, already drawing Constantine Damascus.
Watts was stood down the street but was staring directly at them with a sinister smirk. Winter dropped down behind him with Yang and Nora beside her. They all surrounded the Scientist who stood still. The civilians all gasped, watching the spectacle. "Arthur Watts! Stand down and come with us without hassle… and we might consider letting you live." Eryka warned, Watts just smirked.
Ruby stared at him, then noticed his hand, clad with the Golden Rings. "You children disappoint me. Never have I seen a group fall so perfectly into a trap."
"We found your traps, already disarmed them. You wanted to blow this town sky high. You're outnumbered and outgunned. Stand down." Winter commanded, keeping her sword drawn on him.
He chuckled at his Niece. "Outnumbered? Definitely? But outgunned? Oh no." He chuckled, raising his hand and snapping his fingers. His rings glowed blue, then Penny began screaming in immense pain.
Eryka yelled with rage and loosed the arrow, firing it at his chest… only to hit a Hologram Drone…
He was never there.
He played them all.
"Oh fuck…" Eryka gasped.
"Penny! Penny what's wrong?" Ruby screamed, holding onto her, watching as her green eyes turned blood red. She suddenly swung her blades around and knocked everyone to the ground.
"Penny!" Nora screamed, then Winter saw Penny's body beginning to crackle with green lightning.
"No… no…" Winter gasped.
"What is it?" Eryka asked her.
"He… he told me he didn't… he wouldn't have lied to me…" Winter stammered.
"The hell're you talking about?" Eryka questioned.
"General Ironwood. He told me he once had an idea with Penny… to make her a super weapon… but he told me he decided not to. But… oh gods…" Winter gasped, wide eyed.
"We gotta stop her!" Ren yelled, but then she unleashed a powerful pulse of green energy. The Rogues were thrown across the ground and the civilians began to scream in terror. Ruby watched with horror in her silver eyes as Penny hovered high above the town, glowing brighter and brighter.
"Penny?" Ruby softly said.
Penny unleashed a deafening cry, and the blast she created was so powerful that the team had to take cover behind the buildings. The green fire devoured the people of Kuchinashi in a single pulse, burning the beautiful pink trees, shattering the waterfalls and causing half of Kuchinashi to come crashing off the edge of the cliff it was built on. Those emerald fields turned black with ash, and only shadow people remained of the people of Kuchinashi.
The buildings were all that remained, utterly destroyed, and were all that shielded the team from the blast.
Ruby rose from the ashes, covered in dust, staring up at Penny floating in the air with a glowing green mist coming off her body. Then her red eyes turned green again, and she looked down at them.
After what she did? It was a haunting sight to see, but not Ruby.
She just wanted to hold Penny tight and make sure she was okay.
But she could not ignore the death around her.
Penny stared at it all, gasping at all the shadows left behind. "No…" Penny gasped, pressing her hands to her head. "What have I done? WHAT HAVE I DONE?" Penny screamed.
"Penny!" Ruby screamed, reaching up to her. Penny hovered over them all but… she panicked… afraid of hurting anyone else. And she flew away, crying in grief. Ruby reached out for her as she grew smaller in the sky. "PENNY!"
Penny landed a few miles away, hiding by a tree, and she buried her head into her knees, sobbing over what she had done.
She had come full circle… alone again… because of Watts.
I'm a monster…
I'm nothing more… than a monster.
But Ruby never gave up on her, and in time, Penny could not live without her. And in time… they would find each other once again in Argus.
A kettle shrieked inside of an Apartment Building in the Free City of Argus…
The window was open as the cool air flowed inside, alongside icy cold rain falling against the pains. The sound of bells and seagulls could be heard from here, as ships docked at the harbour.
She walked slowly through the Apartment, holding a pair of Volcanic Pistols which had transformed into their second form – a pair of small Scythes, that were coloured black and red. Her jet-black cape and hood flowed in the draft from the windows, with small red petals changing the mainly black style of the cape. She pulled her hood down, revealing her face six years later – none other than Ruby Rose.
She calmly looked around, as the Relic of Knowledge danged from her belt, hidden behind her cape. She walked through the Apartment, and she was not alone, with Yang in tow. She also had a hood, a dark gold colour and cloak around her clothes. She had a brand-new cybernetic arm, not as well made as her old one that Pietro made her, thanks to Ironwood, but it still operated the same.
Yang's hair was died brunette, hiding the original golden blonde she normally had. They had each other's backs as they searched through the building together, they were looking for something… or someone. Ruby looked through the many magazines that were stacked on the counter, all of them surrounding stories about the Huntresses of Old. And Ruby had been circled in them all – it seemed someone was looking for her.
Yang crouched down by a mattress on the floor, and she pressed her hand against it, it felt warm still. "Ruby…" Yang whispered.
"Yeah?" Ruby whispered back.
"She was here." Yang assured. "Recently."
"Come on… where are you?" Ruby softly said, a slight tremble in her voice. They ducked down as a Black Gallows Drone hovered outside of the windows, they were all over the place, searching for people.
Ruby then heard the floorboards creak behind her, and she spun around, drawing her new weapons – named Black Thorn. Her Volcanic Pistols aimed at her target, but she quickly lowered them, feeling her heart flutter with joy when she saw her.
"Penny…" Ruby gasped, seeing Penny stood at the other side. She looked savagely beaten and weathered from surviving on her own.
"It's… it's good to see you again, Ruby." She sweetly said to her, and Ruby smiled.
"Are you okay?" Ruby nervously asked her as she approached.
"W-Wait… stay back…" She stammered. "I… I don't wanna hurt you again…" Penny stammered.
"Don't worry, I trust you Penny. You're one of the few people in the world I trust anymore…" Ruby softly said as she approached her.
"I…" Penny nervously said.
"This isn't like Kuchinashi. You're safe… and we're gonna take you back home, okay?" Ruby softly said, she then gently held her hands. Ruby then looped one hand behind her neck, and pulled her close, kissing her affectionately on the lips. Penny melted into her embrace, returning the kiss as she held her tight. Yang smiled happily to see them together again, it had been a few months after what happened in Kuchinashi.
Their kiss broke, and they pressed their heads together lovingly, gazing into each other's eyes. "Never do that to me again…" Ruby begged her.
"I-I'm sorry, I promise…" She whispered.
"We're gonna get what Watts put in your head out of you… I promise." Ruby assured.
"O-Okay." Penny stammered, flustered from having her girlfriend back once more.
Ruby hears her comm link suddenly connect, and her silver eyes widened. "They're onto you Ruby, they're heading towards the building." Ren warned, watching from somewhere.
"Do you want us to come and stop them?" Nora asked.
"No… we'll try and sneak our way out." Ruby assured. "But be ready."
"You got it." Nora assured, sounding excited.
Ruby looked back at Penny. "Do you still have it?" Ruby asked her, and Penny smiled, revealing the dark green cape and hood that Ruby made her. She pulled her hood up and wrapped herself up in the cloak. Ruby affectionately held her hand, and Yang pressed her ear to the wall, hearing the Black Gallows soldiers charging up the stairs.
"They're coming, let's go." Yang whispered, opening the window and sliding down the gutter. Ruby and Penny followed just in time as the Black Gallows Stockholm Troopers blasted the door open, searching for them.
They stuck to the shadows, hearing the many vehicles and soldiers in the area.
"Let's do this, Team Rogues." Ruby said.
Not again…
I will not run again.
I will not leave her.
I will.
Not.
Run.
Cinder
She gasped; amber eyes opened up in the street where she fell. Her head was pounding as she pressed her hands against the broken tarmac. She coughed slightly as she got back up to her feet, holding her chest. It felt like her legs were wobbling constantly, but she kept on moving. "Argh… that hurt." She groaned as she kept on walking.
People were walking all around her, but she turned in the direction that she came from. "Okay… gotta go… go…"
Her breath became shorter and shorter, then a burning sensation built up in her chest and throat. She began to gasp for air, holding her throat as she coughed extremely violently. She covered her mouth as she coughed, and blood came out. She spat it out but could not stop coughing.
Then her vision grew darker and reddened around the edges.
"Ma'am? Are you okay?" A man called out, but Cinder collapsed.
And it all went black.
Author Note - Here we go... prepare yourselves for next chapter
I wonder how many of you have noticed how often Cinder has been coughing throughout this story? XD Let's just say this is something David and I have been very excited to finally get to. I also love having it end so suddenly, leaving you all on quite the shocking cliffhanger, huh? XD
As for the rest of the chapter? One of my favourites, personally. The fight against Penny was awesome to write, and of course the flashback of what happened to Penny after Act 2 - and Kuchinashi - was well worth the wait. Been waiting to reveal this for a while, poor Penny. :( Although writing Ruby finding her, repairing and confessing her love for her? That was one of the sweetest moments I have written. I want them to be happy damn it!
(Just so you all know, if you left a review for last chapter it may be on this chapter instead now since I deleted the Hiatus Update now we are back on schedule. So if you wanna leave a review but can't, then it would be best to post it as a guest)
Can't wait for next chapter. :)
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review, follow and favourite!
Stay tuned for the next chapter - No Ordinary Cough
- Matt