Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Cybernetic Couple. Enjoy the 1200-word chapter. I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth do.

(Mantle.)

"Do I have the floor?" Ruddy asked as the others nodded. "Then with all due respect? I'm going to be blunt." Ruddy said, he looked at Penny who frowned but said nothing.

"Jacques?" Ruddy said before rising from his seat. "You are without a doubt something else." Ruddy said before the man went to open his mouth. "Don't take that to mean something like gratitude." Ruddy added before clearing his throat.

"You and your company are the top of the food chain in Atlas. You are pretty much undisputed when it comes to dust. Yet you squander it trying to control everyone around you like puppets." Ruddy stated before cracking his knuckles. "I don't think you really give a damn about being part of the council. I think you want to use it to enhance your company. You already showed you'd lay people off if you didn't get the council seat." Ruddy added to the businessman.

"And yet your smart enough to know that was only because of our dear general." Jacques said while Ruddy looked at Penny.

"Yes, lets blame General Ironwood for everything. It isn't like the man is the only person who seems willing to fight for Solitas." Ruddy responded, spitting out venom.

"I hope you don't mean to discount me, tin man." Robyn said while she rose from her spot.

"Discount you for what?" Ruddy questioned Robyn. "The fact that you stole from Atlesian trucks and then claimed you'd keep doing it? Or the fact you made Penny resort to force to get you to back down? You only fight for Mantle, not the rest of the damned kingdom." Ruddy hissed out before looking around the room.

"I'm a soldier for Atlas… For this kingdom." Ruddy stated, banging a fist on the table which splintered the wood. "You can debate who sucks more. I have a kingdom to fight for. Something a soldier does WHEN WAR IS COMING. OH, SHOULD I MENTION WE ARE AT WAR RIGHT NOW?" Ruddy asked the others, his voice rising higher and higher before he shoved his seat in.

"With all damn respect? I don't work for the council. I work for the kingdom, and none of you besides General Ironwood are the reason I'm fighting." Ruddy said before removing the flesh sheath on his arm, shocking the others at the table.

"If it wasn't for Penny and her dad?" Ruddy questioned as he held up the semi real skin. "I'd be nothing more then a rotting corpse out in the street. You can scream about how Penny is horrid, but she's one of the only damned Huntresses I see actually fighting for people without bringing politics into every damned second of this crap." Ruddy said before pulling the sheathe back on.

Ruddy left the room. His mind raced as he thought about his entire rant. It didn't have the venom he wanted it too… Then again? He didn't want to be here, why would he waste time calling out the rest of the council on their garbage?

"Ruddy?" Ruddy asked as his arm started to tremble again. He looked over his arm to see Penny.

The cyborg looked at his partner as she walked to him. His arm continued trembling until Penny gently took his arm. Penny watched as his arm stopped shaking.

"Pen, you shouldn't walk off…." Ruddy stated before looking at his friend. "Jacques is going to spin it to make it look like you're a coward." Ruddy added, he didn't want to come off as rude…. But he knew damn well all Jacques cared about was himself.

"My friends come first." Penny said before looking at Ruddy's arm. It shook slightly before she tightened her hand around his. "You're scared, aren't you?" Penny questioned Ruddy who looked at their joined hands.

"Yes…" Ruddy said, hesitantly. "I am scared. I'm scared of-..." Ruddy started to say before Penny cut him off.

"Someone hurting me." Penny said which Ruddy could only nod at. "Their kill you just like they want to kill me." Penny stated as Ruddy shook his head.

"I'm a soldier, Penny." Ruddy said as the android blinked and looked at him. "We die saving lives every day. Your Mantle's guardian. If Jacques thinks I'm going to stand aside and let people kill you? Then he has less braincells then a brick wall." Ruddy said before Penny sighed.

"We should get back to the lab so my father can look at your cybernetics again." Penny stated to which Ruddy hummed. "Do not make me force you to return." Penny said as Ruddy smiled.

"I want to get out of here way too much, Penny." Ruddy said before allowing the cyborg to drag him out of the building. She instantly fired up her thrusters which carried the duo into the air.

"Did you… Mean any of that?" Penny questioned as Ruddy blinked. He let out a hum as the two cyborgs flew towards the lab.

"I wanted it to hit harder." Ruddy said before clearing his throat. "But yes, I did. The council is too busy fighting a civil war with itself to focus on protecting Solitas from anyone. We already attacked Vale. If people believe we tried to bury Haven or anything else? They will come back baying for our blood. Solitas might be the strongest in military? We aren't unstoppable when it comes down to it." Ruddy added as Penny hummed.

She needed her father's input. Ruddy said nothing and allowed the girl time for her thoughts. He had a thousand of them echoing through his own skull at the moment.

Every time his arm shook? Penny could instantly seem to calm him down by simply holding his arm. It didn't make a lot of sense. Neither did his rant against the council. Ruddy was a soldier. He didn't speak out constantly, Ruddy preferred to let his actions speak for himself more than anything.

"Pen, do you think your father will be able to help us?" Ruddy questioned Penny. It didn't come off as disrespectful. Penny also guessed he wasn't just referring to the duo as their own thing.

"Yes." Penny stated to which Ruddy hummed and nodded as he shook his head. "But I don't know if he can save Atlas and Mantle." Penny added while Ruddy hummed and looked to the side.

"Then we're just have to help him." Ruddy put in before shutting up once more. He wanted to think of what to do next.

They were at war. To fight against everything and everyone? They'd be doing the enemies' work for them before they knew better.

Ruddy needed answers, and they couldn't come from him.

Author notes

Phew, another chapter done! I want to point out that Ruddy and Penny are growing closer. I didn't want to do a massive rant as Skyler is already doing one in his talk. Next chapter will be in 2-7 weeks and will show Ruddy and Penny back at the lab talking and bonding. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!

P.S: Yang is 1200 words Sunday. Raven 900 Sunday. Ruby 900 Saturday, Glynda soon maybe. Neo 900 Sunday. Tock, Saphron, Willow? Idk and Cinder 900 Monday.