Bonnie looked out at the sun rising over the ocean. When was the last time she had enjoyed a simple sunrise? She wondered.
It looked inviting and welcoming. The ship beneath her rocked with the gentle waves as the crew made ready to set sail. Smugglers, working to send illicit goods out of the country and towards Vacuo, she had booked passage for her and Vasily and finding herself alone for the journey had felt strange, freedom had become quite a foreign sensation to her after all these years.
She wondered exactly where she would go after Vacuo. Years of her life had stripped away and she felt raw, it was as if she had been dead and found herself suddenly resurrected. She had access to Vasily's accounts, he had given her so much control in the belief that she would never turn against him.
With all that money she could go anywhere, perhaps to Menagerie.
She touched her belly, among other faunus seemed to be the wisest option for her child. Many came to Menagerie seeking to find peace among their own kind and escape their past. She doubted that many would question her apparent wealth, she wondered if many would even care that it was blood money.
"We're taking off," one of the smugglers told her, "You should probably be below deck and out of sight," he explained to her.
She nodded and gave the rising sun another glance before giving him a nod and moving to disappear below the deck.
So much uncertainty seemed to stretch before her and too many sins and regrets hovered just behind. She didn't know it putting distance to it all was possible but she was determined to try and to move forward on this uncertain road wherever it led her. Stepping down the ladder into the bowels of the ship she decided that she would start by watching the sun rise every morning.
One week later.
General James Ironwood blinked at his terminal screen. He had zoned out after trying to get another report about damages. He checked the time and regretted his decision. Midnight had passed him by long ago and knowing the truth only increased his weariness.
He groaned and rubbed his eyes. He had not believed that one assassin could do so much damage but here he was losing sleep to become intimately aware of the extent of his destruction.
"I'm sure the rest of the reports can wait until tomorrow sir," Winter told him, setting a series of papers across his desk. Even more work for him, documents that required his signature so they could begin repairing the damages. The physical damages anyways, what destruction the grimm and those criminals had done could be repaired, it would take resources away from the Amity Tower but he needed to protect his public reputation now more than ever. But the trust he had lost would be an entirely different matter, Pietro had yet to return any of his calls.
"I think after this catastrophe the least I can sacrifice is some sleep," he said, releasing a sigh and forcing himself to focus again on the screen, intent on at least finishing this one report before turning his attention to the stacks of paperwork Winter was delivering.
The specialist frowned at him. "Losing sleep won't erase what has transpired," she said to him.
"I know that," Ironwood said, actually thankful to have some degree of conversation from his subordinate. "But the sooner I can settle this the sooner things can return to a degree of normality."
He returned to his screen and tried finding his place again;. He read the words but his tired brain hardly processed any of it and he decided that it was futile. He closed the holographic screen and stood up to get some coffee.
"I can get that for you sir," Winter told him.
"It's alright, I need to look at something other than a screen for a moment," he explained to her, pouring himself his preferred amount of cream and sugar into one of his mugs before taking his first sip. It was like an elixir of pure energy.
"Is there any sign of that Bonnie woman?" Winter asked him while he sipped his coffee.
"Not yet," Ironwood told her, "she has more than likely left the country by now and we have little choice but to keep our ears to the ground and hope she turns up." He wondered if finding that woman would do him any favors, from what Pietro had explained to him it seems that she wanted to disappear more than anything. Penelope's memory banks had at least revealed some damning evidence about the Schnee Dust Company having hired Vasily to eliminate her along with other employees. It was at least enough for Ironwood to launch an investigation into the matter, what it would turn up he would have to see.
"How is Penny doing?" Ironwood asked her.
"She left for Argus this evening," Winter reported to him.
"And Arc left with her?" he asked.
Winter nodded to him. "Indeed he did, are you sure about this?"
Ironwood nodded to her. "With everything Penelope did I think some space away from Mantle is probably in order," he explained to her, "she doesn't deserve to handle the fallout of my mistakes."
"But what good do you really expect to get from her in Argus?" Winter asked him, "there hasn't exactly been much activity to warrant her presence."
"Exactly, it's a quiet post with little action in a serenely idyllic little town," Ironwood explained, "and Mr. Arc even has a sister in town he can visit, I cannot think of a better place to send the two of them after everything that has happened."
Winter raised an eyebrow at him. "So you sent the two of them on a vacation?" She asked him.
"An informal vacation, " Ironwood explained to her, "Penny will have some light duty and Mr. Arc is free to take whatever huntsmen contracts suit his fancy. But I think compared to everything that has transpired it will be quite relaxing."
Jaune watched the snowy shores of Argus approach. Thankfully his motion sickness had managed to hold up despite the ship rocking ever so slightly with the water. Compared to the tall white spires of Atlas or the towering skyscrapers of Mantle the little coastal city looked calm and homely.
He looked to his side and looked at Penny as she scanned the shore with him looking at the snow covered city before them. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze pulling her attention away from the approaching docks to meet his eyes.
"Are you doing alright?" he asked her watching as the ocean winds tossed her long copper red hair about.
"I am fine," she answered him, "it's just… I cannot seem to come to terms that this has truly ended, I cannot help but scan these peaceful shores expecting to see some kind of threat."
Jaune let go of her hand and put his arm around her letting here rest her head on his shoulder. "He's gone," Jaune told her, "we know he is this time."
Penny nodded against him, "I know that logically," she explained to him, "but the feeling persists despite all of that."
"That's normal," Jaune told her, "we just went through a lot, even died again. People don't just bounce back from that kind of stuff Penny, it takes time."
"You do not seem to be fretting over a hidden assassin," Penny pointed out, putting her own protective arm around his waist.
"I am," Jaune told her, "I'm just really good at hiding it." He smirked at her and gave her a little squeeze. "Plus I get to spend the next few weeks with the Protector of Mantle so I'm also pretty excited as well."
Penny smiled a bit at that. "I am excited too, though I am a little nervous to be meeting your sister."
Jaune chuckled, "She'll love you don't worry," he assured her, "I'm nervous because I know she'll take the opportunity to embarrass me in front of you, I'm sure she already has the photo albums armed and ready for our arrival."
Penny giggled at that, "I'll try to help ease the experience and not laugh too much," she promised him.
Jaune flashed her a grin. "Trust me, just give it some time and we'll be able to put everything behind us, it's just going to take a little time."
Penny nodded, "I think it's working already."
The ship docked in a timely fashion and they stepped off after collecting their luggage. Jaune was happy to leave the cramped rocking ship behind, his motion sickness had adjusted to the vessel rocking but the first part of their voyage was sadly spent with him standing over a toilet bowl losing his dinner. Thankfully he had eventually been able to find his sea legs and keep his meals down.
"Do you need to report to the base immediately?" Jaune asked as his feet touched solid ground.
Penny shook her head, "I am supposed to report tomorrow," she explained to him, "so we can go and meet your sister now."
"We don't need to do that right now," Jaune told her.
"Are you not excited to see her?" Penny asked him.
"I am," Jaune said giving her a smile, "and I'm excited to show you off to her, but first I think I'd like to have some alone time that isn't in a cramped cabin."
She nodded as they left the docks together into the snow littered streets of Argus. "What shall we do?" She asked him.
"Take in the sights, go shopping, we have plenty of time to do whatever," Jaune explained chuckling and scratching the back of his neck. "It's kind of nice to actually have this kind of free time on our hands, back in Atlas we were always busy and we never had enough time, now it seeds we have plenty and I'm not quite sure what I want to do with it all."
"We can figure that out," Penny told him giving his hand a comforting squeeze and flashing him a smile that was more than a little mischievous, "Neon was sure that we got a shopping trip in, just in case we decided to pick up where we last left off."
Jaune grinned awkwardly at her. That certainly was appealing, and to know that they'd have whatever time they needed to take things at whatever pace they wanted. "Yeah," he chuckled awkwardly, "we'll make time for that."
They walked the streets aimlessly, Penny looked around at everything drinking in the scenery. They watched a couple of kids throw snowballs or make snowmen, plows drove down some of the streets clearing the roads.
"There's a park up here," Jaune told her pointing down a road, "there's a statue of Pyrrha there," he said somberly.
"Let's go see it then," Penny said, giving him a soft reassuring smile.
They walked the little pathway towards the bronze statue standing peacefully as if a silent somber guardian. Hand in hand the two of them walked up and faced it staring respectfully for a long moment together. "Do you uh… mind if I take a moment by myself?" Jaune asked her quietly.
She nodded and leaned forward placing a kiss on his cheek. "I will be by the bench," she told him before releasing his hand and stepping away leaving him alone to have some private words with the bronze effigy.
Penny took a seat on the humble steel and wood park bench watching as Jaune had his private moment. She could see his mouth moving, he was speaking to her for whatever that was worth. She did not know if the late champion could hear him from beyond the veil of death but it seemed to give him comfort.
She resisted the temptation to focus her mechanical ears and eavesdrop on him and his words but she respected his desire for privacy and only watched.
"I wonder what he's saying to her?" A voice said mirroring her thoughts.
Penny turned, seeing a familiar shade of red hair and green eyes staring at Jaune and the statue through red framed glasses.
"I think he is telling her about everything that has transpired in the last few months," Penny answered with her best guess as she studied the woman.
The woman smiled at her. "Are you a friend of his?" she asked her.
Penny smiled, "I am his girlfriend," she said.
The woman grinned at her, "I'm pleased to meet you, you're that Penny girl aren't you? The Protector of Mantle, I've heard about you."
Penny nodded to her, "I am, though it seems for a little while I shall be the protector of Argus," she said.
"That sounds like a very quiet job," the redhead giggled, "this is usually a calm and sleepy town."
Penny nodded, "I think that is what I need right now, we have been through a lot lately."
The woman looked back to Jaune speaking to the statue. "This is the second time he's been here, but he seems much happier than the last time I saw him, maybe you might have something to do with that."
"Maybe," Penny said flattered by her words, "though I cannot help but feel that since we became better acquainted that troubles have followed us both."
"Maybe," the woman said, "but if troubles come it's usually better not to face it alone."
"But I wonder if maybe he only faced those troubles because of me," Penny told her, "it's that trouble that has brought me here in the first place."
"That's love," she told her, "troubles double when we come together, but we don't have to face it alone."
Penny nodded, "that's very wise."
The redhead giggled, "I try, whatever he is saying to her I he looks kind of happy saying it."
Penny looked again and noticed what she meant. Jaune kept a smile as he spoke to the statue, his back was straight and he had a bright look in his eyes. He turned away and looked at her walking back toward her looking light in his steps as if he had dropped all his burdens behind him.
"I guess he does," Penny said, agreeing with her observation.
Silence was the only answer Penny received and she looked over to see that the woman was gone. How had she missed that? She was probably too focused on Jaune.
"Thanks for giving me a moment," Jaune told her.
"It was no trouble," Penny said standing from her bench and taking his hand in her own. "What do you want to do next?"
"How about we look at some shops?" Jaune suggested, "we should probably bring our friends some souvenirs back at least."
Penny nodded finding the idea to be a perfectly pleasant waste of time. "I notices there was a syrup shot," she told him, "I bet Nora would appreciate a bottle for some pancakes, she is probably driving Ren crazy right now."
Jaune chuckled, "those two have been together for a long time now, I'm sure they're making things work."
"Even without their fearless leader?" Penny asked him.
"Even without me," Jaune said.
She squeezed his hand. His new prosthetic finger gave him a tighter grip. It was a slight reminder of their recent events, that despite his aura the bones in that finger had been smashed to powder and didn't heal right.
"Something wrong?" Jaune asked, sensing a disturbance.
Penny shook her head, "no." A little hiccup revealed her fib and she felt herself being weighed down by embarrassment. She waited for him to ask her what was wrong and why she lied as they walked, she didn't want to explain her thoughts, about the lingering guilt that seemed to hover over her. He didn't ask her anything, he kept walking as if he hadn't noticed.
"Are you going to ask me what is wrong?" She asked him deciding to break the silence.
"Nope," Jaune told her, "If you don't want to tell me then I'm not going to press the issue."
"That is… comforting to know," she told him, "it does not bother you that I lied?"
"Was it a big lie?" Jaune asked her.
"No," she said honestly.
"Did you lie so we could simply enjoy this time together?" He asked again.
"Yes," Penny admitted, putting everything behind the two of them only seemed to last a moment before they were reminded about everything that had happened. Speaking about Vasily or Penelope only seemed to make things worse.
"Then I don't need to know," Jaune told her, "I'm sure that if you ever lie to me it's for a good reason."
Penny nodded to him and smiled. "Thank you Jaune," she said, giving his hand a gentle and affectionate squeeze.
"Of course," he said, "we all have the right to secrets or little white lies, so this is my way of letting you have that."
"I guess we will have to figure out quite a few things," Penny said leaning her head comfortably on his shoulder.
"We will," Jaune agreed, "and right now we have tons of time for that."
Penny sighed in contentment, "I cannot think of what I could want more than that."
The End.
Thank you all my readers for all the support you have given me writing this story. I'm sorry I was a little late with the ending but I wanted to make it good and i'm afraid ending stories isn't my strong suite, I hope it worked for you all. I never thought that it would go on this long or be this popular. I started this fic because I noticed that there were not many Jaune x Penny stories and I thought there needed to be more, apparently many of you thought so as well. This story has been a constant throughout all the craziness that is 2020, I started this in February when it seemed like things were going to be normal. I'm proud that with everything that's been thrown my way I didn't burn out and managed to reach the end. Thank you all who reviewed and gave me constructive criticism and encouragement, it truly helped me reach the end. I want to thank MidKnightMoonglow and FireFly25 who have been helping me since the first chapter, and I want to also thank MajorBrony95 and DrknssRules1 for helping me keep my creative side active through this and in helping me plan the next fic.
Speaking of the next fic I think now that I'm wrapping up this fic I'll tell you about my next story. I'm calling it "A Man of Honor" it will be a crime/romance fic with Jaune and Neo as the primary couple. Jaune leaves Beacon to infiltrate the Vale mafia, he climbs the ranks and finds that the deeper he goes into this life of crime the more his loyalties are divided. I'm going to take a well earned break before writing the first chapter but I have the story planned out much better than this fic was in the beginning. I hope you'll give the next story a chance if you enjoyed this one.
Looking back there are a number of regrets I have with this story. So many things I had intended to go differently but when I typed it out it never felt right. Hopefully things will go smoother in the future but writing comes with all sorts of surprises. I look forward to more surprises as I continue to write. Thank you all for your support and I hope to see more of you all.