Chapter 7

September 15th. Beacon Academy. Dining hall.

Penny expertly moved through the mass of students. Her hands holding a tray stacked with some food, the sensors in her eyes working to find a place to sit. Truth be told, it wasn't that difficult to find a free spot for herself. But. Whenever she approached one, the students, who would already be sitting by the table, would give her...unfriendly looks, she calculated. She wasn't sure what they thought of her, or what they felt, but she's had enough experience to know that those looks didn't welcome her presence.

Her search continued.

"…"

She found a place. A long table which was occupied only by two people on the most-right side of it. As she was about to sit down, her eyes spotted Jaune sitting at the table right across from hers. Her lips now a big smile, she wanted to go over to him and greet him. Even possibly join him and his friends, but then, as she took that first step, the second one never came. What? Even her highly advanced CPU couldn't process what just happened to her. She started to check all of her inner systems for any errors, but none showed up. She just...she couldn't take that step. Or didn't want to? What? No! Why wouldn't I? She still couldn't understand the problem she was faced with. And as she continued to stay frozen on the spot, she fully focused her eyes back to him.

He was smiling. His beautiful, blue eyes focused on his friends, he seemed to have a good time with them. He seemed at ease with himself. He seemed so...unbothered.

She blinked, and then, as if nothing had happened, sat down at the spot which she had previously noticed. Her eyes now focused on the food before her, she quietly started to down it.

"…"

She was almost finished. She was just a few bites away, but then suddenly, she heard a voice.

"Hey there, freak." A male voice, mean and vicious.

She locked her eyes with the person addressing her, and was quick to recognize him as the boy she sparred with yesterday. "My name isn't Freak, but still, hello!" She greeted him with a friendly grin. Somehow, she didn't feel like grinning at all, but even so, she wanted to be friendly and kind, so she did.

"Like I care, freak." He added even more venom to his voice. "I see that you're sitting alone. What a fucking surprise that is. As if someone like you would have any friends to spend time with."

Her grin started to falter, but not completely. "You are mostly correct. Even though I try to be friendly and kind, and smile as much as I can, I very much struggle to make any friends. I'm not exactly sure why, yet."

He snorted, almost amused. "You don't know, why? So, are you also just that stupid? Or straight up retarded?" He mocked her, and very much enjoyed to do it.

She shook her head. "I'm actually very smart. And I most certainly am not retarded." She replied kindly.

He frowned. "Are you trying to mock me again?" He spat in a low voice, and before she could answer him, he continued. "Well, I guess with all the 'smarts' you have, you couldn't figure it out that people don't like you because you're a complete weirdo. A freak. Seriously, haven't you heard at least once what people are telling about you? You think I'm the only one who thinks you're a weirdo? You wish! Everyone does. People have been gossiping about you since day one. I mean, come on, who in the world acts like you?! Oh, maybe psychos do!" He said with a dark grin, while hers had completely disappeared. As if, it had never been there in the first place.

"I'm not-"

"Yea, yea, you're not a psycho, I get it. You're just some delusional freak who desperately tries to act like a human, but fails miserably," He spat at her, and she...she looked down at her hands. Her eyes ever so slightly narrowed, and her lips formed a single, fragile line. And then, as she recollected that time when Jaune agreed to be friends with her, she started to wonder. Maybe he lied to me. Maybe I'm simply not advanced enough to recognize lies yet. Her gaze dropped even further, and sadness unlike any she had experienced started to torment her.

"Oh, would you look at that. Did you finally realize-"

"That's enough." The bully was interrupted by a sudden voice. A voice she recognized immediately. Lifting her gaze, she saw two, ocean blue eyes focused on the boy who had caused her great pain.

"Jaune?" She uttered his name.

He didn't respond. Instead, his eyes remained madly focused on her bully.

"What?"

"You've said more than enough. You better go now."

He snorted. "What? Did she actually have a friend? You?"

"I told you." Jaune took a step forward, his wrinkles deepening. "You better go now."

The bully paused for a moment, as if considering his words. Before he too, took a step forward. "And if I don't?"

"I'll help you leave."

"Oh." He uttered, and then launched a hook at Jaune's face, which; unbeknownst to him, he not only saw coming miles away, but was ready to evade.

Bully's eyes widened in shock when his punch was stopped mid-way. A deathly strong grip holding his hand in place.

"You have no right to assault him." Penny spoke to him in a clear, no-nonsense voice. A voice which went against what people thought of her. Her eyes narrowed, and something akin to anger well alive in them.

Her bully flinched, and the entire dining hall seemed to go completely quiet for some moments to come. Before he frowned, and pointed his look away from her eyes. "Whatever, this isn't worth the trouble." He grumbled, and she let go of his hand. The moment she did, he clutched it, and then, with stomping steps he walked away.

The dining hall started to go restless. All kinds of glances and whispers coming alive in abundance.

She seemed almost frozen for a moment, but then she looked down at her hand, and formed a gentle fist. "Thank you, Jaune." Her voice was so quiet and meek, it took him by surprise, and before he could try and say something, she was already walking away.

For a short while, he watched as she did. Contemplating on what to do, wondering if maybe she wanted to be alone right now. But. As he watched her exit through the double-door, alone, or rather looking lonely, something within him stirred. A tiny voice which told him to go after her. He did.

"…"

"Hey Penny, please, wait!" He raised his voice, and luckily to him, she stopped in her tracks. And then slowly turned around to face him.

"What is it?" She asked, and her voice was still the one he wasn't used to.

For a moment, he wondered; what exactly did he want to say to her? "...Back in the dining hall, you shouldn't have let the guy talk to you like that."

"Why?"

"Because...because it's just wrong. He didn't have any right to say nasty stuff like that. And he sure as hell didn't have any right to hurt you the way he did."

Penny's hands balled into fists. "But there certainly was some truth to what he said. People really do gossip about me, I know. And, freak or not, I am different, and it seems that people dislike me for that."

Jaune pursed his lips, and his brows furrowed. Unfortunate as it may be, but he couldn't deny there was some truth to it all. And that made it difficult to counter what she said, but he at least had to try. "You're not a freak, Penny." He started, and after a brief pause, continued. "And look, just because there was some truth to what he said, doesn't mean he wasn't a total asshole. He was. He only wanted to hurt you, Penny."

"But it was the truth that hurt me the most," She meekly replied, but this time, he wasn't struggling to find his words. Before he would voice them however, at the back of his mind, he noted some sort of realization begin to dawn on him, but he merely acknowledged it for now.

"Yes, and that's exactly what he wanted. He wanted that truth to hurt. He didn't tell it to help you. He only wanted to see in you in pain, and...and that is just wrong. He was wrong to say it all, and I'm not going to give up until you'll realize this. I won't!" He voiced what felt like just the right words, and truth be told, he was surprised himself at how unyielding he was right now.

Penny seemed too, if her ever so slightly widened eyes were anything to go by. "Is that how it really is? He was wrong saying all that, even though some of it was true?" She questioned him, and yet try as she might to detect any lies, Jaune's sincerity seemed absolutely real to her.

"Yes, Penny. That's exactly how it is. If anything, him using what he knew about you and your troubles just so he could hurt you more makes him a complete douche-bag. I mean...would you ever do that to someone else?"

"No! Never! That-" She suddenly paused, and it almost seemed like her lips wanted to form a smile, but unfortunately, couldn't quite do it. "-would be wrong," She said, and her expression seemed to ever so slightly brighten. Or at least it seemed so to him, and just before he would part his lips to say something more, he noted how that foreign realization started to become clearer to him. Maybe he soon would know for sure what it is.

"There you go then. You just said it yourself; that would be wrong. What he did was wrong, and he deserved at least a modest ass beating."

"Ass beating?"

"I mean, uh, you should have punched him in the face or something like that."

She shook her head. "It would be uncalled for, for me to just use violence like that. I don't want to hurt people like that. I want to be kind to everyone. I want people around me to be happy and smile. I want everyone to be happy and smile," She said with sincerity impossible to fake, and finally, finally, he knew what that realization was.

Different as she may be, but she was also kind. No. Not just kind. She was...she was a genuinely good person. Even yesterday, when it seemed like she was being patronizing to that idiot after their sparring was over, that simply wasn't the case at all. No. She just tried to be kind and encouraging, but just wasn't successful with it. Damnit. Wish I'd have realized this sooner. I guess...I guess, I was an idiot too. He internally chastised himself, but then gently shook his head and parted his lips. "Okay, you're probably right. But you at least have to stand up for yourself when someone decides to bully you."

She seemed to ponder for a moment. "How?"

Jaune scratched his head, thinking. Before a rather unorthodox idea popped in his head, but given who he was trying to help now, that's exactly why he decided to give it a shot. "Okay, watch me carefully and do what I do, alright?"

Her eyes seemed to gain a new focus as she zeroed in on him. "Okay," She said with a nod.

"Okay, so first of all, when you decide to stand up for yourself, you have to have a strong presence. And you can achieve that with a good posture. Remember, posture is extremely important so watch me carefully."

"Right!" Her voice started to resemble the one he knew, and truth be told, he preferred it that way.

"So first, stand tall and push your chest just a bit forward, making your shoulders roll back. And…" He went on to explain to her what good posture looked like, and even showed her how to do it correctly.

She of course, mimicked him, and moments later, he assessed her effort.

Height, tall as she could. Shoulders rolled back while chest was pushed forward. Chin slightly raised up, feet about shoulder width apart, and hands clenched into fists. Perfect.

"Nice." He fully approved her effort, and liked how brave and determined she looked now. "Now, while posture is truly important, you can't forget about your face. You don't necessarily have to look angry, but it's quite effective if you do, so we'll try just that. Watch and repeat," He said, and then his eyebrows furrowed, his lips hardened and eyes were noticeably narrowed.

"Am I doing it right?" She asked with a voice, which was a stark contrast to her mean expression, and he almost lost it and started to laugh. Thankfully though, he composed himself just in time.

"Yes, you're doing great." He approved. "And now, finally, you have to say something which clearly shows that you're not okay with being bullied. Something like...hmm, okay, I've got it! Repeat after me."

"Yes!"

Jaune's expression became even meaner, and so did Penny's. "And just who do you think you are to bully me? Who allowed you that? You think just because I'm kind enough to not fold you like a piece of paper, you can say whatever the hell you want to me? No! Here's the deal for you; you leave me alone, or else I'll show you what happens when I run out of patience with people like you!" They both practically roared, and then followed some moments of still silence.

"…"

That silence lasted a little longer still, before he just couldn't compose himself any longer, and burst into a lively laughter. "Buwhahahaha!"

She stared unblinking, and truly couldn't tell if this was part of his teaching as well. "Do I have to repeat this?"

He shook his head, and still laughed with exuberance.

"Did I not do it right?"

He again, shook his head, and then managed to slowly get his bearings together. "…No, that's not it. You did great, it's just…it's kinda hard to explain, sorry."

Now it was her turn to shake her head. "No, it's alright. If you had a good laugh, then it can't be anything wrong," She said, and truth be told, he felt himself flustered for a good, few moments. Before he gently shook his head, and the feeling subsided.

"Anyways, if someone decides to bully you again, try what we practiced just now."

"I will." She nodded, and her mood definitely seemed to have changed for the better. That is, before she clasped her hands over her chest, and her eyes dulled from what seemed to be uncertainty. "By the way, I wanted to know; why did you help me back at the dining hall?"

"It was the right thing to do..." He started, and then trailed off for a moment. And then...then he remembered the time they first met. His lips came to be a genuine smile as he did. "We're friends, remember? And friends help each other out when they need it. Something like that," He said with a tone softer than he intended, but that was alright. In response, she blinked, her eyes ever so slightly widening as she did. Before her lips came to be a smile as well. Not a wide grin, but just a smile. A little, sincere and...human smile, if that made sense. He thought her smile was beautiful.

"Thank you, Jaune."

"There's nothing to thank me for, but...you're welcome," He said, and unbeknownst to both of them, her smile grew just a little bit warmer.

He then received a message from Pyrrha, asking if everything was alright. He texted her that it was, and then he had an idea. He asked Penny if she would like to join him and his friends back in the dining hall.

She said she would, and then…then her smile grew just ever so slightly warmer again.