Awkward Secret of a Strange Robot Friend
"Penny, is that you?" Ruby asked.
"Uuuh?" The girl now named Penny confused of the girl's approach.
Penny is a young girl and has short, rather curly orange hair that came down to her chin with a small cowlick on top, and she wears a pink bow on the back of her head. She also has bright green eyes, light skin, and freckles. She wears an off white old-fashioned styled off the shoulder blouse with frill detailed trim and frill flared cuffs that half covered her hands alongside copper button detailing on the lower parts of her sleeves. She also sported a short gray pinafore dress with golden trim on the hem alongside four light green stalagmite styled stripes on the lower half of the dress, two on the front and two on the back, accompanied by two matching-colored circles above the tips that had a stripe that ran around her waistline, with golden outlines, and a detachable black and light green collar. She also wears a pair of black thigh-high leg pieces that seemingly were attached to black shoes. The leg pieces had a single green stripe up the sides that appeared to light up. Breasts sizes: C-cup.
"Wait, that's the girl you told me about?" Jaune asked, remembering about the time team RWBY met Penny before the dock fight incident.
"Yes, which makes me wonder where she has been all this time." Weiss said.
"She does look cute, but I think there's something bothering her." Neptune noticed Penny's expression.
"Where have you been? We haven't seen you since that night at the docks!" Ruby asked walking up to Penny.
"S-Sorry. I think you're confused." Penny said weirdly to this girl.
"Who is she? Is she a new friend?" Papi asked leaning closer to her.
"Oh, huh, hello little Harpy." Penny greeted.
"Hi, my name is Papi the Happy Harpy, and I would like to be your friend!" Papi introduced herself happily as she flies around her and Ruby.
"Nice to meet you, but I'm afraid I'm gonna have to turn down your friend request. Goodbye." Penny said walking away and Papi frozen in shock and fear.
"But… Everyone love being friends! Did Papi do something wrong?" Papi asked crying a bit.
"No, of course, you didn't do anything wrong, Papi. But there is definitely something wrong with Penny." Ruby believed as she comforts Papi.
"What makes you say that?" Jaune asked.
"I don't know, I just know that Penny isn't being her usually weird-happy self like before." Ruby pointed out.
"Maybe she is just maturing from that childish personality." Weiss guessed.
"I think it's something more than that and I'm going to find out." Ruby determined to find out what's wrong with her friend and runs after her.
"Wait, Ruby! What about our investigation?" Weiss asked gesturing to the CCT.
"Just make your call without me, I'll catch up later!" Ruby responded without looking back.
"Yeah, I'm going too because I want to be that girl's friend no matter what-Oh, pretty balloons!" Papi got distracted by some balloons shape like animals.
"Uh, Papi, Ruby is leaving for Penny." Jaune reminded her.
"Right, Ruby! Weird money girl, I'm on it!" Papi saluted and flew after Ruby.
"Wait, weird money girl? Well, Penny's name does like the penny coins." Jaune said.
"That would be funny if it was a joke." Neptune stated.
"Well, at least you two are taking this seriously." Weiss said crossing her arms.
"Shouldn't we be worried about those two going off like that? I feel like that Harpy girl might get those girls into trouble." Neptune concerned.
"I'm worry about them too, but I'm sure Ruby can handle this. We only just need to make a little call to SDC, I think even Weiss can do it alone." Jaune pointed out the easy of this mission.
"It still wouldn't hurt to have company with me just in case. Now, let us enter the tower." Weiss said.
Meanwhile, Penny is still walking while feeling bad about hurting Ruby's feelings of lying to her and hurting the Harpy for turning down the friend request approach.
"PAPI! SLOW DOWN!" Ruby screamed.
Penny turns around upon hearing that voice and surprised of seeing Ruby being carried by Papi as she flew fast passing the orange hair girl then they crash into a wall.
"Oh my goodness, are you two are okay?" Penny asked checking up on them.
"We're fine, though I'm sure if using "Air Papi" was a good idea." Ruby answered with a little headache.
"Owie, who put that wall there?" Papi asked with her eyes dizzy and look at Penny.
"Oh, hello. Would you like to be friends, my name is Harpy the Happy Papi. Uh, no wait, that's not right, it's…" Papi confused as she has seemed to have forgot her name a bit.
"Papi the Happy Harpy." Penny corrected.
"Yeah, that's it! Would you like to be friends?" Papi asked.
"You already asked her that, silly." Ruby giggled.
"I did?" Papi asked.
"Anyway, Penny! Where have you been? It's been weeks since I saw you back at the dock!" Ruby mentioned.
"There seems to be a... misunderstanding." Penny said trying to get away from Ruby.
"Are you lonely?" Papi asked, suddenly appearing in front of Penny from the other side.
"Papi knows that if someone is lonely then they need a friend, and everyone always needs a friend or two to feel happy." Papi stated with a cheerfully smile.
"She's right, surprisingly, but right. I know what's wrong, but you have to listen to me! Those guys we fought at the docks, we think they're up to something big, something bad! I need you to tell me what happened to you that night! Please... As a friend." Ruby begged taking Penny's hands into hers.
Penny hesitated at first but something inside of her is saying that it's okay to hang out with Ruby and Papi for a little while to make herself feel at ease, she looks around to make sure there aren't any certain people around.
"It isn't safe to talk here." Penny whispered and guided them to somewhere else they can talk.
(Inside CCT)
Weiss, Neptune, and Jaune enter the communication room making their way to a terminal for the business heiress girl to make the important call while Jaune and Neptune just stay by her side during the call to the SDC Operator and soon that person answer her video call.
"Thank you for calling the Atlas- Oh! Miss Schnee! Good afternoon! Would you like me to patch you through to your father? I think your sister Winter might be here as well." Schnee Corp Operator asked.
"No, thank you! I was actually wondering if you could find some files for me. I've compiled a short list." Weiss plugged her Scroll in the slot of the keyboard and Operator see this list.
"I see. If you don't mind…. what may I ask is this for?" Schnee Corp Operator asked.
"School project." Weiss answered.
"Um... There are some sensitive documents on this list, ma'am." Schnee Corp Operator pointed out a little nervous.
"Well, then, I'll be sure to treat them with care." Weiss promised with a nod.
"Right... Very well." Five seconds later with some little noises. "The data is being transferred to your Scroll now." She informed.
"Wonderful! That will be all, then." Weiss smiled.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to your father before you go?" Schnee Corp Operator asked.
Weiss losses her smile for a second but quickly brought it back up, only Neptune was able to see that making him feel a little concern.
"Yes, I'm sure." Weiss nodded.
"Well then… Have a nice day!" The Operator woman smiled before hanging up.
Weiss drop the happy act as her sad expression is reflected on the screen of the terminal.
"Is everything okay, Weiss?" Jaune asked.
"We got the list, so our part is complete." Weiss said.
"I'm getting the feeling you and your dad don't see eye-to-eye, but I promise I won't push the question when you don't want to answer." Neptune promised.
"Thank you." Weiss nodded.
Jaune's Scroll made a few beeping sounds from within his pocket getting his attention and took it out to see that he got a text message from Centorea.
"Centorea just texted me. She said that her group is getting ready to head for the White Fang rally soon." Jaune informed the two.
"I hope nothing seriously bad happens there." Neptune worried.
"Don't worry, they're only there to hear what the White Fang are planning, and they'll get out. We just have to meet up with them at the appointed time." Weiss stated.
"I hope Ruby and Papi have finish things up with Penny." Jaune concerned for the two.
(With Ruby, Penny, and Papi)
"I wish I could help you, Ruby, but I don't know anything about those men." Penny said, not knowing of the White Fang and other bad guys like Roman.
"Well, what happened to you that night? We were all together, and then you just disappeared! Were you kidnapped?" Ruby asked.
"I bet it was a nice nap." Papi said.
"Kidnapped, as being taken away against one's will. And no, it was nothing like that to me." Penny corrected Papi and told Ruby.
"Then where did you go?" Ruby asked.
"I've never been to another kingdom before. My father asked me not to venture out too far, but... You have to understand, my father loves me very much; he just worries a lot." Penny explained one of the reasons.
"Believe me, I know the feeling." Ruby chuckled.
"I don't know if my daddy was like that because I never knew him at all or is it I don't remember." Papi mentioned.
"But why not let us know you were okay?" Ruby asked about Penny's sudden disappearance on her since that night.
"I... was asked not to talk to you. Or Weiss. Or Blake. Or Yang. Anybody, really." Penny revealed another reason.
"Were you in trouble for late night finishing?" Papi asked.
"There was no fishing in the middle of the night." Ruby said before turning back to Penny.
"So, was your dad upset for going out so late?" Ruby asked, worry that it may have been her fault in some way.
"No, it wasn't my father." Penny shook her head.
Before Penny could continue the conversation, the three heard some noise about dozens of people in one spot and decided to check it out as they turn a corner and saw a hologram image of General Ironwood with six AK-130 Androids standing in front of two large metal containers. Each with the Atlas kingdom emblem on them.
"The AK-130 has been a standard security model of Remnant for several years, and they have done a fine job. Wouldn't you agree?" The hologram Ironwood asked as the crowd to clap and the androids bow. "But... the kingdom of Atlas is a kingdom of innovation, and 'fine'... Well, that's just not good enough, is it? Presenting... the Atlesian Knight-200!" Ironwood revealed as the metal containers open showing the new model androids to the crowd of humans, Faunus, and some Demihumans as they are amazes of this.
"Wow, look at the shine robo-dudes!" Papi amazed.
"Atlas tech sure are the wonders of many things, huh, Penny!" Ruby excited.
"Y-Yeah, they are…" Penny said nervously and scared as she hiccupped. She secretly hopes they can leave this area like right now.
"Smarter, sleeker, and admittedly, a little less scary. These models will become active later this year, but they won't be alone! Now, the Atlesian Military has always supported the idea of removing men from the dangers of the battlefield. However, there are still many situations that will undoubtedly require... a human touch." Ironwood explained.
"Man, I wonder that means they can think like humans too?" Ruby asked.
"Does that mean we can be friends with them?" Papi wondered about that too.
"Maybe." Ruby shrugged as Penny gulps.
"So, our kingdom's greatest minds, in cooperation with the Schnee Dust Company, are proud to introduce... the Atlesian Paladin!" Ironwood presented a hologram imagine of the giant mech.
"Whoa, now that's big!" Papi surprised.
"Now, we couldn't have them here for you today, but these mechanized battle suits will be seen defending the borders of our kingdom within the year!" James smiled.
"Whoa!" Ruby impressed of the mech.
"Ruby, Papi? Maybe we should go somewhere else." Penny suggested.
Penny saw to Atlas soldiers as they seem to have spotted her and she made a run for it leaving Papi and Ruby confuse of what's going on and quickly chase after her.
"Are we playing tag?" Papi asked.
"Nope, I think Penny was scared or something that is making her run like that." Ruby stated.
"Why not ask those men in metal clothes, they seem to know." Papi mentioned as she pointed behind them.
Ruby turns her head seeing two Atlas soldiers chasing after them figuring out that Penny is running from them for some reason, then she spotted a high stack of crates and use her Crescent Rose to chop down one leg to make a wooden avalanche for the big wooden boxes to block the path so that the Atlas soldiers can't follow them for a while.
"We need to get Penny out of here." Ruby said.
"Okay, I can help with that!" Papi flew above Ruby and grabbed her on the shoulders with her talons.
"Wait, Papi. AH!" Ruby screamed a bit as Papi carries her into the air.
Decided to just go with it, Ruby reach out her hand while Papi fly fast as she can go getting closer and wrapping her arms around the waist as Papi quickly flew a little upward.
"Don't worry, Penny, we'll get out th-Uh?!" Ruby gasped when Papi suddenly went lower.
"Papi, what's wrong?" Ruby asked.
"Heavy, too heavy for Papi to carry!" Papi struggled to maintain in the air.
Before Ruby could ask what the black-haired harpy meant by that, they crash onto the road as Papi and Penny roll to the sidewalk while Ruby landed in the middle of the road and a truck is coming right towards her.
Penny saw this and sprint to push Ruby away before she could react then hold out her hand that the truck made contact with, the impact didn't flinch Penny at all as the truck was barely lifted off the ground and small craters were made around her feet.
"Penny?" Ruby shocked.
"Wow, that was awesome!" Papi squealed of starstruck.
"Are you okay?" Penny asked the truck driver who nods in respond.
Penny backs away from the truck and saw the shock and frighten expression on Ruby's face and the bystanders who saw this happen were shocked as well, mumbling to each other wonder if that girl has some kind of super strength Semblance or something or else.
Penny became scared of the people's reactions and ran away again making Ruby and Papi to chase after her again.
"That was awesome, Penny! You stop that big car-thing like a superhero!" Papi complimented.
"Yeah, it was good… Now will you tell us what is going on, why are you running, and how did you even stop that truck!" Ruby asked freaking out a little.
"I said she's like a superhero!" Papi proclaimed.
"I-I can't! Everything's fine! I-I don't want to talk about it!" Penny refused to talk while hiccupping a few times.
"Penny, if you can just tell me what's wrong, I can help you!" Ruby said.
"No! No, no! You wouldn't understand..." Penny refused to talk still, then got hug by Papi from her left.
"There's no need to fear when you have friends here." Papi said with a cute smile.
"You're my friends, right? You promise you're my friends?!" Penny asked to be sure.
"We promise." Ruby said softly.
Papi lets go of Penny as she decided it was finally time to tell them her secret because she can see that Papi and Ruby are the true friends she can count on.
"Ruby, Papi… I'm not a real girl." Penny revealed her hands, her pam skin ripped away showing metal underneath.
This shock both Ruby and Papi of this realization as they will learn more about Penny.
KO a new chapter is done and hope you all enjoy it!
Ruby and Papi have gone off sidetrack from the investigation to learn what happened to Penny as she has been acting secretive lately, and now they will find out why as she revealed to them that she is not exactly a girl in a way while the rest of the teams are doing their mission.
KO comment, favorite, and follow through of how this story will go!