Comforting a Friend with Under-Skin Secret
"Penny, wait!" Ruby called out as she and Rushuna runs up to the girl.
"Oh, it's you two again." Penny said nervously.
"Come now, why are you pretending that you don't know us from back then?" Rushuna asked concern.
"Yeah, it's been weeks since the dock fight and you suddenly disappeared on us! We were really worried." Ruby said.
"There seems to be a... misunderstanding." Penny tried to walk away from them, but Rushina grabs her arm hugging it.
"No, we are not going to let you go like this." Rushuna refused.
"Look, I don't 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 us what happened to you that night! Please... As your friends." Ruby pleaded.
Penny became silent for a few moments thinking about what Ruby and Rushuna said as they determined to not let her leave their side again, and they are the two first real friends she made since coming to Vale as she didn't want to lose that now and lose their trust too. She decided to walk with the two around town, but she first looks around to see if there are any Atlas soldiers around until she confirmed the coast is clear.
"Come with me, it isn't safe to talk here." Penny said confusing the two.
(CCT Communications Room)
Weiss, Jaune, and Pyrrha enters the communications room inside the CCT tower Weiss will make contact with SDC to get some information about the Dust robberies and anything else they can find as well, Jaune and Pyrrha are sitting next to her acting like they want to make contact with families and friends.
"Hopefully, no one suspects you trying to dig into something too much." Jaune worried a little.
"Please, as if they would suspect the heiress of the company to do anything unless you're my father." Weiss bragged a little.
"It wouldn't hurt to be cautious though." Pyrrha pointed out.
Weiss start making the call to the Schnee Company World Headquarters in Atlas and waited for an employee to pick up her call, then a woman appeared on a hologram screen.
"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." The Schnee Corp Operator mentioned.
"No, thank you! I was actually wondering if you could find some files for me. I've compiled a short list." Weiss placed her Scroll in the slot of the keyboard showing the list to the Operator.
"I see. If you don't mind... what may I ask is this for?" SDC Operator asked a little puzzle of this list.
"School project." Weiss answered calmly.
"I'm gonna make a quick call to my mom and dad, just to let them know me and Rushuna okay." Jaune whispered to Pyrrha before moving to another terminal.
"Um... There are some sensitive documents on this list, ma'am." SDC Operator said a little concern.
"Well, then, I'll be sure to treat them with care." Weiss promised with an assuring smile.
"Right... Very well." The SDC Operator said nervously but did as she was told by the heiress and some beeping noises were heard.
"The data is being transferred to your Scroll now." The SDC Operator informed.
"Wonderful! That will be all, then." Weiss nodded and did a secret fist-bump with Pyrrha for a mission accomplish.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to your father before you go?" The SDC Operator asked.
Pyrrha notices that Weiss suddenly loses her smile the instant that operator woman asked if she would like to speak with her father, but the white-haired girl quickly brought her smile back.
"Yes, I'm sure." Weiss nodded again.
"Well, then... Have a nice day!" The SDC Operator smiled before hanging up.
Weiss's face went to being sad again and Pyrrha place a hand onto her shoulder for some comfort.
"I take it you and your father don't see eye-to-eye very much." Pyrrha guessed.
"Is it that obvious?" Weiss asked sarcastically.
"Don't worry, I won't ask what's going on between you two. Just know you have friends who will always be there for you at your most needs like me and Jaune here." Pyrrha stated.
"Thank you, Pyrrha." Weiss smiled.
"MOM! Stop asking me about giving you grandkids when Rushuna and I are still in school?!" Jaune shouted of embarrassment which got Pyrrha and Weiss's attention.
"It looks like Jaune's mother is one of those parents." Pyrrha commented with a chuckle.
"It sure sounds like it." Weiss said crossing her arms.
"I wonder how she'll react if I were to go talk and say I'm his second girlfriend?" Pyrrha asked.
"Best to keep that on hold for now, something tells me she'll want to ask what kind of wedding dress you want." Weiss pointed making Pyrrha laughs a little.
(With Penny, Ruby, and Rushuna)
"I wish I could help you, Ruby, but I don't know anything about those men." Penny said as she and the two girls are seen walking together through a street.
"Well, what happened to you that night? We were all together, and then you just disappeared! Were you kidnapped?" Ruby asked.
"Oh, no! Nothing like that!" Penny reassured that she was fine.
"Then were you picked up by someone you know in a hurry to get you out of the crime scene?
Rushuna asked.
"Yes, something like that. 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 about her father.
"Believe me, I know the feeling." Ruby chuckled.
"Jaune's father was like that too. He wouldn't let Jaune become a Huntsman for not being strong or brave enough to carry on the family's legacy before I enter his life and convinced his father to let him." Rushuna explained.
"Yep, protective parents." Ruby nodded.
"But if you were okay, why didn't you at least let us know that instead of making us worry?" Rushuna asked.
"I'm really sorry to worry you all. It just I… was asked not to talk to you. Or Jaune. Or Nora. Or Ren. Or Pyrrha. Or Weiss. Or Blake. Or Yang. Anybody, really." Penny answered.
"Was your dad that upset?" Ruby asked worry.
"No, it wasn't my father." Penny said feeling nervous the more they talk about this.
However, before the conversation could continue on, they heard some noises which sounds like a crowd of people making Ruby and Rushuna curious and went to see what's all about until they spotted a stage with human-size robots and two large metal boxes. And right with them is a hologram screen of General Ironwood himself making a presentation about something special which he reveals to be new model versions of the Atlas robots and even revealing the new giajt mech suit to the crowd.
"Oh wow, that looks so awesome!" Ruby squealed.
"I have to admit, Atlas does show some great things with the robots and the inventions they make." Rushuna said.
"Yeah, great…" Penny gulped and spotted to Atlas Soldiers that could spot her at any second.
"Ruby, Rushuna... Maybe we should go somewhere else." Penny said walking backward a little.
"Sorry, did you say something, Penny?" Rushuna asked when she notices Penny is being a little scared and turns to see the two Atlas soldiers who then spotted her.
This causes Penny to run away which got Ruby and Rushuna to chase after her through the streets as the two Atlas soldiers came after them a little far from behind, Rushine quickly reached into her pocket and threw three small pallets onto the ground which explodes into a slippery oil puddle. The Atlas soldiers were too late to react to that as they slip and slide through the floor causing them to scream and crashed right into some wooden boxes.
"Let me guess, Nora?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah, she thought it would come in handy." Rushuna answered.
They caught up with Penny through an alleyway as Ruby thought of an idea to get ahead and lose the Atlas soldiers faster, she grabs onto both Rushuna and Penny with her arms.
"Ruby what are you doing?" Rushuna asked.
"Just hang on." Ruby said.
Ruby channeled ever strength she has to perform her Petal Burst Semblance to get over to a street, but the strain was too much for Ruby to perform her superspeed while carrying too people at the same time as they crash onto the street as the red-hooded her in the middle. Then a truck is coming at her without noticing the short girl in the way.
"Ruby!" Rushuna gasped and quickly brought out her revolver to shoot the tires to stop it.
But Penny moves in and pushes Ruby out of the way, she then holds out her hands to not only stop the truck in its tracks, but also lifting it up a little from the ground with little cracks appearing around her feet before putting the truck back down.
"Whoa!" Ruby surprised.
"It's just like when she pulled that Bullhead back then!" Rushuna remembered seeing Penny pulling off such a feat of strength.
"Are you okay?" Penny asked the old man truck driver who nodded in respond.
Penny notice the big crowd forming around the scene as some of have just witness what that girl just did to that truck some thinking it was cool while others thought it was weird and a little scary, the orange-haired girl with the pink bow got scared and ran away promoting Ruby and Rushuna to go after her again.
"Penny, come back!" Ruby called out.
They came to a stop at the end of an alleyway right next to a large dumpster as Ruby pants a little from all the running and having to use her Semblance like that.
"Penny! Please! What is going on?! Why are you running? How did you do that?!" Ruby asked feeling a little freaking out right now.
"I-I can't! Everything's fine! I-I don't want to talk about it!" Penny tried to get out of this conversation while hiccupping.
"Penny, if something is bothering you then you have to tell us because as your friends, we will not abandon you, no matter what!" Rushuna said serious and gentle at the same time.
"No! No, no! You wouldn't understand..." Penny protested to talk, hiccup again.
"Let us try, Penny. You can trust us because like Rushuna said, we're your friends." Ruby determined to help her friend whatever she is going through.
Penny became nervous to reveal this secret to them, but she can tell that they are not going to let her go and be in the dark.
"You two are my friends, right? You promise you're my friends?" Penny asked.
"We promise." Ruby and Rushuna said at the same time.
"Ruby. Rushuna… I'm not a real girl." Penny showed her hands which shocked both girls as they see real metal under the skin.
"My goodness…" Rushuna said feeling a loss for words.
"Penny, I-I don't understand…" Ruby confused of what she is seeing right now.
"Most girls are born, but I was made. I'm the world's first synthetic person capable of generating an Aura." Penny revealed about herself as a robot, then her face became sad. "I'm not real."
Penny looks down at her hands seeing that she will never be like any other girls because of what she really on the inside, then Ruby and Rushuna each took a hand into their own.
"Do not be silly, Penny." Rushuna said.
"Of course, you are. You think just because you've got nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts makes you any less real than me?" Ruby believed.
"Yes, you smile, you laugh, you want to have fun like any other people would feel in most of their life." Rushuna added.
"I don't... um... You're... You two taking this extraordinarily well." Penny surprised leaning her face closer to them.
"That's because you are your own person, more than you realize with a soul that is unlike anything anyone has ever seen." Rushuna stated strongly.
"She's right, you're a better robot than those things we saw back there. You've got a heart, and a soul; I can feel it!" Ruby said as she taps a finger on Penny's chest.
Hearing the kind words from both her newly best friends, Penny started to giggle like an exciting little girl and pulled the two into a bone-crushing hug as Ruby groans in pain and Rushuna doesn't mind for as long as her friend is happy.
"You two are the best friends anyone could have!" Penny smiled.
"And you're happy to have you as our best friend too." Rushuna smiled back, cuddling her face onto hers.
"I can see why your father would want to protect such a delicate flower!" Ruby said and having a little trouble breathing.
"Oh, he's very sweet! My father's the one that built me! I'm sure you would love him!" Penny smiled mentioning her father.
"So, he's another inventor like the ones who made those robot soldiers?" Rushuna asked.
"Well, he helped a bit with those." Penny said.
"It's still amazing that he built you by himself." Ruby commented.
"Well, almost! He had some help from Mr. Ironwood." Penny mentioned which surprises Ruby and Rushuna.
"The General?! Wait... Is that why those soldiers were after you?" Ruby realized with the Atlas soldiers chasing them.
"They like to protect me, too!" Penny nodded.
"They don't think you can protect yourself?" Ruby scoffed.
"But we've seen you fight and pulled that Bullhead back alone, you were amazing!" Rushuna pointed out.
"Thank you, but they're not sure if I'm ready yet... One day, it will be my job to save the world, but I still have a lot left to learn. That's why my father let me come to the Vytal Festival. I want to see what it's like in the rest of the world and test myself in the Tournament." Penny explained which confuses both Huntress-in-training.
"Penny, what are you talking about? Save the world from what? We're in a time of peace!" Ruby pointed out to her.
"Yes, the only thing that is life-threatening are just the Grimm monsters everywhere." Rushuna added.
"That's not what Mr. Ironwood said..." Penny confused as well feeling that Ironwood hasn't told her the whole story.
"Check down there!" An Atlas soldier said as they are getting closer.
This got Penny worry as Ruby and Rushuna will be in big trouble if she is caught hanging out with them in the open, she looks around and saw the dumpster is open.
"You have to hide!" Penny said and lifted both girls with one hand each effortlessly.
"Penny, wait! What are you doing? You don't have to go with them! We can help you!" Ruby struggled to break free.
"Yes, we can show them we mean no harm to you, and we can be friends!" Rushuna stated but was ignored and thrown into the dumpster along with Ruby.
"It's okay, Ruby, Rushuna. They're not bad people; I just don't want to get you in trouble." Penny said about to leave but stop to ask them a really quick question.
"Just promise me you won't tell anyone else my secret. Okay?" Penny asked, staring at them gravely.
Ruby and Rushuna really didn't want to leave their friend, but they knew it was something that has to be kept shut as they nod at each other in agreement.
"Of course, Penny." Rushuna nodded.
"We promise." Ruby smiled as they lower their heads and Penny close the lid before turning around facing the Atlas Soldiers.
"Sal-u-tations, officers!" Penny greeted friendly.
"Why were you running? And what happened to the other two girls?" Atlas Solider 1 asked.
"What girls? I've been by myself all day!" Penny lied playfully as she hiccups.
"You shouldn't cause such a scene." Atlas Solider 1 scolded.
"Are you okay?" Atlas Solider 2 asked.
"Just a scratch." Penny showed her "injured" hands.
"Penny, your father isn't going to be happy about this. Please, just come with us." Atlas Soldier 1 ordered.
"Yes, sir!" Penny saluted and walked away from the dumpster with the soldiers.
Ruby and Rushuna lift the lid a little peeking out to see Penny walking away and she quickly waves goodbye to them, they hope Penny will be okay.
"Now, I believe we should be getting back to Jaune, Pyrrha, and Weiss at the CCT tower." Rushuna reminded Ruby of the others.
"Yeah, we sh-AAAAHHH?!" Ruby screamed when she spotted a rat on her lap and fell dropping the lid on them.
KO a new chapter is done and hope you all enjoy it!
Ruby and Rushuna have learned the secret of their friend Penny who is a robot with somehow a soul to generate aura like the others, and they have made a promise to keep this a secret from everyone else as Ruby and Rushuna can now get back to the others.
KO comment, favorite, and follow through of how this story will go!