RWBY: Bonds Between Hearts

Chapter 9: Charging Things Up

WARNING: I own none of these characters sides from my OC(s). All rights go to their respective owners and properties.

This is nothing more than, well a fanfic, a story made up by a fan for entertainment and knowledge.

Everything in this fic is not canon and is only meant to give the audience a new idea of the works of each of the franchises in this story.

So please support me, my work and have some fun. Now enjoy the story. ^w^

Things were not easy after the successful extraction/breakout of Experiment 931 who was named Cody. In Atlas, the base had already begun extensive security measures and inspections throughout their systems, personnel, and equipment. Given a monster had easily been smuggled into a military base and a supposed rogue ship having to explode just as it left Mantle, it was proof Faust had eyes and ears everywhere across Remnant.

The snow-haired woman from before took a brief pause to press a few fingers against her forehead. She was Winter Schnee. Yes, Schnee. Her rank being Specialist, second in command to the General. It had not been long since she experienced the most heavily operated attack to the Atlas Military. The voice who was the leader of Faust didn't frighten nor intimidate her. But her icy blue eyes held unease. She had occasionally seen personnel observe their surroundings, no doubt on edge of any attacks.

Winter wasn't a foolish person mind you. After the recent attack, a part of her pride as a Specialist was crushed. Not something she would admit but how would one react when the most advanced military was effortlessly hacked and an organization had to send a monster that killed 20 soldiers. An organization by one man who warned them to never steal his toy. The toy being Cody. She heard rumors from a few about him. How his prowess was unnatural yet natural. Any data related even the tests were ultimately removed from the system. Again, Faust's doing.

The general wasn't happy about it either as he had made the decision regarding each personnel who joined the military. To inspect their backgrounds greatly. After all, how else was a monster smuggled into a base? How did one snake gain access to the military's database, stealing thousands of documents and information from Atlas?

The only answer was that they had a secret mole within. And knowing how Ironwood was, he would make sure to find that mole and give the worst punishment for betraying the Kingdom of Atlas, one that she regrets seeing a few times.

Her eyes met the hall where the bloodbath occurred. Drones were still cleaning the mess. She took a deep breath. Dr. Poladina and Penny were still in Mantle but the warning the snake left lingered around their necks, strangling them to dare make a move. Faust has their secrets, thus would spill it all to the world if they try to touch the blonde who was with the two.

It had put them in a bind she never thought was possible. They were Atlas military yet one mere organization in the shadows was able to outsmart them. Outwit the general himself. It shattered her own pride…

And she hated it.

XXX

Within the streets of Mantle, Cody was grabbing some supplies, but made sure he was not noticeable as he had a hood over his head to make sure nobody recognized him. He fully expected spies and more to be searching for them, knowing how Ironwood was from interaction alone.

Once he had what he needed he went back to the clinic where the good doctor had to help the people in Mantle. The doctor told him that he chose to be here not only due to his childhood, but he prefers being with the people than up in the clouds with every other powerful or rich person in Atlas, something he couldn't blame him for either.

… At least he wasn't a Huntsman like others were.

Entering the clinic he nearly stiffened as a Mantleian happily waved the doctor goodbye and left. He saw the metal prosthetic of a leg. He has seen several patients in such conditions.

How can they be so positive after losing a part of themselves? That was the one question that erupted in his mind several times.

"Ah, welcome back Cody." The doctor greeted the boy, "You have what I needed to get?"

"Right here." The blonde said, placing the supplies on the work desk for the doctor to use.

"Ah good. I was worried they'd be sold out. I'd have to then order custom parts and those take so long to be made." Polendina sighed with relief. "Thank you very much, young man."

"…Why do you do this…?" Cody spoke up, earning the doctor's attention, "How can they be so happy to have some slap of metal placed on them? Replace something that was lost? I just don't get it…"

The chair moved slightly, the scientist curious by the question. "Slap of metal? My dear boy, you never saw it have you?"

"See what?"

"Their reactions."

"I did… and I don't get it still…" He shook his head, "They lost a piece of themselves forever… how can they be happy with something so fake attached to them?"

Pietro sighed. While he was sad that the boy didn't understand it, he couldn't blame him. To the boy who was an experiment for most of his childhood, he just sees it as weapon replacement or even becoming more like a robotic servant as he put it as.

"It takes time my boy. All it takes is deeper observations to fully understand it."

Cody lowered his head and slouched against the seat. His eyes lingered on the project Pietro had been working on. Ever since they arrived at the clinic, they were greeted with a mere flashdrive containing the schematics of what initially shocked him. A buckle for the odd Fullbottle he had.

He was unsure what this was for other than giving him another power as Stark said. But the boy knew that there was something more to it, he just was unsure what it truly was and what Stark and Faust needed it for.

That was the one thing he hated. He knew that even after he does earn his freedom, he is forever in the coils of that snake. Only he can continue the interference, no one else as per the deal for his freedom once he tests the new buckle.

Forever a toy to that snake, forever alone only to be reminded that he can never have a normal life again. He gritted his teeth.

"Everything alright Cody?"

"… No. Nothing is okay." The teen marched out of the clinic.

XXX

Two weeks. It's been two weeks since the encounter of the small metal dragon that the girls met once more. And now it has been living in their dorm ever since, with Yang so far being the proper one to look after it. Though that doesn't mean it still hasn't caused trouble.

"YANG!" Weiss shouted from the shower, earning the other girl's attention.

"What is it this time, ice queen?" Yang responded.

Weiss marched out as she held up several of her hair pins and more, all chewed up or clawed to shreds, along with some of her shorter outfits.

"That dragon has destroyed another precious set of mine! I thought you trained it to stop?"

"It probably hates Atlesean stuff?"

"And my books?" She pointed to the shreds of paper laying on her bed. The dragon has it along with some shredded clothes as its makeshift nest, Ruby already recording it in its 'natural habitat'. "It's been ruining everything I have!"

"Maybe it's you?" Blake snorted.

"Excuse me?! I have you know-!"

"Is the dragon using your Scroll?"

The heiress darted her head to her bunk, seeing the blue dragon idly tapping its small legs on the screen.

"Oh no! I won't let you destroy my Scroll, you animal!" Weiss marched over and she quickly grabbed it, only for the dragon to bite down on its end, tugging it back to itself as they were struggling to take it over the other. "How in Brothers can it tug back when it's this small?!"

"It's a robot, what do you expect?"

"But I have the size advantage!" Weiss grunted as she pulled with all of her might as she lost the tug of war. "That does it! I am sick and tired of having this thing here with us!" She began to march to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Reporting this to the Headmaster! That thing is associated with that Cody and we were warned not once but twice if we involved ourselves in anything connected to him! That includes that thing!"

Ruby quickly sped and got in Weiss' path, waving her hands. "You know there's something else about this whole thing. He is never without his little partner. So if they're separated, it must be something that even it can stop itself."

"Why should I be concerned when it was him who dragged me, your sister, and Blake into such horrible pain that boogeyman did! A boogeyman who we all thought was a child's scary tale!"

She had never been able to get her beauty sleep due to the incident. There were times she screamed upon waking up from her nightmares, only to find herself alive and not in pieces.

The boogeyman haunts people who don't play nice in his domain. If you take his toys from him, peek into his appearance, even snooping around when you shouldn't, you are gone in the night for the troublemaker you are. That was the frightening tale told in her childhood. She had her manners but right now she was at her boiling point.

"I don't think it was his fault. Why does he need to be blamed for what happened?" Yang frowned, arms crossed.

"Oh then do tell me Yang. Who else got us into a mess with the encounter of the boogeyman who put us three into such torment, thrashed you and Blake, putting Team JNPR into recovery, and threatened our very lives if we ever go near that Cody?!" Weiss jabbed Yang's chest. "If anything he is a literal death sentence for all of us and is better off to stay away from us so we can continue our days and not be expelled!"

Yang gritted her teeth before she tackled Weiss, making Ruby yelp to the now brawl between the two. The scuffle between the two caused a spillage of books, papers, and a few belongings. "G-Guys please stop!" Ruby pleaded. Her pleas were ignored by the ongoing fracas.

"You can't just blame someone who we know nothing about! For all we could know, he could be just another victim too! Yet you're treating him like he's a monster!" Yang growled from Weiss's arrogance.

"Look at the various things he does! You know better than I do that his feats are not human nor with Aura!"

Several more books fell from the bunk which startled the dragon from playing the mobile game on Weiss' Scroll.

"He is just different!"

"Different than any of us!" Weiss barked.

"FOR BROTHERS' SAKE STOP YOU TWO!" Yang stopped before she had the chance to punch Weiss while the latter stopped before she had the opportunity to hit Yang with a book. Their heads slowly turned to Ruby whose eyes were crestfallen.

"Look at yourselves…. You're both paranoid. You're both angry and upset. Wanting to blame something for what happened…. While you both have right and wrong points, we shouldn't let that take us…" Ruby spoke up as she walked over, gently picking up the dragon in her arms. "No matter what we do, we are now in their sights for messing with them…. We can only try to do what we can for ourselves, but also find some way to change things around… Isn't that why we became Huntresses? To do what we can for the sake of others? Just stop fighting and please, please not think about what happened to you two."

Yang lowered her limb and her head while Weiss used her hands to redo her hair.

"We became a team… we shouldn't do… this," the 15 year old gestured to the room and the duo themselves.

Now the two felt ashamed by Ruby's criticism. To Yang she never thought to see the day her little sister criticized her. With everything said to them both, Ruby wasn't wrong.

"Just… try to train that… 'thing' to stop destroying my stuff… If it wants attention, it doesn't need to act like a bratty child to get it." Weiss huffed slightly. She felt bits of paper blown to her face. She rolled her eyes slightly and brushed it off her.

Yang gave a soft sigh, walking over to first pat Ruby's head then the dragon's before turning to Weiss as she rubbed her arm. "Sorry… for lashing out at you… I just think there's more to it than we think… It's why I truly don't want to give up on helping him… Even if he hates me for it."

"Just why do you even want to help him?"

"It's just… this gut feeling telling me he really has no one aside from that bastard snake. I still remember when we first saw that snake. I heard that thing say 'I will make sure you remain alive for being special. What I want to see from you is a good show and a lot of effort in your 'heroism' Thus you are better alive than dead. Survive. Live. Just as you have done so, before the world around you burns. By then you will grow more.'" she quoted the snake's words.

"Guess we also know why he is with this little guy, all the time then." Ruby said, looking down at the little robot in her arms, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"You mean, Cody had no choice to endure whatever the boogeyman did?" Blake sat up from her bunk.

"Which also means he's been so rude, just so people don't get close to him…" Weiss realized.

"I get that we are not allowed to get involved in Faust affairs, but at least I can show he can still make friends."

The dragon soon wiggled out of Ruby's arms, soon flying over to Weiss as it gently placed her Scroll in her hands. It's head slightly drooped down like a dog that was sorry before it flew over to its nest only to come back with the pins and other things it tore up into what looked to be a hand-er… dragon made bracelet for the heiress.

"Um… thanks…"

It chirped in response, its tail wagging before it flew over to sit on Yang's head, happily enjoying the spot.

XXX

Cody tossed a ball across the wall, the object bouncing back to his hand. He repeated the motion several times, his mind replaying the events that occurred ever since he escaped.

Becoming Cross-Z.

The ball bounced.

Fighting the Smash

The ball bounced again.

Teens his age getting tormented by Faust for meddling with them.

The ball landed in his hand.

Night Rogue being his cellmate who told him she was no longer there due to leaving them, practically betraying the children as he escaped.

Cody's grip tightened before crushing the ball into a flat mess. He furiously tosses it aside, pressing his hands against his face.

Just what else is this life going to take and destroy for him? Would it maybe end if he did? Was any of this even worth it? His mind racing with too many thoughts and questions, and none of them were answered.

Yet before his mind could be drowned out even further. He felt something cold pressed against his forehead, making him look up to see Penny with some ice cream in hand.

"Salutations, friend! Father asked me to get you some ice cream, so here it is!" Penny said with a sweet smile on her face.

"…."

"You know what ice cream is right?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, take it! It'll melt quickly if I keep holding it." Penny said innocently.

The blonde slowly accepted the treat, staring at it then at Penny's smile. He took a bite, savoring the rich sweetness it held. It was just like…

His mind flashed to a bowl of said treat when he was very young. The thin yet sad smile from an older woman with blonde hair like him, yet she looked very sickly as her skin was much more pale alongside slightly worn down clothes.

He remembered smiling brightly at the woman who smiled back and hugged him gently in her arms. This warm feeling.. This… happy moment…. He thought he wouldn't have such a memory anymore.

Cody snapped back to reality, feeling not only tears running down his face, but an embrace as he looked to see Penny hugging him, causing him to try and push her away. "G-Get away." He almost demanded.

"Why? Whenever I felt sad, Father would always hug me. He would always hug those who needed it. So I'm doing the same to you. You're my friend after all." She said, confused as to why he wanted her away from him.

"What did you say?"

"Same to you-"

"No after that."

"You're my friend?" She tilted her head in puzzlement.

A friend? The android actually saw him as a friend? "I'm… just a weapon… a monster, Penny. I have no need for friends… Especially if they're going to be targeted by Faust…." He confessed, looking away from her.

"I'm a weapon too." she spoke up, "When father first started the draft to make an android that has Aura, it was nothing more than a weapon task by Atlas. But, the moment it worked and I was born, he changed. He no longer started to see me as a weapon, but as a person. He taught me many things not in my programming. One of them being that of friends and loved ones."

The android smiled as she took his hands into hers to make him look at the redhead, "A weapon you may have been, but a weapon you are not. You can do so much more than you realize. Enough to where you don't have to push people away. You are alive, just like everything else." She said, as if quoting what her father said to her.

"But…. how? How can you do that when they know where to find you at all times? How… can you even have hope from something like that?" He asked her, his eyes filled with dread as he looked at her for an answer. "Just… how can you even find real freedom if they don't give it to you?"

Penny pondered at that. The idea that not having true freedom, would indeed be scary. And from what she could find through her database about Faust after the initial encounter given their hyper secrecy and the rumors from it. Anybody who would be targeted by them, would lose everything. But even then, she simply smiled at the boy.

"If they can't give it to you, then you should make it yourself. Make the real freedom you desire with your own hands. Your friends would be there to help pick you back up after all. It's what friends are for, no?"

"Friends…" he repeated to himself. He recalled his conversations with the twins. With Tukson. Then it was the words of the scythe girl calling the heiress her friend. Was it truly what it meant? To have friends look out for them just as they do?

"But… what if one… you believed to be your friend… sees it as you betraying what you did to them? To leave them behind?" He asked her, looking for another answer. "And because of that… they want to destroy everything you try to protect or desire for… Doesn't that make you the bad guy then?"

"That may be something you have to find yourself. Father told me not everything is simple to find. You have to ask yourself and believe in yourself."

Cody looked down, dwelling on those words and advice in his thoughts. He was unsure if he could ever reason with 932 for all she saw him as was a traitor for leaving her and the escapees to the drones who caught up to them. And as for the blondie and her friends, he also doubted they'd ever trust him again.

"Can… I ask one last thing, Penny?"

"Of course! I can try to answer as many questions as I can, friend." She nodded with a smile.

"To tell you the truth… I hate Huntsmen…." He confessed to her. "I remember the stories of old and at first thought the same as everyone else… But after so many years in Faust… I grew to despise them… They never tried to come for us or save us…. So how… how can one believe in a Huntsmen… when they couldn't even save someone like me?" He asked her.

"Um…" now that was a tough question. "I'm… not sure? But, that doesn't mean all Huntsmen are the same." She patted his back, "From how I see it? You just wanted to blame someone for your suffering, and the Huntsmen seemed the obvious choice. But seeing the world now? Do you honestly think the same as before?"

"… Not sure…" he murmured. While such intense feelings still indeed lingered in his heart, hearing Penny say that he was simply wanting to blame someone for everything that happened? It… made sense. He did want someone to blame for it all… but now its more directed to Faust, than the Huntsmen from the stories.

He looked back at his ice cream, slightly melted as he began to take bigger bites until he started to chew the cone until finally it was gone. With a heavy gulp, as he finished the tasty treat he sighed out. Maybe… he could try to reach out one last time.

"Thank you… Penny…." He said to her only for the android to give him another hug.

"Of course, friend! I hope I helped?" She said with a brightful smile.

"Yeah… you did…" He chuckled softly, as he returned the hug. Though was still new to it as he was unsure what this new feeling was, only that Penny has indeed earned his friendship.

XXX

"Ah you're back!" Pietro noticed Cody and Penny. The scientist noticed Cody's demeanor was lighter than last time. He turned the chair slightly, "Is everything alright?"

"Ye-Yeah… just… some minor stuff brought more clarity in my head." replied the blonde.

Pietro smiled before a glimmer showed on his armrest. Double checking the message, he rubbed his chin. "Oh dear I almost forgot about that."

"Forgot what, father?"

"We are to go to Vale in a few days my dear."

"Ah! The Vytal Festival!" Penny realized.

"Uh… what's the Vytal Festival?" Cody raised a hand.

"It's a unique tournament involving all the academies in a worldwide event. Showing the progress of each student and team to all, including endorsing those who wish to branch out more for internship for certain Huntsmen and Huntresses." Pietro informed the boy. "Though from the message, we will have to depart without delay."

This surprised the boy. He had heard of it during his days in the streets after his escape but never got the full details regarding the festival.

"Ironwood must be unsettled by everything that happened, that he wants to depart as quickly as possible." Pietro sighed.

"What about… the things Faust asked?"

The man coughed slightly. "Well, it'll still be difficult to finish since the items I require are mostly in Atlas. But I'm sure I can get it completed just in time before our departure to Vale."

They were under a timeline as per Faust's deal. To make a device for the bottle Cody had and a zero-matter detector, whatever that meant but no doubt to locate unusual energy.

"I'm sure it will be done by then, father! You are super smart!" Penny praised, earning a small laugh from the scientist.

Seeing the interaction brought fresh air to the blonde. For a moment the corner of his lips twitched upward.

Pietro noticed as he smiled, "It also seems you're doing better than before, my boy." He praised him, as Cody flinched only to turn away, embarrassed. This made the scientist chuckle as he walked over to him, "No need to be shy. It's normal to feel like this. I just hope that I can do you right as well." Pietro said as he gently patted his side.

"I'll… do my best sir…." Cody nodded, as he was indeed embarrassed to be praised.

"Now then, I believe dinner is in order. I believe today, some green bean casserole would be a nice change. Don't you agree Penny?" He said, looking to his daughter.

"Dinner sounds lovely!" A loud growl made the two look at Cody who was more embarrassed now.

"I… guess dinner would be good…." He admitted, earning a hearty laugh from the father and daughter.

Cody's embarrassment shifted into a small chuckle before he laughed as well.

Maybe Penny and Pietro were right after all. He just has to believe in himself and find his answers from within. Being around the two, it was becoming more uplifting than he ever felt in a long time. The real feeling of positivity.

As Pietro was working late at night, the scientist sighed with relief as he leaned back in his chair. The odd item project was complete! Whatever this thing was? It was a scanner, for whatever that snake wanted. As much as he would rather destroy it or rig it up. He had to do it legitimately. Otherwise not only would that boy's future be forever at stake, but his daughter as well. He could only hope that the boy would be strong enough to fight back.

But that wasn't all that was complete. The scientist turned his head to the other item, the new belt for the boy. It was a blue belt with a presser within it for the new bottle as a wrench handle was there to be used to activate it. It took him some time, but after studying the odd bottle's essence and materials, he understood what it could be. While he doesn't plan to give this to Ironwood or even Penny, he may have future plans for it for the young boy.

A new weapon will be made next for him, but he'll have to wait until he's back in Atlas to get the proper materials. But whatever this stuff was, it clearly was not from Remnant or even this world. It was purely alien materials and technology. With a heavy heart he went to his computer and plugged in the scroll.

"This is too dangerous for the world to have... For now, it shall be forgotten..." Pietro muttered as he began to erase the data that was sent to him, alongside the production. He may have it memorized, but he will only make it for the boy to stop Faust when he's strong enough to face them without fear.

He just hoped this wouldn't ruin the boy forever. He had to have faith, just like his faith in his daughter to help heal the young boy.

A/N: Welp, this was a short, chap huh? But nothing wrong with that at all. Hope you all enjoyed this chap tho? ^^ This one is just a simple downtime alongside some healing for Cody once more. But mostly just a set up for Cross-Z Charge for next chap. I felt like this was needed, to give Cody some answers alongside someone who could relate to his problems. And Penny just was so obvious to do after all. Either way, next chap is the big one! Cross-Z Charge! Until then, later minna!