Chapter 14: Salutations!

"Rnesh karr slithis," I hissed back, which was Draconic for eat your own tail, the dragon version of go screw yourself. No extra translation needed."

― Julie Kagawa, Talon

The admin chose a rather inconvenient time to release an update. Now I was stuck between being surprised at the girl sitting beside me and a growing curiosity to check what this system update brought with it. Hopefully more player-based items in the Shop. That'd be nice. It was one of the feedbacks I gave.

Still, I had to prioritize one over the other and I decided the update could wait. After all, I couldn't just check it out here anyway when sitting beside someone.

So instead, I focused my attention on the girl beside me.

Her orange bob-cut hair, adorned with a bow, obscured her face from this angle, making it difficult to fully discern her facial features. She sat with a rigid, almost unnaturally straight posture, yet there was an effortless grace to it—poised but not quite prim and proper. Her hands were clasped on her lap as she observed the view in front of us: the small crowd going to and from the tower.

Even without seeing her face, I recognized her instantly by her unique outfit—parts of which looked like circuitry, almost like Grey Matter's circuit-patterned skin from the Ben 10 cartoons I watched as a kid. It was too distinct to miss. In fact, her whole look stood out.

Maybe sensing my gaze on her, she turned to face me, finally revealing her facial features. Her fair, pale skin was dusted with light freckles across her upper cheeks, complementing the soft, round contours of her face—cute in an almost doll-like way. But what stood out the most were her eyes. Those vivid green irises… they didn't just catch the light; they almost seemed to glow, brimming with an unnatural brilliance that made them mesmerizing.

I blinked as I processed that little detail, realizing we had been making eye contact. She was the first to break the silence.

"Oh! Hello there! It is a lovely day today!"

Her voice was bright and cheerful, but something about it felt almost… rehearsed. Her posture remained effortlessly straight, her lips curling into a pleasant smile. Yet there was a lack of… something. Something human. It felt artificial, sort of, the way she spoke and the way her eyes looked at me.

Thrown off by the sudden greeting, I floundered for a second before regaining my wits.

"Yes? Ah, I mean, yeah. It is. Sorry, you just surprised me there."

I glanced briefly toward the massive tower, then continued.

"Are you out here for a walk, or… maybe to use the CCT?"

Her bright green eyes widened slightly at the question.

"Oh! My apologies! I did not mean to startle you."

"Nah, it's fine."

I waved it off.

She nodded, then hesitated for a fraction of a second before answering, her voice carrying an almost-too-careful emphasis.

"And I am here to… take a walk. Yes! Definitely that."

I resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow at the oddly suspicious intone. That didn't sound like the truth—more like someone trying to sound casual but failing miserably. Not that I was going to pry—we were just strangers, after all.

"I see."

I paused, glancing around reflexively again before continuing.

"I'm the same, actually. Just exploring."

I smiled slightly, still feeling a lingering satisfaction from finally reaching the city after weeks of wandering through this world's wilderness.

Penny, however, looked startled at my proclamation. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly glanced around before leaning in, whispering conspiratorially.

"Are you also out here without permission from your guardian to observe people?"

Her expression was so innocent and hopeful that it caught me off guard. The way she asked made it sound like she genuinely thought this was a normal thing people did.

"Uh… no? I don't have a 'guardian' watching over me."

I chuckled slightly, but my own words brought a brief pang of homesickness. I pushed the feeling aside for now.

"I'm actually from outside Vale. Just checking out the city, and getting familiar with the place. But from how you phrased that… I take it you're not supposed to be here?"

I couldn't help but tease her a little, though my tone held no judgment. If anything, I was just amused by how terrible she was at hiding the fact that I figured it out within moments of conversing.

Her eyes widened again, this time however in distress.

"Oh no! I should not have said that!"

She clamped both hands over her mouth and quickly scanned the area as if checking to make sure no one else had overheard. Then, in a desperate whisper—

"Please do not tell anyone!"

She stared at me with an almost exaggerated rendition of puppy-dog eyes, her bright green irises practically shimmering. The effect was… dangerously effective.

I raised my hands in a calming gesture, suppressing a chuckle at the reaction.

"It's alright. I'm not telling anyone. I don't even know anyone here."

Her face lit up instantly.

"Oh! You are absolutely right! My apologies!"

In a complete 180 from her previous distress, she suddenly beamed with excitement.

"My name is Penny! It is wonderful to meet you!"

She clasped her hands together, practically bouncing in place as she spoke, her words enunciated with an almost theatrical enthusiasm.

Her joy was honestly infectious, and I found myself smiling back.

"It's nice to meet you too, Penny. My name is… Damian."

I hesitated briefly before deciding to go with my System-given name. It wasn't like I was hiding my real name, but after seeing Damian Pendragon on my Status screen for so long, it just felt… natural.

Penny gasped.

"Damian! That is a wonderful name!"

Her sheer sincerity made me chuckle, feeling a bit embarrassed. But then, she suddenly looked thoughtful, staring at me—or perhaps just past me—as if lost in thought.

"I must say! This is quite a pleasant experience! Engaging in casual conversation with a stranger I have just met! Oh—this is the second-longest conversation I have had with someone who is not my guardian, acquaintance, or friend!"

She lit up even more as if realizing something.

"Oh! But I do have a friend, you see! I met her recently, and she is very nice—"

Then, just as quickly, her excitement faded, replaced by something more subdued.

"I… was unfortunately instructed not to talk to her. Or Weiss. Or Yang. Or anyone, really."

She sighed, looking genuinely disheartened, forgetting that I might not know those names. Except, I did remember those names.

"…I'm sorry to hear that, Penny."

I hadn't really thought before speaking, but I did feel bad for her.

At the same time, I was starting to get a better sense of where we were in the RWBY timeline. I vaguely remembered something like this happening in the early seasons.

"Thank you…"

She replied, but then suddenly tensed up.

"Oh no! That would mean I should not be speaking to you either!"

She spoke to no one but herself.

Before I could react, she abruptly stood up.

"I… I am afraid I must leave, Damian. I should not be here."

She took a few hurried steps away, but I instinctively called out—

"Wait, Penny."

She stopped, turning back to me with a curious but slightly conflicted expression like she wanted to say something but wasn't sure if she should.

Honestly, I wasn't sure why I'd stopped her. We were just strangers, making small talk in a park. I had no real reason to keep her here. But something about her situation, her loneliness, stuck a chord with me.

"I… I'm sorry you have to deal with that. Not being allowed to talk to your friend or anyone, really. It doesn't sound like something you enjoy."

I paused, hesitating before continuing.

"I don't know why your guardian told you that, but… if you'd be willing, I'd like you to stay for longer if you could. You see, I don't know anyone here either. And you're the first person I've really talked to in Vale."

It was a half-lie. I had talked to several people before her, but it was mostly for transactions, and I didn't count those as real conversations. Penny was the first person I'd had a real proper conversation with in this world. And after so long, that had felt rather special and I didn't want it to end so soon.

Penny blinked, eyes widening slightly as she processed my words. Then, her expression softened.

"That… means a lot to me, Damian."

For a moment, she looked almost… nostalgic.

"I know what it is like to be in a new place and not know anyone. I was just like you before I met my first friend."

Her voice was somber, thoughtful. Then, with a renewed determination, she nodded.

"Damian, I apologize for attempting to flee just now. I did not want to, but I felt I should. Because, you see, I am not supposed to be here. My presence may cause complications."

I gave her a reassuring smile.

"Well, you won't be alone if you're with me. I can make sure you don't cause any trouble. Not that I think you would, of course."

I spoke, trying to lighten the suddenly heavy mood.

Her eyes lit up with surprise, then consideration.

"That… yes. That is logical."

Then, she brightened completely, stepping back toward me.

"But are you sure? Is my presence not an inconvenience?"

She asked, tilting her body towards me as she clasped her palms in front, showing her ingrained mannerisms.

I shook my head, still smiling.

"Trust me, I'm happy to make a new friend."

That was not a lie. Regardless of the fact that I knew of her, conversing with Penny had been a rather pleasant experience.

Maybe it was the prolonged loneliness and desire for human interaction or maybe I felt pity for her situation. Regardless, I wanted to make friends with the poor girl. It seemed like something both of us needed at the moment.

For a brief second, Penny seemed genuinely touched. Then, her usual excitement returned.

"Then I would be delighted to be your friend, Damian!"

And just like that, she sat back down, her grin as bright as ever.

We sat in silence for a few short moments, both of us seemingly unsure of what to do next. Well, Penny seemed to be basking in this new bond of friendship, and I was the one who was feeling a little awkward after that unexpected heart-to-heart. Eventually, though, I decided to speak up.

"So… since we're both new here and exploring, would you like to visit the CCT with me? Maybe tell me a bit about it and other things? I'm really new to all of this, and there's a lot that still surprises or confuses me. You're probably way more knowledgeable than I am about things."

I glanced at her, hoping she'd be up for it.

To my joy, Penny brightened at the suggestion.

"I would be happy to! I do know a great deal about various topics and can explain whatever you'd like to learn. Especially the CCT! Would you like for us to leave now?"

I nodded without hesitation. That had been my original plan before I sat down to eat and ended up meeting her.

"Yeah, I was just finishing my snack before heading there. But now I have you to accompany me."

Penny clasped her hands together, looking genuinely pleased, almost swooning.

"This is the first time someone has asked me to do something like this! Rest assured, Damian, I will tell you everything I know about the things you wish to inquire about. Ah—except for sensitive information. Huck! Not that I know any sensitive information!"

She stiffened slightly, her eyes widening as she realized what she had just implied. Then, in an awkward attempt to cover her slip, she let out an obviously forced laugh.

I couldn't help but smile at her terrible attempt at deception. Penny was not good at keeping secrets—at least, not in the way she probably should be. It wasn't that she had actually revealed anything important, but she'd done the next worst thing: she'd made it very clear that there was something she wasn't allowed to talk about.

Still, luckily for her, I had no intention of pushing her on it.

"I see."

I said simply, giving her an understanding nod.

Penny visibly relaxed, relieved I wasn't prying further.

I leaned back slightly on the bench, glancing up at the sky. The weather was clear, save for a few wisps of clouds, and a gentle breeze carried through the park. It was the kind of day that would have been perfect for a picnic with friends or family.

The thought made my chest tighten slightly, but I pushed it away before it could linger and soil my mood.

"Well then…"

I began, standing up and dusting myself off.

"Shall we?"

Penny nodded enthusiastically, stepping forward to walk alongside me.

As we made our way toward the towering structure, she launched into an eager explanation about the CCT, her voice filled with excitement.

I listened intently, genuinely happy to let her talk. Any knowledge I could get about this world—its customs, its technology, its common sense—was invaluable.

After all, I could only keep up the excuse of being from the boonies for so long. Even someone from the outer settlements would probably know more than I did at this point.

For now, though, I had Penny to guide me here, and she was more than willing to help.

…

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Penny's excitement is contagious. As we walked toward the CCT Tower, she was practically bouncing on her heels, her stiff posture from earlier slowly fading into something more fluid and expressive. It was honestly refreshing to see, knowing what little I did about her situation.

"The CCT is the primary method of long-distance communication across the four Kingdoms!"

Penny began in an almost tour-guide-like manner. And I nodded like a proper tourist.

"It was established a while after the Great War as a means to foster better unity between the nations and ensure the spread of information was more efficient and accurate. Without it, communication between Vale, Atlas, Mistral, and Vacuo would be significantly slower!"

I listened intently, nodding along.

"So, basically this world's version of the internet but controlled through a centralized system?"

I muttered to myself, but Penny's hearing was sharper than I expected.

Penny blinked, tilting her head slightly.

"Internet?"

'Ah, crap. Was that not how they called it here?'

I really needed to be more careful about letting modern Earth terms slip out.

"Uh, just a term for a global network of information and communication I'd heard from somewhere."

I said vaguely, hoping she wouldn't press further.

To my confusion, her eyes instead lit up with curiosity.

"Oh! That sounds fascinating! But yes, the CCT is a centralized system operated mainly by Atlas, as it was their technological advancements that made it possible."

I hummed in thought.

'Atlas controls the entire global communication system, huh?'

That sounded like a huge security risk if things ever went south with them—which, if my knowledge of the show held any truth, was pretty much inevitable.

I would assume the system was at least somewhat distributed, to avoid exactly the kind of scenario I was thinking about. But maybe I was overanalyzing. Penny had called it a centralized system, but she hadn't explicitly said Atlas controlled everything outright. Maybe they just managed the core infrastructure. This would still cause huge problems if disrupted, but at least it wouldn't completely halt the entirely of the CCT Network if Atlas' infrastructure went down for reasons.

I was curious enough to outright ask Penny about that.

"What if there's some issue with Atlas's CCT infrastructure? Would it cause the entire world's CCT to be down?"

Penny's reply was prompt.

"No, not entirely."

Penny answered with confidence.

"While Atlas manages the core infrastructure and is responsible for maintaining the primary systems, each Kingdom has its own relay towers and backup networks. If Atlas were to go offline, long-distance communication to and from Atlas would be severely impacted. However, local networks within each Kingdom, as well as direct communications between Kingdoms, would continue to function for a time.

Over time, however, the lack of Atlas's oversight would begin to degrade system efficiency. Atlas is responsible for updating communication protocols, monitoring for security breaches, and ensuring the overall stability of the network. Without these crucial updates and security measures, the CCT's performance would gradually decline, leading to increased disruptions, potential vulnerabilities, and, eventually, widespread failures. While other Kingdoms could sustain independent communication for a while, Atlas's infrastructure remains essential for maintaining peak functionality and long-term security."

I nodded, processing all of that. Penny was really well-versed in Atlas tech.

"So, basically, the CCT is heavily reliant on Atlas, but it's not a complete single point of failure?"

Penny tilted her head slightly before nodding.

"Yes! That is an accurate way to describe it. Atlas provides the main hub for global connectivity, but redundancy measures exist to prevent total communication failure. However…"

She hesitated for a second.

"However?"

I prompted.

She frowned slightly.

"The system is still vulnerable. If Atlas's core infrastructure were to be compromised, it would become difficult—perhaps impossible—for Kingdoms to communicate with each other in real-time. The relay towers rely on the main network to function at full capacity."

I exhaled sharply, lost in thought.

'So, it's not a total blackout scenario… but it's close enough to be a problem. I feel like this is something I need to keep in mind.'

"And has anyone ever thought that maybe relying so much on a single Kingdom for global communication might be a bad idea?"

I asked dryly.

Penny blinked.

"I… I do not know. It has not been a concern before as far as I know."

That was… shortsighted, but I wasn't going to blame Penny for such an obvious and exploitable flaw in a world-level infrastructure. Penny was just relaying what she knew. I could almost hazard a guess as to why things were the way they were, from my meta-knowledge and from deductive reasoning based on what little I knew. Of course, there was the possibility of there being more variables and reasons for it, but… it was him, wasn't it? Maybe he made in intentionally to be this way? So it could be exploited or targetted more easily.

"Guess I know what I'd be worried about if I were running things."

I muttered.

Penny tilted her head again.

"Oh? Would you like to run things?"

I blinked at the abrupt question, realizing I said that out loud.

"No, thanks. That sounds like too much work."

She smiled at that.

"Then, I suppose it is good that you are not in charge!"

I shook my head in amusement at her reply, and we continued walking.

As we passed by several people, I noticed a few giving Penny curious glances, but no one said anything. I supposed her outfit alone made her stand out—especially with those circuit-like patterns on her clothing.

"Say, Penny…"

I started, glancing at her as we continued up the path toward the tower.

"You mentioned that you weren't supposed to talk to your friend… or anyone, really. Why is that? I mean, if you don't mind me asking."

I added that last part when I realized I was being a bit too nosy, perhaps.

Penny hesitated, her cheerful expression dimming slightly.

"Oh. Um… It is because I am a special case."

I raised an eyebrow.

"A special case?"

I had a feeling I knew what she was referring to.

She nodded, her smile returning—but this time, it felt just a bit more forced.

"Yes! My guardian says that I must be careful when interacting with others. It is for my own good."

I frowned slightly at that. I could understand why her guardian—likely her creator, Dr. Polendina, was it—wanted to keep her true nature under wraps. But just because it made sense didn't mean it felt right. It had affected Penny's life a lot.

She was built to be a normal, human-like girl but she wasn't treated like one. Not entirely, at least.

"But… do you think it's for your own good?"

I asked after a short pause. I already had a good guess at her answer, but I wanted to hear it from her directly.

Penny slowed her pace slightly, her gaze dropping to the ground as she considered my question.

"I… I do not know. I trust my guardian, but… it does feel lonely."

Her voice was quieter than before.

I felt another pang of sympathy for her. She wasn't just restricted—she was isolated. She clearly wanted to connect with others, but she wasn't allowed to. It wasn't hard to see why; if people found out what she really was, there'd probably be no end to the complications. But that didn't make it any less unfair to her.

And judging by how thrilled she'd been when she called me her "second friend," I could tell how much any kind of companionship meant to her.

"Well…"

I said after another brief pause, giving her a reassuring smile.

"At least now you have me to talk to. And I don't mind listening."

Penny stopped walking for a second, her bright green eyes locking onto mine. Then, slowly, a warm, genuine smile spread across her face.

"Thank you, Damian."

She meant it. I could feel it in those glimmering eyes.

I just gave a casual wave of my hand.

"Anytime, Penny."

With that, we continued onward, the stairs leading up to the gates of CCT Tower now just ahead of us.

"Anyway"

I said, shifting the conversation to something more comfortable for both of us.

"How does the CCT really work? How does transmission happen over such long distances? Do these towers just broadcast signals to each other, like a point-to-point radio wave communication or is there some other method being used?"

I was a bit too lost in the mechanics of the communication, not realizing I was going too deep for someone claiming to be from outside the city. Luckily for me, Penny didn't find my queries suspicious at all.

Instead, she perked up at the question, her earlier enthusiasm returning in full force.

"Oh! That is an excellent question! You see, the CCT operates using a combination of long-range transmission relays and Dust-powered signal amplification…"

As she eagerly launched into an explanation, I found myself listening intently, feeling a growing fascination with this prominent technology of this world. Not just because the information was valuable and was conveyed in a very good manner—but because seeing Penny happy like this made the conversation all the more enjoyable.

A/N: Hello there! Here's another chapter of TDT! I had it written a while back but only got to finalizing and editing it now. Hope you enjoyed it, despite it being just being one big dialog scene. Penny is adorable and she deserves friends!

Hopefully, the next chapter will progress the story. See you guys in the next chapter. :D