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Ruby Rose was not known to be a quitter.
This was well-understood by her peers. It was because she didn’t quit that they came this far, and she was aware of that. What was far less crystal, however, were the thoughts that lay buried in her unyielding mind. Obscured from those around her was a Ruby Rose that desired nothing more than to throw everything away and let the follies of the world take hold.
This wasn't to be mistaken for malevolence. The girl held not a lick of malice in her heart; her soul was honest and simple. Ruby was simply tired. Empty, exhausted, worn-down. Even though they had made great progress, she had it in her to wonder if everyone would fault her for stepping down now. Probably? But probably not. After all, only a fool would take a journey like this on. Only a fool would throw themselves into this near-endless gauntlet, preyed upon by the grotesque forms of sorrow, death, and danger. By setting out on this journey and propelling everyone forward, Ruby had proven to her friends that she was one such fool.
But even the court jester would be expected to wise up a little, right? Defeating Salem was an ambitious undertaking for everyone involved - one that seemed downright impossible. Ruby wasn't sure how much more of this "almost impossible” scenario she could withstand now. This distress bubbling within soon reached a point that it spilled over, telling her to isolate herself when the crew set foot in the bleak city of Mantle. "I'll meet up with you guys later," Ruby had said, forcing a faint smile. "I just need some time to myself. It's nothing bad, promise!"
Pacing along in silence, Ruby frowned. She felt crazy to have come this far - and now the monotony of this madness was making her sick. The longing for home she felt upon arriving in Mantle was unlike any feeling prior. She was convinced, or maybe she realized , deep within, that this was all futile. If this task, this wild world-spanning delve into endless danger, was insanity, then pangs of reality now resolved to free her from it. Ruby wanted to go against the standards she set for herself, and give up.
Even if the world fell apart, all would be okay if she could have Dad's homemade cookies just one last time. As things were now, grounding memories such as those - the cookies' crumble, her father's smile, her sister's laughter - these simple, white memories seemed to only grow more distant. What stung in particular was remembering her own pure-as-snow smile from years ago. She believed the truth in that smile made it fifty times greater than the disingenuous way her lips curled up in the present.
So upon seeing the kind and honest smile of a distinctive ginger-haired girl, she was drawn to that familiar truth.
"...Penny...?" Her eyes widen, but she's primed to freak out and apologize in the event that this is just some random, unrelated girl. The girl appears to be talking to a civilian, who waves his arms around comically. He looks hopping mad.
Ruby's fears are quelled somewhat when this ginger-haired girl swivels around to lock eyes with her, mirroring the former's expression of recognition. Then the girl lowers to a knee, squinting eyes at the scythe-wielder.
"...Sal…"
Huh.
"...u...."
Uh…?
"...tations!"
Ruby lets out a yelp, flailing her arms wildly before she's fiercely brought to the ground by an android who is as heavy as she is enthusiastic.
The android girl gets up off of Ruby halfway, but still has her pinned down a little with her legs. Ruby's eyes spiral around in her head, but when they are finally able to center on their subject, a genuine happiness marks her. And yet, doubt.
"Ruby! It's so good to see you again..!" Green eyes appear to literally brighten as Penny stands up, with Ruby sluggishly following.
Not real. The elation is stripped from Ruby's face. She's being toyed with. It was the work of a Semblance. Or a creation designed to lure her into a trap.
"...Ruby...?"
But those eyes. Ruby recalls the unique kindness they held, and still hold. She can’t deny them.
"Penny, I... you- I thought..." A block of lead grows in Ruby's throat at the sight before her, cutting her remaining words off from the outside world. It hurts to try and swallow, but she does so anyway and her own eyes become glassy. "I... I thought you died," she manages, choking up.
Penny's smile is replaced with a startled gaze as Ruby moves a hand to the side of the android's face, the dark-haired girl continuing to search for nondescript signs of truth. Concern causes green eyes to shrink a little - Ruby’s hand trembles upon Penny's skin, and this tells her enough. “...In a way, I did,” the girl replies humbly, body still as fingers cup her cheek. She perks up soon after, smile resurfacing. “But Father was able to get my core from the arena. It took him some time, but I’m good as new! Better, even...!” A rippling warmth spreads from Ruby’s palm to the rest of Penny’s body, and it intensifies the happiness she feels.
The only option left for Ruby is to accept this reality. The smile she sees belongs to no one but Penny Polendina. Her mouth shapes to make words - something like “I’m so glad”, but her voice doesn’t follow through. They're stuck in a bizarre silence for what feels like a minute or two, with Ruby's thoughts so loud and cluttered her head might as well hold nothing at all.
“..Ah... I like your hair,” Ruby ultimately ends up mumbling, slowly pulling her hand back. “It’s r-really pretty all... long and stuff.”
"Thank you, Ruby. I quite like it too! It was my father's decision. I really really like your hair, as well. It's so cool!" she chirps, as if this is a sleepover of sorts. "So much cooler than mine."
"Aw jeez, thanks..." Ruby's gaze falls, then returns. "...So you're… here in Mantle now?"
Placing her fists on her hips, the robot girl beams triumphantly. "That's right! I'm now the official protector of the city!"
"Oh, that's great...!" The huntress adopts a chipper intonation only to let it go at the end.
"It gets really busy around here, but I want to do the best I can. How are you doing?”
A worn smile adorns Ruby’s features. “As good as I can be, Penny. Just the usual... world-saving stuff.”
“Ooh, I bet you have some fantastic stories to tell! You must be so invigorated after arriving in a city like Mantle!” Curiosity causes green circles to shimmer and sparkle.
Ruby shoots one good look beyond the robot’s radiance and notes the bleak atmosphere. “I sure wish I could say that,” she remarks with an awkward laugh, moving over to a nearby bench and sitting down. “I’m mostly just... tired.”
Penny does a double-blink at that statement before following suit, clapping her hands together. “Well do not worry, my good friend Ruby! I shouldn’t have to solve a crisis for another 20 minutes, so I’ll sit here and try to keep you awake!”
“Thanks, Penny," Ruby says, not bothering to clarify.
Penny brightens more at the expression of gratitude. “So why are you tired? Did you not get sleep on the airship?"
“Well, I… I mean, sleep has been sort of rough, but I’m not really tired in that way. I’m just… tired of doing... this.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well... we’ve been making good progress! Really good progress, actually. I was split off from my team for so long, but we’re back together now. I even figured out how to use my cool freeze-y eyeball powers,” Ruby states with a laugh. It begins to rain, and her attention shifts to the way the droplets hit the ground. “But even though things are only getting better, I just feel even more messed up inside. All the fighting and learning and struggling... I can’t back down now, but I really want to. I guess I just kinda miss the way things used to be.”
Penny is locked in place for the entirety of Ruby’s speech. Though she wants to, she doesn’t let a single word slip through her lips. The rain is kind enough to fill in for her, in the meantime. Then she takes her turn.
“What do you mean by ‘used to be?’”
“Like… back when we didn’t have to run around and fight really nasty dudes or do super dangerous things or worry about people dying.”
“But isn’t fighting for good part of a Huntress’ job? I thought you liked being a Huntress.”
“I do... or I thought I did. I don’t know, now... I guess I got used to Beacon. I only had to worry about passing classes, making friends, and beating a bad guy or two. I mean, I still had to do stuff, but it was easier before. And I could still be me.” Ruby sighs and shakes her head before turning towards Penny, cocking a brow. “Oh, but who cares about me. What about you? Have you made any new friends since... y’know?”
“Well, now that I’m the official protector of Mantle, I don’t really have a team anymore. General Ironwood says I don’t have time for friends.”
The expression on Ruby’s face slowly dulls into a deeper unhappiness. “...Oh. How... do you feel about that?”
“I feel like I wish I could do both the things I need to do and the things I want to do. Is that normal?” A sudden epiphany forces a gasp from Penny’s lips. “...Oh...! That's how you feel, isn't it Ruby?”
Ruby slowly nods.
“So that does make it normal, right? Doesn’t that mean it’s okay to feel that way?”
“Ah... I guess so, huh...” Ruby runs fingers through her own hair, sighing. She suddenly feels a lot less like a lonely alien. “...I guess that’s as normal as it gets.”
“Let’s be normal together, then!” the robot chirps in return, grinning toothily.
“Sounds like a plan to me, Penny,” Ruby responds softly.
The duo are quiet for the next minute or so. Ruby thinks on a lot, and Penny wants to say a lot.
“...I’m sorry for worrying you, Ruby.” Penny’s voice comes out suddenly yet quietly, and she turns to face her friend. It's not her voice that startles Ruby, but her choice of words.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I said I wanted to come to Beacon with you,” Penny says slowly, her features tensing. “Then that really bad stuff happened.”
“Penny...”
“I don’t think many people care about me.” There isn't a change in the tone of her voice, but Ruby aches at hearing Penny conclude that. The permeating pain in those green eyes burrows itself into the red-hooded girl. “But you said we were friends, Ruby. So I thought... if I were you, and you were me, then I would be sad if something like that happened to you. I would be upset. I didn’t want to make you upset, or make you worry.”
The unforeseen sadness in Penny’s gaze is something Ruby catches like a cold. “But it wasn’t your fault, Penny! It was those jerks who work for Cinder. You shouldn’t apologize if you didn’t do anything.” The girl takes Penny’s hand in hers, gently thumbing the back of it. Her fingers are as Ruby remembers them. That is to say, they’re normal. “And you’re okay now, right?”
“Oh, yes...” The android girl’s vigor returns to her for a moment. “More than okay!” That moment doesn’t last long, because the look she shoots Ruby with is peppered with concern. “But what about you?”
“If you’re okay, I’ll be okay. Other than that, I’ll just keep being me... fighting Grimm and saving the world.”
Penny makes a face. “But how do you feel about that?” she softly parrots at Ruby. “You said it was making you tired.”
“It’s part of my duty as a Huntress though, so I just have to suck it up and push through, I guess.”
Penny doesn’t respond because there’s nothing she can say to that. Her sentiments are the same, after all. Her answer would be no better.
“...I missed you, Penny,” the silver-eyed girl follows up with, leaning into her friend’s shoulder a little. Finding comfort in someone’s side like this felt foreign until now. Penny adjusts, taken off guard, but easily accepts Ruby’s chosen place of solace with a sigh. She can’t see her friend’s face, but makes out the sound of sniffling.
“I missed you too, Ruby.”
Even though Ruby is able to ventilate her feelings, they’re far from settled. Arguably, they’re worse. She wants to take Penny’s hand and leave. Run. Go somewhere. It doesn’t matter where. No more of this.
...But that’s silly and unrealistic, like one of those dumb movies Dad always used to watch and cry over. So the duo will be trapped in this whole "destiny quest" deal until everything is settled. But what if it never is? That sense of hopelessness forms in Ruby again as a steady-growing flame that aspires to consume her.
Penny, meanwhile, doesn’t feel dread, but emptiness proves a worthy substitute. She understands the irony in how she was made to function exactly like a person, yet hasn’t ever truly lived like one. Recalling the one responsible for her few genuinely “human” memories, she sets her head against Ruby’s. This is another for the database.
“I... think that my duty might not end for a while.” Green eyes are halfway obscured. “But if I think of you, maybe that will make it go faster.”
Ruby shifts subtly, eyes opening. “H-hwa...?”
“If I can get Mantle under control, then I could spend more time with you, couldn’t I?”
“I g-guess you could…” The huntress’ cheeks turn pink. “Uh, well you know, Penny, when you want something in the future, some people call that a dream.”
“Then I dream of being with you, Ruby!” Penny says with a light giggle. Ruby’s face toasts into a deeper red. “Do you have a dream, then?”
“I set out to stop Salem because I wanted a better world, I guess. I don’t want people like my friends to get hurt again.” Ruby frowns. “But it’s a lot to take on, Penny. It’s too much for me to want. I always thought you had to live by clinging to stuff like that, but with the way Remnant is now, I don’t think I can just go off of smiles and 'well it could be worse!'”
Penny closes her eyes, now wrapping an arm around Ruby. She’s never done this before, but it feels correct in her mind - she tactfully yet affectionately pulls Ruby closer to her.
“So… I think I’ll dream of being with you too,” Ruby resolves sheepishly. “To make Remnant better... and be with you when all’s said and done.”
Penny doesn’t register the feeling in its entirety, but Ruby’s words tingle in her chest, and it makes her giggle a little. “That sounds sensational, Ruby.” Her mouth opens again, but the frantic screaming of the city's alarms cuts her short and startles Ruby from her state of half-sleep.
“Oh... that’s your cue, I’m guessing?”
“Yes indeed!” Penny says, standing up and inadvertently stripping Ruby of her peace. "It seems we will have to continue our talk later. I'd really like for you to meet my father soon.”
"Oh, he's here in Mantle? I have a pretty good feeling we'll bump into him soon, then."
"Great!" With a salute, Penny steps back and jumps off, and Ruby's jaw nearly falls off at seeing her propel herself into the sky. So cool. "Take care Ruby! Please tell the others I said hi!"
"Will do Penny! I'll see you soon!"
Ruby pivots around to return to her group, and for the first time in what feels like ages, there is truth in the grin that she puts on by herself.