[Ruby steps back when she hears Penny's voice. Her good eye peers up and catches sigh of her from the top floor. She raises an arm and waves. There's a brief respite from the pain and worry that she feels in her gut. Honestly she was glad Penny was getting along well enough here.]
Hey! I'll be up in a second!
[And true to word she activates her semblance and scales her way up to Penny's side before forming.]
Thanks Penny, I appreciate being able to come to you about this.
...But I do have to say nice place you have here.
Hey! I'll be up in a second!
[And true to word she activates her semblance and scales her way up to Penny's side before forming.]
Thanks Penny, I appreciate being able to come to you about this.
...But I do have to say nice place you have here.
[ Penny is used to the chaotic whirlwind of Ruby's Semblance, and in response she... doesn't step back at all. Ruby knows what she's doing.
And she knows how to give a compliment. Penny lights up. ]
I am glad you like it! I have not ever lived somewhere that lets me grow my own plants.
[ And even though Ruby came here to talk, if she wants the distraction of looking at Penny's tiny mushroom garden instead then Penny isn't going to deny her that. ]
And she knows how to give a compliment. Penny lights up. ]
I am glad you like it! I have not ever lived somewhere that lets me grow my own plants.
[ And even though Ruby came here to talk, if she wants the distraction of looking at Penny's tiny mushroom garden instead then Penny isn't going to deny her that. ]
Ninety--
[ Penny visibly catches herself and reins in her reaction. No need to be rude. ]
I apologize. Robotic prosthetics are common on Remnant, but I have never heard of someone having more than fifty percent of their body replaced.
[ Truthfully 50% is still a high percentage. Not even Ironwood is at quite that point. ]
Do you have a dedicated power source for all of it?
[ Penny visibly catches herself and reins in her reaction. No need to be rude. ]
I apologize. Robotic prosthetics are common on Remnant, but I have never heard of someone having more than fifty percent of their body replaced.
[ Truthfully 50% is still a high percentage. Not even Ironwood is at quite that point. ]
Do you have a dedicated power source for all of it?
[That brought a little bit of a smile to Ruby's face too. She was glad Penny was getting along well here. It wasn't exactly the easiest place to live but at least Penny had the chance to do what she wanted to here.]
Yeah. I guess Atlas and the place you were in before here weren't exactly good for that, huh?
[She does take the moment to enjoy the mushrooms before she glances back Penny's way.]
So... I'm not exactly sure where to begin with what's going on. It's kind of complicated.
But back in her own world Ange lost her family when she was young. It turns out the person who orchestrated that to happen is in Trench. She showed up a little before you did. And she had been staying at the house with us.
Yeah. I guess Atlas and the place you were in before here weren't exactly good for that, huh?
[She does take the moment to enjoy the mushrooms before she glances back Penny's way.]
So... I'm not exactly sure where to begin with what's going on. It's kind of complicated.
But back in her own world Ange lost her family when she was young. It turns out the person who orchestrated that to happen is in Trench. She showed up a little before you did. And she had been staying at the house with us.
[He smiles, though there's something melancholic and knowing about it. It's an extremely reasonable response, and he expects that when he tells someone. He suspects her reaction will be much worse when he eventually tells her why it happened.]
You'd like to think in most cases, someone wouldn't need to have that much of their body replaced, yeah?
[He shudders to think of what someone might have to go through if they needed that much replacement. For Hayato, that was not actually the case. His body had been fine.]
Mm. I can't tell you all the exact science behind it, that was more of my partner's specialty, but it's a mix of wind turbines and nuclear energy.
You'd like to think in most cases, someone wouldn't need to have that much of their body replaced, yeah?
[He shudders to think of what someone might have to go through if they needed that much replacement. For Hayato, that was not actually the case. His body had been fine.]
Mm. I can't tell you all the exact science behind it, that was more of my partner's specialty, but it's a mix of wind turbines and nuclear energy.
[ 'Complicated' is a pretty common descriptor, and Penny is expecting something dramatic, but not necessarily alarming.
What Ruby tells her definitely falls into the category of 'alarming'. That... sounds kind of like if no one had realized Cinder was responsible for the Fall of Beacon, only to have her turn up and move into the guest bedroom. ]
That's.... she must have been very frightened when she realized.
[ A pause, and then: ]
And angry...
What Ruby tells her definitely falls into the category of 'alarming'. That... sounds kind of like if no one had realized Cinder was responsible for the Fall of Beacon, only to have her turn up and move into the guest bedroom. ]
That's.... she must have been very frightened when she realized.
[ A pause, and then: ]
And angry...
... No. Only Huntsmen and Huntresses in extremely dangerous assignments have ever needed more than two limbs replaced at a time. General Ironwood...
[ But her expression sours and she shakes her head, falling silent. ]
If there's no additional maintenance to your power source needed, I believe I will be able to work without encountering any complications.
Please sit down and I can start.
[ But her expression sours and she shakes her head, falling silent. ]
If there's no additional maintenance to your power source needed, I believe I will be able to work without encountering any complications.
Please sit down and I can start.
[He will take a seat, just as she instructs, and rolls up his sleeve so she has the proper access.]
No, you should be fine in that regard. My body stores and retains energy extremely well. I'm not in danger of shutting down, even if you somehow clipped something you shouldn't.
[Once he's settled he falls quiet, thinking over her words. General Ironwood, huh? That's a name he files away for now. With her making a face like that, he might be worth looking into later though. Hopefully he wasn't here in town.]
For me...
[He debates saying this much. It's not a pleasant thing to admit and he's sure Penny won't be happy with the knowledge, but the truth would probably be better than her thinking he'd been in some horrible accident.]
...It wasn't that I needed the replacements. I was forcibly modified to be a weapon for an organization of extremely evil people.
No, you should be fine in that regard. My body stores and retains energy extremely well. I'm not in danger of shutting down, even if you somehow clipped something you shouldn't.
[Once he's settled he falls quiet, thinking over her words. General Ironwood, huh? That's a name he files away for now. With her making a face like that, he might be worth looking into later though. Hopefully he wasn't here in town.]
For me...
[He debates saying this much. It's not a pleasant thing to admit and he's sure Penny won't be happy with the knowledge, but the truth would probably be better than her thinking he'd been in some horrible accident.]
...It wasn't that I needed the replacements. I was forcibly modified to be a weapon for an organization of extremely evil people.
[This whole ordeal was certainly reminding her of the fall of Beacon. How Emerald, Cinder, and Mercury had deceived them and turned their lives upside down. How she had lost Penny for the time throughout all of this. It was difficult to separate the two incidents when she knew how much Ange had lost because of this.]
To put it lightly. She's been devastated.
She was always kind of driven and focused to find out what had happened to her family when we first met. She didn't put a lot of thought into much else.
At first it was kind of inspiring but it took awhile to realize how lonely she was.
...And now it's like that again but he same drive isn't there. It's like she's given up a litle.
And I'm not sure exactly what to do.
To put it lightly. She's been devastated.
She was always kind of driven and focused to find out what had happened to her family when we first met. She didn't put a lot of thought into much else.
At first it was kind of inspiring but it took awhile to realize how lonely she was.
...And now it's like that again but he same drive isn't there. It's like she's given up a litle.
And I'm not sure exactly what to do.
[ Ah. Ruby wants advice on a subject that Penny doesn't feel fully qualified to give advice on. She's never had to comfort a friend over something like this before.
But... she has been the one being comforted before, and over something pretty serious as well. So can't she try to help from that angle? Penny is silent for a long moment before she speaks. ]
... When I was struggling with the virus it was scary, and difficult, and I was struggling so much. So I eventually started to think that there was no point in continuing to try. The virus was so strong, and I had already made so many mistakes, and I thought... if I'm having so much trouble resisting, if I barely even know who I am, if I couldn't even handle this as the Winter Maiden then... there must be someone else better suited it it.
[ Ruby, she had thought at the time, but no need to repeat it. Ruby was there. ]
But... you and Nora helped me remember that there was a reason to keep fighting - that's more to me than just the parts that are machine. And... that I had people that still cared about me, no matter what. I realized there's still more for me to do.
[ Penny reaches out, rests a hand on Ruby's shoulder. ]
Ange might feel like she wants to give up for a while. Maybe even for a long time. I don't think you can make her feel better. But if she knows that you're still there for, and that you still see a reason for her to be around even when she can't... then I think she can eventually start to feel that there's a reason for her to keep going, too.
But... she has been the one being comforted before, and over something pretty serious as well. So can't she try to help from that angle? Penny is silent for a long moment before she speaks. ]
... When I was struggling with the virus it was scary, and difficult, and I was struggling so much. So I eventually started to think that there was no point in continuing to try. The virus was so strong, and I had already made so many mistakes, and I thought... if I'm having so much trouble resisting, if I barely even know who I am, if I couldn't even handle this as the Winter Maiden then... there must be someone else better suited it it.
[ Ruby, she had thought at the time, but no need to repeat it. Ruby was there. ]
But... you and Nora helped me remember that there was a reason to keep fighting - that's more to me than just the parts that are machine. And... that I had people that still cared about me, no matter what. I realized there's still more for me to do.
[ Penny reaches out, rests a hand on Ruby's shoulder. ]
Ange might feel like she wants to give up for a while. Maybe even for a long time. I don't think you can make her feel better. But if she knows that you're still there for, and that you still see a reason for her to be around even when she can't... then I think she can eventually start to feel that there's a reason for her to keep going, too.
Edited 2022-04-01 03:56 (UTC)
[ That's... such a cute username for someone like Neopolitan. Penny frowns at her Omni for a long, long moment before she finally starts to write out a response. There's so much she could say, so much she wants to say, that deciding where to start is tricky. ]
When you agreed to work with Cinder, did you know what kind of person she is?
When you agreed to work with Cinder, did you know what kind of person she is?
[Well, now that was a fair question wasn't it? Neo didn't respond immediately. She had to think about how to put this, because the short answer was both correct, and very much not correct.]
Yes, and No.
Cinder is a lot of things to me, among which is "The one person in all of Remnant I want to see die screaming." And back then, she was "one of two people I wanted to die screaming."
But do you want to hear the whole story? I ask, because there's a lot there, and I don't look that great when I tell it.
Yes, and No.
Cinder is a lot of things to me, among which is "The one person in all of Remnant I want to see die screaming." And back then, she was "one of two people I wanted to die screaming."
But do you want to hear the whole story? I ask, because there's a lot there, and I don't look that great when I tell it.
Edited 2022-04-02 18:55 (UTC)
[ As she starts her work, Penny's motions shift back into the precise mechanical movement from a few moments ago. She listens attentively as she works, but when he gets to 'weapon' she falters and the focus in her expression is overtaken by concern. She is silent for a moment before she resumes her work. ]
Did they... did they alter your mind, as well?
[ As Hayato is now she can't imagine him ever serving any sort of evil organization, but that doesn't mean he didn't - and if he did, that doesn't mean it was willing. ]
Did they... did they alter your mind, as well?
[ As Hayato is now she can't imagine him ever serving any sort of evil organization, but that doesn't mean he didn't - and if he did, that doesn't mean it was willing. ]
[ Well that's.... unpleasant, but it's also a start. ]
Yes, I would like to hear the entire story.
I don't want to make a decision without all the information.
Yes, I would like to hear the entire story.
I don't want to make a decision without all the information.
(CW: Spoilers for Season 8 all through, suicidal ideation, murder... bah, all Neo's life stuff.)
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threelayers
2022-04-10 04:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Story Time.
Everything begins with Roman Torchwick. Roman is, was, and will forever be my best friend. When everyone else threw me to the wolves, he was the one who found something special in me and nurtured it. We took care of each other for years before I ever met any of you, and I was his right hand girl. I would have done anything Roman asked, and I did anything he asked countless times. No questions until afterwards, and we'd trust each other enough to plan together. I lived for Roman.
Roman took up with Cinder as an act of survival. When we met her, we'd gotten hints and rumblings 'something was up' in the underbelly of Vale and Mistral, and Roman was good at picking up trends. The winds of change were going, and something was coming. He could fight it, or side with it, and he sided with it so he'd survive. So, he signe dup with Cinder. We'd never heard of Salem in those days, never met her. Cinder was just some pyromaniac psycho planning to take down Vale, and we didn't exactly love that town, so he was on board.
Pretty sure if he knew what Salem intended? He'd either have bowed head or run for hte f'ing hills. Salem's a hundred levels of new crazy, and while we unleashed grimm, it wasn't like we were creating them. We were just giving huntsmen something to keep them busy.
We get to the Battle of Vale. Cinder gave us a job. Take over the main carrier. Get things set up. We made her little black miracle happen while she did her thing, and the bitch hung us out to dry, left all her crew hanging to go hunt down something. I found out about maidens later (Here, I might add. She didn't tell me much ever.). And Red showed up on the carrier. So, the fight was on. Roman and me against Ruby. She got a good shot in, knocked me off the carrier and I floated to the ground with Hush. It was the last time I ever saw Roman alive. I found his hat, floated to the ground, and I realized he was dead. Ruby'd either killed my best friend in the world herself, or she'd let him get killed in the fight. Cinder'd left us high and dry to die, and my Roman was dead.
I wanted them dead. I was dead inside. I didn't want to live anymore. I just wanted to know that the people who took my Roman away from me were dead too. Didn't care about Yang, you, Blake, Qrow or Weiss. None of you were on my radar. We assumed you were dead and gone, and I don't do the whole "Kill everyone you love to make you suffer" bullshit. It's not how I roll. They took someone I loved, and I wanted to pay her back directly.
I found Cinder first. In Mistral. Tracked that psycho down, and I nearly stabbed her right in the gut on that bitch spider's own turf. One inch away, and she went full maiden on me. I went toe to toe with some scary ass people, but I couldn't fight magic. Not right then. So she offered to help me kill Ruby, and I said yes. Because I'd get one, and I could bide my time, wait for the moment to stab her in the back.
Everyone from the team I ever dealt with used to be real confused about what I was doing. They thought I was on Salem's side. I met her right before the siege on that giant whale grimm. I only heard about her a week or so before. I was never on her side, but the things I did helped her. I only wanted one thing: To kill the ones who took my Roman, so I could die at peace. The fight in that 'other place?' What happened to Yang? I missed. I fucking missed, and Yang got in my way and took the hit. I nearly lost it. I wasn't there to hurt her. I just wanted Ruby.
We were falling to our deaths and I was still trying to choke her to death. I could only see the blood in my eyes. I was going to die, and I had to get her before I did. It didn't matter that we were both going to. It was supposed to be me.
So. What happened?
Ruby and Emerald.
I don't know how much any of you realize this, but I had never even talked to Ruby. Roman really barely did, and it was always just battle banter until his last night. We'd never tried to understand each other. Ruby tracked me down in the nightmare all of us were stuck in, and she tried to talk to me even after I tried to kill her two times in the nightmare. I was in a bad place and freaking out, and she said something I never expected anyone to say.
She was sorry that Roman ended up dying, and that she would remember him.
Cinder never said that. None of the team, hers or yours, ever said that. Nobody in all of Remnant ever gave a rat's ass that Roman was dead. He was expendable. I was expendable. We were just crap that they were going to use until we were dried up. I was just some girl who didn't talk that nobody noticed or cared about with no family to speak of. All we had was each other, and Ruby realized that even if she hadn't killed him, the fact that their fight led to his death? It had hurt me and broke me, and she apologized.
It took a long time after that. Emerald was coming to her senses too, and she helped me a lot. Hell, I fell in love with Emerald and we got married. It's why the name's Neopolitan Sustrai on my ID. She tried for months to calm me down while she was making peace. Oscar talked to me, and helped me. You.... yeah, the 'you' that was there before, you helped me. Yang and Qrow even put up with me after I declared a truce. It was months, and it took me going crazy in some damned curse and actually killing Ruby, only for her to come back after, to realize that I didn't want it anymore.
I can't change what I did. I was a crime boss's bag girl. I killed who he told me to, and broke in where he wanted. And I still love him as my best friend, and I always will. And he? He got involved in some dumb war because Cinder scared the fuck out of him, and we hurt your friends. And then he died in that war, and I want completely insane with grief and rage, and in the end? I hurt you, and I might have gotten Yang and Ruby killed. None of us remembers what happened after we fell. And I never want to go back to Remnant, to the person I was, because that person still wants everyone and everything dead, and doesn't care that it won't bring her any closure. She just hurts and wants to see them bleed.
All I want is to sit here, protect a patch of ground, keep a house tidy up and wait for Emerald to one day swim back to shore and me. I'm keeping the lights on at our house and waiting for her. I don't want to hurt any of you anymore, even if none of us controls those fucking curses. I understand why a lot of you don't want anything to do with me. I get it. You're good people, and I'm scum. But I don't want to hurt you anymore.
well, except for Cinder.
I'm in the line of "Gonna stab a bitch" if she ever shows up. That psycho doesn't deserve a new life in Trench. She can go back into the ocean and stay there forever. I never want to see her ever again.
Everything begins with Roman Torchwick. Roman is, was, and will forever be my best friend. When everyone else threw me to the wolves, he was the one who found something special in me and nurtured it. We took care of each other for years before I ever met any of you, and I was his right hand girl. I would have done anything Roman asked, and I did anything he asked countless times. No questions until afterwards, and we'd trust each other enough to plan together. I lived for Roman.
Roman took up with Cinder as an act of survival. When we met her, we'd gotten hints and rumblings 'something was up' in the underbelly of Vale and Mistral, and Roman was good at picking up trends. The winds of change were going, and something was coming. He could fight it, or side with it, and he sided with it so he'd survive. So, he signe dup with Cinder. We'd never heard of Salem in those days, never met her. Cinder was just some pyromaniac psycho planning to take down Vale, and we didn't exactly love that town, so he was on board.
Pretty sure if he knew what Salem intended? He'd either have bowed head or run for hte f'ing hills. Salem's a hundred levels of new crazy, and while we unleashed grimm, it wasn't like we were creating them. We were just giving huntsmen something to keep them busy.
We get to the Battle of Vale. Cinder gave us a job. Take over the main carrier. Get things set up. We made her little black miracle happen while she did her thing, and the bitch hung us out to dry, left all her crew hanging to go hunt down something. I found out about maidens later (Here, I might add. She didn't tell me much ever.). And Red showed up on the carrier. So, the fight was on. Roman and me against Ruby. She got a good shot in, knocked me off the carrier and I floated to the ground with Hush. It was the last time I ever saw Roman alive. I found his hat, floated to the ground, and I realized he was dead. Ruby'd either killed my best friend in the world herself, or she'd let him get killed in the fight. Cinder'd left us high and dry to die, and my Roman was dead.
I wanted them dead. I was dead inside. I didn't want to live anymore. I just wanted to know that the people who took my Roman away from me were dead too. Didn't care about Yang, you, Blake, Qrow or Weiss. None of you were on my radar. We assumed you were dead and gone, and I don't do the whole "Kill everyone you love to make you suffer" bullshit. It's not how I roll. They took someone I loved, and I wanted to pay her back directly.
I found Cinder first. In Mistral. Tracked that psycho down, and I nearly stabbed her right in the gut on that bitch spider's own turf. One inch away, and she went full maiden on me. I went toe to toe with some scary ass people, but I couldn't fight magic. Not right then. So she offered to help me kill Ruby, and I said yes. Because I'd get one, and I could bide my time, wait for the moment to stab her in the back.
Everyone from the team I ever dealt with used to be real confused about what I was doing. They thought I was on Salem's side. I met her right before the siege on that giant whale grimm. I only heard about her a week or so before. I was never on her side, but the things I did helped her. I only wanted one thing: To kill the ones who took my Roman, so I could die at peace. The fight in that 'other place?' What happened to Yang? I missed. I fucking missed, and Yang got in my way and took the hit. I nearly lost it. I wasn't there to hurt her. I just wanted Ruby.
We were falling to our deaths and I was still trying to choke her to death. I could only see the blood in my eyes. I was going to die, and I had to get her before I did. It didn't matter that we were both going to. It was supposed to be me.
So. What happened?
Ruby and Emerald.
I don't know how much any of you realize this, but I had never even talked to Ruby. Roman really barely did, and it was always just battle banter until his last night. We'd never tried to understand each other. Ruby tracked me down in the nightmare all of us were stuck in, and she tried to talk to me even after I tried to kill her two times in the nightmare. I was in a bad place and freaking out, and she said something I never expected anyone to say.
She was sorry that Roman ended up dying, and that she would remember him.
Cinder never said that. None of the team, hers or yours, ever said that. Nobody in all of Remnant ever gave a rat's ass that Roman was dead. He was expendable. I was expendable. We were just crap that they were going to use until we were dried up. I was just some girl who didn't talk that nobody noticed or cared about with no family to speak of. All we had was each other, and Ruby realized that even if she hadn't killed him, the fact that their fight led to his death? It had hurt me and broke me, and she apologized.
It took a long time after that. Emerald was coming to her senses too, and she helped me a lot. Hell, I fell in love with Emerald and we got married. It's why the name's Neopolitan Sustrai on my ID. She tried for months to calm me down while she was making peace. Oscar talked to me, and helped me. You.... yeah, the 'you' that was there before, you helped me. Yang and Qrow even put up with me after I declared a truce. It was months, and it took me going crazy in some damned curse and actually killing Ruby, only for her to come back after, to realize that I didn't want it anymore.
I can't change what I did. I was a crime boss's bag girl. I killed who he told me to, and broke in where he wanted. And I still love him as my best friend, and I always will. And he? He got involved in some dumb war because Cinder scared the fuck out of him, and we hurt your friends. And then he died in that war, and I want completely insane with grief and rage, and in the end? I hurt you, and I might have gotten Yang and Ruby killed. None of us remembers what happened after we fell. And I never want to go back to Remnant, to the person I was, because that person still wants everyone and everything dead, and doesn't care that it won't bring her any closure. She just hurts and wants to see them bleed.
All I want is to sit here, protect a patch of ground, keep a house tidy up and wait for Emerald to one day swim back to shore and me. I'm keeping the lights on at our house and waiting for her. I don't want to hurt any of you anymore, even if none of us controls those fucking curses. I understand why a lot of you don't want anything to do with me. I get it. You're good people, and I'm scum. But I don't want to hurt you anymore.
well, except for Cinder.
I'm in the line of "Gonna stab a bitch" if she ever shows up. That psycho doesn't deserve a new life in Trench. She can go back into the ocean and stay there forever. I never want to see her ever again.
Edited 2022-04-10 16:53 (UTC)
Nope.
[He actually smiles a little.]
My purpose was to take down the person who had been constantly standing against them, but instead, he found me on the operating table right before they were about to brainwash me.
For their hubris they wound up with two super -powered vigilante cyborgs constantly thwarting their plans. A pretty funny turn of event, really!
[He actually smiles a little.]
My purpose was to take down the person who had been constantly standing against them, but instead, he found me on the operating table right before they were about to brainwash me.
For their hubris they wound up with two super -powered vigilante cyborgs constantly thwarting their plans. A pretty funny turn of event, really!
[Ruby was aware that what she was doing wasn't exactly fair to Penny. That it might not be fair to ask for advice or get some of this pressure off her shoulders when Penny had barely had the chance to experience so much of life on her own. The Leader part of her felt like this was wrong and she should try to shoulder it and figure out something on her own. But Penny was one of her best friends and she trusted her and wanted to be as open with her life as she could.
And honestly she's taken a little off guard at Penny's words and the hand on her shoulder. It felt so long ago since she had been on Remnant and dealing with the problems of that world. But she remembers how afraid she had been when Penny had been dealing with the virus like it was just yesterday- And it inspires her a little to know that her and Nora's words had meant so much to her friend. ]
That... That must have been so painful. To deal with that virus on top of everything that else we were dealing with.
Penny- I think anyone else might have crumbled throughout all of that. But you were so strong and I'm so glad we could help you pull through all of that.
[There's a pang in her heart when she remembers what Jaune told her about what happened after.
...She pauses briefly and- Selfishly she promises herself she will bring that up to Penny another day.]
But you're right. I shouldn't expect her to just be okay right away. Maybe the best I can do is remind her of how much there is beyond the pain she's feeling right now.
It's just hard seeing her so hurt.
And honestly she's taken a little off guard at Penny's words and the hand on her shoulder. It felt so long ago since she had been on Remnant and dealing with the problems of that world. But she remembers how afraid she had been when Penny had been dealing with the virus like it was just yesterday- And it inspires her a little to know that her and Nora's words had meant so much to her friend. ]
That... That must have been so painful. To deal with that virus on top of everything that else we were dealing with.
Penny- I think anyone else might have crumbled throughout all of that. But you were so strong and I'm so glad we could help you pull through all of that.
[There's a pang in her heart when she remembers what Jaune told her about what happened after.
...She pauses briefly and- Selfishly she promises herself she will bring that up to Penny another day.]
But you're right. I shouldn't expect her to just be okay right away. Maybe the best I can do is remind her of how much there is beyond the pain she's feeling right now.
It's just hard seeing her so hurt.
[ Penny doesn't really hold herself with a lot of tension the way an organic person would, but there's a sort of drifting imprecision to her body language. That goes away when Hayato confirms that his mind hasn't been tampered with and a smile finally returns to her face. ]
I'm glad to hear it.
I hope you and your friend were able to make things exceptionally difficult for them.
I'm glad to hear it.
I hope you and your friend were able to make things exceptionally difficult for them.
[ Oh... it's just like Ruby to still want to comfort her, even though Ruby is the one who came to her for help. Penny smiles, warm and affectionate, and makes no effort to stop her. She doesn't want to distract her, but she thinks that reassuring other people is the sort of thing that reassures Ruby. ]
I do not know her very well, but... I think Ange is similar to Winter.
[ Maybe a little less collected in combat situations than Winter, but Ange is a little younger and, as far as Penny can tell, not from a monster-infested madhouse of a world. So the differences make sense. ]
Winter never wanted help, and she never wanted to admit she needed help. But if you were someone she trusted she would open up eventually.
[ So hopefully it's the same with Ange: just a matter of waiting. ]
I do not know her very well, but... I think Ange is similar to Winter.
[ Maybe a little less collected in combat situations than Winter, but Ange is a little younger and, as far as Penny can tell, not from a monster-infested madhouse of a world. So the differences make sense. ]
Winter never wanted help, and she never wanted to admit she needed help. But if you were someone she trusted she would open up eventually.
[ So hopefully it's the same with Ange: just a matter of waiting. ]
[ This is a lot of information. Some of it she has context for. Some of it may as well be written in another language.
And the thing is, she gets it. Penny doesn't hate easily, and if asked she'd say she doesn't hate anyone whatsoever. But Cinder... Cinder is someone she thinks she could hate one day, and it's not hard for her to see how someone else could. She believes (she tells herself) that Pietro is okay and survived the slow descent of Amity Arena just fine, but if Cinder had successfully killed him...
But she can't think about that because there's a single line in this explanation that stands out, something that she can't get past even with everything else Neo just told her. It's nice to know that she's learned to let go, that she's even friends with Ruby, that she's not a threat here anymore. But... ]
What exactly do you mean 'I might have gotten Yang and Ruby killed'?
[ Maybe it was an accident - Penny wants it to have been an accident - but she's certain that it's not. ]
And the thing is, she gets it. Penny doesn't hate easily, and if asked she'd say she doesn't hate anyone whatsoever. But Cinder... Cinder is someone she thinks she could hate one day, and it's not hard for her to see how someone else could. She believes (she tells herself) that Pietro is okay and survived the slow descent of Amity Arena just fine, but if Cinder had successfully killed him...
But she can't think about that because there's a single line in this explanation that stands out, something that she can't get past even with everything else Neo just told her. It's nice to know that she's learned to let go, that she's even friends with Ruby, that she's not a threat here anymore. But... ]
What exactly do you mean 'I might have gotten Yang and Ruby killed'?
[ Maybe it was an accident - Penny wants it to have been an accident - but she's certain that it's not. ]
[... She sighed. Well, it was a fair question. And she didn't know where Penny was in the timeline, so...]
Both Ruby and I are from a point of time when she was rescuing the folks from Atlas to Vacuo. It was a giant place of infinite blackness with golden pathways between magic portals they had created. Cinder picked a fight there the way she usually did: Target innocents to force a fight.
In the middle of the fighting, Yang got in my way and got knocked off into the darkness. Cinder betrayed me just after, and kicked Ruby and I into the darkness with her. Blake and Weiss were on their way down too, I think. Last I remember was falling through nothing, trying to throttle her before what I assumed was us hitting the ground.
Neither of us hit. The place was pure magic bullshit some artifact created. We have no idea if we survived.
But I will say this: Almost everyone from Atlas and Mantle got through.
Both Ruby and I are from a point of time when she was rescuing the folks from Atlas to Vacuo. It was a giant place of infinite blackness with golden pathways between magic portals they had created. Cinder picked a fight there the way she usually did: Target innocents to force a fight.
In the middle of the fighting, Yang got in my way and got knocked off into the darkness. Cinder betrayed me just after, and kicked Ruby and I into the darkness with her. Blake and Weiss were on their way down too, I think. Last I remember was falling through nothing, trying to throttle her before what I assumed was us hitting the ground.
Neither of us hit. The place was pure magic bullshit some artifact created. We have no idea if we survived.
But I will say this: Almost everyone from Atlas and Mantle got through.
[ There's a long, long gap between Neo's message and Penny's eventual response. It wouldn't be unfair for Neo to assume that Penny's just not going to respond at all.
But she does, eventually, reply. ]
I see.
Please don't contact me again.
But she does, eventually, reply. ]
I see.
Please don't contact me again.
[So, that was... honestly about what she'd expected? She counted herself somewhat lucky she'd gotten that much out before she'd been told to not call again. Either way, Neo was willing to keep her distance. If there was going to be another conversation it would be Penny to initiate it.
For now? This was just how it had to be.
/Fin]
For now? This was just how it had to be.
/Fin]
Hey Penny.
Do you have a minute to talk?
I've got some things that I think you deserve to know.
It's kind of like a good news, bad news sort of situation.
But no pressure if you're busy or anything.
Do you have a minute to talk?
I've got some things that I think you deserve to know.
It's kind of like a good news, bad news sort of situation.
But no pressure if you're busy or anything.
[If there is one thing Ruby Rose will do without a doubt, it's make time to worry and care for all of her friends despite what's going on.
Ruby listens what Penny has to say and gives a light nod. She- Honestly could see exactly where Penny would get that comparison. From what she knew of Ange and her family it seemed like the Schnees and Ushiromiya's had a lot in common. In family dynamic and reputation.]
I think you might be onto something there, Penny. Honestly. It did take Ange a long time to open up to me originally. Nearly eight months actually. From there it came by fairly naturally.
...Maybe I do have to just give her a chance to get back on her feet and she'll by naturally.
You know. You're actually pretty great at this.
Ruby listens what Penny has to say and gives a light nod. She- Honestly could see exactly where Penny would get that comparison. From what she knew of Ange and her family it seemed like the Schnees and Ushiromiya's had a lot in common. In family dynamic and reputation.]
I think you might be onto something there, Penny. Honestly. It did take Ange a long time to open up to me originally. Nearly eight months actually. From there it came by fairly naturally.
...Maybe I do have to just give her a chance to get back on her feet and she'll by naturally.
You know. You're actually pretty great at this.
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