Underneath The Shattered Moon [RWBY X OC]

Chapter 22

Penny's POV:

The stench of garbage clung to the air, a stark contrast to the sweet, fruity scent Ruby always carried. I didn't mind. The alleyway felt like a secret, a place where I could finally be myself, without the watchful eyes of those soldiers. But the weight of my secret, the truth about my existence, felt unbearably heavy.

"Penny, I-I don't understand..." Ruby's voice trembled with a mix of disbelief and concern. Her hand rested on my shoulder, warm and reassuring.

"Most girls are born, but I was made," I confessed, my voice barely a whisper. "I'm the world's first synthetic person capable of generating an Aura. I'm not real..." I turned my head away, the words catching in my throat like a knot of sadness.

Ruby gently took my hands in hers, her grip firm and warm. "Of course you are. You think just because you've got nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts makes you any less real than me?" Her eyes, sparkling with a fierce determination, locked onto mine.

"I don't... um..." My circuits buzzed with a strange feeling. "You're... taking this extraordinarily well."

"You're not like those things we saw back there," Ruby said, tapping her chest with a resolute finger. "You've got a heart, and a soul; I can feel it!"

My circuits stuttered, processing her words. Was it possible? Could a machine truly have a soul? I leaned in close to Ruby's face, my voice a low hum. "Oooh... oh Ruby," I whispered, pulling her into a hug. I shook her back and forth, my gears whirring with a newfound joy. "You're the best friend anyone could have!"

Ruby laughed, her soft chuckles muffled against my chest. "I can see why your father would want to protect such a delicate flower!"

I released Ruby, my face glowing with happiness. "Oh, he's very sweet! My father's the one that built me! I'm sure you would love him!"

"Wow," Ruby said, her eyes wide with wonder. "He built you all by himself?"

"Well, almost!" I chirped. "He had some help from Mr. Ironwood."

"The General?!" Ruby exclaimed, her brow furrowed. "Wait... Is that why those soldiers were after you?"

"They like to protect me, too!" I replied, my voice regaining its usual cheerfulness.

"They don't think you can protect yourself?" Ruby scoffed, her voice laced with indignation.

"They're not sure if I'm ready yet... One day, it will be my job to save the world, but I still have a lot left to learn. That's why my father let me come to the Vytal Festival. I want to see what it's like in the rest of the world, and test myself in the Tournament."

"Penny, what are you talking about? Save the world from what? We're in a time of peace!" Ruby's voice, once full of confidence, now held a hint of fear.

"That's not what Mr. Ironwood said..." I replied, my circuits struggling to process Ruby's words.

A voice boomed from the alley's mouth. "Check down here!"