Celebration (2)

Unlocking the side door to his pharmacy, Pietro pushed against the slightly rusted frame, listening to it groan open as he rode in from the sidewalk. Resting in his lap was a grocery bag with a cake inside its plastic cover, and a tub of ice cream—frosted from the cold—balanced neatly on top.

He wasn't alone. Following close behind was none other than Atlas's General, Ironwood, along with Winter. They wore the casual version of their military uniforms, though, even "casual," they still stood out. At least they'd come by car, so not too many people on the street noticed them.

Even when people did, it was hard to believe that the Headmaster of Atlas Academy and the General of the Atlas Military would just walk through Mantle like any ordinary citizen.

Ironwood glanced around the shop, taking in the old walls and shelves.

"You know, Pietro, I keep offering to send a team down here. They could give the place a complete renovation, and I'd cover everything."

Pietro smiled politely but shook his head.

"And I do appreciate it, James. I'm grateful for all the support you've given my research, but I'd rather have a place of my own—somewhere that isn't connected to the Atlas Military."

For Pietro, it wasn't about distancing himself from Atlas; that decision had been made long ago.

He was getting older, and retirement wasn't far off. He had more than enough money from his work over the years, and the pharmacy had become something to keep him occupied between projects. When he finally retired, he hoped it would keep his mind busy and let him enjoy his time in peace.

Ironwood let out a quiet breath, clearly deciding not to press the issue. Winter stepped in and closed the door behind them.

With the street noise shut out, all three of them could hear music playing through the walls.

"Oh, looks like Penny finally picked a song. You give that girl too many choices, and she'll stand there for hours trying to decide," Pietro remarked, turning his chair as he, Ironwood, and Winter made their way toward the door that led into the pharmacy. When he opened it, they all paused in surprise—Penny wasn't the only one inside.

"Oh, you're here," Pietro noted, spotting Asher holding a plastic cup. His gaze drifted, landing on Winter and then Whitley.

"Winter!" Weiss called out, her face lighting up at the sight of her older sister.

"Weiss, I… didn't know you'd be here." For a split second, Winter looked genuinely surprised, but she quickly regained her usual composure.

Her attention shifted to Whitley, who froze as soon as she looked his way. He met her eyes, uncertain how to react. The two of them had never been close—except maybe when he was just a baby.

After a moment, Whitley explained, "Asher invited us, and we were curious."

The answer was plain, without his usual edge or sarcasm, and it made Winter pause. Still, she nodded.

"I see." She gave Asher a quick glance.

Not missing the look, Asher spoke up.

"Hope that's all right. Penny seemed like she wanted a bigger group, and honestly, I don't have many people to call."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," Pietro replied, not picking up on the underlying tension among the Schnee siblings. He let out a light chuckle as he rolled further into the room.

"The more the merrier!" Penny chimed in, hurrying over to help her father with the bag in his lap. She pulled out the cake and ice cream, setting them on one of the tables.

"It's good to see you both here—especially without your father around," Ironwood joked as he walked over to Weiss and Whitley. In the past, that kind of comment might have earned him a stiff smile from the siblings, tense and awkward.

But now, both Weiss and Whitley laughed, nodding along with Ironwood's joke.

"So, Weiss, how's your training been lately?" He asked, striking up a conversation with the two as Penny and Pietro finished slicing the cake and scooping ice cream into bowls. Meanwhile, Winter drifted over to Asher, who was quietly sipping his drink.

"Those two really have changed a lot," Winter said, her eyes lingering on her brother and sister chatting with Ironwood.

"I suppose I have you to thank for that?"

Asher shrugged with a small, sly smile that was half-hidden behind his cup.

"They just needed a little push in the right direction—one that didn't come from a certain sisterly drill sergeant." Winter caught the joke and raised an eyebrow at him, but a moment later, she allowed herself the faintest smile.

"Speaking of my sister, I've heard you and Weiss have been getting close."

That got Asher's attention. He paused mid-sip and glanced at her over the rim of his cup.

"Oh? Did Whitley or Weiss tell you?"

Leaning back against the desk, Winter replied, "Both, actually. Though Whitley was the first to drop a hint. It surprised me, since Weiss usually tells me just about everything and messages me almost every day—even if I can't always respond."

"I see…" Asher let the words hang for a second before going on.

"So, are you here to give me a warning? If so, you should know Whitley already threatened me using your name."

Winter blinked, genuine surprise in her voice.

"Whitley did?"

Asher gave a half-shrug.

"You did say they've both changed a lot."

Winter followed Asher's gaze back to where Weiss and Whitley were talking with General Ironwood, then gave a quiet nod.

"Yes… I did." Another pause hung in the air before Winter let out a short sigh.

"I'm not going to tell you to stay away from her. I'm not our father, and Weiss can make her own choices. I'm also not here to threaten you, though, if you do end up hurting her… well, let's just say Whitley and I would agree on how to handle that. But above all, just try to make this a good experience for her, okay?"

For a moment, Winter's usual strict composure slipped away, replaced by something softer—just an older sister speaking honestly.

"Weiss has had crushes before, but they usually faded after a month or so. Still, after hearing Whitley talk about it, seeing how she acts when I bring you up, and the way she spoke about you when she finally told me… this isn't just a crush." She didn't need to say what it was; Asher already knew.

He nodded and answered simply, "Don't worry. Hurting her is the last thing I'd ever want to do."

Winter glanced sideways at him, her voice dropping low, half-lost in the background music and chatter.

"Do you feel the same way about her?"

The question made Asher freeze for a split second. He hesitated, then raised his cup and took a sip instead of answering.

Seeing that, Winter closed her eyes and sighed, murmuring, "I see. Well, that's all I needed to say."

With that, Winter turned and started toward Weiss and Whitley, who looked like they'd just finished talking with Ironwood. The general caught Winter's eye, nodded, and quietly excused himself, making his way toward Asher.

"Sorry, we didn't tell you we were coming," Weiss said, sounding a little downcast.

"Hm, it's fine."

Whitley tilted his head, curious.

"So what were you and Asher talking about over there?"

Winter looked at him, then admitted, "We were talking about Weiss. I figured I should have a real conversation with the person who's got our little sister so enchanted, don't you think?"

Weiss turned a little red at that, looking both embarrassed and nervous, which only made Whitley burst out laughing.

Weiss was about to glare at Whitley, but Winter's voice cut in.

"You made a good choice, Weiss. Just be careful, alright?"

"Huh?" Weiss sounded surprised, the embarrassment from before forgotten. She'd told Winter about Asher herself—not every detail, of course, and Whitley had spoiled the surprise by telling Winter early, but still. Up until now, Winter had never really approved or disapproved.

Her comments had always been short.

This was the first time Winter had given her clear approval.

Weiss's eyes shimmered a little as she nodded.

"I will."

"Good." Winter's tone softened a bit.

"Now, tell me how you two have been."

Meanwhile, back where Asher was standing, he said, "I never thought the general would take time out of his busy schedule for a celebration like this."

Ironwood gave a small shrug.

"Even I need a break every now and then. Besides, it's good for Penny."

Right on cue, Penny's voice rang out as she made an announcement.

"Everyone should know that the cake and ice cream are ready for consumption! Who wants a bowl?" Penny's eyes swept the room as Weiss, Whitley, Asher, and Ironwood all raised their hands.

Whitley was the first to head over.

"Cake and ice cream are one of my favorite desserts. I hope you like it too," Penny said as she handed Whitley a bowl. Inside was just what you'd expect: a slice of plain cake with a bit of frosting, nothing fancy, and right next to it, a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

"Hm, which baker made this?" Whitley asked, eyeing the cake and poking it with his spoon.

"Baker?" Penny repeated, tilting her head in confusion.

Pietro stepped in, saying, "Oh, that's not from a bakery. It's store-bought. Much cheaper, but don't worry—I made sure to get it from a good place."

"Huh." Whitley didn't say anything right away. He tried a bite, scooping up some cake with the ice cream. It only took a moment before his eyes lit up just a little—the soft cake mixed with the creamy ice cream made for a flood of sweetness in his mouth.

"That… that's really good," he admitted, glancing down at the simple dessert in the bowl.

Penny beamed at that.

"I'm glad you like it."

Soon, everyone else went to get their bowls, too. It ended up with Asher and Penny talking together while Pietro and Ironwood chatted nearby like old friends. The Schnee siblings, meanwhile, had their own little corner. In the past, even though Winter and Weiss got along, Whitley's presence usually meant trouble with Winter.

But now, more than half an hour into the celebration, nothing like that had happened.

Progress.

"So, do you think we'll be going on any more missions anytime soon?" Penny asked, scooping up a bite of cake and ice cream. She let out a satisfied hum as she chewed. Apparently, being an android meant things like brain freezes and sensitive teeth didn't bother her at all.

Asher thought for a moment before answering, "Hmm, I don't think so. Atlas is still getting everything ready to take down the Maron Family in one move. Until then, we just have to wait. But honestly, that's kind of good news."

Penny looked a little confused by that. For her, missions were some of the only times she got to act freely and step out of her usual routine.

Asher explained, "Well, if there aren't any missions, that means things are peaceful—at least on the surface, right?"

"Huh… Oh, I guess I never thought of it like that. Now I feel bad for always hoping missions would come up," Penny muttered.

"No need to feel bad," Asher said.

"Missions are supposed to fix problems. Wanting to go on a lot just means you want to help people. And if you really want to be helpful, I do have a few things I'm curious about—mostly about your design. Is it okay if I ask?"

Penny blinked, then shook her head.

"Oh, no, go ahead! I'm willing to answer anything."

Asher chuckled.

"Thanks."

He started asking questions, and it was clear Penny knew a lot about herself—how her android frame was built, the materials used for her skin and skeleton, that kind of thing. He even asked how close to human she actually was, and her answer surprised him.

Aside from growing—which needed to be done by modifying her body—Penny's design matched the experience of a girl her age pretty well. She didn't need to sleep, but skipping rest would eventually make her memory start to fragment because of all the new data. She could eat, and had a processing unit that digested food and turned certain nutrients into energy.

Of course, it was a lot more efficient than the human body.

"Curious—what about your saliva and other fluids? I'm guessing they're mostly for temperature control and disinfection?"

"That's right. I can replenish them by drinking fluids, though I need to get the exact chemicals from my father," Penny replied.

"Interesting. Do you mind opening your mouth for me?"

"Sure!"

That's how Penny ended up sitting on the desk, swinging her legs a little while Asher used the spoon she'd just been eating with to gently check inside her mouth. He took a flashlight from his 'pocket', combining it with the spoon as he examined her, carefully adjusting her jaw with his free fingers.

"Huh, even the secretion looks accurate. Your father must have put a lot of work into getting the anatomy right," Asher muttered, shining the light into her mouth and watching how her muscles reacted.

"H… ah… lo- a…" Penny tried to say something, but with the spoon and Asher's hand in the way, it just came out muffled. She gave up and let him work.

"Alright, now say, 'aah,' and stick out your tongue," Asher said.

Penny nodded a little and did just that, stretching out her tongue and saying, "Aaah…"

That was when Pietro, who'd been deep in conversation with Ironwood, finally noticed what was going on. He frowned as soon as he saw Asher peering into his daughter's mouth.

"Uh, give me one second, James," Pietro said, turning in his chair and heading straight toward Asher and Penny.

Meanwhile, over with the Schnee siblings, Whitley noticed too, raising an eyebrow and saying, "What in the world…"

That made Weiss and Winter look over. Winter just looked puzzled, but Weiss went from stunned to suspicious in a matter of seconds.

"I'll be right back," Weiss said, putting down her cup and heading straight over to Asher and Penny.

Watching Weiss walk off, Whitley let out a low whistle.

"Well, this should be interesting."

Asher was in the middle of pressing down on Penny's tongue and tilting her head up when he heard someone clear their throat behind him.

"Um, what are you two doing?"

Asher paused, glancing back to see Pietro standing there, his expression anything but pleased.

"Yeah, what exactly are you doing?" Came Weiss's voice from the other side, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.

"Oh, well…" Asher realized immediately how strange this must have looked. He took the spoon out of Penny's mouth, turned off the flashlight, and put it away.

Penny closed her mouth and answered cheerfully, "Oh, Asher wanted to study my anatomy, so I agreed to help him!"

"Oh, did he now?" Weiss replied, her gaze fixed on Asher, saying more than her words ever could.

Pietro, still not looking amused, said, "If you're that curious, I can show you her schematics on the computer. I'll be able to answer your questions a lot better than you poking around in her mouth."

Asher just gave a helpless, apologetic smile.

"That would be great."

"Hey, wait, I-" Weiss barely got a word out before Asher and Pietro moved behind Pietro's desk, where he turned on his computer and started pulling up files and schematics. That left Weiss standing alone with Penny, who hopped down from the desk.

Turning to her, Weiss looked Penny up and down.

"So… do you usually let people stick spoons in your mouth?" Weiss asked, her tone a bit sharper than she meant it to be.

But Penny, being Penny, didn't pick up on it at all and shook her head.

"No. Father told me I shouldn't let people touch me unless I feel comfortable and trust them. Otherwise, I should report them right away—and if they keep insisting, I'm supposed to break their arm." Penny delivered this with a bright smile, which made the statement even more jarring to Weiss.

"I… see. So, that means you trust Asher a lot, then?"

Penny nodded right away.

"Of course! He's my friend. My only friend… And we're teammates. He helped me finish my first mission—that's why I wanted to throw this celebration, to thank him."

"Oh." Weiss honestly didn't know how to respond.

Everything about her really throws me off… She's nothing like the other girls my age I meet at events.

Luckily, Penny kept the conversation going, her expression turning a bit mischievous and her tone suddenly gossipy.

"I noticed you and Asher seem really close. Are you two dating?"

Weiss was caught off guard, her eyes widening a little.

"Huh? What?"

Penny's expression dropped a little.

"Oh, sorry—was that rude?"

Weiss hesitated, then shook her head, stammering, "Uh, no, it wasn't rude, I just… wasn't expecting that question. Um… I guess we are, yeah. I haven't really labeled it or anything."

Even so, Penny's interest only grew.

"Oooh, wow! I've never seen an actual couple before. I don't get to watch many romance shows or movies. My father says I get too invested and hyper-focused on them."

That caught Weiss's attention as she responded, "Romance, huh… Well, if you can't watch those, what about reading? Are there any books you like?"

Penny thought for a second, then shook her head.

"No, not really. I don't know which books are good, and I don't have full internet access. Too dangerous, Father says."

Hearing that, Weiss's eyes lit up with opportunity.

"Well, in that case, how about I give you some recommendations?"

"Oh, really? You'd do that?" Penny's excitement was contagious—how could Weiss say no?

She nodded, and just like that, the two girls dove into the world of fiction, with Weiss leading the way.

Meanwhile, Asher and Pietro were already deep into the technical details of Penny's creation.

By now, Pietro seemed to have completely forgotten what Asher had been doing earlier.

"So, you see, aura is a reflection of the soul in the material world. In essence, it's a kind of energy that comes from somewhere unseen, which we believe to be the soul itself. We can't observe the soul directly, but as a form of energy, we can watch how aura appears and fades using specialized equipment," Pietro explained.

Asher stood by the desk, listening closely and reading the detailed documents that went along with Pietro's words.

"Ah, I get it now. That's how you created the artificial soul? By simulating the fading of aura in a non-organic being, it condenses back into a soul, but in that unseen layer?" Asher summarized.

Pietro nodded, smiling—clearly happy to have someone to talk shop with.

"But before we could do any of that, we had to find a way to directly interact with aura, not just measure it as energy. As you know, aura naturally protects its user, which makes it really hard to stimulate unless you're actually damaging it. So we needed a different method," Pietro said.

"And I'm guessing that was through watching how aura interacts with and activates Dust?" Asher suggested, making Pietro—who had just started to speak—look genuinely stunned.

"You… You figured that out, just like that?"

Asher shrugged.

"It was just a theory after I heard you'd created an artificial soul. Still, making it work for real is incredibly impressive. I'm surprised this technology isn't more widespread."

"Ah, well, it does have some-" Pietro stopped, coughing roughly and clearing his throat.

"Some downsides. Not to mention, aside from creating artificial Huntsmen, there haven't been many chances to use it. The equipment and procedures are expensive, so it can't really be weaponized, either."

Hearing that, Asher pressed a finger to his lips, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

"No implementations, hmm? No… I wouldn't be so sure about that." Already, a new idea was starting to form in the Nexus Space.