A/N: Here's an idea that's been sitting on my computer for almost two years now. Posting this gives me incentive to continue it- leaving a review will add to that ;)

Let me know what you think!

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She called me 'friend'.

Dr. Polendina was a kind father to have. Penny loved him, with all her heart- he doted on her, and told her he was happy to have created her, and gave her cute ribbons for her hair. He made her feel special! And smart! And kind! And he told her that he was proud to have her as his daughter. He didn't have a wife, you see, nor a partner of any kind- so to hear that she, little Penny, was what brought him joy, brought her the greatest pride in return imaginable.

But it didn't bring her belonging.

Because Penny knew she wasn't like most girls. She was different- stilted, or clumsy, or odd. She'd been called that by her team many a time, and many more times by her classmates. Everyone viewed her as an oddity at Atlas Academy, and she had yet to uncover why.

But this girl had called her 'friend'.

She said her name is 'Ruby'. She filed away that name for later, carving that girl's face into her memory banks. No one had ever called her a 'friend' before. She did a quick search on the CCTS for what that word meant.

Friend: a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection and support, typically exclusive of familial, romantic or sexual relations.

She had a 'friend' now in the girl named 'Ruby'. She had never had a 'friend' before.

General Ironwood had been correct- coming to Vale had been a good idea after all. She had gained a 'friend'.

An unknown feeling bubbled in her gut. She didn't know what it was, but Penny was sure excited to learn more about it if it gave her a chance to talk to 'Ruby'.