Arclight Foundries

"Okay, just get on your knees and you can get out of it." He instructed, Penny humming an acknowledgment and leaning down, resting her metal fists against the floor and easing back onto the armor's legs like a monk praying in the furthest corner of his workshop from the stairs.

That meant she couldn't open the fronts of the legs below the knees, but Penny knew that and opened the c.h.e.s.t and arms instead and just pulled herself up, wiggling her h.i.p.s in the air inside the c.h.e.s.t compartment that had opened up to let her out. While she was doing that, Jaune rolled over the frame he was going to attach to the back of the suit. They'd been working since early in the morning on it, and he couldn't help but be excited to finally be done with it and attach it.

Her little dress seemed to get caught and he raised an eyebrow, leaning on the cart and asking, "Need a hand, Pen? You look kind of stuck in there, I don't want your dress to tear."

"I am fine, best-friend-Jaune. My dress is made of durable materials made specially for me by my father." She smiled over a shoulder at him, pulling herself free and falling flat on the floor a second later, smashing her head hard enough against the floor that he was certain a normal person would get a concussion. He ran to check on her, but she simply stood and smiled, "See? I am out of the suit and it is undamaged, as is my dress. I do thank you for your concern, however."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head, but he couldn't help but grin good-naturedly when she beamed that smile of hers at him again. Her way of teasing him, he guessed, or just joking around in what she guessed was a 'normal' way. He didn't mind either way, and so he didn't ask and instead just ignored it and waved a hand at the tanks.

"What do you think? This ought to work, right?" He gave it a glance and added with a small grimace, "Never made one before, though. So I wanted to know if you could, uh, check online to see if it looks alright? I-If you don't, you know, mind I mean."

"Of course I do not mind, best-friend-Jaune. Getting out of this means nothing to one such as I." She smiled, gently pushing him to the side so she could pass and staring down at it absently for several seconds. "According to Atlesian databases and online searches of the topic, this frame should hold the necessary components for metal cutting and minor-to-moderate welding. Heavier, specialized frames may be needed for other tasks, however."

The frame in question was one he'd made himself, with three heavy frame sets made of dark metal about as thick as his forearm and designed to hold tanks of various fuels. The smallest of which would be mounted between the two larger ones and covered by a metal panel for protection, and would hold pure Oxygen. To the right would be heavily refined, and volatile, Red Dust inside an armored tank made to resists damages so the user didn't explode. To the left was the safer canister, comparatively at least, of heavily refined and more lightly armored Yellow Dust. The Oxygen facilitated the reaction, which the Red Dust fueled and the Yellow Dust maintained at a reasonable and safe level for him to work with.

When Penny lifted it, it latched onto two dozen small hooking and anchor points on the back of his armor he had added that morning, and the duo spent twenty minutes checking each one individually to had connected and would hold. He even had Penny yank on it a few times to make for absolute certain, and the frame didn't budge even under her deceptively titanic strength. The armor-frame itself moved before the frame did, and that satisfied both of their concerns.

And while he wouldn't say it anywhere near anyone who could conceivably leak it to Coco, it did wonders for his ego as well.

The arms and c.h.e.s.t were already heat-treated and rated for the temperature, and the visor itself came standard with polarizing functions to defend against sudden shifts of light or glare in combat, so he didn't need to much to get his armor to be rigged for the job. On the tops of his arms, fitting over the fists and out a couple inches for reach and safety, the torch was latched onto the arm brace he'd made out of leftover bands of the metal he'd used for the frame on the back of his suit.

The attachable gauntlets latched around the arm like plated armor would on a knight, and had the same layered and plated look to it. At least, aside from the three thick cables that ran down the center of his arm under the plates, a groove about two inches wide and an inch tall along the middle showing it. Small buttons on the the sides of the gauntlets would release it in case of emergencies, and unlatch his backpack as well though both required a verbal prompt as well to avoid accidents. The second was a simple cut-off valve that would shut down his welders immediately, and the third would retract the welders across the top of the gauntlet-like setup for storage so he could more easily and safely move whatever he was working on.

For safety, he'd also made a small and simple front-mask that latched onto the front of the Atlesian helmet. It protruded across his face almost like a pilot's mask, but lacking the front hook-ups for the hose and instead hooking into an extra pack of oxygen connected into the tank of oxygen on his back, with a small attachment to dilute the pure oxygen with some of what he breathed out. Which made it an armored rebreather of sorts, but he could only use that function for about ten minutes and didn't really plan on using it all that much in day-to-day work.

He just couldn't help himself when he'd gotten running.

And all of that left him looking like some frankenstein of an armored knight, an Atlesian soldier - thanks to his helmet, but that was fine - a scuba diver once the tanks were on, and oddly enough a Huntsman with the protruding torches over his knuckles that would glow white-hot and bright enough to blind. Not really a weapon someone would probably use, but given the insanity of some weapons he was sure that out there a Hunter would exist that used welding torches as weapons.

Because of course they would, in their seemingly unending contest to outdo each other in the 'ludicrous weapon with very weird applications' department.

"I, uh… I think it's done, actually, Pen." Jaune finally said after a few seconds of them inspecting, rechecking and adjusting the smallest pieces and plates across it. "What do you think?"

"I have no idea, I do not know anything about welding equipment. I have just been checking the structure itself." She smiled innocently up at him, kneeling behind the machine and looking for all the world like she'd never been happier or prouder than that moment. Where she'd been checking the tubing for the Dust. "It looks to be in operative order, however, and I have found no faults in the tubes either."

"Okay, well, I…" He sighed, shaking his head and shrugging. Waving a hand at the table the random scraps of useless, small pieces of metal were resting on. "I'll check the internals myself, then, Penny. Just, uh… Can you move the leftover scrap out to the bin for me? I'll finish up here."

"You are such a good dad." He nearly jumped, turning and stumbling back from Coco's voice behind him. Quick as always, the small android stepped around his armor and caught him before he could fall, and Coco laughed awkwardly where she stood. "Sorry, I didn't try and scare you, I figured you'd hear me clunking up the stairs with this damn boot on. Or the big guy helpin' me."

"I practically carried you, and you know this." Yatsuhashi chided gently, giving him a respectful nod in greeting that Jaune returned as Penny released him. "Pridefulness will be your downfall, Coco, you-"

"Say anything about my broken leg, Yats," she interrupted, smiling pleasantly and leaning back against the large man to look up at him, "and I will make sure your little tree has an accident involving one of Jaune's blowtorches. Hm?"

"Not with one of my torches she won't." Jaune promised, before warm brown eyes turned on him and Coco hummed in question. Glancing between her and the gentle giant, he shrugged apologetically and sighed. "Sorry, Yatsuhashi, but, uh, yeah. She can use my tools if she wants to for, you know, whatever. Dad always said to give a lady what she wants, or you'll end up doing it anyway and on the couch."

"How would friend-Coco make you sleep on the couch, though, best-friend-Jaune?" Penny asked innocently, stepping past the group to start gathering up the scrap metal like he'd asked. Looking back at him, she c.o.c.ked her head and asked, "Are you already doing the cuddling at night that friend-Yang and Miss Weiss speak about?"

"It's like his tool, sweety. Whatever I say, he does with it, that's how this works." Coco answered cheerily, limping forward on her medical brace and putting her god arm around him, pressing herself - and more purposefully, her bust he guessed - against his side and smiling. When she spoke again, her breath blowed across his ear and spread a blush there, "Isn't that right, Jaune?"

"Y-Yes, Coco!" He squeaked, stiffening beside her in what he was certain amused her. Penny seemed confused by the pitch and, while Jaune flushed further in embarrassment, both Coco and Yatsuhashi chuckled until Jaune cleared his throat and asked, "Uh, Coco, why are you… I mean, you're welcome to come over whenever, but, um, why are you here?"

"Maybe I came by to visit, maybe I came by to strip you down and…" She gave Penny, smiling innocently and lugging metal to the elevator a look and rolled her eyes. "I just came to visit, Jaune. Leg's still bum and bones're too weak to do anything fun, and Yatsuhashi won't lemme work on my gun."

"It is too heavy a burden to allow you to shoulder, my friend." He answered quietly, deep voice reverberating across the room as he did. From behind him, he produced the little purse that Coco used as a weapon. Laying it on a table, he added, "A fool places on his shoulders the weight which he cannot bear, for he-

"She will kick you in the schlong if you keep waxing poetic." Coco interrupted, tilting her head cutely at him. Yatsuhashi's jaw clicked shut a second later, his great hands raising in mock surrender, and she clicked her tongue and pushed away from Jaune, limping over and carefully taking a seat on a stool near his armor, asking, "So, how's the tin can comin'? Looks like you're addin' somethin'."

"It's a heavy welding setup." Jaune nodded, pointing at the frame on the back and continuing while Penny worked with the metal and the gentle giant took his polite leave. "The welders hook up to a full set of tanks on my back, and can extend about a foot at most to reach stuff. Figured it would diversify what it could do."

"Looks kinda badass." She tilted her head to get a better look, and then smiled and asked. "Say, you think it can mount heavy weapons, too?"

"I mean, weight wise?" He nodded after a second of thought, looking at the mounted metal on the back of the kneeling machine. "Yeah, it could. But this isn't designed for that so, I mean you could mount ammo on the back for a heavy weapon, but the second something shot back or got to you then you'd be done for."

"One does not simply strap a gun to everything! As amusing as that may or may not be to do, I mean, because it can be very amusing." Penny called from across the room, Jaune rolling his eyes and looking at Coco meaningfully.

"Why do you ask?" He asked, ignoring the AI entirely as best he could. "I mean, I assume there's a reason you're asking, after all. You don't do much without a really good reason."

Well, not usually, though miracles did happen.

"I just happen to use a heavy weapon, and given my, well…" She gestured at her boot and sighed, the medical brace on her leg most of what was left of her injuries after the last couple days. Even if she was still resigned to rest and barred from fighting, she was still mostly healthy by his standards. "I guess I'm just wondering if maybe I should armor up, but now that I think about it, I don't think it's quite my style."

"I mean, are you sure?" He raised a brow at her, kneeling beside the armor while he went about checking out the tubing that would hook into the tanks when they were put in. "I could make you one, if you wanted. Up the armor, increase the hydraulics a bit for speed, add a few support systems, whatever you needed."

"Nah, like I said, not my style." She smirked, leaning slightly on the stool and patting her hip jokingly. "I like gear that shows off my a.s.s a bit more, hon. I don't think a suit of heavy armor would do that, you know?"

"No, I guess it wouldn't." He shrugged, ignoring the show easily enough. That couldn't really compare with what she did other times, so it didn't bother him. "But yeah, the design is basically finalized and Penny moves around in it fine. I guess we can use it to… I dunno, do whatever, now. I want to keep this one, though."

"Why's that?"

"Eh, kind of a thing with me." He shrugged unsurely, nodding when he was satisfied with the connections and standing, rubbing a crick out of his neck while he spoke. "I want to keep my prototypes, if I can. S'why Twin Mors is downstairs. They're… Sentimental, to me at least, as silly as that kind of is."

"Nah, makes sense to me." She waved a hand at her purse on the table as an example, crossing her injured leg over her good one and leaning back against the table behind her. "I'm attached to my Chainpurse too. It's common among Hunters, you spend so much time with somethin' and you get attached. Weapons, shields, armor, hell I'd be pissed if my sunglassed got broken or somethin'."

"I guess…" Even if he could never be a Huntsman himself, maybe it bled over a bit in his attitude… "And my sisters did name their weapons and get attached to 'em too, when I was growing up. So maybe I picked it up from them?"

And wasn't that ironic in some way?

"Probably, yeah." She shrugged, smiling sadly at something he wasn't sure of and then shrugging again to dismiss the topic entirely. "So, I say you draw up the schematics for this and the plans for it, get 'em to me, and I make a few calls during the Vytal Festival since I can't fight with," she waved a hand at her leg," this mess."

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan, Coco." And for once, when his heart started to race with excitement, he took the risk and let it happen. Smiling, he stood and called out to Penny, "Hey, you gonna be around during the Festival? I want to have you around if anything, you know, happens with the armor."

"I am very sorry, best-friend-Jaune, but I will not be available." He frowned, but she was quick to explain as the elevator full of scrap descended for her to presumably deal with later. Or he could do it himself, if need be, with his armor working now he wouldn't need to worry about it so much. "Father wishes me to… Be around, for checkups before the Vytal Festival itself, as I will be taking part in it."

"Checkups?" The small android's eyes flicked to the woman and then her head nodded down slightly to where Penny's guards would be standing, in his shop, and he understood. Shrugging and trying to play it off, he waved a hand. "Eh, nevermind, not my business I guess. I didn't know you were fighting, though."

"Oh yes, Father and the General are quite excited to see me fight." She smiled brightly, and the tension of the deception vanished, the small girl rushing towards him and asking, "Will you be watching, best-friend-Jaune? I do so hope you will be cheering for me to win, it would make me very happy to know you are watching."

"Well…" He turned to look at Coco, raising an eyebrow in question, and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Won't be fightin', hon. Too hurt, so passin' on it since I'd lose in my condition anyway." She gave Penny a reassuring smile and nod, adding in a c.o.c.ky tone, "So don't worry, Penny, you don't have to worry about me and my baggage tearing you a new one. You see Fox out there and I want you to give 'im a smack, though."

"I will do much more than smack him. I will kick him, and punch him too! I am combat ready!" She pumped a fist, smiling brightly, and Coco snorted in amus.e.m.e.nt before she laughed. Confused, Penny turned to look at Jaune, who was doing the same thing, and asked, "What have I said that was funny?"

"N-Nothing, Penny." Jaune assured her, taking a couple steps toward the confused girl and pulling her into a one-armed hug. The girl let him and, when he let her go, he gave her shoulder a couple pats to reassure her and added, "We're not laughing at you, or making fun of you, that was just…"

"Adorable!" Coco offered, standing awkwardly and shuffling forward with a wide grin, "Come on, daddy got a hug so come give momma one."

"I am confused, you are not my parents." Penny's head tilted cutely in confusions and she added. "Is this a game? Are we playing a game right now? Because I very much enjoy games, but I would like to know."

"It's just a joke, Pen- Oh!" Coco saw something outside through his large windows and smiled widely in awe, waving them over and hobbling closer. "Guys, c'mere and see. It's here! I thought it was gonna be here in the morning, I didn't think it would get here so soon. Awesome!"

Moving to the window, he put a nervous arm around Coco's waist and she gave him a look caught between surprise, amus.e.m.e.nt and happiness. Then she leaned against him, and pointed up into the sky while Penny joined them on her other side. There, floating almost imperiously like magic, glowing vibrantly with light and power and flanked by Atlesian battlesh.i.p.s with lances of bright light roving through the air around them and swarms of fighters, all announcing its presence, sat the greatest marvel of the Kingdoms.

Amity Colosseum, in all its glory and mechanical majesty, had arrived.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Coco asked, the blonde next to her looking up at her smiling face and then back to Amity with a warm smile of his own.

"Yeah, second prettiest thing I've seen tonight." He smiled and she scoffed a laugh, giving him a surprised look and then snorting a laugh again and laying a hand on his around her waist. "I mean, I thought it was a good one…"

"Shut up and look at the damn thing with me, Jaune." She batted her hip against his gently to chide him, but there was no heat there. Instead, she seemed amused, and after a second she asked, "You mind if I come over for the tournaments? I wanna watch, but staying at Beacon all by myself while everyone else gets to go out just seems… Boring and kinda sad, I guess."

He didn't point out that he'd spent most of his life doing just that, even if her words opened a bit of a wound. He wouldn't ruin this moment with that, it would be rude of him and he was actually enjoying this right now.

"Of course, Coco." He nodded, looking up at the floating megastructure looming over the Kingdom with its swarm of defenses that began to spread out over the city. On security runs, or moving to land at other places along the great wall of Vale maybe for the smaller craft acting in support of the fleet and Amity itself. "You're welcome here whenever you want to be here. You should know that by now."

"Yeah, I do." She nodded, running her thumb over the back of his hand and humming as Penny pulled away and stepped back carefully to avoid drawing any attention. "I just figured I should actually ask for once, I guess. I mean, boyfriend and all, so… Got a ticket in whenever, but still."

"Yeah, I guess I get it." He nodded, "Thanks for asking first, I guess, but yeah. You're welcome over whenever you want to be here. Might be loud sometimes, though, if I'm working on something."

"I mean, I can be loud too, if you wanna work on me." She teased, and he rolled his eyes at the words without a comment. Even if his ears burned at the implications. Still, he couldn't tear his eyes away from Amity, and Coco asked, "It's that interesting to you, huh? It's gorgeous, but… You're looking at it like a man lost in the desert and a bottle of iced water."

"I'm an Engineer, Coco. Of course I'm into the most magnificent piece of mechanical engineering known to man." He answered simply with a shrug, nodding his head at the monolithic construct as it finally came to a looming stop high over Vale's center. Probably over the main boulevard, if he had to guess, the orc.h.e.s.trators of things like that tended to like theatrics like that. "What I would give to get to work up there, study its mechanisms and internals… Gods, it would be heaven. A day up there and my heart would explode from all the excitement."

"That's kind of not funny." Coco teased, chuckling awkwardly in spite of herself and shaking her head. "You're such a nerd, though. Your head's resting on my tit, and you are perfectly calm because you can look at Amity up in the sky."

"M-My head is where?" He straightened and turned to look and found that, true enough, he'd come to lay his head against her c.h.e.s.t at some point. "S-Sorry, Coco, I-I didn't m-mean to, uh, to do that."

"Oh my god, calm down before you stroke out on me." She teased, pulling him back against her and humming contentedly while he burned bright red against her side. Smiling, she added, "Go on, cop a feel if you wanna, I won't judge. No keeling over, though, go it?"

"Coco, come on…" He w.h.i.n.ed, smiling in spite of himself and just enjoying the sight and smell of her perfume. Behind them, he missed Penny heading for the stairs as quietly as she could, hesitating on the landing at the top for a moment more to watch them with a small smile. "Don't tease me, it's not nice to do that. You know that."

"Oh, I ain't teasing. Want me to prove it?" She reached for his hand and he wiggled to try and escape, the woman laughing brightly at it as they play fought. A crippled woman, albeit temporarily on that front, and a crippled man of a much more permanent fashion. But still able to enjoy themselves.

Behind them, and without a word, Penny turned and made her way down the stairs to finish dealing with the scrap metal and to leave her friends to their fun. With a finger, she sent Ruby a message to ask if she could come and see her.

Of course, the young Rose said yes, and Penny smiled a bit more brightly as she worked. Even if, for some reason she couldn't calculate or compute, something in her hurt. But a systems check told her she was undamaged, and so she resolved herself to tell her father about it.

And ignored it entirely, when Ruby sent a message asking if she was okay and if she was going to be late.

"I am never late, girlfriend-Ruby." She sent back, typing the message in her head while she worked on moving the metal scraps out back to the bin designated for them so they could be recycled properly. "A wizard always arrives precisely when she means to, after all."

"Why did I introduce you to memes?" Ruby sent back after a second, with a little smiling emoji along with it. "Biggest. Mistake. Ever."

She responded by playfully sending Ruby a selection of one hundred of her newest favorite memes she'd found over the last hour, along with a smiley face of her own and a message, "Be there soon."

"Fly, you fool!" Ruby sent back jokingly, making Penny smile at the reference. "We must go, they're taking the cookies to the kitchens!"

"Not the kitchens!" She laughed, quiet enough to avoid disturbing the two upstairs or draw any attention from her guards. Speaking of... "Want me to try and escape the dark clutches of Isengard on my way?"

"Nah, not worth the effort. They'll just make you leave when they do catch up, so let the stinky goblins come with you."