Video/Action for Ecruteak, backdated to 8/18

[in4apounding]

((OOC: General warning for angst, discussion of death, and spoilers for volume 3 of RWBY))

Has anyone figured out how to- I mean. I know a lot of people just want to get rid of them, but has anyone found a way to help them?

[No points for guessing who the 'them' is, given the week's events. Especially considering that the redheaded girl visible behind Penny in her broadcast is just a shade more transparent than usual for someone with a heartbeat.]

[Penny looks tired.]

I thought maybe they were sort of like us? People that were coming here from other worlds, but something went wrong and-

[She glances over her shoulder at the ghost that's been haunting her for the last few days.]

...Her name was- is Pyrrha Nikos. I didn't really know her myself, we just- met. Once.

[Penny swallows, turning back to the camera, eyes downcast.]

But I know she doesn't deserve whatever this is. If anyone knows anything, please- I'd really appreciate it. Thank you.


[It's much later in the day, after any responses to Penny's broadcast have come and gone. The sun is going down and Penny has her door at the Ecruteak Inn firmly locked.]

[She's sitting on the floor across from Pyrrha's spectre, waiting one last time to see if she'll have to be the one to break their silence.]

I'm sorry.

[Her voice is quiet, unsteady. Penny swallows, not sure how to proceed.]

I don't blame you, for- what happened.

[Hic.]

I know it's not your fault, Ruby told me-

They used us, the people that did this. They used both of us. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[Penny's voice shakes to a halt, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. She scrubs them away with her sleeve, taking a deep, shaking breath before continuing.]

And now this, it's just- I'd sort of hoped you might get to come here like I did. This place is nice, really, and you deserve a chance to have. I don't know. Something other than that. A chance to go back, if we can.

[Her voice is still shaking, but it's coming faster now.]

We could find a way to fix things, stop them from hurting any more people, or-

I thought. I guess. Maybe we could've been friends. That it might make things- what happened easier somehow. I remember-

[Penny stops again, words choking off for a second before forcing herself to continue.]

I remember- I'd hoped- at the tournament, the same thing, that maybe once I came to Beacon-

[It takes another second to continue, tears flowing. Even now, with all her memories of Johto, the possibility of friends, plural, seemed almost more of a wonderful fever dream than transferring schools had.]

[When she finally speaks again, her voice shrinks back into a shaking whisper.]

I was having so much fun.

[There's another moment of silence.]

In the tournament. Getting to fight you was- it was the most fun I'd ever had, and then- just-

[A too fast moment of her own swords blurring through the air in the wrong direction, and waking up in Goldenrod City.]

It's not fair. To you. Me. There was so much I wanted to do, and they just-

I'm sorry.