A little boy ran down an alleyway. He had red hair and bull horns, wore black, and was being chased by men with rocks and other weapons.

"Kill the halfbreed!" A man yelled, throwing a rock. It struck the boy in the back, and he fell. The little boy looked up as the crowd caught up, raising their rocks, when suddenly...

"Sal-u-tations!" A voice greeted. The boy and crowd looked to see a smiling teenage girl. She wore a tan, blousy dress with neon-green and black leggings, a neon-green and black collar, black shoes, and a pink bow in her short red hair. The girl waved, her green eyes full of light, then walked over. "What seems to be the problem, here?"

"Get out of here if you know what's good for you, Missy." A man glared. The redhead frowned.

"But this little boy needs medical attention."

"He won't need anything when we're done with him."

"You will help him?"

"We'll end him!"

"Why?"

"He's a Faunus! Scum!"

"Oh..." The girl nodded, then glared. "I see." The girl stepped between the boy and the men. "If you want to hurt him, you'll have to go through me." The boy looked at her.

"Get out of here!" He warned. "They'll kill you, too." The girl looked back at him, beaming.

"Not to worry!" The girl looked at the men, smirking. "I'm combat-ready!" A silver backpack the girl wore opened, several swords coming out and levitating. The boy noticed that they were controlled by near-invisible wires. The girl smiled as she manipulated the blades, throwing the men into the walls of the alleyway to knock them out. "If there's one thing I hate, it's bullies." The girl turned and kneeled down, looking at the boy with worry. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah."

"Sensational... Why were those men chasing you?"

"I-I was at a White Fang rally. I escaped before the police could arrest me, and those men came."

"But you're just a little boy. They shouldn't have hurt you."

"I'm a Faunus. I'm used to it... Why did you help me?"

"Well..." The girl smiled mysteriously. "I know how it feels to be different... Come on. My father can help you." The girl held out a hand. "My name is Penny. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Adam."

"It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"You said that already."

"So, I did." Penny laughed, and Adam smiled as he took her hand.

/\/\/\/\

Penny knocked on the door of a small house in the city, rocking on the balls of her feet as she waited, holding Adam's hand.

"Don't worry, Adam. My father is very nice. Trust me when I say he loves those who are different."

"Hello?" The door opened, and a bearded man with greying hair peeked out, wearing a lab coat. "Penny? Who is this? What are you doing outside?"

"Hello, Father! This is Adam, my friend! I wanted to explore, and I saved Adam from some nasty men. Can you please patch him up?"

"Of course." The man smiled at Adam. The Faunus boy was led into the house, being instructed to sit down on a couch. Penny's father tended to the boy's wounds, Penny holding the first-aid kit and smiling. When Penny's father was finished, he let Adam stay for dinner.

/\/\/\/\

Adam noticed that Penny didn't eat anything, only sit politely and smile, joining in on the conversation when needed. Penny's father was a scientist, working with the Atlesian Military to help design a way to protect the world from Grimm and other threats without placing humans or Faunus in danger.

"It's dreadful, just dreadful, the way humanity treats the Faunus. If I had my way, every man who threw a rock at you would be strung up by their big toes and left to hang for a while."

"Father, please..." Penny giggled. "I took care of it. Those men won't be harming my friend again any time soon."

"Quite right... How did your weapons work?"

"Excellent. I had so much control, I didn't even harm them. I just made them take a little nap."

"T-thank you." A quiet voice whispered, and the two looked at Adam, who looked close to breaking. Penny got up and walked around the table, kneeling and placing a hand on the little Faunus boy's shoulder.

"It's alright, Adam... You're safe. There's no need to cry."

"I was too slow, too scared. If you hadn't been there when you were, I would have died... I'm weak."

"Listen." Penny's worried expression became a glare. "Those men were the weak cowards. They picked on you because you were different, because you went out there to stand up for what is right. Don't you ever look down upon yourself, Adam... You're strong, and you're brave. You have to keep fighting, or nothing will ever change. I know that someday, Faunus will be equal, and you'll be the one who does it." Adam looked at Penny, red eyes wide. Penny's smile returned.

"Thank you."

"It's what you do for a friend."

/\/\/\/\

For the next few weeks, Adam visited Penny and her father. They built up his confidence, and Penny even taught him some self-defense moves. Then, one day...

"What?" Adam walked up to see a large alleyway where Penny's house once stood, looking shocked. On the ground was a long, green and black wrapped present with a card. Adam shakily picked it up, a tear racing down his face as he looked at the card.

'Dear Adam,

By the time you read this, I will be long gone. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you where I'm going. I don't want you to get hurt trying to find me, as you are my very best friend. My father doesn't know I left you this card, or about the present I had been building, saving it for your birthday. I was so excited to see your face when you saw it, but now I can only imagine... Adam, please don't forget about me. But don't mourn my departure, either. Let me fade into imagination, like an old imaginary friend. There to protect you until you don't need me anymore. Never to be forgotten, but not there. That's what I am, I guess. I always was... Don't forget, Adam. You are strong and brave, but you must also be kind. Always be that sweet little boy who became my first and best friend... You were the first person, besides Father, to ever treat me like a human being. Thank you... Never change.

Love,

Penny.'

Adam shakily unwrapped the box to see a weapon. A black shotgun, used as the sheath for a sword. Adam removed the sword to see a glowing red blade. The hilt of the sword said Wilt, the shotgun being Blush. Adam looked down the alleyway, then sheathed the sword, heart and eyes hardening...

/\/\/\/\

Penny sat in a car, sighing sadly as she looked out the window.

"He would have noticed." Her father knew what she was thinking. Penny nodded, still depressed. "Penny, you don't age. It was for the boy's own good."

"Yes, Father." Penny nodded, then looked down. "Father?"

"Yes?"

"I want a small upgrade to my design, please."

"What?"

"Give me the ability to cry."