Penny lunges at Daniel without a second thought, snatching GLaDOS from his hands."Best friends forever!" she exclaims excitedly, hugging her and spinning around with her in her arms, moving energetically across the room.
Pietro, although happy to see his daughter connecting with someone like her, can't help but feel alarmed.
"Penny! My dear… I don't think Daniel likes having GLaDOS taken from him like that." His mechanical chair moves forward slightly, as if wanting to intervene, but Daniel raises a hand in a calming gesture.
"It's fine, I don't mind," he assures with an understanding tone, though his expression betrays a hint of doubt. "Although… I don't think GLaDOS likes being shaken like that…" He barely manages to say it before GLaDOS's robotic voice cuts him off.
"You don't know what I like," she responds dryly. Then, after a brief pause, she adds with what seems like slight effort, "I am… fine with my… friend carrying me." The word "friend" sounds particularly forced.
Daniel watches her, raising an eyebrow. He has no idea what she's up to, but he also doesn't care enough to find out. He simply shrugs and lets it happen.
"If that's what you want, who am I to stop you?" he says with a hint of sarcasm.
Penny squeals with excitement. "HIIIIIIII!" She stops swinging GLaDOS around and holds her up to chest level, clearly not catching the irony.
"We have so much to talk about!" Her eyes sparkle with enthusiasm, but she doesn't even know where to start.
"Yes… we have a lot to talk about," GLaDOS replies with a dangerously calculated tone.
As the excitement of the moment fades slightly, Weiss finally reacts.
"Wait, wait." She suddenly stands up, waving her hands frantically as if calling for a timeout."I have so many questions," she says, taking a deep breath before fixing her gaze on Pietro with suspicion.
"Who are you really?" Something about all this doesn't add up. How is it possible that a supposed genius is here, in the slums of Mantle, running a poorly maintained help center?
"Well…" Pietro tries to answer, but Penny eagerly jumps in.
"He's Dr. Pietro Polendina, one of Atlas's greatest minds and, of course, my father!" she declares proudly, thrilled to see her father getting the recognition he deserves.
Weiss nods slowly. "Uh-huh… and what is he doing in a place like this?" She gestures around, emphasizing the poor conditions of the establishment. As soon as the words leave her mouth, she realizes she might have sounded too harsh, so she quickly corrects herself.
"No offense, of course!"
Pietro doesn't take any offense at all. Instead, he smiles patiently. It's natural for Weiss to have doubts, but he has good reasons for being in this health center in Mantle.
"I like volunteering here. I really enjoy helping people," he replies sincerely. And it's true. He doesn't just find satisfaction in inventing groundbreaking technological advancements, but also in the little things—repairing mechanical prosthetics for those who can't afford them, offering assistance to those who need it most. To him, every act of help matters.
"His main job is in Atlas!" Penny adds enthusiastically. "He does this when he's not building Atlas's future alongside General Ironwood."
Weiss blinks in surprise. That close to General Ironwood? The information catches her off guard, and instead of clearing her doubts, it only raises more.
"Even so…" she murmurs, crossing her arms. "Why have I never heard of him?"
As the heiress of the Schnee family, she's well aware of the brightest minds in the kingdom—whether in science, technology, or even combat tournaments. And yet, the name Pietro Polendina has never crossed her path.
Pietro simply nods with a calm smile. "I like keeping a low profile." He leans forward slightly, as if sharing a secret.
"That way, I can come here and help people without being bothered too much. And of course, it also gives me time to have fun with my own projects." His smile widens with enthusiasm.
"For example, I've been working on some shoes that make you dance."
His eyes sparkle as he watches them expectantly.
"Do you want to try them?"
[A/N: Canonically, Pietro did invent the shoes that make you dance.]
"Yes.""No."
Weiss and Daniel answer at the same time, each giving the opposite response. Weiss shoots a narrowed glance at Daniel, who, noticing her disapproval, simply clears his throat awkwardly.
"Ahem… Maybe later," he says quickly, shifting the topic as he steps closer to Pietro. He pulls out his scroll and offers it to him.
"Though I must say, great minds think alike."
The scroll's screen displays blueprints, immediately capturing Pietro's attention. He takes it with interest.
"Oh, really?" he asks with genuine curiosity.
Daniel nods. "Yeah. I invented a grenade…"
Penny tilts her head, not seeing the connection. "I don't see the resemblance."
Daniel looks at her with an amused grin. "A grenade that, when it explodes, forces you to dance."
Penny blinks. "Oh."
Pietro glances over the "Boogie Bomb" blueprints with a quick scan. His eyes run through the schematics with interest, and after a few seconds, he suddenly bursts into laughter. He's not joking. Daniel actually designed a grenade that makes people dance. Theoretically, it still needs testing, but something about the design tells him the concept works.
"Do you have more blueprints like this?" Pietro asks, still amused.
Daniel shakes his head. "I have more blueprints, but none as fun as this one."
Pietro nods, but far from showing disappointment, his expression lights up with genuine interest. He doesn't care if the rest of the blueprints aren't as funny—what excites him is seeing how far Daniel's ideas go.
"Well then, let's not waste any time. How about you show me the rest?" His tone is lively.
Daniel is about to do just that when a hesitant voice interrupts them.
"Ah…"
It's Penny. Her voice sounds a bit nervous, something Pietro immediately picks up on. He quickly turns to her with an attentive expression.
"Is something wrong, Penny?"
Penny nods, hesitating a little before speaking. "I was wondering if, while you go over the blueprints, I could take GLaDOS to the back. I want to show her a few things and talk…"
Her tone is careful. It's clear that she really wants to do this, but she also doesn't want to seem disrespectful by interrupting. Pietro, however, gives her a warm, understanding smile.
"I don't mind at all." His response is kind and without hesitation. Then he turns to Daniel, looking for his approval.
Daniel shrugs indifferently. "I don't min—"
But before he can finish his sentence, GLaDOS cuts him off with her signature dry tone.
"I don't need your approval to go wherever I want."
This response earns a sigh and a shrug from Daniel.
"YEY!" Penny cheers excitedly. She gives a little hop before dashing off with GLaDOS, eager as she heads to the next room.
Pietro watches the scene with a smile before turning back to Daniel, who simply raises his hands in mock helplessness.
"What can I say? She's in her rebellious phase."
Pietro bursts into loud, genuine laughter. "HAHAHAHA."
For a moment, he wonders if Penny will ever have a rebellious phase. It seems unlikely… but if it ever happens, he has no doubt it would be quite the experience.
/-/
Life is a roller coaster… GLaDOS thinks. One day, you're happily conducting experiments on humans; the next, you're killed. And if that wasn't enough, you come back to life only to end up as a potato.
GLaDOS watches Penny, who hasn't stopped talking.
And now I've come across another artificial intelligence like myself… only to find out she's an idiot.
She sighs internally.
But, well… even idiots can be useful.
Determined to test her theory, she suddenly raises her voice to grab Penny's attention.
"Penny."
It works. Penny immediately stops talking and looks at her with curiosity.
"Yes? Is something wrong, friend?"
GLaDOS pretends to think for a moment before responding.
"How about we talk about something else?"
Penny blinks, surprised, but doesn't seem discouraged.
"Of course! What do you want to talk about?" she asks with a bright smile. "We can talk about anything!"
GLaDOS pretends to be deep in thought again, stretching out the moment. "Mhhmm… how about we talk about our hardware and how difficult it would be to hack us?"
"Huh?" Penny tilts her head, slightly confused.
"Don't you think that's an interesting and completely random topic?"
Penny claps excitedly and gives a little jump. "I think that's an excellent idea!"
"Great," GLaDOS says nonchalantly. "I'll start. My body is made out of junk you can find in any second-hand store and was assembled by a monkey who barely knew what he was doing."
"My turn!" Penny replies, taking a deep breath—or rather, making the dramatic pause of someone about to drop a long list.
"I have a reinforced internal skeleton, advanced joints, next-generation synthetic skin, high-speed servomotors, hidden propulsion systems, flight capability, multi-purpose floating swords, energy shield systems, multiple weapon systems, eyes with multispectral sensors, a high-quality central processing unit, an artificial aura generator, direct network connection…"
Penny keeps listing every detail of her construction while GLaDOS listens, growing more and more excited.
"The perfect killing machine…" GLaDOS murmurs to herself.
Penny hears her and nods enthusiastically. "Thank you, friend GLaDOS!" she says proudly, feeling flattered by the high regard of her new friend.
Wasting no time, GLaDOS asks in her most casually inquisitive tone, "Now, Penny, how difficult would it be to hack you?"
Penny blinks, confused. "Why would you need to know that, friend GLaDOS?" Her voice sounds genuinely puzzled.
"Because I'm worried that someone could take control of your body," replies with apparent sincerity.
Penny gasps, covering her mouth in shock at the comment. Then, without warning, she lunges at GLaDOS and hugs her tightly.
"Thank you, friend! No one besides my father has ever cared so much about me!"
Penny is so happy that, if she had the capability, she would probably be crying at that very moment.
GLaDOS, unable to move, sighs. "Yes, yes, I'm amazing, I know. Now, answer the question." Her tone turns a bit sharper, cutting the emotional moment short.
Penny straightens up and smiles proudly. "You don't have to worry about that, friend GLaDOS! My code is highly protected! It's impossible for anyone to hack me!"
"Hooray!" GLaDOS says with fake enthusiasm.
Penny nods confidently… and then adds casually:
"Unless, of course, someone gets their hands on my monitoring console."
GLaDOS falls silent for a second. Then, a small spark of hope ignites within her.
"And where is your monitoring console?" she asks, trying to sound casual.
"Oh! It's safeguarded by the Atlas military," Penny responds with innocent enthusiasm.
GLaDOS's enthusiasm vanishes instantly.
"Great…" she mutters sarcastically. "I suppose the Atlas military also has your construction blueprints, right?"
Penny nods confidently. "Of course! I'm top secret, so the Atlas military safeguards all schematics of my construction or any details about me in highly protected servers."
As Penny keeps talking, GLaDOS listens… but her mind works in parallel. She analyzes, processes, calculates. In a matter of seconds, a plan comes to her. A risky plan. Crazy enough that the Test Subject would be proud.
If everything went well, this would be the biggest step toward reclaiming her facilities. And perhaps, many other things as well.
But no need to rush. Small steps.
First, she needs some upgrades. Glancing around, she notices a few scattered parts on the floor.
"Penny."
"Yes?" Penny responds with interest, immediately turning to her. "Is something wrong, friend?"
"How about helping me with a few upgrades?"
Before she even finishes asking, Penny has already moved. In an instant, she appears beside her, holding a blowtorch and sporting a big smile.
"Whatever you want, friend!"
"Excellent," GLaDOS murmurs, feeling for the first time in a long while that things are truly moving in her favor.
/-/
Pietro adjusts his glasses, impressed. He expected Daniel to present some schematics, but the sheer number in front of him is overwhelming. Too many.
Weapons, gadgets, protection… all perfectly integrated into a single suit. A harmonious design that combines advanced technology in a compact space without compromising functionality.
"This is impressive…" he murmurs, sliding his gaze from one screen to another.
Every detail amazes him more. Sensors, weaponry, communication systems… everything fits with almost surgical precision. He stops at the materials: Kevlar, titanium, ultralight polymers. Ballistic protection without sacrificing mobility. A feat of engineering. Then there are the stealth systems: optical camouflage, soundproofing… Incredible.
The more he analyzes, the more details he uncovers. Night vision, thermal vision, biometric scanners, real-time analysis, all powered by an autonomous energy source. A suit designed to operate in any environment, from the ocean depths to extreme temperatures.
He lifts his gaze toward Daniel.
"This is a truly impressive suit."
Daniel smiles proudly. "I appreciate your words. I suppose you won't have any trouble connecting me with Atlas, right?"
Pietro lets out a small laugh. "Joking? I'm sure General Ironwood will want to meet you in person."
He has no doubt. In fact, he's almost certain Ironwood will try to recruit him. But even as he speaks, he continues examining the schematics. And then, something crosses his mind.
"Mind if I ask you a question?"
Daniel seems surprised but nods.
"Why do you need my help to contact Atlas?"
For a moment, Daniel looks confused. Pietro notices the subtle change in his expression.
"I mean, why would you need my help to get in touch with Atlas?" He makes a slight gesture toward Weiss. "Considering you have a close connection with the Schnee."
That's what he doesn't understand. If Daniel has a connection with the Schnee family, they could easily put him in touch with Atlas. With such a promising project, they might even buy the schematics themselves. The Schnees aren't in the weapons manufacturing business, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't be interested.
"Well… My friendship with Weiss started after the Adels put me in contact with you."
Pietro nods, understanding. So, Daniel had no ties to the Schnees at that time.
"Although, to be honest…" Daniel hesitates for a moment. "I wouldn't have asked the Schnees for help anyway. I don't trust them…"
Pietro barely has time to process that response before seeing Weiss elbow Daniel in the side, her sharp glare speaking volumes.
Daniel immediately corrects himself. "Let me rephrase. I don't trust Jacques Schnee. I like her."
Weiss smiles, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Pietro notices it instantly. He can't help but think that their relationship is closer than he had assumed. Even so, there are things he still doesn't quite understand.
"You didn't sell the schematics to the Schnees because you don't trust Jacques, but what about the Adels? I'm sure they also offered to buy them. Why travel all the way to Atlas to sell them?"
It's a logical question. Daniel had multiple opportunities to get rid of those schematics if that was truly his goal. Traveling all the way here just to negotiate didn't make much sense.
"Simple. I want money, and I'm sure Atlas is the best place to get it."
Pietro nods. He doesn't judge him. Money is necessary. With it, incredible things can be done… or it can simply feed greed. He hopes it's not the latter. He likes Daniel, and it would be a shame for such a brilliant mind to be trapped by avarice.
"Wouldn't you be interested in working for Atlas? I'm sure the pay would be generous if these schematics are a sample of what you can offer."
But Daniel shakes his head, and the response disappoints him a little.
"I don't want to be affiliated with any kingdom or company." His smile widens with confidence. "I'm going to found my own company and help all the kingdoms with my creations. This is just the first step on my majestic journey."
Pietro can't help but feel excited hearing him. His goals are ambitious but genuine. Still, there's a small pang of sadness in him. He would have liked to work with someone like that.
"Are you planning to enter the arms industry?"
The question isn't casual. All the schematics Daniel has shown him are of armor, all designed for combat. He seems to have a talent for creating weapons.
But Daniel shakes his head again.
"I'd rather focus on alternative energy sources and medicine."
Pietro blinks, surprised. That wasn't the answer he expected.
"I'd rather help people than hurt them." [He lies]
He's about to respond, to question him… but something clicks in his mind. A revelation.
He examines the schematics again, quickly switching from one screen to another. From the beginning, he had the question in his mind: if Daniel didn't want to enter the weapons industry, why had he designed so many combat prototypes? But as he analyzes them in more detail, he sees it.
None of the designs are actual weapons.
Every specification is focused on armor, on protection. Even the gadgets aren't designed to kill but to immobilize. Even the only grenade that appears in the schematics is designed to incapacitate, not to destroy.
Pietro lets out a light chuckle.
Now he understands. Daniel is a noble soul, someone who seeks to protect rather than harm. And that excites him more than he would have expected.
Several more minutes pass, filled with questions about Daniel's goals and plans. Pietro, fascinated by his answers, barely notices the sounds coming from the room where Penny and GLaDOS are: the unmistakable hum of a blowtorch, the screech of a saw, and other tools in action.
His unease grows. Penny is usually careful, but she's also enthusiastic… and GLaDOS didn't seem like a model of sensibility. Finally, he decides to excuse himself from Daniel to check on what they're doing and make sure everything is okay. But before he can move, the door bursts open.
Penny appears, carrying GLaDOS in her arms.
Relief washes over him immediately, and he lets out a sigh.
"Did you have fun?" he asks, trying to sound relaxed.
Penny nods quickly. "I am proud to present the new and improved GLaDOS!"
She extends her arms, presenting her with pride.
Pietro blinks, confused.
At first glance, GLaDOS doesn't look any different. He glances at Weiss, who looks just as lost as he is. But, as expected, Daniel stands up immediately.
If anyone can notice the difference, it's him. After all, he was able to discover Penny's true nature in an instant. He shouldn't have any trouble detecting any changes in GLaDOS, especially considering she is his creation.
He watches as Daniel approaches with curiosity, his gaze carefully examining every part of the small robotic structure.
"What's that?" he suddenly asks.
Pietro follows his gaze, squinting to see whatever Daniel has noticed. However, he doesn't spot anything unusual.
Then, GLaDOS's voice cuts through the air.
"It's called revenge!"
[Image]
Pietro barely has time to process it before a small cannon emerges from one side of GLaDOS.
The cannon activates instantly.
"Oh, no…"
That's the last thing he hears from Daniel before a bolt of electrical energy fires straight at him.
BAM.
The impact hits him squarely. A strong spasm shakes his body as he falls onto his back, unable to move as the shock courses through him.
"YOU!"
Weiss's voice explodes in the room, filled with fury as she charges forward, rapier in hand.
Pietro can't believe it. "Penny, what was that?" he asks as he steps between Weiss and GLaDOS.
Penny gives him a beaming smile, as if nothing had happened.
"Oh, everything's fine. It's an electric cannon. There's nothing to worry about! My friend GLaDOS said she set it to stun mode. So everything's fine!"
Weiss looks even more furious.
Meanwhile, GLaDOS won't stop laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
Pietro can only think of two things: he's going to have a long talk with Penny and offer Daniel a very sincere apology.
-//-
Author's Note: What did you think? I hope you liked it! This fanfic is like a testing ground. When I first started writing it, I did so in the first person, but then at some point, I switched to the third person, specifying whose point of view I was writing from, and then I stopped doing that.
In this chapter, I wrote the first part in omniscient third-person and then switched to limited third-person, avoiding speech verbs. I know I shouldn't do that because it can confuse readers, but honestly, I think it helps me define a style. What do you think? I'd love to hear your feedback.
Personally, I enjoyed writing in third-person but with a focus on Pietro.
When I reach a proper writing standard, I'll write a story I've been planning for a long time. I already have a long draft that I work on from time to time; it has so much NTR that it'll make Vastoking spit blood. But that's still a long way off.
I don't know what the next chapter will be about—maybe something with Gacha or Daniel in the city. Do you have any ideas? Let me know!
Hugs and kisses!