Disclaimer: RWBY and all affiliated characters/titles belong to Rooster Teeth, those wonderful geniuses.

Ruby reached across to the small bag of tools and removed a pair of hand shears. Some of the bushes in this hedgegrove were so well tended and others looked like they had gone weeks without any kind of attention at all. They were all overgrown at the bases and were threatening to choke out the more delicate flowers and ornamental plants that ran along the pathways. With a deft snip Ruby removed the first of the offending branches and pulled it free of the hedge. She placed that carefully off to the side in a slowly growing pile of refuse and continued snipping away.

The Polendina estate was even larger than she had at first assumed. Ruby knew that the Polendinas were a wealthy family and she had even heard about the head of the family's passing and how Mr. Ironwood, head of Atlas Manufacturing had taken the helm. But still, to think they had this much land right in the heart of the city, and they could give up so much for a garden. It was simply incredible.

If she was being honest with herself Ruby was a bit envious. She loved the natural setting the garden gave and the break it provided from the city all around them. It's not that she didn't like the city all that much, it was really nice. Just, since the attack on her old University, crowded places made her feel unsafe. Plus, this garden reminded her a lot of Patch and the quiet here made her feel very comfortable. All in all, Ruby couldn't believe how lucky she was to have landed this job.

So, every day she came she made sure to do her absolute best. She had heard that being hired as a gardener for the Polendinas was an incredibly privileged position and that many experienced gardeners and landscapers coveted spots on the estate. While it was true Ruby wasn't being paid nearly what the professionals made and she was being kept in a probationary position so they could fire her at any time, it was still a huge opportunity for her. She hadn't realized it before but Ruby really enjoyed this kind of work. Down in the dirt, getting her hands dirty and being able to see the fruits of her labors. It felt very real.

That meant that Ruby wanted to make as good of an impression as possible. She knew that any little screw up and she could be let go. But it wasn't only that fear of being fired that kept her going, she wanted to excel. If she did well enough then maybe they would hire her full time or at least give her a recommendation to go somewhere else. Her college hopes had been pretty much dashed after the attack and even though she was going to school now, it didn't quite feel the same. The last thing she wanted to do was let this wonderful second chance slip through her fingertips.

Ruby clipped another twig free of the larger hedge and rolled back on her heels to examine her work. The bottom of the hedge was neat and tidy now, leaving the prettier, more fragile plants free to grow and show off their colors. Ruby shifted her weight and began putting all the cut twigs and branches into one of the large plastic bags they used to haul trash. She glanced around the garden as she did, taking stock of her area and how much she had to do today. She would start with this trimming work and move up and down the length of the path she'd been assigned, then come back and check all the flowers, distribute fertilizer and check for weeds. Finally she would trim the grass of the path itself. The head gardeners had told her to always save that for last because it could be skipped if she ran out of time, but choking flowers and dying plants had to be tended to as soon as possible. Ruby scooped the last of the detritus into her bag and scooted down a few paces to begin work on the next section of hedge.

As Ruby moved to her new spot she caught a flash of black moving across the unbroken green of the hedge out of the corner of her eye. She jerked her head up out of surprise and checked behind her. Just as she swung her head around she was able to see a girl duck around the bend in the hedge. She was wearing black leggings which is what Ruby must have seen to begin with. More interesting than the leggings though was her bright red hair. Ruby smiled as she remembered one of her friends from Beacon. Were all redheads as crazy as Nora?

Figuring it must be someone who was allowed to be in here, and deciding that if they were shy enough to run away then they probably wouldn't cause trouble anyway, Ruby returned to her work. She clipped and snipped and bagged more of the offending twigs until she had cleared everything in reach then double checked and bagged all the clippings and got up to move again. As she turned she saw that girl, ducking around the corner again. Ruby got a better look at her this time though and realized who it must be.

The staff buildings had pictures of each of the family members hanging near the front doors with their names printed beneath each one. All the employees were supposed to know the family members at a glance so that if they ever ran into one of them they would know to show the proper respect. The family paid all their wages after all and were their boss's boss's boss. It wouldn't do to go bumping into them or not saying hello.

Ruby blushed as she realized that this girl was Penny, the family's only daughter. She didn't know anything about her except that she definitely had the authority to fire Ruby on a whim if she felt like it. Suddenly aware of the fact that she was being watched Ruby's entire body tensed up in apprehension. Why was she out here watching Ruby work? Had someone complained about Ruby's results or her work ethic? She dropped most of the twigs she was stuffing into the bag, scattering them around her feet. Hurriedly she tried to gather up what pieces she had dropped and made sure the walkway was entirely clear.

If one of the family members really was watching her then Ruby had to make sure she was doing her absolute best. Even if this girl wasn't that good at spying. She took a deep breath and clenched her hands hard, trying to steady herself. This was her job and she was good at it. She loved doing it and knew that she did well. Ruby exhaled slowly and eased her eyes open. She picked up her things and moved down to the next section. Snipping and pulling and trimming any obtrusive branch, then picked up her things and moved again.

By the time she had filled an entire bag of trimmings Ruby had moved rather far from her starting spot. The hedges straightened out considerably and there was nowhere left for her onlooker to hide. Instead she had taken to wandering up and down the row that Ruby was in, as if she was just enjoying the garden. There was no way that's all she was up to though. She kept coming around in circles and walking past Ruby incredibly slowly. More than a few times she stopped just short of her and stared for a second or two before hurrying away down the path.

The first time it happened Ruby had hoped that meant she was done watching her. That didn't seem to be the case though as she just looped back around and made another pass. Ruby had resolved to work as hard as she could until Penny left though. It wouldn't do to go taking her break in front of her or slacking off at all. It wasn't that hot today and Ruby still found joy in the work so it wasn't that bad. She just wished she could stop to take her lunch.

Ruby kept working though. She went all the way up her section of the garden and then back down the other side. Both edges were trimmed clear and she had even stopped to pull the weeds along the way. There wasn't a lot left to do but sprinkle some plant food over the flower beds and cut the grass. Ruby was impressed she had gotten so much done without taking her lunch.

Then she looked up and saw how late in the day it was. The sun was already starting to dip behind the house which meant she only had two or so hours left in her shift. Ruby stood and looked back over the bags of clippings she had made throughout the day, piled in a neat row along the edge of the hedge. Maybe if she took those back to the shed she could have her lunch in peace. Ruby grabbed as many as she could carry and hefted them over her shoulder.

It wasn't a long trek to the shed but she had a sneaking suspicion that Penny was creeping around behind her, watching her every move. She couldn't see over her shoulders because of the bags though and it was very unnerving.

Once she reached the small building near the edge of the garden Ruby threw the bags into the dumpster and stepped inside. She didn't catch a glimpse of Penny as she did so but that didn't mean she wasn't there.

Inside, with the door closed Ruby collapsed into a chair with a huff.

"Rough day out in the garden?" Ruby jumped up and saw one of the older landscapers leaned up against the wall.

"Oh, I'm sorry sir. I just haven't taken my lunch yet." She tried desperately to straighten her clothes and appear presentable.

"Relax," He waved a dismissive hand at her, "It's just you and me in here little rosebud. No need to be so tense."

Ruby smiled at that. It was name the other gardeners had come up with for her almost immediately upon learning her last name. She didn't mind it at all.

"You're not usually so strung out, that's our job." He twisted at the waist and Ruby could hear several loud pops. "What's bothering you?"

Ruby slumped back into her chair and groaned.

"All day while I've been working one of the family members has been watching me and staring at me and I've been so stressed about it this whole time." She let her forehead fall against the table with a dull thunk.

"Really? But I didn't think he was…" The older man put a finger to his chin in thought, "Who is it? Do you recognize them?"

"It's the daughter. Her name's Penny right? She's been watching me from behind the hedges and walking through my workspace like every five minutes. That's why I haven't taken my lunch yet. I didn't want to look like I was slacking off in front of her."

"Well, first let me tell you that you should always take your lunch." He pushed up off the wall and came to sit at the table across from Ruby. "And second, let me tell you that Penny is no one to be worried about."

"But she's a part of the family and-"

"Penny is a very shy, quiet girl. Especially since her father passed. We all love her dearly and she enjoys the garden more than anybody else. I think sometimes that if it weren't for her, Ironwood might have let it all die out a long time ago."

"Really?" Ruby perked up, interested now in this other girl.

"Oh yes. She almost never leaves the house because Mr. Ironwood is so protective of her. She even takes her school lessons in the house and I've never seen her have friends over."

"That's so sad." Ruby glanced back out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of her now.

"Perhaps she's been following you around all day because it's been a long time since she's had a friend her age. Myself and the other gardeners are as nice to her as we can be, but we aren't another girl like her. We can't really be her friends." The old man ran a hand through his thinning hair. "Why don't you take your lunch and eat at one of the benches? I'm sure she'd be happy to join you."

Ruby stood from her seat and grabbed her lunch bag out of the small refrigerator.

"I think I'll do just that." She grabbed the doorknob and stopped, "Thank you."

"You're welcome little rosebud. Now hurry, before they find me sitting around in here." He chuckled happily and Ruby dashed out the door, lunch in hand.

She hurried back to her section of the grove and found a bench inside an area she had been working in. She glanced around the garden and smiled. This was one of the perks of working here, getting to eat lunch in such a beautiful place every day.

Ruby pulled out her sandwich, turkey and cheese on some grainy bread, and started to eat. She didn't realize how hungry she was until that first bite. So, she swallowed carefully, glanced around to see if Penny or anyone else was coming and when she didn't find her, dug into the sandwich.

She took great big bites and barely hesitated to chew. The fridge had kept it nice and cold and compared to the strain of working in the garden all day this was incredibly refreshing.

Ruby hummed happily as she popped the last bit of sandwich into her mouth. She kicked her feet, which didn't quite reach the ground, and bobbed her head as she tried to chew through the food she had forced into her mouth so quickly.

"Umm..Hello?" Ruby nearly choked. She had checked. She was so sure she had checked. "Oh my goodness. Are you okay?"

Ruby doubled over to try and not actually choke on her food. A few moments of strained chewing later and she was recovered enough to sit up.

"I'm sorry you just startled me." Ruby said as she stood up to greet her new companion. She hadn't seen her yet but part of her knew it was Penny.

"I'm very sorry. I hadn't meant to. I just saw you eating and I wanted to say hello." Ruby finally raised her head enough to see Penny in full. She was just about her height with red hair and little freckles on her cheeks. Her eyes were a dusty green and she was wearing a muted pink bow that stood out against her hair.

Ruby was taken at first by how cute she was compared to the pictures she had seen. In the photos she was always so regal looking, surrounded by examples of her wealth and wearing some opulent gown. The girl standing in front was just that, a girl, and a cute one at that.

"I didn't mean to interrupt." Penny dipped her head in a very small bow and began to move away.

"No wait." Ruby reached out her hand and almost grabbed Penny's shoulder but stopped herself. "I uhh...Well that is-" Ruby cleared her throat again, buying herself a moment as Penny turned around. "I wouldn't mind if you wanted to stay and talk a little."

"Do you truly mean that?" Penny's eyes glistened with withheld emotion. "I know that you're supposed to be nice to me but I don't want you to talk with me just because I asked."

"No, really." Ruby shook her head, "I really wouldn't mind. It's my lunch break right now so I'd like to have someone to sit with me." Ruby smiled and took a step back so that Penny could sit on the bench.

Penny hesitated but took her seat. Ruby sat herself carefully next to her, making sure to leave a respectable distance between them. Even if she did want to sit and talk, this girl was still her boss's boss's boss's niece.

Ruby rummaged around in her lunch bag and pulled out a little tray of strawberries. Plenty of people back in Vale had always made fun of Atlas for being a frozen wasteland. Not only was it not that cold, thanks to some giant greenhouse facilities they could grow all kinds of fruit all year long. Most importantly that meant Ruby could get strawberries at a decent price anytime she wanted.

She started in on the first one when she realized that she now had a guest and a rather distinguished guest at that.

"Would you umm.. Would you like a strawberry?" Ruby offered her a fresh one from the tray.

Penny regarded it curiously for a moment and then reached out to take it. She held it for a second, her fingers delicately clasping the plump red berry.

"Thank you." She glanced up from the Berry and met Ruby's eyes. Ruby faltered for a moment. There was a deep note of sincerity in Penny's voice, much deeper than she expected for being given a strawberry.

"Of course. I hope they're. They've been in the fridge all day." Ruby chuckled a little and took a bit of hers. They were fresh and juicy and hadn't suffered much from the refrigerator. The juice dribbled down her chin as her teeth sank into the delicious little fruit.

Ruby wiped the juice off her chin with the sleeve of her shirt and ate the rest of the berry, biting it off just where the stem attached. Immediately Ruby realized that might not be the best sort of behavior to display in front of Penny. She was a wealthy cultured girl after all and here Ruby was making a mess of herself and wiping dirt all over her face.

She dared to look over and see if Penny appeared offended. She caught Penny watching her intently, her berry still untouched.

"I'm sorry." Ruby chuckled a little to try and cover her embarrassment. She knew she was blushing for sure but hopefully all the dirt she had smeared on her face would save her the further embarrassment.

"What do you do with the top?" Penny pointed at the bit Ruby was still holding.

"Oh this? I just throw this part away, you can't really eat it." Ruby set the leftover piece in the tray and grabbed another strawberry.

Penny watched her again as she grabbed the back end of the berry and ate it. This time though Ruby made sure to not get juice all over her face. She looked over again and saw that Penny was still just holding her first strawberry, staring at it.

"Is something wrong?" Ruby asked, concerned that Penny was offended by how she had been eating or maybe she had given her a strawberry with a bruise on it or something.

"Oh no, no." Penny waved her free hand back and forth. " I was just-uhhh." Penny was staring at Ruby again, trying to think of something to say. Instead she opted to put the entire strawberry in her mouth, just barely biting the leafy bit off the end.

She tried to chew as casually as possible but her cheeks were all puffed out with the effort and a little bit of strawberry juice was dribbling down her lip. Ruby couldn't help but giggle a little and Penny blushed.

"Here, let me get you a napkin." Ruby dove back into her lunch bag and retrieved a paper napkin. She always brought one but she almost never actually used it since she was content to just use her sleeves. Ruby handed it to Penny who gratefully accepted and dabbed at her chin.

After a moment or two she managed to power through the mouthful and swallow. She looked down and away, clearly more than a little embarrassed.

"Was it good?" Ruby asked innocently, not wanting to do anything to deepen Penny's embarrassment.

"Oh yes, it was very good." Penny turned back and smiled. She was still a little red in the face but was recovering quickly.

There was a moment of silence. Ruby wasn't sure if she should keep eating or offer her new companion another berry. If this was one of her friends from back at Beacon then they would have gladly taken another for themselves. This was different though, Ruby wasn't sure what to do.

"I've never eaten a strawberry like this before." Penny held up the stem and examined it in the dying light of the late afternoon.

"Really?" Ruby had never eaten a strawberry any other way.

"I like it very much." She set the stem down in the tray and turned to Ruby with a smile. "May I have another?"

"Of course you can." Ruby grabbed two more, gave one to Penny and ate the other herself.

Penny handled herself much better this time, taking a small bite.

"Your name is Ruby right?" Penny asked once they had both finished with the strawberries.

"Yes it is. Ruby Rose." Ruby smiled. If she was asking her name and had sat with her this whole time then she must have made an alright impression.

"My name is Penny Polendina." Penny extended her hand for a handshake.

"Oh… Err…" Ruby looked down at her dirt stained hand and grimaced. She tried to wipe it off on her jeans but those were also quite dirty so it didn't accomplish much. "I'm sorry Ms. Polendina. My hands are really dirty." Ruby upturned her palm so that Penny could see.

"That's alright." Penny grabbed Ruby's hand and shook it. "And please, call me Penny. I don't like sounding so formal."

"Okay…? Thank you, Penny." Ruby still hesitated to say her name. It felt like a trap or something but all Penny did was smile.

"I should go back inside. Ciel will worry about me." Penny stood gracefully. "Thank you for letting me sit with you and for the delicious strawberries."

"Yeah. Of course." Ruby waved meekly as Penny turned and left, heading back towards the house with careful, measured strides. Ruby just watched her leave, not really sure what to make of anything that had happened.

She cleared the remains of her lunch away, threw the trash into one of the bags of yard waste and grabbed the remaining bags. With those over her shoulders Ruby headed back to the shed, dropped them off and grabbed the plant food.

As she spread it carefully through the flower beds Ruby couldn't help but let her mind wander back to her impromptu lunch. Sure, it made sense that Penny might want to come out and make friends but she was still basically Ruby's boss right? Even though she seemed very friendly Ruby didn't think she could let her guard down around her. It wasn't that she doubted the girl, she really did seem nice, and she definitely didn't suspect she was being tricked. It was just scary to think that if she made some misstep Penny might get upset. She was already here on a very probationary status and she didn't want to risk that.

If Penny really wanted to be Ruby's friend then she would try, but, she needed to maintain some kind of professionalism as well.

With her decision made Ruby was able to slowly return to her normal flow of work. Taking a late lunch wasn't actually that bad and it had been nice to have someone to talk to and eat with. Ruby finished up with the plant food but realized it was too late to get to the grass today. That was alright though, she had done everything else and the grass could always wait.

A/N - Okay, so. It's definitely a little bit of a different Ruby than usual. This Ruby doesn't swing a giant scythe and kill monsters, she only uses normal sized gardening tools to actually garden. But, I still think the same adorable Ruby can be found here, just not quite as awesome.

Please let me know what you think of the story so far. Remember it's not going to be very long so speak or forever hold your peace. It feels strange to say it on Chapter Two but there are only eight chapters left.

Thanks so much for reading everyone. I can't wait to hear from you.

-Zach