Illithid behind the Curtain: Quadling City (Patreon)

As the airship docked, General Ironwood would be watching with a cautious eye.

Aliens? Dragons, things of legend suddenly returned and moreover in positions of what appeared to be perfectly mundane jobs which threw him off his rhythm. Something that Ozpin knew very well, the bastard as he smiled and walked without fear as they headed for an inspector.
Or at least, their badge identified himself(itself?) as one. It was a tiny little critter, vaguely dragon like and in possession of a clipboard and a monocle, which it adjusted with a claw and peered up to stare at Ironwood, his escorts and Penny with a chirp from his raised desk. Penny in particular seemed fascinated with the little stairs, as the creature spoke.

"Welcome to Quadling City, capital of the Island Nation of Patch. Have you any possessions of a dangerous nature, spells of an evocation status, contraband of an extraplanar nature or magical equipment to declare? This includes sun blades, oathbows, purple worm venom and unregistered golems, not counting warforged."

Penny, for whatever reason hiccupped and shook her head, eyes wide. "Oh no sir! I don't even know what any of those means!"

The inspector blinked, removed the monocle and wiped it clean before putting it on, speaking words that immediately downed Ironwoods mood as to the place they were visiting.

"Would you like some?"

"Would I?" She looked to the General who cleared his throat. "Er, that is not necessary."

The creature nodded, wrote something on his clipboard and spoke.

"Right then. Enjoy your stay."

He paused and added. "And while I hate to be the bearer of anything but welcoming news, so you know? We have your scent now. And my master among others, is always watching." Ironwood finds himself glancing in the direction of the dragon, which is staring at them intently before it grins, revealing sharp teeth and Ironwood with a start, realizes it can think.

And to his horror, Penny is suddenly before it.

"Hello Mr. Dragon!"

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Penny kept her smile fixed, staring upward at the frankly, beautiful shimmering scales as she looked in wonder, the creature's attention brought away from Ironwood as he sniffs her once, twice in confusion before the visible eye widens.

Penny smiles more broadly. "Would you like to be friends?"

".... You are very shiny, young one." The dragon finally speaks reluctantly as he glances at Ironwood quick marching their direction before he adds. "If your caretaker allows it, seek out Brightboom's laboratory. There's someone there I'm sure would love to meet you"

"A new friend?!" Penny asked, hopeful as the dragon for some reason looks uncomfortable before he growls. "Perhaps? Now leave me be. I'm too old for this sort of thing."

"Thank you, friend!" Penny declared, turning to walk away as the dragon grumbles something in a language that doesn't match any of her databases.

She brightened, even as Ironwood scolded her as she realized. The dragon didn't say no.

Did this mean she made friends with a dragon?!

Oh, father would be so happy to hear this!

The rest of the place was fascinating to behold as well. Rather than bullheads or airships, the main vehicle of choice appeared to be flying galleons, that looked like variants from their own age of sail. Primitive in all respects, but capable of feats impossible from modern engineering.
In the skies, descending was one her sensors picked up, far higher than conventional dust usage and as it landed, she realized they were transporting dust crystals out.

Did they harvest dust from the sky? What a sensational bit of information!

She wondered if there was a flying mountain or something, as they came to ground level and were shown to a coach operated by a dead person. Oh, they moved and everything, but to Penny's photoceptors there was no mistaking it. The ambient heat let off was room temperature, with their thick clothing warmer than they were. The horses were normal though, she wondered if they just had a thing about technology before they got in and were off to the city.

The road was nice, nice and smooth and as they rode, Penny made it a game to see how many strange things she saw along the way. She was currently up to forty, her eyes scrutinizing and noting what looked like mud and fern covered, little green creatures with primitive weaponry as well as eight moving trees, seven boulders and she was reasonably sure she saw a dark skinned, pointy eared hooded watcher and to be polite, she waved as they passed, happy when the figure waved back.

And then all too soon they came to the city gates. The walls were stone, certainly powerful and seemed to have precious gems embedded which was a strange feature, but also seemed to have some properties. She also noted what looked like dust as well, ground into powder and mixed with something, drawn in painted designs along the wall that was actually rather pretty.

Ironwood himself would be eyeing what he could note of the defenses, confused at the disparity between low tech (cannons? Powder cannons?) as they passed through a road with iron statues, kneeling like knights of old and as Penny stared, one of them suddenly moved. Brief enough that only she could catch it, replaying it on her memory banks as one of the glowing orbs that resembled eyes briefly flickered, singular at her and she gasped in delight.

It had winked at her! And scanning further, she realized something as she cried out to Ironwood. "General, may we stop? Please?!"

Ironwood looked confused, turning to her as he spoke. "Not just yet Penny. Patience, we'll be at our destination soon." Penny drooped slightly, nodding before she poked her head out the window, waving frantically at the statue as she cried out.

"I'LL COME BACK LATER! I PROMISE!"

In response, the Iron Golem broke its directive long enough to give a small nod, before turning back to its role as guardian and watchman.

Penny found herself in the midst of a city of fantasy.

Cobblestone streets, people of so many differing sorts! Human, faunus, others quite impossible but amazing to behold. From an elephant man behind a fruit stall, bargaining with a small group of oddly dressed people to a cat faunus smiling, dancing in a swirl on the sidewalk as floating instruments played music, aided by a robed human who with an open book and a piglet by his feet, seemed to conduct them with a swish of his fingers.

Armored, rough looking figures in assorted armor shambled through, in contrast to the more militant looking knights clad with the blue dragon emblem, or even the lone, heavily covered and masked figures like the one who drove their carriage, who seemed to be watching everything.

There were statues everywhere, part of the infrastructure, holding up bridges or acting as archways or even fountains, one square she could see in particular set up as a preacher clad in white, seemed to be in the midst of a sermon as a small crowd of interested folks looked on, her own sensors zooming in to see a silver cross in a circle, embedded with red gems.

She wondered who this Cuthbert was as she read his lips, and decided after a guilty glance that she'd find out herself.

"Sorry General, going to explore! I'll see you later!"

She burst out of the door, Ironwood blinking before calling out.

"PENNY! PENNY, GET BACK HERE! THAT'S AN-"

Penny turned off her hearing, feeling a little guilty. But if she couldn't hear the orders, that wasn't really her fault, now was it?

And with a laugh, she was soon lost into the crowd.