Chương 15: The aquarium
It wasn't even 7 a.m. yet, and Daniel was already forced to wake up, feeling a sharp pain in his hands that yanked him from his sleep. As his mind cleared, he realized the pain was because he was hitting something.
He blinked and saw clearly how his fists were pounding a punching bag. Confused, he tried to stop the movement, but his hands wouldn't respond. He tried to slow them down, but couldn't. The confusion faded when he felt someone pulling his hair.
Of course, it was Aegis moving his body while he slept, controlling him to keep punching the bag without stopping. Daniel's fists were hitting the bag with remarkable speed and precision. He was angry, yes, but also impressed. That damn shrimp was throwing better punches than he could ever manage. Each movement was so perfectly timed that it kept the punching bag swinging back and forth, hitting it over and over without pause.
He started with a series of quick, direct jabs, keeping the bag swaying from side to side. A right cross made it bounce back, followed by a powerful straight punch that pushed it even further. Then a left hook sent it sideways, and an uppercut lifted it into the air.
A side kick made it spin on its axis, but another quick jab stabilized it in its path. A second hook sent it sideways again, and a front kick propelled it backward. Finally, a finishing uppercut lifted it once more, completing the sequence with a fluidity and control that showed that, under Aegis's control, Daniel was a fighting machine.
By now, Daniel could no longer feel his hands. They were completely numb, as if they were mere stubs attached to his arms. He looked at his hands, trying to remember how he had ended up in this state.
The past week had been pure torture for him. Every damn day consisted of eating, training, sleeping, and then starting over. It was like being trapped in a never-ending nightmare. And despite it all, Daniel never complained. There was no time for that. Every time he felt the urge to throw Aegis down the toilet, he remembered the damn Grimm that almost helped him complete the shortest reincarnation speed run ever. Thinking about that was the only thing that gave him the strength to endure the torture.
Still, he didn't like how he felt. Days earlier, during those brief moments when he managed to stay conscious, he couldn't help but think about what he could do to improve his situation.
In one of those reflection sessions, he remembered the Pokémon berry that a Pidgey had left behind and which he had stored in the fridge. It was a yellow berry with orange spots. Since Daniel wasn't a Pokémon fan, he had no idea what might happen if he ate it, so he decided not to risk it. Instead, he planted it and, using his skill, multiplied it to see if he could make any use of it.
"I'm sure the Pidgey wouldn't eat a poisonous berry, so it shouldn't affect me," Daniel thought, though a part of him couldn't help but consider the possibility that the Pidgey might be immune and he wasn't.
Despite these thoughts, Daniel decided to take the risk and try the berry. After all, he was already messed up enough that the risk seemed worth it. After eating one, he felt a slight relief, which encouraged him to eat another five in one go. He couldn't say he was as good as new, but at least he felt something had improved, which, in his situation, was already something.
Unfortunately for him, Aegis turned out to be more cunning than Daniel had anticipated. As soon as he realized that the berries were aiding in recovery, the training became an even greater torture. It was now an endless cycle of exercise and berries—exercise and more berries. He'd work out, drink berry juice, do more push-ups, eat berry cake, hit the punching bag, devour berry pancakes... No matter how much he experimented with the berries, cooking them or preparing them in a thousand different ways, the blessed berries never lost their restorative effect.
"If only I could get some painkillers and mix them with the berries, that would be a winning combination," Daniel thought, imagining the relief it would provide. However, he knew he'd have to put that idea on hold; today he had other matters to attend to.
Today was the day of the date with Ruby, and Daniel couldn't be happier. Not because he was particularly excited about the date itself, but because it was the perfect excuse to take a break. Plus, it would allow him to advance a step further in his plan to achieve absolute power.
"So, let me clarify this," Aegis said, incredulously. "You have a system that grants you abilities and powers based on completing missions. And in this case, the mission is to get a girlfriend and be unfaithful. So, since you have a date with a potential partner, you've decided to skip the afternoon training? Is that what you're saying?"
"Correct," Daniel replied without hesitation.
"You know that doesn't make any sense, right?"
"It doesn't, but it's the truth," Daniel said, shrugging.
"Are you sure it's not just a cheap excuse to avoid training?"
"It is," Daniel admitted with a smile, "but it's also the truth."
"And why do you need abilities? Aren't your fists enough?" Aegis asked, still in his head, questioning the need for more power.
"In a normal world, where fights are resolved with punches and the worst that can happen is being threatened with a weapon, yes, my fists would be enough," Daniel replied calmly. "But this isn't a normal world. Here, there are monsters, people who can tear cars apart like they're made of paper, and move faster than you can even react. I need more power to level the playing field."
"Enough talk, I'm running late," Daniel added, hurrying as he prepared to leave.
Daniel got ready to go, gathering the things he needed: his keys, the scroll, and, of course, his cloak. As he made sure everything was in place, he noticed that Aegis was still tangled in his hair, showing no intention of moving.
"Are you not coming down?" Daniel asked, somewhat irritated.
"No," Aegis replied firmly. "I'm still not convinced you're telling the truth."
"I have no intention of taking you on a date," Daniel said, his tone loaded with frustration.
"You don't have a choice," Aegis retorted, unflappable.
"You can't force me to take you," Daniel challenged, gritting his teeth.
Aegis, without wasting any time, tugged at some strands of hair, causing Daniel to slap himself.
"Okay, yes, you can force me," Daniel admitted with resignation as he put on his hat, hiding Aegis.
They left the apartment and began walking down the street. Aegis, observing people with curiosity, had a few questions.
"Why do those humans have animal ears?" Aegis asked, intrigued.
"They're not humans," Daniel replied. "They're fauns, a species that combines human traits with animal ones."
"Aha," Aegis said, processing the information.
"Fauns are a mystery in themselves. No one really knows where they came from," Daniel continued. "And no one seems interested in finding out. According to the databases, they just appeared one day, and that's it."
"There are some stories that try to explain their origin," Daniel explained. "One account says that a god with animal traits, bored on his island and fascinated with humans, decided to invite them to his home. To those who decided to stay, he gave them animal traits, while those who wanted to leave were sent back. Another story suggests that, due to conflicts between humans and animals, the same god fused them to end the disputes."
"The only constant in all these stories is the presence of a god with animal traits," Daniel continued, absorbed in his explanation. "This world is full of tales about gods. There are stories of the god who created the fauns, the god of darkness who cursed the world with the Grimm, and also about humans, who are said to have been created by the two brothers: the god of light and the god of darkness. I'm pretty convinced that all these gods are real. The real question is where they are now, where they came from, and if they have the same power as the god who sent me here. There are so many questions, and unfortunately, so few answers."
"I just asked why they have animal ears," Aegis commented, clearly bored by all the rambling.
"That's what I get for trying to be nice," Daniel replied. "I need to teach you how to use the internet. If a rat with a chef complex can learn to read, you could learn to use the internet. Maybe you'll find some answers on your own."
*20 minutes later*
Ruby was leaning against a wall, trying to maintain her cool-girl stance as the minutes ticked by slowly. She had been like that for fifteen minutes, and the anxiety was starting to build up. She couldn't help but wonder if maybe Daniel wasn't coming. She checked her phone, just in case she had gotten the day wrong.
Suddenly, a familiar voice broke the silence. "Ruby!" Daniel exclaimed, waving his hand. Ruby saw him approaching, the sun behind him creating a golden halo around his figure. His cape fluttered in the wind, and a beret sat casually on his head. The smile on his face seemed to radiate genuine warmth, almost as if he had stepped out of a fairy tale.
Ruby's hyperactive mind was playing tricks on her. While Daniel had his own charm, the combination of cape and beret was truly a fashion crime. The reality of his appearance was not as impressive as Ruby had convinced herself it was in her head.
"Daniel!" Ruby exclaimed, visibly relieved, with a smile stretching from ear to ear. "You made it right on time!" Her face lit up with a mix of relief and excitement, and her worries seemed to melt away. Ruby did a little hop, her enthusiasm evident. "I thought maybe you'd forgotten or something, but look, here you are!"
Before she could continue the conversation, Ruby stopped for a moment, took a deep breath, and, with a sigh, added, "I have to apologize."
Daniel looked at her with curiosity, somewhat puzzled. "Apologize?"
Ruby started rubbing her hands nervously, avoiding eye contact. "Yes," she replied, her voice showing a mix of concern and guilt. "The last time we were together, I didn't behave in the best way. You ended up having to pay for all those things, and I feel bad about that."
Daniel smiled to reassure her, although deep down he wished he could get the money back. "It's okay, Ruby. You don't need to apologize. It wasn't an obligation; I did it willingly," he assured her, trying to sound sincere. "So don't worry about it."
Ruby tried to protest. "B-But…" her words came out haltingly, her social anxiety attacking her again.
Daniel, already a bit tired of the insistence, decided to intervene in a different way.
[Ability Activated: Siren's Voice]
"It's all right, Ruby," he said with a serene voice that had the desired effect of easing the tension in the air, not aiming to excite her but to calm her down.
Upon hearing his words and the calm in his voice, Ruby felt relieved. Her smile became more genuine. She took Daniel's hand and began to lead him. "Thank you, really. I was getting so nervous thinking I had caused trouble. I've got everything planned for the date, so… I hope you like it."
They began walking together, with Ruby trying hard to relax and not let her nervousness overwhelm her. As they walked, Ruby told Daniel about her plans for the date.
Ruby and Daniel arrived at a place called "The Tea House." Seeing the place, Daniel raised an eyebrow, surprised that Ruby had chosen such a spot. He couldn't help but ask.
"Do you like tea?" Daniel asked, curious.
Ruby smiled with a casual air. "Not really," she replied with a grin. "I'm here for the cookies."
As Daniel sipped his tea and Ruby eagerly devoured cookies, the conversation shifted to her family. Ruby spoke naturally about her mother, her uncle, and her half-sister Yang, the blonde who had been with her the last time they met. However, she didn't mention her father, and Daniel noticed that she avoided the topic, so he decided not to press.
What Ruby shared was unsettling: both she and Yang were training to be Huntresses, and her entire family was somehow involved in monster hunting. Her mother, although no longer an active Huntress, now taught at Signal, the academy that Ruby and her sister attended.
Ruby also mentioned her dog, Zwei, a corgi she described as the cutest creature in the world, and showed Daniel several photos of the little canine on her scroll.
When Daniel asked about her classes at Signal, Ruby listed an extensive array: physical training, aura mastery, weapon maintenance, arithmetic, and chemistry. "You can't hit a target 800 meters away if you don't know how to calculate speed, distance, and wind friction," Ruby explained as if it were obvious. "And you could explode if you don't understand the compositions of the dust we use as boosters in semblances and weapons."
As Ruby continued talking, Daniel grew concerned about what all this might mean for him. 'How strong is Ruby?' he wondered, reconsidering his plans, especially since almost her entire family was trained to be Huntsmen. This could be a problem for him in the future.
As they finished their tea and cookies, Daniel, being the kleptomaniac he was, discreetly took a very nice teacup and hid it in his cape without anyone noticing. The cape was proving to be a marvelous tool for situations like this.
When they left the shop, Ruby and Daniel headed to their next stop: the aquarium. For Daniel, it wasn't particularly exciting, but Aegis was thrilled, eager to see if he could hit some of the fish.
Upon arriving at the aquarium, the entrance was adorned with large glass panels that allowed a view of the colorful fish swimming inside. The sight was impressive; fish of all sizes and colors moved gracefully in the expansive tanks. Daniel was amazed by the variety of species, while Ruby, excited, guided him to the starfish section.
The starfish section was filled with glass tanks housing these fascinating marine animals. The starfish spread out on the surfaces, moving slowly, and Ruby, with her typical curiosity, couldn't resist the temptation to get close to one of the tanks. Enthusiastically, she reached out and touched a starfish, feeling its rough, cold texture.
A guard, patrolling the area, noticed her and quickly approached. "Excuse me, miss, touching the animals is not allowed," he said firmly, pointing to a clearly visible sign that read "Do Not Touch."
Ruby let out a nervous laugh and stepped back, raising her hands in a gesture of apology. Daniel, seeing the situation, couldn't help but laugh.
As soon as the guard walked away and disappeared into the crowd, Ruby gave Daniel a mischievous look and, without hesitation, touched the starfish again, completely ignoring the warning. Daniel watched the scene and couldn't help but think ironically: She's a real criminal.
After a while, Ruby went off to buy some drinks. Taking advantage of the distraction, Aegis, who was hidden in Daniel's beret, decided to make his move. With a nimble leap, he dove into the nearest tank and swam with surprising speed. Before Daniel could react, Aegis struck one of the fish with lethal precision, leaving the fish floating motionless.
Horrified by the chaos that had just erupted, Daniel quickly reached out and managed to pull Aegis out of the aquarium. His expression was one of pure indignation as he held him firmly. "You can't do that! What's wrong with you? I thought you were smarter than this," he yelled, not caring if anyone saw him talking to his companion.
Aegis looked at him with indifference, completely unconcerned about Daniel's reprimands. To him, the law of the jungle was clear: that fish was weak and, therefore, deserved to die. Daniel, however, remained furious, unable to fathom how they would explain this mess if anyone discovered it.
Unfortunately for Daniel, a nearby guard noticed them and approached quickly. "Hey, you! Return that shrimp to the tank!" he shouted, pointing at Aegis.
With his heart racing, Daniel hurried to hide Aegis under his beret. Trying to keep his composure, he responded calmly, "This shrimp is mine. I brought it from home."
The guard, however, did not seem convinced and frowned. "Return that animal to the tank. Now!" he insisted, not taking his eyes off Daniel. The tension increased as Daniel sought a way out of this situation without causing more trouble.
The guard tried to grab the shrimp from under the beret, but Daniel, with a precise strike, hit him in the stomach and sent him crashing against the wall. Daniel was surprised at how little it hurt; Aegis's training was paying off. The blow was so perfect that it was evident it was not Daniel's doing.
Indeed, it wasn't Daniel who did it, but Aegis, who had taken control of his body at that moment. Daniel checked on the guard and, seeing that he was injured but alive, felt relieved. However, the guard, in pain, got back up and quickly called for backup.
"23-19! We have a 23-19!," he said over his communicator, his voice filled with urgency. The situation had just escalated.
In no time, Daniel was surrounded by eight guards who demanded that he surrender. Trying to calm the situation, he said, "We should all calm down," but his body did not comply. Instead, he made a rude gesture with his hands towards the guards. Aegis wanted to fight.
aniel looked at the guards and thought: at least they don't have aura, just ordinary people, ordinary people with riot batons. Unused to situations like this, he decided to close his eyes and wait for whatever was going to happen
The guards moved in synchrony, trying to surround him. One of them made the first move, swinging a baton. With a swift motion, Daniel deflected the attack and knocked him to the ground with a simple shove.
Another guard tried to take advantage of the moment and attacked from behind. But before he could touch him, Daniel spun around, disarming him with a clean strike to the wrist. The guard staggered back, grunting in pain, only to receive a punch to the stomach that left him breathless.
Two more charged together. Daniel dodged them with agility, landing a side kick that sent one crashing into one of the aquarium displays. The other received an elbow to the ribs, followed by a quick hold that left him on the ground.
The remaining guards attempted to attack from different angles. One threw his baton forcefully, but Daniel caught it in mid-air and used it to strike the guard in the head, rendering him unconscious instantly.
At that moment, Daniel pulled out a tea cup he had hidden in his cape, throwing it with precision at the face of an approaching guard from the side. The impact caused the guard to stumble back before falling to the ground.
Two more guards attempted a coordinated attack, but were taken down with a few precise strikes: a direct punch to the chest for one and a kick to the knee that made the other fall to his knees before receiving a final blow that sent him to the floor.
The last guard, seeing the situation, charged desperately but was met with a right hook that knocked him out, sending him crashing to the ground alongside his companions.
In seconds, the fight was over. The eight guards lay motionless.
As Daniel opened his eyes and looked at the guards lying on the ground, the aquarium alarm began to blare. Taking advantage of the general chaos, he started to run, now without Aegis's control. As he moved, he had only one regret on his mind: "Stupid shrimp, that was my tea cup!" He had lost the tea cup he had worked so hard to steal.
In the midst of the chaos, he ran into Ruby. Without a second thought, he grabbed her hand and dragged her along with him. Ruby, realizing that the guards were chasing them, asked worriedly, "Where have you been? Why are they after us?"
As they ran at full speed, Daniel shouted, "It's because you touched the starfish again!"
They continued running, quickly putting distance between themselves and the aquarium. Behind them, the shouts of "Come back, criminal!" grew more insistent. Ruby, thinking the shouts were directed at her, hurriedly apologized, "Sorry!" Her apology came out hurried and anxious, but there was no time for explanations. Together, they continued their escape, with the alarm blaring in the background.
*An epic escape later*
Daniel and Ruby were sitting on a bench at a safe distance from the aquarium. Although Daniel was calm, knowing he had to be careful to avoid the police discovering his house in the coming days, he was generally okay. However, Ruby seemed on the verge of tears. It wasn't the escape or breaking the law, nor the potential permanent ban from the aquarium; that had happened to her before. What saddened her was that she had once again ruined a date.
Daniel isn't a great guy, but he's not a monster either. As a man from a normal world, seeing a girl cry hits him where it hurts. "Damn empathy," Daniel thinks, frustrated by his own feelings.
Without thinking too much, he does the only thing he can: he hugs her and tries to calm her down. "There, there, it's okay. Nothing happened," he says in a soothing voice, using his siren voice ability just to comfort her. His voice is almost a whisper, filled with tenderness. Ruby responds to the hug, feeling more secure and relieved. At that moment, the warmth of his closeness and his sincere attempt to calm her makes everything seem a little bit better.
Now that Ruby was calm, Daniel was worried about the future. The worry about the time lost with all this, combined with the thought that there could be a Grimm invasion or a terrorist attack, kept him up at night. He knew he needed to hurry and activate the system completely, if only to understand how it worked and plan for the future.
Minutes passed while they were embraced until Ruby finally calmed down, though she didn't let go of him. Daniel broke the silence. "So, are we going out or not?" he asked, setting aside subtlety. The frustration of the situation had made him direct.
Ruby, surprised, looked at Daniel with a mix of curiosity and caution. "After everything that's happened, you want to go out with me?" she asked, trying to understand if Daniel was serious.
"Yes," Daniel replied firmly.
"Isn't it a bit soon?" Ruby inquired, somewhat puzzled.
"I have a good feeling," Daniel said with a smile.
Ruby, relieved, hugged Daniel tighter. "Yes, I want to," she finally said. To Daniel's surprise, the system showed progress.
[Mission Completed]
Get a Girlfriend ✓
[Congratulations! You've completed the first mission without penalty for trying to deceive the system with a fake girlfriend. You're one step closer to your reward!]
[Updating Mission...]
Cheat on your girlfriend
Daniel hugged Ruby, this time with joy, knowing he hadn't incurred a penalty. He knew he shouldn't try to deceive the system, and the relief and happiness from the success were reflected in his embrace. For Ruby, this gesture was a clear sign of Daniel's happiness.
After a while, they parted ways. Ruby said goodbye, promising she would call him every day. Daniel watched her leave. Once Ruby was out of sight, Daniel sighed and murmured to himself, "Ah, I'm going to cheat on her today."
Author's Thoughts:
And with that, we conclude the romance, if it can even be called that. There will be romance if it comes naturally, but I'll focus on what I enjoy most: nonsense and +18 content.
Author's Thoughts 2:
If you could give a mission and a reward, what would they be? An optional mission I thought of is:
[Optional Mission: Suction Cup Man]
Climb the tallest tower in Vale (Beacon Tower) using suction cups.
[Reward] ????
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