RWBY: I Need to Cheat on My Girlfriend

[City of Vale] 

Yang is irritated. 

Making the entire trip from Patch Island, breaking into an apartment so Ruby could give Daniel the rapier, only to find out he had already left—possibly heading to Atlas… It was enough to make her frown in frustration. 

Despite her annoyance, her expression softens when she looks at Ruby, who has been talking to Daniel through her scroll. She can't help but think that this whole mess would have been much simpler if her sister had made that call from the start. 

Yang's irritation quickly turns into concern when she sees Ruby drop her scroll and freeze in place, as if in a trance. 

Without thinking, Yang quickly moves closer. "Ruby?" she calls, trying to get her attention, but gets no response. 

Yang places both hands on her shoulders and shakes her gently. "Ruby!" she says more firmly, trying to snap her out of it. When there's still no response, she intensifies the motion, shaking her harder until, finally, Ruby reacts. 

Ruby slowly lifts her gaze to meet Yang's. What she sees alarms her. Ruby's eyes, usually full of enthusiasm and life, now look empty, dull. 

"He went to Atlas…" she murmurs, just loud enough for Yang to hear. 

Yang blinks, surprised to hear confirmation of Daniel's departure. Immediately, a wave of happiness washes over her as she realizes that at last, he—her constant source of trouble and her biggest headache—is gone. Maybe far enough to never cross paths with her or Ruby again. The thought reassures her, almost making the long trip worth it. 

Yang makes an effort to stay composed, fighting the urge to jump for joy and start singing about how great life is. She knows that for Ruby, this must be a difficult moment, and as the good sister she is, she will do her best to hide her relief and show her full support. 

Yang puts on her best sorrowful expression. "I'm so sorry, Ruby. I'm sorry things ended like this…" she says, choosing her words carefully. Her tone is soft, understanding. "But I'm sure you'll find someone else. Someone better…" She would make sure of that, and this time, she'd do it right. 

"Before she can continue, Ruby cuts her off. She quickly shakes her head, her voice trembling. 'We didn't break up… He's coming back in a few weeks.'"

That immediately puts a damper on Yang's mood. 

"Then what's the problem?" Yang asks, frowning, not understanding what could be so bad if he's coming back. 

Ruby hesitates for a moment, as if searching for the right words. Finally, she answers, her voice full of doubt and a hint of pain. "He… he went to Atlas with a girl." 

"Yang feels indignation boil inside her. 'I knew he was a bitch…'"

"That's not true!" Ruby immediately interrupts her, pushing Yang's hands off her shoulders. Her tone is upset, defensive, as she stands up for her man. "He said she's just a friend." 

Yang raises an eyebrow, clearly skeptical, but before she can say anything, Ruby rushes to continue, desperate to justify him. 

"Besides, this… this was my fault. Yes, that's it! It was my fault!" she exclaims, more as if trying to convince herself. "If I hadn't ignored him for two weeks, we would've talked about the trip. And then he wouldn't have felt lonely, he wouldn't have had to go to Atlas with that girl, and, and…" Ruby pauses, searching for something else to say. Finally, she clings to an idea. "And when he comes back, we'll clear up this misunderstanding, and everything will go back to the way it was, I know it!" 

[A/N: Ruby has issues] 

Yang watches Ruby with concern as she continues speaking, growing more agitated, her words stumbling over each other. 

"Ruby…" Yang says in a calm voice, trying to soothe her. 

"No!" Ruby shuts her down, pointing a finger at her accusingly. Her tone is firm, almost defiant. "I don't want to hear it! And don't call him that again, do you hear me?" 

Yang opens her mouth to respond, but Ruby cuts her off again, her anger more visible than ever. "In fact, I don't even want to see you right now!" With those words, she turns and walks away hurriedly, leaving Yang standing there, unable to fully grasp what just happened. 

Yang considers following her but stops when she sees Ruby abruptly halt midway. She pats her pockets, searching for something, then turns back toward her with a mix of embarrassment, anger, and resignation. Her gaze drops, avoiding Yang's, as she walks back with heavy steps. 

"I need you to take me home…" she murmurs, barely audible, keeping her eyes on the ground. 

… 

… 

Yang is tired. 

[Vale City – Three days earlier] 

"You'll be by my side, Weiss!" 

"Weiss and Daniel forever!" 

"HAHAHAHAHA!!!" Daniel laughs maniacally. 

Weiss, still lying on the ground, can see his eyes and is certain that he's not joking. He's insane, or maybe having a psychotic break; either option seems more or less accurate at that moment. 

Today, Weiss learned an important lesson, one that no one had ever taught her, and she had to learn it the hard way. Unfortunately, no one had told her the number one rule: "Don't put your pussy in crazy." 

But now she knows. 

Quickly, Weiss struggles to get back on her feet. "Well, this has been nice…" she begins to say, but instantly reconsiders her words. "Tolerable… But I think it's better if I go," she says, taking a few steps back, keeping her guard up, watching Daniel in case he tries anything. However, he stays still, staring, watching as Weiss slowly walks away. 

"Don't worry, I'll call you…" Weiss adds with a calm voice as she turns around and speeds up her pace, hurrying to pull out her scroll to summon transportation. However, she stops dead in her tracks when she hears an unexpected remark from Daniel. 

"I thought you wanted to know about the berry juice that saved my life." 

Weiss freezes. For a moment, that detail had slipped her mind, her need to get away from him had eclipsed her curiosity about those damn berries. 

"But if you're not interested, it's fine…" Daniel says, his tone almost pitiful, but clearly fake. 

"No!" Weiss responds firmly. 

"You owe me. I saved your life. It's the least you can do," he exclaims, clearly furious. "You humiliated me, ruined my public image, and I'm pretty sure you also ruined my entrance into the best hunter academy." 

Weiss shortens the distance she had created and narrows her eyes. 

"This is the least I deserve, and you're not going to deny me that." 

… 

… 

There's a moment of silence, finally broken by Daniel, who shrugs indifferently. 

"Okay, if you insist that much." 

Weiss seems surprised. She had expected more resistance. 

"Is that it? No tricks?" she asks, skeptical of how easy it all seems. 

Daniel simply nods, confirming. 

"No tricks. My friends get that privilege." 

Weiss can't get used to hearing those words from him, and she's not sure if she actually wants to hear them. She'd like to ask him not to call her that, but if she did, he might get angry and refuse to show her the berries. So, with a mix of frustration and resignation, she keeps those words to herself… or maybe for another time. 

"So… do we share a cab or something?" Daniel asks, noticing Weiss's silence. 

She sighs, a low sound escaping her lips as she pulls out her scroll. "I'll take care of it," she replies, quickly dialing a number. 

A few minutes later, both are sitting in the back of one of the SDC company's fancy cars, spacious and comfortable, with tinted windows blocking any curious gazes from the outside. The vehicle heads toward Daniel's apartment, while there's still an uncomfortable silence in the air. 

Weiss keeps her gaze fixed on the window, unsure of what to do. She considers whether she should ask about the berries now or wait until they get there. She also feels tempted to ask questions about him, who he is, where he's from… but she decides it's better to save those questions for later. The silence feels more comfortable right now. 

When the car stops, Weiss finds herself in front of a modest-looking apartment complex. Daniel gets out of the vehicle first, and she follows him without saying anything, observing the place as they climb the stairs to the fourth floor. 

When they reach the apartment, Daniel opens the door, and Weiss enters cautiously, quickly glancing around. To her surprise, the place isn't as bad as she had imagined. Sure, it's nothing like the Schnee mansion or the luxurious hotels she usually stays in, but it's also not the chaos she had anticipated. 

She had imagined a messy place, with cracked walls, trash scattered on the floor, maybe even an unpleasant smell in the air. But no. The apartment is clean, organized, with a more functional than aesthetic style, though it has some personal touches that give it character. What catches her attention the most are the multiple exercise machines that take up a considerable portion of the space, as well as a aquarium, where Daniel carefully places Aegis in the water before heading toward the kitchen. 

"Want something?" Daniel asks, looking at Weiss from the kitchen as he opens a cupboard. 

"What?" she responds, distracted, still inspecting the place. 

"I said if you want something to drink," Daniel repeats more clearly. 

Weiss thinks for a moment, but before she can answer, Daniel starts listing the options. "I have water, bottled water, juice, wine, drugs, some tea…" 

Weiss frowns, confused by the last thing he mentioned. "What was the last thing you said?" 

"Tea," Daniel responds, seemingly innocent. 

"Before that," Weiss insists, crossing her arms as she watches him intently. 

"Drupe?" Daniel answers without losing his mocking tone. 

Weiss sighs, realizing he's trying to deliberately annoy her. With an indifferent gesture, she decides not to fall for his game. "I don't want anything. I'm fine like this," she says, her tone dry and direct. 

"I'd rather you show me the berries," Weiss adds, impatient. Her mind is focused on finding out what kind of fruit can save someone's life on the verge of death; she doesn't have time to indulge in Daniel's games. 

"Yeah, just give me a minute," Daniel responds, as if it's not so urgent, while he grabs a glass, fills it with juice, and adds some painkillers like they're sugar cubes, proceeding to drink it in one gulp. 

When he's done, he gestures for Weiss to follow him. 

Weiss can't help but make a slight grimace of distrust at the way he's acting, but she decides to let it go. Still, for precaution, she pulls out her scroll and dials the emergency number, keeping her finger near the call button. It never hurts to be prepared, especially if he ends up collapsing from an accidental overdose. 

Daniel opens a door at the back of the apartment and steps aside to gesture for her to come in, extending his hand as if inviting her in. His gesture feels more like a game than a genuine act of courtesy. 

Weiss sighs and crosses the threshold without giving it too much importance. The interior of the room takes her by surprise: it's filled with plants. There are several different species, but she has no trouble spotting the ones that interest her. In one corner, a plant with small, bright berries stands out, catching all her attention. 

She approaches to inspect them closely. She's never seen anything like it. 

"Are these the berries?" she finally asks, not taking her eyes off the plants. 

Daniel calmly approaches, takes one of the berries, and holds it out to her. "Here, try it," he says with total confidence. 

Weiss hesitates for a moment, but curiosity wins. She takes it, and after a brief second of hesitation, she tries it. The berry has a slightly sour taste, but the sensation that follows is much more striking: the fatigue accumulated throughout the day disappears almost instantly, as if her body has regained energy in a nearly magical way. 

"This is incredible," she murmurs, surprised, not thinking too much about it. "What kind of berries are these?" 

Daniel touches his chin as if he's thinking. 

"Pokémon berries," he says finally, after a brief pause. 

Weiss looks at him, confused. "Is that what they're called?" 

"That's what I call them," Daniel clarifies, shrugging. 

The answer doesn't convince her entirely, but before she can insist, her eyes shift to another nearby plant. This one has similar berries, but a much darker shade, a deep purple. 

"And these? Are they special too?" she asks, extending her hand to touch them. 

Before she can touch them, Daniel reacts quickly, giving her hand a swift slap. 

"Keep your hands off!" he says, in a much harsher tone than Weiss had expected. 

She immediately pulls her hand back, surprised, throwing him an incredulous look. "What was that? I was just going to touch them!" 

"That's exactly why," Daniel replies, staying calm, though his tone has shifted to a serious one. He points at the berries with a firm gesture. "Those are poisonous. And not just a little bit, they're very poisonous." 

Weiss automatically steps back, moving away from the plant. 

"Why do you have something like that here?" she exclaims, outraged. 

[Start of the flashback]

Daniel is in the plant room, focused on cultivating a new generation of plants, as he usually does, when something catches his attention. One of the plants shows a peculiar change, and the berries, which are usually a yellowish color, now have a dark purple hue.

"What do we have here…?" he murmurs, approaching with curiosity. He picks one of the berries between his fingers, examining it closely.

From the nearby table, Aegis watches him with a cautious expression. "That doesn't look safe."

With a confident smile, Daniel shrugs. "Don't worry, I'm immune to poisons," he says, referring to one of his first abilities, [Viral Immunity]. Without thinking too much, he brings the berry to his mouth and swallows it in one bite.

The first few seconds seem calm, with no changes. But soon, a strange sensation spreads through his body, starting in his throat. He grabs his neck when he feels his airway starting to close. His face begins to turn purple, his eyes redden, and an unbearable pressure fills his chest.

That day, Daniel learned the difference between viral immunity and toxic immunity.

Desperate, knowing that fainting is near, he drags himself with difficulty toward the nearest plants. With trembling hands, he grabs a handful of the yellow berries and quickly chews them, hoping that the juice from these berries will relieve the blockage in his throat.

Fortunately, it works. The bitter taste of the berries makes him cough, but little by little, the pressure in his chest starts to ease. Although he still feels dizzy and weak, he manages to catch his breath.

From the table, Aegis watches him with disapproval. "You're an idiot."

Lying on the floor, Daniel has no strength to respond. Instead, he simply closes his eyes, focusing on breathing and giving his body time to recover.

[End of the flashback]

Daniel refuses to tell that story and opts for a more professional response.

"These berries have been cultivated under a directed selection process," he explains calmly.

However, his tone hardens as he points to the plant with his finger.

"But at some point, one of the plants suffered a toxic inversion, creating this abomination," he says disdainfully, pointing to the traitor plant.

Weiss turns to him, raising an eyebrow with suspicion. 

"And how do you know it's poisonous? Did you eat it?" she asks, locking him in a distrustful gaze.

Daniel frowns, visibly offended. "Do you think I'm stupid?" he exclaims indignantly. "Obviously, I did chemical tests to determine if the berry was dangerous."

Weiss feels somewhat embarrassed for assuming something so silly. Of course, no one would be dumb enough to eat an unknown berry, especially with that purple color screaming "poison."

But before she can continue that line of thought, something in Daniel's explanation catches her attention. "Wait… did you say generations?" Weiss raises an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued. "How many generations have you been cultivating these berries?"

Daniel pauses for a few seconds. "About 90 generations, give or take," or those would be the times he grew the berries and selected the best ones.

"I don't remember exactly, but I have it written down here," he says, starting to search for his data journal, flipping through the pages.

Weiss frowns, more confused than before. "And how long does it take for each plant to grow?"

Daniel stops searching for a moment and turns toward her. "That I know. Four months," he responds confidently. He's clear on that since he decided to make the calculation without using his ability, just to know how long they took to grow naturally.

Weiss watches him for a moment, analyzing what she's just heard. Her expression turns more serious. "And whose berries are these, exactly?" she asks, this time with a firm tone, crossing her arms.

Daniel, visibly a little annoyed, sighs. "I already told you they're mine…"

But Weiss doesn't let him finish. "You said they take four months to grow, and that you've been cultivating them for 90 generations."

Daniel blinks, not quite understanding where she's going. "Yeah, and what?"

Weiss sighs, exasperated, and points out the obvious. "That would be almost 30 years, Daniel!"

Daniel stays silent, frozen for a moment. The truth is, he'd never thought about it that carefully, and now his mind races to find a solution. He has several options: he could reveal his ability to accelerate plant growth, he could talk about his system, or even retract and pretend he made a mistake in the generations calculation. But he doesn't want to do that.

Revealing his system would expose too much, and he doesn't trust Weiss enough to share something so personal. He also doesn't plan on admitting he has that ability. He could pass it off as his semblance, sure, but... where's the fun in that? There's no excitement in taking that route. And retracting... no, he didn't get this far by backing down. That option isn't even on the table.

There's only one thing left to do in a moment like this: lie.

[Loading lie…]

Daniel lets out a long, tired sigh as he steps back a few paces and drops into a chair. "Ah… you're right. They're not mine…"

"I knew it! No one like you could create something like this…" says Weiss, with a barely concealed satisfaction. Deep down, she always knew that someone like Daniel couldn't have created something so impressive.

Daniel interrupts her before she can continue speaking. "This is my father's work," he says in a tone more serious than usual.

Weiss blinks, surprised. "Your father?"

[A/N: I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm having fun]

"He was a brilliant botanical geneticist," Daniel continues, with a melancholic smile. "We lived in an isolated place, perfect for his work. I don't know if he found the berry or developed it from scratch, but they weren't always like you see them now."

"What were they like before?" Weiss asks, intrigued.

"When I was a kid, these berries couldn't even heal a small wound," Daniel explains while examining one of the berries in his hands. "My father spent years researching, experimenting. He dedicated his whole life to perfecting them until they reached this level."

Weiss, now much more interested, leans forward. "And where is your father now?"

At the question, Daniel's expression changes. His gaze turns darker, filled with melancholy and a touch of anger. "A few years ago, a woman showed up at our house. She'd heard rumors about the berries and wanted to get them. My father refused to cooperate, but they didn't give him a choice."

Weiss remains silent, waiting for him to continue.

"Did she want to take them?" she asks, frowning.

"No..." Daniel slowly shakes his head, his voice bitter. "She wanted to destroy them."

[A/N: Honestly, it sounded better when I first wrote it]

Weiss brings a hand to her mouth, horrified. How could someone want to destroy something so valuable, something that could save so many lives?

"My father managed to distract her for a while," Daniel continues, his voice trembling. "When she found me, she gave me a handful of seeds and told me to run."

He pauses, takes a deep breath, trying to contain his emotions. "And that's what I did... ran. I don't think that woman knew about me."

Weiss watches him silently as Daniel wipes a tear from his cheek.

"I came back a few days later… but the whole village had already been destroyed." His voice fades, and the silence in the room becomes heavy.

Daniel takes a deep breath after a few seconds, stands up, and, to Weiss's surprise, claps once as if trying to shake off the moment. Now his smile is wider, but lighter. "And that's how I escaped to Vale, changed my name, and started a new life," he says, with a smile that barely hides the sadness in his eyes.

Weiss looks furious. "And you didn't report it to the police or the hunters?"

"Report what?" Daniel asks, genuinely confused.

"The death of your father! The destruction of a village!" Weiss screams, incredulous at what she considers a monumental stupidity.

Daniel opens his eyes as if he finally understands. "Ah! That... Well, I had things to do."

Weiss glares at him. "What could be more important than that?"

Unfazed, Daniel walks over to the plants, pointing to the berries. "This."

"What?" Weiss looks at him, not understanding.

Daniel sighs, as if explaining something obvious. "I need to finish my father's work," he says as he picks a berry between his fingers. "And I don't trust the authorities to protect me. My best option is to keep a low profile… just in case they find me."

Weiss frowns. "You're lying. If you really wanted to keep a low profile, why the hell did you jump from the Beacon tower?" she accuses, highlighting the ridiculousness of his argument.

Daniel smiles, amused. "I'm not going to lie to you, Weiss… I needed inspiration." [Lying]

"…" Weiss stays silent for a few seconds, processing those words. "WHAT?!" she exclaims finally, confused. 

"You're obviously lying to me," she says, clenching her fists, clearly upset. "And to think I almost believed you for a moment."

"I'm not lying," Daniel replies calmly. "Sometimes, when I get stuck in my research, I look for inspiration. It's not easy to find, but one day, by accident, when I arrived at Vale and almost died at the hands of a Grimm, I discovered I think better under pressure. That closeness to death, that constant danger, makes me see things more clearly."

Weiss looks at him as if she's seeing a madman. "You're the worst liar I've ever met in my life."

Daniel smiles smugly, raising a hand. "I can prove it."

"I doubt you can..." Weiss responds, crossing her arms, but interrupts herself when she sees him starting to unbutton his shirt.

"What are you doing? If this is another attempt at seduction... It's not going to work. Again," she adds, trying to sound firm but not looking away.

However, any emotion that may have been generated disappears as Daniel takes off his shirt, revealing his body covered in scars. Some are fine, others are thick and deep, bruises and cuts marking his skin, as if he had been used as a punching bag, or worse.

"What happened to you?!" Weiss exclaims, her eyes wide open as she looks at every mark on his body.

She already knew his physique, she'd seen it before, but that was months ago... and she's sure that back then, he didn't have any of those scars. She can't help but swallow. She's not going to lie, those marks... they make him look hotter.

"Same as in the tower," Daniel answers indifferently, turning slightly so she can see all the scars better.

Most of them are from Neo, some from an underground fight in the arena, a few from the beating he got from the punks, and of course, there are the whiplashes from his training.

Weiss takes a moment to process what she just heard. "You... you did this to yourself?" she asks, still incredulous. "All of this just to find inspiration?"

Daniel sighs, as if she simply doesn't understand. "Weiss... I'm getting closer to finishing my father's work," he replies, calmly buttoning his shirt.

Weiss furrows her brow and points to the plants on the table."It seems to me they're working quite well already."

Daniel shakes his head and points to the poisonous plant. "Until I figure out why this happened and solve it, it's not safe to release them into the world... I just need a little more time and maybe a little more inspiration."

"You're crazy! You can't do something like that again! You almost died!" Weiss shouts, worried.

Daniel turns to look at her with a serious expression. "Promise me you won't tell anyone about the berries... not yet."

Weiss opens her mouth to protest. "You have to—"

"Weiss!" He interrupts her firmly. 

"Promise me you won't tell anyone about this. Please… Let me finish my father's work. Let me do it. Don't take this away from me," he says, with a pleading tone.

Weiss tightens her lips, her gaze falters for a moment before she relents.

"I... I promise I won't tell anyone."

Daniel nods and gives her a small smile. "Thank you."

Without saying anything more, Daniel heads to the door and motions for Weiss to follow him.

"Wait! What are you going to do now?" Weiss asks, quickening her pace so she doesn't fall behind.

Daniel continues walking without looking at her, his thoughts racing. "Well, considering I drew too much attention in Beacon, I think it's best to leave Vale for a while. I need to move all my stuff."

"Where are you going?" Weiss asks, following him. 

"I told you, I'm going to Atlas, I have some deals to make. These things," Daniel says, gesturing to everything around him, "don't pay for themselves."

"But I thought you said you weren't going to reveal your berries right now," Weiss responds, confused by the contradiction.

Daniel stops for a moment and looks at her, offended. "Do you really think the berries are all I have?" Without wasting time, he points to a chair in front of a table. "Sit down, I want to show you something."

Though hesitant, Weiss sits as she watches him collect a bunch of plans scattered around.

"I'm going to Atlas to sell my plans," Daniel says, dropping the plans in front of her.

Weiss doesn't ask what kind of plans they are, she simply grabs one quickly and examines it. Instantly, she realizes it's some kind of suit, but there's something peculiar about it.

"Why does it look like a bat?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Because bats are awesome, don't question that!"

Weiss rolls her eyes but continues checking the other plans. Some designs look promising and meticulous, while others are... extravagant, to say the least.

"Did you... really make all these plans?" she asks, still skeptical.

Daniel nods, his smile full of pride. "Every single one of them. Not to brag, but genius runs in the family."

Weiss examines the plans more closely, her eyes scanning every detail as she reflects. "The SDC doesn't create weapons... but still, I could get you a contact," she comments, her tone becoming more thoughtful.

Daniel shakes his head. "It's not necessary, I already have a contact in Atlas. But..." He pauses to move closer to Weiss. "I could use your help."

Weiss looks at him distrustfully. "What kind of help?"

"As you can see, I already have these plans, but I don't know what their real value is. I could really use the help of a future huntress with knowledge of weapons, business, and, well, someone who can tell me their real value." 

"You want me to advise your deal with Atlas?" Weiss asks, crossing her arms.

Daniel nods without hesitation.

Weiss stays silent for a moment, analyzing the situation. "Why don't you hire a professional advisor? There are experts in this, you know?"

"I don't trust anyone."

Weiss stares at him. "And you trust me?"

Daniel shrugs. "Enough to know you won't deceive me, at least you understand what's at stake. What do you say?"

Weiss sighs, weighing the idea for a few seconds before nodding. "I can help, as long as it's not something beyond my abilities."

Daniel cheers immediately, and without thinking, he grabs her shoulder enthusiastically, pulling her in until they're shoulder to shoulder. "Yes! That's the spirit! Weiss and Daniel's odyssey begins!" he exclaims excitedly.

"The adventure in Atlas... Ten chapters! Maybe more, maybe less."

Weiss frowns, not understanding what he's talking about, so she pushes him away with an annoyed grimace. "You don't need to be so over the top," she says, not hiding her irritation.

"Now give me some time to review the other plans."

Daniel smiles slightly and gestures as if locking his mouth, letting her work.

Weiss sits down at the table, reviewing plan after plan and sorting them into different piles. Some don't seem especially valuable, like the batarangs, a one-time throwing weapon, quite expensive and not very useful for hunters. Others, like the pocket water respirators, are more interesting, and some, like the suit material, are clearly extremely valuable.

Before she knew it, night had already fallen.

-/- 

Author's note: Did you think I was dead? Well, guess what! I'm not! This means I'm back to writing... hmm, not sure, I'm still not feeling great, but I wanted to post something.

Leave your comments, I like reading them. Got an idea? Leave it, if it's good, I'll steal it. The next chapter should be +18.

Kisses and hugs.