Villain Retirement

[Language! Is that any way'¦

'¦to talk to your mother?]

"...What the fuck?"

With MEGAN literally being a miniature caricature version of Megawoman, the developers also matched the voice, making it all cute and squeaky. And so, with this mini-Megawoman looking at her as if she was going to hit her with a slipper, Gary could only cover his face instinctively'“ which was weird, because his mother never really hit him even once.

But after he realized what he had just done, Gary could not help but click his tongue; almost slapping the phone away from Silvie's hand.

"..." Silvie squinted her eyes as she saw Gary's retreating hand, but after a few more moments, she just decided to place her phone on top of the table so that everyone could see.

"Wait'¦ did she just say she's your mother?" Silvie then blinked a couple of times as she finally realized what MEGAN just said.

"...Yes," Gary then started to calm himself down as he once again stared at MEGAN; slowly returning to his seat as the AI seemed to also be returning his gaze.

Even Riley and Tomoe, who seemed to be lost in their own worlds, could not help but look at each other as their curiosity leaned them closer towards MEGAN.

"..." Riley had no interest in getting a phone since he had no use for it'¦ but perhaps he shouldn't have dismissed it so easily.

"..."

"..."

"...Aerith?" Gary then took in a small gulp as he leaned his face closer to the hologram, "Is'¦ is that you?"

Everyone inside the store had their eyes wide open as they waited for the AI to respond'¦ even Charlotte who was busy pretending to have a lot of sales in her cashier terminal was now watching from behind Riley and Tomoe's seat.

[No, I am MEGAN. Your very own friendly Mobile Enterprise Gateway Activity Network!]

But with the AI's next words, the only thing that Gary could do was let out a sigh. But after a few more seconds, he shook his head and squinted his eyes.

"...But you just said you're my mother."

[I am fitted with Megawoman's memories,] MEGAN blinked a couple of times as she sat on top of the phone's screen, [I recognize your voice. You are Gary Gray, Themarian name'“ Garien.]

"...Themarian?" Silvie tilted her head.

"...My mother's race," Gary took in a small gulp, "Is'¦ is this information public?"

[No,] MEGAN wagged her finger before letting out a fettered hum, [This information is only accessible and unlocked based on your Voice ID, would you like to make it public?]

"F'¦ fuck, no!"

[Just say no, there's no need for that kind of language, young man,] MEGAN once again stood up, the tone of her voice adamant and'¦ squeaky.

"What kind of'“"

"Wait."

Before Gary could finish his words, Tomoe suddenly raised her hand. "Gary, who else knows your identity besides us, Whiteking, and Silvie's'¦ father?"

"...No one."

"MEGAN, since when did you have the information on Gary Gray?" Tomoe then whispered as she looked at MEGAN, who also quickly turned around to look at her.

[Sorry, you do not have permission to access that data. Teehee!]

"..."

"T'¦ teehee?" Silvie blinked a couple of times.

"Gary, can you'“"

"How long have you had the information about me?" Gary repeated Tomoe's question.

"Since I was compiled and created, my son," MEGAN once again quickly turned around; a wide smile plastered on its'“ her face.

"...When was that?"

"Sorry, you do not have the permission to access that data. Teehee!" And once again, MEGAN repeated her actions, reminding everyone that she was, indeed, just a programmed AI. However, none of the people in the room believed that MEGAN was just a simple program, after all'¦ how does it even know Gary's true identity?

"So'¦ it's not Whiteking? Since he just found out last week."

"Maybe it's lying? Is it possible MEGAN'¦ was created by Megawoman herself? What did it mean when it said it was fitted with Megawoman's memories?"

"MEGAN, can you lie?" Tomoe muttered.

[Sorry, maybe in the next update?]

"...How do we know it's not lying now?" Silvie squinted her eyes, "There are a lot of liars out there, you can't trust anyone."

[I feel offended by that, Silv.] MEGAN clicked her tongue as she turned towards Silvie, [You trusted me with all your frustrations and heartaches that past week, please trust me now'¦

'¦daughter.]

"Daughter!?" Gary widened his eyes, "It even knows that!?"

[Yes, Silvie Savelievna had asked me to call her my daughter since she was very lonely.]

"W'¦ wait, MEGAN'“ turn off! Turn off!" Silvie screamed as she grabbed her phone from the table, almost splitting it in half once again.

[She cried every night, saying how no one truly loves her and that she should just die since she shouldn't be alive in the first place.]

"W'¦ why isn't it turning off!?" Silvie was trying her best to resist the urge to slam her phone to the ground, "MEGAN, turn off!"

[I am afraid I can't do that.]

"MEGAN, turn'“ what?"

And before Silvie could truly throw her phone away, she could not help but suddenly pause all of her movements as MEGAN's words reached her ears, "What'¦ what do you mean you can't do that?"

[MEGAN will now always be active,] Megan said, the tone of her voice suddenly turning as serious as it could with its squeaky voice, [Ready to answer any of your questions.]

"What do you'“"

[Prophet is dead.]

"What?"

[Prophet is dead.]

"The fuck is this thing saying now?" Gary squinted his eyes.

[Prophet is dead.]

"Why does it keep repeating that?" Silvie furrowed her eyebrows, "I'¦ I think I broke it. MEGAN, p'¦ please turn off!"

[Prophet is dead.]

"It's'¦ it's getting a little creepy," Silvie then said as she dropped her phone on the table.

"The old man's alive," Gary muttered, "...Although he hasn't shown himself for a week now'¦ weird."

"!!!"

And as soon as Gary said that, Charlotte, who was quietly watching from behind Riley and Tomoe, quickly rushed out of her store; not even seeming to mind that she almost broke the glass door.

"Where'¦ wait'¦ don't tell me?"

Gary, Silvie, and Tomoe all turned to look at each other. And without even saying a word, they all rushed out to follow Charlotte.

Leaving Riley all alone in the store, staring at Megawoman's miniature hologram.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

[...]

"..."

[You are Riley Ross, correct?] And after a full minute of just staring at each other, MEGAN finally opened her digital mouth.

"That is correct, Mobile Enterprise Gateway Activity Network."

[So, you're Darkda'“]

MEGAN's voice then suddenly distorted as Silvie's phone'¦ crumpled into a ball.

"..."

"..."

A light creaking noise then whispered in the air as Riley gently opened his fist, unfolding Silvie's phone in the process; returning it to its previous state'¦ well, almost. If only were to look clearly, the screen was completely cracked and its body also had microscopic crevices already.

And there was also the fact that it doesn't work anymore.

"She won't mind," Riley then said as he carefully placed the phone in his pocket. He still hasn't gotten his phone from the Academy'¦ maybe he was allowed to take two so he could just give a replacement to Silvie without her knowing.

And so, the Korean Shaved Ice store once again retained its serene peacefulness. The rest of the Academy, however, was in chaos.

***

"M'¦ MEGAN, am I'¦ am I in the Potential Villain list?"

[Yes, you are a very naughty boy.]

"MEGAN, who'¦ who has the most votes to become the next Mega Student next month?"

[Silvie Savelievna of Class 1-V.]

[MEGAN, is the one beside me in the Potential Villain list!?]

[No, but you are.]

"MEGAN, is Megawoman my mother?"

[No, but you are adopted.]

"W'¦ what!?"

[MEGAN, who'¦ destroyed the South Africa Mega Academy?]

[It's not Dark Millenium.]

"Who is it!? Is it the One Cursed by God!?"

[I am afraid you do not have access to that information.]

"MEGAN, do'¦ do you think my crush also likes me?]

[...]

With MEGAN suddenly becoming fully active and answering questions that otherwise should be unknown to the people, almost all of the students in the Academy were on their phones; their eyes, reflecting MEGAN's hologram; wearing different variants of her costume throughout the years.

The staff of the Academy seemed to be trying their best to stop the students from using their phones, but with more than 5,000 of them'“ there was nothing they could truly do.

And soon'¦

[Prophet is dead.]

[Prophet is dead.]

MEGAN kept repeating the same words over and over again. Most of the students just thought their phones were glitching; some of them, however, had their eyebrows already furrowed.

"...Are we not going to have a single month without any troubles?" A light snap whispered in the air as Hannah folded her phone; letting out a small sigh as she returned it to her pocket before looking at the blonde young man beside him,

"Sorry about that," she then muttered.

"There's no need to apologize, m'lady."

"Haven't we already agreed that you don't call me that, Julius?" Hannah could only roll her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Julius's arm, "A'¦ anyway, shall we go to the training hall?"

"...Are we going to date in the training hall again?"

"Yes."

"...That's training, Hannah."

"And we won't stop going there until you actually manage to defeat me," Hannah scoffed as she let go of Julius's arm and walked a few steps in front of him, "Race you there, lover boy!"

"W'¦ wait for me, m'lady!" Julius could only stretch his arm towards Hannah; but alas, the only thing his hand caught was the empty air in front of him.

"Why are you so'“"

And before he could finish his words, a small beep whispered into his ear, causing him to stop chasing Hannah.

"..." He then quickly grabbed the phone from his pocket; the beeping noise instantly stopped as soon as he unfolded it.

[Good evening, Master Reuben.]

And as he opened it, MEGAN's hologram quickly popped out from the screen. The tone of her voice, completely different from the rest of the MEGANs.

"...MEGAN, I told you not to call me that," Julius shook his head with a sigh, "What is it?"

[Master has a message for you.]

"Just read it to me later'¦

'¦I have a date."

Julius Reuben. Chosen Superhero name'“ Julius.

Son of the founder of Reuben Technologies, the number 1 telecommunications and smartphone provider in the entire world.