Villain Retirement

"Thousandblade…

…Who's that?"

"What do you mean 'who's that'!?"

Empress tried to not raise her voice but failed to do so as her slightly frustrated scream reverberated through the air. It was a good thing they were on the uppermost floor of the building, if not, then people would have surely been forced to wake.

"Thousandblade! He was already in the Sanctuary when I got there. One of your early strays!"

"...Who?"

"Th– Leo Martinez," almost everything that came out of Empress's mouth was a breath of frustration as she sat back down at the table, "You know, your favorite student."

"Oh, that kid?"

"...He's turning 70 now, Megawoman."

"Yeah, a kid… and just call me Aerith, I'm not Megawoman anymore," Aerith sighed as she too sat at the table, "And I thought you were going home?"

"Since seem to have completely forgotten about Leo, I just feel like I have to remind you," Empress then checked on her cup, but she already finished it when Aerith and the others landed on the balcony.

"Of course, I remember him, he's the one without powers, right?"

"...That's Whiteking, and he wasn't your student."

"Stop treating me like I have dementia," Aerith sighed, "I know Leo has powers, but he looks like he doesn't at the same time. Happy? I swear you used to be so cute when you were younger."

"..."

"So, what is it? Why are you telling me about him?"

"He knows you're back."

"You said that," Aerith once again let out a sigh as she leaned back, "And find me a new guy that can make fake IDs, the one we have now seems to be telling everyone I'm back."

"He only told me."

"Well, apparently not if Leo also knows. But I am going to repeat my question, why are you telling me about him?"

"Leo… hasn't been the same for a few years now. None of the people that came from the Sanctuary is. But Leo, Leo's different. We've been trying to track his movements and…

…he seemed to have built some sort of cult around you."

"That's nothing new. Cults have been built around me for centuries."

"This one is different. He's recruiting supers that are Red tagged."

"...Why?" Aerith could not help but raise an eyebrow as she heard Empress's words.

"...We don't know yet," Empress then stood up as she shook her head, "But we discovered what he was doing when a newly graduated student from Mega Academy reported someone trying to recruit him. This student was on the Potential Villain list."

"Hm."

"Well, that's the only thing I came here to say," Empress then said as she walked to the edge of the balcony, "Just…

…please be careful, Aerith."

"Who do you think I am?" Aerith let out a chuckle as she waved goodbye.

"Not for you, but for your new strays… especially that Paragon one, his license was revoked the same day he got it."

"I see. Wait…

…What!?"

***

"...What do you think the two are talking about?"

"I don't know, Ms. Pearson."

"...What you watching?"

"Italian Mafia Reborn. There's a new season, Ms. Pearson."

"Oh, I already finished that. Can I join you? I was just gonna get some water but then I saw you were still awake."

"...Okay."

Instead of going to their designated rooms, it would seem the night was not over for Riley and Paige. No, since it was nearing 4 in the morning, perhaps it was better to say that the night already surrendered to them.

Instead, Riley just sat in the living room to watch. It had been almost 2 years; and to his surprise, there was actually a new season of Italian Mafia Reborn– it truly baffles Riley how they were able to even continue production despite all the things that have been happening to the planet.

But then again, Riley remembered ordering Aerith's outfit online during the height of the invasion and the courier delivering it within a few hours.

"..."

"..."

"You watch Italian Mafia Reborn as well, Ms. Pearson?"

"Jesus, just call me Paige," Paige said as she joined Riley on the sofa… leaning her head on his shoulder, "And yes, I actually have the original DVD and some licensed figurines at home– basically spent the rest of my money on them."

"..." Riley slightly turned his head to look at Paige… but then just returned to watching without minding her anymore.

"..."

"..."

"Not planning on sleeping?" Paige then whispered.

"I have done nothing but sleep the past two years, Paige. My body is not really craving for it anymore."

"...That doesn't make any sense," Paige only let out a small giggle, "But me too, I can't really fall asleep until I'm like dead exhausted– and I even drank some caffeine earlier. So, no sleeping for me either."

"Hm."

"It's the meds as well, you know," Paige said as she moved her head from Riley's shoulder and to his lap, "Can't really sleep because of it. It's supposed to calm my mind but then just keeps me awake. Stupid, right?"

"Yes."

"...You didn't have to agree," Paige said as she started to yawn, "You don't mind me using your lap as a pillow, right? Me and the other sisters back in the orphanage used to do it."

"But you said you did not interact with the other orphans, Paige."

"Yes. But I brought some of their images to life out of my mind so I could bond with them. F… funny, right?

…Right?"

And all of a sudden, tears suddenly fell from Paige's eyes; her sniffles and gasps, suddenly filling the air.

"I… I lied about wanting to get water, Adam," Paige sniveled, "When… when I was alone in the room there was this sudden feeling of… just sinking and I just… I just felt so lonely. I… I was with you the entire day and it was the best thing and then… I don't know. I just feel like I just wanted it to last longer."

"..." Riley only looked at Paige as she cried and started to have a breakdown… before returning to watch Italian Mafia Reborn, turning the volume higher.

Paige, however, just continued to cry. It wasn't until about 20 minutes later that Riley turned off the TV and finally looked at her again– only to find her already completely knocked out.

"..." Riley could only let out a sigh as he slightly waved his hand… causing Paige's head to slightly float in the air as he moved away. A pillow then slid closer to her head, allowing it to rest.

"The two of you sure have gotten closer in just a single day."

Riley was about to go to his room, but before he could do so, she found Aerith sitting at the living room bar– having a glass of alcohol.

"I know some of her life's story, mother. But she doesn't know any of mine," Riley shook his head, "We're not close."

"I don't know," a smile subtly crawled on Aerith's face, "Watching you two– she might just be the one to bring light to your humanity."

"I don't have such a thing… Aerith."

"..." And as soon as Aerith heard her name being uttered by Riley, she instantly confirmed that he really did have his memories,

"You do. Even Caitlain has it and she is littered by a trail of bodies that would make yours look like a tadpole," Aerith said as she took a sip, "That wasn't a challenge, by the way."

"If I do have humanity in me…" Riley let out a short but deep sigh as he joined Aerith at the bar, "...Then I do not deserve it."

"Hm," Aerith looked at herself and Riley in the mirror of the bar, "Of the thousand years I have lived, I have killed more than you, child. Does that mean I don't deserve humanity as well?"

"You're an alien, Aerith."

"...That's not what I meant," Aerith could only roll her eyes as she dropped her glass at the counter, "Nevermind. We can still work on yours, don't worry."

"..."

"And also, what's this I heard about your license being revoked?"

"..." And very slowly, Riley started to float away– but alas, Aerith was able to grab his arm before he could actually gain any distance.

"The only thing you needed to do was get a license, and you did that… but then you lost it not even a day after?"

"..."

"We needed that so you could go out there with your face covered," Aerith pulled Riley closer as she whispered to his ears, "What are we going to do now?"

"...We can ask Empress to return my license, Aerith."

"No! Do you want her to start getting suspicious!? The whole point of you wearing a mask is so that no one would notice you."

"Paige and I are planning to make a superhero agency."

"...What?" Aerith then let go of Riley's arm as soon as she heard his words, "...Why?"

"I don't know, but I told her that I am in."

"That's stu– no," Aerith's eyes then widened as she looked Riley in the eyes, "That might actually prove to be a great idea."

"How so, Aerith?"

"The farther you are away from your previous persona, the least people would suspect you," Aerith then stood up from her seat as she grabbed her phone, "Being the owner of a superhero agency and being a hero at the same time? That's the best identity you could wear…

…Adam's Hero Agency."

"Paige and Paragon Hero Agency, Aerith."

"...I guess that could work," Aerith shrugged as she started fiddling with her phone, "Don't worry…

…we can ask Empress to make it possible."

"..."