Villain Retirement

"...Huh?"

The very sound that Paige heard as she woke up was the scratch that one would hear if one were to pull a sticky tape off. Except this time, it was her cheeks pulling away from the leather pillow that was almost drenched in her saliva.

"Where… am I?"

Even with her vision still completely blurred, Paige immediately stood up and looked around– only able to see silhouettes until her eyes finally saw a glimpse of… Riley, who was seated on the sofa and watching another episode of Italian Mafia Reborn.

"..." And as soon as their eyes met, Riley grabbed the remote and increased the volume of the TV. It was probably late in the morning… but why was Riley still wearing his superhero outfit?

"Oh, good. You're awake."

"..." Paige then groggily turned her head towards the other voice, only to see Aerith sitting at the dining table.

"We ordered some breakfast, you should eat after… washing up."

"..." Paige blinked a couple of times, before finally remembering everything that happened the day before. It seemed like a couple of days, but everything happened in a single day– and for her to be able to fall asleep that fast…

…it would seem that Riley truly was making her feel too comfortable. It… was a nice feeling. It is a nice feeling.

Paige then once again turned to Riley, only to see him just focusing on what he was watching. And then finally, she noticed the dried saliva plastered on her face– causing her to quickly run towards the bathroom to wash herself up as Aerith said.

She was only going to wash her face, but when her clothes got wet, she just decided to take a full bath. And when she was done, Riley was still watching– not even looking at her or anyone else.

"Adam and I have already eaten," Aerith then said as she joined Riley in the living room, "I swear, what do you even get from watching these cartoons? Switch it to the news."

"No."

"You've been watching this since last night, aren't you–"

"No."

"..." A small smile crawled on Paige's face as she watched as the mother and son duo started arguing. She never really had the chance to do something like that because… well, she was an orphan. She tried bringing her parents to life, but since she didn't really have anything or anyone to base them on– they were more like NPCs more than anything.

She always imagined they would be cooking her breakfast, but Aerith seemed to have just ordered from a… fancy Japanese restaurant. Who eats breakfast this fancy? Paige thought as she sat down– it almost felt like a waste to eat due to the presentation.

"Oh, right. Paige."

"Yes?" Paige, who already had food in her mouth, quickly looked at Aerith.

"Once you're done, get dressed because we're going somewhere. I bought you some clothes, they're in your room."

"Oh, is that why Adam is wearing his superhero outfit?"

"...No, he's been wearing that since last night."

"You… haven't taken a bath yet, Adam?" Paige blinked a couple of times as she turned his eyes towards Riley… whose hair seemed to even be smoother than hers.

"I have already taken a shower, Paige," Riley did not even look at Paige as he answered.

"...But you didn't change your clothes?"

"My clothes are always clean, Paige."

"...But we've done a lot of–" Paige was about to say they were outside the entire day yesterday, but noticed that not even a speck of dirt could be seen on Riley's outfit, "You know… you still haven't told me where you got your costume from."

"From Hotis 4J, Paige."

"...Where is that?"

"From another planet."

"You… really don't want to tell me, do you?" Paige could only let out a sigh as she shook her head and started finishing her breakfast. As for Aerith, the only thing she could really do was also shake her head.

If Paige knew that Riley wasn't joking, she would probably end up losing her mind.

"I'm done, let me just get dressed," Paige didn't waste any time eating, as she immediately rushed back to her room to get dressed. And true enough, Aerith bought her some clothes– an entire closet full of them; too many to the point that Paige would probably spend hours on end trying to pick up what to wear.

But it would seem her excitement won over her as she immediately picked the most simple among the bunch– an oversized shirt and leggings.

"You… didn't have to buy me clothes, Aerith. But thank you," she then immediately thanked Aerith as soon as she returned to the living room, "No one's… ever bought me clothes before."

"Oh, they fit you? Don't worry about it," Aerith stood up from the sofa… grabbing the remote from Riley and switching off the TV as soon as Paige was done, "I didn't know what clothes you like so I just asked them to get everything. After all…

…you'll be staying here from now on."

"...Sorry?" Paige could not help but blink a couple of times as she heard Aerith's words.

"Unless you want to travel back and forth from Georgia to your new office."

"Office? What…

…office?"

***

"What… the… freak!?"

If Paige wasn't fully awake before, she was now. How could she not, when they were now currently in front of a small building with a large sign that says, 'Paige and Paragon'.

"What… what is this!?" Paige's breath started to become erratic to the point that she had to materialize an oxygen tank.

"Adam mentioned you wanted to build a Superhero Agency," Aerith then casually said as she placed her hand on Paige's shoulder, 

"So here it is." Like her outfit the other day, Aerith's face was once again fully hidden with a pair of sunglasses and a cap… and this time, she even added a surgical face mask.

"...What?" Paige's head very slowly turned towards Aerith as soon as she heard her words. They just talked about that the other night… and now it's already here? Wait, this isn't her powers acting up, is it?

What if… What if Aerith and Adam were just products of her powers? What if everything that happened… was something she just created? Come to think of it, Empress visiting them late at midnight?

That should… that was impossible.

"..." Paige then looked at Riley; her eyes, already watering as her breaths started to stutter, "You… you're not real?"

"Unfortunately, I am, Paige," Riley just shrugged his shoulders as he too, looked at the large sign above the entrance.

"Then… all of this is real?" Paige said as her eyes started to move everywhere.

"It is," Aerith sighed as she patted Paige's shoulder,

"Unless you're powerful enough to materialize both of us," Aerith then let out a small chuckle as she walked towards the entrance, "The two of you should enter first, after all– this agency and entire building are yours."

"...Seriously?" Paige gulped as she looked back and forth between Aerith and the building, "Just… just who are you two?"

Aerith knowing Empress and casually talking to her, a large penthouse in one of the most notoriously expensive states in the country, and now this? A small building with an unobstructed view of the Atlantic ocean, meters away from the beach!?

"You… Do you belong to the Illuminati?"

"I used to be," Aerith shrugged.

"What!?"

"...I was kidding," Aerith chuckled loudly, "Now, go inside– your staff are waiting."

"P… Paragon! Let's go!" Paige then quickly rushed towards Riley and grabbed her arms. She was about to pull him inside, but before she could do so, a wind strong enough to almost blow away Aerith's cap trembled in the air.

Paige quickly turned around, only to see… an aircraft landing in front of the building.

"What… aliens!?"

"...No," Aerith was the one to answer; the tone of her voice, clearly filled with frustration as she secured her cap and adjusted her mask, "A misbehaving child."

And as she said that, the door of the aircraft opened.

"E… Empress!?"

And once again, Empress showed herself in front of Paige as she casually stepped out of the jet. But it wasn't only her, soon, several people started stepping out of the aircraft.

And immediately, crowds of people started to gather as they saw… the celebrities that suddenly landed on their shores.

"A… aren't they the Baby Crew!?" Paige then took a few steps back, almost fainting right there and there in Riley's arms with the sudden appearance of the current most famous superhero team– the Baby Crew.

"P… Paragon, it's Empress and the Baby Crew!" Paige then wrapped her arms on Riley's arm even tighter.

"I… could see that, Paige," Riley then turned his head towards Aerith, "Why?"

"I… didn't know she was going to do this," Aerith could only let out a short but deep sigh before approaching Empress. But before she could even take a single step… her son suddenly roared.

"What is up, Atlantic City!?" Gary stretched his arms to the side as he looked at the crowd of people that started to gather around them– and as soon as he did so, they started howling and cheering.

"I told you guys to stop Monarch before he could do anything stupid."

"..." And with that word of annoyance entering his ears, Riley subtly turned his head towards the owner of the voice. It's been a very long time since he last saw her– but it would seem not much has changed in terms of physical appearance.

"Ack, don't be a party-pooper, Hannah," Gary said as he started flexing his muscles through his grey suit, "After all…

…we're here to promote."