Villain Retirement

"What… am I even going to do now?"

It was more or less 3 years ago now. Paige had just recently been kicked out of the orphanage because she was no longer considered a minor in the state of Alabama. She had an option to stay, but in exchange, she would then volunteer to take care of the other misfits– but with her abilities, she was sure she would just end up losing her mind.

She was given $1000 as a sort of 'severance' gift when she left, and that lasted her exactly one day after the small apartment she was renting asked for an advance. She didn't mind, however, as she didn't really need a budget for food since she can consume her creations-- probably the only advantage of her abilities.

But still, she needed a proper job to be able to keep on living in the city like a normal human being. She could build a mansion for herself if she wanted to, but that would mean that no one would be able to visit her– it would be for nothing.

Well… not like she has any friends to visit her in the first place. But this didn't deter her, however, because it was the start of her new life. It didn't really take long for her to actually find a job– a performer.

She performed at birthday parties for children with her illusions; she was earning a lot, for sure– enough to even move to a bigger apartment.

She, however, quickly got bored of her job and quit a month after securing enough money to pay for the apartment for an entire year without working. She then worked as a bartender after that but quit a week after she completed her training.

She consumed so many jobs in the span of a very short time– and in the end, she ended up just staying home and using the only real thing inside her apartment, her computer. She was new to everything in the outside world, and the internet was the only thing that she considered a real teacher.

And one day, while she was scrolling and eating Wasabi chips she materialized, she happened to come across news of Riley Ross. It was the news revealing he was Whiteking's son– this already got Paige's curiosity, but what really got her attention was the way Riley looked… and the fact that he was in the spectrum.

For someone like this to want to be a superhero, it truly… opened something in Paige's eyes. Of course, Riley could be said to have the unfair advantage of being Whiteking's son, but still– she knew the problems people in the spectrum face every day because she was surrounded by them in the orphanage.

No, even she had problems– she also truly considered herself mentally ill back then even if the doctors are saying that what she had was completely… controllable. It didn't seem like it, of course– she had to swallow a ton of pills she didn't even know how to pronounce every day just to keep herself stable.

And for Riley to want to be a superhero despite his condition… It was somewhat inspiring. Of course, the news was followed by the tragic deaths of thousands of people dying in several plane crashes.

Her attention, however, was solely on Riley. Since then, she has been searching the internet daily for any news. The death of a foreign student, Riley becoming the Mega student, the news of them saving the shores of Hawaii from a monster, then another when he saved all those people in LA from the homunculi… and then preventing more deaths in England, him getting mistaken as Darkday…

…and then eventually, even after all of this– he rescued Megawoman and ultimately lost his life by defending the Earth from the aliens and Darkday.

It was also revealed that Riley was Ms. Phoenix's biological son and that she tried to kill him when he was just a baby, there were all sorts of rumors going around. Some of them have been proven to be true.

With everything that had happened to him, Paige wouldn't be surprised if Riley, being already on the spectrum, grew up to be an apathetic monster. She had seen it before in the orphanage– their innocent capacity for violence.

Riley Ross was an inspiration for people like her– for those that are already disadvantaged the moment they were born. Riley Ross became a beacon.

Throughout her life, Paige had been lost not knowing what her purpose truly was. And as cliche as it may sound, Riley Ross gave that to her. And so, starting with his death, Paige strived to test her powers to their utmost limits– and one day, become a hero as well.

She would even go to the lengths of saying that Riley Ross, to her, was what Megawoman was to most people.

That is what Riley meant to her.

And she would recognize him everywhere.

And this person standing beside her right now?

Even with his hair completely different, even with his eyes dark– Paragon was almost a cutout of Riley; and it wasn't just their pale white skin either– his nose, the way his eyes were shaped. And most importantly…

…his wide mouth that could probably swallow an entire burger whole.

That face could only belong to…

"...Riley Ross?"

"..." Riley, however, completely ignored her as he once again covered his face with a mask. Seasoning the meat in front of him almost as if she didn't hear what Paige just said.

"You… you're Riley Ross."

"..." This time, Riley could no longer ignore Paige as the meat he was tying up in a thread suddenly disappeared. He then slowly turned his head to Paige, causing his long, almost perfect black hair to bristle across his shoulders,

"I was, Paige," Riley then nonchalantly said.

"...You're revealing it just like that!? O… of course, that is something Riley would do!" Paige then stuttered as she took a few steps back; the dome they were in, slowly releasing some sort of static as everything began to tremble,

"Wait… wait, that would mean you're alive!?"

"I suppose," Riley then shrugged his shoulders, before he returned to the fridge to get Paige a bottled water, "Your constructs are getting hazy, Paige."

"Of course, they would get hazy!" Paige stomped her foot before chugging the entire bottle whole; the dome, once again becoming solid as her eyes returned to Riley, "You… you're alive! So that was why Hannah was reacting like that!? This… this is crazy? Am I being pranked? Is that it? Is this a prank?"

"No."

"Oh my god, oh my god," Paige then started breathing heavily as several blades started fanning her, "This is happening, it's really happening. I… I was with Riley Ross this whole time!?"

"No. Riley Ross is dead."

"But you're standing right here! In… In all your glory. My pills… where are my pills!? You're dead? You… you meant that figuratively, right?"

"In a way, I suppose so," Riley only shrugged, before asking Paige to return the meat he was seasoning.

"This doesn't make any sense," Paige then breathed out as she casually returned the meat on the counter, "You… what… I don't know what to do anymore."

"I was also Darkday, Paige," Riley then once again casually said as he turned on the stove and placed a pan on it.

"..." Paige then quickly shut her mouth as her mind finally completely shut down. But after a few seconds, she quietly marched back to the table and sat there in silence even after Riley was done cooking and placed the food in front of her.

"Please, eat," Riley then said as he started eating. Paige also did the same; her eyes, staring at Riley for the duration of their meal. She seemed to be wanting to say something, but was always stopping at the last second.

Throughout her life, this was probably the most quiet she has been-- even her mind was blank,

"..."

"..."

It wasn't until Riley was about to pick up their plates to wash that Paige finally made a sound, grabbing Riley's hand and stopping him,

"You… don't have to wash it," Paige then said as she looked him straight in the eyes, "So… you were Darkday."

"...I was, yes."

"Riley Ross and Darkday… are the same person?"

"Yes."

"I see…

…that makes sense."