Villain Retirement

A few minutes ago, as Riley was making the Amid and his fleet nervous, the situation inside the ship remained the same— with Hannah filling up the oxygen with her incessant nagging.

What changed, however, was the feeling that something was completely wrong. For Hera, who seemed to be the only one feeling it, it was becoming worse by the second. Her senses were at their highest, with every strand of hair and her body and every pore in her light-brown skin opening up. The uncomfortable chill that came along with it, pricking every inch of her flesh.

She once again looked around, only to realize that completely unbeknownst to her, her feet were moving on their own— moving straight to the door; if it wasn't for her noticing it, she would have probably continued to walk away.

It was then, however, that someone finally noticed her. It was Aerith, who was about to leave the ship so she could try to pull Riley back.

"...." She didn't really say anything, and just slightly raised an eyebrow as she looked at Hera from head to toe. And without even a word, she soon realized how alert Hera looked. And as someone who have tangled with the Hope Guild more times than she could count, she knew exactly what Hera's abilities are.

"You…"

"Something is very wrong, Megawoman," Hera did not let Aerith finish her words as she looked her straight in the eyes, "I have been saying that since the start but no one seems to be listening."

"..." Aerith's eyebrows started to furrow as Hera's words reached her ears. But after a few more breaths, her eyes turned wide as she turned her focus back to the center of the command room.

And like Hera, she tried to see if something was amiss.

Katherine and Karina were still together.

Tomoe was still being stopped by Silvie from following her outside.

Paige is just prancing about, seemingly trying to stop Hannah from nagging at her mother, but didn't want to intrude.

Vera was behind Hannah, her eyes focused on the map since earlier.

Diana was—

"..."

Aerith then blinked a couple of times, before turning her attention back to Hannah; or more specifically, to Vera who was standing behind her. Aerith didn't really think much of her being there, but now that she knew that something was going to happen, she could not help but think of one thing…

…Why has she been standing so close to Hannah since earlier?

And as soon as she thought of that, her eyes met with Vera; and without even any warning, the evaniel princess disappeared from her spot, only to appear hugging Hannah from behind; her arms, wrapped around and choking Hannah's neck.

And with that, the noise that filled the air completely stopped. Diana, who was just letting out different kinds of sighs just moments ago, now had her mouth completely closed; her eyes, letting out a violent glow of red.

"Try it!" But before she could do anything, Vera's silver hair also shone; the markings on her skin, now showing themselves completely,

"I assure you, I can kill her before you can kill me!" She wailed; the expression on her face was feral, almost like a wild cat in a cage that hissed at every little thing,

"That goes for all of you! If I see anyone of you try and act any different from usual, I am going to snap her neck! I know all of your powers, I will know!"

"..." Tomoe, who was absolutely about to do something, could not help but subtly click her tongue as she retracted her abilities. Paige was thinking of what to do… but they were dealing with someone that could process her thoughts a thousand times in just a second.

"Don't even attempt it."

And with the temperature in the command deck getting higher by the second, Vera tightened her hold on Hannah as she breathed down her neck, "You…

…your brother killed my brother along with hundreds of my men. Did you really think I would be okay with that!? I don't really know how the brain of your race works; dining and laughing with the person that massacred and continues to massacre your own people!"

"...What do you want?" Diana was the only one to respond to Vera's words; her eyes that were seething in anger, slowly dimming.

"A world without Riley Ross," Vera looked Diana in the eyes, "Activate the hyperdrive and let's just go."

"What!?" Hannah finally spoke up as she struggled to get some air, "He… he'll get lost!"

"I have been thinking more than a million thoughts," Vera whispered; her words almost coming out as hisses, "How do you stop a being that becomes stronger every time you kill it? How can something like that even exist? The answer is you can't; you can't stop it…

…but I can at least slow it down until the entire Universe knows of his existence and surely… surely along the way, something or someone can stop him. Because Riley… Riley is the incarnation of Death itself— he shouldn't exist with us."

"..."

And while all of this was going on, Aerith subtly took a step closer to Hera and whispered,

"... What're your instincts telling you now?"

"It's telling me to leave the ship," Hera breathed out, "It's crazy… Riley Ross is out there. I can't actually be safer there."

"There's a reason why you're on this ship, Hera. This is probably it," Aerith lowered her voice even further as she sneakily handed Hera something from behind, "Keep this."

"...A phone? What do I do with this?"

"It's a map. I'll find a chance to open the door for you, go and join Riley as soon as I open it."

"You're… giving me a map? I don't get it. Isn't this a good thing… for Riley to be stuck in space forever?"

"If it's good, then why is your body screaming at you to get out?" Aerith said as she covered Hera from everyone's view; but seeing as Hera was slightly taller than her, it looked somewhat… off,

"I know your abilities, you've survived until now because of it. Trust it."

"..."

"...And do you really think an unhinged Riley Ross roaming around the universe alone is a good thing?"

And as soon as Hera heard that, her feet once again moved on their own. And soon, her steps became a sprint as she made her way to the ship's large passageways.

***

"And then I jumped out as soon as the door opened."

"Hm. I suppose it is just you and me again, Hera."

"...I can't believe how calm you are right now. Oh wait, I can!"

Riley and Hera were now floating across the expanse of space; with Riley creating a telekinetic bubble that was currently traveling at an unknown speed. But judging by how fast they passed by an asteroid just now and obliterated it into pieces, they were moving insanely fast.

Hera's body which was previously like a mirror reflecting the darkness around her was slowly returning to normal. Well… except for the fact that she wasn't really breathing anymore.

"You said Aerith gave you a map, Hera?"

"Yeah," Hera could really only roll her eyes from how nonchalant Riley was acting; but after dealing with him for years, she should have really gotten used to him by now. Hera then grabbed the phone from her pocket; she was unsure of how to use it at first, but as soon as she pressed the only visible button, a hologram quickly emerged from the screen.

"...I guess that's us?" Hera slightly raised an eyebrow as she looked at the two green dots right at the very center of the hologram,

"How do you even zoom this thing out?" She then sighed as she tried to pinch the hologram like one would zoom out a photo on a touchscreen— and true enough, she was able to zoom out the map.

"..." She and Riley then looked at each other as they saw all the numerous words and lights that were moving about in the hologram. If they were confused as to how it worked before, they were even more so now.

"Do something, Hera."

"..." Hera didn't really say anything, and just pointed at the beeping light closest to their location. And as soon as she did so, it zoomed in on the beacon.

"...It's a ship."

"Hm…

…Do you think they are friendly, Hera?"