Villain Retirement

"Feel free to sell the pirate ship, Captain Nana. You do not need to be shy."

"I… don't think I can sell a densely compressed ball of metal without being questioned."

"You don't have to worry about that, Captain Nana. Whatever life form the ship once held will be completely unrecognizable, I made sure of it so as to not bother you."

"..."

After a few hours of nerve-wracking and stressful travel, Nana's ship, Taladier, was finally safe and latched on the hangar bay of the closest planet where they could restock and recharge their ship. She had her hands full with trying to prevent her children from talking to Riley, but to no success.

She almost reached the point where she wanted to tell her children who Riley was, but stopped herself from doing so as she didn't know what they would do once they found out. The last thing she needed was for one of them to make a decision they would all pay for.

"Trade it for this nuclear fission thing you are speaking about earlier," Riley continued to insist, "If it is hard to sell it like that, would you like me to separate them into tiny pieces?"

"You can do---No, no. This is enough...Thanks."

Captain Nana was always going to do something about the compressed pirate ship, she wouldn't have dragged it with them if she didn't. After all, as a scavenger, she has many buyers that are not… legally registered with the city.

"You and your companion can stay and relax on the ship," Nana then nodded and sighed, "I will find out about how I can smuggle you guys into Theran. There's food in the— where are you going!?"

And before Nana could even attempt to coerce Riley to stay on the ship, he was already making his way out to the unfamiliar planet.

"Wait, wait! At least cover yourself! The weather in Platooine is harsh!"

"Platooine?" Hera, who was following behind Riley, could not help but raise an eyebrow as she heard Nana's words, "That sounds… oddly familiar."

"There's no need to worry about us, Captain Nana," Riley on the other hand, shook his head as he glanced at Nana, "Weather doesn't affect me."

"That's… still, take it."

"Give it to me," Hera was the one to approach Nana; before she grabbed it, however, she looked her in the eye and winked, "You seem so insistent in having Riley hide his identity… I wonder why?"

"That—I'm just concerned for my benefactor, is all!" Nana looked away. She wasn't a fool, however. She knew what Hera's look entailed—Hera knew that she knew who Riley is. If it was known that she harbored a genocidal outlaw in her ship, she would be executed on the spot.

But since Hera accepted the robes… does that mean she will be helping her in hiding Riley's identity?

"..." Nana's eyes then started to shine as she looked at Hera, looking at her like she was some kind of messiah that saved her from this drowning situation.

As for Hera, she could really only awkwardly chuckle as she saw the look in Nana's eyes—she was clearly misunderstanding something. The one that would gain the most from having Riley hide his identity is her. 

Who wants to tag along with a wanted man? She was here by accident, but she would be darned if she would make the most of it and make it into a well-deserved vacation. Her powers were to adapt and adapt to the situation she will.

"Why are you coming with me, Miss Hera?" Riley, on the other hand, hastened his steps as Hera followed him from behind.

"You serious right now?" Hera rolled her eyes, "I am the one holding this Teera X120 thingy. You're gonna go out there blind?"

"I'm not blind, Miss Hera."

"You know what I mean!"

"..." Riley blinked a couple of times, before glancing at the all-in-one device hanging on Hera's waist. Should he just take it and kill Hera here? But Aerith entrusted her with it and is serving as her proxy—what would she even say if she finds out Riley killed her?

"You're fucking thinking of killing me and taking it, aren't you?" Hera said as she took a step back and covered the Teera X120.

"Yes, Miss Hera."

"Atleast deny it!" Hera blurted out, "A—anyway, don't cause any trouble on this planet, and please don't kill anyone."

"Why do you care about a species you haven't met yet, Miss Hera?"

"...Because I'm a hero? Duh?"

"...I suppose that makes sense."

"W—"

And before Hera could finish her words, the door of the ship opened, causing her eyes to change color as they instantly adjusted to the blinding orange light that seeped into the ship.

"This…" Hera blinked a couple of times as she looked at the view in front of her— barren. A bright orange crystal jungle reminded her of Egypt… if the land and infrastructures were made of gems, that is.

"It's… so empty."

Platooine had its own beauty, but without the trees that Hera was used to, it just looked… soulless.

"Was the planet you destroyed similar to this?"

"No, it was a pink desert, Miss Hera," Riley shook his head as he just nonchalantly stepped out of the ship; his face, completely covered with a cloak, "Both of them do not have trees, however."

"..."

Wait, did she just casually ask Riley about the planet he destroyed; a planet that probably had billions of people on it? Is… is her common sense slowly dwindling? Is this her body telling her to get used to things like this?

"I'm going to repeat my words, Riley. Please don't kill anyone here."

"Can you stop me if I do start killing people?"

"That—"

"It was a jest, Miss Hera."

"..." Hera's eye quickly twitched as she saw the subtle smile forming on Riley's fa before he looked away. This is all Tempo's fault, she wouldn't even be here if he told her that he wasn't going.

But alas, she was already here—thinking about it would be useless.

Hera then turned to look at Platooine's red sky, only to see several flying ships moving around like ants. If she didn't think she was on another planet already, then the flying cars cemented it.

She just wished she actually knew how it would feel like to be amazed by this—but alas, one of the drawbacks of her abilities is that her amazement also quickly fades away to adapt to her surroundings.

Perhaps the only thing she couldn't really fully adapt to is Riley, Hera thought as she continued to follow Riley; who, like her, was just taking nonchalant steps as they walked on a planet no human has probably walked before.

And soon, they started to see all sorts of races. Most looked humanoid; there were some, however, that were floating around like some sort of jellyfish—but judging by the way the other races were talking with them, they weren't just pets but full-pledged intelligent beings.

And a few more steps, it was clear to both of them which race the planet belonged to. 90% of the people they passed by had skin darker than night itself; their height, almost twice that of an average human.

"Interesting." Riley, however, was not looking at them, and instead was focused on Hera as her skin turned black and her legs grew taller.

"Can you stop staring at me like that?" Hera shook her head as she looked at her black hands, "Their skin… it's hard."

"Your abilities, Miss Hera. They remind me of a thing Gary always used to say."

"Don't bother telling me if it's lewd."

"Not at all," Riley said as he looked Hera straight in the eyes, "Your ability, it is a literal plot armor. If I dismantle you into pieces and burn you until there is nothing left, you will probably survive."

"Please don't," Hera shook her head, "My body would just stretch, I don't like that feeling."

The two continued to casually walk through the unfamiliar planet; not even bothering to look at the sights. Hera asked why they were exploring the planet in the first place, and Riley just shrugged and said that it would be exciting.

"..." What part of his face says that he is excited? Hera thought.

Fortunately for her, there was finally something she could do and be excited about— shopping. The two seemed to have reached the harbor's marketplace, and true enough… all sorts of trinkets and gems that Hera has not seen before lay themselves before her eyes.

There were even gems that shone in a rainbow color, and one that changed colors depending on the angle one would look at it. As expected of a planet seemingly made of crystal.

Finally, she thought. Something good will come out of this whole ordeal.

"What is this?" Hera quickly approached one of the stalls as soon as a gem the size of an egg caught her eye.

"Ah! Welcome, beautiful friend!" The merchant quickly smiled; showing a set of sharp teeth akin to that of sharks, "I see you are very interested in Wahina feces! That was just dehydration this morning, how many would you like?"

"...Feces?"

"We also have Ankutku puke, just vomited earlier and still warm!"

"...Fuck."

"Can I kill all of them now, Miss Hera?"

"No!"

And so, just hours on their journey together, Hera already knew what to expect going forward---she knew she truly was not going to get the vacation she deserved.

And unfortunately for her, some shady individuals following them from behind would help add to her endeavors; their eyes, looking at the device hanging around her waist.

"We have our target, boys."