Villain Retirement

"Aerith left?"

Paige's soft cries still whispered and crawled through the dungeon hallways as she nodded; her sniffles, enough of an answer which clearly showed her helplessness. And before any other questions were asked, Paige started talking.

"When… when Megawoman came back from the trial, she was acting weird," Paige spoke almost at the speed of light, causing Riley's entourage to widen their eyes and their feet to step back,

"Her eyes were moist, so I think she was crying. But at the same time, she also had this weird smile on her face. I asked her what happened during the trial, and she only said that something crazy popped up—and now that I know Riley arrived, that's probably him. I thought probably something good happened since Megawoman was clearly shedding tears of joy, or so I thought. But since she didn't seem to want to talk, I just continued what I was doing and searched for anything that would help her case…but I discovered she wasn't the first royal to be executed. Anyway, I realized something was wrong with her when she didn't request for me to decorate our room. She usually requests the view of the mountains of Switzerland or something, wait—isn't it cool that I am suddenly roomies with Megawoman? Well, not really roomies since she's being treated like a criminal and I think I am about to get deported back to Earth, but just years ago I wouldn't—-"

"Paige."

And finally, before Paige could fill an entire page with her incessant talking, Riley placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Tell me what happened in less than 20 words."

"...50?"

"Hm."

"Aerith sat on the floor for an entire hour, going through different stages of emotions. But after, she just suddenly upped and left—the guards were completely shocked, but they did not really stop her since she has actually been free to leave anytime, as long as she wears a collar."

"Hm," Riley let out a small hum as he looked around Aerith's room. But there truly wasn't anything there, just an empty and bright silver room—Riley thought he was finally going to see what Aerith's room was like, but alas. It is as Paige said, they were more like cellmates; this place is probably not the room that Aerith grew up in.

"Did Aerith say where she was going, Paige?" Riley then asked as he started walking around, eventually reaching Paige's side of the room which was filled with orbs and some books that looked like they were a million years old.

"N…no," Paige could really only sigh as she followed Riley back inside, "I wanted to go with her, but she said I should stay here because she won't be able to protect me if something happens."

"Well, that sucks. I wanted to talk with her," Kal's sighs entered the room before him as he stepped inside, "It's been a while since we last sparred together, and I was wondering if she really did become stronger after spending just less than 500 years outside… shame."

"Perhaps we can spar together, Lord Kal?" Esme was about to enter the room; but for some reason, as soon she saw the room's silver interior, she slightly backed away and just stood in front of the door,

"I have not really sparred with anyone close to my age since all of my siblings are at least a thousand years older than me."

"Really?" Kal immediately turned to Esme and looked at her from head to toe, "You… do look strong. Are you sure?"

"Lord Kal," Zac popped out from behind Esme as he looked at Zac, "...You don't know who you are talking to, do you?"

"...No? Does that matter?" Kal lightly scoffed, "Everyone is equal on the battlefield."

"She's Princess Esme of Varoif, Lord Kal."

"I knew you were royalty with the way—Princess Esme? Why does that sound familiar?" Kal immediately crossed his arms as he became lost in thought; a few breathes later, however, his eyes suddenly widened,

"As in… that Princess Esme?" He then gulped, "Maybe… maybe we should think about the sparri—"

"Since Aerith is not here, I shall take my leave."

Unfortunately for Kal, before he could even retract his words, Esme moved to the side as Riley made his way out of the room.

"I am going to search for Aerith, everyone. Paige, do you want to come with me?"

"Oh… uh, no," Paige quickly shook her head as she walked toward the orbs that were scattered in the room, "I'll stay here just in case she comes back. Also, I don't really wanna get in the way. I might look fine right now but I am actually super duper scared—I am surrounded by people that could sneeze me out of existence so… yeah."

"Hm," Riley nodded, before stretching his palm out in Paige's direction. Paige looked at Riley's hand for a few seconds, before a phone suddenly appeared in his hand out of nowhere. And without even saying another word to each other, Riley placed the phone inside his white coat and walked away.

"..." Zac and Esme looked at each other as they saw that, before just shrugging their shoulders and following Riley.

"Hey, wait up! We're all exiting the same way!" As for Kal, he also rushed to follow behind them. He didn't need to, however, as Riley suddenly halted his steps, and before any of them could wonder why he suddenly stopped walking, a voice started to crawl very softly into their ears.

"...Riley? Is that… Are you he—"

And before this soft and mysterious voice could whisper further, the door to Riley stretched his arm to the side. And as soon as he did so, the door to his left burst open—shooting straight toward his open palm before violently crumbling into a ball.

Zac and Kal quickly tightened their stance as they looked at Riley; Riley, however, just casually dropped the crumpled door to the floor, before turning to look at the woman that was weakly stepping out of the now doorless room.

"Princess… Princess Aerith?" Zac was about to rush and help the woman as she slightly limped out of the room. But then, as soon as he saw her face, his steps hesitated.

Instead, Riley was the one to catch the woman as her legs seemingly turned into noodles and gave out on her; even her arms flailed like broken branches as her bosom bounced on Riley's arm.

"You look similar to Aerith when I hid her in my closet, Silvie."

"Silvie?" Kal's eyebrows furrowed as she looked at the woman in Riley's arms, "Princess Aerith's clone?"

Even Zac, who initially wanted to help Silvie, took a step back as a deep, almost clicking hum escaped his lips. Only Princess Esme seemed to not show disdain; her head, just tilted to the side as she looked at Silvie's emaciated face.

Esme then approached Riley, before looking inside the room—only to see several pillars scattered inside it; pulsating in a fiery red color, almost like spores exploding in a foggy forest.

"Hm…" Esme did not look at it for long, however, as she picked up the door that Riley crumpled, before prying it open and closing the room with it, nodding to herself in satisfaction after she was done.

"The room was full of sappers, Professor," Esme then said as she looked at Riley, "I am wearing a miniature version on my leg."

"!!!"

Esme then suddenly lifted up her skirt, causing Kal to immediately look away.

"I have seen the full-sized version of it back on Earth, Princess Esme," Riley nodded, "It was used to incapacitate Silvie's… older sister."

"A… themarian clone," Kal's sharp eyebrows furrowed even further, "I only saw her once—to think she truly does look like Princess Aerith. She also has the same energy signature as her, this is… not right."

"..." Zac did not really say anything, but judging by the subtle nod of his head—he shared the same sentiment.

"R… Riley," Silvie slightly trembled as she grabbed Riley's arm and shoulder to try and lift herself up. Riley, however, just sat on the floor so that Silvie could relax instead.

"It's… It's my fault, Riley," Silvie then weakly said; her breaths, viciously fighting the urge to just burst out in tears as she looked at Riley's face, "This… this entire trial, it's… it's my fault. I didn't… I shouldn't have come here."

"What do you mean, Silvie?" Riley gently backed away as he gave Silvie some space; her emaciated muscles, very slowly regaining their power; her veins, glowing a fainty red.

"Megawoman…" Silvie weakly whispered as tears started to trail down hair face, "Megawoman… his own father is killing her because… because of me. She's not… she's not supposed to die, it's because of me."

"..."

"They were going to kill me, Riley. They… because I'm a clone, but…but…but…" Silvie's breaths were completely uncontrollable; but still, she gritted her teeth through it, "Megawoman… Megawoman said they should kill her instead since… since she's not the daughter her father wanted and I… she said that I could replace her and her father got angry and—I don't know, Riley. I don't know. Please, Riley… I want to help her."

"..."

"Kill me," a wide smile then crawled on Silvie's face as she suddenly grabbed Riley's hand and placed it on her chest, "Please… please kill me, Riley. Do this… for Megawoman. You… you owe at least that to the world."

"I will not do that, Silvie," Riley shook his head.

"Please… please… oh, god..." Silvie closed her eyes as all the tears that wanted to burst forth from her eyes gushed out like waterfall, "If... If I die, then maybe... I don't want to anymore. My existence… my life has only brought suffering and… and it's enough. My life…

…my existence is against the law of the universe and—"

"!!!"

And before Silvie could finish her words, all of her tears flew to the side…

…as Riley suddenly slapped her.