Villain Retirement

The blotching and spattering sound remained; the rhythm the sound made could only be described as erratically sedated. But still, Riley watched as the bald prisoner, or at least what remained of him, dropped to the ground.

And what remained of the bald prisoner could not even be compared to ground meat, the texture was almost like goo. One would think that a human body suddenly splattered and compressed would look like the carcass of a frog; a frog on the road that for some reason, always jumps onto the path of your tire– but no.

Human skin and flesh were different; there was not even a resemblance to what he once was. It might be a testament to how much force Riley used, but for Riley–

"How… weak."

Riley's sighs were almost as loud as the bald prisoner's guts falling to the ground. His disappointment, probably unfathomable. Warden Yakovich, as well as the reports on the prisoners that Riley checked with his clones right now, all showed how strong the bald prisoner was.

The bald prisoner's name was Tao Tokuhei, a supervillain that was active during the 80s. He gave himself up to the authorities after slaughtering almost a couple of villages in the provinces of Japan. He told the police that the villages needed cleansing– that they were impure beings that should be eradicated and that he did the world a favor.

And despite his choice of clothes, he was not a monk. What Riley was most excited about was the reports that the villages were completely folded in half, so he was expecting Tao to at least… be a little strong.

But alas, Riley just imitated what Tao was doing earlier, but to think he would just die.

And once again, Riley's sighs echoed through the vast and large hall. He then finally dropped the two hemispheres that were floating in the air, fully covering what remained of Tao and leaving them to be forgotten by time on the floor– or at least that's what Riley hoped because he was truly disappointed.

"..."

Riley then turned his head across the two giant doors that were still closed, No. 1 and No. 2. Even with all the noise they made, the two seemed to have no plans of coming out of their lair. As expected of the two strongest prisoners in the world, Riley thought.

He still had no idea who they were since he has yet to see their faces, but he was sure he wouldn't be disappointed like with Tao.

Riley's head moved back and forth between the two doors until finally settling on the No. 1's door and walking towards it.

"Hello?" Riley then calmly said as he knocked on the door, causing it to quake and tremble, "Do you have some time to talk about your lord and savior, Megawoman?"

"..." No response.

"If you also know about Alice Lane and Diana Ross, I would really appreciate any information you know about them."

Still, Riley continued to knock. It was only in the 12th knock that Riley's steps moved him back. Riley then raised his hand, causing the gigantic door to tremble. There were clouds of dust also raining down from its edges, perhaps a testament to how long ago the door was opened.

"Stop."

And before Riley could fully remove the door, a calm and somewhat husky voice seeped from the cracks of the door.

"I'm coming out. There's no need for you to destroy the door."

And with those words, the gigantic metal door started to slide open; letting out creaks and cracks as it did. And finally, after what seemed like a full minute of this screeching sound whispering in Riley's ears, the prisoner behind the No. 1's door stepped out.

"A golem?" Riley then breathed out as what stepped outside the gigantic door… was a moving rock– each of its movements, almost as loud as the creaking of the door it stepped out from. This rock… crawled forward; and with each movement of its limbs, its silhouette slowly but surely moved it ever so close to the shape of a human– a human woman.

And very soon, Riley could make out a face– old, her eyes already clouded. But still, each of her steps held some sort of authority in them that Riley could not quite explain.

"A golem," the stone woman then let out a small but chuckling scoff as she walked closer to Riley; her hair, unmoving as it was still seemingly made of earth, "Perhaps that is what I am now. I don't even remember my name."

"..." Riley looked at the woman for a few seconds, before finally blinking his eyes and shaking his head,

"Your name is Tsula, the Terraformer."

"Ah, of course."

Tsula then let out a long and very deep breath; specks of dust, blowing from her mouth as she did so, "I've been here for so very long that I have forgotten any earthly connections that I may have had."

Riley slightly looked to the side as he allowed his clones to search everything about Tsula; pausing like this for almost an entire minute. Tsula did not seem to mind, however, as she remained as still as she looked– a rock.

"Megawoman apprehended you and surrendered you to the prison in 1887, Tsula," Riley then said, his mouth slightly agape as he looked at Tsula from head to toe.

"Megawoman… Ah, yes," Tsula once again nodded, "That seemed like a very long time ago now."

"It is, Tsula," Riley also nodded, "You have been here for more than a hundred years."

"Is that so?" Tsula sighed; each of her movements, seemingly as minute and minimal as possible.

Riley continued to read Tsula's profile. She was a super from a native American tribe that massacred almost a million people– causing devastating earthquakes and tidal waves using her abilities to control any elements related to earth.

Another Elemental that has the power to destroy the world; another elemental that did not have complete control of her powers… and another female.

Hannah, V, and now Tsula. Was it just a coincidence, or was there something connecting the three?

"Did you need something from me, child?" Tsula then finally spoke on her own as Riley stood there in silence for more than a minute or so, "For you to try and wake me up…

…you do not seem to be working for this prison," Tsula then looked at Riley from head to toe, focusing on the prison uniform he was wearing.

"I am a prisoner like you, Miss Tsula. But this is my last day," Riley muttered, "And I was wondering if you could answer some of my questions?"

"Aside from Megawoman, do the names, Alice Lane and Diana Ross–"

And before Riley could finish his words, a small whisper of a crack emerged from Tsula's face. The calmness of breath that she once held, slowly dissipated as the cracks grew wider.

"Diana Ross," Tsula then whispered, "Time may have diluted and corrupted my memory, but that is a name that I will never forget even as I cross the boundaries of this world and the Spirit's."

"...Okay," Riley nodded, "Before you cross, is it alright for you to tell me about her?"

"Leave. I have nothing but contempt for what that name represents," Tsula then slowly turned around.

"You know her, Miss Tsula?"

The giant door, however, forcefully closed shut before Tsula could even take a single step,

"I was told that if I needed information, then I would get it here– in the area of the top 3," Riley then said.

"Top… 3?" Tsula then once again turn towards Riley, before turning her head towards the other gigantic doorways behind him, "I see that this place has changed with time. There used to be only me– but I see the world is producing more and more monsters as it grows older."

"I will let you rest Miss Tsula, I just need to know what you know about Diana Ross."

"..." Tsula's seemingly frozen eyebrows moved ever so slightly as she looked Riley straight in the eyes, "Why do you know so much about that entity?"

"I am just curious, Miss Tsula," Riley muttered, "The three women that are deeply involved with my life seemed to have a connection in this prison, I only seek answers."

"And how is this Diana Ross involved with you?"

"She is my adoptive mother."

And as soon as Riley uttered those words, the entire hall shook violently; causing Riley to float in the air to avoid being swayed away.

"Adoptive… mother?" Any calmness in Tsula's voice was gone; replaced by a clicking tremble as the clouds of dust wrapping around her body all rained to the floor,

"She… adopted you?" Tsula then rushed towards Riley; almost at a speed that one would not expect coming from someone like her. Riley, however, did not try to dodge and just allowed Tsula to approach him.

"Yes," Riley nodded, "My biological mother is Alice Lane. Diana Ross and her husband adopted me when they had to kill her because she was killing me. It is a somewhat convoluted story, Miss Tsula."

"She succeeded?" Tsula then whispered to herself as she looked to the side, "But how old are you?"

"17 years old, Miss Tsula."

"Young, younger than even the newest dust in my body," Tsula muttered, "So even after a hundred years, she did not stop."

"Hundreds… What do you mean, Miss Tsula?" Riley furrowed his eyebrows as he turned to face Tsula, "When did you last meet with mother?"

"A long time… Exactly 83 years ago, child."

"That is impossible, Miss Tsula," Riley shook his head, "Mother is not even in his 50s yet."

"That woman..." Tsula then let out a chuckle that resounded throughout the entire hall,

"...is a Yee Naaldlooshii."