Villain Retirement

"You and I…

…what are we to each other?"

It was a colorful afternoon, made even more vibrant by all the lights and graphics that were plastered on the walls of the buildings. No matter where you look, someone's face would be on it—even the most popular fast food restaurant in this universe, Rickrolland's, had a face advertising their place.

All the faces were smiling.

The real people in Times Square, however, were doing everything but smiling. How could they not, when their leisurely lives were just randomly terrorized by the infamous Jackson twins? All they could really do was hide behind the illegally parked cars, the anti-homeless benches, as well as each other.

None of them were really cowering in fear. They were afraid, yes—but it was truly just an inconvenience since it was already public knowledge that the Jackson twins don't really kill people. And now, seeing the twins in trouble, the masses don't really know what to think.

And so, they just did what they always do.

Raise their phones and record what was happening, and they were so glad that they did, as suddenly, another world-renowned figure showed herself.

Golden Fox—Japan's No.1 Superhero, no. With most of the members of the Hope Guild now focusing on intergalactic politics, it was safe to say that she was now the No.1 hero in the entire world.

Golden Fox, however, rarely comes to the U.S., if at all. After all, the Americans already have their own assembly of superheroes. And so, the people that were hiding all started coming out with their phones all pointed at the scenario. The enforcers circling Riley and the others tried to stop them, but alas—there was no beating the crowd.

"Golden Fox…!?"

Officer Grimes could not be bothered by the curious masses, however, as he just tried to collect himself as best as possible; the exhaustion contained within his breaths, now even more prevalent than before,

"What are you doing here?"

"I…" Golden Fox, who was waiting for an answer from Riley, could not help but slightly back away as the tone of her voice lowered, "...I am only doing my job as a hero."

"...Are you?" Officer Grimes squinted his eyes as he looked back and forth between Golden Fox and Riley, completely ignoring the fact that Bella was still currently being strangled by Riley in the air and was about to pass out,

"The two of you seem to know each other?"

"I don't know yet," Golden Fox carefully adjusted her mask as the flashes coming from the crowd's phones became more and more wild, "But as I said, I am here to do my job as a hero first."

"What do you—"

And before Grimes could even figure out what was going on, a sort of green void emerged from the ground; right beneath where Benjamin was lying unconscious. Bella, and the other people there could really only watch as this green void just suddenly swallowed Benjamin whole.

"!!!"

Grimes quickly grabbed another one of his guns and pointed it at Golden Fox, "Golden Fox, you have no right to kill—!!!"

Once again, Grimes was interrupted as another green void appeared… right on top of him. And before he could even react, Benjamin fell on top of him; his butt, dropping on his face. It didn't help that Benjamin had quite the… revealing outfit.

Golden Fox then disappeared from her spot, only to appear behind Bella, grabbing her by her leg.

"Next time, please choose a better job," she then said as Bella's entire silhouette started to glow green.

"This… this is the better job," and with those words escaping Bella's lips, she vanished… only to once again fall on top of Officer Grimes, who had just finished tying up Benjamin with a thick zip tie.

"..." As for Riley, he still had his hand raised in the air; his eyes, now reflecting Chihiro's golden fox mask.

"Do we know each other?" Golden Fox once again asked Riley as she stood right in front of him; her head, almost bent up to its maximum to their difference in height.

"That depends on what perspective you are basing our familiarity on, Golden Fox," Riley answered as he very slowly lowered his hand and returned Chihiro's gaze.

"..." A certain glow flashed from Chihiro's eyes as she heard Riley's words. She then turned to look at Officer Grimes, before scanning everyone else that was there. And after a few more seconds, she shook her head and sighed,

"We shouldn't talk here, there are too many eyes listening."

"Eyes can't listen, Golden Fox," Riley also sighed, "I see your English has not improved even after so long."

"T—How is that relevant?" It was obvious even from her mask that one of Chihiro's eyebrows was currently raised, "Your people can't even speak another language."

"I can speak most languages, Golden Fox."

"..." Chihiro's eyes turned wide as she heard Riley speaking in Japanese. But after a few more breaths, she once again shook her head. This time waving her hand as she summoned a green void that swallowed both her and Riley.

Riley did not really mind, as he just watched Officer Grimes, waving goodbye to him before he and Chihiro completely disappeared from Times Square.

"...Oh, fuck."

"H…hey, be gentle!" Bella could not help but scream in pain as Grimes stepped on her, tightening the zip tie around her wrists tighter than it should, "This… this is police brutality! You guys see this!?"

"You really should quit this job, you know?" Grimes could not help but groan as he let go of Bella, "Maybe stop committing atrocities and we won't be seeing each other again?"

"Bitch, please. I ain't the one that's underpaid and underappreciated."

"...That statement is somehow the most hurtful thing that has happened to me today."

"So, what about it, Fed? We can let you in if you let us go now."

"Shut up," Grimes shook his head as he looked at where Riley and Golden Fox disappeared. His breaths, all escaping as sighs as he thought of the grilling his boss would hand to him later. Maybe…

…he really should just quit this job?

***

"Your ability is truly convenient, Chihiro. I do wonder when I am going to die from it."

"...What?"

Riley and Chihiro reappeared a kilometer away from Times Square, emerging on top of the Empire State Building away from all the people. The wind was strong enough to cause Chihiro's scarf to almost be caught in the air; Riley's long hair, on the other hand, was completely still.

Chihiro quickly noticed this, but did not really think much of it as she just sat on the floor; her eyes, looking at the mess they abandoned on Times Square.

"Do… you know me, Riley?" Chihiro then whispered, but let out a soft chuckle immediately afterward, "I'm sorry, that was a stupid question. You're probably so confused by now."

"I am always confused, Golden Fox—that's my secret."

"...I see," Chihiro glanced at Riley for a bit, before shaking her head and sighing,

"I'm asking because I have a memory of you."

"Hm?" Riley tilted his head to the side as he slightly approached Chihiro.

"It's hard to explain, but my ability… uploaded a memory to my mind. A memory that might have happened… in a different world, or perhaps a future," Chihiro lifted up her knee and hugged her legs, before finally taking off her mask and placing it beside her; revealing her incredibly youthful face.

"Oh?" Riley curiously sat down beside Chihiro, "And what happened in that memory?"

"..." Chihiro almost scooched away by instinct, slightly surprised by Riley's calmness, "That… In that memory, there's me, you, a beautiful blonde girl… I think Bella and Hannah Ross were also there, it was weird. But most importantly…

…I died protecting you. I know it's silly, but it's true."

"I killed you, Golden Fox," Riley confessed.

"No," Chihiro quickly shook her head, "It was someone else, some… tall guy. I think his name was… Gary Gray."

"Oh."

"Do you know him…?" Chihiro glanced at Riley. Riley, however, just shrugged his shoulders, "My… abilities gave me a mission. A mission to defeat a villain from another world."

"..." Riley remained quiet as he knew that it could be none other than him.

"And I think that villain is Gary Gray."

"Oh."

"And my abilities are telling me that he is close, he is somewhere here in this lawless country," Chihiro then stood up as she scanned New York, "My friend and I have scoured the social media and news to find any information about him, but nothing is really coming out—we need Whiteking's help. That is why I am here in the first place."

"Hm."

"And—and… of course, to…to…" Chihiro then looked back and forth between Riley and the city, "I…I also came to see you, Riley. I wanted to know why this other version of me risked her life for you."

"And did you come up with an answer, Golden Fox?"

"..." Chihiro's eyes strayed toward Riley again, and finally remained there,

"...No."

"..."

"But I would like to know more about you, Riley," Chihiro quickly covered her face with her mask; her breaths, slightly heavy as she stepped over the ledge, "Let's see each other again, Riley. I… will come and find you soon."

"Hm."

And with that, Chihiro leaped from the Empire State Building, before just disappearing mid-air without a trace. As for Riley, he just looked toward the North-West—Toronto, Canada.

If Gary Gray also exists in this world…

…then this should be fun.