Villain Retirement

"..."

"..."

"Could it be you do not like this desert, Chihiro?"

"Oh… What? No."

"No?"

"No, I mean…"

Back in the universe Riley was currently in, he and Chihiro was inside a Korean-flavored shaved ice store. Like always, he ordered the one with lots of mango cubes on top—not even letting any of the shaved ice melt as he devoured them with his large mouth without a care for anything else.

As for Chihiro, half of her bowl was already drowned with the melted ice, and what remained was an iceberg that looked similar to the one that sank the Titanic. It wasn't the Titanic that was sinking, however, but herself as she found herself not knowing what to do.

She felt trapped inside a ship she herself crashed straight into an iceberg called Riley Ross. But what was she even supposed to do? Fighting him would be suicide.

Chihiro has never considered herself a coward—and for every adversary she fought that was stronger than her, she was able to surpass and defeat. But she also wasn't stupid, she knew that the previous adversaries she faced were nothing compared to Riley Ross.

Riley was like an unclimbable from another universe completely, literally. There was no use trying to fight against him because you can not win against him—wanting to do so would just be pride talking.

"Ah. Could it be that you feel guilty eating inside a Korean establishment since your ancestors almost wiped them out a hundred years ago, Chihiro?"

"...What?"

"If Megawoman did not stop your ancestors from allying with the man with a weird mustache, the Japanese would have wiped out the Koreans—could it be that a different scenario happened in this universe?"

"No…?" And finally, after a few more seconds of her being lost in her own thoughts, she finally grabbed her spoon and started eating… drinking her dessert like soup.

"..." Riley's eyes slightly squinted as he watched Chihiro sip her dessert. And then, with a flick of his finger, the temperature around Chihiro's bowl lowered to the point that everything froze. And then, with another flick, the ice that formed was turned into fine little dust once more.

"...Thanks?" Chihiro forced out a weak chuckle as she continued to indulge in a dessert that tasted completely opposite of her situation right now, "How… many abilities do you have?"

"Oh, that was just telekinesis, Chihiro."

"It… was?" Chihiro could really only sigh. Her will to fight, now just completely gone like it didn't even exist before, "And to answer your question, no. I'm not guilty about—Well, I do feel slightly…no. Never mind that…

…I just feel like someone's been watching us since earlier."

"Your System, Chihiro?" Riley stopped consuming his dessert and started looking around.

"No, not… Machina," Chihiro quickly shook his head, "Well, yes. But I feel like there's something else, someone else that's watching us."

"That is probably one of the Bernards, Chihiro," Riley nodded as he continued eating, "If you feel like someone is watching you, then it will always probably be him. But if it is not, then being watched is just normal because you are with me."

"..."

He wasn't wrong. Even if Riley was not a criminal that has killed billions of people, his physical appearance itself was far from normal.

Albinos or humans with leucism were already rarer than people with powers, but even amongst them, Riley looked completely different. It was almost as if he was just made to be… perfect. Of course, he looked weird—with his almost crystal eyes, pale skin, and unusually wide mouth—but for some reason, he looked perfect in a very weird way.

And everyone saw that.

Chihiro initially thought she was still in her superhero outfit when people started taking pictures of them, but she wasn't—all of them were trying to take photos of Riley. Unfortunately for them, Chihiro's abilities prevent them from snapping a photo.

But honestly, right now, Chihiro was starting to wonder whether or not perhaps Riley was also preventing them from taking a photo—he was certainly capable of that just from the abnormal control of his telekinetic abilities.

There was one thing Chihiro was sure of, however; she would have been dead right now if she had continued to fight Riley Ross, or even if she ran as Machina suggested. If it wasn't for the mysterious being that called himself 'Nothing', then she wouldn't be here casually eating dessert with Riley.

"Do you…" Chihiro no longer cared as she took the initiative to start another conversation, "...like sweet things?"

"No," Riley quickly answered.

"Then why…?"

"I like it because my sister likes it," Riley nodded to himself as he continued eating.

"But… I saw you drink milk and eat cookies while we were… at Hannah's house."

"Yes, I like milk and cookies."

"...Right," Chihiro quickly gave up in trying to figure out Riley as she just started quietly eating her dessert. The silence did not last long, however, as Chihiro once again could not help but just ask, "Why… did you not tell me?"

"Hm?"

"I know this is a stupid question because why in the world would you tell me…" Chihiro let out a small breath as she looked Riley in the eyes, "...But why did you not tell me that you were the Villain I was searching for? I'm sure you knew it was you."

"You did not ask if it was me, Chihiro," Riley tilted his head to the side in confusion, "If you asked, then I would have answered."

"With the truth?"

"Perhaps," Riley smiled, "But mystery is always the fun—"

"Riley?"

Chihiro's entire body flinched and froze as Riley suddenly stopped talking. She couldn't even tremble as she watched as Riley stood up; not knowing whether she should prepare to rescue everyone in the store right now.

"..." Chihiro's eyes started moving around, trying to figure out how she would evacuate everyone. Fortunately for her, Riley just walked toward the counter.

"What… what?" Chihiro was able to breathe again as she figured out what was going on.

Riley, on the other hand, just casually ordered another bowl of dessert.

"She is paying for it," Riley said to the cashier as he pointed at Chihiro.

"...What? If you wanted another one I could have just—"

"Riley!"

And before Chihiro could completely get rid of her confusion, Hannah barged inside the store, almost breaking the door open as she did so and deafening everyone inside with her loud voice.

The people were, of course, surprised. But their surprise turned into utter shock as another Hannah stepped inside the store.

"What are you…" Nannah quickly covered her face, but it was already too late as everyone saw her. She did not really bother much about it, however, as any evidence of whatever happened here would just be erased by her father.

Several guards also started appearing, telling the other customers to leave the shop and paying them a hefty sum. Even the manager was paid to close the store as the Ross family just freshly bought the store just minutes ago.

"Riley!"

"Oh, you brought Shirtless Hannah," Riley turned back to the cashier to order another one for Nannah. But alas, all the staff were gone. He was going to go over the counter to make one himself, but Hannah pulled him away back to the seat.

"What are you doing just casually eating here while we worry what kind of fuckery you will do!?" Hannah said calmly.

"And you!" Hannah then pointed at Chihiro, who was still seated at the table with a confused expression on her face, "You could have died! I know you and I are basically strangers, but I was friends with your other version!"

"...Were you, really?"

And unexpectedly, Chihiro actually answered Hannah as she stood up from her seat, "If you and I were friends, then why are you protecting the one who killed me?" She asked, fully knowing the answer already.

"Oh, everything that can be done has been done to stop Riley," Hannah, on the other hand, took a seat and started eating Riley's mango dessert, "Do you know what Megawoman and my mother did to him? They took turns in destroying his brain and body over and over again before throwing him into a void—but typical Riley, he ends up being a menace for everyone again and found himself in an alternate dimension. Oops."

"..."

"Riley…" Hannah sighed, "Riley just has a way not to disappear. He's like… a cockroach. You're a cockroach, brother."

"Thank you, sister."

"That was not a fucking compliment," Hannah groaned as she started consuming the dessert violently.

"..." Nannah also awkwardly sat down. And as soon as she did so, Riley gave him a dessert of her own that he made using his telekinesis.

"...Thanks?"

"Anyway," Hannah then started waving her spoon around, "You and I will leave after I'm done with this bowl."

"Okay," Riley nodded without any hesitation again.

"Just so you know, Aerith and the others are still trying to find ways to get rid of you."

"...Aerith is?"

"..." Hannah quickly stopped eating as she heard Riley's voice, "What's the deal with that? Don't tell me you're hurt because Aerith betrayed you or whatev—Oh, you are."

"I am not," Riley quickly shook his head, "My feelings can't be hurt, they are not allowed to."

"Cringe," Hannah rolled her eyes, "I think it's obvious to everyone right now that you do feel. You went crazy when Megawoman tried to kill herself."

"..." Riley did not really say anything and just looked to the side.

"Anyway, I'm done…" Hannah lifted herself up, "...Say what you guys want to say to Riley, because this is the last chance you will ever ha—"

And before Hannah could finish her words, the air in front of them started to crack… with a person casually stepping out of it without any caution or wary.

"That's… an old me?" Chihiro gasped.

"I'm as old as you!"

"Fuck…" Hannah's shoulders quickly dropped as she stared at this older version of Chihiro,

"...Can't we just go home without anything happening?"