Villain Retirement

"...Are the students really ready for this?"

"I... don't even know what the Academy is doing anymore."

Back in the Academy, some of the staff and instructors were currently discussing the current school-wide activity-- with Spectacular Mustache Man's voice being the loudest of all.

"The least they could have done is to let us go with them," Spectacular Mustache Man breathed out, "I don't think they're ready-- some of them are just kids."

"They need to face this sooner or later..." Nightwalker let out a small breath, "This might help them in the future to... avoid what happened to the students in my class."

"Are you still blaming yourself for what happened?" Katherine then joined in on the conversation with a sigh, "It's not your fault, Nightwalker. No one... could have anticipated the Dark Millenium."

"That's--"

"You children seem to really care about your students."

"Ah, Bulwark!"

All the instructors stood up as soon as they saw Bulwark approaching them, "I... I heard you will be working as an instructor in the Academy starting next week!"

"Indeed I am," Bulwark nodded, "I'll be supervising a class."

"Supervising... but all the classrooms already have a supervisor?" One of the instructors muttered as they all looked at each other in confusion.

"That's actually why I, unfortunately, had to interrupt your conversation," Bulwark let out a small sigh as he turned his head towards Katherine, "Once the students return from their activities...

...I will be the one handling Class 1-V."

***

"That was the best fucking meal of my life!"

Gary's voice almost sealed the heavens as he raised his arms to face the starry night, "I now know my goal in life... to turn Riley Ross's channel into the best cooking platform in the whole world!"

"...We're in a superhero academy, Gary. It's not that kind of story," while Hannah's sighs almost pierced the ground.

With the table now gone, the group was just sitting... on sofas that also came from the back of the truck. Gary was also resting alone on a large bean bag; with all of these, the others could not help but wonder what else Riley brought with him.

At this point, the truck might as well just have been a camper truck; seeing as they were all just watching the moon and the stars; their relaxed breaths almost causing the small grass beneath their feet to also sleep.

"Let's go," Hannah then stretched her body as she stood up, causing her costume to also tighten and show the alluring lines on her legs.

"You sure you're not going to sleep?" Silvie breathed out as she blocked Silvie from Gary's view.

"We need to move now if we want to get there tomorrow night," Hannah yawned, "It's fine, I can go without sleeping for 2 days."

"Then let's just stay here for a while since that's the case," Gary then let out a small chuckle as he stretched his palm towards the stars and the moon.

"..." Hannah, Silvie, and Tomoe all look at each other as they hear the slightly somber tone in Gary's voice. Gary... being melancholic?

This was something they had to see, they all thought as they returned to their seats.

"Have any of you wondered what's waiting for us out there?" Gary muttered, "What our... lives could be if we weren't born here?"

"Hm," Silvie was the first to nod.

"..." As for Tomoe, she only looked at the sky, before also letting out a small but deep breath.

"Probably nothing good," while Hannah only shook her head before embracing Riley's arm and resting on his shoulder.

"Mega Woman's planet," Riley breathed out as he also looked at the stars.

"I... I don't think Gary meant it literally, Riley," Silvie then chuckled as her voice also became slightly sedated.

"...Mega Woman's planet," Gary sighed, "I wonder when those fuckers will make contact with us?"

"Pft, we wish," Hannah chuckled as she closed her eyes, "They're probably just looking down at us thinking we're monkeys. My guess is, only Mega Woman is decent amongst them-- why'd you think she left in the first place?"

"Ha... I never thought of it like that," Gary muttered, "You think she also had the same problems we do now?"

"I... wonder what she had to go through to become the person she is," Silvie whispered, "Will... we actually become someone like her in the future?"

"..." What answered Silvie's question was Gary's snore.

"There he goes," Hannah said as she also let out a yawn, "I think you will be better than her, Silvie."

"...I don't know. I'm... having doubts with myself lately."

"Because Riley nabbed the Mega Student title?"

"No, I don't care about that," Silvie slightly chuckled as she too, soon closed her eyes, "I... just want to be deserving of the name I chose for myself... but at this point... I... I think I am starting to... lose myself."

"Then just defeat Darkday," Hannah whispered, "If you do that... then you would have surpassed Mega Woman."

"You... think I can do it?"

"Maybe... but we'll be here to help. Darkday... is someone that shouldn't exist."

"Hm..."

"...Yup."

And soon, the two just exchanged hums; slowly fading and drifting away as their breaths became extremely relaxed.

"..."

"..."

Riley glanced at his sleeping sister as her calmed breaths whispered into his ear; his eyebrows, ever so slightly furrowed as he fixed her hair.

"If someone does manage to kill Darkday," he then whispered, "I want... I need it to be you, sister. Only...

...you."

"...Master Riley."

"Hm?" Riley then slightly moved his head as Tomoe's mumbled whispers reached his ears.

"Thank you... for cooking. I...

...I love you."

"..." Riley then glanced at Tomoe, only to see her also completely defenseless as her head almost fell from the sofa, completely out. He stared at her for a few seconds, before letting out a small sigh and turning his eyes back to the dark skies.

"Your planet...

...I will reach it someday."

***

"W... what the!? Who's driving!?"

"Wha-- are the enemies here!?"

Hannah's screams jolted everyone awake as she almost jumped up from her seat as she realized she was already inside the truck... and the scenery outside was changing.

"R... Riley?" Hannah then wiped her eyes to see if she was seeing it right, "I thought you didn't know how to drive!? Don't... don't tell me you lied to me again!"

"You do not have to worry, sister," Riley shook his head, "I did not lie to you, I truly do not know how to drive."

"...What? Then how are we--" Hannah once again looked outside the window, and she wasn't mistaken, they truly were moving across the road. However, as soon as she saw that Riley's hands weren't even holding the wheel, she finally realized what was going on.

"You... get out of there! I told you not to fly us away!"

"I am not, sister. The wheels are touching the ground."

"Do you even know how fast we're moving!?"

And just like that, everyone woke up from Hannah's loud, and annoying voice. But thanks to Riley speeding through the road, they were able to reach Miami a lot faster than they expected. They were stopped by the police, of course. But as soon as they were recognized as students of Mega Academy, they were let off with a light warning.

"Welcome, Miami!"

And as soon as they reached their district, Gary quickly leaped out of the truck and took in the ocean breeze.

"We're not here to play, Gary," Silvie then let out a small sigh as she too, stood beside Gary and breathed in the breeze, "But... a minute of rest can't hurt. Think... we'll have time to jump in the water?"

"Oho, I like what I am hearing, ohoho, I like it very much," Gary then said as his eyes started to sparkle, "It's time for some fan-service."

"Ack, so sticky," Hannah then complained as she pulled her suit to ease out the crease, "I'm not even sweating and yet everything is--"

"D... don't do that here!" Silvie quickly covered her from everyone's view, who... seemed to be approaching them?

"It... It's them! The students from Mega Academy!"

"I... I knew it! I saw the words on the truck during the stream, 'The Baby Crew!'"

"Whiteking's children are here, right!?"

"Uhm, guys?" Gary then slightly backed away as the onslaught of people was getting nearer and nearer to them.

"We... should probably park somewhere else?"

And with those words, the group did not even have to vote as they all returned to the truck-- unfortunately, due to the size of their vehicle, their only choice was to park somewhere out in the open again. But at least this time, there weren't any crowds of people threatening to bombard them.

"Alright! Take two! Let's do this shit!"

And so, with that-- the group was finally taking their first steps to becoming full-fledged superheroes.

"Wait, everyone."

But before they could scout the area, Riley suddenly opened the back of the truck.

"That...

....is that!?"