Villain Retirement

"I'm…"

"Say something!"

Riley was going to say something, but Aerith's voice thundered throughout the entire penthouse before he could even utter his next words.

"I am—"

"Just saying something!"

Of course, Aerith did not really want Riley to say anything, she didn't want to listen to him at all. Why would she? How could she?

She knew Riley enough that she knows that if Riley actually says something, Aerith would end up empathizing with him—no, she would end up sympathizing with him. That was the vicious and ridiculous cycle that she and everyone were trapped in when it comes to Riley.

Somehow, everyone just ends up being attracted to him; not necessarily romantically, but like what one would feel toward a rabid and isolated but extremely cute dog. You know you're going to get bitten, but you'll still want to pet it—That is the Riley Ross Effect.

And perhaps more so than others, Aerith was a victim of that.

Aerith did not really want to admit it, but Riley has always been a drug to her. She knew… she knew that if Riley was to say something, she would relapse like an addict and go to his side once more.

She will create an excuse.

She is staying by his side because she was the only one truly strong enough to stop him.

She will accompany him because that will be the only way that Riley would stop killing people.

She holds his hand because that is the only way for him not to do anything.

Aerith convinced herself that she was staying for Riley for the sake of everyone else, that he was some sort of burden that she needed to bear. But in truth…

…she is haunted by Riley, obsessed.

She doesn't know why, how, and when. She just was… just is.

There was just a certain void in her that only Riley could fit in, a very large void.

She has now lived for more than a thousand years—Riley should not even be a fraction of that, and yet her entire life now revolves around him and only him. Just when she thought she could escape…

…Riley wraps his arms around her, or perhaps it was the other way around.

"Just stop…" Aerith whispered as she continued to wipe the tears that were endlessly trailing down her cheeks,

"...Just stop saying anything."

"I'm not—"

"Don't."

"..."

Riley glanced at Aerith, before just looking to the side. And after a few seconds, he just casually walked toward the sofa, pushing away the forgotten Gracy that has actually been completely unconscious there for more than an hour now. And without saying anything, he just started browsing the TV.

"..." Aerith also did not say anything anymore. And instead, she just made her way to the bar and started serving herself drinks, or to be more specific, she was just drinking straight from the bottle and chugging whatever she could get her hands on.

"Um… Aerith."

"Mom."

"..."

"I already adopted you, so you call me Mom," Aerith forcefully handed Silvie a bottle as soon as she approached her, "Okay? You're the only child I have left—it won't be until another thousand years until I could actually create life."

"But, Ae—Mom, we still need to—"

"We don't need to do anything," Aerith chuckled, "Do you know? Did you know that I was ready to revive Themarians by myself? I need to wait a thousand years, but I could give birth. I was ready to roam the entire universe to find a rogue male Themarian to mate with—that is how desperate I am in trying to fix my mistake."

"We need to assist Han—"

"Statistically, there should at least be one out there that left Theran thousands of years ago," Aerith completely ignored Silvie's words as she just finished one bottle after another… fully knowing that Earth's alcohol won't even have any effect on her,

"But what do you know? One of Riley's clones was out there mingling along with what remains of my species—and my mother's one of them. I… what the heck. Do you—"

"Stop being so pathetic!"

Tired of being completely ignored, Silvie slapped Aerith right on the cheek. It was weak, not even enough to cause a tiny hint of shockwave, but Aerith's head move to the side and almost caused her to fall down there and then.

"I can't even pretend to know what you're feeling, but I also can't pretend to think that you're not acting like a crazed… like a crazed ex-girlfriend! I know what it looks like because I felt it too. I know, I know that what I have been through is absolutely nothing when compared to what happened to you, but Mom…

…Learn how to face what you're actually feeling, only then will you learn how to face the consequences of your actions."

"You…" Aerith touched her slightly swollen cheek, "...You're growing too fast."

"I've always been forced to," a wry smile crawled on Silvie's face.

"You shouldn't have had to," Aerith stretched her hand toward Silvie; very softly holding her cheek as she looked her in the eyes, "Children should never grow up too fast."

"I'm not a child anymore, Aerith. None of us are," Silvie said as she glanced at Riley, "So, please. Stop wallowing and let's just focus on what matters now—Chihiro. We need to do something about her."

"..." And almost at the same time, the expression on Aerith and Silvie's faces slowly became serious.

"The Hannah of this world—based on what we heard earlier—Nannah has already been defeated by Chihiro, so the only thing she could really do is try and protect the Chihiro of this world," Silvie's tone started to reflect her face, "As for Hannah, she might be able to stop Chihiro, but I believe the only way to stop her is to kill her, and that is something Hannah will never be able to do. As for me…

…I can do it, but I don't trust myself not to hesitate when the time comes."

"..."

"You've been retired long enough, Megawoman," Silvie then bumped her fist on Aerith's chest, "There are people that need saving."

"You're… right," Aerith took in a deep breath as she glanced at Riley, "I refuse to be a prisoner of whatever this is anymore. I'm…

…coming out of the closet you confined me in."

"..."

"..."

"...What?" Silvie squinted her eyes.

"That—It's nothing," Aerith waved her hand, "You won't understand."

And with those words, Aerith just walked past Riley and went straight toward the closest window, refusing to even look at him anymore.

"Make sure Riley doesn't go anywhere," and with a nod toward Silvie, Aerith opened the window and flew away.

"How… am I even going to do that?" Silvie could really only once again squint her eyes as she looked at Riley, only to find that he was no longer there,

"...Yup. That's what I thought."

And so, with those words, Silvie also followed Aerith and jumped through the window.

"..."

"..."

"...Fuck," and finally, Gracy, who has actually just been pretending to be asleep the entire time, sat up from the sofa and started looking around,

"...What did I get myself caught up to?"

"..."

"..."

"...And why am I not actually caught up to it!?"

"Because you're a side character, Gary."

"What the fuck!?"

Gracy jumped out from her seat as soon as she heard a voice that was not supposed to still be lingering in the penthouse. She then quickly turned to look at the sofa, only to see Riley still actually sitting there.

"I… I thought you were gone."

"I have some pretty useful abilities, female Gary."

"Can you please stop calling me Gary!?"

"Very well, female Gracy."

"You don't need to add the female there because I'm a woman!"

"You identify as a woman?"

"You—" Gracy was going to say something, but she completely shut her mouth when Riley suddenly stood up from the sofa. She then watched as Riley started walking around the penthouse before settling in front of the mirror that was slightly being covered by the bottles of wine behind the counter of the bar.

His reflection was fractured and distorted at first, but as Riley's silhouette soon started to be covered in a black that was not capable of bouncing any light at all, his form quickly started to show.

"..." Gracy could really only back away as she saw this. As someone seeing it for the first time, it was truly a sight to behold.

It was almost as if darkness itself was embracing Riley. It was a shadow maliciously dark; dark to the point that Gracy could feel herself being sucked into its eternal abyss. And unlike those who are already familiar with Riley…

…Gracy saw no sadness in this shadow. No remorse, no regret, and not even a single atom of compassion.

There was only darkness, and an even deeper darkness inside of it.

"R… Riley?" Gracy breathed out. But as Riley glanced at him; the visor of his helmet, which was the only thing that actually shone across his entire silhouette, completely reflected the fear that was slowly but surely building inside Gracy.

Riley did not say anything. And instead, he just placed his finger in front of his helmet; gesturing a hush as Gracy's fear continued to reflect on his visor.

And of course, Gracy no longer made a sound, not even a single breath.

"Good girl," Riley whispered as he leaned closer to Gracy, "I am not going to kill you, Gracy. You're still relevant for what is to come."

"..."

"What is to come, you ask?" Riley then stretched his hand to the side; his silhouette, covering Gracy's entire vision,

"A very dark day."