Villain Retirement

"And then I realized…

…I've become you, Riley. I've truly become evil."

"Okay."

"..."

"..."

There was a silence that came after Silvie's confession. The restaurant was already quiet as it was with just the two of them, but now that none of them were talking, the only thing that Silvie could really hear was her own breath.

Her hearing was powerful so she could probably hear the entire planet if she wanted to, but she was too focused on what was going on between her and Riley. But for some reason, however, she couldn't even hear Riley breathe at all… and it was making her nervous.

"Okay…?" Silvie then whispered as she subtly glanced at Riley, who was just sitting there with his hands on the table; not wearing any expression at all on his face,

"...Say something, say anything."

"What do you want me to say, Silvie?" Riley turned to look at Silvie.

"Say that I'm right…" Silvie closed her eyes, "...Or say that I'm wrong, please — anything."

"You are wrong, Silvie," Riley then said without any hesitation, "Are you perhaps measuring how evil a person is by comparing them to me?"

"W… Yes?" Silvie slightly hesitated to answer at first but nodded at the end, "You're… the most evil person I know, Riley — but most importantly, you're evil for being evil's sake, and you've admitted it several times."

"Hm, then you are wrong," Riley then nodded, "Compared to all the things I have done and why I did them, you could not even be considered as evil, Silvie."

"What… would you have done if you were in my situation?" Silvie took in a deep breath as tears once again started to persist in her eyes, "Would… you have done differently? Wouldn't you have also killed them?"

"No, I would have let them live, Silvie."

"Then doesn't that make you better than me!?" Silvie then stood up from her chair, completely obliterating it into pieces as it was thrown away by the force of her standing up, "You… I know you, Riley. Even though you're so fucking evil and fucked up, you… you would have actually found a way to help them. I know you can, I know you would have for whatever reason."

"You are still Silvie," a hint of a smile could be seen forming on Riley's face, causing Silvie to slightly be weirded out, "You think murder is murder, no matter what."

"It is," Silvie nodded before getting a new chair and taking a seat again, "No matter what intent or reason I had… I still killed them."

"I would have found a way to let them live so they could suffer more, Silvie," Riley then breathed out as he suddenly grabbed Silvie's hand, once again causing her to flinch, "And then they would have spread that suffering to other people — I will teach them to be the worse they could possibly be…

…Killing is killing, that is true — but it could also be mercy, as is the reason why you did what you did."

"But—"

"And if you think you are still evil, Silvie…" Riley then looked Silvie in the eyes,

"...Look into my eye and think again."

"That's…" Silvie glanced at Riley's hand for a bit before returning Riley's gaze. And as soon as she saw the depth and darkness of his clear eyes, the only thing Silvie could really do was take in a gulp as she felt herself falling deep into the abyss that is Riley Ross—no. She didn't just feel it…

…she was falling into the darkness.

Throughout the 600 years, Silvie has faced the strongest enemies she had ever faced, been trapped and lost in the infinity that is the expanse of space, been alone for centuries with no one to talk to, been betrayed, and been beaten close to death thousands of times…

…and yet looking into Riley's eyes made all of those horrible experiences suddenly seem trivial, completely insignificant, even. And the fact that her hand was trapped by Riley made her scared…

…so scared.

She was reminded of what Riley Ross was and is — evil does not describe Riley at all, he is something beyond it.

"Let… please let go of my hand," Silvie could not help but just stutter. Fortunately for her, Riley did let go of her hand as soon as she said to do so.

"You are a hero, Silvie," Riley breathed out as he retracted his hand, "Perhaps it is time for you to bring that into this New World. Because I assure you, after Halfday…

…a lot more will come and follow suit. The other species and races, knowing that their time on this plane is once again limited, would find a way to destroy themselves — the villains will rise again."

"But… I'm not—"

"You are complete now, Silvie," Riley then smiled as he just looked at his hand, "Kindness even at the expense of your own morals."

"What…?"

"Your introduction story is now complete, Silvie…

…It's time for you to be Megawoman."

"Wh…" And all of a sudden, memories just rushed and raced through Silvie's mind in a flash as she remembered all the things she had been through, and how they started. Mega Academy, meeting Riley and the others — and now that she was thinking about it, it had always been Riley who had been pushing her.

He was the one who told her to go with the name Megagirl. In all aspects, Riley is the reason why she was who she was.

But most importantly, who else could actually tell her that it was her time to be Megawoman…

…other than the man who beat her?

"I… am Megawoman," Silvie then whispered. But soon, her breaths turned heavy as her voice became louder and louder, "I am Megawoman!"

"Yes," Riley smiled, "And now I can finally kill you, Silvie."

"Wh—!!!"

Silvie's eyes turned wide as Riley's hand was suddenly only inches away from her neck. He stopped, however, for the reason that people entered the restaurant.

"Maybe not," Riley then let out a small sigh as he retracted his hand, "I still quite like you, Silvie — and you are still Sister's friend."

"You… were you really going to kill me?" Silvie took in a small gulp; her eyes, only focusing on Riley's hand.

"If I was, are you still going to try and be Megawoman?"

"...I already am." Although her smile was slightly hesitant, there was no trace of stutter at all in her words, "I'm Megawoman."

"Good," Riley breathed out as he stood up, "And that is why you deserve the title, Silvie. But for now…

…have all of you brought the things I asked for?"

Riley then greeted the people who entered the restaurant. Silvie did not care at first, but took a curious glance at them… only for her eyes to turn wide.

"Kat…!?" Silvie once again suddenly stood up, this time breaking the table and chair as she rushed toward one of the ladies who entered the restaurant.

"Huh…?"

And without even letting the other person say anything, Silvie gave her a hug.

"Oh my god… Kat…" Tears once again trailed down Silvie's cheeks, "I'm… I missed you. I missed you so much."

"Uhm… who are you?"

"..." And as soon as Silvie heard those words, her tears just abruptly stopped as she gently let go and took a step back; her face turning even more red as she saw the confused look on Katrina's face.

"You… I thought you were someone else," an awkward smile started to crawl on Silvie's face, "Your… variant was my best friend you see, and—"

"Is."

"Hm…?" Silvie then quickly turned to look at the person behind Katrina, only to see another Katrina.

"I am still your best friend, Silv," Katrina's voice slightly trembled as tears also started to form in her eyes.

"Kat…? Kat!" And once again, Silvie leaped toward Katrina and embraced them; the two of them, just falling to the floor as their cries echoed throughout the restaurant.

"...A friend from your past, Riri?" Miss Pepondosovich stood beside Riley and whispered, "She kinda looks like that Aerith'Ross lady. Is she the one you're trying to find? I… expected her to be more mature."

"No," Riley shook his head, "She is… her own person, Miss Pepondosovich."

"Huh…" Miss Pepondosovich then just shrugged her shoulders before bringing the bags she had and walking to the kitchen, "Miss Liza, Miss Esme, let's leave them to have a moment first."

"Esme…?"

Miss Pepondosovich, Liza, and Esme were about to go to the kitchen before Silvie forced herself to stop crying and looked at Esme.

"Princess… Esme?" Silvie blinked a couple of times as she looked at the unusually tall themarian, "I was told you were out exploring the universe…?"

"You are probably talking about my variant that Master is friends with," Esme just blinked as she looked at Silvie, "I believe we have met once — I remember you even though I was not lucid then inside my cage. I am the Undead variant."

"Undead…" Silvie squinted her eyes as she tried to remember,

"...That was you?"