Riley Ross

"They are leaving, Hera."

"Hmn. Yes, they are."

Riley and Hera were now sitting on top of the monument, watching as the crowd of people left one by one. The lights they planted, however, were still dancing lively around the monument and would probably last long before they were gone from the flat horizon of the lands of Ohio.

Right after they had finished their lullaby, everyone turned to the person beside them and started hugging them—it was clear that most of them didn't know each other, but their shared tragedy was enough to get them together.

Tragedy, perhaps one of the only things where men come together. Funerals are a reunion. Perhaps I am actually doing a good thing by killing those people? No, of course not.

"What are you thinking about in that white head of yours?"

"Hmm?" Riley glanced at Hera, only for her to press her finger on his forehead.

"I asked what you were thinking about since earlier. You already had that expression back at the hotel," she repeated, gently pushing his head back before softly giggling at him. "I've never seen a twelve-year-old look like they have the weight of the entire world on their shoulders."

"Is it because of my white hair, Hera?"

"I didn't say you looked old, I said you look like you have lots of things on your mind."

"I do have lots of things on my mind, Hera." Riley also pressed his finger on his forehead, "The thoughts do not stop, even when I am asleep. But to answer your question, I was thinking of dropping out of Mega Academy—I believe I do not fit there."

"...And where do you think you fit?" Hera raised an eyebrow.

Riley only glanced at Hera's shoulder before looking up at the sky. Hera waited for him to answer, but even after a few more awkward seconds, he remained completely silent—leaving Hera to sigh and shake her head.

"I also used to think I didn't belong in the Academy." And so, she chose to answer her own question, "I was in the orphanage for a few years after… this."

She sighed again before falling onto her back, her decently sized breasts softly jiggling as she lay on the monument.

"A super that could adapt to and through anything," she whispered. "What would I be in need of the Academy for? My power would solve everything for me. I don't need it. I can just live through life without having to worry about anything. Food, money… I don't need any of those to survive. I could survive in the vacuum of space if I had to. But then I realized it was all me, me, me."

"Hmm?" Riley glanced at her.

"All I was thinking about was myself. My survival."

"But that is your ability, Hera."

"Yes. And I wanted it to be more," she let out a huge breath, turning her eyes to Riley as she smiled, "How can I, with someone whose ability is solely for herself, distribute it to other people? So, I enrolled in the Academy to get some answers. I didn't get any at first, but in the end, I did. I met Kat and made some other friends, and I learned how to help people with my abilities. I even made a name for myself—can you believe that? Me, a celebrity?"

"It would be harder to believe that you are not, Hera."

"Jesus. You're gonna be a problem when you grow up," she burst out into a chuckle while shaking her head, "Look. What I'm trying to say is that you should stick around—you don't know what you're going to gain here."

I do not, Hera. But what I do know is what I would keep on doing—I will keep on hurting and killing people. We have the opposite problem—your abilities are only for yourself. Mine is for everyone… for everyone to feel. Mega Academy is too enclosed of a net for what I need to do, and it is a net that would eventually catch me if I do not get away from it.

"Ugh. There's that chill again," Hera quickly sat up and started rubbing her arms, "I guess it's starting to get cold. Look, if you feel like the Academy's too small for you, don't just quit. Okay? I mean, Jesus… you're twelve. I don't really think you know what you actually want."

"I do not?"

"How about this—after this trip, come to an audition with me."

"An… audition?" Riley tilted his head.

"For a part. In a show, I mean." Hera shrugged, "I'm set to audition, but I already got the part, and I'm only there for formality. It's not that deep of a show, and it's more on star power and surprises if anything—what better surprise than the son of one of the wealthiest humans on planet Earth? You'll be in the limelight."

In the limelight. I do not believe my current… occupation would appreciate that. What I need is to be in the shadows, away from any sort of light that would reveal the heinous things I have done.

"You'll meet a lot of people who would change your perspective in life," Hera hugged her leg and rested her head on her knee, "And most importantly, you could be yourself."

"Myself?"

"Yes. You are someone who pretends, Riley Ross. An actor is someone who pretends—ironically enough, you don't need to pretend if you become an actor. You… get it, right?" Hera smiled, "What better disguise can you have? People wouldn't even know if you were pretending or not. Plus… you don't even need a formal excuse to go missing from the Academy for a few days."

Hmm?

"Oh, that got you curious, huh?" Hera smirked at him, "The Academy used to ask me a lot, but then it came to the point when I could just leave whenever I wanted to without permission. It's a nice perk."

"Okay, Hera."

"Okay…?"

"I will go with you to the audition," Riley blinked before pulling on a few strands of his hair, "But I believe my appearance would prove to be a hindrance in getting any sort of roles, Hera."

"Make up, wigs, hair dyes, CGI. Movie magic can change all of that," Hera stood up, "And Riley, you're an extremely good-looking kid. Usually, and I don't mean this in any offensive way, people like you… Albinos, there's something uncanny valley usually happening on your faces. Sorry."

"No offense taken on my part, Hera."

"Good, that's settled then." A giant pair of wings once again sprouted from Hera's back.

"Now, let's get you back to your sister before they start thinking I abducted a minor."

***

The day after, some of the freshmen were pulled out by their parents from the field trip, while a handful of them even fully withdrew from the school. After all, this was the third time a freshman had died on their watch, and it hadn't even been a month.

Granted, Stephanie died outside the Academy and was murdered by some sort of aspiring serial killer, and the other one died a few blocks away from campus grounds as collateral damage of a villain's attack, but the public was still blaming the Academy.

All in all, however, the number of people no longer part of the field trip wouldn't reach ten.

The students were nervous, of course—but they all knew this was part of the world. People are dying everywhere because of supervillains, and they never even get to the news.

There were five billion people on Earth; there was a price to be part of its point one percent, which people of the Academy are.

"Wow… no one left from our class?" Gracey and the Baby Crew were once again on the bus and wearing their uniform, with Gracey standing and looking at the backs of their classmates' heads, counting them one by one, "I thought for sure everyone would start crying and leaving."

"Bitch, please." Bella rolled her eyes at Gracey, "You think gettin' into Mega Academy easy or somethin'? They already here, only straight-up fools would dip."

"But it is easy to get into Mega Academy, Bella."

"Ugh, boy, you know what I meant." Bella waved Riley off, "Being part of Mega Academy? That's a blessin'. Folks who leave—man, they don't even know what they threw away. Your whole career locked down soon as you graduate. And—wait, hold up. Where the hell are we?"

Everyone on the bus quickly stopped whatever conversations they were having as they all looked outside.

"Are we… going home? Why are we back here?"

"Not exactly…" Hannah narrowed her eyes, "We were on the flyover the other day. But now…"

They were at the edges of the aftermath of what Ms. Phoenix had done, where most of the melted and ruined buildings were still completely left alone by the government—perhaps because of the cost, or as an additional reminder of what the supers could do.

But it wasn't only the buildings or the surrounding areas that served as a reminder, no.

The people who were now living there were a reminder too, and they weren't shy about voicing it.

Most of them were out in the streets, holding signs that all supers should die.

"Uhh…" Gracey raised a finger,

"...I'm starting to think the Academy's best interest is not our safety. What… are we even doing here?"

"Glad you asked," Katherine clapped her hands as she got up from her seat,

"You kids are here to serve the community and the homeless."

"Is that… really wise? Won't the Dark Millennium also be here?!"

"Living in fear's not going to do any of you good. And don't worry—they said everything's secure."

"There's someone out there literally holding a sign that they want us dead!"