Riley Ross

"What's this world even turning into? This is hell."

"Has it not always been, Megawoman?"

"Oh? You're… awake?"

Riley doesn't even know why he said that. He was going to pretend to be asleep, quietly biding his time until the right moment came to extinguish his problem without drawing attention. That plan was already complicated enough, with said problem literally dangling from Megawoman's waist, and now he exposed himself.

Perhaps he should just do it, kill Mr. Saturday while he was hanging from Megawoman? Would she really feel it with the wind blasting across their bodies and faces?

And in the first place, would she actually even feel it at all? Her being able to sense his telekinetic aura was just something Riley had in his mind. This was Megawoman, after all—it was safer to assume everything.

She was also the only one who was truly able to stop Alice. He should always assume that her powers are way beyond whatever was on his mind, and then multiply it twice just for good measure… and it probably still wouldn't be close to her true power.

That was how Bernard explained Megawoman to him and Hannah. But more importantly than any of that, it was listed in the registry that she had Minor Telekinesis—how minor was it?

What is minor in terms of Megawoman?

Mr. Monday also had telekinesis, and he was not able to detect Riley's powers at all. Was Megawoman's minor low? What would his basis even be?

Uh oh. My mind is getting filled with thoughts. This is very bad. I should do something, act normal. Normal.

"I was pretending to be asleep, Megawoman."

That was not what I wanted to say.

"I know, I could hear you opening your eyes."

Well, that is definitely not good. She could hear that? Even when the wind is blasting on our faces? And where is she even taking us? I thought we were going straight down, but apparently not—and I did not even notice, but we are flying extremely fast now.

"If it wasn't for that, I might've actually thought you were asleep. Your heart's extremely… calm. It's nice to listen to."

"That is surprising, Megawoman. Because I am currently extremely nervous and anxious."

"Are you, now?" Megawoman chuckled, leaning her head away to look at Riley, "How old are you again?"

"Twelve. But I look a lot older, Megawoman." Riley also leaned his head back, glancing at Megawoman's face. She wasn't even wearing a mask, and she looked familiar and not at the same time—like when you see someone you've always just seen on TV, but then don't recognize them when you pass by them in person. It was… weird.

"I look a lot older because of my white hair."

"Really?" Megawoman narrowed her eyes at him, "Personally, I think you look younger than your age."

"That would make sense, Megawoman. You are more than 300 years old, everyone would look young to you."

"You better tread lightly, kid. Comments about my age usually don't get to me, but I don't like them coming from you for some reason."

"Oh. I apologize, Megawoman. I did not mean to—"

"Pft. I was kidding—I'm just trying to loosen you up and break the ice. Did it work? Are you at least a little relaxed now?"

"No. You make me nervous, Megawoman."

"Oh. Well, sorry. I guess you don't like being carried by old ladies?"

"I do not like being carried by anyone, Megawoman. Nor being touched."

"I can put you in a harness."

"Mother put a wrist leash on me once; it did not work so well for both of us, Megawoman."

"Woah, roger that. Pft."

"You seem to be a very happy individual, Megawoman."

"Am I? Maybe I just find you funny?"

"I suppose that makes sense, Megawoman. I have been told that I am a very funny individual."

"PFT. Who told you that?"

"My sister."

"Right. Your family's probably worried about you right now, about all of you."

"Even Mr. Saturday, Megawoman?"

"Mr. Saturday? Is that the name of this guy?"

"Yes, the people who kidnapped us are named by days."

"Huh… that's lazy. This new generation's lacking creativity."

"Your name is Megawoman, Megawoman."

"Uh. First of all, I didn't name myself that. Second, I kind of like it now."

"I suppose it suits you, Megawoman."

"Can I ask you something, Riley? Your name is Riley, right?"

"Since I only know of your superhero name, I believe it would be fairer for you to call me Sweet Snowy Little Baby Boy."

"Yeah, no. Riley. Can I ask you a question?"

"You have asked me three consecutive times already, Megawoman. I do not see what is stopping you from asking your main question."

"Sheesh. And I thought we were low-key vibing."

"..."

"Isn't that how… your generation talks?"

"By that logic, I would expect you to speak Latin, Megawoman."

"Okay. I'm not that old."

"I suppose you are less than two thousand years old, then?"

"I'm less than a thousand—and stop profiling me. I'm supposed to be the one asking questions. Answer me, then I'll answer any of your questions too. Deal?"

"Okay."

"Alright—when you said this world has always been Hell, what did you mean by that?"

"It has no other meaning other than this world is hell, Megawoman."

"Why… do you say so?"

"Hell is often depicted to be a place of suffering, where people are tortured every second of their lives."

"There are a hundred planets out there that also have people, Riley. Are they hell too?"

"I have not seen them, Megawoman. But even if you take out the people in the equation, the devils and the demons are left, and I have seen them depicted in books and paintings. They often skin their victims alive, burn them in fire, boil them, stab them with forks, and eat them. More often than not, you will see them with smiles on their faces or laughing with their friends. What other manner of creature do you think treats other creatures like that other than us, Megawoman?"

"Huh. That's… very unexpected."

"It is not, Megawoman. And if you say that there are hundreds more other planets out there, then they are hell too—Hell is wherever people are."

"Heh. My mother would have loved you. Go on then, your turn to ask a question."

"I already asked my question, Megawoman."

"What? When?"

"Earlier. I suppose it is my turn to ask a question again. What do you plan to do with Mr. Saturday, Megawoman?"

"He's going to prison for a very, very long time. Okay, my turn—how is the Academy treating you? Have you made any… friends?"

"I do not have friends, but there are biologically female students always hanging around me and Sister."

"All of them are girls? I thought you had a male… acquaintance?"

"I thought so too, Megawoman. My turn to ask a question."

"Oh… okay."

"Why are you lying to me?"

"H-huh…? When did I lie?"

"When you told me that Mr. Saturday is going to prison for a very, very long time, Megawoman."

"He is."

"He is dead, Megawoman."

I know, I killed him while you and I were busy talking. Fortunately, I do not think you noticed, Megawoman… or are you pretending?

"...I'm sorry for lying. I just want you to know that it's not your fault."

"It is okay even if it was, Megawoman. Summary of article eight, section four, on the legal status of supervillains post-conviction of violent crimes: Supervillains found guilty of violent crimes are promptly stripped of their legal rights and may be lawfully neutralized."

"Great… Please, don't become Bernard Jr."

"That would be impossible, I am adopted."

"And I am serious, Riley. It's not your fault that he's dead."

"And I am serious, Megawoman. It is okay even if it was—I do not feel the same way you and the others do. I do not process guilt the way you may expect me to."

"And yet you tried to save him, someone who tried to kill you."

Of course, Mmirioma was watching—fortunate that she was, because if she was not… you would have seen me kill him the way I truly wanted to, Megawoman.

"Because Mega Academy is teaching me to become a hero, Megawoman. It would be a waste of tuition if I did not at least uphold the values they try to teach us."

"...You're going to become a problem once you grow up, huh?"

"I am a problem now, Megawoman."

"Right. Right."

"I will ask my final question now, Megawoman."

"What is it?"

"Why have we been flying in circles for a while now?"

"Isn't it obvious? I wanted to talk to you."

"Perhaps you could have placed me on the ground first, we could have talked then—and I am not your only passenger."

"You don't need to mind them, your schoolmates will be out until later. The… trauma they must've gone through. The potential villain list… just what is the Academy doing?"

"You do not know, Megawoman? Do you not own it?"

"God, no. Why would I even be part of something like that?"

"You should be, Megawoman. Then you could have prevented something like this from happening."

"You mean… I should get a job at Mega Academy?"

No. That would mean my freedom to do the things I do would diminish—but then, it would be more interesting, no?

"Yes."

"Hmm. No, I don't think so. Can I be honest with you?"

"Have you not been?"

"I don't mean it like that. I just… can I tell you something?"

"What is it, Megawoman?"

"I don't like your father. I never did, even way before."

"I believe a lot of people do not, Megawoman. And I retract my previous statement. I will ask my final question now."

"Hmm?"

"If you did not like him even way before, Megawoman…

…Why did none of you volunteer to adopt me aside from him?"