Riley Ross

"Joseph?"

"I talked to him last night. His leg's already fully healed, but… he said he wants to be alone for now."

Sometime ten years ago, forty-eight hours after the death of Ms. Phoenix, the members of the Hope Guild were gathered at their Tower HQ. Well, at least that was the plan.

There were only two of them seated around the large table.

Bulwark was there, the glow of his golden skin much dimmer than its usual color… if it had any color today at all, that is. His skin had been completely desaturated ever since the tragic incident.

He had lived countless lifetimes, and he was there during the time of humanity, where violence was seen as an absolute necessity. When war happened daily, and the blood of men and warriors flowed endlessly across the beaches in search of domination and better land.

"What happened here… was a tragedy," he whispered to the only other person in the hall. "I was there at Sumer and Elam, and then thousands of years later, I was on the opposite side of the island, watching men torture each other and nail them to crosses… but I have never seen anything like this. In an instant, not even a second, millions of lives were lost—and it was done by our friend. It is no wonder Joseph doesn't want to mingle with us. He—Oh?"

Before Bulwark could finish his words, he heard a sneeze in the otherwise empty hall. He slowly turned toward the only other person in the hall.

The Empress.

Her suit was as white and as blue as the endless horizon of the clear ocean, a complete contrast with her skin that was as dark as a starless night. Her hair was incredibly voluminous and straight, but there were hints of coils and curls here and there at the ends. Most of the front part of her hair was braided, tied to the sides, while two braids slightly dangled in front of her face.

And perhaps the most prominent feature was the golden rings she had dangling around her arms—six on each.

And these rings, currently, were being grabbed and played with by little Riley.

"These are not toys, Riley," she gently held his hand. lightly tapping it as if afraid that she would hurt him, "You shouldn't play with them."

She had Riley on her lap, and aside from trying to play with her rings, he wasn't making any sound at all or doing anything else—that was the only reason why The Empress hadn't removed them.

Bulwark, who was seated at the other side of the table, lightly chuckled as he stood up and approached them.

"How… is the boy, Adaeze?" He asked.

"He's… alright, I guess?" The Empress sighed as she raised her arm, but Riley still refused to let go even as he hung in the air. The Empress chuckled at him before gently scooping her arm under him and hugging him. She then turned to look at Bulwark, her eyes already watering and her lips trembling when they met with Bulwark's eyes, "No. He's… he hasn't even cried once ever since what happened, Sir. He hasn't even said a word, he just… looks at something if he wants it. I don't know… I don't know what to do."

"You're doing your best, and that's going to have to be enough."

"Why… why didn't we see it, you know? She… she was supposed to be our friend," the Empress bit her lip to try and stop herself from crying, "I… I don't think I'm cut out for this, Bulwark. I can't be the next leader of the Hope Guild if I… if I didn't even notice she was suffering."

"None of us could have foreseen what happened, Adaeze," Bulwark sighed, the dim glow around his body flickering as he placed a hand on the Empress' shoulder, "Her mind was not… well."

"But she seemed… she seemed so fine and happy just… just the day before that. I just… I don't understand. Was it… was it postpartum depression, was that it? I've… I've been reading on a lot of articles, and that keeps coming up. New mothers killing their babies. How… why?"

"The human mind is—"

"I fucking hate her, Bulwark." The Empress gritted her teeth as the tears finally burst out from her eyes, "I fucking hate her for what she did. I don't… I don't care what diagnosis or illness she had, but I fucking hate her for trying to kill her baby boy. There… there are people out there who want children and—"

"I know. I know what you've been through, Adaeze," Bulwark tightened his grip on The Empress' shoulder. "I know that it took you a while to recover after your child… died, and no one should ever experience what you've gone through."

"Yes. So, shame on her." The Empress' lips trembled along with her eyebrows, hugging Riley closer to her and gently caressing the back of his head, "Shame on her for letting her mother watch her die right in front of her."

"Adaeze…"

"I mean, why—why would she…" The Empress looked Bulwark in the eyes, "I… I miss her, Bulwark. Alice… she's the one who kept us together, you know? And now, people are saying all sorts of shit about her and…"

"Bernard's taking care of it."

"How does he do it, you know?" The Empress scoffed, sniffling as she wiped her snot, "How can he go out there and face all of those people? After what happened, just…"

"I often say it, but Bernard's the most dependable of us all—the most dangerous too," Bulwark softly chuckled, shaking his head before he returned to his seat, "A man with no powers, standing atop a mountain of gods… and striving."

"He's a psychopath." The Empress shook her head as she stood up, cradling little Riley in her arms as she started walking around the large hall, "Should we… go?"

"We should," Bulwark nodded, "I don't think anyone else will be coming."

The two stared at each other for a moment before nodding at the same time and leaving the large hall. They didn't really talk, just walking through the large empty hallways until they stepped foot outside.

And outside was completely gray, the vast horizon covered with a colossal dome that was similar to the ones in the Mega Academies.

Aside from the dome and the tower behind them, however, there was nothing else but darkness there.

There were no clouds at all, but the sky was still completely dark, but filled with stars and the large white and blue orb resting at a distance.

[Hope Guild — Moon Base]

"Where did you… put her?" The Empress asked.

"Not far from here."

The two continued to walk, their feet creating clouds of dust that smoothly danced in the air. When Riley saw that, he immediately struggled free from The Empress's embrace, and she giggled and immediately placed him on the ground.

Contrary to her expectations, however, he didn't chase after the dust and instead just walked by her side, holding her hand and saying absolutely nothing.

The Empress and Bulwark looked at each other again before nodding and making their way toward a small hill that was overlooking Earth.

"Who's… that?"

And as they reached the summit, there was already someone standing there.

Her long cape painted the horizon gold.

"Master…" The Empress lightly gasped at her sight.

"I hope you don't mind, the front door was unlocked," Megawoman smiled at her, before turning her focus back to the grave that was resting in front of her, and placing the flower that was in her hand.

"I thought you were in a press conference," The Empress bowed to her before carefully approaching her with Riley. Megawoman glanced at Riley, but quickly looked away before he could notice.

"I was. Whiteking should also be on the way here," Megawoman shrugged as she glanced at Bulwark, who nodded and also bowed to her in response, "Bulwark."

"Megawoman," he said. "Thank you for accepting our invitation."

"I… have all the time in the world now," Megawoman sighed. "I retired."

"What?!" The Empress' eyes widened. "What do you mean 'retired'?"

"It's not the best time to talk about that right now. And your friend's here."

"Wh—"

Before The Empress could finish her words, a trickle of light suddenly crackled in the air beside them—and then, it was followed by a wide beam that soon withered away to reveal Whiteking.

Whiteking stepped out from the remnants of the light, immediately scanning everyone who was there.

"Tempo and… Shadow and Mimic?" He asked.

"Joseph's not feeling well, and…" The Empress sighed as she tightened her grip on Riley's hand, "...you know why Charlotte doesn't want to come."

"Then, it's just us… and Megawoman." Whiteking bowed to her, and Megawoman just waved her hand.

"Shall we start, then?" Bulwark stepped forward, and the others all stepped to the side. Bulwark closed his eyes, and a gold tombstone suddenly emerged from the ground—written on it were the words,

'Here lies Alice Lane, a woman of courage and unlimited strength. A wonderful daughter, and a loving mother.'

"Does… anyone want to speak first?"