Villain Retirement

"What… the heck is that?"

Ever since Silvie left the Baby Crew, her life… has been quite uneventful. It was always just probably the typical hero life — wake up, rescue people, cry, sleep.

Of course, it was everything that she ever wanted. What else could she ask? Although she was made to be a replacement for Megawoman, she truly, genuinely, liked being a hero. Just seeing the faces of the people she saves, the way they get to go home to their families — that was her life.

But of course, it could still get boring. In fact, it could get boring pretty fast. The supervillains usually give up as soon as she arrives, and there hasn't really been a threat to her life. Of course, it was good that there wasn't a threat; because if there were, then there would also be a threat to the people.

…But it was boring.

And unlike Megawoman… she was being treated more like a celebrity than an actual hero — sometimes even by those people whose lives she just rescued from total annihilation. Maybe it's because she's young?

Well, that was her life without the Baby Crew. And now, not even an hour after she reconciled with her old team…

…something weird was happening.

She wasn't initially going to follow Paragon when he suddenly flew away from the agency earlier… but the speed of his flight caused Silvie to take a pause. When she was following earlier, he never once showed a speed like that — a speed that even Silvie needed to exert effort to achieve.

And so, when she thought of that, she decided to chase after Paragon; and it would seem Hannah did the same. And it was a good thing she did… because Silvie has no idea what to do with the situation she finds herself in right now.

"What… the heck is that?"

"You already fucking said that," Hannah could only click her tongue, "We… need to slap some sense into that woman."

"...On it."

"No!" Silvie was about to step closer to Paige, but Hannah quickly stopped her, "It… will be dangerous to stop her in this condition."

"...But aren't they just illusions?" Silvie grabbed one of the doctors, only for her hand to pass through it, "I don't even hear them."

"It's real for her… It's real to her," Hannah could not help but let out a small but very deep sigh as she stared at Paige.

She was being surrounded by more than a dozen doctors, tightly strapped on some sort of operating bed; not able to move her limbs from the metal locks. Her mouth was also covered by a gag to prevent her from screaming.

But judging by her eyes which were turning red from the tears drowning them, she was awake — widely awake and…

"...She could feel everything," Hannah once again sighed.

"What!?" Silvie focused her attention on the doctors surrounding Paige. Most of them were holding some sort of large syringe, while half of them…

…were holding a small saw.

"Then we need to save her!"

"Yeah, no shit," Hannah forced a chuckle, "But if we suddenly moved her in that state, we don't know how it'll affect her… Paragon probably knows what to do."

"I'll ask him," without even waiting for Hannah to say anything else, Silvie stepped out of the penthouse… only to return back without even her feet leaving the terrace.

"What did he say?"

"He… he's kinda busy," Silvie took in a small gulp.

"What do you mean busy!?"

"You'll… probably see it on the news later."

"Bullshit, we need him. He's the only one that could interact with these things!" Hannah rolled her eyes, before also stepping out onto the terrace, "Para—"

She was about to scream, but then saw… several dragons and probably more than a thousand valkyries surrounding Paragon; not giving him even a millisecond of rest.

Does Paige's ability even have a limit to the things she could create? If she couldn't control her abilities, how is she even alive in the first place?

Truly, the people the Baby Crew meet are wonderful and curious creatures.

"..." Hannah was about to also step back inside — but even if she does, there really was no way of her helping Paige. She could probably try talking to her… but she was probably the worst at that. Silvie could try, but she was as fucked up as Hannah, just not too obvious in her case.

They… could try, but it might make things worse.

"Silv… Want… want to try and talk to her?" Hannah peered inside the penthouse.

"M… Me?" Silvie took in a small gulp, "I… don't even know her!"

"That's what I thought," Hannah sighed as she once again stepped out to the terrace,

"Paragon!" She screamed, "Your partner needs your fucking help! She's surrounded by these… bunch of fucking psycho doctors and–"

And before Hannah could finish her words; a flash of light suddenly rippled in the sky, with Paragon as the center. It was bright — bright enough to drown and blanket the entire city in nothing but a void of white.

And judging by all the squeaks Hannah could hear from below, most of the people that were driving their cars stepped on their breaks as they couldn't see. None of them could as the light was almost blinding.

Perhaps within the entire city, Hannah was only one of the few people that could, as her eyes were made to endure and see through even the sun.

And there, she saw. She saw the illusions disintegrate as this light rippled from his body… only for them to once again spring out to life almost as if nothing happened. Hannah was about to let out a breath of frustration as she saw this, how can one even kill illusions?

She was sure nobody has ever experienced something like this before; but before she could express it, something happened that caused her to let out a small, but very deep gasp.

The illusions, they all stopped. Just frozen — completely halted in the air. And almost as if it was just the most casual thing he did, Paragon started to move away and fly towards the penthouse.

"H… hey," Hannah could really only stutter; not even knowing why she raised her hand to greet Paragon as he stepped onto the terrace, "Your… your friend is there."

"Thank you for telling me."

"S… sure," Hannah did not really follow Paragon inside, and instead just stared at the illusions frozen still in the sky. Was that it? Was their weakness some sort of bright light?

"..." Or was Paragon also a telekinetic? Riley is—

Hannah quickly shook her head before any thoughts of Riley once again invaded her mind. She had already resolved herself not to mistake Paragon with Riley, but now she was doing it again not even a day after.

The similarities between the two were just… a coincidence. And if Paragon truly was Riley, then why would he even act similar to him? Riley was lying to her all their lives, it wouldn't make sense.

And so, with her slowly calming her mind down, she finally entered the penthouse… only to be welcomed by a pool of blood. The realism of Paige's illusions was truly on a different level.

Even though Hannah knew she couldn't smell it; the blood didn't even ripple as she stepped on it… it was almost as if she could taste it in her mouth — it looked that real.

"...What the fuck happened here?"

"...Paragon just sliced them all up with his light swords," Silvie whispered as she stood beside Hannah, "In less than a second, I think he has super speed. I could still easily follow his movements… but it was disgusting how he sliced up the doctors even though they were just illusions."

"..." Hannah didn't really choose to ask any further as she focused on Paragon, who was now pulling the metal straps with his hand… and as soon as he removed the gag on Paige's mouth, she quickly embraced him.

"A… Adam!" Paige's cries were loud; probably enough to seep from the penthouse. And then, as soon as Paragon returned her embrace, the illusions all just suddenly disappeared — not fade, just… disappeared like they were never there.

It's not Riley, Hannah thought as she closed her eyes in relief. Riley would never ever do something like this; show affection? Riley has never really learned how to do that.

"...I guess that's that," Hannah let out a sigh as she tapped Silvie on the arm, "Let's give them some space and wait on the terrace."

"Y… yeah," Silvie looked at the two for a few seconds, before nodding her head and turning around.

"It's okay, Paige. You're alright,"

But before the two could step out, Paragon's voice almost resonated through their ears as they stopped and glanced at him.

"You're safe, nothing is going to hurt you here. I know you're scared, but nothing is going to hurt you while I am here."

"I thought the two were together…" Silvie slightly sniffled,

"...But aren't they more like siblings? Maybe they are?"

"Y… yeah," Hannah, on the other hand, just stood there staring at the two. She thought the same — siblings. Of course, she thought the same.

The words that Paragon uttered to Paige — it was familiar. She remembers it so suddenly… After all…

It was the same thing she said to Riley when they were younger; when the water heater exploded and she shielded him. She was sure of it…

…it was the exact same words.