Villain Retirement

"You're… not going to kill us, are you?"

"No. Please, come in."

Katrina could not help but just hold Liza's hand as she watched as Riley beckoned to them to follow them inside the immaculate prison. As for Liza, she did not really know what to feel right now — just a few moments ago, she felt the ultimate betrayal from her variant, and now…

…she finds out that the person she was enjoying being with emotionally and physically had people under his basement.

600 years, and never has she actually thought she would be put into this kind of position.

What was she even supposed to feel right now?

"Wait…" Liza then whispered out as Katrina and she stepped inside Riley's dungeon, "...The people being reported missing lately. Is this…"

"Yes, Miss Liza," Riley did not even let Liza finish her question as he answered without any hesitation; even stretching his arms to the side as he smiled,

"This is most of them — some I already killed."

"You…" Liza gripped Katrina's hand, "...You're a fucking serial kidnapper!? Kat, let's—"

Liza was about to drag Katrina away, but Katrina just stood there while shaking her head.

"I've… been trying to tell you, Liz," Katrina took in a small gulp; awkwardly chuckling as she slowly turned to look at her variant, "Riley… is not just a serial kidnapper or a serial killer. He's…

…Darkday."

"You mean—you weren't joking about that!?" Liza's breaths started to turn heavy. But soon, she wildly shook her head to try and calm herself down, "Wait… wait…

…you mean I'm carrying the child of the most wanted man in the entire multiverse?"

"...Was the most wanted man," Katrina whispered, "The war between the gods and 99.9% person of the population of the entire multiverse dying kind of… erased all of that."

"How does that even…" Liza's face was about to turn into a scowl before her eyes just widened, "...You know, that sort of kinda makes sense?"

"It does… right?" Katrina once again chuckled awkwardly, "By the way, there's no use running."

"I'm… not running," Liza took in a small gulp as she let go of Katrina's hand, "But wait…

…you slept with him even fully knowing he's evil incarnate?"

"I…" Katrina continued her awkward streak with a smile, "...I figured it was my chance?"

"Are you fucking stupid!?"

"You're the one that got knocked up by him!"

"Because I had no idea who he was!" Liza screamed as she pointed at Riley, "I thought he was just some white-haired, uberly handsome albino god that was sent to me by the gods because I have been good for 600 years!"

"Fuck, I know! He's hot! He's been hot ever since I met him in the Academy!" Katrina scrunched up her hair, "Why are you so fucking stupid!?"

"I'm you!"

"Oh no…" Katrina just dropped to the floor and tried to sob, "You… You should have seen him when he was Paragon. He had black hair and was so… please, just kill me. Why did all of our brains go to our boobs!?"

"Hm…" And while the two were lamenting their fate, Riley just stared at them while shaking his head. Even the prisoners inside their glass cages could really only watch them in confusion, "...I did not realize this before, but I believe that you are also in the spectrum, Miss Katrina."

"We're not!" The two variants then pointed at Riley at the same time.

"And… and why did you really bring us here? Are you… going to imprison us like them!?"

"No. Why would I do that?" Riley tilted his head to the side, "I initially only wanted you to see this since you were an acquaintance, Miss Katrina."

"Why… would I want to see this?" Katrina raised an eyebrow.

"No, I wanted you to see it," Riley shrugged, "It was the previous flaw of my original Guesthouse back on our planet, Miss Katrina — I had no one to share it with until it was too late. Is this not beautiful? All different people, living different lives… and knowing they will never return and would spend the rest of their days here until they die."

"Wait…" Liza completely ignored Riley's words as she actually started looking at Riley's so-called guests, "...I recognize these people! They… they're all of the diners that made a ruckus in our restaurant!"

"Hm," Riley nodded to himself in satisfaction.

"Oh… so they deserve to be here?" Katrina also nodded and raised a finger, "Wait — I feel like we're focusing on the wrong things here! Why are you doing this again, Riley!?"

"Because it is in my nature to do so, Miss Katrina."

"You…" Katrina closed her eyes as the tone of her voice turned serious, "...You didn't change at all?"

"I believe I did," Riley shook his head, "But I also believe it does not matter. My goal still remains the same — to turn everything into Nothing."

"...Great," Liza then also fell to the floor as soon as she heard Riley's words, "And here I thought life was about to return to normal after 600 years… but then again, what is normal these days?"

"When… then?" Katrina looked Riley in the eyes, "When do you plan to kill all of us? Why not just… do it already?"

"No," Riley then shook his head as he started walking around the immaculate prison he made; causing the prisoners inside the glass cages to flinch whenever he passed by them,

"There is no satisfaction in erasing something that is already withering away. I wish to turn everything into Nothing…

…but where is everything? All I see are just leftovers."

"Then—"

"Right now," Riley let out a small but very deep sigh, "Running the restaurant is more satisfying to me, Miss Liza, Miss Katrina. I am only doing this as a hobby for now."

"Like… like a part-time job?"

"Oh…?" Riley turned to look at Katrina with his eyes slightly wide, "Yes, Miss Katrina — I suppose we could consider it as my part-time job."

"I can't seriously believe we're actually even talking about this," Liza could not help but also just clasp her head, "Weren't… weren't we heroes before the Blink happened, Kat? We're part of the legendary Baby Crew!"

"...And now you have a baby inside you," Katrina squinted her eyes as she looked at Liza, "Don't tell me you seriously want to fight him?"

"...No. I admit we're stupid, but we're not that stupid," Liza shook her head before looking at Riley, "Why… are we still alive?"

"Because Katrina is my sister's friend," Riley shrugged as he approached the two, who did not really have the energy to react at all, "And also…

…I need a new batch of subordinates."

"Subordinates…?"

"I'm… not going to work for a villain," Liza took in a long and very deep breath as she once again shook her head, "So… just use me as your sex slave if you want, but I'm not going to work for you!"

"Oh my god," Katrina covered her face, "Are we this desperate and thirsty for Riley!? Please, don't make it too obvious!"

"You're the one making it too obvious!" Liza pointed at Katrina, "You slept with him even fully knowing how I feel about him!"

"We feel the same way about him! We're literally the same person!" Katrina also pointed at Liza, "And if anything, it's you who betrayed me! I already told you stories about my crush and lost love!"

"How could I even know it was him!? And how could I even know that you were in love with a supervillain!?"

"If I may intrude in your conversation," Riley then raised his hand as he got in between the two, "You will not be working under a supervillain, Miss Katrina and Miss Liza — as Miss Katrina gracefully pointed out, this is part-time…

…so the two of you will be the subordinates of a part-time supervillain."

***

"My god… how many has this been?"

"This is the 14th case… and we still have no lead."

"Oh — you're not suspecting the restaurant owner anymore?"

"No. He's weird… but I don't think someone like that would do something like this."

And once again, Detectives Dorothy and Jake found themselves inside a crime scene in a dark alley. This time, however, it wasn't just a single wall painted with bodies — it was both; the bodies facing each other and their arms even seemingly trying to reach out to each other.

Suffice it to say, the two were starting to get used to the violent deaths as Jake was not even feeling the need to puke anymore.

"The worst part about all of this is our leaders are distracted by the fact that time's moving on for us again," Dorothy's sighs echoed throughout the dark alley, "...The same could not be said for these guys. Speaking of time though… how far along's the wife?"

"12 weeks," Jake smiled, "How about you, you sure you're not pregnant?"

"From who?" Dorothy rolled her eyes, "Anyway, we should pack

—Who's there!?"

Both Jake and Dorothy suddenly put up their guard; with Jake's skin turning into silver as they heard footsteps coming from the shadow. It wasn't only them, all the officers within the area were all alert as the footsteps got closer and closer. Until…

"What… the fuck?"

"Greetings." An individual completely covered in some sort of colorful tactical suit showed himself; his suit, a gradient of blue starting from his helmet and then turning orange going down all the way to his boots.

"I believe it was time I introduce myself," the colorful individual then casually bowed, "I am the one responsible for all of these murders. I am a part-time supervillain, and my name is…

…Halfday."

"...You have got to be kidding me."