Villain Retirement

"You have no idea how much I've missed you, Riley."

"Hm."

The flat planet was already completely worn out from all the battles it had experienced in just a short amount of time. But as Paige stepped closer to Riley, the ground around her began to… sprout. The crater that was made at the very center of the planet, slowly being filled by all sorts of foliage as they lifted both Paige and Riley up.

Gentle, too gentle.

"..." Riley could not help but look at his hands as he felt a soothing cradle he probably only felt when he was just a little baby. It was warm, but not really — it was a warmth that completely replicated his own body heat.

He liked it. It felt as if someone was embracing him, but no one was really touching him.

But in his feeling of comfort, Riley was also feeling… invaded. This sort of feeling; it should be completely impossible as his body was covered by several layers of his telekinetic barrier.

Riley looked at Paige, only to see her not even looking at him, and instead just calmly watching the vast and colorful glade she was creating.

And soon, a lake was formed near them, with a wooden cabin just peacefully resting beside it.

"We weren't really able to talk that much when you returned. Do you know that all that time you were gone with Megawoman, I was wondering what it would have been like if it was me you were with?" Paige started walking around – each of her steps, forming a stone on the ground and creating a walkway, "Diana told me what you did, you created your own world with her. But she wasn't really conscious, no."

"Hm," Riley nodded as he followed Paige, walking beside her as she went near the side of the lake,

"Is that why you want to win the pocket universe, Paige?" Riley asked as he stood by her side, "Do you want us to just leave and live in our own universe?"

"No, silly," Paige giggled, her hair slightly bouncing as she glanced at Riley; her face, slightly being brightened by a sun that was not really there before, "If I wanted my own universe, I could just create one myself. My abilities may be meaningless and useless against other people — but for me, it is everything. I just…

…I didn't really like it when you used my abilities to go off with Megawoman, leaving us… leaving me for 5 years."

"Is that why you wish to fight me, then?" Riley gazed at the lake that Paige created. It wasn't really a lake anymore, no — as there were whale-like creatures flying, not swimming, but flying above and below the water; colorful, bioluminescence.

"Your sister asked," Paige shrugged, "And yeah. I mean, I guess you could say that? I was jealous, Riley. I am jealous. Not in a way that I'm saying I'm obsessed with you. I am, but not in that way."

"..." Riley blinked a couple of times as Paige gently held his hand.

"You were gone for 5 years, Riley. I… I'd like to think I was able to grow at that time," Paige then leaned closer to Riley, resting her head on his shoulder, "I'd like to think I'm not that naive anymore, I'm even taking care of children like us, Riley… Young supers that can't really fit into society. But do you know what I discovered during those 5 years?"

"No."

"What I had with you was special," Paige closed her eyes, "I thought I related to you because we were the same, I thought I like—love you because we're the same. But no. The kids in the orphanage? They are the same as us… but what I have for you is special, Riley. I love you unconditionally."

"It is good that you don't feel the same way for the children, Paige," Riley also closed his eyes and nodded, "That would be illegal."

"Pft," a wide smile appeared on Paige's face as she stifled a giggle, "Yeah, that would be worse than Katherine having feelings for you back then."

"Hm," Riley once again nodded, "I believe the people that are watching can not relate to what we are talking about, Paige. Should we start fighting?"

"You will lose, Riley," Paige leaned away and took a few steps toward the water, walking on top of it as she started spinning and dancing as she continued to smile at Riley.

"I don't think I will, Paige," Riley also stepped on the water, "I have your abilities, and I have more ways to hurt you."

"You've already hurt me when you went away, Riley," Paige giggled, "And you've only had my abilities for 5 years, Riley — I was born with it."

"I have mastered your ability, Paige."

"No, you haven't."

"Y—"

And before Riley could finish his words, the calm warmth that was surrounding his entire body turned into a chilling embrace as he suddenly fell into the water.

"..." Riley did not really react, however, as he just watched as the whales started to fly in front of him; their eyes, almost as if reflecting the deepest parts of him.

Riley then summoned an escalator, stepping on it as he casually waited for it to bring him to the surface.

"Please don't use my abilities too much, Riley," Paige welcomed Riley at the end of the escalator.

"I do not plan to, Paige," Riley shook his head as he and Paige started walking side by side while looking at each other, "It deteriorates my mind whenever I try to use it."

"Yep, it'll do that," Paige sighed, "Your Mom already had some sort of schizophrenia or something, I don't really know how worse it will be for you if you continue to use it. I mean…

…I'm already insane, I'm just used to it."

"Our abilities only affect us, correct?" Riley slightly nudged his finger up, pulling a small chunk of the flat planet, forming it into a spear, and letting it float close to him, "If I were to throw this at you, or if I were to gently squash you with this flat planet, you won't be able to shield yourself."

"How are you going to do that if you are trapped in a vacuum that seals your telekinetic powers, Riley?"

And as soon as Paige said that, the stone spear that was floating above Riley lifelessly dropped back to the ground; not creating a ripple as it fell into the lake Paige created.

"Interesting," Riley blinked a couple of times as he once again tried lifting up a chunk of the planet, only for him to feel nothing, "I suppose something like that is possible."

"Anything is—!!!"

And before Paige could finish her words, Riley's face was suddenly just a few inches away from her; the smile on his face, reaching from ear to ear.

"Ei!" A large pair of wings instantly pushed Paige back. As these wings flapped, they suddenly turned into a pair of cloth that latched onto Riley like a straight jacket; binding him tightly when a chain emerged from the bottom of the lake.

"Heh," Paige giggled, "That kinda suits you, Riley."

"..." Riley looked at his reflection on the lake; his head slightly tilted to the side, "I suppose it does, Paige."

The straightjacket then suddenly melted away as the temperature of Riley's body exponentially rose; the lake, however, remained completely still even with the vaporizing heat — signifying that Paige's abilities did not affect Riley's other abilities.

"That's dangerous," Paige pointed her palm at Riley, causing his temperature to drop to normal, "I'm sealing that one too."

"Hm," Riley looked at his hands as he tried summoning his other abilities, but could not, "Did you turn me into a normal person, Paige?"

"Temporarily," Paige smiled, "But since you're still walking on the water, I guess I couldn't seal my abilities — I might have to seal mine to seal yours, or something."

"Is it possible for you to also seal my immortality?"

"I already tried it when you asked me to kill you 5 years ago, Riley," Paige shook her head, "That request hurt me, by the way. I still did it because I love you that much, but still…"

"Hm…" Riley stepped forward; his feet creating a ripple on the lake as he did so. And then, with a sigh, he stretched his arms to the side — causing the bioluminescent whales to float close to him.

"Did you just… give yourself telekinetic abilities again?"

"Anything is possible with your ability, Paige," Riley nodded, "And seeing as I already had a hundred abilities from the start, I could just replicate and simulate them using it."

"That's true…" Paige nodded before she also stretched her arms to the side — causing the whales that were left flying around the lake to float around her,

"...I could also do the same. And also this."

Paige snapped her fingers, and as she did so, the whales that were floating around her turned into a group of silhouettes.

A silhouette that was… relatively familiar for Riley.

"I've noticed this several times before…" Paige slowly floated in the air as the silhouettes descended and stood on top of the lake,

"...I don't really know the reason for it, but you're always avoiding her whenever you're allowed to — you don't even look her in the eyes, you're avoiding her as much as possible too…

…I guess you feel awkward?"

"..." One of the silhouettes stretched her hand and very slowly walked toward Riley, causing him to slightly take a step back,

"Aw… honey," The silhouette hummed, "...Is my sweet baby boy shy? Are you not going to give mom a hug?"

The silhouettes…

…they were a group of Dianas.