Chapter 88: Between A Royal and A Woman
"...She?"
"So the leader of the Dark Millenium is a woman?"
"So their leader really isn't Darkday?" Hera then joined in on the conversation, clicking her tongue as she checked her finely manicured nails, "I was hoping to fight him again."
"I believe you are lying, Hera," Butcher then opened his eyes as he looked Hera in the eyes, "You almost died in the last battle. If it was not for Mega Woman fighting Darkday's main body, then the chances of you dying was at 100%."
"Shut your balding head, red eyes," Hera returned Butcher's gaze with a glare.
"It is not just you, Hera," Butcher shook his head, "The percent of all of us dying without Mega Woman there was at a hundred percent."
"...Tch."
Butcher's words were then followed by a painful silence-- only broken with Empress's sigh.
"Enough speaking of Darkday. He has not shown himself for months, allowing us to breathe," Empress said as she waved her hand, "Thank you all for responding to my call. I know you're busy doing your duties with your own countries."
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"Hm."
"Just a little, this is important, though."
"You may return to your lives," Empress then said as she stood up, "However, our mission is still ongoing-- finding the Dark Millenium's leader. And make sure you wipe out any traces of us annihilating the Dark Millenium," she then said as she looked at Whiteking.
"Already have," Whiteking raised his thumb.
"Alright, all of you may leave."
And as soon as she said that, the members of the Hope Guild quickly stood all at the same time.
"Except for you, Whiteking. Please stay."
"..." The other members looked at each other with slightly furrowed eyebrows as they heard Empress's words, but continued to leave without a word after a few seconds.
Whiteking looked at the leaving members; and as soon as everyone was gone, his helmet opened up and quickly folded into his pauldrons.
"What's up--"
And as soon as Whiteking turned around, he felt a warm touch placed upon his lips.
"..." Whiteking's mind paused for a few seconds before he leaned his head back and his arms quickly pushed away the source of the warmth.
"We can't, Empress."
"Call me by my name, Bernard," Empress's eyebrows quickly furrowed as Whiteking pushed her away.
"..."
"..."
"...Adaeze," Whiteking whispered, "We can't keep doing this. I have a wife and kids."
"You had a wife and a kid before."
"That was when Hannah was just born! I… I was so confused at that time that--"
"You say that… but you're the one who came back to me, remember?" Empress's voice became soft as she grabbed Whiteking's hand, "Or are you only using me whenever you're troubled? What do you think I am!?"
"Just… let's not," Whiteking quickly shook her hand away, "That… that time I thought Darkday would kill us all… I was just… Let's just stop this. The others are already getting suspicious."
"For one of the smartest people I know, you're also the most oblivious one," Empress muttered, "They already know about us. I am in love with you, Bernard… No… I love you."
"And I love my wife," Whiteking then said as he turned to leave.
"...You wouldn't have slept with me if you did."
"..." Whiteking did not respond, but instead his helmet once again covered his head as he stepped out of the bright hall.
"..."
"..."
With her left alone in the Guild Hall, Empress once again sat back on her seat; quickly placing both her hands on her forehead as she let out a long and very deep breath… a breath that soon stuttered.
"Why…" Empress breathed out as tears started to trail on her face, "Why... does it have to be you?
Empress, Whiteking, Tempo, Bulwark, Hera, V, and Butcher; All Grade-S Supers. Together, they form the leading and No. 1 Superhero group in the world--
--the Hope Guild.
***
"Damn… What's the occasion? Why is everyone suddenly out and not emo anymore?" Gary could be seen leaping into the air, his palms above his eyes as he looked at the almost thousand people gathered in front of the Academy gates.
"...Weren't you informed?" Hannah answered him as she slightly pushed him to the side, "Most of the students' families will be staying in the Academy now."
"Oh…" Gary quickly stopped hopping around as he looked Hannah straight in the eyes, "Then let me come with you guys."
"...Why?"
"So I can meet my future mother-in-law."
"Go fuck yourself."
"Why don't the both of us do that to me?" Gary repeatedly raised both his eyebrows.
"Go away, man! Bother your own family," Hannah waved both her hands, gesturing to Gary to leave.
"Well…
...I don't really have any family here."
"...Fine," Hannah sighed as she heard Gary's words,
"But don't say anything unnecessary or I will crush your balls myself-- or worse, Riley will do it."
"I will do no such thing, sister," Riley, who was keeping quiet on the side, quickly furrowed his eyebrows as soon as he heard his sister's words, "I find it very disgusting that you would even propose such a thing…
...ew."
"...Why do I feel like I should be relieved and hurt at the same time?" Gary muttered as his eye began to twitch, "Anyway, where's the other two?"
"Silvie and Tomoe?" Hannah breathed out, "Silvie will be here any minute now… but as for Tomoe, she isn't really answering any of my calls."
"I smell parental issues, we shall visit her in her room later as good friends."
"...You're not allowed in the female's building."
"Not allowed… or not advised?" Gary once again raised both his eyebrows repeatedly. Gary and Hannah continued to bicker for a few more minutes, before Hannah slightly moved closer to Riley.
"Speaking of people that should be here…" Hannah said, her voice turning colder by the second, "Why is she here!?" She then roared as her fingers pointed towards the silver-haired woman standing beside Riley.
"Because mother wants to meet her," Riley quickly answered after taking a glance at Katherine, "I think she is excited because she has heard a lot of things about her from you, sister."
"Oh…" Hannah's eye suddenly became slanted as she heard Riley's words, "...This should be good then."
"..." Katherine, who was quietly standing on the side, could not help but twitch her eyes as Hannah's mocking chuckle whispered through her ears. Although she might sound crazy saying it, but out of all the things that she had done for Riley, this was probably the most nervous she has been.
...Even having a hand in killing all of those innocent people couldn't compare to what she was feeling right now.
"Ah, it's opening!" Gary then once again leaped in the air as a loud humming noise reverberated in the air, "I'm so excited to meet my future mother-in-- Gukh!"
And before Gary could even finish his words, his balls landed straight towards Hannah's fist. And with the pained roar that almost reached the heavens, the other students that were near them could not help but move away due to the sheer force of second-hand discomfort they were feeling.
"W… why? This… this was for you…"
Gary's dying words, however, were heard by none as Hannah and the others were busy looking at the colossal armored trucks and tanks entering the Academy. Most of them could not help but slightly let out small gasps as they did not expect them to come rolling in with military equipment… but ever since the incident, it would seem the government was already putting every expense into safeguarding the people in the Academy.
There were also super-soldiers and heavy tanks blocking the gates as they closed-- making sure no one would be able to get in.
And finally, after all of that charade-- the students' families began stepping out of the armored vehicles one by one. They were asked by the staff to go out in a leisurely and relaxed manner, but as soon as they saw the faces of their children, they all rushed to hug them.
"Do you see mom!?"
"I have," Riley muttered as he raised his hand, and as soon as he did so, a woman emerged and floated from the crowd; and slowly, the woman hovered towards them.
"R… Riley! I thought it was you! P… please, drop me down! It's embarrassing!"
"Very well, mother." Riley quickly dropped his hand, and as soon as he did so, her mother came falling down from the air.
"Riley!?" Katherine was about to summon a puff of wind below Diana, but before she could do so, Diana suddenly started spinning in the air.
"..."
And with extreme agility, she landed on the ground elegantly, letting out a confident smirk as she looked at her children. And without even saying a word, she rushed towards them and hugged them; Riley, however, quickly dodged to the side.
"This… is a really weird family, don't you think so, teach?" Gary then whispered as he finally recovered from his misfortune.
Weird?
Weird was an understatement.
The two could only watch as Diana relentlessly-- violently tried to hug Riley, only for Riley to evade her advance with what seemed like Tai Chi.
And if their eyes weren't fooling them, Diana's hands... were getting faster and faster. Were they really sure Diana wasn't a Super?
And after a few more seconds of this, Diana then looked towards Katherine; her breaths still heavy from having to chase Riley around.
"So…" Diana then squinted her eyes as she approached Katherine,
"You're the instructor…
...dating my son?"