Chapter 588: The Unexpected Trio
"I can explain. I wasn't removing my skirt, I was wearing it."
"..."
"..."
"That might not have sounded right, but there's a logical explanation to this."
"..."
"..."
Hannah, Tomoe, Tsula, Vera, and Hera were still looking back and forth between Riley and Aerith; their faces, completely blank.
But after a few more times of their eyes meeting, Hannah just shrugged her shoulders as she made her way to Riley.
"Are you annoying Megawoman again?"
"I believe so, sister."
"Tch," Hannah clicked her tongue several times as she placed her arm over Riley's shoulders, and then, with a big breath…
…she punched Riley straight in the stomach.
"You little shit! We're out here exploring god knows where and you're just following Megawoman like a puppy!? Do you see that thing!? That's a fucking planet!"
"I see it now, sister," Riley blinked a couple of times as he finally noticed the colossal planet-like sphere covering the skies, "I was busy watching Aerith try to wear her old uniform."
"So, that really was your doing!? Why, I should fucking kill you—"
"Riley!"
And before Hannah could finish her words, a silhouette suddenly jumped out from behind Hera and the others—shooting straight into Riley's arm and slightly pushing Hannah away; her slightly curly orange hair, slightly blocking Riley's entire view.
"Paige?" Riley blinked a couple of times as he recognized the clump of hair, "Weren't you staying in the castle?"
"Megawoman sent people to fetch me!" Paige's voice was incredibly high-pitched as she tightened her embrace around Riley's neck, "I knew it, I knew you would find a way to free her!"
"I didn't really do anything, Paige. Aerith was able to free herself, all she needed was to want to be so."
"Hm… As expected of Megawoman."
"...I really feel like you kids have this grandiose idea about me."
"Wait, Paige. I am not done with my brother yet!"
"Oh, yes. Of course," Paige then quickly let go of Riley, before squinting and pointing at his eyes and saying, "Sorry, but you need to deal with your sister yourself."
"I have always done so, Pai—"
And before Riley could finish his words,
"..." And while Hannah was busy strangling Riley, Aerith looked at the others; only to see them not even minding or thinking of something else from her situation. Was… she just overthinking it? Were the lingering effects of the kahn mollusc making her overthink that people would think there was something even slightly romantic going on with her and Riley?
That was probably just it—is what Aerith thought. But as soon as her eyes strayed toward Hera, she knew that someone else could feel the invisible tension she was feeling. Hera was just staring at her with a cheeky smile on her face; her head, subtly nodding in approval. No, it wasn't really subtle at all, as both her thumbs were slowly raising.
"!!!"
And then, all of a sudden, Hera just yelped as Aerith suddenly appeared in front of her; her hands, already gripping her raised thumbs.
"It's… it's good to see that all of you are still in one piece," Aerith then said as she looked Hera straight in the eyes, "It was the right decision to leave the device with you."
"R… right," Hera awkwardly chuckled as she tried to pull her thumbs away, but was unable to even budge Aerith's hands for even a single millimeter.
"Speaking of that." And finally, after what seemed like an eternity of Hannah choking Riley and messing up his hair, Hannah left him be and approached Aerith,
"I think we deserve to know what's happening here, Miss Megawoman."
"Just… call me Aerith," Aerith gently let go of Hera's hand; her eyes, looking at the others one by one as she sighed, "Well… this is going to be a long explanation."
***
"Share your thoughts?"
After a long 1 minute, each and every one of the women carried different expressions on their faces.
"No offense, Megawoman—but that's a little fucked up and doesn't make sense at all," Hannah had her eyebrows slightly raised; her arm, still wrapped around Riley's neck, "That's practically forced segregation and mass putting all of your elderly in a home, which in this case is Theran."
"Theran will still be Theran, I am just giving those that need more a chance to experience more."
"It is not entirely without merit," Tomoe, whose presence was a complete shadow on the side, has been nodding her head since earlier, "Bad parents should be eradicated from the face of the universe."
"...We're not eradicating anyone."
"I don't really care as long as this New Theran has a beach," Hera shrugged, "And I've kinda seen firsthand how people treat each other here—not really pleasant."
"Hm…"
"Your people are your own. I know themarians have stuck to their old ways, but I can never really imagine abandoning my mother," Vera, who was now just completely going with the flow, just shook her head, "But then again, for your own family to humiliate and want to execute you shows how skewed the themarians are."
"I have met your mother before, she's of good heart. If not a little violent."
"We used to have a tradition in my tribe," Tsula also joined in; her expression, showing her true age despite her now youthful appearance, "We cull the elderly and the sick so that they will not be able to hinder the activities of the rest of the tribe. You need to do what you must, not for those that live in the past, but for those that will carry it in the future."
"...We're not slaughtering anyone."
"Uhm…" Paige raised her hand as the last person who still hasn't spoken, "...I know what you went through since I was there to see it all. But…
…have you ever really tried to talk with your parents? Or maybe even set up a diplomatic way between both countries to maybe just allow them to voluntarily choose, or maybe even set up an application on who boards the New Theran?"
"..."
Aerith only shook her head, "The King refuses to speak and even listen to me. I have not even seen my mother's face even once since we arrived here—they have made their opinions known."
"I don't know…" Paige squinted her eyes as she turned to look at Hannah, "...It doesn't seem like something Megawoman would do, right?"
"Hey," Hannah raised both her hands as she shook her head, "As I said, it's a little fucked up."
"Guys, I'm not Megawoman—that's not me," Aerith sighed, "Thank you for all of your opinions. It's… helping me change some parts of my plan."
"And so, when are you and my brother leaving for the Council?" Hannah then wrapped her arms around Riley's arm, "Are you sure I can't go with the two of you?"
"Caitlain—your mother will kill me if I bring two of her children away. And I think she needs you for something here," Aerith sighed, "But I do need Princess Vera…
…It's time for you to go home, child."
"Wait, you're taking me with him?" Vera forced out a chuckle as she pointed at Riley, "No. I would rather rot here. He—no, wait… you're still wanted by the Common Council. I changed my mind…
…I need to see this."