Villain Retirement

"Crap, I'm so tired."

"Isn't your whole power all about endurance and enhanced strength?"

"And laser eyes, don't forget laser eyes!"

Gary's tired and exhausted moans muffled through the air as he burrowed his head on a blanket; his nose slightly digging into the soft sands of Waikiki. With the sun setting down on them, the group did all the activities they could within the timeframe they had.

From beach volleyball to trying to swim to the other island with just one breath, build sandcastles, ride a banana boat, swim with the turtles, and parasailing; even though 3 out of 5 of them have been confirmed to be able to fly.

Of course, one of those activities almost caused them to be kicked out of the beach line. Nevertheless, they sank in any of the activities they could and enjoyed as much as possible. They had so much fun that they completely forgot the fact that… 

… they still have the whole day tomorrow to do those things.

But with the looks of satisfaction and happy exhaustion on their faces, it probably didn't matter. Gary then let out a short but deep breath as he pulled his head off the blanket, quickly looking at Waikiki's purple skies.

It was a sight to behold. The world's endless wonder in front of them, while the busy city is moving behind them. Miami was the same, of course– but with fewer cars in Hawaii, the sky was definitely clearer.

The beautiful noises of light of the city were instead enhancing the trickles of stars that light up the sky. The moon, ever so softly greeting their satisfied faces. Even Tomoe was growing more and more expressive in the past days. She was smiling more… and now…

"...Tomoe?"

Silvie then turned to look at Tomoe as she heard a small meek chuckle coming out of her mouth, only to see that tears were actually falling from her eyes.

"W… what's wrong?" Silvie stuttered.

"I'm… I'm the same," Tomoe then wiped the tears on her face as she let out a peal of small laughter, "This… this is also the first time I'm going to the beach."

The side of Silvie's lips immediately turned downwards as she took in a long and deep breath, her eyes, trying their best not to cry.

"Tomoe!" Silvie then suddenly hugged Tomoe, with both of them laughing on their own while tears trailed down on their faces.

Who would have thought? Tomoe previously almost antagonized Silvie by also taking on the superhero name Mega Girl. And she did so with absolutely no expression on her face… but now, not only was she hugging Silvie, but she was also laughing and crying at the same time.

Is this perhaps… the true her? Just waiting to come out from her cracked and scarred shell. Hannah and the others have been meaning to ask why she hasn't even talked to her mother once ever since she arrived in the Academy, but it was better if it would come from her at her own time.

Hannah could only let out another smile as she let out a short but deep breath, before joining the two and also letting a burst of laughter escape from her mouth.

"I–"

"Don't even think about joining," the three then all simultaneously, without any pause, glared towards Gary as he was about to join them; but then immediately went back to crying and laughing like nothing happened.

"Women," Gary then shook his head as he just decided to sit beside Riley, "They truly are mysterious creatures, aren't they?

…Aren't they?"

Of course, there was also Riley, who was just blankly looking at the stars instead.

"...Bro, what are you thinking in that head of yours right now?"

"Mega Woman."

"You still on about her? There's like three beautiful women here just waiting to be–"

"Be careful, Gary. One of them is my sister."

"R… right," Gary stuttered, scratching his chin as he also looked at the stars above,

"Do you ever miss it?" Gary then asked; his playful tone could no longer be found.

"...Miss what, Gary?"

"This. Just playing around and doing whatever the hell we want," Gary breathed out, "...Home. Whatever the hell that means."

"I do miss it, Gary," Riley then let out a short but deep sigh as he closed his eyes, "The beautiful noises that came along with it feel like a distant memory now."

"...Beautiful noises, quite the poet, aren't you?" Gary let out a small chuckle; the sound of ice hitting each other, whispering in the air as he grabbed a bottle of beer inside the cooler behind him,

"My parents… well… 

…they died during the Battle of Toronto."

"..."

"..."

"..." Riley blinked his eyes a couple of times, taking a small glance at Gary before his eyes once again returned to the skies, "I see…

…I apologize, Gary."

"Pft, what are you apologizing for…"

A small clang whispered in the air as Gary flipped open the beer, "It's not like it was anyone's fault, really. I don't think I can even blame Darkday for what happened– how could you even blame someone that's considered a calamity?"

"Because that calamity is still a fucking person," the sound of ice once again whispered in the air as Hannah's slightly perturbed voice traveled the air, "Stop romanticizing the fucker like he's some sort of god."

"I agree," Silvie nodded as she too, took a bottle of beer from the cooler, "We… When Darkday comes back, let's make sure we're ready to face him."

"We gotta graduate that stupid Academy first," Hannah muttered, "We still have like more than half a year left, right?"

"Wait… the Academy isn't for 4 years?" Gary then blinked a couple of times as he looked at the others.

"...No," Silvie furrowed her eyebrows, "Didn't you listen to Prophet's speech during the entrance ceremony?"

"...No, who listens to that?" Gary's face showed that he was truly perplexed, "Doesn't that mean…

…our time together isn't that long?"

"..."

"...You do know the world doesn't revolve around the Academy, right?" Hannah then let out a small sigh as she raised her bottle, "Anyway…

…to the end of Darkday! May he die a truly horrible dea–"

"Death to Mega Woman!"

And before Hannah could even finish her words, the stars in the sky suddenly darkened. No, perhaps it was better to say they were covered.

"What… the hell is that!?"

Gary then immediately stood up as soon as the silhouette slowly got near to them. And with the lights of the city, as well as the purple sky still persisting; the silhouette soon revealed itself to everyone on the beach.

It was… a giant octopus, almost as large as a bug. Or maybe perhaps not, as there was clearly a human head protruding on top of it… hence the human voice screaming out of it.

"Mega Woman!? Where are you!? I hear you, I smell you!" The… human-octopus hybrid then roared; then harmonized by the screams of the people as they all started to run away, leaving almost a thousand footprints on the sand.

"Mega Woman?" The Baby Crew all looked at each other; Riley, however, only looked at Silvie. 

"...Wait," Gary then furrowed his eyebrows as he once again turned to look at the human-octopus hybrid, "I think…that's a supervillain Mega Woman fought tens of years ago…

…Cephalos!"