Villain Retirement

"It's a black hole… a sentient black hole."

"..."

"..."

"But it's pink, Captain Nana."

"I don't think that's the point we have to focus on right now, Riley!"

"I am just stating the obvious, it should be a pink hole."

The Cherbi.

Some say it was a remnant of the Old Universe when the Evaniel god waged his war against the other gods. Some say it was born as a result of that war—a ghost. Of course, no one really knew what it was. Even with all the knowledge that the Known Universe has acquired, the Pink Void has forever remained a mystery; like many things in the endless expanse… it just exists with no explanation.

But if there is one thing that is true, it is that the Cherbi is probably the oldest living thing in the universe. Yes, living.

Some scientists would argue that it was not, but it has already been proven that much like a plant, the Cherbi interacts with its surroundings. Unlike a plant, however, the Cherbi actively responds to outside stimuli.

If anything, more so than a plant, it was more akin to a tadpole. If a tadpole sucks in and swallows entire stellar systems, that is—even Themarians try to avoid it.

"That is very interesting, Captain Nana."

"What do you mean interesting!? Did you hear a different story!?"

Hera's entire body was sending signals to her brain; crawling, like a million spiders filling her head with darkness. She had only really felt like this a handful of times, half of those when dealing with Darkday—the feeling of hopelessness.

Death, Hera could take; but what accompanies it is what scares Hera the most. She could swallow a nuclear bomb and her body would find a way to keep her alive, but the process would be gruesome.

There was no pain—her body wouldn't allow her to experience such things, no. But still, Hera would feel every millimeter of her being just latching on to each other. It was a gnawing comfort, a violent relief. It's… confusing.

And now, faced with a literal black hole, Hera could only imagine the sort of effort her body would exert to keep her alive… would she even be alive? Or just be a lump of flesh that tries to heal itself over and over again? What happens inside a black hole, anyway?

"Nana…" Hera took in a small gulp as her thoughts became more gruesome by the second, 

"...Get us out of here, now."

"I'm… I'm trying," Captain Nana's breaths continued to stutter as she wiped the bead of sweat wanting to trail on her cheek,

"But the Cherbi, it's… it's messing with the ship's internals! I can't even interact with the screen anymore and the manual controls aren't responding as well!"

"Do… we have a way of knowing which direction the thing is moving?" Hera's voice slowly became calm as her abilities began to interfere with her emotions, "Maybe we can just ride this out, like a storm?"

"That… I don't think it is heading for us," Captain Nana also soon started to recover her composure as she heard Hera's calm tone, "But it still doesn't change the fact that it's sucking us in. Look, it's much larger than before."

"..." Hera turned to look at the window, only to see the Cherbi much nearer than before, "How… large is that thing?"

And now, looking at it closer, it slowly started to resemble a pink sun less… and a round, fluffy, pink pillow of clouds more.

"It… it changes size depending on the celestial body it devours. Based on the readings we got before I lost control, it should be at the size of an average planet."

"...And how large is that?"

"Febuvan is considered a small planet, so—"

"Ah, fuck. This feels way above my pay grade."

"Don't belittle yourself, Miss Hera. You're a very good actress."

"I don't mean that," Hera could really only roll her eyes, before turning to look at Riley… who was now standing right in front of the window and staring at the pink void quite… intensely.

"Wait…" Hera then took in a small gasp as she realized something, "...Can't you just fly us away, Riley? You're capable of obliterating Mars—surely a gravity… vacuum is no big deal for you, right?"

"I haven't tried, Miss Hera. Also, I do not have any intention of moving us away."

"...What?"

A smile instantly crawled on Nana's face when she previously heard Hera's words, but with Riley's reply, every hope that she still had inside her withered away. 

"What do you mean you have no intention of moving us away?" Hera could hear her heart once again beating heavily. Was this it? Hera initially thought that it was the Cherbi that was causing her entire body to panic, but no…

…it was probably Riley's unwillingness to do anything.

"We… We'll die!" Hera's voice once again turned into shouts, "I know you're practically immortal, but that's a black hole! Were you seriously not listening to Nana's story? Even themarians avoid the thing. If you get eaten by that, then I don't think there's even going back from—wait. You…

…don't tell me that's what you want?"

"..." Riley then very slowly turned to Hera. And there, on his face, was a version of a smile that Hera has not seen before—a smile with only his eyes.

"You… you fucking lunatic," Hera's breaths started to become stuttered once more as she looked Riley straight in the eyes, "You're going to commit suicide."

"And hopefully, it is the last time, Miss Hera."

"You… If you're going to do something like that, then do it alo—"

"Do you not find it ironic, Miss Hera?" Riley did not let Hera finish her words as he once again focused on the growing Cherbi, "That I might be meeting my end at the hands of my own kind?"

"...What? What are you even saying?" Hera turned to look at Nana to see how she was doing, only to see her just looking at the floor completely dejected and without hope.

"The Cherbi," Riley then placed his hand on the window; the reflection of his face, slightly lining up with the pink void, "Its only purpose is to destroy and take life. Does it not remind you of me, Miss Hera?"

"But you're more than just that, Riley!" Hera raised her voice, "Yes, you're a fucking killing machine and you probably will never change—-but you have never been just that! You're a brother, a son… you—"

"You do not have to worry, Miss Hera. You will probably find a way to survive with your abilities."

"W—then what about Nana!? She forced herself—we forced her to take us with her!"

"..."

"..."

"Oh. You're right," Riley blinked a couple of times as he looked at Nana, "I promised your children you will return to them."

And just like that, the tremble that have ailed the ship started to subside, the pink void that was growing by the second in their sight, now stopped expanding.

"I am still planning to die here, Miss Hera. I will exit through the door, but you do not have to worry, I will weld it back in place and make sure to give you some distance from the Cherbi."

And before Hera could even let out a breath of relief, Riley started walking away. Wait… why would her breaths of relief even halt by Riley walking to his death? Shouldn't she feel the opposite? Shouldn't she be relieved that she wouldn't have to babysit Earth's genocidal maniac anymore?

"Riley, stop."

Hera quickly blocked his path even with her thoughts still confused, "I…

…Megawoman gave me a mission to bring you to Theran. I'm not planning to fail a mission given to me by Earth's mightiest hero."

"It truly is a shame that I will not get to see Theran, Miss Hera," Riley shook his head as he took a step forward, "But I believe this is the best chance for me to finally die. And if I don't, then we can just continue our journey. Whatever way the scenario unfolds, you win."

"Why is a villain like you saying lines meant for anti-heroes?" Hera stood her ground, "I will take you to Theran, then I can finally have the vacation I deserve, okay?"

"No. As I said, we—"

"Uhm, guys…"

And before Riley and Hera's exchange of words could continue any further, Nana, who has been experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions for what felt like an eternity now, interrupted the two.

Riley and Hera quickly turned to look at her, only to see her pointing at the front window.

"What is—" Hera momentarily forgot to breathe as soon as she saw what Nana was pointing to. The pink void was completely gone—no. Even the expanse of space that cradled them was also gone. Instead, what replaced it was the view of nothing but silver.

But of course, Hera wouldn't have been lost for words if it was just that, no. Because whatever the silver thing that was blocking their view now… it blinked.

"...Please tell me I am not seeing a giant eyeball right now."

"It… It's a Messenger!" Nana quickly hollered as she lowered her head and kneeled, "It's… it's probably here because of the Cherbi!"

"A mess—you mean those planet-sized titans?" Hera took in a small gulp as she looked at the colossal silver eye. How could she not, really, if it was covering the entire horizon?

"If… if it's here to deal with the pink thing, then… why is it looking at us?"

[You…]

And almost like a voice being transmitted through every corner of their ship, the Messenger's words started to travel to their ears,

[...Aren't you Riley Ross?]

"Oh...

...of course."

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