Villain Retirement

"So, that's how it is."

Anna had her elbows resting on the dining table; her mouth, covered by her hands as she had them clasped together. She seemed to be deep in thought with the way her eyes just looked at the table, which now had empty plates and glasses.

And while she was lost in her own world, Riley started picking up the plates before letting them float to the sink. Before he could wash it, however, Katherine stood up from the table.

"I'll do it, you go talk to her," Katherine said as she placed her hand on Riley's shoulder, gesturing to him to just take a seat.

"That is how it is, older sister," Riley just nodded. Zac and Esme, who were also listening to their conversation, could really only keep their mouths shut and listen. Both were learning more and more about Riley and the people around him; Zac, however, was more focused as he wanted to report everything he heard here to his superiors.

"I would really like to meet Hannah," Anna finally snapped out of her stupor as she looked at Riley, "I wonder if she will also make her way here?"

"Perhaps, but she is slightly stupid," Riley sighed as he shook his head, "But since mother was able to find a way for me to find this place, I am certain she has plans for sister too. She could very well be on her way here."

"Hm…" Anna rested her chin on her fingers, "...But why exactly did mother lead you here?"

"You believe my stories, older sister?"

"Well, yeah," Anna scoffed before glancing at Zac, "No one is stupid and brave enough to pretend to be mother's children—you will be hunted by the Order. My question remains valid, why exactly did she lead you here?"

"I suppose she just wanted me to meet you, older sister."

"No. Mother would just introduce us to each other directly. There has to be a deeper reason. Mother doesn't do anything by mistake or without reason."

"That is not really a true statement, older sister," Riley immediately shook his head, "I am a mistake and she helped create me."

"Hm… that's true," Anna breathed out, "A deep reason… deep reason."

"A deep reason—does the shack outside in the yard perhaps have an underground bunker, older sister?"

"I like the way you think," Anna quickly stood up, "I haven't actually been there yet."

"How… long have you lived here?" Katherine, who had just finished doing the dishes, could not help but join in on the conversation as soon as she heard Anna's words.

"7,496 years," Anna shrugged.

"...And you've been alone for that long?" Katherine blinked a couple of times in disbelief.

"Mother was with me for 3 years, but yes."

"And you never checked the shack?"

"I never left the house," Anna just shrugged as if she just said something casual.

"You never left the house…" Katherine's eyes widened in shock, "This house…for 7 and a half millennia?"

"Yes. It would not make sense to leave…I am the house."

"...What?"

"I am the house," Anna then snapped her fingers; and as she did so, all the lights inside the house; the appliances, and even the sink all turned on, "And the house is me. You have met Anna on the ship, she and I are the same—Avatars, creations of mother."

"..."

"Although I suppose mother still has not created Anna a body. It makes sense since she could already move and fly around."

"So… you can't leave this house?" The tone of Katherine's voice slightly lowered and turned melancholic.

"Oh, I can leave if I want to," Anna, however, just shrugged, "I just don't see a point. Everything I need is here and I would be hunted out there if they discovered who I am. I am not really confident in fighting themarians, they are physically stronger than I am and—"

"Perhaps we should check the shack first, older sister?" Riley shook his head.

"Yup," Anna breathed out and rolled her eyes from being interrupted, "We… should check that too."

"Maybe another Anna is there, older sister."

"Oh, I fucking hope not. Can you imagine what kind of Anna lives there?" Anna rubbed her arms as she shivered, "That would be creepy as fuck."

"It is interesting you developed that kind of language, older sister."

"I'm just imitating how mother talks."

"I… suppose that makes sense," Riley slightly squinted his eyes, "I am too young to remember, but I believe sister also adapted her vernacular from mother."

"Now I really want to meet Hannah."

"Hm, let's check the shack first, older sister…

…there might be something important there that mother would want me to see."

***

"There's nothing here. There goes my fucking excitement for the outside world."

"Hm."

The shack was completely empty, with not even a shelf or a cabinet—or even a light to adorn it. Riley kept tapping the walls and stepping on the floors to see if there were any intricate or hidden buttons, but nothing. Katherine, Esme, and Zac were also doing the same—but aside from some cracks from aging, there really wasn't anything there.

"Can I dig through the ground, older sister?"

"What? No!" Anna quickly stood in front of Riley, "Mother doesn't like her things broken."

"That is true," Riley sighed as he placed his hand on his chin, "Perhaps there is no deeper meaning to this after all, older sister. Mother probably just put this address as a placeholder since it exists."

"Well, that's fucking boring. And well, it's been a very fun adventure of 10 meters," Anne could really only force a chuckle as she made her way to the door, "I am going back home. You guys can feel free to stay or whatever, there are still 3 days until Princess Aerith's trials, right? I remember that woman. She was almost sent to eternal death by mother when—"

And before she could finish her words, a slightly loud ticking noise whispered throughout the shack. She then very slowly turned her head down to look at the source of the noise, only to see the door knob… now in his hands and not attached to the door.

"...Why did you break this, younger brother?" Anna then slightly stuttered with her words as she very slowly turned her head toward Riley.

"..."

"You broke it, yes?" Anna then forced a smile, "It's not me. I didn't—"

And once again, before Anna could finish her words, another loud tick whispered through the shack. And before they could make out where the sound was coming from, a thick silver slab slid down and barred the door.

"O…kay?" Anna slowly backed away before standing behind Riley, "Why did it do that?"

"Should you not be the one to know that, older sister?"

"I just told you that I haven't— !!!"

And once again, Anna's words were interrupted. This time, however, not by subtle tick—but a rumbling and almost deafening boom.

"I… I lost connection with the house!" Anna then screamed as she suddenly dropped to the floor, "I… I can't feel the house!"

"Something is happening outside, older sister."

"No shit!?"

Another boom erupted—and for it to have enough power to cause the themarian terrain quake would mean that it wasn't just a normal explosion. And the fact that it took around a minute for it to settle… one could just imagine what was happening outside.

And as soon as the trembling stopped, the slab that barred the door opened.

"Tch," and without even any hesitation, Anna rammed the door open… and there, outside… the house that once stood was no more. Instead, it was replaced by a large hole, completely cylindrical and hollow.

"Is that… a cannon?"

And inside the large hole, was a nozzle almost as big as its container. Its nozzle, still seething red from whatever fired from it.

"This is very interesting, older sister," Riley joined Anna as he also looked down at the cannon, "Mother really likes her explosive reveals and secrets."

"Interesting!? My fucking house is gone! What… what am I going to do now!?"

"But you are still alive, no?" Riley tilted his head to the side, "It turns out that you are not the house and the house is not you, older sister."

p-n0ve1、com "Can you stop sa—"

"Uhm, guys…"

And before the two could continue bickering, Katherine interrupted them as she pointed toward the sky. Riley and Anna quickly turned their heads up… only to see another hole in the sky, a tear large and deep enough that one could already see the darkness of space even as the sun still shone.

"We..." Anna took in a small gulp,

"...We should probably leave."

"What about the house, older sis-"

"Fuck the house! Let's go!"

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