"...Oh."
Empress was about to stand up from her seat and rush towards the room where Riley was resting, but then realized that she was probably out of her boundaries… and it would probably be wrong for her to try and separate the two.
Alice is Riley's mother, and this was the first time in almost a year that Alice was approaching Riley on her own– No, this was the first time that she was approaching him at all. And so, Empress's butt once again met the with the chair; her eyes, not leaving the screen that was attached to the wall.
Her butt, however, suddenly left the chair again as she suddenly remembered Tempo's words. Alice was about to hurt Riley a year ago; and who knows what could have happened if Tempo didn't pull Riley away.
"...Can't be," Empress squinted her eyes, "She wouldn't really hurt Riley, right? What kind of mother would–"
And before she could finish her words, Empress let out a short but very deep breath. There were actually a lot– there were a lot of mothers that are capable of hurting their children. The Hope Guild was allowed to access police files to a limited capacity. And… as someone who lost her own child, the first thing that Empress checked was files related to child violence.
"..."
Empress continued to watch what was happening on the screen, her butt, once again meeting with the chair. If Alice started moving suspiciously, then Empress would quickly burst through their room… but Alice remained just standing in the doorway, not fully entering the room for some reason. The sliding door, automatically closing and opening before it hit Alice.
Isn't this… suspicious in itself?
"You look like shit, auntie."
And as Empress was all eyes on the screen, Tempo suddenly entered the hall, "Anything going on?"
"...I'm not your auntie and I'm not that old," Empress only let out a small sigh; her eyes still not leaving the screen, "And Alice is in Riley's room," she then said as she pointed at the monitor.
"What!?" And as soon as Tempo heard that, he quickly disappeared from his spot; suddenly standing in front of the monitor, "S… shit!"
Tempo was about to run away, but before the echo of his steps could whisper in the air, Empress grabbed his hand.
"Let's… watch the situation first," Empress said.
"What? But isn't it dangerous? We shouldn't leave Alice with Riley since she's… currently not well."
"But… what if she just wants to see Riley?" Empress muttered, "It's not really right for us to–"
"What's going on?"
"Lolo!" Tempo's eyes then quickly widened as Bulwark entered the meeting hall, "Alice is in Riley's room!"
"Oh?" Bulwark was about to take a rest and just wanted to check if there was anyone in the meeting hall since he just finished responding to a crime. But hearing Tempo's words, his feet quickly took him beside Tempo as he too, started looking at the screen.
"Get the child," Bulwark then said as he nodded at Tempo, "I've seen many mothers kill their own infants before. The child's life might be in danger."
"Why are all of you standing there?" And before anyone could take action, another member of the Hope Guild entered the meeting hall– Whiteking. And since no one was answering him, he just walked to the monitor himself.
"...Isn't that Alice?" Whiteking's helmet folded open as he looked at the others, "Shouldn't… we try and get the kid away?"
"...You too?" Empress slightly gasped as she heard Whiteking's words.
"Well… yeah," Whiteking shrugged, "The woman's obviously turning insane, and even if there's a 1% chance of the kid being at risk… then we should get him."
"I am usually the one with the percentages… but be that as it may, I am 50% in agreement."
This time, it was Butcher who entered the hall; his clothes were completely stained in blood, his skin and face, however, were completely clean.
"Alice is still the mother's child, after all," Butcher said as he took a seat; only glancing once at the monitor.
"Hm…"
"..."
"..."
"Why… are you all looking at me?" Empress then slightly took a few steps back as she noticed that everyone was suddenly looking at her.
"You're the leader now, auntie," Tempo said, "And since the old lady isn't here, the decision lies with you."
"That…" Hearing Tempo's words, the only thing that Empress could do was look back and forth between the monitor and the rest of the members of the Hope Guild.
Alice was still standing in the doorway of the room, not moving even a single inch from where she was minutes ago.
And after a few more seconds, Empress took in a small gulp and said, "Let me… try and talk to her first. Alice is a time bomb and we don't want her going off."
The others looked at each other for a while, but eventually all nodded their heads at Empress.
"We… will follow a few meters behind you just in case," Whiteking muttered. And so, with that, the no. 1 Superhero team in the world started to carefully make their way to Riley's room… just to try and talk to an estranged mother.
As soon as they made their way to the room, however, they realized that the situation is anything but simple.
Alice was already inside the room and Empress wanted to quickly check on her to find out whatever it was that was going on in her mind…
"This…"
Empress, however, found herself unable to enter the room as there was an invisible wall blocking the doorway.
"A… Alice?" Empress slightly stuttered as she tried to call for Alice, "What… what are you trying to do?"
And as to their expectation, Alice did not answer. Instead, her steps slowly brought her closer and closer to Riley's crib. The others now also stood in front of the door, trying to see if anyone of them could go in.
Tempo was about to drill his way through the wall, but Bulwark gestured to him to stop. Empress was right– Alice was a timebomb that none of them were capable of stopping before there were any casualties.
"Ali–"
"You know…"
And before Empress could say anything else, Alice suddenly turned around; her eyes, moving across Empress and the others.
"...Have I ever thanked all of you for welcoming me to the guild?" Alice then said; letting out a long and very deep sigh as her hand slowly brushed on Riley's crib,
"You know… I didn't want to get out of the prison because I thought I didn't belong out here– in the real world," Alice continued to sigh as she slowly turned towards Riley; her hands, slowly stretching to her son,
"I hated my mother for trying to pull me out… but it turns out you guys are fun, after all," Alice continued as she gently lifted Riley from the crib,
"And then… he arrived."
Tears then started trailing from Alice's eyes as she started cradling Riley, "And everything… everything just became even brighter. Even more than being a superhero and beating the living shit out of bad people… I found the purpose of my life… Riley… Riley was my everything… He is my life…
…And oh my god, he's a boy now."
Alice then looked at Riley from head to toe. The last time she held him, a single arm was enough to hold him.
"E… even two of my arms aren't enough to carry him now."
"No!"
Tempo screamed as Alice suddenly let go of Riley and stretched her arms to the side; contrary to his expectations, however, Riley remained floating in the air. And soon, even Alice's tears also started to float in the air… along with all of the furniture and objects in the room.
"But everything was an illusion," Alice then opened both her palms wide, causing everything in the room but her and Riley to instantly disintegrate into ashes, "The life that I thought I have was just an illusion."
Alice pointed her palm towards Riley, causing him to float towards her.
"Alice… what are you doing?" Empress then knocked on the invisible barrier, causing the walls to slightly tremble.
"What I should have done a year ago," the tears that were flowing from Alice's eyes became even more prevalent; almost a waterfall as the tremble of her voice became even more nuanced, "End my life."
"W… what!?"
"..." Whiteking slightly took a few steps back, pulling away Tempo from the door, "We need Charlotte."
"B–"
"You're the only one fast enough to get her here."
"I can't go to space, man. Are you fucking crazy?" Tempo slightly raised her voice.
"I'm coming with you; just carry me…"
The two continued to discuss secretly as Empress tried to talk with Alice. The situation, however, seemed to not be getting any better as Riley was still floating closer and closer towards Alice's opened palm.
"E… end your life!?" Empress once again slammed on the invisible barrier; this time cracking the walls it seemed to be hinging from, "What does that mean!?"
"Sshh," Alice then placed her finger on her lips, her swollen eyes momentarily glancing at Empress before turning back to Riley, "I… don't want him awake for thi–"
"M… mama?"
And before Alice could finish her words, her throat almost collapsed as Riley's voice entered her ears.
"Mama…"
And even though Riley seemed to be slightly confused as to why he was floating, his wide lips still quickly turned into a smile as his eyes landed on Alice,
"Mama… is back?" Riley then stretched both his arms towards Alice; the already wide smile on his face, growing even wider, "Mama… miss you!"
"I…" Alice's breaths started to turn heavy; her gasps, almost piercing the ears of those who could hear them,
"I… missed you too," Alice then whispered; her fingers...
...slowly wrapping around Riley's neck.