"Congratulations…
…you are our very first customer."
"...What?"
Empress could only look at Riley's clone, who was gesturing for her to enter the hole that was suddenly opened up from the gigantic mountain of ice in front of her. And after a few more seconds of pondering whether or not this was a trap, Empress's feet finally gained the courage to take a step inside the hole.
"..." As she entered, however, there was absolutely… nothing inside. It was just a cave; its four walls were completely frozen and dark.
"Is this some sort of joke?" Empress then said as she turned around to look at Riley's clone, "Where is–"
But before she could finish her words, she saw Riley's clone… gesturing a shush; the entrance, closing as the smile on the clone's face grew wider.
"Shit!"
So it was a trap after all? Empress thought as she rushed towards the healing crevice; the rings around her arms, ringing and vibrating as they let out some sort of whistle; but before she could even take 3 steps, she felt herself falling down as the floor beneath her started to descend… almost like an elevator.
…So it wasn't a trap? Or maybe it still is? But seeing as the floor was only gently descending, then does that mean that Riley was still below? Could it be… this is some sort of evil lair?
And with numerous thoughts racing through Empress's mind; she didn't even notice that someone was already staring at her… and that the platform she was stepping on had already stopped descending.
"Aren't you… Empress?"
"Who… are you?" Empress muttered as she looked at the man in front of her; his face, adorned with a large scar.
"This is the Warden."
The scarred man seemed to want to answer, but before he could do so, Riley… or maybe another one of his clones stepped forward to introduce him instead.
"He helps me in taking care of the Guesthouse."
"...Riley?"
"Close, but no tobacco."
"..." Empress could only squint his eyes as… Riley's clone approached her; the smile on his face reaching from ear to ear– his, however, slightly showed his tongue for some reason.
"I am Diley," Diley then stood up straight, saluting at Empress as he did so, "The Boss' second-in-command, most beautiful, and longest working reflection…
…at your service!"
Diley straightened her back even further; staring Empress straight in the eyes as his salute stood resolute.
"Where… is Riley?" Empress could not help but feel slightly uncomfortable with Diley acting the way he is acting right now. She was used to Riley being completely… impassive. And to see Diley being somewhat jolly. It was enough to cause even the insides of Empress's bones to shiver.
"Boss… is waiting for you at the deepest parts," and with those words, the smile on Diley's face disappeared; the cave of ice that surrounded them, suddenly turned dark, "Please… follow–"
"Ah! Sir, how many times do I have to tell you not to turn off the lights in the elevator!?"
And before Diley could even turn around, light once again drowned the white cavern.
"...That was supposed to be for dramatic purposes," Diley raised his fist in the air; his face, slightly trembling along with his hands as he seemed to be stopping himself from hitting the Warden. But after a few moments, he let out a sigh and turned to Empress,
"...Follow me, esteemed customer."
Diley then gestured with his head, not even checking if Empress truly was following him as he walked away.
"..." Empress didn't really have any choice, however, as she followed behind Diley; briefly exchanging glances with the Warden, who seemed to be saying something to her. But due to Diley's fast pace, she was not able to hear even a word of his whisper.
"Is… this some sort of base?" Empress then just asked Diley.
"Pft, no," Diley answered without any pause; waving his hand as he continued to walk ahead.
Empress observed the unusually long hallway that presented itself to her. The walls seemed like they were made with some sort of metal; but no. Upon closer inspection, she was still surrounded by ice…
…and some sort of glass? Empress thought as she trailed her fingers on the walls; only for them to smoothly glide across them without even getting a single drop of moisture. And although they were surrounded by ice, not even a puff of vapor fumed from her mouth– the temperature, almost making her comfortable.
"Then what is this place?"
"It's the Guesthouse."
And almost as if in cue to Diley's words, a glass door hindered their path, "The Boss keeps all of his pe– all of his guests here."
"...Guests?" Empress once again asked as she passed through the doorway. And almost as if to answer her question… several people welcomed her.
But perhaps welcome was the wrong word to use, as everyone just ignored her– doing absolutely nothing as they all sat in some sort of glass cage.
"What is this!?" Empress then quickly turned to look at Diley, only for him to knock on the glass cage nearest to them.
"Wake up!" Diley then said, "Greet our very first customer! Why do you think we've been keeping you here for this long!?"
"What are you–"
"H… hello."
And before Empress could even make sense of what was happening, the man in the cage… suddenly multiplied.
"I… I am Replica Ricky," the man then almost choked on his own words; his clones, however, did not even seem to mind as they just continued waving at Empress; the smile on their face… making Empress feel uncomfortable.
"..." Empress's eyes then strayed towards the plaque resting in front of the glass cage, only for her to let out a small gasp,
"Replica Ricky… Ricardo Martinez… Born October… Has the power to create multiple copies of– What the fuck is this!?" Empress once again turned to Diley, who was now suddenly frowning.
"What are you doing?" Diley then slammed his fist on the glass cage, causing Replica Ricky to violently flinch,
"No dinner for you later; failing to impress our first customer, I am disappointed in you, Ricky… Ricky, Ricky," Diley then shook his head several times before proceeding to walk away,
"Don't worry, Miss Empress," Diley then stretched his arms wide as he then turned to face Empress, "We still have a lot more guests that would like to… impress you."
And almost as if a light being switched inside her, Empress finally realized what was happening as she treaded dazed and confused throughout this… human zoo.
All these people, these supers… they were all the heroes that have gone missing mysteriously whenever Darkday was sighted.
Riley… was keeping all of them here?
"What… sort of sick fantasy are you running here?" Empress said; her words, almost causing the air itself to shiver.
"Oh, you'll like this one."
Diley, however, almost as if not hearing her, just continued to walk towards one of the other cages,
"This one is one of my favorites," Diley chuckled as he knocked on the glass cage. And as soon as he did so, the woman resting inside quickly tried to pounce toward him; only to be blocked by the transparent cage she was confined in.
"Fuck you! Let me out of here! I swear, once– Empress!?"
The woman then suddenly stopped hitting the glass as soon as her eyes met with Empress; the dark circles on her face, quickly brightened as her frown turned into a smile.
"Are you… are you here to rescue us!?" The woman then roared, "You... you don't know how long I've been here! I heard you destroyed our bases from No. 7, but that doesn't matter! Please, we can settle our differences later. This place... This is Darkday's lair!"
"..." Empress instinctively turned to look at the woman's plaque; and as soon as she did so, her eyes turned wide,
"Ellie… A member of the Dark Millenium?" Empress gulped, "You're not only keeping heroes here?"
"Heroes, villains; they're all the same, no?" Diley shrugged before once again knocking on Ellie's cage, "Quick, show our customer what you can–"
[Diley, please don't delay any further.]
"..." Diley blinked a couple of times as soon as… Riley's voice echoed throughout the crystallized menagerie,
"I guess you won't be able to show your tricks today," and with his breaths clearly containing hints of disappointment, Diley once again gestured to Empress to follow him, "Too bad, I really liked that one."
Ellie seemed to be screaming something at Empress; but for some reason, she could no longer hear any of her words. Although she might not look like it, she was actually already thinking of a thousand ways to free all these people– but as she walked through the hall of cages, the number of heroes almost equaled that of the villains.
The government did not report any of these villains to them. She even recognized one or two that previously antagonized the Hope Guild. When their eyes met, however, the man seemed to not recognize her at all; instead, only waved at her with a smile on his face as he disappeared into a dark cloud; appearing instantly in another empty cage.
"Cool, right?" Diley chuckled,
"I taught him that one."
And as soon as he said that, Diley also disappeared; turning into a dark cloud before emerging in front of a door meters away from Empress,
"Miss Empress, please. Boss is waiting for you," Diley then opened the door, gesturing for Empress to enter.
Empress tried her best to remain emotionless as she followed Diley; her mind, however, was the definition of chaos. Is it possible… that Riley had the powers of all the people here?
If so… then is it also possible that this place is the source of Riley's powers? If she destroyed this place, then would Riley's strength be sapped away?
"..." And as soon as she thought of that, she could not help but shake her head. Riley's telekinetic powers should have come from Alice… and Alice was not here. So this place really is just what Diley had been explaining to her– a zoo. Just what sort of sick–
"Empress!?"
And before Empress's thoughts could once again put her into a mild stupor, she felt a violent gust of wind building right in front of her. She quickly put up her arm to block the raging ball of wind; causing a loud explosion to thunder through the air.
She then quickly rushed forward; her fist, already threatening to strike against the woman in front of her– Scarlet Mage.
"You really are working together!" Empress roared as multiple tiny explosions erupted in front of her fist, "You killed all those people in the plane!"
Scarlet Mage, however, did not answer her; only dancing with her hands as she seemed to be trying to dissipate the sparks emerging from Empress's fist. Her parry, however, seemed to not be enough as she felt herself being blown away.
"Die!"
"I believe that's enough."
Empress was about to stomp the fallen Scarlet Mage down, but before she could do so, she felt a hand suddenly but gently holding her shoulder; and almost instantly, the freezing chill that she had been expecting to drown her finally did.
"I forgot to tell her you were coming."
Empress then slowly turned her head towards the whisper, only to see eyes that were completely devoid of any emotions… not looking at her.
"I apologize for my First Subordinate attacking you, Miss Empress."
"Riley... Ross."