“…”
“…”
“…”
A week had passed since the events that ever so slightly shook the entire world, and the students of Mega Academy were once again asked to rest in their dorms. But unlike last time during the abduction event courtesy of the Dark Millenium, they were allowed to go outside of their rooms and explore the Academy grounds.
But once again, less than half of the student population didn’t leave their room. Some requested that they be taken where their parents are, but the Academy said that they will be taking their family inside the Academy instead– as per quote, it is still one of the safest places in the world.
The students begged to disagree, but when a bunch of Supers all around the world started appearing within the Academy grounds in order to guard them, the only thing the students could do was nod their heads.
As for the foreign students from the other Mega Academies– there were already plans of officially transferring them to the Academy; and like with the rest, their families were now en route towards them and will be staying in the Academy for an indefinite amount of time until everything is settled.
Even though they have watched and read it being repeated in the news over and over again, they still could not believe that the other Mega Academies were no more. They just said that they all imploded all at the same time– burying anything and anyone beneath it.
Of course, none of them believed that everyone could have died with just that– as there were heroes there that were capable of surviving even the extreme pressures of the deep sea a hundred times over.
But no, the news reported that everything was crushed… almost flattened. Just how… how can the Dark Millenium be capable of something like this?
The government and the Mega Academy were also already drawing the attention of the critics; with some even requesting to shut down their operations as not even months have passed and tragedy already struck down.
The people were starting to wonder if the government really had the capacity of protecting the future generations of heroes.
“…Shit.”
Hannah and the others were once again in their usual meeting spot– the Korean Shaved Ice store; their silence and sighs, almost melting down anything that was served there.
“Why are we even here if we’re not going to have classes and train?” Gary then lightly tapped the table as he clicked his tongue, “It’s been a week, we should just move on. People die every time… 150,000 per day according to the internet. We should be learning how to kick the ass of those Dark Millenium fuckers instead of just lazing around here!”
“…”
This time, even Hannah did not have the energy to respond to Gary’s words; she wanted to be strong, but remembering all the bodies and the sound of their skin crackling made Hannah not even use her abilities even once since it happened.
“You’re brother’s not with you guys?”
The solemn group then all turned their heads as Charlotte suddenly approached their table, placing a cup of flavored shaved ice in front of each of them.
“We… didn’t order any–“
“On the house.”
And before Silvie could even say anything, Charlotte’s loud sighs pierced their ears, “You’re inside the store, it’s awkward for the other customers if you’re not eating anything.”
“But there aren’t any other custom–“
“Do you want to die?” Charlotte grabbed Gary’s neck before he could even finish his words.
“You… just who are you?” Hannah ignored that Gary was almost choking to death, and instead looked Charlotte straight in the eyes. With them not even bothering to wear their costumes anymore, Hannah’s light brown eyes clearly reflected the interiors of the store; her ash-brown hair, curling in its ends as they flowed on her shoulders.
“What do you mean?” Charlotte blinked a couple of times as she finally dropped Gary on the ground.
“You were there during the Rescue Event… you–“
“Impossible,” Charlotte quickly shook her head and laughed, “I was busy serving the customers here.”
“…”
“Tha–“
“Where’s your brother?” Charlotte did not let Hannah finish her words as she once again repeated her question, “I even got a special mango graham to cheer him up.”
“He’s with the Police Force.”
Tomoe, who had been quiet the whole time, grabbed the mango graham reserved for Riley as she answered Charlotte, “They are still doing rounds outside the perimeter of the Academy.”
“See!?” Gary sprung up from the floor as he once again patted the table, “At least Riley is doing something! We should be helping them instead or training!”
“The Academy is already working out solutions with the government along with the Student Council on how to proceed, Gary,” Silvie sighed, “A lot of things are going to change after this… the foreign students, our family staying within Academy grounds, I even heard they are thinking of letting us out of the Academy more frequently with our future lessons.”
“…Student council?” Hannah squinted as she took a bite of her shaved ice, “I forgot the Academy established that… I thought you joined?”
“No,” Silvie let out an awkward chuckle, “I… don’t think I will be suited in politics even at a lower scale.”
“I see.”
Hannah also let out a chuckle of her own, followed by an awkward silence as the group tried to act normal.
“Ack! Until when are we going to do something!?” Gary’s loud groans of frustration quickly broke the silence, “I would be happy if we were like in a normal school, but we’re in a cool school where we beat each other up!”
“Fine,” Charlotte, who saw the downcasted looks of the group, could not help but once again let out a sigh, “I’ll let you in on a little secret– you might be stuck doing nothing for a while.”
“W… what!?” This time, not only Gary reacted wildly, but also Hannah and Silvie; with Tomoe only raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
“The government is trying their best to keep it in wraps, but they are currently dealing with the Dark Millenium with zero tolerance. They already found some of their bases in the sky.”
“Zero… tolerance?”
“Hm,” Charlotte nodded with a smile, “Even Dark Millenium had already announced that they have no connection with Darkday or whatsoever, they will be still treating them as such– Any super or organization that even expresses to continue where Darkday left off are to be dealt with the same as him, zero tolerance.”
“What… are you saying?” Silvie muttered as she stood up.
“Hope Guild and other Grade-S and A Supers… will be annihilating Dark Millenium from the face of the planet.”
“They have already caught some of them!?”
“Silv…” Hannah then also stood up as she grabbed her phone, quickly dialing her father’s number, “I… think she meant it literally.”
“You mean…”
“They…” Gary whispered, “…are executing all of them.”
***
“Are… are you sure I’ll be safe here?”
“Of course.”
In a dark hallway, a pair of steps could be heard echoing almost rhythmically; with Mr. Friday looking around at the path they have been walking on for almost a full hour now. And even with his suit, it still felt a little cold.
It was also a bit hard to see with the helmet he was wearing; it was a good thing that the young man walking in front of him had hair that almost brightened up the hallway.
“How… are you outside the Academy?” Mr. Friday muttered, “I thought students weren’t allowed to go outside.”
The white-haired man then stopped walking as he glanced at Mr. Friday, “I am still in the Academy, Mr. Friday,” he then said, “You must be mistaking me with Riley. I am Riley Two, or as I like to call myself…
…Diley.”
“…”
“Get it? Because Di means two?”
“!!!”
Mr. Friday could not help but hold his breath as he saw the look in Riley– on Diley’s face. Was… was he supposed to laugh? Diley currently had a wide smile on his face, enough to reach from ear to ear.
“He… he.”
And as soon as Mr. Friday let out a fake laugh, Diley immediately nodded and once again continued to walk.
Does Riley’s clone have… different personalities?
Mr. Friday continued to follow Diley through the hallway. Just before this, they were inside some kind of elevator for almost a full 10 minutes. Just… how deep does this place actually go? He doesn’t even know where they are, as Diley covered his head with a huge paper bag on the way.
And finally, after a few minutes more, the dark hallway started to brighten up– and soon, their path was blocked by a glass door.
“We’re here.”
“R… right,” Mr. Friday once again nodded as he followed Diley inside.
“You’ll be taking care of them whenever I am gone. So please, be on your best behavior. We don’t want to set up a bad example.”
“Take care of–” And before Mr. Friday could even finish his words, he could not help but slightly take a few steps back as he saw almost a hundred glass boxes neatly littered in his view… all with humans confined inside of them.
“This…”
“Come, let me tour you around… And from now on, you will be known as Warden.”
“O… Of course,” Warden’s feet moved on their own as he once again followed Diley, stepping down some stairs before they reached the first platform.
“This is our very first occupant, Warden,” Diley then stopped as they reached a glass cage, “You may know him as Replica Ricky… but I don’t think he was quite known. Say hi to our new caretaker, Replica Ricky.”
“…”
“I said to say hi, Replica Ricky.”
Diley then lightly tapped Replica Ricky’s cage, and as soon as he did so, Replica Ricky stood up; his face completely terrified before turning his eyes towards Warden,
“H… hi.”
“…Hi?”
‘Just…’ Warden whispered in his mind,
…what the fuck is this!?’