Chapter 356: Riley, Darkday, andParagon Walked into a Bar (2)

"I accept him. And I'd really like to think he accepts me too."

And once again, silence. No, perhaps if awe was music, then that would be what was floating in the air right about now. The Baby Crew were used to hearing people without a filter; after all, they have Gary, Hannah, and the one that's subtly but secretly the bluntest of them all, Katrina.

But this? For someone to express this kind of raw emotion and say it out loud? The only thing they could really do was close their mouths and look at each other... thinking when they will ever meet someone that would make them feel the way Paige feels.

No, there was one of them that had felt that way.

"...That's true, you should have seen Riley and Hannah interact with each other..."

Gary finally broke his silence as he joined the conversation,

"...What you just said practically freaking described how they were."

"...What?" Hannah raised an eyebrow as soon as her name was once again brought up.

"They grew up together as siblings, but they knew they weren't. They were close, too close. There was just something about the two that makes you think they kiss each other on the lips at night?"

"Ew, Gary!? What the fuck!?"

"What? It's true! Everyone in the Academy thinks so too, there was just something... sexual about you too."

"The fuck!?" Hannah started kicking Gary on the leg, but he just burst out in laughter, causing the others to also laugh as they heard Gary almost squealing like a pig.

And while all of these were happening, Paragon just continued to pretend that he was piloting the jet and not actually flying them with his mind.

And of course, he heard everything.

Paige loves him.

Hannah also said the same thing.

He could never truly understand what it meant — even Aerith said that it was a universal thing and that all the species in the universe were capable of it.

So... why not him? Or maybe he was capable, he just didn't know what to look for? Did... he love Hannah?

When Hannah killed him, he did feel something weird — an emotion that he couldn't really explain.

A relief.

A relief that it was Hannah to end it all.

But then... he lived. Even disintegrated to his last ashes, he lived. After that, the feeling was gone — perhaps hidden, but he couldn't feel it anymore.

He didn't even know what to think or do anymore — the reason he has been staring at Hannah from time to time was to try and see if he feels it again. But how could he find it when he didn't even know what he was searching for?

He had no purpose now — he was the wind, drifting away wherever.

And then, there's Paige.

The only person that told him she understands him. But what does it mean to understand a person with no purpose?

Riley has always thought of him as a monster. But there was something that Aerith told him while they were in space that he couldn't let go —

—Two things can be true at once.

He is a monster, he is evil... but he is also human.

But he had always only been a monster that did nothing but hurt people. He tortured anyone — children, women, the elderly... and in the end, even Hannah. And he was continuing to hurt her now by just existing near her.

Riley is evil. Darkday is a monster...

...but perhaps Paragon has a chance to be human? Diley— John gained that chance, maybe he can too?

...Maybe Paige will give him that chance?

Or perhaps maybe...

...she could amplify the evil that's already there.

***

"Okay, the situation is still pretty much the same inside. But Golden Fox said there's probably one or two still roaming around the building, be very careful."

Even with the wind violently blowing Hannah's hair, her voice remained clear as she looked at the large shelter beneath them from the hole that suddenly opened up out of nowhere on the jet's floor.

"Remember, you guys have been facing aliens. But never underestimate Earth's supers. Gary, you're up."

"You mean down?" Gary said as he let himself fall into the hole,

"I hope this jet is as strong as it looks," he then breathed out as he grabbed the edge of the hole with one hand, before bending his body and placing his feet on the bottom of the jet.

Katrina held onto her seat as she saw this, expecting the jet to move as Gary pushed himself down and causing a ripple to blow around him; contrary to her expectations, however, the jet didn't even budge.

"...Cool," Gary, who was already halfway through the shelter, glanced at the jet before punching a hole through the roof of the building.

He then quickly somersaulted in the air as soon as he was inside, waving his heavy cape like a matador as he landed.

"..." His eyes then quickly searched the area, only to see no one there.

"Info is right, this area is empty and safe to land," Gary then whispered.

[Wait for Bella, she—]

"No fucking way."

[Gar—]

Gary took off the receiver in his ear as he immediately rushed out of the room; the floor beneath him, cracking as he basically bulldozed through the door instead of moving stealthily towards Golden Fox's position.

Of course, he was still careful — his eyes, looking at every room and corridor to see if anyone was hiding. But there seemed to be no one, and very soon, he saw a ninja with a baggy outfit wearing a golden fox mask.

And in front of her, were creatures that seemed like shadows; tightly securing the members of the House of Super.

"Golden Fox!" Gary smiled as he sprinted to Golden Fox.

"...Gary?" Golden Fox turned around as she heard Gary's voice.

As soon as she did so, however, one of the men that were being pinned down by the shadow creatures was able to break loose — and very quickly, his bones that seemed to be made of steel emerged from his wrist.

"Chihiro!" Gary's eyes instantly shone in red as he looked at the man rushing towards Golden Fox.

"Hm?" Golden Fox quickly looked back, already summoning something from his item box as she did so...

...but it was too late — the blade was already an inch into her chest.

"No!" Gary's eyes started to sizzle... but then quickly faded...

...as he saw Paragon suddenly standing beside Golden Fox.

"What... the fuck?" Gary could only halt his steps as he looked at Paragon... who was calmly holding the steel bone from digging any deeper.

"..." This is perhaps the first step in Paragon understanding what humanity is — by actually trying to understand them.

And so, he looked towards Gary; looking at him straight in the eyes to understand what it means to be human.

Gary... returned this gaze; his eyebrows, slowly trembling into a frown as he whispered...

"...Kill him."

"W... wait, No. We're on the same si—"

And before the man could finish his words, Paragon suddenly grabbed his jaw...

...before feeding him his own arm.