Chapter 508: Once Again

"..."

Riley was now in front of the Bloodcruiser's main entry and exit point. Since he had always been... exiting and entering in the literal and most unconventional ways through the Bloodcruiser, this was actually his first time seeing the large door.

"This has been the shortest but longest trip I have ever been on."

And as a matter of course, Hera was the same. Now that they were finally on their actual destination, she couldn't help but just let herself relax, yawning and stretching as she waited for the door to open,

"Can't wait to talk to actual humans."

"Xra and I are actual humans, Miss Hera," Riley quickly responded. As for Hera, she could really only look at Riley with her exhausted and judging eyes.

"And we landed on Theran, Miss Hera. Not on Earth, the only humans here should be sister and the others."

"I know," Hera rolled her eyes, "I don't need a reminder that we're not actually home."

"It is good to know you have a home, Miss Hera."

"..."

Hera glanced at Riley one more time, before just sighing and shaking her head. And soon, a sense of quietness started to circle between the two. Hera didn't heed it any mind, however, as she had completely gotten used to Riley.

And finally, after waiting a few more minutes, the large door finally opened. It didn't create any sound, it didn't slide open, and it didn't swing. It just... opened like a hole, almost as if the ship was alive—and in a way, the Bloodcruiser truly was.

The light from the outside slowly seeped into the ship. Hera tried breathing in just so she could at least feel at home; not expecting to truly whiff a hint of home, she could even say the air was fresher.

And there, on the other side, a couple of silhouettes could be seen, their figure drowned by the light behind them. And before Hera and Riley could even make out their faces, one of them rushed toward Riley.

And without pause or any hesitation, the silhouette leaped and wrapped her arms around him.

She didn't even say anything, Riley could just hear a minute and subtle sob; a trickle of warmth that was as subtle as her cries, trailing down on Riley's neck.

"Sister," Riley whispered as he wrapped a single across Hannah's waist and returned her embrace,

"You did not have to escort us outside, you could have just waited with Katherine and the others," he then said as he looked at the other silhouettes.

Katherine, Tomoe... and Vera, who was wearing some sort of oversized collar around her neck. Riley's attention quickly strayed away from her, however, as he saw someone he truly did not expect to see—Tsula, the old terraformer.

Was she actually on Diana's ship all this time?

"Where are—"

"Shut up, just shut the fuck up!"

And with him not even able to finish his words, Riley could really only blink upon hearing his sister's voice again. And with a small sigh, he placed his other arm around his waist, fully returning Hannah's embrace with both arms.

"I have missed you too, sister."

"Hm..."

"..." And while the two were having a somewhat heartfelt reunion, Hera could only sigh as she left and made her way out and walked toward Katherine and the others.

"What's up with her?" Hera tilted her head to Vera, who just clicked her tongue and quickly looked away as soon as their eyes met.

"Let's just say that she... went amok as we landed." Judging by how heavy Katherine's sigh was as she glanced at Vera, it was probably something serious, "As for her necklace, well... our themarian friends don't believe in cages."

"...Huh. It would seem we weren't the only ones who had an eventful journey," Hera slightly hummed, before turning to look at Tomoe, "Sup, nerd?"

"Nothing much, most overrated actress in the universe," Tomoe quickly replied without even batting as much as an eye.

"..." And finally, Hera turned to look up. Her eyes, welcomed by a sky that was even bluer than Earth's. Hera then started scanning her surrounding, the ground was clearly asphalt, but beyond where she was standing and where the Bloodcruiser is parked, was grass.

A field of luscious green that expanded even across the hills over the horizon. The view was absolutely immaculate, but most importantly, it was familiar.

"...Am I in Iceland?" Hera blurted out.

"Expecting something futuristic?" Katherine noticed the look on Hera's face, "I did too—but Theran turns out to feel more like Earth than Earth."

"Then... there's a beach?" Hera gulped.

"I saw one when we were landing," a small smile crawled on Katherine's face.

"Yes... finally," Hera took in another deep breath, before turning to look back at Riley and Hannah, "You're not going to join in?"

"I... know my place," Katherine's smile did not disappear as she watched Hannah and Riley just standing there, not even uttering a word at each other,

"I can never beat that no matter what I try."

"..." Tomoe also looked at Riley, before closing her eyes and sighing.

"What about the other crazy with the illusions?" Hera once again started looking around, "Come to think of it, where's your daughter? And where's everyone else?"

"That's... a long story. It's something you should see for yourself."

"...Right," Hera squinted her eyes before once again looking at Vera. She wanted to say some words because she was the entire reason they were separated from everyone, but considering she only did what she did to get rid of the menace that killed her brother and half the people on her ship, Hera just decided to shut her mouth.

She almost forgot that everyone here is, at one point or another, a victim of Riley Ross.

"...So," Hera then just sighed, "Considering all of you are just freely roaming without any themarian around... can I take it that we are free to see the planet?"

Even Darmuid, who was escorting them to Theran, was gone as soon as they landed.

"Not all of us." And to Hera's surprise, it was Tomoe that answered her.

"...Hm?" Hera squinted her eyes as she looked to where Tomoe was pointing, only to see Hannah finally letting go of Riley...

...revealing the collar that was now on his neck.

"..." Riley just touched the collar, before looking Hannah straight in the eyes.

"Do you really have to cause trouble, Riley?" Hannah sighed; the tone of her voice, clearly a little distressed, "Why did you have to kill one of them as soon as you arrived?"

"Fionn attacked us first, sister," Riley sighed, "And you know me."

"I don't, you fucktard," Hannah lightly chuckled, "You're like a completely different creature I know nothing about."

"..."

"Let's... go," Hannah shook her head, before grabbing Riley's hand and finally dragging him out of the ship.

"Am I not under arrest, sister?"

"You... kinda are," Hannah slightly squinted her eyes, "But the themarians do not have prisons or even a jail. Don't ask me why because I have no fucking idea."

"Because Theran itself is already a prison, sister."

"...What?"

"Hello, Princess Vera."

And before Hannah could get a straight answer, Riley turned his attention to Vera, whose eyebrows quickly furrowed as she did not stray away from Riley's glare.

"You do not have to worry. I will not hurt or kill you, Princess Vera," Riley sighed as soon as Vera snarled at her, "I am a reasonable person. I would say I am even impressed, no one has tried pretending to be on my side and attack as soon as the opportunity arrives."

"A shame you didn't just get lost in space," Vera's eyebrows furrowed even further.

"The universe itself seems to want to help me, Princess Vera. Quite ironic, as I am sworn to end all life in it," Riley sighed, "Speaking of help, I received quite an unexpected one."

And with those words, the door of the Bloodcruiser finally closed, but not before someone else stepped out.

"Greetings, fellow humans."

Xra's steps were slow and graceful. But everyone could feel how heavy they truly were. Theran was a bright place, further contrasting her hair which did not seem to reflect any light.

"Pirate Queen... Xra?" And with just a single glance, any anger on Vera's face disappeared and was replaced by an unrelenting shock.

"...Fellow human?" Hannah raised an eyebrow as she looked at the approaching Xra from head to toe, "You're from Earth?"

"She's from the Mesopotamia era, sister."

"Meso what? You mean she's old as fuck?" Hannah squinted, before turning to look at Tomoe and Katherine, "Wait, seriously? You're adding another one?"

"Yes, sister. Pirate Queen Xra is my Third—"

"Of all the things you're going to get from dad, you became a fuckboy," Hannah rolled her eyes and sighed in disappointment.

For Tomoe and Katherine, however, Riley's interrupted words had a different meaning. Third.

Riley was about to say that Xra was his Third Subordinate. Riley was barely even paying attention to them anymore, they don't even know if their secretive and very small organization was even alive.

But seeing as Riley... recruited another subordinate. Wouldn't that mean that they were still a group?

No, that wasn't the most important factor. For some reason, as the two of them stared at Xra, they couldn't help but feel...

...threatened?

"Oh..." Unfortunately for them, their thoughts were easily heard by Xra, "The two of you don't have to worry, I didn't approve and apply to be this deviant's underling."

"..." Tomoe and Katherine could not help but squint their eyes as Xra approached them.

"Well..." And then, very slowly, a smirk crawled on Xra's face,

...not yet, that is."