Chapter 688: Rickdonald's
"..."
"..."
It wasn't just because the cages were muted, no.
The silence that persisted like a storm through the white crystal walls bounced from corner to corner, passing through Diana and Alice's ears like a whistling echo of... confusion and disbelief.
The good-looking albino in front of them... is their son?
Almost 5 years ago now, the Diana of this universe detected a surge of energy that they couldn't recognize—a surge of energy coming from one of the planets she was experimenting on.
She quickly took action, even personally going there with Alice the very first time it happened. And lo and behold, they made their first encounter with life beyond their universe.
At first, Diana was a bit reluctant to believe that these Travelers, as she officially calls them now, were from another universe. But soon, as more of them were sent to their universe, she gathered enough proof to make her believe otherwise.
And of course, as a creature of science, Diana quickly questioned their existence—quite literally, as she interrogated each and every one of the Travelers to try and make some sort of 'map' of the other universe. A map of their culture, their difference, and their scope.
And of course, she came to find that all these Travelers were actually criminals of the other universe, hence the cages. But even if they weren't, she would probably still put them in cages as they have absolutely no idea what diseases or other ideas they might bring with them.
She also came to find that the technology of her universe is somewhat more advanced than the other one—except in the realms of traveling to another dimension, that is—but even that, Diana knew why.
The Norinlads. Bounty Hunter Kerrigan's people... they have been extinct in her universe for more than a million years.
These Travelers were thrown here because they have no place in their universe, and they can't be killed by conventional means—either because of their physiology, or the political ideology of it all.
They are the worst of the worst...
...and this young man in front of them, who is claiming to be both their son, is one of them?
"How—"
"...Don't speak to me of bullcrap, boy."
And before Diana could say her piece, Alice let out a small scoff as she once again tapped the glass,
"...In what universe will I really ever want a child? And look at you, we don't even look alike. But more importantly... Dead? I'm dead? Me!?"
"Yes, Alice Lane."
"And you're weird. I don't think I'll have a weird child," Alice knitted her eyebrows, "Just because you can also control things with your mind? Lots of people could do that."
"I have been meaning to ask about that—you are much stronger here than in my universe, Alice Lane. How is that possible?" Riley did not really heed Alice's words any mind as he just tilted his head to the side.
"Dude, you're freaky," Alice slightly backed away as she saw a smile very slowly crawling on Riley's face, "And FYI, Dee has this thingy that amplifies my—"
"Don't tell it anything, Alice."
"...Right, right," Alice crossed her arms, "You almost tricked me, whitey."
"But I do agree with you," Diana squinted her eyes as she looked at Riley from head to toe again, "This young man exudes elegance and calmness, and you're the embodiment of crass. But I am curious about one thing, you mentioned my name...
...Diana Ross? Ross, as in Bernard Albert Ross?"
"Yes."
"...And I am married to him in your world?"
"Yes," Riley tilted to the side as he blinked several times, "You are not married to him here? Does that mean Hannah does not exist in this universe?"
"Pft..." Alice covered her mouth as she tried to stop herself from laughing, "You... you're married to Bernie?"
"..." Diana did not really say anything, just rolling her eyes as she continued to focus on Riley, "I do not like deliberating whether or not what you say is true. A simple blood test will at least confirm if you truly are Alice's son."
"..." And as soon as Alice heard that, the cheeky smile on her face quickly faded away. She seemed to be trying her best to feign indifference, however, as there was a slight quiver in her lips as she tried to retain the smile.
"But I am not her son," Riley looked at Alice, "I am the son of Alice in my universe."
"It doesn't matter," Diana shook her head, before putting her palms together and summoning a holographic screen as she pulled them apart, "I am just curious—and it would at least help me in determining whether you are lying or not going forward."
"...Very well," Riley nodded. And without even any hesitation, he summoned a knife using Paige's abilities and cut his palm with it.
"..." Diana could not help but bat her eyes as she saw this. The infrared feed on her screen wasn't really showing anything; meaning besides its visual aspect... the knife doesn't really exist,
"You... did not really need to draw blood."
"Oh. Then you can just use it later," Riley shrugged.
"..." Diana did not really answer Riley as she just gestured to Alice to follow her as they stepped away from Riley's cage. As they did so, however, Kerrigan started slamming his hands on his cage as he seemed to want to say something to them. But alas, he was completely ignored.
"S...so, what's the result say?" Alice took in a small gulp as she took a peek at Diana's holographic screen.
"Wait," Diana raised a finger as the cage started analyzing Riley. It first started to scan whether or not a version of him exists in this universe, but no results came up, "Let's move—What?"
But before Diana could proceed with actually analyzing Riley's blood... Alice's face suddenly popped up.
"That... why is my face there?" Alice whispered; her words, stuttering almost violently, "So... Am I... her mother?"
"...No."
"No?"
"...You're the same person," Diana batted her eyes in confusion as she glanced back at Riley.
"...What?"
"Anna is registering you as the same person," Diana breathed in, "Wait, let me check... Your blood, they are almost completely identical to each other."
"W—"
"That is because I don't have a biological father, Diana and Alice."
"!!!"
Diana and Alice quickly turned around, only to see Riley out of his cage and casually standing just a meter behind them.
"I could explain my lineage properly to the two of you if you wish to know it...
...but may I suggest doing it over dinner?"
***
"That's... freaking crazy. Do you believe this, Dee?"
"I... am inclined to."
"...Damn,"
The sound of Alice chewing was probably as loud as her words as she consumed the burger in her hand,
"...And why are you not eating? You're the one who suggested we eat and talk."
"I do not eat fast food, Alice Lane."
"Blasphemy, are you really my son!? Don't you have Rickdonald's in your world!?"
"We have a different version of it," Riley stretched his arm toward Alice, wiping the ketchup on her face. And surprisingly, Alice did not even budge as he did so, "And I am not your son, Alice Lane of this world."
"Hm... Ours is probably better."
"Hm," Riley really only shrugged as he started looking around.
Unlike his Guesthouse which was located in the isolated icy regions of Earth, Diana and Alice's guesthouse was directly beneath the city. An active city identical to New York, as there was even a Times Square just outside this... Rickdonald's.
And judging by how the people were giving them looks and taking photos of them—Diana and Alice were famous. As to why, Riley doesn't know yet.
"Come on, just try it," Alice took a piece of fries from the table and flung it in front of Riley's face, "This is filled with the goodness of MSG and—Hey!"
"Stop it, Alice," Diana pulled back Alice's hand, "You're forgetting something here—Riley is a criminal, one of the worst in his universe."
"..." Alice glanced at Diana for a few seconds, before looking Riley straight in the eyes, "What... did you do there?"
"I am not one of the worst criminals, Diana," Riley shook his head, "I am the worst. I have killed and tortured more than a hundred billion people—destroyed hundreds of planets."
"Oh..." Diana blinked as she too, looked Riley in the eyes, "That's...
...That's it?"