Chapter 52: A Small Crisis

"What… what did they say, Miss Scarlet Mage?"

Not only Silvie, but Hannah and the others all held their breaths as they saw the look on Scarlet Mage's face. Scarlet Mage had always held a stern and strict look on her face, but there was also a hint of calmness and tenderness on it; and so, seeing her completely flustered, they could not help but think of the worse.

"...Nothing," Scarlet Mage shook her head with a sigh, "It's best we get back to the bus now that the members of this so-called Dark Millenium are gone."

"Gone? Just like that?"

"What did they want? Did they really kidnap some of our classmates!?"

"Fucking hell, the government has enough money to build something like Mega Academy but once we're out they can't spare any security? As expected of the government."

"...I will share the details once we have confirmed everything," hearing the complaints of her students, Scarlet Mage could only let out a sigh. She thought that the Dark Millenium was just some wannabe supervillain group since the one they encountered did not seem that much of a threat…

...But to think they actually killed some students? It was one thing to kidnap students directly under the government, but to actually do what they did? The government would have no choice but to react with extreme violence-- not to mention superheroes who have their children enrolled in the Academy.

If her guess was right, then the government would probably issue a strict manhunt for Dark Millenium. And as an instructor of the Academy, she would probably be included in the force.

"..." But if she were to be gone, then that would mean she wouldn't be able to watch and guard everyone else from Riley. Of course, avenging the students is a must, but the real monster was within their midst, which was incredibly much more important. Just a few students don't merit her letting Riley out of her si--

What was she thinking!?-- Scarlet Mage thought as she violently shook her head. The lives of the students aren't important? What was wrong with her!?

"...Miss Scarlet Mage?" Silvie then slightly leaned her head closer to Scarlet Mage, her eyes filled with worry, "Did… something bad happen?"

"We're still confirming what happened," Scarlet Mage then repeated her earlier words as she woke up from her stupor, "Silvie, lead the way. I'll cover the back just in case some of the members of the Dark Millenium are still here."

"Y… yes," Scarlet Mage straightened her back as she nodded, "Of course, Miss Scarlet Mage."

And so, the group started to head back to where the buses were parked. Each of their steps was cautious, of course; the Dark Millennium had some sort of high capacity pressure bomb, it would be dangerous if they left some of those lingering around on the ground.

"Where… did you go?"

Scarlet Mage had another purpose for guarding the rear, of course; and that was to quietly talk with Riley.

"You suddenly disappeared and you made your sister worried sick."

"I was just reminiscing and killing time, Scarlet Mage," Riley answered, his eyes looking straight ahead, "And are we really going back to the Academy?"

"...No," Scarlet Mage quickly shook her head, "It seems that the government had set up some sort of safety shelter a few miles away as part of the Academy. It isn't safe until we find out how they gained all that information about us."

"I see, that is very convenient, Scarlet Mage. We actually need to go somewhere later, it saves me the minor inconvenience of having to escape from the Academy."

"What? Where are you going? I doubt they would let any one of the students out."

"What they want is irrelevant, Scarlet Mage. And it's not only me that's leaving. I will be meeting with the members of the Dark Millenium later. There is someone impersonating my identity there, we can't have--"

And before Riley could finish his words, Scarlet Mage covered his mouth as her eyes were fixated on the student nearest to them-- Tomoe.

"It is fine, Scarlet Mage," Riley then let out a sigh as he removed Scarlet Mage's hand, "Dark Frost knows."

"Knows… what?"

"My identity. She guessed who I am. It's quite an amazing feat, is it not?"

"She did what?" Scarlet Mage turned her focus on Dark Frost; and even though her face was completely covered with a helmet, she could still feel her heart that beat with a certain kind of animosity.

"...You are just lucky that you are first," Tomoe then said with a click of a tongue.

Of course-- Scarlet Mage thought. If there was someone that would be able to relate Riley to Darkday, it would be her-- Darkday's self-proclaimed number 1 fan.

"Why drag a student into this?" Scarlet Mage then said, her tone slightly cold, "I thought this is only going to be between us?"

"I did not drag her, she applied."

"She's only a student, Riley. Please don't hold any of her loved ones hostages."

"I see, you are only following him because he has someone you care for," Tomoe then let out a small but mocking sigh as she walked closer to the two, "My loyalty for Darkday is undying and true, unlike yours; It truly is such a shame that the First Subordinate is someone like you, Scarlet Mage."

"What? I am still your teacher," Scarlet Mage could not help but let out a tone of frustration, "And loyalty? My loyalty to Riley is also un-- No, forget what I said."

"That's what I thought… teacher," Tomoe then smugly worded out as she walked closer to Riley.

Scarlet Mage twitched her eyes a couple of times as she took a few steps back. Was she about to say that she was loyal to Darkday? Was she losing her mind? Of course, something already happened between the two of them, but that was just a momentary lapse of judgment driven by lust-- nothing more.

"...What do you think that cougar is talking about with my brother?" In the front, Hannah's eyes were currently that of a hawk; not leaving Scarlet Mage out of her sight, "Sil… Mega Girl, can you eavesdrop on them? Don't you have like super-hearing or something?"

"I do, but I can't control it that well and it makes my head go all woozy… but even if I can do it, it is not right to use my abilities for something like that, Nuclear Baby," Silvie breathed out, "...Although I am a little curious as well."

"Right? Let's do it!?"

"N… no. I am sure she's just checking up on him since he disappeared."

"Tch, you're no fun. What about you, DM? Can you hear what they're saying?"

"I… I'll try," Gary muttered as he slowed down his steps to let Riley and the others catch up to him.

"What are you doing? You're being so obvious!"

"Well… How am I supposed to hear them? I don't have super-hearing."

"What the fuck, then why are you still doing it!? Just…

...Get back here!"

It took almost an hour of walking, but the group finally safely arrived back in the parking lot-- same with many others. Their whispers and clamor all filled the air with questions, but none of the instructors or any of the other staff seemed to have the intention of answering any of them.

Instead, they just strictly ordered them to return to their respective buses and wait for further instructions. Of course, the students didn't really like being kept in the dark-- but seeing as the air around them was filled with some sort of tension, they had no choice but to follow their orders.

And when they got on the buses, they found out that the windows were already completely sealed; with absolutely no view of the outside.

Green Fly, Riley and the others' designated driver, did not even say anything to them as he just hastily drove them away without a single word; which was odd since he was extremely talkative on the way to Toronto.

"...Just, what exactly is going on?" Silvie could not help but whisper the thoughts of all the students on her bus. But afterward, she then turned to look at Tomoe, who was now riding with them, "You… should probably take your helmet off. I don't think it's the right time to be adorning something like that, the other students are starting to look at you with hostility, Tomoe."

"Their opinions of me are meaningless, Silvie. This helmet is my devotion to Darkday."

"You're still saying shit like that, girl?" Hannah breathed out, her words containing a hint of frustration, "This isn't the time to be playing around, someone might actually attack you because of the Dark Millenials or whatever."

"They are a fake group, and nothing more. I would not be swayed by--"

"My sister is right, Tomoe. I think you should also change to a new costume, that one belongs only to Darkday."

"H… hey, man. No need to be too harsh on her--"

"If that is what you wish."

And before Gary could fully join in on the conversation, Tomoe suddenly removed her helmet, "I… I will design a new costume, maybe you can help me?"

"That much is obvious, Tomoe. You need a proper uniform similar to what I have now."

"Really!?"

"...What the fuck," seeing Tomoe's pitch suddenly turn similar to that of a Japanese school girl, Hannah's hair all started to stand up on their ends. It was completely creepy, she thought. Tomoe's voice had this cold tone in it, so to see her squealing like that was… odd.

Although it did seem somewhat fitting, her face still does look Asian. But…

"...Are these two really this close?"

"I don't think I have seen them talk to each other in class," Silvie also squinted her eyes as she watched Tomoe, "...She barely even talks to anyone."

"I am seeing a trope here," Gary then added as he placed his hand on his chin, "Riley… is a harem protagonist."

"What the fuck are you on about?"

"Seriously, can't you see the pattern!? It's so obvious a 12-year old might have written it," Gary added, "A hot sister, a hot and strict but caring teacher, and now the cold and aloof girl in class!? I… I have watched too much to know where this is going!"

"Why am I included in that list!?" Hannah then roared as she kicked Gary in the face, "He's my brother, that's disgusting!"

"Uhmm…" Silvie could not help but let out a whisper of a hum as she watched as Gary's face became squished, "...Why am I not included in the list?"

"You… You don't know what he's talking about, do you?" Hannah then slightly stuttered as she looked Silvie straight in the eyes.

"No? Isn't it just Riley's female friends?"

"Ohoho, our dear innocent Silvie," Gary then said as he tried to put his arm over Silvie's shoulders, "Let me introduce you to the colorful world... of Henta--"

"Do not corrupt her…

...you little shit!"

The students of the Academy all continued to have their own theories and guesses as to what was happening; and this continued on until they reached the safety emergency shelter of the Academy. Most of them were confused, of course-- as they all thought they were going straight home to the Academy.

But seeing as the Academy had gone through all of this... would mean that they were actually facing something truly serious.

"Anyone!? Has anyone seen any of my classmates?"

"What's going on? Who's that?"

And as the students were settling them in inside the huge empty dome, the cry of one student roared above everyone else.

"He's been shouting since earlier... I think he's from Class 1-F?"

"They're not here? Maybe... they all went with the Dark Millenium?"

"Yeah... What's with that? Potential Villain list? Don't you think it's kind of discriminatory?"

"Kind of. Must suck to belong in that list. Pft."

"Tell me about it. But who knows, maybe you belong in it?"

"What did you say!? But... what if I actually am? What...

...does that even mean?"

And as a quiet turmoil slowly started to boil in the shelter, another one had already started from far-away--

"Why… did you kill the students!?"

In a dark metal room somewhere in the world, No. 7 was currently groveling on the ground.

"Do you know how much trouble I will be in right now!? You are in my jurisdiction, how dare you do something like this!?"

"I… I'm truly sorry, August," No. 7 said meekly said; his face under the helmet, however, was completely infuriated. There was literally a small creature resting in his helmet threatening to kill him right now. He had no time to be wasting here being reprimanded by a superior that was probably weaker than him in terms of abilities.

"But I think… I need to talk to someone higher up," No. 7 then slowly stood up from the ground, "There's… we have a crisis on our hands."

"Of course we have a crisis! You killed people, No. 7! Do you really think you actually have the chance to talk to Ms. Friday and the others after what you--"

"This guy. Kill."

"What… did you just say to me!?"

"That… that wasn't me!"

"There's only two of us here!"

"This guy. Noisy. Please kill…

...or I kill you."

"What… Who is talking!? Do you have a microphone on you!? Did you betray--"

And before the man called August could finish his words, a chain of blue light suddenly crawled through his mouth.

"I… am sorry about this, August…

...but you don't know what I've seen."