Chapter 131: Priorities

"Raise your head, Night Queen."

"Night… Queen?"

And in that sliver of a moment, every breath that Tomoe ever took in her life felt like it stopped– It was a weird feeling; as if every memory she had, every step she took, every moment she had experienced– for a sliver of a moment, it was as if they didn't matter.

She and Riley were just at the rear seat of a truck, but they might as well be completely alone in the world.

The only thing that was wrapping her reality was the tiny warmth of Riley's hand on her chin… and his eyes that were finally, truly looking at her.

It was just a name, perhaps maybe even a title. But her whole existence completely changed– like life had once again welcomed her in her arms, once again giving birth to her.

Yes– perhaps that was the most fitting word that Tomoe could think of at the moment.

A rebirth.

"The Queen that will forever put the safety of her people above her own, sacrificing herself so that others may thrive; Veiling the enemies that wish to harm those near her with a frost bathed in darkness, shaping the entire world into a cold eternal night if needed so…

…That is who you shall be, Night Queen."

"I receive the name with all of my existence, Master Riley."

Tomoe once again bowed her head, finally releasing a breath as the moving world around her once again started to wind. She then finally fully opened the door, the noises of the world once again whispering into her ears as she stepped out of the truck– carrying a smile on her face and with no hesitation.

"..." Riley watched as she rushed to console Hannah, who seemed to already be doing fine as she waved her hand several times. Seeing this, Riley could only let out a long and deep sigh before closing his eyes.

"M… Mr. Diley?"

And as soon as he opened his eyes once more, the scenery in front of him had completely shifted. From a view of nothing but a road for miles, he was now inside what could only be described as a fancy restaurant. There was also serene and almost quiet music, now tingling in the air-- replacing the sounds of the earth that were previously whispering in his ears.

"Mr. Diley… what's wrong?"

Riley then blinked a couple of times as he turned his head to look at the whispers that were coming from his left, only to suddenly see Warden slightly backing away from him.

"You… you suddenly blacked out," Warden's gulp was obvious to Riley's ears, "Are you… alri–"

And before Warden could finish his words, he could not help but stop as the music quietly echoing in the restaurant abruptly came to a halt without even a fade; the servers that were previously moving without pause, now all standing still and looking at them.

"Is… that you, Boss?" Warden once again took in a small gulp as he stopped backing away.

"Yes, Warden," Riley quickly nodded in response, before raising his hand. And as soon as he did so, the music once again whispered in the air; the waiters, returning to their duties.

"May… May I ask the reason for your sudden visit?" Warden's tone then completely changed as he slightly bowed his head as he stepped forward.

"I met your previous employer."

"Previous… employer?" Warden could only squint his eyes in confusion from Riley's words; that did not last long, however, as they once again quickly widened in realization, "You met… with the leader of the Dark Millenium!?"

"Ye–"

"Is she coming to save me!?"

And before Riley could even say a word, one of the guests suddenly stood up; her voice, drowning the already somber music loitering in the air. Suffice to say, she garnered the attention of everyone in the hall.

"...Ms. Friday."

"R… Return to your seat, Ellie!" Multiple chains of light quickly emerged from Warden's hand as he raised it, causing the warm tone of the restaurant to glow in a blue hue as he pointed at Ms. Friday.

Also now known as Ellie, a previous high-ranking member of the Dark Millenium… and surprisingly, according to the treble and power of her steps as she made her way to Riley and Warden, she still had not given up hope like the rest of her… co-guests.

"Sadly not, Ms. Friday. She has not come to rescue you," Riley shook his head, "But I do have a question I need answ–"

"Like hell I would answer any of your questio–"

"Sit."

"!!!"

And with that single word entering her ears, Ellie's previous haughty steps quickly came to a halt as her slightly sweaty palms suddenly met with the slightly fancy and carpeted floor; her legs turning into spaghetti.

Even the other guests, who received Riley's words as only a whisper, almost knelt on the ground by instinct. But as soon as they realized that Riley was not even paying attention to them, they all continued to eat.

"W– you cowards!" Ellie, who saw her co-guests' actions, could only use all of her strength to let out her frustrations, "We… we can fight!"

She once again bellowed even as tears started to fall from her face. There were some who glanced at her, but immediately returned their gazes to the one thing that matters the most at the moment– their food.

"We… we even have gladiator fights here! Why aren't you using your powers when it's actually time to use them!?"

"Have you met with the fake me before, Warden?"

Riley completely ignored her plights, however, as he turned his attention towards Warden.

"I… I was too low in rank but…" Warden's eyes slowly made their way to the kneeling Ellie, "...If it's her, then maybe–"

"I don't know her!" Ellie quickly bellowed before Warden could even point at her, "I… I haven't met her once!"

"Hm," Riley squinted his eyes, before slowly raising his finger; along with it, Ellie's entire body, "Come with– Oh."

Ellie, however, quickly returned to the fancy floor as Riley blinked a couple of times.

"Maybe next time," Riley then said as he continued to blink several more times. And after a few more, a weird smile slowly crept on his face.

"It would seem the original visited us," he then said, "I hope everyone was on their best behav– Why are you kneeling?"

"T… that's…" Ellie's legs trembled as she finally regained control of her body. However, as soon as she saw the expression on… Diley's face, her legs once again almost gave in.

"Did…" Diley then furrowed his eyebrows almost to the point they met with his eyelids,

"...you do something bad while He was here?"

***

"Oi, wake the fuck up!"

"I must have fallen asleep. I apologize for that, sister."

"...Seriously? All of us were on edge here and you go and fall asleep?"

Riley's consciousness was now once again back at the truck; his head, completely wrapped by the bundle of frustration that was Hannah's hands… perhaps threatening to crush it with depression.

"Sometimes I envy whatever is going on with that head of yours," Hannah then let out a long and deep sigh before letting Riley's head go.

"I can't say I could say the same, sister," Riley then breathed out as he shook his head, "I do not want to know what brutes think of every second."

"Fuck you, get out of the truck!" Hannah then raised her middle finger as she fully opened the door, waving for Riley to step out of the truck.

"...Are we not going back to the Academy?"

"Fuck that," Hannah let out a small scoff, "Our activity was supposed to be 7 days, we should have two more days outside– let's have a little vacation; even Silvie agrees!"

"Hm," Silvie, who was standing behind Hannah with the other members of the Baby crew, nodded her head.

"Take us to Hawaii or something," Hannah then said as she once again approached and looked up at Riley, who was still sitting in the truck, "It has beaches as well, so it's not that different from Miami– the Academy can't complain."

"That leap in logic is quite… interesting, sister."

"Just float us there. I'm sure that fucking Darkday copycat bitch won't chase us with the Hope Guild on her tail," Hannah said.

"Wait… can Riley even take us all the way there?" Silvie then asked; her voice, showing her worry, "Won't he get tired?"

"Oh, yo–"

"Master can do it," Tomoe took a step before anyone else could say anything, "He could probably stop the earth from spinning if he wanted to."

"..."

"..."

"Ack!" Hannah could only scratch her head as she groaned in frustration, "If only this thing could go on water or fly, then maybe we could– Riley?"

Hannah's words of frustration suddenly stopped as her eyes landed on Riley's face, noticing the ever-so-subtle change in his expression.

"Wait… don't tell me–"

"I had father customize the truck, sister," Riley then said as he leaned towards the driver's seat, pressing something on it.

And as soon as he did so, Hannah could not help but quickly back away as a loud clanging sound whistled in the air– a sound made by the hydraulic jacks that slowly lifted the truck from the ground.

The tires then folden in before a pair of blades protruded from the sides of the truck, with a nozzle of a rocket in the center of it.

"We had a fucking jet-truck hybrid shit all along…

…And you didn't tell!?"