Chapter 156 - 156: Secrets

"You are… Megawoman's son?"

"No, I was kidding."

"Oh, that's not something you should–"

"D… double kid, I really am Megawoman's son."

"What is it!?"

"It was you!?"

"You… didn't know, WK? I thought you were supposed to know everything? I told Prophet who I was when I enrolled."

And so, once again, the Korean Shaved Ice store was filled with the aura of confusion. But of course, the most affected of them all was and is still Silvie. She just found out that she was a clone just yesterday and thought that her whole world was going to crumble.

Sure, it was still crumbling– but to find out that Gary is Megawoman's son? Perhaps that was even more shocking in discovering that she wasn't really supposed to exist.

"Hold up," Hannah then stretched her arms to the side as she stopped everyone else from talking, "Are you guys actually believing him? I mean, this is Gary we're talking about here."

"...Even I wouldn't be lying in this kind of situation, bruh." Gary could only let out a small sigh as he stood up,

"It's… the truth," Gary then said as he looked Silvie straight in the eyes, "I… There's a reason why we're in the same class and–"

"Wait… if… if you really are Megawoman's son and you knew everything…" Silvie then stuttered, "You… you lied to me? To us?"

"W… well," Gary could only let out a small but nervous chuckle, "I… I couldn't exactly just tell you that you were… you know, a clone. But that doesn't change anything, I'm still Gary."

"Wait, wait. Are you really telling us you're Megawoman's son?"

"I am," Gary could only roll his eyes.

"But you told us your parents died during the Battle of Toronto."

"They did. A part of the remains we cleaned when we were in Toronto probably belonged to my pops. As for mother…" Gary's words slowly became sedated, "The Government let me see her once when Darkday returned her… she wouldn't have survived that. That's why when they told me about Project Silvie, I… was against it at first– but the world needs Megawoman."

"So you knew everything?"

"Not everything," Gary sighed, "Just what they told me. I swear, I didn't even know Dark Millenium existed, I thought Silvie was the only one… so I volunteered to watch over her and observe–"

"You're a fucking spy! How could you–"

"Hannah, stop!" Silvie did not let Hannah finish her words as she also stood up from her seat. And without even warning, slapped Gary straight on the face; not heavy enough to cause him to roll on the floor, but it was enough to echo throughout the entire store.

"You… you allowed this to happen?"

"I…" Gary breathed out as he repeated his words, "The world needs Megawoman. You've seen what Darkday could do, the Hope Guild got their ass handed down to them. The only one that could fill Megawoman's shoes is Megawoman… you."

"Really, that's your sales pitch?" Hannah scoffed as she dropped down back to her seat, "This is messed up, man. We've been together almost half a year almost every time. I mean, seriously? You're Megawoman's son, I don't even know what to feel about that…

…but why are you so weak?"

"...I'm half-human."

"Oh wow, that must suck."

"No… not at all."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"This is so fucked. That's all I really have to say now… this is all fucked."

Bernard having an affair, Hannah accidentally killing more than a dozen newborns when she was a baby, Silvie being a clone…

…and now Gary being Megawoman's son?

Just what exactly was happening? Did the stars align for revelations like this to just pop out almost simultaneously?

And it wasn't only Hannah who was deep in thought– everyone was. Even Silvie's father, who had chosen to remain quiet the entire feud, could not help but widen his eyes as he looked at Gary.

Bernard knew that Megawoman's son existed somewhere since he… accidentally got his hands on some of their files about Megawoman, but to think her son was so close to his children all this time– was this some kind of celestial coincidence of some sort?

And just like that, the entire store was once again filled with silence. And this time, it would seem it had no plans on breaking anytime soon. All the eyes in the room just strayed to nowhere in particular.

"..."

"..."

"Megawoman… is dead?"

And right when everyone thought that the silence would go on forever, Riley disturbed it.

"Did you see her body yourself, Gary?" Riley then said as he stood up from his seat.

"N… no," Gary whispered, "I wanted a funeral for her but the Government didn't really want me to see her corpse. I didn't really push the matter, mother and I weren't really that close, as you could imagine. She…

…She was always just… just not there."

"..." Hearing Gary's words, Riley's eyes started to travel around the store; as if not knowing where to place themselves. But after a few more seconds, he let out a long and deep sigh that made everyone slightly uncomfortable.

Throughout the entire scenario, Riley was the only one that remained completely without any change in expression; and so, seeing him now obviously disturbed… could it be he became stressed from everything that was happening?

"Perhaps… perhaps we all should take a rest and continue this conversation someplace else? And Silvie, you can be rest assured that no one from the Government… or from my team will be approaching you again anytime soon," Bernard then opened up, "And please, the conversation we had in this room must remain a secret… I only told what I know now because I no longer wanted to hide things from my fam–"

"Wait."

And before Bernard could finish his words, Riley once again spoke up, "Since everyone is revealing their secrets, I would like to share mine."

"...Riley?"

"I am…"

"Master Riley!? Are we–"

"...Ms. Phoenix's biological son. I don't know her real name."

"...We knew," Silvie said; an unusually awkward smile slowly crawling on her face, "When… when you and Hannah were having a moment in Miami we… we were eavesdropping."

"...Oh," Riley could only blink a couple of times as he looked at Silvie. He was about to say something else, but before he could do so, Tomoe stood up from her seat.

"I… I think we all should rest," Tomoe then suggested, "Silvie needs it."

"I don't really– No, maybe you're right," Silvie sighed, "Everything's just happening so fast, and honestly… I think I'm about to go crazy."

"You and Tomoe could stay in my apartment if you want? Heck, might even be better since my apartment is too big for one person in the first place."

"Are… we even allowed to–"

"Consider this as an approval," Bernard interjected, "You kids rest up, I'll… handle the Government and the media backlash from this. I'm… tired of not owning up to my mistakes."

And with that, the light outside once again slowly shone upon the store as the rollers slowly opened up. Bernard left with a nod. Silvie's… father, however, left as soon as he could push the door open, not even saying a word to Silvie.

"...This is so messed up," Hannah once again repeated her words, "I knew the Government was fucked up, but this? This is on a whole other level."

"W… well," Gary then stood up, "Shall… shall we go back to Hannah's room?"

"I don't think so, Gary."

"R… right, maybe some–"

"No, Gary," Hannah did not let Gary finish his words, "I don't think it's cool for you to be hanging out with us for now."

"W… what? Come on, I wasn't–"

"I think… Hannah's right," Silvie whispered; her eyes trying to avoid Gary's almost subconsciously, "But… we'll call you, okay?"

"...What?" Gary let out a slightly awkward chuckle as he watched as Hannah, Silvie, and Tomoe start to walk out of the store, "But… But I still have so many things to say! Guys!?"

But alas, the only response he got was Silvie glancing at him before their silhouettes disappeared into the distance of the Academy mall.

"What the hell, guys?" Gary could only drop his arms in defeat; his sighs almost seeping out of the store as the only thing he could do was return back to his seat,

"Was… was what I did really wrong?" He then muttered as he looked at Charlotte, who was now quietly fidgeting with her terminal.

"...I also keep a ton of secrets, child. I'm not really the best person to ask for advice," Charlotte shrugged her shoulders, "But still, at least one of your friends remained."

"...What?" Gary then slowly looked to where Charlotte was looking, only to see Riley actually still quietly sitting at one of the tables… now with a dessert in his hand.

"B… bro?" Gary could not help but take in a short but deep breath as he saw Riley, "You… you're still my friend, right?"

"We were never friends, Gary," Riley answered without any hesitation.

"I… I see."

"Aerith."

"Hm?"

"That was Megawoman's real name?"

"...As far as I know."

Gary had thought that he would be losing all of his friends today by revealing who he was. He never intended to reveal himself in the first place, but when he saw the look of loss and desperation in Silvie's eyes… he no longer cared about his secret.

He knew what it meant to be alone– and he would never let any of his friends feel that way. That was something Megawoman wouldn't do.

"Gary…

…Can you tell me everything about you and Megawoman?"