Chapter 168 - 168: Temporary (1)

"Did you hear that!? Mother will be here soon!"

"We'll finally be with her! We don't need to hide anymore!"

"We… we can all be free!"

"But… but we look ugly, will the people outside accept us?"

"Mother will fix us."

With the whispers of the younger clones growing louder by the second, Aerith quickly raised her hand to calm them down as she could not hear what Megawoman was saying on the other side of the line.

Aerith was about to say something, but then she suddenly remembered that there was a stranger within their midst; her eyes, quickly looking towards Riley.

"Mother! There's–" But alas, before she could let the person on the other side know of Riley's presence, she felt a small pressure slowly piercing her neck. Almost like a needle… but with the weight of a mountain.

Her eyes then once again slowly strayed towards Riley, only to see him staring straight at her; his eyes, threatening to rip her into pieces. He had his index finger crossed on his lips, gesturing for her and the rest of the clones to shut their mouths.

[What is it, Aerith? Is there something wrong?]

"N… no, mother. It's nothing," Aerith then took in a small gulp as she returned her gaze to the phone, "Just… please come find us soon."

[That is actually the reason for my call. I need you to do something before I could fetch all of you.]

"A… anything, mother! Please tell us what to do!" Aerith muttered; her eyes, still glancing at Riley from time to time. She was completely wary of what he will do but seeing as he was just watching from the side, Aerith just continued to focus her attention on Megawoman.

[Do you know the dirty building near there?]

"Yes?"

[There should be people there now.]

"Y… yes," Aerith said as she once again took a small glance at Riley, "I… I've seen them making noise earlier."

[That's good. I want you to take the others…

…and scare them.]

"Scare them?" The other younger clones started to open their mouths as they looked at each other.

"Like what we did with the bad men?"

[Yes, dears. Like what you did with the bad men.]

"Do… we have to, mother?" Aerith then hushed the other clones as she focused the phone on her; her words, slowly stuttering.

[Yes, I will not be able to fetch you if you do not scare them.]

"But… they didn't do anything to us."

[But they did. Did you see a woman with dark skin?]

"I… saw several of them."

[The one with the shiny golden rings attached to her arms.]

"Yes?"

[She is involved with one of the men that did that to all of you.]

"..."

[Scare them, then I will come and find you.]

"But mother, you–"

And before Aerith could even finish her words, the connection was cut off from the other side. The only thing that Aerith could do was lightly bite her lip; her eyes, looking at the rest of the clones.

"I see."

And with Riley's whisper, Aerith quickly snapped out of her stupor; stepping forward as she blocked the rest of the clones from Riley, who was now slowly approaching them.

"It is obvious that the one you were talking to was not Megawoman," Riley then let out a small sigh; the disappointment it contained was obvious from any ears that could hear it, "She is also not your mother, clones."

"What do you know?" Aerith scoffed.

"He's lying!"

"Let… let's just scare him as well!"

"Mother is mother!"

"..." Even with all the clones hissing at him, Riley did not really do anything as he just looked to the side; completely lost in his own thoughts.

What was he even supposed to do with these things? Should he just kill them as he planned earlier?

But it feels like something was going on; a deep secret that involved the people in his life.

"..."

"..."

No, he should just kill them now. Whatever secrets they were hiding, they would be useless once he gets out of retirement anyway– and with those thoughts, Riley slowly raised his hand; the ground beneath his feet began to tremble.

"I will make this painless in respect to your original," he then whispered as he looked at the clones, "Good b–"

[Ooh!]

"..."

But once again, his attempt to snuff out the lives of the clones was interrupted by a ringing. This time, it was the sound of a solo riff of what seemed like an electric guitar.

[Hane ga Nai…]

"..." It was the sound of his ringtone, the opening song of the anime TV series 'Latino Mafia Reborn'.

Hearing this, the clones could not help but look at each other; their eyes slightly furrowed from the sudden random song that played in the air. Some of them, however, started bobbing their heads along with the tune.

"..."

"..."

They all stopped, however, as soon as Riley once again moved his hand. But instead of them being hurt, Riley's hand just casually went straight towards his pocket and grabbed his phone. 

And as soon as he saw the name 'Hannah Ross - Older Sister' asking for a video call, he quickly accepted the call without any hesitation.

"He–"

[Bro, Bella called! She said you guys found Prophet!? Is… is it true that he's dead?]

Riley slightly pulled the phone away from him as Hannah's loud voice almost threatened to take off his ears. But even though her voice was filled with vigor, her eyes that could be seen on the screen were sedated.

"Yes," Riley answered, "His brains were all over the place, sister."

[W… what… how could this– and dad isn't there!?]

"No. Father is not here, sister."

[What the… what the fuck is happening here.]

[Ask him where he is!]

And as a different voice whistled from the phone, Gary's face suddenly appeared on the screen as he seemed to have grabbed Hannah's phone. He was, however, quickly kicked away by Hannah for suddenly stealing her phone.

"..." Riley only blinked a couple of times as he saw that before he opened the camera on his phone.

[Where– What… Why is it so dark there?]

"I am in the forest near the school, sister. There's no electricity here."

[What… what are you doing there? What if you get sick!? It's dangerous there, go back to the others!]

"...I'm with the other Silvie Savelievnas, sister."

[Did you call for me!?]

Another voice joined in on the conversation, causing Hannah to slightly stretch her arms so that they would all fit on the screen together; this time, it was Silvie. Tomoe was also there in the background, just calmly standing and doing… nothing.

"All of you are together?" Riley then asked.

[My group gave up since the goddamn AI took us to the ocean,] Hannah snarled, [I fetched Gary and Silvie along the way… then Bella called me.]

[Did… did you need something from me, Riley?] Silvie then interjected.

"No."

[O… oh.]

"I said I am with other Silvie Savelievnas."

[...What?]

And as Riley heard the confusion in all of the voices from the people on the other side; he, without any hesitation, turned the camera towards the other clones.

[What? Who are they? We can't see anything. It's too fucking dark.]

"I apologize, sister," Riley then raised his finger. And as he did so, an orb of light suddenly emerged from the tip of his index, instantly brightening up the forest.

[W… what the…

…what the fuck are those!?]