Chapter 159 - 159: MEGAN

A couple of months ago, when the students of the Academy were taken to a nearby shelter after Dark Millenium's first attack, the students as well as all the people inside the shelter were induced in a mass trance– knocking all of them into unconsciousness all at the same time.

It was explained to them that it was an attack by Hypnos, aka Cedrick Atkinson, a student from Class 1-V that joined the Dark Millenium. But alas, it was never truly confirmed as Hypnos was one of the students that were massacred in the floating base.

The cameras were also all destroyed, leaving absolutely no footage to remain. Well, all except one.

***

First Dark Millenium appearance.

Toronto Shelter, when everyone was getting on their respective buses to leave for the Academy, some of the instructors went ahead to make sure that there were no more surprises waiting for their students. Some, however, remained to make sure no one would be left behind– one of them being Whiteking.

"Sir Whiteking, everything has been destroyed. Even the cameras outside have been destroyed."

"...Everything?"

Whiteking's almost reflective helmet flickered as the lights from the multiple monitors in front of him all produced some sort of static; only returning to normal as the footage replayed towards the last 10 minutes captured by the cameras before they were destroyed.

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"I… am afraid so."

One of the guards that were handling the security of the shelter was also trying his best to scour the footage. After all, it was not every day that he would actually be working with one of the members of the Hope Guild in the flesh.

This would no doubt look good in his portfolio. And so, with his determination at its highest, the guard did not stop checking all the cameras one by one. He did so for a full hour before Whiteking's sigh finally whispered in the small room.

"It's fine," Whiteking muttered, "We're not going to find–"

"Ah, this camera is still alive!"

And before Whiteking could finish his words, the guard's loud voice pierced his ears; the trembling excitement it carried almost caused him to take a few steps back.

"...There's still movement amongst the students."

"Zoom it in."

"Seems to be a bunch of students?" The guard then squinted his eyes as he tried to make out each of the pixels he was seeing on the screen, "Wait… Scarlet Mage is awake, we should– Whiteking? What–"

And before the guard could finish his words, the walls of the room suddenly drowned in a flash of light; and with the withering of the flash, came a loud thud, leaving Whiteking to be the only one left standing in the room.

"..."

Whiteking then turned his head to the floor; his helmet opening and folding towards his neck braces; and with a sigh, he shook his head; his eyes, reflecting the silhouette of the guard lying lifelessly on the floor.

The guard's chest was completely caved in; his uniform creased in a way that still reflected Whiteking's fist.

"...I'm truly sorry for this," Bernard then whispered as his eyes left the guard's body, straying towards the only monitor that was still alive.

"Why…

…Why are you still so careless?"

***

Present day.

"My god… your father is scary af."

"I… I should thank him."

"The fuck!? He's the reason why we're in this situation in the first place."

"Well, I wouldn't be born without his help as well, so…"

"Fuck, you're right."

And just like that, as if nothing happened between them, the members of the Baby Crew were once again in their usual base of operations. It has been a full week since Bernard had told them about Project Forest, and although there were still a lot of people talking about the battle between Dark Millenium and Hope Guild, the number of people that are talking about Dark Millenium almost having the same face as Silvie have become almost nonexistent.

The reason for this? Total media wipe-out. No, perhaps media control was the better term for it. Bernard purposely left videos scattered online that visibly showed Dark Millenium's face– which was completely digitally edited with someone else's face, which looked somewhat similar to Silvie.

And so, most of those who had seen her video previously were now starting to have doubts on whether or not they really saw Silvie's face on Dark Millenium or it was just a look-alike. Most of the students of different colors did not even bother comparing the two anymore… 'less they wanted people to think they were discriminating because they think all white people looked alike– of course, they don't.

And currently, the Baby Crew were watching all the videos that still remained online; their faces, completely in disbelief as to how they were able to easily alter the opinions of the people– that in itself is perhaps one of the best superpowers in the world… and the Government has it.

Whiteking, even without actual superpowers, was one of the most dangerous people in the entire world. He had the ability to make it as if one didn't even exist in the first place.

"It… it was a good thing we didn't choose to get together, Hannah," Gary then muttered as he clasped his chest, "If not, then your father might just deport me back to my home planet… and I've never even been there!"

"...What do you mean we didn't choose?" Hannah squinted her eyes as she stared Gary straight in the eyes.

"You know… we decided that the members of the Baby Crew should not date one another."

"Stop talking out of your ass," Hannah snarled, "And… and let's change the name Baby Crew, it's starting to really get old."

"I am actually starting to like it," Silvie, who was fidgeting with her phone, joined in on the conversation.

"Me too," Gary nodded, "It's a shitty name, but it's ours."

"I have always liked it, big sister. You don't have to worry."

"Yeah, what's with the sudden change anyway? Don't tell me you're also going to change your superhero name?"

"G… good thing you reminded me!" Hannah said as she stood up from her seat.

"Wait, you're really going to change it!? Why the fuck would you do that!?"

"It's just… I have my reasons. Don't– don't ask!" Hannah said as she rushed to the door, "And don't wait up for me, I have a date!"

"Yeah, just– A date!?" Not only Gary but also Silvie and Tomoe could not help but widen their eyes, "What do you mean a date!?"

"Remember the British guy?"-- were Hannah's last words before the door behind her closed; leaving the others with their jaws wide open even as the bell already stopped ringing.

"...He's actually dating that douche!?" Gary said as he slammed both his palms on the table… very gently, "Did you know about this, bro!?"

"Yes," Riley, who had been quiet the entire conversation, just nodded his head before returning to whatever it is he was doing.

"Let's go and ruin their date!" He then said as he stood up. He was, however, alone in this action.

"Let her be, we've all been a bit on a circus ride the past week," Silvie waved her hand, before once again returning to her phone.

"What have you been doing with your phone since earlier!?"

"Oh," Silvie blinked a couple of times, before showing her phone to everyone, "I've been chatting with MEGAN."

"...Megan? The phone's AI?" Gary leaned his head closer to try and see the messages, but before he could even read a letter, Silvie pulled her phone away,

"Why… are you chatting with a machine? Don't tell me you can relate to it since you're a clo– lalala! How are you and your father?"

"..."

"..."

"My father's gone," Silvie answered, not even bothering to look at Gary as she typed something on her phone.

"Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"He's gone," Silvie repeated; trying her best to sound stoic, but failing as her breaths trembled in a whisper, "Can't call him, he is no longer in the family villa… he's gone."

"What? When was the last time you saw him?"

"When Mister Whiteking told us… about Project Forest."

"What!? He didn't even say goodbye to his daughter!?" Gary once again slammed his palms on the table, "How did he even leave!? Aren't all the roads like gone from Darkday and Hope Guild's battle?"

"I'm not his daughter," Silvie only shook her head, before once again returning to her phone, "And I don't care about him anymore."

"..."

"..."

"That's it, young woman. No more phone for you!" Gary then said as he quickly snatched away Silvie's phone, "What are you even chatting about with an AI!?"

"Gary, n–"

[Hello, Gary Gray.]

"!!!"

And as soon as his name echoed in the air, Gary could not help but accidentally drop Silvie's phone. Silvie quickly grabbed it from the floor; checking it for any damages. But surprisingly enough, there was not even a scratch on it.

"What did you do that fo–"

[Gary Gray is just concerned about you, Silvie.]

And before Silvie could finish her words, a small hologram of a caricature of Megawoman popped out from the screen of her phone.

"Concern… then why didn't you just say so?" Silvie then let out a small but deep sigh.

"...You're listening to it?" Gary blinked a couple of times as he looked at the miniature version of his mother, who was currently smiling at him from ear to ear,

"...Am I the only one creeped out by this?"

[Excuse me, young man!?]

"What the fuck!?"

[Language! Is that any way…

…to talk to your mother?]

"....What the fuck?"