Chapter 9: Q and A

“Based on the answers you gave in the assessment test…

…you are not suited to be a superhero.”

“…I suppose.”

“…”

“…”

The 5 superheroes that were interviewing Riley could not help but turn their heads to each other as they awkwardly waited for him to say more. But even after almost a quarter of a minute, his mouth remained unmoving as he just sat there, staring silently towards the wall behind them.

“Do not be dejected, young man. We will not fail you just because of this.”

And finally, after what seemed like another full minute of silence, one of the interviewers decided to speak. It was the superhero known as Spectacular Mustache Man; named obviously because of the abnormally long but straight mustache sticking off of his face.

“That is why we are having this interview in the first place, to discuss the answers you chose more in depth,” he said as he scanned the paper in front of him while stroking his mustache. And after checking it for a few seconds, he let out a long and deep sigh as he turned his focus back to Riley, who was still just quietly staring at the wall.

“Let me be honest with you, young man. The result of your test is absolutely horrendous.”

With Spectacular Mustache Man’s words reverberating through the room, the other 4 heroes all nodded their heads in agreement. “We will let the fact that you accidentally hurt a supervisor in the earlier test slide, as it says here in your file that you have only awakened to your powers a few months ago. Your answers to the assessment test, however, are something that we can’t overloo– Are you listening?”

“I am.”

“…Right,” Spectacular Mustache Man could not help but slightly squint his eyes as Riley answered him nonchalantly, “Let’s move on and discuss your answers. So in the very first question, the test asked you what you would do if you see an old woman struggling to cross the street; and from the 4 given choices, you chose D: Push her off the street…

…Why on earth would you choose that?”

“Because she is struggling.”

“Then you could have just chosen A: Help her cross the street.”

“…Why?” Riley blinked a couple of times as he slightly tilted his head to the side, “The test said she is already struggling to cross the street, why would I help her struggle more? That is not something a hero would do.”

“What?” Spectacular Mustache Man furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, “What do you mean? She is struggling to cross the street, so the obvious way to alleviate her struggle is to help her cross the street.”

“…I see,” Riley muttered, “I suppose I may have misunderstood the question.”

How can someone even misunderstand that question? It was the most simple question in the whole test– the 5 superheroes thought as they once again turned their heads to each other. And what does he mean by ‘that is not something a hero would do’?

So pushing an old woman off the street was something a hero would do?

It was already implied in Riley’s file that he was diagnosed with some form of autism, but to think his lack of social awareness was to the point that it almost made them slightly uncomfortable.

“…”

And so, once again, the room was filled with silence. It wasn’t until the only female superhero from the group of interviewers stood up that the silence was broken. The others wondered what she was going to do, but she didn’t really give them a sign as she proceeded to sit on the floor in front of Riley.

“Hi Riley, my name is Scarlet Mage. Do you know who I am?”

Riley only slightly moved his eyes a bit, before nodding his head. Of course, he knows who she is– he almost killed her once. And it wasn’t only her, the remaining four had also almost been killed by him. The only reason they were still alive today was because Mega Woman would always come in to save the day.

He could probably kill them now. But alas, for the duration of Mega Woman’s recovery, he was in retirement.

“You don’t have to worry, okay?” Scarlet Mage then let out a smile, her voice sweet enough to warm up the whole room, “Everyone in this Academy is your friend, especially us in this room, okay?”

“Thank you for your kindness, Scarlet Mage. But I am not a child, you do not need to treat me as such.”

“Of course not,” Scarlet Mage let out a giggle as she looked at the paper she was holding, “I have another question, is that alright with you?”

“Yes, as Spectacular Mustache Man said, that is what this interview is for.”

“Okay. This is question 16: You have an arch-enemy that you have finally beaten after a long arduous battle. Your arch-enemy is completely tired, beaten, and unable to move– allowing you to do anything you want. What would you do?”

“My answer to that question is letter–“

“I want to know your answer now, not what you chose in the written test,” Scarlet Mage said as she looked Riley straight in the eyes, “And please, look at me when you answer.”

“Is that necessary?”

“Yes.”

As soon as Riley heard that, his eyes which had been fixated on the wall finally moved away, landing itself on Scarlet Mage.

“Look at my eyes, Riley. It’s alright, I am your friend.”

“…” Riley let out a short but deep sigh as he returned Scarlet Mage’s gaze.

“What would you do in that situation, Riley?”

“I will let her live and surrender her to the authorities.”

“Why?”

“Because that is what a superhero would do.”

“But what if you’re not a superhero? What if this is just some random individual that had killed your father?”

“That is impossible, my father will not be beaten by some random indi–“

“Just humor me, please.”

“Then I will not have to do anything. The Hope Guild will hunt her down as he is a member–“

“What if he killed your mother? Your sister? And you’re just a young man who finally has the chance to take revenge. What would you do?”

“I will still let her live.”

“Why?” Scarlet Mage slightly raised an eyebrow from finally having gained a slight change of expression from Riley.

“Because anyone who hurts my sister shall live in pain for the rest of their lives.”

“…I see,” Scarlet Mage let out a long and deep sigh as she stood up from the floor, “Thank you for answering my questions truthfully.”

From then on, the 5 superheroes no longer relied on Riley’s answers on the paper, as it was obvious that he had a hard time literally understanding the questions as they truly were. And throughout the interview, there were all sorts of sighs and slight gasps as Riley continued to answer their questions without even a single pause.

And finally, after what seemed like half an hour…

“Thank you, Mr. Riley. You may now go back to the waiting room.”

“Okay. Did I pass?”

“You did. And please call your sister, we will interview her next.”

“Alright.”

Riley only bowed his head before quickly leaving the room. And now, with him gone, another bout of loud sighs echoed throughout the room as the five superheroes all leaned on their seats, tired and beaten.

“He is definitely in the Potential Villain list, right?” The superhero wearing a blindfold said as he fanned himself with Riley’s paper.

“Definitely, man. What about the rest of you?”

“I don’t think so,” Spectacular Mustache Man shook his head as he once again stroked his mustache, “You have to understand he isn’t a normal kid.”

“Most villains aren’t right in the head, SMM.”

“A Potential Villain would at least try to lie on the written tests, he clearly didn’t,” Spectacular Mustache Man said as he lightly slammed his palm on the table.

“Maybe he’s not even capable of lying? I heard some people with autism are like that.”

“Isn’t that more troublesome, then? Just based on his answers?”

“Potential Villain it is, the–“

“No, he’s not.”

Before the blindfolded superhero could stamp Riley’s paper, Scarlet Mage, who had been quiet the whole conversation, finally spoke up.

“Throughout the whole interview, not even once did his heart change a beat.”

“I was right then, he’s not capable of lying!”

“He is,” Scarlet Mage shook her head, “On the test, he chose what he thinks a superhero would do in every situation, not what he himself would do– that in itself is a form of lie.”

“…So what are you saying?”

“Riley Ross is a blank canvas,” Scarlet Mage said as she stamped Riley’s paper with blue ink,

“If anything…

…he has the purest soul of all the examinees today.”

***

Scarlet Mage needs to die– Riley thought as he walked back to the waiting room.

He truly wasn’t aware that Scarlet Mage had the ability to somewhat see through lies, without tampering inside his mind, at that. He thought she was just like her sister, an Elemental Controller. If she was going to teach in the Academy, then he would definitely need to find a way to dispose of her without alerting anyone’s suspicion.

“You’re next, sister.”

Hannah, who was having a conversation with Silvie, and surprisingly also talking with Gary, quickly approached Riley as soon as he got back to the room.

“How did it go?” She said in a very eager tone, “Did you pass?”

“Of course,” Riley said as raised both his thumbs.

“What… how!?” Hannah let out a short and playful gasp, before putting on the biggest smile on her face as she nudged her brother a couple of times.

“Because I chose to push an old woman off the street.”

“…”

And so, Riley Ross, also known as the supervillain Darkday, will finally start his not-so normal life as a normal super-powered student.