The socially awkward villain's furry superpower

The man bowed gracefully, a gesture straight out of a period drama. "I am the esteemed Fabian, and I am at your service," he said.

Sienna had absolutely no idea how to deal with the situation at hand.

Worse still, she couldn't just stand there and let others handle these social situations. Her sisters were all looking up at her, waiting for her to make a decision.

She was also trying to make a good impression on Sam and Aleya Iqta (though she was reluctant to admit it), and she worried that if she didn't act quickly, one of her sisters might think she was the best person to handle the situation.

That would definitely result in a disaster.

And why does she always run into these dramatic types? She's awkward enough as it is, but their presence only makes it more awkward.

“Hello, wonderful Fabian,” Sienna said. She tried to keep her voice steady and straightened her posture.

However, in this dimly lit tunnel, that probably wouldn't be of much use. "Would you mind telling us what you're doing here?"

The remarkable Fabian grinned, and Sienna noticed that he was quite handsome even in the terrible lighting.

At least, that's true for someone who could potentially be a threat. She wondered to herself, was he a hero or a villain, and which was worse?

"I'm afraid you've caught me a bit off guard, young lady. I was just taking a relaxing midnight stroll."

"Walking through this abandoned subway tunnel?" Sam asked. That was indeed a reasonable question.

Fabian brandished his sword with a flourish, shrugged, and said, "It's quiet here, no traffic. The people I've met have all been quite friendly. At least I hope so."

“Are you a masked person?” Sienna asked. It’s possible he’s just a lost guy in costume. While the possibility is extremely slim, it’s not entirely impossible.

“I think I am, that’s right,” he said.

“Wait a minute.” Sam said, raising his phone to shine the light further so they could see Fabian more clearly. “You’re the bank robber!”

Fabian laughed, but the smile seemed a little forced. "So, my 'deeds' have already spread. I suppose you're not fans here for autographs?"

Sam's phone light revealed something else. Fabian's costume was badly damaged, and Sienna could see that his exposed skin had cuts and bruises.

he got hurt.

Now she was observing closely, and even his posture showed signs of injury; he was putting most of his weight on one leg.

She unexpectedly encountered a bank robber in the tunnel, and she didn't know how to react to the situation.

"You robbed a bank?" Teddy asked. "That's pretty cool. It's nice to rob the rich and help the poor."

“Ah, looks like he really is a fan,” Fabian said.

“No way,” Teddy said. “I’ve never heard of you before, so I can’t possibly be a fan of yours. Besides, you’re not even a proper villain.”

“It doesn’t even qualify as robbing a bank,” Fabian asked, now seeming a little uncertain.

Teddy shook his head. "That's just for making money. A proper villain has to have principles, rules, you know. He has to have integrity."

“It’s ‘upright’,” Athena corrected.

Teddy nodded. "Yeah, you don't have that villainous vibe."

Sienna sighed. "Alright, Teddy, don't go too far in humiliating our new friend. Mr. Fabian... the great Fabian, well... generally speaking, I would suggest we just pretend we've never met and go our separate ways."

This was her favorite way of interacting with people. "But...you're injured, aren't you?"

“I can still fight,” he said cheerfully, though Sienna sensed a hidden threat in his words.

“Can you go to the hospital? Do you know any clinics that can take care of you?” Sienna asked.

“I…I’m afraid I don’t know,” he said.

Sienna turned to look at Aleja Ikta, "What do you think?"

“What do I think?” he repeated, pointing to his face. “I mean, I’ve gotten used to things happening around me that are unlikely to happen.”

That's how it is, you know. It's usually a good thing, but not always.

However… well, I still don’t know what his superpower is, but we outnumber him by a lot, so I’m a little skeptical that even if he wants to do something, it won’t be too difficult to deal with. No offense intended, bro.”

“It’s alright.” Fabian carefully sheathed his sword. “In my experience, although I have limited knowledge of these masked people, violence only occurs when one side is truly ready to fight, if people are willing to talk and negotiate. As for me,” he pointed to himself, “I prefer to avoid fighting.”

Sienna laughed. Regardless, Fabian was quite eloquent, just a bit too exaggerated. "Alright then, we won't resort to violence."

But you still need healing. Well, I'm afraid I can't heal you. My superpower is too specific; you don't meet that… well, condition. However, there's a base nearby. I think there should be a first-aid kit there.”

“I know how to use that thing,” Sam said. Seeing Sienna’s curious look, she shrugged and explained, “I trained in track and field for a few years, and I also go hiking and camping a lot. I need to know how to disinfect wounds and how to treat bruises.”

“Before we move on,” Fabian said, “and yes, I would be happy to accept your offer. Could you please show us who you are?”

“Our identity? You mean, the name tags?” Sienna asked.

The remarkable Fabian grinned. "Exactly. Come on, let me break the ice."

The remarkable Fabian

[Level 1]

[Rogue]

Even in this dim environment, the words were clearly visible and easy to recognize.

Sienna hesitated for a moment, then shrugged and used her ability to make her identity name tag appear above her head.

[Boss]

Level 1

[Villain]

Soon, Teddy, Athena, and Trinity also revealed their name tags. Trinity's situation was a bit strange; three identical name tags suddenly appeared.

“Well, I’m not that good,” Aleya Ikta said.

His name tag indicated that he was a troublemaker, on par with everyone else present.

Fabian whistled. "So many villains, real villains."

"Isn't it cool?" Sam asked, staring at the nameplate above Sienna's head until Sienna put it away. It felt weird having it lit up like that, like...exposing herself.

“We should move on,” Sienna said. “And Mr. Fabian… oh, let’s call you Fabian, perhaps you could tell us about yourself.”

“Please just call me Fabian, madam.” He bowed slightly again, though it was clear the movement was painful for him.

Sienna asked Teddy to help Fabian walk, and the bear girl obediently did so. However, she didn't quite understand what Sienna meant, and ended up holding Fabian's hand in the same way she held Sienna's hand when they walked.

Fabian seemed unsure how to handle the situation. At least Sam seemed to find it quite amusing.

Sienna slowed her pace, giving the injured Fabian ample time and space.

She didn't believe him. Of course, he was handsome and spoke politely—he was just a bit too flamboyant and a bit too theatrical—but those weren't reasons to trust someone.

However, she wasn't too concerned about what they were about to demonstrate. This mobile base wasn't something she built; it had just fallen into her hands by chance, and it might suddenly disappear as well.

Sam pointed out where to turn, even though there weren't many turns. The subway line's route within the city was quite simple.

Just as Sienna was beginning to wonder if this road would never end, they arrived at the base.

A steel wall appeared in the darkness. The locomotive was neither smooth nor beautiful; it was a square industrial product, not meant for public display.

“We’re here,” Sienna said. She lowered her voice, speaking in a hushed tone only her sisters could hear, “Athena, Trinity, could you go ahead and tidy up the place? Pick up the trash, um… maybe dust it off?”

“No problem,” Athena replied softly.

“Clean up the trash, got it,” Trinity said.

The two ran forward, one of them holding a flashlight, the light flickering in the darkness.

“What is this?” Aleya Iqta asked.

“This,” Sam said, “is the boss’s mobile base. It’s still under construction. We hope to move it closer to… well, to one of our other bases.”

Sienna raised an eyebrow at this. Another base? Was Sam referring to their dormitories?

“That’s so cool,” Aleja Iqta said. “It’s just an old train?”

“No,” Sienna said. “Come in. We’ll give you a quick tour. Aleia, you’re looking for a place to stay, right? I think this place should be pretty safe.”

“And you can fix this place up while we’re not here,” Sam said.

“I have no idea how to fix a train,” Aleja Iqta pointed out.

Sam laughed and patted him on the back. "You're a lucky guy, how hard could it be?"

“Well, I think you’re overestimating the role of luck,” he said.

They walked toward the back of the train, Sienna deliberately ignoring the clanging and banging sounds her sisters made while cleaning inside.

Then they boarded the train, and Fabian whistled softly again. "These villains are really something else," he muttered to himself.

Sienna wasn't even sure if she wanted to meet his expectations.