Chapter Text
Kleptomania gasped as noise suddenly erupted from the silence around her.
Her grip on the necklace tightened, and she realized that her fingers were digging into it far easier than they should have. She looked at it carefully and saw smudges in the paint and the misshapen spots where her fingers had dug in.
“It’s... it’s fake,” she said, eyes wide.
“We were set up,” Horror Show grabbed her arm and began pulling her away from where the necklace had been displayed. “This is a trap!”
“So you began to steal out of necessity,” Robert mused. “That’s understandable, but why did you become a villain? You could have just stayed a thief.”
“You act like we’re pokemon,” Lorelei chuckled. “Like we just evolve from petty criminals into supervillains.”
“Don’t you?” Robert raised an eyebrow. “You were a thief at first, so why did you become a supervillain? And what are your powers, anyway?”
“Oh my god, Robert. You can’t just ask someone what their powers are,” Lorelei said in mock outrage. “But to answer your other question... I chose the name Kleptomania because I thought it sounded cool. Ironic that it would later become a diagnosis when I started going to therapy.”
Robert blinked. That was unexpected. So she wasn’t just named Kleptomania, she had it too? He didn’t know much about psychology, but he was pretty sure that was a condition where you compulsively and impulsively stole shit. That could make things difficult for anyone.
“See, the thing about going without for so long...” Lorelei tapped some ash from her cigarette, “is that when you eventually start having shit, it fucks your mind up. Suddenly, your problems are gone. You have food. You have clothes. You have shelter. You have all the things you always wanted but could never afford. And the deep deep pit in your soul that was empty for so long, is finally filling up. But now it’s not enough. Now you want more and more because having shit is a hell of a high. No more frozen winters huddled over a little space heater that only works half the time. No more dumpster diving behind the cafe that throws out their leftovers because you’re starving. No more trying to hide holes and stains in your clothes. No more rat infested rooms. The sun has finally risen, and you are frolicking in its light.”
Robert could understand that. It was quite the adjustment for himself. He’d had all of his needs met for the longest time before he finally went broke because of his mech suit. The first year of having little to no money had been rough. He’d had to scale back on his groceries, buying things like ramen and rice and beans to stretch the money for as long as he could. He’d had to downgrade his apartment and give other luxuries and even necessities up. And then when he’d gotten Beef... that had taken even more from his funds.
“So what changed?” Robert asked. “Why go pro, so to speak?”
Someone on the stage began singing a karaoke song that Robert didn’t recognize. Lorelei watched them for a moment before answering.
“I was offered a spot in the ranks,” she said. “I was approached... and then brought into their world. For the longest time, it had just been me, and I was so fucking lonely. I almost told them all to fuck off, but... I’d figured I’d at least try it out. No harm in having a community. It’s why a lot of villains join gangs. That desire to be a part of something. To not be alone anymore. That was me in the beginning.”
Robert took a moment to chew on that. It was true that not every villain became one for the fun of it. And hearing Lorelei’s reasons made him wonder what was the catalyst that had driven his team? What had driven them to become villains?
Poverty? Mental illness? Self-preservation? What need or desire had laid the foundation for their paths?
“You’ve given me a lot to think about,” Robert said. “I guess... I’ve never really thought about it this way.”
“It’s not your fault,” Lorelei shrugged. “It’s what the public does. They reduce us to nothing more than our masks and crimes because it’s easier to hate us that way. It’s easier to forget that we are human underneath it all. People look at us and say ‘What horrible people! How could they turn to such a life?’ but no one ever asks ‘What life did they live where this was their only choice’?”
Robert was silent for a moment.
“So what made you leave?” He asked. “What made you give up your persona and become a normal person again?”
Lorelei fell silent. Her expression became guarded, but Robert could see a deep sadness hiding beneath it. Lorelei took another shot and the glass thudded loudly against the bar as she put it down.
“I am nowhere near drunk enough to tell you that,” she chuckled darkly. “Sorry, Robbie. But hey... maybe I’ll tell you another day.”
Now that had Robert curious. A villain’s origin story was one thing, but their retirement story was another. What could make a villain give it all up?
“Besides, I’m happier now,” Lorelei continued. “I own this bar, I provide a little safe spot for villains... and I take care of Florida Boy. He’s a good kid, I like him a lot.”
A pair of scaled hands appeared in the doorway behind her, put together to form a little heart.
“That’s cute,” Robert shook his head with a smile while Lorelei laughed.