A Leader? Nope, I am More of a Follower Chapter 5: He’s Not That Scary

“… heads.” Sebastian said between breaths before skating out of the way of a drop kick coming in at Mach knock your block off levels of speed.

Ricochet, as Fancy Dan calls himself, went whizzing by while Sebastian moved fast with the skates, pushing sixty miles an hour. He was drenched in sweat, his limbs shook from exertion, and each breath released so much heat into the air he was surprised it didn’t catch fire.

Montana tossed the quarter again, catching the coin and smacking it onto the back of his hand again. “What is it?”

Sebastian never once stopped humming or making some kind of noise. He ducked under another strike that would have taken his legs when Dan passed by, which was followed by less than a dozen attacks from several angles in the span of two seconds.

Sebastian managed to dodge almost all of them. “Tails?” He managed to choke out, thinking it was over, sliding out of the way of what he thought was the last attack.

Montana smirked. “Nope!” He popped the "p" for added emphasis, and Dan's mouth curved upwards.

His speed increased again when he got it wrong. His skating was stopped by a hunk of wood getting tossed in his way. Splitting his legs apart to avoid it, and with his attention split in so many directions, he was too busy focusing before an arm came out and clotheslined him.

His eyes widened, and the air was forced out of him before he fell onto his back coughing. Pounding his chest, he coughed up a storm, feeling like he just poured gasoline into his lungs and then downed a lit match for good measure.

It was one of the few times Sebastian got it wrong on the coin toss. A hand came into his sight, without any hesitation, he took it and was hauled to his feet.

“You did good, Rookie," Dan said, smiling down at him. He shook his arm, looking at it with a wince.

Something they all realized was Sebastian was a lot more durable when it involved him getting hit with something that could do serious damage. He could still get a bruise from a casual hit, but something that breaks bones… That oddly enough didn’t do anything beyond hurting him.

They were in an old abandoned warehouse. Fisk recommended it for Sebastian’s training. So far, it was proving useful. His control over various items from abandoned crates to all kinds of trash in the place stopped hovering and came crashing back down onto the floor.

Wiping the sweat from him, Sebastian would have to be completely sensory deprived to not notice how his powers and his control of them had grown again. Since their encounter with Whiplash, Sebastian had been pushing himself in any way he could to try and train himself, not just physically either.

Pushing the limits of what his telekinesis could do, like how many objects could be held at one time and the weight limit he could lift, which currently was roughly around the weight of two cars. Then his precognition. Its limits were being pushed back, giving him far more to work with.

It didn’t take nearly as long to begin seeing the past and future. It still wasn’t at the snap of his fingers, but the amount of time he needed to be in someone's or something’s presence had been lessened to a high degree.

Then his psychometry, or whatever it could be called that gave him everything concerning objects and how they were made, was still active, but it wasn’t forcing too much compared to when he encountered Stark's older tech. He didn’t understand why it reacted the way it did when nothing else even came close to that.

It just showed how many hidden depths his powers had.

A towel was tossed towards him, and he caught it without even looking. Even physically, Sebastian, after nearly a week from the heist, had become much more physically fit.

“I swear some guys get all the luck. What good are my moves when you can just learn it in days where it took me years?" Dan said in annoyance, but it had no real heat behind it.

Dan liked to tease Sebastian, while Montana would chime in offering some advice or recommending different methods of attack for the both of them, and Ox would remain mostly quiet and nearly stoic when with the rest of the group were it not for the occasional laughter or chuckles coming from the man.

He was doing a lot better even if he still winced a little when he moved the wrong way. The brunt of Whiplash’s namesake for a weapon was taken by his suit, but he was still recovering from the damage.

“With that session done, Rookie, I talked with Fisk, and he gave the go-ahead. Come on, it’ll be a surprise for you and a reward for helping so much on that job.” Montana said, donning his cowboy hat he loved so much.

“Can you stop calling me Rookie? You guys said you’d get me a good name after that job," Sebastian moaned.

A hand lightly shoving his shoulder had him look at Fancy Dan, who was now wearing some casual wear. They walked along a sidewalk with a few pedestrians going about their days.

“It takes time. You don’t want to just get saddled with a name you're going to hate, do you?” He had a smirk on his face.

Even with his ability to see various futures and long since seeing his comment coming, he still didn’t have a retort to that. Not that he had any room to brag. When any name he could think of for the cape scene, he had nothing that sounded good.

It couldn’t just sound good, but it also had to make sure it was difficult for anyone fighting him to figure out his powers. Not that it’s much of an advantage for Sebastian when he keeps uncovering newer powers himself.

“… No.”

They joked around, using roundabout ways of talking when they referred to his training and all the dumb stuff that happened to the both of them. Anyone trying to listen in would just hear a weird but casual conversation between old friends.

Sebastian wouldn’t call them friends just yet. At least not the kind that would put their necks on the chopping block for each other. It was more growing respect and them acknowledging Sebastian wasn’t dead weight.

He was still figuring out the quirks of his powers, like his telekinesis somehow reinforcing and helping him physically, yet he couldn’t use it on other people directly. Unless it was like Whiplash, where he could only use it on his whips.

The four moved down an alley, one of many that looked just like all the others. But it’s what Sebastian saw in the future that made him perk up. “No fricking way… The Bar with No Name. I’m not a supervillain.”

Sebastian gestured at himself. Even if he appreciated the idea, they acknowledged him enough to take him to such a legendary place. For them it may be another Tuesday at the bar, but for normal people The Bar is a fabled place that gets brought up every now and again in forums and cape discussions.

What goes on inside of it, what the villains drink, what dastardly plans they come up with, or if it’s a place to relax. The list goes on and on. It was almost as widely discussed as the public identities of various heroes.

“Kid… you picked a fight with someone that most people would have shit themselves at the mere idea of, then proceeded to help Ox against a BDSM dropout. You're the real deal. Just don’t go saying the word out loud.” Montana told him in a surprising gesture of kindness while subtly looking at the edges of rooftops and any areas someone could be hiding.

A playful punch from Dan hit his shoulder. Had this been back before and during his time in the slammer, Sebastian would have felt some pain from that simple gesture despite Dan not putting any effort into it. Now… he felt practically nothing from it. Didn’t even push him back in the slightest like it would have before he started getting into shape. Just another thing they all chalked it up to being his powers.

No way someone normal gets in enough shape after a couple of days to hold their own in a fight against someone who spent years getting into martial arts with a super suit further enhancing them.

Dan never said it out loud, but Sebastian knew on some level he was jealous of him. It made Sebastian feel bad, even if it also irked him at the same time. He could understand why Dan felt that way. Imagine some random nobody just shows up out of the blue at your workplace, that the person is so talented at what you're supposed to be the best at, and see it taking them no time at all to master what took them weeks, months, or even years to achieve in a fraction of that time.

But Dan seemed to keep it to himself, not letting it get in the way of work and the group itself. Something like jealousy could and would tear any group apart. That’s the last thing any of them needed, especially Fisk when they were still building up so they could take back what’s his.

“I appreciate you guys. I still think of myself as just a normal guy.” He just shrugged.

He’d been normal most of his life. So normal, most of anyone who ever knew him didn’t bother remembering him.

He felt a warmth in his chest at being acknowledged. Just another reason for chasing this dream of his.

“And you also have… gifts. Talents that most people don’t have. That’s another thing that makes someone super and not just a regular Joe," Dan chimed in. Ox nodded and gave a thumbs up.

They stopped at a section in the wall. Sebastian was almost about to vibrate in place out of sheer excitement. Montana took his hand and rapped it on specific sections of the wall in different patterns before the wall shifted and silently peeled back.

“C’mon.” He waved over his shoulder, and they all followed.

The first thing to greet Sebastian, who hadn’t stopped his quiet humming, was the smell. Alcohol, salt, and various other smells, none of which overpowered the others and instead made a comfy atmosphere combined together.

Then the people in the place. Various outfits from varying villains and even henchmen. Ranging from the jokes people in the public looked down on, never viewing them as legitimate threats to some of the big named villains.

Guys like Electro, Hydroman, and the Rhino were at a table in a corner where each of them looked at the four of them, nodding in respect towards Montana, who did the same.

Then you had guys like Stiltman, Big Wheel, and Paste-Pot Pete. As if sensing Sebastian using his original villain name, the man in question looked in their direction. A look from Montana had him go back to his drink while talking to a man with fur that Sebastian thought was Gibbon.

He followed the others before Montana headed towards the bar. Sebastian saw the hand coming before it ever even moved from Ox’s side.

“Is this table the one you guys wanted to sit at?” He asked with a knowing smile.

Ox and Dan both shared a look before Dan rolled his eyes and Ox just shrugged.

“Yes… it is. You’ve gotten a lot better with that gift of yours.”

Sebastian took a seat, relaxing in the surprisingly comfy wooden chair. The place was a good one to relax inside of. Considering who it caters to, you would think it would be the opposite. But everyone, even villains, would want a place to relax at the end of the day.

He just shrugged at the man. “Considering what I’ve been having to do, I would be surprised I haven’t improved at all.”

Montana was coming back over with some glasses with beer inside of them.

“It’s not that you're improving, it’s just the rate at which you're doing it.” Dan countered smoothly, but there was no heat or ill will in his words.

“I won’t get a big head if that’s what you're thinking.”

“If I thought that I would be knocking you down a peg or two to teach you a valuable lesson.” He says seriously, pointing a finger at him before the mask broke and he smiled. “But it seems it won’t be needed.”

"Relax, Dan, that will be my job should someone get a little too cocky," Montana said before giving everyone their drinks.

Montana held his in the air, and Sebastian joined the others. Despite seeing everything coming to him with more clarity, it still touched him that they brought him here and were giving him his first taste of alcohol.

He had been old enough to drink for the past five years, it just never interested him when his money could be spent on other more important things.

“To a job well done, and to many more to come. Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

We all took our glasses and took big drinks from them. Sebastian tried to copy the others only to immediately put his glass back down wearing a grimace. The burn of it alongside the taste made him want to spit it out and drink straight from the faucet to get rid of the taste.

He coughed like he was spitting out a lung. A chorus of laughter came from the others.

“We got ourselves a greenhorn, boys.” Montana said with a happy smile, laughter bubbling up out of him, slapping his knee in amusement.

Ox was tipping back dangerously in his chair, wheezing from laughter. Dan had his head thrown back, laughing his heart out.

His glimpses into the future all showed the same thing. He would cough from the first drink. It made sense. Sebastian hadn’t ever partaken of any kind of alcohol. His cheeks turned red out of embarrassment, but he smiled. Even if he knew he couldn’t drink it for the first time without coughing, he would do it a thousand times over again.

Just to be a part of the group. One of the guys.

Gingerly taking another sip and hiding his grimace, Sebastian noted how several of the other villains, lesser and greater, were all watching now.

“Who’s the new guy?” Hydroman stepped towards them.

Montana took a drink before setting the glass down with a clink. He looked around, eyeing different things in the room… He’s going to use the bar for inspiration as to what he’s going to call him?!

Sebastian wanted to slam his head onto the table… the various futures had that as the worst-case scenario. His gaze settled on a pool table with a chalk board that had various tally marks denoting who was winning and on a streak. Then Sebastian saw the name that would be given from taking inspiration from that section of the bar.

Nodding to himself in satisfaction, Sebastian sat straighter, his concern over a dumb name evaporating, his posture smoothing itself out, making him more calm and relaxed.

Nodding towards Hydroman, he gave him his answer “Tallyman. Or just Tally for short.”

“So what? He’s an accountant?” Hydroman asked in disbelief at the name.

“Sort of. More like… a record keeper and a tax collector. I mean, everyone here is crazy enough to fight heroes like Spider-Man… are you crazy enough to fight the IRS?” Montana said in a faux whisper that everyone could hear.

Despite being quieter about it, it was still loud enough for everyone to hear him. That got him a few looks and several more laughs at the joke.

Hydroman was now smiling. He patted Montana's shoulder in a friendly gesture.

“Good to have you back, Montana. And welcome to the Bar with No Name, Talkyman. If you're with the Enforcers, then you got the seal of approval.” He walked off after that.

Sebastian was giving him a measuring look. “Tallyman?”

Sebastian took another drink, doing better to hide his grimace, and the burn was more manageable now that he was prepared for it going down his throat.

He nodded towards the pool tables with the tally chalkboard set up. “Figured it would be best I gave you a name that didn’t give things away and needed something that sounded decent enough.”

Another sip, and this time he was handling it much better. The taste didn’t help with the stuff likely used for getting drunk rather than enjoying the flavor. At least it was cold, which helped quite a bit.

Not that he would truly know that, besides seeing possibilities that had passed of it being warm, which those happening were even rarer. Not that Tallyman was an awesome one, but it served its purpose.

If he needed to, he could try and make a new one… not that it would work considering Trapper's former name of Paste-Pot Pete. He never truly abandoned that ridiculous name.

“Soooo…” Montana said as an icebreaker. “Got any hobbies? Figured since we are working together and we did a job together, it’s best to get to know each other.”

Sebastian could only blink before cradling his drink and taking another small sip. “Besides video games and watching the occasional movie… not really? Considering what I’m doing is a dream I had since I was a kid.”

This got a series of questioning looks out of the three men. Sebastian explained himself.

“As I told him back on the boat, I’ve always admired the minions in those kids' shows that served the big bad guy. Always wanted to be the ones not leading, but doing as they are ordered and fighting the heroes.”

Dan chuckled, shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose as if in complete disbelief of what he had heard. Montana joined him in laughing along with Ox.

“What about you three? Why’d you get into doing all of this?”

This got them to get their laughter under control.

“Alright.” Montana drummed his fingers along the table in a pattern. “I got into it when I saw the money was good back when I was trying to get big in rodeo. Had a knack for using the lasso and wasn’t half bad in a fight. Had an opportunity to catch someone that another was paying top dollar for, and my career took off.”

“One of those jobs early on Montana got introduced to me.” Fancy Dan spoke up next. “Should have seen him at the beginning… I work alone, and I don’t tolerate amateurs.” Dan gave his best Montana impression.

Good enough that it got the man to scowl and Ox to hide his mouth with his hand and turned away so Montana wouldn’t see the corners of his lips curving upwards.

“I’d been making my rounds like him back in the early days as a leg breaker and someone that could be called on to acquire certain things in secure places. I had a knack for martial arts and acrobatics when I was younger, and like Montana said, the money was too good to pass up.”

“I didn’t say it like that... And that’s not how I sound.” Montana crossed his arms but not before jabbing a finger in Dan's direction.

Dan just waved him off. “Yeah, yeah, Mr. Tough Guy. He got in a bit of trouble when the guy we were looking for hired some help. Montana put up a good fight, but if I hadn’t shown up after going my separate way and learning where the guy was at, he wouldn’t be here now.”

Montana's expression softened a little, even if he kept up the stern expression.

“After that we accepted one another after getting past all the issues we had before that.” Dan finished with a smile before they both turned towards Ox, who Montana was giving the big man an unimpressed look.

Ox was trying to not laugh still before he straightened himself out and took a big gulp of his beer.

“I… was a strong man at a circus. My job was good, and I had amazing coworkers.” He had a fond expression that dimmed from what could only be described as bad memories overcoming the good. “But… well, the circus isn’t as popular as it used to be. The one I was with was one of the last few in operation still. Business was going down, we weren’t making as much as we used to.”

Sebastian felt bad for the guy. Unlike Montana and Dan, who do this for the money, it sounded like he did it for alternative reasons. Something that further tipped him off was the serious expressions of sympathy they gave Ox.

“Eventually an opportunity came. Like them, some men saw potential in me and offered me quite a bit of money. I knocked a couple of guys around, made sure they understood to do as they were told, and I got paid… a lot. Enough that it helped keep the circus alive.” His smile grew again before his next words made it go back down.

“Then the owner found out what I had been doing. He told me to leave.”

There was more to it than that, but Sebastian wasn’t currently capable of seeing that far back in such a short time even for an entire day of standing close enough to someone.

“So I did, but I still sent money to them… they went out of business years ago.” He took a long drink out of his glass, nearly downing the entire thing.

Montana finished it for him since Ox didn’t look like he wanted to continue. “Like with Fancy Dan, we met him when a contractor added him to our team.”

“What Montana is also saying is he learned after meeting me that having extra muscle that knows what they are doing and can fill roles on the team was something to keep an eye out for… Ox fit every category we needed. Been together ever since then.” Fancy Dan chimed in. “… It also helps that he’s a pretty decent guy to be around when he isn’t smacking skulls together.”

The three shared a look, and the sadness that permeated Ox evaporated, and in its place were expressions that stemmed from fond memories. Not exactly happy, but enough to fill the void in someone.

“So you care to share?” Montana asked him, followed by a gesture of his open hand.

Sebastian thought about it for a moment. He let out a sigh before taking another drink. He noted his drink was half full while all of theirs were nearly empty.

So he told them what he could about himself. How his parents never had much to do with him, he was always a nobody. An easily forgettable face that even his old high school classmates never remembered that he existed.

Only a few people ever noticed him, and thankfully some of those were his teachers. He didn’t grow up in poverty, but his family wasn’t rich either, and neither of his parents felt the need to have much to do with him. Besides a few good memories when he was really little, it was just him on his own.

He hoped to one day fix that by becoming someone people would remember. Like he told Fisk, he didn’t care about being the big bad guy or leader, he was content and preferred to be a grunt doing the master's bidding.

He loved the idea of the iconic minions of the big villains in the shows he watched as a kid. All too often the minions felt more impactful and easily remembered compared to those they served. Not all of the villains were forgettable, but it felt like more got done by their minions and they had fun while doing it.

Not that Sebastian thought he was doing more than Fisk. But he was enjoying himself because despite the fear of all that had happened between picking a fight with Sabretooth and embarrassing the psycho, which would have no long-term ill effects, and doing what he did to save Ox from Whiplash, Sebastian was having an absolute blast.

While his story differed from the others, it didn’t bother them. Even if it was strange to them for someone that looked like he did to want to be nothing more than a grunt. But then again, people have had weirder stories than that, according to the three. When you have people like Big Wheel and his story that was covered by the Daily Bugle and various news outlets, he could see their point.

A pool stick sent several billiard balls rolling across the table. Each one clinked into their respective holes, except for one just off kilter enough to knock one of the ones Sebastian wasn’t trying to get.

“Don’t… Come on, don't go down.” His hands squeezed the stick tighter.

The ball that hit it still went down the hole, the other one crept closer towards it. Montana leaned closer, cradling his drink while leaning against a wooden post, smiling like the cat that got the canary.

It inched forward, creeping towards the edge of the hole. It seemed for a moment it was going to stop. Sebastian let out a sigh of relief before it moved enough that gravity did the rest. The ball sank into the hole, matching Sebastian’s stomach sinking into a black abyss.

“No!” He said exasperatedly.

His chance had come and gone in the fifth game of pool. Montana was an absolute monster at this game.

“Good try, Tally. You did much better this time.” He said with a smirk while Sebastian’s eyes narrowed.

“… Only because you let me go first this time and faked screwing up on your second shot.” Sebastian grumbled in good humor.

Montana laughed at being caught. The tip of the stick was moved back and forth for a couple of seconds before Montana found his angle. With a precision honed from years of playing and his own personal enjoyment of the game, the tip smacked the ball and sent the five remaining balls of his all in the holes.

Sebastian slumped down into his chair, taking his beer and finally finishing his first drink, while the others were on their second, with Ox being on his fourth.

“Consider it my way of showing appreciation for you not cheating with that gift of yours.” He countered back smoothly, taking the stick in one hand and offering his other hand.

Sebastian didn’t leave him hanging and took his hand and gave him the firmest hand shake he could. Despite not being as big or as strong as Ox, he wasn’t weak. Stronger than most guys he had met or seen.

“You're a fast learner. So do you know if you're…” He trails off, looking around to make sure no one was around to hear what he was going to say. “A mutant?”

He whispered the last part. Everyone at the pool table understood why he did it. Among everyday people, mutants were considered anathema to anything good. Not everyone was against them, but those that were neutral or somewhat supportive were famous and powerful enough they didn’t have to fear the public going after them.

“As far as I know I’m not. Could be one?” He said back with a shrug. “I honestly could care less what they are, they’re still people to me.”

That got a nod out of the three of them. “Are you sure about that? You picking a fight with you know who seemed to me like you were singling a brother out…” Fancy Dan teased with a wiggle of his brows.

Sebastian snorted at that. “First of all, did you really just call that walking trashcan bum your brother? Second of all, I singled him out because you go for the biggest guy in the slammer if you want people to leave you alone. C’mon Dan, you're supposed to be the professional criminal here.”

Sebastian teased him right back, adopting an obnoxious smile with a slight tilt of the head. “O-oh really?! Tallyman, the tax collector, has some backbone to him.” Dan said with a smile, taking it all in stride.

“Guys… our contacts are here.” Ox said, looking towards the door.

All three of them went towards the pool table, starting up another game while eyeing the newer people walking in. One of which Sebastian recognized, the other not so much, but with that Walrus-styled costume you would think he would remember something that absurd.

“So this wasn’t to take me out as part of the crew in celebration?” Sebastian asked despite already knowing the answer.

Much like with the game of pool he had with Montana, while his power in time could be absolutely busted, he didn’t like cheating. Not when it sucked all the fun and enjoyment out of the game.

Of course, there was more to it than just that. Acting like he knew everything was a surefire way to turn the others against him. He’d seen it plenty of times growing up. Someone acted like they knew everything, and everyone stopped having anything to do with them if they continued to do so.

Some things Sebastian would just let them play out naturally in whatever way they did. If it doesn’t hurt him or the others, what’s the harm?

“It’s both.” Was all that Montana gave as an answer.

“Fisk needs more allies, so he reached out to any interested parties for employment and a hefty reward for anyone that sticks it out with us.” Dan added in managing to get a few balls into their respective holes. His eyes narrowed in suspicion when he glanced in the weird duo's direction.

“Weird… we should have gotten more people to show up than just Walrus and White Rabbit.”

The aforementioned women walked forward, decked out in a costume that screamed, notice me. An Alice in Wonderland-styled outfit in the form of a bunny girl version of the iconic White Rabbit.

The very same name that she had adopted for herself. Despite the news outlets touting her real identity once she had been caught by Spider-Man, Sebastian never cared enough to know. He did know that she was a wealthy heir to some rich family that got tired of that life and chose to become a supervillain instead.

He could respect that.

They beelined it right towards them once she pointed them out to her Walrus-themed companion. Fancy Dan leaned closer to Montana while he took the other two to town on the next game even when he was half trying.

“You’re late.” Montana spoke up after getting the last of the balls in winning yet another game, and unlike with Sebastian, Ox and Dan didn’t get nearly as many as Sebastian had.

Not that it filled him with pride when Montana was using the kid gloves when it came to handling Sebastian. Something that upset him regardless of how well he hid it when Fisk hadn’t even told him. Well… He would just have to prove himself to Fisk to be kept in the know.

The white makeup caked onto her face surprisingly didn’t get smudged or smeared when she scrunched her face into a wince.

“… Sorry. With the news that came in, I was a little hesitant to come out… Oh! This is Walrus. We’ve done some plans together in the past.” Her arms gestured towards the big guy.

He tried to stand taller with his fists planted on his hips, but it just made him look even more ridiculous. Sebastian couldn’t take him seriously.

This is what they have to work with?

Montana did a once-over, looking at the man before looking away dismissively. His lips thinned when he gave his full attention to White Rabbit. She shrunk in on herself, looking like a kid who got caught taking a cookie out of a cookie jar.

“Where are the others? This wasn't what the boss asked for.” He started pacing back and forth, looking at her and Walrus, who deflated and looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. “Hell, members of the Serpent Society were supposed to be here too.”

“They… they’re afraid to step out after word got around very recently.” She said, looking up at him with some heat.

Montana paused at that. “What could possibly stop them from…”

Her next words, or, to be more precise, name, made him come up short.

“Punisher.”

Montana's eyes widened, and the other Enforcers fell silent, joining in their growing concern. Montana tried to appear unconcerned, but the brief time around him, Sebastian knew him well enough by now that he was rattled. So were Dan and Ox.

He didn’t get it.

“Word is he’s back in town. Probably why the Serpents didn’t show up.” White Rabbit said quietly.

She was afraid. For any villain who knew even passingly of the horror stories involving the Punisher, that fear was seemingly justified.

A scoff escaped Sebastian. “He’s just a guy. What are you all afraid of?”

All heads snapped towards him, even the criminals in the rest of the bar all had been paying attention when that name dropped.

They all looked at Sebastian like he was crazy.