Can We Be Heroes?

Chapter 36• Flames, Fame, and the Vixters?!

The news was everywhere. In every screen in every convenience store window, every update across social media, every whispered conversation in back alleys and school hallways-

The Alleyway Fire Incident from a two days ago.

Footage of the aftermath rolled on repeat. Smoke rising, scorched buildings, wounded sidekicks, and heroes glaring into the camera like they were personally wronged. And at the center of it all was no one else but the elusive vigilante himself, Vixen.

Monoma groaned as he lay sprawled out on his couch, one arm draped dramatically over his eyes.

"They're milking this harder than a thirsty honeybager" he muttered under his breath, flipping through channels only to land back on another dramatic anchor:

"-and while vigilante interference has always been controversial, this level of recklessness is unacceptable. Vixen's actions may have helped a sidekick, but they also endangered the public. The Pro Hero Committee has yet to release an official statement-"

Click.

He turned it off and sat up, wincing slightly as his freshly-stitched shoulder pulled. Suddenly his phone buzzed.

There was a Notification. Another one. And another.

He frowned. "What now?"

When he opened the app, he blinked in confusion.

#Vixen4Justice
#BlueFireWasn'tVixen
#VixtersUnite

"...Wait. I have a fan club?" He scrolled through the posts. "And how did they get my number?"

Pictures-blurry rooftop shots. Fanart. Theories. People defending him in comment threads like it was a political debate. Others sharing vigilante sightings and tagging them as proof that Vixen was a real hero.

And in the middle of it all...

"The Vixters."

Monoma nearly gagged. "Ugh, what kind of third-rate, poorly-branded, dime-store name is that? The Vixters?" He flopped back on the couch and groaned into a throw pillow. "I could come up with ten better names off the top of my head."

He held up his hand dramatically.

"One-The Vixen Vanguard."
"Two-NightFox Alliance."
"Three-Velox Vigilants."
"Four-The Crimson Whip Society."
"Five-Urban Shadows: Vixen Division."
"Six-Operation F.O.X. (Fearless, Operative, X-factor)."
"Seven-The Cloaktails... no wait, too much like a bar."
"Eight-Vixen's Fang."
"Nine-Order of the Red Mark."
"Ten-Anything but Vixters!"

He let out a long sigh. "I risk my life dayly, and this is the branding I get? Tragic."

Still... He stared at the screen again, scrolling through the comments. For all the cringe-worthy usernames and bizarre memes, one thing was clear-

People believed in him even if the heroes didn't. Even if half the public wanted him arrested. There were still strangers out there who saw what he did... and thought he was right.

Monoma's lips twitched into a smirk. "Alright... Vixters it is."

For now.

He got up, seeing that it was time to head out, letting out a dramatic sigh as he buttoned up his school uniform, tugging the jacket over his shoulder with a wince-his stitches still tight from that night's chaos.

The moment he glanced in the mirror, his brow furrowed. His hair was slightly puffier than usual. Unacceptable. He reached for his comb, did a quick fix, and adjusted his collar just enough to look disheveled in a cool way.