Heroes.

There are many kinds of heroes. Superheroes. Secret heroes. Outlaw heroes. Public heroes. Antiheroes.

Superheroes of course, are those in a comic book. Superpowers, tights, masks. Secret heroes are those that, even though they will never get fame, or fortune, are heroes because they do what's right, even when there is no one to see it. Outlaw heroes are those that do the right things even when the law is against them, no matter how they are labeled. Public heroes are those that make life better, always helping others and making the world better, one day at a time. Antiheroes are those that save others simply because it benefits them

My mom thought it would be funny to name me Hero. Especially after that one incident.

Fire raged throughout the building, devouring the wooden house.

"How did this happen?! Why did it have to be when he's gone?! Baby, I'm coming!" A female fox dodged a burning beam from the ceiling and ran into a small room, where it was barren except for a cradle with a small crying child inside. She grabbed the baby and ran out, the room collapsing behind them.

Dad had left on a business trip, and somehow, our house had caught fire.

She sprinted down the stairs, soothing the baby. "There, there! Shh, everything will be okay!" She panted. Suddenly, a beam and a few bricks fell, striking her in the back. She yelped as she fell to the ground, losing her grip on the baby. A horrible cracking pierced the air, and she looked up to see a fiery piece of ceiling coming down. She closed her eyes, tears rolling off her face. "I'm sorry, Fear!"

She heard the ceiling crash, but felt nothing, she opened her eyes slowly, one by one, and her jaw dropped.

The baby, a white male hedgehog with red highlights, held the ceiling up with two hands. He gurgled curiously and dropped the piece of house, away from his mother.

The fox stood quickly and picked up the baby, dashing from the house as it simply collapsed completely. She watched the house burn silently before slowly looking at the baby with wonder. "You'll never remember… but you saved me. It's like a guardian angel manifested inside of you, and protected us both! You're… a hero! Hero… I like it. That will be your name."

The baby tilted its head and cooed.

The fox giggled. "Hero… you have far more potential than I ever dreamed. You'll save the world one day, I know it! You'll be a hero, just like you were today."

And so I grew up, thinking it would be my destiny. Somehow, some way… I would save the world. Maybe a minor change, nothing important. You know, one of those text book heroes. I discover a new element, or maybe become a firefighter. Join the military, make a difference or something.

As I grew, things changed around me. I found out that I was adopted. I got a brother, and he manifested powers like our dad. He was kind of the irresponsible one, but he was smarter. He breezed through school. At least, until our father left us. We couldn't keep our house, and we were forced to live on the streets. Our mom made us, taught us, how to survive on the streets. Then, my brother became the protector of the household. He got a job as a police detective, got us a small house again, and put me through school. That's where I met my best friend.

We were inseparable, no matter what happened. We kept each other in line, watched each other's backs. If one of us got in trouble, the other was right there as well. If one of us did horrible in a subject, then the other would help the other get better. We graduated college together. Then, a gift from my original parents turned up, in my hair of all places.

"Hero! Hero, where are you?!"

A device sealed in a box, locked with a timer that waited until I was eighteen to make its presence known to me by unlocking.

I never should've opened that box. Because when I did…

*Crash!*

"Wah- where did you guys come-"

"Hand over the box, kid!"

"No, it's mine! Go away, or I'll have to hurt you!"

"Hand it over, or your friend dies!"

"Chrys?! Wait don't you dare-"

"Hero! Help me!"

"You've got ten seconds to hand over that box, or I kill your friend!"

"Okay! Just don't hurt-"

*Bang!*

"No… No! How dare you?!"

"Sorry kid, but I couldn't keep my grip. Now, hand over the device!"

"No way in hell!"

"Wha- How did you-"

"YOU KILLED MY FRIEND! NOW YOU WILL DIE!"

*Snickt!*

"AIEE!"

"Chrys! Chrys! Wake up! Please don't leave me!"

"Hero…"

"Chrys? CHRYS?! NOOOOO!"

"Hero! There you are!" A red fox walked up behind a white hedgehog with red highlights, who was kneeling in front a rock.

"What do you want?" The hedgehog growled.

"Hero… you can't keep beating yourself up like this… It wasn't your fault!" The fox said sadly.

"Yes it is! My best friend was killed because I didn't give this stupid watch to the stupid assassin!" He held up a device that looked like a watch, but the face didn't have numbers; it was blank. He returned the device to a box with a lock, and stuffed it back into his hair, pulling another object out.

"Hero, just because the assassin guy killed your friend, it doesn't mean it would've turned out any different if you gave it to him!"

"It would have! I would have saved Chrys, Antonio!" Hero growled, squeezing the item he held.

"…Look. Just because you lost a life doesn't mean you can't still save a hundred more! You need to let go, and be the hero our mom believes you are!" Antonio says, attempting to comfort him. "Heroes always experience loss, but they always pull themselves together and save everyone else that they know!"

"Well I can't just do that! I just lost my best friend! If I can't save my best friend, then who CAN I save?!"

"Hero…" Antonio raised a hand, about to place it on his brother's shoulder.

"I'm not a hero." Hero dropped the item from his hands in front of the rock in front of him, and turned away.

The rock was a tombstone, and the item was a glass rose.

In memory of our daughter, friend, and mentor,

Chrysos Dawn

1996-2013

"Not even death can stop what I believe in."

He brushed past his brother and murmured, "The hero gets the girl in the end."

Tloj: I'm back! Well, kind of. This story is a new joint-fic between me and fellow writer HTKWolfe777. If you like this story, check out his stuff. Especially his fic Sister Mine, as I'm helping him write it.

Hero Slogluiganoff is owned by me, Jolt T.R.H., or Tloj.

Antonio Slogluiganoff, Jr. the Third and Fear Slogluiganoff are owned by my brother, Reagan of Legsboy Team.

Chrysos Dawn is owned by Half-Angel Writer... Daheck are you?

Hero's mother, or Payback Fox, is owned by... Sega? Yeah, I think Sega.

R&R, if you like this story!