Chapter One Artificial Hero


In the end it really was all worthless. Worthless, just like she said. Like they said. Of course I didn't listen. The hero never does. He stands against all of the doubt and triumphs. He is strong, brave, courageous, and even through the toughest battles he continues to stand victor. He grows in both the mind and the body. He'll succeed his mission, bringing the peace his kind heart desires. He'll fulfill his dreaming aspirations. A fool's dream, but it's all worth it in his eyes.

So he fights. He'll continue to fight until his last breath. Until he returns home bathed in the light of a glorified champion, with his love by his side, and his friends at his back. He'll be happy. Living out the rest of his days in peace, but is always prepared for the moment he can go on another adventure. Save the world a second time. Be a hero a second time.

He'll be loved regardless. Worshiped in fabricated legends and half truths. An idol.

Then he'll spawn a love child. A mini champion destined for great things. He'll train him to fight. Teach him lessons of the heart and building blocks of a strong mentality. He'll know something. Some unfinished business or some inevitability that he can no longer face. His child will begin his journey at the death or disappearance of his father. Then the world sets on repeat.

I want to be that hero. I was starved for it really. Protect your love ones, deal punishment to the wicked, and be loved in return for it. What was there not to like? You become stronger. You become strong. You are strong. It sounded and felt great.

I knew I wanted to be a hero. Maybe not the world, or a country's, or a town. But I thought that I could at least focus this heroism onto one person, or at my best, two. My mother and my brother. I tried to be their hero. Dependable and strong. Help her not to cry and protect him from the bullies. I was four when I knew I wanted to be a hero.

But someone has to be the villain.

The bullies became irrelevant, they didn't have the intent. I needed a villain. The mean teachers? No, they'll never just outright attack. My father? No, he's more like a missing character. Someone whose mentioned for back story development but never really makes an appearance. Even if he did show up, he'd only be a support character at most.

The villain was my brother. I knew it when he confided in me about his hatred for the bullies. His animosity and that dark glare had no right scaring his face. But it was there. He was the villain to my hero. I knew this. I still wanted to be a hero. I can't be half-assed. I want to be his hero. So the only answer was for me was to be his villain.

I turned around one day. Giving him my best glare. The same glare I practiced so many times in the mirror. I glared at myself so I'd know how much it hurt. So I could make it hurt more.

"You're so useless!"

Taking in a breath I screamed at him.

"You're always causing trouble for me!"

"I wish you'd never been born!"

"Dad left because he didn't want two kids!"

"But you just won't disappear!"

"I always hated you!"

"Why can't you just leave me alone and got die somewhere!"

"Me and mom would be so much happier if you did!"

"You waste of space!"

I spat.

Then I added, for good measure. To make the pain really last.

"No good-Tsuna!"

I pushed him down. The action was unneeded since he was probably too stunned to even notice.

We were seven when this happened. I continued to work hard to break him.

My twin.

I stopped protecting him. Snickering with the class when the teachers made a fool out of him. Absorbed all of mom's attention. Played on my strengths and made him feel worthless. I even carried his nickname throughout the school years. There was no Tsuna without the Dame. I'd mentally apologize every day, but the worse the villain, the better the hero.

He needs a reason to be a hero and I was giving him a reason in the only way I could.

I watched him.

At first I didn't think he was improving. He just seemed to reel in. Trapping himself and holding it in. But there was hope. He was good. I knew he was.

He'd always help mom and worried about me regardless of what I did to him. He became more forgiving of the bullies. He did small acts of kindness every day that easily went overlooked. Watering flowers, feeding kittens, and willingly being volunteered as teacher's assistant even though he didn't have a choice. He did anything he could to be good. He wanted to be good. He was good. The only flaw to this goodness is that he himself was unaware and felt it was more like atonement. He didn't know that his small actions were making a big difference. He made all together large efforts but didn't receive and thing in return. This was good. A hero always does good in his life but receives glory only for the big successes.

I frowned. This won't make him a hero. All hero's need to defeat their villain. He was patient and tolerant, not resolved and determined. I had to push him to be a hero, but how? He had no friends to protect and his only love was superficial. As good as he was, he's still a coward and he won't go through great lengths for her when he'd just compromise the situation and reasons things out in his head. He's a coward, and afraid to push himself to be more than he is. So I had to push him. I did, but it just wasn't working.

I will never hurt mom. I just can't grab him by the collar and tell him to beat the shit of me.

I was lost. Then Reborn came.