A Lesser Man

"Great men are born in fire, it is the duty of lesser men to light the flames. No matter the cost."

- The Doctor (Day of the Doctor)

Roman wasn't always like this, wasn't always just looking out for his own interests. And it wasn't as if he didn't want to have people like him, it just wasn't who he was. Roman knew he wasn't a great man, he knew that lighting the flames was all he could do for the world. So when Neo texted him a picture of Red standing on top of the ship he was piloting he knew he had to fight her. He had to teach her that hero's don't always win. Bets you don't take. Little Red didn't know that hope wasn't always going to be just around the corner. That sometimes, to survive, you have to be the bad guy. After all, if he wasn't the bad guy someone else would be. He was willing to be such a person, it was at least a little fun after all. And he told her that, he tried to make her understand he didn't have a choice, it was his job.

"Like it or not, the people who hired me are going to change the world. You can't stop 'em. I can't stop 'em. And you know the old saying, if you can't stop them, join them."

Hope was gone for Roman, he had survived by his stealing ways to go back to the way he used to be. After all, he used to be just like Ruby. Young, naive, innocent and hopeful. While she runs about trying to save the world, he knows the world doesn't want to be saved. No one really wants peace, they want war. So he was going to give it to them. Give them war even if that wasn't what he wanted in the first place. Red stood and glared at him, "I don't care what you say! We will stop them! And I will stop you."

Roman remembered the days where he had said such naive words, had believed that stopping one bad guy would change something. Well it didn't, and it never will. Because with Cinder gone, another will rise up. No matter how much you fight them they will always return. Roman had learned that the hard way, and he certainly wasn't going back to the way he was. Red had so much potential, she had a loving family, that troublesome sister and uncle. So she shouldn't waste it on a fruitless endeavor.

"You got spirit Red. But this is the real world! The real world is cold! The real world doesn't care about spirit! You wanna be a hero? Then play the part and die like every other huntsmen in history," like his father, like his mother. Like every one of his friends. He blew on the flame and it grew higher, Red was squirming in the heat of his words and feelings.

"As for me, I'll do what I do best!" the flames grew high above Red, "Lie. Steal. Cheat. And Survive."

The girl struggled to her feet and Roman found his job over, his body was engulfed by the huge Grimm. He chuckled as he felt his light extinguish, no use fighting the world when the world is so powerful. No use fighting the flames when they burn so hot. Destiny laughs like that, plays with the lives of lesser men. Just to create the ones who are great. He just hoped the fire would make her stronger and not destroy her, like it had destroyed him. Because all lesser men start out just like the great ones, start out in a fire lit by destiny and another lesser man. But in the end, he will die and little Red will be the one to survive.