[A/N: I am so thankful for all the reviews :3 you make me happy. Ps. This one-shot is still related to UFISW, but I haven't really updated much nor explained what the heck is up, the only thing you understand is the dream Francine had and so I'm going to bring more attention to that :D. You'll be wondering, but I'll explain (whenever I get my ass to freakin' type!)]

-Anti-Hero-

What does it takes to be a hero? The question itself seems easy to explain when actually, it's not. When a person hears the term 'hero', they'll automatically think Superman and Batman and Spiderman with cool, awesome powers that are unexplainable! Soaring through the air with your chest puffed, an aura of epicenes that increases every second, and then that moment when the hero saves someone's innocent life, they gain fame.

That's what it means to be a hero, right?

Others find heroes not like Superman, Batman or Spiderman… some find heroes in average people- like a firefighter and trained police officers, maybe the soldier fighting in war, life ticking by the second. That makes them heroes, right?

Hero represents the term for courage, boldness and bravery.

I tried to be a hero, I tried, but no one really acknowledged me as one. I dressed up as a superhero every single day with a trusty sidekick beside me. It was my goal to one day become a superhero like my idol, Man-Artica, to fly in the air with a cape flowing behind me and prepared to kick some bad-butt and save someone's life and gain street cred. I constantly kept hoping, dreaming, trying to act like one because if you keep practicing you'll become good at it, you know? Practice makes perfect they always say.

And so, I did, I practiced being a hero by saying heroic lines and role-playing out action scenes trying to find villains to fight and with my sidekick we would be unstoppable. I practiced and practiced and practiced… memorizing every line and scene with hopes one day I'll finally earn my superpowers and I'll actually be able to save the day.

What is fact and what is fiction?

I searched for kittens in trees to test my courage, and then find elderly people in-between streets to take my boldness to another level. Sometimes I do manage to find a little kitten stuck in a tree, but when I climbed to capture the feline… eh… let's say I earned a few scratches of thanks and then a nice back sore from falling. Old people? My patience runs thin and I end up leaving before they even cross the finish line!

These are flaws, but every superhero has a flaw I remind, making my fear ease.

I kept trying and with the encouragement from my best friend, I knew that one day I'll earn my powers.

Haha, being naive have its advantages and disadvantages, don't they?

While I tried, my head was always up in the sky and being so… away from the world! I had this fictional since that situations in comic books could happen in real life! Sounds stupid, but I was eleven so shut up. My hope never failed and my ambition to become like Man-Artica grew stronger. I wanted to grow up like my comic books idols so everyone can acknowledge and love me like they loved them.

And then one day… that day, my whole perspective has been changed completely, well, not all but most. The thought still puzzles and exceedingly frightens me, even when I try to shake the fear off.

So… so many, injured, hurt, and dead, and what did I just do? I did absolutely nothing. Hiding underneath a cardboard box, watching innocent lives slipping away and I did nothing to save them.

Some hero, isn't it?

My hero, Man-Artica, tried to save the people… did you know what happened to him? After so many people had died, the citizens shunned him completely, calling him ''killer'' and ''anti-hero'', hating and cursing his name for not being perfect, for not saving all of their asses. I was disappointed, and hurt, and betrayed, and hurt and angry…

Heroes always suppose to be saving everyone! Everyone! Not most.

I realized that… all that hopeful, wishful thinking was stupid and so… fake, that's not reality, it never was, never will be and that's a fact.

I'd lost a classmate from that incident and I felt bitter. Regardless, I lost one and gained one… my dad.

It's pretty awkward when meeting your dad for the first time when you could die at the very second. He's my dad because he knew my real name, my mom, where I came from… almost as if he's reading a biography. I didn't really trust him, if fact, I was scared… I wanted to find my sidekick for we can find shelter… but he asked me if I wanted to be hero, and you know what I said? ''No, not anymore, superheroes are fake and I'm not a faker! I'm the real deal!'' I didn't understand why he asked silly questions but being the naive kid I was accepted those questions.

Spontaneously he promised he'll make a real superhero out of me, I didn't believe him, not with what I'd been through. I gave up on the superhero thing after that, but that didn't mean I couldn't be heroic, can't I? I wanted to prove everyone wrong, Man-Artica, Kyle… everyone, that I can be a hero in some way or fashion.

''Five more pushups!''

''B-But my arms… t-they burn!''

Though I realized superheroes can't save everyone, and if I become a hero then people will be so co-dependent on me, and then if someone gets hurt…

They'll shun and condemn me too.

Did I really want to face the hypocrisy of the common people who'll love then hate you the next second? No.

''Don't talk smack to me! Your father didn't sign you up for nothing!''

Years passed, I train to be a hero, just not like everyone perceived. Sweat drips down my face everyday, sore muscles have my arms noodly and legs jell-o like.

Yeah, I accepted my 'heroism'.

That scrawny little body sure changed over the years, I definitely don't regret it.

Guess training to be a serious hero is more difficult than assume, ''I'll be back before sunrise.'' I said, pulling my mask over my face. My dad said I could be anything I wanted, and since I didn't believe in superheroes anymore I thought, why not a ninja? They don't have anyone dependent upon them, they make their own way and have their own heroes.

They won't love nor shun you.

I don't prefer saving people anymore as a constant thing, too many responsibilities, too much disappointment and condemnation. Oh, may I tell you that ninjitsu isn't fun and games? It's hard work, it's not you can place a sword underneath your bed and next morning wake up as a samurai.

Nothing's fun when doing heroic stuff either, it's serious business, that is… if you make it serious.

Maybe it's best to be the Anti-hero, you don't have to worry much. Well, besides your life.