Grief Of A Hero

“I would become a hero, that was always the big dream, the promise I made to myself and the world. As a child I was told my powers would get me nowhere but a jail cell, that I was destined to fade into the background of the world or become everything I hated.Yet today I stand tall as the top hero in the world, a beacon of dreams with the hope I can continue to make the world a better place!”

Skip forward.

“-That’s why I would never ever tell someone they can’t become a hero, because in reality everyone is a hero even if the only person they’re saving is themselves!”

Skip forward twice.

“What about the mundane powers that we all have? Like the power to give back to our community, when I was in school I thought that I could possibly do anything without my powers, until my classmate Kiro, bless his soul, introduced me to community service-,”

Skip forward to half way.

“-I was screaming so loud I think I would have deafened the stadium had it not been for the Gift proof glass! Even though I didn’t win the festival I still got a good chance to analyze all my classmates which would actually come in handy later that year when-,”

Pause, deep breath,unpause.

“-we would be separated from are teachers during a villain raid,”

Skip, skip, skip.

“-I can’t even pretend that I didn’t sob my eyes out while receiving that award, I remember all the footage “pro hero Hijacked cries during top hero ceremony”honestly I could give a shit since… god that still makes me teary eyed. I remember my-”

Skip two more.

“-well recently I’ve begun a different kind of battle and well… I’m not quite sure if I’m gonna make it out of this one-,”

Gods why does he have to smile.

“-so I decided to tell my story since I know they’re are so many kids, teens and maybe even adults who could use it!”

Pause, right before the jump cut.

This time it would be fine, if she just didn’t watch all of it.

“This last bit is just for family and friends, sorry that I look like shit but… I’m just so tired and it feels like everything hurts so I couldn’t dress up for this-,”

He still flashes a smile though.

“-if you’re watching this then well… I didn’t make it through and I created this last bit for you,”

Pause, a deep breath, the tears start, unpause.

“To my lovely girl Yomi daddy loves you you’ll get your tape when you’re a big girl, to Kiro I want you to know that I love you and to please please take care of yourself, to Okami I’m sorry I couldn’t live to see Jito be born and I hope you’re doing well.”

Here it comes.

“Last and certainly not least, in fact I’d honestly say most! Mom… god mom I just want to apologize for all the shit you had to watch me go through, I honestly don’t understand how you delt with me! But seriously mom, I love you and gods… I really should have thanked you more often so thank you, thank you for being the best mom anyone could ever possibly ask for. I’m sorry, and I love you.”

The screen flickers before the last image pops up with only five words“Ending on a good note!” right below the family portrait, taken mere days before his diagnosis. He and Kiro smiled holding Yomibetween the two of them as she put her arm around her son.

She took it all for granted, all the smiles, the grins, the losses and wins. Even the times when they fought she wouldn’t mind having back if it meant she got back her baby, because no matter how old or how tall or how famous he got he was her baby. Yet something in the universe saw fit to take him away slowly, piece by piece, while all she could do was sit by his side watching.

~

His funeral was a little over eight months ago. It was kept private and his death wasn’t announced until after it was over, as to let his family mourn properly. No amount of time was enough. The second his death reached the public there were news stories and people she didn’t know bombarding her for her ‘thoughts’ on her son's death.

Eventually Okami, bless the girl's soul, started walking her to stores as to scare off the paparazzi. Since most were wary of the girl with an electrical power which could demolish thousands of dollars worth of cameras. It was nice having her there, she wasn’t a talkative girl but the message was clear just by her presence, she was there.

Now the hollow had just begun to become normal, the home phone that no longer rang at nine after he dropped Yomi off at preschool, the Sunday dinners which was now lacking a member and the large empty void that no amount of news coverage or random strangers who felt bad could fill. Because for all the public loved him, they love Hijacked, not Toda Hinata. There were few people she felt vaguely understood how she felt, even then she had no desire to burden them with her grief when they could barely deal with their own.

She settled for visiting the private grave, seeing the notes old friends and classmates had left, all silly and joyful and wonderfully kind. Hinata would have loved it.

Sometimes she finds herself wondering what would have happened if her son had been born without powers like her, would he still have become a hero, been exposed to all he’d been exposed to, would he still be dead? His life was hard enough as is with the hand he was dealt, his father gone before his birth and then the world gave him a Gift that made people assume he was nothing but trouble. She had done her best, she’d worked, she’d put him through school and all the nice afterschool programs, she cooked when she could, and kept a roof over their heads even if it meant not sleeping as much as she should.

Himari knows it’s not her fault, she knows that exposure to a radiation Gift wasn’t of her doing, yet she can’t help but wonder what she could have possibly done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just wanted to write a really short story about a mother grieving over her super hero son, I'm writing a little extra but I'm not sure if I'm gonna finish or post it. Nonetheless I hope you liked it.