I Need a Hero

3

After school, the three of us retrieved our new school uniforms and got into the limo destined to take us 'home'. We were all nervous. Training was to resume today. What does that mean, you may be wondering. Well, for us, that means torture. You see, our father is a gang leader, so everydaumy, we train physically and mentally to see who is the strongest of us. But none of us want to be the strongest, because being the strongest means being chosen as the next leader of the gang. And if we don't meet our father's high standards, or we show any sign of giving up, or of being weak, we get punished, in whatever way he sees fit. And believe me, our father is well aware that whatever he does to one of us, he does to all of us. When we got to the mansion, it was straight to work.

Taro was started on the punching bags. Tomo started on endurance, or running around the entire property at least five times. I started hanging upside-down on a chin-up bar, doing curl-ups, counting as I went. It didn't seem like too terribly long before we rotated. We had kept up our strength, but we would all be sore by morning. I was on the punching bags, when I felt a sudden, sharp sting to my cheek. I flinched, stumbling a couple steps, but I wasn't the one who got hit. I looked to see Tomo on the ground. Father must have told him to get down from the chin-up bar. He must have done something wrong.

"You lost count," Father said to Tomo, his voice dangerously low, but still audible. I looked to see that Taro had stopped running as well, to see what happened. "You can never lose count. You know why we can never lose count? Because if you lose count on something as simple as this, how can you possibly keep track of buisnes?" He kicked Tomo in the chest, knocking the air out of all of us. Then, walking away, Father yelled to Taro and I, "I didn't say you could stop!"

I quickly returned to the punching bag, trying to push air back into my lungs, but knowing I couldn't breath easy until Tomo could.

That night, we went to bed with aching muscles and bruised knuckles. We fell asleep quickly, but it didn't last long.

I woke up to our father carefully picking me up, taking me out of the room and down the hall, into the bathroom. I didn't dare scream, though I already knew why the tub was full of steaming hot water. Father grabbed my shoulder, and in one quick motion, had me submerged in the hot water. It burned every inch of my body. I held my breath for as long as I could, but it wasn't long enough. Through the surface of the water, I could see my father's cruel smirk, and that just made me struggle more. Finally, though, I realized that he wouldn't let me up until I gave up. Choking for air, I made my body relax. If I couldn't breaath, then neither could my brothers. They were awake, then. When I was relaxed, Father pulled me up, placing me on the bathroom floor, coughing and sputtering. Then, he leaned in close.

"You belong to me, sweetheart," he wispered in my ear. "No one can save you from me. Just like in the water, you should just give up now. I own you, Tani. You are mine." He left the bathroom, and tears rolled down my cheeks as I continued to cough.

"Tani?" Taro's voice asked. I looked up to see him standing in the doorway, Tomo behind him. As soon as he met my eyes, he rushed foreward, scooping me up into his arms and carrying me back to our room. He sat down on the bed, keeping me in his lap, rubbing circles on my back. Tomo sat beside us, holding my hands and humming softly. Eventually, we fell asleep like that.

I was woken up again by Taro nudging my side. It was time to get up for school. The three of us put on our uniforms and Tomo and I took our guitars for the talent show. Taro would use the school's drum set.

Nothing very interesting happened in class. After lunch, everyone was sent to get ready for the talent show. I found a quiet spot for Tomo and I to tune, and for Taro to practice his drumming on the wall.

Finally, it was time for the show to start. We would be last, because we were the new students. Tamaki Suoh led us in a class on being 'classy', in which half the school's girls swooned. Hunny and Mori did a martial arts presentation. Hikaru and Kaoru showed off their fashion sense. There were also many piano concertos, and pieces on violin, cello, and even the flute. I had been right. Our style of music wasn't the kind this school was used too. Well, we were next, so too late now. We didn't do an original piece, since these people had never heard us play before.

"We're going to be playing Hero, by Skillet. It's an American band." I said into the microphone. (song in media).

I'm just a step away
I'm just a breath away
Losin' my faith today
(Fallin' off the edge today)

I am just a man
Not superhuman
(I'm not superhuman)
Someone save me from the hate

It's just another war
Just another family torn
(Falling from my faith today)
Just a step from the edge
Just another day in the world we live

I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero (save me now)
I need a hero to save my life
A hero'll save me (just in time)

I've gotta fight today
To live another day
Speakin' my mind today
(My voice will be heard today)

I've gotta make a stand
But I am just a man
(I'm not superhuman)
My voice will be heard today

It's just another war
Just another family torn
(My voice will be heard today)
It's just another kill
The countdown begins to destroy ourselves

I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero (save me now)
I need a hero to save my life
A hero'll save me (just in time)

I need a hero to save my life
I need a hero just in time
Save me just in time
Save me just in time

Who's gonna fight for what's right
Who's gonna help us survive
We're in the fight of our lives
(And we're not ready to die)

Who's gonna fight for the weak
Who's gonna make 'em believe
I've got a hero (I've got a hero)
Livin' in me

I'm gonna fight for what's right
Today I'm speaking my mind
And if it kills me tonight
(I will be ready to die)

A hero's not afraid to give his life
A hero's gonna save me just in time

I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero (save me now)
I need a hero to save my life
A hero'll save me (just in time)

I need a hero
Who's gonna fight for what's right
Who's gonna help us survive

I need a hero
Who's gonna fight for the weak
Who's gonna make 'em believe
I need a hero
I need a hero

A hero's gonna save me just in time

There was dead silence after we finished. Then, starting with none other than Hunny, Mori, Tamaki, the Hitachiin twins, and Haruhi, people began to clap and cheer. A small smile graced my lips. Taro and Tomo came forward to stand beside me, and we bowed in unison. We knew this wouldn't change how the student body looked at us, their opinions based on our father, but at least a few of them seemed to genuinely like our music.

But the day wasn't over. We still had training once we got home. The same as yesterday, but adding push-ups to the list. He was starting us off easy, since we had been away for seven years.