Vivamus, Moriendum est (Rorschach x oc)

1. Mary, don't be a hero

February 1951

A biting cold slipped through the torn material of my tattered boots, nipping at my toes. Perhaps I should have taken Irene up on that offer of a new pair of boots after all. Still, I welcomed the feeling nipping at my toes. It helped me to feel something. I was awfully bored in the courtyard. Almost wishing I had detention again. Having freedom to do as I pleased, free reign of the courtyard, nothing to keep me busy, I got restless and bored. Didn't know what to do with myself.

I walked the parameters of the courtyard, kicking at piles of snowfall. Welcoming that cold coming through my boots. Distracting me from my racing mind begging for some kind of stimulation that currently was unavailable. Or so I thought.

"Are you going to say something?" I heard called out from across the cobblestoned yard. Coming from under the archway.

"Oh, that's right! You can't say anything you beastly little creature. Might as well be more of a dog than a person. And that whore of a mother you have! Ha, it's no wonder."

Attention peaked I perked up and set my gaze in the direction of the leering voice. Ah, Louise Halter. My arch enemy.

The Lilian Charlton Home had become my home three years ago. I had started out with my biological family. Though my biological father, Tobias O'Hannigan, had been something of an anarchist. He didn't spend much time at home. He was in and out of prison. His last stint had been escaping prison when I was four years old. Starting another riot as he left. A riot that took his life.

My mother had never been the same after that. She had never really been 'right'. Buying into my father's delusions and ideals of society. After he had died, she became rather despondent. And child services came about to take me and my eight living siblings away. Seeing as my older siblings had become the parents to us younger ones. And ten children were cramped into a tiny one room house that had been built illegally to begin with. Conditions were deep poverty. Though we had been happy in our own way. Before dad had died.

Once becoming wards of the state, we all went our separate ways. My siblings and me. Some of us being luckier than the others. Occasionally, we still saw each other every couple of years. Ma too.

I was one of the lucky ones. I got adopted within a year by a couple by the name of Maddox. Jared and Irene Maddox. A luxuriously rich couple who lived in the city. Both of them were scholars and professors. Thinkers really.

Before being adopted I had never been to the city. It scared me at first. The sounds and sights being overwhelming and over stimulating for my racing mind. But I grew used to it, even coming to enjoy what it had to offer.

I liked Irene and Jared as well. I refused to call them mom or dad out of respect for my real parents. But they treated me well and were determined to give me what they believed to be a 'real chance at the future'. Whatever that meant.

The Maddox's sent me to the best school money could buy. Though it was soon discovered that I was more like my father than anyone would have previously thought. I got myself into lots of trouble. Never being able to sit still or stay quiet for too long. And I had the O'Hannigan desire of justice.

Even in that stuffy prep school injustice was found. Even little rich kids could be ostracized by their own kind and ridiculed and hurt. I took it upon myself to be a vigilante of sorts in the school's halls. Defending kids from bullies. No matter what. A kid got bullied I rushed to their defense. Eager to defend their honor and well bring justice.

Just like what good ol' Tobias had always spouted off about. Justice. Though even as I child I couldn't help but think that he didn't quite understand the word. Nor did he understand how it should be served. As he often went about drunkenly shouting of monarchies long collapsed. Or of the corruption of society. And he insighted riots. Burning down buildings. Causing unnecessary violence.