Okay this is my first Ecco the Dolphin Fic! I got the idea while playing Ecco The Tides of Time at work a few days ago. (oh yes, I worked very hard XD ) And these ideas just came to me. I used elements from Ecco ToT and DoTF, but many things are changed. The timeline is the present, 2003. All those who night think Ecco is ooc, well they didn't really give him a personality in the games now did they? ;) This is how I see Ecco. FWI, any words in italics are Ecco's thoughts. Well I hope you enjoy the fic. If you do, please leave a review!

FOR THE WANT OF A FRIEND….

Prologue

Greetings… I am Ecco…  I am what many have called me for years, a hero… Hero… I slap my tail upon the word. I am no hero, I have been nothing but a tool. I have been used time and again, to help those who were too cowardice to help themselves. Oh, while I know many could not help themselves, yet I know many more could. But why didn't they? Why did they wait for me? Because, I am the 'hero', it was, and always will be, my duty.

But why me? Why must I be the hero? Why must I be the one to risk my life time and again to help those who would under normal circumstances ignore me? Fear me? Call me a freak? Oh yes, I am a freak… these retched stars upon my head deem it so. I long to be a normal dolphin, to swim with my pod and be accepted! But no, I cannot! Because of this damn stars I cannot even be accepted! Yes I am the 'mighty' Ecco, the mighty HERO, but what GOOD is it to me?! Those who know my name cower before me, those that don't, think I am but a freak! Even those I have saved do not wish to be my friends; they fear me, for my power.

DAMN YOU asterite! DAMN YOU the one who gave me these stars, these powers! I do not wish them anymore! All I ever wanted in life was to have a normal life, have friends! Have… A love… but no… not I, not for 'mighty' Ecco...  Dolphins do not wish to be my friends; rather all they do is say "hello sir" or "yes sir". Even the elders treat me this way! Like I am some sort of god! I am not! I am only me! Why. Why, WHY do they act this way? Time and again even after I ask them to stop?

I was born different… I know that. From the time I was born, from the time the stars upon my head made themselves known, I would be denied a normal life… *sigh*…I hate thinking the way that I do…  I do hate these stars, I do hate these powers… yet I love them…I could not bear to live without them, for they are a part of me. I always wanted to be strong, to be a hero… but it is like a double edged blade…

… damn… I look at the sun, and see it is time to make my rounds. Oh how I loathe this. My pod has deemed me leader, and with it I have duties to attend to. Bah such simple minded things… but I suppose it is better then sitting and stewing in my own thoughts, for my thoughts are dangerous, so very dangerous…