~~~~
The Hero’s Haven was the ultimate relaxation destination for heroes buried under the stress of their job. Rather than a luxury resort, it was more of a humble mountain retreat out in the countryside. The perfect place to take your mind off your troubles, be safe and be among friends. The security was tight, entertainment was plentiful, and healthcare was freely available, both physical and mental.
The most surprisingly popular attraction at the Haven was a tiny little side room, a bit out of the way for privacy reasons. It was there that the heroes were allowed to let down all their barriers and discuss their problems at length with someone who would listen.
~--~
“I am, Amphibious Man,” the hero stated, his costume resembled a professional wetsuit, albeit more garishly colored. Completed with a complex pair of swimming goggles. “I’m not a particularly popular hero. I’ve heard people refer to me as that guy who can breathe underwater.”
The hero sighs and brushes his hand over his short brown hair. He says nothing for a few moments, not even making eye contact. Eventually, he takes a deep breath and faces forward again.
“Sorry to say, that’s not entirely accurate,” he admits. “I’m amphibious, I can breathe underwater, but I’m not a fish. Sometimes, I need to surface for a breath of fresh air. It depends on the situation. It’s kind of awkward, knowing I’m the guy who is supposed to be good in the water, but I’m in danger of drowning.”
…
He pauses again and grits his teeth.
“I promised a couple friends I’d be completely honest in here,” Amphibious Man explained. “Let’s just say, more than once, I’ve come close to drowning. It…It didn’t make me afraid of water or anything, but I guess I am afraid of drowning. It sounds stupid, I know.”
…
“Thanks, I’ve never admitted this to someone else before,” the hero revealed. “My chest feels a little lighter.”
~--~
“The name is Mister Atomic, the Radiation Hero!” The hero declared proudly. His sleek, silver costume had an explosion symbol emblazoned on his chest. His prominent muscles and square jaw made him appear as the very definition of fitness. “That would have sounded so much better in the 60s.”
The man laughed at his own joke and complimented it with a pearly white smile. He wore it for a few minutes in silence before switching to a more serious expression.
…
“Yeah, can’t say being a nuclear-powered hero makes you very popular these days,” Mister Atomic admitted. “I’ve been asked to avoid fighting around water treatment plants, farms, inner-cities, schools, government buildings, etc.” He laughed again. “Can’t say I blame them. One miss with my radiation bolts, and suddenly I’ve caused more long-term damage than any villain that day.”
…
“It just comes with the territory, although I do sometimes wonder if I’d have an easier time if I only had super strength or something,” the hero pondered. “I know this might sound funny, or unfunny depending on your sense of humor, but I tend to act more as a deterrent…Yeah, I know Mister Atomic a nuclear deterrent, hyuk, hyuk.” The hero chuckled loudly. “But I’m serious. I’ve been taking jobs as security for a few places, usually hotspots for second-string villains. They take one look at me and run.”
…
“I guess it is a confidence booster, but,” Mister Atomic sighed. “I’m always thinking, what if one of them gets it in their head they can take me. What if I get overconfident and miss my shot. Like I said, I can cause way more long-term damage than most of my villains.”
…
“Nah, I got to keep my head on straight. I’m a hero; I can’t look weak. Heroes don’t show weakness,” Mister Atomic declared.
~--~
“I’m Firecracker,” the woman explained, “I make things explode when I’m angry.” Her costume was red, red, and more red. Red boots, red spandex, red mask, red hair, etc. “Problem is, I’m not really an angry person. I don’t get frustrated easily, I don’t lash out, I just don’t see the point in being mad.” She rolls her eyes. “Which sucks when the only way you can blow things up is to get mad at them.”
…
“No, it does have its advantages,” she admitted, “I don’t blow up my toaster when it burns something. Plus, I don’t obliterate every purse-snatcher I come across.” She chuckled. “But then, sometimes, when I really need to use my powers, I struggle to get them to work. If a villain jumped out from around the corner and charged me, I just can’t blow him on a whim.” The redhead made an exaggerated sigh.
…
“It’s just that, unless I know the guy, it’s hard to get mad at them right away,” she explains. “If a stranger jumps you, your first instinct isn’t usually to get mad at them. It makes the adrenaline flow, you might get scared, confused, or surprised, but you don’t get mad.”
…
“Well, obviously, if he’s delaying me from getting somewhere important, then I’m blowing their ass up,” Firecracker clarified. “Or if they threaten someone, that does it too.”
…
“Yeah, it’s a weird power, but it’s mine,” she assured. “But I know those stupid conditions will screw me one day. I can only hope I don’t get myself or someone else killed.”
~--~
“I am Noodle Man!” The hero practically jumped in his seat. His voice wobbled like…well, a noodle. His costume was a mess of ceramic bowls and giant noodles, including one big noodle for a headpiece. “You might remember me as that one villain who got beat up all the time. Well, I reformed and turned away from my life of crime, not that it’s done much good for me.”
The man slumped in his chair, the energy he displayed before vanished in an instant.
“I’ve tried to tell people. They even made a few announcements to the hero community on my behalf, but,” the man groaned, “occasionally, some of the newer or low-ranking heroes attack me on sight. Still thinking I’m a villain. I came to help them, and they’d beat me senseless. Not that most of them ever get in trouble for it. No one cares about dumb old Noodle Man.”
…
“It makes me feel angry, furious…pathetic,” the man admitted. “I wanted to turn my life around and help people, yet all that changed was I get beat up by heroes and villains now.”
…
“It’s still happening too. When I first got here, one of the younger heroes immediately jumped me,” Noodle Man explained. “Mister Atomic had to pry him off me and tell the kid off. I haven’t seen the kid since. He might have gotten kicked out.”
…
“I don’t blame the kid entirely. He had anger issues apparently,” Noodle Man sighed. “All I was in his eyes was that one lame villain who someone got in here. Maybe it would have been better if I got someone to announce I was coming, but I was too nervous. I should have just showed up without my costume, not told anyone who I was.”
…
“I do want to be proud of who I am, but that’s really hard when your Noodle Man,” he slumped.
…
“Thanks,” he stated simply.
~--~
The Hero’s Haven was the ultimate retreat for heroes, the one place they could be safe and relax. While problems and issues may plague their lives, here they could just be themselves and unwind. For some, it is a momentary reprieve. For others, it is desperately needed release. All heroes are welcome. All can get the help they need.
~~~~
Even Heroes must rest.
Okay, so this story kind of touches on potentially heavy subjects (most obviously mental health) and I hope I handled it with care and grace. I was inspired to write this when I was reminded of a certain other story, a certain limited comic series from a few years ago that also focused on mental health (and did it badly). If you're a comic book reader, you probably know what I'm talking about. If not, well it wasn't a bad idea for a story, it's just that the direction they took it was awful (also, I think there was some behind the scenes problems and last minute rewrites).
I took the kernel of a good idea from the story and made my own take on it. The unseen and unheard therapist was part of my take. It was done for two reasons, one two keep the focus on the heroes, and two, I'm not a therapist so I don't feel comfortable writing dialogue for one. You can call it a cop out, but I'd rather say nothing than risk saying something harmful.
On a lighter note, if you remember the supervillain Crab Man from a couple of my stories (it's okay if you don't, the last time he showed up was in November 2020) he's actually Amphibious Man's arch-enemy. I really should flesh out that hero universe...Then again, I also want to write a sequel to the Beginner's Guide to Everything...I'll figure something out.
Until next time, Read, Comment and Enjoy
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