idolpro | Heart Game: Talon

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!heart games

Heart Game: Talon

Was it this late when you stepped into the Game Tower...? Now the sky above is dotted with a few scarce stars, occasionally obscured by some light cloud cover drifting by. Most of the night sky has been washed out by the bright lights of the city which, by the way, is spread out far below the rooftop that characters find themselves on. There's a faint buzz on their phones. When checked, the screen shows a Game Notice:

Win Condition:
1. Locate the True Heart
Or
2. Leave a Lasting Mark

The skyscraper towers high above the streets, easily dwarfing any other building in sight. The city is some dozens of stories below, and the sound of the wind rushing by is louder than anything that can be heard from the streets. Occasionally the wail of a siren pierces the distance, but it's easier to spot the lights of an ambulance or police car zipping through the roads than it is to hear them. If you look closely enough, and for long enough, you might notice figures in the distance leaping between buildings, sometimes in pursuit of a siren or with an emergency vehicle trailing in the distance behind them.

The roof itself is expansive—the building must take up the better part of a city block, judging by the space available up here. A helipad (sans any helicopter) takes up the entirety of one side of the roof, complete with what looks like a freight elevator for moving things from the roof further into the building. The elevator itself has a keypad lock on it, but a staircase entrance beside it has no obvious lock in place.

The rest of the rooftop is empty save for a small, hooded figure perched atop one of the parapets along the edge of the roof, feet dangling over open air.

[ OOC NOTES:

1. Powers are on. THIS INCLUDES CANON POWER SETS.
2. Characters may keep any equipment they had on them when entering the heart, but there is a risk it will be taken away during the run. However all equipment taken will be returned when you exit the heart.
3. Significant changes/damage to the heart will reset each time someone new enters an area for the first time. For example, if Bob kills the sentry at the entrance of the heart, the sentry will respawn for Sally when she arrives. This way everyone can experience the different areas.
4. CAVEAT TO THE ABOVE: exceptions made for anyone specifically going through the heart with a partner(s), or anyone who requests to react to damage that's been done. The goal here is to allow everyone to have fun in the heart at the end of the day. ♥ ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Heroes don't get breaks. That's part of the job description.

It absolutely isn't, that would never pass occupational health regulations.

There are no hero regulations here. All hero operations are technically illegal. Do you really think anyone involved in an illegal enterprise has the time to consider regulations when we are avoiding identification by both criminal and police forces?

...That isn't how heroism works where I'm from. I understand things are different for you, and you have much more pressure from both sides, but you still need to take care of yourself or that pressure will only increase. A hero is a person, not a machine.

...Except for the heroes that are people and machines but they also have their own personal needs to take care of.

... The world that I am from—that Talon is from, does not permit breaks. Our personal needs come second to the needs of the people. They rely on us to keep them safe.

Taking a break means leaving them exposed to unacceptable danger.

When do you sleep?

I nap.

For how long?

An hour or two at a time. Long enough.

...Okay so you are not getting any deep sleep at all, is that what you're telling me? The phases of deep sleep, which are required for physical recovery, maintaining your immune system, balancing blood sugar levels and metabolism, and is required for your pituitary gland to secrete key hormones for growth and development, you're just skipping that entirely?

—It even affects growth?

[ IS THIS WHY HE'S SO SHORT ]

Yes, if you're not getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night you're stunting yourself. In fact, you're in the developmental stages where you shold be getting even more. There so many key physical and psychological processes that can only take place in REM sleep.

I have never gotten 8 hours of sleep at once. Nearly all of our operations are at night, and we have daytime personas to maintain... There simply is no time for it at all.

Then you're going to be short forever.

[ He grimaces, pressing a hand to his forehead in a deep personal quandry ]

That...cannot be.

[ ... ]

...But...if that is the price I have to pay for the sake of the city, there is no helping it.

. . .

Talon-kun. That's a very noble sentiment, but ultimately it's not sustainable. You're going to burn yourself out, and if you continue with that level of sleep deprivation it will have serious detriments to your reflexes, your ability to focus, and make decisions, and your immune system. It can also lead to anxiety and depression.

What will you do, if you keep up this level of vigilant watch, and then there's a real emergency that you're not in top shape for. I know you're strong, and that you're competent at your job, but you're compromising your ability to consistently perform well. All it takes is one good hit from a villain when your reactions are slowed. And then because you have weakened immunity, you're more susceptible to infection and sickness. I understand, really, I do. I know how it is when you need to save people no matter what it costs. But you'll save less people if you don't take care of yourself.

Pennyworth would not allow me to fall ill.

[ He's sullen now. Petulant and more than ready to end this line of conversation. There's nothing wrong with the way he's been doing things, is there? ]

... If I rest the way you claim I should and something happens... What then? What am I to say to victims who relied on me when I was not there?

Is there nobody that could be there instead? No partner you trust to tag in? You can't bear the weight of the world on your shoulders alone.

Father is often away on League business, and my brothers are... ...

[ He shrugs stiffly ]

Nightwing is in another city. Red Hood operates in Gotham, but he prefers to keep his distance from our father's territory. I'm unsure about Red Robin.

I see... But you said yourself, there are things you don't remember. There might be others. There could be plenty of people inspired by you in the city that want to do good, that you could train. I really think it would be a good idea to expand your team. The more resources you have, the more people you can all protect.

There's a hero in my world, All Might. He's known as the symbol of peace. He's the number one hero, stronger than anyone. I remember watching his debut video as a child, he saved over 100 people in ten minutes. When All Might shows up, there's nobody he can't save, that's a fact everyone in my world knows. We all have complete faith. But All Might told me he can't be everywhere. He can save the people in front of him, but there are so many places in the world that his hands can't reach. That's why he wants to inspire other heroes to go out and fight their hardest too. He said he'd light a fire in their hearts, over and over without end. You could light those fires too, Talon-kun.

Edited 2020-02-15 19:39 (UTC)

[ He sighs and drags a hand through his hair and down his face, much more visibly tired now ]

My father is a man like that. He is the greatest hero our planet has to offer, without any powers at all. He's tireless. He's always where he's needed most. He is what I have to live up to. I...

[ He crosses his arms, shoulders hunched ]

I was created to live up to him. To surpass him.

Edited 2020-02-15 19:50 (UTC)

[Going to sit down, legs dangling over the ledge.]

Your father sounds very impressive. But he's also an adult. You're still growing Talon-kun. The day you'll surpass your father is in the future, so you have to keep running towards it. The need to get stronger can consume you. I know you're worried about the people you can't save while you're still catching up, but you need to work on your own strengths and overcoming your own weaknesses first. Do you remember how he feels about the amount of sleep you get?

[ Grumbles and sits down inside the retaining wall, leaning his back against it and scowling across the helipad ]

I don't remember much about him at all. Any of them. I know they cared—some of them. But I also remember they are busy. They don't have much time for me, so who knows if they thought about my sleep at all or not.

[That sounds like a terrible family??]

I can't speak for what they thought... But it worries me.

You are the first to have been this...vocal about it.

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