The Hero Hub--all that stands between the Imaginal Realms and unmitigated destruction. A day in such a place--it is always hectic!

In the Observatory--the Command Center of the Hero Hub, personnel always identify trouble before it worsens and fix problems before they start. 

"World C-53's Hero is going dark. I repeat--he's going dark side on us!"

["Where are the Therapist Heroes?"]

"All of our Therapist Heroes are currently occupied with deescalating the Child-Abandoned-By-His-Creator-God Class villain in world XA-871!"

["And what about our Angelic Puppy Unit?"]

"Sir, they're dispatched to World O-02 in response to the disaster that created 200 orphans overnight."

["Do we have any of our Heroes reincarnated into the world? We can send them in and have them pull some kind of wake-up slap."]

"None, sir!"

["Okay, do we have a mentor who's willing to sacrifice his life in exchange for a life at the Hub or maybe some lover that can give an anguished declaration of love and kiss him or something?!"]

"There's a love! There's a love! Oh, wait... She's sort of a villain..."

["Goddammit--"]

["But she hates to see him suffer! She wants to be the darkness of the world! Not him!"]

["Goddammit, yes! Send in our Romance Heroes! They can coach her!"]

"On it, sir!"

"Sir, we have a kingdom set to fall apart in 80 years due to poor fiscal policy. The World Gods are willing to accept a Reincarnation."

["Do it. Get one of our Accountant Heroes on it... Can we slip a second one in there? We might need one of the Kingdom Planners."]

"I can get them in as twins."

["Do it! Dual Reincarnation, Go!"]

"Sir, one of our Hero Squads is returning for a quick meal at the Restaurant Between Dimensions."

["Oh. I will go say hi to them in a bit."]

"Sir! Problem! We just found a high-class apocalypse--one NOT caused by the Imaginal Will."

["What are the odds we can stop it?"]

"We need to throw heavy intervention in. That world is closely linked to another world, however--"

["Ahh! Get the Teleport Heroes in there. Have them figure it out and get as many people out while we gather our forces."]

"Sir, we got a grimdark world--There's a mass murderer on a legendary killing spree. That world's hero got taken down by tetanus apparently."

["Damn you, Tetanus! You've taken yet another Hero! Send the Heroes of Horror--preferably, the metaphysical ones and mechanical ones. Tetanus will not impair us this time... Mega Tetanus--never again... Oh! Actually, we got that really creepy Hero of Horror. You know, the one that lectures the mass murderers on how much they're bad at what they do... Yeah, let's send him in..."]

"Are you sure, sir? He makes people cry so hard they drown in their bloody tears after going insane from the ridicule. It's kind of hard to watch. Many of our staff have had to go to the counselors."

"It's like he's speaking to you through the monitor... Even though he's speaking to a villain."

[ "Hey, 19th time's the charm. He'll learn how to refrain from brutally effective advice eventually."]

"Okay, we're sending him in... Better tell the wife I won't be coming home tonight."

["Finally, something worth watching..."]

"Sir! Cultivation World--"

["Nope, nope, nope. Send in the Dream Masters. We're quarantining the world and putting everyone to sleep. Everyone gets their own universe where they all get to be the strongest, most immortal, most amazing lover, and they get to beat and humiliate their bullies every, single, day... Get the Imaginal Will on the phone. Got make sure that we've got the clearance for this."]

"Sir, there's a cultivator that hasn't slept for 5000 years. He has very dark bags around his eyes."

["Is he evil?"]

"No, just VERY cranky."

["Did his mom love him enough?"]

"Unclear. She's dead, though... World has a method for communing with the deceased, though--"

["Okay, let's get one of the Imaginal Will to stealthily pluck him from there and put him in a world full of people who revere people who don't sleep."]

"Are you sure that's going to work?"

["Look, I just don't want him ruining the quarantine. Besides, the cultivation guys like being revered. We're doing him a favor."]

"Sir! System Apocalypse!"

["Send in the Trickster Heroes and have them screw the system up! Throw in the Hacker Heroes, too!"]

"Sir, crazy clown!"

["Send in Clown Eater!"]

"Sir, little boy's lost in the street."

["Send in the grandma!"]

"Sir! Moment of peace!"

["Yes! Goddamit, I love saving the world before breakfast."]

{"Hark, it is I, your lovely attendant, Captain!"}

["Ahh, come here baby, I love you so much!"]

{"Oh, Captain!"}

Mwah, mmm, mwah, mwah--

 

***

 

We were sitting there watching Svilran make two dolls kiss each other... Maybe we shouldn't have let her drink so much. I had to put a stop to it.

"Svilran, stop."

"What? I was just getting to the good part! This is romantic!"

"But Svilran, they just started kissing in the command center. And the way that you're holding those dolls makes it look like something really carnal is about to happen."

Svilran went red. "Noooooo."

Elma was sitting next to me, and covering her mouth. Dorth was swaying from side to side.

"But my story was great! That's what the Hero Hub could be!"

"Svilran, seriously? An Angelic Puppy Unit?"

"What? It's possible if we try our best! Just think, a caring puppy could make a child's day just a little better. Have you ever been loved by an angelic puppy? It can stop a child from growing up into the evil of tomorrow."

"I'd like to be loved by an angelic puppy," Elma said.

{I'd love to be loved by you and your glorious maw, My Savior. Rock me gently or roughly--I do not care. My body will handle it. And if it cannot, I will cast myself into the deepest pits and not crawl out until I can handle the divine beating you would deliver.}

Dorth's thoughts came in crystal clear.

"Aww, Dorth... Yeah, I guess a puppy could save someone."

{My Savior, a lowly mutt could never save me from the flames of desire that tease and warm my unspeakable reaches.}

"Dorth, I couldn't really get that. Do you have a fever?"

Svilran threw a tantrum, pounding on the table and releasing little gold stores with every pound. "My vision for the Hero Hub was good!"

"Some parts were interesting... Elma, do you have a vision for the Hero Hub?"

"Hmm..."

 

***

 

The Hero Hub is a place for the Heroes to rest and strengthen themselves. Heroes of hundreds of worlds and thousands of disciplines make their home here...

["Okay, I completed three jobs today... Now I should train... Ahh, Hero of the Sword! Please, I would like to train with you today!"]

"Very well. Come with me to the Monster Simulator. I will teach you how to infuse your mana into your strokes."

["Thank you, sir!"]

Then--

["I need to improve my speed! I'll go to the Gravity Training Chamber! Oh, hey, Hero of Weight Training. Any advice?"]

"Train for four days, one hour each time, then rest on the fifth day and repeat the cycle. Make it a habit, and then slowly increase how long you train for."]

["Thank you for your advice, sir!"]

Then--

["Maybe I can improve my social skills... Maybe I can go to the bar..."]

"Hey, lass, how are you doing? Come sit down with us! We had a crazy adventure. Took down a vampiric dragon!"

["Vampire? Please, do tell!"]

Then--

["What to do now... Oh, a little boy and his mother are picking watermelons AND that other fruit. Mhm, mhm. I think I'll go help them..."]

 

***

 

"Yeah..." Elma said as she scratched her cheek. "I just imagine a place full of people where I can learn a lot."

"That's wonderful, Elma..." I replied.

"I guess a Hero of Weight Training is a good idea," Svilran said, pouting.

I ignored her and turned to Dorth. "What about you, Dorth? Anything you want to convey?"

Dorthaunzee's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously. She opened her lantern up and poured a whole bottle of wine in there.

"Erm--"

***

The Hero Hub--the place where dreams come true, and my dark curse can be restrained! How I dream for the day My Savior strikes my body!

Shackles with teeth on every surface! Yes, My Savior, close them around my wrists and make the tip penetrate me. Hold me against my bed and make me squirm as your tongue passes over my body and reminds me that I am but a snack that has been left out!

Bind me to your liking and trap me between your teeth. I will squirm like a fly in a flytrap if that is to your liking. Melt me down into juices--I'm sure I could be tasty, and if not, spit me out like the profane woman that I am.

Spread me bare and look down on me with eyes of fangs and eat from my lips, biting with every warm breath--

***

"Ahh, yeah. That feels really exciting and passionate, Dorth... Yeah, I want a Hub that feels that warm too... Every day is like a new adventure," I said.

"What about you, Fainn?" Elma said, looking a little flushed. "What do you see for the Hero Hub?"

I looked across the <Mess Hall> and tried to imagine it. Laughter, food, kind women all getting along--yeah, that was what I wanted.

"I want a place where we can always come back to and have a meal together. And I want a place where, no matter where I rest my head, I'll have good dreams... And I think I want to pick up a hobby. Maybe fishing or model building."

Svilran shot up. "Hobbies are fun! I want a garden! And a library!"

"Hmm, I'd like to collect more weapons, personally. Maybe I could have a weapon display case in my room," Elma said.

{"My heart craves statues to my Lord and My Savior. I will sculpt these myself should I have to!"}

"Statues, Dorth? I bet you could be a good sculptor."

She lit up. {"Hark! Did my thoughts reach you? My Savior, please, hear me, bind me in chains, and cast me aside if you so choose! Make it clear to me and this despicable body of mine whether we are fit to service you! My Savior--oh how I long to take your shoulders and shake you into your senses. A woman is here before you! But alas, I would never dare touch you--"}

Dorth looked really excited. She must have been encouraged by my compliment.

"Yeah... I think the future looks bright."

{"Your future may look bright, My Savior, but I see nothing but the flames of desire scorching my perverse soul!"}