Chapter Text
The inside lobby of the Hero Tower is opulent, Grian notes. Just stepping past the threshold of the tall arched doors he sees the bright purple, gold and white accents on everything. The plush chairs on either side are arranged around a table; one might exchange pleasantries around coffee with friends. The floor beneath his feet was a roll of royal purple carpet that stretched from the doors to the main desk that had a single woman sitting behind a computer.
Above her was the logo of the Hero Association, a simplistic wide open eye with gold eyelashes with a purple iris. It was supposed to represent how the heroes watch over the city to keep everyone safe, but Grian just thought it was creepy. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but it certainly sent a shiver up his spine.
Walking past the chairs and tables he walked up to the receptionist behind the also pure white computer. She was sitting chewing gum while seemingly playing some game on her computer screen. In the refectling of her glasses Grian could see some game that was very blocky. He didn't know much about games but he was pretty sure you weren't supposed to play them on the clock.
He cleared his throat trying to get her attention, but all she didn't was roll her eyes. Grian looked around confused, not knowing how to react to that. With a sigh she finally spoke up.
“You here for the hero try out?” She asked.
“Uh…yes. Do you need anything or?” He asked back, still confused.
“Yea you got the invite we sent you?” She held out her hand still looking at her screen.
“Yes here.” Grian shifted nervously after handing his golden invitation to her. He was prepared for fighting and showing off his crime fighting abilities, not for talking to people.
Without even taking a glance at the given letter she stamped it harshly before handing it back to Grian, who fumbled to grab it.
“Down the hall to the left. Can't miss the line. The audition starts from this moment on, anything could happen. Assume everything is part of a test, ‘cause it is. Have a good day and remember, Eyes in the Skies Keep Everyone Safe.” She said lazily waving to the left quickly going back to her game.
Stuffing the letter back in his pocket he swiftly walked down the left-most hall. It didn't take him very long to find the line the woman was talking about. There had to be about 50 people here. It was a wide range of people.
Some looked as if they had been training for this moment their whole lives. Tight shirts that showed off muscles and toned stomachs. Some were hybrids like Grian. There was a timid looking fawn hybrid girl who had flowers and vines weaved through her hair. Next to her was actually a vigilante Grian had met before. He was a Glare hybrid, probably just as rare as Grian if he's honest.
Also in line there were several vigilantes he'd come to know, albeit begrudgingly, throughout his time on the streets. Not just the Glare hybrid but also the Sleeper duo, as Grian calls them. He had once saved their asses from a burning building that they had willingly ran into. Granted it was because they were trying to save civilians but still.
The Sleeper Duo was a two person team where both of them had complementing powers. One of them had the ability to hypnotize anyone who looked in his eyes. Powerful in its own right but with his partner it was almost infallible. They had the ability to slow down anyone just by being close to them. Grian couldn't determine a radius on their power, but he didn't really want to find out either. Best just to stay away from that one when in battle.
Grian had watched the duo multiple times slow someone down, get the target to look them in the eyes, then they suddenly fall asleep. Before Grian knew either of their powers, he had assumed that one of them had the ability to knock someone out, which is where the Sleeper Duo name came from (most vigilanties choose to not have names. There's definitely a few that did, but it usually just made it harder to live a normal life outside of the night time activity. Plus, police records were a bitch to deal with.) After learning of their true nature he gave them a wide berth. There's no telling what someone with that level of hypnosis could also do.
But that didn't seem to stop one of them from taking a liking to Grian after their rescue.
The one that Grian knew had the hypnosis power was waving wildly at him trying to get his attention. Usually, Grian would ignore him just like every other time the two had happened to run into each other on their nightly patrols. But the words of the receptionist rang through his head. The test had already begun and the heroes were personable and kind; he'd have to put up a good act to get through this day.
Throwing up a plastic smile Grian waved back, walking past the last few people in line to stand with the Sleeper Duo and the fawn hybrid.
They both wore what Grian recognized as their vigilante gear. The one with hypnosis (Grian really should make up real names for them) was the taller of the two. He had medium brown short hair covered by a black baseball cap. A black vest with orange and yellow accents sat over his chest tightly. Under that was a long sleeve flannel tucked into black cargo pants. Both the vest and pants pockets seemed to be filled with an abundance of random objects. Grian didn't know if all them were even useful to fighting or if they were truly just random things.
In opposition was his partner, who had a pair of black jeans with a blue and black hoodie on. Grian had seen him have his hood up sometimes and he supposed that this was the one in the duo that needed more stealth compared to his more… personal powered friend. He was the shorter of the two as well, with dark chocolate brown hair and a scruffy looking beard.
“Hello! Fancy seeing you two here. Didn't know you wanted to become heroes.” Grian smiled, leaning his back against the wall and bringing his leg up to complete his cool-guy look.
The hypnosis guy lit up like a christmas tree, jumping up and down clapping his hands together. His glasses stayed firmly in place.
“Oh! You actually came over, Birdy!” He paused looking excitedly at his partner. “We actually weren't expecting an invite. We thought it might have been a set up to arrest us.” He shrugged. Grian was starting to get the idea that this guy was very expressive. In comparison his partner had yet to say a word or even stop shifting nervously.
Still bouncing, the vested man kept speaking in an accented voice.
“But surprisingly they didn't! And we would rather be doing what we're doing legally than illegally. Kinda defeats the purpose no? Us breaking the law when we are trying to enforce it. No no no that just wouldn't be right. So here we are! We’re gonna be heroes! Right xB?” He asked his partner who stilted at the use of his name.
“Don’t say my name idiot, they aren't supposed to know that.” He spoke, eyeing up Grian and the fawn who had yet to say anything at all. Grian looked her over, she just nervously waved slowly, still staying quiet. Looking back to the Sleeper Duo, who were now bickering, Grian decided to say something he truly did not believe.
“Well I mean, xB right? When we all work together as heroes it won't matter right? We will be friends and all that!” Grian turned up his smile.
Hypnosis man brighted nodding his head swiftly while bouncing on his toes. xB, though, reared his head back looking confused. He looked Grian up and down tilting his head either way as if he was solving a puzzle. Grian just continued to exude calmness and confidence, hoping that whatever xB was trying to piece together, he wouldn't.
Luckily, xB shook his head then glanced back down at his shoes, shoving his hands in his pockets and shrugging his shoulders.
“I don't know man. You seem awfully confident about that. We don't even know your name and you literally saved us once. Why the sudden turn around?” xB asked.
Before Grian could even start to think of a way out of that question, a loud voice started speaking from the front of the line.
“Excuse me! Hello! Welcome to the official Hero Association audition!” The man started walking his way down the line making sure everyone could hear him as he continued speaking. “You may recognize me as the Hero StarVoid, I am the facilitator of all official auditions, sidekick and otherwise.”
Ah. StarVoid. Grian had never had the misfortune of ever running into him luckily, but that man carried an aura. He was shroud in dark green plated armor from head to toe. His mask resembled that of a motorcycle helmet, except the visor was chroma purple and completely impossible to see his face though. Nobody had ever seen StarVoids face nor had they damaged the helmet.
There were plenty of theories as to why he always wore the suit. Many thought it was just protection as he has been a hero for quite a long time that maybe he was just paranoid. Others thought that maybe he was a hybrid that required the extra support of a hardened shell around him, like a slime hybrid or maybe a zombie.
Grian thinks it's for the energy it carries. The man is known for his amazing redstone abilities, which is to say he lacks a real super power, much like Grian. Unlike Grian, StarVoid can create redstone contraptions on the fly like no other. Tiny, on-the-spot contraptions that can range anywhere from an explosive trap or a means of escape for himself and allies. Whether offense or defense, he has a redstone piece for it that nobody has ever been able to wrap their head around.
Grian shuffles a bit closer to the wall as the tall man walks right by him.
“How this will work is: you will go into the room one-by-one, or if you have a group, you will go together. You will be in front of a panel of heroes, you will state your name. It doesn't matter what name you give them, but please give them something. You will show them your power if you have one. If you don't, then just tell them why you are interesting and sent an invitation. After that, you will be sent into another room surrounded by one-way glass. This is where you will be given a challenge to complete. It is not about success, but how to go about the situation. All the scenarios are different and not all of them are about fighting. If you have any questions, please ask me now. Otherwise, we will be getting started.” He finished his speech stopping back at the front of the line next to the plain white door he originally came out of.
Nobody raised their hand, which Grian was very relieved of. He really just wanted to get this all over already.
Nodding his head, StarVoid opened the door, holding it open for the first person in line. After they walked through, the door shut behind them leaving everyone in line deathly quiet staring at the closed door.
Grian sighed looking up and down the line realizing that he was toward the end. This is going to be a long day.