[center][img]http://imageshack.com/i/pnZVpkj9p[/img][/center]
[center][color=35902B][h1][b]「 ARDENT 」[/b][/h1][/color][/center]

[sup][center]Johnstone Convention Center, New Athens, Castleburg[/center][/sup]
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Fresh off of David's decision to stand on the ground like a normal person during conversation rather than using his flight for no good reason, here was Jake, zipping around the room just to shake hands. It was tacky, and David didn't exactly offer an approving look, but he at least took the guy's hand. If he had wanted to spend his time antagonizing heroes like Jake, he would have stayed as an independent.

David held his tongue, and watched over his shoulder as a couple more heroes made their way towards the meeting spot. The two were opposites: a shorter guy who was geared up like some sort of futuristic Navy SEAL and a taller girl dressed like the absolute most unassuming convention-goer imaginable. The latter had no visible signs of being a hero, but she immediately started chatting with one of the kid heroes in a familiar way. Good enough proof, David figured.

[color=35902B]"You think he put a call out just to lure us here for some publicity stunt?"[/color] David glanced between Austin and Jake, who seemed to have the same idea about what was happening. [color=35902B]"That's basically been my whole day already. Showing my face around town, making sure everyone knows about my transfer here. The kid heroes have the right idea; if this request turns out to be something really stupid, I'm out."[/color]

There was no point in mentioning the fact that he had been stuck flying around and making public appearances because he currently wasn't cleared to do anything else as a probationary hero. That was something of a sore spot for David, and he wasn't sure which heroes even knew the truth about his situation. Most of the heroes here seemed to be on the newer side, probably not the type to be trusted with behind-the-scenes info.

Everyone seemed to be getting along pretty well. Aside from his fresh arrival to Castleburg, David got the sense that a lot of the current roster in the city was made up of heroes fresh out of training, with a year or two of work under their belt. He couldn't help but wonder what that was like, being set up to work as a hero in such a structured, comfortable way. On the other hand, developing powers always brought chaos into a kid's life, no matter what their living situation was.

[color=35902B]"I'd say give it five minutes. If we don't hear anything by then, we dip."[/color] David idly leaned out of the backstage space, watching to see if anything was developing in the convention center. Was a crowd gathering for them?