took the empty seat between Charon and Mirage, then passed off his diploma to Charon.

"So, Tommy." Warden started as Tommy slid his other papers and forms across the table to Charon. "Tell us a bit about yourself."

Tommy took a deep breath and plastered a polite smile on his face; running through his script. "Well, I'm 17 years old, and I graduated from the Academy a couple months ago. I've lived in L'Manberg my whole life, so I know my way around the city. I like to think I'm good at recognizing when something's wrong."

Warden hummed and nodded in what seemed like approval; and a prickle of pride rippled through Tommy's wings. "Do you have any job experience?" Captain asked. "I don't think I saw any in your papers."

Tommy shook his head. "Not really, no. But I did some volunteer work for a while at a shelter before I left for the Academy."

"Wait- you have telekinesis?" Lotus suddenly asked, looking down at the papers in their hands with wide eyes. Tommy nodded again. "Could you show us?"

"Of course." He looked around for a moment, for something suitable. There was a lot he could do to show off, but what would they like? What would show them he had full control of his abilities without giving away just how powerful he was?

Then his eyes settled on a stack of unused napkins, and he smiled internally. Lifting his hand, he let his fingertips glow red before delicately raising a napkin in the air. Then, as carefully as he could, he delicately folded it up into an origami bird before settling it back on the table in front of Charon.

The hero's wings puffed up in delight, looking absolutely thrilled. "Incredible! I don't think I've ever seen someone with that level of control with their telekinesis. You're very talented."

Heat rose to Tommy's cheeks and he gave him a small smile, a little confused. "Oh, um..Thank you, sir."

No one's ever called him talented before.

Not even Raptor.

But- Charon was probably trying to win him over and get in his head. After all, if he's gonna be working for the man, he's gotta keep his public persona up until Tommy's seemingly in too deep to leave.

Well, jokes on him. Tommy would sell him and all his secrets for a Klondike bar.

"How confident are you in dangerous situations?" Mirage asked, leaning forward as much as possible with Hypnos still leaning on him. "Heroes have to be ready to fight for not just their lives, but also the lives of civilians at a moment's notice. Can you handle that?"

Despite the spike of frustration at being talked down to, Tommy kept his voice level. "Yes, sir." It was irritating to be underestimated, but he could work with that. Let them underestimate him. It'll only make his job easier. And yet, when he replied, he couldn't help but be a little snarky. "I grew up down in Logstedshire. I'm used to needing to fight for my livelihood at a moment's notice." He deadpanned.

Warden shifted, and Tommy flicked his eyes over to him for a moment. Although he couldn't see the man's face behind the gas mask he wore; he swore his eyes had a flicker of sympathy in them. Which was..Odd, to say the least. Why would he care that he grew up in a poor area? It's not like they were doing anything to help that area. But then Tommy shifted his gaze back to Charon, and realized he looked sympathetic as well, if the small frown on his lips were anything to go by. Again, odd, but alright.

Then Charon looked back down at the papers, and Mirage continued after clearing his throat. "What about weaponry? What did you specialize in at the Academy?"

Now this one he could actually answer mostly truthfully. "I had a staff. A friend I had made me one I could twist and split into 2 smaller staffs for hand-to-hand combat."

"Impressive!" Captain said, leaning forward. "Do you still have it?"

He winced a bit. "Er, not anymore..It broke a couple weeks before I graduated, and my friend wasn't able to make me a new one cause of finals."

"Warden, do you think you could make one?" Charon asked, turning to his fellow hero. Warden nodded wordlessly, pulling out a notepad and starting to sketch. "Well Tommy, I think that's all we can ask you right now." He tapped the papers on the table to stack them together. "We'll run a background check and check the disciplinary records in the Academy, but otherwise I think that's.." He paused, squinting at the front paper. "Oh, I don't think you put down an address. Could I get that from you before you go?"

And here was the most important part of his performance. Heroes would do anything for their public image. And how great would it be for their reputation if they hired a homeless teenager?

So, he let his expression get nervous, then ashamed for a split second before he let his head drop; like he was trying to hide it. "I um..I don't have an address, currently.."

The room went still, and Tommy shrank down in his seat as he felt their eyes fall on him. It was technically true- since he wasn't allowed anywhere near base while preparing to come here, but still. He desperately wanted to see their reactions- to gauge if his acting was enough -but he couldn't. If he saw them all with pity, or sorrow or sympathy in their gazes, he'd probably laugh in their faces and blow the entire mission.

Thankfully, he didn't need to look up to know what their reactions were. Because Charon took a deep breath, then cleared his throat. "Well um, I think we'd all appreciate it if you'd come back tomorrow, yeah?" Tommy glanced up, and the heroes at the table mumbled their agreement. Mirage shifted like he was uncomfortable, but it was impossible to tell with the porcelain covering his whole face. Then, Tommy turned his eyes back on Charon as he slid his papers across the table. "Just for a little demonstration of your combat skills and how you incorporate your powers into fighting. Does that sound good?"

Tommy nodded, slumping his shoulders in genuine relief as he let a small smile crawl onto his face. He opened his mouth to thank them and go, but Totem spoke up before he could. "You're sending him back out to the streets for the night?" He frowned, looking at Charon with a baffled expression.

Charon's dark wings puffed up as he grimaced behind the bird skull. "I don't want to make him sleep on the cots in the clinic- no offense, Lotus -and we don't have a room to offer him."

"I do." A new voice spoke up, startling Tommy to the point he almost jumped out of his seat to fight. But he relaxed when he realized it was just Hypnos talking. The hero rolled out his shoulders and adjusted the white goggles over his eyes with slow movements. "He can take one of my spots on the 4th floor for the night."

"Spots?" Tommy asked quietly, confused.

Hypnos nodded. "One of my napping spots. I have them all over the tower. Sleep powers do a number on my energy reserves."

Mirage scoffed light-heartedly and elbowed him. "If you just ate energy supplements like the rest of us, you wouldn't have to nap all the time."

Hypnos made a noise of disgust, scrunching up his nose. "Those things feel like wet chalk on a good day. If I can avoid eating them by napping the day away, I'd much rather do that."

"I- um.." Tommy started, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He hadn't expected to be offered a place to sleep in the tower. The heroes didn't actually care about homeless people. So why would they offer him a room when they had nothing to gain? "I don't mind just coming back tomorrow..I don't need a room."

Hypnos shook his head and stood, stretching his limbs out and tugging the blanket- or, no that's a cloak -back around his shoulders. "I'm not gonna let you sleep out on the streets another night when I have a perfectly good napping spot to offer. C'mon." He waved, moving towards the elevator.

Tommy stood quickly, but looked between Hypnos and the other heroes in the room- unsure what to do. Charon was giving him a gentle look, and just nodded. "Go ahead, mate. When you're ready tomorrow morning, just call the receptionist and I'll come find you."

He nodded. "Thank you, sir.." He said quietly before swiftly following Hypnos, who was holding the elevator door open for him. He took a spot beside the hero, and he punched the button for floor 4 as the doors slid shut. (Which Tommy did not wince at, shut up.)

As they traveled down in silence, Tommy shifted a bit. He didn't know much about Hypnos- just that he had the power to put people to sleep with just a touch, and that his other powers allowed him to do something with the mind. But otherwise, he didn't know much about him. He wasn't usually in interviews, and kind of kept to himself during patrols. He needed to know what kind of person he wanted to be around so he could adapt. "..You'd really rather nap than eat energy supplements?" He asked, looking up at him curiously.

Hypnos nodded. "It's the texture. It's all gritty and makes my mouth feel like sandpaper. Thankfully, my powers allow me to be able to sleep to regain energy quickly." He glanced down at him. "You have telekinesis, right?" Tommy nodded. "Then sleeping all the time like I do probably wouldn't help you. You need the supplements to stay healthy. But you'd probably benefit from a power nap or two."

"I don't think I've ever taken a nap." He said quietly, wracking his brain to try and remember. "Or at least not in a long time."

"Well, if you're ever having trouble sleeping, you can always come find me." He said, as if he wasn't offering Tommy the world on a silver platter. "I don't mind knocking you out for a few hours so you can get some rest."

Oh.

Ok, that was..Strangely nice of him.

"Oh..Uh, thanks, Hypnos.." He murmured, watching the numbers roll down and down and down until it dinged.

The doors opened up to a room leading off into different hallways, and double doors leading to a cafeteria off to his left. Tommy fixed his curls and shifted his wings as Hypnos guided him to a door not too far from the actual elevator. The nameplate on the side just had the room number "404" on it. Hypnos swiped a card on the handle, making a light flash green, and he opened the door. Inside was a small room- probably about the size of an office -with a pile of blankets and cushions bunched up in the corner.

"You can rearrange however you need it." Hypnos said, flicking on the light. "Charon has this whole thing about Nests that he says all avian hybrids need, but I'm convinced that's just a him thing." He snorted. "But, the bathroom's down the hall on the right; and if you need anything, just call the front desk at this number," he tapped the back of the card "and they'll bring it to you. The room number is 404."

Tommy nodded absently, taking the card and fiddling with it. It was a guest badge with not only the front desk number on the back, but also had the room number written on tape along with "If found, return to Hypnos" in swoopy lettering. He pocketed the card and eyed the blankets and cushions in the corner. He wasn't sure about the whole nest thing- but he definitely had some interesting sleeping habits. But he could make it work.

"Thank you.." He gave the hero a small smile.

"No problem, kid." He nudged him into the room. "Get some rest and I'll see you in the morning."

Tommy waved, and Hypnos closed the door behind him.

Finally, Tommy was alone- and his wings drooped in relief. He took a long minute to collect himself, letting the mask of a nervous, freshly-graduated kid slip off so he could let himself actually breathe.

It worked.

It worked .

He was in the hero tower- and he secured a follow-up to show off his fighting skills. Not only that- but his act worked so well that one of Mirage's closest team members offered him a place to sleep.

The heroes really were gullible.

He can't wait to tell the League.