"Yeah," said Toby gratefully to Sam. "I have a weapon to check, so I might want to d--to do that if you don't mind." He looked around for Maeve. He thought he'd spotted her in the dark during the presentation, but now she was nowhere to be found.

As he scanned the crowd, he saw a few more familiar faces--Dinah Fox, for one: cousin, former foster sister, who hadn't been around much since Toby went to live with Spire for reasons Toby recalled with an inward wince. He tried to catch her eye and gave a little, awkward wave, but she seemed absorbed in another conversation and he put his hand down before anybody noticed that he was probably going to be left hanging.

Then Toby spotted Azaziel. He felt his fingertips get cold as recollections made his heart begin to race. His blood flowed to his core for survival mode. He wondered if he should speak to the other boy. He didn't really know him, and yet with what they'd gone through and seen, in a way knew more about each other than most people ever would. He was interrupted before his stare could last too long.

Toby looked over as someone tapped his shoulder, startled to see that one of the girls he'd deemed too primped to talk to came right up to him and greeted him like an old friend. Obviously, he didn't recognize her, at least not at first, though after a second's lull he shook his head like he was recovering from being whacked in the jaw and said, "Oh! Erica, right? Yeah, it's--been a while." He remembered a few things about Lux: she was nice to him...except that one time...and her mother was a damn good lawyer.

He smiled, genuinely, though it didn't change the permanent furrow of concern in his forehead. He gestured to his previous companions. "This is Alex and Samantha Ryan. Alex, Sam, Erica Luxlane."
[@caliban22][@Dodi do 900][@VitoftheVoid][@Magister]