Tommy waved goodbye to the woman who had just checked out. She returned the wave with a distracted smile on her face. The expression melted away quickly as whoever was on the other side of the phone pressed into her ear began talking. She snapped something back at them, the glass door clicking shut behind her to muffle whatever she was saying. Tommy didn't mind, though. Most people left the hotel in a rush for various reasons. It wasn't uncommon to see someone on the phone as they left, dressed in their most professional business attire for whatever meeting they had in L'Manberg or the surrounding districts. When they were on the phone, it was because it had everything to do with their jobs. Tommy knew what it was like to be committed to the job, so he didn't criticize them in his head for being on the phone. As long as they weren't directly rude to him, he couldn't care less who they were chattering with as they exchanged their keys for a card that confirmed they had spent the night at the hotel.

The back door opened with a soft squeak, and Tommy looked over his shoulder to see Sam approaching him. Sam was holding a newspaper in his hands with disbelief etched into his features. Tommy raised an eyebrow, looking around the lobby to make sure no one was there to overhear their conversation. When he confirmed no one was around, he gave his full attention to Sam. "Alright, Big S, what do you have for me today?"

Sam placed the newspaper in Tommy's awaiting hands. The blonde looked at the front cover. The picture immediately captivated his attention. It was Vermillion, launched into the sky with a sliver of the moon visible in the corner of the image. The headline clarified what Tommy already suspected. The newspaper was going crazy about how the Red Angel of Logstedshire had been seen in L'Manberg. People were taking this as a sign that their hero returned. The Hero's Association was even getting involved, if the newspaper was anything to go by. Tommy normally wouldn't blindly believe a news outlet, but he was certain that the association would be getting involved in some capacity. Kamikaze was not the only hero that Vermillion had left behind. The entire article was 10% factual observations by the person who took the photo, and the other 90% was a multitude of theories about what Vermillion was doing and if he was really resurfacing. Tommy kept his face neutral as he read. He should have known that someone would catch him if he donned the mask. He was just grateful that they didn't see him in Snowchester. L'Manberg was one of the center districts which meant that Vermillion could have business in other districts but needed to cross through L'Manberg. They couldn't tie Vermillion to any one place.

"I don't know what you want from me, Big S. I guess your little hero has come back for the anniversary of his disappearance," Tommy said, throwing the newspaper back at Sam. His boss caught the paper in his hands, folding his fingers over the image of Vermillion. Tommy had to keep himself under control. If he showed any strong emotions, Sam could get suspicious. Tommy knew how to lie, of course, but Sam was one of those people that Tommy found it really hard to lie to. It wasn't like he couldn't lie; he felt uncomfortable afterwards.

"Don't you think this means something? Vermillion retired for some reason. One of those reasons could be that he thought Logstedshire was going to be alright without him. If he came back, doesn't that mean something is happening in the district that requires him to come back?" Sam said. Tommy hated how accurate Sam was. He didn't need someone investigating the matter of Vermillion. In fact, he didn't know why Sam cared so much. Was it because Sam was a hybrid that he held respect for Vermillion? Did Sam have some past with Vermillion that Tommy couldn't remember? Has he ever saved Sam? Perhaps he saved someone close to Sam. That could have been the case.

"I don't know," Tommy shrugged. He wished that he could cuss at his workplace. A good curse word right now would really help him settle his nerves. He would sometimes cuss when it was just him and MD, but there was no way he was going to let one slip in front of his boss. That was a ticket to getting fired, and Tommy needed this job. "Hey, Big S, I have a question. Do you know of any good orphanages for hybrids or that accept hybrids? I found a kid in an alley on my way back from work last night. I don't have the funds or experience to raise a child, so I'll have to give him away. I can't give him to any orphanages, though. Some are shi- er, garbage."

"Oh, I actually do know one. Nemesis from the Syndicate in the Antarctic District and Prescient in the Kinoko district have joined forces to create a place called Origins. It's supposed to be a new district, but the paperwork is still pending at the moment. It's nestled right in between their two districts. It's going to provide healthcare, shelters, and schools that will help people learn the skills necessary for a job. Its main sticking point is that it is equally accepting of hybrids and humans. It's for anyone who needs help," Sam explained, a light shining in his eyes as he talked about Origins.

"If that's the case, all of Logstedshire is going to be on their doorstep," Tommy laughs bitterly. This wouldn't be the first time the government tried to 'fix' Logstedshire. There have been several initiatives and programs throughout the years meant to help the people of Logstedshire escape their poverty. None of the plans worked. The government eventually gave up on the district, claiming that the plan wasn't right for the moment. They would promise to try again. The real issue is that the government didn't like slow progress. They wanted Logstedshire to change overnight. Tommy wished he had enough power to reopen some of the plans. They were good ideas, after all. They just needed a little more time to really work. Tommy knew it would be good for the people of Logstedshire.

"I believe that's the point. The inspiration for Origins came from Logstedshire. Nemesis and Prescient want to help people. The people that need the most help come from Logstedshire," Sam said. Tommy felt his fist clench, and he tried to hide it from Sam. He didn't like it when people saw Logstedshire as being purely consisting of people that needed help. There were several people who had been exiled there because of their inhuman traits or poor heritage that would find a way to crawl out of the mud. Tommy knew one of those people personally.

"It's stupid to base anything off of the abandoned district," Tommy settles on. He has a lot to say about the subject, but he trims it down to just that to save himself from upsetting his boss. Even though Sam encourages these sorts of discussions, Tommy knows that if he lets himself get heated, he will say something he regrets. Well, not that he would regret it, but say something that would get him fired. Tommy was a very opinionated person. He didn't always know when his words became too much for others. His job was on stake when it came to talking to Sam. For all these reasons, Tommy had to be careful.

"It's hope that some things won't stay abandoned for long," Sam said softly. Tommy looked at him for a long moment. Tommy wanted to argue with him. He wanted to say that Origins was going to fail. The activists would find it and destroy it. The hybrids and humans were most likely to take advantage of the kindness bestowed upon them. It was the same with Vermillion. He had not returned, not in the way people wanted him to. Vermillion was going to be there temporarily to ensure that Logstedshire didn't get torn apart at the seams, and then he was leaving for good. People were spreading and believing in false hope. Tommy was the only one who could see all of this for what it was.

Before Tommy could say something rash, the elevator dinged open. MD came waltzing out, the smile sliding off his face when he saw Sam. MD coughed into his fist. He walked over to the pair. When he arrived at the front table, he said. "Hombre, I had the most boring night last noche. It was tan terriblemente boring. Nothing fun."

Tommy rolled his eyes, but the upward curve of his lips gave away his amusement. Tommy looked over to Sam. The green-haired man was staring at his phone. Sam nodded at them both. He took a step back. "I'm sorry to leave when you have just arrived, MD, but I have business to attend to. I do not believe I will be back before your shifts are over, so I will say goodbye right now. Have a good day, both of you. I will see you tomorrow."

Tommy said goodbye to Sam as he went through the back door. Not even a second after Sam disappeared from their field of vision, MD grabbed Tommy's shoulders, bringing them eye to eye. "Amigo, Tomathy, my friend, you will not believe the night I had with Mamacita. She went to some club I can't recuerda the name of. What I do remember is how amazing she looks beneath neón lights. We danced nearly all night, and she kissed me. Ella me besó! Can you believe it? She is más caliente que a thousand suns glittering across the zafiro sky! I can't believe it! And we hicimos el amor! I thought the night couldn't get better."

Tommy blushed despite himself. He didn't like the amount of details MD was willing to share. Most people were a little more hesitant to talk about the fact that they had sex on the first date. Well, Tommy took back that statement. There were plenty of people that gloated about their conquests. Tommy just wasn't used to it because his young age usually threw people off. MD was not a man of tact, however, and Tommy was suffering for it by turning red as a rose in bloom. MD kept on, and the details were starting to cross a dangerous line. Tommy reached his hand out to hit MD in the back of the head, but he was stopped by the elevator doors opening. Tommy and MD swerved to the elevator. Luckily, it wasn't someone checking out. It was Mamacita herself.

She looked between them before sighing into her hand. She walked over to them, reaching them in no time with her long legs. She leaned down to look MD in the eyes. "My love, we have a job to do, and I am quite certain our dear friend, Tommy, has heard all that he wants about our night. We should hurry up and finish cleaning the rooms before Nook arrives."

"You're right! You were always a smart one," MD said. He pressed a kiss to Mamacita's cheek before he trotted back to the elevator to clean whatever rooms were left. Mamacita blushed as her fingers touched her cheek. Tommy thought that was adorable, no matter how tainted his image of MD and Mamacita was now. They did seem good for each other, all things considered. Tommy hoped it would last.

Mamacita turned to follow MD to the elevator, but her movements stilled as her eyes snagged on something. She reached her hand out hesitantly, but she eventually took the newspaper into her hands. Tommy watched as she read the article, her eyes widening as she went sentence by sentence. Her fingers traced the figure of Vermillion in the picture. It wasn't a clear picture, but it was unmistakably Vermillion. Mamacita smiled. It was a bright, brilliant smile that shone with absolute hope and admiration. Her eyes were even brighter as she turned to Tommy. "Our angel has returned to us!"

Mamacita's eyes filled with hopeful tears, and she ran off with the newspaper clutched in her hands. Tommy reached his hand out to stop her, but his voice failed him. He watched as she walked away, knowing that he needed to tell her Vermillion wasn't staying. He couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't have the heart to crush her hopes. He was nothing but a coward, and he hated himself for it.