The emcee's voice booms through the speakers, way too enthusiastic for this early in the morning.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Stark Expo 2010! I'm your host, Chip Martin, and we've got an amazing show for you today!"
Great. Another day, another exposition. At least this one's supposed to be mine.
The crowd cheers, and I can see why. This place is packed with tech displays that would make my old life's gaming setup look like a calculator. Women in Iron Man cosplay take the stage, complete with LED repulsors and chest pieces, but honestly, the short skirts kind of kill the whole "high-tech armor" vibe.
"Give it up for our fabulous Iron Maidens!" Chip yells.
They dance to some pop song while the crowd eats it up. Peter's taking photos like a paparazzo, and Gwen's trying not to roll her eyes so hard they get stuck. Jessica just shakes her head and mutters something about "marketing departments."
"Now, I know you're all wondering when our illustrious host will grace us with his presence!" Chip continues. "So let's all look up!"
The crowd tilts their heads back. I follow suit, squinting against the sun. Something's definitely moving up there, glinting metal in the morning light.
"Is that a bird?" someone shouts.
"Is that a plane?" calls another voice.
The crowd eats it up. "No, it's Iron Man!"
The opening riff of "Iron Man" by Black Sabbath blasts through the speakers. Classic Tony move. Sure enough, there he is, flying in on the Mark IV with that ridiculous confidence of his. The crowd goes absolutely nuts.
Show-off.
Tony lands with his signature flair, repulsors flaring as he touches down center stage. The Iron Maidens strike a pose, and for a second I think he might actually crack a smile.
"Tony! Tony! Tony!" The chant builds until it's deafening.
The center stage floor splits open with hydraulic hisses, revealing articulated arms that reach up to strip away Tony's armor piece by piece. Each segment falls away with practiced precision, exposing the suit underneath.
Tony Stark, still smirking, addresses the crowd with that trademark arrogance that somehow manages to be charming.
"Congratulations, everyone! You've just witnessed the world's most expensive striptease!"
The crowd laughs, and I can't help but smirk. Classic Tony.
"You know, I was going to make a joke about how this is the only time you'll see me naked without paying for it, but then I realized my lawyers would probably sue me for false advertising."
He strikes a pose, arms wide.
"Seriously though, thank you all for coming. It means the world to me that you'd rather spend your Saturday watching me play with my toys than, say, actually doing something productive with your lives."
Peter chuckles beside me, and even Jessica cracks a smile.
"And to my competitors out there—yes, I'm talking to you, Justin Hammer—please try harder next time. I'm starting to get bored."
The crowd eats it up, and I have to admit, the guy knows how to work a room.
Though I'm pretty sure half these people are just here for the free swag.
Tony's smile softens as he gestures toward the massive expo grounds behind him.
"You know, my father started this in 1943. He believed technology could make the world better. Then in 1974, he tried again, hiding blueprints in plain sight because he trusted people to do the right thing."
He pauses, looking out over the crowd.
"This isn't about us. It's about what we leave behind. The men and women from fifty nations, from companies big and small, they've all come together to share their vision. To leave something brighter for the next generation."
He's actually being sincere. Weird.
"Welcome back to the Stark Expo."
The crowd erupts again, and I can see why. Even without the fireworks and pyrotechnics, there's something genuinely inspiring about watching someone talk about legacy instead of just showing off cool gadgets.
Gatomon's voice comes through my Digivice, soft and thoughtful.
He really means it, doesn't he? About leaving something better.
BlackGatomon's response is immediate, though I can hear the smirk in her mental voice.
Please. The guy literally just stripped out of a billion-dollar suit on stage. But yeah, okay, the speech was decent.
Impmon chimes in next, surprisingly serious.
My old master used to talk about legacy too. Said we're all just echoes of what came before. Wonder what he'd think of all this shiny human stuff.
Renamon's mental voice is calm, measured.
The Digital World has its own kind of legacy. Data passed down, lessons learned. It's... different, but not entirely unlike what he describes.
I glance over at Jessica, who's watching Tony with that thoughtful expression she gets when she's processing something important.
"He's right, you know," she says quietly. "About leaving something better. After everything with Killgrave..."
Gwen nods, her eyes still on the stage. "It's nice to think about building instead of just surviving for once."
Peter's grinning like an idiot. "Can you imagine? Our generation actually getting to be the good guys in history books?"
"Careful," I say. "That kind of optimism is dangerous for someone your age."
"Hey!" Peter protests, but he's still smiling.
Tony's wrapping up his speech now, talking about collaboration and shared dreams. I watch him work the crowd, and despite all the snark and sarcasm, there's something genuine in how he talks about making the world better.
Maybe that's what legacy really means. Not the big speeches or the fancy tech. Just... trying to make things better for the people who come after you.
Gatomon's voice comes through again, gentle.
You're thinking about Jessica, aren't you?
Yeah. Yeah, I am.
She'll be okay. We all will.
BlackGatomon adds, Eventually. Assuming we don't all kill each other first.
I laugh, and Jessica looks over at me curiously.
"What?" she asks.
"Nothing," I say. "Just thinking about how weird it is that we're all here, watching the future get built."
She smiles, and for a moment, everything feels possible. The expo grounds stretch out behind us, full of people who believe in making tomorrow better than today. The Digivice in my pocket hums quietly, a reminder that my own future is tied to this moment, to these people, to the choices we're all making.
"Ready for our demo later?" Gwen asks.
I glance at Peter, who's practically vibrating with excitement.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
***
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