Mariusz flew over New York City, zipping over the streets at a height of about fifty feet. Snow was gently falling from the skies in large and lazy white flakes drifting slowly down to blanket the ground in a fresh carpet of winter white. If there was one advantage of being a flier in a city that was full to bursting with more than eight million people it was that the ability to fly made it quite easy to avoid the hustle and bustle of the city streets if one was so inclined. Given that the current activity that Mariusz was engaged in was a workout which served the double purpose of helping him to familiarize himself with the city that was now, essentially, his home avoiding the crowds seemed best.

At the intersection of Lennox and 110th the winged Czech emerged from the city landscape to, rather abruptly, be soaring over a mix of green and white as he flew not far over the treetops of Central Park. He soared down the middle of the park, his eyes following the paths of the various trails and walkways that crisscrossed it. Reaching the southern border of the park at 55th he turned and set about making a lap. As he was headed north, by wing, up Central Park West he was forced to abruptly tuck his wings and dive as an odd sort of bubble appeared in front of him which seemed to hold a teenaged boy inside.

"I suppose I am not the only one that decided today might be nice for a flight, even if it is snowing," he said, beating his wings and rising in the air until he was level with the bubble and using his superior vision to peer inside. "I am Mariusz Kasparek, and you would be?"

Juka felt like a ghost floating on the wind, the city far below him. Gone were the days where he could wander its streets confident in all his brightest colours. Instead, he found himself drifting far above them, admiring the throngs of people from afar. Maybe one day he'd be able to go back down there, among them, but that day wasn't today. Not yet. Not as himself and it wasn't the same going down there as someone else. Even though, now, he was someone else.

The skies, of course, were a place where Juka felt right at home and always had. The moment his power had manifested it had been his haven away from the dysfunction of his family and the inspiration that eventually compelled him to become a performer for the masses. He couldn't' perform any longer but, sometimes, drifting so far above the throngs of people he still felt the echoes of the stage. Up here, he had his thoughts and memories to fill the empty void that had become his life and at least up here he could pretend that he still had somewhere to belong, unlike within the confines of his lonely, empty manor.

"I suppose I am not the only one that decided today might be nice for a flight, even if it is snowing,"

It was unexpected to meet someone so far above everyone and the words caught Juka's distracted mind by surprise. Turning his attention to his fellow flighted newcomer, he was hit by a pang of nostalgia as he remembered his sweet snowy owl mutant who used to perform on stage with him. Of course this wasn't her but he nevertheless offered the warmest of smiles and a flourishing bow within his bubble. The bird man was a stranger met by a cloud who had spotted him inside his bubble. If he was going to turn him in, nothing Juka did now could possibly stop him nor further give away who he was in truth.

"I am Mariusz Kasparek, and you would be?"

"My my, aren't you the most lovely of birds," Juka offered his most dazzling of smiles. "An absolute pleasure and a surprise. I am Juka and your feathers look soft as silk." A name wouldn't give him away if his bubble hadn't all ready and it pained him, just a little, to hide who he was. At least here, so far above it all, he could be himself. Hopefully it wasn't something he'd come to regret.

"My my, aren't you the most lovely of birds. An absolute pleasure and a surprise. I am Juka and your feathers look soft as silk."

"The pleasure is mine," Mariusz replied, hovering in the air next to the bubble with the... well, the honestly rather eclectically dressed youth inside. Juka came complete with bright orange and spiked hair, but to each their own. Judgement was reserved for the Lord. "I am afraid I am not quite a bird, though I am close. I would offer you a hand to shake, in proper fashion, but I imagine you need to maintain the integrity of your... bubble to remain afloat so it really would be in rather poor taste to pop it." Mariusz narrowed his eyes and examined the bubble a bit more closely with his keen vision. "And I am not as soft as silk, though I do try."

The Czech man beat his wings almost lazy as he hovered in the air by the bubble. He had no idea who Juka was beyond the boy being a mutant like him. "What brings you out today," he asked, wings beating slowly as he continued to examine the bubble and its occupant. It really was rather fascinating how the bubble managed to stay off the ground. Still, he supposed it made since as bubbles floated. Again, to each their own.

It was always a pleasure to meet fellow mutants, especially gorgeous ones covered in soft feathers. Secretly Juka had always been just a little bit envious of those whose mutants manifested in a way they could never hide. All too often the public shunned and feared them, but in truth so many of them were absolutely beautiful and the one before him was no exception. Then again, if he couldn`t hid what he was then perhaps he would never have been able to hide from Her and that would have been a very serious problem.

"I am afraid I am not quite a bird, though I am close. I would offer you a hand to shake, in proper fashion, but I imagine you need to maintain the integrity of your... bubble to remain afloat so it really would be in rather poor taste to pop it."

"I do appreciate the sentiment, my dear," Juka answered. In truth, his bubble couldn't actually be popped; it was something that had been tried before and the failing there of had almost resulted in his death. However, he didn't need to let the other know that especially when it really made no difference to the situation at hand. Which was, of course, the fact that he couldn't actually shake his hand and remain aloft as his bubble was quite clearly in the way.

"What brings you out today,"

"It seemed like a lovely day for a flight," Juka answered with a casual shrug of his slender shoulders. "I suppose I could ask you the same thing, now couldn't`I?" The fact that it was probably quite cold outside didn't really occur to him. After all, what was cold to a boy who existed inside a bubble in which the weather couldn't touch?

"It seemed like a lovely day for a flight I suppose I could ask you the same thing, now couldn't`I?"

"A fair enough response," Mariusz admitted in answer to what Juka had said. "I am out getting in a workout and also learning the lay of the land of the city as New York City is my new home. It is always wise to know one's way around one's new home." The winged man trailed off for a moment and made a wide sweeping gesture that seemed to encompass the whole of the city. "I am newly arrived to both New York and America, I arrived on the wing. If you take my meaning that is."

"Besides all that the feathers are actually rather wonderfully insulating in the winter. While others may require a coat and gloves to be comfortable in this weather I am quite as happy with, or without, such accoutrements even if it is rather lazily snowing," the Czech man continued, snatching a snowflake from the air and allowing it to melt on his finger before continuing. "I also could not help but notice that you seem to be rather lacking in terms of winter clothing as well. Am I to assume that your bubble has some sort of regulatory ability regarding temperatures?"

"I am out getting in a workout and also learning the lay of the land of the city as New York City is my new home. It is always wise to know one's way around one's new home."

"Its a good idea to explore one's home," Juka nodded, considering. "Especially as a mutant. There are dangers out there and you need to know where to go to be safe." It was a rare moment of seriousness, the words imparting a very personal and pertinent meaning. They were words that, perhaps, weren't the sort that a 14 year old was likely to utter but his mind remained that of an adult even if his body was that of a young teen.

"But if you ever need a guide around the city, feel more than free to ask." Juka grinned, resuming his usual cheerful and carefree demeanor. It wasn't his fault that such a demeanor was now just a little bit forced nor that he had encountered the greatest sorts of evils in the world first hand. It was up to him, however, to do what he could to get past it. He wasn't going to let the memories of the fears of Her get in the way of living his life. So he might have to rebuild some of the pieces, especially the pieces of his mind and heart, but he would do so and his demons wouldn't stop him; he wouldn't let them.

"I also could not help but notice that you seem to be rather lacking in terms of winter clothing as well. Am I to assume that your bubble has some sort of regulatory ability regarding temperatures?"

The feathers, it seemed, served a greater purpose than merely being soft as silk and Juka found that to be enchanting and wonderful. "I'm afraid I'm entirely guilty, my dear. Inside my floating little soap bubble, wind, rain and cold simply don't matter to me. I wonder, sometimes, what it must be like to fly out in the elements and actually feel the wind. I'm thinking you know quite well, am I write my darling birdman?"

"But if you ever need a guide around the city, feel more than free to ask."

"Oh, what all is there to see in New York," Mariusz asked, wings still fluttering softly as the snow continued to fall around them while they talked. "I have already been to see a show on Broadway, do some shopping on 5th Avenue, see St. Patrick's Cathedral, and now I have visited and seen Central Park. I have even been to build a bear at 'Build-a-Bear' as I believe you Americans call it," the Czech man continued, omitting the fact that he had also found the Shadow's Light, a pub that catered exclusively to mutants it seemed. Some how he did not feel it would be the most appropriate thing in the world to discuss drinking and bars with someone who seemed to, quite clearly, be much too young for such activities even if they would have been going by European laws which they obviously were not in New York City.

"I'm afraid I'm entirely guilty, my dear. Inside my floating little soap bubble, wind, rain and cold simply don't matter to me. I wonder, sometimes, what it must be like to fly out in the elements and actually feel the wind. I'm thinking you know quite well, am I right my darling birdman?"

"Yes, I most assuredly know what it is to fly around outside in the elements," Mariusz said in answer to Juka's question. "However, I suppose I may not know as exactly that it is to fly in the elements as someone that does not have feathers. After all, the feathers insulate me somewhat from the elements too. I cannot think of too many people that can survive at some of the heights I can fly at without wearing heavy winter gear and the feathers do still aid in flying."

Despite his ability to float hundreds of feet above the city, Juka still wondered sometimes what true flight must be like. In his bubble he was disconnected from the world, an observer not quite integrated into the natural order. What must it be like to have actual wings in which he had to exercise actual muscles to keep himself aloft? Most likely it was a question he'd never truly know the answer to; no more than a land-bound person would know what it was like to float above rock and earth.

"New York is a glorious city if you enjoy people and events. There are, I confess, some of the best clubs around." Not that he should be going to clubs at 14, of course. But he wasn't really 14 despite appearances, now was he? Maybe Mariusz wouldn't pick up on the strangeness of the statement. Or maybe he would. It would be almost a relief to tell someone, even this stranger, the truth of his secret.

"Can you see like a bird as well," Juka asked curiously, his mind wandering back to long ago times of school and what he had read about birds of prey in his textbooks. "I'd imagine that'd be quite the experience."

"New York is a glorious city if you enjoy people and events. There are, I confess, some of the best clubs around."[/i]

Mariusz tilted his head slightly to one side and regarded the teen in the bubble when he said something about New York having the best clubs. The Czech mutant was not a huge fan of clubs and the club scene. While it was true that he enjoyed the occasional beer every now and then, but he was not a big fan of all the loud music that was usually associated with such places. He preferred to find a nice bar where he could have a beer or two and watch a hockey game in peace and quiet. The other interesting thing about the remark was that it came from someone that looked far too young to be allowed into a club since Juka looked like he should still be in Middle School. He was just about to ask a question about that when Juka piped up with another question.

"Can you see like a bird as well? I'd imagine that'd be quite the experience."

"Yes, I do have eyesight that is far superior to that of any human. It is something of a necessity at the heights that I am capable of reaching with my wings," Mariusz answered, shrugging his shoulders as he hovered in the air with his wings flapping slowly in the falling snow, "well, either the keen eyesight or some form of Global Positioning System. You mentioned something about clubs," the Czech man asked, abruptly changing the subject. "I am curious how you would know about clubs? It would seem from your appearance that you are much to young to be allowed into such a place, if you will pardon my saying so. Does your mutation do something to slow your aging?"

"It must be stupendous seeing like that," Juka stated. "Alas, my vision is merely human no more and no less." Enhanced senses were such a curiosity but also something he'd probably never experience. In a way, it went completely against what his bubble was; something that separated him from the world. To see or hear or smell beyond human, well, if anything that would connect one deeper to the world. Whether or not he even wanted to be more closely connected was a question he didn't have an answer for at that moment.

"I am curious how you would know about clubs? It would seem from your appearance that you are much to young to be allowed into such a place, if you will pardon my saying so. Does your mutation do something to slow your aging?"

Juka felt a sinking feeling in his chest. Apparently he had, in fact, said a little too much and it was suspicious enough for questions to be asked of him. What to say in response was the question. However, the stranger all ready knew enough about him to damn him if She should come searching and there was a strange feeling of liberation in telling the truth, if only to this one person. So, truth it was then.

"Something like that," Juka agreed. He wasn't about to tell everything because everything could be dangerous. "I used to be older but then things got...complicated. So, here I am as you see me." Again, probably more than he should have said but how was he to be sure where to draw that line?

"I suppose a person's gifts might be somewhat difficult to control at first. Personally, I have never had any such problems, but I confess I am somewhat lacking in having the kinds of gifts that might be difficult to initially control. All my abilities are physical in nature and rather straightforward in that regard," the Czech man continued, wings flapping slowly as he floated in the air with Juka. He couldn't see much of a reason to continue pursuing the line of questioning that was leading them down the path of powers and abilities. If the boy had the ability to turn back the hands of time who was Mariusz to argue with him? Was the ability to control one's age really any different or more difficult to believe than talking with a bird man was?

"Is there anything interesting going on in the city over the next week or so," Mariusz asked as the pair of them floated over the edge of Central Park with the snow flakes continuing to gently descend and speckle his feathers with miniscule dots of white before melting. With little to do to occupy his time in New York, at the moment anyway, the Czech man figured it would be as good a time as any to take in some of the various things that would seemingly always be going on in a city this size. He also assumed that Juka would probably know a fair amount about such things. The boy could, apparently, make himself younger or older as he pleased. For all the feathered man knew the boy could be well over a hundred years old.

"Luckily for me, my gifts were never dangerous," Juka answered the winged man. "They might have been a bit tricky to control at first, but there was no risk of hurting anyone." Thankfully. He couldn't abide hurting others. Even when he had gone off and become something of a vigilante, anvils whirling around him protectively and, sometimes, more than protectively; it was the hurting of others that was always the worst part. It was the saving of others that made it all worth while. But he wasn't that person any longer, not really.

"There are all sorts of interesting things in the city," Juka answered with a grin. Now things were getting back into a territory he was familiar with. "The question is, what do you consider the good kind of interesting?" Because interesting meant very different things to different people.

"Well, I must confess that I am not a very big fan of clubs and loud noise for the sake of loud noise," Mariusz replied, shrugging his shoulders slightly and thought on the best way to put what he was interested in without sounding rude. "I enjoy hockey and would like to go see an Islanders game, but I do not know where they play. Of course the museums and historical sites and things are also quite fun." He trailed off for a moment to turn his attention to a particularly strong gust of wind which threatened to knock him into Juka's bubble. After a moment he regained control and resumed floating in the air.

"I have already been down along Fifth Avenue. That was very interesting. I saw the Cathedral and did some shopping. I went to this place called 'Build-a-Bear'. Have you been there," Mariusz asked, hovering a little bit closer to Juka as he mentioned the shop. "It was really quite fun to build-a-bear. I also had something called a hot dog. It was a bit strange, but still tasty. A bit like a very odd sausage."

"I'm afraid my expertise lies mainly in clubs and parties," Juka answered apologetically. He tried to think of the things other people did in the city that didn't involve dancing, singing and crowds of people. "There's always Times Square, of course. You'd be amazed at the amount of things available for purchase. There's also the Film Forum if you enjoy indie and art movies."

Juka drifted in silence for a few moments. "I guess looking like you do must be tough. Interacting with people, I mean. I've seen how some of the mutants in this city get treated, especially the ones who can't hide what they are." His expression was sad. Maybe he didn't stand out like some, or at least not in the same way, but he knew what it felt like to be prosecuted and tortured. Not that he figured too many mutants actually got tortured, but nevertheless he knew it wasn't a pleasant fate.

"No need to apologize," the Czech man said, waving a hand dismissively. "I have been down to Time's Square, for the New Year's Eve ceremony, it seemed the thing to do that night. I have to admit I am not that familiar with the Film Forum, but I do enjoy movies as much as the next person does." His wings flapped slowly in the snow flake filled air to keep him aloft.

"I have not experienced any bigotry yet because of the way I look here, and it was something that was rather rare back home as well. I would be curious to know what you mean by the way mutants in this city get treated though. I admit I have mostly stayed in the nicer and tourist-type areas of the city and have not seen all that much of it yet," the feathered man said with a shrug of his shoulders. "The only true exploring I have done so far was to visit the Shadow's Light bar, though I would very much like to see how mutants of all stripes and types live here in New York City," Mariusz said, an idea slowly forming in his head as to a way he might be able to help the city's mutant population in the future.