While staying at The Mansion definitely had it's perks like being directly on campus and not having to pay for meals or rent, but Derek felt like his bed belonged to someone else. Maybe a younger mutant who didn't have anything except for the clothes on their back. It was for that reason that Derek decided that he would be moving off campus and to a place he heard about from a couple of the older mutants who stayed there.

It was called Co-op Apartments. A new way and efficient way to cut the cost of living in the city and meeting new people. Derek was even more interested when he found out that the entire apartment building was "mutant friendly" and that there was still some spots opened for newcomers. He quickly scheduled an appointment for 5:00pm on his laptop and immediately went to freshened up. The first appearance was very important.

After getting turned around a couple of times, Derek came to the Co-op Apartment building wearing a green button down shirt, khaki pants, and black dress shoes. While he was on his walk a couple of pigeons would coo and follow him. Derek didn't mind the company and if would've brought some bread crumbs with him, he would've gave them something to eat.

The apartment was beautiful with black railing on the side and white stone. With an optimistic smile, Derek walked up the three concrete steps and stood in the space between the two sets of doors. He wasn't sure if he was allowed inside or not so he stayed put. Derek looked down at his phone to check the time. 4:45pm. He was perfectly early.

Wow, Richard had barely moved in to the co-op apartment and already they wanted him to show a prospective tenant around? Wow, talk about sticking it to the new guy.

Richard walked down to the lobby, he was early, but apparently not early enough, if the person standing between the two sets of doors, trying to look natural, was the prospective tenant. The man looked to be in hie early twenties. He looked easy going and friendly.

Richard took a beep breath and tried to project confidence, confidence that he only partially had. He had recently gotten back, was still reeling from the curve balls that life had thrown at him and only recently moved in.

He opened the inner doors and gestured for the man to enter.

"Derek? Hi, I am Richard, I believe I am supposed to show you around?"

Well that did not count out as confident as he hopped. Oh well.

Richard launced into the standard spiel about the appartment as they started walking.

Derek was his phone when he heard the inner doors open. He immediately looked up and pocketed his phone. Standing in front of him was a man who looked to be Pacific Islander with dark hair and dark colored eyes.

With a smile, Derek gave him a small wave. "Hey, Richard. It's nice to meet you." He said as he walked passed the inner doors. Derek listened closely to Richard talk about the apartment. It was beautiful, just like the pictures on the website.

"It's really amazing here. How much is the rent?" Derek asked.

>"Hey, Richard. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." It was always nice to meet someone who was polite. Derek seemed to listen attentively as Richard gave the standard tour. When he was at university he worked as a research assistant for 3 years. When your laboratory has glass windows and cool fast moving robots in them and is right above the building's Starbucks, you get used to giving tours to every one from squealing children who try to compare wielding robots to the transformers, to high-school children to people of all ages. Richard only hoped that he was not boring Derek. Though from the amount of smiling, the brightness of his eyes and the appreciative noises/comments that Derek was making, Richard suspected he was looking at his next apartment-mate.

>"It's really amazing here. How much is the rent?"

"I am finding it amazing so far as well. I only recently moved in here." Explained Richard.

"As for Rent...." Richard mentioned a price that was surprisingly affordable for the size of the rooms, the service and where the apartment was located in New York.

"...So I am certainly not complaining."

Richard smiled. The tour had not taken very long, it was now about half past five and Richard certainly had not other plans for the evening.

"So.... what would you like to do?" Richard asked. He asked it open-ended like. If Derek wanted, he would be more than happy to chill and get to know someone new, especially if he might be living in close proximity soon. On the other hand, Richard had asked the question in such a way that Derek could just as easily mention that he had something to do and the two men could part ways in a most amicable fashion.

Derek was really happy to hear that price that was reasonable especially since it was located in the city. More importantly, he could see himself here. Playing games with his housemates and making s'mores out on the patio. Maybe doing a little gardening.

"That's not bad at all! I'm currently working with Xavia, the biology and botany teacher at the Mansion as her lab and greenhouse assistant so I'll be able to afford to live here. That is if I'm selected. I hear it's difficult to get in here because of how low the pricing is."

When asked about what he wanted to do, Derek had to think. He wanted to do something that Richard would equally enjoy. "...Is the New York zoo close by? I'd love to go there and see the animals." And hopefully see that they were liking being in captivity. "Would you be okay with that?"

>"That's not bad at all! I'm currently working with Xavia, the biology and botany teacher at the Mansion as her lab and greenhouse assistant so I'll be able to afford to live here. That is if I'm selected. I hear it's difficult to get in here because of how low the pricing is."

Working at Mansion, as a mutant friendly human or just a friendly mutant?

"I can try to put a word in for you, but in particular if you are a mutant, you get bumped to the top of the list. Also a recomendation from any member of staff at the Mansion would help." Speaking of the Mansion Richard wondered how Ghost was getting on.

"Are you a mutant? If you don't mind me asking" Richard said hastily. This was America, it rarely did one well to offend someone. Especially if the person in question was a powerful mutant.

"I only ask as I do molecular manipulation with metals, plastics you know inorganics, and stuff like that." Richard preferred that abbreviated explanation of his powers, it was considerably harder to explain that he could touch a mechanism and understand its workings, strengths and weaknesses.

>"...Is the New York zoo close by? I'd love to go there and see the animals. Would you be okay with that?"

Richard smiled, way to go Derek, he though for breaking any awkwardness. He had a feeling that he and Derek would get along just fine. It would be good to make friends. His only ones in NY being Margo his surrogate little sister and Gina, the amazing and rather cute flying gargoyle. There was always room for more, especially as he was waiting to hear back from job applications and doing contract work here and there for individual clients.

"You know" began Richard with a smile. "I have been in NY for more than 2 years and I have never once been to the Zoo, dreadful I know. And at the moment I am completely out of excuses not to do so. So lead on my good man and let us allow google maps to guide us."

This was hopefully the beginning of a wonderful afternoon. He clapped a hand on Derek's shoulder and they headed out the main entrance of the apartment. 

"Oh, thank you for that. It'll mean a lot. Hopefully I can get at least two recommendation letters to add to the chance of me being accepted here." Derek gave the place another once over. It was truly a place where he could call home for a very long time. Maybe for the next decade or so.

Derek nodded his head. "I'm a mutant." He answered truthfully. Since Richard was staying here, he assumed that Richard probably was one too. When he went on to say that he could manipulate inorganic matter, his assumption was confirmed.

"Really? That's really amazing," Derek's eyes were wide. The first god that popped into his mind was the god of metalwork, Hephaestus. He could imagine him pounding away at metals and other materials... "I can influence the behavior of animals and communicate with them." He exchanged with a grin. "Are most of the people who stay here mutants too?"

"Well, let's get a move on, then! I'm excited to see all the different animals." Derek returned the smile and headed out with Richard.

After Derek pulled out Central Park Zoo on his iPhone, he found out that the zoo closed at 5:00pm. It was currently 5:45.

"Oh, damn. The zoo's closed forty-five minutes ago." He looked at Richard. "Is there anything else you want to do?"

>"Oh, thank you for that. It'll mean a lot. Hopefully I can get at least two recommendation letters to add to the chance of me being accepted here."

Richard nodded. Yep definitely a new apartment mate.

>"I'm a mutant"

Awesome so no foot in mouth syndrome for today then. That was a relief.

>"Really? That's really amazing, I can influence the behavior of animals and communicate with them. Are most of the people who stay here mutants too?"

Richard shrugged his shoulders, in the grand scheme of things Richard did not consider his power all that awesome. Sure he could shape and mold a tablespoons worth of inorganic material so what, big deal. Being able to summon and talk to animals was wayyyy cooler.

"Wow that is amazing." Said Richard. He thought for a moment. "Yup, I think so. We have a rather beautiful living gargoyle, a wind manipulator and a few others that I have not met yet. I believe that the requirement for staying here is that you have to be a mutant or at the very least mutant friendly."

>"Well, let's get a move on, then! I'm excited to see all the different animals."

"Alright, to the Zoo we go." The two men walked smiling out into the street.

But alas it was not to be.

>"Oh, damn. The zoo's closed forty-five minutes ago. Is there anything else you want to do?"

"Dang!" Exclaimed Richard. "That sucks. Hmm well it is still light outside, and sunset is not till.." Richard checked his phone. "Almost eight thirty. How about ambling through Central Park?" He suggested as an alternative. "Way less fun than perhaps the Zoo, especially with your powers, but why waste a perfectly good afternoon/early evening?"

Derek smiled warmly at Richard, "thank you," he nodded his head at his -hopefully- apartment mate. When he mentioned a "beautiful living gargoyle",, only one person came to mind. "Are you talkin' about Gina? I know Gina! Here and I talked earlier today about this place!" That made Derek even more excited at the prospect of moving in. This day couldn't get any better.

That is until the zoo was closed which put a stunt in Richard and his plan to see the animals. Luckily Richard came up with a suggestion. When he offered going to the Central, Derek was even more excited.

"Sure! Yeah, let's do that!" Derek had plan on going there anyway.

Derek rerouted his phone to lead them to Central Park. The walk wasn't too bad since it was filled with small talk about New York City as a whole and living here.

After fifteen minutes, Derek and Richard came to one of the entrances to the park.

"Still ready for that adventure?" He asked with a grin on his face. "Are there any trails that you've been on?"

> "Are you talkin' about Gina? I know Gina! Here and I talked earlier today about this place!"

"Yea, she is pretty awesome isn't she?" Richard liked Gina. She made him feel comfortable, safe. A person to whom he could just be himself and not worry about judgements, or prejudices. A person like that was rare and definitely friend material.

>"Sure! Yeah, let's do that!"

"Cool." what more needed saying?

On the way they chatted about New York, the pros and cons of life there. The pitfalls and things to avoid, embarrassing situations they had encountered, you know the usual stuff guys talk about when they hardly know each other.

The walk took about fifteen minutes according to Richard's mental clock. They turned to the entrance to the park.

>"Still ready for that adventure? Are there any trails that you've been on?"

Derek's grin, his boyish excitement was infectious. Richard found himself grinning in return.

"To be honest, I have only been here once, and that time me and a few friends just wandered about without paying too much attention to where we were going. So take you pick dear sir!"

This was going to be fun, it was already. Not only was Richard getting to amble among trees, which he always enjoyed, but he was getting to know new people which was always fun. Richard loved trees and observing wildlife. Little did he know......

Derek nodded his head, "yeah, she's a great person. I can't to get to know her more." He chuckled a bit and continued walking with Richard.

"Mm, let's just do that then. That always tend to be more exciting like you said," Derek decided that he would lead the walk into Central Park. It was more beautiful than what Derek initially thought. The beautiful greenery contrasted the gray concrete that kept it's patrons off of the grass and for bikers and runners to have a path to follow.

As they continued to walk, Derek talked about his life back home. How constraining it was for him to both gay and mutant. He tried not to make their first time together all doom and gloom. Derek hoped that after this, Richard would like to hang out.

When they rounded a corner, Derek froze.

"...Is this a moose?" Derek looked over at Richard. Before he got an answer, the moose blinked and sent Richard flying back a couple of feet. "Richard!" He looked from the moose to his future apartment mate. As he started to ran toward him, a voice popped into his head. Derek slowly turned around to look at the large cow.

"...What's a meese?" There was a silence. "A...mutant moose? That's what you are? Why is there a moose in-- well was knocking him back necessary? Yes? No, no it wasn't." The cow snorted and slowly came closer to Derek. "How can I understand you? I can communicate with animals...yea- wait, what? I'm not the foretold 'meese king'." Derek was confused. He didn't know that animals could develop mutations and gain powers.

When the meese blinked, Derek was picked up from the ground and pulled toward the cow. "What are you doin'?" He asked with wide eyes. The meese moved him so that he was lying over her back. "...Ms. Meese, please let me go." The meese snorted a "no". With a sigh, Derek patted he back. "I'm also not your son...no, I'm not!" He sighed heavily, giving up. "At least let me sit up...thank you." Derek repositioned himself and so that he was straddling her back with his hands on her shoulder. "...This isn't so bad....I'm still not your son!"

>"Mm, let's just do that then. That always tend to be more exciting like you said,"

Just like that they started walking, picking paths at random, following them the a branch then picking at random yet again. It was not as if they could get lost.

Richard was learning a lot about Derek. He was a great guy, a great guy who was struggling with the double whammy of being both a mutant and gay. One Richard could sympathize with, the other less so. However Richard listened sympathetically.

The rounded a corner and came face to face with a moose? Wait just a minute, that was no ordinary moose. Moose do not walk on air, or hover? Richards thoughts were rudely interrupted as he found himself flying backwards through the air. The mobile and dynamic Richard met a static and immobile tree with a audible "thwack". The world went black.

Richard slowly came too. Odd words filtered through. Phrases like "..the foretold Meese King" What was a "Meese" anyway? More mumbling then "...Ms Meese" was Meese a surname now? "...Not your sone.." What? What on earth was going on?

The world slowly swam into focus. the light was so bright. And into the expanding cone of awareness and blinding light came....Derek riding on a Moose. To Richards addled brain the sound track of the song from the lion king started to play. "Nants ingonyama bagithi baba...."

Richard may or may not have mumbled the words "Simba" before snapping to some semblance of being in his right mind.

"Derek.." he croaked "Why are you riding a moose, and did she say she was your mother?"

Richard wondered if he had hit his head much harder than he thought.

Derek sighed and through his arms up with exasperation. "I dunno! She saying things that doesn't make sense!" Things just kept getting weirder and weirder for Derek. He didn't understand how he could get himself in this type of trouble. He shouldn't be surprised, though, he did have a conversation with a femals gargoyle earlier in the day.

The meese slowly started to move toward Richard. Derek made sure to on tight to her hump so he didn't fall off and break something. "She thinks I'm her son! I know we're both brown, but I'm more related to a pig than I am to you!" Derek knew reasoning with her was useless. She already had her mind made up and wasn't going to budge.

Maybe she was his mother.

"Richard, are you okay? She didn't hurt you too bad did she?" Derek gave a worried look to his future roommate. This was certainly not how he planned this day to go. The meese grunted, "she said that she thought you were going to kidnap me," she grunted again, "and that she's sorry."

Even to Richard's fuzzy mind, Derek sounded exasperated.

>"I dunno! She saying things that doesn't make sense!"

So that was a Meese, for apparently that was what they were called, and they were no legend. Richard had been made painfully aware of the fact. At present he was wondering if he had a concussion and if he should get checked out regardless.

The Meese slowly started to move towards Richard, Richard was not going anywhere fast and he felt like he was partially embedded in a tree so all he could do is watch as the Meese come closer and closer, its intent unclear. One more blast and he might be little more than a hole in the tree.

>"She thinks I'm her son! I know we're both brown, but I'm more related to a pig than I am to you!"

Richard assumed that Derek was speaking to the Mess instead of him. Things were fuzzy at the moment so almost anything was possible. He also did not think that insulting an mutant animal? who could put a man through a tree was necessarily a good idea. Then again Richard was not the one awkwardly attempting, yes attempting to straddle a Moose. Derek almost looked to be clinging on for dear life, but that could just be fuzzy vision.

>"Richard, are you okay? She didn't hurt you too bad did she?"

Richard tried to get up, the world spun for a moment but no bones seemed broken. His chest ached, as did his back side, and, well most of him, but he was alive and whole!

"Umm, I am ok, I think. I might vote to cut short our hike but I think I will survive." Richard say with a wry smile.

>"she said that she thought you were going to kidnap me, and that she's sorry."

Kidnap? Richard did not think he looked in any way dodgy, but then again who knew what looked like what to a regular moose much less a Meese.

"I can promise you that the thought never entered my mind, and apology accepted, on the condition that she promises to never ever do that again."

Richard stood a little more steadily on his feet. He could move without the tree as a crutch. He paused.

"So.... Um what do you, do you two want to do....."

Was there etiquette that needed to be observed when interacting with Meese?

"Uh," Derek thought. He didn't know what Richard, himself, and a Meese could do in New York. There wasn't exactly places for them to go and have drinks with the largest deer species in the world, "...we could go stop traffic?" He offered with a shrug. He absentmindedly ran his fingers up and down her hump. God, she was just a beautiful creature that it made Derek grin.

He reached out for Richard for him to take his hand. "You can ride along, too. It'll be like some crazy animal movie or somethin'." Derek smiled kindly at Richard. Once he got on, the Meese started walking.

"Do you have anythin' in mind?" The twenty year old mutant asked, looking over his shoulder at Richard in question, "I'm up for literally anythin'."