*Have you ever sat down and thought about the turmoil that is your soul? About the nature of yourself. Its something many people don't ever actually sit and think about. I know I never did. But what happens when your soul is so split that it can't decide if your good or if your evil. For some people they may get multiple personalities. I believe that is just an outlet for their soul. One part of them is being neglected and lashes out. But for others... a very small percent... what if it isnt that the other part of them lashes out and takes control. What if the body couldnt contain the different parts of the soul and broke down? It split into two completely new beings. Wouldn't tha tbe something? If you have never met one of those people... you have now. And the funny thing is... you'll know it before I do... for I have no clue about the abilities... the mutation I have inside of me. Sur eI know I have some F'ed up looking wings... but thats it. Have fun getting to know the other parts that make up my soul.*

Slowly the blackness that had enveloped him once slipped away from him. He couldn't open his eyes right aay but instead just laid there and felt the cool breeze slipping against his body. He knew right away something strange had occured once again. Like it always did when he blacked out. Slowly his eyes opened and he saw a decent amount of people gathered around him. His strange wings covered his now nude body.

*Why do I always wake up nude! This is crazy. for once I wish I had some clothes on...*

He looked around at the people and then past them. At the towering buildings that surrounded the park he was laying in. He had never been here before but he was pretty sure he knew where he was.

*Or in the place I blacked out at.*

He grabbed the small bag that he always found laying somewhere near his body and pulled it open. He used his wings as barrier so others wouldn't see what he was doing. He grabbed out the pair of blue jeans in the bag, after fishing through a couple other outfits he would NEVER wear... why they were in there or who put them there he would never know. He slipped the pants on and then stood up. He didnt bother with any of the rest of the clothes for now. Normally he would slip on a jacket or something to hide his wings but it was a little late for that.

His baby blue eyes scanned the faces around him. To say he was scared was an understatement though if he was right he didn't have to big of a reason to worry. He had heard mutants frequented this area like crazy.

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a cigarette and lighter. As he lit it he looked at the closest person and asked simply, "New York?"

The woman nodded her head once as her eyes continued to stare at the one ebony and decayed wing poking up sadly on his right side. Her gaze would move from it to the tall and proud white wing on the other side of his body. "Central Park actually. Your a mutant?"

"No. My da was a cannary. What the bloody 'ell do you think?", his irish accent slipped a bit. He wasn't born with it but tracing his family heritage he had found that he was a strong part Irish and so had visited Ireland for a few years and picked it up along the way.

He turned and started walking away from the group then. He wasn't sure how he got here but that didn't matter. He would need to find somewhere to sleep and get something to eat. He was sure he could find a street vendor around here somewhere. They were normally pretty good targets... specially the ones afraid of mutants.

She was loathe to visit the mansion. She had been invited, but she felt too dependent, too lame if she just ran off and hid. She had been in the camps, these people they had just continued their lives like nothing was happening. She didn't blame them. If it had not been her in the camp... if it had been some other group or person, would she have noticed?

Maya knew that she wanted to see the sights of New York. At the very least she could see the tourist points of interest. She wanted to see the Statue of Liberty, but she heard whispers of a crime and that it was blocked off from view. She wanted to see the tall buildings and walk down a crowded street. Most of all she wanted to spend some time in central park. She was an outdoor person, her gift made her uncomfortable inside the stuffy box rooms and houses. She needed fresh air like flowers needed the sun.

Central park was a big place, but nothing can stop a rumor from spreading. She caught whispers of wings on the wind. Wings. Mutant. Go see. Maya sighed people were always the same. Always nosy no matter their nationality. Never the less she picked up the pace. She was hungry to meet someone.

This person obviously couldn't hide their gift. She knew she had found the place when there was a group of people clumped together for.... safety? She couldn't see through them, but they were all talking and watching in a manor that suggested scandal.

Maya was young, she had a kind face and a girlish voice, but she put as much authority and guilt-striking bile into her words as possible, "Hey! What're you looking at a car wreck?" Most of the people turned around, and she felt a bit nervous having all that attention focused on herself. "You... You ought to be ashamed of yourselves!" She continued gaining strength in her words, "Get out of here, you vultures! Don't you have your own lives and jobs? I'm sure you're all very busy people so get out of here and go be busy." She could see the shame in some people's eyes, curiosity in others, and in some... anger?

She shoo'ed them all, catching glimpses of wings walking away through the dispersing crowd. She tried to squeeze through them, but someone caught her arm just as she thought she was free of the crowd. She could see wings walking toward a street vendor: one black and decrepit and the other snowy white as her hair, but someone with rough hands had her arm in an iron grip.

"youis one-a them[/i]. Ain'cha, girly?" she heard a gruff voice in her ear and smelled a sour sweetness on his breath: liquor and anger. Not the best mix.

He had heard the girl telling hte people off, who couldn't. He realized she most likely wanted to see him for herself. He was surprsied when she didn't catch up to him right away. His gaze twisted from the vendor he was approaching towards the crowd that had started to wonder away.

His eyes caught the man roughly holding the girl. He just watched as he stood there. Most guys might have ran buck wild to her aid but he wasn't one of them. If she couldn't handle herself then she shouldn't be out alone. It wasn't any of his business.

He heard a voice inside of his head telling him to go help. Not to for the purpose of helping the girl but instead just to hurt the man. Any excuse for violence was a good one. He shook away that thought. If he did that then he would always be in a fight.

Another part of him pulled him to stop the man but not to harm him. Violence was wrong no matter what the circumstance. These two thoughts confused him. They were so opposite. It wasn't a new thing for him. He was always looking at things from two different angles. His thoughts were about as opposite as his wings.

Finally he turned and looked at the vendor. The mans eyes were locked onto his wings. Slowly his face went to the young mans standing below the wings.

"What do ya want mutie?"

"Oh I don't know I was thinking of maybe a bottle of your finest wine and a steak. What the 'ell do ya think I want. Your a hot dog vendor. I want a bloody hot dog."

He couldnt help but wonder if everyone in this bloody city was as stupid as the people he had met so far. Though if they were then gettin this meal free would be a snap.

Thats when he realized... This guy wasn't afraid of him. He hadn't seen the fear in his eyes. The fear so many normal people held. He knew he wouldnt be getting a free meal from here.

"Hold on a bloody minute. I'll be back for my bloody dog."

He turned and walked back towards the man that was holding the woman.

"Oi. Young lady. Make ya deal. You buy me a hot dog and I'll dispose of this man for you. Deal?"

"Oi. Young lady. Make ya deal. You buy me a hot dog and I'll dispose of this man for you. Deal?"

The man stiffened. "Hey!" He was obviously offended and he gruffly yanked back on Maya's arm. She stumbled a few paces behind the man, but remained on her feet. He was protecting his prey from another predator.

Maya caught the winged man's eye and nodded quickly. She only had the bus fare money the people from the labs had given her, but it was money well spent if she could get to know someone else like herself. She had chased away the crowd, and sometimes it was a man pride thing that boys wanted to help back.

"Don't hurt him too bad." She couldn't help but add innocently, which only served to anger the drunkard more. He obviously didn't know what mutants were capable of or was too drunk to care. If he had known or cared he wouldn't have lunged forward, eyes blazing and fingers outstretched ready to tear those wings apart feather by feather.

From somewhere deep within himself he realize4d how angry the man was. But instead of growing angry back a calm settled over him as the man bore down on him. He tucked his wings back against his body as tight as they would go and as the man came close to barelling him over his right foot shot out and caught the man in the belly. The mans extended arm was then grabbed around the wrist and Torgueo threw himself backwards letting the mans own body weight and momentum help carry him up and over Torq. As soon as the man cleared his body he let go of him and then sprang to his own feet.

A voice inside of him told him to let it go at that but then again another voice told him to tear the man limb from limb. He realized with how drunk the man seemed to be and how angry that leaving it be would only end in the man coming after him again. So he pushed forward as the man hit the ground. He felt his right arm swinging forward right towards the mans exposed neck. He veered his hand up though and instead let his fist slam right into the mans nose. He could feel the cartlidge dislodge even as the blood started to gush out of the mans nose. He stepped back and smiled as he watched the blood slip from the mans face.

Then he felt the urge to vomit. He had hurt the man. Done something he shouldnt do. He shook his head real hard. That wasnt it. It didn't matter if he hurt the man or not. He was going ot hurt another. Or was it because he just wanted to hurt something. He wasn't sure any more but it really didn't matter. The man was done.

He turned and looked at the woman, a small smile forming over his lips. He had atleast earned his first meal in this place. Though most likely it would be the only meal he earned here. Most likely he would be stealing for his food from now on.

"You don't look like you have very much bloody money. I ain't a pig. Ill split the dog with ya. We can walk and eat... I am assuming you wished to atleast see or talk to me if you made that much of a ruckus."

The nose exploded in a crimson spurt of blood. Maya instinctually went to help the guy, potential molester or not, but he would have none of it. He turned and ran lopsidedly. Hopefully to a hospital.

"You don't look like you have very much bloody money. I ain't a pig. I'll split the dog with ya. We can walk and eat... I am assuming you wished to atleast see or talk to me if you made that much of a ruckus."

Maya eyed the man for a moment deciding how dangerous he was. She didn't want to go from the frying pan into the fire. But then again she had a great exit strategy. She walked past the man to the vendor, who looked at her like he'd seen a million muggings and that not even a winged man's brilliant fighting moves could phase him. She ordered one dog with everything and handed it directly off to her new acquaintance. She payed the guy in crumpled ones, but again nothing phased this hot dog guy.

"I'm..." she hesitated. Who was she today, mutant or person with feelings and friends and family? "Ghost." She finally decided. "Call me Ghost. And... I already ate so it's all yours." Actually she might have been hungry if she hadn't just participated in ruining a man's profile. There was something foreign in her words. Something about how she actually pronounced her T's or the R's or something.

She eyed him one last time as they walked away from the vendor. "You don't... do fire or anything like that do you?"

He tookt he dog and ate it very quickly. Finishing it before she even got her question about fire out. For some reason when he woke up from a black out he got very hungry.

"Fire? Sure do. I can do almost anything sweetie."

He took out his lighter and lit it and then looked at her as if he was hot shit. "Fire"

He laughed lightly to himself as he shook his head, "Infact give me a freezer and I can make you some ice too. Maybe not the fastest but hey it works. Name a power I can do it... even if any human can do it the exact same way."

"No. I can't. Only mutation I seem to have are these strange looking wings. Though I prolly shouldnt tell another mutant my powers until I get to know their own eh?"

His eyes looked over to her as he started to walk, "If you want to talk then lets walk. I have to find a place to sleep tonight. Oh. And if your from some faction or another just go away. I have no interest in helping anyone but myself."

He wasnt exactly rude about it but he wasn't to nice either. Just stating it matter of factly.

"And stop looking at me like that. I am not as dangerous as I appeared to be. I just wanted to earn my food. If I wanted to his neck was exposed and you know it. He coulda laid there and died. Dont be so soft."

She was impressed at the way he gobbled down that much. It was like inhaling rather than eating.

She rolled her eyes, but kept her distance from his lighter just the same. She had just wanted to make sure her exit strategy was still plausible before walking off into the park with this man. She was loathe to think what he would say about imitating her power. She wasn't exactly in the mood for any "breaking wind" jokes.

She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, but he seemed to become a bit more serious about her question. "No. I can't. Only mutation I seem to have are these strange looking wings. Though I prolly shouldnt tell another mutant my powers until I get to know their own eh?"

She squirmed under his returning scrutiny. His physical presence alone was intimidating, 6'2" meant that her measly 5'6" made her constantly looking up to meet his eyes.

He walked, she followed. "If you want to talk then lets walk. I have to find a place to sleep tonight. Oh. And if your from some faction or another just go away. I have no interest in helping anyone but myself."

She could tell that he hadn't entirely meant to be rude, but it was rude none the less. The truth was that she was rather new to town and she didn't entirely know about factions or anything like that. In fact, in her lifetime she had stayed with two of the three factions without knowing it, and was recently invited to stay with the third.

"Whoa. Chill out. I don't know what factions you're going on about."

"And stop looking at me like that." He continued. "I am not as dangerous as I appeared to be. I just wanted to earn my food. If I wanted to his neck was exposed and you know it. He coulda laid there and died. Dont be so soft."

She sighed. She really shouldn't be so soft. It was people like him that had kept her locked in a room alone for weeks and weeks.

"Yeah - his neck was out there because I didn't just wisp away. Look." She demanded his attention, kept his eyes with the intensity in her own. "If I want to be soft, out of anyone in the world, I have the right to be soft." She folded her arms grumpily and looked away as they walked. The scars on her wrists gave her the right to be angry at least. It was her right to forgive or not. She was predisposed to be kind, it was her nature and she clung to it. It was her last bit of... humanity... or homo superiority or whatever.

She looked off toward the woods as they walked now, not bothering to meet his gaze as she spoke. "If you need somewhere to sleep there are a few places in town that I know of, free for people like us unless you're afraid of your factions." She normally wasn't this... bitter. Maybe the mutant camp had changed her.

He listened to her as she spoke. Her demeanor and attitude made him smile lightly to himself. He noticed she didn't even ask his name, which was all the better. It didn't really matter who he was. No tlike one needed a name to find him anyway. All they had to do was ask about the strange winged man.

"Afraid? I fear no man... nor mutant. I just do not want caught up in another persons fight. It's their business and not my own. If they want to get themselves killed for the rights of another mutant or for their own superiority let them. But leave me out of it. I have enough damn problems on my bloody own."

He looked over at her for a second before he continued, "And I think I'll pass on the free lodging. I'd rather not be near alot of people. Mutants or not. It'd just be better if I found a place out here in the park. Your welcome to stay if you like. I don't care either way. Though don't get no thoughts of robbing me, i have nothing. And as long as you don't bite as much as you bark I'll even make sure none of the locals harm you. But only because you got me food. And this is a one time offer so don't be thinking I'm your new best friend."

He wasn't as bitter as someone as the mutants now adays. He had missed the whole mutants beings sent to camp things since he was in ireland. But he knew something about being bitter himself.

"Now Darlin' you know my powers and I haven't a clue what you can do. Fair is fair right?"

His bravado about not being afraid irked her on so many levels. There was only one part of his little speech that interested her "...I have enough damn problems on my bloody own."

She looked at him again. He said things for show, it was obvious that beneath the bravado he was ... what? lonely? scared? confused. She decided. Definitely confused. Wings like that in a city like this. No wonder he wanted to be alone. Too bad alone was exactly what she didn't want. "You can't live in the park." She told him. "There are laws against that sort of thing."

"Now Darlin' you know my powers and I haven't a clue what you can do. Fair is fair right?"

"No." She answered simply. "Fair is introducing yourself like a decent wing-ed man and behaving yourself around the ladies. I told you it's Ghost. Not 'darlin' or 'sweety.'" She found it easy to be sassy toward this man. His personality was so decidedly irksome.

His eyes gazed over to her once again as she spoke. She was a sassy little thing but luckily for them both he didn't mind it. He had never really been around other people. Not until a few years ago anyway.

"You can call me whatever it is you wish. My name is Otieno... though I haven't used that since I left home. Nowadays I just go by Torqueo Angelus... or Torq for short."

She didn't need to know that she would be calling him Tormented Angel. Itwas a fitting name for him. One that had been written on a note to him while living in the small cave he called home for eight or so years. He never did find out who wrote that note though it looked like his own hand writing.

"As for the laws things... there have been many laws in this world. Most are ment to be broken. It is illegal to sleep here yet the homeless do it every night. It at a small time in this country was illegal to be free as a mutant. No law is just for all. Besides for some... laws are below them. Why should one follow a law made by a people that he has nothing to do with. Made by a people that see him as a circus side show? If one is going to follow a law... it should be one made by him or herself."

He definately could talk about nothing and drag it out. He was good at pulling crap out of the air and spinning it to the best he could. HIs eyes shifted back to the path before them.

"Ghost. I have now told you this winged man things name. Mind lettin me know about your powers? I'm not asking for your weaknesses just a vague idea of the power that the beautiful girl beside me possess so that I may know if I am in danger or that if danger happens upon us I have someone beside me that can at the least take care of herself."

Unlike before where his manor of speaking was almost rude this time he spoke as politely as possible. The different manors in which he spoke seemed to shift alot. He could be nasty and rude one minute and polite as could be the next.

"Ghost. I have now told you this winged man things name. Mind lettin me know about your powers? I'm not asking for your weaknesses just a vague idea of the power that the beautiful girl beside me possess so that I may know if I am in danger or that if danger happens upon us I have someone beside me that can at the least take care of herself."

Flattery? You gotta be kidding me. She kept her thoughts to herself. She also bit back her sassy retort. If he was making an effort to be polite she would too.

"Air Elemental." She replied matter-of-factly. "I'm not dangerous, but you shouldn't have to worry about me, either. I have my ways of getting out of things." Actually she could have taken care of herself before, but it was nice to feel useful. Nice to earn a meal and she was glad to be able to hand one out without damaging pride or anything.

"Air Element huh. So you can turn to into the wind and disappear... Neat. Though if you could that then I thank you for the free meal and the chance to let out some frustration on a man that didn't even need to be touched to ensure your safety."

He wasn't a dumb man by any means. He knew that she didn't need his help if she was a mutant. Though it migh tbother some people to find out they weren't even needed it didn't him. Part of him was pleased he atleast got to do something. Another part was sickened that he hurt someone for no reason.

"Since you are so against me sleeping in this park then show me where we shall be staying this night. By the look of you I am guessing you will be staying there as well. Otherwise you wouldn't know the places."

A thought flashed through his mind and his smile twisted back upon his face, "Perhaps some fun might be had tonight..."

The words could be takin many ways. She might beleive he thought they they would... do soemthing. That wasnt what he had actually thought of though. Instead he was thinking of the other mutants there. All the mutants he had ever met had wanted to prove they were the strongest. He didn't care if he was the strongest though for some reason the thought of hurting someone sounded good in his mind. At the same time knowing that sounded good it also sickened him greatly.

"...I thank you for the free meal and the chance to let out some frustration on a man that didn't even need to be touched to ensure your safety."

She ducked her head, a nervous habit she often employed. She hadn't thought of it that way. When had she become so calloused as to think of other people's pain as a tool to gain another's trust? I am becoming manipulative... just like dad. She realized in horror.

"Since you are so against me sleeping in this park then show me where we shall be staying this night. By the look of you I am guessing you will be staying there as well. Otherwise you wouldn't know the places."

"You sure make a lot of assumptions." She mumbled, glad for a change in her train of thought.

Obviously something wicked flashed through his mind because he smiled in a way that made Ghost want to turn incorporeal and wisp away.

"Perhaps some fun might be had tonight..." He left it at that leaving the options up to Ghost's mind. Luckily she was innocent enough to not go straight to the gutter.

"If you are thinking about imposing on the good graces of those who would willingly take us in..." she poked at his chest with her finger and sputtered trying to think of a threat that was threatening enough. She just wasn't the threatening type. And he didn't seem the type to take threats from girls half a foot shorter than him seriously.

"Look." She obviously decided on a different tactic. "just... please behave. If you're planning on making this into a pissing competition I might just leave you in the park." She nodded reaffirming the idea in her mind.

"If you are thinking about imposing on the good graces of those who would willingly take us in..."

"Look." She obviously decided on a different tactic. "just... please behave. If you're planning on making this into a pissing competition I might just leave you in the park." She nodded reaffirming the idea in her mind.

"I thank you for trying to ask me politely... but you still made a mistake. Do not... Ever... threaten me. Yes it might be a male pride thing. Hell it might be just because I do not like idle threats. A threat is nothing. If you want to leave me alone here like you found me then thanks for the food. But just so you know, Ghost, I didn't plan on starting anything. Though if someone were to start something I would very happily end it. Or atleast I would try my hardest to end it..."

As his little speech ended the sound of sirens became very loud and it was obvious they were approaching. Before he could tell her they should go elsewhere the lights turned around a corner and shot towards them. His baby blue eyes left hers then as he turned his head and looked around. Horse mounted cops were approaching silently from behind them as the berry and cherries approached from the front. There was nowhere they could easily escape to.

"Maybe it would be a good time for you to use your powers to get out of here. No reason for you to get caught in the center of this. If you wish to meet up somewhere then meet me in the woods more towards the center of the park. Around the jogging path."

As he finished speaking the cars pulled up and the officers got out of the car and aimed their guns at them. A sharp command of get on the ground was issued. He didn't wait to see if she would listen to him about leaving or not.

"Before I just get onto the ground may I please ask what this is about?", he wasnt sure exactly why they were here...

"A man is pressing charges on a winged man that broke his nose. Now get on the ground mutie. You and your friend both."

He sighed lightly but there were to many of them to fight. Slowly he started to get on the ground. Thats when he felt the blackness start to close in.

*Not again! Not now. I can't black out right now. This isnt good.*

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< If you are a bit squimish I advice skipping reading until you see the <<< again.



The darkness closed in around him and the last thing he felt was the agonizing pain that seared through him. It felt like his head was about to explode. He felt the ground slam into his body or was it his body that hit the ground. He didn't know. Right before darkness over took him he heard something. Was it him. It was a terrible screaching blood curlding sound. And then all was dark for him.

Even though he had already passed out from the pain his body was far from done. It started as his body started to widen. The skin on his back and bare chest started to stretch and finally in a perfect line the skin started to tear. It ripped open showing the muscle beneath. Then the muscle too started to tear as it was stretched both ways. Under the muscle the bone started to splinter and snap as did the organs. His body literally seperated into two halves.

The two halves quickly started to develope into their own seperate people. First the bones reformed whole. And then the organs and muscle covered over the bones. Slowly the skin started to crawl out and cover the muscle.


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< It is now safe to read again

The first man just laid there. His snowy white wings completely covered him. His body shook with the pain. When he finally looked up his mohawk was no longer dirty blonde but instead his hair had turned white. His baby blue eyes stared around for a moment before he seen the bag Otieno had been carrying. He reached for it and pulled out the robes. The cops who normally might have screamed at him to drop the bag instead watched. Some still mortified at what they had just seen.

Laying next to the man with the white wings laid another man. His black wings barely covered him because of how decrepit they where. His black hair was long and as he got his clothes tossed to him he first pulled his hair into a pony tail. Then he put on his black leather pants and said screw the shirt. He wasnt in the mood to put on more than he had to.

"Goth. Do not do anything rash or stupid. Let me handle this." Christian looked at the police, "Dear sirs. I humbly apologize at what you just witnessed. But please let me assure you the man was trying to harm this young lady and we could not allow that to happen."

"GET ON THE GROUND MUTIE!"

Goth had heard enough already. He knew christian thought he was going ot rush the cops but they had guns and him just pants on. Instead he grabbed Ghost and held her close to him with a wickid smile on his face.

"Drop your guns or I snap her neck! Yes I know you think shes a mutie too but think about it. If she was would I have had to save her little rear earlier from tha tman. I think not. Now drop your guns or she dies. Besides you just seen our whole bodies rapidly grow back. Do you think a few bullets would hurt us. It would jus tpiss me off."

That wasnt true of course. Once they had became whole like this they had no special healing powers. A bullet would drop them dead like a normal person.

Christian had moved back beside Goth and spoke in a low voice to ghost, "dont worry. Goth won't really do it. We jus tneed to get out of this mess we are in and then we can explain everything."