OOC: Mahadevi, feel free to move the Birdman to wherever you need him to be for the next part of the scene, tis fine with me.

It's a good thing I've taken the time to familiarize myself with the city from the air,'[/color] Mariusz thought to himself as he soared over the city in the direction of one of the places that had, generously, been offered as a haven for mutants while all the rioting and violence was going on. If the Czech born mutant had been on the fence concerning announcing his candidacy for Mayor of New York in the days and weeks before recent events he had been given a violent shove off the cliff in that regard. Once everything with the current hullabaloo was over he'd get the proper paperwork filed and submitted to get on the ballot as an Independent candidate.

Tucking his wings he dove the one hundred, or so, feet to the ground before forcing his wings out and coming to almost a complete stop just a few feet off the ground in front of the main gate of the building before touching down lightly. His bow was slung over his back and there were two quivers full of arrows, one down his back and the other attached to his right leg.

Immediately he was approached by someone he assumed to be a guard at the building he was at. "What do you want," the guard asked.

"I am here to offer my services in securing this mutant haven for the duration of the current events,"the feathered mutant said in an ever so slightly English accented voice. "Please direct me to whomever I need to speak to in that regard."

The Goddess was bothered.

She had been, ever since the white haired girl left. Having arguments with someone was all fine and dandy, but then one was left alone with her thoughts and doubts, and that was not fun at all.

She was eternally grateful to the person at the door before they even told her who it was.

The Goddess met the bird-man in the hallway. She was dressed in all her finery. Looking like nothing could phase her was half the victory.

"Welcome to the sanctuary" she said with a graceful smile and extended a hand (one of many) towards the bird-man. "I am Mahadevi, the goddess of this temple. Do you seek shelter from the riots?"

If he was not directly coming from a fight, he definitely looked like he was prepared for one.

"Not in so many words, no," Mariusz replied, accepting the hand and raising it to his lips to kiss before releasing it. The woman's dress, bearing, and speech made it clear to the diplomat's son that she was, most likely, someone a bit more high class than most people so a greeting that was more formal than a simple handshake seemed to be what was called for.

"I am Mariusz Kasparek and I am here to offer my services in protecting the haven you have offered," the avian mutant said. "My own home here in the city has more than adequate protection," he began, leaving some of the details of his home a bit vague. "As such I offer my services here for the time being, provided they are wanted or needed."

>>"Not in so many words, no. I am Mariusz Kasparek and I am here to offer my services in protecting the haven you have offered. My own home here in the city has more than adequate protection. As such I offer my services here for the time being, provided they are wanted or needed."

Mahadevi arched an eyebrow as she looked at the man and his weapons. At first glance it all looked almost comical, but she knew better than to judge by a first glance.

"Welcome to the sanctuary, Mariusz" she nodded finally, motioning to him to follow her to the inner sanctum "Your help is appreciated. So far we have not been bothered, but there is about a dozen mutants housed here now, and from what I hear things out there are getting worse. I have security guards outside as you have seen, but they are only human..."

Back in the inner sanctum she poured a glass of wine and handed it to him.

"Since you come well armed, maybe you could tell me some news about what is happening in the city..."

Mariusz accepted the glass of wine from the many limbed woman raised it to his face, sniffing it before sipping it. Nice little merlot, Mariusz thought to himself, lowering the glass from his lips and regarding the mutant woman with a penetrating golden-eyed gaze. No wonder she's offering this place as a mutant haven right now.

"In a word, chaos," the Czech mutant replied in a softly British accented voice. "The latest attack has sparked riots, of course, it really does make things quite interesting. Even for those not firmly rooted to the ground. There is all manner of flying detritus; cars, buses, even a giraffe liberated from the Central Park Zoo, no doubt."

The bird-man called Mariusz looked calm and composed, which was a welcome change from the frantic confusion of the people who have previously visited the sanctuary. Mahadevi smiled and poured a glass of wine for herself.
Now isn't it just more civilized to discuss the riots of the century over some expensive wine?

>>"The latest attack has sparked riots, of course, it really does make things quite interesting. Even for those not firmly rooted to the ground. There is all manner of flying detritus; cars, buses, even a giraffe liberated from the Central Park Zoo, no doubt."

Mahadevi arched an eyebrow and her lips curled up.

"A giraffe? You don't say." she sat down on her pillows and motioned to him to take a seat as well "So, are you one of the mutants protecting the city?"

She had seen footage of the so-called X-team, in over their collective heads.

"Or are you one of those who are protecting the mutants from the city?..."

"Protecting might be going a bit far," Mariusz allowed, sipping on his glass of wine. "Nonetheless, I can fly and I can shoot and, as you have generously opened this... place as a haven for mutants during this time it seemed only right to also do my part in protecting those that might need it."

When the many armed woman offered him a place to sit near her with a wave of one of her hands Mariusz accepted the offer and settled himself on the ground. "Of course, I have heard of and know of those mutants who are protecting the city but, for the time being, I am not one of them in the strictest sense."

>>"Protecting might be going a bit far. Nonetheless, I can fly and I can shoot and, as you have generously opened this... place as a haven for mutants during this time it seemed only right to also do my part in protecting those that might need it... Of course, I have heard of and know of those mutants who are protecting the city but, for the time being, I am not one of them in the strictest sense."

"I see" Mahadevi nodded gracefully. So he did not belong to the team of uniformed superheroes patrolling the streets. She did not know much about them to begin with, but they were still the ones with the most publicity. This bird-man, however, seemed to be a free and independent spirit.

"Have you done a lot of fighting before?" she inquired, looking at his bow and arrows. Modern day warriors fascinated her... and somewhere in the back of her mind also evoked memories that she did not want to have. It was a dream. Nothing more.

"Fighting, no," Mariusz allowed, finishing the last of the wine in his glass and setting it to one side. If his hostess wished it refilled then she would see it was done. It was the rude guest who demanded such things when they had not been offered. The truth was that, outside of the Danger Room session with Mirror he had never really been involved in anything remotely like a fight.

"However, I have hunted for sport and to donate the meat to charity for many years and my mutation is such that it lends itself well to feats of marksmanship," Mariusz continued simply, shrugging his shoulders. "Those of my faith are taught, in Luke 12:48 that when someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. I have been given much and so I am required to return that much and more."

>>"Fighting, no. However, I have hunted for sport and to donate the meat to charity for many years and my mutation is such that it lends itself well to feats of marksmanship. Those of my faith are taught, in Luke 12:48 that when someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. I have been given much and so I am required to return that much and more."

"Luke...?" Mahadevi blinked in a moment of losing her role as divinity, then refilled the wineglass with one of her hands.

"I understand your meaning" she added, gliding over the fact that she was not entirely sure who Luke was and why his word should be quoted. But he had a point, anyhow. The bird-man admitted that he did not have much experience with fighting.

"Excuse me for not being aware of who you are" she said after some hesitation. He referred to himself as someone who had been 'entrusted with much' and from his freedom and confidence she could tell he must have been someone important... but she did not remember him from any of her studies about diplomacy, and a bird-man would have been easy to remember...

"Luke would be a reference to the Gospel of Luke in the Bible," Mariusz said, accepting the wine glass back when it had been refilled. "And my thanks for the refill," he continued, taking another sip of the wine before lowering the glass once more. "You have an excellent taste... is this from Bordeaux," he asked, referencing the Bordeaux region of France.

"No need to apologize, a gracious guest should never seek an apology from his host, or hostess in your case," he said, nodding his head in the direction of the Indian woman. "In truth I have also not been in the United States for all that long a period of time. My father was just appointed as the Czech Ambassador to the United States. I tend to prefer to avoid that kind of light, so I found something more constructive to do with my time though I do, on occasion, put in an appearance at one of his soirees."

>>"Luke would be a reference to the Gospel of Luke in the Bible,"

Mahadevi nodded, only partially embarrassed by her mistake. Whenever it came to Westerners, they were not so up to date on the Mahabharata either. She noted with a small smile that the young man had the good grace of hiding his disapproval, if he felt any.

>>"And my thanks for the refill. You have an excellent taste... is this from Bordeaux,"

Oh, the joys of polite company.

y>"No need to apologize, a gracious guest should never seek an apology from his host, or hostess in your case. In truth I have also not been in the United States for all that long a period of time. My father was just appointed as the Czech Ambassador to the United States. I tend to prefer to avoid that kind of light, so I found something more constructive to do with my time though I do, on occasion, put in an appearance at one of his soirees."

"A diplomat" she nodded. It all made sense. The kind of eloquence and grace that the bird-man had had to run in a family. The fact that he decided to do something constructive, on the other hand, seemed like a personal trait.

"I appreciate your help, we definitely need it" she nodded "When I opened up my house I did not expect so many to come seeking shelter, and I am afraid I did not understand the measure of hostility towards the gifted either. I would be happy to listen to your advice on how to keep this place safe and contained..."

"Always willing to lend a hand," he said, sipping again at the glass of wine. "Although, if you are looking for a security expert I would suggest looking elsewhere. I am afraid I know little of such things beyond the simple point and shoot interface of my bow. In truth my degree is from Charles University in Prague and it is in Protestant Theology," he continued, patting the bow on the ground next to him.

"No, as we are instructed by the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:18: 'If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.'," the avian man said thoughtfully, the feathers on his wings rustling softly. "A follower of Christ should ever seek to avoid conflict whenever possible. Conflict only pollutes others and keeps them from our Lord's loving embrace. However, the words of the Apostle also clearly indicate that living in peace is not always possible. Sadly, these riots would seem to be one of those times and, with that in mind, I find it infinitely preferable to offer my services, limited though they may be, to those who would seek a similar path to my own... regardless of what their religious preferences may be." He paused to sip at his wine again before continuing.

"You are clearly a practitioner of the Hindu faith. However, our religious differences should not prevent us from living peaceably with one another and helping one another as we can when the need arises. In the Gospels Jesus himself says that the greatest commandment is to love God with all that we are, yet He says that the second greatest is to love our neighbors as ourselves and in our increasingly global community are we not all neighbors?"