Maya called Mariusz to cash in on the promise of a free flight. Saturday seemed to be the day that worked best for the both of them. Maya showed up early in order to say hello to her father, a gangling scarecrow of a man who, despite being only human, stood taller than a lot of fully grown mutants. He was glad to watch Rowan and doubly glad that Maya was making new friends.

The air elemental supposed that parents never did grow out of worrying for their children.

Maya lingered in the hallways near the front door and watched the afternoon light filter in slantways through the windows. The people might change here, but the place at least remained the same. Even if it no longer felt like home.

She'd dressed appropriately for a good, long flight. Her clothes were close fitting, a blue polo tucked into khaki pants tucked into soft leather boots that stopped just below the knee. The boots were a relic of her old crime fighting costume. The rest? Well, Maya didn't actually own many pairs of pants, she preferred skirts but that just wasn't appropriate for a lot of wind use.

She had braided her hair in two french braids which highlighted the stark transition of the tips of her hair from brown to white. If not for the pair of aviator goggles, she might look like she was going horseback riding.

Maya wasn't kidding about this flying business.

Mariusz made his way down the stairs in the direction of the main entrance. The only thing he was wearing was a simple pair of basketball shorts. For a longer flight carrying someone else he wanted to be as unencumbered by clothing as possible. His feathers were more than warm enough for him and the less he wore the less there would be for someone to get caught in during the flight. It was as much a safety issue to him as it was anything else. Of course, he still fully expected others to be clothed though. Not everyone came with feathers.

"Maya," he called out as he got to the bottom of the stairs and spotted the woman. "Are you ready to go? It will be easier to take off from the roof, though I can do it from the ground if that would make your more comfortable than jumping from a two-story building."

The Czech man could certainly understand how the prospect of leaping from a tall building might cause distress in others even if they really shouldn't worry about since he was the one with wings and knew it was perfectly safe. He could take off from the ground, but the added speed and already being in the air from jumping off the roof would make it easier.

Well, at least he wasn't in a speedo. In Maya's experience many Europeans preferred manties for public bathing. She had been expecting clothing, but she realized that was a silly human expectation now. She would just have to put her other human expectations, like nervousness about jumping off a building and the necessity of close proximity with a scantly clad stranger, aside to enjoy this.

"No, the roof is fine. Let's go." She could be brave. At least, in an emergency, she could still turn incorporeal. Loosing a few pieces was better than going splat.

Maya took the stairs two at a time as was her custom. Long legs made that as easy task and she was no stranger here. She led the way to the roof, which she had been on may times. She had never jumped off of it, but... well, there was a first time for everything.

"So how do you propose we do this?" Carry her in the cradle hold? Or something else entirely? She wouldn't worry about her weight as a burden on him. One benefit to her affliction was a below average weight. "I was sorta hoping to be able to see" She tapped her goggles if not through her eyes then through her other senses. Trust wasn't an issue for her. She liked to believe the best of everyone, especially strangers. Neither was heights. Physical proximity was another matter that typically required a bit more of a foundation before it was earned by another party.

Well today would just have to account for special circumstances.

Mariusz followed Maya to the roof, obviously the woman hadn't been lying about knowing her way around the Mansion. Stepping out onto the roof behind her the Czech man laced his fingers together and then cracked his knuckles loudly. Then, somewhat disgustingly, he held both arms out to the sides and popped his shoulders and his elbows. There was no need to take chances, after all, even if it was highly unlikely that a fall would kill Maya if dropped there was no doubt that she'd be highly displeased about such a turn of events.

"There are two options for carrying," Mariusz said, stepping up to Maya and sweeping her offer her feet and into his arms so she was held completely off the ground as an infant might be. "There is the cradle like this," he moved and set Maya back down on her feet.

Taking one of her hands he spun her one hundred and eighty degrees and then stepped close behind her, snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her tight against his feathered form. "There is also this option... I am not sure what it would be called. Bear hug, maybe? Personally, I prefer this option. It distributes your weight more evenly along the same line as my own which will make landing much easier it will also allow me to grab your ankles with my feet once we are in the air so you are more secure. Of course it is also more... intimate, I think that is the right word yes?" He let go of Maya so she could step away if she wanted.

"I have never carried anyone on my back before. I dislike people wrapping their arms around my neck and the added presence of a full grown person keeps me from having full range of motion with my wings. It would be dangerous to both of us to carry you in that manner," he trailed off for a moment and shrugged. There really was nothing to do at this point but soldier on in the most obvious manner.

"So, which method do you prefer?"

She yipped when he swept her off her feet, but allowed him to go through with his demonstrations. Maya decided that the added stability, weight distribution, and view were all great reasons to pick the "bear hug" option. Plus, it didn't make her feel like a wuss. It made her feel more like a skydiver or parachuter. Hang glider?

"Even if it's just an illusion that it will get me more control over this situation, I think I'll go with the bear hug. Just..." What? Don't get too intimate? This whole interaction was just that. "Just... keep your pants on." She teased because it made her feel better about all this.

Maya turned around to look out into the Mansion's two stories down yard yard and pulled her goggles down into position. "I'll be using my ability to help us communicate so don't shout. You know where we're headed, right?" Despite the fact that she was facing away from Mariusz, her voice sounded as if it came from somewhere near Mariusz's own head. Sound was just vibrations transferred from air molecule to air molecule.

They had not discussed where they were going, but Maya just wanted to be sure Mariusz had something in mind. She didn't need to go anywhere specific. For her, this was just for fun.

"Why would I take my pants off," Mariusz asked, tilting his head slightly to one side and eying Maya. "Unless I have missed something we are not a couple, more importantly we are not married and I do not wear this..." he fished around in the feathers on his chest and produced the pewter cross that he habitually wore on a chain around his neck. Slipping it off he held it out and then pressed it into Maya's hands, "as a fashion statement, unlike many that wear them."

He guided Maya to the edge of the roof and then stepped in close behind Maya and slipped his arms around the woman's waist pulling her tight back against him. "You may find this a bit disconcerting," he said, leaning into her until the pair of them tumbled forward off the roof.

Snapping his wings out Mariusz began to beat them against the air and soon enough they were gaining height. True, it would have been a lot easier to leap off something bigger, like the Brooklyn Bridge, but this was the tallest building that was readily available.

"I think an aerial tour of the city is in order, yes," he asked. There were so many things to see in New York; the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Ellis Island, numerous Cathedrals, the Flatiron Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station, and on and on. "I regret, though, that I am not really dressed for much other than flying so any food will probably have to come from street vendors. Later, if you are feeling particularly adventurous we could also try some sky diving... you will not need a parachute."

"Ah. It's an expression. I didn't mean to offend you, sorry." Though it was interesting that he was declaring that he was a Christian of some kind. Maya wasn't clear about denominations and all that, but where her dad was a Econ teacher her mother had taught World Religions. That was probably both a help and a hindrance in this situation. It made her feel more safe with him at her back and more guilty about everything in general.

By comparison, jumping off the roof was a relief.

With the wind in her hair and the approaching ground Maya didn't feel like she was going to go splat. She felt the wind currents rolling over Mariusz's wings and how more was needed for a great enough lift to take them both up and into the open air.

An Aerial tour? It was strange. Maya had actually flown through this area perhaps a hundred times, but she had never seen it before. While incorporeal her vision was limited to her aerial senses. No color, no light, no dark. Just volume.

"Don't worry. I can get us something if need be." She, after all, was wearing clothes. Mariusz was actually less intimidating without the suit, anyway. "Ah, I'm not sure about sky diving. Don't get me wrong, I love the feeling of the wind in my hair, but I have too many responsibilities to get back to." Like a business and a son. "I can't selfishly risk my life anymore. It's why I quit working with the X-men, actually."

Maya made sure their trip was smooth. They had updrafts on demand and gusts that would diverge any other objects in the air from their path. The wouldn't even have to worry about birds.

Of course, everything was peaceful up here. The people below were ants and though they didn't fly above every building, they were higher than most of them. Even the traffic sounds sort of lulled together into background noise like music for the cityscape. Maya got less detail visually than she would with her sense, but the experience was viscerally different. Beautiful.

"Who said anything about risking life and limb," Mariusz asked, arching an eyebrow at Maya even though she couldn't see them since they weren't exactly facing one another. He banked around the large art deco spire of the Chrysler Building and headed out towards the harbor and Ellis Island, among other things. Apparently Maya wasn't quite grasping the concept of skydiving, true skydiving.

"When I say skydiving I mean that I would fly us much higher, though not too high because that would be cold for you. Then, I would simply let go. You would fall for several thousand feet and then I would catch you," Mariusz said, explaining what it was he meant. True, he'd never taken anyone skydiving before since this was the first time the thought had occurred to him. Still though, how hard could it be? Maya wasn't that heavy and her powers made for the idea compliment for skydiving.

Maya didn't know what to do with her hands. Silly, but she liked to do things with her hands. She folded and unfolded them in front of her, afraid of creating too much drag. Eventually she allowed herself to weave her hands between air flows like a kid sticking their hand out of the car window, fingers rising and dipping in the current.

"I know what skydiving is. I know the point isn't to go splat and that if anyone has a chance to survive a mistake it's probably me, but what if I didn't?" Fatalistic? Sure. She was already putting a lot of trust in Mariusz thus far for purely selfish reasons.

"I have a son, Mr. Mariusz." He may as well know since he made things perfectly clear that despite their intimate position, this was in no way a date. Not that she would have kept it from him anyway, it just never seemed like a good time to bring it up. "And I lost my mother when I was in high school. I know what it's like to be without one and I don't want that for him." Kill joy? Yeah. But this was important to Maya.

"Sorry."

"Ah, I did not realize you had a son," Mariusz said. Apparently he had inadvertently committed a conversational blunder by pursuing the skydiving portion of the conversation. Some backtracking seemed to be in order. "It was also not my intention to seem to be badgering you into doing something you did not wish to do."

Perhaps it would be best to change to direction of the conversation. "So, where should we go next? The Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park," he asked, deciding that the topic change to discuss where Maya wanted to go would be the best way to move on from what they had been talking about concerning skydiving. "So, how has business been at your shop?"

Why was it do hard to just be civil? When did she accumulate so much baggage? Maya was frustrated with herself that despite the smooth flight, the conversation was rocky at best. "Two years ago and I would have been jumping off the t of the Chrysler Building right next to you. You can still go if you want. I could back you up." That was the best she could offer, though. Maybe... once she had some confidence back... or if Rowan were a bit older...

"Let's go to the bridge. All those cables and supports, you think we could land on one and take a break?" Swinging her legs hundreds of feet above traffic didn't sound too bad either.

"Business is good. It could be better since so many people are into their ebooks, but there are some diehard book people. Plus with our location, we get some tourists wanting souvenirs." The store had gone through some rough patches, but they were firmly, if just barely, in the black now.

"Do you work, Mr. Mariusz?"

When Maya said she wanted to head in the direction of the Brooklyn Bridge Mariusz banked sharply in the air, tucking one wing and executing a barrel roll before leveling out pointed in a direction that would take them over to the bridge. "Landing on top of one of the bridge's towers should be relatively simple," he said. He assumed that there were probably laws or rules against climbing to the top of the bridge, but he doubted there were any rules against someone flying up there and landing.

"I am glad to hear that business if going well," he said as the bridge came within sight as they rounded a bend in the road. "As for me, I do not have a job at present but I am thinking that all may change come November. We will have to see," he said in a bit of an evasive tone.

"Thank you." Though, landing had her a bit nervous. Especially landing on a small (well, smaller than the ground, anyway) surface where the price of a mistake was a long drop. He didn't seem worried and the way he flew spoke of experience. He even had the flair to throw in a roll. Maya threw her arms out wide as if she could hug the entire sky during the maneuver.

"This kind of flying... it's so much better than what I had." The view was spectacular and she could feel it, more than just the air currents and the masses that blocked them. She could feel the sunshine and the humidity, all the things that made a late afternoon in early summer enjoyable.

"It sounds as if you have something lined up for November... But if that falls through, we're almost always hiring at the Full Circle. I can't say the money is great, but the people are." Mutants, especially those that were readily identifiable as mutants, had a hard time finding work in Maya's experience. She'd helped more than a few get on their feet by using the Full Circle as their launching pad. Mariusz didn't seem like he was in need in any way, but she offered anyway. You never know.

Maya pointed when she spotted the bridge. She wasnt' worried that he would miss it, she was just excited in that infectious child-like way. "There it is!" If they had landing gear, now was the time to deploy...

"How is this kind of flying better than what you can do," Mariusz asked. It seemed to him that her form of flying would be considerably safer since, as he understood it, her form of flying involved her becoming non-corporeal which would make landings and other flight obstacles no longer something to worry about. Of course, he also wasn't completely certain about the way that Maya's abilities functioned to allow her to fly. After all, they weren't his abilities.

"As for November, who can say? Perhaps I will get everything done in time to run. Perhaps I will even win, though that might present a conflict of interest for my father if his son was the Mayor of one of the major cities here in the U.S. but I will remember your offer." He shrugged his shoulders and beat his wings a bit to gain a little more height before landing on one of the towers of the bridge.

Coming to a stop in midair above the bridge he beat his wings slowly and descended until they touched down gently on the bridge support. Just before touching down he released her ankles from the grip of his taloned feet. Once they were on the ground, in a something less than literal sense as they were on the bridge support tower he released his grip from around her waist so that Maya could step away if she so desired.

"Uhm. It's kind of hard to explain. When incorporeal, your senses change. I don't get to see the sunlight or the colors that make this sight so... majestic?" Yeah. Majestic seemed to work just fine there. She nodded to herself before she continued. "I could show you if you wanted, but not while we're in the air."

Now Maya knew exactly what to do with her hands. She apparently had offered a Mayoral candidate a hardly-better-than minimum wage job. Facepalm.

He let her feet go and she made room for the birdman to land, ready to reach out and catch him if he started to fall or something. Not that she could have stopped him with her strength, but she could have used her abilities or something and it was the thought that counted, right?

"I didn't know you could run for mayor so young. I feel silly even offering you a job when you had such a prestigious goal in mind." Holy cow. She was standing on the top of a bridge support with somebody who was bound to be some kind of celebrity. Just because she didn't watch the news very often didn't mean everyone else in the world was so oblivious. "Uhm. Congratulations? On potentially running, I mean?"

Now she felt stupid and nervous.

So she sat down and dangled her legs over the side of the support.

Deep breaths. The height didn't bother her a bit. Neither did the faint breeze. The exhaust smell she could do without, but everything was just lovely up here. "Why did you decide to run?" All Maya knew about running for office was that you had to be scandal free and rolling in money. Mariusz was kind and had his foundations rooted in religion. He could probably do well if he were older and maybe a lawyer or something.