From his peripheral vision, Kaz noticed more than a few people had taken an interest in the two mutants. He doubted many, if any of them could actually understand what they were saying, but words were only part of a conversation. Kaz didn't think it was enough to be interested in, but apparently it was. His quick glances at those paying attention were enough to get them to avert their gaze, and attention, at least for a time.

The sudden change of Astrid's wings was enough to grab the attention of most people that could see her. Kaz found himself a bit surprised at the speed of the change. The sound he heard as her 'feathers' moved against each other made him think of glass wind chimes. Kaz didn't have much time to examine the girl's changed wings before she pulled out one of her feathers and slammed it into the table, impaling the card he had set there.

He raised one eyebrow as he watched her stand up and told him to basically 'buzz off'. Instead of responding right away, he reached out to the feather and pulled it out of the table. Kaz was surprised by how sharp its edges were, having felt it graze the outer layer of his skin, and wondered how the girl was able to slam it into the table with enough force to make it stick but without slicing open her own hand. When he flicked his eyes to her hand, he couldn't see anything different about it. 'Hmm...Is her skin thicker...or tougher than it looks?'

After plucking the ruined card from the feather, he looked at it from a few angles. Kaz thought it looked similar to quartz, if anyone sculpted quartz into small objects. 'Huh, that would be kinda cool if they did. Maybe I'll check that out later' Another quick glance at Astrid, 'Maybe her skin is made of this stuff as well.'

Putting the long, slim crystal between his fingers, he tried to snap it...and failed. Speaking to himself, <”Impressive. I think I can use this.”> Kaz looked at Astrid, his face appearing slightly more feral than it had a few moments before, <”I'm a creep with money, power, and connections kid.”> Kaz smoke in a slightly sneering tone, <”Don't let your childish ego blind you from making good choices..profitable choices.”>

In a blur of motion, a motion that took less than a heartbeat to complete, Kaz had a blade an inch from the girl's throat. <”I can as easily help you as I can....remove you. So it might be a good idea to swallow your pride, before you piss off the wrong person.”> He gave her a fang filled, wolfish grin.

<”Now,”> Another blur of motion replaced the blade with another business card, this one with the address to the Corydon Estates, with the money he had offered her before held behind the card. <”If you actually want to improve your situation, instead of scraping by, go to this address and see for yourself what I can help you with.”> Kaz set the card, and the money, on the table before taking a few steps away.

<”The money is for this.”> Kaz held up the crystal feather, <”If this is as strong as I think it is, it would be quite good if we could recreate it.”>

With a thought he had Gatekeeper project a Gate onto the stage where Astrid had performed. The area seen behind the gate was twisted and warped into strange shapes and patterns. Kaz stepped up to the gate and put one leg through it. His leg disappeared from view. Pausing Kaz looked toward the bar and a look of remembrance crossed his face, 'Oh, right.' Motioning to the server, he held out a few large bills. ”For the food, and the damage to the table.”

Looking at Astrid. <”I'm going to the address on that card now. This Gate will stay open for a few more minutes...”> Kaz glanced at the card and money on the table, <”Or you can take the money and..do whatever you want.”> He shrugged as he stood halfway through the Gate, and waited.

Astrid remained both limp and silent when the man attacked her. It was surprising, actually. She had pegged him for the nonviolent type, but it appeared that she was very wrong. He had even used her own crystal against her as a weapon. She took a huge gulp, her mouth slightly parted as it scraped against her skin.

Then, when he replaced it with his business card, she took it with a thin, pale, slightly shaky hand. Perhaps he was right; it was time to let go of her ego. After all, what he was offering did sound rather appealing.

<There's no need to make more,> she informed him in a rather excited tone. She further proved her point by taking another crystal from her wing. <For money, of course.>

She watched as he stood halfway through his gate and waited for her. For a split second, she considered just throwing another crystal and running, but she realized how helpful a connection with him could be. He obviously had money, he wasn't afraid to show force, and he looked pretty intimidating. Standing next to him would look pretty good for her.

<I expect good payment,> Astrid informed him as she grabbed the cash off of the table and stepped through the portal. There was no hesitation in her walk at all. In actuality, she was trying her hardest to look competent and fearless.

Kaz hid the smirk he felt welling up in him when he saw the girl move towards him and the gate. He hadn't been sure if she would follow, and if he was honest with himself, he had half expected her to bolt. The other half of him had been ready to be attacked, if not by her, than by someone in the bar.

Using his eyes to judge the distance, Kaz had Gatekeeper open a Door and transport Astrid's cello to Dominique. He then used Legion to inform Dominique and nine others to form up outside the pillar with Dominique the last one in her line.

Kaz stepped fully through the Gate and into a dimly lit room. He knew where he was but Astrid would get nothing from it. The room looked completely bare, the white stone walls so smooth even Kaz's enhanced sense of touch couldn't feel any ridges in its surface, a soft, defused, sun-yellow glow seemed to emanate from somewhere in the ceiling. The room was a 10ft cube, with the Gate's exit at the exact center of the back wall. That wall, Kaz knew, would slide away to reveal the actual entrance to the tower, where maintenance could be done and some storage space was.

The tower...Kaz really hated calling the thing a tower. He had been trying to think of something to call it. The best he had come up with was giving it a title like, the Monument or something similar. Kaz could do some amazing things, but naming thing was not one of them. It had become something of a joke to the Sentinels who called it the Sentinel Tower just to rub it in Kaz's face. It was their tower after all.

The tower, Kaz absolutely refused to called it Sentinel Tower, had five sides measuring 20ft long at the base, the sides getting smaller as it increased in height, until each side was only 5ft long. The tower itself stands 180ft tall, with the last 20ft taken up by a rotating, shifting image that is visible during the day and night from just about any spot on the Estate grounds. The image is that of the Sentinels, glowing with its own light that changes to appear as an analog clock once a minute for one ten seconds as it completed a full rotation. Fifty feet below the top of the tower, on each side, was a digital clock set below another Sentinel symbol, both were inset into the stone, backlit to be visible at all times, and covered by the toughest transparent material possible.

It was meant to give everyone living there a sense of security, knowing that the Sentinels were always present if needed, that they could live their lives within the Estates without worrying about safety and security. It was also a reminder that the Sentinels were always around, that any and all threats against the mutants and residents would be dealt with immediately and swiftly. Despite his inability to give it a proper name, he loved the tower. It was probably about as subtle a statement that Kaz could ever make.

Kaz moved to the opposite wall and waited for Astrid to step through the Gate. As soon as she did he had Gatekeeper snap it shut to prevent anyone else from following. Kaz didn't move or say anything for a few minutes, letting Astrid's eyes adjust to the lighting and waiting until any difficulties from the transportation faded. It wasn't extremely common and when it happened it wasn't bad, but it could be disorienting.

<”I don't know if I have anything you could do for work here, but this is why I'm positive I can help you, if you let me.”> He put a hand to the wall where he knew the hidden control panel was. <”Ready?”> With a few quick taps, the stone door slid into the ground.

Outside stood not only the 10 Sentinels Kaz had wanted, but 50 of them, with one more flanking each side of the doorway. They stood on the five tiered platform the tower was built on. The ones on the first tier below them had one knee on the ground, their arms crossed at the forearm over their chest, hands in fists, heads down, their bodies facing towards the path Kaz and Astrid would have to take to get off the tower. The next tier was much the same, but consisted of those who were larger of body than the first row. On the third and fourth tiers the Sentinels stood straight, heads down, arms crossed at the forearms over their abdomen, hands also in fists. The final group stood like the third and fourth tiered Sentinels but in a straight line of five on each side.

The soft glow that had emanated from within the room lit the tiers the Sentinels stood and knelt on, letting Kaz and Astrid see the Sentinels in their work uniforms, as well as see the little touches and changes each of them made to make it their own. On each one the symbol of the Sentinels was proudly displayed by each one, though not all in the same place. Some wore it on on the shoulders, chest, belt buckles, or on their back.

The Sentinels themselves were the opposite of their uniforms. The 52 sentinels at the tower ran the full range of human looking to completely inhuman, compared to their appearances, their uniforms looked identical.

Kaz realized as he saw out the door that he must have let more slip to Legion than he had intended. 'You wanted to impress her, did you not?' 'This was your idea?' 'I only imparted to them your wish and intention, they did the rest.'

With one brow raised a bit playfully, he waved a hand toward the door as he stepped out of the way, <”Ladies first.”>

He'd wait until Astrid stepped out before following her and standing at her right side as they descended the tiered steps. Kaz knew what the Sentinels would do as they approached and passed. Those on the first and second tiers would stand just before they stepped down, those on the third and fourth tiers would kneel down as Kaz reached the tier two ahead of them only to stand just before he set foot on their tier. As he passed each one, they would spread out in a loose formation around their final stop at the end of the line where Dominique stood. The only Sentinels who wouldn't move from their places were the two flanking the door.

There was 10ft between each tier with a drop of one foot at the end of each, so Kaz and Astrid had a short ways to go before they'd reach Dominique. <”You'll be able to speak to any of my Sentinels the way I've been speaking to you. This is to accommodate any and all mutants we interact with. We don't want any of our kind to feel like outsiders here, or anywhere else, but....we can't change the world overnight.>”

Up ahead of them, he could see Dominique at the end, with Astrid's cello at her side. He knew who she was immediately, and would have recognized her without the knowledge Legion gave him. She looked human in the same way a chimpanzee does, similar enough to know there's a relation somewhere in their genetic line, but still very different. Dominique was...well, alien. Everything about her was off, different, wrong, unsettling in a way that was wholly undefinable, and yet at the same time she was beautiful, alluring, exotic, ephemeral and ethereal. She was all of that before a person would have a chance to see her face or get a chance to judge her physically.

Dominique was pleasant, kind, caring, and motherly. Kaz figured it came from having seven children. It might also be the only way the empath could stay sane.

Kaz glanced at Astrid, <”I'll take you to the counseling center.”> After he said it he realized that he might give her the wrong idea so he continued quickly, <”That's where we can find out what your skills and interests are, and what we could do to find you a job and a place to live.”> He waved his left hand in a small dismissive gesture to Astrid, <”After that, you are free to do whatever you want to do, as long as it doesn't disturb or negatively impact my Estates here.”>

As soon as Astrid stepped through the 'gate', her eyes widened by a large amount. What she was seeing was... Hard to describe. She looked around constantly, even spinning in place to get a full view. She had never seen anything even remotely like it. Though, she figured that could also be chalked up to the differences in architecture from France to America. Most buildings were a completely different style than the modern glass and metal standard in New York. Perhaps there were many buildings that looked like that one and she just hadn't seen them yet.

Somehow she sort of doubted that logic.

<What is this place?> She asked him, still a little in shock.

>> <You'll be able to speak to any of my Sentinels the way I've been speaking to you. This is to accommodate any and all mutants we interact with. We don't want any of our kind to feel like outsiders here, or anywhere else, but....we can't change the world overnight.>

Astrid nodded. She didn't really know what exactly the sentinels were, but they sort of creeped her out. There were so many of them. Plus, she didn't really know what to say in response. Everything was a bit overwhelming.

>> <”I'll take you to the counseling center. That's where we can find out what your skills and interests are, and what we could do to find you a job and a place to live. After that, you are free to do whatever you want to do, as long as it doesn't disturb or negatively impact my Estates here.”>

Astrid paused. She hadn't really expected the job to be that intense or time consuming. In all honesty, she had been expecting a one time thing that only required minimal effort. And, she did not want to live in that weird tower. No way in hell. It was too weird.

She stomped her foot and crossed her arms. <No. I do not want to live here, or have a full time job here.> There was too much to do on the streets, and New York was getting interesting. Plus, this place was hardly at the top of her list for evils to join. <I will help you with my crystals, but that's all.>

Kaz laughed as the girl crossed her arms and stomped like a little child. He knew it would probably make her angry, but he couldn't help it. She was so petulant it was almost cute. Shaking his head, <”No no no, you misunderstand what I meant.”> With a wave of his hand, the area around them lit up more than it would normally be for that time of night.

All around them lights came on or got brighter. The space around the tower was usually kept dim and dark so that its light would be a clear beacon in the night. Now that the lights had come on the streets leading to and from the tower, like spokes of a wheel, were visible, with some plain looking buildings, houses, and even a few small fields and playgrounds. Off in the distance larger houses and apartment complexes could be seen. There were a number of peculiar glows that didn't seem to fit the normal light pattern of the streets. Those would be the Sentinel stations placed across the Estates, within easy access of any of the residents for whatever emergency or concern they had.

<”To answer your earlier question,”> Kaz stepped away from Astrid and turned to face her, stretching out his arms. <”This is the Corydon Estates. A place for mutants to live in peace and safety, where human society and prejudices are held back, where we can life and work together, or separately. I built this place of us, and I protect it from humans and all that would threaten it. My Sentinels, the men and women around us, are all mutants, their job is to serve and protect mutant kind as a whole, but this place first and foremost.”>

Pulling out the feather-like crystal he flipped it into the air and caught it. <”If this is as strong as I think, and hope it is, there's no way you could produce what we'd need. Of course I'll pay you for it, if it pans out. I'm not asking, or telling, you to live here. If you want to, that's up to you. I'm not telling you to work for me either. I want to help you get on your feet, that's all.”> 'Mostly....but you don't need to know anything else.'

Kaz motioned for Dominique to come over with one hand and dismissed the rest of the Sentinels with his other hand. There was a very audible sound as they all saluted at the same time and dispersed back to their usual posts, some of them flew away, others melded into the ground or seemed to disappear from where they stood, a few went bounding or running past, most of them strode off purposefully, but not in a hurry. Besides the two at the tower, there were five Sentinels, one at each main street spoke.

Dominique strode over with a liquid alien pacing. <”This is Dominique. She speak French. It's because of her we can speak to you in your language. I thought you might like to meet her...and get your cello back.”>

<”^{There's no} _{need to be scared} Astrid.”> The way the woman's voice came out was oddly modulated and carried a subtle calming push from the empathic woman. <”^{We don't want} _{you to loose any}^{thing important to you.} _{Would you like} ^{me to hold onto this} _{until you leave? Or} ^{would you like to take} _{it with you now?}”> Dominique looked at Astrid with a smile that seemed like it would warm even the most frigid heart.

Kaz found Dominique to be strangely attractive and couldn't tell if it was because of her personality, her body, or the otherworldly sensation he got from her. Though he never said anything and she didn't look at him, he got the sense that she knew exactly what he was thinking, and he also knew it was a common thing. That odd attractiveness she had was apparently the reason why all her children had different fathers, but it was also why she was an only parent.

Feeling a little embarrassed Kaz cleared his throat. <”If you let us help you find a job, you can live wherever you want Astrid, and do whatever you want after that. Like I said, I'm just trying to help. I could employ you at one of my companies, but without knowing your skills and what you would and wouldn't enjoy...”> Kaz made a 'nothing I can do' gesture with his hands.

At first, what the elf man was saying made sense. She didn't have to live there, and she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to. Over all, it would be a good deal in her favour, especially since she would be payed to make something that was part of her natural mutation.

Astrid was about to say something as a way of agreement, but then the weird looking woman began to talk. She was holding something, something very dear to Astrid.

Astrid's brow furrowed. Was it some kind of joke? The woman seemed like she was trying very hard to seem sweet, but the young girl refused to let it influence her. Not when she was holding her only prized possession. Astrid was the only one that got to hold her cello.

The girl lunged, her face scrunched in anger. Domonique was met with a great force around her middle, which sent them both toppling back. The cello was dropped, and landed with a bang on the ground. It was a very good thing that the case had been reinforced.

Tackling was not something that Astrid did often. It was sort of uncomfortable to do with her wings, and there were so many other things she could do that were much easier with her mutation, but a blind rage had made her forget all of them.

There was no way she was ever going to work for the stupid elf man now.

Kaz wasn't sure what he had expected would happen when Dominique held the cello case to the girl, but Astrid's attack was not on the list. Kaz sighed as Astrid bowled Dominique over, but he didn't interfere. It seemed that this girl really had no idea how to handle herself, and that thought was bad coming from himself. He knew how impulsive and reckless he could be.

Dominique had apparently not been taken by surprise at the attack, having been warned by the girl's possessive emotions. The odd woman let the teen hit her, and changed their momentum into something easily managed. She guided Astrid down before using her legs to kick the girl up and off of her. Dominique had grabbed hold of both of Astrid's arms as she kicked her. While the girl was in the air she rolled where she was to twist her around so she would be facing the ground. She let go twisted and spun her legs to get herself up into a crouch.

Dominique began to intentionally pushing on the girl's emotions, to calm her down and make her more reasonable. Speaking with a friendly, yet stern voice. <”^{There was no need} _{for that child. You could} ^{have had it at any time.} _{Mr. Corydon did not want} ^{it forgotten about at} _{the bar, so we brou}^{ght it here for you. Please be calm} _{Astrid, I do not} ^{wish to hurt you.}”>

Kaz scowled at Astrid, <”If you attempt to do something foolish like that again Astrid, be assured you will be stopped before you touch anyone.”> He didn't move towards the girl, instead he picked up the cello and rested it on his shoulder. <”You attacked my employee because she had this.”> He tapped the case with a finger, <”Did you even think about grabbing it before you followed me? Did you consider how you'd even get back to the bar to pick it up after you got here? I doubt it.”> Kaz sighed, <”Being decisive and thinking quickly is good, but don't be stupidly impatient.”>

Looking towards Dominique, ”You don't have to stay m'dear, she didn't seem to appreciate any of this unfortunately.”

The alien woman looked at Kaz, ”_{I do not mind. I would} ^{like to stay until} _{she decides what she} ^{will do.}” Kaz nodded and shrugged before looking back to Astrid.

Astrid thrashed violently against Dominique as she was forcefully made to face the ground with her arms behind her back. Her legs kicked up behind her and her arms twisted violently as she tried to get out of the woman's grip. It was no use, though. There was no way that she would be able to get free.

Her chest heaved in fury as she continued to move despite the knowledge that it was useless. As she moved, though, she began to feel suddenly more calm. It was strange, and it was something that had never happened before, especially during a fight. She could almost feel her anger begin to dissipate. It was a horrible feeling.

Despite the fact that she was calm, she tried her hardest to keep up the struggling. It was far less aggressive, but she still kicked and flailed with all her strength. 

The elf man had begun to speak again, but she couldn't be bothered to listen to his annoying English words. Instead, she spat at his feet and glared at him.

<Let me go,> Astrid hissed, <I want to go. Now.>

Kaz watched, frowning, as Astrid struggled on the ground. Of course she got nowhere with her efforts as Dominique easily overpowered her and kept her pinned. Nonlethal suppression was something all the Sentinels were well versed in, especially against humans, but because of the large and varied nature of the mutants within their ranks and those they protect, there was hardly any type of mutant they couldn't take to the ground and hold down.

For a moment Kaz thought the girl was going to settle down and act rationally, but no. Despite Kaz being able to feel a small bit of Dominique's calming influence, the girl would not stop trying to attack the woman.

When Astrid spat at his feet, a little bit of her spittle landed on his foot, Kaz barely restrained the urge to kick the girl in the face. Barely. His foot actually twitched and moved, preparing to knock her senseless. Instead, scowling at the girl, he moved forward and tapped once on Dominique's shoulder. The alien-like woman looked at him slightly confused, but complied, abruptly releasing the winged girl.

<”You really have no idea how to act towards other do you.”> He put his foot a few inches from Astrid's face, the one with spit on it, and looked down at her. <”I don't know why you're so damned angry and quick to attack and give offense, but if you do not get it under control, someone not as...patient or understanding as myself, is going to take it very personally.”>

<”You're free to go Astrid, if you want. But I have no obligation to help you get back.”> Kaz grinned at her, wide and toothily, as he waved his hand dismissively. <”Hopefully nothing will happen to you kiddo.”>

Astrid tried to stop herself from flinching as she braced herself for what she knew was coming. She couldn't say that it was the first time that she had ever been kicked in the face, but it was definitely the first time that she was completely unable to move or protect herself.

Then, nothing came. She stared up at Kaz as he spoke with his foot just inches from her face. What was he getting at? There was nothing to gain by showing mercy. Apparently he was as stupid and weak-willed as she had assumed when they had first met.

She rolled her eyes as him and scrambled to her feet as she was released suddenly. <Yeah, yeah. I'm a disgrace to my species and I should shape up,> her voice dripped with sarcasm. It probably wasn't a good idea to poke the bear, but it was really the only way she knew how to respond. <Why don't you take a look in the mirror, ugly?>

Her aggressive mood was cut down by what the man said next. She was free to go, which was great, but she had no was back, which was very far from great. She had no idea where she even was, or how to get back.

Unwilling to show weakness, she straightened her back and smoothed down the feathers on her wings before starting to walk away. Apparently, one of her heels had snapped during the struggle. She wobbled slightly, and shuffled to the exit before taking off.

****, it was going to be a long fly back.