New york city, the big apple, the big cheese, home to millions of people and a portion of
those muntants. Hymn was one of the latter, A mutant and at one point a resident of New York. But due to her mutation she had to keep away
from a city this large. The voices, whispers where to many all the time due to the large amount in inhabitants walking the streets of
the Big apple. But after years of traveling and figuring out her powers, the time was here to return to where her adventure began. In
the city where the sanctuary members freed her from her prison. The pixy lady and big red brute who had shown her that even the people
who where considered the bad guys had hearts of gold. They took her in as one of there own and sheltered her from anything bad that could
happen. She wondered if everything was still there, her room was still intact. Surely nobody wanted to go into a room filled with
puzzles, that must be a safety hazard. Puzzles aren't all that fireproof to begin with anyway.

Fresh of the plane, brought to you by bus, A older,wiser and better Hymn set foot in New

York city once again. The city looked and smelled like nothing had change. People where still to busy to pay attention to their
surroundings, having their thoughts spill over into their stressful lives and into Hymn's own brain. It certainly was a test to her own sanity to be around
this many people but she was certainly ready. She had no clue where to go but certainly her gut feeling would guide her
around. The city might not have changed but Hymn certainly did.

She had come to think of her powers as guidance instead of something to drive her insane. Surely they could still be overwhelming but when focused on could
help her find her way. Cabs everywhere, people walking through each other minding their own business and in a rush. All the usual New
York city day to day business was going on. With a bag over her shoulder she made her way through the streets of New york looking for
the bus that would take her somewhere familiar. Dressed for the weather, She still had her colourfull spirit showing with her flashy
long red coat. Her hair lose even though there was some wind. Her shoes where easy and made for walking.

There it was, the bus station. She had made her way to the ticket booth and purchased her ticket to her destination, a school located in the city. Her
adventures had brought her there once or twice but for now it looked like the right destination to go. Now only to get herself a ticket
and she would be on her way. The ticket lady was looking very grumpy at her but it would not ruin her mood. Hymn smiled and bought her
ticket. Looking at the ticket like she just found something shiny, she made her way to the seats in the waiting area. The waiting game
started as she wiggled around with her feet. “ Hopefully it won't rain today “ She thought to herself and she frowned and looked at the sky.

No. He had not found who he was looking for yet. Yes, he had blown a perfectly good night searching for clues. He had not blown the night itself. That part had been good. But as far as forward progress went, he had hit a brick wall.

He might just have to go back to the bar and find the source he had been looking for. Or, look other places. Or— whatever. He was no detective. Maybe he needed to look into getting one. Ashton sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. Then, he stepped into the clothing store.

He needed more clothes that fit him. So, sue him. Being deaged back about 20 years will do that to a guy. And apparently, his older counterpart liked the same damn grey suit. He had like five of them. But street clothes? Eh.

About a half later, Ashton stepped back out of the shop carrying two large bags of clothing. Much better. His credit card had gotten a workout, but now he had more things to wear.

He glanced around, then saw the bus station nearby. He’d rode the bus out to go shopping, he would ride it to get back. He walked his butt to the station and got a ticket to a station by Old Ashton’s apartment. Then, he sat down in the waiting area next to a hot blonde in a long red coat. He rested his bags on the floor by his feet.

>> “ Hopefully it won't rain today “ the girl said, to herself.

Ashton glanced at her. He pulled out his cellphone. A mind-blowing device. Modern technology made so many useful things he had not had growing up back in the day. He brought up the weather app his sister Alice had introduced him to... because she knew he would be out and busy, and never checked the damned news for the forecast.

”Weather report says cloudy, but the percentage chance for rain is only 20%.” He said to her. ”So we got the odds on our side, I guess.”

He had a weak sort of Irish accent. The kind that you get from your parents, and kill over time. Not the kind you get from living in Ireland. Wouldn’t that have been a treat? Ireland had lots of bonnie lasses. Cute redheads. He wasn’t sure why, but he liked girls with red hair. It was a thing. Blondes were okay too, he guessed.

Ashton glanced back from his phone, at the woman sitting next to him. ”Sorry.” He smiled at her, suddenly embarrassed. ”Just sorta barged in there, and you were just muttering to yourself. Not asking a question.”

A tall Man, with short dark brown hair sat next to her in the waiting area. Most of the time she had a feeling that people wouldn't want to sit next to a stranger but somehow this man just did.  She didn't mind it though, she had no fear of strangers.
But here it goes, the voices in her head started talking again. It was nothing she was not capable of handling and quickly got a hold of. The man was looking for something, in his head or otherwise that she was certain off.

Before she could give it anymore thought, the man started speaking to her. Really to her ? That is something new to her. Normaly people avoided her quite a bit, or did she avoid people ? Never the less he commented about the weather, he looked at his little device and told
her there was no rain coming today. Was it truelly going to stay dry or did the modern technology come true on this part? She never understood the entire phone thing and she didn't have on but appearently it can be used for things as the weather aswell. 

"20% is still chance for rain." She responded while still frowning at the sky. She really disliked the rain though she could enjoy water very well. Unless she gets dumped in a pool. He had an hint of irish in him, but not enough to make her think he actually came from there. 
New york was full of people with all kinds of accents she would have to get used to again. But she was allot more versatile then she once was.

She crossed her legs and sat on her hands for a little while she was leaning forward to take a better look at the sky. Still cloudy, the phone got that right for sure.
In her head it was still cloudy enough for rain. The man looked very friendly to her, nothing wrong with that. She couldn't make out what the voices tried to tell her though, to much static interference from all the people moving in and out of the busstation. A little child wanting icecream,
people in a rush to get home and people trying to figure out where to go next the most prominent thoughts that slowly moved into her head. Sometimes she wished she could cancel the noice out and listen to what was important. But then again having these powers are a burden and a benefit to begin with.

But there came a name in hear head: Alice. The weather app came from Alice? But before she could give it more thought the man continued to speak.
He  to appoligize to her for "barging" in. She was quite ok with that as she had always had a bit of a childish trust in people. "It's ok, i tend to talk to myself when i am thinking." She responded and gave him a smile.  And there she went again, with her childish trust and tried to
pat the man on the head. Though it might be completly weird to do that to strange adult men, she had retained her childish ways and sometimes complety forgot some of it was quite inappropriate. "Is Alice always right about the weather?" She continued to ask. 

>> “20% is still chance for rain."

He grunted, in the affirmative. Inwardly, he thought ‘well aren’t you a negative Nancy?’ She was a real glass half empty kind if woman, wasn’t she?

Well okay. No big deal. She was right. 1/5 was still a chance. They moved on. And then he opened his mouth, and she... patted him on the head. Like a dog.

Oof.

Ruff.

He opened his mouth to say something, and promptly closed it.

”is who always right about what, now?” he said.

This was weird. Had he said the silent part out loud, or was the app called Alice, or what was going on here?

This was New York, but his experience with the weirdness omnipresent in the city has recently gotten a downsizing. Maybe this was a common occurrence?

Just for he sake of the argument, he aimed a thought at her pointedly.

Are you reading my mind? What am I thinking of right now?

He pictured the first thing that came into his mind. It just happened to be Winnie the Pooh, with a jar of hunny.

Negative Nancy, First it was Alice now it's Negative Nancy. The voices where getting more and more confusing but what was she expecting at a bus station. Pay no attention to the names but try to focus out the noice.
She rubbed her temples a bit, as she did when there was to much static in her head. It helped with the thinking process, even if it was just a bit of a placebo effect. But the patting was a succes as it appeared.
He didn't try to hit or or anything, he was just looking funny at her. The only reaction she had for it was smiling. 

But The Alice and Nancy thing bothered her. Who where they ? And what did they have to do with the Weather? She pondered to herself. It must be weird to ask him that straight away, specially since he can't hear what she hears.
She had to play it smooth, like a detective if she wanted to figure out who these people are. Sadly being like that was not her strong suit, at all.

"Alice" She replied. "Alice on the telephone right?" She said hoping not sounding all to much like a crazy person even though you could consider her one.

He started to look at him weird anyways. Almost like he was thinking about something odd. She frowned a bit and tilted her head trying to figure out what it was. And there it was, her odity showing it's face around the corner.
"You know, i should get some honey" She muttered to herself. A sudden thought she had about it and she just blurted it out. Silly her, she was kind of embaraced about it. She left left that weirdness behind she told herself but here she went.
Hopefully he wouldn't run of screaming or anything making it more akward. "I should probably stop talking now" She said and she looked down at the ground with a blush on her cheeks.

Alice, she repeated. Alice on the telephone.

What telephone? Where?

He tried the thing where he thought of something, to humor his hunch. Because this was weird so very weird. And—

She commented about honey.

And then she said she should stop talking.

”Hrm.” Ashton grimaced. ”So you can read minds. First Alice, then the damn honey.” He paused, caught himself, and corrected his error. ”Dang honey. Sorry. Don’t need to be rude, now do I?”

A mind reader. Don’t blame her for it. He thought. Mutant girl. Probably not her fault. She’s innocent. And she was way too cute for him to just flat out get pissed at.

What had she even done so far, anyways?

Overheard a couple stray thoughts. Said them out loud. Not like you said anything damning. Nothing shameful. Not like you pictured—

He had to stop himself right there. Before he thought of something embarrassing. But you know, when you’re trying not to think of something, it gets really difficult not to think of the thought. Or think about not thinking about the thought. And then, things got confusing.

Ashton kept his face neutral. Tried to think about nothing.

Her blush was cute though... God dammit.

”I should probably stop thinking.”

The man was definently not amused by her proding around in his head, or the voices for that matter. She got all flustered out of it. She had been caught listening to them and
now he would probably go tell everyone what she can do. Or worse, tell the police and she would go to jail for though theft of something.
How was she going to save herself out of this situation. Getting stressed out certainly won't help in this situation though. She needed to calm down, take a deep breath and think.
And if all else failed, just make a run for it or use her powers to make him think otherwise. But using her powers could backfire.... allot.

She mustered up the courage and started talking again. "Don't be weird, nobody can read minds." It was a very hard lie though because she actually know people who could.
Heck , she herself was kind of mind reader on paper although with a different way then directly reading people. It was more that it came to her instead of probing people. Is that a crime though? 

Mutant girl, mutant girl, mutant girl, started to echo in her head. As if somebody was telling her it over and over again. Very annoying and hurtfull and a bit true aswell. Nobody ever says it out loud though.
She couldn't blame him for thinking like that either. he already thought she was a mind reader so she should stay strong. " I am not a mutant or anything. "  She blurted out. Like that was going to save her.

And there it was, The i should probably stop thinking. Maybe she should take that advice and do that too. She physicly looked more and more unconfortable though. She sat on her hands and looked down with a blush more.
She was very bad at lying and even worse at keeping a secret. Hopefull she had saved herself but the chances are she just dug her own grave.

He didn’t need to be a detective to know she was lying when she said nobody could read minds. He had obvious evidence to the contrary. She was just scared, because she’d been caught with her head in the hunny jar.

She had read his mind about Alice, and the honey. And likely other stuff, too. Which would be HIGHLY embarrassing... except he was saved, and it was not. Although she did announce quite loudly that she was not a mutant.

He had not said anything at first when she had lied. He had been focused more on... other things we shall not mention here. Images and— never mind. That ‘don’t be weird’ comment may as well have been directed at him, even if it had not.

The girl completely missed his direction of thoughts, which was probably for the best. If she were flustered, he was more perturbed by things. Flummoxed, frustrated. Awkward.

He muttered his bit about not thinking... and she looked really uncomfortable. This whole conversation, it was that. But— she still had not called him out. Even though he had called her out.

How to handle this, how to handle this with this mutant girl?

Ashton sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he looked away. Then, he returned his focus to the girl.

”You don’t have to lie, and say you can’t read minds. Or that you’re not a mutant. It’s fine. I’m a mutant too...” His voice dropped slightly and sort of blur!mumbled the words together under his breath. ”Although I have no idea what I do or how it happened...” Louder, he said. ”I was probably a pretty good mutant. But—“

Pointedly, he thought at her. Read this: I used to be 40, but someone took my memories and turned me back into a 20-year old guy.

He thought it several times, for good measure. 20 year old guy. 20 year old guy. No idea about my powers. Same boat. Calm down. You’re safe.

He hoped she got the message.

There was no saving it now, she was caught redhanded. Bring out the memory police and she could be dragged away in handcuffs right now. 
But the mystery was about to be solved as the young man stated that he himself was a mutant. Like it was the normalest thing in the world to be able 
to do weird things "normal" people couldn't do. Most people would run away from her after knowing what she could really do. For now it is just hearing things
but pulling peoples strings leaves a bad taste in their mouths and they would frown upon it. 

"Ssssshhh." She said quickly and a bit scared. Moving her finger in front of her mouth. "People might hear you." She continues. She might have
looked a bit scared and mad at the same time. " You might get us in trouble if people heard you." She added just to be sure that he got the point.

Things where getting weirder and weirder as it was. This was not the return she thought she would have, everything should have gone smoothly but
the first chance she got she messed up. What to do , What to do, she pondered like Winny the Pooh. Try to wipe his mind? Make him walk off and hope they
never run in each other again? All those plans wouldn't work because everybody else would notice. She clearly was stuck in this whole situation.

Something was being repeated to her, over and over again. 20 not 40, 20 , 20 , 20 ,20. Why the number 20 ? She frowned and rubbed er forehead. 
"Ok I get it, 20 is important. " She blurted out. Anything she could do to save herself now was down the drain. The cat was out of the bag sort of speak. 
How would she save herself out of this situation. 

Ashton shushed alright. He shushed right into the supposed sanctity of his own head. But he finished what he’d been saying first, before he finished his thought.

He wouldn’t get them in trouble. He hadn’t ever even SEEN any anti-mutant violence. That he was aware of. If his older self had, say, been in an upside-down car while a t-rex rampaged around New York, protecting itself due to riots aimed at... something. Some reaction to some mutant getting hurt or targeted or... something... he had no idea.

Okay, she said. She got it. 20 was important.

”Thank you,” Ashton muttered. Finally. Finally, someone would say it. ”20 IS important. You wouldn’t even understand how hard it is to suddenly lose twenty years and go from age forty to age 20. I keep not getting references, and being disturbed by the music on the radio. It’s just strange...”

There was a hiss of brakes as the bus stopped nearby.

It was important! Bingo, Victory, Yathzee ! But what was he saying, was he implying that he lost years of his life ? Or was he getting younger instead of older? Never the less it was a strange perdiciment. 
People would trade with him in a heartbeat if it meant getting younger. But then again if you are forced into it you might not like it. She herself wasn't getting any younger.
Where was her magic de-aging cream ! She might get some years back from all the time she was locked up.

"Wait, are you saying you are forty !? " She blurted out, Looking around if nobody heard her. She placed her hand over her mouth as she scared herself with the volume that came out of her mouth.
With any luck the stopping bus straight in front of them drowned out the sound of her loud voice yelling something very strange. If people didn't find her weird enough alread
they probably would now. 

"Wait, are you forty?" She asked more silently, hoping she could save the situation.  She totally forgot about the bus though as it seems to be her bus right now. She looked at the bus and back to him and repeat.
Does she get on the bus and leave this mystery behind her or does she wait for the next. The temptation to skip for the next and get to the bottom of this was hard to resist. But she might have been lucky if 
this was his bus aswel. She pondered about it which might have her pulling her pondering face. She could just ask ofcourse.

" This is my bus, but i want to know the mystery of the lost years." She said a bit disappointed, like a little child not getting to know the secret. 

Oh. He felt a little sheepish now. She had not understood what he’d been thinking. Not entirely. Just bits and pieces.

How... useful.

And she had just blurted our eBay he’d been saying... not that he hadn’t blurted anything out already or anything. Ashton scratched at his cheek.

Hrm.

She repeated the question, and Ashton nodded at her. Thought, AT her, ‘yes.’

”Kind of.” He verbally amended.

Looked like she was getting ready to leave on the bus, but wanted to hear more. Ashton rose and grabbed his bags.

”It’s my bus too, kiddo. I can sit with you and tell you my tale if you’d like?” He said. Without waiting to hear a reply, Ashton joined the group of people filing onto the bus. He sat down, but kept the aisle seat open in case she wanted to sit. Even if it meant stuffing his clothing bags on the floor by his feet.

Kind of? How could a person be kind of forty ? You either are forty or not. This was getting confusing to say the least. Her interrest was further peaked and she was very curious how it worked.
Almost like it was some kind of puzzle to solve. And she was very good at puzzles. She rubbed her head in confussion before the man got up and joined the line for the bus.

Appearently she was lucky, the mystery could still be solved as they both needed the same bus. Was this man going to a secret lab to get younger that she didn't know about. Hopefully 
she wouldn't get kidnapped or something when she figured out the secret. But she had to get to the bottom of this, As if she was a Nancy drew of some sort. She picked up her bags in a rush
and joined the line, visually being in a hurry. The man she was talking to was more in the front of the line as she joined it at the back. She had the magical skill to get lost everywhere but her 
curiosity was the driving force today. 

People started moving into the bus and slowly but steadily she made it into the bus. She looked around if she could spot the man sitting somewhere. Sadly her head was filling up with voices.
It was rough on her with so many people around but maybe the bus wasn't such a good idea. She spotted him, and there was a seat open ! She moved towards the seat and sat down, clearly 
looking like she was in a rush and in a hasty mood. She placed her bag on her legs and kept her hands on it. 

To help with the voices she started in front of her for a bit, gripping her bag extra tight, trying to focus on what is real and what is not. She kept starting at the seat in front of her until she zoned
her focus in on the things around her and not the voices in her head. She shook her had as if she had a hard reboot and continued on as normal after that. "I know your name but you don't 
know mine." She said. "My name is Caitlyn." She continued as she extended her hand. "Nice to meet you, detectice Drake." As if it was very casual to just know someone's name. 

The girl seemed tense. Well. If she read minds, like he thought, being in a crowded place would exacerbate the problems therein. Many voices. Many minds. Many many. He made a mental note to be patient.

The girl spoke. She knew his name. Well, if she knew his sister's name, his name wasn't so unlikely. He smirked.

The smirk slipped, when she called him detective. He took her hand to shake it, all the same.

"That's a pretty name. Caitlyn. And please. Just call me Ashton. I haven't been a detective in... whew. Weeks. I'm not sure what I am, after I deaged."

He paused for a second, and let that sink in. Part of him thought, 'gee. Wouldn't she be useful if you needed to help find the people that did this to you?'

Another part of him thought 'That's pretty terrible. Using her like that. Be ashamed.'

He was ashamed, a little.

He glanced around. No one had heard him talk about deaging, and no one seemed to be listening. He let go of the hand, and sat back against his chair. Ashton looked at her, considering things.

"So. Basically. My story is that I was helping someone. A friend. And because I helped them, some bad men got back at me with all of this." Ashton gestured to himself. All of him. He smiled sardonically. "Been trying to find them. To keep them from doing this to anyone else ever again. But I'm having no luck... was considering hiring a detective. Because detective, I am not."

At least. He was not a good detective.

Maybe he could be a good detective, with time.

Hand shaking and smiling. That was what Detective Drake did to her. Ashton was the name and being a detective was not the game.
Maybe she was of her game herself when it came to picking up that kind of stuff. Never the less the mood was way better and she felt 
more confortable being in this situation. Nobody picked up on their conversation and this bus wouldn't drive them anywhere unsafe. She 
made her trip in one piece without weirding people out to much of losing control. It is a win. But her name was cute appearently, Ashton
is a very forward person for sure. Not that She would pick up on any flirting of any kind, she was way to gullible for that. 

Ashton continued to explain his situation but she caught a wiff of him thinking about finding someone. He was not happy with that thought. 
She could almost feel it in the air and not only from his thoughts but also from his face.  But his situation was acceptable from how far 
you can call de-aging normal. But to be fair mutants weren't all that normal either. Like it was some kind of science fiction story that became real.

"You don't want me finding anybody." She said while she looked down at her bag and fiddled around with the cord on it between her fingers. She did that
whenever she was talking about her powers. They still left a bad taste in her mouth specially after everything that happened to her as a kid. Growing
up in fantasy land because you are considered dangerous is not the way. "Things go bad before i find anybody." She continued with a sad note on her voice,
almost a bit of shame in it. Even though she had allot more control over her powers now then ever, she was still scared of her full extent. Mass manipulation
until a point that could drive people mad if they didn't figure out they where being manipulated was a bad thing, right ?