That bastard. That rat bastard. SUPER Kyle had done it. He'd finally done it. He'd locked his credit card. The monster. The absolute degenerate. He owed her more than this. He owed her money. Owed her funds. For making it so she was wary of going back to her own place. For making her need to figure out alternate ways to get pocket money, now. The jerk.

As far as pocket money went, there were a few ways she could go about gaining it. She could steal it. No. She could borrow it. No. She could earn it. Maybe.

Lenna had asked around about ways one could go about earning some money. She had never had a job. Her only line of work ever had been for Cortez, as part of his private army. She always felt so stupid for not having any marketable skills. But at least, some of the people at the mansion could help her with that.

One boy had suggested she just get a job at a fast food place.

"What, like the Burger King?" Lenna had asked.

"Yes," he had said dryly. "Exactly like that."

She had not liked his tone. He had sounded vaguely annoyed.

The Burger King. Yes. She could potentially do that. She asked if they hired people with absolutely no idea how to make hamburgers, and he told her "That is pretty much the only kinds of people they do hire."

That had settled that. She had found time to ride the bus, in order to approach this Burger King job place about getting one of those jobs. In her best orange hoodie and blue jeans, Lenna had arrived at the restaurant and requested a job.

The person had no clue what to do with that. They'd looked over their shoulder, uncommfortably. Maybe looking for someone with more job time than them? Someone who knew what they were doing, and could help her?

"We don't really... just hand out interviews for walk-ins. I think." The young girl had said. She was around Lenna's age, with blonde hair and blue eyes. A little overweight, but that is okay. Not everyone trains like a ninja to stay fit. Perhaps, if they worked together Lenna could give her aid. Make her the strongest Burger King employee ever. Other than herself.

Lenna had queried, if they didn't hand out interviews how did one go about gaining a job?

"Application," the person had said.

"Very well, then!" Lenna had nodded sagely. "One application, please!"

"Errr...." Again, she had looked over her shoulder. A coworker approached.

"What do you need, Susan?" He asked. He was fitter, with dark brown hair and freckles. Not as cute as Ty's freckles, to be sure. But this Susan girl seemed to think he was rather cute, judging by the way she acted, with her smile and her body language. Lenna could tell. She knew how to read people. She read that they both seemed uncomfortable, and that was stupid. Why?

They'd exchanged a quick conversation, in whispers. Lenna had caught bits and pieces. 'This girl... application.'

'We don't really...'

'I know... usually... internet... website. But..."

'Don't we... under..."

Lenna had stopped listening, to run her eyes around the restaurant. There was now a line behind her. She felt as if this was all her fault.

"Listen," She cut in on the two Burger King workers' conversation. "If you just give me a paper copy of this job application thing, I can get out of your way... and you can help all of these nice people."

"Yeah." The girl said. "Kind of your fault they're waiting. Huh."

Lenna arched one eyebrow at the girl. Had that been... lip? An insult? She knew people who had ended others for less. Even if... and this was embarassing... it probably was her fault. At least, a little. Lenna did not blush. But she knew some others might have done so. She felt a little annoyed. Annoyed enough to make a little bitty scene.

"Yes. OKAY! Okay. The application, now? You do NOT need to be rude about it. How else does one become the one true Burger Queen, if they cannot receive a &*&^ing application?" She felt a little exasperated now, and had drawn a crowd. What she really wanted was a crown. A cardboard crown. Like the one she had worn for Megan. They were right there, too. But she was not going to simply walk over to the dispenser and grab one.

"Our website is--" The boy stepped in, and rattled off a website.

Lenna thrust up her hands in frustration. "Really!" And as she did so, the paper hat on the fast food worker's head became her sole focus, and... it flew off into the distance, on her right. Not by Lenna's will. No. Not entirely. She... entirely had not meant to do that. It had not even threatened her, as most things her power "targeted" would normally do. She had simply been mad.

"The F****?!" The girl shouted.

Kimberly screamed in frustration as she brought her aura blade down ripping deep into her prey, she reformed the sword into a spinning drill as she pulled it out at an angle in a blow that filled the air with her victims insides. Swiftly she turned around forming the drill into an axe which she brought down bisecting her second victim in two with little effort until she struck the bottom and received the tiniest form of retaliation like a mild shock. Assured they were dead she looked around.

She let out a second piercing scream as she charged across the room before her next opponent could move, her punch met more resistance this time but she still buried the aura chainsaw into it with a punching motion, even as she drew her Silenced pistol and fired two shots at a new opponent missing from lack of keeping up with the training, but she winged whoever was behind them. she felt cold air blowing on her neck through her Aura.

It was then she heard music playing, Truth beneath the Rose, her ring tone. Her mind snapped back and she fell to her knees breathing hard and driving her aura chainsaw into the floor, before letting it blink out of existence. Her body trembled and to her shame she could not stop it for several minutes.

She looked around her apartment, her first victim a couch, its snuffing all over the room from the drill. Her second victim a tv was cut neatly in two, a few sparks coming out of what she thought might be the power supply. The third victim her fridge with a fist sized hole in the freezer, her missed target a plant on her table, the bullets embedded deep in her oven.

Aura grabbed her phone and considered pitching it through the window. Instead she merely dropped it. "Have i not done enough to earn your reprieve Solarrus, Lord of the Cycle, will i never know your daughter embrace my soul?" She screamed looking up at the ceiling. "Am i so unworthy to follow in your light Mai, lady of Life? she said her voice reduced to mere yelling.

That had been an hour prior, and she was glad the Syndicate had placed her in a basement apartment. She owned above as well and well furnished it went unused. It was how she ended up in a Burger King at a booth. The line was not moving and Kimberly was glad she already had her food. Commotion about an application began attracting her attention. She wanted to dismiss it but her eyes spotted the side of a young looking Lenna. Working at a burger king? It struck her as strange for either Lenna she had known. She quickly made her way to the bathroom, slipping on the mask of her old face. The black hair falling messily around her face. She was still amazing by how relaistic it looked. Maybe lenna could help her, but only if she did not know Kimberly existed.

The assassin or the order member, both had shown Aura kindness. She took a few steps closer and froze, assured she could still feel her power, she knew this was not the Orders Lenna. The hat flying off like it did made aura sure this was the Lenna of the other universe. It made her hesitate but she was wearing the mask of her old face, her hooded shirt blocking the view along with her hair. She shoved her way to the counter until she was beside the girl. "My elusive friend perhaps their are venues more worthy of your talents? Scraping in such garbage seems beneath you" she said with a friendly smile. It never once occurred to her that Lenna's memory might have been affected. The flower lady might not like the results if this went bad and so she was determined to try and keep it calm.

Her Colombian accent came on strong as she turned towards the sudden, unfamiliar face. The unexpected, unfamiliar voice. The strange, smiling woman, that used words such as ‘elusive’ and ‘venues’ in casual conversation.

”Who, are you?”

Part of her had desired to throw a hell in there. Maybe a few other choice words, like damn and F***. But she was mastering herself after her little slip up. There was absolutely zero reason to cause a scene.

The woman was right, even if she had no possible clue who she was. There were better places and better times to use her skills.

Lenna looked to the fast food workers. ”Apologies. I take it I did not get the job?”

The two workers nodded dully.

”Okay. Yes. Fine. I will look elsewhere. This is stupid.” Face not giving away the frustration she felt, Lenna turned to go. But not before snatching up a freaking cardboard crown for her troubles.

As she went, she called back over her shoulder at the woman in the hood who had addressed her. ”Please follow me. I would like to talk.”

The world was orange again, to Lenna and her funky power of the mind. She had only focused on the hat for a moment. Still, her focus was not divided to the point of missing interesting things that happened to be there right in front of her.

This woman seemed to know her, and people that knew her were fascinating. Very fascinating. Anything she and Ty could piece together about their past lives was one more thing others could not use against them. One thing that Old Lenna had, which was still present in New Lenna was this: She was willing to make use of those who offered up aid.

Lenna walked out of the restaurant. As she walked, she unfolded and created the cardboard crown. She pushed open the doors, and stepped out. The crown, she settled on her head.

If the woman followed, good. If not, then not. Lenna did not glance back to check her progress. She only stopped once she was outside the restaurant and out of view of the jerk idiot fools within. After she had crossed the parking lot to stand beneath an unlit street light near the street. It was still the middle of the day. Plenty of time left to inquire at other restaurants. And perhaps this next time, she would look up on the internet how to proceed. But first.

Lenna turned, to see if the mystery woman had followed her out.

It caught Aura off guard when she was asked who she was as either lenna should know who she was. She was tempted to blow off steam but the Flower Woman would not like that she knew and even if she had, it would only bring the wrath of super or the x men. She wanted nether right now. she would control herself, as per orders. If it was a trap then she would let loose, SUPER tended to like avoiding huge public scenes and she knew she could use that.

She watched Lenna take one of the crowns and began following her as she was invited though she had planned to anyway. She had thought maybe she could have another conversation on their pasts, maybe draw some comfort from the woman but she was no longer sure. What she did know was that the employees were luckier then they knew had they uttered a single anti mutant phrase Aura might well have put the effort in to figure out where they lived.

Lenna had been assigned to kill her once, but the woman was still a mutant and not a null which strangely made her feel better. Null Lenna she liked but her power was something Aura hated where as Elusive lenna was in many ways more dangerous but left Aura able to defend herself.

Aura tilted her head as the woman looked back at her. Not entirely sure how to begin. Part of it was to stifle any snide remarks on SUPER as it would not serve them well. It only just occurred to her she had never answered Lenna's question . "I am Aura, we shared a dance once, you were so beautiful as you moved. she said brushing her hair from her face, unaware of the flirtatious nature of the move or what her words actually implied.

"I to wish to talk but do you truly not know me?" the concern was evident in her face, Her own memories were a ruin of partial memories, multiple instance of memories and even those that contradicted themselves. perhaps it was because they had only met once. She did glance around however, to try and ensure this was no trap.

Aura was in a pair of tight fitted jeans and a hoodie which while light was a bit warm in the weather. Still she liked the coverage it gained. "You look younger, old friend" she said unsure what else to say on it, her eyes wandered over Lenna, looking for hidden weapons, but the close examination may well of looked different to anyone else.

The mystery woman had followed her. Okay. Now was the part where the lady told her why.

She did not look like the Lady who had deaged both her and Megan. The one Ty had shown her in a vision. So that was good. If she had, Lenna would probably have been more on defense than she actually was.

The lady was not from SUPER either because they were a bit more stupid and cloak and dagger than this. They opted to jump you rather than talking like civilized folk.

She could have been one of Lenna’s enemies but if she was, she was enemies with someone who no longer existed. Which sucked for her. Sucked for Lenna, too. Because try explaining that.

What she actually was, beyond all the theories Lenna had rattling around in her head, was Aura. Now, what was an Aura?

Was an Aura a person? Was that her name? Should she know an Aura? She felt a little bad that she would have to let this woman down because it sounded like they were friends. Had been friends. What with all the ‘f bombs’ she was dropping. The friend bombs.

The fact this Aura has shared a dance with her put all sorts of questions in her mind. The kids at the mansion might have said ‘puts question marks over me head.’ Or at least one might have. A really dumb one. What did that even mean? But she did have them, the question marks. Up there.

She had shared a dance with the woman. And she was so beautiful as she had moved. Wait. Was other Lenna into women?

The woman talked of dancing, and Lenna said ”Okay.” Not in a pissy way, or a patronizing way. Like where they draw the word out to insult you. Nope. Just an ok ‘okay.’

Aura moved on.

And Aura got the feeling Lenna did not know her. Now what had given her that hint, aside from all the hints she had dropped? The woman looked concerned.

”I am sorry, Aura.” Lenna shook her head.

The woman clued in on the angle, right away. Said she looked younger.

Lenna nodded.

”I am. I was deAged by a Lady. A mysterious one. Cowboy and I are still trying to find her... I am interested in hearing about what you know about me, though... we are trying to learn about our old selves as well. And it seems I have too many to count.”

Lenna held up her hands, and counted. She got to four, and then stopped and felt dumb. ”There is one who came before, then one who came after. She turned blonde for a time. And then... Me. Four. Which did you know?”

She glanced over her shoulder, to make sure nobody was moving in on them both. They were terribly exposed.

Lenna very purposefully did not ask about the lesbian angle. Not that she was biased against women who liked women. Dios mio, no. When one grew up in an all girls school prepping young women for war and covert operations, the options for romance are quite limited, barring the people who snuck out to break the rules. And find men. No, she just avoided the angle because it distracted from her true interests. Learning more about herself. Her other self. Although, if her other self was interested in women that was one thing of note. She was uncertain whether her Cowboy would be horrified, jealous, or the type to lament about having not witnessed the thing in question.

Men. Hmph.

Aura was unsure how to take this. Aura was someone who understood broken memories and the need to figure out what you were. She had gone to vastly different locations to try and repair her own memory. In a way she wished they had been wiped clean it would of been less distracting and cured some doubts she had even to this day.

She glanced around again. "I Do not think this is the place for this. I attract attention and the what i have to say may not be anything you wish others to hear" she began gathering her thoughts as she considered her next words. "I do not know how much you know about the past of this city, events that have happened. " she said unsure how Lenna would take another world existing with another copy of her. Aura had not taken it well at all, she had even tried to murder her counterpart, in that fight she had learned the other Aura was a far better person then her. A foolish x yes and with blood on her hands but one who wanted to do better, one that had not be on a suicidal rampage at the time. Her own messed up memories had triggered the need to kill her other self.

"The alley i think is best from what is close" she looked around again to make sure. Aura did not drive and so lacked a car. The Syndicate had tried to teach her, but Aura was a danger on the road to just about everything. Syndicate clean up crews were very efficient. The order had tried to, or well her father Abyss, the car had ended up in a pool.

She made her way towards the cover of the Alley way. She did not know two of the four Lenna she had mentioned but she was sure she knew at least one she was not. She did not go deep into the Alley only far enough to give cover from the outside. She was concerned the idiots at the Burger King might call the police for them loitering where they had been.

She checked to see if Lenna had followed. "Have you learned of the event where another earth and ours were linked? Their was another Aura there as well as another you" she said stopping to see how Lenna might react. The event was well documented so Aura knew she could show her proof. The idea lit in her head.

No, the place hadn't really seemed safe to her either. It didn't take much convincing to get Lenna to follow the woman to another location. As for what she was saying... she attracted attention? What, was she a wanted criminal? Was this how that worked? Lenna saved that little bit of information for later.

How much did she know about the past of the city, events. Plot.

"I know nothing." Lenna confessed. Or, next to nothing. Her information was minimal. Despite her feeling that she had known much in the past, more and more she realized how little she knew. Maybe the woman could help with this, yes?

The woman did not immediately tell her what she did not know. First, they had to move to a nearby alley.

Lenna hoped this was not simply some ploy to kill her. She did not know this woman, but the woman knew her. This Aura. Lenna followed.

They did not go too far into the alley. This left them both with a path of escape. Perhaps that was as much for Aura's sake as it was for her own? The cover was good. Some people were crazy in this city. While Lenna did not think the Burger King employees would do anything, this Aura had a noteworthy face... others might take note.

Aura checked to see she was there, and when she noted that Lenna was, she continued. She poke of linked earths and another Lenna. Lenna... tilted her head.

"No. This thing is not something I have heard of. Strange... but no stranger than someone making me young again. And it may explain some things. Are you saying I was from this world, and the others were from the other world? Or are you saying I am from another Earth...?"

This did not freak her out. It intrigued her. Every bit of body language she gave was telling the other woman she was interested, and wanted to know more. She was not holding back, or cautious. There was no disbelief behind a mask. Or plainly visible. It was not that Lenna was gullible. It was simply that she was open to the strange, since... the strange had been open to her. It was not as if she had learned anything less odd than this lately.

And because it had to be asked, Lenna said it. "Did we... my older self. Did I date you? I am simply curious. Please, take no offense."

She had intended to ease Lenna into the idea. While she had been raised on the concept of other earths, many others did not and she could understand the potential for doubt. Still this made things easier. It might not be her Lenna but this Lenna was also a Mutant and in the end that matters most of all. "Yes, i was unsure how much to say at once on that, before it happened the idea seemed insane to many. she said running fingers threw her hair slowly. "I knew two Lenna, the one from this earth, was a Null, a mutant who cancels other mutants powers. She was an old friend i have not seen in some time and to be honest i did think you were her. she paused a moment to Let Lenna grasp her implication though she suspected she might well before she finished. However your powers align with the second Lenna i met, in the other earth was tele-k Tela...Moved things with her mind. [/color] she said keeping it as short as she could both because the alley was only somewhat safer then their previously location, but the locations real value was she could try and shield Lenna if anything did happen.

she decided to side step the part about them dating for the moment "The other Lenna like you was older but their have also been cases of Mutants reversing in age and losing memories which might explain that descrepency." she went on looking around to make sure they were still alone as she took a breath the next part would be interesting.

She laughed a bit sadly. "No, though had we met differently i would not of said no. Assuming that is true, then you are the Lenna that in our first and only meeting tried to kill me, blow vs counter blow, verbal attempts to distract each other. Aura sighed happily, it could have almost been a date in her eyes. "As we danced, across the where house trying to out maneuver each other we made a connection. The paths out lives had taken, were sad, terrible and familiar. We stopped our danc-fight and in the end after a long talk we parted. she said hoping this news would not shake the girl to much. Aura viewed the fight as something of beauty had Super not been involved.

She displayed her palms gazing into them as she spoke. "I could be wrong of course, i don't know how we could ever confirm these things. I'm a monster not a doctor. If you are who i think, i know a bit more of your past though i'm not sure knowledge of it would comfort you, but i will not hide it" she said knowing well that she might be past the point of trying in any way to keep this girl mentally safe. She had already mentioned the attempt on her life. Still Aura made no move to block either exit, leaning back against a wall.

The woman had thought her idea insane. But had shared it anyways. Perhaps it had been insane. Insane things happen. It made sense the woman had been cautious.

Lenna had no idea what a null was. Luckily, aura explained it for her. A mutant who cancels other mutants powers. Kind of a crappy power. But also, kind of useful. Almost, it was its own form of luck, yes? To make someone’s ability fail at the exact right time? Idly, Lenna wondered if this power was a future extension of her own current power?

Different worlds, though, meant different powers perhaps? This one she spoke of was from Earth. What, then, was Lenna? A person from Not Earth? Mars? What?

She frowned in thought.

So the woman had thought her to be an old friend. Made sense. Better friend, than enemy. No need for enmity.

She readied herself to speak again, but Aura continued. And spoke of yet another Lenna.

Lenna tilted her head like a bird.

Telek- tele, she struggled with the world and settled for describing the idea behind it. Moved things with mind.

Stranger and stranger.

She did not move things with her mind, did she? Lenna let the thought pass through one ear and out the other, for someone else to worry about later. Aura was still speaking. No need to distract herself with contemplation.

The other Lenna was older. Mutants did reverse age. Losing memories. So that WOULD make sense.

As for the date comment— Aura almost seemed wistful about it. Had they met differently she would of ‘not said no...’ what exactly did that mean?

Lenna felt a sudden flush on her cheeks, and was unsure what to make of it. Blushes from her were rare.

Did that mean, if they had met on different circumstances, aura would have considered what they had done a date?

How could someone consider an attempted murder a date? Unless the banter were REALLY good... she had always figured what Eliana had done might have been very personal, almost intimate. If she had killed with a knife, close range. It was why Eliana had usually focused on taking out targets from far away.

Well. At least they had parted peaceably and Aura did not blame her for the attempted assassination... they had even made a “connection.” Huh. Dance fight. Interesting.

This attempted assassination begged the question, had it been for SUPER business, or freelance... or had Cortez been involved? Had she not checked in this place, and learned of his death? It was likely it was for SUPER, then. She HAD been following Megan, before things had happened to change her entire life.

The girl wrapped things up by calling herself a monster, not a doctor... and despite everything Lenna felt at that moment, all the confusion and was weirdness and wariness... her heart went out to this strange woman.

Lenna was silent for a moment. And then, she stepped forward. She held up a placating hand.

”If you are like me, if we connected... then I may understand what you struggle with. My boyfriend and I both consider this situation to be like a fresh start... with far fewer attempts at murder and whatnot.” She grimaced. Urp. What else could one say to phrase that thought? ”You seem nice enough to me. Not a monster. But then, I do not know you... though if you wanted to, we could be friends? I’m trying... to be better about having friends now. And the trust. Although if past level tried to kill you, she probably worked for SUPER and you might have concerns I do. I don’t.”

Lenna sighed. ”F&$&&)ing hate those guys. They tried to mess with me in my own house. Swiss Miss and I beat the crap out of them. Maybe you know Swiss Miss?” the thought struck her and it was too funny not to share. ”Blonde hair, blue eyes. Goes through things... burned a guy with her power to keep him from bleeding out? It is a small world, after all.”

She had never heard that song in her life. Just an unfortunate choice of words.

Funny how she had gone from wanting not to trust this woman to...to almost wanting to try and hug her and tell her she was no monster and was fine. But that seemed wrong for both of their tough girl characters.

Aura watched the blush and smiled softly. Her poor word choice was something she knew in the back of head, but often forgot about. However she tended to only recall that other people found her words odd, after she said them and had already led to other possible conclusions. For Aura their really was nothing more romantic then a good fight and good banter. It was a good distraction tool but also a good source of information as many hid things less well when focused on the fight.

A fresh start. The selfish part of her was jealous, wanting it for herself. The reasonable part however reminded her of the consequences that might carry. A normal life was in a way what she was getting now, but her hands would never be clean of either mutant of human blood. If only her path would have allowed it, but it was best not to dwell. Aura had learned the quality of the kill was better then quantity. Maybe in a way her and Lenna still shared a path.

Aura liked the idea of being friends. "I could use friends as well. Your right The Lenna i fought did work with SUPER, but we all make mistakes. I know what it's like to be raised as a weapon. I admit i do have concerns but i am willing to trust you until proven otherwise. she replied hoping it would not end up the case. Aura felt her duty to wipe SUPER out and if Lenna rejoined them they could not be friends. She also considered explaining why she saw herself as the monster but thought that perhaps the debate was not needed.

"I know no one by that name though the power reminds me of the former x men fade, though fade had red hair, things can of course change. Though i do not recall her power burning anything." she thought to herself. Her encounters with fade had been few and had forced Aura to consider how to fight a foe she could not see.

"Still you should know who you want to be friends with. When my powers first came to bear, i was kidnapped and taken to a forest where i was trained and my memories alterd to make a completely loyal soldier. When i first stumbled into NYC, i was under the impression humans and mutants were in all out war and had a shattered memory. I could recall things several ways and some memories were more vivid the others. By the time i knew Humans and Mutants were not in all out war, dozens lay dead publicly at my feet so to speak. The numbers increased rapidly over the years as i defended mutants anywhere i could. As such SUPER would love to catch me as would the police" she said feeling it easier not to expand on it unless Lenna asked her two.

"If you need help with SUPER you need but ask. I will do what i can to help. I am learning to be function out of combat but it is hard. Do you have goals past finding out about yourself? Has SUPER come for you again?" she asked curiously. Aura was not much out of combat and her ability to relate to people off the battlefield was less, but she wanted to learn and she did have her orders.

Confirmed. The other Lenna worked with super. Did the Lenna before that also...? Questions birthed questions.

Aura was willing to trust. Lenna nodded. ”I will not betray that trust.” she said.

She would be good to her word. She needed to figure out how to maintain her apartment, and for that needed money. But it seemed she had yet to have been evicted, which was apparently something that could happen. Maybe super still paid rent? She had already started moving clothes and objects of worth OUT of the place. Just to avoid those people rooting through her possessions. Something she was certain they would do. Them, with their zero morals.

Aura did not know Swiss Miss, by name or description. A shame she could not recall the silly woman’s fake name? It had been Moon something, or moon in another language? Tsukuhime? Whatever. It had been pretentious and she had decided against it.

No it had not been a redhead, or someone named Fade. ”Her alias had moon in it. Some foreign language moon girl.” A more worldly person might have made a sailor moon joke, but Lenna did not.

She listened as Aura talked of her powers beginnings. Of her beginnings, of misunderstandings and being taught one thing that was untrue. She felt like her story and this woman’s story were not so far apart.

Aura offered help and Lenna nodded. As for goals. She just said one word. “Work.”

Then she continued. ”Our stories are similar. I was kidnapadopted, by a Colombian drug lord and trained and taught to be his pawn. Then I deaged and wound up... here. I guess I am still learning about my... powers... and why everything is orange. But that is a problem for another day.”

She did not ask for aid with SUPER. She was not interested in that. Lenna could handle her own problems.

Aura was willing to take her at her word. The confirmation certainly helped as well. Aura tended to trust other mutants easily and she had a liking for Lenna, more so without her being a Null. Part of it being that while she did know this Lenna as well as the others she could certainly sympathize with a memory that was missing or simply could not be trusted. The woman also did not seem to flinch or care when Aura brought up who she was, thats always provided credit for Aura.

She shook her head unsure, not that she had ever been very good with names anyway, tending to refer to people by their powers or a nickname. "Our powers are a learning experience for sure. Only repeat use and testing their limits will bring you answers. As far as everything being orange, i can not relate unless it perhaps something to do with your powers or how they connect with items?" she said curiously, thinking about it herself. One could argue her world was largely pink, but she suspected not in the way Lenna was talking. For Aura when her aura wa sup, the entire world took a slight pinkish hue to it, Aura had learned to compensate but normally it matterd little.

"Columbia can be a rough place, i passed thrue heading into the Amazon once to find my sister. We do seem to be kindred though which is good." she sad pausing a moment as she considered carefully her next thoughts.

"If you do need a job, the Mansion maybe able to help. Sanctuary as well may have things but it has been awhile since i set foot there. Haven as well may have things but i lack more information then sanctuary. Barring those i maybe able to lend a hand as well. she said knowing the last was a bit of a risk.

"Of if that drug lord is still alive, we could go back and get you a severance package she said with a smile and a playful pink finger drawing a line across her next to reinforce the thought. The common low level drug dealer might not have much money but a drug lord of any merit would or atleast his operation would and then it would just be a matter of getting the money and fading away.

Her powers, connecting with items?

”An interesting thought.” Lenna allowed.

Perhaps it would be worthwhile to speak of mutations with this Aura girl some time. The woman seemed to have knowledge. Maybe even a love of mutations, as a whole.

Practice was always good. She had lost to the ice man. Maybe she was rusty. Practice against aura could be fun. Something she had a feeling the woman might echo, if she heard of it. Lenna listened as Aura spoke of her own experiences.

A sister. Colombia. The mansion. The sanctuary. Lenna nodded, graciously. She knew of the mansion, of course. Not that it could employ her. And what would she do? She had heard of the sanctuary through her Cowboy. Many thoughts.

Haven, she had heard very little of. Save for the fact it had parties.

The last thing aura said actually made Lenna frown. An odd thing, to frown over Cortez. ”I believe he is dead. Which is fine. But it makes closure such as that difficult to come by.”

Was it even her Cortez? All this talk of many Lennas. Lennas with different faces and strengths. Almost as if they came from different worlds. That might have been the only thing SUPER could have helped her with. Information on her other selves. But that was not a topic for Aura.

”I will keep what you have said in mind. I would love your contact information, but if you wish distance from SUPER... I will not put your number in my cellphone. I sort of stole it off an unconscious asshole from their organization, and he has been too scared to reclaim it.” She smiled thinly at that.

Lenna mentioned something that was alien to Aura mind, closure. "I...If only we could ask the dead the questions that rage within us. Like you, I will never be able to ask the questions i would most want to. Questions im not sure i even like asking myself. " she said considering her own lack of closure in life. She would never be ask Miracle the questions she so desired to and even felt bad for considering them.

"Thank you My friend. I will give you my contact information. I think while we might not be able to provide each other closure we can make it easier for us to find our way through it. Their are not many like us around, i have looked" she said and she had. Their situations were different of course but she believed close enough.

"The sad truth is, im a bit jealous of you. A chance to start over, To see my hands clean to not feel the souls of the dead's weight on my shoulders" she said looking at her palms for a few moments. She knew even if she had been deaged she would still have been guilty of what she had done. Still a growing part of her just felt exhausted by all the fighting and war and death. "I have been on the battlefield so long, I don't know much else. Do I have the right to stop knowing i can prevent suffering? she said with a sigh. it was a side of her she rarely showed. Yet the more she slowed down, the more she tried to play the respectable woman role, the syndicate had given her also gave her time to think about what had happened and what she had done.

She took out a pen and a piece of paper and wrote her number as well as an address. She did live there but also shifted between a few locations trying to make it harder for people to find her. One of their houses had been blown up a few years back and Aura had always worried it might happon again.

>> "I...If only we could ask the dead the questions that rage within us. Like you, I will never be able to ask the questions i would most want to. Questions im not sure i even like asking myself. " Aura said.

Lenna nodded. ”Yes. It is not easy.” They were on the same page. Similar pasts and similar struggles.

Lenna felt strange about Cortez. Conflicted. Closure would have been nice. Even if all she did was shout.

Aura decided to share her information, and brought up several good points.

Lenna agreed. ”Yes. Talking helps.” She had learned that, during her time at the mansion and with Ty. With Megan. With Cold Steel and with Skye.

Then, Aura said something Lenna was ill-prepared for. Jealousy, of her? If her situation? What was this? An eyebrow arched.

She fell silent, thoughtful.

To feel the souls... the weight. Aura had not vocalized the part about being deaged but still having blood on your hands, from another life. It was good she had not. Lenna likely would have reacted poorly to such suggestions. Still, she could empathize with the woman. To feel such weight, she did not even want to imagine. She WAS lucky. And Aura—

Aura spoke more. They were getting very deep now, and Lenna was used to the shallows. She was working on being able to go deeper, but — raised as she had been, soul searching was still hard.

She opened her mouth, then shut it. Not sure what to say.

Aura jotted down information, and Lenna took it. She looked at it. Then, she looked to the woman while pocketing the paper.

”I do not know much about what you said. About the choice to prevent suffering, or any of that. But— I do know about growing up in a community of people taught to think only of the battlefield, only of targets and takedowns. And— if you think you are helping people doing what you do, do what makes you feel happy? Do what makes you feel... useful, I guess? And—“

Lenna looked at Aura, tried to meet her eyes, all embarrassed-like. She brought her arms out and just held them there awkwardly, like she were waiting for something.

”I am sorry this is awkward. Us child soldiers likely do not get to talk much... about feelings. But my friends have taught me, uh. Can I give you a hug?”

Words to set it up, they kind of eluded her. But talking helped. And hugs? She supposed they were okay, sometimes! Just... not suddenly and without warning. And she had to be in the right mindset, or else she’d want to leave and ignore feelings and he mad or grouchy, and and and— she honestly didn’t want to think about any of that. To her it seemed as if Aura could use a hug. She would make the offer, embarrassing as it might seem. Damn it.