ooc: Note, all factual information about the Aquarium is true and taken from the official website If you join please try and keep it consistant: nyaquarium.com/nyaabout

I put open because if any other mutant wants to apply for a job here they can and use the Aquarium as a base for posting

ic:

Raina looked at the piece of paper in her hand and read the instructions out loud, "Surf Avenue & West 8th Street in Brooklyn" she laughed to herself. "I suppose an aquarium would be located on 'surf' ave." she grinned walking about the street.

It had taken a long expensive cab ride to get here from the mansion and as she heald the newspaper article in her hand trying to convince herself it wasn't a trap.

The Aquarium had existed for years - since 1957-and was the only one in NYC, there's no way this was just a trap to lure out mutants... but why would they be so blatant as to request one in the first place?

As if to re-assure herself she re-read the article:

Mutant Wanted: For Part time work with sea animals at the NYC Aquarium - water related powers requested or experieince and power with marine capability.

She didn't exactly have the top of the totem pole in regards to marine power. She may be able to turn into a fish but it didnt mean that she could talk to animals or something. She could freeze the water but there was very little she could do in regards to controlling it.

This couldnt be some sort of trap could it? She liked teaching music at the mansion but it wasnt making her feel like she was giving her power a purpose. After the run in with the illegal shark finning she knew she wanted to do something to give back she just didn't know what. It was her brother who found the add and suggested it.

All this thinking had lead her right to the main entrance of the doors. She stood and took a breath looking through the windows at the information desk. The place didn't seem all that scary or intimidating- but her experience with Dr. Che had taught her to be weary. So, she had her cell phone on her and a whistle- she wasnt exactly sure how it wouold help but if she needed to make a big noise she could.

She straightened her clothes and fixed her hair trying to seem more profesional, she held her resume in hand and a spare change of clothes in a bag just in case.

"Here we go!"

Her heels clicked on the lamanate floor as she walked through the entrance and headed to the information desk. She clutched her items closer to her and put on her biggest smile. "Hi, My name is Raina, I'm here for the interview?"

The young man took his glasses off and examined the sheet of paper on his desk. "Raina is it? Well that's a great name." he was younger than her and she was suprised to see a male receptionist. "Gray is waiting for you on the second floor, take that elevator over there and head up to 2 and then it's the first door on the right. You're the 4th person we've had today and you look the most human." he laughed. "so knock em dead!"

Her cheeks burned a little as she took in the intructions and wondered why he was so easy going about mutants. She gave a nod of her head and made her way to the elevator. Once inside all the air wooshed out of her. The doors closed and she pushed the big number 2 while looking at various photos mounted on the inside of the elevator of the Aquariums various residents. She smiled to herself at the photo of the octopus. She remembered reading that he routinely changed colours on demand for the public. His name was Squirt.

Raina never had that much of an interest in marine biology until now- but living up north she was very familiar with artic dwelling creatures. She wondered if she could use that to her advantage as the doors of the elevator opened and she made her way to the room.

The door was open and an older graying man with thick glasses dressed very well stood greeting her with kind eyes. "You must be Raina" he smiled. "please come in, we've been expecting you. And actually the Aquarium was founded in 1896."

Raina stared up at him with her mouth open. "how...?"

He tapped his head. "Telepath," he grinned. "Please come in and have a seat. There's no need to be alarmed. I hear you thinking of an experieince you had with a Dr. Che, how unfourtunate, but I assure you I am not like him."

No, not like him, Raina could easily see that. She started scanning her memory trying to think of his position within the Aquarium.

"I am the chair." he said with a smirk in reply to her thoughts, sitting down and offering her a cup of tea that she politely declined and she sat ajacent to him. There was another young man sitting to his right and a woman about the same age as Gray to the left she wondered...

"No, James and Andrea here are not mutants-" as he mentioned their names Andrea blushed a bit and Jamed looked away. "But I am, and we have a proud strong history of employing mutants. Sea creatures seem to get a long much better with mutants than humans." he grinned. "In fact, the reason we're looking to fill this position is because the person who previously filled it went to attend some school with Charles Xavier. I'm aware his sister school is here but I understand there are programs more unique to our previous employees abilities."

Raina nodded. She made a mental note to see what files they had at home an dhanded her resume across the table to Gray.

"Ah Excellent, I was reviewing this earlier. It's interesting, you don't appear to have much experieince with marine life but I do see that you lived in the north so you're likely to at least be familiar with our walruses"

Raina gave a musical laughed. "Too familiar" she joked.

"You do teach, which means you're good at leading a group... and you have more experieince with mutants..."he trailed off for a moment. "Raina, I am going to hire you, because I can read your thoughts and I've already seen your mutation. I know the good you want to do, and I approve of your motives."

this whole thing was happening so fast that all she could do was look on shocked.

"But, Andrea and James here don't have my ability, and I'd like if you don't mind, that you should show them your powers. I think it would be good for me to have a first hand encounter as well."

Raina nodded silently as she thought for a moment. Then she reached across the table and took Jame's water. "May I?" he nodded.

"I think this should help with the troubles you've been having with your Walrus environment. If I maintain it everday you wont have to pay a cent and have limitless abilities." she opened her mouth again and let the beautiful sound resonate from her throat and fill the air with it's cold chill. Instantly the top of the water froze. She stopped. "I can do more than this, but I need to use this water to show you my other ability... " she stuck her finger in the glass to break up the ice and reveal the cold liquid again. "Not so sure you want to look."

She stood up off her chair and walked to the center of the room and sat down. She took off her shoes and stockings and took a breath- Thank God she'd worn a skirt today... her extra clothes were in a bag nearby just in case. She poured the water on her legs and winced as the scales spidered across her skin and with the usual popping and melting her legs fused togeather and produced her long shiny green fish tail.

She cupped her hands around her neck after showing them her gills. "I can stay underwater as long as you want me to. I can help mantain and clean all the tanks and if any animal needs constant care I can do that. I can do basically anything you need me to."

She reached for her bag and pulled out a towell to begin drying off her legs. James and Andrea looked completley shocked but Gray simply smiled.

"I'm not sure how comfortable you are with your ability in the public eye Raina , but if you should ever feel brave I think including you in our sea lion show would not only help increase funds for our protection effort, but create an environment for which average people can view a mutant without being afraid."

Raina turned a little red. "Well Im not a circus act." she said bluntly. "But I'll consider it." her legs turned back to normal and she pulled on her stockings and shoes. "Ive got a job then?" she asked pulling herself to stand- her legs a little wobbly- and sitting back in her chair.

"Yes, You've got a job." Grinned Gray

A few hours later raina found herself being suited up with an underwater photo camera and a water proof watch. She wasn't expecting to be working already but she thought that they maybe wanted to see her in action... or maybe Gray was just very keen.

She liked Gray so far. She never knew her parents that well and she didn't have an grandparents... he automatically reminded her of that fatherly figure with the way he dotted over the animals. His main job was to manage the aquarium but on more than one occasion today Raina had found him feeding fish, mopping the floor, or passing out flyers. It was easy to see he really loved his job and took marine life seriously.

James and Andrea had been filling her in on their conservation effort and how a lot of the money the aquarium recieved went to conservation projects and releasing injured animals back into the wild after they'd been healed. She really liked that aspect of it and thought she'd like to focus more on it.

Andrea had mentioned offhandedly that she'd bring in more crowds if she performed with the sea lions but James had hushed her and reminded her that they wanted Raina's profesional experieince and not her performing one... and that anything of that nature would be up to Raina.

The idea had sat with Raina for a while. She wasn't exactly comfortable with her mutation... and being as the mansion was like having support to a degree but when you constantly went home to people who weren't OK with their mutation it was comforting to come to a workplace where the mutants here were.

She'd met a janitor who was also a musician only very discreetly. He had webbed hands and feet- would often help with in tank repairs thanks to his great swimming... but he like everyone else needed oxygen... not Raina.

Currently Raina sat on the edge of the sea lion tank. Today she'd be taking some photos of Spook the oldest living captive sealion ever. He was 45! Still very active and healthy, these shots would be promotional within the aquarium.

Raina wore a wet suit top but was naked from the waist down with a small blue tarp covering her. She stuck her toes in the chilly water and waited as the growing more comfortable transformation took place.

Soon she was completley emerged in the water leaving only the tarp behind. Gray, James, and Andrea watched on handing her the camera.

"I don't know how good I am with cameras." chirped Raina. "I'm no artist."

"Well you've got all the time in the world to become one, miss breathes under water." joked Gray.

Raina smiled and submurged herself.

Spook was already used to swimming with people, he was quite tame and friendly and instantly came over to inspect Raina. She smiled underwater and she twisted and curled underwater with the camera alongside Spook. Spook was playful and swam in barrells around her.

Gray watched on facsinated with the behaviour between the two and wondered how other animals would behave with Raina. She didn't give off the scent of a regular human and must smell more like one of them he deduced.

Raina would have laughed underwater if she could as Spook swam to her and away seeming to pose for the camera. She explored his inclosure taking shots from every angle.

After about an hour Spook seem tired and less playful so Gray signalled Raina to come out. She wasn't tired at all and looking at the watch was quite surprised that so much time had gone by.

She pulled herself to the edge of the water and passed the camera to James and then pulled herself up to a sitting position with her fin still in the water. Andrea handed her a collar and Raina gave her a funny look.

"Don't get the wrong idea, it's the best thing I could come up with right now so you won't have to hold your hands over your neck all the time." Raina looked at the thing in her hand and gave a shrug. She was used to wearing things on her neck to hide the scars. She pulled it around tight and it closed her gills.

"it works." she smiled. "for now, I don't want to wear a collar"

"Of course not." added Gray. "How was that for you?"

"exhillerating! Wonderful! I felt so at home." she admitted with a goofy grin "I could have gone on for days!"

"I only pulled you out because Spook was getting tired. We need to stick pretty close to his routine."

She sat talking with them a while going over the digital photos on the camera quite pleased.

Ever since his meeting with Raina, Sara, and Duke back at the sushi shop Luke had been looking into information about sonar and its uses underwater. Seeing as how the ability helped him function on land he had never worried much about its aquatic strengths instead focusing on controlling its use on dry ground but Raina's off hand comment had gotten him thinking. Burying himself in books (either brail or on tape), Luke dug up whatever information he could find about sonar and the way it worked under water. Obviously man made submarines used sonar but he had never read much about the whales and dolphins that used echolocation in order to find food in the form of fish or squid. New York had an aquarium that had been around for some time and even though they didn't have any whales or dolphins, they did have fish and squid which would allow him an opportunity to see just how sonar worked when transmitting through water.

Luke knew people would look at him strangely if they realized a blind man was coming into the aquarium alone so he had to present a look that wouldn't draw attention. Thankfully most of the aquarium was outside, allowing sunglasses to be worn and not stand out. As long as the blind man left his special cane at home and didn't take the sunglasses off, he should be able to blend in without any problems.

Taking the bus in order to once again blend in with the crowd, Luke was able to arrive at the aquarium at a decent hour. Joining the lines of people buying ticket, Luke payed with a credit card to make sure he wouldn't have to bother fumbling with the change he would get back after purchasing his ticket. Picking up a map Luke made a show of looking it over though he was really paying more attention to the sounds he was hearing.

"Oooh, Dad, look! Sea otters! Can we go see the otters?!"

"No! I want to go see the ocotpus!"

"Both of you relax. The sea otters are right near the octopus exibit so we'll see one and then the other!" The rather exasperated father explained to his two children.

Smiling slightly to himself Luke fell into the flow of people, keeping track of the father and his children and their conversation as he slowly made his way towards his first destination. All around he could sense the fish swimming but knowing that octopus were the primary target of sperm whales Luke decided he should stick to that as his first test.

"Will we get to see the sea lion show?"

"Yes, we'll see the sea lion show. It's not until 2:30 so we've got time. Just relax and enjoy everything. We have time to see everything."

As the group moved outside of Conservation Hall and into the open once more, Luke felt the cool autumn breeze moving against his skin and closely cropped hair. The sun was shining brightly without the slightest hint of a cloud but the telltale signs of colder weather were still moving in.

"So we'll go see the otters first... they're right out here in front of the sea cliffs. Then from there we'll go to the octopus and seahorse exibits."

Already Luke could hear the honking and barking of sea lions and seals happily playing in their watery homes. Extending the distance and strength of his sonar the blind man smiled in appreciation, turning his head to focus on the seals darting in and out of the water like guided missiles. Without the slightest strain they performed twists and turns that would have put even the most athletic swimmer to shame.

"Things seem clearer in the water." Luke noted to himself as he moved closer to the glass encloser, "Probably because it's a liquid instead of a gas it carries the sound better than air. It would probably be even better if I was in the pool too but to do that I'll probably need to go to the mansion. I think Neena mentioned something about their pool."

The father and his children were continued to move away but Luke wasn't really concerned as he paused and watched the seals with the 'sight' he had been blessed with. He had all the time in the world and there were plenty of people chattering nearby that he could follow to the correct destination. Suddenly he noticed something at the edge of his sonar and changed his focus over towards where the sea lions were kept. There were some people up on the edge of the sea lion tank and one of them seemed very familiar. Walking slowly in that direction Luke continued his charade of enjoying the sights even as he focused on the one person that was sitting with their feet in the water, only they didn't look like any legs or feet Luke had sensed before.

"Where do I know her from?" The blind man wondered as he focused on the way the woman moved and gestured with her hands. "Park? No. Bookstore? No. Restaurant? Yes... sushi. Is that... oh... Raina... the teacher from the mansion. What is she doing here?"

Raina was happily looking at the camera when it slipped from her hands and back into the tank. "Aw darnit." to make the camera water proof it was in a clear plastic sphere that made it hard to hold on to. "Think Spook would mind one last swim to get that?" she asked looking despondently at the sinking camera.

"So long as you're quick." said James. "This area's open to the general public in about a minute if not less... it'll be filling up."

"Got it!" and with that Raina propelled herself gracefully not unlike Spook through the water twisting and turning her way to the bottom of the tank until she reached the camera. She was focused on her task and didn't see Luke to her right as she reached the bottom and got the camera. She twisted gracefully again and headed for the surface, breaking it with the camera in hand.

"Great." called Andrea taking it from her.

Raina pulled her arms up as James and Andrea took hold. "We'll carry you to the locker room Raina, you can dry off and change there" she nodded.
------

A few minutes later Raina emerged from the locker room with her regular clothes on and her hair dripping a little. She held a towel and tried drying it while walking around to the outside of the seal exhibit to see it from that view when she walked right into Luke and sent herself sprawling on to the floor.

As Raina dove back into the water and moved towards the bottom of the pool, Luke could only watch in rather stunned silence. The woman didn't have legs... she had a fish tail that made her extremely graceful in the water. "So her mutation really is fish related." Luke thought to himself as he remembered a few comments he had heard back at the sushi restaurant however long before, "That's interesting and... different."

"We'll carry you to the locker room Raina, you can dry off and change there" He heard one of the people say as Raina resurfaced. Obviously it made sense that she couldn't walk with a tail like that but those comments also made it apparent that she couldn't completely control when she had a tail and when she didn't. "She didn't have a tail at the restaurant did she? I didn't notice one and I was sitting right beside her." The blind man thought to himself, "So if I'm right and she didn't have one then, what makes her legs turn into a tail like that?"

Luke wasn't sure why but for some reason he decided to hang around the tank for a while. It hadn't sounded like Raina was going to come back but there was always that chance and he was curious. Finally, at the edge of his sonar a young woman appeared. It took a few seconds to completely recognize her because once again she was walking on two legs but there were still certain actions and movements that were all Raina.

"Hello again R..." Luke began as he turned to face her, only to realize with a sinking stomach that she hadn't seen him and was about to run into him.

Luke's reactions were fast but not fast enough for this... Raina ran into him and sent him stumbling backwards while his sunglasses dropped to the pavement. He was able to maintain his footing but she wasn't so fortunate and ended up sprawling on the ground right next to wear his sunglasses has fallen.

"Are you OK?" Luke asked as he moved back over and knelt down, offering her a hand to help the young woman back up to her feet. "How about we try this again... hi Raina, it's good to meet you again."

Raina turned as red as her hair and reached for his outstretched arm. "I am s-so s-sorry." she stammered. "Ugh. I was completley lost in my thoughts... wasn't paying attention, are you alright?" she carefully dried her hair with the tail to not trigger her mutation.

"It's nice to see you too. How have the headaches been?" She asked. "I just got a job here." she added to explain her precense.

"I am s-so s-sorry. Ugh. I was completley lost in my thoughts... wasn't paying attention, are you alright?"

"I'm just fine... I got braced before you hit. Sorry I didn't have time to dodge around you." Luke replied with a slight smile. Suddenly something clicked in his mind... his sunglasses were gone... he wasn't wearing sunglasses. Luke's only prayer at going unoticed now was to find his sunglasses fast and put them on before someone nearby realized that a blind man was walking through the zoo without the slightest problem.

"It's nice to see you too. How have the headaches been? I just got a job here."

"Uh... headaches have been fine." Luke replied as he suddenly looked down, focusing his sonar on th ground nearby. The sunglasses had fallen off when he got hit so there was no way they could have gone to far... could they? Amping up the power he extended his sonar approximately twenty feet out from himself, focusing on the ground until he spotted what he was looking for.

"Found ya!" He said triumphantly as he took three quick steps past Raina and snatched up the glasses, immediately hiding his eyes from view before turning back around to face the young woman, "Oh... sorry about that. I don't want to go scaring off your patrons. It was nice to see you here at work... quite revealing actually." Luke finished somewhat teasingly, "Deffinately the most attractive mermaid I've ever run into."

Yeah... that was the only way to describe what he had seen. A woman that changed into a fish woman with a tail instead of legs... from what he had read mermaid was the only thing that fit this description. Of course, now the question was how in the world did she stay clothes when she was changing like that? "Keep the mind out of the gutter." Luke thought rather sternly to himself as he kept a slight smile on his face, "You barely know this girl so don't go getting any ideas."

Raina turned a shade of green. "Oh, you 'saw' that did you? I guess you'd find out sooner or later. I'm rather still getting used to it.. It never used to be my main mutation but I guess it is now... makes bathing rather tricky." she snorted. "I never refer to myself as a mermaid but I guess that's what it is." she added. "I should have seen it coming I guess... seems to go in line with my other mutation and the myths surrounding my tribe." Raina was native though with the raging red hair it was hard to tell some times.

"I suppose seeing a blind man apparently seeing things would be quite confusing." she commented. "Though Im glad you can see things here. You can't see paintings but it would be a shame if you missed any of this, it's amazing." she reflected for a moment on how much she was loving this job already. "Did you want to stay a while and "see the sights" with me? If you're worried people will get suspicious we can always play up the blindness and I'll start describing things for you" she joked. "Still, It be nice to visit."

It had been a while since Raina had company around her own age, and male influence other than her brother and Flloyd.

She shuddered. Thinking of Flloyd made her think of Rupert, and thinking of both of them made her mentally shut down for a second . She never thought of herself as permiscuous but she was sure going to look it if she wasn't careful. But Rupert was well over a year ago and well and gone never to be seen again, and Flloyd... well Flloyd never actually 'did' happen, she couldnt help it if she caved a little here and there. But one boyfriend and what almost mistake over a whole year? She couldn't be that concerned what others thought could she?

She found herself wondering for a second if this was a mutant thing or just a Raina thing, to get so attatched to a member of the oppisite sex who mearly showed you kindness. She wondered if Luke had any issues with the ladies.

For a brief moment Luke hesitated at the offer from Raina but then, his smile widened just a little and he nodded. "It would be nice to... 'see' the sights with you but we shouldn't need to play up the blindness side of things unless we go inside where the glasses have to come off."

Turning towards the rest of the park Luke began to walk slowly along with Raina, stopping at any displays she or he found interesting. "Before I noticed you by the sea lions I was watching the seals swim around. I was thinking that they would put the best swimmer to shame but you just might give them a run for their money if your little exhibition was any indication."

It was strange to fall into conversation with a woman he barely knew so easily. Sure she was a mutant so it gave them some kind of common ground but Luke had never had a lot of female friends. In fact, he could count on one hand the female friendship's he had that had not been purely driven by physical attraction and sex.

"So how long have you been catching sailor's eyes and coaxing them out of their ships?" Luke asked, still enjoying Raina's embaressment, although there was nothing mean spirited about his teasing. It was rather interesting to hear that the tail had not always been a part of Raina's mutation and it made him wonder what might happen with his own mutation down the road. "What would I do if it were fins like this? Sonar is used underwater more than it is up here on the surface but I'm a land based man. No way that could happen to me... could it?"

Raina smiled feeling instantly relaxed as they walked and talked looking at this and that, commenting about the fish and watching the passerbyes. She'd dart her eyes to steal a glance at Luke when she thought he wasn't looking. She laughed about the comment with the sea lions.

"That took a long time to get down." she admitted. "there aren't a whole lot of opprotunities to swim in NYC and even though the mansion has a pool, Chlorine hurts the gills." It was a lttle weird to be talking about gills in sucha normal way.

When he made a joke about the sailors she made a face. "I dont lure any sailors" she laughed. But the seriousness of his question weighed on her a moment and she was silent.

"They say my mutation, my secondary one... may never have appeared had I not been under so much stress." she held out her wrist. "I'm not sure if your eyes can see features like this, but I'm scarred... from the registration act. I was in one of those holocaust-like camps." she said sounding as if her mind had drifted a million miles away.

"It's been a long time since it happened, but I still have nightmares. I was seeing someone before I was in the camps, someone who didn't know I was a mutant." it was weird she was opening up like this... she wasn't really sure why because she barely knew Luke. But Raina never talked about this to anyone really so the words kept pouring out of her. "I thought we were in love but I suppose it cant be love if you're not honest with each other. He hated mutants and I was one. He was a cop, a detective rather... and he iniated the raid on my home when the act finally passed. Dropped me like a hot potato when he saw my abilities..."

She trailed off a moment reliving the memory. "ironically, we'd allready 'processed our love'" she said not wanting to say 'had sex' directly, "before everything came to a head. Neither of us knew it but when They started beating me up in the camps I found out I was a few weeks pregnant... after I had the miscarriage."

She'd never actually spoken about the miscarriage to anyone. Ever. "It was a lot of stress, drama, just so unreal and all happening at once. My body couldn't handle it and my dormant secondary mutation that may have stayed dormant my whole life broke through. It was really awful at first and painful but I learned to control it and use it."

She hadn't even touched on how recently she tried experimental surgery to get rid of it. Yeah, Drama fest. She figured she was telling him too much already when she felt warm tears spilling out of her eyes. She hoped he couldn't see them as she whiped her face and struggled to gain her composure.

"Sorry. That was weird. I've never really talked about it before Im not sure why it all spilled out now"

The conversation had started off rather light but a heaviness had appeared with surprising swiftness as Raina recounted her story. For the few minutes it took to tell Luke was quiet, just listening. That had always been one of his strengths and admitedly was one of the things that had drawn women to him in the past. When Raina held out her wrist, Luke was close enough to see the marks that had bitten into the skin. While it was true he couldn't see the redness that would always be there he could see enough of the mark to feel a touch of anger growing in his mind, although he ignored it for the moment.

"Ironically, we'd allready 'processed our love before everything came to a head. Neither of us knew it but when They started beating me up in the camps I found out I was a few weeks pregnant... after I had the miscarriage. It was a lot of stress, drama, just so unreal and all happening at once. My body couldn't handle it and my dormant secondary mutation that may have stayed dormant my whole life broke through. It was really awful at first and painful but I learned to control it and use it."

So her secondary mutation was brought on by stress... poor woman. The fact she had gone through those camps made it so that she had gone through a completely different situation than what Luke had experienced. Suddenly Luke noticed something... if he had been a few feet further away from Raina he never would have seen it but being this close he could see the tears running down her face. A part of him wanted to immediately reach out and put his arm around her but for the moment Luke held back, noting rather distractedly that she was wiping the tears away as though trying to hide them from him.

"Sorry. That was weird. I've never really talked about it before Im not sure why it all spilled out now"

"It spilled out because you need to talk to someone." Luke replied quietly, "And if there's one thing a blind person can do well it's listen. In some ways not being able to see colors is a curse but at the same time it's a blessing because people like me can't judge you on what we see... we have to talk to you and get to know you."

Stopping in a somewhat more secluded section of the walkway Luke turned to Raina, lifting his left arm to gently touch her shoulder. "I was fortunate to never go into the camps... I was marked as a mutant but I wasn't considered dangerous so I did what I could in the outside world. My work may have had an effect and it may not have... I don't know, but I'm not going to begin to cheapen what you've gone through by saying I understand what you're feeling but I am sorry. I'm sorry you've had to go through so much pain but at the same time I admire you... you've kept a goodness within you that most people would have lost. You're a strong woman Raina, whether you realize it or not and though I've only just met you, I can still see that."

No one had ever apologized to Raina for what she'd gone through. Not Rupert who put her there in the first place, or Flloyd who wanted her so badley. Luke had nothing to do with the experieinces but the fact he was sorry that she had to go through it touched her immensly that she shuddered.

She was embaressed to be so emotional- she was always emotional but the truth was that since the camps she'd been a little over emotional. She could never quite get herself to calm down easily enough when she got going and though she was able to stop herself from crying (too much would set off her powers) she couldnt stop the waves in her stomach and the goosebumps on her skin.

She looked down at the scar the bracelet had left on her wrist, and touched the one the collar had left on her neck. Without warning she stepped forward and gave Luke a hug. "Thankyou." she whispered. "No ones ever apologized for this." she paused a moment then added, "and if you tell them back at the school how much of a sissy I'm being I'll beat you black and blue." a completley idle threat since Raina probably couldn't beat anyone black and blue. She pulled away and gave a nervous laugh trying to get the attention off herself.

"Heh, it's weird how when mutants meet we could have known each other our whole lives because of the things we DO have in common. It's too bad regular humans aren't like that. They should be." she gave a little musical chuckle, a nervous one still trying to regain her composure. "I went through something hard but I'm sure you've been through your share of troubled. " she was curious afterall. "Were you born blind? If you dont mind me asking? When did your powers show themself?"

She was anxious to get the focus off her and on to him. She admitedtly wanted to know more about him but Raina was like this pristine eloquent creatures with storms raging around on the inside.

The hug was a complete surprise and Luke was frozen as this beautiful woman suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. Next came the joking threat... at least Luke assumed she was joking followed by questions about himself. Smiling as best he could Luke dropped his arm back to his side and turned to resume walking.

"Yes, I was born blind. My Mom ran out soon after I was born because she couldn't handle having a child with a inoperable disability and my Dad killed himself not long after my second birthday because he couldn't handle life without my Mom around. I went through most of my childhood... up until I was sixteen years old thinking I would never be able to see because my optic nerves were formed so diseased and damaged. My enhanced hearing has always existed although it has grown in strength of time but then at sixteen I began to have pulses of... vision but I could see all direction at once. It took around two months for me to become at all accustomed to it but eventually my mind learned how to handle it."

It was a strange feeling to be recounting his own story. Luke had grown up virtually alone with his only friends being a few teachers. He had always been the outsider so it was still strange to have someone that would accept him for who he was.

"My Uncle Oliver didn't know anything about raising kids so he had me go to different preparatory academies across Europe. I was the weird blind kid so all I had to focus on until I graduated was my school work. Once I was eighteen I became a partner in my families security firm but I took an offer to have slightly less profits but absolutely nothing to do with the country. My Uncle was happy because he got have more of the money and that was fine by me. I back packed all over Europe and Asia just to see how the world worked. After an experience with some... less an savory characters I went to Oxford to learn business while also studying Bartitsu."

Stopping Luke turned his gaze to Raina, smiling apologetically. "Sorry... bartitsu is a combination of a lot of different fighting forms. Anyways after I graduated from school I came back to New York and upset my Uncle by becoming part of the business again. When the registration act swept through I had to dissapear from the spotlight so the company didn't go under and that's basically where I still am. I do a little work now and then but for the most part I've let the company run by itself."

Turning around to face the exibit they had stopped at, Luke made a show of watching the Penguins while he allowed Raina a few moments to digest what he had just said. Penguins were a strange creature... they were so awkward looking while they wobbled back and forth on land but as soon as they hit the water they transformed into miniature missile rocketing back and forth with what seemed like minimal effort. "Kind of like Raina when she has her tail... awkward on land but beauitful in the water."

"Some of our lawyers were aiding the team that eventually overturned the registration act but as you know a lot of bad had already been done. I do what I can to help the city with my ability and I've had to learn some lessons. One person doesn't make that big a difference but to move the mountain, even moving one speck of dirt is progress."

Raina listened very intently as Luke described his up bringing. "I backpacked around too!" she giggled melodically. "Well, I kayaked a lot of places." she corrected herself. "That's how I ended up here."

She wonder what it must have been like to attent college instead of taking everything through ditance. Raina only did it because it was cheaper and it could accomodate her traveling so long as she could get an internet connection.

She hadn't asked him how old he was but it was obvious they were close in age, he may even be older. That made her feel a little relieved. At least she wasn't being a pedophile here! Some of these kids mutations made them look so much older! It was disturbing

She was sad to hear his family desserted him and was reminded of her own family. Her own family did it more for the safety on the tribe and since Raina was afraid of her own powers she never heald it against them. It was weird to think of them, aside from Naveed she really had no ties to them.

She listened to his vast work experieince and was impressed. She wondered what a job would be like that as they stopped to watch the penguins. They were sliding and waddling around a happy little bunch on the ice that she'd reconstructed that morning. They seemed like friendly little creatures but she knew that they could be as annoying as common pidgeons.

"I'm a firm believer that every ounce of help, helps. I try really hard to be a good person and do good things even if their small. It's hard when things like the registration act happen to know what's good and what's revenge." she was reminded of her conversation with the xmen. "I belong to a group of mutants that are meant to build bridges between humans and mutants, promote peace, and prove that humans can co-exist... but after the camps I think a lot of the groups views are jaded. It frusturates me that I can clearly see the right thing to despite being such an emotional person and having awful things done to me, when their thoughts are clouded by grief and revenege."

She pondered it for a moment. "It must have been amazing for you when you started 'seeing; the images. Like a new birth." she remembered not being able to speak the entire time she was in the camps.

"So is that what brings you to the big apple? Your job?"