Meld trailed Pluto out of the theature, anticipating what might be next on their date. It had been so long since she had gone on a proper date and she had, if she was willing to admit it to herself, been nervous. But, in her opinion at least, things seemed to be going well.

“Now where do we go from here? Perhaps a stroll in the park might agree more with getting to know one another?”

"That sounds lovely," Meld agreed. "The park is one of my favourite places to go, especially late at night. It helps me think." Of course, usually while in the park she preferred thinking while on the treetops practicing her martial arts and improving her balance but that seemed an activity a little unusual for a date, even for people like the two of them. She smiled up at Pluo.

Another short car ride later and they were in the fanatical piece of nature deemed worthy to survive in the masses of development surrounding it. It was a reminder of how the world should look, but all around them was what man would do with the whole world. build it bigger, higher, faster, better. Pluto tapped the trunk as they exited and out came the wicker basket, with the pair of blankets on top of it. Pluto offered his arm to the lady.

" what is your favorite part? I a, partial to the parts that you can almost forget that there is a city any where around, the thick parts that make it so you can pretend that if you stepped out of the treeline that you wouldn't simply be in a city again but maybe some wild huge field or meadow. something untainted by years of structure and humanity and buildings upon buildings." in that world there would be no doubt who controlled what, who won who survived. Mutants wouldn't be feared then they would be deemed hero's the great hunters, the warriors, the champions, the totems. bah, he really was going to have to stop thinking like that if he was going to clean up his act.

Central park was one of the few places that reminded Meld strongly of her home back in Canada. A home that she could never return to, of course. There was nothing to return to. Her parents had disowned her because she was a mutant, her sister was dead and she didn't have any friends back there. Only dead enemies and bad memories. But still, Central Park reminded her of the treese and the forests of home and that was comforting in its way.

" what is your favorite part? I a, partial to the parts that you can almost forget that there is a city any where around, the thick parts that make it so you can pretend that if you stepped out of the treeline that you wouldn't simply be in a city again but maybe some wild huge field or meadow. something untainted by years of structure and humanity and buildings upon buildings."

"I like the peace it offers," Meld answered. "In the city there are so many people all going about their individual lives as if they are the center of the world. And they judge, they judge because I look different than they do and they judge because I am willing to stand up for what I believe in ways that are not deemed socially acceptable. But out here its different. Out here I can be alone with my thoughts." She looked up into Pluto's eyes. If anyone could understand such a thing, she had a feeling it would be him. He was just as trapped in his form as a visible mutant as she was. No one who could hide what they were could understand what life was like for those who could not.

"I like the peace it offers," "In the city there are so many people all going about their individual lives as if they are the center of the world. And they judge, they judge because I look different than they do and they judge because I am willing to stand up for what I believe in ways that are not deemed socially acceptable. But out here its different. Out here I can be alone with my thoughts."

Pluto’s cheeks rose slightly. “I know exactly what you mean, though I have a third reason I like the woods…” he sounded guilty but had to say it. “ sometimes I like to spook Joggers, make trees squeak and creak, make them wonder what is past their comfort zone in the scary shadows. But hey, if they are here for the exercise they burn more with an adrenaline rush, and most of the time they run faster. I know, its bad. But, it is also very fun.”

“I’ve thought about getting out of the city, somewhere sparse, somewhere where the people would have to eventually get used to how I look and accept that in spite of it, I am not my looks. But then I’d be abandoning any sort of support for the cause, only looking for my own cuase.”

“I know exactly what you mean, though I have a third reason I like the woods…sometimes I like to spook Joggers, make trees squeak and creak, make them wonder what is past their comfort zone in the scary shadows. But hey, if they are here for the exercise they burn more with an adrenaline rush, and most of the time they run faster. I know, its bad. But, it is also very fun.”

Meld laughed at the image. It wasn't something that she had ever attempted before but now that she considered it, she really wasn't sure why. Maybe because a giant red demon mutant was more effective at scaring the bublic than a bladed cyborg? Or maybe it had just been so long since she had done something just for the fun of it that she had almost forgotten how.

“I’ve thought about getting out of the city, somewhere sparse, somewhere where the people would have to eventually get used to how I look and accept that in spite of it, I am not my looks. But then I’d be abandoning any sort of support for the cause, only looking for my own cuase.”

Meld nodded her understanding. "I know exactly what you mean. How much easier would it be to just go away somewhere and live peacefully in the woods? But I know that I would get antsy and then I would feel guilt over not doing my part to help out my fellow mutants. I don't have things nearly as bad as some." There was a connection here, with Pluto, she could feel it.

"I know exactly what you mean. How much easier would it be to just go away somewhere and live peacefully in the woods? But I know that I would get antsy and then I would feel guilt over not doing my part to help out my fellow mutants. I don't have things nearly as bad as some."

He nodded. And really that was all he could do,How much could you agree with someone before it was a bad thing? he veered off the path to a little part of the park that he liked to think of as his. There was a circle of trees that only let a little bit of the perma-light of new York there and it was almost dark there, it was like mood lighting, and he always thought it would be perfect for a late night pic a nic or a murder…he never could decide which would be better in the scene it certainly would and could be made into a tragically beautiful scene or something poetically romantic.

He spread the blanket out and then set the other folded blanket toward what would be melds side and then the basket on top. It looked like it was down to something a bit closer to romance, unless Meld decided he was boring and cut him.

He scratched at the back of his head not quite knowing what to do next. “well this is about as far as I got on thinking ahead, there are little bite sized snacks, and wine.”

There was a certain sweet romanticism involved in having a picnic at night in the park, a romanticism that Meld never thought she would ever have the opportunity to experience for herself. She was a cold blooded killer dedicated to the mutant cause, what right had she to a normal date with someone as wonderful as Pluto seemed to be?

Well, perhaps normal wasn't quite the right word for what was going on this night, but wonderful definately was. Nothing about either herself or Pluto or their topics of conversation were exactly normal and yet she certainly wasn't about to start complaining. Normal, in her life, would get bored very fast anyway. Besides, in all likelyhood she would frighten off normal sooner or later and something told her that Pluto wasn't so easily frightened.

"That sounds wonderful," Meld agreed with a genuine smile. She sat down on the offered blanket and waited to be served. A part of her wanted some unsuspecting human to wonder by just for the amusement of scaring the daylights out of him or her and a part of her just wanted to be alone with Pluto and enjoy his company.

~~"That sounds wonderful,"

Pluto set down on the blanket and plucked open the basket… it was already to go and so he set out the large bowl with fruit in it , he popped the lid off of it and it released a sweet fresh smell, The little tray of cubes of cheese and meat and crackers was next and last was the little cubes of fudge. It was the only thing that required cooking that he knew how to make, but he made it well. The variations of type dark, light, white, marble, mint. He then pulled out a smaller box, that opened to a pair of wine glasses, they were delicate and he would more than likely break his before the night was over, but he had to try it. if it didn’t work well there were red plastic cups in the basket still, he carefully poured a half glass of the vintage he picked and hoped it was good.

‘And this M’lady. Can be our secret get away. Our escape from that world, a moment into what secretly whispers to us to forsake responsibility for peace and quiet, there is no harm in tasting what it is like for a bit I’m sure.”

‘And this M’lady. Can be our secret get away. Our escape from that world, a moment into what secretly whispers to us to forsake responsibility for peace and quiet, there is no harm in tasting what it is like for a bit I’m sure.”

Meld blushed. She actually blushed. In any other circumstances she woudl have been profoundly embarrased by such a reaction, but with Pluto it was different; with Pluto she didn't feel as if she needed to be embarrased by anything. It was an odd feeling for one so accustomed to showing the world only the parts of herself she was comfortable showing the world. She never showed weakness, not if she could help it.

"This is beautiful." Meld accepted a glass of wine. She rarely drank and when she did she didn't drink much, but this seemed like the sort of time when a drink would be appropriate. She was careful in how she accepted the glass,not wanting ot accidentally crush it in her clawed metal hand. Such were the disadvantages of not being able to feel.

Her cheeks lit up with a slight rouge and it looked pleasant there, he wasn’t sure what it was but, it was flattering and oddly enough a trait he and all of his brothers were pleased by, warmth on woman’s cheek.

"This is beautiful.”

“That is a relief; I kept wondering if it would be too, I don’t know, Cheesy?” he smiled slightly at the way she took the cup. And then the smile widened as his mind got away with him. “ Don’t worry I brought some plastic cups too, I destroy all sorts of stuff when I am not paying attention, but I figured we might attempt wine glasses.” He the n admitted to his wild errant thought. “ It fits the same Idea of the night though, chasing a bit of something unknown, using the delicate little glasses.” Ok so he didn’t say how he pictured them as a pair of gods feigning to be mortals, but he wasn’t sure how prepared to get to know Pluto she was, he was cautious to ease into it. He knew good and well he could be overwhelming at times.

"Its not cheesy at all," Meld assured Pluto. She hadn't realized just how much of a romantic she was at heart, hadn't allowed herself to even consider such things. But being confronted with it now, she realized just how true it was. It was just so sweet and lovely how could she not love it?

“ Don’t worry I brought some plastic cups too, I destroy all sorts of stuff when I am not paying attention, but I figured we might attempt wine glasses.”

Meld laughed light heartedly at the image. "Its something you and I have in common I'm afraid. I might not be half as strong as you," and she knew it wasn't even a competition, "but sometimes I don't know my own strength. Its especially bad when I accidentally cause some poor soul to bleed while shaking hands." Oops, she hadn't meant for such a morbid thought to actually be vocalized but what was said was said and there was no taking it back now.

“ It fits the same Idea of the night though, chasing a bit of something unknown, using the delicate little glasses.”

Meld blushed again and felt like kicking herself in embarrasment. She couldn't remember the last time she had blushed so much, if there even was a last time. "That's very sweet but, unknown or not, I think I'm a lot less delicate than these glasses and I get the feeling you are as well." A smile and a thought that, though the two of them might not be delicate whatever they thought they might find together perhaps was.

"I'm not really used to doing this." It was stated as a sort of apology, though an apology for what she wasn't entirely certain.

~~"Its not cheesy at all,"

“well, ok. Good, I am glad that it isn’t.” he said needing the reassurance, He hadn’t even done this, technically, the dream didn’t count really since it was a dream, Jaxon didn’t even remember so how could anything be real about it…” or so he assumed.

~~"Its something you and I have in common I'm afraid. I might not be half as strong as you," "but sometimes I don't know my own strength. Its especially bad when I accidentally cause some poor soul to bleed while shaking hands."

Pluto simply nodded, if she thought that was going to spook him as unlady like well, she had a lifetime of being around Jupiter’s morbid sense of humor to thank for a barrier that would more than likely allow her all the leeway she ever need.



~~"That's very sweet but, unknown or not, I think I'm a lot less delicate than these glasses and I get the feeling you are as well."

“now that is something that we have in our favor.” She certainly didn’t look breakable, not that he wanted to be rough with her or anything but it might be nice to not have to worry about breaking someones hands constantly.

~~"I'm not really used to doing this."

He shook his head, “me either, It’s a relief I think, we don’t really have to live up to anything, its just nice to be.” He stated as he made a little tray of all the bite sized items. His hand brushed at one of hers as they neared. His eyes flashed to hers and if his cheeks weren’t permanently red she might have noticed that he couold blush a bit too.”

“me either, It’s a relief I think, we don’t really have to live up to anything, its just nice to be.”

If Meld wasn't greatly mistaken she might think that Pluto blushed a little at that comment as well, a fact that made her feel a little less embarrassed by her own blushing. Thanks to her flesh melded eye, her night vision was very keen and it was only because of that that she was able to notice such things.

It was only because of Meld's night vision that she noticed when Pluto's hand brushed hers. She couldn't feel a thing and that sent a pang of despair through her. No matter how well things were going, and in her opinion they certainly seemed to be going well, she would never be able to feel his touch. Never. Touch was a sense almost entirely bereft of her, a side effect of her mutation. She hoped the dark feeling didn't show on her face. She moved her hand closer to Pluto's; just because she couldn't feel didn't mean that he should be prevented from it.

"What do you do when your not crashing weddings and charming young damsels?" Meld asked, grinning as she tried to dispel her self desparing thoughts. She mostly succeeded.

~~"What do you do when your not crashing weddings and charming young damsels?"

“Crashing weddings?” the offense in his voice was purely pretend. “ I assure you I was invited by both bride and groom. “ I live near them above the Iris clinic actually, I just started but they were quick to make me feel at home.” He then looked down for a moment. “ as far as charming young damsels, that is a rare occurrence saved for the rare and exquisite.” Her hand met his and he ran a finger over the top of hers, being subtle still hoping that the small advance was welcome, slow and stead one the race he thought.

“ But lately I have been settling in to my new life, I have been helping out at the clinic breaking up any trouble out front and any other security stuff that’s required, and then doing all of the stock and heavy lifting. All and all its pretty tame. Aside from that I love anime, if I am watching something. People watching, exercise. I guess I am pretty tame. I cook sometimes, mostly sweets.”

“How about you? When you aren’t letting the unworthy bask in your presence?”

"Glad to hear that I'm a rare occurrence, not to mention a charming young damsel," Meld replied, smiling." She might agree with the young part of that description but she had never seen herself as either charming or a damsel. Well, maybe when she was still 16 and not yet a mutant, but that had been such a long time ago it was almost as if she were a completely different person now.

Meld put her other metal hand over top of Pluto's, gently, her way of showing that his advances were indeed welcome. She was extra careful to ensure that no metal claws were anywhere near tender red flesh. Causing her date to bleed on their first time together just the two of them didn't really seem like a good way to begin a possible burgeoning relationship.

"The unworthy bask in my presence?" Meld giggled at the very thought of it. "You are so far from unworthy and if you like you may most certainly bask in my presence." She hoped she was doing the flirting thing properly, it was such an unusual occurrence. "I'm afraid I don't have to many hobbies. I enjoy my martial arts, of course, and going on hikes in the forest. I guess I'm also an artist, a sculpture in particular though I'm not to bad at drawing and painting either."