Cree stepped off the train into New York's Penn Station, her thoughts ran wild. Where am I gonna stay tonight? Wow this is the busiest place I've ever been in my life, look at all these humans, it's disgusting! That's ok though I finally made it, I'm here, in NY. Now how the hell do i find other...What the!
Her thoughts were interrupted by a grotesque man taking her bag right off her back. Instinctively Cree attempted to punch him, right in the nose was her goal area, knowing it'd make his eyes water and give her time to remove her pack from his grubby little nubs. She missed though, this was one quick little thief, in just a matter of seconds he had her pack and was already about five yards away. "You stupid little scum, wait til you look back here, I'm so gonna wreck you!" She muttered to herself as she began chasing the mugger.
She noticed someone else chasing the mugger as well, another girl. Then the fiery redhead whipped around assumingly to look at who she was helping, all Cree noticed was the long red hair and the HUGE headphones, and pretty grey eyes.Oh shit, I looked at her eyes. Cree thought to herself. Ugh great, one human blinded but not the right one, what a fabulous start to New York...and there goes my bag to places I'll never know.

Aura stood tall, she hated subways far to many humans for her liking. Still she needed to use it today, it was then she saw someone running and two girls chasing him. Aura almost by instinct called to her powers, but stopped as their were far to many humans here for that. As the theif ran past her the robed woman, threw a punch at him wrapping her hand in a quick flash of pink Aura, but he was quicker then she thought, she her blade struck the pack instead.. She was then bumbed into by somone near by and lost sight of the robber.

She felt bad, it was not often someone managed to get past her that easily. She should have aimed for a vital organ she thought. Aura looked back at the girls pursueing the theif. They both had nice long hair and she found them both atractive. Aura could only hope they were mutants, she made her way to approach them. She figured if they were human she could blend into the crowd. "Sorry he got by me" she said softly. "I hope he got nothing of value?" she said.

Ashley was quite content at the moment.

No real reason not to be. She had a friend in Isabel, something she was pretty sure happened once in a blue moon. She had a place to stay in the Sanctuary, which was everything Amber and Isabel had said it would be. And while she still had her same clothes on at the moment (battered wife beater and pants that were much to big for her skinny frame, black trenchcoat that covered up most of her body) they were at least clean from using the Sanctuary’s washing machine. Ashley sat at Penn Station for a moment, her head against the wall as she listened to her music (Tsutomu's music from Bust-a-Groove 2), wondering what to do now.

There were a few options. One, she could follow up a lead she got from one of her very few contacts that said the mutant she was looking for was somewhere around Penn Station, where she was now. Her contact had told her that the mutant was spotted there twice, once leaving and once arriving. From what they could gather up the mutant in question was a traveler, but for what they couldn't say. Ashley had simply agreed and went to Penn Station, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mutant that had ruined her life not once but TWO times. It was a long shot, but...well, it was better then the whole lotta nothing that was her other option to accept.

So, of course, I really was to no surprise that someone was being mugged.

It was New York City, after all, right? Seriously, how did the guy think he was going to get away with it. Ashley stared, dumbstruck for a moment before her legs seemed to respond before her mind had a time to catch up. The mugger didn't look like any kind of gang banger, but a desperate guy with a fix he needed to...well, fix. It really wasn't the mugger's day, though, as another good Samaritan took a shot at him and barley missed. Was that a knife? Ashley didn't have time to ponder it. The guys was quick, though Ashley knew (from experience) that his current speed was mostly desperation and not because he was actually fast.

The music she was listening to WAS augmenting her speed, so catching the guy would be child's play. Though it DID irk the redhead that o one else seemed to be helping, instead content with just staring at the situation, some even taking pictures or videos with their stupid phones. Ashley scowled but instead began to give chase, looking back at the women who were chasing the man as well. A pretty Latina and a small little white girl.

And she only locked gazes with the Latina for a moment.

It was then that the world went black. So surprised was Ashley that, for a moment she wondered how the hell a place as big as Penn Station could suddenly just turn out their lights like that. She came to a screeching halt, slamming into the body of the mugger she was chasing completely by accident. She fell OVER the man and onto the ground, her head slamming the immaculate floors Penn Station sported. She heard the man sputter something like 'Crazy bitch tried to stab me!' 'Shit ain't worth it!' before he took off again.

Not that Ashley could see that.

She blinked rapidly, over and over, waiting for her sight to come back but got nothing. She held up her hands to her head, feeling the wetness of the blood from the wound from her head slamming on the floor and shook her head. No, her world went black before she hit her head. That didn't make sense. How...why? Her breath came faster and faster as he realization hit her like a tuck.

“I'm...blind...”

Cree stood shocked, not only was she not used to being in an area quite this populated but of course right away she had to make herself center of attention. Not that she cared what any of the humans might think, but what if there's another mutant in the area like her. Surely they would automatically label her a puts, especially if they found out it was her mutation that seemingly almost killed one of the people who tried to help her. She did feel a little relief though that she wasn't the only one not quick enough to actually hit the guy. Thinking about it now she's pretty sure that skinny robed girl made a knife of sorts appear in her hand out of no where, what was up with that she wondered. Either she was a mutant as well or one realllly slick human, which Cree thought pretty unlikely since humans were simple walking idiots. Oh snap, speaking of humans I better make sure I DIDN'T just kill someone right out in the open.

Cree walked over to the hurt girl, as she came closer she noticed a fair amount of blood soaking the girls already red hair. “Hey, that's a pretty nasty wound you've got there. Thanks for trying to help catch that a**hole, sucks that you got hurt in the process. You need to go to a hospital or something?” She heard the girl mutter something about being blind, yep it was as she assumed she blinded the wrong person. God, how am I gonna explain this, what am I supposed to do, just tell her New York had a ten minute black out...yea oookay. Cree had never thought about having to explain an accident with her abilities before, she had been cooped up in a garage for four years with another mutant, what was there to explain. In New York however, she noticed this place was like way over populated, so many people, too many people that she didn't feel she should have to explain herself too. Then she remembered some people black out when they hit there heads, hoping the girl would just pass it off as part of the injury.

Then she saw the pretty little blond walk up apologetically, yet seeming a little cocky in a way still. Watching this Cree had hoped the girl was a mutant, she seemed to have something interesting about her. As she approached the girl apologized, Cree was unsure how to respond beings that that is something she doesn't do, EVER. "Yeah well the pack did have pretty much everything I own in it, money, id, bank cards and such, not to mention the clothes I was planning to wear the next couple days. I guess I'll live though, thanks for tryin to help I guess" Cree said with an almost cocky tone, she was mentally debating to refuse respect to this girl for apologizing over something so simple, or to thoroughly thank her for at least trying to help. She was just thanking whatever god there may be she didn't have her tool set in the bag this time, she had left them with Ron to ship to her once she found a permanent place to stay. "Oh hey, do you know where a hospital is close by, my other little helper here seems to have found herself with two left feet." She chuckled this time as she spoke, Cree couldn't help finding some amusement in the pain of others no matter the circumstance.

The wound does look bad...." she said trailing off, after all their were a number of issues. The only Hospital Aura ever kept track of was Sanctuary. If these two were human's Aura would simply have to leave them, if they were Mutants then she would help. Aura looked around quickly and moved to within feet of the other two girl's. "I can get you to Sanctuary, however Humans are.....unwelcome thare" Aura said. Looking down at the wound she realized it was as bad as it had looked.

Aura moved to block people from seeing what she was about to show the other two girls, and quickly surrounded her hand in her aura which formed a dagger like shape before fading from view, Aura was very well known and her face had been wiped from one tv station to the next. The last thing she needed was to cause a large scale panic in a crowded subway. "To be honest im not really a fan of humans myself" She said bluntly.

If they were Mutants then Aura hoped she would get to see both their gift's eventually, she loved seeing new powers. "If you are mutants, then Sanctuary can help provide clothing, food and shelter. In fact i myself have lived thare for a long time." she said warmly. She hoped they were their were both quite good looking. "Let's try and get some distance from here, one of these fools may have called the cops" she said really not wanting to be around for that.

The Police did not even know Aura was back in America and she wanted to stay under their radar as well, it would keep things simpler. Cops rarely asked questions when they saw her becuse that's how they normelly wound up dead. "My name is Aura" she said politely.

She heard the goings on around her but really wasn't paying attention. Her sole focus was on the fact that her vision was gone, gone and was she ever going to get it back? The conversation being held with what she assumed was the Latina and whoever the other girl was got louder (somehow) in Ashley's ears and she gently held out a hand that contained the purse (or whatever) the thief had attempted to pilfer from the Latina girl. How absurd that she wouldn't get it back, blind or not. In the art of pickpocketing she had more finesse then a simple grab and run.

Ashley slowly wobbled to her feet and shook her head, as if that would help bring her sight back. Of course it didn't, but she really hadn't been expecting it to. She reached out and grabbed onto the nearest thing to her, an arm of one of the girls around her. Either it was the Latina (more likely because the arm was a tad more muscled) or the little white girl with the robe she had spotted trying to help as well. She steadied herself, still holding out the purse.

“Got it.” she muttered. “Sanctuary...please. I...go there. Sometimes.”

Well, once anyways. Last time she was there didn't end so well for her at all. But desperate times and all that. Being blind, Ashley really didn't have a sense of direction and the feeling of panic and bile rising to her throat was getting stronger the more she contemplated her situation. She suppressed these feelings if only to keep her head cool and she closed her eyes (more out of habit then anything) as she nodded. Was she sure, though? Was she sure she wanted to go back to a place that had broken her in more ways then she could count by a single person?

“Please. Let's go.” Ashley almost whispered, as if afraid of the words coming out of her mouth. “To Sanctuary.”

Maybe Isabel wouldn't even be there. One could only hope.

Cree wasn't sure if she was ecstatic that she'd found another mutant, or embarrassed because she's been seen by another making a fool of herself. She decided to just accept it for what it is, if she judges her well thats her problem. "Well I'm not real sure what this Sanctuary place is but hey if they have doctors this chick needs to get there, and it sounds like she's been there before so she must be a mutant too. As for me I'm definitely not human, hence Stevie Wonder here."

Cree looked down at the currently blind red head trying to think how long ago they met eyes, figuring about 5 minutes if that. As she looked down she saw the girl holding up her bag, was this a miracle or what Cree could've sworn she saw the guy get away with it. "Damn red you must be pretty slick, that's impressive. Thanks, at least now I won't be completely broke" Right away Cree sifted through it to see if anything was missing, it's seemed complete so she was content.

She knew the girl must be having a panic attack by now, poor thing probably doesn't ever think she'll get to see again. Cree debated telling her the truth or just letting her find out for herself, it could be fun to watch how her powers could really make someone feel. Although this girl wasn't human, she'd be no better than them leaving a mutant trying to help her to drown in obliviousness. With that thought Cree picked her new found ally up off the ground."Don't worry Red, we'll get you to a hospital. Oh and about the vision, give it a couple minutes and the lights will come back on ok? Don't worry I've got ya. "

She noticed finally all the odd looks they were getting, people walking by just staring at the two wierdos staring at the bloody chick. Then even more looks were given when she picked the girl up, aparently humans didn't take well to the sight of to much blood. She laughed a little as she saw a well dressed woman run to the bathroom holding her mouth and stomach. Mother's walked by quickly with their children, covering there eyes the best they could as the children tryed to stop and watch in amusement. There were even a couple photos being taken which she was sure would be on the internet before morning. Oh well, I'm a mutant and she's a bloody mutant, let them judge they'll never be as good as us.

"Hey Blondie where's this Sanctuary place and how quick can we get there? By the way guys I'm Cree nice to meet you."

Aura had already pulled out a cellphone and started to talk into it. "bring the car, i have 2 with me, one wounded" she said and then looked back to the two girls. It would be a few minutes but walking would take longer then she figured they had. "A car will be here in just a few moments and it will take us to sanctuary, we could walk but i figured time was pressing" she said as she walked up to the road to wait for the car which had taken her to the area.

"So you can make people go blind?" she said not quite understanding who stevie wonder was, but she seemed to eb claiming responsibility and she did say it would come back soon. "And that is impressive, i never saw you take it" she said which in Aura's eyes was saying somthing. She was trained to study peoples habits in case she had to fight them. "The ride will be short" she said adressing the distence and she figured it wa sunder ten minutes.

A Black van with dark tinted window's pulled up in front of Aura, Aura opened the side of the van, and invited the other two in. At the wheel was a mutant who looked to have a feline mutation. "The van will take us, the driver is sanctuary staff" she said sitting down on one of the seats. Once the other two were in they would head of to sanctuary. The van was completely unmarked.

Red. That was a new one.

Well, no one's ever really given her a nickname before. Ashley supposed that could be because she only gave people her alias and nothing else. Still, she liked the sound of it and decided she wouldn't stop the girl from addressing her as such. Ashley was happy that she was help to the girl in any way, as doing a good deed was..well, something she felt obligated to do, ever since Andrew and Lydia.

>>"Don't worry Red, we'll get you to a hospital. Oh and about the vision, give it a couple minutes and the lights will come back on ok? Don't worry I've got ya."

“As you wish.” Ashley replied without thinking, thought she thought nothing of it. Being blinded was a wholly new experience, and Ashley didn't think she was taking it too well.

For example, the words spoken to and around her seemed so loud now that she couldn’t see, and it overwhelmed her. She felt herself picked up and dragged (or lead depending on who you asked) to what she could only assume was outside where the vehicle the other girl was talking about. It was all so confusing without actually being able to SEE anything, and she always felt like she was going to trip and fall on her face or something.

She felt herself get into a car (or a van, as it had a sliding door) and lead to a sea, where she sat down. She buckled herself in, glad to do something for herself since this whole nightmare began. She was glad that someone else from The Sanctuary was there to help because god only knew what would have happened if she wasn’t. At the moment she felt rigid, her non-seeing eyes staring straight forward as her hand wandered a moment, gripping on the lap next to her for just a split second before she pulled back.

“Sorry.” she mumbled under her breath. “Just...scared.”

Cree was rather impressed with how efficient Aura was, before she even finished asking about Sanctuary she was on the phone and had a ride set up. Cree adjusted her grip on the blind red head to get a better hold seeing as they would have to go up some steps to get out of the subway station. The girl seemed not to care, in fact she seemed to not really care about much she was practically limp in Cree's arms which made her wonder if the girl would be conscious much longer. She was almost sure she heard her mutter something cheesy about wishing and wondered if the girl was hallucinating from the injury.

She figured they better head outside like now because as soon as that van got there she wanted to be on her way out of there. Cree followed Aura up the steps and toward a black creeper van, it reminded her of a van her old buddy used to keep some scrap parts in. "Alright Red, now watch your step you're getting into a van now." Cree hopped in behind her to lead the girl to her seat and sit next to her in case she needed help on the ride with anything. She handed the girl a seat belt hoping she could buckle it herself. This was not normal behavior for Cree, typically she was very brutal and unforgiving. Although she wouldn't admit it she was shameful she felt as though somehow she had already failed because she injured the first mutant she met.

As Cree looked up to see who was driving she right away noticed the driver was also a mutant, she was impressed. Cree secretly always wished she had a visible mutation, fearing she would be confused for human as is. The van began to move as soon as the door closed, and quickly. So is there anything I should know before we get there? This is my first day in New York, you guys are only the second mutants I've ever met in my life. Cree asked Aura, feeling quite dumb for asking something so stupid, and admitting she hadn't known any mutants.

Then she felt a grope at her thigh, Cree was shocked, astonished, disturbed and confused. "What the?!" She yelled looking at the girl next to her, unsure how to feel about this, she knew she was blind but she must have some sense of her surroundings Cree thought. "Sorry. Just...scared." Instantly Cree felt terrible for having such a rash reaction, she was low on sleep and had some adrenaline still going from the mugging. The poor thing sounded so innocent and sorrowful, and she truly did sound scared. "Crap, Red look I didn't mean it like that. You're gonna be ok, just...just watch where you're reaching alright. I'm not really a fan of touching, ok?"

Aura smiled as the door, closed. Aura let her aura surround her is a soft translucent glow. "Sanctuary is the only all mutant community in the city. It offers Mutants free room and board. I Live there myself actually." she said as the girl asked if their was anything she needed to know. "The place is run be Lori Fuast, of fuast pharmaceuticals and sanctuary is finded through them. " she went on. She was hoping to avoid the two good to be true route.

"I have met a great number of our kind..." she started before she ehard cree start and a series of obsene words coming from the driver seat, aimed out the window. "My Power is my Aura" she said, this time holding her hand up. Her Aura raced to her fist and quickly began forming an axe and then a sword and finally a large ice cream scoop. She then let her Aura weapons flow back with the rest of her Aura. "I would enjoy hearing more of what each of you can do if your up to it." She asked even though she put a worried eye on red.

"Can i ask you, your opinion on human's?" she asked with a smile, more to cree as she did not feel Red would respond.. "Many of us at Sanctuary hold a ......low opinion on humans. Others believe humans and mutants can live in peace. Either way living at sanctuary you a lot of sad tales" she said shaking her head. "you all right over thare red?" she asked adopting cree' nickname for her. The Van took a sharp turn followed by more profanity all of which aura ignored.

>>"Crap, Red, look I didn't mean it like that. You're gonna be okay, just...just watch where you're reaching alright. I'm not really a fan of touching, okay?"

“Ash you wish.” Ashley sighed, slumping into her seat.

Not really knowing what else to do or say, the redhead pouted a bit, miffed that she was being reprimanded by the very person that had blinded her but pushed that feeling aside. Instead she crossed her arms in a show of petulant defiance and sighed, 'looking' out of the window and wondering when all this was going to be over. God, her week couldn't get any worse.

Though, there was a shimmer if light in the darkness...quite literally. This must have been what Cree was talking about, the blindness wearing off. Well...good. Right? Still, she had panicked and now they were heading back to Sanctuary, and...there was no need to, right? She could just crash into some alley and fall asleep and wake up with her sight right? She fidgeted a bit, wondering how to ask people that were being nice enough to take her to safety.

She really didn't wanna see Isabel again.

>>"You all right over there Red?"

“Y-yeah...” Ashley automatically responded. She immediately regretted it and instead wished she had been paying attention to when the other girl was talking. Something about humans and how she felt about them...something. What did that matter? Humans were humans and nothing was going to change that, no matter what her attitude was. Still, she didn't wanna rock the boat, so she said nothing and watched the light of her vision come back, brighter and brighter.

Listening to Aura speak of sanctuary and of meeting so many other mutants Cree's anticipation began to build. She wanted nothing more than to be in place where she wasn't the minority, the way it was meant to be. Cree noticed the glow around the girls hand, as it shifted from weapon to weapon to just plain goofy, really what would she need an ice cream scoop for. Cree found herself even More excited when the girl mentioned wanting to know more about her powers, she loved telling people her powers and how they worked almost like bragging. She figured though that now wasn't the time, her powers had caused enough problems today. So instead of going in depth she just gave a promising nod, "We'll talk later, right now I just wanna get there." She said as the van shifted every which way, almost making her feel sea sick. The driver was frantic, screaming at just about every other car on he street. This made her wonder if the driver even had a license, or maybe that was just New York.

>> "Can I ask you, your opinion on humans?" [/color]

Cree was somewhat excited by this question and didn't quite know why, her face went flush and she almost bursted out. "Humans?! I hate them, they're weak, pathetic and inferior. You saw that guy back there that tried to mug me, you saw how fast he ran away. Why? Adrenaline, he was scared, because he's human. Period."

Then her attention shifted to Red again, and there it was again the thing she said about wishing. What was this girl talking about she wondered >>"As you wish"[/color] Cree was sure of it now, this girl had to have been hallucinating, this was not good! The girl seemed so pouty also, and Cree wondered what this was about. Did she hurt the girls feelings, she hadn't meant to. Cree felt like such a failure at this moment, she seemed to just make things worse as she went on. She put her arm around the girl hoping to offer some comfort. And decided to try to keep her mouth shut until they arrived at Sanctuary in hopes of not letting her stupid words make her seem more like and a**hole.

Aura smiled brightly as Cree opinion on humans and nodded approvingly. "Agreed, Humans fear us because we have the power they would want for them selfs and they know what they would do with it." she said quite happy to here cree's response. "i to share a poor view in humanity. Foul over populated animals can not even comprehend their time on this planet is over" she said shaking her head. "You won't find to many of them near sanctuary.

"I think you will be quite at home here then and red as well" she said not sure what girl was like. She seemed so out of it that Aura was forced to consider the redhead might be more hurt then the thought. Still she was sure the girl would be fine with a little bit on sanctuaries mercy.

Aura felt the car come to a stop in front of the golden doors she had learned to love and to call her home. "Sanctuary the most beautiful structure in this city" she said her voice full of passion even as she opened the door for the others to get out. Several staff were already on the grounds, to assist them. Aura stepped back a bit to let them help. Still she stayed quite close, trying to make sure she would be able to follow the girls.

Aura hoped they would like it here. Almost out of reflex Aura let her Aura come into view though she did not make it solid. She simply preferred to let her power be free whenever it did not need to be confined. It was anatural part of them, as natural as the sky and the sun.

Ashley's vision was clearer, though still unnaturally bright. She still didn't bother to answer the question the other woman had asked, and instead focused on walking. She knew the place they were at, having been here not too long ago, and really wasn't interested in being back. Isabel was in there somewhere, Ashley thought, and she REALLY wanted to avoid her at all costs at the moment. The feelings she bore were to raw and the wounds were much to open for her to deal with. She stopped and stood still, shaking her head and refusing to walk any further as the three women were in front of the Sanctuary.

“No. Don't wanna go.” Ashley sniffed, aware of how childish she sounded but not caring. “I...don't wanna see. Someone, I mean. Ummm...problems.”

Well, that was vague enough to work. She was appreciative of the help that was offered, but Cree had said the effect wouldn't last long. Already her vision was clearing from a field of pure white to a mistier version of the world and she was glad for it. She was sure in a couple of minutes she was going to be able to have her sight back and then she could get away from this place.

“Getting better.” Ashley pointed to her eyes, blinking a few times. “Sorry, for being trouble. But...I must leave. Please.”