Bentley Mae sat on the ground, her back rested against the trunk of a cypress tree. The bark was rough against her skin, not that she minded. She was just thankful that the park wasn’t as busy at night and that she could enjoy the pond without feeling crowded. There was barely anyone around. Come to think of it, Bentley couldn’t recall seeing another soul anywhere along the path she’d been jogging. She had caught her breath long ago and was just gazing out at the water. The tiny sliver of moon reflected brightly from the pond and cast its silver glow over the young woman’s face. The quiet lap of the water against land was comforting to say the least. It wasn’t long before Bentley accidentally began to drift off.

The day had been long and tedious, a lack of sleep the night before heaped on, and Bentley was exhausted. She had tossed and turned the night before, seeming to wake every half hour for no apparent reason. Studio time started at six o’clock sharp. She’d barely kept up in practice. She definitely had not gone the whole day without reprimanding herself. The poor girl criticized herself even as she was criticized by her instructor.

“Head up, girl.”

“Sloppy frappe.”

“Lazy, lazy!”

“And you’re auditioning for the role of Odette?! Humph!”

She had hoped that jogging would relief some of the day’s stress. Fortunately, she was no longer thinking about the roughness of practice and class or the impending audition for Swan Lake. Instead, she was dreaming it! She dreamed of practicing, practicing, and practicing only to earn the role as the Swan Queen and to ruin the performance. Bentley’s back snapped straight; wide awake she could still hear the echo of cruel laughter ringing inside her mind. Shaking her head in an attempt to brush away the frightful nightmare, Bentley got to her feet.

‘I’ll just have to get more sleep tonight and work harder tomorrow,’ she told herself as she brushed her bottom free of dirt. To get her thoughts away from her worries, Bentley began planning out what she would do once she reached her apartment. She knew she would peel off the hot pink sport bra and black jogging shorts to climb into the shower. Groaning Bentley reached over her shoulder with both arms and gripped her left shoe, stretching her leg muscles. After a moment she switched legs and groaned again. The warmth and the release of stretching always managed to slap a smile onto her face.

She was preparing to jog all the way to her apartment; she was excited for a hot shower and the softness of her bed. It was a ways off though and she was beginning to regret having come so far out to jog. She shrugged, knowing she was going to have to make it back whether she moaned about it or not.

As she shot out from behind the tree she collided with something solid. As she fell and become entangled with that something solid Bentley realized she ran right into a person. Blushing a vivid red she detangled her limbs from theirs and jumped to her feet. “I’m so sorry.” She held a hand out to offer them help up. "I-I didn't see you. I'm sorry."

Ashley was attracted to the park.

Well, not in any kind of 'weird' way, but it was a place she could relax in. Sure, she could always crash at the Sanctuary or the Mansion, but sitting there in some room, surrounded by walls...she felt constrained. Logically she knew that it was something she'd get over as soon as she's start to spend more time in a bed (they were DAMN comfortable, after all) but until then then she liked going out on the slightly chilly nights. She almost felt like taking a jog but upon remembering her workout earlier that day decided that maybe it was time to let her body rest, heal. Whistler always said that was a good idea.

She strolled through the park, headphones not blasting as they usually did and were instead quiet (”Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden), and she felt quite content with her place in the world. Though, she thought, it wasn't that hard to please someone that was homeless and had to fight for her meals everyday. She had a full belly at the moment, and for whatever reason the breeze that was blowing was making her feel like...smiling? The thought made her force on her trademark scowl as she trudged though the park. Nothing made her smile for no reason, not unless that reason was Andrew or Isabel. A simple breeze can't make you smile. How silly.

It was this line of thinking that Ashley blamed when she collided with something soft, pillowy and smelled a sweet combination of lavender and sweat, a scent Ashley found oddly attractive. Still, the subsequent crash to the ground slammed Ashley's head to the (thankfully soft) ground, and only disoriented her for a moment. She head the sound of a rather meek, gentle voice apologizing, and then (of course!) making the apology of not seeing Ashley. Like she was easy to miss or something.

Not seeing the outstretched hand, Ashley stood up quickly, growling (bared teeth and all) her response to the girl before her. She'd never been accused of being intimidating by anyone, but Ashley thought that was because, by the end of a fight with her, they didn't have the ability to talk at that moment. Her scowl was still in place she she locked eyes with copper eyes and a apologetic face.

Damn it.

“Erm...sorry.” Ashley immediately blushed, something she noticed the other girl was doing as well. “Accident, I know. Happens.” Ashley looked the girl up and down, taking in how attractive she was before looking around the darkened park. “You're...alone? At night?” Ashley raised an eyebrow. “Here? You silly, in here?” Ashley finished, pointing a finger to her temple.

As the strange girl got to her feet Bentley was frightened momentarily by the animalistic growl and baring of teeth. Bentley’s eyes widened momentarily and she took a quick step back. Her muscles again tensed tightly. She would be in complete shock if she were to be attacked; and she certainly wouldn’t know what to do. There was a huge possibility that she would just flee. Okay, so it wasn’t a huge possibility, it was simple fact. Mae had never participated in a fight her entire life and she wasn’t planning on changing that anytime soon.

The poor, frightened girl almost gave an audible sigh of relief when the stranger’s face relaxed into a softer expression. She blushed all over again when the girl asked her if she was a bit loony in the head. Her hands were clasped in front of her and her focus shifted to the ground. “Um, why do you ask? Is…Is it dangerous here in the park…at-at night?” The stuttering sounded unbearably awkward to her own ears. Even though, her eyes shot upwards to the other girl’s face. Bentley had really not even considered there to be any dangers. She was from a cozy, safe, little town down south and she wasn’t so used to having to constantly keep an eye out for pickpockets and/or attackers.

There was a soft buzz radiating from the girl opposite Bentley and it took a moment for her to notice the headphones. Music was drifting gently across the space between the two of them. Bentley shifted on her toes as she waited for the stranger’s reply.

>>“Um, why do you ask? Is…Is it dangerous here in the park…at-at night?”

Sure, there were moments in time when Ashley was dumbfounded, but never before had she ever reason to wonder if her face was all skewed up like those cartoon character did on television when they heard something completely outlandish or outright ridiculous. It actually took a few moments for Ashley's brain to restart from it's fizzle and she did nothing but blink for a few seconds before she took another look around the park, trying to figure out if she was still in New York. Upon figuring out that yeah, she was still indeed in the place she was five minutes ago, Ashley shook her head.

“You, ummm...not from here?” Ashley asked, feeling a bit stupid in asking. It wasn't like too long ago she wasn't from here either, but when you lived on the streets you grew up a bit quicker then most.

The redhead took off her headphones and paused the iPod that was in them. She contemplated a moment on what to do and decided that the only way this innocent little dove was going to get back to whatever palace she flew from was with her help. Sure, there was also a possibility that she could get home all by herself but there was also a bigger chance that she would NOT get home okay, and Ashley simply did not want that on her conscience. She suppressed the heavy sigh and shrugged at the girl.

“You going home? I'll take.” Ashley nodded, a determined look on her face. She felt that cool breeze on her face before looking back at the brunette that seemed to incredibly naïve about the world...well, at least New York. She took off her trenchcoat and held it out to the girl. “Cold? Here, take. Also, your name?”

Bentley attempted to decode the girl’s facial expressions, which were a bit cartoonish at moments. The girl questioned Bentley if she was from around the area, seeming to know full well that she wasn’t. Bentley nodded, embarrassed.

She’d only seen movies of New York before coming to the city for Julliard. One movie stuck out in her mind. It had been about a naïve princess from a fairytale land who had been sent to the city by an evil, jealous witch. Bentley suddenly felt very similar to how the poor princess character must have felt. Her emotions were of feeling out of place and a tad bit dumb.

She was surprised when the stranger offered to walk with her back to her home. It was very kind of the girl and Bentley had not been expecting it. It was almost a warning; advice that maybe she shouldn’t be so quick to jog in the seemingly abandoned park after dark. She began to seriously contemplate her father’s offer to buy her a can of mace. She was shocked again when the red head offered her coat to Bentley. Bentley took it thankfully. She gave her name as she shrugged into the already warm coat, which felt perfectly. “Bentley. Yours?”

Bentley’s embarrassment was slowly ebbing away and she was finding herself uncharacteristically comfortable with the girl with the funny expressions.

“Rhythm.” Ashley answered blandly. It didn't occur to the redhead that maybe she would seem less...weird if she gave her real name, but she shook the thought a moment later. At this point she was far too used to telling everyone the alias she had came up with herself to the point to change. Besides, the less people knew about her the better.

Still, the little girl looked like someone that could be trusted. If she was a mutant she didn't show it and neither did she have the confidence that would usually entail a mutant power that encouraged a bigger ego (for some reason she thought of Isabel at that moment). It was only at that moment when Ashley saw the girl (Bentley) in her coat that a sense of pride filled her and she really LOOKED at the girl.

And it was...good. Very good.

Well, the look, while intensive, was brief. She didn't want the girl (Bentley, damn it!!) to feel uncomfortable or anything. After all, it was nighttime in a park in New York City. And while Ashley usually felt confidence in damn near anything she did right now she was escorting a potential victim back to her...whatever she lived in. Sociability wasn't Ashley's strong suit, so she did the only thing she could think of; she started to trudge off in the direction the woman was heading before she crashed into the redhead.

It wasn't until a moment after she began walking that she began to walk backwards and scratched the back of her head as she looked at the other girl. “Ummm...which way, now? Or, I mean...you running more? Go somewhere?”

“Rhythm…that is a pretty name.” Bentley complimented the girl and then thought to herself, ‘Strange but pretty.’

It took her a moment to trail after Rhythm as she began in the direction Bentley had been headed. A smile grew on Bentley’s face as the girl spun around to face her and continued walking, only backwards. Bentley liked the girl. She was weird; not in an uncomfortable way but in a cute way. The way Rhythm spoke and never seemed to complete a thought made Bentley want to giggle. It was simply adorable. Not that Rhythm looked at all ‘soft’, as a matter of fact, Mae would say that she appeared the toughest she had ever seen.

“I was actually headed to my apartment. It is a few blocks away.” She took a few hurried steps forward, so as to be beside Rhythm. She was already enjoying having someone to walk with, to talk to. And Rhythm seemed quite nice.

>>“Rhythm…that is a pretty name.”

Ashley blinked a few times before shoving her hands into her pockets and looking to the ground with a slight blush, saying nothing. She felt slightly vulnerable without her trenchcoat but it would have to do. Besides that she felt slightly...well, frumpy next to the obviously thin and graceful girl. Despite their earlier accident (Ashley figured she just wasn't paying attention, because she wasn't either) Bentley seemed to be very fluid on her feet, like she was walking on clouds. She looked from the girl next to her to herself. The wife beater she sported (as usual) left little to the imagination, and her muscular, very unfeminine arms seemed like unwieldy clubs next to the smaller, thinner arms Bentley had.

And that was saying nothing of their chests, stomachs and legs.

>>“I was actually headed to my apartment. It is a few blocks away.”

Ashley nodded, showing that she understood and let the little girl take the lead. She kept her eyes sharp, but at the moment they were clear. Where DID she get this sudden heroic streak from? First that whole thing with Spikes and now this? She blamed Andrew because...well, Andrew wasn't around to defend himself. She argued with herself that the fact that she had jumped in because of Lydia during the Spikes incident was a coincidence. Andrew must have had on extra Hero cologne or something.

She chuckled at her own joke before thoughts of the girl next to her slammed into the forefront of her mind again, this time because Bentley's slight lead left Ashley with a clear view of the smaller girl's...back. Her mouth opened a bit as if to say something, but as it turned out, just going with whatever was on the top of her brain never seemed to work out well for Ashley.

“You're graceful.” Ashley blurted with all the dignity of a...well, something with little dignity. Her lush intensified, almost feeling the puzzled look of her walking companion. “On your feet, I mean. I thought that, ummm...you seem like...hmph.” Ashley coughed a bit, her embarrassment and shame growing as she couldn't seem to string together a sentence. “Like...you walk on clouds.”

Small talk wasn't her strong suit, anyone that had ever spoken to Ashley in the history of ever would know that. She found that repeating her own thoughts, as she just tried, was damn near impossible. Sure, she could think the thoughts in normal sentences well enough, but spit them out...well, that was another matter entirely.

Bentley’s mouth hung slightly open in surprise. She was flattered really. “Walk on clouds?” No one had ever put it that way, if anything she’d only been chastised for having sloppy forettes. She ducked her head. “I’m a ballerina,” saying it aloud sounded kind of funny. Most people imagined music boxes and such when they heard the word ballerina; Bentley knew she had when she was a young child. “I’m actually a student at Julliard.” Her voice was a little louder than its usual softness. She was extremely proud of how far she had come. She’d definitely earned it; she had been working toward it since she was six years old. And she knew that Julliard was a very prestigious school and that she was lucky to have gotten accepted.

She had the right to be proud, didn’t she? She blushed as she thought she was being a little conceited. Her eyes traveled back to Rhythm’s. Bentley attempted a chuckle but it only fell flat and sounded false, even to herself. Her gaze immediately returned to the ground.

She felt bad for not asking the girl more about her. "What about you? Why are you here...i-in the park? If it's so dangerous?" After the words were uttered, Bentley wished she could retrieve them. She felt she was being nosy and rude. She swung her arms by her sides, knowing that it was too late. She glanced out of the corner of her eyes toward Rhythm. Bentley felt ridiculous for having asked what she had. The girl looked fully capable of handling herself. Bentley was envious of Rhythm's confidence and apparent strength.

A ballerina? Rhy crinkled her nose in a moment of thought. In truth she'd only heard the term in reference to mixed martial artists that were insulting other martial artists and nothing more then that. Thankfully Ashley knew there was probably something more to such a profession (was it a profession?) but never really bothered to delve deeper into the subject to find out. Whatever being a ballerina entailed must certainly require one to be flexible and graceful, because looking at Bentley from this particular angle made Ashley fairly certain the tiny dancer was both.

“Julliard...” Ashley said to herself, thinking. The word sounded foreign but Bentley had said it like it was a place one went to learn how to be a ballerina...or something. A whole school of people that looked like Bentley? Ashley put a finger to he nose to make sure it wasn't bleeding at the thought before she turned her attention back to the girl at hand, who was now speaking to her.

>>"What about you? Why are you here...i-in the park? If it's so dangerous?"

Ashley let out one of her rare smiles as she took a sidelong glance at the girl. She swung her arms, her huge headphones securely in her hands as she contemplated how to answer. She didn't know the girl's stance on mutants, so she refrained from saying anything about that. Not that she was ashamed, she just didn't want Bentley (as unlikely as it was) to scream and storm off. Well, a half truth was in order, she guessed. She was a terrible liar (punctuated by hiccups if the lie was a particularly bad one) but if it was based on truth then she could usually pull it off.

“Take care of myself.” Ashley said, putting on a fake smirk as she raised an arm, fixing it a flex as she patted her bicep. “Trained. Muay Thai. 'Sides, like walking. At night, I mean. Refreshing.”

Ashley felt the sudden need to pull the smaller girl closer but refrained. Instead she kept talking, something she normally didn't do but Bentley power seemed to make people wanna talk.

“Ummm...not as graceful.” Ashley scratched the bridge of her nose. “Effective. Quick, take down people. I could teach. You, I mean. But...no.” Ashley shook her head mournfully. “You get muscle...not so good. With how you are. Pretty, right? Don't want this.” Ashley pulled up her wife beater to reveal her toned six pack abs. Truth be told she was very vain about them, but not in this instance. “You need to...stay...hmmm...” Ashley thought about it for a moment before she snapped her fingers. “Smooth, yes? You're smooth. And soft.”

Bentley watched Rhythm flex her muscles with wide eyes. When the girl finished expressing herself Bentley giggled. She was shocked that she was warming up to Rhythm so quickly. It was something about the awkward girl that reminded her of…someone very dear to Bentley. She felt her heart drop painfully at the sudden thought. Her lips had turned down in the corners and she quickly recovered, not wanting to worry her new friend. She flashed a smile. “Yes, Julliard. Many talented people go there. Talented musicians, artists, actors, and dancers…like me.”

Bentley felt the urge to leap, to give Rhythm a better idea of exactly what it was she did. And so with a running start, Bentley launched herself into the air and while one leg was extended to her side brought her other foot to connect with it. She landed softly with both arms extended gracefully above her head. She felt exhilarated. She couldn’t believe she had just done what she had. It was almost relieving to brag for a moment.

What was it about this girl, Rhythm, that made Bentley feel so carefree?

Without a moment of hesitation, Bentley hurried back to Rhythm's side, their shoulders brushing. "I'm glad that you're walking with me then. If it is dangerous it makes me feel safer that you're with me." She meant it.

Thankfully Bentley was more of a doer then a sayer. It gave Ashley a greater appreciation for what the small girl had just demonstrated. And the display was quite impressive, though Ashley really didn’t know why. She just knew that if she ever attempted that she would fail miserably, and that was saying a lot considering the one area of confidence she had was her physical prowess. The redhead whistled as Bentley came bouncing back, brushing their shoulders as she did so. Ashley tinged a bit, but not too hard this time.

Ashley figured the girl had to be a mutant. No one can be this friendly and thaw out someone like her without having that be a mutant power of some sort. Ashley considered grilling her (lightly) for an answer but decided against it. Let the girl have her secret. If there was anyone in the world that could understand it was Ashley herself. People needed their secrets. It's usually what kept things interesting.

>>"I'm glad that you're walking with me then. If it is dangerous it makes me feel safer that you're with me."

Well, this time she couldn't stop the full on body blush that came out this time. She fought it, really, but it was there and for the whole world to see. Suddenly she felt even MORE vulnerable because her trenchcoat was on the girl she was escorting home. She cleared her throat, embarrassed and slightly (only slightly) ashamed that she had stared at her companions ample yet...tight derriere. She shook her head vigorously, both to shake the thoughts form her head and do dismiss the ballerina's comment.

“It's okay.” she said, her whiskey on the rocks voice masking any of the previously felt emotions. “Fells good, you know? Maybe saving you. Like, you do things. Dance, make smiles appear.” Ashley shrugged. “Least I can do.”

They were nearing the edge of the park, close to the sidewalk and the bustling of the city. It saddened Bentley slightly to be back in the glare of the streetlamps and neon lights. If not for the constant smell of concrete, trash, and pollution Bentley could almost (almost) imagine she were back in Georgia while in the park. Well, if she managed to tune out the blaring horns and such. She sighed aloud as homesickness overcame her.

She felt the need to describe her hometown to her new friend. She looked up into the sky before she began, wanting to see a glimpse of the stars. Unfortunately, the brightness of the huge city drowned out any chance of that sight. “New York is so different from where I grew up, where I spent my entire life.” She let her head fall back to look straight ahead of her. But she wanted to look upon Rhythm’s face, to watch her expressions. “I’m from a little town in Georgia. It’s barely on the map.” Bentley chuckled. “I’m not used to all of this,” her arm swept in front of her emphasizing her point. “The people here are so…” She struggled for the right word, “different?”

Bentley ducked her head. “You’re nice though. I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.” They were already at the end of the first block. Bentley turned her head to glance over her shoulder, back toward the park. How had they made it so far so quickly? There were only about two blocks left between where they were and her apartment. She certainly wasn’t ready to cut their meeting so short. Before Rhythm could reply to any of her comments Bentley muttered rather fast, “When we get to my apartment…do you want to come in? I have a pizza in the fridge and I definitely can’t eat it alone.” She felt strange for asking. She'd only just met the girl…but she couldn’t deny that she felt connected to Rhythm already…somehow. She smiled, letting her friend know she was serious.

Well, the night was just filled with multiple blessings, one in the form of Bentley being a talker. That meant that Ashley herself didn’t have to say much as they continued to walk, now past the edge of the park and into the actual city itself. In truth, Ashley liked to listen to Bentley talk, so very animated as she was about topics like her hometown, and how different the people in New York City were then from anywhere else. In that, Ashley had to agree. People in New York were very proud about their place in the world, very haughty towards out of towers and it was an attitude Ashley found amusing at times.

>>“You’re nice though. I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.”

Just when Ashley thought that maybe she'd gotten over the blushing, the girl would say something else and it would start all over again. Perhaps by the end of their little walk Ashley would end up a tomato for the rest of her life? She wouldn't doubt it. But it would be worth it, really, just to see this girl safely home and secure in her own place. Ashley responded to the question with a half smile and a meek shrug before looking away. Bentley made er feel like a little schoolgirl. Also, clumsy. Very, very clumsy.

>>“When we get to my apartment…do you want to come in? I have a pizza in the fridge and I definitely can’t eat it alone.”

The redhead's face went 'Urk!' for a moment before she stopped, looking away from Bentley. There was that feeling of loneliness from the pit of her stomach again, like her insides were being wrenched in all different directions at once. It was almost the same feeling she had when she left the Sanctuary the last time, when Isabel had brought her over. Sure, she decided that thinking about the incident probably wasn't the best idea, but going up somewhere alone with another woman made Ashley feel like...like she was cheating somehow.

“Ummm...” Ashley stuttered for a moment before looking Bentley in the eye. “I, ummm...can't. Not good. Idea, I mean. I...have girlfriend...”

Well that was a bold faced lie, but it would have to do. The wounds Isabel had left were far too fresh for her liking, far too near the surface of her emotional exterior to be able to hide much should Ashley let the feelings overwhelm her as she did on that night when Isabel had stolen he heart. The last thing Ashley anted to to break down in front of a new friend (right?) before they even got a chance to know each other...well, even if they DID know each other better, Ashley wouldn't wanna break down in font of them. Ashley toed the concrete slab wit the toe of her boot and twisted it a bit before peeking up at Bentley, hoping the smaller girl wouldn't laugh at her.

Bentley was surprised by the redhead’s protest. Back in Georgia it was unheard of for a girl to have a ‘girlfriend’. It took a moment for Bentley to rearrange her expression. She didn’t want to offend Rhythm. There was nothing Bentley saw wrong with Rhythm’s choice in relationships, it was just she’d never actually been presented with it before. She was quiet for a moment as they continued a slow walk down the sidewalk.

“That’s okay, Rhy.” She smiled as she realized how comfortable she was with the other girl. So comfortable that she’d already begun using a nickname. “I understand.”

After all, she truly did. She didn’t understand why people couldn’t just be left alone to love who they loved. Nobody could help nor control who they fell for. Where would the magic of true love be if it weren’t unpredictable?

“Maybe one day you could bring her to visit?” Bentley was curious. She wouldn’t mind meeting someone who was involved with such a colorful character as Rhythm. Bentley chuckled. She imagined it would take quite a unique person for Rhythm to be in a relationship with them. And maybe that’s what drew Bentley to the girl in the first place. The redhead was one of a kind.

“You’re so…” Bentley was the one struggling for a word now. “Your own?” Bentley laughed at herself. “I mean to say…You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met before.”