Chase's gaze couldn't seem to take it all in quickly enough. There was just so much to look at, for the building was so grand and there were so many mutants humming about the halls He really didn't know which way to look. They came to a pause in the living room, and at this point, Chase had gained enough confidence to walk between Agnes and Aedus without clinging to either one. But he still bore the look of a wide-eyed newcomer.

A bespectacled boy who had to be close to Chase's age lingered at the far corner of the room, but quickly came over by way of a bubble when he spied Chase. Painfully-shy introvert, meet over-the-top extrovert.

>> “Hi I’m Big league, you know like big league chew? I can, well you saw. What can ya do? Are ya new here? I’m pretty new too. I’m going to turn nine in eight weeks, how old are you?”

>> “Whooooa, Big League, calm down. This is Chase. He’s taking the tour. No need to scare him off.”

Chase looked a little shell-shocked. There were a lot of questions packed into that introduction. His gaze flickered to Agnes, then to Aedus then to "Big League". What a funny name!

"Chase," he confirmed, his face flushed. Out of all of those questions, asking for his name wasn't one of them. But, that was where Chase began, "I'm eight until January... and, uh, I can... look like other people." Was that how things normally worked? Age and mutation, just like that? Chase fidgetted with the hem of his sweater, looking towards Big League without really knowing how to react.

"Hey, you can look like other people? Like a shapeshifter? Wow, sweet! Can I see? Lemme see?" Big League chattered, almost completely ignoring Agnes. His enthusiasm was a difficult thing to quell. Chase shook his head shyly, but this didn't deter him, "Hey, that's cool, too! You're eight, too, and there aren't a lot of eight-year-old's here, so we could be friends, can't we?"

Chase nodded slowly.

"You don't talk a lot, do you?"

Nope, he really didn't.

((ooc: Okay if I control Big League, Aedus?))

((Go for it))

Aedus Grinned at the kid that seemed to have enough words to carry the conversation for them all, Seemed like a good match for Chase, if he watched him long enough and only said a tenth of what this kid did, he would be vastly more talkative. Aedus took half a step back and toward Agnes, still close to chase but letting him experience talking to another kid that not only wasn't afraid of him, but actively interested.

He turned the conversation to other stuff giving the boys a chance to get to know each other."So Agnes, I kind of just swiped you away from your plans for the day, am I keeping you from anything important?" He was careful to say I, just in case Chase was paying attention. He certainly didn't want him feeling like he took Agnes from anything else.

Apparently Agnes words fell on deaf ears. Before she knew it, Big League had cornered Chase and had continued to grill the boy as to his mutation, his name, nearly anything he could get out of him. Agnes wanted to shoo Big League away before he scared Chase off, but it was apparent that her new found friend was more than capable to talking for himself. As Agnes stood back, she listened as Chase answered League’s questions and though he looked a little timid, he wasn’t clinging to either of them for help.

Agnes nodded in an impressed manner as she took a step back so that Chase and League could continue to talk. This would be essential for Chase to feel comfortable around the school. Even if League didn’t turn about to be his bestest friend in the world, all that mattered was that he felt comfortable enough here to at least try.

The runaway smirked as she watched Chase and League converse, noticing that Aedus had also slightly removed himself from the scenario to get the boys breathing room. She glanced at him, smiled, and then turned her attention back to Chase.

>> "So Agnes, I kind of just swiped you away from your plans for the day, am I keeping you from anything important?"

She turned her attention to him and smirked.

“Well, I was in the middle of a particular good ice cream. But, I’ll live,” she shrugged her shoulders playfully. “Seriously, no. I was just wasting my day, pretty much. Yourself?”

Chase didn't much notice what it was Aedus and Agnes were talking about, he only noted that they were talking-- which wasn't an uncommon thing. Older kids talked to other older kids. Chase didn't have the opportunity to listen to what they were saying. Big League, having established a newfound friend, was letting his mouth fly at a mile-a-minute. It took every ounce of Chase's attention to register all of the words that were streaming out of the other boy's mouth.

"So, where are you from? I'm from Massachusetts. I think they're known for lobster there, but I can't remember... my parents are mutants, too, are your parents mutants?"

"I'm from Upstate," Chase informed the other boy.

He didn't say anything about his parents, except, "No, I'm the only one."

This obviously wasn't an abnormal answer. Big League didn't seem to freak out over it. He just kept on rambling about his family and what they could do, and how they'd all gone to Xavier's or Xavier's Sister School... blah de blah de blah. Chase nodded his head to show that he was actively listening, but man-- it was dizzying trying to keep up with this other kid.

"I was actually in the middle of a shift, but I managed to get a coworker to pick up the rest, told them it was a family emergency." he looked over to Chase with a half smile. " I didn't realize it was true at the time. They take it pretty easy on me, I don't use my sick days so if I need off the trust me."

He looked to Agnes and shook his head. "I would say ice cream sounds good, but I don't think I am going to eat for the rest of the day, at least not after that buffet."

He nodded toward the pair of boys, making sure chases attention was on big league." Not that I have a lot of say in it, but I think this place is exactly what he needs. If he needs absolutely anything, let me know, he seems like he might be shy about asking, so keep an eye on him for me?" Aedus normally had a big heart, but there was something in particular about Chase that just resonated with him.

>> "I was actually in the middle of a shift, but I managed to get a coworker to pick up the rest, told them it was a family emergency… I didn't realize it was true at the time. They take it pretty easy on me, I don't use my sick days so if I need off the trust me." [/i]

She nodded. That was good that Aedus had such understanding people to work for. From what she remembered hearing on the streets, there were a lot of people who found themselves in that situation because they had horrible bosses and co-workers. Sometimes power can make a person very unlikely to understand situations that would take them away from work.

It was a sad fact about the world, but it was a fact nonetheless.

She smiled slightly and watches Chase and Big League continue to talk. They were getting along extremely well. She was glad for that.

>> "I would say ice cream sounds good, but I don't think I am going to eat for the rest of the day, at least not after that buffet."

Agnes laughed.

“With the way you were putting away that food at the buffet I am not surprised at all,” Agnes smirked. The levity of the situation was much more appreciated. It seemed as if the whole events of earlier were nothing more than a shade of a nightmare. Now though, she felt extremely happy just showing Chase a great possibility for his future.

>> " Not that I have a lot of say in it, but I think this place is exactly what he needs. If he needs absolutely anything, let me know, he seems like he might be shy about asking, so keep an eye on him for me?"

“Every second I can,” she said with a nod. Turning back to Aedus and smiled. “But it’s up to him if he wants to stay here. Neither you or I can make him. I think it helps though that you gave him an option. Make sure he knows that he can always turn to you.”

Once Big League had finished rambling about his family, he shifted gears to a different topic of conversation.

"So, hey, are you almost done with your tour?" Big League demanded, "Because there aren't a lot of kids my age around here and I'd love to play a game or something. Would you play a game with me? Can you? We can play anything you want. Anyways, tours are boring."

Chase blinked, and nodded, "I should ask them first."

He wasn't too sure how to ask such a thing, though. He meandered back to Aedus and Agnes. They seemed to be locked in conversation, so Chase waited patiently for them to stop. It was his habit to ask if he could play... shades of a child asking their parents the very same question. He didn't catch any of their conversation, but assumed it was very important, and they were glancing towards him as they spoke.

"Big League wants to go play," Chase explained softly, "Can I?"

A guilty look flashed across Aedus' face. " I happen to have a very high metabolism, I'll recover from it, after a nap or two." a sincere smile crossed his face, he would have to take her to the best Ice cream place he could find someday.

Aedus squatted down and looked Chase in the eyes. "First things first, you and I, we are family now. You can call me, or come to the apartment absolutely whenever you want, I'll answer and show up as quick as I can if you need me. That said I think the school will be good for ya, we can sort out what you want to do later, I just really want you to know that no matter what, I am here for ya. And Yes, of course you can play." He pulled the kiddo into a hug and patted him on the back lightly. Releasing the boy shortly after to let him run around free.

>> " I happen to have a very high metabolism, I'll recover from it, after a nap or two."[/i]

Agnes just smirked and shrugged as if she were not judging him in the least. And really, she didn’t. If some people just like to eat, they just like to eat. Agnes, in a way, was the same. She loved food but she never over ate. Not because she was scared of anything, but only because she was just not used to eating an overly large amount. Even with her parents and living on the streets she always monitored everything she ate.

Unfortunately such a mentality stuck with her even though she was not living here in the mansion.

She paused then as she looked down to see that Chase had stepped away from Big League.

>> "Big League wants to go play…Can I?"

Agnes smiled and nodded her head. Seemed as if Chase was already beginning to fit in…

>> "First things first, you and I, we are family now. You can call me, or come to the apartment absolutely whenever you want, I'll answer and show up as quick as I can if you need me. That said I think the school will be good for ya, we can sort out what you want to do later, I just really want you to know that no matter what, I am here for ya. And Yes, of course you can play."

She watched Aedus give the boy a hug and Agnes smiled in response. He really did seem like he was serious about keeping that boy safe. That made her all the happier. She wished she had a network of people like him when she was homeless but she was glad to be on this end of it too. She would give Chase all the help she could give.

Once Aedus was done hugging him, she nodded to Chase.

“Of course you can, Chase,” she beamed happily. “And just know, you can always come to either Aedus or me if you need help with anything, okay? We do care about you.”

Aedus crouched down to Chase's level, looking him dead in the eyes.

>> "First things first, you and I, we are family now. You can call me, or come to the apartment absolutely whenever you want, I'll answer and show up as quick as I can if you need me. That said I think the school will be good for ya, we can sort out what you want to do later, I just really want you to know that no matter what, I am here for ya. And Yes, of course you can play."[/i]

And then, he wrapped Chase into a hug. And, Chase didn't attempt to squirm free or pull away. He just snuggled into Aedus' shoulder, relished the warmth of knowing that someone was there for him, and meant it when they said so. He didn't say much of anything, not even a goodbye, because he expected Aedus to come back.

"I know," Chase mumbled, "Thank you."

He looked towards Agnes quietly. There really wasn't a goodbye for them. She lived here.

>> “Of course you can, Chase. And just know, you can always come to either Aedus or me if you need help with anything, okay? We do care about you.”[/i]

Chase nodded.

"Come on, dude!" Big League shouted excitedly, already darting out of the room, "What are you talking about? Let's go play."

Chase waved at the two older kids and sprinted out after Big League.

fin.