It was night and Emily was sitting quietly outside the Broadway theatre, reliving the dance sequences and heart-felt scenes of Mary Poppins. So far, it was her favorite performance she had seen at the theatre. Chicago was a little too lewd for her tastes and didn’t fit her memories of the 1920’s. The Book of Mormon just confused her; she had never met a Mormon in her life. Spider-Man was apparently about a man bitten by a spider who received “super-powers,” yes, an extremely unbelievable and pointless story.

It was her third week in New York and she was just getting use to the loud noises and large crowds. For the first two, Katherine, the young girl who had found her in the Bayou, had accompanied Emily around the city. It was a blessing that she was there, for many things still confused and fascinated Emily about the twenty-first century. But now, Emily was alone. Her old friend had passed away and Katherine was needed back at home.

Emily could have gone back to her comfortable home in the swamp, but there was something about New York that compelled her to stay: Mutants. Katherine had told her about them, people born with genetic differences. They were so captivating, something out of a science fiction novel. She had seen giant, frozen turkeys attack the city. She had seen people with scales, feathers, extra limbs, tails, even a man with a unicorn horn. Millions of people lived in this city, who knew how many were mutants. Was she a mutant?

By now, everyone had filed out of the theatre and she was the only one left in the front, other than people sweeping and others who appeared to be sleeping. I ragged man asked for some change and she gave him a few dollars, smiling but avoiding eye contact. If he looked too close, he would have noticed her glazed eyes. Sure, for some they would assume she had had a little too much to drink. But that seemed even worse than people thinking she was different.

She stood up and adjusted her scarf, tightening it a little out of worry. She began to walk in no particular direction. She had a hotel to bathe and change in, but for someone who never slept or needed rest, she had a lot of time to do nothing. Of course, for one particular second, she wasn’t paying attention.

A car hit her. She flew back a couple feet. She lay there, pretending to be dead. Hopefully the person would drive away and she would get up and leave. If an ambulance was called she would be a Jane Doe in a morgue and walk away then. She hoped whoever it was didn’t steal her jewelry or cash.

Aedus was bored. He had been working two jobs for awhile,Thanksgiving had come and gone, heck November had come and gone. and he was still in Obsidian mode. last time it only lasted a few days. it didn't make sense. He paced down Broadway, he had been walking for hours and he was coming to the theater area.
Normally, if he was bored he would hit a club and find some interesting energetic woman to spend time with. But the crowd just didn't react to a obsidian guy the same way. It was frustrating mostly because he was bored. bored. bored. bored. He leaned up against a huge playbill on the building advertising a one man show.

His lava eyes roamed about as the crowd burst out of the theater dissipated and finally a loan woman was one of the few left. His eyes were drawn to her, She was pretty in a way modern women just didn't try for anymore. refined? was that the right word he thought so. She was kind too, she helped those in need, he could appreciate that.

And she was not from around here, she was crossing the street without looking around. you had to keep looking around in new york, it wasn't look both ways, it was keep looking both ways in NYC. you never knew which manic was going to mistake you for a speed bump. She was tossed threw the air and Aedus found himself breaking his own rule, He was sprinting acrosse six lanes of traffic, Normally you didn't want to move someone, but she was still in the road and that could only make things worse. Of course the Cab didn't stop, no. if anything they drove faster.

Aedus scooped up the woman and moved her to the sidewalk.He laid the body down, his obsidian hands frantically searched for a pulse. he found none.

The homeless man walked over and put an expert hand to her wrist and shook his head. A raspy voice rolled like gravel from his throat."She's gone." he tilted his head in a confused manner. "thought I have to say she took it well, normally you get more beaten up at that speed." The homeless man looked at Aedus and shook his head again.

Aedus didn't want to believe the man and copied the way he took her pulse, he felt nothing. The old man stood over them for a moment longer. "Four wars and I haven't ever seen anyone pass as graceful as that."

"Don't be dead." Aedus said in his hollow stone voice.

Emily’s eyes lay slightly open, unblinking. A man came into her view, picked the lighter woman up, and carried her to safety. “How thoughtful,” she thought, “A real gentleman.” When he set her down she was able to get a decent look at this knight in shining armor.

No. His armor was not shining as bronze would, but this man seemed to be made of some dark rock. He was a mutant, which made Emily very excited. She had never been this close to one before. She wondered what he smelled like. The rock man searched anxiously for her pulse, no doubt, checking her wrists and other pulse points. She was surprised when he checked her chest and almost cried out in protest, but decided against it.

The homeless man came to help. He seemed to not be bothered by the man quite different from him crouching beside him. Emily felt maybe it would be ok to get up and react to her current situation, but she didn’t want to cause this elderly man a heart-attack. He eventually went on his way, which suited her quite fine. She liked the aged man, but felt it would be easier to talk to the rock knight without him around.

She reached her hand up and softly rested it on his shoulder. Her voice was soft and wispy as she spoke, “I do declare! I…I must have passed out. I’m sorry to have given you such a fuss.” She sat up slowly, pretending not to have even noticed being hit by a car. “Well lookie here. Who is this kind gentleman who seems to have swept me of my feet? In a manner of speaking, of course. ”

“Oh thank goodness!” The relief in his stone features was vivid and expressive if etched on a dark canvas.

Aedus’s jaw dropped it was as if she hadn’t even felt it. He wasn’t sure what was going on with the southern belle accent, but she just got hit by a car and was coming out of the theatre, he would cut her some slack, he hoped that she didn’t have amnesia or something.

He broke his rule about keeping an alias for this form it was one thing when helping women after an accident and something very different when helping a man escape hired guns.“My name is Aedus Teague. Are you sure you’re ok miss?” Was she invincible? or just extremely lucky? Either way this was awesome. He looked at her eyes maybe she had been drinking? He had read about instances where the fact that the person was drunk probably left their body relaxed enough to survive a collision. Regardless he was happy to see this young woman survived. He wondered at the Old man’s pronouncement of her death.
Aedus offered a hand to the woman to help her rise when she was ready apparently she was just fine. “And who if I may ask, have I had the pleasure of assisting tonight?” it was something about the way she spoke that made him want to speak that way too, it was a bad habit, some people took offense to the borrowing of their accent, some people didn’t notice some people were flattered by it. for his part he rarely noticed when he was doing it.

Lost, lost, why was Lydia always lost? She felt like Alice wandering through Wonderland, through the shining lights and busy, bustling streets. Too many people, such large crowds, no wonder she’d fallen so easily down the rabbit hole.

She had been following potential job opportunities that day, having researched a few leads in the paper and online the night before. Many were downtown, which wasn’t too long of a subway ride from the Sanctuary, so she figured she’d check out the ones there first. Turns out many places were not too keen on hiring an eighteen-year-old with no prior job experience and a possibly sketchy past. When Dia had explained her situation to a few of the managers, well, it was obvious that they didn’t believe her.

She sighed as she recounted the numerous failures that had occurred that day, dragging her tired feet straight into a huge crowd coming from a bright, decorative theater. She felt herself get swept away, and she cursed herself for thinking she could get through the throng. She pushed her way to a light pole and clung to it for dear life, waiting for the people to pass.

Lydia would’ve thought she’d have gotten used to the New York City streets by now…

When she could finally breathe, she started down the sidewalk again, once more lamenting her predicament and dragging her heels. As she neared the theater, she noticed a dark figure huddled over a pale woman lying on the ground. Did something happen? The figure, a man, she figured, was in a shadow, but there was something definitely different about him. His posture suggested worry, and Lydia wondered what was going on. The woman didn’t seem to be hurt, but she also wasn’t conscious.

Without thinking, the teenager quickened her pace and speed-walked to the pair with concern, only to see the woman suddenly regain consciousness and place a hand on the man. And then she got up. Oh. Well, then. Lyd veered away, hoping the couple hadn’t noticed her approaching them. She really should’ve minded her own business, everything had turned out fine. Curious, but fine.

>> “My name is Aedus Teague. Are you sure you’re ok miss?”

Wait. The name couldn’t be that popular. And the voice did sound familiar, even at a distance.

>> “And who if I may ask, have I had the pleasure of assisting tonight?”

Oh yeah, it was definitely him. “Aedus? She asked tentatively, walking towards the pair again. As she neared him, she saw his face more clearly in the shadows, or rather, she noticed how well his face blended in with the dark. The Aedus she knew was not made out of stone. "Oh! I'm sorry! I mistook you for someone else..." Cheeks, cue flushing. Lydia started backing away, resisting the urge to kick herself.

The man of rock said his name and voiced concern over Emily. She waved the question away, “Oh I’m perfectly all right. The car barely grazed me.” She had an urge to tell him what she was. But not yet. He wanted to get to know this selfless man a little more first. “My name is Emily, Emily Leveau. The pleasure is all mine. I assure you.”

A young woman approached the two of them. She was a pretty girl. Something about her face gave an impression of innocence. She looked tired and in need of a meal. But all girls who were remotely thin needed a meal in Emily’s eyes. “Aedus?” she questioned. Obviously this thin, innocent woman knew her night in obscidian armor. She seemed a little confused when she saw his face however, then turned away in embarrassment. It was obviously clear to Emily that they had been lovers at one time. Why else would she turn away from him blushing as he held another woman?

Emily quickly got to her feet, her heels clicking as they hit pavement. “Excuse me miss, I didn’t get your name.” She reached her gloved hand toward the woman. “My name is Emily and this is Aedus. We just met. This kind gentleman just saved my life, is all.” There. Air cleared. She wondered if everyone would like to get something to eat. At least this thin, frail figure in front of her. She needed a pork chop, maybe three.

He grinned at the woman’s pleasantries. “I am very pleased that you are ok.” Something was definitely up. That car grazed her like a wrecking ball grazes a building it is destroying. He opened his mouth to comment upon her soft features, but then a second feminine voice called his name his eyes shot to the woman and he instantly recognized Lydia. He was about to reply but she backed away when she got a better look at him, Fear? No merely embarrassment.

“It is me Lydia, are you alright?” He looked to Emily and explained to them both to further relieve confusion. “I didn’t look like this when Lydia I met. “and you do me too much credit. ” Emily was too kind; it seemed almost as if she wanted to pretend the car had never hit her at all. Two beautiful brunettes at once, this was a bit awkward, He could hardly woo both of them at once could he? He thought not. Very well then, no need to woo either of them, perhaps they could all just have a good time. He waited to introduce any further plans until he was sure everyone was comfortable with the situation, Lydia looked a little out of sorts.

>> “Oh I’m perfectly all right. The car barely grazed me.”

Car? Barely grazed? Lydia couldn’t help but overhear those curious words, and wondered what exactly was going on. The woman had been lying on the ground and “Aedus” had looked pretty distraught…but her thoughts were cut short by the woman’s introduction.

>> “Excuse me miss, I didn’t get your name. My name is Emily and this is Aedus. We just met. This kind gentleman just saved my life, is all.”
>> “It is me Lydia, are you alright? I didn’t look like this when Lydia I met. And you do me too much credit.”

“Aedus!” The girl squeaked as she tackled the man, wrapping her arms around in him a snuggest of hugs. Before she even addressed the other woman, she had to let it out. She hadn’t seen him in ages!

After she let go, she cocked her head in confusion, not quite understanding what was going on. He certainly had not looked like a dark statue the first and last time she’d seen him. What happened to him? But before she assaulted him with a barrage of questions, she figured introducing herself would be more polite. She couldn’t forget the pretty woman, after all.

“My name is Lydia,” she began, her voice trailing off as she thought over what she was just told, “Um, you said he saved your life?”

She couldn’t help but glance at Aedus periodically, slightly mesmerized by his new appearance. He looked sleek and smooth but had none of his enticingly tousled hair anymore, unfortunately.

“Yes, he did. You see, I car had come out of nowhere. And this gentleman carried me to safety.” The ferocious hug proved even more to Emily that they had once been lovers. Friends would never hug each other in such a way. And the way the woman kept glancing at the rock man. There was obvious attraction there. Standing in the middle of the road was no way for former flames to catch up.

Emily faked a shiver. She assumed it was pretty cold outside for those who could feel such things. “I’m starved. Would either of you like to join me for a bite to eat?”

Aedus wrapped an arm around her ensuring not to squeeze her too tightly, It wouldn’t due to suffocate her against his chest. He wasn’t sure of the sudden affection, She seemed to have enjoyed dancing with that night awhile back, but he still didn’t get why she would have left with that Jerk…He was being too harsh, she lived with the man of course she would need to go back for her things or try to patch up the situation but still…She never returned his shirt or gave him a call to meet up later either. Still, she obviously missed him.

He wouldn’t argue, He wasn’t sure why she was acting that way, but if she wanted to insist that he was Heroic He supposed it wouldn’t hurt to let her, She seemed to have some sort of motive and she wanted it to be true. Was she a crazy Person?

“It's good to see you Lydia, and Emily I am so very relieved you are alright. I’m up for grabbing a bite to eat.” He looked to Lydia, to see what her response would be, she looked a bit distraught originally and perhaps relieved to see someone she recognized.

“What are you ladies in the mood for?” They didn’t really match in attire what so ever, Emily was dressed for theatre, Lydia was Dressed for a day out of shopping perhaps? And he was dressed for exercise.

Emily hadn’t eaten since 1842. Wherever they went she would push it around her plate and then take it to go. There was a lovely homeless lady, Joan, who loved her leftover food. Emily wondered what Joan would like to eat.

“I’m feeling Hispanic food tonight. Mexican, Cuban, doesn’t matter.” Emily had never eaten Hispanic food. She tried not to think about what things tasted or smelled like. It just made her upset. The pleasure of food had been lost to her for far too long. “I’m rather new to the area. Which way should we go?"

Cars? Accidents? Lydia shivered. Thank goodness Aedus was there to save Emily. She imagined the situation could’ve gone much worse if he hadn’t been there at the opportune moment…not that she knew the specifics of what had happened. After all, the woman had been lying on the ground when the teenager had spotted her. Hmm…

Something about the woman, Emily, was off. Lydia didn’t know what it was, but something told her Miss Leveau was just a bit too pale, her style of dress a bit too vintage. She chalked it up to paranoia, or perhaps even subconscious jealousy (the woman was very pretty, after all), and nodded in agreement when food was suggested. She was down for food. In fact, her grumbling stomach agreed.

One problem. She definitely had no cash on her. She had a transit card with enough for a trip home, but not a cent of usable money. Walking around all day had taken a toll on her, and a nice enchilada soup sounded divine at the moment. Maybe she’d just accompany the others and tough it out.

>> “I’m rather new to the area. Which way should we go?”

Dia shrugged. She had no idea, either. She looked to Aedus expectantly, waiting to see if he’d have any suggestions. Then she blushed, because she had practically thrown herself on him. Seeing a friendly face after a long day had pushed her emotions around and made her immensely happy to see him. In retrospect, she was embarrassed. She hardly knew the guy, and it wasn’t like they had parted on such delightful terms. And he was never getting his shirt back. Eli had probably burned it after she left.

“Sorry I never called. I meant to, but I left your number and your shirt back at Eli’s when I moved out…” A delicate way to describe the dramatic split.

"Hispanic sounds really good, something hot and spicy would hit the spot." He replied to Emily, she had a way of saying it like it would be a great experience. He of course didn't realize that it was a hunger for Hispanic food that would never be met.

Aedus pursed his lips for a moment as he looked at a imaginary map of New york in his head, a defiant perk of being a bike Currier in this sprawling city was knowing the lay of the land extremely well. "Actually, there is a fantastic little, Cuban place a couple blocks down." Aedus waved a cab down, Lydia look beat and Emily had just been hit by a car, He was not making them walk.

It pulled over and he held open the door for the ladies. "Don't worry about it Lydia, I understand you had a lot going on. I'm glad you got away from that guy, are you doing, Ok?" he had a place she could stay at if she needed it. He would have to work at behaving, He wouldn't want to put her in a situation she felt like she was just getting out of.

Emily was enjoying Aedus’s company. He was the kindness gentleman she had met in this sprawling city. She graciously went into the cab and moved over to the other seat so Lydia could get in. The taxi driver was shady looking. He wore a ball cap with sunglasses (at night?) and a heavy trench-coat. He did not smile or say hello. The man was breathing heavily and licking his lips every few seconds. Emily hoped the man was ok.

She listened to Aedus and Lydia speak. Who was Eli? A man’s name, ex-boyfriend maybe, since Lydia once lived with him. Not a good guy, by the way Aedus spoke about him. Aedus was definitely better catch. Emily was out of practice, but time to play matchmaker. No reason for these two young people to live in the past, (Emily believing they were former lovers) but look toward the future. “Aedus, Lydia and I are small enough. You should sit in the back with us.” She hoped that her baby-powder and perfume hadn’t worn off too much. Lydia being so close may not be a good idea, but Emily was willing to bet she couldn’t smell that bad. And having Aedus and Lydia right next to each other could kindle an old flame.

Aedus held the door as Lydia slid into the seat and he sat next to her. Aedus was not the type to shy away from sharing a small space with two attractive and possibly available women. " Of course." the smell in the car reminded him of flowers and a scent he couldn't quite place but reminded him of his sister in law who seemed to always have a new nephew or niece on her hip. It was a pleasant scent.

"HI Dalsim," Aedus peered at the name tag on the cabdrivers license. " could you take us to Kaliente Mamsita. ~Hot Mama~ It sounded like a spanish gentlemen's club, but it was a place that made perhaps the absolutely best Chile rellonos not to mention they had spanish rice that seemed to always eclipse the already amazing food that was on your plate.

His mouth watered just thinking about the Chipotle cilantro rice.