Naveed smiled a toothy grin as she grabbed the cherrie. "Guess I'm the country mouse then city fish." he spooned away at the icecream. "My sister is a godess among men... but unfourtunantly she fell in with the wrong crowd." he thought back to Rupert. "Some cop used her to attack a home for mutants. When he got what he wanted he imprisoned her there. From what I hear she didn't see it coming. Fell for the loser. Literally." he looked a little pale thinking about it. "She' s really fantastic though." he said chugging a glass of water. "She could sing to this glass of water and spiral it out into the air as ice. Back in our tribe she was a chanter as part of our customs and that's how she found out about her powers. I wasn't so lucky. But she is powerful. She came here to respect the peace of the tribe and to hone her ability. To some school or something..." he trailed off. "What about your sister?"

(OOC: Feel free to keep calling her 'fish'. lol It makes for a nice running gag. )

"Guess I'm the country mouse then city fish."

Vibe wrinkled her nose at him. "You know, I really don't like that nickname...."

"My sister is a godess among men... but unfourtunantly she fell in with the wrong crowd. Some cop used her to attack a home for mutants. When he got what he wanted he imprisoned her there. From what I hear she didn't see it coming. Fell for the loser. Literally."

"Never trust a badge." Vibe swallowed a huge spoonful of ice cream. The resulting brain freeze kept her from interrupting the rest of Naveed's speech.

"She' s really fantastic though. She could sing to this glass of water and spiral it out into the air as ice. Back in our tribe she was a chanter as part of our customs and that's how she found out about her powers. I wasn't so lucky. But she is powerful. She came here to respect the peace of the tribe and to hone her ability. To some school or something..."

"Xavier's," she clarified. "My cousin went there. Run by the Xgeeks, and teaches mutant and human equality. Or some such nonesense. They're way overrated."

"What about your sister?"

Vibe paused, and poked at her sundae. "She's powerful too. Our powers work together but.... she's always been stronger one. Braver, too. Nothing ever phases her...." Her eyes glazed over, and her voice lowered. "She was trying to protect me. That's how she got caught. The Stalkers destroyed our home, and she...."

She swallowed and straighted up. "I swear, once I get her back, those robots are going to be scrapmetal," she all but hissed. She dug into the ice cream, as if by devouring it she could also destroy the Stalkers. She had to pause again for another brain freeze, though.

Naveed watched her with great interest. "You are powerful Vibe, more than you give yourslf credit for. You've been out here honing your ability by fighting the stalkers and avoiding them." he cracked a smile as he watched her eat. "before you two were probably insperable with your powers but now you're both growing as individuals, it means that when she does get back you two will be more powerful than ever."

The thought made him wonder about Raina and the similiarties yet huge differences with their powers. Both controlled by the voice- yet Raina's seemed less sinister.

"Besides," he teased. "I'm sure you're the cuter one. And a cute woman with a strong power is a deadly combination. Us Good looking guys..." he paused to toss his hair over his shoulder. "have the same problem."

ooc: ick... so sick today

(OOC: Sorry to hear that. Hope you feel better soon)

"You are powerful Vibe, more than you give yourslf credit for. You've been out here honing your ability by fighting the stalkers and avoiding them."[/i]

"Luck," she mumbled as Naveed continued.

"Before you two were probably insperable with your powers but now you're both growing as individuals, it means that when she does get back you two will be more powerful than ever."

Vibe narrowed her eyes. "And we're going to make sure certain people know it." Specifically whoever ran the camps, and whoever made those Bucket 'o' Bolts and shock collars.

"Besides, I'm sure you're the cuter one." Vibe quirked an eyebrow upward. "And a cute woman with a strong power is a deadly combination. Us Good looking guys.... have the same problem."

Vibe snorted. "I'm sure." Granted Naveed wasn't bad-looking. She wouldn't go so far as 'cute' either. There was potential there for rugged handsomeness, kind of like Abyss and his crew. But at the moment, the clothes were blocking the potential rather solidly, at least in the petite redhead's mind.

She finished her ice cream, and waited for him before walking out to the curb to hail a cab. If the waiter didn't ask for money, she didn't see a need to offer either.[/color]

Naveed finished his ice cream and followed her to the curb. The waiter didn't seem to notice anything. That was good. He followed Vibe out to the entrance and watched as he hailed the cab. As they got inside he took a look back at the restraunt. "So where to?" asked the cabbie. Naveed looked to Vibe. "Anywhere the little lady likes!"

ooc: again, sorry so short, sick as a dog, lol

Vibe gave the cab driver the cross streets where she'd parked her car. During the ride she pulled out Mars' cellphone. She sent a quick text his way:

Stalkers attacked mall. Tell Syn to steer clear.

Vibe doubted the red-and-black haired Order leader would be out and about. She hadn't seemed to have cabin fever like Vibe had. Still, she felt impelled to warn her.

Once they reached the car, Vibe paid the short fare, and got out. She walked over to the black VW Beetle she had borrowed from Hunter's garage. She didn't like the color; it looked too much like a beetle. But it had been the first vehicle with keys she'd come across. And it fit her petite size nicely, which she had to admit was plus.

She hopped in, and started it up, giving no mind to the difficulties he might have with the small car. When she checked her mirrors, she noticed the tracker watch Hunter's goons had foisted off on her. She reached back to retrieve it, then dropped it in Naveed's lap.

"Here. Consider it a thank you."

Then she manuvered out into traffic, and sped off.

Naveed watched Vibe for the short drive with hidden weariness hoping her health would resume normality. When she hopped easily out of the car and into the next his fears subsided and then were replaced by a whole new fear when he saw the size of her car. "What... is... that?" hr grumbled looking at the tiny thing. He looked at it in terror as Vibe easily got in. "I'm supposed to get in that?" he circled the car. It was true Naveed didnt have much experieince with cars... but he somehow always trought they were much bigger, He eyed it a bit more. He slowly reached for the passenger side door and gave it a swing open.

He grumbled as he tried to squeeze his girth and broad shoulders into the car and ended up with his knees resting under his chin. "I feel like an idiot."

it was then that she dropped some sort of watch into his lap. He looked at it a moment. He never owned a watch before, usually just went by the sun and moon. He looked curiously at her with the smerk of a clow stuck in a clown car. "what's this?"

"I feel like an idiot."

Vibe glanced at Naveed. "Why?" She grinned, realizing how uncomfortable he must be. It wasn't her fault though. She hadn't started out the day intending to pick up a six-foot date.

Still, his knee was uncomfortably close. Maybe they needed to trade up later.....

"what's this?"

"What's what?" She spared him a glance, then rolled her eyes. "Duh! It's watch, genius. I know you know what a watch is."

She looked sideways again. "You do, don't you?" Surely he wasn't that country.....

"Uh sure sure sure...." said Naveed nodding vigerously dangling the watch in his oversized hands. "I'll use it later" he said completley unsure of what the device was for. He stashed it away in his pocket.

"Not that I dont enjoy spending time with you Fishy, think you can get where we're going fast? I'm getting rather intimate with my legs here..." he grunted/

"Not that I dont enjoy spending time with you Fishy, think you can get where we're going fast? I'm getting rather intimate with my legs here..."

She might have actually felt sorry for him. That is, until he called her 'Fishy' again. Pity flew right out the window after that.

She snickered. "The seat moves back, ya know. And you can open a window if you want."

She maneuvered through NYC traffic, trading honks and insults, and playing bumper cars and chicken with the rest of the drivers on the street. She even clipped a cop car once. He was busy with a drunk at the moment, so he just yelled at her as she passed, and then yelled back at him.

Halfway across the city from the mall and, hopefully, the Stalker, Vibe pulled up to a strip mall, basically a five-block area lined with shops and plazas, all outdoors. She found a spot, after cutting off a tour bus, to parallel park, leaving a bit of paint on the bumper of the car behind her in the process.

She hopped easily out of the little beetle, and dropped a few coins in the meter. She tapped her foot on the sidewalk while waiting for Naveed to uncurl himself from the car.

"All right, first order of business, find you some decent threads." She looked up and down for a Big & Tall shop.

Naveed winced as she manouvered through traffic. Gasping occasionally and closing his eyes- he wasn't sure he'd actually live through this. Finally the car came to a grinding hault after he'd spent the rest of the ride trying to figure out how to open the window. When the window finally opened magically on it's own after he leaned on some sort of button trigger he didn't take any chances with the door and simply squeezed himself out of the window.

He stood outside the car like a man who'd just won victory over a savage beast. "naveed 1, Car 0." he chuckled turning to look at Vibe.

"Ok, new clothes it is. great, these hippy pants are riding up in the butt" he joked following her inside.

He caught himself thinking a moment about how much fun he was having. He felt a little twinge of guilt and pushed it aside. He couldnt help Raina yet... but his new friends from the Resistance, Darren would help him.

Vibe covered her eyes and shook her head as Naveed crawled out through the car window.

"naveed 1, Car 0."

"That's debatable...." she muttered under her breath, glancing up. He smirked at her, as if he'd conquered a mountain, or something.

"Ok, new clothes it is. great, these hippy pants are riding up in the butt."

She raised an eyebrow, and mumbled, "Not a bad thing, depending on the guy...." The she sighed dramatically, and took the lead down the street.

Finding a promising store she entered. The shopkeeper, and several other patrons, paused to stare at the pair. "Costume party," Vibe lied easily. Everyone went back to their business, as if nothing had happened, with the exception of a store assistant.

"Can I help you find anything?" she asked, a bit dubiously. She didn't seem to completely buy the costume bit, but was polite enough not to question it. Vibe tossed her hair, and leaned on the corner of the counter.

"Actually, yeah. It's Party Week for my friends and I; four parties in a week. We've got costume out of the way. Obviously," she tilted her head and smiled. "We've got Formal/Casual, Midwest Casual and Block Party. I've got myself covered, but...." she sighed dramatically, "I'm have trouble fitting him out."

Even as she spoke, the woman was eying Naveed, taking his measure. When Vibe finished, she nodded.

"All right, let's see what we can come up with. This way, Sir. Let's start with formal." She led him toward the dress shirts and pants.

While she waited, Vibe took a mental count of how much she was willing to spend on Naveed.

Naveed hopped and skipped next to Vibe in the most femanine way he could muster. "oh yaaay clothes shopping" he waved his hands dramatically and rolled his eyes.
He took a gander around the parkinglot noticing the size of the other cars and felt his cheeks burning a bit.
He made his way inside cautiously looking around having learned from their last encounter and waited patiently though looking rather terrified as Vibe spoke to a clerk. Before he knew it a woman was within arms length holding out a measuring tape and poking and prodding here and there.
"Hey! Yow! Watch it"
he was spun around and ushered into a dressing room.
"Paul! Come here. We need you desperetly." said the female clerk. "paul' a very short and stout man dressed in a boehmian fashion with an upturned nose took one look at Naveed and let out a shriek.
"Oh my! zis weeeel nevvah doo." he shook his head. "tsk tsk" he closed the door behind himself and Naveed.

"Ah... Vibe?!" cried Navi shakily. "I don't think this is such a good... ideaAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!"

After nearly half an hour of rustling, gruhting, various arm loads of clothing, swearing from Naveed and "Paul" Paul emerged from the dressing room and stood infront of its' mirror.

"I preseent to ouu... Navi!" he stepped away as Naveed stepped out completey dwarfing the man and barely fitting through the door frame.

He stood there with a self consious look on his face unknowingly tugging at his neck. He stood tall and hansom in a darkish blue suit. The fit was perfect and his hair was slicked back into a tight plait. The dress shirt accented his chest while the jacket his broad shoulders. The pants were rather slimming but truth be told Navi felt like a penguin.

He looked himself over in the mirror and slicke dhis hand across his smooth hair until Paul bat it away. "Not too shabby... I guess..."

"Ah... Vibe?! I don't think this is such a good... ideaAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!"

Vibe merely rolled her eyes. Honestly, was it really so hard to show a bit of interest in your appearance? No, it didn't.

Despite not being able to shop much for herself in that particular store, Vibe by no means grew bored. She never got bored shopping. She spent the time examining various items, and their style potential. The time passed fairly quickly.

Finally, she heard them emerge. "I preseent to ouu... Navi!"

"Bad accent," she mumbled under her breath, and turned around. Her eyebrows went up in pleasant surprise.

"Not too shabby... I guess..." Naveed didn't sound convinced, but Vibe's lips twitched upward in approval. Handsome definitely applied now. She strode forward, and walked all around him in closer examination.

"Not too bad," she finally remarked. "Definitely better than it was. Waaay better than it was." She smacked the giant in the stomach. "Who'd've thought you'd clean up nice?"

The pair of shopkeepers beamed smugly as Vibe paid for the outfits.

"Those cost a pretty penny, so try not to mess 'em up. At least for a day," she chided him, though the pricetag didn't faze her at all. She was used to spending outrageous amounts, though they were usually other people's money. "All right, my turn." And she headed out to find the petite store.

While Naveed had only taken half an hour, Vibe took considerably longer. A diehard shopper, she tried on everything from shoes to scarves, dresses to skirts, shirts and pants, and everything in between. She gravitated toward anything green, gold, ivory or rust in color. Every now and then she would bounce an outfit off of Naveed, but only because she wanted to show off. She was just SOOO happy to be out of the borrowed pink dragonflies and hippie clothes.

Naveed smerked and then let out a huff as she wacked him in the stomach. He regained his composure after she'd paid for the items and mumbled something about 'convincing them he'd already paid' but it was too late. After seeing her reaction to his outfit he had a renewed sense of confidence and followed her around pleasantly quiet for the first half hour of shopping.

By the end of a full hour when she had still yet to pick out an outfit he was feeling rather weary. He wasn't the only man to be sitting outside a waiting room while girl after girl came out of the dressing room. He coudln't help feeling like he'd been pulled into some right of passage.

He smiled and nodded and gave his approval for outfit after outfit. it's not that Vibe looked bad- because she certainly didnt... it was the crowd of growing people outside the video game store that continued to peek his curiosity as his attention drifted.

When she'd been in one dressing room a considerable amount of time he couldn't help but wander out to see what all the fuss was about. The people were all gathered around a platform with a screen. Two guys were jumping on the platforms as arrows appeared on the screen. They looked to be dancing on the platform and not very good.

Now, it wasn't that Naveed was a patricular good dancer, it was just that his agility and coordination were rather fantastic thanks to leaping from ice flow to ice flow. He couldn't help taking a try when he saw how awful both men were doing though the crowd seemed to think they were great. He removed his jacket and hung it over the railing of the machine and started to jump/

Moments later the crowd was estatic as Naveed was beating the high score.

ooc: had to be cheesy hehe