Aedus stood on the side walk wondering at what to do, New York was the best city in the world, the fact that he had never been to another city made him a little biased he thought, but then if you are in the best city in the world why leave to find out you are right. Unnecessary time wasting is what that was.

The Irish blooded New Yorker looked around him at all the other pedestrians; they all seemed to be carrying along peacefully no one seemed to need his assistance. No one seemed to need a hero or even help for that matter. He supposed he could have come to a worse part of town if he wanted to find someone who needed help.

He bought a cup of coffee and began to meander down the road in his dark blue jeans, bright orange tee shirt and matching orange running shoes. Today was a fairly pleasant day and he opted for no coat or jacket even though the rest of the world seemed to think that the weather warranted a little bit more fabric wrapped about them. He couldn't decide if his body temperature was higher, if his body felt warmer or if it was all mental, but since he had become a mutant the world around him seemed a toastier place.

Rebecca could not stay in the Mansion forever, as much as she might prefer staying in the safe confines meeting new mutant friends as opposed to venturing into the huge, intimidating world of New York City. The young Scot eventually needed to find a part time job where she could make some money. Nothing much, but enough to buy small things like room decorations and clothes. To get a new job, she would have to get more accustomed to the city, so she found a pair of jeans, a sweater, her jacket and a scarf and entered into the winter.

Today's goal was not to apply for jobs yet persay; if the opportunity was there, she would not overlook it, but she wanted to just get acclimated to the area. Surprisingly, the weather was not as bad as she expected based on what she knew of American winter, so she loosened up her scarf.

The sidewalks were busy with people, which was seeming expected here. She saw several nearby businesses, like cafes and shops and pubs. Rebecca was not sure if she would feel comfortable in a pub, nevermind working in one, but there were plenty of places to consider. She was walking by a professional building, her eyes starting at the glass doors with a large, classy lobby, but continued upward in amazement at the height of the building. She would never get used to the grandiosity of New York.

Her absent-mindedness led to her bumping into a man standing on the sidewalk. She bounced back and blushed. "Ah'm verra sorry, sir. Ah wasnae watchin' where Ah was going."

Aedus maneuvered his coffee away from the girl to ensure he didn’t spill it on her or him for that matter. He was happy to find he didn’t spill it on anyone at all. His other hand nonchalantly checked to make sure his wallet was where he left it. “Nah, it’s my fault for standing still.are you ok?” Aedus dismissed the need for apologizing at all. Being bumped into in the city was a normal thing; in fact it was normal enough that he was guessing she wasn’t from around here. If she was she would have more than likely gripped at him for being in the way. Aww, she was blushing, Cute! Man, did those pale cheeks light up!

He smiled his best smile at the young woman. She had a charming look to her and accent he’d need to hear a couple more times to be sure about but she sounded like a Scot to him. “Just a tip, if you apologize, most New Yorkers will decide you have something to be sorry for. Are you heading anywhere in particular, I could help you find it. I’m Aedus by the way.”

>> “Nah, it’s my fault for standing still. Are you ok?”

Rebecca brushed herself off, meekly replying, "Nae, Ah wasnae lookin'. Ah'm braw thought, thenk ye."

She looked up to see a taller, fit man with very short black hair and what seemed like vibrant orange eyes to accompany a welcoming smile. Her blush heightened at the sight of the man. She was, after all, a girl who spent most of her life with her family or in an all-girl's school. The only interaction she had with the opposite gender was silly boys from town and very limited exposure to movies.

>> “Just a tip, if you apologize, most New Yorkers will decide you have something to be sorry for. Are you heading anywhere in particular, I could help you find it. I’m Aedus by the way.”

The concept baffled her. How could apologizing seem suspicious? That was something people did when they were sorry, right? She heard his offer and was wary, if not flattered by his attention. "Um, Ah'm jist lookin' aroond. Ah'm new tae th' city an' wanted tae get a handle on it, mebbe find somewharr 'at might be hirin' help?"

She was uncertain of whether to trust the offer from a strange man to guide her; she was told horror stories by her parents before she even arrived about what that might lead to. She was unfamiliar with the area, however, and maybe if she kept her wits about her, she could keep herself safe in case he did something suspicious. Ah suppose some guidance couldnae hurt. Mah name's Rebecca." She did not offer her hand, but instead nodded politely in introduction.

As they began to walk, she asked, "Aedus, ye said? That's Irish, sir?"

“It’s nice to make your acquaintance Rebecca. You are one of the few to know where my name is from.” He grinned at that, it was rare that he introduced himself and people didn’t look at him like ~your name is what now?~

“Well, I’d be happy to show you around, as for finding a job, do you know what you might be looking for?” He wasn’t too sure about what place would be hiring that she’d like, but he was fairly well connected that he bet he could find this girl a job through his family if nothing else suited her. He would offer to set her up with a currier job, but that took some serious athletics and knowledge of the city.
Hmmm, he wondered briefly which one of them was paler, she had more freckles.

“ So, Rebbeca where do you hail from?” She looked to be at least eighteen, why did he always have trouble with figuring out how old women were? It was against the rules to ask. Or did that just go for older gals? Hmm.

>> “It’s nice to make your acquaintance Rebecca. You are one of the few to know where my name is from.”

Rebecca smiled, realizing a name like his was much more common across the pond than in the States. She was just fortunate that Rebecca was somewhat universal. "Well, mah ma is half-Irish."

>> “Well, I’d be happy to show you around, as for finding a job, do you know what you might be looking for?”

The girl shrugged at the taller gentleman. "Ah'm nae picky. Ah jist want a wee extra dosh, is all." She paused, realizing there might be a culture gap with slang. "Ah mean money." She could not tell if the man was American-born or a true Irishman. Based on his accent, he at the very least had been in the States for a long time.

>> “ So, Rebbeca where do you hail from?”

"Ah'm from Scootland. Ah jist came here fur school." There was a small break before the last word; no need to go into detail about which school or why she left in the first place.

It seemed to be a busy day in the streets, but Rebecca was unsure how to appropriately judge that in New York. To her, a slow day would probably still seem lively and bustling. Looking up at the towering buildings, she asked, "Hoo dae folk live here like it's normal? Thes place still makes me dizzy." Would that ever wear off? After enough time, would she be handling the city like a real New Yorker?

“That must be where you get that fantastic shade of Stawberry from.” Complimented freely, He liked to flatter, particularly when it was easy. So many girls tried for that shade and could only find it in a bottle.

Aedus put the context clues together so that he was pretty sure that she was just working for the money, most part time jobs were for that cause exactly. He nodded his understanding to the young woman.
“Ah, Scotland.” That put the accent into place for him. He wanted to say she was from shawn connery land, but couldn’t seem to remember where he was from. “ Oh are you here for one of our fantastic colleges?” He went to a local school, growing up around NYU and all the others made him shrug off the appeal, so he found a small school that had a solid degree in what he wanted and went after it. He was surprised when he got a soccer scholarship to the school he wanted.

Aedus shook his head. “It’s perfectly natural to me, I grew up here, sometimes I wonder how I would feel without being able to spot the nearest sky scraper. For now though, try not to look up so much. Then you can just pretend they are two or three stories.”

“I guess we can just window shop to see if anyone has now hiring’s in the window. This strip is actually pretty good for shops.” He would keep her away from food. It was his preference to never work in food, so he would let her have his prejudice as well.

>> “That must be where you get that fantastic shade of Stawberry from.”

Rebecca ran her hands through her hair, pulling it to rest on her shoulder shyly. "Thank ye. It's nae that special, Ah'm sure." He was right to call it strawberry; so many people just called her a redhead, but it was nice to be recognized on occasion as a strawberry blonde.

The complimentary tone of the man's voice did pinken her cheeks slightly.

>> “ Oh are you here for one of our fantastic colleges?”

Colleges? Rebecca giggled. "Nae. Well, soon, mebbe. Fer now, Ah'm jist a senior in high school. Ah... needed a change of scenereh." She would rather not get into the true reasons for her lifestyle change with a strange man. This was not the Mansion; keeping her cover as a mutant was important out here.

>> “It’s perfectly natural to me, I grew up here, sometimes I wonder how I would feel without being able to spot the nearest sky scraper. For now though, try not to look up so much. Then you can just pretend they are two or three stories.”

She liked the tip; it was a simple way of keeping herself from developing a sense of vertigo. "Thank ye. Yoo're so clever." She kept her eyes street-level. That was where all the hustle and bustle was anyway.

>> “I guess we can just window shop to see if anyone has now hiring’s in the window. This strip is actually pretty good for shops.”

"'At's wha Ah planned on, actually." She looked around at the shops. She was not well versed in technology and brand names, but she could learn if it meant a job. There was also the possibility of working as a waitress or busgirl somewhere. "Any places round here ye like in particular?"

“I disagree, I bet a hundred to one if the girl’s hair is close to that shade its from a bottle, I mean imitation is flattery and all, but when its natural it’s so much better.”Aedus nodded to himself.

“Ah, I see. Either way, I am sure the trip will have been worth it.” Reel it in Aedus, no shopping in the high school section. Well that was ok, that would probably make this tour a bit more productive with out him trying to sidetrack her onto a date.

Nah, it would probably seem backward to you but I honestly don’t like to be out of the city much, it feels wrong when its quiet and peaceful.”

“mmmm,” Aedus spotted a hiring sign in blacked out window that he wouldn’t admit that he liked to a girl who’s cheeks still blushed at a compliment. No gentlemen’s clubs job for our high school senior. He pointed out a store that she might like, the clothes seemed to match her style well enough, and it was a bit on the higher end side so the y would pay better than most. “That shop isn’t bad.” He started walking in that direction. “Have you had any jobs before?” He thought about the places he might be able to call in a favor from friends and family.

>> “I disagree, I bet a hundred to one if the girl’s hair is close to that shade its from a bottle, I mean imitation is flattery and all, but when its natural it’s so much better.”

The man certainly had quite strong opinions about dyed hair and natural beauty. Thankfully, she was on the natural beauty side of the argument. Some people could be so kind to an absolute stranger, and this man's friendliness was welcoming. "Well, Ah dunno about 'at, but thank ye..."

My, she was feeling hot under the collar now. She loosened the scarf more and unbuttoned the top of her jacket. In the future, she would consider checking outside before layering up.

>> “That shop isn’t bad. Have you had any jobs before?”

She shrugged, "Not really. But Ah can cook an' Ah woulds say Ah'm very polite an' hard working." She looked at the shop Aedus pointed out; if anything, it was a place she would not mind shopping at herself. "We could look to see if they're hiring, sure." She allowed Aedus to take the lead to the store, looking around at other places. There was some sort of club; it looked like a pub. Maybe she was old enough to work as a food server in a pub? It did not hurt to keep options open.

Aedus nodded to the acceptance of his compliment, it was only a half denial. At least she didn’t retreat from it. “ well that’s ok, that gives you a clean record, I don’t know if cooking will come up unless you are looking for restaurant work, which can take some of the fun out of it. Polite and hard working however are good assets.”

Aedus nodded and closed on the building, upon arriving they entered and went straight back to the counter bypassing the line to attempt to get an application.

“Excuse me miss, could we get an application.” Aedus would have let Rebecca ask her self but the woman behind the counter was busy and he only had her attention for a moment. The brunette behind the counter replied as she worked. “We’ve been meaning to take the now hiring sign down, they hired two new girls that day, but if one of them doesn’t work out we’ll give you a call. As she waited for the woman to slide her debit card she retrieved two applications and handed them over. I noticed a comic book shop hiring on the way in today. If you go out and to the left near the end of the block, its title is a lord of the rings reference, I forget what.”

“Thanks.” Aedus looked to Rebecca. He would leave his application blank and toss it at some point but it wouldn’t hurt to not turn it down immediately.

>> “Well that’s ok, that gives you a clean record, I don’t know if cooking will come up unless you are looking for restaurant work, which can take some of the fun out of it. Polite and hard working however are good assets.”

Rebecca nodded, looking at the large building. "Ah am nae lookin' fer much. Jist somethin' tae gie wee money." The jobs high schoolers could look for did not tend to require extensive foreknowledge, based on what she knew.

Aedus led her into the nice clothing store, navigating around racks toward the sales counter. He took the lead for her, which, while perhaps a bit commandeering, was well-intentioned and polite. This made it all the more unfortunate when the employment vacancy was outdated. She handed her an application just in case, and Rebecca bowed graciously. "Thank ye, miss. Ah appreciate this."

The busy woman did give her a second option. A comic store. Rebecca was not very versed in comic books, but one of her closer friends in Scotland was, and the fandom seemed interesting. If they were open to hiring her, she would be open to the new opportunity.

As they walked out of the store and back into the concrete wilderness, she folded the application and tucked it away in the pocket of her jacket. "Ah woulds be interested in a comic shop if they'd be interested in an eighteen year-auld wi' limited comic experience," she said with a joking grin. "Lead th' way!"

“ No problem girlie!” came the peppy reply of the woman in work mode.

Aedus walked out of the store with his application in hand, “ Do you want an extra? I’m not sure why she gave me one.” Adeus let a smirk settle onto his face “ I am pretty sure that they’ll hire you in a heartbeat, pretty girls are like geek bait, you would be great for business. Comic guys coming in to see you and hopeful making a purchase while they are there. I can’t see them turning you away.” He shook his head slightly.
Aedus lead the way indeed, following the rather simple directions to the comic book shop He looked at the cardboard cutouts in the window and the wallpaper-esque spread of comic posters on the window. He never really understood comics, He already had a whole family of amazing mutants to be jealous of growing up as a kid he didn’t need super heroes to daydream about to. Besides why read about exciting events, when you could make them happen. Aedus opened the door to the comic book shop and waited for the young lady to enter.
Thinking about how the young lady was taking the initiative to do the job hunting, he would stand back on this one. “this one is all yours.” He said to Rebecca as they entered.

It was another slow day. The clientele at “One Comic to Rule Them All” seemed to dwindling but Akshay Malik did not seem to mind. Sometimes the best part of his days were the slow moments because the majority of the time the shop was filled with large, sweating, nervous, ill-smelling youngsters and mid-aged “men”. While Akshay identified himself with the nerds and geeks and dweebs, that did not mean he wanted to be constantly surrounded by them. Sometimes the smell of their mom-made bologna sandwiches mixed with their Axe bodyspray to cover up their lack of showers, could be a bit overpowering.

So, he decided to take advantage of the slow day. Sitting behind the counter, reading the latest issue of the Promise Avenger, he looked up at the empty shop. It did have some pretty damn good acoustics. It would be a shame to waste the same and not get any off his usual dance practice in.

After all, he did have plans to hit the “Hole in the Wall” club. He needed to always be at his best dancing shape.

Closing the issue of his comic, Akshay grabbed the remote for the store’s soundsystem, turned on his iPod and skipped through the tracks until he found the one that would serve him best for the space he had. A small grin crept over his face as he glanced at the title of the song before he stood, slipped out from behind his counter and stood in the middle of the large space of the deserted store.

A smart worker would have locked the door.

Hence the reason why Akshay didn’t.

Dressed in a simple pair of jeans, his Super Koala T-Shirt, and name tag, Akshay took a second or two to stretch and limber up. Once he felt that his muscles were loosened, the comic artist smirked (his back to the door), and hit “PLAY” on his remote before he shoved it into his pocket.

Head down, the song started with a rather deep beat that shook him down to his core as if filtered out through the speakers causing him to twitch his hips left and right. A smile on his face, eyes closed, Akshay slowly started his dance! A dance that one (or two) should never walk in on…

>> “ Do you want an extra? I’m not sure why she gave me one.”

Rebecca shook her head; she was not so careless that she would misplace her resume, even if the odds that they would end up hiring were uncertain. Rebecca was a naturally organized girl, so she dismissed the offer with a, "Nae, thank ye."

>> “I am pretty sure that they’ll hire you in a heartbeat, pretty girls are like geek bait, you would be great for business. Comic guys coming in to see you and hopeful making a purchase while they are there. I can’t see them turning you away.”

The complimentary Irishman was at it again, leaving Rebecca humbly stammering. "Bait? Ah dunnae know whit ye mean! Ah'm sure th' boys 'at go there woulds be far marr interested in comics than wee auld me!"

Rebecca pushed open the glass door of the comic shop intending to look around and find someone who could help her. Her attention was quickly grabbed by the only man in the shop, who happened to be... dancing? His hips were swinging from side to side, then he... started flapping like a bird? Then more bouncing and hand movements.

Unsure of how to properly ask for assistance in a situation like this, she meekly called out, "Um, 'scuse meh sir, d-dae ye wark here?"