7 o’clock in the morning and he was fully dressed and outside, holding a specially made cardboard takeaway coffee cup while sitting on one of those very uncomfortable park benches that dotted the edge of the footpath within easy viewing distance of the kid’s playground. Not only was it obvious he’d been up much earlier than that just to be out here already wearing shades to avoid the early morning sunshine but it was Sunday! A Sunday morning and he wasn’t sleeping in? Something wasn't right, and hadn’t been for a little over a week now. Or was it more? Maybe less?

The Cajun’s brain was so tired and muddled right now he couldn’t even remember what day the extremely adorable little 7-year-old had came into his life. All he knew was that she was now so bonded to him, so much like him he wouldn’t be able to just leave her with the rest of the orphan children at the Thieves Guild. Was this what his foster father had felt like when he’d first laid eyes on a baby with such uniquely coloured eyes? Had Jean-Luc suddenly found himself caring about something or someone other than himself? Wanting to protect it with all his life?

He raised an eyebrow, leaning forward with his hands on his knees and taking a sip of a coffee so strong most would’ve spat it out as soon as it hit their palette. He didn’t believe in love at first sight. Not when he knew he could have any woman he ever wanted. Was there such a thing as care at first sight, though? Gambit shook his head, “Careful now, Remy,” he said to himself. “Your enemies be usin’ such a weakness.”

Fact was, he did care about a lot of things, more than only a few would ever be privy to. His demeanour may seem to be that of an unattached and carefree bachelor but as the leader of the Thieves Guild, he truly did have more to think about than just himself. Triple-fold for all the children who were just like him, abandoned, orphaned, unwanted. For the Cajun it was because he’d clearly been a mutant, dubbed a devil from birth with eyes such as his. For others, they’d been born to parents who should never have had children in the first place.

For Sophie, now using up some of her seemingly boundless energy on yet another go on the slide, he wasn’t entirely sure how she’d ended up on the streets. Didn't matter to him either way. When he’d come across an angry crowd bent on punishing her for powers just like his she obviously couldn’t control, rescuing the little one and teaching the adults a few hard lessons had been a no brainer. Always fun to flex his kinetic powers. Even better when it was actually for an extremely good reason this time.

Finishing his coffee, honestly craving another one but in no way about to take his eyes off Sophie for even a moment to go and get it, Remy reached in and pulled out a red-backed deck of cards from within his inner trench coat pocket. One card moved through the fully gloved fingers of his left hand in a matter of moments, flicked and twisted back and forth a few times before he put it back then grabbed about half of the packet and spring flourished it once, twice, three times. Out in public like this, he always drew the attention of a few people very interested in what he was doing, a smirk growing slightly as he caught the gazes of those now watching him shuffle the deck so quickly it was almost a blur.

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OOC: Card Flourish Example

The morning air was cool and crisp. Not cool in a way that sent chills up your spine, but in a way that energized you with the adventures a new day brought with it. At least that’s what Amp thought as the little pixy flew through the trees of Central Park. Careful to keep her body between the leaves, protecting her from any birds flying above.

Just ahead there was a break in the trees, room enough for some walking paths and a playground. Landing on a tree branch, still concealed by the leaves, she took a seat. Taking a moment to take in all the activity going on. Hearing a shrill scream of excitement from one of the children Amp’s wings fluttered with shared excitement. Oh, how she adored children. Playing with them in a park like this was dangerous though. City parks always came with watchful parents, which made going out in the open dangerous for someone as little as her. For now she would have to be content simply watching, and quietly hope that one or two would move to play in the woods, where it was easier for her to play too.

As she sat there on the branch, quietly whispering to herself, as she pretended to play with the kids. Something to her left, towards the tree trunk caught her attention. It was a grey squirrel. “Oh hello tree precious. Your tail looks exceptionally fluffy today. You’s do a wonderful job grooming yourself,” she praised with a smile and a nod.

Unfortunately, the squirrel did not with a happy chirp, but gave her a warning chirp.

“Please let me stay. I’ll just sit here,” patting the bark beneath her. “I won’t move closer. You can have the whole rest of the tree.

The squirrel continued to stare at the fairy, it’s tail raised and fluff as it began yelling at her.

“No yelling Fluffy. Be sweet. Amp not cause you any trouble. I’s just sitting. Being good. Fluffy be good too,” she added as she pointed towards the squirrel.

The squirrel continued to yell at her, inching closer as it made it’s self as big as it could to scare the threat away.

“Fluffy is hurting my feelings. Why so mad? What has Amp done?” she asked as she stood up with tears. “A hugs would makes you feel better! I’s has magic hugs. Make you all better.” The little pixy wiped away her tears, as determination took hold. She was determined to turn the attitude of the squirrel to something friendly. She just needed to get close enough. Which the squirrel made difficult by darting around and lounging towards her.

To anyone near by it sounded like two squirrel’s fighting.

To someone with keen hearing, they could distinguish a small child’s voice entangled with the screaming chirps of the squirrel.

To someone with keen sight, they could see a squirrel wrestling with something blue, white and lavender. Which was an odd combination in nature.

Elizabeth Braddock was happy to be back in her position of second in command of the Thieves' Guild for about 9 months now. She had been forced to take the leadership five years ago, now almost six, when Gambit vanished together with thousands of other people in the planet, all of which were now returned for the same amount of time as him. The psionic shock wave those events caused left her unconscious for two days each and she isn't even the most powerful telepath on Earth. She could only imagine how psychics stronger than herself left like. Even though she wasn't powerful enough to connect with all of those minds as either event happened, that wasn't needed. With no psionic shielding from a cosmic force, she could sense the full impact anyway. She was overwhelmed by all that psychic energy flowing out of or into existence at once.

She could again just pick the jobs she wanted to do without the further burden of having to oversee all other operations she wasn't involved in. Not that she had never helped Monsieur LeBeau deal with the more bureaucratic side of the Guild. It always reminded her of her time working for Caliban. That was a long time ago. So much had happened in her life since then. She had followed a crazy psychopath as a horsewoman of Apocalypse, been an unwilling member of the Hand, lost contact with her siblings and then reestablished it somewhat, worked undercover for S.H.I.E.L.D. to regain her legal freedom after gaining her biological and psychological ones, stolen fine art for the right price...

It was during her solo ninja thief days that she had met Remy LeBeau for the first time. It wasn't a friendly first meeting. They were after the same item for different clients. There was the inevitable skirmish. He was a formidable adversary, but her honed psychic abilities allowed her to leave with the prize. When their paths crossed again, by accident, came the invitation for her to join the Thieves' Guild due to her qualities as a thief. She took a few months to give an answer, but she accepted it. She was done with feeling alone in the world or guilty for a past she had no control over most of the time. She wanted to belong somewhere again. Betsy ended up finding a sense of family inside the Guild and due to her undeniable thieving qualifications and an unexpected budding friendship with her once adversary and now boss, she ended up as Gambit's right hand woman. She was also happy to be there to remind him that he couldn't have any woman he wanted. She, as a pretty strong psychic herself, was immune to his charms.

Betsy was never a motherly type, but her tenure as leader of the Guild forced her to spend more time with youngsters as she had ever done before. It wasn't as terrible as she first thought it would be for either part. She had managed to find a patience she never thought she possessed to look after the orphaned children cared by the Guild. She knew it was a soft spot of Remy's as he had himself been an abandoned orphan and for this reason, in what she thought was his memory, she kept that work going. She wasn't half as heartless as some had called her in the past. It's that her heart just took too long to find a place to belong in again after too many wrong turns.

Elizabeth approached the bench where Remy was silently, knowing their enemies followed them everywhere. She had just returned from a successful job, the fulfillment of which was in her possession. The object was one of the reasons why they were currently in New York. She was used to and preferred to work at night, so it was usual for Betsy to be outside during early mornings. She opened her mind to sense any unwelcoming presences nearby. There was none. That was uncharacteristic. Maybe they were far enough from New Orleans or had been effective in not allowing the news of this trip to leak. She would be more than willing to clear the neighborhood for her friend, as she considered Remy as such by now, and the little girl who was in his company this cool morning, if needed. Many had said before that she would feel happier as a member of the Assassins' Guild. That wasn't true. There were just two reasons why she would choose to take another life: protect someone (herself or another person of importance to her) or fulfill a cause she believed was for the betterment of all (like when following Apocalypse, but she is no longer proud of that period of her life). 

While gauging the park's nearby environment for threats, Betsy felt the presence of something unusual. Her psychic senses lingered over that being, out of curiosity she had to confess, but left it alone after considering it not a threat to herself, Gambit or Sophie. She saw Remy's card flourishes and the characteristic interested looks they generally attracted as she got closer to him. He had always been one to show off, but now wasn't the time to bother herself with it. Maybe she had just gotten used to this part of Remy's personality and it didn't irk her as much now. It was a possibility. Humans were creatures of habit after all. She just stopped her steps and stood in front of him, taking some pleasure in blocking the view of the curious ones watching. A smirk graced her features for a moment before she took a seat next to him.

"All set. The order is fulfilled." Betsy placed a hand over her left thigh where one of her coat's pockets was located. A small and thin package was barely noticeable inside for one who wasn't expecting to see anything there. "How's the little lady doing? Playing in safety." She let Remy know of her failed scans for threats in a veiled way. Her days with S.H.I.E.L.D. allowing her to act naturally and not seem like passing vital information. As she had learnt, the trick was in the intonation of the words. Though she could just forgo spoken words entirely if needed and still communicate perfectly.

{ OOC: As we've talked before, a long time ago, I've mentioned the Decimation and the Blip events to see how you feel about it, Mana. Heidi, I'm not sure if Betsy would be able to sense Amp as a "normal mind" just a little unusual as described. If something needs changing, let me know somehow and I'll rewrite that part. Mariana has asked me to let Sophie interact with Amp first as the pixie's introduction sparked her muse. }

Most would say that cold morning wasn't the best weather to get a small girl out to play at the Central Park. Sophie would disagree. She had been through so much already, even still being so young. She felt safe. She felt cared for. She felt wanted like never before in her life as far back as she could remember. OK. Being 7 years old still, she didn't have a whole lot of things to remember. She almost didn't remember her birth parents anymore. All she knew about them was what the lady at the orphanage had told her before she was adopted. They had died after a car crash with a driverless car when a lot of people disappeared at once. They didn't disappear, they died because other people did. So they didn't come back when the disappeared people did. They were really dead. For some time Sophie wished she was also in that car, but not anymore.

Sophie didn't like to remember the couple who adopted her. Why would they adopt a kid if they didn't want one? Remy didn't adopt her, but she knew he wanted her. He was the cool guy with weird cute eyes who could break stuff just like herself. That's why the couple told her to get lost. Because she was always breaking something. It wasn't her fault that things just got a life of their own and started to move by themselves when she happened to be around. Sometimes she didn't even need to touch them directly. It was eery, but not her fault! She was obedient and got lost on the streets. She was hungry when she decided to steal a bit of bread. She was small and needed to eat to grow up. People weren't nice. They called her a freak, a mutie. Now they could be this young?

Sophie didn't understand anything. What was a mutie? She had no clue it was a short word for mutant. She also had no idea what those were. She only knew that everything started to fly and blow up around her. Things had never blown up before, just moved. She was really stressed out and the more stressed she got, the more explosive stuff got too. She did the only thing she could. She ran as fast as she could, but one very irritated guy managed to catch her by her waist. He screamed so much. She began to cry and fell on her knees when he let go of her. Then Remy showed up and saved her. He took her to safety and fed her properly. He was nice to her. She would never forget that.

Sophie was so excited and happy when Remy said they would travel. She had never left New Orleans that she could remember, of course. And New York? That was sweet. People always said that city was cool. Sophie would agree with them now. It was cool. The kids' playground at Central Park had everything a child who expected nothing at all could hope for and the slide was extra fun! She had lost the count of how many goes she had tried so far and who cared? She certainly didn't! She knew Remy was there to look out for her and his friend, the purple haired lady who had come with them, was about to get there from somewhere she wasn't supposed to know. She didn't mind not knowing a lot of things. They were professional thieves and had their secrets. Sophie didn't mind as long as she had a place to call home where people were nice to her. She had that with Remy, so what he did with his life and other people wasn't her business. She wanted to be by his side and learn from him no matter what. He was the closest to a real father she remembered actually having and it was a good feeling.

After yet another go at the slide and letting out the small shout that usually accompanied each one of them, Sophie's feet reached the ground and she looked at Remy witnessing as Elizabeth arrived. It was best if she stayed away a little while longer. Always best not to push your luck. That was when she heard the most interesting of noises. At first it seemed like two squirrels were fighting and chirping loudly. Sophie got unhappy. She didn't like to see anything fighting. She approached to see why the animals were so irritated and the most unexpected sight reached her young eyes. Obviously she was instantly enamored by Amp's small and fragile fairy figure and she got irritated with the squirrel, who also looked extra cute. "Bad! Bad! Let da fairy be!" Her childish voice was high-pitched and she waved her small hands at the squirrel, trying to get it away from Amp.

{OOC: I didn't want to move the squirrel too much. It can react as you wish, Heidi.} 

Since Crystal and her family arrived during the Thanksgiving holiday week a large portion of the students were home with their own families. It made the mansion a little boring for a new kid like Crystal. Part of that was good, the last thing you wanted to do was overwhelm a new student, but it turns to boring surprisingly quick. At least that is what Anna Marie believed. Where some people saw a large house without anyone to play with, Anna Marie saw an opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with the new kid. She thought an ‘adventure in the city’ without her parents might boost Crystal’s confidence so that she wouldn’t wilt under the sudden surge of activity in the mansion when school was back in session.

Thankfully, it didn’t take much to get Shaali and John to agree. Having Xavier and Jean around who could keep tabs on both of them from the school helped too. Before leaving Anna Marie made sure Shaali and John had her cell phone number, so updates and photos could be sent. Of course all of this was discussed before mentioning anything to Crystal. Anna Marie knew better than to give a kid false hope when it came to most things.

Once again Anna Marie was thrilled when Crystal accepted her offer to go on an adventure into the city. The adventurous pair left early, both bundled up for the brisk fall morning. They drove into the city, getting to watch the sun rise from behind the outline of the skyscrapers. It was a beautiful view. They parked in The Bronx and then took the subway to Central Park. It took them about 90 minutes to get there from the mansion. Once topside the pair walked into the nearest Starbucks, where they got a warm drink and a pastry of their choosing, which they ate as they made their way into the park.

“Welcome to Central Park. There are five lakes and ponds, an art museum, a zoo, a few restaurants, lots of statues, a castle, a couple swimming pools, a theater stage, a proper garden, a nature preserve, horse drawn carriages you can go for a ride in. In the winter they turn the pools into ice skating rinks with huge Christmas trees,” Anna Marie looked down to Crystal as the pair walked. “I figure we’d start out with a park staple first. A playground with kids,” she added. Pointing with her gloved finger over to the large play structure ahead of them where the walking path split to go around the park.

Amp’s ears perked up when she heard a young voice. She flapped her wings, which took her up into the air, a safe enough distance from the squirrel for her to look down towards the new voice. The fairy smiled brightly seeing a young child. It was the little girl who had been very dedicated to the slide on the playground. She pointed a tiny finger towards the squirrel, “I’s was just trying to hug it into a better mood. So it no yell at me anymore and we can be friends. I promise I wasn’t being bad.” She confessed as she raised her palm up as if taking a vow.

Her yellow eyes shifted from the little girl, to the squirrel, and then back again. “Would little Precious be willing to help Amp?” She asked moving her hands to her own chest, indicating that she was Amp. “Maybe if Fluffy Precious sees me hug Little Precious,” her hangs gesturing to young Sophie, “then Fluffy Precious will know my hugs are safe and full of loves and caring and happiness. If Little Precious says yes, then I’s need you to not be smiling. Then when I hug you we sees how my hugs make you feel. If my hugs make you smile and your heart glow, then Fluffy Precious will accept my hug and then it will like me. Amp wants all Precious to like me. Is very important to Amp that all Precious know that I loves them. I’s care for them always. No matter how grumpy they get. Even though Fluffy Precious is yelling at me. I’s still loves it with all my heart,” her hands and arms stretching up and out to show just how much Amp’s heart loved.

She continued to move her arms and hands down and in. What started out as just arms reaching out, had created the shape of a heart in the lightest sparkle of pixy dust. “Will Little Precious help?”

Crystal found it too bad that she’d had a limited number of friends to interact and make friends with, but she knew that it was to be expected, but she also knew that once the holidays are over, she’d be able to meet them again. That pleased her, so now all she needed to do was to occupy herself, so she didn’t get bored, a feat that would be hard considering the shows that didn’t show up, and how busy her mom and uncle, and the other adults, sometimes got. Though she admits that being able to be with Amp was fun, the little fairy was so sweet!

Soon, however, she found that she had been everywhere on the Xavier grounds and though there was a lot of beauty; she began to feel something akin to cabin fever, which was why she was pleased when she was given the offer of an adventure by Rogue someone she was clearly seeing as someone very nice and awesome.

She looked up at the much older woman, and then ahead of her as she listened to Rogue talk about the amazing Central Park her excitement grew within the much younger girl that only doubled as she saw the play area.

She couldn’t stop herself, her ten-year-old mind forced her to run ahead to the play structure, and she began going down the slide, which went smoothly since she was dressed for the weather, so no one would be aware of a metallic covered girl. She was about to go again when she saw a younger girl by the bushes, and she thought she saw something small and blue there. “Aunt Rogue!” She called before she hurried to the direction of the two, and she discovered the situation. Squirrels are being mean to poor Amp.

At this time of year it wasn't so unusual for people to be wrapped up in clothing against the autumnal chill, especially if they were native to a considerably hotter part of the USA like New Mexico. In truth Thomas Fireheart didn't mind the colder weather at all but found it in it's own way pleasant and certainly more comfortable in his other form than it could be in the desert heat. Even bundled up like he was now in a thick coat, gloves, scarf and a woolly hat pulled down low he was feeling quite comfortable and not to the point where he'd risk getting too sweaty, always unpleasant when you were furry and had an exceptionally keen sense of smell.

That was the main reason he'd wrapped himself up, so that he could venture out off duty in his other form and get as close to nature as he could within the city. At this early hour while there would be people venturing out in the park it would be rather less crowded than later in the day so there was less chance of stares or risking frightening some nervous human or encountering some person with anti-mutant prejudice. Of course he could encounter his share of those prejudiced individuals in his human form, though he was well equipped to deal with them it could get tiresome or possibly land him in trouble with his superiors in S.H.I.E.L.D if he got a little too physical.

Unless anyone got really close though they wouldn't notice anything particularly out of the ordinary about him, the slight gap between scarf and hat only showing amber eyes with cat-like pupils, some tan fur and just the base of his pointed ears. With his head down though even that was mostly obscured, as he kept up a brisk pace that might just have been because it was a cold November morning. Even as he kept up his brisk pace his senses were fully alert, even if slightly muffled by scarf and hat he could readily discern the most interesting scents and sounds, snatches of conversation or the scents of fallen leaves and small animals scurrying in the undergrowth.

Of the most interest for Thomas Fireheart was that he was far from the only mutant in the park, six other scents at least that he could detect with two close together and the rest in a small cluster not too far distant from the first. One of those scents did strike him as being somewhat familiar, at least in the sense that he had quite possibly encountered it before and something about it told him it was in relation to S.H.I.E.L.D. There was that familiar tingle as well that told him of the presence of a psychic, likely a strong telepath. He certainly wasn't feeling any sense of threat so whomever it was most likely either someone he'd met during a mission or perhaps another agent whom he'd encountered at some point. He could always make his way over, see if he did recognise them and if it was someone he knew it could be polite to say hello. For the moment though he decided not to disturb them.

Instead for now he began making his way over towards one of the groups of trees near to one of the children's playgrounds, also where he'd picked up that other small cluster of mutant scents. He'd just check them out in passing and then head to one of the other stands of trees and find one suitable for climbing. While he might be fairly comfortable bundled up like this in cooler weather it would be good to get out of the coat, scarf and gloves at least for a little while. With a suitable vantage point on a sturdy branch he could enjoy taking in the sounds and scents, maybe even be able to relax enough to meditate for a while.

"What the hell, might as well ditch the scarf now," Thomas muttered under his breath, reaching up and loosening the scarf, pulling it free so it was just draped across his shoulders. It actually felt better this way, scents so much clearer and as he felt a cool breeze ruffling his thick muttonchops, he gave a contented rumble that could almost have been a purr.

Passing close to the bushes, his lips quirked in a slight grin that showed a hint of canine, as he watched a rather sweet little girl running over to join another by the bushes recognising them as two of the scents he'd caught earlier. Though there was a third scent very close and he should have been able to spot it...wait, something blue and tiny...a fairy?!

"Well...that's a sight to see," Thomas said to himself, more loudly than he'd intended and not realising that in his doubletake that his hood had fallen back giving a full glimpse of his feline features, his brow currently furrowed and making the jagged scar over his right eye stand out all the more, that and his bemused grimace perhaps making him look more feral and forbidding than he actually was.

The fairy spoke to her! Sophie's mouth opened in astonishment and her smile was shining. "Oui! Hug moi, Amp!" The seven year old was so excited at the prospect of getting hugged by a cute little fairy that she forgot about the squirrel and the not smiling beforehand part for a while. "Ah. No smilin'." She said to reign over herself and manage not to be smiling like a child who just saw a real life fairy. She failed miserably for about a minute, but then succeeded.

"Okay. No smilin'. Can I get da hug now, Amp?" Sophie asked opening her arms wide to be hugged. She looked at the squirrel defiantly for a few seconds so it knew how brave she was. Not that she feared Amp at all. She was still so very taken by the fact she was going to be hugged by a fairy nothing else really mattered to her. So she didn't notice the noise of another girl approaching until she spoke. She seemed to know Amp already. 

"Merci for da hug, Amp. I t'ink da Fluffy Precious be happier now. Non?" She asked hoping for a positive reply, but the animal could be quieter now just to access its new situation with two much larger than itself human children coming to its position. Sophie shifted her attention to the other girl. "Hi. I be Sophie." She introduced herself fearlessly as any seven year old would to another child. "Ye know Amp already?" She asked curious as to how and why Crystal would know the pixie. Crystal was so interesting. Did she have metal skin? Better not point it out. Not polite!

Amp wiggled with excitement as Sophie accepted her offer of a hug. “Oh yay’s!” she giggled before flying down to the smallest of Precious’. The little fairy giggled again as Sophie struggled not to smile, “I have trouble not smiling too.” She admitted pressing her hands to her own smiling cheeks. Once Sophie was stoic enough for their test Amp gave her a big hug. Well as big of a hug as a tiny fairy could give.  

She lifted her head up from Sophie’s cheek to see if she was smiling. Seeing that she was in fact smiling Amp giggled with pleasure. She was about to look over to the squirrel when someone else caught her attention. It was Crystal! “Shiny Precious! It makes my heart twice as big to see’s you here. Come let Amp give you morning hugs and you’s can meet my new Precious,” fluttering up into the air she waved Crystal closer. Once she was close enough, she zoomed over to her and gave her snuggles. Amp was about to ask Crystal how she got to the park, but she recalled that Crystal had called out to Rogue. So, she didn’t need to ask.

“Oh! Fluffy Precious,” she jumped back into the air and turned towards the tree. The squirrel was gone. Even if the Central Park squirrel was brave enough to handle the kids and a fairy, the moment it caught the scent of Thomas it bolted. Amp lamented for a moment, sad that she didn’t get to show the squirrel that she was a good fairy. She let out a defeated sigh and rubbed her face.

Afterwards she noticed Thomas, “Hello!” She voiced with a small wave. “Who is you?” she asked curiously. Floating midway between the strange man and the two young girls. A miniature size guardian.