After the fight... ((Finished))

[Zelly-fangirl]

"Not a one. I just somehow figured you'd have integrated into society more after four years." Adrian said with a shrug of his own. "Funny then that you've chosen to live in one of the most jam-packed cities in the world."  

[Maya Freana]

"I go out while Calista is at school. I'm in public, I just usually choose not to talk to people. I've made a few friends at the places I go to regularly, I just don't want to make friends on the subway." Amaya replied, sitting back in her chair as she now looked out the window.  

[Zelly-fangirl]

"I'm an Arizona kid, so I wouldn't know. Big cities, snow, and subways are all new to me." Adrian said with a smile in spite of himself as he looked out the window. Not much to see, but it was still pretty nifty to see just how fast the outside tunnel zipped by.  

[SpokenSoftly]

Face slid into the train just before the doors closed. The man running the ticket booth had forgotten his existence five seconds after Face was out of sight, and none of the other passengers gave him a glance. He sat down about halfway up the length of the car his 'targets' were in, and allowed himself to become absorbed in reading the paper that some previous passenger had left behind.

Nothing much had changed since the last time Face had been outside the City, other than an article on the first page of the Life section proclaiming the completion and opening of the City to the Mutate public, made possible by 'extensive contributions and aid from Smith International Enterprises and its CEO, Carlyle Smith.' Face had to wonder why Smith was taking the spotlight now of all times, when he'd not appeared publicly since before he'd been taken to the Arena. Likely it was a publicity stunt designed to smooth over some of the anti-Mutate feeling in the country at the moment.

As he turned the page, Face wondered absently whether Smith had decided to put out the announcement weeks ago or whether it had been rushed through to comply with some internal deadline.

Or, like as not, whether Smith had sent it in on a whim and the perfect timing was pure luck.

------

Breaker looked over the old structure one last time before flicking a point on the wall, seemingly at random. There was a light cracking sound and the entire structure - the house that Sikes had kept his Mutates in - crumbled inward quite neatly. Not for the first time Breaker wondered what he'd do once the remodeling of the outlying areas was complete. He had very few marketable skills, other than his Mutate ability that allowed him to see the weakest point in any structure and manipulate it to have it collapse however he wished. He'd probably go back to Russia and try and pick up some government demolition contracts, but even then he was a bit leery of it. After all, his government had sold him to the Arena in the first place. It was good luck alone that had saved him having to fight - he'd arrived less than six hours before the American military shut the place down.

------

Smith waited as the phone rang. Ellswood would pick up eventually.  

[Maya Freana]

"You poor sheltered child." Amaya teased before a smile slowly crept onto her face. "Snow is something I've always loved..." She murmured, more to herself than anyone present.  

[Zelly-fangirl]

"You'll just have to show me around one of these days." Adrian said turning back to face her with a smile. "And I can see why. It's a cliche of society to praise and romanticize a white Christmas."  

[Maya Freana]

"Guess I will. Maybe Calista and I can take you out after Christmas." Amaya replied, looking back out the windows now. "Any Christmas but a white Christmas is just disappointing."  

[Zelly-fangirl]

((Ah, the joys of class over winter break... XP))

"I was hoping to have some time for just the two of us, but I guess I can't exactly turn down Calista." Adrian said resting his head on her shoulder. "Her puppy dog eyes are probably deadly weapons."  

[Maya Freana]

((bleh))

"Well we'll have time while she at her grandparents tonight." Amaya said softly, looking down at him with a light smile before bouncing Calista on her leg. "And you'll be busy getting spoiled rotten, so you won't notice us gone for the night." She said to Calista with a grin.  

[Zelly-fangirl]

((At least the professor's cool enough. Gotta give the man cool points for comparing aspects of ancient greek culture to Star Wars of all things. XD ))

"Ah, those kinds of grandparents, eh? The ones that heap presents and goodies on you for no reason? Yeah, those are the best." Adrian said looking to Calista with a grin as well.  

[SpokenSoftly]

Face set down his paper as the train rumbled to a halt, forgetting about Amaya and her companions for a moment as he left with the crowd whose collective movement almost drowned out the smooth mechanical voice announcing "Southbound 5A now arriving at Grand Central Station... Southbound 5A at Grand Central."

Midway through the exit he lifted a magazine from a nearby stall and shifted among the crowd into another forgettable face. Female, mid-60s, thin and almost stretched, the kind of woman one easily imagines as having worked in an office her entire life, dressed in a gray pinstriped business suit and two-inch black heels. Face rejoined the crowd and entered the same car he'd exited a few minutes before, sitting down almost next to Adrian and reading his magazine as he silently picked up the thread of conversation again.  

[Maya Freana]

"Grandma said she was baking cookies and that I'd get to help ice them." Calista told Adrian with a grin, excited for the night she had in store.

"Yes...it's so nice of them to spoil you rotten and then send you home to me so I can deal with you after." Amaya teased lightly, rolling her eyes though she smiled a little.  

[Zelly-fangirl]

"You are going to bring some back for me, right?" Adrian asked half joking as he sat back up.  

[Maya Freana]

"I'll bring a few for you. Mommy said we made too many cookies last year and Santa couldn't eat them all." Calista said with a smile, standing up as the train now came to the station.

Amaya got up and moved off the train, heading out of the station now and towards the grandparent's house.  

[Zelly-fangirl]

"At least Santa'll have an extra mouth to help with that now." Adrian whispered to Amaya with a smile.