Want To See Something Cool? (JP)

Once they were outside, Cyrus lit a smoke. After a nice long drag, he felt the tension quickly leave his body. Ah sweet nicotine. The cognitive boost also strengthened his telekinetic abilities. As they stood in the yard, Cyrus turned to Cynthia and let out a pleasant sigh. "Y'all have a nice place out here. I never would have found it if it weren't for Pearwin's help. So..." Cyrus turned his attention directly to Cynthia, locking eyes with her once again. "I bet you're wondering why I'm here." He stated matter of factly, whilst also fighting the urge to stare at the woman slack-jawed and drooling. "What would you like to know?"

Cynthia was lost in thought, processing everything Cyrus said much slower than what she was supposed to. She had always hated when Johnathan smoked cigarettes. She hated the smell and the consequences. But something about this newcomer with a cigarette between his fingers and the way he took slow drags stirred something within her. She blinked hard, resisting the urge to smack herself for the idiotic thoughts. "Sorry" She started after the silence lasted a few seconds too long. "I didn't sleep well." She loosed a half hearted chuckle before straightening her posture and clearing her throat. "I want to know why exactly you came to us and how you even knew where to find us. The majority of people that leave the society to go surface level are under Lydia's jurisdiction, and they usually return the same day. So I'm not sure who would've leaked our location."

Cyrus took another puff before answering Cynthia, "Like I said last night: I met a guy at the creek an hour or so from here. He stopped me from drinking bad water, then I told him I was looking for friends around here. A place for people with, you know, gifts? Then he sent me your way."

"No one ever travels through here, or at least if they do, they never come near our property. So it's odd that it'd be coincidental that you happened to be traveling directly towards our house. No one except Perrine pointed you in this direction?" Cynthia said, her suspicions rising. "In other words, how did you know that there was a safe haven out here for mutants?" The term mutants didn't sit right with her - even after all these years. It felt like a slur

"Well, I am a mutant aren't I?" Cyrus tried to reduce the tension. He dropped his cigarette butt to the ground and stamped it out with the heel of his boot. After realizing he couldn't hide behind his sense of humor anymore, Cyrus took a more serious demeanor.

"I was part of a special forces detail called E.A.S.T. It stands for Enhanced Abilities Suppression and Termination. Before everything went to shit, I was in the Army. A Ranger. After my abilities presented themselves, a good friend got me hired on with the company that owns E.A.S.T. I worked with them for over 5 years. Anyway... they told me where to find you. Generally speaking that is. I was assigned to locate your community and arrest everyone I found. Kill those who wouldn't go quietly. I told them no, but they didn't take that very well. I should probably tell you, I am a very wanted man right now. My plan was to warn you they're coming, then head on my way. I got my orders over a week ago, so they're probably only a few days away from finding you themselves."

The barely visible stress lines around Cynthia's mouth and eyes had become more prominent. She thought about how she had argued with Lydia a few weeks ago about the morality of Lydia's plan. It was clear now that Lydia was right, the government was going to need a reality check. "How do you feel about switching sides?" She asked. Part of her wanted him to join them because he was experienced and could likely map out part of EAST... another part of her, the voice that she usually could suppress well, didn't want him to leave because she was interested in him and couldn't explain why. Maybe it was that he seemed rugged and wild. Like if freedom had taken a physical form. "My sister is carrying out a mission today that might make a pretty loud statement. I'm thinking about going with her."

Cyrus was surprised by this response. Even more so intrigued. A guerilla mission? Led by 15 year old girl? Oh this... this he had to see. "Well I'm sort of a free agent right now I suppose. You offering a sign on bonus? Benefits?" He quipped

Cynthia decided to shoot her shot. She'd never been bad at flirting, just bad at the relationship part. She figured that could be discussed later if it got to that. She turned her full attention to him, "I'd be happy to accommodate you. Ask and it's yours." She said with a suggestive smile.

Cyrus didn't know much about dating or relationships, but one thing was certain, he was absolutely smitten by this woman. He came here to warn these people and get the hell out of dodge, but now? Now he wanted to stay. Cyrus stepped toward Cynthia and brushed her hair behind her ear with his fingers. He gentle, just barely grazing her cheek. "So you do offer benefits then?" Cyrus thought he was clever. "Hey..." Cyrus whispered while leaning in, "You wanna see something cool?"

Cynthia, at this point, felt possessed by some kind of otherworldly confidence. Perhaps it was the mystery and gentleness of this new stranger, or maybe it was just that she was letting go of some stress for once. Nonetheless, she smiled and kept eye contact. "Sure, why not?" She said. Genuinely intrigued.

Cyrus wrapped arms around Cynthia's waist, pulling her closer to him until she was literally standing on his tip toes. Then he leaned in, it looked like he was going for a kiss until he passed her face to her ear and whispered "Look down." Using his abilities, Cyrus had flown them up over 700ft into the air above the ranch. They could see everything for 20 miles up here. The daylight shone brilliantly off the landscape. "What do you think? Pretty cool?"

Cynthia felt a rush of both fear and thrill. She instinctevly wrapped her arms around Cyrus's neck and clung to him, but still stared at the ground below them. "How?!" she exclaimed, smiling as she looked around at the landscape below. She hadn't realized how expansive the woods were until now - it was no wonder they hadn't been found yet. Even if someone had gone out to find them, it's likely they would've gotten lost or killed in the process.

Cyrus chuckled, "Easy now darling, I'm not gonna drop you. My abilities let me will any object to move, including my own body. It took a lot of practice but here I am." Cyrus loved the feeling of her body pressed against his. Her death grip on his neck was a little uncomfortable though. Regardless, he wanted to prove he could be trusted, and he figured this would do the trick.

Cynthia loosened her grip a little bit, but didn't let go - there was no way she was going to let go. "Sorry, I've never been several hundred feet in the air before - so I'm pretty new to this." She quipped and followed it up with a genuine laugh. It was true though, she hadn't even been on an airplane. She had spent the majority of her life before the near apocolypse taking care of her dad and her sister - and even now, the majority of her time was spent taking care of other people. "I've never met anyone who could fly. It's beautiful."

Cyrus smiled at the young woman in his arms, "I'll fly you anywhere you want to go darling. Just point."