Meanwhile let's check in on the Kudinovs & Heather

[~ N.P.C. ~]

It had been a long and eventful afternoon for The Kudinov family and Heather. After having lunch and a Japanese Hibachi restaurant, the girls went with Mrs. Kudinov and several bodyguards shopping to the large outlet mall an hour away while Patya took the rest of his bodyguards and Uncle Borislav to discuss some recent business. The girls rode in a limo to the mall speaking carefree and merrily with Mrs. Kudinov, who shared Veronika's love for clothes and style being the owner of Fairest Modeling Agency, one of the most famous modeling companies in the world next to Modeling Management Co.

The afternoon was spent splurging on clothes, shoes, accessories and make up at the outlets. Mrs. Kudinov would simply not allow Heather to spend any of her money, insisting on buying clothes for her just as she did for her own daughter. She would not allow a guest to pay, it was simply insulting. By the time they finished shopping, the limo was completely full of shopping bags. They spent the drive to the Marina sipping the coffee they got from the local Starbucks and going over their purchases for the day.

They arrived around sunset at the Castaways Yacht Club about an hour away from the school where they met up with Patya, his Uncle Borislav, and the rest of the bodyguards. They boarded the Kudinov family yacht called The Nevsky Baikal, named after two of the family's most treasured places in the Old Country.

They ate a hearty meal cooked by one of the chefs from the Kudinov's restaurant in Manhattan. The meal was classic Russian food served with fine wine. The dinner was quite pleasant, with the family all speaking together in pleasant conversation over the days event. Patya informed both girls that he is currently speaking to Ms. Frost about donating horses and supplies to the school and the girls spoke about the school in general, keeping away from all the violence that ensured within the school.

Now Patya and his bodyguards are on deck at the bar, speaking quietly with Uncle Borislav over 'business matters.' Mrs. Kudinov took the girls down to the lounge so they may try on and model the clothes they have bought together and experiment with the shoes and accessories they bought as well.

"Veronika my darling, do try on those brown leather flip flops with this outfit. I think it will simply bring it all together and they do match your belt," Serephina said to her daughter dressed in a sky blue halter top with light was Capri jeans and a brown leather belt with designs stamped on. "And Heather darling, you have such lovely and delicate legs, you should wear mini skirts more often. Come, let me see you in that True Religion skirt you have on with the Donna Karen white boatneck shirt," she said to her daughter's friend with a smile while looking the girls over in a critical eye unique only to someone who understands what is important when looking over a person.

[Aqua]

The Japanese food was amazing and the shopping spree was just too much. Heather had never been treated that way before and it was definitely not something she was entirely comfortable with. However, she appreciated everything and by the time they reached the yacht, Heather must have said "Thank you so much" about seventy-six times. Heather was not used to be waited on as much as the Kudinov family was. Heck she was really iffy about the whole shopping spree thing because she did have her own money. She saved it of course from her old job at the clothing store around the corner from her house. But that was all she had and she planned to get a few skirts. Of course the rest of her money was to make her own clothing and expressed her personal style. After insisting it wasn't necessary to Seraphina, Veronika explained how rude it was to have a guest pay. Heather couldn't refuse. She was eternally greatfull and would never forget the Kudinov's hospitality.

When they arrived to the dock, Heather's eyes widened at the site of the yacht. She had never seen one before and her jaw was practically on the floor of the limo. "That's YOUR yacht?" she asked incredulously. They boarded and relaxed themselves. Having the bulters and maids everywhere was another uncomfortable situation. She liked getting things for herself. The whole people serving you thing wasn't really something Heather was use to of course, and she repeatedly said "Thank you" to them as well.

The Kudinov Family was definitely something Heather was a bit worried about. She deeply cared for Veronika and her family. They were very polite people, not like the stereotypical pompous rich assholes (at least so she thought). However she did listen and watch the news back when she was a "normal" teenager. Her parents were very attentive to the news and the Kudinov Family were definitely in there plenty of times. She heard rumors about federal and state crimes, however they were just that: rumors. Heather was cautious but didn't let that affect her feelings for her best friend or her family.

Listening to Seraphina, Heather nodded in agreement with Veronika's outfit. "Definitely. It will look so cute." She then agreed with Seraphina's request for Heather's. "Yeah," she replied timidly. "Mini skirts were never my thing. But when I tried it on at the store they looked really good. Thank you for your advice." Again with the "thank yous". She wanted to slap herself. "Sorry," she replied again. That was another word she kept saying whenever she felt she did something wrong (like saying "thank you"). She got up to attend the bags and looked for the outfit. She then went to the bathroom/changing room and quickly put on the clothing. Before opening the door to reveal herself, she observed herself in the mirror. Seraphina was right, Heather did have a great slender frame that looked good with mini skirts. I really gotta get out of this shell, she sighed. Snickering at herelf, she folded her yellow dress and stepped out. "What do you think?" she asked while blushing.

[Allure]

Veronika looked up from admiring her Juicy Couture flip flops to look at her friend. "Heather, I can guarantee you that if you wear that skirt around Gavin, you will get a very pleasing reaction," she commented right away after seeing hoe great her friend looking in the outfit. She liked Heather earnestly, and she knew her family did as well. When Heather first visited Veronika's large house in Brighton Beach, her mother said that her background was clean. They were very careful on the people they kept company with, and very selective as well. Veronika cared not for many people truly, preferring the few close friends she did have to stay in her inner circle. That of course didn't mean she couldn't charm anyone around her like her mother did just to get them on her good side, but charming them would always be for her convenience more than her enjoyment.

She tossed her hair to the side and looked back at Vladimir who stood with a couple of more of their bodyguards in the lounge. "Vladimir, could you please call for another bottle of Pellagrino? Thank you," Veronika said smiling adoringly at her main bodyguard. Just like everyone else, he could not resist her sweet request, going up to call the servant. "Mother I was just telling Heather earlier what you told me about boys and men alike. Please tell her Mother, is it not true that it is up to us women to make our advances on a boy known or we will get no where?" she asked her mother looking at Heather with a raised eyebrows and a slight smirk. Veronika sorted through all the new skirts she bought as her mother answered her.

[~ N.P.C. ~]

Serephina Kudinov took a sip of the Chardonnay that her husband sent down for her and looked at Heather over the rim of her glass before she answered. "Still Heather darling, strong and independent women like us never wait for something they want. When we have a goal, we do all we can to meet it. I did just that, and that my dear is how I own Fairest Modeling Agency. It is also how I married Veronika's father. I taught my daughter to be the same way and I teach my sons to appreciate independent and self-reliant women. Now let me tell you that if you like this boy, do not wait for him to sort through the mess of adolescent emotions her is feeling to come to you. With men you must... help them a long a bit," Serephina said with a knowing smile while holding out her glass so their yacht butler Filipp could refill it.

Vladimir came back down with one of the servants of the staff from the yacht house with a fresh bottle of the Pellagrino that her tasteful daughter ordered. The servant refilled Heather and Veronika's glasses while Vladimir went right to the little mistress of the family. "Ms. Veronika, your father is requesting you for a moment," he said with a bow to the little red head. Serephina nodded to her daughter when she looked at her. "Go on darling, Heather and I will entertain ourselves," she said sitting down on the couch and smiling as her sweet angel excused herself and went up to the deck with Vladimir.

Serephina pats the seat next to her for Heather to sit down and takes another sip of the Chardonnay. "Tell me darling about this boy that you are so interested in. He is a nice boy yes? One of class I hope, I would hate to think you would settle for anything less than the best," she began a little talk with the girl, mothering her as she would her own daughter.

[Aqua]

Heather rolled her eyes and smirked at her best friend's comment. Yes it would be nice if Gavin noticed her that way, however Heather wasn't really into flaunting her assets. Just being herself was usually her way of getting guys. It wasn't like she never went on a date before; she had plenty. But the guys were all stupid jocks who weren't into anything interesting (like intelligence). Once she moved to the Xavier School, she was able to meet so many great people and make close friends like Veronika and Gavin.

She sat back in her seat and shook her head. "Yeah yeah yeah," she replied with a wave of her hand in a "forget about it" gesture. "Thank you." She then listened as Veronika began to speak about their"boy talk" from earlier. The New Mutant groaned and looked at her with tired eyes. It was a pretty long day (hey, shopping takes skill and should be an Olympic sport) and she wanted to just enjoy her evening with her semi-family. However Veronika insisted to continue pushing advice and Heather couldn't refuse. If anyone could give proper advice, it was definitely Serephina Kudinov. The woman was beautiful, intelligent and independent; the kind of woman Heather wanted to grow up at be. And since Heather didn't have her own mother to get advice from (let's face it, talking to your dad about boys is just weird), Veronika's seemed to be filling in that void.

Heather listened intently, nodding her head. She said "Thank you" to Vladimir when getting her glass refilled and continued to hear Serephina speak. When Veronika left, Heather willingly sat down next to Serephina and blushed. "There really isn't much to say," she commented. She knew that wasn't the proper answer and decided to just say how she felt from the heart. "I mean he is just really great. Gavin... that's his name... is so talented. He plays guitar and can sing amazingly, and he is such a great friend too. He was always there for me when things with my parents got a little rough. It was how we got really close actually. He saw me crying one day, about a couple of weeks after I met him, and he asked if I was OK. Clearly I wasn't, so he stayed with me and just listened to my ranting. I was practically a stranger to him, but he cared enough to listen. Then he made me laugh and we were friends ever since." She smiled while thinking about Gavin. She couldn't believe that she never realized how much she really liked him romantically. She was just enjoying her life being who she was and learning about her powers so much that romance wasn't really in her mind. Yes she knew that they were constantly flirting every single day with their battle royals. However it was all in good fun.

"I can truly say that Gavin is my best friend, next to Veronika of course," she said with a warm smile. "Everyone else saw it but me... when it came to liking him that is. I really didn't realize it until today." She shook her head, seeing how stupid she was not realizing her feelings sooner. She looked into Serephina's emerald eyes and shrugged. "But I don't think he likes me that way."

[~ N.P.C. ~]

Serephina Kudinov set the Chardonnay glass on the table and took Heather's hand, smiling sweetly at her. "Darling, you will never know until you try. You are young, and plenty of time before you face serious decisions in terms of relationships. Right now, you follow your heart darling. You remember this, yes?" she said in her thick Russian accent and patted Heather's hand. Serephina meant what she said. She may have the personality of a Yellow Oleander, beautiful to look at but extremely toxic, but she did know how to care and any friend of her Angel deserved her full respect.

Snapping her fingers and pointing to the stereo, Serephina signaled for one of the bodyguard to increase the volume of the soft classical music floating through the air. "Come my darling, let us look at the cosmetics that we bought today yes? I do want to see how the shades I helped you choose would look with this lovely outfit you have on. Heather darling, try those adorable red sandals with that outfit. I would like to see what a hint of the right makeup will do to compliment your features as well as the outfit..." Serephina took the cosmetics out of the bag and bonded with her daughter's best friend, a girl that would be quite useful for them to have as a contact.

Meanwhile on the deck away from the lighthearted good time, a whole other conversation took place. What it will lead to, one may only guess... but let us take a look at what Patya Kudinov, the Syndicate Boss of the Russian Mob, wanted to talk to his 'angelic' daughter about...

[Allure]

Veronika promptly went up with Vladimir to see her Papa. Patya Kudinov sat at the table next to the bar on the deck across from Veronika's Great Uncle Borislav. Armed guards stood on their posts surveying the horizon as the yacht moved lazily across the ocean. The pianist from the family restaurant made soft piano music fill the air over at the grand piano near by. Combined with the sound of the ocean waves crashing against the side of the yacht and the gulls, it made for a very calm and lovely atmosphere. Veronika curtsied to her father and her Great Uncle before sitting down in the chair that Vladimir pulled out for her.

"<Papa, you wanted to see me?>" she asked as the barrister brought her a fresh glass of Pellagrino. She took it daintily and sipped on it, her charm working full time on her Great Uncle and father. Both of them smiled at her, obviously bedazzled by the little red head. "<Veronika, my Princess, my dove. I must ask you, are you happy at the school we sent you?>" Patya asked his daughter sincerely.

Veronika blinked her sapphire blue eyes at the her father and smiled pleasantly. "<Well Papa, it took some time to get used to it. Many of the people there are no better than low class hobos on the street, and act quite juvenile I must say. Despite that though, yes I do enjoy the school, though I can certainly live without some of the people in it,>" she said in a sweet voice, but scoffed nonetheless thinking of some of the more hated people at that school.

Patya smiled an odd little smile and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "<I am glad you enjoy it now Princess, perhaps you can do something for your Papa and your Uncle Borislav yes?>" He smiled at his lovely daughter. Veronika smiled charmingly at her father and Great Uncle. "<Of course Papa! I would do anything for you!>" she exclaimed angelically and leaned over so they had her full attention.

Borislav Kudinov opened a filed that was in front of him and slid it to Veronika, pointing with a long, thin finger at a picture in the file. "<What we need from you Veronika, is for you to tell us all you know of this person. We need you to be very thorough, and very precise. Can you do that for us?>" he asked in his raspy voice that had a cold tone as he met the eyes of the individual in the photograph.

Veronika took the file and looked at the picture. The angelic smile on her face turned into a sinister one and her sapphire eyes glinted. She looked at the picture for a moment longer before looking up at her father and Great Uncle. "<What do you need to know?>"