1963-06-28 - Lockjaw is not what I thought it was
Summary: Crystal is hired on at Xavier's.
Related: If there are no related logs, put 'None', — please don't leave blank!
Theme Song: None
crystal xavier 


Crystal made herself at home during the impromptu cookout, chatting with the students, chilling drinks, and helping to control the grill temperature. Afterwards, though, she excused herself, walking back toward where she had originally appeared out of nowhere only to promptly disappear again. Either the Inhumans do have some sort of cloaking ability, or she's teleporting. Or maybe she's going to another dimension. Stranger things have happened.

Just a few days later, though, her mind pops into the vicinity again, a little closer this time. As before, though, she makes her way to the mansion, asking after the professor and being directed to the office. She taps lightly on the doorframe, glancing inside. "Dr. Xavier? Do you perhaps have a moment?"

*

"For you, Crystal? I have several moments." Xavier stacks some of the papers that lie scattered on the desk into a nice neat pile. He slides them off to his left and folds his hands in his lap, sitting back a bit and raising his eyebrows. "Is this about your sister? Is there any news?"

*

"No, I'm afraid not," Crystal shakes her head as she steps inside. "On either count. But we've been searching for her for some times now," she smiles faintly. "We won't give up." She settles smoothly into a chair across from the desk, tucking her skirt beneath her legs and crossing her ankles to one side, hands clasped neatly in her lap.

"Actually, though…I wanted to speak with you for a few reasons. It seems you and your people have the means to keep track of unusual people, even if we weren't able to find my sister. And if it wouldn't be an imposition…" She pauses, clearing her throat. "Is there any chance you might need help here?"

*

"Help here?" Xavier says with raised eyebrows. "That is certainly a possibility. Tell me, what sorts of things might you be interested in doing?" Xavier begins to rock in his chair, but his eyes never leave Crystal. He's perplexed by her lead in, unsure of what she means, but hanging on her every word.

*

"Anything?" Crystal replies, a rueful smile tugging at one corner of her lips. "I'm sorry, I must sound absurd," she laughs, shaking her head. "I've been running for more than half of my life, professor," she explains. "We were forced to leave Attilan, and we still watch our steps. Maximus…" She trails off, shaking her head again. "He is not always rational. But the other day, here? It was the first time in a very long time I've felt like I was home."

She takes a deep breath, though the words afterwards rush. "I understand that we aren't the same. But I think that if my sister is lost, she might eventually find this place, too. And if anyone would find her by chance, it would be you and your people. If I'm here, then I'll know. And in the meantime, maybe I can help you. I could help your students adjust to their powers, learn to control them?"

*

"Well, we do have quite a few teachers, but we could also stand to bring a few more on staff. I'm wondering how you might feel about operations. Paperwork, organizing chores, setting schedules, paying bills. That sort of thing."

*

Crystal quirks a brow, considering that for a moment. "That…I could actually do," she says slowly, tilting her head and twisting to look around. "Slightly larger than a household, slightly smaller than a kingdom," she concludes, a note of humor in her voice.

*

"Excellent, because it quite honestly takes up way too much of my time that I would prefer to be spending on other things," Xavier responds. Would you like to live here, or will you be commuting?"

"

*

Crystal sets a hand to her cheek at the last question, giving the professor a considering look. "Professor," she finally says. "As we are discussing a larger arrangement and I suspect you could obtain the information for yourself, I feel I should make a confession."

She leans forward, setting her hands on the edge of the table and giving him a steady look. "I travel by means of an exceptionally large teleporting bulldog." Outwardly, there's no sign of if she's joking or not. Inwardly, the glimmer of humor in her mind doesn't actually make it more or less clear if she's joking.

*

"I must confess that the humor of Atillans is still new to me, Crystal. So, I beg your pardon, but I do not get the joke," says a nonplussed Xavier.

*

"Inhumans." Crystal is serious long enough to clarify, smile faint. "We refer to ourselves as Inhumans. But I'm not joking, actually. His name is Lockjaw, and I'd ask him to demonstrate, but he'd make rather a mess of your office. All of which is the long way to say that if you've space, it might be better if I were to stay here, rather than risk drawing attention to this place if he should be seen."

*

The entire time she speaks, Xavier's eyebrows are scrunched together in confusion. "You have a gi…" He holds his hand up and then shakes his head, "You know what, there are some things that are just better if I don't know. That sounds dreadful." He shakes his head as if banishing the thought. "Either way, the choice is yours."

*

"Dreadful? Nonsense," Crystal laughs, leaning back in her chair. "You could do with some pets around here. Though I've found it prudent to have pets no bigger than you can fit through he doorways in your home, at least," she allows with a glance toward the door. Taking a breath, she looks back to the professor, more serious.

"Honestly, though. Thank you. I'm sure you have some questions of your own?"

*

"I do, but in my haste to catch up at your arrival, I scanned your brain, Crystal. I don't make a habit of that, and it is a huge invasion of privacy. Yet at the same time, I was worried for the safety of our students. So, that is a long way of saying, I probably have more answers than I or you are comfortable with and for that I am extremely sorry."

*

Crystal smiles sadly back at him, shifting into one corner of the chair to look out the window. "Well, at least it saves on the awkward questions," she replies, wry. "If there is anything you'd like explained, though. I would very much like to think that we can trust each other, as peoples."

*

"We haven't got much choice now," Xavier says with a shrug of his shoulders. "In any event, I was able to read your intentions, which are sound. The particulars of your people will remain yours. I have no desire to dig for whatever you will not want to share."

*

Crystal arches a brow at she looks back at him, curious. "Perhaps I have no choice in trusting you. Perhaps I choose to believe that you've more ethics in your powers than my cousin has. Or perhaps it isn't my choice at all, and I've no way of knowing that I've been manipulated into trust. Perhaps I only trust you because you wish me to. As there's no way for me to know, I will choose to believe the better truth."

She tips her chin upward, leaning forward enough to tap a finger on the edge of the desk. "But I think you have some choice in whether or not to trust me, professor. And I hope that you can."

*

"I already do," Xavier says with a chuckle. "And you are correct, I could probably force you into trust. Though I could not keep all of these people controlled all the time. I hope that puts you more at ease."

*

"It doesn't. My cousin staged his coup with only three alpha primitives under his control," Crystal notes lightly. "I know enough to know that true power rarely comes from brute force." She smooths a hand over her skirt once more, smile easing back across her features. "But thank you. If you'll just let me know where the current operational records are, I'll be happy to start looking at things and making sure everything is in order."

*

"How long do you have?" Xavier asks with a grin as he gets to his feet. He moves behind his desk to a cabinet, which he opens quickly. The first box of records slams down on his desk, followed by another, followed by another. "I present to you…the records."

*

Crystal arches a brow at the first box, and it only climbs as more boxes come out. "I am going to require access to the liquor cabinet," she drawls, though a wry smile curves as she waves a hand and a rush of air scoops under the boxes, lifting them from the desk. "And I make no promises not to recruit students for the grunt work. They should learn how to manage a household anyhow."

*

"Already thought of it." There's a key flying through the air towards Crystal even as she's talking about the liquor cabinet. "What will it be? I have scotch and scotch."

*

Crystal reaches up to catch the key, the boxes still hovering steadily. Multi-tasking: check. "I believe scotch will do just fine," she laughs, giving the key a look. "I believe I saw a library down the hall. I'll just go and work up a proper thirst before I get started."

*

"Fair enough. Now you've got the key. And if you prefer not to drink alone, both Erik and I will help you," Xavier says with a chuckle.

*

The mention of Erik gets a glimmer of interest - clearly the two men have a particular relationship, and one that Crystal is curious about. But she's too polite to ask just yet. "I will remember that," she says instead, smile crooked as she twitches a finger and the boxes float over to her side. "Thank you, professor."

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