1963-07-04 - Sick on Freedom!
Summary: Armando meets Crystal in Central Park.
Related: None
Theme Song: None
darwin crystal 


When Crystal decided to stay at Xavier's, she didn't think that plan all the way through. One of the down sides of her unique physiology is a weakness to human illnesses. And schools? Schools are hotbeds of virus activity. She's come down with a truly miserable cold, right in the middle of summer. Not realizing that the fourth of July is ah holiday here, so stubbornly insisted on coming into the city to try to deal with some financial issues for the school.

Unfortunately, the her trip is wasted. The banks are closed, the city is a mess of people on holiday, and there's really nothing to be accomplished. Crystal's planning on heading back to the school, but first she just needs a few minutes of peace. While picnickers litter the flats and the green areas of the park, deep in the rambles it's a little more quiet. Crystal has found herself a rocky outcropping to sit on - mostly to deal with a massive sneezing fit.

*

Even with the anger towards mutants that seems to be on the rise, people are thinking of the American Dream on the 4th of July- of freedom and liberty. Its a beautiful day that shows some of the best that America has to offer. People of all colors and backgrounds are in the park, and all seem to be welcome- even Armando, the grey-skinned mutant who can't very well hide who he is.

Still, he's not directly invited to anyone's cookout- so he just enjoys the day of relative freedom. He pauses though as he notices Crystal and approaches- "Hey there!" he says, with a quiet smile. "Bless you." he says, when the sneezes finally finish.

*

Crystal blows her nose - noisily - into a handkerchief before she responds to Darwin, looking over with a rueful smile. Sadly, there's no way to blow your nose in a dignified manner after a massive sneezing fit.

"Armando," she greets, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand and summoning up a smile. "You're a pleasant surprise. Enjoying the holiday?"

*

"For the most part, yeah." Armando says, "Its a really neat day- brings out some of the best in people." he continues, looking quietly to Crystal. "How about you? Sounds like you've come down with something…" he notes, "Anything I can do to help?"

*

"I didn't realize it was a holiday," Crystal admits with a rueful smile, voice thick with a head cold. "And I'm fine," she waves a hand, though her handkerchief gets a little bit of a glum look. "I was going to take care of a few things for the school, but. It seems everything is closed today. I, ah." She laughs, shaking her head. "I tend to catch colds and the like more often than most," she admits. "I didn't think about it when I moved in at the school. Now I have the consequences."

*

"Well." Armando begins, "Sounds like you should be resting." he suggests, "Things will open again tomorrow, but yeah, today is a day of celebration. Its a nice change, most people are really aware of the meaning of the holiday." Armando says with a smile. "Its nice. But, yeah- maybe you should get back home and get into bed."

*

"I will, eventually," Crystal waves a hand. "The train schedules are off, though, so I need to find a better place for a pick up. What is the meaning of the holiday?" she asks, moving over to make room on the outcropping next to her.

"We've mostly traveled through Europe," she explains. "Some of these American customs are a little bit unfamiliar to me."

*

"I can give you a ride back. I have a car." Armando offers with an easy smile. "The holiday is about gaining independence from the British- but, on the wider scale, it represents freedom from oppression."

*

"Oh, I have a way back," Crystal assures. "It's just a little bit…complicated." Her smile quirks, then she has to pause for another sneeze, blinking a few times after with a stifled groan. "I hate colds. The British were certainly everywhere," she continues the previous conversation. "What sort of oppression did they free themselves from?"

*

"Taxation without representation, or at least, that's what the history books say." Armando says, with a quiet smile. "Its the day that the Declaration of Independence was adopted. The idea was that we were being unfairly treated by the British as colonies. I can recommend some books if you'd like to read up on the founding of the nation. Personally, I think the founding fathers would be concerned with the way the country is heading- I remain cautiously optimistic. Things could go either way- we just have to make sure it goes the right way."

*

Crystal arches a brow, a slow smile curving. "They fought a war…for taxes?" she echoes, a note of laughter in her voice. "That is…an admirable level of devotion to some admittedly sound governmental principles. But, practically speaking…Machiavelli did say that a man values his patrimony more than his father."

*

"I think the idea was more that they had no say in the levy of those taxes- being forced to pay for a war they had no hand in. That sort of thing." Armando replies, with a quiet smile. "Machiavelli should be taken with a grain of salt- he was very much pro-republic." he remarks, next. "His work, The Prince, is often considered satire- although there may be more to it than that."

*

"I didn't grow up with him," Crystal admits, lifting one shoulder in a shrug. "We had different sages where I come from. But my parents taught me that it was useful to read other people's texts, to better understand what they might believe, and why. It makes dealing with them considerably easier than assuming they think as we do does."

She sits up a little straighter, peering out to the fields before she blows her nose again. "America is very different from anywhere else in Europe. The energy, the beliefs. It's young, in a way that very few other places are."

*

"Its typically not a book most people read here, I don't think. At least, not until college." Armando notes, "I read as a hobby- but its always a good idea to increase one's knowledge while engaging in a hobby." he says with that same easy smile on his face as he finally sits near Crystal, taking a spot on the rock.

"I've never been to Europe." Armando admits, "I'd rather like to travel one day, though. See all the historic places where so much of American culture was born. Just to meet new people, even." he continues. "I only hope that youth you see leads to more liberty, and a dying of the fear that's taken hold of the people."

*

"I've seen more of Europe than I'd like," Crystal smiles ruefully, drawing her knees up toward her chest. "It is beautiful, and it is interesting, but…it isn't home. I hope that peace can come to this place," she agrees, nodding. "I hope that the people here can grow to see that different is beautiful and an advantage, not a threat."

*

"We'll see." Armando says with a quiet smile. Perhaps a bit sad, that smile. "I"

*

"We'll see." Armando says with a quiet smile. Perhaps a bit sad, that smile. "I've got a lot of hope for the future." Unlike so many others- its his future, too. "I'm likely to see it- and I can only hope that its more good than bad. I'm afraid that things might get worse, before they get better, though."

*

"They may, at least for some," Crystal nods as she stands up, climbing down off of the rock. "Your country is going through it's own evolution now. Growth and change hurt. But if we adapt…" Trailing off, she smiles crookedly back at him. "We come out better on the other side."

The dignity of the statement is somewhat ruined by the messy sneeze that follows, and she groans. "Forgive me, Armando, but yes, I do think I should go back to the school and try sleeping for a bit. Enjoy your holiday," she waves, wandering off blowing her nose again.

*

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