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Erik keeps his eyes upon the exchange between Hulk and Peggy; he watches with fascination when the beast transforms into a man who might otherwise be viewed by some as pathetic. To Magneto, he's fascinating. "Oh my," he emotes, looking on as the SHIELD agents collect Banner and transport him away.
He doesn't turn to look when the balcony holding Maximus collapses, though. Instead, he glances toward Crystal, brow furrowed, then turns to look toward the pile of rubble left over. "Do you think they're injured?" he asks, casually.
*
"Erik!" For once, Crystal sounds upset with the mutant as the balcony starts to collapse, letting the wall of water drop back to the ground with a splat as she reaches out instead to try to keep the fall from damaging anyone. She may not be her cousin's biggest fan, but she made a promise.
As the balcony falls, a well of earth rises up to meet Maximus and his body guard, forming a protective cocoon against the rubble that she holds as she turns to glare at Erik. "That," she informs him, "Was not helpful." Still holding that cocoon in place, she starts toward the wreckage.
*
There is nothing from the protective earth-coccoon for a little bit. But when they get closer, there is some definite muffled cursing from within. He has his guard stuck in there with him, too. He, apparently, can't do anything about rubble around him, besides claw out like anyone else. However, spontaneously, a police officer nearby suddenly sets down his gun and walks towards the pile to start lifting rocks.
*
There is an expression of apology in Erik's face, subtle though it is. "Perhaps not," he admits, but he holds to the belief that distracting Maximus was better than risking him… destabilizing a very precarious situation. At any rate, he turns to follow Crystal, and with his hand, reaches out to grasp hold of any metallic items in the rubble, helpfully lifting them with a magnetic tug.
*
"Maximus, stop that," Crystal calls as she gets closer, using her own power to lift the non-metallic rubble away from the cocoon before letting it dissolve around the pair. "I'm sorry, that was not how we meant for that to go," she says, holding up her hands to show there's no ill will.
*
"I believe it was precisely how you hoped that would go." Maximus retorts. His Majesty is a mess, all dirty, his short hair all mussed, his outfit all…rubbly. He stands up swiftly, once freed, and releases the Policeman who seems mildly confused for a minute, then wanders off. He glances at Erik and frowns. "No doubt…you had your hand in that."
*
"Believe me," Erik tells the King, "it was not my preferred course of action." He gestures toward Maximus meaningfully. "However, there's little sense in leveraging such a dangerous creature for personal gain."
He looks toward Crystal then, hoping that it would be a sufficient enough apology. There was strategy in Erik's decision, after all.
Strategy… and probably just a small touch of tomfoolery.
*
Crystal sighs, crossing her arms over her chest and twirling one finger in a circle. As she does, any remaining dust and dirt on Maximus lifts itself away, leaving him at least clean and rubble-free. "The part where the ravaging beast didn't end up destroying any further lives or property is how I hoped it would go, yes," she allows. "You falling, less so. Worse things could have happened, though." She glances to Erik, then to the sky where Lucy had been with a flicker of a smile. "As you see, I have friends here. So. What did you want to discuss?"
*
"You delivered an Ultimatum. And then…" Here, Maximus looks personally offended. "you didn't show up. No one did. I have had the people with a curfew and in hiding, my army standing by, defenses at the ready…and then. Nothing. If Blackagar is going to start a war, then I'd expect him to be punctual about it." He frowns. "And I was also perfectly capable of calming the beast down, as well." His guard dusts a little of rubble off Max's shoulder.
*
"I believe the only person capable of calming the beast," Erik claims, "was the woman he called, 'Peggy'." He takes a stance a bit behind Crystal, arms folded across his plated chest.
*
"You came out here, in the middle of a fight, to complain because Blackagar hasn't been punctual with his revolution?" Crystal stares at Maximus for a long moment, then throws her hands in the air, turning around and stalking a few steps away to drop her head into one hand. A deep breath later, she turns back around.
"Maximus is capable of calming the beast," she asides to Erik. "Probably better than anyone. The simpler the mind, the better his talents work, isn't that right?" She looks back to her cousin. "The question is whether he would."
*
"Of course I would. Who wouldn't want to drive that around a little bit? In a mostly peaceful…way." Max frowns again, then smoothes his hands back through his hair, trying to regain his regal appearance. "I merely wanted to see what the /delay/ was, for the good of the people." And also because he's probably annoyed…and possibly also…super antsy and lonely.
*
Erik watches Crystal and her display of frustration. There's a flash of concern across his face, before he turns back toward Maximus. "Its never a good idea, taking advantage of a person. Someone with that kind of power… it can backfire on you. Excuse me."
With that, Erik turns away, separating himself from the two for a moment. His eyes pan around the destruction, the largely empty streets. Then, he extends his hand and begins carefully manipulating magnetic fields in the area, essentially rebuilding what he can. It will be a slow process, but, at least it's something he can do to help.
*
"Well, I'm afraid I don't have the schedule," Crystal replies wearily to Maximus. "And also, you don't usually give a schedule to someone you intend to overthrow, because letting them know when you plan on showing up is spectacularly bad strategy." Whereas letting them wait and wonder when you're going to strike…Well, evidently it's bothersome, if Maximus showing up here is any indication.
*
Maximus draws in a deep breath and finally steps out of the rubble left behind. "I do understand that. It just seemed…an agreement. Regardless…though it sounds odd to you, without being able to see you for /some reason/, I was actually growing concerned that possibly the Kree were…taking people they ought not to."
*
"Touching," Erik remarks, with some level of sarcasm. He moves his hands slowly, causing the pieces of a car to come back together and reform, bolts snapping into place, metal bending around itself to merge together at nearly the molecular level. It would seem almost remarkable; either his power is growing, or he's simply becoming more confident in actually using it.
*
Crystal's brows furrow as she watches Maximus, not quite certain how much of his words to believe. "Well, as you can see, I've not been taken by the Kree," she says slowly, raising her hands. "Nor has anyone else that I'm aware of. Why? Have you seen them lately?" She glances to Erik, marking his response but not chiding him this time.
*
Maximus gets distracted by Magneto knitting the metal back together. Not just manipulating it around, but…intricately forming it into things. "That is truly remarkable. Mmm." A glance back to Crystal, though still…a bit distracted. He lifts his hand and rubs his first finger against his thumb. "I have not. But, as we discussed, they are certainly coming. Seeing as you are well, I /suppose/ I cannot deny you the opportunity to clean up this huge mess you made. I am disappointed that you have no further news from my brother. I shall have to seek him out, personally."
*
"It's taken a great deal of practice," Erik replies quietly, without the sarcasm. "And patience." It's also a truth that, he can over exert himself. It isn't an easy process, and it beleaguers him. Once that car is repaired, he turns back around, lowering his arms and taking a rest. "I'm afraid I can't do anything about the spilt fuel." A look is cast toward Crystal, and his mouth turns into a bit of a grin. "That's her specialty."
*
"I believe the mess was mostly the monster," Crystal points out, taking care of the fuel spill with the simply expedient of setting it ablaze and keeping the fire carefully corralled until it's consumed the mess, extinguishing it with a wave of her hand. "But I do appreciate the sentiment. Maximus…" Her features soften just a bit as she watches her cousin. "Please consider your choices. I know we all just want what's best for our people."
*
"I know what I'm doing. There are things you cannot understand. You have not been there." Maximus answers, soberly. And then a moment later he turns to motion again, looking to his guard. "We're leaving." The man steps up closer and puts a hand on Maximus' forearm.
*
The last words from Maximus draw a frown from Magneto. He waits until the King has departed, before approaching Crystal, reaching to place a gloved hand upon her arm. He looks toward her with some level of concern, and with an apology in his eyes.
*
Crystal waits until Maximus is gone, then lets out a long breath, turning to Erik's touch and settling her hand over his with a tight squeeze. Were they not still in the middle of a town, surrounded by strangers, it would likely be more. But for the moment, that small comfort will have to do. Instead, she changes the subject, looking back with a small smile. "You've been practicing," she notes, warm.
*
"Yes," he answers. "And no." Erik glances around for a moment, then looks back toward Crystal. "I'm becoming less… worried," he tries to explain. "It is a very dangerous ability, but some of the intricacies are easy. Almost too easy. I've been learning depths I didn't think were possible."
He gives an example, and with a mere thought, the plates of armor begin detaching from his uniform. They move away, flatten out, and begin compressing into three small spheres, the same as what they were when they came in. Then, they move and meld together, this time with a gesture of his hand, and within moments, a sword has been created. This he takes from the air and offers to Crystal, smirking.
*
"My knight in shining armor," Crystal smiles ruefully back at him as he offers the sword, taking it by the hilt and lifting it for balance. "What's brought about this new confidence?" she asks, offering the sword back to him. "I think Blackagar could use some it, honestly."
*
It was a difficult question, with a difficult answer. Erik accepts the sword, looking at it for a long moment, before willing it to turn into the spheres once more. "Sacramento," he finally answers, looking back toward her. "We went, Scott, Jean and I. It was… there wasn't much left. Between you and me, my dear, I don't give a damn if it was a mutant who killed the President. This hysteria needs to end. Someone has to stand up for my people."
*
"For what it's worth, Erik, I am reasonably certain it wasn't a mutant," Crystal says quietly, slipping an arm around his waist and starting to draw him away from the scene. "But you're right. This hysteria is counter-productive. No one is going to win like this. No one is going to benefit except for the people who make weapons." She looks back up at him, considering the things he is certainly not saying.
*
"Semantics," Erik answers, grateful for the arm around his waist and willingly walking away from the leftover mess. "Mutants are so much more than what most people think of them. People don't consider the mutant with little more than, say, eyebrow ridges as a walking weapon. In truth, those of us who can do 'things' are unique, even amongst mutants. But we are simply people with a genetic tweak in the evolutionary process. That man…" he says, referencing the Hulk, "may not have a genetic mutation like mine, or have gone through terrigenesis, like you, but… he is decidedly not normal."
*
"No, he is most certainly not," Crystal agrees as they move away from the scene. "And it's the people with those small changes who are most in danger. People like you can defend yourselves. Not always in a good way," she grimaces. "Sometimes that just sets people off even more. But the visibly different people are the easiest to target and the least able to protect themselves. That," she grimaces, "Seems like poor evolution."
*
An eyebrow arches, for she told the truth. Erik's magnetokinesis was something that could be raw, brute force, as much as it could be surgical. In the span of a flash, the mere tick of a thought, his control could falter, as it did in Dallas. Or, he could use precision to do terribly good things… or something terribly horrible. Again, all it takes is the span of a thought, and for a man so troubled as he, this is not necessarily a good thing.
"My dear, evolution is not picky. It does not care for morality, or what is fair, or what is just. It doesn't pick the ideal candidate, nor does it care for its consequences. You might say, the evolutionary process is as far from terrigenesis as a thing could be."
*
"Well, that much is true." Crystal tightens her arm around his waist, ducking her chin to hide a small smile. "I hope you'll forgive me if I say that terrigenesis seems considerably more sensible, all things considered. Not that you have a choice, of course, just…Well. The situation that mutants find themselves in right now breaks my heart sometimes."
*
"Oh, it is quite more sensible," Erik agrees. He drops a hand to grasp hers in kind, and just keeps on walking. They pass people who look on at the edge of the Hulk's rampage, people who look toward them with surprise, awe, and fear, but Erik doesn't pay them any attention.
"When Charles was at Oxford," he says, "when I first met him? He'd prepared a dissertation about genetic mutations. Homo sapiens were, how did he put it; a deviation from what was then the norm, but within a few short years, the neanderthal became extinct. That is what people fear. Extinction. They don't think of the fact that we are a much more socially, intellectually, and technologically evolved species than when homo sapien first evolved from neanderthal, because that is not how fear works. Fear, however, will drive men to try and fix it. Repair it. Come up with some semblance of control over it."
Then, he frowns, darkly. "Or wipe it out."
*
"Well, and it isn't as though homo sapiens destroyed the neanderthal," Crystal waves a hand. "Our records suggest there was actually a fair amount of intermingling and interbreeding." Her smile quirks as they draw further from the wreckage, leaning up to brush a kiss to his cheek. "Hard to fault them, really, if certain patterns are just as equal."
*
"Homo sapiens weren't killing the neanderthal with telepathic strikes, either," Erik points out. "It's an interesting comparison, but the similarities end there, don't they?" He turns to her kiss with a smile, then finally takes note of the people that look at them.
With a rueful expression, he turns to face Crystal, taking each of her hands in his. "Maybe we don't go home," he tells her. "Maybe we go to Hong Kong. Somewhere… not here."
*
"Hong Kong?" Crystal laughs, arching a brow back at him. "Honestly, if we're going to go somewhere just to go, I can think of better places. Rome, maybe. The Alps. Or a warm, sunny island…mmm. Somewhere in the south sea. Tahiti, maybe. No need to go back and pack anything, spend the night on the beach under the stars…"
*
"Tahiti," Erik agrees, following a bit of laughter. "You're right, Hong Kong is far too busy." He raises a hand to touch her hair, then he pulls her in for a kiss. He lingers close for a moment, his lips closer to her ear, so that he might whisper.
"Call for Lockjaw."
The people who are watching… right now they are seeing, to them, two superheroes, in love, acting like normal people. It may not be enough to save the world, but maybe it will make an impact in Cincinnatus, NY.
*
Crystal flushes slightly at the kiss, even if she doesn't draw away. For all her feelings for Erik, public displays of affection are still not common among the Inhumans. "You are a terrible influence," she murmurs, but soon looks over her shoulder, whistling sharply. In that moment, Lockjaw appears at their side. "Tahiti, Lockjaw," she smiles, setting a hand to his shoulder. "A nice beach." And with nary a pause, the dog blinks them all away.
*