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Usually, the mansion runs like a smoothly oiled machine. Crystal makes sure that everything runs on time, that everything is accounted for, and that no student is left behind. Over the last few days, though, things have been…a little different. Crystal is distracted, frustrated, worried. Between ACT-F, the X-Men, and plans to reclaim her homeland, she has been occupied.
Dinner - usually so lovingly prepared and ready for all of the students - was actually pizza tonight. She sent one of the older students out to pick up the massive order. Exciting for the students. But for anyone who really knows Crystal, a sign that something is definitely up.
She's found herself a seat in one corner of the library, seeking out a moment of peace and quiet after spending most of the day training. Feet tucked up beneath herself in the chair, she has her head resting in one hand, mind rolling over all the things that are bothering her and what can be done about any of them.
*
It's the Institute. Bobby doesn't need to pretend. So while it's starting to get cold as hell outside and the inside, while warm, isn't exactly toasty, he's just in a pair of shorts and a shirt. The Iceman never gets cold and he does like his comfort. A bottle of beer held loosely in his hand, he wanders into the library and spots Crystal in a corner. "They said pizza was your idea. We should do that once a week."
*
Hey, Alex is not going to complain about having a pie for dinner, at least as long as its not often. But, it is weird, and so he comes looking for Crystal; he spots Bobby on the way and flashes him a grin, then goes and plops down by Crystal, "So what's bugging you?" he asks gently. For his part, Alex does get cold, so he's got himself a turtle-neck and slacks. All black and fitted.
*
Crystal lifts her head as Bobby comes over, a weary smile curving. "It's its own sort of logistical nightmare," she laughs softly, shaking her head. "Though maybe another night I could build an oven and everyone could make their own." She could do it, too. Earth for the oven, fire to heat it properly. "But not tonight."
Alex hits the nail on the head, though. "Less than everything, but more than nothing, Alex," she answers, rueful. "Too many things that all seem to be spiraling, leading up to something…big. Maybe bigger than I can handle, I don't know."
*
When he hears someone coming into the library, Bobby looks over his shoulder then gives Alex a smile. Walking over to the others, he plops down next to Alex and stretches his legs out in front of him. "What?" he asks, feigning disbelief. "You can't handle people killing mutants all over the country, mythological gods showing up and saying 'look at me' and aliens from outer space who might be able to shapechange into your Aunt Gladys? Compared to finals week, that's a breeze."
*
"Oh god, I can imagine these kids doing horrible things to pizza and the amount of dough we'd have to fold— ugh. Tell you what I'll manage the logisics of PIzza Night." Alex laughs softly, but then he can't help but grin at Bobby, nudging him with an elbow gently. "Yeah, its not finals week." he agrees, before looking back to Crystal, "Well, that's what teams are for. So no one person has to handle it. I know I've been preoccupied by my dissertation so out in the city a lot more, but since I'm not expecting to finish it for two more terms, I can make myself available more. What do you need?"
*
"Oh, don't forget, I was briefly sort of engaged to the prince of the mythological gods, and am the descendant of genetic experiments created by one race of aliens to fight the other race of aliens. And our kingdom is…" Crystal sighs, scrubbing a hand over her face. "Blackagar is ready to try to retake the city. And Maximus knows it. And I've spent…more than half of my life planning for this, but now that it's time, it's terrifying, because what happens after that?"
She lets out a slow breath, leaning back into one corner of her chair. "It was easier, trying to fix things here. To take care of people. Except I seem to be losing my grasp on that, too. Jean is…Jean is a mess. That boy she's been dragging around is a mess. And I can't fix it."
*
Bobby just nods as Crystal goes on. Everyone needs a chance to whine and the least he can do is listen. Though when she gets to the school… "Jean? What's up with Jean? I haven't actually talked to her in a while. And she has a boy now? Which one?" He really needs to start paying more attention to what's been going on here.
*
"I'm not anyone short of the Professor can 'fix' Jean and only with … tampering. That, or time. A lot of time. Its also not your responsibility." notes Alex, nodding his head slowly, "And wait, is this that weird guy who tried to drop trow? Is he still following her around?" He frowns a little bit.
*
"The one she found on the street, for Pete's sake," Crystal rolls her eyes to Bobby. "Gabriel. She was out with him, in uniform, looking for whatever box he dropped out of the sky in. Back and forth again. She's high and she's brave and she's bold and she insists she can do it on her own and she knows what she's doing, and then she's low and she's sobbing and nobody loves her."
She drops her head into her hand again, pinching the bridge of her nose between finger and thumb. "It's not her fault. She's just…the easiest to call on being ridiculous when the whole world seems to be acting like fools. Which wouldn't bother me, except that right now I'm barely holding myself together, so other people are a bit more difficult."
*
Gabriel, Gabriel… "Oh, right." Bobby agrees. She's obsessing over him? Huh. "Yeah, she's kind of erratic. If you think it's a real problem, you should talk to the Prof. I mean, he's kind of the authority on that kind of thing." Pause. "In uniform? Yeah, definitely talk to him." Taking a swig of his beer, he says "Want to come get stoned with me and Alex? I got some really nice grass. Doesn't solve anything but it's great for releasing some tension for a little bit."
*
"Don't get me wrong, Jean's fine, but sometimes she doesn't think her decisions through. Bringing a stranger here? Without so much as reading him first? Here? I thought we had everyone clear on that." Alex sighs and shakes his head, "Worry about yourself first, Crystal. Its nice you want to help everyone else but its not your job to hold everyone together. Its not. That's all of the teachers. and look, at least through to Spring I won't be going back into NYU. So if someone's giving you shit toss 'em at Mister Summers." He cringes, just a bit. But he does nod to Bobby's offer, his grin easy.
*
Crystal laughs at Bobby's offer, a surprised catch of her breath in the sound. It does get her to drop her hand, though, looking over with a rueful smile. "I doubt I'd find it all that enjoyable," she chuckles. "Those sorts of things don't usually hit me very hard. But I appreciate the offer. Both of you," she adds, looking back to Alex. "Honestly, I'm just not used to having to ask other people for help. And there's a near-endless list of things that need to be done. Like…I should call SHIELD before everything happens. So that if something happens in Attilan, no one assumes there's some sort of nuclear testing going on."
*
"Oh, it's some /really/ nice shit." Bobby assures Crystal. "Very strong. And you'd be with us so you're pretty much guaranteed to have fun. And if you need a little extra boost, there's booze." He takes another swig then makes a face at what she says. "SHIELD. You really want to do that? Remember you warning me originally about agencies like that? And you were right. Though I know the Prof wants to give them another shot." he adds with a sigh. "Or at least talk to them again. About what, I don't know. Hopefully it's about not jumping out of planes without parachutes and other seriously stupid things to do." Pause. "Wait, what? You going to be using H-bombs in Attilan?"
*
"Are we on speaking terms with SHIELD?" Alex is skeptical on that note, as he looks between the both of them, "Then again I'm not entirely clear where this kingdom of yours is located." At Bobby's mention of jumping out of planes, Alex's expression darkens. He has ever so never been afraid of anything in his life then that little bit of completely crazy. "In my experience, SHIELD isn't so good at the planning, training and teamwork, and better with flying on the seat of their pants. I'd be real cautious about what you tell them."
*
"I have the director's number." Of course she does. Crystal smiles faintly back at Bobby, shaking her head. "We don't need H-bombs for a similar level of destruction. Though at least it's usually radiation free. It's less a matter of…being deeply involved with them and more a matter of courtesy to the governments of the world. Everyone is already in a tizzy over aliens and Asgardians. I doubt that news of a secret civilization will reassure anyone. Which means it's in their best interest to help us…keep things quiet."
*
Bobby nods at what Alex says. Stupid, stupid, stupid. "I wouldn't trust them at all. But if you're going to go talk to them, I'm coming along. I told the Prof I was going with him when he did and now I'm telling you. They already know what I look like so me and Alex are the best choices for bodyguards. And there's this bar you should meet them in. There's no way they could infiltrate it without anyone noticing."
*
"Besides Magneto or Professor X, I think Crystal might be the least needing of bodyguards around here— that said, I have your back if you need it, hon." Alex gives a casual nod, and sorta casually leans a shoulder against Bobby's. Just because, right? "I just wouldn't tell them anything like, oh, where it is, because I don't trust government types to act in their best interests. I expect them to act in what is politically useful more often then that. And enemies are politically useful." He frowns, "And yeah, SHIELD has my name." TO say he is not happy about that is the understatement of a lifetime.
*
"I do better in the open air than in bars," Crystal points out to Bobby, smile crooked. "As Alex says. I'm entirely capable of defending myself. And, for the record," she smirks at Alex, "I'm quite capable of kicking Erik's ass. So." She pushes a hand through her hair, letting out a breath. "I know governments. I know secrets. The important part is that I believe that right now it's in their best interest that there not be a catastrophic reveal of yet another secret to the world. Loki made that avenue an ugly one. And in that, we are agreed."
*
"She doesn't have eyes in the back of her head." Bobby points out to Alex then looks at Crystal and repeats "YOu don't have eyes in the back of your head. They could shoot you in the back with a sedative or something. Or just a bullet. There's safety in numbers so don't argue. You're out voted. We're going with you." Nodding now it's decided, he half stands a moment to fold one leg underneath him. "You should also come smoke with us. You need to relax and even if it doesn't work well, you still need to stop brooding so it'll be a distraction."
*
"Hell, I can kick Erik's ass." Alex gives a shrug at that, unimpressed, "I don't need my suit anymore." He hasn't actually told many people that yet, "That means I can go naked and blow mountains up if it suits me, and I love Magneto like a third a little bit too intense and edgy Dad,.." Who Alex *always* calls Magneto. Never Erik. "… but I'd put my plasma blasts up against him flinging metal around anyday." Pause, "Unless he got a lot of guns and managed to surround me. I'm not saying I'd win every day, just that I'd bet on me." He grins broadly, but then says seriously, "So you were … engaged to one of these Asgardians?" Beat. "What are they? I mean, obviously they aren't gods." Around the Institute, his absolute atheism is not exactly a secret or he scandal it would be everywhere else. "There's the universe and evolution and— apparently— the occassional alien intervention int he natural process of evolution, but there are no gods." He's not gonna push Crys to go smoke more, though.
*
"Courting," Crystal clarifies. "Which…Well. It's generally intended to lead to marriage, but I was already with Erik, and Thor wanted more than just a political marriage, and eventually realized he had feelings for a childhood friend, which- Well, it all worked out in the end, didn't it?" Or at least that's the story she's telling herself. "As for what they are, gods is close enough. The old myths are of them. As in, the same people. They're stronger than I am. And some of them can do magic on top of it all. If you don't want to call them gods, then I'm not sure what other term you'd want to use. Admittedly, it's a bit charged, but."
*
"Aliens?" Bobby offers. "I mean, if they're not human, or mutant or were originally, they're aliens." Then looking curious, he asks "Are they… umm, 'built' like we are? Everywhere?"
*
"Gods made the world." Alex says dryly, "The Norse think they made the world in step A, B, C. The Greeks think they made the world in steps A1, B2, C2. I won't even get into what the Great Spirit in North America is believed to have made the world. Without the property of making the world, god is fundamentally inaccurate. And if that property is there, then you're saying the *Vikings* of all people were the ones who were *right*? I doubt that, highly. They may be… powerful beings, but to call them gods is… superstitious. Then again, take someone like me and introduce me to an iron age civilization and I guarantee you would have The Great God Havok, Destroyer and Protector of the World in like five days flat. 'Gods' is either literal, as in the actual *dieties*, or its a figurative declaration of relative power, which is just a statement of a lack of understanding."
*
Crystal arches a brow back at Bobby. "I'm afraid I can't answer the everywhere question," she drawls, smirking. "But so far as I'm aware, yes." Alex gets a wave of her hand. "Semantics. I regret to inform you, Alex, but we don't believe in any sort of god, so the argument that a superstitious term is any more applicable to one group of beings than another is a moot one to me. Suffice it to say, Thor was young and impulsive a thousand years ago, and is almost beginning to learn how not to be now, so." Shrugging, she pushes up from her chair. "I suspect your grass would be wasted on me, Bobby," she smiles faintly. "But I appreciate the offer."
*
"Your choice." Bobby says and shrugs. "But you really do need to do something to relax. Go find Erik and tell him to take your mind off stuff." He doesn't really need, or want, to make suggestions. "But now I'm in the mood to have some. Want to come, Alex?"
*
"So he's been a child for a thousand years and this is what we're calling a god now?" Alex can't help but laugh, "I get over being young and impulsive in a couple decades and I'm considered a rash and impulsive guy, so I'm claiming superiority. Words matter, Crystal. How we define things is how we understand the world, our place in it, and their place in it." But he leaves it at that, shrugging up to rise with a bit of a lazy grace, nodding to Bobby, "Sure, sounds good."
*
"From what I've heard of gods so far, childishness seems a defining characteristic," Crystal laughs to Alex. "But." She raises her hands, abandoning the argument. "I've had enough of childish behavior for ten years myself. I think I may go and commandeer a bath tub. Enjoy yourselves," she smiles crookedly back at the pair. "I'll let you know when I'm meeting the Director." With that, she heads out to the hallway, headed toward the residential areas.
*