1963-12-28 - Bully for You
Summary: Lorna tracks down Crystal about Maximus, and then… well, speak of the devil and he shall appear.
Related: Maximus' appearances
Theme Song: None
crystal lorna maximus 


The past few weeks have been intense, to say the least. So now that things are somewhat resolved, Crystal has set up shop in the library to work on some of the books for the school. One never knows when the world will go insane again, after all. Best to take care of business while you can.

She's marking the last entry in the ledger at the moment, going over the totals one more time to make sure nothing has been forgotten.

*

Lorna had been tracing around the school for some time. Soon enough, her Winter Break would be over and she'd go back to the Frost Institute when the Spring semester started up. But for now? Now she was there looking for someone very pointedly. A few soft inqueries directed her to the library and she climbed the stairs toward it.

A soft creak of the door followed her entrance, and she stepped inside on slippered feet. Her hair was back to the dyed brown, life having calmed down to normal enough that green haired young girls drew snide comments and odd looks once more.

Upon spying the woman that she looked for, Lorna made her way over. "Miss Crystal? Do you have a minute? I'd.. uhm.. really like to talk to you.." She bit her lower lip, tucking a strand of brown curls back behind an ear.

*

Crystal glances up from the books at her name, a small smile curving when she recognizes the girl. "Lorna, of course," she says, giving the books one last look before she closes the ledger and sets it aside. "What can I help you with?" She pats the seat next to herself, glancing around the library to make certain there's no one left to overhear the conversation.

*

A hefty exhale follows and Lorna shuffles over to the patted seat next to Crystal and plops herself down next to the woman. She fidgeted with the sleeve of her sweater, biting her lower lip and chewing at a dried bit of skin there.

"Okay. So. You know in Attilan I sorta kinda.. okay. I got lost. And this one time, I was really just looking around. And I ran into Maximus. And he said that I should sit down and talk to him. So I tried to be polite and did. I was really kinda freaked out. Then he threw a glass flask, and then he said I was part parrot 'cause my green hair.." She trailed off, inhaling a deep breath before she launched into the point.

"And then he said that you had powers to make people fall in love with you too, and I told him I didn't believe it at all, cause you're a nice person and everything. And I know he was lying. But now he shows up in cafes where I am and uses awkward pick up lines and I don't know what to do.." She deflated, shoulders slumping as she literally unloaded /everything/ in rapid fire at Crystal. Poor woman.

*

Crystal listens quietly, arching a brow at the last with a sigh of her own. "I'm sorry, Lorna. I should have made sure there was someone to escort you in Attilan so you wouldn't get lost." She folds an arm over the ledger, turning to face the girl more fully. "First, I'm sorry for his behavior. He's…erratic, to say the least. He's not entirely well, but it's no excuse, really. And I'll speak with him if he's following you around."

"As for powers to make people fall in love with me?" She smiles ruefully, shaking her head. "No, I've no such thing. Though his powers allow him to influence people's minds. It's part of why I was so wary of Charles when I first came here. My powers are elemental, as you've seen."

*

A sharp nod was offered as Lorna wrapped her arms around her middle, looking down at her lap. "I know he's unwell. It's pretty obvious." She mumbled, biting her lower lip once more as she toed the floor with the tip of her slipper.

"And it's not your fault I got lost. I woke up and really just wanted to explore. I didn't think anything of it. Since everyone had been so nice.." She shrugged, a rise and fall of her shoulders she dragged her hands through her hair a grimace twisting her lips.

"He threatened he'd try to be my roommate or that he'd show up. He seriously used the /worst/ pick up lines and followed me around the cafe. It was creepy, Miss Crystal. And I was scared of offending him that he might go off or something.. And I was alone.." She wrinkled her nose.

A soft sigh fell from her lips as she glanced toward the woman that was seeing her birth father. How awkward to consider.

"I know your powers are elemental. I knew what he was doing. It was /really/ obvious. I … do you think he might have tried to use his powers on me at all? Is he like Professor Xavier and Jean in that he can read my mind?"

*

"Reading it, no," Crystal shakes her head. "But he can influence it, and he is…subtle. I don't think the professor would take it amiss if you asked him to take a look at your mind and make sure there's nothing there that doesn't belong there. So long as you wouldn't mind the potential intrusion, of course. As for Maximus, again, I'm sorry," she grimaces.

"For what it's worth, I don't believe he has any true interest in you. He's likely just…fishing for a reaction. Or else trying to upset me or your father by meddling with you."

*

A disgusted noise sounded at the back of her throat, and Lorna shuddered as she dragged her hands through her hair as Crystal mentions how Maximus could influence people's minds.

"Uhh.. I'll definitely be asking the Professor then. It's not like I care about a telepath reading my thoughts. I roomed with Jean and Miss Frost is a telepath too. It doesn't bother me when I know the person isn't like.. horrible…" She made another face, thinking about Maximus influencing her. Ew.

"Do you think he might have influenced anyone else?" Her brows knit together, "Like what if this whole thing is just so he can take over people that are really strong or something and take back control of your home?"

"Like he's really, really, creepy Miss Crystal. Even if he's not actually interested in me.. And I /really/ hope he isn't.. Cause like.. ew.. so much ew.." She waved her hands around her.

*

"I understand that he's creepy, Lorna," Crystal sighs, scrubbing a hand over her face. "If I could control him and make him not creepy, I assure you, I would have done it a long time ago. Probably before he managed to claim the throne and exile all of us."

She looks back to Lorna, expression gentle. "It's entirely possible he's influenced other people. That is the danger inherent in telepathic powers. We try to teach that it isn't right while we can. It's why I'm sometimes harder on Jean than I am on the other students. But in the end, it comes down to what they choose to be."

*

A nod and an exhale as Lorna glancing back to Crystal. "How should I react if he shows up again? I've tried to be polite, and patient, 'cause he's clearly rather unwell.. I just.." She bit her lower lip once more, rubbing her hands together.

"I'm not used to anyone being that way toward me, you know? Like even creepy men trying to hit on me aren't as scary.. I don't know exactly how to handle him. I mean he's technically still a prince, right? Like you're a princess?" Her eyebrows climbed higher.

"Should I tell him to go away?"

*

"A title is no excuse for bad behavior," Crystal wrinkles her nose. "And Maximus knows the same. I've hardly seen him in the last ten years myself," she cautions. "But I always found it was best not to give him whatever reaction he was looking for. Maximus acts out for attention. He wants to be seen as great, he wants to be noticed, and if he isn't, then he'll do whatever he has to do until someone gives him what he wants. It's best to simply ignore him, in my experience. He'll move on to someone who gives him more interesting reactions."

*

A small nod and another heart felt sigh followed. "So basically treat him like the playground bully and hopes he finds someone else to bother." She mumbled, shifting on her seat and letting her hands fall back to her lap. Another fidget as she toyed with the edge of her sleeve.

A slight pause followed and she glanced back up to Crystal. "Is he really going to move in here? He said he was going to try it.. But would the Professor allow it?" Her lips pursed together and she looked awkward as she brought up that point.

"I get that he'll be around you Miss Crystal 'cause you're related and he basically doesn't know anyone.."

*

"Basically," Crystal nods, sympathetic. "It's what he's always been, really. A brash little bully." The other question, though, gets an arch of her brow. "No, he won't be moving in here," she says, voice certain. "This is a place for children, a place for learning. Maximus can offer nothing but trouble here, and I won't have it. Which means the professor won't have it."

*

Relief spreads out over Lorna's features and body language as Crystal states that Maximus will not in fact be moving in. Her shoulders loosen and she sits back in the chair. "Oh good."

"I knew he was lying and all, but like.. I just.. I was /really/ worried that it might be possible at all. Cause he did show up here before, and I really like visiting and I feel safe here.." She bit her lower lip and flushed faintly.

"I just didn't want to assume.."

*

"You needn't worry about him becoming a fixture here," Crystal shakes her head. "You saw how I felt about his visit before, I'm sure. If I have to wrap him in molten rock and toss him into the next county, I will make it quite clear to him that this is not a place for him to call home. I can think of many other places that would be much more suitable for him."

*

Lorna smiled weakly, tucking her hair back behind an ear. "Oh okay. That makes me feel a lot better.." She shifted, recrossing her legs.

"I just.. it was a lot and I kept missing you and a chance to tell you what had been happening. And it just kept getting worse and I really didn't know what to do." Her lips press together and shift from side to side in thought.

"Cause Illyana totally was not going to behave the next time he showed up randomly around me. She wanted to send him to Limbo." She wrinkled her nose. "I have a feeling that would've gone very badly."

*

Crystal quirks a brow, showing perhaps a little bit too much interest in the idea of sending Maximus to Limbo. "Well, I wouldn't entirely…discourage her from that," she muses, a faint smile flickering. "Maybe just a short visit. He might not be very intimidated by it, but at least he'd be out of your hair."

*

A giggle escaped her at that, "Really? Illyana said she'd loose the demon looking things she has there on him if he looked at me wrong again." She grinned, a flash of teeth that was smothered quickly behind a hand.

"She wasn't around when Maximus was there before, but… if you say it's okay.. I'm certainly not going to stop her. She gets rather heated when someone questions how well she can handle something.." She wrinkled her nose up at that thought. "Well, sides the fact that apparently my magnetic powers are totally easier to control in Limbo.."

*

"Oh are they?" Crystal tilts her head, curious, though she doesn't press. "Well. While I wouldn't recommend leaving him there, a brief vacation might be good for him. Or it might make him even crazier, but at least it would illustrate the point that you and your friends aren't powerless, and toying with you can have repercussions, which should garner a bit of respect."

*

A shrug, "I thought he might actually respect the fact that I totally crushed his machine back on Attilan, but I guess not?" She arched a brow and shrugged again.

"I guess he just thinks that it wasn't me and was 'Magneto'," She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and pouting faintly.

"Everyone is either scared of him or in awe because he was on TV fighting those monsters. Do you know I can't even mention my tata without either Jean getting angry, or this boy I know running scared." She rolled her eyes.

*

"Well, your father is…impressive," Crystal points out, smile flickering once more. "But if you want to be known for yourself, then maybe it's best not to mention him. Be defined by what you do, not by what he does. No matter how impressive any of it is."

*

A grumble, teenaged pouting at its best follows. "I love him! Don't get me wrong! I totally do. I don't hold it against him. It's just like, Seth, my friend. They met when I was doing volunteer work and then got spooked and ran off!" She threw her hands up in irritation. "I didn't think he was /that/ scary." She added, wrinkling up her nose.

"Also, there's this boy I met before, Josh? He can heal himself, and I think he was totally a member of that Brotherhood group that was robbing things? Anyways, he wanted to give me his number not 'cause of me, but 'cause of 'Magneto'. Totally weird right?" She made a face.

"But yeah.. I just.. ugh.. I don't feel like I can do anything that impressive yet. I'm still learning. I mean, yes, compared to a few months ago? I've learned soo much.. but man.."

*

"Your father can be very frightening if he wants to be," Crystal laughs softly. "But I've found that he's usually very reasonable about…most things. I doubt he did anything intended to be intimidating, but there will always be people who are afraid of strength or feel threatened by it. I'm afraid I've no good advice for that except to prove to them with your own actions the sort of person who you are."

*

A slight groan followed that and Lorna propped her head up with both hands. "And I thought trying to get a date before was bad with my adoptive father. The most /he/ did was clean his old hunting rifle while he told the boy to get me home before nine. Now?" She rolled her eyes, the woe of every teenaged girl everywhere. Only her father literally /could/ bring down buildings.

"He wasn't even trying! He was just being nice that time. Gosh! If he was trying to be scary? Geeze louise! I'll never bring a date 'round if I get one."

*

"So…don't?" Crystal's smile tugs at one corner of her lips, amusement sparkling in her eyes. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying never introduce boys to your father, but I think he'll be just fine not knowing about them until there's something to actually know about."

*

A nod, and Lorna chewed her lower lip in thought. "Yeah, that's likely a good idea." She exhaled a huff of breath, glancing side long at Crystal and offering a grin.

"I'll definitely have to be careful of introductions.." She muttered under her breath, considering possible future scenarios. Not that she actually /had/ boys to take her out, but still! The thought had to be considered.

"You don't think it's awkward? 'Cause you're dating .. and everything.." A pause and Lorna turned green eyes upwards to Crystal. "Are you two gonna get married some day?"

*

"I don't think what's awkward? I think your father and I are both rather good at smoothing over anything potentially awkward." Except perhaps for that question. Crystal takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I'm not sure, Lorna," she answers honestly. "I care very much about your father. But we both lead…particular sorts of lives. It's something for us to consider before we make that decision."

*

A blink and Lorna shifts in her seat to fully face Crystal, her chin propped up with both hands as she watched the other woman's reaction. Lorna's eyebrows shoot upwards as Crystal takes a moment to respond honestly.

"Is it 'cause you're a Princess and from Attilan? Maximus said that you turned down marrying the God of Thunder, that Thor guy?" She tilts her head to the side.

"Was that true?"

*

"That was true," Crystal nods, a slightly sad cast to her smile. "I was already in love with your father when the prince asked to court me. We…pursued a political alliance for a short time, but he realized his heart was somewhere else, and that he couldn't be happy knowing mine was as well. So we let it go."

She glances toward the window, waving a hand slightly. "Love is like that, Lorna. It's a hard thing to find. You shouldn't let it go when you find it."

*

Lorna's expression brightened at Crystal's words and she looked as if she'd just heard the greatest fairytale ever. In a manner of speaking she had. A real life Princess had chosen her birth father over a /god/, how cool was that? Decidedly the young woman's life had changed vastly over the last few months that she no longer saw the impossible as crazy.

Still, the serious tone had Lorna nodding to Crystal's words. "Honestly.. I don't think I've ever been in love like that. Like ever.." She mumbled, cheeks flushed as she dropped her gaze.

"I mean, I've gone on dates and went to prom and stuff.. But like.. it was high school. It's not exactly I dunno.. serious like that?" Her cheeks puffed up with a breath before she exhaled it.

*

"That's fine," Crystal assures, looking back with a warm smile. "I don't think I've ever been in love like this before your father either," she admits. "Life never really gave us time for it. We were always moving, always searching, always hiding. It wasn't until I came here that…" She trails off, smile crooked. "And much more than that is going to sound sappy, because it involves your father."

Crystal and Lorna are seated in the library, a ledger closed at Crystal's elbow. The books are finished, but the conversation lingers.

*

Lorna drew her knees up, listening careful as she wrapped her arms around them and propped up her chin on her knees. "Really? How'd you meet? I mean, that must be a good story, right? Was it love at first sight or not?" She arched a brow upwards, green eyes wide and attentative.

"I mean, if you want to tell me. It's totally okay if it's not. Cause I get that it's sappy and all.. ah, but I'm so curious.." She bit her lower lip, pushing brown hair back from her face. She had dyed it once more from it's natural green it would seem.

*

Maximus drifts into the room with some other mutant at his side, kinda escorting him, to make sure he goes where he's supposed to go. Maximus says something quietly to the young lady who could fry him, and then turns to the pair. He has a large suitcase, and a smaller, fancy bag. "Good evening, cousin…Lorna. I hope I am not interrupting anything." He smiles overbroadly. He IS wearing shoes tonight, at least, and a presentable, human, black, suit. His hair is growing out a little and starting to curl at the edges.

*

"I'm not sure it was love at first sight for me," Crystal laughs. "Although I'll admit, I found him…compelling. Fascinating, even. No, there were some other things that built up to it."

Before she can continue, though, Maximus has arrived. Crystal stiffens, brows rising when she sees the suitcases. "Maximus, no," she says, in much the same tone one might use while smacking a dog on the nose with a newspaper. "You are not staying here. This is a school, and it is a sanctuary, and I told you that the very first time you came here."

*

Lorna's comfortable pose is broken by Maximus' sudden appearance and she's balancing her weight upon her knees as she's suddenly sitting on them in her seat. Her eyes are wide and clearly, he'd spooked her by appearing. Speak of the devil..

But Crystal's presence by her side calms the younger woman and she settles back down into her seat, glowering faintly with a youthful pout on her lips along with a crossing of her arms. Then Lorna does as Crystal had suggested before… tries to ignore Maximus.

*

Maximus arches his brows. "But, where am I supposed to stay? Blackagar made it clear that it cannot be with him in the mountains of nowhere, so…you're what's left as an option to me. And…I don't know where else you live." Maximus lays out some rather sane logic, for him. He lifts a hand and waves a little to Lorna, setting the bags down as he walks closer.

*

"This is a school. For children." Crystal stands up, gesturing around herself. "This is not a place for your experiments. These children are unsettled enough by their powers as it is. They don't need you hanging around and toying with them for your own amusement."

She glances to Lorna, then back to Maximus. "I have a great number of friends in the city. I'm sure we can find somewhere for you to stay. Perhaps in the Baxter Building."

*

Lorna does /not/ wave back to Maximus, though she watches him in a none too subtle manner. Her lips pursed briefly as she watches Crystal though, but remains silent, not adding her own two cents about Maximus' appearance.

The young woman doesn't leave though, and makes a show of sitting straighter in her chair and reaching for a book from the far end of the table and randomly pick it up and flipping through it.

The Long and Brief History of Shakespeare in American Culture.

It would seem some student had been studying earlier. Not that Lorna cared for the bard, much less was actually intent on reading. It was simply something to keep her hands busy.

*

"Oh, like they don't do experiments here." Max cocks his head. "Baxter building? If you can find me a place to stay, then /I need a place to stay/, tonight. It is not as if my Chinese coins are going to last forever and its impossible to deal with…what are they called? /Banks/? I mean its not as if we have registration numbers attached to a country, you know. According to anywhere, /we don't exist/. So, while all of that is being settled, I am /ousted/ from my hotel." He lifts his chin. "And because I am /attempting/ to be a decent person, I did not force anyone to pay for the /next/ week." Which suggests that possibly he did do that when he first arrived.

*

"There's an inn in the town." Crystal steps away from Lorna. "I'll be happy to drive you there and cover the cost for the evening. But after that, we'll find you another place to stay. You might consider getting a job, for that matter," she points out, a dry note in her voice.

*

Lorna didn't really do subtly. She was a teenager after all. The book was a prop, and her green eyes could visibly be seen over the edge of it as she glanced between Maximus and Crystal in turn as each spoke. She bit her lower lip and when Crystal steps away, she hugged the book closer to her reflexively.

She was silent for a long moment, allowing the two to talk as she processed exactly what Maximus meant, eyebrows climbing higher.

"You forced someone to pay for you last week?" Escaped her and she bit her lower lip immediately after.

*

Maximus glanced to Lorna, then Crystal, then lies, "I. Paid." He blinks and then smiles. "I /had/ a job. I /could/ have a job, with the correct…interested party. I thought we were supposed to be grand ambassadors, reaching out to the people." Maximus knits his brows. "You do not need to drive me anywhere. You can fly and you can teleport." He tips his chin down. "Just give me the money and /I'll/ take care of the hotel. Though, simply because no rich school-teacher has fallen in love with me to support me…I cannot be faulted for a lack of provision." Maximus has literally no clue how to live as a normal person. The council probably gave him plenty and he spent it on shoes and servos.

*

"School teachers are not rich, Maximus," Crystal sighs. "And Erik is not supporting me. Because I have a job here. Also, people don't fly through Westchester. They drive cars. Also, I don't trust you to actually go to the hotel." Apparently she's reached the completely honest portion of the evening.

"I'll take you to the Baxter Building in the morning. They do all sorts of inventing and experimenting there. And they're used to people who are…a little bit different."

*

Maximus looks directly to Lorna now, "Oh tell her to stay. You know you can trust me to get to a place to stay on my own. We're practically best friends…and related by dating." He grins back to Crystal, his eyes all sparkly.

*

"Maximus, do leave the girl alone," Crystal grimaces at her cousin. "You're not going to accomplish anything except for making a fool of yourself. Let's go," she waves a hand, moving toward him and the door. "And don't come back here. I meant it the first time you came. This is not a place for any of your games."

*

Green eyes go wide as Maximus turns his attention to her, and she ducks sharply behind her book. She hides her face from him, biting her lower lip as she listens to Crystal's words for him to leave her alone.

"That so doesn't count as related." She retorted from behind the safety of her book. She didn't offer anything else, holding the book up still between them.

*

"Second cousin-in-law-to-be IS related!" Maximus croons to Lorna as he's ushered out of the place, grabbing his bags as he goes. And lower to Crystal as they are out in the hallway, "I do think she likes the attention." He complies, though, and will let Crystal get him that hotel room.

*

"I assure you, she doesn't," Crystal says matter-of-factly as she ushers Maximus out of the library. "Lorna, let your father or the professor know that I've gone into town and should be back within an hour or so?" she asks over her shoulder, flashing a reassuring smile.

*

The book was lowered to reveal a pink faced teenaged girl that was actively scowling in Maximus' direction, but the look faded at Crystal's smile and request and the brunette nodded. "I'll see if I can't find them and let them know."

The book was shut and without pause, Lorna set it aside, bounced from her seat and made a point of concentrating to try to locate her father's magnetic fields. If he was anywhere near the grounds, she'd find him.

If not? Well there was the Professor to try to track down.

*

Maximus seems skeptical! But, he goes along with Crystal anyway. "I did not come here to harm anyone. My brother has left me with no choice. Medusa will have nothing at all to do with me. I /need/ Inhuman contact. And /clean air/." He exhales wistfully. "These Baxters…they are your friends?"

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