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Maximus is smart enough to know that Gorgon's powers are…impressive, and thus…the only way to really stop him from using them is to intersect with him in a location that would REALLY be terrible to use them in. First, he spotted the hooved man on the street. No good. Then he followed him, hunching his shoulders against the dirt of humanity as he walked through the avenues. Finally, though, the aquarium. Ahhhh yes, the perfect place. A few rumbles in there and alllll the fishies will come spewing from their tanks, and yet…not so dangerous as a place underground would be. Its been about 6 months since Gorgon last saw or heard Maximus, but the accent of his voice is unmistakable. He glides his footsteps up behind the large man and then says, slowly, and purposefully, "Sir…I think you /dropped/ this…" When Gorgon takes a look at him, Maximus is wearing a very nice white suit with a blue tie, black ringlets around his face, and his lips shine with whatever gloss he's put on them. His eyes are lined and he's wearing mascara as well, but…its a toned-down day, for sure. He is holding a stuffed animal of a manatee with a pink bow on the top. He's likely trying to be insulting.
*
"No, human, I — ."
Gorgon first of all catches himself using the word 'human'. That's no good. It's a dead giveaway. He silently curses hismelf for thinking like a soldier rather than a spy. 'Spy' is, at least, better than thinking of himself as an outcast.
The SECOND thing that stops him in his tracks, is the sound of the other man's voice. <~I know that voice…~> he thinks to himself, only then to curse again as he realises the 'other man' could read his mind.
And more besides.
Slowly. So very slowly. Gorgon turns around, his hooves scraping against the ground with profound reluctance, as he faces off against the very, very, very, absolute LAST person he had wanted to see.
Maximus.
Maximus the Mad.
Maximus the Short-term Former King of Attilan.
Maximus the Puppeteer.
Gorgon, a tall man in a very long coat and baggy pants, a mane of hair hanging about his head (which also hides the vestigial horns on his forehead), glowers at the much shorter, much more dangerous Maximus… and his hands curl into fists. Gorgon Petragon tilts his head to the side very slowly, and takes a deep breath in through his nostrils… and out through his mouth. He has something to say — something he has been dying to say for a while now.
"You're not the king anymore, Maximus."
*
Maximus narrows his eyes juuuust a bit at the statement, a little glory for Gorgon. But, dangerous he is, and based on his appearance, not exactly in a defeated mindset. He makes a single-grunt hum response. Then a pause gives birth to other pauses in a staring contest. He does not try to control Gorgon, because…that makes the conversation suddenly so boring. He arches his dark brows and draws in a breath as he lowers the stuffed manatee. He steps in closer, taking on a disturbing, sensual quality, trying to tuck the animal in the man's big coat pocket. "Yessssss…the /wise/" sarcasm dripping, "genetic council…is in control of Attilan now." He smiles crookedly. "And deemed YOU…an enemy of their state? Why would they cast /you/ out…" his jaw works, "if you were such a /traitor/" hissed, "to meeeee."
*
Gorgon… smiles.
Lifting his chin, he remarks in his typical, deep voice: "Such a short stay on the throne, wasn't it, Maximus? … I suppose that's something." He grunts, and pauses before speaking again. Perhaps he had expected the former king to have mind-controlled him by now…
No, that is precisely what he had been expecting.
"The Genetics Council know what they're doing," says he aloud. <~No they don't,~> he thinks. <~They got rid of the only people who know what is BEST for Attilan…~>
The pensive look in the tall man's blue-white eyes disappears with a flash, and he glares back at Maximus. "I served," he declares flatly. "As I was commanded. My duty is to the crown… and you are no longer wearing it. That's good enough for me."
*
Maximus lifts his hand and circles around Gorgon like a predator around prey, which, given their differences in size, looks wrong. "I was still KING when you BETRAYED ME! For /them/." His lips curl. "Is that not what happened, /Gorgon/…who was supposed to protect me…protect the throne…and now we have BOTH seen an embarassing turn of events. You…the last ever Royal guard, an utter failure at your /one job/, and me, the last King of Attilan, stripped and cast out." Maximus tilts his head and frowns upwards at Gorgon's face, "Attilan is in constant danger from this…mutantkind, and meanwhile, Crystal thinks nothing of it and fornicates /gleefully/ with one. Can you imagine the genetic abomination to come from that?"
*
Some passers-by at the aquarium give the two Inhumans strange looks. They converse between themselves — partly to wonder what on earth the nonhumans are discussing, partly to express disapproval at Maximus' outburst… and partly to compare whom they feel is the more attractive.
They are divided on that score.
Another side-effect of Maximus' outburst (on a more psychic level)… is that he has scared away all the fish. The water-tanks nearest the two arguing individuals now appear empty.
Gorgon is a while in replying.
"Do not get me started on genetic abominations, Maximus," he mutters. "The Genetic Council… were the only means to get you off the throne." He takes a ponderous step toward the shorter man, peering straight down at him. "By letting them take over… I protected the throne. From you. I… did my duty." <~I betrayed the king. No. I did my duty.~>
*
Maximus cannot actually read minds, or thoughts, though Gorgon may believe he can, since he would do nothing to discourage the belief. He's highly observant, so he can probably still figure out expressions, and he's known Gorgon a long time..since he was a child, growing up in the palace, the little prince, pampered and spoiled and then…/passed over/. "Are you daring to call ME a genetic abomination? I hope not. I am telling you of a threat, to OUR people, Gorgon. The rest of them do nothing. /I/ will be the one to save them, and then I /will/ again rule." He stands in front of Gorgon and any peasants that meander too close to them get blank looks and turn around and go the other way.
*
Gorgon inhales… and then deliberately breathes into Maximus' face. "You are the threat, Maximus," he tells the former king. This behaviour of his grates against his training, his upbringing… everything he was taught (and that he has taught others) about respect to the throne… even though Maximus no longer occupies it.
Still, he can't really help himself at the moment.
"But…" he continues. "The Council seems to agree… with you…" Ohhh, this is hard to admit. "That there are genuine threats to the security of our people. I take issue with what you consider a threat, Maximus… but there are others out there."
A pause.
"I'm not an outcast. I have a mission."
Another pause.
"You're part of it."
*
Maximus snorts and steps back from the exhale of breath, curling his lips again. "Oh…/do tell/ me what this glorious mission of yours is. And allow me to /assure/ you that this polluted environment has not dimmed my abilities. If your mission is to rid the world of me, then you should have brought a lot more soldiers." Maximus spreads his hands out to either side, posing like a peacock with the backdrop of large tanks and whining children.
*
"Who is that man over there, Mommy?" asks a little girl — maybe six years old, with pigtails, walking beside her mother and older brother.
"I don't know which one you mean, Amy — the tall one? I like him."
"Noo," replies the girl with a shake of her head. "The good-looking one."
The mother lifts her chin in an unvoiced 'ah' and shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know, Sweetie. He's… probably just an actor. Actors are like that. Come along now…"
Gorgon doesn't really listen to the background noise. His attention is focused mainly upon Maximus… who is being… himself. With flair. Typical. "I'm…" he hesitates. "Your protection." Gorgon's eyes fall closed for a moment, and his lips form a thin line. One can see his jaw tensing rhythmically. "And your…" he smiles. "Babysitter."
*
There is a beat while Maximus holds his pose, and nothing about him changes. Full of frustration, that 'cornered' attitude that leads to him being more pissy than usual has resonated in him since the beginning of the conversation. But now. Gorgon HAS to hang out with him? HAH. His hands lower and he smiles with a greater understanding for alllll of the attitude coming off of the other Inhuman. "Oh I /see/." Broader smile. "Poor Maximus needs to be kept safe. Royal line. /Regrets/. All of that." He steps closer again and tries to poke his finger into Gorgon's chest. "And youuuu were chosen. The big, strong, Captain of the Royal Guard…the one who /knows/ me." He squints his eyes some. "Actually a little too much about me, if I think about it." Manic, his eyes widen again, "Did they send you with a large amount of funds so that we can get accommodations befitting our status? The Baxter suite is fine, but I feel like there are probably some places in this city where you do not have hallway neighbors and no one else can use your elevator."
*
Gorgon goes quiet for a bit, thinking. Beyond being a bodyguard and 'parole officer', so to speak, he hadn't really thought though his… extended role while here on Earth. Among the humans. And their diseases. Ugh. Then Maximus is asking him about funds and lodging, and… Gorgon lets out a grunt.
"I bought some clothes," says he, flatly. That's his answer to 'did they send you with a large amount of money?' In other words: no. They did not.
"And what's an 'elevator'?" he inquires. "Are they anything like the turbolifts in Attilan? How to these… humans — ," he almost said 'peasants'. " — get anywhere in these buildings?"
So again: no. He has no idea where to 'put up his hooves', so to speak. "You're the prince," Gorgon tells Maximus, very glad to not have to use the word 'king'. "Go be… 'princely' and find a place.
"
*
The Prince cuts his eyes sideways, thinking, then back to Gorgon. He steeples his fingers and then drums them against their match. "I have a place. I am simply not certain if it can /contain/ your…" he narrows his eyes. "smell." Then he grins at his own joke with one side of his lips. "It is like a turbolift that is also a coffin. You will see. And I /could/ get better accommodations if I wished to, but I thought I was supposed to somewhat behave. But, if you think its fine…" He waves his hand in the air a bit.
*
The towering Inhuman grunts again.
He does that a lot.
Especially around Maximus the Mad.
"A turbolift that's also a deathtrap…" he murmurs. "Swell. …I heard someone use that word earlier. 'Swell'." Another grunt. "It sounds like a symptom of disease." Gorgon goes silent for a while then, and even turns away from Maximus to stare into one of the aquarium-tanks. Still there are no fish. Figures. "It looks like you're stuck with me," says he without turning to look at his former-liege. "And I with you. I… don't have any duty to the humans here… and I don't want to live in a barn — or an 'elevator'."
He heaves a sigh.
This is going to bite him in the hairy ass, and he knows it.
"Find us somewhere — within reason." Ah, but it feels good to tell Maximus things, rather than the other way around. Maybe there's a chance this could work… without tearing down the entire city in the process.
His hooves itch.
"I'll be a Kree's blue bottom-wiper.." says he, and he turns his head to the side, and closes his eyes in resignation. "But I will do my duty." He always does.
*
Maximus swells with a breath, puffing himself up after Gorgon telling him what to do. "Meet me tonight at the restaurant inside the Carlyle and then I can lead you to a chosen place." Then he leans in way too close, putting the flat of his hand against Gorgon's forearm. "Until then, my protector, you will have to trust me to take care of myself. You will want to not ask too many questions as to…how…I acquire a place." Then he winks, just to continue to make the man uncomfortable before he falls back from that assault, and looks like he's going to leave the aquarium.
*