xp_logs | The Amaquelins Do Snow Valley (Reply)

Medusa and Crystal leave the mansion for lunch and a visit to Snow Valley.

Medusa stood waiting outside the mansion, a pair of over sized sunglasses perched on her nose. She had manipulated her hair to a shorter length, covering the identifiable vibrant red with a stylish newsboy hat. Crystal wanted to go into the city and Medusa had offered to accompany her; in truth, she did not want Crystal running off to New York City unsupervised quite yet as she still seemed to be adjusting to American culture. However, if the two Amaquelins were going to venture into the city, she would do her best to make her appearance as unrecognizable as possible. One picture in the tabloids a month was one too many, thank you very much. She smiled as the car she had called arrived and the chauffeur quickly opened the door for the two girls.

Unlike her older sister, the youngest Amaquelin was not wearing a disguise. She didn't need to; she was not the one who had been in the spotlight. "Thank you for coming with me, Medusa," Crystal said, smiling at her sister. Crystal had been fine with going on her own, but she knew Medusa didn't like the idea of having Crystal go off into the city on her own. The car started, and the two young female members of Attilani royalty were off on their afternoon adventure...

While Crystal seeks out Amanda, Medusa speaks with Mark on a variety of interesting topics.

Medusa sat with her legs crossed in the waiting are of Snow Valley's main office. Her hair was still covered by her hat, but she had removed the sunglasses and was twirling them in one hand while she balanced a magazine in her lap with the other. She wasn't entirely sure why Crystal had wanted to stop by the office where several of the school alumni seemed to congregate, but the younger girl had been a good sport during Medusa's shopping spree, so she hadn't protested. Sitting and waiting was boring though and she let out a small sigh, hoping her sister would not take too long.

The front door to the SV offices opened, and one could hear the click of a camera shutter as they closed. Mark held his cell phone and grinned as he looked at the picture taken by the camera. "I come back with dinner for a long, lonely night and get a paparazzi photo as a welcome back present?" he asked Medusa as he headed to his desk, sub and soda in hand. "This one will feed me for a couple weeks, don't you think?"

Quick as lightning, a strand of hair snaked out from under her hat to snatch the cellphone from his grasp. Dangling it over his head, the tendril noticeably tightened around the phone. Medusa didn't even glance at where her hat had fallen to the ground, another lock of hair already seeking it out. Her attention was turned fully on Mark. "You shall have to discover some other way to find nourishment. Pictures of royals do no good when they are out of your grasp." Her tone was flat beyond the regular lilt of her accent and it was difficult to tell if she was angry or kidding.

Mark preferred to think the best of people, so he just stood with his hands on his hips, tapping his foot in impatient expectation. "Play nice. I'll delete it if you want. Besides, I can sell my story for just as much. 'I'm the boy in the picture! An Amaquelin tell-all.'"

"And what, pray tell, would you have to say?" she asked as she lowered the phone, her hair loosening it's grasp though she did not quite release it yet. "Or would you need to reference your post it notes for advice?"

"The Post Its are just to remind myself that I'm talking to a bunch of teenagers," Mark clarified, "And that I'd traumatize them if they knew too much about my proclivities. As for you, I'll tell them anything you want." He offered her an only somewhat lecherous wink.

"I am starting to believe that you will traumatizeme," Medusa said with a sigh. "And I would personally appreciate if you told them nothing at all. I had hoped that they would not find me here for at least a short period of time." Flipping open the phone with her hair, a strand extended to push the buttons necessary to pull up the picture on the screen and she paused to look at it. "Without the famous hair, I do not think you could get much for the picture," she said as she her hair handed the phone back to Mark. She watched to see if he would delete it.

True to his word, he did. He'd mostly meant it as a joke, anyway, but he wasn't sure if he played her or if she'd played him. "So what brings you down here? Need help preparing a proposal to Reslife at Columbia to introduce mutant-friendly housing?"

She gave him a slightly incredulous look before wrinkling her nose slightly. "I think the dormitories need help beyond being mutant-friendly. I cannot imagine how anybody lives in those things." The lock of hair that had previously been holding his phone wrapped itself around Mark's soda and retracted. Popping the top, Medusa took a small sip then set it back down on his desk. "My sister wished to speak with one of your associates. Amanda, if I am not mistaken. I did not want her venturing into the city on her own...plus I was sorely in need of a shopping trip."

Mark's ears perked up upon hearing those last two words. It was unclear whether he started salivating because he was hungry or because that phrase piqued his interest. "Those words are music to my ears," he said wistfully.

One of Medusa's eyebrows arched up. A boy that liked shopping? How peculiar. "Then why do you not go? You live in one of the best cities in this country for shopping. There are plenty of stores fully stocked with whatever suits your fancy." Her eyes sparkled as she went on. "Clothes, shoes, bags, belts, scarves, it is all there for the taking."

Mark nearly spit out his soda. "Are you kidding?" he choked. "Credit card companies love and hate me because I wrack up so much debt shopping. There isn't a closet big enough for me and my clothes."

Somehow, Medusa's eyebrow managed to move upwards even more. "Perhaps I should invite you on my next shopping adventure. Crystal does not seem to share my interest or stamina for it." Her attention was suddenly drawn to her sister walking by with a strange man who was not at all reassuring. The look on Crystal's face was clear, but Medusa had to fight the urge to ignore it. "Should I be concerned that my little sister just left here with him?" Not waiting for an answer, she pulled a Sidekick out of her purse and quickly sent a text message.

"He'll protest, but there aren't many people who could keep someone safer," Mark said, nodding his head at Remy's retreating form. "I wouldn't worry. Worst case scenario - and I mean WORST case like whoa - Remy'll chop off people's heads before they could lay a finger on your sister."

"It is not other people I am worried about," she said, casting another glance at the door. "I know that Crystal can take care of herself, but that does not seem to stop my concern for her. Perhaps it is always that way with younger siblings." Medusa shrugged, quickly composing her face.

Meanwhile... Crystal discovers that Amanda is not in the building. She and Remy chat, get followed, go to Finnegans, and Remy buys her a drink. Seriously.

So this was the infamous place where Amanda and her associates worked, the place that housed the people who did not attend or work at Xavier's yet were part of the school's journal system. The idea was strange to Crystal, but then again so many things about the way people dealt with life were quite strange to her.

Looking over the rather large, elaborately decorated basket she held, Crystal stood in the doorway of the office. "Greetings. I am here to see Amanda. Is she in the building at the moment?" she asked the office's occupant.

Remy looked up from his paperwork, red on black eyes taking in the young woman. It was one of the Amaquelins, he noted, remembering that two of them from the Attilan royal family had ended up in the school somehow. He'd been to Attilan years before, often using their airport as a convienent hub to cover his tracks in and out of Europe. The high tourist trade and relatively lax security at the time had made it ideal.

"Non, Remy afraid dat you a little late. Dey all clocked out 'bout half an hour again. Likely headed down to de pub for a few drinks after work." He regarded the basket with amusement. "I made Mark stay behind to do some work because I'm mostly evil and like watching him try to work up the nerve to argue."

"Oh, I see," Crystal replied, a bit confused at the way the man spoke. "I believe that I am safe in the assumption that you are one of Amanda's...associates is the term I seem to recall she used. I suppose I can leave this with you, then; the food will keep until tomorrow."

Remy gave her a crooked half smile. "You can just drop it on her desk." He put down his pen and got up. Looking at his work, he was close to being done for the day in any case. "Or I can likely show you down to de pub dat dey all meet at. You can give it to her directly."

A pub? He was offering to take her to a pub? "I can just leave the basket here. I...I do not know what happened with Marius and Jennie. I do not know how or where they were found, all I know is that Amanda said that she and her associates were asked to look into the matter, and then they were found. I am Crystal Amaquelin, Jennie's roommate, and I just wanted to say thank you your involvement."

"You're welcome. Wasn't really anything. Just following an extended European vacation." He pulled on his trenchcoat, stuffing some of the objects on his desk into his pockets. "How are dey doing, back at de mansion? Remy told dey on de mend, but figure de opinion of de roommate is going to be a little more indepth."

Finding Jennie and Marius was just part of a vacation? Right, and tomorrow Magneto would decide to disband the Brotherhood and search for ways for humans and mutants to live in harmony. Sure, it had just been a simple vacation that involved the people in charge of a school full of mutants to ask another organization, one that seemed to employ only mutants, to look into two missing students. A relaxing vacation that involved asking questions and writing a lot of notes.

Crystal shrugged lightly. "Jennie seems to be...recovering. I do not really know how they are, though. I have not attempted to interrogate them, and they have not supplied any information. How can I even attempt a guess at how they truly are if I do not know what happened while they were away?" Jennie was definitely not at her best, but Crystal didn't know if she had been tied up and starved, decided to go on a major diet, or had had something else happen to her. And what of Marius? They had returned at the same time; they must have been together. How could he have let her waste away?

"De step before interrogation is observation, petite, and no reason dat you haven't watched her and put together some thoughts in you head." Remy fished around for a pair of sunglasses and put them on, covering his strange eyes with the dark lens. "Mark! We're leaving. see you down at Finnegans." Remy called out, heading out of his office door.

Sure, Crystal had thoughts in her head. Jennie and Marius no longer kept each other's company. Jennie stayed in the suite. Something major had happened. "Wait...we?" Crystal hurried after Remy, the basket floating next to her. What had happened to leaving the basket there?

"Been reading dose books on effective management and things. Dis is one of dem 'executive decisions'." Remy grinned, although the girl trying to catch up with him couldn't see that. So this is what royalty was like? He'd killed one back in the early nineties, but that didn't give a lot of insight. He waved to Mark as they went through the front towards the elevators. "Dis you first time in New York?"

Crystal shot her sister a don't-ask-me look, shrugging lightly. Medusa would probably end up finding her way to Finnegans, more than likely with the creepy guy she was talking to at the moment. "I had never been to New York before I came to Xavier's this past June," Crystal replied, already dreading what the next question would be.

"It's a good city. Different den de big European ones, but also from de rest of de US as well." The elevator bell rang, and he stopped to allow her to get in first. "Wouldn't be surprised if dere's an Attilan restaurant listed somewhere in de city."

Remy thumbed the lobby button and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at her. He seemed to be rambling, but it was really his way of gathering intelligence.

Crystal was relieved; he hadn't asked the question she had been sure was coming next. Part of an email from Forge danced its way into the front of her mind. All I was able to find out is that she's still in Europe in a big city. "Speaking of big European cities," she said casually, casting her gaze at Remy's sunglasses due to her inability to look him directly in the eyes, "where did you find Marius and Jennie?" Crystal knew he didn't have to tell her, but was quite curious to see how he would respond.

"You asked either of dem yet, petite?" Remy said, not wavering even slightly. "Remy sure you heard dis a dozen times already, but what happened to de both of dem is dere business. It's not my place to tell dat story."

The frustration was obvious, but Remy figured the girl was bright enough to appreciate the distinction between 'it's none of your business' and 'it's up to them to tell you'. He didn't think the school always handled that as well as they should, but to be honest, they were caught in the situation too. "Look, you sit Jennie down and ask her. It's her right to decide who knows what, neh?"

Well, he wasn't denying that he had been involved in actually finding the teens, nor was he denying that they had been found in a big European city. Of course, he wasn't giving an answer of affirmation, but still... "No, I have not. If they wish to tell me something, they will. I will not force them to answer questions and therefore relive memories they do not yet wish to confront. I already told Jennie that she can talk to me and promised her that I would not pressure her into telling me anything she did not wish to reveal. It is up to her to decide if and when she chooses to confide in me."

"All dat you can do." The elevator opened, and again he let her leave first. "Dat's one of de things dat I still have problems wit'. De idea dat if you don't know something 'bout someone, dey going to have to be de ones to let you know. Not something dat comes easy to Remy either."

"With the journal system, you do have the capability of discovering things about people that they did not actually choose to tell you," Crystal pointed out. "I am very careful regarding my use of the journal system. Years down the line, or even in a few months, anything I choose to write there now will be available as reading material for someone I do not know at this point in time." She already regretted making her "I am not a princess" journal post.

"I like de journal system. People don't get to know 'bout you. Dey get to know what you want dem to believe 'bout you, or you believe 'bout yourself, and you get to know what others think 'bout you unintentionally." How she grew up, it wasn't surprising that she was careful about how she was seen. Royalty, like the very rich, grew up both isolated and in the spotlight simultaniously. They needed to control the perception about themselves. Otherwise, others would do it for them.

Oh, of course he liked it. He could read what other people wrote. He didn't use his journal to post a lot of information, from the few he'd posted since Crystal had arrived at the school, he just to say when he was going somewhere or had returned from somewhere. "True, people can portay themselves in a fictional manner on the journals. This can be quite confusing when you actually speak with them in person and discover the difference. I do not wish to present myself as one person on the journal system and as an entirely different person when I meet someone face-to-face. It is one thing to withhold information and another thing to purposely attempt to show yourself as someone you are not." Not that Crystal herself always told people how she felt, usually remaining behind a mask of politeness. However, if pressed, and depending on the situation, she would either refrain from answering or tell the truth.

"I think you misunderstand, petite. Telling dem what you want dem to believe 'bout you, and lying 'bout who you are aren't de same thing." Remy came from a world where too much truth could get you killed, after all. "We all see ourselves one way or 'nother, and to be honest, no one every sees demselves properly. Dere's always a difference between de journals and de reality, no matter how upfront you try to be. So what's wrong wit' trying to focus on being de person you want to be on dem?"

The problem was that most of the time, Crystal did not feel that she had anything positive to say about what was posted on the journals. Replies of "that is silly" and "you are an idiot" wouldn't help her at all, even though the thought had tempted her more than a few times during the summer. "The only person I want to be," Crystal replied, "is me. People can see me in any way they choose to view me."

"Nobody chooses to see people in one way or the other, you know. I'm old. I know dese things." He winked at her as he held the door open leading to the street. "We react based on all manner of minute little details and circumstances at exist at de time. Which is how you can end up hating perfectly nice people, and liking completely dreadful ones. Look at Lorna, for insistance. De two of you, well, saying you don't get along is like saying dat occassionally Syria is annoyed at Israel. But she was de only one dat had a kind word for Remy back when I first arrived at de mansion."

Before stepping outside, Crystal removed the basket from the air, holding it in her arms once again. "She did not have any kind words for me when I arrived at the mansion. She did not have any kind words for my sister, either," Crystal informed Remy. "I did not attempt to get into a long-term disagreement with Ms. Dane. I simply made a reply on a journal and she lashed out at me. I am currently taking two of her classes, one based upon the school's requirements and one on my own volition." She paused for a moment, thinking. "I am glad that she was nice to you when no one else was. It is always good to have at least one person be there for you when you are in need of kind words and friendship."

"De point is dat no matter who you are, or other people are, you can't know how people are going to react. Good people end up disliking each other all de time." Remy was talking, but his attention was else where. A large man had started shadowing them as soon as they had left the building. Remy used large windows as mirrors to keep track of his progress as they walked. "Dat's de key. It all comes down to timing and luck."

He kept walking forward, but dropped his voice, so only she could hear him. "We going to stop at de next window. When we do, I want you to look in de glass and tell me if you recognize de man in de dark suit and de green tie dat is following us. 'bout fifty metres back, on de outside edge of de sidewalk." Remy and Crystal paused, seeming to admire the display of shoes. With Belladonna's Assassin's Guild after him, he wasn't about to take any chances.

They were being followed? Even without looking, Crystal had a sneaking suspicion as to what was going on Still, she stood next to Remy and pretended to look at the shoes. A quick look at the man's reflection confirmed her suspicions. "Yes, that is Mr. Jackson. I am not sure why he is following us, though. I thought he was going to stay to watch Medusa at your office. She is very recognizable as a member of the royal family of Attilan; I have done my best that this is not the case with me." Crystal had no desire to have to wear a disguise in order to walk around in public

"Ah." Remy's note of asset was more like a grunt as he waited for the man to catch up with them. He was obviously a professional; tall, broad shouldered, and armed under his jacket. His job would be to get between his principle and threats, no matter what they might be.

"Homme, a word of advice. If you coming up on me, make you presence known as something other den a threat, neh? Better to avoid accidents." LeBeau said quietly as Jackson gave the girl and him a once over.

"~I am sorry for the delay. Lady Medusa bade me follow you after you had left with this... gentleman.~" he said to Crystal in Portuguese, before turning back to Remy. "There was a mix up, uh, Mister LeBeau. Unfortunately, both of the young ladies prefer a smaller security presence then we advise, so sometimes things slip through the cracks."

"Understood. Next time, make dem introduce you at de door." Remy said, understanding the man's wish not to seem to criticize his charges. "Come on den. Destination is 'bout two more blocks up de street, on de right hand side: Finnegans." They started up the street again, Jackson moving ahead to scan the crowd for potential dangers.

Crystal frowned as she continued walking with Remy. "I do not understand why my sister sent him to follow me. I suppose she figured that no one would see her inside the Snow Valley office itself, but still, if she wants to leave and meet us at Finnegans, she is the one in need of a bodyguard. It is highly unlikely that anyone would recognize me."

"Maybe he's here to protect you from me." Remy said dryly. Not like either of the girls knew him at all. Plus, security agents tended to be relentlessly paranoid. He knew that because he'd often been the cause of it over the rules. "And here we are." Remy pointed to the doors Jackson had stopped in front of. "Unfortunately, I don't think you going to be able to use a fake ID here." Remy joked.

"Why would he need to protect me from you?" Crystal asked curiously. "I would think that someone would need protection from your co-worker back at the office, not you. He is the one who makes extremely inappropriate remarks on the journal and makes me feel uncomfortable. Besides, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself should the need arise. Also, I do not have a fake ID."

"Mark? He's harmless. Besides, inappropriate comments are what de ages sixteen to thirty are all about." Remy said. No need for the girl to know about what he really was and did. "And all dat being de case, I suppose I can buy you a coke, den."

Crystal did not agree with what Remy had just said, but she wasn't about to argue the point with him. Mark was...disturbing. Crystal was not afraid of him, she simply had no desire to be anywhere around him. As for inappropriate comments, well, perhaps they were made by a large number of people, but that did not make them acceptable or necessary.

"That would be nice, thank you," Crystal replied politely. "First, we must find Amanda and give her the basket. Otherwise, I'll have to make the basket float in order to use my hands to hold a glass, and I doubt you want me to use my powers in there. Amanda can decide who gets what from the basket."