xp_logs | Crystal and Lorna - Dinner Discussion

Lorna and Crystal go out to dinner and talk about Crystal's reasons for leaving Xavier's.

"Alex has been fed?" Crystal asked after getting into Lorna's car. She was sure Lorna had questions to ask her, but Lorna's e-mailed comment about Alex had both amused Crystal and caused her a bit of concern.

"Yep, got him settled down with some homemade pizza. He won't starve today anyway. Don't laugh, the boy can't cook to save his soul." But Lorna was grinning, albeit fondly. "So where are we going? Am I underdressed?" The trouble with hanging out with Crystal was that Lorna's casual Californian upbringing always made her feel like she was three notches below appropriate at all times. It had gotten to the point where it amused her.

"Is there a certain restaurant where you would like to eat?" Crystal asked. "I suppose that in a way this can also be a going-away dinner for you as you will be leaving New York much earlier than I will, so you get to choose the restaurant."

Lorna shook her head, "I really have no idea. This move is stressing me out so badly I'm having a hard time forcing myself to eat at all. Anything that resembles something healthy is more than sufficient. I'll feel guilty if I indulge. Are you sure you don't have anything that you're in the mood for? That would help."

Crystal thought for a moment, then smiled. "I believe that I could go for Chinese food tonight," she said, keeping an innocent look on her face. "What do you think? Perhaps Kung Pao Chicken?"

"You know, you're kind of a brat under all that polish, Crystal," Lorna laughed and shook her head, "We're getting Asian fusion. I'm sure they'll have something along those lines."

Crystal made a mental note to get Lorna's address in California and have Kung Pao Chicken delivered to her at some point. "Asian fusion it is, then."

The restaurant was a fairly short drive and Lorna held her questions in until they were seated at the table. "Okay, so you're leaving. What brought this on?"

"I do not agree with the way the school is run," Crystal told Lorna. "I know that the school means a lot to many people, but I am very unhappy with the way the school functions. I do not wish to remain in such an environment."

Lorna frowned thoughtfully, thinking back over recent events and just the past year in general to figure out what might have triggered Crystal's abrupt defection. "In general or was this something specific that brought this on? You haven't said anything about it."

"Why would I wish to bring up such a topic when there is nothing I can do about it?" Crystal shook her head. "The headmaster disagrees with me. It is not my school. Things are as they are, and apparently people the people in charge wish for them to continue this way."

"So you have brought it up then? Or you're just assuming that the Professor and Scott and Ororo wouldn't agree? Because those are totally different. I mean, geez, I don't agree with everything at the school either but when I don't, they hear about it, believe me. What sort of things are you having issues with?" There were times, many many times, when Lorna was completely baffled by Crystal. Just because the Professor was a telepath didn't mean he was reading her mind.

"I spoke with Mr. Summers," Crystal explained. "I said that the headmaster disagrees with me, did I not? I would not say such a thing had I not actually spoken with him. I do not like the way people speak to and treat each other in public. I dislike the fact that such behavior is accepted. There are certain ways that students and teachers should and should not speak to each other but these lines are often crossed. I do not like the fact that staff members openly advertise that they have been bruised, battered, tortured, or harmed in any way. I do not like the fact that students are not only allowed to become trainees but they are allowed to be put into harm's way off of the Xavier's campus. I could go on."

Lorna leaned back in her chair. "That definitely sounds like irreconcilable differences and not anything that'll be fixed with all the changes they're going to be making. Pretty much it'll just get worse. But...it's been like this. The whole time you were a student here. Why'd you come back in the first place?"

"I was unable to leave Attilan for two and a half years; I needed to go somewhere else." Crystal let out a soft sigh. "I thought that being a teacher rather than a student at Xavier's would be a different experience, and it has been. I wanted to be able to be there for the students; I wanted them to have a teacher who would actually teach all classes instead of leaving the school, unannounced, and returning days later, perhaps not in perfect condition."

"Noble." Lorna said quietly. There wasn't really much else she could say to that. Often, though less in the last year than in previous ones, but quite often Lorna had been one of those vanishing for days. Returning battered and even broken. She'd made that choice early on and on the whole, didn't regret it. "Can't say you didn't try, I guess. So what's next for you? Just going to be part of the jet set for a while? Learn to party?"

"I will be returning to Attilan for a few weeks, and then I plan on traveling," Crystal said. "If your summer is not already entirely planned out, you are more than welcome to pick any worldwide destination you wish and visit there with me."

Lorna shook her head regretfully, "My summer's booked right up through next year. The internship rolls right into classes. I think I have a long weekend in between and that's about it. I'd really like to get this degree done as soon as possible, to be honest. Given my track record with universities, I'm going to be living on borrowed time."

Crystal nodded. "I understand. If you find that you need to take a break and change your mind, let me know."

"I'll have you on speed dial. If you get a call from a raving madwoman at three am, you can assume it's me." Lorna glanced around, "I think the waiter is tired of hovering. Do you know what you'd like to order?"

"Yes. Kung Pao Chicken, of course."