xp_logs | BoH: Pulled Away

As the chaos begins, Crystal attempts to make her way to the stage but is stopped rather unexpectedly.

From her seat near the stage, Crystal watched as Professor Xavier stopped mid-clap and fell to the stage. Hard to miss from this close was the bright end of the dart coming out of his neck, a tell-tale sign clearly indicating that he had been attacked. It didn't take any time at all to figure out who the culprit was; Pierce and Risman had no problem taking the blame immediately. Crystal rose from her seat as chaos broke loose all around her. Her intent was to go to the stage where the headmaster lay, to check his medical condition and to help prevent anyone from continuing to cause harm to befall the man.

Crystal's plan, however, quickly screeched to a halt as a voice spoke to her and a figure stepped in her path. A familiar looking, dark-haired woman shook her head at the blonde woman standing in front of her. "~No, princess, this is not a place where you should stay,~" she told her, speaking in Portuguese in a gentle yet no-nonsense tone.

"Rita?" Crystal's eyes widened a bit as she looked at her bodyguard. Having a bodyguard wasn't her idea, and she was perfectly capable of defending herself, but it wasn't always best for her to do so. For a while the Attilani had only had to deal with her own paparazzi, but since the return of Warren Worthington III to New York, the two of them had been spending quite a lot of time together in the public eye. Now needing to deal with extra media attention that was not necessarily directed at herself, it had been decided that Crystal should once again have a regular bodyguard when she was out in public. ~What are you doing? Of course I must stay and help. Did you not see what has happened? Professor Xavier has been hurt, and surely he will not be the only one harmed this day.~"

"~This is not a fight for the princess of Attilan,~" Rita insisted in a firm tone, taking Crystal by the arm, already beginning to lead her towards the doors of the building. She kept the princess close by, keeping the blonde woman away from the pushing crowd, knowing her powers would keep them safe as they exited the building. The bodyguards chosen by the royal family of Attilan were, of course, mutants; highly trained for their job but also selected specifically for their special abilities. Abilities that could come in handy even if a certain member of the royal family obviously seemed to think that having a bodyguard was a complete waste of time.

"~How can I leave?~" Crystal protested even as she allowed herself to be led away. She wasn't about to attempt to engage in a fight with her own bodyguard. With the Reavers and Purifiers all around them, yes, with one of her own, no. How dare this people do such a thing at a time that should such a happy and proud one for the five graduates and the friends, family, and teachers who had all gathered here today? ~"I can help, and I should. These are my students and the people I work with in New York. You cannot truly wish for me to simply run off and abandon them!~"

"~You must. You are in full view of the public here, as yourself,~" Rita pointed out, hinting at a topic she didn't wish to speak of out loud, even if no one was particularly paying attention to the two women from Attilan and even if chances were that even if someone had decided to eavesdrop, the conversation wouldn't be understood due to the fact that they were speaking in a language not commonly spoken in the United States. By now they were nearly at the doors. "~There are many people here, some of whom are obviously not friendly towards mutants. What these people are doing this day is wrong, but you are not just any mutant, you are the princess of Attilan. Your actions reflect upon your family and your country.~"

There wasn't a good response to that, was there? Both women's points were correct. Crystal felt protective of both the people she knew at the mansion and her family. Attilan was her home and always would be, but she had also chosen to come back to this city and stay in New York, teaching at a mutant school and training so that she could be a greater asset to the team who lived there. With a last glance at the panicking crowd and beginnings of battles throughout the gym, Crystal stepped outside.