As Clear As Crystal

Personal Concerns

Maybe it was due to the hits you took to your head throughout the day, maybe it was because you were so tired, but the events of what happened the previous night took some time to really sink in for you. And once they did...it really made you think about some things, things which were not pleasant. What happened the previous night when you and Crystal went back to the city made you wonder some things about yourself, about who you were.

Even after a long sleep, you still felt lethargic when you woke up, you even contemplated just rolling over and falling asleep again after laying there and getting lost in your thoughts. You only got up due to the knock on your door and, as expected, you opened it to find Crystal waiting with a plate of food for you. She gave a small smile as she held out what was your breakfast and asked how you slept after everything, to which you answered honestly and said it wasn't the best night's sleep considering you still felt so exhausted.

Letting Crystal into your room, you both sat down on the edge of your bed as you ate your breakfast. There was a bit of an awkward silence as well, as if neither of you knew what to say to bring up your adventures the previous night. Even as you set aside your empty plate, there was still a silence between you until Crystal eventually made an attempt to break it.

"So, uh, did that hit on the head jostle any memories?" She asked awkwardly and you looked at her as she looked sheepish, apologising as that was probably not the best joke to make. "Sorry, tension breaker" she said as she looked away before looking at you again as she instead asked if your head was alright instead of trying to just laugh it off; "it knocked you out when you were hit by that thug, are you feeling ok?" She asked and you answered that it still throbbed a little but the ice she gave you the night before helped ease it.

You asked the next question, turning it back on Crystal as you asked if she was alright after what happened. "I doubt seeing that kind of thing was pleasant, the way those guys hassled Dr McCoy like that" you said and Crystal frowned, replying that it was horrible to watch. "All because he was a Mutant?" She asked and you nodded.

"But he seemed so polite, so friendly. Even if he looked like that, why would they treat Mutants like that?" Crystal asked but you couldn't really say anything other than that just being the way some people were. "The thing about us humans, people are just cruel, they fear what's different and Mutants are very different" you told her, as you had before. It was an unpleasant reality, one which would also affect Inhumans as some would fail to see a distinction between them and Mutants.

"It was just so horrible, to see such a thing was so cruel" The Inhuman Princess spoke quietly, frowning at the very thought of what happened the previous night. "Does it scare you?" You then asked, making Crystal look back at you as you looked at her. "Knowing that people can act like that, does it scare you to know humans are like that?" You asked and she looked away again, looking into her lap as she answered that she didn't know if she was scared of that fact.

Crystal was Inhuman, and like a Mutant, she had powers, surely she would be able to fight back against people like the thugs you encountered. She told you this but you argued that she could get into more trouble for that; "it could also fuel the fire, you have powers and they don't, that makes you more dangerous and some people like that would jump at any opportunity to make you the enemy" you spoken sorrowfully, bowing your head as you thought to yourself about something.

"Some people are just so angry and hateful, some people hurt others because they can or because they just want to, they may not even have a reason, what if I was like that?" You asked and Crystal looked at you again as you were now the one looking at your lap. That was what you were thinking about, what you worried about when you finally let it set in what happened.

You didn't know, but what if the person you were before you arrived at Attilan was so horrible? You couldn't remember your name, let alone the kind of person you were; "what if it turns out I was just some bastard? I can't remember but what's if I regained my memories and it turns out I was some bitter person? Does it scare you to think I could like that?" You asked as you looked up at Crystal again, seeing the confusion turn onto her face as she countered and asked you what made you think that.

"You haven't shown any hostility since you got here" she said but you replied how that may be because you didn't remember what kind of person you were. "What if I was so horrible? What if I was so jaded? It hasn't crossed my mind before, not even when we were held up that time, not until last night when we saw those guys, but what if...what if I was a bad person?" You asked with a waver in your voice.

It was something to wonder; just what kind of person were you before all this happened? You asked Crystal this, looking scared at the possibility of what kind of bastard you may have been. You asked her what she thought of that, avoiding looking at her until you felt her hand close over yours.

Slowly, you looked to see a soft expression on her face; "I don't think you were a cruel person, look at last night when you stood up to those thugs, how you have protected me and that Dr McCoy" she said but you were still uncertain. You didn't know who you were before, you may only be acting differently because of that fact and you told Crystal this but still she insisted that she didn't feel you were a bad person before.

"If not last night, then what about all that has happened since you arrived? You haven't exactly had a warm welcome, yet you still seem so kind, you haven't been hostile to anyone here even though they have been hostile to you" she argued but you had a counter-argument. You were a human surrounded by people with powers, people who could easily end your existence if you stepped out of line. Fear may cause hostility, but it could also provoke complacency. You told Crystal this but she had a quick response.

"Well I don't think you were ever a bad person!" She spoke firmly but still with a smile as she held your hand in hers, looking you in the eyes as she said she knew you were a good person and that you shouldn't doubt that. She spoke with such certainty, it did make you wonder why she was so certain.

"Even with what you saw yesterday and when we were held up? Even with how you've seen people be so cruel? How can you be so sure, I'm not even sure now?" You asked but Crystal just kept her smile, giving your hand a squeeze before replying. "Because I trust you; I trust that you were a good person even before arriving here, I trust that you meant us no harm from the start, I'm sure about it all because I trust you to be a good person" she spoke so surely. "And I have no doubt that when you do remember who you were, that you were a good person then".

You were silent for a moment, just looking Crystal in the eyes as she smiled at you. "That's a lot of faith to be putting in me, Princess" you told her and Shen giggled at you addressing her in such a way. "Well I trust you..." she responded before her eyes lit up as she thought about something. "And I'll prove it to you tonight" She then added and you tilted your head in confusion.

"What do you mean by that? You don't mean for us to go back to the city again tonight, do you? Last night was a close call when we got back, it'll be..." Crystal cut you off, placing a finger to your lips to shush you as she said that it wasn't New York where she wanted to take you to. "Just wait until tonight, trust me" she said with a small giggle, excited about what she thought of.

Taking in her words, you paused for a moment before nodding your head. "Alright, what do I do for now, then?" You asked and Crystal stood up, replying that you should probably get a bit more rest after all the hits to the head you took the previous day. "I'll come and get you tonight so make sure you're awake, but do rest up, that's a royal order" she told you, playing into her role as a Princess a little and you did find that amusing as you asked if she had the royal rule to tell you what to do.

"Hey, you said it yourself, I'm a Princess, so do as I tell you" she joked before she took your empty plate and headed to the door. "Get some rest, I'll see you later" she told you and you nodded before calling after her.

"Thanks" you said and she nodded. "I'll see you later" she replied before leaving, your room quickly falling silent again afterwards. It left you to think about what she said, about what you were worried about. You didn't know who you were before Attilan, you didn't know if you were a good person back then, but Crystal said she trusted that you were...

You would just have to wait and see for what she had in mind.