groovy looking!

"I never dreamed you'd be so g r o o v y l o o k i n g ."Crystalia "Crystal" Amaquelin. Elementelle. Secret Warrior. Princess of the Inhumans. What we're about to attempt? It isn't just super hero stuff. It's p o l i t i c a l. And that means we either convince the world it's better with us in it... or we find ourselves at war with everyone.

[ofelements]

abornentertainer:

“That’s a relief, honestly. Getting people gifts they’ll really love is so important, Crystal.” If she thought it was strange that Dick was acting like nothing in the world was wrong right now, she wasn’t giving any signs of it at all. He appreciated that more than he could ever find the words to express. After what had just happened, the moment of normalcy was a breath of fresh air. It was going to have to end eventually, but for right now he was going to roll with the false good humor for as long as he could get away with it. “We can absolutely compare notes, although honestly, most of the time mine just have guns. It really gets old after the first twenty mob goons. No creativity, seriously.” Honestly, when he normally got a more entertaining class of bigot out of costume, that was saying something. But he was just a vanilla human. In terms of hate, he was pretty sure Crystal, as an Inhuman, won that contest hands-down.

He wasn’t about to leave the line up here for someone to find, so he began to coil it. Usually, he would have leaned against the edge of the rooftop, but he didn’t want to get close enough to be visible to the crowd that was still very audible below them, even if he could no longer make out the specific words. So he stayed where he was, giving the cord the specific shake that would free it from the concrete and allow it to be spooled up. It was good to have something to do with his hands, made it easier to work things through out loud. “Not everybody gets to go public about who they are, and what they can do, you know?” He talked quietly while he worked, not looking at Crystal. “In Gotham, people figure out even a piece of who you are, or what you can and can’t do? You’re in danger, and so’s everyone who works with you. The ‘Haven was even worse.” He’d gotten some good people killed because of his work there, and he was never going to forget that. “It isn’t my freedom, or my privacy, that I’m worried about.”

“I can’t think of anything I would value more,” Crystal said with a faint laugh. Over a year ago, when the Syndicate had been still active, it would have been true. Rather than have ‘fans’ hellbent on killing herself and her people would have been quite literally a dream, although Nightwing’s ‘fans’ were hardly kind. Their situations were incomparable, she understood that, and Crystal would never claim that her situation was far worse. She couldn’t imagine the burden of having groups of people demanding things from you after giving so much. The inhumans were always grateful for what Crystal provided, although she unsure whether that was because she’d worked so hard to earn their love or because they simply knew nothing else. Attilan hadn’t been as free as Earth. “We need to get you more creative guns,” she said seriously. “What about one that shoots fireworks or streamers? No villain would expect that,” she said with a grin, obviously joking. “That’ll definitely be more exciting than the elements.”

As Nightwing began coiling the rope, Crystal silently turned towards him, watching the process closely. No one below began shouting once more, implying that they had lost the two of them once they had taken to the rooftops. Crystal was relieved by that, she had always been protective over the people she cared about, and Nightwing, as her teammate, absolutely fell into that category. He put on a brave face, was convincing in acting as though none of this bothered him, but Crystal had too much firsthand experience to believe it entirely. “No, of course not,” she agreed with a nod. Not every hero was in a position where they could risk that, with families, loved ones and other factors involved. Crystal, having an identity due to her time with the Fantastic Four could have relied on Elementelle, but her costume was never masked. Without a choice or realizing the circumstances, she had gone public. “The Haven?” She repeated, her eyebrows raising. “Gotham was very violent?” Crystal didn’t imagine that Nightwing would expect her to know about his home, she was new to Earth. “It seems like a small price to pay… their hatred for your loved ones safety,” she said quietly, once again drawing on firsthand experience.

[ofelements]

abornentertainer:

If he was going to be on a team with them, Dick reasoned, there were going to be times where he was going to need to be around them at least partially unmasked. Maybe not all of them. He still didn’t know most of the team well enough to trust them with that much of his identity. But it was about time he considered it at least for Crystal, which was why he hadn’t put on the Kevlar and domino mask to come over to their warehouse headquarters today. Just sunglasses, enough to still obscure his too-recognizable face, and street clothes, which meant that he could drive instead of taking the rooftops. Once he arrived, he just had to wait for Crystal to be done with whatever she was doing, and he settled with a bag of chips on the couch.

He didn’t have to wait long. He’d only been there for a few minutes when Crystal wandered in, and belatedly, it occurred to him that he probably should have warned her first. To be fair, though, this way was more fun. “Oh, you know. Breaking into your warehouse, stealing your snacks. The usual,” he chirped. He was teasing, of course, but he also wanted to defuse things a little, because he knew he would be on edge if a stranger in mirrored sunglasses had turned up in his space all of a sudden. “No, but we should totally go for pretzels now, I have a craving. Or possibly I’m just hungry.” He put the bag of chips aside and stood up. “Sorry I didn’t warn you I was coming, but I thought if we were going to work together, it’d be nice if I could hang around here not in costume sometimes. So. Ta-da.”

There had never been a moment where Crystal considered the fact that her team would be tempted to show her their unmasked faces. In theory, she supposed that it should have been an occurrence that she expected. Once trust was established, secrets came out, it was inevitable and something that Crystal certainly valued. She wanted her team members to consider her trustworthy, she wanted them to believe in her enough to do precisely what Nightwing (thank god she recognized his voice) was currently doing. That being said, no amount of diplomacy classes had taught Crystal to disguise her expressions, and she imagined that was very clear on her face. In a show of trust in return, she didn’t bother belatedly masking her features, instead allowing Nightwing to witness the way her eyes widened and she paused, searching for words. It was rare that Crystal was in a position where she felt comfortable enough to allow others to see authentic sides of her, she was a princess, but they were clearly making progress in trust today.

“Make sure to leave me the salt and vinegar chips,” she replied halfheartedly. Her focus was primarily on studying his features, but their relationship did rely on humour slightly, and Crystal had no intention of letting Nightwing down. “If you eat them, I’m going to have to do… is it called spring cleaning?” She asked, furrowing her brow. Earth had millions of different sayings, mastering them all was a work in progress. “Okay,” Crystal said slowly, taking a hesitant step closer. She was positive that her intuition about who was behind the sunglasses was correct, but being on guard was a lesson she took seriously, particularly on Earth where inhumans weren’t well received. “Are you buying the pretzels then?” She asked, raising her eyebrows and offering a faint smile. “You belong here just as much as I do,” Crystal said, waving the apology off. Thank the stars that she had been correct. “It’s nice to see you outside of the costume,” she said warmly. “Do I get to know a different name, too? It doesn’t have to be your birth name, of course.”

[ofelements]

abornentertainer:

“Getting right on that, as soon as we get out of here. You’ll have your very own fan club inside the week.”  Dick shrugged, acting for all the world like none of this bothered him. “I wouldn’t feel right keeping any of them for myself when you’re so clearly in need of proper appreciation. You’re really welcome to the whole group.” At least they were hurtling skyward now, and out of the middle of the crowd. Made it easier to joke about the whole situation. This was the problem with genuinely caring about people. It was so much more upsetting when they reacted like this. He’d never aimed to be part of the problem, but apparently the rest of the world didn’t see him as anything but a problem.

As the line pulled them skyward, he twisted, pulling them safely over the edge of the roof. He didn’t step away immediately when they landed, instead waiting to make sure Crystal had her feet under her before pulling back to disconnect the line from his gauntlet. That moment of work meant that he could ignore her question for a second, but he couldn’t put answering it off forever. So, when he turned back, he had a smile on his face that was fairly obviously fake. “Oh, I’m just fine. Peachy keen, even.” He didn’t expect her to see through any of it, and it wasn’t like he didn’t want to talk about it, either. He just hadn’t quite got himself sorted out yet. It was hard to work out exactly what he was feeling, some combination of hurt and confused and angry and did he mention hurt? 

“It’s what I’ve always been waiting for,” she said dramatically, touching a hand to her heart. It was difficult to behave as though everything was completely normal as chaos erupted around them, but Nightwing seemed to need that. In this instance, everything was entirely about her friend and what was best for his wellbeing. Crystal could easily make an effort to continue their lightheartedness. As they skyrocketed upwards, Crystal smiled faintly as Dick continued joking. “I’m so grateful for that, Nightwing,” she replied. “Maybe we can compare Nightwing sometime,” she added. Crystal was referencing the various people that absolutely loathed inhumans, but in this context, it was almost amusing. Nightwing and Elementelle were extremely privileged with the angry (and murderous) fans they received.

Flying had never bothered Crystal. Her powers made it possible, she loved the fast pace, the rush of adrenaline, but on a hook, things were much more contained. She stumbled slightly when they landed, though Nightwing prevented her from falling. Idly, she wondered whether he’d respond similarly if they flew the way Crystal was comfortable. “Thanks,” she said quietly, stepping away from him. Below, the crowd was still crying out for Nightwing, making their demands known, but it was much easier to ignore. “It’s okay to be hurt or angry or… anything else,” she said seriously. “You’ve dedicated a lot of your time to protecting these people and they’re acting entitled to your freedom and privacy. That’s not okay,” Crystal said. “But if you don’t want to discuss it, we don’t have to.”

[ofelements]

cftorch:

@ofelements

Though Johnny hated to admit when he was wrong, he knew Wanda had a point about his recent attempt at exploring the limitations of his abilities. There were ways to figure out the scope of his powers without wandering out into the wasteland on his own, ways that allowed him to be safe and secure. One of the best ways was to get help, someone who knew him and his powers well enough to offer some assistance. Crystal was the first who came to mind. She’d explored his powers with him before in the past, and her own elemental abilities made her (hopefully) immune to even his hottest flames. Worse came to worse, he figured she could extinguish him with water.

He hadn’t asked her yet, but he had little doubts as to what she’d say. They hadn’t been together in a while, but Johnny and Crystal would always be there for one another, always be willing to lend a helping hand whenever they needed it. He reminded himself of this as he knocked on her apartment door, squashing any residual doubts that stubbornly insisted on creeping into his head. When the door swung open, he flashed a grin and tilted his head. “Hey, Crys,” he greeted. “Wanna help me set some shit on fire?”

Spending time with Johnny always made Crystal feel less alone and less inadequate. Without Medusa present, she was in a position where she was leading the inhumans, and while she did her best, Crystal was aware that it paled in comparison to anything Medusa would be capable of. The loneliness stemmed largely for that, though she was the People’s Princess, she wasn’t able to be honest and open with the public. That being said, things were getting much better for the inhumans, T’Challa had done incredible things for them, and their morale had raised at the prospect of having new inhumans among them. Johnny didn’t soothe Crystal’s public, but he did soothe her, and she liked to think that was an important aspect of ruling. Without calmness and confidence, you were weak, and that created panic.

As Crystal opened the door, having peeked through the hole after Johnny originally knocked, she smiled brightly. No matter how unexpected her ex-boyfriend’s were, she was always ecstatic to see him standing there. “Why are we setting stuff on fire?” Crystal asked, making it obvious that she had agreed to Johnny’s request the moment he asked. There were few things that she denied Johnny (although unfortunately, one of them happened to be her relocating to Earth for any significant period of time, thus ending their relationship.) “That was a yes, by the way,” Crystal added with a smile.

[ofelements]

stcrm-breaker:

@ofelements

The Inhumans were more than well known throughout the Nine Realms. Although for the majority of Midgard, at least before the fall of Attilan, they seemed to be a race that stuck to themselves and did not achieve the same level of notoriety, Thor had always known of them to be a race of powerful warriors. The Terrigen Crystals were comparable to Uru crystals in the magnitude of their potential, bringing power out of their people and enhancing their abilities, but it was not their resources or their army’s strength that had Thor so amenable to the Inhumans. Instead, it was the tenacity of their royal family, the member of which he was closest to being the People’s Princess.

“There is a woman on the street below your apartment,” Thor informed Crystal as she opened the door, bringing her into a hug immediately. “She informed me that I will die a horrible death if I did not pay her another five dollars to enable her to prevent it. I paid the money, as one does, and she said that I would perish in a great battle. Does she understand that is kind of the end goal?” Thor had a soft spot a mile wide for Midgardians, but sometimes they were truly strange. “Even after years spent on this planet on and off, I am oftentimes confused by its people. Have you had the same experience, Crystal?”

Attilan hadn’t been entirely isolated, though the inhumans had been careful about what connections they fostered. They were created by the Kree to be an army, and when the inhumans had been exactly as the ancient aliens intended, they had been abandoned and left vulnerable. The moon was an excellent home to then, but the inhumans had always been aware what a weak sanctuary it truly was. There was no guarding their presence, no guarding their home beyond trained warriors, but luckily, the Prince of Asgard had been fond of them. Crystal’s relationship with Thor was truly one that she had always craved due to Medusa’s neglect, although his affection had never made up for Medusa’s harsh criticism. Still, it was a relationship she was grateful for, and she adored Thor like a brother.

“There’s a lot of homeless people in New York,” she observed. It was something that Crystal had noticed during her original visits, a surprising and strange revelation. Crystal hugged Thor back tightly, a smile on her face. “That sounds dramatic,” she observed. “Do you think she was just trying to steal your money?” Admittedly, she and Thor were easy targets, still learning the ins and out of Earthen culture. “I imagine that she probably doesn’t. Midgardians don’t have the same beliefs that we do,” Crystal said, shrugging a shoulder. “I’m usually confused to some extent, especially with slang and different speech patterns. Do you think it ever gets easier?”

[ofelements]

dcvilkid:

“Yeah, that sounds about right. I’m definitely still bad at something here, though. Just haven’t quite figured out what yet.” Eddie shrugged. He wasn’t about to put a lot of effort into what was really a pretty silly conversation, even if it did have a serious undertone to it. Or subtext, maybe that was what it was, when they were talking all lightheartedly and pretending that this wasn’t a way to test if he was human. “I’m pretty sure most everybody in this city’s met more Skrulls than I have, so I’ll take your word for it. Turns out they’re not super into talking to the people they’re holding captive, that’s all I can tell you.” Maybe not so much a surprise, but hey, it was the one piece of expertise he had to offer. “Also, no bet. I might be a terrible gambler, but I know a sucker bet when I hear one.”

Even with everything that was going on in his life, the fact that Crystal was so confident that this was a fixable problem filled him with relief. It wasn’t, and he knew that, not in the time he had left. But he could pretend with the best of them, he’d had plenty of practice with this act, and at this point, he’d gotten so good that his pretending was even fooling him. “You’re kidding, right? Of course I want them back.” His powers were such an important part of who he was, it was almost like he wasn’t himself, no matter what he said. He’d been Kid Devil for a long time, and he knew, a little, that he could still be that, could still do good, but without powers? It seemed almost impossible.”Honestly I don’t think I know anybody that can do that. I mean. A couple of the old Titans crew, but not…exactly the easiest people to get ahold of.” Like, Raven? Was she in town, was she even in this dimension? Who knew. She’d been the one who’d fixed him last time, but that had been magic, and he didn’t know if this was, but he didn’t think so. “I don’t…think I have anything like that. Unless your friend can work with the mess Evil Eddie made out of some of my commissions. Turns out Skrulls are really bad at art.” He was kind of touched by the immediate conclusion that she would have beat Evil Eddie up. “If we find Not Me, you have my full permission to punch him. I won’t be offended.”

“Thank god we figured out what you’re bad at,” Crystal said lightly. She rarely had the opportunity to joke during a serious conversation and truthfully, she enjoyed it. She wasn’t confident that who she was speaking to was Eddie, she required more evidence, but his ease and humour made Crystal feel much more confident that it was in fact her friend she was speaking to. Technically speaking, that attitude was precisely what the Skrulls preyed upon, trust and hope, but Johnny was among the few people Crystal knew who were replaced. Her confidence was due to arrogance and luck, she supposed. “Well, that may be a good thing,” she pointed out. “I don’t imagine that the people who imprisoned you were friendly.” During the battle, the Skulls had been ruthless and very violent, their prisoners surely suffered. “I really thought I’d have you with that one,” she said with a laugh.

As far as Crystal was concerned, powers were one of the most integral parts of a person, whether they were innate or earned. She couldn’t imagine her life without the elements at her fingertips, malleable and comforting. Eddie seemed to feel similarly about his powers and a loyal friend, there was no questions that she would go to any length in order to help him become Kid Devil once more. “Then we’ll get them back,” she said simply. “I’m very stubborn and as a princess, I try to get my way,” she said, offering him a smile. The words were meant to be comforting and she hoped they hit their mark properly. “Well, I may know some people who can do that,” she said thoughtfully. “How have you gotten your powers in the past? We may be able to replicate the process.” Unfortunately, it would not be as simple as finding a source of Terrigen, but as Crystal had previously stated, she was stubborn and this was an important cause. “I know a few inhumans that love art,” she replied with a snicker. “I can ask one of them to stop by. They’re very talented,” Crystal promised. “I would absolutely love to. Can my fist be on fire or frozen?”

[ofelements]

thchellcat:

@ofelements

Occasionally, Patsy worried about her independence. Although experience apparently did little to sway her towards making better choices, she was aware that she had a tendency to jump into things because she longed for human connection, to have a place she belonged and to have someone to hold on to. When both of her husbands turned out to be supervillains, she had to actively acknowledge that her judgment in men was off. Which mostly meant taking time to be herself. That said, the crime fighting thing had always been easier with a partner, or more often, a team. She had always joined up with well established groups in the past, but she was more than willing to help Crystal kick off the Secret Warriors. The other names attached were impressive and morally seemed in line with Patsy’s own views. Plus, one of her best friends was an inhuman, and she loved that she would finally have a chance to help others who may have walked into the mist unexpectedly.

Patsy experimentally threw an oeur d'oeuvre in the air, catching it easily in her mouth. It would be more exciting if said oeur d'oeuvre wasn’t just some cucumber with a schmear of who knows. She looked over at Crystal to see if she had witnessed this feat. “Super reflexes are a great party trick.” When it came to genuinely interesting powers, though, Crystal had her beat by a mile. Or, like, fifty miles. “It’s nice to hang out in a normal setting,” she commented, looking over the rest of the party. “Well – sort of normal. This is still pretty weird, isn’t it? Seems like we shouldn’t be celebrating anything while we’re stranded in another dimension or whatever and there are still demons staring us down from the sidelines.”

The Secret Warriors had absolutely amazing superheroes on the team, much more than what Crystal had initially expected when she and Daisy had chosen to create the team. They had numerous connections, but she expected the reserves to make the brunt of her team. Luckily, that wasn’t the case. Crystal had people like Elektra Natchios, Nightwing and Hellcat. She wasn’t overly familiar with Earth’s heroes, her world was primarily involved with the inhumans and keeping her people safe, but Crystal understood how incredible that was — particularly for a brand new theme. She was flattered they trusted her and Daisy so deeply and Crystal had every intention of making the Secret Warriors successful. The inhumans in New York City, and stranded on Earth once they returned, needed the Secret Warriors and despite the many superheroes and superhero groups, so did civilians. Danger never ceased.

Attending Victor von Doom’s with a fellow Secret Warrior (at least to an extent) was exciting. It made Crystal feel like they were friends, more than teammates, which was exactly what she intended. She wanted her team to be like family rather than casual acquaintances dedicated saving others. As Patsy threw an hors d'oeuvre into her mouth, Crystal grinned, obviously enjoying the party trick. “Super reflexes seem to be useful for a lot of things,” she observed. “Can I see another one?” She asked after a pause, her smile widening as she looked at Patsy. “Watch this,” Crystal added, allowing a breeze to carry a crab cake into her open mouth. “Was that as neat?” She asked Patsy hopefully. Parties had never been an event Crystal attended often, she knew very little about how to impress someone during them. “It is very weird,” she agreed. “It seems like a display of power and control instead of the… fun time Doom intended. Perhaps that’s my heritage speaking,” Crystal added.

[ofelements]

sugardonttouchme:

Anna Marie stood up, too much energy coursing through her. She rubbed her arms, trying to ward off the chill of bad memories. But it was a losing cause, she could feel the cold seeping into her bones regardless, could feel the shame rising up in her throat, making it hard to speak. 

She just shook her head for a minute. “Maybe he thinks he does,” she said in a low voice. “But I met him. Magneto. I know what he’s like, and how he can make even the devil’s words taste like honey, sound like music in your ears. He gets ya all confused until you don’t know which way is up and which is down, and then before ya know it – you’re at the bottom of a hole, and ya don’t know how ya got there.” She took a breath, trying to settle herself. “Horrible is the right word for it, sugar. That’s for damn sure,” she murmured. She glanced back at her friend, a pained expression on her face. She sat down, as close as she dared. “I gotta talk to him. He – I been there, Crystal,” she said, her voice solemn as the grave. “I was a murderer, too. And it took me a long time to see the light. But Pietro’s a good person, I know he is. Ain’t his fault Magneto –” She stopped herself, because it still sort of was Pietro’s fault. And hers. Ya couldn’t condemn one without the other, anyone who’d been in the Brotherhood had a stain on their soul. Deservedly so, but maybe she could stop him before it went too far. “How long he been with them?” she asked, an air of desperation in her voice. “Maybe it ain’t too late.”

“It’s not our responsibility to change Pietro’s mind,” Crystal replied. “He told me some details about his friends’ experiences with Magneto and he was aware what kind of person the leader of the Brotherhood was. If he chose to ally with him regardless, it sounds like a battle I have no interest in fighting.” Pietro had wanted to kill Magneto after he’d hurt his sister and Crystal had talked him down, using as much calm as she possibly could, fighting against her protective instincts. Everything that Pietro had chosen after the fact was with insight few had the privilege of knowing. Rogue seemed much more shaken up by the knowledge, but Crystal was understandably angry. She had never down well with betrayal and she had numerous responsibilities, swaying her friend from the Brotherhood was not among them, but keeping her people alive and thriving was. Affiliating with a member of the Brotherhood did not sound like a safe way to do so, Rogue made their hared for ‘outsiders’ clear. “Did you know who the Brotherhood truly were?” She asked curiously, tilting her head, nonjudgmental. “Maybe you can speak to him and change his mind, but hearing what I already have…” she trailed off, shaking her head. Pietro had informed her that the people he loved most in the world had made the same attempt to no avail, she doubted Rogue would have any impact. “You won’t be the first person to inform him that what he’s doing is wrong and he doesn’t seem to care. I’m not sure it should fall on us anymore, he’s capable of making his own choice to leave if and when he sees fit. From that point on, we can help him.”

[ofelements]

ncvarider:

“Fine, I’ll wake him up and try it again, you can tell him how much you appreciate his efforts to throw both of us in jail while I quietly make an exit.” He snaps and rolls his eyes. So much for trying to be upstanding and diplomatic, and so much for any sympathy he might have had for the girl, Inhuman or not. Somewhere in the outer darkness of space or wherever the particles of the man had ended up when Xandar was destroyed, his Nova Prime is doubled over laughing at Rich struggling–and he doesn’t even have a Corps to lead yet. Only the vague idea of a Corps, and himself, and he can’t even do that without making an enemy of a girl half his size over some no name cop who is going to wake up perfectly fine at some point. “But I know where you’re from, and I know it’s going to be a hell of a lot worse for you than it is for me. So it looks like we’re back to square one which is him there, and both of us safe. You don’t have to like it, but it seems like the best option to me.” 

He rolls his eyes again and exhales, scrubs a hand over his face. “I’m not going to literally drop him, it’s a figure of speech. I meant that I could leave him somewhere else.” He straightens his spine and folds his arms across his chest, feels the Nova force thrumming through his bones and in the pit of his stomach, the Worldmind alive and ready for its next command. She’s clearly trying to keep him around out of sheer annoyance, a decent tactic to allow her to size him up as an ally or an enemy. But Rich is among the best tacticians in the universe, which he’s sure she didn’t bargain on. “I’m Nova, Prime Commandant of the Nova Corps, formally of planet Xandar. I am the host of the entire Nova force and the Xandarian Worldmind.”

“It’s sad my original assessment was right: you’re a complete asshole,” Crystal informed the man seriously. Privately, she was proud of herself to using a simple Earthen insult, one that she had heard Johnny utter on a few occasions. He had taught her well throughout the years, she was grateful for that, especially now that she was a permanent resident. The militia was difficult to avoid at times and Crystal made little effort to do so, the way she bended elements allowed her to make easy, quick escapes, primarily utilizing air. It was convenient, but some people, namely this man, weren’t capable of similar displays of power. It was unfortunate, she supposed, especially under these circumstances, but his attitude made it difficult to sympathize with for long, especially without knowing his intentions. Crystal had never been patient or diplomatic like Medusa. “That’s why I try to avoid fights with them. The Inhumans have suffered enough.” Her eyes narrowed on him as he continued speaking about her people, immediately protective. “What do you know about us?” Most likely what the papers had reported, but few of Earth’s heroes knew Crystal on sight.

“That’s fair,” she agreed, shrugging a shoulder as she spoke. An alley was a disgusting place to be left, but somewhere decent would make the blow a lot less crippling. Honestly, the last thing any hero needed was an angry militia, especially ones that obviously were Doom’s glorified servants. When he mentioned the Nova Corps, Crystal smiled faintly, and her anger dissipated immediately. Knowing who he was understandably helped bring context to the entire situation, he wasn’t any serious threat. “It’s nice to officially meet you, Nova. I’ve heard plenty about your force and your work is incredible. I’m Crystalia Amaquelin, princess of the Inhumans, but it sounds as though you know that.” As she spoke, Crystal offered him her hand. “I would apologize for being judgmental, but this was all suspicious, and I was lead to believe that the Nova Corps no longer existed.”

[ofelements]

heartcfiron:

Independence had always been a big deal for Riri. Unfortunately, a lack of funds had prevented her from having her own apartment away from her mother in Chicago, though she wasn’t sure she would have been living on her own so soon after her stepfather’s death anyways. She would have felt bad, leaving her mom alone after that. Still, the garage had functioned as Riri’s own space, and it had been monumentally important to her. Everyone deserved a place of their own, and the fact that Crystal had finally gotten one was exciting. The inhuman princess deserved so much more than living in a cramped warehouse! The apartment was small, but as long as Crystal was happy with it, Riri was thrilled for her. “We’ll start a club! A whole club dedicated to trying new things.” It was something that had become important to Riri since Natalie’s death. Falling into a slump after a tragedy was far too easy, and though some time had passed since her best friend’s death, Riri was determined not to let herself do that. “Candy goes with everything, I think,” she decided, looking over the candy station she’d set up with a satisfied nod. She and Crystal were incredible at movie night, she decided. They could be pros! Following Crystal to her bedroom, Riri smiled brightly. “I can help you move anything over that you need,” she offered. “We can go over and collect whatever you think would look good here!” She nodded as Crystal continued, thinking of her own apartment. The most ‘personal touch’ it had was her scattered half-finished inventions, but that was how Riri operated. If apartments were meant to be reflective of the people living in them, hers certainly held up. “You’re welcome,” she replied with a smile. At the question, she shrugged. “It’s not even my drama,” she sighed. “That’s the bad part! I’m getting dragged into Tony’s weird college breakup debacle! I think his ex is a supervillain or something, I don’t know. We’re handling it!” Team Iron-People totally had the situation under control, didn’t they? “This is all amazing,” she said with a smile, looking around. “Seriously, it’s super great! I’m glad you’ve got a place of your own, Crystal.”

Honestly, Crystal was relieved to once again have her own private space. She had adjusted to living under scrutiny in Attilan, had grown accustomed to rarely having a moment alone whilst in public, but she had always been safe whilst in her bedroom or hidden away, training. In the warehouses, it hadn’t been like that. Her space had been designated by a curtain, a luxury that few other people had been afforded, but it had never been sufficient to feel truly alone. At times, now that she had her own apartment, it was lonely. Crystal was used to hearing the quiet murmur of chatter, used to listening for the inhumans’ footsteps during the night, but it was far safer and far more luxurious. “That sounds great, Riri,” she agreed with a smile. “Do you have any specific things to try in mind?” Riri’s brain was always woking, she most likely had some specific ideas already, and Crystal would be happy to try them all out. “Yes, I agree,” she said, taking another small handful of candy. She had always been fond of sweets, but these ones in particular were enjoyable. “Thank you,” she replied with a smile. “We should do that tomorrow morning if you spend the night. I’ll buy you brunch,” Crystal negotiated, using another fancy Earth term proudly. She had memorized the majority of them throughout the years, but she couldn’t help but notice when they were correct. “If it’s not your drama, we’ll need to create you your own,” she decided. Riri deserved all the attention her friends could provide and while drama wasn’t ideal, it was much better than coping with someone else’s. “I can help you find his ex if you’d like,” she offered. “Once he’s imprisoned, that should no longer be a problem, yes?” Crystal was excellent at tracking people, and it didn’t sound like they truly had it ‘under control.’ “Thank you, Riri,” she said with a smile. “I’m glad I finally have my own place, too. It was time, I think.”

[ofelements]

@abornentertainer​

It was no secret that Crystal spent plenty of time at the Secret Warriors’ headquarters (a well decorated warehouse) and with some inhumans successfully rescued, she was careful to spend extra time there, bonding with them. Currently, the inhumans were running drills Crystal had come up with and she watched with a smile on her face. Training them reminded her intimately of the time she had spent on Attilan when her job was specifically training young inhumans and defending their people. It was a nice reminder and once the drills were successfully  completed, Crystal was filled with pride. The Secret Warriors were accomplishing more than she ever thought possible and already, she loved her team deeply because of it. Loyalty had always come easily for Crystal and she liked to believe that her teammates had genuinely earned her faith.

Completely satisfied, Crystal walked into the main area, heading for the fridge, and stopped in her tracks when she saw a dark haired man with glasses sitting on their couch. He loved familiar, but Crystal had grown accustomed to Daredevil and Nightwing — the only male members of her team — in costume. “Hey,” she called out, the confusion evident in her voice. Hesitantly, she reached out to the molecules surrounding her, preparing for a fight if one was inevitable. Precaution, especially in such an important, secret place, was necessary. “What are you doing here? I think I know you, but I’m not sure from where. A pretzel stand, maybe?” She definitely knew him, Crystal had no doubt about it!

[ofelements]

abornentertainer:

It hurt. That was the worst part of this whole thing. Dick genuinely wanted to help people, it was his first priority. To discover, suddenly, that keeping himself and his family safe meant that suddenly he was betraying those people he’d set out to help, at least in their eyes, was a blow that he wasn’t prepared to deal with yet. He had to work the problem, instead of paying attention to why it was a problem. Which meant that outwardly, at least, he was calm and collected, no matter what was going on in his head. He could get upset later, when they were out of here.

“As soon as we get out of here, I’m officially founding your fan club,” he joked softly. He knew it didn’t have quite the enthusiasm he usually would have brought for the moment of teasing, but under the circumstances, he figured Crystal would probably forgive him. “Or you can have my fan club here. I’ll give them to you for free.” He didn’t need to ready a line, it was already in his gauntlet, loaded and ready to go. All he needed to do was go. Or rather, all they needed to do, because all joking aside, he wasn’t going to leave Crystal behind to deal with these people alone. “I have a gadget,” he confirmed, not bothering to add the word obviously. He had a gadget for just about everything, he was surprised that more of the people he spent time around didn’t take that as a given. He didn’t wait, now that he had her agreement. They needed to be out of here now. He wrapped an arm around Crystal’s waist, firing a grapple towards the skyline at the same time and letting it pull him off his feet.

As the so called ‘people’s princess,’ Crystal had never had a problem with the public disliking her until she had come to Earth. The inhumans loved her, although that had no come naturally to her. Crystal worked hard to prove her devotion to her people and through her efforts, a mix of generosity and kindness, she had won their love. On Earth, things weren’t quite so simple. Humanity feared heroes and they expected a great deal from them, much of which was seemingly impossible, and now was no different. Listing was harmless outwardly, but Crystal understood leaders intimately, and they always had an ulterior motive. Medusa certainly would.

“I would be honoured if you founded my fan club, Nightwing,” Crystal said lightly, offering him a smile. She knew that this couldn’t be easy, it showed in his forced attempt, but Crystal had no intention of asking how Nightwing was handling the situation until they had escaped it safely. “I think we should share them,” she suggested with a forced laugh. “They’re such a warm, loving bunch I’m not sure we could cope with their affection solo.” Dick didn’t deserve the people’s resentment in the slightest, he was an incredible, hard-working hero, and Dick was always well meaning — and entitled to his privacy. Unfortunately, these people didn’t seem to agree with Crystal’s assessment. “I thought you might,” she replied. Nightwing always seemed to have a gadget and eventually, she hoped to learn more about how they worked. The technology on Attilan had been advanced, but they never needed weaponry like this, having natural gifts. When Nightwing’s arm wrapped around her, Crystal trusted him to get her up safely, and once they landed, she stepped away from their embrace and asked, “How are you feeling after that?”

[ofelements]

quakesjohnscn:

The first time she’d had a shot like this, the first chance she’d gotten to lead a team, things had been going great until they weren’t. They’d all meshed together well, all had a common goal and great powers, and Daisy had been so sure it was all going to work out up until the moment it all fell apart. Things were different now, of course. She wasn’t leading this team alone, had Crystal right beside her to face whatever might come next. Their roster wasn’t composed entirely of inhumans, allowing them to have an outside opinion of what was going on and helping to avoid another situation like Hive’s mind control. SHIELD was far, far away from the team as a whole, erasing that distrust and divide. Still, Daisy couldn’t help but feel nervous. If things had fallen apart once, couldn’t it happen again? How many times could you want something and lose it before you accepted you weren’t meant to have it to begin with?

She couldn’t let herself focus on the doubts. Instead, she turned her mind to the good parts of this team, the things she was entirely confident in. Things like Crystal, her pleased grin, the way she made the wind blow just enough to make the bag move and the chain creak. “Me too! I think half-members will be a good way to keep the roster small and still have the firepower.” She figured starting out with a small team was a good way to build trust between them all. “I can contact them,” she agreed with a snort. Fitz and Simmons were approachable, but the idea of a stranger coming to May or Mack and offering them a spot as a ‘half-member’ on a team was almost laughable. “I’ve heard of her, yeah.” Daisy smiled, remembering her interactions with Elektra back when she and Matt had been an item. Matt would probably find the idea of being on a team with her awkward, but it was way easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. “I think she’ll be a great fit.”

Technically, Crystal was born to lead, although she hadn’t had the chance to attempt it yet due to Medusa’s rule. In all honesty, she had no interest in Attilan’s throne, but she had always been interested in leading her own team. After years of intensive training, strategizing and learning about inhumans’ innate abilities, Crystal felt prepared to create the Secret Warriors. This was precisely what she had dreamed of, although that didn’t mean that Crystal was confident she would succeed. If there was anyone that doubted her, it was herself, and that hadn’t come without her sisters harsh opinions and great success. Always in Medusa’s shadow, it was impossible for Crystal to feel like she had accomplished anything, but this opportunity was too great and wonderful to throw away. The more she assured herself she was ready for it, the more Crystal began believing it. With Daisy at her side, failure was impossible, she trusted her friend and her abilities entirely.

“I completely agree,” she said enthusiastically, and she did believe that! Daisy and Crystal had countless connections in the superhero world, but with an enormous roster, it seemed impossible to accomplish much of anything. Having reserves was the perfect compromise. “It’ll also be fun to invite our friends along with us,” she added thoughtfully, imagining Johnny’s excitement to join her. Human Torch would support this decision, she knew. “I think that would be best,” Crystal agreed. “I’ll ask some of the inhumans that have combat experience as well, I think they’ll love this idea, too.” Daisy could speak to them theoretically, but Crystal doubted that she would have as much success. “I think so, too,” Crystal said honestly. Elektra was complicated, but she had proven her loyalty and that her motives were pure where the inhumans were concerned. “So… now we just need to spread the word, right?”

[ofelements]

dcvilkid:

“I’d bet you a dollar I don’t have a dollar in my wallet,” Eddie replied quickly, “except that that wouldn’t so much prove that I’m a bad gambler since I’m pretty sure I’d win.” Although really, offering sucker bets might be a sign that he wasn’t the greatest gambler ever. If those were the only bets he thought he could win, that said something, didn’t it? Of course, he realized belatedly, it didn’t actually help with what she wanted, which was proof that he was him. “I mean, yeah, we can do that,” he said slowly. “But is that really gonna help? I mean, there was a Skrull pretending to be me for a while, and I’m pretty sure it was better at being me than I am right now.” For starters, it had looked more like he was supposed to than he did right now. There came a point where she was just going to have to trust him.

Of course, he got that they weren’t at that point yet. But he was working on it. He still closed off a little, looking away and folding his arms and  wishing he had much of a choice at all about telling her. “I…made a kind of deal for them,” he explained quietly, half hoping that if he only talked softly enough, he wouldn’t end up upsetting someone. Like himself. “So. The whole mystical source thing makes it so my powers transfer. Pretty easily, actually.” Not thinking about the other time this happened. Definitely not. “So being Kid Devil is great, right up until it isn’t, because somebody else figured out the right spell or something and got the whole look.” He finally looked up, and managed to smile at her offer. “Thanks, Crystal,” he said, genuinely touched. “But I’ve been working on it for a while, and…I think maybe the only thing I haven’t tried is getting hands on the Skrull that was pretending to be me. Unless you have a magic Skrull detector, though…” And if she had, they would have been using it all along, wouldn’t they? “Not sure that’s going to be a thing that happens. So.” He let out a huge, fake sigh of relief to cover up the fact that he had actually been nervous that he wouldn’t remember. He was suddenly incredibly grateful for the fact that he genuinely cared what people did. “Honestly, I’m glad it’s me too,” he replied. “I’d really hate to be not me, that would suck.” Well. Kind of was sucking right now, honestly.

“I think to be a bad gambler you’d have to bet me that you do have a dollar in your wallet, right?” Crystal replied with a smile. She wasn’t intimately familiar with gambling or any of the games associated, but she had watched Molly’s Game. “Well, I’m willing to bet that a Skrull wouldn’t say that a Skrull is better at being you,” Crystal pointed out. In her unfortunate encounters with the Skrulls, they were brilliant, very good at deflecting any and all suspicion. Eddie was entertaining, but he was also being a little more subtle which made Crystal inclined to believe that it truly was him. However, she had been too trusting in the past, and she was unwilling to make those same mistakes again. “I would ask you what my odds are winning that one, but I think you’d say good either way,” she added, her tone teasing.

Honestly, the concept of someone’s powers being transferrable or granted by spell was very new to Crystal. As an inhuman, she was born with her powers and then they were activated by Terrigen, but she did have to admit that there was something noble about being so dedicated to becoming a superhero. “Then we’ll be able to transfer them back easily,” she said with a nod, obviously officially invested in Eddie’s cause. He was her friend and that made things simple for her, assuming that returning to the Kid Devil was what he wanted. “You do want them back, don’t you?” She asked, wanting to be sure. In many ways, the life of a superhero was a difficult one and Eddie had a very easy way of changing his life. “The people who can cast spells could try a tracking spell, couldn’t they?” She said, furrowing her brow. “I don’t understand how their magic works, but it is possible or…” she trailed off for a moment, considering. “One of my friends — an inhuman — is a very good tracker, but they would need something that differentiates the Skrull from you.” Assuming that the Skrull hadn’t been defeated in the final battle. “Not being you would be a complete nightmare,” she replied with a soft smile. “I would have to beat Not You up and I’d hate to hurt someone with my friend’s body and face.”

[ofelements]

sugardonttouchme:

Anna Marie knew better than most about needing a warm bed sometimes. She’d been homeless herself for years, even after joining the Brotherhood. Turns out, Magneto didn’t exactly provide the same level of housing for his followers as the Professor did for his students. But because she’d been there, she also knew she couldn’t always offer it. When you were down and out, ya didn’t want charity, it was salt in the proverbial wound. But sometimes, if ya gave the excuse of a sleepover, ya could talk your way into offering a hand without being too obvious. Mutant, Inhuman, enhanced, civilian, they were all stuck here, right? They oughta be helping each other out. 

But suddenly, the night was about more than making sure Crystal had a place to sleep tonight. “More like X-Men without the restraint,” Anna Marie muttered. “Maybe they got their claws into him they way they got into me – cuz trust me, sugar, you ain’t seen manipulation like this before. Magneto’s slicker than owl shit, and he knows it,” she seethed. She felt like that girl on the streets again, angry, lost, rebel without a cause. The girl Magneto and Mystique took such advantage of. She wasn’t lost anymore, and she had a cause – but there was still plenty of anger left. “They kill people, sugar. Innocent people, anyone who doesn’t agree with them. Don’t matter to them. If you’re human, you’re the enemy. All the stuff people hate about Mutants, all the stuff they’re afraid we’re do? That’s what the Brotherhood does.” She closed her eyes tight, but this wasn’t a dream. They had gotten to someone else, to a good person. Pietro Maximoff was a hero, an Avenger, how had Magneto managed to turn him? 

The Brotherhood didn’t sound at all like what Pietro had described and suddenly, Crystal felt disgusted. He had promised her that the Brotherhood’s only goal was to protect mutants, but manipulation and slaughtering innocent people with different beliefs… that was not protecting your people, that was terrorism. Crystal wasn’t entirely naive, she had naturally wondered why Pietro’s friends and family were so adamantly against the Brotherhood, but she had never imagined that it was a reason this dark.

“He told me he joined willingly,” she replied, gritting her teeth. “He claimed a long time ago — before he joined — that he agreed with the Brotherhood and supported them. I don’t think he was manipulated into this,” Crystal replied, the anger evident in her voice. She had been betrayed in the past, but never to this extent. She supposed that she was lucky that way, although she had no desire to explain her friendship with Pietro to Rogue. It would only worsen things. “They sound… horrible,” she said, for lack of a better term. “I understand why people are so afraid of mutants and inhumans now. With an organization like this, it’s only natural that people fear for their safety. Without them…” Crystal trailed off thoughtfully, shaking her head. “That’s off topic, I apologize.” Pausing, she took a deep calming breath and then said, “Thank you for telling me, Rogue. I’m sorry you found out that Pietro was a member willingly this way.”

[ofelements]

abornentertainer:

Whatever the reasoning that had made Crystal approach him, Dick was increasingly convinced that this was going to be one of those team-ups that worked, and worked well. He might not know who else he was going to be working with, but that was a fixable problem. And when it came down to it, he trusted Crystal’s choices, even if he hadn’t figured out yet what the logic behind them was. He had to, if they were going to work together at all. Lucky thing he trusted easily. Now he just had to wait and see if this whole team lived up to that trust. Meanwhile, at least the company while he waited was good. “Well that’s good, because I have to tell you, my feelings would be pretty hurt otherwise,” he said, giving her the best hangdog look he could manage around a domino mask. “It’d be a real low blow, bad-mouthing sketchy meeting places just for being sketchy.” Her comment made him laugh briefly. “Oh, man, I couldn’t convince you to say that in front of Robin some time, could I? The look on his face would be priceless.” Any of his brothers, actually, would probably say that Dick should under no circumstances be encouraged to flirt. Ever. Which just made it all the more amusing.

“I’ve worked with rude people before. But for a team, yeah, I have to agree. It’d pretty much suck.” Your teammates were supposed to be people you could trust, and could you really trust someone you didn’t want to be around? The only thing he’d found that managed to do an end run around those instincts was family. For all that certain brothers of his could be rude little assholes, he still trusted them to have his back, as long as his back was worth having. “Well, for one thing, Batman never offered to bring Starbucks to the lair. So you’re at least five steps ahead of him, at this point. Maybe more.”  He shrugged. “It’s…intense.” That was the only word that really summed it up. He couldn’t explain any better what it was like to work with Batman. Not to someone who hadn’t experienced it already. “I am a sensitive, understanding sort of guy,” he declared once she stepped away. “Mind if I offer a plan C? I’d kind of like to know who all I’m going to be working with.”

Daisy and Crystal had spent valuable time considering who they should invite to be members of the Secret Warriors. Immediately, her thoughts had drifted to the people she’d known during her excursions to Earth, all of whom were spoken for in the team sense, and very dedicated to said teams. (Johnny and Sue would die for the Fantastic Four in a heartbeat, Pietro was… possibly evil), but Nightwing had come to mind soon after. He was an awesome fighter, he would understand her commitments especially because he had his own, and Nightwing was someone she genuinely got along with. A team didn’t need to be invisible, a team needed to care about one another, and have trust, and Crystal liked to think the Secret Warriors would excel in those departments. “I couldn’t possibly hurt your feelings this early in our partnership,” she said solemnly. “Give me a few weeks and that may change. According to Lockjaw, I’m a real heartbreaker, Nightwing. I don’t always buy him tacos,” she said with a sigh. The dog wasn’t currently with her, but Lockjaw was unforgettable. “You know what? You’re right, I need to be more openminded,” she said with a laugh. “I would love to say that in front of Robin. I’ll tell the whole world I want you to flirt with me if you want me to.” Crystal really liked flirting! She wasn’t ashamed of that.

“You want to gossip about the rude people you’ve worked with before?” She asked with a faint smile. The majority of people Crystal worked with had been amazing, though that could possibly be influenced by her status as their princess. The Fantastic Four had also been amazing, and again, that could influenced due to the fact that she had been dating the Human Torch. That was all irrelevant, the Secret Warriors were her team and they would all cooperate, all rely upon each other, and they would change the world… hopefully. “I think I should definitely be more,” she replied with a smile. “Batman was also never this fashionable and he doesn’t have a giant dog you can meet that teleports, Nightwing. I’m way ahead.” Honestly, Crystal had never met Batman, but she imagined he was stiff competition. “That’s going to be my new type,” she announced. “I love plan C. Let me get a hold of everyone. Should we make a group chat?”

[ofelements]

abornentertainer:

Dick had honestly expected grocery shopping to be the most exciting part of his night. Heading out in costume afterwards wasn’t supposed to be fraught with danger, not this early in the night. The real excitement wasn’t supposed to get going until after curfew. And yet, the world didn’t seem to be living down to his expectations of boredom and routine. Funny, he used to think of that as a good thing. These days, not so much. Just once, a little boring when he was expecting it might be nice.

The thing was, he had plenty of good reasons for not listing his powers. Topping the list was the fact that he didn’t have any. What was the point of having a list somewhere that said “Nightwing. Superpowers: kevlar and a persistent refusal to acknowledge his own inability to fly”? But somehow, the group of people that accosted them as they started down Doomsway didn’t seem like they’d be overly interested in listening to that kind of logic. Something about the chanting made them seem pretty opposed to reasonable discussion. And violence was firmly off the table. People were scared, he got that. They didn’t deserve to get smacked around just because they’d picked him as their way to let off a little steam and feel like they were doing something. Besides, it wouldn’t solve the problem. He’d just make more people hate him.

Of course, listing all of the ways to handle this situation that wouldn’t work wasn’t getting him any closer to finding one that would. “You and I have wildly different definitions of the word ‘fan,’” he muttered absently to Crystal while he tried to come up with an answer that actually got them out of there in one piece. “What are your thoughts about taking this little walk a few stories higher than it is right now? I’m suddenly craving a little time on a nice, welcoming rooftop somewhere.”

Honestly, Crystal hadn’t had any intentions of listing her powers when Doom first requested that the heroes be ‘transparent.’ As far as she was concerned, Earth hadn’t been kind to the inhumans and admitting what she was capable of — which was a decent among, being an elemental — would only worsen their situation. The government didn’t seem interested in listening to their dire situation and didn’t seem willing to welcome them as returned citizens, despite Black Panther’s help, but Johnny had made a reasonable argument. The government didn’t trust them, the inhumans would be scrutinized, and Crystal could help earn trust by showing a willingness to aid New York’s cause.

The overview of Elementelle’s abilities had been limited, she didn’t trust Doom enough to be overly detailed, but it had satisfied the civilians. They weren’t chanting her name, though she wasn’t sure she was well known enough to be a victim of their anger and disappointment. Nightwing certainly was, and as always, Crystal felt protectively over her friend as he was being bullied. She had no desire to harm the crowd, it would worsen everything, but she did want to get them out of the situation before it intensified any further. “It’s just because I don’t have any,” Crystal retorted quietly, obviously teasing. Elementelle was far from famous, but she did have… kind of fans in the form of young girls who admired their princess. Luckily, she had adjusted to that early on. “I think that sounds amazing. Do you want me to fly us up or do you have a gadget?” Summoning air with so many people around could be problematic, people would feel the effects of her powers and New Yorkers were dramatic. Still, she’d do it for Nightwing and no one would be injured, only offended. It was a small price to pay.