8028/Surprise Party! (part 6)

Surprise Party! (part 6)
Date of Scene:	24 June 2019
Location:	Clint and Skye's, Greenwich Village
Synopsis:	This year's birthday winds down with quiet conversation and an unexpected visitor - May, Clint, and Skye get to learn more about Inhumans from Crystal.
Cast of Characters:	Quake, Hawkeye (Barton), Melinda May, Crystal

---

Quake has posed:
And then the guests were slowly petering out. The barbecue was colling off, but could easily be turned back on to grill another snack should it be wanted. The patio lights out back were a colourful hit of light here and there as they'd been strung out over the backyard and along the archery range. Inside there were the inevitable detritus and remains of an evening well spent, though surprisingly there were very few food leftovers. The bowl that had held the glowing salsa had been licked clean - or looked like it had been at least. Even the cake was nearly gone.

Finally it was just the remaining stragglers, or, if you prefer, the small core of friends who normally called this 'home'. Including a few who didn't live here, but were cherished guests.

Skye, lounging on the former SHIELD issue couch, now repaired, sighed happily. "I think this is my favourite part of a party. AFter most of the folks are gone and it's just quiet, but the place still remembers what it was like with everyone here."

Even the music agreed, playing subdued tunes toned down to neighbourly volumes.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Definitely, Keyboard," Clint agreed as he came down stairs as he adjusted his t-shirt with one hand and held a wrapped gift under the other.

He'd escaped to their room to grab a shirt that didn't stink of cooking meat and sweat. In this case one that read: 4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

He had a ton of stupid shirts like that.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he drops the wrapped package on the Skye side of the gift table and heads towards the kitchen, "Anyone want a beer? Or a slice of beer cake?"

Quake has posed:
Skye looks over with a grin. "Yes. Yes. And you're not really going to make me get up and walk over there to get that, are you?"

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint pops his head back in from the kitchen a bit of icing in the corner of his lip. "What? Ohhh, the present, just a sec," he says and his head pops back into the kitchen.

A short time later he returns, holding a slice of cake on a plate as he snatches up the box with his free hand and brings it to Skye.

Leaning over, he offers a brief kiss, "Happy birthday, Keyboard," he says before standing and sliding down to join her on the couch.

Quake has posed:
"So mean," Skye complains without ire. When he returns with the cake, she ponders, "Think Darcy made Steve's cake?"

It had looked like it, what with the writing on it askew compared to her own.

"Not that I'm complaining, but wonder what possessed her to bake his? You don't think she's sweet on him, do you?" It was a thought, but a rather pointless endeavour if Darcy was. Steve already had a complicated love life by the sounds of it, and wasn't Darcy sweet on Thor? Actually, it was Darcy. She probably had a list.

The box is taken carefully. "Did you wrap this yourself?" Teasing. After all, Steve's gift had been in a manilla envelope, even less taxing a wrapping than her gift to him had been.

Melinda May has posed:
After finishing up the cleaning still pending in the kitchen, May emerges with a plate of her own in hand. A miniscule sliver of cake is there amongst some of the remaining fresh fruit, and she sticks a napkin into Clint's hand as she passes to find a seat of her own.

Yes, she saw his frosting face, and she's STILL unimpressed.

"I got the impression she did," May offers. She doesn't mention that the younger woman had seemed verklempt last time she dashed though the kitchen, but in a happy way. That's not for her to share.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Probably," Clint says with a mouth full of cake.

The writing was the clincher for him on that score. "Really? Darcy? Sweet on Steve?" Clint looks between the two ladies. Totally clueless right there. "Huh, yeah, Steve's got like a waiting list now that Peggy's back," he says and shakes his head. "Worst part is, can't even be mad at the guy, 'cause it's Steve."

As for the present, he chuckles. "What? I am a grown man and an Avenger, what makes you think I can't wrap a gift?" Experience. Experience would be a good reason. Most of the time whatever Clint wraps looks like it got hit by a truck.

"But fiiiine, I got one of the guys in shipping to help me. Anyhow, I hope it's a good gift, wanted to wait until more people cleared out before I gave it to you," he says offering a small, sincere, smile with just a touch of trepidation to it.

Inside the box, when opened, is a photo album, one of those ones with cardboard pages and little pockets to hold the corners of each photo, it's seen better days, and opening it explains why, inside there's pictures of the Inhuman village in Tibet, before the Hydra attack, various people, likely Inhumans, standing in the forground and more than a few feature Skye's mom.

Quake has posed:
"Forget Steve's list, what about Darcy's.. wait, huh. You, an Avenger? Since when?" Because that was news. Skye kicks out with a foot to nudge his leg. "When were you planning on telling me that, Hotshot?" Grinning all the while. He'd given them up when her life had gone to hell in a handbasket, but it seemed like maybe that had changed.

She opens her present while waiting for Clint to answer, and blinks at what she finds inside, confused. "Where'd you get this? This is.." She has no words, but she can put two and two together and come up with it has to do with her past - and by virtue of that, her present and future too. Fingertips lingering over the picture of the woman who she knows is her mother by the single only other photo she has of the woman. "This is.. this is incredible."

Melinda May has posed:
"You know, if you want Darcy's opinion on any matter, all you have to do is ask." Because that is one of the most reliable things about Lewis: she will speak her mind.

She stays quiet after that, letting Skye open her present and react to it. She does shoot Clint a look, though, perhaps a mixture of 'what is that' and 'what have you done now'.

After another moment, she stands and heads back into the kitchen to get a glass of water to go with her plate of dessert.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Huh?" Clint says. "Oh, yeah, when May," he nods towards the Deputy Director. "And I went to talk to them I figured I'd ask, was going to wait to talk to you before I set anything in stone." Not that he'd expected a problem but he didn't want to just say, surprise, I'm an Avenger all of a sudden either!

Judging by the smile there wasn't going to be much of an issue.

As for the present?

"When I was scouting the Inhuman village in Tibet, I found it in one of the houses, I guess it's where your mother was living, so... I sort of kept it." He looks up at May. "Did scan the pictures into our files though," he says as if to prove he didn't entirely just lift the thing without word to SHIELD. "Anyhow, figured you'd want it and then when you decided to go looking for her, I figured this might help."

When May gets up to leave, Clint asks Skye in a whisper. "Scale of 1-10, how screwed am I?"

Crystal has posed:
The party is practically over, which means there //shouldn't// be more guests arriving. But //someone// failed at calendars.

There's a light knock at the door before it opens, revealing one young woman in jeans and a dark green blouse with a potted plant in hand. "Uh, hello?" Crystal says as she peeks inside, checking to see if there's anyone she recognizes. "I, uh. You know, you may not believe this, but we actually use a different calendar system, so..."

Quake has posed:
Skye can't even remember when he and May had gone to talk to the Avengers. It wasn't like she hadn't been caught up in the entire drama of what she could and couldn't do until her arms had healed more, as well as things like Kurt, and well, Steve's gift - and the matching parcels that would be given to Peggy and Bucky now that Steve had his..

"Cool. So gues we're back to don't ask, don't tell, and no ultimatums on job desertion?"

Which was fine in her books. They'd made that deal and lived by it for the first year of their relationship and it had done them well. And most of the folks that frequented their home from either group were mutual friends. The only adjustment would be going back to monitor duty nights.

Skye had some fond memories of those..

"Wait, this mean you'll want to move the couch back to the mansion?" Okay, that might be a bit of an adjustment. Not that she's dwelling. There's the gift in her lap to reconsider. "Her hut, huh? So she'd gone already?" Looking up at him. "What was it like? Did it smell like her? Were there things of hers around. Could you tell she'd been there?" Desperate for some proof beyond this that Jiaying was alive, and not just a story.

As for May's disposition for what he'd done..

"No clue. Maybe a 7? Depends. IF she offers you food you're okay." Skye winces. "Twice now I've got no food. So."

She's about to say more when Crystal peeks in, at first startling Skye, only to be followed with a grin. "Hey, bring the sign in with you, and uh, you missed most of the party, but I think there is still some food." Clearly pleased to see the other woman.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"That's what I was thinking, yeah," Clint says of going back to the way things were before he'd left the Avengers. It had been a good system, and indeed, monitor nights had been fun.

"Hell no!" Clint exclaims. "I stole it fair and square, they already got a replacement for it. The benefits of a team that's organized chaos with a huge budget."

He gives a shrug about the whole thing then turns his attention to the book.

"Seemed like she cleared out awhile before I got there, but in a hurry. Probably why she got out and some of the others didn't. The place is still there, though, if you want to take a look for yourself." It might make a good first stop in Skye's search.

The May question is put aside for now with a nod and a "Guess we'll find out in a second," when Crystal enters. Clint stands and waves and there's none of the standoffishness he had at the Trisk. "Come on in, like Skye said, there's still food and some drinks too, you want anything?"

Crystal has posed:
"Yeah, I was kind of halfway through something when I realized what day it was," Crystal says sheepishly to Skye, reaching back to snag the sign off the door and closing it behind herself.

"But I didn't completely forget!" Thus, the plant. On closer inspection, it's not immediately recognizable in species. It climbs up a small trellis in the pot, with sweet-smelling flowers of white with icy blue centers. "I brought you a present. It grows in Attilan. And it's not too picky, but if you happen to have an air purifier or something, I'd recommend keeping it near that because it's used to much cleaner air." Much like Crystal herself.

She looks to Clint then, offering an easy smile. "Just a glass of water would be fine for me, thanks. Really. Was it at least fun?" she asks, looking around the space. "Plenty of people here to celebrate?"

Melinda May has posed:
It's almost like she was hanging out in the kitchen waiting. (hint: she wasn't.) May emerges again carrying a glass of water and one of those froufrou beer that have become an odd sort of descriptor for this house and its tenants -- odd, unlikely, but successful anyway. She sets the beer down where Skye can reach it and offers the water glass to Crystal.

"I'll make sure they don't kill the plant."

Quake has posed:
Skye gives a sheepish look, "We're not great keepers of living things, but the place is kept fairly clean for the electronics." Which is to say that beyond Alice, their maid, they had something in the basement that was supposed to deionize or something the air and reduce static. Or something leftover from when the place had been a tech lab for SHIELD these past months - Fitz had insisted it was necessary, and like the generator, it had been left behind.

She peers at the thing, "It's pretty. What's it called? And does it like light or shade more?" Wow, Skye actually knew plants preferred one or the other. The sky might be falling in or something. For now, though, the thing is placed on the coffee table, as it happens, beside the now closed photo album. Clint was right, she'd want to start there in her search for more information on the Inhumans. That, and with Crystal - but the searches seemed like two non-intersecting approaches at this moment, still.

"The party was busy. I'm not a huge party person, but looks like once a year this happens. We've planned on holding a small Christmas gathering but the past couple years my life has been a mess just in time for the holidays." Which may or may not have been a good thing depending on your opinion, though Skye was slowly learning to relax in the face of 'normal' people celebrations. Helped vastly by having friends who'd also had difficult childhoods and lives and managed to find spaces to celebrate such things together.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"We can get an air purifier? Should we filter the water too?" Clint asks Crystal nodding thanks to May as she brings their guest water.

"Please, take a seat," he offers still standing.

The conversation about the search done for now he's happy to play host while he ponders what fate May might have in store for him.

Crystal has posed:
"I mean, if you don't have a water filter for you, I feel like it's probably my responsibility to tell you that you should," Crystal smiles ruefully at Clint's question. "Even shade and light, though. I'd keep them from getting //too// hot as well," she adds to Skye. The word she gives for the flowers doesn't sound like it's in English. Or any known language for that matter.

"But I promise it won't hurt my feelings if they don't make it," she laughs. "I just thought that you might like something to remind you that you're not alone. That there are other like you out there. Thank you," she adds to May, taking the water, before she offers a hand over to the woman. "I'm Crystal. And you are?"

Quake has posed:
Skye makes a slight face at May, and complains, "You say that like we can't take care of anything."

Okay, full disclosure, Skye and Clint together barely made one fully functioning adult. Excellent at their jobs, but otherwise hopeless. That the two of them were a couple, and making it, was almost a minor miracle. And yet, they were, and had been.

"May, this is my.. uh, well, she's a friend, and another one of my kind. Crystal, this is May, she's uh.. kinda my boss." Because while it might save awkwardness now, in the long run, it was likely better to get those tidbits out of the way. The exactly nature of Cyrstal's Inhumanness was still hers to divulge, as was May's ultimate position.

The frou-four beer is taken with thanks, and Skye settles back again as the women tend to finishing introductions.

Melinda May has posed:
May shakes Crystal's hand without hesitation, her grip sure but not overly tight. "May." Yes, that's all she offers. She's actually never considered the water system in this place. It's not exactly the newest building in the city and by no means the oldest.

That might be something to look into in her copious free time.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint grins. "I think we do?" he says with a look to Skye. "To be perfectly honest we don't drink a lot of water here."

Well the here part made that true, Clint drank tons when working out at the Trisk, it's just when he got home he tended towards beer and sometimes tea.

"Anyhow, we'll make sure it has a good home," he assures Crystal as he takes his seat.

Quake has posed:
"If coffee counts, we drink water," Skye says, trying to recall when or if she'd ever had a glass of water in her own home. She'd had some in medical because they'd made her, but other than that? Skye wasn't sure that she drank water. It was kind of in that ambiguous category that vegetables were: professed to be good for you, but regarded with scepticism.

Other that that, she lets May and Crystal deal with one another.

Crystal has posed:
"Nice to meet you, May," Crystal nods to May, taking a sip of the water and clearing her throat. "Yeah, you...don't have a filtration system." She looks more amused than otherwise though, settling into her seat and leaning back just a bit.

It seems for a moment as if she's just going to...stare at the glass. And then there's a slight bit of motion in the glass, the water swirling, until the particulates in it all come to the center and rise out before being compressed into a small stone-like object. Crystal sets it neatly on an end table before taking another sip and nodding approvingly.

Well, that was new.

"How have to been feeling, Skye? Has everything healed up all right?" she asks, as if this whole thing was normal.

Melinda May has posed:
Seemingly satisfied that Crystal is okay with the glass of water, May returns with her dessert again. Faintly from the kitchen, the sounds of the electronic tea kettle can be heard, likely getting ready to make tea. She reclaims her seat as well, though she still doesn't give any further clues about how much trouble Clint is in.

Hint: less than he's expecting.

At the question about Skye's recovery from her injuries, May looks at her seemingly interested in the answer as well.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint's eyes widen as Crystal pulls a little rock out of her water with her powers. "Wow," he says giving a look over at Skye. "So, water filter?" he ask her with a bit of a chuckle.

"Neat trick by the way," he says to Crystal.

When May sits, Clint shoots here a look as if to say, 'really? nothing?' Yeah she was so going to let him sweat.

Quake has posed:
Skye gives Clint a 'don't look at me' kinda look. Even if she's pondering could she make particles separate from water only more.. her - you know, fall to the bottom of the glass. She had no clue how the other did the make a stone out of them thing, but hey, she could level mountains, so she wasn't precisely in a position to be nitpicking what someone else could do.

She does, however, make another of those disgusted faces. "Healing is fine. I think everyone is worrying way too much about this. Last scans show the bones have healed over. I'm not allowed to torque my wrists, or carry anything over 20 pounds. I'm to keep up with my finger exercises, and keep increasing the amount of typing I can do a day."

Her disgusted look slips May's way and back, though it shifts somewhat as she sighs, less disgusted, and more resigned. "They're worried because this was so close on the last time I did this. Like I go out and do this every other weekend."

In this particular case it had been pretty darn close to that. More like a month or so apart, but still, before then it had been.. months since she'd done anything comparable, and even then it was limited to overdoing things when she was learning a new skill. Skye had actually started to recognize what it felt like when the strain was too much, and other subtle body signals that were lacking when she'd first come into her powers. "Still would like to take you up on your offer to learn more control, though."

Because, frankly? Skye didn't have many other powered people she could turn to to ask this of.

Crystal has posed:
"I was mostly curious," Crystal admits, raising a hand defensively, smile wry. "You said you could handle it, that's your call. That, and I'll admit I was wondering if you shared some of our other characteristics or if there's been some...genetic drift over the centuries."

Because, science!

"But if you'd like to train in powers, I'd be happy to help," she agrees. "Mine are //slightly// more complicated than water filter," she adds with a wry smile in Clint's direction. "But we've been dealing with this for ages. And I can always loop Gorgon in on a teleconference if we need to. He's the real expert when it comes to powers training."

Melinda May has posed:
At this additional information, May pays close attention even though it only looks like she's sitting there minding a small plate of fruit. Well, until Crystal has officially offered to help Skye with her training.

"As soon as Skye is cleared to begin using her powers again, I'll make sure she schedules time for training." Which means it'll be on the books. And Skye can't duck out of it to spend more time at her computer drinking disgusting cold coffee and bricks of mass produced ramen.

There's a set of electronic beeps from the kitchen and she goes to fix herself some tea, calling back across the way, "Would anyone like some tea?"

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint stays quiet about Skye and her recent bout of healing and on-going restrictions. He happened to agree with her, but not amount of argument from him was likely to sway May or medical on the subject.

"Sure," Clint says about the tea to May before turning to Crystal. "What other characteristics and who's Gorgon?" a beat as some bit of mythical lore surfaces in the back of Clint's brain. "And wait, does he turn people to stone?"

Quake has posed:
Skye is still working on her beer, so that's a negative from her, though she gives Crystal a look that says 'see what I mean?' - because she knows what May intends, even if nobody else there has followed the red tape dots into make it official enough and Skye can't avoid it. It was, ultimately, how she'd intially been made to do her marksmanship certs, arguing the whole while: 'When am I going to need to shoot someone?'

Famous last words or something. She had a reputation in SHIELD for shooting not one, but two fellow agents who should ahve beaten her to the draw.

"I'd like that," she tells Crystal. "And I'd like to visit Attilan if that's still on the books?"

Crystal has posed:
"I'm all right, thank you," Crystal calls back at the offer of tea. After all, she finally got her water so nice and clean. And then there are the questions. She takes another sip, looking between Clint and Skye.

"Other characteristics, such as enhanced speed, strength, reflexes..." She waves a hand as if the list goes on but doesn't need to be spelled out. "And no, Gorgon doesn't turn people to stone," she adds with a wry smile. "Nor does Medusa. Literally. She's not a big fan of the jokes, though." Of course, in true little sister fashion, that just seems to amuse her more.

"As for Attilan, it might be a little bit, but hopefully we should be able to. All of this Sentinel business that's been going on has been a little bit of a concern," she admits.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Wow, you guys are just killing me with the names," Clint says. "Next thing you'll tell me you're not made of Crystal," he says with a bit of laugh.

"Though seriously, glad he doesn't turn people into stone, or your sister for that matter. I don't know what she's like but if my brother could turn people to stone, he'd have turned me before I was five."

Melinda May has posed:
Accepting the refusals, verbal or otherwise, May returns a few moments later with a gently steaming cup in her hands, the aroma of a floral asian tea following her into the room.

It's not what she usually drinks, and Skye will know it instantly by the smell alone. She settles in again and as much as she'd love to interrogate Crystal, she refrains from doing so. For now.

Quake has posed:
Skye pokes Clint with a toe, "Next then you know, you'll be saying my name means I start earthquakes or something," she teases. "Oh, wait, I do."

Okay, that's new. She's never teased about her abilities before. Then again, she'd come a long way since gaining them.

Crystal gets a nod. "I guess you're talking about this Sentinel thing? Do they.. I mean, do we register to them as mutants?" She honestly doesn't know. As much as they had information on them, it wasn't like there were so many Inhumans (that they knew of) roaming in the wilds of New York, and well, Skye had been otherwise engaged.. She has to admit, though, "I've not found any of those things. Super hearing? Can feel vibrations of any sort, or cause them, but no super strength that I know of. My father.. he's human." Albeit a jacked up human, but human.

Melinda May has posed:
Okay, that gets May to pay full attention again, and is shows. She sits forward and studies the woman more directly, as this information can affect SHIELD (and Skye) directly. She glances at Skye before asking one of those direct questions she'd been holding back. This might seem a bit rude, but, well... ask her if she cares.

"How do we know you're who you say you are?"

What? Spies are gonna spy.

Crystal has posed:
"I haven't had a chance to find out yet," Crystal shakes her head to Skye. "Concern for Attilan is less about the Sentinels themselves and more about what they represent, though." She takes another drink of her water, setting the glass aside after. "Just another think to consider if we want to declare ourselves to the world."

There's a flicker of a smile in Clint's direction as well. "Many Inhumans take a new name after terrigenesis," she nods. "Sort of a sign of who they've become. But our family is a little different in a few ways. Partly in how early we underwent terrigenesis. Usually it's more of a right of passage in the early to late teens or early twenties, but Medusa and I were infants."

No doubt there's even more cultural baggage behind that. Instead, she looks back to Skye with a nod. "Genetic drift, most likely," she muses, though May's question forestalls any further explanation on that front.

"Fair question," she agrees with a dip of her chin. "What sort of proof would you like?"

Melinda May has posed:
"What is your full name? And where were you born?"

May is NOT pulling her metaphorical punches today. Maybe it's because she's hit her polite socialization limit all of a sudden. Or maybe Crytal's innocent seeming offer of help has woken the momma bear. Difficult to say. At least she's remaining mostly polite.

She hasn't taken anyone in to have a chat in a SHIELD 'conference' room yet, after all.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Now that's just crazy talk," Clint says with a wink to Skye.

Though this was the first time he'd heard her joke about her powers or the name she got because of them. "It's entirely a coincidence that we call you Quake," he says nudging her back.

He nods to Crystal then, "Makes sense with the names, I mean slightly different reasons, but a lot of us on hero teams do the same thing, so I get it a new identity to mark the changes."

As for May's interrogation, Clint is content to sit back and let the ladies work it out.

Quake has posed:
Okay, /that/ gets a full on push with her foot against Clint's leg. "So. Mean. And you lie. Besides, you didn't call me that first.."

She almost says something of naming, and rites of passage, but May has already stepped in, and well, it's likely better if Skye keeps her intercession until such a point as a referee is needed. Mind, she's hoping there isn't a need for one. Crystal *could* be lying about things, but wouldn't that still make her a mutant? And if so, okay, what reason would she have for courting Skye?

Okay, reason two for not interferring is Skye is curious, and May interrogates better. Skye was more the befriend and get your secrets person. May was a whole other ballpark, let along ballgame.

Crystal has posed:
"Crystalia Amaquelin, princess of Attilan and member of the royal house of Agon," Crystal answers May, unfaltering. For that part, at least. Because after that comes: "By marriage. In a couple different directions. My mother's sister married the brother of Queen Rynda, who was Black Bolt's mother. And then my sister was promised to Black Bolt."

That probably makes sense to her, at least. But if it's a lie, it's got a hell of a lot of detail.

"You're also welcome to check with the Fantastic Four," she adds. "We had some encounters with them while we were in exile when I was younger. I was born in Attilan, but that's not likely to mean anything to you as we withdrew from the world a very long time ago."

She doesn't seem to be worried about the questions, or even particularly intimidated. If anything, she seems to behave as if this is standard procedure.

Melinda May has posed:
"You'll understand, then, if I do follow up with Richards." May says this as matter of factly as everything else, possibly just the tiniest bit mollified by Crystal's forthrightness. But not enough for her to not verify.

"One last question: Where is Attilan?" If this kid tries to liken her 'home' as some variant of Atlantis...

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint just chuckles at the push against his leg. "Never said that I did," he says. "Wish I had though, it's a cool name."

Then it's back to watching the impromptu floor show.

Crystal has posed:
"That, I respectfully cannot answer." Crystal tips her head apologetically to May. "Not yet at least. I'm not sure how much Skye may have told you, but we're finally," she sounds relieved, "Moving toward announcing ourselves to the rest of the world. But until then, I can't endanger our people by delivering them to SHIELD."

"And I wouldn't suggest you confirm with someone if I didn't expect you to speak to them," she adds with a wry smile in regards to Richards.

Quake has posed:
"Mmmm," Skye admits sheepishly, "Nothing."

Her look to May is apologetic. "We were caught up in things, and well.. I'm still dealing with some of this and it slipped my mind. I'm sorry."

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
As the ladies talk Clint gives Skye a nudge and nods towards the stairs up to the bedrooms. "Going to take care of some things upstairs," he says leaning over to kiss her cheek. "Will be back in a bit."

Then with a nod to Crystal and May he excuses himself upstairs.

Quake has posed:
Skye gives Clint a thankful smile, knowing he's leaving them to some privacy for the remainder of the talk, signing after him ~I love you~ as he leaves, and finishing up her beer. Now disappointed she didn't ask for tea. Not that she drinks tea often, but no more drink.. pout.

Melinda May has posed:
At Crystal's polite refusal to explain, May looks at Skye for a moment. That answer will stand, but only until she can talk to Reed. "Then I won't demand an answer. Not yet, anyway." But if her talk with Richards doesn't pan out...

She finishes her tea and with a glance checks to see Skye finishing that beer. So, she plucks the bottle out of the younger agent's hands and heads for the kitchen again. She returns quickly enough with her tea cup refilled... and a fresh mug for Skye.

Maybe that pout was audible?

Quake has posed:
Skye grins when tea is delivered, because, okay, maybe this was a kinda nifty side effect of having damaged hands? Except not really. Much as it was kind of funny right this second, Skye was generally fiercely independent and even more stubborn. Being waited on made her impatient and cranky. Likely a holdover from her childhood where if she didn't do it, or figure out how to get it herself, it didn't happen. That, and bouncing from foster home to foster home and losing several adoptive families in a row had destroyed any sense of trust the young woman might have had in others.

It had taken her a solid couple of years in SHIELD to begin believing in others enough to let them in. Oddly, despite all this, she was a good read of others. Which is why she nods to May. Skye's gut said this wasn't bullshit. Skye's gut also said this wasn't her mother's doing. Of course, May hadn't been privy to the other conversation.

"They're not happy with what Zola did, either," she tells May, knowing this might get her a reprimand for flat out mentioning things this casually, but at some point you had to not only go with your gut, but, as they'd been trying to instill in her, trust people.

"None of us want others to go through what I did without knowledge of what the risks are. What it means." Adding, knowing this might not please Crystal, either, "Her - my.. I don't know, the Inhumans Crystal represents, they have a breeding program. People like myself are more of an anomally to them."

Crystal has posed:
Crystal quirks a brow at the 'won't demand.' Thus far she's been polite and casual, but she's still royalty. "That's very kind of you," she says with the sort of politeness that translates to exactly the opposite.

"I'm happy to answer questions about Inhumans in general. Our customs, our history. I'm happy to answer questions about myself. Meeting with Skye has at least reassured me that SHIELD wasn't actively seeking Inhumans to cause them harm, and that gains you some goodwill in my books," she explains. "And of course, it gains us nothing to start making enemies before we even step into the world."

She leans back in her seat, folding her hands neatly on her lap. "But I must-" And then Skye goes and mentions 'breeding programs' and she sighs, scrubbing a hand over her face. "It's not a 'breeding program,'" she grumbles. "It's a caste-based society that engages in arranged marriages. Not dissimilar from ancient Indian or Chinese practices."

Melinda May has posed:
Secret: May is from said Chinese caste-based society. It's likely the biggest reason her mother cites for having immigrated to the US.

"That isn't exactly a vote in your home country's favor, Your Highness. I've seen what that kind of caste-based system produces. England has nothing on the classism rampant in China."

She takes a sip of her tea to not say anything sharper than she already has. "Do both parties in these arranged marriages have the option to say no?"

It's an innocent enough question... right?

Quake has posed:
"Woah," Skye interjects, "Back the truck up. Just how is a caste based arranged marriage thingy any different from a breeding program?"

Okay, the caste based part Skye only grasps loosely from their former talk, but she fully gets 'arranged marriages' and it sounds like a breeding program to her. Like, if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck..

"You're telling me that if someone from a junk bloodline throws someone with a really cool power, or something really off the charts powerful you aren't going to have them marry with someone in one of the better bloodlines? Cause that's a breeding program. You keep muttering about diluted bloodlines and shit. Don't think I didn't hear that."

Crystal has posed:
"For the record, this is the most American conversation," Crystal points out, still scrubbing a hand over her face until she lets it fall. "No one is forced into a marriage. No one is sexually assaulted on the basis of their genetics." Well, at least she just comes out and says it.

"Yes, we're gene snobs. No, I don't love it. Nor does everyone in Attilan. But we've been doing it for several thousand years, so it takes some time to change minds. And believe me, we're working on it. //My// personal thought is that increased exposure to the rest of the world will light a few fires, but you didn't hear that from me."

She leans into the corner of her chair, talking with her hands now. "The higher your caste, the greater your responsibility to your family and to the kingdom. I //know// that's not a foreign concept in the rest of the world. The royal family and the genetic council are most likely to find themselves in arranged marriages. Are both parties always happy about it?" She grimaces, wiggling her hand from one side to the other. "Not necessarily. But no one's getting dragged to a wedding in chains. As far as calling it a breeding program, that implies that breeding is encouraged, which..."

Sighing, she looks up toward the ceiling. "We're a small, isolated kingdom with limited resources. There are limits on children when possible. But the limits for most people are less about //having// children and more about the opportunities those children may have, which is related to genetic responses to terrigenesis. If a match results in children with an increased likelihood of an adverse outcome after terrigenesis, then the ceremony may be withheld from those children. Which means they're essentially living in a closed society where the majority of people have powers...without them."

She leans forward, setting her elbows on her knees. "Now that cuts across classes. My cousin Karnak's parents decided not to expose him after his brother Triton was rendered aquatic by the change, and implying Karnak is less than...anything is a quick way to get your ass handed to you. But it's not about breeding the perfect Inhuman. It's about //not// limiting your children's opportunities."

Melinda May has posed:
May holds up a hand at this point. "I think perhaps this conversation is best discussed at another time in another place." Aka, not in Skye's home, and not during this party. "It has the potential to become divisive." She cuts a glance to Skye to make sure that she doesn't try to press the topic any further.

"I'm sure will have the opportunity to speak again, Your Highness."

Quake has posed:
Skye looks decidedly cranky at May's stopping the conversation, and an utterly tell-tale stubborn tilt and set of chin is the result, but she doesn't say anymore more than, "If you say so. I should.. check on Clint anyway." Also known as go complain to him out of earshot of their guest.

"I'm glad you came," she tells Crystal. "And thanks for the plant. You can drop by anytime if you wish, or call on me at the Triskelion."

Then she leaves before the urge to say further things about the 'not a breeding program' win out over listening to May.

Crystal has posed:
Crystal sighs, though she raises both hands in surrender. "For whatever it's worth, I'm not interested in forcing our society on anyone else, or preventing anyone in Attilan from seeking a different way of life," she says as she stands. "I spent...most of my teens traveling the world outside of Attilan. Granted, it wasn't exactly by choice, but still. I want nothing more than for the rest of my people to have the same chance to discover the world that I did. Preferably without the being chased by assassins part."

Minor detail, they can cover that later.

"I'm glad you had a good party, Skye," she says with a small smile. "And screw Zola. Because I remember that being an important part of this celebration. I should let you all get back to relaxing, though. Miss May," since she didn't get a rank, "A pleasure to meet you."