Amethyst was not sure she wanted her friends to visit the Mansion.
A few weeks earlier she would have given a lot of gemstones to have someone from Atlantis come and share her annoyance at the place of her diplomatic exile. Even though she did not really have close friends in Atlantis, she had enough royal cousins, court ladies, and distant relations to spend time with whenever she wanted. Some of these ladies, led by her closest cousin who was almost the same age, decided to descend upon Xavier's to "lift her spirits, and see the school everyone was talking about."

The princess would have given a lot for a good old fashioned Atlantean party. But even so, she felt kind of awkward now that the arrival of the court ladies was imminent. The school was very different from what she'd initially imagined, and not exactly a place to throw a party in. The best she could do, since it was a nice sunny day, was to rustle up some tents, set them up in the Mansion gardens, and arrange all the carpets, couches, and armchairs she could find (some of the students helped, in exchange for some shiny stones). Buying wine and refreshments was easier. Keeping away all the curious kids was not.

By the early afternoon, Amethyst had nothing left to do but wait. She was wearing a sea green dress, and silver jewelry complete with a tiara set with turquoises. She was lounging on one of the couches, with the nearby coffee table set with fruit and snacks and drinks. The Atlantean visitors were bound to arrive at any moment.

And then they would have a party.

The shifter circled overhead looking down as the princess inspected the tents. Carrick knew it was her because the amount of the shinies she had on her person each one glinted in the sunlight. He didn’t know why she was setting tents up in fact if she wanted to set up the tents right she wouldn’t put them near the gardens. Too much foot traffic to have a proper ‘show’ all the flowers would most likely be trampled at some point and that ladies and gentleman would have been a headache avoided.

If she would of asked him (she didn’t) he would have suggested further away from the mansion towards the back of the property. Only then would she have to worry less about random kids and flowers and more about the show. What kind of show was she putting on? She didn’t have any talents that he knew about, other than reciting her family tree and singing when under the influence at that bar they went to. Other than that… Carrick shrugged and started to fly lower towards the tent. Another kid was sent away they looked disappointed.

”Wrong color tent if yer trying to attract attention, love.” he called out as he circled over the tent again this time lower. ”What kind of party are we having then?” the shifter called out before he landed and poking his head into the tent and seeing all the couches. ”Where’s the stage?” he asked curiously glancing over the bottles of wine then shifting his attention back to the princess.

Carrick smirked, ”Didn’t even think to ask me to play? Would have given ya a great deal. I’m a gas at parties.” he walked into the tent inspecting everything else. That was when he spotted the food. His tail perked up instantly.

”Looking good today!” he said as he walked towards the food. It could be argued that he complimented the princess but he was looking at the food. Some of which he had never seen before. They must have been Atlantian finger foods.

Praxi was working up her courage. She had bravado, but she needed real courage. She was pretty sure she wanted to be an X-Man. She was also sure she wanted to make friends and be part of this surface world she was carefully appreciating from a distance. Xavier kept reminding her that people were generally good, and she had to remind herself of that, but it was hard; some people made that hard.

The Princess—Amethyst could be a jerk, but the more Praxi was around her, the more it seemed like she was figuring out her own place in a world outside of their bubble. She could be bad, but Praxi was willing to concede she was not the worst. She helped Praxi get Kelyfi back to the Mansion, and while Praxi was not about to say they were friends, she gave the slime girl hope that not even an Atlantean royal was without hope.

Gliding around the campus, enjoying what she was being told would be one of the last good days of warm weather in New York for the year, Praxi noticed the familiar appearance of the royal brat next to a less familiar young man. She had to give it to Amethyst; the girl knew how to be popular.

Taking her normal, humanlike form to avoid surprising Amethyst, (who hated talking to her as a puddle,) Praxi approached. ”Good day! Looks like you’ve put in a lot of work here, which isn’t like you.” It was an observation, not a slight. There was quite a setup in the courtyard, which made her suspicious. ”Unless you tricked this man to setting up a tent for you for… reasons? What are you up to, anyway?”

Amethyst saw the shadow of the flying gorgon a moment before Carrick swooped low enough to start talking. She rolled her eyes. She really did not want to be bothered at her own party by... annoying griffins. Carrick's presence was distracting, and somehow she had the nagging feeling she did not want him at this party for... multiple reasons.

>>”Wrong color tent if yer trying to attract attention, love. What kind of party are we having then?”

"A private one" she shot back, folding her arms.

>>”Where’s the stage? Didn’t even think to ask me to play? Would have given ya a great deal. I’m a gas at parties. Looking good today!”

"You are not invited. I have quests coming." she clarified. She really did not want Carrick to still be there when her friends arrived.

To add even more difficulty to the situation, Praxi materialized out of nowhere somehow, approaching in all her green gooey glory. The princess sighed. She did not need to be anywhere near this party.

>>”Good day! Looks like you’ve put in a lot of work here, which isn’t like you... Unless you tricked this man to setting up a tent for you for… reasons? What are you up to, anyway?”

"This man is freeloading and he needs to leave." the princess frowned "I have friends visiting today. This is supposed to be a private event..."

Before she could go even further into her explanation of the meaning of 'private', a taxi rolled up to the gates of the Mansion, in sight of the tents in the garden. There was a flurry of colorful dresses, shining jewelry, and excited chatter as Atlantean ladies poured out of it. Amethyst's face showed visible distress.

"If you would excuse me please, I'd like to entertain my guests alone."

>>>"A private one" "You are not invited. I have quests coming."

Carrick smirked at her response, clearly she was embarrassed by her other guests. Carrick didn’t mind though, he enjoyed giving the princess a hard time maybe he could give her ‘important guests’ one as well. ”Oh?” his tail flicked behind him curiously raising an eyebrow at the princess as he helped himself to one of the finger foods.

>>>>”Good day! Looks like you’ve put in a lot of work here, which isn’t like you.”

Choking at the appearance of a green girl he stepped back and then beat his chest once to dislodge the food. He needed to stop doing that. Choking, it was dangerous. ”Ah, an esteemed guest!” Carrick waved to the green girl then looked back to the princess. ”Right? Hard work shouting orders.”

Carrick decided the food he choked on a second ago was worth a second go. His tail flicked behind him as he studied the table. ”Not sure she’s cleaver enough to pull a fast one over one me.” he turned towards the pair and reached a hand out to ‘important guest’ for an official greeting. ”Carrick O’Conner, nice to meetcha love.”

”Freeloading?” Carrick feigned shock, ”Ya wound me, here I was thinking I was doing ya a favor willing to be the entertainment.” Carrick pressed his hand to his chest. ”Clearly I misread the situation.” he said smirking to the green girl and tossing the finger food into his mouth.

With his mouth full he added, ”And what ya ashamed of them or something. Can’t be any worse than you right?” he laughed as the princess excused herself. ”Well. She really knows how to make a guy feel wanted eh?” he ignored the colored dresses his eyes picking up on everything shiny. ”Looks like a headache.” the shifter said to the princess’s gooey guest.

Whoever the male friend hanging around the Princess was, she seemed to dismiss him curtly. Given who Amethyst was, that could mean many things. That was her preferred method of social interaction, as far as she could tell.

According to Amethyst, the man was freeloading, which was a point in his favor. Praxi was fine being an uninvited burden for her fellow Atlantean, so she understood the appeal. He did seem to be distressed by something, causing him to choke on his food. Praxi’s “hot take,” as it were, was that humanoid digestive systems seemed faulty. She was glad she could just ingest and dissolve her food. He did call her esteemed, at least, which made her swirl in approval.

Praxi focused on keeping her hand as solid as possible to avoid leaving traces of herself behind when she accepted the hand with her own formed one. ”Eupraxia. Or Praxi is fine.” She took her hand back, her surface rippling slightly.

Evidently Amethyst was hosting a party for friends, which made Praxi wonder what kind of friends Amethyst would believe warranted a big shindig. Carrick thought she was embarrassed, but Praxi connected the dots and felt a sinking feeling overtake her as she tried not to puddle. ”Wait. Friends like…?”

A vehicle pulled up and young women in familiar outfits walked out. Praxi was vibrating watching the brightly dressed party approach. ”Why are they here?” Well, so much for trying to believe people were generally good, but really—these people?

>>”Freeloading? Ya wound me, here I was thinking I was doing ya a favor willing to be the entertainment. Clearly I misread the situation.”

"Clearly you did. If I was going to hire entertainment, I'd have hired professionals." Amethyst shot back. The whole situation was putting her more and more on edge. She did want to admit it to herself that seeing her Atlantean friends again was feeling like a lot of pressure, and greeting them with two obnoxious gorgons did not help at all.

And now it was too late to fix either.

>>”And what ya ashamed of them or something. Can’t be any worse than you right? Well. She really knows how to make a guy feel wanted eh? Looks like a headache.”

>>”Wait. Friends like…? Why are they here?”

"Because they are my friends and I invited them to visit. And yes, they are Atlantean demigod nobility." Amethyst glared at the both of them, smoothing down her skirts "Now. Shoo."

The colorful dresses and glittering jewels were already heading in their direction like a tidal wave of elegance and entitlement.

"PRINCESS!"

His hand was wet. She was gooey. Made sense he didn’t make a big deal about it though and instead when he wasn’t holding her hand anymore he mocked a bow one he usually greeted the princess with to annoy her. ”Take it yer royalty as well?” he asked knowing the answer. Given the princess’s disposition on his mutation he figured she was in the same boat.

>>>"Clearly you did. If I was going to hire entertainment, I'd have hired professionals."

The shifter’s tail smacked a glass off a table in response. He quickly made a show of catching it. ”I’d politely decline, doesn’t get much more professional than me.” the glass he caught was placed lazily and dangerously close to all the other glasses making loud clinking sounds.

Carrick shoved something with shrimp into his mouth and then raised an eyebrow to Praxi mocking surprise at the princess comment ”Bit rude shooing away a friend like that. She’s royalty.” he looked to the princess and shook his head, ”She’s the worst.” he said with an eye roll to the table his hands already empty from the food he snagged earlier. His stomach growled making it that much easier to not read the room.

”Afternoon ladies!” Carrick called loudly in response to them calling to the princess. The shifter turned grabbed another seafood snack and then tossed it into his mouth. ”Which one’s the queen?” asking curiously figuring it be a bigger deal if the queen showed.

Why did Amethyst have to do that? She was frustrating but ultimately tolerable, but Praxi thought that was because she was away from the problems of Atlantis. By bringing in more Atlantean nobility, would Amethyst regress back to the terrible person she probably was in the palace?

Praxi tried to be reasonable. Amethyst was her own person and these were her friends. She had the right to invite them to the Mansion. Maybe they would be a better example of “good” nobles than she was giving them credit for. Though Amethyst’s desire to shoo her and Carrick away inspired doubt.

The goo girl would leave, but Carrick caught her off guard with an assumption she had to laugh at. ”No, not quite. That’s… not really how Atlantis worked.” Surface-dwellers really underestimated how bad things were out in the ocean.

Carrick was… interesting. He seemed unphased by anything, even joking that Amethyst was the worst. That, she did find humorous. Unfortunately, the call of Amethyst’s name from a high-pitched voice approaching reminded Praxi that she should have left before it was too late.

The royal friends flocked to Amethyst, wrapping her in hugs. Privileged Atlantean culture was very touchy, from what Praxi remembered. “It’s wonderful to see you. The travel to this place was ghastly; I do not know how you’ve survived in a garish city like this for so long. Truly a trooper.”

Ignoring anyone but Amethyst initially, Carrick’s greeting and questions drew their attention and a flat look of disapproval. “Oh, do the servants here not know proper decorum? What a strange place where gorgons interfere in the affairs demi-gods…”

Another woman laughed, noticing Praxi and eyeing her with disgust. “Clearly they aren’t trained well here. Look at that thing. Clearly not a worker. Go, run off to your gutter, gorgon,” she tutted dismissively.

Praxi boiled, moving closer. ”I’m a she, not an it, and you can’t tell me where to go.”

Another royal scoffed. “Excuse you, please remember your place.”

Before she could get another word out, Praxi shot back, ”This is my place. I live here. You’re the outsider here, remember?” Her dark eyespots fixed defiantly; she would not let a so-called demi-god think they had power here. Not over her, not anymore.

>>”Bit rude shooing away a friend like that. She’s royalty... She’s the worst.”

"A bit rude crashing someone else's party." Amethyst shot back, but she was more focused now on the ladies heading in her direction. She had been preparing for their visit, but she never added Carrick and Praxi into her calculations.

>>“It’s wonderful to see you. The travel to this place was ghastly; I do not know how you’ve survived in a garish city like this for so long. Truly a trooper.”

"It is lovely to see you, Doria darling" Amethyst smiled, hugging the court lady "I'm glad you made the journey."

>>”Afternoon ladies! Which one’s the queen?”

Carrick was hell bent on making this awful for her. Amethyst gave him a glare.

>>“Oh, do the servants here not know proper decorum? What a strange place where gorgons interfere in the affairs demi-gods…”

"He's not a servant. He's just trying to get free treats." the princess frowned. If Carrick had been a servant, indeed he would have been trained better.

>>“Clearly they aren’t trained well here. Look at that thing. Clearly not a worker. Go, run off to your gutter, gorgon,”

Amethyst winced. Praxi never took well to the treatment of gorgons in Atlantis. And the gutter comment was uncalled for. She could have just gone back to the school, to the rest of the students.

>>”I’m a she, not an it, and you can’t tell me where to go.”

>>“Excuse you, please remember your place.”

>>"This is my place. I live here. You’re the outsider here, remember?”

"Praxi!" the princess frowned, desperate to fix the situation before it got out of control enough to ruin the party "This might be your school but you were not invited to this party. Please leave, the both of you."

Praxi laughed, that was all Carrick needed to know she was quality people. The princess had illuminated how things worked in Atlantis with mutations it sounded depressing. It also answered that Praxi was from Atlantis as well. Maybe they were more fun then the royalty. Did Praxi like to fly? Carrick looked down and out of the tent to examine the flying conditions. ”She’s a royalty, she does as she pleases.” his tail flicked behind him at the princess.

The princess’s friends were interesting… they greeted the princess and then insulted Praxi. Already not looking good for the royals. He never liked the entitled everything was given to them. They never had to work for anything in their lives. His pupils narrowed slightly as he looked to the princess. Tail swaying behind him, ”Ya make me sound like some bum.” he forced a laugh and turned back to the food.

>>>“Excuse you, please remember your place.”

Carrick was about to say something holding up a finger then decided to stuff his face again as the green girl shot back. His tail swayed behind him watching over the exchange there was more to what was going on here he had an idea but didn’t find the need to know everything. He was team Praxi.

Raising an eyebrow at the princess he grinned despite him wanting to roar. His throat might have rumbled a low growl before he cleared his throat. ”Princess, ya didn’t tell me yer friends were so…. charmin’?.” he flashed his canines towards them with a smile, ”This how all the royalty acts to guests? Shame, hate to tell me father the king ‘bout this.” he shook his head slightly acting disappointed, ”Sorry ‘bout that love.” he turned and winked to Praxi grabbing one of the bottles of wine pouring a glass for himself before pouring another and offering it up to Praxi.

”Shame, was hoping to meet the princess’s friends. She described them so well, had to match names to faces.” he smirked towards the princess and set his glass on the table before crouching to tie his shoe. He adjusted the tether around his ankle showing it off before re-ting his shoe hoping to inspire some guilt in the princess.

As much as Praxi wanted to be indignant, Amethyst had a point; she was the party crasher here. As much as the slimegirl disapproved of Amethyst bringing Atlantean nobles to New York, it was her right to do that. Praxi was not the gatekeeper of who could come to the city.

Praxi would have left quicker if not for Carrick starting a fuss and one of the nobles deciding to drag her into it. The comment just reeked of the kind of elitism and judgment typical of high-class Atlanteans. It was an attitude Praxi always loathed, but it was almost laughably out of touch here. She was scared of women like this once upon a time, as crazy as that sounded now.

In Atlantis, Praxi was never docile, but she was cautious. Here, she felt ready to take on the bourgeoisie word for word, but she remembered Amethyst. She had planned all this and seemed to desperately want it to go well. Praxi was the uninvited one here, as much as she hated it. These girls were temporary visitors. To her own surprise, she would try to be the bigger mutant here. ”You’re right. I just wanted to come say hello, but I wouldn’t want to linger and be rude to your guests. Sorry for the trouble, Amethyst.”

The nobles were surprised Praxi would use the Princess’s name, but Praxi was busy being surprised by Carrick’s news. His father, the king? Was he another royal from a different land? Dumbfounded by this revelation, she accepted the glass, holding her form enough not to let it slip through her. She could have just absorbed the whole thing through her arm, but being around so many high-ranking royals got in her head. She raised the glass to her formed lips, letting the fruity, tart, strong liquid pass into her, darkening the color of her head as the deep violet mingled within her. This was surprisingly tasty! And given her lack of a proper system to process it, gave her a pleasant, swimmy feeling.

This was becoming a complete and utter disaster. Carrick seemed hell bent on ruining the party, and whatever reputation Amethyst had left in Atlantis, and Praxi was playing along with his cheeky little game.

>>”Ya make me sound like some bum.”

"If the shirt fits" Amethyst shot back, glaring at him. He was drinking her expensive wine now, and pouring some for Praxi as well. Her friends from Atlantis looked scandalized at gorgons taking such liberty.

>>”Princess, ya didn’t tell me yer friends were so…. charmin’?. This how all the royalty acts to guests? Shame, hate to tell me father the king ‘bout this.”

The princess opened and closed her mouth, completely dumbfounded. Did he honestly want them to believe his father was royalty? From what she knew, he had been a bum for real, and anyway, there was no country she knew of where gorgons could get into that kind of power.

>>”Shame, was hoping to meet the princess’s friends. She described them so well, had to match names to faces.”

>>”You’re right. I just wanted to come say hello, but I wouldn’t want to linger and be rude to your guests. Sorry for the trouble, Amethyst.”

And now Praxi was drinking too. The Atlantean ladies whispered and chattered, throwing glances at the gorgons, and at Amethyst who felt her cheeks turning red under their scrutiny. It took her a moment to gather her strength, raise her chin, and step around the gorgons with a tray of glasses.

"I know, can you believe it? Everything is just so different here from Atlantis. The school doesn't really have strict rules about who goes where and does what. It can even be fun sometimes." she winked at them. They took the drinks, although at least one of them seemed to inspect her glass a little suspiciously.

"So can we, like..." one of the ladies gestured at Carrick and Praxi. Amethyst sighed.

"Just come over here and take your seats." she offered, pointing at the couches and pillows in the other side of the tent. They all walked, giving a wide berth to the gorgons.

"Are you sure she is not like... you know?" one of them whispered to the princess, nodding towards Praxi "... poisonous, or something?"

The whispers were picked up by his pointed elf like ears they didn’t bother Carrick so much but from how his new gullible goo girl friend acted earlier it might have upset her. His tail flicked dangerously close to another glass while he maintained a toothy grin. The princess and her friends wanted them gone but Carrick did enjoy annoying the princess greatly so he continued to hover under the tent.

”Great right?” he asked Praxi as he hefted the cup still playing the role of a king’s son despite his clothing that the princess was so nice to point out. ”Weirder here. They usually don’t allow ‘underage’ drinking even if yer a foreign diplomat.” he said it loud enough for the princess to hear. ”She’s got the good stuff. Glad she invited royalty.” Carrick grinned and then asked, ”So how’d ya know the princess? Cousin? She was nice enough to explain her family tree… in greaaaaat detail.” he emphasized the word.

His ears picked up another comment about Praxi this one more interesting to insulting, ”Great question, are ya poisonous? Shook yer hand should have come with a warning label,” he smirked ”You’d make a great addition to the court if that’s the case. Wrong person to insult especially when drinking in such close proximity of ya. Am I right?” Carrick asked laughing loudly, ”Better that than having to cover yer face with makeup due to too many black heads though.” he might have shot a glance towards the girl who seemed the meanest to Praxi.

The shifter refilled the drinks.

Praxi was suspicious of Carrick’s claims. A country with a Gor—a physically mutated prince? Would that even be allowed? Maybe the father was a human and Carrick was a surprise! A son kept in secret across the ocean? (Or one of them, at least.) It was the exciting premise for something she would see on Binge!

New York was not Amethyst’s element, at least not naturally, but Atlantean politicking clearly was. Despite her annoyance at the challenges, it was actually impressive how she played things off. It was true; the rules were way less strict here. ”Thank the depths,” she muttered, sipping her wine. This was really good! Definitely good enough to keep drinking.

While Carrick had a point about drinking rules, Praxi never expected Amethyst to put great stock in the rules of America. ”Oh, Amethyst is too badass to be slowed down by something like drinking laws. And we’re not cousins, I’d think. Never knew my parents, though.” There was a not-zero chance she was a cast-off reject child from a noble family, but no one would ever know one way or another. ”She’s just someone I know now that I didn’t know in Atlantis.” She was careful with words like friend, because she had no clue if they were, and this was a kinder explanation than calling her the ruling class to her oppressed peasant.

Letting the women walk around them, Praxi heard the questioning comment. It was condescending, yes, but the Atlantean called Praxi a she rather than an it. That was probably enough to count as progress, sadly. With Carrick asking, oblivious to his passive-aggression, something in her, (likely the something that was dissipating into her system,) made her feel unexpectedly helpful. ”Nope! Nothing poisonous about me. I’d just taste kind of like wine right now. Well, unless I drank poison. So hopefully Amethyst isn’t poisoning you all. It would be very Chess of Crowns of her.” Had Amethyst even seen that yet? (Not that Praxi was technically supposed to, given the rating.)