Maya was not entirely calm about returning to Atlantis - which made sense, given that the last time she'd been there she left with a stab wound, and international diplomatic incident, and a bran new little sibling (not that she was complaining about the latter). Still, things were changing, and it was the X-men's duty to make sure they were changing in the right direction. This trip was not a full mission; rather, a friendly visit, with some free time and some activities offering information about Xavier's in case any mutant kids from the island (especially those with visible mutations, still labeled Gorgons) wanted to swap the tropical paradise for school.
Which was about as likely as it sounded.

As an added bonus, Mirror was once again sharing a mission - and the Jet - with Becca. They had been on good terms lately, great even, since they found out about their other-dimension doppelgangers, and they both decided that whole thing was just too weird to stress over. They had both grown over the years, and Maya trusted her friend with her life in any situation. Hopefully, some school kids were not going to be too much for the two of them to handle.

Hopefully.

"Landing soon" Maya noted as Atlantis came into view "So, you think this time I'm gonna get introduced to royalty? I hear she's pretty..."

Rebecca was not entirely calm about returning to Atlantis—which made sense, given that the last time she’d been there she flirted with a princess, was mentally tortured and pushed to her breaking point, deposed a tyrant and nearly executed him in front of the aforementioned princess. The X-Men certainly left a mark (or a scar, depending on who you asked,) on Atlantis, and while their relationship with the island nation was complicated, it was going to be necessary going forward.

Princess—rather, Queen Achlus was working to reintegrate the “gorgons” into society, which was divisive. Plenty of Atlanteans were excited to be reunited with children and family members they had been forced to abandon, but those opinions were not unanimous. Some demigods must have grown accustomed to being the first-class citizens of Atlantis, or they were just bigoted for bigotry’s sake. Even in Atlantis, progress was met with resistance.

The Queen and her counsel hoped to create a home and school for gorgon children based on the X-Mansion’s model. It was noble, but a long-term goal, and one that could make children a target until the tensions calmed.

Enter the X-Men. They were going to check in to make sure the Queen was true to her word, trying to instill positive change, or if she was like the demigods who valued her high place of power. It was not just an inspection, though; it was recruitment. Until the Atlantis Mansion was established, the X-Men were going to determine if they could enroll gorgons who needed or wanted a place away from the strife they grew up with.

They were a two-person team—Rebecca and Maya. Lodestone and Mirror. She understood Maya’s desire to return to Atlantis for the benefit of lonely mutant children. Kalos was a welcome addition to the Mansion, but on one had a stronger connection to the little girl than Mirror. It was endearing to even see them together.

Rebecca, despite her apprehension toward returning to the scene of her mental abuse, made sense as a companion for Maya on the mission. She was not just an X-Man; she was a teacher at the Mansion and she had experience with the island. Her triple role made her uniquely qualified to speak to potential new students.

It was easier to go back to Atlantis paired with Maya. The mirrorwalker had always been a good friend when they were in the same time zone, but a combination of more facetime and bizarre shared doppelganger experiences let them bond further. Now that they were both in New York to stay (hopefully,) they could be the kind of friends she always wanted them to be. Things had been so friendly and effortless, Rebecca did not even feel the need to stay ten meters away at all times on the X-Jet.

They both watched Atlantis come up over the horizon and Maya could not help but bring up the Queen. Rebecca rolled her eyes, sporting a half-smile. ”Aye, she’s bonnie, alrecht. Ye micht hae tae dae most ay th' talkin'. Lest time Ah was haur, Ah did almost make ‘er dad a shish-kebob,” she reminded Maya dryly, before feeling the need to revise her comment. ”Wait, nae, ye only stab a shish-kebob ance. Whit dae ye stab fife times? Coz Ah almost made heem 'at.” Almost losing control was not a proud memory for her. She only hope it did not make things too awkward on their mission.

The Jet touched down on the sand outside the city walls and Rebecca turned to her friend and grinned. ”Ye ready tae adopt a flock ay mutant kids?”

They had a smooth flight to Atlantis, and Maya even managed to land the Jet without causing any damage. There was a landing place cleared for them, as they were not stopping by unannounced this time. Maya was a little nervous about meeting the Queen face to face this time, but it was reassuring that at least she was not alone.

>> ”Aye, she’s bonnie, alrecht. Ye micht hae tae dae most ay th' talkin'. Lest time Ah was haur, Ah did almost make ‘er dad a shish-kebob... Wait, nae, ye only stab a shish-kebob ance. Whit dae ye stab fife times? Coz Ah almost made heem 'at.”

"I'm sure she understands" Maya said without much conviction; brain-washing evil monarch or not, from what she heard and read in the reports, the whole situation had been more than a little chaotic, and tensions probably lingered. Even if the Queen was much better than her crazy father. Daughters of mad kings tended to do well as rulers, right?...

>>”Ye ready tae adopt a flock ay mutant kids?”

Maya undid her seatbelt and grinned.

"Not until that first one learns that she needs to wear clothes in public. Clothes she did not borrow from Gawain, I mean..." it was a little strange to return to Atlantis without Kalos, but she was not ready for a visit just yet. And maybe there were other kids that needed similar help.

"Alright, let's go get introduced to the hot queen..."

Maya was a good friend in her attempt to assure Rebecca that their meeting with the Queen would go fine, but her heart was not in it. She was not at the altercation but she had been filled in on the details eventually. It was natural for Maya to be curious when her whole team returned to the X-Jet shaken to their collective core, weighed down by everything they mentally endured.

As much as she knew it would be, Rebecca did not want the trip to be dominated by bad memories of their first trip to Atlantis. They had a mission and Atlan was no longer a problem. Maya did her part by bringing up Kalos, which was a sure way to get them both smiling. ”Aye, as far as divides in cultural norms, commonplace nudity is probably a guid place tae start.” Rebecca’s transition into American culture seemed tame in comparison to the tiny Atlantean.

Maya landed them safely and they were one step closer to an official Atlantean return. Rebecca took a deep breath as she slipped her shield onto her left forearm. She would disarm if asked, but it would be a mostly symbolic gesture, since she was a weapon near metal spears. They were almost killed in their last trip, and Rebecca preferred to take safety precautions whenever possible.

Flipping the hood of her half-cloak up, Rebecca nodded. ”Yep, let’s go.”

The two X-Women stepped out of the jet and made their way across the sands to the gate into Atlantis. Two guards stood watch, following the newcomers with their eyes. Rebecca noted that while one was a classically handsome man with olive skin and chiseled features, the other guard was a woman whose skin was pitch-black and almost did not seem solid. Her helmet revealed little through her eye-slit besides the same darkness and two glowing yellow eyes. Rebecca was still unsure what to expect in the former-paradise, but seeing the military desegregated was a good start.

“State your purpose,” the male guard asked once Rebecca and Maya were a few steps away.

”We’re here tae meet wi’ th’ Queen oan behalf ay th’ X-Men.”

The male guard winced slightly at Rebecca’s voice, reminding her that not everyone was excited to see them again. The female guard was the one to reply, her voice more ethereal. ”Understood. The Queen is expecting you. I will guide you to the throne room.”

Rebecca wanted to say she knew where it was, but her comment might seem in poor taste. She knew well enough to realize they were being accompanied as an act of caution rather than hospitality. The guards opened the gates into the city and the X-Women followed into the city to see how it changed under new rule.

>>”Aye, as far as divides in cultural norms, commonplace nudity is probably a guid place tae start.”

Maya snorted at that. It was definitely the place to start, good or bad, since she only had to look away for one second, seemingly, before Kalos went running around pink and naked, and once she did, she was surprisingly hard to locate and dress again. Talk about cultural differences...
They put the Jet down and got out of their seats. They had to be a curious sight side by side; for someone who was (sometimes) named after a knight, Maya looked positively modern next to Becca's shield and half-cape. She was wearing her usual X-uniform of cargo pants and the tight-fitting blue tank top, wondering if anyone would think that she was not dressed up enough for a royal audience...

The guards were impressive, at least. Maya did not have good experiences with them from the past, but at least one of them was a Gorgon, which meant they had taken steps in the right direction.

>>“State your purpose,”

>>”We’re here tae meet wi’ th’ Queen oan behalf ay th’ X-Men.”

>>”Understood. The Queen is expecting you. I will guide you to the throne room.”

Maya glanced at Becca, who had taken the lead, and they walked along together towards the throne room. For better or worse, Becca had met the queen already, back when she was still a princess. Maya was going to let her talk, until needed otherwise.

Rebecca knew Atlantis would be a different place than they left it, but had no idea what that would entail. Outside media was being kept off the island during its rebuilding phase, so they were limited to status updates sent to them by the Atlantean government.

The mood of the city was certainly different. When they first arrived, Atlantis seemed like a never-ending party. People had been in the streets and waterways greeting newcomers and enjoying their easy lives in the same condition Kalos was so comfortable in. Their return brought them through thinly populated streets. The idea left Rebecca uneasy; the fewer people she saw, the more she worried they were walking into yet another throne room trap.

For the most part, the main road was still lined with fine buildings, but small details noted that things were no longer idyllic. Stray dents or cracks in doors and walls, shop signs torn down, and one example of a painted word in Greek on the side of a building. Rebecca could not read Greek, but her gut told her the word was nothing pleasant. Of course, her real concern would be the condition of the Necropolis and the gorgons who lived there in poverty and squalor.

The guard walked them into the throne room and a shiver ran down Rebecca’s spine as they entered. There was no trap, but the space just carried bad memories. There were guards standing next to either side of the throne, but the occupant of the seat was younger and more beautiful than the man who sat there on their last trip.

”Queen Achlus,” Rebecca said reverently, bowing her head low. She was not well-versed in Atlantean customs, but she hoped bowing was universally acceptable.

The Queen stood and took steps closer to her guests. Wisps of smoke trailed from her arms, legs, and white hair, as if her extremities were moments from fading away. Atop her long white hair was a crown of red and gold coral Rebecca recognized as her father’s old adornments. ”Rebecca.”

Her tone and expression were neutral, giving nothing away. It was a far cry from the excessive friendliness she exhibited on the first trip. Then again, she was under the mental sway of her father to be the perfect host.

The Queen turned to Maya and offered a slight smile. It made sense; Maya made no attempts to kill her immediate family. ”And a fellow X-Man, I presume?”

As promised, Rebecca played her role with introductions. ”Thes is Maya Morris. Mirror.” She turned to her teammate and gestured to the monarch standing before them. ”Maya. May Ah introduce Her Highness, Queen Achlus.”

The Queen of Atlantis was really a sight to behold. Not in a 'look, hot chick!' kinda way, as much as Mirror liked to joke about it (she had a sense that Becca got flirty with the princess once upon a time), but rather, in an ethereal beauty kind of way, that made it hard to look away from her form and her graceful movements. Becca bowed to her, and Maya mimicked the gesture; she had some practice with medieval etiquette, courtesy of all the Ren faires she had been to. It was funny to be standing in front of actual, real life royalty, though.

>>”Queen Achlus,”

>>”Rebecca.”

There was chill in the air; Maya knew the gist of what happened last time the two women met, and she could not blame them for being cautious at this encounter. The queen turned to her next with a smile.

>>”And a fellow X-Man, I presume?”

>>”Thes is Maya Morris. Mirror. Maya. May Ah introduce Her Highness, Queen Achlus.”

"Your Highness" Maya nodded with as much grace a she could muster "It is an honor to meet you in person."

Maya’s etiquette was flawless as she bowed to Atlantean royalty. Achlus accepted the praise with a warm smile and a nod of recognition. ”And it is my pleasure to host you both.”

The smile was comforting, and Rebecca found herself smiling as well. ”Thenk ye, Yer Highness. Ah know yer time is valuable an’ we hae much tae discuss.”

Achlus nodded, waving off her guards. ”You are dismissed. I am not so easily stabbed, after all.” And there went Rebecca’s smile. She never landed a killing blow, but she still felt the label of “Kingslayer” emblazoned on her identity.

The guards marched in time through the door and stationed themselves outside the throne room, leaving the three women alone. Rebecca was worried the tone of their meeting was set, but she wanted to make some effort to ease it before they began. ”Queen Achlus, Ah’m sorry if—“

”You may stop, Rebecca,” Achlus interrupted, rubbing her temples. In private, her tone was less “official” or “regal.” It was comforting, if slightly odd, to see her acting like a person rather than a monarch. ”I understand. My father did terrible things to many people. After his trial, he was…” The sentence drifted off, but it was enough to imply the former king’s fate. ”But he was still my father.”

Rebecca’s eyes fell to her feet. ”Ah know.”

Achlus sighed, dismissing her concerns with a wave of her hand. ”The past is the past. I just want to return peace and prosperity to Atlantis—to all of Atlantis.”

It was nice to know, despite their tense final meeting, the X-Men and the Queen of Atlantis could join together behind a common goal. ”That’s wha we aw want,” Rebecca assured her.

The Queen gave her a reassuring nod and drifted to Maya. Her hand brushed Maya’s arm as she spoke, reaffirming that Achlus’s touchy nature was not just a product of her father’s conditioning. ”I appreciate your visit. We are looking to make strides for everyone, especially the gorgons, but progress moves slowly.”

Her furrowed brow and troubled expression faded back into a perfect smile when she reminded herself of the reason for the X-Men’s visit. ”The children of Atlantis sometimes suffer worst of all, sadly. Please explain again your plan to provide them aid.”

>>”You are dismissed. I am not so easily stabbed, after all.”

Maya shot a quick glance at Becca, just in time to see her smile falter. She knew her teammate harbored feelings of guilt over what she had done back when the mad king was in power - or rather, almost done, but in Becca's mind they were the same thing.

>>”Queen Achlus, Ah’m sorry if—“

>>”You may stop, Rebecca. I understand. My father did terrible things to many people. After his trial, he was… But he was still my father.”

If anyone asked Maya, she would have said whatever the old guy got, he deserved double. She was glad no one asked. She had seen the dark side of Atlantis up close and personal, and Kalos could still come up with accidental comments or memories that made Maya want to punch the man personally. Of course, telling the queen that the world was a better place without her father was probably not the best tactic for now.

>>"The past is the past. I just want to return peace and prosperity to Atlantis—to all of Atlantis. I appreciate your visit. We are looking to make strides for everyone, especially the gorgons, but progress moves slowly.”

Maya nodded. They had seen the signs along the way. The queen brushed closer to her, and she once again got distracted by how beautiful she looked. Still, they had to focus on the situation at hand...

>>”The children of Atlantis sometimes suffer worst of all, sadly. Please explain again your plan to provide them aid.”

Maya cleared her throat.

"Well... Ideally, Atlantis would get its owns school... or schools, that are integrated, and free for everyone, with the resources that our own has to offer. But that will take time, and planning, and probably a team of educational experts... in the meantime, we wanted to offer children a chance to come study at Xavier's, under our supervision. Some of them might... benefit from spending some time away, in an accepting and safe environment." the implication might have offended the queen, but Maya trusted it wouldn't; it earned a raised eyebrow but no denial.

"Think of it as a... study abroad program?"

Rebecca watched as Maya seemed momentarily preoccupied by Achlus and her touchy nature. The Queen was an unparalleled beauty, and her mutation made her look like she was beyond their plane of existence. Rebecca had been with Vanessa at the time of their first meeting and even she could not keep her mind from wandering. It would be hard to blame the knightly Maya for becoming enamored with the Queen.

Fortunately, her teammate was able to compose herself enough to explain their intentions. In the long term, they wanted to assist Atlantis in creating a school of their own based on the Mansion. Until the project was completed, Maya and Rebecca were in Atlantis to offer children a chance to return to America with them. ”It’s nae jist abit skale, ay coorse. Th' Mansion will allaw students a place tae socialize, tae live, an' tae feel protected. Fraw whit Ah understand, many ay th’ gorgon children who ur still orphaned hae naewhere tae gae. Thes coods fix ‘at.” A boarding school would give mutant children a place to live without trying to force children upon “demigods” who might not give them a safe space in their homes.

Achlus considered everything carefully. She knew what they were coming into Atlantis to do, but she wanted to hear their plan and intentions straight from the X-Men. She was enough of a realist not to take offense when her nation was implied to be an unsafe environment. ”This is probably for the best, I’m afraid to admit. You have my consent to walk the streets of Atlantis, including the Necropolis, to seek out gorgon children with your offer. I’m not hiding the condition of my nation: it’s healing, but the process is slow.” There was disappointment in her voice, like she was expecting more from her subjects.

”The guards can guide you to a make-shift shelter in the Necropolis. It was our effort to provide a roof for the children to sleep under. Some might congregate there, but… not all. Many of them see it as an easy place to get attacked.” The Queen’s actions were full of good intentions, but she was ashamed of the obstacles still in her way. ”They’re not entirely wrong, sadly.”

Rebecca felt for the ruler of Atlantis, who was doing what she could to undo the atrocities of her father only to be met with resistance and hate. Atlantis was no paradise; it was a place just like any other in the world. ”Yer makin’ strides. One day, thes will aw be something Atlantis has moved past, but until then, Ah’m glad tae see th’ gorgons hae an ally in their queen.”

The idea had been with the X-men since they returned from Atlantis with Kalos. Seeing how the coral girl marveled at simple everyday things like hot water and her own bed, Mirror could not help but think of all the other Gorgon children like her, and how they could benefit from the Mansion resources - at least until things stabilized in Atlantis. That was why she volunteered for this trip, and she hoped that they would get the necessary information for people who needed it the most.

>> ”It’s nae jist abit skale, ay coorse. Th' Mansion will allaw students a place tae socialize, tae live, an' tae feel protected. Fraw whit Ah understand, many ay th’ gorgon children who ur still orphaned hae naewhere tae gae. Thes coods fix ‘at.”

"You already know that we have one Atlantean child at the Mansion" Maya added; it was only fair to inform the queen about them having a child under their protection, although Mirror herself did not specify who it was, for safety. "They are settling in very well. And making friends."

And family, she wanted to add, but the queen already looked preoccupied enough with the thought of her people finding safety somewhere else.

>>”This is probably for the best, I’m afraid to admit. You have my consent to walk the streets of Atlantis, including the Necropolis, to seek out gorgon children with your offer. I’m not hiding the condition of my nation: it’s healing, but the process is slow. The guards can guide you to a make-shift shelter in the Necropolis. It was our effort to provide a roof for the children to sleep under. Some might congregate there, but… not all. Many of them see it as an easy place to get attacked... They’re not entirely wrong, sadly.”

Maya could not help but frown a little, which she immediately realized was rude. She knew the queen was doing her best, and she was not frowning at her at all; rather, the faceless (but no doubt gorgeous) Demigods that felt like it was justified to attack a shelter full of mutant children because they did not want to look at them. It was not solely an Atlantis problem, or even a mutant problem, but it also did not make Maya want to punch pretty faces any less. Becca probably felt the same.

>>”Yer makin’ strides. One day, thes will aw be something Atlantis has moved past, but until then, Ah’m glad tae see th’ gorgons hae an ally in their queen.”

"She is right." Maya agreed with a nod "It is not easy to turn centuries of staus quo around. But you have already done more in a few months than others did in those centuries." she added with a smile. She was relieved to see a faint smile on the queen's face too.

"We should go, and leave you to your work" she added, glancing at Becca "We will start at the shelter, and see if we can talk to some people about spreading news of she school.We will keep you informed of how things are going. Thank you... for your cooperation,
Your Highness."

Maya spoke of Kalos’s initial experience in America, assuring the queen they were providing a safe, nurturing environment for the young mutant to grow. They informed the Queen of Kalos once they landed in New York because they knew it would hurt diplomatic conditions if they stole an Atlantean citizen without so much as a word. The delay was intentional, of course; the queen was less likely to demand Kalos’s return if she was already in New York.

Both X-Men offered words of support to Achlus. She was in a difficult position through no fault of her own. Like the X-Men themselves, she was working to do the best she could in the face of people who could only resist change and acceptance. Rebecca nodded as Maya laid out their plan; the shelter was the logical place to start spreading the word of the Mansion.

”Aye, we thenk ye fer yer support an’ yer kindness, Yer Highness,” Rebecca sad, bowing her head low.

Her gaze lifted back up when she felt a feather-light touch on her shoulder. Achlus had one hand on her and one hand on Maya. ”And thank you for all you’re doing for Atlantis. Travel safely.”

---

The vigilantes-turned-mutanitarians were walking unaccompanied down the streets of Atlantis. They had been provided directions by a guard, but Rebecca was letting Maya take the lead. During their last trip, she had been the one to explore more of the city, including the Necropolis. She would be the one who could tell how much better or worse things were really getting.

Rebecca looked over her shoulder at the Atlanteans they were passing. “Demigods” whispered as they walked by, possibly aware of who they were and what they did in their last visit. Small groups of older “gorgons” avoided eye-contact, assuming them to be like the demigods they were used to. It was disheartening, but as they said, change was slow.

It was time for a mental subject change. ”Sae, Maya… was th’ Queen everything ye waur expecting?” It was the redhead’s second time meeting Achlus and she still found it difficult to shake the fluttering feeling in her stomach at the smoke-elemental’s gentle touches.

They walked away from the palace, and Maya was breathing easier now. She had never seen Atlantis as the paradise it was intended to be; since at her very first visit she had taken the less-than-scenic route, she knew the bad side of the place before she would have gotten enchanted by the good. She could tell that people were staring at the X-uniforms with mixed emotions. For some Demigods no doubt they were the symbol of the end of their cozy little segregated lives; for Gorgons, it might have been scary, seeing two foreigners walk around like that. Becca must have felt the same, because she spoke up again.

>>”Sae, Maya… was th’ Queen everything ye waur expecting?”

"Well... dunno, she's a little skinny for me." Maya grinned, clearly joking. The queen was a beauty, in an ethereal way, they both agreed on that. "Is she always this... um, touchy-feely?"

Maya’s joke about the Queen of Atlantis earned a chuckle. They both knew Achlus was some kind of otherworldly beauty, so the notion that Maya was willing to claim the queen was not her “type” struck Rebecca as farfetched. Atlantis was filled with gorgeous mutants, but that came at a great cost, they discovered. It was a little victory that Achlus happened to be beautiful and kind, unlike so many of her “demigod” brethren.

>> "Is she always this... um, touchy-feely?"

Rebecca nodded, rolling her eyes. ”Frae whit Ah’ve seen, aye. Mebbe it’s jist a habit she cannae kick, bit she was constantly givin’ wee tooches tae everybody in th’ group,” she explained, recalling their walk through the seemingly idyllic town center of Atlantis. ”Ah was wi’ Nessa, bit Ah had a hard time keepin’ focus wi’ aw ‘at.”

Rebecca had done nothing wrong during her trip to Atlantis, unless mild flirting could be held against her, but her thoughts wandered once or twice. She wanted to attribute those lapses to residual effects of Atlan’s telepathy breaching her defenses, but Rebecca just had to accept she had a weakness for pretty women touching her. It was not like anything came of it!

Well, with Achlus, she reminded herself in disappointment. Somewhere along the line, Rebecca had become a bad girlfriend, which was a hard thing to come to terms with on her own.

In the meantime, Rebecca could distract herself by nudging Maya’s shoulder. ”Who knows? Mebbe ye’ll woo her wi’ aw ‘at charm ay yers,” she teased. ”Maya, consort tae th’ Queen. Has a ring tae it.” The joke drew a sideways glance from a nearby Atlantean, but Rebecca was paying the “demigods” little mind.

>>”Frae whit Ah’ve seen, aye. Mebbe it’s jist a habit she cannae kick, bit she was constantly givin’ wee tooches tae everybody in th’ group... Ah was wi’ Nessa, bit Ah had a hard time keepin’ focus wi’ aw ‘at.”

"I can see why." Maya chuckled. Becca had a weak spot for pretty women, which really no one could blame her for, and the queen was certainly that, and more. Maya wondered if it was an Atlantean thing, or her personal strain of friendliness that made her so physical; she had not spent enough time on the island to see how others interacted, and definitely not enough to observe them while they were not actively trying to hurt X-men. Maya glanced around at that thought.

>>”Who knows? Mebbe ye’ll woo her wi’ aw ‘at charm ay yers. Maya, consort tae th’ Queen. Has a ring tae it.”

"Do I look like a trophy spouse to you?" Maya grinned at her teammate "Besides, I'm named after someone who almost got his head chopped off for courting a queen, so..."

They left the shining streets of the palace district behind, and they were getting close to the Necropolis. Balanced at the edge was the building the guards had pointed out - the new shelter for Gorgon youth who did not have anywhere else to live.

"Yeeeah... They've got ways to go" Maya noted, frowning, and she looked the shelter over "But at least she's trying?... Do you have a good sales pitch in mind?"