WHO: Xavin and Sue Storm WHAT: Partner thread: Xavin goes to meet a legend and finds a nice person WHEN: Recently WHERE: Out and about. WARNINGS: Mentions of war, comic book violence STATUS: Closed and Complete
Xavin had not seen the Storms before, up close, and suddenly discovering that one of them, even if she did not look quite like the Sue Storm of Xavin’s world, was here, filled Xavin with both curiosity and dread. Ze knew that the Fantastic Four of zir world had many reasons not to like Super-Skrulls, and even if Xavin had never attacked humans, that did not change what ze was.
So it was with some trepidation that Xavin was out today, thinking, when ze came around a corner and saw, there in front of zir, the very person ze had not been looking for.
Xavin facepalmed, then sighed. Some things were unavoidable. Ze approached Sue and smiled. “Pardon me, miss. Are you Sue Storm? Of the Fantastic Four?”
***
Sue had just been going about her day, running a few errands here and there as she juggled getting things ready for the Prom. Archie'd had a great idea to put it all together so of course she was going to help. There was very little she wouldn't do for her ward because he was a great kid. Plus, she was kind of hoping Adam might ask her to go with him.
When she turned the corner, someone unfamiliar approached her. "I am," Sue replied, a little cautious and definitely on alert. "How do you know about the Fantastic Four?" Her abilities weren't something she opened up about or talked about freely on the network. To some trusted people, sure, but not to just anyone. She didn't recognize the person standing in front of her.
"Who are you?"
***
Taking a large breath, ze spoke. “My name is Xavin, and on my world, we’ve met briefly, fighting bad guys. Or I’ve met a version of you, and your family, anyway. I’m a member of a race called the Skrull, shapeshifters who also happen to spend a lot of time at war, and some of our former leaders had dumb policies, including ones that led to my people and your group clashing.”
Xavin sighed, rubbing zir face. “But they also developed Superskrulls, each given your powers. Ones like me. I am… a third generation Superskrull. I’ve never fought against you, nor do I desire to. I just… when I learned you were here, i thought it would be better to say hello, than for you to find out otherwise I was here, and assume the worst.” Zir nerves were bouncing all over the place, and if anything, Xavin looked even younger than normal.
***
Sue could tell right off the bat that Xavin was nervous, but she didn't really understand what she was being told. So these Skrulls and Superskrulls were warriors that fought all the time. "Well, I haven't met you yet, I don't think," she replied gently. She didn't think she was terrible or scary or anything like that, so she thought it would do more harm than good to push the kid away.
"So," she started, giving zir a smile as she held out her hand, "Hello, I'm Sue Storm. It's nice to meet you, Xavin. Have you been in Madison Valley long?" Sue didn't want to make zir nervous if she could help it and she hoped that this would make zir feel better.
***
Xavin smiled, glad that this was going well. “Thank you.” Shaking Sue’s hand made zir smile wider. “A few months. Not a long time, but long enough to mostly get used to the place. You?”
Ze liked the way this woman was brave. It spoke well of her and her people.
“I’m just mostly still learning human ways and the differences in our cultures.”
***
Sue smiled warmly in return. "You're quite welcome," she replied, grateful ze wasn't against the idea of starting fresh. She was always happy to meet new people and get to know others in Madison Valley. As far as she was concerned, the only person who wouldn't get a fair shake from her would be Victor von Doom.
"I've been here for about ten months already, which is sometimes hard to believe. I got here at the end of July last year," she explained easily. "I was actually just about to stop for a snack somewhere. Do you want to join me? I'd like to learn more about you and your people, if that's something you're comfortable with?"
It was a tiny white lie, since she hadn't actually been thinking of stopping, but she didn't want to just brush the kid off.
***
Xavin smiled at the woman. Sue was definitely a kind one. She had noticed that a lot of people here were welcoming. It was different and not normal. It was different. Not a bad thing, really.
“That is quite a long time, indeed. And I would be glad to join you.”
Xavin smiled. Maybe ze was making headway in learning how to be like humans. “I should change, since I was working a moment ago. Pardon me.” Ze knew some people found this odd and disconcerting.
Ze looked around, making sure no one was watching and zir form shimmered. Suddenly, just like that, ze wore a different set of clothing, and zir hair was pulled back into a ponytail.
“Better!”
***
"Great! There's a little cafe just up the block that'll be perfect for some iced tea and probably a few freshly baked cookies," she replied with a grin. Sue had started to move again, to lead the way, but then Xavin said something about changing and she honestly didn't really comprehend what ze meant until she watched as ze changed zir appearance.
"That must come in handy," she mused, very interested as to how it was possible to change one's appearance so easily. Skrulls clearly had formidable skills. "Have you always been able to do that?" she asked as they started on their way.
***
“That sounds good.” Xavin nodded as ze followed Sue.
“I have. It is a racial ability of my people. I can scan, and then duplicate any living thing, and I can create the appearance of non-organic clothing over my body.” It was really just still zir, with the weird way such things worked, a kind of extradimensional mass shifting the way Skrulls could become dinosaurs if they wanted to.
“It’s a lot easier these days as I shift more. I generally wear a human guise when out amongst humans, so as to not scare them. No offense intended.”
***
"Oh, please don't worry about that," Sue replied, waving off zir assurance that it wasn't meant to be offensive. She was more curious than anything else, but she'd always been able to set aside her scientist side to treat people like human beings, or Skrulls in Xavin's case. She'd have to try to keep the questions to a minimum.
"People generally don't like things they can't understand or explain. Being an alien race would make things much more difficult if you were open about it to the wrong person. I hope, at least, that the others like us, who've been brought here, are more understanding? Or have you kept that under wraps?" If it was a secret, better she know that now. She wouldn't want to accidentally out Xavin.
***
“Thank you. You’re a good person. It’s nice to know you, to meet you, I mean.” Xavin was honored to meet a warrior with such grace and passion, and kindness. In a way, this woman reminded zir of Karolina. And Xavin felt a pang of loss and memory for that old love.
“I mostly simply do not reveal it, but I do not actively conceal it either. Some know, some do not. If it comes up, I do not keep it secret. Most see me as a male or a female, depending on which body they see me in. And it is instinct for my people to try to fit in, to become what is expected.” Xavin had no opinion on it. It was just how it was.
“There is one here from my homeworld who knows me, personally, the second Hawkeye, known as Kate.”
***
Sue found Xavin rather charming. She hoped that after a bit of time spent together, ze wouldn't be too nervous anymore around her. Certainly not around her brother, either. She made a mental note to mention Xavin to Johnny so that he'd maybe be a little sensitive to it if their paths ever crossed.
"It's nice to meet you too," Sue promised in return. Ze had excellent manners and she didn't quite see the warrior side of Xavin, but that was probably by design. Infiltration would be much easier if zir race didn't appear threatening. "I think I've seen Kate posting on the network. She seems nice, and it's always better when you've got friends here, that's for sure. I'm lucky that my brother was here for as long as he was before I was brought her." She probably wouldn't get over just how much her brother had changed, but she was so happy for him.
"Have you met Johnny yet? Here, I mean?" Sue held the door open to the cafe for them and let Xavin walk in first.
***
Xavin was slowly relaxing, a little, finding zirself still a little awed and bouncy, even. Ze was hoping to really integrate into life here. Who better to get to know than a prominent person like Sue? Besides, Sue was nice.
“I haven’t, no. But I think I would like to, yes. If he is anything like you, it would be an honor to do so.” Ze nodded.
“Do you enjoy this place?”
***
Sue was glad to see Xavin with a little bounce in zir step as they made their way inside the cafe. "My brother and I are a lot of things, but similar isn't usually the first word anyone uses to describe us," she replied with a grin. "He's a good guy though, with a good heart. He's been here for over three years now and he's got quite the life set up for himself."
She was so proud of Johnny for how far he'd come and it showed in her tone. Sue picked a seat at an empty table and gestured for Xavin to take the seat opposite her. "I've found a lot of things to enjoy in Madison Valley. I never really embraced being a superhero the way my brother did," she admitted with a grin. She didn't think Xavin would hold it against her.
***
“Oh? Oh! Alright. That does make some sense.” Xavin listened, and smiled.
“You’ve already proven yourself to be far more of a good person than tales told. If you say he is a good man, then that is good enough for me.” Ze was sure that it would be so.
Xavin settled opposite Sue and nodded, listening. “The life is not for all. While I was a warrior, I was never a true superhero. My group, after all, was called the Runaways. Our battle cry was ‘Try not to die.’.” Xavin nodded.
***
She hadn't meant it in a bad way about her brother, not in the least. She loved Johnny to the moon and back, and while he'd grown up quite a bit, Sue wasn't completely without her joker of a brother. "I couldn't imagine being here for three years, but it helped me accept that our time here is just a moment from one blink to the next in our worlds," she explained. Plus, the town was kind of growing on her.
"The Runaways?" Sue looked Xavin over. "Just how old are you?" Being called the Runaways and having a motto like theirs made her think that ze wasn't nearly as old as she thought ze was.
***
“I am 19 of your Earth years old. When this began for me, I was sixteen in your measurements. More than legal in my own world’s counting.” Xavin raised an eyebrow, almost daring the woman to challenge zir there.
“Many of my fellows were below or around that age, and forced to stay on the run to both stay together and stay alive.”
***
Nineteen! And ze had been sixteen at the time ze'd started! Sue knew better than to comment, but her facial expression gave away some of her surprise at hearing that. She was altogether reassured, at least, that there wasn't much cause for them to use their abilities in Madison Valley unless they wanted to. She was absolutely okay with not being needed as Invisible Woman.
"Well, Madison Valley must be a nice reprieve from that," Sue replied, somewhat diplomatically. A waitress came by and she ordered a cup of tea and a chocolate chip scone, before letting Xavier order.
Once the waitress had gone off, she added, "I'd be interested to learn more about your team."
***
“It is. Though often confusing, the people here do bring a measure of relief from conflict.” Ze nodded. “And there is Kate, and now you, and others who I talk to. Somehow, it feels calm.” Ze smiled a little, knowing ze would not always have been glad of calm.
Ze added her order in, then sat back.
“I’d be glad to tell you of them. Could you tell me more of yours? I’ve heard stories, but I feel yours would be more accurate and more… human.”
Either way, reassured, ze began to tell Sue about the Runaways, and the story of how ze had joined. And knew, in zir heart, that it would be okay.
***
Sue couldn't begin to understand what Xavin must be going through, trying to adapt to an entirely new culture. "Calm is always good," she replied, grateful to be able to provide some of that for Xavin. She would be happy to be zir friend if that was what ze wished.
She listened intently to zir stories, trading a few of her own. It was honestly a great way to spend her afternoon, even though it had been entirely unexpected. Maybe people recognizing her wasn't the worst thing in the world.