Disclaimer: I own nothing
Summary: Raven Darkholme and how she became Mystique
Blue Nails
Raven Darkholme remembered watching the news on a Monday morning while eating her cereal with her parents. Her father was sitting across from her at the table drinking his coffee while her mother prepared toast.
The anchorman was giving the intro to the new 'mutant phenomenon' as it was being called. When people had first come out in the open with their mutations they were treated like lepers. They were strange and intriguing yet feared. No one knew anything about them. No one knew if mutants were actually people or people who caught a disease.
Human kind has always feared what it doesn't understand. Scientific studies had been done but nothing of importance had been learned. It was from these studies that 'mutant' become the scientific term for people with 'unique' abilities.
'Mutant', it was such a negative word. Normally when you think mutant you think of something disfigured or grotesque looking. A mutant was something to be feared. So with that name the people unfortunate to have been labeled it had become feared as well.
It was all very interesting but Raven really didn't care. Mutants were rare and none lived in her town. She would probably live through her life having never met one and just knowing that she felt content and safe. She knew people were open about their fear some even hated them, and even though she'd never admit to it, Raven feared them too.
.X.
"Raven!" Tiffany Dillin called. She was the ying to Raven's Yang. Tiffany had blond her blue eyes while Raven had dark brown hair brown eyes. Tiffany was slightly heavy and very feminine, Raven was muscular and athletic.
Raven had walked to school and was climbing the steps when she had heard her vivacious friend call. She turned her head just in time to see Tiffany running towards her. "Hey, how's it go—"
"You'll never guess what I heard in the news this morning," Tiffany cut in. "They've discovered mutants can be powerful enough to control our minds. Isn't that fascinating?"
Raven silently disagreed.
"Just imagine it. What if all our actions we don't want to do, but we think we do, but really it's someone controlling our mind. Like I really like pancakes but what if I don't? What if I actually despise pancakes but I don't realize it so I eat them any way?"
"That made no sense," Raven joked. "It doesn't matter, anyway. Mutants don't live here."
Tiffany nodded but got very quiet as the two of them entered the school. They walked over to their lockers which were right next to each other and silently got their books. Raven knew why Tiffany tried to poke fun at the 'mutant phenomenon'. Her father was known to be prejudice and Tiffany loathed him for it and tried anything to be opposite of him even if she did sometimes agree with him. It made Raven wonder. Did Tiffany truly think that mutants were fascinating? Were her opinions genuine or forced through her obsession to disagree with anything her father thought. Sometimes in school Raven would watch Tiffany flinch as the teacher talked about mutants in current events.
She new it was a farce and that deep down Tiffany feared and maybe even hated them.
During math class Raven tried to focus her attention at the book work but she felt a strange sensation rush through her body. It made her feel as though her stomach was boiling and her face quickly became flushed. She winced at the uncomfortable feeling and had a sudden craving for coldness despite the fact it was November and should already be cold. She wanted it to be freezing just to subside the boiling in her stomach.
It seemed to last all through class and she was unable to finish any work. When the bell rang she gathered her books and rushed out quickly and all but ran to the bathroom. She slammed to door shut and locked it despite that it was full of stalls. She was happy, though, that they were all empty. She dumped her books on the floor and gazed at her reflection.
She was very pale and had dark shadows under her eyes. Her cheeks still had a slight blush to it but it was not flattering or healthy looking. Although her cheeks were pink, there were patches of red all over her face. Her eyes had become dull and watery and she angrily wiped the moisture away. She rested one hand on her stomach in a comforting manner but her eyes suddenly became glued to it.
Her hand looked normal if not a little clammy but her nails were a neon blue. Normally that wasn't strange but she didn't remember painting her nails lately. Normally she didn't because her parents didn't like it. They thought nail polish was toxic and unbecoming.
Raven brought her hand close to her eyes. Perfect blue, with nice polished strokes, it didn't look clumpy or messy and her skin was devoid of any smudges. She admired the fineness above her confusion and decided maybe she had done it the night before and didn't remember.
Her stomach still felt strange but not as serious as in class so she collected her books and left the bathroom. She walked to her last class which seemed to fly by quickly. After that she walked to her locker and dumped her books in. Tiffany was waiting silently beside her looking bored but smiled when Raven turned to her.
"Hey, you don't look good," She commented.
"I don't feel good," Raven answered. "I feel like I need to puke."
She brought her hand to her forehead to wipe the sweat away. She had momentarily forgotten about her nails but was reminded by Tiffany who complemented quietly that they looked nice.
Together the two trekked home in silence. Raven still felt unwell and Tiffany who didn't know what to talk about respected the silence. When they reached Tiffany's house, the two said goodbye and Raven continued home alone. Her stomach began to act up again so when she reached home she ran as fast as she could to her bathroom and puked in the toilet.
Her mother ran to her side at the noise and grabbed her daughter's hair out of her face.
"Oh, poor dear," she sighed as Raven continued to empty her stomach. When she was finished her mother helped lift her to the sink and wash her face. "When did you start feeling ill?" She asked.
"During math class," she mumbled suddenly exhausted. "I felt like the liquids in my stomach were being shaken around."
"Oh, why don't we put you to bed," Her mother suggested. "Maybe later you'll feel better."
Raven didn't react but let her mother guide her to her bedroom and tuck her in. Once she was beneath the blankets her mother put her hand to her forehead and frowned.
"I'll be right back, sweetie," her mother said and disappeared back into the bathroom. Raven breathed in steadily as she waited quietly for her to return. Letting her mind wonder she couldn't seem to focus on anything and didn't realize her mother had returned until she heard her cry out. "You're burning up! We need to get you to the hospital!"
Raven cried out. She didn't want to go to the hospital mainly because she didn't want to move. Her head ached and felt empty and her stomach bubbled as usual but now she felt dull pain along her back and abdomen. She moaned and her mother once again was forced to support but this time the two walked to the car as the mother prepared to drive to the hospital. The last thing Raven remembered was her mother scribbling a note to her father then passing out.
.X.
It was very cold and alien when she woke. Raven's eyelids felt heavy as she tried to lift them only to be blinded by light. Her stomach felt better and her head felt normal but she could still feel the pain from her back. It felt like a professional boxer had punched her in the spine.
Moaning she turned her head and was greeted with white curtains. Her bed sheets were white, the walls were painted white, and the hospital pajamas she was wearing were also white. The room was so bright; it was hard to differentiate things if it wasn't for the shadows.
She lay in silence wondering where she was when she remembered her mother supporting her to the car. She was in the hospital and it was most likely the next day. She yawned and smiled realizing she probably wouldn't have to go to school.
The doctor came in a half hour later and began to check her over. He was followed by a nurse who carried a tray of food and vitamins which she was forced to take in their presence. After they left her parents entered the room and began to explain what the doctor had told them.
Raven had only experienced a slight fear. The back pain could only be explained as bruising. Apparently she had large blue bruise on her back that she had been unaware of. That had confused her too. She couldn't remember painting her nails and now on her back was a large black and blue bruise. She moaned and they told her that after breakfast they were going to take her home and she wouldn't have to go to school.
It was easier to walk now but she let her dad carry her to her room where her mom brought her a 'real' breakfast and none of that healthy hospital 'food'. Her parents left her alone to eat but she found her self curious about the bruise. She wondered how big it was and where she could have gotten it.
She climbed out of her bed and walked to the bathroom mirror. Turning her head she gazed into the reflection of her back and nearly choked on nothing. The bruise was huge and looked to be growing. She could still feel the dull pain but even then she was still surprised at the size and ugliness of it. The bruise was indeed blue—and black—and purple. A normal bruise by any means except for crusty looking splotches of neon blue that looked to have been painted over the bruise then dried.
She squinted her eyes only to recognize the color of her still now blue nails. Just staring at it made her want to pick and peal it off but she couldn't reach it. It was very disgusting and she was positive the neon blue splotches were not there when the doctor had checked her over. She moaned at the frustration of it all but turned to her cabinet and pulled out a cotton ball and a bottle of nail polish remover.
She straightened her body out and dunked the cotton ball into the strong-smelling liquid and began to scrub her nails. She found herself distressed when the nail polish was not immediately removed. She must have gone through five cotton balls and several minutes of trying but her nails were still just as blue as before.
She threw it impatiently into the trashcan and moaned. She couldn't understand why this was happening. Why was this blue 'stuff' appearing over her? Why did she suddenly get sick, when she had never even experience the common cold before? And the last question, where could she had gotten that bruise?
She was so stressed and confused she wanted to cry but her eyes felt too dry and itchy to do so. It was the cherry on the cake and she as violently as she could turned the faucet on and splashed droplets of water on her face. She was in a horrible mood and broke down into dry sobs.
She must have been loud because she could hear the stomping of feet then someone knocking at the door.
"Sugar pie," her mother cried through the door with one of her absurd pet names. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, mom," She cried.
"Are you sure? Do you want us to—"
"I said I'm fine!" she snapped.
There was silence on the other side of the door and raven wondered if she left or was still there. Raven felt guilty for a moment but then her confusion and anger took over again and she began her sob-fest again.
The dull ach in her back became stronger again and her skin itched. It was an uncontrollable itch that even after satisfying it with a scratch the itch was still there. Her hands itched and her back as well. Finally she stopped crying and turned her attention to her hands first and froze.
She couldn't say she was surprised but she was upset. After her back she had anticipated this. Just like her back the skin around her hand had also become blue. She tried to peal it off but it only ended in irritating her skin more.
Her fingers into her knuckles had changed and turning around to look at her back she saw the bruise had spread and the neon blue had become larger. It now officially covered the small of her back with her skin corroding into ridges to forma strange pattern. Her eyes which had been dry had changed as well. No longer were they brown but and obnoxious yellow that clashed horribly with the blue on her skin.
It was at these changes when reality hit her. She had to be different, didn't she? Raven knew she could deny it but that didn't change what she knew she was. She was a mutant and not even the lucky ones who could hide in society. She was blue and unsmooth with large yellow eyes. Even her hair seemed different it seemed lighter but not obviously so.
At least for now she could hide her changes and could always lie and say her eyes were contacts. She lowered her shirt and ran to her room and locked the door behind her. She snuggled under her covers and tried desperately to fall asleep and forget everything.
.X.
The next morning Raven awoke to her mom knocking at the door. She wanted to come in and check her temperature but Raven scared her off by yelling. She knew she was acting immature but she didn't want her mom to see her changes. Raven knew she herself feared mutants and it was strange that she find herself to be one but if she was surprised and scared she hated to think what her parents would think or do.
Her parents, both strong minded adults did not agree with mutants. They weren't outrageous protestors but they did watch the news and scoff at a mutant who had been arrested unfairly. She was ashamed of herself now, but when she looked in the mirror she that the bruise had spread up to her neck and ears. Her hair was a lively red, her eyes shown just as bright, and the neon blue growing over the bruise had created more ridges in her skin. It traveled all along her legs, stomach and chest. She let her equally blue hand travel over her skin sadly when she realized all that only her face remained its normal skin color.
Rushing out of her room she put on a pair of sunglasses that collided horribly with dark turtle neck, jeans, and gloves. She let her hair down and it covered the back of her neck and ears.
Downstairs her father had already left for work but her mother was still in the kitchen. She immediately walked to Raven just as she was about to leave the house.
"Raven Darkholme," She cried. "Did you die your hair?"
Raven flinched at her tone. Her parents disagreed with nail painting, what horrors awaited her for ugly red hair.
"You know, we don't like you putting toxins to your body," Her mother cried. "You could have damaged your hair and it looks bad."
"Well, 'mother'," She cried angrily, "I like it!"
It was an obvious lie, but she didn't want to deal with her mother right now.
"And why are you wearing sunglasses, its winter?"
"I got to go," She didn't answer her mother's question but ran out of her house and to school.
She didn't want to go to school, knowing her 'condition' could be found out but she didn't know what to do. Maybe Tiffany could help her. She walked to her locker and was in the process of opening it, when she heard something slam next to her.
Looking over, Raven saw Tiffany smiling at her. "What's up, Cherry?" She giggled at her the nickname while Raven flinched.
"Since when did you die your hair?" She asked. "And what's up with the shades?"
"I just wanted a change that's all," Raven said. 'A really big change,' she thought thinking of her blue skin.
"I bet your parents, freaked," Tiffany said. "I know mine would. Hey, maybe I'll die my hair purple."
The two walked to class and Raven was about to take a seat.
"Miss Darkholme, I'm sorry but no sunglasses indoors," The homeroom teacher said in a strict nasally voice. Raven Flinched and reached a shaky gloved hand to her face. Gently she removed the glasses and what the class saw made them break out into whispers.
"Nice, contacts, Darkholme," Some one shouted and Raven let out a sigh.
The teacher made a face at Raven's revealed bold appearance. Luckily for her the teacher didn't say anything about the gloves but turned her attention to the chalkboard. Raven turned to Tiffany and saw give her a confused look. She knew what the look meant, 'We'll talk after class.'
She turned her attention to the board and continued with her class assignments. After class she walked out the door only to be dragged by Tiffany into the girls' bathroom. Any one who was in it was instantly shooed out and Tiffany, like Raven had done, locked the door.
"What is with this bazaar look?" she asked. 'You look like a clown,' were the unspoken message from her words.
"I told you I wanted something different for a change," Raven snapped, her temper getting to her again. A brief moment of guilt came over her again. "Sorry."
"That's not it," Tiffany pleaded, "Why can't you trust me? I'm your 'best' friend."
Raven sighed. Tiffany had to take the news better than her parents would. She was the woman who became 'fascinated' and was willing to 'step up' and defend mutants.
"You're such a mystery, Raven," Tiffany said. "Did you know that? You won't even tell me why."
Raven sighed. "Ok. Ok, I'll tell you." Raven feared what may happen but she had to tell someone, she realized. 'I have to tell someone.' She hand and removed to glove. Her hand was the same shape but blue with ridges on the back of her hand.
Tiffany on instinct gasped and took a step back. Her hands found there way to her mouth and she looked like she wanted to scream.
"Please Tiffany, don't scream," Raven cried, "Please don't scream."
"You're a—you're a mu—mutant!" She cried.
"—A mutant? Yes. Still Raven? Yes," She tried to reason but Tiffany seemed more content on backing a way into a stall and talking to her self. "Tiffany?" Raven took a step towards her but she screamed slammed herself into a stall.
"Get away from me, you freak," She screamed as loud as she could but to raven it felt like a slap on the face. Her friend, her best friend was a hypocritical liar.
Raven wanted to cry right there, but she kept a straight face. She felt the dull pain, which meant the bruise was growing, spread to her cheeks. She watched as Tiffany's face pulled and tightened into a disgusted scowl.
"I guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree," She mumbled. Tiffany scowled at the obvious reference to her father.
"Freak," She mumbled in a dark voice. "You're a freak."
Raven felt a tear break loose and she ran as fast as she could from the bathroom. She ignored anyone who saw her and Tiffany as she ran out of the bathroom after her shouting 'mutant' and 'freak' at the top of her lungs.
Raven hated her; she hated herself, hated her parents, hated the news, and most importantly hated humanity in general. Tiffany was her friend who claimed to be open minded but as soon as she came face to face with the very thing she preached and joked about she betrayed her. It made Raven want to strangle her. Wrap her mutant hands around her scrawny neck and break it. When she finished she'd spit on the body. Who the hell Tiffany think she was? She was no better than Raven or any other mutant. At least Raven could accept herself, not that well, but she will learn to love herself.
"You're such a mystery, Raven. Did you know that?" Tiffany had said that. Raven smirked. She was a mystery because who would go out of their way to understand and make sense of her. She was a mutant, after all and you always fear what have never understood.
A/N: Did you like it. I have never read the comics so I really don't know anything Mystique other than her name was Raven Darkholme. PLEASE REVIEW!