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Chapter 9: My Lost Little Vogel
With a simply shift of weight, the girl flipped down from where she was floating. There was no sound when it seemed her feet landed, because they never really touched the ground. Turning around, Robin put on the best face she could and held out the orange flyer.
Jean was cautious at first. The young teen had completely surprised her, which wasn't something that was easy to do. The red head walked up to the unusual blonde and took the flyer from her. While she read over it, the girl stood there patiently with her hands behind her back. Blue eyes looked past Jean and into the manor. When the red head noticed this, she turned back to see if there was anything in particular the girl was staring at, since she was leaning a bit to the side. "See something you like?"
Snapping out of her little trans, Robin stood up right and looked a bit embarrassed. "Sorry, I've never seen such a large house. Being in ze circus and all." One of Robin's feet stood on its toes and twisted in the ground while the girl kept her hands behind her back and looked shyly up at Jean. Stepping to the side, the red head motioned with her arm for the girl to come in. Looking surprised, Robin asked, "Are you sure?"
Jean smiled at her and nodded. The telepathic only smiled more as the circus girl gave an excited giggle and stepped through the doorway. Her feet carried her to the center of the main lobby where she stood looking up at everything. Turning a couple times to see everything, Robin spoke to Jean, "Zis is vonderful. Do you live here?"
"Yes, yes I do. So do many other mutants," it was amusing to see how the teen reacted to the news. She stopped her looking at the house and stared straight at Jean. Looking the older teen from head to toe, the blonde walked over to her with her eyes a bit wider than they had been. Pointing out a finger, she almost stuttered her next phrase.
"You… a mutant?" Jean shook her head yes, "But you seem so normal." Robin stated, while getting only a few feet from the red head.
Jean gave a small laugh at this and invited her into the kitchen for some lemonade. Robin gladly took the invitation while introducing her self. Jean did the same, smiling as the girl had used her circus name: the Soaring Robin of Germany. Robin sat at the table, her feet swinging under her, while Jean poured them both a glass of the cold refreshment.
Handing the blonde her drink, Jean sat next to her with the flyer laying on the table. "If you haven't figured it out yet, the 'gifted' in the name of the institute stands for mutants. Basically, this is a haven for mutants. We can escape ridicule and prejudice inside these walls where we find people who understand us. If I'm not mistaken, you're a mutant too?" Jean took a sip of her drink and looked at the girl from over her glass. When she placed the cup back on the table, Robin answered her.
"Ja, I'm a flyer," Robin said. She too took a sip of the lemonade and found it to be just the right combination of bitter and sweet. Taking a longer drink then was intended, the girl finally placed the glass down empty. Letting a slight burp escape, Robin covered her mouth in embarrassment and gave a quiet "Excuse me."
Jean only laughed, "You're excused. So," the red head leaned a bit on the table. "Tell me about this circus." Jean picked up the flyer and looked it over one more time. It was a few words describing the act and what was to be expected at the show, then several cutout tickets were at the bottom. One the tickets were the time of the show and the place, as well as a notice of reserved seats. But what she found odd was that the name of the circus was not on them.
Robin's eyes seemed to light up with pride as she thought of her 'family'. "Vell, zere are only a handful of mutants in ze circus. But ve are very close to everyone. Zere's Von, he's a mutant too. His pover… Let's just say it's more than the way he looks. Do you have anyone like that? Vhere zere mutation isn't just beneaz ze skin?"
"We do actually. He's called Nightcrawler, or Kurt." Jean smiled looking at the girl. Then she looked into those blue eyes. Something was different about them. They no longer showed the happiness or excitement she had seen in them before. Not wanting to delve where she wasn't wanted, Jean simply asked. "Are you okay?" but Robin did not answer. He stare was blank, looking past Jean as if into some memory. "Robin?" Jean touched her hand, pulling the blonde out of her trance.
"I'm sorry," Robin shook her head to clear her mind, "I vas jut remembering somezing." Robin didn't seem to be completely there though. Her hand went to her chin as her look went somewhere else again. "It couldn't be him…"
"Couldn't be who?" Jean couldn't help but ask. She was only trying to help the girl, sensing that she was distressed. Jean waited for Robin's answer, but all she got was another empty stare. Then Robin finally spoke, her voice a bit shaky and unsure. "Can you describe zis Nightcrawler to me?"
A bit surprised by Robin's question, "Well, sure. He's blue, furry, pointed ears-"
"Golden eyes, spaded tail and has legs like zat of a favn."
"Well yes, but how did you know?" Jean asked, scooting her chair a bit closer to Robin's own. Robin simply gave a look of uneasiness then suddenly blurted out, "Vould you happen to have a flover."
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"Jack has a greater advantage over telepathies, like yourself and Jean. And zrough you, he can attack ozers. For example: vhat just happened a vhile ago." Kurt spoke directly to the professor, ignoring the others around him. Xavier took in what Kurt was saying and it suddenly all made sense as to what had happened. Kitty had filled him in on how she found Kurt while they were bringing him to the infirmary. And now putting it all together the man realized just how dangerous Jack could be.
"He kept me there," Charles whispered, not intending for the others to hear. "What do you mean Charles?" Ororo asked, moving to stand beside the man. Xavier thought for a moment before answering, he always did. This time he had to be one hundred percent sure that that was what had transpired. Nodding his head, as if agreeing with himself, the man promptly explained.
"When I looked into Jack's mind, he produced disturbing images and concepts. I didn't think any person could think of such terrible things. Then when I tried to pull out, I felt like I was being kept there for some reason. At first, I just thought it was my interest, wanting to learn more. But now that I think of it the experience," Xavier looked up at the woman next to him, "I realize that I actually wanted to stop reading his mind. Jack wouldn't let me."
Logan gave an exasperated sigh and rubbed one hand over his face. The more learned of this 'Jack' the more he realized that it was going to be difficult to fend him off should he ever attack the manor. And with Jean and Xavier presenting only a greater threat to them if they used their powers… it was turning into a movie. However, maybe the man wouldn't attack. "Elf," Kurt looked towards Logan, "Would Jack be stupid-"
The Canadian's question was cut off by the door to infirmary suddenly being pulled open. All eyes shot to the excited Bobby Drake standing in the door. The boy's wide eyes scanned each face until they found the one they wanted. With a smile, Bobby pointed to down the hall, "Kurt, someone from the circus is here to see you!"
At this, the blue demon jumped up from his spot on the bed and stood straight and rigid next to Kitty, who's awareness seemed to heighten. Xavier moved his chair around so he could see Bobby better, while Logan and Rogue stepped away from the doorway so they could see the boy better as well. Storm stayed where she was, although her body tensed a bit, and Hank McCoy did the same.
"What do they like look like?" Kitty asked, taking a cautious step forward.
Bobby was confused at the question and just stared at Kitty for a moment. Then he told them, "Well I didn't actually see them. I was kinda eaves dropping on her and Jean. She said her name was Robin-" All turned to the empty spot where a Kurt Wagner use to stand.
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Jean jogged into the empty lobby, looking towards the opened front door. That's when she heard a soft BAMF and suddenly found an anxious Nightcrawler standing in front of her. "Vhere is she?!" the blue mutant blurted out, not bothering to clarify whom 'she' was. However, Jean knew exactly who her friend was talking about and simply pointed towards the front door. There was another BAMF and Jean could see Kurt standing outside in the middle of the yard.
As the red head approached the front door, Xavier, Storm, Logan, Rogue, Kitty, Bobby and Beast all came moving fast from the medical hall. They didn't have to ask Jean as she motioned to the front door and stepped out. Everyone followed her out onto the lawn, looking at a distressed Kurt standing in the middle of it by the fountain.
-(XME)-
All it took was for him to hear her name again. Memories came rushing back to him. Fireworks, fairs, pictures, laughing, picnics, games, everything that had made those three years bearable came from her friendship. Everything about her made Kurt happy, want to smile. In fact, she was the one to help develop his sense of humor. Helped him realize that it was part of him, and not just a way to cover up his feeling about his appearance.
Hearing that she was in the manor, so close… Kurt didn't think, didn't want to. All he wanted was to see her again. Teleporting from the infirmary right after Iceman had spoken, the blue mutant found himself facing a frustrated Jean Grey. "Vhere is she?!" Kurt was desperate and determined not to let his friend go, again. He had lost her once and life had been harder from then until he found refuge at Xavier's.
Jean pointed to where she was, or at least had gone. Knowing that the girl was probably heading back to Jack, Kurt didn't waste any time in teleporting outside. Next thing he knew he was standing by the running fountain, searching the skies for her. She would be running, not at a time like this. She would fly. Spinning round a couple of times, the blue teen finally called out, "Robin! Robin vhere are you?! Bitte, zurückkommen zu mich!" Kurt took a couple deep breaths, then barely whispered, "Zu mich… zu mich."
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"Ich kann nicht," the blonde whispered to herself, watching her lost one from the trees. Tears began to stream down her cheeks, as she suddenly turned away from the scene and ran from branch to branch, leaving a distressed blue demon behind.
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A/N: Now c'mon people! You can't say you don't have one question or comment for me! SO REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW or else I'll give you something nasty in the next chapter. All you Kurtty fans watch out if I don't get a couple reviews… heeheehee
Translations:
Title: Vogel - Bird
Kurt: bitte - please, zurückkommen - come back, zu - to, mich - me
Robin: Ich - I, kann - can, nicht - not