Rideshare
A line at the fast food restaurant was as long as usually.
Kurt Wagner was waiting his turn when he glanced at this watch. The school would start after twenty minutes but the young mutant wasn't worried. As soon as he would get his hamburger, Kurt just needed to teleport two miles and the rest of the distance would go fast by running.
Minutes passed until the customer in front of Kurt paid his food and left to search for a table. The young mutant approached the counter with smile.
"Hello again, Kurt," Sam, a part-time employee of the restaurant, greeted when he saw him. "One Breakfast Burger Gutbomb to go, like always?"
Kurt grinned while he took his wallet from his backpack. "You're shtarting to knov me rather vell."
"I would be more surprised if you didn't come here one day," Sam stated teasingly while he put the order at the cash register. "Seriously, you're the only one I know who comes here daily," he continued after the price appeared at the screen of the cash register and Kurt placed an amount of money required on the counter.
"I'm an exchange student, so it's only necessary zhat I familiarize myself vith zhis country's culinary culture."
"Riiight…"
'Culinary culture' had quickly become one of Kurt's favorite words.
"Your food should come soon," Sam told after he had taken the order to the kitchen. "But how are you going get to school in time?"
"Don't vorry. I've a ride vaiting for me," Kurt lied carefreely while he put his wallet back inside his backpack.
Kurt took a bite from his hamburger as he walked out of the fast food restaurant. "Zhis is amazing," he thought happily to himself while chewing his food.
When Scott and Jean had heard soon after Kurt's arrival that he had never visited a fast food restaurant, they had taken the teleporter to eat. Kurt had immediately loved the food, leading to his decision to eat hamburgers whenever it was possible.
Kurt swallowed his mouth empty and took an another bite. He knew he was getting scolded for his eating from Scott, the Professor and Miss Monroe but right now Kurt was in too good mood to worry about it.
"Well, somebody looks happy. And it certainly has nothing to do with the soon starting school day."
Kurt stopped and almost choked his food when he heard a familiar snappy voice. He swallowed and stared nervously Principal Raven Darkholme standing in front of him.
"Morning, Miss Darkholme," Kurt greeted the woman timidly.
Darkholme glared at Kurt while holding her hand on her hip. "Why are you, Mr. Wagner, here and not at the school where the first lesson starts in seven minutes?" she demanded. When she noticed the hamburger in boy's hand, her frown deepened. "I see…" she said coldly.
Kurt wanted to point out a coffee cup with the logo of the nearby cafe in principal's hand but he decided that it was better not to say anything.
"And how had you planned to get there in time, young man?" Darkholme continued asking, riveting her eyes on Kurt's eyes.
"Vell…" Kurt began nervously. He definitely couldn't tell principal about his teleportation ability, she would think he was crazy. Kurt couldn't either lie that his friends were waiting for him to give him a ride to school. Principal could decide that she has to lecture them as well and then Kurt has to make a new excuse why they weren't here.
"Give me a break," Darkholme sighed frustratedly when she didn't get an answer. Faster than Kurt could react, she grabbed the young mutant's arm and pulled him toward the parked cars. Kurt exclaimed in protest but it was completely ignored. Darkholme released her grip only when they had arrived at the principal's car. "Get in the car," she ordered with stern tone that didn't accept any objections. Quietly Kurt sat in the front seat of the car and put on his seat belt.
Darkholme steered her car out of the parking lot and headed toward the Bayville High. Kurt continued eating his hamburger in awkward silence. At the same time he glanced his watch, the only thing that hid his true appearance from others.
"Don't malfunction nov. Don't malfunction nov!" Kurt prayed desperately inside his mind.
"It's so disgusting."
Principal's sudden statement startled Kurt and he glanced nervously at her. What was the principal talking about? What was disgusting? Has she found out Kurt's secret? What should he do if it was true? With these worrisome thoughts in his head Kurt managed only to say: "Was?"
"Your constant junk food eating," Darkholme informed while keeping her eyes on the road, so she didn't notice how Kurt's shoulders relaxed in relief. "Don't they give a proper food in Xavier's Institute?"
"Of course, Miss Darkholme," Kurt assured. "But I just really like hamburgers-"
"You should stop that if you don't want to get a heart or blood vessel diseases."
"No need to vorry about zhat. I exercise a lot."
"How nice that there's at least one thing that you take care of."
Kurt frowned. "Vhat zhat's supposed to mean?"
"That you should take care of your grades as well," Darkholme stated as she stopped the car at the red lights. "Or are normal school studies meaningless compared to Institute's studies?"
"Of course not! Professor Xavier has said zhat vee have to invest to our other studies as vell," Kurt told in defensive manner.
"It's arguable when considered what troublemakers you Xavier's students are," Darkholme snorted.
"Troublemakers? Vee?" Kurt exclaimed just when the car continued forward after the lights had turned green.
"Perhaps you haven't heard that your friends, Mr. Summers and Miss Grey, picked a fight with Mr. Alvers and Mr. Dukes some time ago?"
"Yeah, I've heard about zhat. But…"
"I'll make this clear, Mr. Wagner. No matter how 'gifted' you are, it doesn't mean that you're entitled to special treatment. You'll follow the same rules like others, even if Xavier doesn't bother to keep you in check."
"Seriously! Vhat do you have against zhu Professor?" Kurt demanded, annoyed at the way the principal talked about Professor Xavier. But just then the car turned and he noticed that they had arrived at the school.
Other students walked inside the school, mostly focusing on their own business but some of them noticed Kurt in the principal's car and stared after them with surprised expression. Kurt lowered his gaze, looking very embarrassed.
Darkholme stopped her car in the parking lot. "We're here," she informed coolly.
"Danke," Kurt muttered while he opened his seat belt.
"You better invest more in your studies than junk food, Mr. Wagner. And if you're late for school once more, you'll find yourself in detention," Darkholme warned.
"Yes, Miss Darkholme," Kurt answered without even bothering to hide his indignation before he got out of the car and began walking toward the school building.
"And one more thing!"
Kurt stopped and turned to face the principal once more, mentally preparing himself for more harsh words.
Darkholme had got out of her car and stared the boy with serious expression. "Don't believe everything Xavier says. He's a fool. You'll see it sooner or later, Kurt."
Kurt's eyes widened slightly. "Vhat's she talking about?" he wondered in his mind but before he had time to voice his question, the bell rang.
"Go to your classroom, Mr. Wagner," Darkholme ordered as she walked past the boy without even glancing at him.
As much as he wished to get clarity on the principal's words, Kurt couldn't do anything else but ran toward the school while finishing his hamburger.
At the door he met Scott, Jean, Kitty and Evan who were patiently waiting for him.
"You made it in time," Jean said with smile.
"Ja. I got a ride," Kurt told.
"Dude. How did you end in the principal's car?" Evan wondered.
"Vell, I didn't have other options actually," Kurt explained when he and other mutants entered the school. "And after all vee had a same destination."
"I'm a little surprised that Miss Darkholme would do something nice like this," Scott noted while they walked down the halls of the school, "given that she doesn't seem to like Professor."
"Maybe she's actually nice under her harsh exterior," Kitty suggested.
"Vho knovs…" Kurt said unsurely, Darkholme's words echoing in his mind. "Vhat's betveen zhu principal und Professor? Does she knov something vee don't knov? Hold on! Does zhu principal knovs about mutants? Is zhat vhy she doesn't like Professor? Or is zhere an another reason? Ack! I hate uncertainty. Should I talk vith Professor about zhis?"
"Is something wrong, Kurt?"
Jean's sudden question awoke Kurt from his thoughts and he saw his friends staring at him with questioning expression.
"Did the principal cause you any trouble?" Scott asked seriously.
"Nah. She just threatened mee vith zhu detention if I'm late again," Kurt told. "But it's nothing I can't handle by myself."
"You should be careful that the principal couldn't carry out her threat," Evan said when they stopped in front of their classroom door. "Mr. Logan won't like if you miss Danger Room sessions due to detention."
"Yeah," Kurt admitted.
"See you at lunch," Kitty said to Kurt and Evan before she, Scott and Jean hurried toward their own classes.
"See ya," Kurt answered. Evan opened the door and boys entered the classroom.
Meanwhile Principal Darkholme, who was also known as the mutant Mystique, had got into her office. She was sitting at her table but hadn't started working yet. Her mind was still on the recent events.
"Why did I have to give a ride to school to Nightcrawler? I'm not a chauffeur. Especially not to my enemies. And why should I care about his scholastic achievements?" she scoffed to herself.
But a small, annoying voice deep inside her mind whispered knowingly a certain possible explanation in her ear. Because Nightcrawler was Mystique's…
Darkholme shook her head. What happened in the past should stay in the past. She regret nothing. But still…
She drew a breath to gather her thoughts for a moment. "Luckily I didn't do something more stupid, like reveal my true identity to him. But I'm sure I managed to sow at least some seeds of doubt in Nightcrawler's absolute trust toward Xavier. The boy has something to think about."
Feeling a little bit more pleased with herself, Principal Darkholme began her paperworks.
The End