Disclaimers: I don't own X-Men: Evolution! Not even Xanth. You people should know that by now. I do own all the original characters in here. (*compares last Dislcaimers Note to this one and starts laughing insanely.*)
Author's Note: It IS recommended that you read my other fic first! Otherwise this will make no sense AT all! I'm not explaining what they look like, how they got there, etc. And I swear, if I stole ANYTHING, I'm sorry! And I did NOT steal the idea that Kitty got sick. I know there have been ALOT of fics where one person or another got sick, especially where they couldn't control their powers, and I tell you, I thought this up! See, it all started where I watched that one episode of Bewitched... So please don't yell at me!
Dedicated to D.A,- I luv you Moongloom! Thank you for your constant patience and for dealing with my annoying questions! Here you are, Katherine, your character!
Chapter One: "Never pick up a stray kitten... unless you've already made up your mind to be owned by it."
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*Sender: XShadowKittyX (Kitty Pryde)
Recipient: LionPryde (Mom and Dad)
Subject: Hi Mom! Hi Dad!
Date: 4:30:15 PM Eastern Time, Wednesday, October 27
Contents:
Dear Mom and Dad,
Happy Halloween! I know, I know, it isn't Halloween yet, but the Institute is being decorated as I'm typing this, and already it's looking totally spooky. Kurt still won't tell me why he's giving me a present... Don't worry, he's been treating me just fine. I'm totally happy. I guess it's only fair, 'cause I'm getting him something too. It's not necessarily a "Halloween" present, but oh well. Shh... I'm getting him the coolest present, even though it came from a cow or whatever. It's a brand name genuine brown leather wallet, with that gold chain thing, so he won't lose it; it can attach to his pocket or something like that. I put a picture of me inside, so he can always keep me with him. Corny, yet cute. But, it's about time he used one instead of stuffing everything in his jeans, and then forgetting to take it all out, so then it creates chaos with the washing machine and dryer...
Speaking of Jean, she and Scott are already making college plans for next year. They're going to live in a nearby apartment. It looks really cute! I can't wait till the day he proposes to her. Cause, you know, they are so totally going to get married, it is so obvious. The wedding is bound to be totally awesome! Evan, meanwhile, broke his arm while skateboarding. It's about time he totally slipped up. Ororo was about to kill him. Professor X is still trying to fix Evan's skateboard... it totally busted in the crash. And Mr. Logan is all pissed off because now Evan can't participate in his training- meanwhile, we're all jealous. Mr. Logan says, though, that he will find a way to get around it... Uh oh.
Rogue still says that I took her silver bracelet again- and I totally lent it to Mir last week! She won't believe me... Remind me to ask Mir for it whenever I see them next, since she and Mara just left. And without saying good-bye, too!
Speaking of the sisters- It's amazing how they can totally keep up with their life! They have homework for school, AND the classes their mom gives them, AND they still have sessions with the Prof! They have so much work, I would SO die if I were them. They're so busy, yet they say they love it! Oh, and they're throwing a Halloween party on Sunday, since they can't go to their homeland or whatever to celebrate. I dunno why not. Oh well, it's gonna be such a cool party! I hope I can go!
Katherine just recently got a scratch down her back from climbing a tree. It looks so horrible! It was deep and long, from the back of her neck to the base of her tail. It was bleeding so much, my poor baby! Jean put some salve on it and a whole bunch of bandages, and, if Jean treated it, it should heal just fine. If not, I could just sneak her to Mir and ask her to heal her for me. Katherine is making fast friends with Minuit, Ms. Meos's famliar. You know Ms. Meos; Mir and Mara's mom? Yeah, her. The witch. Professor X's secretary that he hired last year. She just recently started coming more often... an excuse for Mir and Mara to come too. Anyway, when the girls come to train, they bring Min with them- Min is somehow becoming their familiar instead. She hangs around with the girls all the time, AND Katherine. Min still belongs to Meos, but she has Tobias as well. The hawk. Yeah, he's really cool. But I like Min better, and apparently, so does Katherine.
As for the update on me... I'm totally bedridden! Being sick is SO not fun! I have a terrible cough. I used up half the tissues in this section of the Institute alone, and every time I sneeze, I TOTALLY phaze through my bed! It gets so annoying. Rogue is sleeping in an unoccupied room while I'm sick. I don't want anyone else getting the flu too.
The others said I had a high fever yesterday and the day before. I don't remember... I was so totally dizzy and out of it. I could barely stand up, and I didn't have an appetite or anything. I was so happy when the fever broke. Now I'm feeling kinda better, even though I missed the last few days of school before the weekend. I might even miss Mir and Mara's party! I'm totally going to go crazy in here! The Prof totally agreed that the party would take place here, but still... Anyway, tomorrow is an early release day, and the next day is a teacher planning day. And of course the weekend is after that- Halloween IS on Sunday- so I guess I'm not missing much school this week. If I'm better by Sunday for the party, then I guess I'd better hit the books on Monday!
Anyway, I'll type to ya soon with more updates! Love ya!
Your daughter,
Kitty
PS: I got an 'A' on my science project! Evan brought it home for me. Thank God he didn't have his skateboard- otherwise, it totally would've gotten all banged up on the way home.*
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"Ah.... Ah... aCHOOO!" Kitty sneezed, nearly phazing through her bed in the process. She sniffed once and coughed till her throat was sore. "Ugh... I totally hate being sick," she complained, clutching the layers of thick blankets around her. Katherine carefully climbed around on the bed, purring as she rubbed her head against Kitty's leg. Outside, autumn leaves littered the ground, changing the dull sidewalk and bleak concrete to a wonderful quilt of gold, brown, and auburn.
"I bet no one does." Rogue handed her friend a glass of orange juice. "Here, drink this."
"Yes, mother." Kitty sighed and did as told. "What a bummer... This totally bites! I can't go to Mir and Mara's party now!" She popped a cough drop into her mouth and grimaced. "Eeew. I, like, totally hate grape."
"Ya neva know... maybe you'll be better by then. And you're insane to hate grapes."
"Doubt it." Kitty coughed again. Katherine shifted and jumped from one side to the other. "And grapes are so totally icksome."
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
"Are not!"
"Are totally too!" Kitty tried to calmly clear her throat, to no avail.
"Is everyzing okay?" Kurt BAMFed into the room, forgetting to knock first. "Katzchen! Are you feeling better..." Kurt looked around, at the wadded up tissues, the overflowing basket, the cup of orange juice, the layers of blankets, the cough drops, etc. "Ehh... nevermind."
Kitty rolled her eyes and sneezed again, nearly phazing through her bed once more. Katherine snuggled up against Kurt's side. "Argh! This is, like, totally gonna happen EVERY time! I absolutely HATE staying in bed... it's, like, totally gonna drive me crazy!"
Kurt tried hard to smother his laughter.
"What?" Kitty glared.
"You look so funny, halfvay disappearing through ze bed every time you sneeze."
"Ha ha. Very funny."
"But it is!"
"You try it!"
"No thanks... Anyvay, Kitty, Mir and Mara said zat zey vere sorry zey couldn't come visit you today- an 'emergency' came up. I zink zey just blew up zeir kitchen in my opinion..."
"What?" Rogue asked.
"Zey called before, reminding me to say hello to Kitty for zem, and on ze phone, I heard an explosion, and I could make out Meos asking Mir to get a fire extinguisher for ze oven..."
"Oh great."
"I'd hate to taste their cookin'!"
"... Zey have a fire extinguisher in zeir house?"
Kitty sighed. "It's gotta be, like, better than being sick, that's for sure!" Kitty coughed again. "Ugh... this is so, like, icksome!" Katherine pawed Kitty's hand playfully.
"Oh, and zey said zat zey hope you feel better in time for ze party!"
Kitty groaned. "I wanna go!" she whined. "I hate colds..." she complained. "You'd totally better ditch this joint, if you don't, like, want to catch it. Hey, Katherine!" Katherine climbed across Kitty's chest slowly. "Oh man, Rogue, take her! I don't want her getting sick too! And careful of her scratch!"
"Cats can catch human flus?" Kurt asked, amazed.
"Sometimes. Besides, don't I, like, totally need my rest?"
"You're right. Don't want an epidemic!" Rogue said.
"Feel better, Kitty!" Kurt blew a kiss to her and BAMFed away.
"Careful!" Kitty exclaimed as Rogue picked up Katherine.
"Calm down, Half Pint. I'll take care of her... I guess."
"You GUESS? And, like, don't call me Half Pint."
"Just kiddin'! Sheesh, you worry way too much... And I can call you whateva I want. Half Pint."
"She's my baby..." Kitty coughed in a fit. "And, like, no, you can't! Stop it, Rogue!"
"Yes, I can, and I have a hostage to prove it!" Rogue grinned evilly at Katherine, who writhed in her hold.
"Katherine! Rogue, watch out for her scratch! I mean it!"
Rogue smirked and looked at Kitty as she released her deathhold on Katherine.
"Take care of her, Rogue... Please?"
"Oh, all right. I'm leavin' now... I don't wanna catch anythin' either!" With that, Rogue left, Katherine in her arms.
"Take care of Katherine..." Kittty muttered before she fell asleep, the meds finally taking their effect.
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"Has anyone seen the peeler around here?" Miracle searched through the kitchen drawers, carrot in hand. It was her turn to make the salad.
"Mira!" Meos briefly glanced up from her files and documents to look at her daughter with disappointment. She often took work home with her- who knew being a secretary was so hard? Especially when it was all Professor Xavier's stuff!
"Oh yeah! That's right!" Mir grinned as she closed her eyes. A second later a knife appeared in her hands with a flash. The grin faded as she stared at the knife angrily.
"I wanted a PEELER, not knife!"
"Mir, calm down." Amarantha smiled kindly, her hair tied back with a kerchief. "You must have paitience with magic. Unconjure the knife, and try again."
Mir sighed, blew a few stray blonde curls out of her way unsuccessfully, and closed her eyes once more. With a flash, the knife was gone.
"Well, at least that worked. Now, the peeler." Mir took a deep breath and tried again.
"Voilà." Meos said with satisfaction, as her daughter opened one eye to peer at the peeler in her hand.
Since less than a year since their mother had re-entered their lives, Mir and Mara still attended lessons at the Xavier Institute. Slowly but surely, they were extending their knowledge in all directions, including magical talents (their "mutations"), magic, physical defense, and French. That was the lesson the girls were most proud of. The girls were French Canadian all the way, and were very eager to learn words like minuit and chat, which had a dual meaning- the French words for "midnight" and "cat," AND their mother's familiar, their cat of black color- Minuit Chatte, chatte being the feminine form of chat. Also meanings to songs like "Dites-moi," a song from the musical South Pacific as well as one of the lullabies their mother sang to them. They had long since grew out of it, but old habits are hard to break. Especially when they were fun as well.
"Mom? I have a question..." Mir said, waving the peeler around in the air as she spoke. "If we can conjure knives and peelers and stuff..." Mir pointed the peeler in the direction of the pot of boiling water on the stove. "... why can't we just conjure the meal altogether?"
"You've got to learn how to cook sometime, dear!" Meos said... as if that would explain everything.
"...Why do we need to cook if we could just conjure our dinner whenever?!" Mir asked.
Meos just glared at her. Mir sighed.
"I think your spaghetti is burning," Meos said with a smirk on her face as the pot boiled over the brim.
"Ahh! Mom! Help!" Mara backed away with fright, an she wrapped herself in her arms. "No! Mir, the water!"
"Oh... merde!" Mir, realizing what was happening, shut the stove off. "Mara! It's okay, it won't get you!"
"Oh no..." Meos knelt beside Mara, who had slid to the floor crying.
"Oh Mom it was horrible! I still can't get it out of my head! I have the nightmare locked away in my head and I can't get it out... It burned..."
"Oh it's okay dear, it's alright." Meos hugged her daughter close. "It's alright, 'Rantha. It won't hurt you anymore. The cave is all the way back in Xanth, and I even put up a "Danger" sign in front of it..."
"Mom? You know what the cave is? Why we're afraid of hot water?" Mir asked.
"Je ne suis pas née hier, ma chère..."
"I... am not... oh, wasn't... born? ... What's 'hier?'"
"Yesterday."
"Oh. 'I wasn't born yesterday, my dear.' Oh!"
"I should hardly think this is an appropriate time for a FRENCH lesson!" Mara said in between sobs.
"You're right, 'Rantha. It isn't the right time at all." Meos smoothed down her daughter's hair. "It's alright, chère, it's okay, from now on I'll make the spaghetti..."
"And anything else to do with boiling water?"
"Of course."
Mara breathed a sigh of relief and calmed down. "Can we conjure dinner, just this once? I think my fingers will turn into prunes if they don't escape water soon."
"And to tell you the truth, Mom..." Mir glanced at the stove. "I'm really not in the mood for spaghetti at the moment... Can we have something else OTHER than Italian food?"
"I don't see why not." Meos smiled. "In fact, how about if we order Chinese?"
"Cool! I love sweet and sour chicken!" Mir exclaimed as she helped Mara up.
"And as they say, you are what you eat!"
"And... who said that?"
"They did. And if they didn't, they should!"
"What is THAT supposed to mean?"
"Baka..." Mara muttered under her breath.
"Salope!" Mir called her, outraged.
"Kelbeh!"
"Ama!"
"I'm ordering now!" Meos warned as she pointed the phone in their direction.
A typical day in the Meoskite household.
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Kitty woke up slowly, and looked around when she didn't recognize her surroundings. She didn't know where she was... she for sure wasn't in the alley! She was trapped... the feeling overwhelmed her. Help! Where was... She coughed, this time spitting up blood. It floated around her, mixing with a jelly-like substance. She was still breathing, though. She was standing up in an encasement, and she could see out... It looked like a lab. She was chained in- she could see the doors open- Wolverine! And Rogue and Nightcrawler and Spyke, even with his broken arm, and Storm and Cyclops... they all were there. They were countered by objects... robots... Firing lasers and... They couldn't get to her!
*You're too...* Kitty coughed again, blood spreading around her. *You're too late...* If only she would sneeze, maybe she could phaze through! She couldn't think, couldn't move... couldn't breathe, anymore... Couldn't do anything... Where was-
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"KITTY!" Mara screamed, and sat up with a start. She breathed hard and started to cry in the night. The lights immediately flashed on as Meos ran into the room, and Mir banged open the door to the bathroom they shared, that connected to her room.
"Mara! What's wrong?"
"'Rantha? What happened, darling?"
"Ohh... the nightmare! Kitty... Kitty! Is she okay? Where is she? Kitty! Oh, the others..."
"Mara, shhh, they're at the Institute! Remember? Kitty's sick, she has a cold-"
"No! No, it's going to get worse! I WAS Kitty, I had been captured, in some sort of... capsule, or something like that. Something was wrong, I was coughing up blood, I couldn't phaze through. The others came to try to save me, only they encountered some robots or whatever! 'You're too late,' I said. I was losing conciousness... I was looking for somebody..."
"Kurt?"
"Rogue?"
"Professor X?"
"You, Mara?"
"No! No, it was someone else... It wasn't... Something about an alley..."
"Shhh... Mara, it's okay. We'll see Kitty on Sunday, at the party, if she's better. Or we can call her tomorrow morning."
"No... we need to go there tomorrow! As soon as possible!"
"Oh, come here darling." Meos hugged Mara tightly. "Everything happens to you, child, you poor thing!"
"Everything happens to all of us," Mir added. "What do you think the dream meant?"
"It means we have to watch after Half Pint a lot more than usual..." Mara said sadly.
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*Rayven... Rayven...*
Mystique cleared her head. Where were these voices coming from? Last thing she knew, she had been in her bed, asleep... Why was she at the school? She looked around, intensely glaring at several students who were talking in the hall. They immediately shut up and went to class.
*Rayven... Rayven...*
Mystique looked around. Was she going crazy?
Suddenly her surroundings turned dark, and she looked around, confused, changing into her mutant form. What was going on here?
*Mystique... Step forth,* the famliar voice said. A voice Mystique thought she'd never hear again...
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The next afternoon, Kurt found Rogue on her hands and knees, digging around underneath the main staircase.
"Rogue? Vhat are you doing?"
"Kurt? Have you seen Katherine? I can't find her..." Rogue crawled out and looked up at him expectantly.
"You mean you lost her? Kitty's going to kill you!" Kurt looked at her, shocked.
"I didn't LOSE her, I just can't FIND her! Now help me look! I already told the Prof and everyone else. Mir and Mara are distractin' Kitty, while the others search for her on the premesis... but so far she ain't been found."
"How long has it been since you realized she vas gone?"
Rogue gave him a blank look. "... I don't know!"
"Ve're doomed," Kurt said matter-of-factly. Rogue glared.
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"Minuit! Min! Where are you? Oh brother..." Meos shrugged and went back inside. It was getting late in the day; the sun was nearly setting over the horizon. Usually Min was home by then, if she ever chose to go out, which she had earlier that evening.
"Fine, if this is how you like to play..." Meos went into a room labeled "Caution: Magical Contents." She opened the blinds but kept the lights off. She took out a cauldron and poured a ready potion into it, adding a few ingredients here and there. Finally she waved her hands over the smoking pot and closed her eyes.
"Magical forces, unlimited power,
It is always the time of the witching hour.
Minuit, I call you, my black feline friend-
My knowledge of your presence has reached an end.
White magic, may your strength reign forever;
Show me the whereabouts of my familiar!"
A wind blew through the room, even though the window was closed. It blew through her hair, and stirred the potion, making the smoke swirl around her and the cauldron. Meos opened her eyes and peered into the smoke.
"The INSTITUTE? Min, what are you doing NOW?"
Author's Note: It IS recommended that you read my other fic first! Otherwise this will make no sense AT all! I'm not explaining what they look like, how they got there, etc. And I swear, if I stole ANYTHING, I'm sorry! And I did NOT steal the idea that Kitty got sick. I know there have been ALOT of fics where one person or another got sick, especially where they couldn't control their powers, and I tell you, I thought this up! See, it all started where I watched that one episode of Bewitched... So please don't yell at me!
Dedicated to D.A,- I luv you Moongloom! Thank you for your constant patience and for dealing with my annoying questions! Here you are, Katherine, your character!
Chapter One: "Never pick up a stray kitten... unless you've already made up your mind to be owned by it."
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*Sender: XShadowKittyX (Kitty Pryde)
Recipient: LionPryde (Mom and Dad)
Subject: Hi Mom! Hi Dad!
Date: 4:30:15 PM Eastern Time, Wednesday, October 27
Contents:
Dear Mom and Dad,
Happy Halloween! I know, I know, it isn't Halloween yet, but the Institute is being decorated as I'm typing this, and already it's looking totally spooky. Kurt still won't tell me why he's giving me a present... Don't worry, he's been treating me just fine. I'm totally happy. I guess it's only fair, 'cause I'm getting him something too. It's not necessarily a "Halloween" present, but oh well. Shh... I'm getting him the coolest present, even though it came from a cow or whatever. It's a brand name genuine brown leather wallet, with that gold chain thing, so he won't lose it; it can attach to his pocket or something like that. I put a picture of me inside, so he can always keep me with him. Corny, yet cute. But, it's about time he used one instead of stuffing everything in his jeans, and then forgetting to take it all out, so then it creates chaos with the washing machine and dryer...
Speaking of Jean, she and Scott are already making college plans for next year. They're going to live in a nearby apartment. It looks really cute! I can't wait till the day he proposes to her. Cause, you know, they are so totally going to get married, it is so obvious. The wedding is bound to be totally awesome! Evan, meanwhile, broke his arm while skateboarding. It's about time he totally slipped up. Ororo was about to kill him. Professor X is still trying to fix Evan's skateboard... it totally busted in the crash. And Mr. Logan is all pissed off because now Evan can't participate in his training- meanwhile, we're all jealous. Mr. Logan says, though, that he will find a way to get around it... Uh oh.
Rogue still says that I took her silver bracelet again- and I totally lent it to Mir last week! She won't believe me... Remind me to ask Mir for it whenever I see them next, since she and Mara just left. And without saying good-bye, too!
Speaking of the sisters- It's amazing how they can totally keep up with their life! They have homework for school, AND the classes their mom gives them, AND they still have sessions with the Prof! They have so much work, I would SO die if I were them. They're so busy, yet they say they love it! Oh, and they're throwing a Halloween party on Sunday, since they can't go to their homeland or whatever to celebrate. I dunno why not. Oh well, it's gonna be such a cool party! I hope I can go!
Katherine just recently got a scratch down her back from climbing a tree. It looks so horrible! It was deep and long, from the back of her neck to the base of her tail. It was bleeding so much, my poor baby! Jean put some salve on it and a whole bunch of bandages, and, if Jean treated it, it should heal just fine. If not, I could just sneak her to Mir and ask her to heal her for me. Katherine is making fast friends with Minuit, Ms. Meos's famliar. You know Ms. Meos; Mir and Mara's mom? Yeah, her. The witch. Professor X's secretary that he hired last year. She just recently started coming more often... an excuse for Mir and Mara to come too. Anyway, when the girls come to train, they bring Min with them- Min is somehow becoming their familiar instead. She hangs around with the girls all the time, AND Katherine. Min still belongs to Meos, but she has Tobias as well. The hawk. Yeah, he's really cool. But I like Min better, and apparently, so does Katherine.
As for the update on me... I'm totally bedridden! Being sick is SO not fun! I have a terrible cough. I used up half the tissues in this section of the Institute alone, and every time I sneeze, I TOTALLY phaze through my bed! It gets so annoying. Rogue is sleeping in an unoccupied room while I'm sick. I don't want anyone else getting the flu too.
The others said I had a high fever yesterday and the day before. I don't remember... I was so totally dizzy and out of it. I could barely stand up, and I didn't have an appetite or anything. I was so happy when the fever broke. Now I'm feeling kinda better, even though I missed the last few days of school before the weekend. I might even miss Mir and Mara's party! I'm totally going to go crazy in here! The Prof totally agreed that the party would take place here, but still... Anyway, tomorrow is an early release day, and the next day is a teacher planning day. And of course the weekend is after that- Halloween IS on Sunday- so I guess I'm not missing much school this week. If I'm better by Sunday for the party, then I guess I'd better hit the books on Monday!
Anyway, I'll type to ya soon with more updates! Love ya!
Your daughter,
Kitty
PS: I got an 'A' on my science project! Evan brought it home for me. Thank God he didn't have his skateboard- otherwise, it totally would've gotten all banged up on the way home.*
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"Ah.... Ah... aCHOOO!" Kitty sneezed, nearly phazing through her bed in the process. She sniffed once and coughed till her throat was sore. "Ugh... I totally hate being sick," she complained, clutching the layers of thick blankets around her. Katherine carefully climbed around on the bed, purring as she rubbed her head against Kitty's leg. Outside, autumn leaves littered the ground, changing the dull sidewalk and bleak concrete to a wonderful quilt of gold, brown, and auburn.
"I bet no one does." Rogue handed her friend a glass of orange juice. "Here, drink this."
"Yes, mother." Kitty sighed and did as told. "What a bummer... This totally bites! I can't go to Mir and Mara's party now!" She popped a cough drop into her mouth and grimaced. "Eeew. I, like, totally hate grape."
"Ya neva know... maybe you'll be better by then. And you're insane to hate grapes."
"Doubt it." Kitty coughed again. Katherine shifted and jumped from one side to the other. "And grapes are so totally icksome."
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
"Are not!"
"Are totally too!" Kitty tried to calmly clear her throat, to no avail.
"Is everyzing okay?" Kurt BAMFed into the room, forgetting to knock first. "Katzchen! Are you feeling better..." Kurt looked around, at the wadded up tissues, the overflowing basket, the cup of orange juice, the layers of blankets, the cough drops, etc. "Ehh... nevermind."
Kitty rolled her eyes and sneezed again, nearly phazing through her bed once more. Katherine snuggled up against Kurt's side. "Argh! This is, like, totally gonna happen EVERY time! I absolutely HATE staying in bed... it's, like, totally gonna drive me crazy!"
Kurt tried hard to smother his laughter.
"What?" Kitty glared.
"You look so funny, halfvay disappearing through ze bed every time you sneeze."
"Ha ha. Very funny."
"But it is!"
"You try it!"
"No thanks... Anyvay, Kitty, Mir and Mara said zat zey vere sorry zey couldn't come visit you today- an 'emergency' came up. I zink zey just blew up zeir kitchen in my opinion..."
"What?" Rogue asked.
"Zey called before, reminding me to say hello to Kitty for zem, and on ze phone, I heard an explosion, and I could make out Meos asking Mir to get a fire extinguisher for ze oven..."
"Oh great."
"I'd hate to taste their cookin'!"
"... Zey have a fire extinguisher in zeir house?"
Kitty sighed. "It's gotta be, like, better than being sick, that's for sure!" Kitty coughed again. "Ugh... this is so, like, icksome!" Katherine pawed Kitty's hand playfully.
"Oh, and zey said zat zey hope you feel better in time for ze party!"
Kitty groaned. "I wanna go!" she whined. "I hate colds..." she complained. "You'd totally better ditch this joint, if you don't, like, want to catch it. Hey, Katherine!" Katherine climbed across Kitty's chest slowly. "Oh man, Rogue, take her! I don't want her getting sick too! And careful of her scratch!"
"Cats can catch human flus?" Kurt asked, amazed.
"Sometimes. Besides, don't I, like, totally need my rest?"
"You're right. Don't want an epidemic!" Rogue said.
"Feel better, Kitty!" Kurt blew a kiss to her and BAMFed away.
"Careful!" Kitty exclaimed as Rogue picked up Katherine.
"Calm down, Half Pint. I'll take care of her... I guess."
"You GUESS? And, like, don't call me Half Pint."
"Just kiddin'! Sheesh, you worry way too much... And I can call you whateva I want. Half Pint."
"She's my baby..." Kitty coughed in a fit. "And, like, no, you can't! Stop it, Rogue!"
"Yes, I can, and I have a hostage to prove it!" Rogue grinned evilly at Katherine, who writhed in her hold.
"Katherine! Rogue, watch out for her scratch! I mean it!"
Rogue smirked and looked at Kitty as she released her deathhold on Katherine.
"Take care of her, Rogue... Please?"
"Oh, all right. I'm leavin' now... I don't wanna catch anythin' either!" With that, Rogue left, Katherine in her arms.
"Take care of Katherine..." Kittty muttered before she fell asleep, the meds finally taking their effect.
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"Has anyone seen the peeler around here?" Miracle searched through the kitchen drawers, carrot in hand. It was her turn to make the salad.
"Mira!" Meos briefly glanced up from her files and documents to look at her daughter with disappointment. She often took work home with her- who knew being a secretary was so hard? Especially when it was all Professor Xavier's stuff!
"Oh yeah! That's right!" Mir grinned as she closed her eyes. A second later a knife appeared in her hands with a flash. The grin faded as she stared at the knife angrily.
"I wanted a PEELER, not knife!"
"Mir, calm down." Amarantha smiled kindly, her hair tied back with a kerchief. "You must have paitience with magic. Unconjure the knife, and try again."
Mir sighed, blew a few stray blonde curls out of her way unsuccessfully, and closed her eyes once more. With a flash, the knife was gone.
"Well, at least that worked. Now, the peeler." Mir took a deep breath and tried again.
"Voilà." Meos said with satisfaction, as her daughter opened one eye to peer at the peeler in her hand.
Since less than a year since their mother had re-entered their lives, Mir and Mara still attended lessons at the Xavier Institute. Slowly but surely, they were extending their knowledge in all directions, including magical talents (their "mutations"), magic, physical defense, and French. That was the lesson the girls were most proud of. The girls were French Canadian all the way, and were very eager to learn words like minuit and chat, which had a dual meaning- the French words for "midnight" and "cat," AND their mother's familiar, their cat of black color- Minuit Chatte, chatte being the feminine form of chat. Also meanings to songs like "Dites-moi," a song from the musical South Pacific as well as one of the lullabies their mother sang to them. They had long since grew out of it, but old habits are hard to break. Especially when they were fun as well.
"Mom? I have a question..." Mir said, waving the peeler around in the air as she spoke. "If we can conjure knives and peelers and stuff..." Mir pointed the peeler in the direction of the pot of boiling water on the stove. "... why can't we just conjure the meal altogether?"
"You've got to learn how to cook sometime, dear!" Meos said... as if that would explain everything.
"...Why do we need to cook if we could just conjure our dinner whenever?!" Mir asked.
Meos just glared at her. Mir sighed.
"I think your spaghetti is burning," Meos said with a smirk on her face as the pot boiled over the brim.
"Ahh! Mom! Help!" Mara backed away with fright, an she wrapped herself in her arms. "No! Mir, the water!"
"Oh... merde!" Mir, realizing what was happening, shut the stove off. "Mara! It's okay, it won't get you!"
"Oh no..." Meos knelt beside Mara, who had slid to the floor crying.
"Oh Mom it was horrible! I still can't get it out of my head! I have the nightmare locked away in my head and I can't get it out... It burned..."
"Oh it's okay dear, it's alright." Meos hugged her daughter close. "It's alright, 'Rantha. It won't hurt you anymore. The cave is all the way back in Xanth, and I even put up a "Danger" sign in front of it..."
"Mom? You know what the cave is? Why we're afraid of hot water?" Mir asked.
"Je ne suis pas née hier, ma chère..."
"I... am not... oh, wasn't... born? ... What's 'hier?'"
"Yesterday."
"Oh. 'I wasn't born yesterday, my dear.' Oh!"
"I should hardly think this is an appropriate time for a FRENCH lesson!" Mara said in between sobs.
"You're right, 'Rantha. It isn't the right time at all." Meos smoothed down her daughter's hair. "It's alright, chère, it's okay, from now on I'll make the spaghetti..."
"And anything else to do with boiling water?"
"Of course."
Mara breathed a sigh of relief and calmed down. "Can we conjure dinner, just this once? I think my fingers will turn into prunes if they don't escape water soon."
"And to tell you the truth, Mom..." Mir glanced at the stove. "I'm really not in the mood for spaghetti at the moment... Can we have something else OTHER than Italian food?"
"I don't see why not." Meos smiled. "In fact, how about if we order Chinese?"
"Cool! I love sweet and sour chicken!" Mir exclaimed as she helped Mara up.
"And as they say, you are what you eat!"
"And... who said that?"
"They did. And if they didn't, they should!"
"What is THAT supposed to mean?"
"Baka..." Mara muttered under her breath.
"Salope!" Mir called her, outraged.
"Kelbeh!"
"Ama!"
"I'm ordering now!" Meos warned as she pointed the phone in their direction.
A typical day in the Meoskite household.
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Kitty woke up slowly, and looked around when she didn't recognize her surroundings. She didn't know where she was... she for sure wasn't in the alley! She was trapped... the feeling overwhelmed her. Help! Where was... She coughed, this time spitting up blood. It floated around her, mixing with a jelly-like substance. She was still breathing, though. She was standing up in an encasement, and she could see out... It looked like a lab. She was chained in- she could see the doors open- Wolverine! And Rogue and Nightcrawler and Spyke, even with his broken arm, and Storm and Cyclops... they all were there. They were countered by objects... robots... Firing lasers and... They couldn't get to her!
*You're too...* Kitty coughed again, blood spreading around her. *You're too late...* If only she would sneeze, maybe she could phaze through! She couldn't think, couldn't move... couldn't breathe, anymore... Couldn't do anything... Where was-
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"KITTY!" Mara screamed, and sat up with a start. She breathed hard and started to cry in the night. The lights immediately flashed on as Meos ran into the room, and Mir banged open the door to the bathroom they shared, that connected to her room.
"Mara! What's wrong?"
"'Rantha? What happened, darling?"
"Ohh... the nightmare! Kitty... Kitty! Is she okay? Where is she? Kitty! Oh, the others..."
"Mara, shhh, they're at the Institute! Remember? Kitty's sick, she has a cold-"
"No! No, it's going to get worse! I WAS Kitty, I had been captured, in some sort of... capsule, or something like that. Something was wrong, I was coughing up blood, I couldn't phaze through. The others came to try to save me, only they encountered some robots or whatever! 'You're too late,' I said. I was losing conciousness... I was looking for somebody..."
"Kurt?"
"Rogue?"
"Professor X?"
"You, Mara?"
"No! No, it was someone else... It wasn't... Something about an alley..."
"Shhh... Mara, it's okay. We'll see Kitty on Sunday, at the party, if she's better. Or we can call her tomorrow morning."
"No... we need to go there tomorrow! As soon as possible!"
"Oh, come here darling." Meos hugged Mara tightly. "Everything happens to you, child, you poor thing!"
"Everything happens to all of us," Mir added. "What do you think the dream meant?"
"It means we have to watch after Half Pint a lot more than usual..." Mara said sadly.
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*Rayven... Rayven...*
Mystique cleared her head. Where were these voices coming from? Last thing she knew, she had been in her bed, asleep... Why was she at the school? She looked around, intensely glaring at several students who were talking in the hall. They immediately shut up and went to class.
*Rayven... Rayven...*
Mystique looked around. Was she going crazy?
Suddenly her surroundings turned dark, and she looked around, confused, changing into her mutant form. What was going on here?
*Mystique... Step forth,* the famliar voice said. A voice Mystique thought she'd never hear again...
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The next afternoon, Kurt found Rogue on her hands and knees, digging around underneath the main staircase.
"Rogue? Vhat are you doing?"
"Kurt? Have you seen Katherine? I can't find her..." Rogue crawled out and looked up at him expectantly.
"You mean you lost her? Kitty's going to kill you!" Kurt looked at her, shocked.
"I didn't LOSE her, I just can't FIND her! Now help me look! I already told the Prof and everyone else. Mir and Mara are distractin' Kitty, while the others search for her on the premesis... but so far she ain't been found."
"How long has it been since you realized she vas gone?"
Rogue gave him a blank look. "... I don't know!"
"Ve're doomed," Kurt said matter-of-factly. Rogue glared.
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"Minuit! Min! Where are you? Oh brother..." Meos shrugged and went back inside. It was getting late in the day; the sun was nearly setting over the horizon. Usually Min was home by then, if she ever chose to go out, which she had earlier that evening.
"Fine, if this is how you like to play..." Meos went into a room labeled "Caution: Magical Contents." She opened the blinds but kept the lights off. She took out a cauldron and poured a ready potion into it, adding a few ingredients here and there. Finally she waved her hands over the smoking pot and closed her eyes.
"Magical forces, unlimited power,
It is always the time of the witching hour.
Minuit, I call you, my black feline friend-
My knowledge of your presence has reached an end.
White magic, may your strength reign forever;
Show me the whereabouts of my familiar!"
A wind blew through the room, even though the window was closed. It blew through her hair, and stirred the potion, making the smoke swirl around her and the cauldron. Meos opened her eyes and peered into the smoke.
"The INSTITUTE? Min, what are you doing NOW?"