Top of Form
Bottom of Form
I watched as Mystique gingerly stepped into the pool, the water enveloping her form. Her midnight skin camouflaged with the dark water, she disappeared from my sight immediately after she went under the surface.
Mystique knew that I had been watching her with some appreciation as she slipped into the pool, she also knew that I would be waiting for her once she got out.
This watery grotto once housed the machine I was imprisoned for using; now, however, it is simply what it had become in my absence. Perhaps for her own peace of mind, Mystique had used it as a bathing lagoon, almost like a personal swimming pool...only it was salt water and in a cave.
She was underneath the surface for a few seconds before her head bobbed back into sight. Her eyes shone light back to me like a cat's; the twin yellow dots were all I could see in the dim cave, the swishing of water all that I could hear.
As languidly as she had descended into the water, now was she emerging fully to the surface. The water beaded off her lean body and dripped onto the steel floor beneath her feet. She did not move as I approached her, bearing a towel.
I wrapped it around her shoulders as she stared up at me. Such a beautiful creature she is; often I feel that I do not deserve her.
She stood up to kiss me on the mouth, and in doing so, she made me begin to burn for her.
I pressed my forehead to hers, and grasped her hands in mine. The towel dropped to the floor with a soft ruffling. "Mystique, I..." I started to say, but she silenced me with another kiss.
My hands found her waist as they had so many times before, as she held my shoulders.
"Uh, Magneto? Mystique?"
Instantly we pulled apart, backing several feet away in a desperate attempt to make it appear as if nothing had happened.
"Hello? Where are you guys?"
It was then that we realized that it was Pyro, on the intercom speaker. This meant that he was probably in my office, not in the cavern with us. He had not seen anything that would have embarrassed him; although he might have, had he entered a few minutes later.
Mystique looked at me, and breathed a huge sigh of relief. I went to the speaker on the wall and pressed the 'talk' button.
"Yes, Pyro, we're here. What's the matter?"
"Well, nothing yet, but there's a gathering going on that I think you should know about."
I glanced back at my mistress, "Perhaps we should join him?"
She only shrugged and silently followed me out. If she was as disappointed as I was by our potential tryst being cut short, she never said so.
***^^^***
Pyro had not lied, I did indeed take interest in the gathering. However, I think that 'gathering' would have been too small a word to describe what was happening before my eyes on the television screen.
It looked as if well over a million people had gathered in America's capitol to protest about mutants. The protests were a frequent occurrence, but they had never been so large in number before.
"The reporters have been saying that those people plan to stay there in Washington until someone solves the problem." Pyro had informed us. He wasn't extremely angered by this, but he was also somewhat upset. He had been rejected by his parents like Mystique had just for being one of us.
Mystique's eyes were fiery with the unfairness of it all. "Eric, we have to do something."
I agreed. The protesters weren't my main concern; my focus was on the men who were leading the rally.
*****^^^^^*****
We left the island shortly after we saw the news report. So many blind sheep following their leaders, who obviously knew nothing of what we are.
'Mutants are dangerous and untrustworthy! How can we feel safe when we know that they are out there, among us, biding their time for attack? I refuse to be a victim of a mutie!'
One of the leaders expressed these sentiments without apology, he wanted us dead or deported.
I rolled my eyes and snorted at his arrogance. What a fool!
Once we arrived in Washington, the city was crammed full of people demanding that the government somehow put a stop to mutants.
As if it could. No one can stop a strand of DNA from mutating.
"Mystique, perhaps you could find out where they are receiving their financial aid and information?" Eric had asked.
He presented it as a question, not a command.
I looked back at him from our hotel bed. He had changed into a suit and tie. For a moment, I forgot who and what he was to me, and saw that he looked exactly like the rest of humanity.
As did Pyro. They could walk into a room and no one would take notice; but if I were to even pass by a window right now in my natural form with the raging protesters below, I could be killed.
I looked at my hands before me. They were dark sapphire blue, and covered with ridges and reflective scales. So was my chest and legs. My eyes were yellow and my hair was too vibrant a shade of red to be human.
I can be anyone else in the world, but I can never be myself.
I am not a monster. I am not a demon. I am beautiful.
Eric has told me this many times.
However, in times like these, it can be hard to believe that.
"Sure Eric. I'll get whatever we need."
Bottom of Form
I watched as Mystique gingerly stepped into the pool, the water enveloping her form. Her midnight skin camouflaged with the dark water, she disappeared from my sight immediately after she went under the surface.
Mystique knew that I had been watching her with some appreciation as she slipped into the pool, she also knew that I would be waiting for her once she got out.
This watery grotto once housed the machine I was imprisoned for using; now, however, it is simply what it had become in my absence. Perhaps for her own peace of mind, Mystique had used it as a bathing lagoon, almost like a personal swimming pool...only it was salt water and in a cave.
She was underneath the surface for a few seconds before her head bobbed back into sight. Her eyes shone light back to me like a cat's; the twin yellow dots were all I could see in the dim cave, the swishing of water all that I could hear.
As languidly as she had descended into the water, now was she emerging fully to the surface. The water beaded off her lean body and dripped onto the steel floor beneath her feet. She did not move as I approached her, bearing a towel.
I wrapped it around her shoulders as she stared up at me. Such a beautiful creature she is; often I feel that I do not deserve her.
She stood up to kiss me on the mouth, and in doing so, she made me begin to burn for her.
I pressed my forehead to hers, and grasped her hands in mine. The towel dropped to the floor with a soft ruffling. "Mystique, I..." I started to say, but she silenced me with another kiss.
My hands found her waist as they had so many times before, as she held my shoulders.
"Uh, Magneto? Mystique?"
Instantly we pulled apart, backing several feet away in a desperate attempt to make it appear as if nothing had happened.
"Hello? Where are you guys?"
It was then that we realized that it was Pyro, on the intercom speaker. This meant that he was probably in my office, not in the cavern with us. He had not seen anything that would have embarrassed him; although he might have, had he entered a few minutes later.
Mystique looked at me, and breathed a huge sigh of relief. I went to the speaker on the wall and pressed the 'talk' button.
"Yes, Pyro, we're here. What's the matter?"
"Well, nothing yet, but there's a gathering going on that I think you should know about."
I glanced back at my mistress, "Perhaps we should join him?"
She only shrugged and silently followed me out. If she was as disappointed as I was by our potential tryst being cut short, she never said so.
***^^^***
Pyro had not lied, I did indeed take interest in the gathering. However, I think that 'gathering' would have been too small a word to describe what was happening before my eyes on the television screen.
It looked as if well over a million people had gathered in America's capitol to protest about mutants. The protests were a frequent occurrence, but they had never been so large in number before.
"The reporters have been saying that those people plan to stay there in Washington until someone solves the problem." Pyro had informed us. He wasn't extremely angered by this, but he was also somewhat upset. He had been rejected by his parents like Mystique had just for being one of us.
Mystique's eyes were fiery with the unfairness of it all. "Eric, we have to do something."
I agreed. The protesters weren't my main concern; my focus was on the men who were leading the rally.
*****^^^^^*****
We left the island shortly after we saw the news report. So many blind sheep following their leaders, who obviously knew nothing of what we are.
'Mutants are dangerous and untrustworthy! How can we feel safe when we know that they are out there, among us, biding their time for attack? I refuse to be a victim of a mutie!'
One of the leaders expressed these sentiments without apology, he wanted us dead or deported.
I rolled my eyes and snorted at his arrogance. What a fool!
Once we arrived in Washington, the city was crammed full of people demanding that the government somehow put a stop to mutants.
As if it could. No one can stop a strand of DNA from mutating.
"Mystique, perhaps you could find out where they are receiving their financial aid and information?" Eric had asked.
He presented it as a question, not a command.
I looked back at him from our hotel bed. He had changed into a suit and tie. For a moment, I forgot who and what he was to me, and saw that he looked exactly like the rest of humanity.
As did Pyro. They could walk into a room and no one would take notice; but if I were to even pass by a window right now in my natural form with the raging protesters below, I could be killed.
I looked at my hands before me. They were dark sapphire blue, and covered with ridges and reflective scales. So was my chest and legs. My eyes were yellow and my hair was too vibrant a shade of red to be human.
I can be anyone else in the world, but I can never be myself.
I am not a monster. I am not a demon. I am beautiful.
Eric has told me this many times.
However, in times like these, it can be hard to believe that.
"Sure Eric. I'll get whatever we need."