The Truth Hurts
Chapter 16: Debating Mystique
By: Michelle
DISCLAIMER:
Parts of the debate are quotes from the Official X-Men 2 Movie Comic Book Adaptation. I, of course, claim no rights to owning any of the quotes used throughout my fanfic.
Also, parts of the flashbacks are quotes from X-men Uncanny 428: The Draco Prologue. I don't own any of that either.
Kurt pulled Ororo closer to him as they listened to Dr. Valerie Cooper introduce Senator Creed and Dr. McCoy. Ich liebe dich. He kissed her on the cheek.
Ororo pulled away slightly to fuss at Jamie, Evan, and Rahne running in front of the TV. "Settle down."
The three paused, looking at the cloudiness of her eyes. Rahne and Jamie hopped in Rogue's spot in between Kitty and Jubilee. Evan jumped in Kurt's lap.
This child has some razor buns. Kurt winced as Evan squirmed to make himself comfortable.
"Evan. Stay still." Ororo pulled the eight year old into her lap wrapping her arms around him. Then, she leaned back allowing Kurt put his arm around her shoulders as they watched the television.
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Dr. McCoy adjusted his glasses with his large hands as he stepped up to the podium. I didn't realize that many people were here. He took a deep breath. Calm yourself Hank. Control the Beast within. He looked around the room smiling. All eyes were on him, and of course Senator Creed.
Senator Creed stepped up to the podium standing up tall and proud. He looked around the room without an expression on his face, and then he cracked a sinister looking smile. This is for all the pain you caused me.
Dr. McCoy glanced at his speech, then up at his audience. "Mutation is the result of a natural change in the genetic material—the DNA—of the human cell. Mutation was beyond Darwin's knowledge when he formulated his theories of evolution. But it is a common occurrence—an everyday phenomenon—one that is generally unnoticed and largely harmless."
Graydon smirked.
"While mutation has always led to problems such as juvenile diabetes and multiple scierosis—not long ago, mutations of a more unique power and variety---began to appear in certain individuals."
Graydon rolled his eyes.
Hank ignored him and continued. "Mutation first appears in an individual when he or she goes through a period of emotional stress, such as fear, anger, confusion, and love. This usually occurs during puberty, but it all depends on the individual as there are now cases occurring in some that are as young as six."
Graydon adjusted his glasses and stared at Hank. Blah, blub, blah, blah, blah.
"My point is that people are evolving. They are evolving to adapt to the change occurring in our world." Hank stood proud. "Good day. I am Dr. Hank McCoy and I am in support of the Mutant Freedom Act."
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Xavier focused his eyes on Senator Kelly. What are you hiding Mystique?
Christian Warner stared out the window of their bedroom suite. "You are not barren Raven. You can have children."
"I can." Raven turned to him with her brown hair curling around her face.
"Yes." Her husband looked down in shame. 'The problem must be with me." He got down on his knees. "I must be a disappointment to you. I can give you everything money can buy, but I can't give you the most priceless gift of all. A child."
"Christian." She cupped his face in her hands. "We will find a way to have a child. I promise. We just have to keep trying."
"I love you so much, Raven." He pulled her close to him. We will find a way.
+++A month later…
She walked down the staircase looking around at all her guests. She really didn't want to be amongst all the guest at the moment, especially after the vitro fertilization failed.
"My darling." Christian took her hand as she took her last step down then turned to his guest. "Herr Azazel, I'd like you to meet my lovely wife, Raven Wagner."
"Enchanted." He took her hand and kissed it.
"Herr Azazel is the ruler of La Isla des Demonas, an island nation off the coast of Bermuda."
Raven ignored her husband and gazed at Azazel and smiled for the first time that night. He was a tall and attractive looking man. Very mysterious indeed. She traced his features with her eyes. He had jet black hair that spiked on his head, a mustache, and his goatee came to a point. There was a wicked nature about him, but he seemed so trustworthy. She felt captivated by his trance.
"This woman will constantly surprise you." Christian finished.
Azazel gave her a sinister looking smile. "Lord knows, I love surprises."
+++
Days later…
"We are trying to have a child." Raven explained Azazel.
"But it won't happen for you."
She turned to face him, shocked at what he said. "That's a cruel thing to say."
"The truth hurts, Raven." Azazel reminded to her. "That's why so many lies are told to keep it hidden. And you of all people should know about lies."
She stood in silence.
"So the Baron can't give you a child." He proposed. "Forget him. He is the past. You are the future."
"You speak about me…" She folded her arms. "As though I were…"
"Something never before seen in this world." He finished her sentence and watched her mouth drop. "There is something about you, Raven. A magnificence and power and beauty beyond anything I've ever seen before. Such is your mystique."
She stood still silence by him. Her arms dropped weightlessly by her sides as she felt him whisper in her ear.
"In fact, you personify the term. You are mystique." He whispered. "In every sense of the word." Then, he pulled away tracing a finger along her cheek. "Meet me tonight at the church.'
"I…"
He silenced her by placing his finger over her mouth, and then he walked away.
+++
Raven ran through the graveyard and into the church. She didn't know why she came, but then again she did. She opened the doors and walked down the aisle of the church.
He stood in front of the alter gazing up at the crucifix.
"Herr Azazel."
"There is no need for formality between us, Raven." He turned slightly to see her in the corner of his eyes. "I'm glad you came."
"I tried to stay away, but I couldn't."
"Why?" He extended his hand to her.
"Because, you frighten me." She felt him grab her hand and pull her to him. "I've never felt so…much."
"You want me."
"My body yearns for you." She gazed lost in his eyes. "I can't wait."
"Then don't." He suggested pulling down the strap to her nightgown. "Undress."
She pulled away. "Here? In the church!" She looked at him in shock. "I'm not that bold."
"But you are bold Raven." He encouraged. "Your mind, body, and spirit are more magnificent than anything in this room." He raised his hands motioning to the elegance of the mosaic windows, the golden crucifix, and the sacred statues surround them in the decorated Catholic Church. "Remove your clothes…and let me worship you."
Practically hypnotized, she did what he said and took off her nightgown. He gazed at her full of lust as she stood in nothing but her bra and underwear.
He pulled her so close to him that she could feel him burning in desire for her. "Now, remove this garment." He traced his hands along her body. "This false you."
Her eyes widened. "I don't know what you are talking about."
"I can almost see it…" he said to her. "…a haze around this less real, less attractive façade you wear. Stand naked before me Raven. Now, in all ways."
Her heart raced. She knew what he meant. Her disguise changed from the young baroness with beautiful long brown hair, crystal blue eyes, and fair skin into the blue skinned demoness with short red hair and golden yellow eyes.
"Unique." His eyes widened. "Unequalled." He pulled her even closer to him. "Extraordinary." They closed their eyes and leaned into each other. "Magnificent."
As she kissed him, she raised her arms around his neck. He pulled her down in front of the alter and changed her life forever.
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"Mutants are growing concern in our country." Senator Creed smiled over at Dr. McCoy in challenge. "I have here a list of mutants that use their 'abilities' so to speak, for criminal activities."
Hank adjusted his glasses waiting for Graydon to continue.
"If we allow such act like the Mutant Freedom Act to pass, we are giving mutants the power to run wild with their abilities." Graydon opened a folder on his podium. "We need to know what mutants are capable of. We need to know what they can do. If not for ourselves, but the safety of our children."
Graydon smiled at the applause he received.
"I am Senator Graydon Creed and I am in support of the Mutant Registration Act."
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Five weeks later…
Standing at the edge of a waterfall, Raven placed her hand on her abdomen and smiled to herself. She slid her hands up her body, then spread her arms out like she was flying. "I AM IN LOVE." She yelled to the top of her lungs feeling the breeze blow through her short red hair and flimsy white nightgown.
BAMF
She jumped and turned to face him. "Oh! Azazel!" She looked her lover perched on a rock a few feet from her. "You startled me."
"Fortunately." The red demonistic Azazel replied. "You didn't fall."
"No, I, uh…Azazel." She placed a hand on her abdomen again. "Azazel, I'm pregnant."
"How wonderful for you my dear." He replied with his tail twitching behind him. "And what does the Baron think of all this?"
"Well, I..." She was confused. "…it doesn't matter. I don't love the Baron. I never did."
"It's fascinating." He wanted to laugh. "I didn't think you were capable of such emotion."
"Why are you being so cold?" Raven said on the verge of tears. "I thought." She hung her head. "I hoped you would be pleased."
"Of course I'm please." He explained. "But not for the reasons you want me to be. You see Raven. It is all simple science, and it worked as I hoped." He said coldly. "It's nothing to get all emotional about."
"All the things you said." She reminded him. "I thought you loved me."
"Raven, my dear, never confuse physical passion for matters of the heart. Since the dawn of mankind, the two have rarely gone hand in hand." He glared at her with his bright yellow eyes. "Now go back to the Baron in the perfect little world you married yourself into…and raise our child…my child…as his."
BAMF
Raven placed her other hand on her abdomen and cried. How could he do this to me?
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"According to the Declaration of Independence, Senator Creed, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'"[1]
"Men, Dr. McCoy." Graydon pointed out. "It says nothing about mutants."
"Amendment XIV Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." [2] Hank smiled proudly as Graydon thought for a moment before his next remark.
He took a deep breath. "Clever comeback, Dr. McCoy." Graydon admitted. "Yet, mutants are not men. They are animals."
"Mutants are people too." Hank pointed out.
"People." Graydon said. "You mean evolving people."
"That is correct."
"And these evolved people, each have a different ability…a different power." Graydon smiled. "Am I not right?"
"Yes."
'So these 'evolved' people should have the right to use their powers freely. Say to hurt others, Dr. McCoy."
"No."
"No to the right to use their powers freely."
"No, no to hurt others."
"But hurting others would be using their powers freely." He smiled. All that law school paid off. "Am I not right?"
"Yes."
"But you just said people should have the freedom to use their powers."
"Yes I did."
"Well, Dr. McCoy." Graydon stared him down. "What is your point?"
Hank took a deep breath. Damn, I hate lawyers. "That mutant should be allowed to use their powers freely, but follow the same laws everyone else does."
"See, that makes more sense." Graydon gave him one his devilish smiles.
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Seven months later…
Raven lay next to her husband in bed. "It hurts me that you could even ask such a thing, but to press the point over and over again."
"I'm sorry Raven." Christian explained. "But there was such an obvious chemistry between you and Herr Azazel. Then you become pregnant and he disappears."
She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"My father suggested one of those new genetic tests." He explained. "I feel horrible about agreeing, but if I'm wrong, I'll make it up to you for the rest of our lives. I promise you Raven."
Her anger caused her to lose control as she grabbed for a knife hidden under her pillow.
She struggled to drag his bloody entangled body in their bed sheet down to his finally resting place.
She looked down at the grave with her yellow eyes as the rain poured down on her.
Lightning flashed around her as she destroyed all evidence of her evil deed.
Raven curled up as best she could in her pregnant state. Tears flowed down her eyes as she felt the life inside of her kick.
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I don't like this Graydon Creed guy. Rogue curled up and rested her hands and head on her knees. Is he my brother, well foster brother? Why is he such a hateful man? What could possibly make him want to pass the Mutant Registration Act so badly?
She closed her eyes. She really didn't want to listen to too much more of this, but she knew how important it was.
Sensing her confused emotions, Remy turned to the curled up Rogue. "Ya alright chere."
"Yeah." She lied and opened her eyes to study the television set.
Remy turned to image she was focusing on. Graydon Creed reminded him of someone but he wasn't sure who. He had met many men in his past, but something in that man's bloodthirsty eyes reminded him of one in particular.
Remy turned back to Rogue who was now shaking. She's scared of Graydon. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. It alright chere. Remy nervous about him too.
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"I believe that our children should be educated with mutants." Hank said proudly. "We need to understand mutants and not judge them by their abilities."
"What you say is true." Graydon admitted. "But some of these mutants are so dangerous; they become a harm to themselves and those around them. How are our children going to grow up understanding mutants if they are constantly surrounded by violent mutant outbursts?"
'Not all mutants are dangerous."
"Oh really." Graydon flipped through his papers. "According to my research, there are mutants so dangerous that they can absorb the life-force of others."
Rogue's eyes widened.
"And others that can appear in and out of various places with lightning speed."
Kurt shifted uncomfortably.
"You make an excellent point Senator." Hank nodded. "But with proper training, such mutants can grow up to control their abilities, making them less dangerous to themselves and others."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Push Fraulein Raven." The nurse held her hand. "All this pain will soon bring you joy. Too bad, the Baron is out on business to see this."
She pushed again as the nurse wiped her forehead with a wet towel.
"There's the head." The doctor smiled.
"Dear God he's blue."
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY BABY?" Raven demanded.
"The baby needs air." The doctor replied. "Just one more push."
Raven grinded her teeth and gave her last push. She felt a sense of relief as she heard a small cry.
"Here he is." The doctor held the screaming baby in his hands. "It's a boy."
The nurse wiped the baby down and gasped. "The son of the devil. The anti-Christ is born on earth."
"Calm down woman." The doctor looked at the baby in his hands. He had six fingers and 4 toes, his skin was completely blue, had a full head of jet black hair, with pointed ears, shining golden yellow eyes, and a long spaded ended tail. "That will be typical reaction in your life…if you survive young man. The humane thing to do would be to suffocate you now and send you back to God."
Raven sat up losing all control over her abilities. 'What's wrong with my baby?"
"She's blue." The nurse left from her side. "Like the child."
"SHE'S A DEMONESS." The doctor pushed the baby into her arms and rushed out of the room to warn the town.
Raven looked down at her son in her arms. "Oh God. You're like your father."
Panicked and weak, she wrapped the baby in a small blanket and placed him in a basket. She could angry townspeople storming through her home and escaped into the woods. "Damnit Azazel. Damn you to HELL."
However, she could not out run them for long. She found herself at the edge of a waterfall, weak and out of breath.
Her heart broke as she heard him cry. She looked down at him giving him the first glimpse of her face. Her yellow eyes gazed at him underneath her red hair.
She placed the basket on the ground, bent down, and touched his cheek. "Why couldn't you be more like me?" She pulled her hand away. "Damn you Azazel. I had everything I ever wanted in life before you! I was rich and powerful and …how could I have been so stupid? How could I have let you do this to me?"
She tucked him in tightly in his blanket. "My baby boy." She brushed her fingers through his long cobalt locks. She pulled out a knife and gently cut one of his curls. She took the lock of hair and wrapped it safely in a handkerchief.
She turned to hear the villagers closing in closer to her. She stood up holding him out over the falls. "I'll change my appearance and escape yes. But with nothing. No money, no clothes, and nothing of any value whatsoever."
Her heart pounded as she felt the innocent baby squirm in her hands. Her appearance changed into a townsman. "Behold. The devil's child."
"Throw it into the falls."
"Send him back to the hell he came."
'Why couldn't you love me Azazel?' She whispered to herself and dropped the baby to a watery grave.
She waited until the crowd left before she changed back into her true form. She looked down at the crashing water below.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"All mutants should identify themselves to the public." Graydon demanded.
Hank shook his head. "The more and more mutants that are forced to identify themselves, the more violent the public is against them. Mutants should have the right to choose to identify themselves."
"What are mutants so afraid of?" Graydon snapped back. ""You act like the mutant race is plotting against the human race."
"Mutant's are not afraid, Senator." Hank replied. "They are just misunderstood."
"If I remember correctly, wasn't it mutants that caused the incident at the Statue of Liberty a year and a half ago. Wasn't it a mutant that led the slaughter or other mutants in the tunnels of New York two years ago? Wasn't it a mutant that attacked our President last May?" Graydon reminded.
"Wasn't it mutants that stopped both incidents in New York." Hank pointed out. "But it was a human that plotted the attack on the President by using a mind controlling device on that mutant. And if I'm not mistaken, such human groups like the Friends of Humanity sponsored that attack as well as illegal experiments on innocent mutants at Alkali Lake."
Graydon sucked in a breath.
"You see Senator." Hank stood proud. "Mutants aren't the cause of all catastrophic events occurring in our world."
"I doubt that."
"Senator Creed. What would you do if you had a sister, brother or even a mother or father that was mutant?" Hank questioned. "Would you support the Mutant Registration Act? Would you force them to expose themselves knowing fully well that they would be rejected by the four little words? I am a mutant."
"YES." Graydon answered without a care in the world.
The crowd in room began stirring wildly with thoughts about his answer.
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The Truth Hurts. Rogue felt her stomach turn as she heard his answer. What a cruel and hateful brother I have? Maybe this is why Momma Raven never saw him again.
Selfish mother fucking bastard making Chere feel so bad. Remy turned a card in his hand. If Remy was at dat debate, his ass would of bin blown apart by now.
The Truth Hurts. Kurt sucked in a deep breath and closed his eyes. What a hateful soul? I shall pray for you to open your eyes to the love of God. He began fiddling with his rosary.
What a hateful man. Ororo hugged Evan tight as she felt Kurt grab for his rosary. This is why I have a hard time trusting humans.
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Xavier's concentration broke on Mystique when he heard Graydon's answer. I understand why he answers like he does. He looked at Graydon's burning glare on Mystique.
Logan jumped in his seat looking at his watch. It's after two o'clock already. This thing was that long and boring. "What happened?"
"That man is cold-hearted." Bobby answered to the waking Logan.
Graydon Creed. "Yeah well." Logan closed his eyes and mumbled. "He takes after his father." Nap time again.
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"Well Sabretooth." Magneto leaned back in his chair. "Perhaps he has your personality."
Sabretooth growled. Just wait til your mother gets your ass back here boy.
Pyro glared at the image on the television. You're lucky I'm not there or it would be roast Graydon a la Creed.
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Hank took in the answer Graydon gave him. What a heartless man he is.
Mystique fought her hold on her appearance of Senator Kelly. Now I know I have no choice but to fulfill my mission.
Graydon looked around at the room and began to speak again, but was cut off before the words could leave his mouth.
"Senator Creed. Dr. McCoy." Valerie Cooper stood up. "We can't allow this issue to drag our country into another civil war."
"I agree Dr. Cooper." Hank said calmly. "This should not become a war. Mutants and humans should not have to fight for survival." He looked around at the room of various individuals of race, ethnicity, color, gender, and culture. "As a nation, we should have learned from our past experiences. We should not have to segregate ourselves from each other. We should be able to coexist together in peace and harmony."
Graydon steamed as applause for Dr. McCoy filled the room.
Valerie Cooper looked around the room, then back at the two men at the podiums. "I believe I speak for all the council in saying that our decision on the two acts will be something we seriously must think about. As for now, the two acts must be looked into deeper with future debates. Until then, our decision is inconclusive. Thank you for your time gentlemen, and good day."
Graydon stormed out of the room before anyone could approach him. He felt like such a fool. He couldn't believe the council's answer to them. Inconclusive my ass. I'll just have to take care of them on my own.
[1] Declaration of Independence
[2] U.S. Constitution Amendment XIV Section 1