All my life, I've dreamed of the perfect knight comin' along. He'd love me and be utterly perfect. As a teenager, I even wrote down the things he'd have to be before I'd be willing to ride away with him on his white horse.
Isn't it funny how life works out?
I never thought I could fall for a known criminal, despite my history of law breakin'. I never thought when I did that I wouldn't change him, make him want to stop.
I've never even asked him to try.
Like I said, funny. For the past several weeks, it was like I was that teenaged girl again, arrogant and judgmental, unwilling to forgive. "You messed up? Fine. You can't be the one I'm lookin' for."
Now I feel embarrassed. Remy said I shouldn't worry about it, that he understands. I do too, I guess. Mastermind's one powerful mutant, after all.
I can't help feeling ashamed, though. Remy's no white knight, but he didn't deserve what I put him through.
So I turn to Raven, though I remain cuddled in Remy's arms. I met Raven when I was still with Mystique. She was as goofy then as she is now, overacting and clowning around worse than Bobby does.
She does it with her magic, too. When Pyro targeted her with his fire, she started screaming "I want to go home" and hit her shoes together three times. She vanished.
Yeah. It got pretty bad. Mama's not the kind who can take that kind of joke, though Pyro was laughin' his ass off by the end. Hell, in between bein' mad at her for hurting my friends, I thought she was funny. We never saw her again after that one fight we had, but Mama still probably had her eye out for the little witch.
"So why'd you volunteer for this little mission, Raven?"
She turned, her hot pink hat nearly falling off her head. She caught it easily, shook a white rabbit out of it, and put it back on. I groaned and caught the rabbit, holding it gently as its sides trembled. "Who told you I volunteered, eh?" She raised one eyebrow, pretending to be suspicious.
I laughed. "Come on. I know you. No way anyone's tellin' you to do something you don't like."
Her face got as innocent as a five year old kid's. "Hey, I do whatever the voices in my head tell me to do." She gave a wicked grin. "Besides, this will give me the chance to practice some of my new spells."
"New spells?" Remy took the rabbit from me and opened the window, watching as Scott slowed for the light, then letting the animal go.
"Oh, laws, we got spells, me and Joe. Don't we, Joe?" Raven pulled out a golden wand with a star at the top made of a lacy golden fabric, dotted with gold sequins. It was amazingly tacky. She caressed it as she spoke. "Ah, me and Joe."
Remy's body was shaking against mine. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughin' myself. "So, do you do any other impersonations?"
She raised an eyebrow, all playfulness gone in a heartbeat. "Of course not. Put down that silly thing, Raven, and pay attention for once." The tone, the words, the gestures, all were Dr. Strange, all right. Remy started laughing, I didn't try to fight it either, and even Scott made a noise I'd swear was laughter from the front.
Her eyes lit up. "Facetiousness is welcome, Raven, but not in dire circumstances such as … oh, bother. You are going to continue with these shenanigans regardless." I howled. That was our Beast, all right.
She continued, and we laughed, until we entered the city. I couldn't laugh any more. My aching ribs suddenly seemed like a warning. A judgement.
He took my hand. "Chere. Remy here."
I smiled, for him. "I'm glad. I think I might be runnin' otherwise."
