Author's note: I didn't do this in chapter one, so...
Disclaimer: I do not claim any ownership to the characters from the Marvel universe or any other-verse that ended up in this little fic. However, I bought new sandals last week, and I do own those! Yay!
Chapter Five:
As the students were finishing up their lunches and preparing for afternoon classes, Kurt perched on the roof just above the second floor common room's large windows. The sun above him was bright but was still fighting away the last of winter, so the air around him was not too hot. The span of shingles beneath his feet was fairly flat and the wind was nothing more than a breeze, but Kurt still kept his tail loosely wrapped around the base of a nearby lightning rod.
His caution was simply a habit from the circus he had not bothered to change; if he was up high, with no safety net below him, his trainer had always warned him to keep one hand on a stationary object until the performance began. Luckily for Kurt, he never needed to spare a hand, since his tail was able to do all the work.
With that freedom, he was able to pull his rosary between his fingers as he stared thoughtfully out over the mansion's vast lawns. He could see the few remaining children gathering up their books as the hour of one, and the end of lunch break, drew ever closer. Most of the students who spotted Kurt sitting above them waved and called up to him cheerfully, but there were those who still regarded him with uncertainty.
Kurt sighed and thought about the new student he met this morning. She had not just seemed uncertain, she had almost been afraid of him, and Kurt could not help feeling a little bad about making the child uncomfortable in an already new and strange environment. Her reaction was fairly typical, but not one that ever made Kurt angry...just sad.
No matter how much he assured himself that his only differences from an ordinary human being were on the outside, it still was a constant reminder that he was different. Many mutants faced with such discrimination grew resentful to humans, even other mutants who looked like all ordinary humans. Kurt, however, simply found himself feeling very, very lonely.
As he turned the beads, his fingers struck the larger cross, adorning one end, and he stared down at it sadly. He remembered the day he been given this rosary, a gift from his mentor at the circus, the one he and many others had called Mutter Abby, or Mutter Abigail.
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It had been a cold day, Kurt remembered, bitter and windy. The enormous tents covering the audiences and the performers had rippled and groaned from the pressure of the winds. Even through the heavy fabrics, Kurt had felt the harsh sting of the air as he stood in position over the shivering crowd. The supports for the trapezes were not connected to the outer structure, but they still swayed slightly and the others had grumbled about whether or not they would even be able to do their acts.
The owner of the circus, who also doubled as the ringleader, had not wanted to risk the health or lives of any of his performers, but the paying customers around them were restless, expecting a show worthy of their money. So the ringleader had been desperately searching for something to appease them.
Kurt had been very young, barely fifteen at the time, and still a student in the eyes of the others. The one they called Mutter Abby had encouraged his training, knowing his mutation gifted him with acrobatic skills the other lacked. As the ringleader worked to find someone to replace the high wire acts, Kurt approached Abby with an idea.
"Kurt," she said to him, "God has given you a gift, even though some may not say so. I know you want to prove your worth among the others but...do you really believe you can do this on your own?"
"I do, mutter," he said with the terrifying confidence of youth, "Please, let me try. Besides...if I fall, at least the circus has only lost one mutant..."
"No," Abby said firmly, and then touched his face tenderly, "Never believe that. Don't doubt yourself just because others cannot see beyond their own hate. Have faith in yourself..."
Mutter Abby had taken a rosary from her pocket and placed it in his hand. Kurt stared at the dark beads curiously, but the elderly woman simply nodded with approval. After that, she went to talk to the ringleader, as Kurt snuck toward the trapeze.
So, there he stood, cold and frightened above the rowdy patrons, tying the rosary to his belt with his icy fingers as he held himself in place with his tail. It was very dim and shadowy at this height, and the ringleader ordered the spotlight operators not to follow the mutant performer. Kurt took a long breath, trying to keep his cold hands from shaking, and waited for his cue. Of course, he had no idea what that would be, he did not really have a stage name yet...
Suddenly, the ringleader's voice blared over the speakers and Kurt tightened his tail around pole with surprise. His heart was pounding in his chest and he was suddenly grateful that the bright spots were not focused on him. He could not even make out what the ringleader was saying, he just waited until the talking stopped and the music began, and then leapt out onto the first swing.
Once he was in the air, all of his anxiety disappeared. Kurt moved with a strange grace and beauty that made the crowd gasp and applaud. He could hardly hear their reactions over the rapid beat of his heart, now pounding with excitement and not fear. The large posts supporting the trapeze swayed even more under his weight but his own agility allowed him to compensate his performance when needed.
Then, as his act was drawing to a close, Kurt reached out for the last swing...and misjudged the distance between the bar and his outstretched arm. His fingers grazed the ropes but did not make solid contact. Desperately, Kurt spun his weight and grabbed the bar with his tail. He swung for a moment like that and the audience fell silent, both in awe and in fear of this unexpected action.
Kurt tried to tighten his tail on the swing as he had to the pole on the platform, but his extra appendage had not yet grown strong enough to hold his body weight...and he suddenly began to fall. He could hear the audience (and everyone else) cry out in alarm. There had been no safety nets in place as part of the scheduled act, and Kurt was well aware of that as he spun head over heels toward the concrete floor.
In those few desperate moments, Kurt closed his eyes tightly and prayed for God's mercy. He felt something in him spark to life, something in his mind, and just before he hit the ground...Kurt vanished.
No one breathed, staring in shock at the empty area where Kurt should have landed. Then, there was a soft sound and Kurt reappeared above the swings, still accelerating downward. He reached out with one hand and caught one of the ropes, burning his palms as he forced his falling motion to stop. He felt his feet touch the bar of the swing, and stood in bewildered surprise as he looked out over the crowd.
There was a long moment of shocked silence from everyone...until someone in the audience began to clap. The applause grew from that spot, until every patron was on their feet, howling and cheering the amazing conclusion to the show.
Kurt looked down, and saw the other circus performers staring at him with a mix of relief and wonder. The ringleader's mouth hung open, almost unable to believe the mutant boy was alive, until a broad smiled broke over his features. The others around him also began to applaud, and Kurt saw approval in their faces, including mother.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" the ringleader announced grandly, "I give you... the...amazing...the...incredible...Nightcrawler!"
Kurt still had trouble moving from the swing, even as he became more and more certain he was not dead. He held the rosary tightly in one hand, and wondered what miracle had saved him from his unpleasant demise...
After the show, many people in the audience waited to meet the Incredible Nightcrawler, but Mutter Abby cautioned Kurt about reentering the crowd. Kurt had grudgingly agreed simply to return to his own room in their traveling home, but the call of the spotlight drew him back to the exiting lines of people. They had seen him during the show, and they had loved his performance. Why shouldn't he go out and meet those who were calling his name?
Kurt snuck through the shadows, thinking of himself as Nightcrawler with amusement, until he could see the lights at the front of the tent. He inched closer and glanced around the corner. He could see the ringleader speaking highly of him and reassuring the crowds that The Incredible Nightcrawler would return next week. Kurt grinned happily, feeling proud and special at the discovery of his new gifts.
A little girl exiting the tent walked close by him, though Kurt did not notice her. She glanced back into the shadows and spotted a pair of yellow eyes in the darkness. She suddenly began to scream, and the crowd's attention shifted from the ringleader, to the little girl, to the shadowy form she was pointing to.
"Monster!" she screamed again and again, weeping into her father's jacket.
The crowd began to gasp and shout in surprised horror at the creature in the shadows. Little did they know it was the same individual they had been cheering only a moment before. Someone threw a bottle toward the dark figure and Kurt had to jump backwards in order to avoid the shattering glass.
With confused panic, Kurt ran off towards the private quarters of the circus folk. He moved through the shadows in desperation, getting himself as far away from the screaming crowd as he could. When he reached the last box card, he ran around the back and leaned against the rough wooden slats.
Bitter tears were streaming down his face and Kurt bowed in head into his hands. He could not understand it...why would they treat him like that after they had been applauding him in the tent? Why did everyone always look at him with fear or disgust or hatred...?
Kurt clenched his hands into fists in anger. He hated being different. He hated not being able to go out into the towns as the other performers could. He hated always being hidden away when local authorities would come to inspect the circus. He hated the looks on their faces as they screamed and pointed at him...he hated...he hated...
Suddenly, Kurt heard soft footsteps moving toward him along the gravelly path. He curled himself tightly against the boxcar, and did not look up when the pacing steps stopped before him. He heard someone sigh heavily, and knew immediately who had come to find him.
"I saw what happened at the exit, Kurt," Mutter Abby's voice said from above him, kind and concerned. When Kurt did not respond, Mutter Abby knelt down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. She could feel him shuttering as he tried to stifle the sobs in his throat.
"I know this is difficult for you," she continued, "To finally have earned your place in the spot light, but be unable to stand there. Those people, they are different when under the big tent...almost as if they have entered a place where they can see the world in a different way. Outside of it, though, many of them are still blind to the amazing things...and people...who exist around them..."
Kurt turned his head slightly to look at the elderly woman as she spoke.
"But..." Kurt asked with pain in his voice, "But...why do they hate?"
"Because they do not understand who you are, my Kurt. You have amazing gifts," she said, and then chuckled softly, "Including a few you do not understand or even know about, apparently. You are young, and still have much to learn about the world. But...if you have faith...you will not let the hatred of others blind you to your own worth."
She touched Kurt's face affectionately and drew the boy into an embrace. Kurt wiped the tears from his eyes and wrapped one hand around the rosary attached to his belt, thinking about monsters and faith and mutants and humans and...himself.
"Now," Mutter Abby said, helping him to his feet, "Let us...you and I...talk about that new gift God has blessed you with tonight..."
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Bamf, Kurt thought with a grin. That was not exactly the noise made when he teleported but it was close enough if anyone ever needed to spell it.
Mutter Abby had always told him to have faith in himself. She was not his real mother, but she had been the only one he had ever known. He wondered from time to time about his real parents, but considered himself lucky to have found a loving family at the circus.
Now, he sat on the roof of a gorgeous mansion, surrounded by others like him, others who considered him a friend, safe from most of the prejudices of the rest of the world. Yet, occasionally, that strange sense of loneliness would build up inside of him again, and he would wonder about his place among humans and mutants...and monsters.
Kurt was pulled from his thoughts as he heard a window open from below. He heard someone climbing out of the common room onto the roof, and then Remy's voice called out.
"Kurt? Are you there, ami?"
With a grin, Kurt shifted himself to he could see down and spotted the Cajun looking nervously between him and the ground below. Remy took a few cautious steps and then hoisted himself up to the level where Kurt was sitting. Before he began to speak, Remy drew a cigarette from the inside of his jacket and lit it.
"Just wanted to let you know," Remy said, still glancing nervously at the end of the roof, "That the dinner party is on for six o'clock sharp."
Kurt nodded but then gave the other man an amused look, "Did the Professor agree to your request for wine?"
Remy sighed with dramatic disappointment, "No...I am very sad to say. But, he didn't mind if we had few friendly rounds of poker. Merci, mon dieu, for the kindness."
"I doubt if Storm is happy about that," Kurt said.
Remy took a long pull from his cigarette and narrowed his eyes. He had noticed a certain extra flush on Kurt's face whenever he talked about the aloof Ms. Monroe, and Remy grinned and shook his head.
"I wouldn't know, ami," Remy said, blowing smoke into the air before continuing, "I haven't seen her today. Anyway...I thought maybe you would like to invite her to our little soiree."
Kurt turned his head in surprise toward the Cajun and, if he had not had his tail to hold him in place, might have stumbled off the roof himself. Remy chuckled and placed a steadying hand on the blue mutant's shoulder.
"Whoa," Remy said with a grin, "Love can drive a man to the edge...but not this edge. Nothing to kiss but concrete below here."
Kurt grinned, thinking back on his earlier memories, "Thank you, but...this edge is not what makes me nervous."
"Oui...I've noticed," Remy agreed, "But...it's not like asking her for a romantic evening alone. We're all going to be there, so it's not like...a date...or anything."
Remy saw Kurt's blue skin turn a little paler on the word 'date' and he chuckled again. Another skill Remy had learned from his life around gamblers and thieves was how to watch people, and he had watched Storm and Kurt step bashfully around each other for months now. He doubted Storm would ever take love advice from him, so Remy decided he would have to work up Kurt's courage instead.
Must be that new heroic streak in me...or maybe I just want the poker game to seem like someone else's idea, Remy thought with amusement and then began to formulate a strategy for Kurt to successfully approach the intimidating weather goddess.