Not Myself
By Princess Alexandria
Princess_alex24@hotmail.com
Christy pulled up to the house after work the next day and hit the garage door opener. She just stared into the garage after that and didn't move to drive in.
It looked like Mystique, only her coloring was more human. Raven, Christy's mind supplied this alter ego's identity as Raven smirked at her from the open garage. "You'll be parking outside." Her voice was loud enough to hear through the closed window. Christy just sighed and backed the car up to park where Jon used to put his truck. The rocks to the side of the driveway sat under trees that left pine needles on the car.
She locked her door and grabbed her purse and the now useless garage door opener. Might as well put it in the garage now. Raven was leaning against the house with her arms crossed in front of her. Christy glanced at her and couldn't help but think of Annie and how Annie looked better in green, just like Mystique looked better with the red hair and blue skin. It was how they were just supposed to be. With Christy's neighbors living so close this was necessary, but Christy wished it weren't. She used to hate when Annie couldn't even go out to get the mail without her damned image inducer.
There were large boxes in the middle of her parking space. She glanced at them before staring at Raven waiting for the explanation.
"A home gym. Xavier seemed to think that you could benefit from it. It arrived this morning along with a note from him saying that he covered the expenses for it." Raven wasn't overly happy looking. "I had to wake up and take the delivery for you. I believe I did a convincing Christy, I wasn't sure about the signature though. Haven't seen yours."
"He didn't even ask if I had room." Christy sighed as she looked at the boxes and the start of… "You were putting this up for me?" Some of the boxes were unpacked. There was a punching bag hanging from the rafter and a few padded walls now. Christy also noticed a padded floor slowly being built out of foam like puzzle pieces.
"I could use a gym too. Can't practice some of my moves in a public one." Raven was underplaying the nice move, but Christy could tell it was one. It might even be an apology, Christy chose to take it as one.
When she got closer to the large punching bag she started to think it was a bit too heavy for Raven. She glanced over at her. It wasn't like Shortpack would have been able to help.
"I set up the bag there. Most of this is padding, so it's a sparring area." Raven came into the garage with her and hit the button for the door. "This half we'll use to spar and the other half will have everything else."
Christy knew this was a good idea, but she still didn't like the Professor not asking if it were okay. Christy might have wanted to still have a garage. "Thanks for signing for me."
"No problem." Raven started to shift to her normal form. The garage door was closed. "I also flirted shamelessly with the delivery men and you have two phone numbers to chose from. I'd pick the guy named Steven if I were you, he was built." Christy just stared at Mystique for a moment before shaking her head and sighing. "Just joking." Mystique added before Christy could say anything. Mystique's form shifted again and Christy was surprised to see her double. Her heart started to pound a bit faster and her eyes fell to the ground rather than having to see her.
"Please don't do that." Her voice was tense and she felt a bit warm.
"Okay." Mystique's voice was her own and she sounded confused by Christy's reaction. Christy ignored her and moved to the box filling her parking space.
"Lots of padding eh?"
"Yeah." Mystique was staring at her, Christy could just feel it.
She turned to face her, "Well, I'll go start dinner and then maybe we could work on putting this up?"
"Christy, what just happened?"
Christy swallowed. Her mouth was a bit dry. "Nothing, I just don't like seeing myself like that. Chicken sound good?"
"Sure."
********
Mystique watched Christy walk out of the garage. She was clearly tense and what Mystique had done wasn't so bad that it would warrant that. Christy was a shapeshifter herself. She shouldn't have a problem with fluid forms and teasing like that. Mystique had planned to tease her, flirt with her in her own form. She hadn't expected to see Christy looking like she'd seen a ghost. She'd shifted in front of Christy before and Christy had no problem with it. She even seemed to like it, if the impressed look in her eyes were any clue.
With a last glance towards the door Christy went in Mystique moved back to what she'd been doing when Christy drove up. She unrolled more padding to cover the walls of the garage. It was a good thing Christy didn't store a lot in here. It made converting it easier.
********
The tapping was irritating. Mystique groaned and slid back into the couch. She had the choice of sitting upstairs and listening to Shortpack look up information for the mission on his computer, or going downstairs to listen to tapping as Christy researched the mating habits of teenagers. She'd tried teasing Christy about it, but the woman was on a mission and didn't let any of the lewd comments sink in. It was a shame, some of them had been rather good.
Nothing was on T.V. on Saturday night. She'd tried every station twice just to be sure.
Well, she was used to watching Shortpack type. Mystique stood up to travel downstairs again for a different view.
Christy was typing away. She had papers all over the desk. "My God, don't you have a life?" Mystique couldn't take it anymore. "You're young, pretty, and you expect me to believe that on Saturday night you like to do research for a school you don't even work at, rather than go out and have fun." She'd heard the reason for the research, but it was hardly life and death. Christy didn't have to stay home to work on it. "Come out with me."
Christy stopped typing and turned in the chair to face her. Tempted, Mystique could see she was tempted. Mystique gave her a flirtatious smile. "I could be anyone you want for the night if you'll just get me out of this house." She could leave on her own, but the idea was to get Christy to go with her. "You're working so hard so that the kids can have sex, and when was the last time you got any?" Ugh, Christy's expression darkened. She went to far. Mystique talked a little faster, "We could pick some pretty young things up," Her smile became wicked as she tried to pull herself out of the hole she dug by digging harder, "or we could share one if you want. Anything for the cause. Mutants must be allowed to have sex. That's the battle we're fighting right?" Mystique glanced at the piles of papers and then back at Christy with a smirk. The answering reluctant smile was a welcome sight.
"I have no idea where a good place to go is. I never get out much." Christy's words said one thing, they were going out. Mystique's smile grew. She'd been in a very boring city for the last mission and could use some fun. "But if you pick someone up, you can play alone."
"Are you sure?" Mystique leaned against the wall. "Because I could snag a really pretty one for us if you want."
Christy's expression said it all. The woman was hoping she was teasing. Mystique gave her a mysterious smile and let her wonder. "So get ready. It's been a couple years since I was in Seattle, but I think I can find someplace interesting for us to go."
As she waited for Christy to get ready Mystique decided that a lesson in clothing creation was moving up on the priority list. If Christy didn't learn that skill it wouldn't matter if she could change forms, her clothes would make a target of her. Also if Christy had that down Mystique wouldn't have to wait around for her when it only took Mystique a second to be ready.
Christy was working on makeup. The woman didn't wear it often. Mystique watched her from the couch and couldn't help but remember watching Irene like this before they used to go out. As always the memory of her dead lover made her heart ache. Mystique pushed the thoughts away with a ruthlessness she'd learned over the past few years.
"Any ideas for what you wanted me to look like?" Mystique reminded Christy of the deal when Christy glanced at her. When people were given this opportunity Mystique found she learned a bit about them.
"Can't you just be Raven, or will people recognize you?" Mystique's eyes darted to Christy and searched her expression as best she could while the woman worked on her lipstick. She'd never told Christy about that name, although some of her wanted posters did include it.
"I don't go by Raven anymore."
Christy turned to face her, clearly wanting to ask, but she didn't. Christy put her makeup away and came out of the bathroom. She was wearing a short skirt that Mystique definitely approved of.
Mystique shifted into her human guise. "What are you looking at?" Her voice held a note of irritation when Christy seemed to stare too long.
"I wish you didn't have to do that. You're prettier in blue." The answer was short. The words an unexpected compliment, but hidden in an irritated clip before Christy turned to leave the room. Damn, Mystique sighed as she moved to follow.
********
Christy felt a bit out of place when they got to the club. People were dancing and drinking, a few too many in Christy's opinion. Mystique barely gave her a moment to look around before grabbing her arm and dragging her out onto the crowded dance floor.
Mystique had some enhanced stamina of her own, if the nonstop dancing was any indication. Christy found herself dancing with the woman for hours. Sometimes other people would dance with them, and there were a few times when Christy thought Mystique had made the casual sex connection she'd teased about in the car on the way here, but Mystique never wandered far, never far enough for Christy to get more than a few moments alone before being pulled back out to dance.
Mystique had to move in very close to talk, because the music was really loud. "Want to go outside for some fresh air?" Christy just nodded yes. It was hot in there. Their hands were stamped so they could get back in without paying the cover again.
Once outside in the cool air Christy took a deep breath and listened to the relative quiet. Crowds made her a bit nervous. Mystique's hand sliding into hers was a surprise, but Christy let the woman lead her further away from the doors and the smokers right outside them.
"See, this is fun." Mystique's smile was pretty broad. Christy was glad now that she hadn't gone with her first reaction and told her no to going out.
"Yeah." Christy smiled back. The scenery in the alley wasn't impressive. If it weren't for the nice cool air and quiet it wouldn't be worth visiting.
"Christy?" Mystique leaned a bit closer, invading her personal space. "You move pretty well." The flirtatious smile was a tad overdone.
"Thanks." She started to feel a bit uncomfortable with the attention she was getting from her dance partner. Mystique was a little drunk, not a lot, but clearly enough to make hitting on Christy seem like a good idea. Christy sighed quietly while hoping that it didn't come to that. She may have had several fantasies about this woman before, in her own world, and truthfully a few since meeting her, but Christy was waiting for someone else. If there was even a hint of a chance that Emma was interested Christy didn't want to do anything that might jeopardize that. Christy couldn't quite tell where she stood with the blonde telepath, but hopefully there was a chance.
Mystique leaned in gracefully. Christy didn't know how much drink it would take to make that woman uncoordinated. Mystique's voice was lower, sexier. "I could show you so many things." The words were whispered into her lips and Christy took a step back, even though that put her against the wall. The shapeshifter moved closer as well, looking ready to kiss her.
"Mystique." Christy spoke softly. She couldn't deny an attraction was there. "I'm kinda taken." That made the woman lean back, giving Christy more space. It had been so very close.
"I guess the Professor doesn't know everything huh?" Mystique smiled at her, not seeming bothered by this, which Christy was grateful for. "He listed you as single. What does kinda mean?"
"Well, it's kinda new." Christy emphasized the kinda. This was awkward. She wasn't even really sure if she was taken and she didn't have the guts to call Emma and ask if she was.
"Okay." Mystique stepped back so that Christy could move away from the wall. "If you change your mind, you know where I sleep." It was a bit strange to hear Mystique talk so casually about sleeping together, but then that was the point of casual sex wasn't it? No strings, no obligations. But where was the love and trust? Christy didn't want to sacrifice those for recreational sex. "Ready to dance?"
"Sure." Christy was pulled back into the building much like she'd been pulled out. Now it looked like they'd be pretending that never happened. Women were so complicated. Christy shook her head while following Mystique.
********
Kinda taken? Mystique rolled her eyes while dancing, what was this high school? Christy sounded so unsure of her relationship status. Mystique had turned down an offer to go home with a pretty woman because she was banking on this one, and Christy was kinda taken. She'd seen no sign of a lover at Christy's house and she had looked. Her fantasies of a shapeshifting lover were fading and she wasn't finding dancing as fun anymore.
"How about we head home. Things are getting a bit crowded." She yelled into Christy's ear and the nod almost seemed grateful. Did Christy have trouble with crowds?
They had a bit of a walk to get to the car. Once they were outside Mystique turned to smile at Christy, "So who is the lucky lady?" She'd thought about the lack of evidence at the house and the fact that it was recent and came up with the idea it might be an Xman. Christy had spent some time at the Xavier Institute lately.
Christy blushed a bit. "None of your business." The words were teasing and the smile took the sting out of them, but Christy didn't want to talk. Mystique glanced around the street and didn't see anyone there. It took less than a second to shift her form to a medium built male and just another to throw Christy over her shoulder and keep walking.
"Let me go!" Christy's voice rose with indignation. Mystique glanced at the nicely rounded ass bent over her shoulder as she walked. That skirt was short enough that Christy's underwear was partly visible now. She smirked at the feel of Christy's attempts at getting loose. Squirming did her little good.
"So who is the lucky lady?" Mystique started across the street and the sound of laughter traveled to both of them. A group of three men were watching this exchange from the other side of the street now. Great, she was already halfway across and wasn't looking forward to those men catching up with them and ending this conversation.
"Hey buddy, old lady giving you trouble?" The nearest asshole said when she got to the sidewalk. Game was over. Mystique set Christy back down on her feet while they walked closer. "I could train her for you." The man's voice hinted at a bit of threat. Mystique just sighed.
********
Christy caught the change in the situation pretty quickly. It went from fun teasing to a tense standoff. She glanced at the form Mystique was using, a male with some muscle, but not a lot. These three looked larger. They also were leering at Christy more than was necessary to make their intentions known.
"Go home before I kill you." Christy spoke calmly as she stared at the man closest to her. "Fair warning. I don't even have to feel bad about it if you decide to stick around." She gave him a small smile.
"Stupid bitch." Was his brilliant reply to her before he turned to face Mystique. "Better keep your woman on a tighter leash or I'll beat her ass before I break it in." He proved his manhood by punching a fist into his other hand.
"Feel free to try. She warned you." Mystique's answer seemed to give them pause. It surprised Christy a bit too. When she'd seen trouble she'd taken charge, because she was used to that, but when they brought her attention back to the fact Mystique was with her Christy had thought that she'd relinquish control to her. Mystique was the better fighter after all. It looked like Mystique was leaving these three men to her. Christy glared at her partner for a moment before giving the men her full attention again.
When Mystique moved to lean against the building as if unconcerned the men gave that shapeshifter a strange look before turning their full attention to Christy. "Since your boyfriend is such a pussy, how about you suck us off with that big mouth of yours bitch?"
"Yeah, he is a bit of a pussy." Christy glanced at Mystique before turning back to the men. "But I don't need saving, you do. He knows that." She glanced down meaningfully at their crotches and back into their faces. "You ever see a castration?" She asked casually. "It's actually pretty bloody. If you don't have a good knife it's worse. It's more merciful to take it off in one swipe, but with a dull blade you have to saw at it."
"Benny, lets just let the crazy bitch go." One of the men spoke cautiously. Christy's grin grew wicked.
"But I thought you wanted me to play with your dicks. Are you sure?"
"Stupid bitch is all talk." Benny said as he took a step closer and stood taller, trying to be intimidating. He glanced at Mystique and seemed confused by the 'boyfriend's' lack of concern.
"Alright." Christy stared at him. "whip it out. I'll give you a hand with it." She held up one hand and concentrated for a moment. The fingers grew sharp and long. Her eyes were cold as she glared at him. This time she knew she wasn't going to die from a stab wound, so she wasn't as nervous as she'd been when she'd helped save that one furry mutant in the ice cream parlor's parking lot. Also one brief lesson with Mystique and a lot of practice gave her a natural weapon she didn't need to carry around. She motioned with the long fingers for the men to come closer.
"Aw shit. A mutie." The one that wanted to leave muttered as he took a step back. "Come on Benny, I don't think she was just talking."
"No, I don't just talk." Christy sighed as if these men were just an irritation and not a real threat.
Mystique looked rather comfortable in her place leaning against the wall. "Go ahead and attack her. I want to see her in action." The teasing smirk made the men take a step away from Christy before turning to leave rather quickly.
"Go ahead and attack her?" Christy started to hiss as they continued to walk towards the car. "Great help you are. Why didn't you hit me yourself just to get them started?"
"You were doing just fine. You didn't even have to hit them, you had them scared." Mystique shifted back to the form Christy danced with all night. "I think I'll avoid male forms around you for a while though. Was that all talk, or have you actually…" Christy gritted her teeth and ignored the question to pull her keys out of her pocket.
"If they fought me?"
"I would have stepped in." Mystique spoke more softly. They got into the car and drove in silence for a little while. Christy wondered if Mystique really would have stepped in, or if she'd just watch to see what Christy did.
"Nice shift you did." The words were a bit of a surprise. They'd been in silence for a while. "Smooth, and you didn't loose the form when you got distracted."
"Thanks." Christy muttered as she pulled onto the highway.
"I'm here to train you, not protect you." Mystique sounded like she was scolding her. Christy shook her head slightly. If Mystique hadn't been playing around Christy would have seen that threat coming. And as the one that invited Christy out, and the better fighter, Mystique should have at least resisted the urge to taunt the men trying to get them to fight Christy.
"Whatever." Christy focused on the road and turned up the radio so that they didn't have to talk.
********
Mystique glanced at Christy again as the woman drove. Christy's eyes were staring at the road as if they'd get ambushed if she weren't cautious. She looked like she wanted that fight. This was pissed. This might even be as pissed as this particular woman got.
"I need to be able to trust you." Christy finally started to talk when they were almost halfway back. "Working in the house, sparring in the garage… that's training. But out," Christy's head shook from side to side. It felt like an overreaction and Mystique waited for her chance to point that out. "You may be used to working alone, but I'm not. I have to trust the person watching my back. If I can't trust you I'll…" Her voice became flatter. "If I can't trust you, how am I supposed to work with you?"
"It was just some drunken boys, hardly a threat."
"It was you not watching my back." Christy turned to glare at her. Mystique felt like reminding her to watch the road when Christy didn't turn back towards it. "Whether or not you care, we are a team now. I would fight through a mob to protect my teammates. I would kill…" there was a hesitation there that Mystique wanted to ask about, but Christy was still talking. "to protect those I'm responsible for and I would kill to protect you." If it weren't for the fact that Christy was still not watching the road Mystique would feel like asking about that. "I know that the Professor has a problem with that, but I'd do it. I'd risk a lot because you are my partner and you have to be able to trust me. You couldn't focus on a mission as well as worry about when I'd stab you in the back." Mystique kept glancing out the windshield pointedly, with her heart pounding as she saw the near empty freeway wasn't as empty anymore. They were coming up to a traffic jam. "I'm promising to try and keep you safe if it's in my power to do it. While we work together we are a team… and I expect the same courtesy, the same level of commitment."
"Watch the road." Mystique stared into Christy's eyes. "We can talk while you drive, but watch the road." The other cars were getting too close. They were gaining on them too fast.
Christy's voice was colder. "How does it feel to not trust me? I have your life in my hands and I'm not even looking." The car swerved to the left and Mystique's heart pounded as she turned to see what they were dodging. They'd almost smashed into the back of a truck. Christy just barely changed lanes in time to avoid it. "Trust is important." Was all Christy said before turning to stare out the windshield and drive. "Don't betray my trust again."
Mystique just stared at her a moment, while her heartrate calmed down from the scare. Christy had a ruthlessness Mystique didn't expect. Christy needed practice fighting and it had been a chance to get that. Too bad Christy didn't see it that way. "I am watching your back. If anything happens to you Charlie will probably forget to keep the hounds off my tail."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm not working for him by choice." Mystique watched Christy turn to stare at her again and glanced at the road meaningfully until Christy looked back at it. "There are a lot of governments that want me, including this one. They have a new little device designed to track shapeshifters, but don't worry your other power seems to render you invisible to it. I however don't have that. Charlie and Forge made a little device they keep hidden to scramble the USA shifter detector, but if I don't do what they say… they'll turn it off. You don't have to worry about trusting me. It's a death sentence if I fail to protect you."
"What?" Christy's voice was shocked and the woman barely kept her attention on the road, but Mystique appreciated the effort that Christy used to do that.
"He's not the sweet old guy everyone assumes he is. He can play hardball with the best of them." Mystique waited for the denial.
"I don't believe it." The words where expected, but the tone wasn't. Christy did believe it at least a little. "He'd just turn it off because you failed? The Government isn't very kind with mutants."
"I know." They sat in silence again, but there was no hostility coming from Christy now. The woman looked rather deep in thought. Mystique just rested her head on her hand and stared out the side window. She spoke softly to the woman driving. "I need to trust that you can do this without getting killed. I need to see what you can do, how much babysitting I have to do on this mission. Those men weren't a big threat, you weren't in danger and I would have been able to evaluate your abilities. If I thought you were in real danger I would have stepped in."
The silence returned to the car, but it wasn't the angry silence of earlier. Christy was clearly deep in thought. "Okay." The woman spoke after a few moments. "Find us a smaller target and we'll practice. Get some idea of what we can do together." Mystique wasn't quite following the change in conversation. She watched Christy's face and could see thoughts flickering across them. "I'll need a costume with a mask." That made it a bit clearer. "I can't shift like you yet."
"You want a different fight to practice with?" Her voice was a bit disbelieving, but as she thought about it, this made sense. The F.O.H. was too important to Christy for her to screw it up. She'd want a few missions to build up to it.
"Maybe some drug dealers, or a gang. Smaller crooks." As Christy spoke Mystique rolled her eyes. These were criminals that humans wanted. Mystique preferred to focus on helping mutants.
"Isn't there something we could do to help OUR people instead?"
"The main goal is to help OUR people." Christy turned to look at her. "These are just training exercises. I don't want the F.O.H. to see us coming. If we target them obviously…"
"You're not completely new to this are you?"
"Not completely." Christy looked weary as she turned to drive. Her eyes and the expression in them gave Mystique the impression of a war veteran, not a teacher.
"You can't tell me?"
"No, heavily classified." Christy's grin was weak and her words held more irritation than amusement. This was something that Mystique had suspected. Charlie sent her a ringer that needed spook training. This was why he was so interested in this woman. The kills on the beach were far from Christy's first, her shots were clean and quickly fatal. Her performance in sparring was sad, but her focus was incredible. Military? Mystique stared out the side window as she thought. No, not military. She didn't have the right attitude. Military would have also taught her about hand to hand combat at least a little.
"I need to know what you can do." Mystique's voice was a demand. If it was all classified, she'd figure it out eventually, but they needed to have some idea of Christy's capabilities now.
"I'll show you." Christy switched lanes around a slow moving truck. Good. Mystique didn't like working with only part of the story. If Christy had skills they could use, she wanted to know.
"And you don't need a costume. You'll be learning how to make your own." Mystique glanced at Christy. "Time for you to learn about the freedom of nakedness." Christy's blush was rewarding.
********
Christy wasn't happy. Mystique was irritating at times, a bit too smug, but she didn't deserve this. What was the Professor doing? Did he think he could just keep sending Mystique out on dangerous missions until she died? The mere thought that she'd sent her kids to that school with a man like that made her sick. She was trusting him… No. She wasn't trusting him. Christy took the exit to head towards Bremerton and closer to home in silence as her mind worked on this. She was trusting Emma, but could Emma protect her kids from the Professor's intentions? Suddenly Christy had doubts about everything she'd seen or heard about that man.
He was written as a hero, but he sent teenagers out to risk their lives. How old was Scott when he became an X-man? And Scott's blind acceptance of what Xavier wanted… how innocent was that? Did Xavier manipulate Scott? Would he? Christy didn't like that she had doubts. How many of Xavier's students had normal lives? Were they allowed that? Encouraged? Or was he really just making lackeys with that school?
She shouldn't even have to wonder. She should just know. She'd read so many comics. She knew many of them rather well, and yet she couldn't say that she was overreacting. She couldn't say that Mystique was lying, or that Charles would never use his students… her students… for his own causes, ignoring what they needed or wanted.
He didn't ask her about the home gym. He just gave it to her. Did he ever ask what other people wanted? Could she really be comparing a home gym to Scott's lifelong dedication to that dream? It was hardly the same thing.
Annie would do anything Christy asked her to. The kids would do anything she asked them too. Christy stared blankly at the road in front of her. She had that kind of power with them, and was careful about giving them choices, options to try and counteract it wasn't she? Was she giving them a choice? Or did she essentially fit them with spandex by sending them to Xavier's school. Did Scott ever have a choice? What about the others?
Christy pulled off early and could see Mystique's lazy leaning against the window end as the woman turned to face her. Christy pulled into the deserted Target parking lot and parked the car, shutting it off. "I need some air." She muttered before getting out. She started walking towards the Office Max across from Target just to get away from the car. She couldn't get away from her thoughts though. She leaned against the lightpost and took a deep breath of the cool air.
The car door closing gave her warning that she wasn't going to be alone much longer. Of course there had to be a witness to her crisis of faith. Christy gritted her teeth and stared out towards the freeway.
"Christy?" Mystique spoke from right beside her. Christy turned her head to acknowledge the woman, but then turned back to watch the occasional car drive past on the freeway.
Christy wished she could talk to Emma right now. She needed reassurance that she did the right thing, that she hadn't trusted the wrong man. Her breath left her in a disgusted sigh. "This is…" Her head shook from side to side. "This is so wrong."
********
Mystique stared at the inner turmoil Christy was not even trying to hide. Christy didn't seem to like the way Charlie was pulling Mystique's strings. Mystique glanced at the car and then back at Christy. Charlie wasn't going to like that Christy doubted him, which was a good thing. Christy shouldn't trust anyone to pull her strings like the Professor pulled everyone's. He was a great puppetmaster, but it looked like this little doll wasn't going to be added to his collection.
"Why is he doing this to you?" Christy asked her. She actually asked her.
"He doesn't like my philosophy." Mystique moved to lean against the other side of the lightpost. "He's content to dream and talk, but humans aren't going to accept us. They have the power, why would they give that up. We have to take the power, it's the only way." She knew it was more than that and Mystique debated with herself about telling Christy the rest. For now, she decided, it was enough.
Watching Christy was fascinating. The doubt started to fade as the woman stood taller. "That's no excuse." After a moment Christy turned to her. "How many of his students do you think get normal lives after school?"
"Not a lot." Mystique watched the nod Christy gave her. It was the answer Christy expected. "You thinking about your kids?" The tensing shoulders said it all.
"They will get a real choice." Christy's voice was cold, and Mystique really wished she could be there when the woman talked with Xavier.
"I'm not so sure you'll be getting a choice." Mystique pointed out with a slightly hidden smirk. "He's really interested in you learning all about the business."
"Oh, don't worry about me." Christy's smile was cold and made her look a bit cruel. "I make my own choices, and he'll find that out."
********
Christy felt a bit better as they drove away from the parking lot. She let Mystique drive the rest of the way while she stared out the side window this time. She had leverage and she'd inform the Professor that she wasn't one to look the other way if he abused his power with her kids. Her kids would have a choice, and if they wanted to be heroes Christy would support them, but they wouldn't be pressured into it ever. And she wouldn't be pressured into it either.
This didn't have to be war, but she'd lost respect for him. She wanted him to know that. Christy glanced at Mystique, who was now driving in her own blue form. Maybe she should secure her partner from attack if something went wrong. Christy didn't want Xavier taking their failures out on her teacher. Christy felt a slight smile cross her lips as she thought about it. That was one thing she could do right now. If she got captured or something due to her own stupidity she wasn't letting Mystique take the fall for it.
********
Christy woke up early the next day, well earlier than Mystique and Shortpack anyhow. She didn't bother getting out of bed, she just pulled her cell phone off the nightstand and dialed. The Professor wouldn't like this, but it needed to be done. Christy wasn't risking people's lives for secrets.
"Hello." The cool voice made Christy feel a bit better.
"Emma." Christy spoke softly. "How secure are phone lines?"
There was a pause. "Well, depends on who you don't want listening in."
"So… If I didn't want someone like… Xavier to hear about this?"
"Let me give you my cell phone number." Christy jotted the number down. "Call me." Emma sounded a bit puzzled and a hint concerned, but Christy waited until she had called her back on the cell phone to say anything more.
After a talk about Christy's concerns that her kids had the choice not to be heroes, and Emma reassuring her that she didn't believe they pushed any of their students in that direction, Christy got to the point. "I want you to make sure they don't push." Christy felt awkward doing this. "I don't want them doing this out of some feeling of obligation, or some misguided idea that its what they are supposed to be. I don't want them becoming like Scott."
"Like Scott?" The confusion was easy to catch. Emma wasn't as reserved about letting her emotions into her voice as she had been before they met.
"Scott is…" Christy sighed heavily, unsure how to word her impressions from the comics and meeting the man. "Just make sure they don't believe they owe anyone anything. They don't owe him and they don't owe me. Nothing justifies lifelong servitude."
"Christy, what's going on?" Emma's voice was soft, concerned. It sounded like a hug, holding all the tenderness and care.
"I have a teacher…" Christy didn't know what she could say without risking Mystique here. "She said some things, and I just… I don't know if I can trust Xavier anymore. I don't like doubting him, but… it's really compelling."
"Who is she?"
"Xavier told me to not tell any of you."
********
Emma sat down on her couch with her cell phone to her ear. That made sense. "Security I suppose."
"No. He did something wrong, and he's covering it up." Christy's voice held steel. Emma sat up straighter. "I like her, she can be an ass, but I like her and…" Emma could actually imagine Christy shaking her head in frustration what went with her voice. "I don't know what to do. I don't know who to trust. I just want…" Christy's words trailed off. "I trust you, and right now… you're all I trust. Somebody is playing me, and I don't know who. I'm afraid it's him."
Emma would have liked to be able to reassure Christy immediately what she wasn't being played by Charles, but she respected the woman too much to say that without knowing. "What's going on Christy?" It sounded like the operative Charles sent to train her wasn't all he claimed she was, or Charles was really up to something if Christy was worried.
"He's blackmailing my teacher into doing working for him. Refusing isn't an option, he'll remove his protection… it's a death sentence. That's what I was told and I need to know if it's true. I need to know if he's gonna do that to me?"
Emma slumped forward a bit in shock. This was a serious accusation, especially coming from Christy. If Christy had doubts she wouldn't bring them up unless she pretty much believed them. "Who is it?"
"She needs his protection. I want her to have it without risking her life all the time." Christy was reluctant to answer the question. "I'm asking you not to report this." A formal request. Emma was growing more concerned. Christy wanted a promise before she said anything.
"I'll trust you."
"Remember when I talked about Kurt's dad? He's a rather nice guy." Kurt's dad? Emma's eyes widened.
"Really? Irene's…" She had to be clear on this one. If she understood this right then there was definitely something wrong, because Charles wouldn't work with her. Wouldn't trust her with Christy or any mission. Not without leverage. Emma was starting to see what Christy was suggesting, and it seemed to fit.
"Yeah." Christy wasn't trusting any phone lines with that name, and Emma decided that was good policy. "Apparently an old friend of Charles' Forged the connection. They work together now." In spite of the seriousness of the conversation Emma had to smirk at Christy's spy talk. "His friend makes jammers. I need to buy one of those, but I doubt he gives discounts."
"Well, I'm rather well off. Maybe I'll drop by and see how much they cost?" Emma said a bit teasingly. Forge has some machine that is protecting Mystique, and Christy wants a back up in case that one was shut down. "If it costs so much I'd need to sell blood?" Emma asked, worried about Mystique's ruthlessness.
"We could rent it until we know?" Christy sounded so unsure. "I'd hate for anything to happen to the original, an accident. I really think a backup is needed… just until we can be sure of the situation. Can you do that?"
"I'll get one for me, but if anyone else wants one they have to buy their own." Christy didn't know everything that happened lately in this world and Mystique was a terrorist. It was best not to hand over this box to her, but if Christy was concerned they should check into this. Emma would never be able to read Charles' mind but Forge would be a good place to verify Mystique's story. "I'll have to look for his shop." If the woman lied to Christy Emma would be in Washington the day after she found out.
"Emma." Christy's voice was softer again. "I'm glad I have you. Let me know what you find out?"
"Of course." Emma could hear the way Christy didn't want to hang up. "I've started Erik's empathic training in public. I take the boy out and have him isolate the emotions, figure out who is feeling what. He's not doing too bad for a beginner."
"Good." Christy's voice seemed to relax a bit. Emma moved to sit back in her against the sofa again, getting comfortable. "He didn't have the best academic record… I wish I knew what they were like in her class. I get the impression he was big on last minute assignments."
"Well, he's trying much harder now." Emma didn't know what to say about Christy's wishing she knew more about her doubles experiences. "I believe they all are trying to have something to show you when you come back."
"Well, if this keeps up, I'll have plenty to show myself." Christy hesitated. "You were right, I shift. So far all I can do is turn my hands into these claw like things, but we are working on it. She almost gave up on me, it took so long for me to do it."
"Well, you are older. Your self image is a bit more stationary than a shapeshifters is. It may be hard for you."
"I'm an old dog?" The hint of humor in Christy's voice made Emma smile.
"I'm sure you can pick up a few new tricks." Emma's voice was a purr as she teased Christy. It took another fifteen minutes of talking and teasing before she hung up. Once she had Emma just sat still, and ran the antennae of her cell phone over her lips. The idea that she might need to protect Christy from Charles wasn't a welcome one. Emma didn't think that he'd purposely put Christy into a corner so that Christy had to work for him, but this information about Mystique was troubling. Emma wouldn't have expected him to do that either, even though Mystique was responsible for his MacTaggert's death.
Emma finished changing out of her uniform, which was what she'd been doing when Christy called. As she stepped into her shower she started to think about excuses she could use to go visit Forge. She wanted to see him as soon as possible.
********
Christy was upstairs getting more juice when a tired looking Mystique came into the kitchen so quietly she startled her. Christy just managed to not drop the glass. "I need to put a bell on you." She muttered as the stealthy woman chuckled at her.
"Kinky, does your mystery lover like that kind of thing?" Christy felt her face blush again. Mystique was rather good at doing this to her. Even the most innocent comments became sexual to Mystique.
Christy sat down at the dining room table instead of going back downstairs to work. She watched as Mystique made herself a sandwich for her breakfast. Well, it was late morning.
"Oh, you'll want to get naked." Mystique gave her a flirtatious smile as she sat down across from Christy. "You aren't allowed to wear clothes around the house anymore."
"I don't think so." Christy stared at the woman in shock.
"Hon, you are gonna have to get over that shyness. Shapeshifters don't wear clothes. Look at it this way, you won't have to do laundry anymore."
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