Author's Note: Sorry for the late update, I was kinda busy, and with the malfunction thing and stuff...sigh A line from X2 is in this chapter, so it's definitely not mine. Some slight Lance/Kitty. And if you're wondering about some things that happened in this story, all questions will be answered in the next chapter.
Shout-outs:
elfofdeath: hehe…your Mystique and Kurt moment will have to wait a few more chapters…
marbles: finally, the next chapter. Don't worry though; the good (actually nicer) stuff will come soon enough.
Rogue14: a sweet Mystique really is hard to believe. :)
Agent-G: Mystique was actually kinda not feeling well…this will be explained in the next chapter. And Mystique was NOT near the mansion, Kurt just teleported her there, remember?
Unforgiven, Unforgotten
By: Nakamura Michiyo
Chapter 5: Dancing Queen
"I have to what!"
The professor smiled amusedly, clearly enjoying Kitty's disbelief.
"You heard me right, Kitty" Charles said. "You have to teach Raven how to dance, or maybe just let her watch you, if you dislike the idea so much."
"Ugh" Kitty threw her hands up in exasperation. "What's this entire 'bonding' thing for anyway? I mean, like, I barely know the woman, and she was so cruel to Kurt and Rogue."
"Kitty" the professor said patiently. "If you try to get to know her a little, you'll see that she isn't as heartless as she seems."
Kitty saw how serious the professor was, and she gave in with a sigh.
"Oh all right" she said. "But it's not my fault if I end up lying dead in my own pool of blood and you're the one who has to find me."
The professor smiled. "Spare me the details."
Raven entered the practice room wearily, finding Kitty doing some stretches.
"What am I supposed to do?" Mystique sat down on a chair and waited impatiently for an answer.
"The professor said that I should teach you a couple of steps, so like, bear with me and we'll be finished in a jiffy."
Mystique scoffed. "This idea is not only completely stupid because I have no interest whatsoever in your cheap moves, but also because my dancing abilities are in no need of improvement and if Charles knew better, I should be the one teaching you."
"Well, I was so totally against this senseless idea in the first place and would prefer doing something else right now rather than listen to you insult my dancing!" Kitty retorted, standing up and brushing her pants.
"Look" Mystique pointed out. "I'd rather be doing something else too but instead of arguing and wasting my time even more let's just get on with the damn thing."
Kitty sighed. "All right. There's this um…little number that I did a couple of weeks ago and I'm still unsure of the steps…but do you mind if you could like, help me or something with it? I mean, if it's not too much of a trouble…"
Mystique sighed. "Go ahead, I can do something else right now, but I have no choice but to stay here, don't I? And I'd rather watch you than to sit around and watch my butt grow fat."
Kitty shook her head humorously and turned on the sound system. Music blasted out of the speakers in the room as she moved to the rhythm, closing her eyes as she danced the song with steps she had learned by heart.
The end of the song was met by slight applause as Mystique stood up and went to her.
"I'm impressed" Raven said. "You could almost be as good as me with a little practice."
"Almost?" Kitty said with raised eyebrows.
"Your body's kinda stiff… and untrained eyes will never have seen it."
"Really now?" Kitty said. "I bet you can't do better than me, and you're hardly trained."
"I trained in martial arts, does that count? And how can I not do better than you when I already know the steps just by seeing you do it once? And before you ask, that comes with talent and martial arts training."
"Then your teacher must have been quite good" Kitty said thoughtfully after drinking water.
"I'll take that as a compliment, because I taught myself" Mystique laughed at the stunned expression on Kitty's face.
"No way" Kitty said, her eyes widening.
Mystique shrugged. "You can choose whether to believe me or not."
"Anyway, if what you're saying is true, then show me" Kitty challenged.
"Fine by me" Raven agreed. "But I can't dance in these clothes."
She gestured to her baggy garments. Kitty watched as Mystique changed not only her clothes but her entire appearance as well. The person she changed into was fair skinned with short, curly, blond hair and green eyes. She looked like a completely different person.
"Whoah. Who did you change into? A supermodel or something?" Kitty said incredulously.
Mystique laughed again. "I'll take that as another compliment, thank you very much. I just changed the color of my skin and eyes…and maybe my hair too…" she added as an afterthought.
"So what are you waiting for?" Kitty asked. "Show me what you're made of."
Raven headed to the center of the room and said one more thing before the music started playing.
"No matter how I turn out on this dance floor, I'm sure that I'm made of much more than you."
Kitty opened her mouth to retort but was cut short as she watched Mystique imitate every step she danced with such grace and lithe that her mouth was left hanging open. After a while, she finally had the mind to close it and she looked at Raven silently until the song ended.
"What did you think?" Mystique asked as she grabbed a towel and grabbed a bottle of water. "I told you I was better than you."
"You don't need to rub it in you know…" Kitty said.
The room was filled with a tense silence before Raven sighed.
"Look, I can teach you some stuff if you want…" Mystique said grudgingly.
"You'd do that?" Kitty said skeptically.
"Normally I wouldn't, but your technique drastically needs improvement and the perfectionist in me wants to fix that" Mystique said nonchalantly, taking a drink from the bottle.
Kitty grinned. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to get tips from a 'professional'."
"Damn right it doesn't" Raven said, bending into a split. "Especially from a professional like me."
Kitty sighed, smiling. "What have I gotten myself into?"
"Ugh" Mystique moaned. "My body's aching all over."
"That's what you get for not practicing for a long time" Kitty said, lying down on a mat.
Mystique collapsed on a chair and looked at Kitty.
"Kitty?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you like Lance?"
At that, Kitty bolted up the mat in a sitting position.
"Why are you asking?" Kitty inquired.
"Just curious" Mystique said.
"Well, he's kinda cute, and he's fun to be with…" Kitty said slowly.
"Then why don't you go out with him?" Mystique asked, leaning on her elbows.
"I like to play hard-to-get" Kitty grinned.
Mystique sighed. "You should take it easy on the poor boy. I mean, he's been going after you since…well, since forever."
"Why do you want me to be with Lance?" Kitty questioned. "It's not like you'll benefit in it in any way."
"I'm just tired of him walking around the house in one of his mood swings. Too many earthquakes are bad for your health, you know" Mystique said.
"I have a feeling you just want him to be happy" Kitty said.
"What makes you think that?" Raven asked.
"Just a hunch."
Kitty looked at Mystique, who had placed her hand underneath her chin and stared absently at nothing. Raven's eyes turned to her and Kitty saw the sadness in them. Mystique blinked and it was gone.
"What are you looking at?" Mystique asked self-consciously. "Maybe I went a little overboard with my hair." She changed it back to her normal long red tresses.
"No, that's not it" Kitty shook her head. "I was wondering why you wouldn't like, choose to stay in this physical appearance forever.
"Because I shouldn't have to."
Kitty leaned her head on her knee. "I like, totally understand."
"Well" Mystique stood up. "I need to go."
Kitty watched silently as Raven turned back to her usual self, and she realized how strong Mystique was, to live a life where people refused to accept you for who you were. She was too absorbed in her thoughts to see that Raven has paused at the door.
"And Kitty?"
"Yes?"
"Stop adding the word 'like' in everything you say."
Kitty threw the bottle of water at Mystique, but it hit a closed door.
End of Chapter 5
