AN Here is Mystique's tale; hopefully, I did well with it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Chapter 29: Mother Mystique
"Now that everyone is here, you explain yourself," Loki demanded; he is not in the mood to play around. First, his wife was attacked and almost killed; now, this Mystique woman claimed to be his biological mother, then refused to explain herself until her daughter, son, and son-in-law, which happened to be Saphira's annoying friend Remy Lebeau got there. Loki had been a little surprised by Kurt's appearance. He was blue like Mystique but had pointy ears, yellow eyes, blue hair, a long tail, only three fingers on each hand, and just two toes on each foot, and spoke with a German accent.
Now here he sat next to his wife on the bed, holding her hand, Enid on her other side, Thor next to her in a chair he moved next to that side of the bed, Mischief the cat still laid in Saphira's lap, on the other side of the room, Mystique was sitting in a chair against the wall, Rogue and Kurt stood off to the side leaning against the wall next to each other, and Remy on the stool in front of Saphira's vanity. The way they were all arranged, it almost looked like family vs. family, like the dumb game show Saphira had watched a few times while she and Loki were staying at their house during the invasion.
"As you may already know, my real name isn't Mystique." Mystique begins. "My legal name is Raven Darkholme, and I once before many years ago went by Raven; I have lived so long and have gone by so many different things, I am not even sure which was my first. My early years were so many years ago I don't remember them completely, just bits and pieces of a life long ago." Mystique paused to take a breath then went on.
"I barely remember who my parents were. My childhood is a total blank; my earliest memory is being chased out of Austria as a child of twelve when my mutant ability showed; my parents left Austria and went into Poland. We didn't live there for long before being chased out of town again. It was somewhere between Poland and Germany my parents abandon me, left me in the middle of the night as I slept; I was nearly fourteen then, and walked or hitched wagon rides all over Europe, traveling from place to place, not staying long, stealing what I needed to get by. I started getting better control over my abilities each year."
"I was somewhere in my late teens when I decided to make Norway my permanent home, at least for a while, I took the form of a black hair, green eyes beauty and called myself Raven, I had learned then that schemes and trickery was the only way I could have a comfortable life without having to work hard to get it."
"I was enjoying living in Norway, almost happy and then they came, the jotuun, forest giants, had been attacking the country, the war with Asgard had found its way down to Midgard, the giants were slattering everyone. I knew how to fight but also knew I was no match for them. Still, I had my ability, in which I was happy to show them to keep myself alive, intrigued they brought me to their king, who found this ability of use to them, so they killed an Asgardian warrior. And I took his place, I spied and gave Laufey information that was valuable to him, then he decided I would make a good lover, and I became his mistress. Taking whatever form Laufey wanted me to take."
"Mom, please, you can leave out the details." Rogue cut in; next to her, Kurt nodded in agreement. Mystique chuckled before going on.
"It wasn't long into our affair that I discovered I was pregnant." At that, Rogue frowned, and her eyebrows went up.
"Another child you abandoned?" Kurt demanded Mystique winched. Loki looked at him with a frown, another kid? Had she abounded Kurt too? How many kids did she have? How many did she abandon?
"I had been happy about the baby." Mystique went on. "Not having any family, I wanted the child very much, then my child was taken away right after birth, I barely even got to see him. Laufey was angry and ashamed of his small size. He blamed me and ordered the child killed. I pleaded with him to allow me to take my baby and go back to Midgard. He refused, afraid him being the father would be discovered. He would kill us both if I had even tried to take him off Jotunheim."
"I fully recovered from childbirth within an hour thanks to my fast healing, and I snuck out to find my baby; it took a little bit, but when I did finally find him, he was freezing. It was winter colder than usual on Jotunhaim, snowing pretty hard and windy; even with his jotuun blood, he was close to freezing to death. I picked him up and wrapped him in a blanket, and feed him; I held him for a while but knew I couldn't keep him; even if I left the realm, Laufey would find us. The best thing for both of us would be to find someone who would be willing to take in a tiny half jotuun baby. The realm was full of Asgardians and others from other realms; there had to be someone with a kind enough heart."
Mystique stood and walked over to the foot of the bed and looked Loki right in the eyes; she was now telling him, only him this part of the story, yeah, everyone was hearing, but this was for Loki to hear.
"I needed somewhere to hide you until I found that person, so when I came across the jotuun temple, and no one was around, I took you in it; it may not have been much warmer in there, but at least it blocked you from the snow and wind, I wrapped you as tight as I could, then left you hidden next to an alter and ran out to find someone that was not jotuun, the first one I happen to see was Odin, then it came to me. The best way to get back at Laufey and protect you at the same time was to trick his enemy into taken you. So, I switched to my black-haired form and ran out in front of his horse, then ran back towards the temple; Odin followed, and I turned into a snake and watched him take you back to Asgard, then took off to another planet myself. A few months later, I snuck into Asgard to check on you; I found you loved and cared for by Odin's wife. She was the one to name you Loki." Mystique paused in her tell when Kurt spoke.
"Hang on a minute. You are telling us that Loki is your son?" Kurt demanded. "Same Loki who led an alien invasion on New York, That Loki?" He pointed at Loki, who ignored him; Saphira squeezed his hand in comfort.
"Same Loki married to Saphira?" Remy demanded. "He is your son?"
"Yes." Mystique answered, "Loki of Asgard is my son.
"You're lying." Thor accused. "Loki was born in 965 Earth year, Midgardains don't live that long. Loki's birth mother, if Midgardain as Laufey calmed, would be long dead by now."
"I have already explained to Saphira how I am so old." Mystique replied, "I'm not getting into details, but because of my shapeshifting, I can rejuvenate my body cells; it keeps me looking young and free from illnesses."
"Why did you not ever come back for me?" Loki demanded; he let go of Saphira's hand and stood.
"I did." Mystique answered. "Not to claim you or anything, but to at least be with you, after that day, I went to check on you, I couldn't get you out of my head, I tried, for a whole year, before giving in to my desire to see you. I made up a random Asgardain form and got myself a job as your nanny; I was there to witness your first crawl, your first steps, your first words. But the longer I was there, the closer you grew to Frigga, and the older you got, the more you pulled away from me. I realized you would never see me as your mother, and I dare not tell anyone the truth. So, I left Asgard when you were three and never returned."
"And just like that, you abandoned your child again?" Saphira demanded.
"Back then, my mind was in a different place." Mystique explained," My heart grew cold, to protect itself, I decided I didn't need any family or friends or children. I didn't know how to love anyone because I was never showed love. It's the reason I gave up the two other children I had, the reason I messed up so much with Rogue. Then something changed. I want a relationship with my children now; Graydon is a lost cause, but I still have you three." Mystique turned to Rogue and Kurt, then turned back to Loki.
"I thought I would never see you again." Mystique said," But then by some weird chance, I got your wife for a cellmate, and my hopes of reuniting with you were back. So, I took advantage of my luck and befriended Saphira; I figured if I protected her and kept her safe, you would forgive me for abandoning you."
"So you used her?" Loki demanded, crossing his arms; he glanced at Saphira; she was looking down at her hands.
"Yes, "Mystique admitted.
"Saphira thinks highly of you," Loki said. "But you were using her all along. You think hurting my wife will get me to forgive you?"
"I told her I had a reason for helping her." Mystique replied; she was surprised at how Loki sounded more hurt than mad. "And I have grown to think of Saphira as a friend."
"You think that makes up for it?" Loki demanded. "We are leaving." He turned to pick up Saphira but stopped when he got a good look at her, she was paler than a moment ago and looked to be close to passing out.
"She's not looking good, not a good idea to move her." Rogue pointed out. Loki glared at her, then frown; Rogue was Mystique's daughter; if she were telling him the truth, then she would be his sister.
"Well, then Raven has to leave." Loki replied, "Sorry if it ruins our happy little family reunion."
"Loki, I can help with finding the stones." Mystique replied, "Let me, give us a chance, give me a chance to prove to you I have changed from that kind of mother, then after if you want nothing to do with us, or me fine."
"Brother, " Thor spoke up. "I'm not sure if I believe any of this, but Mystique would be of help with the stones; it'll take more than two to do it, and Enid and I need to stay on Midgard, find out what SHIELD did with your scepter, and get it back."
Loki went to argue but then sat back down next to Saphira instead and took her hands in his. "What do you want, darling? Want them to leave? I leave it up to you."
Saphira looked up at him and took a breath. "We need all the help we can get, and Mystique isn't bad once you get to know her, and Kurt, I met him in prison when he visited Mystique, I think you should give him a chance at least, if he wants to get to know you, he's a nice guy, I think you'll like him."
"Okay, love, if that is what you wish," Loki told her. He kissed her hands, then stood; he glanced at Mystique, then turned and headed for the door.
"Loki?" Saphira called after him; he stopped in the doorway and turned back to Saphira.
"I just need some air, I'll be back," Loki assured her, then he turned and walked out the door; he left Saphira's room, then the apartment, went up to the roof, and walked to the edge of the building, and sat down with his legs dangling off the side, it was night, but because of all the lights, it wasn't too dark. Loki just sat there and watched as the headlights of tiny cars passed by on the road many stories below; he just needed to calm down a little then go back in; he didn't want to do something that would upset Saphira in her condition while they waited for the others to get there, Enid had taken him aside and explained Saphira wasn't entirely out of the woods yet and pleaded with him not to lose his temper in front of her. Loki wouldn't even if Enid didn't ask; he could tell Saphira was in bad shape.
Loki didn't know how long he was sitting there now watching clouds covering the moon, when to his surprise, Rogue and Kurt came walking up and sat on either side of him, also dangling their feet off the building; Loki quickly wiped his eyes, hoping they didn't see his tears.
"So, you are my siblings," Loki said after they sit there in silence for a moment.
"Yes," Kurt replied.
"I'm adopted, actually," Rogue answered; Loki looked at her in surprise.
"Really?" Loki asked; Rogue nodded.
"I came in my mutant ability at fourteen." Rogue started to explain. "I was with my very first boyfriend, Cody; he gave me my first kiss and then ended up in a coma for months."
"Pardon?" Loki asked.
"With my mutant ability, I can absorb other people's energy and memories and powers," Rogue replied. "It usually only lasts for a little bit, and as long as I don't hold on too long, the other person usually recovers. When I kissed Cody, I didn't know about them yet, and it took me years to learn how to control it; anyway, after he nearly dead I ran off, hide in the woods, that is where Mystique found me, she and her lover Destiny took me in, Mystique had her reasons, of course, Destiny could tell the future, and she told Mystique my ability would come in handy, so she took me in and raised me."
"What happened to Destiny?" Loki asked.
"She died many years ago," Rogue answered. "In her own way, Mystique cares about me; she does care about her kids. I think she doesn't know how to be a real mom or how to show she cares."
"So, the only child Mystique raised was an adopted child she took in for her own gain?" Loki asked. "Tossed the rest of us out like rubbish."
"From her story, sounds as if Mystique wanted to keep you, but Laufey took you from her," Rogue said, "She didn't think it safe for either of you for her to keep you, so she found someone who would give you a good life."
"Yeah, growing up under the shadow of his real son," Loki replied; Rogue rolled her eyes.
"You were royalty, though, turned into a god." Rogue snapped, "Did you ever want for anything? Go hungry? Beating? Used as a circus attraction?"
"No, but I grew up hearing Asgardain parents tell their children that my kind were monsters," Loki replied, "They view me as a monster."
"At least you don't have to go around looking like one," Kurt replied.
"You can't shapeshift?" Loki asked.
"No," Rogue answered for him. "I don't think he looks like a monster, but others do. If you give any of us a chance, it should be him; Kurt is a kind man, despite getting the worse life out of all of us."
"What was your life like?" Loki asked. Kurt looked down as if he was ashamed, then looked back up at Loki.
"I usually don't tell just anyone this, but I will so you can understand something, " Kurt replied, "My birth was a result of an affair. My biological father was not the man Mother was married to at the time. When born, my appearance frightened the townsfolk, and an angry mob chased us out of town to save herself; mother tossed me into a river, changed her appearance, and got away. I was found and saved by a single mother who took me in and joined a circus; I became the main attraction, the guy who ran it beat me and mistreated me, and when he was going to sell me to another circus, she risked her life to set me free, I was on the run for a while, at one time a priest took me in, and then later Charles Xavier showed up and offered me a place in the X-MEN."
"Damn," Loki said, frowning. "She mentioned a Graydon whose he?"
"Our brother." Kurt answered, "He is older than I, human, not mutant, despite both parents being mutants; after having him, Mother gave him away, he grew up hating mutants and started the anti-mutant group Friends of Humanity."
"Mystique might have abandoned you, but in a way, she did more for you than she did her other biological children," Rogue told him, "She made sure you had a good life, even if your adopted father favored his real son."
"Why would you want me to forgive Raven?" Loki demanded, "Why would you? If she's that horrible of a mother?"
"What you do is up to you," Rogue replied. "But Mystique has changed a little; she still can be a selfish bitch sometimes but does care about us and wants to be a part of our lives."
"Right now, all I want is to take care of my injured wife," Loki said."Then go find those damn stones, so Saphira and I can finally have our happy ending."
"I understand, sugar," Rogue replied, "Well, part of it, not sure what stones you need to find, but if you need help, don't alienate Mystique just yet, she may not look it, but she's a damn good fighter, and her shapeshifting can come in handy."
"What are you saying?" Loki demanded.
"Allow Mystique to help you find these stones," Rogue told him, "If you still want nothing to do with her after. Well, mom used Saphira to get to you, use mom to help find what you need." And with that, Rogue stood and headed back into the building.
"She's right, you know," Kurt told him. "Mother can come in handy in a battle. But I think you should give her a chance other than that; I am not sure she can take it if we started hating her again."
"How can you be so nice after everything you've been through?" Loki demanded. Kurt shrugged.
"Just the way I am," Kurt replied. He reached out and put his hand on the back of Loki's shoulder. "Come on, brother; your wife is probably worried about you right now."
Shockingly Loki didn't shrug off Kurt's hand and instead allowed him to be lead off the roof. As they walked down the hallway towards Enid's apartment, Loki kept glancing at Kurt out of the corner of his eye, Loki didn't know what to think of his new brother, but he found him intriguing; he wasn't ashamed of his looks, was kind and polite to even to those mean towards him, Loki found he wanted to get to know him.
"If you do not mind me asking," Loki spoke up. "Who is your father?"
"His name is Azazel." Kurt replied, "He is very old, and, often said to be a demonic mutant, has lots of other children, by many different women." Kurt shrugged, "I don't know him that well; I only met him once or twice."
"Well, " Loki said, grinning a bit. "Our lovely Mother sure knows how to pick them, does she not?"
Kurt looked at him, then started laughing, as did Loki. They were still smiling when Loki opens the door to Enid's apartment and walked in; his smile dropped when he saw Saphira out of bed and standing at the bottom of the stairway; Enid stood next to her, they looked to have been arguing, and Saphira was now standing there holding her side looking as if she was in pain. When they walked in, both sisters stopped arguing and looked up.
"Thank God," Enid mumbled when she saw Loki. She pointed at Saphira, "Talk some sense into her, will you?"
"You should not be up moving around, sweetheart," Loki told her as he went to her side and put his arm around her since she looked as if she was about to fall over.
"I was worried about you," Saphira explained.
"I just needed to cool off, darling; I'm fine now," Loki said. Saphira snuggled into him, with her cheek lying on his chest. "Let's get you back in bed. So, you can rest."
"Don't leave like that again, please," Saphira said, not moving.
"I won't, my love," Loki said. He put one arm around Saphira's back and the other behind her knees and gently lifted her.
"I'm scared, Loki," Saphira admitted into his ear. Loki frowned, knowing why she was afraid.
"I know, darling, but you have nothing to fear; I am here; I already promised I am not going anyway," Loki said. "Whatever happens, I'll be with you."
Saphira's only reply was to grip Loki tighter and lay her head on his shoulder. As he slowly and carefully walked up the stairs carrying her to her room, he gently laid her down on the bed, then covered her up; he could tell by the wetness of her eyes that she was in a lot of pain as she rolled onto the side facing him, the side that was not injured.
"She looks so pale," Enid said, reaching out and filling her forehead. "Maybe we should have taken her to a hospital or gotten a real doctor."
"No, they would have just sent her back to prison," Loki replied; sitting on the bed next to Saphira, he looked at Enid. "Besides, a Midgardain doctor would not have been good enough; no one could have healed her as you did."
"Did you just compliment me?" Enid asked shock clearly on her face.
"Just give her time; she'll heal soon enough; we are gods after all," Loki said, looking away and ignoring her question; he was trying to get himself to believe it as much as Enid if there was one thing they had in common it was how they both cared deeply for Saphira.
"She just needs sleep." Enid agreed, "Asgardians heal better when they are asleep." Loki's brows narrowed in thought at that.
"Stop talking about me like I'm not here," Saphira demanded. "And Loki, you get that look off your face. I know what you are thinking, and no, no way."
"And what is it you are saying no to, my dear?" Loki asks, amused.
"Putting me into Odinsleep," Saphira answered; she was right. That was what Loki was thinking. "Or some version of it, since I can't go into Odinsleep as I don't have the Odinforce, but you are trying to think of something close enough to it so that I can heal, and no, I am not getting knocked out for a long time. I'll recover when I recover. So, get the thought out of your head."
"Okay, darling, " Loki grinned. "The thought is gone." Enid smiled a little at their interactions, but Remy started laughing as he shuffled playing cards.
"I see who wears the pants in your family." Remy teased; Loki narrowed his eyes.
"LeBeau, considering I fought your wife in the Battle of New York, I doubt you have much say at home," Loki replied; Saphira giggled.
"You are wrong, mon ami," Remy told him. "I am..."
"You are what?" Rogue demanded, crossing her arms.
"I am not going reply to Loki's comment." Remy changed his answer, and Kurt and Saphira laughed at him, then she winched in pain.
"I think you should take that nap we mentioned earlier." Enid put in. Saphira rolled her eyes, then gave in once Loki agreed with Enid, and after taken some more pain potion, she snuggled under the covers.
" I love you, sweetheart," Loki told her, kissing her forehead, then turned in the bed where he was sitting next to her with his back leaned against the headboard and held her hand.
"I love you too, handsome," Saphira replied, closing her eyes. Mystique flipped the ceiling light off, but a small lamp on her vanity was still on, giving a little light. The room fall silent, aS no one spoke so Saphira could fall didn't long, the potion knocked her out within minutes, and Loki looked around the room.
"Where's Thor?" Loki asked; he just noticed he wasn't in the room, and he hadn't seen him downstairs anywhere.
"Said he was going to go find food, that he was hungry," Enid said, frowning. "He's been gone a while; I hope he didn't get lost wandering Las Vegas looking for a restaurant. I'm going to find him. Saphira wakes while I'm gone; let her know where I went, please."
Loki said he would, and Enid left the room. Rogue followed her, offering to help, and Loki rubbed his eyes, then looked towards Mystique, who was watching him, so he turned away from her and looked back at Saphira.
"Loki," Kurt said, sitting in the chair Thor had sat in earlier. "I know you just found out about us, but I felt we were getting along a little while ago. So, what do you say? Give us a chance?"
"Okay." Loki said, "I'll give you a chance; you have not done anything." He looked to Mystique. "Raven, I'll allow you to help us find the stones; perhaps if you do not turn on us or anything, we can even start mending our relationship." Mystique said nothing; she just nodded.
"Welcome to the family, Loki," Kurt said. "We are an odd bunch and sometimes try to kill each other, but you'll like it." Loki grinned a little at that.
"Sounds like Saphira and Loki will fit right in, no," Remy remarked.
AN It might be a few days until I get the next chapter up; I am running out of chapters already written. I have one want something before that one.
Mystique being chased out of Austria as a kid was something I read online somewhere, the other stuff I made up, and made her a lot older than I believe she supposed to be. Kurt/Nightcrawler's story I got from his Origin comic, and there is also a comic I've read that tales the story of Mystique having him, both good comics.