Learning to Breathe
Disclaimer: I came, I see, now what's your problem?
Dedication: To all of you who are actually reading and commenting. Reading your reviews is one of my favorite pastimes.
Chapter Thirty-One: I Have a What, Now?
Mystique physically dragged her daughter back to her office; not an easy feat, since Andi stood as tall as she did. Once they arrived, she ordered her youngest to sit down. Andi did so with a grunt.
"Andrea Mercy Creed, I thought I told you to not draw attention to yourself!" Raven bellowed. "What on earth possessed you to paint the ceiling tiles?"
"I was bored." Andi shrugged. "And it wasn't just me! Some kid named Kurt did the painting!"
"Well, I'm glad you were able to make friends but did you have to turn the school library into the rainbow room?" Mystique growled.
"You never told me not to!" Andi glared.
"I thought it was implied!"
"What ya get for thinkin', ain't it?"
"Goddammit, Andrea, did you learn nothing in all of those schools?"
"Not really, no."
"For the love of…"
"Principal Darkholme?" Sally the secretary chirped, cautiously cracking the door.
Mystique expelled a ragged sigh. "Yes, Sally, what is it?"
"Miss Grey has brought in Mr. Wagner. She said you asked for him?" The brunette reported.
"Yes, I did. Send him in and tell Miss Grey to get back to class before she's late. This doesn't concern her." Mystique replied. Sally nodded and disappeared. A few moments after she left, Kurt walked in the door.
"Did I come at a bad time?" He asked cautiously. He'd heard the screaming from the hallway.
"No." Mystique replied.
"Then I'll just leave." Andi said, gathering her bag and standing up.
"Not so fast, young lady!" Mystique roared. "I'm not finished with you yet!"
"I thought you wanted to speak to Kurt?" Andi asked. "What do you need me for?"
"I wanted to speak to both of you!" Mystique glared. "Now get over here!"
"Fine!" Andi growled, stomping up to her mother's desk. "Is this better?"
"Yes." Mystique groaned. This was going to be one of those meetings. "Kurt, do you admit to taking part in the paint by number in the library?"
"Yes, Principal Darkholme." Kurt nodded, gazing with sudden interest at the floor. He had no idea what his new friend and his birthmother were fighting about, but he didn't want to get in the middle of it. "Let me guess, Detention?"
"Later." Mystique sighed. "Right now I feel an introduction may be necessary. Kurt Wagner, this is Andi Creed."
"We already met." Andi rolled her eyes. Sometimes adults did the strangest things.
"That last name sounds familiar." Kurt said uncertainly. Where had he heard that name? Realization slammed into him. "Wait! Logan said it before! When he was fighting Sabertooth!" Suddenly, Andi looked very familiar. Like someone he'd seen before, but definitely not Sabertooth. Then who…
"Yes." Mystique nodded. "Creed is Sabertooth's last name. Andrea is his daughter." Andi rolled her eyes and groaned at the mention of her full first name. "She is also your half sister."
"What???" The two teens stared at each other in shock, neither truly believing what was being said.
"No way!" Kurt exclaimed. "This must be some kind of trick."
"Then both of you better revert back to your real forms." Mystique said, shifting out of her own disguise. "I think you'll find a more than impeccable resemblance."
Kurt and Andi stared at each other for a few seconds before the two-toned blond caved. "Fine." She sighed, releasing control of her shapeshifting ability. Kurt jumped back as her tan skin suddenly changed into blue scales and the whites of her eyes became yellow. "This is me. Take it or leave it."
"Be nice." Mystique glared, then turned to her son. "Go on, Kurt. I don't think she'll be too shocked."
Kurt considered ignoring the comment, but realized that arguing with Mystique wouldn't be a very smart idea. Instead, he switched off his inducer and prepared for the worst.
She didn't flinch. This girl named Andi looked more astounded at the watch than his true form. Then again, it seemed that she was more than willing to fight Mystique (and goodness knows she looked just like his mother), which meant the two probably spent a lot of time together before hand.
"Hm." Andi mused.
"What?" Mystique groaned.
"I thought I was the only blue one besides you." Andi commented. "Then again, I didn't know I had any siblings on this side of the family."
"It wasn't relevant at the time! When you were with me, I had no idea he would come to Bayville!" Mystique exclaimed. "Besides, if I had told either of you and you came in contact here often, the Brotherhood would tell Magneto and he would not rest until he made all of our lives miserable."
Kurt remained silent as he listened to his mother and newly discovered sister debate. Suddenly, many things made sense. She hadn't come for him because she was afraid something worse might happen. Whoever this Magneto guy was, he didn't sound nice. Maybe he head been Mystique's boss at some point? Who knew?
And then there was Andi. Why would Magneto be upset about him having a sister unless… unless whoever this guy was didn't even know that Mystique and Sabertooth had a kid. In that case, if the Brotherhood knew how to contact Magneto, Mystique, Andi, and he would all be in a lot of trouble. He didn't know just how powerful this Magneto was, but if he made Mystique afraid, he must be something very strong. [1
Finally, once the two of them had reached a pause, Mystique turned from Andi to him. "Don't you have anything to say? You're usually not this quiet."
"I didn't want to interrupt." Kurt replied. "I wasn't sure if you would bite my head off." Mystique rolled her eyes at that.
"Well?" She asked.
"I can certainly make out a family resemblance." He shrugged. "But still…"
"Look," Mystique started "I still have to give you detention for that paint-by-number stunt in the library. But maybe we could discuss this later? Maybe tonight after classes?"
Andi, for once in her life, took a back seat in the discussion. Kurt certainly was the same color as Mom, and he also spoke German as a first language [2, but was he indeed her brother?
"Look," Mom said "I still have to give you detention for that paint-by-number stunt in the library. But, maybe we could discuss this later? Maybe tonight after class?"
Andi blinked. Mom asked him to meet her… no wait, both of them… after school. That was very risky. A risk mom usually strayed far away from. If she were willing to risk being caught to better introduce them, they must be related in some way.
"What time?" Kurt asked.
"After your detention." Mom replied.
"How come she gets off the hook?" He asked. Andi suddenly felt a trickle run down her back. She was in deep trouble.
"She's not." Mom turned the death glare on. Andi never broke eye contact. "She has to help the janitor scrub the paint off the roof."
Kurt nearly cracked up. Andi glared straight into Mystique's grin. This bit big time.
"Fine." Andi groaned. "Are we done here?"
"Yes." Mystique nodded, turning to Kurt. "You still have to make it to class."
Kurt sighed. He did not want to go back to class. However, arguing was quite pointless. "Yes, Principal Darkholme." He sighed.
"Don't be so formal." Mystique chided. "It makes me feel old."
Andi cracked up, only to be met with another glare. Kurt managed some kind of weak grin and headed back to class.
"And what are you standing here for?" Mystique turned to her daughter. "You've got a lot of paint to clean off."
"It was water based." Andi retorted. Mom glared again. "Fine, I'll go put the tins up."
"That's my girl." Mystique smiled. "don't forget to put everything you took out back up."
"Yes Ma'm." Andi groaned as she opened the door and slipped out, hood firmly over her face. No one needed to see how angry she was right now. However badly she wanted a fight, she would surely be punished for starting one during school hours.
Back in the office, Mystique took this time to finally sit down. Groaning, she pressed her fingers to her temples, rubbing them in small circles. Arguing with Andi always gave her a headache. She loved her daughter for all she was worth, but sometimes that girl was too much like Victor for her own good. Stubborn, independent, quick tempered—it was somewhat shocking that she got along with Kurt at all. Then again, both of them had more creativity than they knew what to do with, so maybe it wasn't so much of a shock. Either way, if she had to deal with both of them acting like she'd seen today for the next week, she would be seeking a retirement application.
1) In the episode the Cauldron pt 1, Kurt didn't react at all when Toad mentioned Magneto, while Kitty and Spyke were shocked. I figure he must have heard that name mentioned somewhere. I know, I pay excessively much attention to this stuff.
2) It is true. All the information that Marvel (and every other bios site) has points to Germany as Mystique's native country. And being a spy, speaking German would come in very handy.