Lauren's Stories!

[Wolvertique]

Logan sat, surly, watching Lauren's thread on Nightscrawlers. He'd rather be back at the mansion right now, making sure everything was all right. But Kurt assured him that there was something here that would grab his interest.

He flickered over the Mystique story with a raised eyebrow. Wasn't too far from the truth, from what he'd seen of the woman.

Then his attention was riveted by the next story. He choked, then grinned, then did something that in ordinary people was called laughing.

He wiped his eyes, got up from his chair, and left to go back to his universe. He had to top this somehow. The elf was gonna pay.

[Lauren]

wait... why is the Elf gonna pay because I wrote that story!? Why? Is it gonna cost him fifty bucks?

[Wolvertique]

Because the elf played a prank on him. He has to get him back.

[Lauren]

that's considered a prank? uh oh...I smell a prank fest coming!

[Mistress D]

Yaaaaay! Pranks are fun! *lobs water balloons at her younger sisters and then runs for the hills*

[Lauren]

*ties pink bows to Kurt's tail and runs away very fast* muhahahaha!

[Mistress D]

*dyes Logan's hair purple and pink in his sleep and then runs away, giggling madly* Heheheheheheheheheheheheeeee!!!

[CurlyyHairGirl]

OOOOOH!!! Prank fest! Prank fest!!! Are you goind to do some prank fics?

[Mistress D]

Prank fics are fuuunnn!!! I hope somebody writes one! :p *gives some random person a cake with a stick of dynamite for a candle then runs* I'm a sucker for the classics... **BOOM!!**

[CurlyyHairGirl]

How bout a series of pranks that Logan and Kurt play on each other trying to get back at the others pranks.

[Lauren]

yeah! how about it Wolvertique? we can do it back and forth!

[Wolvertique]

I'm cool with it. Start a new thread, or stay in one we've already set up?

[Lauren]

well which thread would we put it in if we used one all ready made? We could make a new one. A co-ed thread.

[Lauren]

Author’s Note: Set in the early 1700’s, around 1728 and so on during the reign of Frederick William I of Prussia; who passed a law saying that all Roma found in Prussia were to be killed on sight. Those who surrendered were given ten minutes to pray for their sins and THEN they were killed too. Nice guy huh?

The location at first is Aachen, a city in west-central Germany near Belgium.

***
He looked skyward, his hands bound behind his back as he asked God to take care of his family and tribe and to keep them safe from the hunters. He spoke in his native tongue, annoying the hunters greatly.

Kurt and his tribe had been resting by the river when they heard the barking of the hunter’s dogs. He and his brother immediately drew their swords and told their mother Margali to get the tribe away as fast as possible. They then held the hunters back by fighting them off.

At one point, they split up, Stefan going one way and Kurt the other. Stefan was able to escape from the hunters, and he soon found their tribe. Kurt however, was penned in from all sides and he soon was forced to drop his sword and fall to his knees in surrender, allowing the Gadje to bind his hands and tie a rope around his neck to act as a leash.

One of the men interrupted his prayer, grabbing him by the shoulders and forcing him onto his feet. They put him on top of a horse and put a noose around his neck, waiting for the signal.

When the leader nodded, the horse was spooked and it ran, leaving Kurt behind.

***
The fall didn’t break Kurt’s neck however, and whoever had made the noose did not make it properly. For a long time he swung on the branch of the tree, unable to breathe as he gagged and swung back and forth slowly. His vision soon started to darken, starting from the outside of his vision and growing blacker and blacker until he finally lost consciousness.

Kurt felt someone touching him, lifting his head up slowly and tilting it so that his mouth could get opened more easily. He was lying on the ground in someone’s arms, and his throat was burning like Hell. Liquid entered his mouth, and it burned his throat and caused him to start to cough and sputter; telling him that he was still alive.

“Easy now.” The man said. “You’re lucky to still be alive, and I would like to keep it that way.” Opening his eyes, Kurt saw everything spinning in lazy circles. When the circles finally came into focus and stopped moving, he found himself looking at a man who was in his wiser years, his head bald and catching some of the sun. His eyes were a gentle blue color, sparkling as he smiled at him.

“Don’t try to move too quickly.” The man warned. “You might do some more damage to yourself.”

“Who…” Kurt immediately regretted trying to speak. His throat burned and he started to have a coughing fit, which made his sore throat as it raged and fumed in protest. The man smiled and shook his head slightly at him.

“My name is Charles Xavier.” He said. “Now don’t try to speak again. Your throat has obtained quite a bit of damage. However, it shouldn’t prove to be permanent or anything.” Kurt nodded faintly, his tail flopping lazily at his side. Charles let him take a few more sips of the water, and then he put the water skin away, starting to help him to his feet.

“I’m going to have to take you aboard a ship, Kurt.” He said. Kurt looked at him in surprise, raising his eyebrows slightly at the fact that he knew his name. Charles laughed softly, nodding a bit at the questions in his mind.

“Yes, I am aware that you did not tell me your name, Kurt Wagner of the Szardos Tribe.” He said. “At least, that’s your Gadje name anyway.” He added slightly. “I will explain everything on our way to the ship, and don’t worry about getting in. I have a camp not too far away with a change of clothing and make-up that will hide your looks and heritage from the people on board.”

Kurt looked at him in confusion, wondering where the Hell he was planning on taking him.

“I’m taking you to England.” Charles said, helping Kurt to lean on him as they headed off to his camp.

Kurt stopped and looked at him as if he was mad. Charles laughed, understanding what he was thinking.

“I have a school there that is far from any other towns or cities.” He said. “No one will be coming to look for Rom there, and if they do send someone to come looking, we’ll be ready to hide you and a few of the other students there.”

Kurt tilted his head to one side slightly, cocking an eyebrow. What did he mean by other students?

“My school is a special one, Kurt.” Charles explained. “For people with special gifts that set them apart from others. At my school, there is no distinction between people’s races, and everyone is equal there due to their added gifts. Take me for example; I can read and control people’s minds if I wished to, which is why I was able to find you and answer your questions right now. Your gift is both physical and power oriented. Your appearance sets you apart from others, as well as an ability you have that you don’t know you do yet.”

Kurt’s tail curled up slightly as he blinked at him, wondering what he was talking about with his second gift.

“I’ll help you discover it when we get to my school.” Charles said. “But there are a few rules you must agree to first.” He said, looking at Kurt seriously.

Kurt nodded faintly, waiting to him them.

“You must come into my school with an open mind and an open heart, Kurt. There is no place for any animosity between people there. Everyone is to be respectful of other’s beliefs, rituals, and holidays. Any breaking of these two should be reported to me, and they will be dealt with accordingly.

“On the issue of leaving the grounds and going to town. Everyone must go in at least a group of two to make sure nothing goes wrong. We really can’t afford to have people burn our school down looking for witches now can we?” Charles asked with a laugh. “If you are willing to obey these rules, you are welcome in my school for as long as you wish to stay.”

Kurt smiled and nodded, offering his tail instead of his hand to shake with. Charles took hold of the spade and they shook lightly, smiling as they reached Charles’ camp.

[CurlyyHairGirl]

:toothyGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! I like that one, don't know why, but it makes me wiggley inside.

[Mistress D]

Yay! Kurty didn't die!! I don't like reading fics where he dies... Can't wait to see if there's more.

[Lauren]

Kurt had not really liked the journey on the boat to England. He was forced to wear Gadje clothes that were tight fitting, and crushed his hidden tail, and he was also forced to wear make-up to cover all of his exposed blue fur. It was smelly and it stuck to his fur badly. He was also unable to speak due to his wounded throat, which started to show signs of scaring that ringed his throat badly.

Charles assured him that everything would be all right once they reached his school and in the mean time, he told Kurt all about his school, and the people who were there and what he meant when he said that they had “gifts”.

Kurt was excited to go to Charles’ school, but he soon started to feel guilty about this, due to the fact that he had left his tribe back in Prussia, where Frederick William I had people hunting down the Roma and killing them without any mercy whatsoever. Charles sensed his guilt, and he assured Kurt that he would find a way to take care of his tribe back in Prussia.

When the boat finally reached the docks, Kurt followed Charles down the ramp and through some of the officials who checked Charles’ passes. When they asked to see Kurt’s, Charles told them that Kurt was his servant that he had recently employed him, and that he was waiting to get Kurt’s papers all in order.

They let them go, with a little help from Charles’ powers of persuasion.

On their way there, Kurt and Charles stopped at a lake and Charles respectively looked away as Kurt took off his Gadje clothes and washed the make-up out of his fur with some soap and a lot of scrubbing. When he was finished, he dressed in his regular clothes, slipping on his large golden hoop earring in his right ear. He smiled a bit, looking down at his reflection in the lake.

***
The school was like a manor, separated from any towns and surrounded by a lush forest. It had a garden for vegetables and an orchard for any fruit that they needed. A small farm was on the side where cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses were raised for both monetary value and a food source.

It had several floors to it, and Kurt almost thought that it was a castle with all of its elaborate designs, and rooms and floors. He looked over at Charles and raised his eyebrows slightly as he tilted his head to one side.

“I inherited a fortune from my father.” Charles said with a shrug. “Come on, I want Hank to check on your throat to see if it’s all right for you to speak yet without risking an further damage.”

When they entered the mansion, Kurt felt like a dirty pauper entering a cathedral covered in gold and precious gems and stones. He stopped and looked around, his mouth open slightly as he moved in a slow circle, trying to take everything in.

“Are you the new student the Professor was talking about?” Turning around, Kurt found himself looking at a tall young man with fire red hair. His eyes were wrapped in a silken cloth tightly, and he wondered how he had known where to turn his head to act as if he was looking at him.

“Scott, this is Kurt.” Charles said. “Kurt, this is my first student; Scott Summers.” Smiling, Scott held out his hand and Kurt shook it, tilting his head to one side slightly. “Scott’s eyes produce a red beam of light that can destroy anything. Almost like he has a cannon of light in both eyes. He’s attuned with everything, which is why he knows where everything is.”

“Professor, you’re making me blush!” Scott laughed, shaking his head a bit. “I hope you’ll want to stay with us, Kurt.” He said, tilting his head to one side slightly. “We could use more people here.”

Kurt smiled faintly and he waved good-bye as he followed Charles to another room. When he realized his mistake he turned around, only to see Scott waving back at him.

“Please keep up.” Charles laughed, looking over his shoulder. Kurt promptly turned around and followed Charles up a flight of stairs to the second floor.

He was led down a short hallway and into the infirmary. It was empty, and Kurt looked at Charles in confusion. Smiling, Charles looked up at the ceiling.

“Hank? We have a new student and I want you to examine him for any permanent damage.” He said. Hank came down from the ceiling, surprising Kurt into taking a slight step back. The man looked like a giant blue furred ape, with hands that could easily crush someone’s throat. On his nose he wore thin framed spectacles, which he adjusted as he smiled at Kurt.

“Finally! Another blue member to keep me company in this domicile of ours!” he said, putting an arm around Kurt’s thin shoulders. “My name is Henry McCoy, but you can just call me Hank.” When he finally noticed the wound around Kurt’s neck, he frowned and took a slight step back, adjusting his spectacles a bit.

“This is the damage I was talking about, Hank.” Charles said. “I thought it would be safer not to have Kurt talk until you give him the ok.” Hank nodded and had Kurt sit down on one of the cots, collecting a few of his tools.

“When I’m finished shall I give him a tour of the place?” he asked.

“If you wouldn’t mind.”

“Oh not at all!” Hank said, applying some medicine to Kurt’s wound. “I’m sure we’ll become quite the friends in the end!” Charles smiled and left the room and Hank started his examination, asking Kurt to open his mouth as he looked for any internal damage.

“When you swallow, does it hurt?” Hank asked. Kurt nodded faintly, and Hank sighed, adjusting his spectacles slightly. “I’m going to need you to talk to me. Stop when it starts to hurt too much.”

“All right.” Kurt whispered, his voice hoarse from the hanging and disuse.

“How bad does it hurt when you talk and swallow?” Hank asked.

“Not much.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“Yes.” Kurt nodded. Hank started writing, making up a medical file for Kurt. He asked for his full name, age, nationality, and for any serious illnesses or injuries he had suffered from in the past. When he finished, he put the file away and he started to give Kurt a tour of the grounds.

While showing him the third floor, they met a young lady in men’s clothes that covered every inch of her, including a pair of silken gloves. Her hair was long and auburn colored with one long skunk stripe in the front.

“This is Rogue.” Hank said. “Rogue, this is a new student.”

“My name is Kurt.” He said, bowing slightly. Rogue laughed softly and he looked at her in confusion.

“Ya’ll don’t need to bow to me, sugah!” Rogue said. “Ah’m not exactly dressed for it!”

“I noticed.” Kurt said with a soft laugh. “But my mother always told me to bow to a lady when making a first meeting.” Rogue cocked an eyebrow slightly, looking over at Hank.

“Where did the Professor find such a polite boy?” she asked with a laugh. Hank shrugged, laughing softly.

“Rogue, do you know where the others are?” he asked.

“Most of ‘em are in the training grounds.” She said. “Ah’m going there now.”

“Thank you.” Hank said. He brought Kurt outside to the floral part of the garden and Kurt was amazed at how many different flowers there were all over the place. He found it odd however that there were small rain clouds over them, moving lazily over all of them in turn.

“What are those?” he asked, pointing at the clouds.

“You’ve never seen rain clouds before?” Hank laughed.

“I have, but these can’t…”

“They are my doing.” A woman’s voice said. A black woman stepped into view, dressed in a white dress that was loose and showed her legs with no shame at all. Her hair was snow white and pulled back in a high ponytail, matching her completely white and marble-like eyes.

Kurt couldn’t help but blush violet at the sight of her exposed legs. Ororo narrowed her eyes slightly, confusing this action of embarrassment with something else.

“Who is this?” she asked, turning to Hank. Kurt’s tail curled around his left leg as he bowed to her.

“My name is Kurt.” He said. Ororo sniffed softly, turning away to water a few of the flowers.

“I am Ororo.” She said finally. “If you are looking for the others, go to the training grounds.” She told Hank. With that, she turned her back on them both and continued her work.

“Did I do something wrong?” Kurt asked as he walked down a stone path beside Hank.

“None that I could see.” Hank said. “Ororo can sometimes twist things around though.”

The training area was a large clearing set up with large obstacles and equipment mostly used to train soldiers. The people there varied in race and nationality as they practiced their fighting skills, going through the obstacles, or simply meditating.

Looking up, Kurt’s eyes grew wide as a man with large feathery wings came down for a landing, only to be attacked by a boy made out of ice.

“The one with the wings is Warren Worthington and the one fighting him is Bobby Drake.” Hank explained. An older man was wrestling with a younger one. The older man let out a scream that ripped away some of the ground around him and towards the younger man. The other simply dodged the blow by holding out his hands.

“The screamer is Sean Cassidy, and the fighter is John Proudstar.” A young man was staring at a tree intently. Narrowing his eyes, he turned into steel and he punched at its trunk, cracking it down easily.

“That is our resident Siberian Piotr Rasputin.” Hank observed with a smile. Another man was sitting a bit far off from the others, flipping playing cards from finger to finger swiftly. He suddenly stopped and held one up to his red on black eyes, and it looked like it was starting to fill up with light. He tossed it over his shoulder and it exploded with a soft pop.

“From Louisiana; Remy Lebeau.” A woman with hair that matched Scott’s walked up to the two of them, looking Kurt over as she placed her hands on her hips slightly.

“You’re the one the Professor was looking for.” She said. “The Rom from Prussia.” Smiling, she matched his bow with her own. “I’m Jean Grey and I hope you like living here.”

“I’m sure I will.” Kurt said, looking around. He saw a short man standing on a wooden podium, holding out a bowl of water in each hand as he balanced on one foot.

“That’s Logan; our resident madman.” Jean laughed softly. Kurt walked up quietly, his tail moving lazily as he looked up at Logan.

“Hello.” He said. “My name is…ACH!” Logan’s concentration was broken and he dropped both bowls, dosing Kurt and banging his head with one of the bowls. Logan growled angrily and he leapt down, forcing Kurt to back up a few steps. Claws of curved bone came out of his knuckles and Kurt found himself inches away from having his wound opened up once more. Logan’s blue eyes glittered angrily at him.

“You made me lose my concentration!” he snarled. Everyone was silent as they turned to look at Logan and the newcomer. They were quiet, unsure whether or not they should try and do something to help Kurt. Logan may blow up and end up killing him if any of them tried anything.

“I’m sorry.” Kurt said, trying to pull his head back. Logan slashed with his other hand and trapped Kurt between two sets of three flesh shredding claws.

“Sorry isn’t good enough.” Logan said, narrowing his eyes. Kurt gulped softly, looking over at Hank and the others. When he saw that they couldn’t really do anything, he looked back at Logan and he tried to think of something.

In the corner of his eye he saw something glitter, and he soon realized that it was a sword. If he could just get to it…

Kurt tried to think of how he could dodge the claws and reach the sword, and he wished that he could get over there.

Oh God he wished…

With a Bamf Kurt was gone and he reappeared beside the sword, much to everyone’s surprise.

Hell, it definitely surprised the Hell out of him!

He looked around in surprise as a purple cloud dissipated, but he soon picked up the sword and used it to deflect a blow made by a charging Logan. The two fought all around the training area, Kurt’s sword blocking most of Logan’s stabs and thrusts as they searched to draw Kurt’s blood.

Kurt dodged and flipped as best as he could, trying to find an opening somewhere to try and trip Logan up without really hurting him. He thought about being behind him, and with another Bamf he was there in a cloud of purple and a whiff of sulfur and brimstone.

Logan whirled right around and nearly took off Kurt’s head if he had not ducked just in time. Soon Kurt got better with his teleporting, moving swiftly around Logan as he tried to find an opening. Bone clashed against steel with the same strength and Kurt was soon starting to get tired and weary from the crazy onslaught coming from Logan.

That’s when he saw his opening. He lunged forward, his blade pointing at Logan’s face as Logan aimed for Kurt’s face. The two froze in place, Logan looking at a sword blade and Kurt looking at dangerous claws.

After a tense moment, Logan smiled and retracted his claws, taking a step back.

“You’re pretty good.” He said. “Quick thinking and quick reaction time. Although you really should have noticed that you messed up my concentration in the beginning. You wouldn’t have gotten wet or trapped in-between me claws now would you?” Kurt laughed softly, putting the sword down.

“No, I suppose not.” He said. He heard clapping and looking to the side he saw the others laughing and clapping.

“You’ve discovered your second gift.” Charles said with a smile. “Good for you!” Kurt blushed and rubbed the back of his head slightly.

“I’m glad that I found my power too!” he said. “For a moment I thought I was going to die there!”

“Yes, well Logan’s style of ‘breaking in’ a new member can get quite violent at times.” Charles admitted looking at the Canadian as he calmly lit a cigarette with a wooden match and took a drag on it. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that, Logan.” He said. Logan shrugged, smiling faintly as he blew out two smoke rings.

“He found out his power didn’t he? It was the boost he needed, Chuck!” he said with a wink.

With that, everyone walked up to greet the newest member of their school. They laughed and made introductions, patting Kurt on the back and so on. Everyone was smiling, everyone except one.

Looking over Remy’s shoulder, Kurt saw the black woman named Ororo standing near the trees, her arms across her chest and her eyes narrowed in anger as she watched them all. With a huff she turned on her heel and went back to her flowers.

[RavEnigma]

Love this! What's wrong with Ororo, though? Is there going to be kuroro in this fic? I like how historically accurate this story is, and I can't wait for more. Also I was looking through some of your past fics, and I was wondering if you'd let me have your fic 'Mother and Son' on my site? It's one of my favorites. And my dad's helping me with the files you sent me, thanks again for them, by the way. Keep up the fantastic writing, Nedrasha Lauren!

[CurlyyHairGirl]

WOW*all hail the Queen* great job, I like fics that are placed in earlier time periods, This is great.

[Mistress D]

Wow! It's educational, AND it's fanfic! I love it!! I also love how some things have been changed to match the time-period. How Scott has a cloth, instead of a visor, and how Wolverine's claws are bone, not adamantium. It's brilliant!

[Lauren]

Kurt had so much fun his first day in his new home. The people there were all very nice to him, and they showed him all over the place, explaining the rules and everything for him. They also demonstrated their powers to him, telling him how each one of them had discovered them and how the Professor had come and taken them here to be safe from those who would do them harm.

Everyone that is, except for Ororo.

This troubled Kurt, and even though he was grateful for the others in talking to him, he still wondered what he had done to upset the woman so much. Or perhaps she just didn’t like the way he looked? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that he faced that kind of thing, but something told him that in a place where a man can turn into steel, or have beams come out his eyes, a man who is blue with a tail would not really cause any kind of anger to anyone there.

He decided that he would go and talk to the woman at night, after dinner if possible.

Right now, the man named Piotr had invited him to go to the stables to go and check on the horses, and Kurt could not resist the urge to go and see them.

There were thirteen horses altogether, one for each resident in the school. Twelve of them were resting in the stables, but the thirteenth was running freely through the woods.

“The one that runs wild is Logan’s.” Piotr explained, rubbing his horse’s nose lightly. “He says that he would rather have it running free than in here, but it’s safer in the stables don’t you think?”

“As long as they are given the proper amount of exercise each day.” Kurt nodded, his tail swishing slightly. “Either way, the horses you have are safe here, whether they are running free or in the stables.”

“You’re a Rom?” Piotr asked.

“Yes.” Kurt nodded, understanding where this was going right away and unable to hide his faint smile.

“Then you know a lot about horses?” he asked. Kurt shrugged slightly.

“I learned the trade rather well, yes.” He said. “Why?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“My horse, he’s been limping badly on his right leg for weeks now, and no one can seem to figure out why. Maybe you could try and find out?” Piotr asked. Kurt smiled and he nodded, opening the stable door and walking in slowly, holding out a hand to keep the horse calm.

Bending down on one knee, he placed a hand on the horse’s leg and he tilted his head to one side, as he looked it over, feeling it in certain places to see that was the matter. He slowly lifted up the horse’s leg and when he looked under it’s hooves, he found the problem.

“How long has this horse had hoof rot?” he asked.

“Hoof rot?” Piotr asked, bending down to see. Kurt nodded, pointing out the signs of the disease.

“This horse has had it growing for quite some time. I think that it was small when you first checked, and you never bother to check again, yes?” he asked, looking up at him.

“We thought we ruled that out.” Piotr said sadly. Kurt smiled and gently set the horse’s leg down, patting Piotr on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry, most people miss it the first time around because it starts small and mostly gets on sheep and cattle and rarely horses.” He said. “I can help your horse get better.” He assured him. Piotr smiled and took his hand in gratitude.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.” Kurt said. He suddenly thought of something and he became a bit more serious. “Can I ask you something?” he asked.

“Anything.” Piotr said.

“Do you know why Ororo doesn’t like me?” Kurt asked. Piotr frowned slightly, slowly shaking his head.

“No, I don’t.” he said. “Why does she hate you?”

“I don’t know!” Kurt cried. “That’s what has me so upset about it.”

“Well what did you do when you first met her?” Piotr asked. Kurt thought about it and he shrugged faintly.

“I bowed to her.” He said. “That’s all I did to her and for some reason she has been avoiding me and giving me nasty looks when she does see me!”

“That’s strange.” Piotr said. “Ororo can be mean sometimes, but she usually has a reason for it you know! Maybe you should talk to her about it.” Kurt nodded, laughing softly.

“I plan on doing that after dinner tonight.” He said.

“Good luck on finding out what is the matter.” Piotr said. Kurt laughed, nodding a bit.

“I have a feeling I’ll need that!”

***
Dinner was nice, everyone at the table breaking bread together and talking pleasantly. Kurt caught a sight of Ororo during dinner, and he could tell that if he said the wrong thing after dinner, she would most likely send a bolt of lightning down to kill him instantly.

That’s why he was really nervous when dinner was over. He fought between going to talk to her and simply going back to his room Scott had shown him earlier that day. Finally his courage won and he went to go and talk to her.

He went to her room, but when he found that she wasn’t there, he wandered the entire mansion until he realized that she must have been in the garden with her flowers. When he stepped outside, his guess was right, and he found her sitting on an ivy covered brick wall, looking up at the shining stars in the sky.

“Excuse me.” He said softly, walking up to her. Her hair slowly rose, crackling with lightning.

“Get away.” She said angrily. Kurt almost did just that, but he mentally scolded himself and he slowly climbed up and sat down beside her, avoiding the angry bursts of lightning coming from her.

“I think we need to talk.” He said softly.

“Why?” Ororo asked, staring at the stars still.

“Because I don’t know why you hate me.” Kurt said. “Please, what did I do to upset you so much?” he asked.

“You didn’t think I would notice?” Ororo asked.

“Notice what?”

“Your embarrassment.” Ororo said, turning to him finally. “I saw the look in your face and I senses the heat in your cheeks! You were embarrassed that you were in a house with an African!”

“What?!” Kurt cried, looking at her in confusion.

“Don’t lie!” she said.

“Yes, I was embarrassed, but not over that!” Kurt said. “I was embarrassed at the fact that you showed so much of your legs without thinking about it! I was raised by Rom, and we believe that women are marime or unclean from the waist down, and that because of this, they must cover their legs in a skirt. It was your dress that surprised me, not your skin color!”

Ororo looked at Kurt seriously, and he looked back at her, wishing that her hair would show some sign of calming down. It finally did and he let out a sigh of relief as her face softened slightly.

She slowly reached out and touched the wound on his neck, noticing it for the first time.

“Is this from a collar?” she asked softly. Kurt shook his head.

“From hanging.” He said. He slowly rolled up his sleeves and he showed her his wrists, which were scarred badly. “These are from being chained to a French galley for a year before my brother Stefan broke me out.” He said. “My back shows signs of the whip they used.”

“I have scars like that as well.” Ororo said. “I was taken from my family and home when I was a little girl. Before Charles found me, I was a slave.” Kurt nodded in understanding.

“My tribe and I were forced to wander over many lands before we reached Prussia, and yet again my tribe must move away from that country too. We lost a few of our people to hunters and slavers along the way, and we couldn’t get all of them back.” He said.

“I’m sorry for my behavior earlier. I just find it hard to trust people.” Ororo said. Kurt smiled, waving it away.

“It’s nothing.” He said. “I find it hard to trust Gadje sometimes too.”

“Gadje?”

“Non-Roma people.” He explained. “I think trust is the hardest thing to give people sometimes. We have to try and get back our trust in those who do not share our heritage or race. We might get swallowed up if we don’t.” Ororo smiled faintly and she nodded a bit.

“I like that.” She said. Kurt smiled slightly.

“I was told that by one of my former master’s as he put me in his holding pen; he was a priest.” He said. Ororo couldn’t help but laugh at that, and Kurt joined her.

They sat on the wall for a while, talking and laughing quietly under the stars.

[Lauren]

I've sent you the story, ravenigma! I'm going to send you my LS stories next!

[Lauren]

Kurt was as good as his word and in two weeks, with help from Piotr, Logan, and John; he healed the hoof rot hurting Piotr’s horse. He used herbs and cloth and wrapped them around the hoof, keeping it dry and clean. When it cleared up, Piotr said that he had never seen his horse look and act so strong before.

“ ‘Give a Rom a sick horse, get it back tenfold stronger.’ ” Kurt said, watching the horse prancing around. “That’s what Margali always said to me after she healed a horse.”

“She was right!” Piotr said. “I don’t know how to repay you.”

“I do.” Kurt said. “The Professor gave me money to buy myself a horse, but I need someone to come with me. Will you come with me?”

“Of course!” Piotr nodded. “Get your things ready and we can go right now.”

Kurt went back to his room and he covered all of his exposed fur before he put on his gadje clothes, including a hat that covered his eyes. With his money pouch in hand, he teleported outside where he found Piotr and Remy waiting for him on their horses.

“Hop on.” Remy said with a smile. “I needed to go and get some things from the town anyway!” Kurt climbed on behind him and they rode off to town, riding through a worn path through the trees.

When they reached the town, they dismounted and tied their horses up. Remy wandered off from them and he went to the general store with a wave.

Piotr brought Kurt to the stables, where a thin looking man stood in the front. When he saw them coming, he smiled.

“A new student at Xavier’s school?” he asked.

“He’s come to buy his horse.” Piotr said. Kurt walked by the man as he started to give out a spiel about how his were the finest, knowing full well that if one of them was capable of getting the hoof rot, they weren’t as good as he said they were.

Passing by the frilly looking horses, he headed for the back of the stables. This was where the workhorses were, along with the horses with defects.

Kurt looked into eyes, examined teeth, and checked hooves and muscles on all of them; remembering all of the things he had learned from his tribe.

While looking around, Kurt felt one of them nudge him in the shoulder. Turning around, he found himself looking at a Holstein. It snorted softly and nudged him again, lightly pulling on his sleeve with its teeth, wanting to get his attention.

The horse raised up its elegant head slowly, turning it each side, as if giving Kurt a better look at it. It was a bay color, with a small white stripe running down the front of its face. It’s body was slim and muscular, the fur nicely brushed and tended to. Its mane and tail were both cream colored, and they were braided lightly.

However, the Holstein had a slight defect on it, which explained why it had been put in the back.

It looked as if an animal or perhaps even a knife had attacked its left eye, and it was closed over with a nasty twisting scar.

Kurt tilted his head to one side, looking the Holstein over as it nodded its head to get his attention. When he reached out to touch it, the Holstein leaned forward and pressed its brow into his palm.

Kurt smiled, stroking it gently, and he made his choice then.

“How much for this Holstein?” he asked, turning to the owner as he walked up with a puzzled look on his face.

“You want this one?” the man asked in confusion.

“I asked you the price, yes?” Kurt countered.

“But there are others with both eyes and…”

“Do you wish to sell me the horse or not?” Kurt asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

“One hundred.” The man said finally.

“For a horse with one eye?” Kurt laughed, knowing that Charles had given him two hundred to buy a horse. “You must do better than that!”

“It may only have one eye, but you know the lineage and grace the Holstein has.” The man pointed out.

“True, but it still doesn’t excuse the fact that the horse was attacked and is now blind in one eye. Even with grace it can’t make up for one eye and such a scar on it! I will give you fifty for him.”

“Fifty? I paid ninety for him!” the man said.

“Sixty-five then.” Kurt said, his eyes lighting up with the spark of the moment.

“I should throw you out of here.” The man said. “Student of Xavier’s or not!”

“I’ll not give you a penny more for this horse.” Kurt said simply. “The horse is defective, and you want a hundred for him! You should be whipped for trying to cheat me!”

“At least make it seventy.” The man said.

“Sixty-five.” Kurt insisted. “Try to raise it again and I walk.”

“I’ll not go below seventy!”

“And I’ll not move from sixty-five! The horse is worth that and that alone!” Kurt said, wishing that Stefan were here to help him seal the deal.

“You’re trying to rob me.” The man said. Kurt shrugged, making as if he was leaving the stables.

“Your loss then.” He said simply.

“Fine!” the man said, not wanting to miss out on making any kind of sale. Smiling, Kurt gave the man the money.

“I knew you would see it my way.” He said, opening the stable and taking the horse out.

“I also have bridles and saddles for sale.” The man said. Kurt smiled and shook his head, undoing the braids in the horse’s mane and tail.

“I won’t be needing them.” He said, leading his horse out of the stables.

When Piotr saw what kind of horse Kurt had bought, he couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows slightly.

“You chose a horse with one eye?” he asked. Kurt smiled, running a hand down its neck. The horse snorted and licked him lightly, making him laugh as he gently pushed its head away.

“This horse wanted me to choose him.” He said. “I could just tell, Piotr.”

“But its wound…”

“Is only bad because it has scabbed over badly.” Kurt explained. “I can make it so that it is not so big and ugly looking. When I am done with him, he will be the finest one in our stables, despite his missing eye!” Piotr laughed, helping Kurt tie his horse up with the others.

“With the way you handled the hoof rot, I don’t doubt that in the slightest!” he said. “How much did you pay for him?” he asked.

“Sixty-five.” Kurt said with a smile. “He kept trying to make it more, but I made as if I was going to leave and he immediately saw it my way!”

“You are one shrewd man Kurt Wagner.” Piotr pointed out. Kurt smiled and bowed down, laughing as he rose back up.

“Thank you for noticing!” he said, stepping into the general store. They wandered down the shelves, finding Remy at the candy part of the store, buying a bagful of peppermint sticks and peppermint suckers.

“Are you buying those for yourself?” Piotr asked with a laugh. Remy looked over at them and his cheeks burned a faint red color as he paid the three pennies for them.

“Rogue said that she had a craving for some sweets.” He explained weakly. Kurt laughed softly and he walked up to the counter.

“There is no shame in admitting that you are buying candy for yourself, Remy!” he said. Turning to the cashier, he bought a bag of red licorice and some peanut brittle. “I haven’t had sweets in years!” he said, popping a piece of the brittle into his mouth.

“But Rogue really did ask me to buy her some!” Remy insisted as they left the store. Kurt and Piotr looked at each other playfully, toying with Remy as they rolled their eyes.

“Sure, Remy.” Kurt said. “Would you mind explaining why you’re sucking on one of the sticks if they’re Rogue’s?” he asked. Remy frowned and they laughed as they headed back to the school.

[Lauren]

Despite nearly dying at his claws, Kurt became good friends with Logan at the school. The man was in tune with nature, and they were often able to talk about things and fully understand what the other was talking about.

Yes, the others tried to understand, and maybe they understood some of the things Kurt was talking about, but Logan was the only one who knew what he was talking about the entire time.

Ororo was like that too, but Kurt didn’t like Logan the way he liked Ororo, and she liked him the same way too.

Logan helped Kurt tend to his horse’s eye, collecting the herbs that he needed to put on the bandage that he placed over the wound after taking away the scab gently. Kurt named his horse Koro Grast; which in the Rom tongue meant “Blind Horse”. Koro Grast proved to be a gentle natured horse, stretching out his head to anyone who came by to get a good petting on the neck and head.

When it was time to remove the bandage, Logan used one of his claws to remove it without any pain or problems for Koro Grast. The wound had healed better than the first time; with a thin scar keeping the eye closed this time.

The real bonding came when Kurt went for a midnight walk after having another talk with Ororo. He went over to the training area, and he found Logan doing the strangest things. They were wooden boards and stones set up in rows, and he was punching and kicking them, breaking and cracking each board and stone with ease.

“Is that another one of your powers?” he asked, walking up to him slowly. Logan slammed his fist into another board, smashing it to pieces before he turned back to Kurt.

“No, it’s something I learned from a Samurai.” He said.

“Samurai?” Kurt asked.

“There’s this island over on the other side of the world.” Logan explained. “A place called Japan. Their warriors are called Samurai. Sometimes, they use something they call the martial arts.”

“And this involves punching wooden boards?” Kurt asked, cocking an eyebrow slightly. Logan couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head a bit at him.

“It’s about mind over matter, and focusing your energy and your mind to one thing. Try to punch that board like I did and you’ll see that it’s not so easy without the training and discipline.”

Nodding, Kurt walked up to one of the boards, and he slowly made a fist and he tried to punch it just as Logan had done. He didn’t even dent it, and he cried out and hugged his hand as it throbbed in pain. He glared at Logan as he laughed at him, shaking his head a bit.

“Not so easy right?” Logan asked.

“No, it isn’t.” Kurt admitted, looking at his slightly bleeding knuckles. “How do you do it without feeling any pain?”

“I told you.” Logan said. “It’s mind over matter most of the time. I’ll make a deal with you; I’ll teach you martial arts and the Bushido code, if you teach me your Rom tongue.” Kurt thought about it for a moment, looking down at the board. Smiling faintly, he nodded, holding out his tail to shake on it.

“You’ve got yourself a deal!”

***
“Logan wants to kill me!”

Ororo laughed softly, shaking her head as she gazed down at the bare chested and exhausted Kurt that was lying amongst her flowers. She and everyone else had heard about the deal he and Logan had made, and they all had told Kurt that he had been mad to make such a deal with Logan.

“What did he make you do today?” she asked, sitting down beside him. Kurt struggled to sit, wiping the sweat off of his brow with the back of his hand. She made a small rain cloud over him to kill him off, and he gave her a smile of gratitude.

“He made me stand on one of those podiums for five hours in the blazing heat!” he said. “I had to hold out two buckets filled to the top with water on either side and if I spilled a little bit, he added on another hour to it!” Ororo laughed, shaking her head slightly.

“Is that why you weren’t in for lunch or dinner today?” she asked. Kurt groaned softly as he nodded.

“I lost my balance and dropped both of the buckets!” he said. “I’ve only finished it now and I’m starving!” he said, his stomach starting to voice its agreement on that one. Ororo smiled and ran her fingers through his hair.

“You shouldn’t have made that deal with him.” She said. “Hr’s going to run you ragged now!” she said. Kurt sighed, shrugging as he followed her into the house.

“I made a deal with him.” He said. “I can’t just back out of it now you know.”

“I know.” She nodded, going through the pantry. She tossed Kurt an apple, and he immediately bit into it, his fangs digging in deeply. She laughed, shaking her head a bit. “You’ll choke if you eat too fast, Kurt!” she said.

“I’m starving!” Kurt said. “I think I was better off in the galleys than with that slave driver!” he said. Ororo looked over his shoulder and she pointed, unable to hold back a faint smile. When Kurt looked, he found Logan standing in the doorway, smiling evilly at him.

“You think today was bad?” Logan asked. “Just you wait until tomorrow!” Kurt gulped and he whimpered softly, hugging his tail slightly as he looked at Ororo.

“I tried to tell you.” She said as Logan left. Kurt sighed and rested his head on her shoulder for some support.

“Hold me.” He said softly. Ororo smiled and hugged him gently, stroking his head lightly.

“I’m sure you’ll survive his training.” She said. “And if you don’t, I’ll make sure you get a nice burial!” Kurt snorted softly.

“Thanks.” He said.

[CurlyyHairGirl]

HAHAHAHAHAH! I love the ending of that last one. I LOVE men who are in tune w/ nature.