Call My Bluff

[Magda Eisenhardt]

Magda wasn't sure that his schooling was what it meant, but she wasn't going to press him into dark thoughts. "Just keep the warning in mind, for I would hate to see any harm come to such a nice man, Mr. Xavier." The warning could even keep him from getting betrayed if she took it to heart. Most gadjos did not however.

Reaching for the last card, Magda paused when lifting it. "I . . . I drew two cards." When laying them out the two cards must have stuck together and she not known. That was rare when they wanted to give a double meaning. The first was The Hierophant, and the later King of Cups. Different cards--for two different futures, or was both in store for him.

Gesturing to the hierophant, "This one is a card of traditions, and faith. It says a hard time might be ahead for you, but if you stay true to who you are, then you will survive it. In the most dire of time, it reminds us that we are not alone."

Then she pointed to the other, "This one is much happier. The king here is a man of intense charisma, and energy. He walks into a room and everyone takes notice of him. He is also known as one who guides others and turns them from the lost, weaker versions of their selves and into all they can be."

"With the two cards, I cannot say if they will both be yours," Lifting the card 'the fool' she handed it to him, "Or if the warning in this card, will determine which will be yours." Either way, all the cards had been read, and she could give him no more insights then she already had. Though she hoped he would take the warning, and become the greater card.

[x]

"Just keep the warning in mind, for I would hate to see any harm come to such a nice man, Mr. Xavier,” Isabelle reiterated.

She hesitated when she went to flip the last card. Charles quirked an eyebrow at the hesitation.

"I . . . I drew two cards."

Being largely unfamiliar with tarot cards and card readings, Charles didn’t quite understand what that meant. He assumed it was highly irregular, that it had implications for the entire reading, given Isabelle’s reaction. One was of a man who looked like he was a member of the Catholic clergy, while the other was depicted a king holding a cup in one of his hands.

"This one is a card of traditions, and faith,” she explained, gesturing to the card depicting the man dressed as a clergyman. “It says a hard time might be ahead for you, but if you stay true to who you are, then you will survive it. In the most dire of time, it reminds us that we are not alone."

Well, that sounded pleasant.

"This one is much happier,” Isabelle continued, turning her attention to the remaining card. “The king here is a man of intense charisma, and energy. He walks into a room and everyone takes notice of him. He is also known as one who guides others and turns them from the lost, weaker versions of their selves and into all they can be."

Charles considered the explanation and shrugged. The second option did sound far more appealing, but then again, it was a tenant of human nature to seek to avoid pain and discomfort.

"With the two cards, I cannot say if they will both be yours,” she concluded, picking up The Fool and handing it to him. "Or if the warning in this card, will determine which will be yours."

Charles took the card and examined it. A warning as the deciding factor, hmm? The skeptical piece of him claimed that it was a copout, a way to claim accuracy no matter what occurred. There was a part of him that was willing to take her words to heart, however. It was only a matter of how much he should.

“So, I should heed any potential warnings in my near future if I wish to have the brighter future?” Charles considered the card in his hand. “Well, then, I’ll have to keep my eyes open, won’t I?”

He offered her a smile and handed her card back to her.

[Magda Eisenhardt]

Magda could not tell if he was taking this seriously, or if he was only humoring her. She so hoped he would be taking this seriously but even she knew that apart of the cards point was to be vague enough that it could mean just about anything. Her mother could narrow things down better then she could, but her mother had died when Magda was a child.

"Please do," Magda reached for the card, putting it back on the deck, and piling the other up. "I said so before, Mr. Xavier, you seem like a very kind man. I would hate for someone to take advantage and cause you any harm." Sitting back in her chair, Magda lifted her cup of tea and hoped he would stay to talk for a moment. "How do you feel about the reading?" She asked, trying to both gain an insight to how he was taking the warning and trying to extend the conversation.

[x]

“Please do,” Isabelle said as she took the card back and returned it to her deck. “I said so before, Mr. Xavier, you seem like a very kind man. I would hate for someone to take advantage of you and cause you any harm.”

Charles took another sip of his tea as Isabelle sorted her deck and resettled herself in her chair. He could say the same with regards to her. Personally, Charles liked the woman quite well. She seemed like a good, honest person and her mind, the bit he’d brushed against it, seemed as though it reflected that.

“How do you feel about the reading?”

“For the most part, I’d say spot on. Can’t say too much for my future, though. Though, I daresay few can.” He offered a smile. “Though, how exactly would one go about recognizing warnings when they appear? I’ll admit I’m a bit out of my depth here.”

[Magda Eisenhardt]

Magda crossed her legs under the table while Charles asked about how to see the warnings in the cards. That had both an easy, but a vague, answer. For trying to see warnings could both help you and harm you. It was why Magda never read her own cards, because she didn't want to know. There was a time, once, where she almost wished she had. Perhaps if she'd seen danger and death, she could have saved Ania's life. However, there were two sides to every coin; by trying to prevent it, she could have cause it, or caused worse.

"It might not be anything as clear as a barking dog, Mr. Xavier." Magda explained, "It could be a feeling you'd get, but would have other wised ignored. It could mean that there will be something, or someone that at first appears like they are on your side, but in the end have their own goals. Perhaps your school, a friend, or even yourself."

Sadly it was hard to give him more. "The cards aren't something that can narrow down events. They wont say turn right, or turn left. They give you understanding, guidance, and will hep you make the best choice. Just follow your heart, and keep your eyes open." She gave a almost regretful shrug, as if to say she was sorry that she could not give him more. "There are some who can narrow it down more then I. If you wished a more detailed answer, they would be the ones to seek out." Making up something could have given him peace, but she didn't want to lie. TO others she might. 'Oh yes, he loves you,' when in truth she didn't know. Charles was decent, and he deserved for her to be honest.

[x]

“It might not be anything as clear as a barking dog, Mr. Xavier,” Isabelle explained. “It could be a feeling you’d get, but would have otherwise ignored. It could mean that there will be something, or someone, that at first appears like they are on your side, but in the end have their own goals. Perhaps your school, a friend, or even yourself.”

Charles considered her explanation. Due to his telepathy, any feelings he got tended to be either confirmed or laid to rest with a quick bit of mental espionage. (A habit he really should endeavor to break, but it was akin to wander around the world with a hand clamped permanently over his eyes.) The possible betrayal seemed fair more likely, though it could hardly be too bad; his future was in academia, perhaps working as a professor at Columbia. All in all, a bit boring.

“The cards aren’t something that can narrow down events,” Magda added. “They won’t say turn right or turn left. They give you understanding, guidance, and will help you make the best choice. Just follow your heart and keep your eyes open.”

She shrugged, and Charles caught a bit of regret in the action. Well, it wasn’t exactly her fault that card reading was vague at best. And really, Charles had a tendency to be his own worst enemy. He’d likely ignore any and all warnings and simply keep on moving forward. The worst of it all was, he didn’t realize it until it was far too late to do anything about it.

“There are some who can narrow it down more than I,” she offered. “If you wished a more detailed answer, they would be the ones to seek out.”

He offered her a kind smile. “Thank you very much, Magda. I’ll keep that in mind.”

[Magda Eisenhardt]

“Thank you very much, Magda. I’ll keep that in mind.” Magda smiled at him, glad he under stood and even . . thanked . . . her . . . Magda. He'd called her by her name.

Magda grew very still, and her hands tightened on her cup. Her breathing deepened and escalated as she began to rethink everything he said. Genes. Magda. He was studying. Studying what? Mutations. His words! He had all but told her what he was here for. Her feelings of fight or flight was filling her, and right now flight was her best chance. Her eyes darted to the front door, then to the back stock room, were another exit was. Charles' back was to the front door, which mean she'd have to pass him to get to it. And as she wasn't strong or quick, he'd catch her before she got to the back.

Flight wasn't going to work. "Isabelle." She whispered, before pushing up from her seat, and pushing her tea toward him with the goal of trying to slow him down. Running toward her counter, and behind it she grabbed the tea kettle, ready to throw it at him. "My name is Isabelle Erikson. . . . I think you should leave now. Or I am going to scream and being everyone running!" But to help him catch her, or defend her she didn't know.

[x]

Charles paused as Magda froze, and he wondered if he’d done anything to—wait, when had he started calling her Magda? That, oh. That was her actual name, and judging from the panic she was emitting, he wasn’t meant to know it. Her thoughts were a screaming mess, recalling his field of study and his research, making a quick study of the situation and—oh, oh. The tea was still rather hot, and that really would smart—

“Isabelle,” she whispered, and then flung her tea at him.

Charles immediately ducked, managing to avoid the worst of it. She fled to the counter, grabbing the tea kettle and wielding it like a weapon.

“My name is Isabelle Erikson....I think you should leave now. Or I am going to scream and bring everyone running!”

“My sincerest apologies, Mag—Ms. Erikson,” Charles said, half-daring to stand up. “I’m not here to cause you any harm, I promise. You needn’t be afraid of me. You’re a mutant, yes? That’s why you’re concerned about my research. Believe me, Ms. Erikson; I am the last person on earth who would ever wish you any harm.”

Charles stood up fully, hands held up in the universal sign of surrender.

“I apologize; I must have accidentally gleaned your...other name without realizing it. It happens on occasion; drives my sister ‘round the bend. Please, Ms. Erikson. I’m like you. I’m not here to do any harm.”

He moved his hand to his head, placing his index and middle fingers to his temple before reaching out to her mind. Charles made sure to be as careful about it as he possibly could be.

I am terribly sorry for the scare I’ve caused you. I swear that I mean no harm.

[Magda Eisenhardt]

“My sincerest apologies, Mag—Ms. Erikson,” She had missed him with her tea, but he wasn't taking the chance to stand up. Which was wise, as if she had the shot then she'd hit him with the kettle. “I’m not here to cause you any harm, I promise. You needn’t be afraid of me. You’re a mutant, yes?--" NO!, her mind screamed out in protest, but she didn't dear speak allowed. "--That’s why you’re concerned about my research. Believe me, Ms. Erikson; I am the last person on earth who would ever wish you any harm.” She wanted to believe him, but she could not take that risk. She'd seen it! She'd seen the harm that a man who wanted to study could do! Seen him to it to a child, no less!

Charles stood up, his hands held up to show her he meant her no harm. “I’m like you. I’m not here to do any harm." He was like her? Magda had never admitted to being a mutant allowed. Never dared to for fear of who could find out! She'd ran away from her homeland, changed her name and hid everything about her that she could to escape from her past--how here he was telling her it was alright? I am terribly sorry for the scare I’ve caused you. I swear that I mean no harm. The voice came from no where, and everywhere! His lips did not move but she could hear him in her mind as clearly as if he had walked over and spoke in her hear!

Dropping the kettle, she felt a frightened sob shake her chest, even though no tears spilled down. She'd hid from the world for so long, and she wasn't ready to step back into it. "What did you do to me?" Her hands were over her hears as if that would stop it, but had not. "What do you want from me?" Why had he come?

[x]

The clatter of the kettle crashing to the ground nearly swallowed up the sob that escaped the fortune teller. Instinct would have him rush over to help her, but he held back. He was inadvertently the cause of her distress, after all.

“What did you do to me?” Magda clasped her hands over her ears. “What do you want from me?”

“Please, calm your mind. I swear I’ve done nothing to harm you. I’m a telepath, I can read minds and speak to them. I do try not to, however, as very few find it at all pleasant.”

Her mind was in chaos, memories swirling around of a life before this, one full of pain and sorrow and it took Charles’s breathe away. So much pain for someone who couldn't be all that much older than he was.

“I want nothing from you, my dear. I’m terribly sorry for the distress I’ve caused you. I’ll not breathe a word of any of this to anyone, I give you my word.”

He'd pay for any damages, along with his session and the tea.  It was the least he could do. 

[Magda Eisenhardt]

Magda wrapped her arms around her ribs while watching Charles, and trying to decide if she should believe him. Calm her mind? He could hear her thoughts? So he did not come here to seek her out, but only learned of her afterwards? She remained very still, trying to think about things without thinking things and in the end she knew it was pointless. If he knew her thoughts before this, trying to hide them now was a wasted effort.

Walking around the counter (and staying a good distance from him) she went forward to lock the door and turn off her OPEN sign. Then she stood back from her, rewarping her arms around her ribs, and staring at him. "You just happened to come here?" Not looking for her, but just finding her? Magda was watching his face, finding that he looked like he meant his words, but afraid that if she turned her back he might not be so kind.

Glancing at the windows, she shook her head and looked at him. She could not admit to being a mutant. It might cost her, her life. "You study your self?" Then she asked one last question, and her tone was one part hope, but mostly nine parts regret, "Did I burn you with my tea?" Reaching for a towel near by, she tossed it too him, but didn't dare go closer.

[x]

She was still projecting no small amount of fear and wariness; Charles honestly couldn’t blame her. He understood wholeheartedly the fear of discovery. While he’d never really had the luxury to feel it for himself, he’d spent his life after Raven’s arrival terrified that someone would discover her mutation and do to her what Kurt once did to him. Or worse. He’d promised to take care of Raven, to keep her safe; he honestly didn’t care so much for his own safety, but he would do anything to keep Raven’s mutation unnoticed by those who would react poorly.

Magda wrapped her arms around herself and went to the door, keeping a fair amount of distance between them. It hurt, of course, but Charles refused to begrudge her for it. Just as he wouldn’t begrudge Raven for wanting him out of her head. She turned the sign on the door, which was probably a good idea. It would be horribly awkward if an unsuspecting customer walked in while they were discussing mutation.

“You just happened to come here?” Magda’s suspicion was palpable. Not looking for, not trying to find, just found—Charles nodded.

“Yes, I had no idea there was anyone at all like me in this area. While I know there are likely a fair number of us out there, I hadn’t expected to ever come face to face with another one of my kind at this point in my life.”

Despite all of the panic and fear thickening the air, Charles was breathless with excitement. He hadn’t felt so happy since Raven first came into his life; that moment when he realizes he’s not nearly as alone as he’d always feared.

“You study yourself? ...did I burn you with me tea?”

She tossed a towel in his direction, and Charles caught it.

“No, no burns, thankfully. You just got a bit of it in my hair, I believe. Nothing to really be concerned about,” Charles assured, using the towel to dry off where the tea had managed to land a hit.

“And yes, I suppose that’s one way of putting it. My goal is to introduce the idea of genetic mutation as it pertains to those like us in bits and pieces. If I’m successful, I can hopefully make the eventual reveal of mutantkind much less of a shock and, with any luck, it will be much smoother for mutants to integrate into society.”

That was the dream; he wanted to see the day when Raven could walk down the street in her natural blue form without fear of being taken away and harmed for being different.  Her blonde form was lovely, but Charles still adored her natural blue skin and shocking red hair.  She was such a striking sight, but as it was, no one but Charles and perhaps their own kind would able to truly see it.  He wanted to change that.

[Magda Eisenhardt]

“Yes,” Charles was explaining that he had known others were out there but had not expected to met her today. It was both honestly spoken but still odd to hear it spoken allowed like this. She had never spoken of her powers allowed, not even to the one persona she had trusted above all other--until the end. Which was unfair, because she trusted him, but only his words. Not with her heart.

As for the tea burns, “No, no burns, thankfully.” She was both glad she did not harm him, and disappointed that she had failed in hurting someone that posed a risk to her. “--I can hopefully make the eventual reveal of mutantkind much less of a shock and, with any luck, it will be much smoother for mutants to integrate into society.” He was going to expose them?! Magda wasn't sure she liked the idea, and felt her heart skip a beat at the thought.

"I had thought that I caught it," She explained, "Because my the other only other like you that I know of was a lover." She had thought he had passed it to her, "Later I learned the truth," A news paper had spoken of genes, and she'd gone to the library to learn more. "You would expose mutants? Even the unwilling ones?" Still she was very careful not to call herself one, because she wasn't going to admit or prove anything.

[x]

“I had thought that I caught it,” Magda said, “because the only other like you that I know of was a lover. Later I learned the truth.”

Charles nodded in understanding. He could understand the confusion, at least from an outsider’s perspective. It was the same (flawed) logic that made people uncomfortable around those with illnesses such as cancer. While Charles had never had that particular assumption, being quite young when the first pieces of his telepathy manifested, he’d spent an inordinate amount of time reading through all of the source material his father had collected over the years. Strange, in hindsight, for a nuclear scientist to have such an extensive library of resources pertaining to genetics and genetic mutation, but it was something Charles made a great effort not to think about.

“You would expose mutants? Even the unwilling ones?”

There was another bit of panic. Charles shook his head.

“No, no of course not," he assured. "I, personally, have no intentions of being the one to explode our existence into the public eye. However, the further I get into my research, the more I realize that the number of mutants being born will likely increase with each passing year. Soon, we won’t have the luxury of hiding anymore. When that time comes, I hope to have made it so that the idea of genetic mutation isn’t such a strange one.”

At this particular point, it would likely be far more detrimental to reveal the existence of mutants. Charles had no idea how many were currently in existence aside from himself, Raven, and now Magda. And whoever her former lover was, apparently.

[Magda Eisenhardt]

He thought they would not be able to hide? Perhaps he might not but she planned to hide forever! Magda wanted nothing of that life! The hate, the fear, the judgment. It left her so very afraid all the time. She was afraid to the point she'd given up everything about herself and changed from Magda to Isabelle.

"Are you not afraid?" She asked, "I have seen what people can do when they do not understand what is different. I was in Poland and Germany before the war. I saw it . . . I lived it . . ." Her words were not spoken with hate, but a true fear of what would happen should someone learn of what she was. The sight of her father being shot before her, then her mother. The gun pointed at her. Closing her eyes she stopped there, not wanting to think more.

Moving closer to him, she decided to trust him some. To see what he knew about what they were so she might better understand it herself. She wasn't sure what this meant for her or her future, but Charles held no threat in his tone and trusting him seemed almost easy. "I've seen so much violence in my life, Mr. Xavier. I almost know nothing else. What if humans become fearful of us? We are defenseless against them?"

[x]

“Are you not afraid? I have seen what people can do when they do not understand what is different,” Magda said. “I was in Poland and Germany before the war. I saw it...I lived it...”

A deep sense of understanding washed over Charles. Magda most certainly had excellent reasons to wish to remain hidden. He caught a few vivid images: a man and a woman being murdered, the offending weapon then turned on a younger Magda. The memories carried with them enough emotion to make Charles wince in sympathy.

“I’ve seen so much violence in my life, Mr. Xavier,” she continued, moving a bit closer to him. “I almost know nothing else. What if humans become fearful of us? We are defenseless against them?”

He offered her a comforting smile and projected a mild sense of calm in her direction. Perhaps he wouldn’t be able to fully assuage her fears, but maybe he could give her a bit of hope.

“I won’t deny that it is a very human tendency to fear that which is unknown; that’s why I aim to make it known,” Charles offered. “My research, if successful, can help dispel that mystery. If we can take away the mystery behind mutation and its place in nature, we’ve come one step closer to peaceful co-existence.

“One day, Magda, hiding won’t be our only option. I won’t have to worry about my telepathy being found out by a jealous peer. My sister will be able to go and get coffee in her natural form and not fear the consequences. Our manifestations won't be regarded with fear but with acceptance.”

Charles’s smile turned into an ecstatic grin. “It will take time, of course, and no small amount of work, but I do believe that it will happen. Human society has always been about change.”

[Magda Eisenhardt]

He smiled and Magda felt calmer, which was an odd feeling right now but one she dind't question. She needed to be calm while deciding what she needed to do next. Charles went on to speak of how they feared the unknown, and he wanted to remove that. Or help it too. She thought of the camps and how they'd tried to 'understand' a child like her with powers, but they had done it by hurting him. Charles wanted to educate the world to make it a place of peace. Would tat even work?

"Your sister?" She asked, wondering what 'forms' meant when it came to mutants. Was this even natural? Any of this? How was this normal? Had she found these powers when she was with her people they'd had treated her as a witch. "You said there were others like you. How many more?" Like him, because she was still not completely ready to admit to what this was. However she did move a few steps closer, and her eyes watched his with more worry then fear now. "I had not thought there would be many."

[x]

“Your sister?”

Charles hummed in confirmation.

“Her name is Raven; she can turn herself into anyone she so desires. It’s wonderful, really! I could watch her shape shift for ages and never get bored; we used to make a game out of it as children.”

He smiled as he remembered those days. She’d imitate the portraits of Xavier ancestors and Charles would try to make her slip up in her act. It had been a tremendous amount of fun until they’d nearly gotten caught. They hadn’t played that game in years.

“You said there were others like you. How many more? I had not thought there would be many.”

Charles shrugged.

“I’m not quite sure how many of us there are currently. My best estimate is in the hundreds. However, there isn’t much data to work with at the moment; this is a rather new area of study.”

He wondered about her own manifestation; how early did it occur for her? If she thought she’d contracted it from a previous lover, then she must have been sexually mature at the time. At least, he hoped that she was. Both Charles and Raven had manifested at young ages, neither of them so much as ten years when their mutations showed themselves. It would be interesting to compare manifestation stories at some point.

[Magda Eisenhardt]

Raven. A girl who could change her form. Charles' words begin to blur together for a moment while her head spun. It was one thing to see people had powers, but not just powers but physically altering powers. Apart of her who had been raised in the culture she was wanted to yell demon, but the part of her who had lived in the world felt pity or fear for the girl who had to hide. How awful. Yet it was what Magda was doing now.

"Hundreds." She repeated, feeling a weight shift around her as the word told her so much. Moving toward a couch along the wall, Magda sank into it. So many? Were they all out there thinking they were alone? Hiding like her? "So many." Looking up at Charles, she tried to think about hundreds, when before she was thinking it was so much less.

[x]

Charles could feel the sudden rush of lightheadedness and reached out to help steady her. It had to be a massive shock. Even though he’d fervently believed he couldn’t have been the only one in the world who was different, meeting Raven had been a shock of the most pleasant nature. It was always a shock to meet others of one’s own kind, or learn of their existence, especially when one had been so afraid or so convinced that one had always been alone.

“Hundreds,” Magda echoed, clinging to the wall as she made her way to the couch. Charles followed her, not quite touching her but close enough that he could keep her from toppling over.

“So many,” she said as she collapsed onto the furniture, looking up at him in stunned amazement.

“Well, a few hundred out of around seven billion isn’t really all that many,” he answered with a small smile, “but yes, it’s still a surprising number. And, if my theory is correct, that number is only going to increase in the years to come.”

He could go off on tangents for hours about evolution and the progression of the human genome, about natural selection and the nature of genetic mutation. However, he could sense that Magda was still trying to wrap her head around the fact there there were likely hundreds out there like her. Any of his tangents would probably fly right over her head. Or worse, be the final push to make her pass out from the shock.

He worried his bottom lip for a moment. He’d never been particularly capable of leaving a fellow mutant behind once he encountered them; it was a habit he was unlikely to shake and quite frankly didn’t care to. And Magda was so terrified of discovery, perhaps she could benefit from keeping contact with himself and meeting Raven? They would have to be careful about it, of course, Charles couldn’t guarantee that his dear sister’s lovely blue form wouldn’t shock the poor woman even more than learning that she was far from alone. Still, he couldn’t just leave her hanging.

“Actually, I was wondering—since you’re the second mutant I’ve ever met, aside from myself, that is—perhaps one day you might like to visit Raven and I in Oxford? Or at the very least keep in contact.”

Oh, he hoped he wasn’t being too forward. He’d just given the poor woman the shock of her life. No need for him to acerbate the problem.