x_project | Random Fiction

Just a very random idea I had over the weekend. What would change if your character had someone else's origin? How would they exist in the realm of the game world? So, what if Logan found the Gem of Cyttarrok, Doug was picked up by the Lost Boys program, Marius was worshipped for a year as a God or Amanda Sefton grew up as a Princess of Attilan?

In that vein, what might have happened if Remy LeBeau had Kurt Wagner's past instead of his own...

Zirkus Krone was considered to be the pinnacle of the circus world. The first permanent circus building, it housed the troupe for almost ninety years, and now Kurt Wagner was standing in the centre ring. All around him were the sounds of practicing and rehearsing, as the various acts took turns to keep themselves honed for the show. After almost eight years on the circuit, the sounds seemed as natural to the mutant as his own breath. Eight years and then finally a non-descript woman knocked on his hotel door with an offer.

The Munich circus at Zirkus Krone. One season opening for the famous Los Quiros troupe as the Amazing Nightcrawler. The offer unfolded like a dream, and now it was opening day. In a few hours, he'd be up on the wires, using every trick he'd learned and technique honed to make the crowd his own. Excessive pride might be a sin, but right now, Kurt couldn't help himself.

"That look is satisfied enough to almost be called a sin, Kurt." The Romani tongue caught Kurt off guard for a second, so used to the softer German that was the official language of the circus. Wagner turned with a wide grin.

"You know I leave sinning to you, kakoro."

"Don't. You'll make feel old." He said, and finally stepped forward to embrace his adopted nephew.

"Alright, Remi. What are you doing here?" Kurt was delighted to see his uncle. Remi Szardos was easily the most nomadic of the family, spending a long time roving Europe, only periodically catching up with them at camp for a few weeks before disappearing again. They had both been adopted, Remi by Kurt's grandparents years before Margali had given birth to Stefan. His queer red on black eyes, the subject of many dark whispers from other Rom families, marked him a mutant, another trait he shared with his nephew. Kurt had grown up in many ways with a second older brother in Remi; one that understood what Stefan couldn't, for all his efforts.

"Father Michael is being an old woman again." The gypsy reached into his coat and passed over a sheaf of letters. "He can't come down for the show until at least next month, and was anxious to pass along his advice."

"And that's all?" Kurt said as he gratefully took the letters. Wahler had supported Kurt's decision to leave the protection of the clan for his career in the circus, but his continued need for ritualize scarification worried him.

"And I wanted to see if you hadn't completely lost all your skills yet." Remi said, earning a mock scowl from Kurt.

"I'm not the one in the wrong end of his thirties, Remi."

"At least the women don't seem to have any issues with it." The iterant lifestyle had etched Remi's years into his face, making him look a few years older than he really was. Remi reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "This is for you as well."

"I don't want it." The mood suddenly changed. Kurt knew that the clan didn't always stay on the legal end to earn their money, and Remi was the most consistent of them in his criminal habits. Mostly gambling and conning tourists, but Kurt never liked it. His uncle was fiercely protective of his adopted family, and a good man in most other ways. But he'd picked up the careless disregard for law that many of the Rom families had, and he helped support the clan through it. Kurt was proud that his work was legal, and while he wouldn't judge his uncle, he also couldn't accept a stake from something he disagreed with.

"Kurt, we've talked about this. You're a Szardos. You deserve to get what--"

"Please, Remi. I don't want to have this talk again. I'm doing fine here, really. I don't need it." Kurt stressed, and couldn't help see the hurt in Remi's strange eyes as he repocketed the envelope.

"It's a big city, Kurt. Lots of people that can change in an instant." He shrugged, trying to cover his emotions by being casual. "Never hurts to have a little extra in case something happens. Could mean the difference between-- well, it could be important one day."

"I know." Kurt said. Remi had been the one to teach him his first tricks as a child. He'd been a natural with his hands; juggling, knife throwing, card tricks, sleight of hand. It came as naturally to him as the trapeze did to Kurt. There had been a time when Kurt had dreams of the two of them working together somewhere. But the clan had grown, circuses didn't pay well, and Remi had gone off to make money the surest way he knew how. Kurt had felt guilty in finally having to reject that, because he knew that his uncle in a way felt that it was in part rejecting him. "You'll like the show. There's a knife thrower who is almost good enough to be on your level."

"Don't try to flatter a conman, Kurt." Remi took a deep breath, and the half smile returned. "They're going to be talking about you for years, you know. The whole country will know who you are. Maybe even the world, neh?"

"Now you sound like a conman."

"True." Remi clasped him on the shoulder. "I'll come back later for the show, Nightcrawler. Ha, don't think I'll ever be able to call you that seriously. And Kurt, just because it's you..."

"What?"

"I'll even pay for my ticket this time."