Dirt And Roses

Chapter 8

As Bonnie and Raven wandered down the twisting hallways of the CIA base, Raven told the (slightly) older girl all about everyone there. She knew about Sean's flirty-ness, Alex and his tough guy front, Angel's stripper days, Hank's genius and Darwin's sweetness and all about their abilities. Bonnie felt like she'd known them for ages when she'd never met them... Raven sure knew how to get information. She just seemed to have one of those faces that in the right situation you could find yourself spilling your guts to.
"Hey Raven, if you and Charles are brother and sister, why do you have different surnames?" Bonnie wondered. It was a question that had been bothering her since she was introduced to the curvy girl.
"Well, we're not actually related... He managed to get his family to adopt me after finding me raiding his fridge late at night... It seems like forever ago now." Raven sighed, in the realm of memories long since passed.
"Really? That's nice of him."
"Yeah, it really was. He wasn't even weirded out by my true form at the time. It's the main reason he took me in I think, because he knew he wasn't the only mutant then." Raven frowned slightly. "Of course, he's always telling me that I have to hide myself these days, but I don't want to."
"Wait, true form? This isn't what you look like?" Bonnie asked the taller girl, perplexed.
"Well, no, it isn't... My true form is a bit more blue. You see, I can make myself look like anyone. That's my mutation." Raven explained, her skin shifting in blue spikes from ankle upwards slowly to give Bonnie the full effect of her transformation. Once her skin stopped rippling, Bonnie could see bright blue scaled flesh in the gaps in Raven's clothing. Moving her eyes from her legs upwards, Bonnie's eyes eventually settled on Raven's cat-like yellow eyes beneath we bright orange slick-backed hair.
"Wow..." Bonnie whispered, in awe of the young girls ability. "That's amazing!"
"You really think so?" Raven asked nervously. She wasn't expecting such a good reaction.
"Of course I do! You're gorgeous... Wow... I see why you have to hide yourself but Raven... You're amazing." Bonnie smiled genuinely, truly believing her words. This conversation was easily becoming the longest one she'd had without stuttering or being nervous. She felt comfortable.
"Thanks.. It means a lot." Raven whispered, quickly going back into her disguise. She cleared her throat, "Well, we're here, the rec room!" The perky Raven was back and she ushered Bonnie into the room where she would meet more of her fellow mutants and team mates, and for once Bonnie wasn't scared at all.