Chapter 3

Trent Brown

The summer of 1990 brought a rather large change in the life of young Kurt Wagner. While on a brief tour in Northern Germany, a man by the name of Trent Brown approached Margali after a show and asked if she was looking for an acrobat. Although she refused him at first, Chester and the new ringleader, Rainer Boycesen, (who was known as Woodhead), convinced her to give the man a chance.

The following morning, six-year-old Kurt sat with Amanda and a few other circus members at the top of the stands to watch this so-called infamous, small-league American acrobat. And Kurt was amazed. He had seen people perform on the trapeze before, but never with such grace and elegance as Trent demonstrated.

Margali had felt the same way and agreed to take on Brown for a leading performance during the next tour. What made her even happier with Trent Brown was the way he reacted to Kurt Wagner when they were introduced.

“So you’re Amanda?” Trent said as he bowed to the young girl. She smiled and let out a small giggle as he kissed the top of her hand. When he turned to Kurt and looked upon the demon-looking mutant, he gave a cheerful smile and held out his hand to shake that of the young boy’s. “And if I’m not mistaken, you’re Kurt? Margali told me about you two.”

The gentleness of this man intrigued Kurt beyond belief. He usually hated meeting new people because more times than not they gave a negative reaction. Even Woodhead had taken some time before he became comfortable with the boy, but thankfully they became good friends.

“My half sister is a mutant, you know,” Trent said quietly to Kurt. “She can run faster than a speeding bullet and jump over any car or house if she wanted to.”

“Wow…” Kurt said. He had never heard about another mutant before. There was many times where he believed he was the only one.

“Are you going to be the new star of the show?” Amanda asked innocently.

“You’re mum’s offering me the position,” he said. “I think she liked my skills.”

“It was very good,” Margali said coming up from behind. She looked at her daughter and Kurt. “You guys better get going. Kaethe is waiting for you outside.”

Amanda and Kurt hurried off to gather their books and papers for their daily tutoring session from Margali’s youngest cousin. Amanda hated sitting for hours on end being taught about history, grammar, and mathematics. On the other hand, Kurt found everything fascinating and eagerly sat and listened to everything Kaethe had to say. Although he was only six, he had learned how to read, spell, and read Latin, where Amanda was at the same stages in schooling and struggled with the different languages.

“Guten Morgan, Kaethe!” Kurt called as he ran on his feet and one hand as the other hand carried his books. He hopped up onto the seat next to her at the picnic table and gave her a grin.

Although Kaethe loved Kurt, she couldn’t help but shiver when she saw his teeth. A few of his baby teeth had fallen out and the adult teeth that took the empty spaces were all canine teeth. She tried not to think of what it would look like if he grew vampire teeth as well.

“Hallo, Kurt, Amanda,” Kaethe replied as Amanda finally made her way over and took a seat across from Kurt. “Did you two work on the math problems I gave you?”

Both of them dug their papers out of the folders they used and handed it to their teacher. Kaethe was very pleased with the simple work Kurt had performed on his basic multiplications, but she could see Amanda slacked off. “Amanda, you need to try harder next time. You’re over a year older than Kurt and he’s ready to move on past you.”

“I hate math,” Amanda told her.

“Hate it or love it, you must know it,” Kaethe replied as she opened the book. “We’ll go over it once more, but we’re going on from there.”

Margali was aware that most kids didn’t learn the material Kaethe was teaching Amanda and Kurt at that age, but her cousin was the only one willing to tag along with the circus and give the two children the proper instruction. Amanda would’ve been enrolled in a public school, but with the circus constantly on the go, she would never be able to attend. A private tutor, however, was the only way Kurt would ever receive any schooling; Margali came to that decision a long time ago, realizing that he’d never be accepted amongst ‘normal’ kids let alone adult teachers.

After the three hours of several subject materials pounded into their heads, Amanda and Kurt went their separate ways to spend the remainder of the day as they pleased. Amanda took refuge to go read, probably the only thing she did enjoy from school, while Kurt went to the tent.

Kurt’s yellow eyes glanced up into the air to see Trent Brown practicing his routine. It was as if Kurt hadn’t seen the man’s performance before. It gave him the sudden urge to climb up the ladder and jump onto the swinging bars himself.

It was at least ten minutes before Trent stopped and landed on one of the two platforms on the center poles. He wiped is brow and looked around, noticing the little mutant sitting with an awe-struck face. “Hey down there!” He called.

Kurt waved up to him and watched as Trent made his way to the ground via ladder. “Is it fun?”

“Being an aerialist? Sure is. I live for it.”

“Will you teach me?”

Trent looked at young Wagner, rather surprised. “Teach you? I’m not sure if Margali would like that.”

Kurt gave him pleading eyes. “Please? We won’t tell her. I promise I’ll be safe with it!”

Trent thought for a moment and then shook his head. “Tell ya what,” he finally said. “When you’re a few years older, I’ll teach you how to use the trapeze bars.”

Kurt’s eager expression dwindled and he looked down at his two-toed feet. He jumped a bit when he felt a large hand on his shoulder.

“Once you’ve mastered the gymnastics I’ll teach you. By then you’ll be older.”

“You mean it?!” Kurt exclaimed.

“Just don’t tell anyone. We’ll keep it a secret.”

“Ja!” Kurt yelled and jumped to his feet, his tail swishing excitedly behind him. Kurt could barely contain himself; he couldn’t wait to get started.

“On my count, just jump up and fall back as fast as you can. Let your body feel it go backwards with my help. Ready?”

Kurt nodded and when Trent gave the word, Kurt jumped up and pulled his body backwards; Trent’s hands held firmly onto Kurt’s stomach and back as he did the backwards somersault. His feet touched the ground and Kurt stood up trying to gather his thoughts at what it felt like.

“See? What did I tell ya? Just like going forwards,” Trent said proudly. “Nice job. Again?”

“Ja,” Kurt replied.

Their practice time was done continuously in the wee hours of the morning when everyone else was still asleep. Kurt, of course, wasn’t bothered by the early morning routines, nor was Trent, who always got up early to start his daily workout. By the end of the first week, Kurt had almost mastered jumping up and backwards; landing on is feet and using his tail for extra balance. Trent knew that animals such as cats used their tail for balance and agility; therefore Kurt’s tail could be used in the same way.

Weeks went by, and Margali’s little Nightcrawler was at the beginning stages of becoming a circus acrobat. From simple cartwheels, to mid-air flips, to walking on his hands, Kurt was learning it all.

“The most important thing for you to keep up is your strength,” Trent explained to him one day when the rains continued to pour down in buckets. “Without strength you’ll never be able to catch yourself on the bars,” he continued. “And its not just your arms and legs; you’ve got to keep every part of your body in shape, got it?”

“Got it,” Kurt replied.

“I go running every morning, and you should do the same. You’re too young to do the mileage I go, but I’ll swing by and we’ll go down the street, alright?”

“Yep,” Kurt replied, eager to get started. He loved every moment of his lessons. Not only was he learning what he could about becoming an acrobat, he was gaining a friend. Kurt was introduced to many things that kept him occupied when he wasn’t practicing, including Trent’s addiction to old movies. Kurt himself had grown to like many of them, especially any that concerned pirates. He found the swashbuckling rogues very fascinating and he couldn’t get enough of it all. Life couldn’t seem to get any better for young Kurt.

During Trent’s breakfast, Kurt sat across from him, perched on the fence that surrounded the campground. Trent didn’t mind the constant company Kurt gave him. It was actually welcomed, for Trent had spent a good many years on his own, trying to do his own little sideshows to make a living in the United States before he moved to Germany.

“Your parents were from Germany?” Kurt asked one morning.

Trent nodded after biting into a ripe apple. “They came over in the sixties when my mom was pregnant with me.”

“What’s it like?”

“What?”

Kurt looked at him thoughtfully. “America. Margali said Amanda’s father came from there.”

“It’s the land of freedom Kurt,” Trent said. “But don’t let it fool you. Sure there’s a lot of different opportunities, but it still has its pros and cons like this place does.”

“One day I’ll see it for myself,” Kurt told him confidently.

“I’m sure you will, young Wagner.”

**********

Author’s Note: I think I should probably tell you readers exactly where I got some of these names. When I read the “Nightcrawler Prequel” that was made to show what happened to Kurt before X2: X-Men United, I noticed he prayed for not only Margali and Amanda, but he also mentioned two others—Woodhead and Chester. It was my decision just what they were in the circus, and as to the name I gave Woodhead, its totally my own.

German Translations: Guten Morgan-Good Morning

Hallo-Hello (no, it wasn’t a typo)

Ja-Yes