The night was cold, the kind of cold that chills you inside and out. The
battle was fought, and still almost no one was standing. Rouge burst
through the open door to the institute to see every one she had ever loved
bloody and almost dead.
"I knew it!" she screamed. "I knew I should never had left, maybe if I hadn't you'd all be okay!" Tears rolled down her cheeks, so she had fit in more then she had let on. "Why did you make me go, Professor? Why..?" She drifted through out the horrible bodies of those friends, that despite her self-enclosure, had always welcomed her.
After drifting for appox. fifteen minutes she came across the Professor, over turned in his chair.
"Oh, Professor," She sobbed on him. "You knew it was going to happen why would you have sent me away?!" A soft shuddering breath startled her.
"Because," Came the feeble response, "Only you could save us, I knew we were too weak, so I sent you, the only one capable of saving us all, to safety." He sighed, like just thinking about it was overwhelming.
"How, what can I do, I'm no healer, Professor, none at all!"
"Rouge listen to me, there isn't enough time! What happens when you use you powers on another person?"
"They, ah, wait I know, there essence becomes a part o me! I remember!"
"Good, very good, now what happens if you hang on too long?"
"Well I can put someone in an concussion, or even kill them." She blushed a little.
"But that has never happened has it, Rouge, no I didn't think so. Well let me tell you what DOES happen. You take the person's very sole into you, like a keep sake for the person, until the sole can reincarnate it's body using your power." Rouges eyes widened.
"Oh.." She stated, "I see where your going with this.." The Professor nodded. Yes. Very good Rouge, your very Smart. You have to drain the life from all the still living X-men, so that they will come back some day." He held her still gloved hand, and looked deep into her eyes. "And hurry."
"But Professor, I can only, well take one power at a time, not near as many as I'll need to!"
"Rouge! Only one POWER, your taking... life. Start with me, then do the people who will die first, then do the people in the best conditions." Rouge nodded and removed her glove, placing her bare had to the Professor's forehead. As he closed his eyes, she felt herself gain the abilities Professor Xavire was famous for. She herd the last sigh from him and lay his head gently on the floor. He was in her mind, she could..feel him. The same cold reassurance came over her as it did anytime she found herself near him.
"Oh, Professor!" Rouge sobbed.
"It's quite alright Rouge, but please do carry on!" The voce was in her... head? The same familiar voice that only moments ago told her that she was going to save the to institute's lives... No, she thought, I must be dreaming.. It can't, be?
"Well, actually, yes Rouge, it can. But please, DON'T start dreaming, you have work to do.. But yes, when you save us. we WILL be in you mind.
"Oh." Was the soft reply so gave, moving on to her new charges.
Within the night she was done. Tried she prepared for bed. The last thing she remembered with a soft buzz of Scott in her ears, "oh, and Rouge, the public know.
"I knew it!" she screamed. "I knew I should never had left, maybe if I hadn't you'd all be okay!" Tears rolled down her cheeks, so she had fit in more then she had let on. "Why did you make me go, Professor? Why..?" She drifted through out the horrible bodies of those friends, that despite her self-enclosure, had always welcomed her.
After drifting for appox. fifteen minutes she came across the Professor, over turned in his chair.
"Oh, Professor," She sobbed on him. "You knew it was going to happen why would you have sent me away?!" A soft shuddering breath startled her.
"Because," Came the feeble response, "Only you could save us, I knew we were too weak, so I sent you, the only one capable of saving us all, to safety." He sighed, like just thinking about it was overwhelming.
"How, what can I do, I'm no healer, Professor, none at all!"
"Rouge listen to me, there isn't enough time! What happens when you use you powers on another person?"
"They, ah, wait I know, there essence becomes a part o me! I remember!"
"Good, very good, now what happens if you hang on too long?"
"Well I can put someone in an concussion, or even kill them." She blushed a little.
"But that has never happened has it, Rouge, no I didn't think so. Well let me tell you what DOES happen. You take the person's very sole into you, like a keep sake for the person, until the sole can reincarnate it's body using your power." Rouges eyes widened.
"Oh.." She stated, "I see where your going with this.." The Professor nodded. Yes. Very good Rouge, your very Smart. You have to drain the life from all the still living X-men, so that they will come back some day." He held her still gloved hand, and looked deep into her eyes. "And hurry."
"But Professor, I can only, well take one power at a time, not near as many as I'll need to!"
"Rouge! Only one POWER, your taking... life. Start with me, then do the people who will die first, then do the people in the best conditions." Rouge nodded and removed her glove, placing her bare had to the Professor's forehead. As he closed his eyes, she felt herself gain the abilities Professor Xavire was famous for. She herd the last sigh from him and lay his head gently on the floor. He was in her mind, she could..feel him. The same cold reassurance came over her as it did anytime she found herself near him.
"Oh, Professor!" Rouge sobbed.
"It's quite alright Rouge, but please do carry on!" The voce was in her... head? The same familiar voice that only moments ago told her that she was going to save the to institute's lives... No, she thought, I must be dreaming.. It can't, be?
"Well, actually, yes Rouge, it can. But please, DON'T start dreaming, you have work to do.. But yes, when you save us. we WILL be in you mind.
"Oh." Was the soft reply so gave, moving on to her new charges.
Within the night she was done. Tried she prepared for bed. The last thing she remembered with a soft buzz of Scott in her ears, "oh, and Rouge, the public know.