New Life
By: Marina StormFire
X-Men: Evolution songfic
Summary: My own version of "Cajun Spice".
Disclaimer: I don't own ANYTHING… I ain't sayin' it again for the rest of the story.
Thoughts or dream sequence, flashbacks, or mindscape-speech
"regular speech"
/thoughts in a dream sequence/
This story is edited.
Chapter 1: Remember
Everyone was silent on the long walk back to New Orleans proper, until Rogue broke it.
"By th' way, where are the x-men?"
Hazard chuckled darkly. "When y' said t' keep th' x-men off your tail-end, we took tha' literally and say, misdirected them into a different direction. We used your bag t' leave a scent trail for 'em t' follow back t' the train yard. So hopefully, we got rid of 'em for now, until y'r ready t' face 'em ag'in."
Rogue nodded, the minute she was settled, she'd have a letter hand-delivered to the Institute to let them know that she was okay and she could be contacted by email and her cellphone was still available, but she needed some time away from them for a while. With a sigh, she started mentally going over what she would need to do to settle in and whatnot.
Suddenly, she was feeling tired and worn out and didn't realize that she'd dozed off while she was walking, until she tripped and felt the clamoring of psyches in her skull, that she tried to jolt herself completely awake, but only succeeded in cradling her head in her hands—falling to her knees, groaning. She felt calloused, but gentle hands touch her arms… felt a solid body near hers, holding her close, smelt the comforting smell of cigarette smoke and cajun spices. Just barely managing to open her eyes a little, she found Hawkeye kneeling in front of her… could feel his gloved hand on her shoulder. "Get Buddha… can't keep them back…" was all she was able to manage before everything went black.
Remy kept his eyes on Rogue, as their back-up fell into a semi-protective circle. She looked paler than usual… and tired. what he saw next was the grimace on her perfect full lips and when she tripped—falling to her knees, saw that she was holding her head in pain. 'Gotta be de psyches…' he thought to himself, as he brought an arm around her body to hold her close. He lifted his head and saw Hawkeye rush in and lay a gloved hand on her near bare shoulder. Her sweet southern voice made him look at her again, heard her ask for someone called "Buddha". He felt her go limp in his arms and looked to Hawkeye, who met his eyes.
Hawkeye sighed. This was one eventful night. Standing, he glanced at Jean-Luc then at Marina, Windy, Shifter, and Hazard, and finally shifted his gaze back to Gambit on the ground—gently cradling the younger girl. He looked at Marina. "Marina, get Buddha as fast as ya c'n. Rogue is gonna need his help real soon. Tell 'im t' take 'er t' th' ol' 'safehouse.'" He said, enunciating 'safehouse' and turned his attention back to Gambit. "Y'r gonna have'ta make sure dem Assassins don' come afta the lot o' ya. I'll scout f'om de sky and make sure that ya'll get back t' y'r place safe an' sound."
At everyone's acknowledging nod, they continued on their way. Marina dove into the bayou waters and created a bubble around herself as she used her power over water to make it the docks of New Orleans long before the others. She found some of the others of their group with spare civilian clothes. After putting on those dry clothes, she went to find Buddha to bring him to the docks to tend to Rogue.
Hawkeye shifted into a raven form and scouted ahead, and saw the remaining three mutants, space themselves out in a semi-circle around Gambit, Rogue, and Jean-Luc—on full alert for Assassins.
Jean-Luc was unsure as to who these others were, but was aware that they were mutants that knew this one fille that his adopted son had eyes for; This fille that he could swear that he recognized from somewhere before. He was gonna have to do a little bit of research before deciding what to do next. He sighed; apparently his son was gettin' himself into a whole mess of trouble. Glancing at his son, who carried the unconscious girl tenderly in his arms, he wondered just how deep his son's feelings ran for her.
Remy saw his adopted father's look, and understood it. "Don' say it, Jean-Luc. I care f'r her mor' den I do f'r Bella. 's only gonna make up mor' problèmes den we really wan' or need."
The older man scowled. The boy was just too selfish to think clearly. It was in the Guild's best interest that his son and the Princess of Assassins were wed… and soon. So why didn't Remy see that?
As if Remy could read his mind, he turned a full-force glare at the man that raised him. "We won' talk 'bout dat right here o' now. We c'n discuss dis latah." And kept walking, feeling something overwhelming overcome his own empathic abilities… feelings of pain, anger, and fear. Focusing on the girl in his arms, he realized that the psyches were trying to get control of her mind and body. At that moment, Rogue's face contorted, showing how much pain she was going through and gave out a strangled moan and then a pained whimper.
Hazard and Shifter exchanged glances. They had heard that several weeks ago, Rogue had lost control over the psyches in her head and had started shifting into those forms that she'd absorbed. It was a likely possibility that it was going to happen again, if she didn't get help fast. They kept an eye on their friend and an eye on their surroundings as they made it to another motorboat that they'd stashed a little ways away from their destination.
Windy got in first and started the engine, turning to the others, she said, "Get in, unless ya wanna get y'rselves caught bah Assassins. Frankly, I'd prefer not t' go up ag'inst 'em ag'in." Hazard got in next then Jean-Luc. Shifter followed, before turning to help Gambit in, with Rogue in his arms. As soon as everyone was settled, Windy looked up to make sure that everyone was settled before guiding the boat back through the bayou swampland to the docks of New Orleans.
A half hour later, they reached the docks, where they saw two groups of people waiting for them, both standing a short distance apart. The remainder of the trip back to the Big Easy, Remy kept his arms firmly, but gently around the fragile and unconscious girl. He knew that something was going to happen soon if they get her help. Looking up and seeing his frère- Henri at the edge of the docks with his wife, Mercy, and their cousin, Emil Lapin.
As soon as the boat pulled up to the side of the docks, a tall, dark-skinned, and muscular man reached down to Remy. "Hand her t' me, she can get the help she needs, before those psyches in her head start fighting for control."
Remy felt concern for the girl in his arms, and didn't know how to act on it. But reluctantly handed her up to the older man, and then climbed up to the dock not far behind Jean-Luc. The unknown older man turned slightly with Rogue in his arms, and glanced at Gambit from over his shoulder.
"Once she's been calmed down, someone will find you and let you know how she is. And then the two of you can discuss whatnot and such." Without bothering to acknowledge Remy, the mysterious man turned and walked away.
He watched the man walk away with Rogue in his arms. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned and saw the blue-haired fille called "Windy".
"We'll let'cha know what's goin' on wit' her, soon. Don' look f'r us, we'll fin' y'. Th' Dragons al'ays do." With a last squeeze on his shoulder, she followed her associates. And Remy was left with his famille by the docks.
He felt another hand on his shoulder, and found his belle-soeur there. "If dey say dat dey'll fin' us, Remy, den dey'll fin' us. Th' Dragon's have some territory on da northern part o' da Quarter and a bit o' th' business district." The young blonde beauty told him, as she got him to turn away from the retreating backs of these 'Dragons.'
Remy looked at his brother's wife. "Who are dese Dragons, Mercy?" he asked, as he and his famille walked back to their Guild manor. It wasn't Mercy, who answered, but his brother.
"Dey're part o' an underground informant group. Pére was t'inkin' o' makin' some kind o' agreement wit' 'em dat we'd be able t' use deir informant's system if we 'ad a need t'." Henri explained, as they reached the French Quarter, and turned down the street toward their home.
Remy was silent as he digested the information. Questions started popping up. What did they have to do with Rogue? How did she get mixed up with them? Did their guild laws apply to them or did they have their own set of laws that they lived by? As soon as those questions came to mind, many more popped up. What was it she said about them?
'… the informants know ev'rythin' tha' goes on in any given majah city. Here, they prob'ly know ev'rythin' tha' goes on in y'r Thieves' Guild.'
He started hitting his head against a mental table, but felt exhaustion catching up to him, and hoped that Rogue was going to be alright and hope that they could talk about these informants more. The remainder of the walk home was silent, as it was late, and there were still some stragglers in the streets. Not much longer than half an hour later, they made it to their guild manor without incident and headed toward his old room, until he was stopped by his adopted father's voice.
"Remy…"
The card-player glanced at the older man over his shoulder and waited for the next words to come.
"We'll talk more about this in the morning." Jean-Luc told him, when he saw the boy stop and glance at him over his shoulder.
"Oui, we'll talk later. Until then, I'll say bon nuit." And disappeared down the hall and behind his bedroom door, where he proceeded to get himself ready for bed by changing from his fighting uniform to a pair of grey sweatpants and decided against wearing a shirt, due to the humidity of the night air.
/MEANWHILE/
'Who am ah? Where am ah? What is this place?' a soft southern voice echoed around the dark cavern. There were whispers around her, overwhelming her with malicious intent, making her curl into herself to protect herself from the overwhelming feel of immense anger, intense hatred… so much negative energies swirling in the air like an angry hurricane.
A semblance of a whisper reached her ears. Rogue.
Rogue? Was that her name? Who was she? Where did she come from? Did she have a family? Questions popped up from every corner of the girl's mind, until she saw a semblance of motion from in front of her. Lifting her head from her hands, she saw a form step out of the shadows; a familiar figure, looking like… herself. It was herself as she wished she was, had her mutation not forced her to push everyone else away from her. Tall and curvaceous, the woman had bright emerald-green eyes and her skin was a golden bronze. Wearing a thin light-blue sleeveless halter-top and short black jean shorts overtop a pair of leggings that had a type of galaxy-nebula design on them, topped off with her converse calf-high boots… and no gloves.
The figure walked slowly up to her and held out her hands and waited for her to take them. Shaking her head, she was horrified at the thought, and backed away hurriedly. But the form only knelt down and grabbed her ungloved hands…
Green eyes flashed open, as she jackknifed into an upright sitting position. Shaking her head to clear it of cobwebs, the girl looked around her. It looked like she was laid out on the couch in what appeared to be the living room of a flat, the sky outside was just barely light enough to shine through the cream colored curtains, telling her it had to be just about dawn or thereabouts. Groaning, the girl brought up a hand to her head. 'What in the hell happened?' she wondered, and recalled the last thing she did. The rescue of Gambit's adoptive father; and that face… she could swear she'd seen that face somewhere before… it was a vague memory. She tried to think of where she'd seen that face before. Then a semblance of memory came to her.
/Flashback/
"Who's this, mama?" a 7-year-old girl-child asked, her green eyes confused, as she held a picture of an older man in his late 20's, early 30's. With dark hair and a suave grin, he looked like the type to charm any and all women to flock to his side.
A gentle woman's voice with a musical quality answered, as a soft hand brushed aside white bangs into a clip. "This 's a very dear friend of mahne. His name's Jean-Luc. He'll help y' fahnd y'r Uncle Val, Aunt Heather, an' Damien."
"But, mama, how do ah fahnd him?"
The woman shook her head. "Jus' keep y'r eyes open f'r him. He's y'r godfat'er. If he fahnds y' firs', he'll recognahze ya. He knows what'cha look lahke."
/End Flashback/
The memory of the picture of the man came back to her in a rush. 'Jean-Luc LeBeau… mama's dear friend… and mah godfat'er… aftah all this tahme…' she didn't have time to finish that thought when she felt someone enter the room. She looked up and saw a man in his late 40's smile gently at her and held out a glass of what looked suspiciously like sweet tea; she gave him a small grin back and took it from him.
"Hello, Buddha." She greeted, as the older man handed her the glass.
"I's been a long while, Anna. Y' nearly lost y'rself among the psyches. I thought I taught y' better'n that." The older man admonished, as he sat himself in a leather armchair across from her.
Rogue grimaced, as she took a sip of the cool liquid that tasted like her favorite beverage—raspberry sweet tea. Since she left Jackson, Mississippi, several years ago, she'd practiced the manipulation of her mindscape less and less… until she'd forgotten to do them regularly. Looking at the older man across from her, she gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry, Buddha… but aftah ev'rythin' happenin' ovah th' years… ah've been practicin' less an' less. Ah'm gonna hafta start fr'm th' beginnin' ta exert some kin'a control ovah mah mutation."
Buddha nodded. He'd thought as much. But he could sense less clutter in her mind, as if she was keeping the psyches within herself back with sheer willpower. 'Impressive… but still not good enough to gain control of her own power.' He thought to himself, as he studied the teen goth girl before him; his student before that blue-skinned shape-shifter took her away from them—her foster family. She was no longer the 7-year-old that his youngest brother Mason, had taken in when she had lost her way to get to the ferry to cross the Mississippi River. And though they'd only had her for two years before that woman came along, Anna was –surprisingly- a fast learner, and hopefully, that hadn't changed over the years.
Gone was the pudgy faced and slightly chubby 7-year-old, who had long two-toned hair of silk chocolate and snow-white tresses, wore long-sleeved plaid blue shirt under black overalls with embroidered roses and rose vines that twined around her pant-legs, and blooming roses on her overalls pocket that was over her chest; and now before him stood a young adolescent on the cusp of womanhood, who was now sporting an athletic and lean build, her hair cut short to chin-length, and wearing dark make-up. The change was considerable.
Rogue looked around to get a better view of her surroundings. With a 25 in. full-screen television to her immediate left, a small wooden rectangular coffee-table in front of her and another loveseat adjacent to her right. Everything was dark-themed. She groaned, feeling a headache coming on. "What the hell is going on?" she asked, rubbing her temples with both hands.
Buddha lightly used his telepathy to sense what the psyches were doing, and frowned. Apparently they were breaking free from their temporary prisons, and then all hell was going to break loose. He stood and walked around the coffee table and sat on the coffee table and took Rogue's hands.
"Anna." He called softly, and when he got no answer, he used his teachers' voice. "Anna. Look at me."
Rogue slowly looked up, her eyes shifting from one eye color to the next. Going from emerald green to silver-blue, to brown, to red-on-black, to golden-yellow, to chocolate brown, to soft blue, to near black, to apple green, to sunshine-yellow, to other various colors; she groaned and closed her eyes, trying to push them back.
Buddha took her hands and closed his own eyes and linked himself to her mind. And was hit with something that felt more like a sledgehammer; anger, hatred, fear, and pain. 'Gods' above… what did that woman DO to you?' He thought to himself, furious at what that shape-shifter did to his foster-niece. He saw Anna curl into herself, she could obviously feel the emotions coming from these psyches- Enough to want to believe that she was cursed with nightmares and other people wandering through her own mind and having to constantly fight back; it had to have left her exhausted and constantly angry.
Mentally, he grasped her shoulders, and saw that her eyes were bright with pain. "Will you let me help you, Anna? Let me help you fight them and help you control your mutation?" He asked, keeping his eyes on hers, he was relieved when she nodded, as she set her jaw and her eyes became full of raw determination and solid stubbornness. He smiled, and turned both their attention to the oncoming psyches that were approaching with malicious intent… even as their anger and hatred attacked them first.
Rogue, felt fear invade her very being, but knew without a shadow of a doubt that Buddha would help her. "Anna…" the sound of her name made her look up at her mentor. "do you remember the Lightening Techniques that Dozer and Crimzon taught you while you were with us?" the older man asked, and Rogue remembered clearly the technique that she learned. She could also see where Buddha was going. She nodded. This would give her an edge over all those that she had absorbed in the past. It would also help that it was her mind to manipulate as she would.
Closing her eyes, she pictured a setting that would be fitting for her mindscape's psychic-battle against her –proverbial- inner demons. What better way to perfect and hone her fighting techniques, then the Institutes Danger Room? She grinned, as the ground and walls appeared to take on the Danger Room's characteristics.
Buddha looked down at his student and stepped back to see how she would do. In this place that was clearly real in her memory, he would help her suppress these ghosts that haunted his troubled student.
Then they came… Mystique and Sabertooth at the front, with Wolverine not far behind, his claws unsheathed; Rogue closed her eyes and waited. Being a natural dancer with fast reflexes helped her against these first three opponents. She ducked and dodged, looking for an opening. Ducking Mystique's high-jump roundhouse kick to the head, she felt Sabertooth and Wolverine coming at her from behind. Almost immediately, while Mystique was in the air, Rogue straightened from the duck, and palmed Mystique in the stomach and pressed her advantage with a kick to the shape-shifter's ribs and momentarily watched the blue-skinned woman to see that she didn't get up again, and almost immediately afterward went into a dive-n-roll, making Sabertooth and Wolverine club heads… and hilariously enough, turned them against each other- just as they would in the real world. Circling the two animalistic and vicious psyches in her head, she came up behind Sabertooth and gave him a double hit to his shoulder blades with the heel of her palms and then a quick chop to his neck felled him.
She quickly dodged a feral Wolverine and felt the ground beneath her feet shake and dodged to the right when a red encased fist came down on top of where she was previously… and smashed Wolverine into the ground, when he landed in her previous position. With Wolverine down for the count, she now had to deal with Juggernaut and countless others. So far she had little to no help from Buddha. But with Juggernaut, that would count as a need for help there. She ducked, and spun in a low swinging kick, when she felt the fast pattering of feet come from her left, and succeeded in tripping the Speed Demon called Quicksilver, who fell in the way of Juggernaut's oncoming fist, which sent him back into the solid steel wall of the Danger Room… knocking him unconscious. Standing, she ducked under his bowling ball-sized fists and flipped herself onto his shoulders to undo the four latches on the helmet.
She had just undone the third latch when- out of the corner of her peripheral vision, she saw a flash of red and then, on looking up, saw both those heavy fists come down and she quickly flipped herself off his shoulders; only to get hit in the back of the head –lightly- upon landing, by a metal bo-staff.
Not quite out for the count, Rogue fell to her knees, but looked up, surprised to feel calm emanating from the ever-familiar form in front of her. Too surprised to speak, she saw him extend a hand down to her… never in her life did she expect to have a psyche-ally at her side to help her fight her proverbial inner demons.
"Need a hand dere, chere?" a suave voice asked, his red-on-black eyes locking on her own emerald green.
"Gambit?" Rogue asked, breathless… already she was exhausted, and she had yet to face the x-men and the other four members of the Brotherhood.
The psyche of Gambit gave Rogue his trademark cocky grin and when she warily gave him one of her hands, he pulled her up and glanced over the girl's head at the crowd that was now running in to attack.
Rogue cringed at exactly WHO made-up that mental mob.
Cyclops had a hand to his visor ready to release his optic blasts; Jean was levitating beside him, with what looked like murder written on her usually gentle face; Spyke was loading his bone spikes and already firing; Rhane was in wolf-form and snarling viciously, ready to tear her limb from limb; Sam, Bobby, and Ray were also there and ready to take her down. And though, there was hardly anything that Kitty and Kurt could do that would be damaging to her, she knew that she couldn't hurt them either. She'd have to use her head to try and beat them back.
Storm and Beast were placed in-between the original six x-men and the younger generation… but coming in fiercely.
Not far behind the X-Men, was the brotherhood, with Lance in the lead followed closely by Toad, Blob, Boom-Boom, and the Scarlet Witch. Magneto flew alongside them.
So much hate… so much anger… fear… pain… and rage.
Rogue fell to her knees once more and curled in on herself, the Gambit-psyche and Buddha closed in on Rogue getting ready to face them and protect the girl, who's body these psyches were fighting over.
Suddenly, Rogue's head slowly shot up, and as if in slow motion, the mental crowd seemed to slow down… down to a stop. Surprisingly, they did stop… mere feet from them… and it seemed like all eyes were on the girl before them.
The air turned tense… like just before a nasty storm hits. And then her eyes shot open- revealing fiery bright green eyes that blazed with fury, and an ominous wind seemed to shove the still mob back several feet.
"Enough o' this." Was the calm southern drawl of the girl before the rampaging psyches. The psyches froze upon seeing the unholy rage that was worse than their own… a hidden anger and pain that was being reflected back at them, and they seemed to shrink back… but there was something else that they could ultimately sense… an underlying threat… a threat to their own existence in this girl's head that was their prison for all time.
Even the Gambit-psyche actually looked down at the girl and realized what she was planning on doing if things didn't cool down here and now… and really fast. It was a last bluff… the last thing she should be thinking of. And honestly, it frightened him… just as it frightened the other psyches in this girl's head.
As a single unit, everyone took a few steps back. Buddha and the Gambit-psyche remained next to the girl, as she stood up from her fallen position. "None o' ya'll will evah use mah body as y'r own. So unless th' lot o' ya have some kin'a deathwish, we come ta an agreement here an' now." She said, her voice cold and sounding unmerciful… and hard as steel. The psyches just stood there… just waiting. Rogue gave them a cold glare, feeding them what they had fed to her all this time since her powers manifested. Then the Jean-psyche stepped cautiously forward.
"What do you want from us?" the red-headed psyche asked, as Rogue focused her attention on the red-headed telepath-psyche, and after a moment's hesitation, answered.
"Ya'll still wan' t' exist?" she asked, as she sat down Indian-style. The psyches nodded in unison. Glancing at Buddha, who nodded a silent agreement to something unknown to all the gathered psyches assembled. Rogue closed her eyes and the mindscape scenery changed from the danger room in the Institute to a forest and open spaces behind the psyches and behind Rogue and her two companions, was a three-story mansion, which looked eerily like Xavier's Institute… which looked to have enough rooms in it to hold all the psyches that had been absorbed; and the gates to the mansion had iron-wrought dragons binding the two sides of the gate together.
When she finally opened her eyes, they were a silver-green, and she was barring their way to the building. "Here's th' deal, ya'll. Ev'rybody behaves, they get a place up at tha' mansion behin' meh. Ya' don' behave, ya get completely wiped. Got it?"
All the psyches looked at each other, unsure as to agree or not. But a particular number including, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Mystique, Storm, Rhane, and Gambit, walked up to the gates… which didn't open, yet. Rogue kept her eyes on those that had yet to accept her ultimatum. Eventually, all but Sabertooth were at the gates, which now opened to them all… and in which, THEN Sabertooth tried to pass, he found himself frozen in place.
Rogue shook her head and spoke to him. "I nevah reallah cared ta have y'r particular psyche in mah head. So ah won't have any qualms in havin' ya removed permanently."
With Sabertooth unable to defend himself or even attack, he growled menacingly. Buddha closed his eyes and focused on Sabertooth's entire psyche and wiped the psyche from existence, leaving no trace of the psyche anywhere to pop out and threaten those that now resided in Rogue's mental home for her inner demons.
The psyches had watched what had happened to Sabertooth, and thought it best to behave themselves and try not to fight amongst themselves and cause the girl to wipe the lot of them from her mind. Apparently, this telepath that was in her mind, had the strongest ability to wipe a psyche completely from existence… apart from one Charles Xavier.
They quietly headed inside the mansion and found that the inside was exactly like the inside of the institute, with a grand staircase leading to the upper stories from the foyer. To the left of the staircase, was the living room, library, and games' room; and to the right lead to the kitchen, dining room and an elevator that led to the lower levels. Everyone headed upstairs to choose their rooms, where later, Rogue would help them 'decorate' their rooms from their memories.
Sighing, Rogue closed her eyes and focused on waking in the living world. She tiredly opened her green eyes to see that the cream curtains had been drawn, and saw that it was just after dawn. How long had this taken? Several hours it seemed, but it had seemed like it had only taken a matter of an hour to talk and give the psyches an ultimatum that they didn't have much of a choice but to accept. It was HER mind after all that was being affected… and SHE was the one to show THEM who was boss.
'Gambit… no, REMY, was right,' the girl thought to herself, as she threw an arm over her eyes. 'one way or anothah.. ah gotta show 'em who's boss.' Oddly enough, she felt like her mind had less clutter strewn around. Like it was… cleaner, her mind was more organized and manageable. There was yet any kind of evidence that she had any control that she may have, but it could wait. She remembered that she and Remy had yet to talk about her friends that were in the Dragons.
She looked around the room that she found she was still in, and found Buddha fast asleep in his comfy armchair. Apparently, he'd briefly awakened just enough to get to his armchair and fall asleep. Falling back asleep she dreamed of when she was first found and taken in by Dozer and his wife, called Mirage.
/Dreamscape/
A young 7-year-old girl wandered through a small town. She was tired, scared, and afraid to go back to the abusive home that her mother told her to escape while she could. She hadn't slept in a while, only running, running, and more running. Trying to find her way to the ferry that crossed the Mississippi River to find her godfather… and find her brother.
It had been several days of barely anything to eat and only sleeping under a park's jungle gym or under some low hanging trees or brush. She missed her mother so much and hoped that someday they'd see each other again.
Aimlessly she wandered the sidewalks of this unknown small town, with her little hoodie over her head, and re-shouldered her duffle. She had no idea where she was, and stopped near a park to rest. Letting her bag drop next to the bench, she took off her hoodie and lay that on top of her bag… going to the water fountain for a drink of fresh cold water. No telling how much longer she could go on like this… slowly walking back to the park bench where she left her duffle and hoodie, she found a couple sitting on that bench with a young boy and a slightly younger girl- both older than she was, with them.
Quietly skirting around the family, she quickly picked up her duffle and hoodie, and ran off for the park trail… unaware that she'd peaked the family's curiosity about her. They sent the older girl after the unknown young girl into the park's natural reserve.
Little Anna ran, knowing someone was following, dodging around bushes and trees, and even crossing a decent sized stream. She'd had this sixth sense of somebody watching her since she was real little and just starting to understand the world around her, as well as knowing when danger was looming nearby… a sense of colors—when everything was alright was a green color or downright wrong was danger red. Only a couple years ago, did one her mother's brothers, while visiting, found out that she had this sense, he called it an Approximity Sense, which was rare in young children and even fewer adults. He started teaching her to use it effectively. Surprisingly, she remembered everything he taught her and had even taken her and her siblings on camping trips for a couple weeks to teach them wilderness survival and how to find one's way using the stars as their guide. And even how to disguise your scent when you didn't want to be tracked down by anybody with a heightened sense of smell, such as a dog.
She kept running, until she came across a rocky ridge, and started to climb. She didn't dare look over her shoulder, should she find her follower. But kept climbing until she got to the top, and ran to a young pine tree and started climbing it's small, but strong and sturdy limbs to a decent height; staying up there, until she saw the older girl from the park run right under the tree and looking around and continue running, looking for her quarry.
The small girl wasn't sure how long she was in that tree, but exhaustion overtook her, and dozing lightly on the tree branch; kept a firm hold on the branch above her… and slipped into a dreamless sleep. Unaware of a few adults below, quietly debating about how to get her down without making her panic and become afraid of them.
Later, when she'd woken up, it was in a strange house with a homey feeling. She was lying on a comfortable leather sofa with a lap blanket covering her. Sitting up, she wondered where in the world she was, when the older boy that she saw at the park came in with what looked like a glass of some beverage. She felt like he wouldn't harm her.
"Hey there," he said, and said down on the coffee table next to her, and held out the glass. "here. Mah mama said tha' you'd be a li'l worn out an' tired. so we ought ta leave ya be and let'cha sleep ya'self out." She could only shake her head… not wanting to be seen as a pity case.
"Where am ah?" she asked, willing strength into her voice, rebellious emerald green eyes meeting the gentle ocean-blue of the older boy's.
"Y' ain't too far from the Mississippi River. Small town called *Silver Sky County; Real picturesque. Some meadows on the outskirts of town, but real purty; an' right bahy bayou country, too." He said, as he gently took her small hand in his and pressed the cold glass to it, she instinctively brought her other hand up to grasp it fully, but hesitated in drinking the cold liquid. The boy grinned and encouraged her. "I's a'righ', ya know. Ain't nobahdy gonna hurt ya none. Promise, 'kay?"
She silently nodded and took a small sip and was surprised to find it was oh so sweet raspberry sweet tea. It reminded her of her older sister's homemade raspberry sweet tea. She felt tears come to her eyes at the memory of her older siblings. She wanted to be home with them.
She closed her eyes and just let the tears fall. She wasn't aware of when the boy made a startled noise, or when he took the glass from her or even when he sat on the edge of the sofa and just held her as she cried.
She didn't know how long she'd been there crying or when other people came in and seeing her cry. She didn't care anymore… she just wanted her broken family… not so broken anymore. She wasn't sure when it was but eventually she fell asleep. Murmured whispers were all around her, then strong arms lifted her and carried her to who knew where… but that question was soon apparent, when she felt the softness of a mattress beneath her.
Firm, but gentle hands took off her shoes and her clothes were changed into somewhat big pajamas. And then nothing but blissful darkness led her back to the world of dreams.
When she'd awakened the next day, it was to unfamiliar surroundings, but then a strange woman had come in with a tray filled with breakfast foods. Homemade grits, hash browns, scrambled eggs over toast, biscuits that were drowning in sausage gravy, and glass of orange juice. The woman had given her a kind smile and introduced herself as Kyla Mazumi-Payton… codenamed Mirage. Young Anna found out that the boy from the afternoon before was her son, Caine, and that it was her husband- Mason (or Mace, as he preferred to be called) and codenamed Bull-dozer, who had carried her to- what appeared to be a guest room.
The room was decorated in purples, blues, and greens, as well as printed with dragonflies and all kinds of birds that you'd find in bayou country… created something of a misty dawn effect. It soon became her own room that she stayed in; giving herself time in which to get help to cross the Mississippi River to get to New Orleans to find her godfather, and her big brother, Damien.
No matter how much she tried to leave, she found herself constantly looking across the Mississippi longingly… hoping that someday, she would find her older brothers and sister. She started learning what this new family was teaching her… how to pick locks, fix and hot-wire vehicles, pickpocket, how to fight, and basically, all-in-all, she learned how to survive. She made several friends and lived like a real child should live… until a year had passed, and she was walking home from school with some friends, when her foster family's worst enemies jumped them.
Fortunately, one of them had already awakened their mutant gene and could generate invisible shields of any given size that were pretty much indestructible. It kept their attackers at bay until help could come.
But still their attackers came at the young elementary school kids, the invisible shield seemingly getting a bit weaker each time it was hit with something heavy. Not more than another moment's thought went by when help did come and their attackers were driven off, did the shield go down and then did the unexpected happen… Young Anna swayed on her feet, seeing and smelling blood triggered something in the back of her mind… something her mother told her two years before she was told to run away.
/Memory/
6-year-old Anna's mother traced the contours of her youngest daughter's face lovingly, though her beautiful hazel-blue eyes were glazed, as they always were whenever she looked to the future. When her eyes finally brightened again, they were filled with sadness, but also hope contained within them too.
"Mah little Anna… your future is troubling. Your mutant power will awake, but it will force y' t' push others away. You will neveh beh able t' touch others skin-t'-skin. T' touch them would beh t' hurt them."
Anna stared at her mother, her sister was holding her from behind. "Why, mama?" but only saw her mother shake her head.
"Ah don't know, baby. Gods knows ah wish ah knew, but ah don'. All ah C'N do is warn ya, blood is what will triggah y'r blessing and curse into being. An' beh wary of th' shape-shiftin' strangah, who will use y' f'r her own gains."
/End Memory/
Snapping her bright green eyes wide open, she saw someone reach out to steady her… reaching out to grasp her bare arm… Panicking, she fell backward. "DON' TOUCH MEH!" the words came out harsh, but her eyes and face told all how panicked and afraid she was. Another person came in front of her…. The man who was like a real father to her, Mace; he knelt in front of her and told her that everything was gonna be okay. But she could only shake her head and chanted over and over again, as tears spilled over. "Don' touch meh… don' touch meh…" the words caused confusion, until finally, one of her friends- Austin, she was vaguely aware, had taken his windbreaker off and draped it over her thin shoulders, and helped her up to her own feet, letting her lean on him.
She heard him murmur what she assumed to be reassurances that everything was going to be okay. Anna wasn't so sure of anything anymore, as she stared at her hands. She could no longer touch anyone anymore. Being 8-years-old, she had to tell someone of her mother's vision. She would be wary of a female shape-shifter, just like her mama told her to be. And it wasn't until another year had passed, that she disappeared.
/End Dreamscape/
Slowly waking up, but feeling her head was somewhat in a foggy state, she squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to wake up, but knew that she'd have to. There was no way she was going to go back to Mystique at all… or even Irene for that matter. They stole her from the family that should've had the chance to adopt her and keep her safe. This place that she was in now was her home… with the people she should've grown up with.
A/N: Bonjour! I hope everyone enjoyed "New Beginnings"… though, I'm debating about starting the whole thing from "episode 23: Walk on the Wild Side" or maybe "episode 38: Self-Possessed"…
Send in any PMs or Reviews on what you guys an' gals think of the idea.
*means it's fictional. Doesn't exist… only a figment of my imagination.
And another thing… the OC-Mutants are part of a made-up organization (in my mind) called the Dragons. Sounds like a gang-name, right? It's only a front to them. They're actually an underground group of informants.
Okay, I know everyone is at least a LITTLE curious as to who and what my OC-Mutants can do. Here's a bit to know 'bout 'em:
Name: Austin Carson
Codename: Hawkeye
Ability: Shifting into any and all bird-forms. While in that form he also has a telepathic link to get in contact with others.
Major fear(s): cats of any kind.
Uniform: Black bodysuit that shapes itself to him when he shifts to a bird form, taking on the feathered design of said bird.
Name: Marissa Valeton
Codename: Marina
Ability: controls water
Major fear(s): earthquakes
Uniform: Ocean-blue bodysuit (similar to a surfer's bodysuit) with neon blue stripes running down her arms and around her waist. Has a blue dragon design wrap around her left leg. Navy blue 4 in high-heeled boots and black fingerless gloves.
Name: Valerie Green
Codename: Windy
Ability: controls wind
Major fear(s): water… (can't/unable to bring herself to learn how to swim)
Uniform: Silver bodysuit with yellow stripes down her arms, sides, and legs. Wears black 2½ in heeled knee-high boots. No gloves.
Name: Casey Haller
Codename: Hazard
Ability: able to make the smallest object into a weapon
Major fear(s): flying and sharks
Uniform: Baggy black combat-pants, tan tank top, black combat vest with multiple front pockets, and neon green vertical stripes. Black combat boots
Name: Rick Mason
Codename: Shifter
Ability: similar power to Mystique, except he can only shift into animal forms.
Major fear(s): bats
Uniform: Evergreen Combat bodysuit with neon green stripes on the wrists, waist, and ankles that shapes itself to him when he shifts forms.
Name: Mason Payton
Codename: Bulldozer ('Dozer' for short)
Ability: able to lift several tons of weight. (the closest I can get to describing him is like a human wrecking ball… or something
Major fear(s): black-widow spiders
Uniform: Navy blue and evergreen plaid button down shirt, winter cargos, black combat boots.
Name: Nathan Payton (Mace's older brother)
Codename: Buddha
Ability: telepathy, also has a major calming effect on those around him.
Major fears: flying
Uniform: Plain navy blue long-sleeved casual shirt with horizontal neon sea-green stripes, black jeans, and black combat boots.
French-English Translations:
Fille- girl
Problèmes- problems
Frère- brother
Belle-soeur- sister-in-law
Bon nuit- good night
