X-MEN: HELLFIRE
By Quick-n-Popular
Disclaimer: X-Men and its characters are rightfully owned by those who legally own them. I do not own these characters.
It is a cold October mid-afternoon in D'Iberville, Mississippi. The tree leaves already have turned to their golden and blood-like colors, marking the season they're in. The park was filled, slightly with the scattered people making their ways to places only known to them. One person stood out among them. Sitting on a faded green park bench, was a young woman. This woman who's most extinguishing feature was a wisp of snow-like strand of hair that came from her long brown hair, which played in front of her face in the autumn breeze. Huddled together, due to the temperature outside, her face portrayed a less colorful look, to what the day was outside.
Marie shuddered under the wind but her mind was else where. Even being as bundled up as she was, the outside had its affect. She ignored the day. She instead took off a long leathered glove off her right hand and stared, sadly, at her palm. She closed her eyes and tears cascaded down her face. She sighed deeply and removed herself from the bench and walked down the street away from the park. Turning into a deserted alleyway, she sat down next to a Dumpster.
"Mah life is nothing…Once more." She whispered to herself.
Marie, also known as "Rogue", ungloved her other hand. She then produced a box-cutter from her jacket pocket. She stared at it. Then closed her eyes and put it on her naked wrist, applying firm pressure. She shut her eyes and whispered softly, "Sorry, Bobby…ah can't live like this anymore…"
Another tear came, as she took another intake of breath.
A strong grip of someone's gloved-hand took the one she had the box-cutter in and slammed her hand against the brick-wall, forcing the release of the blade.
Rogue was so tired and exhausted out of depression that she wearily gazed at the person who had prevented her from herself.
Standing there were two figures. The one who held her wrist had shades on and was wearing a long brown leather trench coat. He smiled with his stubbled mouth, "That ain't gonna happen, chere."
Rouge identified the Bourbon Street accent, but not him. She turned and looked at the other figure that also wore sunglasses. Standing tall and having an unshaven face like his friend, his glasses were different. The lenses were red.
Having not eaten or drank anything today, Rogue was over taken by exhaustion and slumped to her side as she moaned, "Sc…Scott?"
She then, promptly, fainted.
Upon awakening, Rogue let out a startled gasp, as she wasn't in the alleyway anymore, but in an elegant, large bedroom. The bed she was in was huge. It was old Victorian-style, with four massive posts that had thin veils that were draped around the side. The quilt that covered her looked like a family-heirloom.
Where am I? Rogue asked herself.
Looking more into the room she found herself more in awe of her current surroundings.
Then came a knock at the door in the far-left corner.
"Rogue? Are you awake?" Said a familiar voice.
It couldn't be…"Y…Yeah, I am." She answered.
The door creaked open and Rogue stared at the figure that came in.
"No! It…It can't be…You're dead!"
Rogue sat up and stared at the man with short, scruffy brown hair, and red-lensed glasses.
The man came over to the bed and sat down on the side of it, sighing.
"A lot of people thought I did." He turned his head and looked at Rogue.
"I probably would have been if it hadn't been for Gambit."
Rogue cocked her head to the side, "Gambit?"
"Remy LeBeau, actually. 'Gambit' is his colorful code name. When Jean…" The man stopped and turned his head away.
Rogue, to her relief, noticed she was still clothed. She got out of the bed and sat down next to him.
"When Jean, what?" She asked.
He took a deep breath, "…Attacked me, I landed about fort-five miles away in a small town. Gambit was there and took me to the hospital where I spent about three months learning how to walk again."
Rogue nodded sadly. Even though Scott was one of the two that had rescued her and Logan, she never really had any connection to this man. She felt sorry for him though, Scott Summers has indured so much.
"So." Said Rogue, looking around the place. "Why'd y'all bring me here?"
"We were in the area and Psylocke picked you up in her head about to do what you almost did."
Rogue looked down at the bed, embarrassed.
"Why did you leave the mansion, Rogue? I thought you were happy there." Scott sat himself down in a chair that was right next to the bed.
Rogue closed her eyes and tears formed in the corners.
"I went to the clinic to get rid of mah powers and…they came back. Just when I was able to be…intimate with my boyfriend, Bobby. The next two weeks were harsh for me. I was in and out of seeing a psychiatrist. Bobby told me it would be fine, that we still could have a relationship. But I knew it couldn't; how can I be in a relationship with someone I can't even touch? Storm told me that I should maybe get away for awhile, go and see new places, just go and clear my head about being depressed. The only problem was that it became worse and I started seeing more and more people walking around being with each other. Holding hands, kissing, saying, "I love you" into each other's ears; I was in a complete utter hell. The worst part came was when I got a phone call from Bobby. He told me that him and Kitty Pryde were becoming more close and him and me were drifting father apart."
Scott nodded through all this.
"Then," Rogue continued, "I just cried. I cried for what seemed like a whole day. The next day is…is when you saw me."
A knock came at the door; making Scott get up, he turned to Rogue.
"Just one second." He told her.
Once he opened the door a young woman came in and started poking him in the chest.
"Why didn't you tell me she was here!"
The woman stood shorter than Scott did, but only just barely. She was Asian, both her ears were pierced, and she wore some stylish raybans on top of her head.
Rogue knew her immediately.
"Jubilee, I had a good reason for not telling you. You didn't have to know." Scott said defiantly.
Jubilee rolled her eyes, "Please. I've told you, once that I found out that you and Remy were going to go looking for her, that I wanted to know when she would be getting here."
Scott faked a cough and motioned his head toward Rogue.
Jubilee let out a shrillish gasp and ran over and hugged Rogue.
"Rogue! How've you been? Don't ever let me hear about you doing that kind of thing to yourself ever again!" Jubilee shook Rogue.
Rogue put up a hand, "Hold on there, girl. Don't get to close to me…Mah powers have returned."
Jubilee stepped back. "Oh, yeah, heh, I forgot, sorry."
"What's all the noise, Scott?" A second person stepped into the room. This woman was breath-takingly beautiful. Like Jubilee she seemed to be of some Asian ancestry. She had long raven-like hair, an athletic figure, and a radiant smile.
Scott indicated to Rogue, "Elizabeth Braddock, meet Rogue. Elizabeth, also known as "Psylocke", was the one who located you, Rogue."
Psylocke gave Rogue a politeful nod.
"Are you a mutant tracker like the Professor was?" Rogue asked.
Psylocke smiled, "Well, sort of. I have many other talents other than that."
Rogue detected an English, sort of "Lara Croft"; accent that suggested this woman was probably from Europe.
Jubilee laughed, "Yeah, Psylocke's is full of wonders."
"At Least I'm not full of myself, like someone I know." Psylocke retorted.
"There's other people in our group, Rogue. You'll really like them." Jubilee said sitting down next to Rogue.
Rouge looked over everyone in the room then looked back at Scott.
"So, is this like a new X-men squad?" She asked.
"Not entirely. We're sort of the police of the known mutants. This started out as an idea I had discussed with the Professor, but we never really got around to making it happen. I really couldn't go back to the mansion, what with the memories there, so I decided this was the next best thing I could do." Scott said.
"We're X-Force. Sort of a bounty hunter/police force unit." Jubilee explained.
Rogue nodded.
Scott turned to the others, "I think that's enough excitement for her for today. I want everyone to clear out of this room and let Rouge have a little more rest."
This time there wasn't any complaint and Jubilee and Psylocke exited the room. As Scott was leaving, Rouge cleared her throat, which was immensely dry.
"Thanks, Scott."
Scott smiled, "No problem."
A/N: Ok, I know this is incredibly short, but please bare with me, you'll like what I'm going to give you.
Q-n-P