TITLE: Motherly Love.
DEDICATION:To my friend Corey Westerly, because the dangerously addicting cycle of southern King and Queen Cards reflects our own sometimes.
SUMMARY: Motherly love. Is that what she called it? All the torment and trouble Rogue went through because of Mystique's return…that was love? No, she knew what love was, because she'd found it along the way. ROMY.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel, yada, yada, yada, yada. If I did…well, I'd be rich and…doing whatever it is the lucky owners of Marvel do.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I wasn't planning on writing the next chapter right away, but thanks to the not-so-gentle prodding of my plotbunny as well as my friend Corey, I give you chapter two. Have fun. Oh and thanks to reviewers so far. :)
Chapter two is dedicated to my good friend -NymphaodraRoss-, who's assigned characters are blue or blonde and both cold. Enjoy.
Motherly Love,
an X-Men Evolution fanfic
CHAPTER TWO – Guess Who's Back?
"Will do," John stated. "Now, if you'll excuse me, the couch and I were havin' an interestingly silent conversation about nappin'."
John didn't wait for a response before hanging up, he knew Rogue wouldn't mind, after all she'd given him the message and he'd promised to carry it through. "Speakin' o' which…"
He dragged himself up off the couch and sluggishly lumbered into the hall to the bottom of the stairs after nearly tripping on Todd Tolansky, better known as Toad, who lay on the floor sprawled and sleeping.
"Oh Sheila! Would ya c'mere a moment?" John hollered up the stairs. With satisfaction, he heard a loud 'thump' followed by several angry stomps before the black-haired maiden in question appeared at the top of the stairs.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Do not call me Sheila!" Wanda yelled angrily.
"Aw but luv, if you didn't want me callin' ya that, then why'd you answer?" John grinned, knowing her patience was wearing thin.
"That's it Pyro, your ass is mine!" Wanda shrieked, her hands lighting up in a blue glow and her temper flaring again as John dared utter three more words.
"Wasn't it always?" he smirked before running back into the living room as Wanda came barreling down the stairs after him. From the kitchen, Lance, Pietro and Fred cringed as they heard a sound they knew all too well – John being hexed into the wall.
Toad came hopping into the room, laughing so hard he was almost brought to tears. "Didja hear that?" he asked his three housemates. "He doesn't know who he's messing with! I mean, how stupid can he be to pester my Poopsie like that?"
Seconds later, Toad was in the wall as well.
Satisfied with her afternoon work, Wanda headed back towards the stairs, only to have John pop up in the doorway beside her.
"Now wait just a minute Sheila, I didn't get woken up from my nap to holler ya down for nothin'," John told her and she rolled her eyes.
"What a pity," she scoffed.
"Yer friend Roguey called," John added quickly as she started up the stairs. She stopped two steps away and turned back to look at him. "Said her and the others are goin' shopping at that store you Sheilas like, and was inviting you to come."
"And you couldn't just tell me this to begin with?" Wanda narrowed her eyes at him.
"Well where's the fun in that?" he answered, grinning like an idiot again.
"Whatever," Wanda sighed, deciding it wasn't worth hexing him into the wall this time. "I'm going to get dressed and then I'm going to the mall with them."
She turned and started up the stairs, stopping moments later when an ice-cold voice the Brotherhood members knew all too well filled the air. "No, you're not. None of you are leaving this house unless I say so."
Wanda turned slowly back around to face down the stairs, and found a very unwelcoming sight at the end of them. There, standing in the doorway that had been so recently and quietly trust open – was Mystique; black leather skirt and sleeveless, blue skin and cold yellow eyes exactly as they remembered.
"Oh crud," Lance muttered.
"What-are-you-doing-here?" Pietro asked, his tone cold and quick.
"Something I should've done long ago – taking back what's mine," Mystique growled.
"Yours? Since when are these kids yours Sheila?" John chuckled, only to have a set of blue and ice-cold hands wrap themselves around his neck and push him into the wall. He lost the tense fingering he'd had on his famous Zippo lighter – which was currently tucked away safely in the pocket of his jeans.
"I founded this team, Ibrought them together, I trained them and helped them with their powers when others would not, so don't tell me that I have no rule of these children, because last time I checked, neither did you," she snarled viciously. "If you value the disgusting and frail life you live, I'd suggest you shut your mouth and listen, because you're as much a part of this team now as they are. Understood?"
John nodded weakly, as best he could under the pressure she was exerting on this throat, and sighed as she released him. He rubbed his neck as he watched her scan her eyes over the six of them, probably taking in an assessment of her team.
She snorted her disapproval and it was then that the Brotherhood noticed there were others waiting outside the door, because one of them stepped forward into the house. "I agree Raven, they are a pathetic bunch."
Everyone's head swiveled towards the woman, who had shoulder-length blonde hair of pampered-princess-like quality, ice blue eyes, and a white two-piece costume that briefly made the eyes of the five resident males to drop.
"Emma, how many times must I ask you to keep your mind to yourself?" Mystique turned to the blonde and to the shock of all six BoM members – smiled.
"Can't help it if I take pride in being the only telepath you let slip through your mental blocks," Emma's eyes flashed with unspoken musings. Obviously there was a silent joke between the two, but the Brotherhood was currently too stunned of the fact that Mystique was here and that she had actually smiled to notice.
"I'd like to introduce my old friend and your new co-boss, Emma Frost," Mystique smirked at her team. "She's a telepath, with the potency to rival Charles Xavier."
"Oh-goodie-another-boss. She-as-big-a-bitch-as-you?" Pietro muttered quickly under his breath, and thankfully for him, neither Mystique nor Emma heard him.
"You will listen to her orders just as much as if they were coming from me, understood?" Mystique glared at them all, and slowly, they nodded. "Also, I present to you two new teammates."
Behind Emma came a shorter woman with shoulder-length curly hair that was a bright purple color, with deep blue eyes and red scar-like mark over her left eye. Holding her hand was a much taller blonde man, with bright blue eyes and a rich-looking trenchcoat. Sticking out from just underneath the hem of the coat was a set of white feathers, just barely visible.
"Wait a sec…isn't he with the X-Men?" Wanda inquired, looking at the man.
"He was, but after much persuasion, he isn't," Mystique smiled wickedly. "This is Warren Worthington III, AKA Angel, you can guess what his mutation is."
"And his partner is Elizabeth Braddock, Psylocke," Emma added. "She's a telepath like me, but not as strong. She can also create one wicked Psionic blade."
"You know, there's one thing you still haven't touched on," Lance pointed out, and all attention turned to him. "Why the heck are you back? You know…other than to 'reclaim what's yours' or whatever."
Mystique's lips pursed together and her eyes narrowed as her muscles tensed up. "Revenge," the word rolled out of her mouth with such venom it made the Brotherhood members cringe. "Revenge against the idiots that discarded me and turned my own children against me. With Emma's help, they will bow before me and beg that I not let them suffer when a certain rogue child is mine again."
"Wait a minute; you're going to use Rogue?" Toad frowned. "She don't like you, why she gonna help you?"
"Because just like you, she won't have a choice," Emma purred, looking him directly in the eyes and Toad stiffened, a slightly glazed over look in his eyes, much like Fred acquired seconds later in the kitchen. As Mystique, Emma, Psylocke and Angel stormed past Wanda and up the stairs, no doubt off to plot, the twins, John and Lance exchanged glances.
"Oh and don't think of leaving, because Emma will sense it before you even so much as move," Mystique called to them before they heard a door slam.
"What's going on?" Wanda frowned as looked at the boys, who all shrugged, except Toad and Fred, who were still in a weird trance. "This is so not good."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:and there we have it, chapter two. I had much fun writing this chapter, even if I had to make poor Angel and Psylocke evil. I really didn't want to, but then again, are they really evil? Or just in it "because they don't have a choice"? You stick around, and eventually, I'll tell ya. R&R.