Author Ramblings: I realized that my story is making no sense at all, so I hope this chapter clears things up. Please review. Big thanks to all readers. Yes, Rose is a made-up character. Normal/flashback
Disclaimer: 2+2=4 Me + no money + Marvel= Me not owning the X-Men. Don't own music or bands or stores mentioned either.
"Hi, I'm your guardian." For a minute Rogue just stares at the girl, who appears to be about fourteen.
"What?" Rogue just recovered from being dragged away from her family and into an asylum. She isn't in the mood to deal with someone claiming to have a hold on her.
"Rogue, please show our guest to my office. Ororo, Logan, Hank and all X-Men, please come to my office as well." The Professor is picking up Rogue's feelings of tiredness and pain. The mutants mentioned and the guest moves to Charles' office. The office is a cozy, comfortable space. It is as big as the bedrooms, with two walls covered by bookshelves, and a big window behind the Professor's mahogany desk. Logan moves to lean against a bookshelf. Beast and Scott get more chairs so that everyone that wants to, can sit. Once everyone is in a chair and he himself is behind his desk, the Professor steeples his fingers and looks at the strange girl. "Hello, I am Charles Xavier and this is my school for gifted youngsters. I believe you have a gift as well?"
The girl nods and speaks, "I know who you are and where I am. My name is Rose, and I do have a gift." At this moment the doors burst open, revealing a guilty-looking bunch of New Recruits. Bobby is on the floor and quickly gets up with a big smile.
"Hi, funny meeting you guys here. Well, we'll be going." As he's saying this Bobby is trying to back out of the room, the rest of the recruits following his lead. Jean puts her hand up and the doors slam before anyone can leave. Logan growls.
But the Professor puts his hand up as well and Logan stops. "Well, now that our audience is in plain sight, would you care to tell us more about your gift and why you're here, Rose?"
Rose looks amused and says, "I have a choice? Ok, well let's see… how to explain it?" She mutters to herself. "First, don't think I'm insane, okay?" Rogue shudders internally at the word 'insane'. "There are many universes. We just live in one, but there are several hundreds of billions. These different universes can be as different as night and day, or the only difference could be one small detail. Now that being said, all the universes usually have around the same amount of people, and barring death and birth, the same people. So in a different universe, there is a Charles Xavier and a Logan. There is a place outside of all universes and time itself. That is where I come from. My power is to be able to travel from universe to universe whenever I want, but there is a catch in that it takes a lot of energy. So I have to be careful not to exhaust myself. I am here, in this universe, in this school, because I am a guardian of the Lightbearers." For what seems like an eternity, no one says anything, it's so quiet you could hear a pin drop in the Brotherhood house.
Then it all breaks loose. "Are you cracked?" "This is insane." "She's weird." "What's a Lightbearer?" "I thought she was Rogue's guardian." "HEY!" The shout from Logan shuts everyone up.
"Thank you, Logan. This is very interesting." The Professor appears to be deep in thought.
"What? Professor you can't honestly believe her, can you?" Scott has made up his mind on Rose and is set on removing the crazy girl from his house immediately.
"It's not all that far-fetched, Scott. Remember that place Kurt travels through when he teleports." Mr. McCoy, for his part, is fascinated with this concept.
"If I may ask, what is a Lightbearer?" The Professor looks curiously at Rose.
"Ok, now here's where it gets more complicated. Every mutant has an internal power. Some are stronger than others; some never show. Two of your students have strong internal powers. You know about the first one: Jean is currently housing the Phoenix, but you've managed to keep that tamped down, correct?" The Professor is startled by the fact that Rose knows about the Phoenix, but manages to nod. She continues, "The other one you don't know about, but you should. The other one completely blows the Phoenix out of the water. On a scale of inner powers, the Phoenix rates about a four out of ten. The other one rates about a thousand out of ten. In where I'm from, the Nexus, for every internal power, there is a representation, a big or small glowing ball. Now if the internal power is say a seven or above there will only be one glowing ball that all the people who have that power in all the universes share. In Jean's case, each Jean in all the universes have their own power spheres. In Rogue's case, there is only one gigantic ball that all the Rogues share. Now my bosses, the Ultimate Power Council, are only interested in the level sevens and aboves. They create guardians for each, not enough for one to go to every universe, but enough to protect when needed. I am a guardian for the Lightbearers. For Rogue's internal power, there are two Lightbearers. No other internal power has Lightbearers. Lightbearers are the most powerful of all the Rogues. They get the biggest pieces of the power pie. Rogue is a Lightbearer." She finishes, leaving all listening stunned. "Oh wait! Before I forget, the reason why I picked now to come protect you, is that more and more threats are compounding against you, Rogue. There is one threat to watch out for in particular. The ruler, the all-powerful one, the great being, the wonderfully gracious one, magnificent one, the great one, the evil one; the queen, she is called all of these things."
"Like, ego much?" Kitty Pryde breaks the tension in the room.
Rose laughs. "Yes, very much so, but she prefers to be called Empress. She is a very dangerous person and she is targeting Rogue." She turns grim at the end. Everyone absorbs the information they have been given by the girl who showed up on their doorstep. By now, it is well past a reasonable hour and everyone decides to hit the sack. The Professor offers Rose a room. She accepts and the mansion lapses into quiet.
~XXXXXXXXXXXXXX~
Dark, smoky, and black are the only words that she can find to describe her surroundings. She calls out, but the only answer she receives is her own voice echoing back. She slowly walks forward. There in the distance is a tall, shiny object. She moves toward it and stops, once she realizes it's a mirror. She turns and comes face to face with another one. She is in a house of mirrors, only instead of one making her fat and short and another making her tall and thin, she is faced by two images. One of her current self, she is about seventeen, five feet eight inches, hair down to the middle of her back, she almost looks like a normal teen, except for the wicked looking scepter and the green thigh-high boots, green cape, green leotard and the green headpiece. The other image is from a lifetime ago; she looked so happy then, the X on her uniform gleaming proudly.
She senses movement behind her. "I know you're there, Rose. I always know."
Coming out of the shadows chuckling, is the fourteen-year-old. "Yes, you do know. You also know why I'm here. Look at you; you look so cute, ready to take on the world. Too bad you lost, too bad…" She fades into the background.
"It's your fault. Get away from me, I can't stand to look at you!" The seventeen-year-old screams.
"Awww, did I make someone angry? You always did have a temper. Pity you couldn't control it better, it could have been useful to the cause."
"That's all you ever cared about. You always pushed me. You said it was about the cause, not about me." She hisses.
"You were so pretty back then." Rose says gesturing at the second image. "She looks just like you, you know. She's better than you; always have been, always will be."
The Empress jolts awake. She sits up in her bed and looks around her room. She sighs in relief; it was just a dream. She then pulls out a picture she keeps hidden under her pillow that looks just like the second image. She looks at it, plans running through her mind.
~XXXXXXXXXXXXXX~
The next day at the mansion, everyone still has questions for Rose, but breakfast is deemed highest priority. Storm is frying eggs, Kurt is setting the table, and Bobby is getting drinks. Everyone is in the process of getting ready or if they're already finished, getting in someone else's way. Rogue comes down amid all the chaos and goes straight for the coffee machine. No one is stupid enough to get in her way. Rose comes down listening to earphones. Last night after she was shown her room, she briefly went back to her universe to get her stuff.
The Professor rolls into the kitchen. "Attention students, since we are not sure what threats are out there, please be careful when leaving the mansion grounds and please do not go anywhere by yourself. Please keep a communicator on you at all times. Thank you."
Noticing Rogue for the first time and noting that she's had her coffee Kitty calls, "Hey Rogue, want to come to the like, mall with us?" Rogue thinks it over. She could probably sneak away from them if she needed some alone time and she wants to get out the mansion. Rogue nods. Kitty squeals.
Rose chooses this moment to pipe up, "What's the mall?" The squealing cuts off. Everyone stares at Rose. "What?"
"You don't know what the mall is?" Jean asks amazed.
"Nope," Rose shrugs.
The girls, excluding Rogue, share a look and decide, "You're coming too." Rose shrugs again and walks over by Rogue and the coffee machine.
Breakfast is finished and all the girls pile into the X-van. Jean sets the radio on a pop station. Rose, who is sitting in the back with Rogue, sees Rogue wince. She takes off her earphones and hands them to Rogue. Rogue looks skeptical, but puts them on and is surprised to hear "Missing" by Evanescence.
At the mall the girls go into Hollister. They begin to browse but Rogue and Rose stay outside the store. "You know if there's a fire, everyone in that store is dead." Rose is casually looking at her fingernails. Rogue looks at Rose then the store then nods.
"Hey Rogue!" Both turn around. Wanda walks up. "What's up? Who's this?" She indicates Rose.
"It's a long storeh." Rogue looks bored. "Why are ya here?"
"Got a book on hold that came in. So what's the story?" Wanda holds up a bag.
"Story is that the long story is standing right here and can hear every word you're saying." Rose is a little miffed. "I am Rogue's guardian."
Wanda raises her eyebrows. "I thought that's what Wolverine is for. Look, I'm thirsty and I'm going to get some coffee. Want to come, it's my treat?" Rose and Rogue look at each other and all three move to the coffee shop.
~XXXXXXXXXXXXXX~
Previously on All or nothing: In front of a computer was a man. The computer's clock said 1:48, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He was thinking about that little girl who had taken his world by storm. That-that #?*!; he didn't even know her name but he hated her with a burning passion. How dare she just waltz into his hometown and help that sleazebag who didn't deserve it. She was pretty too, that just added to the insult. She and her idiotic friends got lucky, that's what he tells himself. That little %\~ thinks she can knock him out (twice!) and not have to face the consequences. Well she should think again; no matter whom he had to get through to do it, one way or another he was going to destroy her. He called his butler, a tall dark-haired man, and finally turned off his computer.
Not fifty feet away from the three girls having coffee, is a man. He is sitting on one of the many benches in the mall, holding a bag from one of the many stores and eating a chilidog. More importantly, he is blending in, the target doesn't notice him. The man finishes his chilidog and throws the wrapper away. He gets up and exits the mall, walking to a car parked nearby. He gets in and takes out his cell phone. He dials a number he has memorized and waits for the answer. "Bonjour." A clipped voice is on the other end.
"Bonjour. I have seen de target. I have been watchin' her for deux (two in French) weeks."
"Bon." The voice is pleased. "I will be arrivin' in four heures (hours). I expect a full report when I get dere, got it?"
"Oui, sir." The phone call ends. The man drives away.
~XXXXXXXXXXXXXX~
Back in the mall, the girls are finishing their coffee and are joined by the ones who were shopping. "Wait," Jean holds up her communicator. "I think I heard something."
"Girls," Scott's voice filters through the tiny speakers. "come back to the mansion, you're late for training." There is a collective groan. Tabby sticks out her tongue, but the X-girls all move to get up and leave.
"Does that mean me too?" Rose raises an eyebrow.
Kitty shrugs. "Like, maybe." Rose sighs and stands up too.
~XXXXXXXXXXXXXX~
After the grueling training session, everyone is sore and decides to shower, then get more information from Rose. "Ok. First, I am never doing that again!" Rose announces. Rogue rolls her eyes.
"Oh, like don't give us that Rogue. Like, everyone can't like, be as good as you." Rogue is good. The best at the mansion, second only to Logan.
"What do you guys want to know?" Rose changes the subject. "I don't know much more. Little to nothing is known about Empress."
"Hank, see what you can find out. As for the rest of you, I think bedtime is a good idea." There are various murmurings in agreement and everyone once again goes to bed.
~XXXXXXXXXXXXXX~
Mommy and Daddy are fighting again. She whimpers as she watches from her little corner. Mommy screams and Daddy is red in the face. Slap! Mommy just got Daddy right across his face. Daddy goes red from the slap and anger, his yelling goes up in volume. She holds her ears. She doesn't even know what they're arguing about this time. There's always something that makes them scream at each other. She gets up slowly, hoping not to be noticed. She slips silently out and goes to her little room. She's only been in this family for two months, but she already wishes she could leave. She pulls out her baby blanket and hugs it close to her chest. She remembers her mommy and daddy, before they went away. Ow! Her head hurts. A seventeen-year-old Rogue separates from a five-year-old Lance.
Rogue shoots up in bed and looks wildly around. 'It's just a dream, it's just a dream.' She tries to calm herself and slow her breathing. Kitty doesn't stir. Rogue holds her head for a minute, then gets out of bed. She goes to the kitchen and is surprised to find Rose there.
"Hey." Rose nods. She's eating a bowl of chocolate ice cream.
"Hey." Rogue echoes. She moves to get a glass of water.
"So… I was hungry. I'm guessing that you had a nightmare and that's why you're here?" Rose puts some of the chocolaty goodness in her mouth.
"Yeah." Rogue sits with her water as far from Rose as the table allows.
Rose looks at her. "I'm not them, I'm not afraid. I have been trained to be around you, I'm your guardian. Please don't shy away from me." Rose looks down at the end.
Rogue sighs. "Ah don't need a guardian, Ah can take care of mahself. And Ah have no idea what ya mean when ya say ya ain't them."
"I know how they move away from you. How they recoil at the slightest possible touch. I know how that hurts you. You might not need a guardian, but I think you need a friend and it's my job to be your guardian, so you're suck with me." Rose boldly meets Rogue's eyes.
Rogue's eyes soften, "Ah have friends, but Ah won't say no ta another. Ah'm sorry for how Ah've been actin' toward ya."
Rose nods, "You've been going through a rough patch, I get it. Look, as your guardian, it's my responsibility to protect you, keep you happy, and teach you to be a Lightbearer."
Rogue grimaces, "Great, more power and responsibilities Ah don't want thrown on meh."
"Sorry. I think you'll find it's easier than you thought, once you start training. Oh!" Rose is surprised.
"What?" Rogue looks around warily.
"Did you get a card earlier?" Rose tilts her head.
"Yeah, from Gambit, why?" Rogue raises an eyebrow.
"I think you have a visitor." Rose reaches over and pulls a playing card out of Rogue's hair. Rogue grabs the card, gets up and leaves the kitchen. Rose chuckles, "They're so cute when they're at this age." She smirks and finishes her ice cream.
~XXXXXXXXXXXXXX~
Rogue arrives back at her room and searches for the Swamp Rat she knows is there. She doesn't know why she didn't notice before. She goes to her bed, and on the pillow is a red rose that wasn't there before. She picks it up and gives in to temptation by sneaking a quick sniff. It smells nice, but there are some spicy undertones to the floral scent. She moves toward the balcony and steps out. The moon is full and glowing. She pulls out the card Rose plucked from her hair. She sees some writing, 'Chere, belle as always. Sweet dreams, Remy.' She swears she's not smiling. She scowling, that's it! She's scowling because the Swamp Rat had the audacity to sneak into her room (again!) and leave her a rose and card. She gives one last glance to the moon and turns to go back inside. Before she's even in the door, a dart comes and hits her in the neck. She gasps and grabs where the dart pierced. The world is fading. She drops the card and rose as she hits the floor of the balcony. A team of two masked men silently climbs the balcony and collects their prize.
Author Ramblings continued: There, I hope that helps things make sense. So for the record, the queen is the queen. Rose is the guardian. Ok, please review!