Okay guys, from here on out, it's Musketeers. I don't think I'll put anymore flashbacks in, but if I do, they'll be short.

Anyway, enjoy Athos beating up Rogue in an effort to train.

ST

I threw my arm out to catch myself before I rammed into a tree, but lunged backwards as a sword hit the tree where I had been standing.

The sword didn't bury itself in the wood, so it was swinging at me quickly.

I raised my sword, blocking the hit aimed at my face.

"Raise your arm! Straighten and you won't buckle from the oncoming blow!" Athos ordered as he swung again, dancing around me more than fighting me.

I dodged his swing and tried to do as he told me. My arm folded under the weight he put behind his swing, and I danced out of the way. I envied his calm appearance. He was the perfect picture of a swordsmen, face set and calm, arm straight and fluid, aiming strong blows at me, calculation and judgment shone behind his hard blue eyes, and his free arm was clasped behind his back, not needing it at all.

"You cannot rely on only your speed to win a fight!" He barked, "You must outlast your opponent. If that means diving out of the way more, do it. But don't let your opponent strike you. One good hit and you will be dead where you stand."

He struck my palm with his sword, leaving behind a thin cut, and then yanked my sword out of my hand, flicking his own sword up to my throat.

"Dead." He said before backing away.

He and I were sparring in the meadow behind Treville's lodging. Neither of us had our jackets, nor any other weapons. We were both dressed in loose tunics, pants, belt, and boots.

His white tunic was open near his throat, which showed me the sweat tracking down his neck. At least I knew he was still human.

I panted, fighting the urge to collapse from exhaustion. We had been going like this since dawn, and judging by the sun, it was already late into the afternoon. No breaks, except for water. So I had been tortured by Athos nearly all day.

Thankfully, after noon, the sun had been covered sparsely with clouds, so it wasn't beating down on us so mercilessly. But now, the clouds had vanished, and the hot sun was shining yet again.

Athos leaned back on his leg a bit, shifting his weight and relaxing slightly. His empty hand came up and ran through his hair and he pointed to my sword. "Again."

With a mental groan, I picked up the blade. It's weight normally comforted me, perfectly balanced and grafted to my palm it was practically an extension of my arm, but going at it all day, I was ready to skewer myself.

"Straighten your body, like this." He showed me what he wanted me to do, and I mimicked it, waiting for him to explain why. "When I strike you, block my sword and mold into the blow. But do not let me push you over. If your feet move even an inch, I can overpower you. Use your strength and your balance to steady you." He had already taught D'artagnan a lot, so it was my turn to be tortured by it all. Though I knew that someday it'd be useful. And he wasn't even near done with D'artagnan.

He tilted his head and removed his stance, "Put your sword down." Athos instructed, putting his own sword on a rock.

I did as I was told, and put my sword beside his.

"Stand as you did before." He instructed. After I complied, he got in front of me. "I am going to push you over. Do not let me."

Then he put his arm against mine, and pushed with all his strength. I pushed back, and didn't move.

Then he shifted his weight, lessening his push, then hitting me with his body weight.

I staggered backwards, and he grabbed my wrist, yanking my arm towards him, and struck my stomach with his palm. It wasn't enough to damage anything, but I'd have a bruise there.

I groaned and he released me. "You do well under constant pressure, but the moment I hit you, you buckled. Do you understand?"

I nodded, bending over slightly to catch my breath and recover from the hit.

"Imagine this, you are protecting someone who is behind you. Porthos." Athos supplied, stepping away from me, "You cannot let your opponent get to them, but they keep striking you. If you do not improve on what I'm teaching you, you will die, then Porthos will. Do you wish Porthos to die?"

I shook my head violently, "No. I think I understand. I just need the motivation."

Athos nodded, then shouted, "Aramis! Come here."

I turned to see Aramis walk out behind the fence, "I should have expected that." He said with a small grin, "But," He shrugged, "I can still hope that perhaps one day I'll surprise you." He cast an appraising eye at both of us, then looked back at Athos as he walked towards us.

When he reached us, Athos threw my sword to me and said, "Aramis is now the injured comrade you must protect from me. Aramis,"

Aramis threw up his hands, "Say no more." Then he fell to his knees, dramatically clasping his stomach. "Oh. No. I have been injured. Someone. Anyone. Rogue! Help. Oh help. I am defenseless. This big…. Uh…. Scary man is going to kill me!" Then he swooned like a young maiden and laid on the grass.

I leapt in front of him, grinning in spite of myself, and set myself up. "Oh, never fear, dear comrade! I, Rogue, your loyal friend, shall protect you from this brute!"

Athos sighed, "Why must I be stuck with you two."

I shrugged, "Add D'artagnan and it would be worse."

Aramis looked up, "That's true."

"Shh. You're injured." I told him with a smirk.

"Ah. I forgot." Then he fell back with his tongue hanging out of his mouth like a dog, clutching his 'injury'.

Athos shook his head, but lunged at me. I allowed myself to believe that this was a dangerous situation, and I had to defend Aramis with my life. With each strike, my arm hurt with the force Athos was throwing at me, but my feet didn't move.

Then Athos shifted, and swung at me lower than I had expected him to. I moved to compensate, and my feet slid back as his swing shoved me. The moment my feet slid, he pushed his body weight behind his sword, and my arm faltered. I tried to move backwards to compensate again, but tripped on Aramis' boot, and fell on top of him.

"Both of you are now dead." Athos commented as he stepped back. My sword at his feet.

Then Aramis pointed a stick at him, "Ah, but the injured can fight as well." He commented, clutching me to his chest with one arm and pointing the oh so threatening stick at Athos with the other. "Bang. You're dead." He said gleefully.

Athos rolled his eyes, not wanting to play along, "Then the three of us would be. Because no help is coming for Aramis, he cannot help you in further, and he shot me. Three graves, when there should only be one."

I huffed, collapsing further on Aramis dramatically.

Aramis dropped his threatening stick, clutching at me desperately with both arms, howling dramatically. "No! Such a poor soul! Taken too soon! Beautifully tragic that we two shall die together, our lives taken by one man, and our blood mingling in the dirt!" He bent over the top of me as I shook with silent laughter at his theatrics, then he went limp.

"You two will be the death of me." Athos muttered, picking up my sword before pulling Aramis off of me.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet gently, before extending a hand to Aramis.

"Not if big and scary gets us first, Athos." Aramis pointed out, accepting his hand.

Athos handed me my sword, "We'll stop now. Aramis, what did you come here for?"

Aramis threw an arm around his and my shoulders, "What? I cannot visit my friends?"

Athos gave him a flat look but didn't pull away.

"You wound me, Athos, truly." Aramis said, shaking his head. "I came to inform you that Treville expects you both back tomorrow. It's been a fortnight already, more than enough time. We have made no head way with the case, but two more victims have been claimed."

"Before he ran from us the night he confronted me, he said he was killing-"

Aramis cut me off, "Because he wanted to draw out the Horseman of Death. Which is you." I had told them the rest of the story, which I assume Aramis had passed on to Porthos and D'artagnan. "What I want to know is why. He obviously wants to kill you, but you have no clue who he is."

I shrugged, "In all honesty, it was dark, so I don't know if I knew him or not. I couldn't see his face clearly."

Aramis nodded, "Yes. So it's possible that our little Rogue Angel pissed someone off a while ago, and that someone is just now deciding to cash in revenge."

"Maybe he couldn't before?" I suggested.

"Why not?" Athos asked.

"Men. Weapons. Means. Who knows?" Aramis threw his hands up, still draped over both of us. "Right now, I think the moment Rogue goes back to Paris, he'll be after her."

"So don't go anywhere alone." Athos ordered, opening the door.

"Yeah, I know, I've downgraded to needing a babysitter." I replied chipperly.

Athos rolled his eyes, "Protection. But I expect that no matter how many people are around it, it won't matter to the person after you."

"How do we know it's just me he's after?" I asked.

"Well, he did say the Horseman of Death, who had been in Paris for some time." Aramis replied, smirking at me.

I sighed, "Fine. He's after me. You win."

Aramis smirked, tossing his head slightly, and turned to follow Athos and I further into the house.

"What else did Treville say?" Athos asked as he pulled out cups and a bottle of wine.

"He also said that he is ready to get Athos and his idiot, his words not mine, out of his house so he can come and check what damage you two have undoubtedly caused." Aramis held up his hands, "Again, his words, not mine. Actually," He tilted his head, "I believe his exact words were 'The trouble Rogue has caused. I imagine Athos is quite ready to not be trapped in a small space with her anymore'."

I scowled and turned my blue eyes on Athos, "I don't cause so much trouble you'd want to abandon me, do I?"

Athos looked at me for a moment, tilted his head in consideration, before replying, "Some days are worse than others." And pouring himself a glass of wine.

I pouted, slightly stung by his words, before perking up, "Hey! Now that I can go back to Paris, I'll actually get to pull a prank on Porthos!"

Aramis gave me an incredulous look, "Why Porthos?"

"He laughed at me when I was in the dress, after the ball." I said, crossing my arms.

Aramis laughed, "And you've had this long to plan something, haven't you?"

I nodded sagely, "Yes. Porthos won't know what hit him."

Athos rolled his eyes and took another swig of wine before saying, "You will wait until this case is far behind us before you prank Porthos, am I clear?"

I pouted at him, "You're no fun, 'Thos."

"If you wait, I will assist you." Came his reply.

Both Aramis and I froze mid sip, we comically looked at each other, before looking at Athos in shock.

"Sorry, my friend, I seem to have heard you wrong. Could you repeat what you just said?" Aramis asked.

Athos smirked at us, "You heard me correctly."

I sputtered and asked, "Why?! You…. You never…."

Athos shrugged, taking another sip, "Porthos made the mistake of purposely switching my wine with rum. My good wine, mind you. With rum." Athos scowled into his glass, as if it was its fault.

Aramis whistled, "I thought Porthos was smarter than that."

I shrugged, "Guess not. Either way, I shall follow your command, oh supreme leader."

Athos nodded to me, and hid a grin with his cup. I could barely contain my own grin of excitement. If I worked with Athos, it as sure to be a wonderful prank.