A/N: Hello everyone, here's the next chapter of this story. Hope you enjoy! Please R&R! Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men Evolution.

Chapter 28:

"Don't y' touch her!" Remy said vehemently.

"Or what?" Magda asked him, laughing. "I don't think you're in any position to be making any threats."

"Leave meh and mah baby alone!" Rogue yelled.

Magda approached her cell door. "Rogue, honey," she began in a mock sweet voice. "No one is going to hurt you or the baby. You're both too valuable."

"Then… then what do ya want from us?" Rogue asked; her voice shaky.

Magda unlocked Rogue's cell door. "First, I want you to put this on," she said, holding out the gown she'd been holding.

"No!" Rogue protested.

Magda's eyes turned hard. "Do it! Or else I'll activate Remy and he'll do it for you. And I can't guarantee his gentle touch."

Rogue glanced at Remy, who threw her an "I'm sorry" look. Rogue let out a sigh. "Fine."

"Good," Magda said appreciatively. With a flick of her wrist Rogue's shackles came undone. Magda threw the gown at Rogue. "Now put it on."

Rogue hesitated.

"Oh, fine. Modesty, it was never an issue in my day," she said, annoyed, but turned around none-the-less.

Rogue glanced at Remy; he'd already turned away. Rogue picked up the gown Magda had thrown at her. It was white and seemed to be made roughly out of some coarse fabric that she couldn't name.

She pulled off her own clothes and shivered. Then she slipped the gown over her head and realized it wasn't going to be much help with the cold. The gown had wide flowing sleeves, but it also had a deep V neck. And to top it off it was slit open from her abdomen down. It didn't cover anything.

"What is this thing?" Rogue asked in disgust.

Magda turned around and looked at Rogue, clearly pleased. "This is your ritual gown."

"What ritual? What are y' doing t' Rogue?" Remy questioned.

"You'll see soon enough."


"Nightcrawler to Cyclops, Nightcrawler to Cyclops," Scott heard in his ear.

"Yeah, Nightcrawler?" Scott answered.

"Ve think ve've got them!" Nightcrawler spoke urgently.

"What?"

"Volverine asked me to scout ahead; I found a tunnel that has been used recently. Ve're vaiting for you guys."

"All right, where are you?" Scott questioned.

Kurt relayed his coordinates.

"All right, we'll be there Nightcrawler. Wait on us," Scott made sure to say. And then he turned to his team. "Ok, X-men, this might be it. We've got to go in there and make sure we're extra careful. Everything's got to work, make every move count. That's Rogue in there and we've got to get her out."

Scott looked at the determined faces in front of him. It assured him to see everyone on the same page.

"Let's go."


"It's time, Rogue!" Magda said calmly from the entrance of Rogue's cell.

"Leave meh alone!" Rogue shouted.

Magda approached her, ignoring Rogue's sentiments. She took hold of her with Jean's telekinesis.

Suddenly, their entire surroundings began to glow pink.

"Leave her alone!" Remy gritted out. He was concentrating hard, emanating his power from his entire body. It took every ounce of his mental prowess to control his power at this level.

Magda made a tsk, tsk sound. "Remy, come now. If you let go you'll be burying all of us, including your precious Rogue."

"'M sure dat would be better dan what y' have planned," Remy shot back.

"Really, are you sure about that?" Magda asked openly.

Remy flicked his gaze from Magda to Rogue's panic stricken face. The glow faded away.

"I thought so," Magda added smugly.

"If y' hurt her…" Remy threatened.

"Hurt her?" Magda asked incredulously. "Now why would I do that? I need Rogue. Apocalypse needs Rogue."

"What! What do ya mean? What are ya going ta do wit' meh?" Rogue shouted.

Magda floated Rogue towards the propped up stone table with shackles. Magda held Rogue up against it with her powers as she came in close to close the shackles around Rogue's wrists.

"Shh… Rogue, you will be taken care of," Magda said in a voice meant to be soothing. But all it did was give Rogue goose bumps and a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Please…" Rogue pleaded.

Magda just shook her head and turned around.

"Jean," Rogue yelled. "Jean, ah know ya're still in there. Stop her! Please, Jean!"

Magda turned around. "Jean is not here any longer. I have banished her."

The coldness with which she said this made Rogue believe it. She wasn't sure where Jean was but she wasn't in her body anymore.


"They're almost here," Jubilee exclaimed, listening for the approaching footsteps.

"Good, we can finally bust our way in there!" Wolverine growled.

"Wolverine, we must be cautious, we don't know what's going on in there," Storm warned.

"Yeah, I'm with her," Calysto agreed. "And maybe Evan and I should go ahead first."

"Now why would that make any sense?" Wolverine inquired.

Calysto shrugged. "We know the terrain better."

"We're here!" Scott announced as they finally stomped into full view.

"Finally," Wolverine growled. "Let's go!"

"Wait, do we have a plan?" Kitty asked.

"Yeah, we go in and bust Rogue out," Wolverine told them.

"Logan," Kitty chided.

"Come on, let's think. We need a plan. Nothing can go wrong," Scott added, calmly.


"What are ya doing?" Rogue asked uncomfortably.

She stared down at Magda who was mixing up a thick paste in a bowl. She watched on as Magda put her finger in the eggplant coloured mixture. Magda moved to put it on Rogue's exposed stomach, but Rogue flinched and began to wriggle.

"Magda, stop!" Remy shouted.

"I am… getting a little tired of you," Magda commented calmly. And just as serenely she flicked her wrist and Remy was out like a light.

"Magda!" Rogue screamed.

"Shut up," Magda yelled. "Before I start to want to hurt you too!"

Rogue went quiet immediately, she watched in silent horror as Magda began to use the paste to paint hieroglyph symbols on Rogue's stomach.

"What does it say?" Rogue whispered.

Magda finished what she was writing and then met Rogue's gaze. The eerie smile she gave her did not do anything to comfort Rogue.

"I just need to paint a few on your face and then we'll be done," Magda answered instead.


Well that's it. So, I kind of lied, we didn't see who the third horseman is in this one, but we definitely find out in the next one.

So next chapter: The third horseman is revealed. And Magda begins the ritual.

Thanks to all who reviewed: flamingrose; MarkC; RogueNya (hope that's a good Gah); TomBoy Princess; twilightcloud18; Nikki-4; Oushou no Yami (maybe, you've got to wait and see); ; and Chica de Los Ojos Café.

Please keep the reviews coming!! Thanks!!