"Wake up Rogue", Mystique said. She was really mad now. She'd let Rogue sleep later than usual.
"I said wake up", Mystique said a little louder. The 12 year old auburn haired girl still slept.
"Fine. Have it your way", Mystique said. She reached out and snatched the blanket off the girl. Then she raised up the mattress about 10 inches so that the girl was dumped on the floor. When she hit the floor her green eyes cracked open.
"Why'd yah do that Raven?", the girl said sleepily climbing to her feet.
"Today is very important. You're powers have manifested Rogue", Mystique announced.
"What powers?", Rogue asked.
"Rogue you're are a mutant. A human being born with unique DNA that allows them to have very powerful gifts. Your mother was also a mutant. You also have your mother's powers. The ability to absorb others powers, memories, and abilities through skin to skin contact. With my help your mother learned to control her gifts and it only manifests when she wants it to," Mystique explained.
Rogue remembered very little about her family. Probably because a few months after Mystique got Rogue she took Rogue to a doctor who did some brain surgeries on Rogue. The scars were still on Rogue's scalp with only her auburn hair covering them up.
"What was mah mothah like Raven?", Rogue asked.
"She looked just like you", was all Mystique said.
"How do I know I really have powers?", Rogue asked.
"I knew you'd ask. Victor come here for a minute", Mystique said.
A few moments later a huge man came into the room. He had long blonde hair and long fingernails. It was his eyes that scared Rogue. They were solid brown with no irises or pupils or anything a normal human eye should have. Rogue backed away even though the guy was on the other side of the room next to Mystique.
"Victor will you let Rogue use her power on you", Mystique said smiling at Victor.
Victor glanced at Rogue. "Why?", he growled at Mystique.
"It shouldn't hurt", Mystique said making a trail on Victor's chest with her fingertip.
"Okay. What's the runt's name?", Victor said.
"Rogue", Mystique answered.
"Well c'mere Rogue", Victor said. All his attention was focused on Rogue now.
Rogue stayed where she was where she was. Something about this Victor scared her.
"Well go over to her then", Mystique said.
Victor started towards Rogue. She was too scared to move. He stopped about 8 inches from her. That was too close for Rogue's comfort but she didn't move.
"Rogue do what I showed you", Mystique said from across the room.
Rogue hesitated. Then she slowly put her hands over Victor's rough calloused hands. For about a second nothing happened then the crackle of energy being transferred took over the room. Rogue felt dizzy but didn't let go. Then she felt strong. Really strong. And angry. The kind of angry that could make her destroy the entire state of California. When she let go Victor sank to the floor.
Mystique smiled and thought to herself "It's time".
Rogue started breathing really hard. She whipped around to the window and ripped the curtains down. Then she smashed the window with her bare fists. The anger was still there. She wanted to kill somebody. Anybody. And then taste their blood. she turned slowly toward Victor who was still on the floor. within seconds she pounced on him clawing and biting and hitting.
"Rogue! No! Stop!", Mystique said. She pulled Rogue off of Victor by her T-shirt.
Rogue suddenly didn't feel so strong and angry anymore. She sat down with her back to the wall. Panting.
Victor suddenly sprung up. "I'm gonna kill that little bitch if she ever does that again!", Victor bellowed. Rogue covered her ears in fear.
"I'm sorry Victor. She must've absorbed too much of your energy. C'mon", Mystique said grabbing Victor's arm. She led him out of the room. She closed the door behind them.
Suddenly Rogue saw a flash in her head. A man was screaming at a boy with long blonde hair. The boy's mom also had long blonde hair. She was trying to stop the father but with no success.
"Craig leave Victor alone please!", the woman begged.
"Natasha he's a freak! He deserves whatever he gets!", the father-Craig-yelled.
"So he's a little different. He's still our son!", the mother-Natasha-said.
Craig whipped around and punched Natasha in the face. Natasha fell onto the couch. "Never call that little freak our son", Craig snarled.
The blonde haired boy stood there in silence. Rogue could just feel the anger building up in the boy. Why was he keeping his anger all inside and why was he so quiet?
The man turned from his fallen wife back to the boy. He kept screaming at his son. Gesturing and his neck veins were popping out. Rogue could only hear the most hurtful words that the man said: freak, freak of nature, son of a bitch, shame of this whole family, etc. Finally the father grabbed the son roughly by his shoulder and threw him into an open closet. He slammed the closet door shut and locked it. Then he stormed out of the house. Natasha started sobbing,
There was an awkward moment of silence then the closet door busted open. He immediately lunged at Natasha.
"Victor! Noooooooooo!" Natasha screamed out in a bloodcurdling tone. Then silence.
After the murder Victor walked around the house looking for his father. He even looked in the garage and the shed. Oh well. He'd wait cause he sure as hell wasn't leaving until he got the man who'd given him hell all his 11 years on Earth.
Rogue crawled over to her bed and after a lot of struggle she pulled herself onto the bed. She laid down and closed her eyes.
A few moments later footsteps entered. They stopped near Rogue. Rogue could sense the person hovering over her.
She opened her eyes.
"Get ready we have a lot of training to do for my important assignment", Mystique said.
"What important assignmen'?", Rogue asked still lying down.
"I'll tell you when the time is right. Are you all right?", Mystique said.
"Yea'", Rogue said.
Mystique stood there for a moment. Then she said "training starts in an hour" and left.
Rogue weakly sat up. She slipped out of her pajamas and slipped into a T-shirt and jeans and sandals. She pulled her naturally wavy auburn hair into a ponytail and went downstairs to the kitchen. She made herself some grits and eggs, her favorite breakfast. Even though she lived in Maryland she loved southern cooking.
Cody St. Matthews walked in. He was another training recruit of Mystique and could always bring a smile to Rogue's face or make her laugh. He called her Ro'.
"Morning Ro'", Cody said with a heavy New Jersey accent. He always said that Rogue's voice made her sound like a southern belle out of the movies. Whatever a southern belle was.
"Mornin' Cody", Rogue said cooking eggs on the stove. When they were finished she put them on her plate along with her grits. Cody made a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios. He said this was the second best thing to eat after a Philly cheese sandwich or lo mien.
As soon as she started to eat Cody said "Can we go outside for a minute. To talk?", Cody said.
Rogue put down her fork. "Okay"
The two went outside and under a giant oak tree. They stood in silence for a few minutes.
"Ro' I really like you", Cody said looking at Rogue with his weird lime green eyes. "I like you too", Rogue said. "No I mean I really really like you. Like this", Cody said and leaned over to kiss Rogue. Before she could warn him the sound of energy being transferred took over the air around the two.
Gambit could sense something was wrong. He left the beer on the counter and followed his sense. It stopped at Rogue's room.
Rogue screamed. This time she remembered the dream.
She turned on her light and went over to her mirror. Hesitantly she raised up a lock of her auburn hair. Then she saw it. A faint scar on her scalp.
"Oh mah gawd", Rogue said. She let her auburn hair back down just as Gambit came in.
"Chere are you okay?", Gambit asked.
"No mah...mah past is coming back", Rogue said shivering. Her eyes started tearing up.
"Maybe yah shoul' talk to dah Professor or Jeannie tomorrow", Gambit suggested.
"Yea I will", Rogue said going back to bed. She crawled in and Gambit tucked her in.
"What did yah see of yah past chere?", Gambit said.
"When I was in Marylan' with Mystique", Rogue said snuggling deeper into her sheets.
"Yah must be startin' to remember stuff cuz in yah subconscious yah see stuff yah may not while yah awake", Gambit said. He sat in a chair that he'd pulled up to next to Rogue's bed.
"Do yah want me to stay here wit, yah?", Gambit asked.
"Yea. That'd be real nice. Will yah go with me tomorrow to see the Professor or Jean tomorrow too?", Rogue said.
"Yea chere", Gambit said. Rogue smiled and closed her eyes.