Xavier
worked with Carol for as long as Carol (and he) could take making sure to,
telling her everything she needed to know. When they were finally done
(or just too frustrated to go on) Carol headed for her bed, hoping that when
she woke up her nightmare would be over, or at least that she would be
well-rested to face what was in store in the day ahead. Thanks in
advance. :)
* * *
The next day proved to be full of surprises for Carol. Having to wake up
so early for Danger Room sessions was not something she looked forward to doing
every day. She did, however, enjoy showing the X-Men the full potential
of her powers. She was not only invulnerable to any attacks, but could
have taken on the whole program single-handedly, her fists as her only
weapon. She could sense most attacks before they hit and was unbelievably
strong. Professor Xavier tried measuring just how strong she was, but
even his equipment was insufficient in measuring it.
The day proved to be surprising for the X-Men as well. Carol not only
dressed differently from Rogue (she wore colors other than green and black),
but she was also against makeup, calling it "a man's invention to make
women feel flawed". The X-Men were amazed at this new look, as it
was Rogue in a way they had never seen her before - "normal".
Had Rogue been conscious at the time, she would surely have blushed at the way
Scott, in particular, was looking at her. He had never looked that way at
anyone before, save Jean.
After a quick breakfast, it was time for school, the moment Carol had dreaded
since she awoke in Rogue's body. Carol and the X-Men went to school early
as planned and the X-Men showed her around the school. She hoped she
would have no problems finding her way around and she would make it through the
day all right.
Carol went through Rogue's locker trying to figure out and get everything she
needed for her classes, just as Rogue's friend Risty was walking down the hall
towards her, calling out her name.
"Rogue! Rogue! Hey, Rogue! ROGUE!"
Carol was jumped suddenly and turned around to see Rogue's purple-haired friend
in front of her, looking puzzled.
"Why didn't you answer me? Didn't you hear me calling you?"
"Oh, uh, yeah, sorry. I…Ah mean AH was just, umm…preoccupied with
thoughts. I…Ah wasn't really here."
"You sound a little different, are you all right?"
"Yeah, Ah'm fine, really. Fine as ever, sugah," she said,
faking a smile.
"Umm…all right if you say so. Hey, what's with your outfit?
And your make-up? Don't tell me you're trying to compete with Jean or
something?"
"Jean? Why would I want to compete with her?"
"You know the whole Scott thing. You do remember having an immense crush
on him don't you? I mean, I know you're always denying it but-"
"Oh, uh…yeah, that. Well, you know, Ah'm trying to get over him and
stuff," she said, remembering the innocence and childishness of high
school. "Anyway, no, Ah'm not trying to compete with her. Ah just
felt like a change. Ah was tired of wearing the same thing, the same
colors, the same make-up. And besides, wearing revealing clothing and
make-up is man's way of making us want to look the way they want us to.
It's time we women stopped letting them control us like that."
"Uh-huh. Are you sure you're all right? I mean, just last week
you were, well, not to sound mean or anything, down in the dumps. And now
you're completely different. Is everything OK? I mean, I know there
was something wrong before that you don't want to talk about. But did
something else happen? You can talk to me, you know."
"Ah guess you could say Ah had a reawakening. Ah didn't want to be
so lifeless anymore."
"Hmm, well, that's good. I'm glad to see you're feeling
better. I'm still taking you home after school as usual, right?"
"Oh, yeah. Sure thing."
"All right then, see you at lunch. Bye." Risty walked away
smiling, but as she walked away it faded away to reveal a scowling face.
She knew something was wrong with Rogue and she was going to find out what that
was, somehow.
The day went by slower for Carol than for everyone else. Being back in
high school was taking some getting used to. Every class seemed to go on
for hours. The only advantage was being able to show off her knowledge by
answering most questions, surprising everyone in class, including the
teachers. Unbeknownst to her, it was not simply her ability to answer the
questions (Rogue wasn't known for excelling in her academics) but the fact that
she spoke at all. Rogue was always the "weird girl that never talked".
That combined with her new look, it was no surprise how shocked everyone was.
Of course, not everyone took the change the same way. Those who teased
Rogue found no reason why they should stop simply because she wasn't the
"Goth freak" anymore. As she was walking down to her next class
one of Rogue's tormenters (apparently a jock) teased Carol, telling her she was
"a freak, no matter how she dressed".
Like Rogue, Carol had a quick tongue, but she also had quick reflexes and an
intolerance for insolence. Before the bully knew what hit him, he found
himself pinned against the wall, feet off the ground, held up single handedly
by Carol. This drew quite a crowd, including Scott and some of the other
X-Men. Scott ran as quickly as he could to Carol, ordering her to put him
down. She heeded his command, but only after teaching the bully a lesson
about picking on others.
After the crowd dissipated, Scott took Carol aside to talk to her, not knowing
that Risty had watched the whole thing in amazement and was now hiding around
the corner listening to their every word.
"Are you NUTS?! What did you think you were doing?"
"Teaching him a lesson, what did it look like? What do you want me
to do, just let him go ahead so he can just tease me and other again?
I've compromised enough as it is, I will not compromise my dignity. I
refuse to be a passive victim."
"You can't just use your powers openly like that. People will get
suspicious, especially when you left a heavyweight football player inches off
the ground. We have to hide our secret, remember?"
"You know what your problem is? You're way too 'by the book'.
You need to loosen up. Ugh, what did Rogue ever see in you?"
"Listen, you. I don't need-. Wait, what did you say?"
"Oh, uh, nothing. Never mind. I have to go to class. Oh,
and my friend Risty's driving me home. Gotta keep things the same,
remember. Bye!" Carol said as she ran down the hall to her
class. She knew that that excuse would convince Scott. She just
didn't want to ride home with the X-Men.
* * *
"I didn't know it took this long to get back home."
"I'm taking a detour."
A few minutes later, Risty drove up to an abandoned parking lot and stopped the
car, locking all the doors.
"What's going on? Why'd you stop -?"
"Where's Rogue? What have you done with her?"
"What are you talking about? Ah'm right here. It's me."
"Don't lie to me! I know you're not Rogue, Carol Danvers. My
suspicion began this morning when you didn't answer me when I called you. My
suspicion grew when you spoke without an accent and with your little feministic
speech. Then, when you used you powers in public and after listening to
your conversation with Scott, I knew my suspicions were correct.
"UH! How could Xavier have let this happen? I thought he was going
to fix things. That's why we sent her back to him. How could
he-?" she said to herself.
"Xavier didn't let it happen. He did it himself."
"What? You're lying. He would never. He couldn't!
He wouldn't!"
"But he did. Poor little Rogue couldn't live with what she did to
me, so she gave up her miserable life to give me a 'second chance', if you can
call it that. Everyone thinks it's heroic or something. Personally,
I think it's just pathetic. After all, she got what she deserved. She
got exactly what she gave me…a death sentence."
"Oh, you have NO idea what you are saying. Rogue never meant to hurt
you. She never even meant to attack you."
"Oh please. I've heard it all before."
"But you've yet to hear it from me."
"And why should that make any difference? It's the same old story
with the same old ending."
"Oh, but my story has a different beginning. You see, I was there
from the start. I knew the X-Men were coming to recruit you and I knew
your powers. I told you exactly what I knew, twisting things just a bit,
of course."
"You? What are you talking about? How-"
Before she could finish, Carol's question was answered. Right before her
eyes, Risty changed into a woman with long black hair and blue eyes, a face
that was familiar to Carol. It was the face of the woman who had come to
her at her school and warned her of the X-Men. Carol was
speechless. Her mouth was wide open in disbelief; she couldn't believe
her eyes.
"You…you're that…. But how? I don't underst-."
"It's quite simple my dear," she said as she morphed into her true
blue form. "But I'll simplify it more for you to understand.
Rogue had told me she was going to 'meet someone' and I retrieved enough
information from her to be able to find out more. When I found out about
your powers from my precognitive friend, Destiny, I knew I had to get to you
first. Destiny, however, warned me that you would refuse, and that you
would meet the X-Men and fight them. She didn't know why then, but I know
now it was because of what I would tell you. I tried to get you to join
me, but just as Destiny had predicted you were not interested, too set on being
a one-woman team. But if there is one thing I hate more than losing a
recruit, it's losing one to Xavier and he had already taken my most precious
recruit - Rogue. And so I warned you about the X-Men and well, you
know the rest. So, you see my dear, Rogue was only trying to fight back
in self-defense. You attacked them. The person you
should blame is yourself, not Rogue."
Carol was speechless. She couldn't believe what she had just heard.
All that she had thought to be true was a lie. The X-Men were telling the
truth all along.
"You tricked me?! You did all this? You caused all this
trouble and mayhem, just for spite and revenge?! You manipulative,
conniving…"
"Don't you try placing the blame on me. Everything I told you was
true - well, most of it anyway. You chose to believe it. I can't
help you if you choose to believe everything a stranger tells you."
Unable to control her anger after those last words, Carol slapped Mystique as
hard as she could (and with Carol's strength, it was pretty hard). Before
Mystique could recover, she quickly knocked the car door with her elbow and
flew off as fast as she could. She wasn't flying towards the mansion,
however, but for another destination. She had had too many blows today to
go back just now.
* * * * *
"Professor, I'm worried. Carol hasn't come back yet. Risty was
supposed to drop her off after school. I knew I shouldn't have let her go
-"
"It's all right Scott. I've been monitoring her all day. I
know where she is and I believe I know where she's headed. Get Wolverine
and tell him to ready the X-jet."
"Should I ready the team?"
"No, Scott. I'm sorry, but I will be going on this trip alone.
Please stay here and keep things in order while I'm gone."
"OK, Professor," Scott sighed as he went to fetch Wolverine.
Xavier and Wolverine soon took off and although they had had their differences
with Carol, the X-Men could not help but worry (after all, she was still a part
of Rogue, and if she disappeared, there would be no chance of getting Rogue
back, ever). And so they sat; wondering, worrying, waiting; hoping Xavier
would be able to find her and bring her back home.
