Chapter 10, "Changes"
By: RogueBHS
A/N: Well, after this chapter the reader changes! Hehe. The reader of these first ten chapters IS revealed to you at the end of this chapter. I think all of you will sit back and go, "What???" LOL. I'm so mean. Oh, and the reader for the next then chapters (this is currently planned out to be a 30 chapter story) is female! So start making lists of who it could be. From now on, I'll be saying ONE person its NOT at the end of each chapter. :) See? I'm not TOTALLY evil. Just as a warning, this story does take a dark turn, or I'm trying to get it to do so anyway. Sorry my muse is still playing hide and seek. At least I'm doing a little writing. But then again, I was also doing research for my newest stories, Amor Vincit Omnia and LTYE Part 3, so don't kill me! *Runs off to actually write the rest of this chapter for you*
PS: Rogue is approximately 17 here. I'm saying Mystique adopted her/found her at age 5, and this story started when Rogue was barely older than 13 or so. I'm running through ages quickly...but I really am going to concentrate on age 17 for this chapter. Chapter 11 starts a new diary/journal, and a new reader. As I've said, it IS a female reader. Enjoy.
Heels click on the tile floor of the apartment; the sound is so rhythmic it could only be one person. Momma. I look up from my nails to watch her. She's the woman who's raised me for the past 12 years now, and God knows we've put each other through a lot. Three years ago was when I made that grab for the gem in New Orleans, and ever since I've been working hard on maintaining my "ghost" status in the underground world. People who have underground connections know of the Brotherhood, and of my momma, Mystique, but none know of me really. Oh, there's rumors of a rogue ghost alright, but no one knows exactly what I look like. Ok, so I'm not counting the x-men here, big deal. I have no reason to worry over the likes of them. I could take them all single handed.
I got in a tussle a month back with some other mutant chick, a blonde no less. Called herself Ms. Marvel. Ha. Marvel, eh? She's no marvel. She's just as easy to sap of her powers as any other mutant I've come across. Granted she almost kicked my butt from California to the east coast before I finally got a good hold on her. Next time I come across her, she'll pay for that, I promise you.
The jobs momma's giving me are harder than they used to be, but I don't mind. It gives me a reason to work harder in my training, a reason to live up to the expectations I know momma has for me. Nanna and momma got into it the other night over me doing these missions, as Nanna says they'll ruin me. Momma disagrees. Nanna said I was enjoying the work far too much. Momma said I enjoyed it no more than she did herself. That's when Nanna shut momma up; she said Momma was too cold hearted towards so many, and I was fast becoming just like her. Momma didn't have a response for that one...and neither do I.
Momma notices me watching her and turns to smile at me. She raises an eyebrow when she notices me painting my nails, then just shakes her head and walks into the kitchen. I hear the refridgerator door open, a bottle click against an other glass bottle, then the door close. When Momma returns, she's got a bottle of sparkling water in hand, and she takes a seat on the chair opposite the couch I'm sitting on. As she sips the water, Momma just watches me with those odd cat-like eyes. They used to freak me out when I first met her and found out she was a mutant, but now I actually think they're kinda cool. Call it the teenager in me.
I slide the brush over the next nail, and it leaves behind pure blood red paint. Done with both hands now, I close the bottle and set it down on the table, idly blowing at the nails on my left hand. I notice Momma's still watching and sit up a little straighter. I recognize that look...she has another job for me. I raise an eyebrow at her now, and get a another smile. She puts the bottle of water down on the endtable by the chair, but still doesn't speak.
Not up for the games, I lean forward a little, pick up my soda and take a sip, then meet her eyes directly. "Who?"
Momma's lips curve into a dangerous smile. "A powerful man...a very powerful man, my dear."
"Who?" I reiterate my past comment, staring her down as best I can.
"His name isn't important to you, Rogue. All you need know is he's powerful."
I do my best to keep from clenching my teeth, "WHO?" I make sure to say it more forcefully this time. She knows better than to withhold information from the girl she raised...the young woman who is now known only as the Rogue.
Momma frowns, but answers me. "Worthington. Warren Worthington."
Its my turn to frown now. "Warren Worthington? First, second or third?"
"Third, of course. The only one with an active X-gene."
I shake my head. "No. He hasn't done shit. I aughta know too. I've been keeping tabs on him ever since he saved me that one night. You know I have."
"He's an X-man. Or have you forgotten that?"
"What? So now we're going to pop off the X-men one by one? NO. I won't do it. I'll take them on in hand-to-hand combat, but I won't kill THEM in cold blood. Their mutants too, Momma. I thought we were fighting for the good of mutants here. Or is that a lie?"
Momma bites her lip, but not because she feels contrite. She's getting angry with me. Hey, what do I care though? Gritting her teeth now, Momma's eyes narrow. "We ARE fighting for the good of mutants, child, but the X-men oppose us. You know that."
I shake my head and get up, then storm out of the room. I slam my bedroom door behind me, and it rattles with the force. Sometimes I can't believe her. Yes, I've killed coldbloodly a few times...ok...a lot in the past few years. So what? Those people were all truely scum. A few were even into really kinky, disgusting shit that is illegal just about anywhere you can go on this planet. All the jobs I've done since I turned 14, I've secretly done extra homework on. I make sure the people deserve what they're getting. Hey, as they say, whatever helps you sleep at night, right?
How can she want me to turn around and start killing other mutants just because they oppose what we stand for? God...I may be hard, but I'm not that hard. I didn't think she was either... but I guess maybe I was wrong. Granted, she's still my momma, and I still love her, but yet I really am starting to have trouble understanding her motives. I guess its because I'm finally really getting a mind of my own. Who knows? Nanna would understand. She always does...always has. And probably always will.
Sitting here by the window of our home, looking out at the stars, it really makes me wish I could fly. I mean fly high enough to be able to get away from everyone, from everything. I wonder what the stars would look like from up close? I guess I'll never know what its like to be free...to fly.
If Rogue had known then how she would gain her powers of flight, I wonder if she would have wished for the ability. The fact that she was still a teen when she wrote this makes sense... I suppose. There are quite a few rebelous thoughts here, and I've been told most of us teens are extremely rebelous. I'm no exception so it seems, but then, considering where I came from, it shouldn't be much of a shock.
Rogue's thoughts here show a deeper person though, more like the Rogue I've known. Taking proper responsability, and making sure nothing falls through if she can help it. The fact that she was just now starting to doubt Mystique would raise a few eyebrows I'm sure, but if she was allowed little contact with the outside world, as I was, it would make sense. Then, I also suppose that any past that could have led her to the X-men was worth it. She truely is an X-woman now, and its rather sad she doesn't see how she's proved herself...that she can't see how she proved herself in my time.
Nathan Grey aka X-man
Surprised? I bet. LOL. Sorry I didn't give many clues. I will next time. From now on, one clue per chapter! Yeah! Later guys!