Ch 4: Cold Blood
Prof. POV
I was watching the Danger Room scenario unfold. I saw Scott and Kurt having their little battle, whilst Raptor and Logan snuck around them toward the flag. Rogue was following Raptor, and it struck me that Raptor did not know Rogue's power. I was worried as I saw them circle each other. I knew that Rogue would not tap her, but Raptor might touch her. My worst fears were confirmed when Raptor went for Rogue's face. They both fell to the ground and I watched in horror as Raptor's claw instinctively grabbed and held on. Rogue's skin darkened and she screamed, taking on the wings and tail of a dragon. She opened her eyes and rolled away. I shut off the program and watched as she got up and screamed something at the other students. I watched Logan and Rogue struggle. As soon as I saw her take flight, I made my way to the Danger Room. Logan carried Rogue to the med lab, and Scott carried Raptor. I followed issuing mental orders to the rest of the students. I wheeled in, and immediately tried to wake up Rogue.
~Rogue, it's the Professor! Wake up, Rogue. ~ I searched her memory and tried to sort out which feelings were Rogue and Raptor's psyche. She stirred, and I waited, while trying to wake her up.
"She's trying to take over. I can't-" she stuttered and I felt her slipping into unconsciousness. ~ Stay awake Rogue. We need you. ~ I felt Raptor stirring, and I rushed over to see to her. She opened one eye, but stared blankly at me. Sudden recognition lit in her eyes and she sat up, but swayed. I pushed her back down, and proceeded to ask her questions. I wanted to know how mush Rogue took from her.
"Raptor, this is very important. Are you listening?" She was staring into space, not listening to a word I was saying.
"Oh. Yea, Prof."
"What is the last thing you can remember?" she looked at me, and then rubbed her eyes. "I remember Rogue coming at me. Oh God, what d'she do to me?" she asked frantically. Her eyes were darting back and forth. She was panicking.
"Calm down, Raptor! Now, think about the past. Visualize the memory the happened further into the past." I put my fingers to her temple. I saw the memory and knew what happened. She looked at me and sighed, falling to sleep as soon as she placed her head on the pillow. I couldn't believe what had happened. Rogue literally took Raptor's past.
(Two days later, Rogue's POV)
I sat at the top of the tree, looking at the stars. This was my favorite place to be when I wanted to be alone. I noticed, a few trees past me, Raptor sitting in another tree. I called her over.
"You, okay sugah?" she shook her head no, and sat in a nearby branch.
"I can't remember any of my past, and I don't even know where my parents are." I looked at her, silent for a moment.
"Ah know where ya parents ahre, sugah." She looked at me hopefully, and I took a deep breath. "Ya parents ahre dead, Ah'm sorry." I rubbed a gloved hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. There was deep sorrow and anger in her eyes.
"I- I can't believe it. I WON'T BELIEVE IT!" she shouted. She took off, flying toward the deep forest. I called to the Professor as I ran back to the institute. He met me at the door.
"What happened, Rogue?" I explained it.
"She asked me, I told her and she took off!" I stammered. He sent me to my room, where I sat numbly.
(Raptor's POV)
I flew and flew, trying to get away. Away from everything. I landed and sat, I realized it had started snowing. My reptile body couldn't take it, I realized. I was going to die. Out here, alone. Slowly time passed, my body involuntarily shivering. I sat there, numb, feeling my legs shutting down to the cold. I wanted to die.
~ No you don't, and I can see that. ~ I shuddered and said aloud, "So, I'm not going back. I don't want to do anything."
~ If you don't come back, I will force you. ~
"WHY? It was my choice, I made it."
~ But in a life or death situation, I make the choice. ~ As if to prove it, I felt my body get up and start walking in the direction I had flew opposite an hour ago. I tried to grab anything, trees the ground, but my arm stayed tightly against my sides.
"You can let go, I'll walk back now." Nevertheless, I stayed on the set course.
~ No, you would have escaped. I read your mind. ~ I sighed and let my body be in full control. I lifted in the air on wings that were being commanded from the Institute, and I fell unconscious from the cold. My body continued on its flight home.
This was a short, Get-to-the-point chapters.
Up next, what will the now suicidal Raptor do?
Prof. POV
I was watching the Danger Room scenario unfold. I saw Scott and Kurt having their little battle, whilst Raptor and Logan snuck around them toward the flag. Rogue was following Raptor, and it struck me that Raptor did not know Rogue's power. I was worried as I saw them circle each other. I knew that Rogue would not tap her, but Raptor might touch her. My worst fears were confirmed when Raptor went for Rogue's face. They both fell to the ground and I watched in horror as Raptor's claw instinctively grabbed and held on. Rogue's skin darkened and she screamed, taking on the wings and tail of a dragon. She opened her eyes and rolled away. I shut off the program and watched as she got up and screamed something at the other students. I watched Logan and Rogue struggle. As soon as I saw her take flight, I made my way to the Danger Room. Logan carried Rogue to the med lab, and Scott carried Raptor. I followed issuing mental orders to the rest of the students. I wheeled in, and immediately tried to wake up Rogue.
~Rogue, it's the Professor! Wake up, Rogue. ~ I searched her memory and tried to sort out which feelings were Rogue and Raptor's psyche. She stirred, and I waited, while trying to wake her up.
"She's trying to take over. I can't-" she stuttered and I felt her slipping into unconsciousness. ~ Stay awake Rogue. We need you. ~ I felt Raptor stirring, and I rushed over to see to her. She opened one eye, but stared blankly at me. Sudden recognition lit in her eyes and she sat up, but swayed. I pushed her back down, and proceeded to ask her questions. I wanted to know how mush Rogue took from her.
"Raptor, this is very important. Are you listening?" She was staring into space, not listening to a word I was saying.
"Oh. Yea, Prof."
"What is the last thing you can remember?" she looked at me, and then rubbed her eyes. "I remember Rogue coming at me. Oh God, what d'she do to me?" she asked frantically. Her eyes were darting back and forth. She was panicking.
"Calm down, Raptor! Now, think about the past. Visualize the memory the happened further into the past." I put my fingers to her temple. I saw the memory and knew what happened. She looked at me and sighed, falling to sleep as soon as she placed her head on the pillow. I couldn't believe what had happened. Rogue literally took Raptor's past.
(Two days later, Rogue's POV)
I sat at the top of the tree, looking at the stars. This was my favorite place to be when I wanted to be alone. I noticed, a few trees past me, Raptor sitting in another tree. I called her over.
"You, okay sugah?" she shook her head no, and sat in a nearby branch.
"I can't remember any of my past, and I don't even know where my parents are." I looked at her, silent for a moment.
"Ah know where ya parents ahre, sugah." She looked at me hopefully, and I took a deep breath. "Ya parents ahre dead, Ah'm sorry." I rubbed a gloved hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. There was deep sorrow and anger in her eyes.
"I- I can't believe it. I WON'T BELIEVE IT!" she shouted. She took off, flying toward the deep forest. I called to the Professor as I ran back to the institute. He met me at the door.
"What happened, Rogue?" I explained it.
"She asked me, I told her and she took off!" I stammered. He sent me to my room, where I sat numbly.
(Raptor's POV)
I flew and flew, trying to get away. Away from everything. I landed and sat, I realized it had started snowing. My reptile body couldn't take it, I realized. I was going to die. Out here, alone. Slowly time passed, my body involuntarily shivering. I sat there, numb, feeling my legs shutting down to the cold. I wanted to die.
~ No you don't, and I can see that. ~ I shuddered and said aloud, "So, I'm not going back. I don't want to do anything."
~ If you don't come back, I will force you. ~
"WHY? It was my choice, I made it."
~ But in a life or death situation, I make the choice. ~ As if to prove it, I felt my body get up and start walking in the direction I had flew opposite an hour ago. I tried to grab anything, trees the ground, but my arm stayed tightly against my sides.
"You can let go, I'll walk back now." Nevertheless, I stayed on the set course.
~ No, you would have escaped. I read your mind. ~ I sighed and let my body be in full control. I lifted in the air on wings that were being commanded from the Institute, and I fell unconscious from the cold. My body continued on its flight home.
This was a short, Get-to-the-point chapters.
Up next, what will the now suicidal Raptor do?