Chapter 10: The Calm Before The Storm
Kitty's eyelids slowly fluttered open as the rays of the early morning sun peeked in through the hotel room window. Having awakened, she sat up and stretched her arms, her eyes straying towards the lover who shared her bed.
Lance, a notoriously heavy sleeper, was snoring softly with his head against the pillow, thoroughly spent from their night together. The wrinkled sheets had twisted around his lower body, exposing some very delicious skin. Kitty smirked, enjoying the view. The girl then nestled down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder, and studied his body. It was beautiful to be sure, from the handsome facial features to the firm, lean muscles, but it was not flawless. His flesh bore many scars. Some were small and fine, while other marks were jagged and puckered and spoke of grave injuries long past. It seemed sadly fitting that someone with so many scars on his psyche should have physical ones to match.
Kitty's soft fingertips gently traced the marks on his body, as if committing them to memory. Before long, she drifted back to sleep.
* * *
When Kitty awoke for the second time, it was to the sound of a phone ringing. The shrill noise startled Lance as well, and the groggy mutant groped for the receiver on the nearby nightstand.
"Yeah, this is him. . .uh-huh…sure, thanks." He then slammed it back down on the cradle.
"Who was that?" Kitty inquired with a yawn.
"Hotel wake-up call. Our flight's gonna be coming in about two hours."
"Yay."
Lance rubbed his eyes, a faint smile lighting up his features.
"Good morning."
"'Mornin'," she replied, stroking his arm. "Pleasant dreams?"
"Oh yes."
Kitty's tousled hair fell loosely about her shoulders, framing her heart-shaped face. Her silver necklace hung just above the swell of her breasts, and besides that, she wore nothing else. Looking at her, Lance was reminded of his own nudity, and thoughts of their recent lovemaking danced in his mind.
Their hands touched. Then the rock-tumbler softly asked, "How do you feel?"
"I'm all right," she answered. Her first time hadn't hurt as much as she had expected from all the bathroom talk at school. There was only a small soreness in between her legs, and the pleasure of the act had definitely outweighed the pain. "How are you?"
"Peachy."
They leaned in for the first kiss of the morning, and while brief, the embrace was enough to stir Lance's desires.
No, no, none of that, he chastised himself mentally. "Do you want to shower first, so should I?" he offered, imagining how frigid the water would have to be to properly cool him down.
"You can go ahead."
He obeyed, but not before another quick peck on the lips. Inside the bathroom Lance let the water run until it reached the temperature he liked, and his gaze fell upon the mirror above the sink. His eyes were somewhat sleepy, his hair disheveled, and his face seemed to be flushed with a distinctive glow.
Did last night really happen?
It was far too good to be true. Sleeping with Kitty had been one of his most intimate, private dreams, and the reality had been as wonderful as the fantasies. He stepped into the shower remembering her hot breath on his neck and the softness of her skin. His mind was far away when the figure crept silently into the bathroom and pulled away the curtain, joining him. Lance's eyes went wide as Kitty slipped her arms around his waist and pressed her face to his back.
"Could we…maybe…take a bath together?"
* * *
Thousands of miles away, Scott was mulling over a dream he had that previous night. At least, he thought it was dream. He remembered very little about it, save a strange voice that had spoken to him.
What did it say? the boy wondered as he dressed. Something about a game? No…a name. 'I have a name.' And there was more to it…
"Why is this bugging me so much?" he asked his reflection in the mirror, frustrated. Perhaps it was because the vision had awoken him with a start, leaving a strange throbbing in his temples. Or perhaps it was the voice itself that troubled him, for he thought it had sounded oddly familiar.
Scott's thoughts drifted from dreams to reality when he picked up his wallet from the top of his desk and saw the small paper fortune that had been slipped inside. It dawned on him that a half-forgotten dream was really the least of his worries.
As far as he knew, his luncheon with Rogue was their secret. But would it stay that way?
Xavier had informed Scott of the alteration of Kurt's thoughts after the incident with Tabitha and the Brotherhood. He had assured the boy that it was for Kurt's protection, but it hadn't sat well with him. The thought of his mentor altering his attitude towards Rogue was not the least bit pleasant, but the two situations weren't exactly the same, were they? While Kurt was a sweet soul, he was foolish enough to be blinded by his heart and taken advantage of. Scott was perfectly in control of his emotions, and he was only trying to win Rogue's confidence. He certainly didn't have feelings for her. Not at all. And the Professor should have enough faith in him to know that a friendship with the lonesome goth would be no threat to the X-Men.
Running a brush through his reddish-brown hair, Scott thought, There's nothing to worry about. I'll see Rogue when school starts again, smile, and say hi. And maybe she'll say hi and smile back.
He stopped still as an image of Rogue's gently smiling face appeared in his mind's eye. Guiltily shaking the pretty picture from his head he left his room just as the mansion's front door flew open.
"Whew, that wind is brutal!" Jean Grey laughed as she threw off her wool knit cap, letting the air run through her flowing red locks.
Scott looked down from the stairs in a state of total disbelief. "Jean! You're back!"
She tilted her head up and grinned. "A big case came up at Mother's law firm and I decided to make an early trip back, since she'd be busy." Truth be told, she was a little disappointed that her sudden return hadn't garnered a better response from the young Mr. Summers. "Didn't you miss me?"
"Oh yeah. Of course, Jean. It's been really quiet around here." Suddenly he felt incredibly guilty over his and Rogue's secret. It was almost as if he had been cheating on Jean, though that was ridiculous. What's wrong with me?
"It's about to become even less quiet," said Xavier with a thin, knowing smile while he wheeled into the hall. "Welcome back, my dear."
"Hello, Professor. What did you mean, 'it's about to become even less quiet?'"
"Lance and Kitty are making a premature return as well."
"Why? Did things not go over well with her parents?" Scott inquired.
"He probably knocked down their house," muttered the bitter redhead.
"Everything's all right. I've seen to that. But our little couple have come to realize where exactly their true home is."
* * *
"Are there ever times when you just want to get away from. . .everything?"
"Hmm?" Kitty tilted her head towards her lover. He leaned back against the marble tub, making the hot, sudsy water rise to the top of the basin. Kitty was nestled between his legs, wrapped in his arms.
"Things have been so screwed up lately," mused the boy. "With Jean and Scott constantly on my back, the Brotherhood after my hide, and now my old pals trying to kill me, I don't really feel like being a part of Xavier's great 'cause.' It hardly seems worth it anymore."
"You want to live a normal life."
He nodded. "I want to live with you without the Queen of Mean breathing down our necks or enemy mutants trying to kick our ass. I just want…to get away."
The girl sighed deeply. "It would be nice. . ."
"Run away with me."
Kitty's expression became troubled. "Lance, we can't. We belong at the Institute. We're needed there."
"Then, when this 'war' is finally over. . .will you go away with me? To a place that's just ours?"
She closed her eyes and let the warmth of his body soothe her. This was right. More right than anything else.
"Yes."
* * *
"Freddy, tell me somethin', will ya?"
Todd Tolensky threw his cards on the living room's coffee table, a disgruntled look on his face. Fred, who had just won a round of Go Fish, looked at him curiously.
"If we're the Brotherhood, why is it that there are now more girls than guys here? We might as well call ourselves the Sisterhood, and that ain't exactly gonna stir up fear in our enemies, is it?"
"I guess not," Fred responded quietly. "But it's not so bad. Destiny is kind of nice. Way nicer than Mystique." He frowned as he remembered the relentless training their blue-skinned leader had put them through all winter break.
Todd looked from side to side, making sure his humongous companion was the only one in earshot, then said, "Actually, she kinda gives me the creeps. With those glasses and all it seems like she's always staring at me. Freaky."
"Todd!" gasped Fred, shocked at his rudeness. "She's blind!"
"But not deaf," Irene said flatly as she appeared in the living room. Both boys went stiff as she walked past them and out the back. When the screen door slammed shut, Fred pelted Todd's green-tinted arm.
"Dummy!" he scowled.
Outside on the back porch, Rogue lay across the swing, a dog-eared copy of Dracula in her lap. She looked up at the figure that broke her reverie, but turned her gaze away when she saw whom it was.
"Good morning," said her former foster mother.
"Not really," was the cold reply.
"Something's troubling you."
"Yeah, you could say that."
The blind mutant took a seat beside the younger girl. "I know what this is about. I know who this is about."
Rogue's hazel eyes flashed. "You--!"
"For me, the present is shrouded in darkness, but the future is amazingly bright. I knew of your affection for the X-Man long before you did…and there is nothing to be ashamed of."
"Ah'm sure Mystique would disagree with you."
"Indeed. Rogue, I can understand why you'd be drawn to someone like Summers. He's warm, open, and our enemy. You cannot forget that."
"Ah haven't…but Irene, why did you lie to me? The X-Men aren't mutant hunters. They wanted to help me, not hurt me, so why the deception?"
Irene's lips pressed into a small frown. "There was no time to explain the truth. But it was important that we not lose you to Xavier's side."
" 'Lose me'? What am ah, some kinda pawn in Mystique's tricks? Ah thought you cared about me!"
"We do, honey, we do. But you must understand that Charles Xavier is a fool. His dream of a peaceful future for mutants and humans is just that—a dream. His followers are blind, deluded. A war is coming…and they shall perish for their naïve beliefs."
Rogue closed her eyes. "So tell me…is that what you've seen in the future?"
The only answer she received was silence.
* * *
Kitty's hand clutched the Star of David around her neck, her fingers brushing each silver point. Studying her reflection in the mirror, she observed that on the outside, she hadn't changed at all. Her long brunette hair was in a ponytail, her only makeup strawberry lip-gloss, and her slim, girlish figure was dressed in a white top and blue jeans. She definitely looked like the old Kitty Pryde.
But the girl had changed inside. She had been made a young woman not only by losing her virginity, but also by turning her back on Northbrook for a much bigger world. A world with him.
In the mirror she could see him across the room, pulling his torn jeans around his hips. His still damp hair clung to his neck, tiny droplets of water running down the hollow of his back. Unaware that he was being watched so intently, Lance was, at that moment, the most wonderful thing Kitty had ever seen.
Please, let me have made the right choice, Kitty prayed, taking her eyes from the mirror. Lost in her thoughts, she was startled by strong arms enveloping her from behind.
"What's wrong?"
Kitty suddenly noticed the tears on her cheek.
"Nothing…I guess I'm just…not…" Her words faded.
Shutting his eyes, Lance pressed his face against her soft hair. He had hoped by her happy demeanor earlier that morning that things were all right. He hated to think that he had been wrong. His next words were difficult to say. "Did I hurt you?"
The tears were flowing freely now, and Kitty couldn't control it. She shook her head, her voice a whisper. "You were so gentle…but it wasn't your first time, was it?"
"No."
"But, Lindsey…"
"I didn't lie to you, Kitty. I never slept with Lindsey. But like I said, it wasn't because I was pure or noble…I just couldn't stand the slut. As hot as she was, she only wanted me because I made a good accessory, and I refused to be some toy for her. I admit that there were other girls in my life," he felt his stomach clench as he stirred unpleasant memories of sweaty, unfulfilling encounters in the back of his jeep. "But it was just two stupid people acting like animals, trying to be part of something, I don't know, bigger than them. That isn't love. That's not even like."
Lance swallowed. He felt the small shiver run through Kitty's body, and wanted nothing more than to hold her for as long as he could and make everything okay. What good was he if he couldn't protect her?
"Kitty, I do love you. I want to run away and build a life with you. And I've never made love to anyone before you."
A murmur escaped Kitty's lips, and she wiped away the moisture on her flushed, tear-stained face.
//My God, Katherine, don't be so naïve! You think he loves you? You think he'll stay with you after he gets what he wants? He's no good!//
You were wrong, Dad, she thought, gripping the silver star. She slowly turned around in her lover's arms and brought her lips to his. After a tender moment they parted, one last sentence on Kitty's lips.
"Let's go home."
* * *
"It's good to be back."
"Mmm-hmm," Kitty nodded in agreement as she and Lance walked through the mansion's front door. After their tumultuous stay in Northbrook, it felt good to be safe at the Institute at last.
"We're home!" Lance announced their presence to the seemingly empty mansion, letting go of the heavy suitcases he had been carrying and stretching his weary limbs.
Scott strolled into the hall from the den, wearing a welcoming smile. "Hey, you guys," he greeted. "Safe flight back?"
"Yep," Kitty said as she removed her coat and hung it up in the hall closet. "Crowded, though. It seemed like everyone and their mother was in a rush to get home."
"So, where's everyone else?" Lance asked Scott.
"Kurt, Ororo, and Evan are still away, and Logan's doing his own thing. Jean's back, but right now she's out with Duncan," he said with a sour expression. "The Professor should be in his study."
"Oh," murmured Kitty. "I've got to go talk with him about something." She picked up her suitcase and gave Lance a peck on the lips. "See you in a bit, love."
"All right, Kit," Lance responded, knowing what her early departure was about. Scott watched her flight up the stairs with a raised eyebrow. He then glanced at Lance, who had been watching her as well. There seemed to be something…different about them. He couldn't quite place it, but Lance and Kitty had seemed more in tune with each other, as if they were closer than ever.
Scott grinned, and crossed his arms over his chest. "So, Alvers, did you knock down their house?"
Lance glared.
* * *
Charles Xavier sat facing the roaring fire in his dimly lit study, his superior brain contemplating each crackling ember, every wisp of dark smoke. He felt a presence outside preparing to knock on the door and spoke.
"You can come in, Kitty."
"Yikes, Professor. It always, like, freaks me out when you do that," she chuckled nervously as she entered.
"My apologies." His wheelchair turned in order to face the girl. "I trust you and Lance had a safe journey back?"
"Oh yeah, we did. Everything was fine."
"Good. Now, is there something you want to discuss with me?"
Kitty bit her lip. "Sort of. It was more of a question, really. I wanted to know if you, well, erased my parents' memories last night."
"'Erase' is such a strong word, but yes, I did alter their thoughts. As far as they know, your father never uncovered those documents about Lance, and the fight never occurred. They think you returned here early because I asked you to."
Averting his even gaze, Kitty sighed. "But…was that really necessary?"
Xavier seemed mildly surprised. "Of course. No harm has come to them, my child, I assure you. They are fine and happy, and you are free to stay here and continue your relationship with Lance without their interference. Isn't that what you want?"
"Yes, Professor. I'm glad things are okay, really I am, but I just wish there had been some other way."
Noting the uncertainty in her voice, Xavier took on a fatherly tone. "Occasionally there are times when unpleasant things must be done for the greater good. I hope you understand."
She nodded. "I do. Thank you, Professor."
"Take care, Kitty."
The girl then left the study, somehow less than comforted.
* * *
"So, would anyone like to explain the symbolism of the rose bush in The Scarlet Letter?"
The English teacher's words bounced off Scott's ears as the first day back at school stretched on. Normally a very attentive student, he found himself losing focus as a myriad of thoughts vied for his mind's attention. His gaze shifted from the surface of his desk to a figure that sat across the room. Her chin rested on one gloved hand, eyes watching a breeze blow through the bare trees outside. Scott didn't know how long he was looking at her, but he was startled when her head turned, catching him in the act. He wouldn't blame her for scowling, or turning away—hell, he would have expected it—but instead he saw the faintest of smiles upon her violet lips.
Much later, as the other students filed out of class, the boy lingered at his desk as Rogue passed, then put his hand on her arm, staying her.
"Could we talk for a sec?" he asked gently, not at all sounding like the stern, ever-confident leader of the X-Men.
Rogue gulped, glancing around the classroom. They were all alone, but being with him when Principal Darkholme or the members of the Brotherhood could easily be nearby made her uneasy.
"Just for a sec."
Jean Grey strolled down the hall with the usual bounce in her step, and passed by one of the English classrooms on her way to lunch. Spying Scott in the corner of her eye, the redhead thought to call his name, but stopped short when she saw whom he was talking to. She quickly moved out of sight, though not out of earshot.
"I've been thinking a lot about Christmas."
"Yeah." Rogue brushed a white strand of hair behind her ear, trying not to blush and give her feelings away. "Me too."
"Has it…changed anything between us?"
"What d'you mean?"
"I don't want to be your enemy, Rogue. I've been wondering about what you said right before you left. You know, that you knew that we didn't really attack you. So why…?"
Rogue cut him off. "--Did ah join the Brotherhood?" One look told her that she had guessed correctly. "It's…kinda hard to explain. When mah powers first manifested, mah mind was a mess. Ah didn't know who ah was or what was happenin', except that strange people were out to get me. Irene—the woman who raised me—sent me to Mystique, so ah believed she was mah friend. D'you remember when ah touched Avalanche an' Storm that night?"
Scott nodded.
"Ah absorbed their memories, an' later, much later, when ah was sane enough to try to put together all the weird stuff floatin' around mah brain, ah saw that the X-Men weren't mutant hunters. Storm had no memories about attackin' me, an' Mystique can take on any appearance she wants, so it wasn't long before ah put two an' two together."
Scott Summers was silent for a moment as he took in the revelation. Then, he made a decision.
"Join the X-Men."
Rogue's eyes went wide in shock. "What?"
"You know Mystique lied to you, so why should you remain with her? She'll only use you!"
"Yeah, like your precious professor's never lied to you."
Scott stiffened. "He hasn't! Professor X would never do something like that. He trusts us, Rogue, and together we're all trying to make a better life for mutants everywhere."
//Charles Xavier is a fool. His followers are blind, deluded…and they will die for their naïve beliefs.//
Rogue's hands clenched into fists as Irene's powerful statement echoed in her thoughts. She felt the sting of tears behind her eyes and pushed Scott roughly away.
"Just leave me alone!" she cried, storming out of the room.
The mouth that had been creased into a frown turned to a smile when Scott burst out of the classroom, and Jean latched onto his arm tightly before he could stalk off after the goth.
"Scott! What are you doing?"
He was about to let out a curse for being pulled away, but instantly mellowed when he looked into Jean's green orbs. "Jean…! I was just--"
"Talking to Rogue, I know," said the telepath in obvious disapproval. "Trying one last-ditch attempt to reach her?"
"It wasn't a 'last-ditch' attempt. I think I'm really on the verge of converting her to our side."
Arm-in-arm, the redhead led Scott away from the English room. She said in her wisest, most thoughtful tone of voice, "You shouldn't waste your time with her, Scott. The Brotherhood is a rotten bunch; everyone knows what bad attitudes they have."
"Rogue doesn't have a bad attitude."
The girl tensed as she heard the defensive edge in his voice. "You know, just before things blew up, it really sounded like the sullen little goth girl was flirting with you."
Suddenly Scott stopped, dropping her arm. "Jean! What is with you?"
"That's my line! Don't you remember what happened to poor Kurt? Get mixed up with her, and bad things will happen."
Scott took a deep breath. He hated to fight with her. Even with her brow furrowed and lips turned in a scowl, Jean was still painfully beautiful. "So you're saying that we should just stop trying?"
His companion sighed before reaching for his hand. "No…but there are some people even you can't help, Scott Summers."
"I refuse to believe that."
Jean was stunned as he pulled away from her touch, his final sentence hanging in the air like a cloud before a tempest.
"X-Men don't give up."
* * *
Tabitha Smith tapped her booted foot incessantly on the cafeteria floor as she stood in line for chicken-fried steak. The school's food was horribly bad, but the blonde endured since it was almost guaranteed that lunch would be her only hot meal of the day. Standing still squeezed between two obnoxious freshmen for nearly fifteen minutes made her all the more miserable, and she sneered when she heard a string of lighthearted giggles behind her.
Kitty was laughing with a trio of girls from her geometry class as she entered the crowded lunchroom. Covering her mouth with a dainty hand she laughed, "Omigod, I totally cannot believe she would, like, say something like that!"
"Like, Omigod!" Tabitha cocked her head to the side, mocking Kitty in a vacuous falsetto. The dark-haired X-Man looked over her shoulder and shot an angry glare but said nothing. Tabitha was almost disappointed that she hadn't annoyed her more. Kitty turned away, waved goodbye to her friends, and hurried over to a table in a faraway corner to join her boyfriend. Tabitha watched the mutants share a brief kiss and felt a pain in her gut.
Minutes later she pushed past chatting students to the Brotherhood's usual cafeteria spot, tray firmly in hand. Immediately upon sitting down she was accosted by Pietro Maximoff.
"Checking out Lance Alvers and his little Kitty-Cat?" he asked snidely. Todd snickered beside him.
Tabitha rolled her eyes, idly picking at the steak on her plate with her fork. "No," was her flat reply.
To her surprise, Pietro left it at that. The silver-coiffed speedster leaned back in his chair with his hands resting behind his head, a frown twisting his impish face. "I can't believe Mystique wants us to go after him again. We have all the members we need, plus our own personal powerhouse--" he eyed Rogue, who looked away, "--and I'd sooner shave my head than work on the same team as that loser."
"Yeah, I don't get it either," spoke up Todd. "It's like the boss lady is fixated or somethin', and it busts my chops that she don't tell us anything."
Tabitha smirked as she looked up from her meal, a devilish spark in her eye. "You usually don't convert a guy to your side by tricking him and beating him up. If I had been in the Brotherhood back then, he would be with us right now and the Big Blue Bitch would be off our backs."
"What are ya saying?" asked Fred, who quirked an eyebrow.
Rogue slapped her forehead. Here we go…
The blonde bombshell leaned forward, batting her blue eyes at her big-boned teammate. "My methods of persuasion are much more productive than beating him over the head with a club, Neanderthal."
As if on cue, Lance got up from his seat and strolled toward the vending machines without any of the X-Freaks nearby. Tabby's gaze shifted from him to the curious eyes of the Brotherhood. "Watch and learn," she purred, standing up and strutting off in his direction.
"Oh, this is going to be classic," Todd chortled.
* * *
Lance faced his old nemesis, the soda machine. Humming the Kylie Minogue song that Kitty had insisted on turning up during their ride to school, he sent a tiny tremor through the battered apparatus, forcing it to give up two cans when he was sure no one was looking. He never heard Tabitha slink up behind him.
"Hey, nice technique," she complimented, taking in his features. The rugged rebel look was definitely working for him. Flashing a grin she formed one of her little cherry bombs in the palm of her hand and flung it in the coin slot. It rumbled as the bomb inside exploded, coins and soda cans spilling out of it like a Las Vegas slot machine. "What do you think of mine?"
The rock-tumbler merely shrugged as he took a swig of his drink. If his indifference ruffled the Brotherhood girl's feathers she gave no sign. She picked up a handful of change from the floor, stuffed it in her back pocket, and remarked, "Breaking rules and appliances. You'd fit right in at our place."
"Yeah, like I'd want to."
He began to walk away, but she was persistent. Ever aware of her teammates eyes watching her, she latched onto Lance and whispered, "Come on, don't be like that. The Brotherhood can really party…and I know that little kitten can't possibly satisfy you like a Tabby can." With a wink she ran one hand down his chest, pressing her shapely body against his. "You can rock my world anytime."
She thought she had really stunned the mutant speechless when he didn't immediately reply. Her smug smirk soon disappeared, as Lance suddenly burst into a fit of sidesplitting laughter. He roughly threw off her arms and left her there, returning to the table where Kitty waited for him.
Utterly humiliated, Tabitha was overwhelmed with anger. At that moment there was more uproarious laughter, and her head tilted towards the Brotherhood's table, where Pietro, Todd, and Fred could barely contain themselves.
"Oh, don't let him get you down, Tabby-Kins," said Pietro with a hand placed dramatically over his heart, "You can rock my world anytime!"
Todd puckered up, his green tongue wagging. "Let's party, baby!"
Growling, Tabitha turned on her heel to flee the cafeteria, only to find herself face to face with the last person she wanted to witness that display.
"Vell, dat vas very attractive," remarked Kurt Wagner with a look of disgust. "Did you try to rob Lance before putting ze moves on him?"
"No!" she insisted, wounded by the cold look in the tawny eyes that had once held nothing but affection towards her. "Look, it wasn't like that—I was trying to--" Seduce his teammate? Make him join the enemy? You're screwed, Tabby!
"Vhatever it is, I don't vant to hear it," the boy snapped, brushing past her.
Tabitha grabbed his arm, pleading, "Please, Blue--!"
His head turned swiftly, and he fixed her with a gaze that made her feel positively wretched.
"You have no right to call me zat."
Feeling the life drain out of her, the blonde felt Kurt slip his arm out of her suddenly nerveless grip. She was already forgotten by the time he made it to the X-Geeks' table, where he was greeted by the mutants who had always welcomed him. The sounds of Scott and Kurt's friendly voices were then drowned out by more wicked laughter from the Brotherhood.
The food on Rogue's plate went cold as she silently witnessed Tabitha's disastrous seduction of Lance and Kurt's rebuke. The boys sitting with her were clutching their sides as they hollered, completely unaffected by the girl's pain and humiliation. She finally stood when Tabitha fled the cafeteria, throwing her napkin on the table. Silencing her teammates with a piercing scowl, Rogue left.
* * *
Rogue didn't know why she went after Tabitha. They couldn't be called friends by any stretch of the imagination, as the blonde's boisterous personality usually clashed with her more somber attitude. If they were human and able to lead perfectly normal lives, the two probably would have nothing to do with each other. But Tabitha Smith and Rogue shared mixed feelings for two mutant boys that fate had made their enemies—that, at least, they had in common.
Perhaps that was why Rogue followed her fellow Brotherhood member into the girls' restroom. Upon opening the door, she realized that she had no idea what she would say or do to comfort Tabby, who had seemed to be on the verge of tears, but then saw for herself that Boom-Boom didn't need a shoulder to cry on. Teeth bared and red-faced, she was furiously pounding the wall to one of the restroom stalls with her fists. She had also taken her aggression out on the trashcan and tampon dispenser, both of which she had bombed mercilessly.
Rogue folded her arms and announced her presence with a sigh. "Principal Darkholme won't like it when she sees what you've done to her nice, clean bathroom here."
"Screw her," said Tabby gruffly, imagining the hammered stall as the shape-shifter.
"Okay, screw Mystique. Screw her and the Brotherhood."
Tabby scoffed, cracking her sore knuckles. "Hmmph. Never thought I'd hear that from the Principal's Pet."
"Ah'm not her pet!" snapped the goth defensively. Taking a deep breath, she calmly added, "Ah didn't come here to fight. Just to apologize."
"For what?"
"For what happened back there. The guys are all seriously lackin' in the brain department, and what they did was stupid. Don't let it eat at you."
"Thanks for the pep talk," Tabitha rolled her eyes.
Unfazed by her sarcasm, Rogue leaned against the wall, thoughtfully studying her companion. After a few moments' observation she mused, "So, you're still nuts about the elf."
Tabitha's face turned an interesting shade of scarlet. "Hardly! Why would I be interested in a stuck-up goody-two-shoes X-Nerd like him? He's just like the others!"
"You don't have to lie to me about it. Ah understand what you're goin' through."
The blonde's expression softened slightly. Her next sentence was almost sympathetic. "Yeah, everybody knows about your thing for Shades. He is hot, in a wholesome, non-threatening kinda way. Too bad he's on Jean the Queen's leash."
There was a faint trace of color to Rogue's pale cheeks. She nodded sadly. Anyone who was anyone at Bayville High knew that Jean Grey and Duncan Matthews were an item (and hot and heavy, as some sources would say). Anyone who was anyone also heard rumors that she was stringing along Scott Summers, which was supported by the fact that he was always at her side, especially when the quarterback was nowhere around. Rogue knew better than to take such gossip to heart, but it was difficult to hear all the same.
Tabitha ran her hands through her hair, letting out a deep breath. She then faced Rogue, a weary grin playing upon her lips.
"We're a real pair, aren't we?"
* * *
In Chemistry, Kitty and Lance always sat together in the back of the lab, far away from everyone else. They did so not simply because they were a couple, but also because they were the outcasts of the classroom. Kitty's exceptional mind made her the only freshman in Chemistry, and the older students often resented her for being so bright. Lance was just the opposite—his poor grades had made him repeat the class, and that along with his less than stellar reputation gave the image that he was only a brute-brained bad boy. It didn't help that they were both students at the Xavier Institute, and all of them, with the exception of Miss Jean Grey, were labeled as weirdoes at some point.
But neither of the mutants cared about what other people thought. They had found true happiness in each other, and all was right with the world.
"Pass the solution, please," said Kitty that afternoon, looking surprisingly cute in the large safety goggles they were required to wear as they performed the experiment.
Lance did as he was told. "Here. I made sure we had the exact amount."
Kitty took the beaker from his hand and leveled it over the Bunsen burner, the blue flames licking upwards. After several moments of heating, the greenish liquid inside turned a deep purple.
"All right!" Kitty beamed. "Success!"
Mr. Gardner, the skinny, pasty-faced chemistry teacher, passed by their table with his clipboard in hand, ready to grade their experiment. Gardner had always held up his nose to Lance, but even that couldn't stop him from being impressed by their results.
"Very nice, you two…A+. Alvers, this brings your grade up to a low B. Congratulations on all your good work. I'm sure it was…well earned." He lifted his narrow gaze from the boy to his lab partner, a definite shift in his tone of voice. He then walked away.
"He still thinks you're cheating off me," Kitty said with a sigh.
"Yeah, because it's totally impossible to believe that I'm doing well because I actually like this class."
The girl smiled. "You mean that? You like chemistry now?"
He nodded, pulling off his goggles. "Well, your tutoring has helped a bunch, so I don't feel like a complete reject here. But also…it's interesting to learn about all these elements and minerals and rocks and stuff. Maybe it's 'cause of my powers I'm into it."
Before they could continue their conversation, Mr. Gardner's voice sounded out through the lab. "All right, everyone. Settle down. In a moment I'll be passing out permission slips for a field trip next week to the Eros Caves with the Earth Science class to study rock formations. We'll be spelunking, so be sure to bring with you all the specifics on this sheet…"
"Sounds fun," whispered Kitty.
"Rock formations…" Lance raised his eyebrows. "It should be right up my alley."
* * *
The heavens were completely black, save for the white light of the crescent moon that hung low in the sky. The wind whistled through the trees near the Brotherhood of Bayville Boarding House, where only a single person lay awake that eerie night.
Pietro Maximoff's room was completely dark, save for the light of a small reading lamp and the illuminated screen of the laptop resting on his bed. The boy's fast fingers typed on the keyboard as he whispered harshly into the cell phone glued to his ear.
"Not much to report tonight. Mystique left for parts unknown, though you probably already know about that. Some sort of secret mission. I don't suppose you'll tell me what this is all about? …No… of course not." He rolled his eyes as the voice on the other line lectured him.
"Sorry, sir. I didn't mean any disrespect… Anyway, she left her old lady Destiny in charge, even though I'm perfectly capable of leading these degenerates…uh, thank you, sir." Pietro was taken by surprise by the unexpected compliment he had received. Any happiness he might have felt disappeared when a new report from his contact flashed on his computer screen. Within seconds he scanned over the 300+ page document, taking in every important detail.
"This is some majorly serious stuff. There's no way the X-Geeks can handle something like this. What's even better is that their precious Professor's been in on it the whole time!" A pause, as the voice on the other line spoke again. "There is something you should know. Mystique still has her sights set on that dweeb, Lance Alvers. She wants us to--" He was suddenly interrupted, then, "You know?! My God, that's what she wants him for? Of course! The X-Failures will never see it coming!" Pietro Maximoff began to laugh wickedly at the thought, then remarked, "That Mystique is one evil bitch."
* * *
Paris is lovely this time of year, thought the man as he walked through the cool city streets, absorbing every sight, every sound, every smell, every mind. The French really are a delightful people, he decided, altering a police officer's thoughts to appear as a well-dressed young man, not the short, trench coat wearing, suspicious-looking troll he really was. They're so…open-minded.
Passing by a winery, the man made a purchase of a vintage chardonnay he found most delectable. When he emerged from the shop a little old woman was standing across the street, shaking slightly with cane in hand. For an instant the man thought she was looking at him, and clouded her mind to appear as pretty middle-aged redhead. Carrying along the bottle, he crossed the street on the way to the loft he had made his home for his stay in Gay Parie, quickly forgetting about the old crone.
He crossed several blocks before he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. His mental alarm went off, and he spun around to see a boy of fourteen sitting on the stone sidewalk, smoking a cigarette and not paying the least bit of attention to him. The man continued on his way.
He strode to the loft that resided in one of Paris's more shady districts. As he reached for the door to the squat, gray complex, he again had the feeling he was being watched. He looked from side to side, narrowing his eyes, and spied a tall woman with short brown hair leaning against a lamppost at the street corner. Her dark eyes followed him as he stormed inside the building and slammed the door shut. She grinned.
Once inside, the short, disheveled man raced up the old steps that creaked as he ran. He heard the front door slam open as if someone had broken it down, and he found himself filled with fear. Once again he heard the urgent footsteps behind him, and as soon as he reached the fourth floor he dashed into his loft, shutting the door and bolting the many locks he had fixed to it. Backing away, the man in the trench coat heard his stalker's steady pace. They stopped in front if his door, let out a shrill cry, and with a single kick turned his door into a pile of splinters.
"Wyngarde."
The man stopped trembling at the sound of his name. Forcing himself to look up at his attacker, he saw the shorthaired woman who had stood not far from the complex. Her lips curled in a devilish smirk, and as she walked towards him she morphed into the cigarette smoking boy and the withered crone before finally assuming the shape of a stately woman in a skimpy white gown. Her flowing hair was the color of blood, and her scaly flesh was as blue as the evening sky.
Scared out of his wits, the man called Wyngarde defended himself the only way he could; concentrating with all his might he sought to cloud the woman's thoughts. She would see him as nothing but a fly on the wall, and she would leave, she would leave…
"If you're trying to get inside my mind, it won't work," she hissed, edging towards the trembling mutant.
"Wh-What do you want with me?"
Amused, Mystique crossed her arms over her chest. "Remember Rome, ten years ago? A mutant named Magneto saved your life there, didn't he? Yes…and he asked for a boon in return. The time has come, Mastermind, for you to repay your debt."
Mastermind covered his face with his hands, sweat on his brow. "I don't have a choice, do I?"
"No," she answered darkly, "You really don't."
* * * * * * * * * * *
To Be Continued…
* * * * * * * * * * *
Author's Notes: And here's another chapter, dreadfully late. My apologies! Blame it on real life and on the lack of Evo on Kids' WB. I'm going into withdrawl! But it's been renewed for a 4th Season! Hallelujah! ^_^
I hope everyone noticed the title of this chapter. Things are going to get very interesting. ::dark laughter::
Lady MR: Actually, I'm not that big a fan of Anti-Xavier myself. I just don't think he's as benevolent as he'd like us to believe. So don't worry about him turning into an insane, Dr. Evil wannabe.
Xmenevolutionart: I try to make Kitty sound more like her Season 2 self, since saying "like" every other word makes her seem like a bigger ditz than she is. Checked out your site, by the way. Lovely pics.
Neva: I hope my take on Magneto doesn't disappoint, but he'll mainly be the shadowy figure he was through most of Season 1. I may save the really evil Maggie elements for later fics.
me: 15 times? Woo hoo! Anyway, I haven't forgotten the bit with Trey and Mystique, and it will come to play soon.
Thanks for all the great reviews, everyone! Stay tuned for Chapter 11: The Field Trip! ~Sandoz