Disclaimer: I don't own no character, no singer, no song used in this fic.
A/N:23 Aug 2003: It's a great day to be alive! I've watched Dark Horizons 1 & 2 Thursday and Friday and Finding Nemo (great movie. It almost made me cry in the opening and consistently made me laugh) today.
Although they are correct that the Rogue-Remy kiss was overrated (it's just a smack and it's not even fully on the lips), but this is Rogue we're talking about her. The Rogue! It's, like, you know, her first kiss (I assume since she didn't like kiss Cody at all). Yey!
Hey, would you guys mind too much if I tie up this fic with Dark Horizons? I like it a lot!
Oh, and just a warning. There is a roundtable discussion below and the opinions are not mine but the reviewers'. The songs and artists listed below on the four's roundtable discussion were based on the overwhelming response that I received (thanks you guys) and does not necessarily reflect my POV. It's just made me realize that I can't please everybody. While some people are asking for so-and-so, others are telling me that there's absolutely no way that Rogue would sing that. So what I did was listed all of the songs/artists and just pick a song whose lyrics went with the story arc. So no flames, ok?
RockStarChapter 5: Farther Away
"You should wear a skirt more often, chere," Gambit told her as he gracefully slid into a seat in front of her in the crowded school cafeteria. "I think they look good on you,"
"As if I care," Rogue snapped. "Why are you here? You're not even enrolled here." She didn't even notice that majority of the female population in the cafeteria were watching the newbie with interest and were wishing to be in her shoes.
"Remy misses you, too," he told her with a twinkle in his eyes.
"I'm not in the mood for your mind games, Cajun," Rogue snarled as she absent-mindedly picked on her food.
Gambit immediately sobered up. "Chere, Remy thinks someone be after you," Gambit told her as he started to reach for her hand. "Someone is after your powers."
"He can have it," Rogue immediately placed both of her hands on her lap, away from Gambit's reach.
"Remy's serious, chere." He said as if what he's saying is paining him. His hand on the table made an involuntary fist. "Remy notices someone else watching you, but he never gets close enough to see who it is. Something's gonna happen really soon and you'll be right smack in the middle of it. You have to be doubly careful,"
"Why are you telling me this?" Rogue asked in frustration as she forgot about her hands and absent-mindedly pushed her uneaten lunch away from her.
A look of pain mingled with confusion came upon his face, like he was struggling hard with something and loosing badly. "Don't know, chere. Remy honestly don't know," and this time, he finally captured her gloved hand. He gave it a squeeze before releasing it. "Gambit be watching you." He said before he stood up and walked away.
"Do you believe him?"
Rogue looked at her roommate in disbelief before jamming her headphones on her ears. After listening to Kitty's and Bobby's choice of music, this was a relief. "No."
"Like, why not?" Kitty pulled one side of the headphones off. "Why don't you give him a chance?"
Rogue stared at Kitty as if the younger girl had just lost her mind. "Kit, this is Gambit we're talking about, you know, Ol' Buckethead's lackey?"
"So?"
Rogue threw her hands up in frustration. "What dream world are you living in?" She demanded. "This ain't no Romeo and Juliet, Kitty. This is real life."
"But you weren't, like, totally against it when I went out with Lance."
"Lance Alvers may come out as a total bad boy," Rogue replied. "But he ain't evil."
"Like, how do you know Gambit's evil?" Kitty shot back. "He was, like being nice to you. Like, he even warned you against Mags,"
"Don't be so quick to trust." Rogue admonished her. "It might be a trap, you know."
"Like, I think you've been hanging around with Mr. Logan too much," Kitty grumbled. "You know what I think? I think you're still not over Scott."
"WHAT?"
Kitty giggled. "Almost everyone, like, knows that you like Scott."
Rogue's eyes widened in shock. "Everyone?" She managed to croak out.
Kitty giggled. "Everyone but Scott himself." She giggled again. "Man, you should've seen the looks on Jean's face last Christmas! Like, she almost blew an artery when she, like, found out you and Scott were left here,"
"I do not have a crush on Scott." Rogue firmly denied.
"Hello!" Kitty looked at her long and hard. "Like, do you think it's only a coincidence that you shape shifted into a redhead on Amanda's party?"
"I have no control over my powers then!"
"Like, I overheard Professor X telling Ms. Munroe that it's your subconscious that's controlling your manifestations." Kitty shrugged. "I think that, like, your subconscious is trying to tell you something."
"Yeah, right now, it's telling me to tell you to shut up!"
It was a stalemate.
Everyone had put their foot down, nobody would budge an inch.
At that moment, the silence was deafening, but the tension was so quick that everyone knew that the least provocation would result an all-out powers fight.
"Look, maybe we could, like, find a compromise or something,"
Kurt nodded, glad that someone broke the silence. "I agree."
Rogue sighed and decided to cut her band mates some slack. The sooner they agree, the sooner they could be done with this meeting. "Look, all I'm saying is I'm done with pop songs. No more pop,"
"But Rogue, we can't play Korn all the time," Bobby said.
"Alright," Kitty sighed. "No Korn, but maybe Garbage?" She asked Bobby hopefully.
Bobby grumbled something under his breath but nodded his head reluctantly.
Kitty typed that down in her laptop. No Korn, but yes to Garbage.
"How about Linkin Park?" Kurt asked. "They're very popular lately."
Rogue shook her head. "Their songs are sung by two people. Unless Bobby wants to rap or something, they're out."
They all shuddered at the memory of Bobby's singing.
"How about My December?" Kitty suggested. No one answered so she took that as a yes. She typed it down too.
"Michelle Branch songs?" Bobby ventured.
"Uh-uh. No." Rogue said shortly. "She's too sweet for me,"
"Rogue, compromise," Kitty glared at the elder girl.
"Are You Happy Now? is not that sweet." Bobby argued.
"Fine." Rogue grumbled. "But I draw the line at that song."
"Great! We now have two songs." Kitty clapped her hands before typing furiously.
"Let's do pop rock, like Pink and Avril Lavigne," Kurt suggested next.
"Rogue?"
Rogue grimaced. "No."
"Why not?" Kitty whined.
"They're fake. I mean whoever heard of punk girls wearing brand names?"
"Is not!" Kitty argued hotly. "I like them."
"And your point would be—"
"Compromise, my sister," Kurt reminded her.
"Alright," Rogue gritted out as she crossed her arms. "But I choose which songs,"
Nobody objected to that, so Kitty typed it down.
"Oh!" Kitty grinned. "I love Evanescence, like, please tell me we'll play Evanescence!"
"Ja. Like them too." Kurt grinned.
"OK." Bobby said. "But not Bring Me to Life, that's a duet too."
"Amanda suggested Hoobastank." Kurt said shyly.
"I can do Hoobastank," Bobby nodded.
"Any more suggestions?"
"Um, Incubus?" Kitty asked. "I like them, too."
"Or Poe." Rogue suddenly said.
"Who?" Kitty asked.
Rogue sighed. "Never mind."
It went on for half an hour more. In the end, they came up with a list of different music and different artists. No one was very much happy with the list they ended up with, but at least they got the songs they wanted in. The beauty and the tragedy of compromise.
"OK, now that we have our play list, how about we come up with a name for our band?"
"How about Rent?" Kitty bounced up and down.
"Rent?" Kurt scratched his head.
Kitty nodded. "Think about it. It's like all the last letters of our name put
together. R for Nightcrawler, E for Rogue, N for Iceman, and T for Shadowcat."
Rogue rolled her eyes. "I hate to break it you, Kit, but someone already beat you to it,"
Kitty sighed. "But it took me sooo long to think about that," she whined. "Wait. How about Rins?"
"For the initials of our name? But it doesn't mean anything," Bobby protested.
"How about Mystic Spiral and then tell everyone that we're thinking of changing it?" Rogue suggested dryly.
"Oh! Mystic Spiral. I like that!" Kurt said.
Rogue rolled her eyes.
"Goddess! Look at the people!" Ororo exclaimed as she and Logan made their way through the crowded bar.
Wolverine growled as he caught some disrespectful stares and catcalls aimed towards his exotic companion. His hands itched for some action. He mentally taunted them to make a move, any excuse so that he could rip them apart.
Finally, the two teachers made it to the bar where Logan ordered his favorite brand of beer. Logan looked at Storm inquiringly.
Ororo declined. "Where are the kids?" She looked around.
"I wonder if she's going to sing the first song tonight," a voice drifted towards them.
"Gosh! I sure hope so!" Another one answered. "I don't think I can handle Bobby's singing,"
"I wonder what her name is,"
"Or if she's a mutant, too."
"She probably is, after all she hangs out with them. I wonder what her powers are,"
"Probably something cool,"
"Rogue has no plans of revealing her identity soon, right?" Logan asked silently before taking a huge gulp of beer.
Ororo nodded as she turned her full attention towards his male companion. "But it seems as if that they truly wanted her. They are willing to overlook her being a mutant just for this,"
Wolverine smiled grimly. "Maybe there's a hope for Chuck's dreams then," he said before he chugged on his beer and slammed the empty mug on the bar.
"Where is she?" Bobby muttered as he climbed on-stage with his band mates minus one Goth girl. He had postponed their song as long as he could, but the stage manager finally told him to go up or get out.
"I know my sister," Kurt whispered confidently before he took a seat behind the drums.
Kitty nodded. "She'll be here,"
Bobby finally shrugged as he put on the strap of his guitar. He began playing the opening stanzas of the song they were to sing after the stage manager glared at him.
And then a beautiful young girl with long thick black hair sauntered into the stage. She motioned for Bobby to start playing. Without missing a beat, she began to sing.
I took their smiles and I made them mine.
I,I sold my soul just to hide the light.
And now I see what I really am,
A thief, a whore, and a liar.
I run to you,
Call out your name,
I see you there, farther away.
I'm numb to you - numb and deaf and blind.
You give me all but the reason why.
I reach but I feel only air at night.
Not you, not love, just nothing.
I run to you,
Call out your name,
I see you there, farther away.
Try to forget you,
But without you I feel nothing.
Don't leave me here, by myself.
I can't breathe.
I run to you,
Call out your name,
I see you there, farther away.
I run to you,
Call out your name,
I see you there, farther away,
Farther away,
Farther away,
Farther away,
Farther away,
Farther away.
"Rogue, the stage manager said that we should introduce ourselves to the audience." Kitty whispered to her as Bobby and Kurt was playing the closing notes.
"Now?"
Kitty nodded. "Since you're the singer, you have the pleasure."
Rogue turned to the audience. "I guess it's time we introduce ourselves to you, instead of you just referring to us as Bobby's band." Rogue hid a grimace. Oh the things she does for her peace of mind. "On drums, Kurt Wagner!" She called out, her voice free of any accent to identify her. Cheers met Kurt's drum roll. "On keyboards, Kitty Pride," the young girl the executed a complicated-sounding rhythm. "And on electric guitar, Bobby Drake!" She waited for the cheers and applause to die down. She was about to introduce the next song when she saw Kitty motioning wildly at her.
"Introduce yourself," she heard Bobby, who was in between the two girls, whisper to her.
Rogue froze. She never expected this to happed. "And I'm Scarlett," she finally choked out.
Bobby snorted at her choice of name.
"You look good with black hair, Rogue. Like, it totally pulls together the Goth look,"
Rogue glared at her as she plopped in her bed. Unlike Kitty, she doesn't have to remove anything on her face. But she was exhausted. It took her two hours of practicing and concentrating in the mirror before she could even use Mystique's powers. And another hour to shift into someone's face that wasn't one of the people she absorbed. In the end, it became easier. Like shopping. Take someone's hair here, a nose there, a skin color here. But somehow, she can't change her eyes. Maybe it had something to do with the eyes being a window to her soul. But there was Mystique…but then again, it was debatable whether or not the shape shifter has a soul.
"And Scarlett?" Kitty laughed out load as she removed the gunk on her face with cold cream.
Rogue glared at Kitty. "It was kinda on the spur of the moment," she said defensively.
"Where did you get that name?" Kitty wrinkled her nose.
Rogue reddened and sputtered.
Kitty gasped as an epiphany broke out. "Don't tell me," she squealed. "That's your real name?" She spun around and laughed at her friend.
Immediately, a pillow hit her on the face. It was so sudden that she didn't even have the chance to phase. But even then, she continued laughing.
"Do you have a death wish, Kit?"
Kitty tried in vain to contain her laughter, she really did! "Like, you never really struck me as a Scarlett,"
Rogue snorted as she settled herself in her bed. "Now you know why I use Rogue,"
Kitty debated whether or not she should tell the Goth that Rogue is not much better than Scarlett, but decided against it. Her life is more valuable than that. Why didn't she choose something less conspicuous, like Marie or something?
~tbc
P.S.
Severe oversight! The song last chapter was Addicted by Simple Play. Love that song.
Mystic Spiral is the name of Trent's band in MTV's Daria. Love you, Trent.
Thanks to Ami/The Untouchable for suggesting and sending Farther Away (Evenescence), the song used in this chapter.
Also, my gratitude is due to Lady Starlight so kiss my ass (you flatter me! Thanks. I needed that), Ev1ta (yup. Garbage. Got that. Cup of Coffee, huh. Am gonna surf for that as soon as I post this chap), Destiny Phoenix (OK, you've convinced me. More Rogue/Jaime moments coming up!), Lulu (I did Evanescence for this one, but that doesn't preclude me from doing it again in the future. Can you tell me if Tourniquet &/or Taking Me Over are duets or are they sung by one person? I'll email you. Wait for It.), Rogue Warrior Spirit (Hmmm. Jaime will definitely be in on their secret…oops…did I say that out loud? ^^), The Untouchable (*Blushes and shuffles feet uncomfortably* aw, shucks. My first fan. Yey!), Barbara Ruiz (Oh, yeah. Someone got the better of that smooth-talking thief. Glad someone found that scene funny.), ishandahalf (Yeah. Sometimes, brothers are really useful), Alwaysright1 (*grins sunnily* Alright. I am definitely doing Garbage. How could I not after the flattery you've heaped upon me?), jskullguy (I'm doing my best here! But I have to say that the Evo-verse is different from the Comic-verse, so in hand-to-hand, Rogue would not necessarily defeat Remy. For one thing, she ain't got invulnerability or super speed. And for the record, Vargas, not Vega, kidnapped Gambit in Extreme Xmen because he was the key to opening a gate between their world and another. Thanks.), rogue4eva/romy4eva (hey! Actually, the idea of Rent came from you. Hmm…still thinking about Rins tho.), Yumiko (Poe? You and another reviewer suggested Poe, but I really haven't heard of 'em. I really gotta get out more… OK. Point taken about Pink and Avril, but I think I'm going to use a song by the latter due to popular demand…well…it is pop), and Caliente (read your fic. Nice. *nods head* me like The Flirt and the Rogue. Yup. Like it very much.).
Thanks, ya'll. And don't forget to review!