Well, I have returned, with the second character of this increasingly spastic bit of fic. I do love that word. It makes me happy. Know what else makes me happy? Reviews! Am positively squealing with glee over the fact that you wonderful people reviewed the first chapter of this! Will address those at the end of this chapter though ^.^
Need to say a few things before I get this ball rollin' however. This chapter came out pretty quickly, but I honestly have no schedule for psoting. But will do the best I can. Sorry for the incredibly idiotic notes at the beginning of the first chapter. Will have to fix them soon. Must wonder where my brain goes at times like those. I blame the bout of Mono I seem to have been stricken with for the last few weeks. Anyway.
This fic takes place somewhere after the episode Self Posessed, and probably after Under Lock and Key as well. However, I will say there will be no Apocalypse in this fic. Why? Because he is hella big and he scares me. There will, however, be Romy-ness! (Unfortunatelly, not in this chapter. Chapter Three on the other hand. . . .) On that note, let's begin.
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2/?
Had A Bad Day Again
ChaosCat
25 June 2003
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Mornings at the mansion were hectic, as usual. With the number of teenagers in the household, breakfast was always an interesting event. So interesting, in fact, that all members of the faculty of the Institute primarily avoided the ground floor of the Mansion at this time of the morning.
This particular morning was no exception. Racing into the kitchen, Bobby and Roberto had accidentally crashed into Jamie, who had promptly fractured into four duplicates. Three of those Jamie's were arguing with Sam over who got the last chocolate donut. Amara was shooting a very well accomplished glare-of-certain-death at Kurt, which was not without cause, considering that the teleporter had snatched her breakfast right out of the toaster.
Scott and Jean swept into the kitchen.
"Jean, admit it." Scott sighed, holding the door open for her. "The hats look stupid."
" Jean Grey paused, shaking her head.
"How can you say that, Scott? They are a tradition. You cannot graduate without a cap. And they don't look stupid."
With graduation day at Bayville fast approaching, the topic of conversation for the two seniors at the Institute had been consistently drifting to the subject of the late. The two of them took their seats at kitchen table.
"They have golden tassels on them." Scott followed her into the kitchen, braced for the chaos undoubtedly in motion. He'd long ago given up any attempt to bring order to breakfast. The 'I'm the Leader' look just did not work effectively with hunger mutants. Logan and Ororo didn't even try anymore.
"What is wrong with golden tassels?"
"They're just tacky. And besides, they give us melon heads. Not exactly the picture you want to remember of the day you graduate high school, right?" He grinned, thoroughly enjoying the game. At least he had Jean's complete and undivided attention.
"So, you are saying I have a melon head? From a graduation cap?"
Scott's face fell.
"Well-No! I mean. . .that's not what I said. Well, not entirely anyway," Scott blabbed.
Jean, who had only moments before been attempting to suppress a giggle, had just gotten a good look at Kurt. He was currently perched on the kitchen counter, sticking his tongue out at Amara and munching on a pop-tart. She frowned, the cuteness of Scott's blushing babble now lost to her.
"Okay, you are right."
Scott blinked, then followed her line of vision.
Kurt, still gobbling down pop-tarts, had noticed he was now the subject of contentment. He gave Scott a jaunty salute, golden tassel bobbing. He was wearing a graduation cap, which meshed rather badly with the colour of his fur. Scott grinned, nodding back. Wait a second. Kurt was not graduating this year.
"Hey! Is that mine?!"
At that moment, Jamie chased Jamie under the table and out the door. Only in this house was such a thing possible. Jean just raised a brow.
"What a zoo," she remarked fondly.
Scott, just returning to the table after having retrieved his hat from Kurt, glanced at her.
"What?"
She smiled at him.
"Oh, nothing."
"Hey guys." An anxious looking Kitty Pryde phased her upper body through the kitchen wall. "Have you like, seen Rogue this morning?"
Scott and Jean both answered negatively. Kurt, swallowing the last of Amara's pop-tart with gusto, shook his head.
"Why do you ask, Keety?"
"Yeah." Bobby remarked. "She's your roommate. Isn't she still upstairs?"
Kitty phased into the room, biting her lower lip. "Well, when I woke up this morning, she like, wasn't in her bed. And I totally didn't see her come in last night. And now, like, you guys haven't seen her this morning? At all?"
Jean and Scott exchanged one of those concerned-superior-team-member looks they did so well. Sure, Rogue occasionally stormed out in a huff or something or another, but she always came back. It wasn't like her to do something like that.
"Maybe she got up early?" Sam offered in his soft southern drawl.
"Rogue?" Bobby shook his head. "A morning person? You are kidding right?"
"Then vhere is she?" Kurt cut in, concern evident in his tone.
Kitty shrugged.
"I totally have no idea! Maybe we should ask the Professor?" The words had no sooner been spoken when the kitchen door was opened.
"That won't be necessary." Ororo Monroe stood in the doorway. "The Professor wishes to speak to you all before you leave for school."
***
"As most of you are aware, Rogue did not return to the Institute last night."
As he spoke, Professor Charles Xavier regarded his students carefully. They had all crowded into rather spacious office, awaiting his next words. Some still in pajamas, others dressed for a day of school. They were all still children, he acknowledged, looking over them, and yet, they were some of the most extraordinary children in the world.
Sitting at his desk, Xavier could see Ororo Monroe, weather goddess, seated demurely near the window. Logan, in contrast, was leaning against the far wall, arms crossed. Though his demeanor was gruff as always, the Canadian was exuding an aura of agitation that was difficult to ignore.
Student and faculty alike exuded concern, but Logan, Xavier knew, held himself partly to blame for the events which had transpired the previous night. Events that he was now going to relate to the students.
"When Storm and I returned from D.C., Logan informed us that Rogue had left in the hours prior. And also that she should have returned. Naturally, we were concerned, but the three of us agreed that it might be better to give her time, and to respect her need for privacy, as we try to do for each of our students.
"However, time passed, and she still did not return. It was only then that Logan was dispatched to find her. Logan, if you would please relay your findings?"
The Canadian gave a short nod before he spoke.
"Followed 'er trail a few miles north into more populated area. Scent was fresh, but she ran into something. Not entirely sure what. But there were others. Signs of a scuffle. Bits of the road were, er, damaged. The trail splits. Majority headed North. But Rogue's headed South, toward the city. Lost it pretty soon though. Looks like they hightailed it out of there."
Before any of the students could comment, Xavier broke in.
"This leads us to believe that Rogue escaped, although Logan tells us she was not entirely alone. Her current whereabouts are, however, unknown to this at the moment, as is the identity of the person she is with." Xavier gestured to a small object sitting on his otherwise empty desk, metal gleaming wickedly in the light. "This was also discovered at the scene. It appears to be a dart of some sort, filled with an unknown tranquillizer. Dr. McCoy is currently analyzing it to determine the substance used and its origin."
"Professor! Ve've got to find her!" Kurt's tail lashed to and fro as he held out his hand.
"Like, now!" Kitty added in.
"I understand your concern, Kurt, Kitty. We are doing everything within our power to do just that."
"Professor, what about Cerebro?" Jean Grey quipped in. "Isn't it able to locate any specific mutant?"
Xavier nodded to his pupil. "This is true, Jean. But even with Cerebro, I was unable to find her current location. Or any trace of her."
"Is that possible?" One of the New Mutants gasped.
"There are a few possibilities as to the reason for this, Roberto. Rogue may be unconscious." Or dead. The second part of that clause remained unsaid, but a few were thinking it anyway. "Or, contrarily, something may be blocking it."
"Is that like, possible?" It was Kitty's turn to question.
"I am afraid so. Juggernaut, while wearing his helmet, is undetectable from Cerebro, as are several other mutants who possess special capabilities." Xavier steepled his fingers. "However, if Rogue were to use her powers, it greatly increase my chance of locating her psyche."
"So what do we do, Professor?" Scott asked, assuming the position of team leader without a thought.
"The only thing we can do, Scott." Xavier sighed. "We wait."
***
A few hours earlier:
The cellphone was answered after only a single ring. Quivering fingers groping for the correct button. Only one person was privy to this number, the employer who had contracted the team for this job.
"Sir." The man spoke immediately, thankful his voice was steady.
"Ah, Matthews." The voice on the other end was that of silk rustling. Or like dry scales. Snakes rubbing against each other. The analogy caused Matthews to frown. "I trust the operation went flawlessly, as promised."
It was not quite a question, the way his employer spoke. Matthews gulped.
"Not exactly, sir." He replied haltingly. "There were unforeseen complications."
"The X-Men?"
"No, sir."
"I see." There was a pause on the other end. "But you did acquire the targer?"
The boss was baiting him, Matthews realized. He was sweating in his combat gear, he realized as well. This was not going well.
"No sir, she escaped." Matthews blurted out, fear beginning to creep into him now. He had seen how his employer dealt with failure.
"Amazing."
"Sir?"
"Ten fully grown, well armed men allowed a girl. Little more than a CHILD. Escape from them?"
"I apologize, sir. But we did have her. She suspected nothing. We caught her off guard, and alone, just as you ordered. There was no way we could have foreseen this! She was immobilized. We tagged her easily. She put up no fight, went down smooth after the shot. But sir. She had help. We were not prepared." He was babbling now, and babbling was not good. His jaw snapped shut.
"Matthews."
"Sir?"
"You have two minutes to give me a satisfactory explanation before I terminate your employment, permanently." Matthews could imagine the serene expression of the boss. Matching the smooth, low tone his words were spoken in exactly. It was not reassuring.
He took a deep breath.
A little under two minutes later, he had stopped, listening to the silence on the other end apprehensively.
"Another mutant, you say?"
"Yes, sir."
"But not one of Xaviers?"
"No, sir. The description matches none we were given for this mission."
"Does this mutant have a description?"
Matthews was quick to supply the information, blurting out all he could remember.
"Hmmm." The boss seemed intrigued. "How very amusing. How very amusing indeed."
Matthews said nothing.
"You have been granted a reprieve, Matthews. At least for now."
"Sir?"
"Do you know have their location, Matthews?"
"Yes, sir. Well, it was current as of two hours ago. The target had a better metabolism then we thought."
"It is to be expected. And?"
"New York City, sir." Matthews gulped.
"This could prove much more interesting than I had originally thought."
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This chapter was a wee bit short. But the next one will be much longer. Hope that the chapter of nothing absolutely happening wasn't too boring for you all? But I thought we needed to see the folks at the Institute, so we all know they aren't standing idly by. Not too sure on the dialogue. Any suggestions/critique would be terribly helpful!
And, of course, it appears Rogue wasn't kidnapped? Or was she? So where is she? Well, I can promise you will find out in the next chapter. And the plot is lurking about the corner. Along with a bit of action. Chapter Three will be here within the week!
To Reviewers:
THANK YOU benjibear, Chaka, Liz, Bettie-chan, bluefuzzyelf, gambitgirl, Taineyah, and SailorSun1 for supporting me!!!
Ishandahalf --- I will try to be quick about writing! And I definitely agree on the Romyness! It makes me do a fangirl squeal!
infinity-x-forever --- Thanks for catching my goofs! ^.^ Will definitely try to do better next time.
AngieX --- Totally not intentionally ripping off any fics. But like I said, there probably are some similar stories out there. Hopefully, this one will have a few unique twists in it. And I am a horrid speller/grammar person. Will try to work on that, though. Thanks for letting me know.
Makura Koneko --- Cliffhangers are evil, aren't they? Ya just wanna strangle somebody over them! But they are soo much fun to write! ^.^ Cannot help it, must be a wee bit too evil myself at times.
Carla --- Thanks for accent advice. I am probably going to stick with your suggestion. ^.^ I just hope I didn't butcher them all too badly? Just cannot help from doing Rogue's though. It is so darn cute!
Girl number 1 --- Wow! Your review was so enthusiastic. It's definitely appreciated. Thanks so much for your support on my story. And your speculations! But you are right, Rogue is kick ass.