Welcome to Chapter 9. This chapter has given me nothing but grief. None of the characters wanted to behave. They all had to do their own thing, which meant it took forever to write it all out. So, I apologize for the horridness of it. But still, this is the second fight scene in this fic. It is by no means the last, nor the biggest. I think this is my "turning point" chapter, so say hullo to the plot.
Also would like to note that this chapter is HUGE. Nearly twice as big as usual. That is part of the reason it took so long to come out. The other is that I've been without internet access for a while as I'm in the process of moving. So chapters will be coming out as soon as I have time to type.
Oh, and I simply must mention that I now adore Evo-verse Gambit, especially after watching both parts of Dark Horizon. And yeah, I even like the accent, after I got used to it. And Pyro was absolutely adorable in that psycho way of his!! It was positively inspiring. Happy reading.
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Gambit: "Looks to me like Rogue's up to no good. But hey, I like that in a girl."
[X-Men Evolution - Dark Horizon I]
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9/?
Had A Bad Day Again
ChaosCat
19 August 2003
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As his head was slammed against the unyielding side of the bus, Scott Summer, the X-Man know as Cyclops, wondered if this was becoming a trend. At least he would have wondered this, if he had not been fighting the urge to slip into unconsciousness due to the overwhelming pain in his head. They were supposed to be the good guys, right? That would make the woman slamming his head against a bus the bad guy. Weren't the good guys supposed to win?
A swift punch his ribs brought him back to the situation at hand. Had something cracked that time? Fighting back a cry of pain, he dragged himself back to consciousness. He didn't know where Kurt and Bobby were. He didn't know what happened to Jean. What she hurt? Did she need help? Scott did know, however, that the woman holding him suspended in the air, her fingers curled about his throat, was amazingly strong. And that he couldn't breath. Black spots began to dance across his vision, framing the vicious features of the woman leering up at him. His legs dangled helplessly. Kicking her was like smacking a metal post.
She winced minutely under her captive's desperate blows, but her grin grew wider still. No normal woman could hold him above her head without breaking a sweat. The flashing on Bobby's screen. Mutants. She was a mutant. But how had she been able to hide her presence?
"What's wrong, pretty boy?" She laughed. "Am I too much for you?"
He might have been able to come back with a witty retort had he not been fighting for air. But even under the best of circumstances, it was doubtful.
They'd fallen into a trap, and an obvious one at that. How could he have been so stupid? He was the team leader! He was supposed to prevent things like this from happening, not walk right into the enemy's hands. Scott wheezed, his fingers gripping the wrist of his captor.
"Who are you?" He managed a hoarse whisper.
She grinned, her triceps bulging as she tightened her grip. Scott's vision began to fade, black creeping into the edges, obscuring his view of the world.
"Congratulations, Sweetheart. You've just met the Marauders." The venom dripped from her honeyed tone. "The name is Arclight. Wonder if you'll be screaming it for me?"
Arclight. The name meant nothing to him now. Marauders? Who were they? But if he lived through this encounter, it might be of use. At the moment, however, living through this encounter seemed to be the most important thing.
"Now, let's-"
BAMF!
Whatever Arclight had been about to say was cut off by the appearance of a blue furred demon. Kurt, not without his hologram inducer, clung to Arclight's back, yanking roughly upon her hair. The woman cursed as her head was jerked back, destroying her balance. She grabbed at Nightcrawler, her free arm flailing. The crawler's lithe form twisted deftly to avoid her grasping fingers.
"Ich denke nicht so," Kurt admonished, clucking his tongue at her.
Scott took the window of opportunity, kicking out at the tall woman. The glancing blow to her kneecap caused her to stumble, losing her grip upon him as she did so. He dropped to the ground, landing squarely on his backside. It wasn't dignified, but at the moment, Scott just savored the ability to breathe unhindered.
Nearby, Arclight cursed once more, finally grabbing Kurt by the collar of his uniform and flinging him away from her. He flew back from the force of the toss, which had looked so effortlessly. Kurt twisted in mid-air, much like a cat, and BAMF'ed promptly to avoid colliding with one of the parked vehicles. He appeared beside Scott a second later, surrounded by his usual stench of brimstone.
"Somehow, I don't think that this was part of ze plan, Mein Freund," Kurt remarked, helping a wobbly Scott to his feet.
"Where's Bobby?"
"He went to help Jean."
The mutant calling herself Arclight turned back to them, chest heaving as a slow rage began to descend upon her features. The veins on her exposed arms were prominent, enhancing the bulk of the muscles. Her face flushed, she began to walk towards them, taking slow, deliberate steps.
"You little shit," she snarled at Kurt. "I'm going to-"
Kurt didn't get the opportunity to learn exactly what Arclight was going to do. Scot had determined that Arclight's little tirade was the perfect moment to release one of his optic blasts. Being without his uniform, he wasn't wearing the visor than enabled to him control the force of the attack. Lifting the ruby quartz glasses for a split second was ample time for the uninhibited red beam to engulf Arclight, illuminating her shocked features. An enraged shrieked filled the air as the woman was thrown back. Her bulky form slammed into a bus, and then went through it, leaving a heap of twisted metal in her wake.
The two X-Men stared at the smoldering wreckage before them and the damaged vehicles beyond. There was no sign of movement from beneath any of the trashed machinery.
"Mein Gott! I am not paying for that," Kurt finally declared. He glanced over at Scott. "Who was that? And what is going on here?"
"I don't know," Scott responded tersely. His ribs were beginning to ache, but he pushed the pain aside for now. "But we have to find the others!"
'Hang on Jean,' Cyclops thought determinedly. 'I'm coming.'
***
Jean Grey thought she was going to be sick. She clutched at the ground, fingernails scraping the asphalt. If only the ground would stop spinning beneath her, then she might have been able to rise from her most undignified position. Bile rose in her throat, sickening her further. The nausea was intense beyond anything she'd previously experienced. It clung to her determinedly. She couldn't stand. Couldn't think.
Closing her eyes, Jean tried to will the sick feelings away, desperate for that sense of calm. She had to concentrate to use her telepathy. To force this away. Dimly, she could hear the girl giggling. The sound was far too innocent to be coming from her lips.
"What are you . . ." Jean choked back the urge to vomit. "… Doing to me?"
She really didn't expect the girl to answer. But she needed to do something, anything to distract herself from this horrible dizzy spell. It made her feel horribly week. Out of control in her own body. She hated it.
"Who? Me?" The blonde giggled merrily. "Nothing really. Why? The little telepath feeling dizzy?"
The girl knew she was a mutant, Jean thought hazily. And the blonde even knew what her powers were. This was bad.
Jean couldn't hold it back anymore. In seconds, she was emptying the contents of her stomach upon the pavement, unable to stop herself. Once the vomiting had subsided, she dry-heaved wretchedly as the giggling blonde watched.
"I'm told the fluid in your inner ear is responsible for your sense of balance. Isn't it amazing that playing with such an itty bitty thing could cause so much trouble?" The blonde remarked, sounded amazed herself at the knowledge.
Gritting her teeth, Jean tried again to stand, only to have a new wave of nausea overtake her. Helpless, she could do nothing but lie there, desperately praying for this to end. She had to stay focused, that much she knew. But it was impossible! She couldn't access her powers like this!
It seemed that luck would be in her favor at this moment. She would not always be so lucky.
There was a loud, feminine screech, invading her silent plea.
The nausea just stopped. There was no period of slow subsiding. It was there one moment, gone the next, leaving her a trembling, relieved mess upon the ground. Raising her head through a veil of red hair, Jean soon located the source of her rescue. The blonde was shrieking her head off, trying desperately to unstick her feet from the ground. It didn't seem to be happening anytime soon. From her toes to her knees, the girl was firmly encased in ice. Limbs flailing, the blonde was obviously off balanced by the sudden attack, and had seemingly forgotten about them.
Bobby Drake was by Jean's side then, helping her to her feet.
"Are you okay, Jean?" His voice was high with nervousness. After all, he was the least experienced of them all. Still, he'd been in a few combat situations and knew how to keep his cool.
"I'm fine Bobby." Regaining her balance, Jean gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you."
A sudden gust of wind blew her hair back, the intensity of it forcing her to shut her eyes. Something sharp whizzed by her face, biting into the side of her cheek. The shock caused her to cry out. Her eyes snapped open in shock. Bringing fingertips to the side of face, she felt the warm wetness that could only be just the faintest trickle of blood. Instinctively, she turned into the gale, and the direction from which the attack had come from.
A whirlwind engulfed form hurtled towards them, Jean's eyes widening at the sight. Grabbing Bobby, she dove out of the way. They fled to the side of a nearby bus, leaning against it as the cyclone passed their way. Before her eyes, the wind died down, revealing a white haired youth, his long hair tangled around his face. The boy could be no older than 12, and yet, his expression sent a stab of unease through Jean. He grinned at them both with a look far too sadistic for his young years.
"I don't think you should be celebrating just yet." He warned, launching himself into the flurry of wind once more.
***
From her distant perch, a dark-garbed figure watched the battle. She would not interfere. Not for this operation. She had her own part of the mission to complete. It was the first time this particular group had worked together in the field and this mission was proving to be quite entertaining.
Her team was not doing as poorly as they could have, but still yet, they lacked a sense of teamwork. Riptide had just joined the fray. She would have to keep an eye upon the youngster; his sadistic streak would prove his undoing unless he could control himself. Janos had a reputation for being slightly manic in combat simulations. His mutation, however, made him an asset to the team. Not only could he spin his body at high speeds, but he also possessed the ability to secrete tiny bone-like barbs from his flesh and fire them into an opponent.
Arclight had done her part as well. The woman would need little time to recover, but should have no lingering injuries, one of the advantages to her mutation.
Flicking the thick braid of burgundy colored hair over her shoulder, she sneered. Vertigo was a problem. The girl was a sniveling mess. The nausea causing mutant had done her part in the beginning well enough. She'd put the telekinetic redhead out of commission for those few moments it took to get Riptide into position. But she wasn't going to be much help in the battle now. Pitiful. Just pitiful. Vertigo would have to be punished later.
That thought perked her up considerably, as she was the one who would be doling out that punishment.
***
"Kitty, we are not letting him come with us!"
"Why not, Rogue? He seems perfectly harmless."
St. John did look rather harmless, hands stuffed into his pockets. Without the goggles and flamethrower strapped to his back, he could easily pass as a perfectly normal college student. His orangey-blonde hair was styled in a spiky erratic manner, sticking out all over. His ears were pierced, she noted. Tiny silver hoops dangled from the lobes, and trailed up the cartilage of his left ear. He was sort of attractive, in that bad-guy-that-sets-stuff-on-fire kind of way.
"Kitty, Ah know you're jokin', right?"
"Rogue! Stop causing a scene!" Kitty hissed, lowering her voice meaningfully.
She knew what Kitty was trying to avoid. Mutants were not smiled upon anywhere anymore. It was better to keep a low profile in public, which was one of the reasons they'd opted to going to this theater. It wasn't in Bayville, where everyone knew them.
"Ah am not causing a scene!" Rogue protested.
Kitty Pryde put her hands on her hips. She and Rogue glared at each other for a long moment.
"We're going to be late for the movie if you two keep fighting," St. John commented innocently, tapping his wristwatch.
Both of the girls turned to look at them, nearly identical glares on their faces. They both even had their hands on their hips. St. John grinned broadly, something he was good at.
"Hey now, no reason to go bananas!" He held up his hands, attempting to placate them. "We're just picking a movie."
"What exactly are you doin' here anyway?" Rogue narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Spyin' on us?"
St. John paused for a moment, looking utterly confused. Then he promptly burst out in raucous laughter, nearly doubling over with it. People were beginning to stare again. Rogue was beginning to get used to it.
"That's bonzer!" He snorted. "Why the hell would I want to spy on you Jillaroos?"
"Because you work for Magneto," Rogue supplied testily.
"Don't be saying his name!" St. John admonished, looking around. "He might show up! I'm incognito, remember?"
"Is your accent real?" Kitty inquired.
"I'm true blue, gal! The dinki di!" The Australian announced proudly, puffing himself up importantly.
Kitty immediately burst into giggles. Rogue had to stifle the smile beginning to creep onto her features. His slang was close to indecipherable, and yet amusing all the same. And that accent was outrageous. St. John Allerdyce was certainly an interesting individual, for a completely psychotic mutant terrorist, that is. He scratched the side of his nose, peering at Kitty curiously. His crestfallen expression was apparent when he spoke again.
"What's so funny, Jillaroo?" He demanded.
"Huh?" Kitty blinked, looking over at Rogue. "What did he just call me?"
Rogue just shrugged. Kitty turned, intent upon getting an answer out of him, but it was too late. St. John had already bounded off. He was leaning against the glass of the ticket booth, talking to the perky blonde inside.
"Like, what kind of drugs is that guy on?" Kitty whispered, watching St. John gesture expansively for a moment.
"Ah don't know," Rogue admitted. "But he needs Ritalin."
"For sure!" Kitty giggled.
"Come on, while he's distracted!" Rogue grabbed Kitty's wrist with one gloved hand.
She noted Kitty's involuntary flinch at the contact. She should be used to it by now, the way they always flinched back from her, even though she wore amply layers of clothing. Protecting them from her. Protecting herself from her powers. Brushing back the anxiousness flaring to life at the unfairness of it all, she pulled Kitty away from the front of the theater.
"Hey!" Kitty practically yelled. "What are you doing Rogue?"
"We are leaving, while he's distracted by that girl's lip gloss," Rogue explained.
"But like, why?"
Rogue fought the urge to smack herself on the forehead once more. Kitty was one of the smartest people she knew. But why did the girl have to lack common sense? She was beginning to wonder if she was the only X-Man with a brain. Pulling Kitty along, hoping to get to the car
"Because, Kitty, he's usually the bad guy. We don't like ta play with the bad guys, do we?"
"Rogue!" Kitty whined. "What is with you? Since when did you turn into Scott?"
Rogue pursed her lips. That was a low blow, especially coming from Kitty. Even if the girl did have a point. Since when did she care about responsibility? Since the current source of the argument happened to be on the same team as a certain unwanted admirer of hers. That was when.
Kitty pulled away from Rogue, who didn't try to stop her. She took two steps backwards, opening her mouth to scold Rogue once again. And promptly ran into a brick wall. At least it felt like a brick wall. Except brick walls don't breath. Letting out a startled shriek, Kitty whirled around. Her nose bumped against one of the most muscular chests she'd ever seen, even covered by a shirt. Her gaze slid up to meet the eyes of the other person, a slight gasp escaping her.
"You!" She squeaked.
The giant of a man standing there looking bewildered was the same metal skinned Acolyte she and Scott had fought the previous week. What was his name again? Something about his size. Colossus! That was it. Kitty stared up at him, forgetting how close they were for the moment. Wow, was he cute or what? That jaw line. Those eyes. And how could she forget the muscles? What a hottie! She took a few steps back, her gaze running up and down his frame.
"Excuse me?" The foreigner queried, his voice thick with some unidentified accent. He didn't seem to remember her. That could be a good thing, considering the circumstances of their last meeting.
"Kitty!" Rogue yelped as the girl stepped on her toes.
The stranger looked up at Rogue, his eyes narrowing slightly in recognition. Of course he remembered Rogue, Kitty thought with irritation. With those white streaks in her hair, she stood out in a crowd. Kitty knew she wasn't an exotic looking as any of the other females at the Institute. Jean's long legs and natural red hair had boys wrapped around her finger with little more than a thought. Amara was the princess of Nova Roma. Tabitha's wild streak gave her the perfect bad girl persona. And Rogue's tough as nails exterior coupled with her Goth look was the ultimate challenge. Then there was plain old Kitty Pryde, the girl next door.
For a moment, the three mutants just looked at one another awkwardly, not quite sure what to do in this particular situation.
"Hey mates!" The silence was broken by the return of St. John, practically skipping back over to the two girls. "How about seeing Pirates of the -- -AAAH! HIDE ME!"
Catching sight of the larger Acolyte, St. John went into a panic. He dove behind Kitty and Rogue, using them as a human shield between himself and the other man. Grabbing a hold of each of their shoulders, he dragged the two X-Men together and peeped between them.
"Let go of me unless you wanna lose those fingers!" Rogue snapped viciously, smacking his arm away from her with a growl.
"Don't let him get me!" John pleaded.
Rogue turned to look at the bigger man, quirking a brow. Kitty was giggling again. She really couldn't help it. She didn't mind looking at the big guy either. The Acolyte just let out a sigh, shrugging his shoulders.
"Comrade, your theatrics are drawing a scene." Colossus began. "Again."
"You'll never take me alive!" Sr. John declared, pointing at Colossus in a dramatic manner. He paused for a moment, obviously thinking about something. "How did you find me, anyway Petey?"
Kitty blinked. His name was Petey?? What sort of name was that for this muscular hunk standing before her? He was far too handsome to be named Petey. Oh, she shouldn't be thinking that sort of thing about the enemy. Thank God Jean or the Professor weren't around.
"Next time you run off, John, perhaps you should consider leaving the tracking device behind," 'Petey' remarked blandly.
"But I did!" St. John protested.
"And the one implanted in your lighter?"
"Damn it! I KNEW I forgot something!" St. John fished a silver butane lighter from the pocket of his jeans. He scowled at it.
"I must inform our teammate that I have found you. We have been searching the area for you for some time." Pulling a small mobile phone from his pocket, he pushed a single button. The entire phone conversation lasted half a minute and was in a tone too low for Kitty to understand. Returning the phone to its original position, 'Petey' then turned his attention to the two girls. "I apologize for my Comrade. He does not get out much."
"Ah can see why," Rogue said dryly, watching St. John flick his lighter on. Then off. Then on again. The tiny flame transfixed his gaze, eyes wide with wonder. But at least he was behaving, for a few minutes at least.
"See how horrible it is?" St. John muttered just loud enough for the two girls to hear. "They lock me up like some criminal!"
Kitty thought it best not to mention that John was, in actuality, a criminal.
"I never get to have any fun!"
The muscular mutant ignored St, John's rambling. Instead, he continued speaking to the two X-Men.
"You are Rogue, correct?"
"Yeah."
"And I'm Kitty!" The brunette subtly brushed past Rogue to stand in front of the larger man. "Kitty Pryde."
"She walks through walls," St. John supplied helpfully.
Out of the corner of her eye, Kitty saw Rogue smacked him in the back of the head. The lanky Acolyte wrinkled his now at the Goth but did nothing in retaliation.
"Piotr Rasputin." The infliction of his name was something deliciously exotic. Kitty decided that she liked his accent quite a bit.
"Is that Russian?" Kitty inquired coyly about his last name. From his pleased expression, she had guessed correctly. Point for her.
"Yes," was his only response. Although his expression didn't seem quite as foreboding as it had a few moments ago.
"Really?" Kitty smiled brilliantly, her entire face lighting up. "That's really cool! What part of Russia are you from?"
"Lake Baikal. It is in Siberia." Piotr gave the girl a broad smile as he spoke, revealing just the hint of a dimple.
"Oh." Kitty blinked. Although she was a computer whiz, her knowledge of geography was lacking. She knew the general location of Siberia, but nothing more.
"It is very rural," he remarked kindly.
"Kitty, would you please stop ogling' the bad guy for a few minutes?" Rogue snapped, her hands on her hips.
Kitty whirled around to face her roommate, feeling heat creep into her flushed cheeks. For a moment, she thought she might die of intense embarrassment. But that would only encourage Rogue. Revenge was a much better option.
"Oh PLEASE, Rogue! I'm not the one that's like, making dates with one of them!" Kitty proclaimed loudly. "Or receiving presents from one."
"Kitty!" Rogue shrieked. Even beneath those layers of make up, Kitty could still spot the telltale signs of a flush rising to her cheeks. "For the last time, Ah am NOT going out on any dates with any bastard, cocky, egotistical ass of a Cajun!"
Piotr and St. John just stared at Rogue after her outburst. Kitty burst into giggles. She just couldn't help herself.
"Like, whatever Rogue!"
"Cajun?" St. John's face lit up. "I don't believe it! LeBeau is making the moves on you?"
"Like Hell he is!" Rogue growled.
"Then does that mean I still have a chance, Sheila?" St. John inquired slyly, throwing his arm around her and winking cheekily.
Layers of clothing, thankfully, separated them. That didn't stop Rogue from growling at St. John before flinging his arm away from her. Fighting back the automatic sense of panic at someone that close to her, she turned on him. She whirled around to glare at him, growing even more exasperated as he was still grinning. He was obviously very pleased with his joke. Kitty giggled madly at the outraged look on her friend's face. Then was promptly nudged by Piotr. She looked up at him questioningly, only to have him nod his head meaningfully. She turned to look in the direction.
Her eyebrows shot up at the sight, and a grin began creeping across her face.
"Ah don't think so," Rogue responded. She didn't seem as upset as before, more playful and seemingly engrossed in her mock argument with St. John. Kitty realized she hadn't been paying attention to them, and tuned back into the conversation.
"Aww, please?"
"Not a chance."
"Not even a little?"
"That's even less of a possibility than that bayou wallowin' swamp rat sweeping me off mah feet." She couldn't completely fight back the grin. Something about the Australian put her at ease. By now, they were both clearly teasing each other. Rogue? Being civil to someone? Weird.
"But dat is a possibility, oui Chere?" The sound of the voice caused Rogue to lose her smile.
Slowly, she turned around; dread and delight alternately coursing through her. She met the red on black eyes without hesitation. Who else could it have been?
"Bonjour."
***
Jean yanked the tiny projectile from where it had lodged into her upper arm, biting back a cry of pain. She paused only a moment to examine it. The grayish object resembled a shuriken, the edges of it sharp enough to pierce her flesh. Except it wasn't metal. Instead, it looked suspiciously like the bone protrusions that Evan had been able to produce, except while his had been spikes, these were razor edged and disc-like.
She didn't have time to study it in now. Throwing it aside, she instead concentrated on looking at her arm, which was now bleeding freely. She'd have to tend to it later as well. She was in no immediate danger of bleeding to death, but it was painful. Bobby had bought her a few minutes, currently playing a deadly game of 'tag' with the spinning mutant. The young X-Man was agile enough to avoid the projectiles being hurtled in his direction with ease, probably due to all those Danger Room sessions with Logan.
Jean knew she had to move. The blonde girl was still wailing like a banshee for the moment, lamenting her frozen legs, but Jean didn't know how long that would last. She had no desire to end up at her mercy once again. Why was she attacking them? Reaching out with her telepathy, Jean attempted to probe the girl's mind, delicately flipping through the layers of panic and rage.
Vertigo.
That was the girl's name. She was a mutant. Aptly named, if her disorientation-causing mutation was any indication. But that didn't answer her questions. Jean needed to push further into the girl's mind to determine more, which she attempted.
Vertigo. . .mission . . Riptide. . .Marauders.
She could only get snatches of thoughts. Names. Nothing concrete. It was a slippery operation. Jean was running up against a mental brick wall. The girl shouldn't have been able to do that. Only another telepath could have been able to do something like that.
Then she felt it. The faintest glimmer of a presence outside of Vertigo. There was someone else there. The mind was too foreign and too strong to belong to either of the two mutants in front of her.
It was another telepath.
Her eyes widening, Jean reached out mentally, searching for that elusive strand of telepathy that would locate the other for her. Leaning heavily against the side of a double-decker coach and holding her bleeding arm to her side, her gaze danced across her surroundings. Suspicion was beginning to settle heavily in her gut. She couldn't locate the other telepath's position, but she knew that the person was too close for comfort. As she pushed her telepathy to the limit, something flickered from the other presence. There were two thought patterns detectable, the second one much fainter than the first. The two were connected somehow. By something she could not define. Then, inexplicably, there was a third. Although this one was not like the other two. It was similar to a psychic link, and yet not quite. For a moment, she could have sworn there were two telepathic signatures instead of one, then in a blink, it was gone.
Not knowing what else to do, Jean turned to the only person she knew could possibly hold the answers.
~Professor!~
***
"You know, Chere," Remy drawled suggestively. "I can 'tink of more interesting things for you to be doing with those lips den frowning at me. Although most of those things involve me."
"Bastard!" Immediately enraged, Rogue tried to throw herself at the Cajun, ripping off one of her gloves in the process.
Kitty, reacting mostly on instinct, grabbed Rogue by the arm, trying to pull her back. Taking her lead, St. John grabbed the girl's other arm. Together, the two of them were barely able to restrain her from ripping the Louisiana native's throat out. Rogue growled at them both, clearly not happy about being stopped in mid-leap. As for Remy, he just stood there for a moment, watching her with the most amused expression upon his features.
She certainly was riled up. Who would have thought that the comment would have affected her so? Of course, he had to admit that she looked cute when she was trying to kill him. It really brought out the green in her eyes. He just couldn't help himself. Rogue was far too much fun to tease.
She'd begun frowning at him the moment he'd arrived. When Piotr had called to tell Remy that he'd found the Australian, Remy hadn't guessed he'd the little Southern Belle and her friend as well. It was a pleasant surprise. Somehow, he knew she'd gotten the present he'd sent her. It didn't seem to have melted her cold exterior in the slightest. He'd just have to try harder. After he teased her a bit.
"What can I say?" Remy turned to Piotr. "De femme can't keep her hands off me."
Rogue let out an inarticulate growl, redoubling her efforts to reach and possibly maim Remy.
"Don't kill him, Rogue!" Kitty squealed.
"Yeah, mate! You'll just have to clean up the mess!" St. John chipped in. He looked over at Kitty. "I got ten on Rogue."
"You think I'm betting against her?" Kitty responded with a grunt, digging her heels in the ground to keep Rogue from dragging her along. "Are you nuts?"
"Easy there, Chere!" Remy held his hands up, palms outstretched as a sign of peace. He supposed it was time to calm her down a bit. "You might hurt yourself."
"Ah'd rather hurt you," she growled.
However, she had stopped struggling against Kitty and St. John. They looked at each other, and then, removed their hands from her at the same time. Both looked ready to leap back into action if Rogue became hostile again.
"Nah, chere, you don't wanna be doing dat." He grinned.
"Ah have a name. Maybe you should think about using it," Rogue responded icily.
"Why would I want to be doing that?" He was teasing her now. It was just too easy. "You're très mignon when you're angry."
"Screw you."
"Is dat any way to talk to de man who saved your life?" Remy wagged a finger in front of her nose. "What they be teaching you in that school, eh? Non even a t'ank you?"
Rogue's anger faltered, if only for a moment. Remy could sense it in the way her eyes flickered. She had beautiful eyes, he realized. They were so expressive. While she kept the rest of herself covered, those eyes alone expressed the spitfire beneath.
Never attempt poetry, LeBeau, he reminded himself. Not a good career move. Still, how could he not help but notice her? She was bewitching, to say the least. Just as at the school, Remy found himself admiring her. Any warm-blooded man would have done the same. There was plenty to admire. From the hint of creamy skin exposed at her stomach to the sparking fury of her emerald eyes, Rogue was enchanting.
"Thanks."
"What?" Remy queried. The sound of her soft voice, little more than a whisper, took him by surprise.
"Ah said thanks!" Rogue clarified, a hint of irritation seeping through into her tone. "Ya deaf as well as dumb?"
"You're very welcome." Remy grinned, the smile lighting up his handsome features. She was full of surprises, wasn't she? He hadn't expected that. "How could I resist such an exquisite damsel in distress?"
As he spoke, Remy closed his fingers about her wrist, pulling her gloved hand to his lips and brushing his lips against the soft material. She snatched her hand back swiftly, but the damage had already been done. A faint blush crept along her cheeks, scantly noticeable beneath the layers of pale foundation and powder. Although he had seen the effect on countless other women, on Rogue, he found it endearing.
So when she promptly jabbed him in the chest with one well-aimed finger and began lecturing, he fought to keep the smile from his face.
"Don't think that just because you buy me a flashy present and spout bad poetry at me Ah'm gonna fall into your arms and profess my undyin' love to ya!" She began. "'Cause that ain't happening in this lifetime!"
"A man can dream, can't he?" Remy gave a little shrug of his shoulders. This girl was something, wasn't she? Nothing like the normal femmes that tripped over themselves to please him. It was refreshing. And yet, at the same time, incredibly annoying.
"You're impossible."
"And irresistible."
Rogue just gave him a disgusting look. It was much less attractive than her previous smile. That was something he'd kill to see. One of her smiles. He knew she was capable of it. She'd smiled for St. John, who was a flaming idiot. Why wouldn't she do the same for him? And why did he care so much?
"Why not give dis homme a chance, Chere?"
"Because Ah don't trust ya." Rogue paused before continuing hurriedly. "And Ah'm not interested."
Her words might have stung, if she had been speaking to anyone other than Gambit. As it was, Remy only smiled. Behind them, Kitty coughed conveniently, causing Rogue to glare at her momentarily. The younger girl quickly turned, continuing her conversation with Piotr as though she hadn't been blatantly eavesdropping. Cute kid, he had to admit. St. John had drifted off, playing with his lighter gleefully.
"You sure about dat, Chere?" Remy tilted his head to the side, regarding her solemnly. "What're you so afraid of, fille?"
"Ain't afraid of you," Rogue sneered. "If that's what you're trying to say."
"Something like that," he admitted, reaching into the pocket of his coat for a cigarette.
"Why can't ya just leave me alone?"
"Mebbe I like you, chere." Putting the cigarette to his lips, Remy lit it effortlessly with a miniscule kinetic burst of energy. It was one of the perks of his powers. "Ever t'ink of that? Or mebbe I just like punishment. So, about dis date?"
"Ah told ya, Swamp Rat, Ah ain't interested."
"Lying don't suit you, Rogue." Taking the cigarette from his lips, he leaned in closer to her, his voice no more than a whisper. "Try again."
She looked up at him, her emerald eyes narrowing in suspicion. He caught her gaze with his own red on black eyes and held it. For a moment, they just stared at each other; his expression encouraging, hers slowly softening from that initial suspicion and scorn. Such a pretty girl beneath those layers of mistrust hardened by betrayal. If only she would smile. Their eyes spoke volumes to each other without words. Silently, he compelled her to speak.
"What do you want from me?" She asked softly.
Their faces were very close, Remy realized. Close enough for this thief to steal a kiss. That urge is suppressed, although just barely, at the thought of slipping into a coma afterwards. Would it be worth it? Perhaps, if only Rogue wouldn't also be taking his memories as well as his powers.
"Just a chance," he responded, his voice just as soft.
"Ah can't."
"You're lyin' again, p'tite," he chastised, flicking the white streak of her hair playfully. "You that scared of Remy?"
"Ah am not!" She jerked back slightly, glaring up at him. It did not go unnoticed, however, that her gaze carried much less venom in it then it had previously.
"Are so." The corners of his lips quirked upward into a smile.
"Am not!"
"Are so, chere."
"Ah am not!" Rogue stomped her foot, her eyes crackling with irritation.
Quite unexpectedly, he laughed. It was a genuinely happy sound, something rare for the mysterious New Orleans born thief. The look on Rogue's face was so intense, he just couldn't help it. Here he was, suave Remy LeBeau, resorting to three-year old argument tactics with the girl he was trying to seduce. The laughter took him by surprise, and from the expression on Rogue's face, she hadn't been expecting it either.
"What's so funny, Cajun?"
Behind them, a cell phone began ringing. Remy ignored the sound, concentrating on the girl in front of him. After taking another drag on his cigarette, he smiled.
"Nothing, chere." He shook his head. "So, see you at seven tomorrow night?"
"You never give up, do you?"
"Non."
Rogue opened her mouth to speak. Remy knew he had her. She wouldn't refuse his invitation now. That thought pleased him very much.
"Rogue!" Kitty's wide-eyed figure came into view, clutching her cell phone. "Rogue! We've got to go! There's an emergency at the Mansion."
***
Professor Charles Xavier responded immediately to Jean's panicked mental call. Linking their minds was done far quicker than any telephone call in existence. Within ten seconds, he had the entirety of their situation recorded into his mind. His brows furrowing, he analyzed the data while continuing the psychic rapport with his prize student.
His X-Men were in trouble. He'd informed Hank and Ororo, who were to leave immediately to help the students. They seemed to be handling themselves quite well despite the obvious trap they'd gotten themselves into. But then, he had expected nothing less from them. There were a few minor injuries, but nothing major. Yet. It was their adversaries that had him concerned.
How could a group of Alpha level mutants have escaped Cerebro's notice? The very idea was almost frightening. Cerebro should have detected all of them, not just Vertigo. The fact that these others escaped his attention was baffling. Charles Xavier was not the sort of man to jump to conclusions, but something was amiss.
Suspicion began to take hold in the back of his mind. What sort of person had the capacity and technology to mask such a group? It couldn't possibly be. Yet Jean had sensed the presence of two telepaths, if just briefly, instead of one. That alone suggested volumes.
~Jean. I need your assistance.~
***
"Jean!"
Scott Summers was by her side in an instant, his gaze riveted upon her wounded arm. She was bleeding, the dark liquid staining her the blue of her sweater. He was both infuriated and concerned in that single moment. He'd found her as quickly as he could, but not soon enough to have avoided her injury. Scott was so concerned about her that he didn't notice her condition immediately.
Her eyes were glazed, staring at something he couldn't see beyond the battle now being waged between Kurt and Bobby against the living whirlwind. The two X-Men were winning for the moment, keeping the sadistic mutant at bay. As for the green and blonde haired girl, she was currently lying on the asphalt, unconscious.
Jean was using her telepathy, he realized absently. Her unresponsiveness could easily be linked to that. His hand dropped from her arm, hoping he hadn't interrupted her concentration too badly. But he needed to see to her arm.
"Jean?"
"I'm fine Scott. Storm is coming to assist us now. In the meantime, the Professor and I are attempting to determine the identity of our adversaries," she answered in his mind, focusing just a tiny fraction of her mental energy to respond to him.
Scott just nodded. He knew little about how the mind of a psychic worked. He'd learned some of his knowledge from the Professor, and bit from Jean. They had linked their minds. In such an instance, the Professor could use Jean's power as a boost of sorts, to increase his own extrasensory range in order to encompass a broader area. In this case, his telepathy was active in Maine even when he was a state away, without using Cerebro.
He returned his attention to her arm. The gash was long and deep, and they'd be lucky if it wasn't infected. Bits of asphalt had somehow gotten into the wound.
Jean gasped, and Scott immediately pulled back, afraid he had hurt her.
"Jean?"
"No!" She cried, both hands going to her head.
***
Jean Grey was in agony. She clutched her head desperately, trying to force the intruder out. Her mind was being invaded by a presence so strong, so vengeful it was slowly overwhelming the mental barriers she and Xavier had so carefully constructed.
Together, she and Xavier had been able to find the
~Professor~ She cried out mentally, searching desperately for their link.
"Jean!" Absently, she heard Scott calling her name, but she couldn't answer him. Not now.
~Hello Charles.~ The new voice was cold, seeping through her brain like ice sliding down her back. In her mind, Jean caught a glimpse of a man, or something like it. Alabaster skin glistened in darkness. Lips curled back into an emotionless sneer. Eyes glittering with cold, focused hatred. ~I've been expecting you.~
Her nervous system spasmed, sending pain down her spine. Her brain was exploding. It was the only way she could possibly be experiencing this much pain. Fire burned beneath her eyelids, searing her mind beyond all reason. Screaming in anguish, she collapsed.
***
Scott caught her in his arms, lowering her gently until they were both on the ground. A sense of panic was beginning to overtake him. Oh God, no. What was wrong with her?
"Jean!?"
"No!" The redhead shrieked, digging her fingers into her scalp. She shook her head vehemently, eyes squeezed as tightly shut as they could go. "NO!"
"Jean! What's happening??"
"Stop! STOP!" Jean shrieked, convulsing in his arms.
"Jean! Jean! Snap out of it!" Scott tried to restrain her. She was going to hurt herself. What was happening? What was going on here?
"Scott!" The voice that came from Jean's lips was not her own. Scott started at the sound of it. It couldn't be."
"Professor?"
"Scott. You've got to. . .get out of here!" The Professor demanded from Jean's lips. "Take Jean …Retreat …"
"What's happening Professor?"
"Go now! I can't … No! Nathaniel … You cannot-" The words abruptly ended as Jean let out a horrible high-pitched scream. It was the sound of a dying animal, fighting desperately to stay alive. And it was Jean's voice. Her body went rigid in his arms. Scott forgot to breathe, to think. He could only watch in horror as Jean convulsed, blood dripping from her nose and from the corners of her eyes. He felt utterly helpless, unable to do anything to save her.
In an instant, it was over. She slipped into unconsciousness, leaving a terrified Scott clinging to her limp form desperately.
---
I'm exhausted. Verily. This chapter took a lot out of me. And it took a bloody long time to type out. That wasn't confusing, was it? Stay tuned for Chapter Ten: The Aftermath, in which we discover a wee bit more about our villains. And what happens to our heroes. Oh, and there is brooding all around. Big surprise there. That chapter is probably going to be much shorter than this one. So expect it soon.
Haven't time to respond to reviews this time around, unfortunately. Want to post this while I've got access to FF.Net. However, I will make up for it next chapter! I promise! I [heart] all you people who take the time to review my fic! Thanks a bunch!
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