Family Feud
It was a hot day, somewhere between July and August, I never quite kept track of the days, and they seemed to all blend into each other. However, this I remember as if it happened yesterday. Even thought it happened years and years ago....
It all started when the Professor got too greedy....
"X-men? Assemble in the danger room please." Asked the Professor telepathically.
Rogue looked up at the ceiling of her and Kitty Pryde's room. "I Neva' get a single moment alone any more!" The southern Belle yelled. "Not even in my own head!" "Rogue? Ready to go meet the others?" asked a familiar voice. "Yeah, let's go Kitty." Rogue replied. Across the vast mansion all the X- men lived in, among other mutant kind, Scott Summers sat up. Another assignment, huh? They just keep on coming. He left his room and headed for the danger room. His face bumped into a pair of feet. "What? Oh, it's you, Jean." He said. A girl the age of nineteen with wild red hair looked down upon Scott. "Why are you floating around up there?" he questioned. The girl shrugged and continued on to the danger room with Scott. Kurt teleported from his, room and crashed into Kitty. "Kurt! Watch where you're going!" she yelled as she picked her self up and dusted her jeans off. "Sorry, Kitty. It's hard to see where you're going when you're in another dimension!" Kurt said as he stood up. His image flickered. Spyke then joined them. "Whoa man, your watch thing is messing up again; I can see your tail." Spyke pointed out.
Kurt fixed his watch by pressing a few buttons. They all stood there for a moment, forgetting what they were heading off to do, the as if they read each other's mind, they all left together at the same moment. "I wonder what the professor wants?" asked Kitty. "Probably to practice, more." Answered Rogue. "I mean, we hafta go ta school, do our homework, and help fight evil! It is not fair. Stupid powers. sometimes I wish I neva got em' especially these powers." "Geez Rogue, you powers are awesome! You get to sample anyone's powers that you want! That is so cool!" exclaimed Kitty. Rogue stopped. "Whatever." Rogue gloomed. The others walked ahead of her, each in their own little world. Never being able to touch anyone without hurting them, Yeah, what great powers I own. She thought to herself as she started to move down the hall after them.
"Ah, X-men, you're all here. I have a new mission for you." The Professor said once all the X-men had arrived. "Lay it on us Professor." Evan said in his usual tone. "I need the entire group to find a mutant thats powers have gone haywire. He needs to be found before he hurts any more people, and before Magneto find him as well. He is currently in Mississippi. Rogue will be able to help you there. You will be taking the X jet. It is set on autopilot already to go to your destination. Do you need any other information?" the professor explained. "Autopilot? Does this mean Logan won't be coming with us?" ask Kitty. "Yes, you all will be going on this mission alone, because we need Logan here. Scott will be your team leader." He told her. He then left the group, and headed for the exit. "You may leave now." He said telepathically. The doors closed behind him. "Yeah!" exclaimed kitty. "Our first mission without adults! This is gonna be fun!" Kurt yelled as he turned of his image inducer. He was already in his black and yellow latex like outfit. "I guess we should all go and suit up then." Scott said as he pointed to Kurt. Rogue looked at the X jet completely ignoring Scott. "Rogue?" he said. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hmm? Oh, I better get ready." She said as she noticed everyone had left already. As she walked away, Scott had looked at the X jet. What was she thinking about? She has seemed strange the past few days. He thought to himself.
The X-men were all sitting in the X jet talking rapidly about the new mission. Rogue sat in the back looking out at the land below as it flashed by the window. Kurt popped in next to her. "Hey Rogue. Are you excited? You know, coming home after all this time. I know I would be." Rogue looked at him. "Sure, whatever ya say." She answered back. She sat quietly until the X jet landed. Home sweet home. She thought bitterly. They all filed out of the jet and onto the ground. "Okay X-men. Now I am going to split you into groups by powers. Jean, you and Kitty. Evan, you are with blue boy, Kurt. Rogue, looks like you come with me. Look for anything that might lead up to this mutant person. Move out!" he said while motioning everyone to leave. "Let's go Rogue." He looked behind him only to find that she had already made it half way down the block. He ran after her. "Wait up Rogue!" he said breathlessly. "Look Scott, I don't need any help, I'll do fine, go with Jean." She said coldly. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Let's just say a lot of people are angry at mutants, and it would be best if I asked people alone. I know how ta handle it." She answered him. "I don't think we should split up." Scott protested. Rogue turned and started to walk away. He grabbed her wrist. "You're not leaving without me." He said angrily. "Fine, you can tag along if you like." She replied as she pulled away. "Just don't get in my way!" Rogue left towards the swamp. Here we go. Scott said to himself as he followed her.
"Hey, do you think you can come down here! I might need help!" Evan shouted up at the building. Kurt appeared next to him. "Sorry, but there could be clues up there too." He said to Evan. Evan rolled his eyes at Kurt. "Let's just go." Evan said as he hopped on his skateboard. The headed the opposite way as Rogue and Scott, into the town.
Jean and Kitty walked along the shops and café's. As they walked, people hushed as they came closer. Many stared, and a few barbed. "What are they doing Jean? Why are they pointing at us like that?" asked Kitty. "I bet they think mutants are a danger to them, just like most people think, Kitty. It is kind of obvious that we are mutants, after all, we are dressed like its Halloween." She laughed. "Right." Kitty replied. "I guess we look for signs of Magneto?" She said as she pulled on the latex of her outfit. "I think so." Answered Jean as they walked further.
Rogue and Scott walked deeper into the quagmire, not even following a path. Scott followed her, remembering what the professor told him clandestinely. He had told Scott to stay with Rogue the complete time. He had said that Rogue might know more than she is willing to say and could be a major key to this mutant. What did he mean by that? He knew that this was where Rogue grew up, so maybe she knows the mutant. Just as well, I guess I will, she can be useful during combat. She is extremely tough, and her powers are nothing to scoff at. Just then, Rogue stopped. It seemed as though they had walked for miles, far from any people. "What's up Rogue? Did you find anything?" he asked. "He was here, not too long ago." She answered. She looked around and stood still. "Oh man!" She said and suddenly ran into the trees ahead. "Rogue! Wait!" He yelled after her. He began to run but then stopped. What is that sound? It had reminded him of the magnets he used in science class. He slowly turned around. A dark figure loomed over the trees. It was Magneto. He quickly hid behind the nearest tree. Why is Magneto here? He must be looking for that mutant here. Magneto quickly passed over the trees, and out of sight. He waited a few more seconds, and then continued to look for Rogue. He raced through the trees, and after a few moments, he stumbled onto a clearing. In the clearing, there was a huge mansion. He saw Rogue walking up the pathway. He chased after her, and grabbed her arm. "Hold up." He said breathlessly. They continued to the door. Rogue knocked on the door. The door slowly opened up with eerie creak. Rogue gasped at what see saw. "It, it can't be true!"
Rogue leaped at the figure that opened the door. She grabbed the man in a hug. "Foxworth! I cannot believe you are still alive! You are so ancient! How are ya?" Rogue said to the man. "Ha ha ha! Miss Marie! Just as young and eccentric as ever! You have not changed a bit! You're father did not tell me you were returning for a visit." He said. "I didn't tell him yet. I just thought I would come by to see him." She looked past the man, and down the hall. The man, seeing her glance moved aside. "How rude of me, will you come on in?" the two entered the fancy manor. The man looked at Scott, just noticing him. "Welcome to D'Ancanto Manor." He said in his most formal tone to Scott. He bowed to show that he was a servant. He walked over to Rogue. In a quiet voice, he asked her who the boy was. She turned around and looked at Scott, and her face turned a deep shade of scarlet. "Ha ha! You though he was. and we were? No, we, uh, we are looking fer someone." She said laughing. Before the man could ask whom, she asked him where her stuff was. "In the same place you left it my lady." He answered. "Thanks, come on Scott, and try to keep up this time." She said and ran up the stairs. "Marie?" Scott said. "Don't want ta talk about it." Rouge answered. The two walked to the very end of the hall. At the end, two big doors adorned with ivy vines, was set at the end. She told Scott to wait for her there. She flung open the doors, and entered the room. The doors closed behind her with a loud bang. He could hear her voice and a deeper voice from the inside the room. He decided that maybe that was not the best place to stand, so he walked to a bench down the hall. He sat down, and just as he did, Jean spoke in his mind.
"Scott? Where are you?" she asked. "Uh, I'm not sure; I think I'm at Rogue's house. Where are you?" Scott replied. "Rogue's house? Where is that? Wait, never mind. Did you find any clues?" Jean asked impatiently. "Not yet, but we saw Magneto." He answered. "Magneto? This can't be good. I'll tell the others. We'll keep searching." Jean said. Then as quickly as she came, she was gone. "I hate when she does that, it creeps me out!" Scott said aloud, and slumped back against the wall. In the other room, Rogue and her father had a slightly less fun time. "You can't tell me what ta do about this! It needs ta be stopped!" Rogue yelled angrily at the man. She started to walk out of the room. "I understand how you feel about this, but you-"Rogue cut him off. "I don't care; I will do it my way!" Rogue said as she left the room. The vast doors closed behind her. She looked down at the ground as she walked past Scott. She stopped half way, and turned around. "Scott? I have to grab something out of my room." She explained. She continued down the hall. Scott ran after her and followed her. Rogue stopped and looked at two doors. She looked as though she was confused. She opened the door on the right, and looked in side. As though she was embarrassed, she closed the door, and opened the other door. She entered the room. "Whoa. Is this your room?" Scott exclaimed. "Somehow I imagined it. different."
Evan and Kurt continued to walk through the town. Other than lots of looks, and disapproving faces, they had not found a single thing. The few people they asked said they had not heard of any mutants anywhere and quickly shuffled off. Eventually, they had run into Kitty and Jean. "Have you found anything?" asked Kitty. "No, you?" answered Kurt. "No, we can't even find Scott, and he's too far to contact." Jean replied. Spyke looked at Jean and asked, "What should we do?" Kitty looked at Evan, then at Jean, and stopped on Kurt. "Kurt, you should teleport Jean around so she can try to find Scott and Rogue." She suggested. Kurt looked at Jean. She nodded at him. Kurt walked over to Jean and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll be back as soon as we find them." Jean said as they teleported out. Jean and Kurt popped in and out all over the place. Twenty minutes later Kurt spoke. "Jean, I have to stop." "Your tired?" she asked him. He nodded. "Okay, we can rest here, I can't find Scott anyways, it's like he. just disappeared." She said as she sat in the grass next to Kurt. Kurt lay back against a tree.
"What do you mean?" Rogue asked Scott. "I just thought it would be. darker somehow." He said uncomfortably. "Whatever ya say." Rogue said dismissibly. She walked over to a big door on the right side wall. She threw it open to reveal a walk in closet. She flipped on the light inside, and walked in. She dug around in the boxes, and pushed aside clothes. After a few minutes of looking, she reappeared. "What are you looking for?" asked Scott. "Does it matter?" she answered him with a question. "Why don't you sit down, this may take awhile." She said. "I can help you." Scott offered. "Sit." She said pointedly, and motioned to the bed. Scott sat down politely. She then flung open the chest at the end of the bed. She crouched down and started pulling possessions out, and placing it on the floor. After she had completely emptied the contents, she walked over to the dresser. She quickly pulled open every drawer, sifting though all the clothes. Without closing the drawers, she walked over to the door on the back wall. She opened it and walked into the room. It was a bathroom. She once again opened all the drawers and cupboards. She went through all the contents and came back out. She sat on the bed across from Scott. Rogue laid back and sighed. She stared at the top of the bed's canopy for a moment. Suddenly she bolted up right. "Of course!" she said in her little accent. Rogue crawled half way under the bed, and pulled out what looked like a metal cube. She lifted it easily and placed it on the bed. The bed dipped low, and Scott stared at the cube, realizing that it was a safe. "What is in there?" he asked.
"Something that is gonna help me. Now I just have to get it open." She said. She stood still for a second, as if she was trying to remember something important. She paced back and forth for a moment, and then looked around her room. She stopped on Scott and smiled at him. "What?" Scott asked. Rogue shook her head. She grabbed a black bag off the floor. She put the safe inside the bag, and lifted it over her shoulder. "Let's go." She said as she reached the door. She looked back at her room, seeing what a mess it was. The house cleaner can get it. She spoke to herself. "Why don't I carry that?" asked Scott nicely. He grabbed the bag from her, and dropped it to the ground. "What is in here?" he stressed. Rogue laughed and shrugged as she watched him try to lift it. She took the bag back from him and continued down the hall. Foxworth bowed to them as they left, and Rogue shook her head and scoffed. They walked down the wet path and into the forest. When they were out of sight, she set down the bag as if it was nothing. She pulled the safe out, and set it on a high stump and stood back. "Wanna do something for me, Scott?" asked Rogue. "What?" he said to her. "Stand back. It might reflect." She said as she stood in between him and the safe. "What?" he said as he stepped out from behind her. He looked at Rogue confused. Her eyes began to glow a milky white. Not understanding what was going on, Scott took a big step back. "Couldn't remember the combo, so I'm gonna open my own way!" Rogue shouted.
Storm clouds filled the sky, and it began to thunder. Rogue stuck her hand out and clutched her fist at the safe. A bolt of cerulean lighting hit it hard, making it glow pallid with heat. Her eyes stopped gleaming, and the thunderclouds disappeared as soon as they had arrived. Scott shocked, did not say a word. Rogue iced up, and froze the safe solid. As she un-iced, underneath Scott could see metal skin. She slammed a metal fist onto the top of the safe, and it shattered into a thousand pieces. Her skin slowly changed back to normal as she sifted through the contents on the safe. Scott saw jewelry, money, and documented papers inside the debris. Rogue rolled up the papers and picked up the jewels. She shoved them into the bag, and kept the money on the stump. "Where is it?" Rogue muttered. Then on the ground lay a small velvet bag. Scott picked it up, and set it on the stump. "Is this it?" he asked dazed. "Yes!" she said. In the black bag, Rogue pulled out a gold locket on a gold chain. She put the necklace on, and picked up the velvet bag and slipped it in her pocket. She scooped up the money and handed it to Scott. As she was pushing the metal shards onto the ground, Scott spoke. "What just happened here?" he asked. "I opened the safe." Rogue said coyly. Still clutching the money, Scott walked in front of her. "How? How is it that you used Storm, Iceman, and Colossus's power?" he asked. "It isn't important." Rogue replied. She grabbed the bag and set it on the cleared off stump. She phased through the stump and placed the bag inside. As she started to leave the spot, Scott grabbed her arm. She pulled away from him. "What? Why is it so important that everyone has ta know? Isn't it good enough that I did it?" she yelled. Just then, she looked as though someone has stabbed her it the back. She fell to her knees, and then she fell forward. She lay completely still, and did not make a sound. "Rogue? Rogue!" Scott yelled. She didn't respond.
"Rogue? Rogue!" Scott yelled in Jean's head. "Huh?" Jean sat up. "What is it?" asked Kurt. "I heard Scott. I think Rogue is in trouble. I have to help!" She stood up. They teleported back to where Kitty and Evan were waiting. "So, did you find Scott and Rogue?" asked Kitty in a cheerful voice. "Y-yeah, I heard him a little while ago, he was yelling. but I think I got a clear fix on him. Okay, I think it's. that way!" She said while placing her fingers on her temples. She started th run into the woods. She quicly disappeared in the tihick trees.S