Dude! Ascension II was so cool! Rogue kicked Apocalypse's butt! Granted . . . she just canceled out his powers and closed him in that weird pod . . . still! She beat him! Go Rogue, Go Rogue, Go! Go! Go! Kinda harsh there on the end with Mystique, but hey, to each his own. Did you guys see that future thing they did! I thought it was cool how they showed everyone change, don't you! I love Rogue's new look! Hmm . . . I think I'll take a page from Gambit's book and be a little thief . . . heheheheh! You'll see soon enough.



Sweet, Sweet Melody



Rogue rode in the car with her adopted mother. The two were in the back seat and someone else was driving the car. The car hit a lump or something in the road causing Mystique to be shoved into her daughter. She straightened herself and was about to yell at the driver when she turned wide eyed to Rogue.

"Rogue . . . did something happen with your powers?" Rogue looked up at the shape shifter.

"Why do ya ask?" Mystique smiled and pressed her hand to her daughter's face. Rogue blinked in surprise as she realized there was no usual tug that was from her powers.



Angelic Demon looked at her bathroom mirror. She had just gotten out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her. She bit down on her lip as she thought back to earlier that day when there had been a burning on her back. She went to the mirror and turned around. She turned her head and looked at her back the best she could. Angelic Demon had to choke back a gasp. Her back was red, looking like she had been lashed at for awhile. Her skin looked raw but was not bothered by the towel at all. The mutant hurried into her room. She quickly went through the closet, looking for something to cover her back. She never had bought any shirts with backs because of her mutation. She did have a few jackets for the cold nights but most of the time she just bared it. Finally, after ripping her closet to pieces she pulled out a silk Chinese styled sleeveless skirt. Natasha had given it to her before she had found out about her mutation. It was red with some faint gold designs on it. It would do very well in covering the raw looking skin. She pulled some black pants from her dresser and changed. Angelic Demon left her room and was walking through the kitchen when Alana saw her.

"Angelic Demon? Where are you going?"

"Out." Was all the reply that she got.



Gaia rubbed his bleeding head as he stood. He glared off into space.

"She's just like everyone else." He hissed.

"No, she's not." A innocent sounding voice came from behind. Gaia spun around and saw a young boy sitting on a rock close by. He looked barely 13. His bleached white hair was a mess and stood out against his dark tanned skin. His dark eyes stared at Gaia as the boy stood up.

"V-v-venom!" He stuttered. "W-w-what are you doing here?!" Venom smiled playfully.

"Gaia, you know that answer."



Rogue ate the food her mother had gotten for them. Mystique sat across from her eating her food in silence. Neither had said a word after Mystique had touched Rogue. Rogue stared at her stew for a moment before looking up at Mystique.

"Ya. . ." Mystique looked up, waiting to hear Rogue finish her sentence. "Why is it that ya always come ta the rescue when somethin' big goes down with meh?" Mystique stayed quiet as she thought about how she would answer her.

"That's what mothers do." Rogue looked down at her food. "Rogue . . ." She looked back up at Mystique. "I want to start over . . . with both you and Kurt. Perhaps . . . we could . . . hang out or something . . . if it is alright with the two of you." Rogue looked down at her stew once more.

"You'd have ta ask Kurt . . ." Mystique nodded and went back to her food.



The X-men made their way through the amusement park. Artemis was with Nebula and Jean, Storm with Nightcrawler and Pyro, Beast with Gambit and Iceman, and Wolverine was with Cyclops and Colossus. Wolverine sniffed the air once more, trying to find Rogue's sent but it was no good.

"Wolverine, did you find her scent?" Cyclops asked.

"No, something's wrong. Chuck said that she was here. Ain't like him to be wrong 'bout this sort of thing." Wolverine paused for a moment as a snake quickly slithered by. "That ain't right . . ."

"What is wrong?" Colossus asked in his heavy accent.

"Snakes should be around here . . . not any other than garden snakes . . ."



Artemis had climbed up to the top of a ferries wheel and was looking over the entire area. She narrowed her eyes as she saw nothing but some snakes slithering around. With her graceful agility she leapt down to the ground.

"Well, did you see anything?" Artemis looked over to Jean as she asked.

"No . . . just some snakes." Nebula bit down on her lip. "What's wrong?" Artemis asked after seeing the small gesture.

"Just don't like snakes, that's all." Nebula mumbled. Artemis glared ahead of her as she started walking.

"Damn Nebula, this really wasn't the best mission for you."



"No, I still have a chance, I can still-" Venom's laughter cut him off.

"Silly! You helped her finish the first step! Zillah wasn't very happy 'bout that!!!"

"B-b-ut . . . I can fix it! Just give me some time and-"

"Uh-uh-ah! You made the deal. One chance at getting her. You didn't! So Zillah wants you gone. There's no tolerance for failure." Venom laughed as he hopped down onto the ground.

"B-b-but-" Venom cut him off once more.

"Ya know," He said as he rocked back and forth on his heels, "Morbid was suppose ta be the one to take care of you, but I was bored so I decided to do it instead." He giggled. Gaia backed up in fear.

"No! You can't! Please, just one more chance!" Venom laughed as he brought a flute up to his mouth.



Pyro looked around him as Storm landed down on the ground. She had flown up into the air to see around them. After finding nothing she had come back down to the ground.

"Bugger! This a bloody waste of time! I say we burn the place and then the bloke will run out with the shelia and we can knock some since into him! Bloke has to have a few dingoes lose in the prairie if he thinks he's got the right ta steal that ole card cheatin' rat's gal! This ole flamethrower will hav' ta teach him a lesson! Then we'll be apples mates!" Nightcrawler stared at him for a moment. Storm raised an eyebrow.

"Vhat did he zay?" Nightcrawler asked Storm.

"I think it was something about beating sense into the kidnapper . . . though I am not sure as to what else he said . . ."



Beast stepped out of a booth. He turned to Iceman and Gambit and shook his head. Iceman nodded and went to check another booth. He made a startled noise as a snake slithered right across his foot.

"Ugh! I hate snakes!" Iceman growled. Gambit merely rolled his eyes as Beast raised an eyebrow. "What?" Iceman asked the two.

"Nev'r pegged ya as bein' 'fraid of snakes." Gambit muttered as he went off to search some more booths.



Gaia watched in horror as Venom played a soft melody on the flute. Snakes were gathering around the two mutants. After a moment Venom looked up at Gaia and giggled.

"Gaia, don't worry, it will be over soon." With that said the young boy played a harsh tone on his flute. He looked up at Gaia and smiled as he left. Gaia watched the snakes slowly enclose the circle they had formed. A final tune was played quickly from some where in the dark and the snakes attacked.





"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Wolverine's head shot up as he heard a blood curling scream. Cyclops spun around in the direction it had come from.

"What was that?" He asked.

"I do not know, but I have de feeling ve vill be finding out soon enough." Colossus answered in his thick Russian accent. They ran in the direction that the scream had come from. The other X-men were there as well. Before anyone could say anything a young boy had skipped out of an old building that looked like it was on its last leg. He smiled when he saw the X-men.

"There's no way that kid could have taken Rogue." Iceman cried. "What is he? 12? Jamie could take that twerp!" Venom glared at him.

"Well, you must be the friends of that girl Gaia took. She's not here, and Gaia's probably in the belly of forty some snakes so I urge you to leave, before you anger me more." He hissed.

"Where is Rogue?" Storm asked as she stepped forward. Gaia smiled once more.

"That doesn't matter to you."

SKINT!!!!

"Listen kid, yer gonna tell us where Rogue is and yer tell us now!"

"You are mistaken. Venom won't be telling you anything." A calm male voice echoed over the empty amusement park. The X-men turned to see a man and a woman standing behind them. The woman wore black leather. She had on black boots, black leather pants, a form fitting black leather jacket sipped up all the way up to her head, and black sunglasses even though it was dark. Her short black hair that didn't go past her chin was slicked back and she looked about 27. The man looked roughly the same age. He had on a long black coat that was buttoned from the belt up to his head. He had on black pants and black boots. His hair was short and also black. He too wore black sunglasses. Both of them had their arms behind them and stood tall with pride and confidence.

"Come along Venom, Stalker and I are here to take you home." The woman spoke in a smooth and commanding voice. Venom smiled.

"Huntress, do we have to go so soon! I was just starting to have some fun." The woman raised an eyebrow.

"Gaia is no longer of this world. Your business here is over." Venom sighed.

"Fine."

"Whose this Gaia?" Wolverine snarled. Stalker cocked his head to the side a bit as he studied Wolverine.

"Huntress, perhaps we should give Venom a moment more as we deal with the annoyance." Huntress scanned over the X-men.

"It should not take more than a moment."





Angelic Demon stood in a Cathedral alone. No one else was there as she stood before the alter. Suddenly, a soft melody came from behind her. Angelic Demon smiled and turned to face the woman behind her. The woman had a long elegant light blue dress on. Her long soft black hair was in a braid. She played the violin slowly. Angelic Demon smiled at her.

"Natasha." She whispered. After a few minutes Natasha ended the song and looked at her with her dark chocolate eyes. She smiled softly at her.

"Melody."



Ohhhhhh! A big fight scene is gonna be soon! Well, please review!