A/N: Special thanks to those who reviewed. RoguesHeart, Samantha, Syd,
ishandahalf, willa. j, Krac, blink182dbzluver, Sarah-Crysala, chris, ~*~,
hipkid727.
ishandahalf: I'm glad you like seeing them on the same side.
~*~: I was 9 once :P
hipkid727: The first chapter was more of a background chapter. This chapter has more talking.
A/N: Sorry for the delay. Exams and such have kept me behind. But my last exam is tomorrow, so I will have much more time after that.
Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men. Enjoy.
"What?!"
Rogue stared at Raven in disbelief. Her eyes squinted and her lips twisted in a scowl, anger and frustration pulsed through every vein in her body, but at the same time she wanted to cry. This certainly wasn't what Rogue had expected at all. All that strenuous training for. . . this?
They were standing in the middle of a large, elegantly decorated office. The office, like most of the 10th floor penthouse they resided in, was lavished with Victorian and Chippendale furniture. The walls boasted several large paintings. One painting, nearest a large double-paned window with royal purple drapes, was a Rembrandt Rogue herself had helped pick out.
Rogue stood in the middle of the ornamented room, a large Istanbul floral rug with intricate Turkish designs was stretched across the polished floor beneath her feet. Her whole body was tensed and her jaw clenched as she glared at Raven, who was now leaning back against her antique, Chippendale carved mahogany block front desk, bracing herself with her elbows.
However, this wasn't Raven she was looking at; it was Mystique. Despite the fact she looked like something out of a sci-fi movie, she had an eerie beauty to her. Her entire body was a cerulean blue, embellished with natural designs and studs that protruded from her skin. Her hair was a vivid red, and her eyes glowed amber. No matter her appearance, she would always be Raven to her; her mother.
"Why?! Ah thought ya said Ah would be ready to join once Ah turned seventeen?" She pleaded, "You promised!."
"Anna, . . ."
Her ears reddened at the use of her name. She hated that name; Raven only used it when she was either furious with her or consoling her. It had been the name her last foster parents had given her before the incident with Cody. She had been genuinely happy those few precious months with them. Sure, she had been somewhat distant with them, but she was just getting to know them, she was already nine and was becoming uncomfortable with new families since she had been brought back to the orphanage so many times.
That name, she wanted to forget that it was ever associated with her. It brought back the memories of the bright, golden fields by the river, the giant oak tree she had played underneath, and of Cody and the pain. . . the life she had ruined.
"Ah hate that name, Raven. And ya know it. Ah only go by Rogue now," she lowered her head in shame and bit her lip as the last sentence left her lips.
"Then you can start calling me Mystique, Rogue."
Rogue looked up at her. Her lips were pursed together and she could have sworn that if she wasn't in her true form, her cheeks would have been flushed. She met her glistening amber eyes and noticed that they had glazed over. She had hurt her. She hadn't meant to, but she really did despise that name. Her toned hadn't helped, but she was so frustrated with the news Raven had given her she couldn't help that either.
"Anyways, if we can put the petty issue of names aside for the moment. . . I didn't say you wouldn't be a part of the Brotherhood. I said -"
Rogue cut her off, "The Brotherhood?"
Raven suppressed a smile, "Yes, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The team that you ARE going to be a part of."
Rogue's brow furrowed at the mention of the name. She looked at Raven puzzled. "Evil? Evil mutants?" She raised an eyebrow.
Raven laughed, "Don't take it so literally, dear. You're smarter than that."
"So, it's meant to be ironic then? Since, people hate us."
"Exactly," she grinned.
Rogue still had a look of bewilderment and shifted her posture, plainly uncomfortable with the name.
"But ya said, Ah can't associate with any of them."
"Right. Rogue, your powers have limitless possibilities. Your power is a valuable asset for obtaining intel. You will make a great spy, like me." Mystique ranted, "You will meet with the other members of the Brotherhood and be briefed with them, just not in public. Any association with them in public could blow your cover."
Rogue pondered the concept for a minute. Her? A spy? She had to admit to herself that it did sound exciting. She religiously watched the spy drama, Alias, on TV every week; it was her favorite. Perhaps, she thought to herself, it would be like that. She hated the idea of touching someone to drain their memory just to get information, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Her mood lifted a little.
She looked up at Raven, with a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "So. . . what's mah first assignment?"
Raven's face lit up at her response. She loved her eagerness. "I've enrolled you in Bayville High as Anna Raven."
"That's mah assignment?! What kind of intel will Ah be gathering there? The latest gossip on which cheerleader slept with who? Ah don't think it'll take a spy to figure out that," she retorted, every word dripping with sarcasm.
Raven chuckled and a smirk swept across her face. Rogue's wit and sarcasm reminded her so much of herself when she dealt with her own handlers.
"If you let me finish, I will tell you. Obviously, there are many mutants out there besides just the ones in our organization. There is another faction of mutants, who call themselves the 'X-Men'."
"Oh great, another group with a lame name. Where do these names come from? Comics?" commented Rogue dryly.
Raven just smiled and continued, "The X-Men is a government organization, targeted specifically to counteract any move we make. They are dangerous and a high risk to our cause. They consist mostly of teenagers your age, who also attend Bayville. Your assignment is to learn everything you can about them, get close to them but not too close. Don't make it obvious."
"Wonderful. So, ah get to play the role of the weird and distant stalker."
"I think weird and distant already accurately describe you." Raven stuck out her tongue playfully to lighten the mood.
"Just because ya don't like the way ah dress!" Rogue threw her hands up in the air, exasperated.
"I just wish you had a sense of fashion. I'm still waiting for you to grow out of your 'awkward phase.'"
She feigned hurt. "Ya hurt mah feelings," she pouted as she stuck out her bottom lip and widened her already large eyes to make her puppy dog face.
"Ugh, I've raised a softie; and here I thought you were tough." Raven rolled her eyes.
Rogue was about to respond, when she suddenly paused and stopped to think. Raven noticed the sudden shift in mood, observing that she seemed to be deep in thought.
"Something wrong?"
"Ya said you wanted meh to get close, but not too close. Ya don't want meh tah use mah powers? I thought ya said that they're a vital tool for getting intel."
"Right. I don't want you using your powers at school or anywhere during the day. Especially, do not use your power around the X-Men, they don't need to know you're a mutant. Not yet."
"But why would it matter?" she pressed.
Raven paused for a moment, she shifted her glance away from her. She was thinking, obviously choosing how to word her response. Raven was holding back something. She couldn't tell what, but she didn't want to press much further. Raven didn't like being questioned beyond what she wanted to reveal.
"Their leader is an extremely powerful telepath. He has a machine, he calls it cerebro, and when hooked up to it, he can track all mutants- most mutants anyway. I, myself, have set up a very strong mental block and he can't get into my head," she gloated with pride, tapping an index finger against her left temple. "Fortunately, he can't just recognize a mutant he is unfamiliar with automatically. He is only alerted to new mutants when they use their powers and when he is using cerebro. That is the main reason why I only allowed you to use your power during your nightly training sessions. They were so late, I seriously doubted he would be using it then."
"He actively recruits new additions to his team and when he gets word of you, he will undoubtedly be very anxious to get a hold of you," she explained.
"Ahh. . . so that explains a lot, ah guess. So, uhm, when do Ah get to meet the other members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants?" She emphasized the 'Evil', making it apparent she was still uncomfortable with the name.
Usually Raven would have a witty or sarcastic retort for Rogue's mockery, but instead a scowl spread across her face. "Actually, they should be here already," she sighed in disgust.
With almost deliberate timing, there was a loud pounding at the door to the office. Raven briskly walked to the door and swung it open, glaring at the five teens cowering back from the door at the sight of her menacing figure.
"Where the hell have you been?!" She vehemently hissed, "You're ten minutes late! I told you I wanted you here at precisely 8:00pm and no later! This is important!"
Rogue was slightly taken back. She had never seen her so worked up over something as petty as tardiness. She had been screamed at like that during training, but not for anything else. She would only be scolded for such an offense, but thinking it over more she realized she hadn't really been out of line in quite some time. Raven had made her learn to be very responsible.
A young man, that looked possibly a year older than her, stepped forward from the cowering group. She had seen him before during training; she had sparred him several times. He had been her favorite partner. He was challenging, but not so tough that she felt helpless. It didn't hurt that he was cute too.
His face was very boyish, with his thick, shaggy brown hair that was uncombed and amassed over his forehead. He had puppy dog brown eyes that sparkled and just made you want to run your hands through his thick hair. His body was a direct contrast to his facial features; there was nothing boyish about it. He had a thick chest and his lats were visible giving his body a sexy 'v' shape from his broad shoulders to his thick but lean waist.
He was wearing a plain white shirt that looked tight on his well built body, making his bulging biceps look even bigger than they really were. He wore a simple pair of baggy, worn blue jeans and a pair of what looked like were once white and blue tennis shoes, but now crusted with brown and the blue faded to a dark grey.
He spoke up, "Sorry, Mystique. Boom Boom took forever in the bathroom doing her make-up or whatever she does in there, and Fred really had to go. So, once she got out he needed his time in there and that can take a while." He pointed at a huge, obese but muscular boy in the back, who simply smiled and stared blankly into space.
Raven looked like she was about to explode, Rogue noticed a vein faintly pulsating furiously in her forehead. Rogue's eyes widened, and she wrinkled her own nose in disgust at the thought of the huge guy doing his business. Rogue noticed the blond girl standing amidst the boys, the only girl in the group, and figured she must be Boom Boom.
She had wispy, golden blond hair that ran down to her shoulders and fanned out at the ends. She had a punk look to her, and Rogue guessed she had a huge wild streak. She could imagine herself getting along with her. She had sky blue eyes and thin, red lips. Her make-up was applied thickly to her face, a little too thick. Her clothing was casual: a pink holster top that boasted her well-endowed figure and a pair of tight jeans that flared at the bottoms.
Boom Boom spat, " I wasn't applying make-up, you dumbass! I was taking care of personal hygiene."
Rogue nearly cracked a rib trying to suppress her laughter. She couldn't believe the girl would so blatantly talk about that in front of everyone, especially all the guys.
Raven quickly broke the awkward silence that followed the girl's comment. "Tabitha! I already abhor you. Don't give me a reason to get rid of you and don't make my team late again."
"Yo!" Came a voice from the back, as the speaker, a short and scrawny boy, leaped in front of the group. "What's abhor mean- oooh! Who's the babe, yo?"
Rogue was taken back by the odd-looking boy's abrasive behavior, especially when it dawned on her that he was referring to her. The thought of him finding her attractive almost made her want to gag. He wasn't very kind on the eyes - in fact, he was gruesome. She wondered if his power was the cause of his repulsive features. Rogue shook her head, dismissing her thoughts and mentally kicking herself. She had no right to be so harsh on anyone, especially not something as shallow as appearance. At least he could touch - if anyone was actually willing.
"This 'babe' is my daughter, who will be joining our team. If you even so much as touch her, I won't even think twice about killing you, not that you wouldn't immediately fall unconscious anyway." Raven smirked, "Some of you, Avalanche and Quicksilver, might recognize her better if she was wearing her black sparring suit. I believe she has been kicking your pathetic hide in combat for several months now, Avalanche."
The cute boy stared at Rogue in shock, his face slowly falling into a grimace. She simply blushed at Raven's comment. She then noticed the last member of the group gaping at her. If she thought the brown haired boy was cute, this young man was a god. He actually did resemble a Greek god in her opinion. He had tantalizingly good looks. His toned figure stood perfectly upright. She recognized him as another of her sparring partners. He had been her most challenging opponent; he was quick, preternaturally fast.
He usually wore a smug look on his handsome face. He was overly confident. His cockiness was the only reason that she was able to defeat him during their nightly sessions. His hair was ice white and seemed to be perfectly slicked back, coming into two points on both sides of the back of his head. His eyes were frosty blue and could seemingly pierce her soul. His lips were thin and definite. She wanted to kiss them, wrap her arms around his fit body and stroke his beautiful icy hair.
Her eyes suddenly widened, and her cheeks quickly blushed crimson as she pulled herself from her thoughts. She mentally scratched out those last thoughts and scolded herself for even thinking of intimately touching someone. She would never be able to do that, and she needn't even bother fantasizing about it.
Raven was talking, but she hadn't been paying attention to what she had said. She tried to catch up.
"-she will act as a spy, and engage in espionage to gather information we need. So, the X-men do not need to be aware of any association between her and us. You understand that means you will not have anything to do with her at school or anywhere public? Don't talk to her, don't look at her, just ignore her. Understood?"
The five teens nodded their heads solemnly, or it looked like Fred was nodding; it was hard to tell. He grunted and that was enough for the others to acknowledge that he understood.
"Good, now go back to the house and get some sleep. You need to be in my school office early in the morning, 7am. We have a meeting with several of your teachers, because they have been complaining about your behavior. Do not be late. Now go," Raven snarled.
They each exchanged glances and started for the door. Avalanche and Quicksilver glanced awkwardly at Rogue as they strided out the door. As soon, as Fred had trudged through the doorway, Raven quickly made her way to the door and swung it shut.
"Was that really necessary?" Rogue inquired.
"What?"
"You- you're so hostile with them."
Raven sighed, "Rogue, with that group you have to be. I can be nice, you know that. I've never mistreated you."
"But I'm your daughter." She said smugly.
"Believe me, I was gentle with them once. They're a bunch of delinquents, they won't listen unless I'm threatening."
Rogue let herself think on that comment. She pitied them. It couldn't be their fault if they were troublesome, society must have made them that way because of what they were. What she was.
"You should get ready for bed. You have a big day tomorrow, first day at school," she said yawning.
"How will Ah recognize the X-men?"
"I'll be leaving early tomorrow. I have several meetings in the mornings, most of them pertaining to your teammates. I'll leave a folder with profiles on every known mutant affiliated with the X-men on the breakfast table. So be sure to wake up early enough to review it. School starts at 8:15."
"Then, how will Ah get to school?" Rogue quickly asked.
"You know how to get there?"
"Well, ya, but-"
"Then I'm sure you'll find a way," replied Raven with a smug look on her face. "Now I need to make some phone calls. Good night."
With that, Raven walked by her. She tenderly laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed before leaving the room. Rogue sighed and trudged back to her own room.
She immediately flopped down onto her poster bed and began to slide her clothes off, discarding them in a tiki style laundry basket. She wondered how she was expected to get to school in the morning. She couldn't believe Raven wasn't going to take her on her first day. The school was several miles from their apartment, too long to walk. She could take the bus, but she wasn't sure where to get off and the thought of getting lost and making her late on her first day terrified her.
She pushed herself up off the bed and walked over to her dresser. The dresser was a mahogany, all wooden tiki dresser. It corresponded with the Islander theme of her room perfectly. While the rest of the penthouse was furnished by Raven and was mostly Victorian and Queen Anne, she was allowed to decorate her own room, thank god.
She pulled out her favorite stretch satin nightie and slid into it. She quickly tied the halter-style ties and glanced at herself in the mirror. Not only did it feel comfortable, easing her into sleep, but it also looked astounding on her. It accented her slim and sultry figure excellently. She felt sexy when she wore it, and she needed the little confident boost tonight because of the big day ahead of her. She never planned on letting anyone see her in it, but she loved it nonetheless.
She stretched herself out onto her bed and began to contemplate the events that transpired that night. She was incredibly disappointed with what she had been assigned to do. It didn't sound like much of a spy mission. She was frustrated with Raven too. She felt like she had been led on. Whether or not Raven said she was a part of the team, she certainly didn't feel like it.
With those last thoughts, she drifted into an unrestful sleep.
A/N: In XXM #35, Rogue goes by Anna Raven. That's where the name is from in case anyone is curious.
ishandahalf: I'm glad you like seeing them on the same side.
~*~: I was 9 once :P
hipkid727: The first chapter was more of a background chapter. This chapter has more talking.
A/N: Sorry for the delay. Exams and such have kept me behind. But my last exam is tomorrow, so I will have much more time after that.
Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men. Enjoy.
"What?!"
Rogue stared at Raven in disbelief. Her eyes squinted and her lips twisted in a scowl, anger and frustration pulsed through every vein in her body, but at the same time she wanted to cry. This certainly wasn't what Rogue had expected at all. All that strenuous training for. . . this?
They were standing in the middle of a large, elegantly decorated office. The office, like most of the 10th floor penthouse they resided in, was lavished with Victorian and Chippendale furniture. The walls boasted several large paintings. One painting, nearest a large double-paned window with royal purple drapes, was a Rembrandt Rogue herself had helped pick out.
Rogue stood in the middle of the ornamented room, a large Istanbul floral rug with intricate Turkish designs was stretched across the polished floor beneath her feet. Her whole body was tensed and her jaw clenched as she glared at Raven, who was now leaning back against her antique, Chippendale carved mahogany block front desk, bracing herself with her elbows.
However, this wasn't Raven she was looking at; it was Mystique. Despite the fact she looked like something out of a sci-fi movie, she had an eerie beauty to her. Her entire body was a cerulean blue, embellished with natural designs and studs that protruded from her skin. Her hair was a vivid red, and her eyes glowed amber. No matter her appearance, she would always be Raven to her; her mother.
"Why?! Ah thought ya said Ah would be ready to join once Ah turned seventeen?" She pleaded, "You promised!."
"Anna, . . ."
Her ears reddened at the use of her name. She hated that name; Raven only used it when she was either furious with her or consoling her. It had been the name her last foster parents had given her before the incident with Cody. She had been genuinely happy those few precious months with them. Sure, she had been somewhat distant with them, but she was just getting to know them, she was already nine and was becoming uncomfortable with new families since she had been brought back to the orphanage so many times.
That name, she wanted to forget that it was ever associated with her. It brought back the memories of the bright, golden fields by the river, the giant oak tree she had played underneath, and of Cody and the pain. . . the life she had ruined.
"Ah hate that name, Raven. And ya know it. Ah only go by Rogue now," she lowered her head in shame and bit her lip as the last sentence left her lips.
"Then you can start calling me Mystique, Rogue."
Rogue looked up at her. Her lips were pursed together and she could have sworn that if she wasn't in her true form, her cheeks would have been flushed. She met her glistening amber eyes and noticed that they had glazed over. She had hurt her. She hadn't meant to, but she really did despise that name. Her toned hadn't helped, but she was so frustrated with the news Raven had given her she couldn't help that either.
"Anyways, if we can put the petty issue of names aside for the moment. . . I didn't say you wouldn't be a part of the Brotherhood. I said -"
Rogue cut her off, "The Brotherhood?"
Raven suppressed a smile, "Yes, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The team that you ARE going to be a part of."
Rogue's brow furrowed at the mention of the name. She looked at Raven puzzled. "Evil? Evil mutants?" She raised an eyebrow.
Raven laughed, "Don't take it so literally, dear. You're smarter than that."
"So, it's meant to be ironic then? Since, people hate us."
"Exactly," she grinned.
Rogue still had a look of bewilderment and shifted her posture, plainly uncomfortable with the name.
"But ya said, Ah can't associate with any of them."
"Right. Rogue, your powers have limitless possibilities. Your power is a valuable asset for obtaining intel. You will make a great spy, like me." Mystique ranted, "You will meet with the other members of the Brotherhood and be briefed with them, just not in public. Any association with them in public could blow your cover."
Rogue pondered the concept for a minute. Her? A spy? She had to admit to herself that it did sound exciting. She religiously watched the spy drama, Alias, on TV every week; it was her favorite. Perhaps, she thought to herself, it would be like that. She hated the idea of touching someone to drain their memory just to get information, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Her mood lifted a little.
She looked up at Raven, with a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "So. . . what's mah first assignment?"
Raven's face lit up at her response. She loved her eagerness. "I've enrolled you in Bayville High as Anna Raven."
"That's mah assignment?! What kind of intel will Ah be gathering there? The latest gossip on which cheerleader slept with who? Ah don't think it'll take a spy to figure out that," she retorted, every word dripping with sarcasm.
Raven chuckled and a smirk swept across her face. Rogue's wit and sarcasm reminded her so much of herself when she dealt with her own handlers.
"If you let me finish, I will tell you. Obviously, there are many mutants out there besides just the ones in our organization. There is another faction of mutants, who call themselves the 'X-Men'."
"Oh great, another group with a lame name. Where do these names come from? Comics?" commented Rogue dryly.
Raven just smiled and continued, "The X-Men is a government organization, targeted specifically to counteract any move we make. They are dangerous and a high risk to our cause. They consist mostly of teenagers your age, who also attend Bayville. Your assignment is to learn everything you can about them, get close to them but not too close. Don't make it obvious."
"Wonderful. So, ah get to play the role of the weird and distant stalker."
"I think weird and distant already accurately describe you." Raven stuck out her tongue playfully to lighten the mood.
"Just because ya don't like the way ah dress!" Rogue threw her hands up in the air, exasperated.
"I just wish you had a sense of fashion. I'm still waiting for you to grow out of your 'awkward phase.'"
She feigned hurt. "Ya hurt mah feelings," she pouted as she stuck out her bottom lip and widened her already large eyes to make her puppy dog face.
"Ugh, I've raised a softie; and here I thought you were tough." Raven rolled her eyes.
Rogue was about to respond, when she suddenly paused and stopped to think. Raven noticed the sudden shift in mood, observing that she seemed to be deep in thought.
"Something wrong?"
"Ya said you wanted meh to get close, but not too close. Ya don't want meh tah use mah powers? I thought ya said that they're a vital tool for getting intel."
"Right. I don't want you using your powers at school or anywhere during the day. Especially, do not use your power around the X-Men, they don't need to know you're a mutant. Not yet."
"But why would it matter?" she pressed.
Raven paused for a moment, she shifted her glance away from her. She was thinking, obviously choosing how to word her response. Raven was holding back something. She couldn't tell what, but she didn't want to press much further. Raven didn't like being questioned beyond what she wanted to reveal.
"Their leader is an extremely powerful telepath. He has a machine, he calls it cerebro, and when hooked up to it, he can track all mutants- most mutants anyway. I, myself, have set up a very strong mental block and he can't get into my head," she gloated with pride, tapping an index finger against her left temple. "Fortunately, he can't just recognize a mutant he is unfamiliar with automatically. He is only alerted to new mutants when they use their powers and when he is using cerebro. That is the main reason why I only allowed you to use your power during your nightly training sessions. They were so late, I seriously doubted he would be using it then."
"He actively recruits new additions to his team and when he gets word of you, he will undoubtedly be very anxious to get a hold of you," she explained.
"Ahh. . . so that explains a lot, ah guess. So, uhm, when do Ah get to meet the other members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants?" She emphasized the 'Evil', making it apparent she was still uncomfortable with the name.
Usually Raven would have a witty or sarcastic retort for Rogue's mockery, but instead a scowl spread across her face. "Actually, they should be here already," she sighed in disgust.
With almost deliberate timing, there was a loud pounding at the door to the office. Raven briskly walked to the door and swung it open, glaring at the five teens cowering back from the door at the sight of her menacing figure.
"Where the hell have you been?!" She vehemently hissed, "You're ten minutes late! I told you I wanted you here at precisely 8:00pm and no later! This is important!"
Rogue was slightly taken back. She had never seen her so worked up over something as petty as tardiness. She had been screamed at like that during training, but not for anything else. She would only be scolded for such an offense, but thinking it over more she realized she hadn't really been out of line in quite some time. Raven had made her learn to be very responsible.
A young man, that looked possibly a year older than her, stepped forward from the cowering group. She had seen him before during training; she had sparred him several times. He had been her favorite partner. He was challenging, but not so tough that she felt helpless. It didn't hurt that he was cute too.
His face was very boyish, with his thick, shaggy brown hair that was uncombed and amassed over his forehead. He had puppy dog brown eyes that sparkled and just made you want to run your hands through his thick hair. His body was a direct contrast to his facial features; there was nothing boyish about it. He had a thick chest and his lats were visible giving his body a sexy 'v' shape from his broad shoulders to his thick but lean waist.
He was wearing a plain white shirt that looked tight on his well built body, making his bulging biceps look even bigger than they really were. He wore a simple pair of baggy, worn blue jeans and a pair of what looked like were once white and blue tennis shoes, but now crusted with brown and the blue faded to a dark grey.
He spoke up, "Sorry, Mystique. Boom Boom took forever in the bathroom doing her make-up or whatever she does in there, and Fred really had to go. So, once she got out he needed his time in there and that can take a while." He pointed at a huge, obese but muscular boy in the back, who simply smiled and stared blankly into space.
Raven looked like she was about to explode, Rogue noticed a vein faintly pulsating furiously in her forehead. Rogue's eyes widened, and she wrinkled her own nose in disgust at the thought of the huge guy doing his business. Rogue noticed the blond girl standing amidst the boys, the only girl in the group, and figured she must be Boom Boom.
She had wispy, golden blond hair that ran down to her shoulders and fanned out at the ends. She had a punk look to her, and Rogue guessed she had a huge wild streak. She could imagine herself getting along with her. She had sky blue eyes and thin, red lips. Her make-up was applied thickly to her face, a little too thick. Her clothing was casual: a pink holster top that boasted her well-endowed figure and a pair of tight jeans that flared at the bottoms.
Boom Boom spat, " I wasn't applying make-up, you dumbass! I was taking care of personal hygiene."
Rogue nearly cracked a rib trying to suppress her laughter. She couldn't believe the girl would so blatantly talk about that in front of everyone, especially all the guys.
Raven quickly broke the awkward silence that followed the girl's comment. "Tabitha! I already abhor you. Don't give me a reason to get rid of you and don't make my team late again."
"Yo!" Came a voice from the back, as the speaker, a short and scrawny boy, leaped in front of the group. "What's abhor mean- oooh! Who's the babe, yo?"
Rogue was taken back by the odd-looking boy's abrasive behavior, especially when it dawned on her that he was referring to her. The thought of him finding her attractive almost made her want to gag. He wasn't very kind on the eyes - in fact, he was gruesome. She wondered if his power was the cause of his repulsive features. Rogue shook her head, dismissing her thoughts and mentally kicking herself. She had no right to be so harsh on anyone, especially not something as shallow as appearance. At least he could touch - if anyone was actually willing.
"This 'babe' is my daughter, who will be joining our team. If you even so much as touch her, I won't even think twice about killing you, not that you wouldn't immediately fall unconscious anyway." Raven smirked, "Some of you, Avalanche and Quicksilver, might recognize her better if she was wearing her black sparring suit. I believe she has been kicking your pathetic hide in combat for several months now, Avalanche."
The cute boy stared at Rogue in shock, his face slowly falling into a grimace. She simply blushed at Raven's comment. She then noticed the last member of the group gaping at her. If she thought the brown haired boy was cute, this young man was a god. He actually did resemble a Greek god in her opinion. He had tantalizingly good looks. His toned figure stood perfectly upright. She recognized him as another of her sparring partners. He had been her most challenging opponent; he was quick, preternaturally fast.
He usually wore a smug look on his handsome face. He was overly confident. His cockiness was the only reason that she was able to defeat him during their nightly sessions. His hair was ice white and seemed to be perfectly slicked back, coming into two points on both sides of the back of his head. His eyes were frosty blue and could seemingly pierce her soul. His lips were thin and definite. She wanted to kiss them, wrap her arms around his fit body and stroke his beautiful icy hair.
Her eyes suddenly widened, and her cheeks quickly blushed crimson as she pulled herself from her thoughts. She mentally scratched out those last thoughts and scolded herself for even thinking of intimately touching someone. She would never be able to do that, and she needn't even bother fantasizing about it.
Raven was talking, but she hadn't been paying attention to what she had said. She tried to catch up.
"-she will act as a spy, and engage in espionage to gather information we need. So, the X-men do not need to be aware of any association between her and us. You understand that means you will not have anything to do with her at school or anywhere public? Don't talk to her, don't look at her, just ignore her. Understood?"
The five teens nodded their heads solemnly, or it looked like Fred was nodding; it was hard to tell. He grunted and that was enough for the others to acknowledge that he understood.
"Good, now go back to the house and get some sleep. You need to be in my school office early in the morning, 7am. We have a meeting with several of your teachers, because they have been complaining about your behavior. Do not be late. Now go," Raven snarled.
They each exchanged glances and started for the door. Avalanche and Quicksilver glanced awkwardly at Rogue as they strided out the door. As soon, as Fred had trudged through the doorway, Raven quickly made her way to the door and swung it shut.
"Was that really necessary?" Rogue inquired.
"What?"
"You- you're so hostile with them."
Raven sighed, "Rogue, with that group you have to be. I can be nice, you know that. I've never mistreated you."
"But I'm your daughter." She said smugly.
"Believe me, I was gentle with them once. They're a bunch of delinquents, they won't listen unless I'm threatening."
Rogue let herself think on that comment. She pitied them. It couldn't be their fault if they were troublesome, society must have made them that way because of what they were. What she was.
"You should get ready for bed. You have a big day tomorrow, first day at school," she said yawning.
"How will Ah recognize the X-men?"
"I'll be leaving early tomorrow. I have several meetings in the mornings, most of them pertaining to your teammates. I'll leave a folder with profiles on every known mutant affiliated with the X-men on the breakfast table. So be sure to wake up early enough to review it. School starts at 8:15."
"Then, how will Ah get to school?" Rogue quickly asked.
"You know how to get there?"
"Well, ya, but-"
"Then I'm sure you'll find a way," replied Raven with a smug look on her face. "Now I need to make some phone calls. Good night."
With that, Raven walked by her. She tenderly laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed before leaving the room. Rogue sighed and trudged back to her own room.
She immediately flopped down onto her poster bed and began to slide her clothes off, discarding them in a tiki style laundry basket. She wondered how she was expected to get to school in the morning. She couldn't believe Raven wasn't going to take her on her first day. The school was several miles from their apartment, too long to walk. She could take the bus, but she wasn't sure where to get off and the thought of getting lost and making her late on her first day terrified her.
She pushed herself up off the bed and walked over to her dresser. The dresser was a mahogany, all wooden tiki dresser. It corresponded with the Islander theme of her room perfectly. While the rest of the penthouse was furnished by Raven and was mostly Victorian and Queen Anne, she was allowed to decorate her own room, thank god.
She pulled out her favorite stretch satin nightie and slid into it. She quickly tied the halter-style ties and glanced at herself in the mirror. Not only did it feel comfortable, easing her into sleep, but it also looked astounding on her. It accented her slim and sultry figure excellently. She felt sexy when she wore it, and she needed the little confident boost tonight because of the big day ahead of her. She never planned on letting anyone see her in it, but she loved it nonetheless.
She stretched herself out onto her bed and began to contemplate the events that transpired that night. She was incredibly disappointed with what she had been assigned to do. It didn't sound like much of a spy mission. She was frustrated with Raven too. She felt like she had been led on. Whether or not Raven said she was a part of the team, she certainly didn't feel like it.
With those last thoughts, she drifted into an unrestful sleep.
A/N: In XXM #35, Rogue goes by Anna Raven. That's where the name is from in case anyone is curious.
