A/N: Hey y'all! Sorry if the last chapter was a lil hard to understand. It'll make sense eventually, I promise. It may take a while, though. Now, time for some review answers!!
Panther Nesmith: Everything will be explained…and as for making this a Romy, I have no comment. Aren't I evil? ; )
Amanda14: Your right: this is big!
Krazy Xanadu: The feast was fun t'write. And as I told Panther Nesmith, I am not saying anything about weather or not this will be a Romy.
Yumiko: I know it's confusing, but just wait.
Rogue151: Ok, first off, your right about the other dimension thing. Secondly, it was NOT the X-Jet. The X-Jet comes out from behind a waterfall, not a clearing in the woods. I suggest you re-read chapter 6. Oh, and the scene with Jennsen was sort of a flashback. Hey, do you have any idea when the new season of Alias starts? Oh, and I read your story. Very cool. And last of all, I'm glad you like my name. Whew!
Caliente: Once again, I refuse to disclose any information about weather or not this will be a Romy, K? But I'm glad you like the story!!
All right, now that that's done, let me just say once and for all: DO NOT ASK IF THIS WILL BE A ROMY, BECAUSE I AIN'T TELLIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope you all enjoy your new cars! = ) And now, on to chapter 9! (or 10, depending on how you look at it.)
Rogue wearily pushed open the mansion doors and stepped inside. It looked as though everyone had gathered in the living room. Scott and Xavier were having a chess match; Jean, Kitty, Rahne, and Jubilee watching a chick-flick; Hank, Ororo, and Logan were talking on the couch; and everyone else was crowded around the Foosball table, where Kurt and Bobby were going head-to-head. A few people glanced at Rogue as she came through the door.
"You're back!" the Professor said cheerily. "Get lots of studying done?"
Rogue nodded, taking the chair next to Scott. It was the only unoccupied space in the room.
"Ah think Ah'm finally understandin' this history stuff." It was true—they had arrived back at the CIA several hours ahead of schedule, so she had used the time to get some actual studying done.
"What're you learning about?" Scott asked as he studied the board.
"Ancient Egypt. We're studying Ahkenaten right now."
"Ahke-who?"
"Ahkenaten. His original name was Amenhotep IV, but he changed it when he became Pharaoh. He tried to change Egypt's entire religion to focus on one god."
Xavier nodded his approval. "Good to know you weren't slacking off all day."
"Ah wasn't, believe me." She looked down at the chessboard. "Um, Scott? Ah don't think yer two pawns stand much of a chance."
"No, I still have a shot…I think," he said, staring down at the board.
Rogue looked skeptical. "Against two knights, a bishop, and a queen?"
Scott was still studying the board intently. "If I can just get a pawn to the end of the board, I can promote it to a queen."
"That sounds like a good plan…"
The Professor moved a knight.
"Checkmate!"
"…O'course, the plan is usually the first casualty of war."
Scott glared up at her. "Gee, your helpful. I'd like to see how well you do against the Professor."
Rogue yawned. "Not tonight. Ah'm gonna head up to bed."
Xavier cocked an eyebrow. "You do realize that it's only eleven fifteen. On a Saturday. Are you feeling alright?"
"Ah'm fahn. Just tired is all." She got up from her chair. "See you tomorrow."
The following morning all of the X-men were gathered in the Danger Room, desperately trying to appear alert as Logan explained the training scenario. Rogue was no exception. She hadn't gotten a lot of sleep despite going to bed early, and there were still traces of jetlag. On the upside, though, Logan had let them sleep in till 6:30.
"Today we're going to focus on battling without powers," Logan was saying. Everyone groaned. It was no secret that when Logan said "no powers," he meant "I'm gonna wipe the floor with ya in hand-to-hand combat." He glared at them, and the sounds of protests died. "I've already assigned you all with sparring partners."
This was new. Logan was going to have them fight each other? A few of the students sighed with relief.
"Cyke, your with Evan. Kurt, your with half-pint. And Rogue, you get Jean."
Rogue grinned. She got to spar Jean? This was worth getting up at 6:30.
Logan took the elevator up to the Observation Room, and a minute later the Danger Room disappeared, replaced by a dojo. The matted floor was sectioned of into four squares. Each team took up one square.
"Alright, this is light contact only. You have five minutes on the clock…begin!"
Immediately Rogue got into a fighting stance, turning so that only her side was facing Jean. The redhead threw a punch at Rogue's stomach. Rogue blocked it easily, then countered with a roundhouse kick to Jean's stomach. Her foot tapped the flesh lightly, as if to say, "I could have knocked you to the floor just now." Jean grinned, taking a step back.
"Nice ki—" she was cut off by the fist that came out of nowhere, aiming for her nose. The girl barely had time to throw a highblock. Unfortunately, this left her solar plexus wide open, and Rogue didn't waste a second in throwing another punch, and this one hit its mark. Once again, she merely tapped the flesh, just hard enough to prove how badly it could have hurt. Rogue turned swiftly, and kicked out behind her.
Tap.
She spun back around, using her momentum to deliver a backhanded swipe.
Tap.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.
Rogue kept up a steady attack, never giving Jean a chance to counter. That had been the first lesson she had learned as an agent: show no mercy. It was a lesson she had taken to heart, because it applied as much here, as an X-man, as it did in the CIA
Apparently Jean didn't find it all that great, however. She was starting to get aggravated with the way that she was taking a beating, while Rogue still hadn't been touched. Disregarding the light contact rule, Jean threw a punch with the wait of her entire body behind it, aimed directly at Rogue's middle. The Goth saw Jean's eyes flicker downward; saw the fist come at her solar plexus. Rather than block, Rogue did what she knew to be the last move expected of her: she stepped closer to Jean. Pivoting so that she was facing Jean's outstretched arm, she grabbed in both hands. In one smooth motion she pulled Jean down onto her raised knee. Then, with Jean off-balance, Rogue hooked her leg behind Jean's ankle, kicking her foot out from under her.
Jean landed unceremoniously on the floor.
"Time!" Logan called, and all the fighting stopped. Everyone turned to look at Jean, laying face-up on the hard mats, while Rogue stood calmly over her.
"That was a nice move, Stripes. How about demonstrating that for the class."
Rogue grinned at Jean, who grudgingly stood in front of her. Jean threw a punch, and Rogue proceeded to knee her, then send her to the floor. The others were then told to practice the move with their partners.
"Okay, my turn," Jean said, obviously eager to send Rogue to the floor. She was disappointed, however, when did a backwards roll on the floor, ending in a perfect battle stance. Rogue grinned at the girl's annoyance.
I wish ol' Geoffrey could see this, she thought. Maybe then he'd realize that I know what I'm doing.
Jean cocked her head to the side. "Who's Geoffrey?"
Rogue froze. This was very, very bad. She jumped to the offensive, hoping to keep Jean from asking unwanted questions.
"What were you doin' in mah head? Ah never said you could go tap-dancin' around in mah thoughts!"
"Rogue, I'm sorry. It was an accident. I didn't mean to." Jean's eyes narrowed. "He's the reason you keep coming home so late, isn't he?" she added, keeping her voice low so the others wouldn't hear.
"That's none o' yer business!" Rogue shouted.
"Do you even know anything about this guy? Or are you just seeing him because…"
The rest of the sentence fell upon deaf ears. Jean thought Geoffrey was the name of a boyfriend? Relief coursed through Rogue's veins, but she was careful to keep it hidden.
"Ah'm not seein' anyone, and even if Ah was, it's none o' yer business!"
The girls glared at each other for what seemed like hours, until Logan declared that the training session was over, and they both stalked off.
Rogue stepped into the living room in time to see Hank pick up the ringing phone.
"Hello…I must decline your offer…Would you be so kind as to remove the telephone number of this humble abode from your list? Thank you." He hung up. "Hello, Rogue. How was the training session?"
"Alright, Ah guess. Who was that on the phone?"
"Telemarketers, asking about a survey. They've already called five times."
Rogue cursed her bad luck for missing five calls from the CIA. They'd be wondering where she was. Rogue ran up to her room, stuffed the Eye in her pocket, and headed out the door.
A/N: Yes! Jean bashing! And the best part is, the facts support it. After all, it makes sense that a trained CIA agent could kick a prep's butt. But now Rogue has the problem of Jean reading her thoughts—that's some very bad joo-joo right there.
I had somethin' else I wanted t'say, but I can't remember what. Ummm…oh yeah, yer rewards for reviewin' this chapter…Wolvie's motorcycle from the movie!!…well, actually, it's Scott's motorcycle…funny how that works. In X1, it was Scott's bike, but Wolvie rode it, and in X2 it was Scott's car, but Wolvie drove it. I wonder what thing of Scott's Wolvie will steal in X3?
Okay, I've got to post this now, so that you guys can read it, and then leave sterling reviews. (hint, hint) Bye, y'all!!!
Oh, and a BIG thank you to The Last Ronin for putting me on yer fave list. I greatly appreciate it!! = P