"Rogue... Rogue, time to wake up," came an entirely too cheerful voice in her ear.
"Mmmm... not now Kitty, just a few more minutes," she grumbled, turning over in her bed.
"Kitty?" came that perky voice again, and Rogue grumbled, rubbing her eyes and peering up. No, not Kitty... the blonde... Ms. Marvel. Oh god, not the first thing she needed to be reminded of in the morning. Her head hurt abysmally.
"Rise and shine, hun," she said, sitting down on the bed beside Rogue. "You've already slept in much latter than most around here. 'course, the Commander said until he says otherwise you're considered a civilian, so you're exempt from the usual routine of things."
"Lucky me," she grumbled, rubbing her eyes again as she sat up, aware she'd spent the night sleeping in her uniform. "Ah need a shower... and some breakfast," she added as her stomach rumbled.
"That's why I'm here," replied Marvel. "I'm your chaperone until the commander gets back from his duties. He's had to go down to the lower levels for some maintenance. So come on Rogue... let's get you ready for the day."
"Just... one question first," said Rogue, stopping her. "What... what is your real name?" she asked.
"What, you mean my human name?"
"Yeah... I'm curious. Ah mean, your codename is cool an' all, but ah'd prefer to know your real name."
"The name my human parents gave me isn't my real one. I am Ms. Marvel," replied the blonde proudly. "That is the name Magneto gave me. He gave us all new names. But if you really wanna know, I used to be called Carol. Carol Danvers."
"Ah think ah prefer Carol... if you don't mind, that is."
"Sure, whatever you prefer," she replied with a smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The women's shower room was simply, clean, and efficient.
It was also totally devoid of privacy.
Not that many of the women present seemed to mind. They carelessly stripped down to nothing and walked around in their birthday suits, not the least bit ashamed. Rogue was another matter. Lacking any spare clothing as she did (save her uniform) she'd stripped down only to her undergarments. Silently she wished she'd chosen something a bit less frilly as she reluctantly stepped into the showers and locate one, rinsing herself off as quickly as possible. Trying to ignore the stares cast her way. A mixture of curiosity, confusion, some jealousy, and even one or two eyeing her lustfully. Rogue shivered again. It was like a prison shower room. Carol washed herself off in the showerhead alongside hers, and Rogue kept her gaze towards her own showerhead the entire time, not wanting to see what was, to her mind at least, private.
Finishing her shower as quickly as she could Rogue grabbed a towel and dried herself off, grabbing her uniform and slipping it back on. It felt grimy, especially after such a long day in the dust-choked surface and a long trek through the muck-filled sewers, but it was all she had at the moment, and she was loathe to part with it. Maybe later she'd accept Carol's offer to use some of her spare duds.
Besides, part of her blushed at the idea of showing herself off so. Carol's uniform left absolutely nothing to the imagination once it was zipped up. She wondered idly if Carol's skin could breath inside of that skin-tight thing.
Breakfast came next. Or rather, an early lunch. Rogue had slept in much of the morning, and they joined the others in the mess hall.
"I already ate," stated Carol, none-the-less grabbing an apple off of a nearby basket and taking a heart munch out of it. "Just grab a tray and get what you want, I'll save us a table."
Rogue nodded dimly, doing as she was told, letting her body guide her, since she was used to this at least. Like the cafeterias at Bayville High, grab your food, stand in line, go find a table. Even the food was the same low-quality sludge that Bayville High churned out every day. Rogue was forcefully reminded why she'd preferred to bring her own lunch all of senior year.
As she walked with her tray in hand, she glanced at the other occupants filing into the room. She saw familiar faces here and there. Lance sat alone, barely giving his meal any attention. At another nearby table, Pietro was flirting with what must've been admirers. At least, judging from the way they clung to him and hung on his every word as he recounted some great exploit of his. Some things never change, Rogue thought. And some did, she thought, noticing Roberto. His normally cheerful face was downcast and quiet, and his body seemed practically covered in all number of huge, jagged scars. Beside him sat Jubilee, her hair cut short, her gaze elsewhere as she sipped her water. She bore the same "M" mark tattooed over her left eye. And beside her, Iceman, who's arm hung in a sling as he chatted on with Jubilee, though the Chinese-American girl barely paid him any heed. He didn't seem to notice. Or didn't care if he had.
Rogue sighed, sitting down at the far table with Carol.
"Don't tell me you're having a tough day already, its only noon," remarked Carol, tossing her apple over her shoulder and landing it in a nearby disposal can with pinpoint accuracy... without even looking.
"Ah'm just... not used to seeing all of this."
"Well Cyclops said he wanted to talk to you later, maybe he can help you unwind," remarked Carol casually. Rogue stammered, nearly choking on her bread.
"Carol, jeez... ah've only met him the othah day... we're, uhm... we're not ready for going back to the way things were just yet," she added, again falling back on her amnesia ploy. Hopefully Scott hadn't told anyone just yet about her being from another dimension. She did still want to sort that out with him. Though if she was going to be stuck here... who knew what was going to happen?
"Sorry, sorry... I've just noticed how sad he's been without you. He used to smile all the time when you were still with us. After the Battle of Northbrook I don't think I've ever seen him smile... not even when Iceman over there cracks a joke," added Carol, indicating the brown-haired Boston boy. "And I mean a good one."
"All because of me?"
"He'd really fallen rather hard," she replied with a smile. A quieter one, Rogue noticed. More sincere. "So had you, from what I'd gathered. There was talk of kids, or so the rumors went."
"Rumors?" asked Rogue, blushing again.
"Kinda hard when its one of Magneto's commanders, you understand," Carol replied.
Rogue didn't know what to say to that, and decided to finish off her meal. This idea she quickly discarded, pushing her tray away when her stomach and tongue rebelled against her.
God, and I thought Kitty cooked bad, she thought.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Officer present!" someone cried out, and everyone stepped up and to their feet, at attention.
"As you were," replied Cyclops, allowing everyone to go back to their meal. He made his way over to Rogue and Carol's table. "Carol. You've got the day off, go have fun. Rogue... you mind coming with me? We need to talk."
"Sure," replied Rogue, walking alongside Scott as they exited the mess hall.
"I need to make an inspection of the arboretum anyway... it's a quiet place, we can talk there," he stated quietly, not really looking at Rogue as they walked along the hallways of the Fortress.
"Ahm told ah'm to be considered a 'civilian' until you make up your mind about me," she said, starting their conversation. "What exactly does that mean?"
"Basically you get the same privileges and responsibilities as a soldier, but that I don't stick you into combat. I thought it best... you do not approve?" he asked, glancing at her sideways through his shades.
"No, ah'm thankful. Ah'm just... just so confused," she grumbled.
"You are not the only one... we've arrived," he stated, opening the door into the next room. Rogue blinked her eyes, gasping softly.
The land above was hell, the ground was destroyed, it was covered in red dust and crimson skies. The fortress itself was no looker either. It was cold, sterile, and efficient. All a military leader could ask for. But this... this was paradise.
Golden rays descended down along the walls of the room, but the ceiling was out of sight. The entire air, the ground, the whole room was filled with such vibrant green that Rogue, who'd been becoming accustomed to grays and blacks, nearly had her eyes overloaded. It included a strange mix of both tropical and temperate trees, shrubs and flowers, growing side-by-side, as well as a few breeds of plants Rogue was pretty sure didn't exist in her own dimension. She wondered if maybe the plant world had created some of its own mutants.
"Wow... its beautiful."
"I'm glad you approve," he stated quietly, walking along with her down one of the paths through the arboretum. "Willow and Storm do their best to keep this going... this is how we've managed to keep underground for so very long without being discovered by the enemy. Crops are grown in an adjacent room."
"It's beautiful," she repeated, admiring one of the blooming roses.
"Magneto hopes that, once the war is over, Storm and Willow can restore the world to what it once was. I'm skeptical... but miracles have been accomplished before."
"So Magneto's your leader?" asked Rogue quietly, ignoring the rose to focus on the matter at hand.
"He is. He assumed command of us when the war began. Helped find those of us in need, organized us into a fighting force. He even oversaw the construction of Cerebro, and when he found Mindbender he was actually able to use it."
"What about the Professor? Er, Xavier?" she asked. He might not've been the Professor here, she reminded herself. Scott hesitated.
"We should not speak of such things," he replied grimly. "It is bad for morale."
"Please Scott, ah have to know... ah could be stuck here, for all ah know. Shouldn't ah learn about my new home?" she asked pleadingly. Borrowing a page from Kitty's book, she stuck out her lower lip just a tad in a pout, and watched as Scott's stern expression faded.
"Alright. Charles Xavier died at the very beginning of the war. He was the first casualty on our side. That was shortly after we'd been exposed."
"How'd that happen?" she asked.
"Toad," he replied. "The poor fool didn't know how to properly conceal himself, and was hunted down by a mob. Xavier thought the humans could be reasoned with... and he paid for it with his life. Magneto continues the war in his memory. And to prevent the persecution and death of any more mutant children."
"Ah'm sorry," whispered Rogue softly.
"Don't be sorry for us. Feel sorry for the humans. There day will come. And we'll crush them," he said with a grin on his face, clenching his fist for emphasis.
"No, ah mean ah'm sorry you lost Xavier. Things might've turned out differently if he was still alive now," she said.
"Is that what it's like in your world?" he asked. He located a bench and the two of them sat down, so that they could converse without wearing out their legs overly.
"Kinda. Ah mean, we're not getting along very well with most humans... but we're not at war. We just have to deal with some more fanatical of them. The ones who really hate us."
"They all hate us," he replied darkly.
"No, not all of them. Kurt has a human girlfriend named Amanda. She loves him."
He frowned at that, clearly unable to grasp the concept. "Sounds nice. Well you already know about the Rogue of this world... tell me, what am I like in your world?" he asked idly.
"Well for starters you're clean shaven," she stated with a giggle, brushing a gloved hand against his facial hair. "You're... you're a teacher. And a leader of our team. And in love with a redhead," Rogue added reluctantly.
"Team? I thought you said there wasn't a war."
"No, of course not," replied Rogue. "But Xavier formed this team. Not just to fight people. To help them. To protect them. Ah was on this team too. We fought for mutant rights. We called ourselves the X-Men."
Author's Notes:
The guy in me just had to write that shower scene. Again, inspired by a movie. Specifically 'Starship Troopers', minus the mixed genders. Again, more scenes involving the AU mutants, including a few more New Recruits and Brotherhood members. And yet more insight into the AU Scott and Rogue. Expect more of them to come. How is that possible, you ask? All will be explained in due time. Most of the story will enjoy Rogue's point of view, since she's the only non-AU character involved. Storm you all know and love, Willow is an OC that Comet-hime created. You'll be introduced to her later.
Sashi: For one of my younger audience members you nailed the Mystique thing pretty much right on the nose. And 'fraid most of the old team isn't around but Storm is still about. You'll see more of her later. I have plans for the Weather Witch.
Todd fan: Next chapter it'll be made obvious. Glad you're enjoying the Scott/Rogue and the Sam/Rahne elements of the story. Other couples involved later, though not as many considering they are in the middle of a war and all.
X00001: I'm afraid I can't do that. She does not exist in this Alternate Universe. Trust me, I would love to add her if I could, but she'll have to wait for the end and the epilogue.
Comet-hime: AU Scaleface and Ray to come soon, promise. And glad you're enjoying the introduction of the AU Scott and Rogue relationship. But actually… I'm using this to slowly guide our Rogue towards the regular Remy. But you'll see how later, of course.
Nessie6: Patience. All will be revealed in time. Yes, Scott and Rogue were close in my alternate dimension. No Jean in the picture. And yes, Husk is known for what you think she is… not pleasant, is it? Yup, one twin is gone. Can ya guess which? Well you'll figure it out soon enough. As for Mystique… yeah, you also hit it right on the nose.
Risty: Sam and Rahne were canon? I thought Sam was with Tabby in the comics? I don't go with the comics entirely with Evo. Yes, definitely Magneto and Rogue would be weird considering their Evo age difference. But you'd be surprised by the number of fans who pair Wolverine and Rogue. And I'm afraid I'm not seeing the Roberto-Rahne connection. But that's me. And yes, your favorite blue mutant. Whose that?
Rugsrat: Oh ye of little faith. I know what I'm doing. Poor lost Kitty. I purposefully killed her off because I knew people would react. Poor innocent lost Kitty. Glad you're enjoying my work, however.
DoubleL27: I thought you'd enjoy the AU Scott and Rogue dynamics. Complex, is it not? Excellent. Also glad you caught the Mystique reference, she'll be showing up more around. I am totally glad you're getting so enmeshed in my story, I love drawing in audience members like that. Like a spider with flies. Muwahahahahahahaha!