Alone
Shadow Knight
Chapter 16: Lurking Shadows
Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution.
~
-Keep your friends close. . . keep your enemies closer.-
~
The dark, ebony night in Bayville was suddenly erased in a blinding burst of light, expelling the darkness. Suddenly, as the ring of light dispersed, a figure could be seen, falling from the sky. Not a single cry passed by the figure's lips as it fell. With a heavy thud, it crashed into the snow on the ground.
Writhing in a squirming mass, the figure's face twisted into a pained expression, eyes clenched shut. Then, with a sudden gasp, eyes of amber flashed open, seeing nothing. Yet, as the figure's body twitched, its adorning blue hue began to fade, thinning to a pale ivory skin color.
Then, as the body stopped to a sudden still, it was seen that it. . . was a she. Her body heaved as black liquid seemed to cover her body, solidifying. A black dress enclosed her body in a thin cover.
A sudden twitch struck her fingers. Then, slowly, her eyes seemed to register and she blinked.
~
(Rogue P.O.V)
"Where. . . Where am I?"
The question buzzed in my head like an angry hornet as my eyes flicked open and shut. Dimly, I noticed that with the movement of my eyelashes, I was brushing something white along the ground. . . .
Why was I lying here?
As I lie there, I felt something cold surrounding me, wrapping me in a numbing blanket. My fingers curled and I clenched something in my fist. It was cold and wet. I slowly pulled it to my face and glanced at it. Snow?
When did I fall in the snow?
I decided at that moment that I needed to get up before this became my icy resting place. The snow was already beginning to curl around me, becoming a cold tomb. Slowly, I pushed myself up, trying to stand up. Yet, I nearly fell on my face. My body felt like a dead weight, having slept for a million years. But, I knew that I couldn't give up, no matter how exhausted my body felt.
With all the energy I could muster, I propped myself on my elbows and dragged myself off the ground. It was a slow and agonizing process, but I made my way up. As I stumbled to my feet, I stared dully behind me. A depressed patch of snow where I had been laying stretched behind me. How had I gotten here?
Shaking my head roughly, the snow that had been clinging to my hair was flung out. Yet, from the sudden motion, I felt my head grow heavy. Reaching out a hand to steady myself, I tried to stay still to lessen the sudden pain. Why did my head feel so heavy? It was almost as if I were swooned with too much drink.
As my heels clacked along the concrete, I grasped my head to concentrate. I stifled a cry of surprise when my hands were burned lightly when grabbing hold of my forehead. What could have happened that made me like this?
After straightening myself out, I slowly made my way down the sidewalk, trying to keep my balance and think clearly through the opaque haze in my mind. Gradually, my sight began to grow a little more focused and my brain began working through the thick fog. Then, closing my eyes, I tried to remember the events of tonight.
I could see a boy. . . no a man. . . smiling. . . . happy to see me. . . .Who could he be though?
Clenching my eyes shut tighter, I tried to focus more on the picture in my mind, but as I dipped my hands back further into my memory, the identity and appearance of the man only seemed to elude me more, moving further back in my mind. Damn. Now this was frustrating.
With a brief flicker of my eyes, I stared upward at the night sky, eyes aimlessly searching among the stars. With a sigh, I watched as my breath vaporized before me, escaping from my lips like a ghastly apparition, twisting and curling into something too bizarre to recognize. It was almost like with each breath a part of my soul left me.
Leaving such nonsense thoughts behind, I trudged my way toward the hotel I was staying at, my mind still slightly fuzzy. Once I pushed past the doors, I didn't bother to stop to see who was working at the main desk. The guy there didn't seem to mind me either as I stalked past him, his nose stuck in a book.
My head was beginning to hurt again. This time it was beginning to throb.
Each pulse from my heart sent a sharp pain rattling through my skull. I wanted to cry out in agony and collapse to the floor, but I kept on. Next were the stairs.
Dragging my feet up the final top part of the stairs, I searched and, to my relief, found the fake gold paint peeling numbers "22" staring back at me. Lurching forward, I latched onto the door.
Looking down, I grabbed my purse from my side and fumbled around clumsily for my keys. It seemed that it was to no avail though. The keys eluded my grasp and with each passing moment, my frustration and agitation mounted.
"Damn it all," I seethed, my voice growing more frantic, "where in the world are they?"
As my irritation reached a culmination, I felt my vision blur for a moment, white-hot pain jabbing behind my eyes. Closing my eyes, a sudden flicker of a scene was painted on the back of my eyelids.
I saw myself. . . .melting into the wall? No. . .I was moving through it. . .
As the sensation flooded through me, I felt tipsy, lost in the feeling. I reached out to sturdy myself against the door.
Suddenly there was no door beneath my fingers.
Fear gripped me by the heart as paranoia of the free falling moment made my heart race. I met with the floor in a crunching thud.
"Ouch. . . ."
Cursing at my fall, I braced myself on my elbow, pushing myself off the ground. Brushing myself off I stopped abruptly with a sudden pause. I suddenly remembered what had just happened. Whirling around on my heels, I stared at the door.
"What the. . ."
The door was closed. And solid. Very solid.
To say I was stunned was an understatement. I just didn't understand, my mind scrambling frantically to understand what had happened. How could I have fallen. . . . through the door? It. . . .it didn't make any sense. I looked back to the door. Maybe. . .
Slowly, I reached out for the door, my fingers trembling. My eyes closed, I touched for the door.
It was solid underneath my touch.
I sighed irritably to myself. What was I thinking? How could I have moved through a door? But. . . then what was happening to me? Why was it that now, when I was on an important mission everything was becoming strange?
Why was it that when I arrived here, my heartstrings were pulled?
"I can't take this anymore," I breathed out, anger painting my voice in vivid emotions, "None of this shit makes sense!"
Reaching back I felt my fingers curl tightly to my palm. . .before I let it fly toward the door in fury. My eyes flicked open as I felt myself tip. I jerked back just in time to stop from falling forward. Fluttering suddenly erupted in my chest as I stared at the door.
My arm was _through_ the door.
I watched in utter fascination as I pulled my arm slowly back to myself. It was spectacular to watch the fibers of the door bend and warp, molding and shifting around my arm. It was as if the space in the door where my arm snaked through was displaced, moving its very atoms to let my arm pass through.
Then I realized what was happening. I jerked my arm quickly backward and clutched it to my chest. "How. . . how did I do that?"
Suddenly, my back grew cold as numbing chills swept down my spine. I. . . I wasn't alone.
"Yes, Rogue, how _did_ you do that?"
I whipped around on my heels. I didn't need to see his face to know who it was. I knew the voice all to well. The moonlight shined in my room with pale ivory rays, casting pale, soothing shadows in my room. Yet, as he stepped out, the rays seemed to ignite every fear in my heart, his face illuminated.
With a gulp, I stared.
"Shawn?"
~
(Pietro P.O.V.)
"Please. . . just a little bit longer. . ."
Step.
"Rogue. . . .please just wait a little bit more. . ."
Step.
"I wont. . . . lose you again. . ."
Step.
"Never. . . never again."
My legs were burning as I ran, snow rushing beneath me in swift, curling waves. I opened my mouth to gasp for more air, my lungs consuming oxygen greedily. Although, my chest felt like it might burst, I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.
I had to reach Rogue.
With the rhythm of my feet pounding relentlessly along the pavement, I was slowly brought back to the shocking sight that Jean had revealed to me. Even remembering how shocked and frightened Jean's eyes were sent a shiver pricking down my spine.
----Pietro! You must get there quickly! Someone is waiting for her. Someone lethal and set out to do something bad to her.----
. . . lethal and set out to do something bad to her. . . .
As the words swam around in my head, my heart began beating a little faster in my against my chest, a rapid hum inside me. I felt my palms grow sweaty as dark thoughts of what might be waiting for Rogue captured my mind in a sticky, malevolent web.
Swallowing a hard lump in my throat, I tried to suppress my anxious worries and darkened thoughts. I couldn't get caught up in wondering what might happen to Rogue. I had to get there to stop it before it happened. Shaking my head slightly, I looked up to see if I was closer. There. . . just over the hill. . . .the X-Mansion gates!
I had to be close now!
So close, I could see a building coming into view, the neon lit letters H-O- T-E glared back at me with a gleaming ruby. The L letter flickered fickly as if not sure whether to stay on or off.
I was so close. . . . .
Before I came to a sudden halt. . . . .
. .. . . Without willing to. . . .
My eyes widened as I abruptly balked, my feet suddenly rooted to the ground. I let a yelp as the ground zoomed into my view with frightening clarity. The sound of my flesh smacking against the ground only intensified the pain that shot through me when I landed. For a moment, I laid there wincing and seething in pain. Of course it didn't make it better, but it let me relieve all the stress built up inside of me.
After a moment, I calmed down and slowly, clenching my jaw tightly, I braced myself on my elbows. Hot fire jumped along my spine with boiling springs. Biting my bottom lips, I held back a cry that threatened to spill past my lips. Then, bracing myself, I pushed myself to my feet.
Only. . . . it seemed my feet didn't move.
In fact, I couldn't feel the lower half of my body.
A sudden dreadful horror spread through me. For a brief moment, I sat there, trying not to panic. Then, I tried standing up again. No luck. What was wrong with my legs?
Wiggling my toes, I tried to see if I could feel anything. I was only met with a cold feeling of dread washing through me.
I had no feeling in my legs.
Even as I continued to try to operate my legs, there was no responding movement. What was going on?!
I began to try a third attempt to get up when suddenly I was struck by a thought. I may be in a situation, but there was someone that needed my help.
Rogue was in danger.
With a burst of energy, adrenaline searing through my veins, I reached an arm out along the pavement. And pulled myself forward. Then I did it again. And again. And again.
I was reduced to a slow crawl, but I would give up.
"Rogue," I gasped as I pulled myself up the pavement, the sickening slick of my legs sliding along the gravel flooding my ears, "please. . . just wait. . . .a little longer. . . ."
"I wont let them take you away from. . . us. . .me. . . again."
~
Okay. . . So I lied about the explanations. ^_^ I'm so sorry! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!!! Um. . ahem. . . anywho, I promise, PROMISE there will be lots of good ol' explaining in the next chapter. . . cause. . . that's basically what it's about. Well. . .sorta. -_-. I suppose you'll just have to wait and see.
And for all you guys who have read, I'm sorry it's taking me SOOO long to update. There's been a LOT of stuff going on, so it's been really hard. I'm hoping to have the next chapter up by sometime this spring break. Well, I'm getting sleepy and it's late, so I've must say. . . bye!
Next Chapter: Shawn confronts Rogue with a startling secret that may shake her very core. Pietro it. . . almost there. ^_^ And the X-Men. . . uh. . .well let's just say Kurt's starting to wake up.
PLEASE REVIEW!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Ciao. ^_~
Shadow Knight
Chapter 16: Lurking Shadows
Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution.
~
-Keep your friends close. . . keep your enemies closer.-
~
The dark, ebony night in Bayville was suddenly erased in a blinding burst of light, expelling the darkness. Suddenly, as the ring of light dispersed, a figure could be seen, falling from the sky. Not a single cry passed by the figure's lips as it fell. With a heavy thud, it crashed into the snow on the ground.
Writhing in a squirming mass, the figure's face twisted into a pained expression, eyes clenched shut. Then, with a sudden gasp, eyes of amber flashed open, seeing nothing. Yet, as the figure's body twitched, its adorning blue hue began to fade, thinning to a pale ivory skin color.
Then, as the body stopped to a sudden still, it was seen that it. . . was a she. Her body heaved as black liquid seemed to cover her body, solidifying. A black dress enclosed her body in a thin cover.
A sudden twitch struck her fingers. Then, slowly, her eyes seemed to register and she blinked.
~
(Rogue P.O.V)
"Where. . . Where am I?"
The question buzzed in my head like an angry hornet as my eyes flicked open and shut. Dimly, I noticed that with the movement of my eyelashes, I was brushing something white along the ground. . . .
Why was I lying here?
As I lie there, I felt something cold surrounding me, wrapping me in a numbing blanket. My fingers curled and I clenched something in my fist. It was cold and wet. I slowly pulled it to my face and glanced at it. Snow?
When did I fall in the snow?
I decided at that moment that I needed to get up before this became my icy resting place. The snow was already beginning to curl around me, becoming a cold tomb. Slowly, I pushed myself up, trying to stand up. Yet, I nearly fell on my face. My body felt like a dead weight, having slept for a million years. But, I knew that I couldn't give up, no matter how exhausted my body felt.
With all the energy I could muster, I propped myself on my elbows and dragged myself off the ground. It was a slow and agonizing process, but I made my way up. As I stumbled to my feet, I stared dully behind me. A depressed patch of snow where I had been laying stretched behind me. How had I gotten here?
Shaking my head roughly, the snow that had been clinging to my hair was flung out. Yet, from the sudden motion, I felt my head grow heavy. Reaching out a hand to steady myself, I tried to stay still to lessen the sudden pain. Why did my head feel so heavy? It was almost as if I were swooned with too much drink.
As my heels clacked along the concrete, I grasped my head to concentrate. I stifled a cry of surprise when my hands were burned lightly when grabbing hold of my forehead. What could have happened that made me like this?
After straightening myself out, I slowly made my way down the sidewalk, trying to keep my balance and think clearly through the opaque haze in my mind. Gradually, my sight began to grow a little more focused and my brain began working through the thick fog. Then, closing my eyes, I tried to remember the events of tonight.
I could see a boy. . . no a man. . . smiling. . . . happy to see me. . . .Who could he be though?
Clenching my eyes shut tighter, I tried to focus more on the picture in my mind, but as I dipped my hands back further into my memory, the identity and appearance of the man only seemed to elude me more, moving further back in my mind. Damn. Now this was frustrating.
With a brief flicker of my eyes, I stared upward at the night sky, eyes aimlessly searching among the stars. With a sigh, I watched as my breath vaporized before me, escaping from my lips like a ghastly apparition, twisting and curling into something too bizarre to recognize. It was almost like with each breath a part of my soul left me.
Leaving such nonsense thoughts behind, I trudged my way toward the hotel I was staying at, my mind still slightly fuzzy. Once I pushed past the doors, I didn't bother to stop to see who was working at the main desk. The guy there didn't seem to mind me either as I stalked past him, his nose stuck in a book.
My head was beginning to hurt again. This time it was beginning to throb.
Each pulse from my heart sent a sharp pain rattling through my skull. I wanted to cry out in agony and collapse to the floor, but I kept on. Next were the stairs.
Dragging my feet up the final top part of the stairs, I searched and, to my relief, found the fake gold paint peeling numbers "22" staring back at me. Lurching forward, I latched onto the door.
Looking down, I grabbed my purse from my side and fumbled around clumsily for my keys. It seemed that it was to no avail though. The keys eluded my grasp and with each passing moment, my frustration and agitation mounted.
"Damn it all," I seethed, my voice growing more frantic, "where in the world are they?"
As my irritation reached a culmination, I felt my vision blur for a moment, white-hot pain jabbing behind my eyes. Closing my eyes, a sudden flicker of a scene was painted on the back of my eyelids.
I saw myself. . . .melting into the wall? No. . .I was moving through it. . .
As the sensation flooded through me, I felt tipsy, lost in the feeling. I reached out to sturdy myself against the door.
Suddenly there was no door beneath my fingers.
Fear gripped me by the heart as paranoia of the free falling moment made my heart race. I met with the floor in a crunching thud.
"Ouch. . . ."
Cursing at my fall, I braced myself on my elbow, pushing myself off the ground. Brushing myself off I stopped abruptly with a sudden pause. I suddenly remembered what had just happened. Whirling around on my heels, I stared at the door.
"What the. . ."
The door was closed. And solid. Very solid.
To say I was stunned was an understatement. I just didn't understand, my mind scrambling frantically to understand what had happened. How could I have fallen. . . . through the door? It. . . .it didn't make any sense. I looked back to the door. Maybe. . .
Slowly, I reached out for the door, my fingers trembling. My eyes closed, I touched for the door.
It was solid underneath my touch.
I sighed irritably to myself. What was I thinking? How could I have moved through a door? But. . . then what was happening to me? Why was it that now, when I was on an important mission everything was becoming strange?
Why was it that when I arrived here, my heartstrings were pulled?
"I can't take this anymore," I breathed out, anger painting my voice in vivid emotions, "None of this shit makes sense!"
Reaching back I felt my fingers curl tightly to my palm. . .before I let it fly toward the door in fury. My eyes flicked open as I felt myself tip. I jerked back just in time to stop from falling forward. Fluttering suddenly erupted in my chest as I stared at the door.
My arm was _through_ the door.
I watched in utter fascination as I pulled my arm slowly back to myself. It was spectacular to watch the fibers of the door bend and warp, molding and shifting around my arm. It was as if the space in the door where my arm snaked through was displaced, moving its very atoms to let my arm pass through.
Then I realized what was happening. I jerked my arm quickly backward and clutched it to my chest. "How. . . how did I do that?"
Suddenly, my back grew cold as numbing chills swept down my spine. I. . . I wasn't alone.
"Yes, Rogue, how _did_ you do that?"
I whipped around on my heels. I didn't need to see his face to know who it was. I knew the voice all to well. The moonlight shined in my room with pale ivory rays, casting pale, soothing shadows in my room. Yet, as he stepped out, the rays seemed to ignite every fear in my heart, his face illuminated.
With a gulp, I stared.
"Shawn?"
~
(Pietro P.O.V.)
"Please. . . just a little bit longer. . ."
Step.
"Rogue. . . .please just wait a little bit more. . ."
Step.
"I wont. . . . lose you again. . ."
Step.
"Never. . . never again."
My legs were burning as I ran, snow rushing beneath me in swift, curling waves. I opened my mouth to gasp for more air, my lungs consuming oxygen greedily. Although, my chest felt like it might burst, I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.
I had to reach Rogue.
With the rhythm of my feet pounding relentlessly along the pavement, I was slowly brought back to the shocking sight that Jean had revealed to me. Even remembering how shocked and frightened Jean's eyes were sent a shiver pricking down my spine.
----Pietro! You must get there quickly! Someone is waiting for her. Someone lethal and set out to do something bad to her.----
. . . lethal and set out to do something bad to her. . . .
As the words swam around in my head, my heart began beating a little faster in my against my chest, a rapid hum inside me. I felt my palms grow sweaty as dark thoughts of what might be waiting for Rogue captured my mind in a sticky, malevolent web.
Swallowing a hard lump in my throat, I tried to suppress my anxious worries and darkened thoughts. I couldn't get caught up in wondering what might happen to Rogue. I had to get there to stop it before it happened. Shaking my head slightly, I looked up to see if I was closer. There. . . just over the hill. . . .the X-Mansion gates!
I had to be close now!
So close, I could see a building coming into view, the neon lit letters H-O- T-E glared back at me with a gleaming ruby. The L letter flickered fickly as if not sure whether to stay on or off.
I was so close. . . . .
Before I came to a sudden halt. . . . .
. .. . . Without willing to. . . .
My eyes widened as I abruptly balked, my feet suddenly rooted to the ground. I let a yelp as the ground zoomed into my view with frightening clarity. The sound of my flesh smacking against the ground only intensified the pain that shot through me when I landed. For a moment, I laid there wincing and seething in pain. Of course it didn't make it better, but it let me relieve all the stress built up inside of me.
After a moment, I calmed down and slowly, clenching my jaw tightly, I braced myself on my elbows. Hot fire jumped along my spine with boiling springs. Biting my bottom lips, I held back a cry that threatened to spill past my lips. Then, bracing myself, I pushed myself to my feet.
Only. . . . it seemed my feet didn't move.
In fact, I couldn't feel the lower half of my body.
A sudden dreadful horror spread through me. For a brief moment, I sat there, trying not to panic. Then, I tried standing up again. No luck. What was wrong with my legs?
Wiggling my toes, I tried to see if I could feel anything. I was only met with a cold feeling of dread washing through me.
I had no feeling in my legs.
Even as I continued to try to operate my legs, there was no responding movement. What was going on?!
I began to try a third attempt to get up when suddenly I was struck by a thought. I may be in a situation, but there was someone that needed my help.
Rogue was in danger.
With a burst of energy, adrenaline searing through my veins, I reached an arm out along the pavement. And pulled myself forward. Then I did it again. And again. And again.
I was reduced to a slow crawl, but I would give up.
"Rogue," I gasped as I pulled myself up the pavement, the sickening slick of my legs sliding along the gravel flooding my ears, "please. . . just wait. . . .a little longer. . . ."
"I wont let them take you away from. . . us. . .me. . . again."
~
Okay. . . So I lied about the explanations. ^_^ I'm so sorry! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!!! Um. . ahem. . . anywho, I promise, PROMISE there will be lots of good ol' explaining in the next chapter. . . cause. . . that's basically what it's about. Well. . .sorta. -_-. I suppose you'll just have to wait and see.
And for all you guys who have read, I'm sorry it's taking me SOOO long to update. There's been a LOT of stuff going on, so it's been really hard. I'm hoping to have the next chapter up by sometime this spring break. Well, I'm getting sleepy and it's late, so I've must say. . . bye!
Next Chapter: Shawn confronts Rogue with a startling secret that may shake her very core. Pietro it. . . almost there. ^_^ And the X-Men. . . uh. . .well let's just say Kurt's starting to wake up.
PLEASE REVIEW!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Ciao. ^_~