Heeeeeere's MEVA! Hey-ho everybody in the studio audience, and all of you folks at home! This is the last chapter from my pre-written reserves. O.O This means that the updates may become more sporatic. I'm almost done chapter 10. The speed at which I finish chapter 11 will depend on inspiration and general demand. I got a job today, so I'll have less writing time. But that's okay. I think best when I'm preoccupied (hee hee... I math class) and I type fast.
Scarlet Suicide: YaY! I was wondering if you were going to read this or not. LoL! You threaten to smite the Smitonator? That is simply unheard of! I am afraid!
Please, read the chapter and leave me in one piece! I have no money!
Goldylokz: HA HA HA!!! Ebil produce gremlins. Have YOU ever had a carrot shoved up your nose? It hurts.
Don't ask me how I know that.
On with the story!
Wanda sat on the floor with her back leaning against the wall next to Agatha's bedroom door. Amanda stood across from her, staring off into space blankly. They had been waiting outside that door since they got home from school at least an hour earlier. Wanda played with the beads on one of her bracelets as they waited. She hated this. She hated feeling useless and impatient. What was taking them so long?! Ororo had ordered them to stay out of Agatha's room until she allowed them entrance.
Amanda ran her fingers through a lock of her long hair. She was nervous. She was scared. She wanted to know what was happening! She had heard Ororo on the phone earlier. She sounded urgent and desperate. Amanda thought she had heard her mention something about a coach? Or was it the economy? Where they having financial problems?! Would they have to close the shop and hire someone to look after Agatha?! No, that was ridiculous. Agatha was one of the strongest people Amanda had ever met. Amanda looked down at Wanda. Seeing the scowl on her face, she figured that the black- haired girl was having similar thoughts. "What do think is going on?" she asked in a soft whisper.
Wanda shrugged and looked back at Amanda. "I dunno... probably something bad..." she looked away quickly and went back to fiddling with her beads. "I don't want to think about it, okay."
The dark wooden door creaked open and the snow-haired African witch stepped out and bid her pupils follow her to the kitchen.
They all sat around the small breakfast table and stared at eachother.
"Girls," Ororo began in a sad tone, "I'm afraid I have some bad news- "
Wanda slammed a fist against the table, "Agatha's going to be fine!" she commanded.
Ororo placed a hand over Wanda's fist and hushed her. "We still don't know for certain, child. But that's not what I want to tell you." she took her hand off Wanda's. She folded both her hands together on the table and looked down at them gravely. "You can't stay here."
"WHAT?!" both teens snapped at once.
Ororo glared at them, as if to order them to be seated again. "This isn't permanent. It's far too dangerous with Mr. Lebeau taking up residence in our basement while he's still getting the human blood out of his system."
Amanda winced and subconsiously rubbed her unmarked neck.
"So, Agatha has come up with a solution-"
"I'm NOT going back to my father!"
"-please let me finish, Wanda. We're sending you overseas."
Amanda and Wanda gawked at their mentor. "You're... you're sending us to another country?!"
Ororo nodded. "Siberia, Russia."
Wanda stared at her. "What did I do this time?!"
"We're not punishing you for anythi-"
"Then why Siberia?!"
"We have a task for you, and it involves the two of you going to Russia and getting someone."
It was Amanda's turn to start demanding answers. "We're going on a mission?" she asked in disbelief. "What is this, search-and-rescue?!"
Ororo sighed. "Something like that... There's a little girl, about twelve years old, named Ilyana Rasputin. Irene found her in one of her dreams. We're to take her on as a student."
"But, Ororo! The house is getting really crowded as it is!"
The older woman shook her head. "You don't need to worry about that. It'll all be taken care of."
"I'm not sharing my room with a Pop-crazy teeny-bopper." Wanda snarled.
Ororo smiled. That was as close to an answer as she was ever going to get. "So you've agreed. Good. You leave tomorrow morning."
"WHAT?!?!"
Amanda and Ororo carried their luggage out to the sation wagon, letting Wanda say her farewells to Agatha.
The old woman looked frail. More frail than Wanda had ever remembered. It was like she was holding onto life by a thread. The sight sickened the teen, making her want to turn away and flee. But she would stay for a few more minutes. She would stay until Ororo came to tell her it was time to hit the road.
She leaned forward in her chair and held Agatha's cool, bony hand. The old woman rolled her dark eyes and looked up at her student. She smiled weakly, unable to move her head to face her properly. "Shouldn't you be gone, my child?" she croaked.
Wanda bit her lower lip, trying her hardest to fight back tears. "I don't want to leave, Agatha! I don't want to leave you alone!"
She chuckled. "Alone? Dear, I won't be alone. Ororo will be here to watch over me."
Wanda stared at a spot on the quilt that covered Agatha. "That's not what I meant..."
"Ahh..." she placed her hand over Wanda's. "You're afraid," she saw Wanda scowl, "Don't be angry at yourself, it's natural to be afraid sometimes."
"I'm not angry at myself, "she admitted, "I should kill that vampire for what he did!"
Agatha shook her head weakly. "No. No, don't blame him for what happened. He was just acting on his instincts. I understand that."
"But-"
"Rogue will look after everything. I have full confidence in her-" Agatha started coughing violently.
Wanda pulled her hands away from Agatha's body. "Agatha, please! Don't talk if you're just going to get-"
The old woman's brow furrowed. "You need to hear this, Wanda." she whispered in a raspier voice. "We love you. I love you. If nothing else, remember that."
"Don't talk like that!" Wanda ordered, feeling her throat close up. "That sounds so final. You're going to be fine. You're going to get better!"
"Who are you to decide such things?" she chuckled, before going into another fit of coughs. "A witch doesn't have control over life and death, child. We do not have the authority to deligate such things."
A knock came at the door, followed by Ororo's voice, "time to go, Wanda."
"I don't want to leave you!" she cried again.
Agatha smiled, "Go, child. I'll be here when you get back. I promise." she looked over at her dressing table. "Take my cameo broach with you. You can give it back to me when you get home."
Wanda nodded, wiping at her eyes, hoping they didn't look completely red from crying. "I'll see you then-" she bent over and kissed Agatha's forehead "-I'll miss you..."
They were all loaded in the station wagon. Wanda and Amanda watched as their home got further and further away as Ororo drove them to the airport. Wanda clutched Agatha's pin tightly in her fist.
After sunset that night, Remy awoke from his two day-long slumber to find himself strapped to the bed. He pulled at his arms, but was unable to loosen the tight bindings.
"Ease up, sugah. You ain't gettin' outta that bed until Ah decide it's time."
Remy relaxed and snorted at Rogue's comment. "It a li'l early for that, non?" he lifted his head from the hard pillow it once rested on. "Why you tie up Remy like dis, hahn? What you plannin'?"
Rogue held up her fist. There was a bottle of water in her hand. "Ah'm gonna test somethin'. Don't start thrashin' around 'til Ah'm done." she screwed the cap off and approached Remy's body. She reached down and pulled his shirt up to his chest. Then, very carefully, she dropped a few spots of the sparkling water on his abs and waited for him to start screaming in agony.
"What dat?" he asked nervously, feeling the water trickle down his stomach and into his belly button.
"Holy water-"
"MON DIEU!" Remy started squirming and tossing his body about as violently as he could. The shock of being in contact with the sacred liquid clouded his senses, making him not realize that he wasn't burning at all. The Holy water was cool and tickled as it ran past the fine hairs below his belly button.
"CALM DOWN! You're FINE!" Rogue set down the bottle on the floor, grabbed hold of Remy's shoulders and forced him back down.
His chest heaved as he stared at the lady vampire. "What de HELL did you do t'me?!"
"Ah just wanted to make sure ya didn't have anymore human blood in your system. You're fine."
He just continued to stare at her in disbelief. He hadn't felt as confused as he did then since he first became a preternatural creature of the night. "Y'mind elaboratin' on dat? Why didn't dat water kill me?!"
Rogue started fiddling with her scarf, as she always did when she had to think or was nervous. "It's kinda hard for me to explain..." she sat down on the edge of the bed and stared the Cajun right in the eye. "Do you know where you are?"
He nodded. "Oui. Dis is de basement of some boardin' house or somethin. Dere be a bunch of women who live on de surface. Why?"
"Not just women - Witches. An' they're all real close friends of mine." she scowled. "Do you recall what happened before you went to sleep?"
His gaze shifted to the chair next to the bed; the one that Rogue occupied during the day. "Y'were still sleepin', an' Remy get up... Remy don' remember anyt'in' afta dat..."
Rogue frowned. "Ah was afraid of that."
"Huh?-"
"You went upstairs an' attacked one of the girls. We had ta fight you off!" she snapped. She untied her scarf and pulled it away to expose her pale neck. There were four puncture wounds. The first two were just fine scars but the other two were still slightly swollen and purple. "You did this!"
Remy winced at Rogue's tone of voice. She sounded furious now. "Is dat why y'got Remy strapped down? Jus' 'cause I bit you?!"
Rogue snarled. "You threw Agatha into a wall! You nearly KILLED her!!!" she angrily wrapped her scarf back around her neck to cover her marks. "How can Ah make you understand..." she looked back at the bottle on the floor. She picked it up again and studied it.
Remy watched her carefully, wondering what she was up to. He watched her stick her arm out and roll up the sleeve of her forrest green tee- shirt. She tipped the bottle and began to pour its contents carelessly over her exposed skin. He tried to pull free of his bindings to stop her, but was instead forced to watch helplessly.
By the time the bottle was empty, and Rogue's arm, as well as the floor, was soaked, Remy expected to see smoke and chunks of flesh falling off her bones. But her arm was still completely intact and unharmed. "We can't be hurt by Holy water."
"I can see dat! Why?"
"It's the human blood. As long as a vampire doesn't have it in their system, they can't be hurt by anythin' religious. Ah can touch a cross in the Vatican and not get a mark for it."
Remy would've scratched his head if he could. "So dis explains why you been feedin' me dat shit, hanh?"
She scowled at him. "Ah'm gonna give you two choices, Cajun," she growled, "you can stay here and Ah can teach you about my lifestyle, or Ah can revoke your invitation and you can go an' fend for yerself!"
"Dat's a tough choice dere, Chere."
"Ah was afraid of this." she started unshackling him, "At least it's safe here. The Hunters ain't gonna bother me none."
Remy sat up and stared at the door. "De Hunters... here?"
"Of COURSE the Hunters hang around! New York has their base of operations!" Rogue stood up and straightened out her black skirt. "Well, if yer gonna go, Ah suggest you get out quick, 'cause there's a bunch of angry humans in this house, with magikal powers, who certainly wouldn't mind ending your life."
His brow furrowed in concentration. "Maybe... Maybe Remy reconsider de belle femme's offer, non?"
A large smile spread across Rogue's face. "Do ya mean-"
"It might be interestin'... Bein' a Bohemian Vampire."
"Did he agree?"
Rogue nodded happily. "Ah was worried for a while there, but Ah'm certain that he's gonna be safe!"
Ororo sighed and leaned back in her chair. She looked tired and worn out. She needed rest desperately. "I don't think Agatha's going to make it, Rogue. She used too much energy with that last spell, her body just isn't healing like it should. She's slipping away even as we speak."
Rogue frowned. "Ah've known Agatha for a long time. She's a strong woman. She could pull through yet."
"I'm worried about how this could effect the girls. I'm going to have three pupils on my hands, Rogue! Along with the shop and the gardening... I'm going to be burning the candle at both ends." Ororo rubbed her tired eyes.
Rogue placed a comforting hand on Ororo's shoulder. "It'll all work out. The girls could run the shop in the afternoon and on weekends, an' Ah'm sure Amanda wouldn't mind helping out with lookin' after the little girl. Ah could go back to the club after the Hunters calm down some. Ah'll take Count Van Lebeau with me, an' we can start a small revolution from there."
"You're welcome to stay here as long as you need, Rogue. I trust you. But I'm mostly concearned about how this is going to affect Wanda... She loves Agatha..."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Scarlet Suicide: YaY! I was wondering if you were going to read this or not. LoL! You threaten to smite the Smitonator? That is simply unheard of! I am afraid!
Please, read the chapter and leave me in one piece! I have no money!
Goldylokz: HA HA HA!!! Ebil produce gremlins. Have YOU ever had a carrot shoved up your nose? It hurts.
Don't ask me how I know that.
On with the story!
Wanda sat on the floor with her back leaning against the wall next to Agatha's bedroom door. Amanda stood across from her, staring off into space blankly. They had been waiting outside that door since they got home from school at least an hour earlier. Wanda played with the beads on one of her bracelets as they waited. She hated this. She hated feeling useless and impatient. What was taking them so long?! Ororo had ordered them to stay out of Agatha's room until she allowed them entrance.
Amanda ran her fingers through a lock of her long hair. She was nervous. She was scared. She wanted to know what was happening! She had heard Ororo on the phone earlier. She sounded urgent and desperate. Amanda thought she had heard her mention something about a coach? Or was it the economy? Where they having financial problems?! Would they have to close the shop and hire someone to look after Agatha?! No, that was ridiculous. Agatha was one of the strongest people Amanda had ever met. Amanda looked down at Wanda. Seeing the scowl on her face, she figured that the black- haired girl was having similar thoughts. "What do think is going on?" she asked in a soft whisper.
Wanda shrugged and looked back at Amanda. "I dunno... probably something bad..." she looked away quickly and went back to fiddling with her beads. "I don't want to think about it, okay."
The dark wooden door creaked open and the snow-haired African witch stepped out and bid her pupils follow her to the kitchen.
They all sat around the small breakfast table and stared at eachother.
"Girls," Ororo began in a sad tone, "I'm afraid I have some bad news- "
Wanda slammed a fist against the table, "Agatha's going to be fine!" she commanded.
Ororo placed a hand over Wanda's fist and hushed her. "We still don't know for certain, child. But that's not what I want to tell you." she took her hand off Wanda's. She folded both her hands together on the table and looked down at them gravely. "You can't stay here."
"WHAT?!" both teens snapped at once.
Ororo glared at them, as if to order them to be seated again. "This isn't permanent. It's far too dangerous with Mr. Lebeau taking up residence in our basement while he's still getting the human blood out of his system."
Amanda winced and subconsiously rubbed her unmarked neck.
"So, Agatha has come up with a solution-"
"I'm NOT going back to my father!"
"-please let me finish, Wanda. We're sending you overseas."
Amanda and Wanda gawked at their mentor. "You're... you're sending us to another country?!"
Ororo nodded. "Siberia, Russia."
Wanda stared at her. "What did I do this time?!"
"We're not punishing you for anythi-"
"Then why Siberia?!"
"We have a task for you, and it involves the two of you going to Russia and getting someone."
It was Amanda's turn to start demanding answers. "We're going on a mission?" she asked in disbelief. "What is this, search-and-rescue?!"
Ororo sighed. "Something like that... There's a little girl, about twelve years old, named Ilyana Rasputin. Irene found her in one of her dreams. We're to take her on as a student."
"But, Ororo! The house is getting really crowded as it is!"
The older woman shook her head. "You don't need to worry about that. It'll all be taken care of."
"I'm not sharing my room with a Pop-crazy teeny-bopper." Wanda snarled.
Ororo smiled. That was as close to an answer as she was ever going to get. "So you've agreed. Good. You leave tomorrow morning."
"WHAT?!?!"
Amanda and Ororo carried their luggage out to the sation wagon, letting Wanda say her farewells to Agatha.
The old woman looked frail. More frail than Wanda had ever remembered. It was like she was holding onto life by a thread. The sight sickened the teen, making her want to turn away and flee. But she would stay for a few more minutes. She would stay until Ororo came to tell her it was time to hit the road.
She leaned forward in her chair and held Agatha's cool, bony hand. The old woman rolled her dark eyes and looked up at her student. She smiled weakly, unable to move her head to face her properly. "Shouldn't you be gone, my child?" she croaked.
Wanda bit her lower lip, trying her hardest to fight back tears. "I don't want to leave, Agatha! I don't want to leave you alone!"
She chuckled. "Alone? Dear, I won't be alone. Ororo will be here to watch over me."
Wanda stared at a spot on the quilt that covered Agatha. "That's not what I meant..."
"Ahh..." she placed her hand over Wanda's. "You're afraid," she saw Wanda scowl, "Don't be angry at yourself, it's natural to be afraid sometimes."
"I'm not angry at myself, "she admitted, "I should kill that vampire for what he did!"
Agatha shook her head weakly. "No. No, don't blame him for what happened. He was just acting on his instincts. I understand that."
"But-"
"Rogue will look after everything. I have full confidence in her-" Agatha started coughing violently.
Wanda pulled her hands away from Agatha's body. "Agatha, please! Don't talk if you're just going to get-"
The old woman's brow furrowed. "You need to hear this, Wanda." she whispered in a raspier voice. "We love you. I love you. If nothing else, remember that."
"Don't talk like that!" Wanda ordered, feeling her throat close up. "That sounds so final. You're going to be fine. You're going to get better!"
"Who are you to decide such things?" she chuckled, before going into another fit of coughs. "A witch doesn't have control over life and death, child. We do not have the authority to deligate such things."
A knock came at the door, followed by Ororo's voice, "time to go, Wanda."
"I don't want to leave you!" she cried again.
Agatha smiled, "Go, child. I'll be here when you get back. I promise." she looked over at her dressing table. "Take my cameo broach with you. You can give it back to me when you get home."
Wanda nodded, wiping at her eyes, hoping they didn't look completely red from crying. "I'll see you then-" she bent over and kissed Agatha's forehead "-I'll miss you..."
They were all loaded in the station wagon. Wanda and Amanda watched as their home got further and further away as Ororo drove them to the airport. Wanda clutched Agatha's pin tightly in her fist.
After sunset that night, Remy awoke from his two day-long slumber to find himself strapped to the bed. He pulled at his arms, but was unable to loosen the tight bindings.
"Ease up, sugah. You ain't gettin' outta that bed until Ah decide it's time."
Remy relaxed and snorted at Rogue's comment. "It a li'l early for that, non?" he lifted his head from the hard pillow it once rested on. "Why you tie up Remy like dis, hahn? What you plannin'?"
Rogue held up her fist. There was a bottle of water in her hand. "Ah'm gonna test somethin'. Don't start thrashin' around 'til Ah'm done." she screwed the cap off and approached Remy's body. She reached down and pulled his shirt up to his chest. Then, very carefully, she dropped a few spots of the sparkling water on his abs and waited for him to start screaming in agony.
"What dat?" he asked nervously, feeling the water trickle down his stomach and into his belly button.
"Holy water-"
"MON DIEU!" Remy started squirming and tossing his body about as violently as he could. The shock of being in contact with the sacred liquid clouded his senses, making him not realize that he wasn't burning at all. The Holy water was cool and tickled as it ran past the fine hairs below his belly button.
"CALM DOWN! You're FINE!" Rogue set down the bottle on the floor, grabbed hold of Remy's shoulders and forced him back down.
His chest heaved as he stared at the lady vampire. "What de HELL did you do t'me?!"
"Ah just wanted to make sure ya didn't have anymore human blood in your system. You're fine."
He just continued to stare at her in disbelief. He hadn't felt as confused as he did then since he first became a preternatural creature of the night. "Y'mind elaboratin' on dat? Why didn't dat water kill me?!"
Rogue started fiddling with her scarf, as she always did when she had to think or was nervous. "It's kinda hard for me to explain..." she sat down on the edge of the bed and stared the Cajun right in the eye. "Do you know where you are?"
He nodded. "Oui. Dis is de basement of some boardin' house or somethin. Dere be a bunch of women who live on de surface. Why?"
"Not just women - Witches. An' they're all real close friends of mine." she scowled. "Do you recall what happened before you went to sleep?"
His gaze shifted to the chair next to the bed; the one that Rogue occupied during the day. "Y'were still sleepin', an' Remy get up... Remy don' remember anyt'in' afta dat..."
Rogue frowned. "Ah was afraid of that."
"Huh?-"
"You went upstairs an' attacked one of the girls. We had ta fight you off!" she snapped. She untied her scarf and pulled it away to expose her pale neck. There were four puncture wounds. The first two were just fine scars but the other two were still slightly swollen and purple. "You did this!"
Remy winced at Rogue's tone of voice. She sounded furious now. "Is dat why y'got Remy strapped down? Jus' 'cause I bit you?!"
Rogue snarled. "You threw Agatha into a wall! You nearly KILLED her!!!" she angrily wrapped her scarf back around her neck to cover her marks. "How can Ah make you understand..." she looked back at the bottle on the floor. She picked it up again and studied it.
Remy watched her carefully, wondering what she was up to. He watched her stick her arm out and roll up the sleeve of her forrest green tee- shirt. She tipped the bottle and began to pour its contents carelessly over her exposed skin. He tried to pull free of his bindings to stop her, but was instead forced to watch helplessly.
By the time the bottle was empty, and Rogue's arm, as well as the floor, was soaked, Remy expected to see smoke and chunks of flesh falling off her bones. But her arm was still completely intact and unharmed. "We can't be hurt by Holy water."
"I can see dat! Why?"
"It's the human blood. As long as a vampire doesn't have it in their system, they can't be hurt by anythin' religious. Ah can touch a cross in the Vatican and not get a mark for it."
Remy would've scratched his head if he could. "So dis explains why you been feedin' me dat shit, hanh?"
She scowled at him. "Ah'm gonna give you two choices, Cajun," she growled, "you can stay here and Ah can teach you about my lifestyle, or Ah can revoke your invitation and you can go an' fend for yerself!"
"Dat's a tough choice dere, Chere."
"Ah was afraid of this." she started unshackling him, "At least it's safe here. The Hunters ain't gonna bother me none."
Remy sat up and stared at the door. "De Hunters... here?"
"Of COURSE the Hunters hang around! New York has their base of operations!" Rogue stood up and straightened out her black skirt. "Well, if yer gonna go, Ah suggest you get out quick, 'cause there's a bunch of angry humans in this house, with magikal powers, who certainly wouldn't mind ending your life."
His brow furrowed in concentration. "Maybe... Maybe Remy reconsider de belle femme's offer, non?"
A large smile spread across Rogue's face. "Do ya mean-"
"It might be interestin'... Bein' a Bohemian Vampire."
"Did he agree?"
Rogue nodded happily. "Ah was worried for a while there, but Ah'm certain that he's gonna be safe!"
Ororo sighed and leaned back in her chair. She looked tired and worn out. She needed rest desperately. "I don't think Agatha's going to make it, Rogue. She used too much energy with that last spell, her body just isn't healing like it should. She's slipping away even as we speak."
Rogue frowned. "Ah've known Agatha for a long time. She's a strong woman. She could pull through yet."
"I'm worried about how this could effect the girls. I'm going to have three pupils on my hands, Rogue! Along with the shop and the gardening... I'm going to be burning the candle at both ends." Ororo rubbed her tired eyes.
Rogue placed a comforting hand on Ororo's shoulder. "It'll all work out. The girls could run the shop in the afternoon and on weekends, an' Ah'm sure Amanda wouldn't mind helping out with lookin' after the little girl. Ah could go back to the club after the Hunters calm down some. Ah'll take Count Van Lebeau with me, an' we can start a small revolution from there."
"You're welcome to stay here as long as you need, Rogue. I trust you. But I'm mostly concearned about how this is going to affect Wanda... She loves Agatha..."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."