Learning to Deal
I don't own X-Men Evolution (or X-Men for that matter) characters or anything concerning the show, comics, ect. No suing! Be civil in reviews (if there are any).
I'm finally back from exams, a nine day vacation, and I finally got passed writers block. Everything is all well again, until the next chapter.
That's all it had been?! No questions on her past really, no questions of being involved in mutants, and the dreadful 'are you a mutant' question never came up! Right now in Rogue's mind she was thinking Marian was one of the coolest people in the world.
But, she reminded herself, that can easily be changed if Ah'm not careful with mah powers. Unconsciously Rogue glanced down at her gloved hands and all her doubts were returning to latch themselves to her mind. Ah'm goin' to have to be extra careful while Ah'm here, especially with that Lucas guy around...
"That would be my school," Timothy stated, pointing to a small building that resembled a miniature prison, just without the bars on the windows.
Glancing at the prison like school, Rogue remembered why she had hated Bayville High School, other than the mutant-phobic people. School was like a prison to Rogue, it kept her confided in its walls when she could be out doing things she wanted to do, not to mention things that could possibly have been more beneficial to her future.
"Charmin'," she commented dryly.
"If ya say so," snorted Timothy. The boy was not enthused that his mother gave him the task of showing Rogue around the town, so that she wouldn't feel like such a stranger.
Turning around to show Rogue to the grocery store down the street, Timothy stopped short and decided that a different path might be best.
"Let's get out of here," he muttered as he turned back around sharply and began to speed walk away.
"Sure," Rogue shrugged but she could sense that something was off with Timothy. Cocking her head slightly over her shoulder, Rogue saw what made Timothy rethink his original plan. Quickly coming towards them was Lucas and most of his posse, save for one girl who was no where in sight.
"Ya know what Timothy," Rogue spoke up when she caught up with the kid, "let's go somewhere nearby to jus'…hang for a while."
"They're not going to stop following us until they get whatever they want," Timothy growled before he was cut off by the redhead.
"Hello there Timmy and…Rogue," she smiled.
"Hi," Rogue returned curtly, grabbing Timothy by the wrist she was about to drag him across the street, away from the group of mutants, but the redhead cut her off.
"Where are you two off to?" the girl inquired innocently.
"Theresa, I was just showing Rogue around the town so that…" Timothy answered by he was interrupted by Rogue's interjection.
"Away from you is where we're going, Theresa." Rogue spoke politely but with her accent there was an added edge to her tone which caused Theresa to give her an amused, raised eyebrow that would have infuriated Rogue if Lucas had not stepped in.
"Theresa, why don't you take Timothy and suggest a few sights that our little Rogue should see," suggested Lucas, causing Rogue to veer around and glare at him. Whatever it was that he wanted Rogue didn't want any part of it!
"Sure thing Lucas, let's go Timothy," Theresa insisted as she dragged the young teen away.
Rogue didn't bother to go after them but she did keep Timothy within her line of view, she just didn't trust these…people. "What do ya want from meh?"
An amused, slightly twisted grin curled on Lucas' face as he approached her holding up his hands in a sign of peace. "I have only a request for you," he stated with his strong Scottish accent.
That was it?! A request?! That was all they had been after as they had stalked her and Timothy?! It made Rogue close her eyes and roll them, she had thought it might have been something more along the lines of 'We wish to talk to you mutant' or 'Join our band to defeat the non-mutants' something to warrant the stalking.
"Well, what's this 'request' of yours?" she sighed while thinking, This had better be good!
"We would like you to become one of us."
Well, Ah guess Ah was right about what they were goin' ask meh, Rogue commented as she gawked at the three that stood before; Tessa with a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth and Morph with a hopeful expression on his face.
Recovering herself, Rogue gave the group a cold glare that stated all her suspicions and doubts about this offer and their intentions. However, for some reason Rogue felt that Lucas already knew her doubts about his offer and that he was ready with assurance.
"We are not requesting you to join some sort of…cult like the KKK," Lucas assured, flashing Rogue that smile that only a Scottish guy like him could pull off. Not even that Cajun, Gambit, could pull off such a smile if he tried.
"Then what exactly are ya offerin' meh?" demanded Rogue, crossing her arms and shifting her weight more to her left leg so that her right hip popped out a bit.
"We're just offering a chance to…explore yourself more carefully and with our..." the Scott paused for a moment as he searched for the right word, "assistance."
The southern belles' eyes narrowed at him, her eyes searching for something but apparently she was having no luck finding it for she sighed and shook her head. Rogue had been searching for some sort of sign that Lucas knew that she was a mutant despite the fact that it was the furthest thought on her mind, but he didn't seem to know, only suspected.
"Just what do ya think Ah am that Ah would need your 'assistance'?" Rogue challenged, raising an eyebrow at the three.
Morph bit his lip and made the nervous expression that clearly stated that he thought that the group was wrong in their thinking, whatever their line of thinking was. However, the girl, Tessa, and Lucas remained perfectly calm, if not just a bit smug as though they were sharing a private joke with each other.
Telepaths can be such a pain sometimes, Rogue thought as she waited for their reply.
"You know what we think you are, one of us," Tessa spoke up, which actually surprised Rogue for a moment. Throughout the entire conversation Rogue had thought that the girl was incapable of speech.
"Really? Well, if ya know what Ah think than ya should know mah answer is no," snapped the Mississippian, her accent shining through more clearly than earlier.
"Now Rogue, you have not fully considered the benefits of this offer," Tessa continued, taking a step towards Rogue but stopped when Rogue took a step back. "Perhaps if you took some time to think about our request than you can make a more solidified resolution."
"Ah don' need time ta think about it, Ah don' need your help about anything! Now, just leave meh alone an' keep your lackey away from meh too," denied Rogue before turning on her heels and stalking off towards Theresa and Timothy.
Behind Rogue, Lucas nodded to Morph and the boy chased after Rogue until he was walking right beside her. "Hey!" he called out while waving his arms to catch the southern girl's attention. "Would you stop power walking and just hear me out for a moment?!"
"Ah said leave meh alone!" repeated Rogue. How many times did she have to say that before they actually left her to play out her life? A life that was more than likely to end in misery due to her curse.
Doing the only thing he knew to slow Rogue down, Morph grabbed Rogue's arm and it rewarded him with two reactions. Reaction one was the desired one, Rogue coming to a sudden halt, and reaction two, not desired, was Rogue's death glare.
Quickly removing his hand as though it was just burnt, Morph held up his hands in peace. "Listen, I'm sorry about earlier in the diner but I wasn't lying so I'm not completely sorry about my words, but I am sorry for bothering you," he began.
"Don' tell meh that ya came chasin' meh to just tell meh that," Rogue groaned, rolling her eyes in annoyance. Didn't the boy have anything better to do than annoy her?
"Hey I wasn't done yet!" protested Morph with a sigh. "I know you have no real reason to trust any of us but please take the offer to just think about this proposal." The reaction was immediate; Rogue scoffed, turned her head, and rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Hey, I'm serious, Lucas is not the kind of guy you normally say 'no' to, but if you say that you'll think about it than at least you're paying yourself some time to the hell out of here."
Get out of there?! Oh no, not after the trouble Ah went through to get a job, a place to crash, and escape the mansion. Ah'm not leavin' just because some guy wants meh to join his groupie! she thought determinedly. "Ah'm not goin' anywhere," Rogue hissed at Morph.
"Then just join because Lucas isn't going to give up until you give in," Morph whispered.
Rogue paused for a moment, "Are ya threatenin' meh?"
"No, simply stating a fact. So please, just say you'll think about it. Please," implored Morph.
Closing her eyes in deliberation Rogue went through the pros and cons of the situation. If she said 'yes' then Lucas and his lackeys would leave her be for the most part, except when they come looking for an answer. If she said 'no' they would hound her and try to break her down most likely, not something she needed when she just got into town. If she joined the group then it would be like back at the mansion and that was the last thing Rogue wanted, another X-Men like group.
"Fine, Ah'll think about it," Rogue sighed but noted the look of relief that spread throughout Morph's features. "But, Ah tell ya guys when Ah've made up mah mind, Ah don' want ya hounding meh for an answer. Got that?"
Nervously Morph nodded.
"Good, now leave meh an' Timothy alone," Rogue commanded before continuing towards Timothy and Theresa. "Oh an' Morph," Morph stopped in his tracks as he was heading back to Lucas, "you're forgiven."
The grin on Morph's face was one that reminded Rogue a bit of Sam's but she pushed the thought aside and rejoined Timothy, silently shooing Theresa away.
"So what did they say to you?" inquired Timothy in a low voice.
"They wanted meh to join their little club, but Ah told them Ah'd think about it," she answered and was rewarded with a stunned stared. "Of course Ah don't plan on joinin' their groupie at all but it'll keep them off mah back for a while."
Swallowing hard Timothy nodded, "Good thinking."
"I hope so."