Pain hiding in the corners
Rogue was laying down on the newly cut grass, the smell filtering threw her nostrils. The sun shone bright, the birds sung in the nearby trees. It seemed perfect, the fresh breeze caressing her skin, there was no pain, only happiness. It was perfect.
However, something troubled Rogue. She sat up and gazed about. She was back in Cadlecott, in the back garden. The swing creaked, and she gazed towards it curiously. Someone was sitting upon it, an adult with no distinct form. She was humming something. Noticing Rogue, she got off and advanced towards the Goth.
"Knock, Knock..."
Something grabbed Rogue by the throat, and oxygen was squeezed out of her body. She clawed the air franticly. Used, dying, hidden, dark...
"...Who is there?"
Rogue tried to scream, but in vain. The face hovered over her, taunting as Rogue shocked helplessly. Her mind was reeling, her body shaking terribly. The pressure on her throat made her vision swim, no coherent thought was forming in her head.
Shocking... dying... alone... disappearing... used... without control.
Feral eyes peered down, colours swirling before settling to a green hue, then to the yellow of a known foe.
***
Remy walked the room, silently. The clock told him he'd been already up for an hour. It was still dark outside. He'd glance at Rogue, sleeping on his bed, looking so peaceful, angelic. In the dark with his mutated eyes, he could see her white skin glow, her hair fall over the side of the bed, and that small smile... He nervously ran his hand threw his hair. He'd been the one telling her to relax, he'd maybe played the part too well. He hadn't expected her to come, on her own accord. He was having seconds thoughts. He was a thief, a renegade, womaniser, a poker-man and a killer.
It all came down to that. He was a murderer. He'd killed Psylocke, in that alleyway, or he'd thought so... More than just once, blood on his hands. Rogue, she hadn't been herself, the psyches would sometimes make her do "things". She would have never accomplished such an evil deed. He'd done it, because HE'd wanted to do it. It wasn't Remy, nor Gambit, but the real HIM, the dark, cruel side of him. It was HE, the inner HIM. And she loved HIM, or he thought so. Why would she love him, respect him, or even appreciate him in the end? He was a murderer, and he was using her.
Remy put his hands to his head. He wasn't making much sense. He groaned and sat on the side of the bed, just watching her sleep. The angelic picture gave his mind peace. So angelic she was, immobile, deep in her dreams.
A thrown spread across his forehead. From where he sat now, she didn't seem to smile anymore, instead there was a twisted scowl resting on her face. Then realisation hit him. Immobile, not moving at all. Her chest was still, putting a finger underneath her nose he felt for her respiration. Nothing. Panic took him.
Remy shook her, calling her by her name. Nothing, nothing, nothing... Her skin was ice cold.
"Please chere!"
He pushed her chin down, opening her mouth. Pinching her nose, he blew air down her throat. 'Please chere...'
***
"Mystique!" Rogue cried out, sitting up in shock. She was covered with sweat, the cover tangled around her body. A dream, just a dream... Rogue breathed in; it felt sweet, this air entering her lungs once more. No, it was more than a dream.
"Chere!" Remy exclaimed in relief. He was sitting beside Rogue, an expression of utter worry spread across his handsome face. He gently pushed her back down in a laying position, his hand finding hers.
"Mystique," Rogue repeated once more. "She's there, in me!" She shivered, wrapping an arm around herself. Remy was quick to put the covers around her. Rogue felt sick, the terrorist was in her, there, hiding in her mind. "She" had always been so quite. Rogue had sometimes even forgotten that Mystique had ever been there.
"It's all right, Remy be dere..." He might be there, but Mystique was in her!
"She was there, holdin' meh down..." Rogue still felt the touch of the icy hands on her throat. Those eyes, did Mystique really hate her? Why?
It was those questions that brought her to knock on the Professor's office door, after have dressed, washed... It frightened her.
"Hey, Roguey!"
Rogue jumped, surprised and faced her brother in law. Kurt looked a bit tired; he yawned heavily, revealing a set of sharp white fangs. Rogue mustn't have looked quite awake either for he asked what was wrong.
"Mh... Just gotta seeh the professor," she replied, trying to not stare at his yellow eyes. They had never frightened or repulsed her, but she couldn't seem to look right at them at them, not after last night. However, it had started way before, when Mystique had blown up the Institute. "Where were ya yesterday, anyway?"
He looked away, scratching the back of his head thoughtfully. "I'm not meant to be telling you this, but... You're mein sister, I suppose..."
Rogue gulped silently. She wasn't telling him anything. "It's ahlright, Ah understand..." She had her 'secrets', he could keep his own.
"No no," he protested. "We arr family." Kurt came closer and lowered the tone of his voice. "I... I have been training with this mutant, as some kind of spy. I'll be helping the X-men loads!"
Cold sweat ran down the side of Rogue's face. He was enthusiastic. A spy... Hadn't Mystique been a kind of spy? In the shadows, observing everyone, planning, calculated, sneaky... A terrorist.
"De Professor gave me the thumbz up," he said, smiling broadly, doing the gesture in a comic way, thrusting his blue thumbs up. However, it came out rather sickly for Rogue. "Have you senn Mr Logan anyhao?"
Rogue shook her head negatively and then gave him a fake smile. She couldn't seem to be able to speak to him, or look at him. She was bad enough, a killer, but letting her step-brother become some kind of spy. She entered the office after the Professor had called her in.
The last days had been chaotic, being declared as a wanted and dangerous criminal, the missing month from her memories, Remy, the massacre... Sinister. It isn't easy for a seventeen, eighteen years old mutant girl. But things weren't usually easy for a mutant anyway. And all the troubles layering on top... Would she just fall under the weight? Not yet, but soon enough.
"Ah... Rogue, good morning." The professor looked as serene as ever, his blue eyes deep with thought. "Slept well?"
Rogue frowned suspiciously, had he seen her dream? Had he been sneaking about? "Naht well enough. There was Mystique."
It was his turn to frown. "What kind of problems has she been causing?"
And so Rogue told him about the dream, the feeling that Mystique's psyche was inside her, that she'd been hiding, or just keeping quiet. He must have seen, or felt that Rogue was a little frightened, and angry.
Professor Xavier stroked his chin, staring passively at Rogue who was sitting on the other side of his desk. "Would you like me to enter your mind, search her out?"
The question hung in the air. Letting him in would mean him knowing everything, everything. "Yes." Rogue felt relieved, she wanted everything to stop, the questions to be finally answered. She'd be surely punished, but she just didn't care, punishments were just punishments, a childish thing. "Yes, Ah want ya too," Rogue repeated.
"The truth is..." he seemed to be weighing his words, however, the answer came out simply, "I can't." It couldn't have been said any other way.
Rogue looked at him firmly. "Why?"
"Since you've come back, I haven't been able to read you at all, or feel you for that matter," he started to explain. "All I can suggest for the moment is some thinking exercises... relaxation... and then, maybe..."
He didn't know anything! Since the beginning he hadn't been able to read her!
Again, Rogue wasn't listening. It'd be harder than she'd thought. Then maybe, she should tell him everything, and then he could help, it wasn't Mystique her only problem, but everything. If he could just look inside, see by himself. But no. Telling him face to face seemed much harder, impossible. She couldn't say; "Ah've killed these peoples, but it wasn't meh," or "Ah've been sleeping with Remy, Gawd knows why."
"So, Mystique is inside you. I'm sorry I can't help more at the moment, but... Tell me how it felt, what Mystique felt."
"Well...Ah... She seemed crahzy. Suppose she was angry."
The Professor nodded slowly. "You're aren't sure, Rogue." It wasn't a question, he'd announced it as the truth. He couldn't read in Rogue's mind, but it didn't stop him from using his psychology doctorate. "I would like you to close your eyes, take deep breaths and replay your dream."
Rogue did so, even though she was a little uncomfortable. It slowly came back. She was in the garden once more and the swing creaking again. The image faded slightly, only to come back more precise. Then Mystique approached her, Rogue actually saw her more neatly now. Those large glasses of hers were perched on her nose, her brown hair flowing gently in the breeze. She bent down.
"Tell me now, how is she holding herself," Xavier's voice drummed slowly in from the exterior.
"She's crouching, her hanhd on the ground, the ohther on her lap."
"What is she wearing?"
"A brown suit...no... blahck clothes... She keeps shifting." The form were changing now, becoming a permanent blur. However, the psyche's form stopped brutally to blue skin and yellow eyes while it's hand lashed out for Rogue's throat. The Goth broke off from the memory strait away, not wanting to feel the death grip again on her neck, feel the pain. And that was what it was, in Mystique's feral yellow eyes, Pain, not hate, nor anger, just pain.
Opening her eyes, Rogue saw the Professor staring expectantly at her. "Mystique is in pain."
He gave her small 'ah' of understanding before going back into thoughtful silence.
Rogue started to get up and head for the door, unsure of what she'd just discovered. However, the Professor speaking once more stopped her from going further.
"Would you like to see her? Mystique... your step-mother."
Rogue clenched her fist hearing the last word, but thinking about it better, maybe it could clear up some things.
"Maybe Kurt would be grateful to accompany you. I have a new image inducer." He opened one of his draws and pulled out some kind of black watch. "Mystique has been kept for months in prison, even thought she's made of rock."
Rogue remembered, the tortuous face of the terrorist stilled into rock. She'd tried to banish that picture for so long. "Nah, the bitch can stahy were she is." Rogue wanted to snap her mouth shut, but she didn't seem to be in control anymore. "Ah never want t' see her again." Her green eyes flashed dangerously. Was the Professor doing it on purpose? guiding Kurt's steps closer to Mystique's own more than reasonable?
"I would have wished that you'd have been maybe more polite, Rogue, towards your step-mother," the Professor scolded her, putting back the image inducer into the desk's right hand draw. Rogue's gaze followed it carefully
"If you wish, we can put camera surveillance, in case she comes to 'visit' you again, wake you up if need be. It's all I can offer for the moment. I'm sure Logan won't mind "
Rogue nodded, before retreating from the office.
***
Mary walked into the living room with her doll. Her brown eyes looked side to side, searching for the blue demon. Approaching the sofa, she found him lying on it, hands under his head, his tail twitching in the air.
"Do you want to play with me?" she asked him innocently.
He sat up and gave her warm smile. "What do you want too' play at?" he asked her, his yellow eyes twinkling.
"I don't know, like hide and seek, or dolls," she proposed hopefully.
Kurt huffed in amusement. "Sorry mein sweet, but..." How could he explain to her that dolls just weren't his thing.
"You look troubled," her small voice brought Kurt back. He looked at her questioningly. How could she know? Rogue was, different from before, more secretive, harder maybe. "Is it because of the Goth?" Mary asked. This picked up his interest. "Is it because of her speaking to nobody thing?"
"Maybe..." Kurt mumbled. He just wished that Rogue could be more open. He was her sister after all, she'd gone missing, come back as if nothing had really changed at the mansion. But didn't she realise? He'd changed, the Professor had changed, everybody had changed more or less. As if she didn't realised that a whole month had passed between her disappearance and her return. Maybe he was overdoing it because of Frost's new training, but he was suspicious. Was it really Rogue?
"Is it because of the thing between Gambit and Rogue? Because they kiss and all?" Mary inquired.
Maybe he needed a real talk with his sister, to discover what she was really hiding.
****
Rogue had stomped off to her room. She growled in anger and slammed her door shut. Kitty wasn't there to her relief
How dare the Professor propose that she should go and see Mystique! And what the hell was he doing with Kurt! He was using her step-brother, her friend... The X-men weren't servants, they helped people if they wanted to, they weren't made a tool and sent to do whatever task. Then maybe she should go and see Mystique, take a baseball bat with her and smash the statue to pieces. Be over and done with.
[been training...as..spy...] [De Professor gave me the thumbz up.] Damn Professor! Didn't he see!
There was a knock on the door, however they didn't wait for Rogue to invite them for the door swung open.
"Remy, just leave meh alone for a while!"
"It's not Remy." Rogue turned around as she heard Kurt's voice. The blue demon entered and closed the door behind him. "It's just ya're big Brother." There was a pause. "Ya're crying?"
Rogue wiped the single tear off her cheek and faced Kurt with not as much hate as she'd wanted in the first place. "What d' ya want?" Rogue asked, but her voice was becoming weaker as it went on.
"To talk, mein sister, just to talk."
Just Kurt's presence took the anger away and Rogue sat on the end of her bed. She couldn't be mad at the blue demon for long.
"Ar' ya sure about this spy thahng?" said Rogue. "Is it t' be Xavier's tool?"
"It'z not like that!" Kurt protested. "It'z to sharpen mein senses, prepare me for the real world. It'z dangerous out there for mutants like uz. The ozers don't realise how much."
"The friends of humanity, the politicians, the business men. Hate, powah or jahst money." Rogue recited. She'd known for some time.
"I don't want to stay in ze mansion for ever, Roguey. I'll go back..."
"Germany?"
"Ya, one day." Brother and sister looked into each other's eyes. Kurt went to sit next to Rogue. "I asked ze Professor for ze training. I want to help ze others, stop ze hate, becauze I know zat just a bunch of kids are not going to change ze world."
Both of them thought about Scott and the others wanting to have a nice Christmas together, with the Brotherhood, Brotherhood that was missing by the way. Wanting to have a nice Christmas was not a kid thing, it was just naive hope, a hope that even adults couldn't spit on. Rogue didn't as a kid, nor an adult.
"Ze Professor doesn't know where ze Brotherhood is. Dead, or captured. That's why Sam, Piotr and StJohn didn't find them."
"The Sentinels," Rogue breathed.
"Ya... or they're just off for ze vaccancions in Fiji," Kurt tried to joke.
"Without the Professor being able to find them? With Cerebro, even if Fiji is on the other side of the world."
"You missed a lot in ze one month you left." There was a pause. "How come you and Gambit..." Kurt started phrasing, blushing slightly.
Rogue stared at him in surprise. "how did ya..."
"I'm a spy!" Kurt told her. Rogue arched an eyebrow sceptically. "Okay, Mary told me."
"Mary? The little invisible girl?" Rogue thrown. She didn't really know the little girl, had hardly spoken to her. Rogue wanted to add that she didn't like the newbies, but she bit her tongue, she had the impression of a deja- vu, in a different conversation, probably with Remy.
"Ya, zat one. She's cute and all. But you and Gambit? Makes me want to shudder." Rogue gave him a playful punch in the arm. "Suppose zat no one else knows, not even MrLogan." Kurt got up, gave Rogue a slight tap on the back and left his sister to think on her own.
Rogue massaged the sides of her head, feeling a head ache coming on. She hadn't had one for a while. She was still thinking of Mystique. And if the psyche attacked again in Rogue's sleep? Logan would wake her up, she was sure. Then Rogue remembered something, when she'd been in the lab, fighting all those soldiers to death, she'd erased Kitty, could she do the same with Mystique? The thought pained her; it had been dreadful for the freshman. Rogue still remembered her piercing cry. But this was Mystique, everything was different in this case then.
"I, like, don't know what the hell is going on!" whined psyche Kitty. "What are you thinking about?"
***
Ouch, Mary is speaking a little too much, ain't she? At least Logan wasn't in the house at that moment, if he'd heard.. Bigger ouch to be sure. Rogue is having very dark thoughts, wanting to kill Mystique, mind-wise. Is she becoming more like the Rogue controlled by Sinister, but this time she might be choosing the path herself.
By the way, seeing the old episodes of X-men evolution, I was wondering something. Is it respectable putting Blob as an obese dumb ass, which no one likes? Is it meant to be a stereotype? Or just to stop kids from eating bad food anytime? Just a question, or a couple. Oh yeah, you know, when Mesmero controls Rogue and makes her touch loads of people, when she gets to the Acolyte base. If you put the kiss between her and Remy in slow motion, you have the impression that he kisses back. However, when it's in normal speed, he just does a dumb noise and faints. Anway (u don't want to hear my babbling,) reviews then!
AngstWolf: thanks for the review that made me move my butt a tad bit faster, well, maybe not my butt, but my fingers on the keyboard for certain! Thanks again! ;)
Kaylessa: thanks for spotting the "threw" thing! Be reloading it to stop the confusion. If you see any other weird words going about when they shouldn't be there, ring the alarm for me! I'll correct them (I also have a thought-though problem, and a knew-new (even if I know what they mean, I always type them wrong. Sigh)
Zen Bailong: ain't much fluffy romyness in this chap, I know, but Remy gets a cookie for saving her life I suppose! *awh... sigh
Ishandahalf, oh! didn't mean in the way that I thought you'd mind because he was in boxers, just a lousy joke of mine because if he'd just been wearing a towel, maybe that piece of cloth would have just slipped... oups. But kitty would have had a heart attack, I suppose
Sarah-Crysala: Update! Ta-dum!!!! It's a longer chapter!
T.: I'm glad u enjoy the story, and I think I've finally figured out how to explain Rogue's one month memory absence. But it might turn out too complicated to explain...
M: chapter 3, what was in chapter 3 already. Oh yeah. Well, basically, this "Death" guy controls age, his own, other people's (or has regenerating powers that he can also negate, haven't really decided yet). In the chapter, at which point did u get confused?
Thanks again for the reviews
Rogue was laying down on the newly cut grass, the smell filtering threw her nostrils. The sun shone bright, the birds sung in the nearby trees. It seemed perfect, the fresh breeze caressing her skin, there was no pain, only happiness. It was perfect.
However, something troubled Rogue. She sat up and gazed about. She was back in Cadlecott, in the back garden. The swing creaked, and she gazed towards it curiously. Someone was sitting upon it, an adult with no distinct form. She was humming something. Noticing Rogue, she got off and advanced towards the Goth.
"Knock, Knock..."
Something grabbed Rogue by the throat, and oxygen was squeezed out of her body. She clawed the air franticly. Used, dying, hidden, dark...
"...Who is there?"
Rogue tried to scream, but in vain. The face hovered over her, taunting as Rogue shocked helplessly. Her mind was reeling, her body shaking terribly. The pressure on her throat made her vision swim, no coherent thought was forming in her head.
Shocking... dying... alone... disappearing... used... without control.
Feral eyes peered down, colours swirling before settling to a green hue, then to the yellow of a known foe.
***
Remy walked the room, silently. The clock told him he'd been already up for an hour. It was still dark outside. He'd glance at Rogue, sleeping on his bed, looking so peaceful, angelic. In the dark with his mutated eyes, he could see her white skin glow, her hair fall over the side of the bed, and that small smile... He nervously ran his hand threw his hair. He'd been the one telling her to relax, he'd maybe played the part too well. He hadn't expected her to come, on her own accord. He was having seconds thoughts. He was a thief, a renegade, womaniser, a poker-man and a killer.
It all came down to that. He was a murderer. He'd killed Psylocke, in that alleyway, or he'd thought so... More than just once, blood on his hands. Rogue, she hadn't been herself, the psyches would sometimes make her do "things". She would have never accomplished such an evil deed. He'd done it, because HE'd wanted to do it. It wasn't Remy, nor Gambit, but the real HIM, the dark, cruel side of him. It was HE, the inner HIM. And she loved HIM, or he thought so. Why would she love him, respect him, or even appreciate him in the end? He was a murderer, and he was using her.
Remy put his hands to his head. He wasn't making much sense. He groaned and sat on the side of the bed, just watching her sleep. The angelic picture gave his mind peace. So angelic she was, immobile, deep in her dreams.
A thrown spread across his forehead. From where he sat now, she didn't seem to smile anymore, instead there was a twisted scowl resting on her face. Then realisation hit him. Immobile, not moving at all. Her chest was still, putting a finger underneath her nose he felt for her respiration. Nothing. Panic took him.
Remy shook her, calling her by her name. Nothing, nothing, nothing... Her skin was ice cold.
"Please chere!"
He pushed her chin down, opening her mouth. Pinching her nose, he blew air down her throat. 'Please chere...'
***
"Mystique!" Rogue cried out, sitting up in shock. She was covered with sweat, the cover tangled around her body. A dream, just a dream... Rogue breathed in; it felt sweet, this air entering her lungs once more. No, it was more than a dream.
"Chere!" Remy exclaimed in relief. He was sitting beside Rogue, an expression of utter worry spread across his handsome face. He gently pushed her back down in a laying position, his hand finding hers.
"Mystique," Rogue repeated once more. "She's there, in me!" She shivered, wrapping an arm around herself. Remy was quick to put the covers around her. Rogue felt sick, the terrorist was in her, there, hiding in her mind. "She" had always been so quite. Rogue had sometimes even forgotten that Mystique had ever been there.
"It's all right, Remy be dere..." He might be there, but Mystique was in her!
"She was there, holdin' meh down..." Rogue still felt the touch of the icy hands on her throat. Those eyes, did Mystique really hate her? Why?
It was those questions that brought her to knock on the Professor's office door, after have dressed, washed... It frightened her.
"Hey, Roguey!"
Rogue jumped, surprised and faced her brother in law. Kurt looked a bit tired; he yawned heavily, revealing a set of sharp white fangs. Rogue mustn't have looked quite awake either for he asked what was wrong.
"Mh... Just gotta seeh the professor," she replied, trying to not stare at his yellow eyes. They had never frightened or repulsed her, but she couldn't seem to look right at them at them, not after last night. However, it had started way before, when Mystique had blown up the Institute. "Where were ya yesterday, anyway?"
He looked away, scratching the back of his head thoughtfully. "I'm not meant to be telling you this, but... You're mein sister, I suppose..."
Rogue gulped silently. She wasn't telling him anything. "It's ahlright, Ah understand..." She had her 'secrets', he could keep his own.
"No no," he protested. "We arr family." Kurt came closer and lowered the tone of his voice. "I... I have been training with this mutant, as some kind of spy. I'll be helping the X-men loads!"
Cold sweat ran down the side of Rogue's face. He was enthusiastic. A spy... Hadn't Mystique been a kind of spy? In the shadows, observing everyone, planning, calculated, sneaky... A terrorist.
"De Professor gave me the thumbz up," he said, smiling broadly, doing the gesture in a comic way, thrusting his blue thumbs up. However, it came out rather sickly for Rogue. "Have you senn Mr Logan anyhao?"
Rogue shook her head negatively and then gave him a fake smile. She couldn't seem to be able to speak to him, or look at him. She was bad enough, a killer, but letting her step-brother become some kind of spy. She entered the office after the Professor had called her in.
The last days had been chaotic, being declared as a wanted and dangerous criminal, the missing month from her memories, Remy, the massacre... Sinister. It isn't easy for a seventeen, eighteen years old mutant girl. But things weren't usually easy for a mutant anyway. And all the troubles layering on top... Would she just fall under the weight? Not yet, but soon enough.
"Ah... Rogue, good morning." The professor looked as serene as ever, his blue eyes deep with thought. "Slept well?"
Rogue frowned suspiciously, had he seen her dream? Had he been sneaking about? "Naht well enough. There was Mystique."
It was his turn to frown. "What kind of problems has she been causing?"
And so Rogue told him about the dream, the feeling that Mystique's psyche was inside her, that she'd been hiding, or just keeping quiet. He must have seen, or felt that Rogue was a little frightened, and angry.
Professor Xavier stroked his chin, staring passively at Rogue who was sitting on the other side of his desk. "Would you like me to enter your mind, search her out?"
The question hung in the air. Letting him in would mean him knowing everything, everything. "Yes." Rogue felt relieved, she wanted everything to stop, the questions to be finally answered. She'd be surely punished, but she just didn't care, punishments were just punishments, a childish thing. "Yes, Ah want ya too," Rogue repeated.
"The truth is..." he seemed to be weighing his words, however, the answer came out simply, "I can't." It couldn't have been said any other way.
Rogue looked at him firmly. "Why?"
"Since you've come back, I haven't been able to read you at all, or feel you for that matter," he started to explain. "All I can suggest for the moment is some thinking exercises... relaxation... and then, maybe..."
He didn't know anything! Since the beginning he hadn't been able to read her!
Again, Rogue wasn't listening. It'd be harder than she'd thought. Then maybe, she should tell him everything, and then he could help, it wasn't Mystique her only problem, but everything. If he could just look inside, see by himself. But no. Telling him face to face seemed much harder, impossible. She couldn't say; "Ah've killed these peoples, but it wasn't meh," or "Ah've been sleeping with Remy, Gawd knows why."
"So, Mystique is inside you. I'm sorry I can't help more at the moment, but... Tell me how it felt, what Mystique felt."
"Well...Ah... She seemed crahzy. Suppose she was angry."
The Professor nodded slowly. "You're aren't sure, Rogue." It wasn't a question, he'd announced it as the truth. He couldn't read in Rogue's mind, but it didn't stop him from using his psychology doctorate. "I would like you to close your eyes, take deep breaths and replay your dream."
Rogue did so, even though she was a little uncomfortable. It slowly came back. She was in the garden once more and the swing creaking again. The image faded slightly, only to come back more precise. Then Mystique approached her, Rogue actually saw her more neatly now. Those large glasses of hers were perched on her nose, her brown hair flowing gently in the breeze. She bent down.
"Tell me now, how is she holding herself," Xavier's voice drummed slowly in from the exterior.
"She's crouching, her hanhd on the ground, the ohther on her lap."
"What is she wearing?"
"A brown suit...no... blahck clothes... She keeps shifting." The form were changing now, becoming a permanent blur. However, the psyche's form stopped brutally to blue skin and yellow eyes while it's hand lashed out for Rogue's throat. The Goth broke off from the memory strait away, not wanting to feel the death grip again on her neck, feel the pain. And that was what it was, in Mystique's feral yellow eyes, Pain, not hate, nor anger, just pain.
Opening her eyes, Rogue saw the Professor staring expectantly at her. "Mystique is in pain."
He gave her small 'ah' of understanding before going back into thoughtful silence.
Rogue started to get up and head for the door, unsure of what she'd just discovered. However, the Professor speaking once more stopped her from going further.
"Would you like to see her? Mystique... your step-mother."
Rogue clenched her fist hearing the last word, but thinking about it better, maybe it could clear up some things.
"Maybe Kurt would be grateful to accompany you. I have a new image inducer." He opened one of his draws and pulled out some kind of black watch. "Mystique has been kept for months in prison, even thought she's made of rock."
Rogue remembered, the tortuous face of the terrorist stilled into rock. She'd tried to banish that picture for so long. "Nah, the bitch can stahy were she is." Rogue wanted to snap her mouth shut, but she didn't seem to be in control anymore. "Ah never want t' see her again." Her green eyes flashed dangerously. Was the Professor doing it on purpose? guiding Kurt's steps closer to Mystique's own more than reasonable?
"I would have wished that you'd have been maybe more polite, Rogue, towards your step-mother," the Professor scolded her, putting back the image inducer into the desk's right hand draw. Rogue's gaze followed it carefully
"If you wish, we can put camera surveillance, in case she comes to 'visit' you again, wake you up if need be. It's all I can offer for the moment. I'm sure Logan won't mind "
Rogue nodded, before retreating from the office.
***
Mary walked into the living room with her doll. Her brown eyes looked side to side, searching for the blue demon. Approaching the sofa, she found him lying on it, hands under his head, his tail twitching in the air.
"Do you want to play with me?" she asked him innocently.
He sat up and gave her warm smile. "What do you want too' play at?" he asked her, his yellow eyes twinkling.
"I don't know, like hide and seek, or dolls," she proposed hopefully.
Kurt huffed in amusement. "Sorry mein sweet, but..." How could he explain to her that dolls just weren't his thing.
"You look troubled," her small voice brought Kurt back. He looked at her questioningly. How could she know? Rogue was, different from before, more secretive, harder maybe. "Is it because of the Goth?" Mary asked. This picked up his interest. "Is it because of her speaking to nobody thing?"
"Maybe..." Kurt mumbled. He just wished that Rogue could be more open. He was her sister after all, she'd gone missing, come back as if nothing had really changed at the mansion. But didn't she realise? He'd changed, the Professor had changed, everybody had changed more or less. As if she didn't realised that a whole month had passed between her disappearance and her return. Maybe he was overdoing it because of Frost's new training, but he was suspicious. Was it really Rogue?
"Is it because of the thing between Gambit and Rogue? Because they kiss and all?" Mary inquired.
Maybe he needed a real talk with his sister, to discover what she was really hiding.
****
Rogue had stomped off to her room. She growled in anger and slammed her door shut. Kitty wasn't there to her relief
How dare the Professor propose that she should go and see Mystique! And what the hell was he doing with Kurt! He was using her step-brother, her friend... The X-men weren't servants, they helped people if they wanted to, they weren't made a tool and sent to do whatever task. Then maybe she should go and see Mystique, take a baseball bat with her and smash the statue to pieces. Be over and done with.
[been training...as..spy...] [De Professor gave me the thumbz up.] Damn Professor! Didn't he see!
There was a knock on the door, however they didn't wait for Rogue to invite them for the door swung open.
"Remy, just leave meh alone for a while!"
"It's not Remy." Rogue turned around as she heard Kurt's voice. The blue demon entered and closed the door behind him. "It's just ya're big Brother." There was a pause. "Ya're crying?"
Rogue wiped the single tear off her cheek and faced Kurt with not as much hate as she'd wanted in the first place. "What d' ya want?" Rogue asked, but her voice was becoming weaker as it went on.
"To talk, mein sister, just to talk."
Just Kurt's presence took the anger away and Rogue sat on the end of her bed. She couldn't be mad at the blue demon for long.
"Ar' ya sure about this spy thahng?" said Rogue. "Is it t' be Xavier's tool?"
"It'z not like that!" Kurt protested. "It'z to sharpen mein senses, prepare me for the real world. It'z dangerous out there for mutants like uz. The ozers don't realise how much."
"The friends of humanity, the politicians, the business men. Hate, powah or jahst money." Rogue recited. She'd known for some time.
"I don't want to stay in ze mansion for ever, Roguey. I'll go back..."
"Germany?"
"Ya, one day." Brother and sister looked into each other's eyes. Kurt went to sit next to Rogue. "I asked ze Professor for ze training. I want to help ze others, stop ze hate, becauze I know zat just a bunch of kids are not going to change ze world."
Both of them thought about Scott and the others wanting to have a nice Christmas together, with the Brotherhood, Brotherhood that was missing by the way. Wanting to have a nice Christmas was not a kid thing, it was just naive hope, a hope that even adults couldn't spit on. Rogue didn't as a kid, nor an adult.
"Ze Professor doesn't know where ze Brotherhood is. Dead, or captured. That's why Sam, Piotr and StJohn didn't find them."
"The Sentinels," Rogue breathed.
"Ya... or they're just off for ze vaccancions in Fiji," Kurt tried to joke.
"Without the Professor being able to find them? With Cerebro, even if Fiji is on the other side of the world."
"You missed a lot in ze one month you left." There was a pause. "How come you and Gambit..." Kurt started phrasing, blushing slightly.
Rogue stared at him in surprise. "how did ya..."
"I'm a spy!" Kurt told her. Rogue arched an eyebrow sceptically. "Okay, Mary told me."
"Mary? The little invisible girl?" Rogue thrown. She didn't really know the little girl, had hardly spoken to her. Rogue wanted to add that she didn't like the newbies, but she bit her tongue, she had the impression of a deja- vu, in a different conversation, probably with Remy.
"Ya, zat one. She's cute and all. But you and Gambit? Makes me want to shudder." Rogue gave him a playful punch in the arm. "Suppose zat no one else knows, not even MrLogan." Kurt got up, gave Rogue a slight tap on the back and left his sister to think on her own.
Rogue massaged the sides of her head, feeling a head ache coming on. She hadn't had one for a while. She was still thinking of Mystique. And if the psyche attacked again in Rogue's sleep? Logan would wake her up, she was sure. Then Rogue remembered something, when she'd been in the lab, fighting all those soldiers to death, she'd erased Kitty, could she do the same with Mystique? The thought pained her; it had been dreadful for the freshman. Rogue still remembered her piercing cry. But this was Mystique, everything was different in this case then.
"I, like, don't know what the hell is going on!" whined psyche Kitty. "What are you thinking about?"
***
Ouch, Mary is speaking a little too much, ain't she? At least Logan wasn't in the house at that moment, if he'd heard.. Bigger ouch to be sure. Rogue is having very dark thoughts, wanting to kill Mystique, mind-wise. Is she becoming more like the Rogue controlled by Sinister, but this time she might be choosing the path herself.
By the way, seeing the old episodes of X-men evolution, I was wondering something. Is it respectable putting Blob as an obese dumb ass, which no one likes? Is it meant to be a stereotype? Or just to stop kids from eating bad food anytime? Just a question, or a couple. Oh yeah, you know, when Mesmero controls Rogue and makes her touch loads of people, when she gets to the Acolyte base. If you put the kiss between her and Remy in slow motion, you have the impression that he kisses back. However, when it's in normal speed, he just does a dumb noise and faints. Anway (u don't want to hear my babbling,) reviews then!
AngstWolf: thanks for the review that made me move my butt a tad bit faster, well, maybe not my butt, but my fingers on the keyboard for certain! Thanks again! ;)
Kaylessa: thanks for spotting the "threw" thing! Be reloading it to stop the confusion. If you see any other weird words going about when they shouldn't be there, ring the alarm for me! I'll correct them (I also have a thought-though problem, and a knew-new (even if I know what they mean, I always type them wrong. Sigh)
Zen Bailong: ain't much fluffy romyness in this chap, I know, but Remy gets a cookie for saving her life I suppose! *awh... sigh
Ishandahalf, oh! didn't mean in the way that I thought you'd mind because he was in boxers, just a lousy joke of mine because if he'd just been wearing a towel, maybe that piece of cloth would have just slipped... oups. But kitty would have had a heart attack, I suppose
Sarah-Crysala: Update! Ta-dum!!!! It's a longer chapter!
T.: I'm glad u enjoy the story, and I think I've finally figured out how to explain Rogue's one month memory absence. But it might turn out too complicated to explain...
M: chapter 3, what was in chapter 3 already. Oh yeah. Well, basically, this "Death" guy controls age, his own, other people's (or has regenerating powers that he can also negate, haven't really decided yet). In the chapter, at which point did u get confused?
Thanks again for the reviews