Rogue, the untouchable, had touched almost everyone on the team, as
well as many others over the years. Due to the nature of her mutation,
their personalities, memories and, in the case of other mutants, their
powers, had stayed with her.
No one else knew this. It had taken her a lot of practice and hard work to develop her mutation to this point and once she had, she guarded it closely. Despite all her efforts, it was still impossible to touch anyone skin to skin for more than a few seconds before her mutation did kick in, so she still considered her work a failure.
Once she had earned her license, she made it a habit to go off alone and practice her control over her borrowed powers. She was getting quite good. But still, she never told.
****
Brriinnggg! The dismissal bell sounded along with a welcome shout of joy throughout the school. It was Friday. Scott, Jean and the younger kids were waiting for her at the front of the school.
"Come on Rogue, we wanna get home!"
"All right, Ah'm coming."
"No homework! This is going to be the best weekend! I'm gonna go to the mall and shop and ..." Kitty quickly went ranting in her trademark valley girl attitude. "Rogue, you gotta come with!"
"That's okay, Ah actually had plans this weekend."
"You've gotten so secretive lately! Are you seeing someone?"
Rogue sighed. Leave it to Kitty.
Jean decided to help Rogue by interrupting Kitty. "Rogue, you know, we're your friends. Why don't you spend time with us this weekend?"
It was like that the whole ride home. Rogue seriously considered teleporting to and from school. If Kurt could do it.
Arriving back at the mansion, they all trooped out of the car. Logan and Storm were there waiting for them. Around them were knapsacks for each one of them.
"Kids, this weekend is going to be spent working on your survival skills. The 2nd class will stay with me and Storm, while the 1st class will be given a practical." Logan taught combat and survival at the mansion. His idea of rewarding the kids who did well in his classes was to dump them in the middle of nowhere for three days and see who called for help first. The less successful stayed under his direct supervision. There was a long standing debate among the students over which class suffered more.
There was a loud chorus of groans.
"You have ten minutes to get changed and back here. We have all your equipment ready."
Despite their protests, the kids knew better than to argue.
****
Rogue may have been silent about her new abilities, but her actions had clued Logan, Storm and the Professor that something was up.
"I don't understand it Charles. She's never been outgoing, but this sudden withdrawal concerns me." Storm kept a close eye on all the kids.
"It concerns me as well. Have either of you been able to talk to her?"
"When has she been around to talk to? Leave her alone Charles, she probably needs some space. She'll get over it." Logan, being a loner himself, was reluctant to intrude on someone else's solitude.
"Normally, I'd agree, but this has been going on too long."
They had finally decided on this trip as a course of action. The expedition was not uncommon enough to seem odd. Logan could slip away from the main group to surreptitiously check on the advanced teams as he usually did. They figured Rogue would be less guarded by herself in the woods than in the mansion. Maybe they could find out what she was up to.
****
The Xavier School for the Gifted had rented several adjacent campsites in order to minimize prying eyes. Storm parked the jet in a nearby clearing and the group hiked to the main campsite.
"Listen up!" Logan shouted to get everyone's attention. "This will be a shorter trip than most. We're only here until Sunday afternoon. Here are the assignments: Class two will stay here with the exception of Bobby and Kitty. Kitty, you're paired with Jean, she'll introduce you to the class one exercises. Bobby, you're with Scott, he'll teach you. You pairs, with Evan, Rogue and Kurt will be dropped a fair distance from the camp and will hike back alone. Kurt, no teleporting unless there is an emergency. You are not allowed to help each other unless there is an emergency and they make contact over the communicators. The communicators will also contact camp, and I'll come get you within five minutes."
This was for the benefit of Class two. With the exception of Bobby and Kitty, all of Class one had been through this many times and had passed not only camping proficiency tests but official first aid and survival training. For them, this was a trip to hone more skills than they learned.
"Everyone check your gear! Once class one is dropped, you will not be issued more. You lose it or don't have it, too bad. John, put that out and pay attention." One of the newer students, a pyrokinetic, had been goofing off.
Fifteen minutes later, gear stowed, Class one went back to the jet with Storm.
Storm returned by nightfall. Logan had gotten the kids bedded down. They were only asleep because they knew they'd need it tomorrow, otherwise even the infamous Wolverine might not have been successful.
"They're all dropped safely. I got as low as I could. Kurt insisted on 'porting to the ground."
"Where did you drop the teams?"
"Jean and Kitty are closest in, but in a tricky place, about here." Storm pointed out an area on the map. "It'll take them some time. Scott and Booby are here, further out. I don't expect either group to take longer than tomorrow afternoon to get back."
"That's fine for Bobby and Kitty's first trip. Where's Evan, Kurt and Rogue?"
"They'll be back Sunday morning. They're scattered about five miles out. Happy tracking." It was a game they played. Storm would drop the kids off and Logan would track them all down the first night. It kept him in practice.
With a grin and a grunt, Logan ran off into the woods.
****
Rogue was set up nicely in the camp she had pitched. This was perfect! Sure, it had not been the ideal way to spend the entire weekend, but she could practice her wilderness and mutant skills without interference.
A spark from one of Amara's heat emissions lit the campfire admirably. There was a long standing injunction on the class not to use their powers on the trip, but hardly anyone obeyed it perfectly. As long as it was not enough to attract Logan or Storm's attention, they usually got away with it.
Using Mystique's powers of shapeshifting, Rogue practiced being Magneto then Sabertooth. It took some effort to get the new shapes to do the skills that her own body was accustomed to do. Once she had put Amara's fire out, Sabertooth's huge hands were incredibly clumsy at starting a new one.
Of course, the physical differences weren't the only challenge. When using only the power of another, their mentality resurfaced only momentarily, her mind and personality stayed firmly in control. When using Mystique's power to be someone else, the new mentality reasserted itself, almost as if sensing that it was where it rightfully should be. Then it was harder for Rogue to maintain control over her body and her mind.
The difficulty varied form mentality to mentality. The X-men mentalities who understood her power rarely fought with her although they insisted on being with her rather than filed away. Mystique, never did, either. She even encouraged Rogue to practice her ability. Apparently the real Mystique had wanted to train Rogue to do just this; absorb powers and use them. The Brotherhood mentalities were trickier, but since they too had once been her friends, they felt badly about taking over completely and rarely tried it.
The hard ones were Sabertooth, Juggernaut, Magneto and the slight impressions of humans she had picked up. The mutants were eager to control her, but over time their connection to their real selves was fading, even if their memories and powers weren't. The humans had been terrified when she had originally absorbed them, so that emotion made them permanently resistant to her using their shapes and memories. Rogue did her best to block them out; after all, she didn't need them; with Mystique's power she didn't need to absorb someone to look like them.
Overall, she was doing rather well. The only part of her mutation, besides the connection, that was giving her any problems were the nightmares.
****
Logan had successfully found and checked on every one of the kids except Rogue.
Moving carefully through the woods, he felt a magnetic hum go through him. Almost like the fields Magneto manipulated when he used his power. At first Logan was startled into moving faster towards the source, but even as the field grew stronger, he could find not so much as a whiff to prove Magneto was in the area. Then, he passed a badly mangled log. The claw marks were almost an exact match with Sabertooth, but again, no scent betrayed him.
After that, he caught a whiff of fire, a fire that burned with a scent much like Amara's. Amara should be back at the camp with Storm. What could she be doing this far out?
Logan bounded ahead, moving silently through the forest; no mean feat. Coming upon a little clearing, Logan kept to the shadows. There was Rogue, camp properly set up, pack and food carefully hoisted, shifting from her own appearance to that of Magneto or Juggernaut. Even in her own shape, she was using powers that were not originally hers.
She started to practice some of the moves he'd taught her in the Danger room. Slipping on a branch, she fell and split into three additional copies. Each copy then started practicing their ability to manipulate various powers and skills until she called them back.
Logan stayed in the shadows, watching until she finally went to sleep. After making sure the others were still okay, he headed back to the main camp.
"So, how are they?" Storm asked, half asleep. "What is it?" She asked, noting the grin on Logan's face.
"Rogue has been practicing." He said in a low tone so the kids wouldn't overhear. Can you hear us Charles? Logan sent to the Professor.
Yes I can. Charles said into both of their minds. How has her practice been coming?
"She has an extraordinary degree of control over the powers and, apparently minds she has absorbed. She was practicing in their shapes and in her own, it's very impressive."
"Is she having any of the problems the others have with their powers? Jean can't always control how much she receives, Scott needs the lenses to filter, that sort of thing." Storm switched to mothering mode.
"You'll have to ask her, but I assume if she can turn it on, she can turn it off when that becomes a problem."
Remarkable. She must be thrilled.
"Why do you suppose she hasn't told us?"
I don't know Orroro. Perhaps she is not ready. She had a lot to absorb the last time we ran into Mystique last year. Perhaps she is simply relived that some good came out of that experience.
"I thought you had gotten rid of all the personalities in her mind after that. What happened?"
I'm not sure. Obviously, I wasn't as successful as I thought I was.
"Do you want to confront her with this when we get back? She obviously wants this kept a secret, from the kids at least." They all sat for a while, thrilled with the success of their student. They knew how hard things had been for her.
We'll discuss this at length when you return. Make sure they're all safe. Goodnight.
"Good night Charles." Storm and Logan smiled at each other, before going to their tents and falling asleep.
****
Everyone except Rogue had come back and the kids were breaking camp. Bobby and Kitty were telling all who would hear about their experiences on their first trip. Jean and Scott were as far away as possible from their exuberant charges, looking exhausted. It was still Sunday afternoon, but Storm and Logan had expected that Rogue would be back by now.
"I'll go look for her!" Kurt volunteered, eager to get away from the packing process.
"All right elf, be back soon."
"Allright!" With a rush of imploding air, Kurt was gone.
It was then that Storm realized the possibility of him finding out Rogue's secret. "Oh no." Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do about that now.
No one else knew this. It had taken her a lot of practice and hard work to develop her mutation to this point and once she had, she guarded it closely. Despite all her efforts, it was still impossible to touch anyone skin to skin for more than a few seconds before her mutation did kick in, so she still considered her work a failure.
Once she had earned her license, she made it a habit to go off alone and practice her control over her borrowed powers. She was getting quite good. But still, she never told.
****
Brriinnggg! The dismissal bell sounded along with a welcome shout of joy throughout the school. It was Friday. Scott, Jean and the younger kids were waiting for her at the front of the school.
"Come on Rogue, we wanna get home!"
"All right, Ah'm coming."
"No homework! This is going to be the best weekend! I'm gonna go to the mall and shop and ..." Kitty quickly went ranting in her trademark valley girl attitude. "Rogue, you gotta come with!"
"That's okay, Ah actually had plans this weekend."
"You've gotten so secretive lately! Are you seeing someone?"
Rogue sighed. Leave it to Kitty.
Jean decided to help Rogue by interrupting Kitty. "Rogue, you know, we're your friends. Why don't you spend time with us this weekend?"
It was like that the whole ride home. Rogue seriously considered teleporting to and from school. If Kurt could do it.
Arriving back at the mansion, they all trooped out of the car. Logan and Storm were there waiting for them. Around them were knapsacks for each one of them.
"Kids, this weekend is going to be spent working on your survival skills. The 2nd class will stay with me and Storm, while the 1st class will be given a practical." Logan taught combat and survival at the mansion. His idea of rewarding the kids who did well in his classes was to dump them in the middle of nowhere for three days and see who called for help first. The less successful stayed under his direct supervision. There was a long standing debate among the students over which class suffered more.
There was a loud chorus of groans.
"You have ten minutes to get changed and back here. We have all your equipment ready."
Despite their protests, the kids knew better than to argue.
****
Rogue may have been silent about her new abilities, but her actions had clued Logan, Storm and the Professor that something was up.
"I don't understand it Charles. She's never been outgoing, but this sudden withdrawal concerns me." Storm kept a close eye on all the kids.
"It concerns me as well. Have either of you been able to talk to her?"
"When has she been around to talk to? Leave her alone Charles, she probably needs some space. She'll get over it." Logan, being a loner himself, was reluctant to intrude on someone else's solitude.
"Normally, I'd agree, but this has been going on too long."
They had finally decided on this trip as a course of action. The expedition was not uncommon enough to seem odd. Logan could slip away from the main group to surreptitiously check on the advanced teams as he usually did. They figured Rogue would be less guarded by herself in the woods than in the mansion. Maybe they could find out what she was up to.
****
The Xavier School for the Gifted had rented several adjacent campsites in order to minimize prying eyes. Storm parked the jet in a nearby clearing and the group hiked to the main campsite.
"Listen up!" Logan shouted to get everyone's attention. "This will be a shorter trip than most. We're only here until Sunday afternoon. Here are the assignments: Class two will stay here with the exception of Bobby and Kitty. Kitty, you're paired with Jean, she'll introduce you to the class one exercises. Bobby, you're with Scott, he'll teach you. You pairs, with Evan, Rogue and Kurt will be dropped a fair distance from the camp and will hike back alone. Kurt, no teleporting unless there is an emergency. You are not allowed to help each other unless there is an emergency and they make contact over the communicators. The communicators will also contact camp, and I'll come get you within five minutes."
This was for the benefit of Class two. With the exception of Bobby and Kitty, all of Class one had been through this many times and had passed not only camping proficiency tests but official first aid and survival training. For them, this was a trip to hone more skills than they learned.
"Everyone check your gear! Once class one is dropped, you will not be issued more. You lose it or don't have it, too bad. John, put that out and pay attention." One of the newer students, a pyrokinetic, had been goofing off.
Fifteen minutes later, gear stowed, Class one went back to the jet with Storm.
Storm returned by nightfall. Logan had gotten the kids bedded down. They were only asleep because they knew they'd need it tomorrow, otherwise even the infamous Wolverine might not have been successful.
"They're all dropped safely. I got as low as I could. Kurt insisted on 'porting to the ground."
"Where did you drop the teams?"
"Jean and Kitty are closest in, but in a tricky place, about here." Storm pointed out an area on the map. "It'll take them some time. Scott and Booby are here, further out. I don't expect either group to take longer than tomorrow afternoon to get back."
"That's fine for Bobby and Kitty's first trip. Where's Evan, Kurt and Rogue?"
"They'll be back Sunday morning. They're scattered about five miles out. Happy tracking." It was a game they played. Storm would drop the kids off and Logan would track them all down the first night. It kept him in practice.
With a grin and a grunt, Logan ran off into the woods.
****
Rogue was set up nicely in the camp she had pitched. This was perfect! Sure, it had not been the ideal way to spend the entire weekend, but she could practice her wilderness and mutant skills without interference.
A spark from one of Amara's heat emissions lit the campfire admirably. There was a long standing injunction on the class not to use their powers on the trip, but hardly anyone obeyed it perfectly. As long as it was not enough to attract Logan or Storm's attention, they usually got away with it.
Using Mystique's powers of shapeshifting, Rogue practiced being Magneto then Sabertooth. It took some effort to get the new shapes to do the skills that her own body was accustomed to do. Once she had put Amara's fire out, Sabertooth's huge hands were incredibly clumsy at starting a new one.
Of course, the physical differences weren't the only challenge. When using only the power of another, their mentality resurfaced only momentarily, her mind and personality stayed firmly in control. When using Mystique's power to be someone else, the new mentality reasserted itself, almost as if sensing that it was where it rightfully should be. Then it was harder for Rogue to maintain control over her body and her mind.
The difficulty varied form mentality to mentality. The X-men mentalities who understood her power rarely fought with her although they insisted on being with her rather than filed away. Mystique, never did, either. She even encouraged Rogue to practice her ability. Apparently the real Mystique had wanted to train Rogue to do just this; absorb powers and use them. The Brotherhood mentalities were trickier, but since they too had once been her friends, they felt badly about taking over completely and rarely tried it.
The hard ones were Sabertooth, Juggernaut, Magneto and the slight impressions of humans she had picked up. The mutants were eager to control her, but over time their connection to their real selves was fading, even if their memories and powers weren't. The humans had been terrified when she had originally absorbed them, so that emotion made them permanently resistant to her using their shapes and memories. Rogue did her best to block them out; after all, she didn't need them; with Mystique's power she didn't need to absorb someone to look like them.
Overall, she was doing rather well. The only part of her mutation, besides the connection, that was giving her any problems were the nightmares.
****
Logan had successfully found and checked on every one of the kids except Rogue.
Moving carefully through the woods, he felt a magnetic hum go through him. Almost like the fields Magneto manipulated when he used his power. At first Logan was startled into moving faster towards the source, but even as the field grew stronger, he could find not so much as a whiff to prove Magneto was in the area. Then, he passed a badly mangled log. The claw marks were almost an exact match with Sabertooth, but again, no scent betrayed him.
After that, he caught a whiff of fire, a fire that burned with a scent much like Amara's. Amara should be back at the camp with Storm. What could she be doing this far out?
Logan bounded ahead, moving silently through the forest; no mean feat. Coming upon a little clearing, Logan kept to the shadows. There was Rogue, camp properly set up, pack and food carefully hoisted, shifting from her own appearance to that of Magneto or Juggernaut. Even in her own shape, she was using powers that were not originally hers.
She started to practice some of the moves he'd taught her in the Danger room. Slipping on a branch, she fell and split into three additional copies. Each copy then started practicing their ability to manipulate various powers and skills until she called them back.
Logan stayed in the shadows, watching until she finally went to sleep. After making sure the others were still okay, he headed back to the main camp.
"So, how are they?" Storm asked, half asleep. "What is it?" She asked, noting the grin on Logan's face.
"Rogue has been practicing." He said in a low tone so the kids wouldn't overhear. Can you hear us Charles? Logan sent to the Professor.
Yes I can. Charles said into both of their minds. How has her practice been coming?
"She has an extraordinary degree of control over the powers and, apparently minds she has absorbed. She was practicing in their shapes and in her own, it's very impressive."
"Is she having any of the problems the others have with their powers? Jean can't always control how much she receives, Scott needs the lenses to filter, that sort of thing." Storm switched to mothering mode.
"You'll have to ask her, but I assume if she can turn it on, she can turn it off when that becomes a problem."
Remarkable. She must be thrilled.
"Why do you suppose she hasn't told us?"
I don't know Orroro. Perhaps she is not ready. She had a lot to absorb the last time we ran into Mystique last year. Perhaps she is simply relived that some good came out of that experience.
"I thought you had gotten rid of all the personalities in her mind after that. What happened?"
I'm not sure. Obviously, I wasn't as successful as I thought I was.
"Do you want to confront her with this when we get back? She obviously wants this kept a secret, from the kids at least." They all sat for a while, thrilled with the success of their student. They knew how hard things had been for her.
We'll discuss this at length when you return. Make sure they're all safe. Goodnight.
"Good night Charles." Storm and Logan smiled at each other, before going to their tents and falling asleep.
****
Everyone except Rogue had come back and the kids were breaking camp. Bobby and Kitty were telling all who would hear about their experiences on their first trip. Jean and Scott were as far away as possible from their exuberant charges, looking exhausted. It was still Sunday afternoon, but Storm and Logan had expected that Rogue would be back by now.
"I'll go look for her!" Kurt volunteered, eager to get away from the packing process.
"All right elf, be back soon."
"Allright!" With a rush of imploding air, Kurt was gone.
It was then that Storm realized the possibility of him finding out Rogue's secret. "Oh no." Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do about that now.