Chapter 12
Call Me VaineTwo weeks has passed since the abduction of Derek as Rogue sat alone on one of the stone benches that lead to the gardens. She wrapped her arms around her legs as she leaned at her left side on the backrest. The sun shown brightly over Bayville and the sky showed a perfect shade of blue.
Everyone who was involved in the mission was either recuperating in their beds or some of them in casts or bandages but otherwise all of them survived. A long bruised line over Rogue's neck was the only scar that she received, but it never compared from the injury that Derek received as he was taken to a regular hospital in Germany, the only conclusion left to him since they were all so far away from home. The arrival of a famed fashion designer in the hospital emergency room turned into a media circus as dozens of reporters from every international TV stations wanted to know attacked him. Rogue couldn't help but break down in tears when she saw the news on television two weeks ago.
Scott emerged from the corner of the mansion as he watches Rogue sitting alone. A sling was hung under his left arm in a cast. No words were exchanged between them for nearly two weeks and he somehow never wondered that Rogue would never speak to him. Professor Xavier held a private session with the two to discuss about their conduct and today happens to be the day the professor and the rest of the teaching staff would pass their verdict. He shook his head, removing the worse kind of verdict out of his mind and slowly walked towards Rogue. The sun hovered just behind Scott and Rogue noticed a shadow hanging over her as she looks over her shoulder.
"Hi, Rogue." Scott said. "Um, mind if I sit here?"
Rogue only answered with a shrug as an indication that she would not mind. Scott sat on the edge of the stone bench as Rogue kept her sights towards the gardens.
"I guess the professor and the other teachers are gonna pass judgement on us." Scott said as he drew a long sigh. He waited for Rogue to comment about it but she still kept silent. Scott lifted his head up towards the sky when Rogue spoke.
"I don't care if they kick me out. I'm used to travelling and being alone anyway." She finally spoke.
Scott raised his eyebrows at Rogue as she kept her back at him. Reaching out his hand over her right shoulder, Scott pulls Rogue around to face him.
"Don't say that, Rogue. You know that the professor will never expel a student."
Rogue continued to stare through Scott's eyes behind his ruby quartz glasses then lowered her head. A rush of emotions was twisting madly in her mind as she remembered having to stare at Scott in this manner. Maybe now was a good time to admit something, what was in her heart a long time ago.
"You know when the first time I met you, you seem too high maintenance for a teenager. I guess your just showing off the 'big brother' attitude to everyone and thinking that this guy's just too stiff."
Scott could only smile a bit as Rogue continued.
"At first I thought that Jean wouldn't even give you the time of day. But I guess I was wrong to hope for something that I know it wouldn't happen, not by a long shot."
The rays of the sun bounces off from the surface of his glasses as he turned his head away from the glare that made him look like he was staring at Rogue. Scott pondered upon what Rogue had just said, almost the same way what Jean told him two weeks ago. Then Rogue felt something heavy across her shoulders and watched Scott wrapping his right arm across her. It was a strange feeling to be embraced by someone who she kept her feelings hidden from him for a long time as Rogue slowly laid her head over his chest. The feeling was mutual for Scott, recalling the action he regretted when he watched Rogue about to kiss Derek in the Solarium. Whether or not that their justifications would either meet each other's ends, it was time that Scott should return the hidden affections coming from Rogue.
"You knew I was heartless yet you never gave up on me because I know that you're more than a friend to me." Scott uttered.
A tear rolled off from Rogue's left cheek and was instantly absorbed by Scott's sweater. The two were still locked in a warm embrace when the mental voice of Professor Xavier entered Scott and Rogue's mind.
"Scott, Rogue, please step in to my office."
Scott released Rogue from his embrace and the two marched inside the mansion. Three minutes later a knock came to Professor Xavier's door as Aurora opened the door. The entire teaching staff of the institute was now staring at the two as Professor Xavier sat behind his desk with his elbows on top. His left eyebrow has a small bandage on top and his right hand was also wrapped with bandages.
"Sit down." The professor said as Scott and Rogue took their seat. Clearing his throat the professor began.
"This institute was founded for the sole purpose of helping children with special abilities and to teach them how to control it. Every student that lives here are special in their own way and it is our duty as well as an honor to help develop their skills for the benefit of mankind.
"Sometimes those who misuse their powers were often the cause of depression, the lack of guidance, or even entertaining thoughts that mutants were born to be superior than normal human beings, to strike fear and tyranny in the heart and minds of millions and to rule over them."
Scott straightens himself when the professor shifted his sights towards him.
"As one of my first students, you have been given the responsibility to guide everyone, to be the source of inspiration to those around you, and an example for others to follow. Indecision and the lack of common sense could often stir the crowd to be rampant. Your actions that lead Derek Vane to mortal danger has tarnished the tenets that this institute has been founded."
Then the professor switched his sights towards Rogue.
"Once you understand the ability that is unique to you, it is also your responsibility to be able to control and use your powers for the benefit of others, not just for our own kind. Your attack towards Kitty Pryde for your own needs is an example of an act that only comes from their own selfish desires, regardless of how noble or justifiable the outcome would be. I consider it as a serious offense."
Rogue lowered her eyes as her heart slowly begins to beat rapidly. Scott somehow felt where her verdict would go as he stood up from his chair.
"Sir, may I have permission to speak?"
The professor nodded his head as he continued.
"With all due respect, I believe that Rogue should be given a second chance." Rogue raised her sights towards Scott as he continued. "The reason this meeting is now taking place because I allowed my emotions to get the better of me. Sometimes jealousy," Scott paused for a minute as he shifted his eyes towards Rogue and back, "could be such a powerful emotion that blinds me from the truth about one person. I failed to see that and I accept whatever the outcome of this meeting as long as it's on me."
The professor rubbed his hands together as he slowly nods. Looking at the other teachers for approval, the professor spoke.
"I thank you for your honesty and for confessing the error of your judgement. You have been in the institute long enough to understand the purpose of your powers and somehow there is nothing else I could do to help you learn to develop it more.
"I have come to a decision. You two will serve two months as assistants to our temporary gardener. You may go now."
Rogue and Scott were staring blankly at each other when the professor spoke again.
"I suggest you hurry for the greenhouse. Or are you considering a much severe punishment than this?" the professor grinned.
The two shook their heads and exited the office.
Jean and Kitty were waiting near the bottom of the stairs when they saw Rogue and Scott climb down. Jean's right arm suffered some minor scratches and bandaged with small pads of gauze while Kitty was on her usual cheery self.
"So how did it go?" Jean asked as she and Kitty approached the two.
"Garden work for two months." Scott shrugged as he smiled at Rogue.
"Really?" Kitty said as she stared at the two in a quizzical manner.
"Yeah." Rogue nodded. "Well, we have to go to the greenhouse. The professor said that the new gardener is already waiting for us." With a short wave Rogue and Scott left the two women.
The greenhouse was about thirty yards from the mansion that overlooks the view of Bayville from the cliff. From that distance the greenhouse appeared more like an oversized brown tool shed with a ten by ten skylight covered in Plexiglas. Scott slides the door open to the right and the two entered. Inside, a man with long brownish hair tied in a ponytail has his back at them and appeared frazzled. He was just finished packing dirt in a flowerpot using his gloved hands and switched to arranging the flowers in a vase with nemsia, candytuft and snapdragon. Rogue recognized the flowers and a heavy feeling begins to grow in her chest, remembering the little botany lesson she got from Derek. The gardener's gray coveralls were smeared with dirt as he carefully snips the excess branches using a pair of floral scissors with professional deftness to make the vase appear neat. Grabbing a mister placed beside the vase, he sprays the flowers evenly, probably made of sugar and bleach as they saw a jar of sugar and a bottle of bleach on the table as Rogue noticed. Scott was impressed with his skills as he cleared his throat and spoke.
"Excuse me." Scott called out. "We're the assistants Professor Xavier sent."
The man nodded his head without turning to face them. Then the gardener pointed at something with the floral scissors towards near the doors as he spoke.
"Scott could take those boxes of violas near the main door of the mansion while Rogue could help me with filling the pots with soil."
Rogue and Scott froze on their feet when they recognized the sound of the gardener's voice. He slowly turns around to face them, revealing the smiling face of Derek Vane. A nametag made of cloth in a white background and black border was sewn over the left side of his chest that read Vaine.
"Derek!" Rogue cried as she threw her arms around Derek's neck. Her sobs muffled over Derek's chest as he watched her, grunting a bit due to the wound that Rogue accidentally bumped into. He held Rogue across her back as he motioned his body from side to side to calm her down.
Scott watched the two in a tight embrace as he sighed. Picking up the box of violas he turned towards the door.
"I guess I'll just take these outside." Scott called and slides the door shut behind him.
Professor Charles along with Storm, Logan, and Hank remained in his office and discussed the aftermath of the incident. It was a startling discovery that opened some answers about Derek's mysterious powers.
"It is a remarkable ability that Derek possesses. If Magneto managed to persuade Derek to join his side we would definitely be in trouble the next time we face them."
Logan shot the professor a quizzical look as he asked, "So that means if he knocks every one of us then he won't be able to absorb our powers?"
"That is correct, Logan." The professor answered before lowering his eyebrows. "But one thing that concerns me is the report Jean gave about Derek unleashing all the combined powers and the fact that he never absorbed Bullseye's power."
"But then again," the professor continued, "the latter would probably mean that Derek has to be close enough in one place for him to absorb any mutant powers."
Hank McCoy steps in and asks, "Within that line of thought, would that also explain about Rogue's powers that never have any effect on the young Derek?"
The professor furrowed his eyebrows and his lips narrowed into a straight line, scolding himself for forgetting that one vital piece of the mystery.
"It is a riddle that we all have to try solving as long as he is staying in this Institute." The professor said with his eyes half-closed.
Aurora has been keeping silent for the past ten minutes when the discussions started. As she looks out the window, she finds Derek and Rogue sitting together on the bench near the gardens in an intimate embrace. Her eyes slowly widen as she watches the two pulling their heads together for a deep kiss. Smiling to herself for witnessing the kind of change that was happening to Rogue, Aurora joins in to try shedding some light in the whole mystery.
"If the Sphinx were to be a sardonic creature, he would ask us a riddle like this: 'What grows on the ground?' and wanted a specific answer. The answer could be everything like trees, flowers, grass, mushroom…"
The three men listened closely as Storm continued.
"What I'm trying to say is that the accumulated powers that Derek absorbs has to be focused on a single point if he were to use it. In some ways, Derek could fight the combined force of every mutant out there and he will still win. But what would the consequence be if all those powers continue to accumulate in his body?"
The professor fell silent as he lowered his head and furrowed his eyebrows while pondering on Storm's words.
"I'm beginning to see your point." The professor said as he looked at Aurora. "Since his youth, Derek has conditioned himself to be noticed and admired in every way possible and one way of achieving it is to enter the world of fashion. The mentality that he has conditioned himself, believing that the world does revolve around him would be more of a liability, but his ego would never allow him to reserve himself."
Aurora added, "Ever since he came in this institute and met Rogue, he must have found something about her beyond the boundaries of their similar powers. Maybe he's found something else to focus on for the first time."
Professor Charles raised an eyebrow and stares quizzically at her. "And how would you explain that one, Aurora?"
Aurora motioned the professor to look out the window, compelling Hank and Logan to follow. When they asked what they were supposed to be looking at, Aurora pointed towards the small stone bench near the gardens and also watched what was taking place between Rogue and Derek. The professor sat rather dumbfounded as he turned his wheelchair back to the desk when a knock came to the door.
"Come in, Jean." The professor called as he rubbed his eyebrows.
Jean entered the office along with a man in a brown short-sleeved shirt and short pants, carrying a clipboard and a digital signature scanner used by many courier services.
"Two trucks are parked outside the mansion and wanted Derek to sign these. I think they all belong to him." Jean explained.
The professor's eyes followed through the column of items printed on the sheet of paper that the trucks were carrying as his eyes slowly widened. Electronic appliances, clothes, personal effects and other things; most of them were more than enough to occupy half of the foyer.
"And who sent these?" The professor asked, unable to take his eyes off the clipboard.
"Derek's mother. He must have told her that he's gonna be staying here and asked to have his belongings delivered."
"Um, sir," The young courier cuts in. "Is Mr. Vane anywhere here?"
Aurora pointed to Jean where Derek was as she looked through the window.
"You'll find Derek Vane in the gardens." The professor sighed as he handed the clipboard back to the young courier and left the office followed shortly by Jean with a smile in her lips. He brought his attention to his staff and rubbed his left temple with his thumb in a circular motion.
"I guess Vaine is here to stay." He said, shaking his head slowly and chuckled.
The End
Author's Notes:
There you have it. After only a week of hard work and reediting I've finished the story. hehehehehe I guess I'm kinda losing my touch when I can't seem to find time to work on some of my own original works (you'll see them at but it's good to break away from the cycle once in a while to get back some of the creative juices I've doled out.
I'd like to thank everyone who took their time to review my work. They may not be as impressively many, which I've seen a lot of reviews nearly by the hundreds, but it's more than enough to fuel my desire, as seen by the number of hits the story has received. Special thanks to Synisterfate, Nettlez, emma134, Prophecy and Mourneblade1179 for taking their time to post their reviews. I gues the next story is as good as the first one as long as there's love left in me with the X-Men.
Thank you all, and to all a good night!
PREVIEW OF THE NEXT X-Men: EVOLUTION, The VAINE SAGA
The Bond That Ties
Chapter 01
CarnivalThe large mound of freshly-dug earth mixed with a bit of brown clay was piled on one area of the gardens that almost resembled an oversized molehill, as a young man with long auburn hair buried his shovel near the top and scoops off a portion. He brought the shovel over a plot at one side of the terra-cotta pathway and scatters the dirt sparingly on it. The pathway stretches almost fifty yards that leads to the patio near the cliff, while the other side of the path has been dug out and still empty. Since nine in the morning the sun continues to warp his vision with heat waves that rises from the ground. His lightly tanned skin was drenched with beads of sweat that rolls off his back as he wipes his sweltering face with a hand towel. This has been his routine, thinking that working in the gardens for three hours a day starting at eight would inspire him for the day before leaving for work. It was too hot to put on the upper half of his coveralls that he slips out the top part and tied the sleeves around his waist, revealing much of his slim, well-toned body. A slight breeze passes through the gardens, which made the young man shiver as the coolness spreads all over his entire back. Looking up to the sky with his hands spread across his eyebrows he could almost see the blinding sun so high that he could have sworn it was already noon.
Derek Vane or Vaine, has insisted others to spell his name only with an 'I' added, has passed his third month in the Institute as a student as well as being the first mutant celebrity, adored by almost all of the female students. It was tough in some accounts as he undergoes his training much like Rogue would have since they both almost share the same static powers. Every evening a volunteer mutant would teach him how to use the powers he absorbs from, but most of his time was devoted in self-defense training and combat skills. Though he learned martial arts as part of his exercise routine when he used to be a male model, he learns quickly that what he knows about self defense could never compare the kind of training he would truly need once he faces someone like Bullseye. Professor Xavier begins to understand the limits of Vaine's power of absorption, where Vaine could use the powers that can be fired at or released instead of those that only remain in the body. An example of powers that Vaine could never absorb quickly like Blob's power of using physics to strengthen him or Quicksilver's speed were only a few. Perhaps it would also explain why Vaine is immune to Rogue's own power of absorption, probably because Vaine has no other innate offensive or defensive powers to begin with. The second part of his training would involve how to handle the power he absorbs all the mutant powers simultaneously and avoiding the danger of what the professor calls 'overload'.
Rogue and Scott arrived at the terra-cotta path and each carrying a box of irises and placed them near the flowerbed. Surprisingly they were not as tanned like Vaine would have ever since their probation has ended a month ago but they still help out Vaine on the garden work. The two watched Vaine as he scatters more dirt on the last foot of the flowerbed and packs it in with a spading fork, breaking large clumps of dirt into smaller ones.
"You know, Derek," Scott huffs as the glare from the sun reflected off his ruby quartz shades, "I expected you to be something more like a slave driver, but you obviously done almost all the work by yourself for the last three months."
Vaine chuckles a bit as he turned his head towards Scott.
"I guess I'm just being possessive or something. It may not be exactly my garden but I'm kinda have my pride going if I work alone."
"Knowing that, you could give Storm a run for her money when it comes to plants. Have you ever thought of being a botanist rather than a model?" Scott asked.
"Are you kidding? Me, a botanist with good looks and a perfect bone structure?" Derek laughs and shook his head.
Scott laughed as well that he allowed the remark to slide and thinking that it has been part of Derek's attitude that Scott has grown used to it.
"Where do you get it from? I mean I've never seen anyone work this hard on the soil if you can afford hiring gardeners." Rogue asked as she sat next to Vaine.
Vaine sat on his knees and placed his hands on his hips like a tired old farmer.
"Well, my mom was born in Idaho and she and her older brothers grew up in the farm."
"She's the youngest, then?" Scott asked.
Derek continued as he looks towards the distance. "Yeah. While most of my uncles are working the field, mom devoted much of her time with flowers and worked in a local flower shop in a town about twenty miles from the farm by the time she entered high school. Then four years later, mom eloped with my dad and moved to Queens."
"I never get to hear about your father." Rogue said.
Vaine fell silent as his eyes slowly furrowed and lowered his head. Rogue felt that she must have touched a delicate piece of his past that he never wanted to remember.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be nosy. You don't have to answer that, you know?" Rogue said as she removed her gloves and held his left arm, feeling the wetness and warmth of his skin.
"It's not your fault, Rogue." Derek smiles a bit and patted her hand. "I never knew him that much, really, and mom never talked about him. The only thing that mom tells me is that he's a painter and has a thing for rural landscapes. The painting in my room happens to be one of my father's works." Rogue and Scott nodded and remembered seeing the painting often: a portrait of a vast field of golden grain with trees and the setting sun in the backdrop and a single rose lying in front. "Times were tough back then, living in an apartment about as big as Scott's room, but at least we get the first dibs at the roof; a crappy penthouse with a garden of Eden." Derek chuckled as Rogue and Scott smiled a bit. "He disappeared by the time I was about four, though, and it made mom cry a lot that…"
The gloom slowly returns to Derek as he felt silent, but his appearance was like the one that loves to reminisce, whether it was good or bad. A tear begins to fall off Rogue's eyes as she slowly feels the emotions coming through her hand over Derek's shoulders. Scott saw this and felt like leaving Rogue and Derek for now, thinking that it would be the best for them to comfort each other without his presence.
"I could use a break." Vaine breathes as he faces the two and beams at them.
"About time too." Rogue smiled as she hands a large water canteen to Drake. He twists the cap off and tipped the spout over his mouth, drinking in large gulps before splashing some of the cold water over his head and face.
"By the way," Vaine said as he laid the canteen near his lap, "I need to ask the professor to skip training for tonight. I have to get some work done back in the studio and probably won't be back until tomorrow."
"You just missed him, though." Scott said as he pointed his left thumb back at the mansion. "The professor left early this morning with Storm to attend a senate hearing in Washington DC and I don't think he'll be back until next Monday. You could probably ask Mr. McCoy or Logan and I'm sure they'll let you have the day off."
Vaine curled his lips and bobs his head up and down in an approving manner when the three were startled by a popping sound from behind followed by an electronic ringing. Kurt Wagner appeared with a cellphone ringing in his hand and handed it over to Vaine.
"Thanks, Kurt." Vaine smiles as he pressed the 'connect' button on the keypad and said hello.
"It seems that he's taking his gardening quite seriously." Kurt said as he looks around, marveling at the improvement Vaine has done to the gardens.
"It sure is." Scott sighed as he also scans the area.
"…Okay, I'll see you later then." Vaine ended the conversation and pressed the 'disconnect' button of his cellphone, his face turns into a serious look. "That was my mom, asking me if I would come home for this evening. But there's still one more problem that I need to take care of that'll probably take me two weeks at the most."
Scott and Kurt raised their eyebrows at the span of time that Vaine will be away from the mansion. Rogue, however, could only feel the chill running down her back and felt her heart sinking, unable to utter a word.
"So where are you going, then?" Kurt asked as he knelt in front of Vaine.
"Rio de Janeiro. Just in time for the Carnival where me and a few other designers will put up our summer fashion show." Vaine explained.
A distant gaze begins to fall upon Scott and Kurt as they imagine Rio de Janeiro in the summer; open beaches; the music; party places; they somehow felt envious for Vaine. Snickering to himself, Vaine watched the two slipping into their dream world when his sights caught Rogue's dejection showering over her face. For the last three months only a very few people in the institute knew of their relationship, though it was Rogue's decision to keep it a secret despite of Vaine's protestations and accepted her judgement. During the evenings they would stay outdoors for hours looking at the stars, talking about things that would appear trivial. Things take in a lighter step during the day as they appear more like friends in the eyes of others rather than lovers.
"That seems a long time to be away." Rogue muttered that only Vaine could hear.
Vaine knew who would be hurt the most during his absence as he looks at his cellphone. Though the chances would be something of an even fifty percent, he flips open the keypad cover and pressed the speed dial to his studio.
"Marcy." Vaine called. "Yeah, it's Derek… Yeah… Uh-huh… Yeah, mom told me about it… okay… Alice already booked me a flight? Okay…"
Vaine shifts his sights towards the back entrance when he felt a surge of telepathic power in his mind, realizing that Jean happens to be nearby. In an instant he probed the minds of all the remaining students, checking if the have any plans for the summer.
"That's good." Vaine continued after a few seconds. "Tell Alice to add another nine tickets in that one flight. Is that possible? Good. I'll send a list of names for the tickets and put it in my account. See you later."
It was those words that brought Scott and Kurt back in their senses as they shifted their gaze at Vaine. Even Rogue was staring at him with a quizzical look.
"I hope you're all fast in packing your bags." Vaine flashed them with his signature grin. "For tomorrow, we're all going WAY south of the border."