Disclaimer- I do not own the x-men.
Author's note- this story is AU, without powers. It revolves around dance. 'Naach' is the Hindi word for dance.
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NAACH
Life is a dance
Anna-Marie Darkholme danced. She ate dance, drank danced, slept danced, breathed dance and lived dance. All she had ever done was danced. Even then, in spite of all the dances she had danced, performed, all the competitions she had participated in, she didn't understand the true meaning of Dance. Hadn't understood it till He came into her life. Remy Lebeau. Her partner. In dance and in every other part of her life.
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19 years ago
Raven Darkholme stood over the tiny crib, looking at the baby girl inside. Anna-Marie. The daughter that she had adopted just a week ago. Her best friend Irene stood besides her. It had all been Irene's idea. To adopt a baby girl who could follow in her footsteps. That way she could raise the girl to be exactly what she wanted her to be. She was hers to make and break. Her dream, her hope, her salvation, her destiny.
This baby girl, though she did not know it yet, was destined to dance her life away.
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16 years ago
" Come on Anna, honey, we have to go."
"Mama, where are we going?"
"I'm taking you to a dance class, honey, would you like to learn how to dance, little rogue?
" Oh! Yes, Mama. How exciting!" She replied, looking up at her mother with her big eyes filled with excitement. She ran ahead to open the door. She was looking forward to dance.
Raven Darkholme walked patiently behind her daughter. She watched her skip about impatiently with a satisfied smile on her face. She had taken her first step in the right direction.
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14 years ago
"Anna. Hand straight!"
"Ah'm trying mama."
"You are not trying hard enough Anna-Marie. Do you want to win the dance contest at your dance class or not?"
"Um… Um… it doesn't matter to me mama, Ah just wanna dance."
Raven strode to her daughter, took her by the shoulders and shook her, "Listen Anna-Marie Darkholme! Whenever you dance, remember that you dance to win. You have to win. That is how you show everyone that you are better than they are. Understand that? Never let me hear you say such a thing again. Got it?"
"Yes Mama"
"Good. Now get back to practice and keep you hands straight!"
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13 years ago
"Mama mah dance teacher said, she said that Ah can dance with a partner now. Isn't it exciting?"
"Yes my little rogue, it is very exciting. And who is to be the lucky man who gets to dance with you?"
"Oh, Mama, its Cody. We are gonna dance together every day now!"
" That is really nice Anna. You know what this means? It means that you two can participate in the couples' competition now. Why don't you tell young master Cody to home with you tomorrow? We can start practice then. Okay?"
"Yes Mama"
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10 years ago
Raven Darkholme saw standing next to a showcase full of trophies and medals that her little rogue Anna had won. Raven was content. Her dream was being fulfilled. She had the proof in front of her eyes. There was still some time for it to be complete but she would not let anything come between her dream.
At that moment , Anna-Marie walked into to room. Due to her years of early dance training, she was very graceful. Her posture was erect. Her head held high. Pride was showing in her every step, every gesture. She was a beautiful child.
" Mama, Lisa from mah grade is having a birthday party tomorrow night. Can Ah go Mama? Can Ah?"
"Have you practiced the twirling step that your dance teacher taught you yesterday?"
"Yes, Mama"
"Well show it to me."
Anna performed the step. It was really beautifully done. But Raven didn't seem to think so. She was not satisfied.
"Anna, your legs were a little too wide apart, and your position was slightly tilted. You can't go to the party till you have perfected that step, honey."
" But, Mama…"
" Don't you 'but' me young lady! If you can't dance then you are just like all the other kids. But you don't want to be like them do you? Good. Then you have to practice to prove that. Correct? Alright. Now show me what you learnt today."
"yes, Mama"
And she put on the music and danced.
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9 years ago
"Kurt, come down you sleepy head. Don't you wanna see what we got for Christmas? KURT!"
Anna could hardly contain her excitement. After a long time, her brother Kurt was celebrating Christmas with them. He had been away at a German boarding school the last few years. They had finally convinced him to come back for Christmas. Anna thought he talked funny though, since he now spoke with a slight German accent.
"I am coming little Rogue. Hold on for a minute."
After Kurt finally came down, rubbing sleep out of his eyes, Anna opened her first gift. It was a pair of dance shoes. She was a little disappointed. All she ever got was dance stuff. While they were occupied in opening gifts, Raven had come down to watch her children.
"Anna won't you show Kurt how beautifully you dance? You can try on your dance shoes."
"Yes Mama"
And she wore her shoes and danced.
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5 years ago
"Mama, you won't believe what just happened!"
"What Anna?"
"Cody just asked meh out on a date for this Friday. Oh! Mama isn't that wonderful? Its just a few days away! What am Ah going to wear? Oh god, Ah'm so nervous!"
"But my Rogue girl, don't you have a concert on Sunday? You and Cody need to practice sugar."
"But…Mama… The date…?"
"Listen Rogue, May be you and Cody should have a dance date. How about that? You could be alone at the studio, and have your date there and still get some practice done. What do you think?"
"Yes Mama."
And that Friday they had their date. They went to the studio and they danced.
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3 years ago
"Mama, I have to do a performance at the community theatre next Friday."
"Rogue, that is wonderful news. What do you plan to do? Have you talked with your dance teacher yet? Is Cody going to be your partner? May be you can invite some of your friends to watch you dance. Oh wouldn't they be jealous when they see how beautifully my rogue performs!"
"Mama!" Anna replied in an angry voice," no one will come to see me at the theatre because I have no friends! All I every do is dance…Dance…DANCE! I have no other life. No time for anything else. No one wants to do anything with me. It is as if I was untouchable or something. I'm tired of this Mama."
" Well, Kurt and I will come and watch you, Anna. Forget about friends. You don't need them anyway. Right now you have to concentrate on your dance. You have the rest of your life left to make friends. Now about this performance. Is Cody doing it with you?"
"Yes Mama"
That Friday they performed at the community theatre. And though she felt like crying, she danced.
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1 year ago
"Mama Cody is going away to Collage on a scholarship. Can I go to the same collage he goes to?"
" Rogue, honey, I think you should stop seeing Cody once he goes to collage."
"But Mama, He is my boyfriend!"
" Honey, he is your dance partner too. He is not as involved in dance as you are. He is just going to make you loose focus, Rogue. You don't want anything to distract you from your goal do you?"
"I can't leave Cody, I can't forget him. I love him, Mama."
"Nonsense, Rogue, you shouldn't love anything more than your dance. How can you think of giving up everything for a boy? After all I have done for you, all the sacrifices I have made, for your goals, just so you could dance. How could you even think it?"
"But Mama, I graduate this summer. I have to go to collage some place. So why not Cody's collage?"
"Because, I've found the perfect collage for you. It's in Bayville, New York. It's a really prestigious collage. Xavier's school for fine arts. They have special personal tutors for every kind of fine arts. They have one of the best dance teachers in this country. I've already sent in your application. We should find out in a few days. Aren't you happy Anna-Marie?"
"Yes, Mama"
In few days they found out that she had been accepted at the Xavier's school. She was to go to New York to dance.
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Few months ago
Anna-Marie Darkholme, Rogue to her friends and family, stood at the huge doors of the Xavier's school for the fine arts. About to start a new phase in her life. For the first time she was going to be away from her mother and her small town of Caldecott County. And she was dancing with excitement. No matter how badly she wanted to go to collage with Cody, this was still a new opportunity away from everything she had know. She wouldn't have missed it for anything.
Raven Darkholme stood besides her adopted daughter. Her plan had gone perfectly till now. In fact being accepted in Xavier's school was an added bonus. Rogue was going to be able to do what she, Raven Darkholme had never been able to do. And she couldn't wait.
As the massive gates of the school opened, both mother and daughter looked forward to the coming time with anticipation.
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