Wow two chapters posted at the same time… I'm good
Deadly Nightshade
Chapter 6 - Hades' Vine
"Nightshade's gonna take half of ya ta go berry huntin' and such and I'm takin' tha rest of ya ta go fishin'."
"And if I hear one crack about 'women's work' from anyone you'll think the devil has a side job as the Easter Bunny."
With that warning everyone remained completely silent and waited for the group to be divided, except for Scott.
"But why are you making us collect our own dinner? What about all the food we brought with us?"
"First rule of survival, always ration any food you have. If you can forage in your surroundings then do it, 'cause you might not be that lucky once you move out of that area."
"But how are we supposed to go fishing without any fishing poles?"
"It's easy Scott. You make them."
As soon as Nightshade finished speaking, Logan jumped in stopping any further questions or complaints.
"Jaime, yer with Rahne since Hank and Storm won't be comin' with us. Tabitha yer with Toad until yer partners get back."
"Rogue, Gambit, Bobby, Ray, Jubilee, Amara, Sam, Roberto, Toad and Tabitha, you're with me. The rest of you are going fishing with Logan."
"NO!"
At Pyro's exclamation everyone whipped around to see him looking around wildly as if planning an escape.
"Whatever is the matter, child?"
"De boy's a pyro Stormy."
"What's that, like, got to do with anything?"
"He lahkes fahre, Kitty. Water puts out fahre, so he doesn' lahke it."
"Oh."
"Fine, Pyro and Colossus, yer goin' with Nightshade, Icepick, you and yer partner are comin' with me."
"The name's Iceman, not Icepick or Iceboy."
Going over to the irate boy, Jubilee put a consoling hand on his shoulder saying, "Let it go, Bobby. Just let it go."
"My group grab the small bags that were with your things and let's get moving."
Once everyone had the small bags, Nightshade led them down another path and away from camp.
They had only been walking for a few minutes with Nightshade pointing out various medicinal and poisonous plants to them when Amara piped up.
"What about that tree over there Nightshade?"
Turning to see where the girl was putting, Nightshade swore.
Before them stood a large tree that looked as if it had been there for hundreds of years. It's flowers were a deep blue in the centre which lightened as it moved out towards the edges of the petals. The leaves were a dark, glossy green with various vines of a lighter green woven around the trunk and branches of the tree. From the flowers came a sweet but pungent smell.
"Everyone get as far away from that tree as you can. Now!"
Looking at her with startled expressions on their faces the group did as she ordered.
"But why? What's wrong with the tree, it looks so beautiful?"
"That's how it reels you in, with its beauty and the sweet smell of its flowers. That tree is dan- Rogue, stop!"
Rogue who had been the closest of the group had begun steadily walking towards the tree, as if in a trance. When she got within a few feet the vines snacked out and began wrapping themselves up her leg.
Before anyone else could move, Gambit dashed in holding his breath. Scooping the girl up he ripped the vines away from her body before carrying her over to where the others were now standing.
Rushing to the girl Nightshade checked her leg for any signs that the tree had injected her with a paralysing chemical but her clothes had prevented that.
"Is she ok?"
"She's fine Tabitha. Her mutation saved her thank to all the clothes she has to wear."
Reaching up she gently patted Rogue's face to wake her up.
"Rogue? Come on, time to wake up."
Looking at the other girl dazedly Rogue put a gloved hand to her head and asked, "What happened?"
"You got too close to the tree."
"What is thaht tree anyway?"
"It's called Hades' Vine. Hank would know more about it but basically its flowers release a perfume which puts anyone who gets too close into a trance-like state, drawing them near enough so that it can capture them in its vines. The vines inject the trees prisoner with some kind of paralysing chemical which lets the tree it at its leisure."
A collective 'eww' was heard by all those present except for Nightshade and the still dazed Rogue.
Looking up at the tall mutant holding Rogue, Nightshade forced down a smile at the expression on his face. Even though his eyes were covered by a pair of sunglasses as were her own she knew the thief was coming to care for the goth girl; more than he was willing to admit, even to himself.
"Gambit, carry her back to camp and make her lie down. Don't let her walk just in case any of the toxin got into her system. Ask Ororo to get you a chocolate bar and some juice to give her, she'll need the sugar boost."
Nodding, the Cajun thief turned with the oddly complacent Rogue in his arms and headed back the way they had come.
"Since it's so bad, does that mean I can fry the bugger."
"No! I don't know what will kill it, I'll have to ask Hank when we get back but I do know that it can't be burnt. If it is, it releases another toxin into the air. I don't know what it does but I can tell you it's dangerous. Let's finish up gathering our half of dinner and get back to camp. I don't like the implications of this tree being here."
With one last look at the deadly tree the group followed Nightshade.
Back at camp Gambit arrived carrying Rogue and startling Storm from her meditation.
Looking up she saw Gambit enter the campsite with a strangely docile Rogue in his arms.
"What has happened to her?"
"Some tree called Hades' Vine got de petit. Nightshade said t' bring 'er back 'ere and give 'er a chocolate bar an' some juice."
"Alright, take her into your tent and get her to lie down. I'll bring the stuff to you."
Nodding, Gambit went over to the tent he shared with the goth. Going inside he lay her down on her sleeping bag. Worry clouded his features as he looked at the girl who had captured his attention so completely. Sometime on the way back to camp she had fallen asleep and he hoped that didn't mean the toxin had gotten into her system.
A knock on the tent flap disturbed him from his thoughts. Turning he saw Storm poke her head inside. Silently she handed him the chocolate and juice before returning to her meditation, obviously trusting the Acolyte to take care of the young girl.
Reaching down he gently shook the girl's covered shoulder saying quietly, "Come on chere. Time t' wake up so y' can have some o' de choclate and juice Gambit got 'ere."
Moaning low in her throat, Rogue opened her eyes and looked up at the Cajun charmer.
"'ere petit, Nightshade said y' should 'ave some o' dis."
Opening the chocolate for her he handed it to her and then opened the juice. When she had eaten half the chocolate she passed it back to him and accepted the juice. Drinking some of it she passed it back before laying back down and going to sleep again.
Placing the candy and juice within reach for when she woke up, Gambit lay down on his sleeping bag and watched Rogue sleep.
Outside, Jean, Pietro and Hank had returned. While Hank looked as calm as ever, Jean and Pietro were both covered in dirt and sweat.
"Why-did-we-have-to-get-the-dirty job? Wouldn't-Gambit-or-one-of-his-friends-have-been-better?"
"There's no use in complaining Pietro. You can't go back and change the past, besides you and Jean needed a little shake-up. Everyone is going to be doing something on this camp they won't like."
Looking towards the sound of the voice Pietro did something very childish. He poked his tongue out and blew a raspberry at Nightshade.
"Charming. Hank, what do you know about Hades' Vine?"
Looking up as the small girl sat next to him, the large blue mutant pondered the rather odd question.
"Its flowers release a smell which pu-"
"I know all that Hank, but what about where it grows, how many there are and how to kill them?"
"Well the only places it's known to grow is here, and near volcanoes. As for how many there are, there aren't any. Scientists believe that it became extinct during the Ice Age, this is because it cannot with stand freezing temperatures even should it lay dormant."
"I was hoping you weren't going to say that."
"Why are you asking about it Nightshade?"
"Because my group and I found one. Rogue got up close and personal with it. I'm beginning to think maybe it was planted there on purpose because of the prophecy. Someone is trying to stop us from succeeding."
By now the two were talking in almost silent whispers meaning that no one could hear them.
"But how could they know Ro-"
"They couldn't, it was probably just a fluke that she was the one it got."
"Where is she now?"
"Gambit brought her back, so I'm guessing he took her into their tent."
"Perhaps you should tell the students what is really going on Nightshade."
"I can't Hank. It's too soon. They will all find out when the time is right."
Just then Logan spoke up, having just returned with his group.
"What's that smell?"
Jean, thinking he was referring to her, got up and stomped over to her tent.
Looking towards his camping partner Logan raised a querying eyebrow.
Shrugging Nightshade said, "She's feeling a little sensitive right now. As for what you can smell, it could be any one of a hundred things."
Standing up Nightshade looked at the fish Logan's group had caught. There was enough there to do them for dinner that night and breakfast the next morning.
"You know the rules Logan. You catch it you fillet it. My group over here, we'll make a start on the food we gathered and when Logan gets back you're all going to learn how to cook the fish on an open fire."
"What about Rogue and Gambit, Nightshade?"
"We'll leave them where they are for now. I want to make certain that there is absolutely no toxins in Rogue's system."
At the mention of Rogue's name and the word toxin Logan looked back at Nightshade.
"What's this about Stripes and a toxin in her system?"
"She just had a little run in with Hades' Vine Logan. Her clothing protected her for the most part but I'm just making sure. After dinner, you, Bobby and I will go and deal with it."
"But all Bobby can do is freeze things. What can he do to get rid of it?"
This question was heard from all the students present as none had heard Hank and Nightshade's whispered conversation.
"That's exactly why. From what Beast has told me, the only way to kill the tree is to freeze it."
Still grumbling that they'd miss out on something interesting, Logan's group followed him to help fillet the fish and Nightshade's group gathered around her to help prepare the food they had collected.
After dinner that night Nightshade took Logan and Bobby with her to destroy the tree.
After a short walk they arrived at the spot.
"Bobby I need you to completely freeze that tree. But you can't go any closer than we are now, ok?"
Nodding, the teen took a deep breath and began freezing the tree. One thing they hadn't counted on was the trees reaction. As Bobby froze it, the tree let out what can only be called a long, piercing wail.
The wail sent Logan to his knees with his hands over his ears. Swearing colourfully, Nightshade rushed over and wrapped her arms around his head tightly, his other ear pressing into her stomach. Hunching over him she whispered quietly.
Looking over at the two Bobby saw something like a shield shine around the two, obviously designed to block out the noise to some extent.
Within minutes of the tree finally dying the wailing cut off. Anyone who looked at the tree would have thought it had been burnt instead of frozen as it was now a blackened stump.
Turning to face Nightshade, who had moved away from Logan, Bobby shouted, "Why didn't you tell us it was going to do that!"
"I didn't know Bobby. Do you think I would have brought someone with hyper-sensitive hearing if I had known!"
Hanging his head in shame at his outburst Bobby scuffed a foot in the dirt.
"Yer not ta repeat anything' ya saw here ta anyone even if it means yer life. Got it Icepick?"
For once Bobby didn't bother correcting Logan about his name, he simply nodded his head, knowing instinctively that it was what Nightshade had done that he wasn't allowed to talk about.
"Bobby, go back to camp we'll follow in a minute."
Nodding his head again Bobby headed back to camp wondering why they were keeping Nightshade's other abilities a secret.
"I'm sorry Logan, I didn't realize what the tree would do."
"What are ya apologizin' fer darlin'. I'm the one who should be sayin' sorry, because of me ya had ta show the kid some of yer other talents."
"It has to come out sometime anyway. So what if it's a little sooner than we planned."
Moving closer to Logan she reached up a hand and laid it against the side of his face.
"Are you alright though?"
"Yeah. My ears are still ringin' a little but that's it."
Reaching up Nightshade placed a soft kiss on his lips.
Groaning Logan looked down into the sunglasses she wore even though it was night and said, "We can't do this."
Pulling away abruptly Nightshade asked in an irritated voice, "Why not?"
"Because yer too young."
"Damn it Logan, my appearance hasn't changed a single bit since we last saw each other ten years ago. Doesn't that say something to you?"
Turning sharply on her heel, Nightshade marched down the path Bobby had taken minutes before.
Growling dangerously at her retreating back Logan stalked after her.
A/N: I'm gonna end it here 'coz otherwise this chapter will never end and that would just get irritatin'
The next chapter will be up soon and it will pick up from where these two get back to the campsite
If I'm really good it might even go up today
You know I just realized how much better these chapters are than the original outlines were and my muse was actually here for these ones
He has his uses after all
I'll finish this up before he drops in again so please review tell me what ya think
Buh-bye
p.s. I re-posted chapters 1, 2 and three cause I was reading back over them and realized I had said Nightshade looked seventeen as opposed to eighteen, don' know why I did that but I've changed it now and I've filled in a few plot holes the filler raises more questions but what can ya do?