Disclaimer: I do not own any of the X-Men/Marvel/WB characters, some of these lines are not even mine but taken or paraphrased from various cartoons and comics I've read. What can I say, but I suck with dialogue. Just have some story in my head that won't go away so I'm writing it down. I don't get any money for this, only a mild break in boredom.
St. John is not, by any means, a typical Australian or even a representative of Australians, so please do not journey to Australia expecting to find a whole bunch of trouble-making people to play with matches with. Especially in the forests there 'cause if you burnt those down I would have to hunt you down and beat you with a stick (just kidding but I would be enraged beyond words).
thoughts
NINE TO FIVE: Chapter Eight - Dreams, Toads and Teletubies
Rogue lazily looked at the clock from her position behind the counter: 3:33. It's only 3:33. Yesterday this place was streaming with customers 'til 6 o' so. Damn lull. Somebody betteh come in soon or Ah'll feel required ta start on mah homework, and then Ah will not be a happy camper. Rogue put her elbow on the counter and laid her head in her hand. Somebody, anybody, please come in an' give meh somethin' ta do, she thought again, but this time she was hoping for someone in particular, though she would never admit it.
Several minutes passed; no one came through the door. Rogue continued to stare intently at the door. Rogue felt her eyelids drooping from tired boredom and fought to stay awake. Then she thought she heard the familiar jingle of the bells above the door and looked up, feeling wide awake.
"Hello, chere," Remy greeted her as he strolled in. "Whatcha be doin' cooped up dere behind dat counter? A beautiful fille like you should be out here livin'."
"Ah can't just leave, Remy," Rogue answered. "Ah gotta work."
"Well, you can at least grant me de pleasure of one dance." Remy held out his hand for her to take. It was only then that Rogue noticed that his dress was a little formal and out of date.
"Ya just play some extra in a Gone with the Wind sequel o' somethin', swamp rat?"
A teasing grin appeared on Remy's face. "Like you should talk," he said and pointed to Rogues own outfit. She looked down. Gone were her black gothic clothes. They were replaced with several petticoats, a corset, and a very heavy formal gown that looked suspiciously similar to a dress Scarlet O'hera wore in the movie except the colors were deep and matched Rogue's gothic style. Even her black biker gloves had morphed into long, formal jet black gloves to match.
"What...?!?" Rogue started but she was stopped by a white gloved finger to her lips.
"Sshhh. Don' talk, just dance," the Cajun told her and took her right hand in his left and put his other hand around her waist. They began to waltz around the room. Rogue found herself lost in the movement and then in his mesmerizing red on black eyes.
"A girl could get used to this," she said. Remy only smiled. He then spun Rogue around but their hands lost contact, and Rogue found herself at the top of a stairway looking down at Remy in front of an open door.
"Where do ya think you're goin', swamp rat?" Rogue asked, a little unsure of herself.
"I'm leavin'," was his reply.
"But ah don't understand," Rogue pleaded. "Why are ya leavin' so soon?"
"I can' be wit' you, not really. Dere will always be a distance between us. You were right, platonic relationships don' work out; I was a fool ta try. You won't let nobody in. So I'm leavin'."
"But, no, don' go, Remy please," Rogue was halfway down the stairs. "Ah'm sorry, don' leave me here alone, please! What will ah do here all alone, without ya?"
Remy sighed. "Frankly, mon chere, I don' give a damn," he lied and shut the door.
With the slam of the door Rogue felt the room grow cold and ice over. "How dare he lead meh on like that an' then leave meh?!" She heard her voice echo throughout the ice cavern she created. The echo made her realize how alone she really was. She crossed her arms and tried to rub them warm. "For all those petticoats ah'm wearin' it sure is cold," Rogue's voice echoed again. The silence was getting to her. "Remy!" she called. Mist was filling the cavern. "Remy are ya there?" she called again. Silence followed. "Come back please!" This time Rogue heard a muffled call from somewhere to her left.
"Remy?!" she called again and ran toward the source of the sound. Rogue came upon a clearing in the mist, but Remy was not there. Three waist-high penguins stood there, looking expectantly at her.
"What?!" she asked irately.
The first penguin then spoke, "Open."
Rogue's jaw dropped and her glaze journeyed to the second penguin who said, "Love."
"Slide," was the third penguin's one word response. Then all three penguins waddled over to a hole in the wall and one by one slid down the ice slide.
Rogue looked around. No more penguins, no more nothing. "What the hell," she shrugged and followed the penguins down the slide head first.
Ahead of her she saw a sand pit, and at the last minute she put her arms out so she wouldn't get a mouthful of sand. Then all of a sudden, Rogue wasn't Rogue anymore. She was someone else watching a younger version of herself.
"Come on, Mama," she saw her five-year-old self get up and run from the slide toward the swing set in Irene's backyard. "Push me!" the girl with the auburn and white pigtails ordered.
"My, oh, my, Irene," Rogue said, but it wasn't Rogue's voice nor her body because she was over on the swing kicking her short legs, desperately trying to get some momentum going. "Did we raise a spoiled little girl with no manners?" She looked over to the blind brunette sitting underneath a shady oak tree.
After taking another sip of her ice tea, Irene replied, "Now, I don't think so. We may have raised a Rogue child, but last time I checked she knew her please and thank yous."
The child in the swing finally understood what her parents were getting at, "Mama, will ya PLEASE push me in the swing? Real high too?" The striped girl flashed an innocent smile.
"All right," the woman kiddy-Rogue addressed as Mama answered and walked behind the swing and began pushing. All of a sudden Rogue was no longer in "Mama's" body but in her own and really enjoying the breeze created by the swinging which cooled her down some from the Mississippi sun. Almost like flyin', she thought.
The Rogue-child heard Irene and "Mama" talking to each other. They sounded sad. She didn't understand why, it was a beautiful day, they just had ice cream, and were now playing outside. Rogue again felt herself leave the Rogue-child's perspective and enter back in "Mama's."
"Don't you think I know that, Irene?!" "Mama" shot at the precog. "It's just, I've already lost my son, I don't want to be forced out of her life too! Isn't there any other way...?"
"No, I'm sorry Raven. It is best that you leave. He is searching for you and her," Irene replied. "Mama" started crying and the two embraced. "You will reenter her life someday. Just keep holding onto that."
"MAMA!!" the Rogue-child cried as her swing had almost come to a holt.
"I'm sorry," "Mama" walked back over to the pigtailed girl and looked her straight in the eyes. "It's just that I have to leave soon for a really long time and I'm going to miss you and Irene very much."
The Rogue-child didn't understand what "Mama" was saying, "When will ya be back?" The Rogue-child's eyes lit up for a second. "Will ya send meh a postcard?!! Ah love ta get mail!!!"
Rogue could feel the smile beneath the tears on "Mama's" face. "No, child," she said. "I'm going somewhere where I can't write you and I don't know when I'll be back."
"Why not? Haven't ya bought ya return bus ticket yet? Ah was scared the first time ah did too, but there was nothin' ta be scared of..." the innocence of the Rogue-child was killing her.
"No, you don't understand, I can't come back," she snapped at the kid.
The Rogue-child started to cry at her "Mama's" harsh tone, and "Mama" embraced her for the last time. "Bye, my darling, Rogue." "Mama" picked the Rogue-child up and handed her to Irene. She turned her back on the child and walked away.
"NNOOOO, MAMA!!! DON'T GO!!!" the Rogue-child cried.
The sound of jingling bells woke Rogue up from her slumber. Her eyes flew open. Rogue happened to glance at her hand and thru the open back of her biker glove she could of sworn that her hand was blue instead of its usual pasty white. She blinked again and pulled off her glove. Her hand looked normal now. She shrugged and looked over the the clock: 3:42. Nine minutes, huh. Gawd was that weird. That's the last time ah ever eat Kitty's cooking and watch Fight Club. No, there's no sense in punishing Fight Club. I just won't eat anything Kitty makes anymore. Rogue prepared herself to help a customer and didn't notice the three ice penguin sculptures melting by the cash register nor the think layer of ice melting on the floor or the wall behind her.
She looked up at the customer coming in. He was wearing a black T-shirt with "Front End Loader" written white lettering on the front, jeans and a denim jacket. His strawberry blond hair was spiked randomly over his head, and he held a white envelope in his hand.
"Can Ah help ya, fireboy?" Rogue asked St. John.
"Yep, you can read this," he said as he tossed the envelope on the counter. "And it's Pyro to my enemies, but you can call me John." The flame-lover winked at her.
Rogue saw the flirtation and was less than amused. "Ya got somethin' in your eye, 'John'?" she asked. "'cause if it happens again my fist will be glad ta get it out for ya."
"No, I don't think that will be necessary," he responded. There was silence between the two of them for several seconds. "Are you gonna open the letter or do I have to stand here all night?"
Rogue cast a suspicious glance at the envelope sitting on the counter. "What is it? It isn't gonna blow up on meh, is it?"
"What is it with me and paranoid women lately?!" John exclaimed, causing Rogue to raise an eyebrow at him. "No, it's not booby trapped, there is no homing beacon on it, Magneto is not trying to trap you, aliens will not be dropping in from the sky, and Mulder and Scully will not be interviewing you."
"Okay," Rogue said as she dismissed the previous comment and grabbed the letter off the counter. Her name was inscribed on the front in simple black script. "Who's it from?" was the next question she asked.
"It's from Remy," John started as Rogue opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. "He want to confess his undying love for you and how he wants you to run away with him to Vegas."
"Yeah, right," Rogue responded and started reading the letter. She didn't get past "Mon chere" before she was reminded of her dream. She shook it off. Then she put the letter down and asked Pyro another question. "Why didn' he come here himself an' give it ta me?"
"Yeah, well, about that. He's kinda laid up for a while. He said he wouldn't kick my ass later if I delivered it to you. Ya see, last night..." John babbled until he heard the door jingle again. This time a woman walked in wearing a blood red tank top, black low-riddin' pants, combat boots, and more jewelry than you could shake a stick at. "Speak of the devil. I think this young, beautiful lady here can explain his predicament better than I can."
"Explain what, John-boy?" Wanda Maximoff inquired as she strolled in.
"What happened to Remy," St. John responded.
"Why does she care?" the witch asked.
"She's dating him."
"Ah am not!!!" Rogue argued. "He just sent meh this letter -"
"A love letter," John interjected to Wanda.
"This letter via the moron messenger over there/" Rogue continued as she grew irate and louder, "an' Ah was wonderin' why he didn't come here himself."
"Oh, I see," Wanda responded as she winked at John. "Since you are dying to know, he sprained his ankle and is laid up for a couple days."
"How in the world did he do that?" the letter recipient asked.
"Fell down a chimney."
"What? Were you guys actin' out Mary Poppins or somethin'?"
"No, he was trying to make a Santa Claus exit."
"A what?"
"He was going up the chimney to make like Santa Claus," Wanda explained but Rogue still looked confused.
Recognizing Rogue's expression, John tried to explain further. "You know, the big, round, jolly guy who leaves present for good children on Christmas Eve and enters and exits through the chimney. You must have been on naughty kid to never know about Santa Claus." A flash of her young self and Irene sitting around a Christmas tree with another woman she couldn't quite remember hit Rogue. She brushed it back and turned her attention back to John and Wanda.
"No, really? A Santa Claus?" Rogue asked sarcastically. "Ah know who Santa is, Ah just don't understand why an' how Remy would want ta go up a chimney."
"I don't think he really WANTED to go up the chimney," Wanda reminisced. "No, I think he said 'Oh, no' right before going up, didn't he, John?"
"I have no idea, I was too busy laughing my ass off," John related.
"In your smurf underwear," Wanda teased and laughed. Wanda did not notice it but since the whole conversation had started she had been moving closer and closer to St. John. Now they were a few centimeters apart and talking about smurf underwear. This was too much for Rogue to handle.
"Hold up one second here!!" Rogue interrupted their conversion before it got in be a "too much information" session. "Are yal two datin' o' somethin'?"
"No!" Wanda exclaimed and straightened up but still nearly touching John. "What Twilight Zone episode did you pull that out of?!"
"It's just that ya're talkin' about John's underwear an' ya have been movin' closer ta one another ever since ya got here an' ya're so close right now Ah don't think Ah could pry ya apart with a crowbar," Rogue exaggerated on the last part.
Like shrapnel, Wanda had moved away from John. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"
"Whateveh," Rogue sighed and moved back to the strange story they were telling. "So let me get this straight. You," Rogue pointed at Wanda, "were at Magneto's base..."
"To kill him." the witch finished quickly. "Yes, but he wasn't there. I definitely didn't go there to see John if that is what you were implying," she added even quicker. "I hadn't even met him yet."
"An' you," Rogue continued without commenting on Wanda's quick speak and pointed to John, "were laughin' in smurf underwear while Remy was bein' thrown up a chimney?"
"Boxers, actually. I had on what was left of my Led Zeppelin shirt after Wanda scorched it too." John confirmed Rogue's summary.
The Goth raised one eyebrow but knew better than to make any further comments about Wanda and John and smurf underwear. She knew it would invoke the witch's wrath, and she didn't feel like messing with an angry Wanda. "Ah don't think Ah even wanna know what happened to Peter.."
"I think he was hiding out in a ditch," John told her anyway. "He was remarkably frightened when all the knives in the kitchen were flying at him, and decided it would be safer out there."
"Ah said Ah didn't wanna know!" she exclaimed. "Actually, Ah'm really regretin' askin' any questions in the first place."
"If you really want to know," Wanda said, "the reason Remy fell out of the chimney was because while John and I were getting him out safely, he called me something that I will not repeat -"
"He said she looked 'almost normal' when she smiled," John whispered to Rogue.
" - so I hexed him so he'd fall and hurt himself," she finished.
"Ah don't blame you," Rogue said, "Ah woulda hurt 'em too if he called meh that. Ah'd rather be dead than considered 'normal.' Wearin' pastels in spring an' listenin' ta Britney Spears an' Creed..." Rogue and Wanda shuddered.
"The masses are scary people."
"Not ta mention kinda dumb in general. The way they wanna be like everyone else, be like 'the Jones.'"
John felt out of the conversion so he pulled a four inch by six inch packet from the pocket of his jacket. "Speaking of abnormal," he started, "who wants to see some pictures?"
"Are those are the ones from last night?!" Wanda exclaimed and snatched the pictures from John's hands. She pulled them from the envelope and began to flip through them. The first couple of pics were ones Piotr had taken to paint later. A few spider webs and trees and rivers, they were of little interest to the witch so she quickly flipped past them. She came upon the picture of John holding her in a bear hug on the floor with the identical irritate looks on their faces. Wanda tried to flip past it quickly but Rogue caught sight of it.
"What's this?" Rogue asked as she tried to pull it from Wanda's grasp. Wanda refused to relinquish the photo.
"Nothing. If you don't let go, I'll hex you into oblivion," Wanda threatened.
"If it's nothin' then why won't ya let meh see it? And isn't it kinda hard ta hex meh when ya'r hands are both holdin' the picture?" Rogue questioned and jerked the photo closer to her.
"Fine." Wanda spat and let go, releasing some tension that caused Rogue to step back. Unfortunately, Rogue slipped on the water left on the floor from her inadvertently freezing it during her daydream.
"Smooth move, Sheila," John said as he leaned over the counter to see Rogue sitting on the floor in a puddle of water. But she was successful: She had the photograph.
Rogue threw John a death glare before she took a closer look at the picture. "Ya guys sure look awfully friendly...." she commented after making sure she was out of Wanda's reach.
The witch knew what Rogue was implying. Dammit, she's too far away for me to strangle her. Instead she sent Rogue a look that said, "If you say one more thing implying that I'm in a relationship with fire-boy, you will be the next one I come after after I kill Magneto." Rogue, the now former champion of death glares, shuddered. Realizing that her message was received, Wanda lightened the air. "Just for that comment, I won't let you see the rest of these. And there are some good ones of your boyfriend -"
Now it was Rogue's turn to get angry. "He is NOT mah boyfriend!"
Wanda continued as if she didn't hear the Goth's comment, "- and some really good ones of a multicolored Sabertooth."
"WHAT?! Now come on," Rogue pleaded. A picture of a multicolored Sabertooth would be a great gift for Logan. "Ya tease meh, ah tease ya, ah don' seriously belief ya'd date John if ya said so."
"And what is wrong with me that is so unattractive to women?" John wondered. Rogue and Wanda both turned toward John with a blank expression on their faces, stared at him for a couple seconds, then turned back to the negotiations.
John was disappointed that he did not get an answer. I'm not misshapenly ugly, actually I've been told I have a great smile plus I'm funny...why don't I ever get the girl? Do I smell or something? To check his hypothesis John picked up the bottom of his shirt and took a whiff. Nope, april fresh.
He looked back at the girls. Rogue had somehow managed to get ahold of the pics. She could not contain her laughter. There were a few dark pictures of Piotr covered in kitchen utensils huddled in a fetal position. Then there was a picture of a brick fireplace. In the next photo a couple of bricks were removed and Remy's red eyes glowed in anger from a soot faced Remy. Next, Wanda was teasing Remy: It was a side profile of Wanda pretending to kiss sooty Remy on the cheek. The next photo was a little crooked as John was holding it away from their faces and trying to take a picture of a glaring Remy and the two of them who were smiling impishly. In the next picture, both Wanda and John were each kissing one of Remy's cheeks. The expression on the Cajun's face didn't change much from photo to photo, still as sour as the first. Rogue then came to the infamous technicolored Sabertooth photo.
"Oh mah god!!" Rogue covered her mouth. "I have ta have a copy of this! Logan would love it!! And what are those?! Lucky charms?"
"I think not! I was almost killed for that prank!" John said.
"What did happen when Sabertooth realized he was an Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat?" Wanda asked John.
"Well, at about eleven this morning, the base shook with a loud roar. I already had the keys in my pocket and just took off. He chased the car for about five, six miles or so. I kept looking in my rear view mirror. It was like I was in Jurassic Park or something. I don't know what'll happen when I get back."
"So ah should just hold onta this photo in case somethin' unfortunate should happen to ya, right?"
"No, I think not," and John snatched the picture from Rogue's hand. "Wait," he reconsidered. "You can have the picture, IF you can get Wanda to go out with me."
Rogue knew this was not going to work by the expression on Wanda's face, but decided to give it a half ass try anyway, "Wanda will ya go out with John?"
"No."
Rogue shrugged, "Sorry, John, ah tried."
Wanda let out a bored sigh, handed the pictures back to John, and then decided to finish her business at "I came in here to pick up my Poe special order. Jamal called me and said it was in."
"Sure thing, Ah'll go inta the back an' get it," Rogue replied and took off to the back room.
"Poe, isn't that one of those teletubies? The red one with the circle on it's head? Sounds like some sorta girly bubble-gum pop singer to me. -" John babbled on unaware of the powerful mutant next to him getting angrier and angrier.
"NO, POE IS NOT A TELETUBIE!!!" Wanda interrupted his babble and hexed him so he jumped eight feet into the air and hit his head on the ceiling. A piece of it fell down with him as he landed on his bum.
"No need to get all hostile," John rubbed his head as he stood up. He looked at Wanda and put his 'sly 'n sexy' smile on. "But I know just the way you can make it up to me: You could go out with me sometime."
Still with a pissed look on her face Wanda turned him down. "No. Did you think that I would change my mind in a few minutes?"
Their conversation was interrupted when the bells above the door jingled again. A familiar voice sent shivers up Wanda's spine, and she shuddered for a second time that night. "There you are, baby-cakes!!" Todd Tolanski hopped into Vinyl Vintage. "When you hadn't come back to the Jeep, I got worried." Wanda started to bang her head on the counter. I so wish I had a driver's license, but NNNOOO I had to spend most of my teenage years in an insane asylum instead of practicing driving. So when I do try and pass my driver's test I fail miserably. Road rage problem my ass. It's those damn one way streets that are the problems. 'Cause of them I'm stuck with the drool patrol driving me places.
"Who the blazes are you?" John asked Todd. Last night Wanda said she didn't have a boyfriend and that she wouldn't date an imbecile like me even if Magneto could only be killed after she went on one date with me. So what the heck is this short kid who REALLY needs to take a shower doin' callin' her pet names? Though I could see her not wanting to brag about having a boyfriend like him. But why in the world would she date this frog-boy over me?
"I'm Todd Tolanski, yo," the boy from his crouched position on the floor held out an open hand toward John. John took it reluctantly and afterwards resisted the urge to run to the bathroom screaming.
"Toad," Wanda finally spoke with an irritated tone, "get your slimmy self back out to the jeep, I'll be there in five minutes."
"That's ok, sugarpie," Todd responded sweetly, "I'll just browse 'round here a bit and wait for you. It's starting to get dark and I wouldn't want you to walk down the street along at night, cupcake."
Wanda prepared to throw a hex bolt at Todd when John opened his mouth, luckily for Todd but not so lucky for John: "So he's why you refuse to go out with me. I never figured you to be a sucker for pet names, 'baby-cakes.'" Wanda's anger turned from Todd to John and started to elevate him.
But surprisingly he was saved by the Toad who said, "Is that true, cuddle-bunny?"
Wanda dropped John instantly at the words 'cuddle-bunny' and now Todd was floating. "I AM NOT YOUR CUDDLE-BUNNY OR YOUR ANYTHING FOR THAT MATTER, YOU WARPED, LOVE-SICK AMPHIBIAN!!" Wanda brought her hand across her chest and started to hurl Todd out the window of the store with a fling of her arm when Rogue emerged from the backroom.
"NO, WANDA!! STOP!!" She shouted.
Wanda stopped Todd just inches from the window pane and looked over her shoulder toward Rogue. "WHAT?!"
"Jamal said that if ya break another window, he'll have ta make you pay for it," she explained.
"Another window? She does this often?!" John exclaimed from his position still on the floor where Wanda dropped him.
"Fine," the witch stated. She then drew her arm back across her chest, and Todd moved back into the store. He released a sigh of relief as he thought Wanda would put him back on the ground. Instead he remained floating there as she put her arm down and walked over to the front door. Wanda held it open then flung her arm out, and subsequently Todd went flying out of the store and was entangled in a lamp post outside. Unfortunately at that same time Sly, another Vinyl Vintage employee, was trying to make his way in.
"Hey, look out Wanda!," Sly yelled as he ducked to miss colliding with Todd body. He then stood up and looked around the store. "Wow, all the windows are intact! Good job, Wanda!"
John looked seriously at Sly. "No, guys, honestly, how many times does this happen?"
"More than once, less than infinity," was Sly's curt replied and he waltzed over to the cash register. "Just stopped it to pick up the book I forgot." As he reached for it, Sly noticed the three ice penguins. He picked one up. "Cool, who did these?"
Rogue stared at the ice figurines. Penguins….three….what the HELL is goin' on?! "Ah don't know, it wasn't meh."
"Huh," Sly grunted and grabbed his book. "The mystery must ensue then. Later." And with a nod to Wanda and John, the punk rocker exited.
Wanda walked back over to Rogue who was behind the counter with her special order.
"Thanks again for not using the window this time," Rogue said.
Wanda nodded, grabbed her purchase from the Goth and started to head out. John, of course, got in her way. Big mistake. "So how long have you and the frog prince been dating, 'cuddle-bunny?'"
Wanda glared at him and wondered how stupid he actually was. John found himself raised off the ground. "I think I'd rather date you than HIM!"
"Then why don't you, love?" John asked wondering why he was still in mid-air.
"'Cause I'd much rather do this."
Wanda brought back her arm again, and Rogue, realizing what was going to happen, shouted, "NOT THE WINDOW!"
Wanda let John fly across the store toward the closed door. At the last moment she wiggled her fingers and the door popped open. John found himself ensnared in a lamppost next to Todd.
Wanda strutted out of Vinyl Vintage and found herself very amused with the sight of the two village idiots tied up in the streetlight together.
"What did I say?" John pleaded to know.
The Scarlet Witch lowered him so she could look him straight in the eye. "A word of advice for you: 'You can't talk to a psycho like a normal human being,'" she quoted from her favorite Poe song. And with that she turned and started to leave.
John yelled after her, "What does that mean?! You aren't really gonna leave me tied up like this with frog-legs here, are you?! Come on. He smells!" Then John changed tactics, "COME ON!! If I have to be stuck up here I'd much rather it be with you!! At least you smell good! Like cinnamon, chocolate, and..and...mischief!" Wanda paused at the obscure comment, but shortly continued walking around the corner, where she stopped once out of sight but still in earshot.
"I can't believe she left me up here!" John continued to exclaim.
"Well, she has to come back for me, 'cause I have the keys to the jeep and -" Todd reasoned until his thoughts were interrupted by the starting of the jeep parked around the same corner where Wanda had headed, which she hotwired with her powers from her spot around the corner.
"You were saying, frog-boy?"
"My codename isn't frog-boy, Crocidile Hunter, it's Toad."
"What did you call me??!!! Oh your gonna pay for that one once I get outta here. If only I still had my ute...er truck, I'd run you over like the Cane Toad you are." He tried to face the direction where Wanda had headed. "Wanda!!"
"My honey-muffin will come back for me, she just likes to play hard-to-get," the disillusioned Todd said. "She would never leave me here for long, but I'm not sure how lucky you'll be, man, since you're one of Magneto's stooges and all. I'm surprised you're only tied up with the light post. I'd figure she'd have disemboweled you by now."
Wanda also wondered why she hadn't disemboweled John yet. He obviously deserved it with all the idiotic comments he makes. The truth was a part of John was growing on Wanda. He could make her laugh in more than an "I'm making you suffer" kinda way. And he wasn't half bad looking either. Nah, I can't be attracted to him. I just must be having a good day. But since when do I have good days that don't involve disemboweling people? You're putting too much thought in this Wanda. She tuned back into John and Todd's conversation but was no longer as amused at their bickering. She peered at the two from the corner of the building. Wanda had to hold back another giggle as she saw the look on John's face as Todd was trying to spit goop at him. Wanda waved her hand in their general direction, and the lamppost reverted back to its normal form, dropping its occupants to the ground.
Todd gave John an 'I told you so' look as Wanda pull the jeep toward Vinyl Vintage. But instead of stopping, she buzzed them took off toward home. Todd looked around but John was already in the Acolyte's vehicle pulling out. He solemnly started hopping home.
A few minutes later, Todd caught sight of the Jeep pulling up beside him. "I knew you wouldn't forget me, sweet -" Todd had started to say before he actually saw who the driver of the vehicle was.
"Just get yourself into the jeep, buttercup," Lance mocked. "I can't believe you let Wanda drive my jeep! You're lucky she didn't damage it. There wouldn't be anything left of you!" Todd just shrugged and hopped it, suffering through Lance's ranting all the way back to the brotherhood house.
Back in Vinyl Vintage, business picked up a bit and Rogue totally forgot about the letter from Remy. Jamal caught site of it when he was coming in for the closer shift.
"Don't forget this, Rogue." Jamal casually jogged halfway to the front doors and handed her the letter.
"Thanks," she replied thoughtfully. "Ah'll catch ya later."
It was a nice night so Rogue waited for her ride outside. She fingered the envelope in her hands awhile before she opened it. Under the streetlight and the moonlight she read.
Mon Chere,
I don't know what to write to you. All I know is that as soon as I got back to base, you were the second thing I thought of (Sorry, the first was whether John had torched the base while we were gone). I wanted to pick up the phone and hear your sweet southern tongue at the other end, but I didn't think that was quite appropriate bein' on opposing mutant teams and all. I don't know why I'm doing this. I guess it's just that you're the first fille in a long time that has struck a cord with me. I wish we could see each other again under more intimate circumstances. I was serious before….Hold on a second. There's a lotta noise comin' from the other room and somethin' just hit my door. I'll be right back.
And the letter ended there. The chimney incident must have happened right then. Rogue smirked at the thought of Remy at Wanda's mercy and the photographs of him in the chimney. Just then the X-Jeep pulled up and Rogue got in without wiping the smirk off her face. Ah think Ah'll be seein' more of the Cajun soon.
A/N: Man, I had planned to get this out last weekend but the power went out from Friday night 'til Sunday night. It was quite an adventure and then I still had class on Monday.
Technically this is Monday but I haven't gone to bed yet so in my world I still met my Sunday deadline. Sorry that there is going to be such a long time 'fore the next update. I just can't handle my work load and doing this for fun during my free time 'cause, well, I don't have any free time. I'll still be reading and reviewing hopefully. Next time I talk about taking 18 credit hours, working two jobs(one of which doesn't even pay!), and being the president of a student club, slap some sense into me PLEASE!! The earliest your gonna see a new installment is May 10th. Take care 'til then!!