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 Twelve - The Day After
Rogue stormed into her bedroom and threw herself down on her bed.
On the other bed, Kitty looked up from the history paper she was writing on her laptop. "So, what's, like, got you in a huff?"
Rogue hit herself on her head with her pillow. "Ah think ah just beat the record for time spent listening ta the Professor's lectures," came the muffled response from underneath the pillow.
"That bad, huh?"
Rogue removed the pillow from her face and looked at her roommate. "Two hours on Friday, followed by three hours an' twelve minutes this morning."
"He lectured you for three hours?!"
"Yah, he felt the need ta repeat what ah slept through the first time."
"How long are you grounded?"
"Three weeks."
"Slave labor?"
"Cook dinner an' clean dishes on the nights ah don't work."
"No fair!" Kitty objected, "When I got caught making out with Lance in the janitor's closet at school, I not only had to clean the X-Jeep with a toothbrush but I had to weed all of Ororo's plants all summer long!"
Rogue sat up and shrugged. "Just wasn't in mah stars." Rogue had to mentally slap herself for that comment (1).
"What?" Kitty curiously asked.
"Nevermind."
"Can you still go to that concert on Tuesday?"
"Ah don' think so. Ah wasn' gonna go before ah got grounded, so nothin's really changed," Rogue answered.
"But I thought you had tickets," Kitty questioned.
"Ah did."
"Then why not go?"
"Ah didn' feel like it anymore, an' now ah can't so what's the big deal?" Rogue snapped.
"Geez, you don't need to, like, bite off my head or anything," Kitty recoiled. "I just don't understand why you would buy tickets to a concert you were so excited to go to only not to go."
"No, ya don't," was Rogue's short answer.
"You could explain it to me," Kitty persisted.
"Yah, ah could, but ah won't," Rogue continued to avoid opening up to her roommate.
"Why not?"
Rogue gave Kitty an irritated look. "Ya're not gonna stop, are ya?"
"Nope." the girl from the Windy City smiled and shook her head.
The goth sighed. "Fine. Ah was suppose ta go with Risty, but she never came back from England."
"Since when do you need a buddy to go with you?" Kitty questioned.
"Look, ya asked, ah answered, an' ah just don' feel like goin' now so can ya please drop it?" Rogue snapped.
"Sure." Kitty then saved her paper and shut her laptop in order to give Rogue her full attention. "Sooo…new topic: How was your date last night?" Kitty giggled.
Rogue got an evil glint in her eye. "Ah should be askin' ya that question."
Kitty gasped. "How did you find out? I mean, it wasn't really a date or anything. We just went to a movie, then had pizza afterwards. Amara was there!"
Rogue raised her eyebrow skeptically. "Dinner an' a movie? Sounds like a date ta meh."
"No!" Kitty objected. Then she broke down, "I'm a horrible, horrible person!" She cried in her hands. "I cheated on Lance!"
"Whoa, girl," Rogue didn't think she'd react this way. As much as Rogue likes to upset people, she can't stand it when they cry in front of her. Rogue made her best attempt to console her sobbing roommate. "Ah was just teasing. Ya said it wasn't a date, so it wasn't a date. Please stop crying."
Kitty looked up with red eyes and wiped the tears from her face. "No, you were right." She groaned. "What am I going to do?!" Kitty fell back from her Indian style sitting position onto her bed in aspiration.
"Ya askin' me? The girl who has never had an' never will have a boyfriend?" Rogue questioned Kitty's plea for advice.
Kitty sat up. "Well, I can't go to Jean or anyone else or they're going to, like, jump up my ass for going out with one of Magneto's new boys, like they did with you. No one else supported Lance and me being together, and he's only a Brotherhood boy. Can you imagine what they'd put me through if I admitted I went out with Piotr?"
Rogue sighed and sat next to Kitty. "Okay. Question one: Do ya like Peter?"
"Like, as in friend-like or boyfriend-like?"
Rogue started to stand up at Kitty's avoidance of the issue. "Do ya want meh ta help ya o' not?"
"Yes," she mumbled and hung her head down.
"Yes, what?"
"Yes, I want you to help me."
"Now answer the question."
"Yes, I like Peter," Kitty quietly admitted.
"Okay, two: Are ya still interested in Lance?"
Kitty considered the question for a minute. "Well, yes, but our relationship has gotten kinda flat. I tried to perk it up, but I told you how that went (2)."
Rogue squinted her eyes in concentration. "Okay, here is the opinion o' a forever single, gothic feminist: Take a break from Lance, sort out your feelin's an' then after a couple weeks o' so start datin' again."
"Start dating who?"
"Ah don't know!" Rogue burst out. "That's what the sorting out feelin's part is for!"
"What makes you think I'll have any better idea then than I do now?" Kitty asked.
Rogue held up her hands defensively. "Hey, ya asked for mah uneducated advice an' that's what ya got. Ya want more, go talk ta Jean."
Kitty sighed and considered her options. What options? I'm totally and utterly confused and lost and mad at myself. Beside, Rogue's plan has some sort of logic behind it; it could work. But since when does love have anything to do with logic. And it's not like she's ever been in this situation before. But what else could I do? Stay with Lance even though I'm not really happy right now. Keep cheating on him with Piotr? What if Piotr doesn't feel the same way about me? What if, after last night, Peter just thinks I'm some ditzy high schooller? Then I'd be breaking up with Lance, my first boyfriend, to sort out feelings that may never be returned. Man, this is, like, giving me a headache. Kitty's hands moved to massage her temples, and she turned back to Rogue who was back on her side of the room, fiddling with her bookbag.
"Now I would like to hear about your night," Kitty said to her roommate.
"That's nice," Rogue stated, ignoring Kitty's request.
"So?" Kitty tried to get the story started.
"So what?"
"Where'd you guys go? What did you do? What were you doing to keep you out after curfew?" Kitty winked and smiled.
"No! Get your mind outta the gutter!" Rogue exclaimed then turned away. "'sides, not like he can touch me anyway," she added quietly.
"So you did want to do dirty things with him?!" Kitty concluded.
"No!" Rogue yelled even louder.
"Prove it! Tell me everything." Kitty challenged her.
"No! Why should ah?"
"I'll tell everyone you really like him, and maybe embellish on what I do know that happened last night," Kitty threatened. She smiled at her victory. She knew Rogue wouldn't want her telling people she likes the Cajun, so she'll tell her what happened.
"Fine." Rogue plopped back down on her own bed and started to pull out some school books.
"We went ta this bar downtown an' played pool all night," Rogue summed it up.
"And?" Kitty ached for more details.
"An' Logan came while ah was in the bathroom an' tried ta behead Remy. That's it."
"No, start at the beginning," protested an unsatisfied Kitty.
"Ah don't want ta." Rogue remained difficult.
"Why not? Did you guys grind between games or look at China in Pottery Barn magazines?" agrued Kitty.
Rogue fumed. "No! Why in the world would ah let him grind meh an' ah would never be caught dead with Pottery Barn?!"
Kitty smiled evilly. "Well, if you won't tell me what you really did, then I'll have no choice but to speculate and then share my theories with everyone."
"You wouldn't." Rogue tried to call the bluff.
Kitty got up and stuck her head out the door. "Amara! Jean! Kurt!…" Kitty started calling before Rogue put her gloved hand over Kitty's mouth and pulled her back into the room.
"Ah hate you," Rogue said and let go of Kitty and sat at the head of her bed.
"Yippee!" Kitty smiled and hopped onto the opposite side of Rogue's messy bed. Rogue silently glared at her. Kitty got the picture, sighed, and moved to her own bed.
"Okay, he comes into work 'bout six thirty ta be sure that ah won't stand him up -"
"Seems like he knows you already," Kitty commented.
"Ya wanna hear the story o' not?" asked an irritated Rogue.
"Yes."
"Then no more commentary," demanded the Goth.
"Okay, so it's six thirty an' the Vintage is dead 'cause of the anti-mutant stuff earlier -" Rogue started again only to be interrupted by a knock on their bedroom door. My savior, Rogue thought as she got up to answer it.
"Like, come back later!!" Kitty tried to discourage the interrupter.
Rogue opened the door to reveal Jean Grey. Rogue stood there, not inviting her in but waiting for her to state her business and leave.
"We have a danger room session in twenty minutes," Jean announced. Rogue started to push past her so she could grab a bite before the session, but Jean did not budge. "Can I speak with you?"
Rogue's face grew cold. "'bout what?"
"Alone," Jean added and looked at Kitty who was putting her history books neatly into her messenger bag.
"Fine," Kitty said disappointedly. She grabbed her uniform out of the closet and left to change in the bathroom.
Rogue stood in the center of the room with her arms crossed.
Jean repeated. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Do ah get ta time ya?" was The Rogue's quick response.
"Rogue!" Jean protested her triteness.
"Fine, ya can talk, but Ah'm not guaranteeing that Ah'm gonna listen."
"Fair enough," Jean sat down on Kitty's made bed. "I wanted to apologize for what went on while your were working on Friday. I was out of line -"
"Apology accepted," Rogue cut in and tried to bolt out the door. She didn't make it.
"Rogue! I'm not done yet," Jean held the door shut with her telekinesis. "What me and Scott did on Friday and last night, informing the Professor that you weren't home and who you were with, we're only trying to watch out for you. Magneto's new team isn't like the Brotherhood. They aren't just lost teenagers that need a place to live and belong. They know what they are doing, why they're doing it and they can be ruthless."
"Ya done?" Rogue questioned.
Jean hit Kitty's bed violently. Behind her Rogue could see the top of Kitty's pony tail phasing through the bed. "Why don't you care, Rogue?! They're dangerous! Even if this Remy guy befriending you has nothing to do with Magneto, that doesn't change what kind of man he is!"
Rogue's eyes grew cold and hostile. "And what kind of man is he?"
"He's a player, Rogue. You know that. He sees something he wants and will do absolutely anything to get it! He will play with your heart and then he will hurt you more than you know." Jean looked compassionately at her teammate.
"What makes ya think that ah'll let him?"
"I've seen it before. You think you can change him, that it is different with you, but in reality, it's not." Jean laid down what she thought as the truth. "He's a player. You are just a game, a challenge for him. Once he either wins or gets bored, he will leave you. I don't want to see you get hurt!
"You are falling for him already, I can tell that without being psychic. Why else would you agree to go out with him and stand up for him in front of Logan?" she continued. "That takes some level of affection."
Rogue didn't respond. She didn't know why she was standing up for him and letting him get close, well, closer than most other people anyway. In truth, she could not deny Jean's accusations so she didn't say anything for a few minutes. "Don't worry 'bout meh. Ah won't get hurt. Ah know what ah'm doin'," she stated.
"No, you are already lost. You like all this attention he is giving you despite your attempts to discourage him. Even his cheesy pick-up lines are probably starting to grow on you. If you don't stop seeing him, I'm afraid something horrible will happen when he leaves," Jean said the last part quietly and then looked at the floor.
Rogue did not like what the redhead was implying. "Like what, Jean? Think Ah'll fall for 'em then try ta kill mahself if he breaks it off. Ya give meh far too little credit. Let's get this straight." Rogue bent over to look Jean in the eye. "Ya don't know him. Ya don't know meh. So stop tryin' ta direct mah life where ya think is the best an' brightest an' safest."
Jean stood up and took a step closer to Rogue. In an aspirated voice she said, "I only don't know you, because you won't let me! You won't let anyone close." Jean lifted her hands and held Rogue by the upper arms. She tried to look her in the eyes as she spoke. "But all of a sudden this guy waltzed in." Rogue's mind flew back to her dream of them dancing. Was it a premonition? What was it the penguins said again? 'Open, love, Slide.' What the hell did that mean? Open up to people or open up to him so he won't leave? Rogue shook it off and for some odd reason tuned back into Jean's rant, "…and despite everyone's warnings and concerns you go out with him, don't tell anyone and end up having to be hunted down by Wolverine!"
Rogue's eyes narrowed and she broke away from Jean's grasp. "What is this really about, Jean? Ya afraid ah'll get hurt or afraid ah'll leave the X-Men for some guy?"
Jean was quiet. "No Rogue. I know that despite your cold, non-caring façade you put on that you do believe in the Professor's philosophies. You've just lived here for so long and are just beginning to let us in. This guy is in your life for a couple weeks and probably knows you better than most your family, the X-Men."
Rogue still felt something was fishy. "Why do ya have a problem with him, though? Why not with Risty, too?"
"Risty isn't working for a man who believes in mutant superiority at any cost. She isn't someone who we know nothing about. She doesn't practically incite a riot in a CD store or take you to some shady bar and then trash it before he leaves."
"Ya don't know that much more 'bout Risty, and Logan played a big hand in 'trashing' the bar," Rogue pointed out.
"You're defending him again."
"So what?!" Rogue was getting tired of this. "Ah'll make mah own decisions 'bout who ah hang out with, an' ah'll make mah own mistakes."
"Sounds like you already have your mind made up." Jean sighed and headed toward the door. "My door is open if you ever want to talk."
"Yeah, whatever," Rogue said and she went to her closet to change for the danger room session. Jean shook her head and closed the door behind her.
After Jean left, Kitty, in her uniform, popped from under her bed. "What an ignorant…grrr," Kitty said as she threw her clothes down. "I mean, she dated that asshole Duncan for how long? Like, what did she really know about him aside from the fact that he was captain of the football team? He was a total jerk, a male-chauvinistic pig…"
"Thanks, Kit," Rogue interrupted. "We'd better be getting down to the danger room."
Kitty extended her hand to Rogue. "Grab onto the Shadowcat express. Second fastest mode of transportation to the danger room."
"Stripes, Half-pint," Logan growled, "You're late."
"Sorry, Logan, but somebody's pep talk dragged on a little long." Rogue started straight at Jean, who was now in full uniform.
"Did I ask for an explanation?" Logan asked. "You two have an extra practice session tomorrow morning before school." Rogue did not bother to mention that she was already training in the morning since she had to work in the afternoon, hoping that Logan didn't remember. She wasn't so lucky. "And no, Stripes, you won't be getting out of your regular session. You will start at 4:30 and half-pint will join you at 5:30." Both Kitty and Rogue groaned. Logan went on briefing for that day's session.
"Today we will be having a battle simulation involving Magneto's new recruits. We've only been up against them once so the information we have on their individual fighting skills, powers, and teamwork skills is limited.
"First is Sabertooth," Logan pressed a button on a remote control he held in his hand, and a hologram of Victor Creed appeared and rotated in the center of the room. "Nothing new here."
Logan pressed the button on the remote again. A hologram of Piotr Rasputin appeared. As it rotated, the hologram alternately displayed his normal and metallic forms. "Next codename Colossus. Not sure of his real name…"
"Piotr," Kitty absentmindedly interrupted.
"What was that Half-pint?" Logan asked.
"Uh, his name is Piotr Rasputin," she said quietly. All eyes in the room were on her, asking her how she knew his name. Luckily this session was for senior team members only or Amara and maybe Sam or Jamie may have recognized him from last night. Logan stood waiting for an explanation this time.
Kitty was scared stiff. Luckily Rogue had her back. "He came inta Vinyl Vintage one day when we were both there. He introduced himself."
After passing a skeptical glance at the pair, Logan continued the briefing. "Colossus has the mutant ability to form some sort of metallic, possibly steal or adamantium shielding over his body. He also possesses super human strength. He is Russian and we have reason to believe that Magneto is holding something over him, blackmail of some sort."
Kitty gasped. That would explain why such a sweetheart like him is working for Magneto. Wonder if it has something to do with his family? No one else gave notice to Kitty's gasp as Logan was already onto the next mutant.
"…Goes by Gambit. He charges non-living objects with kinetic energy, causing them to explode when he releases them or on impact. His choice of weapons is playing cards. He also displays advanced hand fighting skills. It is also rumored that he has some sort of charming power…"
Rogue snorted at that. Charming power? He wishes. He's just an uncontrollable flirt.
Logan was getting sick of being interrupted. "Rogue, is there anything you would like to add?"
That bastard singled me out! she yelled in her mind. How dare he? The goth crossed her arms over her chest and glared coldly at Logan. "No."
"Come on, Rogue," Scott piped in. "You can't tell me you practically spent all night with him and didn't learn anything to help us out here?"
Rogue turned her anger toward Scott. "No, not a thing," she growled.
Jean turned to face her. "Why are you protecting him, Rogue?"
Rogue grew red. "We promised that what we talked about last night would not cross over into our other lives."
"And you honestly think that he is not telling Magneto right now, all he learned? I never thought you were that gullible," said Jean.
Rogue stayed firm, she never flinched. Of course she thought that he might do just that. But there was something inside that told her he wouldn't. "Ah promised."
"Rogue, if you are holding back any valuable information you could be putting the team in danger when we face them." Scott tried to persuade her.
"Ah'm not your spy, Scott," she retorted.
"Enough with the interrogation," Logan interrupted. "Next up. Pyro." Scott and Jean grew angry at the sight of the misfit who had caused them so much trouble last night. "Anybody know this guy's real name? Sat next to him on the bus or anything?" Logan halfway joked.
Rogue remained stone silent. She wasn't going to physically or verbally react to any more of this. By mentioning Pyro's real name would tell them that she was on a first name basis with all three. She figured Scott or Jean would suspect her of being some sort of double agent or something.
When no one responded to his question after a few seconds, Logan continued. "This bub is believed to be Australian. His mutant power is to manipulate fire, but we don't think he can create it. He does not seem to be much of a hand fighter and depends mostly on his mutant abilities and flame thrower on his back."
Scott raised his hand and began to speak after he was acknowledged by Logan. "He does not have much respect for rules or authority. He is reckless and sometimes does stupid things for his own amusement." Jean stifled a giggle at the thought of Scott being exposed in a thong in the middle of the Bayville Mall. It was his last clean pair, he said, Jean thought. I'm psychic, Scott, I know you were lying. Oblivious to Jean's musings, Scott continued, "Oh and he has some knowledge of auto mechanics."
"Auto mechanics?" Logan raised an eyebrow.
"He wired Scott's horn to his brakes," Jean explained.
"You leave the doors unlocked, Shades?"
"No, the top was down." Scott turned red and looked at his feet while he spoke.
Logan clapped his hands together. "Okay, your mission today is a simple disabling of the enemy. Scott, brake the team up and come up with a game plan." When Logan exited the danger room, a dark street alley appeared around the X-Men.
"Okay, Kurt, go out and locate each of out adversaries and report back here." Kurt nodded and bamfed up to various rooftops. A few seconds later he was back at Scott's side.
"Sabertooth is in an ally two blocks north and one east," the blue elf pointed in the various directions. "And Pyro and the Russian are in a parking lot five blocks in the other direction. I could not find Gambit."
Scott looked to be in deep thought for a minute. "Okay, here's the plan. We go after Pyro and Colossus first, then go take care of Sabertooth if he hasn't found us by then. Jean, Spike, Nightcrawler, and I will be initial attack. Shadowcat, Rogue, you two keep watch for Gambit and be ready for a second offensive." Everyone nodded and headed toward the parking lot. Jean flew, Kurt teleported himself and Scott, Evan boarded over, and Kitty and Rogue ran through the buildings.
The first four attacked Colossus and Pyro, but they were ready for them. A fire eagle chased Spike and Jean until Jean managed to form a telekinetic bubble around it and deprive it of oxygen.
Kurt was the first to get KOed. He was trying to distract and disorient Colossus but got a little too close to one of his brute arms. SMACK! Kurt flew across the street and hit a brick wall. Rogue was stationed as a lookout on that same side of the street. She took off her glove and touched his fuzzy face, then teleported to a rooftop for a better advantage point.
Meanwhile, Scott was trying to blast Pyro off a parked car, but John was quick and jumped out of the way. Colossus ran up to ram Scott in the back when Jean tossed a park bench his way. The bench didn't stop the giant, merely sent him off course far enough for Scott to notice the attacker and evade. Scott then blasted the gas tank of a car Pyro was hiding behind. The explosion threw the firebug into the windshield of another car and took him out of the fight.
"Pyro down, X-Men!" Scott announced into his communicator. "Now focus on Colossus! Shadowcat, Rogue, any sign of the others?"
"None from up here," Rogue bamfed around various rooftops.
"Like, I don't see any….wait! Toothy's coming in from the Starbucks side," Kitty reported.
"Starbucks side? Shadowcat, restate Sabertooth's coordinates," Scot commanded, a little late though, as a big hairy man picked him up from behind and threw him into the Starbucks' window on his right.
After seeing Scott go down, Rogue announced, "Ah'm comin' down."
"No!" Jean took over command for the time being. "Shadowcat, give us a hand. Rogue, we need you to keep watching for Gambit. We can't afford to be surprised again." Jean and Scott had a plan: Rogue needs to go up against Gambit. Maybe when she chokes, she will realize what kind of danger she is putting herself and the team into. Rogue reluctantly obeyed orders.
Spike tried to skate behind Colossus and jump him. After throwing his whole body into the metal man and having him not move an inch, Spike knew he was in trouble. Colossus turned his head and looked at Spike as if he was an annoying fly.
"Uh, nice to meet you, Piotr. How do you like America so far?" Evan nervously started a conversation. Colossus grabbed him by the front of his uniform and hurled him toward the advancing Shadowcat who phased through him. Spike hit the ground and rolled down the street a little ways. Kitty could hear Evan groan so she knew he would be back in the fight soon.
With Jean taking on Sabertooth one-on-one, that just left Kitty versus Colossus until Spike regain his senses.
"Uh, hi," Kitty half-smiled and waved at the holographic robot of Piotr. It's not really him, its not really him, she kept repeating to herself while the other part of her brain was trying to figure out how to decommission him. This Colossus was not as patient as the real one and started throwing signs, dumpsters, and cars her way, all which ash phased through.
Kitty looked over to Jean who was having a duel of strength: Jean's mind versus Sabertooth's brawn. Currently Sabertooth was trying to throw a car on top of Jean, who had fallen in the street, and she was holding it up with her telekinesis.
Kitty got an idea. She maneuvered herself so she was standing in front of a fire hydrant. Colossus was still throwing stuff at her. Once she was in position, Colossus tossed a car at the cat in front of the hydrant.
"You ask for a shower, Jeannie?" Kitty shouted to her teammate as she phased through the camry. Jean understood Kitty's message and stopped fighting Sabertooth's car for a second to direct the waster from the hydrant into Sabertooth's back. The force blew him and the car into the building behind Jean.
"Yeah!" Kitty rejoiced at the brilliance of her plan, momentarily forgetting about the Russian who was coming up behind her. Before she had a change to phase, Colossus backhanded her down the block. Kitty was out for the rest of the session. A second later, Colossus was shot down an alley by a broad beam of red light.
Scott ran over to where Jean had collapsed after defeating Sabertooth. "Jean, are you okay?" Scott helped her off the ground.
"Yeah, just tired," she answered. "Do you have any idea how heavy a Lincoln is?"
Spike and Kurt waltzed over to them too.
"Are we done yet?" Evan asked.
"No, Gambit is still unaccounted for," Scott reported.
"Don't look now, Cyc, but Pyro and Sabertooth have up an' adammed too," Rogue called though her communicator.
"What?!" He looked back over to the car Pyro was last seen in and the store Sabertooth splashed into. Sure enough, there were big dents and shattered glass but no villains.
"Dammit!!" Scott shouted. "Rogue, did you see where they went?"
"No, Ah noticed while Ah was tryin' ta spot Gambit."
"Please tell me you found him at least."
"Negative. Mah guess is we won't find him 'til he wants ta be found. Are ya gonna put meh in the fight now?"
I want her to see how hard it is to have an enemy as a friend, like I did when Xavior put her in the simulation. I guess I'll just have to make sure they are pitted against each other later. "Nightcrawler," Cyclops addressed the recently conscious X-Man. "Go scout the area again. And bring back Rogue. She probably doesn't have your power now that you're conscious."
Kurt popped back in a minute or so later with Rogue in tow. "No sign of them anywhere," Kurt reported.
The five of them opened their eyes and ears to the eerie silence.
"What now?" Evan asked Scott.
"We split -" no sooner did Scott start his response did a shower of kinetically charged cards throw the group apart. Down the street a truck started up and charged for the X-men recovering in the street.
"X-Men! Out of the street!" Scott yelled as Pyro barreled toward them in a beat up pick-up truck. Kurt grabbed Rogue's arm, and they were teleported to a nearby fire escape. Jean and Spike sprinted into a blown out storefront while Scott met the truck head on. He wanted to give this robot of Pyro a little taste of what the real Pyro gave him last night. Cyclops's hand went to his visor, and at the last possible moment, he shot out the driver's side tire. The truck abruptly turned to the left, right into the lobby of an office building. Cyclops's pride of his move was short lived: As the truck had turned, Sabertooth, who was crouched in the bed, leapt out and pounced on the fearless leader. Scott reacted by releasing a shot optic blast, only strong enough to launch Sabertooth over himself as he fell backward.
Another rain of charged cards and fire told Cyclops that the session was far from over. "Nightcrawler, Rogue get on Gambit. Jean, Spike, you're on Pyro."
Kurt and Rogue bamfed over to Gambit's position on the top of a six-story building. Robo-Gambit knew they were coming and turned his attention from the street to the two X-Men almost immediately. Kurt nimbly bounded to the left, out of the way of flying cards as Rogue did backhand springs to achieve the same effect to the right. Kurt then ported behind Gambit so he would turn his back on Rogue. Gambit pulled out his bo staff for a close range attack. Kurt kept him distracted as an ungloved Rogue sneaked up from behind. But Robo-Gambit did not forget about all of his opponents, just as the real one wouldn't. Just as she was reaching up for the knock out, Gambit pulled a fast one on Nightcrawler and sent him across the roof into the stairwell entrance.
Rogue noticed the sudden shift in his weight but before she could react, Gambit swung back his staff and tripped her. Rogue rolled onto her back and jumped up, preparing for another attack. Gambit tried again to knock her around with his bo staff, but the Goth expertly dodged it this time and eventually grabbed his weapon with her two hands. They were at a stand still for a few seconds, then Robo-Gambit cocked his head and smirked. Rogue fumed inside, They programmed him ta flirt!! Ah'll wipe that grin right off his face! Unlike Kitty, Rogue had no problem disabling the fake version of the object of her affection. The infuriated X-Man was able to wrestle the staff away from Robo-Gambit. Then she jammed it into the ground and used it as a support for her to make a short circle run, leap off the ground and kick him in the neck. Gambit's head went flying across the rooftop like a wine cork as Rogue hit the weakness in the neck of the droid she knew about.
Rogue exhaled deeply and smiled triumphantly. She then looked over her shoulder at Kurt. He was slowly coming out of it but would be unable to fight for a few more minutes. Rogue heard more crashing from the street below. She looked over the edge just in time to see Scott get knocked around by a lamp post held by Sabertooth. It was just Scott and Evan against the burly cat. Evan was able to decommission Pyro by spiking his fuel tank for his flame thrower, but the sudden release of pressure not only sent Pyro flying but Jean as well.
Now Sabertooth was almost directly underneath her, squaring off against Spike and a half-conscious Cyclops for support. Rogue sprinted across the rooftop and picked up Gambit's head without a second thought. She raced back over to watch her comrades. Luckily Sabertooth had not moved far from his previous location. She raised the Cajun's head over her own and hurled it down at the overstuffed kitten. The severed head hit Sabertooth squarely on his own, and the force Rogue threw it down with coupled with six or so stories of gravity knocked the last Acolyte out.
"Simulation complete," a robotic voice announced as the streets, alleys, cars and buildings disappeared. Rogue helped Kurt to his feet and he ported them off a metal ledge to their recover teammates below.
The danger room doors swished as Logan entered with a scowl on his face. "You completed you mission, barely. That was pretty sloppy work out there. Forgetting about opponents," Logan looked at Kitty who had regained consciousness but still sitting on the floor. Kitty hung her head. "Not utilizing teammates soon enough." This time Logan glared at Scott and Jean.
He knew exactly what they were trying to pull by making sure Rogue would go up again Gambit. They were hoping she would choke just like Scott had when Rogue was the surprise entry into a battle simulation (3). But Rogue has more of a check on her emotions, she knew it wasn't reality. She was a loner who always hid her emotions from everyone else so I wasn't too much of a challenge to bury them for one exercise or to use them to her advantage.
Logan continued. "Not thinking of he physics of your opponents weapons," That one was for Evan. "But you did show good teamwork occasionally. And from what I've seen of Magneto's new team, that will be essential to their defeat. Next time you will improve and expand those instances in order to complete the mission with less injuries and casualties. Now cool down and hit the showers, then meet in the conference room at sixteen hundred hours for review of the tapes of today's session."
"Sixteen hundred?" Kitty questioned as she dragged herself to the girls' locker room.
"Four o'clock," Scott answered.
"Oh." Kitty grunted and rubbed her reddening cheek. I'm gonna have to ice it really fast if I don't want, like, a black eye for school tomorrow.
Rogue silently followed Kitty to the locker room. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the robot's decapitated head. Rogue switched directions and picked up the head, now just a humanoid shaped chunk of metal. Not smirking now, are ya, Cajun?
As she passed Logan on the way to the showers, she tossed it nonchalantly over her shoulder to him. "Needs work."
Logan rolled the head around in his hands. "Stripes," he called after her, before the locker room door closed. Rogue pulled the door back open and stuck her head through. Steam was already rolling out.
"Yeah?"
"You did good today, kid," was all he said. But such a complement from the militant Wolverine was not to be taken lightly by our favorite southern belle. After she shut the door, Rogue walked away proudly.
"Give that back, Bobby Drake!!!" Rogue could hear Sam Gunthrie yell. She was chilling in her room, catching up on her reading after dinner. The yell was followed by the pounding of footsteps, then the blasting off of the new mutant Cannonball.
"Bobby!! Sam!!" now Jean was screaming at them as she was slammed into a hall closet.
"Watch it!!" Amara was heard yelling.
"Sorry Amara," Jamie called, "but I can't really help it when Sam comes at me full force."
"Robert Drake! Samuel Gunthrie!" Ororo's voice rang through the closed doors of the mansion. Apparently Bobby and Sam were the only ones who didn't hear her, because the noise did not stop. Rogue stopped reading, turned up Tears for Fears on her stereo then laid back down and put her pillow over her face.
"Geez, like, mutant wars seven is on out there," Kitty announced as she phased into their bedroom.
"Eight," came Rogue's muffled response from underneath her pillow. A flash of lightning and thunder crashing told the two that Ororo was at her limit.
"And just imagine," Kitty said as she pulled out her laptop, "you get to spend the next, like, three weeks on the front lines."
Rogue groaned deeply. "Not if Ah throw mahself off the roof."
"Oh, it won't be that bad." Kitty tried to be optimistic. "Hey, I'll even let you have veto power on the stereo as long as you only play music on the compromised list."
"Ah don't think listenin' ta Garbage an' Fuel," Rogue named the only two groups on that list, "will keep meh sane. Between the newbie's an' Jean's 'heart-ta-hearts, an' the Professor's lectures an' worried looks, ah don't think ah'll see sunrise. Ah need ta get outta this house!!"
"I'm going to the mall tomorrow, if you want I could pull a few strings and you could come," Kitty offered.
After removing the pillow from her head, Rogue sat up and looked seriously at her roommate. "Yah, so ya can drag meh around an' look at pink shoes."
"I'll take that as a no them," she said before she immersed herself in her paper.
Rogue laid back down and looked at her nightstand. Upon it was two tickets to the Kittie concert and two backstage passes. Now that ah can't, ah want ta go ta that concert. Maybe ah can get Wanda ta go with meh. Ah know the tickets sold out before she could get any. But then ah still have ta get outta the house. Wait… A new idea just popped into the Goth's head.
"Kitty, whose on patrol Tuesday night? Logan, McCoy, or Ororo?" Rogue asked.
Her roommate looked up. "Logan, I think. Why?"
A smile evolved on the Goth's face. It kinda creeped Kitty out. "Ah think ah'm gonna break out," Rogue announced.
"While Logan's on?! Are you, like, insane? You won't make it past the gate!" Kitty exclaimed from experience.
"Ah have a plan," Rogue lunged for the phone. She picked it up and prepared to dial before she realized: "Damn! Ah don't know his number." She thought for a bit. There was no way this great plan of hers was getting flushed by the lack of a phone number. "Wanda might know," she said to herself. Rogue dialed the brotherhood's number. Unfortunately Pietro Maximoff answered.
"Speed demon's love shack, how may I help you?"
"Ah need ta talk ta Wanda."
"Why, Rogue-roo." Pietro recognized her voice. "No 'hi, how ya doing?' That hurts."
"Will ya put Wanda on?"
"Well, no, see there's a problem there. See, she doesn't know I'm living here again and I'd like to keep it that way. Why do you need to talk to Wanda anyway?"
"None of your business, now put her on o' have someone else do it."
"Uh, no, I don't think so. Can't have the others think I'm afraid of her when I'm supposed to be leading them."
"Leading them?!" Rogue sputtered out and started laughing. After a few minutes she was able to suppress it. "Let meh put it this way, Speedy," Rogue said. "Ya either put Wanda on the other end of this call o' ah will march over there right now an' not only tell Wanda that you're there, but let her pick what tattoo ta burn on your other cheek."
"Pietro has a tattoo on his butt?!" Kitty squealed and started laughing.
"Hey! You said you wouldn't tell anyone about that!" Pietro exclaimed.
"Ah didn't, she overheard an' she still doesn't know what I had tattooed there," Rogue argued.
"Oh, tell me!" Kitty squealed again. "Please?" She smiled sweetly.
"Alright, alright!" Pietro yielded. "I'll have Freddy get Wanda." There was some shuffling, stomping and order heard in the background.
While Rogue was waiting, Kitty inquired about Pietro's body art. "Come on, Rogue, spill it."
"If ah tell ya, what will ah have ta blackmail him with?"
"Well, at least tell me why you, like, gave Pietro a tattoo on his butt," Kitty giggled.
"He 'accidentally' walked in on meh in the shower one too many times," she said, matter of factly.
"How many was that?"
"Once."
"Kinda harsh don't ya think?"
"No, effective," she stated. "He never did it again."
Wanda's irritated voice came on the line, "What?!"
"Hey Wanda, Ah wondered if ya had John's phone number?" Rogue asked.
"And why would you think I had it?" Wanda avoided the question.
"Oh, please." Rogue rolled her eyes. "Stop playin' innocent. Kurt and Evan walked in on yal makin' out in the men's bathroom at the mall."
"Fine," Wanda was so glad Rogue could not see her blush. "It's 555-1013. You need the address, look up Magnus Caesar in the phone book. That all you want?"
"Yeah, thanks Wanda," Rogue said as she scribbled down the number.
"If you mention this John thing to anyone, no one will be able to find the pieces," Wanda threatened.
"Hey, not a word from meh, but ah can't stop Kurt an' Evan from talkin'. Ah also hear that ya kicked Jean's an' Scott's asses last night. Good job."
"The pleasure was all mine." Wanda smiled wickedly.
"Ah would have liked ta see it. Ah'd better go. Thanks again." Rogue ended the call and dialed John's number.
"Hellloooo," St. John greeted.
"Hey, is John there?" Rogue asked, not certain it was him. She was glad it wasn't Remy who answered. She couldn't be distracted from her mission yet.
"This is and who might you be?" John asked.
"Rogue. Listen, ya got any evil plans takin' place Tuesday night?"
"Uh, no. You aren't asking me our, are you?" John got a little nervous. "'Cause I'm perfectly happy with the Goth I have now, not to mention Remy would kick my ass."
"Ya think way too highly of yourself. Ah'm askin' 'cause ah happen ta have two backstage passes ta a concert that Wanda has been dying ta go ta."
"No way! That's great, but I have a feeling that you're not just going to give them to me."
"In exchange, ah want that picture of Sabertooth." Rogue was tasting the success of her plan.
John thought about her offer for less than a second. "Done and done. How do you want to make the exchange?"
"Come inta Vinyl Vintage tomorrow. Ah'm workin' from three ta seven," Rogue said.
"Affirmative, I will make the drop in the appropriate time window," John responded.
Rogue rolled her eyes at his antics. "Hey can ya put Remy on the phone?"
Kitty raised her eyebrows at Rogue and mouthed. "Rogue likes Remy, Rogue likes Remy…" Rogue turned her back on her roommate and concentrated on the phone.
"I'd love to but he's not here." John paused, looking at his watch. "Though if you want to get in touch with him, I might be able to help."
"How's that?"
"Look out your window." A confused look came over Rogue's face as she got up off her bed and moved toward the balcony doors. After pushing the curtains aside, Rogue almost jumped when she saw a familiar figure dressed in black and wearing a trench coat waving at her.
"He there?" John asked.
"Yeah," Rogue answered.
"Let me talk to him," John requested.
Rogue unlocked the doors and slid through, trying to close the curtains so Kitty could not see.
"It's for you," Rogue said and handed the phone to a confused Remy.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Remy, guess what?" John did not wait for a response. "Your girl called for me, not you, ha, ha, ha, ha-ha, ha."
"Shut up, John-boy," Remy hung up on his friend and handed the phone back to Rogue. She took it. There was an awkward silence for a bit, which Rogue decided to break.
"So, whatch ya doin' here, Cajun?"
"I'm here ta see you, mon chere, of course. Why else would I be here?"
"Ah don't know. Ya might be lookin' for another death wish from Wolverine."
"Ah, but he is not here. I saw him leave fifteen minutes ago. De white lady makes rounds tonight. No Remy jumblia tonight."
Rogue gave him a half smile. "Ah gues ya aren't a complete idiot after all."
"Non, just a half-wit." Remy made fun of himself/ "At least when it concerns you. Whatcha doin' tomorrow night? Dey're showin' de Rocky Horror Picture Show at de theater downtown."
Rogue looked up at the sky and turned around to lean against the railing. "Oh, ah don't know. Go to work, then take a drive to Transsexual Transylvania and dance the night away with a singin' cross-dressin' Tim Curry?" she considered sarcastically.
"No, I'll be Mike, not Dr. Frankenferter, and you can be Columbia."
Rogue raised one eyebrow. "Columbia?"
"You wanna be Dr. Frankenferter?" Remy smiled jokingly.
"No, Magenta."
"Aww, then I'd have to be de guy wit' de hump."
"Who said ya did? Ya can be Brad for all ah care."
"Brad? Don' t'ink I have de waredrobe for Brad." Remy thought for a second. "Think I can borrow tube socks, loafers and some tightie whities from your buddy Scott?"
Rogue laughed. "Don't think he could help ya in the underware department."
Remy looked down at himself then back at Rogue. "You're right, his are probably too small." Rogue laughed again even harder.
"That's not what ah meant. Didn't John tell ya?"
"Tell me what?"
"Last night John and Wanda were playing the Hanes game and apparently Scott doesn't like boxers or briefs. He prefers thongs."
Remy cocked his head and thought for a second. "Dat explains a lot, non? So are we on for tomorrow, Magenta?"
Rogue sighed. "Can't Cajun, Ah'm grounded: three weeks."
"I'm sorry chere, I didn't know 'bout the curfew," Remy sincerely apologized.
"It's not your fault. Ah was the one who lost track of time," Rogue told him.
"Does dat mean you had a good time then?" Remy leaned in closer to Rogue. Their closeness made her a little uncomfortable, but she did not back away from him. She looked into his red and black eyes and smiled and nodded.
It took all of Kitty's will power to keep herself from crying out in glee. She didn't want to give away her position on the floor with her head phased through the curtain and the balcony door. She was too absorbed in eavesdropping to hear the soft knock on her and Rogue's bedroom door.
"Rogue? Kitty?" Ororo called. Kitty eeped and jumped up from her position on the floor.
"Ororo, uh hi," Kitty said nervously.
"What were you doing on the floor, child?" Ororo asked.
"Uh, looking for my, uh, earring." Kitty got back down on all fours and inconspicuously phased her earring out of her left ear. While she was down there, she quickly stuck her head out onto the balcony to find a pissed off Rogue and Remy.
"What do ya think ya were doin', spyin' on meh?" Rogue spat angrily.
Kitty ignored her. "Hurry, hide, Storm's coming." Kitty phased back into the room and stood up to show Ororo her earring in her hand. "Found it." She giggled uneasily and put the earring back in her ear.
"Kitty, have you seen Rogue?" the weather witch asked her.
Kitty suspiciously avoided Storm's eyes. "I think she's in the library."
"No, I checked there," Ororo said. "Is there someplace else she could be?"
Kitty didn't know how to stall Ororo any longer. I'm so totally horrible at lying. "Uh, I think she's out on the balcony. Yeah, that's right. She came back from the library and went out onto the balcony."
"Thank you," Storm gracefully walked to the balcony doors, threw back the curtains and walked out onto the balcony where Rogue appeared to be alone, looking out at the twilight sky.
"Rogue, that was truly a delightful dinner you prepared tonight," Ororo complimented.
"Thanks, 'Ro. Glad ya enjoyed it."
"Do you think you could give me a copy of the recipe? I'd love to try my hand at it," Ororo requested.
"Sure," Rogue shrugged and kept her response to one word. More than one seems to incite more conversation.
"Thanks, Rogue." Ororo diligently left the room.
As soon as he heard the door shut, Remy groaned and climbed back up on top of the balcony.
"That was close," Rogue said. "Thanks for the warnin', Kit," she called inside.
"No prob," Kitty responded, adding in her head, anything to make sure nothing stands in the way of love. She giggled at the memory of Rogue and Remy out on the balcony.
Rogue turned back to Remy. "Ya should probably be leavin' now."
"You're right. But first -" Remy paused and reached into the pocket of his trench coat. He pulled out a used cube of chalk. "For you."
"Oh, thanks, how'd ya know," she said sarcastically as she took the chalk from his hand.
"I'm Santa, remember," Remy joked. "I stole dat from Louis' last night."
"Great, ah'm datin' a klepto." Rogue continued to finger the chalk.
"So we are dating." Remy smiled triumphantly.
Rogue's hand shot out and rubbed the blue dust over his nose. "Whatever, swamp rat." Remy reached for her hand but met the closing of the glass doors. He considered picking the lock and coming in but the sound of a motorcycle roaring up the driveway told him he definitely had to go. Instead Remy kissed his hand and waved goodbye to his striped haired girl and disappeared into the night.
See Chapter 3 - Cheeseburgers and Sugar Daddies
See Chapter 9 – Thank God Friday is Over
Referring to the episode "Turn of the Rogue."
A/N: Okay people, was that worth the wait? And for all of those who are requesting some regular updates, better keep wishing and bugging me. Maybe I'll try and make some time for it. I do want some feedback from yal and some information:
1) I need one more character to be in the Dazzlers. MUST BE FROM MARVEL UNIVERSE, NO ORIGINAL CHARACTERS. Don't want you guys to get mad at me for adjusting your OC's to fit my story, plus more innuendoes can be added with already established characters. Can be male or female or other, hero or villain, mutant, human, or other but must be able to be a believable trumpet/brass player. In other words, not someone like Sage who is much too analytical to swing. I want you to tell me what character and why I should write them in. This is not a vote, no democracy here. I will be picking the character, who had the best arguments.
2) I want to know more about Sinister's Marauders from the comics and Nasty Boys from the cartoon. I want to include some in my next story, but not exactly sure who they are, how many, and what exactly their powers are.
That's all I can think of right now. Next chapter is only half-written to don't expect anything to happen real soon. But I will tease you:
Next Chapter: Someone shoplifts from Vinyl Vintage, another is in the hospital, Lance and Kitty call it quits and, what many of you have been waiting for, the Rocky Horror Picture Show!