A/N: Guys, I'm sorry, I am. This was in the works for a long time, and I hope you enjoy it. A bit more humour in this chapter, and some more training for Rogue. The plot is thickening, and I assure you, it IS going to be updated. I've started Chapter 4. I promise, I'm staying with this.
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"Bobby."
"I'm trying Jubes, I am!"
Pherma inclined her head as her hearing picked up on the two voices. She walked over to the room where the voices were coming from and pressed her ear against the door.
"None of the other guys I've done this with have had problems."
"You're comparing me to them? That's great to know you're comparing me to them whenever we're together."
"Bobby…come on. Can you just focus, please?"
Pherma grinned, starting to catch on. She waved Kitty over and started listening in, covering her mouth to prevent giggles.
"Just get it up already!"
"You're not helping."
"I didn't realize you were going to have this much of a problem."
Kitty got Rogue to listen in, and others were noticing. Rogue, Pherma, Tabby, Kitty, and Amara were listening in at the moment, but others were around them.
"Okay, just concentrate on it."
"I'm trying to."
"Look! There! You got it!"
"Yeah. Thanks so much, Jubes."
"Okay, now just lift me up a little more…"
"I'm doing the best I can. You're really not helping."
"Bobby…just shut up and push already."
Giggles went around a few of the girls. Rogue was grinning and Pherma was just looking evil. A crowd was gathered around –some of the Brotherhood were even there. It was a fabulous thing. A bunch of teenagers listening to two teenagers while they seemed to be having… problems.
"We've done this before, why can't you do it now?"
"Jubes. You are really making this very difficult for me. Cut me some slack."
"Well, try taking it out and putting it back in. That usually works."
"Must you insist on calling my bulb 'it'? It's demoting."
"Bobby, you realize you just referred to it as your bulb."
"Well, yeah."
"Okay, wait, there, you've got it! It's in!"
"No…it's not in properly, Jubes. I can tell."
"Well just jiggle it a bit then or something. Use your other hand to help."
"Not working. Any other suggestions?"
"This is retarded. How can this not be working? It's never happened before!"
"I don't know, Jubes. I'm sorry. I know you wanted to do this today."
"It's alright. We can just ask Mr. McCoy what went wrong later. He understands these things."
"No, wait a second, I got it!"
"Yes, that's it! That's it! Yes!"
"You don't have to scream, Jubes."
"Bobby, you're ruining my excitement."
By this time, half the mansion was there and collapsed in laughter, listening
to the conversation.
"Bobby, you can get it in a bit farther, honey."
"Just let me push for another minute."
"Well, maybe if you come from a different angle…"
"We're doing this my way, Jubes."
"Oh, fine. I'll just sit here, then."
Pherma grinned. "Eh, it's no fun when the guy is the only one who gets to play." More giggles from everybody on the floor.
Logan walked up the stairs. "What the hell is going on?" He growled. The laughter stopped. He walked over to the door and listened to a minute. Pherma was the only one who hadn't moved, she was completely unfazed by his temper. After all, he couldn't hurt her. If she had to, she could just increase the amount of pheromones she was giving off and then no man was safe from her.
"Bobby, that feels right…"
"Jubes, honey, I want this to be right. It's no good to us if it's not. And you
said you wanted us to do this now."
"It can wait, though, if we can't get it right now…oh, god, that's it, you've got it, right there, Bobby you've got it!"
Logan looked like he was gonna kill someone. In fact, he shot out his claws and cut the door off.
Only to reveal Bobby and Jubilee standing in the middle of the room. Trying to screw in a new light bulb.
Rogue and Kitty were walking through the wooded area by the house, talking casually.
"Ah don't know, Kit. It's like…like Logan and the Professor want me to get control of something I have no control over."
"Did you have to go for flying Lessons with Ororo?" Kitty imitated the gentle African Goddess' voice. "Be intangible…let the wind carry you and you can fly, too, my child.' And I'm all 'No way, lady. Thanks but no. I'm good on the ground!"
"You mean dangerous enough on the ground." Rogue rolled her eyes.
"Hey!" Kitty yelled.
"So…anymore new recruits roll in today?" Rogue leaned against a tree and crossed her arms.
"Not that I know of. Hope none of them are like that Mr. Wisdom guy!"
The Southern Bell raised her eyebrow.
"You've talked about him enough in the last few days. I think Miss Kit Kat likes him."
"Please, Rogue, the guy's an ass."
"Such harsh language."
"Hey!"
Kitty crossed her arms and blushed, and Rogue rolled her eyes. Suddenly, Kitty's eyes grew wide and she screamed.
"ROGUE! That tree…it's MOVING!" Rogue jumped up and away from the tree. The willow tree she had been leaning against wasn't moving at all. In fact, it was steady as ever.
"Got you." Kitty giggled. Rogue grinned and shook her hand.
"Now Kit, is when I hurt you."
The two girls began chasing each other and laughing, neither actually intending to cause harm to the other.
When they were long gone and out of sight, the willow tree that had been 'moving' according to Kitty slowly transformed into a girl. She sighed.
One day, Sonia promised herself, I won't have to do this anymore.
Sonia began to walk away when she realized her feet were not mobile. She looked down, only to see that her feet were implanted in the ground the way her roots had been. "Shit." She whispered and began to tug at her feet.
Tabby and Amara were sitting on the couch watching CSI when the doorbell rang. They blonde bombshell shrugged at the southern belle and they both leaned back so the couch flipped over, rolled out and headed for the door.
However, when they opened the door, they had not expected what they saw.
"G'day Sheila's!"
A Goth was leaned against the door frame, with her waist captured by the arm of an orange haired Australian cheerful looking fellow who was flicking a lighter.
Pyro and the Scarlet Witch were standing at the doorway of Xavier's Institute- wrapped around each other.
Wanda walked in, her combat boots trudging on the rug. John followed her, looking around, still flicking his lighter. Wanda was wearing that same old trench coat, and still had various ankh jewelry on. The only difference in the Scarlet Witch since the last time Amara or Tabby had seen her was she had grown her hair out just past her shoulders.
"So, where's the guy we talk to about picking up room and board?" The princess was a little stunned to see them, but Tabby jumped right up.
"Wanda! Girl, it's been a while since I saw you! Damn you're looking better! And why do you have that little hottie wrapped around yourself?"
Professor. There are two new mutants here. Rogue thought out loud. Living for a good few years with a bunch of telepaths made it very easy to think louder when you wanted to.
The Professor, Logan and Ororo came into the front hall. "Hello Wanda, John. Welcome to the institute. I have prepared rooms for the two of you since you sent me the email, Wanda, that you would be arriving shortly."
"Hang on, rooms? As in plural? That doesn't work." John said, moving his arm to Wanda's shoulders, pulling her against his body. She complied without resistance.
"We don't have co-ed bedrooms here, John." Wanda glared and crossed her arms.
"Maybe for kids. What's your policy on married folks?"
Three pairs of eyebrows (Logan's, Amara's and Tabby's) shot up, and mouths dropped open. "Married!?"
Wanda and John grinned at each other and Wanda held out her hand to show off the 24 carrot diamond surrounded by six tiny black opals on her ring finger and grinned.
"Me and the bird got hitched 'bout a year ago, when we was touring down under. Kind of an elopement, cause next we went to Barcelona."
"Wow. You actually got married. Way to go girlfriend!" Tabby ran up to Wanda and hugged her tightly, to Wanda's utter disgust. Tabby ignored Wanda's stiffness, but backed off when Wanda's hands started to glow blue.
"I suppose since the two of you are legally married, you may stay in a room together. The double rooms are on the top floor. You may choose one and inform me as to which number your room is." The Professor folded his hands, watching Logan glare at the young couple while Ororo smiled pleasantly.
The young couple walked upstairs, along with Tabitha and Amara, chatting away. John flicked his lighter the whole way, making soft clicking noises. Ororo would later discover three different burn marks on the walls.
"So the Firebug and the Witch got hitched. The world has become a scary place." Logan sighed and walked towards the garage, while Storm and Xavier chuckled softly at his expense.
Logan sighed as he walked into his room at the end of the night. He'd patrolled, checking to make sure everyone was in the right room and tucked in and quiet and the like. He wasn't even going within fifteen feet of the "newlyweds" room, because honestly, ignorance was bliss.
At that thought, he grunted, stripped down and climbed into bed.
About half an hour later, he shot up at the sound of footsteps coming down the hall and towards his bedroom. He shot his claws out and walked up to his door, standing behind it. When a figure opened the door and stepped in his room, he grabbed the person and pressed his adamantium claws against their neck.
"Alright bub, what the hell are you doing?" He sniffed. "Pherma! What the hell are you doing in my room?"
The younger mutant sighed. "Let me go, Logan. Frog boy is hopping around in my room, trying to kiss me while calling me 'Sweetums'. I figured you were the only guy who could suck it up and let me share his bed without trying to make a move on me so I can get some actual frog-free sleep."
"That's a hell of a long explanation for 2 AM, girly."
"Girly indeed. Can we just go to bed now?" Logan flipped on the lights and raised one eyebrow at her negligée that left little to the imagination.
"I didn't agree to shacking it up with you."
Pherma grinned and went and sat on the bed. "We're not getting sexy, Claw-boy. We're sleeping. If you can't keep your hands to yourself, I'll leave. I just want to go where Froggy can't follow me and keep trying to seduce me." She shivered. "Eww...frog."
"My hands to myself? What about you?" Pherma scoffed and looked Logan up and down.
"Oh please." Logan rolled his eyes and climbed into bed.
"Fine. Just for tonight, girly."
Pherma slid under the sheets and tossed her hair around. She reached for a pillow and realized there was only one pillow on Logan's bed. The golden haired temptress grinned and stole it, folding it in half and snuggling down to sleep.
She smiled softly at the Wolverine's growl when he realized she had stolen his pillow.
Charles Xavier and Ororo sat on the balcony, a soft breeze about their feet, picking up leaves and such. Ororo was hovering a meditative state.
"He's on his way, Charles. The others will be coming with them, now that he's tracked them all down. They'll trickle in one by one, Charles. And I still don't want him here." The silver haired weather witch said softly.
Xavier nodded to the students slowly walking out around the grounds. Amara and Tabitha were bouncing about, Boom Boom letting off small bombs every now and then, making the leaves pop up in the air. Amara would then light them on fire, and they'd laugh and twirl and do cartwheels.
Its alright Ororo. I've been in constant contact with Eric and he assures me that a united peaceful front of mutants is the best course of action for now. Xavier shivered lightly, which Ororo saw out of the corner of her eye and the temperature around them rose about three degrees, and the wind ceased as Ororo floated slowly back to the ground, taking a seat on a bench next to the Professor's wheel chair.
"Ororo, we're working on a plan, Eric and I. We're going to have to assist mutant's in getting here – travel from now on won't be easy, especially for those whose gifts take a physical presence, like Kurt or Scott."
Ororo sighed and moved all of her silver hair to one side of her face. "Charles, mutants are being attacked everywhere. You'd better hurry up with your plan – there's a lot of mutants out there who need our help, and who can't get here on their own."
Charles smiled and folded his hands together, resting his chin on his fingers. "Of course Ororo. I know, I know."
Charles turned to Ororo and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Did you know, Pherma slept in Logan's bedroom last night?" Ororo raised her eyebrows and the two 'mature' adults began to gossip lightly.
Rogue grunted as she and Logan meditated in the Danger room. Everyone else was at dinner. And she was grumpy from being deprived of food.
"Focus! Rogue, I'm over here. Stop thinking about your stomach, you don't need it! It wants food, it doesn't need it. You need control and now it's time to learn the difference."
Rogue looked up at the grumpy man. "The difference between want and need? I think I figured that out before, Logan." He bopped her on the head. "Ow!"
"No, you think you know. But the difference now is, you're going to know you know. Now, get up." He was already standing and moved into the center of the room. They were in light sport clothes, easy to move around in. Logan had bought Rogue all kinds of weird 'training' clothing. Sports pants, t shirts, sport bras, new different types of gloves, and some more random clothing – evening dresses, a motor biking jacket, 3 pairs of sunglasses, a couple of hats, and 2 pairs of black shoes that looked a little big on her feet. Rogue stood and tied her hair back, and only her white bangs hung in her face still.
She made a motion to take off her gloves but Logan stopped her. "It would be good for you to take your gloves off at the beginning of the fight, but we're not using powers right now. No powers, just needs, okay? Only do something if you need to do it."
Snkt. The sound of Logan's claws was common to Rogue by this point in her stay at the mansionDanger room sessions had allowed her to be fighting by Logan's side three times a day, first thing in the morning for the past several years – she no longer slept in on Sundays.
Logan charged at her quickly and furiously, drawing back his fist and lunging his claws forwards, aimed dead straight at Rogue's throat. She ducked and rolled, and pulled around behind him. Logan stopped and glared at her.
"Why did you do that?" He asked, sighing and he slowly retracted his claws.
"Because you were going to skewer me like I was one of last week's barbeque foods!" She shouted, obviously irritated at the stupid question.
"How do you know I would have hit you?" He asked, quite calm and ignoring her anger.
"Well Logan, it might have to do with the fact that you don't miss. Ever." Rogue glared and tugged on her ponytail. Her hair had been growing longer, and she wasn't fully decided if she liked it.
"Wrong. Look, Stripes, the thing is that you have to learn the difference between want and need. You say you know it, but you don't. Give me your hand – take your glove off first."
Logan took her arm and swiftly released one claw and scratched straight across her palm, holding it firmly. He was feeling a slight drain.
"Now, focus Stripes – no, focus!" He shouted at her as she started to try and pull away. "Do you need to heal this?"
Rogue stared at her hand as the blood slowly dripped in a straight line down around to the sides, between her fingers. Logan squeezed her hand tighter. She nodded.
"NO. Stripes, you don't. You won't die if this doesn't heal in the next ten seconds. So concentrate on your powers – you do not need mine. Focus on the need. Reject my powers. You don't need them, and right now that means you don't want them." Logan was squeezing her palm incredibly tight, and her cut was slowly sealing lightly.
Then he jerked on her palm and the skin that had been reforming on her hand ripped and she growled lightly.
Rogue was trying to concentrate, really. Her hand hurt, mind you. And so she closed her eyes, and tried a technique that Logan was trying to ingrain on her mind.
I do not want his power. I do not want that power. I do not want that power. She chanted the mantra in her mind, trying to hone her powers to reject his abilities.
His memories were flowing into her mind. The way Pherma smelled last night. This morning's coffee and tai chi ritual.
"Focus!" He shouted again. It disrupted her every time, but it stopped the memory flow momentarily.
I do not want his power. Flashes of his memory – his thoughts from today's training session clicked in Rogue's mind. No, I do not need his power.
And suddenly, for one moment everything stopped. Her cut did not heal, his memories did not become her own, and the damn was held back.
Just as the flow had stopped, unfortunately, Rogue felt strained beyond belief, rejecting her powers. And so, when she collapsed the ground, it was so startling that Logan barely caught her.
"Stripes? Come on, recover. Stay conscious, for god's sakes." He grumbled at her. She could smell the cigar smoke on his breath.
"Logan?" She winced. Her head was throbbing, a few of her psyche's screaming at her.
"Yeah, Stripes?"
"Why was Pherma in your bed last night?"
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I felt good ending the chapter there. Whoot! For passing my 10 000 word count. Chapter 4 in the works...enter the Acolytes, including our most favourite Cajun...
See ya!
Through Darkness and Light /x\