Chapter 2 The one with the Ashes
The falling in to darkness only last few seconds. Once again Rogue was hit with the psyches that lived in her head. She hated showing weakness but with everyone trying to take over her body and mind she couldn't help but cry out in pain.
"Chuck what going on?" Logan growled. He thought that she had pass out, he and Xavier were on the way to Cerebro when Logan head Rogue scream. Now he and Xavier were rushing down to the Med Lab were Beast was getting it ready for Rogue.
"AHHH! It hurts make it stop!" Rogue let out another scream of pain. She tried to move but Logan had a good hold on her. With every scream people came out of the room that they were in to see who was screaming. Most had a look of fear. They remember the last time the gothic lost control of her power and the damage it had cost. Also the near deaths that had happened not just to her own life but also that of her team mate, and 100's of other helpless people just to get her under control.
"Her mental shields are not holding up it. We need to get her tranquilized." Xavier said as the made their way into the Med Lab. Once they were inside Med Lab all three men did their best to ignore the screams of pain that were coming from the girl. They were also thankful for the fact that none of the powers that she absorbed were being used at the present time. Logan put her on bed and straped her so she unable to move and then Beast and Xavier came back with the light tranquilizer that would put her under but still would be able to access her mind.
Inside her mind it was chaos. Very one was in circle and rogue was in the middle of it trying to hold her own in fight with Sabertooth and Pyro. It looked like down town Bayville that had been hit with an atomic bomb. While the other was yelling at Sabertooth to finish her off just and Pyro made giant Snake that was staring so circle around Rogue. Using all his power Xavier paused all the psyches just at Sabertooth was about to hit Rogue in the head with a piece of wood.
"Professor?" Rogue's voice was barely a whisper. Rogue was cover in blood even throw it was just her mental version of herself it still hurt for her to move.
"Rouge what happened?" Xavier he had only seen her head like this once when she had lost all control of her mind. However unlike last time even the psyches of her friend looked angry. Not only were the Brotherhood and Acolytes were looking they wanted a turn at rogue but also all of the x-men had the same murders looks in their eyes. Xavier moved closer to Rogue as she limped her way over to a curb and eased her down to sit.
"Ah don't know. It like they've gotten stronger. Every time Ah put up a wall or shield they just keep breaking it down. Ah did my best to keep them from taking over my body completely." The gothic girl looked around for the first time and saw what had happened to the mental landscape that she had created to put her psyche away all of it ruined. She should have tried to strengthen the wall between the psyches and her while they were quit but she had hoped that they were just going to stay muted. She had gotten lazy and now she was paying the price. Rogue could feel the tears coming and hung her head in shame of what she let happened.
"Rogue this is not like the like the last you lost control. You said that you kept them from trying to take over your body last time you couldn't do that what you have done just show how far you have come." Xavier wheeled him over to Rogue. Rogue did her best to stop crying and showing any signs of weakness. Without needing speak to each other they stared to rebuild the walls and metal shields. It was hard and a toke a lot of energy but at last the two had put the last metal shield up and Xavier unpaused everyone. They could still hear them but it wasn't a yelling anymore. It's more of whispering it was quite Rogue hoped that these walls and shields would hold more than a couple of months. Then one of the psyches came up to the wall.
"Sister I am sorry. Don't know what happened one moment we were all like in sleep state then we were all angry really angry and it was like someone was control us making us act that way. All we could hear was so one chanting but we could not make it out what is was saying. Please for giving me. I am so sorry that I just stood back and let Sabertooth and Pyro hurt you and cheer them on." Kurt looks so ashamed it tugged at her heart.
"It alright I'm ok please doing worry, about listen Kurt I'm tried and I need some rest." Rogue was so mentally exhausted. She just needs sleep.
"Yes of course. We'll I just want you to know I'm sorry." Kurt walked away disappear into the crowed behind the wall.
"Rogue tomorrow we need explore more about the chanting that your psyche's heard." Xavier said all rogue did was nod at him. She knew were that conversion was going she just what a few more moments of ignorant bliss. Xavier gave Rogue smile before leaving her mind.
"Well Chuck what going in her mind." Logan asked. Rogue was one of the strongest people he ever meet. Now she looked so small and even paler. Just seeing her body strapped down to the bed and hooked up to machines wasn't right.
"As far as I can tell something or someone made her psyche in her head stay calm and then made them strong enough to try and hurt her. Even the psyches of us of the X-men were trying to hurt her. It was manipulating them and I can only think of one mutant that would need her psyches to do that to control her." Xavier worried his worst fears may come true again.
"You don't think that he back do you? I thought Rogue put him away for good." Logan didn't know how they would be able to win again if he raised again. Rogue was the only one that was able to beat him.
"Yes Logan I fear that Apocalypses is going to return." Xavier said. Looking down at his watch it was almost to meet with school board.
(At School)
To say that the air was thick with tension would be putting lightly. They were in a confess room it had a long table in the middle with your basic pictures ling the wall. On side was Eric a boy that was the spitting image of is older brother Duncan. Except his hair was longer. His parents were on both side of him. Principal Kelly sat at the head of the table with school board members on both side of the table. Kelly, the Matthews had a look of utter disgust when Xavier, Ororo, Kitty and Kurt walked into the room. Kurt was impressed with what he was able to do with his image inducer. He had adjusted it so that it looked that he had a broken nose, because before no one could tell that he had a broken nose with the images inducer on. As they took their seat Kelly stood up and open is big mouth.
"We are to discuss what happened after school today. It seems that powers were being used at school today. To overpower and bully a student that is much weaker and helpless. Miss. Pryde and Mr. Wagner were using there unnatural power defenseless human being." Kelly said as his shoot daggers that the mutants sit to his left. Ororo could feel her blood start to boil. Then without warning the clam nights outside started to turn into black. Storm clouds came rolling in with thunder and lighting. It started to pour rain heave sheets of rain. The other mutants looked over at Storm. She was try to calm herself down but how could that man say those thing about her children. Ororo thought of every child that came into Xavier's as her own.
One of them members of the school board looked upset at what Kelly had just said.
"Kelly just what do you mean by using word such unnatural and human?" said an older man that had a thick brown bread and black suite on that went by the name James Manson.
"Yes Mr. Kelly what exactly do you mean are you impaling that Kitty and Kurt are not humans?" Xavier asked. He too was finding it had not to lose his temper with Kelly.
"Yes Kelly if this you regular treatment to your students maybe you should look into a different career. I don't what my son coming into this school if this way you are going to act towards him." Said Mrs. Harris coolly while Kelly did a wonderful portrayal of a deer caught in the head lights look.
"Of course they are not human just like your son." Mrs. Mathews spat then turn her attention to Ororo. "I saw you on news when you unnatural thing crawled out of the wood work. Said how you're not dangers and the you are the next step in human evolution that just make me sick. God did not intead for humans to have such demonic powers." Mrs. Mathews her face was red and her eyes burn with unmistakable hatred of the people across the table. "You said you were safe well look at what you did to my son you animals." Mrs. Mathews pick put her son hand was now wrapped in bandages. Weather turn even more volatile if that was possible. Xavier tried his best to calm the weather goddess, but all he managed was to get her to stop with 60 mile an hour winds.
"I believe that happened when your son punch Kurt in the noise after coming to Kitty's aid this afternoon." Said a still very upset weather witch. She was still trying to calm herself down so that she wouldn't start a hurricane.
"Ladies I believe that we are getting off topic. Now be for we lose the rest of are tempers why don't we hear both side of the story." Said Jane Harris a member of the school board.
Eric went first saying how he was just on his was out of the building when he accidentally crashed into Kitty. That he tried to apologize but that she shoved him with her super strength. And that she keep shoving him in and out of the locker and that when Kurt can along and was about to punch him when Eric punch first and tried to get away but Kitty using her power as to phase him into the locker were he had to wait for the janitor to come by and help get him out. When he was done Kitty and Kurt started to laugh.
"You how those things laugh at my son pain?" Spat an angry Mr. Mathews.
"I believe they are laughing at the holes in your son story Mr. Mathews. You see Kitty does not have super strength." Xavier said with bit of smug tone that he didn't even try to hide. He did however tell Kitty and Kurt to stop laugh. Tethpathy they both said sorry.
"Don't believe him he's lying just too safe the freaks of nature." Said Eric.
"I have just about enough of disrespect from you Mr. Kelly, Mr. and Mrs. Mathew's. I will not stand by and let you talk about us that way." Xavier was angry and he was one to never lose his temper.
"Yes that is enough Eric. Kitty and Kurt tell us your side of the story." Said Mrs. Harris. Kitty told them what happened as well as did Kurt when he could a word in.
"So when he punched Kurt in the noise that when I lost it and phased Eric into the locker." Kitty said. She was playing up the hold I am so tiny and weak act.
"Listen I think that this a matter of he said she said. We are dealing with 3 upstanding student two of whom happen to be mutants. Kitty is a straight A student the is also the President of the computer club. Kurt also is straight A student and co-founder of the food world club. Eric is Capitan of the Baseball, Basketball and Football teams. So I say that since none of the cameras caught the fight that well drop this mess. It's get late and the weather seems to have clean up so we should make use of while it last and get home." Said a much tried looking Mr. Manson. The rest of the school board agreed with Manson. The rest meeting started to wrap up with petty words from the Mathews taking about how unfair the ruling was, and with Xavier offering to donate more security cameras to the schools blind spots. Before leave Xavier also gave Mrs. Harris his card in case she need some help with her son. Once in the car Kitty and Kurt let out a sigh of relief.
"Like that goodness that over. Like Professor I know I've like said over 100 times today. I'm like really really sorry I like used my powers on school grounds." Kitty said as she stared at floor of the car. She could feel herself starting to cry.
"I know you are Kitty. If you what both you and Kurt can go down to visit Rogue. Beast sent me an Email say she still out and will be for the rest of the night." Xavier said as the speed out of the school parking lot.
(Back at the Mansion)
It was close to midnight by the time that she woke up again. She could hear the hum of Med Lab machines run and saw that she was hooked up. Rogue tried to move but she could her arm and legs and chest where strapped to a bed. She was about to call out for Beast when she hear the door open. Logan came in and smelling of cigar smoke.
"So ya finally up Stripes." He walks over to her and put on his gloves before undoing her straps. It was then that she notice that she want wearing her clothes from before but instead she was in a hospital gown. "So tell how you feel?" he asked as he handed her a glass of water. Rogue took a long drink before speaking her throat feel raw from her screaming.
"Ah feel like hell. He's coming back is it he?" Rogue knew deep down that it wasn't that easy to get rid of him. Logan looks way from her and took a deep breath.
"Yeah Chuck thinks that he staring to wake up, but he going to talk to old bucked head. If Chuck can find him but other than that it looks like it going to be a waiting game to so see if Apocalypse wakeup or not. Who know maybe it was a left over power surge?" Logan said as he scratched his head.
"Logan what the fuck don't you dare treat me like a newbie. Ah heard what they said that something or someone was making them act out. Last Ah checked the last person beside me that could control my mind like that was Apocalypse." Rogue hated that because of her that thing of pure evil had been set free. She did her best to put him back but in his eternal slumber, but turn out that it wasn't good enough.
"Listen we still don't know what going to on. Just try and get some rest." As he turns to walk out of the room turning of the lights as he went out. Now that the drugs had worn off she fell into her nightmare land. Most time she realized that it wasn't her dream and was able to wake herself up. However tonight luck was not on her side. She was cold and so hungry, but even if there was food she would have vomited it up. The smell of burning body mix in with human waste tended to do that to a person. That is when she heard shouting she asked the person sit next to her was going on before they could respond a guard drag a women and her child from a building yelling of his lungs before raising his gun and shooting her in the face and raise the gun again to shoot the small frightened child. Rogue woke screaming at the top of her lungs and then bolted to the bathroom before she could get sick on the bed. Logan and Beast came running into the room. Logan was sleeping in the room next rogue just in case she lost control or had a nightmare and Beast living quarter was in the Med Lab.
"Rogue is you all right?" Beast asked as she came out of the bathroom. Rogue nod and made her way over to the bed.
"Yeah just had a bad nightmare." Rouge crawled back into the bed.
"Was it one of my old memoires?" Logan asked.
"No it was one of good old Magneto from the holocaust. It he saw women and child get shoot in front of him." Rogue hated nights when she had Magneto's old memoires for dreams. She winched slightly as Beast banged her right hand from where she had torn the IV out while she had ran to the bathroom.
"Sorry about that Rogue." Beast apologized for the dream and having hurt her while applying the dressing to her hand. "Would you like me to set up an IV on your left hand that way I can give you something so you can sleep for at less a few more hours after it only 4 am?" Beast asked.
"No Ah'll be ok. Thank you for everything Beast Ah just try and get so sleep the old fashion way." Rogue was very grateful that Beast was such wonderful doctor. Beast said goodnight to Rogue and call him if she need anything and left to try and get some sleep himself. Logan said his good nights as well. Rogue couldn't get back to sleep so she just lie in bed and let her mind wonder. She thought about going to see her mother Iren. Rogue was thinking of trying to at less to talk to her after all she was part of her family. Maybe one of these days's I should write about my mess up family. Rogue thought to herself. Finally she felt her eyed lids getting heave and she fell asleep. In her sleep she was back in the chaos of her mind but this time she hear the chanting that Kurt was talking about it said in clear voice "From the ashes I will raise."
"Rogue like wake up already your food is like today getting cold and gross." She felt like she had only closed her eye for a second when she heard Kitty calling her name. The valley girl was standing right over Rogue with a tray of food. That looked like it had already been eaten and moving on its own. Rogue opened her mouth to say something but cut off by Kurt's teleporting.
"What the hell Kitty. My sis needs her sleep." Kurt yelled at Kitty and looked at the food that she had made. "Kitty was the in world is that are you trying to poison her." Kitty just glared at the blue mutant and was about to yell back when Rogue cleared her thought.
"Kitty I am going have to agree with Kurt. Don't give that look you can't cook so don't try and butter me up with…what hell is this I would say food that insulted to food everywhere. So what did ya want?" Rogue asked. The gothic knew she was being mean but it was 7 in the morning and she need for sleep before going to see Xavier.
"Rogue my cooking has like gotten way better. Thank you very much. No I just thought you like might want to know how are meeting went last night. You were still out of it when like Kurt and I came down to see if you were going a better." Kitty said as she made rogue scoot of on the bed so she could sit next her on the bed Rogue pulled the covers of the bed over her exposed arm. Kitty noticing for the first time that Rogue's arms were bares a small bag. It was a change of clothes. Rogue thanked her and put on her purple long sleeve shirt. Then kitty had her food tray.
"Ah forgot about the meeting so how did it go?" Rogue asked as she picked at what looked like scrambled eggs but were way too runny and for some reason had a pink color to them.
"Well go new sis we didn't get expelled." Kurt filled her in on what had happed with lots of help from Kitty. Rouge laughed and wishes she could have seen Kelly face when he was told that one of the school board member's son was mutant. Just Kurt finished with the news a very excited Jubilee came in to the room. Rogue suppressed a growl she did not need the mansions gossip this early in the morning.
"Kitty there you we have need looking every were for you." Jubilee was smiling so hard it look like her face could spilt in two. "Oh hey Kurt and Looking better Rogue." She adds as in afterthought. "Yeah Kitty you will not believe what I hear. Get this the Professor had found two new teachers/tutors. You know for the rest of us that have denied to dangers to go to school. I don't know their names yet but one of them is going to teach French, Sex Ed, and Math. While the other is going to teach art, and creative writing." Jubilee was thrilled it sucked that she couldn't go to school like the rest of the older mutants. She missed the friends that she made over the last year but on till the ruling was over turn she and about 40 others had to stay back and take class online which wasn't fair. "I hear Storm say they move in this coming Monday and start the next day. Ok here's the most amazing part they are both mutants like us the Professor is going tell everyone tonight. Ok going have the rest of the school to tell." Just as fast as she came she left.
"Ah didn't know the Professor need more teachers did you guys?" Rogue asked.
"I like knew that the Professor was think about getting some extra help. I guess he want to turn the mansion into like a fully functioning school or something." Kitty said.
"Yeah will hear more about tonight. Well see you later sis come Kitty let's get going to school." Kitty said her good byes and left with Kurt. After they left Rouge went into the bathroom and got changed. She head to her room and put on makeup and made her Xavier's offices. It was only 8 o'clock and Xavier didn't start his class till 9:00 she knocked and the door opens for her to come in. Xavier was looking out of his windows looking out in to lawn some of his student us outside. Jean looked up to see the Professor and waved. Waving back he turned his attention to Rogue.
"Rogue please sit down we have much to discuss." Xavier wheeled himself over to his desk. "Can you tell more of what happened can you start from the being?"
"Well was going to start getting ready so I could go out it Bobby to dinner." Rogue could feel her face getting red. "When I heard Cody's voice in my head then all at once they all came alive. Then the next thing I know I fighting and trying my hardest to keep from lose all control of body and mind. Professor I know what they were chanting. "From the ashes I will raise." But I didn't recognize the voice at all it didn't sound like Apocalypse at all it sounded like a women." Rogue look at Professor hoping that he knew what that meant.
"Are you sure that it said "From the ashes I will raise"." Xavier was at a lost to what it meant. "It doesn't make any scene we didn't burn Apocalypse."
"Professor I don't think it's Apocalypse. I think we are dealing with something different." Rogue felt like she knew who it was but could put her finger on it.
"That may be so I hate to say it but I think we have to wait and see if anything else happens. I'll let you get some more rest." Xavier opens the door for Rogue. Xavier wished he could start reaching the matter right away but had class of students waiting on him.
No one notice a red head young women lying on the lawn in pain. Jean was clutching her head. Then a voice spoke to her "From the ashes I will raise" it was the second time she had heard the voice.
The rest of the week passed without too much drama. The professor and Beast still had found nothing that connected "From the ashes I will raise" to see if it did have any connection with Apocalypse. As Jubilee had said the Professor announcement that they would be get two new members to teammates that would also double as teachers. He said that they wanted to keep their identity s secret till Monday night. School had gotten a tad worse scene the fight with Eric but it was nothing that they could handle. Bobby had gotten Rogue to reschedule there miss date for the falling Wednesday. Rogue was glad to hear the final bell of the day.
"Kitty what time did you want to leave again?" Rogue walked into her room with Kitty following her in.
"Like let's leave here at like 10 that way we can get there by 11:30 if traffics good. It should only take us like 45mins to get to the club once we hit New York City." Kitty was going throw Rogue clothes and started to pull out the gothic girls more revealing clothes that she hardly ever wore. "Here we go like I think that you should totally were this tonight." Kitty was holding up a deep green silk dress with a plunging neck line it was sleeveless and practicaly skin tight. Kitty then pulled out Rogues long shoulder length black silk gloves and most translucent stocking she owed, and black heels or as Rogue like to call them fuck me heels because to her the heels look like they belonged on a striper. Kitty then pair the whole thing with a sliver panted and earing and matching sliver clutch. "Like what do you think?"
"Kitty don't you think that it show was too much skin." Rogue still trying to get used to her new figure.
"Rogue come on like you'll look great truest me." Kitty said as she walks out of her friend's room. Rogue looked down at the outfit and went to find her green strapless bra with matching thong and garter belt for her stocking. By the time 10:30 rolled around all the girls were ready and were making their way to the garage. Rouge was wearing the outfit that Kitty had pick out and had curled her hair and had simple eye makeup and deep red lip stick. Kitty was in hot pink dress that went to mind thigh and black wedges with a dramatic eye and a nude lip stick with her hair straighten. Amara has on a red and black tail dress and saddles with her hair in tight bun and just some mascara and lip stick. Tabitha deciding on her favored black corset and electric blue skirt with her matching blue fuck me heels that had spikes on the back of them and her regular make up and hair. The quartet piled into Kitty's car and were off they blasted loud music and talk and laughed.
"Rogue girl why don't you show off your leg more or your chest of that matter. If I didn't have such a hot girlfriend I would totally be putting the moves on you." Tabitha said give Rouge a wink to let her know she was kidding. Rogue rolled her eyes and smiled.
"Oh really so your only dating me for my looks?" Amara said as she stared to run hand up and down her girlfriend leg.
"No not just your looks I am also in it for the money and crown. Queen Tabitha has ring to it don't you think Princess." Tabby said as she lowered her head and gave Amara kiss.
"Hey can you two like not make out in my car. Just wait till we at least get in to club like I'm trying to drive here." Kitty said as she almost ran into a park car but managed to swerve out of the way. Kitty driving had improved but not by much. She still hit things how she mange to pass her driving test was anyone guess. "OK guy like we are here." Kitty had park the car in the alley be hide the club. Kitty and the rest walk over to the building and found a window that they could hear female voice coming out of. Kitty quickly pecked her head in. "Ok this is the girl's bathroom everyone holds on." All the girls made sure that they had on Kitty as she phases them in.
"Thanks Kitty." Amara said just a Tabitha was dragging her out of the bathroom and into the club. As Kitty and Rogue left the bathroom the club was in full swing. Everyone was dancing or dinking. Kitty made her way over to bar and dragged rouge with her. Rogue barely got five feet when she ran into someone. "Sorr-Gambit! What the hell are doing here Swamp Rat?"
"Well hello to you to Cherie." His eyes were roaming all over her. God did she get ever more beautiful. She a grown in so many ways she had a body that made Belladonna look like stick figure. "I must say that you look tres belle." With all her Gothic makeup off he could see the really women shining throw, bright emerald eyes and full red lips that he was dying to kiss. He could help himself and grab her around the waist, and to think he was about to leave and go home and watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Look like his night was about to get a lot more interesting.
