Author's note: Dear God, I am so so sorry I didn't update. I thought I'd be able to upload one more chapter before my exams started. I had my finals, I had Senior Prom and graduation, I applied for university, I left to Armenia for a month, then I came to Spain and here I am. Of course I had time to work on the story and I did work on it. But I was in some sort of depression (call it artistic crisis if you want) and hated whatever I wrote. It took time to look back on it and realize it wasn't that bad. I have the plot defined now. I do hope I'll have enough dedication to finish this story. Sorry again.
Westchester, New York. June 2010
Together with the X-men, Rogue was sitting in the rec room, mainly watching Dr. McCoy beat Bobby at chess. The situation was so obvious to everyone that the only actual entertainment was seeing Iceman's reaction to losing his pieces one after another. The boy was practically shoked, his ego serously wounded. But at least teasing Bobby was better than looking at Scott and Jean French-kissing on the couch. She couldn't help but think of Emma Frost, who was definitely in love with the fearless leader. She wasn't a huge fan of the blonde telepath, but she could... relate. Especially since Emma sacrificed her life to save Scott's. And Jean probably thought Emma deserved it, she was simply glad she had no competition. All to familiar.
Just forget it, Rogue.
Logan's arrival distracted her. Good. Bad, she thought as she caught the look on his face.
"You guys might wanna see this", he grumped, turning the news channel on.
"... we managed to interview the movement's leader Cody Robbins".
A handsome young man appeared on the screen, the look on his face arrogant and aggressive.
"A mutant attacked me in school when I was sixteen. She put me in a coma for a week. This is why Ah voted for Mutant Registration Act and created Junior MRD to watch over underage mutants. Thanks to our movement mutant attacks in schools decreased twice their last year's number. Join us to stop mutants from taking over your school. Ah wish Ah had MRD's protection when Ah was sixteen, and Ah'm glad you do now".
Rogue's face turned pale as she was watching the report.
"No way he wrote that himself, he's too stupid to build long sentences", she tried to joke, but her face betrayed her. Logan was watching her closely. She avoided his stare, her face strangely ashamed.
Caldecott, Mississippi. October 2007
Anna Marie jerked her head and looked up at the bleachers, frowning in the afternoon sun.
"I heard Cody Robbins is here", her teammate said slyly.
"Don't go there girl", Anna said, looking away quickly, obviously annoyed by the comment, "Me and that jock don't have tha' much in common".
"Well, Rogue", the girl addressed her friend by nickname, "he plays football, you play soccer, you're both good-lookin'..."
"High school clichй, shugar. And, since when does soccer equal popular?"
"Since we got our new uniforms", she pointed at their new tight shirts with a giggle.
Cody Robbins, Caldecott High School's favorite quaterback, watched two slim girls take their positions on the soccer field, laughing. One of them, Anna Marie, was of an interest to him. He didn't really know her but his friend saw the two talking at some party and immediately labeled them the new local celebrity couple. See, the society demanded for Cody to score not only in football, but in school life, too. And goddamn it if he was going to disappoint them. They wanted action, something to talk about at lunch, therefore leveling up his prestige. Of course, Anna wasn't as popular as the cheer captain he just broke up with, but the girl had a potential. She was a tough lady with that glam rock flare, a defensive long-legged hard-to-get, yet he was sure she craved his attention. Everyone did. Oh, he'll get her in a blink of an eye. Just a second longer that it usually takes.
"Tha' was pretty hot", his friend pointed out as Anna's tan leg went up for the ball. "You two hookin' up?"
"Yeah", he replied with a smug smile.
Westchester, New York. A few minutes later
Logan found Rogue in the Danger Room, working out like crazy. She was fighting a sentinel when he stopped the program and told her to come to the control room.
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't make me talk about it", she told him straight away, a little louder than she wanted.
"I just wanted to tell you we're going on a mission. Cerebro located a mutant about to raid Metropolitan museum. Be down in ten minutes".
"Okay", she was yet again avoiding his stare.
"And Rogue? I don't want you to think about that now. Or blame yourself for this".
"You don't understand Logan! Because of what happened to Cody mutant kids all over US get bullied at school".
"That was long before the MRDs. If it wasn't that imbecile, it would be someone else. I hope you understand that".
New Orleans, Louisiana. November 2007
"Look, Mystique-"
"Just call me Raven".
"Okay, sorry", Rogue breathed out slowly and closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm just so... lost".
"I know how you feel, Rogue" the blonde woman in front of her emphasized. She took the girl's hand in her own and felt Destiny's foster daughter flinch. "I was born... blue. I lived with the Morlocks until I went to high school, I had to be in control for ten hours every day. But guess what?" she waited for the girl to look up "I have always been proud of who I am". Rogue chuckled bitterly. "With the Brotherhood, I don't have to hide. I feel strong and protected. And I wish the same for you".
The girl watched her own gloved hands closely.
"But it's different. I can't control it", she wispered helplessly.
They were sitting in a dark bar at the beginning of the French Quarter. The audience wasn't the merriest: cursing bikers with their girlfriends smoking and spilling beer over their daisy dukes, short leather skirts and tatooed , however, seemed to be comfortable among them, drinking her bourbon. My favorite bar, she told Rogue on the phone.
Raven Darkholme, aka Mystique, was a mutant, too. A shapeshifter, actually. She now posed as an attractive woman in her thirties, though she had electric blue skin and blood red hair, never mind the snake eyes. Irene Adler, Rogue's adoptive mother, recommended for Rogue to see what this woman could offer Rogue after the girl's powers offer was a place with the Brotherhood of Mutants, an organization that didn't seem to do very legal stuff. The world has learned about mutants only half a year ago, thanks to a mutant named Magneto, leader of the Brotherhood. And her life was destroyed just last week. She didn't use her real name anymore. It wasn't safe. And she wasn't the same person anymore.
"Oh-oh", Mystique was looking at the TV now.
"... sixteen years old, has spent a week in a coma. The female mutant who attacked him has appearantly left Caldecott County. Someone saw her on a train to Louisiana. The police is looking for Anna Marie in both states". Yearbook picture of a girl with white bangs appeared on the screen.
"Daaamn", she knew she should have dyed her hair.
"Hey, I jus' saw that punk over there", some biker growled and turned in Rogue's direction, his face a mix of fear and hate. "Here she is!"
"Run", Raven wispered.
In less than a second Rogue was out. And so was half of the bar. Thank God for soccer practices, they made her legs strong and fast. She was rushing through the French Quarter, knocking people down, tripping, stopping cars, suffocating. She tried to run away far enough for them to lose her. She could have stolen a bike from the parking lot, but she'd get caught by the time she hotwired it.
It was then that she heard the sirens. She cursed under her breath. It all seemed like a Hollywood movie where she was enemy of the state. She didn't notice one of her followers catch up with her and grab her by the arm. She tried to jerk away, unsuccessfully The grip hardened, but she managed to kick the man where it really hurts.
"Biiitch".
"Well thank you", she stepped over the squirming body and was about to kick him in the stomach (for safety reasons only), when she saw more men emerging from the shadows. "Oh. I see you brought friends".
As always, I encourage constructive critisism. I probably have mistakes, please point them out. And, do you think it would be useful if I got a Beta Reader? Please review.