"A-hem. Ah came out tah make sure yah were alrigh, but it looks like ah shoulda saved muhself the walk." Rogue said as she sternly looked at the flushed couple. Anya's face made her look like a deer in headlights. Rogue couldn't help but drop the façade as she busted up giggling. "Well sug, looks like we're gunna be busy moving yur stuff next door to muhn." Anya smiled as she stood up. "Oh Anna that's wonderful news sugah!" Anya couldn't help but stand there flustered. She had no idea what to do.
Gambit stood and dusted himself off. "Glad ta help chere, now dis Cajun, he need some food." Without another word Gambit strode off into the house. Anya's eyes watched him disappear. "Don't worry sug, he'll come around. He's just a lil upset bout somethan that has nuthin ta do with yah. C'mon let's go set up yur room." Rogue's smile was infectious as they re-entered the house. Rogue led Anya straight upstairs and they began to move the bags to the next room. After they had all the bags unpacked and put away Rogue opened the closet. On the top shelf were silk sheets. "Ah grabbed these for yah. Best one's we have." Rogue moved to start making the bed, and Anya joined in. After all was done the girls laid on the bed.
"Ah'm a freak Rogue….How can yah look at meh no differently than before?" Anya asked as she turned her head to look at her. "Well, ah've been thinkin' bout that muhself. And honestly, it's cause it's not yer fault sug. Yah didn't ask tah be muh clone. The fault lies on Mystique and Sinister alone." Anya smiled at Rogue's response. She slowly slipped her hand into Rogue's. "Yah knew, and yah still call meh yer sistah?" "Yup." The girls shared a grin. Suddenly, Anya's stomach left out a rather unladylike noise. "Duh! Yah didn't eat! C'mon let's go snack."
After the kitchen raid: The girl's sat on Anya's new bed. They were bathed, and changed, their bellies completely full. They had been talking about silly things, just trying to get to know each other. "What's yur favorite coluh?" Anya asked as she rolled onto her side. Rogue had braided her long blond hair into a single braid that now hung over her shoulder. She flipped it over her shoulder as Rogue copied her movements. "Green. Yurs?" "Honestly? Ah love red. A shade so deep can get lost in." "Yah mean like Gambit's eyes?" Rogue asked with an all too knowing stare. Anya's blush was all the answer she needed.
"Anna…what's yur favorite thang about bein a X-man?" Rogue was startled by this seemingly random question. However, it had been floating around Anya's head ever since she learned Rogue was not actually being brain washed. "Honestly, at first ah was only in for muh own selfish reasons. Ah thought they could help meh control muh powers more than Mystique could, so ah came here. After a while ah really enjoyed what ah was doing. Instead of hurting people with muh power's ah was helping them." Anya nodded. She couldn't really comprehend Rogue's situation, she was made with full control. Without warning a yawn escaped Anya's lips. "Yur tired, yuh had a long day. Ah'll let yah get some rest." Rogue was turning to get up when Anya's hands reached out. "Will yah stay with meh tonight. Yuh the only one in the mansion that doesn't look at meh like ah'm a freak. Please sistah?" Anya's puppy dog pout was just too much to handle. Rogue slid back into bed beside Anya. Anya sheepishly reached out and grasped Rogue's hand. Rogue's hand tightened on Anya as she smiled. "Night Anya." "Night Anna." Slowly both girls drifted into sleep.
Neither one of them noticed the pair of glowing red eyes that watched from the balcony. Smoke drifted lazily in the air around him. Once they were both sound asleep he watched for a few minutes longer. Turning to leave he heard Anya sit up. She was rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she looked out to where he stood. Gambit pressed himself to the wall. Anya made her way over to the doors, slowly she cracked them open. The scent of cloves filled the air, it was the same smell as Gambit's cigarettes. Smiling she closed the doors, leaving them slightly ajar. She turned and slid back into bed, being careful not to wake Rogue up. Thoughts of a certain devil-eyed man filled her dreams the rest of the night.
The next morning: Rogue woke up to an empty but rumpled bed. "Anya?" She groggily called out. She kept silence until she heard the sound of Anya's shower running. She smiled as she got up and went to her own room. Rogue showered and dressed, waiting for Anya in the hall. Anya strolled out a few minutes later, she was looking confused as she tugged on the bottom of a leather half jacket. The leather was black, matching her flared jeans. The crimson red of the tight beater underneath the jacket really stood out with all that black. It really helped her red sneakers stand out as well. One would think the deep colors would wash out a fair skinned girl such as Anya, but it actually helped to bring her creamy complexion out.
"Wow, yah tryin tah make the rest of us look bad?" Rogue joked from her place on the wall. Anya's face lit up as she strolled over to her. "Is this thang on right?" She asked tugging at the half jacket again. "It sure is, brings back memories too. C'mon let's go grab some breakfast. Ah think they might have some plans for yah today."
The two sisters talked all the way down to breakfast. Rogue and Anya sat across from one another again. However, today they were joined by Bobby Drake, a.k.a. Iceman. "Hey Rogue, sup? You didn't tell me there was another hottie in the mansion." Bobby winked at Anya. "Bobby, quit yur flirtin. Ah though yah were taken? Or somethan?" Rogue scolded. "More like 'or something' lately." Bobby pouted. Anya giggled. "Bobby? It's nice tah meet yah." Bobby's face lit up like the fourth of July. "That's more like it! None of this moping around like a creeper. Talk some, laugh more, share a lot!" Bobby laughed.
Anya was about to say something when Wolverine walked up to the table. "Stripes, Popsicle, Anya." He sat down after greeting. "Cykes said to get geared up, they want to test Anya to see what she's got. Was told to give her your old uniform Stripes." Rogue nodded as she stood. "C'mon Anya let's get suited up." Anya stood, giving a quick wave goodbye.
About an hour later in the danger room: "Well doesn't that bring back some memories for you stripes?" Wolverine chuckled as Anya stood ackwardly over from the rest. Rogue playfully elbowed him. "She's kinda cute, with all her awkwardness." The doors to the danger room, admitting the last person in this workout. "Gambit, you finally joined us." Cyclops said from the control room. Emma stood down in the middle of the floor. "Gambit, I wouldn't if I were you. Come now pets, we need to see what our newest addition can do. Now, Anya do you have any other powers currently, besides absorption?" Anya blushed and nodded.
"I have Ms. Marvel's flight and super strength. For some reason the other DNA was not compatible." "Alright, how well of a control do you have over your absorption powers?" Emma asked getting straight to the point. "Very well actually." "Let's test it shall we?" Emma took a step forward. "Absorb my diamond abilities only." Anya nodded, bringing her hand to Emma's bare shoulder. The contact lasted only seconds. Emma didn't even feel the pull. "Now, diamond skin." Anya nodded and in a few seconds her whole body was diamond. "Scott, your beams please." Scott gave her a very low blast which easily deflected off.
"It seems it was a good duplication, not weakened. How long can you hold this power?" "A week." Anya was getting uncomfortable. "Alright Gambit your turn. Let us see if you can truly handle this. Absorb his physical mutation and his empathy." Nodding again Anya laid her hand gently on Gambit's cheek. Again there was no pulling sensation. Stepping back Anya opened her eyes. They were the same black on reds as Gambit's. "Empathy. How is Rogue feeling now?" "Excited and antsy. She wants to move…to help?" "Good. Now charge this card." Emma responded handing her a card. As she tried to charge the card, Emma read her thoughts. "She's trying but the power isn't there. This is amazing. Her control is…perfect." Emma nodded to Wolverine. "Claw her, then give her a little tap of your healing abilities."
"What? Emma, shouldn't that be the other way around?" Rogue asked. "No darling, we need to see how well she can control her powers in a stressed situation. Now go." Wolverine nodded, giving her a nice slice on her upper arm. Then he gave her a tiny touch to the cheek. The scratch healed, but no claws came out. "Absolutely amazing. Scott, have you recorded all this?" "Yes Emma, a copy is being sent to Hank as we speak." "Alright, that's all for today. The danger room is yours now Wolverine." Without another word Emma let the room.
"You heard her kids. It's adult time in the danger room now. Stay if you want to play." Wolverine snarled as he unsheathed his claws. "Sounds good, mon ami." Gambit didn't even look at Anya as she attempted eye contact. This did not go unnoticed by Rogue. "C'mon Anya. Let's swim a few laps. We can lay out and talk with the other girls aftah words." "Sure sounds like a plan." Anya responded. Once out of ear shot Rogue whispered. "Gambit always swims after a danger room session. Ah'll make sure yah alone by then." Rogue winked as she steered them towards their bedrooms. The only question now was which bikini should Anya wear to get that silly swamp rat to notice her?