Disclaimer: All characters and settings belong to Marvel Comics, including Carlie Cooper. No profit was/is/ will be gained from this page.
Author Disclaimer: No events, interactions, or verbal exchanges represent the opinions of Artemis's Liege in any way.
As anger welled in the pit of her stomach, Carlie locked her unique wisteria blue gaze onto Rouge's. "Why did you trip me?"
Disgust crossed over Rouge's features. "What are you talking about?"
"You just tripped me down the steps," Carlie informed her coldly. "What's your problem with me?"
Rouge rolled her eyes. "Other than that you're right up annoying? You see, Scott likes you. And I want him to like me. I can't let you get too close to him."
Carlie narrowed her eyes. "So what? You're trying to force me out of the picture so you can have himself all to yourself?"
"Looks that way, doesn't it?" Rouge replied, her tone sarky, and eyes sparking with malice.
"Well, that won't work," Carlie told her. "There's no way a good fellow like Scott would ever want a pathetic bint like you, not even if you blagged him into it."
"Shut up," Rouge hissed. "You don't know anything."
"I know that you're trying to be so goth and dark and evil by being a Satanist," Carlie said, her distinctive blue eyes blazing. "Seriously, A Satanist? You are such a loser."
"If you say one more word, I'm going to turn you into brown bread," Rouge threatened.
"Why don't you have a go at it?" Carlie's heart was pounding. Whilst she had battled various petty thieves and several supervillains, Coldheart, Freak, Cyclone, and the Green Goblin amongst them, she had never brawled with a classmate before. But if she could take down terrorists, then she could deal with a jealous goth.
But before she could blink, Rouge had rushed toward her, and slammed her fist into Carlie's mouth. The impact and sudden pain sent Carlie stumbling backwards, and she pressed her hand against her lips as the metallic taste of blood trickled over her tongue.
"Hey!"
An angry male voice broke the silence, and Rouge's smug smirk faded slightly as Scott, followed by Jean, Kitty, Lance and Pietro, sprinted towards them.
Lance was wearing a white button-down shirt with vertical grey stripes, a black leather jacket, faded, dark classic-style jeans, and suedette lace-up shoes, and wore the clothes well.
Pietro looked very handsome himself in a grey, lightweight cotton hoodie decourated with an ivory Fair Isle print and welt pockets, with a heather blue V-neck T-Shirt underneath. He also wore black jeans and steel blue gutties.
Though more casual, Scott's outfit was quite suave as well. He had a burgundy, plaid, vintage button-down shirt open a black Abercrombie T-Shirt, dark jeans, a belt of burnished brown leather, and classic, dark green lace-up plimsoles.
Jean was very stylish in a strappy, white lacy minidress, with a long, V-Neck wine-coloured cardigan with a family crest patch embroidered on the front pocket that she wore open over the dress. She also had a black leather belt with a dark blue chiffon flower embellished over the buckle, and leather sandals with thin, braided straps. Her long red hair was loose and flowed over her shoulders.
Kitty's outfit was twee: a powder blue, vintage button-down shirt under a pink cashmere cardigan trimmed with delicate lace at the neck and buttons, and the cuffs of both shirts were rolled to her elbows. A tiered, lacy, ruffled white miniskirt, a leather belt with a lilac floral pattern, and a pair of beaded, white leather sandals completed her outfit. She had styled her hair so two thin braids formed a circlet around her scalp.
"What do you think you're doing, Rouge?" Kitty demanded, getting all up in Rouge's face.
Scott grabbed the Satanist by the shoulders and began shaking her roughly. "How could you do that to Carlie?"
"Because I think she's a slapper," Rouge growled, glaring daggers at Scott.
Pietro approached Carlie, and spoke gently. "Are you are all right, Carlie? Would you care for some char? Or should I get Ms. Munroe to check you out? She's a certified doctor, you know."
"Yeah," Lance added, nudging Pietro away. "We could get the Professor and tell him what Rouge did. She would get into a lot of trouble. She might even get sent to Coventry, and then none of us would have to deal with her whinging anymore."
Carlie hesitated. She didn't like the other girl, and the Satanist had tried to harm her, but was this right thing to do? "No," she decided.
Everyone looked surprised.
"Are you sure, Carlie?" Kitty asked. "Rouge's dropped a clanger here, and we were all, totally, witnesses. The Professor would never, like, believe Rogue over us."
"I want to finish our punch-up," Carlie said, meeting Rouge's eyes. "Then, I'll prove that I'm not one to be messed with."
"Like that's going to happen." Rouge smirked. "I hope that you have a plastic surgeon on call, because when I'm done with you, that pretty face is going to look like raw hamburger meat."
"How dare you say something like that to her!" Pietro punched Rouge in the face. The Satanist, cruel, but wily, grabbed his bare hand and held the appendage against the skin of her cheek, and Pietro wavered.
"What's she doing?" Carlie asked Lance frantically.
"With her mutation, she can drain away people's memories, thoughts, and abilities," Lance explained. "She's going to use Pietro's mutation as her own. Rouge! Stop!"
Pietro collapsed, and Rouge tossed aside his unconscious body as if he were nothing more than a rag doll. A crazed light glinted in her eyes.
"You can do this, Carlie," Lance encouraged. "Show that toffee-nosed goth swot what you're made of!"
Rouge charged at her faster than the speed of sound, but thanks to Carlie's spider-sense, she could tell where Rouge was going to be. With her enhanced strength, she let her fist fly into Rouge's face several times, careful to keep her punches quick and rapid, lest she allow Rouge to touch her skin for too long. Soon, Rouge fell to the ground, barely able to wheeze for breath because of Carlie's tonks.
Her friends congratulated her.
"That was jolly good, Carlie!" Kitty said excitedly. "You're better at hand-to-hand combat than any of us!"
Carlie chuckled. "I'm sure that's not true," she said modestly.
"You were excellent," Pietro said, smiling at her.
Carlie felt a blush begin to flood her cheeks. "Thanks. I've been through a gauntlet, but now I think I'm going to be fine."
"He's right," Lance agreed, sending an impressed look her way. "You know, I've had some great times with my mate Pietro, but now I'd like to give you a try. Tell me something: would someone as talented as you be inclined to join me for dinner on the town and a movie at the cinema this evening?"
"Oh, my gosh, Carlie, he's asking you out!" Kitty whispered. "What are you going to do?"
"Lance, I-" Carlie started to speak, but she was interrupted when a loud explosion sounded from beyond a grove of trees!