Trapped In a Bottle
Chapter Six
Enjoy.
X-_X-_X
The sweat was annoying her as it dripped down her temple. It was unavoidable however; the exertion that she was putting out was an incredible force. She'd never worked so hard for anything in her life as she was working at that moment.
Rogue was concentrating as hard as she could, entering the locks in her mind and breaking the chains across her consciousness. She needed to subdue her powers, so many things relied on it, and she most definitely wanted it.
Logan was sitting in front of her, the professor to her side. Both men were staring at her with different expressions, Logan could hear her heart beat, and could feel her tension. He wanted her to succeed almost as much as she did, and he was willing to sit there and be the guinea pig for her to do it.
The professor was on the outskirts of her mind, willing her through the process, and allowing her a safe haven when she reached a particular tireless lock. They'd been at this process for more than quarter of an hour, and barely anybody had moved. Rogue had tried touching Logan twice already, and both times she had ended with his thoughts in her head.
It was time for another try; third try's the charm after all.
Rogue opened her eyes, they were somewhat cloudy. It was as if she were concentrating on two separate things at once, which she was. She was holding her mind open, holding it wide so that her powers couldn't clog the channels she had cleared; she was willing them back, willing them to thin out in the open space of her mind. She was also concentrating on what was before her, looking out into the reality outside of her mind.
Logan looked at her, and reached out a hand. He did not mind doing what he was doing. He wanted to help the gal that always seemed to be the same cut as him. Both knew how cut it in the world and they both relied on certain things to do it. He wanted her to be able to rely on what her mind could give her.
"O.K." she breathed out "I'm ready."
The professor nodded, and Logan extended his hand further out. He watched her carefully as she grasped it, her eyes weren't fluttering and she seemed to not be breaking in her stress of her powers. The professor smiled.
At first Logan thought they had accomplished the goal they had set out for. He was ready for relief to flood through him as he didn't see Rogue's powers immediately take affect. He was ready to be proud that they had accomplished their aspirations in such a short amount of time! However the next few moments passed and Logan started to be able to feel the familiar drain.
It gradually sucked at his soul; first looking towards his mutant powers and then his life force…he slipped into unconsciousness.
"Damnit!" Rogue swore. She looked down at Logan's slumped form. "Ah thought ah had it."
"So did I, Rogue," said the professor. "You're mind was incredibly open and free of the chains of your mutant powers."
Rogue let out a disgusted noise. "So practicing this today hasn't done anything!"
The professor put an arm to her shoulder. "Do not be discouraged Rogue, this is only our first day of practice, we estimated that it would take you some months at least."
"Ah know," acquiesced Rogue, "Still, ah wish that ah could know this was going good."
"It is, stripes," said Logan, picking himself up and cracking his next. "Boy, always one hell of a ride."
Rogue disregarded his mutter and stared at him. "What do ya' mean 'it is?'"
"Exactly what I side," Logan shook himself a bit. "That power of yours didn't start draining me immediately and it didn't take as quickly as it normally does either. You definitely slowed it."
"Excellent," beamed the Professor.
"Ah did?" said Rogue. She let out a happy whoop and stood. She looked down at her ankle. "Maybe this gizmo is doing its job?"
"It is you that are making it work," said the Professor. "And we are certainly progressing faster than we estimated if you've already slowed your powers on the first day."
Rogue grinned back, Logan did as well. This student babysitter thing hadn't seemed great at first, but living in the mansion was proving to have its highlights to Logan. "Good job, kid."
He patted her on the back and followed her from the room and into the hallway, the Professor trailing behind them. It was early afternoon and they had a danger room session before dinner.
"Ah, Mister LeBeau," said the Professor, he was the first one too look down the hall at the approaching man.
"Afternoon, professeur," he said, nodding his head. He smiled brilliantly at Rogue, ignoring the Wolverine's glare. "How are you, chere?"
"Ah'm good, Cajun," she smiled back. "Wait until I tell you what happened."
Remy looked back at her with a winning expression and Rogue only smiled wider grabbing him by the arm and pulling him towards the other end of the hall.
"Just a moment," said the Professor. He wheeled towards them a bit.
"What's wrong," asked Rogue. "It's alright if Remy's here's now right?"
"Of course," the Professor smiled, softly and secretly. "I just want to check with Mr. LeBeau, that he managed to transport everything alright."
"Everything?" asked Rogue, looking between the two.
"Oui," said Remy to the Professor "Remy all set up."
Wolverine snorted when Rogue repeated her question. The professor smiled and left in the opposite direction.
"All my belongings," replied Gambit to Rogue. "I had to move them into the mansion, oui?"
"For what?" Rogue lightly glared at him. "Speak up, cajun."
Gambit smirked. "Remy an X-Men now, chere,"
Rogue gapped like a fish for a few moments, attempting to stutter out a response. She most certainly had never thought of that response, she'd never thought of anything of the sort happening.
"Remember, we have DR at four!" Logan said, he brushed past them towards the stairs at the end of the hall. "And that mean you too Gumbo!"
Remy waved a hand in response.
"Why'd ya' go and do somethin' like that?" Rogue finally said.
"Remy have many reasons, chere," he said. "Remy don't have no contracts, wit' anyone. Remy only have his life in Bayville, hahn?"
Rogue continued to stare at him. In response he gathered her closer to him. "Remy decided that while he here for Rogue, he might as well be here as well."
"Ya' moved into the mansion for me?" asked Rogue, disbelieving.
"Pretty much," laughed Remy. "Good idea, no?"
Rogue laughed too. "Excellent idea, for a swamp rat."
"Hmm," Remy murmured. "We need to get ready for DR, correct? This is gonna' be Remy's first."
At Rogue's suddenly shocked face the idea of DR did not seem to be a good idea. "They're gonna' tear ya' apart!"
X-_X-_X
Rogue was already in DR when Logan, The Professor, and Remy walked in. The Professor had requested that Remy wait to enter until they had everyone assembled, to make it easier to explain to everyone.
Rogue looked around wearily at the assembled X-Men. Scott straightened immediately when the trio walked in and Kurt moved towards her somewhat possessively. There was whispering going on behind her.
The Professor began speaking "I don't think I have to introduce Mr. LeBeau," he said. "And I think you all have already heard about some of the things surrounding him lately."
Many of the students looked at Rogue.
"And I have a small announcement," The Professor smiled.
Rogue glared at some of the surrounding crowd, quieting them.
"Mr. LeBeau will be joining our team," The Professor almost looked as if he expected this announcement to be met with no protest. Logan fidgeted a bit at his side, watching the mixed expressions cover the students' faces.
"All right!" Shouted Kitty, hopping into the air. "Rogue, that is, like, so cool!"
Rogue laughed a bit, eyeing the others "Yah it is, Kit."
"Professor," spluttered out Cyclops.
"You can't be serious," finished Jean.
Many other protests came from the other students. "What about Magneto?"
"How can we trust him!"
"Professor, he tried to kill me!"
Rogue glowered around at the students but it seemed to have no effect now. She turned her head from side to side. Everyone was shouting, it was making her feel terrible.
"Like calm down," said Kitty, looking around her. "They're not our enemies anymore."
"Please," said the Professor. He glanced at Gambit, who had a strained fixated look on his face. "If I have deemed him O.K. that he joins the team I think you can trust that he is fine."
Logan not so subtlety released his claws and glared at the students, pointedly.
"But," Scott said stretching his arms out "How can you be certain?"
"Scott, please," the Professor raised a hand. "You will be leading the exercise today so please incorporate Gambit into the exercise accordingly."
Scott looked down and at the rest of the students. Jean touched him on the shoulder and it was fairly obvious they were having some sort of telepathic conversation.
"Please," said Kurt, he touched Rogues arm briefly. "Gambit has done nothing to harm us since Magneto disappeared, yeah?"
"Thanks Kurt," muttered Rogue. The Professor motioned for Gambit to join the group. He gave Logan a heavy look and then turned to exit the room.
"Alright!" shouted Logan moving forward "Let's get this dance started!"
Jean released Scotts shoulder and Scott tentatively turned. "You heard the man! Let's get going!"
There was immediate action.
X-_X-_X
"No!" Kurt grunted. He leapt from his perch to where Gambit was nimbly attempting to avoid the attacks that were thrown his way. They had all been split into four teams, and it seemed like three of those teams were all currently focused on taking out the fourth.
"Come on, man," Kurt anxiously grabbed him.
They reappeared the next moment behind a large boulder that was Rogue's somewhat hidden solace. "They're killing us, mein gott!"
"Yeah," said Rogue, she was watching the area.
"Remy t'ink they're gunning for him, no?" Gambit took a couple breaths. The X-Men going at him in majority was a difficult task to defend against.
Rogue let out a rather impressive growl. "I'm going to take out a captain," she said.
"Make sure zey don't get you!" Kurt said his yellow eyes wide. "You are our captain!"
"Really Kurt I hadn't noticed," she ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "They're acting like jerks!"
Gambit laid a hand on her shoulder. "You go for Jubilee, no? Gambit gonna' take out ol' One-Eye."
Rogue nodded. "Kurt, drop me right above Jubilee. She was hiding by that really tale tree by the swamp."
Kurt gulped. That was near where they had just come from. "Ja."
"See you on the outside, chere!" Gambit grinned and gunned from their spot, a swatch of cards in his hand.
"Let's go, Kurt," Rogue said. Kurt grabbed her and the next second she was free falling towards Jubilee. Jubilee didn't even know she was being attacked; her guards had been drawn off to attempt to take down Gambit.
"Gotcha!" Rogue shouted, she restrained from giving a whoop, and wrapped her hands around Jubilee's neck.
"Damnit," Jubilee muttered. She fell to the ground, and Rogue hastily moved her behind the tree and away from the swamp.
"What next?" Rogue asked herself. She crouched behind some brush and hastily surveyed the area. The other members of Jubilee's team would have been 'neutralized' at their captain's defeat. She settled for waiting the moment out, it wouldn't do her teammates good if she got taken out.
'I hope Gambit's doing O.K." she thought to herself. She was going to have some words with a few people when this was over.
X-_X-_X
"Come on, Scotty," Gambit taunted. "Come a lil' closer, yeah?"
Cyclops tensed and glared at the man across from him. He had climbed the cliff behind him, and in this simulation Cyclops had no where else left for him to turn to. He was trying avidly to avoid hand to hand with the man.
"What are you even doing here Gambit?" asked Cyclops, stalling.
Gambit grinned. "At the moment, Gambit kickin' your ass, no?"
Cyclops scoffed. "You know what I mean."
Gambit's grin faded "Gambit here because Gambit here, it don't concern you."
"If you're here to take advantage of the Professor's kindness," began Scott.
Gambit lunged forward. He managed to grab Scotts arm and twirl him to the other side of the cliff, a card at his feet making him lose his footing and become dependent on Gambit's weight.
"Gambit don't have to listen to psychopaths no more," he said. "Gambit don't have to terrorize no one, Gambit is here to be with the people he care about and to have some peace for once, oui homme?"
"Are you certain you're telling the truth, Gambit?" Cyclops grabbed him by the forearms and dragged his face closer to his own, making Gambit lean over the cliff. "Is Rogue and peace enough for you?"
Remy glared at him a moment and then dragged him back up onto the cliff plateau. "Rogue be more than enough for me," he said "Peace is a welcome side effect."
Cyclops looked at him a moment. Red and black eyes meeting his gaze straight on. "We'll see Gambit."
Gambit smiled in response and put his bo staff to Cyclops throat.
The simulation faded around them.
"That was quick," Gambit muttered to himself, he stood, keeping the staff to Cyclops throat.
Cyclops looked around himself, varying members of his team were scattered around the room, in varying degrees of happiness. Rogue was approaching them.
"What happened, chere?" Gambit asked Rogue as she got nearer.
Rogue laughed. "After I took Jubilee out, Kurt tripped and took Jean out."
Gambit took in Rogue's laughing visage and laughed as well.
Scott looked around, that would certainly account for the simulation ending as early as it did. He looked up and the two standing above him. He watched in quiet fascination as Gambit's face lit up with Rogue's. When she smiled, he dazzled. Scott quickly looked away, his thoughts running wild.
"Ya' ever gonna' let him up sugar?" Rogue said teasingly. The next moment Scott felt the weight leave him and he was hauled into the air.
"Sorry, homme," Gambit grinned smugly at him.
Cyclops nodded. He saw Jean approaching them, nursing a bruise already, and glanced once more at the two in front of him. They way they fit…it was uncanny. Cyclops only pondered it a moment more and then repeated his words to Gambit from earlier. "We'll see."
Gambit nodded and turned around to hug Rogue close. "We kicked ass today, no?"
Rogue laughed, it attracted several looks. "Yes we did, swamp rat."
Gambit smirked and slung an arm around her shoulder, hustling them from the room and after the other students. "We have Gambit's first dinner amongst the X-Men to look forward to, cherie."
Rogue mock groaned but nonetheless followed the man from the room. It was certainly going to be an interesting meal.
X-_X-_X
"I don't know, Scott," said Jean. They were walking outside after dinner.
"I honestly don't think that he's a threat anymore, Jean," replied Scott. He shook his head a bit and sighed, looking up at the sky.
"What made you think that?" asked Jean. "What made you rethink him?"
"It's just," Scott began "It's just the way he looks at Rogue."
Jean remained silent. Her brows furrowed a bit. She could read the detailed thoughts from Scott, and she could read how he was trying to put them in order.
"Just," he tried again. "I mean look at it."
He stopped and turned around, looking her straight in the eyes. "Look at what it looks like from my mind."
Jean closed her eyes, and touched his forehead. Immediately she saw the image that Scott had seen earlier, from his position on the danger room floor. She saw Gambit light up at the image of Rogue, and she saw Rogue softer than she'd ever seen her. She saw the tenderness between them.
"I see," she murmured.
"Jean," Scott said seriously. "We're the future of the X-Men, we're the ones that are going to have to uphold the Professors ideals and the thoughts of all the others when it comes time for us to lead, when our generation becomes the generation."
"Yes," agreed Jean.
"The Professor obviously believes that he's okay," said Scott. "And I think we should too."
"You're right Scott," said Jean, she shook her head. "Everyone is acting ridiculous. It's our duty as X-Men to foster growth and forgiveness."
"Exactly," replied Scott.
"We'll see what we can do about the other students," said Jean.
"Sounds good," Scott smiled.
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I hope you enjoyed.
-AnimeSiren