Trapped In a Bottle
Chapter Nine
Enjoy
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"Remy stop!" said Rogue, coughing down a laugh. She swatted at the hand that reached out to tickle her side again, glaring up at its owner.
"Remy sorry, ma chere," he said into her hair, sounding quite the opposite. Rogue laughed and rolled away from him. They were in a rather uncommon position, in a rather uncommon setting.
At four that morning Rogue had been gently shook awake by the swamp rat now sitting next to her, and dragged up a staircase, and carefully across a ledge, until they were positioned on a flat portion of the roof amid blankets and what Remy deemed as 'romantic moment supplies.'
He'd said they were up there to watch the stars, but Rogue had pointed out very quickly that the sky was clouded over and the only thing they were going to be spotting was the occasional plane. He had very simply grinned, swinging an arm around her and burrowing them down in the blankets even further.
"Dis gonna' be de only peace we'll be havin' fo' a while," Remy said, stopping his assault on her side. The sun had risen a few minutes before, and it now illuminated Bayville in a sickly grey color, appropriate for the type of day it was sure to be.
"Ya going soft on me?" shot back Rogue, summoning a smirk. However what he said was true and she knew it. "People make their own peace, Ah know we'll just have to try as hard as we can."
"Dat be one o' the reasons this master thief is so fond o' y', chere," he said, throwing his head back to the sky.
"Ever think about," she began and then paused, a somewhat consternate look on her face.
"Quoi?" he asked, looking over at her. He loved the feeling of her leaning against his side, so tender, and so willing, it was so unlike her when around others. He was a little concerned with the look on her face though.
"Ah know ya' were talking about what ya' would do in the future and whatnot," she said "But did ya' ever think about what everyone else is gonna' do?"
"Remy don't really care about everyone else," he said honestly, shrugging as well as he could "No one 'cept y.'"
"Well Ah mean," she gave a small frustrated sigh "Like my brother, and Kitty and Colossus, Logan, and everyone else."
"Chere," Remy responded, there was a sudden pounding noise from beneath them, but they both ignored it, all too used to the noises of the Institute. "We're mutants, we don't have the experience of worryin' 'bout de future, we think of de here, and de now. Remy t'ink it best if dat's all we think of fo' now, maybe small plans, small t'ings, but de truth is if dis mutant bill goes bad and something severe happens we could be bidding adieu to some of de people we know."
Rogue was quiet for a long moment, and there was a shout from somewhere in the mansion. "Boy," she said finally "Ya' sure know how to make a girl feel better."
Remy grinned "Remy know reality, amour, not much else."
She nodded, and she lay backward. The sound of the gate opening flowed up to them. "Remy?" she asked.
"Oui?" he asked, his red on black eyes looking to hers.
"Ah think Ah love you," she said, looking away, her voice low. Her tone suggested she was trying to pass off the moment.
Remy went perfectly still. He'd had his fair share of women tell him that they loved him, but he wasn't used to a person so unique to him saying it to him. He wasted seconds, and panicked somewhat in his head, what was his response…what he wanted to respond….what would he say…
"Remy love y' aussi, ma chere," Remy felt his mouth form the words before he realized he was saying them, and then realized something more as well. As soon as the air had escaped his lungs he had felt much better, like a weight had been lifted.
Rogue looked up at him, smiled and looked back out at the sky, snuggling in closer nonchalantly. All of a sudden the few shouts from below them got much louder, and it became obvious that someone was shouting out the front door.
"What in sane hell?" exclaimed Rogue, making a move to get closer to the edge of the rooftop.
"Careful," clipped Remy, watching her movements.
"Swamp rat," she called back "Come over here!"
Remy's jaw set and he nimbly crawled over to her. What was going on?
"Look," she said her voice low "It looks like Jubilee."
It was, indeed, Jubilation Lee. However the scene that surrounded her and the front door and lawn was not a scene that was readily expected. Jubilee was still on the stoop however an older couple was standing before her. The man stood several feet back from the woman; however the woman was throwing very stern statements at Jubilee from just a few feet in front of her.
"You are coming with us Jubilation Lee!" the woman half shouted, gesturing hard with her hands.
"No!" Jubilee shouted back "Mom this is my home!"
"Her parents?" Rogue murmured. There was no breeze and their words floated up towards the eavesdropping pair easily.
"Your home is with us!" the woman matched.
"Look, mom," Jubilee said, seemingly trying to be more serious and stern. "This is where I feel I belong, I can do good here."
"We saw the news today Jubilation!" her mom replied "We know what they're going to do and this Xavier man is going to be nothing but trouble."
"Professor X is trying to help mutant kind," Jubilee fought back "He's protecting us."
"Don't say that word!" the woman looked to be at her frazzled ends.
Jubilee paused, and then her voice came out, very low and very deadly serious "What word do you mean?"
"You know what word I mean!" the woman continued, not noticing the change in Jubilee "That disgusting, foul, word!"
"Mutant!" screeched Jubilee "Mutant! Mutant! Mutant! I am a mutant! Deal with it, I'm not leaving, I'm staying to protect what I care about, and you can't stop me!"
The woman gave a shout of frustration "I will call the police if I have to; you are a minor for a few months yet!"
"Try it!" responded Jubilee "No cops are going to come here and try to drag a mutant away, you can bet on that!"
Remy laid a hand on Rogue's back, watching the conflict with interest. It appeared the news had broke that morning, and he was surprised that Jubilee's family was there that early; attempting to take the girl away, it could only be eight. He saw Kitty's head bob out the door, watching the conflict nervously.
"Mark my words, Jubilation! You will come home!"
Jubilee didn't bother listening anymore, she turned on her heel, and rushed past Kitty, her coat slapping against the girl. The woman turned to the man, and began kvetching to him as well, taking her anger out. The man shook his head, and the two watched them stomp their way down the drive, and out of the gate.
"Kitty!" Rogue called. Shadowcat jumped and looked out the doorway wearily. "Up here!"
"Like, what are you doing up there?" she called back, finally noticing them.
"Nothing," Rogue called back "Can you just phase up here and phase us down?"
"Yeah," said Kitty before disappearing from sight, and reappearing next to them a few moments later. She eyed the blankets, grinning "Romantic interlude?"
Rogue rolled her eyes and Remy grinned "What's going on down stairs?"
Kitty pouted "You should probably see for yourselves," she said, grabbing their wrists. Rogue pushed down a brief moment of nausea as they descended flights of the mansion, appearing in the entryway.
It was hell broke loose.
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"Can't the Professor do something?" demanded an irate Bobby Drake. He was standing next to Jubilee, his arms crossed and his body radiating hurt and confusion.
"He is doing something," shot back Logan, glaring at all the students assembled in the entryway.
"Please, children," said Hank, raising his arms in a comforting and soothing manner. He had good reason too, the holes in the marble flooring were evidence of that, and the scorch marks going up the stairs were too. It seemed there had been a slight revolt when the news flashed across the television screen in the rec room. "Charles and Ororo are in Washington as we speak, doing what they can about this."
"Are they going to lock us up?" asked Rahne, her voice wobbling.
"Of course not," said Hank, Wolverine snorted from behind him.
"We can't just sit here," persisted Bobby "There's got to be something we can do."
"Listen here, bub," said Wolverine finally having enough with dealing with the teenagers with the 'kid' gloves on. He marched right up to the boy and put his own face right level with his. "If you march out there right now all high and mighty, and the President doesn't veto that little piece of paper, and you start something out there you could bring the damn military here and against us."
"Rogue," said Jamie softly, having side stepped the others and walked up to the southern couple. "I'm afraid."
Remy's eyes softened, and Rogue replied to the boy just as softly as he had spoke, low enough that the others didn't notice their conversation. "We'll always protect you, Jamie, all of ya'll."
"But Rogue," he said, his eyes going wide "I'm not scared for me, I'm scared of losing any of you. They were talking like we're going to have a war; it's not true is it?"
This time Gambit spoke up, waving a hand at Rogue as she opened her mouth to reply. "Look, here," he said "Gambit ain't gonna' tell y' that there not gonna' be some trouble, alright? But he promise dat de X-Men are gonna' do wha' they always do, dey gonna' be righteous and all noble an' whatnot and take care o' it all. Mais, y' gotta' know, garcon, that we can' promise y' that no one is gonna' get hurt, y' gotta' be strong about that, mon ami."
Jamie nodded, looking up at the man in a somewhat new light. He had always been kind to the younger students since he moved in, so Jamie didn't understand what many of the older students meant by how they treated him. However, it seemed like he was an honest adult, and that was something that Jamie truly treasured. He also didn't talk to him like he was five, which was always a plus.
"That's enough," Logan's voice roared above the masses. "If all you really want DR that bad I can put you in there for days, so I'd suggest you shut your mouths and do as your told!"
Beast put a large, furred hand to his face, taking off his glasses and rubbing his nose. "Professor Xavier will do his best," he said to the now mostly nervous mass of youths turning away from Wolverine to look at him instead. "And we have to do ours; every move we now take will be monitored, more so than it has since we were found out. Professor Xavier is a prominent man in mutant rights, and anything that you do to harm the situation will reflect ten fold on him and on mutant kind."
"But," Bobby said, heaving a sigh, his voice much more resigned "My parents have been calling, they threatened to come from Boston and pick me up if I don't leave."
Beast nodded, that type of thing had been happening all morning with some of the students. "It is my opinion, Mr. Drake, not taking sides of course, that you turned eighteen just a couple weeks ago, so you are free to do as you will. Many of you are no longer in school; you've graduated not only academia but childhood as well."
Bobby nodded, a more determined look lighting his eyes.
Logan turned and strode by the two southerners, motioning them to come with them. Beast told the younger students that there tutoring sessions would commence as usual, and that they should gather their books. It was wise now, in retrospect, that after graduation the other, still in school, mutant children had turned to the home schooling that Professor Xavier was offering. It was certain that if they were relying on the public for their current education, that there would be many negative effects.
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"What'd ya' need, Logan?" asked Rogue. She was hesitant to leave Jamie in the entryway with the other kids, as he was the youngest, but he was old enough to not need to be coddled, and he was strong enough to boot.
"There have already been two bomb threats this morning," he said bluntly.
"Bomb threats?" said Rogue, floored. Remy's gaze sharpened. "It's not even nine yet."
"Which can only mean that things are going to get much worse," said Logan, his anger nearly tangible. "Anti-mutant groups have been excited by this information, and think they're doing the governments job by trying to eradicate the mutant populace."
"Is it safe here, den?" asked Gambit, his eyes were already taking in the large windows, as if he expected an attack to be mounted any moment, which he probably did.
Wolverine didn't respond to that question, only giving the two a grim look. "I'm not too worried about Chuck and Ororo," he said "They're strong, and they only have the two of themselves to take care of."
Rogue nodded. "But," said Logan, he paused and then growled harshly "Something's happened, and it's the reason the kids aren't allowed to watch the television from now on."
"What?" asked Rogue, fear mounting in her. What could be so terrible?
"There was a massacre in Savannah, Georgia."
"Human or Mutant?" asked Gambit quickly.
"Mutant," replied Wolverine, his voice low and terrible.
Rogue had felt relieved for a moment because her brain realized that it hadn't been a group of Mutants retaliating on humans, and then she felt terrible. People like her, people like Logan and Professor X, had been killed, her anger mounted.
"Combien de?" asked Gambit, Logan understanding his question.
"Thirty," he shrugged "Or forty, they're not sure."
"Thirty or forty Mutants?" Rogue shouted. She felt water well within her eyes involuntarily, though no matter how sad she was feeling those tears were tears of pure rage. "How can that even be possible, what about their powers? Couldn't they defend themselves?"
Remy saw a glint of something shiny on Logan's knuckles, and realized the man had to exercise a large dosage of self control. He too was feeling an uncontrollable amount of rage; however he was much more practiced in the art of keeping his emotions to himself, locked up where they couldn't be used by others. He also didn't have to use his empathy to realize that sadness and hurt was being echoed all throughout the mansion as well.
"It seems that many of the backers of this bill are being backed by others as well," replied Logan "Idiots who develop weaponry."
He gave them a very leveled look "Anti-Mutant weaponry."
Rogue didn't contain her gasp, and Remy felt her emotions plummet. "How dare they?" she demanded.
"Corporatocracy," sneered Logan. "At any rate, I ain't letting those kids find out, Red and Cyke already know, and Kitty and Kurt found out as well, they're the ones that shut off the rec room TV before the others could find out."
"I'm expecting the cable to be shut off soon, anyway," said Logan, his anger lessening some. "Luckily we have generators for the electricity."
Remy nodded, though it seemed unnecessary. The Wolverine appeared to be in a one minded track. He was running through mansion defenses, and planning different routes of action.
"We're gonna' head up stairs," said Rogue, Wolverine grunted a reply.
"Least this will take Kit's mind off things," said Rogue as they walked towards the door.
"Oui, Chere," said Remy, managing a slight grin. "It seems like no one care dat dere is Acolytes on their team now too."
Logan heard their conversation as they left the room. "War does that to people," he muttered to himself, watching them move out of the room, and then turning his gaze out of the window. He had lives to look after, and he's be damned if he let them down this time.
X-_X-_X
When the doorbell rang all the older students seated in the rec room eyed one another with trepidation. Looking around to see who would propose a plan of action. It was Scott that spoke, the natural born leader of the group.
"If Wolverine let them past the gate then he must have had good reason," Scott reasoned, rising from his seated position, Jean rising beside him. His announcement was followed a few grudging agreements and more than a few grunts of uncaring.
"Unless it's another parent," muttered Jubilee, popping her gum smartly.
"Even so," grimaced Scott. He looked towards Jean, but they just swapped a look, Jean should be able to tell who was at the door.
Jean turned "Bobby?" she said "You should come too."
Bobby did so, rising swiftly with his mouth set in a hard line. He left the room, following the others with an odd swagger in his step; it seemed as if he were trying to seem confident, or perhaps even brave.
Remy stood and followed as well, tugging Rogue behind him without a word. It was in a thief's best interest to know every move that happened surrounding them. It was especially in a thief's interest if things got out of hand. Never play to one man's poker hand, play the table.
It was easy to tell who it was at the door as soon as the oak was swung wide. The man looked just like a twenty five year older Bobby. They shared the same chin, the same high cheek bones, and the same hair line. Bobby's eyes were obviously from the short woman at the man's side though, and his temper as well.
As soon as her eyes found bobby that temper flared and her mouth opened. "Robert we're going home now!"
Bobby actually did appear to be trying to remain relatively calm. "I'm an adult," he said, curt and to the point "I make my own decisions."
"You are still part of this family," the woman said "You should respect that."
"Not really," his voiced dropped and it was obvious that his temper was diving straight into sarcasm. "Unless you count the humongous amount of communication that we've had the past four years as family respect."
"It's been hard on the family," said the man "Having to deal with what you-you are."
Bobby gave a frustrated snort and ran a hand through his hair anxiously. "Get out of my sight. Professor X said that you'd come around, and that I wouldn't have to deal with this, but I don't care anymore. I have the ability to protect what I care about, and I'm going to do it."
"You'd rather be with these people than the family that cared for you for years? The mother that birthed you?" the woman demanded, attempting to push her way past Scott. Scott didn't attempt to stop her but he planted his feet steadfastly so that the woman received the message that he didn't want her going any further.
"What were you planning on doing if I came with you?" asked Bobby, gesturing with his arms. Remy thought that that was a fair question.
"We'd hide you of course," she said as if it were obvious "So that no one could hurt you."
Bobby paused at this. Was she trying to articulate actual concern?
"And so that you couldn't hurt anyone as well," said the man, the woman nodding along "At least until they find a cure to this deformity."
Scott slammed the door in their faces.
"Why the hell even let people like them in?" demanded Rogue, anger ripping through her.
"They're parents," said Logan, coming from the elevator that led downstairs "We have to."
He stopped next to Bobby, putting a hand on the frozen boy's shoulder. Bobby looked stricken. The man's words had truly shocked him. Remy could feel the distress radiating from him.
"One-Eye," Wolverine grunted "Run down and make sure they get out the gates and no one gets in, on the monitors."
"Come on," Wolverine said to Bobby in a surprisingly soft voice "Time you had your first drink. Don't tell the others, I'm not a bartender."
"Ah can't believe them," said Rogue, slamming her fist into the wall and looking up at Remy. "How dare they say those things to Bobby!"
"Remy know, chere," Gambit said, only slightly soothing, he knew Rogue would more than likely want to work off the frustration before she would be settled to be soothed. "One day all o' dem are gonna' get their comeuppance."
"God, Ah hope so," she said, cracking her neck. "Let's spar swamp rat, just you an' me."
"Remy'd love to," he said, pushing a self confident grin onto his face and following the girl out of the room.
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The younger students had been sent downstairs, to the much more protected underground of the mansion. There had been more threats as the day went on, and as such the older students, and the remaining two instructors sat in the rec room, watching the television, straining to learn what was going on in the outside world. Beast had done some research earlier in the day as to the nation wide conflict but they needed to know how the media was reporting on this.
"Has the Professor called?" asked Jean, eyeing the two older men.
"No," said Logan "Just Ororo, for a couple minutes."
A loud explosion on the television screen distracted them for a moment. An animal rights group had attacked a house in San Francisco where there were a group of mutants living together who all shared animalistic mutations similar to Rahne's. The activist group kept persistently claiming that the mutants had been experimenting on animals.
"What'd she have to say?" asked Scott, his glasses flashed in the dim light. Remy kept rubbing small circles onto Rogue's back, drawing them slowly and soothingly, she had her eyes on the television, he had his eyes on the conversation.
"She said they managed to get a meeting with the President tomorrow along with a couple of senators and congressmen," he sighed. Everyone could tell the man was restless. It wasn't in his psyche to sit and do the waiting game.
"Hopefully the meeting gives some sort of relief from this madness," heaved Beast, his great form seemed smaller with the sadness he was seeped in.
"How long is the meeting? Did she say?" asked Jean.
"Fifteen minutes," grunted Logan.
"Ridiculous," muttered Remy. It was obvious that Washington wasn't seemingly taking them seriously.
"Hey!" exclaimed Rogue and Jubilee at the same time. Everyone's attention was immediately brought back towards the television where the local news cast was filming a disruption in downtown Bayville. The reporter was a somewhat stocky male, running along the outside of what appeared to be the police station.
"Just moments ago an attack was launched on police headquarters by a local mutant gang, they claim to hold no allegiance to Florida's two main mutant gangs that we've been hearing about all day, they don't wear gang identification of any kind-."
The camera cut to a view of what was happening outside the police headquarters. The main foundation was disrupted and crumbling and the police present were firing both high and low. The camera, at first, didn't focus or zoom in onto what mutants were fighting the police, just their struggle, however after a few seconds of intense noise and video it finally did.
The Brotherhood, with Pyro, was destroying whatever was in their path. Scarlet Witch was floating and cackling above them as she relieved them of their weapons.
"This is anarchy in downtown Bayville! Absolute Anarchy….!"
"Damn it!" Howled Logan rising, everyone's emotions filtered toward Remy's empathy. Anger, Rage more like, sadness, and most of all shock was present. Who would have thought the Brotherhood would go this far without a leader telling them their orders?
Just then the lights flickered, the television lost power, and they were bathed in darkness.
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I hope I delivered a good chapter to ya'll. We're mounting the main conflict; I'm not sure how many chapters this story will end up being, probably around thirteen.
Hope you review! Thanks!
-AnimeSiren