..
Marie and Steve sat across Natasha and Clint at a small diner. Clint and Marie were inhaling their massive amounts of pancakes while Steve and Natasha looked at them in both disgust and amazement. "What?" Clint and Marie asked them simultaneously as they saw their looks. Steve shook his head. "You're disgusting Barton." Natasha told him before looking at Marie. "You too."
"I'm hungry." Marie explained, "Seriously hungry. I woke up with this insane craving for pancakes today." She noticed Steve's worried look and sighed, before shaking her head no. "No I'm not craving food because I was temporarily pregnant." She thought and gave him a pointed look. He blushed but got the point. Marie went back to her eating though this time slowing down.
Natasha looked between the two. "So when are we expecting Captain America jr?" She asked them casually though with a knowing glint in her eyes. Clint choked on his food looking up at them shocked. Steve cleared his throat awkwardly. "Not before a couple of years at least. It's a bit early for that." He explained and Marie nodded. "There may or may not have been a minor panic attack this morning, but we took care of it." she said softly.
"Can we not talk about their sex life? I'm not comfortable knowing about their sex life." Clint said to Natasha who only smirked at him. "Don't be such a prude Clint. I thought Steve was the prude around here." She teased the men around the table. "Hey!" they exclaimed. "I'm not a prude." they both denied. "Yeah, Steve isn't a prude… Anymore." Marie teased him. Clint groaned. "Stop it! My ears are starting to bleed. How about we change the subject to something different," He said "Like what your situation is at Xavier's." They became serious.
Marie sighed before explaining. "I haven't told them anything of importance yet. Just basics." The three were quiet around the table. "I told them my powers were controlling metal, like Magneto's, and that in the end he'd tried to recruit me but that it'd failed and that it had led me to Xavier." She explained. "I didn't want to give up too much information. I was nervous." She admitted to them.
"As long as it holds it should be a fine, if really mysterious, backstory. You should prepare yourself on questions." Clint told her and Marie nodded. "I know." she said. "But I'm not counting on staying for long. I just need a few tips and pointers on how to control the powers, and then I'm out of there." She said. "If something does go wrong I'll tell them the truth, until then, what they don't know won't hurt me." She said and Natasha nodded approvingly.
Steve shifted. "What if this Xavier offers you a job? You said they were short on hand. Will you take it?" he asked her. Marie looked pensive. "I don't know." She said honestly. "Maybe. I'm not sure… If I like it there than I might, they've already left an impression on me." She snorted thinking back on the fight between the two teachers.
Clint pulled out some money from his pocket and placed it on the table. "I think you should give it a chance. If it works out, it works out. If not," Clint shrugged "We'll find you something else that isn't S.H.I.E.L.D. related" He told her.
"I still don't understand why you don't want to come back to S.H.I.E.L.D." Natasha asked curiously as they piled up into the car. Marie shook her head. "Honestly I don't either. I just feel like there's something I'm supposed to do, something important, and I can't do that while working for S.H.I.E.L.D." Marie replied. They stopped at Steve's apartment. "Our apartment." she thought a bit worried and excited. Clint and Steve carried her clothes and bags into the apartment, while she and Natasha spoke. "What's the real reason? Don't bullshit me." Natasha said harshly. Marie sighed. "It's the truth Nat." She replied and Natasha narrowed her eyes at her.
"Ever since I absorbed Magneto I feel like I'm lost. Without a cause, and its annoying as hell. What happened that night changed me, it's like there's a great part of me that's been replaced by Magneto." Natasha calmed at the explanation. "You're not going to go all evil mutant terrorist on us?" she asked her nonchalantly, as though she'd asked Marie what time it was. Marie grinned at her friend "No need to worry about that. It's not that great a part of me." Marie then turned serious.
She looked at the men who were chatting in the apartment. Steve waved them inside from the window. "But if you do think I'm about to go Magneto on everyone's asses, stop me." She told Natasha simply. Natasha nodded and the two walked up into the apartment chatting about Marie's need for transportation.
Steve and Clint looked up as the women entered the apartment. "I'm just saying you need a car. Keep it." Natasha said as walked inside. "And I'm saying I'll figure it out. I'm not taking your car from you Nat." Marie countered in disbelief at the Russian's generosity.
She looked around the apartment in surprise. It was comfortable and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. The decor had a forties feel to it, but she noticed several modern appliances around the living room too. Steve clapped his hands together. "So! This is home, I hope you like it. If not I'm sure we can figure something out." He said nervously, watching her running a finger over his old record player.
Marie smiled brightly at him and shook her head. "It's perfect Steve." She said softly. "This is Steve… The very essence of him. His persona is imbedded in these walls." She thought happily. Steve felt the butterflies in his stomach settle happily and he smiled brightly back at her. Natasha and Clint flipped on the TV while Steve showed her to the bedroom blushing. "I made some room for your clothes while you and Natasha talked outside." He said and gestured to the open closet and drawers. Marie leaned up and kissed him sweetly. "Thank you sugar." She said while embracing him. They stood like that in their bedroom for a while.
Marie had been dropped off at the front gates of the mansion turned school. She'd kissed Steve goodbye before he sped off on his motorcycle. Ororo waited for her and looked curiously in the distance at the disappearing man. "Friend?" She asked Marie as they walked up to the professor's office. "Boyfriend." She answered blushing and Ororo smiled at her knowingly. "Does he know that you are a mutant?" the weather witch asked her. Marie nodded. "It separated us at first, I was scared and I left him behind in my fear of judgement and resentment. Stubborn as he is, he didn't give up looking for me and here we are." Marie explained honestly. Ororo beamed at her. "I'm glad you have someone who accepts you for who you are, and is willing to fight for you. It's hard finding someone who'll accept you for being a mutant when we live in secrecy." she said sadly. Marie felt like there was a story behind Ororo's sadness, but she didn't pry.
"Yeah… Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve him." Marie said right before they entered the office. The professor welcomed her, in a much better mood than yesterday.
She sat across him. "I hope you've managed to digest some of the information you received yesterday." the professor told her. "Yesterday was an eventful day." She answered him. "I honestly don't feel like my mind has settled with the information yet, but I'll manage. Now what I'd like to know is what your take is on the best way to control my powers." She told him curiously.
The professor nodded. "When I first met Eric, we were both young and foolish." He began and Marie listened closely, even though she could pull up the exact memory from her mind.
"He already had some semblance of control over his powers, and I don't know how much I'll be able to help you with yours. Ororo however will be." He gestured to the woman. Ororo smiled at her. "Your power is bound to you, it reacts to your emotions, making it difficult but not impossible to control. What I personally found out helped me was meditation." Marie felt a bit sceptical. "Meditation?" she asked disbelievingly, while trying to keep her mind open to the idea.
Ororo nodded and smiled at her disbelief. "Yes, meditation." And so began an hour and half - long discussion on different techniques and theories between the three occupants of the office. Once they finished with the discussion, and Marie had a mental list compiled, the professor turned to her. "Rogue, I would like to offer you a place with us here at the institute if you wish to stay here." He told her and Marie smiled at him. "I appreciate the offer, I honestly I do, but I already have a place downtown." She said gratefully and the professor nodded understandingly. "Of course. Do you have a job?" He asked her and Marie shook her head no. "Not at the moment, I left my last job a while ago and I've been looking around since then." She said avoiding mentioning her year at S.H.I.E.L.D. in details.
"You mentioned yesterday that you have a PhD in engineering?" He asked and she confirmed it. "Would you consider a teacher's position here at my school if I offered it to you?" he asked her. Marie bit her lip. "I've never considered teaching. Besides, I'm young and I'm not sure if your students would take me seriously." She said honestly. The professor and Ororo nodded at her. "We discussed this yesterday evening," Ororo told her "And we agree that the elder students wouldn't take you seriously because of the small age gap between you. So we thought that you'd be put in charge of the youngest children, where the help is needed the most." She finished with begging look at Marie. "I can't believe they just want to hire me like that! They don't even know me. Or anything really about me." Marie thought surprised at their forwardness. "They must have been hit hard by the loss of Summer's wife."
"Can I think about it?" She asked them and blushed slightly and the two smiled at her warmly. "Of course." the professor said. "Take the time you need."
Marie and Ororo decided to leave the professor behind and grab a cup of tea in the kitchen. "You're probably wondering why we would offer a job to someone we know so little about." Ororo said and Marie nodded and blew lightly on her steaming cup. They were standing at the counter across each other.
"The professor can't read your mind." She said honestly and Marie frowned. "Isn't reading the minds of the unsuspecting an invasion of privacy?" She'd known he wouldn't be able to read her mind.
Ororo agreed with her. "Yes, and he would under normal circumstances never do so. When Jean died, it was because the school was attacked. The attack was from some secret government-funded organization, they came during the night while we were sleeping. They caught us off guard and they knocked out everyone they could before dragging them away. Some of the children were experimented on." Ororo grew angry and dark, and it started to rain and boom outside from the lightning and thunder.
"Note to self: don't piss of the weather witch." Marie thought. "Jean gave her life to save the children and us, while we were rescuing the children and tearing down the facility they'd been kept at." Ororo looked at Marie calming down, the weather outside following suit.
"Ever since then the professor does a surface scan of the people who enter the institute, to see if they mean us harm." Marie nodded. "Understandable." She agreed. "But he can't read my mind so wants me close to see if I'm a threat." she speculated bluntly and Marie couldn't help but think she sounded like Natasha.
Ororo shook her head no, before sipping her tea and Marie was surprised. "No, that's not the reason. The professor truly want to help those whose paths cross our own, however he can." Ororo smiled and Marie drank the slightly cooled tea. "But he could tell from the short meeting yesterday that you only wanted to control of your power. Your emotions made it clear that you had no ulterior motives." "My emotions?" Marie questioned her.
"The professor is also an empath, though it's not a strong power, it is a side effect from being a powerful telepath." Ororo explained. The short and hairy man walked in and grunted at them. "Shouldn't give up all our secrets to the outsiders 'Ro." He said nodding to Ororo while grabbing a beer from the fridge. He sniffed the air slightly and Marie raised an eyebrow at him. He looked at her perplexed before shaking his head and leaving the two women alone again.
Ororo shook her head lightly. "Ignore Logan. I usually do and it saves me from a ton of headaches." She joked and Marie smiled at the older woman. "I should head home." She told Ororo who nodded. "Remember what we spoke about; try finding the right technique for yourself tonight. I'll help you tomorrow." Marie nodded. She pulled out her phone and texted Steve. She looked up from the cell phone to see Ororo smile at her. "What?" Marie asked her while blushing. "Nothing," Ororo smiled at her pleasantly "Young love just makes me happy." She said and Marie shook her head in denial.
When Marie walked past the gates she saw Steve sitting on his bike waiting for her patiently. She ran up to him and kissed him. "Don't tell me you've been waiting a long time?" She asked him and he smiled at her while shaking his head no. "I really need to get a car." She said as she sat behind him, putting on her helmet. "I thought you liked riding with me." He said pouting. "I do sugar, but I can't depend on your rides forever." She kissed his cheek and he shook his head at her.
Marie sat in a lotus position on the floor in the living room. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply and evenly. She'd tried several different techniques, and none of them seemed to help her focus her mind. "Maybe I'm just not cut out for this… DAMN IT!" She thought agitated as she started losing her focus again. Marie sighed and opened her eyes. She glared at Steve who sat across her in a similar position on the floor. His eyes were closed and he looked relaxed. "Of course he'd be a natural at this too. He's a natural at everything." she thought a bit jealous. "Well if I'm gonna fail at this, so is he." she grinned. She leaned in and started whispering in his ear. "I can think of a few other ways to spend the evening soldier." Steve opened his eyes surprised and smiled at her. Marie giggled and started full out tickling him. Nothing happened.
Steve looked at her with a knowing look. Marie got up quickly and ran through the apartment laughing while Steve was hot on her heels. They ended tumbling down on the floor of the kitchen laughing their hearts out.
"Where were you?" Steve asked her suddenly serious and Marie felt uncomfortable under his gaze.
"At a friend's place. She was the only friend I had before I was recruited by Clint and Phil. Now I can add you guys to my ever growing list." she joked awkwardly trying to diffuse the tension in the air. "I don't ever want you to feel like you can't come to me with your fears or worries Marie." Steve said to her. "If we want this to work, we need to be honest with each other." Marie sighed, "I know, but it's not easy being honest when I've spent my entire life lying to survive Steve." she argued back.
"I understand that," he said sadly "and I don't expect you to suddenly blurt out every detail of every day from the last twenty years, but I do want you to make the effort." Marie nodded and leaned over to kiss him. "Agreed. I'll try to do right by you Steve, I promise... And it's twenty-one." She said as they both got up and left the kitchen.
"Twenty-one what?" Steve asked confused. "Twenty-one years. My birthday was a month ago." Steve froze before Marie noticed the wheels spinning in his eyes. "Oh no you don't mister!" she told him unhappily. "Don't get any ideas. I don't celebrate birthdays" she harrumphed. Steve grinned coyly at her before enveloping her in warm embrace. Marie blushed. "Then how am I supposed to give you your gift?" He whispered seductively. Marie tried to remember how to breathe. "I don't need a gift…" she stammered out as her brain failed pick up on the hint.
Steve chuckled before letting go, and Marie nearly fell to the floor as her knees started to feel like Jell-O. "Then I guess I'll just call Clint and Natasha and invite them over for some dinner." He said nonchalantly. Marie shook her head clearing it. "You better not sugar! I changed my mind, I'll of course gratefully accept any gift from you." She replied quickly while grinning. Steve grinned back at her. "That's what I thought." He led her into their room.
"Am I cut out to be a teacher?" Marie wondered as she lay in bed next to Steve, in the pitch-black bedroom. "Especially to little kids? I mean I haven't been around kids since I was one myself. What if they don't like me? What am I supposed to teach them, it sure isn't going to be engineering... " "Stop thinking so loud, I can hear you all the way from over there" Steve muttered half asleep with one eye trained on her. Marie felt her frown disappear. "Go back to sleep sugar, it's nothing." She whispered back to him. Steve shuffled a bit under the covers before embracing her. "Talk." He ordered her and kissed her on her cheek in the dark. "Just stupid thoughts and worries…" She said quieting down. "Do you think I'd be a good teacher?" She asked him suddenly. Marie thought Steve had fallen back asleep when the silence stretched on, but then he answered her. "I don't know…" He muttered sleepily. "And neither will you until you try it."
"So you think I should take the offer from Xavier tomorrow?" she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty. "I think…" he began. "You should sleep on it. You'll know by tomorrow what your decision will be when you talk to him." he muttered and then Steve kissed her head. Marie sighed before snuggling into his side. "Maybe sleeping on it is exactly what I need to do…" she thought suddenly tired. She fell asleep within minutes while in his arms.
Marie could feel Ororo's eyes on her back even though the woman wasn't in the same room with them. The professor and she had been discussing her employment at the institute, should she accept it, and what it would entail while she was teaching the youngest students. Marie felt nervous. On one hand she didn't know if she was teaching material. On the other she didn't want to let down Ororo, whom she come to like and respect in the short time she'd gotten to know her. "So I'll be teaching them math and physics. Monday through Friday, eight till four." She summarized and the professor nodded. "Of course the schedule will change once in awhile the longer we progress into the school year." He said to her.
Marie bit her lip. "I… I think I'd like to try it. I'm still not convinced I'm the right person for this though." She admitted to him.
The professor smiled kindly at her. "We'll do a trial period of three months, if you don't like it or feel like it is the right thing for you, we'll find someone else." He countered and Marie agreed. The professor then grabbed a couple of books from his bookshelf and handed them to Marie. "Read them. They'll help you prepare for teaching young minds, they certainly helped the rest of the faculty." He told her still smiling. Marie looked down at the thick and old books and barely restrained her sigh. "Thank you, I'll have them back to you by tomorrow professor." He nodded and pulled out a small contract for her to sign. Marie looked it through. Her eyes widened at section that held the pay. "Um… This is way too much professor." she said feeling a bit awed.
He shook his head at her. "Nonsense. It's what I pay all my teachers, and you are no exception." he said firmly and leaving no room for discussion. Marie reluctantly nodded and signed the contract. "I would like for you to stay for dinner tonight, I want to introduce you to the rest of the school and faculty. And now that you are a member of our faculty you may borrow any of the vehicles we have for your own transportation and that of the children." He said assuming she had a driver's license. "Note to self: get a license as quickly as possible." she thought embarrassed. She nodded at him. "I do believe Ororo is getting rather impatient. You may join her in the kitchen if you'd like." the professor told her amused and Marie nodded and left the comfort of the office.
The hallways were bustling with life; children were running around laughing and yelling loudly, while some of the older students either tried quieting them or joining them laughingly. Marie shook her head wondering, "What did I sign up for?" Ororo was placing a Band-Aid on a small boy's knee when she entered the kitchen. His purple skin was the first thing she noticed. The second was his hair colour; it was the colour of rich honey. He glanced up at her and his bright blue eyes shone like the cloudless sky above them. He reminded her a bit of Steve. "Is this what our child could have looked like if we'd kept it." She wondered a bit sad. Marie shook her head free from those thoughts and Ororo called her over. "Can you stir the gumbo? I just need to finish up with Killian here." She said smiling at her. Marie nodded and did as asked.
The young boy smiled at her and Marie felt her own smile gracing her face. "Hi I'm Killian." He said waving slightly to her. "I'm Rogue." she replied. Killian couldn't have been more than six or seven years old she thought. "That's a funny name… I like it." He said honestly and Marie grinned. "I like your name too. It reminds me of a pirate." Killian grinned back at and Ororo groaned. "You had to say it." The weather witch murmured. "I was named after the great pirate Killian Hook, because it's my mom's favourite story, and Peter Pan can fly but Hook can't and neither can I, so we're practically the same person, except my mom tells me I'm so much cooler than him, and Bobby likes to tease me for it, but he's just jealous that his name is boring, because that's what Robert is, but not me I'm cool and so are you and Ms Monroe, we all have cool names, so we can all be a part of the cool names club while Bobby can't because he isn't cool, will you be a part of my club now?." Killian said without pausing to breathe, and Marie shook her head trying to catch up with everything the small boy had said. He looked so hopeful at her with a pout and dog eyes that could break even the coldest person.
"Sure…" Marie responded not really knowing what she was agreeing to. The boy grinned and hurried away to let Bobby know "That I got the cool new teacher to join my cool name club, while Bobby can't!"
Marie blinked and looked at Ororo. "What just happened?" She asked the older woman. Ororo sighed. "You'll get used to it around here." she replied without an explanation. "So!" Ororo grinned at her. "I'm guessing I have a new colleague based on the books I see on the counter." Marie nodded and smiled at the woman. "I decided to give it a trial run." Ororo nodded, understanding her. "If you need anything advice or otherwise don't hesitate in asking me. It's not easy being the responsible one. You're just lucky you got the children, the teenagers and their hormones are the real pain." Ororo jokes and Marie laughed. They spent the next hour talking, joking, cooking and planning Marie's classes. They discussed the different methods of teaching and the level of education that the children were at. Marie felt calm and content working with the older and experienced woman; it boosted her confidence and eased her worry. Their discussion eventually led them to Marie's meditation. "Did you try it?" Ororo asked her. "I did, but it didn't really work out for me. I kept losing focus and thinking and it threw me off. It's definitely harder than it seemed when we first discussed it." Marie admitted. "It'll take years of hard work and discipline Rogue. It won't just happen after three tries… No matter how much we want it to." The last part was muttered and Marie realized the woman was thinking back on her own training.
A light bell sounded through the school and Marie looked up surprised. "Dinner bell." Ororo explained. "Let's head down to the dining hall." She said and Marie nodded. "Oh, I should warn you. It can be a bit of a… Shock the first time you enter the dining hall." Marie only nodded and the two women left the kitchen, Marie carrying the pot of gumbo. "I don't think there's gonna be enough in this pot Ororo." Marie said as they entered the massive and bustling dining hall. There was chatter, laughter and life in every corner. It was a bit overwhelming.
Marie calmed her nerves when she felt several stares and whispers around the tables. Ororo shook her head. "That's for the teachers. The professor has a contract with a catering business for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You didn't think we'd be making the food ourselves for so many children in a regular kitchen?" Ororo raised a disbelieving eyebrow at Marie. Marie blushed a bit. "Right." was her only response.
Ororo led her to the teacher's table where several people were already seated. Marie barely registered the big and blue…. "Man-ape? Man-bear?" who was seated next to the professor. She shook her head lightly, remembering her manners not wanting to be rude. She placed the pot on the table and sat down next to the blue man. "Every one," The professor began and silence fell in the entire hall. It was so quiet you could hear a needle drop. Marie looked at the man with newfound respect. "I'd like to introduce to you our newest teacher. Rogue." Marie felt uncomfortable at the many stares, from students and teachers alike, but she rose when the professor gestured to her. She greeted them all and saw Killian waving at her with a giant grin on his face. Marie calmed a bit and smiled back at him.
"Rogue will be teaching the younger classes in Maths and Physics. Though I'm sure she'll be able to help several of the elder students too in those departments, as she has a PhD in mechanical engineering. Rogue will start on Monday and I hope you all make her feel at home." The professor finished and as soon as he did the noise levels rose several octaves. Ororo, who sat across her, handed her a bowl of gumbo with a smile. "My dear," the blue bear man began and Marie turned to him "May I welcome a fellow scientist into our ranks. I am Dr. Henry McCoy." He said and held out his hand. Marie didn't hesitate in shaking his blue and furred hand. "My pleasure Doctor." She replied her voice tinged by her accent. "A fellow scientist. What field?" Marie questioned, intrigued with the blue bear man. "Please call me Hank," He told her. "Biochemistry and genetics. Though I also teach Maths, biology and chemistry for the elder classes." He explained. "Yeah that's great bub, pass the salt." Logan butted in as he sat down next to Marie. "Rude." she thought but Hank only laughed at Logan. "Logan, I'm glad you chose to join us." He handed the salt to Marie who gave it to Logan.
"Yeah well chuck didn't give me an choice on the matter." Logan sent a sour look at the professor who only sent the man a pleasant smile in return. It was clear that Summers, who was seated at the other end of the table felt the same way. Marie chose to ignore the two men. Another two men were seated next to Ororo. The one on her left was blue too. "Is that a tail?" she thought perplexed. The tail grabbed a can of water and poured in Ororo's glass. "Okay, definitely a tail… Stop staring at the tail Marie." The yellow eyed man noticed her stare and Marie blushed having been caught staring. "Es ist okay, I know my tail can be surprising to those who have never seen it before." He told her kindly in a heavily accented English. "Ich würde nicht unhöflich sein. Ich entschuldige mich." Marie replied back in the German she had absorbed from Magneto.
The man looked at her surprised (as did the rest of the table). "Du sprichst Deutsch! Wie herrlich ist es! Mein Name ist Kurt Wagner." "My pleasure." Marie told the happy man. "Were you born with the tail, or did it appear later in life, if I may ask? I don't want to be rude." She asked the blue and yellow man. "I was born this way, and have lived my entire life like this." He told her proudly. Marie nodded and smiled at him. "Where have you learned German, if I may ask?" Hank asked her from her right side. Marie didn't even blink as she lied. "My boyfriend is a soldier." She said and it was the truth, albeit a slightly twisted truth. "He's been stationed around the world, Germany included, and I learned it after we got together." She said vaguely. Hank nodded, accepting the explanation as the truth. Next to her Logan looked at her funnily and she couldn't help but wonder what brought it on. "He couldn't possibly suspect anything… Could he?" she thought a bit concerned. "A soldier? How did you meet? Oh. And I am Piotr or Peter if you will." A tall man asked her from the other side of Kurt. Marie looked at him surprised. He'd been quiet during the whole conversation, and despite his very large and obvious stature, Marie hadn't noticed him.
"I found out I was a mutant, and I left everything behind after college. I wanted a fresh start." She said thinking back to the escape that Jess had steered her on. "I worked as a engineer for the government, researching and making new tech gear for the military. I met him through one of my recruiters, and we just hit it off. My job and powers eventually led me to have a run in with Magneto. It didn't end all that well. My boyfriend and his team managed to track me down and found me by some stroke of luck... And here we are." Marie said nonchalant as she twisted the truth. "That's quite the tale my dear." Hank said. "I hope your run in with Magneto didn't leave you too traumatized." He said concerned. "Not at all. I've stared down teddy-bears who were scarier and more convincing than he tried to make himself appear." Marie responded with a shrug.
"I'm glad to hear it." Hank said with a smile, and Marie couldn't help but find him charming. "What is your power?" Kurt asked her curiously. Marie bit her lip before replying. "I can control metal. Like Magneto." She said. There was a silence from the table as the men digested the news. Logan growled low in his throat, Piotr looked uncomfortable, while Kurt and Summers straightened in their seats. Hank looked perplexed. "Exactly the same powers?" He asked her with a curious look. "Oh-oh! Why do I suddenly feel like I stepped in a self made trap?" She thought a bit nervous.
"Yeah, why?" Marie asked him worried. Hank shook his head. "Probably nothing more but an old man's ponderings." he said and Marie felt like she should tread carefully around the highly intelligent man from now on, after Hank spared a glance to the professor. "Good thing I didn't tell them about my real powers if this is how they react when I have a copy of Magneto's power." she thought a bit sad. "What about the rest of you? Do you have any powers?" Marie asked trying to break the tension in the air, and removing the focus from herself. It worked like a charm. Kurt happily brought her attention on him "Ich kann teleportieren." He told her excitedly. He then disappeared in a grey smoke that left behind a smell of sulphur, only to reappear beside Summers at the end of the table. He reappeared in his seat again within seconds. Marie gaped at him before grinning. "Cool." She exclaimed excitedly.
Piotr was next. His entire body armoured up in metal before he turned back. Marie understood his discomfort now. She smiled at him and the stoic man managed a small one back to her. Hank looked at her. "I only have a greater physical strength and my senses are increased. Scott can emit powerful beams of energy from his eyes - lasers if you will." The man in question remained silent during the exchange of information.
Marie turned to the man on her left. Logan grunted at her, and Marie was sure he would have sighed if he could, but he felt it too unmanly. "Regeneration," he began and he held out fist. Three claws extended from his hands and Marie couldn't hold back her surprise. She took in the claws before Logan retracted them. "Does it hurt... When they come out?" She asked him concerned. He looked at her in surprise. "Clearly no one has ever asked him that." she thought angrily. "Every time." he said shortly and Marie could see the shame in the faces of the rest of the teachers. "They've never considered it before." Marie didn't need to be genius to realize that the claws were man made. "Are they made from vibranium? I know they'd need to be very durable and strong if you're supposed to fight with them." She concluded thinking of all the consequences of having the metal infused in his body. "Adamantium." He said giving her an odd look and Marie nodded. The rare metal wasn't unknown to her. Around the table people began small talking about everything and nothing to avoid the awkward tension in the air. Logan managed a small turn of his lips at her and Marie smiled brightly back at him. "Maybe he isn't so bad after all." She thought as the discomfort of the rest of the table amused him.
Marie's phone went off. She excused herself from the table and walked out into the hallway.
"Steve, sugar, what's going on?" she asked him when she answered the phone.
"I'm being shipped out with Natasha. So I won't be home when you get there." He told her apologising. "It's okay, just stay safe." She ordered him concerned. "Go kick some bad guy's ass. But try not to dent the shield or that fine body of yours, that's an order soldier." She joked smiling into the phone and Steve snorted. "I'll try." He told her dryly. "But I'm not making any promises doll. I'll try to stay in contact with you whenever I can." Marie snorted. "This isn't our first rodeo sugar, I know the procedures." she said thinking back to the many times he, Clint and Natasha had been shipped out on missions during her time with S.H.I.E.L.D.
"I know… But I can't help but feel bad, that I'm leaving you behind. We haven't even gotten a full week together." He said and Marie could clearly hear the annoyance in his voice.
"How about this; you come back in one piece to me, and I'll do that thing you like a lot." She grinned happily. She could hear the heavy intake of breath on the other side. "Minx. But you got yourself a deal." Marie laughed happily. "See you when you get back, and stay safe... Or I'll beat you over the head with that shield you love so much." this time Steve laughed. "Yes Ma'am!" he saluted her over the phone and they hung up. Marie shook her head happily and walked back to the dinner hall.
She sat down when Piotr said "Аппети́т прихо́дит во вре́мя еды́. " In Russian to the table's occupants, who looked at him curiously. "What does that mean my friend." Kurt asked him curiously. Marie explained as she grabbed another bowl of the delicious gumbo. "It translates directly into the appetite comes with eating, but it means that the actual appetite comes while you are eating. Which is why you might eat less at the actual dinner even though you may have felt a great hunger before you ate, vice versa." She said. They all looked at her surprised. Marie sighed. "Yes, I also speak Russian. I'm a woman of many hidden talents." She told them, digging into her food while ignoring their inquisitive looks.
"You surprise us yet again Rogue. I have a feeling that it won't be stopping here." Ororo told her happily and Marie gulped down her glass of water. "I'll try to keep them to a minimum." She replied to the white haired woman.