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Chapter 4—Alliances
Rogue watched her breath in the cold air. It was a quarter past midnight, and she was waiting in the park for the high and mighty leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants. It had taken a lot of skill to sneak out of the boarding house after the occupants had all gone to sleep. Apparently none of the guys believed in going to bed before midnight, only after Rogue had heard them all go into their respective bedrooms did she go out the front door.
During the walk to the park Rogue had gone over the reasons in her head as to why she had decided to meet Erik Lensherr. What it all came down to was curiosity. She was curious to hear what he had to say…and she wanted to know about her birth parents. Before she had come into her curse Rogue had never cared about the parents who had abandoned her, but now she wanted to know who and what they were.
"Where the hell is he?" muttered Rogue under her breath as she stamped her feet on the ground. She had taken someone's jacket off the coat rack in the hall, but it wasn't warm enough to stand in the fall weather for long periods at a time.
"I'm a bit surprised you came, Rogue," said a voice pleasantly. Rogue turned around to face the speaker and came face to face with a distinguished looking gentleman with white hair and blue eyes. Studying his face Rogue felt there was something vaguely familiar about him.
"You're late," she shot back acerbically.
"I am never late, Rogue. I have been here watching you for the past fifteen minutes. I wasn't sure if you would come hear me out, or stay under Mystique's watchful eyes. You're quite a girl, you know that. Since the moment your powers developed, you have become the most wanted mutant on the globe." Erik stood tall as he gazed down at the shivering teen.
"I never asked to be so popular. I'd rather be home with my parents getting ready for the new baby." She didn't believe him that her powers had made her wanted everywhere. Not everyone knew what powers she had, or that she even had powers. Rogue suspected that Erik was exaggerating, but what she didn't know was the reason for. What was the big deal about her curse? Why not go after someone like Jean Grey who could erase minds with a single thought?
Erik paused and then narrowed his eyes. "They are not your real parents, Rogue. They were simply your caretakers after you were abandoned at their door. You owe them nothing but gratitude for keeping you alive. They betrayed you in the end—they were going to sell you out to the authorities."
Rogue snorted and rolled her eyes. This guy was a slow learner. "Look, buddy, I didn't come here to talk about Priscilla and Owen. I came to hear what you have to say. You made a big deal on keeping it quiet; so don't push mah buttons. I'm freezing, I'm tired, and I really don't trust you."
"Where are your allegiances, Rogue?"
"Huh?" Rogue was at a loss for words as she stared at the man in front of her. She hadn't expected to be questioned. At least not along these lines. She had only just arrived at the boarding house, she had made no alliances thus far.
"Your loyalty. Who do you answer to in the end?"
"Myself." Then realization dawned on the teen. "No! I told Mystique I wasn't picking sides for this damn war. In the end I'll be the one that neither side wants to keep around. Don't you dare ask me to choose a side now!"
Erik chuckled at Rogue's feeble protests. This was going to work better than he had originally planned. "Rogue, Rogue, Rogue. Don't you know that you can't stay on the sidelines for long? It's a deadly decision, I know. But I promise, I will never dispose of you in the end. I need you, Rogue. I need your powers, your skills. I need you to work for me."
"Mystique said I didn't have to work for the Brotherhood," whispered Rogue hoarsely. She shrank under the baleful glare sent her way.
"I am not asking you to work for the Brotherhood. I am asking you to work for me."
"For you? But, aren't you in charge of the Brotherhood?" Rogue was confused now. As far as she had been concerned Erik Lensherr was the Brotherhood.
"Yes. Mystique is training the Brotherhood to their full potentials. Every day she searches for another recruit to her team. My son is even now a member of my mission. But, I also have other uses for mutants on my side. Mystique is my best spy with her shape shifting, that is why she is my right hand. She and I share everything…
"There is another that I trust to work for me. You met him in New Orleans. His name is Sabertooth. A beastly mutant, yes, but effective in taking my rivals out."
Rogue thought back on the tawny haired beast that had come after her in the Big Easy and mentally kicked herself for her stupidity. Of course Mystique had asked her to come to the Brotherhood for "safe keeping"; Sabertooth had scared her right into the shape shifter's arms. Rogue bit her lip and stared Erik in the eyes. Without speaking she instantly knew she had walked right into a trap. Whether or not Mystique knew the mighty boss had planned to force Rogue onto their side no longer mattered. She had no choice now.
"What is it you want?" she asked with a deep sigh.
"I need a mutant inside the Brotherhood to keep an eye on what happens there. Mystique may be my right hand, but I wouldn't put it past her to train my own group against me. She's a tricky woman; she'll do whatever it takes to protect herself, rather than the cause we fight for. I want you to watch her for me, as well as the Brotherhood. Let me know if I have reason to worry that they will betray me." Out of his coat pocket, Erik pulled out a beeper and handed it to Rogue. The brunette stared at it for several long minutes before snatching it out of his hands.
"What's in it for me?" she asked turning the beeper over in her gloved hands.
"I have been looking for your parents since I found out about your powers. So far I only know a handful of details. They were both mutants, and gave you up for being normal at birth. Little did they realize you would come into your own seventeen years later."
Rogue was silent as she digested Eric's words. "They didn't want me?"
"From what I can tell, no, but there is one other who knows more about your parentage than I do. I won't tell you unless you promise to be loyal to me. I don't care if you work with the Brotherhood…or if you turn around and join the X-Men. No matter who you work for, Rogue, I want to be assured that you will always answer to me. I will protect you. I will train you to use your powers. And I will always give you the truth. Mystique does care what happens to you. In her own sick way she is attached to all of her charges in the Brotherhood, but that won't stop her from lying to you for her own games. Do we have a deal?"
Rogue looked at the beeper in her hands and then at the man before her. Whatever she did now would define her future.
The Next Day:
Rogue yawned as she clambered down the staircase to the fresh smells of eggs and bacon. In the kitchen she found Lance busy making himself breakfast. No one else had woken up yet, not that Rogue could blame them. It was early even by her own standards, but she had grown used to keeping her own hours. It would be hard to return to a schedule that required she fit school into it.
"Hey," said Lance glancing her way.
"Hey." Rogue was quiet as she watched him flip the bacon. He didn't seem so rough early in the morning, not that he had been rough yesterday when they had met. But he did seem gentler this morning. Perhaps his attitude was something he used when Pietro and Toad were around to keep up appearances as the leader of their ragtag crew.
"You wanna join me for breakfast? I mean, I figure you'll want to eat before we head to school. The cafeteria food isn't all that great." Lance looked over at her with his brown eyes and broke into a grin as Rogue nodded yes to his offer. He quickly grabbed two plates and loaded them with eggs and bacon. He placed them down on the kitchen table and waved Rogue to the seat in front of him. Rogue pursed her lips before sitting down.
"So what's it like at school?" she asked picking up her fork.
Lance shrugged. "We're kinda like the school outcasts, the bullies. The X-Geeks are more of the popular crowd…as long as they keep their mutant powers a secret. Other than that, school pretty much sucks."
"Oh." Rogue lapsed into silence, giving Lance a chance to study her. Her brown hair hung loose down to her shoulders, and there was a tired look in her green eyes, but none of that made her any less beautiful in his eyes. Small boned and of average height, Rogue had a certain quality about her that made her attractive.
After a minute he spoke up again. "So Mystique threatened me if anything happened to you at school…actually I think she'd kill me if anything happened to you period. How come?"
Rogue glanced up and met Lance's gaze with calm intensity. "She's probably worried the X-Freaks will come after me again. That or she's concerned I can't control my powers at school."
"What power makes you so dangerous, Rogue? From what I hear, the X-Men are still sore you went with Mystique and not them. For those fuckers to be upset over losing another recruit for their team, you must be one hell of a fighter."
"My powers aren't something to be proud of. If anyone gets too close they get hurt. I don't mean to hurt them, it just happens." Rogue glanced back down at her breakfast, turning her next words into little more than whispers. "Y'all won't mind if I tag along at school, will you?" Talking about her curse had left her feeling a little more down than she wanted. It was to be expected though considering Rogue was still having a hard time coming to terms with what she was and what she wasn't. In her head she could still feel Cody and the blue furred boy that had tried to attack her alongside the X-Men. It wasn't something she liked to feel; it made the southerner feel less whole…fear gnawed at her that if she wasn't careful she would one day lose her sanity.
"Huh? No." Lance gave Rogue a reassuring smile as Pietro and Toad entered the kitchen.
"Hey, where's mine?" demanded Pietro glaring down at Lance and Rogue as they ate their breakfast.
Lance chuckled and gave Pietro a pat on the back, nearly knocking the white haired teen to the ground. "Sorry, Speedy. You snooze, you lose."
Rogue giggled as Todd's face fell at the thought of going hungry. Then she rolled her eyes and pushed her plate towards him and Pietro. "Here, you guys can finish mine."
"Yo, you are my favorite person now. Thanks!" Todd grabbed the plate and greedily gobbled it down. Pietro scowled and crossed his arms across his chest.
"Just wait, Alvers, I'll make you pay for this," he muttered to himself.
"Sure thing, Maximoff. Care to take it outside?" Lance clenched his fists and let out a small tremor. Pietro grabbed a hold of the counter for support as Rogue clutched her seat. Todd ignored the threat and continued licking the plate. It was just another day at the boarding house to him.
"For Christssakes, Lance, don't bring the house crashing down!" screeched Mystique entering the room. Rogue glanced over at her guardian and did a double take at what she saw. The shape shifter looked human again with her dark hair and eyes, and a pair of eye glasses. Judging by her business like suit, Rogue figured Mystique was going somewhere.
"Where're you off to?" asked Rogue casually.
"School. I sent memos out this morning letting the teachers know that you are a new student and that it would be best if they refrained from questioning your previous home, as the situation with your parents has become a tragic one. I told them that you are my foster daughter for now on, and as such, you will use my last name for safety's sake," answered Mystique smoothing out her pants.
"You go to school too?" Rogue frowned.
Pietro snorted. "Please, she'd give herself a heart attack trying to learn new things. She's the principal of Bayville High School. Ms. Darkholme. Kinda creepy if you ask me. But her plan's good. If the teachers don't question Rogue's background, then the X-Geeks won't learn anything more about her."
Mystique nodded in agreement. "Yes, just refrain from using my last name too often, Rogue. The X-Men don't know that I am the principal in disguise. I'd much rather they never find out."
Rogue shrugged. "Fine by me, I'll keep quiet at school. I don't think I'll be making a lot of friends with my curse anyway. I'll just sit in the corner and let Lance fight my battles. That all right by you, Rocky?"
Lance's eyes widened in surprise, and then he grinned. "No problemo, Roguey. I think everything's gonna be just fine, Mystique."
"Fine," relented Mystique eyeing all four of her charges carefully. "Bring Rogue to school and then drop her off at my office. I need to get her schedule in order. Don't do anything stupid today." Her last words were directed towards her male charges before she retreated from the kitchen.
Rogue cocked her head thoughtfully and then turned to her new friends expectantly. "I don't want to know, do I?"
"No," replied Pietro. "But I will tell you this; it was all Lance's fault last time."
At School:
Jean stopped at her locker where her boyfriend, Duncan, stood waiting with a single red rose. She glanced up at him and then the rose before rolling her eyes. "Nice try, Duncan. But you aren't getting off that easily for forgetting our anniversary." Jean hid her smile as Duncan groaned.
A few lockers down, Scott was busy lecturing a dark haired boy and a petite brunette. "How many times do I have to warn you guys not to use your powers on the way to school? I don't care who touched who in the car this morning. Can't you wait until we hit the Danger Room tonight to kill each other?"
Kitty Pride groaned. "Like, Scott, can't you drop it? I totally didn't mean to jam Kurt's image thingy. It's not a big deal anymore, isn't that right, elf?"
"Huh?" Kurt Wagner shook his head to try and make sense of Kitty's words. "What did you say? I couldn't understand you talking a mile a minute." His words were tinged with a light German accent, but the frustration behind them needed no understanding.
"All right," cut in Scott with a firm tone. He knew how Kurt and Kitty could be whenever they got into one of their arguments. They were one of those couples that just couldn't seem to get things together, and he had a feeling today was going to be one of their more off days if he didn't put a stop to their arguing. "Just don't screw up today. Kurt, I want you and Evan to leave the Brotherhood alone. I don't care what they do; don't let them get to you."
Kurt snorted as Scott walked away. "Easy for him to say. He doesn't have a smelly frog attacking him at lunch every day."
"No," muttered Kitty slamming her locker shut and leaning against it. "But he does have a stick up his ass. Why does he have to follow the damn rules all the time? He acts like my dad!"
"Hey guys!" called out a voice. Kitty and Kurt turned to wave at Evan Daniels as he joined them. "Wait till you see Lance's new girlfriend. She's pretty stunning."
"Girlfriend? Lance?" Kitty giggled at the thought. Guys like Lance didn't have girlfriends—they didn't know how to treat the opposite sex.
"Evan's right," huffed Bobby Drake jogging over to his friends. "She's hot, and if sh'es hanging out with Lance and his gang you know she's not delicate. Look!"
Kitty followed the blonde boy's pointed finger and narrowed her eyes as she saw Lance walking a girl towards the principal's office. And it wasn't just any girl; it was the girl the X-Men had tried to help in New Orleans.
"They aren't together you morons," said Kitty crisply. "She's the Rogue. She's just staying with the Brotherhood. Xavier said he was sure Rogue wasn't fighting on their side."
"No," murmured Evans as he and Bobby gazed after Rogue's figure. "But she sure as hell ain't fighting with us."
Down the hall Lance was basking in the evil glares sent his way. While Rogue didn't know it yet, she had just been labeled as Lance's girl, and he was going to live it up as much as possible. It wasn't often that he was able to do that, at least not with the X-Men around. Lance caught Scott's eye and gave the X-Man a wink as he opened the door to the Principal's office and followed Rogue inside. Things were definitely starting to look up.
A/N—As of June 2, 2007, Chapter 4: Alliances has been revised.