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14—Twisted Fate
"Ah don't get why she didn't jus' say she was mah mother," sniffed Rogue as she wiped the tears out of her eyes.
Caliban sighed. "Mystique is unlike any being I have ever known. She was once a Morlock; she couldn't control her powers and so she hid with us for many years. Then she met Magneto. I sensed danger from the very beginning, but there was nothing I could say to prevent her from joining his ranks.
"It was many years before she returned to us. By then Mystique had become pregnant from a lover she had picked up off the side of the road. She was afraid of what Magneto would say. One cannot follow the Dark One's plans and raise a child at the same time. And so she came to us seeking aid, protection.
"I sensed right away how different you were. A child born is innocent in every way. Your powers were dormant…perhaps because of your father."
"Do ya know who he was?" whispered Rogue. She leaned against the cement wall of the sewer, not caring what was there. A little bit of slime would hardly hurt her now…now that she was trying to piece together her life.
"No. Mystique is the only one who knows. I doubt even Magneto knows you are her daughter. It is hard to distinguish a connection when you two look nothing alike."
"Great," snorted Rogue, "so now what do Ah do?"
"It is all up to you, Rogue. What do you think you should do?" returned Caliban evasively. The teen girl frowned and looked at the manhole above her. There were so many questions that she wanted answered, but she knew Mystique would ignore them. The older mutant had given Rogue up for a reason…and that reason was Magneto and his mission. And unfortunately for Rogue, she was bound up in the same world as her mother.
"Ah cahn't let her know Ah know the truth. She doesn't want ta be a mother."
"One day you will be able to set things straight."
Rogue nodded absently. "Mystique has another kid out there."
"I suspected as much."
"She said it was a boy. Ah wonder if he's alone like meh."
"Perhaps you should search for him," suggested Caliban. Rogue frowned and then stood up.
"Maybe. Ah dunno, Ah'll think about it. Ah'd better get goin', Ah'm supposed to meet Lance for dinner. Thanks for taking meh to Destiny, Caliban. You're a real pal, sugah."
Caliban smiled briefly. Rogue watched as he drifted off into the darkness of the sewers. With another sigh, Rogue pulled herself up the ladder and out of the manhole. She discreetly stepped out onto the sidewalk and inspected herself in the fading daylight.
"It'll do," she muttered to herself as she continued down the walkway and towards the mall.
The Mall:
Jean stifled a yawn as she watched Kitty browse through a shirt rack. They had been shopping for the last three and a half hours. Kitty was hurting from her recent break-up with Kurt, and Jean was the only one willing enough to deal with it. Of course, that meant shopping until Kitty decided to perk up again.
"Whaddya think of this one?" asked Kitty holding up a pink shirt that looked remarkably similar to the one she already had on.
"Nice. I like it," answered Jean with a bright smile. Kitty grinned and disappeared in the direction of the dressing room.
I can definitely feel a headache coming on. The Professor needs to get some more female recruits so I don't have to keep cheering Kitty up every time something tragic happens.
Jean stepped outside of the department store and studied the few people walking around. Not too many people ventured to the mall after six—something to do with the fear of being attacked by mutants in the dark. Toying with a strand of her hair, Jean allowed herself to skim the minds of the people walking by. Most seemed to have nothing on their minds other than school, the latest music concert, or their latest crush. In the midst of her skimming Jean came across a startling thought from someone in the mall.
It cahn't be! It cahn't be! Why didn't she tell meh? Why—
The thought broke off suddenly and Jean felt a chill go down her spine. Directly across the way from her stood Rogue. And by the look on her face she knew Jean had been listening in. Jean's face paled as Rogue began to walk her way.
"You think Ah don't know about your powers, Jeanie?" hissed Rogue angrily as she came to stand in front of the red head.
"I'm sorry Rogue, I didn't mean to. It just happened." Jean was frantically trying to figure out how Rogue had known she was in her mind. Normally she was careful at not being detected.
"Fuck you. Look, Jeanie, Ah ain't in the mood to mess around, alright? But if Ah feel you in mah head again, Ah swear to God Ah'll make you sorry."
Jean hardened her face. Deep within she could feel her anger overflow like a volcano. "I said I was sorry. It's not my fault that you're so upset you can't control your thoughts!"
"Ah thought you and the other freaks played by the rules. You only use your powers for emergencies. So, tell me, Jeanie, what's the emergency? Cahn't find your lame ass boyfriend?"
"Fuck you," snapped Jean. Rogue smiled mischievously. It wasn't like the red head to snap like that.
"Am Ah pissin' you off? That's a first, isn't it? All Ah've seen you do is cry and call for help. Ah didn't think you had it in you. Well, Ah guess you're just full of surprises, sugah." Rogue smirked and turned to walk away. But Jean's next words stopped her cold in her tracks.
"No one will ever accept you, Rogue. You're not like us…you're different. Mutants will fear you, the Morlocks will shun you…you're a danger to everyone around you. It's hard for me to believe that Mystique actually thinks you can fit in with the Brotherhood. Magneto pulls all the strings; he'll only keep you for so long…you're a weapon, and only a weapon. No one cares about the soul inside."
Rogue gritted her teeth as the words hit home. Jean was dangerously close to the truth. Mystique was her birth mother, but she had chosen to keep that a secret—which meant only one thing, she wasn't planning on keeping Rogue around long enough to bond.
Magneto may be her boss, but deep down Rogue knew he and Mystique had another trick up their sleeves. How else could she explain how Mystique had gotten to her first in New Orleans?
Rogue stared down at her gloved hands and clenched them into fists. In the flick of an eye she whirled around and slammed a fist into Jean's face, knocking the red head to the ground. Rogue reached down and grabbed Jean by the scruff of her shirt and pulled the other teen close enough to whisper in her ear.
"What makes ya think Ah got a soul, Jeanie? Ah suck the souls outta people like you. That's mah job. Maybe Ah am a weapon, but at least Ah'll be able to protect mahself from the world. Mutants will never be accepted. Y'all think there cahn be peace…but as soon as they find out who you are you're gonna be ohn a one way trip to a lab ta be tested. They'll have to kill meh first…and Ah promise, there won't be much to test in the end. So Ah don't give a damn if no one trusts meh. Ah wouldn't trust meh if Ah were them." Rogue dropped Jean back to the ground and smiled at the fast forming black eye. That would take care of the mind reader for a while. Jean wouldn't dare snoop in her mind again.
"Like, omigod! Jean!" screeched Kitty pushing through a growing crowd to kneel next to her friend. "What happened?"
"Nothing," grumbled Jean fingering her bruised eye. She glanced up at Rogue darkly. "I don't get you."
"Ah didn't ask ya to. Keep it that way, Jeanie, it's for the best."
"Jean!" The three mutants turned in time to see Scott shoving his way towards the red head. He helped Jean get to her feet and looked over at Rogue.
"Why?" he asked simply.
Rogue shrugged. "Because life ain't as easy as you think it is."
"What the hell happened to her?" demanded Lance appearing at Rogue's side.
"She got in the way of mah fist."
"No shit." Lance turned to Scott with a grin. "I dunno, Summers, looks like you won't be able to even the score this time around. Not unless you wanna mess with Rogue."
Scott made a face, but he didn't say a word. There was nothing he could do…not with so many bystanders around.
Kitty glared at Rogue and turned to Lance pleadingly. "Why can't you like tell your girlfriend to back off? Lance, you're like so much better than her. You could do so much better. Why her?"
"Maybe I want her to kick Summers' ass," replied Lance cockily.
"I don't know why you guys have to be so mean. It's not like we ever did anything to you." Kitty broke into a fresh set of tears as Jean pulled her into a hug. Lance rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. Rogue noticed this and bit her tongue from lashing out. There was something here that she didn't know about, and she wasn't too sure she wanted to know.
"Ah, Kitty. Grow up, would you?" The crowd began to disperse and Rogue and Lance were finally able to retreat outside the mall.
"What was that back there?" asked Rogue casually as she pulled a cigarette out of her pocket.
"What was what?"
"With the girl."
"Who, Kitty?"
Rogue nodded and lit her cigarette. Lance frowned as he tried to come up with an answer that wouldn't get him beat up. "Ah'm waitin'," murmured Rogue.
"Look, Kitty and I used to go to school together in Chicago. I had a thing for her then, but she was always being so damn snotty. She thought she was better than me, you know? So after Xavier took her, I kinda went my own way with Mystique. The X-Men thought I was some kind of dipshit 'cause I used my powers when I was angry. Kitty just thinks she knows me…like we were something back then. But we weren't, I swear. Don't tell me you're jealous. Are you?" Lance seemed to brighten at the thought, causing Rogue to chuckle.
"No, but little Miss Kitty seems to think you'll listen ta her. You won't, will you?" returned Rogue.
"Nah. It's not really my thing to settle down like that."
"Good. Ah don't think Ah could date ya if you did." Rogue put out her cigarette and let Lance pull her into his arms.
"Good, now that that's taken care of, how about some food?"
The Next Day:
Rogue was leaning against her locker the next morning, waiting. Her locker was directly across from Kitty's, and she had a thing or two to say to the petite brunette. She trusted Lance, but she was a trifle concerned about Kitty. She had a feeling the younger girl was going to try and hurt the blue fur ball for dumping her so harshly. And Rogue had an even deeper feeling that Lance would somehow be the perfect guy to use in this little game.
The second Kitty was opening her locker, Rogue was shutting it. Kitty looked at the southern girl with fear in her eyes. "Like, what do you want?"
"Ah want nothing but cooperation, sugah. Stay away from Lance."
"Huh?"
"You heard me. Ah know he had a thing for you once upon a time, but that's ancient history. Just 'cause you got dumped by the German doesn't give you the right to try ahn claim some hold on mah boyfriend, got it?"
Kitty blanched, but tried to stand her ground. "I don't like Lance in that way."
Rogue raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Sure, sugah, ahn Ah'm the Easter Bunny. Stop with the act, Kitty. Ah ain't in a forgivin' mood this week. We both know Ah could take ya down…so don't mess with meh, okay? You stay away from Lance, ahn Ah'll let you live. Got it?"
"Yeah, I got it," answered Kitty meekly. Rogue smiled and patted Kitty on the head before disappearing down the crowded hallway. Kitty slumped against her locker with a determined look on her face. She was tired of getting pushed around. She watched with mixed emotions as Lance passed by with Pietro. "I got it, Rogue. I won't do anything you'll hear about."
Rogue was halfway to homeroom when she felt a familiar buzz on her hip. With a frustrated sigh she cut down another hallway and out a side door. She hurried across the street to the payphone as the school bell rang.
"This had betta be good," she muttered darkly punching in the number.
"Aw, Rogue, how good of you to call." Magneto seemed to be smiling in triumph on the other end of the phone. Rogue growled.
"Whaddya want?"
"After school I need you to pick Sabertooth up at the gas station outside of town. Together the two of you will return to the laboratory on the hill to pick up something up for me."
"It's not another mutant, is it?" asked Rogue warily.
"No. It's a computer program…one essential to my needs."
"Cahn't Whiskers go ohn his own?"
Magneto chuckled. "You will be picking up the disk, Rogue; Sabertooth is merely keeping watch in case the X-Men show up."
"Ooo, lucky meh. Fine. Ah'll pick the giant fur ball after school." Rogue hung up the phone and headed back to school in a sour mood. This was all she needed. More time with an overgrown cat.
"Ah'm really beginning to hate felines," she grumbled as she passed Kitty's locker. "A lot."
After school Rogue walked towards the parking lot with Lance, begging the entire way for his car keys.
"Please?" Rogue snuggled in his arms. "Ah won't let anything happen to it!"
"Yeah, but how the hell am I supposed to get home?" Lance looked down at Rogue who rolled her eyes.
"You walk like every other person here does. One day won't kill ya, Lance."
"We'll see about that."
"Does that mean Ah cahn borrow the jeep?"
"Alright, but don't let anything happen to it!" warned Lance handing over the keys. Rogue gave him a quick kiss on the lips before hopping into the jeep. She started it up and backed out of the parking spot before he could say another word. Lance watched as Rogue and his jeep drove out of sight.
"Hey, Lance," said Kitty coming to stand beside him.
"Hey, Kitty," replied Lance with little enthusiasm. He was still wondering whether or not it had been a good idea to let Rogue drive his jeep.
"Lance, can we like talk for a sec? I need to ask you for some help."
"Sure." Lance nodded and turned to follow Kitty down the sidewalk.
At The Laboratory:
Rogue tried to ignore the bad feeling in the pit of her stomach as she waited for Sabertooth to unlock the door with his claw. She heard it click open and the two entered a small gray room with a single large computer.
"This is it," grumbled Sabertooth gruffly. "Magneto says the program is on that computer, you just need to download it onto this thing."
"Sure, easy as pie." Rogue took the offered CD and stepped over to the computer. She popped the CD in and took a seat in the leather chair. With a soft sigh she opened the desktop and began searching for the program Magneto wanted. Sabertooth had said it was called the Gene Disorder Project. After a couple of seconds she found the file she was looking for. Rogue opened it up and began the downloading process.
"Almost done?" growled Sabertooth.
"A couple more minutes, why?"
"We got company."
Rogue turned her head sharply to look at the older mutant as he sniffed the air. His growl deepened. "Wolverine. And another."
"Oh boy," murmured Rogue glancing back at the computer. "Not good, we still have five more minutes."
"Then we'll just have to stall them."
"We?" Rogue made a face but didn't protest as Sabertooth jerked her by the arm and shut the door behind them. The two didn't walk far down the hall when they came across the mutant called Wolverine and a woman with white hair.
Wolverine was the first to speak. "Look, Storm, I found the rats."
"Go easy on the child," warned the woman. Rogue gulped as Wolverine's claws slid out of his knuckles.
"I don't want the kid, I want big and ugly." Wolverine launched himself at Sabertooth and the two mutants tumbled down the hallway. Rogue dodged out of the way and turned to face Storm. The dark woman eyed Rogue carefully.
"I don't believe you mean any harm, child. What is it you have come for?" Storm inched closer to Rogue and continued to speak softly. "I won't hurt you, Rogue. I want to help you. Don't fall into the arms of evil. Come with me and we'll help you."
Rogue narrowed her eyes. "Ah wouldn't come any closer if Ah was you, lady. Ah ain't in a good mood."
"Rogue, I want to help you. We all do. You will be much safer with us rather than Mystique. You can't trust her, Rogue."
"Ya know, Ah think Ah'm gettin' tired of hearin' that from everyone." Rogue grabbed Storm's outstretched arm and slammed the woman into the wall. Storm struggled to free herself, but Rogue only pressed her harder against the wall.
"I didn't want to do this," gasped Storm. Her eyes clouded over to a filmy white; Rogue gritted her teeth as a powerful gust of wind swept through a window and down the hall. Rogue let go of Storm and took a few steps backwards trying to shield herself from the wind. Storm staggered to a standing position, but Rogue was already hurtling herself against the older mutant and knocking her to the ground. The fall momentarily stunned Storm, enabling Rogue to slip off her gloves.
"Ah told ya Ah wasn't in the mood." Rogue quickly placed a hand on Storm's cheek long enough for the familiar gold lines to etch throughout their bodies. Storm's eyes widened, and only when she fainted did Rogue let go. Rogue shook her head as part of Storm tried to gain control of her mind. She stumbled down the hallway where Sabertooth was still fighting against Wolverine.
"This damn program betta be worth it," mumbled Rogue to herself as she slipped behind Wolverine. The X-Man turned to hit her, but Rogue already had a hand on the back of his neck. Within minutes he was on the ground in a heap. Rogue closed her eyes and dropped to her knees.
"You alright?" asked Sabertooth in what seemed to be genuine concern.
"The program should…be ready…sugah." Rogue didn't move from her spot as she fought for consciousness. She wasn't used to draining more than one person in a day…and right now she was struggling to keep control of her own mind. Sabertooth disappeared down the hallway and returned with the CD in his hands. He handed it to Rogue and picked her up in his arms to leave.
"You tell anyone 'bout this, ahn Ah'll beat ya," threatened Rogue as she allowed herself to drift into the blackness. The last thing she could remember was Sabertooth growling in agreement.
A/N—This chapter took longer than I expected…and school starts up tomorrow. So, I figured I owed you guys a longer chapter than usual. I keep getting questions about Gambit, and yes, he is coming, but not yet. Trust me, I'm a big fan of him and Rogue…but he still has awhile before he shows up. Just bear with me. I have outlined the next few chapters…it's only a matter of my finding the time to write them. I'll try harder this week. Thanks for being patient, and enjoy!