Sorry for the long wait! I had a lot of homework (freakin textbook!), and this was a really long chapter. There's a lot of stuff going on in the background that Rogue isn't aware of. With this chapter I finally had to map out exactly what all that stuff was, (aka, who does Magneto have doing what in Bayville and why). All the research into the new characters. Making everything fit nicely into Magneto's larger strategy took me a week alone! (Did I mention that I over-think everything :p)
Usually, when writing a fan fiction the visual settings and the people are know to the readers before I even write a single word. But every so often I have to write out a scene in a completely new environment. During these times I try to keep the details to the minimum. Only the most useful details that will help form a picture in the reader's mind.
Also, when it comes to introducing new characters I try to do so one at a time (in an already used location) as to avoid, having to write too much description and, confusion. But not this chapter! This chapter will have a few new people, and a whole new setting. As well as complicated seating arrangements!
(So, to make everyone's life easier ^.^) While I writing the chapter, I wrote out a seating chart to help me keep track of the characters, and I decided to post this seating chart here now, so you guys will be able to follow along better. You all already know that this is a restaurant scene so I hope I'm not spoiling too much by posting this in the beginning of the chapter.
There are four tables, each table seats three people. Notes; TB= table; ES= Empty Seat; ____= Empty space (AKA, the only thing that would let me format the room the way I needed to); Front Entrance = The doors Rogue and Magento enter though.
2BATH_ROOMS___________________________________ DOOR________2
____________________________________________________________W
____________________________________________________________I
________(TB1) Rogue_____ Magneto____ Pietro Maximoff______________N
________(T) Blindspot________________ Wanda Maximoff (T)____________
________(B)Emma Frost______________ Joanna Cargill___(B)___________D
________(2) Graydon Creed___________ Remy LeBeau___(4)___________O
________(TB3) Xi'an Coy Manh____ ES___ES_________________________W
_____________________________________________________________S
______________________THE FRONT ENTRANCE________________________
(As per-usual the new characters are from the larger Marvel universe if you want to get a better picture of what they look like, please fell free to google them!?!)
Speaking of which there is a little info on the two new characters. If you don't want to know yet then please do not read the next two short paragraphs.
Joanna Cargill: a young black woman in her early twenties. She has brown eyes, black hair done in cornrows, and she's wearing a black top tank, and pants. Powers: super-strength.
Xi'an (Shan) Coy Manh: Asian woman in her early thirties: she had short black hair. She's wearing an over-sized gray sweater, and a blue pants. Xi'an is pronounced "Shan." Even in the comics the writers call her Shan, so that I refer to her as in the story when I need to. Powers: Mind-possession.
Also, (since the show does it!) once I describe a person wearing a certain outfit assume that, that is how they are dressed unless I write a new description for their wardrobe.
One more thing: I got a lot of good feedback from the chapter from Magneto's point of view. So, with this chapter I'm going to experiment with other people's point of view. So, you find out about some stuff going on that Rogue may not be present for. Please let me know what you think about this in reviews!?! If it works, if it doesn't. If you like it, if you don't. I would like opinions! Thank you!
Wow, that's a lot of notes! My apologizes, for my long winded explanations and excuses. Okay, I'm done now.
Please enjoy!
Taunting Repartee
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rogue sighed as Eric turned off the radio and parked the car in the Crescent Beach Club's parking lot. The ride had taken over forty minutes, and they had passed several other restaurants on the way to this one. 'So, it only matters when I cause the delay,' she thought frustrated.
Once the car had come to a stop she opened her door, got out of the car and slammed it closed behind her. She walked out from behind the car. The chill in the night air caused her to hug herself as she gazed, pass the parking lot, out into the ocean.
The moon along on the beach's water was breathtaking... oddly calming.
"Beautiful view, isn't it?" Eric asked as he walked up next to her.
"Yeah," she mumbled.
"It was one of the deciding factors when I chose Bayville as our setting," he said softly as his hand went onto the small of her back. "That and the sea food," he added.
At his comment she glanced up at him. He had a peaceful smile on his face.
"There was this one tavern in Westchester I went to frequently, while I was considering that part of New York. They serve an excellent shrimp cocktail... But no eatery I've ever been to compares to the lobster served right here," he said with a smile. "I've been to this restaurant-" he paused for a moment as he let out a soft laugh. "Honestly, I've lost count as to how many times I've eaten here. But every time I have... I have never once regretted a meal," he said.
By the soft tone of his voice she could tell this was something he had never told anyone else before. If it wasn't for the circumstances that forced her by his side she might have been able to appreciate the intimacy of the conversation. Instead she focused on the implications of his words.
"I don't have memories of you eating here or of you in Westchester," she said quietly. "I don't have any memories of you choosing a location," she said.
"I know," he said as he glanced down at her. "But you do have memories of me using my telepathic abilities."
"...You don't have telepathic abilities," she said.
"You seem so certain," he commented with a smirk.
"Tell me I'm wrong," she said aggravated. He chuckled.
"No, I cannot read minds," he confirmed with a smile. "But I do have telepaths. Quite a few of them," he said. She sucked in a breath.
"The memories I had access to from your mind... they were altered," she said suddenly very cold.
"Yes, they were," he said as his hand slid up her back onto her shoulder. "But you've suspected that for some time now, haven't you?" he asked as he turned his body to face her.
"Kind of," she said: stepping closer to him, allowing herself to take warmth in his hold. His other hand came up onto her arm.
"We forgot your coat," he said amused as he rubbed her arms: warming her skin.
"So, can we go inside now?" she asked, attempted to hide the annoyance from her voice. "I'm freezing," she said.
"I'm waiting for a phon-" he started to say as the tune green sleeves sounded from his coat pocket. "It's in my coat's the left pocket," he said. Her eyes widened for a moment.
"You want me to-" she started to ask.
"Yes," he said. "My hands are occupied at the moment," he said.
"Because you definitely need your hands to answer the metal phone," she said annoyed as she loosed her hands around her body. He chuckled as she reached behind his coat, and found his pocket. She grabbed the phone out of pocket and lifted it out. She lifted it towards his face as the phone flipped opened.
"Answer it," he commanded as he continued to rub her arms.
Confused: she lifted it up to her ear and said, "Hello?"
"Rogue?" Graydon asked surprised.
"It's alright, Graydon," Rogue heard Emma say in the background. "You can tell her."
"Tell Magneto that the room is ready, and that everyone expected is present," Graydon told her as she looked up at Magneto. He nodded to her.
"He heard," Rogue said. Magneto used his powers to shut the phone. She moved her hand closer to his body again.
"Keep it," he told her.
"What?" she asked completely taken aback by his statement. "Why?" she asked.
"Because I said so," he said before he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. He pulled back as his hand slipped around her shoulder. He started to walk towards the restaurant; his hold over her shoulder forced her to walk with him. Her hand tightened around the cell phone as her eyes narrowed.
Magneto escorted Rogue through the elegant restaurant. He lowered his arm from her shoulder before he took off his coat. He turned to the coat-rack to his left and hung his coat up.
"Anna," he said calling for her attention. She turned to look at him. "Once we go inside, I need you to appear as though you belong," he said.
"Don't act like a prisoner. Got it," she said irate.
"More than that," he said as his hands came up to her shoulders again. "Act as they do, as though you are devoted to me," he said. Her eyes narrowed. "Can you manage? Or will you force me to entrap you in the 'large metal cage' we arrived in?"
"I'll be fine," she said clenched teeth.
"Good," he said with a smirk. "Lift up your arms," he commanded.
"What?" she asked again.
"Now, Anna," he said sternly as he removed his hands from her arms. With a sigh she did as he asked. He lifted her green sheer shirt up and over her head. He turned towards the coat-rack again and pulled at a black jacket. He handed it to her. She took the hint and put on the jacket as he hung up her shirt. Unsurprisingly, it fix perfectly. She slipped the cell phone into the jacket's pocket, as Eric fixed her collar. "One simple wardrobe change and you look significantly more like my assistant than a high school student," he said with a smile.
"If they're all so devoted to you then why do we have to pretend you ain't holding my captive?" she asked. He chuckled.
"I do not need to do anything of the sort. You wish to learn what has changed?"
"I've only asked three times," she said annoyed. He nodded.
"And I enjoy testing the limits of your capability. With this pretense we both establish the means for our desires. Now, no more delays. Hold the door open, and close it behind me," he said as he turned towards the door. She let herself sigh one more time before she walked up to the door.
'You're only doing this to learn what's going on, girl. If you wanna stop, just leave the room,' she thought to herself. She allowed herself to sigh one more time, before she opened the door.
Rogue glanced around the room as she held the door open for Eric. There were four square tables linked together forming a larger square. As Magneto entered the room everyone stood up: a sign of respect. Rogue kept herself her rolling her eyes as she closed the door. She turned around and surveyed the room.
There were nine other people in the room besides her and Magneto: most she recognized. Her brother, Graydon and Emma Frost were there. Both of Magneto's children, Pietro and Wanda, and the telepath Blindspot was present as well.
There were four people she didn't recognize. Standing next to Wanda, was a young black woman: she had brown eyes, black hair done in cornrows, and she was wearing a black top tank, and pants, not unlike the ones Rogue was wearing. Standing next to her was a white man in early twenties: he had brown hair. His most distinctive feature were his eyes: they were crimson red.
Standing at the table parallel to the door were two more women Rogue didn't know. The woman sitting adjacent to her brother was an Asian woman in her early thirties: she had short black hair. She was wearing an over-sized gray sweater, and a blue pants.
"Good evening, everyone," Magneto said as he walked to his left, around the tables.
"Sir," said everyone in the room simultaneously. Rogue moved towards the table but hesitated. There were four empty seats at the table. The one at the head of the table was obviously for Magneto. But she was unsure which of the other three she should sit in. She watched as Magneto stopped behind his children.
Wanda turned around to face her father with a hug. "It's good to see you father," Wanda said as Magneto kissed her cheek. Magneto's eye caught Rogue's and moved to look at the chair next to his. Rogue gave a quick nod as she started to walk along the right side of the room.
"It's a pleasure to see you too, Wanda," Magneto said with a smile as he pulled away from her. "How is Lorna?" he asked.
"Disappointed she's not here, sir," Wanda said as Rogue got to her seat. Everyone else was still standing, so Rogue stood behind her chair.
"Perhaps next time," Magneto said with a smile before he turned to his son. "Pietro," he said with a smile as he held out his hand.
"Father," he said glancing up at Magneto: taking his hand and shaking.
"How are events transpiring?"
"Perfectly, sir," he said as Magneto released his hand. "Everything's happening just the way you said," he said.
"Good work," Magneto said before he turned away from his son.
"Thank you, sir," Pietro said as Magneto took his seat.
"Be seated," Magneto ordered. Everyone complied. Rogue took a moment longer than everyone else to sit since she had to pull out her chair. "Personally, I am famished," he said as he picked up the menu in front of him. Rogue watched as everyone else in the room sat waiting in silence: none of them had menus.
'I ain't even hungry anymore,' Rogue thought to herself as she stared down at the menu in front of her. Her eyes widened for a moment as the menu moved an inch towards her. She quickly reached out and picked up the menu. She opened it up and glanced over her choices. 'Okay, I have to order something…' she thought as she felt eyes on her. 'I wish everyone would stop staring at me,' she thought frustrated.
'What do you want, Rogue?' she heard Emma's voice in her mind.
'I…I haven't decided yet,' she thought startled as she glanced over at her.
"Emma," Magneto said.
"Yes, sir?" Emma asked.
"I'll have my usual meal," Magneto said. "Rogue?" he asked as picked up the glass of ice water on the table in front of him.
There were a lot of choices… "You usually have good taste," she started to say as she closed the menu, "I'll have whatever you're having," she said as she glanced up at him, "…sir," she added attempting to play her part. However, the word sounded forced, unnatural to her ear. Magneto put the glass to his lips. From her seat Rogue could see that he was smirking against the glass.
"Sir, if you will excuse me: I'll give our orders to the staff?" Emma asked. Magneto nodded as he handed his menu to Rogue. Emma stood up and walked towards Rogue for a moment. She handed Emma both of the menus: who quickly turned around, walked towards the door, and exited.
"It seems as though we have some time before our food arrives," Magneto started to say as he placed the glass back on the table. "Rogue, with me. Everyone else, converse, enjoy the night," he said before he stood up.
'Well, that was fast,' Rogue thought frustrated as she got on her feet. She hid her surprise as she followed Magneto over to the far left corner of the room, and not out the exit they had came from. Behind her she heard whispered as people began to speak to one another. She watched as Magneto opened the door and sauntered through. She held back a sigh as she walked through as well.
The room they entered was much smaller than the one they had just entered from. It had a desk, chairs and a small couch against the wall. She glanced at the desk and gasped at the name plate: it read Eric Lensherr.
"You own the building, or something?" she asked.
"Yes, I do," he said with a low chuckle. "You're surprised?" he asked as he sat on the couch.
"I guess I shouldn't be," she mumbled. "… So, I ain't going back to the car then?" she asked.
"No, of course not," he said with a laugh. "You haven't done anything to warrant that punishment," he said as he gestured for her to sit on the couch. Her eyes widened.
"There's barley room on that for one person," she said. She would have to sit on his lap. 'God, how many times have I done that already?' she asked herself. A few images of her sitting on top of him popped into her mind: the heated feelings associated with the memories along with them. She quickly pushed them away. She took a deep breath as she glanced down at him again.
"We'll manage," he said with a smirk as he had out his hand to her. Rogue instead took a seat in one of the chairs facing his desk. Her heart began to race as the chair turned. She grabbed on the sides of the seat as it moved across the room until she right in front of him. He reached out and brushed his hand down her cheek: her face flushed. She slowly unclenched hers hands from the sides of the chair.
"Must you always be difficult?" he asked as he stared into her eyes. She took a few breaths: attempting, in vain, to claim herself.
"If you- if you wanted this to be easy… you would've just had one of your telepaths make me say yes," she pointed out. He chuckled as he pulled her face closer to his.
"I still may do so, anytime I wish," he uttered as his free hand went onto her waist. She shuttered at the thought.
"I don't think you will," she whispered shaking her head slightly as she placed one of her hands on her knees.
"I know I won't," he said before he closed the distance between their lips.
Graydon sat staring at the door to Magneto's office in fear: as he had been for the last few minutes.
'What is she doing here?' he asked himself again. 'Emma,' he called out.
No response… again. He hated when Emma shut him out like this. It was happening a lot lately: especially whenever he tried to talk to her about his sister.
'She's a prisoner. I know that much. But now she's here with him. I don't understand why he keeps bring her along. The way she's acting… like she's one of us… on our side. I-'
"Graydon," Blindspot said. Graydon turned to look at her for a moment. "Well, Rogue's ranks certainly gone up in the last two weeks," she said as she looked at the door.
'More like the last two days,' he thought to himself as he looked to the door again.
"What do you think they're doing in there?" Blindspot asked.
"I have no idea," he said gravely. Graydon turned his attention to the front entrance as Emma reentered the room. 'Emma,' he thought. Emma met his gaze, a sure sign she was listening to his thoughts. 'What is Rogue doing here?' he asked.
'Graydon, I can't answer that,' Emma projected into his mind as she came and sat down next to him.
'Why not?' he asked. "Emma, please stop shutting me out," he said. Emma sighed.
'He's attempting to sway her to our side,' Emma thought.
'Still? Hasn't he been doing that for the last few weeks? That's why we were there that week end. How many times does he have to talk to her?' he asked. Emma didn't respond. 'If she keeps saying no, then why is he still trying?'
'I don't know, Graydon. It's not my place to question… It's definitely not yours,' she thought.
'Because I'm human,' he thought angered.
"That's not what I meant," she said out loud as she put her hand on top of his.
"That's exactly what you meant, Emma," he said annoyed as he pulled his hand away.
'You know I don't care about that… I love you,' she thought as stared into his eyes.
'…I love you too, Em,' he thought before she leaned in a kissed him. He pulled back as he glanced at the office's door again. 'I'm worried about her,' he thought. 'I have to do something,' he thought as he moved to get up.
'Graydon, please,' she thought into his mind as she grabbed onto his arm: stopping him from getting up. 'Both of us cannot question Magneto. Equally, both of us can not.'
'But Rogue can?' he asked confused. 'I saw the way she talked to him in the dinner. It was- he let her talk back to him and question him… Curse at him? She called him an asshole to his face and he laughed Emma. He laughed…' he thought in disbelief. ' If any of us called him that you know what he would do. There would be a punishment…' he thought. He watched Emma wince. He himself shuttered at the thought. 'And what the hell was going on about a fragment, and psychological torture?' he asked. '…There is something wrong with the way he treats her. I don't know what it is, but it scares me, Em… She's my baby sister. I'm supposed to protect her.'
'You can't protect her, not from Magneto,' Emma thought. 'Try to and you might get yourself killed,' she thought. 'The thought of anything happening to you- she stopped to take a deep breath. 'Rogue's in-… Rogue will live through whatever Magneto does to her. But if you try and stop him… you won't.'
'I'm an acceptable loss,' he thought bitterly.
'We're all acceptable losses. Magneto's the exception… and Rogue for some reason,'
'But why?' he asked.
'I don't know, Graydon,' she thought. He gave her a look of disbelief. 'Really, I don't know. He's knows what our relationship is. He's the one who introduced us, remember? All those years ago, our first year of college,' she thought with a smile. He couldn't help himself, he return the smile. She sighed. 'He's tries to keep whatever he's doing to her from me. We were only there that day because I'm the best telepath he had in Bayville. I was the only one capable of doing what he needed to be done. Can you imagine Besty flittering through all the x-men's thoughts at once?' she asked with a laugh.
'She's young. She's get better. You've taught her a lot already,' he thought.
'I know I have,' she thought.
'Do you know anything about what he's doing to her?' he asked. She didn't respond. The worried expression on her face only intensified. "Emma, please," he said aloud as he placed his hand over her. "She's my little sister," he whispered.
'That's why I don't want to tell you. It will only upset you and there is nothing you can do,' she thought. 'Can we please talk about something else,' she begged him. He glanced at the door again.
'…can we- … Is there any way we can get them out there? I don't think I'd be as worried if I could see her,' he thought.
'He does not want to be disturbed until the food is prepared. We can't do anything until then... I'm sorry,' she thought.
'Emma... am I right to be worried?' he asked as he gazed up at her. The look on her face was all he needed to know that he was correct in his worriment.
'Please do not ask me again. I hate keeping things from you... He cares about her,' Emma thought suddenly. 'I know that much.'
'What?' Graydon asked completely taken back.
'You don't have to worry so much, Graydon. Magneto's taken a likening to her. Rogue will be alright,' she thought.
'What kind of likening?' he asked with an eyebrow rose. 'Like father, daughter? He barely spends time with his real children, why would he spend so much time with Rogue?' he asked as he watched her expression.
'Graydon, look, I was just trying to put your mind at ease, not give you more questions. Forget I said anything,' she thought.
"What kind of likening?" he whispered aloud as he thought about the Rogue and Magneto's interaction at the dinner. There was something off about it, but he couldn't put his figure on it. 'Something private… intimate…' Graydon's eyes widened as a thought came to mind. 'No… no, no, no: definitely not. Magneto is definitely not sexually interested in my seventeen year old baby sister,' he thought to himself. However, he looked up at Emma as he thought it, and her facial expression changed dramatically. "Right?" he asked her.
Emma's eyes widened as tears began to form.
"I don't want to lie to you, Graydon," she said.
"So, just don't. Tell me the truth," he said. This idea was becoming more real every sentence she didn't deny it. The thoughts that were running throuh his head. He sucked in a breath. "Is that why he wants to be alone with her, so he can-"
"Graydon, please," she started to say.
'Is Magneto sexually assaulting my little sister?' he asked. "Emma, just answer the question," he said. "Yes, or no?" he asked.
"…Yes," she admitted. Angry filled Graydon as he got to his feet. "Graydon, don't," Emma exclaimed. He started to race towards the door to Magneto's office when he felt something strange in his mind.
'I can't move,' he thought consumed with fear. 'Emma,' he called out before he felt his consciousness drift away.
Emma Frost watched as Shan Coy Manh, stood up. "Shan release your hold over him," she commanded.
"He was going to attack Magneto," she claimed in her soft French accent.
"Who was going to attack Father?" Wanda said as she stood up as well: her hands glowed red. Pietro ran over from the other side of the room to his sister's side.
"With what army?" Emma asked annoyed. "He was going to knock on the door, that's all," she yelled as the others walked over to the conflict.
"Wait, Graydon?" Pietro asked with a laugh. "There's no way, Graydon was going to attack Magneto. He's not an idiot," he said.
"Nevertheless we have a problem," Shan said.
"A problem I will deal with," Emma said strongly.
"You had your chance," Shan said. "You should have erased the problematic memory from his mind before it escalated to this point. If you will not do what must be done then I will ask someone who will. Blindspot?" she asked.
"Blindspot, don't you dare take any of his memory," Emma yelled as she moved to block Blindspot's path to Graydon.
"Emma, if I was gonna do it, you wouldn't be able to stop me," Blindspot said. Emma's eyes narrowed. "But… Shan, is it?" she asked, but continued to speak before waiting for an answer. "I don't take orders from you: or anyone else in this room. Only Magneto…So," she said with a smile. "Let's go ask him," she said before she playfully sauntered towards his office's door.
I'm breaking up this night into two chapters. It's already over 4000 words, so I feel good about the length. I hope everyone enjoyed it. If not, please tell me why. Like I wrote earlier: this chapter was a bit of an experiment. I want to know if it worked or not.
Once again, I'm sorry I took so long to update. I was only able to get this chapter written because I worked out a way to make it homework for my states of consciousness class. (BEST HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT EVER!) I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but I'm working on it: just slowly.
Okay reviews!
LadyNorth76: Thanks! Sorry, I took so long getting the next chapter up! I hope you like the addition the plot points and other people's points of view. Please let me know? Thanks for reading and reviewing!
MalfoysMudbloodPet: I glad you like it! I love the nickname, by the way (Lady Authoress). Makes me smile every time I read it! I agree, but I think Eric will just have to deal with his… hm…ball problem. ^.^ I hope you like this chapter! Please let me know?
Warrioroftheseventhstar: Thanks! I'm glad I made you laugh. I hope you liked this chapter!
Peneneth: Yeah, that's cause it was a teaser. Then I got all busy with school work and month goes by without much work being done on it. Sorry! I glad you're enjoying the details. Also, I'm very happy that I made your day with the last part. Thank you for the review and I hope to hear from you again?!?
Ankle: Thank you so much! I hope you continue to love it! Thank you for the lovely review and I really hope to hear from you again?!?