Against the orders of Professor Xavier Rogue stayed the night in Magneto's room. Not that it was really her fault. For all Xavier knows she could have had every intention of returning to her own room that night. It was hardly her fault she fell asleep in Erik's room. That didn't stop the stern look that she received from the Professor, the one he used on his younger disobedient students when they misbehaved. Rogue resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
'Not like I meant to fall asleep there.' Rogue thought to herself. 'I'm certainly not complaining either, it was very comfortable.'
Rogue slipped into a seat next to Kitty and Jean. They where talking about Sinister.
"That freak really gives me the creeps." Kitty remarked.
"No argument there." Jean agreed.
"Have you seen that pasty skin?" Kitty asked as she shook her shoulders dramatically as if shivers where running down them. "He could learn a thing or two from Rogue." Kitty turned towards her. "You can totally pull of pale skin in a sexy way. His is just plain freaky."
Rogue grinned. "You should definitely mention that to him." She encouraged.
Jean smiled at the two and joined in. "Yeah, Kitty. Give him some beauty tips, he is in dire need of your knowledge."
The three mutants broke out in laughter at the joke, Kitty's face turning slightly red from either embarrassment or laughter. A tear formed at Jean's eye as she finally managed to stop laughing. Rogue was still grinning.
"Can you imagine? He'd probobly send one of his lackey's after you, or worse his pet's!"
Rogue smiled. "No? Well it would be funny."
"Speaking of tall, dark, and creepy is he finally gone?" Jean asked.
Rogue nodded. "Mmmhmm. He left late last night. He informed the Shi-ar that he was going to remain indifferent and stay out of the conflict for the moment."
"For the moment?" Kitty repeated.
"Yeah, that part got me too. My guess is that he's waiting for us to battle it out with the Shi-ar before he makes his move. There's no way he would stay out of this completely."
Jean nodded in agreement. "That's probobly right. I was unable to get into his mind when he was here but-"
"But going off of what this evil psychopath's done in the past gives us some insight to his next move." Rogue finished for her.
"Exactly. He's probobly hoping the Shi'ar and the X-Men will kill each other. It would get us out of the way and certainly solve a lot of his problems."
Rogue sighed. "Just another evil freak on out list that we have to keep an eye on."
As Kitty and Jean switched the topic to fashion and jewelry Rogue's head began to nod. Not a drowsy sort of a nod. More like she was zoning out. Her thoughts turned to her German Homework from her Devil Teacher. After that they switched to her fascination of Erik's eyes, how they had changed over time from green to such icy blue due to his mutation, a very pretty blue in her opinion. Soon Rogue could think of nothing but the color itself.
Not thinking a word, just seeing the color itself. She was having difficulty thinking at the moment. Not out of fascination or captivation. This felt more like she was slipping away. Like she was weak and honestly couldn't think straight.
Ice blue.
Like the color of crystal. Kitty liked crystal, she liked it quite a bit so shiny and pretty. She had dreams of her perfect husband buying her a blue crystal necklace. Such a nice color. It was also the color of some types of lightning. Kitty hated lightning. Whenever she was a little girl she would run into her closet during a thunderstorm. She was always so terrified. Curled up on the floor with her dragon stuffed animal, tears running down her face she would cover her ears with her hands, trying to drown out the noise. It terrified her more than late night stories ever could.
Rogue's eyes where drooping now.
The thunder was the worst. Always thundering about, scaring Kitty to point where she ran to her parents room sobbing. Thunder booming with lightning. Pretty crystal.
Rogue started to sink lower onto the table, she was using one elbow to prop herself up. The elbow suddenly began to slip through the table as if it was intangible.
Rogue started to fall with the elbow. Her eyes snapped open at the sudden movement. She rubbed the side of her head gently, completely unaware that it wasn't the table that had gained intangibility, but her.
Jean and Kitty stopped their conversation to stare in shock. Rogue's features fluttered with confusion, her friends looked so surprised. Oh. Now she saw. She was standing inside the table, able to move her body through it.
"Ah." Was all Rogue said. She stepped through the table to the other side. Half the occupants in the room where staring. Professor Xavier, the only one that seemed calm at the time wheeled his chair around to her.
"Perhaps it would be best if we went to Moira's lab." He suggested.
Following Professor Xavier's suggestion Rogue and he made it to the lab without incident. Rogue twirled her thumbs nonchalantly focusing on the fabric of her cloth gloves. She was wearing the shortened ones instead of the her favorite styled opera ones. The fabric was soft, Rogue had washed them a few nights ago, before she came to S.H.I.L.I.D.
"Rogue?" The voice of Dr. Moria MacTaggart brought her back from her thoughts.
"Hmm?" Rogue asked as she studied the two who where staring at her in an inquisitive way. She realized they where looking for an answer to something, had she been asked a question?
"We asked you how you where feeling right now, dearie." Moira repeated.
Rogue stopped fiddling with her thumbs and gave the two her full attention. "I'm okay, a little out of it, but okay."
Professor Xavier had his hand curled beneath his chin, the type of gesture he used when he was analyzing something, or someone in this case.
"Can you remember every detail of what happened a few minutes ago?" Xavier asked carefully.
Rogue shook her head no.
"Well then our options are limited. Rogue do you understand that it is very important that we understand every detail of the event? The only other way to get a full understanding of said event would be to enter your mind. Are you comfortable with that?"
"Yeah."
"Good." Xavier nodded. "I will respect your privacy and only look at the memories you have given me consent to. This could be very much like the previous time you lost control last year. I remember as I was repairing your mind I saw flashes of the concert day, that earlier in the day you had used the abilities of others unknowingly. You feel through the bathroom door using Kitty's power, and when you glanced at Scott you had optic beams for less than a second."
Rogue nodded. "I remember that day too. But it doesn't feel like it did last time."
"How so?" Moira asked.
"Well last time, while I was slipping away I was overwhelmed completely. My head was so full of personality's and memories of others, that's not what it felt like this time."
"Well what did it feel like?" Moira asked.
"I can't explain it, maybe it would be better to go into my mind." Rogue suggested.
Professor Xavier nodded and put his fingers to his temples. Closing his eyes he inhaled and ex-haled. "Moira you're going to want to lie down, Rogue try to relax and breath normally. I'll pull us into your mind slowly, it will take a few seconds."
Rogue did as instructed and attempted to control her breathing trying not to focus and just relax. It was easier said than done.
the Professor concentrated on the mental probing of Rogue's mind, not breaking his concentration.
Rogue shrieked.
Red hot pain. It was as though her mind was being stabbed viciously with hot iron pokers. Over and over in one area of her mind. The attack was getting worse as seconds went by. The stabs stopped. Now it was like they where using the other end to hit her head, it felt as though there was metal in her mind that was bouncing off the iron making it hard to see and causing a migraine times 10.
Rogue continued to scream, and scream loudly at that she could be heard from well out of the medical lab and down the hall.
Xavier gasped as he finally managed to break the mental connection safely. His head leaned forward in exhaustment.
Rogue's screaming stopped abruptly as the pain left as quickly as it had arrived.
Rogue's vision was slowly fading out as she heard shouts from above her. She recognized Moria's voice and the Professor. Soon she rested her eyes completely and heard nothing.
"Kurt I think she's waking up." Kitty's chipper voice pierced Rogue's ears slightly. She winced as she tried to open her eyes.
"Holy hell, I have a headache." Rogue commented as she clutched the throbbing part of her head and gently squeezed to test the damage. She winced again and removed her hand. Not as bad as it could have been, but still noteworthy.
"What happened?" Rogue asked.
Around her was Kitty, Kurt, and Moira.
"Well the way the Prof. put it was that when he entered your mind my psyche was so close to the surface he didn't realize it until to late. You had 'inadvertently took on Kitty's psyche and your mind adopted it for a short time.' "
"That doesn't explain my headache." Rogue said with a slight hint of annoyance in her voice.
Moira stepped forward. "Charles said even though you had adopted Kitty's psyche it would have been just fine if not for the kicking reflex you subconsciously have. It's very similar to jerking your hand away after touching something hot, only your mind automatically fights back against any sort of influence when you've accessed another psyche."
"And I accidentally did that this morning." Rogue finished for her.
"That would be correct. Charles announced a few hours ago that Kitty's psyche had latched off and you let go. You don't have a grasp on it now if it makes you feel any better."
"A few hours? How long have I been out?"
"Almost four hours." Moira answered as she began to walk away. "I have to finish completing your scans, we'll talk more afterward."
Rogue rubbed her eyes as she leaned back against the pillow and tried to wrap her head around what she had learned. She had a subconscious kicking reflex in her mind but only when gripping a psyche, she had accidentally accessed Kitty's psych this morning, and she had one hell of a migraine.
"Vogue, can we talk?" Kurt asked in his heavy German accent.
Rogue looked up surprised. "Sure, what's on your mind?"
"Magneto." Kurt said plainly.
Rogue sighed. She made a mental checklist in her mind Xavier, Scott, Jean, Moira, Kitty, and now Kurt. Great this should be the last person she should have to explain herself to, unless Irene made a spontaneous appearance in her life.
"I can hardly believe it." He continued. "I cannot wrap my head around the subject of how my schister ever could!"
Rogue took the defensive. "I've never given you grief about your dating a human Kurt, try to give me the same courtesy ."
"Maybe not what I'm talking about." He admitted. "Ehhh. Maybe it's just the fact that I've never had to deal with my schister ever dating anyone, this is a big change for me."
Rogue raised an eyebrow. "This is a big change for you?" She repeated.
"Yes!" Kurt insisted. "And it doesn't help that it's Magneto."
Kitty giggled and smiled at Rogue. "Give him some time, I'm sure he will get used to his sister dating."
Rogue rolled her eyes as she listed to her brother's continuous talking about how difficult it was for him.
"And if he ever upsets you, tell me so I can teleport him two miles into the ocean."
Kitty rolled her eyes. "You know I think it's kind of sweet. Magneto was down here earlier you know, worried and completely ignoring the looks Prof was giving him."
Rogue smiled softly. "He was? How long did he stay?"
"As long as he could before the Empress showed up." Kitty answered casually.
Rogue froze. "The Shi-ar Empress, Lilandra?"
Kitty nodded. "Yeah he and the Prof where both called to a secret meeting. You where wanted too, but you were kind of asleep at the time."
Rogue threw back the covers and was relieved to find herself in her own uniform, not some hospital gown, she didn't have the time to change. "Is it still going on?" She asked as took out the IV in her arm.
"Yeah, think so."
"Gotta go." She said as she moved as quickly as she could out of the lab, her legs feeling kind of funny.
"Hey, wait. Rogue where are you going? Dr. MacTaggart still has to run tests!"
'This is a nightmare, the Empress is probobly demanding the Genesis's head right about now.' Rogue cursed quietly as she made her way to the conference room. 'Knowing those posh Shi'ar I wouldn't be surprised if they asked for it on a silver platter too.'
"Damn Shi'ar." Rogue said as she arrived and found the door guarded by two of the Shi'ar and their ambassador.
Rogue stopped to examine him, he had a large black eye and was favoring his left leg. "There a reason they didn't let you in on the meeting?" Rogue asked.
The alien turned angrily to her but said nothing, only continued glaring with hatred.
"Well I didn't know the Shi'ar gave out silent treatment." Rogue mused.
The ambassador looked even angrier.
"X-Man." A guard addressed Rogue. "The ambassador cannot speak. His tongue was cut out early this morning."
"His tongue was what?" Rogue asked. "How?"
"He was not specific, and will not be able to tell us more until his tongue grows back." The guard answered.
"You grow things back?"
"Only our tongues. The only thing we could make out through the shouting is that he was attacked by flying objects and a flying knife." The guard informed her.
"Flying?" Rogue asked suspiciously.
'Erik.' She thought. 'More fuel to the fire, nice going.'
Just as Rogue was about to ask about joining the meeting like the Empress had requested, the door swung open.
Standing in front of Rogue was a woman dressed in gold with dark tattoos framing her face. This must be Lilandra. Lilandra was looking down on Rogue with astonishment and respect.
"Rogue I presume?"
Rogue nodded. "Yes."
"You're younger than I expected." She commented. "But I assume every bit as dangerous, I've longed to meet you for quite some time."
"That's flattering. It is an honor to meet you." 'An honor, definitely not a pleasure.' She thought.
"Your here about the mutant child, Genesis." Rogue stated.
The Empress nodded. "I am. For many hours I have debated with Magneto and Xavier. It is a shame you where not present, I would like to hear your arguments some time, assuming you live. I have not changed my decision on the cloned creation, we will move to stop him."
Rogue raised her head slightly meeting the gaze of the Empress. "My decision has not changed either. I will use my power to protect him...all of my power."
"Then conflict seems inevitable. It is a pity to see such promising power being wasted away on a girl that will die at the hands of the Shi'ar Empire."
Rogue fought the urge to sneer. "We'll see about that."
Then, without a second glance the Empress walked past Rogue, with the guards and ambassador following behind her.
Rogue ignored then and proceeded into the council room where Magneto and Xavier still where.
"I'm going to take a guess and say things didn't go well."
Both men turned to look at her. Magneto with hints of affection showing through his usually solid mask and Xavier as worried as ever.
"You would be correct." Magneto told her.
"Lilandra has agreed to wait until tomorrow to make her move on Genesis, that gives us little time to come up with a solution."
"It's going to come to fighting." Rogue said. "We should try to move to a less populated area."
"Agreed." Xavier stated.
"While you may try to stop the casualties of the by-standers that may also be inevitable, we will be fighting advanced aliens with advanced weaponry, this battle will not be swift and contained."
"Erik is also right." Xavier said disappointingly.
"We could take the boy and move him to a desert maybe. We wouldn't be able to hide him from the Shi'ar, but maybe we can lure them into a fighting area of our choice."
"That might work, their aren't may people dwelling in the desert." Xavier said.
"But the only one tolerable during the day and suitable for a battlefield is in Nevada." Magneto pointed out.
"And that's a bad idea." Rogue reminded the two. "We don't need our battle to awaken some monster or alien or whatever the hell the military stashed in Area 51."
"Rogue's correct." Magneto said. "The Shi'ar use advanced cannons that give off a seismic blast, the minimum safe distance to not disturb anything is two thousand miles."
The three sat in silence for a while. Until an idea crossed Magneto's head. "S.H.I.L.I.D has a base on the moon do they not? We could move the boy there."
"Not a bad idea." Rogue agreed.
"Our battle would be safe from the populace of Earth, and we have an the advantage of gravity." Xavier said. "The Shi'ar weight much more than we do. It will be difficult to keep their footing."
"Then the moon it is." Magneto stated as he began to formulate an attack strategy.
"Professor." Rogue said. "We both know the Shi'ar aren't going to stop hunting Genesis easily, and if we kill the Empress we start a war, we have to be certain that we don't kill her, and Lilandra leaves having respect for mutant life."
"Yes. That gives us time to work on your abilities as well, we're going to need all the power we can get."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Rogue asked.
This was like a pre-battle chapter, next we have fighting on the moon complete with space cannons and angry aliens.