Chapter Two: The Offer
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Anna
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Genosha was trashed — it looked just like her childhood home in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina had devastated everywhere. She could have flown, but that felt like flaunting her health when so many were barely holding on to life in the make-shift medical tents. And she didn't want to miss hearing anyone cry out for help and if she were hovering ten feet above the ground, she might not notice who needed help.
The Red Cross had shown up — proof that not all humans were anti-mutant. The doctors and advanced practitioners worked diligently with the mutant doctors — Hank, Cecilia, Nemesis.
The Professor and his Shi'ar allies had called a meeting and Erik, his arm in a cast and a bandage over his forehead was there. Then King Namor of Atlantis had shown up as well with a delegation as well as Storm's ex-husband King T'Challa. King Magnus would permit no other nations to enter their borders.
A team of Avengers had shown up — including Iron Man, Rescue, Hulk, Captain America, and Black Widow. Rogue could see them looking through the rubble for survivors as well.
Rescue waved Rogue over, indicating that she'd found someone. The two women worked silently, side-by-side, removing the rubble. Rogue had borrowed some of Erik's power of magnetism to make the process easier and low and behold, a woman covered in diamonds shown brilliantly.
"Sugah, I got you," Rogue cooed, lifting the woman into her arms.
"Thank you," the familiar, soft voice of Emma Frost rasped.
"Emma? Why didn't you use your telepathy?" Rogue gasped in surprise. "And since when can you turn into diamonds?"
"Secondary mutation, I suppose," Emma said with a weak smile. "It seems I cannot use my telepathy in this form."
"Well, I got you," Rogue promised. She met the visor covered gaze of Pepper Potts. "I'll be right back."
Rescue nodded. "Roger that. I'll scan this area and when you get back let you know what I find."
While clutching Emma — who was very heavy in her diamond form — Rogue took to the sky and started for the medical tents.
Her mind flashed back to her childhood experience with Hurricane Katrina again. The tragedy of that period had triggered her mutation, but she didn't know that yet. And while absorbing others abilities was useful, she hadn't gained the powers of Ms Marvel's invulnerability and super strength. The schools had been closed for a couple of months, so it was like summer break got extended and of course, there was a boy. Because wasn't there always?
She thought of Cody and that first kiss and the realization that she was different now. And she remembered her Daddy telling her she wasn't welcome because no daughter of his was a mutant. She also remembered seeing her mother's black eye and how she cowered in the corner of the living room. Her father shouting accusations of infidelity because he wouldn't have a mutant for a child.
"I don't have to be psychic to see you're lost in thought," Emma murmured.
Rogue glanced down to see the woman staring up at her. Her eyes in this form were a brilliant blue. "Wow, you're eyes are really pretty like this — blue diamonds."
Emma laughed, the sound like crystal tinkling as it echoed through her. "Well, I can't really feel anything like this. So I'm glad to know I'm pretty at least!"
Rogue frowned. "Can you change back? Release your diamond form?"
Emma closed her eyes and sighed. A tear slipped out of her eye and the salty liquid transformed into a tiny diamond halfway down her cheek. "I've been trying ever since I was pulled out of the rubble."
"Oh," Rogue whispered, heart breaking for the woman. She knew what that was like — not being able to control her powers.
"Yeah, oh." Emma opened her eyes and stared over the landscape. "Maybe someone like me deserves this. I've had my share of being too selfish, using my powers for personal gain. But this place was supposed to be a haven and a fresh start. What happened? How did the sentinels get stopped?"
"Ah, Gambit blew up the monster one. It's been three days," Rogue explained. "And now the Avengers, Atlantis, and Wakanda have showed up to help. The Red Cross is here. And Professor Xavier returned with some Shi'ar buddies." She landed outside the Red Cross tent and made a bee-line for Hank and Reyes hoping they'd be able to evaluate Emma in her new form. "And King Magnus is okay. Heartbroken, but he'll survive this. He's a survivor."
"Aren't we all — heartbroken and surviving — but this time, I wanted to live, you know?" Emma whispered when Rogue laid her out on an empty medical cot. Emma snatched Rogue's hand before she could head out again. "And how are you? How is our Queen?"
Rogue snorted. "Ah, ain't no queen. Erik is our leader, I'm just doing my part."
"We can only survive so much, Rogue," Emma murmured. "We need him. And he needs you."
"The Professor has come back," Rogue insisted.
Emma's grip on Rogue's hand tightened and if Rogue had been anyone else, she'd have a broken hand right now. "We need Erik. And Erik needs you."
Rogue nodded, but said nothing because Hank came over at that time. She escaped the medical tent and hurried back to Rescue to continue the search.
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OoO
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Erik
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He was still considered the King of Genosha, chosen leader of mutant-kind. Erik was content to listen while the other men spoke, his mind in shambles. His attention would occasionally drift to the regal woman standing at the back of the room with the lavender-skinned behemoth of a guard next to her. Who was she? Charles waxed poetic about humanity not being responsible for the attack and Erik could see the narrowed eye look of Namor who obviously disagreed. T'challa of Wakanda was human — he seemed decent enough. And the Avengers had shown up to help, so that was somewhat nice.
"Humans can't be trusted — they are fearful and jealous," Namor argued. He scanned the room. "Where's your pretty queen, Erik? I thought she'd be in this meeting." He gestured towards the men in the room. "It's easier to tolerate these sort of meetings when there is a pretty face to focus on." He glanced behind him briefly at the alien woman and cleared his throat.
"Queen?" Xavier asked, blinking in confusion.
Erik felt a little smug as he folded his muscular arms over his chest, it as only a little awkward with one in a cast. "What? You thought you were the only one to find someone in our old age?" Honestly, he wasn't sure how things stood with Rogue. She hadn't exactly agreed to be his queen. Their waltz had been the best three minutes of his life, but she'd made it clear that the thief was her preferred partner. Was she still going to be his queen even if they weren't a couple? And what now that the Cajun was dead? He wasn't above being her second choice. It didn't change his feelings for Anna at all. The very act of loving her made him want to be a better person - whether the love was requited or not.
"Your queen should be here," T'challa agreed. "However, I just want to point out that Wakanda does not condone what has occurred here on Genosha. I would be happy to help offer our support as you rebuild."
"She's busy looking for survivors," Erik explained. "Since I can't be out there, she's borrowing my powers." He turned towards the Wakanda leader and met his dark eyes. "I appreciate the offer, King T'challa. And I assure you, my queen will be consulted before any decisions are made for our people."
"Borrowing your powers?" Xavier repeated, his eyebrows arched high into his forehead. "Rogue?"
Erik met Xavier's surprised gaze and jerked his chin into a single nod of acknowledgement. "So, you've been alive this whole time but in a completely different galaxy?"
"I felt the cries of distress," Xavier explained. "I had to come back. Help however I could, but I cannot stay."
"We have a possible solution for you," Empress Lilandra said quietly, standing behind Xavier.
"There is no need for something so drastic. Earth is our home — their home," Xavier corrected, his voice laced with frustration as he turned in his seat to face Lilandra.
"What solution?" Erik demanded. He looked between Xavier and the alien empress whom he abandoned his kind for. Maybe Erik was a little resentful.
Xavier sighed. "There is a planet we can travel to with Shi'ar technology. It's in a mirror dimension, the same geologic history as Earth here, but with one stark difference. It has animals and flora, the same atmosphere, but never had humans. It's an utopia basically — no pollution."
"Sounds like Heaven," Namor murmured. "A place where humans haven't poisoned their home through their greed and carelessness."
"We could transport your people to this planet — away from the humans and you could live in peace without worrying about future attacks," Gladiator explained.
"Mutants are humans," Charles insisted.
Erik held up his hand, directed his attention to Lilandra and Gladiator. "I am the chosen ruler of the Homo superior, Charles, not you. Tell me more."
"Yes, tell us more," Namor chimed in, leaning forward eagerly. He was King of Atlantis but also a mutant himself. He was as old as Erik and the two had been on the receiving end of human villainy time and time again. Charles thought them both unnecessarily antagonistic against the lesser humans, but they in fact were reactionary, not the instigators.
"There is no need to abandon your home, Magnus!" Charles pleaded.
Erik began to laugh, it was a quiet rumble at first and then eventually shook his whole body. "That is rich! Coming from you! The man who faked his own death to abandon Earth! You gave up!" Erik stood, sweeping his tattered purple cape behind him like the regal majesty he was. "I will consider your offer, Empress," he said, looking past the gaping Charles.
The alien woman nodded. "We could transport your people there within the week," she said. "We could also set up a Stargate that would allow your people to travel between there and here if you would like."
Erik nodded and then left the meeting. He wasn't sure about a Stargate. If mutants could travel back and forth, what was to stop the humans from following after to ruin whatever utopia they might settle?
It didn't take long for him to track down Rogue. He was sensitive to his own power and felt her manipulating the magnetism of an area halfway across the island. Erik took to the air, taking note of Iron Man hovering in the air. He and Anna hadn't spoken since he'd been found. She cooed at him and whispered sweet nothings— he wasn't sure what she said because the buzzing in his ears had drowned out most of her words.
He needed to know — did she accept the mantle of queen? She might not love him, as he loved her, but she loved their people. She would feel duty bound to step up to the opportunity.
"Rogue," Magneto called out, landing softly beside her. She was just stepping out from a pile of rubble. He assessed the situation and held his arms open, accepting the small child she placed in his arms— cast be damned. "We must talk."
"Just a moment, Sugah," Rogue answered, diving back inside the tunnel she'd created with his own power of magnetism. She came back this time with an older woman — likely the child's mother. "Follow me back to the medical tent. We can talk on the way."
Magneto flanked her side as they carried their precious cargo to the healers. "We have been given the opportunity to settle on a world separate from Earth and away from the humans. A world that will be only for mutant-kind."
"What?" Rogue turned towards him, her green eyes wide in disbelief. "How is that possible?"
"The Shi'ar have a way," Magneto explained. They landed at the tents and handed off the injured people.
"So we would be giving up the dream of living in harmony with the humans," Rogue said softly.
Magneto reached for her, his hand gently tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "That dream turned into a nightmare."
Rogue sighed and reached up to catch his hand. She turned her cheek against his palm. "Ah know you're right," she whispered. "So are you going to take it? Move the citizens of Genosha to the other world?"
"Living with humans on this world is Charles' dream, not mine. He abandoned that dream. His empress has offered us this alternative." Erik took a deep breath. "I need help in this decision. I asked you to be my queen, Anna. Help me lead our people."
Rogue sniffled, a single tear streaked down her cheek, landing on Erik's hand. She nodded once. "Ah'm tired, Erik. Ah'll be your queen. Ah want a home safe from all this." She gestured towards the destruction on their would-be island nation. "Ah want to live with our kind, not keep visiting graveyards."
Erik nodded, letting his hand fall from her face. "Then I believe we have our answer. Come with me, you should be present for the rest of the discussion."
"Wait," Rogue gripped his hand, pulling it back towards her. "Though, if someone has a child — two mutants have a child but that child has no mutations — would they be welcome?"
Magneto nodded. "Of course."
Rogue sucked in a deep breath and then flashed Magneto a weak smile.
He started back towards the meeting he'd abandoned, Rogue following after him. He didn't point out that not everyone would choose to settle on the new world. The opportunity would cause a schism just as the Island Nation of Genosha had done so.
And when they returned to the meeting and Erik saw the shock on Xavier's face when he entered hand-in-hand with Rogue? Well— there was something deeply satisfying about having one of Charles precious students choose Magneto's side.
"Tell us more about this planet," Magneto said, gesturing to his abandoned seat for Rogue and floating over a spare chair for himself next to it. "My queen is interested in the details."
Namor smirked. "Well, Hello Queen Rogue. Long-time no see."
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