A small clearing filled with tall grass, patches of wildflowers and a blue sky above. It almost seems peaceful. A dog wanders into the clearing, his snout sniffing the ground. He pauses at a few spots before stopping near a small bush and starts digging. Soil flies everywhere until the dog finds what it has been looking for. With a happy bark, he jumps out of his freshly made hole, an object lodged in his mouth. He lies down and starts chewing on his newfound toy. Suddenly he stops, hackles on his back rising, ears pricked up. He growls as he stands, his toy temporarily forgotten. The toy that was once a human’s lower arm, wrapped up in torn clothing.
The dog whines as a sudden strong wind blows through the clearing and he runs, abandoning this toy. He runs towards the trees where he is met by a woman. She bends down and pets the dog as she watches a large black plane slowly descending from the sky. She calls something over her shoulder and within second, she is joined by more people. Together they form a defensive line between the trees, shielding their home from these strangers. The jet releases its landing system, and with a final rumble from the engine lowers itself on the ground. The ramp descends and a group of people in black leather step onto the grass, crushing some of the yellow flowers. They are led by a bald man in a wheelchair. Though he addresses the people with a soft voice, his eyes are hard.
“Hello. My name is Charles Xavier. These are my people, the X-Men. We have come here to --”
“Leave!”
A man wearing a dark hood steps out from between the people; his people.
“We know who you are and your presence is not welcome here. Go.”
Charles Xavier, known as ‘the Professor’ to his team, pulls the corners of his mouth up, almost resembling a smile.
“I’m afraid I can’t leave. Not just yet. You have been disturbing the people in the city.”
The hooded man snorts.
“We have no food, no clothes, no shelter. We do what we have to do to keep ourselves alive! The humans made us this way. And now they have to pay the price.”
“That is no reason to harass innocent people. You must leave this place.”
Various individuals behind the man are speaking now, spitting insults at the bald man. Their leader shakes his head.
“We’re not leaving. If you want this place, you’ll have to take if by force.”
The Professor shakes his head as if in sorrow, but his eyes hold the glint of battle. He has done this before.
“Yes, I fear we will have to do that.”
The leader laughs.
“How are you planning to do that, Xavier? You are only with five and we, Morlocks, are with hundreds. You can’t win this fight! Your fighters are barely adults!”
Xavier glanced at the two youngest members of his team, Iceman and Shadowcat. In their twenties but indeed the youngest of all. He sighed, hanging his head as in defeat.
“I’ll propose a deal. Your best fighter against my best. That way, you’ll be able to spare the lives of those children.” Xavier wanted to smile but couldn’t blow his cover, this trick worked every time. He pretends to consider the deal before nodding.
“I accept your deal. If you win, we will leave you alone. But if we win, your people fall under my command, to fight with me whenever I call.”
The leader nods, agreeing in his proposal.
“Who is your strongest warrior, Xavier. Show us.”
Xavier shows the leader his teeth. This is the moment he has been waiting for. He raises his voice, the sound booming across the clearing.
“Rogue!”
There is no response; the X-Men look around, murmuring amongst themselves. Scott steps forward, his voice lowered to a whisper.
“Professor, Rogue is not with us.”
Xavier turns slightly red, fury hardening the wrinkles in his face. “Where is she?”
“I sent Kurt to get her, Professor.”
A large wooden cabin, surrounded by trees. The cabin belongs to Rogue. Kurt Wagner, also known as Nightcrawler, stands besides one of the trees facing the cabin. Scott sent him to retrieve Rogue. She was needed, but he didn’t dare move any closer to the cabin. Rogue’s home was sacred. The few that had entered through the front door ended up in the infirmary with no memories of the past month. A shiver ran down his spine. Rogue was both admired and feared by the inhabitants of the Mansion; but mostly feared.
Scott had sent him for Rogue. If he came back without her… He didn’t want to know what would happen if he came back alone. Gathering his courage, he took one step towards the cabin. Nothing happened. Hope flared in his chest as he took another step, only to be forcefully slammed into the tree behind him.
He felt like he was being held up by an invisible hand that had wrapped itself firmly around his neck. Kurt panicked and tried to teleport but nothing happened. His powers refused to cooperate.
“You never learn, do you?”
Kurt turned his head to the right. High above in the tree, sat a smiling Rogue. Dark leather pants, black boots, green shirt with a short black jacket over it, a weapon belt hanging low on her hips, despite the fact that she didn’t needed it. She was a weapon. She swung off the branch she was sitting on and landed gracefully in front of Kurt. The smile had vanished from her face, a cold glare replacing it.
“What are you doing here, elf?”
“I vas sent by ze Professor. He asked me zo get you,” Kurt replied.
She snorted. “Asked? You mean ordered.”
“He needs you.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
“Zink of the children. Vat vill become of zem if you do not zave them?”
“They’re better off without him.”
“Zis is not vat he would have wanted you to do. This is not what W –”
“Don’t you dare say his name!”
Kurt crashed to the ground as she releases him, then turns her back to him. Kurt rubs his neck, forcing his blood to circulate again.
“I’ll be there!”
“Ve don’t have much zime. Ve have to –”
“I said I’d be there,” Rogue snapped. She turns towards her cabin. “Xavier should be happy I’m coming at all.”
She looks up at the sky and bends her knees, propelling herself in the sky. Kurt watches her fly away, knowing she could have saved herself the time it takes her to fly by teleporting.
“Well, where is this mighty warrior of yours, Xavier? Scared, perhaps?”
Xavier grits his teeth at the mocking insult while the leader of the Morlocks laughs at him. His followers are chuckling as well. Behind him, the X-Men throw each other worried glances.
“She is here.”
Everybody turns to look as the mutant emerges from the forest. The X-Men part to let her through, flinching slightly as she walks past them. Rogue doesn’t even acknowledge them, her gaze set on the Morlocks. Xavier whips his head in her direction, anger and disgust set on his face.
“Rogue! What took so long?! I sent Kurt for you twenty minutes ago!” He doesn’t make an effort to disguise the hate in his voice.
Without looking at Xavier, she strides past him. “I’m here now, aren’t I?”
He drives his wheelchair forward, attempting to keep pace.
“That is not the point. When I tell you to come, you come. You don’t keep me waiting!”
Rogue freezes in her stride toward her opponent. She turns around; eyes empty of any emotion as she stares as the Professor. He grabs his wheelchair in an unconscious gesture to retain his composure. Rogue slowly walks towards the Professor, knuckles white as she balls her fists. The wind around them picks up a notch.
“I do as I wish. Or perhaps you would like to fight yourself? Imagine the great Charles Xavier fighting his own battles. Wouldn’t that be a sight?” She sneers.
Scott quickly steps between Rogue and the Professor. She keeps her gaze on the helpless man in the wheelchair, her hair flowing around her, driven by the wind.
“Rogue!” She fixes her gaze on Scott’s eyes. “Think of all the children you will help. You can give them shelter, food, a future. Think of him.”
Suddenly, he is brought forward as Rogue grips his collar in one fist. His visor has slipped of his eyes by the sudden movement and falls to the ground. Scott keeps his eyes tightly shut. He cannot harm her. They need her.
“Careful Scooter. You know what happens when you walk that path,” Rogue whispers, the message hidden the words is not missed. She releases him and he falls into a heap on the ground. With a last hateful stare at the Professor, she turns back to him, facing the clearing.
“Who is the challenger?”
The Morlocks steps aside as a short woman emerges from their midst. Short black hair, an eyepatch over one eye, her lips set in a grim smile. With her leather pants, short black top and various scars over her bare arms, she looks determined to win this fight as she examines Rogue.
Rogue lets her look, not intimidated at all by her tough appearance. She knows what people see when they look at her: petite girl with innocent brown eyes, bowed pink lips and soft curves. She doesn’t look like a fighter at all. She knows that and it is one of her advantages. When they meet her, they have no idea they’re face to face with the most powerful mutant that will ever exist.
“They call me Callisto. Who are you?”
“I am Rogue.”
Callisto’s smile falters a little, a crack in her tough appearance.
“Rogue. I’ve heard stories about you. Rumours. They say you can’t be defeated.”
“For once, the rumours are true.”
“They say you have never lost a fight.”
“Also true.”
Callisto smiles as she regains some of her confidence.
“Today, you will lose.”
“We shall see.”
Callisto turns to address her followers, the survivor in her coming to the front.
“Brothers and sisters! Today, we shall win! The world is ours to have!”
The crowd cheers and roars while Callisto turns back to Rogue. The X-Men have remained silent, no words of encouragement were spoken to Rogue. She didn’t need it and more importantly, she didn’t want it. Callisto smiles at Rogue.
“Are you ready to be defeated?”
Rogue shrugs, “Only if you are.”
Callisto laughs a throaty laugh and slowly starts advancing on her. Rogue stays where she is, almost looking bored, but her eyes are alert, focusing on every move Callisto makes. She pulls out a dagger and with astonishing strength, throws it at Rogue. The dagger glitters in the sun, heading straight for her heart. Rogue calmly steps aside and catches the dagger in her left hand. Callisto gets another dagger and with a grunt, hurls it. Without even a blink, Rogue catches the dagger in her right hand, the tip of the blade stopping inches from her face. Callisto keeps going faster and faster until she is a blur, speeding towards Rogue. Rogue stands still in the middle of the clearing, daggers in both hands. Callisto withdraws another dagger, ready to stab Rogue, still moving at super speed.
When she raises her dagger, Rogue suddenly lunges forward, avoiding the dagger. Callisto has too much momentum to change direction and can only watch as Rogue plunges the dagger held in her left hand in Callisto’s stomach. Rogue slides beneath Callisto’s still outstretched arm, ending behind her and thrusts the other dagger in her back, puncturing a lung. Rogue continues walking towards the group of Morlocks, never looking back as Callisto topples over, blood streaming out of her wounds.
Rogue searches face to face, but none of them is willing to make eye contact with her. She turns around and walks back to where Callisto is lying on the ground. She kneels beside the woman and carefully pulls the dagger from her back, laying it beside her. Gently, she turns her over. Callisto’s eyes are flashing wildly from side to side, but eventually she locks eyes with Rogue. Rogue sees the silent plea in her eyes and nods. She pulls off her right glove and lays her fingers against the quickly cooling cheek. Callisto’s eyes widen as the veins on her face turn blue and her skin pales even more. A little trickle of blood escapes from her mouth.
Rogue removes her hand and stares down at her. With her thumb and index finger, she closes Callisto’s eyes. Rogue closes her own eyes and takes a deep breath. For a few moments, there is complete silence, both groups staring at the pair in the middle of the clearing. Kurt’s eyes are closed as well, his hands folded in prayer as he murmurs a German prayer for the fallen mutant.
Rogue opens her eyes and strokes the hair away from Callisto’s face. She slowly removes the dagger from her chest, placing it beside the other. She looks up as two boots appear in her vision and stands to face the man. The leader has joined them, a brown hood hiding most of his face, his eyes barely visible. They are wet. He bends down and retrieves a necklace from Callisto’s neck.
“This necklace represent the leadership of our people. We’ll prove our surrender by giving it to you. Give this to your master.”
Rogue coldly stares at him. “He’s not my master.” She walks west, away from both armies, disappearing into the forest.
They watch her walk away in silence.
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000
Story Notes:
Bunny got stuck on my leg and refused to let go. Got this idea while watching the movie "Troy" even though I don't like Brad Pitt. Beta by the wonderful Alana!
Author's Chapter Notes:
For all of you waiting for an update of "Love Over Healing", I'm working on it.
Also, I suck at summaries. If you got a better one, please contact me.
And imagine this Rogue looking more like the Rogue from "Wolverine and the X-Men", not the Rogue from the movies.
Also, I suck at summaries. If you got a better one, please contact me.
And imagine this Rogue looking more like the Rogue from "Wolverine and the X-Men", not the Rogue from the movies.
Chapter End Notes:
This will be continued. I just don't know how and/or when...