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Post by Risty on Dec 22, 2003 13:44:47 GMT -4
Even though Raven had just come from this area, she did not hesitate to return to pick up Rogue. The two of them had been in very little contact ever since Rogue joined Xavier’s school, but Raven had a soft spot in her heart for the girl, and if she didn’t know better about herself would even call it ‘motherly love’. Whatever you call it, Raven found that what she would normally consider ‘sacrifice’ was nothing when it came to Rogue’s safety or well-being. This much she knew, she loved the girl.
To be on the safe side, she had packed a nine-millimeter into the pocket of her jacket, and was going as a familiar face to Rogue, the face she always used when she went out in public with the girl. Her ‘mother’ face. She double parked the jeep and hustled up to the train station where Rogue was already sitting in the waiting area.
Just standing in the doorway she looked at her daughter for a moment and then walked over to her. “Something looks like it’s troubling you…daughter.” The words still felt natural after all this time.
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Post by The Creator on Dec 22, 2003 14:08:23 GMT -4
As she dismounted the train, Rogue went to sit on a bench against one of the station walls, trying to figure out her transportation home. Irene had called her and said something about sending a friend, but if they didn't come within the next five minutes, Rogue was just going to run home... or grab the next taxi. Which ever came first... They need me home... and it's a long way... how do Ah get there... The premenition was already a late one... Maybe Ah won't get there in time. What if they need me... now?
With a small sigh, her patience wore down and she stood up and turned to leave only to hear a familliar voice call out to her. Spinning on her heel, Rogue's eyes widened as she spotted a face she hadn't seen in years. "Mother!" her voice was sharp and harsh, but she didn't mean it to be.
However, who could blame her? Abandoned and given to Irene, Rogue hadn't seen Raven Darkholm for 7 years. Then, 3 years ago, her adoptive mother had tried to turn her against the X-men and scare her into the Brotherhood. And after that, she finally revealed herself as Mystique and then posed as Rogue's best friend... Risty. Just to be "close" to her.
" Don't tell me Irene called you!" her voice was angry and sarcastic as she rolled her dark eyes and placed one gloved hand firmly on the wall. Leaning on it, the Goth glowered as she thought to herself. Just take the ride... Ya need t' get home. Besides, she ain't gonna hurt ya.
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Post by Risty on Dec 22, 2003 14:21:11 GMT -4
"That she did." Raven said, sitting next to Rogue. "I could have come as any number of your friends..." she whispered to Rogue low so that nobody could hear. "...I came as your mother. I did so as a sign that I want to be real with you."
Rogue was glaring at her hatefully, and Raven sighed. She would likely feel the same way if someone had put her through similar things. No-she would probably be even more angry. Rogue was a good person.
Not really wanting to get into this here, she looked around. "Perhaps we can talk on the way back." She looked at Rogue with raised eyebrows, "That is if you want a ride back with me."
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Post by The Creator on Dec 22, 2003 17:54:33 GMT -4
"Why not? It's just one ride... Not a life time." Getting up from her position against the wall, Rogue wandered a few steps, waiting for her maternal figure to catch up.
She hadn't brought her bags, as Irene had shoved ehr out the door and quickly loaded her onto a train, but she did still have Gambit's green and red ring on. Glancing down at her left hand, she secretly wondered how he was doing and if he was alright. Taking a shakey breath, the Goth closed her eyes and relaxed before heading for the parking lot across the street.
Maybe she can tell ya what's goin' on down at Xavier's? At least she's not in your head anymore... Ya didn't need that. At least this version is easier to put up with when talking to. With a small shrug, she glanced over at Raven whose heels of her dress shoes were clicking on the cement of the sidewalk.
The woman was trying, she had to give her that much credit...
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Post by Risty on Dec 22, 2003 18:00:11 GMT -4
The two of them walked back to the jeep in silence. There was so much more that Raven wanted to say to Rogue, but as usual the time wasn’t right, or the words just wouldn’t come. For now silence seemed the best choice.
Once they were standing before Logan’s jeep Raven took Rogue’s bags and tossed them into the back seat. “Rogue, there is something you need to know before we go back to the mansion.”
She took her adopted daughter’s gloved hands in her own and squeezed them. “Something has happened there. Something bad.”<br>
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Post by The Creator on Dec 22, 2003 18:35:50 GMT -4
As her mother took her hands, Rogue stood in a state of shock. Who died and made her Ms. Motherly? Listening to Mystique's words, she swallowed a growing knot in her throat.
"What happened?" Rogue bit her lower lip, as she looked into her mother's eyes trying to find a hint of evil laughter that would tell her the woman was joking. It wasn't there.
What the hell is going on! panic over took her as she waiting, anticipatingly for the up coming bad news.
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Post by Risty on Dec 23, 2003 8:37:36 GMT -4
Raven was finding this kind of thing very difficult. She missed Rogue during all that time, but she never found displays of affection too easy to swallow. Not genuine displays of real affection that is.
She let go of Rogue's hands and decided to lay it all out for her, but before she could speak she said, "Get in the jeep. I'll explain it as we drive, we need to get back as soon as possible."
That way I don't have to look into her eyes and try and comfort her...
Getting in on the drivers side, Raven waited for Rogue to enter before starting up and pulling out. The radio was still turned up full blast and they caught the last part of a news cast as they drove off the lot.
"...horrific destruction in St. Louis less than one week ago. Authorities believe they have found some clues as to the whereabouts of the terrorist organization led by the one who calls himself Magneto, and believe the weapons stolen from the National Guard this afternoon are directly related.
In other news, New York City has been reporting sights of a masked vigilante that crawls on walls and shoots a sticky-"
Raven turned the radio off and looked at Rogue as they entered the on-ramp to the highway. "Something has happened to Logan." she blurted the words out. "He's dead."
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Post by The Creator on Dec 23, 2003 15:23:27 GMT -4
Sitting dumbfounded from the news caster, Rogue listened unhappily as they talked about some other freak of nature down in... New York? Who really cares! she asked herself, annoyed with the whole world at the moment. St. Louis… that was us… But who stole the National Guards’ weaponry?
Mystique turned off the radio, and Rogue sighed with relief as she heard the click. The last thing she wanted to hear about was more of the populous freaking because of the "mutant menace."
It was then that her mother decided to tell her what was actually going on. Her jaw dropped as she heard Mystique mention Logan… and then the word “dead.”<br>
“Dead! Dead! How can he be DEAD?” Rogue screamed, her eyes wide and teary. “Y-ya… ya can’t be SERIOUS!!!! Logan! DEAD!” She slammed her fist into the dashboard making a large dent in its panels. Her dark eyes flashed dangerously as she turned to glare at the woman driving the car.
“What… How? When? He DIDN’T leave the mansion… DID he?” her temper flaring, Rogue couldn’t and wouldn’t believe that the man that had helped her though so much, the man that had been like a father to her, was gone…. Forever.
“NO! Mystique, Ah CAN’T believe it!” she glowered her eyes narrowing, “Ah won’t believe it! There’s no way… He’s invincible! How could he be dead!?! WHO KILLED HIM!”<br>
NO! NO! NO! her mind raged, the entities inside her head wailed as they were beat around in her fury. “TELL ME!”
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Post by Risty on Dec 23, 2003 15:50:16 GMT -4
Raven knew her message would not go over well, and knew how much this Logan had meant to Rogue, but she saw no reason to sugar coat the news, and tried not to flinch as Rogue threw a fit in the seat next to her. Though her eyes kept straying ot the dashboard which seemed to be impossibly broken. I had no idea she was that strong...
"You had better believe it child." She said in tones a little less comforting than she intended. "He led a team of mutants to attack the Sentinels. Four left, three returned."
Seeing that Rogue was having an extremely difficult time Raven tried to put a hand on her knee to comfort her, but was shrugged off. "I'm sorry Rogue."
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Post by The Creator on Dec 23, 2003 16:25:51 GMT -4
"No ya ain't," Rogue bit back. Shoving the other mutant's have away.
Calming her tone, Rogue wondered to herself. Who were the other three? Whould Logan really be that rash?... yes, he would... And he would take Xavier's three most powerful mutants with him. But who would that be?
Feeling dejected and broken, Rogue found her energy had been spent with that slam to the dashboard. Looking sadly at her mother, Rogue whispered, "Who else did he take?"
She knew what the answer would be, and she was firghtened. How bad had the attack been? Who was wounded? Why did they go? How could they be so stupid!?! Attack the Sentinels... Well, I know that Magnus didn't tell them to. He'd never do that. He knows how terrible they are. He wouldn't ever do that, especially with his views on mutants and humans... and the war...
She repeated the question, "Who did he take?"
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Post by Risty on Dec 23, 2003 16:57:37 GMT -4
Raven turned to look at her while she drove, knowing that Rogue would surely not take the next bit of information any better than she had about Logan. “Logan took three others. Guido, Pyro and…Gambit.”
As she drove along she changed into Gambit and looked over at Rogue, lowering the sunglasses down to reveal the red eyes. “Don worry petite,” she said with a wink, “it do take more than dat to bring down ol’ Remy.” Then she changed back into her motherly shape and put her attention back on the road.
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Post by The Creator on Dec 24, 2003 0:59:17 GMT -4
Glaring at the woman driving the car, Rogue silently wondered if the other mutant was trying to torture her. As soon as she had heard “three other mutants” she had somehow known that Remy was in that group. It would certainly explain the sinking feeling that she had gotten the second day of her trip.
“Don’t… You don’t deserve to pretend to be him…” she muttered, as if annoyed, turning to look out the window, at least glad to know that Gambit was okay. Letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, Rogue shut her eyes and muttered, “Besides… people are staring.”<br>
It was true, outside the car, there were people eyeing Raven suspiciously, and Rogue silently hoped that they could keep from getting into a crash. The last thing she needed was to be late back to the mansion. “What’s going on at the mansion now? I can’t imagine that chaos that all this has caused!”<br>
I can’t BELIEVE that Gambit would just LEAVE Logan like that! Why? Why did he leave him!?! He knows how much the Wolverine means to me… Why did he do it?
An answer came from the back of her head, Well, you do know he’s never liked the adamantium-skeleton man… But then again, maybe he, like everyone else truly believed Logan to be dead. That Joker’s not one big optimist… in fact he’s almost completely pessimistic!
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Post by Risty on Dec 24, 2003 8:42:29 GMT -4
At the mention of people staring, Raven looked out the window as they drove along and saw a man in the car driving alongside her kept flicking nervous glances over. Mystique stared at him hard until he met her gaze and then let her eyes glow bright red. He got a terrified look on his face and sped up, weaving in and out of traffic in a desperate attempt to get away from her.
Smiling, she turned back to Rogue. "That takes care of the gawkers." Her eyes faded to the natural green of the mother shape that she was currently wearing.
Seeing that Rogue was in an understandably rotten mood, she wiped the smile off. "Rogue, I haven't always been there for you, and I cannot promise that I ever will always be there for you." Neither woman was looking at each other. Raven stared at the road as they drove, and Rogue alternated between the floor of the jeep and the window to her right.
"Everything I have done was because I had no choice..." She decided not to go that direction after all. "What I mean is, I know Logan was dear to you, and I want to be there for you right now."
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Post by The Creator on Dec 24, 2003 14:46:55 GMT -4
"Honestly, mother? That's a first!" Rogue glared at the window in disgust. How could Mystique just waltz into her life and expect everything to be alright? The older woman hadn't been there when Rogue had needed her the most. Instead, she had tried to trick the girl into working for her so she could use her "incredible power" to get a grip on the world.
Ya've never been there for me. Why would ya want t' now? What's the big change? And don't say Logan, because Ah know ya wouldn't give a bat's behind about him. Ever. It's not hard t' read ya, Mystique. Not hard at all. Ya've never cared one inch about any of us. And why should that change. Especially when Kurt and Ah were doin' so well! Ah can't believe you! Rogue blinked back tears that she didn't want to fall. Just leave me alone. This car ride won't change anythin' and as soon as Ah step out the door t' this Jeep, ya'll be Mystique again... Not "Mom" not "Mother" not "Mommy"... Just "Mystique" the shape-shifting suductress.
Glancing down at her feet, Rogue growled to herself, Why even try?
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Post by Risty on Dec 24, 2003 15:02:54 GMT -4
After Rogues tirade, they drove for nearly half an hour in silence. Most of what the girl said was true-except for the part about not caring. But Mystique was too busy chasing after thrills and seeking out new forms of excitement in life to give any attention to even a spark of 'motherly instinct' in her heart.
After an extremely long and silent pause she spoke in low tones. "That is why I had Irene look after you, child. I am not fit to be a mother."
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