playing with fire! ( pyro. )

[pyro2]

John snorted. "Innocent people. Why do you X-Men always have your realities twisted? We were the innocent people, and we were hold at gun point by human police because Bobby's charming little brother is a prejudiced asshole. They shot Logan. In the head. At that point someone had to do something. And may I point out that my actions delayed the police long enough for Logan to get back on his feet and the X-Jet to arrive?"

His tone was annoyed but his expression softened a bit when she told the story about the fountain, Kitty and getting the cure. He remained confused though on this one point: "I still don't get it. You got the cure, so you could be touched. Right? And at that point we all thought, this stuff is permanent. Why leave Bobby when you finally got what you always wanted? They kissed, big deal. Guys flirt around, that's what we do. And we might kiss around too, especially if we can't kiss the one we actually want to..." Then he stopped himself, realizing that he was kind of defending Bobby here. He shook his head. "Anyways, you have some serious self confidence issues, you should have that checked out."

And what she said next didn't exactly help to change his mind on that point. "You have friends: Bobby and Logan. They obviously both care about you. And for the record: I have no plans to kill anyone, for now." Also, he realized, he wasn't hating her. There might have been moments at the time where he had those kind of feelings, simply because she had robbed him of Bobby's attentions. But looking at her now, it was difficult to rekindle that in light of all her obvious desperation with her existence.

[beckii]

"Ah know John, and you're right, but if we're ever gonna live in peace with everyone then we can't throw fire at them. You did save our lives, but... ah... ah tried to save our future. Ah don't wanna live in fear forever, and everyone else with abilities doesn't either. We wanna co-exsist. Ya have to understand that."

Rogue tried to explain, hoping he would understand.

"Ah hate that ah had to touch ya like that. Ah never wanted to, but it was either that or Bobby would have iced ya over, and ah like ya defrosted."

Rogue found her heart clenching as John stuck up for Bobby. Bobby. She didn't expect John to do that, and it hurt. Deeply. She bit her bottom lip and turned away, making sure her back was to him so if her tears did leave the corners of her eyes he wouldn't see them.

"Ah am not a whore John. Ah may have a mutation that stops me from touching, and sure, the cure gave me a window to be able to touch, but ah am not the kind of girl that'll jump on the nearest guy. Ah wanted to touch someone ah love and who loves me... You may be okay with infidelity, but ahm not. Bobby couldn't have loved me if he could so easily join his lips with Kitty's. Ya don't know what ya talking about. None of ya do! None of ya know what my f*cking life is like! No one knows what its like to not be able to touch and see everyones terrified looks and actions around meh, knowing just one second of skin to skin contact will kill, so don't ya dare try to make it out like ah am the one who is making me suffer needlessly, because ya don't know a god damn thing John StAllerdyce."

Rogue snapped, unable to bear everyones pity any more. None of them knew what having her mutation was like, or everyones reactions to it. How dare they try to belittle it. Rogue grabbed fistfulls of her hair, her body tense, as she tried hard to calm herself down. She had to calm down. She had to get the information. John was not making anything easy though. Rogue knew what hurt the most right now - despite her own feelings for him she now knew he never would have reciprocated right now or before now. It hurt, deeply. Like loosing a childhood hero.

[pyro2]

Pyro shook his head. "We wouldn't have had much of a future if we had lost our lives on that porch in Boston, would we now? Also: speak for yourself, please. There are quite a lot of mutants who can recognize a deranged fantasy when they see one. Peaceful co-existence between mutants and humans is impossible - just look back at the last couple of years." But he really wasn't in the mood for that philosophical debate, there was never an end to it. Though he had to grin about her last bit with liking him better defrosted. "Well, we agree on that one at least..."

But if the mood lightened for a few seconds there, it changed back very quickly. Obviously she saw things very differently than him. Then again, she had no experience with men and relationships whatsoever. Except the chaste puppy-love she had had with Bobby. So she was still clinging to a fantasy there, too. Probably with a bunch of moral values from the South mixed in. "Jeez, Rogue, ever thought about joining a convent? It would solve two problems at the same time: You'd have to be celibate and there would be no pesky realities interrupting those otherwordly views of yours. You might even get some peaceful coexistence there, coming to think of it." John's voice was dripping with sarcasm again.

Then he got serious: "Bobby loved you, and if you ask me... he is still not over you." Though Rogue would probably think the Iceman even more of a whore than she already did, if she knew that he was using his powers for one-night-stands with human girls. If he really did that. Maybe Bobby had just told him that boastful story to appear more cool and manly... And concerning making herself suffer: "Then tell me, if you're so desperate to touch and be touched, why don't you just shoot yourself up with the cure on a regular basis? The humans would be thrilled, you could become their poster-child. The happy ex-mutant who goes through all that trouble just to be rid of her terrible powers. And you'd have your peaceful coexistence thrown in at the same time."

[beckii]

"Its not a deranged fantasy! Ya can't believe that. Humans have lived alongside animals all this time. They have learned and are learning to live beside each other peacefully. We can do the same. It'll just take time, thats all."

Rogue tried reasoning with John. John was a friend. Well, he was to Rogue. She wouldn't give up on him. Well, when it came to her feelings yes, but when it came to him living a better good life - no. When John spoke to her with sarcasm mentioning she should join a convent she glared at him. Firey passion see in her eyes which was rare. Most of the time her eyes were either tranquil or clearly holding something back. Rogue never let out her passion - or at least it did rarely.

"Ah am not a manwhore like you John! Just because ah didn't jump into bed with anything that moves the second ah could touch does not make me a bad person! Ya know what? Ah don't think there is anything of the John that is my friend and ah care for any more. No. Congratulations, you are officially Pyro. Magneto's b*tch!"

Rogue snapped, coldly. She didn't know what had gotten into her, but then again she had never been provoked so much in so short a time as John was doing right now. She clenched her fists as John mentioned Bobby yet again.

"If ah didn't know any better ah would think you're in love with Bobby, and wanna give him a ride. Ah will not tolerate infidelity. If he can kiss Kitty - and god knows who else or what else he has done - then he can not love me then or any more. So give it a rest."

She added, severely close to attacking John. She supposed if she did attack him she would get to let out a lot of her fustrations. It would be therapuetic, and it would hopefully put John in his place. It sounded like a good idea with every second that passed.

Rogue closed her eyes tightly as John asked why she didn't take the cure on a regular basis. Why indeed. She had done it once. Not for the right reasons, despite what she told Logan that night, though. She could take the cure regulary, go back home, go to college, get qualifications, and become a teacher for the younger children. She could date, find a nice honourable guy, get married, and have kids. All the while taking the cure. Still not quite human, and the rejected ex-mutant. She still wouldn't really belong anywhere if she didn't keep her 'old' mutant status secret, and secrets always came out in the end.

"Why not? Because it would be the easy way out. The first time... Ah didn't do it for the right reasons. Bobby never wanted me, he just wanted to be seen as the good all american boy who took pity on the untouchable girl. Eventually he fell for his own lies. Ah thought at the time if ah could just be able to touch, if ah took the cure, ah'd be everything he wanted. Ah was wrong. When my powers came back... Ah was terrified. Ah won't deny that. What ah realised though in the period me and Bobby had broke up and ah didn't have my powers is that... My powers is a part of me. Its in my dna, no matter how much it hurts me. It would be like cutting off my arm and putting a plastic one on instead or something, if ah took the cure again. It wouldn't be meh. As much as ah hate my power, and the constraints it puts on meh, ah'd rather be chained like this then have to face the world knowing ah was a coward and took the easy way out. Thats why ah will fight for humans and mutants to live together, because saying that will never happen is taking the easy way out - giving up. Ah have more inner strength in my pinky finger then you and the rest of the Brotherhood have in your entire bodies."

At that point Rogue looked up at Pyro.

"And ahm proud of that."

[pyro2]

Pyro smirked. "Animals. That's actually a nice description. Humans are to us what animals are to humans. And you have noticed what the humans have done with the animals since the dawn of time, right? Kill them, eat them, hunt them to extinction. They would do the same with us if we let them. Problem is: We're the stronger animal..." As long as humans were around, there never would be peace. History clearly showed that.

Rogue got seriously pissed now. Made her much more attractive, actually, Pyro thought. Then he had to laugh: "Magneto's bitch? I think that's a first! I have to remember that. Magneto's bitch..." He chuckled, clearly amused by her choice of words. The manwhore was also pretty good. But it got even better. "I wanna... what? Give Bobby a ride?" He stared at her. Did she mean that as sexually as it sounded? Pyro shook his head with a frown. "Oh, I'm definitely going to fuck him over but not that way..." Denying it was the best thing he could do. He was good at that. He had denied it towards himself long enough, it was an easy routine. Besides, Bobby had never been and would never be available. "You're not a very tolerant girl, are you?" he finally added when she told him in strong words how Bobby was completely out of the picture. The fire mutant wondered if his former friend was aware of how strongly Rogue felt about this. He doubted it.

Next he had to restrain himself from clapping because Rogue's speech about her powers and how she wasn't herself without them, was exactly how he felt about his powers. "I don't know about that", he said when she finished with how strong she was, "but you're right about the easy way out. Thing is, in your situation that is the only way out. If you don't take it, you have to live with the consequences. No more whining, no more self pity!" He looked at her. "Run with what you have, you're immensely powerful, you're a fucking godess, be proud of it. Use it. If a pesky bastard like me comes along and dares to defy you, show him what you're made of!"

[beckii]

"They may have done that in the beginning Pyro but they are learning. Progressive. There are tons of people all over the world protecting the animals. Starting breeding programs to bring animals on the verge of extinction back to being common again. That is the point Pyro. They learn. They adapt. They evolve. We are them. They are us. Ya, the brotherhood, and some of the humans just don't realise that. Its high time ya and your gang of bullies realised that. Animals can be bad and good. Humans can be bad and good. Mutants can be bad and good. We ALL have to survive on this planet John. If we cannot co-exsist and adapt, NONE of us will survive. Everyone will end up living in fear, and doing so, we will kill each other until NONE of us are left. Ya and Magneto, along with the rest of your group, are forcing us down a road no one wants. Ya lot are just like bullies on the play ground. Just because ya don't like a select few, ya are willing to slaughter them all. Its like Hitler with the jews. Do ya want to be remembered for that?! Do ya?! Because ah would not want that on my conscience, and that is why, if you try to kill an innocent John, regardless how ah feel for you, ah will kill ya and the rest of your group without a single hesitation. Ah will defend every innocent heart, regardless of species, until meh dying breath, and with meh power John, ah can be VERY powerful. You do NOT want to make an enemy of meh, especially if, as ah suspect, that ah keep all powers I have absorbed inside meh head, and use them at will."

Rogue snapped, her eyes glowing as suddenly power began to crackle. Her passionate emotion had clearly woken something. Rogue didn't even realise it. She didn't notice that the metal in the vacinity was starting to gravitate towards her from behind her, or the ice beneath her feet, or bone claws poking out from her knuckles. She had enough of being talked down to. She had enough of being ignored. She had enough of being belitted by not only John, but the Brotherhood, and the Xmen. It was like she was a child, and she refused to continue to have endure that. If she could get John off her back it would be one less person in the world to treat her as if she was a leech, as if she didn't know any better, and as if she was some stupid little kid.

"SHUT UP!"

Rogue screamed, the metal now merging into each other as a liquid in mid air, clearly trying to create something huge. She had enough of hearing Pyro speaking like that.

"Regardless of how much ya protest John, ah know ya want to ride Bobby, and in that way. Ya just proved that. Ah shouldn't be shocked really. Ah bet ya even hated me when Bobby paid attention to me and not ya."

Rogue then began to approach John, ice covering each piece of ground she stepped on as she stepped on it. She glared coldly at John.

"And ya know what? There is another way out."

She ran a nail down his cheek, and for the first time in Rogue's life there was a cold dangerous look in her eyes.

"Ah kill ya. So if ah were ya, ah'd start backpeddling and see if a little worshipping will get ya off meh hit list."

She growled. She had enough. She was not going to be treated this way. Energy flooded through her, and she could feel the psyches in her mind were barely being containted at this point. She had never felt so powerful. However, she knew if this power kept up the psyches would break free, and that could never be good.

[pyro2]

What a bunch of bullshit. Pyro listened to her big speech about the humans and the animals and the mutants how they were all good and bad and yadda, yadda, yadda. But before he could get a word in, something happened to her. As if she now suddenly had remembered how powerful she was and what she could do, she started to display powers that she shouldn't have. The metal, the ice, the claws...?

John instinctively took a step back and observed her anger with a certain amount of awe. But then a frown came over his face when she insisted on her theory with Bobby, a frown that deepened when she actually threatened to just kill him. She came closer and closer, but he stood his ground now. "So what, you think I wanna fuck Bobby? For real?" He chuckled. "Didn't think you had such a twisted fantasy life, Rogue, but hey... whatever gets you off, right?" He smirked. Well aware of course, that this was an additional provocation.

"As for the killing... what happened to 'I will always be your friend' and all that?" It had been a very quick turnaround. Sure, she was impressive but he wasn't scared so easily. "Though", he added, "that's exactly what I meant before: less whining, more action." He nodded encouragingly. "Show the world what you're made of! God, you'd be such a splendid addition to the Brotherhood!"

[beckii]

"Ya know what? Ya're right. Ya are absolutely right. Ah would make a perfect addition to the Brotherhood, and ah know just what my initiation would be. Slaughter Magneto's bitch, and oh look, here ya are."

Rogue snapped, a cold smirk on her face that was not her own. The combination of Pyro and Magneto's psyches were in control now, thoroughly enjoying their chance to play. Magneto's psyche forced Pyro's zippo lighter to go into Rogue's hand, flicking it open so a small flame appeared. The flame moved to Rogue's other hand and grew into the size of a fireball. Pyro's psyche was in the forefront as shown by her expression which was more like Pyro's then his own.

"Ah always did wonder about fire effects..."

She started, a deadly sparkle in her eyes. Just as the fireball was about to shoot towards Pyro, Rogue seemed to be able to get a grip on herself. The fire disappeared, the metal all stopped moving, and the lighter dropped from her hand. Rogue's expression was one of shock and horror. Overwhelmed, and exhausted by the sudden and huge power surge, Rogue's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she fainted. Her body fell with a thud to the grass. She laid still. Unconcious.

[pyro2]

Pyro hadn't expected what happened next. Her getting his zippo, his beloved one-and-only-zippo... the expression on her face that reminded him of... well, himself. Her hard voice. Was she serious? "You can't possibly think you can beat me with my own weapons..." He looked at her with an expression that was hard to read. Fascination, consternation, surprise. No fear, though, definitely no fear. Even if she was able to summon his powers, she was a newbie while he himself had years of experience. If she actually attacked him with fire, he would be able to wrestle control over it away from her. He was sure of it.

Ultimately, it never got that far. Just when she was ready to strike, something happened, as if a different consciousness took over. All the powers vanished as quickly as they had appeared and Rogue collapsed. John raised an eyebrow, stepped closer and looked at her. She hadn't died, had she? No, there was breathing... she was just out. He stepped even closer and grabbed his zippo that was lying in the grass next to her.

And now what? He could just leave. That wouldn't be very nice but after all her threats... He also could carry her to the car and drive off back to the mansion which had been his plan before he had discovered the 'intruder'. Or he could just sit next to her and wait. Using the time to contemplate if he actually wanted to fuck Bobby Drake for real or... Quickly he shoved that train of thought to the back of his mind, positioned himself next to Rogue and carefully tried to lift her up. He couldn't. Well, he could, barely, but there was no way he would be able to get her to the car. Fuck it! Why should he care, he hadn't invited her here! It was her problem. She had come here somehow, she could get back on the same way, right?

And just like that, Rogue woke up.

[beckii]

It wasn't long before Rogue stirred. The first thing she noticed when she did was she had the most painful headache ever. It was like a hangover she supposed, although Rogue had never had a chance to get drunk and so had never been hungover. She had never gotten drunk, or drank alcohol, because she knew it lowered her inhibitions and she couldn't bare to have people touch her because she was attractive, loose, and carefree. Not with her ability. So she never touched a drop of alcohol - or drugs but that was because she didn't like them - for everyone elses safety. She groaned in pain, lifting a hand to her head as she laid there. It didn't take long for everything that had happened before she passed out to come back to her. She quickly opened her eyes and noticed with relief Pyro was still there. Fortunately he wasn't hurt either. That was good. She felt like herself again. Her psyches were back in their 'rooms', locked up.

"Ahm so so sorry John. Ah think my powers are gettin' real unstable lately. Ah've lost it twice, maybe three times now, and all these powers ah absorbed ages ago just come out... meh psyches of those people have taken over too... Ah don't know what to do. Its happening when ahm under extreme emotional distress..."

Rogue explained, feeling really guilty. Biting her bottom lip, tears coming to her eyes, she looked down at her lap. After a minute or so she slowly sat up before standing up. Hopefully the headache would fade soon and then go eventually. It felt like her mind was creating sturdier locks on the 'rooms' to keep the psyches at bay. She guessed this must be causing the headaches. That and the psyches wanting to get out to take control. Sometimes they felt like real people, their real counterparts, and they just wanted to exsist. Live. In her body, with her as the passenger. Rogue could understand this, and she felt sorry for them, but she also couldn't let them take over. This was her body, and although she felt guilty they would just be passengers in her mind she could not loose her control. This was her life. Not theirs. Their real counterparts were out there living. Their psyches in her head weren't the real them.

[pyro2]

John took a few steps backwards, when she had begun to stir. Just in case. But she didn't seem very dangerous anymore, and when she started to talk he visibly relaxed. "Emotional stress, huh?" He nodded. Apparently he had caused this with what he had said... "Ever thought about seeing a shrink? Can't be healthy to have all these... people jumping up and down in your head." Specially not with him being one of them. He found it slightly disturbing that she could conjure his powers and personality just like that. Mystique had been able to imitate his looks - which had fascinated him endlessly but she wasn't able to use his powers.

Rogue seemed pretty beside herself. He even saw tears, but decided to ignore them. He wasn't Bobby, after all. Well, even if he were, she wouldn't be interested, since Bobby was a 'manwhore'. He made a mental note to use this word on the ice mutant at the next opportune moment. Hoping that he wouldn't retort with 'Magneto's bitch'... He couldn't help but grin to himself. Since when had Rogue become so mouthy?

"Anyways... maybe we should return to the X-mansion?" he suggested, looking at her questioningly. "I'm here with a car, so if you wanna join..." He shrugged. "Of course you can also take the same way back that you took to get here..." - whatever that had been.

[beckii]

"Ah can't get rid of the psyches John! Its a part of meh ability. All ah can do is keep them in the back of meh head."

Rogue responded. She didn't mention it seemed like it was getting harder to do so. She supposed though she hadn't taken on more psyches in ages though. Now she had David ( her first boyfriend ), Logan, Bobby, John, Magneto, Ace, and Remy all inside her head. Magneto was by far the strongest, followed closely by Logan. She hated that Magneto's psyche didn't seem like such a bad guy after having him in her head for a while now. He seemed rather nice, even with his slightly warped views.

When John suggested getting in the car to go back to the mansion Rogue nodded quietly. She hated that she had gotten any closer to solving the mysteries she was trying to solve. It was disappointing but Rogue wasn't discouraged. She was going to figure everything out if it was the last thing she did. Reluctantly she stood up before dusting herself off. Running a hand through her hair she looked around herself briefly. Fortunately the ice had defrosted where she had been walking when she had her power surge. There was no evidence any of it had happened. Quietly she padded over to the car.

[pyro2]

"Mh...", Pyro mumbled. "Good luck with that." This whole psychic stuff always freaked him out a bit. Telepaths were high up on his list of least liked mutants, and Rogue's ability was maybe even worse. But she seemed to have calmed down sufficiently to handle her now. He watched her getting up and led her over to the main entrance of the building with the parking lot where the car stood.

There were a few things piled up in the trunk already. He opened the passenger door for her and let her get in, then got behind the wheel. They drove off in silence. After they had reached the main road, John threw a glance at her. "So you can actually conjure up every mutant's power that you've ever touched? That must be quite a lot... Magneto, Bobby, Wolverine... me." And those were just the ones he knew from the top of his head. She was disturbingly powerful, and the fire mutant wondered if Magneto was aware of it.

"Have you ever considered to explore that a bit more?" From what he had seen, this usually only happened as an accident, when her emotions got out of control. What a waste! Also, if someone were able to control her, he'd have a very, very powerful weapon at hand. His eyes on the street, he briefly looked at her again. "I could teach you how to control my fire..." It was, of course, no selfless offer. If she would go for it, he might have the opportunity to explore her other powers as well. Maybe she was able to turn her body into ice as Bobby was, maybe he could find a way to beat him anyway...

[beckii]

Rogue smiled softly in thanks when John opened the car door for her. He could be such a gentleman when he wanted to. She doubted he even noticed it. She guessed he must have just been raised with manners and so didn't even know when he was being a gentleman. Must be habit. She found herself looking out the window as the scenery passed by. If someone had told her she would be spending time with John, in a car, without fighting as enemies she would have said they were dreaming and sighed in sadness. Yet, here she was and it was happening. It was nice. She felt this urge to reach over and hold John's hand, but she didn't. She still remembered what he said earlier about him never having feelings for her and he never would. That had hurt. A lot. She doubted that pain would go away so easily but for now she was going to ignore it.

When he mentioned having every person's powers she had ever touched she looked at him with a sad smile.

"Yeah. It is a lot. Logan, Bobby, you, Magneto, Xavier, X... it isn't exactly fun, especially with their psyches up here, including David... The guy ah sent into a coma..."

Rogue sighed deeply at the thought of all those people she had touched. She had hurt them and she would never forgive herself for it. Her attention snapped back onto John when he mentioned helping her with his fire power. Her face lit up with joy, enthusiasm and gratitude.

"Really?! Oh, ah would love that John! Ah have my own ability to control, with everyone elses on top... Its so hard. It would be easier to have those people whose powers Ah have absorbed to train meh in them but some... Well, with some that just isn't possible. Ah would be so grateful if you could help me with yours. Ah really really do not want to end up burning a building down or hurting anyone..."

[pyro2]

Right, Xavier too, even Xavier. So she could chose to manipulate fire, ice, metal, be superstrong or read thoughts... crazy. And thinking back on their little confrontation before, she was apparently able to do this all at the same time. Again he threw her a quick glance. "Xavier? When did you touch Xavier?"

Rogue's enormously enthusiastic reaction to his offer caught him a bit off guard. He had expected her to react skeptical but she seemed genuinely thrilled. "Well, don't expect too much, I'm pretty sure I totally suck as a teacher." He smirked. "So... you can switch those powers of the other mutants on whenever you feel like it? But you usually don't? Did I get that right?" His eyes left the road briefly, flashed to her and back. "And you can just combine them however you like - or does that just happen when you have an emotional meltdown like before...?"

Traffic was light, they made good progress back towards the X-mansion. Again there had been some silence in the car. "And you're not going to tell me why you so desperately need Magneto's intel and about whom?" Maybe she would if he pretended to start to like her after they started their fire training lessons. Maybe he should pretend to develop feelings. Then she'd open up and tell him everything and anything. Magneto would be thrilled. Bobby would be pissed. And he could play his revenge on her any time... He gave her a charming smile with the question.