In Search of a Shadow Cat
Chapter Five: In Search of a Shadow Cat
Taking Jean's car, they parked in a spot that was closest to the cliffs. The pathway was much too narrow for even a small car, and even on foot one had to be careful.
"Tell me again why you like to come up here?" Jean asked as she carefully inched her way up to the cliffs while holding onto the rock walls, hoping she didn't fall to her death.
"'Cause nobody bothers me up here," Rogue said, leading the way on the narrow path. "Well, except for Logan."
"Figures," Jean said sarcastically. The response made Rogue laugh. No one hid from Logan. He could sniff you out from one coast to the other. "Is it much further?"
"No, just a few more feet," Rogue said as she stepped out of sight. She could hear Jean gasp, and she felt like she should have warned her. "Just step to the left."
"Rogue, wait!" Jean yelled as she reached the edge, and just before she could fall Rogue grabbed her hand.
"Ah said the left, not right," Rogue said as they both fell to the ground. Looking out towards the edge, she saw nothing but rock with no Kitty in sight.
"She's not here," Jean said and looked over at Rogue with an annoyed expression on her face. "We climbed this death trap for nothing?"
“No, not nothin’,” Rogue said and picked up a small piece of medal on the ground. It was on a long skinny chain. It was in the shape of a cat’s head with two small stones for eyes. It was the necklace Lance gave her after they made their relationship official. “She was here.” She dangled the necklace in front of Jean so she could see it.
“This is hers,” Jean said and Rogue nodded.
“Look over there, footprints,” Rogue said and raced over to inspect them. Jean followed close behind. “Those are hers alright.”
“Good tracking,” Jean said, giving her a compliment.
“Ah learned from the best,” Rogue said in a somewhat casual voice.
“Logan,” Jean said not one bit surprised. “You were always his best student.”
Rogue tried to ignore Jean’s comment as it didn’t sound like a compliment. “Ah think ah know where Kitty’s goin’?”
“Where?” Jean asked looking confused.
“The cave,” Rogue said and pointed into the distance. “It’s about a half mile that way.”
“Why would she go there?” Jean inquired shrugging her shoulders.
“’Cause, it’s where ah go when ah wanna be alone. Remember, she still got me inside her head, so let’s go.”
Rogue led the way towards her favorite hideout feeling her best friend was close. She didn’t need her true power to know Kitty’s anxiety after gaining the absorbing power. This is the way she felt on her first night having it, but at least Kitty didn’t have Mystique manipulating her into thinking everyone was out to get her.
Once they reached the cave Rogue called out for Kitty as did Jean. They entered the cave seeing a petrified Kitty cowering in the far corner. “Kitty, it’s alright,” Rogue said seeing Kitty crying with her face buried in her knees. Her body was shaking, and it took Rogue back. She was that same way on that terrible night. “Ah know what you’re going through.”
Kitty looked up with tears still in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Rogue,” Kitty said, managing to get the words out through her tears. “I didn’t know what it was really like for you… all those people in my head, and it won’t stop.”
“Ah know, but you’re in charge,” Rogue said as she came towards kitty and kneeled down towards her.
“No, don’t!” Kitty shouted.
“Don’t worry,” Rogue said and took off her gloves that she didn’t realize she was still wearing. “Ah’m not gonna touch ya. Just put these on.”
Rogue laid the gloves on the ground so Kitty could pick them up for herself without any fear of skin contact. “The powers faded but the psyches are still there.”
“Ah know,” Rogue said finally embracing her friend. “They don’t ever go away, but ya can quiet them.” Kitty just shook her head not wanting to believe what Rogue was saying.
Kitty shook her head and started crying again. Jean spoke this time. “Sure you can, and I can help you.”
“I’m scared,” Kitty said, trying to wipe the tears away.
“It’s scary, Kitty,” Rogue said, trying to comfort her, but it gets easier t’deal with. Just let us help you.” Kitty agreed and let Rogue help her off the ground. Jean used her power to help Kitty gather the psyches and lock them away in a small room in the back of her mind. The process took about an hour, but after she opened her eyes somehow things seemed quieter in her mind.
“How do you feel?” Rogue asked, and Kitty just looked at her.
“Better I think, the voices are still there but not as loud.”
“That’s good,” Jean said relieved. “Now, can we get out of here?”
Rogue and Kitty both laughed at Jean. After everything else they shared as friends, now they shared this, and Rogue felt she was not as alone as before. With her powers being what they were the other always said they understood, but unless you experienced it yourself there was no way to understand it.
Rogue had her ungloved hand leaning against the cave wall and suddenly her hand went through which made her shriek. “Not again.”
“That happened to me all the time,” Kitty said, and they both laughed. Rogue was able to release her hand from inside the cave wall. “Just think solid.”
“Whatever, Kitty,” Rogue said as they walked out of the cave together and prepared to hike down from the cliffs. Jean had a look of disgust on this journey she didn’t even want to take the first time.
************************************
They made it back to the institute within the hour only to be greeted by a confused Wolverine. Kitty was wearing Rogue’s gloves and Rogue was not as covered up as she usually was.
“So can someone tell me what’s going on here?” Wolverine asked with a stern look on his face.
“Kind of hard to explain,” Rogue said and looked over at Kitty.
“I think I’ll go find the professor,” Jean said and excused herself.
“So spill it,” Wolverine said, while Rogue had a frustrated look on her face.
“In a nutshell,” Kitty began and looked down at her gloved hands. “Rogue and I switched powers.”
“How did that happen?” Wolverine asked confused.
“Ah don’t know,” Rogue said, pacing around while throwing up her hands. “All ah know is we were having an argument last night about our powers and we kind of wished we switched.”
“Yeah, and this morning we woke up and it happened,” Kitty said and looked over at Rogue. “Your powers are such a pain.”
“Well, so are yours,” Rogue said with a semi-scowl.
“So how long is this going to last?” Wolverine asked still confused.
“AH DON’T KNOW!” Rogue shouted and stomped off. Her phone rang as she reached the entrance to the institute and she was so frustrated she didn’t even check the caller ID. She just screamed into the phone. “WHAT?!
“Chere, what I do dis time?” she heard the voice of her boyfriend.
“Oh, Remy, ah’m sorry. Jus’ havin’ a crisis is all.”
“We still on for tonight?” he asked and she gave a deep sigh.
“I forgot,” she said as she entered the house and attempted to climb the stairs.
“So you breakin’ our date?”
“No, ah’ll be ready, if only to escape this madness.”
“What’s goin’ on over dere, or should I ask?”
“I’ll exlain t’night. It’s too complicated to say over the phone. Pick me up in an hour okay.”
“Anyt’ing my chere wants,” His words made her giggle.
She said her farewells and ran up the stairs to get ready but she wasn’t thinking and phased through two bedrooms before she realized she was in Kurt’s room, who was making out with Tabby.
“Privacy, please,” Tabby yelled out.
“Sorry,” Rogue said and ran for the door.
“Rogue, what’s going on?” Kurt asked as he walked towards her. Tabby followed him, while holding his hand.
“This stupid power is hard to control, and ah have a date tonight,” Rogue said frustrated.
“You’ll figure it out,” Kurt said, trying to be a supportive brother.
“Yeah,” Tabby said but squeezed Kurt’s hand, which was a sign that she wanted to be alone with him. “And seeing that you have a date with the hot Gambit guy, you must be going.”
Rogue looked down at her phone and saw that she had less than an hour to get ready. “Sorry, guys, ah gotta go.” She opened the door and quickly left the room.
She needed to get a handle on this. One good thing about this power switch is that she and Remy could finally get close, but what if she phased right through him? It seemed like she traded one problem for another.