Chapter 8
I come downstairs as I put bandages on my shoulder, my jacket across my arm again, and hear the starting chords of Hamilton. "Ohhh. See, that ain't gonna make me look like an idiot. It's gonna make me look like I'm obsessed. There's a difference," I scoff and Indri shrugs slightly, smirking at me. "You ever heard the music?" He nods and I smile, shouldering my jacket carefully over my tank top. "How well do you know the lyrics?" He shrugs slightly and I grin, nodding a bit. "Uh-huh... I see..." I lean against the back of the couch behind him and watch the musical on the TV.
"So...?"
"So... What?"
"When are you gonna start being stupid with this?" He looks at me and I roll my eyes, vaulting myself over the back of the couch to plop next to him.
"How about we make a deal?"
"What kind of deal?"
"I'll go along with one full song if you do it with me."
"Hm..." He narrows his eyes at me and I grin, waiting for him to answer. "Fine. What song?"
"Let's see..." I count them out on my fingers and grin. "The fifth one."
"What's the fifth one?"
"You'll see. I'll be the first one to start when it comes up. And you can't do the ensemble, which is the one where everyone's singing together. That isn't a part, it's numerous parts."
"OK." He shrugs and I chill while we wait for the song to come up.
It starts and he looks at me. "You've gotta be kidding."
"Nope." I grin and wink at him, clearing my throat slightly as I stand. "There’s nothing rich folks love more, Than going downtown and slummin’ it with the poor. They pull up in their carriages and gawk at the students in the common, Just to watch them talk. Take Philip Schuyler: the man is loaded. Uh-oh, but little does he know that His daughters, Peggy, Angelica, Eliza, Sneak into the city just to watch all the guys at—"
"You're an idiot and I hate you."
"Completely OK with that, dude."
"Angelica," He sings while glaring at me and I grin, laughing. "Angelica!"
"This is going to be glorious."
"I hate you. Daddy doesn't need to know... But- look around, look around, the revolution's happening in New York... Work!" He snaps as he sings that and I start laughing as I walk around the living room.
"New ideas in the air. Look around, look around,"
"She's looking for me!" I lean over the back of the couch and he shoves my head away.
"Eliza I'm looking for a mind at work. I'm looking for a mind at work! I'm looking for a mind at work! Whooaaa! Whooaaa! Work!"
"Ooh, harsh," I hold my hand over my heart in mock offense and he rolls his eyes while I walk around the couch. "Whoo! There's nothing like summer in the city. Someone in a rush next to someone looking pretty. Excuse me, miss, I know it's not funny, but your perfume smells like your Daddy's got money. Why you slumming in the city in your fancy heels. You searching for an urchin who can give you ideals?"
"Burr, you disgust me."
"Ah, so you've discussed me? I'm a trust fund, baby, you can trust me!" I can't even get the words out properly because I can't stop laughing and Indri starts laughing too.
"I've been reading Common Sense by Thomas Paine. So men say that I'm intense or I'm insane. You want a revolution? I want revelation. So listen to my declaration: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal' And when I met Thomas Jefferson, I'm 'a compel him to include women in the sequel! Work!" He snaps as he sings 'work' again and I laugh more, leaning on the back of the couch.
"History is happening in Manhattan and we just happen to be in the greatest city in the world! In the greatest city in the world!" He sings along with Angelica's parts in the chaos that follows and I watch, thoroughly enjoying this.
The song ends and I clap, chuckling. "Bravo! You are, by far, the sassiest Angelica I have ever met!" He launches himself over the couch and knocks us both onto the floor. "Kid, you come up to my knees, my hip max. This just is not a fair fight." I roll us so I'm pinning him before I stand and help him to his feet. "Not a bad attack, though. Needs some work." I ruffle his hair and he glares at me before leaving.
"This is kinda your fault, though, kid! You're the one that agreed," I call after him and he flips me off, making me smile a bit. "Yeah, yeah. OK." I take the compass out of my pocket and turn it over in my hand, running my thumb across it. I activate my visor when I feel something carved into it and look at the words. "'Look within to understand what is within this compass?' What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"It means, you need to look within yourself before you can get whatever you need from that," Strange says simply and I look at him, raising an eyebrow at that. "You need to sit somewhere and do nothing to understand yourself then you can get what you need from that."
"Oh, yeah. I can do that. Super easy." I sit on the floor in front of the couch and do nothing for about two minutes. "Nothing's happening."
"It's going to take time."
"Time that we might not have, by the way." He rubs his face and takes a deep breath.
"Alright, fair point. Then, let's try to get this done as quickly as possible." He stands, coming over to me and I notice that the musical had been turned off. He guides me into sitting with my legs crossed and my back straight. "Sit like this and have your hands in your lap, pressing the compass between your palms." I notice Indri come in out of the corner of my eye and he sits in a chair where he could see me. "Close your eyes, empty your mind, and focus on your breathing."
"Namaste," I mutter sarcastically and he rolls his eyes while I close mine, breathing slowly.
"Use this time to run your fingers over the compass and get familiar with the feel of it." I do that and feel very stupid doing all of this.
"OK, this is stupid and going nowhere."
"It's been ten minutes," Loki says drily.
"Exactly! Ten minutes is too long to have to work on this thing! I inherited the damned thing! Why can't it just do some damned magic mumbo jumbo and presto! I have the damned life source in me?"
"No. You just hate that you have to be alone with your thoughts to get it to work because you know that you're a terrible person and have numerous reasons to feel guilty for everything you've ever done in your entire life," Indri says simply and harshly causing everyone looks at him in shock.
"Damn," I breathe and look at the compass, visor still on. "'Playing the piano and, maybe, your violin might help, my sweet baby Razi,'" I murmur under my breath and rub my face slightly, standing. "Stark, I need a violin." He procures a case from under the stairs and I look at him.
"I had one made up when we found out about you learning how to play when you were younger," He says awkwardly and I nod slightly, taking it.
"Uh-huh... Thanks..." I lift the cover of the piano keys out of the way and slide my fingers along all of them to test them, the same way Keiko would. I deactivate my visor as I sit on the piano bench and set the violin case next to me, looking at the keys. I close my eyes and think back on all of the trips we'd take up here when she had the time, one time in particular.
"You put your fingers on the keys and just start playing what the sheet tells you to play," I murmur and look at the sheet that was on the little stand above the keys, seeing the song that was there. I carefully wipe off the grime from the lamented sheet music and rest my fingers on the keys. "It would be less painful to stab me through the heart," I mutter and take a deep breath, using my other hand to put the chain on the compass around my neck.
"What are you doing?"
"Praying to any of the Gods that this works, Aleta." I think back on that trip and ghost my fingers over the first few keys, pressing them to make sure they sound right. "Yay," I say sarcastically and take a deep breath again.
I start playing the song and it goes OK. "Almost there, my sweet baby Razi. Just have to do one last part of the puzzle. Sing," Mom's voice says in my head and I play for a few more moments.
"I know my sister like I know my own mind... You will never find anyone as trusting or as kind... I love my sister more than anything in this life... I will choose her happiness over mine, every time... Congratulations... For the rest of your life... Every sacrifice you make is for my sister... Give her the best life... Congratulations," I end the song and the compass was burning hot on my skin. I take it off and hold it in my hand, opening it.
A vibrant mix of blue and green light comes out of the compass and floats in front of me while I stare at it. It speeds toward me and connects with my chest. The room seems to spin around me as a burning sensation starts at my chest and spreads throughout the rest of my body.
When it stops, I pant slightly and Lumes was in front of me, looking me over. "I'm fine... You wanna back up a bit?" She hands me some water and motions for me to drink it. "Fine." I drink the water quickly and wipe the back of my hand across my mouth. "Happy?"
"Ecstatic. Your shoulder wound's fully healed and so is your leg. Looks like the absorbing of your life source healed it." She takes the brace off.
"So now she can't die?" Indri asks and I roll my eyes slightly.
"That's correct."
"Yipee," I mutter under my breath and Lumes glances at me while I stand up. The compass had been disintegrated and I felt like I could sleep for ten days straight. "I'm going to go pass out for a little bit. Just... Someone get me when the food's done." I go to lay down in the truck, knowing people would leave me alone if I did, and rest my head against the headrest of the driver's seat, trying to sleep.
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I jolt awake and rub my face when Clint knocks on the window. He opens the passenger door and I raise an eyebrow at him. "Food's done." I nod and get out of the truck, heading inside to the kitchen as I stretch.
"Ya git any sleep, kid?" Kraglin elbows my arm and I rub my neck, having a crick in it.
"Some, yeah." I roll my head on my shoulders and ease the pain a bit, rubbing it again.
"Wha's the matta with yer neck?" Yondu raises an eyebrow at me and I lean against the wall a bit.
"Little sore from the way I slept. It'll fade soon enough." He nods a bit and May looks at me. "What'd you make?"
"Pepper, the cooks on your crews, and I made the stuff in your recipe box," She hands me the recipes they used and I look through them a bit. "Your mother must've loved cooking."
"No clue. Barely remember her. And Dad couldn't give me much info about her since he only knew her for a week. You made pies?"
"Yeah... What happened to your mother?"
"The Skrull decided playing crash 'em up derby with me in the car would be fun. She died and I died too, then came back and tried to get her to wake up while in the morgue. That's also the reason that everyone in this town hated me from ages three to ten. Gotta love idiots," I scoff and look through the recipes some more, not noticing Indri staring at me.
"You know that thing that the Kree put in your head?" I raise an eyebrow at him and motion for him to continue slightly, giving May back the recipes. "Did you know it also managed to record your dreams?"
"Dreams are brain waves and inside of my head, not outside. How the Hell did they do that?"
"No clue. But it was interesting to see them. You have some weird dreams. What's with the one where you're running through an empty building? And why were you whistling while you were asleep?"
"I do that sometimes. It's weird, I know. And dreams are weird too."
"That didn't answer my question."
"I don't know, kid. I don't try to analyze my dreams because I don't care about what they mean or what's up with them. They happen, I wake up, and it's done. The dreams don't haunt me while I'm awake and I go on with my life."
"Very nice speech." He rolls his eyes and I pinch the bridge of my nose, silently asking the Gods for patience as I drop my hand.
"OK. What is your problem with me? You've known me for about three solar cycles and you seem to hate me. So, what's your issue with me, kid?" He doesn't respond and I nod slowly. "Alright. Good talk." I look him over and toss him his coat. "Get that on. We're taking a walk."
"What? Why?"
"Because we need to talk. Let's go." He rolls his eyes as he gets his coat on and I motion for him to leave the kitchen.
"You should eat first," May tries and I grin slightly.
"We will when we get back."
"Where are you going?" I don't answer that and head out with Indri, walking with him.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see. We'll be there in five minutes or so." I lead him through the woods and keep him close to me.
We emerge from the woods at the graveyard and I lead him to Mom's gravestone, crouching next to it. He stands next to me and I gently pull him to be kneeling. "Hey!"
"Shh. Just show some respect." He rolls his eyes and I gently dust off the gravestone. "Hey, Mom. Decided to bring my little brother with me to visit you again since my last visit got cut short. I, um," I clear my throat and Indri looks at me. "I... I wasn't able to give you much info about what had happened before my last visit and more has happened since then." I take a deep breath and rub my face, sighing.
"You probably already know, but... Dad's gone... Gamora, too... And, um... And Jay," I clear my throat around the lump in it and Indri looks at me still. "Because of the Kree... Who are also the reason I hadn't come to visit in so long... So... Um... Yeah..." I sniffle a bit and rub my face again. "Anyway... This is Indri... He's my younger brother... Dad and Gamora's son... He ain't too bad so far..." He was watching me and I smile at him a bit. "I try to remember that flower that Xandarians use to talk to their family, but it doesn't usually work that way. So... I just talk to her..." I rub the back of my neck and he nods a bit.
"Um... It's nice to meet you, I guess... If Mom and Dad are wherever you are... Could you tell them that we're gonna be OK? But that Rogue's an idiot and a jerk and a killer?"
"Alright, come on, man. Not cool." I stand and he does too. "Let's just go..." He heads back to the cabin and I look at the gravestone. "I've done some really bad things, Momma... Things I'm not proud of... But it was to keep me alive... And be able to find anyone that might have been alive if I ever got away... And I'm sorry... I know you've looked over me from wherever you are since I was three... But, please... Stop after right now... Because I made a promise and I intend to keep it... I love you, Momma..." I look at the sky and go to catch up with Indri.
"You can come out from wherever you're hiding now, Sparkles," I call and Martinex slides down the tree he was hiding in, landing next to me.
"You alright, Rogue?" We look at Indri who was ahead of us and I rub my face, dealing with a lot of different emotions right now. I don't respond and walk next to him, Indri waiting for us at the end of the woods.
"Where did you come from, Uncle M?" He ruffles his hair and gently pushes him toward the cabin.
"May's gonna be worried about you not having eaten yet, kid."
"Yeah, OK." He heads inside and we follow. I sit on the steps and rest my elbows on my knees, folding my hands to rest my forehead against them as I close my eyes.
"Rogue, are you alright?"
"Perfectly fine, Mantis."
"OK... Would you like to dance?"
"No. I don't. You should go eat before everyone else eats all of the food." She walks away and I lean back slightly as I rub my face by sliding my hands down it. I look around the room slightly to see that no one else was around and stand, going to the kitchen.
"Want a drink?" Rocket offers me a bottle of beer and I look at it for a moment before I take it, gloves in my pocket. "Need an opener?" I take the cap off with my teeth and throw it away, vaguely noticing everyone looking at me for that.
"Y'know, a picture will last longer." I take a swig of the beer and lean against the wall, taking a small piece of ham to eat that so no one complained that I didn't eat.
"Y'know, you should use a fork to eat," Indri says drily and I finish the piece, wiping my fingers on a nearby napkin.
"Y'know, you should not be a little asshat to me before I lose my temper and kick your tiny ass." He glares at me and finishes his food, dealing with his plate as he thanks May, Pepper, and the cooks for the food. He tries to walk past me and I catch him by the back of his clothes, pulling him back toward me as he chokes slightly.
"Seriously? What do you want?"
"What's your problem with me, Indri? You seemed to like me before you found out what I did while the Kree had me as a slave. What is your issue?"