See part 0/5 for disclaimer. Please send comments to claire at or i can forward them for you, my address is in my sig file. The 'Of Mutants And Immortals' Arc Welcome To The X-Men, Kavik. Hope You Survive The Experience! Part 4 by Claire L. Fenwick Warren Worthington III soared high above the trees. He couldn't see any movement. He thought. "Angel!" He heard a woman call. He stopped and looked around. He could see Rogue flying to him. "Ya seen anything?" She asked, in her Southern drawl. "No. You?" "Nah. Ah don't know where she is." Came the answer. "Has Kavik got anyone else?" Angel asked his companion. "Bishop, Psylocke an' Beast." Rogue replied. "She must be pretty good to...oof!" Warren slammed into a wall of air. "ANGEL!" Yelled Rogue as she dived after her unconscious team-mate. She stopped in surprise when she saw Kavik fly up and catch him. "Ya didn't tell us ya could fly." Rogue accused. Kavik shrugged, the unconscious Angel in her arms. "You didn't ask." Then, without warning, Kavik simply dropped Angel, grabbing his flag as he fell from her arms. "Now, hadn't you better go and catch Angel before he goes splat?" Shaking herself out of her shock at Kavik's unexpected action, Rogue flew after Warren. She managed to grab him just before he hit the trees. Rogue flew to where the X-Men who were already out were waiting. Betsy stood in concern when she saw Rogue. Warren was already regaining consciousness when Rogue landed. "What happened?" He asked quietly. "What happened," Cyclops said, as he came out of the forest with Phoenix. "Is that Kavik is picking us off, one by one, like we were rank amateurs." He turned to his wife. "Jean, call back the remaining X-Men. We need to plan this very carefully." When Storm and Gambit arrived Cyclops looked at the other five remaining X-Men. "Wolverine, you know her. What's the best way to end this." Logan lit a cigar and looked at Scott. "'Vik's good. She has fine control and is totally at ease with what she can do." "I asked you how to take her out, not to sing her praises." Snapped Scott. "Just 'cause the kid's takin' out ya team like they were on a Sunday school picnic, Summers, ain't no reason ta take it out on me." Snarled Logan. Ororo laid a hand on Logan's arm. "Logan, please." "Fine, 'Ro. Ya wanna know how ta take her out? Hit her hard, hit her fast, and hope ya can keep it up long enough ta stop her." While they were talking, none of the X-Men noticed a tiny flame leap from the match Logan had dropped on the ground and float away. Kavik drew the flame to her and held it between her hands. She had control over the element of fire. However, she couldn't create fire, she needed a flame to work with, and Logan had just given it to her. "Okay." Kavik said to herself. "Let's see just how good they really are." Kavik lifted herself off the ground using the air molecules around her. Keeping the small fireball behind her, she flew towards where the others would be waiting. "Look!" Rogue pointed into the air. Kavik flew towards them, then stopped and hovered above them. Rogue flew up to where Kavik was. "What the hell were you thinking? Dropping Warren like that?" She demanded. "I knew you would catch him." Kavik replied calmly. "An' how did ya know that?" Rogue could feel herself getting angrier. "I read your file, I knew you were fast enough." "You coulda killed him." Rogue's voice was getting louder. "Rogue, if you hadn't caught him, then I would have stopped him. It's as simple as that." Rogue anger was rising. It wouldn't have mattered what Kavik said. Rogue had been bottling up her feelings for weeks, and now all the emotions about Gambit, Joseph, Mystique and everything else was tumbling out of her. It wasn't Kavik she was annoyed at, it was herself. But she was turning that anger on the most convenient person - Kavik. **Scott, Rogue's not thinking straight.** Jean's concern for her friend was palpable through her mind link with her husband. **Her thoughts are becoming confused. She's hurt, and angry about so many things. What happened between Remy and Kavik was simply the last straw.** **What about Gambit and Kavik?** Scott asked. Jean smiled. Scott could survive through attacks by the Brood, Sinister and a multitude of others, but he often remained oblivious to the subtle reactions around him in everyday life. It was one of the things Jean loved about him. **Remy and Kavik spent the night together last night.** **Oh.** **Rogue's still confused about her feelings for Gambit. Seeing him with Kavik didn't help the situation.** Cyclops looked up at Rogue, who was still shouting at Kavik, who was still remaining calm about the entire situation, trying to diffuse Rogue's anger. Kavik's reaction was only making Rogue shout louder. Rogue was infuriated with Kavik's attitude. She screamed and flew at Kavik full force. Kavik was momentarily surprised by Rogue's attack, but realised that the young woman's anger meant that she wasn't thinking straight. Kavik slapped Rogue with a wall of air. Rogue was winded, but she was running on to much adrenaline to stop. She grabbed Kavik around the waist and the two of them tussled in mid air. Rogue's elbow went into Kavik's ribs, and she heard a loud *CRACK*, followed by several others. "Rogue, get off me!" Shouted Kavik, through the pain of several broken ribs. "No!" Screamed Rogue. "You just got here, why should he be able to touch you. It should be me he still wants. What have you got that ah haven't?" Rogue ripped off her glove. "No! Rogue, stop!" Yelled Storm as she flew up to her friend. But Storm was too late. Rogue touched Kavik's face and was assaulted by memories and powers that weren't hers. But Kavik was an Immortal, and Rogue's mind was unprepared for the onslaught of centuries of memories. She let go of Kavik in sudden shock, and Kavik's unconscious body plummeted to the ground. Jean caught Kavik's body in a telekinetic bubble and lowered her to the ground. Gambit was by her side instantly. "How is she?" He asked. "I don't know. Kavik's immune to telepathy, I can't read her. Even now, I'm still blocked." Jean checked for a pulse. "She's alive, that's all I can tell you." Above the ground, Rogue was drowning in a sea of memories. Within instants, she lived through all the battles Kavik had fought, all the lives she had lived, all the people she had loved. Rogue screamed, losing touch of herself as Kavik's life invaded her. Lost and confused, Rogue triggered the abilities that she had absorbed from Kavik. The small fireball Kavik had been planning on using grew in intensity. Without Kavik's innate knowledge of the powers she now wielded, Rogue was unable to keep check of it. The fire grew and surrounded Rogue. Rogue screamed, terrified of being burned, and lashed out, throwing the fireball away from her. The fireball hit the wall of the Danger Room, and sparks flew in all directions. Part of the simulation began to break down, revealing the Shi'ar technology behind the sophisticated illusion. Iceman reacted immediately, blanketing the wall in ice, and putting out the fire, but the damage was already done. Unable to keep control of the powers, Rogue's terror and anger manifested itself in the most destructive way. The air tossed and churned. The ground beneath the others rolled and threatened to swallow them. Water molecules came together and pelted those below with torrential rain. "Rogue, don't!" Gambit's cry was lost in the sound of the air churning about them. "Jean, stop her telepat'ically." Gambit turned to Phoenix. "I can't." Yelled Jean. "Her mind is too confused to get a hold on." **Charles, stop this.** The voice of Xavier entered Jean's head. **I can't. Rogue short-circuited the room when she threw that fireball. I can't end the simulation.** Xavier's voice sounded ragged. **I've tried getting into her mind, but she must also have absorbed some of Kavik's immunity to telepathy. I can read her slightly, but I can't get a grip on her mind.** Jean turned to the other X-Men. "Charles can't help." She shouted above the noise. "We're on our own. We have to get Rogue down before she hurts someone." Jean looked up to where Storm was, trying to ease the rain that Rogue had created. **Storm, can you reach Rogue?** **I'll try.** Storm replied. Storm flew closer to Rogue. "Rogue, you need to calm down." She shouted. Rogue couldn't hear her. All Rogue knew was that Kavik's memories were threatening to overwhelm her. She was fighting for her sanity, and the battle within her mind was reflected in the raging tempests she was creating. Storm flew closer to Rogue in an attempt to reach her. Rogue looked at her friend, but she didn't see Storm, all she saw was someone with a sword, trying to kill her. "Stay away from me!" She yelled, bringing her own sword up to defend herself. "What's she doing?" Screamed Psylocke to the others. "It looks like she's trying to strike Ororo with an imaginary weapon." Answered Hank. Wolverine and Gambit looked at each other as they realised what was happening. Logan walked over to Gambit and knelt next to him. "Looks ta me like the imaginary weapon she's brandishing is a sword." "She mus' t'ink dat she's Kavik." "'Vik's over 500 years, and the life she's led has been anything but normal. The memories Rogue absorbed must be overwhelming her. She's losin' herself ta Kavik." Logan looked down at the unconscious form of the only person who could stop what was happening. "How long's she gonna be out, Gumbo?" "I don' know." Replied Gambit. "I jus' hope dat she recover soon." Although the sword Rogue held only existed in her own mind, she subconsciously extended the absorbed powers. When Rogue brought the sword down towards Storm, a massive wall of air hit Ororo, knocking her unconscious. "Storm!" Yelled Bishop, as he watched her body fall. "I've got her." Shouted Warren, as he flew up to catch her. Flying at the same speed Storm was falling, Angel slowed her descent as he held her. "Let me see her." Hank took Storm off Warren as soon as he landed. After looking at her, he turned to Cyclops. "Scott, we have to stop this, now. Ororo's got a concussion, but it might be worse. I can't tell without a more detailed examination." Watching as her opponent fell, Rogue held her sword high above her and screamed in triumph. Gambit and Wolverine looked at Cyclops as a look of determination passed over his face. "We've got to take Rogue out." He shouted. "It's the only way." Gambit opened his mouth to say something when he heard a small moan at his feet. He knelt down and stroked Kavik's cheek and her eyes opened slightly. "Did someone get the number of that truck?" She groaned softly. "Kavik, you got to wake up. Rogue absorbed your powers an' now she gone haywire." Gambit spoke quietly. "What?" Kavik tried to force herself to sit up, but it was like she was held down by lead weights. She could feel the ground beneath her rolling and could smell smoke. Scott looked over to Kavik and saw that she was awake. He walked over to where Gambit was kneeling next to her. "Have your powers returned?" He asked. Now that Kavik was conscious again, Rogue should lose the powers she absorbed. Kavik couldn't feel her powers. "No." She answered. With Gambit's help, she managed to get to her feet. Her ribs had healed, but she was still slightly tender. Managing to focus, Kavik looked up at the lone figure in the sky. Rogue. Rogue hovered above the trees, holding her sword above her head and laughing. Kavik looked at Logan and Remy. "What's she doing? It looks like she thinks she's holding a..." Kavik's voice trailed off as she remembered what she had read about Rogue. "Oh fuck." She said. Slowly, Rogue's self began to re-assert itself, as Kavik's memories flooded out of her body. The sword disappeared from her mind as Rogue began to come back to reality. Rogue's shoulders sagged with exhaustion. Unable to hold herself aloft, Rogue's body slumped, and began to plummet towards the ground. "Rogue!" Shouted Iceman. "I've got her." Called Jean, as she enveloped Rogue in a telekinetic bubble and lowered her to the ground. Kavik felt her powers return to her, and with a thought she calmed both the air and the ground. The rain stopped, as Kavik pushed the water molecules back into the air. Scott held Rogue in his arms, as Hank tried to override the circuits to open the door. Her eyes flickered open and she mumbled something. "What does that mean?" Asked Bobby. "I don't know." Answered Scott. He was about to ask Kavik if she knew the meaning of Rogue's words, when Hank shouted in triumph and the doors to the Danger Room slid open. Hank picked up Ororo gently and carried her out. "I want Rogue in the infirmary as well. She's never reacted to absorbing powers like this before." Scott walked after Hank, and the rest of the X-Men followed. Only three people remained in the Danger Room. "Did you hear wha' she said, Chere?" Gambit asked, as Kavik walked over to him and Wolverine. He had heard Rogue's words, he just wasn't sure if Kavik had. "Oh, I heard her all right." Kavik's voice sounded cold. "Damn." She said as the words Rogue had mumbled went round in her head: End of part 4 {} {@@@##{}>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> {} **** Always running before the sun Suzy {ee0u4051@liverpool.ac.uk}