X-Men: A Diamond in the Rough - Chapter 4
Title: A Diamond in the Rough
Author: Silk
Email: katiepult@gmail.com
Fandom/Pairing: AU X-Men (Comic-verse), Emma Frost/OC Femslash
Disclaimers: Marvel & its characters aren't mine. The Original Character is mine however. I don't usually approve of disclaimers. Since books don't have them why should I? Anyone who is familiar with the Marvel-verse knows there are many alternate Earths and this is my version (so in response to Scott's blindness, no he was not blinded in the mainstream universe, but he was in mine. Many things are and will be different because logically if this was in the same universe, Scott and Emma would be a couple soon.) Beta'd by Whedonist (1shinyboat ) Thank you for the kick in the ass. Ratings will go up to NC17/M. Any special disclaimers will be posted with that chapter.
Please don't forget to review. Thank you!
Chapters 1, 2, 3
Chapter Four
"Gen-Oh-Shaw," I whisper, practicing to myself as I eat. I learn words that I don’t always understand but I know I need to learn them. There is no voice in the tank to teach me, and no creche brothers and sisters to share the new words they've learned that day, so I must teach myself here and it’s becoming easier the more I try. "Gen-Oh-Sha." I try again. Better this time, I think.
The sun is going down, which makes me feel better, safer. Too much space in this place, this Gen-Oh-Sha. Too much everything. We worked every day, taken out of the creche but the Outside wasn't like this. Things are different, everything is broken.
I haven't felt good since I woke up in this strange place. There was only the one Master here when she woke up. She had been Cleansed, laying on top of me when I opened my eyes. I had stayed by her side for days to protect her. That was part of my job, to protect my Master when we were out Hunting. I had tried to make her comfortable, wrapping her up in one of the blankets I had found and then laying down shiny trinkets and other things I thought she might like.
But I eventually left her, finding a new creche.
Choking down the remainder of the soft sweet, called a "Zing-er" I had scavenged earlier, I scoot further back into the broken building, to my creche. Unspoiled food was getting harder to come by since I had woken up, scavenging took up most of the day now and I have to roam further. The things I find though are mostly good, wrapped up in clear cloth or in cans. When I first entered a half-collapsed building and saw the rows upon rows of food, I wasn't sure if I was allowed, but hunger had driven me to eat.
My creche. I don't know what to call it. It’s not my home anymore, it is my creche, but there's no one there but me. No brothers and sisters. No Masters to feed me, take me out to work or take me to the pleasure rooms. It's a dark hole, a closet I have learned, so close and comforting that it reminds me of the tank time but there is no fluid to surround me. Instead I have many blankets to huddle in and sometimes, if I pretend really good, I imagine the bundles pressed up against me are my brothers and sisters and I sleep better.
Most times I don't.
Most times I wake up almost screaming, only just able to hold back the noise.
There's no sisters and brothers here that I can sleep with.
I shudder as I walk in the dark with ease, finding my creche and burrowing into the blankets, feeling safer than I have all day since I left it.
It takes a long time, it always does now, but I finally fall asleep... and dream.
I dream of work.
I dream of Masters.
I dream of the last Master.
I dream of white and wake up in a cold sweat, panting in the dark. It takes time again, but I fall back asleep.
But today is different.
I have sensed others on occasion. At first there were a few Masters, then a few mutants that had come near, something I could tell automatically for that was the job I did for the Masters before. Hound they called me when I worked, able to track down the slaves that had run away. The collar no longer stopped me from sensing where others were. Dodging them all was easy. Master or mutant, I wanted nothing from any of them.
Lately more mutants have come to shape one of the giant machines into a monument, the plaque easier for me to read since I had woken up. I had no idea who Magneto was. But Gen-Oh-Sha meant the Master’s land. Staying away from them all is the only way I know and when they left I had relaxed again.
But now I knew there were more mutants near and coming closer as if they could sense me like I could sense them. It was time to run and find another creche.
Far too many this time, surrounding me, cutting off any escape as I dodge behind walls and run down corridors until I’m panting and cornered, back to where I started, where the last Master is… where I left her. It seems fitting somehow.
Carefully I peek out one of the cracks in the wall, catching sight of two of the ones that have come.
They’re flying.
I’ve never seen anyone fly. It makes my chest hurt… and my shoulders twitch. I wonder what it feels like to fly.
One of the fliers has long red hair and she’s very pretty in green and gold clothes. Just looking at her makes me smile. The last time I smiled... it is hard to remember. A Master... her, the last one... gave me a sweet treat. She laughed as I ate it and then licked the wrapper clean, then my fingers, over and over. I dared to smile back up at her and wasn't punished.
The other is kind of hidden behind a tree that has been broken in half, but I can see flashes of white and blue eyes that suddenly snap to mine as if she knows exactly where I am.
*You don't have to run.*
I hear words in my head and know they do see me, easy enough since both are so still in the air and looking towards the spot where I am hiding. The others have gotten closer, the sense of them fuzzy and warm. Not like the bad slaves I had kept away from when they came here, but they are slaves... but not. They don’t act like slaves.
Run. I leap up, catching the edge of the huge hole above me to the next floor.
"There she is!" shouts one of the others, his low voice almost a growl.
Dark. Dark. Dark. Nothing here.
I dodge a set of arms then jump up again through a hole in the wall, scrambling up a set of pipes, squirming up through too another level.
"Need a lift, Emma?" comes a female voice and I pause in between the walls, looking out a small hole, not showing my face but just enough to...
It's the fiery-haired one. Her voice sounds like the words had in my head.
"And ruin this outfit? Besides, she likes you better," came a cooler voice, more Master-like and I know it's the snowy white one.
"Shhh... she's listening."
I sense the others but they're not as close as the two women, as if they have stopped closing in. Standing still, waiting?
"It's ok you know. We won't hurt you," says the nicer of the two.
Warmth and curiosity wash over me from the red head and I'm torn. I miss the creche but things are so different than from before and there’s no real Master here. Trust no one.
"But you can trust us," she replies and I freeze, my body tensing.
The red head can hear me? Not good. Not good. Mutant. Slave.
"I'm not a slave. There are no slaves here," she says softly and comes closer up to the hole even though the snowy white one isn't helping her up.
I'm not sure if I believe her, the white one seems to find something humorous about what she said. Funny and sad at the same time.
FEAR!
Both wince and shiver in the light that is coming through the side of the building where they’re floating, the fear running through them and all the others that are nearby.
“Well, that was strong,” the white one grimaces up at me, but I feel as if it’s not because of me. “No, you don’t need to fear us.”
I let the fear go in confusion. Always before that worked. Anyone who found me or saw me always recoiled in fear when I did that but not them.
Some of the others are worried, I sense, but they’re still coming closer, from all directions and I know that I need to hurry if I plan on escaping.
The thought freezes me again. Why wouldn’t I escape?
*Because you don’t need to.*
Not my thought again but not the red headed one. I blink and look at the snowy white one and can't help my lips as they twitch into a small smile when she winks at me. She's naughty that one, I can feel it.
"She's got you pegged," the first one says, the mirth from her washing over me, then she slowly reaches a gloved hand towards me, offering it. "Hi, I'm Jean."
I look at her hand in confusion. It's not close enough to grab me or pet me... and there's nothing in it.
"Oh for heaven's sake, Jean," the snowy white one rolls her eyes and I sense annoyance towards the other before she focuses on me again.
*If you come with us, we'll make sure you're fed and bathed*, I sense a bit of firmness about the last bit and blush. It’s been too long since a Master has removed my suit and let me bathe. *And I promise... I PROMISE,* she says even more firmly. *You may leave if you wish. We're here to help you.*
I sense the others, all determined to find me and I know I've waited too long. All the tunnels and holes and ways are blocked.
FEAR. FEAR. FEAR.
*I swear to you*, the snowy white one looks me straight in the eye and I sense her... so strongly, *you will not come to harm.*
Onto Chapter 5
Author: Silk
Email: katiepult@gmail.com
Fandom/Pairing: AU X-Men (Comic-verse), Emma Frost/OC Femslash
Disclaimers: Marvel & its characters aren't mine. The Original Character is mine however. I don't usually approve of disclaimers. Since books don't have them why should I? Anyone who is familiar with the Marvel-verse knows there are many alternate Earths and this is my version (so in response to Scott's blindness, no he was not blinded in the mainstream universe, but he was in mine. Many things are and will be different because logically if this was in the same universe, Scott and Emma would be a couple soon.) Beta'd by Whedonist (1shinyboat ) Thank you for the kick in the ass. Ratings will go up to NC17/M. Any special disclaimers will be posted with that chapter.
Please don't forget to review. Thank you!
Chapters 1, 2, 3
Chapter Four
"Gen-Oh-Shaw," I whisper, practicing to myself as I eat. I learn words that I don’t always understand but I know I need to learn them. There is no voice in the tank to teach me, and no creche brothers and sisters to share the new words they've learned that day, so I must teach myself here and it’s becoming easier the more I try. "Gen-Oh-Sha." I try again. Better this time, I think.
The sun is going down, which makes me feel better, safer. Too much space in this place, this Gen-Oh-Sha. Too much everything. We worked every day, taken out of the creche but the Outside wasn't like this. Things are different, everything is broken.
I haven't felt good since I woke up in this strange place. There was only the one Master here when she woke up. She had been Cleansed, laying on top of me when I opened my eyes. I had stayed by her side for days to protect her. That was part of my job, to protect my Master when we were out Hunting. I had tried to make her comfortable, wrapping her up in one of the blankets I had found and then laying down shiny trinkets and other things I thought she might like.
But I eventually left her, finding a new creche.
Choking down the remainder of the soft sweet, called a "Zing-er" I had scavenged earlier, I scoot further back into the broken building, to my creche. Unspoiled food was getting harder to come by since I had woken up, scavenging took up most of the day now and I have to roam further. The things I find though are mostly good, wrapped up in clear cloth or in cans. When I first entered a half-collapsed building and saw the rows upon rows of food, I wasn't sure if I was allowed, but hunger had driven me to eat.
My creche. I don't know what to call it. It’s not my home anymore, it is my creche, but there's no one there but me. No brothers and sisters. No Masters to feed me, take me out to work or take me to the pleasure rooms. It's a dark hole, a closet I have learned, so close and comforting that it reminds me of the tank time but there is no fluid to surround me. Instead I have many blankets to huddle in and sometimes, if I pretend really good, I imagine the bundles pressed up against me are my brothers and sisters and I sleep better.
Most times I don't.
Most times I wake up almost screaming, only just able to hold back the noise.
There's no sisters and brothers here that I can sleep with.
I shudder as I walk in the dark with ease, finding my creche and burrowing into the blankets, feeling safer than I have all day since I left it.
It takes a long time, it always does now, but I finally fall asleep... and dream.
I dream of work.
I dream of Masters.
I dream of the last Master.
I dream of white and wake up in a cold sweat, panting in the dark. It takes time again, but I fall back asleep.
But today is different.
I have sensed others on occasion. At first there were a few Masters, then a few mutants that had come near, something I could tell automatically for that was the job I did for the Masters before. Hound they called me when I worked, able to track down the slaves that had run away. The collar no longer stopped me from sensing where others were. Dodging them all was easy. Master or mutant, I wanted nothing from any of them.
Lately more mutants have come to shape one of the giant machines into a monument, the plaque easier for me to read since I had woken up. I had no idea who Magneto was. But Gen-Oh-Sha meant the Master’s land. Staying away from them all is the only way I know and when they left I had relaxed again.
But now I knew there were more mutants near and coming closer as if they could sense me like I could sense them. It was time to run and find another creche.
Far too many this time, surrounding me, cutting off any escape as I dodge behind walls and run down corridors until I’m panting and cornered, back to where I started, where the last Master is… where I left her. It seems fitting somehow.
Carefully I peek out one of the cracks in the wall, catching sight of two of the ones that have come.
They’re flying.
I’ve never seen anyone fly. It makes my chest hurt… and my shoulders twitch. I wonder what it feels like to fly.
One of the fliers has long red hair and she’s very pretty in green and gold clothes. Just looking at her makes me smile. The last time I smiled... it is hard to remember. A Master... her, the last one... gave me a sweet treat. She laughed as I ate it and then licked the wrapper clean, then my fingers, over and over. I dared to smile back up at her and wasn't punished.
The other is kind of hidden behind a tree that has been broken in half, but I can see flashes of white and blue eyes that suddenly snap to mine as if she knows exactly where I am.
*You don't have to run.*
I hear words in my head and know they do see me, easy enough since both are so still in the air and looking towards the spot where I am hiding. The others have gotten closer, the sense of them fuzzy and warm. Not like the bad slaves I had kept away from when they came here, but they are slaves... but not. They don’t act like slaves.
Run. I leap up, catching the edge of the huge hole above me to the next floor.
"There she is!" shouts one of the others, his low voice almost a growl.
Dark. Dark. Dark. Nothing here.
I dodge a set of arms then jump up again through a hole in the wall, scrambling up a set of pipes, squirming up through too another level.
"Need a lift, Emma?" comes a female voice and I pause in between the walls, looking out a small hole, not showing my face but just enough to...
It's the fiery-haired one. Her voice sounds like the words had in my head.
"And ruin this outfit? Besides, she likes you better," came a cooler voice, more Master-like and I know it's the snowy white one.
"Shhh... she's listening."
I sense the others but they're not as close as the two women, as if they have stopped closing in. Standing still, waiting?
"It's ok you know. We won't hurt you," says the nicer of the two.
Warmth and curiosity wash over me from the red head and I'm torn. I miss the creche but things are so different than from before and there’s no real Master here. Trust no one.
"But you can trust us," she replies and I freeze, my body tensing.
The red head can hear me? Not good. Not good. Mutant. Slave.
"I'm not a slave. There are no slaves here," she says softly and comes closer up to the hole even though the snowy white one isn't helping her up.
I'm not sure if I believe her, the white one seems to find something humorous about what she said. Funny and sad at the same time.
FEAR!
Both wince and shiver in the light that is coming through the side of the building where they’re floating, the fear running through them and all the others that are nearby.
“Well, that was strong,” the white one grimaces up at me, but I feel as if it’s not because of me. “No, you don’t need to fear us.”
I let the fear go in confusion. Always before that worked. Anyone who found me or saw me always recoiled in fear when I did that but not them.
Some of the others are worried, I sense, but they’re still coming closer, from all directions and I know that I need to hurry if I plan on escaping.
The thought freezes me again. Why wouldn’t I escape?
*Because you don’t need to.*
Not my thought again but not the red headed one. I blink and look at the snowy white one and can't help my lips as they twitch into a small smile when she winks at me. She's naughty that one, I can feel it.
"She's got you pegged," the first one says, the mirth from her washing over me, then she slowly reaches a gloved hand towards me, offering it. "Hi, I'm Jean."
I look at her hand in confusion. It's not close enough to grab me or pet me... and there's nothing in it.
"Oh for heaven's sake, Jean," the snowy white one rolls her eyes and I sense annoyance towards the other before she focuses on me again.
*If you come with us, we'll make sure you're fed and bathed*, I sense a bit of firmness about the last bit and blush. It’s been too long since a Master has removed my suit and let me bathe. *And I promise... I PROMISE,* she says even more firmly. *You may leave if you wish. We're here to help you.*
I sense the others, all determined to find me and I know I've waited too long. All the tunnels and holes and ways are blocked.
FEAR. FEAR. FEAR.
*I swear to you*, the snowy white one looks me straight in the eye and I sense her... so strongly, *you will not come to harm.*
Onto Chapter 5