Chapter Text
Smirk.
She knew exactly what to do. Slowly, she took her gloves off, relishing the anticipation. This “worthless piece of shit”(as she had been called before) was about to fuck ‘em up, the invincible, incorruptible. And no one had any idea of what was coming.
As a child, she had idolized the Avengers. She grew up hearing stories about them, dreaming of becoming a hero herself..
But that was such a long time ago, back in rural Mississippi. … she couldn’t remember when. Now, she couldn't even fathom the idea of being a hero. There was no redemption for her, not with her powers, her life story, and the choices she had made.
She looked ahead and and saw Captain Marvel, radiating power and beauty. She recognized her face, her smile, her confidence. For a moment she forgot her mission and just stood there appreciating, mesmerized by her presence, her glory, her beauty. But this was a mission, she remembered, and her body reacted, as she recalled that Carol was the main persecutor of her family and she wouldn't stop until she got hold of her mother.
Captain Marvel was distracted and Rogue saw her chance… she knew this this wouldn't be a battle for the history books or an epic battle like the ones everyone had seen displayed in the news, the ones everyone liked to talk about, the viral videos people would instantly share and comment… for this was not a fight, this was a not only sneaky attack, it was a vile one, and she acknowledged that: these were the cards she had been dealt. She hoped no one would capture the moment, and just in case she pulled her hoodie over. Deep down bitterness fueled her and pushed her forward, with all her pent up contempt she held inside.
Everything happened in a blink of an eye: Captain Marvel feeling a cold hand in her cheek and a raspy young woman’s voice whispering in her ear “Hello sugah” (this, an unexpected touch, the hand in her cheek, it took Carol for surprise, ‘who is tthis?’ she wondered. Did she know the person? No, that voice, the accent… she didn’t recognize them. ‘what the hell? she don't know who she is messing with' ). Captain Marvel's thoughts raced. Suddenly, it felt as if the ground was disappearing beneath her. Her mind went into a frenzy, her heart pounding, and something inside her soul started to fade. In a matter of seconds her whole body and inner self were engulfed in a whirlwind, rendering her unable to react, collapsing. Despite the confusion, the instinct to fight or flight kicked in, her body reacted in autopilot. Her body went into survival mode as she tried to pull the attacker's hands away, but they were surprisingly strong. The awe and pain were visible in her expression as she resisted with all her will..
Simultaneously Rogue felt her senses heightened, She realized she was stronger than Captain Marvel now. The failed attempt to pull her off thrilled her because it meant she had already absorbed some of Captain Marvel's powers. The transference always came with a flush of the victim's knowledge, but also a rush of memories and feelings. It was part of the trade and as much as she hated it, she couldn't opt out of it.
That exchange always felt strange, familiar in a sense because she knew what her mutation did, but the feelings that she experienced were always different and never welcoming, and this time was no exception. The stream of memories and emotions rushed in a steady flow that kept growing and speeding up as she held on, and she’d soon start an inner fight for control, struggling to keep her own identity, trying to remember momma’s advice: she could not let all this consume her.
Carol sensed her body dying, her soul fading, she could feel it and this was not supposed to be, she thought, there were still battles to fight, people to save, her own life to live. She was in her way home, her friends were expecting her, her team would be waiting her call. This was NOT supposed to be. She couldn’t just die like this, after fighting against every superhero in earth, plenty around the universe. She was not only strong but invincible, wasn’t she? she couldn't just die… so cowardly?.
Within Rogue the flood of memories began to overepower her and Carol’s consciousness, her own persona surreptitiously merged with Carol's unconsciousness. (what…? Is this a dream? who is… this? Is it …me?! – she exclaimed as she saw her ravaged body in her own- stranger hands)- Horror washed over her.. Rogue regained control, she could still feel Carol despair and was panicky, panting, face full of tears that she had not intended to cry, but kept pouring, her mind in a haze (Did ah fucking lost mah mind?, what dahell is happening?) and as she tried to recover herself, she noticed Carol's body had ceased fighting (how long ago? how long had she held on? how long had she ‘lost it’?), her arms now collapsed, body unconscious, head dangling and Rogue’s bared hands still touching her (Is she dead, did ah kill her??). And then, realizing what it felt like being herself again, to be Rogue -because for a moment she had become Carol, and she had experienced all of Carol’s life in a flashback, with all her beauty, glory and arrogance, her dreams and fears, - she, ¿or was the Carol inside her screamed in horror and let out a muted cry.
She couldn’t help but react. In a surge of anguish, hate, and despair, she lifted Captain Marvel's lifeless body into the air and screamed, “Get out of my head!” as she flung captain Marvel off the bridge.