[ Action, Voice ] Seven of Diamonds
[Rogue has spent this entire experiment week completely unaffected. If she were the kind of person inclined to use blackmail, that would be just peachy. Instead, after figuring out the theme, she's gone from resigned to amused to bitter in the blink of an eye. Kind of the Malnosso to remind her that fairy tales and happily ever afters just aren'
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And now it dawns on him that her make-up is gone. It's just as good a look on her, too.
...Now is not the time to be reflecting on these things, LeBeau. Think. If this is the Sleeping Beauty thing playing out, it isn't going to be as easy as just kissing her. At least not if he doesn't want to hit the dusty floor for it. Not that he doesn't have his suspicions that she'd try to knock him out for it even if her mutation didn't first.
After a moment, an idea dawns on him, but he's skeptical. The classics are very particular on this, aren't they?]
Well... guess we'll see if dis works, non?
[And he'll just press a kiss to her forehead. Or, more accurately, to the bangs covering her forehead. Somehow, he has his doubts this will count, but it's worth a try, right?]
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If Remy is very careful to kiss only her bangs, he'll suffer no ill effects. Her powers won't activate through her hair any more than they'll activate through her wings, another fact he might discern depending on how he moves her. And when he kisses, her face remains completely impassive, smooth and unaffected, lost in dreams.
As he pulls back, she takes a deep breath and seems to fall further asleep, as if the Fairy Tale was saying 'You call that true love's kiss? Ha!']
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This thin dress is also no help in that regard. He might not be one of the "good guys" even after leaving Magneto's camp, but he's not about to just let the girl freeze slowly. Shrugging out of his coat, he wraps her up in it as best he can. Moving around someone in a dead sleep is more than a little awkward, especially when you're trying not to bump into any bare skin, but the coat is big enough to cover her, at least.
Remy sits in silence for a moment - cracking a slight grin as the chanting gives way to the guitar solo - as he tries to figure out a plan from here. There's one idea, but it's probably not the best. But then again, tossing caution to the winds isn't the greatest idea either. Any "true love's kiss" would probably need to last longer than it would take Rogue to pull all the kinetic charge clear out of him.
Do the Malnosso wake you back up from things like that?
...Does he really want to test that?
Merde. This is probably going to look a little strange, but. Well. Gambit's been thieving things off of people all week. What's one damsel in distress to add to the score?
As he shifts Rogue into his arms, moving to pick her up and carry her bridal-style, he is silently grateful he's got his neck covered. At least there's no worry of her leaning her head against him and knocking him out.]
Hope you're up for a change of scenery, ma chere, 'cause I t'ink that's the only way this's gonna work...
[Field trip! Time to see if those thorns have grown back already. And also to go somewhere where mutant powers won't be any concern. But first is finding out about the thorns.]
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Gambit's progress to the doorway is unimpeded, but once he opens it he'll find that - unfortunately - most of the thorns have grown back. In fact, they seem to stretch towards the two of them, growing more quickly, now that he's actually made an appearance with their prisoner in his arms.
Careful. It will be easy for those thorns to catch on silk. And once they do they might not let go.]
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Thankfully, he's still got clear enough access to his pockets that he can pull a few cards free and flick them into the tangle of thorns to clear most of the path. He'd be fast enough to dart through from there on his own, but carrying Rogue means slowing down a bit from his usual speed.
Not that he doesn't have a plan. His arms are bare without his coat, but that makes it easier to knock an elbow into oncoming vines to charge them and knock them back. They're definitely scratching his arms up pretty badly, but he'll live.
The silk may be a little singed at the edges after this charge, but Gambit is still managing to break free with Rogue in tow.]
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Ooooh, and that is a good idea, isn't it. Kissing her, the fairy tale means. Just look at her, all asleep and desperate for the one thing that can save her - your kiss. And it's not as if you don't want to. Don't those lips look like they were made for kissing?
Why wait? Go on. Kiss her now.]
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Common sense and past experience have a brief tussle against attraction and the fairy tale. The fairy tale has a point, it's not as if he doesn't want to. But then again, passing out and leaving her to wake up after hitting the pavement with him doesn't match the Happily Ever After, either.
You're gonna have to wait until he gets her to the tunnels, fairy tale. Even though it's getting a lot harder to resist its pull the further he goes from the Item Shop. Shaking his head, he just keeps on his way.
Thankfully, it isn't too far from the tunnel entrance.]
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It's already done its utmost to make Rogue as appealing as possible, as it understands appealing, and the prince's restraint is quite frustrating. It would throw a dragon at you in recompense - at least that is a delay it understands - but sadly lacks the resources.
As it is, they make it safely to the tunnel entrance. Rogue continues to sleep in his arms, subconsciously turned towards and pressing into him. Her face is serene. She doesn't often get sleep like this, uninterrupted from nightmares, and her expression is not often this peaceful. It would almost seem a shame to wake her...
...if the fairy tale compulsion had abated the slightest bit when they entered the tunnel. As it is, it's busy doing its best to draw his attention to just how nicely she fits in his arms, the softness and the firmness of her, that faint scent of magnolias, oh - and the color, shape and texture of those slightly parted red, red lips.
The fairy tale may or may not be laying odds on how many steps in the tunnel this particularly stubborn prince will take before giving in.]
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To Remy's credit, he does at least kneel to set her back down first. She will probably not be too thrilled about this, and dropping her after all this would just be very bad.
Even though he can't quite bring himself to let go of her fully. The Princely mindset taking steady control is making him less than inclined to let her out of his arms just yet.
You want true love's kiss, fairy tale? You got it. This one should rank well enough for the storybook ending. Eat your heart out, Prince Charming.]
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Her lips are soft and warm, and slack with sleep. The fairy tale sticks around just long enough to decide - yes, this kiss is acceptable - before Rogue slowly begins to return to consciousness.
The first thing she's aware of is the pressure on her lips. She must be dreaming, because there's no incoming rush of psyche, no hint of pain along with that thrill-inducing sensation.
She wonders, vaguely, whose memory this is. It feels as though she's leaning against someone taller, and there's a distinctly masculine sense in this kiss, so at least she's the girl in this particular stolen memory. As soon as she opens up her eyes and knows who it is, the whole thing will be ruined and she'll be forced to live through it until she can shake herself out of sleep or dream. And it's such a nice kiss, the only kind she'll ever get to enjoy.
It's no wonder, then, that her first response is to close her eyes more tightly and surge forward in an eager, willing return of pressure.]
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But alas, air will always become an issue eventually.
With a twinge of regret, he breaks the kiss, gently brushing her bangs back and away from her eyes. Still not open. Fairy tale, you'd better not have just been pulling his chain with her returning that kiss.]
Rise an' shine, Sleepin' Beauty.
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This was a very good dream.
...did you have to breathe in dreams? Because she gasps when he breaks the kiss and... those are gloved hands brushing her hair back.
Mello? But she hadn't dreamed of him in... and he hadn't felt like this. They'd been nearly the same height, this person was definitely taller and stronger and...
A twisting, coiling knot of dread begins to form in her stomach, smothering the tingling caused by the kiss.
"Rise an' shine, Sleepin' Beauty."
She knows that voice. Rogue's eyes instantly pop open as she automatically strains away from his embrace, her expression still unguarded and vulnerable for a moment. This is no dream.]
Wha-what?
[The fact that her lips are still tingling do not help in this situation at all. Why is he so close? How could he kiss her without dying? Why would he kiss her?]
Let me go!
[Gawd, he's too close. She can't see anything but his face and she can't seem to look away from his eyes.]
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Easy now, chere. One of those fairy tales goin' around got you.
[He's sure she'll be noticing the dress in just a moment. It will probably lend more weight to this than just him telling her himself.]
...I wasn't jokin' when I said "Sleepin' Beauty."
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What are you talkin' about?
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She gasps, a soft intake of breath.
And her lips are still tingling and he is still too close.]
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Rogue becomes aware of other changes - his arms are bare and scratched, and there's still a heavy weight draping her despite her relative freedom from his embrace. A quick glance down confirms her suspicion. She's wearing his coat.
And these are not her clothes.]
Oh my Gawd.
[She is momentarily horrified and sickened. The experiment had been compelling people to fulfill various roles the whole week, and even surpassing her own sense of mortification and horror is one overwhelming concern. Her gaze snaps up to his, intensely concerned.]
Tell me you were the first one ta find me.
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