(Pietro is sitting at a food court table in a San Francisco Mall. He's seems to be looking for someone. Suddenly, Rogue walks up. Pietro smiles, and reaches for his personal recorder as she sits down across from him.)

*click*

"Ah got your letter. What do you know about my birth parents? And why are you willin' to tell me?"

Hey babe, if you found out something about my mom, I'd wanna know, so I figure I outta do as much for you. Besides, you're hot. Maybe I'm hoping for a nice reward.

(raises eyebrows and leers at Rogue)

"What exactly do ya know?"

Your mom had to give you up when you were three. See, she had this neighbor who didn't like her, a woman named Irene. So Irene decides to accuse your mom of child neglect. Truth was, you were in a good day care while your mom worked. But she didn't have enough money to fight the courts and she lost you.

(Rogue stares at him, breathing hard)

"Ah had a mom, who loved me? And tried to fight for me?" *disbelief is evident in her voice*

I can even prove it to you.

(Grabs manila envelope from the chair beside him. Slides out a letter and a ring; hands both to Rogue. She begins to read the letter aloud.)

"My darling daughter, Nothing will ever hurt me so much as losing you. I can only hope that some part of you holds onto your memories of me, and that someday we will find each other again. Maybe this way, as much as I hate it, you will have better opportunities than I could have given you. I will always love you, my angel. Keep my wedding ring with you all the time, and I will always be with you. All my love my precious, precious baby, Mama."

(Rogue looks at the ring, a simple gold band, slightly wider than a normal woman's ring. She looks back up at Pietro, tears in her eyes.)

"Thank you" *voice thick with tears* "Ah can't even begin to say thank you. You don't know... Ah mean,"

Just put the dumb ring on and quit crying, all right? Geez, Rogue you're making a scene. (shifts uncomfortably)

*sniffs and laughs* "You don't like it when a girl cries?"

*scornful* No. Do you know a guy who does?

"Ah guess not."

(Rogue slides the ring on her left ring finger. It's a perfect fit. She looks happily at hand.)

"Ah can't believe my mama actually used to wear..."

(Rogue stares at her hand in shock. The ring has begun to glow, and suddenly turns several times. She feels needles pierce her finger and frantically tries to remove the ring.)

"Ow! Pietro something's wrong, you hafta help me get this thing,"

(Looks up at Pietro in panic. He's watching her with a satisfied smirk on his face.)

"Off..." *whispered*

(Strange lines begin to appear on Rogue's arm, all the way up to her shoulder. It looks like an elaborate tattoo. Rogue winces as the image appears. Then, the ring stops glowing and turning, and is a simple gold band once more. Her face becomes oddly calm.)

Well, looks like the ring worked perfectly. How do ya feel, Roguey?

"Ah feel fine. Ya don't have to patronize me, ya jerkface."

*chuckles* Oh, Mystique is gonna love this. C'mon. (stands up and offers her his hand.)

Time to get you home. I mean, we wouldn't want anyone to worry or anything, would we?

(Rogue takes his hand, and Pietro grabs his recorder. They walk out of the mall like nothing any other normal boy and girl.)

*click*

mood: indifferent

*click*

Okay, why Mystique wants us to use these little voice recorders is beyond me, but she's the boss. She wants them turned on for every personal observation, telephone call, conversation, or what have you, no matter what. At least mine's digital, and I don't have to bother with those stone age little tapes she likes to mess with. When I asked her what "personal observation" meant, she said just to start recording and talking whenever I was bored, which we both know is almost always.

Like now. I'm sitting here, waiting to start the job. And I can't mess this up - Mystique made that real clear before she left. *snorts* Yeah, whatever. We'll just see who's boss the next time we get in bed together.

Okay, so I guess that could seem a little weird. A nineteen year-old guy with a thirty-something lady. But hey, she's beautiful, she's there, and we're the bad guys. We do stuff like that.

Although, it is a nice ego boost to know that she came to me, not the other way around. I mean, sure, I was lusting after her, and I'm not gonna deny it, but I didn't break down and beg. She did that. *chuckles* And somehow, we manage to work out okay as a couple. Sick to some maybe, but I don't care. She's mine; give me one good reason why I should care.

Okay, now I'm bored with this whole personal recording thing. Geez, I can't wait 'til this job is over and I can go meet Mystique in New York.

*laughs* I still can't believe she's gonna break into the school. As a student. That's a laugh. I'm never gonna let her live this down.

*click*

mood: bored