Flashback to Rogue

Earlier...

“Well then, let us have a game!” Arcade announced, snapping his finger.

Rogue was blinded by a flashing light. She felt herself drop and pick up speed before she went tumbling onto solid ground. When her eyes recovered, she was no longer standing in a cell behind a bookshelf, but was in a jungle with lush green ferns, hanging vines and a volcano off in the distance.

“How in the world?” she asked herself, brushing the dirt off her skin and looking around. “Remy?” She called out. Her partner was nowhere to be seen. “Sue? Janet?”

She did a perimeter search, walking a small circle around the area. There didn’t appear to be any signs of intelligent life nearby, nor any man made structures within view.

“Is this place real?” she wondered aloud. “Hello??-O? -O? -O?” Her words echoed off into the distance. It certainly felt like she was in a vast and open space. She listened for a response.

In the distance she could hear the call of the wild, the caw of birds, the chittering of insects and faintly, the call of what could have been a primate.

Rogue sighed and wiped her brow. It was covered with sweat. This place was hot and muggy. She could feel her entire body covered in a layer of sweat. She wiped herself down, rubbing her midsection and arms. At least she wouldn’t have to trek around in hot sweaty clothes.

Her ears perked up when she heard the low growl of a catlike creature in the distance. She checked the collar around her neck. It was still locked on. There would be no relying on her energy draining powers to get her out of trouble. She decided she should start moving somewhere else. Her call may have attracted unwanted attention. With no better place to go, she chose to forge ahead through the forest.

The path led her deeper into the jungle. The thick foliage soon covered up the sky, making it dark and harder to navigate. In the denser trees, she started to notice the heat intensify. It was like walking through a steam room. The terrain was wet and slippery too. Even worse, Rogue realized that the ground was on the incline, meaning a misstep could send her tumbling. She held onto the trees to keep her steady as she slowly forged her way through.

In the distance, she heard the snap of twigs and branches. Something was out there and it was coming closer. Rogue huddled up to a large tree trunk and made herself small. Whatever was approaching sounded big and she was in no position to face off against it.

She waited in silence, hoping whatever it was out there with her would move in a different direction.She could feel its presence closeby. There was the heavy breathing of a large creature and the weighted stomps of footsteps approaching. Rogue didn’t dare look, in case the thing could spot her. Instead, the X-woman creeped around the tree, trying to keep it between her and the mysterious beast on the other side. The thing stopped and sounded like it sniffed the air. Rogue held her breath.

She could sense it honing in on her. A step forward and another sniff. Her heart rate picked up. She knew the thing was close now. It was flight or fight time.