"Hmm, so anyone know any supervillians we can put in the dishwasher?" asked Kitty.
"Know plenty of supervillians," Tracy said. "But I haven't seen any for awhile."
"I think it would have to be a small one. I mean, the dishwasher isn't that big. Plus, y'know, I don't think we'd be able to wash any other dishes at the same time," Jubilee nodded. "We might have to take the racks out too. Rogue, are you sure it's supposed to smell like that?"
Rogue looked up from stirring the gumbo.
"Hey you were the ones who wanted bad Cajun food."
"Nope, Bobby was," Jubilee nodded. "And he's not even here to 'enjoy' it."
"Whoever. You asked for it... you're gonna get it."
"Do you think lighting it on fire will help?"
"Do you think you can get it ta catch alight?"
"Can we find out?"
"Do ya'll wanna make the Ghost of Elvis or not?"
"Hmm, breaking rule #24 or breaking rule #8..."
"We can break #24 anytime," Lance pointed out.
"True. But I really, really like setting things on fire."
"Jubes, sometimes Ah think you're a bigger pyro than Pyro," Rogue giggled.
"Can't stop 'til I get enough?"
"Okay, well, Ah think it's cooked now," Rogue said, sounding dubious. "Maybe."
"Oh that's encouraging," Psiguard mused.
"Hey there's a reason why Remy doesn't let me cook for him any more. Oh the bright side," Rogue grinned at them as she started turning things off, "there should be plenty of leftovers to make the Ghost of Elvis with."
"More than enough, if it tastes as bad as it smells," Tracy said, turning up her nose.
"Aww, it's not that bad."
"Yeah? I dare you to to try it first."
Rogue poked her tongue out at her as she began serving.
"Why are we doing this again?" asked Psiguard.
"Because we can," Jubilee nodded. "What better reason do we need?"
"Well, the rice looks cooked anyway," Kitty mused.
"Ha, even Ah can't screw up rice," Rogue grinned.
"Gumbo's a bit more complicated, huh?"
"Be glad Ah didn't try crawfish pie."
"Are crawfish fuzzy at all? Because we could have had a violation of rule #34..."
"Ah don't think so. They're crustaceans."
"Darn."
Rogue snorted.
"So, Rogue, I really think you should do the... honours of trying this first," Tracy nodded.
"Do you think it would make any difference, Tracy?" Kitty inquired with a grin on her face. "I mean, she is invulnerable. How would we tell if it's poisoned or not?"
"Oh psh you!" Rogue said, pulling a face. "Ah've never poisoned anyone in muh life."
Kitty grinned at her. Rogue (if tentatively) tried a bite. They all watched as she considered.
"Well," she said finally. "It's pallitable, Ah suppose."
"You suppose?"
"Ah'm used to Remy's cookin'. Seriously, ya'll, Ah really haveta talk him inta cookin' for ya'll sometime."
"And then he can break the rules too," Jubilee nodded. "It'll be awesome. We can have him charge utensils with bio-kinetic energy and throw them at people in direct violation of rule number... 15 I think."
"Yeah, fifteen," Psiguard nodded after a quick review. "Also, he needs to blow up someone's keys."
Rogue giggled.
"Scott's!" Kitty grinned.
"Speaking of blowing up stuff," Lance said, rubbing his hands together. "I'm going to be doing a bit of demonisling tomorrow."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. Some old building on Colburn. Place is already falling down, but what the hey, it'll be fun. And plus, to actually get away with making an earthquake that big? Awesome."
"What for?"
"Haven't the foggiest notion. The Professor hired that Amadeo guy to build something there."
"Huh," Kitty mused. "Does anyone have any idea what's going on? I mean I've been spending way more time in the danger room than I usually do - curse Scott - and everyone seems to be getting odd assignments like that."
"Well, not everyone," said Psiguard.
"Whatever, you know what I mean. And what's with all those trips to Washington and stuff?"
"Yeah. Something very big is going on," said Tracy. "Rogue?"
"Yeah?"
"Your cooking sucks. Or Cajun food does. Or both."
Rogue laughed.
"Now, now, Ah told ya'll before. Don't judge Cajun food by muh efforts here tonight."
"Speaking of the danger room," Jubilee mused with a sidelong look at Rogue. "How is it that you've been granted permission to assign sessions?"
Rogue ducked her head and looked down at her food. Jubilee started grinning broadly.
"Ohmigod, you're in on it!"
"You know what's going on?" Kitty demanded. "C'mon Rogue, spill."
Rogue shook her head.
"No, no," she objected.
"It's not just the danger room either," Tracy figured. "It also explains all those meetings you've been having with Scott and the Professor lately too."
Rogue held up her hands.
"Sorry, guys," she said. "But Ah honestly can't talk about it. Ya'll just have ta wait, okay?"
"Aww, c'mon Roguey," Lance said. "It's not like we don't already know something's going on."
Rogue pointed to the picture of Professor Xavier in its heat proof case above the stove.
"Ah am disobeying rule #6," she nodded. "Ah think that tellin' ya'll is a bad idea, and therefore Ah will not be lookin' at his eyes and rethinkin' it."
"Curse you," Jubilee said.
Rogue grinned.
"Ya'll find out soon enough, anyway. Why spoil the... umm... surprise?"
"Is it a good surprise, or a bad surprise?" Tracy asked.
"Hey, Psiguard, can't you just go through Rogue's head?" Kitty asked.
"Now there's an exercise in futility," Psiguard replied cynically.
"Scott's then?"
"Jean's put a shield up in his head."
"Well, that's as good as admittin' you tried," Rogue giggled.
"We're all curious," Psiguard shrugged. "Can't blame a guy for tryin'."
"You must be really curious if you're willin' ta use your telepathy for somethin' other than blockin'."
"That's a good point," Tracy nodded. "C'mon, Rogue, you gotta put him out of his misery."
"No," Rogue said firmly. "Ah'm sorry if the suspense is drivin' ya'll crazy, but Ah was told not ta tell anyone just yet. Ya'll understand when the time comes."
"Cruel, Rogue, that's what you are," Lance said. "First the bad cooking and now you have to go dangle a carrot in front of our faces."
"Do you think if she used the carrot in the gumbo it might taste better?" Tracy giggled.
"Don't let Remy hear you say that," Rogue replied.
"Okay, seriously can't eat any more of this," Kitty said, pushing her plate away.
"Sorry."
"You can make it up to me..."
"No."
"Worth a try."
"Just leave it, okay guys?"
"Hey I wonder if we can trick some answers out of Scott by telling him that Rogue already told us?" Jubilee considered.
"You would."
"Absolutely."
"Well, here's the green tupperware bowl. I presume no one's gonna want any more?" Tracy said.
Silence.
"Ah don't even wanna eat any more, and Ah cooked it."
"Now there's an enthusiastic recommendation," Psiguard grinned at her.
"Oooh lets dump the scraps in here as well," Jubilee said.
"May as well, no one's gonna be eating the leftovers either."
"So... how are we going to make it look like Elvis anyway?" Kitty asked. "Or are we hoping that when it goes all mouldy and yucky it'll do it on its own?"
"I think we should partially sculpt the leftovers and then let nature take over," Lance nodded. "I have pictures."
"Oh... you seriously printed off pictures of Elvis off the net?"
"Yes, yes I did."
Kitty giggled.
"So, who's good at sculpting?"
"Don't look at me. Ah haven't absorbed any artists."
"I'll do it," said Psiguard. "Telekinesis means I don't actually have to touch the stuff. Eating it was bad enough."
"Next time, ya'll can cook your own bad late night Cajun food."
The leftovers and the scraps from their plates were scraped into the tupperware bowl. Lance handed Psiguard the pictures he printed off and the telekinetic focused on the leftovers, attempting to make it look even remotely Elvis-head-shaped.
"So, when do we draw the sideburns on?" Tracy asked.
"I'm thinking after it's had a chance to go mouldy," Jubilee nodded. "Assuming it doesn't grow some of its own."
"I just don't even want to consider that possibility," Kitty giggled, shaking her head.