[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/keAbh5L.jpg[/img][/center]

Raven had agreed to meet Rose after the meeting, but had not seen her amongst the throngs of mutants leaving the old building. She'd scanned the crowds two times over but couldn’t see the girl's silver hair against the dull yellow of the street lights. Raven had accepted Rose when she had come to her at her lowest and maybe more than she wanted to admit saw a little of herself in her. 

Wilson was smart, quick-witted and had great potential but Raven needed to see true commitment from the girl in order to take her on as her apprentice. Rose was talented but still craved acceptance more than anything else.  

Mystique had taken Rose under her wing because he father had refused to do so, believing it to be too dangerous for his daughter. Mystique provided both the home and cause Rose sought for. If the girl applied herself she could become indispensable to the Brotherhood's cause. Though her strength and combat abilities were of note Wilsons precognitive abilities were why Mystique was interested in Rose. That was the talent the Brotherhood needed most. 

Pyro avoided Mystique's yellow gaze as he skulked out of the door.
  
[b][color=00aeef]"How long are you going to be sulking with me?" [/color][/b]

[color=f7941d]"You know that I trust in you and we needed you to step up in Magneto's absence. I need you to show me I'm not making a mistake by following you."[/color] 

[color=00aeef][b]"I meant what I said in there, if anyone has reservations about my leadership they are free to leave. You're useful but the Brotherhood will rise - with or without you." 
[/b][/color]

[color=f7941d]"Fine,"[/color] His shoulders dropping with exasperation. [color=f7941d]"Sooner or later, Raven you're going to realize you [i]do [/i]need me. This cause of ours, we're here to build the life we deserve, and what life do you have if you don’t let anyone become part of it?" [/color]

[b][color=00aeef]"This fight won't end, Pyro you're naive to think it, not in your lifetime. I made you my right hand to see that my orders are being followed, not to manage me. Don’t make [i]me[/i] think I've made a mistake."[/color][/b] 

She pushed past Pyro, deciding to take the longer route back, leaving him twirling his lighter in frustration.

Since infiltrating the Department of Defense, Darkholme had intercepted intel from DARPA about planned attacks on the Brotherhood. She also had been smuggling weaponry, managing to secure firepower which hadn't even been rolled out in the military yet. There was no question the JLA had the upper hand here, but they wouldn’t be ready for the Brotherhood's next move. Mystique was no fool, she wasn’t blind to what had been happened to the other factions of the Brotherhood. She was determined to stay under the radar until they were ready to hit their enemies [b]big[/b].

For now the offshoots of the Brotherhood would keep Captain Marvel and the rest of the Justice League distracted. Mystique's cell was to remain underground. They would gather more power and momentum until they were ready to strike. Without their knowledge, the Department of Defense would be sponsoring their next attack. The Friends of Humanity had been drawing a lot of attention to themselves. There was nothing she could do to stop her followers from fighting back. For now the distractions were welcome. It kept Captain Marvel occupied and drew suspicion away from Mystiques silence. Mystique knew where the Justice League's achilles heel was.

Raven clung to the shadows as she transformed herself into a more inconspicuous form. Pyro was right, she hadn't much to go home to. She didn’t need anything. With sleep would only ever come regret and nightmares of her past. She didn’t need to be weakened by emotion. [i]Not now[/i].

Damaged buildings cast broken shadows on the sidewalk as Mystique walked further out into the slums of Coast City. It was deemed a waste of an investment for Coast City to rebuild down here. That suited Mystique just fine. She had found a spot away from humans, some old run down flats that were home to drunks and drug users who couldn't tell who was coming and going.

Raven noticed a familiar smell as she passed the alleyway adjacent to her building - Rose. Something wasn’t right. Wilson knew not to come here. Mystique dropped, becoming part of the shadows, and crawled closer to the alleyway. Startled by her sudden appearance a rat scuttled past her. Without flinching she shunted her clawed hand down on the rats skull and prevented it from making a noise. Mystique heard a faint sobbing from inside the alley and slunk along the wall to find Rose Wilson slumped behind a garbage tank. 

Rose Wilson was propped on some garbage bags and at her feet were scattered inhaler refills.  

[b][color=00aeef]
"This again, Rose?" [/color][/b]

The drug enhanced Rose's precognitive abilities and allowed her to enter a temporary dream state. Rose had begun to rely on the drug to see her own future. Though Mystique had no idea what she was searching for, but she knew it was a distraction. One the Brotherhood could not afford.

[color=a187be]"I need you to help me, Raven"[/color]

[b][color=00aeef]"You don't need me to help you, you need to help yourself. You missed the meeting because you were too focused on piecing together your half formed premonitions."[/color][/b] 

Rose's head lolled as she mumbled into her dirtied sleeve. [color=a187be]"I'm sorry, Raven. I didn’t mean to come here. I just need to know, I need to be able to see-" [/color]

[b][color=00aeef]"You're wasting away living in a world that doesnt exist yet. You have responsibilities, Rose. You have people that want you here. Don’t ignore that. You're meant to be a part of what's going on right now. Don’t let me d-" [/color][/b]

Mystique cut herself short.

[b][color=00aeef]"Don’t let the Brotherhood down."[/color][/b] 

There was some truth to what Wilson was mumbling. After all, Mystique needed her and the girl wasn’t naive enough to think she had taken her this closely under her wing out of the goodness of her heart. Rose Wilson was the reason the Brotherhood had found the Justice League's weakness. They needed every chance they could get, they needed to utilize every mutant's power at their disposal and as long as it was in the name of the Brotherhood there was no loss they could not excuse. 

The empty inhaler cartridges clattering to the floor as Mystique hooked her arm under Rose's and pulled her upright. The child needed a parental figure, and Raven needed her abilities, but it would be remiss of her not to admit to herself that she felt some old wrong being righted by taking care of a child in need. Maybe if she'd have taken care of Graydon things would be different. Shaking the thought from her head, Raven cleared her mind. There was only one person she needed to be, only one that she was ever meant to be, and that was the person to see the Brotherhood's cause fulfilled.  

A new dawn was coming. In the next few days she would show the humans that had doubted them just how powerful and superior the Brotherhood really were.