AN:

So much to say before we get started!

Recommended viewing: Aces and Eights, Thieves Gambit and Aces and Eights. Yes, I know I said Aces and Eights twice. It bears repeating. Hehe. If you haven't seen these, you will still be able to follow the story. Of course, one does have to ask, if you haven't seen them... why not?

Things I am not: a tanner, a candle maker, a fisherman, a botanist, a biologist, a doctor, a zoologist, a carpenter, a geologist, a hunter or a particularly good cook (although that last one is more to do with laziness). I'm not a mutant either (more's the pity).

During the course of this story our victims - erm, I mean adventurers - will do all sorts of inventive things. For details I looked stuff up on Google and used my imagination to fill in the rest. I have no idea how much of this stuff will actually work in practice. I am happy to be corrected, and if it's possible for me to incorporate the corrections without interupting the flow of the story, I will. However, I would like to make the point that this is a work of fiction, not a survival guide.

For Remy, the events in this story begin after Aces and Eights. For everyone else, this story begins after the end of season 1.

On a side note, this is my NaNoWriMo for 2009. The goal is to reach 50,000 words by the end of November. For more details, visit nanowrimo[dot]org. My author name there (in case you're interested) is "rogue4378".

I love shipwreck stories.

Enjoy!

Prologue

Day 1

Bombs went off, stole Magneto's helmet, seduced fair maiden and made my escape. Only hitch was that fair maiden found out I set the bombs and put a hole in my boat while stealing the helmet back. Bailing only gets you so far, especially when you have a storm to contend with, which brings me here to this island in the middle of the ocean.

Need food, drinking water, some kind of shelter and most importantly: a way to patch up this stupid boat.

.

Day 2

Found a fresh water stream and bananas. Plenty of driftwood but so far nothing I can use to actually stick it to the boat.

Built a shelter out of sticks and palm leaves. Got blown down half a million times, most of which I was in it.

.

Day 3

Found a cave system. It's small but it keeps the wind off and it doesn't blow down. Dark but with my mutation that's not really an issue.

Found some coconuts. I can charge them open which is good because I don't have a knife.

.

Day 4

Taught myself how to fish. It involves locating one in the clear water at dawn or dusk and charging the water immediately surrounding them. Has the added bonus of cooking the fish at the same time (although not very well). What I wouldn't give for some bell peppers right about now. And some rice. Maybe a bit of celery.

I need to stop thinking about food.

.

Day 5

There's tigers on this island. I know this because we were both hunting the same deer. I let the tiger have it.

I want red meat.

Better yet, I want to get off this stinking island!

.

Day 6

Great news! I found some sticky tree sap that might just do the trick of patching up my boat.

Bad news! Boat got washed out to sea overnight after yet another storm.

I need a woman.

.

Day 7

Maybe I should have stayed on Genosha. Sure, if I never planted the bombs or stole Magnetos helmet I wouldn't have gotten paid but then while I'm stuck on this stupid island I'm not getting paid anyway. At least on Genosha I would have food, a toilet I didn't have to dig myself every time I needed to go, a pretty woman in my bed - a bed! How much I would love a bed right now.

.

Day 8

Oh joy oh happy day! I have discovered onions! Can you believe onions grow on this damned island? Who would have thought!

This calls for a celebration!

.

Day 9

I've now added crab to my diet. And last night I got one by that tiger and stole one of his deer. Take that stupid tiger!

I've contemplated taking the tiger out, but I don't know how many other tigers are on this island and these guys are territorial loners, right? Better the devil you know and all that.

Still, if I ever change my mind I now know where he lives. Bwahahahahaha.

.

Day 10

I think I've been alone too long. I've started talking to myself. Worse, I've started talking to inanimate objects. I had an in depth conversation with a rock today.

I cut down a tree. I'm trying to make a bed. Sleeping on the cave floor sucks. Never can get enough grass either.

.

Day 11

Who would have thought building furniture could be so hard? My first attempt is currently in pieces. I think it's salvageable though. I'm going to make a table out of it.

Here's hoping for attempt #2

In better news, my bucket making attempt has been a success. I can now carry my fish around!

.

Day 12

Stupid pen is running out of ink so I'm not going to be able to keep writing much longer.

Bed #2 didn't work either. I'm going to get a bed even if I have to blow up the whole damned forest!

I hate this place.

The X-men were at Genosha for their Independence Day celebrations. The mutant singer, Dazzler, was entertaining the crowd with her music and light show, and Rogue, Bobby, Kitty and Forge watched with interest. As the show went on, Rogue looked around and frowned.

"Where's Forge?" she asked.

"Hmm?" Kitty said distractedly. "He was here a moment ago."

"Probably got bored and went elsewhere," Bobby frowned.

Afterwards, Rogue wasn't sure why it caught her attention, but she happened to look in just the right direction at just the right time and saw a couple of men carrying a yellow and blue clad figure around the corner.

"There!" she exclaimed.

She was off in a flash, Kitty and Bobby close behind. The men had quite a start on them but they were able to not only keep pace, but gradually catch up. The three were headed to the airport. There was no time for talk. The three X-men caught up with them just as they reached a private plane. Although the doors were shut just as they approached, Kitty phased them through mere moments before the plane started moving.

"Where is he?" Bobby hissed.

They moved further into the plane, only for them to be ambushed and all three were knocked out.

Bobby came to only to find himself in midair. He could hear a plane nearby and as twisted his head to look behind him, he could see it fly off. Right after they unceremoniously threw Rogue out. Below him he could see Kitty. He acted the only way he knew how: turning himself to ice and creating one of his infamous ice slides. First he slid downwards and collected Kitty.

"Hey Kitty-cat," he greeted.

"Bobby! Thank God!" Kitty exclaimed.

"And now for Rogue."

Bobby and Kitty look around and before long spotted her. Bobby zoomed over alongside.

"Need a ride?" he asked jokingly.

Rogue gave him a cynical look, but didn't waste time in manoeuvring herself onto the slide.

"Where are we?" Kitty asked.

"Middle of the ocean," Bobby said.

"No kidding."

"Hey there's land over there," Rogue pointed.

"Do you suppose it's Genosha?" Kitty asked.

Rogue shrugged.

"It doesn't look like it from here, but we'll know for sure when we get closer. Bobby?"

"Well, there's plenty of water," Bobby said cheerfully as he started transporting them over. "Doesn't look too far away."

By the time the slide reached the island though, Bobby was exhausted. It was with much relief that he turns his powers off and collapsed on the shore. While Kitty checked up on him, Rogue surveyed the beach.

"Definitely not Genosha."

"We could be anywhere then. Do we even have any idea how long we were out for?" Kitty asked.

"Not a clue."

"Well, I guess we'll have to wait until the others get back to the mansion. Emma or Jean'll use Cerebro and we'll be fine."

"Just have to survive until then. Could be here a couple of days. We'll need ta find food, water and shelter."

"You two go on ahead," Bobby spoke up. "I'm just going to sleep for a couple of hours."

"You stay with him Kitty," Rogue said. "Ah'll have a scout around. Maybe see if Ah can collect some firewood."

"Okay," Kitty agreed.

The first thing Rogue did was to take a quick survey of the immediate area so she could find her way back. She then walked up to the boundary between the start of the beach and the edge of the inland scrub. As she walked, she collected sticks for a fire and looked for anything that might be otherwise useful. Once she had a decent armload, Rogue turned around and headed back to the others. Kitty had already started work on constructing a shelter out of branches and palm leaves.

"It's not much," Kitty said. "But it should do us for the night."

Rogue dumped the firewood on the beach.

"Great," she said. "Now we just need food and water."

"Yeah," Kitty shook her head. "And right about now I'm wishing I wore my uniform too."

Rogue grinned at her.

"Ahh, yes," she said. "The beauty of thermo-regulation. You know, you and Bobby may have to sleep together for body heat."

Kitty glared at her. Rogue just laughed.