Trader didn't say anything, but the smile beneath his hood widened, as if their questions amused him. He left the mystery untouched, offering no explanation.
Both Blink and Rogue wanted to press for more, but the Trader shifted smoothly, his gaze settling on the violet-eyed girl. "So, Clarice Ferguson, do you want to make a trade with me too?"
Rogue turned her head quickly, eyes narrowing. Blink hesitated, clutching the crystalline key close to her chest.
"Don't rush into it," Rogue warned, her voice firm. "You saw what he wanted from me. This ain't a game."
Blink tilted her head, biting her lip lightly. "Yeah, but you didn't lose, Rogue. You gained. You can touch now, you've got Control, and even a promise of more. That doesn't sound like gettin' played to me."
Rogue frowned, torn between protectiveness and honesty. "Maybe so… but it still feels risky."
Blink gave a little shrug, a faint spark of curiosity flickering in her expression. "Everything's risky. But if it turns out like yours…" She trailed off, her eyes shifting back to the Trader. "Then maybe it's worth hearin' him out."
Rogue nodded slowly, then turned back toward the cloaked figure, "In our trade, you had Control sittin' in your hand like a card up your sleeve. That was your leverage, your way of makin' the deal even. But what about Blink?" She tilted her head toward her friend, voice edged with challenge. "What do you have to offer her?"
The Trader let out a soft, exaggerated sigh, spreading his hands slightly. "Leverage? You wound me, Rogue. I am a very honest trader."
Rogue smirked, folding her arms. "Honest trader, huh? Sneakin' into two girls' dorm room at midnight… doesn't sound much like business to me."
For the first time, the Trader's smile shifted, carrying a trace of amusement. His voice came calm, but the edge of playfulness was there. "Perhaps some trades are best made at night. Fewer distractions… and better views." His gaze flicked briefly downward, taking in the loose shirts and shorts the two women wore, before sliding back up as if nothing at all had happened.
Blink's breath caught and she gave a quick laugh, tugging at the hem of her shirt. Her cheeks flushed pink. "He did not just say that."
Rogue tilted her head, smirk widening. "Smooth. Real smooth. Careful though, sugar—when a man sneaks into a girls' room this late talkin' like that, people might start thinkin' he's after somethin' other than deals."
The Trader's lips curved faintly under the hood. "And if I was?"
Blink gasped, swatting the air as her blush deepened. "Nope. Way too flirty for midnight negotiations."
Rogue smiled as her eyes lingered on him with playful challenge. "Guess you've got a silver tongue after all. Didn't expect that from a man hidin' in shadows."
The Trader's tone dipped lower but teasing. "Shadows make confessions easier. People tend to admit more when they feel unseen."
Rogue arched a brow, her smirk curling into something sly. "That so? Then maybe I should start worryin' about what I might confess."
Blink groaned into her hands, though her grin betrayed her. "Oh God, Rogue, don't encourage him."
Rogue winked. "What? Ain't every day a girl gets flirted with by a midnight visitor spoutin' contracts and have genie like powers."
The Trader chuckled softly, the sound rumbling low beneath his hood. "Careful with that genie talk, Rogue. I do grant wishes — but never for free. After all, I'd prefer to keep a respectable reputation, not be branded a devil just for handin' out miracles without cost." His eyes glinted faintly as he spoke, the playful undertone clear.
Rogue smirked, folding her arms tighter across her chest. "Reputation, huh? You've already built yourself one — sneakin' into girls' dorm rooms at midnight, cloaked in shadows, makin' deals while we're sittin' here in shirts and shorts. Doesn't sound much like business to me."
Blink snorted, covering her smile with her hand. "She's got you there."
The Trader let the humor linger for a moment, then his gaze shifted back to Blink, "Jokes aside… Miss Clarice, the question remains. Do you wish to make a trade?"
Blink nodded slowly, her violet eyes steady on him. "Indeed, I'll trade. But what will I get? After all, what Rogue said was right. You had Control for her… so what do you have for me?"
The Trader's hood tilted faintly, his smile lingering. "That depends on what you desire. A trader never dictates the reward — the customer sets the weight of the balance. Tell me, miss… what do you want in return for your spatial ability?"
Blink frowned, shifting the crystalline key in her hands. "Well… I don't really know what to ask for."
Before the silence could stretch, Rogue leaned forward, her eyes narrowing on the hooded figure. "Say, you call yourself a trader, don't ya? Then you oughta have some items to trade, right? Somethin' you can put on the table besides fancy words."
The Trader's smile faded into something steadier. "I do have items, yes. But few that are worthy of Miss Clarice's ability. And besides—my trade has only just begun. I'm still building my headquarters, still gathering stock. For now, what I can offer are wishes… and through them, the means to bring you what you truly want."
Both girls frowned lightly at his words.
Suddenly, Rogue leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "So that's what this is, huh? The reason you came here is so you can stock up for your little business. Our mutant abilities… they're just items to you. Things you'll put on the shelf and sell, right?"
The Trader didn't flinch. His posture remained relaxed, his voice even. "Not items, Rogue. Assets. Each ability I copy has weight, potential, and use. To call them items would cheapen them."
Blink frowned, her tone uneasy. "But… you would trade them? Pass them along to others?"
The Trader gave a small shrug, his voice casual but steady. "Well, yes. Just like I gave Rogue the Control skill. I didn't create it myself — I got it from someone else, and passed it to the one who needed it most. That's what trade is. Taking from where it has less weight, giving to where it has more."
Rogue's eyes narrowed, her tone skeptical. "So you really are runnin' a market out of people's gifts."
The Trader inclined his head faintly. "A market, a bridge, a balance — call it what you will. But tell me this, Rogue: would you give back Control now that you have it?"
Rogue's jaw tightened, but she didn't answer.
Blink glanced between them, her fingers tightening on the key. "…So if I traded my portals, someone else could end up usin' them?"
The Trader's gaze fixed calmly on her. "A copy, yes. But yours will always remain yours."
After a few moments of tense silence, Blink let out a slow sigh. "Well, all this doesn't matter. It's not like we're losin' anything. Others might gain a copy of our ability, but so what? We also get somethin' equally valuable from him. So does it really matter what he does with the copied version?"
Rogue turned sharply toward her, eyes flashing. "It matters if he's handin' out dangerous gifts to people who shouldn't have 'em, sugar."
Blink met her stare, calmer but firm. "And it matters that you finally get to touch without fear. That wasn't free, Rogue. You gave him your ability, and in return you got freedom. That's a fair trade."
The Trader stood silently between them, his hood tilted ever so slightly. Beneath the shadow, a faint smile lingered. "Indeed, Miss. But don't trouble yourself worrying over villains gaining your powers. I may be a trader, but I choose carefully who I deal with. Most are people I can tolerate… or at least respect."
He paused, then added with the faintest teasing lilt, "Though, if the villain happened to be a beautiful lady… well, I might reconsider."
Blink blinked, then broke into a surprised laugh, the tension slipping from her shoulders. "Seriously?"
Rogue shook her head, half-smiling despite herself. "Figures. Even cloaked devils got their weaknesses."
The air in the dorm eased, the sharp edge of their debate softening into something lighter.
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CHAPTER:- [110- BACK TO CLOVER] IS AVAILABLE ON MY P@TREON