Disclaimer: *Sigh* Okay Voice, consult the files. I don't know why we even have to do this! Damn lawyers. (Oh calm down. Alright children listen up and repeat after the teacher…) I will not steal Bandit's story…I will not steal Bandit's characters, including Bandit without asking her first by emailing her. The X-Peeps are not mine though my inner voice wishes Gambit were. (Grrowww!! Hottie cajun man!!) *Ahem.* ( Thank you, thank you.)
The Red Bandana
"Remy, do you really need to take that?" Switchblade said, putting her hand down on Gambit's suitcase, which he was attempting to fill with three trench coats, four sunglasses and six decks of cards.
He scowled. "Yes! Where else we gonna get sunglasses like dese?"
SwitchBlade rolled her eyes. "Well, this may sound strange Remy, but… You can steal them you know. Seeing as some call you the Prince of thieves." Jubilee giggled. Gambit snorted and continued to cram his suitcase.
"I'm glad we're taking a vacation you guys. We need it. Damn do we need it!" Remy smiled at this exclamation and heartily agreed. "Oui. We gonna see some fun rodeos down in Texas." SwitchBlade and Jubilee glanced at each other. *Rodeos? * Both teens thought doubtfully.
*Over my dead body! *
They had, just the previous week, been granted a vacation. After some long hours of pleading from Jubilee. Texas was… Well, not exactly what they had in mind, but the Professor had actually let them go, so Texas it would have to be. Usually the Professor never let them go anywhere if it wasn't a mission of his. This could very well be a mission, but the three Xmen chose to ignore that.
SwitchBlade and Jubilee had already packed; their trunks were in the car, now Remy had to finish.
"Come ooonnnnn. We're going to miss our fllliiiigghhhtttt…" Jubilee whined. "Yeeeaahhhhhh… Come ooonnnn Remy!" SwitchBlade joined her.
The cajun glared at them as he zipped up his suitcase. "Femmes, I gotta have all dis stuff. I need it." He put on a pair of small black sunglasses, hiding his red and black eyes, as he slipped out the door with his suitcase.
Little Rock, Texas, 3:45 PM
"We don't really have to stay here do we Remy? I mean come on; these people are obviously freaks! Who else would run around in front of bulls with colorful costumes on?" Jubilee said, crossing her arms, then putting her hands up to her face, the arena was kicking up dust.
The bull riders finished and the dust settled down. "Well, at least we got good seats!" Exclaimed Switchblade sarcastically and went into a coughing fit. Jubilee leaned forward in her seat though, as the clowns and jockeys set up the racetrack. "Now this, this might be interesting! Don't get me wrong I love horses. I love races too. The program says that there's a race and then barrel racing an' stuff." Jubilee chattered excitedly as the horses trotted up to the starting boxes.
"In the first box, we have Daystar, a speedy young mare with a rider to match." The announcer boomed over the speakers. "In box two we have Dragonfly, a black stallion that's won all it's races so far." Jubilee bounced excitedly in her seat. "Box three we have The Sundance Kid, a paint stallion that has come in second to Dragonfly every time he runs." The announcer laughed and Remy immediately disliked him. "Along with his very young jockey with her unusual name. Here's Bandit And Sundance in Box three."
"Sundance?" Said Jubilee. "Isn't that an old famous bankrobber?" Added SwitchBlade.
"Bandit sounds like Gambit… perfect match for you eh Gumbo?" She said, using Wolverine's nickname for Gambit. "Gambit?" She stared at Remy, then followed his gaze to a young girl, about her age, riding bareback on a paint horse. A red bandana covered half of her face and her dark hair that was cut to her earlobes swept in front of her face.
"Now those are cutoffs." Exclaimed SwitchBlade as she glanced at the girl's short shorts. They tasseled and frayed bottoms looked like they had been worn every day. Her ragged tank top looked as if it had come from a dump, no doubt someone's old wifebeater. Her face looked like a face that had seen everything and everyone, yet still managing to look young. Remy admired that.
She was frowning, not because she was sad, but just because there was no reason to smile. Many people mistook her expression for sadness, but it wasn't. Just the lack of something to smile at.
Remy used to have that expression. He remembered it quite well. Those days before he had been picked up by Jean-Luc. Not the happiest of days. Not at all. But then he had picked a strange man's pocket, a fellow pickpocket if you will. And here he was.
Gambit sighed dreamily as he rested his chin on his hands, gazing over the track. "Yeah, Gambit is crazy!" Jubilee remarked loudly, staring at Remy. He didn't hear. "Hmph. Well, at least we know who he wants to win."
They watched as Bandit dropped her reins to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes, not caring what her mount's reaction was.
"Alriiiiiggghhhttt folks! If the riders are ready I'm sure we can begin the race soon!" The announcer's voice shouted through the megaphones and Remy winced. "I hope you've placed your bets folks cause heeeeerrrreeee weeeeee goooooooo!" The starting gun banged and the horses took off. Bandit took the lead fast and Remy and the girls cheered. The black named DragonFly pulled up next to her and Gambit jumped up shouting, "Come on chere! You can do it petite!" SwitchBlade giggled at the overexcited cajun. "Hey Gambit, looks to me like you gotta crush on a girl with half a face." He rolled his eyes while Jubilee joined him, standing. "Look, look! The blacks coming closer!" Jubilee shrieked. DragonFly, indeed, was coming up closer to the haunches of Sundance.
"Come on! Go Sundance!" Cheered the three Xmen. As if she could hear, Bandit kicked her horse hard and glanced up at the stands. She met Remy's eye and the whole world seemed to slow as he captured in the sight of her eyes, golden brown. And the smile that he could see, even with the bandana around her face. A tingle passed through Gambit's body as she winked at him and turned her head away. The world rushed up upon him again as he lost contact with her eyes.
He sighed and continued to watch, while Jubilee and SwitchBlade watched him curiously.
The jockey on DragonFly came up right next to her and pulled out his crop from his belt, whipping his horse as hard as he could to catch up with Bandit and her paint. He sided with her momentarily, an arms reach away, and holding his crop over his head brought it down upon her, cutting her face with the silver tassels attached to the expensive whip. She cried out and all the horses in the race reacted, rearing, whipping around, bucking insanely and crying out challenging screams of panic, throwing their riders to the ground, including DragonFly's. Bandit stayed on her horse, which trotted easily closer to the finish line, finishing the race. Bandit was bent over her mount, a hand cupped over her eye.
"Hmm. I'm guessing we're not the only mutants here." Remarked SwitchBlade dryly as the crowd shouted angry remarks about muties and cheating filth. "I've never heard of that power before though. Really western. Probably has a lasso." Jubilee said, quite seriously.
Bandit: Ha!! So this is where I got my name… It all comes out with a kick ass character. Alright folks, the moment you've-
Voice: Read and Review. It's what we want. It's what this pycho is trying to say. We like reviews. They are good.
Bandit: :o( Fine then Voice. If you didn't like that gimme your sayso and if you did I'll keep writing it.
Voice: Good and subtle gal.
