Summary: Well, kinda obvious, but set currently, ya know M Day and what not, but before this whole Apocalypse arc. My take on the behind the scenes stuff. Each chapter will be Remy with different characters and their reactions to one another. I'll try to get as many characters as possible in, depending on the reactions I get from people. This is my first fan fic ever, FYI! ;)
Disclaimer - I don't own the X-Men in any way, shape, or form and I'm not making any money from this!
Cold sunlight streamed through the crack half closed red drapes made on a rectangular window. It dimly illuminated a small, sparse, but attractive room. Deep red, clean white and midnight black seemed to be the main color scheme of the room, adorning the bed spread in geometric patterns of circles and triangles, with single large shapes adorning the walls at even intervals. A little used black chair sat in the corner, with a fluffy red rug in front of the bathroom door and a black and white nightstand to the left of the bed, alarm clock glowing red. A modern look, but not overdone.
A tall young man stood by the bed, pulling a long brown trench coat over his shoulders, which were clad in black body armor. He had dark brown hair, with hints of red glinting wherever the sun hit. The man was very attractive and well built. The most striking thing about him was his eyes. Red pupils and black irises that could shine with humor, burn with anger or show nothing at all. Just like the room, he looked good without being overdone.
The attractive man's name is Remy Lebeau, but most know him as Gambit, a mutant member of the superhero group called X-Men. Gambit had the amazing ability to take the static energy of an object and convert it to kinetic energy, causing the object to explode or disintegrate. However, Gambit had not always been a member of the X-Men. He was a thief, probably the best one in the world, too, and a member of the New Orleans Thieves Guild. He has traveled to the past, gone to alien worlds, been married, had brain surgery, unknowingly organized a massacre, stabbed by a broadsword, been haunted by a green ghost, led the X-Men, lost his powers and gotten them back, been blinded and healed and nearly died too many times to count. Not to mention, he's even stolen the Batmobile!
But all that was in the past, and Remy was currently located in his room at the mansion, preparing to teach a class about self-defense to a significantly smaller student body. A week earlier, M-Day, as the world was calling it, decimated the mutant population. Somehow, over ninety percent of the mutants had lost their powers, wiping out the very gene that made them mutants. Gambit was one of the "lucky" ones who retained his powers. However, most of the students at Xavier's School for the Gifted lost their powers, leaving about twenty-seven with powers. Sentinels, giant, previously mutant hunting, robots were sent by the government to "guard" the school. Unfortunately, hardly anyone was allowed to leave the mansion, which was becoming a sort of refugee camp for the remaining powered mutants of the world. Tensions were high, but the X-Men tried to go on like normal, despite the fact that the huge robots could be seen outside, watching, from nearly every window.
"Brother, it has been much too long since we have talked to one another with no one around."
Now, Remy is not the kind of man that people would call jumpy. Handsome, striking, well-dressed, funny, sarcastic, witty and sexy were words that much better described him. However, the fact that an image of his best friend, who was currently located in Africa, suddenly appeared in his room without warning and spoke to him was enough to make Remy flinch and gasp. "Stormy! Jesus, tryin t' kill me here! A little warnin' next time, oui?"
Storm's rich laughter filled the room. Remy grinned, despite himself. He had forgotten how good Ororo made him feel. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up Stormy. See how much you be laughin' when I keel over!" he said dryly.
"Sorry little brother (and do not call me Stormy), but I realized just how much I missed you these days. And, well, I heard that Mystique is back." Storm hesitated, "I thought that you might like to talk about it."
The smile on Gambit's face evaporated. "Oh yeah, Ororo, I sure as hell would like t' talk about her. I seem t' remember you votin' fer her t' be on the team! 'More women on de team would be wonderful! Women's rights!' What de hell! I think dere's plenty o' better women to pick from den her. De woman's a lying, back-stabbing bitch who's killed a ton o' people, includin' Sunpyre! Did ya forget 'bout dat time she slit Banshee's throat, meanin' t' kill him too!"
Storm sighed, eyebrows creased. "I know Remy, but the X-Men would be hypocrites if we did not at least give her a chance to prove herself. What if she has been reformed? Think about it, what if we did not give Emma Frost, or Juggernaut a chance, not to mention Rogue! They have all proven themselves to be heroes."
"But she ain't dem! Dat whore should be rottin' in a jail cell for all dat she's done. And, t' top dis whole mess off, she tried t' get in my, her fille's boyfriend, pants, just so Rogue'd hate me! If that don't scream 'crazy' we got some serious problems! Rogue an' I got enough problems as it is, without Mystique hangin' round," Remy ran an agitated hand through his auburn-brown locks.
"Remy, brother, I know it is hard. But what's done is done. Mystique is there now, and with everything else going on, with M-Day and the Sentinels at the mansion, I think there are bigger problems to be dealt with," Ororo said calmly, but not without sympathy. Remy was her closest friend, besides Jean Grey and since her death, he had been her closest confidant. Not many of the X-Men knew of their close bond. She would never forget the first time she saw him, tall and handsome, with a cigarette hanging sideways out of his mouth. Full of confidence, Gambit knew he looked good. He saved her life, and helped her get back to the X-Men. She sponsored his membership, and ever since then, they had been there to support one another through the good and bad times the X-Men always seemed to find.
Remy deflated, all of his anger spilling out in one sigh. He could not stay angry with Ororo for long. "Stormy, I know you're right, it's just real hard. Seems like I'm always de suspicious one. Most of de time, it don't bother me, but sometimes de suspicion'll get t' a man." Gambit's expression softened, "I miss ya, too. Mansion's pretty lonely, even wit all t' people. I got Rogue, but we're on an' off so much dat de time dat ain't spent on missions o' other crisises is eatin' o' sleepin'."
"My goodness! Who ever would find you, Gambit, master thief, suspicious?" Storm exclaimed teasingly, placing a hand to her heart. Remy rolled his eyes, but before he could say anything in rebuttal, Ororo said, "Brother, I miss you too, but both Bishop and I agree that it would be better if I stay in Africa for the time being. It seems that I am one of the few X-Men to be able to move about freely. Also, as most of the X-Corps buildings have been demolished and their members depowered, the rest of the world's remaining mutants need help from somewhere."
"An' I'm glad dat y' can help others. But I hear dat ain't de only reason you be wantin' t' stay in Africa. A certain King by de name o', oh I dunno, Black Panther, be keepin' ya there too?" It was Remy's turn to tease. He had seen the looks that Storm and Black Panther shared during the X-Men's rather disastrous mission to Africa involving talking monkeys, mutant animals, a crazy communist and a mad scientist. Don't ask.
"Well…" Storm said, with a small smile on her face, "He is…" but was interrupted by a large boom on her end of the transmission. She whirled, looking at something behind her. "Remy, I'm sorry, but I've got to go check this out."
"Be careful. Don' get hurt chere." Remy said with concern.
"I won't. You be safe too." Storm said in a rush, and the transmission was disconnected, hologram fizzling out into nothingness.
Gambit sighed again, worried for his friend. But, he could do nothing to help her in Africa, so he grabbed his sliver bo staff, pulled on some fingerless gloves and walked to the door. He had a class to teach.
Whew! Writing Remy's harder than I thought. I'm just not funny or sexy enough. Oh well, tell me what y'all think. Next chapter, expect to see the X-Kids and teachers! Maybe Emma Frost...