"Welcome to my school, Gambit," said Xavier as the two approached the mansion. "We have a room already prepared for you, and we will discuss your class schedule later."
Gambit now wore a long brown trench coat unbuttoned with black pants and shirt underneath. He lit up a cigarette and took a puff before picking up his suitcase. "Sounds good. Nice place you got here mon ami."
"Thank you," said Xavier, leading the way to the front doors. "I should inform you that Xavier's School is a smoke free facility."
"Figures," said Gambit, taking one more long drag from his cigarette before causing it to suddenly disintegrate into ash between his fingers.
As Xavier and Gambit entered the mansion, they were greeted quickly by a man and woman, both wearing sleek black outfits. The man also wore a strange visor over his eyes, but the red-haired woman drew more of Gambit's attention.
"Professor," said the young man. "We're glad you are okay."
"What do you mean Scott?" Xavier asked.
"We just heard there was an attack at the mutant detention facility," said the red-haired woman. "We were worried about you."
"We are fine," said Xavier. "Was Magneto behind the attacks?"
"We think so," said Scott. "The news said mutants were suspected. Storm and Wolverine were headed that way to make sure you were okay and look over the scene. You just missed them."
"What kinda school is this?" Gambit asked, not expecting students at a school to be involved in such events.
"I will explain later," said Xavier. "Scott, Jean, this is Gambit, the young man I told you about."
"Welcome to Xavier's school, Gambit. I'm Jean Grey," said Jean, offering her hand to him.
Gambit took her hand, but rather than shaking it, he bent his head down and kissed it. "Gambit feels welcome, Chere," he said with a wry smile.
The man next to Jean cleared his throat.
"My boyfriend, Scott," said Jean.
"Also known as Cyclops," said Scott, giving Gambit a very firm handshake.
"Figures," Gambit said as he had earlier. "I knew a catch like her must have a hook."
"Gambit is the one Magneto was after, most likely," said Xavier, breaking the tension. "He will be starting classes tomorrow, as well as personal tutelage from me on controlling his powers."
"You're in the right place, Gambit," said Jean. "The professor has helped more mutants than anyone with their powers."
"Scott, please show Gambit to his room," said Xavier. "I must contact Storm to let them know we are safe."
Scott nodded and motioned for Gambit to follow him. He led the younger man to an elevator and both entered, Scott pressing the button to take them to the second floor.
"They call you Cyclops 'cause you got one eye?" Gambit asked, looking curiously at Scott's visor.
"I could take my visor off and show you," said Scott with a smirk. "But no, I have both eyes. Unfortunately, when I open them, powerful beams of energy come out. The visor blocks the beams until I need them."
The elevator bell chimed and the doors opened.
"Reminds me of the phrase, if looks could kill…" Gambit said to himself.
"They can," Scott said, half joking and half serious. "Your room is the second on the right. You'll be roommates with Wolverine. Good luck with that."
"What you mean good luck?" Asked Gambit.
"Logan—that is, Wolverine—is kind of a loner," Scott replied. "But we're running low on rooms. He's kind of rough around the edges, and I don't exactly enjoy his company, but in a fight there's no one I'd rather have on my side."
"Maybe he likes cards," said Gambit, taking the deck out and beginning to shuffle them.
"Honestly," Scott said. "He's gone about as often as he is here. I'll leave you to unpacking. There are plenty of people about, and most of them are helpful if you need anything. Tomorrow we can give you a proper tour. Take it easy, Gambit."
"You do the same, Cyc," Gambit replied, offering a friendly parting nod. He put his suitcase on the bed and opened it, beginning to take out his few possessions, many of which were clothes that he had just bought on the way home from the prison.
Someone knocked on the slightly open door and pushed it fully open. "Logan?" a female voice asked.
"Bless me!" said Gambit as he turned and saw a girl near his own age standing in the doorway. She had dark hair, but a curious streak of gray ran down the front. "You can call me Logan if you like."
"Oh, I'm sorry," said the young lady, unsure of the identity of the stranger.
"I'm not," said Gambit. "What's your name, Southern Belle?"
"I'm Rogue," she said, entering the room. "You must be the one the professor was talking about."
"Gambit," he said, offering his hand.
Rogue did not take his hand but simply nodded.
Gambit withdrew his hand awkwardly and ran it through his thick brown hair. "Logan went out on some mission or other. Somebody attacked the jail I was in right after the Professor bailed me out."
"Why were you in prison?" asked Rogue.
"Partly for stealin' and partly for bein' born, I figure," said Gambit. "What kind of school is this any way? What with people running off to fight crime on a school day."
Rogue smiled. "It is a school, but it is also the headquarters of the X-Men, a group of mutants who help keep the peace between humans and mutants."
"So I guess them fancy black outfits are what the X-Men wear," said Gambit. "I met two of them. One named Cyclops and a lovely lady named Jean."
"Yes, Cyclops is the leader of the X-Men," said Rogue. "He's a great guy, but he can be patronizing sometimes."
"You one of the X-Men too?" Gambit asked.
Rogue sighed. "They say I'm not old enough, but I think…"
"Marie, there you are," said another male voice from behind Rogue. Another young guy about their age appeared in the doorway.
"Hey Bobby," said Rogue. "This is Gambit, the new guy the Professor just brought in. Gambit, this is Bobby Drake—my boyfriend."
"Figures," said Gambit again, shaking hands with Bobby.
"What do you mean?" asked Bobby.
"Ah nothing," said Gambit. "Ya'll play cards?"