The Gambit
By: Cynic X
Hi Everyone, Thanks for all the kind words, it is greatly appreciated. Once again, I do not own the X-men, and am making no money off this story. Hope you enjoy reading it!
"…"-dialogue
'…'-thought
"That the best you got sugah?" Rogue asked, cautiously flying around the Danger Room, during a fighting stimulated workout session. It was a normal routine session designed to tag the other teammate, while dodging robotic sentinels, but that wasn't so easily done when the person you had to tag had claws, adimantium claws to be exact.
"Do you really want the best darling?" Wolverine asked, as his face turned up in a growl, as he destroyed one of the robotic sentinels.
"You call that the best?" Rogue taunted back, as she sent another robot into the wall, destroying it on impact.
"Oh, I'm hurt, why don't you stay on the ground and fight fair?" Wolverine unleashed his claws, as he called up to Rogue, who had never touched the floor of the Danger Room since the beginning of the session.
"If I remember correctly" Rogue called as she flew behind a robot, sending it crashing towards Wolverine. The distraction gave her the precious seconds she needed to catch him off guard. While he tried to shield himself from the onslaught of metal and debris, Rogue flew over to the top of the robot, touching down, ripping off her glove, and taping Wolverine on the arm.
"You said to never fight fair, 'specially when it's the enemy" Rogue replied as she put her glove back on, and brushed the sweat off her forehead.
As Wolverine steadied himself from her tap, he said, "You got me darling, you know, you're getting better everyday"
"Yeah" Rogue said with confidence. "I learn from the best."
"Damn right you do, you got me this time, but you can't pull the same trick twice." Wolverine said, as he pulled back his mask.
"We'll just see about that. Ah got a couple more tricks up mah sleeve," Rogue said as she walked towards the Danger Room exit. "Have to wait until next session though, I'm beat, and I wan to go take a shower. It was a good work out Logan." Rogue called as she exited through the doors.
"Next time!" Wolverine called as she disappeared around the corner.
'Nothin like a hot shower to end a Danger Room session' Rogue thought as she walked towards the woman's bathroom. 'Got ta get out of these sweaty clothes.' When her shower was done, Rogues walked back to her room to get changed. 'Wonder what I'll do tonight? It's still early, and I haven't had diner yet, maybe I'll go out? Wait! Ah know, I'll try that new southern restaurant in town! Hmm, wonder if I can find anyone ta come with me?"' She thought as she exited her room, and walked down to the living room to see if she could find anyone still around the mansion with no plans.
"Hello" She called upon entering the doorway to the living room. "Anyone here?"
"What can I do for you Rogue?" Storm asked, looking up from the book she was reading.
"Umm, I was wondering if ya wanted to go to that new restaurant in town and get some diner?" Rogue asked hopefully.
"My apologies Rogue. But I already ate. Perhaps someone else can join you?" Storm answered.
"Nah, that's all right, I don't mind going by myself." Rogue answered heading out the mansions door. She took notice of the warm weather outside, and decided against taking a jacket, since she had a long sleeve blouse on anyway, but put on her hat to hide her stripe. Normally, she liked the way her stripe looked, it made her seem unique, but tonight, she didn't want any starting eyes, or unwanted attention that came with being different.
"Have a nice time" Storm called after her.
"Ah will" Rogue answered as she began her ascends in to the sky. 'Why drive when you could fly? The scenery is definitely better, plus no traffic!' she thought to herself. She just had to make sure that when she landed, it was in an alleyway, so that no one would see her. Walking to the front of the street, she walked up to the new restaurant called "The Bayou". 'Typical' she thought as she walked through the doors. 'Wow, this place is really nice' Rogue thought as she eyed the interior.
"Hello, and welcome to The Bayou" the waiter said politely.
"Hey sugah," Rogue replied.
"Please come with me." He said as he started to walk further into the restaurant, Rogue following him. After seating her at a small table, he took her order, and went back to get her food. Rogue decided to take a better look around the restaurant. 'Looks exactly like the one down the street back home.' She thought to herself, looking around the restaurant, but suddenly stopping on another one of the restaurant's guests. 'Don't mean to stare, but call me crazy, something seems off.' She said to herself. Two tables across the room, a man sat, by himself, smoking a cigarette, and looking out one of the windows. 'He sure is cute' she thought with a smile, but the abnormality hit her. 'It's pretty dark in here, why is he wearing sunglasses?' At that moment, the waiter interrupted her chain of thoughts as he brought out her food for her. Rogue picked up her fork, and began to eat quietly, never really looking up, until, she sensed that she was being watched. She looked up, and started to choke. There across her table was the man she had been staring at.
"Chere, did I surprise you?" The stranger asked with a smile
Clearing her throat, Rogue answered "Ya could say that."
"Sorry, but Remy couldn't help but notice you watching him." The man stated.
"Umm…I wasn't really watching you in particular, I was just looking around in general" Rogue said with a blush.
"Dat be so," He asked.
"Yeah. You're Remy?" Rogue asked.
Shaking his head 'yes' he replied "Dat's me. Please to met you."
"I would say the pleasures all mine, but you almost scared me to death sugah" Rogue replied with a smile.
Remy smiled, and asked "What's you're name chere?"
"Rogue" she replied.
"Dat's an unusual name, no?" Remy asked
"Ah like it" Rogue answered.
"So, what's a pretty girl like you doing in a restaurant all by you're self?" Remy asked.
"All my friend's were busy." Rogue replied.
"Their loss. Now I get to spend the night with you, non?" Remy asked with a smile.
"We'll see swamp rat" Rogue said with a smirk, noting the accent.
"What are you doing after diner?" Remy asked.
"Ah have nothin' planned."
"How about we go for a walk, and get to know each other a little better?" He asked.
Rogue thought to herself 'Ah barely know this guy. It's not like Ah'm afraid of anything happening, because I can take care of myself just fine, but Ah don't want him getting too close. Hmm… On the other hand, if I feel he's getting too personal, I can always make up an excuse and leave. Plus, it's a nice night.' She loved the summer, when the nights were warm after the heat of the day.
"All right" Rogue replied after several seconds.
"Great chere, let's go" Remy said, as he started to get up.
"Wait, ah gotta pay my bill" Rogue called, as he gentle pulled her after him. 'Good thing ah wore long sleeves and gloves.' Rogue thought, as she followed him to the entrance.
"I took care of it."
"What?" Rogue asked.
"Remy paid for the ladies diner. He has to be a gentleman no?" He asked with a smirk.
"Thanks" Rogue replied with a smile.
Once outside the restaurant, the two started to walk down the street, bathed in the light of the lampposts. A couple of times Remy reached out for Rogue's hand, but she pretended not to notice and pulled back.
"What's wrong chere?" Remy asked.
"Nothin sugah, don't you think ya'll are movin' a little too fast? We barely know each other." Rogue said.
"Fair enough. What do you want to know?" He asked.
"How about where ya'll are from?" Rogue asked, already knowing the answer to the question.
"Nawlins, you?"
"Mississippi" Rogue answered. "Do you always go around picking up girls in restaurants?"
"Only when they are as pretty as you"
Rogue blush, and finally asked the question she really wanted to know. "Why are ya'll wearing sunglasses at night?"
"Because I have a black eye." Remy replied, turning away from Rogue. She could have swore she saw red flash across his eyes, through the glasses, but thought it was impossible, so she brushed the idea out of her mind. Call her crazy, but she instantly sensed that he was not telling her the truth, and decided that it must be a personal subject, so she decided not to pursue it further.
"Does it hurt?" Rogue asked with concern.
"Nah, it looks worse than what it is." Remy answered.
"You're turn," Rogue said with defeat.
"Can I have you're phone number?" Remy asked with a smile.
"Not a little forward are we Cajun?" Rogue asked. "I don't know, I'll have to think about it." She really didn't like the idea about giving the mansion's number away to a stranger, but she was starting to like Remy, and it was getting harder to keep her guard up.
"Hmm, Ya got any family?" Rogue asked
"No" Remy replied.
"Huh?" was the only sound Rogue made.
"I was an orphan, I never knew my real family."
"That's terrible" Rogue said, thinking back to her own father, who kicked her out after finding out that she was a mutant.
"Not really, I never knew them, so there's nothing to miss" Remy said. "So chere, how come ya got gloves on, and it's about eighty degrees outside?"
"Ah…Ah get cold easily" Rogue replied. She knew it was a terrible answer, but it was the first one that came to her mind.
"Don't worry, Remy 'll keep you warm" Remy said with a grin. Rogue took the back of her hand and slapped him gently across his chest.
"Ah don't believe you!" Rogue said, pretending to walk away. Honestly, she was tired, and wanted to get back to the mansion, and feared that if she hung around anymore, Remy would accidentally bring the conversation to shaky ground.
"Chere wait, Remy didn't mean nothing by it!" Remy said, as he ran to catch up with her. Rogue slowed her pace, and turned around. Remy gently grabbed Rogues arm, making her stop.
"What's the matter? You're charm won't work on me you know, Ah see right through you" Rogue said as she faced him. She wasn't exactly angry at him; she just didn't want to admit the fact that she was falling for him.
"Remy's not pulling any tricks. He just want to know if he can see you again?" He asked almost as if he was unsure of himself.
"I don't know sugah, what did ya have in mind?" Rogue asked with a smile. She liked the idea that she was making him feel uncomfortable.
"How about I met you at this here restaurant again, and we'll see where the night takes us?" He asked, gaining his confidence again.
"All right" Rogue said.
"Great how about tomorrow?"
"Umm…tomorrow's not any good, I have a commitment tomorrow night, but how about the next?" Rogue asked, cursing those damn Danger Room sessions, and how they took up so much of her time, and screwed up her social life; not that she really had much of a "social life" anyway.
"Perfect, about 8?"
"Sounds good, see ya then." Rogue said, walking down the street, waving good bye.
"Night" Remy said, turning the opposite way, and disappearing out of sight.
"Have to get back to the mansion." Rogue thought to herself as she hurried down the street. "Cyclops will have a freak if he knew I was out this late. Oh well, he's not my mother, although he does act like it sometimes, the way he bosses everyone around. He'll get over it."
Rogue quietly entered the mansion, and snuck up the stairs, until she felt her foot touch something on the top step. With a gasp, she looked down to see Logan sitting there.
"You scared me sugah" Rogue whispered.
"Where we you? You reek of a sent I never smelled," he asked.
"Ah went to a restaurant, and met someone nice. I didn't know there was laws against going out and having fun." Rogue answered sharply.
"It's not fun when someone gets hurt" Logan replied with a growl. Annoyed by the way Logan was reacting; Rogue was on the edge of loosing it. She felt she hadn't done anything wrong, and definitely felt that she was capable of taking care of her self.
"Don't worry, I've had my fair share of hurting people." Rogue replied coldly, as she pushed past him and into her bedroom. Changing into sweats and a tee, she laid down on her bed. 'Who am I kidding. Logan's right. Remy's a nice guy, but if I get too close, I'll hurt him. I should have never agreed to go out with him, but I really like him. Should I follow what they say? I always listened to them, but maybe it's time I start doing what Rogue wants, instead of what everyone else wants.'
Stretching her arms, Rogue woke, as the sunlight poured in through her window. She immediately thought back to last night. It was going so well, until she saw Logan, and to have him bring her back to reality. 'I'll go out with him tomorrow night, and that's it. No use dragging him into a relationship that will never go anywhere.' Throwing on one of her uniforms, Rogue flew down the hall for her morning session in the Danger Room. She really didn't feel like going, but knew that she had to be on deaths door to miss one.
"So Rogue, I have a bill to pay," Wolverine said, as the two entered the room. Rogue just smiled, and took to the air as the simulation began. No sooner had the session started, but Rogue hit the floor with a thud.
"What the…" Rogue asked, as she shook her head, trying to clear the stars away from her eyes.
"If you don't concentrate, you lose you're edge." Wolverine said, slipping out of the shadows. "You're distracted, and if this was a real fight, you'd be dead."
"Sorry Logan, I'm not really into it today."
"Something to do with last night?"
"Maybe" Rogue replied. "Logan, I'm done for today. I'm not into it, so it's no use trying. I'll see you later"
"Yeah, Later. And I'm expecting something decent!" Wolverine called after her as she exited the door.
'Ah gotta stop thinking about him. What's wrong with me? I never felt this way about anyone before, and now I can't stop thinking about how I have to break up with him tomorrow night. Maybe it's bothering me so much, because I really don't want to. But it's no use. I'm a mutant, and because of that, he could be in danger…
The Next Day…
After another wasted training session in the Danger Room, Rogue left, and thought to herself, 'Maybe I'll take a quick nap before I have to leave. I have to get my mind off of it.' And with that, Rogue threw herself on her bed, yawned, and within a few minutes was asleep…
"Shit!" Rogue cried, as she jumped out of the bed. "Look at the time! If Ah don't hurry up, I'm going to be late!" She ran to her closet to get something to wear. Looking down at her uniform, she decided that she didn't have time to take it off, so she found jeans and a top to go over it. Brushing her hair, putting on a hat to hide her stripe, and taking one final look in the mirror, she started running down the mansion steps, she flew out the front door, and towards town. 'Ah should set mah alarm clock next time.' Rogue thought as she flew toward the restaurant again. Touching down in a back alley, she walked to the front, and saw Remy standing there waiting for her.
"Chere! Remy was starting to get worried that you wouldn't show up," he said as he walked over to her.
"Umm. Yeah, well I always keep mah promises." Rogue said as they walked down the street.
"So, where do you want to go tonight?" Remy asked, taking her gloved hand.
With a sign, Rogue replied, "Anywhere, it don't really matter."
"Okay, how 'bout we go dancing then?" Remy asked with a smile.
"Sure, if that is what you want to do" Rogue said, trying to muster the best smile she could. She felt sick to her stomach.
"How far is the club?" Rogue asked, as the two walked along in silence.
"Not that far, just a couple of blocks, but I know a couple of short cuts." Remy said, as he pointed down an alley.
"Are you sure this is a good idea sugah, it is a little dark, and who knows what's in there" Rogue said, taking in every sound.
As the pressed further in to the alley, Rogue was becoming aware of breathing further down.
"Remy, ah think ah hear something" Rogue whispered softly.
"Okay then, come on, we'll turn back" Remy said, taking her hand, and turning around, only to encounter shadows approaching them.
"Who's there?" Remy shouted to the approaching figures.
"Now Remy, is that anyway to speak to an old friend?" Asked a man, if you could call him that, as he stepped out into the street light. He was cladded in black, with a cap, that looked like it had been shredded. His skin looked to be made of a metallic substance, and he had a red diamond on his forehead.
"Sinister" Remy growled as the figure stood in front of them.
"Though you could out run me forever?" Sinister asked.
"What do you want?" Remy asked, moving so that he was in front of Rogue.
'Funny' she though to her self, 'Ah should be the one in front of him.' But she decided to let it go, not wanting to blow her cover.
"I have come to collect payment, and that means you." Sinister said with a growl as he threw his hands up. "Attack" He called, as the figures behind him started to rush at them with full speed.
"Wait!" Remy cried, as he dodged their attacks. "Don't hurt her, she has nothing to do with this!"
"She is a witness, and therefore must be destroyed" Sinister said with a smile.
Remy couldn't believe Sinister's answer, and in those few second, the surprise caused him to drop his guard, and to miss seeing the figure come at him from behind.
"Look out!" Rogue screamed, as she ran in front of him, and took the full attack. She went flying into a cement wall with incredible speed that caused a few pieces to fall on top of her. When the dust cleared, she laid there, among the rubble.
"You killed her!" Remy cried, as he attacked the man with more venom than before.
"I will kill you as well," Sinister said, as the two locked in combat.
"You had no right. She had no part in this, and because of that, you will pay!" Remy said, throwing off his glasses so he could see better in the dark alley, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out an ace of spade and charged it with kinetic energy. Throwing the card with uncanny accuracy, it landed on the target dead on, and knocked the dazed Sinister to the floor.
"You boys are making me mad!" Rogue called as she dusted herself off.
"Chere?" Remy said, as he turned around to see that she hadn't died in the crash. 'How is that possible? She should be dead? Why is her hair white?' He thought to himself, but was overjoyed to see that she was okay with not a single scratch on her.
"Look, you wanna fight, a fight you'll get sure enough!" Rogue said, as she started to fly off the ground, towards the figures. Flying as fast as she could, she hit them with all the speed she had, and saw them impaled into the wall.
"Rogue!" Remy said, as he ran up to her, where she had landed. "What happened to you're hair? Chere, you can fly?" He asked, not really believing what he had seen.
Rogue began to shift back and forth with uneasiness, running a hand through the white stands that framed her face. "Umm…yeah, ah can fly." She said, turning to face him, but gasped at what she saw.
"Remy, you're eyes!" Rogue said, taking in the unusually color.
With a smile he replied, "So our secrets are out no?"
She smiled, and pointed towards Sinister who was beginning to stir. "What do you want to do about him?"
"He's my problem, I'll deal with him." Remy said, as he pulled out another card and charged it, his eyes glowing like the card as well.
"But may be I can help. He knows what you can do, maybe I can take him down because he doesn't know what to expect."
"Well chere, if you want to go at him, do it now, because he's heading straight for us!" Remy said, as he pointed to Sinister who was setting up for another attack.
"No problem sugah." Rogue said, taking to the air once again.
"Be careful," Remy said, as he watched her hover a few feet from the ground.
"Ah will sugah, but the gloves are off now." Rogue said, as she tore off each glove, throwing them to the floor, and flying at Sinister.
'What does she mean the gloves are off?' Remy thought, as he watched as Rogue dodged Sinister's attack, flew around him from behind, and wrapped her hands around his face. He saw Sinister's face turn up in agony, and then watched as he dropped to the floor. 'What the hell just happened?' He thought, as he ran over to Rogue, who was standing, but just barely.
"Chere are you okay?" He asked when he saw Rogue, who seemed to be shaking.
"Yeah, I will be in a couple of minutes. He should be knocked out for a while, so we should make this the time to leave as fast as we can."
"What did you do to him?" Remy asked, as he saw Rogue holding her head.
"I'll explain later. Come on, we have to go" Rogue said, grabbing him under the arms, and taking off towards the mansion.
"Chere be careful, Remy never flew like this before, and I don't want to become a Cajun pancake." He said with a smile, as they began there ascend into the air.
"What's the matter sugah? Don't like to flying first class?" Rogue asked with a smirk.
"First class is fine, but I think I like the view the best" Remy said with a grin.
"Behave, we have serious problems to deal with!" Rogue said, trying not to smile.
"So Chere, where exactly are we going?"
"Some place safe." Rogue said, as she started to descend to the ground.
"And that would be…?" Remy said, as his feet touched the ground.
"Right heah. Xavier's School for the Gifted" Rogue said, pointed to the mansion that was just up the path.
"A school?" Remy asked.
"Yeah, but it not just a normal school, it a school where mutants come to learn about their powers." Rogue said. 'I hope I can trust him. I think he's one too, but who knows any more, and I'd hate it if something happened to the other X-Men.'
"You live here?" Remy asked.
"Yeah. I'm a mutant Remy, and I needed help." Rogue said, turning away from him. This was not an easy topic for her to talk about.
"Chere, it's okay. Remy be one too." Remy said, taking her arm gently, and turning so he faced her.
"Yeah, I kinda figured that otherwise I won't have told you all of this," She said with a smile, trying to break the tension.
"So chere, how come you're a mutant? Is it because you fly?" He asked.
"Well, yes and no. You see, flying isn't my natural mutation. My originally power was to absorb someone's life force, mainly their memories, mutant powers, personality, etc. through skin to skin contact." She paused for his reaction.
"Really?" Remy asked with wide eyes. "That must really suck."
"Yeah, trust me it does. Anyway, Ah also have the ability to fly, super human strength, and am pretty near invulnerable." Rogue said, looking to him for feedback.
"Wow, all Remy can do is make things explode." Remy said, as he held up a playing card, and made it explode to demonstrate. "What about you're hair chere? Is that part of you're mutation too?"
"It wasn't. It happened when my powers went wrong once. Come on, let's get to the school, we have to talk to the Professor and tell him what happened." Rogue said, walking faster towards the school. When they both entered the school, Rogue immediately went to the Danger Room, where she knew the Professor would be.
"Professor, we have a problem." Rogue said, as she interrupted the training sequence.
"What's the matter Rogue? Who is this?" The Professor asked, pointing to Remy.
"This is Remy. He's a mutant, and he needs out help."
"Of course Rogue. I am Professor Xavier." He said, extending his hand to Remy's.
"Please to meat you" Remy, said as he shook his hand.
"What seems to be the problem?" The Professor asked the two of them.
"Some one named Sinister is after Remy, and wants him dead." Rogue said.
"Yeah, she's right," Remy said, looking down. He didn't like the idea that he couldn't take care of himself, but knew that if he was to keep running, Sinister would eventually catch up with him and kill him.
"Well, Remy, I can offer you a place to stay at my school. We have one of the highest security systems around, so Sinister won't be able to cause you trouble anymore." Professor Xavier said.
"What do you stay Remy? Do you want to stay?" Rogue asked.
"Yeah, I guess,…I don't want to be a burden though," Remy said, putting his hand behind his head. It has a habit he had when he got nervous.
"It's no burden Remy. You can join the team," The Professor said.
"The team?" Remy asked.
"Why the X-Men of course" the Professor said proudly.
"The X-Men? The guys on TV?" Remy asked, not really believing what he was hearing.
"Yeah, sugah, the X-Men." Rogue said.
"And you chere, you're one of them?" Remy asked.
"You bet." Rogue said.
"And you want me to join the team" Remy asked.
"Yes" both the Professor and Rogue answered.
"Okay then" Remy said as he shrugged his shoulders.
"Great" Rogue said. "I'll show you around the mansion, and introduce you to the other X-Men."
"I don't believe that I'm going to be a super hero." Remy said, shaking his head.
"Don't worry, you get used to it." Rogue said, as the made their way down into the lower levels of the mansion.
"Ah have ta get you a uniform, and you have to pick out a code name." Rogue said, as she pulled open the door to the Danger Room.
"Oh, I don't know chere, you pick one." Remy said with a smile.
"Me, pick you're code name, Ah don't know sugah," Rogue said, as they started to walk into the control booth.
"Come on chere, you pick" Remy said.
"Hmm…let me think. How about Gambit?" Rogue asked.
"Sound's good to me chere." Remy said smiling.
"That's good Gambit, since you got a Danger Room session in half an hour, the Professor wants to see what you can do, better suit up." Rogue said, tossing a uniform at him.
"Thanks Rogue" Gambit said after he caught the uniform.
"You're welcome," Rogue said with a smile.
"No, I really mean thank you. You saved my life, and I owe you." Gambit said.
"It's what we do Remy, you don't owe me anything. We have to stick together sugah, otherwise we fall." Rogue said.
"I guess you're right." Gambit said with a smile.
"Welcome to the X-Men Gambit" Rogue said as she extended her gloved hand.
With a small shake, he replied, "What am I getting myself into?" as he shook his head. Rogue just smiled, knowing quite well that things would change for him in the future.
"Trust me sugah, the funs just starting" Rogue said, as she exited the room, Gambit following her.
"So what exactly does an X-Man do?" Gambit asked, as she showed him where to change.
"Trust me, if I told you, you wouldn't believe me" Rogue said with a smile.
The End