The One You Turned Away
Disclaimer- I don't own the X-men or the characters of Gambit or Dark Beast. However I am borrowing them for the purposes of this story. This story is set shortly after Remy returned from Antarctica and considers what if Remy had not been found by Storm but by someone else. Oh and this story is dedicated to Duncan.
A back alley in New York
Gambit had known that sooner or later he'd meet up with an old friend or enemy, he just had hoped it wouldn't be this soon before he was ready. When he'd first seen the yellow eyes glinting in the darkness of the alley, well he had to admit it had been an easy mistake to make. For once though he had been wrong, it wasn't his old enemy Victor Creed but somebody just as dangerous. Remy cursed as another blur of gray streaked past him leaping at a wall, rebounding and sailing high overhead. Remy back flipped to catch up letting loose with a charged card. The familiar crackle and hiss as the potential energy was converted to kinetic energy prior to the explosion. At the last second, the flash of fangs in a grin as his aggressor whipped his head to one side and the card streaked straight past him. The sound of polite applause was nearly drowned out by the explosion.
"Well done Remy that was practically close enough to singe my sideburns! Good try but alas no cigar, still better luck next time,"
The talker was McCoy known to some as the Dark Beast, a foe known to Remy mainly by reputation and that was enough for Remy to know he was a real son of a bitch. A soulless twisted genius who delighted in perverted genetic experiments responsible amongst other things for the creation of Gene Nation and the Brotherhood and an experimenter on the Morlocks. That brought a flash of guilt back to Remy, he was the one who working for Sinister had gathered the Marauders and led them into the Morlock Tunnels, making him in the end the one responsible for the Mutant Massacre. So many deaths were on his hands and it was a secret he had kept hidden for years. In the end though his fellow X-Men found him out and condemned him for it. Rogue the woman he'd love had saved his life but then abandoned him alone in the cold. Was this the reason that Dark Beast was here, to gain revenge on Remy for the deaths of his children?
"So you think dat de best dat dis Cajun can do mon ami? Think again monsieur Remy just getting warmed up," spat Remy.
"My dear boy I could keep this dance up all day. Still believe me I'm not here to fight, just listen to what I have to say,"
Remy knew better than to listen to Dark Beast, he knew that much about him. McCoy had a silver tongue; he twisted lies and truth, told you whatever you wanted to hear. He charmed you with his words, beguiled you until you found yourself agreeing to whatever he wished listen to him and you could lose your soul. Remy knew better than to fall for those fancy words, after all he used words the same way himself. Running through his options Remy knew this was going to be a tough fight, McCoy was as swift and agile as him, a whole lot stronger and if he managed to get to close range it would all be over. Best to keep him at bay using his charged cards, sooner or later he'd get lucky and all he would need would be one good hit and it would all be over. Unfortunately the same applied to McCoy, all he needed was one good blow from his fist and that would be it.
Dark Beast was grinning showing all his fangs, yellow eyes glinting with unholy delight. He was perched on the wall, claws easily gripping the bricks and seemingly inviting Remy to take his best shot. McCoy yawned expansively and absently smoothed down his fur with a clawed hand. The other hand was beckoning Remy daring him to strike first.
"Alright mon ami, you like to gamble oui, well here's how we play it s'il vous plait, aces high, jokers wild and here comes de full deck!"
Remy threw practically a full deck at Dark Beast not expecting any to strike home. He was right as in a dazzling display of acrobatic prowess McCoy performed a neat somersault, rebounded off a wall, used Remy as a springboard and landed neatly behind him as his opponent fell prone. It was the matter of seconds for Remy to spring to his feet and draw his bo staff. Absently he wondered why McCoy hadn't pressed his advantage, he'd had ample opportunity to finish him as he lay helpless and he doubted he'd been spared out of compassion. No Dark Beast was toying with him, wanting to draw out the entertainment of his fight. Well if McCoy wanted to play games then that was fine with Gambit, he'd just see if McCoy was still grinning when he lay bloodied and broken at Remy's feet.
"So not ready to talk yet Remy. No I see we're going to have more gratuitous physical violence which by the way is fine with me. I love a good fight, especially with an opponent as worthy as you; we've been what dancing for half an hour now and still it's entertaining! Well if you've still got things you want to get off your chest, I'll be happy to help you work off your tension. I'm nothing if not magnanimous," McCoy yelped suddenly as the bo staff swished overhead and he ducked instinctively thus opening himself up for a sweep which took his legs out from under him.
"Done dancing McCoy, now for de end game," sneered Remy.
He didn't allow McCoy a chance to recover but rained a rapid series of blows down upon his enemy who was forced to desperately parry with his claws. Finally Remy managed to jam his bo staff down on McCoy's throat and triumphantly placed a boot on McCoy's chest.
"Bang you dead mon ami,"
"I beg to differ!"
Remy cursed himself for a fool; he had gotten cocky and out of practice and it looked as though this mistake might be his last. A clawed hand grabbed hold of the bo staff twisting and ripping it out of his grasp and practically dislocating his shoulder. Remy scrabbled for a rock or something to charge but McCoy wasn't letting up for an instance. The bo staff struck a glancing blow to his jaw stunning him momentarily. Again it was clear that McCoy was holding back not using his full strength or he could easily have killed him. Then a shaggy arm hooked around his waist drawing him close and then more pain as his arms were twisted up behind his back. McCoy pushed forward and Remy was facedown in the dirt, with McCoy's weight pressing down on his back.
He struggled with all his might, managing to roll over still on his back gazing up into those soulless yellow eyes. All he could see was McCoy drawing back his fist ready to strike that last crushing blow that would shatter his skull and end his life. Remy struggled to think up a suitably witty parting line but his mind drew a blank.
"Merde"
There was a hiss of parting air and then the lethal blow stopped mere millimeters from his face and Dark Beast's thunderous laughter filled the alleyway.
"Bang you dead mon ami! Stars and garters that was the best fun I've had in a long time Remy. Congratulations on being such an excellent opponent and rest assured you did well,"
Remy was too shocked to speak at the moment, the fact that McCoy was smiling at him, not coldly or sardonically but almost in a friendly manner and the fact that his life had been spared. Looking back McCoy hadn't been holding back concentrating on dodging and gradually wearing him down. At the time he'd assumed he was being toyed with but maybe McCoy had something else in mind. Then he was being fairly gently lifted to his feet by one massive clawed hand.
"Alright mon ami, what do you want with Remy?"
"I wish to make you an offer, one which I'm sure will prove very tempting indeed. How about we decide on a truce and if you'll allow me to buy you a drink I'll explain what I'm offering you. Believe me it's as simple as that, no tricks, no traps, just take it or leave it and it'll be no skin off my nose,"
Remy frowned; as far as he could tell McCoy was being completely sincere for what was probably one of the few times in his life.
"Alright mon ami,"
McCoy smiled again and thrust out a hand. Taking the furry hand in his own Remy shook it and then wondering whether he was making yet another mistake followed McCoy. Still he might as well see what the furry gray mutant had to offer, it wasn't as though he had any other commitments, not anymore at any rate.
Auger Inn
Remy watched the holographic image marveling at its realistic appearance, say what you like about Dark Beast but he certainly knew how to create superb technology. In fact he would go so far as to say that this was superior to the one Hank had invented. Uncanny as well to see the old Hank before the change and remember that this man was what Hank might have become, Dark Beast and Beast totally different in character yet so alike in many ways, dark reflections of each other. Of course Remy was neither of the dark or the light, he walked in the shadows sometimes favoring one sometimes the other and never knowing which one was ultimately the more attractive to him.
"I know of course about your little troubles and believe me I sympathize. How can the X-Men claim to be compassionate and understanding and condemn one of their own to a slow, lonely and agonizing death? Why would Rogue save you from a collapsing building yet leave the man she claims in the Antarctic without even a shirt to cover his back? Believe me I can understand that you would feel bitterness, even hatred in your heart."
"Oui mon ami, Remy thought dat too, he don't know why he told you but maybe dis something dat had to be said,"
He shouldn't be doing this, shouldn't be sitting drinking with the enemy, pouring out his heart to this monster no matter how sympathetic he seemed. Everything he knew told him that this must be a trap, that he would be a fool to trust him even for a moment. Then again his instincts were telling him that it was true, McCoy wasn't hostile and in fact quite the opposite. Besides what harm would just hearing the man out do, if McCoy wanted to kill him he could have done that back in the alley. No it seemed unlikely that even Dark Beast would be going to such lengths just to eliminate someone who wasn't even an X-Man anymore and who would be much more useful to him alive. This wasn't Creed despite the bestial appearance; this was a man more like Sinister.
"We are alike you and I, rational men and ones intelligent enough to realize that we needn't be enemies. You're not an X-Man and despite your past allegiance to Sinister I bear you no malice. You see what I want to offer you is a place at my side, a home where you can belong, a family Remy. A second chance and rest assured all the power you could ever want. Also the chance to strike at a mutual enemy, one who has cost both of us dearly,"
Remy paused for a long while and then to his great surprise found he was nodding.
"Oui mon ami, when you think about it, dis is likely to be de only real choice dat dis Cajun have. Certainly de X-Men failed and well maybe Remy never meant to be one of de good guys, Remy walk in shadow, what difference does it make light or dark,"
"Yes Remy, why go back to those hypocrites who claim to offer redemption and yet throw you out, abandon you for one mistake. As if your crimes were any greater than theirs, I mean Wolverine, Marrow, Colossus, Archangel, Phoenix and even your beloved Rogue have not always been on the side of light. Yet they would dare to judge you and abandon you? Remy come with me, even just for a little while to see how things go. If you decide not to stay than that is up to you, your choice."
Those yellow eyes burned into red on black demon eyes and Remy sensed maybe for the first time in his life, McCoy opening up, leaving himself vulnerable.
"Please say yes."
"Oui," and with that single word Remy knew he had perhaps sold his soul, but he didn't care. The X-Men hadn't been there for him when he needed them the most, condemned where they should have forgiven, abandoned one of their own to die, the woman he loved didn't have enough love to give him a second chance. What did he owe them? Nothing, he owed them nothing at all, why stay loyal to them when they had not been loyal to him. McCoy was offering him a purpose and Remy intended to take it with both hands.
McCoy nodded in satisfaction and they rose from their chairs, stepping out of the bar and into the night. The moon was full and the light of a thousand stars illuminated the night sky. McCoy put a friendly arm around Remy's shoulders and gave him a jovial grin.
"Dear boy, together we shall prove an unstoppable combination and nobody can stand against us. Whatever you wish can be yours, whatever dreams and hopes can now be fulfilled. Reach for the stars Remy and you shall grasp them in your hand. Together we can achieve our destiny."
Remy returned the grin with one of his own.