Chapter 2: A Little Water Never Hurt Anybody

                *Blaow blaow!* If fighting Logan by himself wasn't enough, the old man had turned on the danger room level three gauntlets. Laser guns protruding from the walls fired at the two warriors randomly, creating a blast similar to Scott's kinetic beams. It wouldnt burn, but it felt like a hella punch. Rogue dodged Wolverine's fist - he fought without claws - narrowly missing a beam in the process. She was quite light on her feet. One could argue she was the most skilled fighter of the X-Men - her powers couldn't save her, so she was forced to learn hand to hand to defeat her enemies, and agility to evade them. Logan took a step back as she started to fight him closer to the laser guns.

                "Jeez, Stripes.. *dodge* Someone musta really ticked you off.. *kick* Haven't been able to stay standing this long in a while!" Behind the compliment, Logan was genuinely concerned. It was easy enough to see the kid was having a bad day - judging by her fighting prowess, she was pissed the hell off. He'd always felt more protective of her than the other students, but didn't pity her for her condition. He knew the last thing she wanted was pity. Still, if anyone hurt her, he would introduce them to a pair of adamantine claws.

                Remy dropped his coat and cards next to him and scooped up a hand full of rocks in his left hand. He dropped one into his right and gave it a little charge before winging it at a stone wall, then watched it explode like an M-80 with a bright flash. He continued doing this, aiming at different points, to work on his accuracy.

                "It's nothin', that Cajun jerk was just annoyin'..." Yea, the jerk. She was half tempted to tell on him, and tell Logan about the money he'd taken. Then he'd be handing it back to the kids at the point of Wolverine's claws. The thought of the swamp rat with adamanTIUM at his throat, frightening, and minus one hell of an annoying smirk... Suddenly the world did a belly flop, and Rogue was on her back with a grunt. Wolverine looked down at her with an amused half-grin.

                "Get distracted, Stripes?"

                Ah yes, the Cajun.. he'd had his eye on the bow the first week or so that he'd been here, convinced that he could be nothing but trouble. But Chuck seemed to trust him well enough, and that was enough for Logan, almost.. He'd watch as the kid would sweet talk his way through any and every thing.. And those demon eyes... The fact that he was messing with Rogue wasn't helping the Cajun's case with Logan.

                "Wouldn't want me to put him in his place, would ya?"  Rogue got to her feet, the danger room program shutting down. First one down, she'd lost. Beat her old time, though, as the computer voice informed them.

                "Nah, Ah can handle him mahself, Logan. Boy just needs a reality check is all.."

Rogue unzipped the neck of her body suit as she headed back to her room.

                Remy is still just standing out by his wall, chucking exploding rocks at it, moving around a bit and seeming more aggressive with it now, a thin sheen of sweat covering the muscles that hard living had given him.

                Rogue emerged from the shower. A training session with Logan was enough to make anyone break out into a major sweat. Her face was devoid of makeup and she wore only her nightgown - a sleeveless number, white. She shared her room with Kitty, but chose not to don her robe and gloves as she was downstairs with the other students. When she was sure it was safe, Rogue liked not having so much covering.. it was almost suffocating at times.

                Rogue sat towel drying her hair when she heard the small explosions outside. Rising to walk to the balcony, she half expected it to be the Brotherhood playing pranks, but sure enough it was the bane of her existence - Remy LeBeau. God knows when he became so annoying... Oh yea, when he handed her an exploding card. She opened her mouth to reprimand him about wrecking school property, but knew that he wouldn't stop pestering her after that.. Jerk.

                She turned to walk back inside before she found she couldn't take her eyes off him. She studied the way the little projectiles glowed before they were smashed into the side of the wall. Not to mention the speed and grace, and the fine outline of the person throwing them, but who was really thinking about that?

                His pace had grown to a dash and he moved with amazing dexterity, changing directions on a dime, able to drop, roll, then go straight back to running and casting another explosive rock at the wall. He seemed to have quite a bit of practice even though it wasn't his cards that were being thrown.

                Finally he stopped, wiped the sweat from his brow, and took a seat on the grass before flopping back and staring up at the night sky, the stars twinkling in the clear New England sky, the half moon providing a soft illumination while not completely revealing the soft, beautiful shapes of nature all around, with the exception of the mansion, of course. He smiled softly as the soft buzzing insects reminded him of the bayou and he got lost in his own little world, oblivious as Rogue watched him.

                Rogue paused as she watched him for a few moments after that before Kitty barged in, whispering hastily.

                "Rogue, you gotta come with us! Bobby and Jamie are going outside to like, play a prank on Remy! You know you totally want in!"

                Rogue walked inside the room, shrugging on a long sleeved sweater, keeping it unbuttoned. Sure, the idea of the Cajun being pranked was a brilliant idea.. but could she

stand to get within ten yards of him? If it meant humiliation for him, then yes. Besides, it was about time he got his comeuppance. She slipped on her gloves and followed Kitty out the door with Jamie and Bobby.

                The four students crept outside unseen, towards where Remy lay reminiscing.. or however it's spelt. Bobby held up his squirt gun, roughly the size of a plastic M16. With a grin he applied a bit of frost, making sure the water would be nice and cold. Jamie carried five smaller versions - a bit more than he could handle. Kitty took one of these and some of the proffered water balloons. Rogue received her own pistol and balloons. Oh joy. Silently the group got within range and opened fire. A flurry of streams and water balloons aimed right for the resting Cajun.

                Remy sprung to his feet as the water hit him. Out of instinct he chucked the rest of the rocks from his hand, all charged to a point as to daze the target, the multiple projectiles headed for the four kids as the Cajun stumbled back and fell against the wall and shook his head as he blinked wildly.

                The kids were startled by the charged rocks, darting into different directions with a chorus of yelps and shrieks. Multiple divided into four - one gun for each - and moved to surround Remy while firing. Kitty had fallen back on her rear, one hand in front of her eyes. Rogue had also joined her on the ground before rolling to the side as well as a person in a nightgown could, momentarily dazed. Bobby created one of his cool ice slides for no reason and began to fire cold water at Remy from his new vantage point.

                Once Remy figured out what was going on he frowned and looked quite angry, delivering a vicious backhand to one of the Jamies and pushing past.

                "Are yo' boys crazy!?" He grabbed another rock from the ground and nailed the ice slide, the charge on this one enough to break it apart and bring Iceman down to earth. "I could 'ave keeled all of yo'!"

                He grabbed Bobby by the collar of his shirt and pulled him up to a sitting position. "Now, neva', eva' sneak up on ol' Remy again, ya hea'? He don' wan' ta seriously hurt any o' ya little ones. I can' no be held responsible if ya keep up this kinna thin."

He shakes his head and lets the boy go as he heads for Kitty and Rogue.

                "Are yo' two all righ'?" He kneels by them, inspecting both of the girls and offering a hand to each. "Come on, den, Remy'll help ya out."

                The smacked Jamie bounced back into the original, as did the others, stumbling back a bit with his water guns falling around him. Meanwhile Kitty looked up at Remy, taking his proffered hand and standing up.

                "I'm okay. Just, like, a little woozy or whatever."

                Rogue stayed on the ground, unsure of what just happened. Sure, the water in Bobby's squirt gun was pretty cold, but the only other person she'd figure would react so violently was Logan. And Logan was in a war - he was trained to be all.. shifty. Remy's outburst, for the smooth, cool, collected guy he was, surprised her. She was about to take his hand before a low growl resounded behind them.

                "Stripes, I thought you'd know better. None of you kids are allowed out after nine, or do ya need remindin'?" Ever since the attack on the institution, and the growing number of mutie haters in the town, they'd tightened their curfew rules. Logan was their most avid enforcer, being the all around paranoid guy that he was. "All of you inside, now." With that, he turned to stalk back inside.

                Jamie whined, "Way to go, Bobby!" Bobby looked incredulous.

                "Me?!"

                Remy grinned and just shook his head, grabbing Rogue by the waist and just lifting her to her feet, not touching her bare skin, though he doesn't seem to be very careful about it, either.

                "Allumer comme une plume... Dere yo' are, ma cher. Jus' anotha ting for yo' ta hold against Remy, righ'?" He smiled at her as Jamie and Bobby headed for their dorms, hitting each other periodically while Kitty waited for Rogue like a good girlfriend would.

                Rogue pushed herself away.

                "Do ya mind?!" She joined Kitty's side. "Well Ah don't see why it wouldn't be your fault.. It was your gamblin' that started it. Now we'll all have to make up for it."

                If any other teacher had caught them, most likely they would have been grounded or put in detention. But Logan, he took his punishment out in the Danger Room.