[disclaimer: no, I don't own any of the following characters except the protagonist who emerged from my own imagination. all references from here on out to Marvel Comic's characters are obviously used without permission (like any of us has permission, anyways). Story is loosely based upon the X-Men movies, X-Evolution cartoon, and the comics.]



Side Note: I am tired of writing everything Remy says in "De Nawlens Ac'ent". So, from here on out, you just have to imagine it. Face it; it's a hard thing to do. Easy to speak, hard to write, y'know?



Did You See The Blood Run Down?
Part Three: Bang, You're Dead.

"Remy, the owner said… You! Get out of there!" Iris had walked into the room, to find Remy going through her bag.
"Cher, d'you really think you could keep secretes from a fellow thief?" He shrugged, and replaced the books.  So the girl had some hidden identities, and liked to travel, he thought, no big deal. In truth, he probably concealed more from his peers than he liked to share.
"What did you think you were doing? LeBeau, that is my bag. Its in that corner for a reason. Zipped. Meant for you, and others, to keep-"
"But dog biscuits, cher? D'you have a pet hidden?" He smirked. Let her try and answer that one.
"Ah, yes… You'll find out eventually, LeBeau," she said, sighing. There wasn't really anything she could do to him. As she'd said, eventually he would of found everything out. However, Iris hoped it would have been on her standards, not his snooping around her bag; but that's what she gets for leaving it out. "Right now, I guess, we should go get some breakfast…grab your coat," and with that, they left the room.


***




"So, exactly who are you?" Remy said between mouthfuls of an omelette he'd ordered.
"Well, what d'you mean? 'Who am I'? That question has so many answers."
"Starting with your name, followed by where you're really from, et then…the other book, oui?"
"Mmm… My name… Iris…d'Orleans. So yes, the San Francisco birthplace is correct. However, so is the Scotland one. I lived on the West Coast up until about 5 months ago, and then I ran from home. The 'other book' as you so called it, is actually only a log of places, places I've been, and found others." She took a bite of her toast, and before Remy could ask about who they were she found, she continued. "Others, like you and I. I take it you only saw the first page, oui? Those countries are places where I've been 'called' to, by something in my head, to find people. Its much like how I found you. In Brazil, I found a boy named Roberto. In England, a man with wings; Germany, a little blue elf; I receive the vision, I go after them."
Remy was silent. Either this girl was nuts, or what she said was the truth. But visions? She could foresee the future? Was this how she found him? What else could she do? "I don't think I fully understand…what are these 'visions'? Why did you find me?"
"It's a complicated, tragic story about how I got the ability to have visions. One day, I assure you, you'll find out. I've already foreseen that. But, uh, I don't know why I found you. Some big plan in this universe…possible I was meant to suck the life out of you, and 'absorb' whatever mutant abilities you have…that's what it's always been in the past…mmm…that's quite possible." Iris mumbled the last bit to herself. It was true, but it wouldn't make sense to steal from Remy. What he had she already possessed, deep down inside.
"Excusé moi? 'Suck the life out of me'? D'you mean to kill me, cher? Because if you-"
"No, no, nothing like that. I have every good intention…" She stopped. Something was coming into view, an image, and a voice.

"Remy Lebeau, from this point on you are exiled from New Orleans for the death of Julien Boudreaux.." A man standing, surrounded by others, said to the kneeling figure on the ground. Behind him stood more people. It seemed to be some sort of hidden meeting hall, and the two crowds were separate. In the farthest corner, a small woman in a white gown wept, as did the man on the floor. As he rose, she rushed to him.
"Gambit, my Gambit, I'll love you forever" she embraced him, before he was removed by 3 large bodyguards. They dispelled him outside the door, then slamming it in his face. With a loud click, the door was locked, and Remy, tears streaming down his reddened cheeks, turned his back and walked away.


"You all right?" he asked. She'd gone silent in the middle of her sentenced. Iris's eyes had glazed over, and she'd become extremely still, as if in a trance. But no, now she was awake, blinking her eyes, and staring at him.
"I don't know how to tell you this…but… Gambit, I have some bad news for you." She took the liberty to use the name the woman called him. But, how could she tell him what she saw? But worst of all, she didn't know when this was happening. It was obvious by the woman's clothes it was a wedding day. His wedding? Was the Cajun married? She saw no ring…could this of already happened?
"You're being exiled, for murder." Her head dropped, she was about to cry. The poor man.
"I already know that, cher…it's a done deal. Maybe that's why you're here...Cher? Hello?" he waved his hand in front of her, but her eyes were glazed over again. What did she see?

Fire was burning in the hotel. As the customers and employee's rushed out the front door, chaos brewed up on the top level. A group of thuggish men, maybe a dozen, she couldn't tell, stood about Remy. Each pointed a gun, the silver gleam of a sword flashed in the firelight.  One raised his gun higher…and pulled the trigger. Somewhere, church bells struck midnight.

"We need to leave the city."

***



"Pardon, again, but leave the city? Êtes-vous fou? Partez de ma maison? Ma Nouvelle-Orléans? Vous êtes fou!" He rose out of his chair with the last few words, and stormed out of the restaurant, his tattered trench coat floating behind him.
Slamming what she hoped was enough money to pay for the meal on the table, Iris grabbed her gloves and ran after him. Stopping in the middle of the street, she spotted him already a block away, running as fast as he could towards the French Quarter. Oh no you dont, she thought, and began to run after him, slipping on her gloves. Although she didnt close the gap between them, she didnt lag either. But Remy was to far ahead, and she needed to get up there faster. She had many options to choose from : stop him in his tracks, run faster, or just leave him to die. Although she might possibly kill him if she wasn't careful, she decided to take the second option : run faster. Quickly, she ducked into the nearest alley.

***



Out of breath, Gambit ducked into a bar. Peering out of the dirty window, he couldnt see her up or down the street. The only thing moving quickly was a large, white dog. Dropping into an empty chair, he signaled the barkeep for a large gin and tonic.  Remy was quite relaxed, and on his way to a drunken stupor, when the white dog walked through the door. He did a double take the canine was not a dog, but rather, a large wolf. Almost to large, it seemed. It trotted over to his table, and leapt up into the empty wooden chair across from him. Why did this creature ring a bell…and then he remembered. Iris's bag contained dog biscuits. But, no, that wasnt possible. Although, it continued to stare at him, he noticed it had blue eyes. Deep, penatrating, blue eyes. And the snow white fur, had infact, traces of auburn through it. A beautiful creature, he thought, but eerie. But why did it seem to familiar ?