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Anime addicted Yeahhey! Thank you once again for reading and reviewing my little madness fic.
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A/N Are you ready for a good and non-avoiding chappie? Yes? Than read something else…
9. We were bored so we threw gasoline on the brush-fire and now we have stumps for arms and no eyebrows
Fissie
''Ah, Gambit. You have finally decided to come down to the land of the living.''
''Oui.''
''Xavier, now dat it be out in de open, can I have a li'l chat wid y'.'' He sounded serious. Very serious.
''Of course.''
''It's 'bout y'r security system...How do I put it nicely?...It sucks. It be terrible. It got more holes dan Swiss cheese.''
Xavier smiled. Take it from a thief to make comments about your security system. ''What do you suggest?''
''Y' let me take a look at it. I can...''
''Remy,'' He said reassuringly. ''I really don' think that will be necessary.''
''Professor, ''Remy said firmly. ''What y got now is a big green neon sign saying 'Rob Me Now. Take What You Can. I Am Rich And Confident.' Bad idea, 'f y' ask m'.''
Was it really that bad? ''And you can do what exactly.''
''Fix it f'r y'. Install an better one. Get it goin'. Get it waterproof. Well almost, anyway.'' Xavier frowned and Remy explained. ''I still be able t' get in, but hey, I installed it, I think I be entitled t'some privileges. Sides, y' can' keep me out. I'm good.''
The young man seemed proud of it. ''I strongly get the feeling you are not just some petty thief. Are my suspicions correct?''
''Ask me bout dat time in Fort Knox someday. Meanwhile, y'wan it? I do it f'r y'. Tomorrow mornin', first thin'. Bishop will watch m' back, naturally. So I won' do nothin' bad.''
''Very well, I will give you the code to the security...but that would probably not be necessary, right?''
''Probably not.'' He shrugged and left.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Morning, about 8 am.
Cerebro went berserk, again.
''This is it. Cerebro found high mutant activity in the center of New York. No doubt this is the activity Bishop spoke of.'' Xavier said.
''What are we waitin' for? Let's go.''
''Gambit, it is best if you and Bishop stay here.''
''I will not let him escape, sir.''
''Y' borin' me, y' know.''
''We don't want to cause more panic than there already is. Storm, you and Jean will come with me. The rest of us will stay here. We will try to get the mutant and the crowd to calm down.''
''An' I'll get dat security system f'r y'.''
''I thought you said first thing in the morning.''
''Coffee is always first, so it be de second thing in de mornin'. Shoot m'.'' He shrugged.
After having acquired and fixed up the security system, Remy and Bishop, who was naturally by his side, went to the kitchen. Kurt was watching the news, while eating a hamburger.
The television showed a not too old, tall man with gray hair talking into the cameras. ''What has happened this morning is terrible, and what is worse, it can happen again. Mutants are dangerous. That is a fact we knew already but it has become much more clear now. We must register them. I have spoken to the president, and he will...''
''It has begun.'' Bishop stated sadly.
~Dat man, he looks familiar. Where have I seen him before?~
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Xavier study
''We have done what we can. But the fear of mutants is running deep. I will talk to the president this afternoon.''
''He has been able to schedule you in on such short notice?''
''I must admit I might have used my gift in a less that moral manner. But I must talk to him imminently. If the idea of a mutant registration law can be prevented, we might not have to deal with our other problem.'' He glanced at Remy.
Remy looked up seriously. ''If we kill de president, he won' be able t' pass de law at all.''
Angry glares were directed his way. ~I should really stop thinkin' 'loud.~
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
The rec. room
Bishop was cleaning his rifle in the far corner of the rec. room, while the students were picking a game to play to kill time while the professor and Storm were visiting the president.
''Poker.'' Remy suggested.
''Yeah right. I'm totally not playing poker with a guy that uses cards to, like, charge and explode.'' Kitty said.
''Twister.'' Kurt proposed.
''Forget it!'' Rogue didn't even want to think of having her body close to others.
''Monopoly.'' Jean said convinced that it was a good choice.
''Only 'f I can be bank.'' Remy did not like Monopoly.
''No way. I'm not letting a thief be the banker.'' Scott said. He liked Monopoly. Okay, maybe not monopoly, but he liked Jean.
''Den no way we playin' monopoly.''
''How about we shoot some hoop.'' Evan suggested.
''It's raining Evan.'' Jean said.
''So?''
''No.'' Scott said gruffly.
''Spin de bottle.'' ''Truth or dare.'' The two comments were made at the same time by Remy and Rogue respectively.
''How about a combination. One has to spin the bottle and whoever it's pointing to has to choose truth or dare.'' Evan said.
''Fine wid me. I'll get de bottle.''
After five minutes Remy came back juggling an empty bottle of wine. ~Recently emptied by yours truly, mon ami.~
''I get first spin!'' Jean yelled in excitement as she stood up and practically ran into Remy.
''Den I get de first kiss.'' He said holding the bottle behind his back and putting his face more closely to her level. Jean giggled, kissed him on the cheek and got the bottle. Scott was not amused. Remy was. ~Po' boy. Madly in love an' madly shy. Just like Jean. Bad combination 'f y' ask m'. Dey need a little push in de right direction.~ He had enjoyed the flirting with Jean a lot.
Jean spun the bottle on the table and it stopped pointing at Kitty.
''Truth or dare?''
''Truth.''
''Is it true that you still sleep with a teddy bear?''
''...''
''You have to answer.''
''Alright already, yes. Like whatever. Don't stare at me.'' The group laughed. ''My turn.''
Kitty spun and it stopped pointing at Evan.
''Truth or dare?''
''Dare.''
''I dare you to, like, steal Wolverine's cigars.''
Evan was silent for a while.
''He's chicken.'' Kurt laughed.
''I am not! Wait here.''
He came back after ten minutes with the cigars.
''See I stole them. Now can I return them? I don't want to be impaled before dinner.''
''Stealin' involves not returnin', mon ami.''
''Great...My turn.''
The bottle ended pointing at Remy.
''Truth or dare?''
''Truth.''
Evan was a bit disappointed. He had thought of a great dare. Now he had to come up with a question. ~Got it.~ ''What's the most valuable thing you've ever stolen?''
Remy smiled. ''Most valuable f'r me or most valuable cost-effectively speakin'?''
~Huh?~ ''Both?''
''F'r me, m' faders wallet. Stealin' dat, mon ami, was priceless.'' He smiled. ''Cost-effectively, 'The Willow', painted by Van Gogh in Nuenen, November 1885.''
''Why?'' Jean asked.
''Dat's anoder question an' it ain' y'r turn.'' Remy said, smiling because he had successfully avoided the question 'What is the most valuable thing you've ever stolen, period. In dollars.' That issue was private, for Guild-members only. Besides, it concerned a certain diamond that was still on the top ten most-wanted list. Remy was not about to be caught because of a game of 'Truth or Dare'.
Meanwhile the bottle pointed at Scott. ~Good. Now f'r de small, subtle push in de right direction.~
''Truth or dare, mon ami.''
''Dare.'' Scott said bravely. Not actually feeling so brave at all. Knowing Remy, he knew he was going to be asked to do something embarrassing or repulsive.
''I dare y', homme, t' kiss Jean. A proper kiss, not jus some peck on de cheek, eh.'' ~ Okay, maybe not so sublte, but if dis don' work, I'll shoot him.~
Scott turned as red as his visor as he looked at Jean. She was as red as her hair. ~Lets get this over with.~ he thought
They kissed.
''Eh...Scott...You can stop now. I think you passed de challenge.''
''Homme? Ey! Homme! Wake up!''
Scott woke up from the trance. He gazed in Jean's eyes, and she gazed back.
''Get a room or spin de bottle, yar choice.'' Rogue voice was icy cold as she pushed the bottle into his hands.
Jean blushed again as Scott spun the bottle and it landed by Jean. Not entirely by chance.
''Truth or dare.'' He asked.
''Dare.'' She said giving him her most flirtatious look.
''Do you dare going out with me on a date?'' He said a bit stiff.
''Yes.'' She smiled.
''Good.'' He smiled back at her. And so they stared at each other again.
~Mon Dieu, sorry f'r ever meddlin' between dose two. Now I'm gon' be stuck watching mushiness twenty-four-seven.~
''Eh...Jean. You can, like, spin the bottle now.''
''Oh, right...''
After a short spin, the bottle pointed at Remy.
~How convenient.~ ''Chere, y'r not usin' telekinesis are y'?''
''It's not your turn to ask a question, Gambit. Truth or dare.''
''Truth.'' He knew the question that would come.
''Why was that painting cost-effective?''
''Well,'' he paused for a second ''She be worth 'bout 350,000 dollars, not too much, dat true. But she be real nice an' not too big, 'bout 42 by 30 centimeters, so it's not too difficult to take 'way. She not too famous eider, dat makes it easy t' sell. An' dere were many buyers, so I sold it f'r more dan its estimated value. 'Sides, I was in Holland f'r some oder business at de time anyway, so I saved on travel expenses. Plus she was stored at a bank, not in a museum, which is always better. An' I like de paintin', although van Gogh is not m' favorite, dat one's nice. Simple but nice. Oil on canvas. A true belle.''
He got stares at the explanation he gave in one breath. He grinned at it and spun the bottle. It pointed at Rogue.
''Truth or dare, chere.''
''Truth.'' She said, knowing that if she said dare he would choose something repulsive.
''What's y'r name? Y'r real name, ey.''
Of all the awful questions she could think of, she did _not_ expect that question. ''Non of your damn business!'' she sneered.
''Dat's a funny name, chere. Y'r parents were hippies?''
''Get lost!''
''It's just a question chere. You chose de game, now answer de question.''
''Fuck off!'' She stood up and ran out.
''Well if I had a name like dat, I wouldn't want people t' know it eider!'' He shouted after her.
''So says ze guy wiz a girls name. My turn.''
''It's Rogue's turn.''
''Ja, but she isn't here now, and I vaz sitting next to her.'' He spun the bottle and it landed at Kitty. The game continued, but Remy wasn't really feeling like playing anymore. He had upset the girl. ~Come on, Remy, y' know y' upset her. Dats why y' asked her dat question.~ That was true, but now that he had done that, he felt like a bit of a jerk. And he doubted anyone would argue that with him.
He stood up and headed for the door.
''Hey. Like, where are you going?'' Kitty asked in a friendly way, while Bishop looked up and frowned at him.
''Scuse me, petite. But I think m' bodyguard here needs some fresh air. Come on, Bishop, time f'r y'r daily walk.'' He left and Bishop followed.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
They found Rogue sitting in a tree.
''Could y' stay here f'r a second? I wan' talk to her.'' He grabbed a small twig that was lying in the grass. ''Here, y' can chew on dis.'' He flashed a smile and silently walked towards her.
''I do not find that amusing.''
''Hey chere.''
''Go away.'' She sounded real mad.
''No can do, chere.''
''You know, whatever my name is, Ah am sure it's _not_ 'chere'.''
''Come on down.'' He pleaded.
''No.''
''Sorry f'r askin' dat question, chere. I jus' can' believe why y' won' tell anyone.''
''Well why didn't you tell anyone your last name was LeBeau?''
~Y' got me.~ He sighed. ''Cos I didn't wan' anyone t' know.''
''Your not the only one.'' She said plainly.
''I understand. Sorry, Rogue.''
''It's alright.'' She sounded nicer now.
''Den why you still up dere.'' He even dared to smile now.
''Ah'm waiting for you to join me. You seem to like high-up places. I dare you to climb this tree.'' She mocked and smiled back at him.
He climbed to a branch near the one she was sitting on with more ease than she had expected.
''Nice view, chere.'' He said while looking at her.
She couldn't help but smile some more. ''Where's Bishop?''
''Chewing a twig.'' He pointed at Bishop sitting in the grass.
After that they both sat and simply enjoyed the view.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
The professor had come back early that evening. He and Storm did not look happy at all. The president had not been as forthcoming as they had hoped and Xavier refused to manipulate him any further. It would not be good for their cause at all.
Now it was time for further measures. If Bishop was right they'd have to prepare for serious battle. That is why she had to talk to Gambit.
''Wher' y'at, Stormy?'' He greeted her as she stepped into the rec. room.
''Do not call me that, boy.''
''I take it, it don' go to good den?''
''I do not believe we have convinced the president at all. That is actually why I was looking for you.''
''F'r me, chere. Now what you wan' wid po' ole Remy?'' He looked at her seductively.
''You need a uniform.''
''Say what?''
''A uniform. In the few weeks you've been with us, nothing big happened, so it has not been necessary for you, but now with these threats...I have one here for you.'' She handed him a box. He opened it.
''Look's like Cycke's stupid work-out outfit.'' He said in disgust.
''It's almost the same, but yours is slightly larger.''
He handed gave the box back to her. ''Thanks, but no thanks. I can go out like dis. Ruin m' style.''
''Gambit, we're a team. These are team-clothes.''
''Y' wan' me t' wear dis?'' She nodded.
He sighed and shook his head. "'F we can' beat dem, w'll sure as hell freak dem."
A/N 'The Willow' by van Gogh has actually been stolen on the 14th of May in 1999, from a bank in Den Bosch, Holland, if I remember correctly… Oh, and sorry for the Scott/Jean thing…but hey, cheer up, Remy got to be the nice guy for a change.
On next: Will Remy wear that stupid suit? Will there be a fight? Will I make up more fight-scene excuses? You better believe it.
Review and I'll cross the oceans and rivers of deliverance to continue the story. (Where on earth did _that _ come from?)