Disclaimer: The X-Men belong to Marvel, Ilehana Xavier to Corrinth, Blaze
and all other OCs to me.
A/N: All reviews greatly appreciated.
05
Gambit hadn't felt this at home in a long time. Working for Magneto was a far cry really from his upbringing; running battles and terrorism for mutant rights was one thing, but Remy le Beau would always be a thief.
Ilehana had been as happy as he was to split up and comb Vancouver separately. Cerebro had pinpointed Blaze as being somewhere in the Canadian city. Now as the moon began to set, in the latter half of the deep night, he had pinned down the places he thought Blaze most likely to be, the places he'd be if he were living here.
Down a side street the neon sign of a crummy nightclub flickered pink and orange. Music powered through the walls in a part-demonic force. The bouncers at the door were packing guns, each man double Remy's mass. He put on his sunglasses, masking not only his mutant eyes, but also exactly where he was looking.
The bouncers admitted him with snarls worthy of the gorillas they were. They'd be keeping an eye on him, in case he started anything on their turf, but Remy couldn't help that. He had no intention of causing trouble, especially not if Blaze was about. He'd been close to being fried by her firepower when by accident it was transferred to Rogue. He didn't want to repeat the experience.
Gambit wasn't surprised to not spot Blaze in the club, but he knew he was close when he spotted a creepy looking guy nosing through a bland folder of loose paper. His contacts had said of everything, Blaze excelled in finding and selling information, something about a photographic memory that made her really good at it. Gambit headed for the back door, certain Blaze hadn't passed him on the way in.
The fire door swung open easily into the alleyway. Rubbish floated like children's bubbles on the light breeze. Rats scuffled and squabbled somewhere close, Gambit's feet disturbing grime that seemed almost alive. But more importantly someone else's feet had done the same not long before him. Under the dim glow of the streetlights, the waning yellow of the moon, Gambit followed the alleyway and the footsteps for a good ten minutes. He'd almost given up hope when suddenly he spotted someone moving in front of him. He stopped, eyes scanning the gloom as he called out "Blaze?"
The strong hand closed around his neck from over his left shoulder. His attacker's huge right hand pinning both of Gambit's behind his back as the young New Orleans born mutant was slammed up against the wall. Remy's eyes bulged in their sockets as he gasped for breath and writhed for freedom. His mutation-empowered hands grasped at nothing, striving to cause some damage. His attacker made no sound, his phenomenal strength the only language he needed.
"Let him go Crush." A familiar female voice barely whispered in a tone that commanded authority. Blaze, the English-born thief with awesome firepower and a taste for the dangerous stepped out of the shadows. Gambit could just make her out, slender figure dressed in black, long curls shifting in the night breeze, ball of fire sat caressed in her hand.
"He up to no good!" Gambit's attacker protested with a rough grunt. "Sneakin' around back here!"
"I said let him go. Don't make me force you Crush." Blaze threatened ominously while her firepower ran like spiders webs around her, illuminating the darkness. Gambit sunk to his knees dazed as Crush let him go, backing off. "Bright of you." Blaze smiled. "Now scat."
Only when with much mutterings the colossal mutant had up and left did Blaze relax her attacking stance and offer Gambit a warm hand up.
"I'd ask what you're doing here." She started, voice still hard and unfriendly. "But the outfit says it all. How long did it take for Rogue to brainwash you?"
"I ain't bin brainwashed Petite." He snapped back, tugging his trench coat further closed around his new X-uniform; blue-black outfit with a broad red X across his chest. "I'se only wearin' this to keep your Claws happy."
"Ilehana's here?" Blaze wasn't really surprised, not like she was to see Remy in an X-uniform. But then again, to Ilehana the uniform was a mark of pack and she like Blaze had adopted Gambit as a friend, so surely a friend was pack?
"Yeah she here. She worried you be gettin' in trouble without us." There was a smile on his lips, but worry in his eyes as she looked up at him. He hadn't been all that worried about the redhead after she left Bayville. Oh he'd missed her friendship, but she could take care of herself, or so he'd thought. But there was hurt, anger and betrayal in her eyes now, and suddenly he wasn't so sure. Maybe Vixen had been right all along, and they never should have let her leave.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Dawn was a grey zephyr drifting over the city. Ilehana was already waiting for them when Gambit pushed open the door to Vixen's hotel room. Blaze followed him in; chin set stubbornly, arms crossed defensively across her chest. She'd barely made it through the doorway before Ilehana began to speak, voice colder than the bitter early morning breeze.
"As the sun rises, maybe the dawn will shed some light on your darkness, Blaze."
"Don't talk like a wolf." Blaze began, voice seething hot. Gambit, unnerved a little by the power of these two young women as their eyes locked across the room, made himself comfortable leaning against a side wall. Deliberately he did not choose sides, folding his arms and keeping his mouth shut. Blaze continued. "A wolf would know when its opinion wasn't wanted."
"A wolf wouldn't abandon its pack." Ilehana replied, predatory eyes betraying her anger. "But it seems we are both guilty of that."
"And so you get to your point?" Blaze questioned sarcastically. "You want me to troupe back to Bayville with my tail between my legs and grovel apologetically for a bunch of righteous kids? Get stuffed. They don't want me, and I don't need them. Or you."
A/N: All reviews greatly appreciated.
05
Gambit hadn't felt this at home in a long time. Working for Magneto was a far cry really from his upbringing; running battles and terrorism for mutant rights was one thing, but Remy le Beau would always be a thief.
Ilehana had been as happy as he was to split up and comb Vancouver separately. Cerebro had pinpointed Blaze as being somewhere in the Canadian city. Now as the moon began to set, in the latter half of the deep night, he had pinned down the places he thought Blaze most likely to be, the places he'd be if he were living here.
Down a side street the neon sign of a crummy nightclub flickered pink and orange. Music powered through the walls in a part-demonic force. The bouncers at the door were packing guns, each man double Remy's mass. He put on his sunglasses, masking not only his mutant eyes, but also exactly where he was looking.
The bouncers admitted him with snarls worthy of the gorillas they were. They'd be keeping an eye on him, in case he started anything on their turf, but Remy couldn't help that. He had no intention of causing trouble, especially not if Blaze was about. He'd been close to being fried by her firepower when by accident it was transferred to Rogue. He didn't want to repeat the experience.
Gambit wasn't surprised to not spot Blaze in the club, but he knew he was close when he spotted a creepy looking guy nosing through a bland folder of loose paper. His contacts had said of everything, Blaze excelled in finding and selling information, something about a photographic memory that made her really good at it. Gambit headed for the back door, certain Blaze hadn't passed him on the way in.
The fire door swung open easily into the alleyway. Rubbish floated like children's bubbles on the light breeze. Rats scuffled and squabbled somewhere close, Gambit's feet disturbing grime that seemed almost alive. But more importantly someone else's feet had done the same not long before him. Under the dim glow of the streetlights, the waning yellow of the moon, Gambit followed the alleyway and the footsteps for a good ten minutes. He'd almost given up hope when suddenly he spotted someone moving in front of him. He stopped, eyes scanning the gloom as he called out "Blaze?"
The strong hand closed around his neck from over his left shoulder. His attacker's huge right hand pinning both of Gambit's behind his back as the young New Orleans born mutant was slammed up against the wall. Remy's eyes bulged in their sockets as he gasped for breath and writhed for freedom. His mutation-empowered hands grasped at nothing, striving to cause some damage. His attacker made no sound, his phenomenal strength the only language he needed.
"Let him go Crush." A familiar female voice barely whispered in a tone that commanded authority. Blaze, the English-born thief with awesome firepower and a taste for the dangerous stepped out of the shadows. Gambit could just make her out, slender figure dressed in black, long curls shifting in the night breeze, ball of fire sat caressed in her hand.
"He up to no good!" Gambit's attacker protested with a rough grunt. "Sneakin' around back here!"
"I said let him go. Don't make me force you Crush." Blaze threatened ominously while her firepower ran like spiders webs around her, illuminating the darkness. Gambit sunk to his knees dazed as Crush let him go, backing off. "Bright of you." Blaze smiled. "Now scat."
Only when with much mutterings the colossal mutant had up and left did Blaze relax her attacking stance and offer Gambit a warm hand up.
"I'd ask what you're doing here." She started, voice still hard and unfriendly. "But the outfit says it all. How long did it take for Rogue to brainwash you?"
"I ain't bin brainwashed Petite." He snapped back, tugging his trench coat further closed around his new X-uniform; blue-black outfit with a broad red X across his chest. "I'se only wearin' this to keep your Claws happy."
"Ilehana's here?" Blaze wasn't really surprised, not like she was to see Remy in an X-uniform. But then again, to Ilehana the uniform was a mark of pack and she like Blaze had adopted Gambit as a friend, so surely a friend was pack?
"Yeah she here. She worried you be gettin' in trouble without us." There was a smile on his lips, but worry in his eyes as she looked up at him. He hadn't been all that worried about the redhead after she left Bayville. Oh he'd missed her friendship, but she could take care of herself, or so he'd thought. But there was hurt, anger and betrayal in her eyes now, and suddenly he wasn't so sure. Maybe Vixen had been right all along, and they never should have let her leave.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Dawn was a grey zephyr drifting over the city. Ilehana was already waiting for them when Gambit pushed open the door to Vixen's hotel room. Blaze followed him in; chin set stubbornly, arms crossed defensively across her chest. She'd barely made it through the doorway before Ilehana began to speak, voice colder than the bitter early morning breeze.
"As the sun rises, maybe the dawn will shed some light on your darkness, Blaze."
"Don't talk like a wolf." Blaze began, voice seething hot. Gambit, unnerved a little by the power of these two young women as their eyes locked across the room, made himself comfortable leaning against a side wall. Deliberately he did not choose sides, folding his arms and keeping his mouth shut. Blaze continued. "A wolf would know when its opinion wasn't wanted."
"A wolf wouldn't abandon its pack." Ilehana replied, predatory eyes betraying her anger. "But it seems we are both guilty of that."
"And so you get to your point?" Blaze questioned sarcastically. "You want me to troupe back to Bayville with my tail between my legs and grovel apologetically for a bunch of righteous kids? Get stuffed. They don't want me, and I don't need them. Or you."