I do not own X-Men: Evolution and/or Marvel in any way, shape, or form. Please do not sue me, for it will inevitably just be a waste of time and money in trying to find a suitable legal representative. Thank you.
Spice
'Ah wonder if they noticed Ah'm gone...'
All anger and abhorrence for her mentors absent from her mind, Rogue stuck her head out the freight's double doors, watching as the sun lowered from its high position in the sky and disappeared behind the light pink horizon. A few hours ago, she and Remy had hopped aboard a train heading south into Louisiana where he claimed to have family waiting for the both of them. Of course, as she had expected, the tickets he had shown her were fake---a ploy to get her to come with. That was beside the point, though. He had wanted the best for her and did what he had to do to make her happy.
Rogue unpacked her favorite blanket from her backpack, curious white bunnies hopping across a field of green grass, and snuggled against it, making herself comfortable on the hard, cold metal underneath her butt and deciding to try and get a few hours of sleep in.
The sound of shuffling cards disrupted her peaceful resting.
She sighed and sat up. "What is it with ya and cards?" she asked, exasperatedly. Even though she couldn't seem him in the dim lighting the moon provided---and the fact that her head was turned---she could sense his eyes on her, staring without hesitation.
Gambit, as she thought, was studying her before turning his attention back to the cards in his hand. He fanned them out, saying, "Well, it's kinda like havin' fifty-two explosives tucked away in y' pocket." He smiled before holding out the Queen of Hearts to her. She looked closely and gave it back. "Remy always saves her fo' last. Lady Luck, he calls her... She got Remy outta lots o' jams. An' she brought Remy de best t'ing he could possibly have... y', chère."
She felt the red creeping up her cheeks, and was extremely relieved it was so shady; he wouldn't be able to see her pale coloring fade away or the way he sent shivers up her spine with the slightest word from his smooth speaking tongue. Rogue leaned up against the wall, embarrassed by his unexpected compliment. "Thanks," she said, hardly audible. "So, what made ya think Ah just needed a break?"
"Y' were so tense, chérie. Remy couldn't stand t' see y' cryin' like dat." A sympathetic grin came over his face. "Now, go t' sleep. Remy knows y' want t'." Silence overcame the small box that transported them from the suburbs into the swamps.
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Kurt Wagner teleported into the garage and raced over to where Logan's motorcycles stood on their kickstands. Stretched out beneath a dark blue Harley laid Logan, his ratty work shirt covered in oil and grease. The big, burly man stank of sweat and of cleaning chemicals for his bikes, which he treated like precious children.
"Herr Logan, have you seen Rogue?" Kurt's tail swung back and forth nervously, his mind contemplating the disappearance of his older sister.
The Wolverine wiped his damp brow and paused, taking a break from his hard work. He plunged a metal claw into a beer bottle and took a cool, refreshing drink. "Nope," he growled, crushing the can with his bare hand, without strain. "Why, Elf? Something wrong?"
"She didn't come out for breakfast, so Kitty vent to up to check on her. She vasn't in her room, the gym, Danger Room, vith the Professor, or in the library. Ve can't find her anyvhere," he said, his German accent shining through as he expressed his worry and concern.
Tools dropped to the ground, clanging together as they hit the cement. Logan stormed upstairs and was greeted by a familiar scent. "Cajun..."
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"Mardi Gras?" Rogue asked, staying close to Gambit. She clutched his jacket as they walked through the crowded streets. "Ya brought meh ta Louisiana durin' Mardi Gras, the most insane holiday of the year?"
"T'ought it might be fun, chère," he answered. An old man bumped into them and Remy stumbled, bringing Rogue down with him. The man yelled a word of warning to watch where they were going and went on his way. "It's de first time Remy's been here wit'out workin' at getting by," he continued, holding up the man's wallet. "Easy as eatin' Tante Mattie's pies."
Rogue scowled and snatched the leather holder from Remy's hand. "Ya should be ashamed," she said, pointing a finger in his face. She ran over to the man and tossed the wallet to him. "Here ya go, sir. Ya dropped this." The man tipped his hat. She made her way back over to Gambit and glared. "Why'd ya do that?"
The Cajun ignored her and acted as if nothing had happened. He pointed to a small jazz club. "Y' hungry, chère? That place dere has de best jambalaya."
The two sauntered inside and took a seat at a deserted table in the back, away from all the loving couples who made ogled at each other. A waitress came by an asked for their orders. Both only asked for a glass of water and were immediately granted their small request. The waitress curtsied, her short skirt showing of all she had to offer. Rogue frowned when she caught Remy looking.
"What?" he asked innocently. "Remy can look, can't he?"
She shook her head and greedily sucked up her water, as she was a bit dehydrated. "So, ya always been a thief?" she asked, curious of his history.
Remy nodded. "Y' can say it runs in de family." He waved a dismissing hand, but Rogue wouldn't drop it.
"Ya mean ya father?"
"Yeah, like y' can call 'im dat. Remy go and see 'im t'night." He didn't seem very please at the fact that he had to visit his father. "He only raised Remy so he could get hold o' his powers."
"Same with me," Rogue agreed. "Mystique never cared..."
Remy grabbed her hand and held it in his own. "But Remy does..." He let go, as he could feel her nervousness and the awkwardness around them. He froze in his spot at the sight of a man in a red jacket approaching their table, along with three other guys behind him. He had many piercings on his face; on his eyebrow and ears. Rogue caught the words "... Assassin... Julian..." being said underneath Remy's breath.
The man, or 'Julian', walked up and smirked. "Why, hello. If it isn't the infamous Remy LeBeau. And who's dis precious t'ing?" He ambled around the table and grabbed Rogue's chin in his gloved palm, thrusting it up, examining her from top to bottom. He then patted her stomach. "An' a little one on de way. Hmm?"
Rogue felt sorely violated. She whipped away from his grasp and slapped him in the face. "Ya got nerve ta touch me, jerk." She spat on his shoe, a great sign of disrespect.
"Vicious, isn't she, Remy?" he asked. "Anyways, we got business t' take care o'." He snapped his fingers and the three thugs grabbed Rogue and Remy, forcing their arms into the smalls of their backs. "Now," Julian continued. "Where was I? Oh, yeah." He took a knife from his pocket and held it up to Remy's neck.
People began to scream and fled the scene.
In the blink of an eye, Remy had flipped both the men holding him over his head. He pulled his retractable staff and swung at Julian.
Rogue struggled to get away from the man who held her captive. She twisted her hand free from his grasp and threw him into a window. "Man," she said to herself, breathing heavily. "Ah'm getting rusty." She ran over to Remy who was still fighting Julian. He swung again, knocking the younger man to the ground.
"Let meh have a try, sugah." She took the staff from Remy and in seconds, Julian was flying out of the club, smashing through the door on his way. Rogue returned the staff. "Thank ya very much, kind sir." Suddenly, the thug she had thrown off of her lunged forward and grabbed her by the wrist. She felt herself absorbing his soul, his bare skin to hers. She winced and pulled away as his memories filled her head.
Remy rushed over and held her steady. "Y' okay, chère?"
"Ya're part of a Thieves Guild?" she asked, unbelievingly. 'Ah knew he was a thief, but Ah didn't know it went that far.'
"Not anymore," he said in a hushed tone. "Remy's sorry he got y' involved."
The two rushed into a dark alleyway so they could talk in privacy. "And Julian?" Rogue asked. "He's part of the Assassins Guild, right?" She waited for him to reply, but he was silent. "Why didn't ya tell meh they kidnapped ya father?"
"'Cause y' don' need anymo' troubles," he said, decisively.
"So, what are ya gonna do?"
"Probably drop y' off at a hotel and get 'im."
"No. Ah'm comin' with ya."
He looked at her, concern filling his eyes. "Y' sure, chère? Wit' dat dangerous pregnancy an' everything? It could be a little dangerous."
"Ah'm comin' with ya," she repeated.
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"Where could she be?" Scott wondered aloud, searching the streets of Louisiana for a tall man with red-on-black eyes in a trench coat and a girl with distinguishing white marks in her hair. So far, he hadn't had any luck in detecting them. Kurt and Storm walked beside him at a steady pace. Logan had gone off on his own, trailing the scent the young adults had left behind.
Kurt sighed. "We'll never find her in this mess."
"The Professor says she was last using her powers somewhere around here. We must keep looking, boys," Storm said. "What if something happened to her? I swear, if Gambit has done anything to that poor, innocent girl, I will fry him." She looked up to the sky. Rain started on the people parading in front of them, but it didn't stop their merriment.
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The southerners sat in a small motorboat, navigating through the small bayou beside the Assassins' manor. Dragging behind them was a small raft that could be used as a floatation device or another vehicle if their current mode of transportation decided to fail. Rogue had been strapped into a life jacket, to her disgust. "What if y' drown?" Remy had asked her.
'Why does everyone treat meh lahke a little kid?' she asked herself as they drifted across the water's surface. Her mind suddenly became cluttered with thoughts. She picked one, specifically, and concentrated. A flash of a mine appeared to her. "Remy, mine up ahead," she warned. She pointed in the direction he should go. "To the right."
"So," she said, once they were clear of danger and could relax. "Ah thought ya didn't lahke ya father?"
"Remy doesn't. But he still raised Remy, gave him a roof o'er his head, clothes, food... Remy at least owes 'im dis. But jus' because someone adopts y' doesn't mean dey a good parent---" He stopped short to listen to something before putting a finger over his mouth, signaling for her to be quiet. "Guards, up ahead."
Once the security had cleared, Remy helped Rogue out of the boat. Remy stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to look him directly in the face. "Remy wants y' t' stay here. If he doesn't come back in five minutes, come in and find him." She didn't bother arguing. She nodded and he was off.
Remy ran through the halls without making the slightest sound, in case someone was around. Rouge had given him a rundown of the estate, all the cameras, and confusing halls. He poked his head around a corner before taking off again.
As he was racing past one of the rooms, he heard a groan and the muffled sound of the word "revenge". He stepped inside to see his father, Jean-Luc, tied to a chair and gagged with a dirty rag. Remy resisted the urge to laugh and say God was punishing him. He tiptoed over, charging the rope around his father. The rope burnt up and its small remains fell to the ground.
Jean-Luc ripped the rag from his mouth and gasped for air. "Remy. Why are y' here, son?" He untied his bound feet and waited for an answer.
"Just t'ought y' could use a bit of rescuin'."
"Y' came back. Why?"
Remy rolled his eyes. "Remy's been askin' himself de same question. The answer: Remy's just here fo' y'. Even t'ough y' an awful parent, y' still Remy's père. No matter what." He started to walk out the door when Jean-Luc grabbed him by his arm and pulled him back in.
"Do y' know where y' are, boy? We in de heart of de Assassins stronghold. What an opportunity, don't y' t'ink? Let's raid de place. Show dem not t' mess with de Thieves Guild. I need y' powers, boy."
Remy's so-called "demon eyes" darkened with anger. "Remy was right. Nothin' changed between de bot' o' us." He stalked out of the room, his sulking father following him down the dark hallways. As soon as they rounded the corner, they came face to face with a scared Julian and his father.
"Dis must be father and son day," Julian's father said. "Get back in---"
Rogue crept up from behind and absorbed them both, taking their painful memories as her own. She scolded Remy. "Ya said five minutes."
"Sorry, chère. Dere were some t'ings Remy had t' deal wit'." He looked to his father before he led the pack to the front door.
"She can do dat wit' jus' de touch o' a finger?" Jean-Luc asked. Rogue nodded.
Once out in the outside, Rogue grabbed onto a pillar, as she felt herself being blown off of her feet. Jean-Luc reached out a hand and pointed to Storm who hovered in the air, creating a tornado that shook the Assassins' command center. Over the wind's howling, Rogue yelled, "Meet mah family!"
The ferocious winds and pieces of debris swirling in the air calmed. Rogue ran over to the X-Men and was pulled into her brother's embrace. Kurt held her tight, worried he might loose her again.
Logan unsheathed his claws and charged at Remy. Rogue pulled away from her adopted brother and yelled, "Stop!"
Remy, pushed up to a tree, said, "Merci, Dieu," after hearing her heavenly voice stop the madman's temper. Logan took deep, concentrated breaths, fighting the urge to skewer the boy in front of him. He dropped Remy to the ground and growled. "I want some answers, Stripes. Soon. Real soon."
"Ya'll get 'em, Logan. Ah promise."
Jean-Luc broke the intimidating silence. "I don' get it. What's goin' on?"
Remy stepped up to his father. Rogue was surprised to hear the lack of courage when it came time for Remy to speak to his relatives. "Père, y' see, Rogue and Remy are... well, she's, er... umm, carryin' Remy's bébés."
Jean-Luc's face lit up with surprise and pride. "M' son's a father. Rogue, y' must come and meet the family."
'Oh Lord, what have Ah gotten mahself inta now?
- So, how'd ya like the chapter? Please review. The place where I got (crediting) the script for Cajun Spice is www dot mcskins dot com slash xme slash 406 dot html. I couldn't remember everything said, and I had to use some of it, and all my recorded episodes have disappeared, so I used a transcript. Thanks for the reviews last chapter, guys! You're great, all of you! Bye. xmengirlzrule -
