Tamazi: Well, you can see that they are certainly becoming closer friends than there were. Which I think is sweet since apparently Storm didn't like Loan when she first met him! Aurora may get a little bit jealous.. but doing something drastic? Hm.. like what?
Kimenomi: I agree, it was short, but I wanted to keep the contents of this chapter separate from the previous one (I'm too organised for my own good.) Yup, Storm's lightening blasts seem to subdue them well, you may see that the others use very much physical attacks, whilst electricity passes inside the body as well. You shall learn more as you read on.
Hnyswtypie: Hello new reviewer! A lot of people have mentioned the Storm and Logan interaction, so it seems like it's getting across well, hehe.
Sych77: Well, Logan did indeed help out, but it was Storm who did the real damage and got herself out of that tight spot. She's a strong fighter (learnt that from playing X-Men Legends!) You thought the Sentinel exploded, you would, lol. (No, pineapples are in the wrong context now! Bad Sych, bad Sych!) You're off on holiday now, so have a good one!
Blix: Yes, it is funny to say, lol. And indeed, the Sentinel are getting more powerful, but the happenings in the previous chapter were a big hint of what's to come. They should help you to answer questions as to just what those Sentinels are.
Chapter 40The scene was all too familiar. A tall heavily clothed young woman stood in front of the kitchen counter busying herself yet minding her own business whilst in the open doorway stood a figure watching with folded arms as he leant against the doorframe. Telltale eyes of red glinted as he followed the woman's movements. He watched her open a cutlery drawer to her right before turning back to what was a slice of bread. She still kept her back to him, and remained completely unaware.
A slight smirk rose on Gambit's lips, "Chere, ya really need ta be more alert. I coulda been anybody."
The voice obviously startled the woman, who spun round to stare wide eyed at Gambit, streaks of white flaring either side of her face at the movement, "Gambit!" she said with a gasp, "What are you tryin' to do? Give me a heart attack?"
"Non," said Gambit quietly, "Trying ta show you de errors o' your ways." He walked in a little, pausing to then lean against the blue tilted work surface, a suave smirk on his lips.
"Well, this was hardly a battle scene," murmured Rogue distractedly, fidgeting and placing her strands of white hair behind her ears as they hung idly, separated from her long hair of brown, which was tied behind her head.
"Coulda been somebody who wanted to sneak into the mansion. Ya gotta have your wits about you." Gambit straightened strode languidly across the kitchen, head turning as he watched Rogue carry her lunch towards the rectangular wooden table at the back of the kitchen. He gave a slight smirk to himself as he turned to the fridge beside him and selected himself a cold drink before heading over to the table and pulling out a chair to sit opposite the younger mutant.
Rogue raised her sandwich slowly, shrugging at Gambit's words, "Oh well.." she said half heartedly, "If I need to fight I'll be ready," and she took a large bite out of her sandwich and surveyed Gambit over the top with a look that seemed to think that that was that.
Gambit returned her look with a thoughtful one of his own before he looked down at his can and prised open the ring pull with a click.
"I heard you got chucked off the team," Rogue suddenly said with an unhelpful air of vindictiveness about her.
The dark red eyes rose suddenly to fixate on Rogue with an upheaval of displeasure in his swirling gaze. But as his eyes locked upon the female, he lost the coldness as he watched how she calmly took a bite of her sandwich and ate as she in return studied him. The sunlight glowed in through the window behind her to throw light around her like some heavenly spotlight of golden dust. He made a quiet sigh, slouching forward a little on the table, "Not chucked off, chere, suspended."
Rogue shrugged slowly, "What did you do?" she asked in such a voice that it made Gambit suspect she already knew, but just wanted to hear it from him.
He scrutinised her over the top of his drink before he took a slow sip, then fell back into studying her face, "Don't you know?" he asked coolly.
"I have heard things flying about the mansion.. but I didn't want to believe it until I had the proof." She pushed away her plate, sandwich now gone. She folded her gloved arms in front of her and lowered her head to stare across at him like some interviewing police officer, "What did you do?"
Then, Gambit did something Rogue thought she would never see him do, he shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. That was unlike Gambit. "A training session got out of hand," he said quietly, looking down at his drink can.
There was still a calculating and harsh air about Rogue as she pursued with her questioning, "So, did you cheat in the spar?" Gambit flashed her a dirty look, "That's what's being said, Remy. Did you?"
"I was defending myself.." Gambit murmured quietly, becoming aware he was bouncing his knee uncontrollably under the table and placed a hand under to stop it.
Rogue's face now had a very ugly look upon it, "So you attacked Logan."
"No!" cried Gambit harshly, "Defending!" He shook his head sighing, "Look it just got a bit out of hand that's all.."
"And now you're here and they're out there risking their lives. Personally I don't see how that is a fair punishment."
"I ain't complaining, mon chere," then said Gambit, a smile spreading across his lips as he leant back in his chair, rocking it back on it's rear two legs. At his smile, Rogue couldn't help but return one, giving a slight chuckle. He was too damn charming to stay angry at the long. Excluding a certain Canadian's view anyway. "I'm just fine sitting here, relaxing.. dat's de way I live ya see." said Gambit in a satisfied voice, arms folded across the front of his chest.
"I think you better get off your ass and do somethin' useful sharpish," came another voice, a bitter snap that resounded across the room like a cracking whip. The suddenness caused Gambit to falter in his lean and the back legs of his chair wobbled dangerously as he jerked in surprise. His head whipped round to stare at the shadowy doorway, chair falling back on all fours with a resounding clunk.
"Who da hell are you?" he asked rudely.
Soft footsteps sounded as shoes collided with the hard floor of the kitchen. Madeline walked into the room with folded arms and a heated glare that matched her fathers. The sort of one that was warning you to get the hell out of sight before damage was done.
"Oh.." said Gambit weakly as he saw who it was. "Come take a seat, chere!" he then said brightly, pulling a chair out for her beside him and patting it encouragingly.
Rogue could have sworn she saw sparks fly from Madeline's nostrils. In this place, it was scarily possible too. Madeline tilted her hips as she glared across at him, readying up for a vocal fight. Rogue looked at her up and down and watched her black threaded belt sway like some dangerous whip. "Sorry Madeline," said Rogue quietly, "I was just asking Gambit what happened in the Danger Room."
"It's not your fault Rogue," said Madeline in the same dangerously low voice as she glared at Gambit, "You'd do well to keep out of my way, Cajun." Ah, something she's picked up from her father.
Gambit's eyes gave a twitch like he was battling with himself internally as to not go over there and start whipping cards at her. After being cooped up in his room for the remainder of last week, he was ready for a good argument; "Live in the real world, chere, our paths will cross pretty frequently since we live in the same building."
Rogue found herself giving a slight smirk at the response, but quickly wiped it off her face when she realised what she was doing.
"Then you better be good at hiding," Madeline growled, which made Rogue quickly look around to see if Aurora had returned. "And don't call me chere." With that, she turned and stalked out of the room, footsteps hitting the floor sharply and angrily.
Once she was out of view, Gambit looked across to Rogue. But instead of looking angrily, he looked oddly delighted, "Man dat girl is feisty. I like dat!"
"Don't even think about it, Gambit," said Rogue, giving him a solid look, "She's Logan's daughter. Do you really want to find yourself pinned to the wall by your balls?"
Gambit flashed her a look, "What?" he said quickly, looking very uncomfortable.
Rogue smirked slowly at his reaction, "Logan's claws are very useful aren't they?"
Both Logan and Storm were stood at the side of the road on the corner of a row of various buildings, each looking rather derelict. Obviously not the best area to be in. the sun was also reaching the point where it was starting to lower in the sky, and Storm was hoping to get them back to the mansion by nightfall. Logan was stood with his X-Transceiver switched on and he was talking quietly into it whilst Storm sat on a wall behind him. The pair looked very odd and outlandish in their leather uniforms against such a dark and uninhabited street. They had jumped off the lorry when it slowed at the junction like Storm had suggested. It just so happened that this was the junction.
"Where are you again?" came Scott's voice through the X-Transceiver.
Logan's voice had a noted tone of impatience to it, "I told you, we're in Boston somewhere.." he turned round to look at a road sign that was just visible on the wall under Storm's boots, "Elm Avenue."
"I don't know where that is," said Scott shortly in reply
"Funnily enough nor do I!" said Logan with a faint growl, "That's why it's called 'lost'"
"Don't take that tone with me," Scott snapped.
Logan closed his eyes as he sighed, holding his head in a hand, "Look, just try and follow our coordinates. We need you quickly, Storm's injured – "
"Hey, I'm fine."
" – and we're not in a very good area. Of course, it ain't nothin' I can't handle but I think we've had enough fighting for one day." Logan talked on right through Storm's words, and she rolled her eyes slowly at the response, then turning her eyes to look across the road they were on. A slight frown creased her brow. This place was oddly familiar.. slowly, she dropped down off the wall. Glancing to Logan as he continued to bicker with Scott before she turned and her eyes fastened upon something across the road.
Logan stood with his back to Storm, giving a heavy sigh, "Tell Aurora this is not the time to make jokes, no, no.. don't put her on.. oh no. Hey Aurora.. Oh.. Woah, the signal's going.. greeezzzh, eeeeezzz.. wow, hear that? Bsszzh. Follow the coordinates better go can't hear you, brrrzz, bye." Logan shut off the signal with a small chuckle, "Sucker." He turned round slowly with a smirk, about to say something to Storm when he saw that she was not sat on the wall. He quickly looked around to see if she was nearby, but she had disappeared. His eyes widened at the sudden disappearance before he concentrated and tried to catch her lingering scent in the air. There it was. Uh oh, the smell of distress. Logan quickly began to jog across the road; looking around all the while he followed the scent of the woman.
He didn't have far to go, for it brought him across the road and in front of a tall derelict church. An old faded fence scaled the perimeter with vandalised posters and old graffiti marking it, including a metal sign saying, 'Do Not Enter' but Logan paid no mind to it as he strode towards the large double doors and pushed them open.
They creaked and banged eerily, echoing across the old building which was oddly empty yet filled which sheeted scaffolding. Candles lined the dark hall, remaining wicks burnt out long ago. A sudden flock of birds made themselves know before flying across the altar, swooping around the Virgin Mary statue elegantly before disappearing up into the rafters. Logan trod in slowly, looking around with a slight frown. Why was Storm in here? His eyes lifted and trailed across beautiful stain glassed windows that shone with the outdoor sunlight and watched how the shimmering colours cast rainbow spillage across the floor. Some of these windows were smashed, some of the wooden walls ruined by damp, and the first rafter completely destroyed with a large chunk missing out, which he then found a few feet in front of him, looking oddly scorched.
His head snapped upwards as he heard a faint sound echo from the back of the church. Becoming quickly suspicious he slowly strode forward, calmly stepping over the piece of rafter debris before he walked down the centre of aisle, looking around carefully through all the abandoned scaffolding. "Storm?" he called, voice echoing mysteriously through the high dark rafters. Since there was no reply, he quickly continued to follow her scent. He stepped slowly round a sheeted block of scaffolding, now at the back of the church. He turned slowly, navigating through statues of various religious beings until some completely unexpected caught his eye. He had to tread back in his walk to take another look.
There was a poster on the wall, shaded a dark murky green with a blue face suspended in the middle. Odd eyes of solid yellow shone at him, a strange mist floated from these eyes and also mouth of the face. Below this it said in large red letters, "Berlin Circus" and lastly, "The Incredible Nightcrawler." The realisation soaked through his gut horribly. He remembered Storm and Jean talking about the place they found Kurt.. was this the place?
Suddenly, another sound caught his attention, and his head spun round to see Storm in a small room just off the altar. She was upon her knees on the floor, her head in her hands as she softly cried into her gloves. Logan frowned gently as he turned, taking slow steps towards her, "Storm.." he said softly, trying to sound reassuring. He reached her side gently, placing a gloved hand tenderly upon her back. He crouched slowly beside her, head tilted as he sought to see her face.
Slowly she moved her hands from her face, glancing slowly to Logan with tears shimmering from her cheeks, "Sorry.." she said softly, "I didn't mean to leave you alone.."
"It's alright," said Logan quietly, moving the hand upon her back to her furthest away shoulder instead to hold her in his arm, "Is this where Kurt lived?" he questioned softly.
Storm made a slow nod, "Yes.." she answered, "This is where .. Jean.. and I found him." She looked to him slowly, meeting his hurting eyes with her match. "Sorry.." she whispered under her breath before she turned to him, wrapping her arms about his strong shoulders as she closed the space between them. Her head bowed into his shoulder for comfort whilst her arms held him in return. Logan closed his eyes gently, the reminder of Jean and Kurt's death hurting him also. His arms held tightly against her shoulders, causing her cape to rustle quietly. They stayed like that for a short moment, the only sounds being the soft movement of Storm's cape and the breath of her tearful sighs.
With a hand gently at the base of her head, he allowed Storm to pull away, sharing a saddened gaze with her for a moment, "Are you alright?" he asked her in a low but soft voice.
"I will be," said Storm softly, gently letting her arms leave his shoulders as she straightened to her feet. Logan slowly rose beside her, hand still reassuringly on her shoulder. "Come on.." whispered Storm quietly, wiping the remains of tears from her face, "We better go and wait for the others.."
Slowly the pair turned and walked quietly out of the church to step out into the now oddly dark air. A brutal cold wind had begun, and a miserable rain had started to fall from the heavens in sharp strikes, hitting the ground heavily. Storm walked slowly through the horrendous weather, looking unperturbed by it as it quickly drenched her body.
Logan looked a little more aggravated, giving a disapproving glare to the heavens as the cold rain hit his face and turned his hair into a drooping mane. Storm slowly glanced back at him, managing a faint smile as she watched him stand awkwardly in the rain, droplets plopping off his nose ungracefully, "It's only my shower."
"You mean this is your doing?" he grumbled pitifully.
"You're such a man," said Storm with a gentle smile returning to its rightful place, "We'll be home and dry soon."
No sooner had the words left her mouth, the Jet swooped overhead, slowing in its flight before it began to lower to the road. Logan looked instantly relieved and began to run over to the lowering steps, pulling Storm along with him by the hand, "At last."
Bit for everybody in this chapter. Some Rogue, some Gambit, some Madeline, some humour and some sadness. Action scenes were last chapter those greedy people who want more fighting, lol. You know what to do, review!
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