The Vampire Pandora
Chapter 8
"Alright now, chère, concentrate", Remy said calmly, his eyes fixed on Gabrielle's outstretched hands.
I don't know how I let myself be talked into this, Gabrielle thought to herself in desperation. Her hands trembled a little with the amounts of energy she was trying to focus. Her body was shaking from the effort of controlling the charges that were sweeping through her. She dared a glance from the corner of her eye, and saw Remy shaking his head at her in disappointment. Gabrielle looked away and grounded her teeth in frustration. She closed her eyes and stood her ground, doubling her efforts.
Her outstretched fingertips took on a golden glow, and a low humming vibration filled her ears.
"Alright now, chère. Remy wants ya ta release it. Don't think about it, just let da power flow through", Remy's collected voice drowned out the humming coming from the charge.
Gabrielle took a deep breath, trying to do as he said. She felt the electricity surge through her veins for a moment more, and suddenly opened wide her hands as a stray shot of light poured from her palms.
"Merde!", Remy exclaimed, quickly dodging the rogue charge that had been sent flying his way. He neatly jumped out of the way, rolling and neatly tucking himself out of harm's way. The sphere of light hit the wall where Remy had been leaning, and was absorbed by the special rubber substance that the professor had coated the walls with. The light disappeared into the greyish mess, and Gabrielle let her hands fall to her sides.
Remy looked up at her in indignation, shock clearly written across his face. He got up a little shakily and put his hand against the wall to steady himself.
"Be careful", Gabrielle warned in a small voice, "It might still be hot."
Remy only shook his head in disbelief at her, keeping his hand where it lay. He dusted off his long, brown trench coat with his other hand, keeping his eyes turned away from hers.
"You're still not concentrating, 'ptite", he said with a little more seriousness than he had meant.
"Well, I'm trying LeBeau", Gabrielle said hotly, crossing her arms. "I have never tried to do this before after all. You can't expect me to get it right the first time."
They had already spent over an hour in this damn room, and both Gabrielle and Remy were beginning to lost patience. The professor had provided them with this long, empty room to practice in. The concrete floor was cold and stained in some places. Charles had said it had once been a store-room for machinery. He had had the walls coated with that strange, gray rubber, put there to absorb any electricity that might hit it. It had come in handy more than once.
Remy sighed a little too loudly, (drama queen, Gabrielle thought), and put his hand into his pocket. He pulled out some kind of playing card, and held it away from him at arm's length. As he held it between his fingers, the card suddenly took on a strange, pink hue and hummed menacingly. He signalled to Gabrielle with his other hand, calling out to her in an oddly calm voice.
"Come 'ere, 'ptite. Remy wants you to feel dis, what it's like ta control a charge."
Gabrielle looked at him, searching his eyes for whatever trick or prank he had in mind. What if he throws that thing at me to get even? Gabrielle was uncertain wether or not to heed the Cajun's request, but decided this one time to be obedient. He wouldn't do anything, not with the Professor watching so closely. And although Remy seemed to care nothing for any of them, save for a minute few, Gabrielle doubted he would hurt her in revenge.
Remy looked at her for a moment before motioning once more for her to approach. Taking a first tentative step, Gabrielle inched her way over to where Remy stood waiting impatiently. Sighing at her nervousness, Remy took the initiative to walk to her, keeping the card a safe distance away. Gabrielle stopped short, cursing herself under her breath for her childish insecurity.
Remy shook his head and put up his hand, signalling she not move. Gabrielle stood frozen as Remy walked around behind her, holding the charging card out before her.
"Now chère, Remy needs ya ta listen close",Remy said in her ear, his breath on her neck making her shiver. " Put your hand on Remy's, there ya go, and we gonna charge it together. Your powers'll only make it charge quicker, so you'll be fine, I think."
Gabrielle trembled a little, more from Remy's body so close to her own then from the effort of charging the card. Placing her hand on his much larger one, she could instantly feel the pull on her own power, calling the electricity out of her. She quickly shut her eyes, trying in vain to control the amount of power that was surging out through her fingers. She saw the violent shade of pink that the card sported before Remy's warning hit her ears.
"Dere's too much power, 'ptite. Ya gotta control it or you're gonna blow us both up".
"I'm trying", Gabrielle snarled under her breath.
"Well, try harder!", Remy growled back just as angrily.
She couldn't do it. There was just too much of it, the electricity was controlling her hand, using her as a current and a conductor. Remy felt the card growing too hot in his hand, and knowing it was going to explode, pulled Gabrielle back as he threw his playing card at the wall.
The card stuck to the rubber substance and glowed for a moment, before suddenly un-charging, a small cloud of smoke rising from the burnt card. It fell, lifeless, to the concrete floor.
"I told ya ta control it", Remy said, turning on her quickly with anger in his demonic eyes.
"Ya can't let it control ya like dat. Ya wanna get yourself killed?"
"Well, how many times do I have to tell you I tried", said Gabrielle, stepping closer and looking the furious Cajun in the eye. " I'm trying my best! I am learning after all.
Remy ran a hand through his auburn hair as he turned away, the hem of his long trench coat whipping around his knees. His hands made their way into his pockets and fumbled within them for a moment before he pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Taking one out and quickly lighting it, Remy brought it to his mouth and took a drag. The smell of the smoke hit Gabrielle like a slap in the face and drowned her mind with the memory of those smoky nights when Gabrielle had been preforming for the show. The air had been blue as she danced, and it was all she could do to keep herself from collapsing from exhaustion. Gabrielle shook her head, freeing herself of those memories that haunted her every waking moment. She looked at Remy who stood a little ways off, puffing on his cigarette as if it was the only thing keeping him alive. As much as she enjoyed seeing the normally so composed boy a little rattled, Gabrielle didn't want to fight. She didn't have the time for enemies, and Remy was going to be stuck to her for a while if the professor had his way. And so she swallowed her pride for the greater good.
"I'm sorry Remy", she said slowly, not looking at him. "I'll do it next time."
Remy looked at her in surprise, and to Gabrielle's disgust, with a obnoxious air of victory. He smiled down at her, and waved his hand in the air, dismissing her apologies. Who was it, Remy wondered, that had said to always forgive your enemies, for nothing annoyed them as much? Not that Remy considered this hot-headed girl to be his enemy, but he found it satisfying all the same.
"I forgive you", he said graciously, enjoying the angry blush that rose into her cheeks.
Gabrielle shook her head and turned away before Remy could see the smile that she wore. Taking her place a few feet away, Gabrielle braced herself once more, taking a deep breath. She concentrated on the power like Remy had tried to explain. She quickly felt the charge heat up, and her body began to tremble a little.
"Easy now, chère. Nice and easy, just let it out. But don't give it away just yet, hold on ta it as it comes out." Remy's voice had found an more encouraging tone, and Gabrielle was grateful for his support. She nodded her head, and closed her eyes. Her fingertips and palms began to glow again, and the humming returned to her ears. Refusing to be controlled by her own ability, Gabrielle dug her feet into the floor and put all her strength into controlling the charge she was producing. Daring a quick peek at her hands, Gabrielle was elated to see a small, yellowish ball of light hovering above her hands. Closing her eyes and smiling widely to herself, Gabrielle slowly tried to bring the charges back. She could feel the power-ball growing steadily more powerful and her limbs shook with the effort of restraining it.
Remy looked on, careful not to get too close to her as she held the charge. Remy knew first hand what a difficult gift it was to control. He himself had blown up many a piece of furniture, (or anything for that matter), when his powers had first manifested. He understood how Gabrielle could think that her powers truly did control her.
He felt a small feeling of anixety as he watched the charge grow in Gabrielle's palms. Her long, raven hair was flying out behind her as her body charged, even sticking up a little with the static. It wasn't until he noticed how violently her joints were beginning to shake that he truly grew a little worried.
"Gabrielle", he called out, no longer feigning cool. "Gabrielle, you have to stop now!"
"I, I can't", came Gabrielle's forced voice.
"Merde", Remy swore under his breath. "Gabrielle, listen to me. Ya have ta let it go, do ya understand chère? Just point your hands to da wall and let it go".
Gabrielle nodded a little, and whimpered a little as she tried to bring her hands to face the wall. She yelled out violently as she suddenly brought up her hands, and the still growing sphere was launched from her hands and hit the wall with such force that the floor beneath Remy's feet shook a little.
The light was quickly absorbed into the wall and disappeared amongst the rubber. Remy watched as Gabrielle's hands fell to her sides, and was quick to catch her as he noticed the girl's knees give way.
Gabrielle felt limp in his arms as he carried her over to one of the wooden benches that remained in the room. Placing her down, Remy quickly brought a bottle of water to Gabrielle lips. The girl gulped the water thankfully before placing it down on the bench next to her. Some red liquid on the bottle caught Remy's gaze as he picked up the plastic contained. There's was blood on it!
He quickly dropped the bottle and carefully picked up one of Gabrielle's hands. Small, crisscrossing cuts had appeared on her palms. They seemed to follow the lines of her palms. They weren't deep as far as Remy could tell, and didn't seem to be bleeding very heavily.
Gabrielle looked down at her hands and sighed, more in annoyance than alarm. She took her hand away from Remy's to take a closer look.
"Remy, will you hand me my bag please", she asked him quietly.
"Your bag? What bag?", he asked her.
"The blue one that I brought in with me", Gabrielle explained calmly as she noticed Remy's worried expression. "It's on the floor next to the bench."
"But, your hands", Remy started, still shocked.
"It's happened a few times before", Gabrielle explained patiently, as if she were speaking to a child. "Sometimes when I would get frightened or something, the power would, well, it would do what you just saw."
Remy nodded dumbly at her and went to fetch her the bag. He grabbed it and returned to his place next to Gabrielle on the bench. She nodded her permission, and Remy opened the zipper on it.
"There should be some gauze in there", said Gabrielle. "What?", she asked at his questioning gaze, "I'm always prepared."
Remy found a roll of white gauze, and cut off two long pieces. When Gabrielle asked for them, however, he shook his head.
"Remy do it for ya, 'ptite", he explained. "It just be easier."
Gabrielle looked momentarily shocked before lowering her eyes and mumbling her thanks. Remy was a clumsy nurse and the bandages he wrapped around her palms were a little too loose, but he was tender as he cradled her wounded hands. As he finished, Gabrielle smiled her thanks. Maybe she had pegged this one wrong.
"Thank-you Remy", she said warmly.
Remy smiled.
"Not a problem chère", he said jovially, getting to his feet. He shot a quick look around the room and sighed in fatigue. "What do ya say we call it a day, chère?", he asked.
Gabrielle sighed in relief. She was so tired... " Sounds great LeBeau", she answered.
Remy smiled a little as she rose to collect her things. He scratched his head as he watched her,
wondering once more what he had gotten himself into. The girl had secretly impressed him today, even if she had been a little whiny. He knew how difficult it could be, controlling such a gift. But when the proposition of teaching, well, training, had first been sprung upon him,
Gabrielle had seemed to him just a weak little girl, still in the late stages of teenage melodrama. But that first night when she had not only shot down his cocky comments but insulted him as well, he had found her interesting. But as he had watched her fighting to control the electricity that was violently coursing through her petite body, something else had appeared within his impression of her.
"Maybe", Remy thought as he followed Gabrielle out of the room, "She'll end up helping me too."
Author's note: Alright, so there it is. I hope you guys liked it, especially all of you who have reviewed for me. So what can I say about the following chapter? Look for a follow-up on the initial Rogue-Remy meeting. Tee hee, keep reviewing!