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CHAPTER SEVEN
"What do ya mean she's gone to New Orleans!" exclaimed Remy.
The angel-man just kept on holding his nose to stop the blood-flow.
Storm rushed in and threw her arms around him. "Oh, Remy, you're back!"
"No' for long, Stormy. I 'ave to find Rogue."
Storm unwrapped her arms from around his neck. "All in due time, my friend. Now who is this?" she questioned, looking at Beth, who was in turn looking at the angel-man. "Besides being a very good puncher, as I can see."
"A very good friend. Beth, meet Ororo Munroe."
Storm raised an eyebrow. "I see you have partially rid yourself of that accent you had. Not that I find Cajun a disinteresting way to speak, but I'm glad you know otherwise."
"Non, dis Cajun gonna stick to de ways he knows. Dis "Beth" here didn' give me a moments peace til I said her name right."
Ororo laughed. "Well, I see you have quite a history. Come you must say hello to the professor, and a few others."
"No, Stormy, I can' do dat. I'd appreciate if you took Beth for a while, though. Seems I gotta go back ta New Orleans if I want to find Rogue."
He saw the disappointed look on her face, and added "It's been five years, I need ta see 'er. You know dat, Stormy."
Ororo pretended to clear her throat and glare at him with mock anger. "I have told you, Gambit, many a times, that you not refer to me that way." But then her expression faded and she clasped his hands.
"I have not seen you for five years, either, my friend. Perhaps to you this is not your home, but as long as I have a place in it, so will you. Remember, if you are ever in trouble I will always be ready to offer you help."
"I know, Storm. You 'ave never failed me. I just need ta ask ya to look after Beth. Please," he paused, watching Beth as she squatted down and poked one of the wings, earning a slap on the hand from Warren. "She means everything to me…almost as much as Rogue, but in a different way."
Storm nodded, letting go of his hand. Her "goddess" posture had come back to her, and she regained her composure.
"Go, find her. But when you have her, invite me over. We have a lot to chat about."
"Well," she said, changing the subject, "I will collect Beth's luggage, and set up a room. I trust she will find friends here." Moving a little closer Storm asked "Is she a mutant?"
"Not that I kno' of. So look after 'er, de ot'ers might get jealous or somet'in."
"I certainly will, Remy…Well, as I cannot convince you to stay, then I guess you must leave. Good luck, my friend."
"Hey, wait, no one's leaving me behind," broke in Beth angrily. "Remy, you're not just leaving without me."
"Sorry, chere, but dis is one ting dat I need to do alone. I'll bring you back a present. Have fun with the X-men."
"Wait, Rem—" but the Cajun had already left, leaving the door open behind him as he hurried back out the driveway and to the parked car outside.
"And I can bet," said a voice behind her, "That he gets torn to pieces. Oh, Rogue won't love him anymore. She's had a taste of human, and she won't fall back for him…and it will serve him right. He'll be torn apart, like he tore the Morlocks apart."
"Warren!" exclaimed Storm angrily. "He is my friend, how dare you say such a thing!"
"Yeah, well, Ororo, you certainly have bad taste in friends. He's a murderer. He'll never live up to what he did."
Seeing as she'd already punched his nose in, Beth looked him over, wondering where to strike next.
Suddenly Angel yelped as Beth grabbed a big handful of his feathers and twisted them viciously, pinning him to the floor.
"You call him murderer one more time, and we'll find out just who can kill," she said. He saw the cold, calculating look in her eyes and wondered if she was actually serious.
Testing her, he said "Well, you were trained by a killer, so I suppose it's only natural that you end up being one."
He managed to open his wings, despite her firm grip on them, and rolled over, until he was on top of her. Without warning she rammed a knee into his mid-riff, punched him with the heel of her hand upside the chin, hearing his neck crack, then pushed him back, only half-conscious, onto the tiled floor of the X-Mansion's living room. Getting up she kicked him swiftly in the ribs.
A hand grabbed her shoulder and she whirled around.
"That's enough, bub. You've given the boy a good enough lesson."
Eyes blazing, she said "Let go of me!" grabbing the hand she twisted the fingers, but one strong hand just grabbed hers, and her arm was slammed behind her back, pinning her painfully.
"Arrgghhh!" she exclaimed, but it was more out of anger than pain. She slammed her free elbow into his ribs, but only heard the sound of metal chinking. Thinking quickly, she maneuvered her torso a bit, then raised a leg up alongside her body and hit him in the head, bending her body slightly so that she could hit him in the nose also.
He let go of her arm so that he could grab her leg and she did a hand-stand, the other leg hitting him in the face. He grabbed that leg and, using the smallest, most developed muscles of her body she bent her back backwards, so that her feet, where he was holding them, ended up on his shoulders, and she reached up with her hands and poked him in the eyes.
He reared back in surprise and hit the wall, letting go of her. Beth quickly tucked and rolled, getting up. Her hands were curled into fists and she seemed to be actually bristling.
To her surprise, Wolverine began to laugh. "Gumbo taught ya good, girl. For a human you're pretty excellent, but…" Three adamantium claws slid out of his knuckles. "You're no match against these."
Beth was just reaching into her jacket's pocket when a loud crack of thunder broke in.
"That's enough, both of you. Logan, leave Beth alone. Beth; likewise. I will not tolerate fighting, and if I must I will stun you both with a low-voltage of electric current." The air around them crackled dangerously.
Beth nodded, her hands lowered and she nodded again briefly in Logan's direction.
"All is forgiven, Wolvie. But come between me and my revenge when Remy's name is insulted and I will kill you both. She gave a glare in Warren's direction.
Somehow, Logan had the feeling that she meant every word that she said.
He couldn't work out how. She was just a pip-squeak of a girl, who had happened to receive training from Remy…but he knew that when she was truly angered she would always succeed.
He nodded back at her. "I understand," he said simply.
What I don't understand, he thought to himself, is how the heck I was just bested by a hundred pounds of female human!
A.N: Blame this chapter on the fact that it is past 2:00 a.m. I haven't ever written a good action sequence before and, umm, maybe I had a chocolate milk overdose. Thanks to all who have reviewed, it is still very, very much appreciated! Oh, and A Cut of Cajun is making its way. It's only going to be a default chapter, though, so I'd really, really appreciate your thoughts on it, once it's out!