Chapter 2
Reigning Junior National Champ meant very little if you were a pairs skater without a partner. It was better than being dead or in prison however, and he honestly felt that either he or Belladonna would be dead at the end of the year if they tried another season. While they were not the first team to break up after winning a national title he also knew it was a rather stupid move. Skating with Bella had made him feel alive, but he also frequently felt as if it was the same kind of 'alive' one felt when skydiving. With Bella he never knew if he was skydiving with or without a parachute.
To save his own sanity he was now in search of a new partner, and while Jean Luc offered to help him search Remy knew that he would be best off in a new rink, and thus began brainstorming who to ask and what his plan of attack would be. He needed someone who was already trained, hopefully up to juniors, who would be willing to put up with his reputation. He wasn't called Le Diable Blanc for no reason. Bella had been training with him forever and had no problem with the attitude because she threw it right back at him. It had been a saving grace on occasion, yet also caused more fights than either could or should tolerate.
Moving rinks meant changing coaches as well. While his home rink had suited him well enough in Louisiana it hadn't been a training haven either. While not all skaters come from well established clubs that churn out skaters, most prominent skaters who gain national acclaim do move to coaches with strong reputations, and now it seemed he would be following that trend.
Of the most prominent skating clubs around two were known for being the best for skaters with mutations, and they were both in New York. The Brotherhood Skating Club had a bit of a reputation for creating ambitious and ruthless skaters, who would stop at nothing to stand at the top of the podium. It was well know that they trained their athletes hard, and more than one had defected after getting injured and deciding the cost was not worth it. While Remy was confident that he had the chops to make it at the Brotherhood his old friend Storm had become a successful coach the rival skating club.
Xavier's Skating School was on fire in recent years. Stars like Kitty Pride a young hotshot who had won Nationals at the Senior level at just 14 years old had pulled the skating club into the limelight. Bobby Drake who was a longtime skater on the scene moved to Xaivers and with the coaching changes and some much needed changes in his choreography he had a stellar season this year, placing top 10 at Worlds. Ororo had been coaching there for a few years, and had more than once offered Remy and Belladonna a place at the rink, but Bella refused the move. Maybe now was a good time to make the switch, all he'd have to do was pack up his life in the name of a sport.
In a time where the attention towards figure skating was dwindling amongst the general public Remy occasionally caught himself wondering why he was sacrificing so much of his life for a sport. While there was something freeing about being on the ice there was a high price to pay economically and physically to continue chasing a dream. Of all the men, ladies, pairs and icedancers that competed for the US national title only the top two or three would move onto compete at world's, and then at world's the skates would be risen yet again.
In recent years the United States pairs teams had been floundering. Even with their victory at the US Championships Remy and Belladonna hadn't broken into the top five at Junior worlds, and learning what he needed to in order to excel as a singles skater would be near impossible. Men in pairs were often older than their female counterparts as seen in the currently dominant US team Grey/Summers. He would be entering the rat race on the older side of things, and his programs would end up being technically less difficult as he hadn't trained the quad jumps to the same degree.
With all that on his mind Remy decided to give Ororo a call. Two rings was all it took, giving Remy a bit less time than he anticipated. "Hey Stormy" Remy began, despite his career looking a bit like humpty after his fall Remy's swagger remained. Elsewise Storm would likely not recognize him. Plus, he had been through worse with less of a reaction. Storm however wasted no time.
"Remy, you know how I feel about that nickname." And it was true he did. Remy was not however going to let that get in his way.
"Yes, you secretly love it. Anyways I called to talk to you about something, something work related." Remy continued without hesitation. Storm was caught off guard. Remy rarely called to talk skating with her.
"Really? Are you taking your training seriously now?" Remy could practically sense Storm's raised eyebrow.
"Since when do I not take my training seriously Stormy?" Even as he uttered it Remy knew that he was pushing it. Luckily Storm got the topic back on topic for him.
"How about I plead the 5th and you just tell me what you wanted to say." Storm deadpanned.
"Belladonna and I have officially split and I am now officially on the market for a new pairs partner." If he could trust anyone with that information it would be Storm. He wanted to keep the media shitstorm at bay for as long as possible. The skating fandom was small, but could be rabid. Being a junior meant that they would have less attention on them, and it wouldn't surprise many, as it was no secret that they hated each other, but it would still be a mess. He heard a sigh over the phone.
"Can't say I'm surprised. Do you know yet what you want to do?" Storm asked with genuine concern and curiosity.
"That's part of the reason that I'm calling you Storm. I want out at my rink, and was wondering if you had any suggestions." Remy did his best to sound nonchalant, but there was a tinge of hope in his voice.
"You're always welcome to train here Remy, but we have no one that you could work with. I'd recommend you put your feelers out a bit farther, ask at a few more rinks. Besides Scott and Jean most of our pairs skaters are young, and our one junior pair has been skating together for six years. You can always find a partner and come train here though." While Ororo knew it wasn't what Remy wanted to hear she wasn't going to sugar coat the truth.
Thanking Storm Remy hung up and began thinking of whom else he could ask. He needed to ask people that Bella wouldn't have already talked to. While he had no regrets over the split it would be a new level of low if he called any of her friends looking for advice. Not that anyone who was friends with Belladonna would take his side in a fight. Racking his brain he settled on Magneto. A former pairs champ and now a choreographer. Magneto hadn't been a big fan of Belladonna, which was perfect and he had been a part of and around the skating scene for an incredible amount of time. If Remy paired with someone from Erik's skating school it would mean he'd be at the Brotherhood, but he knew for a fact there were worse places to train, and anywhere was better than nowhere and retiring.
A small selfish part of him wanted to crush Belladonna in the upcoming seasons, to prove that he was fine without her. With that sentiment in his heart he placed the call to Magneto.