Yay! Here's the next chapter. To those of you who reviewed thank you so much!
Sarah- Lol I'm glad you like the story so much.
Laceylou76- Haha yes I couldn't resist the urge to make Gambit suffer by having to go back to New Orleans, but there is a valid plot reason why their there so no worries. You'll just have to wait an see Remy's reaction to Rogue knowing, muhaha lol.
Courtney Summers- Thank you!
Chapter 10: Mistrust of The Demon
Rouge slipped silently though the halls of the hotel her mind still trying to sort the dream she had had a few days prior. That song had triggered something in her mind and if her sister was right they were past memories. She hadn't gotten anything relevant about them except for the name 'Lebeau', which so far hadn't helped her any.
She rubbed the bridge of her nose in annoyance, as if the confusing vision wasn't bad enough she could hear the silent steps of a certain orange haired stalker trailing after her. She wasn't sure of what interests he had in her and she wasn't really thrilled to find out.
Waltzing through the lobby she bowed her head towards the receptionist in a greeting before slipping out of the building and making her way towards the pool area. Pushing open the gate she let it slowly fall back into place. She dropped the towel and pulled her t-shirt over her head, leaving her in nothing more than a dark pair of swim trunks and a red bikini, her poison skin released from its barrier.
She stood there silent for a few moments before she heard the undeniable whisper of shuffling feet. Feeling the slight rush of breeze rush past her, she pivoted on her heal and shot her leg up. The Australian stood glued to the spot shocked.
Rouge's foot was mere inches from his face and she didn't seem to have any intentions of moving it anytime soon.
"Why are you following me?" Rouge hissed pulling her foot back down and straitening her back. He let his eyes wander over her for a moment soaking in the sight of her without being wrapped in so many layers of clothing, he was impressed. Pulling his gaze away from her body he forced himself to look at her face, sunglasses perched hazardously on her nose still.
"The more important question sheila is why do you keep running?" He shot back, arms crossed protectively over his chest.
"How does that concern you, Crocodile Dundee?" She sneered her body still ridged ready to spring at any given moment.
"Wouldn't you like to know, mud rat." Rouge growled low in her throat, this bastard really wanted to die didn't he?
Somehow in the time that the two were arguing they had migrated closer towards one another, less than a foot apart. Keir with sudden quick reflexes swept his foot under the girls knees and set her tumbling backwards.
Though before she could hit the ground he had a well covered arm behind her back supporting her. With ease he tried to snag the sunglasses from her but felt her foot connect with his stomach and send him reeling backwards and falling into the pool.
"Ow crikey!" Rouge yelled in mock tone, "I think de poor Aussie went for a dip." Keir growled and pulled himself from the pool, dripping.
"Mud rat," he called warningly, his lime eyes beginning to glow a darker color. Pulling himself completely from the pool he wrung out his jacket.
"Yes Dundee?" She called innocently, red sparks dancing up and down her hands. Growling he shot forward but was avoided as she jumped to the left just as he skid towards her.
"Oo looks like the pretty boys losing his touch." Rouge grinned as she pulled a handful of marbles from her pocket and charged them. With one fluid motion she sent the spiraling towards the grounded Aussie.
"Oh Bloody.." Keir jumped up and away from the explosion, allowing a small blue flame to form in his hand. Throwing it towards Rouge he jumped up and ran towards her, only to feel himself suddenly stop. He looked down in shock, red kinetic energy was dancing at his ankles.
"Enough games Fireblade, I want to know why your here, and I want to know now." Rouge stepped up close to the Aussie, her nose barely mere millimeters from his own.
Who are you?" Rouge questioned, one hand was firmly planted on her hip while the other twirled two marbles between her fingers. Without answering Keir reach forward and caught Rouge's face in his gloved hands.
"Eclaire come on think!" Without warning Rouge felt instincts kick in and punched him in the face. It sent him flying back, and as he hit the ground he barely caught himself on his knees.
"Who the hell is Eclaire!" Rouge cried, something inside her had busted, the name danced throughout her mind, as though it were something that she had always known, something that had always been her own.
Standing up he rubbed the blood from his nose and began moving in closer to the girl once more.
"What are you talking about?" She questioned her voice hiding the panic and hysteria growing inside well. He inwardly sighed and took in the appearance of the fiery girl, on a sudden impulse an idea wracked at his brains if there was only a way to knock her off of her feet..
A small cocky smirk played on his lips as a sudden idea hit him. His stepped forward and craned his neck, and before Rouge could react their lips met. She felt the familiar pull of another persons essence come into her body as the boys eyes suddenly widened and he collapsed.
Memories and emotions rushed through her body making it feel like a hazy dream. She grabbed her head as she saw still frames of herself in his mind and heard his thoughts....
"Ah you cocky ass," She kicked his limp form and snorted, "Guess your the one that got knocked off your feet, huh Keir?"
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Elle heard a loud banging coming from the hotel doorway, lifting herself from the couch she pulled open the door. Waiting beyond it stood an annoyed looking Rouge with an unconscious guy hung across her shoulders army style.
"What in the world?" Rouge only rolled her eyes before shoving past her sister and throwing the unconscious Keir onto the bed.
"What happened!?" Elle yelled as she rushed over and pushed the boys hair from his face, he was burning up.
"Idiot kissed me," she snorted, "He's that damn Australian that I saw earlier." Elle looked the boy over, He was a good six feet in height and was well built. His face was boy like but with adult qualities, all in all he was definitely a looker.
"He got the bright idea of trying to steal my glasses, and we got in a fight," Rouge traced her lip mindlessly with her finger, "It was rather amusing though when I carried him through the lobby." Rouge grinned at the memory of the look on the hostesses face as she walked through the lobby with Keir supported over her back. The woman had stared at her in shock her mouth opening and closing oddly resembling a gold fish, Rouge chuckled. Elle ignoring her sister walked into the bathroom and emerged with a wash cloth and placed it on the boys forehead. She could be so careless at times.
"He wasn't lying," Rouge mumbled more too herself than to Elle as she stared off blindly into space, "He's truly convinced he knows me." She watched quietly as her sisters gentle hands ran over the boys face, healing the slight scratches and bumps that covered its surface, an idea playing at the edges of her mind. She watched as her sister took precaution taking care of the boy. She snorted inwardly, Elle would take care of someone that would try to kill her if you let her. Rolling her eyes she finally decided her best course of action and voiced it.
"I know who I'm looking for now," she proclaimed, "Stay here and watch over blunder boy I've got errands to run." Striding into the bathroom she slammed and locked the door behind her. Elle simple continued to ignore her sister as she healed the boys broken nose returning it to its original perfect shape. You could count on Rouge to destroy absolutely anything that got in her path, Elle sighed had her sister always been so obnoxious? Thinking for a moment she knew what she had to do and she knew Rouge wasn't going to be happy with her proposition but she really didn't care. Standing up she patted the wrinkles out of her clothes and began gathering up her belongings.
After a few minutes Rouge emerged dressed in her leather racing outfits bottoms, a red T-shirt and her old tattered trench coat over top, her hair released from its tight ponytail.
"Your not going on your own." Elle chided, her body propped up against the door frame and auburn locks falling from her ponytail. Rouge could only sigh, she knew once Elle made up her mind there was no changing it. She inwardly groaned, what were they going to do with blunder boy?
"Fine, but what are we going to do with Crocodile Dundee over here?" Rouge nodded her head towards the unconscious figure sprawled out on the bed. Elle raised her eyebrows at the nickname her sister had said, but in her better judgement decided not to question it.
"Leave him, he's fine, I healed the majority of his bumps and bruises and mended his broken nose," Elle looked at her sister who simple shrugged her shoulders and continued making sure all of her belongings were accounted for.
"He'll just be sore," Elle popped her fingers, "Plus he knows how to get back to his own room." Elle kicked her duffel bag out from under the coffee table, and shouldered it. Rouge catching on to the memo grabbed her own and threw it over her shoulder. Turning attention away from Elle she began sifting through her belongings. Everything was accounted for except her most prized posession.
"Where's my Queen of Hearts?" Frantically Rouge began to tear the room appart from top to bottom. Elle soon joined in the search but the card was nowhere to be seen. Feeling a dull feeling rise in her stomach Rouge began to recap all of the places she had had the card. Suddenly it hit her and she ran over towards the bed and yanked the pillow opposite the Aussie. She sighed in relief as she pulled it into her hands and let her gloved fingers trail over the card. With ease she slipped into her pocket before turning her attention back towards Elle.
"Ready?" Rouge asked casually, her eyes lingering on the sleeping form of the Australian, something about him was different but Rouge didn't have time to concern herself with those thoughts.
"Ready," Elle chimed and nodded her head in response of her sisters question as they left the room. The door slammed behind them but the vibrant haired boy didn't stir from his slumber, he was caught up in dreams of the past.
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"Were looking for a the family that goes by the name Lebeau," The man stopped suddenly, his jaw slightly open, what would a pair of teenagers want with the Thieves Guild?
"A-Ah've never heard de name, sorry filles." The one with the strange hair and glasses groaned and looked at him again. Both girls stood behind the counter both looking like they had been to hell and back.
"Your certain?" She asked, he could hear the pleading in her voice, maybe he could help them out a little. Rubbing his brow he sat down the glass he had been cleaning and tried to tune out the loud music blasting in the background.
"Wat was de name again?" he asked and watched as the girls head shot up, hope playing in the emerald eyes of the the other.
"Lebeau, do we need to spell it?" The one with the emerald eyes asked, she seemed so quiet and innocent, something that didn't belong anywhere near those scoundrels.
"Non, I know de place, dough Ah wouldn't recommend two gals wanderin' down dere alone." The one with the glasses snorted, she seemed to be a bit more vicious that the other.
"I wouldn't be too concerned if I were you." She pushed her falling sunglasses back into place, "Can you give us the address?"
He nodded his head and withdrew a pen and paper from his pocket. Laying the pad down her began jotting down the address.
"Wat do ya filles want wit dese people?" He asked casually as he finished writing down the address and handed it to the girls.
"How would it benefit you to know my good sir?" The one with the glasses retorted her voice almost purring as the words left her mouth, it reminded him of a certain Cajun he knew long ago.
"Ah guess it wouldn't," the man responsed holding back a groan he was sending those girls to an early grave "Be careful filles, ya don' know what yer gettin yerselfs inta." They both nodded their head in thanks and quickly manuevered their way through the swaying crowd of bodies towards the exit.
The man whistled in disbelief, the one in the glasses truly did remind him of an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time. Ironically enough he had belonged to the same family those girls were looking for. Was there a connection? Nah he thought pushing the very idea down and away. Ole Remy didn't have no young 'uns.
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"This is the place soeur." Rouge folded the piece of paper and shoved it back into her pocket as she took in the sight of the two metal gates that towered above the two girls, the Symbols TG Carved into the gate. They had spent more than two hours traveling down the backroads trying to get to this place. Rouge ran her fingers over the heavy locks of the gate several entrance scenarios playing over in her mind.
"You think you can get us through?" Elle smirked and nodded her head. Grabbing her sister by the arm both girls disappeared in a cloud of emerald smoke and appeared on the other side of the gate.
"Did I ever mention how I love that power?" Elle could only smirk.
"You could stand to mention it more." Rouge laughed and gave her sister a high five. Turning both girls looked at the challenge that lay before them, lots and lots of swamp land.
"I'm glad I wore boots," Elle piped, pushing the loose strands of hair behind her ears. It was well past midnight and humid, and it was driving Elle up the wall she hated the feeling of sticky skin more than anything. She looked over disbelievingly at her sister draped in a heavy trench coat, Elle could only shudder at the thought of how it must of felt beneath all that clothing.
"Come on let's go." Rouge took the first step into the muck and sunk a good foot into it. She glared at it and tried prying her way out, but to no avail.
"Merde," Rouge tried prying her foot from the mud but again with little success. Elle rolled her eyes and helped her pull her leg free before stepping next to her sister, managing to get herself stuck as well.
"Forget this." Rouge felt Elle's hand land onto her shoulder as they bamfed farther into the swamp land. Landing Elle only sunk in a few inches.
"Okay I think we can handle this,"she heard a moan come from her sister.
"Speak for yourself." Elle had to hold back a chuckle as she saw Rouge standing in the mud, sunk up to mid thigh. She laughed as Rouge repetively beat the ground with her fist willing it to move.
"Okay or maybe not." Elle reach out to grab her sister and teleport them further ahead again, but froze when she heard the sickening sound of guns being loaded.
"Now look wat we have here, two lost little filles." Looking up Rouge took in the sight of about seven men standing around the girls. The one who had spoken appeared to be around his late thirties early forties and had a scrowl covering his face. With a flick of his wrist he motioned for the men to move in and grab the girls.
A man appearing to be in his early twenties reach out and grabbed Rouge's arms pinning them to her sides and preventing her from movement. While another one around the same build but much older grabbed Elle and held her still.
"This one is belle," The younger man, around twenty two, whistled as he ran his grimy fingers through Rouge's multi-colored hair. A dark look was playing in his eyes as he eyed Rouge over. Elle felt disgusted with the way he was looking at her younger sister (even if only by a few minutes) and wanted to do nothing more than knock that smirk off of his face.
"Back. Off!" Rouge barked struggling against the huge mans grip, he only held tighter and laughed.
"Looks as dough we 'ave a fighter boys." Suddenly though the mans clothes began to glow a low red. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of his glowing figure.
"What in the...?" Rouge pulled her arms free and gripped the mans arms finishing the charge before throwing him back and allowing him blow up leaving him unmoving. Without hestitsion Rouge began charging her mud barrier, it exploded with a soft thwap!. Jumping up she withdrew several marbles from her pocket before charging them and sending them flying towards the men scattered around them.
While she had the chance Elle kicked the mans feet out from underneath him. Torquing his arm up she bent it back and ripped herself from his grip and shoved him back. Turning she took in the sight of several men standing ready to attack. Crouching low she prepared for the onslaught about to occur, she just hoped they would make out of this alive. She knew they should have just flown out of the country, but no they had to be here fighting a bunch of smelly old perverts.
Minutes passed by but nothing happened, no one attacked. Elle slightly confused straitened up and took notice of the man that had ordered the others to grab themstaring intently at Rouge.
At some point between breaking from the barrier and throwing the man back she had lost her sunglasses and her demonic eyes were shimmering in the moonlight giving off a dark and dangerous air about her. She stared strait back at the man having no intentions of breaking the their lock gaze. Let him have an eye full Rouge thought bitterly as she prepared to charge another hand full of marbles and send them his way.
" Oh mon dieu, elle a les yeux de Remy." The man took a step back and stopped, turning he began barking orders in french at the men surrounding him. They all immediately dropped their guns and backed away as the man started to approach the girls slowly.
Taking that opportunity to help Rouge and ignoring the man, Elle reach down and picked up Rouge's broken sunglasses and handed them to her, but she paid little heed to the sunglasses, her mind running and spinning at a neck-breaking pace. Something wasn't adding up right and Rouge felt like she was about to have a breakdown.
"Soeur, they just said I had Remy's eyes." Her gaze was far away as she reviewed the memories that had run through her mind when she had touched had 'said' that his so called 'uncles' name was Remy, and that his twin daughters had died in an explosion twelves years prior, and that one of them had white striped hair and red on black eyes. Suddenly it all fell into place.
"Impossible." Rouge's mind began to blacken around the edges. She heard Elle call her name and rush towards her, but it was too late as her unconscious body made contact with the ground.
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Rouge's eyes suddenly snapped open, but as soon as they had she regretted it. Slamming her eyes back shut she groaned in annoyance, did the lights always have to be so bright?
"Now you finally decide to wake up." Elle's irritated voice rumbled through Rouge's head, causing the pain to increase.
"What happened?" Rouge whimpered rubbing her temples. Everything was a blur she remembered the swamp lands and the fight but the rest was hazy. Barely cracking her eyes open she looked down to see that she was covered in a thick blue comforter and felt several pillows propped up beneath her neck. Where in heaven's name was she?
"You fainted." Elle had said it so nonchalantly that Rouge had to do a double take. That's when she knew she was hiding something, Elle had never been a good liar. Growling she was about to question Elle when suddenly an older woman walked into the room, a relieved smile playing at her lips.
"Ah'm glad to see ya are awake child, ya had me worried." The woman smiled and walked over towards Rouge and sat at the foot of the bed and patted the area where Rouge's foot stuck up. Rouge raised her eyebrows at Elle, but she merely shrugged her shoulders and motioned towards the door where another person stood. There in the doorway stood an older man, his hair was long and speckled with white but still had a reddish hue to it, he was tall and well built he seemed oddly familiar in an out of world sense.
"How are ya Rouge?" The man asked, Rouge let her jaw fall open slightly, how in the world did he know her name? She looked to Elle for answers but her attention was turned away from her and directed to the man in the doorway.
"What's going on? Who are you?" Rouge asked in panic but watched as her sisters calm face looked from the woman to the man. In understanding the man cleared his throat.
"Mah name is Jean-Luc, and Ah'm fairly certain Ah'm your grandfathar."
"Oh merde." Rouge whimpered before falling back on the bed and moaning.
Author's note: Wow I'm amazed that I've been so consistent with this piece! Lol the next chapter will be up within the next day or so.
Oh mon dieu, elle a les yeux de Remy- Oh my god, she has Remy's eyes.