Disclaimer : I do not own the X-Men or related characters. I write for entertainment and not profit.
Dedication : I’d like to dedicate this fiction to Mike and Carmen. I wish them luck with their future twins.
Chapter 1
Louisiana, New Orleans. The French quarter.
A man is sitting on a balcony. The winds blow through his auburn hair, his black headband, and his trench coat. His attire is a bit different. He wears a gray button up shirt with seven buttons whilst the top three are undone. On his hands are black finger-less gloves. On his legs is plain green pants with a brown belt, and on his feet, light black military type boots with matching laces. His hair is medium length with a pair of dark sunglasses and a couple of facial hairs on his chin. (Fairy Tales attire.)
He watches the crowds below as they seem like zombies with no purpose, their eyes motionless, fixed on where they are walking. He expected today to be like this, as is any other day in the big easy. Deep down, he hungers for action, adventure, just some kind of thrill. He wishes not to be part of the public, because unknown to the civilians. He’s a mutant, with special powers. His gaze moves from the crowds to across the street to a destroyed building that was never rebuilt or touched.
The building appears to have scorched markings on it as if it had caught fire. There is a sign attached to the building, the letters are faintly on it. The letters spell out “Xavier Theatre”. This theatre was such a success in New Orleans that the business lasted for a few years until that dreadful night happened, the man remembers it clearly as if it were yesterday.
Flashback : Three years go. The Xavier Theatre was putting on it’s grandest play ever. A man with a trench coat decides to enter the building since he had heard so many positives about the place. He sits on the very top row to see the whole stage, the theatre itself is set like a opera with rows of chairs all around. The man watches the stage and people begin to act and props move abound and change. What caught the man’s interest the most was he saw a bald man sitting in a yellow hovering like machine. “His legs must be disabled,” he thought to himself as he continues to watch.
Despite his disability, the bald man is able to play his parts to perfection. As the play passes on, the man begins to lose interest and falls asleep with his arms hanging down. Little does he know, that kinetic energy begins to run from his fingers tips along from his chair, across the floor, along the railing and eventually the whole building. The building begins to glow as people look around in astonishment. The people on the stage are confused, since they knew this wasn’t part of the play.
As soon as the man moves his hand, the building goes up in a massive explosion. The explosion is seen and heard all over the big easy. The man wakes up, he notices he’s outside on the ground. He stands up and looks around, he notices that the theatre is destroyed. Fire trucks arrive on the scene to put out the raging blazes of heat, eventually they are successful. It was later reported there was no casualties, as to how there weren’t is what has baffled the investigators. End flashback.
Ever since that day, the man can never erase this haunting memory, because he discovered he caused the explosion as he found out about his powers a few days later as he charged stuff on accident. Ever since three years ago, he trained himself with his powers and finally gained control of his powers. He snaps out of his haunting thoughts and returns to the present. With his gaze still fixed on that scorched building.
He finally decides he’d go the park to clear his head. He goes inside the building, down flights of stairs then eventually out the door. He blends in with the crowd, with his hands in his pants pockets he thinks to himself while people pass him on both sides. “Why can’t dis city ever have anythin’ interestin’? It’s de same ol’ stuff every dern day,” he thinks to himself. As he says this to himself, he hears a yell for help. He quickly looks toward an abandoned alley. He sees a woman down on the ground with two men standing over her.
He runs through the crowd to help, he thought he’d run at a considerate pace so he could jump the men and they wouldn’t be expecting it. He finally makes it to the alleyway and turns his head around the corner to see what’s going on. One of the men is going through a white purse while the other watches the woman on ground. He walks up to the men with their backs turned. “Attackin’ an innocent femme? You should be ashamed of yourselves,” he says to them. The men turn around and notice him.
“What are you going to do about it, tough guy?” one of them ask.
“Just return the femme’s purse and none of you will get hurt,” he replies. The men charge him. He jumps off of one of the men’s head and does a spin in the air only to quickly turn around to nail one of them in the face with his boot. That man falls to the ground, with blood trickling from his nose. The trench coated man lands on his feet and looks at the other man. “You wanna suffer the same fate as your friend dere?” he asks. The man is frozen in fear, then out of instincts he takes off running only to run into a wall and fall over. “I’m sure dat had to hurt,” he chuckles to himself. He walks over to where the other man had hit the wall and picks up the white purse.
He lays the purse in front of the woman as soon as she begins to move. He notices her movement and slowly walks off into the crowds. She slowly picks herself up and looks around. She notices her purse lying on the ground as well as the two men who had attacked her. She has no clue what happened, she bends over and picks up her purse then walks over the men into the crowds. He passes by the local bar, and decides to enter it instead of going to the park, maybe a good drink will help him relax. As he enters, he notices that there is hardly anyone, as hard to believe with all the crowds, he shrugs as he takes a seat. He picks up the menu from the table and begins to scan over it like a robot.
A figure walks through the doors and takes a seat near him. His gaze moves from the menu to the figure, he’s never seen someone so beautiful before. It’s a female with long brown hair with a gray streak in the front. Her eyes are emerald green like the sun shines on them to make them sparkle. She wears a black jacket with a green shirt under it. On her legs is a pair of light blue jeans with white sneakers. On her hands is green gloves. As his gaze is fixed on her, he wonders. “I wonder why she’s wearin’ gloves in the middle of de summer?” he asks himself. The waiter walks over and is ready to take his order.
“What will you have this evening, sir?” His gaze still fixed on the girl, but he hears the waiter. He looks at where she’s looking on her menu and notices she’s under the non-alcohol drinks.
“You see dat girl over dere?” as he points, the waiter follows where he’s pointing.
“Yes sir,” the waiter nods. “I’ll order her a non-alcoholic drink, it’ll be on me,” he replies.
“What kind?” the waiter asks. He looks at his menu.
“Give her de lemon lime strawberry special,” he answers.
“Very well sir,” the waiter says. As the waiter walks off, he gets up from his seat and walks over to the girl and sits in front of her. Her gaze moves from her menu to the man that sits in front of her. She looks him over closely then asks a question. “Can I help ya?” she asks.
“Non, just admirin’ de view,” he replies with a grin. She blushes a little, then the waiter walks up.
“Here’s your lemon lime strawberry special,” the waiter says as he hands it her. She gets a puzzled expression, then the trench coated man takes out the money and gives to the waiter.
“Thanks, mon ami,” he says.
“Anytime sir,” the waiter replies then walks off.
“Thanks, that was nice of ya, sugah,” she smiles as she sips her drink.
“You’re welcome, just thought a fallen angel should be treated nicely,” he replies with a smirk. “So, how’d you fall from heaven?” he asks. She looks up from her drink and blushes a little more.
“Ya sure complementive ain’t ya?” she replies, with a smirk of her own.
“Oui, it’s rare such a beauty comes to the big easy,” he answers. She eventually turns red completely and he catches on. “Someone turnin’ red?” he says with a devilish grin.
“Shut it, swamp rat,” she replies.
“Ohhh, you’re feisty, that’s how I like ‘em,” he says with a laugh. As he finishes laughing, he remembered about the gloves she wears.
“So, chere. Why you wear dem gloves for? It’s de middle of the summer,” he questions. She looks down at her gloves.
“For personal reasons,” she replies. “Why ya wear that trench coat and sunglasses when there’s hardly any light in here?” she asks.
“Well, de trench coat is really comfortable and the sunglasses, dey’re personal reasons as well,” he answers. They make eye contact and are really curious about each other.
“Feel like sharin’? they both ask at the same time.
“Heh, don’t worry chere, I’ll go first. You promise not to freak out?” he asks. She nods and he removes his sunglasses. Deep down she gasps but she don’t show it.
“Your eyes, they’re red?” she asks.
“Oui, I hate to admit dis, but I’m a mutant,” he replies.
“Nothing to be ashamed of, sugah. Your eyes are beautiful,” she says.
“Same for you, chere,” he replies. They stare into each other’s eyes for a few minutes.
“She’s truly an angel, her body has nice curves, and she looks good in black and green,” he says to himself.
“He’s beautiful, I love those eyes, he also as other great features, I love the curve of his body and his face, ” she says to herself.
He snaps out of it. “’Bout your gloves, chere?” he asks. She snaps out of it as well.
“Oh right. Well, I wear them because I’m a mutant as well. When I touch someone I take away their energy and thoughts. If I hold on long enough, it can lead to death. That’s what happened to my last boy friend when I kissed him,” she replies in a subtle voice. He was shocked.
“Such a cutie can’t touch? Ain’t dat the crocks jaw.” he thinks to himself. “Sorry to hear dat chere,” he says.
“That’s why I don’t flirt too much, afraid to get close to anyone,” she replies with her eyes watering a little, but she don’t allow the tear to run. He catches on and gives her a little hug, but he feels her tense up. He lets her go.
“Sorry, thought I’d comfort you,” he says.
“Ya don’t fear me?” she asks with a tear running down.
“Of course not, you’re beautiful, how could I possibly be scared? I just came on too quick,” he states. She smiles a little.
“Your trench coat felt good,” she replies. He sits back down and smiles.
“What’s your name, fille?” he asks.
“My name is Rogue, your’s?” she asks.
“De name is Remy, Remy LeBeau,” he answers. “Sorry ‘bout earlier with the hug, I felt you tense up so I let go,” he says. She looks at the ground and feels bad.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to, I kinda get cautious when someone gets close,” she replies.
“I understand,” he says.
“Where ya from, swamp rat?” she asks.
“Here in de big easy, you?” he questions.
“I’m from Mississippi,” she replies.
“So you’re a river rat?” he chuckles. She chuckles to herself.
“Funny, we just meet and we already have nicknames,” she replies. “Even though I’m from Mississippi, I’m currently living in New York at the Xavier Institute,” she says. He goes into shock.
“Xavier? That’s that theatre,” he says to himself. She notices his facial expression.
“Something wrong, Remy?” she asks. He looks up at her.
“Non, why you go there for?” he questions.
“Xavier opened a school for the gifted, he helps us with our powers,” she replied.
“Ya have powers, don’t ya?” she asks.
“Oui, I can charge stuff,” he replies. He reaches into one of his coat pockets and pulls out a card. He lays it on the table and touches it with his finger, it begins to charge.
“Oh wow, what happens next?” she asks interested.
“Well, if I allowed it to, it’d explode. It’d explode on contact with someone or somethin’,” he replies. He un-charges the card and puts it back in his pocket.
“Basically, cards are your weapon?” she asks.
“Oui, cards are cheap to buy and they’re light, so dey’re simple yet effective,” he answers.
“Ya outta come to the institute,” she says.
“What’d be the reason? I’m in control of my powers,” he replies.
“I’m sure Xavier would have some purpose for ya, besides. I’d like the company when I go back,” she says with a smile.
“Alright, you got me, I’ll go. Can’t turn down such a beauty anyhow,” he replies. Deep down, she feels her heart skip a beat. This hasn’t happened since her last boyfriend, could she be in love again? She won’t look too much into it, but just wait and see.
“You enjoyin’ your drink, mon chere?” he asks.
“Yes, very. Thank you,” she replies. He smiles and she notices. She returns the smile with a smile.
“When you headin’ back to York?” he asks.
“Tomorrow, I just gotta find a place to stay,” she replies.
“You’re welcome to stay with me at de French Quarter, I have a room dere, that’s just if you don’t mind sharin’ a bed,” he offers.
“As much as I’m starting to feel comfortable around ya, ya mind if I just slept out on ya balcony?” she asks.
“Sounds fine to me,” he replies.
After she finishes her drink, they leave the bar and head to the French Quarter. They head up to his room. He takes off his boots, trench coat, and gloves and lays them next to the bed and gets into bed. “Night, Rogue,” he says. “Night, Remy,” she replies as she heads out onto the balcony with a extra pillow and blanket that came from his bed. She lies on top of the blanket and lays her head on the pillow and looks at the stars. She drifts back in time to back when she had a boyfriend, before she killed him by accident with a mere kiss. She then thinks about how Remy has been nice to her regardless of her powers.
Deep down she is still surprised that he isn’t afraid of her gifts. She wonders if she can be permitted one more chance at love, if she is, she knows that Remy is the one. She’ll try not to rush it, just stand by and see what happens, this being her last chance, she doesn’t want to ruin it. She wants to be close to him, but she don’t know if it’s a good idea, what if he dies because of her? Negative thoughts begin to pour into her head. But then, there’s one thought that stands out. Back at the bar when he hugged her and she tensed up. She didn’t mean to, she just wasn’t expecting it, but his embrace just felt so right. She regrets tensing up like she did, but it was out of instinct. As thoughts continue to pour through her head she closes her emerald eyes and goes to sleep under the starry sky. |
