Post by Gambit on Jul 26, 2006 16:35:20 GMT -5
Jono's statement that the terrain was going to be fantastic was not an exaggeration. By the time the bike finally came to a stop, Remy was filled with the exhilaration that only riding pillion with an experienced rider could bring.
When they pulled to a halt and Jono switched off the engine, the young Cajun slid off the back of the bike, attempting to maintain his cool whilst at the same time visibly thrilled at the journey. He was dusty and needed a drink, but his excitement was almost infectious.
"Mon DIEU!" he exclaimed. "Now THAT was one of th' best rides I've had th' opportunity t'be out on. Merci, Jono. You are one hell of a driver."
Chamber looked at Gambit, his eyes bright. One could almost imagine a grin beneath the black tape where his mouth should have been.
Well... Thanks. This girl practically rides herself.
Stepping towards the treeline, he gestured for Gambit to join him.
You have to see this view.
A few yards from the road the ground beneath them suddenly dropped off-leaving a wide vista open to their eyes, trees and the snakelike winding pattern of a small creek stopping only for the grey angularity of the city in the distance.
Gambit stood there in silence for a while, the breeze lifting his shoulder length hair back from his face. “It’s beautiful,” he said, and the simplicity of the words was touching in its honesty. “Ain’t much in th’ way of hills in Nawlins. It’s all tres flat there.”
He looked sideways at Chamber.
“Merci,” he said, softly. “Sure am partial to a pretty view.”
Chamber seemed to frown a bit, but it was only thought crossing his brow as he looked out at the trees.
I crossed Bayou St. John once. It's beautiful area down there too. Different than the mountains, but still beautiful. Though I never feared a voodoo priestess in Aspen.
The chuckle that should have been there was absent as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Oui, Nawlins got its own kinda danger, that’s for sure,” said Gambit, seriously. “I learned very young not t’mess with t’ings I ain’t got no better idea about. M’papa had – has – an adviser, Tante Mattie. She knows a lot ‘bout th’ voodoo.” He looked around surreptitiously and lowered his voice. “Reckons as how she prob’ly practice it too, but I don’t dare say that t’her. Not if I value my body parts, anyways.”
Chamber nodded, turning a bit to look more directly at his new friend. He wondered about him, they were so similar after all. Jonothan had always questioned his own choices. Would someone like him do the same?
Have you thought yet about what you plan to do after you leave here?
An easy shrug. Gambit was built for shrugging; it was the leanness. “Maybe get out, see th’ world a bit more…did some travellin’ when I was based back home, wit’ m’brother, Henri, but he ain’t here no more. Figured I’d take a bit of a hiatus, get t’learn more about what I can do wit’ m’powers…then head out into th’ big, wide scary ol’ world on m’own.”
He took out his tobacco pouch and fished out another cigarette. “Thought ‘bout goin’ t’Europe for a while. Cultured boy from the bayou like me? Fit in a treat, I reckon.”
Sometimes Chamber ached for things like cigarettes. As it was he didn't feel the need to breath, much less inhale smoke.
They'd like you in Paris, I'm sure. After I'm done here, I was headed to South America actually. I've never seen the Southern Cross, but I hear it's a once in a lifetime experience. You and I could write travel guides, I suspect.
A warm, throaty laugh. “Maybe we could start a series. ‘Th’ Mutant’s Guide t’Where Not t’be Stoned t’Death For Bein’ a Freak’.” He took a long draw on the cigarette. “Oui, Paris sounds fine. Think I’ll start there an’ sorta radiate my way out, perhaps. What d’you reckon is worth doin’ in your li’l stampin’ ground of England?”
Jonothan watched the landscape. He hadn't thought of home in a long time. Somehow, it seemed a lot like a dream. Certainly the feeling of his body whole once more only came to him in those sorts of nightmares.
You know... I took it all for granted when I was there.
There seemed to be something to say after that, but he caught himself halfway in between being overly emotional to a near stranger and wanting just to express himself honestly. He frowned... and continued to stare out into the distance.
“Don’t we all.”
Gambit also lapsed into silence and looked out over the view, smoking his cigarettes, thinking his own thoughts. “Y’know,” he said, eventually, “I got my head together well since I came t’ th’ Institute. It was a good move. But at th’ same time, I keep havin’ this distinct feelin’ that it ain’t th’ place I truly belong. Th’ Prof seems t’have his bald head screwed on right, no doubt ‘bout it, but all this talk ‘bout mutants an’ humans livin’ together…don’t wash somehow. I just can’t see how that’ll ever work.”
He blew a smoke ring.
“Does that make me a bad guy, d’you reckon?”
Chamber looked sidelong at Gambit, then away again. Somewhere Gambit heard a faint chuckle.
No... no I don't think it does. Xavier, the X-Men... they're pretty idealist. I think someone needs to be fighting for the utopian ideal, even if I don't think it's the way things are meant to be.
He ran his fingers through his hair, shifting to lean against a tree.
They've been wanting me to join for years. But it's just not me. See... I don't think the mutant-human issue will be around in time. I think we're the next evolution of humanity.
A look of infinite relief came over Gambit’s face. “Thank God, it’s not just me. I feel better already. And th’ thing ‘bout bein’ the next step forward in evolution? All sounds a bit…bookish t’me. Gambit didn’t do school, mon ami. What I know I learned from watchin’, listenin’ – and what li’l bits Tante Mattie taught Henri and me.”
Chamber nodded.
When nature decides there's a better way for a species to survive, it changes something around. Like artic animals are white, so they'll blend into the snow. I don't think it's much different for us. We are nature's adaptation. More and more of us are born every day. Make sense?
He put his hands in his pockets.
Things are shaky now, for mutants. But it's going to change, everything's going to change pretty drastically. I think it's right to keep an eye out and help where you can. But that's why I don't mind going about my life until the X-Men need me. I think sometimes, Xavier, the others... they forget that mutants are entitled to an every day experience too. Just because you're born with a power, doesn't mean you're assed out of living.
“I like th’ way your mind works, mon ami.” Gambit turned round and pointed briefly at Chamber. “An’ it’s good t’know I ain’t alone. I’m real grateful to the Prof for all he’s done, but I don’t reckon this place is for me, either. I’m young, yet. There’s a whole wide world out there for me to see.” A positively wicked grin crossed his face.
“So many pockets to pick. So little time.”
When they pulled to a halt and Jono switched off the engine, the young Cajun slid off the back of the bike, attempting to maintain his cool whilst at the same time visibly thrilled at the journey. He was dusty and needed a drink, but his excitement was almost infectious.
"Mon DIEU!" he exclaimed. "Now THAT was one of th' best rides I've had th' opportunity t'be out on. Merci, Jono. You are one hell of a driver."
Chamber looked at Gambit, his eyes bright. One could almost imagine a grin beneath the black tape where his mouth should have been.
Well... Thanks. This girl practically rides herself.
Stepping towards the treeline, he gestured for Gambit to join him.
You have to see this view.
A few yards from the road the ground beneath them suddenly dropped off-leaving a wide vista open to their eyes, trees and the snakelike winding pattern of a small creek stopping only for the grey angularity of the city in the distance.
Gambit stood there in silence for a while, the breeze lifting his shoulder length hair back from his face. “It’s beautiful,” he said, and the simplicity of the words was touching in its honesty. “Ain’t much in th’ way of hills in Nawlins. It’s all tres flat there.”
He looked sideways at Chamber.
“Merci,” he said, softly. “Sure am partial to a pretty view.”
Chamber seemed to frown a bit, but it was only thought crossing his brow as he looked out at the trees.
I crossed Bayou St. John once. It's beautiful area down there too. Different than the mountains, but still beautiful. Though I never feared a voodoo priestess in Aspen.
The chuckle that should have been there was absent as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Oui, Nawlins got its own kinda danger, that’s for sure,” said Gambit, seriously. “I learned very young not t’mess with t’ings I ain’t got no better idea about. M’papa had – has – an adviser, Tante Mattie. She knows a lot ‘bout th’ voodoo.” He looked around surreptitiously and lowered his voice. “Reckons as how she prob’ly practice it too, but I don’t dare say that t’her. Not if I value my body parts, anyways.”
Chamber nodded, turning a bit to look more directly at his new friend. He wondered about him, they were so similar after all. Jonothan had always questioned his own choices. Would someone like him do the same?
Have you thought yet about what you plan to do after you leave here?
An easy shrug. Gambit was built for shrugging; it was the leanness. “Maybe get out, see th’ world a bit more…did some travellin’ when I was based back home, wit’ m’brother, Henri, but he ain’t here no more. Figured I’d take a bit of a hiatus, get t’learn more about what I can do wit’ m’powers…then head out into th’ big, wide scary ol’ world on m’own.”
He took out his tobacco pouch and fished out another cigarette. “Thought ‘bout goin’ t’Europe for a while. Cultured boy from the bayou like me? Fit in a treat, I reckon.”
Sometimes Chamber ached for things like cigarettes. As it was he didn't feel the need to breath, much less inhale smoke.
They'd like you in Paris, I'm sure. After I'm done here, I was headed to South America actually. I've never seen the Southern Cross, but I hear it's a once in a lifetime experience. You and I could write travel guides, I suspect.
A warm, throaty laugh. “Maybe we could start a series. ‘Th’ Mutant’s Guide t’Where Not t’be Stoned t’Death For Bein’ a Freak’.” He took a long draw on the cigarette. “Oui, Paris sounds fine. Think I’ll start there an’ sorta radiate my way out, perhaps. What d’you reckon is worth doin’ in your li’l stampin’ ground of England?”
Jonothan watched the landscape. He hadn't thought of home in a long time. Somehow, it seemed a lot like a dream. Certainly the feeling of his body whole once more only came to him in those sorts of nightmares.
You know... I took it all for granted when I was there.
There seemed to be something to say after that, but he caught himself halfway in between being overly emotional to a near stranger and wanting just to express himself honestly. He frowned... and continued to stare out into the distance.
“Don’t we all.”
Gambit also lapsed into silence and looked out over the view, smoking his cigarettes, thinking his own thoughts. “Y’know,” he said, eventually, “I got my head together well since I came t’ th’ Institute. It was a good move. But at th’ same time, I keep havin’ this distinct feelin’ that it ain’t th’ place I truly belong. Th’ Prof seems t’have his bald head screwed on right, no doubt ‘bout it, but all this talk ‘bout mutants an’ humans livin’ together…don’t wash somehow. I just can’t see how that’ll ever work.”
He blew a smoke ring.
“Does that make me a bad guy, d’you reckon?”
Chamber looked sidelong at Gambit, then away again. Somewhere Gambit heard a faint chuckle.
No... no I don't think it does. Xavier, the X-Men... they're pretty idealist. I think someone needs to be fighting for the utopian ideal, even if I don't think it's the way things are meant to be.
He ran his fingers through his hair, shifting to lean against a tree.
They've been wanting me to join for years. But it's just not me. See... I don't think the mutant-human issue will be around in time. I think we're the next evolution of humanity.
A look of infinite relief came over Gambit’s face. “Thank God, it’s not just me. I feel better already. And th’ thing ‘bout bein’ the next step forward in evolution? All sounds a bit…bookish t’me. Gambit didn’t do school, mon ami. What I know I learned from watchin’, listenin’ – and what li’l bits Tante Mattie taught Henri and me.”
Chamber nodded.
When nature decides there's a better way for a species to survive, it changes something around. Like artic animals are white, so they'll blend into the snow. I don't think it's much different for us. We are nature's adaptation. More and more of us are born every day. Make sense?
He put his hands in his pockets.
Things are shaky now, for mutants. But it's going to change, everything's going to change pretty drastically. I think it's right to keep an eye out and help where you can. But that's why I don't mind going about my life until the X-Men need me. I think sometimes, Xavier, the others... they forget that mutants are entitled to an every day experience too. Just because you're born with a power, doesn't mean you're assed out of living.
“I like th’ way your mind works, mon ami.” Gambit turned round and pointed briefly at Chamber. “An’ it’s good t’know I ain’t alone. I’m real grateful to the Prof for all he’s done, but I don’t reckon this place is for me, either. I’m young, yet. There’s a whole wide world out there for me to see.” A positively wicked grin crossed his face.
“So many pockets to pick. So little time.”
