Post by Gambit on Jul 25, 2006 14:01:43 GMT -5
Four years ago...
At twenty one years of age, Remy LeBeau was a little too old to associate with most of the kids in the school, so tended to generally keep himself to himself. He socialised occasionally with the older set, the sixteen and upwards set, which consisted mostly of a fairly close knit gang of kids who were a mismatched lot to be sure.
Too old to socialise with the kids, but too young to really have much to do with the adult contingent, with the possible exception of Scott Summers who he really didn't like all that much anyway. The guy was twenty-something going on about fifty. He needed to understand the phrase 'lighten up'.
This particular day saw him outside the Institute, sitting on the front steps, smoking one of his roll-up cigarettes and looking thoughtfully out over the grounds.
Jonothon had been lingering around the place the last few days, preparing to travel to St Louis with a few others to investigate what seemed to be an underground fight organization that may have been exploiting young mutants. It wasn't that Jono thought fight rings were all that bad a thing; in Mexico he'd joined a number of them, making money enough to get back home. But any time people used underage mutants' naiveté against them, it got his blood boiling. As if the damn kids didn't have it hard enough.
The afternoon had been a quite one; a shower, a jog around the grounds, a talk with Xavier that inevitably led to the Professor's prying into Jono's heart and soul. Not that Xavier would do so without his permission, and not that he had a heart... just that the old man could ask too many questions sometimes. Questions enough to make him wonder if he really DID have a soul.
Stepping down the hallway with heavy bootfalls, the man known as Chamber opened the front door just to get some fresh air. Didn't seem to matter how little time he spent in any one place, it was always too long. Wandering kept him sane.
Wrapped in his own thoughts, Jono didn't see Remy at first and nearly stepped on top of him. Stopping short but nudging Remy in the back with the toe of his boot, he spoke into Gambit's mind without thinking.
Woah. Sorry there man.
"No worries, mon ami, just put myself in everyone's way." The young man shifted over immediately. "Too nice a day t'be t'inkin' 'bout bein' an obstacle."
Jono stepped down a few steps and sat down nearby. His gaze was always an intense one, even when he intended it not to be. Such was the burden of anyone who walked around with only their eyes showing. He looked sidelong at Gambit, and nodded once.
You picked a good spot, so I guess you're right.
He looked out over the grounds, wishing to god he could smell the air. The thought made him frown just a bit. He shook it off, and offered the only slightly younger man his hand.
Jonothon Starsmore. They call me Chamber. You're not a student here are you?
"Non," confirmed Remy with a grin. "Ain't no student. Like t'think of m'self more like a guest. Y'know. Just passin' through. The old man teachin' me a few tricks I couldn't teach m'self. Helpin' me out. Gonna stay as long as it takes, then I'm off again."
He held out a hand.
"Remy LeBeau. Most folks jus' call me Gambit. Nice t'meet you, Jonothon." The Cajun's head tipped slightly. "Outta curiosity, I gotta know. Why 'Chamber'?"
He seemed like the kind of guy that would take this well, but then he'd thought that before. But what other choice did he have? Everyone asked, eventually.
Chamber tapped his chest.
Hollow. At least on this plane. The rest is pure energy.
Yes of course, he had to mention planes. Why was it he couldn't keep that shit to himself until he at least got to know someone enough that they wouldn't think he was totally crazy? If he had a throat to clear, he would have. Instead, he finished shaking Gambit's hand and looked out at the yard.
"Energy, huh?" Gambit sized the other man up without apparently seeming to. They were, physically at least, fairly well matched: similar heights, similar builds. He possibly had the slight edge in terms of muscle definition, but there was a lean ranginess to Chamber that Gambit wouldn't have trusted in a fight. "Coincidence, n'est pas? My power all 'bout energy, too."
He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a playing card. The four of spades. Nothing special about that.
Gambit held the card between thumb and forefinger and after a few brief seconds, it glowed a bright pinkish in colour. "You take th' li'l suckers," he said, waving the card. "You tap into their latent kinetic energy so an' then..." With unerring accuracy, the Cajun threw the card at the nearest tree, where it exploded with a loud ~WA-CHOOM~!
Bits of tree bark rained down for a second or so.
"Pick a card," said Gambit with a grin. "Any card."
If Chamber could grin, he would have. Instead he looked solemly at the tree for a moment. But the voice inside Gambit's head certainly sounded amused, and intruigued.
Well look at that. You draw it from an object? That's really a talent. I can focus a beam from my center, but I can't touch a thing with it. It all blows up, pretty well to dust if I'm not careful.
What a stroke of luck, a guy with an understanding of the force inside him that was also *not* an asshole. He might have to stick around awhile.
How long have you been here? I don't remember your face. Given it's been a few years.
"Been here a month or so. Came here after a death in th' family, then a fallin' out with m'papa. Spoke with the old man an' he offered me somewhere t'stay, y'know. Sorta a sabbatical." The man took a long drag on his roll up. "'scuse the ciggie," he said. "Been tryin' t'quit, but some habits die hard."
He took a coin out of his pocket and let it dance across the knuckles of his free hand in a fairly impressive display of sleight-of-hand.
Chamber watched quietly. Well, obviously.
It seems we all come from some sort of hurt. I wonder if any of us had wonderful parents and nothing traumatic happening around us from the time we were ten years old.
"There's that kid, Bobby do they call him? He seems t'have had a fantastic upbringin'. His folks think he's at some sorta prep school from what I hear." Remy shrugged his shoulders. "I had a bad start t'life m'self, but once I got adopted by m'papa, t'ings definitely looked up."
Remy finished his roll-up, ground it out under the heel of his boot and slid the stub into his pocket, not wanting to litter the front steps of the mansion. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his tobacco pouch and began rolling another, more out of habit than because he wanted another one.
"So what's your story?" he said. "What bring you through here? You one of these 'X-Men' I hear 'bout?"
The same as most of us. I was no longer welcome in my family, so I came here. About six years ago.
Chamber reached down to relace his boots.
No, I'm not one of the X-Men. Xavier asked me to join, but it's not my style. I work with them now and then. But I prefer to travel.
"Ah, I'm a travellin' man m'self. Never stay in one place for long." He spent a little time rolling the cigarette. "'Course sometimes it's good t'have company as well." He looked sideways at the other mutant.
"Maybe we should take a trip sometime."
Chamber's eyebrows furrowed. It would look like a frown except that he had no face to grin with, so one never could be too sure.
This guy suggested a trip. Someone would CHOOSE to spend time with him?
To be honest, it's a bit difficult for me to move around. Well, I mean... let me put it this way. Not a lot of people are willing to give a paycheck to a guy with no face. But I manage. If you're up for doing it the rough way, I'll do what I can to keep my half of the fair up.
He'd be smiling if he could.
Remy chuckled lightly. "Trust me, mon ami, I'm good at makin' my way in th' big wide world."
He seemed older than he looked, his attitude was far beyond his years. The light smattering of stubble that graced his jaw gave him a certain maturity, but the face was young, although his eyes gave nothing away, hidden as they were behind a pair of dark glasses, not unusual around here - look at Scott Summers.
Although he, of course, had a reason.
Care to get out of here?
Chamber stood, adjusting his jacket around him.
I was going for a ride anyway. She's big enough to handle the both of us, if you're up for it.
He nodded to the side park, where a large black motorcycle sat waiting.
"Now THAT," said Remy, approvingly, pocketing his tobacco pouch, "is def'nitely my kinda ride." He stood up in a fluid motion and stretched out an ache in his lower back from sitting on the steps.
"Where you got in mind?"
Chamber shrugged. He just hoped the guy didn't think he was a total idiot.
There are a lot of great hills around here. Some really awesome terrain. I *was* considering heading out to a lake about 45 minutes from here... not a lot to do but sit and think, but I figure you've got cards... we're in business.
He looked askance at Gambit. There were no helmets on the bike to be seen, but Chamber didn't seem the sort to be too concerned with them. He sat down and unlocked the kickstand with a practiced kick of the heel. Gesturing behind him, it was obvious the touring bike was built for a passenger that was rarely present- the black leather seat was pristine.
Gambit hopped easily onto the bike and held onto the back bar. "Shall we blow this popsicle stand for now, then?" There was undisguised excitement in his tone, belying his age. "Cards are always good, but I warn you in advance, mon ami, I play t'win."
At twenty one years of age, Remy LeBeau was a little too old to associate with most of the kids in the school, so tended to generally keep himself to himself. He socialised occasionally with the older set, the sixteen and upwards set, which consisted mostly of a fairly close knit gang of kids who were a mismatched lot to be sure.
Too old to socialise with the kids, but too young to really have much to do with the adult contingent, with the possible exception of Scott Summers who he really didn't like all that much anyway. The guy was twenty-something going on about fifty. He needed to understand the phrase 'lighten up'.
This particular day saw him outside the Institute, sitting on the front steps, smoking one of his roll-up cigarettes and looking thoughtfully out over the grounds.
Jonothon had been lingering around the place the last few days, preparing to travel to St Louis with a few others to investigate what seemed to be an underground fight organization that may have been exploiting young mutants. It wasn't that Jono thought fight rings were all that bad a thing; in Mexico he'd joined a number of them, making money enough to get back home. But any time people used underage mutants' naiveté against them, it got his blood boiling. As if the damn kids didn't have it hard enough.
The afternoon had been a quite one; a shower, a jog around the grounds, a talk with Xavier that inevitably led to the Professor's prying into Jono's heart and soul. Not that Xavier would do so without his permission, and not that he had a heart... just that the old man could ask too many questions sometimes. Questions enough to make him wonder if he really DID have a soul.
Stepping down the hallway with heavy bootfalls, the man known as Chamber opened the front door just to get some fresh air. Didn't seem to matter how little time he spent in any one place, it was always too long. Wandering kept him sane.
Wrapped in his own thoughts, Jono didn't see Remy at first and nearly stepped on top of him. Stopping short but nudging Remy in the back with the toe of his boot, he spoke into Gambit's mind without thinking.
Woah. Sorry there man.
"No worries, mon ami, just put myself in everyone's way." The young man shifted over immediately. "Too nice a day t'be t'inkin' 'bout bein' an obstacle."
Jono stepped down a few steps and sat down nearby. His gaze was always an intense one, even when he intended it not to be. Such was the burden of anyone who walked around with only their eyes showing. He looked sidelong at Gambit, and nodded once.
You picked a good spot, so I guess you're right.
He looked out over the grounds, wishing to god he could smell the air. The thought made him frown just a bit. He shook it off, and offered the only slightly younger man his hand.
Jonothon Starsmore. They call me Chamber. You're not a student here are you?
"Non," confirmed Remy with a grin. "Ain't no student. Like t'think of m'self more like a guest. Y'know. Just passin' through. The old man teachin' me a few tricks I couldn't teach m'self. Helpin' me out. Gonna stay as long as it takes, then I'm off again."
He held out a hand.
"Remy LeBeau. Most folks jus' call me Gambit. Nice t'meet you, Jonothon." The Cajun's head tipped slightly. "Outta curiosity, I gotta know. Why 'Chamber'?"
He seemed like the kind of guy that would take this well, but then he'd thought that before. But what other choice did he have? Everyone asked, eventually.
Chamber tapped his chest.
Hollow. At least on this plane. The rest is pure energy.
Yes of course, he had to mention planes. Why was it he couldn't keep that shit to himself until he at least got to know someone enough that they wouldn't think he was totally crazy? If he had a throat to clear, he would have. Instead, he finished shaking Gambit's hand and looked out at the yard.
"Energy, huh?" Gambit sized the other man up without apparently seeming to. They were, physically at least, fairly well matched: similar heights, similar builds. He possibly had the slight edge in terms of muscle definition, but there was a lean ranginess to Chamber that Gambit wouldn't have trusted in a fight. "Coincidence, n'est pas? My power all 'bout energy, too."
He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a playing card. The four of spades. Nothing special about that.
Gambit held the card between thumb and forefinger and after a few brief seconds, it glowed a bright pinkish in colour. "You take th' li'l suckers," he said, waving the card. "You tap into their latent kinetic energy so an' then..." With unerring accuracy, the Cajun threw the card at the nearest tree, where it exploded with a loud ~WA-CHOOM~!
Bits of tree bark rained down for a second or so.
"Pick a card," said Gambit with a grin. "Any card."
If Chamber could grin, he would have. Instead he looked solemly at the tree for a moment. But the voice inside Gambit's head certainly sounded amused, and intruigued.
Well look at that. You draw it from an object? That's really a talent. I can focus a beam from my center, but I can't touch a thing with it. It all blows up, pretty well to dust if I'm not careful.
What a stroke of luck, a guy with an understanding of the force inside him that was also *not* an asshole. He might have to stick around awhile.
How long have you been here? I don't remember your face. Given it's been a few years.
"Been here a month or so. Came here after a death in th' family, then a fallin' out with m'papa. Spoke with the old man an' he offered me somewhere t'stay, y'know. Sorta a sabbatical." The man took a long drag on his roll up. "'scuse the ciggie," he said. "Been tryin' t'quit, but some habits die hard."
He took a coin out of his pocket and let it dance across the knuckles of his free hand in a fairly impressive display of sleight-of-hand.
Chamber watched quietly. Well, obviously.
It seems we all come from some sort of hurt. I wonder if any of us had wonderful parents and nothing traumatic happening around us from the time we were ten years old.
"There's that kid, Bobby do they call him? He seems t'have had a fantastic upbringin'. His folks think he's at some sorta prep school from what I hear." Remy shrugged his shoulders. "I had a bad start t'life m'self, but once I got adopted by m'papa, t'ings definitely looked up."
Remy finished his roll-up, ground it out under the heel of his boot and slid the stub into his pocket, not wanting to litter the front steps of the mansion. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his tobacco pouch and began rolling another, more out of habit than because he wanted another one.
"So what's your story?" he said. "What bring you through here? You one of these 'X-Men' I hear 'bout?"
The same as most of us. I was no longer welcome in my family, so I came here. About six years ago.
Chamber reached down to relace his boots.
No, I'm not one of the X-Men. Xavier asked me to join, but it's not my style. I work with them now and then. But I prefer to travel.
"Ah, I'm a travellin' man m'self. Never stay in one place for long." He spent a little time rolling the cigarette. "'Course sometimes it's good t'have company as well." He looked sideways at the other mutant.
"Maybe we should take a trip sometime."
Chamber's eyebrows furrowed. It would look like a frown except that he had no face to grin with, so one never could be too sure.
This guy suggested a trip. Someone would CHOOSE to spend time with him?
To be honest, it's a bit difficult for me to move around. Well, I mean... let me put it this way. Not a lot of people are willing to give a paycheck to a guy with no face. But I manage. If you're up for doing it the rough way, I'll do what I can to keep my half of the fair up.
He'd be smiling if he could.
Remy chuckled lightly. "Trust me, mon ami, I'm good at makin' my way in th' big wide world."
He seemed older than he looked, his attitude was far beyond his years. The light smattering of stubble that graced his jaw gave him a certain maturity, but the face was young, although his eyes gave nothing away, hidden as they were behind a pair of dark glasses, not unusual around here - look at Scott Summers.
Although he, of course, had a reason.
Care to get out of here?
Chamber stood, adjusting his jacket around him.
I was going for a ride anyway. She's big enough to handle the both of us, if you're up for it.
He nodded to the side park, where a large black motorcycle sat waiting.
"Now THAT," said Remy, approvingly, pocketing his tobacco pouch, "is def'nitely my kinda ride." He stood up in a fluid motion and stretched out an ache in his lower back from sitting on the steps.
"Where you got in mind?"
Chamber shrugged. He just hoped the guy didn't think he was a total idiot.
There are a lot of great hills around here. Some really awesome terrain. I *was* considering heading out to a lake about 45 minutes from here... not a lot to do but sit and think, but I figure you've got cards... we're in business.
He looked askance at Gambit. There were no helmets on the bike to be seen, but Chamber didn't seem the sort to be too concerned with them. He sat down and unlocked the kickstand with a practiced kick of the heel. Gesturing behind him, it was obvious the touring bike was built for a passenger that was rarely present- the black leather seat was pristine.
Gambit hopped easily onto the bike and held onto the back bar. "Shall we blow this popsicle stand for now, then?" There was undisguised excitement in his tone, belying his age. "Cards are always good, but I warn you in advance, mon ami, I play t'win."
