Like many things in Marie’s life since her powers first manifested, Kitty’s big reveal on what is bothering her came completely out of the blue. One night in her room, a few days after Logan’s most recent departure, it is just the two of them for a change, lounging on her bed. Ava was put to bed early and Jubes was at the tailor's getting herself fitted for a new combat suit, having decided to try out for the Junior X-Men Program earlier that day.
Various books lay around them while they are chatting away, it is an in depth conversation about 18th-century society, a subject they both share an interest in; Marie due to her upbringing and Kitty thanks to her deep interest in regency romance novels. The discussion had reached a lull when Kitty suddenly looks right at her and asks, “Do you think we’re too young to lose our virginity?”
The question hits Marie like a punch in the gut, their Kitty, not a virgin? She quickly attempts to figure out what Kitty is really asking, or to be more precise, telling her. “Wait... Is this about that party?”
“Yes... I didn’t want to say anything in front of Jubes,” Kitty sighs, looking down on her hands fiddling with the sheets. Then taking a breath, continues, “You know how she gets with this stuff.
Jubes does get rather excited whenever their conversation drifts towards the subject of boys. Sitting up Marie scoots closer to Kitty and could just nod while waiting for her to continue, and after a long pause Kitty finally lets it all out in one breath “I had sex.”
“You did?” Marie's eyes open wide, Kitty? Sex? Marie didn’t even think Kitty was all that interested in sex yet. Romance sure, Kitty loved romance, given all those books she likes to read, but actual sex? She honestly thought Jubes would be the first among them to do the deed so to speak, her shock spills out of her, “OH MY GOD!”
Her face flushing with color Kitty looks everywhere but at Marie. “Marie! Shhh!”
Marie raises her hands to her mouth attempting to stop her train of thought, but still, she blurts it out, “You slept with Bobby?!”
“No! I mean I want to…” Kitty's hands clutch the comforter tight, twisting it several times before she continues, “It was... Johnny.”
“JOHNNY?!” Marie couldn’t help with another outburst, one of her own best friends is involved in a love triangle, with two of the most popular students in the school and what made it even more incredible is that Kitty is at the center of it all.
“Marie!” Kitty lunges at her trying in vain to cover her mouth.
On instinct Marie executes a quick reversal and lands on top of Kitty instead, shock still evident on her face. “You slept with Johnny!”
The last time they talked about this stuff, Kitty was happily going on about how much closer she had gotten with Bobby since their first party together and now this. Then her thoughts slip out again, “But I thought you liked Bobby?”
“I do! I’m just... I don’t know,” Kitty stutters her answer, obviously struggling. Marie can relate, at least she thinks she can, memories from that other life flash in front of her eyes, Logan, Bobby, Remy then Logan again. She knows what it is like to be torn between several men. Finally Kitty relaxes on the bed, “It is just that Johnny's been real nice to me since we started hanging out with them, and at the party…”
“And at the party?” Marie asks while, trying to figure out this puzzle. It is starting to make sense to her since she remembers Bobby asking Kitty out the day after, and Marie remembers thinking how odd it was for Kitty to turn him down at the time.
“I...let him use his fingers and I’m might have given him a...” Kitty's voice fades into a whisper as she drags a pillow over her face.
Marie relaxes at Kitty’s admission, it wasn’t sex, sex. Given what she can see from those two boys, She is having a hard time believing this is just some coincidence of two friends falling for the same girl. Marie lays down beside Kitty and takes her hand and gives a squeeze. “Does Bobby know?”
“I don’t think so.” Kitty’s hand tightens around hers “I mean, he asked me in front of Johnny.”
She really needs to look into this, the whole thing is setting off alarm bells in her head, but first, she needs to be a good friend, “Kitty, look Bobby and especially Johnny, they are very-”
“Hey, guys I’m back!” Jubes burst into the room, her voice buoyed by excitement, wearing her new leather uniform.“You won’t believe how awesome this new leather suit…” Her eyes narrow at the sight of Marie and Kitty on the bed their hands linked “What! NO! You two are having that talk! How can you have that talk without me?
“What talk?” Genuine confusion is evident on Marie's face, Jubes tends to jump to all sorts of conclusions, based on little clues she thinks she’s seen, real or imagined.
“Don't play dumb! You two are talking about boyfriends!” Jubes slaps both her hands to her face, some kind of realization dawning on her, “You both got boyfriends! And you're talking about them without me!”
Marie sighs, looking at Kitty's bewildered expression, she realizes this conversation is obviously over, for now. Jubes might be persistent, but Marie knows exactly how to divert her attention. She gives Kitty a wink, “Look we promise to tell you, but don't you think we have something even more important right now?"
Ignoring Jubes suspicious look, Marie walks over to the closet and pulls out two leather combat suits of her own, placing one in front of her, silently thanking Logan for being overly zealous when it come to her safety. “We need to make sure we all look good for tomorrow.”
“EEK!” Jubes excitedly jumps up and down screaming, “You guys are going to try out with me?!”
Marie fidgets nervously, no longer comfortably surround by so many people, packed within the crowd that just filled the school auditorium to near capacity, not to mention her impending exam to be a member of the Junior X-Men. There is some kind of big announcement, and all the students have been instructed to assemble here. Despite her best effort, she is slowly beginning to feel uncomfortable in crowds. It is the way people flinch when she accidentally brushes against them in the classroom or the wide berth given to her in the hallway.
It is not unfamiliar, this deepening sense of solitude, when she first noticed it she thought she already knew to handle this. But when even familiar people start to back away as she nears, she can feel herself slowly descending into isolation, just like her memories. Jubes, Ava, and Kitty try their best to be there for her, but she can sense their unease when her arms and legs are exposed.
She should have expected this when she join Kitty and Jubes in the practice training sessions. No matter how careful she is accidents are inevitable in a training exercise. If some of the students didn’t believe anything about her deadly skin, they definitely believe it now. Especially when during a particularly difficult training exercise her uniform got torn and she knocked out Cyclops, and Nightcrawler after just by bumping into them. The word spread fast on her touch of death, all leading to now, wrapped up like a mummy stuffed in a hot and humid auditorium.
She stands in a corner with her friends, to minimize the exposure to her powers in case something goes wrong. So focused on fighting back the unpleasant sensations of garb, it takes her a few minutes before she pays any attention to the new speaker at the podium, and more importantly the content of his speech.
“...And last but not least, I would like to say how honored I am to be here at the invitation of my oldest friend, Professor Charles Xavier.” Marie can see Magneto’s eyes scanning the crowd as he continues to speak, “To share my organization’s and my expertise with the next generation, motivating young mutants such as yourselves."
When his eyes find hers, she forces herself to fight off a shudder of fear, at the cold amusement that shines there. “I look forward to instructing each and every one of you, help you to excel and meet the challenges you are sure to face.”
“No,” Marie whispers under her breath, which is picked up by Jubes and Kitty.
“Marie? What's wrong?” Kitty and Jubes ask almost simultaneously, concern evident in their voices.
“Magneto,” she practically spits out his name. “I can’t believe he is going to be an instructor.”
“Well... He is qualified.” Kitty looking rather perplexed tries to reason it out, “He has the most combat experience in the school-”
“I don't care how qualified he is, I don’t want him here,” Marie cuts in, fighting to keep her hands from trembling. They are her best friends but they can’t understand why she feels this way.
Kitty places a hand on Marie’s shoulders and pulls her close, “I know you’re scared of him, but this is the perfect time to overcome your fears.”
“And maybe you’ll see that he is really not a bad guy?” Jubes hugs her too, trying unsuccessfully to offer some comfort of her own.
“It’s not like he is going to be your teacher, right?” Kitty offers something that finally manages to calm Marie down a little.
“Yeah, you're right, come on let’s get ready for our final trials.” Somehow Marie knows she not going to like this, but perhaps they are right, maybe it is time to finally face Magneto down and put him behind her, and perhaps he could turn out to be a decent human being this time around. As much as she tries to tell herself that he could be different, there is a nagging doubt hanging over her, she understands Magneto, perhaps even more that the Professor and in her gut, she doesn't believe he has changed not at all.
Sitting in the library, Marie stretches her arms into the air, her body now sore from this morning’s trials, she’s been keeping herself in shape maintaining the same regimen she had back in Mississippi. The initial trial to enter into the advanced tactical course is something else entirely, the test is full of signs that can only point to one thing, Logan designed it. She has been surprised only a few other times since arriving at this school, relying on her memories she manages to navigate the minefield that is her school life, maintaining an uneasy detente with the various faction in the school.
And now all that work to make herself blend into the background is shattered in a single day. She's not exactly sure what led her to the decision to accompany Jubes on her quest to become a member of Advance Tactical Training Program, known to most of the student body simply as the Junior X-Men team, or what possessed Jubes to attempt to try out for it. All she knows is that first, it was a great distraction to get Jube off Kitty till she is more comfortable talking and second, even though she led her team in passing the simulation, just barely with a score of fifty-eight, they were accepted on the spot.
Only after the induction ceremony did she find out why, she not only just set a new school record, but she shattered the old one completely. The previous record, held by Mr. Summers’ team a decade earlier, was three tries with a score of sixty. The bright smiles on her friend's faces, and the looks of admiration and jealousy from the other students could not overshadow the thoughts on her mind. It feels like she cheated, she only manages to pass due to her strange innate understanding of Logan; and perhaps more importantly, from personal experience, Marie knows that a storm is coming, one does not simply leap to the top of a social ladder and not make a few enemies.
“Miss D’Ancanto,” a voice startles her out of her thoughts, she braces herself before standing up and turning around. Standing just behind her is Magneto. She was so absorbed in her own little world, she didn’t even hear him enter the library. Cursing herself for her lack of awareness, she straightens herself and looks back at him warily.
“Congratulations.” The smile on his face seems more fitting of a predator finding his prey than that of a smile of celebration. “I hear you have succeeded in qualifying for the advanced tactical courses”
She can feel his icy gaze rake her body, fear and anger flaring in her at his amused expression. She turns to leave but one word from him stops her.
“Wait. I can see that I might have made the wrong impression.” He raises his hands before him in a placating gesture, “I’m simply here to commend you on your recent successes” Still struggling with his command, a chill settle into her at his words, and she suddenly feels queasy as the rest of his words sink in. “I just recently took on a position as senior instructor in that program.”
Magneto is an instructor at the school, an instructor directly overseeing the program she is now a part of. With that very unpleasant thought echoing in her head, she can not muster any kind of response. She must have given something way because Magneto’s smile turns positively gleeful. “I saw the footage from your initial assessment, quite an accomplishment for one so young. I will look forward to training you.”
He left her there, stunned by the turn of events, she has been struggling with something since she first meets him face to face, her dream-like memories include not just her own, but others and among the strongest of them, just weaker than Logan’s is Magneto. Now that she is aware of she can feel it inside her mind whispering at her, and it absolutely terrifies her that he can exert his influence on her from within her mind as well as from the outside world.
A reconnaissance, that's what Mystique had called this little errand she sent him on. While Remy is certainly skilled when it comes to a little scouting work, his empathic powers and years spent as a thief, make him ideally suited for this. He is not sure why Mystique would be interested in this school. After all, she helped build it, knows the headmaster personally, is friends with much of staff, and is idolized by many of the students. He doubts that there is anything happening in the school that she doesn’t know about, or won’t know about soon.
He arrives early one afternoon with a letter from Mystique. With just that he is admitted in, with no other verification required. He goes straight to the man in charge, Charles Xavier himself. After some light pleasantries, he manages to convince one of the lady faculty members to show him around. She is gorgeous, silver-haired contrasting her ebony skin, athletic yet sensually build, of all the femmes he’s met since his arrival this one holds his attention the most.
Flirting with her every chance he can get, effusing her with flattery, Remy pours on all the charm he can muster. Ororo as she is called, radiates calmness and control, but Remy can sense the fire simmering under the surface, it is more than worth the effort to elicit a sublet blush or two from the normally reserved woman. Then the mansion throws a surprise at him, his first surprise in years.
He hears her voice chiming in the wind long before he lays his eyes on her, that light tilt of her accent reviving memories long forgotten. Sitting under a willow tree, shining like a beacon in the night, a spitting image of his long-lost Belladonna. There are many differences physically, but that isn’t what is drawing him to her. It’s her warm smile, the sparkle of fire in her eyes, with little gestures in everything she does, she echoes of his love long gone. Unable to help himself, Remy finds himself standing in front of the group of girls she is with.
“Mesdemoiselles.” He bows low and makes sure he looks at each of the young ladies eyes while flashing the most charming smile he can muster. “Remy could not help but to drawn to beauties such as yourselves.”
The two girls with his intended, their eyes wide, cheeks flushing with color, can barely make out soft and shy, “Oh!”
But her, she simply gives him the barest glance, before returning to the careful braid work on the hair of the youngest among them. Gambit recovers from his bow and stands at attention, his head tilts slightly attempting to catch her beautiful eyes again. His rate heart actually surges, this is a novel experience, he has not felt like this since his first meeting with Belladonna. It is a full two minutes before she acknowledges him, he counted.
He is struck by her visage when she finally faces him, the corners of red lips curl slightly, and he knows by the gleam in her eyes that he is being judged right this instant. She gracefully moves to rise, her friends joining her clumsily. He hurries to offer them a hand, something in his heart twists when she politely declines “Mister…?”
“Lebeau, Remy Lebeau, at your service.” He bows slightly for the second time, his mind once again reminding him, just exactly how similar she is to his beloved. The other two older girls sigh at his well-practiced antics, he spares them another smile, but his attention remains focused just on her.
“Mr. Lebeau…” The way his name rolls off her tongue, adorned by her lovely accent, genuinely makes him smile.
“Might I introduce Katherine Pryde, Jubilation Lee, and Ava Orlova.” He can see that she at least is enjoying this exchange. “I am Marie D’Ancanto, pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Her etiquette is flawless, he’s met many women who play at class only to end up a farce. This Marie before him is a bona fide Lady and he is glad to finally have a tiny bit of her to him. “The pleasure is all mine Marie.”
Her eyes narrow ever so slightly, so good is her mask that he would not even have noticed if it weren’t for the subtle shift in mood picked up by his empathic powers. Realizing he might have insulted her, to immediately demonstrate such a familiarity, Remy quickly takes the hand of her friends and bring them to his lips in greeting, saying their first names in turn.
A slight cough from behind startles him, almost making him jump, the woman he left behind stands there, arms crossed, a frown on her face. He had abandoned her mid-tour, probably while she was still talking. He looks between, the girls, his empathic sense warning him to the growing frustration on one side and the rapidly cooling impression on the other. He has a tough choice on his hands.
“Well, Mr. Lebeau, I see you are occupied, I hope you have a pleasant afternoon.” The decision is made for him, Marie just dismisses him, the tone is cool, distant, even still that southern lilt washes over him, and he can’t recall the last time someone so pleasantly disregarded him.
He bows one more time to the gathered ladies and smiles apologetically at his tour guide. “Excusez-moi, Remy did not mean any offense. Please lead the way.”
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