A Rogue's Tale

Never Judge by First Appearances: Part 1

"You!" she said angrily. "How dare you attack me!"

"How dare you blow me off!" he shouted at her. It was Julien, that asshole from the dive restaurant. He quickly pinned her to the wall before she had a chance to react. "I'll show you what happens to filles dat reject me."

"Oh really, well, ah'll show ya what happens to losers who manhandle young women," she shouted at him while struggling to break free.

"Shut up!" he shouted and slapped her across the face. This only made her angrier, and with her legs free she kicked him in the midsection.

Julien fell to the ground writhing in pain. "Damn you," he said and grabbed her leg, making her lose her balance, and she fell to the ground. The butterfly necklace that rested round her neck came loose and fell off and made a faint sound as it hit a block of concrete. It landed a few feet away from her, but she could see it shining in the dim light the quarter moon gave that night. "You gonna pay for dat."

Rogue ignored Julien's words, and instead crawled the few feet to retrieve her most prized possession.

"Hey, Julien, ain't nobody tell you dat no way t'treat a belle femme?" Rogue heard the voice of a young man not much older than herself. She grabbed her now broken necklace and slipped it in her bag.

Rogue looked up to see a shadowed figure with glowing red orbs. The sight scared her more than being attacked by Julien, but she would fix that soon enough.

"Stay out a dis, LeBeau," Julien shouted, and grabbed Rogue once again holding her to the ground. She struggled to break free, but he was too strong.

"Let 'er go, now," he said, coming closer to them.

Rogue managed to get her ungloved hand free and touched Julien's face while he was distracted by the stranger. She hated to resort to using her powers, but he gave her no choice. Julien let out a yell before losing consciousness, and Rogue slid herself out from under him. All the while, she was trying desperately to catch her breath.

The stranger walked up to her and looked over where Julien lay. "Out cold," he said, and then drew his attention towards Rogue. She could see his face clearly now. He had a handsome, rugged face, but there still was a certain amount of gentleness. His red on black eyes were no longer frightening, more intriguing.

Ah know those eyes, she thought to herself, but she couldn't place where.

"You alright, chere?" he asked in a gentle voice. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, not really," she said as he helped her up. She noticed for the first time his black t-shirt and black leather pants and the worn old brown trench coat he wore. He looked like some kind of hood, but why would he try to help her? Well, unless he wanted the same exact thing from her that unconscious thug lying in the alleyway tried to get out of her. "What do you care?" she asked sharply, becoming defensive.

She had images running through her head, and she realized that guy was no ordinary thug. He was a trained killer.

"Just don't wanna see a belle femme like yourself become his next victim," he said. "So, you mind telling me what you done to him."

"Don't know what you're talkin' about," Rogue said, picking up her bag and attempting to flee the alley.

He grabbed her arm but gently. "I know you done somethin' to him," he said, his voice was insistent but not threatening. "You gonna make dis easy and tell me what it is?"

"Let go a me, Gambit," she said defiantly. Where did that name come from? She wondered, only one place, Julien's memories. So, he knew this guy. He looked at her surprised, which was no wonder to her.

"How you know dat name?" he asked, as she snatched her arm back. She walked swiftly away from him, but suddenly he was in front of her blocking her way. He was holding some kind of pole in his hands and twirled it twice before planting it in the sidewalk and leaning on it slightly.

"How did ya do that?" she asked.

"You got your secrets, chere, an' I got mine," he said and his words only made her angrier. She attempted to get away from him, but he matched her step to step.

"Would you go away and leave me alone?" she snapped, giving him her famous death stare. "Bad enough ah had one stalker tonight. Don't need another one."

"Non, Remy no stalker, just thought you need a bodyguard." His words made her roll her eyes. She was no delicate porcelain doll, and took offense at his implying that she was.

She looked up at him just then, fire in her emerald green eyes. "Ah can take care of myself, thank you."

"Don' look like it to me," he said, backing her up against one of the buildings she was attempting to pass. "Dat guy, Julien, I know what he was plannin' to do, but Remy don' be like dat. Dis a dangerous city. Not safe for femmes ta go walkin' alone."

"Like ah said," she said, pushing him away from her. "Ah can take care of myself."

She walked off a few feet away from him. She could hear his laughter in the distance. "Sure, you can," he said. She turned back for a second and realized that he had disappeared, but he was right about one thing. It was too late at night to be walking around, and she would have to find some place to stay.

To Be Continued...