I didn’t hear Logan’s footsteps following me, but I did hear a much quieter pair following me. At first it wasn’t suspicious but when I started to turn corners rapidly and the person continued to follow this is when it became unnerving. I twisted around to see a man in a large trench coat.
“Cher you really shouldn’t be wanderin’ about by yourself, especially not this late.” He suddenly conjured a purple flame between his thumb and forefinger and brought it up to his lips along with a cigarette.
“Now I know who you are, Madame Liberty, but you may not know who I am. I am…” I rolled my eyes and finished my sentence.
“You are Remy Lebeau AKA Gambit; you punched Tony Stark, so obviously I know who you are.” He flicked his finger extinguishing the flame between his fingers. His eyebrow rose slightly as he began to walk towards me.
“So you know why I’m here then cher.” He rose up a hand and reached behind his back, and pulled out a thin metal rod.
“You have two options here cher, you either come with me willingly or we duke it out, it’s your choice.” Suddenly heavy footsteps ran towards us, Remy quickly twisted around to view Logan breathing heavily.
“I said leave her alone Gambit.” Logan gruff voice traveled through the alley way. Gambit looked over his shoulder with his red eyes and smirked.
“Just a moment cher.” He quickly looked away from me and started to walk towards Logan.
“Scott heard what you had to say, but Ruth had another vision.” Logan walked forward and stood toe to toe with the fractionally taller Gambit.
“I don’t care what Scott has to say, if Liberty is naturally going to become a part of the X-men let it happen naturally, don’t force her into it.” Gambit placed his forefinger on his chin and gave a small chuckle.
“Sorry Logan I have my orders.” Gambit looked over his shoulder to me and smirked.
“This is when the fireworks start.” He pulled out four playing cards and soon they began to spark purple with energy. Suddenly he threw them at Logan causing an explosive impact with his chest.
Remy dusted his hands and twisted away from the unconscious form of the Wolverine and looked at me with his burning red eyes. He grabbed both ends of his telescopic staff and extended it.
“So what’s your choice cher, as you can see I’m quiet powerful, so if it’s a fight you want, then be ready to lose.” His smirk grew sinister. I looked at his telescopic bo staff and smirked.
“I’m afraid that I’m going to have to fight you Gambit.” He chuckled and released the potential energy of the Bo staff in bright purple sparks.
“Good I don’t like it when they give up so easily.” He ran forward and used his staff as a volt pole. I ran towards him, and slid underneath his airborne body. He looked at me and chuckled.
“Come on and show me what you’ve got cher!” I smirked and held out my hand; Gambits staff threw itself out of his grip and into my hand. Soon the bronze and silver haze began to swirl around me and the staff. The suit I once wore was now black leather pants, a silver and back corset and a dark green kimono. Gambit’s own staff transformed into an ornate silver staff with a blade.
I pointed end towards him and smirked.
“I’d give up now Gambit, before you get hurt.” Gambit snarled, he dug his hand into his coat and conjured a pack of cards. He quickly threw them with precision. I flipped backwards avoiding the kinetically charged explosives. Each card exploded on impact with the walls. It was my turn now. I lunged forward and allowed my electrical impulses to crawl over the staff; I twisted the staff around and slammed the butt into Gambits side causing the sickening sound of bones breaking. He wheezed heavily, as he raised a hand which glowed purple.
I wasn’t fast enough to block him allowing him to slam his charged fist into my cheek. I twisted the staff again and slammed the butt into his jaw causing his teeth to snap together and break under the force, and blood to spurt from his mouth. My impulses crawled from my staff onto his skin. They crawled over and through his body keeping him ridged. I stopped the contact between the skin and the staff allowing Gambit to collapse to the ground. I sighed and kneeled next to the unconscious form of Gambit. I had to admit he was handsome, very angular features and from the punch muscular. I cupped his cheek in my hand and closed my eyes.
I searched his mind for this new vision of Ruth Aldine. Then I saw her again.
I stood there as Gambit, so I was much taller than my usual height of five foot two inches. I looked forward at Scott Summers and Ruth Aldine.
“What did you see this time Ruth?” she gave a heavy sigh.
“I know why there was so much blood, so much blood. Somehow normal humans are becoming mutants which seems spontaneous. But someone is defiantly behind it, but I don’t know what or who. This makes no sense. Liberty is there fighting for both the Avengers and the Mutants. We are all involved in this. Eric I know why Liberty kisses you now, to save you.” Gambit looked to his side to see Eric Lehnsherr sitting on a metal chair with wide eyes.
“Why do I need saved Ruth?” she fidgeted and gave another shaky sigh.
“I don’t know, but there’s so much blood.” I sighed and shook my head.
“This sounds like a massacre.” Gambit’s voice rang out from the body I sat in.
I slowly withdrew from the scene and opened my eyes.
I looked down at the bruising Gambit and sighed.
“You’re stupid you know that, but I’m saving you from the bruising, the broken bones and the broken teeth that you deserve.” I leaned down and pressed my lips gently against his, soon the blood removed itself from his skin and his wheezy breathing returned to normal, as his broken ribs returned back to their un-splintered selves. The bruises that would have appeared soon emerged and faded, to a yellowing colour. I sighed and got up off the ground, to see Logan leaning against the alley wall.
“You should have left him to wallow in pain in the morning.” I ran the back of my hand over my lips removing the taste of Remy Lebeau.
“yeah I should have, but from what I saw of that vision I can see why he was so persistent.” Logan nodded as I walked towards him.
“What did you see?” I stood in front of Logan and slowly reached up. He flinched away from me, causing me to roll my eyes, and cup his cheek. I poured the thoughts of Remy Lebeau into Logan’s mind. I stopped the skin to skin contact quickly.
Logan stood there with his eyes closed for a few moments, processing the information I had just given him.
“I have a question if you don’t mind kid.” He opened his eyes and smirked at me flashing me a wolfish grin.
“What’s with the whole kissing to heal people thing?” I shrugged, and looked over at the unconscious but now unscathed Gambit.
“The first time Loki saved me was by kissing me, I don’t know how it works, and I just know that it works.” Logan nodded and looked at Gambit over my shoulder.
“I have a feeling that more of the X-men will be coming for you Liberty.” I nodded and looked up at Logan. His clothing was torn from the explosive cards, but he was also fully healed.
“Your healing factor is almost immediate.” I said as the last of the yellow bruises disappeared. Logan nodded and reached out to my cheek.
“I could say the same about you.” His rough finger tips moved over the skin of my cheek. Suddenly someone called out my name,
“Liberty?!” We both looked at the mouth of the alley way and saw the rain soaked form of Bruce Banner.