Chapter Text
Vancouver’s weather was Gambit’s greatest nemesis. The previous day had gone down in the city’s weather history after recording a high of just 11°C, making it the coldest June day in fifty years. For Remy LeBeau, who was accustomed to the heat of New Orleans, this was hardly a pleasant welcome to Canada.
The deafening roar of the Blackbird’s engines began to fade as the X-Men’s imposing supersonic jet settled onto the private hangar platform. The landing had been flawless, almost surgical, thanks to the coordination between Jean Grey and Kurt Wagner, who had shared piloting duties throughout the flight. While Kurt checked the cockpit’s final indicators, Jean shut down the main systems and removed her headset.
Once they were on the ground, Jean turned toward the mutants who were finishing gathering their luggage and checking their uniforms. She tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear and looked at Remy with a tired but affectionate smile.
“Well, Gambit, you’re in Canada now, and we all survived the trip without anyone throwing up on the controls. I’d say that deserves a celebration. Kurt and I will be heading back to Westchester. Scott asked me to remind you to call him tonight. I know everything will work out. You’re going to do great.”
Remy gave her a crooked smile as he adjusted the collar of his jacket. Then he gave Jean and Kurt warm hugs goodbye.
“Appreciate the ride, chère. Don’t worry about us. I’ll keep everything under control. Besides, four months ain’t nothin’ when you’ve got good company, good music, and a hotel bed waitin’ for you at the end of the day.”
“I’m glad you’re staying optimistic,” Jean replied with amusement. “Try to hold on to that optimism when you have to explain any questionable decisions you make during the tour to Scott and the Professor. And please, don’t confuse being charming with being invulnerable. Getting away with something is one thing; believing you can always win is quite another.”
“No, I know good and well you can’t win every hand. Besides, when have you ever known me to make a questionable decision, chère?”
Jean stared at him silently for two seconds.
“Would you like me to answer that now, or would you prefer that I prepare a list?”
Kurt burst out laughing from the pilot’s seat.
“I think we’d better get going before Jean starts working her way through the alphabet.”
“Good idea, Kurt. Please, Remy, take care of the whole team and, above all, take care of yourself. Don’t make difficult decisions lightly. Give yourself time to consider every possibility before rushing into a choice. And remember, the rest of the X-Men are only one phone call away.”
“Don’t worry, Jean. We’ll come back safe and sound, with souvenirs for everyone at the mansion.”
“I certainly hope so. See you soon.”
The Blackbird’s rear ramp finished extending, and the mutants filed out. During the flight, everyone had changed into their official school uniforms: blue and yellow suits beneath imposing brown leather jackets bearing the Xavier Institute’s circular logo embroidered over the left side of the chest. Storm walked at the front beside Gambit, her majestic bearing unmistakable, followed by Colossus, Roberto, and Kitty Pryde, who looked around the hangar with curiosity.
A man in a suit shook Remy’s hand and asked the team to follow him to a private room at the airport. Right in the center, surrounded by a retinue of producers, stylists, and assistants rushing back and forth, stood the woman herself: Alison Blaire, known worldwide as Dazzler, the mutant superstar of the moment. She wore a dazzling outfit that seemed to capture and reflect every particle of light in the room.
When she saw the group approaching, she broke away from her assistants with a radiant smile that seemed to light up the entire space on its own.
“Welcome to Vancouver, my X-Men!” she exclaimed, spreading her arms with boundless energy. “Just in time, too. The international press conference starts in a few minutes in the main hall of the complex. I assume you’re the gift Charles sent me to keep things safe during this tour.”
Storm gave Remy a gentle nudge, encouraging him to take the lead. He stepped forward with feline grace, immediately assuming his role. He removed his sunglasses and extended his hand. Alison let out a little “Wow” when she noticed his unusual black eyes with red irises. Gambit was used to that reaction, so he simply carried on without paying it any mind.
“Professor Xavier sends his regards, mademoiselle.”
“You’re Gambit, right? We were sent information about the whole team, and when I saw your photograph, I got really curious about seeing your eyes in person. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just, you know, meeting other mutants is always interesting.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m Remy LeBeau, though on the battlefield, they know me as Gambit. I’ll be leading the security team throughout the tour. Allow me to introduce the others: Ororo Munroe, Storm; Peter Rasputin, Colossus; Roberto da Costa, Sunspot; and Miss Kitty Pryde. We’re entirely at your service.”
Dazzler fixed her gaze on Remy, visibly impressed. The Cajun’s natural magnetism seemed to have an immediate effect on her. The singer smiled in a much more personal way and tilted her head slightly as she took another step closer, completely ignoring the looks exchanged by her representatives.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Remy,” she said, deliberately using his real name in a soft voice and with a suggestive smile. “It’s a relief to discover that the leader of my personal security detail isn’t just competent, but also... incredibly charming. I have a feeling we’re going to get along very well over the next few months.”
Remy was just about to respond with one of his usual witty remarks when the door to the room suddenly burst open. Two slender figures came running in, waving their hands at the group. It was Jubilee and Tabitha (Boom-Boom), carrying travel backpacks over their shoulders, stuffed with clothes and rock band pins.
“Hey, team!” Jubilee exclaimed, catching her breath once she reached them.
“I can’t feel my legs!” Tabitha said, bending over to catch her breath before bouncing up and down a couple of times. “Ten out of ten for the pilot, but four out of ten for the cargo compartment. Barely any room, no food, and absolutely no entertainment.”
“Not enough legroom?” Jubilee stared at her in disbelief. “There wasn’t enough room for an entire body! I am never going through that torture again!”
“You need to work on your flexibility, Jubes.”
Remy froze for a fraction of a second. The great New Orleans thief, the strategist assigned by Cyclops himself, was utterly mortified. He brought a hand to the back of his neck and looked at the two young women with a mixture of frustration and disapproval. He had no idea how to justify two underage girls infiltrating a high-security mission under his own command.
But before he could open his mouth, Roberto stepped forward. The moment he recognized Jubilee, his eyes lit up. He rushed over to hug her, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her slightly off the ground.
“Jubilee!” he exclaimed, relief and surprise mingling in his voice. “I thought you’d fallen asleep and that was why you didn’t come say goodbye to me!”
Roberto set her back on the ground without losing his smile. Jubilee burst out laughing and returned his embrace, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Then she whispered:
“Nope, we stowed away. Did you really think I was going to miss the chance to spend four months with you? Please, Roberto!”
“You know they’re going to put you both on the next flight back to New York, right?” he replied, raising an eyebrow.
“I’d like to see them try,” Tabitha challenged.
Jubilee gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling away. Roberto looked so happy that Kitty, who had witnessed the entire scene, couldn't help smiling. The rest of the team walked over to them. Despite his annoyance, Gambit couldn't help admiring the two teenagers' nerve. They had stowed away all the way from New York, hidden in the jet's rear compartments without anyone discovering their presence, and endured the entire flight in an extremely cramped space. That took talent.
Dazzler approached as well. Once she was standing in front of them, the singer raised an eyebrow at the two young women, who stared back at her with undisguised excitement.
“Who are you, and what are you doing here? How did you get past security?” she asked, then turned to her own team, whose members exchanged confused glances. “Is someone going to explain what’s going on?”
“This is going to be interesting,” Jubilee whispered to Tabitha.
Fortunately for everyone, Ororo Munroe’s experience and levelheadedness saved the situation. Storm stepped forward, positioning herself between the teenagers and the singer with an expression of absolute calm and authority.
“Please don’t worry, Miss Blaire. They’re also members of the Xavier Institute. They weren’t included in your briefing because they’re part of a covert operation. They’ll be monitoring any unusual activity from within the audience, posing as fans and concertgoers to avoid drawing attention to themselves. Their anonymity will allow them to identify potential threats among the attendees.”
Remy slowly turned his head toward Ororo, his eyes wide with surprise. Damn, Storm is really good at lying! he thought.
Dazzler’s face lit up. She clapped her hands, genuinely fascinated by the explanation.
“That is absolutely brilliant! A perfect infiltration strategy. I love the way Professor Xavier thinks.”
The two teenagers approached Dazzler, bursting with the excitement of two fans standing before their greatest musical idol.
“Oh my God, you’re Dazzler!” Jubilee exclaimed, waving her hands around. “I have all your albums! I listened to Sounds of Light so many times that the CD got completely scratched!”
“Your style is amazing!” Tabitha added, bouncing on her toes. “The effects in your latest music video were the most mutant and awesome thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life! And I know a girl who can blow things up with her fingers.”
“Thank you, I guess,” Jubilee replied, amused. “It’s always nice when someone recognizes my artistic talent.”
Peter Rasputin strode forward with heavy but gentle steps. With his enormous arms, he gently took both girls by the shoulders and moved them a couple of steps back to give the singer some personal space.
“Girls, please give Miss Blaire a little room. We’ve just arrived, and she has a very busy schedule to keep.”
“Relax, Colossus,” Tabitha replied. “We’re not going to rip out a lock of her hair and sell it on the internet.”
Jubilee’s eyes widened.
“I hadn’t thought of that!”
“Don’t even think about it,” Gambit warned.
Dazzler let out a clear, ringing laugh, caught up in the girls’ enthusiasm.
“Don’t worry, big guy,” Alison said, winking at Colossus. “We’ll be traveling together through three countries over the next few months. We’re practically family already. Please, come with us. Our transportation is waiting outside. They’ll take you to the hotel so you can settle in, and we’ll see each other again this afternoon at the international press conference.”
Dazzler turned and began walking, and her team immediately gathered around her again. Gambit remained standing in front of the two teenagers. Their smiles vanished the moment they noticed the Cajun’s stern expression.
“This isn’t a game, girls. You’re not part of this team. Think about what you’ve done. You could have made us, the X-Men, and Professor Xavier’s entire school look very bad,” Remy murmured, crossing his arms. “And I have a feeling Scott’s going to be pretty upset when he finds out you two have sneaked onto this mission.”
Jubilee and Tabitha exchanged a glance for a moment. Then they both burst out laughing.
“Scott’s always mad about something,” Jubilee said. “If we breathe too loudly, he’ll probably assign us a training routine to improve our lung capacity.”
“I bet he’ll make us run twenty laps,” Tabitha added. “Thirty if he finds out we had fun during the trip.”
“Forty if he discovers I ate his last energy bar this morning,” Jubilee confessed.
Remy let out a long sigh and turned away.
“Come on, team and fangirls. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us.”
Jubilee and Tabitha exchanged a conspiratorial look and laughed again, relieved to realize they wouldn't be sent back to New York, at least not that very moment. Tabitha draped an arm over Kitty’s shoulders, while Roberto and Jubilee began walking hand in hand.
“Americans... You’re all completely crazy,” Peter muttered as he followed the group.
On the way to the van that would take them to the hotel, Remy walked beside Ororo with a serious expression.
“’Ro, what were you thinking? Those two girls should be going back to Westchester. This is a dangerous tour. If Summers finds out you let them stay...”
“Scott isn’t here, Remy, and Jean and Kurt have already started their journey back to New York. They’re minors; they can’t travel alone. We’d need authorizations, signatures, paperwork... Sending the girls on a commercial flight now would expose their identities and complicate our security arrangements. We don’t know whether the extremist group is planning an attack at the first venue. It’s much more sensible to keep them under close watch and under our direct protection. Besides, my explanation to Alison wasn’t entirely false. We can take advantage of their presence to keep an eye on part of the audience. Scott can decide what to do with them once we all return safely to the school. That’s not our concern right now. Come on, we have a press conference to attend.”
Remy sighed.
“I hope you’re right, Ororo.”
“So do I, Remy. So do I.”