Demon 101 - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Loup Garou
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 1

Remy looked cautiously around to see if anyone was in the room. Quickly, he entered and shut and locked the door. He was alone.

It had been years since he had laid eyes on one of these babies. Let alone touch one. His hands ached; they had the itch.

He had gone out to a store and bought the necessary stuff for a night of passion. Just him and...

The new grand piano.

No one seemed to be home. Tonight was the perfect night. Through the window, he could see the sun setting. Perhaps all the X-men had gone to Harrys' Hideaway. He had called out several times into the manor and no one answered.

The piece of music he had bought was Pachelbel's Canon in D major. It had been many years since he had sat down at a piano. Remy's father, Jean-Luc, wanted him to have a well rounded education. So, at the age of six, he began to learn how to play the piano. While training to be a thief, his father made him set aside three hours everyday on top of school, to play the piano.

He had become very good over the years. Genevieve used to loved to listen to him play and after her death, he vowed never to play the piano again.

Yet tonight, he was going to break his vow. It was at that moment he was glad that he hadn't taken that oath in blood. For to keep a blood oath was extremely difficult if you were a person with a passion.

Carefully, he slipped the sheet of music on the stand on the piano and sat down. His right foot carefully tested the pedals. Slowly putting his hands into place on the piano keys, he let go and started to play.

He occasionally looked at the sheet of music, but he already knew it by heart. The music flowed as if it would never end. Yet, the music came to a halt at the end of the song.

Tears filled his eyes. He felt like he was being taken away with the music. It had been so long - so long. Rising from the chair, he unlocked the door and left the room as silently as he had entered.

Cerebro hummed and clicked as Remy's picture appeared on his screen. Little did he know that Cerebro had recorded his performance. After a lot of noise, Cerebro went quiet.

"It's too early in the morning!" moaned Bobby.

"Quit your whining." snapped Betsy taking a seat at the kitchen table.

"Yeah Bobby. We usually have Danger Room training at 6:30 a.m." grinned Remy. "So, where d'you all go last night, eh?"

"We all went ta Harrys, sugah. If ya had been around, we mighta taken ya along with us." grinned Rogue as Storm gave her a cup of coffee.

"DANGER ROOM SESSION STARTING IN FIVE MINUTES!" announced the intercom.

Bobby groaned, "He couldn't of waited five minutes more? I have to go pee!"

"Coffee does dat t' a man," smiled Remy as they all left the kitchen.

"Bobby go to the washroom and I'll cover for you." laughed Jean. Bobby bolted. Everyone had a good chuckle.

Scott was pleased to see them all there on time. All except Bobby, but Jean quickly stepped in. He had to go pee, but he'll be right back. We hope...

Okay Jean. "Good then, let's get started." said Scott satisfied. "Today we play a game of tag where only one person isn't it. That person has a two minute head start to get away and they get to pick the setting. This is the beginning of tests in which each member will have to go through. It will show how well you can stay hidden and evade capture. Today, Gambit starts. Your two minutes are starting now."

Remy who was holding onto every word, quickly bolted. "Computer, New Orleans, French Quarter." he shouted as a setting. This was familiar territory. It was in this place he learned to be cautious. One could get so lost here very easily. "Computer, add extra details, Gambit omega and don' give any information, security lock, Prince of T'ieves."

Within seconds, the scenery changed somewhat. There were now more people walking around and shops were open, but most of all, he now had the underground tunnels that led all under New Orleans.

He knew that he had an unfair advantage. All these people were members of the Thieves Guild and would protect him with their lives. The X-men would never understand loyalty of this kind. Well okay, maybe some, but certainly NEVER Scott. Remy couldn't wait to see Scott's face when all these people got in the way. Also, he could have 15 Assassins ready to shoot to kill in one command. He would only use that option if push came to shove.

Quickly, hiding around the corner, he cloaked himself in the shadows. The first problems was Wolverine. He needed to mask his scent somehow or else he was as good as captured. Taking some of Scott's after shave, which he had 'borrowed' from him, he put it on. It was a really strong fragrance, which he hoped would cover his own.

Suddenly he saw the X-men prowling down the street. People were bumping into them creating good distractions. Smiling, he walked away from them down in the alley.

Remy came to his home, the LeBeau mansion. The place was so big, that there were many places to hide. Not to mention a lot of places that led down to the tunnels. He sat down on a couch, turned on the TV and waited.

"Damn these people!" growled Wolverine.

"Yeah! They keep on getting in the way!" said Bobby. "Heck, one even offered me a good time... Hey that's not such a bad idea..." Bobby started to head back to the lady, but Scott's glare held him back.

"He knows this area inside and out." grumbled Jean.

"That is true, but so do I." murmured Storm. Scott looked at her cautiously.

"You know more about Remy's past out of all of us here. Where do you think he's gone? I'm not asking you to betray his confidences, though. Just a point in the right direction." said Scott, not wanting to intrude... too much.

She thought for a moment, "His home."

"You heard her. Jean, Rogue and Wolverine go to his house." instructed Scott.

"Scott, that will not be enough. We all need to go." said Ororo.

"Okay, Bobby and Psylocke go as well." said Scott ready to go off in the other direction.

"Scott perhaps you have not heard me correctly," said Ororo peevishly. "All of us need to go."

"Ororo, his house can't be that big." replied Scott now getting pissed off for having his orders questioned.

"His 'house' is bigger than our mansion Scott." said Ororo, a cloud forming overhead. "All levels and Danger Room included."

Scott thought that one over. Hell, everyone thought that one over. "Okay, we'll all go." he conceded.

Storm turned on her heels. She knew exactly where he was, but because of the oath she had taken, she couldn't say anything. It might not of been a blood oath, but an oath nonetheless.

"Wit' Stormy helping dem, it will take two minutes, dat is if she betray me." mused Remy out loud. He knew that this was a snap. Jean couldn't even track him on the astral plane. All of a sudden, his thieves instinct told him to get the hell out of there. And when it came to his instincts, he trusted them implicitly. Going through a doorway, he entered the tunnels. A moment later, the X-men came pilling into the room. Storm looked around and sighed.

"He has left Scott." said Ororo.

"How in the hell do you know that?" demanded Scott.

"I can not say. But let us go find our Cajun friend." sighed Ororo as she exited the room.

The time for the Danger Room had elapsed and the X-men were right back to where they started.

"We couldn't find him anywhere!" said Jean gasping for air.

"That is why he picked this place." murmured Ororo. "He is good at what he does. I suggest we end this charade now."

Scott who had quite enough, nodded his head.

"Remy come out!" shouted Ororo.

From a wall to the left of them, a trap door opened and Remy came strolling out with a bowl of jambalaya in his hand and a smirk on his face.

"Sorry t' do dat t' you Stormy. Two loyalties makes for some difficult decisions, eh?" smiled Remy warmly.

"Yes, it was difficult and do not call me Stormy."

"The rest of the X-men had already left to go take their showers. Only Scott remained with his mouth hanging open.

"You knew where he was all the time?!?" asked Scott speechless.

"Yes, I did." said Ororo simply. "Now, let's go have a shower, then lunch."

Remy and Ororo left the Danger Room leaving Scott behind.

But as he left the room, Remy whispered, "Computer, back t'normal an' hide de Gambit protocols."

Everyone sat down for lunch when Charles had come in holding the sheets of music. One by one, he began to look over the X-men seated at the kitchen table eating lunch. Although he looked over Remy, his gaze had settled on Ororo.

"Ororo, is this yours?" he asked.

"What is it?" she asked taking it from his hand. "No sorry. I do not play the piano."

"Do you know whose it is?" he asked out loud so that everyone could hear.

Betsy came up to Charles to see what he was holding.

"Oh my God." whispered Betsy, almost as if all the wind had been knocked out of her. "That's the original score of Pachelbel's Canon in D major written for piano! Where did you find it?"

"I found it on my new piano." said Charles, but no one owned up to it.

Xavier was about to leave when a little elf appeared in the kitchen from a cloud of smoke. "To the relm of forgot, where all music is begot, I summon thee X-men and survive if ye can."

Everyone looked around at their new surroundings. It was all black around them.

Suddenly, a grand piano appeared and the elf was sitting upon it. "Good, now enough with all that rhyming. Here is my game. I give you a piece of music and one of you has to play it. If played perfectly, all of you will go free. If not, my master will eat your souls." smiled the elf.

In an other poof of smoke, the elf was gone, but a piece of music was left.

"What the hell?" demanded Wolverine glancing around in every direction. There were no scents to smell and as it seemed, they walked and stood upon the darkness. Who knows where we are!??!!!

Scott walked over and picked it up.

"Um, does anyone know how to play the piano?" asked Scott. No one spoke up. "Holy shit were in trouble!!!"

"Why do you say that Scott? You know how to play the piano." said Jean curiously. She too had taken a look around, but besides the piano and her friends, nothing else could be seen. Her telepathy seemed to be blocked by something and that frightened her.

Scott gulped, "Not something like this." He passed the music over to Jean.

"Rackmannonoff's third concerto!?! This elf crazy!!!" screamed Bobby as he looked over Jean's shoulder. Jean was now deaf in one ear.

The elf appeared again, "Who have you picked?"

"I will..." started Scott.

But Remy spoke up even louder, "I'm goin' t'do it. But I wan' a warm up."

The elf considered this and shook his head, "Okay."

"What the hell are you doing Gambit! What do you know about playing the piano?" yelled Scott.

"Scott, d'you really t'ink dat you can play dis?" asked Remy.

He thought it over and finally shook his head. "No. Not a chance."

"Well den, sit down, O'Fearless Leader." snapped Remy.

"Warm up... warm up... ah! Warm up!" smiled Remy. He began to pound on every key creating no, not music, but a lot of loud noise. His foot had tested the pedal and it proved that every key was working. Dis is f' y' Genevieve.

"Were doomed!!! We're going to die!!!!!!" cried Bobby in despair. "It's going to take our souls and eat them!!!"

"Gambit! What the hell are you doing??? You are playing with all our lives!! How could I have ever let you take my place." said Scott blaming their predicament on himself.

"Okay, I'm ready. Now, don' talk, whisper or do anyt'ing t'disturb me." smiled Remy at all the worried beyond belief, X-men.

Although he didn't get an answer, he began to play. Remy was taken away with the two melodies playing at the same time. The passion of the music made his fingers pound on the keys like a mad man as it cresendoed to a spectacular end.

It's safe to say, no one spoke. They all sat in dumbfounded amazement. His performance was breath-taking. The elf appeared clapping, "What a wonderful and rare performance, vermin!"

They were all back in the kitchen once again. Jean breathed a sigh of relief.

Yet before anyone could say anything a satyr appeared. "Your test is not yet completed X-men."

They were not in the house.... again.

"Oh no! Not again." groaned Bobby. Jean groaned a little groan as Scott put his arm around her to steady her.

The satyr just grinned. "This is a test of wits. And here is your riddle. Also, it is the winner of the last test that gives me the answer. I will be back in five minutes. What stays in the shadows because of a blood oath given in the most solomn of occasions. Now, hints! First, there are many secrets to be kept and second, Kings and Princes are the loneliest." He too, was gone in a poof of smoke.

"It's a conspiracy!" yelled Bobby. Ororo looked at Remy grimly. They knew the answer but... they couldn't say anything.

"Okay people. We need an answer," said Cyclops. "Any ideas?"

"Um, how about a vampire?' said Betsy after thinking for awhile.

"What about a werewolf?" smiled Rogue.

"Both sound good." said Jean. "But.... I'd pick vampires because they might have a hierarchy system of king and prince."

"All right. Gambit, when that satyr comes back, answer vampire." said Scott satisfied that they had a sound answer.

Remy looked at Ororo with a grim face, when the satyr appeared.

"Now your answer." smiled the satyr.

"Just one question first, mon ami." smiled Remy. "What happens if we get dis wrong?"

"Your souls go to MY master. Not that stupid elf's." grinned the satyr wickedly.

Remy let out a huge sigh. Damn! Dey are out t' kill me.

"Oh, also, I want an explanation of why." smiled the satyr.

Scott looked at him expectantly.

Remy drew in a deep breath, "Me."

He could hear Scott's gasp.

"You idiot!" screamed Scott.

The satyr smiled in satisfaction. "Correct. Now my explanation."

Scott fell back astounded, ready for his explanation.

"We hide in de shadows, us t'ieves 'cause dat's what we do." said Remy not daring to look at the rest of the X-men. Technically, he hadn't given anything away.

"Well said Prince of Thieves." grinned the satyr.

They were back in the kitchen.

"Damn dat satyr!" Remy yelled furiously. "De Faye folk are goin' ta get it when I'm done wit' dem!"

"They are not the only ones." glared Scott.

"Last but not least... me!" smiled a woman.

"You be pushin' it now." warned Remy.

The lady laughed, "Remy, remy, my little chica. It's been a while since you visited. We've missed you."

Then it dawned on him, "You wan' me t'go back wit' you! I tell you now, non!" He didn't even care if the X-men heard him or not.

The lady's smiled turned into a frown. "Then, the next task or else all your souls belong to Angelus." All the X-men looked at each other. "Let's see how far your loyalty to your friends go over your vows. Tell me about your initiation in detail."

Remy gaped, "Quoi?" His face going pale.

"You heard me." she replied indignantly.

"Which one?" he asked carefully.

"Pick one." she said simply with a smile.

His face went stone cold as he turned towards the X-men. "You have a choice now. Take a blood oath never t' reveal what I'm 'bout t' say, or we all die."

"Huh, are you serious?" asked Bobby.

"Gambit, what is this about?" demanded Scott.

"Scott, agree to his blood oath so that the rest of you can live!" said Storm trying to keep her anger in check.

"I'll do it!" said Bobby eagerly trying to save his own skin.

"You will?" asked Scott surprised.

"If it comes to the choice of dying and taking this blood oath thing.... yeah, I will. And if you knew what was good for ya, you would too." said Bobby.

"T'anks Bobby. I knew dere was a reason dat I liked y'." said Remy sincerely, but still with the hard look on his face.

Scott sighed, "Okay, I'll do it, but I can't speak for the rest."

Everyone else nodded their heads.

"You realize dat if you tell anyone you forfeit your lives in a public execution." warned Remy softly. Scott's eyes started to bulge. Bobby gulped and everyone gave a gasp.

The woman laughed, "You aren't sure of yourself are you Remy? If one of your friends blab, they die and your guild comes tumbling to the ground. You can take that chance. Your vow will be satisfied and it is better than dying. Yet, you might be putting the Guild in grave danger. Hmm, hard decision."

Remy took one long look at Rogue. Somehow, she knew that this was what he had been hiding from her.

"I'll take dat chance." gulped Remy. Closing his eyes, he thought back to that day. "At dat time, dere was only Henry an' I left t'be Princes. Our papa 'ad trained us well. I 'ad passed my final pinch, 'cause I 'ad stolen de Cheating Star." Remy paused before continuing. "I laid on a floor naked f' three days. Den someone can an' got me an' brought me t'de Guild Hall. Dere, I took

y'vow by spilling blood onto de floor. After dat, t'ree people 'eld me 'as dey took a knife sittin' in coals an' cut all de way down t'my spine. Dey put pure molten gold into de wound. My eyes felt like dey be on fire! Den, dey gave me de elixir 'cause I 'ad reached de rank o'Master T'ief. De elixir o'life will never let me get sick or die o'natural causes. I became de Prince of de New Orleans T'ieves Guild." He stopped for a moment, "Oh, an' dere was a party afterward......

Dere, you happy now? I'll never go back dere, even t'ough I got relatives in hell. It's no place for anyone. Tell oncle Angelus dat if he want's t' visit, he has t' come here!!!"

"No need nephew. I'm already here." said a voice. The X-men jumped into a 'ready to attack' stance.

"Oncle, stop dat. An' don' scare my friends." sighed Remy. Angelus appeared and slapped Scott on the back.

"How do you like my nephew?" asked Angelus.

"Fine sir, when he actually takes anything seriously." said Scott being perfectly frank wondering who the hell this stranger was.

"That's my nephew for you." smiled back Angelus. Scott had taken an instant liking to the man. "Say, I'm kind of hungry. Can you help me out?"

"Sure." replied Cyclops. He swooped behind Scott.

"Oncle, non!" shouted Remy as he threw two cards at his uncle.

"Remy! You wound me! You used only your lowest setting!" laughed Angelus.

"What do you mean bub?" demanded Wolverine. "That's the best he can do."

"Tsk, tsk, nephew. Keeping secrets now, have we?" grinned Angelus.

"What? You wan' me t'charge it up like dis?" asked Remy charging it with so much energy it could of take out the states of New York, New Jersey and Maryland. "An t'row it at you?"

"Go right ahead and see what good it would do." laughed Angelus. Remy threw the card high up into the air, charged another card and threw it up as well. They met and a big explosion happened overhead.

"I didn' know you were low on food Oncle. Why didn' y' just ask?" whispered Remy softly coming over to his uncle. Angelus didn't respond, but the look in his eyes said it all.

Remy caved in, "D'accord, oncle. But first, can ya bind dem in de name of de T'ieves Guild? It's simpler dan a blood oath an' cleaner too. An' I also don't wan' dem present. Send dem back home."

"Yes, yes. They are binded. But one has to stay. Don't question me on this one. I sometimes forget myself when I am this hungry." warned Angelus.

"I wan' Stormy t' stay den." murmured Remy.

"Done." replied Angelus. Everyone was back home. Everyone except Remy and Ororo.

Carefully, Angelus sat down and laid Remy's head down in his lap. He tilted his head, then bit.

Remy woke up with a killer head ache. "Perhaps, I've 'ad too much t' drink, neh?"

"It is more like the other way around my friend." murmured Ororo from a chair beside his bed.

"Damn, I t'ought dat mebbe it was a dream." groaned Remy. "Well, dat's my oncle f' you. Greedy, as always."

"Remy, was that Satan?" asked Ororo uncertainly.

"Yeah, he be called Satan by a couple o' religions." admitted Remy.

Then they heard a loud shout of joy from behind the door... "I won the pot! I won the pot! I won the pot!"

"Stormy! You 'ave a bet goin' 'bout dis?" teased Remy.

"No my friend. This is no laughing matter. What binds did your uncle put on them?" asked Storm.

Remy thought about that one. "I don' know. He was almost in a frenzy 'cause he was hungry."

"I think Xavier, Scott and the rest of the X-team want explanations Remy." said Ororo repeating Xavier's request.

Remy sighed, "Dey deserve one too. I jus' need t' know if dey be binded."

Ororo helped Remy out of bed.

"T'anks Stormy." grinned Remy.

"You are quite welcome and do not call me Stormy!"

"De name fits!" laughed Remy playfully.

Just as playfully, Storm upped his static electricity so when he touched his metal doorknob, he received a big shock.

Remy turned and glared at her. Ororo smiled back innocently. Shaking his head, he left the room. His knees were wobbly at first, but as sight of the kitchen came into view, they miraculously became steady.

Heading directly for the fridge, he poured himself a large glass of milk.

He hadn't noticed Scott, Bobby and Xavier sitting at the kitchen table. Without taking a breath, he guzzled the milk and poured himself another glass.

"Holy shit he's thirsty." remarked Bobby. "All in one gulp too!"

"Y' better believe it." grinned Remy looking back at the occupants of the kitchen.

"Remy will you sit down." ordered Xavier. After his third glass of milk, he sat down.

"What did you mean by binded?" asked Scott.

"Dunno. Although, I could check." said Remy getting up out of his chair.

"Is dere a mark somewhere on ya?" asked Remy going over to Bobby.

"Uh no, but man does my head hurt!" moaned Bobby. A panic overtook Remy which Xavier noticed immediately. He struggled to keep the fear down.

He went over to Bobby and tilted his head down, "Merde." Was all he could whisper. "Je suis fini." (I'm dead)

"You aren't going to die yet Gambit." warned Scott. "Because, I'M still not through with you yet!"

Remy sank down onto his chair, put a hand to his face and then took a deep breath. "Bobby, I need ya ta t'ink of yourself as an owl, sil vous plait."

"Hun? Why?" asked Bobby, but before he could say anything else, the image of an owl had passed through his mind shape shifting his body into that of an owl.

"Damn! Dat's de wrong bind!" yelled Remy. "Oncle, you never played fair did ya!" Remy waved his fist into the air, but there was nothing there. "Scott, come 'ere." said Remy flatly.

Scott came over reluctantly, only because, he was in total shock over what had happened to Bobby. "T'ink of a snow leopard, Scott." said Remy quietly after looking at his neck. "An' you Proff, t'ink of an eagle." Remy said after looking at the back of Charles' neck. About two minutes

passed and they were in their animal forms and couldn't speak; which was alright for Bobby and Scott, but Remy didn't have the heart to leave Charles an eagle. "T'ink of yourselves as humans again."

"That was.... well as Jubilee would say.. freaky!" muttered Bobby.

"Dis is not goin' t' work!" protested Remy angrily. "Oncle, I demand dat you change it maintenant!"

A big smile appeared in the room. It was only the smile, there was no body. "How dare you give me orders?" the smile laughed a hearty laugh.

Remy just sat there, gritting his teeth.

"Care to introduce us Gambit?" asked Xavier. "You didn't do a good job of it last time."

"Yes, I care!" he snapped. "Oncle, change dem back an' bind dem properly an' den go home!"

"Tut, tut, dear nephew. I have need of words with the dear Professor. As well, I have an appointment." grinned Angelus, coming into full form. He took a seat at the kitchen table and grinned at Remy, then looked at Xavier.

"I have come to enroll my son at this school." he said formally.

"You can' be serious!" gaped Remy. "Delos.... here!??"

"A new student." mused Bobby. "Is he my age?"

A thought came over Scott. Here was someone that Remy didn't want to be here. This could be more payback than he could ever accomplish by himself and maybe more of his suspicious past would be revealed! "Professor, I would undertake his training and schooling. It would be

nice to have another student here again."

Remy looked at him with a gape. "You can' be serious!?"

The Professor looked at Angelus, "As you must know, this is a school for a very select set of individuals. What unique abilities could we help your child with?"

Angelus looked surprised, "You mean mutants." As if sudden realization came over him, he let out a laugh. "Remy you came here to get help with your powers???"

"Non." gritted Remy. "I came 'ere t'make a difference."

Angelus took that in stride and then shrugged it off as if he hadn't said anything at all. "He has a multitude of them and if you accept him, he'll tell you everything."

"Why d' you wan' him here?" asked Remy suspiciously. The three X-men in the room were taken aback by Remy's pissed off attitude.

"I need to put him somewhere to learn about the human race." smiled Angelus easily.

Finally Xavier answered, "I do not see why not. When can we expect him?"

"Right now if that's convenient." grinned Angelus. "Thanks for taking him off my hands. If he gets too much, Remy can contact me. Isn't that right Remy?"

"Oui, oncle." he bit out. "But give us two day t' get ready f' him an' you got t' bind dem all properly right now! Agreed?" gritted Remy.

"Done!" smiled Angelus as he closed off the deal. And as soon as the last word was said, he was gone.

Remy sat at the table, his face blank. All emotion had been erased from his features. "D' you realize what you just did?"

"Yes, we let another student into the school." replied Scott. "Were giving him the same chance we gave you."

Remy got up and went over to Scott and there in the palm of his hand was a scar with the emblem of the Thieves Guild. "Don' forget 'bout what I told ya earlier 'bout keeping de secret." Then he started towards the kitchen doors.

"Where you going?" asked Bobby.

"Well, let's see... we need t' get ready f' our guest, n'est-ce pas?" smiled Remy as he stopped to get another glass of milk. "That's the spirit!" smiled Scott. "Now what are you going to do to

make him welcome?"

"Me? I'm goin' t' buy stakes, crosses f' everyone, garlic and get Kitty Pryde in 'ere t' do magic t' protect de mansion. Dat's what I'm goin' t' do." said Remy, still pissed off as he left the kitchen.

The three looked at each other.

"Do you think that he was just kidding?" asked Bobby uncertainly.

"I'm not too sure. I'm sure hoping so." muttered Scott. Xavier looked at them and went off in his hover chair. Their questions would be answered soon enough.