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Chapter 1
 
 
 

Once in Another Life - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Iruku Tenshi
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 1

“Y-You is a mutant? But I thought dat I was de only one! Like de missing link or somethin’!” Remy’s voice was rather shaky, but he couldn’t help but reveal his shock. So it isn’t a dream after all. I’m not alone in this strange life. Amazing. I guess that the X-men aren’t special tricks and light effects… While Remy’s mind wandered in astonishment, Kris just grinned.

“Ah could expect that your reaction would be lakh this… Ah know that Ah’d be shocked if Ah just found out that Ah wasn’t alone after all… But muh mother, brother, an’ aunt are all mutants too… So what’s yoah power?” Kristine seemed interested, as if this was what being a mutant was all about: the individual power. Maybe everyone’s power was different? Of course they were! If all the X-men’s powers were different, why not theirs?

Remy’s calm returned to him and he slowly explained what he could do. “When I touch t’ings I charge dem wit’ some type of energy an’ dey act kinda like bombs. When dey hit somet’ing after leaving my contact, they ‘splode. I guess I’m pretty lucky dat I can control my powers pretty well…” Remy trailed off and Kris’ expression turned from amusement to shame as she looked off to the side and down to the floor, her gaze far from her friend’s.

“What? What’s wrong, chere?” As Remy brought out a hand to touch Kris’ face as if to comfort her, she pulled away. She turned her back on him, eyes still on the ground, shame obvious in her motions, and although Remy couldn’t see her eyes, he knew they were filled with grief.

“Ah… Ah can’t control my ability…” was all she said. It seemed as though she could control it pretty well, seeing as how nothing was exploding- there was no damage to speak of where ever she went… What could her power possibly be? “Ya see, when Ah touch a person, skin ta skin, Ah absorb them. Like Ah’m suckin’ their life-force right outta them. That’s why Ah can’t let anyone touch me. Ah have to be really careful with what Ah wear, and pay close attention to what the people Ah’m around are wearing... An’ what they’re doin’ too.”

Remy stood up and walked to her chair, putting his bare hand on her clothed shoulder, standing sympathetically behind her. She can’t touch anyone. Not unless she’s wearing gloves. She’d have to risk taking their whole being from their body and into her. This isn’t right. “I’ll help you control you’re powers.” Not a question. A statement. By de time Kris leaves, she will have complete control o’ her powers! I put my honor as a T’IEF on it!

~!~!~

Remy was nice enough, but Kris already knew that. They may have been friends online and for only a month, but she thought she knew him fairly well. It still hurt admitting it to him, like he was a stranger that was forcing her to tell him- a life or death situation. Kris’ power drove her insane, for she craved, needed to be touched by another- to kiss someone for the first time. That would be nice. No memories, no confusion, no standing over their passed out body.

“You don’t have ta do that…” Kris was making it obvious, whether she wanted to or not, that control and touching were hard subjects for her to handle. They made her seem bipolar, although she was sure that if anyone else were in her situation, they would be going insane too, and for the same reasons.

“No one should be forced t’watch while others experience love an’ lust. I want t’help you, Kris. Dat’s what friends do,” Remy spoke softly, but Kris heard his solemn words clearly. She turned to face him and smile up to him.

“Thank ya, Remy.”

“Oublier partout elle (Forget all about it)*”

~!~!~

After awhile Remy and Kris had snuck into a bar, and danced for a while. When Remy offered her a shot of whatever alcoholic beverage he managed to snatch while some guy wasn’t looking, she refused. While he drank, Remy thought out ways that might work- ways for Kristine to control that horrible, rogue power of hers. Finally, he decided on a way to help. From what Kris had told him, she had problems with concentrating hard enough to control that of which refused be controlled. Remy decided he would teach her the basics of thievery.

Complete control of your breathing, moving, and just every single movement and thought was a necessity. All successful thieves need to know how to control themselves. That is, if they don’t want to get caught. Ever. They need to know how to be quiet, how to shift their weight to avoid making the slightest sound. Need to make every movement precise, or else risk setting off an alarm. Careful. MUST be careful… You never know what’s around the corner, but that’s what makes thieving fun.

The lessons started the next day. Kris had trouble understanding why she was learning how to breath “correctly,” as Remy told her, but she never complained. She’d do anything to control her abilities. If it weren’t for the fact she had no control, Kristine could be the most powerful mutant on the face of the planet, possibly the whole galaxy, or even the universe! Information and power were at her command.

After days and days of training, Remy decided that maybe they should give her new skills a test-drive. “Kris, I t’ink maybe we should see how good at t’ieving ya is… “ At that Kris stared with a mixture of shock and amusement, while Remy merely grinned broadly. Dis is gonna be int’restin’ he said to himself.

Out into the streets, Remy led Kris, until they were safely behind an alleyway’s shelter. Whispers were exchanged and Remy pointed to a young man, no older than Remy himself, dressed in a duster, similar to Remy’s, but his hair was a dirty blonde in color and his skin darker. He stood maybe a little shorter than Remy, possibly the same height. His blue jeans were paled and he looked around, waiting for something, never letting his guard down, yet seeming cool the whole time, cigarette in hand, of course.

It’s always easier to rob women… They carry large purses that have who knows what in… they don’t feel a thing, unless you aren’t careful and accidentally pull at the straps… but digging into a trench? It was obvious that Kris was rather annoyed that he’d picked a harder target, but Remy knew that she needed the training, self-confidence, and most of all, he needed confidence as well, because the next step was letting her touch him and if she couldn’t control it… Well, let’s just say that unpleasant secrets would be revealed.

~!~!~

It was time. Time to steal? Kris never dreamed in her life that she’d end up in this situation: learning how to pick pocket by an obvious expert! Sure she’d stolen some things before, what teenager hasn’t? But a pickpocket? In the middle of the day in a place she didn’t know very well? This would be risky, especially since she’s the daughter of a respected government official. They’d never trust her again, and think of her mother! Ohhh the trouble she’d be in if Raven found out. For all she knew, Remy WAS Raven. But Kris decided that it’d be easier to do this ‘job’ without so many worries. Casual.

She walked out, into the crowd, steps casual and careful. Kristine didn’t notice the soft taps behind her, someone watching closely. She walked up to the blonde man, pretending to be pushed into him, apologies exchanged and she pretended to go on her way, wallet hidden in her coat pocket. Someone else bumped into that same stranger, securing, once he noticed his wallet gone, that he didn’t know for sure it was here. But Kris didn’t notice. She was busy making her way back invisibly to where Remy stood, watching her closely.

“How’d Ah do, Remy?” She handed him the wallet, a large smile on her face, when she felt a tap on her shoulder, and there stood another Remy. Kris’ smile faded quickly as she looked back to the first Remy in horror and fear.

“Thank you, dear. Now, I’d appreciate it if you’d return this to that man and come with me,” Raven slowly started to shift from her form as Remy, while shadowed by Kris and Remy’s forms. The real Remy turned to Kris and started to open his mouth, but then obviously remembered of when she had mentioned that her mother was a shape shifter a week or so ago… He’d even MET this form that now took his mirror’s place. That’s how she must’ve known his shape to the very detail…

“But-” Kris pleaded, but her mother cut her off.

“Now!” Raven’s eyes narrowed and she gave an exquisitely menacing expression. While Kristine walked off to do one of the things that Remy dreaded most of all, she turned to him, giving him an even more venomous look of anger. “And you! You talked her into this! I saw you teaching her how to do steal- you cannot deny it. I should have listened to Irene when she told me that this new friend of Kristine’s was now good! That he- you! Would get her into unsurpassable amounts of trouble!”

“Look, Raven, I don’t know you be talkin’ ‘bout, but dis is hardly trouble, you de only one makin’ it so! You saw her! She didn’ even get caught ‘til you sabotaged it!” Remy shot back. He didn’t like this Raven and how she was sheltering Kris.

“And, mind me asking, why exactly where you teaching her to be a thief in the first place?!” Raven was angry, and completely upset about her daughter learning to be a thief! How outrageous! “You should go to PRISON for teaching someone how to steal!!”

Remy was taken aback at this and instead of answering her earlier question he ran, knowing that this woman had the power to put him there in an instant. By the time Kris cam back, or rather was dragged back by the blonde man, he was gone.

“Is this your daughter ma’am? She came up to me and handed me my wallet, would you mind telling me why?”

Raven just looked at Kristine angrily, completely ignoring the man. “That’s better Kris, did you apologize?”

Kris just groaned and nodded grudgingly. The blonde man stared in shock at how this thief’s mother had completely ignored him. “Excuse me, ma’am, but I believe I asked you why your daughter had my wallet.” His voice was exposed his annoyance and angered Raven more, who took it all out on him.

“You did ask me a question didn’t you?! Well, I believe it’s obvious that my daughter STOLE your wallet, sir, but maybe you didn’t catch that right away?” The man recoiled with her harsh words and just stood there gaping at Raven.

“I…” his words started out intimidated and quaky, but he seemed to remember that he was the one who had been offended here, not her. It was her daughter that had stolen from him, not vice versa. “Wait a minute there! I could send her to jail for this! Aren’t you concerned at all about that?!”

“I work for the government, sir. I have more than enough money to bail her out.” Raven’s voice was dangerously soft and Kris had only heard her use it on Kurt. This man was in trouble if he continued to talk to Raven and delay Kris’ inevitable punishment. Thankfully he shut up and let them walk away. Kris didn’t dare ask about Remy until after her sentence was negotiated, maybe she’d still be able to see him, as unlikely as it was, there was still a chance.

~!~!~

I wonder how much trouble I got Kris in… Dat Raven be one mean femme! Thought Remy as he waited for Belle on their date that night. He hardly noticed how much Kris occupied his mind now days… And then, he saw Kris barely a block away, how she knew where he was a complete mystery. Remy stood under a street lamp and was easy to spot, but this was a good distance from her hotel, wasn’t it? How could she possibly know that he’d be right there at that exact time? Suspicious.

Kris ran towards Remy and stopped right in front of him. She looked like she was going to collapse, so Remy moved closer to her, preparing to support her if she did fall. Surprisingly, she didn’t and instead smiled at him, her lips parting to show beautiful white pearls, if teeth can be described as such.

“Ah did it, Remy! I can control my powers!!” And with that she put her arms around him and kissed him on the lips. Remy was in so much shock when she told him the good news- that his training had paid off after all that he hardly noticed. In fact, his brain finally registered that she had after she had pulled away for a short moment.

Surprising Kris and more so himself, Remy went back for more. Their lips parted and tongues met. As his tongue made a new friend, his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Kris’ arms tightened around his neck, bending his head closer still to hers. When they finally parted, coming up for breath, Remy saw, in the corner of his eye, Belle staring at them across the street from them.

Remy turned his head and Belle ran. He paused to looked down at Kris who looked extremely confused, and ran after Belle, hoping she wouldn’t call off the wedding.

~!~!~

He ran… He ran… Kris couldn’t stop thinking about that as she stared at the place where Remy had disappeared after that strange woman. He ran after that girl… They must be going out… I shouldn’t have done that… I shouldn’t have done that! For all I know I just destroyed their relationship! They could be one of those high-school romances. They could’ve been getting married…

And with that last thought, Kris ran. She ran to who knows where. Tears were in her eyes as she pushed that one last optimistic thought; remembering how he had kissed her back; out of her mind. Into the darkness she went, her mind gone from the outside world. She came to a stop at the familiar steps of the Plaza Hotel, but it didn’t seem right to go in. She sat, on the cold steps, tucking herself close to her knees and putting her head down to cry.

Little did she know, Belle had run into one of her fellow assassins and told him about her. Told him that this girl could ruin her and Remy’s relationship and the uniting of the guilds. That she alone could ruin the peaceful future that would take wing in just two weeks…

So the assassin went off. He asked around about his this girl with white bangs, and, as late as it was, he found a source. He found that she was staying at the Plaza Hotel in the better parts of town. And he began to devise a plan for this child’s demise.

~!~!~

When Remy finally caught up with Belle, a trained assassin who knew how to run just as fast and lightly as a thief, she had stopped in the darkness. His eyes, natural in the darkest of places, saw the tall figure back away to darker yet places, run off, no doubt to kill something, being an assassin scumbag. He stood next to Belle and looked down at her. There wasn’t one tear in her eyes or streaming down her face. Her cheeks were pale from running, but no sign of flushing at all, no red in her eyes.

Belle hadn’t cried at all. Remy asked her, taken aback about how she wasn’t hurt at all, but… angry instead, “You ok, Belle?” She just looked at him. Her eyes showed no anger at him… but, she was furious. Remy could see it in her posture, the way she clenched her fists and was grinding her teeth.

“I’m fine Remy. But I don’t unde’stand why you would be MAKING OUT with some strange girl TWO WEEKS before our wedding!” Remy decided that he had misread her… She was angry with him.

“You don’ understand, Belle, she’s a friend o’ mine an’ she has…” He trailed off not willing to expose mutants for what they really were. Belle thought that his eyes were a birth defect. It was now that Remy realized that Kris was the only person he had trusted with his secret: that he was a mutant. Why her? Why not Belle? He hadn’t known she was a mutant as well when he told her…

“What? She has a pretty face? A nice body?!” Belle screamed back at Remy, obviously too wrapped up in her own ‘perfections’ to consider he could have fallen for her personality.

“Non!” Remy screamed back without thinking. Belle looked angrier at his outburst. Remy could hardly tell if he was defending himself or Kris now… “She had a… problem dat I was helpin’ her wit’. I can’t explain it to ya ’cause you won’ believe me.” Remy explained quietly, he looked down at his feet, deep in thought.

“Oh.” Belle said, the anger subsiding quickly in her voice, making it easier to hear the cocky satisfaction she had the whole time. “Well, den I suppose you’d be wantin’ to get back ta her, then.”

“What you be goin’ on ‘bout, girl?” Remy asked, but then he realized what she meant. A flashback to the figure that had left abruptly when he came into view. She had sent an assassin after Kris! “Mon Dieu! How could you do dis, Belle!?” And he ran. He ran in hopes of finding Kris before the assassin did. If somet’ing happens to Kris, I’ll never forgive m’self! Remy thought, feeling completely responsible for what had happened.

~!~!~

Kris sat there crying for maybe 15 minutes, or maybe an hour. She didn’t know and she didn’t care. Kris got up and started walking, her body shaking with every step. She couldn’t believe that she had actually practiced her power on Raven. After it had worked she had let go of her control and knock Raven out.

That’s how she escaped. Kris knew that she’d be in even more power once Raven awoke, but that didn’t matter. She just wanted to tell Remy the good news. She wanted to kiss him so badly… And look at the mess she got him into! Kris cried harder and harder, beating herself up viciously.

It was cold outside, strange for a spring night in Louisiana, and Kris was only wearing a black mini-skirt with knee-high black stockings and some 70’s type boots that were so flimsy they might as well have been socks. Her dark green tank top and a fishnet shirt were the warmest things she had on, which wasn’t much.

She remembered what Remy had been wearing. A clingy, black T-shirt tucked into surprisingly tight, faded blue jeans with holes scattered around the legs. His hair looked like he had just gone for a ride on his motorcycle, and there it was, sitting within his eyesight. He had black gloves on too. Probably so that his hands didn’t rub to the point where they were raw on the handles, with all the gear shifting and whatnot.

Kris sighed with remorse as she remembered the girl who he had run after. His sweetheart. The one who she forced Remy to betray.

Kristine found herself at the end of an alley, hopefully not too far from her hotel was. Deciding that it would be best to go back and rest up so that she could puzzle over it more in the morning, or afternoon depending on what time it was and how long she’d be sleeping, Kris started towards the main street.

Maybe three feet from the beginning of the alley, a man jumped in her way. Kris could hardly make out that he was a man, for he shadowed her in the darkness and absence of light in that now closed space. She was trapped, and now all she could hope for was that this man wasn’t going to hurt her.

He wore no mask, but his features were dark and his hair was short, his clothes black, to blend in with his surroundings, and thick. He wore gloves and Kris became realized that she might never see her mother again once she saw the crossbow he held. Why not a gun? He wants me to suffer?!? she thought, growing more nervous by the second.

Kris backed up into the dumpster at the very end of the alley and she screamed. The man let the arm with the weapon loosen as he speed walked up to her and slapped her across the face. “So you’re the bitch who would ruin our peace!?” Kris’ tear shot eyes could hardly make out his features as she screamed again.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” she yelled back. If she were going to die, she wouldn’t go quietly, and certainly not easily! She ripped off her left glove and reached for the man’s face, but he saw her coming and dodged, even though it was just her hand. A reaction from one who had extensive training in this line of work.

~!~!~

Remy heard the scream and ran as fast as he could to where it came from, hoping beyond hope that he wasn’t too late to save Kris. “REMY!!!” Now he knew for sure that this was Kris. In the alley her screams had come from, Remy saw Kris lying on the ground, trying to get up… with the guy who had knocked her down aiming a crossbow at her!

“NO! Stop!!” Remy shouted to the assassin. The man merely looked at him with a smirk and prepared to fire straight through her back and into her heart, if not her spine; inevitably a lethal strike. Remy grabbed the closest inanimate object he could find, called upon the burning sensation that was his deadly power and flung it straight at the attacker.

“What the—“ Yelled the man right before a can of soda exploded in his face. “Argh!!!” The assassin scumbag screamed as his face was permanently damaged and distorted. Remy ran in and heaved Kris over his right shoulder and began to run as fast as he could to get away from the man, just in case he recovered quickly, if at all. One would imagine that his eyes would be completely blown away, but you can never be sure, and when dealing with a dangerous person like him, you can’t risk it.

Remy ran to the Plaza. He put Kris down, of whom had already been bounced out of her daze and was currently suffering from a migraine, the end result of her surprise beating and being jumbled around for a few blocks or so. Remy asked her for her key once they got to the hallway leading to the elevators. She clumsily pulled it out from the interior of her sock-like boots.

They finally made it to her room and once in, Remy lay her down on the bed. At first she just sat there, staring at Remy as he stared back, the adrenaline rush slowing to nothing. Then, “Thank ya, Remy,” and she got up and went to the bathroom, most likely to go get a pain killer of some kind.

Remy stood next to the bed, silent, wanting to explain everything to her, explain why he was the cause of this experience. The experience that she wouldn’t have survived if he hadn’t been there… Remy didn’t want to think about what would’ve happened had he not been there. His friend… the girl he had shared an intimate kiss with, could have died.

He sat on the bed, thinking things through, so confused. Remy couldn’t say for the life of him what he was feeling right that moment. When Kris came out of the bathroom, all the dirt and such washed off as best as one can do without taking a shower. She looked at him and a weak smile crossed her sweet lips.

“Kris… I have to tell you something. I’m engaged. Me and my fiancée are going to be married in two weeks.” She only sighed, eyes falling to the floor as she came to sit down next to him.

“Ah figured as much aftah Ah saw ya run after her. Ah’m so sorry for ruinin’ things foah you, Remy.” She stared at the floor still. Remy lifted his head up, stared long and hard at her complexion, wondering at her innocence and beauty. It aroused** a feeling of caring that he had never experienced before. Like…? Love?

How could she think she ruined anything for him? Remy was beginning to believe that he loved this girl, and it was all because of that night’s ordeal. How could she be sorry that she kissed him, when he in turn had kissed her back, with all the feeling in his heart, although such an organ can’t think on it’s own.

Remy knew, in that area that the heart resides in, that the feeling of such fear, such passion, such caring, was love. It had to be. But he loved Belle as well. How could he love two women, both of whom cared about him as well: Belle, who he would marry in two weeks, if he forgave her for nearly killing the other girl- no, woman- he loved. Kristine, of whom cared not that his love for her had nearly killed her, but that it had ruined what he has with Belle.

“Non, non, non. You didn’ ruin nothing, chere. It’s up ta me if de weddin’s still on. She sent that bastard to come kill ya, you know. I haven’t decided whether I will forgive her or no.” Kris looked up at him and saw him staring back. She looked like she was going to cry. Come to think of it, she looked like she had been crying, since before she was attacked. “Wha’s wrong, p’tite?” Remy put his arm around her and let her cry on his shoulder.

~!~!~

Kris was so ashamed of what she had done. What she was doing now. Crying in front of Remy? She was supposed to be tough. She wasn’t supposed to care about him… She sniffled pathetically into his shoulder as he rubbed his hand up and down her back trying to calm her, stop her crying.

“Ah… Ah just feel so awful for everything that’s happened tonight. If it weren’t for me, you’d be off on yoah date with your futah wife, instead of heah with me, listenin’ ta me cry pathetically.” Remy pulled her away from him firm and gentle. He looked down into her soaked eyes and touched her chin with his left index finger, still gloved from earlier.

“Don’ hold ya’self responsible for what happened, mon chere, I wanted ya to…“ and with that he pulled her closer to him, till Kris could feel his breath on her lips, and then, his lips on hers. She was sure to keep her power in check, not wanting the exquisite feeling of him leave.

Kris’ heart danced, it beat to rhythms it had never experienced before. It fluttered from here to there and back. Her breathing intensified as she filled with strange mixtures of confusion and happiness and relief.

Finally she pulled away, remembering that he was engaged. “This ain’t right, Remy. Ah’m not gonna stand in the way of you an’ yoah fiancée. I won’t be no secret mistress either! Ah leave in nearly a week, and that’ll be the end of this. Ya’ll need to forget about me and be happy.” She became quiet as she finished, “Ah don’t want ta see ya again, Remy. Leave. Leave now.” And with that she went back to the bathroom and, closing the door and locking it, left him.

 

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