"Cajun," Scott growled softly, "you are treading on very thin ice. All I want is a straight answer. Where are you going?" He was leaning over the younger man, hemming him in against the wall.
Remy shifted uncomfortably. He was very aware of Scott's conditional trust in him. "I ain't allowed t' tell ya," he said finally. "Not unless y' want t' be my 'prentice."
Scott's scowl deepened. "This has something to do with Jubilee's training?"
"Oui."
"Explain the duffle bag and boxes."
Remy's eyes cleared. "Oh. Oh, cher. I ain't leavin'. I wouldn' leave like dat. Jus' need t' take some t'ings t' m' place in the city. Promise, Scotty. I wouldn' be like that."
"Really."
Remy sighed. He was only nominally trapped by Scott's body. It was much more a matter of honor. "If f' no other reason than Sinister'd have m' damn fool head if I left, y' know I ain't gonna run. Besides, I got a responsibility t' Jubilee now."
"And you're *my* thief."
"Oui, cher." Remy smiled in amusement. "Y' a possessive shit ain't y', Cyke?"
"Yep. Besides, I don't like people running out on me." Scott pushed away from the wall, no longer interested in intimidating the younger man. The fact that his wife might get odd ideas didn't factor into the move at all - honestly. He even had some waterfront property in Arizona to sell if he could make anyone believe that. "Don't get caught. I hate having to bail people out."
"Who?'
"Bobby and Hank a couple of times. Warren once. Ro once."
"Y'self?"
"I don't get caught. I'm not that sloppy. Be careful."
"Why y' worry so, Scotty? Been doin' this f' years me."
"Jubilee hasn't and while she's your responsibility, I know I'd let her take the fall if it came down to it. She's young enough to get probation."
Remy frowned. "She won' get caught. She smart enough t' give an alias anyway."
"I know. Who do you think was supplying her with fake ID's?" Scott smiled. "Go on, before I change my mind."
Remy handed Scott a card. "M' cell number. Y' can always leave a message f' m'. Jus' try not t' need it this weekend?"
"I'll send a memo to Magneto and cc the FOH."
"Don' f'get Mystique."
Scott laughed. Remy left, waving. He was using his own car for once, a sleek Corvette convertible in cherry red. Scott watched him leave. Hopefully, the Cajun wouldn't sweep the car for trackers. If there were an incident the least Scott could do was bail. Now, if he could just talk Hank into implanting a tracker into the Cajun's body, he'd actually feel comfortable letting the boy roam.
****
Jubilee checked her bags once more, then headed for the front entrance with them. "Where do you think you're going?" Emma Frost asked. She was impassive, the hard edge of her diamond form glinting in her eyes. It was that edge that made her even vaguely attractive to Jubilee's eyes. She didn't know what men saw in the woman. Of course, maybe if she were into women she'd understand.
Jubilee looked at the Headmistress of Frost's Academy. "Out. It's my 3-day remember?"
Frost crossed her arms. "No, I don't remember you applying for a three day pass."
"Applied, approved, and in hand. Signed by Cassidy." Jubilee smirked. "This ain't the army, Frosty."
"No, but it is my responsibility to see to your safety. With whom will you be traveling?"
Jubilee rolled her eyes. "Why? I'm old enough to decide. Hell, Summers was *leading* the X-men at this age."
"Answer my question, Jubilation."
Remy cleared his throat. "Who did y' expect t' pick her up? Y' pull dis shit with Logan's weekends?"
Frost turned. She stalked towards the young man. "Don't test me, Little Boy."
"She's my apprentice, woman," Remy countered. "Her welfare is *my* concern. If y' ever interfere in m' trainin' of her again, I'll get her transferred t' the Mansion or any other place I see fit."
Their eyes met for a long moment. "Very well," Frost said finally. Jubilee let out the breath she'd been holding. Frost lifted Remy's chin with one finger, then kissed him. Jubilee's jaw dropped. So that was how the Cajun had convinced Frosty to do this. Remy cradled Emma's head gently and let the kiss speak for his anger and his unwillingness to yield this battle. She pulled away finally. She smirked, then leaned close to whisper in his ear. "I still prefer you on your knees."
"Ah, but it's so much better t' when y' know what's submittin' ain't it, chere?" He stroked her cheek with the back of his leather-clad hand. "Let's go, Jubilee."
"Cajun, I mean this in the best way possible. Yer crazy." Jubilee stashed her things in the back seat and put on her seatbelt. She shook her head. "I mean come on, Rogue'll kill ya if she finds out."
Remy shrugged. "T' be honest, petite, that don' matter. Y' my apprentice. That matters more'n anyt'in' Rogue might do."
Jubilee stared at him. "Yer not in love with her," she said finally.
"I'm married, remember?" Remy answered. "Belle don't mind Rogue because she knows I can't do not'in' wit' her. I do love her, Jubes, but y' always gonna come first. An' wit' Frost? That's just business. Course, m' wife don't mind that. She done it herself. The big situation's gonna be seein' Rogue an' Frost react t' each other some day."
Jubilee giggled. "You like causing fights?"
"Oui." Remy grinned. "Always end up the only innocent homme in de room. Like seein' folks passionate."
"So. I. . . this thing tonight, it's like last chance time?"
Remy sobered. "Oui, chere. Y' can back out any time b'fore the oath."
"I don't want to. I love being with Emmaline and Jo. God, Gumbo, if I wash out, I don't know what I'll do!"
"Jubilation Lee, I wouldn' have taken y' on if I t'ought y'd wash out. An' if y' can't make it t'rough t' Master, we at least make y' a good t'ief. Y' already got most of the basics down."
"So I have to go to Sunday School for a while longer?" Jubilee was grinned. Thief classes were nothing like what she remembered from Sunday school. They were fun for a start.
"F' as long as y' like. They open t' all the clans. Merde, sometimes I t'ink of goin', but folks get all formal. Weren't so bad when I was just learnin' though."
"What I don't understand it why you're *here* and not *there*."
"Ah, chere, in Nawlins there's Assassins an' T'ieves. Here they got a truce. There they didn'. Well, I met Belladonna an' we fell int' love. Belle's an assassin y' know. Well, word got t' our peres and we were married. I was 16 then. T'ink Belle might be a year older but we don' know f' sure. Well, we married, but her brother challenged m' t' a duel. Mais, don' know how much y' heard about honor so far, but if'n I hadn't agreed t' fight, de t'ieves honor would've been questioned. Belle and me getting' married led t' a truce between the guilds. Me and Julian fightin' broke it. I killt him. Because I was defendin' m'self an' m' guild's honor, they didn' put m' t' death, but dey exiled me." Remy shook his head. "But they couldn’t strip m' titles." Remy smiled at Jubilee. "And here we are."
She processed that for a long moment. "I'm glad. I mean it sucks that they hurt you, but I’m glad you're here to take me on as your apprentice." Remy ruffled her long black hair.
"Merci, chere. Now, what Emmaline been tellin' y' 'bout me?"
Jubilee laughed. She caught him up on all the newest gossip.
****
Jubilee sat cross-legged on the twin bed in the Guild House of the Boston Guild. Remy was sitting on the other bed facing her. The Guilds were more egalitarian than any group Jubilee had ever known. She and Remy were sharing a room. The only bond that matter was that of Master-Apprentice-Clan.
"So dis gonna be the last chance f' questions. Ask away."
Jubilee thought for a long moment. "What Guild will I be a member of?"
"Y' would start with the hard questions, non?" Remy smiled at her. "Until y' gain a rankin' y' part of Nawlins Guild because of who I am. When y' rank y' can choose y' primary guild. Y' either be Boston or Nawlins. Y' always gonna be part of m' clan and y' a part of m' family. Y' can choose t' be with Boston because Emmaline's part of y' trainin' too."
"And she's a princess."
"Oui."
"Tonight you said there were three phases?"
"Oui." Remy knew it was just a final mission prep for her now. "First is the questions. Next, vows. Last, initiation. Emmaline'll do the questions. A Guildmaster the vows. An' the initiation'll be me."
"Do I know the guildmaster?"
There was a knock on the door. "Entrez."
The door opened. Jubilee was stunned by the absolute joy on Remy's face. "Bonjour, petite." The 'petite' didn't mean her either.
Then, Remy was in his father's arms. "Y' made it."
"Y' didn't t'ink I'd miss m' son takin' an apprentice did y'?" Jean-Luc LeBeau clucked into his son's ear. He stroked Remy's ponytail. There'd been so many times over the years when he'd believed he'd never be able to do that again. He blinked away his tears. "Introduce me, petite," he ordered gently.
"Jean-Luc LeBeau, Guildmaster of Nawlins, Miss Jubilation Lee."
"A pleasure t' meet m' newest chile." Jean-Luc kissed her on each cheek.
"Hi. So you're Remy's Pop? Cool."
"I'm goin' t' be administering the vows."
Remy closed the door. "Really?"
"Oui, mon fils. She part of m' Guild, non?" Remy settled on the bed next to his father. Jean-Luc tugged his son's tail. "Y' got her somet'in' appropriate f' t'night?"
"Oui, Papa." Remy scowled at his father. He felt like a teenager. A sulky teenager, he amended. That was the wrong frame of mind for this tonight. "Jus' goin' over her questions 'bout t'night."
"I'll leave y' two t' that an' chat wit' the others. When she gets closer t' rank, call m' and' we meet in Baton Rouge."
Remy snorted. "Papa, I done talked t' Belle. Baton Rouge is still too close f' her. Mebbe we try Alaska."
Jean-Luc laughed. "Baton Rouge, petite. Je t'amie, Remy."
"Je t'amie, Papa." Jean-Luc kissed his son on the top of the head and left. Jubilee waited until the door was firmly shut behind the older man.
"He loves you a lot," she said quietly. She blinked her tears away. Her parents would never have been proud of her becoming a thief, but they were dead and gone. Logan approved and he was the important one, not a dead pile of dust. She didn't realize she was crying until Remy was holding her, murmuring in soft Cajun French that she didn't understand. He rocked gently.
"Talk t' me, Jubilee."
"Just thinkin' about my parents. They never wanted me to do anything that would shame them."
"Are y' ashamed of bein' a t'ief?"
"No!"
"Then why would y' parents be?"
"They wanted me to be normal."
"All those rules changed when y'r powers developed."
"All those rules changed when they were murdered for having the wrong name. No, by doing this I can help people, mutants. I can protect my family. Just like being on the team. This is the dream. Here, now, present. Humans, mutants, men, women, black, white, yellow, green. All that matters is Clan. I want to do this. If my parents' spirits can't understand that, then they don't love me. I've never wanted anything this badly."
"An' y'll get it, Jubilation."
"I can't believe I turned on the waterworks."
"Oh, petite, don' y' worry. Y' likely gonna have t' scoop m' into a glass by the end of the night."
"Why didn't your dad stay? You two haven't seen each other in forever."
"Because dis is about *you*."
She blinked up at him with bright blue eyes. Remy explained after a moment.
"Right now, right here, y' get t' face y' doubts. Dis is part of the ritual that ain't a ritual. Y' need the quiet, the one on one, t' figure out what's goin' on in y'r head. This ain't about me an' Jean-Luc. This is about me an' y'. If y' want Em'd take y' on."
"Don't even think about it, bub. She doesn't know about the team. She doesn't understand why I don’t just move in here and be home-schooled like everyone else. I won't give up the team."
"I'd never ask y' to. I ain't that big of a hypocrite."
"That's why I like ya, Cajun, yer honest."
"Y' ready t' get ready, chere?"
Jubilee nodded. Remy smiled again. "Go on. Y' get the bathroom first."
"Make-up?"
"If y' want."
"Nah. Do I have to wear that dress?"
"If I have t' wear full colors, y' got t' wear an initiate dress."
Jubilee sighed, collecting the dress from the back of the door. She closed the bathroom door. Remy laid out his own outfit. He stripped off his clothes. Then, he dressed while Jubilee washed her face and did her hair. He tied the belt carefully, remembering his own initiation. He whispered the small prayer his father had taught him to calm himself. "With this belt I bind my secrets. With this blade, I sever my past. With this chain I bind my soul to my clan. With this cloak I protect my guild. With these boots, I don silence as my code."
When he straightened he was dressed as the Thieves who started the Guild had. His clothes were jet black except for the green leather of his belt. His hair was pulled back neatly into a working braid. "Okay, Cajun, I need some help with this thing."
Jubilee opened the door to the bathroom. The dress was mostly on, but the back zipper was open. Remy closed it carefully. She stepped into the room, her combat boots peeking out from underneath the hem of the large skirt. It was dark enough to make her look sallow - black was not her best color. The dress was high-necked and long-sleeved. "I feel like a nun. There's so much skirt."
Remy nodded. "Y' can handle it. Y' look perfect."
Jubilee looked him up and down. "You look *fine*," she stated.
"Merci. Y' ready?"
She took a deep breath, held it, released it. "Yes."
****
"Who presents this initiate?" Emmaline began the ceremony. The sub-basement room was lit only by candles. The shifting shadows made it impossible to determine how many people were in the room. The darkness seemed endless in all directions.
"I do."
"State you name, rank and affiliation."
"Remy Etienne LeBeau, Master, Nawlins."
"By what right do you offer this student?"
"By right of clan, by rank, and by family."
"Do you offer your training freely and without constraint?"
"I do."
"Do you agree to take responsibility for all needs and actions of your apprentice until she reaches rank?"
"I do." Jubilee hid her surprise at that particular promise.
"Then present your Initiate for determination."
"Jubilation Lee, daughter of Logan le Wolverine, step forward."
Jubilee stepped into the light of the candles.
"Do you enter your apprenticeship free of compulsion?"
"I do."
"Do you renounce the affiliations of all other guilds?"
"I do."
"Then wear these gloves as the first symbol of your new life. Step forward and take your vows."
Jubilee took the black velvet gloves and pulled them on. Then, she stepped onto the small stool in front of her, skirt swaying like one of the shadows.
Jean-Luc stepped forward as Emmaline retreated to the shadows. "What Clan do you seek entrance to?"
"Clan LeBeau."
"Which Guild do you seek entrance to?"
"The Thieves' Guild." Remy smiled inwardly at his father's surprise.
"Do you know who I am?"
"Jean-Luc LeBeau, master of my master, Guildmaster of New Orleans."
Jean-Luc nodded. "You are welcome to the clan, child of my child, without oath or sacrifice. Do you wish entrance to the guild by sacrifice and oath?"
"Yes."
"Prepare the questor."
Emmaline stepped forward to prepare Jubilee. A blindfold of silk covered her eyes. Green rope bound her wrists in front of her. "The questor is prepared."
"As we all entered this world, so are you now, blind and helpless. In whom do you trust now?"
"In my master and his line."
"Step forward." Jubilee stepped without hesitation and was rewarded by the presence of a second stool. She restrained a grin. She'd trusted Gambit in situations much more frightening than this one.
"Onto what path do you now step?"
"Onto the path of theifhood."
"Step forward." Again there was a step to catch her foot.
"What trade name do you take?"
"Firecracker."
"Step forward, Firecracker and see now the world you enter." Jean-Luc removed the blindfold. "The world of the thief is darkness and silence. Do you accept silence as your strongest guideline?"
"I accept silence in my heart, my mind, my step, and my deed."
"Step up."
Jubilee gathered her skirt and stepped up.
"Do you accept darkness as your home?"
"I accept darkness as my home."
"Do you accept the protection of Remy LeBeau as your master?"
"I do."
"Then here does my guidance end. We leave you in silence and darkness." The candles were extinguished by a rush of wind. She remained standing, back straight, chin high. She felt hands on her arms and followed their direction. Once they were in the small stone room behind the main gathering place, one of the hands disappeared. The door closed behind them.
She felt what she recognized as Remy's hands on her shoulders. She knelt as he pushed down. Remy lit four candles, casting a circle of light in the inky darkness. "In trust have you come thus far. Your oath has been given freely. What sacrifice do you offer?"
"Outwardly, I offer my hair. Inwardly, I offer my name."
Remy blinked - awed by the enormity of that. He snipped a lock of hair and used it to light a fire in the brazier in front of her. Then, he cut the length of it off until it was at the nape of her neck. Historically, it was the most risky sacrifice for a woman to make. He knew it had to have been Em's suggestion. He burned the hank of hair, the sharp smoke telling those who guarded the four entrances what sacrifice had been offered outwardly.
"What name do you sacrifice?"
"Jubilation Lee."
"To become what, Firecracker?"
"Jubilee LeBeau."
"So shall it be." Remy carefully inscribed her name onto a piece of parchment. It too was burned. "By fire and air are your sacrifices accepted. By earth and water will you be purified."
Remy placed a rock-salt crystal onto her tongue. She let it melt there without a word. He offered her a sip of water to wash it down.
"By force of will are you now bound to Clan and Guild. Rise, Apprentice." Jubilee stood. "With this blade, I sever your ties to the past." He cut her hands free. He placed a gold necklace with his family crest around her neck. "With this chain I bind you to your future." He kissed each cheek and her forehead. "Follow me and you will be given the tools to your future. The first you have already," he said touching her hands. "The second I give you now." He wrapped a cloak around her shoulder and closed it with a metal ace of spades pin. He pulled up the hood, then pulled up his own. "Come now into the world of shadows."
Jubilee followed him out to the main hallway. Emmaline grabbed her into a tight hug. "Come on, petite, there's party goin' on t' welcome y'. We can cut out whenever y' like. T'night it's y'r choice."
"But tomorrow, it's nose to the grindstone," Emmy ended.
"For the next three days," Jubilee corrected.
"Well, I got t' get y' transferred t' the Mansion, so. . ."
"Really?"
"Oui."
Jubilee hugged him so tightly she though she'd break a rib.
"Y' really t'ink I'd leave m' lil' sister t' Frosty's grips?"
"Sister?" Emmy was confused.
"Or niece, if she prefers. I'd say daughter but her papa might like t' gut m' f' it."
"Wolvie? Yeah, probably. Of course, according to gossip. . ."
"Scott lies," Remy stated.
"I keep hearing 'threesome' getting thrown around and since I know your taste in women is lacking. . ."
Remy glared at her. "Apprentice?"
"Oui?" she said, batting her lashes.
"Silence is y'r strongest tool, employ it."
Emmy giggled. She slipped her arm around the two of them. "Two *men* in your life? Why haven't I heard anything about this?"
"Jubilee, y' gonna pay f' dis."
"I know. But it's *so* worth it."
"Brat."
Jubilee grinned.
FINIS