See part 0/5 for disclaimer. Please send comments to claire at or i can forward them for you, my address is in my sig file. The 'Of Mutants And Immortals' Arc Welcome To The X-Men, Kavik. Hope You Survive The Experience! Part 2 by Claire L. Fenwick Stopping the bike next to some trees, inside of a park, Remy turned to Kavik. "You t'ink dat dis be private enough, Chere?" Kavik smiled and dismounted the bike. Remy made as if to dismount also, but Kavik's hand held him down. Walking around, she straddled the bike so that she was sitting in front of Remy and facing him. Bringing her hands up, she removed the shades Remy was wearing and looked into his red and black eyes. "I think that this will do just fine." She said as she leant forward to kiss Remy. Wrapping his arms around her, an idea went through Remy's mind. As he kissed Kavik, he sent a tiny charge through his tongue into Kavik's mouth. An electric sensation hit Kavik's tongue and she pulled away from the embrace in shock. "What was that?" She asked with a look of surprise on her face. "Dat was me, Chere. Gambit's power is chargin' t'ings, dis time I charge ma tongue and sent it through ta yours. You like da sensation?" "Oh God, yes." "I was worried dat I might o' hurt ya." Said Remy while nuzzling at Kavik's neck. "Don't worry. So long as my head stays attached to my neck I can handle anything you throw at me." Sighed Kavik. "What you mean by dat, Chere?" "Nothing, it's not important." Gasped Kavik as Remy's hands undid the buttons on her shirt and brought his head down to kiss and lick at the top of her breasts. Remy smiled to himself. It had been a long time since he had had a beautiful, willing woman in his arms and he intended to make the most of it. Suddenly he felt Kavik pull away from him. He looked up to ask what was wrong to see her looking about her. Kavik had been relaxing in Remy's expert touch when waves of familiar sensation came over her. They were not alone. She quickly fastened her shirt and got off the bike, ignoring Remy's questioning look and pleading voice. "I am Kavik MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod." She called out. Remy looked at her in confusion and was about to ask her what she thought she was doing when another voice came out of the trees. "I am Michael Roberts." A tall man stepped out of the trees, brandishing a sword. "And I'm after your head." Remy got off the bike. "Who da you t'ink you're t'reatening?" He demanded. "Remy, stay out of this." Warned Kavik. "Our....situation is not for the eyes of mortals" She motioned to Remy. "And I'm unarmed." She said, addressing this Michael Roberts. "Well then, that just makes it easier for me to take your head, MacLeod." Came the answer. "I'd like to see you try." Retorted Kavik. Roberts ran at Kavik, brandishing his sword high above his head. Swinging the sword he lunged at Kavik, only to hit thin air as she rolled out of his way. Shaking himself out of his shock, Remy reached into his pocket and fished out two playing cards. He began to charge them when he heard Kavik shout. "No, Remy, stay out of this. It's personal." Remy re-absorbed the charge back into his body, but kept the cards in his hands, ready to charge and throw them at a moments notice. Roberts laughed and ran at Kavik again. This time he was ready for her to roll out of the way, and brought his sword down early. Kavik gasped as she felt the sword hit her arm. She ignored the pain as she rolled back onto her feet. She saw Roberts walking towards her and held her ground. "Ready to admit defeat?" He goaded. "Never." She hissed, as she did the one thing Roberts was never expecting, and lunged at him. Kavik knocked him to the ground and thrust her knee into his stomach. Roberts gasped in shock, unprepared for such an attack. Wrestling on the ground, Kavik managed to grab the sword, before he had chance to bring it down on her neck. Twisting under Roberts, Kavik turned the sword and pushed it towards Roberts. She heard a gurgling noise and felt Roberts weight collapse on top of her, the sword sticking out of his side. Taking a deep breath, Kavik pushed the body off her. She stood up and pulled the sword out. She looked at Remy, not knowing whether to take Roberts' head or leave him there, being gone when he regained consciousness. She heard Roberts stir slightly on the ground and she knew what she was going to do, what she had to do. Kavik raised the sword high above her head. "There can be only one." She whispered as she brought it down and severed the head of Michael Roberts. Remy watched in amazement as the decapitated body began to move and lightning struck Kavik. Kavik fell to her knees and cried out as the lightening, which was coming from the body, hit her. When it was over, Remy looked at her in amazement. Shaking himself out of his shock, he ran over to Kavik. "You okay?" "Yeah, but we'd better get out of here." Grabbing the sword off the ground where she had dropped it, she walked over to the bike. "Wai' a minute. Jus' wha' happened 'ere?" "Please, Remy." Kavik pleaded as she affixed the sword to the side of the bike. "I'll explain it back at the mansion. But I'm leaving." Kavik straddled the bike and turned the keys, which were still in the ignition. The bike roared to life. She looked over to Remy. "You coming?" Remy looked down at the body at his feet and sighed. "Fine. But you owe me an explanation for all o' dis." He walked over to the bike and sat behind Kavik. Sunday, 1:26 AM After parking the bike in the garage, Remy and Kavik crept silently into the mansion. Kavik tip-toed up the stairs, holding the sword she had taken off Michael Roberts, acutely aware of Remy behind her. They reached Kavik's room and she opened the door and stepped inside. She turned to Remy. "Well, thanks for a great night out." She whispered, giving Remy her most dazzling smile, and went to shut the door. "Oh no." She heard as Remy's hand kept the door open. "You said dat you'd explain when we got back to da mansion. Now, I wan' an explanation." Kavik sighed. she thought. She looked at Remy, who still had his hand on her door "You'd better come in then." She quietly closed the door when Remy had stepped into the room. "Have a seat." She said, motioning to the bed. "I'll tell you what you want to know." Throwing a glance at Remy, Kavik knelt on the floor and reached under the bed. She pulled out a long, black case. She opened it to reveal a sword, a Japanese katana with intricate and delicate carvings of a wolf on the ivory handle. Pulling out the top level of the case, Kavik placed Roberts' sword in the bottom of the case and replaced the katana. Closing the case, she pushed it back under the bed and stood up, looking at Remy. Remy sat down on the bed, and then stood up quickly. Sighing, he reached around to the pocket in the back of his jeans, and pulled out a pair of broken sunglasses. He'd put them in his pocket when he came into the mansion and completely forgotten about them. Kavik grinned as he tossed the remains of his sunglasses into the bin. "Sorry 'bout dat. You were sayin'." Remy sat on the bed and looked up at Kavik. Wondering where to start, Kavik sat at the head of the bed and crossed her legs. "How old would you say I was?" She asked. Remy looked at her incredulously. "What's dat gotta do wit' anythin'?" "Humour me." Shrugging his shoulders, Remy looked at Kavik. "Twenny-two." Came his answer. Kavik smiled. "Close. Add a five onto that and you're right." "Ain't no way dat you're twenny-seven, Chere." "No, I meant add a five on to the *beginning*." Remy was confused "What are you talkin' 'bout?" Taking a deep breath, Kavik started talking. "On August 19th, of this year, I will 'celebrate' my 523rd birthday." Remy's jaw dropped. "Say wha'?" "I was born in 1474," she paused as if to gather her thoughts, "and I am immortal." "You're an External?" Remy winced as his thoughts turned to Candra, the immortal who had been his lover so long ago and had tried to kill him so many times. "No, I'm not an External, I'm an Immortal." Remy had no problem accepting someone who was immortal, he'd seen others, what he had a problem with was running around killing people with swords. "So what's dat gotta do wit' tonight?" Kavik sighed and rolled her eyes heavenwards. It was going to be a long night. Kavik began to talk. She told him of the small North English village she was born in, in the second half of the fifteenth century. She told him how she had died at 22, when her village had been attacked by a band of raiders. She remembered being stabbed through the stomach and closing her eyes, realising that she would never open them again, and how she had been wrong. Everyone in the village was dead when she woke up, with some of the buildings on fire. She ran from the village, alone and confused. She told Remy how she had wandered alone until one day a strange sensation overcame her. How a man came up to her, and how he had asked her name but she was delirious. Kavik explained to Remy that the attack on her village had left her so confused that she didn't remember things. And how the man who had found her, Jean-Luc LaCroix had named her Kavik, as he had said that she needed a name. She explained to Remy that 'Kavik' meant 'wolf' in some Inuit languages, and he had named her that as she had looked like a wild wolf-woman when he had first seen her. Kavik smiled as she recalled how Jean-Luc had taken care of her for weeks until she finally began to make sense. How she had come back to the world of the living with his help. And how the first thing Jean-Luc had done was to ask her real name. She had answered him, but when he had called her by the name, she corrected him, saying "That person is dead. I am Kavik now." She recalled how Jean-Luc had explained to her what she was. How he taught her to sword fight, and how to look for weakness within an opponent, and how to take a head. Her voice became bitter as she recalled that day that Jean-Luc had been killed. How she had gone after his murderer, and how that had been the first Immortal she had ever killed. Two hours later, Kavik finally stopped talking. She had told him the basics and wasn't sure what else to say. Remy just sat there and looked at her. "So that's it." She said "And dis power, dis 'Quickenin'', dat happens ev'rytime dat you chop a head off?" "Yep." "Why? How'd all dis start?" Kavik snorted a laugh. "You tell me? I'm only part of the Game, I don't know why it's played." "De game?" "It's what we call what happens. Technically it's 'the Gathering', but 'the Game' works just as well." "We? Den dere have bin a lot of you?" "Yeah, quite a few." Kavik laughed "And you don' know why?" "I just follow the rules and play the Game. Every Immortal does." "Rules?" "Every game has rules, Remy, and this one is no different. Three rules: one against one; don't fight on holy ground...." Kavik's voice trailed off. "And...?" Remy promoted. Kavik looked deep into Remy's eyes. "And there can be only one, Remy. There can be. Only. One." "One?" "We may call it the Game, but believe me, there are no prizes for coming second. Just a very permanent headache cure." "And dis 'Game', what is de prize." "The power of all the Immortals who have gone before." "Dat would be a lot of power." Remy said quietly. Kavik just nodded. They sat there, not saying anything, until Kavik finally looked at Remy. "Well?" She asked. Remy looked at her. "Does anyone else in de mansion know?" "Charles knows I don't age, but I think he thinks it's because of some kind of healing factor, like Logan's. He doesn't know about Immortals and the Gathering." "Does Logan know?" "Yes. Logan and I have been friends for...." Kavik smiled, "..years. He knows all about me. For the same reason you do, actually." Remy looked confused. "Wha'd ya mean?" "Logan stumbled into the middle of a fight, just as the person I was fighting had skewered me with his sword. He chose to run instead of taking my head. I 'died' in Logan's arms. And came back just as he was about to bury me. An explanation was the least I could do. We've been friends ever since." Kavik smiled to herself as she remembered the shocked look on Logan's face when she'd come back to life. She brought herself out her reverie and looked deep into the eyes of the man sitting opposite her. "So, will you keep my secret, Remy?" Remy had a look of mock upset on his face. "Chere, Gambit never kiss 'n' tell." "Thank you." Remy looked at the clock next to Kavik's bed. "It pas' four in de mornin', Chere. It hardly seem wort' goin' back to ma own room." Remy's face had a grin on it. "You know," he whispered as he leant towards Kavik, "I seem destined to fall for older women." Kavik's laugh was cut off by Remy's lips on hers, as he gently pushed her back on to the bed. End of part 2 {} {@@@##{}>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> {} **** Always running before the sun Suzy {ee0u4051@liverpool.ac.uk}