Jubilee flopped down on her bed. I hurt... I hurt.... Scott is going to get it... I hurt... I hurt.... Jubilee had just finished her Danger Room session with Scott. Now, what can I do to get back at him? Scott had made them all play a game of tag. No, it wasn't normal tag. Everyone was it, except for one person. That one person was Jubilee. She spent the whole morning trying to evade Wolverine, Storm, Rogue and Jean. It was not an easy task and the bruises proved it! At least she was still alive! Taking up favors that a couple of people owed her, she didn't have to clean up after breakfast or lunch. Yet even debts would go so far, when you have to clean up after supper!
Now what exactly hurts? Jubilee moved her left knee. Definitely some bruises there! Next, she moved her right knee. All right! That one is still in working condition. Quickly, she moved her elbows, shoulders, head, ankles and surprisingly noticed that not as much was hurting as she thought. A shower would be nice!
After a few minutes later, hot water was sprinkling onto her back. Where is the water pressure?!? The water immediately went scalding hot and Jubilee screamed as she jumped out of the shower. A smiling Bobby with a camera, was right outside the shower stall waiting for her to jump out. Snap! Bobby let out a little laugh as he rushed out of the girl's locker room.
"Bobby! You jerk!" screamed Jubilee. Bobby had flushed the toilet to make the water go hot. When I get my hands on you? I wonder how long it will take before the picture makes the circulation in the house? I could always make a certain baseball card of Babe Ruth go missing, mused Jubilee as she entered the shower again and quickly finished.
As she was getting dressed Rogue entered her room. "Hey sugah, you want ta go shopping?"
"Actually, you know, I feel quite sore. You throwing me half across the Danger Room didn't help much either you know," sighed Jubilee noticing more new bruises on her butt.
"Sorry sugah, next time I'll go a little easier on ya!" Rogue grinned. "But Jube, it is Xavier's VISA card." Rogue knew that Jubilee would always go shopping if she didn't have to spend her own money.
She's trying to trap me. Will wonders never cease? "Okay, when?" asked Jubilee.
"In two minutes sugah. I asked Logan if we could borrow his jeep. An' he said yes," smiled Rogue.
Within minutes, they were off.
Rogue drove the jeep to a historic part of Manhattan, which just so happened to be a shopping district! Rogue had taken them to Greenwich Village.
She parked the car and locked the door. "So Jubilee, what do ya wan' to do first. Think of this as a girl's day out."
"Let's go shoe shopping!" announced Jubilee.
Rogue gave off a smile; she needed a new pair of running shoes for Danger Room sessions. "Which store do ya wan' to go in?"
"Let's start with Dolce Vita and then go to Cellini Voma. If we don't like anything there, we could always go to Marca Elegante or Orchard Bootery. Heck, we could go to Payless Shoe Source if we want!" smiled Jubilee. Who would of thought that shopping for shoes was such a complicated process.
Anyhow, they only made it Dolce Vita. The walls were lined with different kinds of shoes, sandals, etc? that they had no need to go anywhere else. Rogue ended up buying a nice pair of Nike and Jubilee some platform shoes and some totally black runners.
"Why those ugly running shoes? They are really gross!" remarked Rogue.
"I just so happen to like black. Is that a crime? The last time I checked, it wasn't!" said Jubilee in a little huff.
"Okay sugah, where d'you want to go next?" asked Rogue.
Jubilee had an instant answer, "Let's go look at jewelry!" Rogue looked at her with curious eyes.
"You don't wear jewelry!" Rogue said puzzled.
"Well, it's never too late to start!" grinned Jubilee at Rogue's wide eyes.
They walked down the block until they came to a store whose name was Elco Jewelry.
"How 'bout here?" asked Rogue.
"This is fine," smiled Jubilee as she pushed the door opened and entered. A small, plump lady smiled as she walked up to them.
"Hello, my name is Doreen. Today we have a sale on all diamond rings that are five karats or higher. Are you looking for anything specific?" asked the lady wearing a big smile. "After all, a diamond is a ladies best friend!"
"I'm looking for a necklace, one that has just come over from Europe. Perhaps, you have heard of it? The stone is called the Star of Justice?" asked Jubilee with a little smile of her own. She had taken on a new arrogance that fascinated Rogue.
The woman was taken aback, "How did you know that we had it in our possession? We just received it two days ago!"
"Word gets around in our circles," smiled Jubilee easily. The lady managed a little smile.
"The Star of Justice is a 43 karat diamond on a necklace of twenty-four karat gold, estimated at seven point five million dollars. Really little girl, I do not think that you would have enough to pay for it. Besides, we already have a buyer," said the lady with an easy smile. Obviously this girl was made of wealth. Those types of people just seemed to have this type of arrogance.
"Oh really? Who is the buyer? Perhaps I can negotiate a trade or perhaps buy it off of him, so to speak," said Jubilee her hand went to her hip as she took an assuming pose.
The lady again was taken aback, "Um, the buyer is named Remy LeBeau."
Jubilee's face drained. "Oh really. Then my chances of trying to buy it off or trading for it are quite slim. I thank you for your time."
"No problem. If you ever have need of a diamond or just an order for something in particular, call this number. We will do our best to try to locate it for you," smiled the lady in sympathy as she handed the girl their card.
Rogue and Jubilee left the building and started to walk down the street again.
"What the hell was that all 'bout?" demanded Rogue.
Jubilee grinned, "I was just trying to see how long I could string her along. How well do you think I did?"
Rogue looked at her astonished, "I really thought that you wanted to buy that diamond."
"Then I did good?" asked Jubilee innocently.
Rogue rolled her eyes at her, "Yeah, you did good. Hey, I'm kinda hungry. Where do you want to go for a late lunch? It's funny how time passes by quickly when you're having fun!"
"Let's go to Ratners. They are supposed to have good food. Well, at least Jean said so," said Jubilee pointing across the road.
"Sure sugah. It's close an' if Jean said it's good? well, it must be okay then. Right?" asked Rogue uneasily, wanting confirmation on the validity of Jubilee's statement.
"Of course!" scoffed Jubilee. I hope I told a good lie!
They crossed the road and almost got run over. Jaywalking was not a good thing to do.
They entered the quaint little restaurant and looked around. It was beautiful! Flowers adorned the walls and it gave each table a bit of privacy.
"I hope the decorations give an indication to the quality of the food," muttered Jubilee.
"What?" asked Rogue.
"Oh nothing. Just mumbling about how nice this place is," smiled Jubilee as a waitress showed them to a table on the veranda.
Rogue sighed as she looked around. "This is beautiful! What a wonderful place to come."
Jubilee sighed too. The aromas of the flowers made one feel peaceful, but that peace came to a crashing halt!!!
There, walking up to the table, was the man that she had been fearing, the man who she wanted to avoid, the man with the demon eyes? it was Remy LeBeau.
Oh shit? Oh shit? Oh shit? O shit? Oh shit? was the mantra that she kept on saying to herself over and over again. Please let him be going to another table. Please let me forget me.
Her prayers weren't answered. He stopped right in front of the table.
"Bonjour Jubilation Lee. Long time no see," smiled Remy easily as he took a seat at the table.
"Jubilee, do you know this man?" inquired Rogue as she looked at the delicious dish of a man that was now seated before them.
"He's a long time friend," said Jubilee slowly wanting to make sure she got the story straight.
"Yeah, Jubilee an' I 'ave been friends since de death of 'er family," said Remy, looking at her straight in the eye. Oh no, how did he come by that information?
"Yes, it was a tragic death. How long has it been now?" asked Jubilee with a determined glint in her eye. She was not going to let him get the upper hand.
"It's been 11 years now, eh?" said Remy with a humorous glint in his eye.
"You've known him for 11 years, an' you never told me!" said Rogue, taking his response the wrong way.
Remy looked at Rogue now for the first time. He hadn't noticed her before, but he sure noticed her now! He needed a moment just to make sure that she was real.
"Whose your friend Jubilee?" asked Remy curiously.
"Rogue, this is Remy LeBeau. Remy, this is Rogue," gulped Jubilee. She knew where this was leading and she didn't like where it was leading at all!
"Well? it's getting late and we better be getting home?" started Jubilee getting up quickly.
"Wait, Jubilee. Let's stay here a little longer and talk to your friend a little bit!" smiled Rogue sweetly at Remy.
Jubilee looked at Remy, gulped and sat back down.
De girl is afraid of me. Does she know who I am? Mebbe, she just wan' t'get out of 'ere as fast as possible, because she stole f'me.
"So, where you from Rogue?" asked Remy.
"Louisiana," replied Rogue fawning over him.
"Vraiment? I'm from New Orleans, de French Quarter," smiled Remy, working his charm powers.
"Where do you work?" asked Rogue intrigued.
Remy was taken aback, but he recovered easily. "Oh, I dabble in dis an' dat. Money speculation, dat kind o'stuff."
"You must do pretty well, considering that you were giving away $250,000 to charity," remarked Jubilee. Remy was taken aback and Jubilee saw this. She had finally shaken him up a little bit; kept him off balance and on his toes.
"You gave that much money away to charity! Wow, you are a generous man, Mr. LeBeau," smiled Rogue impressed.
"Please, call me Remy. Oui, I was goin' t'give it all away, but someone stole de money," said Remy in mock sadness. Only Jubilee could see through it, partly because he looked straight at her.
"Who would steal from charities?" demanded Rogue angrily.
"Oh I don't know, Rogue. Perhaps, people that have nothing better to do, or maybe they really needed the money! But that wouldn't really concern you Mr. LeBeau, would it? You want to buy the Star of Justice. Obviously, you have seven point five million dollars lying around or else you couldn't afford it," said Jubilee empathetically changing the subject.
Remy drew in a deep breath. No one was supposed to know about that purchase. "'ow d'you know 'bout dat petite?"
"Well, we went to a jewelers today and the lady there told us," said Rogue wondering what the hell was going on.
Remy looked at Jubilee sweetly, "Oh really. Dat's nice. I'll 'ave to 'ave a talk wit' dat lady one day. Jubilee, you little sneak, did you get de information from de lady, by prying again?"
"By doing what I do best, duh!" smiled Jubilee.
Rogue smiled at both their playfulness and decided to play along. "She marched right in there as if she had a lot of money t'spend and made the lady think she was rich. After that, she told her everything!"
"Really, how interesting," smiled Remy. He could tell that Rogue was getting lost in his eyes as she looked into them.
All of a sudden Rogue spoke up, "Do you wan' to come for dinner?"
Remy smirked playfully, "Sure, I'd love it. Dat is, if you'll be dere."
"Of course, I'll be there! We live at Xavier's Institute for Higher Learning in Westchester," smiled Rogue back.
Jubilee was screaming inside, "THIS GUY NOW KNOWS WHERE I LIVE!!! OH SHIT!!!" She may have been panicking inside, but the outside was as cool as ice. NOW HE'LL KNOW I'M A MUTANT!!!
"I'll be dere. When's supper?" he asked.
"I don't know. Ask Jubilee, she's cooking tonight," grinned Rogue wickedly. Remy wasn't sure if that signified if her cooking was decent, good, wonderful, or just plain awful. "It's sure to be an experience."
Remy looked over at Jubilee who was also grinning wickedly now. No doubt, plots were running through her mind about how many ways she could kill him off. "What time, Jubilee. Or should I say Jubilation Lee?"
"Six. Six sharp. If you are one minute late, touch luck!" said Jubilee, mad at him for using her real name.
"I'll be dere," grinned Remy with a twinkle in his eye as he walked away with an invitation to her house and with the upper hand.
End of part 3