Dis de weirest bar I've ever seen *Mystic War tie-in*

[Gambit]

OOC: Monsieur LeBeau's motorcycle can be seen here:

((Dat gal gonna be de death of me)) Gambit thought as he rode his Ducati Diavel Carbon motorcycle into the Algiers section of New Orleans. Algiers had been many things at many times during New Orleans' storied history, but now it was the home to the jazz club called St. James Infirmary. He was not going for a Crimson Voodoo, a plate of etouffee or the smooth jazz stylings of Irvin Mayfield. He was supposed to meet Rogue, and then they were supposed to pick up something for the X-Men before heading to Westchester.    A magical something. That was not sitting well with Le Diable Blanc at the moment.

As he rolled up to the club, he could tell that the patrons outside were not exactly your run of the mill jazz fans. He'd been gifted with a mystic talisman that detected all sorts of mystic beings. The thing was working overtime as he scanned the group. Some vampires sat in a group out of the sunlight, even though the X-Man could see daylight rings on their fingers. A couple of witches stood near the door and seemed to be trading spells as they looked Gambit's way. A werewolf who seemed to be really bored rocked back and forth on a tree stump as he nursed a beer.  ((Not exactly the crowd I expected)) Gambit thought as he looked to see if Rogue or his contact were waiting outside the club. ((Merde. It figures they'd be late)) he mused as he took off his helmet and tried not to look too interested in the people as he walked inside. 
 
"Hey, is Marcel here yet?" he asked the bartender as he sat at the long mahogany and brass bar. The barkeep shook his head no. "I'll have an Abita. Looks like I'm gonna have a long wait," Remy said as he sat down and put his helmet on the stool next to him.

[Taranus]

"Ye know Cajun ye stick out like a sore thumb in places like this." A voice said as the red haired Vampiress named Erin came into view and walked over to his table. "Well if you are planning to wait a while perhaps you would like a friendly face to help you wait?"

[Gambit]

"I know I look more like a snack to some here, chere," Remy said to Erin as he moved his helmet so she could sit down. "Glad for de company. Please, have a seat."

Remy was only slightly joking about being a snack. He knew all about the rather colorful enclaves in and around New Orleans, and he would not have been a very bright thief if he was not familiar with the witch, werewolf and vampire communities in his home city.

"What brings you down here, Erin? You trying to stay away from the crazy up north? All the who's going to New York and who stays in California is making me want to set up ship here. And I'm waiting on the proprietor to pass something along to me for your auntie."

[Taranus]

"Honestly Remy just wanted some time away and get to see some more of the country." She said taking a seat. "Yeah what is going on up North is a bit nutty but nutty seems to go with the territory." She said with a small laugh.

[Gambit]

"I just wish your Uncle Scott would come back so things would calm down," Remy said as he finally got his beer. "When he's away, Emma gets too stressed out and starts acting crazy.  Ain't good for her, and ain't good for us."

As Remy looked at his beer, he kept wondering what was keeping Marcel so damned long. Then again, the man had a lot of irons in the fire besides this bar.

"Erin, they ask you about teaching yet?" he said as he set his beer back down.

[Black Mary]

A short distance away from the bar what seemed like a storm on the horizon started to appear a flash of lightning across the street hit the pavement and the image of a woman appeared. As the light dimmed where the lightning had happened stood a dark haired woman in a all black outfit with a short skirt and leather boots.

As she walked in she scanned the surroundings looking for any familiar faces and for a moment she thought she found one sitting with another woman.

[Gambit]

Remy looked up as the lightning flashed across the street from the bar, but at first he didn't put two and two together. He'd been a bit too focused on his task at hand until he saw a tall young woman making her way towards him.

"Sarah?"

The usually agile Cajun knocked over his beer as he got up and moved quickly to his daughter's side. 

"My God, it is you! How'd you find me here?" he asked as he gave her a hug.

[Black Mary]

The dark haired Cajun woman wrapped her arms around her father in a firm hug. "Dad you should know one of the many gifts thanks to the Madam. I have a connection to both you and mama at all times." She said looking around most didn't seem to care she was wearing her X uniform and the others were simply curious about her.

Erin had stepped away for a moment to replenish Remy's spent drink and also brought another for the new arrival.

"It's good to meet you....Sarah is it? I'm Erin." She said with a smile and Sarah let go of her father and shook Erin's hand. "Pleasure to meet you as well."

[Gambit]

"Your Mama is supposed to be here by now, Sarah," Remy replied as he looked around for Anna yet again. "We're supposed to pick up something to take back north," he added as a hush fell over the crowd as a little girl moved through the crowd followed by two vampires and a woman Remy knew as a leader of one of the local werewolf packs in the Crescent City. "Why do I get the feeling dis thing we're supposed to get ain't a thing at all."

Remy looked at Erin and Sarah and wondered if they were getting any unusual vibes from the child or her companions as they sat at the rear of the bar. "Ladies, does that look as odd to you as it does to me? That magic detector Kari gave me is working overtime."

The little girl smiled as she looked at Remy, Erin and Sarah, and those trained in the ways of magic could likely see a very strong and strange aura around her. It was electric blue and shifted between the forms of a raven, a bat and a wolf. Anyone not attuned to magic just saw a little girl coloring in a book.

[Black Mary]

"Ah think you are right dad."Sarah responded as she looked at the little girl with a warm smile then looked back at Gambit. "Sometimes what we came for isn't always what we thought it would be and I guess now is as good an example as any. As for mama Ah am sure she will be here any moment." Sarah finished.

[Gambit]

Remy looked at the little girl and smiled at her before turning back to Erin and Sarah. "Wait. Belladonna used to have dealings wit dem. The werewolf pack leader there. Lives out on de Bayou."

"That's my niece," a voice said softly behind the trio. "She is precious indeed, and she is the reason you all are here. Laelynn. Her name is Laelynn."

Remy turned around and saw the vampire Elijah standing behind him. "Would you please not do that! Nearly jumped out of my skin. How come Kari didn't say a peep to us about your niece? We were getting a package, not a person."

"Because Kari doesn't know," Elijah replied as he looked between Erin and Sarah. "Maeve's daughter, correct?" he said to Erin as he extended his hand to her. "I think I saw you briefly at that hellfire fiasco in New York."

[Rogue]

"Get your mangy hands off me!" a voice rang out as the doors to the rear of the bar flew open and Rogue stepped inside. "You want to feed, find a willing partner. That ain't gonna be me, sugah."

"Chere!" Remy shouted as he motioned for Rogue to join him, Sarah, Erin and Elijah. "Got us a problem..."

"First things first, Remy," Rogue said as she went over to Sarah and gave her a big hug. "Glad you're here. Your papa seems as jumpy as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.  Wait. Elijah? What are you up to now?"

"Trying to explain to your group about the reason your help was requested in the first place..." he said as he nodded to the girl who was coloring away, oblivious to the world. Or so it seemed.

"And did I hear Remy say Kari has no idea what's going on?" Rogue asked as Gambit nodded. "Why don't we all sit a spell? I'm parched after flying in on my own power. Erin, how do you think your auntie is going to react to having that little girl dropped off up north instead of the mystic doodad we were supposed to be fetching?"

 

[Black Mary]

"Well Aunt Kari it takes a lot to surprise her and while it won't be exactly what she was expecting I am sure she will understand. " Erin said looking over at the little girl.

"AH think the surprising is getting handled by us." Sarah added as she looked over at the same person who had approached Rogue. In a flash she held the vampire by the neck and was pushing him to the door.
"When a lady says no she means no and we already warned ya once so allow me to show you the wonders of the street." She said her eyes crackling electricity as she held him above her head and with minor effort sent him flying across the street into the marsh that the trees obscured.

She walked back in to a few smiles. A few mystics laughing and others just going back to what they were doing.

"Sorry ma. I know you can fight your own battles but dat was rude."

[Rogue]

"Not gonna argue with you, Sarah," Rogue said as she smiled at her daughter. "That guy just would not take no for an answer. Now, Elijah, you said that was your niece?"

"Yes, Niklaus' daughter," the vampire replied as the girl finally looked up again and waved at the group.  "He is always a tad put off by Kari, but he knows Laelynn could not be in safer hands than with all of you."

"Something about this doesn't sit right," Rogue said as she looked back at the girl. "Erin, I agree that your auntie will take just about anything in stride, but maybe old Elijah here better come with us back north? What do you think? And before you fuss, Elijah, you know Kari will want answers we can't give her. And I'd think she'd prefer the personal touch in all of this, right, Erin?"