SCANNINGâŠIDENTIFICATION COMPLETE. ENTER PIERRE LEBEAU, CHILD OF ANNA MARIE AND REMY LEBEAU. CODENAME: SHADOWMAN.  A 23 YEAR OLD THIRD YEAR ENROLLED IN THE SUPERHUMAN TRACK. INTEL SHOWS THEY ARE FLIRTATIOUS, BUT CAN ALSO BE RECKLESS. ABILITIES INCLUDE FORESIGHT THROUGH TAROT CARDS AND TEMPORARY POWER ABSORPTION. FACIAL RECOGNITION MISTAKES THEM FOR DACRE MONTGOMERY.
   âAlright, alright - so what time do you think the giant swamp monster is going to get here?â Hazel asked, raising her brows. She couldnât relax after what had happened at the Homecoming dance. They had all let their guards down and things had gone south so quickly. That being said, part of her really did hope that this was a Halloween party and nothing more because it was her favourite time of year. âOr do you think theyâll use something else to test us?â
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    Pierre adjusted the chair against the classroom door, making sure it fit snuggly beneath the metal knob. It was a small attempt to keep the creatures they had glimpsed just briefly out. âDonât think itâs Swamp Thing after us. Unless heâs got glowinâ blue teeth. Youâd know more âbout that than me.â Pierre, despite having not been at the school for homecoming, had heard of what had gone on and was expecting something similar. âMust be somethinâ though. Any other ideas?â
theo sighed and leaned back. âpeirre just come forward and ask the question better.â he told his little brother. âi donât know what you want me to sayâ we work out together nothing else. but fine before i go to the gym iâll put myself a reminder âtell peirre your working out with marâiâ on the phone. so you wonât act weird.â he told his brother.â
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    âThat was my question. It would have been nice to prepare before coming to the school.â He admitted, wondering if his older brother would understand the need. âYou donât need to tell me now. Iâm not jealous that you two are working out together. I just wasnât prepared to see her.âÂ
Mar'i toyed with her ring as she waited for him to answer her. She watched him look over her outfit and she realized she why. Oh shooting stars. She thought to herself. She was sure Ben wouldnât mind If she told him theyâd hang out later tonight, right? After all she was just going to be crashing his study sessionâŠagain. Maybe now he could actually get some studying done. âI was going to study, but I can reschedule.â she told him. âItâs fine really. I want to catch up with you. It will even be my treat.â She smiled at him, one of those smiles that you could only ever have if your last name was Grayson. âPlease?â
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    âYou were goin to study like that?â He wasnât judging, rather just surprised that she wasnât wearing sweats like he did to study. Marâi had always been a step above the rest though. His raised brow lowered. âYa sure?â He hadnât meant to come in like a wrecking ball ruining her plans for the night. All it took was that smile, the one he looked for everywhere but fund nowhere, and a please for him to give in to her. âWhateva you want, Darlinâ. Iâm at your disposal.âÂ
âSpoken like a true showmanâ Martin replied it was a very interesting power there was no denying it, since coming here. Heâd been fascinated by all the different variations of powers and skills the kids here displayed âWouldnât be the first time, weâll have to do this again sometime youâve piqued my interest.â
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   Pierre offered a lazy half bow with the new title of Showman. Flattery would get the stranger nowhere. He was unmoving on his decision not to divulge his secrets. âMight want to wait til ya make that decision otherwise youâll get the same reading.â Readings didnât change until the future did. If the stranger didnât make a decision then he would keep getting the same reading over and over no matter how many times they tried.Â
   âI could certainly think of a few things from the last time that I saw youâ she smirked softly, bored of this place already. âIâm going to get us some plants, but Iâll take care of them, donât worry about itâ She couldnât imagine living in a place with no plants. Not after the sea of plants in her apartment back in Gotham City.Â
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    âCare to enlighten me?â Pierre beckoned, hoping that Hazel would elaborate for him. âOkay.â he shrugged, having no preference one way or another towards plants. They had never been a specialty of his, but he had nothing against them either; just never had much of a green thumb to support them. Maybe Hazel would inspire a newfound love. âWhateva you want.â
âWhat if itâŠ?â Now that she was about to voice her fears aloud, Caroline felt silly, like a child seeing monsters in the dark. âWhat if it comes for me, too?â She shrugged helplessly, offering a weak smile. âI know it has no reason to,â she said. âIâm not a suitable host. It would probably kill me, and Iâm sure itâs aware of that.â She smiled faintly. âBut still,â she said. âI think about it. Iâve never wanted to hurt anyone. If it came for me, I donât know if Iâd be able to resist it like she does.â
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   Pierre gave Caroline the space to admit her fears aloud. They had built trust over the years and there was nothing the two couldnât tell each other free of judgement. âWhy would it come for ya?â Caroline had said it herself time and time again: she wasnât as strong as her mother was, not that it was anything to be ashamed or saddened by, but it did make her less of a target for the phoenix force. To some extent that was a blessing. âWhatâs got ya thinkinâ that way, Care? A nightmares just a nightmare.âÂ
â i think i know where this is going.â theo said as he looked down and shook his head. â me and marâi push each other for the best when it comes to working out. and iâm not gonna lie iâm happy i was actually there when she didnât know when to stop.â theo said. â sheâs a good friend. and will always be in my eyes your first love.â
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   Pierre wasnât sure he liked the direction the conversation with his brother was going. Theo was being dodgy, not answering his question outright. It was weird. âOkay. I still think itâs strange ya didnât say nothinâ about her being here. Woulda been nice to know.âÂ
Mar'i gave him a smile, heart skipping as he called her Miel. She always liked that one, though not as much as when he called chĂšre. But more than that his words made her swoon. Pierre had never been wary of Marâi. Never questioned why she spoke the way she did or did the things she did. He just let her exist and loved her for it. It was one of the very things that had hurt her so much when they had broken up. The fear no one would ever make her feel like that again. Their hands separated slowly, staying in contact until the last moment. She could see that it wasnât the answered he had wanted, but she had to stick to her decision. âItâs not forever. Itâs justâŠ.until I know youâre still my beau from the bayou.â she smiled at him, hoping it didnât sounds as corny as she thought it did. âDo you want to maybe get lunch with me? We can order or go somewhere and catch up?â she offered out, not ready to let him leave quite yet. Â
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   There was hope in the statement that it wasnât forever, but that was balanced very delicately on the fact that she didnât currently have a boyfriend. If she got one then that would change everything. âI can go ta lunch if you want. I donât wanna interrupt if youâre busy.â He said, taking one look over of her. She looked dressed up, as if she was on her way somewhere when he had unexpectedly dropped by.Â
Martin wasnât one to be locked down by fate hell even the guy before he said it was based on a decision he made that led to that version of the future. He knew Emry was on campus and theyâd been having quite the rivalry growing up which only was made worst due to their chosen career fields. Maybe this reading had something to do with the reason heâd chosen this place. Gathering intel on the up-and-coming heroes as well as building his little loyal subjects to follow him. âMhm well I must say this was interesting, Iâve never done anything like this beforeâŠI hope my question isnât rude but Iâm merely curious about your power is it strictly linked to the cards? Like you canât touch someone and just get a vision?â Â
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   âA magician never reveals his secrets.â Pierre replied cryptically. He had never been one to give away the secrets to his mutation, always unsure of people and their intentions. Especially after a reading such as the one he just did for Martin. That wasnât exactly positive. âGuess youâll have to keep on wonderinâ.â
A sigh slipped from her lips at Pierreâs question. She wasnât in the habit of lying to the people she was close with, especially not to someone like Pierre, who could read her like a book, anyway. âItâs just the Phoenix Force,â she said. âI know itâs stupid to be afraid of it. Itâs not like itâs the boogeyman.â She offered him a weak smile and a shrug. âBut I am,â she said. âItâs always tormented my mom. And Iâm not as strong as she is. What ifâŠâ She trailed off and sighed, forcing another smile. âNever mind. Itâs just a dream.â
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    âThat ainât stupid.â Pierre didnât think any fear was a stupid one. They all stemmed from something and that made them real enough to the person experiencing it. âItâs a lotta power for one person.â Growing up his parents had told him stories about Jean and her struggles with the Phoenix Force so he could grasp, at least partially, Carolineâs fear. âWhat if?â He gave her the room to continue if she please. Pierre wanted to be there for her. Â
he didnât know what to say to his brother at this point, he could understand where his coming from and theo might asked the same question to his brother. but he also knew that heâll never suspect anything since itâs his brother. â donât think itâs weird pierre.â theo replied. âyou didnât answer my question though. does it borther you?â he asked again.
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    âHow can I not?â Pierre shrugged again, wishing his brother would give him a better answer. âNo, it donât bother me none.â He shook his head along with the words. âMy turn for a question. Why didnât ya tell me about Marâi?âÂ
âWeâve only gone on like two dates.â she told him. She didnât know why she felt like she had to explain it. She justâŠdid. Suddenly Pierre had gone from a memory that made her heart swell to being very much alive and in front of her. âI know it does. But you miss 17-year-old Marâi. And I miss 17-year-old Pierre. But we arenât 17 anymore. âShe told him. She brought his hands up to her lips, kissing his knuckles softly.  âWeâve grown, changed. What if we donât still fit the way you think we do?â she asked him. âI just think we should start off as friends first. Then see what happensâŠ.is that okay?â She didnât want to hurt him, and it hurt her to say the words. Six years ago she would have jumped into his arms at the chance of them getting together. But their break up had hurt her and it took what felt like forever to put the pieces back together. Some saw it as puppy love, but for Marâi it was earth shattering heart break. âIâve already cried over you onceâŠ.I donât want to do it again.â her eyes finally left his, afraid heâd see the weakness behind them.
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     Pierre nodded in understanding, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. He knew that Marâi was right. They were different people now, but there was a part of him - a very big part - that knew he could love Marâi no matter what changes had occurred over time. The soft touch of her lips against his knuckles sent a shiver through him. âMiel, there ainât nothing that would keep us from fitting.â He truly believed that. Marâi was the star in the sky he was reaching for. With a nod, he squeezed her hand before letting it go. âWhatever you want.â Pierre didnât wan to have to convince her to be with him. If she didnât want to be then they wouldnât be. He could wait.Â
â but it is something.â theo told him right after he heard pierre finished his talking. he raised his brow at his brother, there was something about his tune that he didnât like. â because we just work outââ he said and pressed his lips together. â sheâs my workout buddy, bothers you?â he asked his brother.
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    âIt is somethinâ.â He nodded in agreement. âDoesnât both me none. Just think itâs weird ya didnât tell me.â Theo knew how Pierre felt about Marâi, at least he assumed his brother did after how much talking he did about her and the fact that he never hide their relationship from his family. Maybe he just didnât remember all these years.Â
   âWell, I mean, there are other ways that I could make up for it, if itâs really wounded you that deeplyâ she teased, rolling her eyes again playfully. âIâm a far better roommate than the last couple of minutes would suggest, though. At least your plants will never dieâŠif you have plants, that isâ She was absolutely going to get plants if not.Â
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    âSuch as?â Pierre quirked a brow in curiosity, allowing his mind to wander through the possibilities. Donât got any.â Heâd never had much of a green thumb, killing every plant he ever had with the exception of a cactus he was able to keep alive for two years before it died too.Â
Martin wasnât sure what made him want to have a reading but it was pretty interesting, to say the least having cards read about his future. âChange is always on the tide, but you seemed rather startled by something, did you see a flash of what would happen if I made a specific choice?â He questioned the other.
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   Pierre didnât like discussing the specifics when it came to his abilities. It took away some of the magic from the cards. Letting his shoulders rise and fall in a casual shrug, he tilted his head to the side, eyes locked to Martinâs face. âSomething like that.â He kept his response vague, picking up the Death card and holding it between his index and middle finger. âJust a curious combination, dats all.âÂ
PIERRE. The first time Poppy had met him sheâd been focused on the name, it sounded so alluring and with it, so did Pierre himself. Relationships had never been her ideal market, she didnât care for building the foundation or making the house a home. They were fun until they werenât and then they were ditched. Most of the time, but not always. Pierre was one of the few not always. In that way, he was also complicated. She cared about him, Poppy wouldnât deny that much. However caring didnât translate straight to love or even close to stability. That was not something sheâd ever be able to give him, even if it wasnât something he easily saw. âIs that your way of telling me Iâve been on your mind?â She prodded him gently with her words (or maybe not so gently, Poppy had never known gentle touches well). âDidnât know you were here either honestly.â She didnât know yet if it was a welcome surprise or not.Â
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     Pierre had never been great at lying when it came to Poppy. There was just something about her that disarmed him, breaking down any potential façade he could manage to build up. She tore down his walls faster than he was able to build them up. âYouâd known if youâd been on my mind, Chere.â He tried to play it cool, pretending as if his thoughts didnât always linger back to her. âJust got here.â He admitted, wishing with everything in him that he could be back at Xavierâs in that moment. Things were so much simpler then. âMaybe Iâll leave again if youâll be around.âÂ