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(Jean Grey) People always speak of the X-Men as having the
Dream and that the Dream is inherently noble and good. It is, I agree, but I
also began wondering what other smaller dreams had been given up in its name.
Is the Dream not worthwhile unless there are other, personal dreams as well?
Is it worth the sacrifice? (Rogue) Rogue-fans, looking for the reason that she is
unable to control her powers, tend to believe that she was abused as a child.
There are heaps of stories written around that theory and this one was my
contribution to the genre. (Rogue\Gambit) My English teacher had just given us a lesson
on switching viewpoints within a text - the disparity between what a character
says and what they think - and I was keen to put the theory into practise.
Naturally, to make that opposition even more settling, I chose a massively
uncomfortable situation in Gambit returning from Antarctica and his first
meeting with Rogue. ;) (Rogue\Gambit) To be truthful, this isn't one of my favourite
pieces. I wrote it for Keri Wilson's Winter Romance challenge and it's
basically heavy, detailed description with a bit of a sugary ending. Still,
it has one image of which I'm still inordinately proud - the moon was
whitely hovering - and, like Gomorrah, for the sake of that one
righteous image, it was spared. ;) The Eighth Color of the Rainbow (Joseph) I admit to hating Joseph even more than the
concept of Rogue and him having a relationship. However, the concept of him
becoming one with the magnetosphere and watching over the world and Dream
from there was intriguing. It posed me questions about whether he would still
be sentient and, if so, what kind of sentience would it be. I tried to answer
some of these in this 'fic. (Sugar and Spice Featured Fanfic for November
1999) (Gambit\Rogue) Nicieza had just announced that Gambit and
Rogue were breaking up for good in Gambit #16, and, emotionally attached as I
was at the time, I was *devestated*. This story was written through floods of
tears and hearty swearing, so I don't think it's one of my best pieces. It's
again a set of narrative shifts like Blowing in the Wind. After seeing her on television, Rogue's mother
writes her a letter. (Gambit\Nina\Cerebro) I have to admit to being one of the few fans
who unreservedly loved Joe Kelly's run on X-Men. Loved it so much that I
shamelessly pinched one of his ideas and rewrote it with a few variations.
The idea that Cerebro could be defeated by the Dream he claimed to serve
stuck in my head and . . . well, if it's familiar, it's because I was
unimaginative. (Gambit, Jean\Cyclops, Darkholmes) I've always been fascinated by the
metaphorical significance of the Gifts of the Magi to Jesus. Gold for
kingship; frankinscence for divinity; myrrh for death. In a very real sense,
that contains the essence of Jesus' identity and his destiny. Anyway, these
stories are not religious, as I take the significance of gold, myrrh and
frankinscence somewhat differently to the Bible. Gold is that which endures
through fire; myrrh is for mourning and loss; frankinscense is the choice
about what to value . . . (Magneto) I've never seen Magneto's Dream as evil, as
the antithesis of Xavier's. Its cold, stark realism has value and will
probably succeed where Xavier's idealism fails. However, what will the cost
of that successbe? At what cost will mutants be liberated if the compassion
and reason of Xavier is ignored? This story looks at the terrible price that
will probably have to be paid. (Gambit\Rogue) This was my response to Gambit #16 where it
was implied that Gambit and Rogue were intimate. I took issue with the fact
that Nicieza had ignored her history of sexual trauma (both with Cody and at
Genosha) and the possible implications that that could have to her intimacy
with Gambit. Hence, this not-so-romantic honeymoon 'fic. (Gambit\Iceman) Iceman takes Gambit home to meet the folks,
but realises he's never really left it. It is officially slash, I guess, but
the emphasis is more on Iceman's character and his problems with
relationships. (Remy\Rogue) Holidays are bad for me. They mean I have time
to reread old comics (like Gambit #16) then write sequels to them that *fix*
everything I hated about them. This story is more or less reunion-fluff, when
I come to think about it. (Jean\Gambit\Rogue\Cable) After a rather poor start to his run,
Claremont seemed to be right back on song with Uncanny #386. I loved the
issue, especially the opening in the jazz club. I loved it so much that I
used it as the basis for an exploration of how Jean might feel about losing
Cyclops and where she might find comfort. (Rogue\Gambit) Everyone, I think, needs to write a
tear-drenched, miserable story where they kill off their favourite character.
In my case, Rogue. It's a rite of passage for any writer to do a lingering,
agonising death-bed scene and show how depressed another character is as a
result of it. Be warned - this one was written with buckets of tears on my
part. ;) (X-Men Evolution's Rogue) This story comprises Rogue's reflections of
what it means to be beautiful and what it means to be lovable. I think every
teenager goes through a stage when they wonder what it would be like to take
on a new identity, especially when you're an outsider, when you're different,
and are rejected for it. (Gambit) This fic was inspired by a Serote poem ('An
Abandoned Bundle') about a mother abandoning her child. The neutrality of the
baby seen as a bundle, the innocence of the mother who is a victim of a
social system herself, all got me thinking about issues of abandonment, about
why someone would choose to abandon their baby. Gambit was the logical choice
for this discussion. (Sekhmet\Tombraider) This piece was just a bit of fun, inspired by
conversations on the Guild about Sek and Lara being very similar. It's a
wildly implausible, deeply silly romp through an ancient Greek shrine. :) (Gambit\Rogue) I wrote this story when Gambit and Rogue had
broken up for the hundredth time around about issue #100. Marvel seemed to
insist that angst was the only way to make a relationship interesting - a
principle with which I greatly disagree. Hence, this fun, fluffy story about
how they might get back together with champagne and fried chicken taking the
place of soul-searching, angst or flagellation. <grins> (Colossus) This was done in response to a disability
change on OTL. I've always believed that his art helped Piotr survive loss
that few other people could endure. What would happen if he lost his right
hand and the ability to draw? How would he deal with that pain if he could
not exorcise it? How would his team-mates help him? (Remy\Jean) Inspired by George R.R.Martin's Hedgeknight
and by Arthurian mythology, this is a fun romp through how Queen Jeanne got
her Champion. If you replace Jeanne were Gwenhwyfar and Remy with Lancelot,
you'll get what I'm aiming at . . . (AoA: Rogue\Magneto) If you've ever heard Dido's Hunter, you'll
know what a chilling piece of music it is. It was one of those songs I heard
and around which had to write a piece. This nasty, bleak piece about wife
abuse, about becoming a hunter again, was the result. (Marrow) Before Davis made Marrow into Marshmellow, she
was a truly interesting character. She seemed to see any attempts to be
normal, to fit into the upworlders, as a betrayal of her people and their
heritage. There was a conflict in her: a part that ached to be beautiful and
loved set against the part that knew her people had not been. This story
attempted to explore that. (Psylocke) There is a wise, beautiful, sad story about a
girl who believes that folding a thousand, paper cranes will cure her of
cancer. They did not. It was based on reality and, today, there are
peace-gardens with cranes in her memory. This story was inspired by that one,
by the idea that rituals could result in peace, balance and well-being. (Jean\Xavier) The germ of the idea for this story was
planted in my head when I was reading an old issue of X-Men which implied
that there might have been something a little odd about Storm's willingness
to join the team. So, this is my take on what really happened when Xavier
helped Jean get over the death of Annie. (Siryn, Marrow, Gambit\Rogue) This was a trilogy of unconnected Christmas
stories that tie together in terms of common themes of hope and despair. (Rogue\Mystique) Although X-Men Unlimited #4 deserves its
notorious reputation, there was enough worthwhile in the story to make me
want to rewrite it and iron out the inconsistencies\implausibilities in the
process. This is my take on how Mystique and Rogue might have first met over
the barrel of a shotgun in the woods . . . . (Gambit) For some, geeky reason of my own, I liked
Fabian's suggestion that Gambit was a Trekkie. This story is my response to
that! LONGER PIECES AND SERIES (X-Men) Ironically, as someone on the Guild commented,
the X-Men were the ones who were condemned by the Trial of Gambit. Marvel
really dropped the ball, ignoring their multiplicity of responses and
relationships with Remy. This was my attempt to look more carefully at how
they might have responded. (A sequel to Always Coming Home) (X-Men) Although reconciliation with most of the team
has occured, Marrow wants blood and calls on Angel for help. (Rogue, Dark Angel) This was written with a friend of mine by the name of Lomas. We both are huge fans of Dark Angel and X-Men, and decided it would be a lot of fun to cross-over the two series. However, unlike other cross-overs, this one is actually pretty serious. . . . (X-Men) If I had to pick my favourite story out of the
ones I have written, this would probably be it. I was so irritated and
frustrated with the stupidities and inconsistencies of the AoA that I wanted
to create my own universe. I came up with a dark dystopia based a great deal
on apartheid South Africa where humans and mutants were seperate and existed
in mutual hatred and distrust. (Finished, but currently being rewritten.) (X-Men) One of the sequels to a Matter of Pryde. For
all of those who wanted to know what happens next. :) (X-Men) I freely admit that one of my personal
hobbyhorses is what would have happened if Rogue had remained a terrorist. As
fond as I am of Rogue as a hero, my favourite issue with her is probably the
one where she defeats Carol and the entire team of X-Men in the Pentagon.
Consequently, Fallen Skies is an attempt to show what might have happened if
she had not joined the team, if she was still Mystique's protegee. (X-Men) Of the two stories I wrote for Keri's Winter
Romance challenge, this is probably the better. :) I have leaned a little
heavily on the brilliant Julian May in terms of style, but I guess it's a
natural part of every writer's development to emulate the greats. Anyway,
this story is about a conspiracy in the Thieves' Guild proving that love is
the most important thing of all - be it love for family, friend or
sweetheart. Ex Tenebris, Luc (Gambit\Rogue) Why 'ex tenebris, luc'? Well, for those who
don't speak Latin, it's a play on 'ex tenebris, lux' which means 'out of the
darkness, light' which was very much the purpose of this arc. I was having a
conversation with a friend about Gambit, Rogue and their future children,
about them getting over their problems and being a family, and this series
arises out of that. Out of the belief that they will eventually get over the
angst and misery and be happy. Out of the belief that not all problems and
fights need to be huge and lead to break-ups. Jean-Luc confesses to a sin that he believes
is unforgivable. When Luc steals cookies from Storm, Remy is
upset at the thought that his son might follow the same path he has done. Saturday
Morning in Salem left Luc leBeau has a secret that he fears will cost
him his father's love, especially with his little sister on the way . . . Jealous of Irene, Luc makes plans to send her
back to the cabbage patch from whence she came. :) Rogue asks Gambit the unanswerable question -
am I fat? Gambit tries to learn all the Pokemon, but
gets an evil surprise when he goes downstairs to show off his new knowledge
to Luc! It has a very scary epilogue with the Digimon and Pokemon! ;) Gambit and Rogue wonder what form their
anniversary curse is going to take this year . . . Luc is meant to be watching his little sister, but abandons her to hunt earthworms instead. When he gets back, she's missing. (X-Men) I've always enjoyed books about the 1849 Gold
Rush, so it was inevitable that I would write a fic set in that period. In
it, Rogue is a thief, who thinks she's on top of her game, but then she runs
into a more skilled one . . . . (X-Men) As anyone who knows me can tell you, I love
high fantasy. Give me a prophesied hero, a bunch of companions and a threat
to the universe and I'm perfectly content. Consequently, "Jubilee's
Fairytale" on the old XTAS made me very happy indeed. It combined X-Men
with fantasy in a surprisingly successful way which inspired me to write this
story about an evil Mage Magnus demanding a very special woman to be his
bride . . . . (Finished, but currently being rewritten.
Parts 4 onwards are the old versions.) (A sequel to The Horse of Another Color) (X-Men) The Great Sorceress and Avatar face a greater
threat than even the Mage when the King makes a pact with Blackheart. (Unfinished.) The Magician and the Butterfly (X-Men) I have two soft spots when it comes to
literature: fantasy and books about small-town life. This is based on the
latter and explores the multiple viewpoints and prejudices that people can
have about a single event. (In this case, a circus coming to town and
bringing magic into the life of an unhappy housewife.) It's not a linear
story and there is no absolute, authorial truth presented, so I'd love to
hear what version of events you thought was true. (Mercy\Bobby) This story should be a moral warning against
chatting with friends. A group of us were listing all the women in Gambit's
life that were shameless when it came to pursuing men, and somehow the
conversation turned into "Mercy and Bobby would be a greatly amusing
couple!" So, to my knowledge, this is the first Bobcy story ever
written! (X-Men) Yick. This story should be staked through the
heart like the hideous monster it is. It's strictly boring, rainy-day
reading, because I wrote it when I was very young and didn't know any better.
;) An entity that feeds on fear forces the X-Men to relive their worst
nightmares, which means me pulling every cliche out of the bag and having a
deus ex ending. (X-Men) My very first fic which is only worthwhile for
nostalgia purposes. It retells the story of Gambit and Rogue, discarding
continuity and common sense. It's not a terribly good or inspired story at
all. :) Please note that the e-mail address given in the story is outdated -
I can now be reached at brucepat@iafrica.com |
