Fanfic: Safe by kaydeefalls

Summary: Sometimes, Jean wished she had the guts to go through a rebellious phase.

Jean studied hard in college. She was planning on pre-med, but couldn't resist taking a political science course or two. Six classes of bio and poli sci were a heavy load, particularly for a freshman, but she managed. After a week or two, she was well settled in.

She didn't really make friends, but that didn't matter. Much.

Raven, on the other hand, hardly did any work at all, even though her courses were as difficult as Jean's, if not more so. "I'm a fast learner," she said curtly, the one time Jean mentioned it.

Jean goes to school and meets new people, one of whom may not be quite what she seems. This is not a scenario that would ever have occurred to me, but it's entirely plausible in this story, and Jean's characterisation as a young woman trying to spread her wings is fascinating.

Safe

Fanart: Sabretooth by lshgsk

Gorgeous painting of Victor Creed, and I'm not normally the type to use 'Victor Creed' and 'gorgeous' in the same sentence. I love the texture on the coat.

Sabretooth by ~lshgsk on deviantART

Fanart: Sabretooth by artechx

Nice pencil drawing of Sabretooth - the Tyler Mane version from X1. You don't see this Victor much since Wolverine came out.

Sabretooth by ~artechx on deviantART

Fanart: Rogue by Definition by Smyth Photography

Great wallpaper of Rogue - I like both the text and the hint of green on her uniform.

Rogue By Definition by ~SmythPhotography on deviantART

Fanart: Rogue by greatLP

Cartoon-style Rogue in her movie uniform. Fabulous boots!

R o g u e by ¢greatLP on deviantART

Fanart: Retro Deathstrike by shibamaru-prime

Fun sixties-style cartoon take on Deathstrike - I especially dig the shoes.

Retro X2 Deathstrike by ~shibamura-prime on deviantART

Fanfiction: Ressurection by Seema

Summary: Jean is on her way home.

She is aware of pinprick sensations -- the heaviness of cold and darkness on every inch of her body. She doesn't know how much time has passed, whether it has been seconds or hours or even days. As a medical doctor, she only knows she should be dead, not contemplating her current state of existence.

After X2, Jean starts to find her way home. A lovely series of drabbles about how she reaches out to them - and how they reach back.

Ressurection

Fanart: The Real Reason Movie Deadpool Is Messed Up by JINAO

Comic fans will have noticed that Deadpool is a little ... different ... in Wolverine. This series of comics explains the differences in a way I find entirely plausible *g*.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Fanart: Pyro by cklum

Pretty! Great use of colours and the framing is great.

X-Men 3 Pyro by ~cklum on deviantART

Fanart: Pyro by GilJimbo

Fun sketch - the choice to colour the hands and eyes alone really makes it pop.

Pyro X-men by ~GilJimbo on deviantART

Fanfic: Possession by C. Elisa

Summary: Storm and her goddess.

Oya is the goddess of storms, of lightning, of the whirlwind. She can be as gentle as a breeze, sometimes. Other times she will come from the sky and destroy everything you have clung to, tear you from the ground and leave you far from home. She is sudden change of every kind, including the transition into death. She is in charge of cemeteries and the marketplace. (Kitty Pryde once asked me if the marketplace includes the mall. Of course it does.) She is known to be fierce in protecting her children. She is capable of gentleness, but do not get in the way of her anger. In the stories she rides into battle swinging an axe, with sparks of lightning darting from her hair - just as my own hair flowed with electricity every time I let my anger gain the upper hand.

Storm's religious beliefs aren't something the comics have ever gone into in any coherent fashion, let alone the movies. This story does an excellent job of filling in some of the gaps. A great tale of Ororo's past, her faith and her future.

Possession

Fanart: Phoenix Rises by FanofVilya

Absolutely gorgeous - I wish it had looked like this in the film.

Phoenix Rises by ~FanOfVilya on deviantART

Fanart: Phoenix by rehsurc

Incredible colours, and the work on the costume and hair is just fantastic.

X3 Phoenix by ~rehsurc on deviantART

Fanfic: The Persistence of Memory by Kielle

Summary: Rogue just hasn't been herself lately.

"You cannot continue to let yourself go like this, child." She winced at word "child," but then she sighed and did not react. She was used to it. To Charles Xavier, everyone was a child. Someone to be taken care of. Someone in need of his wisdom. It was his strength, and his failing. She wondered if he knew this.

"We have been over that argument before," he chided gently -- of course he'd overheard what she was thinking, he always could -- "and I'm certain we will go over again in future. Now, however, is not the time. I must concur with the others: you cannot go on like this."

She pressed her forehead against her knees, and this time she did sigh. Noisily. "What is this, an intervention? Don't y'all have anything better to do?"

A scarily plausible scenario, as disorienting and unsettling as the Salvador Dali painting it takes its name from.

The Persistence of Memory

Fanart: Peace Was Never An Option by Antman2

Comicverse-style Magneto looking good in his First Class uniform.

"peace was never an option" by ~Antman2 on deviantART

Fanfic: Passing by lonelywalker

Summary: As the Mutant Registration Act turns friends into enemies and enemies into friends, Hank desperately tries to retain some sense of normality – or what passes for normal, at any rate.

"Jean Grey will be lecturing Congress next week," Raven says, in the same tone she had used the previous month to tell him that she was learning to fly helicopters. He's never sure whether he should roll his eyes or call the FBI. "If you were talking I might actually listen."

Ah, Jean. Bitingly intelligent and only abnormal in appearance in that she might be better suited to strutting catwalks than explaining basic science to acne-faced adolescents. "Charles is clearly betting that Kelly is the only member of the Republican Party not secretly getting his kicks from boys in bathrooms," Hank replies. It's an easier admission than the truth. "Will you be there? I might stop by…"

"One way or another."

Hank McCoy is trying to keep an outsider's perspective on the conflict between the X-Men and the Brotherhood, but this is no easy task. A great look at what Beast was doing (or perhaps more to the point, not doing) during X1.

Passing

Fanfic: Overture by waxjism

Summary: They'll logically end up standing in a pool of lukewarm water.

"Don't you ever get sick of being such an ass?" Bobby mutters.

A clock in the hall chimes. One, two, three, four. John makes a new fire sculpture, a flaming ass. To illustrate. When will he get sick of being an ass? When will he stop lusting after Bobby's ass? When will either one of them get a fucking life?

"I'm tired," he says. He's had his fun, but he's not lying. He dodged the bedwetting, but he's still an ass. He's not Virgin Bobby with the blue, blue eyes. "I'm going back to bed." He pockets the lighter and waves the flaming ass into oblivion.

Bobby and John are polar opposites or a perfect match, depending on how you look at it. This is a hot, chill story about how they might fit together, at least for a while. Complex and layered, and I really like Pyro's characterisation.

Overture

Fanfic: Out of the Ashes by kaydeefalls

Summary: And out of the ashes, the world is reborn.

In old myths, there is a firebird with magnificent plumage and long life. Five hundred years the phoenix lives, some say; others say a millennium, or more. But at last the phoenix dies, as all empires so must fall; it gathers a nest, bursts into flame, and perishes. And out of the ashes, a new phoenix is born. She rises.

After the events of X3, the survivors move on in a series of nine linked drabbles. A nice look at everyone's reactions to the end of the world.

Out of the Ashes

Fanart: Ororo Munroe by aramismarron

Lovely pencil drawing of Ororo - I like the detail on the hair and the shading.

ororo monroe by ~aramismarron on deviantART

Fanfic: Ombrophobia by Beth/CG

Summary: n. an abnormal and persistent fear of rain. The end of the world comes to Westchester County.

On the first day, when the rains begin to fall, Ororo becomes the subject of many uncomfortable glances from students and X-Men alike. Halfway through the history lesson, she overhears Jubilation Lee mutter to Katherine Pryde, "Man, whaddya think's gotten her in such a bad mood?" as the downpour hammers the broad windows. Kitty only shrugs and rolls her eyes, then puts on a studiously innocent expression as Ororo raises an eyebrow her way.

A loose crossover with The Day After Tomorrow, in which the catastrophic breakdown of the planet's climate is seen through the eyes of a mutant weather goddess. An excellent idea for a crossover, and the result is effectively creepy.

Ombrophobia

Fanfic: Office Hours by Aldalindil

Summary: Peter Parker learns a lot from Professor McCoy. Spider-man crossover.

"I must admit, I'm a bit surprised by your reaction, Peter. Many would not have taken my revelation so calmly. Nor would most think to ask if I used my mutant abilities for the good of others."

Crap. He knew. And Peter had totally blown it. How could he have been so stupid? Most people were afraid of mutants, or hated mutants, or were tolerant only from a distance. Peter might as well have painted, 'Hey! I'm a freaky mutated crime-stopping good guy, too!' on his forehead and then done a little dance while squirting his webbing everywhere and singing that stupid 'Spider-Man, Spider-Man' song. Jeez!

The idea of Hank McCoy as one of Peter Parker's professors is pure genius, and the pair of them find a lot to bond about when Beast is called away to a 'family emergency' while his student is in the room. This story just leaves me with a ridiculous grin on my face.

Office Hours

Fanfic: Ode to Joy by omphalos

Summary: Kurt talks to a priest. The priest talks back.

"You shouldn't have to hide," Father Enrico said as he pulled his bulk into the narrow aisle between the pews, gathering his skirts to him. He sat down with a small huff. "You are, as I've said before, as much God's creature as I. You were born of mortal flesh, as was I. You had a father and a mother." Had Kurt had such? Well, presumably he'd had them.

This close, Kurt could smell the spicy sweat of the man, like smoked garlic sausage and incense. "I was adopted," he admitted. "I never knew my --what is the phrase? --my birth parents."

"Hmm," Father Enrico said non-committally. "And do you know why?"

"I was born much as I am now," Kurt answered, keeping his voice carefully neutral. Then he grinned at Father Enrico. "But I was cuter then."

A neat story about how Kurt became what he is, and how he might become someone else. I like stories that get into the nitty gritty of the ideological debate around mutant rights, and this is a great one for that.

Ode to Joy

Fanfic: Nowhere Fast by Andariel

Summary: Rogue keeps walking into trouble. Scott keeps dragging her out.

Rogue swiveled the stool around and faced Scott's disapproving glare. She couldn't see his eyes, but then again, she didn't need to. She'd been on the receiving end of his "I don't approve of this behavior" look enough times that the attitude was clear from the set of his jaw and the fists forcefully shoved into his jacket pockets. Rogue mused to herself that that was probably to keep him from dragging her out of the bar or strangling her, whichever impulse was currently striking him with a greater degree of intensity.

She crushed out her cigarette in the ashtray near her elbow and gave Scott a charming smile, just because she knew that her nonchalance would piss him off even more. "Hey, Cyke! I didn't think this was your kind 'a joint. Pull up a stool and I'll buy you a drink before last call."

Rogue is in a bad place, both literal and metaphorical, but she's always got someone to drag her out. I've got a soft spot for stories about these two together (in whatever sense) and their characterisation is great here.

Nowhere Fast

Fanfic: The November Dawn by Kat

Summary: Sometimes coping can be difficult. Scott and Jean from the film's 'September' find themselves in a difficult 'November.'

She's sleeping now, her knees curled into her chest, covered by an old leather jacket of his that he hasn't worn since he graduated. He remembers he used to like that jacket, used to give her looks across the courtyard when he was wearing it, and bite his lip a little awkwardly whenever she came near him. The first time she touched him, the first time she whispered a confidence into his ear, it had been this jacket that she'd clasped, balled into her fist as she'd leaned into him, her hot breath on his ear as she told him she liked it. Then, blushing lightly, she clarified it was the jacket she liked.

A great look at how Scott and Jean fall apart and pull together in the aftermath of X1. I love stories about established relationships and how people negotiate the changes they go through, and this is a wonderful example.

The November Dawn

(The link takes you to Kat's XMMFF Archive author page, since they require an age check before you read it.)

Fanfic: Nothing But Blue Skies by lilacsigil

Summary: Callisto comes to the mansion to kidnap Leech, but ends up with someone else entirely.

Logan, having made sure the other students were clear, hurtled into the group at top speed, grabbing Callisto by the throat and throwing her away from Leech. She landed on her feet and sped back towards him, but was thrown off stride when her speed dropped off as she entered the zone of the terrified Leech's power. Ororo wasted no time and leapt from the ground to tackle Callisto around the waist. Off-balance, the two women staggered backwards, stepping down into the decorative pond and falling into a tangled pile of flailing limbs in the water.

Fight scenes, ideological debate and femslash all in one story! In my opinion, all the X-Men's dates should start with a kidnapping. The comic book incarnations of Storm and Callisto have always had a tense and interesting relatioship, so it's nice to see the movie versions interacting here.

Nothing But Blue Skies