Twin Poles
An alternate X-Books serial by Alara Rogers

There's no such thing as a bad idea, in my opinion, or even an overdone idea. What there is, is ideas that have been done badly so often, or in the same way so often, that one needs to be very, very careful in using them. Good writing can save anything. So here I am, cheerfully resurrecting at least one major Marvel cliche (and you know what? I betcha I'm gonna do more, too), in hopes that when you take the basic concept of certain way overdone ideas, you write it well, and you don't have the idea apply to any Summers or Greys, people will actually be willing to read it. :-)

Waaay back when, right around the time Joseph started becoming a major wuss as a matter of fact, the netizens of the Magneto Mailing List kicked around the idea that became the seed of this story. That's when I came up with the idea for Twin Poles, but as usual, I had too much to write, so I didn't get around to it.

In recent issues of X-Men and Uncanny X-Men (as I write this, we are at UXM #353, XM #72), it's been revealed that there are two "Magneto"'s running around-- Joseph, and another "Magneto"-- and as the new one appears to be the correct age, have the memories and have far greater skill with his powers, it looks like the intent is for Joseph to not be the original Magneto. Which would be fine, except the person they're trying to pass off as the real Magneto is a psycho loon. This is not what I wanted. So I decided to go ahead and write Twin Poles, so everyone would know I had my idea first. :-)

Twin Poles features characters that are copyright to Marvel Comics. It has a few original characters, such as Margaret Santoro, and if you want to use them in anything but a Subreality Cafe, ask first. No copyright infringement is intended, nor is any profit being made on this story. This story may be archived, linked to, publicly reviewed, MSTed or used for kitty litter. Alara Rogers is copyright Alara Rogers and not to be used in a Subreality Cafe or any other story without permission.

Continuity hounds alert: I began this story before the XM #72 Lehnsherr retcon, and have no intention of rewriting to incorporate it. Nothing that takes place in canonical X-Books post UXM #340, including retcons, takes place in this story unless I specifically write it in. The Magneto LS did take place, but the Shi'ar adventure has not, and will not. Also, the events of "Onslaught: Epilogue" have not and probably will not take place, as I have different plans for Xavier.

One: Journeyman of Magnetism: Unfinished.

"Well I'm just in denial of the things I cannot do
But everything that I can't have is all because of you
I don't need a guilty conscience
I don't need to be a star
All I need is some redemption
But that just won't get me very far
I don't want to live like this
I don't want to be like you
I don't need what I don't miss
This is what I've got to do"
--Sister Machine Gun, "Desperation"

Interlude: The Devil's Waltz:: Not Linked Yet.

"They say the devil is a charming man
And just like you, I'll bet he can dance"
--Kate Bush, "Heads We're Dancing"