The XXY Warmups, Follies and Stories-In-Progress
The concept behind a "warmup" is that, in order to get an accurate handle on a brand-new version of a character, the person creating that character may want to write a little storylet featuring that character, exploring their relationships with each other, their attitude toward important life events, etc. Warmups may contain information which is later contradicted by XXY "canon" if the writer decides, after doing the warmup, that something doesn't quite work. For the participants in the group, other people's warmups are a key to getting a handle on other people's characters; for the readers, consider the warmups a glimpse into the creative process.
We also produce what I'm calling "follies"-- silly bits that may or may not be in continuity, simply tossed off the cuff. Some of these could actually be fit into a larger story; others are simply silly nonsense, but we thought they were funny.
Finally, there are the actual stories, which have something more of a plot with a beginning, middle and end. The line between story, warmup and folly is sometimes very thin, particularly with stories intended to be humorous in the first place. Here you will find stories in progress or in beta-reading; officially published stories appear at XXY: Tales of Another World.
Mystique and Polaris warmup: In the XXY Universe, Raven Darkholme (Mystique) and Erika Magnus (Polaris) were lovers, until Erika learned that Raven had been only using her for protection until he could return to his long-term lover, Rene Adler (Destiny). Years later, after Mystique, Destiny, and a Southerner called Psychophage had formed their own little mutant terrorist team, Psychophage was killed and Destiny captured on a mission into a situation Destiny had not predicted, and to have any hope of saving his lover Mystique was forced to crawl back to the woman he'd jilted and ask for help. This warmup describes that meeting.
At Home With The Mutant Menace: As seen through the eyes of young (10-year-old) Rogue, we see a day in the life of the Mutant Menace, after Polaris' first battle with X-Factor but before the Menace themselves came up against X-Factor. The lineup of the Menace at this time includes Polaris, Mystique, Destiny, Jasmine Wyngarde (Dreamweaver), Wanda Magnus (Quicksilver), Pietro Magnus (Wizard), and Bertha Toynbee (Leaper), with Rogue, a child who hasn't gotten his powers yet, as a civilian attached to the team. Mostly kind of humorous.
Control: A moment from the childhood of Stephanie Summers.
Polaris and The Internet: Folly. After she's been de-aged, Polaris finds some rather irritating pictures of herself on the Net.
The Trouble with Powered Suits: Powered suits aren't necessarily as useful an anti-mutant technology as they could be.
Trade: Warmup. Dark. Rated R for sexual content. A look at the twisted circumstances that created Polaris' madness.
Little Drops In A Storm, Part 1: First part of a story. Carolyn Xavier, suffering severe depression after the death of her husband and her own crippling, and trying to care for her daughter Danielle by herself, is contacted by Minda Garfield's parents to help their daughter.
Pris Wisdom warmup: The XXY universe has two swaps of Peter Wisdom-- Paula Wisdom, created by Andrew Wheeler, and Pris Wisdom, Paula's clone, created by Indigo. Here's a bit of the day Pris learned what she is.
Guardian Angel: Wendy Worthington, Angel of X-Factor, doesn't really want to do this costumed superhero thing... but what does she want?
School Spirit: A day in the lives of some of the Hellions: Kit Pryde, Maria de la Rocha (Heartbreaker), Tad Smith (Detonator), and their teacher Emma (really Emmett) Frost.
Loren warmup: Loren leaves Japan, and the arms of Yukio, to join X-Factor.
Loren warmup 2: After the battle with Krakoa, Hunter takes stock of her new home.
Bobbi warmup: Bobbi Drake joins X-Factor.
Ride of the Valkyries: Omari and Loren discover Dr. Xavier possessed by Vikings... or something. Sillyfic, unfinished.
Freedom's Dance: Masha Rasputina celebrates her freedom in the US.
Fed-X: First Appointment, Act One: Dr. Samson gets to meet his new patients.
Secret Wars: Polaris vs. Doom: Our current plan is that Secret Wars will occur, but earlier than in canon, and as a result Polaris is still a psycho villain and gets assigned to the bad guy team. This leads to a predictable power struggle between her and Doom.
No One Expects the Spanish Inquisition: Dynamo (John Grey) has just submitted his application to the Avengers, when Beatrice d'Avignon, the crazed religious fanatic from the 14th century, decides to pick a fight with Thor. Will probably be revised before actually being released to continuity.
What Alvin Blaire Said when Carolyn tried to recruit him for Krakoa.
The Problems With Fur Are Overrated: Ettie McCoy tries to convince Carl Maddicks that her fur is a major obstacle to her love life. More or less a folly but probably something like it will occur in continuity, after revision.
Working Girl: Warmup for Vashti Bashur.
Growing Pains, Pt. 1: Lucas Guthrie's origin story.
Norrin Radd, Houseguest from Hades: With Murmur the Fallen. Murmur suggested that the Silver Surfer might hang out at the X-mansion, and tossed off a brief folly to explain why this would not necessarily result in great benefit for X-Factor. Tammy followed up with a folly starring the New Mutants dealing with the unwanted houseguest. Neither of these are even slightly in continuity, but they're funny.
Messiah: Tiamat warmup. Ozymandias teaches the children of their dread and powerful mother.
Mary Richards, The Origin: How Mary Richards went from being an adorable little tot to one of the greatest cosmically powered entities in the multiverse.
The Illuminate and Eclipse: Golden Age heroes from the XXY Universe.
1975: New characters and a new superteam are introduced in these snippets.
Pulping Hot Story: Mary dreams a silly tale about her family.