Title: Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? (1/?)
Series: Part One of the Muir Island Chronicles
Author: Shadowlander
Email: Shadowlander1@gmx.net
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters commonly associated with the New Mutants or their sister team the X-Men; they belong to Marvel Comic Groups and are used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Archive: If you already have some of my stuff posted add this too if you want, all other please ask first.
Pairing: Rahne/Doug
Rating: PG-13 - R, primarily for language and violence content.
Note: All of this takes place in an alternate universe, so forget everything you know about the X-Men or New Mutants. In a nutshell Rahne's mother lived and went to work for Moira on the island where our ever-favourite werewolf grew up. Also I've played a bit lose with history... for all intents and purposes in this story Rahne was born in 1984 and is seventeen years old, she only met Reverend Craig like four times in her life. The two have a love/hate relationship with one another, any other questions, comments, or suggestions? Last item, honest, the butchering of Rahne's accent is my entire fault, I have yet to get the hang of writing a Scots blur. ::sheepish grin::
WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF? (1/?)
Prologue -
Ullapool Hospital
June, 1984
1345 hours -
Moira MacTaggart frowned at the lab report in her hands trying to make sense of what she was reading, flipping back and forth between the pages on the chipboard she tried to wrap her mind around the results of what should have been a simple blood test. "So ya ken see, Doctor," the tech was explaining, "the sample ya gave us ha' to be contaminated." The young man was saying trying to be helpful to the recently divorced Doctor from Kinross.
"Aye... so it would seem," Moira said more to herself then anyone else still deep in thought, "but exactly how did it get tha' way? There are na wolves in the' Highlands" She said lowering the clipboard and turning her gaze to the young mother in the other side of a large viewing window holding a small newborn. "What the' devil is goin' on here?" she wondered under her breath, her eyes zeroing in on the infant in the woman's arms, her mind working over the problem.
******************************
Thirteen years later
Muir Island, Scotland -
Rahne Sinclair woke up on the floor of the research lab, naked and a bit cold, "Here," a voice said as a hand held out a blanket for her to wrap up in. "How do you feel?" Moira gently asked the young redhead who was still trying to get her bearings, it wasn't every day she woke up in a corner of the lab without any clothes on.
"Na sure," Rahne replied after a moment staring wide-eyed around her, "wha' happened? I remember na feelin' vera well last night and... feelin' like muh insides were coming out." She said frowning a bit as she tried to piece together last nights events, she remembered going to bed early only to wake up a few hours later screaming in agony.
"Your powers surfaced last night," Moira gently explained helping the young mutant stand, "ya shape shifted for the first time." Steadying the girl the older woman gave her a calm smile trying to reassure her, knowing that the young girl had a lot to deal with in the coming months, learning to deal with her new found powers and abilities. "Come on... ya got several people wanting to see ya," she said as one figure came rushing toward them.
"Rahne!" Abigail Sinclair cried enveloping her daughter in a bone-crushing hug, never wanting to let her go. Not after what she witnessed last night, anyway, Moira had tried her best to prepare them for this day for twelve odd years, every since that day the Doctor brought them both to Muir Island. MacTaggart explaining that she believed Rahne was a mutant and wanted to study her progress and development. Abby almost left the island that day, sure her old friend had lost her mind, then Moira had shown her the lab report including the three other reports she had done at different hospitals to confirm the findings. It had taken awhile but she was finally convinced that her old friend wasn't going to use her daughter as a lab experiment, wanting instead to help Rahne learn to deal with being born 'different' in as safe an environment as possible and Muir Island Genetic Research Lab was the best place for that. She thought she had been prepared for this day, she thought she could deal with it all, but seeing her daughter change forms in front of her was almost too much.
"I'm fine mum," Rahne said somehow sensing her mother's worry and fear, "really I am." She added with a small smile, wondering if she was ever going to be fine again.
******************************
2 June 2001
Mainland - Kinross
Douglas Ramsey shouldered his carry bag, trying hard not to look like a tourist in the small fishing village, certain all the locals were pointing at him and his friends going: "look... Americans" and making snide comments as the little group made their way to the docks to catch the ferry to Muir Island. While he still wasn't sure exactly why the Professor was making a trip to the world famous Mutant Research facility, much less why he was taking most of the New Mutants with him, he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth either. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would see Scotland, much less have a change to walk around THE mutant/genetic research facility on the planet, sometimes it was great being a mutant.
"The airsickness wear off yet, Dougie?" Illyana Rusputin asked throwing her arm around the young man, grinning broadly her eyes practically shinning behind her mirror tint sunglasses, already tasting the mischief and mayhem she planned to stir up during her stay.
"Yana... don't get us thrown out of Scotland," Doug said dryly, reading his team mate's body language and not liking that evil little grin of hers one little bit, he knew her too well and been in too many fights not to know what she was up to.
"Moi?" Illyana questioned trying to look innocent, forgetting momentarily just whom she was talking too, the one guy at the school whose unique talent just happened to be languages and reading and understanding them.
Shaking his head sadly, Doug wondered just how long they would be grounded for over Illyana's latest little stunt, knowing how much the Professor frowned upon property damage and having to pick up students at the local police department. Only to be brought out of his silent musings by a body slamming into him and Illyana, "Look out," a thickly accented voice growled as a short headed redhead slipped past them followed closely by a gang of cursing youths armed with bottles and bricks.
"MUTANT FREAK!"
Doug tried not to cringe at the hated words, realizing moments later that the words weren't directed at him or his friends, but at the redhead that had ran into him.
Ducking the brick that had been aimed at her head, Rahne growled lowly her eyes blood red as she fought to remain in human form, knowing that if she did shape shift she wouldn't stop until she killed someone. Realizing she was in a crowd, she thought quickly, she had meant to lose the Southend Hooligans chasing her before heading for the docks and the safety of the Muir Island ferry. However the narrow minded little gits, seemed to be in rare form today, actually trying to keep her cut off from the north end of town where most people tended to leave her be. 'Wha' do ya know, they actually thought things through today,' she thought ruefully, the whole 'get the mutant' game they seemed to play every day really getting on her nerves. Most people in town ignored mutants as long as they minded their own business, however there were a select few, collectively called the Southend Hooligans, who made it their hobby to act like complete morons and pick fights with every mutant they happened across. Being a known mutant and citizen of Kinross made it worse for her, many of the hooligans trying their best to kill her happened to be her own school mates, and she had to put up with they insults and taunting everyday.
Charles Xavier steadied his wheelchair with one hand as he tried to telepathically keep track of his own students, while trying to get a grasp of the situation. He didn't expect to walk right into the middle of a hate crime, a part of him grasping to the hope that things would be a bit better for mutants here in Kinross so close to Moira's lab, apparently he had been wrong and the knowledge saddened him to no end. He could feel his students outrage and hostility over the situation slamming against his mental shields, the ones he used to keep the thoughts of every man, woman, and child in a two mile radius out of his head, not to mention his sanity. Before he could act he saw the young redhead get a board broken over her back, a deep rumbling growl sounding in front and behind him as Logan popped his claws ready to jump into the middle of the fight, 'But where did that other growl come from?' he wondered, gathering his own powers to telepathically freeze the girl's attackers. While it wouldn't do a thing for maintaining a low profile while in town, he wasn't just going to sit there and watch her get beat up or let the hot tempered X-Man called Wolverine loose on the mostly young mob after the mutant. Only to come up short as the fight was joined by another group of youths, many of them armed as well, but they didn't seem to be interested in the mutant at all, in fact they seemed to be coming to her defence.
"Whose first?" a tall bald headed black youth growled, a large metal pipe in his hands as he got between the redhead and her attackers, not at all shy about taking a swing an anyone that got in his way. "Come on you little bastards... which one wants a broken arm?" he taunted as he and his friends took up protective positions around their friend, hatred for the Southenders clear in their eyes.
"Break it up... you have no business this close to the docks," another youth said, playing peacemaker for the time being. "Go on the lot of you... before I let the wolf tear your hearts out... GO ON!" he shouted knowing that the tide had turned against the Southenders they no longer had the superior numbers, although against Rahne they were all ready out numbered if she had lost her temper with them.
Seeing his opportunity Xavier subtly projected compliance at the boy's command to the mob, also wanting to avoid further trouble, all the while keeping his own students in check. This was not the introduction he wanted to make to Moira and her group of students as the redhead's defenders obviously were, although he understood not all of the 'Muir Island Mob' as they fondly called themselves, were mutants. Still they were a gutsy bunch and very protective of one of their own, if the curious guarded looks he was now getting from them was any indication. "I'm Professor Xavier... can you tell me which way to the Muir Island ferry?" he asked, seeing it as the safest route of introduction at the moment, he didn't know if Moira had told any of his students that he was a mutant or not.
'Oh great... we're dead,' Stephen Gaskins groaned as he helped Rahne stand, knowing that this latest incident with the Southenders was 'so' not going to go over well with Lady Moira, especially in front of her friend from New York. 'What a way to get introed to the guy... we're chasing off the local hate-mongers,' he thought with a shake of his dark head wondering how the day could get worse.
Cringing as she stood, her left side voicing its protest at the moment, a trail of blood running down the side of her face from a cut to her forehead. Taking slow even breaths she forced herself to calm down, 'Steady girl,' she told herself, feeling her wild half thrashing about inside of her trying to get out, 'make it back ta the island and tear apart the danger room.'
Twenty minutes later, Kinross Docks -
"Cor... they worked ya over good ta day," the first mate of the Muir Island ferry whistled as he turned Rahne's face to get a better look at her injuries, "ya lucky you'll be mostly healed before ya mum sees ya," he added in a conspiring voice dabbing at her cut with an alcohol swab from the boat's little medical kit.
"Aye," Rahne acknowledge with a weary smile, knowing how upset her mum got every time she come home after a fight.
Not far away Doug was watching the two trying to wrap his mind around what had happened, 'How can anyone be smiling after getting jumped?' he wondered.
"Oh that was nothing... just the local hate-brigade announcing their continuing ignorance to the world," Stephen said, briefly looking up from his rope tying, before returning to his task unaware of the stares he was getting from Xavier and his students. The Professor more out of curiosity then anything else, he had not sensed any telepathic ability from the boy. "Don't trouble yourself Professor... you'll get used to me in time," he said as he looked up at the telepath a sympathetic look in his eyes, returning the Professor's direct gaze.
End Part One.
Series: Part One of the Muir Island Chronicles
Author: Shadowlander
Email: Shadowlander1@gmx.net
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters commonly associated with the New Mutants or their sister team the X-Men; they belong to Marvel Comic Groups and are used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Archive: If you already have some of my stuff posted add this too if you want, all other please ask first.
Pairing: Rahne/Doug
Rating: PG-13 - R, primarily for language and violence content.
Note: All of this takes place in an alternate universe, so forget everything you know about the X-Men or New Mutants. In a nutshell Rahne's mother lived and went to work for Moira on the island where our ever-favourite werewolf grew up. Also I've played a bit lose with history... for all intents and purposes in this story Rahne was born in 1984 and is seventeen years old, she only met Reverend Craig like four times in her life. The two have a love/hate relationship with one another, any other questions, comments, or suggestions? Last item, honest, the butchering of Rahne's accent is my entire fault, I have yet to get the hang of writing a Scots blur. ::sheepish grin::
WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF? (1/?)
Prologue -
Ullapool Hospital
June, 1984
1345 hours -
Moira MacTaggart frowned at the lab report in her hands trying to make sense of what she was reading, flipping back and forth between the pages on the chipboard she tried to wrap her mind around the results of what should have been a simple blood test. "So ya ken see, Doctor," the tech was explaining, "the sample ya gave us ha' to be contaminated." The young man was saying trying to be helpful to the recently divorced Doctor from Kinross.
"Aye... so it would seem," Moira said more to herself then anyone else still deep in thought, "but exactly how did it get tha' way? There are na wolves in the' Highlands" She said lowering the clipboard and turning her gaze to the young mother in the other side of a large viewing window holding a small newborn. "What the' devil is goin' on here?" she wondered under her breath, her eyes zeroing in on the infant in the woman's arms, her mind working over the problem.
******************************
Thirteen years later
Muir Island, Scotland -
Rahne Sinclair woke up on the floor of the research lab, naked and a bit cold, "Here," a voice said as a hand held out a blanket for her to wrap up in. "How do you feel?" Moira gently asked the young redhead who was still trying to get her bearings, it wasn't every day she woke up in a corner of the lab without any clothes on.
"Na sure," Rahne replied after a moment staring wide-eyed around her, "wha' happened? I remember na feelin' vera well last night and... feelin' like muh insides were coming out." She said frowning a bit as she tried to piece together last nights events, she remembered going to bed early only to wake up a few hours later screaming in agony.
"Your powers surfaced last night," Moira gently explained helping the young mutant stand, "ya shape shifted for the first time." Steadying the girl the older woman gave her a calm smile trying to reassure her, knowing that the young girl had a lot to deal with in the coming months, learning to deal with her new found powers and abilities. "Come on... ya got several people wanting to see ya," she said as one figure came rushing toward them.
"Rahne!" Abigail Sinclair cried enveloping her daughter in a bone-crushing hug, never wanting to let her go. Not after what she witnessed last night, anyway, Moira had tried her best to prepare them for this day for twelve odd years, every since that day the Doctor brought them both to Muir Island. MacTaggart explaining that she believed Rahne was a mutant and wanted to study her progress and development. Abby almost left the island that day, sure her old friend had lost her mind, then Moira had shown her the lab report including the three other reports she had done at different hospitals to confirm the findings. It had taken awhile but she was finally convinced that her old friend wasn't going to use her daughter as a lab experiment, wanting instead to help Rahne learn to deal with being born 'different' in as safe an environment as possible and Muir Island Genetic Research Lab was the best place for that. She thought she had been prepared for this day, she thought she could deal with it all, but seeing her daughter change forms in front of her was almost too much.
"I'm fine mum," Rahne said somehow sensing her mother's worry and fear, "really I am." She added with a small smile, wondering if she was ever going to be fine again.
******************************
2 June 2001
Mainland - Kinross
Douglas Ramsey shouldered his carry bag, trying hard not to look like a tourist in the small fishing village, certain all the locals were pointing at him and his friends going: "look... Americans" and making snide comments as the little group made their way to the docks to catch the ferry to Muir Island. While he still wasn't sure exactly why the Professor was making a trip to the world famous Mutant Research facility, much less why he was taking most of the New Mutants with him, he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth either. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would see Scotland, much less have a change to walk around THE mutant/genetic research facility on the planet, sometimes it was great being a mutant.
"The airsickness wear off yet, Dougie?" Illyana Rusputin asked throwing her arm around the young man, grinning broadly her eyes practically shinning behind her mirror tint sunglasses, already tasting the mischief and mayhem she planned to stir up during her stay.
"Yana... don't get us thrown out of Scotland," Doug said dryly, reading his team mate's body language and not liking that evil little grin of hers one little bit, he knew her too well and been in too many fights not to know what she was up to.
"Moi?" Illyana questioned trying to look innocent, forgetting momentarily just whom she was talking too, the one guy at the school whose unique talent just happened to be languages and reading and understanding them.
Shaking his head sadly, Doug wondered just how long they would be grounded for over Illyana's latest little stunt, knowing how much the Professor frowned upon property damage and having to pick up students at the local police department. Only to be brought out of his silent musings by a body slamming into him and Illyana, "Look out," a thickly accented voice growled as a short headed redhead slipped past them followed closely by a gang of cursing youths armed with bottles and bricks.
"MUTANT FREAK!"
Doug tried not to cringe at the hated words, realizing moments later that the words weren't directed at him or his friends, but at the redhead that had ran into him.
Ducking the brick that had been aimed at her head, Rahne growled lowly her eyes blood red as she fought to remain in human form, knowing that if she did shape shift she wouldn't stop until she killed someone. Realizing she was in a crowd, she thought quickly, she had meant to lose the Southend Hooligans chasing her before heading for the docks and the safety of the Muir Island ferry. However the narrow minded little gits, seemed to be in rare form today, actually trying to keep her cut off from the north end of town where most people tended to leave her be. 'Wha' do ya know, they actually thought things through today,' she thought ruefully, the whole 'get the mutant' game they seemed to play every day really getting on her nerves. Most people in town ignored mutants as long as they minded their own business, however there were a select few, collectively called the Southend Hooligans, who made it their hobby to act like complete morons and pick fights with every mutant they happened across. Being a known mutant and citizen of Kinross made it worse for her, many of the hooligans trying their best to kill her happened to be her own school mates, and she had to put up with they insults and taunting everyday.
Charles Xavier steadied his wheelchair with one hand as he tried to telepathically keep track of his own students, while trying to get a grasp of the situation. He didn't expect to walk right into the middle of a hate crime, a part of him grasping to the hope that things would be a bit better for mutants here in Kinross so close to Moira's lab, apparently he had been wrong and the knowledge saddened him to no end. He could feel his students outrage and hostility over the situation slamming against his mental shields, the ones he used to keep the thoughts of every man, woman, and child in a two mile radius out of his head, not to mention his sanity. Before he could act he saw the young redhead get a board broken over her back, a deep rumbling growl sounding in front and behind him as Logan popped his claws ready to jump into the middle of the fight, 'But where did that other growl come from?' he wondered, gathering his own powers to telepathically freeze the girl's attackers. While it wouldn't do a thing for maintaining a low profile while in town, he wasn't just going to sit there and watch her get beat up or let the hot tempered X-Man called Wolverine loose on the mostly young mob after the mutant. Only to come up short as the fight was joined by another group of youths, many of them armed as well, but they didn't seem to be interested in the mutant at all, in fact they seemed to be coming to her defence.
"Whose first?" a tall bald headed black youth growled, a large metal pipe in his hands as he got between the redhead and her attackers, not at all shy about taking a swing an anyone that got in his way. "Come on you little bastards... which one wants a broken arm?" he taunted as he and his friends took up protective positions around their friend, hatred for the Southenders clear in their eyes.
"Break it up... you have no business this close to the docks," another youth said, playing peacemaker for the time being. "Go on the lot of you... before I let the wolf tear your hearts out... GO ON!" he shouted knowing that the tide had turned against the Southenders they no longer had the superior numbers, although against Rahne they were all ready out numbered if she had lost her temper with them.
Seeing his opportunity Xavier subtly projected compliance at the boy's command to the mob, also wanting to avoid further trouble, all the while keeping his own students in check. This was not the introduction he wanted to make to Moira and her group of students as the redhead's defenders obviously were, although he understood not all of the 'Muir Island Mob' as they fondly called themselves, were mutants. Still they were a gutsy bunch and very protective of one of their own, if the curious guarded looks he was now getting from them was any indication. "I'm Professor Xavier... can you tell me which way to the Muir Island ferry?" he asked, seeing it as the safest route of introduction at the moment, he didn't know if Moira had told any of his students that he was a mutant or not.
'Oh great... we're dead,' Stephen Gaskins groaned as he helped Rahne stand, knowing that this latest incident with the Southenders was 'so' not going to go over well with Lady Moira, especially in front of her friend from New York. 'What a way to get introed to the guy... we're chasing off the local hate-mongers,' he thought with a shake of his dark head wondering how the day could get worse.
Cringing as she stood, her left side voicing its protest at the moment, a trail of blood running down the side of her face from a cut to her forehead. Taking slow even breaths she forced herself to calm down, 'Steady girl,' she told herself, feeling her wild half thrashing about inside of her trying to get out, 'make it back ta the island and tear apart the danger room.'
Twenty minutes later, Kinross Docks -
"Cor... they worked ya over good ta day," the first mate of the Muir Island ferry whistled as he turned Rahne's face to get a better look at her injuries, "ya lucky you'll be mostly healed before ya mum sees ya," he added in a conspiring voice dabbing at her cut with an alcohol swab from the boat's little medical kit.
"Aye," Rahne acknowledge with a weary smile, knowing how upset her mum got every time she come home after a fight.
Not far away Doug was watching the two trying to wrap his mind around what had happened, 'How can anyone be smiling after getting jumped?' he wondered.
"Oh that was nothing... just the local hate-brigade announcing their continuing ignorance to the world," Stephen said, briefly looking up from his rope tying, before returning to his task unaware of the stares he was getting from Xavier and his students. The Professor more out of curiosity then anything else, he had not sensed any telepathic ability from the boy. "Don't trouble yourself Professor... you'll get used to me in time," he said as he looked up at the telepath a sympathetic look in his eyes, returning the Professor's direct gaze.
End Part One.