A Whole New World
by Starsinger
This AU has no known basis in any Marvel numbered worlds that I am aware of. It is inspired by a short adult story by Madripoor Rose that she put up on livejournal a few months ago. The one where Kitty became an exchange teacher to Russia, specifically the village in which Piotr lived. Also, this is not based on the Ultimate X-Men Universe. As always, I don't own these people, Marvel does. They just let me play with their characters.
She was born small, not premature, but her mother had been sick through all six of her pregnancies, and she'd be only the third of her children to survive. She survived and they named her Katherine Anne, after her grandmother. Her world valued hard work, whether they were human or mutant. Although, if one were tested and found to have the X-Gene, life became easier for the family, and so it happened. She carried the one precious gene, although it was uncertain if she would actually become a mutant.
She was born into a world where mutants and "talents", those who were not technically mutants, but carried certain psychic talents, were cloistered and pampered. Their talents were honed and any natural abilities were encouraged. So, her family moved from the middle-class suburbia with its manufactured homes, to the posh neighborhood where families with potentials lived. Not only were mutants and talents housed here, but people whose high IQs or other talents also placed them above the normal population. There, they waited.
At thirteen years old Katherine started to develop headaches that no one could explain. She would spend hours lying in her room, trying to get them to go away. One day, an odd little man who called himself Logan stopped by with what appeared to be a small purple animal. The small creature was one of a handful of survivors from his native world. Katherine had gone upstairs once again to calm a raging headache when her brother opened the door. The creature took off for the couch and started crooning to something on the other side. It was said that these "dragons" had taken to several people and it was becoming quite an honor to be chosen by one. Katherine had suddenly been thrust into the land of the chosen, talented, and mutants as her mutant phasing power, empathic talent, and little purple friend whom she named Lockheed seemed to make suddenly very clear.
Katherine had gone by the name "Kitty" for several years when she before she and her family settled on Xavier's School for the Gifted and Talented for the rest of her schooling. What no one had counted on was her extraordinarily high IQ and absolute genius for anything regarding computers. She could never get used to wearing the gloves anyone with empathic or telepathic talents were required to wear.
Half a world away and five years earlier six boys were born in a small village in Siberia. Three of them were identified with the X-gene. The Nicholas and Alexandra Rasputin were not at all surprised to find that their middle son carried it as their oldest son, Mikhail, was himself a mutant, but what did surprise them was the announcement that their boy was probably homosexual. They were also reminded that genetics was not an exact science. So, they weighed their hopes for grandchildren on their oldest son and decided not to pressure the young child they named Piotr, to be anything he wasn't.
The years rolled by as Nicholas became the village headmaster and the boys grew. Mikhail grew into a fine young man who served his country well becoming a fine pilot and cosmonaut before returning home to settle down and find a wife. Piotr became a teacher at the age of sixteen. He had mastered three languages including English and taught this and art at the local school, but didn't seem to make any lasting attachments, much to his parents' puzzlement. They were prepared to accept whoever he brought home.
Shortly after Piotr became a teacher, Alexandra discovered that she was pregnant yet again. The pregnancy was complicated due to her advanced age, and the physicians kept a close eye on her. She was safely delivered of a baby girl who appeared to be normal, and to no one's surprise, also carried the X-gene. The difficulties with a small village is that most of the villagers are related to one another in one way or another. So a way was devised that several young people from around the world would travel to this small town and provide mates for those yet unpaired.
Kitty tugged on her thin gloves, making sure they were in place before boarding the plane. She had volunteered for this teaching trip after having several relationships that ended badly. One had ended the day before they were to get married. Her mother told her that twenty was too young to get married and try a change of scenery. So, being one of the few at Xavier's who actually spoke Russian, volunteered for the teacher exchange program in Siberia. She knew that they hoped she would find a mate there. She, Jean Grey, and Anna Darkholme were on their way to Siberia, like Kitty, Jean wore gloves to protect her from accidental stray thoughts from encountering people physically. Anna wore clothing that covered her whole body and a vale that covered her face. Kitty wasn't entirely sure why she wore the vale, the rest she could understand. Anna's powers enabled her to absorb the powers of anyone she touched. Unfortunately, that also meant she sucked the life force of that person as well. She couldn't control it which precipitated the full coverage. An unfortunate encounter with a woman named Carol Danvers left Rogue, as she liked to be called, with Carol's powers and psyche permanently imprinted in her body. Carol, unfortunately, was in a vegetative state.
On the way west, they picked up several other passengers. Remy LaBeau, Scott Summers, and Jubilation Lee joined them on the plane. Kitty sighed as she poured through the portfolio that had been assembled for them. Jubilee sat down with a sigh next to her, "Telepath?" she asked casually.
"No, that's Jean," Kitty answered absently as the rucksack next to her moved. "I'm an empath." She stopped at a picture that struck her. The black hair and blue eyes struck her as strangely gentle, "Mutant power probable but not manifested yet, probably gay," were the words written beside it. She pondered what the words that were probably scrawled in the margins of her own portfolio's picture.
"What's in the sack?" Jubilee asked, eyeing the moving leather warily.
Kitty put the portfolio down and absently grabbed the sack, unzipping it without even looking up. Lockheed popped out, unhappily venting his frustration at Kitty who never even looked up. "You could've gone with Logan, Lockheed. You knew what coming with me meant, don't give me the lecture." The purple dude replied with a humph, knowing he was getting nowhere with her. He settled down next to her and watched out the window. "Don't grumble at me when I have to put you back when we land." Jubilee watched with some amusement as the dragon stuck his tongue out at her.
Jubilee looked at her, "So, you have a dragon, huh? What do you think of the group of potential suitors?"
"I don't know, I think I'll wait till we land."
Alexandra and her young daughter, Ilyana, met the group off the plane at the airport. Her husband was settling in another group that had arrived two days earlier. She watched closely as six people, four women and two men exited the plane one carrying a rucksack. She immediately started mentally pairing some of the people, but the young brunette wearing gloves left her puzzled. She wasn't entirely sold on the idea that Piotr was gay, she suspected his best friend, Grigorii was, but there was no convincing Nicholas. She stepped forward, "Welcome to Russia. We appreciate you coming." The red head glanced up as she pulled a coat around her. "It is still spring, here, but I think you will find it cold." She made a mental note to have the shielded quarters aired out for the two wearing gloves so they could be comfortable.
As Alexandra lead them to the waiting car, she noticed the sack move. Ilyana tugged away from her mother as she ran up to the brunette, "Is it? May I see it? Please, tell me…" the girl's voice trailed off as a ring of smoke trailed up from the slightly opened zipper. She heard her daughter squeal. Alexandra shrugged, she'd find out what had been brought soon enough. Another car had been brought for the luggage as her oldest son, Mikhail, emerged to greet the newcomers. His eyes immediately traveled to the red head and the brunette before settling on the brunette. The girl didn't even notice his admiring glance so intent she was in wrestling her two suitcases into the car. Alexandra's eyes travelled to the other two girls. The short brunette ignored the men as she scooted to find her seat in the car as the red head easily lifted her five suitcases into the car without touching them. The man with the red glasses couldn't take his eyes off her. Of the two men the one without the red glasses had the strangest accent she'd ever heard as she accosted the veiled woman, "Let me help you, mon ami." At least that's what she thought he said.
The girl laughed as they all piled into the car. The sack in brunette's arms moved violently as the occupant let them know it wanted out. "Kitty Pryde," the girl gasped out in laughter. Alexander stopped before entering the car to admire a flock of Whooper Swans as they flew overhead.
Whooper Swans are a large, noisy, white swan with a yellow beak. They are quite beautiful and slightly smaller than their American cousin, the Trumpeter Swans. They are native to Siberia and the northern reaches of Europe including Iceland and Scotland. Before you ask how I know this, there are a pair of these nesting at the zoo where I work. Ironically, they live with the Giraffes and Ostriches and White Rhinos in the African exhibit. Go figure, this is the same zoo that has a turkey named Cletis. They are huge and beautiful. Input appreciated because I don't have a clue as to where I'm taking this.