What to do about Magik?
Author's note: Well, one reader was less then happy at my Rachel writing. Now I like reviews, good or bad as I strive to write better and reviews are both nice and can be corrective in regards to flaws. But reviews that are just complaints without examples of the complaints are not very useful. Here is what they wrote (some minor editing on my part).
I'm sorry, but please stop. Just stop. Don't write Rachel into any more of your stories. Let the people who write Kitty/Rachel, Rachel/Illyana and Kitty/Rachel/Illyana just do their own thing without molestation.
If this is you trying to be nice to the character as a gift to your friends then just don't write her at all. Your contempt shines through every word and I think you might actually hate her more than the Marvel editors. Which is a shame as the rest of your writing in this series is actually really good.
If you must keep her in then maybe have one of your more Rachel-positive friends co-author or something. This chapter was a train wreck and as I said, it's a shame as the rest of your writings tends to be really good.
The reader felt I was very anti Rachel so let me address their complaints.
Asking me to stop writing stories because you don't like something is an attempt at editorial control and censorship. Remember folks, advocating diversity means that there will be things you don't agree with. Now if a reader gives me feedback as to why they don't like what I wrote then that would have some merit, but just declaring that I should stop because you don't like it is very self centered. And the lack of details as to the complaints gives me nothing to go on. Somehow I think those who complain would be most offended if the authors of their favored interpretations of Rachel in Fanfic were told to stop because they are not writing the way some other reader wishes.
Most of my stories either try to explore parts of Illyana's character, enhanced the details of various published comics, or create stories to back fill the missing years, as such there will interactions, good or bad, with other characters. Reference the title of this story, What to do about Magik means many of the chapters are others dealing with Magik. All of which I strive to keep in canon (mostly).
So what might be the supposed hate? The scene where Rachel has a public tiff with Illyana in the school cafeteria? Possible, but I would maintain that that tiff was rather in character for Rachel.
The fight scene with Illyana and Rachel in the danger room? Um… That was a prelude to what Marvel was doing with Rachel as they created another Hound storyline; I would maintain I gave her far more respect then Marvel did, not to mention good advice about falling from Illyana.
The chapter where Rachel complains about the smell of Limbo and gives Illyana the stink eye was all DIRECTLY from the published comic. Meaning it's canon. And proves that that Rachel wants to act up around Illyana, and possible even extra if Kitty is around; which shows that my cafeteria chapter is viably in canon character. Especially as Kitty had left the school to go off with the hated Illyana (hated in this context from a jealous Rachel).
The last chapter where I had her hanging out with her brother? That was disrespectful? Um… no. And having her complain at Illyana is disrespectful of Rachel when it is shown that in canon she appears to deeply dislike Illyana? That would be a no again. And somehow having Illyana and Rachel sleep together is hate on Rachel? Um… strange argument, especially as the last chapter was a variation of Magik3 and KittyViolet's character interactions.
Contempt? Rachel in canon has always been shown to be argumentative with just about everybody except Kitty. It's not my fault that Marvel has written many a bad story about Rachel, but that is canon. Just as in canon Illyana and Rachel have had almost no interaction in the entire thirty plus year of publishing history.
Based on canon I can't but feel that Rachel would be jealously and hostile with Illyana over Kitty. Why not the reverse? Well… Illyana died, was brought back, went crazy, and… was rejected by Kitty, all that is published canon. As such I believe it is a valid interpretation to have Rachel be somewhat irrational when dealing with Illyana based upon her published behaviors, whereas Illyana would not. It is not my intent to show Illyana being better then Rachel, just that a person can dislike another whereas the object of the dislike does not dislike the disliker back. Not to mention that in the published comics Rachel is so very gay for Kitty (meaning irrational jealousy at a perceived rival is very valid). Why would I do this? Because it's called story telling. Each of my Rachel chapters is an interaction between the two of them, and I'll point out that each chapter contains more Illyana/Rachel interaction then I think is in actual canon. Each occasional chapter explores those interactions and the evolution of the two.
The cape? It was a bad look and I groaned when I first saw it. As such I had some of the characters talking about it in prior chapters. A look created by Kitty who is notoriously bad at creating a good look, which again is canon. Once the cape was gone I decide to make a joke about why the cape was gone.
Hate her? Nope. Frankly I don't really care about her. But I don't like how Marvel keeps writing her in a loop, whereas Illyana has been lucky to have a linear story line. As such I address her as a character who I think has resentments against Illyana and those resentments are the points of story creation and character interactions. Which shows respect for the characters because it is valid that people have issues with other people. Heck, if I hated her I'd just turn her into a hound again. I mean, if you look at my writing it's the Inhumans I hate.
Toking? Well, that comes from the comic about comics called Waiting For The Trade where Rachel shows up more then a few times (https: waitingforthet tumblr com). A site that I love and I admit to stealing the joke about White Queen and yes she's shown as a toker in some of the comics at the web site.
Complaining? Well… it's called having the character articulate about what is bothering them. The fact that Rachel is going over the top on her complaints to her brother is meant to imply that there is more involved then just disliking Illyana. And was meant to show that Rachel and Cable are able to converse. Also some of the dialog it was humor. You know… a joke?
Friends? Well, I have exchanged a few texts with Magik3 and KittyViolet, that is all. I found their works as I traversed all of the Illyana based fanfiction. I liked what they had come up with on Rachel/Illyana interactions, apart from the extremely graphic sex, and I've thought about creating such an interactions for a long time before I created chapter 53. I do wonder what they think about it, likely there is a good chance they won't care for it as they and I have different interpretations of Illyana; interestingly I think we rather have the same interpretation of Rachel.
Train wreck? Hate to break it to you, but Rachel has been a train wreck in many of the published storylines in the comics. Just how many times do we have to have another regression to a hound storyline? Crap I think there has been at least three hound plotlines in the last several years. Not to mention having every third rate telepath being about to take her down (again bad writing) on Marvel's part, but that's is canon. I explicitly pointed out that Illyana never calls Rachel a bitch due to Rachel's hound trauma (but I guess that's hate now).
And then there is the whole gee they slept together. Not a lot of hate there. The inability of a telepath to read Illyana's mind has been canon forever, a bit fuzzy at the moment, would mean that many a telepath would likely not be good at picking up on social cues from somebody who's mind they can't read; combined with Illyana's notorious difficulties in interacting with most people. Gads I just love the Uncanny X-Men 33 where Kitty and Illyana have a heart to heart talk as Illyana strives to figure out how to communicate again. In the panel you see Kitty's face but Illyana's is always in shadow, and the rain just communicates grief. Just look at the dialog in that comic.
Kitty (sarcastic tone): And I thought you brought me out here to kill me.
Illyana (flat tone): I don't need to bring you all the way out here to kill you.
Kitty (not quite sure how to take that tone): It's funnier when I joke about how dark and crazy mysterious you are… It's not so funny when you do it.
Illyana (flat tone that somehow conveys pain): It's not so funny when you do it, either. It actually hurts me.
And then Kitty's look as it suddenly occurs to her to view what she's been doing from the perspective of Illyana and the beginning of self reflection.
So… if Illyana was attracted to Rachel it would likely be hard for Rachel to figure it out, and it might be hard for Illyana to communicated that (again fully in Illyana canon). And… if Rachel is attracted to woman (something that endlessly hinted at in the comics but not actual proof of physical consummation that I'm aware of) then… well… Illyana is very attractive would be my guess, and that would likely be causing some of Rachel's anger as she might not want to admit that she finds Illyana attractive. And what is one of the major components of comic book writing? Misinterpretation of the actions of another (after all we always need reason for heroes to fight each other). Also I think Illyana has more then a few self image problems (that whole demon thing) as well as dislike from many people which makes her very hesitant on socially engaging folks, which most people interpret as being standoffish.
There are fanfic stories about Illyana I don't like, I don't tell the authors to stop writing. I do have to wonder if this is a Jiffy over Skippy thing (grin). Hint… that was a joke; but really us Skippy folks do have secret conversations about those who like Jiff (just yuck).
Next time articulate your complaints rather then just venting. Oh, and I gave your complaints the curtsy of an email reply that you did not respond to. I suppose some would say I should apologize that I apparently offended you but… no. The bias that far too many people now have that somehow they have a right to not be offended by something they hear is not my thing, nor to I apologize just because somebody is randomly offended, likely in this case by their Rachel obsession for a character interpretation that does not exist in current canon (gads I can only assume you don't buy any of the comics in the last ten years or so because talk about endless triggering).
Plus, in the last chapter, I accidently came up with a reason why Illyana had the phrase "Fight or make out" in the comic which really pleased me.
So… I was not planning on writing a follow chapter but… well… I guess this ones for you. And am I writing her any differently? Na… it's called character progression (you know… what I rather hinted at in the prior Rachel chapters…)
Part54a: Morning after pill?
The watery noise of a shower, and the sound of music playing awoke Rachel. The music was the song Broken by Lovelytheband that was playing in Rachel's bathroom.
Like that you're broken
Broken like me
Maybe that makes me a fool
I like that you're lonely
Lonely like me
I could be lonely with you
I met you late night, at a party
Some trust fund baby's Brooklyn loft
By the bathroom, you said let's talk
But my confidence is wearing off
These aren't my people
These aren't my friends
She grabbed my face and that's when she said
I like that you're broken
Broken like me
Maybe that makes me a fool
I like that you're lonely
Lonely like me
I could be lonely with you
There's something tragic, but almost pure
Think I could love you, but I'm not sure
There's something wholesome, there's something sweet
Tucked in your eyes that I'd love to meet
…
…
Rachel rolled over on her back, finding herself tangled up in the sheets, to stare at the ceiling and reflected upon the night's activities.
Oh-boy…
Regrets….
Guilt over her enjoyment…
The feeling that she has somehow cheated on Kitty…
Shock about just who she had had sex with…
OMG…
Lots and lots of sex…
And yet… it had been nice to be held while she slept, and to likewise hold another as it had been a long time since Rachel has slept in a bed with another. And a woman at that.
Flashbacks of remembrance of the night …
…
These aren't my people
These aren't my friends
She grabbed my face and that's when she said
…
Rachel felt about the bed and found no warm spots, so Illyana had been in the bathroom for some time, which was somewhat surprising to Rachel as Rachel was a light sleeper, as most telepaths are. She chalked that up to that mind blindness that Illyana possessed as wakefulness in her other bed partners had always acted as a kind of alarm clock for Rachel.
…
I like that you're broken
Broken like me
Maybe that makes me a fool
I like that you're lonely
Lonely like me
I could be lonely with you
…
Gods…
What had she done?
And who she had done it with…
With her!
She so disliked Illyana!
Disliked her so much that she…
She'd slept with her…
Crap…
…
Life is not a love song that we like
We're all broken pieces floating by
Life is not a love song, we can try
To fix our broken pieces one at a time
…
Suddenly Rachel so wished she could teleport…
Just get away…
If she snuck out she could get to the Krakoa teleportation disk in the living room and…
…
I like that you're broken
Broken like me
Maybe that makes me a fool
I like that you're lonely
Lonely like me
…
But…
Just sneaking away wouldn't be… right…
She was Rachel Fing Grey Summers…
Not some gutless wimp who couldn't face the consequences of her decisions…
Um right?
Right…
Right!
…
I could be lonely with you
I like that you're broken
Broken like me
Maybe that makes me a fool
I like that you're lonely
Lonely like me
I could be lonely with you
The sound of the shower ceased with the end of the song, and…
Suddenly Rachel so wished she could teleport…
Just get away…
If she snuck out she could get to the Krakoa teleportation disk in the living room…
She could always be brave later…
Something…
Something came up…
That's it!
Called away…
Had to leave in a hurry…
No time to say goodbye…
Rachel started to get out of bed, which just reminded her that she was naked. And rather sex grubby, but female sex grubby so less grubby then if sex with a male had been involved; gads the sex with Korvus had been great, but talk about messy.
She…
Her costume was just a mess of threads on the floor…
Bitch! Can't believe she did that… I aught to…
Oh… bits of Illyana's shredded costume all over the floor…
Yeah… I did…
That…
Okay, grab something from the closet…
She had to go right now…
No time to say goodbye…
No time to deal with…
Deal with…
Deal…
With…
Her…
The sound of a hairdryer started up in the bathroom which gave Rachel pause and dampened down the sudden panic to flee.
Wait a second…
Think this out…
Stop panicking…
This is my room…
If anybody should be panicking it should be her…
Not me…
Now Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger started playing as the hairdryer continued.
I had visions, I was in them
I was looking into the mirror
To see a little bit clearer
The rottenness and evil in me
Fingertips have memories
Mine can't forget the curves of your body
And when I feel a bit naughty
I run it up the flagpole and see who salutes
(But no one ever does)
…
I am not going to run…
I'm an adult…
Yeah… adult…
So tired of people treating me like I'm unstable…
It's not my fault…
I've got lots of shit to deal with…
Major shit…
Tons and tons of shit…
So much shit…
I'd like to see anybody else deal better…
I mean… who else has had so much crap happen to them…
Name me one person who's had to deal with the kind of crap I've…
Dealt…
With…
…
I'm not sick but I'm not well
And I'm so hot 'cause I'm in Hell
Been around the world and found
That only stupid people are breeding
The cretins cloning and feeding
And I don't even own a TV
Put me in the hospital for nerves
And then they had to commit me
You told them all I was crazy
They cut off my legs, now I'm an amputee, God damn you
I'm not sick but I'm not well
And I'm so hot 'cause I'm in Hell
I'm not sick but I'm not well
And it's a sin to live so well
…
Oh…
Um…
Yeah…
Her...
She… Illyana… had major shit happened to her…
Massive shit…
Biblical level apocalyptic shit…
Heck… if anybody could relate to what Illyana's had been though it would be...
Me…
…
I wanna publish 'zines
And rage against machines
I wanna pierce my tongue
It doesn't hurt, it feels fine
The trivial sublime
I'd like to turn off time
And kill my mind
You kill my mind, mind
Paranoia, paranoia
Everybody's coming to get me
Just say you never met me
I'm running underground with the moles, digging holes
Hear the voices in my head
I swear to God it sounds like they're snoring
But if you're bored, then you're boring
The agony and the irony, they're killing me (whoa)
…
Ah…
Crap…
I just so have to deal with this…
Handle what we did…
Even though I don't like her…
Really don't like her…
Really really don't like her…
Can't believe we did it…
The things she did to me…
The things I did to her…
Gods… I must have been so drunk…
The hairdryer shut off as the song ended.
…
I'm not sick but I'm not well
And I'm so hot 'cause I'm in Hell
I'm not sick but I'm not well
And it's a sin to live this well
Rachel braced herself but then the sound of the sink running, toilet flushing, and the beginning of another song apparently delay the moment of reckoning. Africa by Toto began to play
…
I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She's coming in, 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way
Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say, "Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you"
…
What is with all the noise?
Talk about being rude…
It's like she's deliberately doing it…
I mean, it's obvious she can be quite; she did sneak out of bed…
But no… have to make a bunch of noise as if she's trying to…
To…
Wake me up…
…
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had (ooh, ooh)
…
Why her?
I mean… If I'm going to sleep with a woman why her of all people…
Why not…
Not…
Psylocke!
Yeah…
Psylocke!
Now that's a shank…
And just look at her boobs and ass…
That would have been…
What am I thinking?!
If anybody it should have been Kitty!
…
The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless, longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what's right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become
…
Yeah… Kitty!
Should have been Kitty!
Not…
Her…
But no…. Kitty is always chasing after dick…
And just when we were so close fing Peter fing Rasputin came back into her life…
Took my place!
Took what should have been mine!
Fing Rasputin…
Crap…
She's… a Rasputin…
Crap...
…
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had (ooh, ooh)
Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you
…
Am…. I acting out?
Is this some weird way I'm trying to get back at Kitty?
Why…?
Her…
CRAP!? Did she caste a spell on me?
That must be it…!
She made me do it!
Made me!
I am so not at fault!
I was drunk and she took advantage of me!
Drunk and…
Lonely… and
Horney…
And she looked so good wearing that tight…
Sigh…
No… crap… I think… we…
Seduced each other…
Now what…?
…
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
(I bless the rain)
I bless the rains down in Africa (I bless the rain)
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa (ah, gonna take the time)
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had (ooh, ooh)
The music ended and the sound of the sink cut off. Then after a long silence, the bathroom door partially opened and a nervous looking Illyana glanced out as the two of them made eye contact as Rachel pulled up the sheets to hide any nudity.
Oh-boy…
Game time…
And now Rachel had to…
Attempt to deal with it…
Figure out…
What to do about Magik?