Alara.net/Crossroads X/Otherwhere

Archive
Name:	Otherwhere - An Elseworlds Archive
Date(s):	1998-2001
Archivist:	Alara Rogers
Founder:	Alara Rogers
Type:	Archive
Fandom:	Multifandom
URL:	Otherwhere via Wayback May 25/23
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Otherwhere: The Elseworlds Archive was conceived of by Alara Rogers in December 1998 when she posted to ACFF requesting Elseworlds stories for a new archive. The last update was in January 2001.

This page showcases the Elseworlds fanfics that I like or that I consider well-written. Unlike my character archives, it is not an inclusive page (that is, a page that tries to archive everything, regardless of quality); quality counts, here. This is because I assume that a rabid Magneto fan might even want to read a suckfest that has him as a main character (this is based on personal experience, I assure you :-)), but I find it hard to imagine anyone being a rabid enough fan of Elseworlds to read absolutely anything out there.

...

What's an Elseworld? In actual comic books, of course, an Elseworld is an alternate universe put out by DC, as opposed to What Ifs, the alternate universes done by Marvel. For fanfic, however, I don't find this a useful distinction.

Marvel's What Ifs are primarily on the order of "change one thing and see how the universe changes"-- such as "What If Uncle Ben didn't die?" or "What If Xavier became the Juggernaut?" DC Elseworlds have started doing more of that, but they made their name with complete changes of milieu, such as "Batman is a pirate sailing the high seas" or "Superman is a villager in a medieval society." So I think that Elseworlds, as applied to fanfic, refer to comic book fanfic that changes the milieu or performs some other drastic change.

Examples of common Elseworlds themes would be: "the characters live in a world without superpowers, a world just like our own;" "the characters live in a medieval fantasy setting;" "the characters live in a historical setting." Stuff that's more questionable includes things like my own Power Swap Challenge ("change around people's powers") or the XXY Genderswap Universe, where all the mutants are of opposite sexes. My rule of thumb for differentiating a What If from an Elseworlds is that What If changes critical decision points; Elseworlds alters the environment; and for purposes of this page, characters being born differently (ie, different mutant powers or gender swapping or being born 100 years in the past) count as Elseworlds. I will also count fairy tales told by Marvel characters that rework their own world (a la Claremont's "Kitty's Fairy Tale."

 

The Archive

(Notes in italics by Alara)

Stories by Abyss:

• Skull and X-Bones: Archived by queenB at The Itty Bitty Archives. Logan is a swashbuckling pirate, sailing the high seas.
• Pale Reign Over Geshem: Archived by queenB at The Itty Bitty Archives. In the world of the Marvel graphic novel "Rahne of Terra", Scott Summerses from four different universes must gather to save the land from the Pale Man.

Stories by Raven Adams:

• Darkness Surrounding: Archived by Alykat at Down-Home Charm. Unfinished. Victor Creed is a lawyer and Remy LeBeau a homicide cop in a world where mutant powers exist, but mutants never took up the superhero/spandex lifestyle. A murder mystery.

Stories by Ana Lyssie Cotton:

• Dancing Away With It: Archived by Luba Kmetyk at Fonts of Wisdom. A rock band-- consisting of Kat Pryde, Doug, Illyana, Rahne, Kurt and Pete-- plays a set.
• Dancing Holidays: Archived by Luba Kmetyk at Fonts of Wisdom. The band from Dancing Away With It spend Christmas with Kat Pryde's family.
• Dancing Tempest: Archived by Luba Kmetyk at Fonts of Wisdom. Third in the series. The band are being screwed by a bad manager. What to do?

Stories by Kate Bolin:

• Taxi Driver: Archived by Kielle at The X-Men: Movieverse. Movieverse. An Elseworlds based on the movie. Logan is a taxi driver observing a teen prostitute who calls herself Rogue.

Stories by Crazed Weasel:

• Naming of Names: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. Unfinished. Authorized sequel to my "In Love And War." The children of Charlotte Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr flee into hiding when Magneto attacks, not knowing it's their long-lost father.

Stories by Dandelion:

• Seein' Double in Deadeye: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. HTML by Lori McDonald. In an Old West setting, the gunslinger Dirty Pool Wade comes into the town of Deadeye, where everyone he meets looks oddly similar... Humor.

Stories by Diamonde:

• Erinyes: Hell Hath No Fury: Written with Alicia McKenzie. Archived by Diamonde at Peeing in the Jean Pool. What would the conflict between Cable and Stryfe have been like if they had both been women instead?
• Erinyes: Yours Sincerely: Archived by Diamonde at Peeing in the Jean Pool. Second in the "Erinyes" series, but chronologically comes first. Eris seduces Natalie's lover Tetherblood, pretending to be her.

Stories by John Duffin:

• In Sickness: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. In a world without mutants, Ororo Munroe is a doctor trying to deal with the cantankerous old veteran Logan.

Stories by Father Of Lies:

• Scars: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. Authorized sequel to Dannell Lites' "Life Among the Ruins." Primarily focuses on Remy and Rogue.

Stories by Syl F:

• Emerald Dawn: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. " When Sir Richard reaches his eighteenth birthday, he becomes the target for evil men and brazen women seeking easy wealth. It's up to Castle Wayne's wise Seneschal, Alfred, the Duke of Pennyworth, Lady Barbara Gordon, his true love, and of course, his guardian, Bruce Lord Wayne to ensure Richard's safe passage into his majority. To make matters worse, the legendary island kingdom of Avalon is under assault by the dark forces of an age-old enemy." (synopsis by author)

Stories by GambitGirl:

• The Way It's Dealt: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site.Remy LeBeau is a woman, trying to maneuver her way out of a tangle of family obligations to the Guilds.
• One More Hand: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. Second in the Remy-as-a-woman series. Remy heads for New York City, and ends up being recruited by the X-Men to try to stop a slaving ring. But Logan doesn't trust her... or is there another reason for his hostility?

Stories by Jase Hawke:

• CrossCurrents: Angels and Demons: Archived by Luba Kmetyk at Fonts of Wisdom. An Amalgam-like universe where Charles Xavier, the Batman, teams up with Professor Bruce Wayne's X-Men against Magneto and the Joker.

Stories by Rhona H:

• Twisted Image: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. Unfinished. In an alternate world, Mystique is an exotic dancer and Nathaniel Essex falls in love with her.

Stories by Iceman:

• Shattered Dreams: Archived by BelaLeBeau at The Ordinary Archive. The Ordinary Archive deals with Marvel characters in a world like ours, with no superpowers. This story shows Lorna in a world without powers.

Stories by Kaleidopy:

• Unholy Alliance: Archived by BelaLeBeau at The Ordinary Archive. The Ordinary Archive deals with Marvel characters in a world like ours, with no superpowers. Here we see the Marauders, and they're still badasses. :-)

Stories by K-Nice:

• The Bridge: Archived by K-Nice at WatchGuard Headquarters. First in "The Bridge" series. In a world without mutant powers, a teenage Scott Summers turns to alcohol to escape the pain of his mother's death.
• If I Told You A Secret... Archived by K-Nice at WatchGuard Headquarters. Second in "The Bridge" series. Scott tries to be an older brother to Alex and Remy while trying to hide his own problems.
• Would You Tell Me A Lie? Archived by K-Nice at WatchGuard Headquarters. Third in "The Bridge" series. Scott gets into a fight with Warren, and then a fight of another sort with his father.
• A Bridge: Archived by K-Nice at WatchGuard Headquarters. Last in "The Bridge" series. After Scott goes to college and meets new friends, his relations with his family improve.
• Maybe, On Some Other Day: Archived by K-Nice at WatchGuard Headquarters. First in the "Some Other" series. Raven Darkholme and Jean-Luc LeBeau pledge their children in betrothal to one another as part of a political maneuver.
• Possibly, In Some Other Life: Archived by K-Nice at WatchGuard Headquarters. Second in the "Some Other" series. Emily meets up with Remy again, and finds that things have changed between them.
• Perhaps, In Some Other Time: Archived by K-Nice at WatchGuard Headquarters. Third in the "Some Other" series. The Gambit and the Rogue face off against each other for the last time.
• Bone and Blood: Archived by K-Nice at WatchGuard Headquarters. Detectives Ororo Munroe and Remy LeBeau are on the trail of a serial killer.

Stories by Vicki L:

• Free For A Second: Archived by Alykat at Down-Home Charm. Unfinished. Rogue and Remy in a "La Femme Nikita"-style plot.

Stories by Dannell Lites:

• Fathers of the Atom: Archived by Dannell Lites at !Magneto!. An alternate universe where Xavier and Magnus are among the inventors of the atom bomb.
• End of the Line: Archived by Dannell Lites at !Magneto!. In a Wild West setting, Jean is a prostitute and Magnus a gunslinger.
• Life Among The Ruins: Archived by Dannell Lites at !Magneto!. An Elseworlds tale of life after the bombs fell.
• Holy Terror 2: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. A sequel to the DC Elseworlds "Holy Terror", in which we meet the Kents and the rest of the Bat-family.

Stories by Jaya Mitai:

• Piece: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. Elseworlds challenge. A musical performance.

Stories by Nikia J:

• The Bodyguard: Archived by Storm Khoo at Storm X-Press. Ororo Munroe, the supermodel, is being stalked by a killer. Her adoptive father, Charles Xavier, calls in an old friend to be her bodyguard... Logan.

Stories by Maelstrom:

• Wrath: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. Based on my Gender Swap challenge. The Dark Knight is a woman, and when the Joker shoots her adopted son Dick Grayson, there's going to be hell to pay.

Stories by Alicia McKenzie:

• Chalice: Archived by Alicia McKenzie at The Dayspring Archive. Elseworlds challenge. A young noblewoman saves an injured man from death, who in turn helps save her from the death of the soul.
• Erinyes: Hell Hath No Fury: Written with Diamonde. Archived by Diamonde at Peeing in the Jean Pool. What would the conflict between Cable and Stryfe have been like if they had both been women instead?

Stories by Mockery:

• Untitled: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. Based on my Power Swap challenge. Paige Guthrie must deal with the outcome of her powers in an alternate world.

Stories by Mystique:

• Dark Tide^{[Dead link]}: Archived by Ficworld. In an alternate universe, the X-Men were founded by Sean Cassidy and Emma Frost, and Charles Xavier is one of the teenage students.

Stories by Alexandra N:

• Elseworlds: Stripe of a Different Color: Archived by Alykat at Down-Home Charm. An "alternate" universe much like our own, set during the Depression, where Rogue(Sabine) is a depressed young housewife in a loveless marriage, Remy is the drifter who awakens her to the possibilities of her life, and Raven Darkholme is the exotic local sophisticate.
• Elseworlds: Stars and Stripes Forever: Archived by Alykat at Down-Home Charm. Set in New York during the 1950's, Rogue (Sabine) is determined to succeed in show biz. Whatever it takes.

Stories by Northlight:

• Another Day, Another Debate: Archived by Northlight. Did you ever imagine Charles Xavier and Magneto as two crusty old men arguing on the porch? No? Then read this story. Humor
• Revolution: Archived by Northlight. Set in the same universe as "Another Day, Another Debate", approximately fifty or sixty years earlier. Erik was getting Charles into trouble even when they were in elementary school. Humor.

Stories by Nute:

• Sibling Rivalry: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. POWER SWAP CHALLENGE: A young man is tormented by his brother's cruelties until he develops the power to save himself.

Stories by Redhawk:

• To Pass The Torch: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. Unfinished. POWER SWAP CHALLENGE. In an alternate world, Charles Xavier gathers a team of mutants to carry out the dream of his mentor... En Sabah Nur.

Stories by Alara Rogers

• Powderkeg: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. POWER SWAP CHALLENGE. Suppose it had been Magda, not Erik, who had the powers?
• In Love And War: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. First in my Genderswap Trilogy, three different universes each based on swapping one character's sex. If Charles Xavier had been born a woman, how might things have gone differently between her and Magneto... and what would have been the consequences had things stayed the same?
• Unity: A Letter To A Friend: Archived by Alara Rogers at Shifting Sands. Part of my Genderswap Trilogy, this one swaps Magneto and marries her off to Xavier. In this, the first story I've written in the arc, Erika Xavier writes to an old friend about why she pursues her husband's dreams and not her own.

Stories by RogueStar:

• A Horse of a Different Color: Archived by Alykat at Down-Home Charm. Revised. Unfinished. An Elseworlds where Magneto is cast as an evil mage who demands the hand of the fair Sabrina (Rogue) unless she and her lover Remy can find the legendary Horse of Another Color.
• The Sword and The Rose: Archived by Alykat at Down-Home Charm. Unfinished. Sequel to "The Horse Of Another Color." Sabrina and Remy, now married, prepare to defend their own in an uncertain world.
• The Magician and the Butterfly: Archived by Alykat at Down-Home Charm. Sabine Robbins leaves her husband, the farmer Cody, and runs off with a circus magician.

Stories by Mark Shakespeare:

• Love and Bullets: Archived by Luba Kmetyk at Fonts of Wisdom. Unfinished. In an alternate history, the Roman Empire has never fallen. Brigadier Pryde leads the defense of the Republic of Canaan against Rome at Masada, under the command of Field-Marshall Lehnsherr. Meanwhile, Major Pete Wisdom, "something of a pyromaniac and all-round destruction fetishist", and General Logan come to the defense of Masada and have the opportunity to blow lots of things up.

Stories by Amanda Sichter:

• The Burning Heart: Archived by queenB at The Itty Bitty Archives. In a world like our own, Logan is a veteran firefighter trying to save a woman's life.
• The Princess, The Thief and The Tall Stone Tower: Archived by Alykat at Down-Home Charm. A fairy-tale adaptation of the driving metaphors behind Rogue and Remy's relationship.

Stories by Skyrocket:

• Wildstorm Vignettes: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. Elseworlds challenge. What would the Gen13 and DV8 kids be like in a world with no superpowers?

Stories by John R. Stephens

• Batman: A Time For War: Archived by Alara Rogers at Alara's Happy-Happy Text Only Site. Unfinished. The Nazis have invaded Mexico during WWII, but the US government has been practicing appeasement... and when Thomas Wayne argues for war with the Nazis, he pays a horrible price. Now, with mother and father murdered, Bruce Wayne is going to battle the ones who killed them...

Stories by Jeannette Swift:

• The Blue, The Grey and the Red: Archived by Luba Kmetyk at Fonts of Wisdom. Medical crises haven't changed much with time, as shown in this Elseworlds where Moira practiced during the War of the States.

Stories by Menshevik:

• Rogue's Fairy Tale. Archived by Alykat at Down-Home Charm. Rogue tells her little sisters a fairy tale.

Stories by Yasmin M:

• Once Upon An Avalon: Archived by Luba Kmetyk at Fonts of Wisdom. Unfinished. In a world where the High King Magnus and his queen Ororo rule the land, Sir Jonothan saves a mute girl from her slavery under the evil Marius. Written for the Elseworlds Challenge.

The Links

The XXY Genderswap Universe: Archived by Alara Rogers. The idea behind the XXY universe is that all the mutant characters, and a small handful of human characters, were born of the opposite sex.

The Ordinary Archive (via Wayback, Feb 4/99): This is actually a site dedicated to tales of the X-characters in a world without superpowers. It takes submissions about characters no one has done already.