SUMMERS, RACHEL

Real name: Rachel Summers
Occupation: Stranger in a strange land, (tm). A displaced heroine focused on a dream.
Identity: Rachel is a complete unknown.
Legal status: No record exists of her anywhere.
Other aliases: Ray
Place of birth: Westchester County, New York (The Future)
Marital status: Single
Known relatives: Scott and Jean Grey-Summers (parents, deceased, The Future)
Group affiliation: None
Base of operations: New York City
First appearance: 2010 (present day: September, 2000)
History:

The year was two thousand ten, and much like a 'Space Oddessy', the world was on the verge of new boundaries, new technologies, and the possibilities of new worlds. Mankind had advanced in leaps and bounds since the new millennium passed over, though they had also regressed, for as brilliant minds created new ways to help society, others created new ways to take that life away. Society had come to realize that there were those out there that possessed incredible abilities, powers and gifts that some considered a blessing, others considered a curse. No longer did the government deny the existence of mutants, no longer did man dismiss the extraordinary as nothing more than fairy tales, and due to that sudden shift in attitude, the world would swiftly shift from the exploration of incredible wonders, to the destruction of all that was known and trusted.

However, for that year, the world was still in a stage of quarreling only, the fires of hatred and prejudice had been lit, they burned bright and strong, but no actions had yet to trigger the flames into an explosion of reaction. Like a simmering pot ready to boil, the world held its breath, while dark, twisted, and evil creatures manipulated events to their own liking - corrupting the world to a time when they would rule, wanting the end to near. Mutant hatred at this point, was still limited to select individuals and groups, the government had not yet taken an interest, nor active prejudice against them. (Though a lot of law officials did tend to turn a blind eye when a mutant was murdered, or prejudice shown against them.)

On a cold day in winter, that very year, settled on a peaceful spot in Westchester County, New York, a baby was born. Her mother was weary from the birth, though her beauty could still be seen, radiating from her like a brilliant spark, she cradled the child close to her chest, lifting sparkling green eyes up to her husband - who watched on, the strong set of his jaw loosening up just enough to lean gently down, and plant a kiss on both the mother and child's cheek.

Two souls destined to be together, each perfectly balanced the other, yin and yang, karma, true love, destiny, there are a thousand different sayings that could so easily describe the couple's love; though for the child that reached out clasping onto a strand of long, auburn hair, weary itself from the long birth, she could only feel the emotions that both gave out; love, support, tenderness, and caring, and for her, that was enough.

The couple's names were as important as the child's, for Jean and Scott Summers and their daughter Rachel, all possessed a unique factor that set them apart from humanity. They were one of the few that possessed extraordinary abilities, powers that gave them a responsibility to use their gifts for the -good- of mankind. As two members of a band of outlaw mutants called The X-Men, the couple fought to keep that fire of hatred from ever exploding into the wildfire of reaction.

Unfortunately, darker forces were at work, and the world would swiftly fall into a festering cancerous attitude, quickly consuming its host body with a frightening speed. The triggering event was the rise of a man that claimed to be the savior Magneto. Having returned to the world in time to save mutant kind from destruction, the man that called himself 'Magneto', was nearly half the age he should be, barely looking in his fourties. Still, he held powers that could easily be considered God-like, and his purpose was as singularly minded, as it was noble - at least in his mind. He demanded the freedom of his people. Supposidly newly arisen, no longer old and suffering from age, power surged through his very essence. Scores of mutants would give their lives for him, and in the end, the war he waged on mankind did not bring about freedom and equality for mutants, allowing them to be the dominant race; it instead triggered the events that would allow the end to near.

Not every mutant believed in this 'new' Magento's words and dogma like statements. (A few did not even believe this was or could be the same man that should be in his eighties, instead of a young, powerful 'savior' in the full glory of his age..) Not every mutant thought themselves above humanity due to their powers. A lone band of mutants, loyal to another dream, another cause, fought against the insanity that they could see swiftly closing in around them. They fought with strength, courage, conviction, and righteous beliefs, but the war that had been waged by one man's vision of mutant power could not be stopped. They were known as the X-Men, led by the child's father, and under the direction of a man known as Charles Xavier, the band of mutants fought for a dream. The dream was for peace, equality, the beauty of co-existence between man and mutant, between good and evil. That dream, while perhaps flawed in its purity, fueled his children, his 'X-Men', to risk their own lives time and again, attempting to make that dream a reality.

Perhaps sadly, perhaps fortunately, Charles Xavier would not live to see his dream become shattered by a mad-man's goals. A year after Rachel was born, Xavier died of natural cuases, his body unable to continue on, though his dream did live on, in the spirit, conviction, and powerful will of the new leader of the X-Men; Scott Summers.

For thirteen years, under Scott's capable leadership, the X-Men fought to keep the world from drawing to its end, every skirmish Magneto and his band of mutants tossed at the world, the X-Men would counter. Both Magneto and the X-Men were equal in wins, and loses, at times Magneto's band and goals would be achieved, while in others, the X-Men would manage to stop the man's desires. Consumed by madness himself, watching as humanity still fought, destroyed, killed, and subjected mutants to the same craze Hitler did to the Jews, Magneto's hardened soul sought to end it all, and bring mutant dominance to the forefront of humanity.

During that time, Rachel grew up in a world that hated mutants. While she was loved, cared for, and sheltered, those that did not have such a loving environment were slaughtered, burned, hung, tortured and destroyed, still the government had not yet taken any active measures against mutants. More anti-mutant groups arose, more terrorists and slayings occurred, but the governments throughout the world turned blind eyes, and refused to take any action - yet.

Rachel did not know of the darker history and events that transpired in the shadows of Magneto's war against mankind, and humanity's war against mutants. She knew nothing of the twisted, corrupt individuals and goals that transpired both under the cover of darkness, and out in broad daylight. For her, though she knew of the hatred and sheer brutality the world was undergoing, she was allowed the opportunity for thirteen years to be a child, to know her parents, to be loved, trained, and cared for by a band of mutants that continuously fought for Xavier's dream, even if the man was gone.

She shared a close bond with her parents that could not be broken, not through the most vile of corruption, not through the most twisted of minds or attempts. Just like her mom and dad were psionically linked together, when Rachel's powers emerged, she shared that bond with them both, feeling their fears, their love, their hopes, their dreams, just as she gave them hers, and as a family, no three people could ever be as close. While Jean Grey-Summers did not possess the Phoenix Force, she was still called 'Phoenix', a name that fit her fiery personality, and incredible skills. Her husband, Scott Summers, was known as Cyclops, his devotion for Charles Xavier's dream was the most stalwart and loyal of any of Xavier's X-Men. Cyclops and Phoenix, together they were a true force of nature itself. For thirteen years, though times were both good, and bad, as a family, as a unit, as two people that loved each other as husband and wife, and as mother and father, they gave Rachel - unlike so many children at the time - a loving home and environment. Though as the old saying goes, nothing lasts forever, for all of what Rachel knew would change in the blink of an eye.

Perhaps this Magneto had become insane, perhaps he had been consumed with the insanity that tore at every soul across the world, perhaps he had simply become so blinded to his own goals and vision, that he could not see what his war had done, not believe that he could be almost singularly responsible for the death and pain that filled the world. He only knew that time and again, his plans had been foiled by a group of mutants that were influenced still by a dreamer, and lead by a stubborn, powerful individual. He set plans into motion, a trap was set, he would eliminate his foes, and the world would bow down to /his/ vision.

The battle was truly epic, but spurred on by his madness, Magneto took the opportunity to strike down the emotional core of the X-Men, the one that had seemingly risen from the dead so often, in the insanity of the moment, he struck down and killed Phoenix. Not only did Cyclops feel the loss of his life mate, but a young child hiding in the shadows, disobeying her family's direct orders to stay put, felt it long before Jean's lifeless body toppled to the ground. She felt the anguish that went through her father, matching and almost succeeding her own. She felt the tears of rage that streaked down his cheeks, the hatred that burned through his veins, the mistake in letting his own guard down. For then, she felt nothing at all, as her father reached Jean's form, his cry was cut short by another, fatal strike.

Two souls who were linked in life, were now linked in death, struck down and killed in the heat of battle. Initially, shock was nearly too much for a child that had only known compassion. A thirteen year old girl that watched as her parents fell one by one, stared on as she felt their life ebb swiftly away, gazed on as the man that struck them down began to dismiss their deaths as easily as he would the killing of a gnat.

The cry of anguish that echoed in every mind that day tore at Rachel's very soul. The powerful streak of psionic energy that lashed out at Magneto tore through his shields like a knife through butter, perhaps she used a power that she'd never gain again, perhaps Magneto was weakened already in battle, though the child's telepathic abilities surged in her tragedy, fueled by her emotions, and sliced through Magneto's defenses. In her anger, in her pain, in her fear and shock, in desperation and revenge, Rachel struck out at the Master of Magnetism himself. She fed every ounce of emotion she'd felt from her father, every tear, every torment, the guilt, the horror, the shock, the pain. Her onslaught did not stop there, for into that mixture she gave him the dying thought of her mother, the hopes of the X-Men, the fears of the world that only a child could view, and her own grief and terror.

The world gazed quietly on, as child and savior stared at each other - fingers poised over controls to launch nuclear attacks - creatures salivated at the thought of mass destruction - and still, teenager and mutant kind's master fought a duel of minds; one surging with grief, the other trying to fight it off. In the end, the truth that rang from a thirteen year old child forced the Master of Magnetism to open his eyes to what had happened, what he had triggered. In the end, though he delayed the inevitable only a few years, the very same savior of mutant kind, gave up his own life in an attempt to stop the sheer madness that surrounded the world.

Though it was already far too late, for even in his own death, Rachel's life and indeed, every life in the world, would forever be changed. On that day, though, as the Master Of Magnetism saved all with his valiant heroism - two lives were lost, and all a child could do was mourn their passing. For hours she wept over their bodies, for weeks the tears would not stop, for months the pain was still raw, for years the terror and memory plagued her very soul, the passing of two such vital roles, mentors, and parents can never be taken away or forgotten. From shock, to rage, to pain, to grief and mourning, Rachel found the last the hardest to deal with; acceptance.

It would be nice to say her pain ended in the death of her parents, though for the child that could not conceive of going on, her torment did not end there. The government finally took action. Mutantkind was officially declared a menace to society, they were hunted, killed, destroyed, and in some cases, captured and manipulated into servitude and slavery. Biological warfare, chemical warfare, germ warfare, nuclear attacks, advanced technology, the world would find new and better ways to kill, unaware they were going exactly where dark forces desired them to be. Cities burned, countries were inflamed, and in the span of only a few short years, the world would swiftly slide down to into the pits of hades itself.

Rachel was captured, manipulated, tortured and made to hunt down her own kind. She became a hound, a slave to her 'betters', she watched on as her kind was captured, mutilated, tortured, or in the case of the lucky ones, immediately killed. There were those that relished the idea of the hunt, that found their own dark natures matched the ones of their keepers, but for Rachel, tormented in mind and body, the part of her soul that hadn't died with her parents, became closed off and bitter, torn by madness, pain, and hatred. From the age of thirteen, to the age of sixteen, three long years, Rachel was made to hunt down mutants; sometimes even family and friends, loved ones that had managed to escape the genocide of mutant and even human kind.

When she finally turned sixteen, Rachel was no longer needed, she was tossed into pens with other mutants, and figured for dead. Perhaps with a twisted glee, her 'keepers' had placed her in with those that she'd hunted down, those that she'd found and forced to watch on, as their loved ones were slaughtered, mutiliated and killed. There was little she could say that would stop the blows that flew down upon her. She made no attempt to deflect every slash, pound, and kick that an enraged mob slung down on a whithered, guilt stricken teenager. Blood seeped from her lips, her eyes were swollen shut, her very body ached and desired release, though just before the last blow that would end her sorry life came - she was saved by an angel, a vision that struck back at those that desired to strike out at the world, and picked a one time hound instead. Katherine Pryde, at one time known as Shadowcat, fought back and saved Rachel's life, stopping the crowd's onslaught with words and actions that sent most scurrying back into the shadows, tails tucked neatly between their legs. She nursed the young girl back into good health, and became a friend, an almost mother figure, that Rachel had been denied for so many years.

For a year Rachel would find friendship and mentors within her block; the first would be Katherine, who gave Rachel back a bit of her pride and in the process a bit of her soul. Towards the end of her time within the camp, another was influential on her and those that sought freedom, one who had infiltrated the camp with the purpose to free some of that last mutant survivors on the planet. His name was Kincaid, and to say his initial reception was turbulant, would be an understatement.

Rachel instantly knew who this man was, his face along with all of the specially trained soldiers that hunted and killed mutants bore into her mind, something that she could never forget, for it was them that controled the hounds. While the man was supposidely killed in action, he was not only one of the best, but Rachel had witnessed his actions on some of the more dangerous of mutants. In a rage, she leapt at the man, her words echoed with her rage and anger, expressions of pain, of one that was subjected to cruelty by those that were her 'keepers', men that willingly (in her eyes) went along. As easily as she leapt and tried to attack, she was defeated by Kincaid, though it did not stop the rage and hatred that boiled inside of her, pain that still rung out in her words, in her actions. Even though Katherine was able to halt Rachel's aggressive nature towards Kincaid, Rachel could never forgive, nor forget, and even though Katherine grew to trust the man more than mere friendship, Rachel remained weary. Still, Kincaid assisted Katherine in Rachel's training, helping her body, conditioning her in combat so all those inside would be neither weak in spirit, nor body.

At the beginning of her eighteenth year, Rachel, Kaherine, Kincaid and several others managed to break free of their imprisonment. With their powers once again restored, the group, under direction by a mysterious man known as Alzis, believed they'd find salvation outside a mystical temple called Rl'yeh. Stephen Alzis, while never being in the camp itself, was a mystery to Rachel, at least at first. Kincaid initially tried to warn her of him, but it only fueled the fires of interest, after all, she distrusted Kincaid passionately, surely someone he mistrusted would be her ally. (The enemy of your enemy is your friend, right?)

Using Rachel's initial interest to his own desires, Alzis knew exactly what to say, exactly what to do, driving Rachel's slight interest, into a crush, then slowly allowing that flicker burn into a flame. Still, Kincaid warned Rachel about Alzis, but the red-head was already far too gone, believing she'd found a mate just like Jean had found Scott. Still, Alzis kept the relationship purely platonic, never desiring anything more than Rachel's devotion.

Rachel, blinded by her love for the man, swore by his name and desires, though Katherine and Kincaid both were skeptical and wary of the man's true nature and desires. Alzis manipulated Rachel into believing that only through using the bountiful energy that she held could he bring about a lasting peace to the world. She fully believed the man's crazed ideas, and though she did not understand, nor know of what he truly desired, she was blinded by her love, and thus, loyal to his cause. He helped her practice using her essence in ways she'd never dreamed of, and in the year they traveled by boat to the mysterious island, she became the perfect subject for Alzis' mad schemes.

The trip was not only long, but filled with tragedy - one mutant, one team mate, one friend after another were struck down as the group journeyed by boat across the great seas to their destination. By this time, the world was practically destroyed; the dead piled up by the hundred of thousands, their lifeless eyes and rotting corpses filled up almost every city throughout the world. The end was never closer. It would become closer still, as wild accusations and darker forces leapt up in the ashes of the old.

While Rachel loved and trusted Alzis, the man was insane, powerful, and used a child's shattered image for his own uses. At the end of their journey, only Katherine, Kincaid, Alzis and Rachel were left. Using Rachel's trust and love, Alzis planned on sacrificing the young red-head - whether to lock Cthulhu back or release him was never revealed. His heart was as dark as his soul, leaving Rachel blinded to his true nature. Just outside Rl'yeh, the shadows laughed and waited with glee, for soon the end would truly exist, soon Rachel's blood would flow across the ground and in her death, she'd release the destruction of man-kind. Alzis, having used manipulation and trickery on Rachel, insisted she travel with him to the temple, while Katherine and Kincaid dealt with the natives of the island. Rachel, still trusting Alzis as ever, agreed.

The ceremony took place, Rachel, fully believing in Alzis, did as he instructed, allowing him to use her very life force in his magic. She trusted the man with her very soul, and it would be that trusting soul that he took advantage of. Again, Alzis' true goal was never truly understood, perhaps he didn't even know what he wanted, whether to release the powerful, old one from its domain, or forever seal it up, still, the dark energy that swirled up as his words rung out sent shivers through Rachel's heart.

Dark magic flowed just outside the old temple, and somewhere, deep within Rachel, she began to rebel at what was transpiring, though it was far too late. Before she could react, nearly every ounce of her essence was swirling above her, mixing into the twisted magic and Alzis' own powers. Though it was not all that she could offer - no, that required a sacrifice, Rachel's very own life. From within the folds of his clothing, a long, black dagger was drawn, before Rachel could react, the blade lanced through the air, embedding itself deep within her stomach, barely missing her heart. The cry she let out, both upon the physical plane, and mental, echoed her grief, anguish and pain. The psionic cry ripped through the air, even as her own mouth parted, a scream of terror, horror, and tortured pain swept over the entire island, while her very essence hovered over her form, used by Alzis himself.

It was this cry that alerted Katherine and Kincaid to Rachel's plight, though Alzis was nearly finished with his spell. Rachel's blood pooled around her form, droplets beginning to wash over the ground, the wound held together with her hands alone. Yet, before Alzis could extract everything from her, before he could take not only her life, but her soul, her energy, her every essence - Katherine managed to get Kincaid close enough to the twisted, evil man. The events happened swiftly, Shadowcat using her gift to phase both her and Kincaid through the dark, swirling vortex of energy, watching in horror as Rachel's very essence continued to seep out from the young red-head. Though Alzis was never able to tell what Kincaid was going to do, thus when the plasma shot that blasted into Alzis chest connected, lancing through him - the connection he had with Rachel's essence and the powerful dark magic he wielded was lost.

The resulting backlash of energy fused back into the form it had come from, the light was blinding, illuminating the entire area with an intensity almost succeeding that of the sun. The focus and point of that twisted, corrupt magic, when the light faded swiftly away was gone - disappeared, vaporized, or sacrificed to the great ones, just as Alzis desired? The fate of Katherine, Kincaid and Alzis will be left for another time, for the focal point was not destroyed, but sent spiraling back several years - her mind shattered, her memories lost, Rachel is sent spinning through time, perhaps even space and reality, arriving at the beginning of the millennium, middle part of September, 2000.

Height: 5'7" Weight: 120 lbs.
Eyes: Green Hair: Red
Unusual physical characteristics: Rachel has three long, black dagger like marks along her forehead, distinguished 'tattoos' that were given to her during her time as a hound. (Unlike in the comics, her entire face is not covered, just her forehead.) Most of the time, Rachel is able to hide those with her powers, when she is cognizant enough to do so.
Strength level: Normally physically fit human (once she recover).
Known superhuman powers: Rachel is a telepath and a telekinetic.
Other abilities: Combat, Survival, Tracking, and a few other Miscellaneous Skills.
Weapons and paraphernalia: None, at the moment.
Other notes: None.