issue summaries

X-Men: True Friends Part 1 of 3 Writer: Chris Claremont Penciler: Rick Leonardi Inker: Al Williamson & Co Colorist: Shannon Blanchard Letterers: Tom Orzechowski & Bullpen/DS Editor: Ruben Diaz Editor-in-Chief: Ruben Diaz Date: September 1999

Preface

What ended up to be True Friends was begun in 1990 as Excalibur Special Edition 3 and 4 but was never published due to Claremont leaving Marvel. When he return in the late 90s, he resurrected the project and it was published under the title X-Men: True Friends.

The story told in True Friend was aluded to in Excalibur 22 where there was the editorial note:

"That story can be found in Excalibur Special Edition #'s 3 and 4, on sale this Spring and Summer. -- T.K. (Terry Kavanagh).

Summary

In the Highlands of Scotland, Kitty Pryde (Shadowcat) stands in the middle of a road and is nearly hit by a 1930s style car. She phases, but is still partially solid. She goes tumbling down a cliff into a stream. Nearby, a strange old woman is washing a jacket.

Earlier - Kitty is in on vacation, having a good time at a Scottish Inn at a Ceilidh. Rachel enters, ignoring all the guys starring at her. Kitty gets angry that all of the guys are so focused on Rachel that they no longer even notice her and leaves.

Kitty goes back to her hotel room, changes into her costume and a flight jacket, and goes out exploring.

A short time later, Rachel appears behind her, into her Phoenix costume. They are standing in the middle of a ring of stone pillars, similar to Stonehenge.

Kitty gets angry that Rachel followed her. But Ray thought something was bothering her and wanted to help. Ray gets defensive, saying all she did was go into the pub, and it wasn’t her fault how men reacted. Kitty becomes even more angry that Rachel read her thoughts, but she explains that it is hard to ignore them when Kitty is practically screaming them.

Ray asks why are they arguing. They went on vacation to relax and have some fun. Kitty retorts that she thought the guys made Rachel come to make sure Kitty didn't go do anything crazy. Kitty goes on a rant on how the rest of the X-Men and Excalibur are all crazy, so why not her, and calls Rachel crazy as well.

Ray is hurt and says she thought they were friends. Kitty goes off on her that friendship involves trust and sharing.

That sets Rachel off and she goes on a tirade about her days as a Hound, traveling back in time to change things, and only making things worse. She curses Kate Pryde, wishing she died with her. Phoenix energy surrounds them.

Kitty notices something strange happening. The stones respond to Rachel's power and some weird vision of a ceremony appears. Rachel tries to get them out of there, but it's too late. They are sucked into a bright light.

Kitty sees the headlights of a car heading right towards her.

Kitty awakes some time later, in a very formal and old-fashioned house. She screams, and a young man enters her room and explains that they fond her unconscious. His name is Alasdhair. A maid brings her tea and she changes into more appropriate clothing.

Kitty tells Alasdhair that she was traveling with someone else- Rachel- and that they need to fin her. Kitty can't understand why Rachel hadn't already found her and assumes all of Excalibur must be out searching for her.

She asks him to call the inn where they were staying, but Alasdhair replies that they don't have a phone. Kitty thinks that is ridiculous, but he assumes she has just had a bad head injury and is confused.

Alasdhair and Kitty travel into town on horseback, to see Lady Kinross, who Alasdhair thinks might have information on where Rachel is. There, they see some Nazis. K realizes that she was gone back in time. She demands to know what year it is - 1936! Kitty wigs out, not knowing what she is going to do.

Kitty decides to investigate Kinross’ castle to search for Rachel. They find a secret tunnel that leads to the castle. In a cavern within the tunnel, she sees the strange rock circle and remembers what happened.

There was a child being sacrificed on the alter by people in cloaks. Kitty ran for it, phasing out of the cavern and running until she reached the road, leaving Rachel behind. Alasdhair finally realizes that Kitty isn’t a normal American girl from 1936 and asks who she really is. She explains that she is a mutant and phases her hand through him. He thinks her powers are amazing.

Kitty and Alasdhair make their way up into the castle, overhearing Wolfgang von Strucker talking to a German intelligence officer about a plot to destabilize the British monarchy to keep Great Britain out of the war. They are discovered and have to leave. They try to return to their horses that Alasdhair’s cousin was watching, but find his cousin missing. Kitty returns to the castle and kidnaps the butler to get some answers.

They learn that Rachel and Alasdhair’s cousin have been taken to Edinburgh. But with the Nazis watching all of the roads out of town for them, there is no way to get there.

Then Alasdhair shows Kitty his plane - a Spitfire. It’s a top secret prototype. They fly off.

Just as Alasdhair asks what Phoenix can do, the Spitfire is attacked by the Phoenix Firebird and they begin spinning out of control towards the ground.