Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Scott had seen a lot of weird things in his life.

But the majestic, pastel-colored horse locked in a cage beside him? That was new.

The anti-mutant group that had captured him clearly had no idea what it was. He overheard them arguing—some thought a mutant had created it, others thought it was a mutant.

Scott, however, saw something different.

He saw a prisoner. Just like him. And he wasn’t leaving without her.

Breaking out wasn’t too difficult. The idiots guarding him weren’t prepared for a well-aimed optic blast. The real challenge? Freeing the horse.

Scott managed to bust open her cage, but now he had to figure out what to do with her.

“Uh…” Scott hesitated as he approached. “Hey, girl. You good?”

The Rapidash—a unicorn as far as Scott was concerned—stared at him. Then, to his shock, she gently bowed her head.

Scott blinked, then smiled thinly. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Suddenly, footsteps. Voices. The guards were coming.

“Alright, girl,” he muttered, climbing onto her back without hesitation. “Let’s get out of here.”

As if she understood, the unicorn let out a determined huff, reared up on her hind legs and bolted.

“Woah, you’re pretty fast!” Scott half-yelped, but also tentatively laughed.

With a precise squeeze to the horse's sides with his calves and a sharp “Yah!”, the two speed away into freedom together.

Jean, Logan, Evan, Kitty, and Kurt were all outside when they saw it.

A freaking unicorn galloping toward them at full speed. With Scott on its back.

The group froze. While they weren’t surprised that Scott found a way to escape capture on his own (he was their leader for a reason), they never expected this.

Scott skidded to a stop in front of them, panting, still gripping the unicorn’s mane.

Silence.

Jean’s eye twitched. “Scott.”

“Jean.”

Jean pointed. “Is that a unicorn?”

Scott took a breath. “Yes.”

More silence.

Then, from behind Jean, Evan muttered, “Dude.”

Scott sighed. “Yeah.”

Logan pinched the bridge of his nose. “Summers…what the hell?”

Scott groaned, rubbing his temples. “Listen. It’s been a long day. I don’t wanna talk about it.”

The unicorn—Rapidash, Scott had recently learned somehow—let out an elegant huff.

Kitty, meanwhile, was losing her mind. “Oh my GOD, she’s SO PRETTY!!”

Scott sighed again. He really thought he was finally home free. He had escaped. He had survived. He had made it back to the mansion in one piece.

And now? Now he just wanted to go inside, take a shower, and pretend today never happened.

There was just one problem.

Rapidash wanted to come inside too.

But she was too big.

Scott hadn’t even realized until he dismounted, walked up the steps, and then—

Whimper.

Scott turned around. Rapidash was staring at the doorway, ears drooping. She took a careful step forward—only for her horn to bump against the top of the doorframe.

She flinched. Then she sniffled.

Scott’s stomach dropped.

“Oh no.”

Jean’s eyes widened. “Scott, she’s—”

Rapidash let out a small, sorrowful cry. Her big, shimmering eyes were watering.

“Oh my God.” Evan gaped. “Is she crying?”

Scott panicked.

“No, no, no, no, no—don’t cry!” He rushed over, placing both hands on her snout. “It’s okay! You’re okay! I promise!”

Rapidash sniffled again, lowering her head.

Scott turned back to the group, eyes pleading. “Guys. We need to fix this.”

Logan scoffed. “Well what do you want us to do, Summers? Build a bigger house?”

Scott glared. “If that’s what it takes.”

Jean sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Scott, she’s a horse. She can’t live inside the mansion.”

Scott crossed his arms. “She’s not a horse. She’s a Rapidash. And she’s my friend.”

Rapidash let out a tiny, hopeful whinny.

Kitty clutched her heart. “Oh my God, that was the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Kurt stroked his chin. “Vell, ve do have zhose stables out back…”

Rapidash perked up.

“I’m not leaving her outside alone.” Scott said firmly, stroking Rapidash’s snout. “She saved me. I’m not abandoning her now.”

Rapidash nuzzled into his touch, letting out a soft, grateful sound.

Jean groaned. “Fine. But you have to explain this to the Professor.”

Scott exhaled in relief. “Deal.” He turned back to Rapidash, gently patting her mane. “Alright, girl. Let’s get you settled in.”

Rapidash chirped happily.

As Scott led her toward the stables, Jean shook her head. “I can’t believe this.”

Logan snorted. “Summers went out, got kidnapped, stole a unicorn, and now he’s bringing it home.”

Evan grinned. “Dude. Scott’s life is wild.”

Kitty clasped her hands together. “This is the best day of my life.”

Jean just sighed.

Scott Summers. Leader of the X-Men. Champion of mutants.

And now?

Proud owner of a pastel unicorn.

Chapter Text

The X-Men had seen a lot of weird things.

Scott summoning a unicorn with a simple noise? That was a new one.

“Yo, Summers, how do you even call that thing?”

Scott glanced at Evan, then shrugged. “Like this.”

He smacked his lips together. Twice. Instantly, from across the mansion grounds—

THUD THUD THUD THUD

A blur of pastel and shimmering mane shot across the yard at full speed, hooves pounding against the ground like rolling thunder.

The moment Rapidash reached Scott, she skidded to a stop with perfect grace, lowering her head affectionately.

Scott gave her a fond pat. “Hey, girl.”

The X-Men just stared.

Evan’s jaw dropped. “Dude.”

Kitty clutched her heart. “That was the most majestic thing I’ve ever seen.”

Jean blinked. “You trained her to come with that?”

Scott smirked. “It’s efficient.”

Logan, arms crossed, scowled. “You sound like you’re callin’ a damn goldfish.”

Rapidash glared at him.

Logan narrowed his eyes. “What’re you lookin’ at, glue stick?”

Rapidash huffed angrily.

Scott sighed. “Logan, stop antagonizing my horse.”

“Unicorn.” Evan corrected. “Majestic, pastel unicorn.”

Rogue pinched the bridge of her nose. “Ah can’t believe that actually works.”

Scott just smirked again and smacked his lips twice more.

Rapidash neighed in excitement and happily nuzzled him.

Evan shook his head. “Man. Your life is wild.”

Scott just patted Rapidash’s mane. “You have no idea.”

Chapter Text

Scott tightened his grip on Rapidash’s reins, the wind rushing through his hair as she galloped smoothly over the soft earth of the mansion grounds. The obstacles ahead—a series of low hurdles and cones—didn’t faze either of them. They were in perfect sync, Rapidash’s hooves tapping against the ground like a rhythm that Scott’s body seemed to naturally follow.

“Let’s go, girl,” he murmured, and with a sharp flick of his wrist, they were off.

Rapidash leapt over the first hurdle with ease, landing gracefully before surging forward again. Scott remained perfectly upright, his posture impeccable as he guided her through the course with expert precision.

The wind whooshed around them, and Scott’s concentration was sharp—he knew he had a skilled partner beneath him. They made it through the course effortlessly, each jump and turn fluid, a smooth dance between rider and horse—or, in this case, unicorn.

When they crossed the finish line, Scott eased Rapidash into a slower pace, smiling in satisfaction as the rest of the X-Men clapped from the sidelines.

Ororo walked up, a gentle smile on her face. “That was impressive, Scott,” she said, her voice carrying the warmth of a memory.

Scott dismounted, patting Rapidash’s neck. “Thanks, Ororo.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll admit, she’s pretty amazing.”

“I’m sure you made her proud,” she said with a knowing nod. “Reminds me of the time I used to ride horses back in Africa—through the vast prairies of my homeland.” She looked into the distance, lost in thought for a moment. “The feeling of the wind in your hair and the freedom of the open land, it’s a memory I’ll never forget.”

Scott gave her a fond smile. “I can imagine.”

Ororo’s eyes glistened with a hint of nostalgia before she turned to Charles, who had been watching from his chair with a slight grin.

“I suppose you have your own stories, Professor,” Scott teased, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow.

Charles chuckled softly, his mind clearly wandering back in time. “Well, yes. In my college days, I had a fondness for derby polo. The thrill of competition, the strategy… and, of course, the joy of racing across the field.” He smiled at the memory. “I wasn’t bad at it, either.”

Scott raised an eyebrow. “You were a polo player?”

“Indeed,” Charles said, his grin widening. “Though I have to admit, I wasn’t quite as graceful as you on a horse.”

Ororo chuckled. “Not even close, my friend.”

Scott couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, to be fair, Rapidash is a bit more graceful than a regular horse.”

Logan, who had been lounging nearby, snorted. “Yeah, real graceful. It’s a damn unicorn.”

Jean rolled her eyes but smiled. “You guys are a bunch of old-timers, huh?”

Charles raised a hand in playful surrender. “Guilty as charged.”

Scott gave Rapidash one last affectionate pat, and she nuzzled him in response. “Guess I’m in good company then.”

Ororo gave him a knowing smile. “You and your unicorn are quite the pair, Scott. I think you both might have more in common than you realize.”

Scott smirked. “Maybe. But for now, I think I’ll just enjoy the ride.”

As the wind swept across the grounds, the X-Men stood together, each lost in their own memories of the past—of horses, of freedom, of their own journeys—and for just a moment, it was as if time had paused.

But eventually, Ororo spoke again, a twinkle in her eye. “Perhaps we should set up a proper race one day, Scott. You, Rapidash, and me on horseback.”

Scott grinned. “You’re on.”

Charles shook his head with a bemused chuckle. “It’s good to see you enjoying yourself, Scott. There’s more to life than fighting battles.”

“Yeah,” Scott said, looking over at Rapidash, his heart light. “I’m starting to realize that.”

Chapter Text

It started with a simple challenge.

Scott, ever the golden boy, made riding Rapidash look easy. Too easy. So, naturally, the rest of the X-Men figured, Hey, how hard could it be?

Spoiler: Very hard.

The bet was simple—whoever could ride Rapidash as gracefully as Scott wins.

Scott didn’t even bother to argue. He just leaned against the fence, arms crossed, and smirked.

“Alright,” he said, “who’s first?”

—Rogue: The Shy One—

Rogue tried. She really did.

She even got as far as gently placing her hands on Rapidash’s side before mumbling, “Uh… Ah don’t know about this…”

Rapidash nudged her encouragingly.

Rogue gulped. “Ah mean, Ah like ya an’ all, but…”

Rapidash huffed expectantly.

After a solid minute of awkward fidgeting, Rogue sighed and stepped back. “Yeah, no. Ah ain’t cut out fer this.”

Scott raised a brow. “You’re just giving up?”

Rogue folded her arms. “Ah got mah pride, Summers.”

Scott smirked. “Uh-huh. Next.”

—Jean: The Telepathic Disaster—

Jean climbed onto Rapidash’s back with all the confidence of a woman who was certain she’d win.

She sat tall. Poised. Regal.

“I got this,” she said, tossing her hair.

Rapidash, however, had other ideas.

The second Jean tried to take control, the unicorn snorted loudly and refused to move.

Jean frowned. “Move, you dumb horse.”

Rapidash huffed angrily.

Scott winced. “Yeah, uh, she hates being ordered around.”

Jean scoffed. “I’m not ordering her. I’m just—“

Rapidash reared up aggressively.

“AHHH!” Jean shrieked, flailing as she toppled over backward, landing hard on the ground with an undignified oof.

Scott stifled a chuckle. “Want me to tell you why she doesn’t like you?”

Jean glared at him from the ground. “Shut. Up.”

—Evan: The Overconfident Skater—

Evan was next, and he strode forward with absolute confidence.

“Pfft, this is easy,” he said. “I ride my skateboard all the time. How different could it—”

He got one foot in the stirrup.

Rapidash bucked once.

Evan yelped and launched off the side, crashing face-first into the dirt.

Scott shook his head. “You were saying?”

Evan groaned. “Okay… so not the same as a skateboard…”

—Kurt: The Escape Artist—

Kurt climbed on, tail swishing. “Alright, mein freund! Let us—”

Rapidash stomped the ground, ready to run.

Kurt panicked and teleported away before she even moved.

Scott blinked at the empty space.

A moment later, Kurt’s voice called from inside the mansion, “Ja, nope! I am out!”

Scott sighed. “Coward.”

—Kitty: The Screaming Disaster—

Kitty, like Jean, was confident.

Kitty, unlike Jean, was horrible.

Rapidash took off at a gentle canter.

“OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD!”

“Kitty, she’s not even running yet—”

“SOMEBODY HELP ME I’M GONNA DIE!”

Scott facepalmed.

Meanwhile, Rapidash looked genuinely distressed as Kitty clung to her neck for dear life.

It took Scott physically pulling Kitty off the poor unicorn before she stopped screaming.

Rapidash shook herself off and shot Scott a look like: Never again.

Scott patted her apologetically.

—Logan: The Growling Disaster—

Logan refused to lose to Scott.

Unfortunately, Rapidash despised Logan.

The second he got on, he growled, “Alright, horse, let’s go.”

Rapidash promptly tried to murder him.

There was a lot of angry neighing. A lot of yelling.

Scott just stood back, watching as his highly trained teammate got his ass kicked by a unicorn.

Five minutes later, Logan was on the ground, covered in dirt, looking furious.

Scott, grinning, crossed his arms. “Had enough?”

Logan grumbled incomprehensibly.

—Ororo: The Graceful One—

Ororo was the last to try. She moved with all the grace of a queen, climbing onto Rapidash’s back smoothly.

Everyone held their breath.

For a second, it seemed like she might be the one to succeed.

But Rapidash, after a few seconds of standing still, shook her head and gently nudged Ororo off.

Ororo slid to the ground without protest, then turned to Scott with a knowing smile.

“She’s not meant for me,” she admitted. “She’s meant for you.”

Scott blinked. “…Wait, you’re conceding?”

Ororo smiled and crossed her arms. “You win the bet, Scott.”

Scott turned to the rest of the X-Men, arms folded. “You hear that? I win.”

The X-Men all groaned.

Jean pouted. “This was rigged.”

Evan dusted himself off. “Man, this sucks.”

Kitty shuddered. “I’m never doing that again.”

Logan, still grumbling, muttered, “Stupid damn unicorn…”

Scott, thoroughly enjoying himself, climbed onto Rapidash in one smooth motion. The unicorn neighed proudly as if she knew she had won, too.

He smirked down at them.

“Better luck next time, guys.”

Then, with a click of his tongue, he and Rapidash galloped off—leaving the X-Men to stew in their embarrassing defeat.

The X-Men sat in the mansion’s living room, collectively nursing their bruised egos (and, in some cases, their actual bruises).

Jean crossed her arms and huffed. “I still can’t believe we lost.”

Kitty groaned, curled up in the corner. “I can still hear the screaming…”

“You vere zhe one screaming,” Kurt pointed out.

Kitty whimpered.

Meanwhile, Logan, still scowling, grumbled, “Y’know, I bet this’d be different if Summers didn’t have that fancy pastel unicorn.”

Evan, rubbing his sore shoulder, nodded. “Yeah! What if he had, like, a bronco instead? Or a bull?”

Everyone paused, considering it.

A big, wild, angry bronco.

One that kicked and bucked and absolutely hated being ridden. One that no normal person could tame. One that would send anyone flying the second they got too close.

…

Then they all, at the same time, imagined Scott calmly walking up to it, tilting his head like he was listening to it, then effortlessly climbing on its back as it immediately stopped resisting and submitted to him completely.

Jean sighed. “Nope. He’d still win.”

Evan groaned. “Come on!”

Ororo chuckled. “Scott has always been very disciplined. I wouldn’t be surprised if he could tame any animal he wanted.”

Evan threw his hands up. “At this point, I am convinced Scott was a cowboy in another life.”

“Ugh,” Logan grumbled. “Cyclops could probably ride a damn T-Rex if he wanted.”

The X-Men collectively groaned.