Once upon a time there lived a mutant named Marie. She had long dark brown with white streaks framing her delicate face and a southern accent so that when she spoke her voice sounded as rich honey. Many people around her felt that she was the prettiest thing to ever have taken up residence at the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. She had deep brown eyes, red pouty lips and the clearest, most flawless skin ever seen for she was unable of touch; physical connection with another person eluded her because her skin was deadly. It absorbed the life of them she touched and they might die if she held on for too long. She was always very quiet, always thinking about purpose and meaning. She may be a beauty, people said, but she sure is a strange girl, that one.

She lived with a group of girls, all of whom were older than her. The Professor, Charles Xavier, had one rule; the day you turn 18 years, you are allowed to go into town, a place called New York where the humans lived. Humans were foreign to most people at the school, especially to Marie for she had grown up amongst her own kind, the mutants.

But yes, that was the rule which everybody obeyed. They all knew that the world outside was a dangerous place for people like them. Xavier was always working on getting on well with the humans but until that happened, he couldn't risk it. When you were legal, you could go the city and back as you pleased.

One after another, the girls whom Marie lived with had their 18th birthday and went. It was a grand event each time; all the girls always waited up for the one out to return and tell her story. Where had they gone? What had they seen?

All of the girls of 21 of age or more often went into New York in the beginning but it then became less and less after a few times and then they eventually stopped going all-together. They all told the petite Marie: "Home is the best, after all."

Marie still had five years to go.

---

Finally, after many years of waiting, Marie turned 18. She was so very happy. At last she could visit New York, the place she had spent many days and nights dreaming of.

She went all on her own, for that was her wish.

She was clad in fabrics from top to toe; she didn't want to take any chances. She was around in the city, taking in all the sights and sounds. What a magical place, she thought. No one is afraid of anyone. You don't have to watch yourselves like back a the school... Where there are so many people that can't control their own powers; much like me.

In the late evening, she stumbled across some sort of bar. She stood outside, looking in through the window because she wasn't old enough to buy anything anyway.

There were a lot of handsome people in there... She glanced around the room and that's when she saw him, standing amongst some other men, laughing. He had dark hair and the most intense eyes she had ever gazed upon. She fell in love that very moment.

Marie spent the next half-hour simply looking through the glass, studying his impressive physique.

Then she had a look at her wristwatch and saw that it was time to go home. It was getting late. Sighing, the tore herself away from the window and began walking towards the payphone.

Suddenly, she heard some commotion. She turned around to see the man from the bar surrounded by a small gang of younger men. Before long, they started beating him.

Marie was frantic. There was no one in sight. What should she do? She had not got much knowledge of this world... And already her love was losing consciousness. What chance did she stand against four men, all bigger than her? Unless... She realized that her skin was her only choice, to use it as a weapon. She had never done that before.

She ran to them, quietly, like a rogue sneaking up on its victim. They didn't even notice her. Pulling off a glove, she let her hand touch one of the attackers' legs. Within a few seconds, she felt the pull as the connection opened and the offender's life started pouring into her fragile body. It didn't take long before he collapsed on the ground. That's when the rest of them saw her. They yelled and one of them quickly gripped her arms, accidentally touching the area of exposed skin. He too fell. When the remaining two finally realized what was happening, they ran; scared of what would happen to them if they stayed.

And so Marie was left with the handsome stranger. She immediately turned her attention on him, cradling his head in her covered arms and stroked his hair. She looked around her but still there wasn't anyone to help her so she stayed with him, silently humming in a soothing tone to him.

Just as she felt him wake up, she heard voices. Her head snapped upwards and saw somewhere in the dark, people coming towards them. They were still a fair bit away but she could not take any chance. She took one last look at the man in her arms. His eyes were just open but he was still clearly groggy. Then, she got up and ran away.

---

Once Marie got home everybody wanted to know why it had taken so long. Was she okay? She assured them all that she was fine. They also wanted to know what she had experienced, but she never told anyone. She was content keeping it all to herself.

Though, she was obsessed with the thought of the mysterious man she had saved. She dreamed of him day and night and some times she even went into town just to search for him. It took her weeks to find out who he was. His name was Logan Thomas and he was a construction worker. She also found his address; a small apartment in a cozy area of New York.

And even though she loved him dearly, she knew that as long as she was a mutant she would never be able to be with him. This thought was constantly on her mind and people began to think that she was getting even more distant than she had been in the past.

At last, she could not stand it anymore. Too afraid to go to the Professor (she knew what his answer would be), she turned to Magneto, a powerful mutant with the power to control magnetism. But he could do much more than that, she knew.

She sneaked out late one night. It took her several hours to get to her destination, but when she got there, a lady with blue skin was there to greet her. Marie looked into the woman's eyes and saw her eyes flick yellow.

She led Marie down a long hallway of the grand mansion until they arrived in a room filled with the most fascinating things Marie had ever seen; scientific instruments, strange clothes and helmets and lots of other objects she could not describe. There was a definite chill in the air that unnerved her, but she pushed it aside.

In a chair, in the far side of the room, sat a middle-aged man dressed in gray.

We have been expecting you, Marie, he greeted her. My name is Magneto and this, he addressed the blue woman, is Mystique.

Marie told them `hi', feeling not very much at peace.

We also know why you are here, he said. You wish to become human, no? I believe that you have met someone special?

Marie nodded.

Well, I guess I make that happen... he said and Marie was now listening intensely.

But the young mutant didn't care. She knew what she wanted and she was ready to pay everything to achieve. Magneto had created a formula, she found out, that would turn her human; it would repress her skin's ability and make her white streaks the same colour as the rest of her hair. But, Magneto explained, everytime you have physical contact it will feel like a thousand needles going through you.

She understood.

All this comes at a price, he told her.

Marie protested, saying that she didn't have anything but he stopped her and said that he wasn't asking for much. A small token, really. All I want, he said, is your voice.

My voice? Marie thought. But without my voice, she asked, how can I—

But he interrupted her again. Don't underestimate the power of body language, my dear. After all, it is not because of your voice that this someone will love you, is it?

She gave a negative nod and then accepted the agreements.

However, there is a catch, Magneto continued. You have got to make him love you. If he falls in love with someone else, the potion will stop working and then you will lose your life. As soon as he kisses some one else, with true feelings of love, your heart will break into a thousand pieces and it will be as if you are touching yourself with your absorption-powers. That will be the consequence of you returning as a mutant. Your human body won't be able to survive.

Taking a deep breath, Marie accepted.

Then the blue mutant stepped forward with a needle and asked Marie to hold up her arm and she obliged. Mystique injected the drug into Marie's blood. It felt like hot liquid going through her body and she felt flushed soon after.

Mystique stepped back with a smile. Magneto smiled as well and told her to take off a glove and touch his assistant. Hesitantly, Marie did as he told her. She let a finger touch Mystique's arm and gave a little yelp for nothing happened; no pull, no absorption; nothing, though it felt like shattered glass piercing through her finger but she held on, for it was touch and she had been so long without it.

She cried out she found that her voice was no longer there. She tried to speak, but no sound came. She looked at Magneto but it was as he had told her and she could do nothing.

Marie mimicked many thank-yous before she made a return to the Xavier mansion.

---

Creeping as quietly as she possibly could, she made her way to her room where she changed her clothes. When she was done she looked in the mirror. She was no longer draped in fabric. She was now wearing a white singlet and a pair of shorts. She felt like a new person. She looked at her hair; it was all brown now and there was no evidence of her being a mutant.

She packed a small back of necessaries before heading out the door, leaving her old life behind her.

---

The little mutant walked all the way from the school to New York. She was exhausted when she finally arrived in the neighborhood of Logan. Her hair was a mess for it had been storming all night and she was a bit cold, though not much because it was summer and still warm at night. When she at last arrived at his apartment block, she curled up besides the door, hoping for the best.

It was only a few hours later that she heard someone talk to her. She was still sleepy, but she opened her eyes to see the handsome face of Logan just above her.

He asked her if she was okay, seemingly very concerned. She said yes, but again no sound came. She moved her hand to her throat, then remembered that she could not speak anymore.

You cannot speak? He asked and she shook her head. You poor thing, he said and held out a hand. You must be cold. Why don't you come inside?

Marie trusted him blindly. She took his hand and marveled at the feel of their skin touching without barrier, and though the unmistakable pain was there, she would gladly withstand it.

She went with him inside and listened to him talk. He wanted to know if there was anyone he could call but she mimicked gave a negative gesture to it all.

And that is how she came to know Logan, the human that she had been in love with from the start. She told him, with difficulty, that she came from somewhere far away and he believed her though she was just a stranger for there was something about the mute little girl with the sad eyes and pale skin. She stayed with him that night and soon the two developed a wondrous relationship. He took her places she had never been, showed her hidden places in the city. He took her in his care without questioning and she closed her eyes and let all her worries disappear.

He told her of this woman who had once saved his life and how much Marie reminded him of her. She looked so like her, but it could not be, for that woman had white streaks and a honeyed voice. Marie didn't know what to do; she could never tell him who she really was. Humans, after all, were afraid of mutants.

And so she suffered inside herself for some time, until she overheard a friend of Logan's convince him to take her out for dinner. Her heart was filled with happiness.

---

They went to a lovely restaurant and Marie could not stop smiling. She had hoped for this for a long time.

They talked for the whole of the time they were there and people around them all went "What a nice couple. But there's something missing, though. It seems as if he doesn't see her like he should."

Then it was time to go home and as they walked towards home they suddenly became aware of the situation. Two people, a man and a woman walking alone on a warm summer night with the moon shining down on them. Slowly, their hands crept towards one another and ever so slowly, Marie felt her hand wrapped in the warmth of his. They stopped and looked into each other's eyes. Marie saw his head closing the distance between them and she closed her eyes for the kiss awaiting her. But, just as his lips almost touched hers, they were interrupted; a kid on his skateboard had narrowly escaped banging into them. Logan shook his head as if coming to his senses, and removed his hand from hers and murmured that it was better time for them to get home.

Marie, on the other hand, was devastated. She was so close to finally get what she wanted, a kiss of love that would ensure her to stay with him forever.

And somewhere, perhaps not so far away, a little while later, Mystique entered Magneto's office.

Did you get them? He asked. She nodded. That was close... Too close. He was quiet for a moment, as if in doubt of what to do next. Then, he raised his head, looking at Mystique with a playful glare. Perhaps, he said to her, it is time?

Mystique flashed a devilish grin as her appearance suddenly changed.

---

One of the friends Marie had made in her time as a human, a friend of Logan's, knocked on her room early one morning. She got out of bed and as soon as she opened the door, she was embraced whilst the guy congratulated her over and over again. He knew about her feelings; he had seen the secret looks she had been sending Logan. Confused, not understanding why he was doing this, she asked him why.

I heard! He said, and he seemed sincerely thrilled for her. When he saw the blank expression on her face, he continued. Logan's in love! He called me last night and told me that he had finally found that special someone. And he described her to me and it could only have been you. Congratulations, Marie.

Finally understanding what he meant she broke out in the biggest smile ever. She hugged the man and explained that she would have to go, then. She had to find Logan so they could spend some time together. He told her that he was going to a restaurant called the Golden Fin and then excused himself.

She threw on some clothes and quickly brushed her hair as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. That would have to do.

She ran outside to get a cab and as she stood there waiting, she was glowing. Happiness in her heart, wrapped around her and it was all she could think of. The warmth of Logan...

And as she was sitting the taxi, ignoring everything about her, she was thinking to herself how perfect everything had turned out in the end. And though she missed her friends this would be better. She knew that. For so long she had awaited this, her salvation, her ticket to paradise with the one and only she would ever love. And now he loved her back.

Then she arrived. She paid and got out. The restaurant was on the opposite of the street but there was a lot of traffic. She laughed without a sound to herself, because she thought how fate had humour in denying her access to her love because of some cars. Finally, she could cross and so she did. And as she got nearer, she could see inside the restaurant and there was Logan! All dressed up neatly like she had never seen him before, standing besides a table, probably waiting for her to arrive. She smiled even more at that.

But then something odd happened. She was only a couple of meters away from the entrance, her eyes always focused on Logan, when she saw him greet another woman. Marie stopped moving. As her eyes fell upon the strange woman, she saw that it was like looking at her own reflection. The lady looked just like herself! She had the same haircolour, skin tone... She even had platinum streaks framing her face, just like the ones Marie had had as a mutant. Only, this woman's face was different to Marie's. And then something even more strange happened; she could hear her own voice again. But she was not speaking.

Suddenly she understood; it was the woman with Logan that was talking, but with Marie's voice! And as Marie looked at the two, she saw them both smiling affectionately at one another, and then give into a loving embrace. Then, Logan's arm curled around the woman's slender waist and Marie saw their heads getting closer. Logan was standing with his back to the window. Finally their lips locked and Marie felt something break inside her, a gripping pain deep in her chest and the force of her love shooting through her and she knew that she would soon cease to be. As she opened her eyes for the last time, her gaze met the woman's and she noticed a yellow flickering.

the end