Disclaimer: This story was written simply because I needed to purge myself of pent up emotions. Live out my own fantasies vicariously through words and thoughts. If it makes no sense, blame it on the fact that it's 4:15 A.M. (PST, of course, which is the ONLY real time) I don't own Marvel or X- Men. Damn, to bad, too... Think of all the neat things I could buy. This is Movie-verse, simply because I'm not fully versed with X-Man lore and history (I'm better at Spider-man)

First Chapter- Genesis

"Mutie!"

"Freak!"

"Monster!"

Ark grimaced. The names were familiar, an age-old ritual that had taken shape in countless schools across America since the beginning of the so- called "Mutant Crisis," and yet, they still stung, even now, a year after Ark's mutation had developed.

Mutation? Ha! It could hardly be called a mutation. Maybe a minor deviation, but not a mutation. Mutations were the ability to alter meteorological patterns, or to teleport. Something VALUABLE. Ark couldn't help but fantasize about discovering that he could bend steel, or maybe walk through walls. But no... He was discriminated against simply because his eyes were an unfortunate orange color. Nothing colored contacts couldn't fix. Except his parents couldn't afford them. Not that they would have gotten them, if they could. They were firm believers in being yourself. Ark sighed. Easy for THEM to say. They both had green eyes.

Suddenly, a stone smashed into the back of Ark's head. Fighting back tears, he silently wished, not for the first time that day, that he had some cool power, instead of this spot-on-the-wall excuse for a mutation. Another stone whizzed past Ark's head, reminding him of his plight. He was perched in a tree, desperately hanging on to a limb. ~Maybe the ability to become invisible.~ He mused silently.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the bell rang, and the gang of boys dispersed, knowing that tomorrow they would resume the game, never even pausing to wonder if Ark was hurt. Ark was a mutie, and therefore was beneath common curtesy. It just was the way things were.

Ark considered going to a teacher, or to the principal, but he already knew what the response would be. He was by no means the only mutant in the school, he was sure, but his was the only one that was inherently obvious to the naked eye. The school board tolerated him because they didn't want to deal with the backlash of refusing to teach him, but his presence was at best an annoyance. No, it was best to keep quiet, and hope the game got old.

As soon as his tormentors were gone, Ark climbed down from the tree, brushing his tangled brown hair out of his glowing eyes. He was late for class again. Not that his teacher would care, of course. He was never marked absent, because he was beneath notice, unless something had gone wrong.

Shaking his head, Ark hurried across the playground, and slowly pulled open the door to his classroom.

"But now you have one hydrogen atom too many, so you have to... " Mr. Dickens, the chemistry teacher, paused, glancing at Ark. "You're late again, Ark." He scowled. Ark sighed. Of course Mr. Dickens had to be teaching. THAT one was a mutant, to be sure. How else could you explain his uncanny ability to detect even the slightest of whispers?

"Yes, sir. I had some... trouble getting out of a tree." He tried not to glance in Keith Norton's direction as he spoke. Keith was the most popular boy in school, and one of his primary assailants. "I'm sorry, sir. I'll try to be on time tomorrow."

"That would be rather hard, Ark. Tomorrow is Saturday." He smirked, and everyone laughed. Ark felt the heat rising in his cheeks. He was getting tired of getting picked on. Oh, what he wouldn't give for one moment of a true mutation.

"Yes, sir. May I sit down now, sir?" Ark was struggling to remain polite. Antagonizing a teacher was not a good way to stay in school.

"No, Ark. I think I'd prefer if you went to Principal Bradley's office."

"But SIR!"

"Go!"

"Buh bye, glow worm." Keith snickered at his own wit, and the rest of the dumb jocks and blonde cheerleaders laughed along with him. ~Mob mentality at its best,~ Ark thought numbly, before making his way to the cramped room the principal used as an office. Originally, it had been a temporary arrangement, until the administrative building could be rebuilt after the '94 quake, but budget cuts had made the construction work a far off dream, so they dealt with what they had.

Ms. Bradley was a plump woman who would best be described as "jolly". Well, most of the time, anyway. To Ark, it seemed like she was just another tyrant. "Ark, Ark, Ark... We have to stop meeting like this." She chuckled, and Ark wondered irrelevantly if being human automatically meant having no sense of humor. "What did you do now?"

"I was late for class, ma'am."

"Again?"

"Yes'm." Ark fidgeted in his chair, then raised his orange eyes to meet Ms. Bradley's blue. She didn't flinch. This time.

Ms. Bradley sighed. "The school board is breathing down my neck about you, you know. You're somewhat of a thorn in their side. They want to kick you out, but they need a good reason. Don't give them one, Ark. Go home. You're suspended for three days."

"But Ms. Bradley!"

"Do you want to make it four?"

"No, but..."

"GO!"

Ark sighed resignedly, and pushed his way out of the building and down the steps to the parking lot. His car was small and needed a new coat of paint and a tune-up, but it was all his parents could afford at the moment. He wasn't bitter. A lot of kids he knew were lucky to have a meal on any given day, let alone a car. It took him three tries to get it started, and he stalled out once, before he got out of the school lot.

The ride was usually short, but Ark to a side route, hoping for some time to think. It wasn't that he was afraid to go home. The house would be empty. He checked his watch. It was almost one. That meant that his father would be at work, probably screwing his secretary, and his mom would be off either shopping, gossiping, or drinking herself blind. Neither one would be home before eight, so he didn't really have to worry.

When Ark finally arrived home, however, he found that he did, in fact, have reason to worry. The door had been blown open, and hung limply on twisted hinges. "Shit!" He swore. He parked his car and ran into the house. Everything was a mess. Papers were lying everywhere, drawers were strewn about the floor, cabinets were open and their contents were spilled onto the counters. He ran too his bedroom, and came face to face with a man who reminded him vaguely of a tiger. Maybe it was the teeth. Or the claws. Or the fact that he kept sniffing. Or the low growling laugh.

"Peek-a-boo. I see you." And he leapt.