The Manipulator, Chapter One

Defiant. That was the only way to describe her attitude. The girl sat on the bed in the hospital wing, wearing a dark coat and a pink beanie. She positivly glared at everyone around her. The professor sighed.

"Do you talk, little girl?"

She spoke not a word, at least not out loud. But to his mind, she spoke very clearly. ~I ain't little, I'm 14. And I don't talk.~

The professor chuckled, turning to Rogue, who stood beside him. "Wherever did you find such an enchanting creature?" At this the girl scoffed. Her hair was brown, shoulder length, and curly, beneath her beanie- she had refused to take it off for any reason. Her hands were cold, but she didn't complain. In fact, she hadn't spoken a word since she got to the mansion.

"Found her outside. She looked lost, but when I asked where she was goin' she said here. Named it by name an' told me to take her inside."

"I see. Do you have a name, little girl?"

~I told you, I ain't little. Name's Manipulator. Minnie for short.~

"Manipulator? How... origional."

~t'aint funny.~

"No, I suppose it's not." He sighed. He tried a general probe, but was stopped short. The girl had a mental sheild like her mind was Fort Knox. It was almost as strong as Magnito's helmet- he didn't dare force it, lest he destroy her mind by mistake. He sighed. "Well, Minnie, you can stick with Kitty for now. Rogue, find Shadowcat; she'll know what classes to put Minnie in."

~I ain't goin' to no classes. I'm grown enough to help.~

The professor raised an eyebrow. "Well, if you're not mature enough to stop pouting you're certainly not old enough to go on dangerous missions."

"I ain't poutin'." The girl spoke aloud, for once. The professor opened his mouth to debate it, then he caught a glimpse of her eyes. No, she wasn't pouting, nor sulking. She knew what she wanted and how to get it, and that's exactly what she was trying to do. She wouldn't fail him. She knew her own strength.

The professor sighed, rubbing his temples. "You'll be a headache, won't you. Alright. Consider yourself an X-man. Woman." He turned to go, his wheelchair silent as he controlled it on mind power alone. He stopped on the way out to murmer to Rogue, "look after her, won't you?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minnie didn't speak a word while being introduced around. "She's shy," Rogue was forced to append to each introduction. Minnie simply shook hands with everyone. Nightcrawler didn't faze her much, though she did take a nice sidelong look at him. He demonstrated his power to her by bamphing out to the garden and returning with a fresh-picked flower. She smiled, then, but did not speak a word.

"And that's Logan. I'd stay away from him, he bites." Minnie chuckled a little as she met the last member of the team, who promptly bared his teeth at her, getting a giggle from Rogue as well. Then he stalked off in his wild manner, off to see about fixing up some lunch.

"Who lives in that room?" Minnie asked, softly. Rogue was touched- she seemed so young, after all, so vaulnerable, so full of questions about life itself...

"Oh, that's Scott. Cyclops. He, um... doesn't talk to us much either." Minnie paused, placing a hand gently on the door, touching it lightly with two fingers, then turned and smiled at Rogue.

"Please show me where the television is." So charming, Rogue thought. So young and childish, but so polite... She liked the kid already.

"Sure thing." She showed her to the living room, where Kurt and Bobby were watching the news. Minnie sat beside them, flashing them a smile, then looked up at Rogue.

"I'm sure you have better things to do than look after me..." Rogue, about to object, thought better of it. The kid was harmless, and Kurt would look after her well enough for a little while. And she did want some time alone with Bobby... surely there'd be no harm in leaving the kid alone for a while. She smiled, and Bobby took her hand and led her out to the garden, for some privacy.

Kurt smiled at Minnie. "You want to watch cartoons?" he offered, holding out the remote. "There's a Spongebob marathon on today..."

"Sure!" She smiled at him, and he felt pleased to have been able to help. "I'll get us some popcorn." He lept to his feet.

"Oh, I'll get it."

"No, I can do it..." He suddanly felt ashamed. She was little, not feeble, of COURSE she can handle herself. Blushing a deep shade of blue, he sat down again.

"Of course." She flashed him another smile, and he found his face twisting into a silly grin. 'I think I'm in love' he thought, as Minnie skipped off to the kitchen. He turned back to the news.

As soon as his back was turned, Minnie slipped behind the couch and up the stairs. She stopped at the door she had marked before, feeling the slight tingle in the door, and knocked softly.

"I'm not hungry, Logan." came the reply.

"You're hurting." It was a simple statement of fact. Then, softer, she murmered, "I can help." A moment later, the door slid open, slowly, letting a sliver of darkness show.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scot heard the knock at the door, sharp, bringing him out of his latest brood. He sighed a little. He didn't have the energy for this. He didn't have much at all, lately.

"I'm not hungry, Logan." It was true. He rarely ate, and the others knew to leave him alone. All but Logan, who for some inexplicable reason would bring him food and try to get him to eat.

"You're hurting." He winced. It was true. He was hurting, more than anyone could ever know... all the pain of her death flared up, all at once, overwhelming him, drowning him in a sea of pain and sorrow and torment, and leaving him stranded, wondering how he could ever go on again. Then the voice came again, softer, as if sensing his torment and trying to comfort him. "I can help." Could it be... could she understand? Could she know of this pain, threatening to drag him into the depths and leave him alone forever? He couldn't risk it. He stood and opened the door, letting a sliver of light into the dark room.

A girl stood at the door. Just a girl, is all. No angelic savior come to help him. He almost shut the door on her, but she stopped it with her hand, stepping gently into the room. "Scot..." she breathed, and a wave of feeling washed over him. She may be young in body, perhaps, but she knew, she understood, she wanted to help, she felt sorry for him...

Minnie looked up into his eyes, her own dark brown ones like pools, ready to soak up his sadness, cure it for all time. She reached up on tiptoe and brushed her hand against his lips. It tingled, and he closed his eyes, remembering the last time he kissed Jean, before she died... Lost in memory, he hardly realized that Minnie's lips were on his own, not Jean's.

Minnie kissed Scot, her eyes open, watchful to see how he would react. He was like putty in her arms, waiting for her to mold him, make him whole. And she would. Nobody would ever have to suffer like this ever, ever again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

mwahaha. This isn't really a Mary Sue, I swear! Nor is it as mushy as it sounds. Review, please.