It was 1945 and we were forced out of Italy. I had no idea why though. Me, Ma, Pa, and my lil' brother Victor had packed our bags and made our way to the car that'll take us to the airport, then that'll take us to America. That's until many men in uniforms came running at us with guns pointing at us. They all spoke too quickly for me to understand, but when one of them grabbed me, and started taking me away from my family, I screamed. All my parents did was give me an ashamed look, whereas my brother was crying out for me but was held back by Pa. I never understood at the time why they did what they did. I don't think that I'll ever will.
1962
The men did take me to America but not the city or town that my family was. Argentina I think it was called. Well were I was at least. They took me to onto this submarine. Once inside they lead me to a man and introduced me and this Shaw character. I tilted my head in wonder of why I was here. "Hello Cynthia. I have heard of your abilities, with what you can do it's remarkable." I cringed at the way he said this and the desired look in his eyes. "Don't be shy now. Come on show me." I took a deep breath as I took two steps in front of Shaw. I stared into the depths of his cold eyes, and then my eyes changed to pitch black. 'Whoever told I was afraid are wrong. You and your people are the ones who should be afraid.' I spoke monotone in his mind. He smirked knowing that's not all to my powers. 'Come on you can do better than that.' He was taunting me. I went to try another one of my mutations until there was a jerking motion like the submarine was trying to be pulled.
I took this as my chance to escape. I lifted the guards up and threw them at Shaw. I ran and imagined myself in the water. As I felt my clothes stick to me and my hair slick I knew it finally worked. After all those hard and difficult years of training and humiliation of being a side show freak. Everything as finally paid off. I was swimming towards the land and coughed up salt water that I swallowed. Step one is now checked off of my list. Now find shelter. I told myself as I made my way into a city. What I had overestimated was my fatigue. My body sore and exhaustion threatening to consume me, but I was stubborn. I kept moving using my senses to make sure nobody was after me. Then I saw a huge Victorian aged Mansion. No lights were on inside so I snuck into the backyard to find a garden. My legs had finally given out and I landed hard on the trail in the garden letting the darkness consume me.
"Ma why are they taking away Cynthia? Mama? Papa do something?!" My baby brother pleaded as tears streaked his baby face. When Ma and Pa made no move just opened the door waiting for him to get into the cab. "Victor! Never forget me, I love you baby brother!" I yelled at him as I felt my tears coming down as the men tugged on my arm harder. I heard Victor say the same back and he was now out of my sight.
Bright light had shone on my face. I groaned and rubbed my eyes only to feel thin silk sheets fall from the movement. That's when I had finally realized that I wasn't outside in the garden. Instead I was inside the Mansion and in somebody's room because, I saw a frame of a beautiful blonde. I slipped out of the bed to see I was wearing shorts and a tank top. I was actually glad to be ridden of those damn prison suits. But just to be safe I used my mind to see who was in the house. I saw her, she's a mutant. 'Who are you?' I spoke in her mind making her jump in surprise. Then she relaxed a bit and walked up stairs. 'I was wondering the same about you.' Was the last thing spoken of when she entered the room I was in.
"Is this your room?" She shook her head. "You don't have to hide your mutation from me, just saying." I spoke as she gave me a wide-eyed look. "My name is Raven." She changed the subject raising her hand. I thought she was going to smack me as I flinched pulling my arms around my head. She stepped back at my reaction. "It's alright I'm not going to hurt you. Here." She spoke softly as she changed into her blue form. I wasn't as tense anymore and that seemed to make her happy. "What's your name?" I sat on the bed. "Cynthia." I raised my hand and she shook it. "Very nice to meet you. So you're a mutant too…I already know that you can read minds, but what else can you do?" She asked sitting next to me. "I can teleport, control others thoughts and emotions. I can also identify others mutations." I finished and saw the look on her face. "You have to meet Charles. Come on." She grabbed my hand and dragged me down the hallway and into an office.
"Charles." Raven said getting his attention away from his papers. When he saw Raven he smiled sweetly at her, but when he spotted me his defenses went up. "Raven, how is our guest?" He nodded his head my direction. 'I'm capable thank you.' I spoke breaking through his defenses. He looked at me, I was expecting him to be angry, but no. He was amused. "A telepath hmm?" Raven this time jumped up and down making me notice that she's back to her other blonde form. "That's not it Charles. She can teleport, control peoples thoughts, emotions, and find out what mutant has what kind of power." She spoke very excitedly making Charles even more intrigued. I was starting to get hungry so without either of them noticing I had found the kitchen in my mind. I appeared there and rummaged through the fridge. It wasn't till thirty minutes later that multiple footsteps came down. I turned around with the milk in one hand and a bowl in the other. Charles and Raven both looked relieved that I was still here. I shrugged and went to grab the cheerios. After I got that done I sat at the island all the while they just stared at me. I spoke to them both in my mind.
'Oh no it's totally cool. Stare away like I'm a fucking circus freak!' They both flinched. Raven walked out of the room feeling embarrassed but Charles stayed. 'You're not a freak.' I ignored him but didn't block him out of my mind as I ate. Everything was silent until a tall man walked into the room. "Ah Erik! Meet Cynthia." I looked at Erik and wasn't fazed by the suspicious look in his eyes and the distrust. "Hello." I said simply as I moved to put the bowl in the sink. I went to walk away until both Erik and Charles yelled to me. I looked back at them to see the blood trail. I looked to see the large gash that's bleeding though the bandage that's on my left leg. "oh darn!" I said frustrated. "I'll get Raven." I stopped Erik. "No need, just get me a mirror." He nodded his head and left. I went to my original spot. So much for the teleportation… I thought to myself as I took off the bandage. There was another mutation that I hadn't told Raven or Charles. I raised my hand over the wound and closed my eyes to see if there was anything stuck or got inside because of the size of the gash. There are metal shards.
I grunted in frustration. "Erik I need you to pull the metal shards out of my leg." He looked at me stunned that I knew his mutation, but recovered quickly. "It's going to hurt." I rolled my eyes but nodded my head knowingly. "Trust me when I say I've had worse happen to me." Everything seemed to stand still. Then the sharp pain and the gushing blood came. I held in a blood curling scream, breathing in and out slowly. "It's all out." I looked up to see the sharp tiny metal shards in his left hand. "Thank you." I breathed out. I looked down and set my hand on the now gushing gash on my leg. Closing my eyes I imagined my muscles and skin reconnecting. I reopened my eyes to see both the men staring at me wide eyed. "You have a strong healing factor." I shrugged. "I wouldn't call it strong. But yeah I do. Well thanks for your hospitality but I gotta get going." I said as I made my way to the door. Raven was sitting on the couch and jumped to her feet seeing me. Charles and Erik had followed me. "Wait! Where are you going?" Erik asked as I looked through a bunch of car keys. "I am going as far away from Shaw as possible. Before he catches me again." I looked back to see Erik's face turn cold, making me confused. "What?" "You know where he is?" I glared at him by the way he had asked me. "No. All the more reason I'm not safe here." I finally found a car key I reconigzed and went to open the door when Erik spun me around.
On instinct I punched him in the throat and flipped him on his back. When I relized what I did my face went red from embarrassment. "Sorry it's instinct…." When he held up his hand I stopped talking. He got up and walked back into the kitchen. Raven and Charles walked up to me with sympathy in their eyes. "Come. Let's sit down and just talk. Then if you choose to you can go." Charles said convincing me. I sat in between them both. I breathed out and started telling them what had happened from Italy all the way up to now. Raven hugged me making me jump a bit but I relaxed and hugged her back. "You won't get captured again Cynthia. We can help you." I cut her off by standing up. "Last time that was said I had to watch as Shaw and his mutant 'friends' rip them apart in front of me." I started remembering their screams and tears were about to over flow. 'I just sat there and didn't do a damn thing about it. Just nothing..' 'You were young Cynthia.' I looked back at Charles in disbelief and scoffed at him. "I know I could've done anything, but instead I just sat there and let their organs hang from their bodies! Even the fucking children!" I started yelling more and more. I showed him vivid images of the bodies and the children. 'Calm yourself Cynthia.' It was barely above a whisper before I realized it was Charles soft voice.
"I'm sorry, I-" Tears poured out and I have never felt so weak. I fell to my knees and balled my eyes out. Raven came to my side hugging me and whispering to me soothing words. I gripped her tan leather jacket and held on. "Here." I heard Charles and pulled back to see him holding a box of tissues. I started to realize something and laughed as I wiped my eyes with the tissues. "A simple act of kindness. She was right." I spoke as Raven sat me back on the couch. "Who?" She asked. I smiled in fond memory. "Scarlet was her name. She was my trainer, well more like a mother to me. She's the wisest woman I will ever know in this cruel unforgiving world. After all the brutal beatings and trainings, she'd be there to help heal the wounds physically, and mentally. She would always say a simple act of kindness will make the biggest impact on the world. Her mutation was anything that involved green vines, trees, earth things mostly." I explained and lay my head back and rest my eyes. "She does sound like a wise woman." Raven agreed.
"That is until you piss her off." We all laughed and I even heard Erik laughing. "Really though, I think we can help you control these powers of yours." Charles looked at Raven proudly like a big brother would a little sister. I looked between them hesitantly. "You'll help me control my fears?" I finally asked as my eyes landed on Charles. He nodded his head with a confidant smile. I smiled back unsurely. "Just understand and be patient with me. I have been only around people who were prepared to kill me whenever I would fail with my training lessons." Charles set a hand on my shoulder. 'Don't worry. This will be a safe haven. We protect each other.' It felt like a weight lifted off of my shoulders. 'No more running.' I thought as I let out a relieved sigh. "I'll let you borrow my cloths." Raven said as she ran upstairs. 'Yes no more running, Cynthia.' I laughed as did Charles and Erik came into the room with an ice pack on his throat. He rolled his eyes knowing that we were speaking through our minds. "It's going to be a long day." Erik croaked out making me throw a sympathy smile his way.
A/N
Please review!