Magical Mutations (Ch. 13) (Patreon)

( Every character in this story is a legal adult over the age of 18 )

Magical Mutations 

Chapter 13

The scraggly man leaped at Marie with an animalistic roar, and his menacing claws sliced through the air. Marie’s body acted on instinct alone. She ducked, rolled, and let the metal spikes carve a groove in the wall behind her. Plaster dust rained down as she scrambled over the bed and then out the door. Her feet barely touched the floor.

She tore down the hallway with her hands pressed to her ears to drown out the hooting and hollering behind her. “Come back here, girl!” the crazy man bellowed, and the sound terrified her. Marie moved faster, not caring that her elbow smashed painfully into the corner of a small table. The stairs loomed ahead, and she barreled toward them without looking back.

The front door was in sight, but halfway down the stairs, the man tackled her from behind, and they both went tumbling. The collision knocked the air from her lungs. She felt his hands dig into her shoulders, but Marie twisted free, rolled hard onto her back, and kicked out with everything she had.

The man caught the blow in the stomach and lurched forward with a loud grunt. He flashed his teeth in rage. She tried to crawl backward, but her legs tangled in a throw rug. He reached for her with the claws extended, but Marie lashed out again and caught him across the jaw with her heel. Immediately, she could tell that it was a hard blow. 

He shook it off with a sickening smile, then bent to grab her arm. Marie clawed at the banister, pulling herself up just as his shadow swallowed her. At the last second, she swung her head back, smashing the bridge of his nose. Blood spurted out, but he only laughed and wiped his face on his sleeve.

“Not bad,” he growled. “But you’re gonna have to do better than that.”

Marie bolted sideways into the living room as a lamp crashed behind her. She snatched up a fireplace poker and brandished it at him, but the man just stalked closer with his hands spread wide and his chrome claws gleaming. He was faster than she expected. He closed the distance in two steps.

She feinted left, then right, and swung the poker at his head. He dodged, but not quite enough. The iron bar connected with his forearm. There was a dull thunk, followed by a yelp of pain. He grabbed the poker, wrenched it from her hands, and flung it out the front window in a shower of glass.

“Time’s up, girlie,” he said, grinning.

Marie ran as fast as she could. She didn’t think about the direction. She just ran. She tore through a back hallway until she reached a neighbor’s garage. She fumbled with the knob as the man’s heavy boots thudded after her. They were measured and slow, like he was giving her a head start just to make things fun. 

She got the door open, dove into the garage, and slammed it shut behind her. Marie yanked a garden rake from the wall and faced the door. Her heart was hammering in her chest. There was complete silence for a moment. Then the door exploded inward, and the scary man stepped through the splintered frame with a menacing look on his face.

“Clever girl,” he said. “But you can’t hide in here forever.”

Marie hurled the rake at his face, but he batted it away without breaking stride. Marie scrambled up the workbench and leapt for the open garage window.

The window was tiny, and she wedged herself through it, scraping her stomach raw. She heard the claws slice into the window frame just after she pulled her legs through. She landed hard on the wet grass outside and rolled, and mud soaked into her pants. She was back on her feet in the blink of an eye, and she vaulted the neighbor’s fence without breaking pace. Behind her, the man couldn’t fit through the window, and he had to double back to the door.

Marie sprinted through the dark, not knowing where to run. Her lungs burned, and it felt like her heart was tearing itself to shreds. It wasn’t until she reached the edge of the next yard that she realized he’d stopped chasing her. The sudden silence was worse than his laughter. She risked a look back and saw the shattered window, but there was no sign of her pursuer.

She collapsed behind a trash can, gulping air and trying to make sense of it. Her hands shook so hard she couldn’t steady them. She checked herself for injuries. She was bleeding, but it was nothing serious. Even so, a chill ran down her spine. She wasn’t out of danger yet. After a few seconds of some much-needed rest, Marie was back on her feet, trying to get as far away as possible. 

Back at the house, Wolverine stood in the ruined garage, admiring the chaos. He straightened his back, then rolled his neck with a crack. The line of his jaw softened. The snarl on his lips faded. His body shrank a few inches, and the stubble melted from his face. His skin darkened, then shifted to a cool, rich blue. The claws slid back inside his hands with a wet, organic pop.

Mystique brushed a lock of red hair from her face, stretched her shoulders, and smirked at the open window. “Silly girl,” she said in a silky voice. “We’re just getting started.” She slipped out the garage door, still smiling, and vanished into the night.

Magical Mutations

Marie ran until her lungs threatened to implode. Her footsteps slapped loudly against the wet pavement and echoed off the house walls and fences. There were no streetlights here. There was just the dim haze of porch bulbs, and every shadow felt like claws waiting to grab her. She heard laughter behind her. It was the same cruel howl as before, and she forced herself to run even faster.

A cold wind caressed her hot, sweaty skin, making it prickle uncomfortably. She ducked around a dumpster, cut across someone’s backyard, then tripped and tumbled down a muddy slope. When she landed, she didn’t stop to check for injuries. Instead, she rolled to her feet and sprinted again. There was no plan. She just wanted to get as far away from the craziness as possible. 

She rounded the corner of an old garage and almost ran right into a woman standing in the middle of the alley. The woman was tall, built like an athlete, and wore a tight catsuit with an X on the belt buckle. Her skin was a shade deeper than creamed coffee, and her hair was as white as sugar. It flowed down her back in a rippling wave, shining in the moonlight.

The woman blocked the path with her arms crossed over her considerable bust. “Going somewhere?” she asked. Her voice had a cruelty that made Marie’s skin crawl.

Marie tried to dart left, but the woman moved faster than Marie’s eye could track. “I said, where do you think you’re going, darling?” Her teeth were perfect, and her eyes sparkled with menace.

“Leave me alone!” Marie shouted and lunged at her, fists swinging. She caught the woman off guard for a split second. Marie’s glove hit the woman’s cheek, but the woman barely flinched. Instead, she grinned wider. 

Then the woman reached out and tapped a gloved hand to Marie’s forehead, and the air exploded. Lightning cracked, and Marie’s entire body jerked. Every muscle convulsed, and a smell like scorched hair filled her nose. The pain was white-hot, and then she was flying backward through the air.

She crashed through a flimsy wooden fence and hit the ground on the other side. She landed in a pile of dead leaves, then rolled down an embankment into a stranger’s backyard. Her vision flickered with fireworks, and her teeth chattered from the aftershock. Somewhere above, she heard the woman’s cold and sadistic laughter. 

Marie pushed herself up, and every joint and muscle screamed in pain. She crawled into the shadows behind a shed. She heard the woman’s boots click along the alley as she searched for her, but the sound faded away after a minute.

Marie’s hands shook so badly she could barely wipe the cold sweat from her face. She huddled behind the shed with her arms wrapped tight around her knees, trying to keep from making a sound.

Why are they doing this? she thought, trembling with terror. Why are they all trying to kill me?

She waited until her breathing slowed, then slunk through the yard and vaulted the next fence, landing in an overgrown garden. She ran again, but this time it was much slower. She was hurt and exhausted. Marie hunched down, trying to make herself as small a target as possible. The neighborhood was a maze of unfamiliar streets. She dodged through yards, crawled through bushes, and kept to the darkness.

She didn’t know how long she ran, but eventually her body gave up. She collapsed behind a group of dented metal trash cans. She only hoped that she would be safe here until she had time to rest. 

Magical Mutations

Harry and Jean jogged through the slumbering suburb. The streetlight above them flickered on and off as they ran. The night air was cool and damp, and every few steps Jean brushed her hair out of her eyes. Harry heard Xavier’s calm, clinical voice in both their minds, but now it carried an edge of concern.

“She’s two blocks north, Harry. She’s been attacked,” Xavier said.

“By who?” Harry shot back, out loud.

There was a pause. “An imposter. Be careful,” Xavier replied.

Jean swore softly. Harry didn’t blame her. They reached the corner of a crumbling fence and slowed, trying to stay in the shadows. Somewhere ahead, a dog barked twice, then yelped. Harry’s heart hammered.

After a few more yards, they spotted her. She was hunched behind a cluster of trash cans, trembling. Marie looked up and saw them. Her face looked terrified. It was smeared with tears and dirt. She raised her hands as if to fight them both off.

“Stay back!” she warned, her voice trembling. She glared at Harry, then at Jean, looking for any sign of threat.

“Hey,” Harry said, keeping his hands out and open. “We’re not here to hurt you. I promise.”

She didn’t buy it. “Says the last two freaks that tried to kill me. Who are you?”

Jean stepped forward and said in a soft voice, “We’re here to help. I swear it.” She looked into Marie’s eyes, and something silent passed between them.

Marie staggered to her feet. She was in worse shape than Harry expected. Her pants were torn, her hair stuck to her face, and her left arm appeared to be injured. She glanced behind her, as if monsters would leap out at any second.

Harry lowered his voice. “We know what happened at the party. We know about Cody.”

Marie’s knees wobbled. “That wasn’t supposed to … It was an accident … I swear I didn’t …” She clamped her mouth shut.

Jean reached out. She wasn’t quite touching her, but it was close. “It was an accident. You’re not the only one with a power that sneaks up on you.”

Marie wiped her nose on her sleeve, and she looked at the ground. “Is he dead?”

Jean shook her head. “No. He’s alive, but he’s not waking up yet. The Professor thinks he’ll fully recover in a few weeks.”

Marie winced, but something in her face softened. “Thank goodness. I was afraid I’d …,” she said and then stopped, and for a second, she looked like a normal girl.

Harry smiled gently. “The important thing is, you’re not alone. We have people who can help you.”

Marie didn’t answer. Her eyes darted to every shadow. Xavier’s voice sounded in Harry’s mind. “Brace yourselves. The imposter is near.”

A shape dropped from the roof. It landed behind them with a heavy thud. Jean gasped. It looked like Wolverine. Jean grabbed Marie by the arm and pulled her back, putting herself between them. 

He looked exactly as before … short, wide, with gleaming claws. His face was twisted with rage. “Party’s over, girl,” he snarled, and launched at them.

Harry pushed Marie aside and threw up his arm in defense. He felt the claws bite into his chest and slice deep into his flesh. The pain was blinding, but he grabbed the attacker by the wrist and twisted. A powerful magical blast smashed him into a parked car with a crunch of metal.

Jean slammed the attacker with a psychic blast, but it only slowed him for a second. “That’s not Logan,” she yelled. “His thoughts are all wrong!”

Marie screamed and tried to run, but Wolverine was faster. He lunged for her with his teeth bared. Harry teleported between them, ignoring the blood soaking his shirt, and caught a slash across his forearm. 

“Run!” he barked at Marie.

Marie hesitated, then grabbed Jean’s hand. They sprinted together, putting distance between themselves and the monster.

Harry stood his ground as Wolverine circled him. The look in his eyes was different now. He looked amused. “Nice trick, kid,” he said. “But you’re out of your league.”

“Yeah,” Harry replied, “I get that a lot.”

Wolverine dove, and Harry met him with a wall of fire. The Phoenix Force roared inside him. The heat cooked the air, and Wolverine’s gruff scream suddenly sounded feminine. 

Suddenly, the attacker’s shape buckled and warped. The claws sucked back into the knuckles. The face warped, and the body shrank and stretched into a new form. He was now a blue-skinned woman with yellow eyes and blood-red hair.

She staggered back and caught herself before falling. Her skin was burned, and she seemed to be in a lot of pain. “Well done, Mr. Potter. You’re even more dangerous than the rumors said.” Her eyes shifted to Jean and Marie, who watched from the sidewalk.

Jean clutched Marie’s hand, holding her back. “You can’t have her,” Jean called out.

Mystique smirked through her pain. “We’ll see.” She glared at Harry, then disappeared into the darkness. Harry was about to go on the attack, but Xavier’s voice echoed in his head. “Let her go, Harry. There’s been enough violence tonight.”

Harry exhaled and went down on one knee. His shirt was soaked with blood, but he smiled through the pain.

Jean and Marie rushed over. Jean dropped to his side, and her hands shook as she tried to stem the bleeding.

“Don’t move,” she ordered. “You did good. But if you even think about dying, I’ll kill you myself.”

Harry snorted and leaned into her. “Noted.”

Harry stood up and pulled his shirt open. Already, the deep slices in his flesh were sealing shut. Marie watched in amazement. When the wounds fully healed over, she laughed manically, then burst into tears. Jean wrapped an arm around her, being careful not to touch any of her bare skin. 

Harry waited until Marie had calmed down. Her skin was still streaked with tears and grime, and he noticed her hands were trembling even harder now that the fight was over.

“Marie,” he said, keeping his voice gentle. “Would you be okay talking to someone who can help? He’s not here, but he can speak with you in your mind in a way that’s totally safe. I promise.”

She flinched at the phrasing. “Like some kinda psychic hotline?” Her accent was thicker when she was scared.

Jean smiled, but didn’t laugh. “It’s kind of like that, yeah.” She rubbed Marie’s back. “He’s the head of our school. He’s a telepath, but he doesn’t just poke around in your head. He asks first.”

Marie eyed them both. “I’m not too sure about that. What if he tries to control me?”

Harry shook his head. “He won’t. He’s the real deal. He only wants to help.” He paused, then added, “And if you say no, we won’t push the issue. We can take you to wherever you want to go, and we’ll let you be.”

Marie looked at Jean and then at Harry. Marie then looked down at Harry’s ruined shirt and winced, remembering the vicious slashes that had just been there. “Suppose I did say yes. Does it hurt?” she asked. Harry could tell she was nervous.

Jean shook her head slowly. “It feels weird at first, and it can be a bit jarring, but it never hurts. And you’re still you the whole time.”

Marie considered this. She wrapped her hands tighter around her belly and closed her eyes. “Alright,” she said. “Tell him to do his thing.”

Harry nodded and thought to himself. “Did you get all that, Professor?” The response came at once, clear as a bell.

“I did. You did an excellent job, Harry,” Professor Xavier’s voice said in his mind. “I’ll take it from here.”

Harry looked at Marie and saw her eyes squeeze shut. Tiny muscles in her jaw flexed as Xavier’s mind brushed against hers. For a second, nothing happened, and Harry wondered if Xavier was being careful not to scare her. Then Marie gasped.

She blinked twice, then stared at the street in astonishment. “Whoa,” she whispered.

Jean put a steadying hand on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Marie nodded, still looking at the street. “It’s like … I dunno. Like I’m dreaming, but I ain’t asleep. There’s a voice in my head, but it ain’t mine.” She pressed her fingers to her temples and began massaging her head. 

Harry tried to make her comfortable. “Just relax. If you need us to stop, just say so.”

“I know,” Marie said. “He told me.”

Jean looked at Harry and mouthed, ‘She’s doing great.’

Marie stood perfectly still, staring out into the distance. Her lips moved, but the words came out in a hush. “He says I got a talent. He says it’s rare but not unique. He showed me a picture of some kid in California who can do what I do, only she can’t turn it off.” Marie then winced. “I suppose I can’t, neither.”

Harry remembered what Xavier told him about new mutants. They all went through the same stages … denial, terror, anger, and then finally, acceptance. Marie was somewhere between the first two. 

Marie winced again, and her whole body shuddered. “He wants to know about my mom and dad,” she whispered. She didn’t look too pleased. “It ain’t none of his business.”

Harry shook his head and said, “He’s just trying to help. You don’t have to tell him anything you don’t want to.”

Marie breathed through her nose. She nodded, then let her body slump against the brick wall behind her. “He says I should come with you. To the school, I mean. He says I’d be safe there.”

Jean softened her voice. “You would. You could learn how to control your new powers around other people like us. We won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Marie almost laughed. “What about the blue lady? She’s got a real hard-on for me for some reason.”

Harry said, “She won’t get near you. Not with us around.”

For a while, Marie didn’t say anything. The wind picked up and blew the girls’ hair in their faces. He watched Marie process the information in her own time. Finally, she turned to Jean. “If I go with you … do I have to wear one of those spandex suits?”

Jean grinned. “Only if you want to. Most of us stick with regular clothes.”

“I’m sure it would look good on you though,” Harry teased. Maria blushed and swatted his arm. 

“Oh, shush,” she said, and Jean giggled. 

Marie nodded, resigned but satisfied. “Alright then. I guess I’ll go with you.” She looked skyward, as if searching for the Professor in the clouds. “He says I got guts. I never thought I’d hear that.”

Harry nodded. “I’m sure he’s right. He knows what he’s talking about.” 

She was still shaking, but there was a new determination in her step. As they started to walk, Marie glanced sideways at Harry. “You really heal that fast? Or is that just a trick?”

Harry smiled at her. “I do heal fast, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.”

Marie managed a weak smile. “Ain’t you ever scared?”

Harry thought about it. “All the time, but at Xavier’s, we learn to control the fear and use it to our advantage.”

Marie looked thoughtful, as if she might argue, but then she nodded. The three of them walked through the dark streets together. There was still fear in the way Marie moved, but she no longer looked lost.

Magical Mutations

Marie clung to the safety harness of her seat as the X-Jet streaked through the night. Every so often, she met Wolverine’s gaze from across the cockpit, then dropped her eyes, not trusting what she saw. She’d spent the whole ride glancing sidelong at Storm, too, as if the white-haired woman could shapeshift into a blue-skinned monster at any second. Storm caught her staring and offered a gentle, regal smile, but Marie flinched and looked away, haunted by the memory of the attack. Even though she knew it was unfair to them, it would still take time for her to trust them. Wolverine grunted as he readjusted his seat.

She sat close enough to Harry that their knees nearly touched. Marie couldn’t help but stare at the deep gouges in Harry’s shirt, which was now stiff with dried blood. The sight should’ve been traumatic, but instead she found herself distracted by how the jagged tears framed the hard planes of his chest. Harry caught her looking, smirked, and drummed his fingers on the armrest. It was a cocky, self-assured gesture, and Marie blushed so hard she had to look away.

Jean, sitting on Harry’s other side, noticed the exchange and covered her mouth to hide a laugh. “You alright, Marie?” Jean asked gently. “You haven’t said two words since we got on the jet.”

Marie shrugged and played with her gloved fingers. “It’s just … I dunno what to say,” she muttered. “It all feels weird. I mean, you’re all so calm about it.” She eyed Wolverine and Storm again, as if to check whether they were still themselves and not some blue-skinned psycho.

Harry leaned back, stretching his neck. “We’ve all been the new kid, at some point,” he said. “The first few days are always the weirdest. You get used to it.”

Marie wasn’t so sure. She’d watched Harry get sliced up in a way that should’ve killed him. She then watched him walk it off like it was nothing. She was sure he was a lot of things, but “normal” wasn’t one of them. He caught her staring again and waggled his eyebrows, making her snort despite herself.

Jean reached over and squeezed Marie’s hand. “I promise it’s safe at the mansion,” she said. “You’ll learn to control everything, and everyone’s really nice.” Her voice was warm, and for a second, Marie believed her.

The jet’s turbulence made Marie’s stomach swoop, and she clamped her mouth shut. She caught Harry’s eye again, and the way he looked at her made her heart pound so loud she thought everyone could hear it.

From the pilot’s seat, Storm glanced over her shoulder. “We’ll be landing in five minutes. Please remain seated until the jet is fully powered down.” Her voice was calm, but Marie heard the authority beneath it. She wondered if Storm had ever been scared of her own powers. She wondered if it was even possible for someone that beautiful and self-assured to be afraid of anything.

Wolverine, for his part, had said nothing the whole flight. He spent most of it napping. When he finally spoke, his voice was a low, gravelly rumble. “Nice work back there, kid,” he said. “Most folks would’ve run screaming.”

Marie was unsure if he was talking to her or Harry. She risked a glance at Wolverine and found him staring directly at her with an unreadable expression.

She swallowed, then nodded. “Thanks, I guess,” she said. “But I’m pretty sure there was some running and screaming.” This made Wolverine chuckle.

“Don’t worry. We’ll work on that,” he said, amusedly. 

Marie nodded and looked over at Harry again. Harry picked at the edge of his ruined shirt and said, “You’ll like the food at the mansion, too. Jean’s a master of frozen pizza, and I make a mean scrambled egg.”

Jean rolled her eyes at Harry’s self-promotion, but Marie smiled, grateful for the attempt at normal conversation. Harry really did have a way of making things seem less terrifying, even if only for a moment.

Still, every time she caught him looking at her, her stomach did a nervous little flip. It didn’t help that Jean seemed to notice, too. Whenever Marie blushed, Jean would nudge Harry in the side, and they would both chuckle. Marie didn’t mind. The sound was comforting, and she couldn’t wait until she was comfortable enough to join in. 

The runway lights appeared in the distance, though they seemed to disappear into the side of a darkened cliff. As the jet banked into its landing approach, Marie felt every muscle in her body lock up. She squeezed her eyes shut and focused on breathing. She’d done the impossible tonight. She’d survived a monster attack, met a literal mind-reader, and was now minutes away from living at a school for mutants. Her head spun.

The jet touched down and the cabin lights flickered on. Marie opened her eyes to find Harry unbuckling her harness for her. “The first step’s the hardest,” he said softly. “But you already did it.” He helped her up, and for the briefest second, Marie thought about what it might feel like if she could touch him. 

Jean caught the look and grinned. ‘It looks like another girl has fallen under Harry’s charming spell,’ she thought.