Hey there all! So, I just watched X-Man First Class last night, and my muse exploded on me! So, here's the new story. The protagonist, Lucia, is different than my other characters, so I'm getting use to her. This will eventually be a Charles story, so yeah. This is just the prologue, though, so have fun!

~*~PROLOGUE~*~

*~*Lucia's POV*~*

Poland, 1944

Blood.

It was everywhere. The scent of burned flesh made my stomach turn, and the smoke stung my eyes. I felt sick to my stomach, but there was nothing left to vomit. I could feel sweat trickle down the back of her neck, mixing painfully with the open wounds there, but I didn't close my eyes. My stomach was twisted into knots, and it was all I could do not to break down and cry. The pain from everyone else was what was kill me.

Fear. Anger. Despair. Disgust. Malice. Painpainpainpainpain-

"Stehen Sie auf!" the sharp German words brought my mind to focus. I looked through my tears, trying to force my body to cooperate. I was small for a ten year old, and not eating for four days was taking it's toll. I felt the guard's irritation before his hand came down across my cheek. I stumbled and nearly fell again, when hands caught me.

"Now, now, be nice. She's just a child." The words were kind, but the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. It was the doctor, doctor Schmidt. He always had kind words for her, but his emotions didn't match up. I swallowed hard and moved away from him. The guard left us alone, like he normally did. "Now, Lucia, are you feeling better than yesterday? Will you use your powers again?" It was the question he asked every day. Everyday he promised all sorts of things - good food, candy, bed, no beatings. Everyday he told me that I was special. But I already knew that.

I also knew that if I used my powers, people could get hurt.

I stared at him, tears swimming in my eyes. Mama had told me never to use my powers, that it was bad. But here, if I didn't, I got hurt. But what Doctor Schmidt wanted me to do was impossible. Mutely, I shook my head, tensing myself as his disappointment that barely covered rage washed over me. "Ah, Lucia, you disappoint me. What would you parents think?" He just sighed and rang his bell. I closed my eyes as sobs wracked my body. The first night I had been here, he had shot my parents point blank when I said I couldn't do what he wanted. Their blood was still on my clothing.

Two guards grabbed me roughly from the room, ignoring my squeak of pain as they gripped places where the whips had made marks. As I was dragged away, I saw a boy my age being brought in, eyes wide. They're going to hurt him. I know it. No one goes in there without being hurt. For a moment I wonder if he's like me, different than the others. But I don't have time to think anymore before the guards threw me into my cell. It is little more than a cave with bars on it, and I curl up in the corner. "Mama… Daddy…" I couldn't help but whimper. But it didn't matter.

They were both dead, and my life was never going to be the same.