DISCLAIMER: Warning! Extreme glurge ahead. :) This is my feeble attempt at writing a St. Patrick’s Day-related story. All characters in this fic belong to Marvel and are being used without permission. Don’t sue me -- I have no money.

Sean Cassidy stepped out into the sunshine and breathed in the crisp morning air. This was his favorite time of year, when the cold and snow faded as the world began to come to life once again. The weather had been unseasonably warm over the past week, and had been a welcome change after the long winter.

He had seen a change with his students as well. Maybe it was because they had been cooped up together for the past few months and could finally spend a little time apart, but it seemed as though all of their usual problems and disagreements had disappeared along with the cold and the snow. Even Jubilee and Monet had managed to be civil to one another these past few days.

For once, everyone at the academy seemed to be in a good mood, and Sean intended to savor every moment of it. As much as he cared for his students, it was a relief for him to get a break from their bickering. Sometimes it seemed incredible to him that they could spend so much of their time rehashing the same old problems.

He chuckled quietly. "Ah, maybe one of these days they’ll surprise me and think of a new crisis," he thought.

As Sean walked across the school grounds he saw Leech sitting by himself underneath one of the sprawling oak trees. This in itself was not odd, but when Sean saw the sad expression that the child wore he stopped in his tracks. It wasn’t like Leech to be unhappy about anything. It was even less like him to sit alone in the yard, worrying.

"Be careful what ye wish for," Sean chided himself as he walked over toward his student.

Leech sat cross-legged on the ground as he played absently with the grass in front of him. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he almost didn’t hear the Irish man’s approach.

"Mornin’, lad," Sean greeted the boy. "Beautiful day today."

Leech just shrugged in response.

"Are you all right, Leech?"

The little boy sighed. "Leech not OK. Leech is ’pressed."

Sean looked at the boy in disbelief for a few seconds, doubting that the child even knew the meaning of the word. But from the way Leech was hunched over and from the frown on his face Sean guessed that he had a pretty good idea. He had to admit, though, that the boy was pretty good at moping. All that he needed to complete the image was a small black leather jacket and an old, beat-up guitar. Sean made a mental note to talk to Jono about the effect his perpetual brooding was having on the younger students.

"An’ what does a lad like yourself have to be depressed about?" Sean asked, deciding for the moment that the cheerful approach might be best. What could worry a child his age so much?

The little boy frowned as he picked at the grass. "Leech is not like other kids."

Sean nodded. "Aye, lad, we’re all different from most people. That’s why we’re at the academy."

The child shook his head in frustration. "No! Leech is not like other kids *here.* At school."

Sean crouched down next to the young boy. "What do you mean?"

"Leech is funny looking."

The simple honesty in the child’s statement struck a chord with Sean. "I don’t think so, lad. We all look different, but there’s nothing wrong with that."

Leech nodded solemnly. "Leech needs to have magician doozer to go outside."

Sean ran a hand through his hair, puzzled by the statement until he realized that the boy was referring to the image inducer he had to use in public. He and Emma had given the hologram-producing devices to Leech and Artie to give them a more "normal" appearance and help them blend in with other children their age.

At first, the two boys had regarded the image inducers as toys, using them to play tricks on their teachers. Sean never imagined that either of them would stop to think about why they needed to use the devices. He and Emma had been so worried about protecting their students’ safety that they failed to consider any psychological impact their decision might have on the boys.

"Other kids don’t have to use it. Only Leech."

"Maybe not," Sean said, "but they’re mutants, just like you. Besides, Artie uses an image inducer, too."

Leech shook his head and looked up at Sean sadly. "But Artie is pink. Leech is green."

"What’s wrong with green? I happen to like that color."

The child looked at him as if to say "grown-ups don’t understand anything important."

"Leech thinks green is bad."

"Well, I think that green is good." Sean sat down on the grass next to Leech. "Look all around ye, lad. The grass, the plants, the trees ..." he waved his arm around him. "So many good things in the world are green."

"Not people," Leech sighed. "Not little boys." He rested his face on one fist as he traced a line on the ground with his finger.

Sean thought for a moment about what to tell the boy, but found himself at a loss for words. It was difficult enough for him to help his older students cope with the physical effects of their mutations -- Jono and Angelo in particular had struggled to accept their appearances. He knew that the younger children would have to deal with this same problem someday. He just didn’t think it would be so soon.

The Irish man watched as Leech continued to pick leaves from the small field of clover in front of him, not knowing quite what to say. Explaining that he and Emma gave him the device to protect him from the mutant-hating populace wouldn’t help. How could he tell the boy that he needed to wear a disguise so that people wouldn’t run away in terror or try to kill him?

He would have to think of something else to tell the child. But what could he say that would make him feel better about himself?

Inspiration came to Sean suddenly as he watched the boy pluck a small cluster of leaves from the grass. He put his hand over Leech’s to stop him from pulling apart the unknown treasure he had found. "Do ye know what ye have there, lad?"

Leech stared at the small plant and shook his head.

Sean fingered the leaves carefully. "That’s a four-leaf clover."

Leech stared for a second. "Oh. Okay," he said, seemingly unimpressed.

"I don’t think you understand." Sean pointed to the ground in front of him. "Look at this field of clover right here. How many leaves do they have?"

He waited patiently as the boy studied the ground and counted. "Three."

"Right. Now, can ye find any more with four leaves?"

Leech, now curious, examined the field and tried to find another four-leaf clover. After a few minutes of intense scrutiny he looked up. "Leech see only three leaves."

Sean nodded. "Exactly, lad. That’s because most clover have three leaves, like these. It’s very rare to find one with four leaves. Do you know why?"

Leech shook his head.

Sean whispered to him, almost conspiratorially. "Because they’re mutants. Just like us." He found himself fighting back a laugh at the boy’s sudden wide-eyed expression.

"And do ye know what’s special about four-leaf clovers?" Sean smiled faintly as he saw Leech hold the plant carefully.

"What?" He delicately touched a leaf.

"They bring you good luck."

"Really?"

Sean nodded. "It’s true, lad. Most people never even see one of these little green mutants. An’ only someone who is very lucky will ever find one."

He could see Leech thinking over this information. The young boy scrunched up his small face as he examined the plant. "Leech is lucky because Leech is different?"

"Aye," Sean said as he smiled. He hadn’t been sure that Leech would understand the point he was trying to make. "You are very lucky. And so are the rest of us."

"Why?"

Sean chuckled. "Because we found a little green mutant, too."

"Oh." Leech smiled and looked up at Sean. "Banshee?"

"Aye, lad?"

"Leech thinks green is okay."

"Glad ta hear it," Sean said as he stood up. He pulled the young boy to his feet. "Now let’s go find your friends and show them what you found."

As they were walking back to the main building, Sean felt a tug on his sleeve. He stopped and looked down at the child.

"What is it?"

"Banshee? Why can’t Leech drive car like other kids?"