It’s December and on the streets of Caracas, Venezuela a riot is brewing. Inside a jewelry shop unaware of the outside tension, Miranda Mantega is shopping . She picks up a charm bracelet, examining it closely. The clerk notices the anger outside, and states another day, another protest. He compliments her choice in the selection of the bracelet and asks if it is for her. She explains it is for her daughter, Sofia. After purchasing it, she exits the building in the height of tension, as both sides of the protest angrily charge at each other. Two police officers race towards the rioters on their horses with guns drawn. They fire into the chaotic crowd, hitting the innocent Miranda. She falls to the ground as the protesters stampede their way around her. She still holds the gift for her daughter as she lies there bleeding.
Not far away, her daughter, Sofia and her younger cousin are trying to fly a kite. Both seem to be enjoying the afternoon . The field is beautiful and the weather is amazingly clear. Excited, he asks her to do that thing. To make the wind go. Sofia raises her arms and the wind gushes his kite soaring in the air. Leaning on a near by fence, her Uncle Paolo and his friend watches them play. His friend asks if it bothers him to have the mutant playing with his son. Paolo replies she is family, as well as harmless. Another friend rushes up to them urgently. He tells Paolo of the riot between the Strikers and the Chavistas. Miranda was shopping, his sentence pauses, as he tells him the words, "I’m sorry Paolo, your sister... she is dead."
While Paolo covers his face in sadness, he hears his friends discuss his mutant niece. One asks the other if that is her daughter, the mutant. When he finds out it is, he wonders if she already knows, if the wind has brought her their voices. He reassures him the wind is busy, and she has heard nothing. In the field, her cousin, unaware of the horrible news, begs Sofiato make the kite fly higher. But their words were heard,. carried on the wind and heard by her, tears fall from Sofia’s face.
At her mother’s funeral, Sofia overlooks her mother in the casket, the charm bracelet now on her wrist. She prays, but her mutant power interrupts her paying her last respects. The wind brings the voices whispered in the attending crowd. Whispers about that poor girl, as Miranda was shopping for her. Another questioning Paolo about taking her in. He declines, as Miranda had the patience to deal with a mutant child, he does not. He also has three children of his own, it would be too hard. He has called her father in America. They wonder if he knew he had a daughter, but they know he certainly does now.
In Denver, Colorado, Sofia’s plane arrives at Gate 42. Being escorted by two flight attendants, she notices a row of people expecting the passengers. They hold signs with names on them . Mantega, she finds hers, held by a balding black man. She approaches as the flight attendant leave her side. He doesn’t know what to say to her, and introduces himself as Derek. As he continues his introduction, she interrupts him asking if her father has sent him, and where is her father. She speaks in Spanish and he apologizes claiming "I don’t... hablo Espanol."
Inside his limo, Walter Barrett types away at his laptop computer. Sofia opens the door. There is a smile across her face when she greets him. She starts to tell him it is so good to..... He swings his hand in her face with one finger extended telling her to wait. The limo pulls away, as Sofia stares out the window nervously at the new scenery. The sound of his typing is the only thing heard for the first part of their acquaintance. He shuts his laptop, staring directly and emotionlessly at her. He speaks Spanish as he tells her that he was told she is his daughter. He is having doctors looking into this. With her mother’s unfortunate passing she was sent to him. He reports to her he is aware she was born different. With a dictating wave of his hand, he continues his coldness. His business doesn’t allow him to have time for a daughter, therefore there will be rules. She will learn English before school starts. She will get good grades. But above all, she will not ever use her mutant power. If she needs anything, she is to ask Derek – he will buy it for her. She will want for nothing, and in return, she will not disturb or embarrass him. Nervously touching the charm bracelet given to her by her mother, she agrees.
Three weeks later, January snow covers the ground as Sofia starts her first day of school. Derek drops her off, and small groups of girls start to gossip about the new girl. They start to talk of her being the illegitimate daughter of the guy who owns the Barrett Supermarkets. They continue as Sofia politely interrupts. She introduces herself, and with her being new to the school, she is cut off by the girls. They call her rude for interrupting, as they were in the middle of a story. Derek stands and watches. As the crowds all isolate her, he thinks poor kid.
Inside the Private School, she is introduced in front of the class as their new student joining this semester. The teacher encourages her to tell a little about herself. Sofia greets them and tells she is new to America coming from Venezuela. The teacher asks her how long she has been in America, and she replies "I am being in America for three weeks." The teacher tells her that her English is quite good for only three weeks. As she assures her she’s sure she will be happy, she tells her to take a seat. The students joke as she walks down the rows of chairs. One jokes that her English is "real goods." The other asks good compared to what? The Taco Bell Chihuahua? Another adds "yo quiero Taco Bell." Sofia just looks at them unaware of their cruelty.
By May the weather has cleared beautifully. Sofia rushes down the stairs and greets Derek. He tells her Happy Birthday. Receiving a gift, she exclaims it is beautiful. It is a charm for the bracelet she always wears. Putting it on her bracelet, he tells her she doesn’t have to go to school today, it being her Sixteenth Birthday. He could drop her off at the mall or they could go to movie. She reminds him her father would disapprove of her missing school, and perhaps the other students will do something nice for her. He sighs and tells her she never gives up hope. She admits she is just new, and if she tries hard enough, they will like her. It being her Birthday, she has today have hope. Asking where he father is, she discovers he’s in the kitchen. Derek tells her to let him know when she’s ready to go to school.
She enters the kitchen and finds her father sitting at the table reading the newspaper. She tells him good morning, and he asks why she isn’t getting ready for school. He walks towards the kitchen door, paper under his arm. She looks down at the ground, before asking if maybe they could have dinner tonight. He asks why, and she looks shocked, asking he didn’t even know it’s her birthday? He didn’t know, and apologizes coldly. He walks out the door telling Derek to buy her something.
On the ride to school, she says nothing staring out the window. Walking up the walkway towards school, the wind brings the students’ voices to her. They gossip how hot Sofia thinks she is with that Jag and her own driver. How she’s not even Walter Barrett’s daughter. Passing two girls she hears them say they can’t believe he canceled on her. They have nothing to do on a Friday night. She sits down next to the girls. Sofia informs them that today is her birthday and maybe they could possibly do something tonight. They rudely cut her off claiming they’re busy. Sofia thought that they said they were free. The other girl states no one said anything to her. Upset she walks away as the wind brings their cold words. How it’s so damn creepy how she always knows when you’re talking about her. But she never seems to realize that nobody likes her.
Sofia walks away from the chatter of the social groups that line the front of her school. She heads towards the wall outlining the schoolyard, and looks back to see if anyone is watching. She uses her powers of the wind and flies over the wall. Not in total control of those powers yet, she falls hard to the ground after she clears the wall. She gets up and runs. The parking lot to Barrett’s Super Mart is full as customers fill the store. She walks in and the male employee behind the counter greet her instantly. Her father’s picture is behind them. She walks past them seeming determined. He tells the girl he is working with that she is the owner’s kid, and she’s a little weird.
Sofia reaches a clearing in the middle of the store. There are customers and tables nearby. She looks up directly at the video camera. From behind her there is a whoosh of a strong gust of wind, blowing the umbrellas on the tables over. The wind gets incredibly stronger, as a cashier working her register wonders what is happening. The money in her drawer flies out. People run and scatter out of the store in panic. The wind picks up stronger again, books, magazines, and other items fly around as the create a tornado like wind around Sofia. The look of determination never leaves her face, as her hair blows chaotically along with all the objects around her. Very soon, Police officers surround the wreckage of what used to be the front entrance of the store. They draw their guns and walk through what used to be the windows. The encircle around Sofia, as she is balled up on the floor. They escort her out into the cop car, and as she enters, Derek watches.
A news anchor is reporting of the police apprehension of Walter Barrett’s daughter, who now is suspected to be a mutant. Mutants, individuals born with genetic differences usually involving new abilities continue to be an increasing threat. The young woman watching the news cast on her television turns it off. She looks out at the mountains as she puts her jacket on. She leaves her house, and as her jeep pulls away from her house, her mailbox reads: Moonstar.
In her jail cell, Sofia holds her legs against herself as she leans against the wall. Her father’s voice speaks out coldly hoping she’s happy. He asks why would she do this to him. She quietly replies to see if he would notice. The whole state noticed, he claims, asking if she actually knows what it does to him to have a dangerous mutant daughter? She tells him she didn’t hurt anyone, as she made sure of it. He tells her she has only hurt herself. Which is something she will think about during her time in prison. She puts her head back against the wall.
Walter tells the officer that he will, of course be dropping the charges. But not until at least 48 hours, and he will not be posting bail. Derek speaks up that he doesn‘t think, but Walter cuts him off before he can finish his sentence. Walter jabs verbally he doesn’t recall asking for Derek’s opinion, and he’s lucky he isn’t fired. He continues, he shall call his doctor, and a second paternity test will prove she is not his daughter. He orders Derek to pack her bags, as she will be sent back to Venezuela, there is no longer a place for her here. From beside them, a woman’s voice speaks out, she knows a place. Walter asks just who she might be. Danielle Moonstar is her reply, she stands tall and wise.
Danielle asks if he has ever heard of a place called Charles Xavier’s Institute for Higher Leaning. Walter notes that school is for mutants, the bad publicity would… Dani cuts him off. She reminds him his child was on the news, and everyone already knows she’s a mutant. Walter demands that she will be sent away. Danielle tells him if he even tries that, he will learn a whole new meaning to bad publicity. Enraged Walter shouts these damn mutants think they can do whatever they want. Dani warns him he had better watch what he says about "us damn mutants." Derek smiles in the background. Tauntingly Walter asks „Really, and what’s your power?" She looks directly at him, her eyes intense, "I scare people."
Dani approaches the jail bars asking if the girl is Sofia Barrett. Sofia tells her no, she is Sofia Mantega. Dani introduces herself politely. She admits she doesn’t know what happened to her in her life, but she does know having powers doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. Dani continues, recalling she went to special school that helped her with her powers. A place called Xavier’s. Sofia is curious, now standing close to the bars. She asks Dani if she has powers too. Yes, Dani says, she promises to tell Sofia all about them if she comes with her. Sofia looks away, and Dani asks what she thinks. Trying to be polite, Dani says she has nothing against her father, but it doesn’t seem like she has a lot holding her there. Sofia grabs her charm bracelet and admits there is one thing.
The young ladies walk down the hall out of the cell room. Derek is there waiting for her. He asks if she has decided to leave for Xavier’s. Sofia admits yes, it seems like the right place for her. He looks at Dani telling her to take care of Sofia. She promises. Sofia hugs Derek goodbye. He watches as the walk out into the parking lot towards Dani’s jeep. Sofia asks what Xavier’s is like. Dani puts her hand on her shoulder, and tells her it’s like no place in the world. She will see.
