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Half a Step, part two
Utopia, where Rogue announces ‘This is how Ah see it. How Ah think it might’ve happened.
Shown with flashback images to “Second Coming”, displayed with Rogue in the present:‘She was in a car with Logan and Laura. Out in the middle of nowhere. Looking for Hope. When we knew she was back but had no idea where she was’ Rogue explains. Rogue suggests that she was probably feeling pretty relaxed, in spite of everything, because she was with Logan and X-23, so nothing was going to touch her, and probably, she’s happy. In fact the young woman called Ariel was annoyed, because someone had eaten her chips. ‘These were mine! The barbecue flavor were mine! Which one of you ate my chips?’ she demanded to know from Wolverine and X-23.
Rogue points out that Bastion already has them targeted, as he had better tech than they ever imagined, his own Cerebro, even, so they didn’t see it coming - nobody did, as the missiles dropped towards the car they were in.
Rogue adds that, at the last moment they saw it, when it was already too late. ‘Oh, spit!’ Ariel said as she looked up and saw the missile falling towards her. Rogue explains that Ariel knew if she could use her power to teleport, if she could just get the door open, she would be okay. ‘And Ah think she tried’ Rogue adds, but the missile hit before Ariel got the door open, and the car was blown to pieces. Fire and shockwave turned those few cubic feet of space into a little corner of hell. Rogue assumes that Ariel rolled sideways, the door was either open or it was torn off, but she was already on fire, the energy of the explosion, inside her, ripping her apart. But she had something to work with, almost enough.
Present:Rogue announces that Ariel stepped out of time and space - half a step - only she never opened the door that would bring her back again, so that’s where she has been ever since - nowhere.Sitting around the table listening to Rogue’s theory are Scott “Cyclops” Summers and Emma Frost a.k.a. the White Queen, as well as the members of the X-Club - Dr Kavita Rao, Doctor Nemesis and Madison Jeffries. ‘Well, if that’s what we’re dealing with, then some sort of dimensional reversion field might do the trick’ Jeffries suggests, while Doctor Nemesis mentions the liminal catch-net they built when they fought Emplate. ‘Good thought. I could -’ Madison begins, but Rogue interrupts: ‘No’ she calls out, reminding everyone that she went through that door and found Ariel, so she still has some of Ariel’s power inside her. ‘It feels like this is something Ah ought to do myself’ Rogue explains.
Cyclops asks Rogue what her plan is, to which Rogue replies that she doesn’t have one. ‘Then with respect, maintain a decorous silence until you do. This is a rescue mission, not a karaoke night’ Doctor Nemesis snaps. Kavita points out that Rogue is correct - she is the only one who can currently reach that dimension. Madison agrees and announces that he is happy to let Rogue take point, especially if there is a chance of spider-squid-hybrid-phase-beasts showing up. Cyclops tells Rogue that it is down to her, but to keep both he and the science team informed of her intentions. Rogue agrees, and gets up to leave. ‘Yes. Perfect. Perhaps we can handle the catering’ Doctor Nemesis mutters spitefully.
Soon, ‘You got what you wanted?’ Rachel Summers a.k.a. Marvel Girl asks Rogue as they walk across one of the outdoor areas. ‘Yes. Maybe. Ah think so’ Rogue replies. Rachel remarks that she knows Rogue sees Ariel as a friend, and asks her not to take this the wrong way. ‘A loud-mouthed, abusive friend who needs to be pushed out of an airplane and then danced on by sumo wrestlers’ Rachel adds, referring to Ariel, before asking Rogue if she has an ulterior motive in this. ‘Like what, Rachel?’ Rogue enquires. ‘Like postponing a decision on whether you go to Westchester with Logan, or stay here’ Rachel tells Rogue, who mutters that Rachel didn’t have to look too deep for that one. ‘Magnus is never going to ask. But every time he looks at me, Ah’m hearing it loud and clear. Are we together, or are we…you know’ Rogue tells her friend. Rachel tells Rogue that she wasn’t eavesdropping, just going by her face, when suddenly, ‘Oh no’ she utters. ‘What’s the matter’ Rogue asks. Touching her temples, Rachel announces that Korvus is picking another fight, and that he is going to get his butt handed to him.
In some sort of warehouse, the Shi’ar alien known as Korvus confronts James Proudstar a.k.a. Warpath. Remy “Gambit” LeBeau and Joanna “Cargill” Frenzy are nearby. ‘You call yourselves superior?’ Korvus asks Warpath, striding towards him. ‘It’s a species designation. Look it up’ Warpath replies casually. ‘It is vainglory! Blind arrogance! Superior to what?’ Korvus enquires. He boasts that his people conquered a whole quadrant - a thousand worlds. ‘You subsist on a plot of ground too small for man to stretch out in. You’re pathetic!’ he exclaims. Warpath turns his back on Korvus, but the alien warrior continues his berate: ‘And you tamely endure an insult that a man would answer!’ he adds. ‘Man, you’re spraying me with -’ Warpath begins, with Korvus a little too close for his liking. ‘You have no spine, mutant! No spirit!’ Korvus declares. ‘I’m getting spat on, here. This is alien saliva’ Warpath mutters. ‘Your whole life is picking over other people’s leavings’ Korvus remarks. ‘Okay, that’s just about -’ Warpath begins, but Korvus pokes him in the chest, telling him that he lives on his knees, ‘Because you’re too scared to -’ he begins, before Warpath shouts ‘ENOUGH!’ and punches Korvus hard in the face, knocking him over.
‘Ah thought you said you weren’t eavesdropping’ Rogue tells Rachel, who swears that she isn’t, only Korvus is so furious all the time, it is impossible to shut him out. ‘It’s like we got married and moved in with my folks. There’s nothing for him to do here’ Rachel explains. Rogue is sure that Cyclops will put Korvus to work if he stays, but Rachel points out that it is a lot worse than that, for Korvus has lost the Phoenix power that used to define him, and his people have been conquered by the Kree, and he is stuck on a planet that, from his point of view, is still in the stone age.
‘It’s driving him crazy’ Rachel adds. Rogue asks Rachel if she thinks Korvus is fixing to leave, to which Rachel tells her that for Korvus’s sake, she wishes he would. ‘I love him, Rogue, but I hate to see him like this. Beating himself bloody against the whole world’ Rachel remarks. Rogue tells Rachel that she might be able to help, but she has other stuff to get through first. ‘But when Ah’m done, Ah’ll put a proposition to him’. Rogue adds that it will be a piece of cake compared to some of the other conversations she is going to be having.
Soon, Rogue enters the quarters of Julian Keller a.k.a. the telekinetic Hellion. ‘Whatever it is, Rogue, don’t bother to tell me about it. Just get the hell out’ Hellion declares, without turning to face Rogue. ‘Ah don’t think so, Julian’ Rogue replies, moving in front of Hellion, she puts a hand on his chest. Julian just suggests she stay here, admire the view, and he will leave her to it. Rogue tells Julian to hold on, as she has a problem which she needs his help with. ‘That’s too bad’ Hellion frowns, suggesting Rogue move her hand or lose it. ‘The last time I helped you, you threatened me, like I was the enemy’ Julian reminds her.
‘Yeah. Ah did that. Because you almost killed an X-Man. Someone Ah care for’ Rogue explains, adding that this is different, a chance for Julian to use his powers to save a life. ‘And that’s my motivation, is it? Pure disinterested love of my fellow man?’ Julian asks. Rogue tells him that atonement is his motive, making good, because she knows for certain sure that somewhere behind the obnoxious front the is putting up, he is plain sick with himself for what he did. Hellion looks taken aback, and frowns.
Shortly, in one of the labs, Doctor Nemesis mutters that this plan seems unnecessarily complex. ‘It has too many moving parts. And they’re all people’. Rogue stands with Frenzy, Rachel, Hellion and Megan Gwynn a.k.a. Pixie and tells Doctor Nemesis that they are all people she trusts, including him. ‘I may just cry. Raw emotion always does that to me’ Doctor Nemesis mutters, adding that common sense kicks back in and whispers “too much risk for too little gain”. Cyclops steps forward and reminds everyone that Ariel put her life on the line in the fight that killed Cable and Nightcrawler. ‘I don’t care how big the risk is, James. We do this’ he tells Doctor Nemesis. ‘In your own time then’ Nemesis mutters, adding that the trauma pod is ready, and that if Ariel has half an inch of life left in her, they should have enough to work with.
Rogue points out that they are good to go, and asks Joanna for a little of her invulnerability. ‘Help yourself, again’ Frenzy replies, clasping Rogue’s hand. ‘Thanks. Win or lose, Ah won’t need it but for a minute or two’ Rogue tells her. Rouge kneels down beside Korvus’s sword and tells everyone to keep their wits about them, for on the other side of this gate, it is not exactly in normal space and time. ‘Wherever it is, the laws oh physics are kind of relaxed’ she adds. A beam of energy rises from the sword, signalling the portal is open. Rogue tells everyone that they go in careful, and stick to the plan.
‘A door in the air’ Pixie remarks, surprised. ‘That’s how Ariel’s power works. Ah’m just channeling it’ Rogue explains. ‘And the sword?’ Pixie enquires. Rogue reveals that the sword went through a wormhole, picked up Ariel’s energy signature and became, well, kind of the key to the door. ‘Go ahead, Megan. Ah promise, things will make a lot more sense on the other side’ Rogue tells the young mutant. But, as Rogue, Frenzy, Hellion, Pixie and Rachel pass through the door, they enter an area filled with flame. ‘More sense? Really?’ Hellion asks as he looks up. ‘My God! That’s Ariel? But -’ Rachel begins as they all stare at how enormous in size Ariel is compared to them. Her flaming body convulsing before them, Hellion suggests that in this dimension, your physical size is determined by your ego.
Rogue remarks that one thing is for sure - they are not going to be able to carry Ariel back through the gate, for not only is she too big to move, but she is in the middle of an ongoing explosion. Rogue tells Pixie that she is on first, and the young mutant flies towards Ariel, casting a magical spell on her, causing Ariel to return to her regular size as they teleport back to the X-Club lab. ‘If we’re lucky, the dimensional shift will solve the size problem’ Rogue remarks. Hellion uses his floating hands to hold on to Ariel, who is still surrounded by flame. Using his telekinesis, Julian starts to deal to the flames. ‘Rogue I don’t know if I can -’ Julian calls out as he begins to struggle. ‘Save it. Ah saw you do this, Julian. Saw you direct the energy of a laser blast right through a human body’ Rogue tells him, adding that the energy never touched a single molecule of the girl it was meant to kill.
Rogue tells Hellion that he is going to solve Ariel like a jigsaw puzzle, separate the heat and the shockwave of the explosion from her body’s cells, and that Rachel will spot him, boost his perceptions with her psi-power. Rogue adds that if anything gets past Hellion, she will shield Rachel from the damage. Rogue tells Julian that she knows what she is asking him to do: ‘Ten trillion cells in the human body, and you’ve got to be mindful of every one of them. Like a gleaner separating out the wheat from the chaff…if the wheat could bleed’ Rogue remarks. Julian continues to concentrate hard as Rogue talks to him, and eventually, the flames subside, leaving Ariel a smouldering mess on the floor of the lab.
‘Give her some damn room here, would you? Hero time is over!’ Nemesis booms as he crouches down beside Ariel, adding that it is amazing she is alive. ‘And I’m down ten dollars’ he mutters, before telling the mutants to get out of here and let them work. Ariel is hooked up to life-support, while Kavita and Doctor Nemesis get to work. Nemesis looks at some readings, time passes, and eventually, Ariel begins to wake. ‘Hell…’ she utters. ‘What is it, sweetheart? What are you trying to say?’ Kavita asks her. ‘Hell…hap-hap. Hell happened to my Zanotti heels?’ she asks, mortified. Kavita looks down at Ariel, perplexed, and mutters ‘God help us. We’ve created a monster’.
Night has fallen, and Rogue lies in bed with Magneto. ‘I apologize, my love. Most humbly’ Magneto tells her. ‘What for?’ Rogue enquires. ‘For making you so sad and thoughtful’ Magneto tells her, adding that if Rogue permits, he will try again and do better. ‘Idiot, it isn’t you’ Rogue tells him. ‘No? Then you’re thinking of someone else. That’s worse in many ways’ Magneto remarks. Rogue tells Magnus that he is too good at reading her, and that she wasn’t going to talk about this now, she was going to wait until morning. Magneto tells Rogue that she can’t hide her heart from him, God forbid she should ever have to try. ‘And God forbid I should have so little faith in you as to be afraid of mere distance’ Magneto remarks, before telling Rogue to go and do what she has to do. ‘Ah will. Come the morning’ Rogue smiles, before they kiss.
The next morning, Rogue approaches Korvus, who is sitting on his own, polishing his massive sword. In the background, several residents of Utopia are playing a game of baseball. ‘Looks like the blues are gonna win with runs to spare’ Rogue tells Korvus, who replies that he cares not, for the game is unfathomable to him. ‘You should try football’ Rogue remarks, before asking Korvus if his sword survived the ordeal okay. ‘Her edge is all but ruined. She’ll need days of work’ Korvus replies, adding that this island boasts not a single decent whetstone. ‘Did you try shopping online? They got most things these days’ Rogue tells Korvus, who turns to Rogue and tells her that it makes him uncomfortable when people watch him work. ‘Ah bet’ Rogue remarks, to which Korvus asks her to feel free to leave. ‘Well, Ah’m on may way to a place Ah don’t want to go. Ah’m in no hurry’ Rogue tells him, adding that she is looking for a man to do a dirty, thankless job. ‘You know anyone who’s out of work?’
Meantime, on Gul Damar Station, in Earth’s orbit. ‘By the marriage! This - this is horrible!’ the Shi’ar alien called Glitter exclaims. Her comrades from the Boneyard Dog, Horse and Jat, stand behind her, and Horse tells her that this was the best he could find. Examining her surroundings, Glitter tells Horse that it won’t fly, and that they will be lucky if it can even walk. Jat remarks that they didn’t waste any space on luxuries. ‘Like stabilizers. Or adequate life support’ Glitter mutters. Jat informs Glitter that the engines are sound. ‘I think I can -’ he begins, when suddenly, there is a teleport signal. ‘Damn! Incoming! Get ready to defend the -’ Glitter begins, before Pixie and Korvus are revealed to be in the “incoming”. ‘Captain Korvus, Crew. Crew, Captain Korvus. Rogue says “Godspeed” and I’m out of here!’ Pixie declares, while Korvus frowns at his crew.
‘Got a moment?’ Rogue calls out to Cyclops as she enters his office. ‘Now. Or whenever you want. There’s no time limit on this, Rogue’ Cyclops replies without looking up from his laptop. ‘You’re welcome here for as long as you want to stay’ Cyclops adds. Rogue replies that she already did everything she could to spin it out, but then she plain ran out of road, and how she is here. ‘You’re going to Westchester’ Cyclops remarks. ‘Yes’ Rogue announces. ‘Can I ask why? ‘Scott enquires. ‘Because of you, Scott. In the end - that’s what made all the difference’ Rogue tells him. Cyclops tells Rogue that he knows he hurt her when he left her off the combat roster, and claims that he hated to do it, but he still thinks it was the right call - the only call.
‘You think Ah’m nursing old grudges here?’ Rogue asks him. ‘You’re not?’ Scott replies. ‘No, you dummy. Think about it. Think about what Ah’ve been doing this past year’. Rogue exclaims, reminding Scott that he gave her the toughest job on Utopia, looking out for the kids and heading off their crises, or putting them together against afterwards, the best she could. ‘Ah’ve sweated blood and live on mah nerves. Gone as close to the ragged edge as Ah ever thought to come. And Ah’ve loved every damn minute of it’ Rogue announces, adding that she plans to keep on doing it. ‘Ah’m going to where Ah think Ah can be most use’ she adds. Cyclops tells Rogue that she makes herself indispensable wherever she goes. ‘Kind of you to say’ Rogue tells him, to which Scott suggests that would have been a good exit line.
‘Yeah, but Ah’m not done yet’ Rogue replies, adding that she is only getting to the hard part. Standing close to Scott, Rogue tells him that she knows him pretty well. ‘God knows Ah been around you long enough. Ah’ve seen you grow into this job. And Ah’ve seen you change. Adapt to it’ she remarks. ‘We’ve all changed’ Scott replies. ‘Yeah, that we have’ Rogue agrees, before telling Cyclops to look at her, and that he can’t help remember, how many doubts Scott used to have, about leading them, about his own strengths, and his own instincts. ‘And Ah know why you put those doubts away from you, Scott. Couldn’t ask us to trust you if you didn’t trust yourself. We needed you to be that strong’ Rogue declares.
However, Rogue tells Scott that somewhere along the way “Ah can’t afford to make a mistake” became “nothing Ah do could ever be wrong”. Rogue tells Scott that he hid the doubts so deep, that maybe he couldn’t find them again if he wanted to. ‘But you got to try. Because Ah think they’re what’s gonna save you’ Rogue remarks as she embraces Cyclops, who holds his hands away from Rogue, speechless. Scott remains silent as Rogue leaves his office. Rogue turns back to him and thanks Cyclops for everything. ‘Tell Emma goodbye’ she adds.
Shortly, Rogue approaches Ariel, who has fully recovered, and is wearing a spectacular purple dress. ‘Ready?’ Ariel asks, standing beside a flaming doorway. ‘Ready. Thanks for waiting’ Rogue tells her. ‘Well, you did save my life’ Ariel points out. ‘You’re welcome’ Rogue tells her, before Ariel informs Rogue that she charged this outfit to her Amex. ‘Ah knew the risks when Ah brought you back, girl’ Rogue replies, smiling. ‘Then let’s go. It’s a long trip, and - oh. Hey. Here we are’ Ariel jokes as she and Rogue arrive at the ruins of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters.


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Untitled
'Sudden death!’ the X-Woman called Rogue exclaims. ‘First touchdown wins!’ she adds, out on the sports field at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. On Rogue’s team, her fellow X-Men: Remy “Gambit” LeBeau, Rachel Grey a.k.a. Marvel Girl, and newest member Joanna “Frenzy” Cargill. On the opposing team are several of the school’s students - Anole, Rockslide, Armor and Glob Herman. ‘Fastball Special! Hurr hurr!’ Glob exclaims, while Anole darts past Rogue, carrying the football, he tells his friends ‘Block ‘em, guy! I see daylight!’, while Gambit throws several kinetically-charged playing cards at him. ‘Look at them. They’re acting like kids’ Rachel telepathically tells her teammates, while she hovers in the air, displaying her new costume. ‘They are kids’ Frenzy replies.
‘You know what I mean’ Rachel tells her, adding that they are acting like kids, which is nice to see, considering what everyone has been through. “I must study politics and war” Rogue quotes. ‘What’s that?’ Gambit asks her. Rogue replies that it is something John Adams said - explaining that he studied politics and war so his kids could study math and science, and their kids could study art and music. Looking at Anole and Rockslide, Rogue tells Gambit that he and she didn’t get to be kids, but they are going to make damn sure that these kids do. ‘Maybe with the next generation - fingers crossed there is one - it won’t even be a question’ Rogue declares, adding that it ain’t gonna be easy.
Rogue surges forward, towards Rockslide, and breaks through his rocky form. ‘Hey! Personal foul!’ Rockslide shouts, while a shocked Rachel asks ‘Um…Rockslide can re-form himself, right?’, to which Rogue replies ‘Yeah, good as new’, and tells Rachel that it is their job to push these kids to be better. Rogue touches Rachel on the cheek and borrows some telekinesis, which she uses to separate Rockslide as he tries to re-form himself. ‘Sentinels don’t take fifteen yard penalties!’ Rogue shouts. ‘Hey!’ Rockslide complains. Rogue tells him that he is no use in pieces, and that he has got to learn to hold himself together.
Rogue tells Rockslide not to worry about her pushing these stones away, reminding him he can re-form his body out of any rock. ‘Reach out. Use whatever’s available. Don’t just rebuild your body. Rebuild a better one’ Rogue tells him as she continues to push his broken body apart. ‘I’m trying!’ Rockslide exclaims. ‘Try harder!’ Rogue tells him, and again. This forces Rockslide to draw towards himself some rocks from another part of the campus, rocks that were covering a hole in the ground. ‘Holy badassness!’ Rockslide exclaims as he examines his increased mass once these rocks form his new body. ‘Your power ain’t in your body. That’s just stone. It’s up to you what shape it takes’ Rogue declares.
‘She’s a natural, eh?’ Gambit asks Frenzy as the two make their way off the field. Frenzy replies that Rogue has come a long way, but that she can’t say the same for Gambit ‘King of Thieves to lovesick schoolboy’ she points out, telling Gambit that he set himself up for a fall coming here. Gambit reminds Frenzy that he has been teaching kids to survive all his life - whether that is picking pockets and cracking safes or learning to live with a dark side they think that will drown them. ‘That’s why I came’ Remy declares. ‘Uh-huh. And it never crossed your mind that with Magneto on the other side of the country, tour chances with Rogue might improve?’ Joanna asks. Gambit cruelly points out that he is not the professional soldier who chose a school over an army so that he doesn’t have to see Cyclops and Emma Frost together.
Frenzy just smiles and moving closer to Gambit reminds him that folks cam here to make a change for the better - her included. ‘Don’t make me mess that up by breaking this off in your -’ Joanna begins, to which Gambit interrupts, telling Frenzy that he didn’t start it, but suggests that both leave the past in the past. Gambit adds that it is a new beginning, so there is no reason to dig up old demons.
At that moment, from the hole that was covered by the stones, there is a green glow, and a scrawny hand emerges. Rogue and Rachel suddenly convulse, and Rogue cries out in pain. ‘Um - are you okay?’ Anole calls out. Rogue and Rachel gather themselves and Rogue replies that she is fine, before ordering the children back to school. Rachel telepathically asks Rogue if she is sure, ‘We might need -’ she begins, but Rogue reminds Rachel that they came here to be students, so they are going to be students. Looking over to the woods nearby, Rogue tells Rachel to alert the faculty that they are being invaded by demons. ‘And it’s not gonna disrupt the school day!’ Rogue exclaims as she, Rachel, Frenzy and Gambit rush towards the woods, where the spindly demons have gathered.
In the meantime, in the teachers’ lounge, Dr Hank McCoy a.k.a. the Beast and Bobby “Iceman” Drake sit at a long table, while siblings Sam and Paige Guthrie a.k.a. Cannonball and Husk stand nearby, with Sam exclaiming that he understands not wanting to have a graveyard on campus, but that he thinks it is disrespectful to the kids who died here to just sweep them under the rug because they’re “off-message”. Both siblings are sporting new costumes, and Husk quickly tells her brother that there are memorials in the teachers’ areas, and that Wolverine didn’t want to upset the students. ‘Yeah, well, Ah’m upset. And Ah don’t get why you ain’t. About lots’a things’ Sam declares, motioning to a photograph of their brother, Jay “Icarus” Guthrie, he points out that Paige doesn’t even look at his picture, and hardly even talks to the rest of the family, to him even.
Paige turns away from Sam and mutters that she has a class, so she should go and get changed. ‘That’s what Ah’m talking about’ Sam tells Husk, pointing out that every time she gets a less than happy thought, she sheds her skin. ‘Your power ain’t an antidepressant, Paige - you gotta -’ he begins, before the four X-Men receive a telepathic alert from Rachel, announcing that they have a Code Red. ‘Damn it’ Sam mutters, before telling Rachel to go ahead.
Dressed in their school uniforms, Anole, Rockslide, Armor and Glob Herman walk through one of the corridors, and Rockslide declares that something is up. ‘I’m telling you. They felt a disturbance in the force’ he exclaims. ‘Maybe it was just a headache’ Anole offers. But Rockslide replies that X-Men don’t get just” headaches”, and points out that it is like in the movies, when someone coughs, you know they have got cancer. Armor remarks that if there was a threat, the X-Men would tell them. ‘I go on missions with them all the time’ she boasts. ‘Yeah, Armor, you think you could rub that in a little harder -’ Rockslide begins, before Iceman slides past them on an ice-sled. ‘Hustle kids. You’re tardy!’ Bobby tells the students.
‘I told you! Iceman’s running off to defend a world that hates and fears us!’ Rockslide exclaims, while Armor approaches Dr McCoy and asks him if there is somewhere else they need to be right now. ‘Like, with the world in balance?’ she asks. Hank opens a door to a lecture theater and tells the students that they won’t get out of class that easily. ‘Come in. Let’s see who can identify the subject of today’s lecture’ he adds. Anole and the others take their seats. Several other students are already in the room. At the front of the lecture theater, Hank displays a projection of an alien. Armor raises her hand and announces that the N’Garai demons associated with the Elder God Chthon, and reveals that there is a stone portal to their dimension right here on the grounds. ‘Brown noser’ Glob mutters. ‘Really? Isn’t that dangerous? Why don’t they move it?’ Anole enquires. Beast explains that you can’t move a portal, and adds that it was sealed and Dr Strange cast a spell on it, so no one can get near it. Anole asks if it could get broken again by accident - a hurricane or something, but the Beast replies ‘Presumably not’ and adds that magic isn’t an exact science.
Outside the school buildings, the battle between the X-Men and the N’Garai is underway. Rogue and Frenzy attack their opponents with physical strength, while Iceman blasts his with ice. Rachel telekinetically lifts hers away, and Gambit throws kinetically charged playing cards at his. ‘Okay, you all got Beast’s telepathic briefing. Priority one is sealing the gateway!’ Rogue announces, before telling Iceman and Gambit that they are with her, telling Frenzy and Rachel to keep the N’Garai away from the school. ‘Rachel, who else is on site?’ Rogue calls out. Rachel replies that Wolverine and Kitty are at a school board meeting, and that Husk is teaching mutant lit. ‘Cannonball…is right about here’ Rachel adds as Sam blasts onto the battle-field, tearing one of the N’Garai apart. ‘Sam, don’t you have ethics class right now?’ Rogue calls out, as Sam steps up from the bones and gunk of the N’Garai. ‘Yeah, but I figured we were at Defcon One’ Sam replies. ‘Not yet. So get back there, pronto’ Rogue orders.
A moment later, Sam is in front of his class, where students like Indra, Cipher and Gentle stare at him. ‘Okay. The very first rule is, X-Men don’t kill…unless there ain’t not other choice’ Sam calls out. ‘Like, oh, you’re fighting demons from Jell. Just as a hypothetical’ Sam tells his students, while Toad, the school janitor, goes about wiping the N’Garai gunk covering Sam’s body. ‘Faster, Toad, this stuff’s eating through my costume!’ Sam exclaims.
In the Beast’s class, Hank announces that the N’Garai are deadly, and that their blood, fangs and claws are all poisonous. ‘They are extremely durable, single-minded killing machines’ Hank tells his students. The Beast reveals that the silver lining is that the vast majority of the N’Garai, the warrior caste, are not terribly intelligent - unless they are being given their orders by the generals - the Mabdhara.
Outside, Rogue, Bobby and Gambit approach the portal, and Rogue tells her teammates that they have to plug the leak. Green energy radiates from it, and Rogue points out that since they can’t get close to the cairn, it is down to the two of them. ‘Clear some space!’ Rogue exclaims. ‘Done!’ Gambit replies. ‘Got it sealed!’ Bobby calls out as he covers the portal in ice. ‘Now al we need to do is mop up the ones who got through. Easy as…crap!’ Bobby declares as something breaks through the ice - the Mabdhara. It’s massive form rises over the X-Men, and it calls out to its warriors: ‘To me, warriors! With the proper blood sacrifice we can widen the portal…bring through entire armies!’ the Mabdhara boasts.
‘If it’s blood you want, ugly, take your shot!’ Rogue calls out. But the Mabdhara just strides past them, telling Rogue, Iceman and Gambit that their souls are tainted by a lifetime of war. ‘We require the blood of innocents. We want your children!’ the Mabdhara exclaims. ‘There’s too many! Rachel, you’ve got incoming!’ Rogue calls out.
Rachel receives Rogue’s warning, but the N’Garai have swarmed towards her and Frenzy. ‘They’re on us…I’m trying to hold them back…and they feel so wrong, like maggots eating my brain!’ Rachel calls out, while announcing that Frenzy is getting woozy from the poison in their blood. ‘I’m fine!’ Frenzy boasts as she pummels another of the demons. Suddenly, Rachel sees several N’Garai run past them, towards the buildings. ‘We need to alert the students!’ she informs Rogue. But as Rogue knocks back one of the N’Garai, she tells Rachel ‘No’, and asks Remy if he can hold out. ‘Of course’ Gambit replies as he throws more cards at the N’Garai and speaks in French. ‘I hope that’s Cajun for “Call in the National Guard”!’ Iceman mutters. But Rogue smiles at Remy and Bobby and tells them that they don’t need the National Guard, and as she climbs onto Iceman’s ice-sled and they speed away, Rogue reveals that she has a better idea.
Inside the room where Husk is teaching Mutant Literature 101, Rogue bursts into the room and apologizes to Paige for interrupting, before informing her that she needs to borrow her, as they have a problem with the heating system. ‘Gotcha’ Paige replies, before turning to her class and telling them that it is silent reading from here on out. Closing the door behind her, Husk enters the corridor, and shedding her form, becomes like flame, ‘Seems warm enough to me!’ she declares as she releases flame against the intruding N’Garai.
Rogue is still in Paige’s classroom, and calls out to the students: ‘Before Ah go, Ah have an announcement’. Before she says what she has to say, however, Rogue is distracted by the student Bling, who has her cellular phone out. ‘Roxanne. No texting’ Rogue scolds her as she touches both Bling and Match. In the Beast’s class, Rogue tells the students that they might hear some noise. ‘We’re gonna be doing some…demolition outside’ she lies as she touches Rockslide when she walks past him, while telling the students that this is not an excuse to neglect their studies. In Cannonball’s class, Rogue stands by Gentle and Oya and tells them that they will sit here and do their work, that their school day will not be interrupted. ‘Ah trust Ah’m clear about that’ she exclaims as she touches both Gentle and Oya.
Back outside, ‘They’re breaching the wall!’ Iceman exclaims as he and the others continue to battle the N’Garai and the Mabdhara. ‘Can’t hold them all…’ Frenzy remarks as she smacks another of the demons over. The Mabdhara knocks Iceman aside, and urges his fellow demons onwards. ‘If even one child’s blood is spilled, we win!’ the demon shouts. Suddenly, ‘In that case…you lose, sugah!’ Rogue exclaims as she appears behind the Mabdhara, her form increased, rocky, and sporting both flame and ice - and then she stands on it. Frenzy and Gambit continue their attack, while Rogue causes rock to encase many of the N’Garai, while the others surge back to the portal from where they came.
‘How’re we supposed to study with that racket?’ Bling mutters to Match as they can hear the massive noises outside.
Soon, Frenzy and Rachel piles masses of rock onto the N’Garai ruin, while Rogue and Gambit stand nearby. ‘That ought to plug the portal ‘til Doc Strange or somebody can fix it. Hopefully better than last time’ Rogue declares, while Gambit points out that as far as the kids know, it was just another day of bettering themselves. Rogue tells Remy that she has gotten a lot better at not taking people’s memories when she borrows their powers, but that she cannot help getting flashes. ‘What these kids’ve been through already…Ah’m not sure we can spare ‘em the pain we’ve known. Ah’m not even sure we can spare ‘em worse’ Rogue tells Gambit. ‘Maybe not. But we’re gonna try our damnedest’ Gambit assures her. Rogue thanks Gambit and tells him she will see him later, deciding that she needs to be alone for a while, she heads off into the woods, while Frenzy watches them.
Later, Frenzy and Gambit are in civilian clothing and walk of out of a bar. ‘Glad I’m not the only one who had enough of being a responsible adult for a while’ Joanna tells Remy, who replies that he is never gonna be the tweed jacket type. ‘Rogue, on the other hand…you see her today? Like she was born to teach, to lead’ Remy remarks, before kinetically charging a bottle and throwing it into the air. Frenzy points out that Rogue has always depended on others just to survive, and now she has her powers under control, for the first time in her life, she is spreading her wings. ‘And I’m still the same no-account couyon I always been’ Gambit declares.
Frenzy smiles as the glass bottle explodes overhead, and reminds Gambit that when they first met, way back when, he was a damn fool with a chip on his shoulder bigger than his head. ‘Never saw a mess you wouldn’t dive right into…and make it worse’ Joanna tells him, adding that it was like looking in a mirror. ‘Little wonder we spent the whole time trying to kill each other’ she points out. ‘Way I recollect, it wasn’t all trying to kill each other’ Gambit tells Frenzy. ‘Sure it was’ Frenzy replies, adding that they just moved it into the bedroom and found more fun methods. Gambit smiles. Frenzy smiles. And then they embrace each other and kiss….


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Lost Tribes
Zero Gravity Mobility 101, instructed by Rogue and Rachel Grey a.k.a. Marvel Girl. As several of the Jean Grey Institute students are thrust about in the Zero Gravity unit, Rachel exclaims to Rogue: ‘You’re kidding. You and Magneto haven’t even spoken since we got here?’ and asks her how they left things. Rogue replies that they didn’t spell it out - they never spelled that much out, which is what she liked about it.
Turning her attention back to the students, Rogue calls out to Mercury and tells her that she has the right idea, but that she has to focus harder to stay solid, and suggests to her that she try a pair of wings. Rachel tells Rogue that playing it by ear is fine when you are on the same tiny island, but that when you’re on opposite sides of the continent, it gets tricky. ‘Ah noticed’ Rogue replies.
Rachel inquires as to whether Rogue wants to end it, just break away clean, to which Rogue replies ‘No’. Rachel asks Rogue why she doesn’t call Magneto. Rogue tells her that the phone works both ways, causing Rachel to point out that from Magneto’s point of view, it was Rogue that chose to leave him and come here. Rachel reminds Rogue that Gambit, the guy she used to have an epic romance with, also happens to live here, and looking out the window to where Gambit and Frenzy walk side-by-side across the school grounds, she remarks that she wonders how Magneto feels about that.
‘It was a mistake’ Remy “Gambit” LeBeau tells Frenzy a.k.a. Joanna Cargill. Frenzy frowns, while Gambit tells her that it was the adrenaline from the battle and too much of that cheap local beer. ‘Will you relax?’ Joanna declares, telling Gambit that it was one kiss and that she is not expecting a ring. ‘We did a lot more, back in the day, and gave it less thought’ she points out, while telling Remy that she knows his heart is elsewhere, and that so is hers. Gambit looks up to the Zero Gravity room where he can see Rogue, before turning back to Frenzy and tells her that they feel the same. ‘Sure. It happened. It’s over’ Joanna declares, before turning and walking away in the other direction. ‘We move on’ she calls out, glancing back at Gambit.
Back in the Zero Gravity room, Rogue assures Rachel that she didn’t leave Magneto and nor did she follow Gambit. ‘Ah chose the path Ah thought was right’ she explains, pointing out that Cyclops is preparing those kids - everyone - on Utopia for war, and that when you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. She declares that she left because she wanted to teach kids how to live, not how to die. Rachel agrees, but points out that Cyclops would say not preparing them to fight is teaching them to die. ‘Magneto would, too’ Rachel adds. ‘We’re both teaching ass-kicking and algebra. Difference is where the emphasis lies’ Rogue declares, adding that Cyclops wants them to survive, but she wants them to be happy - which is a hell of a lot harder.
Two floors below, several of the Jean Grey Institute students are walking through a corridor. ‘Excuse me, I’m sorry. Do you know…’ Blindfold calls out, to which Trance exclaims ‘NO!’ as she walks alongside Anole. ‘I mean, I don’t want to know, okay? Just don’t tell me’ Trance clarifies. Anole turns to Blindfold and tells her that it is nothing personal, but that when she says things, they have a nasty habit of coming true. ‘And some of the kids think you’re not just predicting them. They think you’re making them happen’ Anole explains, telling Blindfold to keep it to herself. The corridor quickly becomes empty as the kids rush away from Blindfold, who calls out ‘No. Yes. I’m sorry’, and remarks that she just wanted to know the math assignment. ‘Oh’ she adds.
‘That’s the meat of the problem’ Rogue tells Rachel. ‘Me and Magneto, how we disagree on how life oughta be’ she explains. Rogue adds that Magneto looks at Cyclops and sees the heir to his legacy, that Magneto would follow Cyclops to the gates of Hell, and Cyclops is not about to change course for nobody. She tells Rachel that if Scott wasn’t so obsessive about this, she might be able to convince Magneto - her voice trails off, and declares that the point is, she chose to come here, while Magneto chose to stay there. ’Being the first one to call feels like…admitting the other person’s right’ Rogue explains. Rachel slaps her forehead and asks Rogue if she could make it any more complicated. ’You want to know how he feels. Where he wants to go from here. You’re a grown woman. Call him and ask!’ Rachel orders.
Rogue explains that she doesn’t want to give Magneto the wrong idea, to make him think she would change her mind, because she won’t. ‘Maybe Ah should just let it end. Ah mean, if neither one of us can get past politics enough to pick up the phone and say -’ Rogue begins, when suddenly, ‘Hello’ Blindfold calls out as she rushes into the room. The young precog announces that someone is coming that he brings their salvation. ‘Excuse me. I’m sorry. Destruction’ she corrects herself.
Shortly, Wolverine a.k.a. Logan joins Rogue and Marvel Girl as they walk through the school, with Rachel telepathically telling all of the students to report to safe rooms immediately, and not to stop and gather belongings. Wolverine asks Blindfold what she can tell him about this guy, to which the young mutant replies that he looks like an angel, a mad, scary, angel. Rogue asks Blindfold if she saw his powers and what he can do, to which Blindfold replies ‘Anything he wants’. Rogue and Wolverine glance at each other, before Wolverine announces that they are at Defcon One, all defenses are to be on high alert. Bling, Indra, Graymalkin and several other young mutants rush about the corridor, while Wolverine remarks that Blindfold keeps saying that this opponent is going to “destroy” them. ‘I want everyone set to strike on my signal. We’re guns with safeties off and triggers cocked’ Wolverine declares.
‘Copy. Everyone’s been briefed’ Rachel reports, while Wolverine asks how long they have got. Rogue explains that Blindfold has trouble with time, and that the best she can tell is “soon”. ‘Excuse me. I can be more clear. Now’ Blindfold exclaims as she motions out a window, where a blaze of flame can be seen. Rogue, Wolverine and Marvel Girl race outside, where they are joined by Frenzy, Gambit, Bobby “Iceman” Drake, Hank McCoy a.k.a. the Beast and Sam “Cannonball” Guthrie. ‘Hellfire and damnation!’ Rogue gasps, as hovering before them is one of the X-Men’s most powerful foes: Exodus! ‘Greetings, X-Men. The fact that you still live should prove I am not here as an enemy’ Exodus announces.
‘Rachel?’ Rogue asks, but Rachel replies that she cannot read Exodus’s mind, only keep him out of theirs. Exodus states that there is no need to invade his thoughts, nor, he hopes, for him to intrude upon theirs, and offers to explain his intentions plainly: ‘I have come to save mutantkind’ he reveals. ‘You’re a day late and a dollar short!’ Frenzy shouts to her former leader, adding that he has a hell of a lot of nerve coming here at all. ‘Last time I saw you, you were running off like a pouting kid taking his ball and going home!’ Joanna exclaims. ‘Throwing away everything you believed in. Everything we believed in!’ she declares. Exodus remarks that Professor Xavier persuaded him that mutantkind could no longer survive divided, that fighting amongst themselves was suicidal. ‘I saw the truth in his words. Left to ponder my place in this new world. Then the news reached me’ Exodus reveals, exclaiming that his people have again been torn apart by internecine conflict, fatally weakened.
‘It was then I divided my purpose, to unite the lost tribes. To make us whole again…and so save us all!’ Exodus announces. He lowers himself towards the ground as Rogue tells him that it is not quite that simple. ‘What is simpler than survival?’ Exodus asks, telling the X-Men that they must reunite, and that they will. ‘Maybe someday, but not ‘cause you asked us!’ Rogue frowns. Exodus tells Rogue that she misunderstands - that it was not a request. ‘If you will not change your minds…I shall change them for you’ he states. ‘He’s trying mind control!’ Rachel alerts everyone, and the X-Men spring into action as Wolverine shouts ‘Cannonball, NOW!’ and Sam blasts forward, where he strikes Exodus, only for Exodus to teleport away as Cannonball flies around for a second attack. Exodus reappears behind Cannonball, and fires a blast of energy at him, causing Sam to drop out of the sky.
‘Long as he can teleport we can’t lay a finger on him!’ Rogue exclaims, while Rachel declares that she is trying to pierce his defenses, but can only skim surface thoughts. ‘Yes!’ she suddenly calls out. ‘There!’ she declares. Gambit throws some kinetically charged playing cards at Exodus, but they do him no harm, while Rogue rushes forwards, she leaps up at Exodus, and pierces his force field, touching his neck. ‘What? Stupid child. My powers are far too vast for you to steal!’ Exodus declares as he smacks Rogue aside. Wolverine, Frenzy and the others rush towards Exodus, as Rogue tells him ‘Got that right, Sugah’, and that she just needed one of his powers. ‘What?’ Exodus utters, as Rogue prepares to teleport away, and the rest of the X-Men all “dog-pile” on Exodus, attacking him together.
Exodus releases a burst of energy and knocks the heroes back, while remarking that all of them, Rogue has come the farthest, taking one of his powers. ‘Bravo’ the tells her, adding that he doesn’t need that power, and will not let her touch him again. Frenzy punches Exodus in the face and tells Rogue that she has got this. ‘I’ll be back soon’ Rogue replies as she teleports away. ‘Take your time’ Frenzy tells her as she punches Exodus once again.
An instant later, Rogue reappears beside Paige “Husk” Guthrie, who is at a console, while Match, Glob Herman and numerous other students are lined up in the room. Husk tells Rogue that as soon as all the students are inside, the room will shunt itself to a neutral dimension, then she can back Rogue up. Rogue tells Paige that it is okay, that she can go with the kids and keep them safe. ‘Ah just need to see one before y’all leave’ she explains. Rogue goes over to Kid Gladiator and asks him if he has the same powers as his father, as she needs to borrow them for a bit. ‘Halt! I am sworn to let none lay hands upon the royal person without his consent!’ Kid Gladiator’s protector, Warbird declares as she steps forward.
Hands on hips, Kid Gladiator remarks that Rogue is attractive for a primitive. ‘Perhaps if you agree to join my harem…’ he begins, but Rogue declares that she hasn’t got time for this. ‘To reach him, you must got through me’ Warbird exclaims. ‘Thanks. I’ll just go around’ Rogue replies as she teleports and reappears behind Kid Gladiator. ‘Coward! Prevaricator!’ Warbird shouts. ‘Best you’re gonna get, jailbait’ Rogue tells Kid Gladiator as she kisses him on the cheek. ‘I’ll behead her! I’ll eviscerate her!’ Warbird shrieks, but Kid Gladiator just smiles and rubs his cheek as Rogue teleports away. ‘I pardon her by royal decree’ he announces, and suggests that they look into that harem thing.
Back outside, Frenzy is still pummelling away at Exodus, who declares ‘Joanna. No one was more dedicated to our cause than you. How can you betray something you once felt so -’, before casting her back in a force field, and telling her that her thoughts make it plain. ‘The heart is the ultimate betrayer, is it not?’ Exodus remarks. ‘Let me go, you cowardly son of a -’ Frenzy calls out, before Exodus draws her closer to him, and states that he blames himself for this, for leaving her alone, without purpose. ‘But I cam remove the confusion…the doubt and pain. Make you the woman you once were’ he tells her as he touches her head. ‘Never…I’ll die first!’ Joanna retorts. ‘We ALL would!’ Rogue shouts as she teleports in overhead and slams herself down with the fury of Gladiator, striking Exodus hard in the back.
Exodus gathers himself and in mid-air, spins around and attacks Rogue with optic blasts. ‘We made a choice. One of the hardest of our lives. You got no idea what it cost us’ Rogue calls out as she attacks Exodus with a surge of energy. ‘What we sacrificed. ‘Cause we believed it was worth it!’ Rogue exclaims as she forces herself at Exodus, crashing him down to the ground. Wolverine, Frenzy and the other X-Men gather around as Rogue stands over Exodus and tells him that there is no way in hell that he is going to take that away from them. ‘No…that is unacceptable!’ Exodus declares, as he releases a surge of energy, knocking the X-Men backwards. ‘You would truly force me to slay you rather than subvert your petty desires for the good of your people? It defies comprehension!’ Exodus exclaims.
‘Not comprehension. Understanding’ Rogue corrects Exodus, telling him that he doesn’t get why they did this. ‘And Ah don’t think you will…unless we show you. Look into my mind’ she tells him. Rachel reminds Rogue that once Exodus is inside, she can’t protect her, but Wolverine decides that Rogue is right. ‘Go on, Exodus. Take a peek. I ain’t gonna fight ya, either’ he remarks. Exodus steps forward: ‘Very well. But I cannot imagine anything that would justify rending your species asunder…risking our very survival’ he states. ‘We were risking it by staying. See for yourself’ Wolverine tells him.
Exodus enters Rogue’s mind, and he sees images flash before him - Wolverine an Rogue standing over the body of the slain Nightcrawler. Beast arguing with Cyclops about his actions. Hope Summers. Cyclops and Wolverine arguing, and the schism that would eventually tear them apart.
‘Madness!’ Exodus exclaims as he once more hovers in the air. ‘The child…Hope…is the prophesied savior of our people. And Cyclops risks her in battle?’ ‘All the kids. Ask me, we can’t afford to lose any of ‘em’ Wolverine replies. ‘But yeah…her especially’ he adds. Exodus apologizes to the X-Men and tells them that he was wrong. ‘You were entirely justified in your actions’ Exodus announces. Energy flashes from his eyes as he declares that he has sworn to save mutantkind. ‘My course is clear’ he announces as he flies away, stating that he shall remove the obstacle, and then mutantkind will be as one again.
‘Um…did we just get Cyclops killed?’ Rogue asks as she turns to Wolverine. ‘Damn it’ Logan mutters, as he, Rogue, the Beast, Iceman, Gambit, Frenzy and Marvel Girl rush after Exodus.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Lost Tribes, part two
The powerful mutant known as Exodus speeds through the air, from one side of the United States to the other.
Back at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, several X-Men race down a corridor, as Rogue announces that this is serious, Exodus is headed to Utopia to kill Cyclops, because they convinced him the X-Men splitting up is Cyclops’s fault. ‘It is’ Wolverine a.k.a. Logan mutters as he leads his team towards the hangar bay. ‘We gotta warn ‘em!’ Rogue declares, but Wolverine tells her that this mess is theirs, so they will clean it up. Rogue tells Wolverine that this is no time for being stubborn, and reminds him  that there are kids on that island, that Exodus could kill them all. ‘But he won’t. He’s all about saving mutants. Only wants ta kill one’ Logan points out. Rogue asks Wolverine if he has ever heard of collateral damage, but he carries on towards the Blackbird.
Rogue grabs Wolverine by his shoulder and asks him to stop and think about this for a second, to which Wolverine tells her that he has - more than anyone in this room - thought about the big picture. He tells Rogue that she is right, there are kids on the island, and Cyclops has got them brainwashed to think they are soldiers in his army of mutant survival. ‘All he talks about is how we’re targets, how we gotta be ready for war and what we’re doing here at the school is reckless and stupid’. Wolverine declares that if an immortal nut job like Exodus, with the powers of a god, shows up trying to make a martyr out of Cyclops because of this school, Cyclops will say it proves him right.
Wolverine reminds Rogue that Exodus can’t teleport to Utopia because she stole that power off him, but that she can teleport to him. Rogue points out that she could, but that she burned the powers she took from Kid Gladiator fighting Exodus, and that their foe is flying at mach two, so as soon as she would reach him, he would be a hundred miles away. Wolverine declares that the Blackbird does mach four, so they can catch up to Exodus and take him down, adding that if things get out of hand, Rachel can mind-zap a warning to Utopia. Rachel Grey a.k.a. Marvel Girl looks at Wolverine, while Rogue declares ‘If Exodus hasn’t take her out. If he doesn’t block it with his own telepathy’, to which Wolverine, frustrated, tells Rogue that he doesn’t have time to argue with her. ‘Either get yer behind on the Blackbird, or don’t. That goes for all’a ya’ Wolverine calls out.
Hank McCoy a.k.a. the Beast tells Rogue that Wolverine is right, and so is Exodus, for that matter. ‘Mutantkind must reunify’ Hank declares, pointing out that what Exodus fails to comprehend is that his rash act will only exacerbate the divide between mutants - if they allow it to occur. ‘We can remedy this ourselves. We must’ Hank tells Rogue, before he follows Wolverine and the others into the Blackbird. ‘I don’t see her. She’s not coming’ Sam “Cannonball” Guthrie calls out as he takes his seat in the jet. ‘Who the hell cares? You do the job with what you got’ Joanna Cargill a.k.a. Frenzy shouts, while Bobby “Iceman” Drake asks ‘Gambit? You really think she’s gonna -’, to which Remy LeBeau replies that Rogue is a grown woman and will do as she pleases.
At that moment, Rogue leans over a console in the hangar bay, while inside the Blackbird, Wolverine tells his team that they have five seconds to sit down and shut up before they are pulped against the wall. An instant later, the Blackbird takes off. Staring out the window, Cannonball remarks ‘Ain’t gonna lie. It kinda blows my mind she didn’t -’, when suddenly, Rogue teleports into the jet. Cannonball and Iceman look at her in shock, while Gambit just smiles. ‘Seconds to intercept?’ Rogue asks as she leans on Wolverine’s chair. ‘One-twenty’ Logan tells her. ‘Copy that’ Rogue replies, before telling everyone to take battle stations. Frenzy folds her arms and looks away as Rogue turns to the group, announcing that the fliers are to knock him out of the sky, and the rest pile on. Taking Cannonball’s hand, Rogue tells him she is borrowing some power. ‘Go ahead. Two Cannonballs are better’n one!’ Sam replies.
Wolverine reports that there is one minute to contact, and points out that there was a time when he would have crashed the Blackbird into Exodus, but that money is tight nowadays. ‘So we crash ourselves instead’ Logan remarks, telling everyone to be ready. ‘Let’s ake him wish we hit him with the plane’.
Soaring through the air up ahead, Exodus glances back and an instant later, the Blackbird is directly over him. ‘Misguided fools’ he mutters, and an instant later, Rogue and Cannonball blast towards him from either side. Rachel hovers overhead, and Rogue carries Wolverine with her. ‘My quarrel is not with you. Open your eyes! We should be allies!’ Exodus shouts as he holds Cannonball at bay, and blocks one of Rachel’s attacks. Rogue drops Wolverine down towards Exodus: ‘Problem with mental powers…you gotta focus to use ‘em!’ Wolverine exclaims as he shoves his claws into Exodus’s armor. Wolverine is thrown clear, enabling Cannonball to blast down, slamming into Exodus. Rogue then repeats this move with equal force, and Exodus crashes into the ground below.
‘You make me despair for my people’ Exodus declares as he looks up from the crater he has caused upon impact, and casts his hand, causing Rogue to crash into Cannonball. ‘That’s what my dad used to say about me, homme!’ Gambit exclaims as he throws some kinetically charged playing cards at Exodus, though they land at his feet. Frenzy races towards Exodus, as does the Beast, while up above, Rachel telekinetically lowers herself and Wolverine towards the ground. ‘Hit him all at once!’ Logan calls out. ‘Put him down fast! I want this over!’ Logan orders, as Frenzy, the Beast and Gambit all prepare to strike him at once. ‘It was over when you refused mercy!’ Exodus shouts as he sends the X-Men careening backwards.
Nearby, Iceman is directing water from a waterfall, creating a flood around Exodus, who announces that he does not wish to kill them, as they have no idea how much pain he can impart teaching them the folly of their ways. ‘My power is much greater than you know’ Exodus boasts. ‘Yeah? Mine too!’ Iceman exclaims as he appears behind Exodus, his mass increased after absorbing water from the waterfall, Bobby declares ‘We’re just not all so obnoxious about it!’, before releasing shards of ice straight down at Exodus, knocking the villain back. He ties to keep Exodus buried beneath ice and rubble from the crater, and Bobby calls out to Rachel, telling her that he needs a hand. ‘What…do you think I’m doing?’ Rachel asks as she struggles to maintain her position.
‘Why do you think he hasn’t shut down all our minds? Erased and rewired your brain? I’m fighting him on the psychic plane. Now shut up…and let me work!’ Rachel declares as she suddenly appears in her “Hound” costume, battling a medieval-clad Exodus. They battle on the psychic plane in various other guises, too - such as a prehistoric warrior and warrior-woman, two children in a playground, as two players in a chess competition, and with Rachel as a sorceress and Exodus as a knight. ‘My bad. Let’s see what we can do on the physical plane’ Iceman exclaims as he tries to hold Exodus in a web of ice. ‘You can do nothing…but fall!’ Exodus declares as he breaks free, and as Rogue and Cannonball blast towards him, he takes them down, causing them to fall into the Beast and Gambit, while he sends Iceman splashing backwards.
Only Wolverine continues to charge towards Exodus, who boasts that his power is as great as his faith. ‘And I have never believed more strongly in the righteousness of my cause!’ Exodus announces as he releases a massive swell of power that surges over Wolverine, reducing him to basically a skeleton. ‘Where was that faith when you ran out on us Acolytes? Cyclops might be right and he might be wrong, but when things get tough he never gives up. He’s ten times the man you are!’ Frenzy shouts as she punches Exodus hard, sending him careening backwards into a pile of rocks.
Rogue helps Wolverine and tells him that he is either the orneriest man she has ever met, or the bravest - perhaps both. Cannonball drops down beside them and tells Wolverine that this is way out of hand, that they can’t beat him on their own, so it is time to call Utopia. ‘Don’t make me kick yer ass…Guthrie’ Wolverine utters. Rogue helps him to his feet, and Rogue reveals that she sent Utopia a message before they left. ‘You what?’ Wolverine asks. ‘On a delay’ Rogue adds, explaining that she gave them time to fix the situation themselves, but that time is running out, so Utopia will get the message any second. Wolverine, his body still smoldering, asks her who she sent it to. ‘Anyone on their Extenction Team. Whoever’s there. Cyclops, Storm…’ she begins. ‘Magneto’ Wolverine declares.
‘Yeah, Magneto! You telling me we couldn’t use him about now?’ Rogue snaps, pointing at Exodus. As his body starts to reform, Wolverine replies ‘Maybe you could. This ain’t about you’. Pointing her finger at Wolverine, Rogue asks him how dare he, and exclaims that she was working with their kids before Wolverine ever gave a damn ‘Ah didn’t wake up one morning between ninja fights and decided Ah wanted to be a teacher! Ah been doing it all along!’ Rogue shouts. Wolverine turns back to Rogue and tells her that this is not a classroom, but a battlefield, and that by running to her boyfriend, she lets her personal feelings compromise the mission. ‘Uh, guys…one fight at a time?’ Cannonball suggests. Wolverine and Rogue ignore him, as Logan tells Rogue that he cannot trust her, and that she needs to stay out of his way, as he has a mess to clean up before she goes making it worse.
Back at the other battle, Exodus has his hands wrapped around Frenzy’s neck, and uses a surge of energy to knock the Beast back when he tries to intervene. Exodus confesses to Joanna that he failed her, but claims that he has rediscovered his purpose, and that his faith gives him strength to match hers. Exodus tells Joanna that they must be one race again, and that the woman he knew would see that. ‘Your misguided love for Cyclops blinds you to the necessity of his death’ he tells her. ‘You…never knew me…and you sure as hell don’t now!’ Joanna shouts as she manages to gain the upper hand, and pushes Exodus backwards into some rocks. ‘Impressive. What you could be without distractions…you should take a vow of celibacy, as I have, rather than allow unworthy men to drag you down’ Exodus tells Joanna, suggesting she divest herself of worldly concerns, and her spirit will reap the reward, before he unleashes a massive blast of power, knocking Frenzy back.
‘Good advice, homme!’ Gambit exclaims as he appears behind Exodus. ‘Since you’re all humble now…you won’t be needing this flashy cape’ Remy suggests as he picks the end of Exodus’s cape up and uses his power to charge it, causing it to explode an instant later, and sending Exodus towards Wolverine, who calls out to the others: ‘All together! Gtve him too many targets ta hit! We can’t win hand ta hand, but he’s fighting a war on two fronts! We need ta stun him long enough for Rachel to grab his mind!’ Wolverine tells everyone. Gambit, Rogue and the Beast prepare to join in the battle, while Rachel hovers overhead. Rogue suggests that she try to drain Exodus’s telepathy, and reaches out for his skin, but Exodus manages to throw Wolverine into her, knocking them both away. ‘Both wise stratagems…that I can use myself!’ Exodus declares as he then forces Logan and Rogue into Rachel.
With the X-Men all down, Exodus hovers over them, telling them that thy have fought bravely and that their hearts are pure, even if their minds are clouded. ‘If I face such opposition on Utopia, I may be unable to slay Cyclops without other mutants falling in the battle. You will prevent this. You will be my foot soldiers…occupy the others while I execute my holy mission. You have no choice in the matter’ Exodus declares as the X-Men stand transfixed. Exodus assures them that when Cyclops is dead, he will restore their independent thought. ‘I know you will hate me. This I accept’ he adds, declaring that, like Moses, he will deliver his people to the promised land, but will not enter it with them. ‘If it must be hatred of me that unites mutant kind, so be it’ Exodus announces.
Exodus drops to the ground and places each hand on the head of Rogue and Wolverine and declares that for now, though, they will love him without question or reservation. Suddenly, though, there is a chant in a magical language, and Exodus turns his head, ‘What -?’ he calls out, before being struck down by a blast of arrived. ‘My “treason” looking a mite better now?’ she asks. ‘No. Based on what I smell. It’s worse’ Wolverine replies as another blast of energy strikes Exodus, and keeps him down. ‘To you, maybe. All Ah know is Ah can move again, and Ah’ll take any help Ah can -’ Rogue declares as she blasts into the air, while the other X-Men are still trapped. However, a look of worry spreads across Rogue’s face when she sees who the help is. Exodus gets to his feet,, while Wolverine turns and frowns at the gathering of young mutants from Utopia: Dust, Surge, Pixie, Transonic, Velocidad, Zero, Primal and…Hope, who exclaims ‘Don’t worry, Rogue, the cavalry’s here!’


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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Lost Tribes, part three
Somewhere, a secluded area of land, the powerful mutant called Exodus finds himself facing off against several young mutants from the island nation of Utopia. ‘You send children to fight me, Wolverine? I thought better of you’ Exodus declares. So did I’ Wolverine a.k.a. Logan mutters as he turns to Rogue, who is responsible for calling Pixie, Dust, Surge, Transonic, Velocidad, Primal, Zero and Hope to assist. Wolverine lunges at Exodus and slashes his chest with his razor-sharp adamantium claws, while telling Pixie to get the kids out of here, as he has this under control. Velocidad dodges one of Exodus’s blasts, and rushes towards Wolverine, pointing out that English is his second language, but that he doesn’t think “under control” means the same thing as “getting our butts kicked”.
Dust moves towards Exodus, as does Remy “Gambit” LeBeau, while Rogue turns to Hope and asks her what this is. ‘Ah sent that call for help to Scott’s Extinction Team’ Rogue declares. ‘Which I’m on’ Hope replies, adding that the others were responding to a crisis, so she brought who was available. ‘You shouldn’t have brought anyone. Y’all are kids!’ Rogue shouts. ‘No, Rogue. You’re students are kids. We’re soldiers. Now let me do my job’ Hope replies as she turns from Rogue and fires the massive gun that she carries around at Exodus. Rogue calls out to Pixie, telling her that she needs to do what Wolverine said and get everyone out of here. ‘I’m sorry, Rogue, but we don’t take orders from you’ Pixie replies. Rogue announces that she swiped Exodus’s teleporting power, so could take the kids all back themselves.
There is an explosion, and Joanna “Frenzy” Cargill puts her own indestructible body in between Rogue and the debris, while telling Rogue to think twice about that, pointing out that they could take Exodus out on their own, but that Hope can duplicate the power of any mutant she is near, without having to touch them, including Exodus. Rogue declares that she will not have the kids fighting a battle that is their fault, as it goes against everything they reopened the school for. ‘Might be’ Gambit remarks, but declares that Exodus fancies himself as their savior, and that he doesn’t want to kill any mutants save for Cyclops. ‘And as much as I hate to admit it, if we’re to stop him doing that…we’re gonna need Hope’s help’ Gambit points out. Rogue frowns at him, before turning to Wolverine, who frowns back at her. ‘Damn it to hell’ Logan mutters, before ordering Rogue and Hope to form on him. ‘Let’s take the bastard down’ Wolverine snarls.
Bobby Drake a.k.a. Iceman casts forth lots several ice sleds, which Exodus destroys as he blasts Gambit and Zero aside. Wolverine, Rogue and Hope gather together on a ridge, and Logan tells them that they are the key to this. ‘Hope, you can copy his powers. But that just gives you the same box’a tricks as him. Unless Rogue takes some of his away’ Logan explains. Rogue tells Hope that she has already tried this, and that Exodus has more power than most anyone they have met. ‘His limits have never really been tested’ Rogue adds. ‘Neither have mine!’ Hope boasts as she takes to the air, fiery energy surrounding her in spectacular display.
Hope flies over to Exodus, who exclaims ‘Magnificent! You are more impressive than I dared imagine. The prophecies run true, Hope. You could be the messiah of all mutantkind’. ‘That make you my humble servant?’ Hope asks as Exodus blocks a surge of her power that attacks him. ‘But of course…’ Exodus replies as he uses his powers to tear a large tree trunk from the ground and smack it into Hope. ‘…once I’ve freed you from the corrupting influence of Cyclops’ he adds. ‘I hate stabbing people who agree with me!’ Wolverine shouts as Frenzy “fastball special’s” him up towards Exodus, and he shoves his claws into him. ‘Enough! It is high time this foolishness ended!’ Exodus booms as he blasts Wolverine back to the ground, while Rogue, using Cannonball’s blasting power, flies towards Exodus and slams into him, while touching his face with her bare hands. ‘Ah couldn’t’ agree more!’ Rogue tells him.
‘Stupid girl. You can only steal a fraction of my power!’ Exodus tells Rogue as he blasts her with his energy, slamming her into the ground. ‘Oh, Ah know’ Rogue replies as she looks up from the crater she caused upon impact. ‘But against odds like this…fractions mean a lot!’ she tells Exodus, as all of the mutants move towards him. Rachel Grey a.k.a. Marvel Girl drops down from above, while Sam “Cannonball” Guthrie blasts in from the side, and Iceman, in a giant form, moves up behind Exodus. ‘First wave…fire!’ Rogue calls out as Cannonball and Transonic fly into him. ‘Second wave…knock him out of the sky!’ Rogue shouts, and energy-wielders blast their power at Exodus. As Exodus falls to the ground. Wolverine orders the third wave to finish it. Hank McCoy a.k.a. the Beast, Frenzy, Wolverine and Primal all lunge at Exodus, and keep him down.
Everyone steps back when Exodus seems unable to move, as Rachel declares that she finally got past Exodus’s defenses and set up a mental block, stopping him from using his powers. ‘Weakened as he is, it should last for hours’ Rachel adds. Wolverine tells everyone to back off, as he has had enough, and that they have beaten him. Exodus smirks, ‘So you have. But it is I who won the day’ Exodus utters. He tells the mutants that separated, they could not beat him, and only by coming together, the disparate factions reuniting, were they able to prevail. ‘Cyclops still lives, but it’s apparent this divide cannot’ he adds. Exodus tells the heroes that they have proven the righteousness of his quest, the necessity, because of what happened here today.
‘It is inevitable. Soon…very soon…mutant kind must be one’ he announces. Logan turns away from Exodus and asks Rachel to shut him up. ‘I don’t need him yammering while I figure out what ta do with him’ Logan exclaims. Hope declares that she thought it was obvious - that they take him back to Utopia. ‘Danger’s cellblock will keep his power dampened. I doubt there’s another prison on Earth that could hold him’ Hope adds. Rogue turns to Wolverine and tells him that Hope is right. Wolverine replies that he knows, and mutters that the nut job gets to go exactly where he was headed anyway. ‘Gotta love winning’ Logan remarks, while Rogue turns to the Utopia children and tells them that Wolverine has a point. ‘With what Scott’s doing, Utopia gets more  dangerous by the day. He’s put a target on your backs, and Exodus ain’t gonna be the last to come gunning for it’ she tells them.
Rogue states that she knows why Hope stayed, being a soldier is all she has ever known, and that the rest of her team stayed because of her. ‘But Dust…Pixie…Ah never had the chance to talk to y’all about your decision’ Rogue points out, before assuring them that there is a place for them at the school, a safe place for all of them. ‘You’re kidding, right? “Safe place?” the school where I saw forty-five of my friends murdered?’ Surge asks, stepping forward. ‘Things are different now, Surge’ Rogue assures her. Dust steps forward and respectfully tells Rogue that they are not. ‘At first I wanted to go with you…with so many of my friends. But I quickly realized you were deluding yourselves. We will spend our lives fighting for our lives. This is what our life has always been…and will be’ the young woman states.
Dust continues, pointing out that this not need be a bad thing, as they can still have good lives if they accept and understand it. ‘But to pretend we have another choice is to invite the same kind of tragedy we saw when we were last at the school’ she declares.
Hope turns to Wolverine and tells him to face it - that what happened here proves everything Dust said. ‘Or did you not just use a bunch of kids as soldiers when your backs were against the wall?’ she asks him. The kids go over to Exodus and surround him, while Rogue exclaims ‘That’s not fair. We ain’t a bunch of hippie Pollyannas. We didn’t say there’d never come a time when kids would have to fight. But if you accept that’s your purpose in life - if you spend your childhood preparing for it - you lose something, and end up like -’ Rogue calls out, before Pixie interrupts.
‘Like Magneto? Like Wolverine? Like you? We’re a bit okay with that’ Pixie tells them as she casts a teleport spell around herself and the other young mutants from Utopia. An instant later, they and Exodus vanish. Rogue hangs her head as she glances at Wolverine, who frowns, and walks off, ‘Let’s get the hell outta here’ he mutters. Shortly, the ride back to the Jean Grey School is taken in silence, with no one saying a thing to anyone.
But when the Blackbird is docked, Rogue races down the ramp after Wolverine: ‘Logan…’ she calls out. ‘Got nothing to say to you’ Logan replies. Rogue puts a hand on his shoulder and tells him that they are going to have to work together, so they best clear the air. ‘You wanna clear the air? Fine’ Wolverine snarls as he spins around and tells Rogue that there is no point in hashing out the arguments. ‘I know why you did what you did, calling Utopia like that. None of it matters. What does matter is you went behind my back’ Logan declares, adding that they can work together fine, as she is good with the kids and great in a fight. ‘I know I can rely on you. What I can’t do is trust you’ Logan announces. He frowns and Rogue and tells her that from here on out, he will plan accordingly, before turning and walking away. Rogue looks worried, while Beast and Iceman watch with concern.
Suddenly, Gambit calls after Wolverine, telling him that he has no right to speak to her like that. ‘She’s proven herself more times than -’ Gambit begins, but Rogue tells him not to, as Wolverine is right to question her judgment. ‘After this mess…Lord knows Ah will’ Rogue tells him as she walks away.
‘There you are’ Rachel calls out to Rogue as she drops down beside her friend as Rogue observes Paige “Husk” Guthrie, who is supervising the return of the students to the Jean Grey School. Rachel tells Rogue that just so she knows, everyone thinks Wolverine is being an ass. ‘You read their minds?’ Rogue asks her. ‘No, it’s the topic du jour in the teachers’ lounge’ Rachel explains. ‘Lovely. You ain’t told me what you think’ Rogue tells her. ‘You gave us time to stop Exodus alone. Failing that, you sent a message to Utopia’s big guns. It’s just bad luck it got picked up by the kids’ Rachel tells her. ‘And using them to fight Exodus…well, we beat him, didn’t we? It’s not like our students take a vow of non-violence either. It’s about making choices’ Rachel adds, telling Rogue that everything she did was eminently reasonable. ‘But…?’ Rogue asks.
‘But I think you did it at least in part because you wanted to see Magneto’ Rachel tells her. ‘You actually think Ah’d risk lives just to -’ Rogue begins, but Rachel interrupts her, ‘No, not “just” to. Like I said, your reasons were sound’ she assures her. Rachel points out that Rogue is in an intense long-distance relationship with a man she clearly cares about. ‘A relationship that’s in flux and undefined’ Rachel adds, assuring Rogue that it is perfectly normal human reaction for that to be in her thoughts and even influence her choices. ‘But in our case, those choices affect the lives of dozens of kids. Some of the last mutants left on Earth’ Rachel adds, announcing that she isn’t sure they have the luxury of normal human reactions. Rogue listens intently, before Rachel hovers over her and suggests that she needs to figure out this thing with Magneto soon. ‘Since you asked’. Rogue says nothing, and just watches as more of the students return from the safe zone.
Down below, Anole asks Husk if she is sure it is safe to come back. ‘Safe as can be, Anole. The bad guy’s locked up and it’s business as usual’ Husk announces. Anole smiles, and walking beside Trance tells her that there is no need to be scared of Blindfold, as her visions don’t always come true. ‘Right, Ruth? You said Exodus was bringing out destruction and you were wrong’ Anole tells her. ‘Excuse me? No’ Blindfold replies as she looks up at Rogue, who has turned and starts to walk away.
In his office, Logan stares out the window, and flying past it, Rachel frowns at him from outside. In the training room, Frenzy smashes a robot apart, while outdoors, Gambit tears up the ground of a nearby field with a burst of kinetic energy charges.
In the brig on Utopia, a security camera watches as Exodus sits in his very small cell, and stares up, smiling.
Back at the Jean Grey School, Anole and Trance look at Blindfold, concerned, as she announces ‘It’s not finished yet’.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Untitled
Above the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, Rogue and Sam Guthrie are on perimeter patrol. Rogue has absorbed Sam’s blasting power, as they fly near each other. ‘Pretty from up here. But you miss it, going so fast’ Rogue comments. Sam replies that there isn’t much choice, as his name is “Cannonball”, not “Hang Glider”. Rogue asks Sam if he is really going to let a name hold him back. ‘You wanna enjoy the scenery, all you gotta do…is slow down’ Rogue declares, before she falls to the ground. Sam drops down beside Rogue and tells her that everyone hates it when she borrows their powers and use them better than they do. ‘How do you make it look so easy?’ Sam asks her. Rogue explains that sometimes it just takes a fresh set of eyes, before agreeing that new perspectives are not always welcome.
Sam asks whether things are still frosty with Wolverine, to which Rogue tells her friend that they can still work together, but that it is all stiff and formal, that he looks at her like he can’t trust her. Sam points out that Rogue made a tough call in a bad situation, and that Wolverine doesn’t like it, but that’s his problem. ‘This ain’t the army. If that’s what we wanted, we woulda stayed wit5h Cyclops’ Sam declares, reminding Rogue that they came here because they believed their students deserve a choice about how to live their lives. ‘Reckon we oughta have the same privilege’ Sam adds. Rogue agrees, but explains that she feels like she is losing people left and right. ‘Ah miss Kurt. He was our heart. Can’t help feeling like if he was alive, the X-Men never woulda split’ she adds.
Rogue hangs her head and tells Cannonball that she hasn’t felt so alone in a long time, and here she is making it worse. ‘Ah always envied you, Sam. Having such a big family…all that kind to turn to’ Rogue adds. Sam replies that it is nice, and that he loves them dearly, but that in a house so crowded, you look for ways to make your mark and stand on your own. Sam points out that Rogue has done that more than anyone else - taking control of her powers, her life, and reminds her that when he first met her, she was, no offense, a mess. ‘Now you’re a leader. What you done for those kids…it’ll be years before they understand all you taught ‘em’ Sam adds. He tells Rogue not to feel bad about carring, as it is what makes her good at this. ‘It’s also why the rough spots hit you harder than most. And I ain’t saying it shouldn’t hurt’ Sam remarks, telling Rogue not to lose sight of the amazing things she has done, either, or the possibility the other guy’s just being a jerk - whether that’s Wolverine or someone else.
‘Thanks, Sam. Ah -’ Rogue begins, before noticing something up in the sky, quickly approaching the school. ‘Incoming!’ Rogue exclaims. ‘I see it. Some kinda missile’ Sam replies, before the two blast into the air, towards the approaching object. ‘We got missiles of our own’ Sam declares, but as they approach the object, surrounded by energy, they can’t see what it is. Rogue tells Sam that they cannot take any chances with the school, and points out that they are invulnerable in flight. ‘Let’s knock it outta the sky’ she declares. ‘Copy. Impact in three…two…’ Sam begins, before Rogue gasps ‘Oh no!’ as she sees what, or rather who, the approaching people are.
Before anything can be done, the four mutants collide on impact. ‘Sam, those were people!’ Rogue exclaims. ‘Gotta catch ‘em!’ Sam tells her as they steady themselves mid-air, before blasting downwards to catch the new arrivals, with Sam pointing out that they are only going to get one shot. ‘Faster, dammit! Faster!’ Rogue tells herself, as she grabs hold of a man clad in red and white, while Cannonball takes hold of a man with large feathery wings. Suddenly, there is an explosion. Hank McCoy a.k.a. the Beast and Bobby “Iceman” Drake arrive on the scene, and Hank calls out to his teammates, asking them if they are okay. Sam replies that he is, as their blast fields should have protected them, but that the other two look in a bad way.
‘Hank, is that -?’ Bobby begins as he looks upon the new arrivals. ‘It is indeed’ Hank replies, frowning. ‘Calvin Rankin…the Mimic’ Hank declares as his former teammate looks up at him, while Michael Pointer a.k.a. Weapon Omega lies sprawled at Mimic’s side. ‘Hank, Bobby - thank God. It’s Michael. His powers…something’s wrong…please. He’s my best friend…and he’s dying’ the Mimic exclaims urgently. The Mimic picks Michael up into his arms, while the Beast calls out to Michael, asking him if he can hear him. Hank aims some sort of analyzer at Weapon Omega, while Calvin explains that Norman Osborn did something to him. ‘His powers…he’s like an addict. He needs to absorb mutant energy. But he was trying to kick the habit’ Mimic tells the Beast.
‘Norman Osborn. The psycho you guys chose to work for. Who threw Hank in a cell and almost killed him. Why should we lift a finger for you after that?’ Iceman asks, quite rightly. Mimic reminds Hank that it was he who helped him when his powers were out of control, when no one else would. ‘That’s why I came back’ Mimic explains, adding that Michael’s powers are similar. ‘I tried to help him on my own…let him absorb my energy, in small doses, to wean him off…but it didn’t work’ Calvin adds. ‘Please. I know we did wrong. But you don’t know what it’s like…when all you have is stolen. Cheap copies of other people’. Mimic adds that he knows they hurt Hank, and admits that they were stupid, but they wanted to do something that mattered for once in their lives.
Rogue reminds Iceman that she made her share of mistakes when she came to the X-Men, but that she was welcomed, perhaps not with opens arms, but she was given a chance. Hank decides that Rogue is right, and remarks that if ill-advised decisions disqualify one from seeking refuge here, then everyone should leave. ‘Okay, Hank. You’re the injured party. If it’s all right with you…’ Bobby points out. The Beast states that they must act with caution, and reminds the Mimic that he is not a mutant, despite being able to mimic mutant powers. ‘It doesn’t surprise me that feeding off you made Michael ill’ Hank adds, before announcing that he needs to study him in the lab, only the school is full of students.
‘After being deprived of true mutant energy for so long, I fear what the proximity of so many might to do him…even the few of us…could have undesirable effects’ Hank adds. Suddenly, Michael wakes, and energy fluctuates around him. ‘YES! I Can feel them. I feel them all!’ he shouts as he flies towards the school buildings. ‘They never listen’ Bobby mutters on his ice-sled as he follows Pointer, while Rogue and Cannonball fly after him.
Inside Room 204, the Coping with Physical Changes lecture, is being conducted by Jonathan Starsmore a.k.a. Chamber. Among the students are Anole, Rockslide, Glob Herman, Ernst and Bling. Chamber tells the young mutants that he wishes he could give advice that would work for all of them, but the trouble is, they are all different, which is why they are here. ‘What I can offer is a place to speak your mind without worrying about being laughed at by the spandex prom king and queens’. Chamber then asks the kids who wants to start, to which Rockslide raises his hand and asks ‘Why do I still get horny when I don’t have junk?’ ‘Straight into the deep end it is’ Chamber remarks, before telling the kids that he figures a lot of them have sex questions, and that it is a delicate matter which some might wish to discuss in private, or with someone other than him.
‘But, at heart, what you’re asking is if anyone’s ever gonna love you. Wish I could guarantee a ‘yes’. I’m afraid I can’t do that for anyone, mutant or human’ Chamber replies wisely. Chamber tells them that they all deserve it, and if they keep their heart open, no matter how often it gets ripped into tiny, bleeding shreds, they will have a chance. ‘You can’t control anyone else. Only yourself. And I’m telling you from experience…in the end, whether your life’s defined by hurt or hope is up to you’.
 The students listen intently, when suddenly, the roof collapses and they are knocked about, as Weapon Omega stands before them. ‘More…please…need more’ he utters. ‘Only ‘cause you said please. Out of my class!’ Chamber declares as he uses his biokinesis to blast Pointer back up into the air outside the building.
‘Got him!’ Iceman calls out as he encases Pointer in a capsule of ice. ‘Don’t hurt him! He doesn’t mean it!’ Mimic pleads as he flies towards them. ‘Right now I don’t care what he means -’ Rogue begins as she prepares to strike a blow, only for Pointer to release his power, which surges over Rogue, Bobby and Sam. ‘Stupid, I’m so stupid!’ Mimic exclaims as he flies up behind Michael, and decides that they need to get him away from the school, as it is driving him crazy. ‘Away. That we can do’ Rogue remarks as she flies towards them, but Calvin tells them to get back, as they are just charging him up, and an instant later, Pointer releases more power, this time knocking Mimic backwards as well.
‘I thought we were done with glowing, flying men!’ Remy “Gambit” LeBeau exclaims on the ground below, as he Joanna “Frenzy” Cargill and Rachel Summers a.k.a. Marvel Girl prepare to join the battle. ‘We’re making him stronger just being here’ Rogue explains as she crashes into the ground where Gambit stands. Rogue asks Rachel to see if she can get into Pointer’s mind, to which Rachel explains that she has been trying, but that it is like grabbing hold of water. ‘I try to force his thoughts a certain way, but they flow in all directions’ she adds. Rogue tells her not to force them, to give Michael a comforting voice, calling his name, as his mind is a swirl of chaos, so he needs a beacon of calm, someplace safe to come home to.
It seems to work, as Michael goes from being angry and frustrated, to surprised and confused. ‘Where…oh no, not again’ he exclaims, before dropping his surging power, he announces that he is sorry, and asks if anyone was hurt. ‘Ask again in a minute’ Frenzy warns him, but Rogue tells her to take it easy. ‘Michael! You’re okay!’ Calvin exclaims, to which Michael replies that he is in control for the moment, and explains that the mutant energy he absorbed, he discharged all but what he needs to stay even. ‘But I can feel the hunger building up again. I’m not trying not to take any more, but can’t help it. We need to go’ he tells his friend.
The Beast bounds towards Pointer and announces that he would prefer to analyze him first. ‘I have a reinforced sub-basement lab. It’s constructed to act as a type of faraday cage, not allowing energies in or out. It should block you from absorbing any external mutant power’ Hank explains, pointing out that they need to determine what is wrong with him. Hank asks Pointer if he can control himself long enough to get there - five minutes, perhaps. ‘I know I’m pretty wretched, but I can still keep hold of myself for five minutes’ Michael replies, before asking if they can hurry, please.
Soon, in the Beast’s lab, Pointer lies on a table, all sorts of scanners around him, while the Beast, Rogue, Iceman, Marvel Girl and Mimic stand in an observation room several feet away. The Beast points out that Michael is agitated, and so he would like to keep him calm the way Rachel did, but that having too many mutants in with him might skew the readings. Hank asks Calvin if he could copy Rachel’s powers and assist him. ‘Me? I…I mean, couldn’t she do it from here?’ Mimic replies. Marvel Girl explains that the faraday cage blocks psychic energy as well, and tells Calvin that it is all right, she doesn’t mind, unless he thinks it would overwhelm him. ‘No, it’s not that…all right, I’ll do it. Just give me a…’ he begins, before uttering ‘Oh. Oh, wow. I always forget what it’s like. Feeling all those minds…the connection to something so vast…it’s beautiful’. Rachel agrees, but admits that she has come to take it for granted.
‘Sorry to tush you, but if we could start…?’ the Beast calls out as he leads Calvin into the chamber. Rachel remarks that the Mimic is like a new man, and asks Rogue why he was so reluctant to borrow her powers, and why he doesn’t just mimic whoever’s in range. Rogue explains that because sooner or later, they are out of range, and then you are stuck being yourself again.
Inside the faraday cage, Michael asks what the verdict is. ‘Oh…oh, no…’ Calvin utters as Hank examines a monitor. ‘It’s wrong! Run the tests again!’ Mimic exclaims. Hank tells Calvin that he did not give him permission to read his mind, and points out that he is scaring Michael. ‘Kindly take your hand off me so I can tell him what you already know’ the Beast declares, while Michael asks ‘What is it?’. Hank points out that Calvin isn’t a mutant, that he simply mimics their powers, but that they are artificial. ‘When you absorbed the energies from his body, it did something to you. Changed you’ Hank states. ‘Just now, when you fed off so many true mutants, all at once…it sparked a reaction with the energies inside you’. Hank tells Michael that he is sorry, and that unless they can find a way to stop it, the power will release explosively, killing him, and quite possibly, everyone here. Inside the booth, Iceman, Rogue and Rachel all look at each other in shock.
Moments later, Bobby, Rogue and Rachel rush into the chamber, and Bobby points out that they have a school full of students, so they need to get them out of here. ‘To where? You wanna risk blowing up Manhattan?’ Rogue asks, while the Beat announces that his machines are all that are keeping Pointer sable, and that he cannot be safely moved. Rachel announces that she is evacuating the kids, and points out that they are used to it, and that it won’t take long, before pointing out that Hank is right, this far underground is probably the safest place for Pointer to be. ‘Fine, that’s settled. But Ah think y’all are forgetting something. What are we gonna do for Michael?’ Rogue adds. ‘Only one thing’ Michael declares. ‘Let me die. Lock me in a vault, or…I don’t know, teleport me to the moon’ he tells them.
Michael announces that he appreciates all they have done for him, but that from the moment his powers manifested, all he has ever done is hurt people, kill people. ‘It’s best for everyone if I’m just…gone’ he adds. Rogue suddenly punches him in the face and exclaims ‘Now you listen to me. Ah been where you are. Lived most of my life with ghost of other people screaming in my head. Ah couldn’t touch anyone without hurting ‘em. Maybe killing ‘em. Ah wanted to die. Desperately’. Rogue tells Michael that someone always believed in her - Irene, the X-Men, so she couldn’t let them down, and put one foot in front of the other, even when it was agony. ‘And now Ah can do this. Without anything happening. You ain’t gonna give up, Michael, ‘cause I believe in you. And you won’t let me down’ Rogue adds as her bare fingers touch Michael’s face.
‘Hold on. I know you didn’t use your powers on him just now…but what if you did?’ Mimic asks. ‘What if I micked your absorption powers…and we both did?’ he suggests. ’Maybe we could drain enough energy to save him! Split it into thirds…discharge it safely!’ Mimic declares. Bobby asks Hank if that would work, to which Hank replies that it could, in theory, but that there is no way to test it, as this is a form of energy they know nothing about, and it could just as easily prove fatal. Rogue declares that she hasn’t heard any better ideas, and suggests they do it. The table that Pointer is strapped to has moved so that he is now in an upright position, and he tells Mimic and Rogue that he will not let them risk their lives, too.
Rogue tells him to stop it, that she knows it is hard to see other people laying down their lives for you, especially when you’re not used to it, and don’t think you’re worth it. ’But we’re gonna do this. Ah figure it stands a lot better chance of working if you don’t fight us. So stop. For out sakes, if not your own’ Rogue adds. Bobby and Hank turn and look at each other, while Rogue and Mimic look up at Weapon Omega, who asks them to be careful, before thanking them.
Soon, the Beast, Iceman and Rogue have entered the reinforced sub-basement vault theta, while Mimic helps Weapon Omega into the room. ‘Thick as you can get, Bobby. I’ll need a minute to set up this force field generator’ Hank tells his friend as Bobby covers the room in a thick sheathe of ice. Pointer asks if that will contain the blast if things go wrong, Hank replies that he doesn’t know, but that it is the best they can do in the time they have.’ So do try to make it unnecessary, hm?’ Hank adds, when suddenly, Gambit rushes into the vault, calling out to Rogue. He goes over to her and asks her if this is as risky as it sounds. ‘No more than fighting demons or angry gods’ Rogue replies, to which Gambit tells her that he has something he wants to say.
‘Remy…don’t. Please’ Rogue replies, telling him that she has been okay up to now, partly because everything is happening too fast for her to think about. ‘But Ah can’t…. Ah think Ah might fall apart if -’ Rogue begins, biting her lower lip, Gambit just frowns and tells her to hush, and that he just wanted her to know he is here. ‘Whatever happens…I’m gonna be here’ he adds. Rogue puts a hand to Gambit’s face, then they embrace. Beast and Gambit leave the chamber, where Frenzy is standing at the vault door. ‘If you would?’ the Beast asks her, and she uses her incredible strength to pull the vault door shut.
Rogue, Mimic and Weapon Omega stand together, and Rogue holds out her hand. ‘Guys, wait. I…I don’t deserve this’ Pointer tells them. Rogue replies that he hasn’t done nothing she hasn’t, or easily could have. ‘Stop punishing yourself, Michael. We’ve all been where you are. Someone helped us when we needed it. Now it’s time to pay it forward’ Rogue adds. ‘So shut up…and take our hands’ Rogue declares, as she and Mimic takes hold of Weapon Omega’s hands. ‘You’re hurt! Let go!’ Pointer exclaims as Mimic cries out in agony. A brilliant glow of power surrounds them, and Rogue tells him that it is nothing, and assures him they will see this through.
The power shines brighter, and an instant later, the vault door opens. The Beast is standing there, and Rogue calls out to him: ‘We’re alive. It worked. Hank, tell me it worked’ she calls out. ‘Give me a second to…oh’ Hank utters in reply as he looks into the vault. ‘I…I’m so sorry. I didn’t see…Michael’s energy has become self-sustaining. Instead of dividing it, the two of you have only replicated it!’ Hanks announces, wide-eyed. ‘What are you saying?’ someone calls out. ‘The cause is complex, but the effect is horribly simple…we had one bomb. Now we have three!’ Hank declares, as Rogue, Mimic and Pointer all stand in the chamber, glowing with power…and ready to explode!