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untitled
New York, yesterday:
The X-Men are fighting the Purifiers to get to Hope and Cable. Wolverine orders Magik to get Hope out.
Seeing the two teleporters (Magik and Nightcrawler) present, Reverend William Stryker orders his men to run contingency-23.
Stepping out of a teleportation circle, Magik has reached Hope and Cable who have sought cover behind a car. Illyana reaches for the girl, asking her to come with her. That moment, Stryker’s weapon is fired at her.
Illyana looks at her hands in shock. Strange symbols are lit on her skin. Blood of Elzebus… parchment of soul, she mutters. Before she can say or do anything else, tentacles emit from the stepping disk and drag her into it. Colossus lunges for the teleportation disk but it disappears.
Utopia now:
He is not asking his permission, Colossus informs Cyclops icily. This is going to happen. He saw Illyana’s face as she disappeared. She was in pain, she was scared. She could be… he cannot lose her again. He has lost everything in his life. His parents his brother, his sister, his love… he has lost everything. And he has had enough. H will not lose Illyana and Kurt on the same day. So he will be going after his sister.
He is sorry, be he cannot let him do that, Cyclops replies. Bastion and his forces are going to come for Hope. They are coming for all of them. He doesn’t care, Piotr replies. The current escape routes are being cut off… he does not care, comes more forceful. Piotr turns to his armored form. Cyclops informs him that he needs him here, needs his strength. He does not care!, Colossus shouts and slams Cyclops against the wall. Maybe Scott can move on when the people he loves die, but he cannot! So here is how this is going to work: He is going to Limbo to find his sister.
No he is not, Cyclops replies calmly. But he didn’t say that he wasn’t sending someone else to rescue her. He tells Piotr this is too personal for him, he is all emotion no focus. Scott has been there himself. He’d get himself or one of his teammates killed and, after today, Scott is not going to put him into that position. The situation they are facing with Bastion has to be the priority. If they fail there it will mean the end of all mutantkind. All that they’ve sacrificed to get Hope back… this is it. And he needs Colossus here by his side.
Colossus lets go of him. Who is he sending? Piotr wasn’t the first person to demand they go after her, comes the surprising reply…
Said person was Sam Guthrie who is looking down on the infirmary where Doctor Nemesis is operating on Karma’s leg. Dani Moonstar tries to convince Sam it wasn’t his fault. Sam reminds her that Karma, all of them, are his responsibility. Shan got hurt on his watch. He can’t change that. Bu what he can do is get Magik back. Cyclops gave him clearance to put together a team.
Dani decides that she and the rest of the New Mutants are going but Sam interrupts her. Magma and Sunspot are powerhouses. Cypher and Warlock are… “Too valuable to lose,” Dani continues. She takes it he already tried. Sam tells her he needs her there to hold their team together while he is gone. They’ll go to Limbo, get Illyana, go home. No time for anything fancy. There s a whole world of hurt waiting for them here.
Cyclops joins them and announces he talked with Peter. Sam is clear to go. He bets that was a fun talk, Sam mutters. Comes with the territory, he replies. He doesn’t have to tell the two of them that. He reminds Sam he wants him gone by yesterday and back faster. Everyone he chose for his team is approved. Illyana is special to all of them. Bring her home! Dani muses they need access to Limbo which means they need Pixie.
The teenage X-Man flat out refuses the request. That place is hell! she tells them. And she sure as hell won’t go there to save Illyana Rasputin! Cyclops tries to get a word in edgewise but can’t as Megan Gwynn continues agitated. She can’t believe she has to say this. Illyana tore out a piece of her soul! And she would have taken the rest if someone hadn’t stopped her!
They can’t do this without her, Cyclops insist. She won’t do it! comes the reply. Not for that monster!
At that word, Colossus goes ballistic. Angrily, he shoves aside the table. He shouts at Pixie that she think she knows his sister but she doesn’t. Illyana sacrificed everything for her friends. For all of them! And she calls her a monster?!
Cyclops and Sam try to calm him down. Just stay away from her! Pixie shouts and flies away. That didn’t help, Scott admonishes Peter. Sam promises to take care of it. He knows someone who can get through to Megan.
Said “someone” is Pixie’s teammate and good friend Victor Borowski aka Anole, who also replies “no.” He explains that he knows Sam and he had a rough time with the farm and he’s sorry. He was having a bad day. But honestly, he’s not so sure Illyana Rasputin should be saved.
Impatiently Sam begins he doesn’t have time for this, before calming down and asking Victor to listen. He knows he and Pixie went through a lot because of Illyana. All the New X-Men did. But one day Pixie might need a second chance and he’s pretty sure Anole would fight to his last breath for her. Sam has been there, he and his team. They’ve all been where the New X-Men are right now. He’s lost friends… he’s lost his brother to all this madness. But the New X-Men don’t know the real Illyana, not like they do. Now maybe that Illyana is gone forever, maybe not. But either way, she deserves a second chance. She’s earned it.
In a small voice, Victor replies that the last time he went to Limbo, he lost his arm. Who else has Sam convinced to go?
On the roof, Sam talks to Dazzler who asks if Sam has seen Hope. All she heard is that Kurt died to help her. She tried to talk to Rogue when she got back, but the look on her face… Is Hope worth it? Sam admits he doesn’t know. Maybe she’s some kind of savior, maybe not. All he knows is that if Nightcrawler was willing to give his life for her; that’s good enough for him. Right now, though, all he wants is to save his friend. Dazzler immediately agrees to help.
Next Sam asks Northstar who brusquely tells him a leader would just tell him he was going, so stop asking! Besides he decided to go the minute Sam opened his mouth. He’s happy to just get off this island. The mood is depressing. He’s had enough of his own teammates die. He doesn’t need to absorb any more grief.
The next candidate is the New X-Man Trance who refuses. Impatiently, Sam exclaimswhat is it with the New X-Men kids. And he wasn’t asking. She’s going! So gear up and be in the hangar in ten minutes. Sullenly, Hope Abbot agrees, but she’s not bringing her body!
The next one whom Sam approaches is Gambit. Tossing playing cards into a hat, Remy LeBeau remarks that the rumor is that they are all going to join Kurt soon. That Cyclops herded them together on this rock and now someone’s realized how easy it would be to take them all out in one shot. That’s the rumor anyway.
Sam replies they are in a good position strategically. There’s enough fire power on this island to make anyone think twice about hitting them. Uh-huh, Gambit replies. Sounds like Cyclops got himself a little protégé. One that speaks the company line. He doesn’t have time for this! Sam shoots back. Is he in? Or is he out?
Remy charges up a card that explodes. Why does Sam want him on this little excursion? He needs someone to keep his eye on the prize, no matter what happens down there. He needs a thief. She could be hurt, he adds. She could be dying. He’s in, Remy announces and walks ahead. Girl needs rescuing after all. Sam picks up the used up card to find it’s black.
Atop the roof Pixie announces she won’t do it to Anole who has come to join her. Illyana Rasputin is a monster. He knows what she took from both of them. Anole agrees. And the X-Men they’d leave all of the new students to die if it meant helping her. Again Victor agrees. So why should she help Illyana? Pixie demands. Because Megan is a good person, Victor reminds her. Even after everything Illyana did to her, she is still a good person, a better person than Illyana. But the reason she’ll go back to Limbo is because she is a hero. She is an X-Man. He hugs her. Megan admits she’s scared. He knows. Will he come with her? Of course, he promises.
Soon, all of them gather in the hangar where Cyclops, Colossus and Moonstar are waiting for them. Limbo isn’t hell, Dani explains. But it’s not heaven either. It’s one of the in between realms… detached from time, inhabited by monsters… Like Illyana, Pixie mutters. Limbo is a reflection of its master, Sam takes up the speech. It’s dangerous but it can be controlled. So if they can get to Magik, they should be okay. Best case scenario: they get there and it’s a bunch of mists and shadows. And they breeze though. Wonderful, Jean Paul remarks What’s the worst case scenario? They’re gonna try and stay positive, Sam announces. None of them like this, him included. So they get in, save Magik, get out, no matter what. Let’s do this, X-Man! Pixie manifests her soul dagger and casts her teleportation spell.
A moment later, they stand on a cliff surrounded by monstrous demons, out for their blood. This isn’t exactly mists and shadows, Northstar remarks. Is Guthrie sure he doesn’t want to run through the worst case scenario?
Sam asks Pixie what happened. She doesn’t know. Cannonball orders Northstar to recon with his superspeed. Holding up her soul dagger, Pixie announces she can feel that Limbo is in pain. Doesn’t change anything, Sam decides. They are here for Magik. Doesn’t matter what the scenery looks like.
Trance panics that it is all going to happen again. They shouldn’t have come here! Does Anole think Belasco is back? Victor hopes not.
Gambit asks Dazzler if she is all right. It’s a little overwhelming, she admits. It’s like you can feel this place under your skin.
Northstar returns announcing this is insanity. The terrain itself is moving. Finding her will be next to impossible. It is only a matter of time before they are spotted. And from what he saw they do not want to be spotted!
Moments later, a huge dragon-like demon tears through the ground. Sam orders Dazzler and Gambit to light this up while Anole is to stay with Pixie. The rest of them find Magik. He cannonballs through the dragon.
Oh nonononono! Trance babbles as the demon armies come toward them, she told them not to come for her. She told them this was hell.
Dazzler is attacked from behind and asks Remy for help. He doesn’t react and again she shouts for him. His eyes glow red as he tells her Remy’s not home right now.
Watching this from a castle, the demon S’ym remarks that the X-Men have come for her. As expected, comes the answer. Is the Faerie with them? Yeah, S’ym agrees. She will lead him to Magik, N’astirh decides, and then Magik will die and Limbo will be his forever! And the rest of the mutants? S’ym asks. Kill them! N’astirh orders.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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untitled
Limbo, five hours ago. ‘Direct hit, sir’ a voice calls out. ‘Now we see if the weaponized ritual is worth what we paid’ another remarks, before a chant begins: ‘Blood of Elzebus…parchment of souls…no…’. Tentacles reach through the ground of Limbo’s parched desert covering - and through a portal drag the New Mutant called Magik. The former Mistress of Limbo struggles to break free from the tentacles. She screams, and demons watch from ridges nearby, as she screams even more.
Limbo, now. The leader of the New Mutants, Cannonball, blasts past a nasty looking winged demon, while calling out to Pixie and Northstar to evacuate everyone, while his mind wanders back to a conversation with Cyclops:
Earlier:
Standing on the cliffside of Utopia, Cannonball tells Cyclops that it is going to be bad. ‘No matter what you say to the others, you have to know…we’re walking into something bad’. Cyclops replies that he knows, to which Cannonball reminds him that he let his own squad into a suicide mission against the Right, on Cyclops’ orders, and Karma lost her leg because of him. But Cyclops tells Cannonball that Karma lost her leg because of Cameron Hodge. ‘She’s alive because of you’ he declares. Cyclops exclaims that putting the people they care about in harm’s way is the job. ‘Bringing them home alive is  the responsibility’ Cyclops adds.
Cannonball mentions Nightcrawler and Ariel, to which Cyclops declares that they knew what they signed up for, and that they have to believe that. He adds that Nightcrawler died saving Hope’s life - he got Hope to Utopia. Cyclops declares that, given the chance to do it again, the Nightcrawler he knows would do it. He tells Cannonball that they both know this is just the beginning. He exclaims that Bastion’s forces are not going to stop - that they will come after Hope, they will come after all of them. Cyclops remarks that Magik is a strategic asset, and they need her back. ‘If that means putting more people at risk…that’s what we do. That’s the job. But it’s our responsibility to get them back alive. And if we fail, we live with the losses for the rest of our lives’.
Present:
Back in Limbo, Anole dodges the demons, while Northstar finds himself being attacked from demons who reach up through the ground. Dazzler is swarmed by a horde of demons, and attempts to keep them at bay with her light powers. Cannonball finds himself in trouble though as the demons surround him and lash out at him with their jagged-tooth mouths. Nearby, Pixie stabs a demon with her soul dagger, and Hope, in her astral form, screams as the demons attack her. ‘Why do you keep screaming? They can’t hurt you in your astral form!  You’re just making me freak out even more!’ Pixie tells her teammate.
Trance explains that she cannot help it, as the demons just keep jumping into her. She tells Pixie that she can’t see the others and asks where they went. Pixie replies that she doesn’t know and declares that everything keeps shifting. ‘Can’t you…I don’t know, do a spell or something?’ Trance asks. Pixie replies that she only knows one spell, and declares that they would not teach her any more. ‘That’s dumb. What are we going to do?’ Trance asks as the demons circle her. ‘We have to get to Magik. Whatever’s happening here, it’s about her. She’s the most important thing, more than us’ Pixie exclaims, muttering that Magik is always more important than them. ‘Let’s go…before something else finds us!’ she declares.
Nearby, a group of demons approaches a cave ‘Hrrr…hrrr…kill it…’ one of them exclaims. From inside the cave, a voice calls out ‘You hunting me, demons? I don’t think so!’ and with that, the demons are knocked backwards - as Gambit, a.k.a. Death, emerges. ‘I’m hunting you!’ he exclaims, holding up the decapitated head of one of the demons. His skin black, his hair white, his eyes glowing, Gambit declares that this place preys on the weak. ‘It wants to corrupt them. Kill them…it tests them. So that only the strong survive. This place is where I belong. This place is mine now. And it’s time to hunt!’ Gambit booms, as the demons kneel before him, and he throws his hands into the air.
A massive pile of demons has engulfed Dazzler as Pixie watches from nearby. Suddenly, there is a blinding light, and Dazzler emerges from the mass of demons, ‘Get off of me. Get…off!’ she screams, but a large black demon follows her as she tries to flee. ‘Tear…rip…feed…tear the light apart…kill -’ the demon exclaims, when suddenly, Northstar comes to Dazzler’s rescue. ‘I don’t think so’ the former Alphan exclaims as he uses his super speed to dart about, stopping demon after demon from reaching his good friend. ‘Jean-Paul…thank God’ Dazzler gasps, before the two friends embrace.
Northstar tells Dazzler that he has been scouring this place for hours, and that she is the first person he has found. ‘The terrain here, it moves…’ Northstar explains. ‘Hours?’ Dazzler asks. ‘We’ve only been here for twenty minutes’ she explains. Northstar tells Dazzler that he doesn’t think so, and asks her if she blacked out. Suddenly, they realize that the demons are once more surrounding them, and standing back-to-back, Northstar adds ‘And if you didn’t, you may want to consider doing it now’.
‘What happened, Jean-Paul? How did this go to hell so fast?’ Dazzler asks. ‘Most likely because our little team here was being led by Samuel the slack-jawed yokel’ Northstar replies, before Dazzler notices that the circle of demons is parting. ‘Wait…something’s happening. What…what are they doing?’ she asks. Northstar asks her if it isn’t obvious: ‘They’re making way for something even more horrific to come and kill us’ he declares. Dazzler goes wide-eyed as she sees Gambit up ahead. ‘Remy?’ she calls out. ‘Not any more, chere’ comes his reply, as the demons gather at his side.
Meanwhile, ‘I think I’m gonna barf’ Trance’s astral form complains as she glides alongside Pixie, telling her that she thinks she is starting to fade out. ‘What happens if I barf in my astral form? And would you please slow down?’ Trance asks. ‘I hate this place’ Pixie declares, adding that she hates Magik. ‘Do you even know where you’re going?’ Trance asks. Pixie ignores her, declaring that she can feel Magik out there. That she can feel her soul, the soul that Magik stole.
Trance asks Pixie if she can focus here, pointing out that they need to find the others. ‘It was like the ground just swallowed them up’ she adds, reminding Pixie that Anole was with them. ‘Then he’s dead, girl…just like you!’ booms S’ym as he appears behind the girls, accompanied by N’astirh! Trance screams in fright, while Pixie screams as S’ym attacks her from behind. Pixie spins around, and S’ym tells her that he saw her the first time she came here, and that he has seen her older than she is now. ‘Time, it doesn’t mean anything down here’. S’ym tells Pixie that every time she comes back he likes her more and more. ‘Every time I see you, that soul of yours has been chipped away, bit by bit. You’re just like her. Just like Magik’.
Suddenly, ‘Get away from her!’ Trance yells as she releases energy to move the demons away from Pixie. ‘I’m not like her. I’m nothing like her!’ Pixie exclaims, readying her soul dagger, she flies towards S’ym, who declares ‘Look…look at you. You’re a killer. Just…like…her’. Pixie warns S’ym to take it back, and is about to lash out at him. Trance calls out to her, while N’astirh moves forward: ‘Pixie. A word. If you will’ the uber-demon remarks.
Meanwhile, Gambit walks towards Dazzler and Northstar, while Dazzler asks him what he is doing, what happened to him. ‘Alison…we need to go. Right now’ Northstar tells his friend. ‘But Remy -’ Dazzler protests, to which Northstar tells her that is not Gambit, but something else all together. ‘You’re right, mon ami. Je suis mort…’ Gambit replies as he throws several playing cards towards his teammates. ‘Oh, please. Death’s come for me? You - can’t even - touch me’ Northstar exclaims as he dodges the cards with his super speed. ‘Wasn’t aiming for you’ Gambit grins, while black muck flies around Dazzler, whose eyes glow.
‘Alison…Alison, no’ Northstar exclaims - and distracted, Northstar leaves him open to a physical attack from Gambit, who lunges at him, then strikes him over the head with his staff. Gambit pins Northstar down and exclaims ‘I know you. I know what you’ve survived. You’re strong, Northstar. This place, this hell…it tests you. Tries to steal your soul. But you and the songbird, both…you’re strong. I won’t let Limbo have you. Because you’re mine now’.
Northstar tells Gambit that he has lost his mind. ‘No. What have you done?’ he gasps as Dazzler latches on to Gambit, her form now transformed so that she too is looking like Death. ‘You’re about to find out’ Gambit exclaims.
Elsewhere, ‘Cannot…freaking believe I agreed to this…’ Anole exclaims, before using his extendable tongue to latch on to a demon, and flip himself around - only he flips into the path of a flying demon, which grabs the young mutant hero, and carries him towards a pit of molten lava. ‘NO!’ Anole shouts, before screaming as the demon drops him towards the lava. ‘Gotcha!’ Cannonball exclaims as he blasts down and grabs Anole while the demon plunges into the lava.
‘Where have you been? I haven’t seen anyone in days…’ Anole tells Cannonball, who replies ‘That’s Limbo, plating with us. We just got separated ten minutes ago’. Anole asks Cannonball if he has found Pixie, Trance and the others. ‘You’re supposed to be in charge here, Sam! You have to do something!’ Anole exclaims. ‘You’re the first, you ain’t the last’ Cannonball replies, assuring Anole that they will find the others, and Magik, too - when suddenly, the two are attacked mid-air, and fall to the ground.
They tumble down a slope, while Anole exclaims ‘What was that? I didn’t think anything could hurt you when you were flying…’. Cannonball tells Anole that he thinks they have bigger problems right now. ‘Can you fly? Because flying out of here right now would be great’ Anole exclaims, adding that, he quits, and if he lives through this, he is going to find the Young Avengers and join them. But suddenly, ‘What the hell? Sam, what -?’ Anole gasps. ‘I see it. Stay back’ Cannonball replies as the transformed Gambit, Dazzler and Northstar appear before them. ‘Hello, Samuel. We should talk’ Gambit declares. ‘“Get in. Get Magik. Get Out”. Yeah, right’’ Anole mutters.
Meanwhile, Trance panics as shed stares at N’astirh, as Pixie tells the demon that she knows him, that he is Magik’s demon, that she had him on a leash. ‘We took you down before, don’t think -’ she exclaims, to which N’astirh tells her that she misunderstands, informing her that he is not here to fight her. ‘I am here to help you’ he announces. N’astirh reminds Pixie that he was present when Magik stole her soul, and claims that he can help her get it back. ‘I can give you back your soul’. But Trance tells Pixie not to listen to him. ‘You can’t listen to him. ‘I mean, just look at him! He’s a demon! From Hell! That….they lie! All the time!’ Trance exclaims. ‘…what do you want?’ Pixie asks.
‘Nothing of consequence. In exchange for the stolen piece of soul, all I require is Magik’s Soulsword’ N’astirh announces. ‘We have to go, we have to -’ Trance exclaims, before announcing to Pixie that she is fading out. ‘We have to run!’ she exclaims. Holding her soul-dagger up, Pixie asks N’astirh what he wants the Soulsword for. ‘Does it matter?’ N’astirh asks. ‘Shut up! Stop talking to her!’ Trance exclaims. ‘Just stay away!’ Trance shouts - but as N’astirh reaches out for her, she vanishes.
In the sick bay on Utopia, ‘NO!’ Trance exclaims as wakes. She gets out of the seat, ‘Ohmigod - what? Where am I?’ she asks. Mercury, Loa and Gentle look up from where they are keeping watch over Hellion and other injured mutants. Shadowcat waves from inside her chamber. Trance alerts her friends to the fact that they are in big trouble. ‘We have to find Cyclops’ she exclaims. ‘Pixie, she’s - she’s - we have to get back to Limbo’. But Mercury tells Trance that they cannot. ‘They’re coming’ she announces. ‘What? Who’s coming?’ Trance replies, unaware that several Nimrods fly towards Utopia.
Back in Limbo, Pixie stands alongside N’astirh, who tells her that all he asks for is the Soulsword, and in return, she gets her soul back, and gets to be free of this place and its darkness forever. ‘All you have to do is kill Magik!’….


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
untitled
Limbo. A crater in a volcanic wasteland where Magik sits tied to the ground by tentacles. She shouts in pain. ”Pomogeete mne… pozhalista…pomogeete”, she moans, then calls out her brother’s name.
Two beings suddenly land next to her: the arch-demon N’astirh and the young X-Man Pixie. Rasputin! N’astirh tells her, they have come to end her suffering. Forever. Pixie points her Souldagger at the dejected Illyana.
Meanwhile, in the lava fields in another part of Limbo, Cannonball and Anole find themselves surrounded by demons and their possessed teammates, Gambit, Dazzler and Northstar. They deserve this! Anole announces. Seriously… the X-Men have been dealing with this nightmare forever, but they never do anything about this! Everything they do comes back to haunt them, but this… they just let Magik walk around making gateways to hell! That’s their transportation, he lectures Sam, gateways to hell!
Will he give it a rest? Sam interrupts him, pointing at their possessed teammates. They’ve got bigger problems, no? Limbo corrupts people. He’s seen it before. Why isn’t this happening to the two of them? Victor asks.
Sam addresses Gambit, leader of the possessed group, urging him to fight it. This isn’t him. Gambit replies amused Sam has no idea how him this is. Look at Sam, playing leader…He can’t lead those who are stronger than him into hell and not expect bad things to happen. And bad things are about to happen. He hears young Anole here grows new limbs when he loses one, that they come back stronger. He thinks he wants to see that.
What? Victor exclaims horrified. Sam orders him to stay behind him. They are moving. Behind him?  They are all around them, Victor points out. The three slowly move toward them. This disgusting little creature struck him once, Northstar muses. He goes first. He thinks he’ll take the arms. Don’t be greedy, Dazzler chides him.
Cannonball orders Anole to grab onto him and then flies the two of them out. Disappointing, Dazzler observes, though Northstar reminds her it doesn’t matter. There is only one way out of here and he knows where she is….
N’astirh tells Pixie that this magic imprisoning Rasputin reeks of science. He cannot break it. And Magik’s own spells are keeping him from acting against her. But Pixie is of both worlds. Nothing could stop her. This is what she wanted, he urges her. Her soul back and she can have it. All she has to do is take the Soulsword from Rasputin and give it to him.
That’s right, Illyana addresses Pixie as well. And all she has to do to take her sword is kill her. But she knew that, didn’t she? Look at her, N’astirh didn’t even have to try, did he? Megan doesn’t reply and Illyana continues her rant, mocking her, poor innocent Megan, finally standing up to her big bad monster. What Illyana did to her was nothing! Pixie thinks she understands pain? She doesn’t know anything! She urges her to do it, before Illyana takes the rest of her soul, before she feeds on all her spoiled little friends. What is she waiting for? Do it!
Pixie’s lip begins to curl in disgust. Then she strikes with her soul dagger, and slams it in to N’astirh’s shoulder.
In disbelief, he exclaims she would fight for Rasputin? She is as much a demon as he is! After everything she did to Pixie, she would fight for her? Yeah, Pixie replies. That’s what X-Men do. Is that what she is? he taunts, a hero? Good, then when he eats what remains of her soul, he’ll use that to kill Rasputin. He will resurrect Pixie, so she can suffer for all—
Someone flattens N’astirh at superspeed. “Oh, thank God”, Pixie babbles. The X-Men are here! Illyana tells her to run. Why becomes clear. What was slammed into N’astirt was Sy’m… at the hands of the three possessed X-Men, Gambit, Dazzler and Northstar. They are dead, N’astirh threatens Gambit, and then he will feast on his corpse! He orders his demons to tear the X-Men apart. Don’t think so, Gambit replies. The small demons gather behind him. Holy crap! Pixie mutters. What should she do? What happened to them? Illyana moans that this is not Gambit.
Gambit, or whatever is in control, informs N’astirh that this place is his now and so are his demons. They belong to Death just like he does. On his order, the demons attack N’astirh and Pixie, who fights back with her souldagger. She screams out in horror. N’astirh orders her to be silent and fight. Is he kidding? she protests. He wanted to eat her soul! N’astirh ignores that statement and points out the power within this Death is neither mutant nor magic. It will consume this place. If she wants to live, she has to fight! Both of them are swamped with demons, and finally overwhelmed.
They are brought to kneel before Gambit. Pixie asks him to understand this place is changing him. She reminds him he taught her how to throw knives and pick locks. This isn’t him. N’astirh asks him if he thinks to take possession of this place. The Elder Gods will return and he will burn. Does he think he knows what death is?
He does, Gambit agrees and decapitates N’astirh. Turning to Pixie, he tells her she can die like this demon or he can make her strong. He can make her into what she was meant to be. He can make her just like Illyana. She is not like her, Pixie insists. Sure she is, Gambit tells her with a smirk she just needs a push. He can do that. He can make her a Darkchild just like her. Please no, Pixie begs. Gambit takes it back; she doesn’t have a choice…
That moment, Cannonball lands between them. He know this is hard for him he addresses Gambit, but step away from the girl! He’s nothing, Gambit mocks. Not even worth corrupting. Then show him what he’s got, Sam challenges him. And here he thought he was arrogant, Northstar mocks.
Kill him! Gambit orders his two possessed teammates. Her pleasure, Dazzler replies as she fires a laser beam which Sam fends off with a localized expulsion-field. That it? he asks because he is on a schedule here.
“Death” orders Northstar to bring him this hayseed’s tongue. Northstar flies at him but Sam cannonballs against him. Gambit orders Dazzler to kill Pixie while he deals with Cannonball.
Pixie tries to make Alison remember that they are friends. Dazzler came to visit her when she got hurt. She’s a fan! She watched Dazzler’s movie, went to her concerts!
That’s so sweet, Dazzler mocks. She will give her a last performance then, for old time’s sake. That moment, Anole strikes Dazzler from behind. He tears into the demons next, telling Pixie she will have to free Magik.
Sam slams into Gambit, telling him to snap out of it! He brought Gambit here to keep them focused! He’s making Sam look bad in front of the students! Calling Sam a hick, “Death” mocks if he honestly believes he can fight him. On Gambit’s worst day, Sam couldn’t hold a candle to him. He kicks Sam in the face.
Is that what he thinks? Sam asks. He doesn’t know him at all. He blocks Gambit’s staff. He was fighting Sentinels while Gambit was still stealing paintings. While Gambit was under Sinister’s thumb Sam was being trained by Cable! So does he think he can take Gambit? Hell, yes! He hits him with a cannonball-powered blow in the face.
Pixie tries to cut away at the tentacles holding Magik with her souldagger. She can’t-- Magik begins. Pixie interrupts her. She doesn’t want to hear it. She’s trying to help her! Magik orders her to stop. Pixie can end this! Use her dagger and take her soul back. What? Pixie asks confused. Does she know why Illyana hates her? All of the New X-Men? Because they are a constant reminder of what a monster she is. They show her every day that she has become what she hated… Belasco. She is begging her, take her soul back! Take the Soulsword from her heart and end this! End her! Please.
Overwhelmed by the demons, Victor shouts out for Pixie who doesn’t know what to do.
Gambit kicks Sam off, taunting that Cable thought Sam was the special one. But then he casts him aside. Now he has Hope. Cyclops thinks he is a leader but he just led his team to die! Like he said, Sam’s nothing!
Sam blasts directly at him. Talk all he want, bottom line: he’s taking him down! And when he gets back up top? He thinks he’s gonna go ask Rogue out for a date…. Now that’s hitting a man where it hurts, Gambit replies. He likes it. Maybe he’ll take Sam after all.
He tries to grab him but Sam disappears, courtesy of a teleportation circle. Magik is free. He looks like fun, she remarks. Now get the %$§& away from her friend!
Gambit gets ready to attack her when Pixie stabs him from behind with her Souldagger. Magik uses her Soulsword on him at the same time. He falls. Down.
Is he all right? Pixie asks agitated. Does she want him to be? Illyana shoots back. Sam wonders why he isn’t changing back. Illyana’s sword should cut through Limbo’s influence. What’s happening? Magik admits she doesn’t know.
Neither of them is aware of the struggle inside Gambit, between him and his Death personality. Death retreats. Soon, it threatens. The others just see that Gambit starts to look normal again as do Dazzler and Northstar.
Magik restores the realm to the way it was, promising she’ll punish N’astirh and S’ym later- for better or worse, this realm is hers again.
Sam asks if she is okay. They were all worried about her. She is fine, she replies, thanks to Pixie, she adds unexpectedly. She addresses Pixie directly. She doesn’t think Illyana is worth saving. Pixie weakly protests. Illyana cut her off. It’s okay. She isn’t. But Pixie did it anyway. She remembers… that’s how she used to be. She used to be like Megan. She remembers what it is like having a soul, What it was like to suffer. And she’s sorry that Megan is suffering because of her. If they survive this, maybe they can help each other find a way to be whole. Okay, Pixie agrees somewhat mollified.
The others slowly awake. Northstar remembers Sam hitting him. He’s impressed. Guthrie got them though this hell. He’s actually admitting he is a good leader? Sam asks. He hasn’t ruled out luck, Jean-Paul warns him.
Anole tries to help Dazzler, assuring her it wasn’t her. She knows, comes the reply, she has some experience with being possessed. It’s just… this time something was different. She can’t describe this.
They figure Trance is back on Utopia, back in her body. Pixie casts the teleportation spell and Sam darkly hopes there is a Utopia to go back to…


[Assistant]
Time Flies When You're a Mutant
Then:
The Summer House, on the Moon, where Scott “Cyclops” Summers and Jean Grey sit naked, facing each other on a bed. They stare at each other and hold hands as they communicate with their thoughts. 'The people should choose their leaders' Jean utters. 'I agree, but -' Scott starts to respond. 'But what?' Jean asks. Scott tells her that he thinks there are two ways to get Krakoa there – one is tough and the other takes a bit longer, but that it is the path of least resistance. He suggests that it may be more advantageous for the people to choose the X-Men, rather than the Quiet Council, as the team has always been stronger than a government. 'Okay...then I quit th council and we call for a vote' Jean replies, asking Scott if he thinks they will make the cut.
Now:
The X-Men's Treehouse, in New York City, where Scott and Jean sit naked, facing each other on a bed. They stare at each other and hold hands as they communicate with their thoughts. Jean reports that the Bugle went live with the story. Scott asks Jean what the temperature is out there, to which Jean tells him that it is variable, as always. 'You sensed the trap when none of us knew it was there in front of us. The truth about mutant resurrection was always going to come out. Orchis just wanted the X-Men to lie about it first' Jean tells Scott, asking, 'Then where would we be? The truth counts. I just hope my leaving the council wasn't a mistake' she adds. Scott tells Jean that they can't look in the rearview like that, and reminds Jean that they would all be dead if she weren't on the X-Men this past year. 'If my talking to Urich costs me – if I don't make the roster this year...' his thoughts drift off, before Jean removes Scott's optic visor. 'If mutantdom blames you for telling the truth...' Jean begins, leaning in to kiss Scott. The fall backwards onto the bed, with Jean smiling as she jokes that Scott can replace Gambit in the kitchen.
Krakoa, where Captain America walks along the shoreline, telling the Black Widow, Iron Man and Hulk that the mtuants make it very difficult to sneak onto Krakoa, but not impossible, especially when you are an Avenger – or playing as Earth's Mightiest Heroes. 'They know we're here' Captain America remarks. 'FAN OUT!' he shouts as he raises his shield to block a powerful blast of energy, fired at him courtesy of the young mutant called Surge. 'Hiya, guys! Nice of you to drop in!' Surge calls out as one of her energy blasts sends Iron Man into the air, then she fires another at Captain America, striking him in his chest. However, it's not the real Captain America, as Glob Herman is revealed to be Cap in disguise, and Armor was pretending to be Iron Man. 'Hey, that hurt, Surge' Glob complains as he and Armor lay strewn on the beach. 'So, is uh, playtime over?' Armor asks. 'Gentle smash!' Gentle calls out as he claps his hands together as if he was the Hulk. 'And I do it so loud that nobody can hear, including me? How does that work for the Hulk?' he asks. Illyana Rasputin a.k.a. Magik smiles and tells Surge that she did good, before asking what would happen if the Widow goes down swinging. 'Pew pew!' Magik calls out, mimicking firing a gun. 'What ya gonna do? Bonus points for not killing her' Magik adds. Surge declares that she would fracture those bullets in midair.
'Good job, Avenging team... coming ashore near Hellfire Bay on a moonless night is a good strategy' Lucas Bishop tells the younger mutants as he walks towards them, resting a large gun over his shoulder. He explains that what these wargames intend for them to do is think like the people who might invade the island. He adds that he doesn't think a beach assault is what anyone is most worried about, and challenges the younger mutants to think about in what way Krakoa is weak. 'What are our pressure points?' Bishop asks, assuring the others that their enemies are doing the same – and they have to be smarter than their enemies. An astral projection of Professor Charles Xavier appears, informing Captain Commander Bishop that they have a serious situation. 'Hit me' Bishop responds. He looks calm as he then utters '... ya gotta be kidding me' before informing the young mutants that war games are over, and instructing Charles to lock the island down until the council can convene. Bishop starts to walk away, and tells Magik to come with him. She runs after him, asking him what is wrong. 'It's about to hit the fan, Illyana' Bishop remarks, before instructing her to find the Five and stay with them. 'The secret's out' Bishop utters.
Elsewhere, Emma Frost is getting her hair done by Jumbo Carnation. She picks up a copy of the Daily Bugle  newspaper and goes wide-eyed as she reads the headline and utters 'This is how the man decides to #$%& me?' The headline reads: “Immortal X-Men”.
In the Sanctum Sanctorum, Dr Clea Strange is checking in on the day's news and comes across the Bugle. 'Well, well. This answer to unraveling Strange's death may be closer than I thought' she tells herself.
At the Baxter Building, Reed Richards and Sue Storm have seen the news, too. 'I'll be honest, it makes a lot of sense in their line of work' Sue tells Reed, who wonders why this admission is being made now. 'Cyclops must have known how provocative this would be'.
In his lab, Tony Stark has also seen the news, and tells computer to un-cancel his RSVP to the Hellfire Gala – and to dust off his Tux Armor.
Captain America has come to a stop on his motorcycle, outside a diner somewhere, and is reading the Bulge, too. 'Woof. Looks like I'm going back to the Hellfire Gala' he supposes.
Above the planet Arakko is Phobos, the moon held captive by Orchis, where Feilong remarks to Dr Stasis 'You predicted the mutants would lie. That we would be hanging them with their own words'. Dr Stasis admits that it is true, the mutants avoided the trap, but that humanity will reject them completely – they just need a little time and patience. Dr Stasis declares that no good will come from this revelation. 'You've already read my proposals. Chaos awaits' Dr Stasis adds. The diabolical men walk together past several trees that are growing in this artificial environment, and Feilong replies 'True. Public sentiment swings in our direction, and certain acquisitions may become easier for me' he then asks Dr Stasis 'Do you trust the woman?' to which Dr Stasis asks 'Is that what she wants now?' and suggests to Dr Stasis that he ask him that question in about a year. Feilong laughs as they walk down a staircase, and supposes that they will need a proper name for the eventual holiday. 'V-K Day?' Dr Stasis suggests.
'V-M Day is better – think bigger. We won't just be destroying a nation' Dr Moira MacTaggert smiles as she sits on an examination table in a lab within the Orchis facility. She tells the men that Orchis is more already more fun than she has had in ages, and thanks them for their assistance today. Feilong announces that Moira means “destiny” in Greek, which is something he has been pondering lately. 'We hope your arrival will help Orchis achieve our dream of a world free from mutants' Feilong adds, while Dr Stasis asks Moira to forgive their skepticism that a longtime ally to mutants would wish to join their crusade. Moira climbs down off the table and declares that now seems like the perfect time for Orchis to have its own clairvoyant, to which Feilong asks her how it is that she seems to know so much. 'Let's just say when you've been around mutants for as long as I have...you get to know them in ways they don't know themselves' Moira replies. 'Beyond that... let a lass have her secrets, Feilong' Moira whispers.
Dr Stasis turns to a capsule and asks 'So this is your ticket in, huh? What is it with the X-Men and redheads?' Inside the capsule is the unconscious captive Mary Jane Watson. Moira looks down at Mary Jane, who is wearing a white and red dress, and declares that Mary Jane is not a mutant, but one of Emma's spokespeople for the Krakoan medicines that are keeping her aunt's dementia at bay. 'She's just a meat puppet I'll be wearing to their vapid party' Moira explains, adding that she has got her arm around Mary Jane's throat, quite literally, disguised as a necklace which administers a very mild sedative, and should keep her cooperative and help evade the telepaths. Moira reveals that her cybernetic right arm is missing. Feilong thanks Moira for her assistance, and tells her that she has leaped Orchis forward by years. He states that the weapon is ready for insertion, and that it is really going to change the world.
'Yes, in fact, while you two are having fun at the Gala, I'll be doing science!' Dr Stasis proclaims. Moira declares that the Gala will hardly be fun, but that if she is successful, then mutant resurrection dies tonight – and if not, well, at least she will see some old friends. Feilong tells Moira not to bring the woman back here, as he wants to avoid something so overt for the moment. 'Don't worry – I'll kill her when I'm done' Moira replies as she and Mary Jane suddenly vanish.
On Krakoa, the Quiet Council is in session. 'It's just a party. Cancel it' Bishop tells the council as he stands in the circle within the Grove where they meet. Emma Frost  hangs her head while Kate Pryde and Sebastian Shaw sit next to her. Emma then tells Bishop that it is not just a party, as they are featuring humans whose lives have been made better by Krakoan medicine, and she thinks they might need the public relations at the moment. 'The show must go on' she declares. Shaw announces that he agrees – and that canceling now would make them look weak. 'Okay, we've heard from the Caligula side of the council, anybody else want to back me up?' Bishop remarks. Charles Xavier states that the truth was always going to come out, and that he wished they had returned more of their people before it had. 'As Captain Commander, I order the Five confined to the island. The humans know what we've done, but not how, so we need to make sure they're benched until further notice.... so no Hellfire Gala for the Five' Bishop declares.
'I should be at that council meeting' Hope Summers complains as she paces around the Arbor Magna. Josh Foley a.k.a. Elixir, Eva Bell a.k.a. Tempus, Kevin MacTaggert a.k.a. Proteus and Fabio Medina a.k.a. Egg sit nearby. 'Shows what kind of opinion your new friends have of us, doesn't it' Proteus remarks. 'I didn't even want to go to the party, but now that they tell me I can't go to the party, the party has become my new sexual orientation. I will have that party' Egg frowns. Suddenly, 'The Quiet Council doesn't have anything to do with it... it was the Captain Commander's order...and I agree with it. So, any of you who wanna go to the Hellfire Gala... will have to go through me' Magik smirks as she appears in the Hatchery.
At that moment, in the Healing Gardens, Dr Cecilia Reyes is examining Glob Herman, who tells her that next time he won't volunteer to be Captain America. 'That's probably a good idea, Glob' Dr Reyes smiles as she uses a device to scan Glob's hand, and tells him that his bones should regrow over the next hour or so. 'You'll be right as rain' she adds. Glob thanks Dr Reyes and gets up to leave, as another figure arrives in the Healing Gardens. 'Hey, Doc. You said you wanted to know if anything was different for me...' the new arrival calls out. 'Oh my god' Dr Reyes gasps as she looks at Everett Thomas a.k.a. Synch, who appears older, even having gray hairs in his beard which he has grown. '...I'm gonna assume the gray hair counts' Synch smiles. Dr Reyes thanks Synch for coming in, and Synch tells her that he was going to grow a mustache for the Gala, but this changed his mind, and he thinks he will keep shaving.
Dr Reyes starts to scan Synch with a device and tells him to hold still. She remarks that the more data she has the better she can understand what is going on with him. 'You've aged several years since my last scan' Dr Reyes announces, before they sit down, and Dr Reyes tells Synch that she thinks they have enough data to conclude that he is more powerful post resurrection, and that he has developed the ability to sync with mutants out of the traditional range of his aura from “muscle memory”, and now syncing with another mutant in his presence is basically cost-free to him. 'But syncing with someone not near me from “muscle memory” as you put it...is putting some miles on my odometer' Synch realizes. Cecilia puts a hand on Everett's shoulder and tells him that he must stop syncing from memory – maybe only in cases of life or death. 'It's always been life or death on the X-Men, Doc' Synch smiles, before announcing that he is going to shave and get ready for tonight. He then asks Dr Reyes to keep this between the two of them.
Later, Emma Frost is wearing a new gown as she steps through a Krakoan portal to Mykines Island, a protectorate of Krakoa, and home to the Hellfire Gala – and thousands of puffins. Several other Krakoan portals are set up on the island, and more guests arrive. Emma telepathically welcomes everyone and announces that this year they have welcomed the humans whose lives have been made better from the gift of Krakoan medicines – like Mary Jane Eatson, whose aunt is staving off the effects of dementia with the help of the Krakoan medicines. Mary Jane smiles, then frowns as she looks over at Emma Frost, who adds that the news that mutantdom has created a “safety net” for themselves to keep from falling has been the topic of much discussion. 'However, we'll not be discussing it tonight... at the Hellfire Gala!' Emma proclaims telepathically as she steps into the large hall where the Gala is well underway.
Emma takes center stage as Krakoans, Arakkii and human guests mingle and enjoy the spectacular celebrations. Madrox dupes carry drinks among the guests, while Synch can be seen speaking with Forge, while Destiny walks nearby, and Rogue can be seen talking to the Black Widow. Emma reports that entertainers from Gameworld are here tonight, indentured servants of a crime lord out in deep space until the X-Men freed them. 'The X-Men saved their world – and ours – over the last year... and tonight, a new team will be asked to serve by vote' Emma reveals. As she takes a glass of champagne from a Madrox dupe, she telepathically tells everyone to eat, drink and make new friends.
She-Hulk can be seen walking nearby as Cyclops approaches Emma and tells her that he needs to talk to her. 'Absolutely not' Emma snaps telepathically a she spins around and looks at her former partner and asks him how he dares time his reckless hit piece against mutantkind for today, of all days. 'Piss off' Emma adds. Cyclops starts to tell her that he is sorry about the timing, and reiterates that he needs to speak to her.
'Sorry, may I cut in?' someone calls out. Emma turns around and goes wide-eyed, 'Oh, Jonathan! How I've missed you' Emma grins as sees the handsome actor Jon Hamm standing nearby. 'You're still the only one who calls me Jonathan, and I've missed you too' Jon smiles. 'How are you, Mr Hamm?' Emma asks, before she kisses him on his cheek. 'Better now' Jon replies. Jean  Grey wearing her new Gala costume walks over to Cyclops, who tells her 'That... could not have gone worse'. Jean tells Scott not to worry, as the night is still young.
Suddenly, a woman wearing a familiar red cape arrives, and walks over to Emma, introducing herself as the Sorcerer Supreme and announcing that they must talk. The Scarlet Witch can be seen standing nearby, looking over at the new arrival, while Jon Hamm tells Emma that this seems important. Emma smiles and asks 'Would you excuse me for a moment, Jonathan?' before the irritated woman in the cloak tells Emma that she needs a word. 'And... you are?' Emma asks, disinterested. The woman with white hair introduces herself as Clea Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme – this world's sole defense against the myriad arcane forces that seek to claim it. Mystical energies wave around Clea as she starts to tell Emma that Dr Strange died protecting this realm. 'And let me guess... you'd like him back?' Emma asks, tilting her head.
Emma finds herself in some other realm alongside Clea, strange magical beings surround them, as Clea tells Emma that Stephen Strange is her husband, so of course she wants him back. 'But more than that, this is not my world – it's yours – and his – and it needs him'. Clea remarks that as for everything Stephen has done as Sorcerer Supreme, for all the screaming horrors he has placed himself in front of for the sake of everyone else in his world, Emma Frost owes him that much. 'Clea, is it?' Emma replies casually, before informing the sorceress that mutant resurrection only works for mutants – it is mutant technology. Emma claims that she can assure Clea the first question she had about this secret process was whether they could return John Lennon as a gift for everyone. 'Unfortunately, it was not in the cards' Emma declares. She tells Clea that she is sorry for her loss, and gives Clea some advice: 'Perhaps I'm speaking to the woman who will be the better Sorcerer Supreme. I'm certainly no expert in the occult, but one of you is dead, and the other is alive, so you seem to have the leg up'. Clea looks less than happy, before Emma turns from her and waves. 'Ciao, darling' Emma utters.
Emma then walks over to Spider-Man, wearing his own Gala costume, and tells him that she is so glad he could join them. Commenting on Spider-Man's Gala costume, Emma remarks that she sees he received Mr Carnation's attire, and that he looks splendid. 'I'm not a very strong partier' Spider-Man replies. 'Now with that attitude you’re not' Emma smirks.
 Suddenly, Mary Jane walks towards Spider-Man. 'Hey. Fancy meeting you here, MJ' he exclaims, folding his arms. 'My aunt is on the Krakoan medicines' Mary Jane responds, and walks on past him. Spider-Man's spider-sense is activated, and he tells himself that that was weird, while Doug Ramsey a.k.a Cypher watches them.
Spider-Man turns around and bumps into Doctor Doom. 'Oh! I shoulda known you were creeping up on me' Spider-Man exclaims, before asking Doom which mutant he is most looking forward to getting resurrected. Doom remains silent, to which Spider-Man asks 'Maybe Jimi Hendrix or David Bowie?' Spider-Man wonders what he is talking about, and supposes that Doom probably only listens to fascist marching music. 'Leave me' Doom snarls. 'On it' Spider-Man replies, vanishing from Doom's sight. Doom then asks 'Hnh. Could Bowie have been a mutant?'
Angelica Jones a.k.a. Firestar and her longtime friend Bobby Drake a.k.a. Iceman are at a gaming table. Iceman tosses some dice onto the table while other guests look on. 'Firestar. I didn't think you'd come' Emma Frost remarks telepathically. 'Iceman insisted, and stay out of my head' Firestar snaps. Emma smiles at her former pupil and tells her that she is a hard woman to apologize to. 'Is that what this is? The first kid I saw called me a “cop”. Is that what you wanted? More humiliation for me?' Firestar asks. Firestar starts to walk away as she tells Emma that other mutants think she is a traitor because she didn't fling herself through the closest Krakoan gate. 'But then again, they don't know you like I do, right?' Firestar adds. 'I wanted to show you the stables at Hellfire Bay' Emma utters, but gets no response. A handsome man in a red and blue stripped suit moves next to Emma. He greets her and tells her that Firestar is a tough cookie. He adds that it was a long time ago, but that he had a situation like this when a powerful young woman had the wrong idea about he and his team. Emma smiles at Captain America and asks him to tell her about it.
(flashback images, narrated in the present)
Captain America remarks that he is a bit of an expert in trying to make himself understood to younger generations – not much of a choice when you're as old as him. 'The alternative is to grow old, and I don't have time for that' he adds. He remembers when Rogue came calling for the Avengers' heads, he put her through a rigorous test, assessed her defensive powers. He tossed his shield towards her, and it skimmed off her arm. 'Kiss yer star-spangled ass goodbye, old man!' Cap remembers Rogue saying to him, before she punched him straight out through a window. Cap judged how well Rogue could take a punch and, in Rogue's case, how well she threw one – she has quite the fastball.
(Present)
Iceman watches as Captain America throws some dice on the gaming table, and he tells Emma that when Rogue was done with the Avengers, she went on his hit list. 'And that isn't a euphemism, ma'am' Cap adds, explaining that Rogue went on his list to enlist, because he knew if he didn't make friends with Rogue, he would be fighting her for the rest of his days. Cap tells Emma that sometimes the best way to earn a person's trust is by giving them more responsibility. 'Rogue was as great as an Avenger as she was an X-Man' Cap declares. 'Thank you, Mr Rogers. That is excellent counsel' Emma responds. Iceman throws his hands into the air while some guests near Captain America clap at Cap, who must have won the game they were playing.
She-Hulk helps herself to the buffet, while Forge approaches Cyclops and asks him how his apology tour is going. 'I'm not apologizing. To anyone. For anything' Cyclops responds. 'Uh-huh' Forge tells him. Cyclops takes a glass of champagne and tells Forge that he knows he is working on something big for the council. 'Any hints?' Cyclops asks. 'Sure, here's a hint. If you wanna know... get your ass onto the Quiet Council' Forge responds as he walks past Cyclops, suggesting that he do something useful and start apologizing to everyone on the island.
Suddenly: 'Let's gooooo!' Egg calls out as he and the rest of the Five step through a Krakoan gateway and arrive at the Gala with Magik. Magik tells Egg to go live the dream, and warns them that none of them are to leave here without her. 'Yeah, yeah' Hope mutters as she walks off. 'Don't start with me, Mr Bishop' Magik tells Bishop as she walks over to her fellow Captain Commander. 'What happened to keeping the Five away from the party?' Bishop asks. 'They formed a union. I was powerless against it' Magik jokes. Magik explains that with most of Krakoa's heavy hitters off the island and here at the Gala, she realized grounding the Five is exactly what their enemies might suspect they would do. 'Besides, nobody's getting to them in this room' Magik adds. 'Fair enough' Bishop tells her.
Mary Jane Watson smiles and holds a champagne glass up as she walks near Cypher and then waves as she says hello to Proteus. 'Uh. Do we know each other?' Proteus asks, confused. 'No, but I'd like to. Want to take a walk?' Mary Jane asks. She then taps her fingernail three times on her champagne flute, which is noticed by Cypher. 'Sure' Proteus answers as he starts to head outside with Mary Jane. They walk onto a balcony and Proteus asks Mary Jane how is it that she knows him. 'Well, which you? Proteus the powerful mutant, or Kevin MacTaggert?' Mary Jan asks. Proteus tells her that he is really confused now. 'Not fer long, lad' Mary Jane replies, her voice changing, as Moira reveals herself: 'Hello, son' she utters. 'M-Moira?' Proteus gasps. 'Mom! How – you've been dead so long!' he utters. Moira puts a hand on Kevin's shoulder and tells him to buckle up. 'Have I got a story for ye, lad'.
Lorna Dane a.k.a. Polaris looks stunning in purple as she heads down a flight of stairs behind Tony Stark, and the X-Men's enemy, Feilong. Tony turns to Feilong and tells him that he is surprised the White Queen invited him to this Gala. 'She didn't, Stark. I go where I please' Feilong, wearing a white suit, responds. 'So I've read' Tony remarks, before asking him how it is being a man on a moon. Feilong frowns and Stark and suggests that he visit Phobos some time. Stark thanks him, but points out that there is enough to keep him busy on this planet. 'But have fun...doing whatever you're doing up there. Don't let a giant Martian mutant slap you off that rock' Stark mutters, before he turns and starts to mingle, 'Hello, hello, no pictures please!' he calls out, while Reed Richards can be seen nearby.
Tony asks Reed if he knew about the mutant resurrections. 'No' Reed replies. Tony tells Reed not to feel bad, and asks him if he is sure none of the mutants put a whammy on him to make him forget anything. 'No' Reed replies again. Tony Starts to carry on walking past Reed, then comes to a stop. 'Excuse me?' he asks, turning back to Reed. Reed reveals that Charles and Erik came to him, they took something from his mind, and he figured out how to mask the X-Gene. He adds that they made no secret of taking the knowledge – they wanted him to know. Stark is wide-eyed and mutters that he better prioritize his inhibitors. 'Let's talk. Not here. Not tonight' Reed whispers.
Tony goes over to Emma Frost and takes a seat next to her at a poker table. He doesn't even greet her, simply asking her to walk him through the thought process: 'You terraform Mars and announce Earth is in the backseat, then you tell the people of this world that you've conquered death, but not for everyone... just for you'. Emma glances at him and asks 'I'm sorry, have we met?' Tony smiles and tells her that she knows who he is. 'I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you outside of your bulky work clothes'. She tells Stark that she is surprised that he is just as disappointing as all the other humans this evening. 'Not a one of you has congratulated us on our achievements'. Stark looks at his cards which he picks up from the table and laughs, before replying 'Well... “congratulations”. You think I'm just that multi-billion-dollar suit parked outside on your lawn with the puffins. Suits aren't even what I do best' Star replies. 'I'll bite' Emma tells him, while Feilong takes a seat opposite them.
Emma drops some cards and poker chits on the table and asks 'What's your precious gift, then?' Feilong tosses two large wads of cash on the table and remarks that Mr Stark is a futurist, of course, gifted with visions of possible tomorrows. 'Feilong. How nice of you to join this evening. Are you here to relinquish Arakko's moon?' Emma asks. Feilong looks at two cards on the table and remarks that Phobos is a moon of Mars – the second planet in humanity's solar system. 'And I'm quite happy to hold it and to share...for all mankind' he adds. 'Feilong is right about one thing. I am a futurist' Stark declares. 'So let me tell you how this is going to go for mutants. You have an incredible technology. Something you failed to keep a secret' Stark adds, before placing two cards on the table. 'Something that will change the world, something worth killing over' Stark declares. 'And so they will. People will fight and kill over it. The technology will proliferate, or... it will be destroyed... along with who knows what else?'
The alien controlling the poker game announces that Mr Stark wins, and Emma Frost stands up, thanking Stark for his concern. She tells him that when she is around Avengers, it is not the future she thinks of, but the past – all the times the mutants have had to go it alone without so much as a wave from “Earth's mightiest heroes”'. Emma turns and walks away, with Stark thanking her for letting him remember their little chat. 'I'll treasure it always' he mocks. 'What? That's not our way' Emma snaps, spinning around and scowling at Stark. 'Really? Tell Reed Richards I said hello' Tony smiles, suggesting Emma introduce herself to him, as there is no telling what he remembers.
Feilong tells Stark that he is quite right about everything, and remarks that the mutant population isn't going away by itself. 'I'm all in' he adds quietly as he pushes his poker chits into the table. Stark tells Feilong that he doesn't care for him casually throwing around the words “mutant problem” because it implies a solution. Stark looks at his cards and asks Feilong if he is so concerned about Earth, then what it is he is doing up there. 'The Avengers could've continued to terraform Mars, but -' Stark starts to say, before Feilong narrows his eyes and interrupts him: 'But you didn't. And look at what it cost mankind'. Stark pauses, before throwing his cards on the table and asking Feilong what he is really doing up on that rock. 'I am looking for a worthy opponent' Feilong smriks in response. Stark stands up and tells Feilong to be careful what he wishes for. 'I'm out' Stark adds.
Spider-Man is at the buffet, while a man with a beard stands nearby and turns to someone who likes like a walking corpse. 'you can be honest, I'm just hallucinating, right, Eddie?' the man asks. 'I'm still mad at that guy' Deadpool mutters nearby. 'Posehn or Spidey?' Cypher asks him. 'Yes' Deadpool replies. Cypher excuses himself and walks over to Spider-Man. They bump their fists together, and Cypher tells Spider-Man that one of the things he can read with uncanny accuracy is body language, and so he figured maybe Spidey must have met or had some dealings with that redhead he saw him talking to earlier. Mouthful of food, Spidey tells Cypher that he doesn't know which one he's talking about. 'There are so many redheads here tonight'. He then asks if his body language is not selling that. He then asks Cypher if he means Mary Jane Watson. They look out to see Mary Jane and Proteus talking outside, and Cypher remarks that he's not sure if it was a nervous tick or not, but that she was tapping out S-O-S in Morse code on her glass. 'Thank, Doug!' Spider-Man exclaims as he pulls his mask down over his mouth and runs towards the balcony.
Outside, 'What you've told me, it's... it’s...' Proteus' voice trails off. 'The truth' Moira declares. 'I know you sometimes worried you were a mistake – nothing could be further from the truth. You were a necessary creation' Moira adds. She looks out over the ocean surrounding the island and explains that they needed that very specific X-Gene in him – the flesh around it didn't matter. 'I suppose that's why I didn't spend much thought on it....you were simply a 3D printer I needed to design. Nothing more' Moira reveals. 'You never loved me' Proteus utters. 'What is love? You want to cry, but you can't. I thought you at least deserved to know the truth. That's why I crashed the party' Moira reveals. Proteus grabs Moira/Mary Jane by her shoulders: 'You... you're not my mother...' he tells her. Moira hangs her head and tells Proteus to be careful, as there is no need for violence.
'Watch the hands, naked energy guy!' Spider-Man calls out as he swings down and kicks Proteus away from Mary Jane/Moira. Proteus falls to the ground and Spider-Man asks MJ if she is okay, and what is going on. 'What's this weird necklace?' he asks, grabbing the necklace. 'Don't -' Mary Jane tells Spider-Man, before a surge of energy strikes them both. 'I'll fry you both!' Proteus exclaims. Emma Frost glances out the window and tuts. 'You really can't take Spider-Man anywhere, can you?' she mutters. Proteus punches Spider-Man in the face, causing him to fall off the balcony. Spider-Man fires a web and swings down to safety, seeing some puffins walking on Iron Man's armor stashed under the building. Proteus flies up above Moira and tells her that she didn't come here to make amends or apologize, she came here to hurt him – again. 'I started to say “You're not my mother” but you've never been my mother. I have no family!' Proteus calls out. 'Until us! 'Hope Summers shouts as she rushes forward. 'The Five are your family!' Hope adds as Elixir, Tempus and Egg run alongside her.
'Is Spider-Man being mind-controlled or something?' Egg asks. 'Or are we fighting this model?' Egg enquires, looking at Mary Jane. He remarks that if they are fighting the model, he might tap out. Proteus drops back down onto the balcony and announces that nobody is fighting. He tells his friends that he learned a great deal tonight, and that the woman in front of them tried to come here tonight to break him. 'It would have worked on the old men. If I am being used, Moira...at least I am being used to create'. Moira/Mary Jane turns and walks away. 'Yes, yes. Continue to do exactly what they want. What a good “boy”. Enjoy what time remains. Perhaps you've earned it'. Suddenly, she comes to a stop as Wolverine appears in front of her, claims at the ready. 'End of the road, Moira' Logan frowns. Moira drops her disguise, and tells Logan that they should see what this pretty lass thinks about that. She reverts to Mary Jane, who appears scared, and cries out 'Please – she won't hesitate to kill me'. Moira returns, and grins as she tells Logan to piss off.
Wolverine pauses, before retracting his claws and tells everyone to let Moira go. Logan projects his thoughts to Jean, telling her that he doesn't think Moira can listen in telepathically. Logan instructs Jean to have Greycrow track the woman and the tech around her neck. 'We can't lose Moira's hostage' he adds. 'You!' Wolverine exclaims as Spider-Man leaps up onto the balcony. 'That woman needs our help!' Spider-Man calls out as Mary Jane/Moira carries on walking by. 'And she'll get it – but we gotta do this right or this is gonna be another Berlin situation' Wolverine tells Spider-Man as he slams his fist into him, forcing him up against the balcony edge. 'That can't happen' Spider-Man replies. He watches as Mary Jan vanishes through a Krakoan portal. 'Logan, please. Whatever it takes' he tells Wolverine, who replies 'We play it smart. We get whatever that is off the civilian...then you let me do what I do best' Wolverine replies. John Greycrow turns and acknowledges Wolverine as he follows Mary Jane through the portal, and a moment later 'Let's go get 'em!' Wolverine calls out as he and Spider-Man rush into the portal.
Meantime, Emma Frost finds the Stepford Cuckoos gathered together. She telepathically tells them to look about and take note, because next year, this will be their responsibility. 'Are you kidding?' the girls respond in unison. 'You. Literally. Couldn't. Pay. Us' the girls declare.
Emma walks past the cuckoos and finds Reed Richards. His son, Franklin, and Kate Pryde, are with him. Emma informs Dr Richards that something has come to her attention, and that she would like to ask him about it. Reed begins to tell Emma that he would rather not disccuss business tonight, when Jon Hamm interrupts, asking Emma if he may have a dance. 'Of course' Emma smiles back. 'I'm not sure when the chance will come again' Jon smiles. He takes Emma's hand and leads her to the dancefloor, asking her not to be mad at him, as he suddenly disappears – a psychic projection thanks to Jean Grey – and in his place, is Cyclops, who reminds Emma that he told her he needed her. Jean Grey is dancing with the real Jon Hamm, and she telepathically apologizes to Emma, while asking her to listen to what Scott has to say.
'Damn you both' Emma scowls, before asking Scott if this makes him happy. 'No... and Hamm is one of Jean's hall passes so...' Scott's thoughts trail off as Emma dips him as they dance and tells him 'Not about this charade – about being a sanctimonious $#^%! Couldn't you have just lied, even a little?' she asks. 'No, Emma. I couldn't just lie' Scott responds. Sean Cassidy a.k.a. Banshee is watching the dance and remarks to someone 'Oh man. That fella is getting roasted telepathically. Been there. Woof'. Scott informs Emma that it was a trap, and instead of answering for their uncomfortable achievement, their enemies would have hung them with their own lies. Scott tells Emma that they need their friends, and that they have to live in peace and tell the truth. 'And I'm just so exhausted by all you men. Always think they know exactly what to do' Emma snaps as she pulls Scott upwards, looking concerned, she reveals that she is alone, because Charles and Erik looked her in the face and lied to her. Scott tells Emma that he is sorry, that he doesn't know what is going on with the council, which perhaps is his fault, but that he needs her to look into his mind and see what has happened to him in the last few days. 'Please' he utters.
Emma pulls Scott close to her, she looks sad as she rests her head against his shoulder and holds him close, telling him to show her what is important. 'Orchis is a patchwork of our enemies...some are new...some are very old. Like “Dr Stasis”' Cyclops remarks as Emma sees a fake paramedic looming over Scott's dead body, then a resurrected Scott blasting the helmet off Dr Stasis, revealing a version of Mr Sinister underneath. 'No' a wide-eyed Emma utters. She pulls away from Scott. 'Sinister' she remarks telepathically, as Mr Sinister arrives at the Gala, several guests applaud him. Scott telepathically informs Emma that she is the only one he and Jean are trusting with this information. 'Stasis says he's the original and Sinister is just some demented experiment' Scott reveals. Emma suggests that they kill them all. Scott kisses Emma's gloved hand and remarks that the old him would have gone to the Quiet Council chambers to kill Sinister, but that they don't know how many of them there even are.
Emma and Scott continue dancing, and Scott reminds Emma that she said she was alone. 'You're not. Once an X-Man, always an X-Man' he declares, adding that their enemies are circling. 'I can feel it. We'll discuss the Sinister situation later. You said you were lied to. By whom?' Scott asks. 'Well, you showed me yours...' Emma responds as she lets Scott into her mind. Scott gasps, shocked, as he sees Moira MacTaggert standing over flames. 'Remember Moira MacTaggert?' Emma asks, revealing that Moira was always a mutant, and hiding it, trying to end her miserable existence, along with mutantkind's. Emma explains that Moira had the power of resurrection, and that every time she died, she reset the universe to her birth, with only her remembering what happened. But, at some point, living all those lives and remembering it all, well, it broke her mind. 'Charles and Erik, they came to us with a fairy tale. Now she's out there somewhere in an artificial body... and she has our number'.
'I can't believe Charles and Erik would -' Scott starts to say, before Emma informs him that she believes they have partially mindwiped Mister Fantastic. 'What? What happened to them? Did they reboot the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants when I wasn't looking?' Scott asks. 'Now you know the sand upon which our young nation has been built' Emma remarks. 'Nothing to say?' she asks when Scott doesn't answer her. 'How about mind-wiping me?' Scott enquires, before realizing that this will be hard for Jean to hear, as she was just wondering if her leaving the council was a mistake. Emma starts to walk away from Scott, telling him that they will never know, but that it has been an uphill battle for the good guys since Jean departed. Scott telepathically tells Emma that he will be in touch, and thanks her for the dance.
Nearby, an older man in a suit is standing with a woman called Gwen Poole. 'See? I told you I could get in' he remarks. 'Great. But what I really want is to get into a book' the young woman responds. 'Yikes, well, that could be a tall order' the man replies.
 Jean goes over to Scott and asks him if he is okay. 'Show me' she asks him. Scott is clutching his head, and tells Jean that he will in a minute, but he needs some air. Synch walks up beside them and Jean tells him that she is sorry it didn't work out between he and Wolverine. They look over to where Laura Kinney a.k.a. Wolverine is partying with Scout. Synch remarks that he is happy for Laura, to which Jean remarks that the mission into the Vault was a lot – he and Laura lived lifetimes together. 'Yeah' Synch agrees. He adds that they loved each other, but that those were hard years, and he is glad Laura won't know the Vault, even if it means she won't really know him. 'You're a good man, Everett. And a great X-Man' Jean smiles, before telepathically announcing that the voting is about to begin.
Emma Frost takes center stage and a spotlight shines down on her as guests gather around. The Scarlet Witch and Polaris can be seen standing together, while Shiro Yoshida a.k.a Sunfire stands nearby along with Wolverine, Rogue and Destiny. Emma telepathically tells her guests that she hopes as the day ends that they all end  it with more friends and allies than when it began. 'But if that is not the case, at least we have been honest with each other. I said I would not address our tremendous achievement, but that would be a mistake' Emma remarks. She raises a glass of champagne and looks over to where Captain America stands with Iron Man, She-Hulk, Firestar and Iceman. 'Believe me when I tell you that a mutant technology has led to remarkable ways to undo mistakes'. Kate Pryde raises a glass to Emma while Magik stands nearby. Emma declares that today it is just for mutantdom – but tomorrow, well, who knows?
Captain America smiles as Emma Frost exclaims that mutant medicines are improving the lives of humans across the globe suffering from a variety of afflictions – and these drugs are safe and effective. 'We call on the countries that do not recognize Krakoa to do so to increase the expediency with which we can get the drugs into the bodies that need them...' Emma states that the flowers are completely organic, and are produced safely in secret Krakoan facilities, and then sold at a loss. 'What do we ask for in return? We want to be recognized for who we are. We want to be safe'. Emma asks if they will acknowledge the “other” and let them live alongside humankind. 'I would hope so...but I have my fears. Peaceful coexistence is all mutandom wants with our human neighbors. So please help us help you. Thank you for joining us this evening'.
As Emma makes her speech, Dr Stasis is busy in one of the Orchis laboratories. He sings to himself as he readies some sort of charger, then goes over to some machinery, where he contacts the Orchis Central Column, reporting that he is ahead of schedule on delivering their payload. 'Copy, Dr Stasis' someone responds as Dr Stasis holds up what looks to be a pot with a small flower in it.
Back at the Gala, 'And now, the moment we have been waiting for' Emma begins. Motioning to Polaris, Wolverine, Sunfire and Rogue, she announces that they have served proudly and now see themselves on a different path. She thanks them for their service, before turning to Cyclops, Jean Grey and Synch, and reporting that they have asked to be voted back onto the team. 'Much as I would adore the change of pace and company, I am ineligible to serve...' Emma remarks, before nominating Firestar. Captain America gives Emma a thumbs up and smiles as Emma points out that most people have not had the chance to know Firestar, and she accepts responsibility for that, because she pushed Firestar away when she was young. Firestar looks embarrassed as Emma tells her that she hopes she can forgive her, and that she thinks Firestar will be an exemplary X-Man. 'Yes! She'll be great!' Iceman grins at his friend.
Polaris and the Scarlet Witch smile at each other as Emma proclaims that, in the spirit of friendship, she asks the X-Men's great ally, the Scarlet Witch to have the honor of announcing the X-Men. The Scarlet Witch raises her hands overhead and hex spheres begin to float through the Gala. Emma reports that Synch, Jean and Cyclops will remain on the X-Men, and that Firestar will join them. 'Those votes are not close' she adds, remarking that there are so many wonderful mutants volunteering that they are far from a consensus.
Cyclops' thoughts are projected as he tells mutantkind that he does not take their trust for granted, and that he will continue to fight for truth and justice – and he wants to speak the truth again. 'It's time that Forge should return to be an X-Man' Cyclops adds, motioning to Forge, who looks unimpressed. 'Are you $#%&ing kidding me?' Forge exclaims, adding that he could only serve on the X-Men if they were joined by Cyclops' brother, Havok. Forge slaps Cyclops on the back, and Scott looks over to his brother, Alex Summers a.k.a. Havok, who spits his champagne out in surprise.
Suddenly, Magik slams her Soulsword into the ground and declares that she hasn't even done this dance, and that anybody who wants a roster spot over her is going to have to fight her for it. Bishop and Kwannon look over at their fellow captain and Bishop looks concerned, wondering what that would mean with the X-Men having two captains on the team. Kwannon reminds him that the he and she are both captains and serve on the Marauders, before suggesting that the real question is whether he wants to fight Magik. 'No. No I do not' Bishop frowns.
'Any of you beat up the Frost Giants or Fin Fang Foom this year? No? Okay. If Angelica is in, then so am I!' Iceman exclaims.
'Ah. A consensus is reached. What a team' the Scarlet Witch smiles. 'Meet your new heroes of Krakoa – the X-Men!' Cyclops! Jean Grey! Havok! Iceman! Forge! Synch! Firestar! Magik!
The celebrations continue, everyone appears happy with the new X-Men team, while a Professor X frowns and approaches Forge, asking him how this affects Project Blackbox. Mystique can be seen dancing with Destiny as Forge tells Charles not to worry, that he won't let this get in the way. 'I know what I have to do' Forge adds, suggesting he will get kicked off the team if he has to.
Tony Stark approaches Firestar and congratulates her. 'Thanks, I think?' Firestar responds. Tony tells her that he knows she just got blindsided, but that this is an opportunity. 'If you see something the Avengers should know about...you've got my number' he tells his former teammates before he turns and walks away.
'Emma, I hope I wasn't too much of a party bummer. I'm just trying to call it like I see it' Tony Stark remarks as he approaches Emma, who turns to Tony and tells him that she certainly hopes and thinks he is wrong, but that she has come to appreciate men whose first instinct is not to lie. 'So thank you' she remarks. 'Until the next Gala' she adds, as Tony starts to walk away, telling Emma that this was a fun time, but that he won't be back, as parties haven't been his thing in a long time.
Emma turns to Bishop and asks him if that was really Moira tonight on one of her guests. 'She's more brazen than I thought' Emma frowns. Bishop assures Emma that they are on it, and that he wants  her dead by dawn. 'And save the model for heaven's sake. We can't keep throwing parties with murder' Emma frowns. 'On it' Bishop responds.
Hours later, at an undisclosed location, 'Unfortunately, the night was not a bloodless as the mutants hoped' Moira remarks as she holds up her blood-drenched hands. 'Ello, luvs' she smiles, before washing her hands in a sink and apologizing to someone for keeping them waiting. 'Had a busy day, omelets and eggs and so forth' she remarks. Moira dries her hands and approaches someone who sits at a desk. The mysterious figure tells Moira that he was intrigued by how she seemed to know of him at all, and now she is late and he is aggravated. His name is Druig, the Prime Eternal, and reminds Moira that she promised to spill yet more secrets, and suggests they get to that. 'Unless you want me to start spilling something else' the Eternal called Jack of Knives suggests as he tosses a knife towards Moira. Moira catches the knife between her fingers and announces that the seeds of mutant destruction were planted in their own garden tonight. 'But you Eternals may be able to help expedite matters. Her eyes flash red as she reveals she has names – Deviants – nasty ones who are making more Deviants. 'Tempus. Proteus. Egg. Hope and Elixir. They are the key to mutant resurrection. You may find them and kill them on Krakoa' Moira grins.