'Peanut!' Shogo Lee calls out as he waddles towards a large brown bear within an enclosure in Central Park. 'Shogo!' Trevor Hawkins a.k.a. Eye-Boy exclaims as he races after the child, who laughs as he sits on the bear's leg. Lin Li a.k.a. Nature Girl is curled up to another bear within the closure, and when Trevor tells her that he isn't sure this was such a good idea, she asks him 'How so?' Trevor leaves Shogo on the bear, and explains that he doesn't think this is what Jubilee thought he meant when he offered to babysit Shogo. 'If peanut wanted to eat Shogo, he would have. He's an omnivore' Nature Girl explains. Shogo laughs out loud, when suddenly, 'Hey!' a voice shouts. Trevor looks up and sees a zookeeper standing outside the enclosure. 'How many times do I gotta tell you – I don't care if you've got antlers, you're not allowed in the animal enclosures!' he tells Nature Girl. 'S-sorry' Trevor calls back.
The large bear suddenly stands up, and Shogo falls onto the ground and starts crying. The other bear goes over to the larger one and Nature Girl stands with them, while Trevor picks Shogo up and asks him if he is okay. The bears roar loudly, which causes Shogo to cry some more and the bears lumber into their cave, while Trevor asks 'What was that?' to which Lin tells him that something is coming. 'What's that supposed to mean?' Trevor asks, 'We need to go back' Lin replies.
Meanwhile, at the Xavier Institute counseling office, Roxy Washington a.k.a. Bling sits on a sofa and remarks that the whole thing was like, like she was frozen and couldn't move, and she should have been ready for it, as it's not like it's even the first time Emplate has kidnapped her. 'And how did that make you feel, Roxy?' Paige Guthrie a.k.a. Husk asks as she sits in a chair opposite Bling. 'You were an X-Man, Husk' Bling remarks. Husk asks her to call her Paige. 'You know exactly how I felt, Paige. Weak' Bling frowns. 'Cause you had a reaction to a previous trauma?' Paige enquires. 'Because I choked. Look, I'm going to be honest – I don't need therapy. I know why I froze with Monet. What I don't know is why Jubilee and Jono brought me here' Bling exclaims, looking to the floor. Bling then remarks that Paige isn't even a real therapist yet. 'You're just... what, in training?' she asks. 'Getting my PhD' Paige explains.
'Which, I think, is actually the reason they brought you here, Roxy – so I could show you that there is such a thing as life after the X-Men' Paige points out. Bling's hand suddenly grows several spikes as she tells Paige that her skin is made of diamond, she has a similar power set to Emma Frost – she is perfect X-Men material. 'I shouldn't have to think about “life after the X-Men”' Bling exclaims.
Paige points out that being “perfect” for something isn't necessarily the same as actually wanting it. Husk looks at her own skin, some of appears cracked, and she tells Bling that she thought being able to become iron or concrete just by husking her skin made her a perfect candidate for the X-Men, and when she became one, she thought she was ready, but it took its toll on her – and in way she wasn't expecting, and because she didn't want to be considered weak or lose her place on the team, she ignored the signs that something wasn't right, and just kept losing herself in her powers, and it nearly broke her.
Paige informs Roxy that, looking back, she can't help but wonder why she stayed for as long as she did. 'Did I really see being part of the X-Men as my purpose – or were they just my shelter from the rest of the world?' she asks, and Bling just stares back at her.
Paige opens the door to her office and Roxy walks out, as Paige tells her that she did well today, and that she will see her next week. Jubilee and Jono Starsmore a.k.a. Chamber are sitting outside Paige's office, and Jubilee asks Roxy how the session went. 'Fine' Roxy snaps, before asking Jono if they can go now. 'Course' Jono tells her. Chamber turns to his ex-girlfriend and thanks her, to which Paige tells him 'Any time'. Jubilee watches Bling and Paige tells her not to read too much into it, explaining that Roxy just really identifies with Chamber. Jubilee smiles and tells Paige that as long as Roxy has got someone she iis comfortable talking to, that is all that matters.
'Speaking of things that matter – why didn't you tell me about Monet?' Paige asks, hands on hips. 'Because you're here to do therapist-y things' Jubilee replies, putting her hands on Paige's shoulders. 'But it's Monet' Paige exclaims. Jubilee assures her friend that she and Jono will save Monet. 'You've got a brand-new, shiny life, Paige. Live it' Jubilee declares, but Paige doesn't look very impressed.
Elsewhere, in an old subway tunnel, someone walks loudly down the platform, dragging a body behind them. 'Help... someone...' the person bound and dragged calls out quietly. The person doing the dragging is DOA, who grins and tells his captive that he will need to be much louder if he expects anyone to hear him down here, and with that, pulls him across the train tracks, and onto an old subway train covered in graffiti. Inside the subway car, bodies are littered throughout, and Monet St Croix, possessed by the diabolical Emplate, leans in to one of the few prisoners still alive and remarks that it is fascinating how everyone's skin seems to deteriorate at varying rates. 'But in the end, your corpses all look the same' she remarks. 'M-Plate. Sir' DOA calls out. 'Here's your fresh catch of the day. Sir' DOA declares, tossing the latest victim towards M-Plate. 'More empty calories' Monet remarks as she leans over the new victim. Emplate's voice can be heard telling his sister that it is not enough. 'It never is with you, is it, Emplate?' Monet responds. The mouths on her hands flicker the long tongues out and Emplate tells Monet that as frustrating as it may be, if she wants to remain anchored to this plane of existence, they will need to feed on more than just piddling Morlocks – they need mutant marrow of substance.
'And perhaps a solution that's more... sustainable' Emplate's voice can be heard saying. 'More on-demand' DOA suggests. From a more satiating, more powerful mutant' Emplate adds. 'More vital! Youthful!' DOA calls out. 'Is this your overly dramatic way of suggesting I capture a student at Xavier's to keep as a feeding bag?' Monet asks. 'A solution presents itself!' DOA exclaims. 'Because that's always worked out so well for you' Monet remarks as she moves her hands closer to DOA, the tongue flicking at the strange being, who cries out in surprise. Monet clenches her fist, and the tongue vanishes as she tells her brother that she doesn't blame him for his inability to think beyond cheap stopgap measures, like that hideous breathing mask that he wore for all those years – but she is looking for a more elegant, permanent solution for their problems. Suddenly, there is a rumbling. 'Sir, take cover!' DOA calls out and the old subway tunnel begins to crack.
At the Xavier Institute, Benjamin Deeds a.k.a. Morph calls out 'What's up, Nathaniel?' to Nathaniel Carver a.k.a. Hindsight, who is resting on a window ledge, looking out over the school. 'Hey, Ben – just thinking about another reason I find Quentin annoying' Nathaniel replies, as down on the field, under a tree is Quentin, sprawled out on a blanket wearing nothing but speedos. 'I wish I could pull of a speedo, and there he is. Just airing it out for the world to see. Like it's nothing' Nathaniel remarks. Sprite and Glob Herman walk near Quentin as Nathaniel adds 'Also, for a telekinetic who probably hasn't lifted anything heavier than a bottle of Clicquot in his life – that's a hell of a lot of abs...'
'So what's stopping you? Your powers?' Benjamin asks. 'Nah, I just don't have the guts to wear one' Nathaniel replies. 'Really? I'm sure you could pull it off. If you wanted' Benjamin tells Nathaniel. 'Maybe. If I had abs like that' Nathaniel responds, adding that he hates Quentin. 'Yeah...Quentin's good at doing whatever he wants...' Benjamin points out, before rubbing the back of his head and asking 'Hey, Nathaniel, would you ever wanna -' but he doesn't finish his comment, as there is a massive BOOM! Causing both young men to look out the window, where they see the ground shaking. 'What the hell, earth?' Glob mutters. 'My coquito!' Quentin exclaims as the little table he had set up next to him is tossed about.
At the Museum of Natural History, 'Earthquake?' Jubilee asks as she, Chamber and Bling are all knocked about. 'Do we even get those in New York?' Bling asks. Above Central Park, 'No... isn't an earthquake' Nature Girl announces as large vultures carry her, Eye-Boy and Shogo above the park. Eye-Boy looks horrified and asks Lin how she can be so calm right now. 'What if these vultures drop us?' he asks, while Shogo cries out with happiness. 'We'd die instantly. There'd be no pain' Nature Girl assures Trevor matter-of-factly. 'You're not making things better!' Trevor tells Lin, before the vultures lower them down towards Quentin, who is hovering above the ground. 'What the actual -' Quentin begins. 'Quentin!' Lin exclaims, while Glob asks Sprite 'You cool, girl?' and she tells him that she is.
The vultures keep Lin, Trevor and Shogo above the ground, as Trevor reports that something is digging its way underground towards the school. 'Digging?' Quentin asks. 'It's looking for you' Trevor tells him. 'ME?' Quentin asks. 'Oh, #$%&' he mutters, putting a hand to his head, 'KRAKOA!' Quentin exclaims as the large island mutant bursts forth from the ground, towering over the park. The vulture carrying Eye-Boy is startled and drops him. 'Dude. I told you I'd be right back. You were supposed to stay put and wait' Quentin tells Krakoa. 'How long ago was that?' Eye-Boy asks as he holds Shogo. Nature Girl is now on the ground as well. Quentin hovers next to Krakoa's face and tells Trevor that time is a construct. 'I don't -' he begins, when suddenly, a voice screams'QUENTIN!'
'What in the hell is Krakoa doing at the school? Again?' Kitty Pryde, Headmistress of the Xavier Institute asks. 'I guess he got tired of being a literal no man's island' Quentin replies as he looks down at Kitty, who has Benjamin and Nathaniel with her. 'So Krakoa just burrowed its way here from the ocean – through most of Manhattan? To see you' Kitty asks. 'What can I say? Krakoa just gets me' Quentin declares. Kitty tells Quentin that this is not a joke, and asks him if he realizes how much damage Krakoa has caused. Krakoa grins at this comment.
Back at the Museum of Natural History, several large dinosaur skeleton have collapsed, and a child sits, crying as her mother lies motionless nearby. 'Wake up!' the girl calls out. 'Mom! Please!' the child cries, unaware that a large bone is dropping towards her – 'I gotcha!' Jubilee exclaims as she leaps in and grabs the child, just as the skeleton crashes to the ground and shatters. Jubilee tells the girl not to worry, as they have her mother. Chamber carries the woman, while Bling stands nearby. Other civilians start to run from the museum, and Chamber tells Jubilee that they have gotta go, now, as he carries the mother to safety, and Jubilee tells him that they are right behind him – but suddenly, there is another cracking noise, and the floor under Bling, Jubilee and the child gives way. Bling screams as she and Jubilee plummet downwards. 'Jono -!' Jubilee calls out as she hurls the child towards Chamber, 'Lee!' Jono calls out as he catches the girl, while Jubilee and Bling disappear before him. 'LEE!' Chamber exclaims, wide-eyed.
The ceiling then caves in, covering the large hole in the floor. 'Mom!' the little girl in Chamber's arms calls out as her mother lays on the ground. Chamber tells the girl not to worry, and that they will be leaving right this second. He looks back at the rubble covering the hole in the floor, then there is another explosion, and picking up the girl's mother, with the girl clinging to his back, Chamber leaps from the museum and out into the street, where other civilians are running around in a panic and the museum collapses behind them.
At the Xavier Institute, Kitty has gathered some of the more senior students – Mercury, Dust, Blindfold and Hijack, and informs them that there are several reports of people trapped inside buildings, including the Museum of Natural History which has fallen into a sinkhole, and more reports are coming in by the second. Kitty instructs Mercury, Dust and Hijack to form search and rescue parties within their classes and she will assign them addresses. 'On it!' Hijack calls out. 'And what about me?' Quentin, still wearing only his speedos, asks. 'What about you, Quentin?' Kitty frowns. 'Krakoa just longest-journeyed his way through Manhattan to get to you. You'd actually be more useful staying here with Krakoa than you would be coming with us' Kitty snaps at him. 'Where have I heard that before...' Quentin mutters, hanging his head, while Krakoa, who now has his face on the ground, looks at Nature Girl, who touches him and tells him that he looks well – extra mossy and moist.
Benjamin asks Kitty if she is really benching Quentin because of Krakoa, or because she has already written him off – like the rest of them. Kitty doesn't respond, so Benjamin tells her that they understand she doesn't want them endangering their lives in a fight, and asks her if she is seriously going to exclude them from a rescue mission – especially when it sounds like it is an all hands on deck situation. 'Looks like our Benji's grown himself a shiny new pair' Quentin smiles at Nathaniel. “Ours”? Nathaniel asks. Suddenly, Broo rushes up to Kitty and reports that it would appear the quake unearthed an underground cairn. 'Of course it has' Kitty mutters, and Broo tells her that they are receiving several reports of N'garai sightings. 'Wish granted, Benjamin. Find Jubilee and go with her. And for the love of God – do what she tells you to' Kitty instructs the young mutants. 'When have we not?' Quentin calls out.
So...' Benjamin begins, while Nathaniel tells the others that he is stating the obvious as he point out that none of them have any idea where Jubilee is. 'Blindfold!' Eye-Boy calls out. He goes over to her and asks 'Can you -' to which Blindfold smiles and tells him 'Yes' and that she is sorry for interrupting him, but that it is dark where Jubilee is. Trevor continues to hold Shogo, while Nathaniel remarks 'Blindfolded ominous soothsayer is ominous... should've seen it coming...'. Blindfold then tells the others that if they don't hurry, then she is afraid it is going to get darker still.
At that moment, beneath the collapsed Museum of Natural History, Roxy stirs, as Jubilee calls out to her, asking her if she is okay. 'J-Jubilee?' Bling responds. 'Yeah. You okay?' Jubilee calls back as Bling sits up and rubs her head. 'I think... you?' she asks. 'I've been better' Jubilee tells Bling, smiling, she holds onto a large metal cable that has been shoved through her chest. Blood seeps from the wound, as Jubilee reports that the good news is, she thinks this thing just missed her heart.
