Krakoa, the Akademos Habitat:
What’s left of the Fort:
Magik angrily demands of the students what the +§$& happened here.
Fauna refers to another group. They wanted the Fort, but his group didn’t want to leave. Another boy interrupts and tries to play this down. They weren’t paying attention.
Magik gets it: they are worried the other group is listening. That they will come back and do it again. She promises this won’t happen again. Why does she care? the second boy asks. Because it’s wrong, she replies. It’s not against any of the laws, he shoots back. Magik schools him that it is a massive disrespect toward the land and terrorizing each other is not what they do here. What about point three? he asks. Three, she hates bullies. So, this will be fun!
Elsewhere in the woods, some youngsters are training. Anole attacks Cosmar, who in turn attacks with hallucinations that fend off Rain Boy’s attack. They are joined by No-Girl and Amahl Farouk, who praises their work. He tells them he is proud of how far they have come, but they shouldn’t neglect their training.
Cosmar asks him if he will come to watch her fight when it is her turn. He tells her he is humbled that she should ask and promises to be there.
Later at the Boneyard (X-Factor’s HQ), Aurora and Akihiro Daken are trying to enjoy some quite time together, which gets spoiled by Scout. Daken is annoyed at her showing up unannounced and tells her this is a bad time. He promises to spend time with her later at the big party at the Lagoon. Disappointed, Gabby leaves.
Later, she is at the Wild Hunt, where Warpath has gathered a group of young mutants for training. He notes some new faces. Scout knows Cam Long and the others from the Age of X-Man, where they were friends. Warpath announces they’ll be working with… Scout volunteers to work with them, just as he was trying to say they’d be working with him. He tells her she will be working on synergy. Scout insists it would be better for someone who knows them to work with them. Plus, she was literally created to be part of an elite assassin group. She already knows how to work well with others.
Warpath corrects her she was indoctrinated and need to unlearn that. Scout sulks and the different groups train their powers and synergy with others. Scout doesn’t do well and, after an attempt to train, Sprite lands in front of the new group of Cam Long and the others. An annoyed Cam asks who she even is. Wolverine is her sister, Scout announces, then has to explain she means the other Wolverine, not the original one. She then tries to explain she knows them all from the other reality Nate Grey created. Cam Long turns away. They never met, she snaps. The four of them died on Genosha. Whatever she thought she experienced was clearly a delusion! The others are nicer, telling Scout she is trying too hard. Cam will come around.
Later at the Sextant, Rahne enters Dani’s quarters. Dani sees something is wrong. Rahne bursts out, she is so angry. They say they need proof! As if they don’t know what happened! Dani tries to comfort her, as she cries that they won’t bring him back.
There’s an emptiness inside her heart, where her son should be, and she is tired of pretending she is okay with it! Her little one! She hears his cries in her dreams!
They are stronger than ever. They now have this space where their children can be safe. Her son deserves to be here! Dani agrees. Rahne asks what she should do. Not she, they, Dani corrects her and promises she will help and always be there for her. They hug.
That moment, Karna enters and asks if Dani is ready. She reminds them of the party. Looking at Rahne, Dani wants to skip, but Rahne assures her it’s okay. She doesn’t want to make her skip Doug’s reception. Karma drags Dani away, reminding her she promised to give a speech. Rahne promises to be along soon.
At the Green Lagoon, the official wedding reception of Cypher and Bei the Bloodmoon is taking place.
Roberto tells Doug he is proud of him. Today he becomes a man. Doug points out he has been married for some time. They just came back from their honeymoon. Quibbling details, Roberto brushes his point aside. The point is…
Illyana interrupts, shouting that Doug thought he was going to his death, as she gives him noogie. So did she, he reminds her. She literally told him he was going to die. Bei glares and Illyana apologizes. He is hers to noogie now.
Scout makes her way through the crowds, looking for Daken.
Kid Omega asks why she looks so glum. She explains that Daken was supposed to meet her. One of the Cuckoos suggests she better dance for while. She’ll have a better time than chasing him down. That moment she sees him, two drinks in hand. She calls out but he is busy handing one drink to Aurora.
Sunspot sulks dramatically how Magik disrupted his perfect well-rehearsed speech. Monsters, all of them, Sam Guthrie agrees as he joins his best friend, then they challenge each other to a dance-off.
Dani finds Rahne sulking at the bar. Rahne congratulates her on the speech. Dani apologizes for earlier and sits down with her. She will leave if she says the word. Rahne tells her she wants to be here. This is a celebration of one of their dearest friends. Dani tells her that her feeling grief doesn’t take aways her love for Doug.
In the meantime, Rain Boy tries to build up Cosmar for something she is afraid of doing.
Cosmar interrupts Dani and Rahne and politely asks if she can talk to Dani. Rain Boy and Anole signal her thumbs up. Scout joins them and asks what’s going on. Rain Boy explains Cosmar is about to ask the big question.
Cosmar explains to Dani that, when she first got her powers, she was afraid, so it twisted her body. She has come a long way of learning how to handle reality, but she cannot change her body back. Not without help. Would Dani do her the favor of being her partner in the Crucible?
Anole cheers loudly.
Dani tries to let Cosmar down kindly. The Crucible is for mutants who have been robbed of their gifts. Cosmar doesn’t need it. She is perfect. There is nothing wrong about her body or her. Don’t let human ideals… Cosmar runs away crying and shouting Dani can’t understand. Her mutation didn’t warp her! Dani wants to follow. Anole tells her he’s got it. She’s done enough for tonight.
Cosmar runs past the others. Should they go after her? Scout asks. Rain Boy warns her Cosmar’s powers play up when she is emotional.
The other New Mutants tell Dani to talk with Cosmar tomorrow and stay for dancing now.
Amahl Farouk watches Cosmar and her friends leaving and sees the bridal couple. He toasts to young love and youth… to their great future.
