Delhi, India, where a woman exits a limo and enters an apartment. She smiles, then a voice calls out 'Hello, Raven'. The woman turns to her sofa, where Scott “Cyclops” Summers is sitting. 'How did you find me?' Raven Darkholme a.k.a. Mystique asks. 'Your bread crumbs' Scott tells her. 'I'm going to have to work on that' Raven remarks. 'You're a Bollywood star now?' Scott asks. 'Only for a week or two. Just taking a vacation from myself' Raven replies. 'Again' Cyclops points out. 'Again' Raven asks, before enquiring how the mutant revolution is going. As Raven sits down next to him, Scott tells her that it would be going better if she wasn't out here in the wild causing trouble. 'Who else is here?' Raven smiles. 'Just me. I wanted to talk' Cyclops explains. Raven leans in closer, as Scott tells her that he figured if the X-Men ganged up on her, the discourse level would drop to punching and kicking. 'So you and Emma broke up again' Raven states. 'That happened a while ago' Cyclops replies. Raven quickly shapeshifts into Emma Frost, 'So you're really here for...' she begins, grinning. 'I'm really here to talk' Scott frowns. 'Really talk?' Raven asks as she transforms into Jean Grey. 'Really... talk...' Cyclops assures her. 'Really really talk?' Raven asks as she transforms into Wolverine. 'What is going on with you, Raven? For real?' Cyclops asks.
'That's what I like about you, Scott... a little bit of me and a normal man would burst into tears and / or not be able to sit straight. You've been in so many messed up relationships that this kind of thing rolls right off for you' Raven remarks as she switches to her default blue-skinned form. 'Raven... you are a mutant of exceptional ability. You might be one of the best' Scott tells her. 'Might?' Raven asks. Cyclops reminds her that one minute she is setting up a nightmare mutant utopia in Madripoor, and the next she is attacking her own people – what she did to Dazzler. 'You were one of Xavier's soldiers, just like me... and now? Honestly? I'm talking to you, Raven. Mutant to mutant' Cyclops declares, as Raven turns away from him and hangs her head. 'What are you doing? What do you want?'
One week ago:
Inside SHIELD Helicarrier, floating world headquarters of the United Nations peacekeeping task force, its present location 1,000 feet over Anaheim, California.
'Commander Hill, she's here' a SHIELD officer calls out. 'Are we sure?' Maria Hill asks. 'Ma'am?' the agent asks, confused. 'Have you bio-scanned her to make sure it's really her?' Maria enquires. 'Yes, Ma'am. And the Psychic Division has cleared her' the agent adds. 'Send her in' Maria announces, deciding that this should be good, she instructs all of the staff in the room to excuse themselves, telling them that she will call them back in when she needs them. 'Dazzler' Maria greets Alison Blaire as she enters. 'Thank you for seeing me, Director Hill. I know you're busy' Dazzler replies. 'What can I do for you?' Maria asks. 'Mystique. I want her' Dazzler declares, frowning. But Maria tells her that she doesn't have Mystique. 'Can I see her files?' Dazzler asks. Maria explains that SHIELD files are matters of international security. 'Yes. I'm aware. Can I see them?' Dazzler repeats herself. 'I could if you were still an agent of SHIELD' Maria explains. Dazzler tells Maria that she was thinking about that, and reminds her that she technically never fired her. 'You never technically quit' Maria adds.
'So I guess that means I'm technically still an agent of SHIELD. Can I see her files?' Dazzler asks. Arms crossed, Maria tells Dazzler that it is not easy to find a shape-shifter. 'No' Dazzler agrees. Maria remarks that Dazzler is right to be pissed, and tells her she would be the same if Mystique took her place in the world. 'I am' Dazzler snaps, narrowing her eyes. Maria looks away from her, before pushing a computer screen towards Dazzler, 'I'm really not allowed to give you access to any of this' she tells her. Dazzler looks at the computer screen, and Maria turns away from her, revealing that they have top agents in the field specifically looking for her, but there is nothing in those files of any use. 'Maybe. Maybe they just don't know what to look for' Dazzler replies as her eyes scan over the computer screen. Maria looks at some monitors before her and asks 'Don't you mutants have a mutant-finding technology? The Cerebro?' Dazzler tells her that Mystique found a way around it. 'Sounds like her' Maria mutters, before asking how Scott Summers is doing. 'You could do better' Dazzler tells her. 'I mean, is he still insane?' Maria asks, turning back to Dazzler. 'In what sense?' Dazzler asks. 'Is he still declaring a mutant revolution?' Maria enquires. 'Yep' Dazzler responds. 'Want to -?' Dazzler begins, before she stops herself and simply stares at the screen. 'Did you find something?' Maria asks. Dazzler doesn't answer her. 'What?' Maria calls out.
Present:
'It's a fair question' Cyclops tells Mystique, who reminds him that they are not friends. 'But I think we're kindred spirits' Cyclops replies. 'How so?`Mystique asks, smiling. 'I think – I think we both expected more. I think we're both still reeling from Xavier's death' Cyclops explains. 'And Logan' Mystique adds. 'And Logan' Cyclops agrees, before remarking that there is not that many people for people like them to talk to when stuff like this happens. 'That's true' Mystique agrees, turning to look away from Cyclops, who puts a hand on her shoulder and tells her that he brings it up because she seemed to get very violent and very angry towards their people after Xavier died. 'I wondered if you weren't somehow -' he begins, to which Mystique interrupts him, asking him how he found her. 'The same way you hid from us' Scott responds. 'What does that mean?' Mystique asks. 'I have ways' Scott tells her. 'You have your ways, I have my ways...' his voice trails off, and Mystique grins: 'Ah! You almost had me!' Scott looks confused, 'I'm not trying to have you. I'm trying to -' he begins, before Mystique switches to an icy form. 'Who are you really?' she asks.
'I'm not the shape-shifter, Raven' Scott replies. 'Then why haven't you mentioned our affair?' Mystique asks. 'I didn't mention it because I'm trying to have a real conversation with you' Cyclops explains. Mystique leaps up onto the back of the sofa and holds a large gun towards Cyclops, 'I appreciate that. Except Scott Summers and I never had an affair'. 'Nice' Scott replies, with the gun pointed at his head, he points out that to be fair, it is not out of the realm of possibilities that Scott Summers would sully himself with her. 'True' Mystique agrees, before grinning, 'Bye bye'.
One week ago
'How bad do you, and by you I mean SHIELD, want Mystique?' Dazzler asks as she walks away from the screen, moving closer to Maria Hill. 'As bad as you do, if not more' Maria responds. 'If I bring you Mystique... what do I get?' Dazzler asks. 'Peace of mind' Maria tells her. But Dazzler declares that she needs more. 'Revenge is pretty great...' Maria suggests, but Dazzler once again announces that she needs more. 'What do you want?' Maria asks. Dazzler reveals that she wants all the students and faculty of Scott Summers' secret Xavier school records tossed – she wants them free to live their lives. Maria closes her eyes and looks away, telling Dazzler that she can't do that.
'They're just kids. And they really haven't done anything but hide and train' Dazzler exclaims. Maria looks up at some monitors, before turning back to Dazzler and telling her that she can't give her Scott Summers and Emma Frost – no way – that is not going to happen. 'But the others...' Dazzler begins. Maria declares that the others she can make a deal. 'I want clean. Clean records' Dazzler reminds her. 'You bring me that terrorist, I'll give you that and I'll buy you all ice cream, too' Maria replies. 'Done' Dazzler tells her.
Present
'Bye bye' Mystique tells “Cyclops”, the barrel of the gun just inches from his face. Mystique frowns, 'Something wrong?' “Cyclops” asks her. 'I can't pull the trigger' Mystique declares. 'I noticed' “Cyclops” remarks. 'How are you doing this? Who are you?' Mystique asks. 'There she is. There is that sad, scared little girl hiding behind all her masks' “Cyclops” grins.
'Get out of there. She's on to you and she has all kinds of psychic shields up' a telepathic voice calls out. It is the Stepford Cuckoos – Celeste, Phoebe and Mindee, who stand alongside the other students from the New Xavier School – David Bond a.k.a. Hijack, Benjamin Deeds, Fabio Medina a.k.a. Goldballs and Christopher Muse a.k.a. Triage. 'We can only do so much' the blonde Celeste points out. Mindee reveals that Mystique is using anti-psychic nano-technology that they don't know anything about yet. 'Once we lose our grip...' Phoebe remarks.
'Oh, of course. Dazzler' Mystique mutters as she pulls the gun away as Cyclops vanishes, replaced by Dazzler. 'Hey, you. How's it feel to have your life completely taken away from you?' Dazzler asks. Mystique backs away from Dazzler, towards a large window, where she tells Dazzler to get over it . 'Like you were going to do something all that exciting with your life. Borrowing it from you was a favor. You were never more interesting than when I was you' Mystique declares. 'Jokes? Really? Hit it, Hijack' Dazzler calls out.
Hijack responds 'To 11' as he turns a dial on a stereo, which blasts music out into the apartment. 'Uh oh' Mystique utters as she raises the gun, but it is knocked out of her hands by a gold ball which slams into it. Goldballs smiles as he holds up another ball. Dazzler glows with energy as she stands up before Mystique, who looks livid and screams '#$%& you!' to which Dazzler responds by releasing the energy, directly at Mystique which sends Raven crashing back through the window out into the air, high above the ground.
'Man! That felt good!' Dazzler grins. 'Uh, are we going to let her die?' Triage asks as he looks out the window where he sees Mystique plummeting to the ground below. 'Don't ruin the moment for me' Dazzler replies. She turns to Illyana “Magik” Rasputin who is also present, and Magik tells Dazzler that it is her call. 'Magik' Dazzler declares. 'Fine' Magik mutters, before teleporting away, and an instant later, she returns, dropping Raven on the floor. 'Ow!' Raven declares. 'I take it back. You are a better woman than I. I would've killed you if you had done to me what I did to you' Mystique admits.
Dazzler crouches over Mystique, while Magik and the students gather around, 'Believe me, I would. But I'm trying to teach these kids something. Something someone should have taught you' Dazzler replies, raising her fist over Raven.
Present
'Haven't done this for a while... so be gentle. Ready?' Dazzler says into a microphone before she starts to sing, lights energy glittering around her. In the crowd, the students are watching. 'Dude!' someone calls out. 'Wow, she's really good' another exclaims. 'Dude' someone declares. 'Well, she is a professional musician' someone else points out. 'I have one of her records!' another person reveals. At the back of the room, Maria Hill wearing civilian clothing leans against a door.
Afterwards, Dazzler is backstage, drinking some water, and Maria approaches her. 'So. That seemed cathartic' she points out. 'What are you doing here, Miss Hill?' Dazzler asks. 'Came to see the show. I'm a fan. Did I not tell you that? Even the new look is growing on me' Maria replies.
'Okay. So, do it' Dazzler tells her. 'Do what?' Maria asks. 'Drop the other shoe. Tell me how I didn't get Mystique the “right way”... or that she is out on a technicality, or -' Dazzler begins, but Maria smiles and tells her that she has come to give Alison her job back – to welcome her back to SHIELD. Dazzler listens as Maria reminds her that she hired her to be the Special Mutant Liaison for SHIELD for a reason. 'You're perfect for it. You were then and you are now' she assures her. 'And I – we need one now more than ever' Maria admits. 'Now that you have cleansed your soul of revenge and the bad lady is in jail... you can go back to doing good work. For the right reasons' Maria points out. Dazzler looks away and replies that she just wouldn't know why she was doing it. 'Because there's a teenage you out there. Someone who needs someone like you to keep an eye out for them' Maria tells her, adding that they both know that no matter what he thinks, Scott Summers is not that mutant. Dazzler smiles as Maria adds 'And he never will be'.
Outside, in Greenwich Village, New York City:
'You're thinking of Joan Jett' Benjamin exclaims. 'No, you're thinking of Janis Joplin' Christopher replies. Benjamin tells Christopher that Janis Joplin never wore a bikini on stage. 'Oh, like you would know, Benjamin' Christopher mutters. 'Oh, like you do' Benjamin retorts as he stuffs some pizza into his mouth. 'I will give you each a dollar to stop talking' Phoebe mutters.
'Mister Bond' Celeste remarks as she walks over to David, who is leaning on a wall away from the others. David tells her to stop reading his mind. 'Couldn't help it' Celeste replies. 'Sure you could' David tells her. 'How seriously are you thinking what you are thinking?' Celeste enquires. 'Stop it' David smiles. Celeste suggests he talks to the group about it. 'Stop' David asks her. Celeste puts her lips close to his ears and tells him that he was right – they are going to have to make some choices about their future. 'Summers just up and closed the school around us. Now do we all go to the Jean Grey School or do we do something else?' Celeste remarks. 'Like, why do we have to be X-Men?' David replies.
'We don't' Celeste announces. Christopher, Benjamin, Fabio, Mindee and Phoebe gather around, 'We don't?' Christopher asks, puzzled. 'I didn't know that' Christopher adds. David tells them that they don't. 'Why can't we be something else? The X-Men is Scott Summers' thing. And he left' David points out, adding that there is no rule that says just because they are mutants that they have to be the X-Men. 'Can we be the Fantastic Four?' Fabio asks. 'No' Benjamin exclaims. 'I've always liked them' Fabio smiles. 'If we are not the X-Men, then what are we?' Mindee asks. David smiles, and the Cuckoos smile back, while the other guy looks confused. 'Uh, for those of us who are not part of a psychic hive mind, what is going on?' Benjamin asks. David just smiles back.
