Mojoworld, where the members of X-Factor are locked in combat with Durkitt and his gang. And, in typical Mojoverse fashion, the fight is recorded for the throngs of fans to watch – and this particular battle is narrated by Spiral, for Spiral's Showcase. As Jean-Paul Beaubier a.k.a. Northstar knocks back one of the gang, his teammate Trevor Hawkins a.k.a. Eye-Boy looks on in shock, and Spiral suggests that Durkitt and the gang should have sprung for an officially licensed Headshot TV(tm) power-null trap instead of a cheap knockoff. As Lorna Dane a.k.a. Polaris raises herself into the air, she wraps scrap metal around her opponent, and Spiral points out that it looks like both Polaris and Northstar have already regained the use of their powers, which can't be a good thing for the opposing pod.
As Rachel Summers a.k.a. Prestige uses her powers against another member of Durkitt's pod, knocking her backwards, Spiral declares that X-Factor has made short work of Durkitt's amateur pod, and asks viewers to keep bumping this feed, because thanks to their illustrious benefactor, executive producer and democratically elected ruler, the all-powerful King Mojo, Spiral's Showcase gets the honor of having the new X-Factor as stream guests first. 'Let's go check in with the victors and see how they're doing' Spiral smiles as David Alleyne a.k.a. Prodigy can be seen dodging the attack of one of the opposing pod.
Northstar, Polaris, Prestige, Eye-Boy and Prodigy regroup, gathering in the center of the battle area, as Spiral asks viewers to drop an emote in the chat to give thanks to their supreme leader for his most holy content curation. 'Welcome to Spiral's Showcase, X-Factor!' Spiral calls out as she approaches X-Factor, followed by her six-armed male assistant, He-Lix. 'Tch' Northstar mutters, before Spiral puts arms around him and Eye-Boy and tells them not to be shy and to say hello to all their fans here in the Mojoverse. 'We're X-Factor Investigations and we're here about the dead mutant' Northstar frowns as he addresses the cameras. 'H-hi!' Eye-Boy calls out from behind Spiral.
Shortly, Spiral leads X-Factor to the Spiral's Showcase Streaming Studio-Home, where Northstar tells her to turn the cameras off so they can talk. 'Viewers, why do you think he wants to talk about the dead girl? Let us know your thoughts in the chat' Spiral smiles at her camera. Northstar tells Spiral not to play coy and informs her that they already know the victim was on her show. Prodigy suggests they should start with who she was, as her identity was hidden behind a paywall. Inside the studio, Spiral tells X-Factor that that is just good marketing, and explains that her identity hasn't been revealed to nonsubscribers yet because she wanted to livestream X-Factor's reaction.
X-Factor take their seats, with Spiral sitting nearby as the cameras continue to focus on them. Spiral asks Prodigy to tell her the last time he was in touch with his good friends from school. 'What does that have to do with anything?' Prodigy asks, while Northstar, Polaris and Prestige frown, and Eye-Boy looks around at their new surroundings. 'Oh, I'll tell you' Spiral replies, before announcing that she will do so after a word from their sponsor, Headshot TV(tm). An advert appears, with a jingle for Headshot TV(tm) playing, and several images of Rachel, dressed in her old Hound costume, dance across the screen.
Spiral goes over to a control booth, where a young woman called Ginny is busy working. She tells Ginny for the next segment, she wants her to kill the fill light and make the reaction coverage look harsh and ugly. 'Got it!' Ginny replies. As Rachel turns and glares at Spiral, Spiral tells her that she can feel her poking through her thoughts, and calls her “Little Red Riding Hoodlum”. 'Or trying to, anyhow. Having fun in there?' Spiral adds. 'It's pretty loud' Rachel replies, to which Spiral explains that is the standard-issue Headshot TV(tm) psychic shield neural implant. She reports that top streamers get them installed when they sign sponsorship contracts because intellectual property now belongs to the brand. Eye-Boy looks at Spiral – looks through her – and tells his teammates that there is something with the Headshot TV(tm) logo, that he can see it in her head – something other than her brain, he means.
'All right, X-weirdos! Hope you're ready for the big reveal!' Spiral calls out. She asks He-Lix if he is excited. 'I'm excited' Spiral tells him, as He-Lix walks in front of her with a clipboard, nodding his head. As X-Factor return to their seats, Polaris tells Northstar that the cameras, tripods and light stands are all metal. 'You and me could take this whole place down in about three seconds, tops. What do you say?' she asks. 'Pfft' Northstar mutters. 'Is that an “oui”?' Lorna asks him. Rachel looks over at Ginny and asks her if she is a mutant. Ginny sighs as she replies 'Isn't everybody these days?' Rachel tells Ginny that she already knows she is, because she can feel her sloppily rifling through her thoughts. 'Just seemed polite to ask' Rachel adds, before telling Ginny that she can also feel exactly what she is curious about. 'You know you can just join us in Krakoa any time you want, right?' Rachel tells her. 'You mean...I can move to a remote island populated with villains and a couple X-Men who've already tried to kidnap me once before?' Ginny scowls. She snorts and mutters 'Cool utopia, you guys...'.
Prodigy tells the others He-Lix is motioning for them to get back onstage. 'He licks what?' Eye-Boy asks, adding that he hates it here. The dancing Rachel Summers appear on the monitors again, signalling that the advert break is over, and Headshot TV(tm) is about to start up again. Spiral puts two of her hands on Prodigy's shoulders and tells him that she bets he misses his good friend Sofia Mantega. 'Yeah...' David begins, to which Spiral asks him if he would like to see her. 'Yes?' David replies. 'And...cue the ugly lighting...' Ginny remarks into her headset, while David goes wide-eyed, 'Oh God!' he exclaims, and Rachel gasps, as video footage is displayed on a large screen – 'It's Wind Dancer! The victim – it's Sofia!' David exclaims as he looks at the footage of his friend. Spiral tells David that she knows it is hard to see his friend allow herself to get shot on a Mojoverse livestream for the views. 'But you can't look away' she remarks. 'NO!' David screams as he sees footage of Sofia being shot. 'You have to keep watching, because she died for this' Spiral tells him.
'And we wouldn't want X-Factor to miss any clues, of course!' Spiral calls out as she addresses her audience, while “A killing evening with X-Factor” title appears on the screen. Spiral decides that she has a good idea – she should have some viewer questions before she sends X-Factor off to where they will find more answers as to how and why Sofia died. 'That sounds fun, right?' Spiral asks, telling her viewers to send her their X-Factor questions in the chat. 'And if you're enjoying my stream, don't forget to bump the feed. Every feed bump counts, so keep -' Spiral begins, before she is interrupted by Northstar who tells Spiral that they have had enough, and have already appeased this ridiculous circus of misery for far too long. 'Tell us everything or we'll tear this whole place to the ground' Northstar warns Spiral. 'You know we can' Polaris adds.
'You're right. What have I been thinking? Clock's counting down, after all' Spiral replies, while a promo-shot for “Wind Dancer: The Autopsy, coming soon” appears on a monitor behind her. Spiral begins to dance, her arms moving about as she admits that she is being selfish keeping X-Factor all to herself. 'I was going to tell you where Sofia's body is currently being preserved for her autopsy livestream, but since they are all in a hurry, she can help them out. 'Wait, stop!' Prodigy calls out as he and his teammates begin to disappear, teleported away by Spiral, who informs them that she has teleported them to the top stream, and that they will find their answers in the battle pits. 'Good luck!' she tells them, as X-Factor find themselves standing on a large platform that is suspended over a huge audience, all watching them on large screens, as several cameras dart about around X-Factor.
Meantime, on Krakoa, at the Boneyard, the home and headquarters of X-Factor, Jeanne-Marie Beaubier a.k.a. Aurora takes a walk through the tower-like building, examining her surroundings, she tells the Warwolf pup called Amazing Baby, that it seems dumb. 'What do you think?' she asks the pup. Referring to the glowing pink discs that materialize around her, Aurora asks if it is weird to basically have these plant-based psychic “voicemails” spawning all the time. Amazing Baby sniffs the air and starts to climb the large staircase that spirals up within the building. Aurora decides that this system is inefficient, at best, and remarks that she is going to open one. 'Don't tell Jean-Paul' Aurora jokes as she picks up one of the discs. 'I won't' a voice calls out, and Aurora looks up, surprised, as she sees Daken in the kitchen, while Amazing Baby tries to get Daken's attention, rubbing up against his legs. 'Hey, Amazing Baby. What's up, stinky-butt?' Daken asks the pup, while Aurora gasps.
'I thought I was alone' Aurora utters, before asking Daken what he is doing here, and if everyone else is back yet. Daken informs her that they aren't, but he got kicked out of Mojoworld at the border. He then asks her where her brother-in-law, Kyle, is. Aurora smiles as she tellls Daken that Kyle has to work early, so he went to bed. As he continues cooking, Daken asks Aurora why she is looking at him that way. Aurora leans over the kitchen table as Daken takes a seat, putting his plate of food in front of him. 'I don't think I've ever actually seen you with a shirt on' Aurora remarks. 'Listen, the reason I never wear a shirt is because I'm physically perfect' Daken boasts. 'You -' Aurora begins, but Daken asks her to hear him out. 'Listening' Aurora replies, sitting opposite Daken, with Amazing Baby propped up on the table, grinning at Daken. 'You know what Pokemon are?' Daken asks Aurora,who begins to laugh. 'Okay! So you do, then! Laugh all you want, but it's a good comparison' Daken remarks, claiming that he is like a Pokemon with maxed-out stats, born physcially perfect, genetically.
'So, I don't wear a shirt most of the time because I don't have to. Temperature extremes on either end still feel comfortable to me' Daken adds, to which Aurora asks him why he is wearing a shirt now. '... you really wanna know?' Daken asks. 'Maybe' Aurora replies. 'It's soft. Feel' Daken tells her, putting his arm across the table, enabling Aurora to touch his shirt's sleeve. 'Angora' Aurora remarks. 'Wait, I thought your name was Aurora' Daken smiles. 'Ugh' Aurora blushes, to which Daken tells her that she loves his dumb joke. Daken asks Aurora if he has earned enough goodwill to ask her a personal question now. Aurora sighs, 'I suppose so, yes' she replies. Daken asks Aurora what is up with the guy she was in Bellingham to hook up with. Aurora frowns, and Amazing Baby looks up at her, before she speeds away, taking the pup with her. 'Stupid' Daken mutters to himself, hanging his head.
Back on Mojoworld: 'We need to get up to the main ring! That's where the host of this channel is fighting!' Prodigy calls out as he knocks a Mojoworld warrior backwards. 'And then what? Have a nice chat?' Northstar asks as he flies above, carrying two other warriors in his hands. 'Gee, I dunno, team leader! If only we had someone to decide these things!' Polaris mutters as she knocks a warrior back with a pulse of magnetic energy. Northstar then tells Polaris to use the metal sheeting around the ring to clear a path for them. 'There we go!' Polaris calls out as she does as instructed. 'Coming through!' Polaris calls out to the warriors as she uses her powers to lift the metal sheets up and direct them towards the Mojoworld warriors, blocking them from getting to X-Factor. 'Let's go!' Northstar calls out, and the others follow him as they make their escape. 'Let's get out of here!' Rachel remarks. 'The bloodlust I'm picking up from this crowd is making me feel sick' she adds.
The team see the main ring above them, which has “Arize and Shine” advertised on it. Suddenly, there is a loud 'YEAHHHH!' and blood is splattered across the ring. Northstar gasps and looks on in horror. 'You!' hecalls out as he looks down to the crowd below. 'This...this can't be real...' a horrified Polaris utters as X-Factor arrive at Shatterstar's Top Stream Combat Ring Studio-Home. 'SHATTERSTAR!' Polaris shouts at seeing her friend. Drenched in the blood of his opponents, the scantily-clad Shatterstar is only wearing knee-high boots, hot pants, a large belt across his stomach and a vest with a large collar as he carries his two double-bladed swords. 'Huh?' Shatterstar remarks, glancing sideways, he drops his swords onto the arena floor, while the huge crowd look on. 'Y-you're actually here? Is this real?' the wide-eyed, shocked Shatterstar utters, before he cries out 'Lorna!' and rushes towards Polaries, who flies up onto the arena. Shatterstar tells Polaris that it is good to see a friendly face, while Lorna asks him to stop, and tell her what is going on here. Hundreds of small cameras dart about and surround Shatterstar who reveals that he is the top live-streamer in the Mojoverse.
As Prodigy examines the cameras following Shatterstar around, Shatterstar tells Polaris that he is so glad she is here, and that he was worried the message wouldn't make it to her. 'The box of blood on our doorstep' Polaris realizes. Shatterstar explains that communication to worlds outside the Mojoverse can be difficult, and requires creativity. 'Are these...' Prodigy begins, to which Shatterstar turns to the cameras and informs Prodigy that they are harmless, just subscribers who have purchased premium access. 'But they can't get any closer than this' Shatterstar adds. 'They would have torn my apart and devoured me by now if they could' he smiles at Prodigy. Shatterstar climbs under the rope surroundingthe ring and tells X-Factor that this is an unfortunate seque into why he reached out to them. 'I'm assuming you're here to see Sofiar! Are you excited about her autopsy too? I know Mojo is!' Shatterstar remarks.
Polaris follows Shatterstar and asks him why he is talking like this, and what is wrong with him. 'Nothing is wrong! I'm the most popular live-streamer in the Mojoverse, and thanks to Mojo's glorious munificence, I live very well!' Shatterstar replies, asking 'What could be good about that?' as he holds his arms out and the cameras dart around him for close ups. 'What could be wrong with that?' Shatterstar shouts.
Shortly, Polaris and the others follow Shatterstar, with cameras darting about their feet, he tells Polaris that he is sure she has noticed that Mojoverse loves mutants these days – loves them so much. He reveals that Wind Dancer died on her own terms here to feed that love – and “why” is a conversation that she will need to have with her. Shatterstar explains that upon Wind Dancer's death, Mojo was very eager to feed Sofia's remains as compost to the Mojoverse clone-mother, so that Sofia's mutant DNA could be dispersed into the next generation of clones. 'But I said, “Wait! Stop! You can't do that” and at first Mojo thought I was insane and wanted to reprogram my Headshot TV(tm) psychic shield neural net, but then I quickly explained, I told him, “Once her body is done, we won't get a replacement. So what if there was a way to first...” and then his most divine magnificence understood and had a brilliant idea. As is his way' Shatterstar re-tells to Polaris and the others.
The group arrive at some brilliantly colored caves, with rock formations in pinks, oranges, blues and greens surrounding a large entrance way. This is Arize's Arize and Shine Channel Home-Studio. Rachel telepathically reports that Shatterstar is not lying about having a neural net, and that trying to read his mind is like suffocating inside a tornado of noise, just like Spiral's. 'but this...this isn't him' Rachel adds. Shatterstar continues his story, revealing that Mojo said “Oh, yes! Of course! Why deprive viewers of bona fide mutant content just because she's dead? We'll live stream an autopsy – people will love seeing her insides and what makes a mutant really tick”! Rachel looks around at the bodies in tanks that line the walls of the caves and remarks that this place has gotten a lot worse. 'But haven't you heard the good news?' Shatterstar asks, as the group come to a stop in front of the bearded man called Arize.
Shatterstar informs X-Factor that Mojoverse's economy is thriving, and after live-streaming, cloning has become the most robust industry in the Mojoverse. 'You can clone people with their memories intact here?' Polaris asks. 'No, not at all. Because what Arize does is even better! He makes thousands of physical carbon copies. Each one is synthetically born anew – a physically fit mental blank slate to be molded into whatever Mojo needs!' Shatterstar explains. 'That's revolting' Eye-Boy utters. Shatterstar leads X-Factor down another cave, past more tanks full of clone bodies. He reports that Sofia is over here, and that her autopsy livestream should begin in about twenty minutes. 'So you should definitely be finished with what you need to do by then' Shatterstar urges. He then remarks that a great number of citizens here are very eager for the autopsy livestream, and they will be violently disappointed if it is delayed.
Rachel telepathically tells her teammates that she doesn't know why Shatterstar is talking like this, but it sounds like code for “get her and get out”. Shatterstar turns to X-Factor as they stand in front of the tank holding Wind Dancer's body. 'I'll just give you all a moment' Shatterstar tells X-Factor, before he walks away from them and sits down nearby, while Prodigy looks up at Wind Dancer's body, a look of shock on his face. Polaris follows Shatterstar and calls out to him. 'Hello, friend' Shatterstar remarks, looking up at Lorna while the cameras still flock around him. 'You can't speak freely anymore, can you?' Polaris asks. 'Hi' Shatterstar replies in Krakoan. Prodigy sniffs as he suggests that they head out, and he will carry Wind Dancer. 'Absolutely not' Northstar replies, putting a hand on Prodigy's back. But Prodigy tells him that it is okay, that she is his friend, and he should be the one – but an instand later, there is a SWOOSH as Northstar speeds past Wind Dancer's body, collecting her from the tank, and speeding away. '$#%& speedsters' Prodigy mutters, sniffing.
Rachel tells Polaris that they have to go. 'Violent hordes imminent and all that' she points out. Polaris asks Shatterstar to come with them. 'You belong with X-Factor' she tells him. Forlorn, Shatterstar tells Lorna that she is very kind, but that even if he wanted to leave, he can't. Suddenly, he grins and asks 'How can I possibly abandon everything wonderful I have here? I am so happy!' Polaris and Shatterstar hug. 'We'll come back for you' Polaris whispers. 'I promise'. Shatterstar then walks away, followed by the hundreds of cameras, he returns to the battle arena, 'Now... who's ready for more!?' he shouts to his adoring fans while striking a pose in the ring.
Meanwhile, back on Krakoa, at the Green Lagoon bar, Storm, Kwannon, Domino and Mystique are sitting around a table with Gwenpool, as Storm remarks 'And so I slipped away. They never found me!' and everone bursts into laughter. 'I never knew you could be so devious' Kwannon remarks. Storm tells her that she prefers to think of it as “cunning” and remarks that she was only twelve, after all. Suddenly, 'What the hell?' Domino remarks as a glowing light descends on them, and the woman are surrounded by a rainbow of color – and then all of them, except Gwenpool – vanish. 'Where'd they go?' the Blob asks as he leans over the bar. Gwenpool sips her drink and tells him not to worry, that it is just a tie-in. A moment later, 'What just...' Storm asks as the four women return, all carrying large guns. 'I don't know, but as with most things, I blame Charles' Mystique mutters.
