Weirdworld:
Is this what he thinks this is? Iceman asks fearfully. Yeah, what fun, Magik smirks. Colossus points out she has strange ideas of fun and Cerebra apologizes for having landed them in a bit of trouble. He is too old for this &%$§! Logan mutters. Rhinosaurs? Iceman asks in disbelief, referring to the huge steeds of their attackers. Cerebra reminds him they do call this place Weirdworld.
Magik attacks first, shouting she loves it here, while Logan grumbles he thought the Savage Land was bad.
Iceman asks Cerebra if the mutants they came to save are at least near. She replies she has to recalibrate due to the weirdness and Logan wishes he had brought more beer.
Flashback to X-Haven, five hours earlier (when he had his last beer):
Jean and Storm are looking through an observation window into Nightcrawler’s room. He is crouched in a corner, ignoring Colossus who is trying to talk to him. Forge explains he could reattach his tail but his mind… that’s not exactly his area of expertise. Jean suggests she try to help with her telepathy. Storm is hesitant and suggests they give Piotr a chance to get through to him first.
Piotr asks if they can help him. They are all so worried about him. Only God can help him now, Kurt replies.
Anole, Glob Herman, Ernst and No-Girl join the X-Men outside the room and ask how Nightcrawler is doing. Glob tries to say hello to Jean, who doesn’t notice him. Logan warns him to not even think about it.
Colossus comes out of the room, pronouncing Kurt is lost. At least he is no longer trying to run, Storm points out. Somewhere deep down, he must know he is among friends. Colossus admits he feels useless. Illyana doesn’t need him anymore. He can’t help Kurt… Ororo points out it’s always been his way to be the protector, the big brother. Perhaps it’s time he found someone new to look after. She points him to the students.
Meanwhile, Magik finds Sapna outside, alone with a demon she tamed. She asks why she is all alone out here. The girl admits that, after her powers came out, her parents became frightened of her. They left. Illyana tells her she is sorry but stresses Sapna is not alone. The girl worries. What if they are right and she is evil? Illyana assures her she is not evil but a mutant. And never let anyone tell her those are the same things. Sapna confides she feels that something is wrong with her. Illyana reminds her Sapna saved the day when her own mystical defenses failed. She is a hero. Her parents may not understand now but one day they’ll see she is gifted, not damned.
She asks her about her pet demon, whom Sapna has christened Booger. He just listens to her? Sapna explains the monsters out there all do what she says. Ilyana asks if she wants to go out with her and see Limbo firsthand. Sapna agrees and Illyana teleports them away.
Illyana asks if she’s scared. Sapna admits that she feels really good out there. So Illyana is the master of this realm? Illyana explains that, as long as she has the Soulsword, she rules Limbo. But not the other ones? Sapna asks surprisingly. Illyana asks what she means. The other realms alongside this one, Sapna clarifies. Who rules those? Doesn’t she see the doors? And suddenly Illyana does.
Weirdworld, now:
While she takes out several foes, Magik muses that magic is strong in this place. She wishes she had time to explore. Cerebra gently reminds her they are here on search and rescue. Iceman chides the robot that she is no fun. Colossus suggests a fastball special to Logan. He’s too old for that crap, Logan complains. Colossus urges him and throws him into a foe. Bobby suggests he not break a hip. Soon the rest of their foes are running scared. The others turn to Cerebra and ask for the way.
Flashback:
X-Haven, two hours ago:
Several students, Ernst, No-Girl, Anole an Glob Herman sit (or float in No-Girl’s case) in a living room, moping, wondering what’s the point if they can never got back to Earth.
Colossus enters and strictly informs them he will not tolerate self-pity. They are X-Men! It’s time to start acting like it. Glob complains he says they are X-Men but they never go out on missions. They just take care of refugees and do support work here at school. Colossus asks if they want more action. Very well. Tomorrow they begin their training. Oh five hundred hours, Danger Room. He warns them not to be late. Training for what, Anole asks. Piotr explains that, if they want action, they can help with the search and rescue, but not before they are properly trained.
Standing in the doorway, coffee in hand, Bobby remarks Colossus just made them his project. He wants to speak to Anole.
The two of them head outside. Bobby beats around the bush a while until Anole mentions he heard about the younger Iceman who came to the present and immediately came out. Bobby muses that Hank brought the X-Men to the present, hoping that Cyclops would be reminded of who he used to be. Who’d have thought that the most profound effect would be on him? That something he had always pushed away, would come to the fore. Seeing his young self face the truth head on… made him jealous. And made him realize what if he… Anole bursts out, asking if Bobby is coming out to him right now? Bobby grins and guesses he is. Why him? Anole asks.
Bobby explains, Anole is gay and comfortable with it in a way he has never been. He figures he’s already dealt with the stuff Bobby is grappling with now. Anole recalls finding out he was a mutant was a bigger shock. He always knew he was kinda gay but growing lizard skin… that freaked him out more. Bobby jokes he thought he was the teacher and here is Anole helping him. Anole retorts he heard Colossus. He is an X-Man now. He’s gotta step up his game.
Elsewhere in Limbo, Magik critically stares at one of the glowing doorways and asks Sapna what lies behind. Lots of stuff, she replies. She can almost see it with her eyes closed, like a tree branching off in millions of directions, each branch another realm. Some of them are good, but some are bad. Real bad. Magik decides they need to see Dr. Strange.
That moment, Storm calls them. There is a priority one emergency. Report to the Workshop immediately. The others are called as well. Logan is pissed since he just cracked open a fresh can of beer. This better be good!
Now:
Weirdworld:
The five X-Men make their way through the strange flora. Logan gestures for the others to stop. He senses something wrong. Bobby jokes that the whole place is wrong. He points towards the tree. Logan smells smoke. He races into the forest following the smell. A little later, they find a blaze.
One hour ago:
X-Haven:
Storm explains that Cerebra and Forge were tracing a large group of mutants on the move from Asia. They were heading by air across the Atlantic when they disappeared, Forge continues. They believe they inadvertently stumbled over Weirdworld, that anomaly Cerebra found when she was surveying the movement of the Terrigen cloud. Logan is not enthusiastic at the prospect of Weirdworld.
Storm announces she wants a team to find these mutants, then stresses that Jean is staying behind. She and Storm will enter Nightcrawler’s mind. Forge will link their minds. She will be Jean’s back-up.
Roadtrip! Iceman announces cheerfully and advises Logan to pack extra denture cream and adult diapers.
When all the others are gone, Storm asks Logan to stay behind. She wants to speak to him alone. She asks Forge to leave them. Angrily, he points out there was a time they shared all their secrets. There was a time they did many things, she replies coldly. Times have changed.
He leaves and Logan asks what’s up. Storm explains she and Cerebra weren’t completely honest with the rest of the group. Cerebra was able to identify one of the mutants missing in Weirdworld. It’s someone very dangerous, Storm warns. Someone who allied himself closely with Cyclops when he crossed the lines. What does she need him to do? Logan asks.
Present:
Weirdworld:
Cerebra uses flame retardants and Bobby ice to try and contain the blaze and cut a path through the flames.
Past:
X-Haven:
Storm explains she will not turn any mutant away from X-Haven, but that does not mean she will trust him. She needs to know she can count on Logan. If that mutant crosses the line, she needs to know he’ll take care of him.
Present:
Weirdworld:
They cut their way to find the missing mutants as well as the one who caused the fire… Sunfire.
