(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
YUI: Abnormal mutant activity in the area? That's news to me.
So, you weren't aware of any of this?
YUI: A bridge goes out, some fish die.
And of course, everyone immediately suspects that mutants are behind it.
I'm surprised you'd jump to the same conclusion.
BEAST: These were not naturally occurring phenomena, Doctor.
With everything we've learned about this area so far,
it's only logical to suspect that...
YUI: Well, I don't know anything about it. I'm sorry.
But what a delightful surprise to hear
that Hisako has been selected to be one of the X-Men.
The Professor asked me about the Academy.
I told him I couldn't really remember very much.
Charles asked?
YUI: Will Professor Xavier be joining you here as well?
CYCLOPS: No, he left the investigation to us.
-I see. -EMMA: What exactly is this Sasaki Academy?
We were never as big as the Xavier Institute
but like it, we took in young mutants and educated them,
gave them a sense of security.
So, you one of us?
No.
STORM: But you went to all this trouble to help mutants?
I guess I've always been a bit of an idealist.
I wanted to provide a safe haven for those whom society had cast out.
But I...
Well, you could say I somewhat overestimated my abilities.
CYCLOPS: So, you shut it down?
YUI: Yes.
Now I use the facility for medical research into mutant physiology.
It's so weird. Why can't I remember any friends I had at the Academy?
I must have had some.
I'm sure you did.
There was one. Yeah, there was a boy a little smaller than me.
Remember him? It's so weird how fuzzy it all is in my head.
But you remember him, right?
I really don't. I had so many children under my care.
It's impossible to remember them all.
(DOOR OPENS)
Excuse me. Doctor, weren't we supposed to be meeting?
Pardon me. Allow me to introduce you to my research team.
This is Koichi Kaga,
Jun Sanada,
and Riko Nirasaki.
And these are the X-Men.
Wow, we've read all about you.
You've even teamed up with Sunfire.
That's everyone?
YUI: Yes, you three start without me.
KOICHI: All right, Doctor.
(DOOR CLOSES)
The weather appears to be clearing.
It might be a good time to go check on the Blackbird.
It was a pleasure meeting you, Doctor.
YUI: You as well.
I'll go too.
STORM: And I'll come to keep you out of trouble.
Scott, why don't you stay here with Emma and Hisako and keep them company?
CYCLOPS: Hang on, if anyone knows the Blackbird it's...
You know what? You guys go ahead.
CYCLOPS: So where's the rest of your facility?
The research lab and everything?
YUI: Most of it is underground.
I remember. The boy was about a year behind me...
YUI: Hisako, you were in a public school, weren't you?
Before you manifested your powers?
Yeah, that's right. I used to come to the Academy after my regular school let out.
Perhaps this boy you remember is someone you knew at your regular school?
I guess so.
EMMA: So you know Professor X then, Doctor?
Is that right?
I hardly know him. We met once perhaps,
but that would have been more than 15 years ago.
EMMA: That long, really?
In any case, it was long enough ago that I hardly remember him.
And now, if you'll excuse me, I really do need to attend this meeting.
I shouldn't be too long. Please, make yourselves at home.
If you need anything in the meantime, you can reach me on the intercom.
(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)
Maybe it's just me, but doesn't she seem kind of strange?
CYCLOPS: Strange how?
My memory is not clear, but I don't know,
she used to be warmer and friendlier.
Well, she didn't seem unfriendly to me.
I mean, not any less than Emma is.
Ha-ha. Still there's something.
-EMMA: Maybe the fact that she's lying. -Huh?
That whole cock-and-bull story
about her having met Professor X only once 15 years ago,
when it's obvious she knows him much better than that.
So, you read her mind, did you?
Nice.
CYCLOPS: Emma, you know it's things like that
that makes humans not want to have mutants around.
EMMA: Please, who said I read her mind?
(CHUCKLES)
Call it female intuition. Right?
CYCLOPS: Aw, give me a break.
EMMA: You don't need to be a telepath to know that she's hiding something.
She called him Charles.
She let it slip out before she could stop herself.
(SCOFFS)
She used his first name. That's your proof she's hiding something?
It was also the way she kept saying "Professor Xavier" after that,
like covering up a mistake.
There's definitely something more going on there than she's admitting.
CYCLOPS: Hmm.
WOLVERINE: What are we waiting for? Let's pull it out of there.
BEAST: Easier said than done.
WOLVERINE: Aw, come on.
Hey, Storm, crank up some sunshine and melt this stuff.
That won't work. Here, take a look.
What do you think this substance is, Hank?
WOLVERINE: It looks like plain old snow and ice to me.
STORM: Yeah, but this snow doesn't melt.
It's not even cold.
BEAST: Hmm, it has a crystalline-like mineralogical structure.
Hmm, diamond snow, huh? Not the weirdest thing we've seen on this trip.
Well, whatever this stuff is, the Blackbird's completely encased in it.
BEAST: I've never seen a substance like this before.
I think I'd better contact the Professor and have him send the backup jet.
CHARLES: Yui Sasaki, she's there?
BEAST: (ON COMPUTER) Yes, I thought you'd want to know, Professor .
It's all very strange. In any event, I'll send you the backup jet at once.
BEAST: Thank you.
(COMPUTER BEEPING)
Hello, Charles.
Yui. I can't begin to tell you what a surprise this is.
Really?
So, your friends showing up here is just a coincidence?
CHARLES: I hear you've shut down the Academy.
Let's stop playing games, shall we? I just want to continue my research in peace.
CHARLES: And how are the X-Men preventing you from doing that?
I don't like you or anyone prying into my affairs.
I'd appreciate you getting your little team out of here as soon as possible.
You know what's been going there.
The spike in mutant manifestations, the U-Men,
this mysterious virus that attacks the mutant genome,
all occurring in your vicinity.
It's nothing to do with me.
I'm not so sure of that. Something strange has been happening.
That area of Japan is telepathically blocked from me every time I try to connect.
I see a young boy. His back is to me and he's crying.
I can never see his face. But I feel you hovering over him.
What connection do you have to this boy?
Are you hiding something?
This boy you're seeing is probably Takeo.
Takeo?
Yes, my son.
Our son.
Our son?
You're telling me we have a son?
Of course. That would explain why I'm drawn to him.
No, Charles.
It's more likely you scanned my mind
at a moment when I happened to be thinking of Takeo.
I told you that area is blocked from me. I can't scan anything there.
You said yourself, you never see the boy's face.
What does that mean to you?
He's gone, Charles.
I don't understand.
What are you saying, Yui? Our son is dead?
Someday I'll tell you everything, Charles.
I promise you.
But for now, please stop meddling in my affairs.
(SIGHS)
(WOLVERINE GRUNTING)
BEAST: Don't waste your time.
We might as well go join the others.
(GROUND RUMBLING)
Avalanche, and it's headed right for us.
Way to go, Wolverine.
Wait a second, you're not gonna blame me for that?
I just gave the thing a little kick.
Yeah, well, don't tell me. Tell it to the giant snowball.
That snowball certainly does have a peculiar look about it.
Enough science, leave this to me.
Huh? Wait!
(GRUNTS)
(YELLS)
Ahhh!
(CHUCKLES)
It's Rat.
And Marsh.
BEAST: Our old friends from the Inner Circle.
Such a charming country, Japan.
Enjoying your stay?
Oh, it's been great.
Ever seen Beast try and use chopsticks?
A happy memory to take with you,
to your grave.
I've got a feeling that the good times are just starting.
(LIGHTNING FIRING)
(BOTH GRUNTING)
(GROANS)
WOLVERINE: Better watch out, my blades are a lot bigger than yours, spotty
(BEAST GRUNTING)
Beast, what did you do, vaporize him?
No such luck.
Looking for me?
(BOTH GASP)
(CHUCKLES) Party's over.
For whom?
(GROUND RUMBLING)
MARSH: For you.
BEAST: You're forgetting you're in the path of that avalanche as well.
Not for long, I'm not.
(SLOSHING)
That's right. I'd forgotten about his shape-shifting abilities.
He's remarkably good at it.
Send him a fan letter. Right now, we got a problem.
Where are you going?
I'd like a little privacy.
Make sure the X-Men don't see you.
YUI: You hear me, Jun?
JUN: Don't worry, I won't.
-EMMA: Hisako, you okay? -Uh...
Your hand, you keep rubbing it.
This little bruise is hurting.
I don't know how I got it, but I've had it a long time.
EMMA: It looks like a burn.
You don't remember ever getting burned?
HISAKO: No, my parents don't know how I got it either.
It's just always been my bruise.
It's been hurting ever since I got here.
Has it ever hurt you like this before?
No, it hasn't.
Strange, maybe it's just a reaction to the cold.
I think I'll go and find Dr. Sasaki
and see if she's got something I can put on it.
Hisako, wait. We'll just call her on the intercom. I don't want you wandering off alone.
Oh, let her go. It's not like she's going to fall into a snow bank.
I guess.
Anyway, I'd rather she went. There's something I need to ask you.
Something personal.
Then ask.
COMPUTER: Systems check complete. Autopilot engaged.
X-Jet is cleared for takeoff.
You want me to let you read my mind?
Yes.
Why would I?
I think I can help you to find some sort of closure.
What do you mean, closure?
Logan told me about how you hesitated
when that mutant attacked you in the U-Men's lab
and how it nearly cost Storm her life.
What was it that made you hesitate?
It was Jean, wasn't it? Losing her the way you lost her.
That's really what it is, isn't it?
Even Hisako noticed. In fact, she was the one who asked me to try and help you.
Yeah, well she and Logan should mind their own business.
They're both worried about you. Is there anything wrong with that?
And frankly, it is their business, Scott,
when it affects the team.
How capable a leader can you be carrying all this baggage around inside of you?
How long before one of them gets hurt because of it?
I just don't think that's what Jean would want.
WOLVERINE: Something stinks about this whole setup, literally.
This Sasaki dame supposedly introduced us to her entire staff, right?
But there's definitely somebody else there. I can smell them.
Plus the way she's acted ever since we showed up,
like she can't wait to get rid of us.
And then there's the fact that her lab is located
at the heart of all these recent disturbances and mutant activity.
But she claims not to know anything about any of it.
STORM: Which all adds up to Dr. Sasaki being someone we should keep an eye on.
BEAST: Precisely why I wanted Scott and Emma to stay behind.
(LOUD WHIRRING)
JEAN: It makes you realize where we stand.
Just how small all our troubles are in the scheme of things.
How incredibly brief our lives are.
We have to try and make the most of every moment
because we're given so few of them.
It has to be done. You have to kill me.
CYCLOPS: You know I could never do that.
Emma Frost? What the hell are you doing to Jean?
I love you.
I always will.
Jean!
(RAINING)
Who are you?
Who do you think I am?
(GASPS)
(CYCLOPS PANTING)
Oh, Scott.
HISAKO: Dr. Sasaki?
EMMA: Feeling better?
CYCLOPS: Maybe. I don't know.
EMMA: That person you saw with Jean just before she died,
I can understand why you thought it was me.
CYCLOPS: In my head, that other me, why did he attack?
EMMA: That was your subconscious.
The part of you that still blames itself for not having been able to save her.
Save her.
I didn't know how to go on without her.
My problem is that I believe what I want to believe.
I had to blame someone.
Myself, I guess.
I don't know who I am without her.
There has to be something I could have said or done to stop it.
The past is the past. All we can do today is focus on the future.
Might-have-beens don't really matter.
Not now.
Anyway, face it. The world didn't stop when Jean died.
And there are plenty of people who still need your help, difficult as that may be.
Xavier's dream needs to persevere. That's what's important.
That's what really matters. Jean knew that.
JEAN: It makes you realize where we stand.
Just how small all our troubles are in the scheme of things.
How incredibly brief our lives are.
We have to try and make the most of every moment
because we're given so few of them.
CYCLOPS: Well, don't tell anyone,
but I'm starting to think you're not half as bad as you seem.
(CHUCKLES)
(HISSING)
(SNARLING)
(YUI SCREAMING)
STORM: The X-Men's suspicions about Dr. Sasaki are proven right
when her own research assistants pose a threat.
Meanwhile, Emma and Dr. Sasaki come face to face with an unexpected enemy of their own.
And Professor X, on his way to join the others in Japan, aboard the X-Jet,
finds himself in trouble when he's forced to take a detour
that definitely wasn't on his flight plan.
Next time on X-Men... "Lost."