As the X-Men train in the Danger Room, a very out of
practice Angel messes up and slams into Nightcrawler, stunning him. Wolverine
and Storm rescue Kurt before the Danger Room session shuts down, and Wolverine
applauds the decision to make Storm the new team leader. Professor X and
Kitty Pryde enter the Danger Room and Angel apologizes for his mistake. Nightcrawler
shows back up with lemonade for everyone, startling Kitty. Kurt knows that his
appearance still makes Kitty uncomfortable, and he vows to himself to keep
trying to get through to her, seeing real potential in their friendship.
Colossus also notices Kitty’s apprehension and she admits that the Danger Room
scares her, while Professor X promises that they won’t make her do anything too
serious until she’s ready. After Storm’s suggestion, Kitty then decides on
“Sprite” for her codename, thereby officially joining the team as the newest
X-Man!
Wolverine then asks Xavier if he can head out for a
bit, wanting to head back Canada to try and sort out all of the trouble with
Department H and Alpha Flight. Xavier feels apprehensive about Wolverine going
alone and Nightcrawler agrees to accompany his friend. Xavier then sends Kitty
out with Storm to surprise her with a dance studio, allowing Kitty to be able
to continue her passion for dance, even while living at the mansion. When they
get there, Kitty and Ororo meet the instructor, Stevie Hunter. Kitty is
immediately taken with her, while Ororo remains wary and potentially jealous,
an unusual emotion for her
A day later, in Ottawa, Canada, we find
Heather Hudson, wife of James Hudson, Vindicator, coming home early from work. She
notices that something seems amiss as soon as she gets home, and warily makes
her way in, surprised when she finds Wolverine and Nightcrawler in her kitchen.
Heather is elated to see Logan and he introduces her to Nightcrawler, while
Kurt comments on her use of Wolverine’s name, saying he never knew his name was
Logan. Logan just replies that he never asked. Heather reveals that her husband
was dispatched by Department H to the north of the country to deal with some
apparent trouble out there. We then cut to Vindicator himself, rejoining his
teammates Shaman and Snowbird, as they continue to track some kind of
mysterious creature.
Just then, their sensors go off and Snowbird turns
into a bear to go investigate, while Wolverine and Nightcrawler make their
presence known from another entrance. Snowbird gives Nightcrawler a fright when
she returns, and the two teams call a truce. Shaman fills the two X-Men in on
their situation, tracking a mysterious creature that attacked a family, killing
the father and potentially making off with the mother and daughter while the
son fled. Wolverine recognizes from the footprint they got that they’re
tracking the Wendigo and recounts his first encounter with the creature,
fighting it alongside the Hulk. Wolverine agrees to work with Alpha Flight to
track down Wendigo while Nightcrawler teleports to get their gear. While there,
Nightcrawler takes in the gorgeous sunset, as he is reminded of Jean. He sits
in his thoughts, taking in the view, deeply emotional and hurt over Jean’s
passing all these months later, knowing that the other X-Men feel the same, and
praying that her soul is at peace. Kurt finally pulls himself together before
he hears a strange noise and looks up, finding himself face to face with the
Wendigo! To be continued!