First story :
This story is a reprint of X-Men (1st series) #105.
There are, however, three additional pages.
After their fight with Magneto, the X-Men fly back to New York City on Cyclops’ orders. The team – especially Wolverine – is still angry that Cyclops ordered them to run from Magneto, but Cyclops reminds him that Professor Xavier’s life is in danger.
In space, Lilandra still finds herself chased by her mad brother’s troops, afraid that she cannot withstand more enemy fire.
In Jean’s apartment building, Xavier again experiences what Lilandra does, still believing these images to be nightmares. Jean shakes him out of his reverie, worrying about his seizures. She comforts him, telling him that if this is some sort of attack then they will face it together. She asks him if he still wants to spend the evening with her and her folks. Xavier assures her that he wouldn’t miss it for the world. Telekinetically, Jean transports him up to her fifth floor apartment. Both are unaware that they are being watched by Eric the Red, who swears that Xavier will die soon and, with him, Princess Lilandra’s last hope.
Second story :
Jean Grey is spending the weekend with her roommate, Misty Knight, her partner, Colleen Wing, and Misty’s boyfriend, Danny Rand AKA Iron Fist, at Danny’s beach house.
It’s late at night. Jean sits at the beach, staring into the fire they built, perceiving electrons spinning around atomic nuclei, all the building blocks of life. Ever since she recently became Phoenix, every experience has been brand-new to her.
Nearby, Misty Knight reaches the shore after her swim and sinks down exhausted, already half-asleep. Too tired to shut off her telepathy, Misty’s thoughts are an open book for Jean. As Misty drowsily wonders where Danny and Colleen are, Jean automatically send her images of the two others in the house gathering a midnight snack. Misty starts to dream and Jean watches as, in her friend’s dream, the beach gives way to the city, gloomier and more threatening than it could be in reality, filled with danger and predators. In one of the alleyways stands Colleen in a Japanese-style battle outfit, katana drawn. She tells Misty that this is their world. They are the Daughters of the Dragon. It is up to them to protect the helpless from the sharks.
Energy seems to crackle from Colleen’s hands and Misty suddenly stands clad in a warrior outfit, similar to Colleen’s. She hesitates. She knows that Colleen wants her to be like herself; a born warrior with armor around her heart and soul. But part of her looks the other way. To see Daniel Rand aka Iron Fist in a lovely landscape: His world is as filled with joy and possibilities as Colleen’s seems bereft of them. Misty reaches for Danny with her other arm, half of her armor giving way to a summer dress, yet she cannot abandon Colleen. As she is torn between her two loves and her two worlds, a voice demands what about her? Before Misty, the full-fledged Phoenix effect manifests, as Phoenix asks where she fits in. Misty finds herself crying out "What are you?" "A friend who needs a friend," Jean replies, but Misty wakes with a cry of denial on her lips.
Jean pretends not to have perceived any of this, even though she can probably "hear" of thoughts and feelings Misty isn’t even aware she has. Before, so total a psi-scan was beyond her capabilities. Now, it has become as natural as breathing and she is terribly aware how thin the line between looking and manipulating is.
Jean asks Misty what’s wrong. "You," the other woman replies bluntly and huddles close to the fire opposite Jean. Misty tells Jean that, while they haven’t known each other long, she figures they’ve become good friends, but lately Jean has changed. When Misty visited Jean in the hospital, Jean asked her how she’d feel if she’d died and brought herself back to life. That’s what happened to Jean, hasn’t it? Jean agrees, though she concedes that she doesn’t remember much. She’s no longer the woman she was. She feels like Jean, but there’s always a "but" and that scares her.
Jean’s attention is suddenly diverted. Telepathically, she perceives a cry for help, a family being cruelly attacked at sea. She tries to pinpoint the threat but finds its consciousness too primitive to influence. Instead, she runs for Danny’s boat and telekinetically starts its motor. Misty shouts at her to wait – she can’t go alone. Instead, Jean grabs Misty telekinetically and takes her along. In a matter of minutes, they have reached the right position. Misty wonders why she neither hears nor sees anybody, but Jean does. She tells Misty to stay put and dives into the sea.
Alone, Misty is nervous. She hates the ocean. She hates the waiting. Suddenly, she sees a shark fin and cries out a warning for Jean. There’s no answer. Assuming Jean didn’t hear, Misty dives into the sea to cover for her friend, thinking that Jean seems to have limitations after all. She punches the shark’s nose with her super-strong, bionic arm. Instead of giving up, though, the beast rams into her back. Disoriented, Misty sinks again, floating straight towards the shark. But then, out of nowhere, a dolphin comes, hitting the shark’s side again and again until it loses interest in Misty.
Relieved, Misty climbs aboard the motorboat to find a worried Jean waiting for her. They are joined by the dolphin and Jean tells Misty that she was too far away and too busy to help, so she asked the dolphin to pitch in. Sharks are their enemies and, since Jean and Misty were risking their lives for his family, he wanted to return the favor. Misty finally realizes that this rescue mission was about saving dolphins. Angrily, she asks Jean whether she just almost got killed for a bunch of fish? Jean corrects her. Dolphins are highly intelligent mammals, not fish. Misty’s still not convinced that they are worth a human life. That’s a matter of perspective, Jean replies and then places Misty’s consciousness in rapport with the dolphin allowing her to experience the dolphins’ lives and way of being. With them, she realizes there is a harmony to the world, where everything including the shark has its place. And, Jean concludes, bringing Misty back, everything has its place, including Phoenix. Misty’s still scared of her friend’s power. But she’s stuck with it, Jean explains. That’s why she needs a friend to accept her as she is. After what she’s experienced that evening, Misty cannot refuse her.
