It begins with an ending, and perhaps the breaking of a heart. This man's heart, belonging to Professor Charles Xavier. Such a little thing, really. But sometimes, those little things can be the hardest to bear.

The X-Men, both new and old, had spent the night on Krakoa mostly unevenfully. It did not go unnoticed that their fearless leader and Marvel Girl had gone missing during dinner, but generally everyone felt tactful enough not to bring it up that morning. Logan had been less subtle about it, giving Cyclops an elbow nudge and a smirk when he caught Scott staring at Jean while they packed up camp. It had also been a pretty calm flight back home, with a pretty jovial mood filling the admittedly cramped Strato-Jet. Once the X-Men had landed at the Xavier school grounds, though, the mood did turn slightly sour for a few of the teams.

Professor X had called everyone to his study, a massive room just big enough to hold all thirteen X-Men. The massive windows had the curtains drawn, pulling in the afternoon light to make the room feel cozy rather than a disused room in a mansion too big for its occupants. Xavier overlooked his pupils with pride as he began to speak.

"I called you here, my X-Men, because there's something I would like to tell you all," He paused, mentally projecting an image of the island Krakoa into the room, "I am proud of you, my X-Men. Both new and old. Krakoa, the Island that Walks like a Man, is a formidable foe, and all of you handled yourselves brilliantly." The Professor looked to Cyclops as he continued, "Some more unconventionally than I expected, I admit, but still brilliantly." Charles wheeled himself in a circle to look at everyone, then continued, "Now, as to the future…"

Here we go, Scott thought to himself.

"As to the future, Professor," Shiro interrupted, crossing his arms across his chest, "It is a future that does not include Sunfire."

Charles looked hurt as he turned his gaze on Shiro Yamada, "Shiro, I don't understand. I thought you'd agreed to help us."

"Once, Professor." Shiro was as clipped as always, "And once was enough. I did not ask to be attacked by something out of an old Godzilla movie, frankly." Shiro began to move out of the room, pushing past Storm and Colossus without acknowledging them, "My duty is to my country, and to its people. I care nothing for the world that you offer, Xavier. I want none of it, and none of this X-Men."

Xavier looked down in thought, frowning as he nodded, "You are free to do as you wish, Shiro. We will not keep you."

"Then Sunfire bids you farewell!" Sunfire flew out the door and began rambling as he flew away, quickly out of earshot. No one was able to pick up what he said beyond that, though the Professor could still hear his thoughts as Shiro left for Japan the long way.

Wolverine scoffed, "What a dick."

"He's always been like that," Scott said, explaining everything in a few words, "I think his face would break if he smiled."

Professor X turned to his new mutants and looked at them all, "Do any of the rest of you echo the thoughts of Shiro?"

Storm looked deep in thought before speaking, "I say we stay together. It has been only three days at most, and three days are nothing." Storm smiled demurely as she decided for herself, "I am intrigued by the Professor's offer, and I will stay."

"What the hell." Logan shrugged after Storm finished, "I've got no problems. It sure beats waiting to be told to fight more Wendigo or another Hulk. I'm not looking forward to another fight with ol' Jade Jaws."

Colossus simply said nothing, but nodded to Xavier that he would be staying as well.

Thunderbird laughed at the Professor's question derisively, "Do you think I'd turn down the best chance a kid from the rez has for making something out of their life?"

"And you, Banshee?" Professor turned to the gold and green clad older man, who was currently playing with his stereotypically Irish white wooden pipe, "Will you go or stay, Sean?"

"I won't lie to you, Professor," the Irishman answered as he looked at his pipe like it held the answers of the universe, "I like it here, complete truth. I won't lie to myself, though. All of your X-Men are kids, students of yours."

"I'm 21." Scott interrupted, feeling amused at Sean's excuse.

"And I'm 32." Logan added in, playing with his own cigar.

"I'm a barely-literate ex-cop." Banshee continued undeterred.

"Ex-Interpol." Xavier interrupted, equally amused, "And I saw you eyeing the library earlier, sir."

"And like it or not," Sean struggled to keep his laughter from interrupting his train of thought, "There's some grey in this Banshee's golden hair. It's been a grand old time, but it's time I was moving on."

Xavier let out a hearty laugh, "Rubbish, Sean! Your hair is about as grey as mine is, and I'll bet your mind's more keen than mine ever was." A smirk came across his face as he continued, "However, if these young people are simply too much for you…"

Sean Cassidy finally let his mirth show, "Now I didn't say that, now did I? Since when has Sean Cassidy ever turned down a challenge?" He paused, deep in thought for a few moments before shrugging and holding out his hand to the Professor, "All right, Professor. I'm sold. You've got yourself a brand new X-Man."

Xavier shook his hand gratefully, "Excellent, my friend. Now that this has been settled…"

An awkward silence came over the room as Warren Kenneth Worthington the III stepped forward, "Actually… I'm afraid it hasn't been settled, Professor."

"Warren?" Xavier asked, turning to one of his first students, "What do you mean, lad?"

Scott frowned, knowing exactly what was going to happen. He'd hoped that having the campout would have improved relations with the old and new team, preventing any stryfe or trouble. In fact, Scott would have loved to enact the Gold and Blue team format back now if possible. Of course, there just wasn't enough time to convince everyone to stay.

"There just isn't an easy way to say this, sir." Warren sighed heavily, his wings drooping, "The old X-Men. We're out."

Xavier looked like someone had just run over his cat by crashing the Strato-Jet into it, "You're… what?!" He looked to the old guard in shock, "But… why? All of you made the same decision?"

Warren continued his line of thinking, "We were children when you took us in, sir. Scared and unsure as to who we were, what was happening to us. You taught us, and helped us realize our full potential… and you helped us grow up, too." He threw up his hands, "But that's it: we've grown up. We're not kids anymore, Professor. We all have our own lives to live now."

Wolverine looked like he was about to speak, but Cyclops stepped forward instead. He'd pulled his hood back and replaced his visor with the ruby quartz glasses instead.

"Actually… I want to propose something." Scott spoke up, holding up a hand to try and halt what could have been about three different arguments at once, "Professor, Warren's right. We're not kids anymore. But that doesn't necessarily mean we're done here, either." Scott took a deep breath and smiled softly as he felt Jean grab his hand to reassure him, "I think we should make this a real, actual school. We can start small, of course, but those of us who wouldn't mind staying could stay not as X-Men… but as teachers."

Bobby's eyes actually seemed to light up at that suggestion, but Warren crossed his arms and frowned.

"What," the Angel scowled slightly, "Introduce more people to the Professor's Murder Room and shove knowledge into their heads at night?"

"Warren," Charles looked hurt at the accusation, even if it was pretty much dead-on, "I never meant it like that."

Scott stepped toward Warren, "I get where you're coming from. More than anyone else here, I really do." He looked to the other old guard, his friends and family, "But I think we can do something better here. We can bring in mutants who are scared, who are in troubled families, who could very well die out there without us. Train them, teach them to be people first and X-Men second... " he looked to Warren, and then the Professor, "If they want to be them at all."

There was a long pause, and everyone seemed to be mulling over the suggestion. The younger X-Men sat on the sidelines, most of them too young and inexperienced to be teachers, while Logan couldn't help but remember some of the things that Scott had told him about on the plane. Things yet to come.

"Hnn." Wolverine grunted, scratching at his chin, "I wouldn't mind a chance to leave a positive mark on people for once."

"We'd hire actual teachers, right?" Bobby tossed in his two cents, "I mean, we could be there as counselors or trainers, but there's no way I can teach without a college degree. The New York School Board would flay us alive."

Scott nodded to Bobby, "That was my idea. It's not like the Professor can't screen teachers to see who may or may not be qualified in their attitudes to mutants," Cyclops shrugged, "And besides, I think it could be a good way to make the world view mutants as a positive force, as teachers rather than just a self-police force or terrorists."

Xavier seemed deep in thought, both wondering if he was ready to open the school once again and wondering just where his closed-off pupil had come up with these ideas. Not that they were bad ones, but it was almost like Scott was just a more confident person after the first Krakoa incident. Doubts aside, though, Xavier couldn't help but feel proud at the suggestion Scott had made, and a little embarrassed he hadn't thought of it first.

"Since you seem to have thought so much of this out, do you have anyone in mind?"

Scott grimaced slightly, feeling Jean giggle in his head as he spoke up, "More or less…"

The Hellfire Club's main building in New York was an unassuming building, just another old brick building among many, just four blocks away from Avengers Mansion. However, Scott more than knew what awaited him inside. Scott was dressed in his proverbial Sunday best, in the same forest green suit he'd worn in Canada. Warren was to his left, having strapped his wings down as usual and wearing his favorite power suit. Jean was to his right, having chosen a fetching suit with a skirt at the knees.

As the three moved passed the Hellfire Club's door security, Scott walked up to help who greeted the trio. His two friends moved behind him, flanking him while keeping an eye out for security. Scott grinned as casually as he could, coming off as more than a little awkward.

"Hi, there," Scott introduced himself to the staff who greeted the three, "We're here to see Emma Frost, we have an appointment?"