It had been a two days since Jean had first seen Ethan naked in the Danger Room, an image that she hadn't been able to shake from her mind. She had woken up that morning with an odd sense of familiarity, a pull toward something she couldn't explain. Somehow, she knew it was the Phoenix calling to her.
Following that instinct, she had wandered through the halls until she reached the danger room, she hesitated for only a second, and then pushed it open.
There he was—Ethan, standing completely naked.
Her face burned instantly. She tried to look away, but her traitorous gaze flickered over his well-built form before she could stop herself. His muscles were defined, his posture relaxed, and—she swallowed—he's big.
Jean had slammed the door shut and rushed back to her room, feeling utterly embarrassed. She hadn't seen a man naked up close before, and it was embarrassing because every time she saw Ethan, the image of his naked body resurfaced in her mind.
Days passed, and though she tried to put it behind her, her mind would betray her from time to time.
To distract herself, she made new friends. Anna, Kitty, and Anissa became her closest companions. Kitty was energetic and fun, always up for a conversation. Anna was confident and straightforward, someone Jean found easy to talk to. Anissa, on the other hand, was quiet and reserved, but once Jean got to know her, she realized Anissa had a sharp mind and a dry sense of humor that she found intriguing. She also found Anissa is an alien, oh how much the world change in the past eight years.
She also befriended Bobby, John, and Kurt. Bobby was playful and flirtatious but never in an overbearing way. John had an edge to him, but he was loyal to those he considered friends. Kurt was warm and kind, making her feel more at ease in this unfamiliar place.
Yet, no matter how many people she surrounded herself with, there was still one person who kept creeping into her thoughts. Ethan.
She learned more about him over the days. He had arrived at the Institute with Anna, and though he appeared human, his ability to adapt to anything that harmed him made him far from ordinary. He was planning to leave next month, something she found herself thinking about more than she should.
More importantly, she learned that Ethan and Anna had been dating for a few weeks now.
That should have been the end of it. Jean knew she shouldn't be thinking about him the way she was. He had a girlfriend, and she barely knew him. It's just curiosity, she told herself. Nothing more.
But was it really?
---
Jean sat at the lunch table in a corridor with Anissa, Anna, and Kitty beside her, while Bobby, John, and Kurt sat across from them. The conversation was lighthearted, filled with jokes and teasing.
Ethan walked up to them before dropping his tray on the table as he smirked. "Talking about me again, I hope?"
Kitty snorted. "You wish."
Anna smirked. "If we were, I'd be the only one saying good things."
"Oh? What would those 'good things' be?" Ethan leaned toward her before giving her an exaggerated wink.
Jean felt a slight twinge in her chest at the interaction but quickly pushed it aside.
"Don't flatter yourself, tough guy," Anna teased while rolling her eyes.
Ethan chuckled before turning his gaze to Jean. "How are you settling in?"
Jean straightened and caught slightly off guard. "I'm… adjusting. It's different from what I remember."
"Culture shock?" Bobby asked.
"Something like that," Jean admitted. "The technology is a big change. Some of it is pretty cool, though."
"You'll get used to it," Kitty assured her. "Give it time."
Ethan nodded. "That's true. When I first got here, I thought some of the stuff was straight out of science fiction."
Jean tilted her head. "You didn't grow up with this either?"
"Nah," Ethan shook his head. "Where I'm from, things were a lot simpler. Nothing like this."
His answer only deepened Jean's curiosity. The more she learned about him, the more she wanted to know. 'Why does he have this effect on me?'
Kitty suddenly smirked while catching Jean's lingering gaze on Ethan. "Uh-oh," she whispered just loud enough for Jean to hear.
Jean snapped her head toward Kitty. "What?"
"Nothing." Kitty grinned knowingly before turning back to the conversation.
Jean forced herself to focus, determined to brush off whatever she was feeling. He has a girlfriend, she reminded herself. This is just curiosity. That's all. Right?
Soon, the cafeteria buzzed with laughter and chatter as Bobby, John, Kurt, Kitty, Anna, Jean, and Anissa were enjoying their conversation.
They had grown comfortable around each other, and even Anissa, who was usually reserved, had been smiling more.
She was smiling. A lot more than usual.
At first glance, it seemed like a good thing. She was opening up, interacting more with the group, no longer keeping her usual distance. But to Ethan, it felt unnatural.
He had been casually engaging in the discussion, throwing in a few quips here and there, but at some point, he went silent. His gaze had locked onto Anissa, and he found himself studying her closely.
'Something was off.'
At first, he had thought it was just her warming up to the group. Anissa had been distant toward him before, showing subtle resentment. After all, she hadn't been brought to this world by choice. But now? That resentment was gone. Too gone.
Sure, Professor Xavier had altered some of her memories, erasing specific details about him and the watch. But still, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that something about her was... unnatural.
To test the waters, Ethan leaned forward while resting his arms on the table. "So, Anissa, how's the Viltrumite Empire doing these days?" he asked casually. "Keeping their warriors busy?"
Anissa's expression didn't change. "Things are stable," she said while simply shrugging. "The usual."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. That was… a pretty vague answer. He decided to push further, "Really? I would've thought they'd be dealing with more rebellions by now. What with their history of peacekeeping through mass genocide and all."
The entire table went silent.
Kitty nearly choked on her drink. "Dude, what?" she whispered before her eyes widening.
John whistled lowly. "Man, you just love stirring the pot, huh?"
Anna elbowed Ethan. "Ethan, stop trying to piss her off."
They didn't know much about the empire as both him and Anissa didn't talk much about it.
Ethan ignored them. His eyes remained locked on Anissa. But… she didn't react.
Not even a glare. Not a single spark of annoyance.
And that was all the confirmation he needed.
In a blur, Ethan vaulted over the table. Before anyone could react, he grabbed Anissa by the throat and slammed her against the corridor wall.
The impact echoed through the cafeteria.
A collective gasp filled the room as the group shot to their feet, eyes wide with shock.
"Ethan, what the hell!?" Bobby shouted as ice began forming in his palms.
"Let her go!" Kitty yelled with panic in her voice.
John and Kurt exchanged alarmed looks, uncertain whether to intervene.
Anissa struggled in his grip as her hands clawing at his wrist. "What… are you doing?" she gasped.
Ethan's eyes glowed white with blue lightning crackling at the edges. His voice was low and is almost a growl. "You almost had me fooled," he said. "But you forgot two things."
The air around them felt charged, as if a storm was about to break loose.
Ethan tightened his grip. "One, the real Anissa would never let someone insult the Viltrumite Empire without snapping back."
Anissa had always carried herself with a certain pride—especially when it came to her heritage. She was a Viltrumite, and they weren't exactly known for humility or kindness when insulted. Especially Anissa.
Anissa's eyes widened slightly.
"And two," Ethan continued, "she wouldn't sit back and do nothing while I choked her."
The silence was deafening.
Anna rushed forward before grabbing Ethan's arm. "Ethan, stop! This is insane!"
Jean and Kitty tried to pry his grip off, but it was like trying to move a steel beam. He didn't even flinch.
Bobby took a cautious step closer with his ice-coated hands raised. "Dude, I swear to God, if you don't let her go—"
But Ethan didn't move. His focus was entirely on the imposter in front of him.
"Who. The hell. Are you?" Ethan growled. "Where is the real Anissa?"
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, 'Anissa' stopped struggling. A smirk formed on her lips. "...Alright," the figure rasped before struggling for breath. "...You won."
As Ethan loosened his grip, the form in front of him began to shift.
A collective shudder ran through the group as Anissa's form began to morph.
Her skin paled. Her dark hair turned ghostly white before falling off. Within seconds, Anissa was gone—replaced by a thin, pale-skinned blad man.
Kitty gasped before taking a step back. "Oh my God…"
John clenched his fists. "What the hell?"
Bobby was the first to break the stunned silence. "Okay, someone better start talking. Now."
Ethan narrowed his eyes. He knew who this was.
'Morph,'
A mutant with the ability to shapeshift—and worse, copy the powers of whoever he turned into.
Jean looked horrified. "Where the hell is Anissa?" she demanded before stepping forward. She can't even read his mind.
Morph smirked. "Now, now. That would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?"
Ethan didn't hesitate. He slammed him against the wall again. "You better start talking before I burn you alive," he said darkly.
Morph winced but kept his smirk. "What, no good cop routine? Straight to threats?"
Ethan's eyes flashed with energy. "Talk."
The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
By now, the commotion had drawn attention. Heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway as Logan and Hank arrived.
Logan's sharp gaze swept over the scene, taking in Ethan pinning the pale mutant to the wall. "What the hell is goin' on here?"
Ethan didn't even turn. "This bastard was pretending to be Anissa," he said.
Hank's expression darkened. "An imposter?"
"Yeah. And we don't know where the real one is."
Logan swore under his breath. "Dammit."
Hank immediately pulled out his communicator. "We need to alert the Professor. Now."
Ethan gave a sharp nod. "Agreed."
The group quickly mobilized. Professor Xavier and the senior X-Men were called to an emergency meeting in the underground conference room. Ethan personally carried Morph there, keeping a tight grip on him the entire time.
As they walked through the halls, Ethan's mind raced.
He had been careless. Too careless. Ever since coming to this universe, he had been too relaxed.
'I can't die, so I got lazy.'
But the people around him could be hurt.
And now, because of him, Anissa was missing.
He gritted his teeth, feeling a sharp pang of anger at himself. 'Damn it. She wasn't even supposed to be in this universe. It had been his fault that she was here in the first place. That's why, despite knowing her personality—her cruelty—he had been patient with her.' He clenched his fists.
When they arrived at the underground meeting room, the doors slid open, revealing Storm, Scott, Older Jean, and Professor Xavier waiting for them.
Hank wasted no time in explaining the situation.
Professor Xavier's expression darkened as he turned his attention to Morph. His brows furrowed. "...Something is blocking me from entering his mind," the Professor murmured with his voice tinged with concern.
He straightened his posture, looking directly at Morph. His tone was calm but held a quiet authority.
"Now, tell me, young man," he said, eyes piercing, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"