The Beautiful Jean Grey

You waved at a passing Vixen from DC and requested a large mug of Mountain Dew to chase down your margarita. You were drinking it when Ethan got back on stage and started the next (and according to some whispers, final) character up for auction. “This last girl is a fan favorite, she's returned from ashes more than once, her beauty is nearly unmatched! I present Jean Grey from the 616 comics!” Ethan announced.

Out from backstage, walked out a Jean Grey wearing her Green Phoenix outfit; a green, skintight catsuit with a large yellow Phoenix shaped emblem on her chest and yellow elbow length gloves and mid-thigh length boots. You noticed her shy expression as she gazed at the leering crowd, likely hearing their surface thoughts.

Looking at her face, she looked a bit off for a 616 comic Jean Grey; you weren’t sure but you could’ve sworn that she was more of an X-Men Evolution Jean Grey, it was something about how she had her hair and some of the edges of her face. You briefly recalled the “summer” you spent in an X-Men Evolution world and hung around the school with your sister Joy (daughter of Doctor Joy) and a couple of your other siblings.

You say “summer” as due to the time distillation that was set on the universe, you spent more like a few years inside.

You noticed a pressure at the back of your mind as Jean’s eyes widened a little. ‘Is that you?’ You hear in your mind.

You think back to whoever it is, ‘it's considered rude to psychically talk to strangers.’ The Jean Grey was still staring at you as the pressure you felt increased. Just as you were about to think some more, Kyouka pinched you making you instinctively raise your paddle as Ethan started the bidding.

“25!” You shouted as a guy in a disco outfit tried to sneak in a bid. Soon you were in a bidding war with the scaly woman, the hotdog guy, and a guy in a party shirt.

“60!” You exclaimed, waving your paddle around, determined to get Jean to help out Blackfire and eventually others. Plus, she was quite beautiful.

“I have 60! Do I have 61?” Ethan looked around and quickly spotted another bidder.

“70!” The party shirt guy declared. You frowned and decided to jump the bid a bit.

“100!” Immediately several bidders threw their paddles to the ground angrily.

“Oh! 100,000. Do I hear any takers?” Ethan looked around but no one else looked like they were going for it. “100,000 going once.. going twice... Sold to number 9!” Ethan announced as Jean looked at you with a curious look on your face. ‘What’s the plan? How are you going to get me out?’ The psychic said in your head.

‘Not sure what you are talking about’ you think back as Jean was led backstage with a sign with ‘9’ written on it.

“That's all for tonight folks, remember for those who have won a girl, go to the bar to pay Ms. Susan Storm and we'll have your girls right out, please enjoy the drinks and thank you for coming!” Ethan said as he got off stage.

You walk over to the bar to wait for the Susan Storm to arrive and see one of the Scarlet Witches by the bar. “Hey, could I get a drink?” you ask her.

She gave you a red-eyed glare before walking off with a huff. “Zatanna!” She called causing the fishnet wearing and corset wearing (standard stage magician assistant garb) Zatanna to walk over and conjure up a glass.

“Sorry about her, she’s sour about almost everything. What can I get you?” She asked while giving you a flirty smirk.

“Is she always like that?” You asked as you mentally compared the two Wandas.

“Yeah but she’s a favorite for her looks and attitude if you can believe that,” Zatanna shrugged as she used magic to clean glasses and fill some of the other customers’ orders.

“Well, I’ll have a whiskey cocktail,” you asked her with a smile. She nodded and waved her wand while muttering something backwards. A whiskey cocktail appeared in front of you with a little umbrella.

“Huh…I can see why you’re the bartender,” Gwen blinked as she saw the glass appear.

“I’m limited but at least it's something,” Zatanna shrugged. “Congratulations on the three characters by the way.”

“What can you tell me about them?” While you already had some information from Ethan, the characters might have something else to say.

“Hmm, the sisters were brought in during the second season of their anime, I believe. They were very rude to the other girls, which got them the boot,” Zatanna scowled a bit.

“They take character complaints like that seriously?” Kyouka asked incredulously.

“Yup, the Kenway family always treated us characters with respect and treated us well. It’s why these places are so successful, we actually put effort into our jobs as thanks,” Zatanna answered.

“I’m glad,” Gwen nodded in approval. “That they are good at least with that.”

“Jean should be good, all she does is hide whenever she’s on night shift. You have to get her out of her shell.”

“Got it,” you nodded.

‘It's kinda hard to get out of your shell when you can see what the customers think about doing to you,’ the voice said in your head.

‘Jean Grey?’ You thought back, finally figuring out who it was that was talking to you.

‘About time! How are you here and how did you escape the slavers?’ Well, this was going to be a bit awkward for you.

‘I’m a Prime Worlder, I was born here,’ you thought back.

‘Oh…,’ was the response you got. You waited a minute for a response but none came.

“What’s her role here?” You snap back into the conversation as Kyouka spoke up. You saw her blushing and followed her gaze to the absolutely sexy Susan Storm situated at the end of the bar with documents and a safe box in hand.

“Assistant Manager to Mr. Kenway,” Zatanna answered while you walked over to pay for your ladies.

“Okay Mister 9, cash or credit?” Susan asked as she accepted your paddle.

“Credit,” you say, offering your card. She scanned it and after a few seconds it chirped a confirmation.

“Thank you for your business, enjoy.” Susan said before she turned to the hotdog wearing guy who was behind you in line. From a side door came Jean, Tatsumaki, and Fubuki, all carrying go bags and in the case of Jean, wearing more casual clothing.

“Hi, I’m James Gardn–”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t care, you pervert.” Tatsumaki said as she floated by you. “Just take us to your car already.”

“Okay then,” you say before you walk back over to Kyouka and Gwen with the three telepaths and telekinetics. “I think it's time to go ladies.” Zatanna frowned.

“You sure? Once the boss leaves, we are having a smaller auction made up of stuff the other girls made or stuff from the lost and found if you’re interested.” Zatanna offered. You think about it for a few seconds but shake your head.

“Nah, I think I should get home soon, I have a little party to get to,” you say using your usual exit excuse.

“Maybe next time. Have a good night,” Zatanna said. You took out your wallet and took out a large bundle of bills.

“For a lovely lady,” you say, handing the bundle to her surprised hands.

“Thanks…” She says, staring at the bundle as you walk away.

“Really?” Kyouka said as she caught up to you. “That was a lot of money.” You just gave her a smirk as you walked out the door. You led the group over to the limo and tapped the glass, startling the Koopa Troopa driver inside who was asleep. He quickly got out and unlocked the doors.

“So you are a primal?” Jean said after you all had piled inside. You were a bit surprised at being called the nickname characters gave Prime Worlders but shrug it off.

“Yup,” you confirm as the limo drove out of the parking lot and passed a group of tired and slightly injured Koopa Troopas and Toads. They had a shaking crate next to them. “I guess you are from the vacation world Joy, Max, Oliver, and I joined the X-Men. How are you here?” You wonder what happened to her world that she was here.

“What do you mean ‘vacation world’?” You settle in to explain it to Jean and the others.