Having just left Dr. Strange’s home, Jean Grey finds herself in the subway and very much annoyed, as she is being haunted by her older, deader and more self-righteous self. She doesn’t understand why she won’t tell her where they are going? she complains. Ghost Jean retorts that she doesn’t understand why Jean is wearing headphones. That phone hasn’t worked since she took it swimming with Namor.
Because it makes it seem like she’s not a crazy person talking to herself, Jean points out and notes she realizes Ghost Jean is changing the subject to avoid answering the question. Jean accuses her of getting her “ghost jollies” by messing with her and she is sick of it. She’s not taking another step until she tells her where they are going.
Angrily, Ghost Jean points out she is helping her stop the Phoenix. Or maybe she is just figment of her stressed imagination, Jean retorts. Or some supervillain thinks it’s fun to drive teenagers nuts.
Ghost Jean reminds her Dr. Strange told her she was real. Jean retorts Strange thinks he’s banished her. That guy is the least reliable narrator ever! As far as she can tell, magic is just guessing.
People start to be disturbed by Jean shouting at the air. Ghost Jean tells her is embarrassing herself. Jean blames her for not letting her wear her headphones. Losing her temper, Ghost Jean shouts it doesn’t matter. Her childish ego doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what people think. It matters to her! Jean shouts back. Now she has everyone’s attention. The girl is bonkers! a woman laughs.
The ceiling disappears as the Scarlet Witch floats down. The people begin to dissolve. Better bonkers than boring, she announces. Oh God, Ghost Jean mutters disgusted. What is she doing? Jean shouts. Showing off, Ghost Jean opines. She can’t just explode people into Tetris blocks! She frequently does, Wanda laughs and explains she has just rerouted them to Bleecker Street. A ten minute delay at worst. Ökay, but why? Jean asks. Because she is a textbook narcissist who is addicted to chaos, Ghost Jean opines unkindly.
Unaware of their ghostly companion, Wanda tells Jean she looked like she needed a break from all the attention. Magic folk tend to gossip and Strange told her she seemed a bit overwhelmed by this Phoenix business. Of course she is. She remembers that flaming terror from the first time around. And she knows what it’s like to feel real pressure. To look back and see the fate of the whole world perched upon her shoulder. Young Jean seems interested, while Ghost Jean groans in disgust.
Wanda continues when you are the baddest witch in every room you have to take care of yourself. What would that look like? Jean asks. Let’s find out, Wanda laughs and levitates the two of them out, over Ghost Jean‘s unheard protests.
Later, the two of them are jogging in the Savage Land. Ghost Jean still tries to reach Jean. She’d love to give her a Jurassic Park mental health day but, unlike Crimson Tiara here, they don’t have time for this. Jean refuses to listen.
The two start yoga, as Wanda tells her that the thing about being disturbingly powerful is not that it drives you mad. It’s that it raises expectations so high, you feel like you can’t ever let up. Jean agrees enthusiastically. Ghost Jean points out that in her case “letting up” would mean succumbing to a torturous cycle of death and rebirth.
Jean confides to Wanda it’s like being chained to a tread mill that goes faster and faster. Ghost Jean tries to get her attention. What ?! Jean finally shouts unnerved. Why can’t she stop talking for six frigging minutes? Because she is about to be mauled by a T-Rex! Ghost Jean points out. She’s welcome.
Jean telekinetically moves the T-Rex into the sea and snipes nobody thanked her. Wanda points out what she can do when she lets herself drift away. No biggie, Jean replies proudly.
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil:
A little later, Wanda is fighting some monsters, while Jean is helping people evacuate the area. Ghost Jean asks how this is relaxing. Marvel Girl replies she isn’t fighting, just helping the people. Which is a lot more satisfying than running around preparing for a psycho war with their flaming fate monster! Also, in case she’s forgotten, this is why they wear these yellow Xes in the first place!
Ghost Jean continues she is worried that, if they don’t keep their eyes on the prize, these people will suffer the same fate as… Over there! she suddenly shouts warning Jean of a mud monster attack. Jean erects a TK shield. Ghost Jean points out how good a team they would be if they worked together for real.
That’s the thing, though, young Jean replies. The ghost is pushing and pushing and pushing her! She can only do so much before she loses her mind!
Wanda lands next to her and tells her that this is not true. She has been conditioned to hide her power. Everyone wants her to run from her true potential. She disassembles a mud monster as she continues it is not the power that leads to madness. It’s the stress. She hugs a relieved Jean and tells her to release that power every now and then, and she will be a goddess amongst men. Jean thanks her. Gross! Ghost Jean comments disgusted.
Even grosser is their next destination, the Monster Metropolis beneath Manhattan, where one of the monsters is giving Jean and Wanda a cooking class.
Enough is enough! Ghost Jean shouts when she finally joins them. She has been arguing with Monster Metropolis immigration for 45 minutes, because apparently unregistered spirits have to be processed! Welcome to his world, a ghostly member of the cooking class comments.
Ghost Jean fumes and suddenly takes over Jean’s body. They are done here! She announces. In control, she turns to Wanda and tells her she has a kind heart and she appreciates that. But she’s swallowed as much as she can of her positivity for one day, so she’s gonna go now. O-okay, Wanda stutters as Jean takes off.
Somewhere inside the body, young Jean protests at that treatment and asks where her older self is taking her. Back to work, is the reply, as adult Jean flies them upward.
Finally, they hover outside a penthouse apartment. What are they doing? Young Jean asks. Visiting an old friend, is the reply and she knocks against the window. The owner, one Emma Frost, wonders why little Jean Grey comes rapping at her window in the middle of the night. Nevermore, Jean replies. And here she thought it might be something irritating, Emma remarks as she turns into her diamond form. Calling her “little girl,” she asks what Jean could possibly want. Jean telekinetically breaks the window pane and knocks Emma down then enters the apartment.
The once and future Phoenix, Emma mocks. A master of the fiery temper tantrum. While as a pure psychic, she’s always been a touch underwhelming. Emma turns human again, intending to use her telepathy. Gotcha! Jean announces with a grin. Ghost Jean enters Emma’s body. No! young Jean shouts.
