Silver Superman (Marvel)

Early the Next Morning

Ethan stretched as he sat up in his large bed, glancing at the empty space beside him with a wry smile.

"Wonder when I'll bring home a little beauty…" he mused.

"Should've invited Jean back last night to continue discussing Mutants' future. Maybe without the Phoenix Force awakened, she could handle this Silver Superman body…"

Chuckling to himself, Ethan pushed the thought aside.

He hadn't expected last night's conversation to have such an impact—after all, he'd just been making small talk.

What he didn't realize was that those seemingly casual words would one day reshape the fate of Mutants worldwide.

But that was a story for another time.

After a quick shower and breakfast, Ethan carried his coffee up to the rooftop, where he settled into a reclining chair to enjoy the warmth of the morning sun.

Meanwhile—At Gwen Stacy's House

Gwen descended the stairs, her footsteps slower than usual. Her thoughts still swirled with confusion and uncertainty from the strange events of the past few days.

Sitting at the dining table with his newspaper, George Stacy immediately noticed her distracted expression.

"Something wrong, sweetheart?" he asked.

"It's nothing, Dad. I just studied too late last night and didn't sleep well," Gwen replied quickly.

She knew she couldn't tell her father the truth. Even if she did, what could he do to help?

Besides, the fewer people who knew about her situation, the better.

After a quick breakfast, Gwen slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed for the door.

"Mom, Dad—I might be home late today, so don't wait up for me," she called before slipping out the door.

George barely had time to respond before she was gone.

Her mother stepped out of the kitchen with a sigh.

"She's always in such a hurry. Typical teenager."

George chuckled.

"She takes after me. Always on the move."

Outside, Gwen paused on the sidewalk, looking down at her hands.

She had spent the entire previous night testing her strange new abilities.

It's almost like… a spider's powers.

"Was that dream real?" she whispered.

The memory of her dream—the one where she transformed into a monstrous spider—sent a shiver down her spine.

For a girl, gaining superpowers might have seemed exciting… but the thought of becoming a creature like that was far more terrifying.

Taking a deep breath, Gwen hailed a taxi and gave the driver an address she hadn't expected to visit again so soon.

Ethan's Manor

As soon as Gwen stepped within range of the manor's grounds, she felt a faint sense of weakness—not strong, but noticeable.

Is there something wrong with my body? she wondered, shaking off the feeling as she approached the gate.

Hand poised over the doorbell, Gwen hesitated.

It hasn't been that long since I last visited…

Will Mr. Ethan think I'm annoying?

If he finds out what's happening to me… will he kick me out?

Her hand hovered uncertainly over the button as her thoughts raced.

Maybe I should talk to someone else…

Then an idea struck her, and her eyes lit up.

Wait! I can just say it's about a friend!

Yeah—that way, I can get advice without making it awkward!

Feeling a surge of confidence at her clever plan, Gwen pressed the doorbell.

On the Rooftop

Ethan heard the chime and picked up the intercom.

"Hello, who is it?"

"Hi, Ethan—it's Gwen. I wanted to ask you something. Can I come in?"

"Sure, the gate's unlocked. I'm up on the rooftop—come on up."

"Okay!"

Setting down the intercom, Ethan sipped his coffee with a smile.

I wonder what she wants this time…

Not that I mind the company.

Moments Later—On the Rooftop

"Hi~ Good morning!" Gwen greeted cheerfully as she stepped onto the rooftop.

"Morning. Take a seat," Ethan replied, gesturing to the spare lounge chairs beside him.

Gwen settled into one of the chairs, glancing at Ethan's relaxed posture.

"The morning sun feels the best," Ethan remarked.

"Really?" Gwen asked curiously.

"Yeah, just lie back and soak it in. It's good for you."

Following his lead, Gwen stretched out on the chair. The moment the sunlight touched her skin, warmth seemed to seep into her very bones, easing the tension she hadn't realized she was holding.

"Mmm~ So comfortable…" she sighed without thinking.

Ethan's grip on his coffee cup tightened slightly at the sound, though he quickly composed himself.

Her voice is way too sweet…

After a moment, Gwen adjusted her posture and turned her head toward Ethan.

"Ethan, I actually came to ask you something," she began.

"About my books?"

"No, it's… about something else," she said, choosing her words carefully.

"Oh? What kind of question?"

"Well, you see… A friend of mine recently came across something that doesn't belong to her. She's worried it might bring her bad luck, but she can't get rid of it either… What do you think she should do?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"A friend," huh?

He couldn't help but smile. Nine times out of ten, when someone started with that phrase, they were talking about themselves.

Still, he decided to play along.

"Sounds tricky. What kind of thing are we talking about?"

Gwen hesitated.

How do I describe this without sounding crazy?

After a moment's thought, she decided on a half-truth.

"…Superpowers."

Ethan blinked, briefly caught off guard.

Well, that escalated quickly.

"Your 'friend' has superpowers?" he repeated, his tone amused but not mocking.

"Yeah," Gwen replied, biting her lip.

"And she doesn't know what to do. It's like… having this power is exciting, but it's also scary. She's afraid of what might happen if things go wrong."

Ethan tilted his head slightly, studying her face.

There was a nervous energy in her voice—like she was waiting for him to say something that would make everything make sense.

"Hmm…" Ethan set down his coffee and leaned back in his chair, hands folded behind his head.

"Well, I guess it depends on how your 'friend' feels about this power," he said.

"If she sees it as a curse, then yeah—it's going to weigh her down. But if she learns to control it, maybe it could become a gift instead."

Gwen nodded slowly, absorbing his words.

"But," Ethan added, his gaze turning serious, "power isn't something you can ignore. Whether your friend wants it or not, it's part of her now. Trying to pretend it doesn't exist will only make things worse."

Gwen swallowed, her heart beating a little faster.

"So… what should she do?"

Ethan smiled.

"She should stop running from it. Learn to control it. Master it. Once she does that, she won't have to be afraid of it anymore."

Gwen lowered her gaze, her fingers curling slightly against the fabric of the chair.

Stop running… Learn to control it…

Somehow, those words resonated deep inside her.

"Tell your friend… that this power might change her life—but whether it's for better or worse is up to her."

Gwen looked up and met Ethan's eyes.

For a moment, the morning sunlight seemed to frame his face, making his smile seem warmer—steadier.

Her pulse quickened for a different reason this time.

"…Thanks, Ethan. I'll tell her."

"Anytime," Ethan replied, taking another sip of his coffee as the sun climbed higher in the sky.

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