#76 by Jason Bruss & Tobias Christopher
May 2018 Mr. Fantastic
Invisible Woman
Human Torch
The Thing
Dr. Doom
Malice
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"The Wedding Gift"Ellis Island
Two dozen Doombots stood around the Statue of Liberty, carefully positioned to keep their enemies at bay once they arrived. And soon, the Fantastic 4 had arrived, seeing a glowing coming from the statue's torch. "What is that nutbar Doom up to now?" Ben asked, still in his human form. "That ain't Doom," Johnny replied, looking up Reed's high-powered binoculars. "It's Malice!" "Great, Doom's new family has been nothin' but trouble for us since he pulled them from different timelines," Ben said as got ready to transform. "Thing ring, do your thing!" "Dammit, Johnny, that wasn't funny the first hundred times and it ain't funny now!" Ben shouted, finding that he wasn't transforming as quickly. "Usually it happens faster than this." "Explains your dating life," Johnny quipped as the team rushed onto the island, only for the Doombots to quickly target them. "Our top priority is the tourists!" Reed shouted. "On it!" Sue replied as she held one hand toward the crowd, thinking that was seeing Valeria in the crowd. She quickly shook it off and quickly raised an invisible shield to protect them. Ben was still slowly transforming as Johnny flew above him. "Come on, honey, put your shoes on, we're here." "I think I'd prefer bein' dead to listenin' to yer lip," Ben said as he shook his fist at Johnny. On a yacht not too far out, Doom was watching the whole situation unfold. "Yes, Richards, do what you do best. Save the day," Doom smirked under his mask as he sat back. The Baxter Building This Morning Johnny stared over Lyja as they lay in the bed together, gently running his hand over his arm. "She looks so beautiful," Johnny thought to himself. "I can't wait to propose to her." Getting out of bed, Johnny headed to the shower to prepare for the day, passing by Franklin's room, where his bed remained empty. He stopped and closed his eyes, wishing his nephew would finally come home to the family. Instead, his aura was Lord knows where in the multiverse, and his body had been stolen weeks earlier*. (*Now you're up to date on New Warriors -TC) "Don't worry, little buddy, we're bringing you home," Johnny promised as he saw something sticking out Franklin's pillow. It was a roll of photos that Franklin and his friend Josh had taken at a carnival shortly after Josh had come to town. The pictures told Johnny how close the two friends were. "I can't wait until this little bundle of joy finally arrives," Ben said to his pregnant wife Alicia as he made her breakfast. "To think, I'm gonna be a daddy." "You know, Ben, you never asked what we were having," Alicia said. "Pancakes & eggs," Ben said as he finished cooking the meal. "No, I mean, what the baby's sex is," "You mean you know?" "I have for a while," Alicia told him. "We're having a--" "Nononono, don't spoil it, I wanna be surprised when the kid gets here," Ben told her as he kissed her cheek. "Boy or girl, I'm gonna absolutely love him or her." Reed was on his way back to the Baxter Building with H.E.R.B.I.E. in tow, carrying several bags of electronic parts. "This is just about everything," Reed said as focused on his tablet. "We can start building the transportation pad to take us toward Franklin the second we get home." "Toward?" H.E.R.B.I.E. asked. "There are infinite versions of him, just like everyone," Reed reminded the robot. "I can reduce that number by factoring in qualities that are unique to our Franklin, but that'll leave many worlds with Franklins that are similar to this world's. We just need to--" Reed stopped in his tracks upon seeing a familiar face standing on the street corner with a hot dog cart. "Alex Power?" Reed asked in a shocked voice. "Is that you?" "Yeah, it's me," Alex said. He was almost taller than Reed with shaggy blonde hair and bags under his eyes. "Care for a hot dog?" "Not particularly, what are you doing here of all places?" Reed asked. "Gotta do something to pay the rent," Alex told him. "This is one of three jobs I'm holding down currently." "Why aren't you living at home with the rest of your family?" "We... had a falling out," Alex said. "Haven't talked to them in a while. So I've been trying to make ends meet on my own. I haven't even been adventuring in months, there's no time for anything but work and odd five-minute nap to recharge." "If you need a place to stay, you can stay with us," Reed told him. "We have plenty of room, and I could use a good mind like yours to help around the lab. You'd make more working for me as an assistant that all three of your jobs combined." "You'd give me a chance?" "A chance to use your mind for science instead of slinging hot dogs," Reed said as he put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You can move into the Baxter Building this afternoon and stay in Franklin's room for the time being." "Is Franklin okay with that?" Reed just sighed as he stared down at the ground. Having to talk about his lost son was difficult for him to do. But if things went well, Franklin would be home within a day. "He'll come home," Yoshi said as she saw Sue on Franklin's bed, staring at his picture just like she did every day. "He's going to be one of the most powerful people in the universe. He'll find his way back." "I just can't stand the thought of my baby being out there all alone," Sue told her. "His birthday is next month. My baby is going to be seventeen. He's growing up so fast, Yoshi. It feels like he was my little boy for fifty years, then one day he was all grown up and ready to be on his own." "He'll always need his mother," Yoshi assured her. "Even if he doesn't need a nanny anymore." An alarm on Sue's watch started going off as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "A distress call. I have to meet the others at the Fantasticar. I wonder who's causing trouble this time?" Now As Sue protected the tourists, helping them get to the boat for an escape, Reed and Ben were taking on the Doombots. Ben had finally made the full transformation into his rocky form, although it had taken several minutes to do so. "Reed, we gotta talk about my transormations," Ben said as he slammed two Doombots into each other. "It took forever for me to do it just now." "We'll run some tests once we get back to the lab," Reed told him, stretching himself around three Doombots, tightening his grip to crush them. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." Malice was gathering her energy as she stood inside of the Statue of Liberty's torch. "Another few moments and I'll have the power to remold the Statue of Liberty into my own image! The perfect wedding gift from my beloved husband!" "Wow, Doom went all out for this, huh? Me? I'd have just bought you a toaster!" the Human Torch shouted as he tossed a fireball at Malice to knock her off balance. "Fool! You think you have the power to stop me!?" Malice shouted. "Gee, let me think," Johnny said. "Yeah, I kinda do." "You've been a thorn in the side of the Doom's for far too long!" Malice shouted as she blasted Johnny with all of her power. Johnny screamed in pain as he fell into the water, hitting it hard. "Johnny!" Sue shouted as she watched her brother fall into the ocean. With the other three trying to put the Doombots out of commission, no one was able to reach Johnny so far out in the water... The Baxter Building Yoshi was flipping through old photo albums as Alex was bringing what few belongings he had in. A backpack, a few books, and a picture of him and his siblings. "Is that all you have?" Yoshi asked from the couch. "I kind of had to... sell most of my stuff for quick cash," Alex told her. "I've sold everything but the shirt on my back, and I was probably going to have to sell that to help with next month's rent." "You and Franklin are about the same size now, you can wear something of his until you get some new clothes," Yoshi told him. "I'll make you something to eat when you're done getting settled." Yoshi looked down at the photo album, seeing that old pictures of Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben were slowly fading away. Latveria "DOWN WITH DOOM! DOWN WITH DOOM!" the chants became louder and louder as Latveria's loyal citizens found themselves being turned on those who were tired of Doom's iron fist controlling their nation. As Vincent Von Doom stared out of the castle window, seeing the beginnings of a Civil War beginning to unfold, only one thought crossed his mind. The thought of turning this to his advantage and becoming the new ruler of Latveria. TO BE CONTINUED... |