Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Interview With The Universe
Sue Storm says, "Greetings, great Eternity. If you are the true owner of the stones, if they ARE you, what is the drawback if we merely turn them over to you, for safekeeping?
"And, while we are at it, what is the drawback, cost, or curse, if we use them to cure Galactus of his eternal hunger, allow the Silver Surfer to return to outer space and find his long lost true love, allow Ben Grimm to return to his human form at will, cure Alicia Masters of blindness, and free the evil Reed Richards from a parallel dimension from the utopian existence trapped inside this soul gem?
"Also, our Landlord in the Baxter Building, Mr. Collins, has been really grouchy lately, so he might have some personal problems we can fix, and Willy Lumpkins our mailman has a bad back, and I think one of our neighbors is a Skrull in disguise. And then there is the Wingless Wizard, the Mad Thinker, and Dr. Curtis Conners who all have things wrong with them, either mentally or physically..."
Her voice trails off. Sue Storm is beginning to see the problem that Reed often mentioned, about absolute power, even used for a good purpose, getting out of control.
"... Anyway, I was just curious, if you are the universe, why there is so much pain and turmoil inflicted on the innocent."
THERE IS FREE WILL, Eternity advises. AND MATTER IS OFTEN INCONVENIENT TO THE MINDS WHICH INHABIT IT.
IF YOU TURN THE STONES OVER TO ME, IT MAY WELL BE THAT I WILL HAVE MORE AWARENESS THAN I PRESENTLY DO. AS YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THE SUFFERING THE UNIVERSE CONTAINS, YOU MAY NOT WISH TO GIVE ME MORE SELF-CONTROL, MORE SELF-AWARENESS. THE CHOICE IS YOURS.
UNLIKE THE WATCHER, I DO NOT INTERFERE. HOWEVER, THE WATCHER IS PERFECTLY ABLE TO DO THE THINGS YOU ASK, ALL BUT THE FIRST AND THE LAST. HE CANNOT CURE GALACTUS OF HIS ETERNAL HUNGER, AND HE CANNOT CURE THE PAIN AND TURMOIL SUFFERED BY THE INNOCENT.
Uatu the Watcher takes a step back.
"But I am pledged not to interfere ... in cases of extreme emergency, I have occasionally lapsed ..."
TO A MAN WHO BECOMES A MONSTER, WHAT IS A MORE EXTREME EMERGENCY? PERHAPS YOU HAVE WATCHED TOO MUCH, AT THE COST OF UNDERSTANDING.
"Perhaps ... I have," agrees the Watcher.
He extends his right hand in a benedictory gesture, and ten complex snowflakes of cosmic energy form in his palm. With a wave, he releases them, nine to flash to various corners of the Earth, one to shoot straight up toward the Sun, making a last-minute swerve to go around it.
"Are you now prepared to render the stones to Eternity?" the Watcher inquires.
"NAY!" shouts Thor, suddenly. "For 'tis foretold that in the End of Days, Garm the monster shall swallow the Moon, and only the power of the Tesseract shall save the last man and woman from death! Surely thou canst not wish to condemn all mankind to the doom which awaiteth the Gods themselves! The Blue Space Stone men call the Blue Space Stone, but which the gods call the Tesseract, must abide until that day, safe where we can reach it in extremity, not given o'er to the vagaries of Fate!"
"Give me now the Space Stone, Man of Ant. For the sake of that race which bore you, and which shall surely perish without!"
Well, Okay, Vision Can Live
THE VISION HAS SUFFICIENT CONTROL OF HIS MIND TO AVOID SUMMONING ME BY ACCIDENT. HIS RETENTION OF THE MIND STONE IS ACCEPTABLE.
"Cool," says Starlord. 'But do we each get one last wish?"
IF YOU LIKE.
"Cool," says Starlord. 'But do we each get one last wish?"
IF YOU LIKE.
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Encounter In Eternity, revised
Ant Man says,
"Hey, Vizh, can you ask Eternity his advice on this one? 'cus I don't trust the fear being. But if he can do as he said then we can save all those that were lost."
The Vision says:
"Why, certainly, Ant-Man. Eternity says ..."
WHOOSH!
The starry universe above, below, and to either side, to the limits of visibility, OPENS ITS EYE.
And an intelligent face, half-lit by some unseen blue emanation, turns its gaze upon the mortals and cosmics gathered in upstate New York.
"Aaah ...." mutters the Dweller in Darkness. "Not very dark."
"Indeed," intone the three faces of the Living Tribunal. "Not very just, either."
"Between Chaos and Order stands what actually IS," says the In-Betweener with satisfaction. "Eternity."
"Exactly!" say the Dweller and the Tribunal in chorus. "Not perfect enough."
"But perfect enough for a billion billion dreams, a trillion trillion destinies," intones the Watcher. "For here is ETERNITY, sum sovereign of the Cosmic All, whose mind and soul none can fathom, no, not even given all Eternity in which to contemplate, nor all Reality to inspect at leisure. Behold, the sentient sapience of the Cosmos!"
"Oh, sure," says Star-Lord. "HIM, you introduce. But the rest of us .. hey, I'm the Love Lord over here! And she's the Will Storm, and the Soul Storm, and over here the Mind ... Guy; how about US?"
INDEED, STAR-LORD, YOU SIX AND YOUR COMPANIONS HOLD GREAT POWER, rings the voice of Eternity in everyone's being. It is not so much coming from the blue figure in the sky as it is coming from EVERYWHERE, including from within.
"Unjust power!" exclaims the Living Tribunal.
"Restricted power," objects the Dweller in Darkness.
THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, Eternity says. THEY ARE AS UNJUST OR AS RESTRICTED AS THEY CHOOSE TO BE.
"Eternity!" says the Watcher. "Why have you appeared to us, immanent, in this time and space? Is this a turning point of cosmic destiny?"
DESTINY IS ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE COSMOS, UATU THE WATCHER. AND THE FUTURE RETAINS THE CAPACITY TO SURPRISE. I HAVE COME BECAUSE I WAS CALLED, VIA AN ETERNITY STONE. THROUGH THAT LENS, I CAN BE GLIMPSED. IT IS NOT THE NATURE OF REALITY TO HIDE.
WHENEVER YOU USE THE STONES, YOU ARE FOCUSING MY ATTENTION ON THAT WHICH YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH. THERE ARE WEIGHTY MATTERS WHICH CONCERN ME, AND THOUGH I AM COEXTENSIVE WITH THE COSMOS, I AM NOT INFINITE IN SCOPE. IF YOU CONTINUE TO USE THEM, THE UNIVERSE WHICH I AM WILL SOON OVERLOOK A VITAL DUTY, AND ALL THAT IS WILL FALL.
NOW, THEREFORE, I ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU THOUGHT TO BARTER THE STONES FOR. THE KREE WHO WERE SLAIN WERE HELD SUSPENDED BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, BETWEEN ETERNITY AND WHAT LIES BEYOND. THUS I CAN RESTORE THEM.
"But that is my purview, my domain!" says the Dweller in Darkness.
RETURN THEM, THEN, BEFORE YOU MAKE IT CLEAR THE UNIVERSE CAN DO WITHOUT THE DARKNESS.
The navy-blue cutout eyes widen, and like tendrils of retreating fog, the darkness parts, revealing several thousand Kree superheroes, looking puzzled at the strange sky of Earth.
"Wait ... what are we supposed to do?" Star-Lord demands.
I DEMAND NOTHING. YOUR FREE CHOICE IS YOURS ALONE. IT IS THE FREE THOUGHT OF MYRIAD MINDS, PAST AND PRESENT, WHICH MAKES UP WHAT I AM. I CANNOT DENY YOU YOUR INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS.
"But if we guess wrong, the universe is gonna die!"
"Hey, Vizh, can you ask Eternity his advice on this one? 'cus I don't trust the fear being. But if he can do as he said then we can save all those that were lost."
The Vision says:
"Why, certainly, Ant-Man. Eternity says ..."
WHOOSH!
And an intelligent face, half-lit by some unseen blue emanation, turns its gaze upon the mortals and cosmics gathered in upstate New York.
"Aaah ...." mutters the Dweller in Darkness. "Not very dark."
"Indeed," intone the three faces of the Living Tribunal. "Not very just, either."
"Between Chaos and Order stands what actually IS," says the In-Betweener with satisfaction. "Eternity."
"Exactly!" say the Dweller and the Tribunal in chorus. "Not perfect enough."
"But perfect enough for a billion billion dreams, a trillion trillion destinies," intones the Watcher. "For here is ETERNITY, sum sovereign of the Cosmic All, whose mind and soul none can fathom, no, not even given all Eternity in which to contemplate, nor all Reality to inspect at leisure. Behold, the sentient sapience of the Cosmos!"
"Oh, sure," says Star-Lord. "HIM, you introduce. But the rest of us .. hey, I'm the Love Lord over here! And she's the Will Storm, and the Soul Storm, and over here the Mind ... Guy; how about US?"
INDEED, STAR-LORD, YOU SIX AND YOUR COMPANIONS HOLD GREAT POWER, rings the voice of Eternity in everyone's being. It is not so much coming from the blue figure in the sky as it is coming from EVERYWHERE, including from within.
"Unjust power!" exclaims the Living Tribunal.
"Restricted power," objects the Dweller in Darkness.
THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, Eternity says. THEY ARE AS UNJUST OR AS RESTRICTED AS THEY CHOOSE TO BE.
"Eternity!" says the Watcher. "Why have you appeared to us, immanent, in this time and space? Is this a turning point of cosmic destiny?"
DESTINY IS ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE COSMOS, UATU THE WATCHER. AND THE FUTURE RETAINS THE CAPACITY TO SURPRISE. I HAVE COME BECAUSE I WAS CALLED, VIA AN ETERNITY STONE. THROUGH THAT LENS, I CAN BE GLIMPSED. IT IS NOT THE NATURE OF REALITY TO HIDE.
WHENEVER YOU USE THE STONES, YOU ARE FOCUSING MY ATTENTION ON THAT WHICH YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH. THERE ARE WEIGHTY MATTERS WHICH CONCERN ME, AND THOUGH I AM COEXTENSIVE WITH THE COSMOS, I AM NOT INFINITE IN SCOPE. IF YOU CONTINUE TO USE THEM, THE UNIVERSE WHICH I AM WILL SOON OVERLOOK A VITAL DUTY, AND ALL THAT IS WILL FALL.
NOW, THEREFORE, I ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU THOUGHT TO BARTER THE STONES FOR. THE KREE WHO WERE SLAIN WERE HELD SUSPENDED BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, BETWEEN ETERNITY AND WHAT LIES BEYOND. THUS I CAN RESTORE THEM.
"But that is my purview, my domain!" says the Dweller in Darkness.
RETURN THEM, THEN, BEFORE YOU MAKE IT CLEAR THE UNIVERSE CAN DO WITHOUT THE DARKNESS.
The navy-blue cutout eyes widen, and like tendrils of retreating fog, the darkness parts, revealing several thousand Kree superheroes, looking puzzled at the strange sky of Earth.
"Wait ... what are we supposed to do?" Star-Lord demands.
I DEMAND NOTHING. YOUR FREE CHOICE IS YOURS ALONE. IT IS THE FREE THOUGHT OF MYRIAD MINDS, PAST AND PRESENT, WHICH MAKES UP WHAT I AM. I CANNOT DENY YOU YOUR INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS.
"But if we guess wrong, the universe is gonna die!"
YES.
Encounter In Eternity
Ant Man says,
"Hey, Vizh, can you ask Eternity his advice on this one? 'cus I don't trust the fear being. But if he can do as he said then we can save all those that were lost."
The Vision says:
"Why, certainly, Ant-Man. Eternity says ..."
WHOOSH!
The starry universe above, below, and to either side, to the limits of visibility, OPENS ITS EYE.
And an intelligent face, half-lit by some unseen blue emanation, turns its gaze upon the mortals and cosmics gathered in upstate New York.
"Aaah ...." mutters the Dweller in Darkness. "Not very dark."
"Indeed," intone the three faces of the Living Tribunal. "Not very just, either."
"Between Chaos and Order stands what actually IS," says the In-Betweener with satisfaction. "Eternity."
"Exactly!" say the Dweller and the Tribunal in chorus. "Not perfect enough."
"But perfect enough for a billion billion dreams, a trillion trillion destinies," intones the Watcher. "For here is ETERNITY, sum sovereign of the Cosmic All, whose mind and soul none can fathom, no, not even given all Eternity in which to contemplate, nor all Reality to inspect at leisure. Behold, the sentient sapience of the Cosmos!"
"Oh, sure," says Star-Lord. "HIM, you introduce. But the rest of us .. hey, I'm the Love Lord over here! And she's the Will Storm, and the Soul Storm, and over here the Mind ... Guy; how about US?"
INDEED, STAR-LORD, YOU SIX AND YOUR COMPANIONS HOLD GREAT POWER, rings the voice of Eternity in everyone's being. It is not so much coming from the blue figure in the sky as it is coming from EVERYWHERE, including from within.
"Unjust power!" exclaims the Living Tribunal.
"Restricted power," objects the Dweller in Darkness.
THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, Eternity says. THEY ARE AS UNJUST OR AS RESTRICTED AS THEY CHOOSE TO BE.
"Eternity!" says the Watcher. "Why have you appeared to us, immanent, in this time and space? Is this a turning point of cosmic destiny?"
DESTINY IS ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE COSMOS, UATU THE WATCHER. AND THE FUTURE RETAINS THE CAPACITY TO SURPRISE. I HAVE COME BECAUSE I WAS CALLED, VIA AN ETERNITY STONE. THROUGH THAT LENS, I CAN BE GLIMPSED. IT IS NOT THE NATURE OF REALITY TO HIDE.
WHENEVER YOU USE THE STONES, YOU ARE FOCUSING MY ATTENTION ON THAT WHICH YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH. THERE ARE WEIGHTY MATTERS WHICH CONCERN ME, AND THOUGH I AM COEXTENSIVE WITH THE COSMOS, I AM NOT INFINITE IN SCOPE. IF YOU CONTINUE TO USE THEM, THE UNIVERSE WHICH I AM WILL SOON OVERLOOK A VITAL DUTY, AND ALL THAT IS WILL FALL.
NOW, THEREFORE, I ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU THOUGHT TO BARTER THE STONES FOR. THE KREE WHO WERE SLAIN WERE HELD SUSPENDED BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, BETWEEN ETERNITY AND WHAT LIES BEYOND. THUS I CAN RESTORE THEM.
"But that is my purview, my domain!" says the Dweller in Darkness.
RETURN THEM, THEN, BEFORE YOU MAKE IT CLEAR THE UNIVERSE CAN DO WITHOUT THE DARKNESS.
The navy-blue cutout eyes widen, and like tendrils of retreating fog, the darkness parts, revealing several thousand Kree superheroes, looking puzzled at the strange sky of Earth.
"Wait ... what are we supposed to do?" Star-Lord demands.
I DEMAND NOTHING. YOUR FREE CHOICE IS YOURS ALONE. IT IS THE FREE THOUGHT OF MYRIAD MINDS, PAST AND PRESENT, WHICH MAKES UP WHAT I AM. I CANNOT DENY YOU YOUR INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS.
"But if we guess wrong, the universe is gonna die!"
YES.
"Hey, Vizh, can you ask Eternity his advice on this one? 'cus I don't trust the fear being. But if he can do as he said then we can save all those that were lost."
The Vision says:
"Why, certainly, Ant-Man. Eternity says ..."
WHOOSH!
And an intelligent face, half-lit by some unseen blue emanation, turns its gaze upon the mortals and cosmics gathered in upstate New York.
"Aaah ...." mutters the Dweller in Darkness. "Not very dark."
"Indeed," intone the three faces of the Living Tribunal. "Not very just, either."
"Between Chaos and Order stands what actually IS," says the In-Betweener with satisfaction. "Eternity."
"Exactly!" say the Dweller and the Tribunal in chorus. "Not perfect enough."
"But perfect enough for a billion billion dreams, a trillion trillion destinies," intones the Watcher. "For here is ETERNITY, sum sovereign of the Cosmic All, whose mind and soul none can fathom, no, not even given all Eternity in which to contemplate, nor all Reality to inspect at leisure. Behold, the sentient sapience of the Cosmos!"
"Oh, sure," says Star-Lord. "HIM, you introduce. But the rest of us .. hey, I'm the Love Lord over here! And she's the Will Storm, and the Soul Storm, and over here the Mind ... Guy; how about US?"
INDEED, STAR-LORD, YOU SIX AND YOUR COMPANIONS HOLD GREAT POWER, rings the voice of Eternity in everyone's being. It is not so much coming from the blue figure in the sky as it is coming from EVERYWHERE, including from within.
"Unjust power!" exclaims the Living Tribunal.
"Restricted power," objects the Dweller in Darkness.
THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, Eternity says. THEY ARE AS UNJUST OR AS RESTRICTED AS THEY CHOOSE TO BE.
"Eternity!" says the Watcher. "Why have you appeared to us, immanent, in this time and space? Is this a turning point of cosmic destiny?"
DESTINY IS ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE COSMOS, UATU THE WATCHER. AND THE FUTURE RETAINS THE CAPACITY TO SURPRISE. I HAVE COME BECAUSE I WAS CALLED, VIA AN ETERNITY STONE. THROUGH THAT LENS, I CAN BE GLIMPSED. IT IS NOT THE NATURE OF REALITY TO HIDE.
WHENEVER YOU USE THE STONES, YOU ARE FOCUSING MY ATTENTION ON THAT WHICH YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH. THERE ARE WEIGHTY MATTERS WHICH CONCERN ME, AND THOUGH I AM COEXTENSIVE WITH THE COSMOS, I AM NOT INFINITE IN SCOPE. IF YOU CONTINUE TO USE THEM, THE UNIVERSE WHICH I AM WILL SOON OVERLOOK A VITAL DUTY, AND ALL THAT IS WILL FALL.
NOW, THEREFORE, I ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU THOUGHT TO BARTER THE STONES FOR. THE KREE WHO WERE SLAIN WERE HELD SUSPENDED BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, BETWEEN ETERNITY AND WHAT LIES BEYOND. THUS I CAN RESTORE THEM.
"But that is my purview, my domain!" says the Dweller in Darkness.
RETURN THEM, THEN, BEFORE YOU MAKE IT CLEAR THE UNIVERSE CAN DO WITHOUT THE DARKNESS.
The navy-blue cutout eyes widen, and like tendrils of retreating fog, the darkness parts, revealing several thousand Kree superheroes, looking puzzled at the strange sky of Earth.
"Wait ... what are we supposed to do?" Star-Lord demands.
I DEMAND NOTHING. YOUR FREE CHOICE IS YOURS ALONE. IT IS THE FREE THOUGHT OF MYRIAD MINDS, PAST AND PRESENT, WHICH MAKES UP WHAT I AM. I CANNOT DENY YOU YOUR INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS.
"But if we guess wrong, the universe is gonna die!"
YES.
Thursday, December 15, 2016
To Treat With the Darkness! To Thwart DEATH ITSELF!
Wanda says to Captain Purple Eyes:
"I could help you with that..."
She thinks over the mind stone. "Against such, there is no law."Sue Storm says, "I suggest we be very careful before making any attacks, or making any decisions, regarding these stones. They are absurdly dangerous, and apparently even stray, random, idle thoughts are immediately turned into actions."
Storm is trying to practice not willing things by mistake. That takes a lot of concentration...which is good, because otherwise, she would be laughing at the In BETWEENER...which might not be good for her long term health and well-being.
Storm says, "Is there an attack we could make that is not murder? Such as to use the stones to return the creature to the Darkness...and trap it there, so it can't come out again?
Ant Man:
"Hay I have an idea. How about I make a pocket dimension that we'll put the Gems in, and you'all go somewhere else and fight over who gets them. that a good idea?"
"Also, can you help us save the people lost when Dark Phoenix attacked the Cree home world?"
Spidey comments thus "That's a pretty good idea Ant Man. We Should put them in a pocket dimension. Not give them to anyone, just put them in a pocket dimension. That way if we really need them (which we will) we can find a way to get them. All though, we should do more then that. For example, in that we should put each Infinity Gems in a separate pocket dimension. And, in each one of those pocket dimensions, we should have each one of the by a different Gem! That way you can only get an Infinity Gem if you have an Infinity Gem, which is impossible. And, we should put each one of these Infinity guarded Infinity Gems in a completely different trap filled fortress, each with a different theme! AND, after all that, we should erase our memory of exactly what we did. So that way, we know that we hid the Gems in a pocket dimension, but not how to get the Gems."
Spidey said "So, way do we need to to attack the Dweller in Darkness?"
The dweller replies,
"You cannot attack the darkness. It is futility itself. And impolite, as I have not attacked you."
"The Kree who came back from death to serve Thanos, though .... they are with me now. I can give them back to you."
"One Gem. One Gem is all I require ..." purrs the hissing shadow with the navy-blue eyes. "And the thousands of Kree will live again."
"I could help you with that..."
She thinks over the mind stone. "Against such, there is no law."Sue Storm says, "I suggest we be very careful before making any attacks, or making any decisions, regarding these stones. They are absurdly dangerous, and apparently even stray, random, idle thoughts are immediately turned into actions."
Storm is trying to practice not willing things by mistake. That takes a lot of concentration...which is good, because otherwise, she would be laughing at the In BETWEENER...which might not be good for her long term health and well-being.
Storm says, "Is there an attack we could make that is not murder? Such as to use the stones to return the creature to the Darkness...and trap it there, so it can't come out again?
Ant Man:
"Hay I have an idea. How about I make a pocket dimension that we'll put the Gems in, and you'all go somewhere else and fight over who gets them. that a good idea?"
"Also, can you help us save the people lost when Dark Phoenix attacked the Cree home world?"
Spidey comments thus "That's a pretty good idea Ant Man. We Should put them in a pocket dimension. Not give them to anyone, just put them in a pocket dimension. That way if we really need them (which we will) we can find a way to get them. All though, we should do more then that. For example, in that we should put each Infinity Gems in a separate pocket dimension. And, in each one of those pocket dimensions, we should have each one of the by a different Gem! That way you can only get an Infinity Gem if you have an Infinity Gem, which is impossible. And, we should put each one of these Infinity guarded Infinity Gems in a completely different trap filled fortress, each with a different theme! AND, after all that, we should erase our memory of exactly what we did. So that way, we know that we hid the Gems in a pocket dimension, but not how to get the Gems."
Spidey said "So, way do we need to to attack the Dweller in Darkness?"
The dweller replies,
"You cannot attack the darkness. It is futility itself. And impolite, as I have not attacked you."
"The Kree who came back from death to serve Thanos, though .... they are with me now. I can give them back to you."
"One Gem. One Gem is all I require ..." purrs the hissing shadow with the navy-blue eyes. "And the thousands of Kree will live again."
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
To Light The Darkness
Wanda:
"Perhaps you would influence the Watcher, o, Dweller in the Darkness. How many times have I done something similar? As to what Vision is,"
she slips her hand in his, "at least we know his origin."
She stares at the Dweller in Darkness. "What is yours?"
"When the first being to perceive its surroundings felt pain from an unexpected source, I was there. When the first animals to develop speech found a fear for which they had no words, I was there. And when children across the universe wonder why things happen, and they dwell on what might befall if things stopped making sense ... I am there. Inexplicable scary happenings, such as those which attend you superheroes like gnats on a summer evening, make me stronger. I am the mystery and terror of the dark side of the cosmos, just behind what you can observe. I am Dread."
Ant Man is terrified of the cosmic super being of darkness. but he comes down and asks "Ok Mr. Dweler in Darkness, What would you do with Eternity if we did give them to you."
"Frighten him," purrs the darkness, and narrows its navy-blue eyes in delight.
He will teleport some more shrinky and growy disks from Hank's lab.
After that he will think about Cats.
(That was a great show on Broadway. Mmm. Cats.)
Storm says, "I thought I had a gem, too, but frankly...I've been a little confused on that matter for some time now."
She checks. She does in fact have the Will Stone. Unless she doesn't want to; then it obeys her will, and isn't there.
INVISIBLE GIRL
Sue Storm thinks over the mindlink, "Clearly the gems are too dangerous for any entity, cosmic or not, to hold. What we need to do is use the mind gem to erase the knowledge of the fact that we have these gems from the memory of Eternity, the Inbetweener and the Dweller, then decide what to do with them, and use them to create some form of safe or strongbox to hide and hold them --- let us say, a form of super force field to block any possible attacks and a form of rendering them super invisible to escape anyone possible way of finding them --- while erasing all trace from our own minds of whatever it was we did, but leaving behind a smug feeling that we did the right thing and never need worry about it again."
Wanda: "Vatever else is decided, you are not taking Vish's stone."
Vision: "Indeed!"
"Enough!" declares the IN-BETWEENER. "I shall strike and gather the Gems together, to poise Creation ever on the precipice, between Being and Becoming!"
"Then you will have changed the present moment from a potentiality into an actuality," say the three faces of the Living Tribunal. "You will no longer be in between."
"Ack!" shouts the IN-BETWEENER. "I almost ... I would have ... but I didn't!"
"Not yet," says the Dweller in Darkness. "Until you do, you stand between doing, and not."
"Then I shall not take the stones from the humans ... YET!" declares the IN-BETWEENER.
"One down," says Star-Lord. "So we're agreed -- we fry the darkness dude? We better use all six stones to make sure."
"Living Tribunaaal," the Darkness wheedles, "they are going to destroy me! Isn't that ... MURRRRDERRR?"
"I judge what is done, not what is debated," says the Living Tribunal. "They have not done anything yet."
"But if ... should they strike me down ..."
"I would levy the penalty for murder," says the Tribunal, hefting his scales.
"We got the Mind Stone, Captain Three-Way," says Star-Lord. "We'll beat the rap. C'mon, guys! One, two ... "
Star-Lord presents the purple Heartstone of the Universe, ready for blasting.
"Perhaps you would influence the Watcher, o, Dweller in the Darkness. How many times have I done something similar? As to what Vision is,"
she slips her hand in his, "at least we know his origin."
She stares at the Dweller in Darkness. "What is yours?"
"When the first being to perceive its surroundings felt pain from an unexpected source, I was there. When the first animals to develop speech found a fear for which they had no words, I was there. And when children across the universe wonder why things happen, and they dwell on what might befall if things stopped making sense ... I am there. Inexplicable scary happenings, such as those which attend you superheroes like gnats on a summer evening, make me stronger. I am the mystery and terror of the dark side of the cosmos, just behind what you can observe. I am Dread."
Ant Man is terrified of the cosmic super being of darkness. but he comes down and asks "Ok Mr. Dweler in Darkness, What would you do with Eternity if we did give them to you."
"Frighten him," purrs the darkness, and narrows its navy-blue eyes in delight.
He will teleport some more shrinky and growy disks from Hank's lab.
After that he will think about Cats.
(That was a great show on Broadway. Mmm. Cats.)
Storm says, "I thought I had a gem, too, but frankly...I've been a little confused on that matter for some time now."
She checks. She does in fact have the Will Stone. Unless she doesn't want to; then it obeys her will, and isn't there.
INVISIBLE GIRL
Sue Storm thinks over the mindlink, "Clearly the gems are too dangerous for any entity, cosmic or not, to hold. What we need to do is use the mind gem to erase the knowledge of the fact that we have these gems from the memory of Eternity, the Inbetweener and the Dweller, then decide what to do with them, and use them to create some form of safe or strongbox to hide and hold them --- let us say, a form of super force field to block any possible attacks and a form of rendering them super invisible to escape anyone possible way of finding them --- while erasing all trace from our own minds of whatever it was we did, but leaving behind a smug feeling that we did the right thing and never need worry about it again."
Wanda: "Vatever else is decided, you are not taking Vish's stone."
Vision: "Indeed!"
"Enough!" declares the IN-BETWEENER. "I shall strike and gather the Gems together, to poise Creation ever on the precipice, between Being and Becoming!"
"Then you will have changed the present moment from a potentiality into an actuality," say the three faces of the Living Tribunal. "You will no longer be in between."
"Ack!" shouts the IN-BETWEENER. "I almost ... I would have ... but I didn't!"
"Not yet," says the Dweller in Darkness. "Until you do, you stand between doing, and not."
"Then I shall not take the stones from the humans ... YET!" declares the IN-BETWEENER.
"One down," says Star-Lord. "So we're agreed -- we fry the darkness dude? We better use all six stones to make sure."
"Living Tribunaaal," the Darkness wheedles, "they are going to destroy me! Isn't that ... MURRRRDERRR?"
"I judge what is done, not what is debated," says the Living Tribunal. "They have not done anything yet."
"But if ... should they strike me down ..."
"I would levy the penalty for murder," says the Tribunal, hefting his scales.
"We got the Mind Stone, Captain Three-Way," says Star-Lord. "We'll beat the rap. C'mon, guys! One, two ... "
Star-Lord presents the purple Heartstone of the Universe, ready for blasting.
Friday, November 25, 2016
Darkness Threatens the Rainbow Guardians!
Spidey WAS going to tell the Watcher that Peter Parker is a secret name (that was probably a rely, rely bad Idea) or (more likely) he would have tried to find out more about the gems. But then, Cthulhu, Justice, & something IN-BETWEENER (Justthulhu?) all showed up.
Not having a gem himself, Peter can not personally be the one to make the finale decision, but he can give his counsel. He will tell the others that out of the three, the glowing super-being of justice is probable a good chose.
Storm wonders if the gems should be split up among viable candidates, so that no being has them all.
Ant Man Looks at the three super beings in awe. "What do you mean by a New World? We haven't done anything like that yet!"
Over the mind link "U guys what do we do? If we give any one of them the gems we will never be able to save the people lost when Thanos. But then again there's no way we can handle these things."
Wanda thinks: Vision can handle his stone. I ... handled the anger stone ... after a fashion. And the rapscallion doesn't seem to be misusing the love stone. Well... not exactly. About the others, I do not know.
The Vision thinks to all:
Machine Man is immune to the Rage Stone, but perhaps hasty in its use. Wanda has used it for good, which is quite an accomplishment.
I agree that Star-Lord can be trusted with the Heartstone.
The Willstone is presumably still on Hala, where Dark Phoenix dropped it. Although someone may have found it by now. Perhaps, in fact I would gauge most likely, Captain Mar-Vell.
The Space Stone is currently held by Ant-Man. He has not used it unwisely so far.
The Soul Stone is in the holding of Susan Storm, who appears to have it well in hand.
And the yellow Mind Stone is necessary for my survival. I do not believe I have used it ill.
So at this moment, I submit to you all that five of the six stones are already in good hands. If any guardian wishes to hand off to a more reliable guardian, I think we can trust them to make that decision.
There is still the matter of the green will stone ... but more important is these cosmic entities before us.
I submit further that, first, they cannot be much stronger than the stones, or they would have no need of them. This implies that they may be vulnerable to their action.
And second, each of the three beings, in announcing himself, has shown that he or it is a limited mind, focused so exclusively on one aspect of reality as to be obsessive. Obsessives make poor decisions and should never be trusted with power.
Therefore, I now suggest the five of us, the stone-holders, unite to expel the In-Betweener, Dweller in Darkness, and Living Tribunal from our midst, and place on them a fivefold fetter of Mind, Space, Soul, Rage and Love to never, ever, seek the Stones or use them if they should fall into their hands.
Oh, but first, let's send Spider-Man to get the Will Stone from Hala. Ant-Man, I believe that would be your perogative, as the Space Guardian. In our future superhero team, your costume would logically be blue.
An icy whisper pervades the mind-link, like cold fog drifting up toward your hearts.
"I have heard every word you have thought, artificial man of synthetic tissue woven of two computer programs and brought to life by the sorcery of Asgard. Do this thing, and you cannot conceive of the horrors you will unleash upon the cosmos, and most specifically your own selves and the selves of those you value. Lest you doubt the Dweller in Darkness, simply consult the Watcher, the paragon of honesty and knowledge, and hear what he says about my pronouncement of doom ...."
Not having a gem himself, Peter can not personally be the one to make the finale decision, but he can give his counsel. He will tell the others that out of the three, the glowing super-being of justice is probable a good chose.
Storm wonders if the gems should be split up among viable candidates, so that no being has them all.
Ant Man Looks at the three super beings in awe. "What do you mean by a New World? We haven't done anything like that yet!"
Over the mind link "U guys what do we do? If we give any one of them the gems we will never be able to save the people lost when Thanos. But then again there's no way we can handle these things."
Wanda thinks: Vision can handle his stone. I ... handled the anger stone ... after a fashion. And the rapscallion doesn't seem to be misusing the love stone. Well... not exactly. About the others, I do not know.
The Vision thinks to all:
Machine Man is immune to the Rage Stone, but perhaps hasty in its use. Wanda has used it for good, which is quite an accomplishment.
I agree that Star-Lord can be trusted with the Heartstone.
The Willstone is presumably still on Hala, where Dark Phoenix dropped it. Although someone may have found it by now. Perhaps, in fact I would gauge most likely, Captain Mar-Vell.
The Space Stone is currently held by Ant-Man. He has not used it unwisely so far.
The Soul Stone is in the holding of Susan Storm, who appears to have it well in hand.
And the yellow Mind Stone is necessary for my survival. I do not believe I have used it ill.
So at this moment, I submit to you all that five of the six stones are already in good hands. If any guardian wishes to hand off to a more reliable guardian, I think we can trust them to make that decision.
There is still the matter of the green will stone ... but more important is these cosmic entities before us.
I submit further that, first, they cannot be much stronger than the stones, or they would have no need of them. This implies that they may be vulnerable to their action.
And second, each of the three beings, in announcing himself, has shown that he or it is a limited mind, focused so exclusively on one aspect of reality as to be obsessive. Obsessives make poor decisions and should never be trusted with power.
Therefore, I now suggest the five of us, the stone-holders, unite to expel the In-Betweener, Dweller in Darkness, and Living Tribunal from our midst, and place on them a fivefold fetter of Mind, Space, Soul, Rage and Love to never, ever, seek the Stones or use them if they should fall into their hands.
Oh, but first, let's send Spider-Man to get the Will Stone from Hala. Ant-Man, I believe that would be your perogative, as the Space Guardian. In our future superhero team, your costume would logically be blue.
An icy whisper pervades the mind-link, like cold fog drifting up toward your hearts.
"I have heard every word you have thought, artificial man of synthetic tissue woven of two computer programs and brought to life by the sorcery of Asgard. Do this thing, and you cannot conceive of the horrors you will unleash upon the cosmos, and most specifically your own selves and the selves of those you value. Lest you doubt the Dweller in Darkness, simply consult the Watcher, the paragon of honesty and knowledge, and hear what he says about my pronouncement of doom ...."
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Why Does the Watcher Even Bother Warning Anyone?
Wanda to the Watcher:
"Zo . . . can you set things aright, or, must we experiment? It is not so much interfering as it is restoring. Much as a referee at a sporting events returns the players to a neutral stance. The interference . . . it surely came from Thanos. The foul is his."
The Watcher looks serious, neither moving nor speaking. It would seem rude, save that it's obvious he hasn't heard a word Wanda said.
Ant Man is visibly shaken "Did ... Did you just kill him? No the Mind stone is vary literal, you probably just made go mute. Vision please fix it."
"On a an other note, I agree with storm lets not use the stones unless necessary. That reminds me..."
Ant Man teleports Thor, where ever he is, to this spot.
"Aye, and you shall reckon with the power of ... hello," says Thor. "I'm somewhere else."
Ant-Man says,
"With that taken care of, let's put the stones in a box. I'll shrink the box and store it in my belt. Unless someone else has any better ideas?"
Storm blinks, shaking off a momentary daydream about meeting Dr. Strange (loved the movie), and says, "That might not be wise. But then again..."
She looks thoughtful. "Where could we put them that we could get them in an emergency--when the danger is worse than the price of using the gems, which happens a lot, but they would be safe the rest of the time?
"And can Vision operate without his?"
"No," says the Vision. "But it is a sacrifice I am prepared to make, if necessary. Let me clarify: only if necessary."
Spider-Man thinks,
"Wait, so the Infinity Gems are activated by... thought?! Not by telling it to do something. Not by giving it a command. But simply by thinking about the thing that you may or may not even want to happen. Who made these?!?! No human could possibly use this power!!! Unless it was not meant to be used by humans or perhaps they were not meant to be used at all!"
"You are correct, Peter Parker," says the Watcher, reading his mind. "They may not have been meant to be used at all. So long as Eternity has existed, the Infinity Stones have been windows into the mind of Eternity."
"So can use this Love Stone to fix the problem," concludes Star-Lord.
"Have you not heard a single word I have said?"
"I heard you, Baldy. You said these things are linked to Eternity. So there's nothing they can't do! We just have to make sure we don't think of anything bad, even by accident, without meaning it."
Wanda and Storm, and Sue Storm as well, remember that Star-Lord is especially dreamy when he lips off to the Watcher.
Space itself distorts in a shimmering diffraction. The lights of the city fade off to the left, as do the stars, while the darkness of the countryside's shadows gather on the right. All reality sorts itself into Light and Dark.
And from between them slides a fantastic figure, white on one side, black on the other, wearing a tragedy mask and holding a two-dimensional sword!
"I ... am the IN-BETWEENER," he declares. "This is the last moment between the Old World and the New. In this instant, all things are open to reinterpretation, and all things are possible. Give me the Infinity Gems, and I will ensure a smooth transition!"
The darkness speaks.
"I ... am the Dweller in Darkness," it hisses. "Give me the Gems and darkness will continue to exist. Let the fey In-Betweener have them, and all you know shall perish in fire ..."
The light blazes.
"We ... are the LIVING TRIBUNAL!" declares a three-faced golden titan armed with calipers, the book of Law, and a balance on which rests a white feather. "We are the makers of justice and order. Give us the Gems, or the In-Betweener will allow the Dweller in Darkness to swallow the cosmos in chaos and death!"
"That is better than burning in agony ..." hisses the Dweller. "Entropy lasts forever."
"Zo . . . can you set things aright, or, must we experiment? It is not so much interfering as it is restoring. Much as a referee at a sporting events returns the players to a neutral stance. The interference . . . it surely came from Thanos. The foul is his."
The Watcher looks serious, neither moving nor speaking. It would seem rude, save that it's obvious he hasn't heard a word Wanda said.
Ant Man is visibly shaken "Did ... Did you just kill him? No the Mind stone is vary literal, you probably just made go mute. Vision please fix it."
"On a an other note, I agree with storm lets not use the stones unless necessary. That reminds me..."
Ant Man teleports Thor, where ever he is, to this spot.
"Aye, and you shall reckon with the power of ... hello," says Thor. "I'm somewhere else."
Ant-Man says,
"With that taken care of, let's put the stones in a box. I'll shrink the box and store it in my belt. Unless someone else has any better ideas?"
Storm blinks, shaking off a momentary daydream about meeting Dr. Strange (loved the movie), and says, "That might not be wise. But then again..."
She looks thoughtful. "Where could we put them that we could get them in an emergency--when the danger is worse than the price of using the gems, which happens a lot, but they would be safe the rest of the time?
"And can Vision operate without his?"
"No," says the Vision. "But it is a sacrifice I am prepared to make, if necessary. Let me clarify: only if necessary."
Spider-Man thinks,
"Wait, so the Infinity Gems are activated by... thought?! Not by telling it to do something. Not by giving it a command. But simply by thinking about the thing that you may or may not even want to happen. Who made these?!?! No human could possibly use this power!!! Unless it was not meant to be used by humans or perhaps they were not meant to be used at all!"
"You are correct, Peter Parker," says the Watcher, reading his mind. "They may not have been meant to be used at all. So long as Eternity has existed, the Infinity Stones have been windows into the mind of Eternity."
"So can use this Love Stone to fix the problem," concludes Star-Lord.
"Have you not heard a single word I have said?"
"I heard you, Baldy. You said these things are linked to Eternity. So there's nothing they can't do! We just have to make sure we don't think of anything bad, even by accident, without meaning it."
Wanda and Storm, and Sue Storm as well, remember that Star-Lord is especially dreamy when he lips off to the Watcher.
Space itself distorts in a shimmering diffraction. The lights of the city fade off to the left, as do the stars, while the darkness of the countryside's shadows gather on the right. All reality sorts itself into Light and Dark.
And from between them slides a fantastic figure, white on one side, black on the other, wearing a tragedy mask and holding a two-dimensional sword!
"I ... am the IN-BETWEENER," he declares. "This is the last moment between the Old World and the New. In this instant, all things are open to reinterpretation, and all things are possible. Give me the Infinity Gems, and I will ensure a smooth transition!"
The darkness speaks.
"I ... am the Dweller in Darkness," it hisses. "Give me the Gems and darkness will continue to exist. Let the fey In-Betweener have them, and all you know shall perish in fire ..."
The light blazes.
"We ... are the LIVING TRIBUNAL!" declares a three-faced golden titan armed with calipers, the book of Law, and a balance on which rests a white feather. "We are the makers of justice and order. Give us the Gems, or the In-Betweener will allow the Dweller in Darkness to swallow the cosmos in chaos and death!"
"That is better than burning in agony ..." hisses the Dweller. "Entropy lasts forever."
Friday, November 11, 2016
From The Records of the Watcher
Wanda:
To Dr. Banner: "Perhaps it is time that you and 'the other guy' talked. Who is he? Is he from another dimension?"
To Star Lord:
"He was injured. Probably severely. But he is a true super being, so... perhaps not..." Her eyes light up. "Perhaps it is a clerical error. Like that film that was on at 2 in the morning that we watched. 'Here Comes Mr. Jordenski.'" In which case, we should certainly try to find him."
"Was he killed by the sun?" Storm asks Star Lord. "Your father, I mean. Is he elsewhere in space?"
"He was duking it out with Thanos, that's the last I saw of him," says Star-Lord. "And then Dark Phoenix threw the Sun at us ... but he's gotta be alive, right? He'll pull through!"
The Invisible Girl says:
"These infinity stones are very dangerous! What shall we do with them? Not even the Illuminati could be trusted with such power! Perhaps we should give the gems to an irresponsible yet lascivious troll, an artificial man tormented by self-doubt destined to become ultimately evil, a female space-assassin, a notorious but literal minded space-criminal bent on revenge, an arrogant bald telepath woman, and give one back to Thanos.
"If this seems like an utterly absurd and ridiculous group of people to whom to entrust the nigh-infinite power of the gems, maybe we should just keep them. We can call ourselves SPIDERMAN AND HIS AMAZING INFINITY WATCH.
"Either that, or THE AMAZING EIGHT. Groups where you just pick a flattering adjective and your number are the best kind. Did I count right? An adventuress, a witch, a mutant, a robot, two insect men, a space rogue in rocket boots, and were-astronaut?
"We may need to split two gems into four, or find other infinities to loot. We don't have enough for everyone right now. I can ask The Watcher where they are! He says he never interferes, but he is a big sweetheart, and helps out a lot. For example, does Eternity have any brothers or sisters? Maybe they have gems."
Spidey Says to the Invisible Girl (he used to be able to think it, but he gave up his infinite power for his mindbogglingly short life to continue for an infinitesimal fraction of a cosmic second. It was probably worth it, though, because if he was dead, who would take care of aunt May?! Who would deliver the pictures he took to J. Jonah Jameson?!! And who would explain to M.J. that he missed their date on the most flimsiest of pretenses DEATH?!?!?! No he can't die so he will continue to express everything he means, OUT LOUD!!!(He thinks this forgetting the mindlink.))
"Sue, I think you will need to greatly improve the name of the team before it will be usable. THE AMAZING EIGHT is a terrible team name, THERE IS NO ALLITERATION!!! Something like THE EXCELLENT EIGHT would be a much better name, don't you think?"
The Vision and Machine Man look at each other. Machine Man says,
"Ah, I think you mean TWO robots?"
Ant Man says:
"I see no one has any ideas on how to save the dead people. Hay, Vig, maybe you can ask Eternity how to do it... or we could just invade The Land of the Dead to get them back. That might work as well. Ow and Invisible Girl, what makes you think that that Team you suggested is a good group of people to hand Eternity to?... And how did you come up with that concept at all?"
The Vision says:
"In your history, do groups make better decisions than individuals? If so, let us divide the Stones among those we know well."
"It might be best to entrust the Infinity Gems to someone who can make mistakes, but cannot go mad with rage or greed. I have the perfect candidate."
"Zo, you are villing?" Wanda smiles at him.
"Oh. I did not mean myself," says the Vision, although he doesn't blush, already being very red indeed. "I meant Machine Man."
Wanda: "I am sure Machine Man vill do a fine job...but he is not immune to anger. Unless..."
She turns to Machine Man.
"You have devised a protocol?"
Machine Man says, "Sure! I identified anger and deleted it. It's running in background now, I don't even notice it. But, uh, I don't have a good model of other emotions. Do the Gems produce other things, like anti-rage? Whatever that is."
A shimmer distorts the sky and the ground, as though the solid earth were but a reflection glimmering on a deeper ocean Man never perceives.
Through the shimmer, golden stars blaze in a deep blue sky. And through it steps a giant bald mad, clad in toga and boots, with a blue kirtle belted around his waist, a complexly ornamented gorget extending past his shoulders, and a big electronic book, also in blue.
He looks down at everyone and intones,
"I ...am the WATCHER!"
The Watcher does not notice Sue, facing the others, mouthing along with the words, because he always says the same thing.
"The Infinity Stones are too powerful for mortals to trifle with, as Sue Storm has wisely spoken," intones the Watcher. "Many are the alternative worlds in which a single one of the Stones has wiped all life from the Macrocosmic All. I warn you, despite my oath of non-interference, to place them out of your grasp, lest you be taken by passing whim to do what cannot be undone!"
"Furthermore, I"
And then the Watcher stops talking, and kinda stands there.
The Vision snaps his head up abruptly.
"I beg your pardon," he says, sincerely. "I was thinking he was taking a long time to say what we already agree with. I fear I wished him to stop droning on ..."
"And it happened!" says Star-Lord excitedly. "Wow, these Stones ARE powerful! We gotta use them real hard, right now, to fix all the damage! Lemme try the Love-Stone ..."
To Dr. Banner: "Perhaps it is time that you and 'the other guy' talked. Who is he? Is he from another dimension?"
To Star Lord:
"He was injured. Probably severely. But he is a true super being, so... perhaps not..." Her eyes light up. "Perhaps it is a clerical error. Like that film that was on at 2 in the morning that we watched. 'Here Comes Mr. Jordenski.'" In which case, we should certainly try to find him."
"Was he killed by the sun?" Storm asks Star Lord. "Your father, I mean. Is he elsewhere in space?"
"He was duking it out with Thanos, that's the last I saw of him," says Star-Lord. "And then Dark Phoenix threw the Sun at us ... but he's gotta be alive, right? He'll pull through!"
The Invisible Girl says:
"These infinity stones are very dangerous! What shall we do with them? Not even the Illuminati could be trusted with such power! Perhaps we should give the gems to an irresponsible yet lascivious troll, an artificial man tormented by self-doubt destined to become ultimately evil, a female space-assassin, a notorious but literal minded space-criminal bent on revenge, an arrogant bald telepath woman, and give one back to Thanos.
"If this seems like an utterly absurd and ridiculous group of people to whom to entrust the nigh-infinite power of the gems, maybe we should just keep them. We can call ourselves SPIDERMAN AND HIS AMAZING INFINITY WATCH.
"Either that, or THE AMAZING EIGHT. Groups where you just pick a flattering adjective and your number are the best kind. Did I count right? An adventuress, a witch, a mutant, a robot, two insect men, a space rogue in rocket boots, and were-astronaut?
"We may need to split two gems into four, or find other infinities to loot. We don't have enough for everyone right now. I can ask The Watcher where they are! He says he never interferes, but he is a big sweetheart, and helps out a lot. For example, does Eternity have any brothers or sisters? Maybe they have gems."
Spidey Says to the Invisible Girl (he used to be able to think it, but he gave up his infinite power for his mindbogglingly short life to continue for an infinitesimal fraction of a cosmic second. It was probably worth it, though, because if he was dead, who would take care of aunt May?! Who would deliver the pictures he took to J. Jonah Jameson?!! And who would explain to M.J. that he missed their date on the most flimsiest of pretenses DEATH?!?!?! No he can't die so he will continue to express everything he means, OUT LOUD!!!(He thinks this forgetting the mindlink.))
"Sue, I think you will need to greatly improve the name of the team before it will be usable. THE AMAZING EIGHT is a terrible team name, THERE IS NO ALLITERATION!!! Something like THE EXCELLENT EIGHT would be a much better name, don't you think?"
The Vision and Machine Man look at each other. Machine Man says,
"Ah, I think you mean TWO robots?"
Ant Man says:
"I see no one has any ideas on how to save the dead people. Hay, Vig, maybe you can ask Eternity how to do it... or we could just invade The Land of the Dead to get them back. That might work as well. Ow and Invisible Girl, what makes you think that that Team you suggested is a good group of people to hand Eternity to?... And how did you come up with that concept at all?"
The Vision says:
"In your history, do groups make better decisions than individuals? If so, let us divide the Stones among those we know well."
"It might be best to entrust the Infinity Gems to someone who can make mistakes, but cannot go mad with rage or greed. I have the perfect candidate."
"Zo, you are villing?" Wanda smiles at him.
"Oh. I did not mean myself," says the Vision, although he doesn't blush, already being very red indeed. "I meant Machine Man."
Wanda: "I am sure Machine Man vill do a fine job...but he is not immune to anger. Unless..."
She turns to Machine Man.
"You have devised a protocol?"
Machine Man says, "Sure! I identified anger and deleted it. It's running in background now, I don't even notice it. But, uh, I don't have a good model of other emotions. Do the Gems produce other things, like anti-rage? Whatever that is."
A shimmer distorts the sky and the ground, as though the solid earth were but a reflection glimmering on a deeper ocean Man never perceives.
Through the shimmer, golden stars blaze in a deep blue sky. And through it steps a giant bald mad, clad in toga and boots, with a blue kirtle belted around his waist, a complexly ornamented gorget extending past his shoulders, and a big electronic book, also in blue.
He looks down at everyone and intones,
"I ...am the WATCHER!"
The Watcher does not notice Sue, facing the others, mouthing along with the words, because he always says the same thing.
"The Infinity Stones are too powerful for mortals to trifle with, as Sue Storm has wisely spoken," intones the Watcher. "Many are the alternative worlds in which a single one of the Stones has wiped all life from the Macrocosmic All. I warn you, despite my oath of non-interference, to place them out of your grasp, lest you be taken by passing whim to do what cannot be undone!"
"Furthermore, I"
And then the Watcher stops talking, and kinda stands there.
The Vision snaps his head up abruptly.
"I beg your pardon," he says, sincerely. "I was thinking he was taking a long time to say what we already agree with. I fear I wished him to stop droning on ..."
"And it happened!" says Star-Lord excitedly. "Wow, these Stones ARE powerful! We gotta use them real hard, right now, to fix all the damage! Lemme try the Love-Stone ..."
Friday, November 4, 2016
We Can't Just Unmake the Cosmos. We Have to Talk Ourselves INTO It First
Wanda: "No, Dr. Banner. You did not hurt anyone. The base might be another
story, but it is only a building."
(She checks with Vision.)
"I wonder... If there is a way to balance your rage with your clear love for humanity, by using the love stone? The love stone's effects enabled me to help Jean Gray overcome her blinding rage as Dark Phoenix."
Storm murmurs, "The sun was mad at me! Well, not me personally." She turns to Star Lord and says cheerfully. "More likely, it was mad at you. But still disturbing."
She looks around, "What is left to be done? Anyone lost, suffering, or disorientated?"
The Scarlet Witch replies:
"Vee are missing anyone who vas brought back from death. Including the residents of the other planet who were turned into zombies. And, including my brother..."
She looks at Captain Purple-Eyes/aka Star Lord sadly. "Your father also."
"Hey, my fath .. my FATHER wasn't a zombie! He shouldn't be dead, man!" says Star-Lord. "Isn't that how it works?"
She looks at Banner. "Is this the right time to experiment? I vould be villing to try."
"What is that, a, a love stone? Love magic seems to work just fine on me, but, uh, they don't do much for the, y'know, other guy."
story, but it is only a building."
(She checks with Vision.)
"I wonder... If there is a way to balance your rage with your clear love for humanity, by using the love stone? The love stone's effects enabled me to help Jean Gray overcome her blinding rage as Dark Phoenix."
Storm murmurs, "The sun was mad at me! Well, not me personally." She turns to Star Lord and says cheerfully. "More likely, it was mad at you. But still disturbing."
She looks around, "What is left to be done? Anyone lost, suffering, or disorientated?"
The Scarlet Witch replies:
"Vee are missing anyone who vas brought back from death. Including the residents of the other planet who were turned into zombies. And, including my brother..."
She looks at Captain Purple-Eyes/aka Star Lord sadly. "Your father also."
"Hey, my fath .. my FATHER wasn't a zombie! He shouldn't be dead, man!" says Star-Lord. "Isn't that how it works?"
She looks at Banner. "Is this the right time to experiment? I vould be villing to try."
"What is that, a, a love stone? Love magic seems to work just fine on me, but, uh, they don't do much for the, y'know, other guy."
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Sunshine On Your Shoulder Blades Makes You Calm
“So happy to see that the sun has not become evil," says Storm, keeping a careful eye (kind of sideways and indirectly) on the sun--just in case.
"Does anyone feel...calmer?" She looks around. (Just thinking, all that rage gone, might be less here.)
"Does anyone feel...calmer?" She looks around. (Just thinking, all that rage gone, might be less here.)
“No,” say the Vision and Machine Man in unison.
Wanda:
"Zo, you are okay, Vizh?"
She's a lot calmer having seen more of her brother in the past few hours than she thought she ever would again.
"Zo, you are okay, Vizh?"
She's a lot calmer having seen more of her brother in the past few hours than she thought she ever would again.
“Yes, Wanda. I am okay,” says the Vision with a smile. “But how are you? Seeing Pietro again could have been pleasant or frightening, or both. The one thing I do know is that you did not experience uncontrolled levels of rage, because you tamed the Wrath Stone.”
His eyes widen.
“Ah .. my Mind Gem informs me that shouldn’t be possible. Well done.”
Wanda smiles at the others, particularly Captain Purple Eyes.
Wanda smiles at the others, particularly Captain Purple Eyes.
“Back atcha, Red,” he says, making a thumbs-up.
Wanda heads over to check on Banner. Hopefully she can do that from a safe distance.
“Oh, hey … Wanda. Miss Maximoff, I mean. Did I hurt anyone?” Banner says. “Feels pretty … radioactive here. Strong gamma. You might be better off staying over there … or further.”
“What does gamma feel like?” the Vision wants to know.
“Like sunshine on your bones,” says Bruce Banner. “But it’s okay. I tan easily.”
Ant Man: "OK first off, Machine Man, get the anger out of the sun before we are all burned to ash. Try an asteroid in the middle of space. If you need help with that I'll help you.
Secondly, how are we going to rescue the people who disappeared when Thanos disappeared. And finally, what will we do with Eternity here. Should we put the stones in a box, resurrect Eternity, play Hop Scotch!?!"
“There’s a lot to be said for hopscotch,” says Star-Lord. “But it’s been a while for me.”
Ant-Man teleports the ants he left on Thanos' home planet back here. They don’t notice the change in gravity, but the Earthly air pressure makes them more comfortable.
Ant-Man teleports the ants he left on Thanos' home planet back here. They don’t notice the change in gravity, but the Earthly air pressure makes them more comfortable.
Ant-Man then shows Machine Man an asteroid in space. Opening a portal between here and there at the Vision’s direction, he has Machine Man pull the wrath out of the sun and put it in the asteroid. A wind gathers, blowing the air of Earth away through the portal, but once it’s closed the wind stops, and the ants calm down.
The sunlight changes aspect somehow. Apparently the rage WAS affecting the Sun!
Monday, October 24, 2016
The End of the Universe
Storm does indeed teleport Sue Storm to the square in Hala where all the zombies have been expelled from reality. There's plenty of room.
Spidey, after some cajoling, hands off the Mind Stone to Ant-Man, who puts it in the Vision's head. The Vision wakes up, having had a strange dream about Gorgons.
Vision now has access to the knowledge of Eternity, but when he tries to think about who made the Infinity Gems, his mind doesn't come back from there. So he makes a mental note to avoid thinking about it.
Machine Man has the Wrath Stone, and can hold it without going nuts. As things are still all wrathy on Earth, Ant-Man uses the Space Stone to teleport everyone back to Earth, including Star-Lord and Drax.
The Hulk is running around being angry, of course. Machine Man takes all the wrath out of the immediate area and puts it into a pile of broken concrete. The concrete warms up, but doesn't come alive and rampage around the area, as the Fantastic Four frequently have to contend with.
Then, Machine Man extracts the rage from all the world and puts it into the Hulk. Who explodes. Literally EXPLODES with rage.
But he doesn't die, just gets very, very radioactive. Everyone complains at Machine Man's solution. So he puts the rage into the Sun.
Everyone exclaims in alarm. Machine Man tells them, "You need to complain faster than I can think." But the Sun doesn't become evil, so maybe there's no harm done.
Spidey, after some cajoling, hands off the Mind Stone to Ant-Man, who puts it in the Vision's head. The Vision wakes up, having had a strange dream about Gorgons.
Vision now has access to the knowledge of Eternity, but when he tries to think about who made the Infinity Gems, his mind doesn't come back from there. So he makes a mental note to avoid thinking about it.
Machine Man has the Wrath Stone, and can hold it without going nuts. As things are still all wrathy on Earth, Ant-Man uses the Space Stone to teleport everyone back to Earth, including Star-Lord and Drax.
The Hulk is running around being angry, of course. Machine Man takes all the wrath out of the immediate area and puts it into a pile of broken concrete. The concrete warms up, but doesn't come alive and rampage around the area, as the Fantastic Four frequently have to contend with.
Then, Machine Man extracts the rage from all the world and puts it into the Hulk. Who explodes. Literally EXPLODES with rage.
But he doesn't die, just gets very, very radioactive. Everyone complains at Machine Man's solution. So he puts the rage into the Sun.
Everyone exclaims in alarm. Machine Man tells them, "You need to complain faster than I can think." But the Sun doesn't become evil, so maybe there's no harm done.
Sunday, October 23, 2016
The Last Refuge of the Invitalitous (Updated!)
Thanos brandishes the Wrath Stone, summoning a blaze of red rage to block Dark Phoenix' firescream.
But it's only a feint, albeit a colorful and dazzling one. In reality, Thanos is projecting the red flames of rage into the Scarlet Witch's mind.
"Look, Wanda!" he says, assuming an untoward familiarity. "Before you is the killer of your brother. Strike now, from behind, and avenge his murder!"
But behind Thanos, a silvery blur resolves into Quicksilver, who holds up two fingers behind Thanos, making it look as though the mad Titan has bunny ears.
Quicksilver winks.
Wanda smiles, and concentrates very hard on focusing Dark Phoenix' madness so that she can be her own person once more. There are two separate influences: Being Dead and Being Dark Phoenix. Keeping those back is more than Wanda can manage, but she tries real hard. Knocking over all the blocks is the easy use of her power; this is rebuilding everything while storms knock them over.
But she succeeds!
Infused with Wanda's power and control, Dark Phoenix blasts Thanos off the face of the universe! Storm is aware of a Thanos-shaped hole being torn in the fabric of space, letting in some unnameable, indescribable OTHER to which Eternity reacts as though slapped. The tear is rejected, mended, forgotten, as is its inhabitant, Mr. George W. Thanos, Jr.
The continent is quiet. TOO quiet.
Because the buildings of Hala are restored, as though Dark Phoenix had never scourged the world with solar fire. The Sun, too, is back to its wonted orange glow, rather than the furnace-blue heat of its exposed core. Everyone's sunburns are gone.
But the people, who once inhabited this city .... where are THEY?
The Red Skull is gone.
Thunderbird is gone.
For that matter, Dark Phoenix appears to be gone.
All physical evidence of the battle on Hala is now absent, save only the absence of several of its combatants.
But the Infinity Gems, resistant to all the cosmic fireworks and rowdydow, remain, glittering and blinking ... precious, yet attainable.
Spider-Man could easily grab them all with his spider-speed before anyone else could stop him. THEN he'd show Flash Thompson ...
But it's only a feint, albeit a colorful and dazzling one. In reality, Thanos is projecting the red flames of rage into the Scarlet Witch's mind.
"Look, Wanda!" he says, assuming an untoward familiarity. "Before you is the killer of your brother. Strike now, from behind, and avenge his murder!"
But behind Thanos, a silvery blur resolves into Quicksilver, who holds up two fingers behind Thanos, making it look as though the mad Titan has bunny ears.
Quicksilver winks.
Wanda smiles, and concentrates very hard on focusing Dark Phoenix' madness so that she can be her own person once more. There are two separate influences: Being Dead and Being Dark Phoenix. Keeping those back is more than Wanda can manage, but she tries real hard. Knocking over all the blocks is the easy use of her power; this is rebuilding everything while storms knock them over.
But she succeeds!
Infused with Wanda's power and control, Dark Phoenix blasts Thanos off the face of the universe! Storm is aware of a Thanos-shaped hole being torn in the fabric of space, letting in some unnameable, indescribable OTHER to which Eternity reacts as though slapped. The tear is rejected, mended, forgotten, as is its inhabitant, Mr. George W. Thanos, Jr.
The continent is quiet. TOO quiet.
Because the buildings of Hala are restored, as though Dark Phoenix had never scourged the world with solar fire. The Sun, too, is back to its wonted orange glow, rather than the furnace-blue heat of its exposed core. Everyone's sunburns are gone.
But the people, who once inhabited this city .... where are THEY?
The Red Skull is gone.
Thunderbird is gone.
For that matter, Dark Phoenix appears to be gone.
All physical evidence of the battle on Hala is now absent, save only the absence of several of its combatants.
But the Infinity Gems, resistant to all the cosmic fireworks and rowdydow, remain, glittering and blinking ... precious, yet attainable.
Spider-Man could easily grab them all with his spider-speed before anyone else could stop him. THEN he'd show Flash Thompson ...
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Escape to Counter-Earth
She says to evil Reed, "Reed! You are the
bravest, smartest, best man on counter earth! Your body can be cured! And.. and
... there may be someone out there for you! There are infinite time lines! I am
sure the Watcher can find one where your destined mate is waiting, pining,
thinking of you. Or maybe ... " (Sue realized that here Reed may have been
driven permanently insane by the wrath stone)"... someone not so far out
there... Please come back. Maybe we can store your consciousness in a hideous
computerized body like Quasimodo for a while, until you grow a new, undamaged
one, and figure out how to download yourself into it. You are the man who won
the space race singlehandedly. You are smarter than the good and kind Dr Doom
of counterearth! You are heroic, handsome, and brave! You can solve ANY
PROBLEM!! Come with us, and live! Escape this false paradise!"
Reed looks wistful.
“Susan, you say the same things my Sue did …
but she was wrong. I am not the Reed Richards you know. Maybe in time, given
the heartbreaking trials I have endured, your Reed would have become the man I
am … but maybe we were never entirely the same. I cannot return with you, for I
know what I would be … what I have been before. I struggled, but ultimately, in
the real world …. I am the Brute.”
Sue turns to the Caterpillar, and says, "I need your help. The whole universe is about to be turned into the realm of death. If you are one of those ultracosmic, ultrapowerful beings like Galactus, or the Stranger, or the Watcher, or the Celestials, or the Living Tribunal, you should use that ultrapower for ultragoodness, to aid our cause in stopping Thanos, the mad Titan!
"Can you help us return out of the Soul Gem back to reality? If you are a being here in the soul world, you must know that all souls, all lives, are infinitely precious!"
She will then turn to John Jameson, and say, "Yes, I am ready to leave. We have not a moment to spare!"
Sue turns to the Caterpillar, and says, "I need your help. The whole universe is about to be turned into the realm of death. If you are one of those ultracosmic, ultrapowerful beings like Galactus, or the Stranger, or the Watcher, or the Celestials, or the Living Tribunal, you should use that ultrapower for ultragoodness, to aid our cause in stopping Thanos, the mad Titan!
"Can you help us return out of the Soul Gem back to reality? If you are a being here in the soul world, you must know that all souls, all lives, are infinitely precious!"
She will then turn to John Jameson, and say, "Yes, I am ready to leave. We have not a moment to spare!"
John and his alien pal run to the rocket ship,
parts of which are beginning to change into other things as various other
inhabitants of the Soul Realm start to notice them. One of the injector pumps,
for example, becomes a lonely penguin.
ROAAAR!
The rocket leaps skyward in a cloud of metaphor
and shatters the soul-filled sky.
Sue Storm blinks, back on Counter-Earth, with
John Jameson and a scattering of glowing green dust.
“Huh,” says John. “Is that what his body really
looked like? Space, I’m coming to understand, is a surprise a minute.”
Who Claims the Mantle of Death?
First, Ant-Man turns to the woman and says,
"I am Hank Pym's replacement. He is too old now. You are his wife, right?
"Thank you for saving me. I assume you are on the good guys’ side. Thank you for joining us.”
"We need to get the stone from Machine Man. Will you help me?"
“Of course. Which one’s Machine Man?”
The two of them fly to
Machine Man, shrink, enter his body, and start the reboot program to bring him
back to, uh, his normal condition.
Since he's not really dead so much as broken, they succeed!
"That was weird," says Machine Man. "Maybe I have a soul after all?"
He uses his left hand to open his right hand, which was torn off by Thanos.
"Hm. Someone probably took my Wrath Stone."
Spidey runs over to Storm, for it seems to be
safe in the area without the sun burning him.
After that, noting with some surprise that he has not already been burned to a crisp, Spidey will ask Eternity if he will set up something like a mind link between the two of them so that Spidey can still ask him questions and Eternity can still answer them, even if Spidey does not have the mind gem. Spidey does not want to read Eternity's thoughts or even know everything he knows. He only wants to continue to be able to ask Eternity questions.
After that, noting with some surprise that he has not already been burned to a crisp, Spidey will ask Eternity if he will set up something like a mind link between the two of them so that Spidey can still ask him questions and Eternity can still answer them, even if Spidey does not have the mind gem. Spidey does not want to read Eternity's thoughts or even know everything he knows. He only wants to continue to be able to ask Eternity questions.
Eternity, or rather, the Mind Stone, replies,
“You cannot perceive the thoughts of Eternity
without the Mind Gem. But if you agree, you can incorporate yourself into
Eternity’s mind, and share in the thoughts of Creation from within.”
Storm attempts to use the space gem to make
sure that the space around her friends...old and new...does not grow too hot.
That takes a lot of space. But the flaming clouds of plasma recede far, far into the distance, where they cannot burn anyone. They wrap back around the sun and start to coalesce back into place, although they’re sparking and bursting with brilliance, so the sun looks like it’s having sunquakes.
That takes a lot of space. But the flaming clouds of plasma recede far, far into the distance, where they cannot burn anyone. They wrap back around the sun and start to coalesce back into place, although they’re sparking and bursting with brilliance, so the sun looks like it’s having sunquakes.
Also, the light from the damaged sun dims and reddens, as Storm
makes it take a circuitous route of millions of light-years before it falls on
the wrecked planet Hala.
When the Heartstone falls into her hands, Storm directs it at Dark Phoenix...recalling all her love for Jean Grey...and how all those men loved Jean. Scott, Logan. Both good fellows, at least underneath.
When the Heartstone falls into her hands, Storm directs it at Dark Phoenix...recalling all her love for Jean Grey...and how all those men loved Jean. Scott, Logan. Both good fellows, at least underneath.
“These men loved Jean Grey … not Dark Phoenix.
Can you really say they did not matter to you?”
“Yeah,” says Spider-Man, using the Mind Gem. "Thanos
is in love with Death and does not care about you. In fact, He is only using
you to court Death. You must know this, right?"
“INSECT!” Dark Phoenix rages. “Thanos is indeed
in love with Death. And who am I, if not Death incarnate, riding a bird of
killing fire?”
The Scarlet Witch rushes into Dark Phoenix’
firebird cloud, distracting her from putting the kibosh on Thunderbird.
Then, as the mad death goddess’ face is washed
with soft purple light, Wanda uses her power to bring forth Dark Phoenix's nightmares.
But this time, Wanda is there with her, leading her to the time when she was a
beloved X-Man.
"Jean ..." says Cyclops, "this isn't you. It was never you. Mastermind didn't set free some wicked part of you that you never knew about ... people aren't really like that. He just made you hear the Phoenix and its rage. Jean, the Phoenix is powerful, but it's not profound. It's just an animal. A force of violence. It saved your life, but it didn't, it couldn't, make you so different from who you are. This is just a sick dream, Jean ... a nightmare. This isn't you. Wake up!"
"Yeah, Jeannie, this purple hulk's taking you for a ride," adds Wolverine. "You gonna let a guy too scared to kill himself turn you around inta doing his dirty work? Hell, if you gotta kill somebody, why not him?"
"Logan!" says Cyclops. "Not helping."
"You can't manage Jeannie like a pet, Slim," Wolverine insists. "She's her own broad. Uh, chick, I mean."
Purple flames flicker around the dream-cavern. Cyclops, Wolverine, and Phoenix are illuminated by purple fire, the color of the Heartstone, which blazes brighter and brighter around their bodies.
Phoenix smiles.
"I could drop a city on you, Logan," says Jean Grey. "You'd never change."
She notices the crowd of Kree superhumans closing in on Storm, Spidey, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and Machine Man.
"But those guys are threatening my friends," she says, her face darkening. "And I won't have that."
The firebird raises its wings and shrieks soundlessly. Vast telekinetic waves of black-red energy slam into the Kree zombies, hurling them in all directions across the landscape. They aren't killed --- they're very tough -- but they are most certainly dispersed.
"And now, Thanos," says Dark Phoenix, "let me show you what I have learned ... of death."
Saturday, October 15, 2016
Interview With the Brute
On Counter-Earth:
Sue says, "I am here to save the Brute, also called Dr. Reed Richards, and the Man-Wolf, also called Col. John Jameson. They have to be led back to reality. Please help me."
"But this is reality ... Susan," says Dr. Reed Richards from behind her.
He looks as Reed should, albeit with less gray at his temples. He's even holding his musty old pipe, like he used to! He hasn't smoked since the accident.
"Indeed, it is as if a layer of obscuring film has been stripped away, allowing us to more clearly perceive reality as it actually is," he says. "I see now, however, that the nature of the universe is several layers removed from the realm of the phenomenal. As you know, I used to think that mathematical physics would reveal the final secrets of creation, but now I see there is much I failed to take into account."
"And, of course, in this disembodied realm, I am no longer driven mad by my cosmic-ray-riddled brain and body. So on the whole, thank you, but I prefer the Soul Stone to the world I leave behind."
"Well, I don't!" exclaims John Jameson. "The Man-Beast likes this place just fine -- he can hunt all night and never die! But me, I'm getting out of here. Come on, Miss Storm."
He walks a few paces into another continental biome, snow-whipped and jagged-floored, with bizarre Northern Lights clashing in a red-black sky. Actually, the sky is only red to the east -- over half the overhead vault is filled with a colossal red sun.
"This alien fellow was working on a rocket ship when he arrived here. The matter in this place isn't entirely fake -- our minds shape it, but not immediately, and there seem to be certain rules we can't break. But the alien -- he doesn't speak any language I know, so I'm not even sure of his name -- has been making a lot of attempts, so we've crossed off a whole pile of approaches that we know won't work."
"I asked Dr. Richards to help, but he's over the moon not to be the Brute any more. So he's out. I don't think we can take him with us, sorry ... and anyway, he's not really your Reed Richards, is he?"
"So what do you say, Miss Storm? Want to bust out of death's waiting room on a rocket ship with Marvin the Martian and me?"
Sue says, "I am here to save the Brute, also called Dr. Reed Richards, and the Man-Wolf, also called Col. John Jameson. They have to be led back to reality. Please help me."
"But this is reality ... Susan," says Dr. Reed Richards from behind her.
He looks as Reed should, albeit with less gray at his temples. He's even holding his musty old pipe, like he used to! He hasn't smoked since the accident.
"Indeed, it is as if a layer of obscuring film has been stripped away, allowing us to more clearly perceive reality as it actually is," he says. "I see now, however, that the nature of the universe is several layers removed from the realm of the phenomenal. As you know, I used to think that mathematical physics would reveal the final secrets of creation, but now I see there is much I failed to take into account."
"And, of course, in this disembodied realm, I am no longer driven mad by my cosmic-ray-riddled brain and body. So on the whole, thank you, but I prefer the Soul Stone to the world I leave behind."
"Well, I don't!" exclaims John Jameson. "The Man-Beast likes this place just fine -- he can hunt all night and never die! But me, I'm getting out of here. Come on, Miss Storm."
He walks a few paces into another continental biome, snow-whipped and jagged-floored, with bizarre Northern Lights clashing in a red-black sky. Actually, the sky is only red to the east -- over half the overhead vault is filled with a colossal red sun.
"This alien fellow was working on a rocket ship when he arrived here. The matter in this place isn't entirely fake -- our minds shape it, but not immediately, and there seem to be certain rules we can't break. But the alien -- he doesn't speak any language I know, so I'm not even sure of his name -- has been making a lot of attempts, so we've crossed off a whole pile of approaches that we know won't work."
"I asked Dr. Richards to help, but he's over the moon not to be the Brute any more. So he's out. I don't think we can take him with us, sorry ... and anyway, he's not really your Reed Richards, is he?"
"So what do you say, Miss Storm? Want to bust out of death's waiting room on a rocket ship with Marvin the Martian and me?"
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
And Just Like That, Ant-Man Is Saved!
Before Ant-Man can decide whether to go quantum-subatomic and possibly never return, a blurring red form yanks him up into the air. Her mechanical wings whirring frantically, a woman in an Ant-Man suit (but with wings) hauls him ahead of the blast to safety.
"Whew!" she says when the fire has subsided. "Good thing a blast wave can only travel at the speed of sound. In a dive, I can beat it."
She sounds a lot like Hope van Dyne, but Ant-Man realizes she's taller. Who IS this?
And why is her suit ashy, as though she were recently in a grave?
"Anyway," she says, "I'm just glad I got there in time ... Hank."
"Whew!" she says when the fire has subsided. "Good thing a blast wave can only travel at the speed of sound. In a dive, I can beat it."
She sounds a lot like Hope van Dyne, but Ant-Man realizes she's taller. Who IS this?
And why is her suit ashy, as though she were recently in a grave?
"Anyway," she says, "I'm just glad I got there in time ... Hank."
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Into the Soul of Eternity
Sue Storm's mind is whirling with the dreadful possibilities that she is now a supervillainess. Not only does this mean Reed might end up marrying She-Hulk, but she will have to change her code name and costume. Malice is a terrible code name! And such a tacky uniform! None of the supervillainess costumes are as flattering as nice blue set of coveralls!
http://www.scifiwright.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/evil-sue.jpg
http://www.scifiwright.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/evil-sue-02.jpg
Of course, on her, she might be able to make that spiked collar bare midriff look work...
BUT NO MATTER! The brute known as Evil Reed (who may now be her only evil hope of evil happiness, now that she is evil) and John Jameson must not be lost!
Jameson, after all, was the first person Spiderman ever saved! (See Spider-Man #1 - Eds) She would not be able to face her team mate, Spiderman, if she had to tell him that she, no one else, lost the first save he ever made!
Holding up the Soul Gem, Sue says, "Soul Gem! I bid you allow me enter, retrieve the souls trapped in you, and emerge safely back into the world of time! I command you in the name of Eternity, whose soul you are, to open up and show me a path! A safe path, please!"
WHURRRL
Sue dissolves into liquid and falls into the Soul Gem.
She lands on a pumpkin-shaped settee, beside a caterpillar smoking a hookah.
"Well, hi, little lady," says the caterpillar in an extremely slow drawl, so it's more like "Waaaahul haaaaaaaay, liiiiiiiiiul layyyyyyyydeh." I won't spell it again.
"Lost yer way? Ayuh, there's many an' many a path to be drawn here in the Down-Under, an' never the twain shall meet. Ayuh .... many an' many."
His scented smoke drifts upward, to where the sky should be ...
... and isn't. The zenith is full of faces, tinted orange and distorted across the bowl of the heavens, some twisted into screams of despair, others apparently content.
EXAGGERATE! In Which the TOP is Decisively GONE OVER!
Wanda has never heard of Thunderbird, but he at least -looks- human.
No guarantees with this crew, though.
But he at least presents as if he comes from a warrior culture. Probably pride there. A certain way things should be.
She has the Will Stone and the Love Stone, which make her more reluctant to give him a case of the crazies.
Perhaps the Love stone will make him more amenable. Probably still looking rather fetching.
Perhaps the Will stone...
"You are here to help us! Do not fall following an unworthy leader..." She is clearly referencing Thanos.
"I have already done so once," he says. "Professor Xavier was an unworthy leader, and he led me to my death. I won't do that again!"
"In fact, I won't follow any leader I don't know! Who are you, and what do you want?"
So negotiations are ongoing.
Storm uses the space gem to put Ultron...somewhere else.
Also, Storm uses the Space gem to bring Ant-Man and Spider-Man to where she and the others are fighting Undead Thanos and crew.
The undead are doing the following:
QUICKSILVER: messing with Dark Phoenix
RED SKULL: Standing there murmuring about destiny
THANOS: Ripping off Machine Man's arm and taking the Wrath Stone from him
THUNDERBIRD: Joining the side of the living
WHIPLASH: Using his electrically-active whips to smack the Scarlet Witch's hands, making her drop both the Love Stone and the Will Stone!
He can't, however, reel them back in. Whips don't work like that.
"Hurry, Quicksilver! Recover the gems and ..."
Whiplash's whips are tied around his head and chest-harness. If he puts any juice through them, he'll fry himself.
"What?" says Quicksilver. "Nobody saw that coming?"
DARK PHOENIX: Having been ignored by the Scarlet Witch (who may have thought Storm was on it) and Storm (who may have assumed the Scarlet Witch was taking care of it), the undead Jean Grey skims the photosphere off the nearby sun and throws it down at the heroes!
BOOOM doesn't even BEGIN to cover it.
Several cities and their associated hinterlands are BOILED off the face of Hala! Worse yet, everyone hit by the sun-blast becomes dead, and therefore immediately joins the side of THANOS, the harbinger of DEATH!
Remember all that banging on I did about how genetically superior the Kree are, how it's like being on a planet of superheroes?
Yeah, no. Make that a planet of zombie supervillains.
Everyone in the hero team is washed in solar fire. Let's see how that plays out ...
STORM: not invulnerable. But lightning is an energy plasma, and the local weather just became a set of variations of lightning: lightning storms, yes, but also lightning clouds, lightning rain, even lightning SNOW ... all of which Storm can direct to please, PLEASE be not right HERE! So Storm is not incinerated.
SCARLET WITCH: can use hex bolts to, against all probability, survive.
SPIDER-MAN: Can sense it coming with Spidey-Sense! Uh ... and the Mind Gem tells him exactly what will happen to him, down to the atomic level. And unfortunately, the brilliant mind of Peter Parker UNDERSTANDS all that is about to happen to him ... sheesh.
ANT-MAN: Is quick enough on the trigger to shrink down into the quantum realm ... but will he ever escape? Can't duck between the photons without quantum shrinking, though.
MACHINE MAN: Not invulnerable. Therefore killed. And, in a surprising new fact about ontology, resurrected as Undead Machine Man! Who looks about the same, but covered with crawling electrical arcs instead of blood.
CAPTAIN MAR-VELL: Actually IS invulnerable. Costume torn. White hair mussed. Looks pretty angry.
QUICKSILVER: Ka-BOOM. Vanishes in a cloud of smoke.
WHIPLASH: Ka-BOOM. A skeleton wrapped in burned machinery. Who, being undead, is STILL WITH US ... and grinning, because he's just that crazy.
THE RED SKULL: Stripped to a real red skull, glowing red-hot, that is. But, undead, so also still there. Really "Red Skeleton" comes closer. His swastika falls off in ashes, which makes him sad. So Blue Skull.
THANOS: Also invulnerable! Everyone else has been pushed to the edges of the Shining Continent, at the lip of a miles-wide crater of molten steel. But not Thanos, and not Captain Mar-Vell, who leap at each other's throats.
"For DEATH!" says Thanos.
"For LIFE!" says Mar-Vell.
KAWHOOM!
ULTRON: Safe somewhere else.
DARK PHOENIX poses in front of the sun, which, its photosphere torn off, is burning the sky. Literally setting the sky on fire. And in each hand glows an Infinity Gem, purple in one hand, green in the other.
"Xavier, when first you glimpsed my potential, what was the first trick you ever taught me? Oh, yes ... telekinesis," she says.
"Dark Phoenix!" shouts Thanos, bent over painfully as Captain Mar-Vell tucks Thanos' boot into his own ear. "Take up the Wrath Stone and Space Stone, and with four of the six Infinity Gems, change the universe from the abode of Eternity to the mortuary of Death!"
"Sounds like a plan, Thanos my love ..." says the firebird in the sky.
(Spider-Man and Ant-Man are free to suggest ways in which they are not dead. And if the other players have an alternative way to survive, that's cool, too.)
No guarantees with this crew, though.
But he at least presents as if he comes from a warrior culture. Probably pride there. A certain way things should be.
She has the Will Stone and the Love Stone, which make her more reluctant to give him a case of the crazies.
Perhaps the Love stone will make him more amenable. Probably still looking rather fetching.
Perhaps the Will stone...
"You are here to help us! Do not fall following an unworthy leader..." She is clearly referencing Thanos.
"I have already done so once," he says. "Professor Xavier was an unworthy leader, and he led me to my death. I won't do that again!"
"In fact, I won't follow any leader I don't know! Who are you, and what do you want?"
So negotiations are ongoing.
Storm uses the space gem to put Ultron...somewhere else.
Also, Storm uses the Space gem to bring Ant-Man and Spider-Man to where she and the others are fighting Undead Thanos and crew.
The undead are doing the following:
QUICKSILVER: messing with Dark Phoenix
RED SKULL: Standing there murmuring about destiny
THANOS: Ripping off Machine Man's arm and taking the Wrath Stone from him
THUNDERBIRD: Joining the side of the living
WHIPLASH: Using his electrically-active whips to smack the Scarlet Witch's hands, making her drop both the Love Stone and the Will Stone!
He can't, however, reel them back in. Whips don't work like that.
"Hurry, Quicksilver! Recover the gems and ..."
Whiplash's whips are tied around his head and chest-harness. If he puts any juice through them, he'll fry himself.
"What?" says Quicksilver. "Nobody saw that coming?"
DARK PHOENIX: Having been ignored by the Scarlet Witch (who may have thought Storm was on it) and Storm (who may have assumed the Scarlet Witch was taking care of it), the undead Jean Grey skims the photosphere off the nearby sun and throws it down at the heroes!
BOOOM doesn't even BEGIN to cover it.
Several cities and their associated hinterlands are BOILED off the face of Hala! Worse yet, everyone hit by the sun-blast becomes dead, and therefore immediately joins the side of THANOS, the harbinger of DEATH!
Remember all that banging on I did about how genetically superior the Kree are, how it's like being on a planet of superheroes?
Yeah, no. Make that a planet of zombie supervillains.
Everyone in the hero team is washed in solar fire. Let's see how that plays out ...
STORM: not invulnerable. But lightning is an energy plasma, and the local weather just became a set of variations of lightning: lightning storms, yes, but also lightning clouds, lightning rain, even lightning SNOW ... all of which Storm can direct to please, PLEASE be not right HERE! So Storm is not incinerated.
SCARLET WITCH: can use hex bolts to, against all probability, survive.
SPIDER-MAN: Can sense it coming with Spidey-Sense! Uh ... and the Mind Gem tells him exactly what will happen to him, down to the atomic level. And unfortunately, the brilliant mind of Peter Parker UNDERSTANDS all that is about to happen to him ... sheesh.
ANT-MAN: Is quick enough on the trigger to shrink down into the quantum realm ... but will he ever escape? Can't duck between the photons without quantum shrinking, though.
MACHINE MAN: Not invulnerable. Therefore killed. And, in a surprising new fact about ontology, resurrected as Undead Machine Man! Who looks about the same, but covered with crawling electrical arcs instead of blood.
CAPTAIN MAR-VELL: Actually IS invulnerable. Costume torn. White hair mussed. Looks pretty angry.
QUICKSILVER: Ka-BOOM. Vanishes in a cloud of smoke.
WHIPLASH: Ka-BOOM. A skeleton wrapped in burned machinery. Who, being undead, is STILL WITH US ... and grinning, because he's just that crazy.
THE RED SKULL: Stripped to a real red skull, glowing red-hot, that is. But, undead, so also still there. Really "Red Skeleton" comes closer. His swastika falls off in ashes, which makes him sad. So Blue Skull.
THANOS: Also invulnerable! Everyone else has been pushed to the edges of the Shining Continent, at the lip of a miles-wide crater of molten steel. But not Thanos, and not Captain Mar-Vell, who leap at each other's throats.
"For DEATH!" says Thanos.
"For LIFE!" says Mar-Vell.
KAWHOOM!
ULTRON: Safe somewhere else.
DARK PHOENIX poses in front of the sun, which, its photosphere torn off, is burning the sky. Literally setting the sky on fire. And in each hand glows an Infinity Gem, purple in one hand, green in the other.
"Xavier, when first you glimpsed my potential, what was the first trick you ever taught me? Oh, yes ... telekinesis," she says.
"Dark Phoenix!" shouts Thanos, bent over painfully as Captain Mar-Vell tucks Thanos' boot into his own ear. "Take up the Wrath Stone and Space Stone, and with four of the six Infinity Gems, change the universe from the abode of Eternity to the mortuary of Death!"
"Sounds like a plan, Thanos my love ..." says the firebird in the sky.
(Spider-Man and Ant-Man are free to suggest ways in which they are not dead. And if the other players have an alternative way to survive, that's cool, too.)
Alas! Is This the End of The Invisible Girl ... Or the Rise of a New Supervillain?
Sue Storm is more than a little psychologically damaged by the fact that, while trying to save men she pitied, she becomes and massmurdering soul-eating vampiress. That is simply not good.
With her newly tripled powers, she turns Victor's eyeballs invisible so that all light passes through them without being intercepted by his retinas, in effect making him blind. She globes him in a force field which she then flings into the sea.
She then falls to the ground, weeping uncontrollably. Not even Namor or Rama Tut would marry her now that she is an ultrapowerful yet soul-eating evil murderess!
Her fate will end up the same as Adam Warlock: her younger self will use time travel to kill her old evil galactic-queen self in some ridiculous yet confusing time paradox!
That is the way these things always work out! CURSE YOU MARV WOLFMAN!
With whatever small flake of sanity remains in her mind, she thinks over the mind link, "Spiderman, please ask the Mind Gem for information of how to undo the process of removing someone's soul from his body."
Spider-Man sends at once:
YOU MUST ENTER THE SOUL STONE AND LEAD THEM OUT. BUT IF THEY HAVE BECOME ENTANGLED, THEY ARE FOREVER LOST TO THE WORLD OF TIME. THERE IS NO TIME STONE.
With her newly tripled powers, she turns Victor's eyeballs invisible so that all light passes through them without being intercepted by his retinas, in effect making him blind. She globes him in a force field which she then flings into the sea.
She then falls to the ground, weeping uncontrollably. Not even Namor or Rama Tut would marry her now that she is an ultrapowerful yet soul-eating evil murderess!
Her fate will end up the same as Adam Warlock: her younger self will use time travel to kill her old evil galactic-queen self in some ridiculous yet confusing time paradox!
That is the way these things always work out! CURSE YOU MARV WOLFMAN!
With whatever small flake of sanity remains in her mind, she thinks over the mind link, "Spiderman, please ask the Mind Gem for information of how to undo the process of removing someone's soul from his body."
Spider-Man sends at once:
YOU MUST ENTER THE SOUL STONE AND LEAD THEM OUT. BUT IF THEY HAVE BECOME ENTANGLED, THEY ARE FOREVER LOST TO THE WORLD OF TIME. THERE IS NO TIME STONE.
Monday, October 3, 2016
Through Death's Door!
Storm tries to put more and more space between Dark Phoenix and her intended victims...more space than her attacks can cover.
Dark Phoenix reaches across the extent of the cosmos to destroy Hala! Storm keeps putting more and more space in front of her, until eventually Dark Phoenix is barely visible in the distance.
Then Dark Phoenix, with terrifying ease, opens a space warp, transiting the gulfs between in a single instant!
"Oh-ho!" she says, something no woman in her right mind has ever said. "A fellow space warper! See what you can do with this ..."
WHA-KRAMM! A black firebird slams its wings down HARD across the city, shattering buildings and making the rubble bounce.
Wanda sticks close to her brother and, using love and will, tries to stop, or even reverse! Dark Phoenix's effects on the city.
Love and will can put things back as they were. Exactly as they were! Buildings leap back up, people spring up from their deaths, fires go out and leave unburned valuables behind.
But the purple light cannot affect Dark Phoenix ... because it is not being used by someone who loves her.
Thanos approves of the destruction.
"It will help these Kree accept their fate if they die twice," he muses. "And to help still further ..."
He gestures to Machine Man, and through the black-and-red flames come Thunderbird (the Apache X-Man), Whiplash, and Ultron, the ultimate battle robot!
"Here are the defenders of light, my friends," he says to the revenants. "Bring them to appreciation of the power of Death."
And Thanos, himself, lunges clumsily toward Machine Man, who extends his legs to keep himself, and the Wrath Stone, out of Thanos' reach.
Ultron goes for Storm, Thunderbird for Scarlet Witch, and Whiplash for Star-Lord. Plus Dark Phoenix is still blowing up parts of the planet with heroes on it.
Dark Phoenix reaches across the extent of the cosmos to destroy Hala! Storm keeps putting more and more space in front of her, until eventually Dark Phoenix is barely visible in the distance.
Then Dark Phoenix, with terrifying ease, opens a space warp, transiting the gulfs between in a single instant!
"Oh-ho!" she says, something no woman in her right mind has ever said. "A fellow space warper! See what you can do with this ..."
WHA-KRAMM! A black firebird slams its wings down HARD across the city, shattering buildings and making the rubble bounce.
Wanda sticks close to her brother and, using love and will, tries to stop, or even reverse! Dark Phoenix's effects on the city.
Love and will can put things back as they were. Exactly as they were! Buildings leap back up, people spring up from their deaths, fires go out and leave unburned valuables behind.
But the purple light cannot affect Dark Phoenix ... because it is not being used by someone who loves her.
Thanos approves of the destruction.
"It will help these Kree accept their fate if they die twice," he muses. "And to help still further ..."
He gestures to Machine Man, and through the black-and-red flames come Thunderbird (the Apache X-Man), Whiplash, and Ultron, the ultimate battle robot!
"Here are the defenders of light, my friends," he says to the revenants. "Bring them to appreciation of the power of Death."
And Thanos, himself, lunges clumsily toward Machine Man, who extends his legs to keep himself, and the Wrath Stone, out of Thanos' reach.
Ultron goes for Storm, Thunderbird for Scarlet Witch, and Whiplash for Star-Lord. Plus Dark Phoenix is still blowing up parts of the planet with heroes on it.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Cured! At Last, the Cure for All The Ills of Mortal Mankind!
Sue puts an oval force-field around herself and the gem, with her at one focus, the gem at the other. If any green rays or visible light lasers penetrate the force-field, she makes it invisible.
This is not any fancy shape, nor is she doing three things at once, and if Sue cannot keep up a force field potent enough to keep out out an astronaut, a hulking brute, and a distracted, clutching-his-own-face Latverian tyrant and superscientist, she will retire from the Fantastic Four, and marry Rama-Tut! He might be a bad guy, and, yes, he used a mind control ray on her, but he DID want to marry her, and a girl has to think about her future!
Wishing for Reed's stretchy arms (and sorry about the many times she thought how lame that power was -- Reed IS a darling, isn't he?) Sue dives on the gem.
Even before her fingers touch it, she is thinking, "Soul Gem! All these three men, each in his own way, has a damaged soul! A faceless misanthrope, a brute who killed his own true love in a spaceship accident, and a lycanthrope! Heal them! Supply what is missing!"
(Sue does not turn Doom mask invisible at this time. That would just be mean.)
The Soul Gem glows orange. It draws the Brute's soul out of his cosmic-ray-ravaged body, and John Jameson's soul out of his lycanthropy-cursed body.
And it ALMOST pulls Doom's soul out of his facially-scarred body, but Doom's many layers of sorcerous defenses and camouflages hold back the Gem for now! But, were Sue to concentrate entirely upon it, even the wizardly secrets of DOOM must fall forfeit!
When the two souls are removed, they flow into the Soul Gem. As they pass through it, Sue feels herself energized. Her powers are tripled! She can easily turn anything invisible, or turn invisible things visible (something she hardly ever does) or make a forcefield to hold back Thor and the Hulk simultaneously!
Also, she feels very satisfied. When the Soul Gem is with her, nothing is impossible. Surely even Reed will see that!
She must, therefore, never give up the Soul Gem.
This is not any fancy shape, nor is she doing three things at once, and if Sue cannot keep up a force field potent enough to keep out out an astronaut, a hulking brute, and a distracted, clutching-his-own-face Latverian tyrant and superscientist, she will retire from the Fantastic Four, and marry Rama-Tut! He might be a bad guy, and, yes, he used a mind control ray on her, but he DID want to marry her, and a girl has to think about her future!
Wishing for Reed's stretchy arms (and sorry about the many times she thought how lame that power was -- Reed IS a darling, isn't he?) Sue dives on the gem.
Even before her fingers touch it, she is thinking, "Soul Gem! All these three men, each in his own way, has a damaged soul! A faceless misanthrope, a brute who killed his own true love in a spaceship accident, and a lycanthrope! Heal them! Supply what is missing!"
(Sue does not turn Doom mask invisible at this time. That would just be mean.)
The Soul Gem glows orange. It draws the Brute's soul out of his cosmic-ray-ravaged body, and John Jameson's soul out of his lycanthropy-cursed body.
And it ALMOST pulls Doom's soul out of his facially-scarred body, but Doom's many layers of sorcerous defenses and camouflages hold back the Gem for now! But, were Sue to concentrate entirely upon it, even the wizardly secrets of DOOM must fall forfeit!
When the two souls are removed, they flow into the Soul Gem. As they pass through it, Sue feels herself energized. Her powers are tripled! She can easily turn anything invisible, or turn invisible things visible (something she hardly ever does) or make a forcefield to hold back Thor and the Hulk simultaneously!
Also, she feels very satisfied. When the Soul Gem is with her, nothing is impossible. Surely even Reed will see that!
She must, therefore, never give up the Soul Gem.
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