It's A Fantastic Life
By
Carolyne Smythe
"If ya don't git outta bed in ten seconds, I'M GONNA BLOW YA HEAD OFF!!" Yelled the hillbilly alarm clock.
A young girl awoke, let out a soft yawn, and calmly pressed the button on the clock that turned off the mechanical mountaineer's countdown. The clock read 8:01. Slowly, Marilyn Richards, better known to the world as Miss Fantastic, arose from her bed. She did not even have to look at the calendar to know it was one of her favorite days of the year, Christmas Eve. Marilyn could smell it in the air via her friend, Susan Storm Richards, familiar to many as the Invisible Woman's baking sweet delights in the kitchen below her room. She could hear it through Benjamin Jacob Grimm also known as the Thing's trudging through the hallway outside at what was for him an unusual hour to be awake. It was also audible through Johnny Storm, world-famous as the Human Torch's rock and roll Christmas CD blasting from his stereo next door. The only Baxter Building resident who was not making his holiday celebrations subtlely known was Marilyn's stepfather, Reed Richards, better known as Mister Fantastic.
"Father is the only one I know to enjoy working during the Yuletide season..." She sighed then continued.
"At least unlike Ebenezer Scrooge, he enjoys Christmas."
Mary finally got up from her bed, and headed towards her bathroom, where she changed into her uniform for her duties that day.
After breakfast, Marilyn headed for her stepfather's lab. When she finally arrived, and entered, not a warm welcome, but something quite different greeted her.
"Merry Christmas and good morning Father!"
"Oh. Hi Mary." Reed said to his stepdaughter in not the most comforting of tones.
"Is something wrong?" Mary questioned.
"Well..." Reed paused, then continued.
"It's just that I'm conducting some experiments that might be hazardous to you. And, I would prefer that you do not assist me today."
Mary was strongly taken aback. She thought.
"That's very odd. Father usually just asks me to wait outside the lab when undertaking a dangerous part of an experiment. He normally does not tell me to get lost like that."
Reluctantly, Mary asked her stepfather.
"Couldn't I just wait outside? Surely, all parts of those experiments cannot THAT dangerous."
"Mary, I really don't need your assistance today. Would you please leave?" Reed answered, in rather perturbedly.
"Yes, Father dearest." Mary sighed.
She exited the lab as her stepfather requested with the following thought on her mind.
"And most fathers would be proud if their children were willing to work during a weekend, or especially a holiday."
Mary plodded on toward her room, pondering what she was going to do with what was quite a bit of spare time she possessed that day. Suddenly, an idea came to her. And quickly, she went to her closet, pulled out a box that said in large, bold letters, "BATTLESHIP", and ran towards the den. There, she found Ben lounging in a colossal recliner, peering over that day's paper.
"Good morning Ben!"
"Mornin' kid. Excited about tomorrow?" The human mass of rocks responded.
"As always Ben." Mary answered back cheerfully, then went on.
"You remember a few days ago when you promised you would play a game with me if I ever was bored? Well, could you please fulfill that promise right now?"
Ben looked up from the newspaper, and down at Mary and the board game box she held.
"Well kid, I'm afraid I'm a little too beesy gettin' ready for tha college bowl games today. I gots bets ridin' on those games. Sorry."
Mary, feeling like she was going to explode, but keeping her cool said.
"But Ben, those games don't even come on the television for another three or four hours. I believe you could at least play one game with me in that interval."
"Look kid, ol' blue eyes here has gotta have lots of time to think about who's gonna win each game. Now, go off, and ask hothead to play with ya."
As Mary left the room, she thought.
"And as usual Ben, you are going to lose every one of those bets for the umpteenth time. When is that nut going to realize he just can't cut it at probability in sporting events?"
She then decided to take Ben's advice, and see if Johnny was up to a video gaming challenge of sorts. When Mary got to Johnny's room, besides rock music, she heard the following.
"Now Jenny, I know how much you are thrilled by a date on Christmas Eve, but you need to tell me what restaurant you wanna eat at so I can make reservations soon!"
Quietly, Mary opened the door, and walked in. Johnny did not even appear to notice her entrance.
"What? I'm not trying to change the subject! I told you that me and Alison had broken up two weeks ago. We are not seeing each other anymore!"
Gingerly, Mary sat down in Johnny's beanbag. It was not gingerly enough, for the beans made a rather loud "CRUNCH!" Johnny immediately put his hand over the receiver, and snapped.
"What do you want? Can't you see I'm talking on the phone?"
"Uh, nothing Johnny." Mary flinchingly replied as she left the room.
Right after she abandoned Johnny's room, Mary heard him say.
"I'm so sorry about that Jenny. You know that Mary I told you about, that was her..."
"See if I'm willing to play a game or two with you when you invite me to do so!" She angrily whispered through the crack the door ajar made.
Distraught, Mary wandered back to the floor below, and made her way to the kitchen. There, Sue was baking Christmas treats to be consumed that night and the upcoming day.
"Good morning Sue! Is there anyway I could be of service to you today?"
"Well, good morning Mary. It is awful kind of you to ask that, but I feel I got a handle on everything right now." Sue responded.
"Oh come on, couldn't I just help mix some batter, or lick some spoons and bowls?" Mary asked, almost desperately.
Sue said back to her.
"Now look Mary, you know very good and well you could get salmonella poisoning from eating batter because of the raw eggs, and I just got through mixing all of the batter I'll need today. Anyway, I'm sure your stepfather needs you as always to assist him. Why don't you pay him a visit?"
"Yes Sue." Mary muttered.
Feeling down, and somewhat rejected, she meandered back to her room, and laid down on her bed doing nothing but staring at the ceiling and wondering why of all days, on Christmas Eve did her only friends reject her as they did. Mary closed her eyes as she pondered this, and...
All of a sudden, Mary saw a rather peculiar figure standing in front of her at the foot of the bed. She wore a light blue dress with a belt around her waist that formed a bow in the back. On her hands were white gloves. Covering her legs were white hoes, and light blue shoes were adorning her feet. Underneath the shimmering sky blue hat was a beautiful light brown haired head with a dainty little nose, a smiling pair of lips, and most noticeable of all, the most golden brown eyes Marilyn had ever seen. Without a moment's hesitation, she realized the very person before her was HER. Instantly, Mary interrogated the being.
"Who are you, or what are you? That's not my dress you are wearing is it? And, if it is, how did you get into it without me hearing you, or sensing you? You didn't by any chance drug me did you? You are not by any chance a Skrull, or Impossible Man are you?"
The replica of Mary stared at her, then with a smile remaining on her face, stretched her arm out towards Mary's face, and put her pointer finger over Mary's mouth as if saying without a word.
"Sssssshhhh!"
Mary quieted down, as her twin took her finger away, and spoke rather cheerfully.
"Hello! As corny as it may sound, I am your conscious. Before I go on, I shall answer your questions. I already answered your first one. Of course this is your dress. As weird as it may sound, you're always wearing it. Which should answer your question about how I got into it without you knowing about it. By the way, you are not drugged. And, last I checked, I'm not evil like the two people you mentioned. If I were evil, would you act as you've always had? No."
Mary inspected the being very carefully. With a sigh, she said.
"Ok, I guess I believe you. But, if I am not drugged, why are you appearing before me? I am not dead, am I?"
Mary's conscious looked at her with an appalled look.
"DEAD? Of course not! If you want to know the truth, you are actually in a dream. In other words you are asleep right now."
Mary looked at her double with wonder.
"So, you are saying if I wanted to, I could just pinch myself awake right now, like this!" She said, as she began to pinch herself. Nothing happened. Mary's conscious smiled, and said.
"I am afraid it will not be THAT easy." She continued.
"Now if you will let me go on. The reason I am appearing in front of you like this is to remind you of that something very special you seem to have forgotten. And of all days to forget it on, Christmas Eve, the day before the most special day of the year! What is this something special I'm bringing to light? The very fact that your only friends do indeed care about and need you. Yes, they have their own tasks to attend to, but that doesn't mean they reject you. Now get up. I know those words I just said are not going to be enough. So, we are going to take a little tour."
Mary stared back at her conscious rather dumbfoundedly.
"What kind of tour?" She asked.
Mary's conscious replied.
"Well, we are going to take a little stroll around the Baxter Building. But, the sights we are going to behold are going to be totally different. For, we are looking at a world where you NEVER EXISTED!"
Slowly, Mary got up from the bed, and walked to where her conscious stood.
"I guess I'm ready for this "tour"." Mary said with a bit of unwillingness in her voice.
"Good!" Her conscious chimed.
Mary noticed that suddenly a sky blue parasol that came out of nowhere was in her conscious' hand. And before Mary could utter a word, her conscious opened the parasol, and swung it around them to the right.
With that one swing of the parasol, Marilyn's conscious had transported her and her physical self from Mary's bedroom to the laboratory of her stepfather. The difference between this lab and the lab Mary knew in her world was a huge one. Everywhere in the lab were gadgets, broken glass, puddles of chemicals and other various substances; along with other miscellaneous forms of sloppiness scattered on the vast floor. About twenty feet away sat a man in an immense, torn leather chair sleeping with his arms and legs dragging at abnormal lengths onto the floor. The man was obviously not well groomed, for he had very dark stubble protruding from his face, and his hair was very shaggy, and not to mention filthy. An unbearable smell hung around the room. More than likely, it was coming from the then drooling, slumbering person in front of the two who were really one. Wherever the odor was coming from, it was so intense; Mary had to fold her nostrils in as her better half spoke.
"Behold, the one you and I so willingly call "Father"."
For a solid two minutes, Mary could not say a word. Finally, she said in a shocked tone.
"That man... that cannot be our stepfather, it just couldn't be."
As if on cue, the man awoke from his sleep, rubbed his eyes, and said in a rather haggard tone.
"Guess I better get back to work on that super sonic radar."
"Father! Before you get to work on anything else, clean up this godawful mess!!" Mary shouted as she stretched her hand towards her stepfather's shoulder.
Suddenly, Mary froze as her hand when right through the shoulder.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that no one can see, hear, or feel you in this world." Her conscious suddenly piped up.
"Great, what timing..." Mary said as she retracted her arm, then went on.
"I just don't get it. How could my not existing make Father become this?"
Mary's better half responded.
"It's quite simple. Because of your presence, our stepfather feels like he has a duty to be responsible and organized. He is very proud of being your role model, and wanting you to take after him through his actions. Here, because you do not exist, this version of our stepfather does not let responsibility or organization come first. Thus, he is the product of such disarrayment. Also, without you around, he does not really have a companion, or another mind to share his ideas with. Such conditions can lead to the manifesting of slight insanity embedded in a lone genius."
"I see..." Mary could barely get out.
"We better go on. Please keep in mind, we have three more people we have to visit." Her conscious said as she opened her parasol, and did that one magic twirl around them to transport to another part of the Baxter Building.
Mary quickly recognized where her and better half had just appeared. It was the hallway that led to the bedrooms. Like the lab her and conscious had just exited, the hallway was just as bad or even worst a mess. There were pizza boxes, beer cans, and other various pieces of litter everywhere. Also, on the walls was graffiti.
"What happened here??" Mary questioned.
"You shall find out in a moment." Her conscious replied.
They approached the room that was Ben's bedroom. There were sounds of eating and grunting coming from it. Mary suddenly got an idea of who the sounds were coming from. She asked her better half.
"That is not Ben, is it?"
"Indeed it is. Behold." Her conscious answered.
Peering through the slightly opened door, Mary beheld what was to her a more ghastly sight than her filthy stepfather and his horrid lab. Ben was lying on the bed looking more mutated than he ever had. His rocky AND hairy skin was covered with grease, beer, lots of tiny crumbs, and various stains. Except for the furniture, his room resembled the hallways. Ben laid on the bed, pouring the contents of a king-sized bag of potato chips and an occasional can of beer into his gargantuan mouth. Mary wanted to reel back in disgust, but could not, due to having pity for the miserable man-beast.
"How revolting! And there's no pun intended there! How could my not existing affect Ben? If anything, I would have thought it would affect him the least!" Mary exclaimed.
"Well, while the stepfather we know is willing and responsible to work on a cure for Ben, the man we just witnessed is too lazy and irresponsible to work on a cure. So, due to no attempts in making a cure, this version of Ben before us has mutated into something no one will dare go near. Also, without you around to keep him cheered up and realizing that life goes on and that he's just as human in that cosmic radiated form as he was before, Ben here sees no point in remaining human."
Mary felt a paralyzing wave of guilt wash over her.
"She's right. Ben does seem to turn to me quite a bit for comedy relief."
"See, you may not have been aware of it. But, besides helping out in the experiments that help make the Fantastic Five prosperous, you have helped the team be prosperous in another way, comedy relief." Her conscious suddenly said.
"How did you..." Mary began to ask.
"Hello! I'm your conscious, your MIND! Whatever you're thinking, I'm thinking!" Her better half sarcastically said, then continued.
"Hey, wait a minute. I hear someone coming! Is it what I'm sensing? Why, yes it is! Prepare to witness another spectacle my rubber friend!"
Walking down the hallway was a teenaged boy wearing a black leather vest, blue jeans with holes in the knees, and old Nikes. A bandana was wrapped around his blond-haired head. In his hand was a can of red spray paint. He entered Ben's room, and proceeded to the beast who had just finished his meal of potato chips and beer.
"Johnny... he looks like... a RAMBO REJECT!" Mary blurted out.
Her better half could do no nothing more than nod as they watched Johnny walk up to Ben, and without hassle spray paint the following onto Ben's chest.
"WASH ME!"
Johnny then ran away, laughing wildly and wickedly as Ben just managed to let out a grunt and snort. Mary gasped in disbelief.
"Johnny can be a rat sometimes, but not that BIG A RAT! I take it he is the one responsible for all of the graffiti in the halls?"
"Yes, he is. Without you, Johnny does not have a rational, youthful companion to share ideas and play with. So, he has to resort to being a little butt, to put in clean terms." Her conscious said.
"But, why in such outrageous ways?" Mary proclaimed.
"Well, like with Ben, it leads back to our stepfather. Part of the irresponsibility he has developed is through his leadership of the team. While our stepfather cares about the team and their behavior, the Reed Richards here does not give a darn for how the other three behave. And just think, all this because you do not exist here."
Mary did not say anymore as she looked at Johnny try to start a fire in the hall with his flame power, but failed because of the fireproof walls. Her conscious sighed and said.
"Come on, we have one more person to view, and trust me, like the other three, she won't be pretty."
With that out, Mary's better half opened the shimmering parasol, and did the one enchanted twirl to transport them to where she wanted her and her physical half to be.
They arrived to see a very weak, miserable looking wretch of a woman slaving over a stove in what was a very unsanitary kitchen. She had just gotten through baking a cake. At that moment, she was putting the following message in icing on the cake...
"Happy birthday Johnny!"
"I know that is Sue. She must really be out of it to think it is Johnny's birthday today. His birthday isn't until July." Mary said.
"The Sue is this world's life is a far more torturous one than the one in our world. This Sue is desperate for compliments. She is so desperate; she is baking a birthday cake for everyone everyday. You really have no idea how much your compliments impact Sue." Her conscious replied.
Suddenly, Johnny bursted through the kitchen entrance, and spotted the cake. He strutted over to Sue, a look of menace in his eyes. Sue looked at him with shock and horror and said.
"I, I, I baked something for you today baby brother. Please, have a slice!"
Johnny took the cake and threw it at Sue's head. The result was a huge chocolate mess. He then retorted.
"You stupid..."
He continued to insult her about such trivial things as calling him "baby brother", and forgetting when his birthday really was. Mary at that point had had enough.
"I think I have learned my lesson. Could you return us to our home?"
Her better half smiled at her, and said.
"Your wish is my command!"
With that said, Mary conscious opened the enchanted parasol, and did that magic twirl around them.
All of a sudden, Marilyn awoke to all four of her friends staring at her.
"We called you on the intercom Mary, but you wouldn't come!" Sue said.
"What time is it?" Mary asked.
"Why, it is 6:00 p.m.! How long have you been asleep?" Reed interrogated.
"Only a couple of hours Father." Mary answered.
"That must have been one intense dream. You moved about so much!" Sue commented.
"Oh you do not know HOW INTENSE it was!" Mary exclaimed as she began to give all four of her friends a huge hug.
"Whoa! What did ya dream about kid?" Ben asked.
"You know something Ben, I do not remember. But I will say it was a very interesting experience!" Mary responded.
"Well, lets get on down to the Christmas feast guys, I'm starving!" Johnny let out.
"We shall go on down lad. I am very glad to see you are ok my child. You don't realize how concerned we were when you did not come down." Reed said.
With those words said, Mary realized what a fool she had been to feel rejected.
"Conscious, as disgusting as that was, thank you for showing me how much a difference I really make in my friends' lives."
Right after she thought that, Mary could have sworn she heard a voice in her head say.
"You are very welcome!"
Mary began to smile, and ran down to where the people she loved awaited her arrival.
*~*~The End~*~*
By
Carolyne Smythe
"If ya don't git outta bed in ten seconds, I'M GONNA BLOW YA HEAD OFF!!" Yelled the hillbilly alarm clock.
A young girl awoke, let out a soft yawn, and calmly pressed the button on the clock that turned off the mechanical mountaineer's countdown. The clock read 8:01. Slowly, Marilyn Richards, better known to the world as Miss Fantastic, arose from her bed. She did not even have to look at the calendar to know it was one of her favorite days of the year, Christmas Eve. Marilyn could smell it in the air via her friend, Susan Storm Richards, familiar to many as the Invisible Woman's baking sweet delights in the kitchen below her room. She could hear it through Benjamin Jacob Grimm also known as the Thing's trudging through the hallway outside at what was for him an unusual hour to be awake. It was also audible through Johnny Storm, world-famous as the Human Torch's rock and roll Christmas CD blasting from his stereo next door. The only Baxter Building resident who was not making his holiday celebrations subtlely known was Marilyn's stepfather, Reed Richards, better known as Mister Fantastic.
"Father is the only one I know to enjoy working during the Yuletide season..." She sighed then continued.
"At least unlike Ebenezer Scrooge, he enjoys Christmas."
Mary finally got up from her bed, and headed towards her bathroom, where she changed into her uniform for her duties that day.
After breakfast, Marilyn headed for her stepfather's lab. When she finally arrived, and entered, not a warm welcome, but something quite different greeted her.
"Merry Christmas and good morning Father!"
"Oh. Hi Mary." Reed said to his stepdaughter in not the most comforting of tones.
"Is something wrong?" Mary questioned.
"Well..." Reed paused, then continued.
"It's just that I'm conducting some experiments that might be hazardous to you. And, I would prefer that you do not assist me today."
Mary was strongly taken aback. She thought.
"That's very odd. Father usually just asks me to wait outside the lab when undertaking a dangerous part of an experiment. He normally does not tell me to get lost like that."
Reluctantly, Mary asked her stepfather.
"Couldn't I just wait outside? Surely, all parts of those experiments cannot THAT dangerous."
"Mary, I really don't need your assistance today. Would you please leave?" Reed answered, in rather perturbedly.
"Yes, Father dearest." Mary sighed.
She exited the lab as her stepfather requested with the following thought on her mind.
"And most fathers would be proud if their children were willing to work during a weekend, or especially a holiday."
Mary plodded on toward her room, pondering what she was going to do with what was quite a bit of spare time she possessed that day. Suddenly, an idea came to her. And quickly, she went to her closet, pulled out a box that said in large, bold letters, "BATTLESHIP", and ran towards the den. There, she found Ben lounging in a colossal recliner, peering over that day's paper.
"Good morning Ben!"
"Mornin' kid. Excited about tomorrow?" The human mass of rocks responded.
"As always Ben." Mary answered back cheerfully, then went on.
"You remember a few days ago when you promised you would play a game with me if I ever was bored? Well, could you please fulfill that promise right now?"
Ben looked up from the newspaper, and down at Mary and the board game box she held.
"Well kid, I'm afraid I'm a little too beesy gettin' ready for tha college bowl games today. I gots bets ridin' on those games. Sorry."
Mary, feeling like she was going to explode, but keeping her cool said.
"But Ben, those games don't even come on the television for another three or four hours. I believe you could at least play one game with me in that interval."
"Look kid, ol' blue eyes here has gotta have lots of time to think about who's gonna win each game. Now, go off, and ask hothead to play with ya."
As Mary left the room, she thought.
"And as usual Ben, you are going to lose every one of those bets for the umpteenth time. When is that nut going to realize he just can't cut it at probability in sporting events?"
She then decided to take Ben's advice, and see if Johnny was up to a video gaming challenge of sorts. When Mary got to Johnny's room, besides rock music, she heard the following.
"Now Jenny, I know how much you are thrilled by a date on Christmas Eve, but you need to tell me what restaurant you wanna eat at so I can make reservations soon!"
Quietly, Mary opened the door, and walked in. Johnny did not even appear to notice her entrance.
"What? I'm not trying to change the subject! I told you that me and Alison had broken up two weeks ago. We are not seeing each other anymore!"
Gingerly, Mary sat down in Johnny's beanbag. It was not gingerly enough, for the beans made a rather loud "CRUNCH!" Johnny immediately put his hand over the receiver, and snapped.
"What do you want? Can't you see I'm talking on the phone?"
"Uh, nothing Johnny." Mary flinchingly replied as she left the room.
Right after she abandoned Johnny's room, Mary heard him say.
"I'm so sorry about that Jenny. You know that Mary I told you about, that was her..."
"See if I'm willing to play a game or two with you when you invite me to do so!" She angrily whispered through the crack the door ajar made.
Distraught, Mary wandered back to the floor below, and made her way to the kitchen. There, Sue was baking Christmas treats to be consumed that night and the upcoming day.
"Good morning Sue! Is there anyway I could be of service to you today?"
"Well, good morning Mary. It is awful kind of you to ask that, but I feel I got a handle on everything right now." Sue responded.
"Oh come on, couldn't I just help mix some batter, or lick some spoons and bowls?" Mary asked, almost desperately.
Sue said back to her.
"Now look Mary, you know very good and well you could get salmonella poisoning from eating batter because of the raw eggs, and I just got through mixing all of the batter I'll need today. Anyway, I'm sure your stepfather needs you as always to assist him. Why don't you pay him a visit?"
"Yes Sue." Mary muttered.
Feeling down, and somewhat rejected, she meandered back to her room, and laid down on her bed doing nothing but staring at the ceiling and wondering why of all days, on Christmas Eve did her only friends reject her as they did. Mary closed her eyes as she pondered this, and...
All of a sudden, Mary saw a rather peculiar figure standing in front of her at the foot of the bed. She wore a light blue dress with a belt around her waist that formed a bow in the back. On her hands were white gloves. Covering her legs were white hoes, and light blue shoes were adorning her feet. Underneath the shimmering sky blue hat was a beautiful light brown haired head with a dainty little nose, a smiling pair of lips, and most noticeable of all, the most golden brown eyes Marilyn had ever seen. Without a moment's hesitation, she realized the very person before her was HER. Instantly, Mary interrogated the being.
"Who are you, or what are you? That's not my dress you are wearing is it? And, if it is, how did you get into it without me hearing you, or sensing you? You didn't by any chance drug me did you? You are not by any chance a Skrull, or Impossible Man are you?"
The replica of Mary stared at her, then with a smile remaining on her face, stretched her arm out towards Mary's face, and put her pointer finger over Mary's mouth as if saying without a word.
"Sssssshhhh!"
Mary quieted down, as her twin took her finger away, and spoke rather cheerfully.
"Hello! As corny as it may sound, I am your conscious. Before I go on, I shall answer your questions. I already answered your first one. Of course this is your dress. As weird as it may sound, you're always wearing it. Which should answer your question about how I got into it without you knowing about it. By the way, you are not drugged. And, last I checked, I'm not evil like the two people you mentioned. If I were evil, would you act as you've always had? No."
Mary inspected the being very carefully. With a sigh, she said.
"Ok, I guess I believe you. But, if I am not drugged, why are you appearing before me? I am not dead, am I?"
Mary's conscious looked at her with an appalled look.
"DEAD? Of course not! If you want to know the truth, you are actually in a dream. In other words you are asleep right now."
Mary looked at her double with wonder.
"So, you are saying if I wanted to, I could just pinch myself awake right now, like this!" She said, as she began to pinch herself. Nothing happened. Mary's conscious smiled, and said.
"I am afraid it will not be THAT easy." She continued.
"Now if you will let me go on. The reason I am appearing in front of you like this is to remind you of that something very special you seem to have forgotten. And of all days to forget it on, Christmas Eve, the day before the most special day of the year! What is this something special I'm bringing to light? The very fact that your only friends do indeed care about and need you. Yes, they have their own tasks to attend to, but that doesn't mean they reject you. Now get up. I know those words I just said are not going to be enough. So, we are going to take a little tour."
Mary stared back at her conscious rather dumbfoundedly.
"What kind of tour?" She asked.
Mary's conscious replied.
"Well, we are going to take a little stroll around the Baxter Building. But, the sights we are going to behold are going to be totally different. For, we are looking at a world where you NEVER EXISTED!"
Slowly, Mary got up from the bed, and walked to where her conscious stood.
"I guess I'm ready for this "tour"." Mary said with a bit of unwillingness in her voice.
"Good!" Her conscious chimed.
Mary noticed that suddenly a sky blue parasol that came out of nowhere was in her conscious' hand. And before Mary could utter a word, her conscious opened the parasol, and swung it around them to the right.
With that one swing of the parasol, Marilyn's conscious had transported her and her physical self from Mary's bedroom to the laboratory of her stepfather. The difference between this lab and the lab Mary knew in her world was a huge one. Everywhere in the lab were gadgets, broken glass, puddles of chemicals and other various substances; along with other miscellaneous forms of sloppiness scattered on the vast floor. About twenty feet away sat a man in an immense, torn leather chair sleeping with his arms and legs dragging at abnormal lengths onto the floor. The man was obviously not well groomed, for he had very dark stubble protruding from his face, and his hair was very shaggy, and not to mention filthy. An unbearable smell hung around the room. More than likely, it was coming from the then drooling, slumbering person in front of the two who were really one. Wherever the odor was coming from, it was so intense; Mary had to fold her nostrils in as her better half spoke.
"Behold, the one you and I so willingly call "Father"."
For a solid two minutes, Mary could not say a word. Finally, she said in a shocked tone.
"That man... that cannot be our stepfather, it just couldn't be."
As if on cue, the man awoke from his sleep, rubbed his eyes, and said in a rather haggard tone.
"Guess I better get back to work on that super sonic radar."
"Father! Before you get to work on anything else, clean up this godawful mess!!" Mary shouted as she stretched her hand towards her stepfather's shoulder.
Suddenly, Mary froze as her hand when right through the shoulder.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that no one can see, hear, or feel you in this world." Her conscious suddenly piped up.
"Great, what timing..." Mary said as she retracted her arm, then went on.
"I just don't get it. How could my not existing make Father become this?"
Mary's better half responded.
"It's quite simple. Because of your presence, our stepfather feels like he has a duty to be responsible and organized. He is very proud of being your role model, and wanting you to take after him through his actions. Here, because you do not exist, this version of our stepfather does not let responsibility or organization come first. Thus, he is the product of such disarrayment. Also, without you around, he does not really have a companion, or another mind to share his ideas with. Such conditions can lead to the manifesting of slight insanity embedded in a lone genius."
"I see..." Mary could barely get out.
"We better go on. Please keep in mind, we have three more people we have to visit." Her conscious said as she opened her parasol, and did that one magic twirl around them to transport to another part of the Baxter Building.
Mary quickly recognized where her and better half had just appeared. It was the hallway that led to the bedrooms. Like the lab her and conscious had just exited, the hallway was just as bad or even worst a mess. There were pizza boxes, beer cans, and other various pieces of litter everywhere. Also, on the walls was graffiti.
"What happened here??" Mary questioned.
"You shall find out in a moment." Her conscious replied.
They approached the room that was Ben's bedroom. There were sounds of eating and grunting coming from it. Mary suddenly got an idea of who the sounds were coming from. She asked her better half.
"That is not Ben, is it?"
"Indeed it is. Behold." Her conscious answered.
Peering through the slightly opened door, Mary beheld what was to her a more ghastly sight than her filthy stepfather and his horrid lab. Ben was lying on the bed looking more mutated than he ever had. His rocky AND hairy skin was covered with grease, beer, lots of tiny crumbs, and various stains. Except for the furniture, his room resembled the hallways. Ben laid on the bed, pouring the contents of a king-sized bag of potato chips and an occasional can of beer into his gargantuan mouth. Mary wanted to reel back in disgust, but could not, due to having pity for the miserable man-beast.
"How revolting! And there's no pun intended there! How could my not existing affect Ben? If anything, I would have thought it would affect him the least!" Mary exclaimed.
"Well, while the stepfather we know is willing and responsible to work on a cure for Ben, the man we just witnessed is too lazy and irresponsible to work on a cure. So, due to no attempts in making a cure, this version of Ben before us has mutated into something no one will dare go near. Also, without you around to keep him cheered up and realizing that life goes on and that he's just as human in that cosmic radiated form as he was before, Ben here sees no point in remaining human."
Mary felt a paralyzing wave of guilt wash over her.
"She's right. Ben does seem to turn to me quite a bit for comedy relief."
"See, you may not have been aware of it. But, besides helping out in the experiments that help make the Fantastic Five prosperous, you have helped the team be prosperous in another way, comedy relief." Her conscious suddenly said.
"How did you..." Mary began to ask.
"Hello! I'm your conscious, your MIND! Whatever you're thinking, I'm thinking!" Her better half sarcastically said, then continued.
"Hey, wait a minute. I hear someone coming! Is it what I'm sensing? Why, yes it is! Prepare to witness another spectacle my rubber friend!"
Walking down the hallway was a teenaged boy wearing a black leather vest, blue jeans with holes in the knees, and old Nikes. A bandana was wrapped around his blond-haired head. In his hand was a can of red spray paint. He entered Ben's room, and proceeded to the beast who had just finished his meal of potato chips and beer.
"Johnny... he looks like... a RAMBO REJECT!" Mary blurted out.
Her better half could do no nothing more than nod as they watched Johnny walk up to Ben, and without hassle spray paint the following onto Ben's chest.
"WASH ME!"
Johnny then ran away, laughing wildly and wickedly as Ben just managed to let out a grunt and snort. Mary gasped in disbelief.
"Johnny can be a rat sometimes, but not that BIG A RAT! I take it he is the one responsible for all of the graffiti in the halls?"
"Yes, he is. Without you, Johnny does not have a rational, youthful companion to share ideas and play with. So, he has to resort to being a little butt, to put in clean terms." Her conscious said.
"But, why in such outrageous ways?" Mary proclaimed.
"Well, like with Ben, it leads back to our stepfather. Part of the irresponsibility he has developed is through his leadership of the team. While our stepfather cares about the team and their behavior, the Reed Richards here does not give a darn for how the other three behave. And just think, all this because you do not exist here."
Mary did not say anymore as she looked at Johnny try to start a fire in the hall with his flame power, but failed because of the fireproof walls. Her conscious sighed and said.
"Come on, we have one more person to view, and trust me, like the other three, she won't be pretty."
With that out, Mary's better half opened the shimmering parasol, and did the one enchanted twirl to transport them to where she wanted her and her physical half to be.
They arrived to see a very weak, miserable looking wretch of a woman slaving over a stove in what was a very unsanitary kitchen. She had just gotten through baking a cake. At that moment, she was putting the following message in icing on the cake...
"Happy birthday Johnny!"
"I know that is Sue. She must really be out of it to think it is Johnny's birthday today. His birthday isn't until July." Mary said.
"The Sue is this world's life is a far more torturous one than the one in our world. This Sue is desperate for compliments. She is so desperate; she is baking a birthday cake for everyone everyday. You really have no idea how much your compliments impact Sue." Her conscious replied.
Suddenly, Johnny bursted through the kitchen entrance, and spotted the cake. He strutted over to Sue, a look of menace in his eyes. Sue looked at him with shock and horror and said.
"I, I, I baked something for you today baby brother. Please, have a slice!"
Johnny took the cake and threw it at Sue's head. The result was a huge chocolate mess. He then retorted.
"You stupid..."
He continued to insult her about such trivial things as calling him "baby brother", and forgetting when his birthday really was. Mary at that point had had enough.
"I think I have learned my lesson. Could you return us to our home?"
Her better half smiled at her, and said.
"Your wish is my command!"
With that said, Mary conscious opened the enchanted parasol, and did that magic twirl around them.
All of a sudden, Marilyn awoke to all four of her friends staring at her.
"We called you on the intercom Mary, but you wouldn't come!" Sue said.
"What time is it?" Mary asked.
"Why, it is 6:00 p.m.! How long have you been asleep?" Reed interrogated.
"Only a couple of hours Father." Mary answered.
"That must have been one intense dream. You moved about so much!" Sue commented.
"Oh you do not know HOW INTENSE it was!" Mary exclaimed as she began to give all four of her friends a huge hug.
"Whoa! What did ya dream about kid?" Ben asked.
"You know something Ben, I do not remember. But I will say it was a very interesting experience!" Mary responded.
"Well, lets get on down to the Christmas feast guys, I'm starving!" Johnny let out.
"We shall go on down lad. I am very glad to see you are ok my child. You don't realize how concerned we were when you did not come down." Reed said.
With those words said, Mary realized what a fool she had been to feel rejected.
"Conscious, as disgusting as that was, thank you for showing me how much a difference I really make in my friends' lives."
Right after she thought that, Mary could have sworn she heard a voice in her head say.
"You are very welcome!"
Mary began to smile, and ran down to where the people she loved awaited her arrival.
*~*~The End~*~*