"Suzie? What the heck...?"
Susan and Ruriko exchanged a look. Susan rolled her eyes, then looked through the information on her Melding Ray.
"Stop complaining, Johnny...just lay back and enjoy the ride."
"But we're family!"
"We'll always be family, Johnny..." she smiled as she plucked a certain template from the list. "...but if you're going to join the new Frightful Four, you'll need to be more...serious. Less the happy-go-lucky little puppy that you've always been...and more...ah,
yes...perfect. Now...hold still, Johnny...because soon you'll be a much more impressive person."
Johnny Storm screamed...but soon the screams became cries of joy. Pure, evil joy.
***
Ben Grimm wasn't sure what was wrong...but the Baxter Building just felt out of sorts. He walked through the halls, calling out...and nobody answered. He tried to access the security cameras or intercom, but again...his codes were refused. Reed might have
changed the codes, but without telling everyone? That didn't seem very...
"Well, hello handsome." said a vampish voice that dripped sex appeal. He looked up, and saw three woman dressed in purple, pink and red advancing on him. One was obviously Suzie...but an older, harsher version of herself and dressed in the Wizards battle
armor. Another seemed to be some punked-out Japanese cyborg whose elongated limbs sported claws. A third was tall, sexy and athletic, but her head...was gone. In its place was a globe of red plastic that glowed with inner fire.
"Hello, Ben..." said Suzie, smirking. "...it's time we had our last member. I'm Susan Wittman. This is my wife, Ruriko Richards-Wittman. And my sister, Thursday Wittman-Rubinstein. Together, as the Invisible Wizard, Mrs. Steel Wind and Ruby Torch, we are...three-quarters
of the all-new, all-different Frightful Four. We need you, old friend...to get with the program. Don't struggle, Ben. Why fight...what you can't stop. Besides, I'm going to make you beautiful."
"Yeah, Benji..." said Ruriko as she ensnared him "...we'll all be friends again."
"Yes..." said Ruby, her thighs moist with desire "...we'll be the BEST of FRIENDS again. Such *giggle* GOOD friends. Susan has SO MANY good ideas"
***
Tapping into the same sort of power that the Melding Wand had used, she plucked the perfect template from the universe...and bound it into the soul of Mary Jane Watson-Parker...
Mary Jane had enough time to gasp out "Wha-?" before the power of the spell tore into her. Peter felt his spider sense going haywire, as he leapt back...then lunged in to gather up his wife...only to be thrown back again.
"Wah...was'...what's happening to me, Peter?" she groaned...as her body both swelled and shrank. She grew fat and dumpy...then aged into her late 40s or early 50's. Her red hair drew it, trimmed into a simple bowl-cut. Thick glasses formed...and four telescoping
steel arms bursting from her sides.
Doctor Maria Janet Octavius was stunned by her transformation, but not displeased. Mary Jane Watson-Parker had been a useless creature, but as Doctor Maria Janet Octavius - Doctor Octopus - she was a brilliant mastermind. She still loved her husband, but
she also hated that he wouldn't join her in her crimes...and she also knew that someone had DONE this to her. She had no desire EVER to be simple little Mary Jane again...but she did want to find who had changed her against her will.
"Mary Jane?"
"Maria Janet..." she corrected "...Doctor Maria Janet Octavius! Oh, I feel MAGNIFICANT, Peter! My brilliance is matched only by the power of my matchless arms!"
Dr. Cat flew off, knowing that soon enough...Peter would come to her.
She didn't see as Peter went to his wife and whispered her name. Or as Maria Janet Octavius took Peter in her short, flabby arms and chuckled "Oh, Peter...I love you so much...but you must accept as I have...that I am now Doctor Octopus. Still, I do love
you...even if you are just a troublesome arachnid."