A/N: Hello readers and fellow webnovel writers. Yes, I have returned. Do not worry, my demise has not occurred. I just had other things to worry about. But seeing as I've handled a lot of it, I'm back. Coming at you with a brand-new story.
As for my other stories, I haven't really abandoned them.
Except for the ones I now delete.
So, stay tuned.
***
Medical equipment attached to his body, monitoring his heart rate and other vital signs, a man lied in a hospital bed unconscious.
The name of this man, Reed Nathanial Richards.
[Insert Image of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic Here]
As he continued breathing in a steady pattern, none the wiser of what was going on around him, Reed didn't even have a clue when all of a sudden, a streak of white energy suddenly appeared in the room and went straight into his body. This white energy streak actually being another soul.
Once the mysterious soul entered into Reed's body, it immediately began to intertwine and merge with his own soul. The two intermingling, until only one soul remained.
A few seconds after the two souls became one the equipment attached to Reed's body began to give off erratic readings. Then just after this occurred Reed's eyes suddenly shout open.
"Who?! What?! Where?!"
Reed shouted, his eyes darting around the room as he tried to get his bearings.
Only to wince in pain a few seconds later, as he suddenly felt an intense headache come on.
But as quickly as the headache came, it went.
Then as the headache did the erratic readings of the medical equipment attached to Reed's body began to normalize and stabilize once again.
While they did Reed turned his gaze up to the ceiling, becoming lost in his thoughts.
Since that headache he had experienced just now was not simply a headache.
No, it was much more than that.
Since now, due to the headache, he had two sets of memories and experiences. One set belonged to the socially awkward genius Reed Nathaniel Richards. While the other set belonged a 26-year-old healthcare worker, who coincidentally also happened to be named Reed.
Though the latter was a completely ordinary man, that simply tried to live his best life. Which he remembers ended up coming to an end just yesterday, after a lengthy battle with COVID-19, that ended in the healthcare worker Reed's loss.
But now here he is? Along with the Reed Richards from Marvel comics. Who healthcare worker Reed was a big fan of during his life. Not just the comics but also the cartoons, and the films. Especially the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
As Reed contemplated all the new information rolling around in his head suddenly lost focus when he felt something strange happening to his body.
Namely the fact that his arms, legs, neck, and even his private parts, were all suddenly beginning to stretch like fruit roll-ups.
"What the hell?!" Reed shouted, as he tried, and utterly failed, to pull his body back together. A panic beginning to set in as Reed soon found himself acting like he was human Jell-O.
"What's happening here?!" Reed asked himself.
Then a second after he did a sudden flash of memories came to the forefront of his mind.
An accident involving the testing of the large-scale and completed model of the teleportation device, also known as the "Quantum Gate" that Reed had first invented during his youth. Which is what got him an invitation to the place he had been working over the past couple of years, known as the Baxter Institute. Who had funded his research into his teleportation technology, especially after they discovered the dimension Reed and his colleagues had dubbed the "N-Zone". So, with that the work moved forward.
But then, in a single moment, everything had gone wrong.
The teleportation device went haywire and Reed, was engulfed in a blinding blast of energy and light. Having no idea what had happened afterward, until he awoke a few moments ago in his hospital bed.
Just recalling this Reed felt an immense sense of dread suddenly spring up in him. His mind now going through various scenarios of what had happened after the teleportation device malfunctioned. Especially in regard to his friends and colleagues.
But as those thoughts crept into Reeds mind the memories of healthcare worker Reed suddenly came forth and gave him some information that calmed him down. Since those memories revealed that the experience Reed had gone through was exactly what turned him into a superhero that would become part of a team known as the Fantastic Four.
The exact scenario the original Reed experienced before his and healthcare worker Reed's souls merged being how the four gained their powers in a version of Marvel known as the Ultimate Universe, or Earth-1610.
"Wait, if that's the case then everyone else..." Reed muttered. The dread inside of him beginning to be replaced with hope.
Though Reed didn't let it overtake him, since he still needed to check things for himself.
But to do that he knew he needed to move.
With that in mind Reed inhaled deeply and then exhaled, working to calm himself down.
Then, after he did, Reed began working to literally pull himself together. Focusing on his limbs, and other body parts, that were stretching, Reed worked to command them to listen and go back to normal. An image of what his body looked like before at the forefront of his mind.
At first nothing happened, but as Reed continued concentrating his body began to slowly but surely go back to normal.
Once it did a soft smile appeared on his body. "Yes." He spoke.
Then once Reed did he slowly, but surely, got out of the hospital bed he was in, detaching the medical equipment from his body in the process.
After he did, he looked around and finally noticed he was in some sort of quarantine room.
Which made perfect sense to Reed, from both sets of memories, because given the accident he and the others had experienced his current situation would adhere to the standard protocol anyone would initiate.
But now that Reed was up and about protocol would need to take a backseat.
Since the well-being of the people he cared about came first.
So, with that at the forefront of his mind Reed headed straight for the door to his room, thankful he was wearing scrubs and not some sort of gown, since he didn't want his ass to be showing, and opened it.
*Beep Beep Beep*
Only to hear alarms begin to go off the second after he did.
'Of course.' Reed thought. Resisting the urge to shake his head.
As he did a large set of double-doors at the end of the hallway right outside of Reed's room swung open, then after they did several doctors, and armed security guards, came through them, and began heading straight for him.
Yet seeing them didn't frighten Reed in the slightest.
Instead, he remained completely and utterly calm. All while he started walking towards the small crowd coming towards him. Reed eventually meeting them a few seconds later.
"Gentleman." Reed said, until he noticed a few females amongst the doctors and armed guards. "And ladies." He added. "Wonderful day, isn't it?"
"Mister Richards." One of the doctors spoke. "You're awake."
"Yes, I am." Reed replied. "And with that, can someone explain what's happening here? Because I have no idea." He said.
Which wasn't true.
Reed did have some idea of what was happening.
But after having just woken up, and the merger of the two souls inside of him into one, he was still a bit dis-oriented. That's why at the moment he needed some help in filling in the blanks.
"Don't worry son, I'll be doing just that."
A voice spoke up.
But it didn't belong to the doctor who spoke to Reed. No, instead it belonged to an elderly gentleman in a lab coat that was walking down the hall towards Reed. The man wearing both a happy and relieved expression on his face.
Looking in his direction Reed instantly recognized him as the director of the Baxter Foundation, and one of his mentors, Dr. Franklin Storm.
A second after seeing Franklin Reed put a small smile on his own face. Since the man was involved with the teleportation project and was there on the day of the test.
"Dr. Franklin. Boy, am I glad to see you." Reed spoke.
"And I'm glad to see you've finally woken up Reed." Franklin replied upon reaching him.
He then gave Reed a quick hug.
"You have no idea how worried I was." Franklin said.
"Well, I can guess." Reed replied. He then dropped the smile and put a serious expression on his face. "But enough about me for now, what about everyone else?" He asked.
Upon hearing Reed's question Franklin put a sad and complicated expression on his face. "It's...well it's better if you see for yourself." He finally managed to say.
"Understood." Reed replied. "Then please, lead the way." He said.
As Reed did one of the armed guards stepped toward him and Franklin. "Dr. Storm, I have to advise against this. The containment protocols state-" He began.
Only for the guard to stop when Franklin turned and leveled a glare at him, silencing the man.
"I know what the protocols state young man. Since I wrote them. For after all, I am still the one in charge of the Baxter Foundation." Franklin said. "Now then, step aside. For I am going to take this young man to see his friends, and no one is going to stop me. Understood?"
At Franklin's words no one spoke up.
Seeing this he nodded. He then turned back to Reed. "Come on son."
Not saying a word Reed simply nodded.
Once he did Franklin began leading him down the hallway.
All the while Reed mentally prepared himself for what he was about to face.
Hoping in the back of his mind that what he encountered was similar to the comics and Marvel media the healthcare worker Reed had enjoyed in his previous life.
Otherwise, he had no clue what he might do.