capeandcowl | [video]

[There is a blue-eyed child looking at you. She can't be more than three. She is, however, wearing a very grown-up expression of dissatisfaction. And some kind of superhero outfit with a big "6" on the chest.

Ordinarily, Val would be cagier about immediately going public in a strange place, but, well, she has A Problem. When she speaks, it's with fully adult syntax and no hint of a lisp or any other childish speech impediment.]

Hi. I'm Valeria Richards. Assuming no alternate timeline stuff--not a safe assumption, I know, but sometimes you gotta live dangerously--it looks like there are a few people out there who're friends of my parents. You've got a couple of hours to come get me before they [she turns the phone to show a pair of what are presumably social workers, looking simultaneously put-upon and patient] try to stick me in foster care and things get sketchy.

[Anyone who knows Val will know that's more for the prospective foster parents' protection than hers. No one wants her turning some unfortunate family's appliances into her robot escape army.]

...'Bye.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Young lady, you have some serious explaining to do.

First, tell me if you know what the Future Foundation is.

[Sorry, Spidey, she knows you're not the boss of her.]

Doesn't ring a bell; alliteration allusive.

Right, so, at some point in what's probably your near future, Dad's going to get fed up with the rate of technological innovation and start a think tank called the Future Foundation. For a while it'll be largely separate from the Fantastic Four, but then Uncle Johnny is going to die in the Negative Zone. He'll come back, but during the interim, the entire organization will be restructured and you'll be asked to join to fill his spot on the team. It's in his will.

[This has nothing to do with Doom, but she's hoping the news distracts him a little.]

Johnny... asked me to fill his spot on the team? [If his voice seems to go a bit wobbly there, that's clearly just Val's imagination.]

No -- hold on a second. What does Doom have to do with all this? Other than the obvious nemesis thing, yadda yadda.

Edited 2013-06-02 21:41 (UTC)

Well, no. He asked Dad to ask you. Something about the "second best" superhero and Franklin liking you.

[Yes, she hacked into Johnny's will.

She sighs. Why won't you be sidetracked, Peter?]

Uncle Doom suffered brain damage. In exchange for curing him, I got him to promise to help us. I didn't tell Mom or Dad I was doing it.

[Because honestly, how do you think they'd have reacted?]

[video]

video; I'M SORRY I COULDN'T RESIST

video; YOU'RE NOT MY REAL MOM

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