Susan looked around and saw she was in what appeared to be a large underground cave opening. As she looked around frantically in confusion, she saw that she was with the Fantastic Four. They were all looking up at something and Sue’s blue eyes drifted upward until she saw a short, fat grotesque-looking man wearing a green cloak and a blue visor over his eyes. It was the Mole Man, a longtime thorn in the side of the Fantastic Four.
“I see you’ve found my underground lair, Fantastic Fools!” the Mole Man yelled down to them in his grumbly voice, “Imagine my shock to find you goody-two-shoes are all trespassing in my home. But not to worry! My loyal Moloids and pet guard dog will deal with you! They are simply famished and need to feed!” With that, he erupted in a long, cackling laugh and banged the iron pipe that he used as a cane on the cold rocky ground.
The echoing mad hoots and growls of the Moloids could be heard and soon, the deformed creatures were skittering out from behind the cave opening where the Mole Man stood. They ran on all fours and had green leathery skin. Their sharp teeth gnashed together as they skittered towards the Fantastic Four.
Reed Richards instantly turned toward his teammates to formulate a plan of attack.
“Please everyone. This is very important so pay attention,” Reed said, “Those Moloids want to eat us alive so I want you to do your very best to not get eaten. Understand? Sue will be doing most of the work in fighting those creatures, so Ben and Johnny, why don’t you hide behind one another until this so-called pet guard dog comes. Then you may thrash the beast. It will also want to eat us.”
“Are we delicious or somethin’?” Ben asked, scratching his head.
“What a good question, Ben,” Reed said with a quick nod, “And yes. We most certainly are.”
“I know I’m delicious, but this...thing here? No way,” Johnny said, making a face at Ben.
“What are you all talking about?” Susan gasped. There was pure panic in her voice. She turned to see the ravenous creatures were almost on top of them and she reached out her hands and formed a large forcefield around them all.
Reed was taken aback by this and looked at her, “Sue, I didn’t say to execute the plan yet.”
Susan was about to say something to her husband, who was acting quite strangely when Johnny spoke up first, “Hey, Reed. You never told us what you’ll be doing this whole time.”
“I shall be coming up with the perfect solution to facing these creatures using math and science,” Reed answered.
Susan turned away for a moment and saw one of the Moloids scratching and clawing wildly at the invisible barrier. When she looked back to Reed she saw that he was writing on a whiteboard that appeared out of nowhere. The moloids kept screaming in frustration and slashing away at the forcefield Susan was still managing to keep up. The strain of it all was wearing on her. She looked around to Johnny to help. He could torch the Mole Man’s minions, but saw that he was hiding sheepishly behind Ben.
Suddenly, without warning, there came a deafening roar that seemed to come from below them, which was followed by the ground shaking. Then, without warning, a large reptilian creature burst out from the rocky ground. Susan looked up at it. It had large flapping wings like a bat, scaly arms attached to three long, deadly-looking claws, clawed feet, a tail that descended into a barbed point and a long, serpent-like neck attached to a hideous face. It roared out menacingly once more and flew around the rocky cavern.
“My pet!” the Mole Man announced with crazed glee.
“That’s no pet guard dog,” The Thing said in his gruff voice. Johnny quivered behind him and put his hands over his eyes.
Reed continued on the whiteboard and looked up at the flying beast and said simply, “Quiet. I’m working.”
Meanwhile, Susan was completely bewildered by what was happening. The strain of maintaining the forcefield was intense on her body, and she looked back at her brother and The Thing, “What are you two doing? Get up and help me!”
“But Reed said to hide,” Johnny said, still covering his eyes.
“Yes, Susan,” Reed said, not looking up from his work, “Stick with the plan and all will be fine.”
“The plan was for these two to fight the big beast!” Susan groaned.
Sweat had formed on Susan’s forehead. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold the large invisible barrier between these monsters and her family. Her eyes narrowed. Her family, she thought spitefully. She is doing all the work. She always did all the work, it soon dawned on her. Susan thought over all of their adventures as a world-renowned super team, and found that she always had to bail them out. Her knees nearly buckled at the constant onslaught of the Moloids, and a full sweat broke out all over her trembling body as she doubled her efforts. It was fueled by her building rage. Not just for the creatures but for Ben, Johnny and especially her foolish husband, Reed. Reed had always taken her for granted, expecting her to always be the sensible, reliable one while he toiled night and day his stupid lab. As soon as she got them out of this mess, she was going to have some much-needed alone time. She would focus on her own needs for once.
The Mole Man laughed through all of this and finally pointed his cane down at the Fantastic Four. The giant reptilian creature roared out once more and turned its attention to the Fantastic Four. It’s red, glowing eyes narrowed evilly and it descended straight down toward the invisible barrier being held up by the Invisible Woman. It’s deadly mouth opened wide as it flew closer and closer. Susan looked up at the approaching fang-filled mouth and braced for impact. She knew that the force of the deadly creature’s impact would at the very least break her forcefield, if not swallow them all whole.
She closed her eyes and waited for her fate to play itself out.
Just when Susan felt all was lost, she heard a hearty laugh come from the cave just behind the Mole Man. There was the sound of galloping hooves and from the darkness came a man clad in green armor and wearing a green top hat riding a unicorn. The mighty steed was so purely white that it seemed to give off an otherworldly glow. The Mole Man turned just in time to be knocked over by the serging majestic animal. They made for the rocky edge and the unicorn sprouted wings and soared off into the deep cavern directly towards the large reptilian creature.
Susan looked on in wonder as the world seemed to slow down. She saw the top hat-wearing knight draw a gleaming sword from its sheath and gripped it by two hands and held it above his head. As they came dangerously close to the creature’s neck he slashed down with a mighty chop, decapitating the creature before it could reach Susan or her teammates.
The Invisible Woman was amazed at what had just happened when she saw the monster was still descending rapidly towards the forcefield. Just before they fell to the rocky ground, and more than likely crush everything under it, the knight yelled out a loud “Callooh Callay!”
The monster and all of the Moloids suddenly disappeared in puffs of blue smoke. Susan was finally able to release the forcefield and she crumbled to the ground in an exhausted heap. Reed continued to work on the board, completely lost in his equations and theories, while Ben and Johnny ran over to where Susan lay. Rather than helping her they looked on in amazement as the unicorn landed on the ground gracefully. The knight gave a command and the unicorn reared up its hind legs, its wings spread out wide, as he held the sword high above his head.
“You saved us!” Johnny hollered.
“How can we ever repay you?” Ben asked. It was clear that both men were starstruck.
“No need, citizen. I and the mighty Vorpal Blade have made quick work of these beasts! Not to mention my magic!” the top hat-wearing knight spoke in a deep, commanding voice, “Now, step away from that damsel.”
Ben and Johnny looked down at the prone Susan Storm-Richards, who they had forgotten was lying there, and took a few steps back. The knight leapt off his steed and strode forward. He bent down and picked up the half-conscious Susan.
“Susan, everything is going to be alright,” the man announced and she looked up at him through tired eyes. She saw, to her astonishment, that it was Jervis!
“Jervis?” Susan asked, her face lighting up at the sight of him, “You saved me!”
“And I will always save you, Alice, my sweet!” he said, lifting her hand up and kissing the back of it chivalrously.
“Alice?” Susan asked.
“That is your name, my dear,” Jervis smiled. He bent down and kissed the blonde heroine lovingly. Alice melted lovingly into the blissful embrace. Jervis broke the kiss and whispered while rubbing the side of her face, “My lovely, lovely Alice.”
Susan looked up at her savior and smiled. All of the strain and frustration she felt on account of the Fantastic Four seemed to vanish just as the monsters had mere minutes before. She then murmured, “I am Alice.”
Jervis then turned and glared spitefully at Reed, Johnny and Ben, “Now, we must away! Let’s leave these fools in this hole they’ve dug for themselves.”
Alice looked over at Ben and Johnny, who had confused looks on their faces. They looked around stupidly at the large cavern. Reed, meanwhile, ignored it all. He was still trying to find a way to defeat the already defeated monsters. She glanced up at where the Mole Man had been taunting them earlier and saw that he was hanging over the edge desperately trying to climb to safety. Every now and then he’d squeal for help. Her eyes grew wide in realization and an excited tingle shot up and down her spine. She was once more going to be saved! Taken away from all of this hardship and misery to a new, exciting land. She allowed herself to be carried over to the unicorn, who lowered itself so she and Jervis could hop on board.
“Jervis, where are we going?” Alice asked innocently. A wide, giddy smile graced her pretty face.
“Why, to Wonderland, my dear!” Jervis proclaimed. He then gave a loud command and the unicorn soared away. Up, up, up they all flew directly towards the cavern ceiling. Alice grabbed on tightly and rather than being worried they would be hurt, she continued to giggle madly, knowing full well they would soon be in Wonderland! Knowing full well that they would soon be far, far away from the Fantastic Four!
They continued to soar up to the rocky ceiling, and the unicorn lowered its horn. They smashed through the wall and into a perfect blue Wonderland sky. Alice thrust her chest forward and threw out her arms in utter triumph. She finally felt free and flashed a dazzlingly wide smile worthy of Wonderland and continued to giggle like mad at all that lay ahead.