Tiger uncaged...

Standing over the sink of her prison quarters on the RAFT, Susan Storm doused her face in cold water and dried herself off with a nearby towel. Leaning against the sink with all four of her clawed hands, Susan looked her reflection over from the mirror provided on the wall, giving off a tired sigh at the face looking back at her. Reed’s treatment had succeeded in freeing her from the influences of her demanding biological urges. She could think clearly again, for the first time in what felt like ages. And with a clear head, she could finally take stock in what she was now. Tilting her head back and forth to look over her reflection, Susan Storm did not like what she saw looking back at her.

She was a monster.

Closing her eyes, she concentrated on returning to her human form, picturing how she used to look like. But when she opened her eyes again, she did not change at all. As of now, she was stuck in her other form, the form of the creature that infected her body. Reptilian eyes blinked back at her reflection, yellow and slit like those of a crocodile, they narrowed when she wiped a talon for a finger over her cheek to wipe a droplet of water clean from her pert lip. Her skin, once a translucent murky green, was now a sky blue and no longer semi-transparent. A slight boon she thought, as she no longer had to feel disgusted at the idea that she could see her bones or veins behind the smooth supple flesh of her cheek. Licking her lip with her tongue, it was long and prehensile enough to stretch far, far enough to lick clean any remaining droplets of water off her neck before she slithered it back behind the rows of razor-sharp fangs behind her kissable lips. She did not need to open her mouth to know she had three rows of teeth, like a shark, and just like a shark, she could open her mouth wide enough to use all of them. Ironically, it was her tongue that was the most lethal, strong enough to impale flesh and bone alike… She had done so several times in the past during those nights she was not herself. Her face was crowned with what would be best described as antlers that grew from her upper brow and curved around the sides of her head to frame her face, like an elaborate headdress.

Instead of long golden blonde hair cascading down her shoulders and back, hundreds of coiling, slithering blue tentacles draped down behind her or swayed out like seaweed caught in an unseen current. Each one acted like it had a mind of its own, and yet acted in unison when she put her mind to them, willing them to act calm and give the illusion of hair as it all became limp and flowed down her shoulders and back again. A prehensile, serpentine tail flicked idly behind her, barbed with a stinger tip she knew was more than razor sharp and deadly. Yet despite all this, her face was still the same, her beauty strangely enough had remained. High cheek bones, pert nose, smooth complexation, inviting lips, soft demure eyes that fluttered back at her reflection. She was hideous! And yet… alluring, stunning, beautiful.

Stepping back to look down at her body, she hugged herself with her four arms, the act pressing up her ample bust in the process. She was a monster in the shape of a woman… Or a woman in the shape of a monster. Long statuesque legs, flaring hips, heart shaped rear, narrow waist, heaving G-cup chest, toned physique, she had a body most supermodels would kill for. Years of dieting, exercise, clean living or surgery couldn’t produce the figure she currently sported; one of a woman half her age and in the prime of her life. A fringe benefit of her species, Susan thought to herself with somber gratitude. Checking herself over, she inspected her uniform to make sure it fit over her.

Her black and white Fantastic Four uniform fit snug to her figure, just like it always had. But alterations had to be made to cope with her… Additions. The sleeves were removed to give room for her four arms, along with the midriff and back, giving her a sport’s top appearance to also give room for the spines lining down her back and forearms. Slits were cut down the ankles of her legging to give room to the spines lining down her legs and thanks to her wide hips she looked like her pants had become low riders, showing off her naval. Her feet were bare, the spurs on her heels acting as faux stilettos that increased her height and drew attention to her legs and tight rear. Padding her chest down one last time, she smiled warmly at the big blue ‘4’ emblazoned on her chest. She may have lost her humanity… But she still had THIS. She was still Susan Storm, she was still the Invisible Woman, and she was STILL part of the Fantastic Four.

“Are you ready Suzie?” She heard her husband call out of sight, giving her some privacy to change.

“Yes, I’ll be right out.” Stepping out of her cell, she found her teammates and family waiting for her in the corridor, still taken back by her appearance but quickly giving looks of reassurance when she hugged herself tighter, avoiding eye contact with her husband until she felt Reed pull a pair of her hands into his. “H-how do I look?” She asked innocently, giving Reed a shy smile and kept her reptilian eyes averted. Darting her eyes slowly back at the man, she found herself curling her lips into a smile to find him still looking up at her adoringly. Her attention fell to the others, finding Janet Van Dyne wearing a cropped version of her own costume to give room to her diaphanous wings and spines. Even Alicia had gotten herself dressed in something to join her, the look in her eyes letting her know she was with her on what they planned to do.

The three remaining models turned she-creatures sat at the far end, sharing the one cell to sit and recoup their wits while being tended to by physicians. Even if they were free of the hive link, they had gone through something so traumatic, they would not recover mentally for some time. As far as Susan was concerned, they were FAR safer in SHIELD’s hands then out in the city for now.

“Susan Richards.” Interrupted Nick Fury who nodded to his men moving to clasp a metal collar around her neck. Before the man could, Susan pressed her palm against the open space of the collar and eyed the Director. “Wear this, please.” Giving her husband a look that showed he too was confused; she noticed the SHIELD guards in the room aiming their weapons at her and the others like her, waiting on her compliance. Getting the hint, she clasped the thing around her neck and noticed a light ping sound, as if something had been activated.

“You might be in control of yourself for now, but I don’t like taking wild risks. Those collars are both GPS trackers and explosives. If at any time you act out of line, try to take it off, or pull a stunt I do not want damage control to, that will blow your head off your shoulders.”

“NOW THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE DEAL DIRECTOR!” Reed’s voice rose, along with Johnny and Ben who voiced their own complaints.

“So what? You think putting a bomb around my sister’s neck will make you feel safer? Think again!”

“Darn right eyepatch! Youz got another thing comin if you think you can put a bomb on Suzie while WE’RE here!” Threatened the Thing, slamming his fist and palm together, itching for a fight.

But Susan stepped between them and outstretched her arms to calm them. “It’s alright, I understand… And I agree to your terms.” Sighing to herself, she looked over her shoulder and smiled warmly back at Reed where behind him were her two human children Franklin and Valaria hugged their father’s pant leggings behind him. “But I DO have a condition; you keep my kids safe!” Kneeling to face her children eye to eye, the alien woman tried to appear as motherly as she possibly could, despite her appearance. “Sweethearts, I know you just got me back… But I need you to stay here for now.” Tracing a clawed finger over her son’s hair and pulling Valaria in for a hug, Susan looked up to Fury and his men and back to Reed. “This is the safest place in the city, if it could keep us from escaping, it’ll keep those creatures from getting in too.” Then she turned her attention back to the SHIELD director.

“Deal.”

Once terms were met, Susan hugged her children farewell for the time being, and joined the rest of her friends and family to leave the RAFT. Finally reaching top side, the galvanised steel doors opened with a hiss of metal and pistons, the automatic defenses shutting down and floor lights guided the group outside. Once out in the open, Susan breathed in the saltwater air as it wafted in the entry bay to the RAFT, a smile gracing her fanged lips that she could smell something that was not recirculated air for the first time in weeks. Stepping outside, Susan could see the Fantasticar still parked in the visitors landing pad, and out into the distance was the city itself.

“Do you have an idea where to start Suzie?” Asked Johnny. “You guys were pretty good at keeping yourself unnoticed for a long time, even without invisibility.”

Looking out into the city, Susan breathed in sharply, her tail snapping behind her with her emotions as her mind processed a plan of action. “I don’t… But… I can find them, I have additional senses, we all do, if I can find just one of her spawn, I can question it. Get the answers we need.”

“You’re not going alone Susan; we are going with you. I already have HERBIE synthesizing more of the gene trigger back in my lab, hopefully I can have enough made to douse the city.” Answered Reed before he felt a clawed hand rest on his shoulder, he turned to find Wasp sharing the same sentimental look as he did while her wings buzzed behind her, nodding back to the man with a smile.

“She’s right Reed, we can see and feel things you guys are oblivious to.” Looking to the others with her, the Wasp could make out an aura everyone gave off. “Just by looking at you, we can tell what’s wrong with you, what’s different about you.”

“Yeah… To think, I used to be blind just a few weeks ago, now I have so many other senses I’m not even sure they have names. I can see things like radio waves… Electrical currents… Radiation… I know the salt content in the water and the oxides in the air just by breathing in… It’s just so…” Blinking her eyes, she was so overwhelmed with stimuli when she exited the elevator and out into the open air, Alicia held back vertigo until she felt Ben’s stony hands on her shoulders to help keep her stead on her feet. “Thank you, Ben…” Lifting a clawed hand, she caressed his stony chin affectionately, a warm smile forming on her lips. Making the man surprised when he felt her tentacles coil and stroke at his chest and shoulders with the same tenderness. “Would it surprise you to know I find you even more handsome now than I do myself? I must seem so hideous to you.”

“I dunno Alicia… You were always a head turner in my eyes… Nothin’s changed really.” Ben Grimm answered, trying his best to look away, as if blushing from the attention. Smiling wider, Alicia turned to face the tall rock man and peck him on the chin. Stunning the Thing silent, along with everyone else on the landing pad. Looking over her shoulders to the others, Alicia shrugged her shoulders.

“What?”