Disclaimer: I do not own the Fantastic Four and its characters

Also, this story is dedicated to Stan Lee. Long live the man!

Chapter One

Black Ties and Reservations

"Ben, stop fiddling with your tie. It's fine."

"Really? 'Cause it still feels stiff, stretch."

Reed chuckled. Who knew that Ben Grimm was a picky fashion model? He and Sue had spent the last hour helping Ben look presentable in his massive tux, and now his tie? The world might end sooner than he'd anticipated.

He made sure to properly direct the Fantasticar through the dark blue skies of New York, slower than usual due to the absence of car noises and ruckus on the streets down below. Tonight they were heading to a unique place. No, it wasn't an embassy or some super-villain lair. Rather, it was a place where they'd spent a good chunk of their young adult lives at – Empire State University.

The institute had been a big part of their education. Ben had gone there for sports and excelled at football. Reed, alternatively, focused on quantum mechanics and the inner workings of science worldwide. That was how he'd met Victor Von Doom, a sometimes-friend and other-times enemy. The two's rivalry with Doom ended in flames after he blew up his face in a botched experiment…Reed always thought school became a darker echo of itself after that. But at least it'd been the nexus to where he and his rocky friend would go forth from.

"Slow night," Ben mused from behind his genius friend. "Almost as if th' city's lettin' us through."

"Not a bad way to think on it," Reed responded. "Though, to be fair, we're lucky to be the only ones in the sky."

A craggy smile formed on Ben's face. "True…you getting better at jokes?"

"I…guess? When Franklin forced me to watch My Little Pony the other day, it gave me a lot of…ideas, if you will."

"Heh. Wait a minute- Frankie's into MLP?"

Reed turned his face back to the controls so Ben couldn't see his largening smirk. "Seems so. Sue and I think it'll fade as he gets older."

"Dunno 'bout that," Ben mused. He noticed that they were getting noticeably closer to the campus in the distance. "Those bronies sure indicate that doesn't end with childhood."

Rolling his eyes, the properly-dressed hero quickly saw the campus approach them. Old memories flowed through his head when he saw the various buildings. The physics building, the library, the art and science centers…time seemed to have barely passed. Soon, the Fantasticar hovered into the faculty parking lot and stopped on the ground, with the engines humming into inaction.

"After you, friend." To add more formality to his motion, he stretched out a dressed arm to indicate the way towards the party. That only got a mumbled jab from Ben as he hopped out. His impact on the paved sidewalk was minimum at best, but one might've sworn they heard a tiny rip from his large tux.

"I gotcha. Heck, I played football here four years," Ben yammered back while righting himself. He set off towards the entrance hall with Reed behind him. "You think everybody's gonna' be here? Even Vic?"

"I highly doubt that," Reed conceded while stretching after his large friend. "Given all the recent political unrest in Latveria, Victor would most likely be dealing with it as we speak." His face twitched and he stopped. "Though…him returning isn't totally out of the question."

"What?"

"Think about it, Ben." Reed's visage returned to his serious nature. "Victor's our classmate. As much as he's hurt us and the world in his dreamt of power – he still went here. He should get some recognition for having been a student at the college."

"What kind o' recognition?" Ben retorted. "For being a cocky classmate, or blowing up his education in his face?"

The comment seemed to barely faze Reed in some aspects. "We should go inside. Don't be surprised if people swarm us."

"You kidding? I'm a former athlete turned into a rocky superhero! Who won't be swarming me?"

With that, the two scuttled off closer to the festivities.

Far from the entrance to the university, a thin black limo pulled up to the edge of the parking lot. The door opened and a tuxedo-wearing man stepped out. He was marginally handsome, with bushy brown hair and a slightly plump body. Despite his outfit, though, the scowl on his face said otherwise when it came to manners.

"Sir?" a mechanical voice from inside the limo asked. "Shall I supply you with your 'equipment?'"

He coughed. "Not yet, Andrew. My plans are going to happen quite soon…but we must wait. We can all be a little patient." He made a gesture with his hand and the door closed, followed by the limo rolling out the lot.

As he started walking forwards, all he could think about were the years he'd spent here. His untested theories, his debacles and problems with cocky rich kids. Degrading could barely describe it.

"No more," Mad Thinker declared. "They're going to be sorry they only gave me a 3.0 GPA and then a hazing that last year." Letting out a slight giggle, he walked up to the long walk to the main campus with sinister thoughts circulating in his head.

A/N: And that's the first chapter! This is going to be not that long a story but I'll try to make it entertaining, if only for Ben and Reed's friendship. Please follow, favorite, and review if possible! Adios, friends!