Fantastic Four Versus the X-Men #2
Truth and Consequences
Shaken by doubt in light of finding an old journal that suggests that he purposely caused the accident that created the Fantastic Four, Reed Richards has declined to use his molecular bonder device to attempt to save the life of the X-Man Shadowcat as it has not been tested on a living being before. This has led to irking the X-Men and Wolverine attacking Mr. Fantastic and demanding that he save Kitty's life or die.
When Storm and Magneto attempt to stop Wolverine, the Thing believes that this is an attack and claps his hands together. This doesn't stop Storm from getting too close and the Human Torch lashes out, accidentally burning Storm. This escalates things with Rogue rushing onto the scene and using her powers to absorb the powers of the Thing. However, upon stealing his memories she begins to cry from the sorry she experiences. Johnny meanwhile is felled by Psylocke's telepathic powers, but before she goes after the other members of the Fantastic Four, she realizes that Wolverine is the one that started things. When She-Hulk manages to pull Wolverine off Reed, he still manages to kick Reed in the face as he is pulled away. Watching this in his dream form is Reed's son Franklin who reaches out asking Wolverine not to hurt his father. However, he is unseen or heard and wakes up and falls out of bed. Hearing her son fall out of bed, Sue Richards comes to his aid and she tells him everything he saw in his dream. When she tries to assure Franklin that his father is all right, Franklin tells her nothing will be the same again and cries himself to sleep. Putting the boy back in bed, Sue goes back out into the living room and looks once more at Reed's old diary, wishing she had listened to Franklin and never opened it because it could destroy the Fantastic Four. Throwing it against the window, Sue wonders if her son was right and lashes out with her powers screaming out to her husband's name and how much she hates him.
Back on Muir Island, Havok, Longshot and Dazzler have placed the strange man Dazzler and Longshot pulled out of the water into a hospital bed and notices that there is a battle going on outside. The three mutants rush out to help their comrades, leaving the man alone. However, this is more than just a mere man, but a robot, that starts revealing it's true nature unaware that it has been spotted by Sharon Freelander. While outside, Moira MacTaggert gets between Wolverine and Mr. Fantastic and gets Wolverine to stand down. Storm, with her burned arm bandaged, apologizes for the fight that has broken out and asks Richards one more time if he can help, but Richards once more refuses. Rogue steps in and says they can get Psylocke to pull the information they need out of Reed's mind, however, Storm decides not to. Richards apologizes once again, however Storm finds this a cold comfort.
As the Fantastic Four are gathering up to leave, the robot comes outside, melting off all its fake flesh it shifts into a hologram projector and projects an image of Dr. Doom. Doom greets the X-Men and tells them that he has heard of their recent plight and tells them that he can duplicate Richards' molecular bonding research and use it to save Kitty's life. Storm wonders at what price such service, Doom tells them that his aid will come free, for reasons that he shall keep as his own. Hearing this, Richards begs Storm and the X-Men that allowing Doom to aid them is akin to making a deal with the devil. Storm refuses to listen to Reed and asks him to please leave. When Reed continues to push the issue Moira pipes in warning Richards if he doesn't leave she will have him arrested for trespassing and assault. She-Hulk finally convinces Reed to go and she and the rest of the Fantastic Four pack up into their ship and leave. Doom meanwhile tells the X-Men that when they make up their minds they know where to contact him.
After the Fantastic Four have left, Storm remarks at how strange Richards was acting until she enters a state of shock from her wounds and passes out. The X-Men rush her into the infirmary where they begin giving her medical attention. Watching this from out of site, Kitty blames herself for this turn of events and as much as she wants to live, she does not want it to come at the price of the X-Men's souls.
Later at the Four Freedoms Plaza, Reed Richards wonders what he has done and begins going over his molecular re-integrator designs wondering if he was wrong in his judgment. He is interrupted when Ben suddenly comes into the room and throws Reed into the wall. Grabbing Reed he furiously confronts him about the information contained in his old journal, which Sue has given to Ben and Johnny to read. Pushing Reed into the living room he demands that Reed answer to the others about the information in the book. While Reed feels as though the jury has already made up their mind, he reads his own apparent writing, which suggests that mutation is the only means of the human race protecting themselves. An opinion that Reed had formed after his encounter with the alien being known as Gormuu.
As the X-Men tries to make up their mind on if they want to deal with Dr. Doom in saving Kitty's life, the Fantastic Four demand to know if what is said in the journal is true. While Reed admits that he remembers some of what he written in there, and some of his thoughts are true, it doesn't suggest that the entire book is true. Reed defends himself maintaining that his rushed and unplanned rocket flight was to make the voyage before the government scrapped the project and not to mutate himself and the others into the Fantastic Four. As the X-Men ask the question of what matters most, tarnishing themselves making a deal with Doom, or saving Kitty's life -- Reed reads the final passage in his diary. One that reads about how he realized that super-humans would be feared and persecuted by normal humans and how he apparently orchestrated to mutate his comrades as the "first family" a "fantastic foursome" to give a human face to super-humans to win public support.
When he finishes reading the passage, Ben remarks how it makes sense and how he always wondered why they were the only ones to travel into space and be mutated and so many other astronauts did not. When Reed tries to talk sense into Ben, Ben reiterates that Reed always knew to do whatever it took and after Sue apologizes for finding the book, Ben walks out. He is soon followed by Johnny and She-Hulk who need to think things over. Reed then turns to his wife and asks her if she intends on staying or going as well. While back on Muir, Storm decides that she will go to Doom alone if need be to save Kitty's life, not wishing to make the other X-Men indebted to Doom either. However, the other X-Men rally beside her agreeing to follow her as a team.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing, She-Hulk), X-Men (Storm, Wolverine, Magneto, Shadowcat, Psylocke, Havok, Rogue, Dazzler, Longshot), Moira MacTaggert, Tattletale, Sharon Friedlander, Doctor Doom
Continuity Notes
The battle between the Fantastic Four and X-Men is viewed by Reed's future self in Fantastic Four (vol 2) #7.
Sue's flashback to the early days of the Fantastic Four depicts the Thing with dinosaur hide-like skin. As explained in Marvel Two-In-One #50, the Thing's form continued to mutate from Fantastic Four #1 until it assumed it's trademark brick-like form around Fantastic Four #10.
Doctor Doom mentions how Shadowcat was injured during the X-Men's battle with the Marauders. This is a reference to the Mutant Massacre event when the X-Men defended the Morlocks from the Marauders. This took place between Uncanny X-Men #210-213.
Reed's diary mentions his encounter with the alien creature known as Gormuu. This was an adventure that took place just prior to the events of Fantastic Four #1. That encounter was first depicted in a flashback in Fantastic Four #271.
The origin of the Fantastic Four is, of course, a recap of the events of Fantastic Four #1.
