Idiot's Instinct, Respect, Punishment? [Edited]

Jonathan "Johnny" Storm POV:

'This is bad, this is bad, this is bad! Why did we agree to follow him?! We could have stopped him, broken his teleporter, made use of connections to find a cure or treatment for sis, but nooo..., we got caught in Reed's momentum, and I'm already regretting it!'

'Everything here is giving me the hibbie jibbies! It feels like the incarnation of fury is after us, and I don't like it! Alright that's it, I'm going back!'

"REED, WE NEED TO GO, NOW!!!"

Ben screamed in agreement "The flamebrain's right Reed, something is coming, something I don't think even my newly strengthened and more durable stone skin will hold up against, if the nonstop shivers are any indication."

Reed protested in frustration, trying to pass it off as nonsense when I finally really couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Reed! I swear to whatever science god you believe in, that if you don't make that portal and take us out of here RIGHT THIS SECOND, I will burn your lab down 'till there's nothin' left! Call it my idiot instinct or luck or whatever, but something is coming, something we can't deal with, someth-, Oh crap."

Was all I could say, before a massive definitely hundred plus meter wide void black circular portal appeared some distance from us. Within the portal only a void like darkness was visible, until two ginormous glowing red eyes snapped open. Those eyes reflected fury I have never seen on anyone before, and I have caused Ben to go on rampages from anger! For some reason however, they seemed laser focused on Reed, 'That's not good. I can't exactly let my pregnant sister become a widow now can I? *Mental sigh* I tried so hard to tell him, but no, let's ignore the expert mechanic with superpower's opinion, because he's a pretty boy. Typical Reed.'

The creature made a scoffing sound from the other side, and out came at least two hundred meters worth of spiked snake like dragon body. 'I mean it has wings, they are tentacles, but they seem to be in the place where wings would be, however aren't two legged winged dragons called wyverns? Hmm, but this one doesn't have legs, only spikes, so what is it? An Eldritch Winged/Tentacled Snake? AND its eyes snapped directly at me! A dragon it is!'

Spectre POV:

Ignoring Johnny's rude thoughts on my majestic Eldritch Dragon form, why would I be Ghost/Dragon type otherwise, I addressed the Reed in the room. *In a slow paused tone* "Well, well, well if it isn't Reed smartest dumbass in the multiverse Richards himself. Do tell, to what do I owe the great displeasure of having you visit my antimatter domain?"

Reed was surprised, and apparently offended. Johnny was grinning from ear to ear, definitely planning to use that title himself later. Ben was stoic as a rock, but his thoughts let me know of his amusement and worry of finding themselves in a seemingly confrontational situation with an opponent they knew almost nothing about, except it apparently being the new owner of the Negative Zone, while the opponent seemed to have intel on them already.

Reed spoke first. "How do you know me? Is Annihilus not the owner of the Negative Zone? Are you the one causing all of these changes?-"

"Excuse you" I interrupted him before he could continue asking questions. "Why should I answer you? When you have not answered my first question yet."

Reed was left stunned, before Johnny spoke up considerably less afraid, after I toned down his connection to matter and made him and Ben more in sync with antimatter. "Hello there sir, I am Jonathan Storm, but you can call me Johnny, and the reason we are here is that my sister is pregnant with the smartest dumbass over there's son, but sadly her powers are killing both her and the baby, and Reed said that the only element that could stabilize them is in the Negative Zone, that seems to be under new management or is your domain as you called it."

"It is nice to meet you in person Johnny, and Ben. I am Spectre Ouroboros, the new and improved Oblivion, or for you two or three to better understand what I am, I will explain it like this. I am the living concept and embodiment of matter, antimatter, nothingness, and nonexistence. So, you see, I am not the ruler of the Negative Zone, I AM the Negative Zone."

Reed's eyes widened so much he must have subconsciously used his powers to achieve that effect. Ben's face twitched violently, while Johnny seemed to not care, or rather after insulting Reed he seemed to not consider me an enemy.

"That is also the reason you two were getting the 'hibbie jibbies' as you called it. Because matter and antimatter are complete opposites they explode on contact, *cough* unless you are their concept,*cough* but going through a special process as you travel between the two solves this issue. However, it will always have some form of side effect, and the severity is dependent on the compatibility of the individual or matter/antimatter in question with its opposite. But when I woke up, I subconsciously separated that connection/compatibility between matter and antimatter completely to the extremes.

The consequence of that is a stronger affinity of matter with matter and antimatter with antimatter, especially for the elements and by extension you two that are related to the elements of fire and earth/rock separating you even further from antimatter, as unless I bless them to be together I don't want matter and antimatter mixing at all. Do not worry though I already increased your compatibilities to antimatter, it is the reason you can speak to me so easily as compared to before the manifestation of my body showed up. Which brings me to the dislike I possess of Reed here, but that can be explained later, right now I just want to confirm something. You are doing this for your sister who is dying from some sort of energy problem?"

"That is it, right?"

Johnny immediately answered, "That's it."

"Seriously?"

Johnny, like a champ once again answered "Seriously."

Taking a deep breath for dramatic effect I let out a dramatic sigh as I begin speaking once more. "This is the reason I cannot stand you Reed. Listen, off the top of my head I can think of at least two people, that I know for a fact, you already have on speed dial that could save your wife and kid.

But instead of thinking about your connections, and different points of view that could be used to save them, your first thought was, *In a goofy tone* lets go on a trip to a place that, just opening a portal to can potentially cause the destruction of my entire universe,*normal tone again* while presumably ignoring the warnings of two close friends that with their newfound strengthened compatibility with matter, would have every part of their being resist even the idea of going anywhere near antimatter."

Taking a quick break, I notice both Johnny and Ben nodding continually to my comments, so I become serious and continue.

"Reed before I go any further in my rant about why you are stupid which, make no mistake, I will finish. I am going to ask you a question and after you answer me, I will answer your first question, having already answered your second and third question already.

Reed, do you know why you are still alive right now?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

All three men were left speechless. 

Stupefied Reed shook his head from side to side and finally answered, "No, I do not know."

"Thank you for answering the question I will keep my promise and answer your question AND my own.

The answer to your question is. Anybody who is somebody in the multiverse knows you, about you, and runs from you like the plague you are. Unless they own a universe and you spawn there, then they either restrain you, keep you away from anything that could have even the smallest possibility of being used for technology, or just outright kill you, rarely are you just left free in universes with beings other than yourself with multiversal traveling available to them. That is because of two reasons, well technically three, all of which are the answer to my question.

Number 1 is respect! Most definitely not for you, but for the one who gave you, your calling as the explorer, the Living Tribunal, the butler of Him who is above us all, WHOM is the one I truly respect. That, and only that, is the major reason you have not been erased from the multiverse as a whole, or my presence right now. You see the main job of the Living Tribunal besides being the butler of Him, is to be the law and keep the balance of the multiverse, you being the only known exception to this balance, that is not a singularity, allowed to live even though you end more universes than normal.

Now if you had entered the Mirror Dimension I would have no problem with you, my problem is that as a being made of matter you dared enter the realm I specifically isolated from matter, thus provoking me. Now I will quote the Living Tribunal himself answering my question regarding you in the deal I made with his boss. AND I QUOTE 'If you feel Reed Richards and his ilk are provoking you in any way as stated in the deal mentioned, it is your right to interfere however you see fit, however I do recommend caution, or self-control given that he has a great role to play in many universes, even the ones he ends up destroying, which is actually most of them' END QUOTE

You see even THE Living Tribunal admits that you are an anomaly, but one that is accounted for because of your divinely granted title, The Explorer, which is the second reason you are not dead or erased yet.

Now you may question, was that not the first? No the first was respect for the one who granted you the title, the second is the title itself, which is what grants you the ability to find and make breakthroughs in almost anything, but also grants you a massive self-preservation debuff or curse, which is what usually leads to the end of universes whether you are good or evil, as most of the time it happens by accident."

As I am saying these things the three of them are left stunned and slack jawed even Ben has his jaw dropped, at how absurdly dangerous Reeds experiments clearly are. I even caught a stray thought from Johnny which went like this 'I was just joking about burning down his lab, but now after hearing these explanations that are apparently not done, I will definitely burn that lab down no matter what! I'll get Ben to help too, after hearing this he will definitely be down.'

"Because your title is what makes you stupid and kind of forces you to take the most dangerous decisions if they involve Exploring in any way, I am letting you live, besides respect for the Boss.

And finally, reason number three why you are not just wiped out from the multiverse is..., personal preference. You may be a moron, but you are a lovable accounted for moron. I honestly cannot comprehend what Susan sees in you, but that is not my problem, and in this case, you provoked me without knowledge, which IS how you usually destroy universes, but you also did it for your family.

Although you could have literally called Stephen Strange, or Hank Pym, or an Alpha Class and above Energy manipulating mutant with full control of their powers, and the list goes on. But here we are, now, what will your punishment be?"

As I am thinking Johnny whispers to Ben and his eyes light up and raises his hands to speak for the first time since I appeared. "What if you erase his lab? I mean you said you are the concept/embodiment of Nothingness and honestly physical pain will not do anything to Reed, but take away his toys, and he will become inconsolable." He finished with a bright smile on his stony face.

Reed's face was drained of color, but then it returned, and I knew why.

"No, that is still not enough, even if I do that he could just buy or make the equipment again, and you also need him in your universe to make stuff. So how about this? You have to make a force field that will stop anyone else from entering the Negative Zone. Now I could do the same, but if I do it, they might instantly die and I do not want to accidentally break my promise, and if I send them directly to the Mirror Dimension they would still blow up, because of the process done through teleportation to adapt to the Negative Zone working, and they ending up still in a universe made of matter."

'Honestly I could fix this problem too, but I cannot be bothered and I cannot think of a punishment for him, besides sealing him in the ILZ, but that can get me in trouble, or physical harm, but like Ben said it might be useless against him, because he would still inven-...! I could erase his excess intellect and reduce him to a normal person! No that would still land me in trouble with the Living Tribunal, probably..., how about just scaring him? YES! I know just what I will do! *DARK CHUCKLES INTENSLY*