Chapter 27: A butterfly's Wings...

Song Recommendation: If you read this chapter I highly recommend listening to this song: Nightcore - Superhero( Listen on Repeat)

Now back to the chapter...

......

(The past - One Year Ago...)

The day had started like any other at the Baxter Building, home of the Fantastic Four.

However, the peace was short-lived, as an argument erupted between Valeria Richards and her older brother, Franklin.

In Valeria's lab, the two siblings stood amidst the aftermath of what was once a carefully constructed experiment.

The air was charged with tension, the remnants of the destroyed project scattered around them.

"Why did you have to mess with my equipment, Franklin? You know how important this was to me!" Valeria's voice was a mix of frustration and anger, her hands gesturing towards the wreckage.

Franklin, equally agitated, shot back, "I just wanted to help! I already apologised."

Franklin's temporary loss of powers had left him feeling sidelined and eager to prove his worth, leading to his reckless decision to intervene in Valeria's work.

As the argument escalated, their voices rose, echoing through the halls of the Baxter Building.

The heated exchange was abruptly interrupted by the arrival of their uncle, Johnny Storm, also known as the Human Torch.

"Hey, hey, what's going on here?" Johnny's voice cut through the tension, his expression filled with concern and exasperation.

Valeria turned to him, her expression softening slightly, "Franklin ruined my experiment, Uncle Johnny. It was crucial for my upcoming project!"

Johnny looked at the debris, then at Franklin, who was struggling to find the words to defend himself.

Sighing, Johnny placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Look, I get it. You're both upset. Val, I know how much your work means to you. And Franklin, I understand you're feeling left out. But destroying lab equipment isn't the way to go about it."

Franklin's gaze dropped to the floor, guilt etching his features. "I... I didn't mean to ruin anything. I just wanted to be useful."

Johnny gave him a sympathetic look. "I know, kiddo. But sometimes, we need to step back and think things through. Why don't you help me with some maintenance work around the building? It'll be a good way to make up for this."

Franklin nodded, a small sense of relief washing over him. Johnny then turned to Valerie, "And Val, I promise we'll find a way to make this right. Your project is important to all of us."

Valeria sighed, her anger slightly dissipating. "Thanks, Uncle Johnny."

Before Johnny could respond, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and a grin spread across his face.

"Ah, that's my hot date calling. Duty calls, you know?" He winked at them playfully before heading out, leaving Valeria and Franklin in a somewhat calmer, but still uneasy, atmosphere.

Valerie looked at the ruins of her lab and then at Franklin.

The anger had faded, but the disappointment lingered. "I need some time alone," she muttered before heading to her room, leaving Franklin to regret his previous actions.

....

Valeria Richards' day had been nothing short of exasperating. Her older brother, always a handful, had thrown a spectacular tantrum earlier that day.

The cause? Being left out of a mission due to a temporary loss of his powers.

To make matters worse, he had tampered with something in her lab, resulting in an explosion that not only wrecked hours of meticulous work but also led to a heated argument between them.

Seeking an ear she could rant to, Valeria turned to her parents, only to find them preoccupied with their superhero duties.

Alone with her frustrations, she stormed off to her room, slamming the door behind her with a force that echoed her inner turmoil.

Collapsing onto her bed, she lay there, enveloped in boredom and irritation, her gaze aimlessly wandering around her room.

But suddenly, her attention was caught by a striking purple butterfly fluttering past her window. It wasn't a species she had ever seen before and not one she recognised.

Curious, Valeria sat up. She didn't recognize the species of the butterfly. Its unique colour and pattern piqued her scientific interest.

She quickly activated her watch and instructed it to analyze the footage captured by a hidden camera discreetly placed inside a teddy bear on her desk.

"Analyze that butterfly," she commanded.

The watch beeped in response, processing the data.

A moment later, it chimed with a result that only deepened the mystery. "Species unidentified. No recorded data on a butterfly of this appearance," the watch informed her in a mechanical tone.

Surprised, Valerie peered out the window. The sun had set, casting a dim twilight glow over the city.

The sight of the butterfly, now a speck in the distance, inspired a spontaneous decision.

She needed to get out, away from the confines of her room and, more importantly, away from her brother.

Quickly changing into something more comfortable and stylish, she made her way out of the Fantastic Four Building.

As she walked, her presence didn't go unnoticed. A few passersby recognized her, and whispers of "Isn't that Valeria Richards?" were followed by discreet photos being snapped.

'I wish I had Mom's powers right now,' she thought, yearning for the invisibility that would have granted her the privacy she craved.

Her walk led her to a quaint eatery where she grabbed a bite, it was a chilie cheese dog and it was delicious.

As she ate, her watch beeped again, delivering news that finally coaxed a smile onto her face.

"Blackout Project simulation nearing completion. Estimated time until completion: one month."

The message was a piece of good news in what had been a gloomy day.

The Blackout Project was her brainchild, a culmination of her scientific prowess and dedication.

Knowing that it was nearing completion filled her with a sense of anticipation.'If that simulation works, then I can start working on the whole Blackout series.'

With a renewed spirit, Valeria finished her meal and stepped back out into the night, the earlier frustrations slowly melting away under the city's luminescent skyline.

She decided to take the long route home, embracing the night's cool breeze and the freedom it brought.

And as she walked, Valerie noticed the butterfly from before, she was sure of it.

There was no mistaking that beautiful pattern on its wings and its distinct purple shade.

'Since it might be a new species, it would be a nice side project to study.' She thought before making a decision.

....

Valeria Richards, found herself inadvertently drawn into a chase through the darkening streets of New York.

She kept her eyes fixated on the delicate creature as it fluttered ahead, leading her on an unpredictable path.

It was almost as if the butterfly was guiding her to something, or perhaps, someone.

Her watch beeped discreetly, confirming that it had successfully hacked into the nearby security cameras.

The streets were alive with the typical New York bustle, but Valeria hardly noticed, her focus solely on the butterfly's dance through the air.

As she approached a busy pedestrian crossing, the butterfly descended gracefully, landing atop the head of a dishevelled boy standing across the street.

Valeria's curiosity was piqued further.

She observed him from a distance, noting his skinny frame the untamed mess of his hair, and his unkept clothes that had patches of stains on them.

The first thing she thought was he was not her type, suddenly remembering the cute alien boy she had met and even flirted with back on one of their family hero outworld trips, to deal with a villain.

There was something about his eyes, though. They were hollow, void of the spark that life usually ignited. Valeria couldn't help but wonder what had caused such emptiness in someone as young as her.

Her musings were abruptly shattered by a sudden explosion that tore through the building nearby.

Screams were heard all around as the crowd below went into panic mode. Instinctively, Valeria sprang into action.

She scooped up a terrified child from the path of falling glass and debris, saving her from the danger.

After ensuring the little girl was safely back in her mother's arms, Valeria's gaze snapped back to the boy and the butterfly.

To her horror, he hadn't moved an inch. He stood there, seemingly resigned to his fate as the building above him threatened to collapse and crush him.

Her heart raced as she yelled out to him, her voice lost amidst the cacophony of screams and sirens.

"Hey! Move! Get out of there!" But he didn't respond, didn't even flinch.

Cursing under her breath, Valeria didn't hesitate. She darted forward, her body fueled by adrenaline and a strange, compelling urge to save this stranger.

She reached him in a heartbeat, diving to push him out of harm's way.

The world seemed to slow down as they tumbled to the ground together, narrowly escaping a cascade of rubble and dust.

.

.

.

.

Little did Valeria know at that time, that the scruffy boy, the one she had impulsively saved, would later become an irreplaceable figure in her life.

.....

(The Present...)

Valeria Richards was slumped over her desk, her mind lost in a world of dreams.

Her workspace was in disarray, oil grease, metal shavings, and soldering equipment scattered chaotically around her. It was the kind of organized mess only a genius like herself could navigate.

The sudden beep of her watch jolted her from her slumber.

Disoriented, she blinked away the remnants of sleep, her gaze landing on the bright digits of the clock. '3:00 AM,' it read.

Confusion etched her features as she tried to piece together why she would be woken at such an ungodly hour.

Rubbing her eyes, she stood up, stretching her stiff muscles. The room around her was dim, lit only by the faint glow of her equipment.

But as she turned towards the window, she was met with an awe-inspiring sight.

Seven pillars of light, pierced the night sky, bathing Manhattan in an otherworldly white glow.

The spectacle was so intense that its radiance reached as far as Queens and Brooklyn, turning night into day.

"What in the world..." Valeria muttered, her scientific curiosity piqued. She approached the window, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Hey, Any idea what this is?" she asked, her voice laced with a mix of excitement and confusion.

Her watch beeped in response, "Analyzing... No known match found for the energy signature. Source: Unknown. However, there seems to be a holy-like effect similar but different to Light Magic."

Valeria sighed."Thanks anyway, but hack into the security around downtown to see if it's a villain attack." she said, her gaze still fixed on the luminous spectacle outside.

As she watched, the pillars of light began to slowly fade, their brilliance diminishing until the night reclaimed its dominion over the city.

The darkness felt more profound now, having been momentarily banished by the mysterious light.

Valeria stood there in the silence of her room, a sense of longing washing over her.

She couldn't explain it, but she felt as if the light had been a message meant specifically for her.

It was a feeling that resonated deep within her chest, her heart racing in response to the unknown call.

"Why do I feel like this? What was that light?" she whispered to herself, her hand instinctively resting over her chest.

"And why did it look so familiar..."