Clip of Chapter 4
from Ratatouille: The Doom Perfume - To Disney Infinity and BEYOND!
Incredibles Assemble!
In an American suburb, a family bickered at the dining room table. In their social lives, they were known as the Parrs. To the world, they were known as one of the greatest super hero families of all time.
"WE WANNA FIGHT BAD GUYS IN PARIS!" demanded the second youngest child, Dashiell, or "Dash" as his friends and family often called him.
Baby Jack Jack babbled in enthusiastic agreement with his older brother. At least, it seemed like agreement. Who could really tell?
"It defines who I am," Dash declared, puffing up his chest in an attempt to take on an epic stance.
His father, Robert, "Bob" for short, tried to reason with him: "That doesn't mean you have- What?"
"Someone on T.V. said it," Dash explained.
"Super heroes. Are. Illegal," Helen, his mother, emphasised as she stepped into the room. "That doesn't change because we all woke up this morning with some inexplicable urge to go to France. We only got away with fighting Syndrome because he was a problem far too big for the police and military. Even so, we got lucky. If some big villain like, say, the Underminer pops up, the authorities probably won't take too kindly if we push our luck and try to bring him down. That said, I checked booking for flights to France-"
"AWESOME!" Dash cheered before darting away with inhuman speed.
They could hear him rummaging through the bedrooms for a few seconds before returning with two suitcases stuffed to the brim.
"I've packed all the essentials and we're all set!" Dash happily declared.
His teenage sister, Violet, glared at him. "You went through my stuff? You better not have read my diary, you little insect."
"Oh, come on," Dash protested. "I only flipped through a few pages. Nothing more than unusual. Don't I at least get a 'thank you' for packing for my sister?"
All the while, she was subtly digging her nails into the table in irritation. She glanced about. Too many witnesses. If she wanted to punish him for his invasion of her privacy, she would have to do it when they were alone and no one could hear him scream. Or she could relax and let it go this time. Violet chose the second option. Her unrepentant little brother didn't deserve such an gracious big sister, she thought.
"Fine," Violet began. "I appreciate you packing for me. You just better have kept your icky, little unmentionables as far away from mine as possible."
The impish smirk on Dash's smug little face told her otherwise.
Violet gave a feral snarl, and even before she pounced across the table Dash was screaming: "HELP! MURDER!" As far as Violet was concerned, witnesses or no witnesses, the little goblin had to pay! However, she suddenly found herself frozen midair. Bob had caught her just before her pounce reached Dash. Curiously, he had never done this before, usually resorting to verbal rebukes. Perhaps with their recent adventures fresh in his mind, Bob's heroic persona was constantly simmering beneath the mediocrity of his civilian identity. Now, especially now, it didn't take much to make Mr. Incredible jump into action.
"Whoa-ho-ho!" Dash exclaimed. "Where'd you get the panther-like reflexes, Dad?"
A proud smile tugged at Bob's lips. "When you do hero work as long as I did, you learn to think fast."
*Ahem* Helen cut in. "As I was saying, I checked booking for flights to France. Not because we're going go there, but because I was curious. Turns out we're not the only ones suddenly thinking about France. Flights to Paris are overbooked across several states."
"That means this is bigger than a villain attacking a city!" Dash reasoned. "Whatever's going on, it's affecting everybody! The Incredibles should be in Paris solving this mystery!"
"The … Incredibles?" Bob asked.
"Yeah!" Dash went on. "That's what a lot of people online are calling us."
Bob sat back as he thought of the name with a light in his eyes. "The Incredibles. I like the sound of that."
"Not you too, Honey!" Helen exclaimed. "We don't know that whatever's happening requires The Incredi-, I mean, us! If we show up in costume and there's no party, both the French and the American governments will have our heads! In fact, they'll probably have our heads even if we're neede-"
*Ding dong!* went the doorbell.
Helen stretched he elastic arm waaaaaaay across the room to open the door as she continued: "We can't afford to put ourselves jeopardy like that again. That's why we stay underground. Am I making any sense here?"
She turned the knob and pushed the front door open. Everyone stared at her in shock. At first she did not understand, until she remembered what she was doing: stretching! Whoever was beyond that door would have seen her using her powers when she opened it. She quickly withdrew her arm, but even if they hadn't spotted it, they would ask themself how the door opened when there was no one close enough to open it. Since their adventure on Nomanisan Island, the family had found themselves accidentally using their powers more frequently. However, she would have never guessed that it was she who might have blown the family's cover.
They shifted their gazes to the door to see who had likely discovered their secret.
The African American man at the entrance laughed. "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me. Just chill."
"Lucius!" Bob exclaimed in relief upon seeing his old friend.
Helen touched her chest and sucked in heavy breaths, as though she had had a heart attack.
Bob went on: "How ice of you to drop by!"
Lucius was not amused. "Look, Bob, we're friends but I gotta tell you straight: that pun barely worked the first time you used it and it's definitely not gonna work now."
Bob raised his hands in surrender.
"So … what brings you here?" Helen asked, still slightly shaken from the scare.
"Honey and I are taking an impromptu vacation to Paris," Lucius explained. "We wanted to know if you were interesting in housesitting the apartment for us."
Normally, Dash would have been happy to housesit in Lucius's awesome home. However, he was too busy throwing a tantrum to care.
"WHY DOES EVERYONE GET TO GO TO PARIS EXCEPT US!"Dash demanded.
"We can't just hop on a jet like that!" Violet countered.
Dash slumped into his chair and pouted. "I blame it on our less-than-incredible income."
The boy's eyes brightened as he noticed the bag slung over Lucius's shoulder.
"What's that?" asked Dash, wondering if perhaps Lucius was leaving them a cool parting gift.
The man chortled. "The vehicle's so chock-full of luggage that this fell through the door when I got out. Stuffing it back in would have been too much of a hassle, so I decided to lug it with me. Heh, funny that it's my super suit of all things."
Bob and Helen exchanged glances.
"Why are you taking your super suit?" asked Helen.
"Funny story," Lucius began. "I wake up last night in a cold sweat. All I can think is 'PARIS! PARIS! PARIS!' Honey gets up a few moments later and immediately starts making 'subtle' hints about wanting to go to Paris too. We immediately pull out the laptop and check booking for a flight. Whaddya know? The flight's overbooked! We check for another. Again, overbooked! Luckily, Honey was able to work a bit of her womanly wisdom and we nabbed a flight. Seconds later, it's overbooked too! Across the country, it's the same! Something is definitely up, and if it calls for a super, ol' Frozone will be there to turn down the heat."
"TAKE ME WITH YOU!" Dash cried out.
"YA GOT SCHOOL, SO PIPE DOWN!" Violet snapped.
Jack Jack began to bawl.
Dash pointed at him in vindication: "SEE? Jack Jack's protesting! He wants to go too!"
"I think he wants us to quit screaming," Violet guessed.
Helen picked up Jack Jack and tried to hush him, but he reached his pudgy little hands towards Bob.
"I think he wants you," Helen told her husband.
Bob attempted to take the baby, but he clung to both of his parents.
"I guess he wants both of us," Bob reasoned.
They held the baby between them. Jack Jack's crying subsided somewhat, until he extended his hands towards his siblings and squealed. Violet and Dash exchanged looks before making their way to their younger brother.
"What is this? A group hug?" asked Dash, who was still dragging the suitcases.
The baby gurgled, almost content when the entire family had gathered around him. Almost.
He extended his arms towards Lucius and whimpered. When the man hesitated, he got louder and louder until Lucius hustled to him and he calmed down.
"Is this normal?" asked Lucius.
Bob shrugged. "No, but if it makes him feel better then-"
Suddenly, swirling lights emanated from the baby and engulfed their surroundings.
As quickly as it came, the light cleared but the familiar dining room never reappeared. Instead, they found themselves at the edge of a waterway in an unfamiliar city. The architecture alone suggested that this was no American town. When they looked along the river and saw the Eiffel Tower standing proud in the distance, there was no denying the incredible truth.
They were in Paris.
PLEASE NOTE: This isn't the full chapter. Finish the chapter and check out the full story, "Ratatouille: The Doom Perfume - To Disney Infinity and BEYOND!"
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