I don't own the Incredibles and its related characters. Brad Bird, Pixar and Disney do. New Toronto, as well as Voyage, Current, and its related characters belong to me. Well, lads and ladies, we've arrived...
Last time on Voyd & Voyage: Portal Pals? Shit was crazy. Long story short, our heroes fought the Backdraft Gang up and down Carpe Diem. Gabe - much like Peter Parker - doesn't feel so good. Moon and Megann definitely don't feel so good. And if Voyd can't save Hannah and Gravitas from the ocean's grasp in time, she will never feel good again. Now, my lovely readers, it's been a ride...
This... is the end of Voyd & Voyage: Portal Pals. Enjoy your Halloween/Post-Halloween treat, you halloweenies. c:
P.S.: I totally gave Karen a proper last name. See if y'all like it!
Chapter 12: The Medium (Golden Hour)
As Voyd emerges deeper into the ocean, she uses all of her training, skills, and her power to descend deeper.
"Look at her…"
In a playground, on a warm Seattle summer day, a young Voyd – nine-year-old Karen Corsello – sits in a sandbox, covered with sand. She sees granules of sand fall past her shoulder-length green hair. Her adorable, little overalls have small shoe imprints over it. Teary-eyed, she sees other children point and laugh at her. Leaving her, the rude bullies throw cruel insults, as excessive as they are hurtful.
"What a toothpick…"
"Who the heck is she trying to impress?"
"Her hair's stupider than she is…"
"Leave her! She's a loser. Always will be…"
They all leave, leaving Karen in a heap of sand and tears. Too upset to think, she retreats to a private place, disappearing through a small portal.
The last thing she sees in the sandbox before leaving is a crude but adorable drawing of her, together with other stick buddies by her side. A small puddle of water can be seen next to one of them…
"Wait for me…" Karen thought. "Please, Hannah, hold on…"
On Carpe Diem, Elastigirl paces back and forth. "It's too late," she muttered, regarding calling her husband – Mr. Incredible – to come back from his trip with the boys to help. "What can we do?" she said to Violet.
Violet's eyes dart from side to side, frantically pacing like her mother before she gets an idea. "Mom! Mom, Mom! Stay close to me! I think I can jump, create a force field strong enough to reach Voyd, and use it to propel myself deeper. I-I can reach Hannah!"
Elastigirl panics. Her daughter was always intelligent, but her creative use of her powers was selfless… and risky. "Are you sure, sweetie?"
Violet wasn't sure. But one thing was for sure: she's a Super. Saving people – even other 'Supers' from different dimensions – was a day in the life for her. She wants to make her mother proud. …She wants to help.
"I'm sure, Mom," she said with confidence. "I'm surer than anything else in my life."
Full of happiness, Elastigirl stays close and hugs her daughter from behind. "I am so proud of you..." Violet beams wide. "Let's go, honey!"
"Okay, Mom!" Violet carries out her plan, creating a super strong force field. The vibrancy is strong as its hum. She takes a deep breath and moves her body forward, descending into the ocean's depths.
Deeper in the depths, Karen reaches her hand out, hoping… praying to find something familiar to hold on to.
"C'mon… C'mon, Hannah, I—Hannah!" She feels curly ringlets, soaked in the water. It was Hannah, alright. But she's losing oxygen...
In New Toronto, Gabe's mouth drips with water as an alarmed Moon acts. Checking his weak pulse, she weighs the options before shaking her head. It must be done…
"Megann, are you ready? Do it," she said, laying Gabe down and performing crude CPR. "…Now!"
Megann hovers nervously in the air, her LED face looking more and more nervous. She spots the gunshot wound as her robotic voice trembles. "Um… But-but-but, Ms. Kim, w-what about—"
"Forget about the mission! Gabe's dying! We need to wake him up, ASAP!"
"Yes, Moon! Right away! Commencing Adrenaline Protocol…"
The AI companion closes her 'eyes' as her body heads to a table and slowly goes to 'sleep'. Their secret hangout – the Hideout – starts opening secret vents. A large partition opens in the floor, revealing a bed-sized, vertical chamber that swallows Gabe in. With numerous mechanical tentacles, a pillow is placed behind Gabe, offering support. Megann's voice echoes through the place.
Unlike her usual high-spirited voice, her voice through the Hideout is clear, concise, and eerily calm. "Commencing protocol. Delivering treatment." Inside the chamber, Megann begins the process of treating Gabe's condition. Diverting all energy towards their absolute last resort, Moon shakes her head and starts to panic, thinking about her friends…
Karen holds on to Hannah, paying no mind to whether or not Gravitas is in her possession. She tries to summon a portal, but it barely holds. Thanks to her training as a lifeguard growing up, she could handle being in the water for a while…
But, she was more concerned about the two that can't. What's more, the deeper Karen dives further down, the harder it will be to hold her breath.
Holding on to Hannah, it doesn't take long for Karen to feel something else close by. A porcelain mask followed by another outstretched hand…
"Gravitas," she thought.
Like Voyage, Voyd made a solemn vow to protect others. However, unlike Hannah, anger wasn't the emotion clouding Karen's mind. It was intensity. She grabs Holden and tries her hardest to summon that same unstable portal, but it slowly fails. Deep in the ocean, even her powers and training didn't account for unassisted deep-sea diving. And the pressure makes it harder and harder for Karen to hold her breath.
She tries to swim, inch by inch, closer to the surface, holding both Holden and Hannah. With the water surrounding her, it was futile to open her eyes. All she could do was swim… and think…
"I won't give up on you if you won't give up on me, okay?"
Karen recalls the promise she made to Hannah hours ago…
"…for the people of New Urbem…"
With her dwindling mental fortitude, Karen finally recalls the first time she dropped her identity to random strangers. With Hannah and Axel, Karen felt like she belonged in their lives despite knowing them for so little. During their days between figuring out the Backdraft Gang's next moves, she spent time with the duo. She got to know them…
Their lives and interests. Axel's humour and cool, island charm. Hannah's cheerful, affable personality. They liked Voyd. They loved Karen. Nervous, dorky Karen. They treated her like one of their own and Karen's heart sang all the better for it.
Hannah's words echoed in Karen's mind…
"I'll see you tomorrow, Portal Pal… Portal Pal… Portal…"
"Hannah, I made… a promise. Don't give up… Please!" With her last bit of effort, she starts arriving close – but not quite – to the surface. She suddenly loses the rest of her oxygen as an anxious Karen starts to take in water.
Suddenly, something propels her forward! In her hazy mind, Karen felt like her teammate Screech, speeding through the sky. But instead, she's gliding through the ocean as she, Hannah, and Holden are chucked in the air!
Gasping for breaths, Karen's eyes open wide right before she gets wrapped by Elastigirl's arm, pulling all three of them in close. Violet uses her powers to summon the same forcefield to place them back on Carpe Diem. Without a second to waste, Karen leans over Hannah, checking for a pulse…
But there is none.
Performing CPR through her tears, Hannah calls out for her friend while Elastigirl tends to Holden.
"Hannah, please! …Don't die. I… Please. Dammit! People need you… Axel needs you!"
No response.
Karen tries CPR again, this time under pressure. Wherever they're from didn't matter. Right now, she wants her dear friend back. Compression after compression, there seemed to be no development.
Violet mumbles, incredibly nervous. "B-both Hannah and Gravitas stayed in the ocean's depths for five to six minutes. You gotta save them, because…" She sees Hannah's pale skin with a faint blue hue. "...K-Kare Bear, please!"
"I'm trying, Violet!" Much like the figure in the sandbox, her tears dot Hannah's face like a freckle. A couple of compressions later… "I need you, Hannah!"
One good compression later… Hannah opens her eyes wide, her eyes donning a new, deep magenta glow. A portal emerges under the Portal Pals, but it… solidifies?! It hovers high in the air as the Parrs step back in disbelief.
"Goodness," Elastgirl whispered.
"Whoa!" Violet is enthralled at the awesome sight.
Hannah coughs, spitting out water. It's a lot, but she's alive. Shuddering slightly, Hannah slowly comes to, opening her eyes.
"V-Voyd? …K-Karen… what…? What happened?"
Karen hugs her as Elastigirl prevents Gravitas from drowning a minute later. As he comes to, his wrathful expression doesn't change but he gets knocked out by Elastigirl. Relieved that the nightmare is over, she turns to the rest as they all see a blue-and-white aura slowly shimmering around Hannah…
In the chamber, Megann administers medical aid on an unresponsive Gabe. Nurturing his wounds and alleviating his drowning woes, a small cloud of gas fills the chamber. "Dispersing restorative cryo-based potpourri." The cool, aromatic gas envelops Gabe, decreasing the tension in his muscles and sealing his wounds. His eyes start to move…
Sensing that their time in New Urbem might be over, Hannah thinks about Axel in the hospital as this 'portal disk' suddenly makes its way there.
"Hannah, I—Whoa!" Karen holds on the edge as they swiftly head back to the city. With Gravitas in tow, the Parrs follow them with Violet's bubble.
Making their way to the hospital, Hannah does away with her secret identity. In her mind, she's in another world. Secret identities are moot, but one can't be too sure. Close to closing time, the skies are dark in New Urbem, a full moon on the horizon.
"H-Hello! I need to find out where Axel Price's room is!" she said to a security guard.
"I don't know, ma'am," he replied, slowly recognizing Karen – quickly putting on the mask – turns around as Voyd. "Come with me to the security office. Are you and Ms. Voyd his family members or…?"
He sees Elastigirl behind them as his mood changes. "E-Elastigirl! I'm a huge fan! Are you with Voyd and this young woman?"
Humbled but poised to help Hannah out, she helps her out. "Yes! And thank you. Heh, no need to be alarmed. I'm here to help this young woman out." She holds Hannah's shoulders from behind. "Her friend was part of the chaos the Backdraft Gang caused. …She just needs to see him."
Out of nowhere, Winston and Brick emerge. "They're with me, officer!" said Winston, now in his usual suit-and-tie attire.
Convinced and grateful for Elastigirl's help, the guard acquiesces to Hannah's request. "Okay, ma'am. Follow me."
The guard takes the group to Axel's room. They see him lying on his bed. A fresh bouquet of flowers from the hospital staff sits in a simple, glass vase. He's alive and unharmed, but he lies there without saying a word.
The same aura now encapsulates him, shimmering with ominous intent…
Hannah rushes to him with tears from her eyes. "Axel!" She kisses his forehead. "We did it! We did it! We can go home now!"
Her face close to his, she smiles softly. She presses her forehead up against his, taking a deep breath. Just like when he did to help her calm down, she whispers. "Come back to me, Axel. I… I miss ye. …I'm here, Axel."
Thinking back to when Axel held her hand before arriving in New Urbem, she does the same to him before Axel, slowly but surely, opens his eyes.
"I…I was takin' a nap, you know," he whispered softly.
Hannah smiles wide and hugs Axel, almost getting on the bed with him. Kissing his cheek over and over again, he chuckles as she smiles wide. Turning to a nervous Violet, he opens his arms.
"Everything irie, Vi?" he said with a smile. Violet smiles and runs to hugs him, extremely glad to know he's better. "Did you kick some ass for me?"
"I kicked some ass," Violet nodded with happy tears as Axel chuckles.
"Good. Keep kickin' ass."
He pats her head as Elastigirl looks on, smiling. "Hannah is a brave hero and a braver woman," she said. "You two make a great team." Hannah and Axel stare at each other, smiling wide. They both see the same aura and deduces what's about to happen.
"Where's Gravitas?" said Axel.
Violet points to Gravitas outside his room, immersed in a tight forcefield. Scared of Brick, he cowers in Violet's makeshift prison. Axel laughs.
"Atta girl!" He offers a loud high-five as Violet accepts, giggling with pride.
"No time to worry 'bout that eejit!" Hannah walks up to Gravitas with a huff but stops herself, sensing the urgency. "We have to head to the hotel."
Panicked, Voyd finally speaks, pointing at their auras. "Um, guys, look! It's shimmering."
Hannah and Axel both look down and up as they look at each other with a nod. Axel tries to get up, but the pain from surgery and the wound are too much. Hurt and upset, he crumples on the bed.
"But… isn't this illegal?" said Violet, turning to her mother.
Elastigirl sighs and shrugs. "Even if it were, I doubt they'd find them," she said.
Winston chuckles, shaking his head. "Fine. We never saw any of this, correct?"
The group nods as Hannah opens up a portal, conjuring a clear image of the hotel in her mind. Together, they roll Gravitas and step through it.
Back at the Hideout, the gas overtakes Gabe, dispersing as soon as it entered the chamber. Satisfied that Gabe seems to be okay now, Moon calms down and thanks Megann. Calm and composed, Megann's voice emerges once more.
"Administering smelling salts and opening chamber doors."
Gabe slowly comes to...
Now in the hotel, the Parrs hand Gravitas over to the duo. Resting Axel near the fountain, they spot the same girl from the hotel and the falling sedan with her parents. She rushes over to see Hannah – now as Voyage. The young girl has tan skin, darker than Voyd's. She has braces, long brown hair, and clear green eyes. The aura doesn't shimmer any more. It's a clear, blue-and-white aura… and it's taking Hannah, Axel, and Gravitas back. Frightened but eager, she approaches… without the teddy bear.
"Um, M-Mommy and Daddy want-wanted me to say thank you for saving us," the little girl said nervously, hugging a surprised Voyage. "Me too!"
Voyage smiles, a look of genuine glee on her face. She hugs back. "Thank you! Remember… Supers are special! Let yer Ma and yer Da over there spread the good word. Okay?"
The little girl nods with a rosy smile. "What's your name?"
The aura starts to brighten, but Voyage remains calm. "Voyage, a leanbh. That's 'my child' in Gaeilge, my homeland's language."
Admiring Voyage's brogue, the little girl pronounces the phrase slowly and carefully while she giggles. Voyage tells her to come closer and she does. "My real name's Hannah," she whispered. "It'll be our little secret, 'kay?"
"Okay, Hannah," the little girl replied. "My name's Cathleen, but you can call me Cathy."
Cathleen. Voyage – and Hannah – smiles, committing the name to memory. Turning Cathleen to Voyd, she points at her. "D'ye know her?"
Cathleen nods. "Oh, I watch her all the time! Hi, Voyd!" She waves hello as Voyd, smiling wide, waves back.
"Yep! She's not only a great Super and a great friend of mine," Voyage said before looking at Voyd. "She taught me to never give up. Even when times are tough and we're ragin' and mad. Never give up, Cathy."
She smiles at Voyd as Voyd, truly touched by her friend's words, cries tears of happiness. She turns back to Cathleen and sighs. "Remember that, okay?"
Cathleen nods and hugs both Voyage and Voyd. "Okay! I want to be a Super when I grow up. So, I won't give up! I'll never give up!"
Axel cheers Cathleen on. "Fight, Cathy, fight." Voyage mimics the cheer as a pumped-up Cathleen beams wide, waves goodbye, and heads to her parents.
Before they leave, Voyd shouts, "Voyage!" Voyage turns to find Voyd running to hug her. They lock in a deep embrace as Voyage starts to cry. "I'll miss you…"
"Aye… me, too," Voyage whispered back, sniffling. "I'll see you again. I swear on me Ma's gravestone, I will see you again.
Voyd nods. "Promise?"
Voyage laughs softly. "Oh, aye. …I'll never forget you, Karen."
Voyd giggles and hugs Voyage harder. "Corsello. Karen Corsello. And I won't forget you too, Hannah-Faith Yates." She extends a fist out. "'When evil attacks…"
The aura starts to turn into a white, circular dome. Voyage fist-bumps Voyd back with a giggle before stepping into the aura. Voyd beams at Voyage's last words…
"'The Portal Pals strike back.'"
Seeing the rest close by, she waves goodbye as they wave back. Axel nods to Brick as she nods back with a grin.
"See ya, little man," she said.
Violet sees Axel as he waves as well. Mouthing "I'll miss you", Axel causes Violet to cry as she smiles, mouthing "Me too…" before the aura envelops them.
Much like the day at the hotel a month ago, the aura shines brightly before it contracts and fades, glimmering like a light shower. …With Gravitas, Axel, and Hannah no longer there anymore.
Voyd slowly sits on the fountain's edge and smiles to herself, keeping Voyage's – and Hannah's – face in her mind forever. "Have a nice voyage back, Hannah," she whispered with a soft giggle.
Gabe opens his eyes slowly as they glow blue-and-white. "W-What's going on?!"
The next couple of moments seem to be in slow-motion. Gabe and Moon spot a downed Axel, a weakened Holden, and Voyage – transforming back into Hannah – drying her tears. Gabe rushes over to Holden, but the latter rebuffs him with a dirty glare. Moon quickly whips out a patch that neutralizes Holden's powers.
"As long as this is on, don't worry," Moon said before looking at Holden with a smug smile. "It sticks."
Holden looks the other way as Hannah motions to Moon the destroyed Stim-Booster Gauntlet. Moon nods and calls the proper authorities as Hannah hugs a tearful Gabe, whispering the events that happened. Heartbroken, Gabe looks on as the man he used to love… a criminal… is being hauled off to prison…
Days later, Hannah and Moon find themselves in Axel's hospital room. A tad more futuristic than the one in New Urbem, they all spot news regarding Holden Rudd – now known in their world as Gravitas – and his detainment.
"He's on his way to the Hotbox," Moon said. "He won't be a pain in our asses any time soon. I'll take care of Gabe. He'll be okay, but he's hurt."
Hannah looks at Holden with a look of sheer contempt. "Hope Holden rots for what he did. Gobshite prick." Almost fully healed, Axel places a hand on her shoulder as she turns to him, now with a look of relief… and affection. "Yer such a dose, Axel. Don't ever jump in front of a bullet again!"
She gives him a teasing punch as Axel kisses his teeth, chuckling after he does so. "I promise. Learned my lesson. Don't go punchin' another hole in me." He rubs her arm to ease her worries.
Hannah smiles and blushes. "Thanks, dicko," she said lovingly, rubbing his shoulder.
Sarcastically rolling her eyes, Moon interrupts, thinking about the people Hannah and Axel met. "So, Brick's huge and everything, that's fine… But… Voyd? Karen was her name, right?" She puts her sunglasses on, slides them down, and smiles with interest.
Hannah and Axel shake their heads. Axel chuckles and turns to Hannah. "Thirsty?"
"If by 'thirsty', you mean crushing on her, then aye. Like a wee camel in New Toronto…"
They laugh as Hannah looks out the window, staring at the sky…
"I'll see you soon, Karen. I'll always have your back, no matter where. No matter what.
She smiles as she shares a touching moment with Moon and Axel, staring into Axel's hazel eyes. Axel looks back as they both smile fondly at each other…
The End
Down in the Hotbox, an underground, cube-like maximum security prison, Rogue Anomalies are locked in their cells, cut off from the outside world.
Disgraced and kept in prison for theft, Holden stares at the ground. Thinking of Kali and the rest of the Backdraft Gang, he sits in quiet, horrible solitude…
Until he sees a ghostly spectre in his room. "Holden Rudd," it spoke in a sultry voice.
Spooked but keeping his composure, he raises an eyebrow without saying a word.
"Do you desire to have the magic to change your fate?"
Holden looks at the cold, hard steel floor of his cell. He looks up and at the spectre. "Maybe. Who wants to know?"
The spectre laughs, forming into a ghostly image of a woman, beautiful… curvaceous… and ominous. "The very being that will gift it to you… if you join me." It extends a hand out.
Holden chuckles. "Don't know. I ain't a crony. What makes you think—?" Suddenly, he gets lifted in the air! Neck first. "Okay, okay, shit!" He gets dropped as he catches his breath. "Who the hell are you?"
The image materializes into a woman of other-worldly beauty and mystery. Her clothes are fine silks, draped on her body like a woven tapestry at the Louvre. Her purple hair sways in the breeze with no air in the cell. She extends a bejewelled hand out and smiles with fiendish intent. Holden cowers but the woman eases his worries with a purr.
"No need to fret. Call me… Circe, my dear."
A/N: How's that for a 'post-credits scene', eh? If you read up to this point, thank you soooooo, so, so, so much for reading! I'll thank everyone later. If there's any issues or questions or whatever else, lemme know. The first epilogue - Memories - will be up soon. The second will be... somewhere else. It's very... not for FFN. Heh. Anyways, I love you.
Stay Golden. And, of course, my lovely readers...
Less than three. Later days. - Thicket