IV. A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME

After breakfast the family sat down to devise a way to fix their tags. "Now, first things first," Bob said. "If we're going to change these tags, we're going to have to know what we want them changed to. If we don't the new ones could be just as bad. I'm all set and Helen you're staying with Elastigirl; so now let's figure out what we're going to do with you kids. And I want Dash squared away first."

"I'm the Dash," he shot up and said. "There's no problem with that."

"Yes there is," Helen supplied quickly, "it's far too dangerous to have your super name so close to that of secret identity."

"In fact it's exactly the same," Bob added, "and your mother's right; it's just not safe."

"Awe!" Dash exclaimed as he sat down crushed. "Can't I change my real name instead?"

Helen smiled and half laughed at her oldest son. "No, you can't but you can choose something dashing for your new super hero name."

"What about Bullet," Bob rambled, "or Rocket, or Locomotive, or Speedo!"

"Speedo!" Helen shot back. "Bob honey I know you want to be rid of Incrediboy but I don't want our son called Speedo any more than I want Jack-Jack called Incredibaby. Besides, this needs to be his decision"

"Maybe he can find a good name in the dictionary," Bob suggested.

"Or a thesaurus," Helen added as she reached for one halfway across the room as not to disturb Jack-Jack who was lounging in her arms.

"How can a dinosaur help us?" Dash asked puzzled.

"A thesaurus is a book that helps us find synonyms," Helen explained as she opened the book to the Ds. "Those are different words that mean the same thing. Now here; we have Haste, Hurry, Rush, Speed, Sprint-"

"What was that last one," Dash interrupted.

"You mean speed?"

"No the one before it."

"Oh, Rush?"

"Yeah that one," Dash said. "I like it, it's different, but I still like Dash better."

"Ok then Rush it is." Bob put an end to the subject as he stood to leave grateful they had overcome the Incrediboy tag when he was nearly dragged back down to his chair by Helen.

"Wait a minute," she clamored, "we still have Jack-Jack to worry about and not to mention the question of how to claim the tags."

"Hmmm," Bob thought, "we can't very well give him a name when we don't even know his powers. Besides," he toyed with her, "as you said isn't that his decision."

"Yes," she retorted "but if we don't put an end to this Incredibaby he'll never get that chance."

"Then we keep him off the battle field and out of the public eye," Bob said. "The reporters can't report on supers not involved, and we'd only lose concentration by worrying about him anyway."

"I think you're right Bob," Helen stated as she looked at how small her youngest child was in her arms and her mind drifted back to how scared she'd been seeing him in the arms of Syndrome. "I think you're right."

"Now as for you and Dash er uh, Rush," Bob corrected himself; "I think it's time for a little mother son work."

Dash's eyes lit up.

"What do you mean Bob?" Helen questioned suspiciously.

"I mean you get your tags like every other super in the world, you both go out there, take out an easy bad guy in a very public area with lots of media around, and there you go."

"Right," Helen said. "But we need to do it before these names stick. Dash, are you up for a little crime fighting tonight?"

"You bet mom!" He exclaimed as he ran as fast as he could to get his super suit ready.

"That's quite a rush of wind," Bob said smiling as his hair waved after Dash in his passing gust.

"This might just work out after all," Helen finished.

Bob got up to head off into his study while Helen put Jack-Jack – who was by now fast a sleep – down in his crib. Wow, he sure is getting heavy she thought to herself, but no sooner had the thought left her mind then she noticed her only daughter still somberly sitting in the living room. She hadn't chosen a new name for herself in the meeting Helen suddenly realized; in fact, she hadn't said a single word throughout the whole conversation. Her eldest child was obviously depressed about something and Helen was determined to get to the bottom of it.