Dash started pacing around the small bedroom, gradually moving faster and faster and raising a cloud of dust.
"This is bad... really, really, really bad," he said.
"Urrk!" said Jack-Jack, which meant, "I agree!"
"Calm down," said Violet. "We need to think."
There was a large cardboard box in the corner of the room. It had once contained a refrigerator. Violet turned it on its side and pulled it out into the room so that the opening faced the window.
"Come on, Dash," she coaxed. "Come sit in here for a bit."
"Huh? Why?" said Dash.
"I saw a peephole Count Buddy could use to spy on us in that wall near the door," Violet whispered. "He can't see us this way."
The three children sat inside the box and Violet dropped the invisibility on the bundle of costumes she had brought from their destroyed home.
"I think Dad had these made for us because he knew we might be in danger and we might have to use our powers," Violet said.
"Really?" said Dash with a grin. "I've always wanted to use my speed."
"You already use it," said Violet. "You use it to put thumbtacks on your teacher's chair!"
"Yeah, well you use your power to spy on your boyfriend Quigley, so you can drool all over him," snapped Dash.
"He's not my boyfriend!" said Violet, turning red.
"Yop!" said Jack-Jack, which meant something like, "If we don't get our act together we'll never see the school or our parents again!"
"Jack-Jack's right," said Violet. "We have to have a truce."
"Ok Vi, truce it is," said Dash. "(But he's still your boyfriend)," he muttered under his breath.
"About these costumes," said Violet. "I think we should wear them under our clothes at all times so we'll be ready for anything."
"Even Jack-Jack?" said Dash doubtfully.
"Jack-Jack must have powers too or he wouldn't have a costume," said Violet. "We need to find out what his powers are."
Dash put his fist up to Jack-Jack's face. "Hey, Jack-Jack, what would you do if I was Count Buddy and I was about to blast you?"
"Gaah!" said Jack-Jack, which meant "Bite!". He bit Dash's hand.
"Yow! You little monster!" said Dash. He looked angry, like he was about to hurt Jack-Jack for real.
Violet started to project a force field, but before she could do anything Jack-Jack morphed into a little red monster and tossed Dash across the room!
Dash used his speed to roll with the throw and got his feet under himself just in time to avoid serious injury.
"Wow!" said Dash. "Cool power, Jack-Jack."
Jack-Jack was still on a rampage. He reached out a hand and touched the nearest solid material, absorbing its properties to strengthen himself for a further attack. Fortunately, all around him was the cardboard refrigerator box. He became a baby of solid cardboard and collapsed under his own weight.
"It's all right, Jack-Jack," said Violet. "Dash didn't mean to scare you. That's a really good super-power. You just need to learn how to control it."
"Googh!" said Jack-Jack, sniffing back a frustrated tear. He reverted to normal baby form.
The children used the box as a dressing room and each put on his or her costume under his or her clothes. After they did this they were all feeling just a little more hopeful. They felt like they might just be able to find and rescue their parents. Maybe their first impression of Count Buddy was wrong and he would be more reasonable in the morning. They fell asleep and dreamed of these wonderful, glorious, and utterly vain hopes.
