Ultraviolet

Chapter 15

Cameo

Frozone's icy shield shattered as Chronomorphosis delivered a kick straight into it. With Frozone holding his attention up front, Dash sprinted up to him from behind, using his speed to knock Chronomorphosis down.

"Frozone, now!" he shouted. Nodding in acknowledgement, Frozone raised his hands as an ice beam shot from his fingertips, arching forward, threatening to immobilise Chronomorphosis for good.

Again he slowed down time, using it to roll to safety. Dash turned his head towards his opponent, knowing that he may be able to counter this ability with his own speed. The sensation was much like running through water; he had to struggle to gain every bit of speed in order to move at a comparably normal speed… for a second at least.

There was a slight lurch as Dash's feet seemed to strike the ground twice as fast, taking him past his opponent and crashing headfirst into another wall, leaving a tiny crater where he hit. Rubbing his forehead, he turned to face his grinning adversary.

"Don't forget: I can speed up time, along with your speed as well." He backed away from Frozone's next attack, keeping both of them at bay with his outstretched hands, threatening to use his powers at the first signs of an attack. It did not daunt Frozone, who charged forward to engage the Specialist.

For the first time Dash thought that it was an impossible fight. He was right, they couldn't touch him… He had no weakness… or did he? Everyone had weaknesses; there was no way his powers were perfect.

Dash watched Frozone in combat from several feet away, as he sent another bunch of ice shards at Chronomorphosis. With a back flip he attempted to dodge the shards. Yet, from Dash's point of view, he did not seem to have used his powers. He watched on as the shards approached his body in mid-air, never changing its speed. In the next second the shards were obscured by his body, before passing out from the other side, leaving Chronomorphosis unharmed.

What the… What just happened? Dash wondered. "Hey… the ice just passed through your body…?" Dash voiced out his thoughts, earning a bewildered stare from Frozone

"No man, he just used those powers again… Didn't you feel it?" Chronomorphosis grinned as he relished the confusion between the two Supers.

"The kid's right, it'll seem that way if you were standing 'outside' as I put it." He sniggered before he continued. "Nature won't have Supers like us messing up time, so it tries to counter each of my actions. As I slow time, it speeds it up afterwards, and vice versa. The result to an outsider is as you see it, Dash. Both objects move at their normal speeds, but in reality I've dodged it."

Dash was trying hard to digest whatever he just said, not helped by the fact that he had no knowledge whatsoever of time and stuff.

Chronomorphosis decided to shorten his thinking time, as he rushed towards Frozone, delivering punches to his stomach while dodging his attacks and finally delivering a knockout punch to his jaw followed by a leg sweep, leaving him sprawled on the ground.

"Frozone!" Dash cried out, watching him fall to the ground with a thud. Chronomorphosis smirked at the young Super, drawing in closer on Dash.

"I'll just finish this right here. You've figured it out, of course. My weakness… Can't have you using it against me. Well, there's always Plan B…"

Dash was stumped. He had no idea what he said was his weakness, but since he said so… He focused instead on something else he said. Plan B…? Dash wondered as he felt another time distortion. His opponent was slowing time… but that can be countered with his Super-speed…

Chronomorphosis leapt forward with a lunging kick, only to have Dash avoid it barely, after using his full speed. It was now a test of endurance, to see which Super will let up in their use of powers. There was yet another close escape for Dash as he ducked under Chronomorphosis's reach. By varying his positions, Dash could barely avoid his attacks, but he can't keep it up much longer.

"What's the matter? Too tired to fight?" The words were way too fast for Dash to catch; he only managed to figure out the meaning long after Chronomorphosis had said it. What he said was true; his opponent was definitely in a better shape than he was. "You're barely keeping up, kid."

Dash was silent, conserving his energy for dodging his opponent's attacks. There had to be some way to break away from his powers… Then he'll be vulnerable.

He sensed movement to his right… Was that Frozone's hand moving? Stay down, Lucius… Dash pleaded silently. The young Super was formulating a plan, but he needed Frozone to come in only at the last part.

The distraction proved fatal. With a kick to his gut, Dash was sent flying through the air, landing near the fallen Frozone. Dash closed his eyes, feigning unconsciousness. The final piece of his plan was in place.

"Looks like this fight is over," Chronomorphosis sneered as he moved in for the final attack.

"Lucius… When I say go, freeze him," Dash whispered, urgency littered all over his voice.

"What?" Frozone mumbled, not fully aware of his surroundings.

"Just do it," he urged. If he were right, Chronomorphosis would be unable to avoid this attack.

He was about ten feet away, taking one step at a time. In three seconds he'll be in range… One… two….

"Now, Lucius!"

The ice beam shot forward, covering the distance between them in a split second, engulfing their opponent in a huge blanket of ice. By the time Frozone had ceased his attack, Chronomorphosis was practically stuck in an iceberg.

"How in the world did you figure that out, Speedo?" Frozone marvelled, as he stared, first at Chronomorphosis, then at Dash.

Dash hid a sheepish grin, ruffling his hair. "Well… I'm not sure how I figured that out, but it worked eventually." For once he was keeping humble.

"Well, whatever it was, you did great." Frozone patted Dash on his back, earning an even wider grin from the younger Super.

"Thanks, Frozone." Dash was about to boast about how he figured it out, when he remembered Violet. "We've got to go outside… try to help Dad, Mom and Vi out…"

A roar of engines from outside, most likely from a large vehicle, prompted Frozone and Dash to rush to the makeshift exit. A massive helicopter zoomed past them, its downwash forcing them to cover their eyes. Within seconds it had manoeuvred through the relatively narrow tunnel leading outside the cavern.

"Well, looks like there's no need for that," Frozone replied, as both Supers wished that at least one of the Incredibles was on board.

Trivia: I had this chapter set up because, honestly speaking, there was no way Vi can handle this Specialist. I can think of a thousand ways in which Violet got kicked, but she can't figure him out by herself. Ken is the least developed character I have, maybe because he doesn't have much in him… which was another reason why I put him here. Anyway, read more about him in Codename: S.P.E.C.I.A.L.