Under Pressure

Moments after Syndrome flew away, Invisigirl woke up. She slowly sat up. She tried to recollect everything that occurred. Invisigirl could remember her unfortunate confrontation with the new-and-improved Omnidroid, and that she was saved by. . .

"OH MY GOODNESS!" She gasped in surprise.

She dashed out of the alley where she rested. Looking around, Invisigirl was surprised to see an incredibly large amount of unconscious civilians on the street. Ambulances were everywhere and many paramedics were tending the people. Invisigirl went up to a civilian.

"Hey, wake up." said she, nudging him.

"I. . . Invisigirl?" He wondered as he started to regain consciousness.

"It's okay. We'll get you to a hospital soon." assured the teenaged heroine. "Tell me, what happened here?"

"I don't remember." the man said. "The last thing I can recall is the Incredibles fighting a big robot. Then I saw Syndrome flying in. The last thing I can recall was this bright light. And that is all I remember."

Invisigirl left the man alone while paramedics took him into an ambulance. She then wandered through the city. Invisigirl looked right, then turned her head to the left. Police were interrogating with probable witnesses. Fire trucks and ambulances were speeding to the hospital and back. She made her way through the city, scared and apprehensive. Invisigirl started to call for her family.

"Mom! Dad! Little twerp! Where are you?"

No answer. Her calls echoed throughout the city. She started to worry about them. Invisigirl ran to where she hid her purse. Once she found it, she immediately took out her cell phone. She tried calling home. Unfortunately, no one picked it up. Invisigirl then tried to call her mom. After that attempt failed, she tried calling her dad. Invisigirl just gave up after that.

All of the sudden, a robotic blue bird flew up to the teen heroine. She eyed it carefully until it flew in front of her face. Invisigirl saw it had a brown package in its mouth. Invisigirl took the brown parcel and saw it said "To Invisigirl. Don't open until 9:00 P.M." on the front.

"Okay, this is strange." thought Invisigirl as the robot bird flew away.

After she changed back into her normal clothes, Violet decided to stop by Edna Mode's house. Edna Mode, also called E, was the Super Suit designer for all the Supers and is highly recommended. She was very fond of the Parr family and loved visits from them.

"May I have your name please?" asked a security guard. He was displayed on a monitor outside Edna's estate.

"Violet Parr." she answered.

"Madam, some girl named Violet Parr is here to see. . ."

"What? Violet Parr? Let her in dahling!" said an excited voice of an old lady.

The laser gate to E's house opened and Violet made her way up the long, winding driveway to her house. The doors opened and a tiny woman greeted her.

"Violet dahling, such a pleasure to see you again!" Edna proclaimed happily. "Please come in. The sun is setting and it will be getting cold dear."

Violet went inside. Once the front doors have been closed, she started a conversation. "So E, how have you been doing lately?"

"Oh just fine dahling. Just fine yet dull. Not much work for me because many Supers are having their jobs terminated by that ugly looking, freak who just had an accident at the barbershop."

"Syndrome." Violet whispered.

"Yes, whatever his name was." E said boisterously. "I can't believe it! Did you see what he was wearing dahling? You call that a Super Suit? I call that Super Garbage! Just look at the color! Black and white looks so evil. Supers aren't supposed to look fabulous and heroic! Not an angry villain, seeking revenge. I mean. . ."

"E?" said Violet. Edna did not hear her. She just continued blabbering.

"And look at the cape dahling. Doesn't anyone ever listen to Edna Mode? Capes are just an fashion disaster waiting to happen! And. . ."

"E?" Vi called a little louder.

"My God that reminds me. The material that he used is so last decade. I mean, who still uses. . ."

"E!!!" shouted an impatient Vi.

"What dahling what?" E enquired.

"My parents and Dash have gone somewhere and I don't know when they'll be back. So I'm wondering, can I stay here for a little bit?" asked the teen.

"Dahling, you can stay here as long as you want. I'm glad that you stopped by. It has been a while you know."

Violet beamed. "Thank you E. I might need to spend the night here. Oh that reminds me."

Violet gave Edna her thrashed up Super Suit to E. "My God Violet. What happened to you?"

"Nothing really. I just need you to fix it up."

"Are you sure dahling? You don't want me to replace the fabric?" E offered.

Violet shook her head. Edna smiled and left to her work lab.

While E was mending Violet's Super Suit, the teenaged girl decided to grab a bite to eat. She went into E's kitchen and checked in the refrigerator. She found some left over steamed shrimp and decided to have some. Violet placed her food in the microwave and warmed it up for one minute. One minute passed, and Violet reached in and pulled her food out of the microwave and onto the table. The shrimp tasted so succulent. Violet had never tasted seafood so good. After she finished, she placed the dishes by E's automatic dishwasher and left.

Violet just sat and waited in Edna's living room for the next couple of hours. She sat staring at the brown package that she received earlier. Violet pondered what was inside as nine o'clock slowly approached. Finally, it was time. Violet opened the package and found an LCD screen. It was blank, but later, an image was projected on it. Violet was taken aback to see Syndrome on the screen.

"Ah, hello there Invisigirl." He said.

"Syndrome." She whispered.

"How are you doing? Alright? Safe? Unharmed? Well, that's good. I'm going to get straight to the point. You have something that I wish to have Invisigirl."

"What? What is he talking about?" wondered Violet.

"That video camera of yours." Syndrome reminded. Violet's eyes widened in fear. "I believe that it has some. . . confidential material that must not be shown in public. Now listen to me Invisigirl you are going to get that camera and tape and bring it to me. I wish to keep my secret between you and me you see. But I wouldn't think of not doing it. Because if you do refuse Invisigirl. . ."

Syndrome moved out of the way and Violet was shocked to see Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Speedster, and Frozone, stuck on a large boulder, courtesy of a gigantic sticky-ball.

"Oh, and if that isn't enough, I picked myself a little one." Syndrome laughed.

Violet was about to break into tears, because she saw her baby brother Jack-Jack in Syndrome's hand. As the baby cried, the family struggled to break free from the sticky-ball pining them against the large boulder.

"You monster!" Elastigirl glared.

"Once I break out of this, I'll kill you Syndrome!" threatened Speedster.

Syndrome smiled. "You have until noon tomorrow. The choice is yours Invisigirl. Give up one little video tape, or give up your family."

And with that, the LCD screen went blank. Violet started to sob excessively. Tears flowed from her eyes. Never in her whole life has she felt so nervous, so scared, so pressured. She wanted everything to be normal.

"All I wanted was to be normal. So I wouldn't have to deal with this." bawled poor Violet.

The sound of her weeping was the only sound in Edna's room for ten minutes. Finally, Violet wiped away her tears and head out of the living room. She made her way into E's great common room. She sat herself on one of the couches. Violet looked out the window and saw a full moon in the night sky. She wanted to let all of the tears out again. Violet looked up at the moon once again, and a flashback came to her mind.

(Start flashback)

Under a bright full moon was the dark island of Nomanisan. Elastigirl, Violet, and Dash were safe in a cave. Before Elastigirl departed to find her husband she gave her kids one last hug.

"Stay hidden. Keep each other safe. I'll be back by morning." She assured her kids.

She stood up and ran out of the cave. Violet, who had her hair veiling her face, chased right after her.

"Mom!" Vi called. Elastigirl stopped and turned toward her daughter. "Mom, what happened on the plane. I'm. . . I'm sorry." stammered the teenaged, insecure girl. "I wanted to. . . I mean when you asked me to. . . I'm sorry."

Elastigirl placed a finger on her daughter's lips. "It isn't your fault. It wasn't fair for me to suddenly ask so much of you." She consoled. Violet continued to look down at the ground in shame and insecurity. Elastigirl brought her face up so that both mother's and daughter's eyes a fixed right at each other. "But things are different now. And doubt is a luxury we can't afford anymore sweetie. You have more power than you realize. Don't think. And don't worry. If the time comes, you'll know what to do." Elastigirl brushes Violet's hair behind her ear. She finishes with one last powerful quote. "It's in your blood."

As Elastigirl leaves to search for Mr. Incredible, Violet watches her mother disappear into the jungle. Violet begins to cry as apprehension flowed throughout her body. She looks down at her mask, gripping it with both hands. Vi looks back up, but instead finds an empty jungle, with no sign of her mother anywhere. She puts on a determined look as she places her mask on her face and gazes heroically up into the night sky.

(End flashback)

As Violet gazed at the moon, the same flashback played in her mind over and over again. Violet wiped away her tears and placed on that same purposeful look she had back on Nomanisan Island. In her mind, she gathered up all of her thoughts and emotions and mentally prepared herself for what was to come.

"There you are dahling." came a sudden voice from behind Vi. It was E. In her hand was Violet's newly mended Super Suit.

"Gee, thank you E."

"Oh, dahling. I love my work. Fabricating, repairing, inventing, mending, it's all part of the puzzle that make you dear."

Violet was confused. "Excuse me? I didn't get that."

Edna laughed. "Dahling, your Super Suit is what you are. It tells what kind of person are you. From what you put me through Violet dahling, your suit showed me what kind of a heroine you are. You take on all kinds of challenges, no matter how hard they are or how reluctant you are to face them. But no matter what happens, whether it's hard or easy for you, whether you get hurt a little or get beaten, you always pull through in the end."

Violet nodded. After thanking E, she headed off to the guest room to sleep. Two things couldn't escape from her mind. First was E comparing herself to her Super Suit. The second was what was she going to do with the video camera Syndrome wanted. After an hour of tossing, turning, and thinking, Violet finally fell asleep.

She woke up at six o'clock the next morning. She got out of bed and went into E's room. She woke the sleeping old lady up. Edna slowly opened her eyes.

"Dahling, it's early. What do you want?" She groggily asked.

"Sorry to wake you up this early E." apologized Violet. "But I am wondering. Do you have a way that lead to the NSA Headquarters?"

"Down the hall, third door on the right. No code necessary. Accessible to anyone that is a Super."

Violet left the room and found the door. H hand scanner popped out. She placed her hand on it. After her identification was verified, the door opened up, revealing a long, winding slide down to the NSA HQ. Violet arrived minutes later. She walked up to the front desk.

"Good morning Invisigirl." greeted the desk clerk. "You're here quite early."

Violet smiled. "I know. Listen, do you still have that video camera I gave to you yesterday?"

The desk clerk nodded. "Yes I do. Rick hasn't returned yet."

She handed Violet the camera. Her hands trembled as she held it in her hands. She was still debating and pondering on what she should do. Finally, after five long minutes, she took the camera and left the NSA HQ.