The Incredibles

All's Fair in Love and Glory

Chapter Six: Let's Talk

"You've gotta be kidding me," Violet said incredulously.

"I've done stuff like this before," Dash insisted, trying to metaporically wave her worries aside with his hand.

"Sure ya have," she said, sarcastic.

"Just trust me. Have I ever let you down before?"

Violet narrowed her eyes at him.

"That question was so stupid and so cliché that it doesn't even deserve an answer," she snapped in reply. "But I think you know."

"Look. Just get on my back – you're light enough. Go invisible and I'll sprint to school – so fast that nobody enough sees me – and we'll be there. Easy as pie."

"We're already late, leaving a mutant baby alone, and have to deal with an idiot brother." She paused and smirked. "Oh wait. That's just my problem."

"Shut up. I'm the only way you're going to see your boyfriend today."

Violet blushed.

"I can miss out on that. And you don't seem so footloose and fancy free yourself these days."

"WHAT?!" Dash shrieked.

"Girls know these things," Vi said simply.

"You mean… she can tell?" Dash whimpered.

"Yeah. She's a Super too. Telepathic." She rolled her eyes. "No, stupid. I just know where to look for names doodled in notebooks." She laughed. "I can't believe you like Kari's little sister."

"K-Kari-'s little sssister?" he stammered.

"That's right, doofus. But like I was going to say, we can afford one more disaster. So let's try your stupid plan." She almost choked saying it, but then looked at him slyly. "But just so you can see your little girlfriend."

Dash angered.

"She's not my girlfriend. Yet."

"Let's just go!"

She hauled herself up onto Dash's back.

"This is so embarrassing," she moaned.

Dash rolled his eyes and got himself situated, then he looked back at Jack-Jack, opened the door, shut it behind him, and began his sprint.

"Hold on tight!" he cried.

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Mr. Incredible checked his watch. 8:38 A.M. Should be enough time, he thought. He got a quick bite to eat, shoved his suitcases into the closet, and took a moment to enjoy the view as he had before. He hung out for a while longer and then headed down to the conference room.

He looked with contempt upon the door that led out to the area where he had been dragged around by the Omnidroid and its infuriating creator. But as he sat down at the large table, he knew this time would be different.

"Well, hello, Mr. Incredible," Mirage greeted him smoothly as she entered. "You're early."

"Wanted to make a good impression, I guess," he shrugged, grinning.

Mirage sat, smoothing down her skirt.

"I suppose we should talk business now," she said, clasping her hands in front of her on the table.

"What sort of business?" Bob inquired.

"I'm trying to decide what I want to do with the island," Mirage told him. "There are various business ventures we could prosper in here – agriculture, technological development, rocket research… so many more." She waved a hand in the air to signify indifference. "But honestly, I couldn't care less about the money. Syndrome left plenty of it behind. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Bob raised his eyebrows. "Syndrome's money?"

"No, actually," Mirage answered, her intense eyes locking onto his. "Syndrome."

"Uh… I'm not… quite sure what I should… say to that," he said slowly. What, exactly, do you want to… know?"

"His past," Mirage replied, immediately, sharply. "Who was Syndrome, before he was… Syndrome?"

"Wow." Bob sat back in his chair. "Well."

"You did know him before… didn't you?" She looked away. "I thought that's why he… started this whole thing."

Bob cleared his throat. "Mm-hm."

"I knew his name was Buddy. Buddy Pine. And that he was smart and passionate and impulsive. But I suppose that's him now."

"That's how he was then, too," Bob said. "A ten-year-old inventor, and my self-declared number one fan. He ruined a few important busts for me. The last time I saw him, he was being carted off by the police after allowing a French terrorist to escape, and keeping me from stopping a piece of tram track from blowing up thanks to the bomb he left. It's complicated," he explained. Then he shook his head. "He was so angry. He said if he couldn't be a Super by birth, he'd become one, with all of his inventions."

"How sad," Mirage murmured. "That explains why he's so bitter towards Supers."

"That doesn't excuse anything," Bob growled, remembering all the friends and co-workers he'd lost thanks to Syndrome's plans. "You don't just kill someone because you're jealous of them!"

"I-I wasn't suggesting…" Mirage stammered.

"Why am I really here, Mirage?"

Suddenly, a guard burst through the door.

"We have a situation, Miss Mirage."

Mirage looked annoyed.

"Didn't I give you the day off? What are you still doing here?"

"Well, Miss, something triggered the security cameras," he said defensively. "An intruder."

Bored, Mirage waved her hand.

"Who is it? Bring him in."

"It's Elastigirl, Miss."

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"Dash! Stop! We already passed my school!"

Violet felt her brother slow to a stop beneath her. She patted his head like a horse and leapt off. "Thanks for the ride, bro."

She ducked beneath a bush and became visible again.

"Have fun with Clarissa!" she called.

She heard Dash groan as he zoomed away.

When he was gone, she went up to the office to check in with the attendance lady. She wasn't there, so she sat down and decided to wait.

"Hey, what do you need?"

Violet looked up to see a tall, dark-haired, and extremely cute boy staring down at her intently.

"Um, what?"

The boy chuckled lightly.

"Sorry, I was thinking," she explained.

"I bet." The boy knelt down and took her chin in his hand flirtatiously. "You know, those big beautiful eyes reveal a lot about you."

Violet's first instinct was to wrench away, but she felt so relaxed.

"Have we met?" she managed.

"It's about a boy, isn't it?" the boy asked, releasing her chin and seating himself in the chair next to her.

"Excuse me?"

"What you're thinking about."

She frowned. "Yes, actually. How did you know?"

The boy winked.

"Always is."

He was right. Violet realized she'd been thinking about Tony a lot lately – mainly about their relationship. Or lack of one. He seemed so shy and distant. IT was almost like not having a boyfriend at all. Thinking of it that way, she grinned.

"My name's Violet," she blurted out.

The boy, who had begun to walk away, turned back, smiling.

"I'm Nic. We should hang out sometime, Vi. You're pretty cool."

Violet nodded, paralyzed.

Say something, you idiot! she thought.

"Nice to meet you, Nic!" she finally called out after him.