Chapter 30 (Family Reunion)
"Mom do you think this would be enough potato and chicken salad for the reunion?." asked a not yet pregnant Luisa who had her gloved hand in one of the huge bowels of potato salad as she was mixing in the ingredients.
Mamma Abuelita who was packing up her homemade burgers in boxes for grilling and stopped to come over to check on her daughters work. She scooped up a little bit of potato salad with her finger to taste it and nodded. "It's good and that should be enough for everyone to eat." Mamma Abuelita said making Luisa smile and continue mixing the food. Luisa couldn't help herself to be excited about the family reunion as this was the first time this is happening, as all the family is going to be together for good as this was going to be outstanding for her five year old son.
"Hey wait a second where's Miguel?." asked Enrique who just came back form loading the truck with the bid ice chest full of fresh ice.
"I don't know sweetie. Miguel?. Honey where are you?." Luisa asked while wrapping up the bowls of chicken and potato salad and put it in the big white cooler.
Calling his name out with worry the three heard footsteps coming down the steps and turned to see the person that they were calling. The person that they were calling for was a five year old boy wearing a nice brown collar t-shirt with brown pants and wearing the family made boots. This little boy was five year old Miguel who was a little bit uneasy about today's event due to being shy and scared of meeting new people. "Yes momma?." Miguel asked reaching the final step of the steps. Putting on a happy face for her little boy, Luisa simply said. "We're about to head out to your Aunt Franny and Uncle Cornelius's house for the Family Reunion dinner." At that moment when hearing those names made the young Miguel feel scared as he have never heard about them, let alone knowing he had another family outside of the Riveras.
Luisa, Enrique, and Mamma Abuelita knows that this was the very first time for both Miguel and his three year old cousin Rosa, to meet their other relatives that they have never met until today at 12:12pm. "Mommy I don't know if, I want to go to the family reunion today." Miguel said honestly with his eyes on the floor instead of looking at his mother and father. Luisa and Enrique both looked at one another and then looked back at their first child with smiles and kindness. "Miguel sweetie don't be scared of meeting your other relatives. They're the nicest people just like your relatives you already know." Luisa said putting on a warm smile. "That's right honey and I promise you that you will have a great time today." Enrique told his son coming over to him and gave him a pat on the back. Smiling and looking back up to see his Dad with a nod in understanding. Miguel walked out to where Rosa was outside playing with her baby doll and helped her get inside the RV.
"Don't worry you two." Mamma Abuelita told Luisa and Enrique while packing up her fresh made rolls. "Miguel is going to be fine when he meets and plays with his cousins." She said placing the rolls in the bag and headed out to the car. Not doubting her methods or wisdom the two grown adults packed whatever that needed to be packed, and headed to the RV and drove off with two RV's behind them.
Little Miguel wasn't the only one that was feeling the same way about meeting new people. In fact this next child was super shy and more afraid then Miguel himself. At the newly brought house prepping the uncooked pork and beef ribs with secret seasoning, herbs and spices. Helen who was sprinkling some steak seasoning on her glove hand and started rubbing it all over the beef ribs from front to back, while Bob was just got done injecting some Lusitania Cajun sauce inside his season turkey. "Alright Helen this turkey is ready to be grilled. This poultry is going to taste great." Bob said chuckling in delight while wrapping the turkey up to keep the moisture in and fresh, and while placing the big bird inside the aluminum throw away pan. "That's great honey cause I'm just done seasoning my sweet ribs. Mmmmmmm they are going to taste so good to the point that you want to slap someone!." Helen said cheerful with a grin when done wrapping the ribs up in aluminum foil and packed them up in the big container.
Almost forgetting to grab the photo album so she, Cass, Franny, Luisa, and Sierra could give each other pictures of their kids so that way they can have the same pictures in the photo album, and for the Family Album. Helen was getting ready to go upstairs but stopped in her tracks to see her shy depress moody daughter seating down on the first step, with her hair covering half of her face wearing a long sleeve purple shirt with a pair of blue jeans and black Converse. Helen raise her brow in concern as Violet was extra moody today and this have never happened before until today. "Vi honey are you okay?." She went to ask her daughter already knowing the answer. Violet looked up at her mom and said with a shy voice. "Mom do we have to go to the Family Reunion?. I don't know anyone or know that I have more relatives besides you, Dad, and my pain in the butt baby brother." asked Violet with an innocent look.
"Oh sweet heart." Helen said grabbing a seat beside her and put her arm around her. "This is why we're going to the Family Reunion. Violet honey I think it's bout time for you to meet your Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins officially." Helen explained to her five year old daughter as Violet took the moment to breath out the depress mood form her system and nodded. "Okay mom I'll go to the reunion to meet my other relatives. It could be a good start at making friends for the first time." Violet told her getting off the step to go use the bathroom before getting into the car. Deep down both Helen and Bob knew that Violet didn't have any friends since the day she was born, and everytime they had to relocate form place to place. It made the former Super sadden to see that Vi was friendless but this won't last long today when they head to the Family Reunion party. "Dash Robert Parr we're about to go!." Helen called her three year old boy as he ran down in a flash since his superpower was speed, scaring the crap out of his mother. "Sorry to scare you mom." Dash responded sweetly like any other three year old and ran out to seat down in his carseat in the car. "Oh God why did you bless that boy with super speed?." Helen asked the Lord, with her hand on her beating heart before resuming back to packing the food.
"It's been a while since we saw everyone". Bob said starting up a conversation with his wife.
"Yeah I know Bob. It will feel so good to be reunited with my sisters again." Helen said grabbing the big container of her seasoned ribs, and headed out to the car.
"Do you think our cousins would be nice to us?." asked Dash talking to his big sister beside him.
"Will see little brother." Violet responded before facing the window.
The Parrs got in there car as Bob drive out of their parking lot and drove out to where the party was being held. Meanwhile seating in the middle of traffic trying to exit from the district of San Fransokyo to reach the district of Todayland, and go straight down to the nice fancy suburbs in which was where the Family Reunion party was being held. In the truck driving out when light had changed green, Cass and Tadashi who was eleven at the time was excited for the Family Reunion as this the very first time for all the family to come together. The only person that a little bit excited for the party was Hiro who was wearing his favorite white NASA t-shirt with blue jeans with matching blue pair of Nikes. Hiro was wondering about his family relations as Tadashi didn't give him nor his sister a little bit more information about their other family members as it was kinda killing him to know, but his older brother told him that he'll find out when they get there and leave it at that. "I'm so stoop to see more relatives than just Aunt Cass!." said a very hyped Vanellope who was wearing a black shirt that had the Isaac Newton Law of Motion formula written in white.
Aunt Cass just smiled to see how excited her baby niece was about meeting her relatives as she needs this more than anything, since she didn't have the chance to meet or remember who late parents due being just a baby as it hurtted Cass the most. Every now and then when the subject is brought up about her sister and brother in law, Cass would take a minute by herself to weep the loss as it not only hurtted her heart but also Tadashi and Hiro. She remembered what her Mamma Abuelita have told her and the rest of the girls when they were little that their loss love ones aren't completely gone. But instead they're in a better place on the other side waiting for them to go where they are, and not only that but also she told them that this is why they put their photos on the ofrenda and leave the things that were apart of them on the shrine, so they can come visit them on dia de los Muertos.
And so that's what Aunt Cass and the others did when the people they know are dead, and never looked back on it with no doubt of mind. "Is this the same Uncle Cornelius that brought me my very own hover board for my fourth birthday?." Hiro asked his brother for more information about the man as he never met or gain any profile info about him. "Yes Hiro this is the same Uncle Cornelius that brought you that hover board on your birthday. Now just wait until we get to the Family Reunion party so you can finally see, who Uncle Cornelius looks like and so you can end your bunch of irritating questions." Tadashi said a bit irritated with his little brother while checking his phone to see any messages from his friends texting him. Rolling his eyes after hearing the last comment from his older brother, Hiro just reached over and turn up the radio as it was playing something good.
While the Hamadas were on their way to the fancy suburbs. In the neighborhood of the suburbs driving in their red car with no music playing at the moment, a woman who was wearing her favorite outdoor clothes in which was a hunting camouflage outfit that she had dry cleaned for this special occasion, with her hair wrapped up in a bun wearing a pair of plain running shoes and grey jogging pants. In the back of the car looking through the window seeing every nice expensive house that they passed by as the little girl who had on a pair of red Jordans matching her red kool-aid shirt and pants. Penny was all happy to be seeing her relatives for the first time and been told by her mom that she will be visiting and hanging out with them like any other family members, let alone going to the same school with her cousins in which this was first time meeting them as well. In the beginning Penny thought that her and her mom were the only family they have since her father died in a car accident. But her mom told her that she had more family members and didn't tell her about it until the time was right, in which Penny didn't mind about it since she did get the opportunity to speak to her Aunt Luisa through the phone.
She told Penny that she couldn't wait to give her the most biggest hug and plant many kisses all over her face. Penny couldn't wait for another second to get the attention from someone besides her mom while scratching her puppy behind the ear, as he laid his head on her lap taking a fast nap before playing at the event. "Excited to see your family Penny?." Sierra asked her daughter in the rear view mirror while glancing at the road to prevent any accidents on the way to Franny and Cornelius's house. "Uh huh, I'm super hype to actually meet them mom. To think that we're the only family we have...but now I know that we're not." Penny said it cutely with clap of her hands. Sierra nodded and made a left turn and drove straight down to the Robinsons house. In the backyard of the Robinsons house where the yard was filled up with tables and chairs and tents, with balloons and mini games such as bean bag toss, bingo, ring toss, bouncy castle obstacle course, and balloon dot target. Not only that but both Cornelius and Franny went all out for this Family Reunion as they ordered a Ferris wheel, Air Blimps, one Roller Coaster, and even hired a five star celebrity Magician to the party.
Currently now Cornelius was kick starting his long super solar powered grill in which he invented for just himself, as he was getting the grill hot and ready to be used for Bob as he wanted to be the one grilling the event and Cornelius didn't argue with that. "Is the grill ready to burn some food Cornelius?." asked Franny who was carrying her double tray of ungrilled barbeque chicken wings and drumsticks. "Yes ma'am it is ready to go grill." Cornelius said to his wife and helped her set the food down on the round table. Coming from the house carrying a big box of seasoned hot dogs and sausages was their first and only son Wilbur, who had on his signature thunderbolt shirt and sat the box down on the same round table. "That's the last thing from the kitchen mom." Wilbur responded as he wipe the sweat from his fore head.
"Oh good sweetie. Now we just wait for the rest of our family to get here and we can get this party underway." Franny said having the most wildest smile that her face can every made.
Wilbur smiled as well as he too can't wait for the party to get started as he haven't ate all day, since he been up all night helping his mom prepped the food and the house for the Family Reunion and his stomach demanded food. He looked around and noticed that their wasn't any music playing or even see a DJ booth nor seeing any big speakers. Confused about the missing piece to the party as it was the key to lighten up the mood and atmosphere, Wilbur looked at his mom with his brow raise. "Mom where's the music at?." He asked in great confusion. Completely forgetting that Wilbur didn't know the living conditions of the Rivera family but now it was a pretty good time to tell the boy. "Wilbur honey this special doesn't have music. You see your grandmother and the others don't let music into their lives and so it's only respectable that we don't play any music or do any humming or try play music with a glass bottle." Franny told him with little bit of explanation and a little bit of a heads up. Nodded in a somewhat understanding, the boy headed back inside to grab himself something to drink while his family came out to add the final touches on the table and set the already cooked food on the table.
"Wow this house is much more beautiful and fancier than our home." said a amazed Miguel as he and his family arrived to the Robinsons Manner.
"Oh yes sweetie, your Uncle makes a good amounts of money to afford this nice pretty house." Luisa said helping Rosa get down out of the car.
"This is going to be a great reunion party." Mamma Abuelita said helping her mother CoCo roll out of the van in her wheelchair.
Agreeing with her mother choice of words, Luisa walked up the steps and got introduced with the twins. "Hey Luisa ring my doorbell." said Spike coming out form his plant. "No, No, No, No Luisa. Ring my doorbell." asked the other twin whose name was Demitri who begging for his doorbell to be ringed. Luisa just chuckled as she have been use to the twins popping out of nowhere as she visited her other family and just ranged both doorbells. "Ah si, si, si this is much better and fair for your endless ring my doorbell completion." Luisa informed the two despite their bickering towards one another. The door of the front helped Luisa ignore the twins silly argument when the door got opened up by the butler of the house. Before Enrique had the chance to open his mouth, Miguel spoke first with a scare in his voice. "Ahhhhhh!. Mommy and Daddy it's a monster!. A monster, monster!." He shouted and hid behind his father.
"No, No son this isn't a monster." Enrique said beginning to chuckle while softly patting his sons back.
"Pumpkin this is your Aunt Franny and Uncle Cornelius's Butler Lefty. I'm so sorry for my baby's little disrespect outburst Lefty." Luisa apologize to the big squid who nodded in complete understanding, and open the door wide for everyone to come in. When getting the courage to walk in and made a little apology, Miguel went right on in and saw the huge inside of the house in full swing and never in his life, that he ever stepped foot in a mansion before much less living in one. He looked on in astonishment in a good long time until he bumped into someone. "Hey watch where you're going dude!." said a upset Wilbur who was waiting for his other family to arrive. "Oh I'm so sorry señor, I didn't mean to bump into you." Miguel said apologizing to the boy who he figured he lived here, despite the weird confusion. Wilbur was more confused than ever as his mind begin to wonder on why is there a Latino boy in his house that he never seen before in his life, plus to start to notice that there was more of them as they entered the house and into the backyard. Before losing to confusion, Wilbur brought back to his attention back on the boy that was his same age as him and had a funny question to ask of the Latino.
"Hey uh um, tell me something
buddy. Your name won't be Miguel by any chance?." Wilbur asked hoping that his theory was correct.
"Uh yeah it is. Is your name Wilbur by any chance?." Miguel asked in both confusion and had a theory of his own.
Wilbur slowly nodded and then the two heard more people coming in and then they saw four Japanese American people with containers of sweet pastries in their hands, but quickly was taking away from them by a robot who was greeting the women first and then talking to the preteen and saying hi to the other two and moved on to put the food up. Cass turned her attention towards the two boys that were looking at her, and smiled and grabbed Hiro's hand and walked over to where both Wilbur and Miguel was. "Why hello you two. I know you two are wondering who the heck am I and so let us begin. I'm your Aunt Cass and this here is your cousin Hiro. Say hi to your cousins Hiro." She told them pushing the boy close to the two. Feeling shy and confused when seeing the two boys in front, Hiro gave a wave to them. "Hi ya. It's nice to meet you guys...sorta." Hiro begin as both Wilbur and Miguel had the same idea on the sorta part.
"Oh excelente!. Now why don't you three mingle with one another while I'll be hanging out with the adults." Aunt Cass told them not wasting time running out to the backyard.
When she left the three looked at one another wondering whose going to speak first, as each of them have no idea on what to say to this point. "So uh, how's your day going thus far?." Wilbur said breaking the quietness. "Ah si it is going great for me. And you?." Miguel spoked to Hiro. "Oh well my day is going fantastic so far...uhhhh what about you Wilbur?." Hiro asked his somewhat cousin of his as this must be a mistake. "The same Hiro. The same. D.. Do you guys think we're anyway related to one another?." With that question all three went discussing about the subject as this was on their minds when meeting each other. Outside of the house both The Parrs and The Forresters arrived at the same time as Violet jump out of the car and see the nice house in wow as she thought her Aunt and Uncle must be loaded if they can afford something nice like this. Penny had the same face expression when seeing the house with her own eyes as she didn't remember her Uncle Cornelius telling her that he lived good, but probably he wasn't those rich snobs that think they're above everyone else and maybe that's why he haven't told her how big his house were. Her focus on the fancy mansion was interrupted by her puppy who was sniffing out something and barked happily, and ran towards the sent that he sniffed out in pure joy.
"Bolt come back here!." Penny called her dog and ran to go get him.
Bolt didn't listen to a word from Penny as he had some lacking in obedience as he continued running to where his nose had picked up. When seeing the sight of his target he jumped up on his hind legs and had his paws on Violet's pants, barking at the girl with happiness with his tongue hanging out. Usually Violet would be scared of dogs but this time she's dealing with a puppy and so she smiled, and started petting the animal and gave him a good scratch behind the ears. "Hey boy my name is Violet. Violet Annie Parr...what's yours?." Violet introduced herself cutely while still rubbing the all white fur dog. "Bolt!." Penny called out making both Bolt and Violet turn their heads to see the girl as she came over to them. She went and picked Bolt off of Violet and set him back down on the ground to sit. "I'm so sorry for my dog to jump all over your clean pants." Penny started apologizing for her dog but Violet shook her head. "No, No, No it's fine. Here let's start over. Hi my name is Violet Parr." Violet said extended her hand to shake. Penny did the same and said nicely. "Hi cuz my name is Penny. Penny Forrester." Shaking each others hands with a little bit of grip, the two separated and talked while walking up the steps to head on inside of the mansion.
"They get along real quick huh?." Sierra said carrying her homemade lemonade mix.
"Yeah no kidding girl. Now I'm just wondering how the boys interact with the two, let alone interact with each other." Helen pointed out the obvious while carrying her ribs inside.
The two five year old girls walked in talking like if they were couple of old friends that haven't seen each other since highschool, while seeing the boys talking amongst themselves trying to prevent awkwardness when talking but failing. "Hi you three." Penny started off with a pleasant smile when both her and Violet walked up to them, and gain confusion when seeing Miguel and Hiro as this was odd and hard to understand. Wilbur arched his eyebrow and scratched his head in complete confusion as neither he nor the others can't figure out, why their so completely different to one another and don't know if they came to the wrong family reunion. "Hey Mom?." Franny stopped talking to Helen and the girls as they focus their attention to the kids. "Yes?. What's wrong you five?." asked Aunt Sierra before eating her oatmeal raisin cookie.
Rubbing the back of his head while motion back to see the others behind him as the four motion him to go ahead, and see if their hunch was correct or they could be wrong in this situation. "Well, um, you see you guys. Me and the others were wondering that if we're related?. I'm mean, I don't want to act or sound racist in which I'm not. But my two cousins are Hispanic and Japanese American." Wilbur explained the best way he can, without sounding a tab bit racist on the subject. "Well yeah, you five aren't related by blood but however. We have known each other when were your ages and grew up together and became a family, even though we weren't blood related." Franny said, grabbing her cup of fresh cold lemonade to drink. When getting the information to their heads, suddenly Helen felted it was now or never to add this to the conversation as she can really speak for herself and the rest. "And not only that but what you five see before you, are the Legendary Elastic Dynamics." Helen spoked as she and the other older women smile on that team name.
"Elastic Dynamics?. As in the all womens Super evolution team back in the gold old Glory days?. That's ya?." Hiro said, making sure that he didn't hear incorrectly from his very own ears.
"Oh please, there's no way you guys are Supers." said Miguel, crossing his arms in disbelief.
"Oh, it's true Miguel. My Mom who is your aunt is the leader of the team. And her Super name was Elastigirl." Violet said, giving some truth to the table.
Penny looked back at her mom and aunts as they put on a pleasant smile, as it was one of the evidence that they were those Supers from back in the day when Supers were legal and keeping the world safe from common thieves and criminals. With that the kids went out to go have fun as they didn't want to get deep about Super stories at the moment as they wanted to go play and eat, as all five of them started to get to know one another instantly and truly felt like cousins. Violet showed Penny her superpowers by turning her invisible by touching her shoulder and made them both become invisible except for their clothes, while Wilbur showed both Hiro and Miguel the awesome home that he live in and show them his music collection. Miguel loved his cousins taste in music as the little Latino went to listing to music with the headset that Hiro have given him and start to hear great sweet art of sound for the first time in his life, besides secretly listening to his Latino Musician idol behind his familys back and still does it.
Later on the day the five sat down at the table eating a one huge bowl of ice cream with all the fixings of every topping known to man, and went talking about getting themselves their own team name since that's what each of them always wanted to be in the future.
"It has to be something that is most fitting to us." Penny said, taking a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.
"Let's see uhhhh, it has to be big and popular that will make people compare us to the old team Supers." Violet pointed out before adding more sprinklers to their ice cream.
Giving a good thought on finding the perfect name for their own superhero team name. Hiro got the idea like a thunder storm striking his brain and now for sure that it was the perfect team name for them. "Hey guys, how about Team Future?. As of now we're a team and we're the next big thing in the future of Supers." He said, before munching away his share of the ice cream. "Hey...Hey!. That's not a bad idea!. Team Future...that will be our hero team name." Wilbur said, excited about the hero name idea. Miguel could only nod as his mouth was full of ice cream and whip cream and open his mouth to add some chocolate syrup to the mix.
"You're going to get diabetes if you keep doing that Miguel." said Violet
"No way jose. I'm diabetes free." Miguel said, with stuffed mouth as a few whip cream hit Violet's face to her disgust but wipe it off with her napkin.
"But anyways I don't like the name Team Future." Penny begin. "I mean why would we call our selves that name if we're aren't in the real, real future like the year 3000." Hiro rolled his eyes on Penny's comment about the idea name but had an idea on making their cool official hero team name. "Ok Penny let's put it to a vote. Raise your hand if you want our Superhero Team name to be Team Future?." said Hiro who already put his hand up, as Wilbur and Miguel did the same with smirks. Both Penny and Violet looked at each other as there was no way on winning the vote as it was three against one and so they won't even ask whose opposing. "OK fine it's settled then. Our team name is Team Future. But I still say it needs some work." said Violet.
When done with the debate for their hero team name, all five put their hands in the middle and said it on the count of three.
"One. Two. Three. Go Team Future!."
Now...
At the Cafe seating down at his computer and just having his me time, while his sister was downstairs helping their Aunt Cass with the customers.
Hiro was trying to figure out how Vanellope was able to get over with her depression of their dead brother, as if she's been talking to somebody but the question is who. He gave it sometime on that mystery as he didn't recall Aunt Cass or Honey Lemon talking to her about letting the pain go as she's been in this room with him throughout the days. At nighttime however remains a big mystery, as he doesn't know what she does in the middle of the night but whatever it was it made her get out of her depression and back to being the old ignoring baby sister that he loved.
Turning around to look at the things on his desk, Hiro spotted Tadarshi's notebook with curiosity and can't help but to explore. When picking and opening the book up, he begin to look through the notes and blueprints to Baymax as it was years of work based on the whole pages, but stopped when reaching the last page. "Hello what's this?." Hiro said reading the blueprint as he saw a good drawing of what it appears to be a Super suite except it was electronic that was carefully been detailed. Hiro ten look up at the name that was supposed to be the persons hero name. "Huh, so Tadashi is calling it Iron X. Hmmmm I wonder if I could build it right now?." Hiro thought as he rip the page off the book and fold the paper into his pocket and put the notebook up where he got it from.
"I wonder do I even have the parts in the garage to build?. Well I guess that I'll find out eventually." He said, going straight down to the garage and see if he can built the armor tech super suite.