The Path of Redemption

The Incredibles: The path of redemption.
Englishwitch
Disclaimer: Disclaimer- I do not own The Incredibles, it is a Disney/ Pixar animation motion picture

Chapter 37- Epilogue.

“This is John Jones, reporting live in what used to be the grand park in the centre of Metroville city. This square acre of land was once a meeting place of friends, a picnic spot of families and a play area of children. That was until the war that fell onto the city streets of Metroville, throwing this once peaceful metropolis into chaos for more than a month. Two weeks ago this war ended and life slowly began to return to this city and attempting to repair the damage done by Psychewaves influence. But today is a very different day. Today the city streets, usually filled with the sounds of repairs and cleaning are quiet. Today the nation mourns those brave souls who were lost in the battle.”

***************

Violet stared in the mirror and wiped her eyes. She missed her home, but until it had been repaired she and her family had to stay in the military base that had once served as a base of operations but now served as a shelter for the homeless families that were beginning to return to the city. Supers were given a private area so they could come and go without risk to their identities.

Violet slipped her mask onto her face and smoothed out a wrinkle in the black outfit. It had been specially made for her by Edna for this event. It was essentially a black cat suit with a black cloak and hood. Edna more than anyone seemed to understand the need for something respectful to wear for Shifters funeral.

There was a knock at the door. “Come in.”

Tony slid inside. She tried to smile but it was difficult. He had come back just a couple of days ago and was spending time with her family until his own returned. His hair was neatly combed and he wore a respectful black suit, complete right down to a tie. The two slid themselves into each others arms and she was glad when he hugged her tightly. She had spent too much time away from those arms and vowed never to do so again.
“Are you ok?” He whispered into her ear.
“I guess so.” She replied. She slowly moved herself out of his grip double checked herself in the mirror again. “I guess I’m ready.”

The two of them walked hand in hand out to the front of the shelter. A black limo was sitting out front and Edna was standing by the door, dressed in a sombre black outfit, nothing fancy like she usually wore. Today wasn’t about flashy clothes and showing off. Violet could see her family sitting on the back seat. All of them were wearing their super suits but they were also wearing black capes to make their bright outfit’s a little more respectable.
“Come my child.” Edna said. She stood to one side to allow Violet and Tony entrance to the car. “It is time.”

The whole group drove in silence. All the way Violet held onto Tony’s hand but she looked out at the city. The streets were like a demilitarised zone, all around was the wreckage Psychewave had been responsible for. But there were some hopeful images, in places there were small spots of re-development, tiny areas being repaired. But there was still so much damage. It was hard to imagine the city could ever be restored to the way it used to be, but that didn’t seem to be stopping anyone from trying.

*************

Even the grand cathedral of Metroville hadn’t escape without damage. Many of the windows had been shattered and a large portion of the roof had collapsed in. But the armed forces and public volunteers had done an amazing job of preparing it for this most sombre of occasions.

Everyone who was living in the city had turned out for this occasion, the cathedral was full and a large crowd had gathered outside, loudspeakers had actually been set up outside so everyone could hear the service.

Everyone was silent as the car pulled up and the group slowly emerged. Violet hoped she was just being paranoid but she could feel the eyes of everyone being especially focussed on her. She gripped Tony’s hand tighter, not caring for any rumours it would start or questions it would raise.

She hesitated as she stood in the doorway. This was a mass funeral for those heroes who had lost their lives during that final battle. The nine coffins were a cold reminder of those who had passed. Violet’s eyes were drawn to the shining steel coffin at the very front, Shifters coffin. She didn’t know who was in the other caskets but imagined that they were soldiers. One was Syndrome, but she didn’t know that.

Violet and her family walked quietly into the building and took their places at the very front row. Mirage and Rick Dickers were there already sitting there in their usual dark suits. Violet had heard a week ago that Rick had retired and assigned Mirage as his replacement.

They nodded acknowledgment as Violet and family approached but said nothing, this wasn’t time to exchange small talk.

****************

The priest made a very moving speech and the whole congregation sang some comforting hymens. Before Violet was called up for the duty she had been dreading this whole time.
“And now I invite the friends and relatives of these brave souls, beginning with Vanisher, who’d like to speak on behalf of the fallen Super Shifter.”

Violet took a deep breath and rose up from her pew and took a place in front of the entire congregation. She stood by his coffin, the bright shining steel and small plaque bearing his Super name; SHIFTER.

“There is a man that the world will never know and it is a darker place because of that. He is a man of great bravery and unyielding nobility. He would have been a force for good and an eternal light for all. This is the man that Shifter would have become.”

She rested a hand on the coffin and had to fight hard to hold back the tears.
“He was just a boy at heart, more brave than a man. Too brave to become a man. Just a boy, his life ripped and torn from the world he protected. Just a boy, but never to breath, speak, or move again. Just a boy, but far too brave to face the stark, lurid madness of his enslaver. Just a boy…who was nothing more than a tool to his killer to cast aside when he was done with him. Just a boy…but forever gone. Shifter was a boy who made mistakes but he realised those mistakes and tried to correct them. And I say he has earned his redemption, he has more than made up for any wrong doing his past holds. He was just a boy; but he is possibly the greatest Super hero that may have ever lived.”

She couldn’t hold them back anymore. She threw the hood of her cloak up to hide her face as the first tears started to flow. She slunk back to her place and gripped Tony’s hand tightly. They both sat in silence as other people rose from their seats and said moving testimonies to the other people who had fallen. Violet had stopped listening, she kept her head drooped and hidden inside her hood as she cried her silent tears. She leaned over and rested her head onto Tony’s shoulder, he put his arm around her and held her close and she felt safer in his arms.

************

The service over Violet and Tony walked hand in hand out of the cathedral. The rest of her family made their way into the car to be taken back to the shelter. There they would take off the cloaks and start helping in the streets. The city had a long way to go.

Violet looked at Tony and he seemed to understand what she was trying to say before she spoke. He turned to Edna, who was standing expectantly, next to her chauffer by the car door. “I think we’re going to walk for a little while. Clear our heads.”

Edna nodded her head and climbed into her limo. Violet and Tony wandered down the street and away from the crowd who were still hanging around the church. Many of them were delivering flowers to the coffins now and saying their own prayers to the departed.

“Are you ok?” Tony said gently. Violet looked at him and he could see the redness in her eyes and the drying streaks on her face that showed she had been crying.
“He didn’t deserve to die Tony. He shouldn’t have even been there. It was my fight.”

Tony couldn’t think of what to say, he just squeezed her hand tighter. After a few seconds of quiet Violet continued.
“He loved me.” She pulled back the hood of the cloak and looked at him. “He fell in love with me because I was the only person in his entire life to ever show him any kindness.”

Tony stayed quiet a little while, choosing his words carefully before he spoke again. “I guess he just wanted to help you. If I could do what he could do, I would want to be by your side too.”
“But he didn’t have to…” She chocked on the words, unable to get them out. Tony knew Violet well enough to know what she was trying to say.
“He saw you in distress. Psychewave was winning. Nothing else mattered, not his fears or doubts not even his own safety. All he wanted, was to protect you, even if it cost him his own life.”
“Too high a price.” Violet muttered.

Tony stopped them walking and made Violet look him in the eyes. “Apparently it wasn’t for him. Love makes you do insane things.”

“Excuse me.” A voice came out of nowhere. The couple turned to the source of the noise. It was a man dressed in casual clothes and a long duffle coat. He carried a thick folder under his arm and was paying particular attention to Violet. Tony had to think hard but recognised him.
“Conner.” He said with anger. “David Conner.”

David nodded. “It’s alright Mr Ryndinger. I’m not here as a reporter. I just want a quick word with you and Miss Parr here.”

Violet froze at the sound of her real name. “Who?” She said, trying to cover herself. “I am Vanisher. Tony is here as a friend. We got to know each other the last time Psychewave struck.”
“I know the truth.” David interrupted before Violet could give out a clearly rehearsed speech. “It wasn’t that hard to figure out, if you really looked. But, after recent events…” He held out the folder and Tony snatched it up. Inside were pages of files, testimonies and reports from people. Some were about events where Vanisher had shown up, and others were places where Violet had gone missing. Every date and time that crossed over were noted down. Then he came across several photo’s of Violet and Vanisher, both had notes written down on them in a red pen, saying things like; HAIR LENGTH; SAME, HEIGHT; SAME, BODY BUILD; SAME. He turned to the very last photo in the pile and stared. It was of Violet, but David had drawn on her face with a black marker, the drawing was the exact shape of her Super mask.
“That was going to be my Pulitzer.” David said despondently. “The first time a reporter had ever uncovered the secret identity of a Super. But I can’t.”
“Why not?” Violet said curiously. She was angry that this man had spied on her for so long but at the same time wondered why he hadn’t published this discovery.
“Because of all this.” He looked around, indicating the ruined city around them. “We need people like you. We need heroes to protect us and we need the mystery to respect them. Behind the masks they are symbols, powerful, incorruptible and unbeatable. People look up to them and take them as the role models of how life should be; free of crime and injustice. To put a name to the face and reveal the person behind the mask would destroy all of that. A person is flawed, a person can be destroyed. After all this,” He looked around again. “After all these sacrifices, I just can’t do that.”

Violet looked at the him intensely. She could see the type of person he was, a freelancer, a chancer who snatched every opportunity that came his way. For him to be passing up such a story, truly a prize winner. His name would have gone down in history for this. And yet here he was just handing it over to her. She stepped forward and hugged the man tightly. “Thank you.”
“Your most welcome.” He replied. He pulled back the hug and nodded his head to the both of them. “Now I have business to attend to. Stories to report and so on.” He turned and suavely walked away.
“I can’t believe a leach like Conner actually has a conscience.”
“There’s hidden depths to everyone I guess.” Violet muttered. “Come on.” she turned and they slowly started walking onwards through the streets of the city that had been through so much and had survived. The place had changed in ways they couldn’t fathom yet, but it probably was, in some way, a change for the better. An uncertain future was ahead but hand in hand Violet and Tony would face it together.

End.