The Curse

Pixarverse - Past

At the Parr residence, everyone was celebrating superheroes now being legal. They were having a good time when the doors suddenly banged open. Everyone turned and gasped to see Syndrome standing with a smug expression.

"Sorry I'm late." He crossed the room, approaching the Incredibles.

"It's Syndrome. He's alive!" One of the guests cried.

Other supers tried to stop him, but he moved them out of the way with his zero-point energy. "What? No invite for a fellow super?"

Elastigirl used her stretching powers and grabbed her children. "He's not a super! He's nothing more than a villain!"

Mr. Incredible stood in front of her and the kids, facing Syndrome. "You're wasting your time. You've already lost. And we won't let you ruin this party."

"Oh, I haven't come here to ruin anything. On the contrary," Syndrome said. "I've come to give you a gift."

"We want nothing from you." Elastigirl firmly refused, shaking her head.

"But you will have it." Syndrome said, not accepting her refusal. "My gift to you is this happy, happy day. For tomorrow, my real work begins. You may have become legal again, but soon, everything you love, everything all of you love, will be taken from you. Forever. And out of your suffering will rise my victory. I will destroy your happiness if it's the last thing I do." He turned and headed to the door.

"Hey!" Mr. Incredible called after him. He lunged at Syndrome, but he flew away with his rocket boots. The guests nervously talked amongst themselves, and the Incredibles held onto each other.

-------

A week later, Violet was in her room. She got on her laptop and got a video chat from Miguel.

"Hey, Miguel." She answered the call. "How are you?"

"I heard about what happened at the party a week ago." Miguel said, rubbing the back of his head. "It was on the interdimensional news."

"I don't get it. How could Syndrome be alive?" Violet wondered, confused. "My family and I saw him get sucked into the jet's turbine and then it exploded."

"Well, because he made a deal with a devil!" Héctor's spirit came and interrupted the chat. "Oh Chamaco, is that the chica you were talking about?" He pointed at Violet in the video camera.

"Si, Papa Héctor." Miguel nodded. "This is my friend from America, Violet."

"My gosh, Syndrome made a deal with a devil to make him alive?" Violet questioned, then turn confusion at a non-existing ghost. "Umm... Hola? We've known each other online for 5 months since I've found his account on WORLDBUDDY.COM." She slightly remembered the day she found the account when she first got on the website.

"Hola. It's nice to meet you, nina." Héctor tipped his straw hat and smiled at the screen.

"How's the weather in Oaxaca, Mexico?" Violet questioned. "It's summer vacation, and it's a bit hot."

"It's pretty hot here, too." Miguel replied. "Abuelita has us open every window in the house, and in the workshop."

"Well, I'm using the air conditioner in my room." Violet said, confidently. "We moved to this house a few months ago and I already fell in love in this place and this room!"

"That sounds great." Miguel smiled. "Not many houses here have air conditioning. How's your family doing?"

"A bit worried about last week at the celebration." Violet then begin to get worried. "How did your parents react when they found out on the multi-dimensional news?"

"They were pretty shocked when they saw it on TV. But my sister and twin cousins were too young to understand." Miguel started to laugh. "Abuelita looked like she wanted to threaten that Syndrome with her chancla."

"And your older cousins?" Violet questioned again. "And 'Héctor' how did your dead relatives react when they heard the news?" She asked Héctor.

"Abel just thought it was cool to watch superheroes." Miguel did a slight eye roll. "But Rosa was just as shocked as the rest of us."

"We were shocked that a skeleton had managed to come back to life." Héctor replied. "Imelda practically threatened him with her boot."

"I heard my parents' argument about Syndrome's plan and how he came back to life." She said. "Dash was scared about that!"

"I don't blame him." Miguel agreed. "Even my mama got a little scared."

-------

In the nursery, Helen looked worriedly at Jack-Jack, who was sleeping in his crib.

Soon, Bob came into the room. "What's wrong?" He asked, whispering.

"I can't stop thinking about what he said." She whispered back. "I haven't had a restful night since last week."

"Helen, I can't keep having this conversation. You have to let it go. That's what he wants, to get in your head. But they're only words. He can't hurt us."

"He almost kidnapped Jack-Jack once." She glanced at the crib. "We both know what he's capable of."

"What can I do to ease your mind?" Bob asked as they left the nursery.

Helen wasn't sure how to answer, but then she got an idea. "Let me talk to her."

"Her?" Bob realized who she was thinking of. "You don't mean--"

"I do." Helen answered.

He could tell she was serious. "No, no, no. It's too dangerous." He shook his head, nervously.

"She sees the future." Helen said.

"There's a reason she's locked up." He tried to talk her out of it.

"Can you promise me that our kids will be safe?" She convinced him. "Can you guarantee it? Because she can."

"Alright. For our kids." Bob agreed, knowing they had no choice.

-------

At Merida's Castle, a guard led Helen and Bob, who were dressed in their supersuits, through a tunnel to the prison cells in the dungeon.

"When we reach the cell, stay out of the light, and whatever you do, do not let her know your name." The guard instructed. "If she knows your name, she will have power over you. Witch! I have a question for you." He called to the prisoner.

The Witch stepped out from the shadows. "No, you don't. They do. Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl. You insult me. Step into the light." They stepped closer. "Ah. That's much better."

"We've come to ask you about the--" Bob tried to ask.

"Yes, yes! I know why you're here." the Witch interrupted. "You want to know about Syndrome's threat."

"Tell us what you know!" Helen demanded.

"Ooh! Tense, aren't we?" The Witch said. "Fear not, for I can ease your mind, but it's gonna cost you something in return."

"No. This is a waste of time." Bob started to leave.

"What do you want?" Helen asked, stepping closer to the cell.

"Oh... the name of your youngest child?" The Witch answered her question.

"Absolutely not." Bob refused.

"Deal." Helen agreed. "What do you know?"

"Ah." She chuckled. "Syndrome has created a powerful curse, and it's coming." The Witch predicted. "Soon you'll all be in a prison, just like me, only worse, for your prison, all of our prisons will be time, for time will stop, and we will be trapped someplace horrible, where everything we hold dear, everything we love will be ripped from us, while we suffer for all eternity, while Syndrome celebrates, victorious at last! No more happy endings."

The couple looked horrified. "What can we do?" Helen asked.

"We can't do anything." The Witch replied.

"Who can?"

"That little thing." The Witch reached her hand through the bars, pointing at Jack-Jack. "That little baby you're carrying in your arms."

Bob slapped her hand away. "Next time, I rip your arm off."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk." The Witch said. "The infant is our only hope." She then turned to Helen. "Get the child to safety. Get the child to safety, and on his…" the Witch closed her eyes in concentration. "…twenty-eighth birthday, the child will return. The child will find you, and the final battle will begin!" She laughed insanely.

"That's it. I've heard enough. We're leaving." Bob turned and started to leave with Helen.

"Hey! No!" The Witch shouted in anger. "We made a deal! I want his name! We had a deal! I. Need. His. Name! I want his name!"

The couple stopped. Helen looked hesitant for a moment. She turned to face the cell. "Jack-Jack. His name's Jack-Jack." They began to leave again.

-------

2 weeks later, several Pixar characters were gathered around a table at the Parr house.

"I say, we fight!" Bob said as he slammed his fist on the table.

"Fighting is a bad idea." Flik protested, standing on the table. "Giving in to one's dark side never accomplishes anything."

"And how many battles has a clear conscience won?" Bob said. "We need to take Syndrome out before he can inflict his curse."

"Can we even trust the Witch?" Woody asked.

"I've sent other supers around the world." Bob told them. "The people are abuzz with Syndrome's plan. This is going to happen unless we do something."

"There's no point." Helen said. "The future is written."

"No. I don't believe that." Bob shook his head. "Good can't just lose."

"Maybe it can."

"No." Bob disagreed. "Not as long as we have each other." He paced back and forth "If you believe her about the curse, then you must believe her about our child. He will be the savior." Everyone suddenly turned to see several of the monsters enter, carrying a door. "What's this?"

"Our only hope of saving that child." Celia said and she bought some more wood.

"A door? Our fate rests on a door?" Mr. Potato Head looked doubtful. "Let's get back to the fighting thing."

"The door is enchanted. If fashioned into a vessel, it can ward off any curse." Mike said.

"Riveras, can you build the final touches?" Sully asked the Rivera family.

"Me and mi familia, we can do it." Elena said, confidently. "That shouldn't be too much of a stretch from shoemaking."

"This will work. We all must have faith. There is, however, a catch." Imelda said, with her hands on her hips. "The enchantment is indeed powerful, but all power has its limits, and this door can protect only one."

Helen and Bob shared a concerned look.

-

In the other part of the room, all of the kids overheard the adults' conversation.

"I'm worried about Jack-Jack." Dash said to the others.

"Me too." Violet agreed. "Also about Mom and Dad. They're really freaked out by this."

"I can't believe both my living and dead family members have come, since a couple months ago when I first introduced my dead relatives to them." Miguel claimed, plucking on his guitar.

"No way! You met a bunch of ghosts? Cool!" Dash looked excited.

"Not as cool as me running away from San Francisco, California to Minnesota." Riley claimed, worried as she rubbing her neck.

"Or being tricked by a witch that turned my Mum into a bear." Merida said, worried as well as she cleaned her sword and bow and arrow.

"Wow, you guys are so lucky." Molly said. "Nothing exciting happened to me."

Jack-Jack cooed at Socorro while playing with dolls.

"Glad our youngest sibling doesn't know anything about the conversation." Violet said in relief.

"Yeah, I don't think my sister understands it either." Miguel added.

Kari looked jealous at their friends' misadventures. "Too bad I wasn't there. I was babysitting our baby brother." She said to Violet. "Then all these weird things started happening. I tried calling your mom, but she never answered."

-------

4 months later, the Riveras and the Monsters were finishing the door.

"Are you guys sure this is going to work?" Julio asked nervously.

"This is for our safety and the family." Luisa said as she painted the door.

"She's right." Elena added. "And we all know that nothing's more important than family."

-

Miguel and Héctor sat on the bench, feeling worried. "What if Syndrome takes away our family and we never see each other again, Papá Héctor?" Miguel asked, with his leg shaking.

"Cálmese, chamaco." Héctor put an arm around Miguel. "Even if he does, it won't be forever. The Savior will come and save us all."

--

In Riley's head, the Emotions began to get worried about the curse.

"What if we're gone, and then Riley would be emotionless?" Fear said, pacing back and forth, shaking.

"This is bad." Sadness whined. "She could also lose her friends, and Mom and Dad!"

"Like, it could cause all of us gone for good!" Disgust added.

"Look, I know we're all concerned." Joy spoke up. "But the Parr's youngest son is gonna save us."

"Like if Fear couldn't sleep talk about the nightmares of the party a few months ago then!" Anger was about to punch Fear when Joy stepped in.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Anger, this isn't gonna solve anything. We've gotten out of bad situations before, and we'll do it again."

---

Nemo and his father had heard the news.

"Umm, Dad, what happens when the curse succeeds." Nemo asked.

"Um... I... I guess it means we'll be separated again." Marlin explained in fear.

"We might." Dory said, also scared.

Marlin held Nemo close to him. "No, I can't lose you again."

"And we can't lose you again, Dory." Jenny said to Dory.

"Why is the curse coming to us?" Nemo asked. "We didn't do anything wrong."

---

Outside the Parr's house, the guards from Castle DunBroch, Merida, the toys, the bugs, the other supers, Imelda, and Pepita were guarding the house.

"Keep a sharp eye out, troops." Buzz ordered, aiming his laser. "The curse could strike at any moment."

"I just hope no one breaks in." Karen said.

"If anyone does, they're going to have to go through us." Imelda replied.

"You guys have to eye out on Syndrome and his buddies!" Merida said with her bow and arrow, also wearing armor.

"Aye, Princess!" The guards agreed, saluting.

"Alright Kevin, make sure they don't break in." Russell said to Kevin.

Kevin nodded and squawked in response.

---

In the villain's lair, all the Pixar villains returned to plot revenge.

"I'd like to thank Señor De la Cruz for reviving me from the dead." Syndrome said, as he fixed his costume. "I know you wanted revenge on the family that took your fame away."

"Si. I want them all to pay." Ernesto nodded. "Especially my former best friend and his little brat of a grandson." He snarled.

"And Mother," Syndrome angrily stared at the woman. "You failed to destroy supers, and went to jail."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault." Evelyn argued. "It was Elastigirl and those kids of hers."

"And have any of you been betrayed or mistreated?" Syndrome asked Lotso, Pete, and the others.

"I was abandoned by my owner." Lotso replied. "Also, that Sheriff and his friends ruined my reign over Sunnyside."

"Well, what are we waiting for?!" Syndrome said. "To the Villains Revenge Revolution!" He raised a glass of mimosa to the other villains.

The others also raised their glasses and cheered.

--

Back at the Parr residence, Helen was holding Jack-Jack, feeling worried. "I don't wanna do this." She said.

"It's the only way." Bob assured her. "Jack-Jack will go in there, and he'll be safe from the curse."

"She said it would be on his twenty-eighth birthday." Helen remembered.

"What's twenty-eight years when you have eternal love? I have faith." Bob touched her shoulder. "Besides, he's got powers. He'll save us."

All of a sudden, the Earth began to shake and the kids ran over to them. "Mom, Dad!" Violet said, scared.

Helen stretched her arm and pulled Dash and Violet close to her. "Brace yourselves!"

"Everybody, Wake up!" Imelda, Merida, and Woody woke the others up.

They saw dark smoke in the distance. It rapidly covered the land and progressed towards the house.

"The curse! It's here!" Woody frantically shouted.

-

From the high-tech plane, Syndrome was taking in a glass of wine, looking out the window. "Soon revenge will be ours." He said to a photo of Maggie.

-

Sulley entered the room with the Parrs. "The door's ready."

"Bob, take Jack-Jack to the door." Helen ordered.

"Are you out of your mind?" Bob said, shaking his head as Helen handed him Jack-Jack.

"No, it's the only way." She kept Dash and Violet close to her. "You have to save him."

"No no n-n-n-n-no." Bob refused. "You don't know what you're saying."

"Yes, I do." Helen argued. "We have to believe that he'll come back for us. We have to give him his best chance."

Helen then kissed Jack-Jack's forehead. "Goodbye, Jack-Jack" She whispered to the baby.

Violet and Dash each hugged their little brother, saying goodbye.

Bob then rushed out of the room, carrying Jack-Jack. He fended off two of Syndrome's guards, and entered where the finished door was.

Kevin then got through the door before Jack-Jack was placed in it.

"Find us." Bob whispered to Jack-Jack one more time and gave him a kiss in the forehead.

He closed the door just as two more guards entered the room. As they fought, one knocked him out. The guards broke open the door, but discovered it was empty and the baby was gone.

--

Héctor was on the ground in pain after being beaten up by the army. "Please hang on, Papá Héctor!" Miguel cried.

"I'm not sure I can, Miguel." Héctor said softly. His bones hadn't fully recovered from being forgotten.

"Shh, Papá." Mamá Coco said calming her father, even though it's only been half a year since she had joined the family.

"What's gonna happen to him when the curse hits us?" Miguel asked, scared.

--

Helen and the kids looked over at Bob in shock and ran over him.

He began to wake up, groaning, and touched his head. "Are you guys okay?" He asked when he saw them.

"Yeah, Dad." Violet said.

"We're alive." Dash added.

"Don't even bother." Syndrome soon entered the room. "In a few moments, you won't remember you were a family."

"Why are you doing this?" Helen asked.

"Because this is my happy ending." Syndrome then addressed the guards. "The child?"

"Gone." One of the guards answered. "It was in the door, and then it was gone. It's nowhere to be found."

"Where is he?" Syndrome turned back to the family.

"He got away." Helen realized that the door worked. "You're going to lose. We know that now. Good will always win."

"We'll see about that." Syndrome smirked and began to laugh.

A whole mess of cloud came over the house. The ceiling cracked, and the air began to darken and swirl. They found themselves in the middle of a vortex of dark magic.

"Where are we going?" Violet asked in shock.

"Somewhere horrible." The windows shattered and the Curse flooded inside the room. "Absolutely horrible. A place where the only happy ending will be mine."

The glass shattered more, plunging them into darkness as they were whisked away.