Long Overdue Gratitude {Helen}

[Jumba Jookiba]

Jumba paced. This was a lot harder to figure than he had anticipated it would be, and for his genius mind, it should have been the easiest of problems to solve! It was simple. Tell or Not? or more, Thank or Not? Dashiell Robert Parr had spilled that he and the youngest of the duo of Supers to have saved 032 were one and the same. After giving himself away and backed into a corner.

Jumba had thanked him, but not his mother. Though thanking one sort of seemed to do for all; didn't it?

That was the important question, and one the scientist was slight agonizing over. It felt wrong to just not, and yet was he free to say anything when it was obvious they were both attempting to keep their identities secret. Jumba could understand that, though his own cover on Hawaii had always been half-broken at best.

He would hate to repay the boy himself (who was a very likable little boy) by getting him into trouble for telling their status.

Yet, the thought wouldn't go away. Elastigirl (as a bit more asking revealed the name was) may have been thanked, but not Helen Parr, and that wouldn't do!

Of course two seconds after putting his plan into action and knocking at the Parr's cabin room, Jumba considered his last consideration, of how he was going to dodge around how he knew, and almost gave up the whole plan, or he'd turned, before he heard the door and realized he couldn't. So he turned back with a smile. Please be Dash...it wasn't.

"Hello Mrs. Parr, um...as far as you are knowing, we have not been meeting I know but...um...well", Jumba gave one of his sheepish grins, usually used for when he'd done something wrong. "...am thinking I might have run into you...at costume party", Jumba was aware of the public hallway he was standing in and used all the secret keeping considerations he would wish as he spoke knowingly but not, "And so...was just wishing to thank...for assistance when...was not realizing should be doing so".

Jumba wished to go on and state how her secret was safe with him, but couldn't do that, even in this supposed open area, without admitting there was one; so just smiled again, "So thank-you, um, will be wishing you good day now". Jumba tipped his hat, and was trying to not make this too uncomfortable on her end.

<<Yes yes, feel free to have Helen stop him and he can speak more openly inside etc>>

[Deleted]

Well, it was back at Fort Wilderness again. The Polynesian was just too expensive, though Helen wasn't sure for how long she'd be able to manage Fort Wilderness on her own either. Of course, Helen wasn't about to say anything to her kids just yet. There was no point in stressing them out without having a plan of action in place. Thankfully, Helen was doing some researching on her own at the All Star hotels that might work for the family. It was going to be a tight space, but they managed to survive a motel before. Their family was nothing but survivors.

Suddenly, while Helen was browsing the computer, cradling a sleepy-eyed Jack Jack in one stretched out arm so that he was securely fastened, she heard a knock on the door. Instantly, the flexible mother retracted her arms and held Jack Jack normally in her arms as she got up to answer it. Upon answering the door, she raised an eyebrow upon noting that it was Jumba, the guy that she had saved the experiment previously. Of course, he didn't know that. "Oh! Hello..?" Helen said with a warm smile, with a professionally practiced tone of voice that made it seem like she had no idea who he was. The secret superheroine had years of experience protecting her identity too many times before.

"Hello Mrs. Parr, um...as far as you are knowing, we have not been meeting I know but...um...well",

Wait a minute. What? How the heck did he know who she was and where she lived? That was when it hit her: Dash. He had to have something to do with this! However, Helen didn't scowl like she would have to Dash with quick glares only because Dash wasn't here. In fact, she maintained proper composure throughout. All Helen did was blink with confusion at Jumba and she raised an eyebrow at him while she expected an explanation from him as to how someone could know who a person was and where they lived without meeting them. That was borderline stalker level - and she would know, given that she had stalked people before as a super. 

"...am thinking I might have run into you...at costume party",

Oh great. She knew that Halloween Party idea was not gonna work out, even with Halloween costumes. This was her fault. Bob and the kids ganged up on her as usual and she should have kept firm about it! "Oh uhm.." The mother of three placed a hand on her forehead and shook her head, playing along as if she just forgot their encounter and felt embarrassed when she remembered. "Right.. the Halloween party. Almost forgot about that!" The stay-at-home mother smiled a little, acting as if she just had a lot going on parenting wise and it was a few months ago after all. "Sorry, I guess I just don't recall-" Helen wanted to say that she didn't recall giving her address to him, and she had a feeling that she knew who did.. and he was going to be in big trouble, but Jumba interrupted her words before she could say more. 

"And so...was just wishing to thank...for assistance when...was not realizing should be doing so".

Helen paused with a blink of her eyes, suddenly realizing what this was all about. "Aw, there's no need to thank me..I'm just good at picking up after things!" The mother of three shrugged modestly with a small smile, glancing down at little Jack-Jack in her arms who smiled with half-closed eyes. She was stating something that was nothing out of the ordinary in public for a mom to be picking up after things and cleaning up at the party. Something told her that Jumba would pick up on what she really meant by that: literally picking up his experiment Fibber and saving him. Helen cleverly chose her words carefully so that no one else would be able to know what she meant except him.  

"So thank-you, um, will be wishing you good day now".

It was clear to the insightful Helen that there was more that Jumba wanted to say, but respectfully couldn't. Maybe. She had to be sure. She couldn't just let him leave like that just yet, not without more answers. She had to at least make sure that Jumba had gotten this information from Dash before she would accuse Dash later. Fair was fair. "Hey! Um..would you like to come in? H-how bout a cup of coffee?" The mild-mannered stay-at-home mother asked Jumba politely, a stark difference in Elastigirl's personality, as she opened the door wider to allow him inside. Do Aliens even drink coffee? The southern mom figured in being polite and treating them like anyone else with her good old-fashioned southern hospitality. Let's get to the bottom of this. 

[Jumba Jookiba]

Dash's mom's tone was guarded, little surprise, and since, by all outward appearances, she didn't know him, as he said. Hence being treated like he was selling something. It was...quite phenomenal actually, she didn't break into any sort of suspicious surprise or recognition at all. Jumba knew he would have at least done something wrong, even if in just a look, by now and with his own cover of Lilo's uncle if faced with a neighbor back home or such.

Still the alien scientist was able to take in a lot himself without seeming to. He would not freak her out further by glancing to her youngest she held, and which he had not seen before, but...Dash had an adorable little brother. He simply said what he'd come to say, hopefully to no further trouble for Dash himself, and prepared to leave after a nod to the understanding between them.

"Aw, there's no need to thank me..I'm just good at picking up after things!"

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Mrs. Parr paused him in his exit. In all cordial invitation, but Jumba, who knew secrets, did not miss the all important why and probably needing to get to the bottom of how he knew things.

This had been a mistake...

Again, not for his own sake. He could (and would) just tell all and have done, if he wasn't still trying to figure out what would save a kid who had got in good with him by praising him (as he so easily fell for, and even if, and because, Dash was sincere).

"Hey! Um..would you like to come in? H-how bout a cup of coffee?"

"Am loving Earth coffee, thank-you!", Jumba said, then winced; case in point if she wanted examples on how one didn't go about keeping a cover. Just in case it was helpful. Jumba nodded and entered, sort of glad he didn't see Dash anywhere (Jumba liked kids too much to be able to take his betrayed look no doubt).

"Um...Fibber is...sending greetings too", Jumba allowed himself to say, but otherwise did not go into any incriminating facts (on them anyway, his own aside) until Helen stated it was safe by asking for what he knew was coming.

[Deleted]

"Am loving Earth coffee, thank-you!"

Helen couldn't help but smirk to herself in amusement upon hearing his obvious reply as she followed him inside. Hopefully Dash wasn't taking too much of Jumba's influence on how to maintain cover. Jack-Jack blinked in curiosity as he half-sleepily stared up at how close he was to the big man. The newness was starting to wake Jack-Jack up. Helen wasn't surprised. Putting Jack-Jack down to sleep was always a mission. "Great.. anything in particular you want to eat with that?" After getting the coffee to brew in the coffee machine, the hospitable mother added as she looked through the pantry to see what they had remaining if Dash didn't already eat it all, wondering if he had a snack of preference that she could heat up or bring out. They had toast, popcorn, cereal, chips, though the mother was already thinking ahead when she thought about quickly whipping up her homemade pepper jelly meatballs so that it'd be ready by the time the kids would come back. Do aliens eat meat? Helen began putting out the ingredients for her pepper jelly meatballs, from taking out the uncooked meat from the fridge to gathering the jelly, vegetables, and the spices. The meat needed some time to defrost a little. She decided to hold off on suggesting if he'd like to try some and hear about if he had any eating preferences first, just in case he ended up being some kind of vegetarian or other kind of specialized diet, which she would definitely respect.

"Um...Fibber is...sending greetings too"

"..Oh!" Helen remarked casually and paused for only a second with a smile forming on the ends of her lips before she resumed doing what she was doing, which was pouring out the coffee into the cups after it finished brewing. Now was when Helen received the best confirmation that Jumba truly knew the facts to who they were. "Well, tell him that we miss him,"  The mother of three remarked tenderly with a fond smile as she gazed down at Jack-Jack, who was solely focused on the big man in the room wearing glasses. They may not have pets in this house, but the way she spoke about Fibber, it was as if he was more than that to her; Fibber was almost child-like in a way.

"So.." It would seem that Helen was going to cut to the chase by tossing a knowing smirk at him with a raise of an eyebrow, as if she wanted to ask how he figured it out. She even paused for a second longer, before adding, "Do you have any other family members or friends here from your world?" Helen asked casually, wondering how Fibber was being taken care of if he was by himself. Was anyone watching him at home? "How do ya take your coffee?" The southern mother added, wondering if he liked it with milk or anything or just plain. Speaking of milk, Jack-Jack whined softly for some the moment that he noticed it in the fridge, which caused Helen to feel inclined to heat it up in the microwave. In the meantime of ensuring that Jumba's coffee was up to standards, she was gathering cream and sugar to put into her own cup of coffee. Were she Elastigirl, she most certainly would have cut to the chase. However, as Helen Parr, the mild manered alter ego, she was just "chewing the fat" so to speak, making conversation.  

[Jumba Jookiba]

Jumba didn't miss the smile at his little mishap, but he took it as a good thing, or was well aware of how bad he was at this. Once inside, he sort of stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, almost like he was going to have to make Dash's hard explanations for him. Well...in a way...

"Great.. anything in particular you want to eat with that?"

Why was she asking such hard questions right now?! Of course they were anything but hard, but seemed so when Jumba's mind was taken up with one single thought. "Um...", outwardly he seemed calm still (he could do that at least "on trial" in its many forms) as his mind ran through typical snack options. "Um...whatever you are having is...fine".

Jumba didn't require fancy. Now if Pleakley was here! Though she looked like she was planning up fancy anyway!

"..Oh! Well, tell him that we miss him,"

And it was obvious she meant her words. Even without the ability to talk conventionally, Fibber had managed to make an impression. Little surprise, Jumba would say even his early series Experiments were smart enough for that. Since he made them and all.

"So.."

Here it came. Jumba prepared himself.

"Do you have any other family members or friends here from your world?"

It was so left field, Jumba blinked a bit. He quickly recovered though. "Oh, yes, um, one of my other...Experiments. Is what 032, Fibber, is. I made him. Anyway, other is here too, to watch him", he didn't exactly catch that this what why Dash's mother asked, but answered anyway.

"How do ya take your coffee?"

"Oh plain is fine, or will try milk I guess". So many normal questions in the middle of not normal!

"And found my adorable little adopted niece, Lilo; but she is still staying with older girl, Moana, she found when first here, and snow queen Elsa, but visits often. She likes them and so I was not getting in the way and...do not know how Elsa is feeling about me". Jumba fell into talking about anything else himself...

And all of this was skipping around the point...

[Deleted]

"Sure, why don't ya have a seat and I'll prepare it for you!" The stay-at-home mother welcomed Jumba to have a seat and relax in the comforts of their home. While she prepared the homemade pepper jelly meatballs and the coffee, she listened attentively when Jumba spoke about family. That's right, 032 was Fibber! Helen remembered that Jumba had given him a number before she learned of that little alien's name after that rescue. Huh. The intelligent super was very detail oriented when it came to what people said or catching little details in videos, and she noticed that Jumba said he made experiments; he made Fibber! So, that's what the whole number thing was about! They were experiments of his! "Experiments, huh?" Helen mused casually with a small smirk. It was good to know that they weren't prisoners or belonging to some kind of zoo captivity. "So, you create genetic experiments for a living? Wow, that's.. interesting work!" Helen was no scientist of course, that was more Edna's department, but she was actually intrigued by how intelligent Jumba must be to actually create genetic experiments like Fibber. It wasn't like some science experiment at school. Fibber had feelings, personality, everything - just like a real person would! The superheroine mother was mildly curious about what he used them for, but she decided to respect that privacy. In the end, she understood that Jumba included them as family and that was all she needed to know.  "Say, have ya ever considered getting paid for tutoring? I've been meaning to get my kids more engaged in learning since there aren't any schools around." Helen suggested before glancing down at Jack-Jack in his arms with a gentle smile. Except for Jack-Jack of course, she was teaching him how to talk and how to identify things through flashcards and objects. Still, maybe something more hands on would benefit Dash more while learning things at the same time. It'd keep him from doing pranks on teachers, that's for sure. 

At this point, the super sleuth and mother was actually gathering information on Jumba. Aside from saving the experiment's life, she had no idea what kind of person.. or alien? That Dash was hanging out with! It was important for her to understand more about Jumba before she'd get into the personal details. Helen smiled upon hearing more about Lilo. "Oh yeah, I remember Lilo! She's your niece? Aw, she is adorable.."  Helen smiled warmly in agreement upon recalling Lilo. She knew Lilo through Jack-Jack, whom Jack-Jack seemed quite fond of, too, after he ran into some trouble with his powers. "Well, between the three of you, she sounds like she's in good hands. Queen Elsa and Moana are.. exceptional kinds of people!" Aside from Moana with her powerful influence over the ocean, and Queen Elsa with her powers of snow, they were genuinely good hearted people. Helen knew Elsa on a personal level, and she had gotten to know Moana during her Thanksgiving event, as well as the gist of how she was from Violet hanging out with her at one point before she left.  

"Alright, I'm sure ya know what this is about." Helen smirked knowingly as she walked over to the gently handed the coffee over to Jumba while the meatballs were in the slow cooker, carrying Jack-Jack in the other. As soon as she sat on the sofa across from him with Jack Jack on her lap drinking from his bottle, she stretched her arm to reach for the other coffee in the kitchen before bringing it back to take a sip of it. 

Jack-Jack rested his head against his mom as he sat on her lap, drinking from his bottle with his two small hands while his large blue eyes remained fixed on the big guy in front of them the entire time. He was curious enough to copy the man's indigo colored skin, but he focused on finishing his bottle of milk first. 

"I know Dash must've told you about our secret identity," Although Helen had said that so casually, the argumentative mother's brown eyes stared into his main two eyes with a bold expression on her face almost daring him to prove her wrong. One of her flaws was jumping into conclusions, but she knew that it couldn't have been Bob or Violet since neither of them have hung out with Jumba. Helen was actually good about keeping her annoyance in check, putting on a face similar to meeting the principal, but you can bet that as soon as Dash gets home, it was going to be an entirely different story. All Helen wanted to know was just what was the extent of Jumba's knowing. Did he know all of the family's powers or just hers and Dash's? "And I'm sure you have some questions of your own.. What exactly do you wanna know?" Helen was now more like her super alter ego that cut to the chase. It was better to just get all the questions over with and then figure out what would happen next. 

[Jumba Jookiba]

Dash’s mother invited him to have a seat, which Jumba did, making sure the chair was fine, and would hold him, even as he did. ”Thank-you”, he recalled to say, knowing this was important enough for manners.

"So, you create genetic experiments for a living? Wow, that's.. interesting work!"

Jumba gave a small laugh and smile in one. Criminal Charges would be a bad topic of conversation.

”More Inventions now, yes; before was...side-hobby while Head of Galaxy Defense Industries...before leaving home", and as if even this dodgy answer didn't still answer a few things. Jumba prepared to come clean, but Mrs. Parr moved on, to another semi-surprising topic.

"Say, have ya ever considered getting paid for tutoring? I've been meaning to get my kids more engaged in learning since there aren't any schools around."

"Oh...adding in teaching kiddies science...", Jumba actually thought on the idea, "Yes, could be good idea! Park Inventions making is...ok work, but not paying so very well". Jumba hadn't crunched the numbers yet, but Reuben might be currently doing better than him with a sandwich shop job; and much as it was great his Experiment was motivated and all, that was just sad.

"Yes! May take you up on that, and Dash is being very likable kid". And a focus on Earth Science would be a breeze to teach, Jumba felt!

Lilo, also, was making plenty of good impressions about the parks, and that didn't surprise Jumba one bit either! He knew what Helen meant on exceptional also. He had yet to see the ocean power Moana mentioned, but she had mentioned it. All these otherwise ordinary humans with powers so like many of his Experiments, or within the same ballpark, it was...astounding, Jumba would readily admit!

Jumba was pulled from these thoughts as, finally, they got to the point. After taking the coffee, with another nod of thanks, the alien scientist watched, unfazed, as Dash's mother reached over to get her own.

"I know Dash must've told you about our secret identity,"

Jumba grimaced as if he were the one in trouble, for said Likable-Boy's sake. "Very much so on accident...". He sighed, "Shortly after Jumba was arriving here...right before last Halloween", Jumba recalled when it had been, "Your son was running into me...trying to make S'mores", in the interest of coming clean, Jumba wouldn't hide even that slightly embarrassing story. Or facts of his own.

"Will not deny what are probably putting together on own end...I am sure it is being very obvious I am not Hawaiian tourist. Am actually alien scientist from Kweltikwan...". Jumba slowly, gauging her reaction the whole time, removed his sunglasses, not wishing to freak her out, though given that he now knew she and the lady to have rescued Fibber were one and the same, that was probably hard to do.

"Won't get into all of how came here, but after Lilo was taking Jumba and other alien in, learned much on Earth, but...S'mores are still slightly complicated. Dash was explaining S'mores history, sort of, and helping, and finding my mentioning of inventions and rocket-ship lab back home cool; so I mentioned when I get a lab up he should be seeing it".

Jumba collected his thoughts further and sighed again. "Was not really told so much as...put together on own end, and cover is very good, hence apology being late...", he still tried to defend Dash, "One of Jumba's other experiments, Reuben, was there when Dash was coming by to see lab and...he simply mentioned Fibber before recalling he shouldn't know him, but was working against alien intellect, so...should maybe not be blamed too much...", Jumba smiled sheepishly, still trying to help Dash.

Though he had then spilled the beans on his brother....

Jumba glanced briefly to the baby, and then aside again, despite how telling this could be, "And...might have mentioned other powers once Jumba was knowing secrets...yes, but...".

The alien scientist sighed, "Am more interested that am not getting your son in trouble than younger son's fire and laser powers". Jumba kicked himself the second he finished talking. That was it. Dash was just never going to speak to him again.

<<Hehe I love when things work without me even trying. Now I understand further why he made Dash a car! The softie! >>

[Deleted]

"Galaxy of Defense? Wow, creating inventions to defend the galaxy and promote world peace? That's actually kind of admirable!" Helen lifted an auburn eyebrow with an impressed smile. Back in the glory days, Helen knew a super - may he rest in peace - that was able to change his molecular density to change gravity and even create Black Holes, which was the closest thing to "space" for them. But the heroic work that Jumba could do was actually in space! This was a whole other level to being a hero! World peace was what this superheroine was all about. Well, that and asserting women as part of the status quo! 

"Yes, could be good idea! Park Inventions making is...ok work, but not paying so very well"

"Yeah, that would be great! I'll see if I can get my daughter interested. Let me know what ya settle for in terms of price once ya think on it more." With any hope, it would be within their budget, though Helen could always try to move things around to make it easier. Certainly moving to a cheaper hotel would help a lot with that, at least. Education was important though, especially if it meant to keep Dash from getting himself into trouble while learning a few things.

"Very much so on accident..."

"Huh.." Helen remarked sardonically in response. Yeah, Dash was definitely grounded. There was nothing "accidental" about telling someone their secret identity. Still, she listened on as Jumba further explained how it all occurred. When Jumba revealed that he was an alien from Kweltikwan, Helen blinked at the revelation of his four eyes behind the glasses and nodded with a "Oh..right.." She probably should have acted more shocked, but she wasn't masking herself this time. Truth was, she wasn't nearly as phased because let's face it, she had seen weird stuff already - a super looking like an owl being one of them, or Jack-Jack's...red..form.. whatever that even was. She was still wrapping her head around that particular power out of the 17 that her sweet baby boy had. She figured that Jumba was definitely not human given things he said like earth coffee and the fact that Fibber could have possibly been an alien based on what Dash had said, but she was respectful enough to keep that to herself.

Jack-Jack, on the other hand, was blown away by the four eyes as much as someone disappearing behind his hands during peekaboo! Which was actually funny to play with powers. He dropped his bottle from his lips, with his large blue eyes widened with interest.

Helen reached for the bottle and helped Jack-Jack to finish his milk. At the end of Jumba's story, she realized that Dash didn't necessarily tell the secret identity so much as let on about the case on Fibber. Though Dash did have a school life and a normal life with powers, Helen supposed that Dash didn't have enough experience in dealing with a superhero life and a normal life to really be able to keep them separately. It should be treated the same as managing school and a home life, but Dash still struggled with even using his powers as pranks at school, so she couldn't expect Dash to be necessarily perfect about managing the two different "lives" as a superhero and as a normal boy either. A sigh escaped her lips as she conceded on this fact that Dash was going to get a stern talking to, but the punishment was not going to be so severe as it would have been.

"And...might have mentioned other powers once Jumba was knowing secrets...yes, but...".

"What??" Helen instantly interjected with a raise of an eyebrow. Bringing in her other family members involved by sharing their powers to other people?! Now Dash was just asking for it. The auburn haired mother narrowed her eyebrows slightly with a scowl upon hearing Jumba mention two of Jack-Jack's 17 powers. Yep. He was officially grounded. He knew better than that! Jack-Jack could practically feel the tension in his mom's arms, causing him to look up curiously while holding the bottle. A breath was released from her lips to keep herself cool.  "Don't worry, I won't tell him that you told me.." Helen reassured, promising that Dash wouldn't know it was Jumba's fault. "He's used to me finding things out one way or another. Guess it's a mom thing.."  Helen smirked to herself with a shrug. Actually, it was more of a super sleuth thing. She had a background in espionage work when it came to finding out the schemes of villains, given how silent she can penetrate evil lairs and how easily she can get through any locked door. Helen glanced down to check on Jack-Jack's bottle before glancing back at Jumba again. "Well, has he mentioned anything else about powers?" She'd like to know just how many powers were mentioned exactly if only to ensure that only those powers would be mentioned around him, though it was kinda nice to know that someone else like Jumba knew the truth given his background in hiding his own secret identity. 

[Jumba Jookiba]

"Wow, creating inventions to defend the galaxy and promote world peace? That's actually kind of admirable!"

Jumba took another sip of his coffee, and was glad 032 was back at the hotel, or wherever he was, just not with him at the moment. It made keeping Dash's mother from thinking too poorly of him a whole lot easier. What Helen had described was what Jumba had had to let people think he did the whole time, and somehow he felt more apt to spill all around Helen than he had the Grand Councilwoman; who he had had to report in to regularly with his well covered lies and parts of the lab able to be shown.

"Yes, yes, by the time of Jumba leaving Turo, which was being home-planet for many years, and base of both lab and grand council in charge of known parts of the galaxy, could boast no wars in memory of most on Council", and in keeping his cover, Jumba had made things to further this. In fact his actual job of protection equipment had been what had lead him to ponder what others might come up with against it and wonder on the path of if an organic creature could be made that no weapon known could affect.

"Yeah, that would be great! I'll see if I can get my daughter interested. Let me know what ya settle for in terms of price once ya think on it more."

Jumba nodded, and smiled. It would be fun to teach these Earth Kiddies about their very basic science and what he even knew of from his advanced experiences. Or just the first for the most part, though he already anticipated some of Dash's questions.

Helen and even baby Jack-Jack's reactions to him were so underwhelming it was shocking. No screaming. Even mean-girl-Myrtle's mother, who could take anything, had screamed at first when attacked by 177; but then given what he now knew of them.

"What??"

Jumba winced. There was the screaming he was used to, mostly from Nani, though not about him but his slip-up in Dash revealing more powers...

Helen quickly calmed, though, and thankfully didn't seem to blame Jumba either.

"Don't worry, I won't tell him that you told me..He's used to me finding things out one way or another. Guess it's a mom thing.."

Jumba gave a small smile, glad to see she didn't seem upset anymore, but knowing from Nani that that could turn with another wrong word...

"Well, has he mentioned anything else about powers?"

That sounded so much like a trick question, and Jumba felt so much like he had when answering Experiment Questions to Nani! Yet he knew he couldn't lie, with or without 032 here. "Um, just that everyone's was being different, something about Invisible, and your youngest was having a lot and so friend Edna was making tracker for them...which if were losing, I could see about recreating and...never-mind", Jumba got back to making sure he had answered everything, and didn't exactly mean to test the baby again for said tracker, though that might be required...and he was curious. Depended on how much they could also explain perhaps.

[Deleted]

A smile formed on her face as the mother of three listened to Jumba explain how it was like back when he lived on his planet, Turo. "Wow.." The insightful woman realized that he must have gone through a big cultural shock among the stress of moving to another planet! And did this mother know all about the stress of moving. "If it was hard uprooting the family, I can't imagine moving to an entirely different planet." Even though they had moved several times, it suddenly made Helen that much more appreciative that she didn't have it worse like Jumba, who had to completely move planets like that. It was hard enough for her family to adapt as easily as she could, but she tried to keep them together and stable. "So, I hope you don't mind me asking, but.. are... aliens illegal where you're from?" Helen ventured to ask with a raise of an eyebrow, wondering if he was hiding more because he didn't want to stun people or because it was some kind of illegal jurisdiction to be demonstrating who he was out in public and he was told to maintain his identity. Either way, Helen could relate. Crazy enough, there true selves was when they were wearing a mask and using their super powers. That was why they called their civilian "normal" selves a secret identity. For a while though, their secret identity had to be their only identity.  "I'm askin' because of your need for a secret identity. We were illegal for 15 years 'til we finally got the law dropped..but we just hide our identity when we're out doing hero work." Helen was humble about that approach given that it was because of her efforts that the law to abolish the law was signed, but she considered it a team effort with the help of Winston. Of course, Helen wasn't about to mention the fact that both Bob and later on she, the hypocrite that she admitted that she was, had committed illegal things in the midst of that law. They were legal supers now. She didn't want it spreading that they did illegal things in the past!

"Um, just that everyone's was being different, something about Invisible, and your youngest was having a lot and so friend Edna was making tracker for them...which if were losing, I could see about recreating and...never-mind"

Yeah, Dash was definitely grounded. 

It was a good thing Helen knew how to hide her expression the way she did at the principal's office, but Dash could bet his bottom dollar that this would be the last time he would ever think of doing this again by the time that she would deal with him! He was lucky that he wasn't here right now or she'd be giving him the sternest of glares.  "He did mention that with Edna before.." Helen remarked cooly with a sigh, recalling the dinner that she had with Edna when Violet returned back to the parks. "Huh.. yeah, seventeen, actually.."  The southern super in disguise decided to add with a weak laugh. Might as well know since he knew two of his powers already. Helen then nuzzled Jack-Jack's nose adoringly. She was happy Jack-Jack had powers, though it was hard when she was trying to look for a job to raise the kids on her own ever since Bob left. Every time she would have someone else watch him, it would seem to make Jack-Jack's powers erratic. 

Among the flashcards that Helen had been teaching Jack-Jack, along with training for powers like Bob did with his laser, the one year old was learning about requesting to have some measure of control for the powers that Jack-Jack would do on purpose at least. 

Normally, Jack-Jack would reach out for things he wanted, but this time it seemed to something he wanted to do for himself because Jack-Jack's tiny hands opened and closed as his large blue eyes stared at Jumba with a happy gurgle, then he placed his hand on his chest when he looked up her. He didn't do this often enough to be considered mastered at it yet, considering that he had poor impulse control over his powers as a baby, but he did purposely do one power because he thought it was fun, so that was the one that Jack-Jack could actually request.  "Aw Jack-Jack, you actually requested!" Helen gushed at his little boy and gave him a kiss on the head before nodding at the one power that she knew that this would mean. There was truly a reason why Helen was not at all shocked by Jumba's appearance given her experience in seeing what Jack-Jack could turn into, as Jumba would soon find out.  

(Since Jack-Jack made hand gestures with the flashcards with Kari, and learned "pew pew" I figured I could safely add requesting xD ) 

[Deleted]

It was hard for Jack-Jack to focus on one thing most times, but there were times when something really captivated him the way stories or cartoon shows did, or even the way he was interested in Auntie Edna. At this moment though, it was the big indigo man with four eyes in front of his mommy and him. There was no danger sensed given how nice his mommy's voice was to him, so all he wanted to do was to copy him and the appealing way that he looked.

What stopped him from doing so was that the baby boy sensed that his mommy was making angry tones when she said Dash's name, recognizing that to be his older brother. Usually, when mommy has that tone, which usually ends up being during family dinners, Jack-Jack tries to be especially well behaved and does not show his powers. Aside from his mommy temporarily distracted him by making him giggle when she gently nuzzled his nose with hers, the ginger boy's large blue eyes remained glued on the big man's ever changing expression, which only made him want to copy him more.

That was when he decided to use what his mommy taught him in order to get what he wanted, which was showing his powers, without getting his mommy mad. A gurgle escaped his lips as his mommy seemed pleased with him, which he took to mean that it was okay.

With that, Jack-Jack clenched his fists to force his polymorphic powers, starting with his body turning into an indigo shade with the exception of his face and hands, much like he could when he'd turn into his demonic form, then force his nose to transform into a large bulbous one like the big man's nose. Next, his indigo ears stretched downwards so that it was a similar shape to the big man's ears. Afterwards, Jack-Jack retracted his ginger hair to spring out only a few strings of black hair atop of his head, then finally attempted to copy the big man's eyes, but he couldn't add two more next to it as much as he tried. Still, with an entertained giggle, Jack-Jack looked like the baby version of what Jumba's disguise would look like!

[Jumba Jookiba]

Not only had Jumba moved to an entirely different planet, but one more primitive, a fact he'd cursed at first but then grown accustomed to. And as he'd proven time and again, he would't trade Earth or Hawaii for most anything. Not now that he understood even what he'd before thought he'd wanted, and his old lab, would never be the same if his Earth Ohana was excluded from it.

"So, I hope you don't mind me asking, but.. are... aliens illegal where you're from?"

Jumba had already been able to tell that finding this many answers in the midst of a normal conversation was going to be hard, and if he didn't want to lie every other comment! He thought, and sighed. "Yes and no...helpful Earth agent of Bureau that is Investigating Federally is knowing our secret. Me and friend Pleakley, and is helping us to keep it, but there is not being any law against us being there, just that people would be...screaming...lots". His Experiments had proven that hypothesis; and near as Jumba could tell the rules and regulations. Now as to laws of his returning from Earth...well she hadn't asked about that.

Except she had...

"But...there are being stricter laws on Jumba returning to either Turo or birth planet Kweltikwan. There was...some debating over Jumba also choosing to use resources in making Experiments and...some were getting mad about it...", Jumba still would like to avoid the mention of things like Jail...but knew Helen needed to know some stuff if she was going to continue to trust him around Dash.

"I'm askin' because of your need for a secret identity. We were illegal for 15 years 'til we finally got the law dropped..but we just hide our identity when we're out doing hero work."

"Yes, is similar with me!", ok that wasn't really fair...or accurate.

"And have also made a bit better impression on Grand Councilwoman and helped to capture and reform aliens making more trouble than Jumba did so...".

Jumba filed away this Miss E that was mentioned again. She did sound like she could do things Jumba was half impressed with, and for a human, such as her suit she'd made Dash.

Then the super powered boys' mother mentioned that her youngest had Seventeen powers!

"Is being something for such tiny being", Jumba admitted, smiling and not sure if his slight joke made it through context, before waving slightly to little Jack-Jack. He really was a sucker for tiny Earth kids. The baby was staring intently, and Helen even mentioned his having asked about something. Jumba glanced between the two intrigued before one power was shown! The baby changed to look like him! Sort of.

...and he was just as susceptible as Edna to such affects, though he hadn't had to be taken so far along the child liking road.

"Is being incredible...", Jumba reached for the child, caught himself and glanced to Helen but was allowed to gently take the child, giving him a playful bounce once he had. "Hehe, hello little Jumba-looking-alike baby, Jack-Jack. You are knowing exactly how to get be getting on people's good side. huh? Changing like that. Is very talented of you. Genius scientist is impressed!". Jumba fell completely under the kid's cute influences, much as he did with Lilo, and didn't care if he showed it.

[Deleted]

"Yes and no...helpful Earth agent of Bureau that is Investigating Federally is knowing our secret. Me and friend Pleakley, and is helping us to keep it, but there is not being any law against us being there, just that people would be...screaming...lots"

Helen was satisfied to hear that it wasn't that they were against the law in being there, then nodded in understanding upon hearing Jumba discuss about people screaming at their true appearance as the reason why they wore disguises. "Yeah, unfortunately, most people naturally react to things that are different than them.." Helen could relate to that a lot. People reacting to powers in the past was no joking matter.

"But...there are being stricter laws on Jumba returning to either Turo or birth planet Kweltikwan. There was...some debating over Jumba also choosing to use resources in making Experiments and...some were getting mad about it..."

The mother of three listened attentively as Jumba went on to discuss about him not being allowed back to his planet because of experimentation. "So, you're stuck here? On this planet?" Helen gathered insightfully.  

"And have also made a bit better impression on Grand Councilwoman and helped to capture and reform aliens making more trouble than Jumba did so...".

The detail-oriented Helen caught that to mean that the Grand Councilwoman wasn't really pleased with him, and that Jumba might've created some legal trouble with experimentation if it got a councilwoman involved. Helen couldn't say that she couldn't understand, given that her family used powers that made the rest of the world - including the government - displeased with them whenever they used their powers in public. That had to mean that Jumba was a lot similar to Bob in the sense of the law. Helen wasn't really about breaking illegal things, but she would be a hypocrite if she said anything now given that she recently broke the law to make supers legal again. 

"..Was it worth it?" Helen asked instead, wondering if the way things ended for him turned out for the best. After all, Helen had sacrificed leaving her own parents and then sacrificed her superhero work for the sake of having a stable life for the kids. It was worth it though. She never thought she'd settle down, but she'd do it all again. 

"Yeah..tell me about it," The stay at home mother smirked upon hearing Jumba's reaction to her baby boy having 17 powers. "Apparently we used to have some sort of gadget that could predict which power he'd use.. but Jack Jack broke it before I could see it happen." The auburn haired mom sighed, sometimes wishing they still had it if only to track Jack Jack down whenever his powers would erupt due to stress from not being with her or novel situations. While watching Jumba hold her powerful son, Helen smiled when Jumba seemed to be so impressed and amused by Jack Jack's imitation power. It was nice getting some acceptance for her or her family's powers whenever she could find it. 

[Jumba Jookiba]

Of course Jumba's saying that there was no law against their inhabiting Earth was just the best he knew of it the matter, and he hadn't pried too far into it. But Cobra Bubbles backed them, and so he figured they were good as far as the secretive men in black suits went.

"So, you're stuck here? On this planet?"

That was a good sum up of the situation. For more than just laws. Jumba nodded. "Yes, partly because of laws back home, and partly because ship is only useful as Bed and Not Breakfast right now". And that was just his regular situation, and didn't even account for his being stuck in the parks now.

"..Was it worth it?"

Was a rather deep question. Jumba thought about it a moment, though he'd already sort of asked himself the same, so that his nod came rather quickly. "Yes...would be saying it is...have learned about Ohana and have family now. Still miss awesome lab some days, but...", he shrugged. Ultimately, it was worth it.

"Apparently we used to have some sort of gadget that could predict which power he'd use.. but Jack Jack broke it before I could see it happen."

Jumba chuckled a small bit, just fondly as he already liked little Jack-Jack same as his enthused brother. "Is sounding like what my latest creation, 626, um, Stitch, would be doing to anything I tried to make for similar purpose", Though speaking of which!

Jumba blinked at his own almost idea, then shrugged. "If are having blue-prints, or even not, could be seeing if I could be making something similar...". Of course it would require sort of running the baby through still safe tests...he didn't know how Helen would take to that part of the plan, so didn't mention it right away, though if she took him up on his offer he would have to...

[Deleted]

"Yes, partly because of laws back home, and partly because ship is only useful as Bed and Not Breakfast right now".

"Yeah, and living in an aircraft isn't exactly homely," The former pilot mused with a smirk, only imagining what it would be like to live in a plane for days. Sure, the seats could retract back, but not completely flat into a bed. Of course, Helen could easily make due with her elasticity, but that didn't mean that she preferred sleeping in a shape constantly. She was only human. 

"Yes...would be saying it is...have learned about Ohana and have family now. Still miss awesome lab some days, but...",

Helen smiled and took another sip of her coffee. Well, that was nice to know at least that it worked out well for him. "Ohana? What does that mean?" Helen asked with an intrigued smile as a thin, auburn eyebrow cocked over one of her eyes. She was learning a lot about languages after getting to know the Riveras; though she didn't know a lot of Spanish, she liked to learn. Helen half wondered if this word was an alien word or if it was a word in Hawaii.   

"Is sounding like what my latest creation, 626, um, Stitch, would be doing to anything I tried to make for similar purpose"

"Huh.." Helen was mildly amused by the fact that Jumba almost sounded impressed by Jack Jack destroying the gadget. "That's a different reaction than I'm used to.." Most people didn't react kindly to children already being destructive as it was, but Jack-Jack's level of destruction as far different than normal children. Most kids weren't Jack Jack. She was sure that Jumba had no idea just how destructive her little boy could be, though she hadn't met this Stitch yet either. 

Upon hearing Jumba's idea, Helen blinked in surprise that he could actually remake the device! That would really be useful! Her enthusiasm died down though seconds later. If it were any other device to help her solve crimes, she'd be all about it! But she felt like she was burdening him given the large capacity of Jack-Jack's uncontrollable powers, and she wasn't sure she felt comfortable with doing that to someone she just met. "Oh wow, that's really nice of you to offer, Jumba..but I really wouldn't want you to go through the trouble," Helen in her mild mannered alter ego insisted that it was okay not to do it; far different from her impulsive self as Elastigirl. With her southern mannerisms, she had to be humble and amiable about the offer. After all, she really wasn't used to other people helping her when the mother of three was always used to doing things herself. It was hard enough to even agree to her own husband helping with the kids while she would go out to work and she couldn't even say yes to that right away. 

"Besides, I don't have any blueprints.. even if I could always ask Edna.." Helen took a second to pause in thought of considering that, before she shook her head again. "No, really. It's okay. Thanks again for offerin' though. I just don't think I could afford that right now,"  That was the honest truth. She just couldn't afford whatever it was that Jumba needed as payment. Considering that she was almost like a single mom paying for her three children, to the point where she was even looking for cheaper hotels earlier today, there was no way that she could afford such a device - as useful as it was to her right now.   

[Jumba Jookiba]

Helen said living in his spaceship didn't sound Homey, and while she was not wrong, she also had not seen Pleakley's influence and attempts at 'sprucing the place up' when they did decide to let Lilo turn it into a Bed and Not Breakfast...

The Earth Expert had worked wonders...still functioning cannons with radiation shooting abilities aside...and that was Jumba's own fault, he knew, for not properly turning them off.

But then he'd still needed it as his lab at times, and when they didn't have guests; which was often.

Lilo's concept of Ohana and Cousins had been drilled into him, by this point; and even if the alien ex-fugitive (or current fugitive perhaps?) was constantly having to remind himself he was included in that. "Ah, is being Hawaiian word", he explained, "Meaning family, and, as Lilo is saying, Ohana means Family, Family means no-one gets left behind or forgotten". After repeating the family motto, in proper grammar since it was a memorized phrase and all, Jumba gave a small smile, "Not even Jumba and 626, who are both causing fair amount of trouble at times", he chuckled.

"That's a different reaction than I'm used to.."

Jumba chuckled again, "Well, is hard to be surprising me, when, again, have probably made Experiment with one of your little baby's powers somewhere along line".

Helen was concerned that building this tracker would be too much trouble for Jumba. "Would be being no trouble at all", the scientist assured. "Am loving to make gadgets, and loving a challenge!".

He would have to get with this Edna, though, and see her blueprints and where she'd started, then just helping with if she were missing components or perhaps with updating the process. While Jumba was not the best team player (but then he was better than his previous gerbil-like 'partner') he also recognized that he could not just swoop in and completely alter someone else's designs. It was a pride point with Inventors and Scientists, of which he was both.

"And could be paying me in cookies for all am caring", he went on to reassure, as to the cost she was so concerned with. Of course he'd have to keep them from 032 if she did pay him in cookies

[Deleted]

"Ah, is being Hawaiian word. Meaning family, and, as Lilo is saying, Ohana means Family, Family means no-one gets left behind or forgotten."

"Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.." Helen repeated, a tiny, pensive tug of her thin lips as she reflected on her missing husband that had returned back to their home world. No matter how far apart they were, they were still family. Bob would never be forgotten in her heart. They had spent a little more than 15 years together. Nothing could tear them apart, even if she was jealous of that other woman that she punched out. "Thanks for sharing that, Jumba. It means a lot to me," She smiled appreciatively and then tried to work on logging that into her memory. "Ohana," She repeated to make sure she said it correctly, "Huh. I'll have to remember that!" It seemed that both the Hawaiian and even Mexican cultures embraced a lot of family concepts that Helen could appreciate. Family was everything for her, and keeping everyone stable and together was the most important thing for the flexible supermom.

"Well, is hard to be surprising me, when, again, have probably made Experiment with one of your little baby's powers somewhere along line".

Helen considered that for a moment, curious on what powers he must have created. That's right, Fibber had a power of telling the truth. She wondered what powers this Stitch had. "Wow, sounds like you can create all kinds of powers!" She noted insightfully, curious to know how he could just create them from out of air like that. Helen wouldn't even know the origin of their own powers, or why certain parents had them and certain parents didn't. "Sounds a lot more interesting than our "origin story" anyways," Helen rolled her eyes with a wry smile and a shrug, not being able to really tell anything as definitive as Jumba would. Some say that the powers were a combination of the powers that their family had before them, while others would say that it was the effect of ultraviolet light or the use of x-rays during the time period where the dangers of not being protected by X-rays were known. They've all heard of X-ray vision, but never the dangers of the X-ray emissions during that time period. That was all speculation though, nothing could be certain, and not many people ventured to care, really. Helen, for instance, could care less to trace her powers back in her own family, given that her parents were against having powers to begin with. All she cared about was her current family that she had with Bob. 

"Would be being no trouble at all. Am loving to make gadgets, and loving a challenge!".

The stay-at-home mom had to surpress a laugh upon hearing that Jumba would even go as far as accepting cookies as payment. That almost sounded similar to what Bob would've done. All in the name of doing what they loved. "Thanks, but that's too.. generous! I-I really couldn't-" Helen answered with a humble smile often said that a lot when she was given so much without being able to pay back, much like the mansion she was given by Winston, which was ironic given that she often did a lot in her heroic work without expecting to receive any payment back. Suddenly, her brown eyes widened upon noticing Jack Jack's powers erupting, then quickly realized it was because Jumba mentioned the word cookie! In an instant, she was on her feet. "No! Jack Jack!" 

[Deleted]

The human Jumba-looking Jack Jack fully enjoyed being bounced by Jumba, sending a series of giggles upon each bounce that he was given. As he remained on his lap, the polymorphed baby was actually very well behaved, considering. That was mainly because he kept his focus solely up at mommy's blue friend as he remained on his lap. The superpowered boy liked whatever he said that made his mommy smile, which caused him to smile when the blue guy did. He even tried to gurgle a laugh when the blue guy bellowed a laugh, too. He was very perceptive to the blue guy's hand movements as well, attempting to copy the hand gestures as well.

There were no words that Jack Jack tried to imitate though, except a word that did catch his attention was when his mommy said the singular word Ohana, which caused him to look over at his mommy when she said it. It was actually more of confusion than curiosity for the word, given that he wasn't sure if his mommy said it because she wanted him to say it, too. Sometimes mommy and Dash did that to him for him to learn to say new words.

The rest of the stuff that was said? Jack Jack didn't catch a word of understanding. He was able to grasp a sense of how the words were being uttered though, growing more excited upon hearing Jumba's enthusiasm. The blue guy reminded him of his dad or Dash sometimes whenever they got excited like that, especially with the way his mommy was responding to the blue guy with the same tone that she usually had to the both of them.

"And could be paying me in cookies for all am caring"

Cookies. Cookies?! He had cookies all along?! But he wanted cookies! "Ja-Ja! Mumumumummmmm!!" An enthusiastic squeal combined with a whine was uttered by Jack Jack, spurring him to raise his hands up with begging blue eyes at Jumba, before attempting to search for where he was hiding the cookies, beginning with the pockets. When that failed, he sat onto the couch next to Jumba and his mouth began to wobble. In an instant, the morphed Jumba looking being suddenly turning red as he began scrunching up his tiny fists, then began morphing into his demon form!

"No! Jack Jack!"

Just before he could complete such a transformation, his mother standing up to her feet and shouting that suddenly snapped him out of it before any damage could be done. The look that his mommy gave him was enough to make him turn back into a baby. Even Jack Jack knew better than to challenge his mom, who was able to command the entire dinner table at times, even daddy. "Mamamamm.." He whined to his mom instead as he lifted his arms up to be held by her, which obviously worked as he was suddenly back in the soothing embrace of his mommy, who then gave him his bottle. 

[Jumba Jookiba]

Ohana was not meant to be a sad thing, but Jumba also realized how it could be, if it existed for a reason after all. Especially where the two girls of his own family were concerned. It seemed like Aloha also in that way, and with its flip meaning.

"Thanks for sharing that, Jumba. It means a lot to me,"

Jumba nodded. "Was helping me too", he shared, "Coming from where I was top scientist and relying on myself. Am still learning how to...think of others also". As well as fully accept that he was now part of an Ohana.

Helen said it sounded like he could create all kinds of powers. Jumba had never thought of it like that, exactly. He supposed she was right! And the thought did his ego no good at all! "Suppose that is what I am doing, was never thinking of it, since they were always being Experiment's powers".

"Sounds a lot more interesting than our "origin story" anyways,"

"Oh yes, was reading about that in Earth Chronicle of such things!". Even if Jumba knew those comic books Pleakley collected weren't meant as such perhaps, but with real superheros maybe they were! "Is it being true that spiders and such are giving such powers? Personally...having had to find them...well I have been being known to use creatures of home planet but not in that way". It still seemed a bit far-fetched to Jumba.

Of course, he wasn't aware his process would seem the same to others.

Amidst Helen trying to rebuff his offer, the baby, Jack-Jack, babbled and then began frantically searching Jumba's pockets. Perhaps for more ideas on what he could turn into, the scientist pondered, since he was still in his form that copied Jumba's; but that wasn't it, it seemed, as his mouth started to wobble.

Uh oh...he was going to cry...

Jumba prepared to hand him back to Helen, but he changed again, turning into an intriguing almost Monster Form before his mother soothed him.

A good thing, and yet Jumba's scientific curiosity was more than a bit intrigued at what the Monster Form would have looked like, and sad he didn't get to witness it!

In the interest of proving to Helen he didn't just view her baby as an experiment, though, Jumba said nothing. Well nothing on that topic. Instead he grinned almost sheepishly as he watched her rock the baby, "Sorry, am taking it Earth treats are not a good mention in front of him?", he asked.

[Deleted]

"I like you, Jumba," Helen decided bluntly with a smile after hearing his comment about how Ohana was currently helping him think of others also. Acknowledging faults was even hard for her husband to do, though he did eventually do it. "You're very.. genuine!" She could appreciate someone working on being better. The alien certainly had her approval for Dash hanging around him at this point.  

The alien scientist appeared to be intrigued at the thought of creating powers. The mother of three had to smirk in amusement upon hearing 'earth chronicles' though. "Ya mean the newspapers?"  The southern superpowered mother gently asked for clarification. Back in their world, newspapers about superheroes were common, though Bob did have a TV show or even comics that he kept about their heroic adventures that were practically distorted chronicles, or exaggerated stories about their heroic adventures.

"Is it being true that spiders and such are giving such powers? Personally...having had to find them...well I have been being known to use creatures of home planet but not in that way,"

A smirk played on the auburn mother's lips upon hearing a question that she'd heard before during interviews long ago. Interviews on supers were always amusing for Helen, especially the questions on origin stories or even just normalcy - it used to astound them that they actually go to the supermarket when they're not on duty! "Nah, maybe that's just for one super," She remarked casually as she crossed one leg over the other while she sat. "I mean, radioactive spiders? C'mon. I don't think that applies to all supers.." Helen added with a smirk, knowing that all too well that this was the case with their family anyways. No radioactive spiders for them. Radiations from X-rays due to the lack of safety awareness that wouldn't be around until years into the future? That was more possible. Instead of talking about themselves though, the humble heroine decided to make a clever example with a former superhero she knew years ago. "Take the super, Apogee, for example. She had the ability to control gravity, and also wore a solar enhancing membrane suit, which gave her the power to travel by solar-powered levitation. Can't really get that from any kinda spider, insect, or any animal I know," She explained with a shake of her head and a small smirk. No animal on earth had gravity powers or powers from the sun. A sad smile formed on her lips only for a second or two, just reflecting on what Bob said about her being deceased by Syndrome. She was actually one of the most powerful superwomen out there. It was sad that the world lost a lot of great superheroes because of him. 

Jack-Jack appeared to have calmed down in her arms again, finding relief that she managed to distract him from the mention of cookie. She gently caressed her baby's head then down his cheeks to further pacify him. She had first seen his monstrous form before when they were fighting off the mind-controlled supers on the Devors' ship, and even the sight of her baby biting the other bad guys was shocking for her enough to understand that it wasn't something that most people would be prepared for, unknowing just how prepared Jumba probably was given his other experiments. Still, Bob had told her that Jack Jack used to bite him in his monstrous form for even withholding cookies. Even though Jack Jack bit Bob, she wasn't sure just how painful his bites could be, especially if they were capable of chewing through wood or solid ice balls. She certainly didn't want it to get to that point when it came to guests at least; that would go against her southern mannerisms.

"Sorry, am taking it Earth treats are not a good mention in front of him?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. He can get a little.. overstimulated. It's better if we don't," Helen smiled a little apologetically, hoping that wouldn't put him off. "My husband thought it was a good idea to reward him with.. those.." She decided to say instead of mentioning 'cookies' again, "while I was out working, but..yeahh, that didn't work out too well for him.."  She smirked before attending to her baby that she was lightly rocking in her arms. There were better ways to get Jack Jack's attention without cookies, but then again perhaps that was coming from a biased opinion given that Jack Jack seemed to behave best around Helen for the most part. "So you were saying that, aside from genetic experiments, you also design gadgets?" Helen asked, trying to continue the conversation from before. "Like what?" Were they small gadgets? Or was he able to make something as big as transportation objects?

[Jumba Jookiba]

Jumba had always been good about putting on the facade of Belonging and Being Liked not mattering to him, or turned the last one into wanting his achievements recognized. Something that was true of him, but the concept of Ohana was a nice one and something as simple as Helen saying she genuinely liked him, even with all the crimes still on his record (that yes she didn't know of fully) meant a lot and since she didn't have to like him and all.

He gave a shy chuckle, genuine...his crimes just kept leaking out. Either-way. "Yes, is sort of scary, the...opening up, but Little Girl was helping and even other kids like your son too".

"Yes, the paper of news that is being it", Jumba still said it wrong, but it was partly just his personal way more than not knowing all of the earth words.

Apparently spiders were not the key to super powers, or not on Earth. That was sort of good for Earth, because Jumba didn't need that kind of temptation, and it had been why he'd asked. He listened in interested as Helen explained more about her super powered friends. And here he had thought earthlings wouldn't be able to handle that kind of power themselves, similar to what his own creations had.

Of course he should have known better from Lilo being able to handle the experiments.

Humans were surprising.

"Can't really get that from any kinda spider, insect, or any animal I know"

"Hmm...so earth spiders would have to be modified...", Jumba mused, then realized this probably sounded like an idea. "Er, hypothetically".

Jumba wasn't really surprised cookies had such an effect, they were a very tasty earth snack.

He was being good, but gadgets were something he could show off...well if they were at his place. "Oh yes, using alien know-how on earth products and producing...well whatever is needed. Everything from turning that bowl with holes in it into hair-washer or creating little play hover-car for niece. Back home was mostly things to keep track of my creations or help little girl with...calming them". He had almost said turn good, but didn't want to undo Helen liking him and finding him genuine.

Which telling the truth would have been, but there were limits to what Jumba could get himself to admit.