Chapter 2

People just do not understand what it feels like to be… special.

There's a certain nickname to it, this nickname is "Super". But not everyone is special not everyone is super.

It's a gift.

Some may even say it's a curse.

To be super means you will have to have higher standards. You have to force yourself to be strong and to not be tempted to corrupt your gift. It's a fragile system that could break by the tiniest slip up. When one happens to abuse his or her gift something happens… Something that is nearly impossible to undo.

Darkness starts to surround the inner heart. Corruption begins to plant a seed of bitterness. Selfishness becomes the only goal, the only thing that matters. Greed starts to starve the soul. And before you know it Death will be the only thing that surrounds you…

Define Super. Is it supernatural powers or is it something simpler… like desiring to help others? Could it be the hopeful desire to be different… to be unique?

Look at Batman. He wasn't super. But he WAS special. He strived to keep justice and wouldn't allow crime to flourish. But he didn't do this alone. He had Robin, a trustworthy crime fighting sidekick. Sure Batman had other characters that helped but Robin was his right hand man.

I would grow up amazed by Batman and Robin. How they would overcome crime and defend justice… even though they weren't super. They had no powers just their physical and intellectual strengths. That's what I wanted. I wanted to be like them.

I wasn't anywhere near super… but I was special. I knew I was. I knew I was like Robin… the sidekick that strived to please his hero. My hero was the only person I wanted to be like. He saved hundreds. He was honored.

My Hero, Mr. Incredible, was like no other super. He was tremendously strong, he could handle pain, and above all he wanted justice. Over the years I studied how he acted. What he stood and fought for. I believed in what he fought for. In fact, I strived to discover how I could become more like him, even despite the fact that I wasn't… super.

That night… the night that changed my life, was the night that I realized that even heroes had a dark side.

"Fly home, Buddy. I work alone".

Imagine… Batman telling Robin that he wasn't needed… That HE worked alone.
That night I wasn't just surrounded by darkness, rather I invited it. I embraced it. The image of Mr. "Incredible" grew more and more corrupted in my mind. The bitterness consumed me. I strived off of it. Improving myself… my mind… my creations… everything changed. If Mr. Incredible wouldn't allow me to use my talents for the good of mankind, then I would use my gifts for myself. I didn't need him. I didn't need to be super. I only needed my own strength. I'll kill as many supers as I need in order to prove to myself… to prove to HIM that I am super. That I am special.

That I, Buddy Pine, do not need anyone.

The cold air felt like a knife going through Syndromes back. He glanced at himself in the mirror and sighed. It's been around 19 years since that night. Yet the nightmares still seem to plague him. His piercing blue eyes went up and down in the mirror. Scars covered his body. Buddy grabbed his left shoulder and felt nothing. He put a fresh T-Shirt on and with his jacket and headed out the door.

It has been around 4 years since the actual accident. He lost everything. His money, his weapons, his empire… all lost within a week. Forget about all of that. The only thing he would never recover from was losing his pride… looking like a weak fool in front of him. He had Mr. Incredible's life in his hands… yet he wasted time letting greed get in the way. Buddy could get the money back, recreate weapons and even build a new empire… but once again he looked like a childish fool in front of the very man he strived to prove wrong.

Now all Buddy could do was recover from it. He needed to remain in hiding until he could get back in contact with his previous clients. It would be too much of a risk to return to that life without the resources. After all, the Super Agency would be down his neck right when he attempts to move. He was almost ready to go back in business though. All he needed was a few more weeks, and then even the "Super" Agency wouldn't be able to catch him.

Buddy pulled on his jacket. You could hear thunder as he walked in the trendy little coffee shop. He ordered coffee and sat down with his laptop. He felt like a bird in a cage. He was ready to break out of hiding. Lifting his eyes from his laptop he lazily glanced around the shop. Strangers. He was always surrounded by strangers.

It seemed like years since he last was able to enjoy a conversation with another person. Images of a tall slender white haired woman plagued his mind. Her voice, Her eyes, Her touch…

Buddy slammed his fist on the table and put his head in his hands. Words couldn't describe how he felt. Mirage was the only woman who seemed to be interested in what he enjoyed. She was attracted to power and Buddy was that power. Until the very man who he strived to destroy, took what he loved. The pain and emptiness he felt was suffocating.

Buddy closed his eyes and took a drink from his coffee. He wanted to turn his mind of, to stop thinking of the past... Of the pain. He glanced around the room once more. His eyes made it out side through the window to see rain drops falling. The trees blew swiftly in the wind. He watched as strangers discussed trivial topics. Some people looked so joyful while others were full of concern. He couldn't help but wonder what they were so joyful about or why some were so bothered. He imagined what it was like to go day to day discussing small maters and living… normal.

Buddy sighed and stood up. He decided to buy the local paper and get a refill for his coffee. He made his way back to his seat and scanned the first page. He noticed a few "super" announcements of typical supers saving the day and his eyes than rolled across a certain image.

He took the whole image in… In big bold letters was "The Incredible Team". His eyes focused on each face. Of a blonde haired boy slightly blurred due to the fact that he didn't stay still long enough to get a full image, then a tall middle aged woman with her limbs stretched across grabbing one of the villains. Further down in the image was a younger woman with long black hair protecting innocent civilians and then his eyes focused intensely on the face that's haunted him since he was a boy. Mr. Incredible. He couldn't help but think of how ironic is was that the man who worked alone now had his whole family fighting with him. Buddy stopped and wondered how different things would have been if he was able to…

*SLAM*

Buddy's eyes darted up to see a woman visibly startled. Obviously the coffee shop door slammed when she walked in due to the wind. She made her way to the register. Buddy tried to calm his now frantically pounding heart and turned his attention back to the newspaper.

He continued reading as the rain kept falling.