AN: A word of caution: this chapter is extremely dialogue-heavy, and doesn't contain a lot of actual "action," per se.
Welcome back to It's Always Sunny for our last fanfiction installment for now. You see, while I'd normally keep this going, the first fanfiction I ever read was nine chapters long, and the first one I ever wrote was similarly nine chapters. So was the first (only, so far) multi-chaptered fanfic I ever finished writing. So I have quite the affinity for nine-chapter fanfics. I decided to continue that legacy here. I plan on making another fanfiction compilation after this one (one that will, guaranteed, contain a sequel to There's A Good Reason)... but for now, I regret to say we're at the curtain's close. I hope you enjoyed the ride.
Disclaimer: Still don't own The Incredibles. Also, I don't own any songs referenced in here, which belong to their respective owners.
Closing Time
Metroville High School Promenade. Saturday, April 21. 10:19 pm.
Violet was not standing for this a second longer.
No longer would she tolerate the glances at other girls. No more of the seconds spent at the table with her before moving out onto the dance floor again and grinding with some girl he barely knew to distasteful music that was a direct assault on the eardrums.
No, Violet Parr, Peoplewatching Wallflower, was absolutely done with Tony Rydinger, Flirt. Maybe a girl wearing a dress too short for a formal affair like Laura or someone who wasn't into commitment like Carmen could tolerate his attitude toward this more. But the invisible girl, sipping her punch on the sidelines, was absolutely and positively done with this boy who seemed more interested in any other girl.
"Tony?" she called out at the end of the blaring song, which had sounded like someone attempting to rap whilst being repeatedly hit in the head with a piano. The brunette waved at the girl he had just been "dancing" with, and turned toward Violet. "Yeah?"
"First off- who was that?"
"Ah, nobody. Doesn't matter. Just a friend." He leaned in to kiss Violet on the cheek, but she backhanded him before he got the opportunity. "No she isn't. Unless you decide to dance that way with everyone around you."
"Hey, I asked if you wanted-"
"It's disgusting, Tony. And your tendency to totally leave me in the dust is just so..."
"Baby, it's-"
"Don't call me that! I- I can't deal with you blowing me off to hang out with other girls anymore. You know how busy I am, and every time I get a free spot open you're at some other girl's house! Tony, I can't do this anymore."
"What?"
"You don't seem to realize the world doesn't revolve around you. You are not a god that everyone must bow down and worship! You couldn't have any girl in the school that you wanted, you know!"
"I got you."
"I thought you were nice. That was three years ago. I can't believe we've been dating this long and it took me until now to realize what you're really like."
"You sound like you want to break up with me."
"Oh, you THINK?" Violet shouted, almost above the music. "We're done, Rydinger. Go grind with some other girl you hardly know. I'm out of here."
Tony shrugged. "Have fun walking home, then."
"I WILL!" she screamed back at him as he walked away. The glass of punch dented under her steadily clenching fingers, and she knew that if she didn't continue along this angry line of thought, she was headed for a breakdown and fast.
Luckily for her, a few guitar chords from the next song gave her a villain-worthy smirk as it dawned on her what song this was. Poetic justice was on its way, and with perfect timing to boot. Granted, she'd requested the song earlier and it was one of the most popular the year prior, making it more likely to get on the list... She whispered the lyrics under her breath as she devised a plan.
"Right now, he's probably slow-dancing with a bleach-blonde tramp, and she's probably getting frisky. Right now..." She picked up another glass of punch. "He's probably buying her some fruity little drink 'cause she can't shoot whiskey. Right now, he's probably up behind her with a pool stick showing her how to shoot a combo... and he don't know..." Her Edna-designed dress became invisible with her in a silent wave flowing up her form, leaving only a floating glass of punch going straight toward Tony Rydinger.
"That I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four wheel drive, carved my name into his leather seats... took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, slashed a hole in all four tires..." Violet, knowing she would never have the guts to do any of those things, stood next to Tony for a few seconds before dumping the punch on him and his overly-expensive rented tuxedo to the line, "Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats."
The punch cup dropped as Violet, still invisible, sped out of the crowd. She came back into view once out of the compacted group of people, who were all staring at Tony's white shirt/black vest combo mysteriously doused with a fruity reddish pink. She scooped up her few belongings, stuffed everything into her purse, picked up her ruffled lavender dress, and hightailed it out of Prom.
Once in the cool night air, Violet felt her elated, successful feeling draining away faster than you can say "tropical fruit drink." She sat down on the bench outside the school, panting and on the verge of a total breakdown. She was single. She was alone. She was going to have to either walk home, or call her mom at an ungodly hour and get her to pick her up. And all the money wasted for After Prom... that was supposed to be fun. She could have been entertained. But here she was, sitting outside in the breezy cold night, the light pollution making the stars dim by comparison.
"Is this seat taken?" The superheroine looked up at the origin of the voice, a redhead tapping his fingers on the side of the bench. He looked a bit too formally dressed to just be taking a walk, but with his rolled-up sleeves and slightly loose tie, he couldn't be a late student. That, and he was probably too old, looking to be about twenty-six or so. He was eerily familiar, though she couldn't place where she'd seen him before.
"Uh. No?" she replied, not sure what to say. She quickly wiped her face, making sure to stop any tears before they smeared her makeup and made her mascara run. The hero scooted over a little, and the man sat down.
"So what are you doing here? You look like you should be in there." He frowned, his bright blue eyes inquisitive as he asked his question.
"I picked the wrong guy to date," she said bluntly. "He was grinding with a bunch of other girls and I got sick of it, so I dumped him. And now here I am."
"Good for you. I've had some experience with that in the past, as well."
"Really?" Violet seemed intrigued. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you're... pretty good looking. Why would someone do that?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I'm pretty well-off, and I'm smart, and the guy she left me for was... a brute, to be polite," he grumbled. Obviously this was a touchy topic, and Violet reminded herself not to go back into it.
"Hey... do I know you? You really look familiar." She studied his face for a few moments. A few people came to mind, but none were quite right. Except one, but he was dead, so that was out.
"Maybe. It depends on who you are."
She choked on her words. "Violet. Violet Parr."
The man's eyes widened. "Really." He shook his head for a moment. "You've grown."
"I- what?"
"I'm sorry, I last met you a... a few years ago. I'm sure you don't remember me."
"I don't forget faces easily."
He winced. "Then mine is probably the last one you wanted to see. I'm sorry, but I... I need to go." He stood, glancing painfully at Violet before turning away.
"No, wait! Who are you? Why were you here?" But the man didn't stop. He started to walk back toward the parking lot.
"Hey!" She ran after him, nearly tripping on her heels, her elegant purple gown flowing behind her. "Get back here!" He didn't turn around, so she took it upon herself to focus for a moment, clear her head... and created a forcefield right where he was about to step, causing him to hit it without even a pause. He was knocked onto his back, and she rushed up to him.
"Who are you?" Violet demanded, glaring down at him.
"You don't want to know. I can promise that."
"I'd rather live with regrets than have to deal with never knowing."
"Curiosity killed the cat, you know."
"But determination brought it back."
"If I tell you, will you let me leave?"
"Depends on who you are."
He gulped. "If I were a person of... less than reputable morals."
"If you were a villain?" She paused. "I guess so. I'm not exactly in fighting attire, besides."
"I'm... I'm Buddy Pine."
Violet stared at him. "No. You can't be. He... you're dead."
"I beg to differ. I've got the scars to prove it, if you wanted to see them. Will you let me go now?"
"No. We were having a decent conversation. And you didn't try to kill me when you found out who I was. So I'm... intrigued, to say the least."
"You have no sense of self-preservation."
"Oh, I beg to differ. I have defenses. I think I could defeat you, if I needed to."
"Your dad couldn't."
"Yeah, well I'm not my dad, okay?"
"Obviously." Buddy glanced at her. "Can I get up now?"
"No."
"Fair enough. What do you want to talk about?"
"I don't know. You seem to know an awful lot about betrayal."
"Ain't that the truth. Excuse my grammar."
Violet giggled. "I've never heard anyone say that after using 'ain't.'"
"I don't want to come off as an idiot. I consider myself to be pretty intelligent, after all."
"You are rather smart. You just lack common sense."
"Why do they call it that? It's really not that common."
"Very true." She paused for a minute. "Why are you out here, anyway?"
Buddy looked straight up at the sky and cursed under his breath. "I was looking for someone."
"What kind of someone?"
"What kind of someone do you think?"
"I don't know. I'm not a genius."
"You are quite intelligent." He stopped.
"You didn't answer the question."
"I know."
"So answer it!"
"I... I went here to get revenge. But you caught me by surprise."
"What?"
"I do have good in my heart, you know. I couldn't corrupt something so... pure. So beautiful."
"Did you just call me beautiful?"
Buddy turned red and averted his gaze. "Not what I meant."
"It is what you meant!"
"No, it isn't. Do you have a ride home?" he interrupted himself. "I mean, since you don't have your boyfriend. Unless you drove."
"He did." Violet sighed. "No, I'm stuck walking home."
"If you want, I can drive you there."
"You expect me to trust you?"
He pulled up one of the legs of his slacks a little, revealing a silver, subtly blinking anklet. "NSA property."
"You said you were coming here for revenge."
"I was planning on just being charming so you would willingly come with me somewhere."
"You're still trying."
"Well it's not like I have another option. Nor do you."
"I can walk."
"Your house is three miles from here."
"I was going to go to After Prom!"
"Which is still a mile to walk. In heels."
Violet contemplated her situation. "You can pay at the door, you know."
"Are you-"
"It's just to make Tony jealous, okay? And because they have a hypnotist. And I plan on volunteering you. If you're willing, of course."
"Do they let people who haven't been in high school for eight years into there?"
"There was a girl who brought a guy fifteen years older than her last year. I think you should be fine. You look young, anyway."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Good, because it was one. You can stand up now."
"I don't know, I've gotten pretty comfortable down here," he replied, sarcasm apparent in his voice.
"So you're going to take me to After Prom."
"I have nothing else to do."
"It doesn't start for three hours."
"We can go get something to eat. Or we can just sit and talk."
"You know," Violet said, pondering it for a moment, "I'd like that."
The sound of the doors shutting echoed across the otherwise soulless parking lot, reverberating into the night. There was only thought in Violet's mind- I know who I want to take me home.
And somewhere, a song played out the saga that was about to begin.
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
~fin~
