Writer's Note: Pitbullady, I know that Bob's last name was Parr at that time, but I needed it to be different, for reasons you will read in this chapter. That and I thought it would be a little something that only the owners of the DVD would get (watch the deleted scenes on the special features disk, the alternate opening, that will help explain). About me writing putting in more detail, I'm currently writing three Incredibles fanfics, so I'm trying to go as deep into them as possible, sorry!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Incredibles. Leave me alone.
Syndrome sat on the bed in the spare room of Ms. Robinson. He had always thought that she was a little weird, but now he knew it. She had let a complete stranger into her house, simply because he wanted to rent her spare room. She hadn't asked any questions about who he was, where he came from, or why he had arrived on her doorstep with the neighbors little boy.
He looked up as he saw he shuffle into the room, her glasses magnifying the size of her eyes to three times their actual size. She smiled at him then continued to go around the room, dusting the furniture. He paid no attention to her; this was her house after all. He had no right to tell her to get out, as much as he wanted to.
"Dinner's almost ready young man, if you want to come down and eat. It's so nice to have someone in this old house again. Ever since Earl died, it's been too empty for my liking." She said, looking at Syndrome happily. He realized that she was going to ask his name, and he started racking his mind of names he knew.
"What's your name? I didn't catch it when you came in." She asked, smiling sweetly.
"Umm… Dash. Dash Parr." He said, saying the first name that came to his mind. He thought it was funny it was the name of one of the people he was trying to wipe out of existence.
"That's a nice name. Well, I'll leave you alone. I'll call when dinner's ready." She smiled, leaving the room and going down the stairs. He couldn't believe that someone could smile so much, it was practically all she had done while in the room.
Syndrome went into his pocket, pulling out a picture of a young girl. It was a girl that he had adopted, but had never met. Mirage had made him do it, to make his company look good. He paid for her clothes, food, and house. But he had never gotten around to meeting her. She was sixteen years old, and possibly the luckiest girl on earth. She had sent him tons of letters, but only gotten a few in return. He felt guilty about it now; he should have probably gone and at least met her, now he'd never be able to. What was her name? Jessica Greene! That was it! She lived somewhere in Canada, where she was born.
A thought struck him, if she was sixteen, then she was alive right now, she'd be one! He could go and meet her, before she would even remember him! He threw that thought out of his mind quickly. He only had the money in his pocket, and he didn't want to run out. Then what would he do? Go and build things? No, that would be too conspicuous. Maybe fix things, make them better. That could work. And he wouldn't be drawing too much attention to himself. That was always a good thing.
He stood up and started down the stairs when Ms. Robinson called to him that dinner was done. He rolled his eyes, he didn't want to stay, and he had things to do. But he turned down the hallway and went into the kitchen to do what he was told. He might need to stay here for a while, and he didn't want to get kicked out.
Buddy sat at the dinner table, across from his mom, and beside his dad and older brother William. They ate quietly, not wanting to be the one to strike up the conversation. It was one of the reason's Buddy dreaded family dinners.
"Who was that man you were with earlier?" His dad asked, looking up from his spaghetti.
"No one, he's new around here and didn't have a place to stay. So I brought him up to Ms. Robertson's house, she had a spare room for rent." Buddy replied quickly. He had thought of saying that he was himself fifteen years in the future, but knew he'd be grounded for lying.
"That was nice of you. I'm glad to see you've given up on Mr. Incredible." His mom said, trying to keep the conversation going. Buddy didn't know what to say, so he just kept quiet and continued to eat his supper.
"Didn't you know? Because of dear little Incrediboy's actions, the supers are going to have to go into hiding." William sneered. Buddy glared at him, wishing he could do something. He started thinking of way's to get back at William, and the perfect plan came into his mind. He smiled, knowing that he might not be able to do anything now, but if he was fifteen years older…
"It isn't my fault and you know it." Buddy said happily, confusing his brother.
"If you hadn't of gone around following Mr. Incredible, none of this would have happened." William said, trying to beat his brother's good mood.
"It would have happened, you couldn't change what's supposed to happen." Buddy said. He had promised to keep the secret, but it could win him the argument.
"It wouldn't have happened, the supers would still be free to roam the cities!" William said, storming out of the room. Buddy wondered what he had done, but quickly shrugged it off. If Will wanted to be mad at him, fine and dandy with him. That was one less person he had to worry about finding out.
Finishing his spaghetti, he excused himself from the table and went up to his room to think. He was really tall in the future, and muscular. He wondered why, had he started to work out? How had he gone back in time? Had he gone through a time machine? All very good questions, he'd have to ask tomorrow.
Why wait though? Why not simply go now? Looking at the clock, he found it was past his curfew. Stupid curfew, he couldn't wait to be rid of it like William. That wouldn't happen for another few years though. Stupid parents, who needed them? He didn't. He could simply be literally raised by himself. That would be interesting.
"Why not? If I don't like them now, I've got to despise them fifteen years later." He said to himself, getting up and peering around the door. His parents were still in the kitchen, talking. William was most likely out with his friends, so why not? They wouldn't notice if he was gone for a little while, would they?
He grabbed his backpack from beside his door and emptied it of his old school things. He put in an extra set of underwear, pants, and a shirt. He put in what should have been his superhero outfit, had Mr. Incredible let him join him. Maybe in the future he knew how to sew better, you never knew. He threw in a few more odds and ends that meant something to him, along with the only Mr. Incredible doll he had kept just in case the stuff was actually worth something some day, and opened his window. He had his rocket boots on already; he wore them everywhere he could.
He blasted off into Ms. Robinson's front yard, landing in front of the door. He knocked lightly, hoping she wasn't asleep.
When there was a knock at the door, Ms. Robinson sighed, getting up shakily. Syndrome looked at her, hoping he never became like that. Not sure if it was the right thing to do, he told her to sit back down, he would get the door.
Walking down the hallway, as he had many times before in his childhood during the summer when Ms. Robinson would invite him in for cookies, he opened the door. Only to find himself.
"What are you doing here?" He asked quietly.
"Um, I live next door. Duh. Why don't you know why I'm here, we are the same person." The kid said, coming in and shutting the door. Syndrome wondered if he had actually been that rude when he was a kid. No wonder Incredible hadn't let him join up, he couldn't even stand himself!
"FYI, when I was your age I didn't meet myself." Syndrome said. "I'll be back in a minute Ms. Robinson!" He shouted. The last thing he needed was the old lady figuring things out on her own.
"Okay, don't take too long, you don't want your food to get cold!" She said back.
"You're eating her food?" The kid said, with his eyebrow raised.
"Yes. It's actually pretty good. She can cook more than just cookies believe it or not." Syndrome replied, leading him up to his room. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"You shouldn't swear." The kid said, following. "But anyways, I don't want to live at home anymore. I can live with you! Please?" The kid begged. "I have all my important stuff, I can help you too!" Syndrome didn't know what to say. Letting the kid stay with him was probably a bad idea, but he could use some help. Syndrome didn't know what to say. It would be awesome raising him, but then what would it do to him? What would it do to his future; he had to think of those things. Well, he couldn't do much more without risking changing the time stream. Plus, if he remembered his parents, they wouldn't be too happy with him simply disappearing, though William probably wouldn't mind. He looked at the kid sympathetically, knowing exactly what he was going through.
"First things first, I'll swear all I want. Second, we probably shouldn't even be talking; us simply meeting screwed up the time stream. Third, if you haven't noticed, I'm a little short on cash and places to live." Syndrome said, pointing out the most obvious parts.
"What about that island you were talking about?" The kid pointed out. Syndrome tried to think of what Nomanisan was before he had bought it. It was something to do with the government if he remembered correctly. That didn't mean that was what it was in the first place…
"Where are you going?" Buddy asked, standing up as Syndrome went to leave.
"An old friend." Syndrome said, opening the door.
"Can I come? If he's your friend, then technically he's my friend too." Buddy said, going to follow Syndrome. Syndrome couldn't think of anything to counter this. The kid was right, which wasn't surprising.
"Fine. But don't make any noise, this guy's very jumpy." Syndrome said, not caring. This guy was, or would be very soon, an old friend. He was the only guy Syndrome trusted remotely with anything important, aside from Mirage. But she didn't count anymore seeing as she was currently nine or ten years old.
The kid smiled, running down the stairs. Ms. Robinson was standing at the door, talking with Buddy's parents. They smiled when they saw him, and Syndrome started to panic before he remembered that they weren't his parents anymore, they were the kids.
"Buddy, there you are! We were getting worried about you when we found out that you had run away. Who's this?" Mrs. Pine asked, looking at Syndrome.
"My name's Dash Parr. Buddy's the one who told me about Ms. Robinson's room for rent, so he just came over to see how I was doing I guess." Syndrome said, telling them the name he had told Ms. Robinson. He couldn't say his name was Buddy Pine, because then there'd be all kinds of weird questions.
"He hasn't been any trouble has he?" Mr. Pine asked, looking at Buddy accusingly. Syndrome remembered that look all too well.
"Oh, no. None at all! He had just offered to show me the neighborhood, so that I won't get lost looking for the shopping center." Syndrome said, trying to think of answers quickly, anything to keep the kid out of trouble. That was the last thing he wanted to do.
"Oh, okay. Buddy, you know the rule. Be back by ten." Mr. Pine said, pointing his index finger at Buddy. Syndrome sighed silently, glad to be out of that situation, and that the kid hadn't tried to help. Syndrome followed them out of the house, saying goodbye to Ms. Robinson.