Sometimes I wish I could save you
And there're so many things that I want you to know
I won't give up till it's over
If it takes you forever I want you to know
- Save you, Simple Plan
Buddy and Alfred were exhausted. It was a long day, but as they both stared at what they had been spending time with, smiles spread across their faces. "It looks absolutely amazing, Buddy." Alfred said as he wiped the sweat off his face and took off his dirty gloves.
Buddy grinned and stared at his latest invention. This time it's not for NSA. It's for himself. Infront of him stood a large armor-like suit.
"Damn, you're like a real life Tony Stark." Alfred laughed.
"Well, Tony Stark with frozen bank accounts." he chuckled before moving towards the armor.
"Wanna test it?" Alfred asked.
"Are you kidding? Of course." he said.
Violet was walking to the library when Shawn saw her. He passed a note to her palm without even saying a word. Strange.
As soon as Violet was sitting on the library, she opened the folded note.
"General Assembly. This Friday. 6:00 p.m. Don't tell anyone."
Violet stared at the note and looked around. She was alone... well, except for the librarian.
She folded the note and hid it inside her bag.
"Hey!" Violet jumped in surprise. It was Jonah.
"J-Jonah, what're you doing here?" she exclaimed. Did he see her note?
Jonah grabbed a seat beside her and smiled. "I was looking for 'Stories of Golden Ages', I have a homework." he smiled, cheekbones appearing on his face. "You look pale, did something happen?"
Violet touched her face and shook her head. "N-no. I'm fine. I was just... surprised." she nervously chuckled.
"Sorry about that then." Jonah said. "You're not avoiding me, are you?"
"No! Of course not." she answered.
"Shhhh!" the library shushed both of them. Both of them tried to hide.
"I'm sure you're not doing that on purpose." Jonah said in a low tone.
"I'm sorry. I'm just busy... nowadays." Violet replied. Jonah grabbed her hand and dropped his book.
"Come with me." he said. "I'll show you something."
"Wait, Jonah!"
"How's it going, Alfred?"
Alfred stared at the holographic monitor with a satisfied grin on his face. "You're doing really good. But you do know I won't always be there for you. You need to have something like Jarvis." he said as he pushed the buttons to stabilize his flight pattern.
"Already done with that, Alfred. Do you think I'm that stupid?" Buddy grinned. He was flying around... like a super.
"Careful with the altitude, Bud." Alfred reminded. His armor has a bulletproof glass and resembles those helmets that were worn by motorcycle riders. The armor's color was silver.
"Wait, you said you already programmed an artificial intelligence that could assist you?" Alfred asked. Buddy soared through the sky.
"Yeah. Yeah, I did." he said. "But it's currently back at my mansion."
"At NOMANISAN?"
"No, dork. At Municiberg." he said. "NSA had it on hold but they said they'll let me have the mansion soon."
"Can't you connect with the AI from here?"
"I think I can... just give me some time." Buddy said. "Okay, I'll go down now." He said as he boosted back to Alfred's place.
M.E.T.I.S.
"Metis?" Alfred asked as the logo appeared on the screen.
"Titaness of wisdom." Buddy explained. Alfred stared at him in confusion. "Greek mythology, man?"
"Oh. Sorry." he replied.
Buddy put his thumb on the scanner. "Thumbprint identification." a female electronic voice said. "Welcome Buddy Pine."
"And we're online." he said proudly. "Alfred, meet Metis."
"Hello, sir." the female voice said.
"Wow. You're really a smart kid, Bud." Alfred smiled.
"I'll just have to run the specifications of the armor to her settings." Buddy said.
"Voice identification. Alfred Robbins." Metis said.
"Wow. She knows me?" Alfred asked.
"I research identity for security purposes." she replied.
"She's doing that while she's running specifications. A great multi-tasker." Buddy smirked.
"Thank you, sir." Metis replied.
"Are you sure Prof. Gallen would approve this?" Alfred asked.
Buddy stared at the buttons for a long time. He wanted to be a hero. He wanted to show everyone that he can change. That he can save anybody.
"I'm pretty sure he'd consider it." Buddy said.
"Jonah! Where are we going?" Violet asked as she tried to keep up with him. Jonah was grinning widely as they approach the news bulletin.
"Here." he said.
"The news bulletin?" she asked.
"Pay attention, Vi." he said before turning her head to the highest paper that was posted.
"Annual Supers Games?" she asked.
"Yes. Every year the school creates games that would help the students polish their powers. It's a competition. Y'know, like football and basketball?" he said. "Only this time, it's with powers."
"Cool." Violet said.
"I'm going to join the Games, Vi? How about you?" Jonah smiled and shoved his hands in his pocket. "I mean I'd be happy to play with you... Or you can just watch me play on the field?"
"I'll think about it, Jonah." Violet replied.
Violet's phone rang and she turned to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Violet." It was Buddy. "Can you come over Alfred's place after your school? I'm going to show you something."
"Buddy. I-"
"I'll meet you up there."
"Buddy, no-"
"24th street North Park. Bye."
"Buddy!" she almost screamed. Oh, Pine, I will kill you.
"Everything alright, Vi?" Jonah asked.
"Huh, yeah? Of course. Everything's perfectly fine." she answered. The school bell rang which made both of them turn to it's direction.
"Class will start now. I need to go, talk to you later. Bye!" Violet said as she ran towards the Main Hall.
After school, Buddy meet up Violet at the corner of the street. She was furious.
"I should be doing homework right now, Buddy." she muttered. "This better be good."
"Oh, babe. I promise this is something good." he said as he opened Alfred's garage, giving her the sight of the suit that he and Alfred made.
Violet stared at it. It was silver and has black linings on the side.
"Are you planning on being a power ranger?" she laughed.
"Very funny. No." Buddy replied.
Then suddenly Buddy noticed the concerned look at Violet's eyes. And it was as if he already read her thoughts.
"It's not.. It's not for any bad plans, Vi. I created the suit... to help people." he said.
"But the last time you tried that plan, did you remember what you become?" she asked. "You became the villain, Buddy. Maybe being a super doesn't suit you at all."
"Yes, Violet. It doesn't, that's why I'm not trying to be a super. I'm trying to be a hero! Those are two different things!" he argued.
"Buddy. I know you want to be good. I know you want to help people but I'm just trying to protect-"
"Protect me, Vi? Violet, I'm not a damn child anymore! I want this. I will do this!"
"Buddy. I'm protecting you from yourself! Buddy, I don't want you to go back to being Syndrome anymore!"
"Violet, that was the past! Can you just forget about it and be happy for what I'm doing right now?!"
"That's what scares me most! You're my friend and the last thing I wanted is to see you happy on something that'll destroy you!" she shouted.
Alfred's footstep somehow stopped the tension between them.
"Did I... interrupt something?" he asked.
"You know... I'm really sorry for disturbing you. You can do your homework now." Buddy said as he motioned towards Alfred's house.
"Buddy!" Violet called. But he was already gone. Alfred saw Violet's reaction. She's confused, angry and hurt.
"Violet..." Alfred walked towards her but she ran away. She ran away... She kept running and running.
Violet and Buddy didn't talk... for days. Buddy was always in his room while Violet was busy practicing at school and usually comes home late.
Coach Jones found Violet practicing on the chamber with the artificial intelligence. She was alone.
Coach watched as Violet puts down her opponent many times until she decided to stop and get out of the chamber.
As she walked back up, she saw Coach Jones offers his hand.
"What are you doing in the chamber room, Violet? School hours are almost over." he asked.
Violet exhaled and didn't answer.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing, coach." she replied as she took off her ponytail and let her hair fall down.
Coach Jones stared at Violet and looked at his hands. "Y'know. You reminded me of your mother... a lot." he said. "She's fearless... fierce. She's a fighter."
Violet smiled at the thought.
"Violet, I'm concerned." he said.
"Of what, coach?"
"Your mother turned out to be a great hero." he said. "And I'm pretty sure you'd be like her too... when you graduate here."
"And?"
"I'm saying that... the last time I saw someone beat a person like that... After few years, they became my enemy." he said. "I don't want to waste another great super and let her become a villain."
Violet knew what he was saying. She was being carried away too much by her anger. It will destroy her.
"Don't worry, coach. I won't be that person." she said as she walked away.
The night of the assembly begins. Almost every Elite were there. Seniors. Juniors. Everyone.
Cara stood infront of all of them. She was still wearing that emotionless face. Violet thought.
"Tonight is a very big night." she said. "We are the future's justice proclaimer. We are the new generation of heroes. We all know what it's like losing someone important to us. What it's like seeing people hurt. What it's like to feel pain and suffering because of selfish people. We know pain."
Violet felt a draining feeling inside her. She looked around her. Then her eyes widened. She knew what was happening.
"Our parents were the supers of the Golden Ages. Most of them died at the hands of the villains. Villains who don't have any conscience. Villains who will destroy us and everyone else." Cara continued.
The crowd started murmuring to each other.
"What's happening, Violet?" Antonette asked.
"I don't know, Ann. But I have a feeling this isn't good." she replied.
"Most of us were orphaned... left with no family because of their selfishness. Psychopaths." Cara said. "Tomorrow, we will bring justice."
Violet's lips slowly opened. No.
"No more villains. No more bad guys. We will get the justice we deserve!" she shouted.
Violet looked around. Stormicide's daughter. Phylange's son. Universal Man's son. Macroburst's daughter.
Everyone in this room... Every kid's parents here... were killed... by Syndrome. Violet's eyes shook.
"Tomorrow we'll attack the reform program. A program that NSA built... an imaginary vision. Villains can't change. They won't. The only solution we can do... is to kill them all." Cara smirked. "Brothers and sisters, tomorrow we'll revenge our parents. Our friends. Our co-supers who died in their hands. They'll taste the wrath of Elites. Justice before mercy!"
"Justice before mercy!"
Violet's stomach turned. She won't be part of this. No.
After the announcement, Violet came bursting to Cara's 'office'.
"Cara. You need to stop this." she said. Antonette was right behind her.
Cara turned to her.
"What is it, Parr?" she asked.
"This whole plan. It's not... heroic.." she said. Cara's eyebrows furrowed as she crossed her arms.
"Are you suggesting we stop what we are going to do with the reform program?" she asked.
"Yes, Cara. It's not right. We're supers. We are heroes not... not like them."
"Yes, we're not like them that's why we'll destroy them." she said.
"This isn't justice, Cara. This is revenge." Violet said.
"What do you know about justice? What do you know about pain? You're lucky your father didn't die on Syndrome's hands. You're lucky you didn't die... none of your family die! You're lucky your brother escaped. You don't know about injustice." Cara snapped, walking towards Violet.
"Cara! This is psychotic!" she said.
"This is justice!" she shouted. "And Violet, it's either you're against us... or you're with us. Choose."
"Cara does Principal Wilson know anything about this?"
"She doesn't need to know." Cara replied. "Now, Violet. Are you an Elite or not?"
Violet looked at Cara's green eyes and swallowed hard.
"I'm an Incredible." she replied before pushing Cara away and grabbing Antonette.
"Antonette, run!" she said.
"Get them. Get them and lock them up." Cara told them.
Every Elite were there and it was a matter of time before Violet and Antonette were cornered. Violet blocked the incoming Elites...
I can't hurt them... but they're too many, we'll never get out of here.
"Antonette, go!" she shouted. A senior grabbed Violet as she tried to fight back. Antonette stared at the incoming ones.
"Violet!"
"Ann, go!"
Antonette closed her eyes and phased through every Elites that came across her path.
Oh good, she was a phaser. Violet thought. Violet created a large forcefield that kept the others from getting her and she ran as fast as she could.
"Show's over, Parr." Cara said as she let out a beam with her hands, destroying Violet's forcefield. The last thing Violet saw was Cara looking down to her.