Author Notes: I am assuming Violet is 14-years old in "The Incredibles." Oh yeah, Violet can turn invisible at will in case you did not know, and she can generate force fields, but I'm not using that second power to great extent in this fic compared to my other fic InvisiField. It is suitable for those who have not caught the movie yet as it provides something like an introduction into Violet's world, unlike InvisiField.

Disclaimer: The Incredibles movie is owned by Disney Entertainment and Pixar Animation Studios. The Incredibles computer games are developed by THQ. I am in no way affiliated with any of them and do not own any part of The Incredibles and characters featured in the movies whatsoever.

Written for Russell Yee, one of my good friends in ACJC

One Step Closer

11-year old Violet was laughing. She did not laugh often, but this time it was different. She was enjoying a very delicious lunch after school, and she had her best friend Eileen to share it with.

Eileen was everything Violet was not: outgoing, friendly, loud, and one that enjoyed long playful debates over useless topics. Such as boys. Boys were high on the list of highly debatable topics, followed by their class teachers, and sometimes music. They met on the front staircase of the school, and Eileen was clever enough to start talking.

Violet wasn't really the sociable sort. She was scared of change, scared of new people, scared of new teachers. Her family had recently been located by the government again, and the re-locations took huge, painful chunks out of Violet's childhood that were irreplaceable. Her knowing mother gave her several words of comfort as she left the warmth of her car. She sought refuge in her long dark hair that hung in front of her face, perpetually hiding either eye. Clutching her fresh new books and swinging on her backpack, she embarked on a painful, ceremonial hike up the front staircase of Downsville Junior High.

Now Violet liked to be early. She had bugged her mother endlessly the night before to wake her up extra early so she could be the first one at school. She wanted to get inside the hall and hide somewhere before the other students started flooding in like a stampede. She figured it was the best way to evade any unwelcomed interaction with any unwelcomed, unfamiliar people before meeting her class.

But to Violet's utmost surprise, at the end of her hike was someone earlier than she was. Her face seemed to glow, illuminating her rosy red cheeks. She had long, strawberry blond hair that she wore long, but her fringe was held up with an orange hair band. She had high cheek bones and her blue eyes shone with certain radiance. Those cheek bones were useful in forming a beautiful smile that was directed straight at Violet.

The first thing that hit Violet's mind was, I'll never, ever be like this girl.

"Hi," the girl standing opposite Violet started. "My name's Eileen. What's yours?"

Violet stared, her jaw locked in an "O".

She spoke to me! This is a disaster, an utter disaster!

Violet had to concentrate with all her might to prevent herself from disappearing. Her little hands tightened into balled fists that shook uncontrollably. Oh yes, she wanted badly to disappear and let Eileen think she was just dreaming. She wanted to teach her a lesson, for waking up way too early for school. But she clearly remembered the conversation she had with her mother that morning, if you could classify the brief exchange of words as a conversation.

"We're not supposed to use our powers. I don't want you disappearing in front of your classmates or preventing a teacher from entering the class with a force field."

"Yes Mom."

"And I want you to go out there and make tons of friends. Friendship is the greatest power in the world."

"Ok Mom."

Violet wasn't exactly a person of many words. Well, at least she wasn't completely monosyllabic.

Despite her efforts, to Violet's horror, she felt her left leg disappear completely. She choked down a gasp and looked at Eileen uneasily in the eye. She could have peed in her new jeans.

Don't look down Violet! Distract her and turn your leg visible again you stupid girl!

"Are you alright?" Eileen wore a quizzical look on her pretty face.

"I… I'm VIOLET!" Violet stammered a little louder than she expected, or wanted to. "You can CALL ME, uh…VI for short!"

Upon uttering those words, Violet managed to steady her concentration sufficiently to re-materialize her left leg. She gave a sigh of relief, but then her face twisted in pain. She had projected the wrong impression of being a friendly, loud, and weird person. Violet had a really bad urge to disappear right that instant, or slap herself in the face.

Eileen seemed happy enough about Violet's response. She gave Violet a large, wide, Eileen-smile (coined by Violet a month later), and hooked her arm around Violet's.

"I think Vi's really cute!" Eileen nodded approvingly. "Let's go checkout our classes on the admin notice board shall we?"

Violet gave a reluctant nod, but looking back on things, Violet knew she shouldn't have.

Eileen helped ease Violet right into her new school. On top of being very outgoing, she was kind and caring as well. Eileen, apparently, was also new to the school. But she had a completely different attitude about new schools. She loved it when her environment was new, and embraced change like a warm, fuzzy hug. Violet made about a dozen new friends that day just by sticking around Eileen. Half of them were boys, some of which were their seniors. Violet soon developed a crush on one of them…

---

But that was a month ago. It was just another wonderful day at school with her wonderful friends and classmates. Topped off with a wonderful lunch with Eileen, the best friend a girl could ever have. Violet's adoration for routine starkly contrasted with her hatred for change. And now that she had settled snugly in her wonderful new school, she didn't want anything to change.

All Violet wanted each day was to get up nice and early to help her mother lay out the breakfast table, hit the classes for academic rigour and friends, then finish up her homework at home. She was elated at how predictable her days were, planned out nicely for her to enjoy. Nothing unexpected, nothing new. No change at all.

Finishing off the final bits of her plate of Fish and Chips, she bid farewell to Eileen. It was Monday, and Monday meant a ton of homework. Her mother was already waiting at the front steps of the school.

"How was your day Vi?" Mom asked cheerily.

"It was incredible!" Violet gave her mother a huge smile. "I don't ever, ever want to leave."

"And just a month ago you said you hated this place," Mom shook her head as she replied wistfully.

"Mom!" Violet complained.

Her mother gave her a kiss on her cheek. "I don't want that smile to disappear, Vi. I love you, and I'm happy that you love your school. I'm glad that you've stopped putting psychological force fields between you and your schoolmates."

Her words only helped to enlarge Violet's smile.

---

It turned out that the day wasn't as predictable as Violet thought it would be.

When Mom pulled up the car to their driveway, Violet found her dad accompanied by two Men in Suits. Her dad was in his office clothes, shaking his head and speaking with one of the men, which Violet recognized as Rick Dicker. Rick was the head of the Super Relocation Program (SRP).

Oh no. It can't be.

Upon parking her car, Mom ran right up to the trio and demanded what had happened. Violet followed slowly behind, feeling a blood vessel within her burst.

Dad, how could you do this to me.

The two Men in Suits left Violet's parents at the door step of their house. Violet saw her mother shove Dad through the door and slam it shut. Violet walked up to a window, only to find curtains blocking her view.

A lot of screaming and shouting resounded from inside the house as Violet pressed her ear to the front door.

Her mother started. "WHAT DID YOU DO THIS TIME?"

"Someone was getting mugged… I was only trying to help."

"WE'VE ONLY SETTLED DOWN FOR ONE MONTH!"

Her father mumbled something unintelligible.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO VI?"

Violet felt the first few tears wet her cheeks.

She huddled her knees as she collapsed to the ground, back facing the front door, her tears forming twin streams that emptied at her chin.

---

It was 11pm at night and Violet still could not stop crying. She had to take fluid from the kitchen half an hour ago to keep from dehydrating. Mom had tried to comfort her, but she had failed miserably. And Dad? How DARE he tried to even communicate with her! Violet just screamed and slammed her door in his face.

Violet did not even want to think about her little brother's endless whining.

Her family was getting relocated again. It was for their own protection as the mother and father were past Super Heroes, the government reasoned. Her mother spent the entire night negotiating with Rick, but to no avail. The relocation was taking place.

They had to leave the next morning, but Violet had not even started packing. Her mother had given up asking her to pack up her belongings. The force field Violet kept at her door didn't help the situation.

She was hurting like she never hurt before. The pain, it felt like a thousand icicles had been driven right into her heart. Deep inside, it felt empty and cold. On the surface, there were a month of disintegrated, wasted memories, generating the perpetual agony that pierced Violet's poor little heart.

She wasn't even allowed to call Eileen to say bye. To call any of her friends to tell them what happened. It wasn't legal, her mother had tried her best to explain to Violet. If any information leaked, the government would have to brainwash the entire school population. That truly intensified Violet's pain, as she was caught between her two desires. Her desire to bid her month-long friends farewell, and her desire to retain their memories about her.

Yet, reason told Violet that it wouldn't matter if she called Eileen to say bye or not. Whether the brainwashing took place, the memories within Eileen were useless. Violet was never ever going to see Eileen again. But sometimes, even reason failed to explain human behaviour. Especially the behaviour of the anguished.

Violet wanted Eileen to remember. Maybe in the future, when things were better, they would perhaps meet again…

She had a look in a nearby mirror, and choked. Her tear drenched hair covered her face almost completely, like evil tendrils sucking the life out of her. Violet looked like Death. She felt like dieing.

She needed to start packing. Violet wasn't an irresponsible person, and she clearly knew the consequences if she failed to pack her precious belongings. Yet, she lacked the energy to do so after all that crying. Pulling her hair back, she reached out weakly to her radio and turned it on.

What came on was rock. Very loud rock. Ordinarily, Violet would have tuned in to another station, but things were different now. She didn't care anymore. She didn't care where life would take her. Life sucked, yet she had to carry on. The lyrics flowed cleanly through, loud and clear. The station was halfway through playing Linkin Park's One Step Closer.

I find the answers aren't so clear
Wish I could find a way to disappear
All these thoughts they make no sense
I find bliss in ignorance
Nothing seems to go away
Over and over again

Just like before

Everything you say to me
Takes me one step closer to the edge
And I'm about to break
I need a little room to breathe
Cause I'm one step closer to the edge
And I'm about to break

Strangely, the song brought a wry smile to Violet's lips. It was like a summary of her teenage life, of her pain and anguish. Of how whatever her father said didn't help anymore. His words only caused Violet agony inside.

Just like before.

Just like when she was forced to re-locate before.

Wish I could find a way to disappear…

Violet mouthed the phrase repeatedly in her lips as she turned the radio off. Somehow, the song brought her strength. It was something that understood her, even though it was intangible. She found comfort in that.

Wish I could find a way to disappear…

She had packing to do.

Violet turned herself invisible and watched as her backpack floated up to her.

Life sucked, but Violet knew she had to carry on.

End.

End Notes: Alright, so it was a really sad fic, but hey Violet isn't exactly a very cheerful character. I was thinking about how lifeless Violet was initially in the movie in the shower while simultaneously singing One Step Closer. When I sang "Wish I could find a way to disappear…", something struck me. Like a bloodied, rusty sledgehammer. I realized that the lyrics of One Step Closer effectively summarized Violet's pain and suffering. Coupled by the fact that Violet could disappear when no other teenager can, I just knew that I had to write this fic. The story found me right there in the shower that day. 7th January 2005.

This story also illustrates why rock is a popular form of music today. Rock isn't only an effective summary of Violet's life, it applies to many of our lives as well. As a math student, I'd say that rock is a Summation of teenage lives. If you see past the loud music and into the lyrics, you can see that rock is actually an artistic expression of teenage anguish and alienation. This is why Linkin Park is one of the biggest rock bands around. To those anti-rock people, can yall be more open please?

Hope you enjoyed reading my fic as much as I enjoyed writing it. And I did enjoy writing it.