To anyone who has felt the walls around them crumble

may you discover that breaking points can also be beginnings.

Violet's heart hammered against her ribs as she walked through the doors into Western View Junior High, thinking about yesterday's events and hoping no one would remember. 

As she pushed the doors open the chatter of students filled the halls. Her dark hair fell over her face like a curtain hiding her face as she walked with a practiced, unremarkable slouch past teachers, friends and curious eyes, hiding in the shadows. Violet was invisible. She took this as a good sign that the memory wiping worked. Approaching her locker, she could see Kari standing there waiting as usual to their morning routine.

"Morning Kari" Violet smiled

"Well, you seem cheerier than normal this morning Vi" Kari poked her arm

"I just had a good sleep last night that's all"

"Hey Violet, Kari" Tony waved as he walked past. Violet tensed and turned away "Aw come on Parr, one day you will smile back at me"

"Don't call me Parr" Violet said as she slammed her locker and grabbed Kari's hand to walk away

Tony, unsure of what just happened and why Violet was annoyed at him, followed the two girls to their first period class. English. Tony didn't very much like English because he wasn't seated next to Violet, but he did get to stare at her which was fine in his books. Violet spent the English lesson keeping to herself happy that the memory wiping worked. Kari passed notes to Violet wondering why she was being so cold towards Tony. Violet turned around and saw Tony staring at her with a saddened expression.

Did I really make him feel like that?  Violet asked herself

When the bell rang for next period Tony waited at the door for the two girls. Kari saw and told Violet she left something at her locker and would catch her at the next class.

"Violet. Did I do something wrong? Have I offended you, if I have, I'm sorry I didn't mean to" Tony apologized

"No Tony" Violet said, "You haven't done anything" Violet smiled sweetly

The two walked in a comfortable silence all the way to their next class. Algebra. Violet rolled her eyes at the math problems they had to do today. She would much rather be sleeping instead of solving arithmetic equations. 

Tony sat halfway through the second period tapping his pencil against the edge of the desk waiting for the bell to ring. He finished solving the equations half an hour ago. Tony wasn't paying attention to the math problems on the board anymore, mostly because he was Violet sitting two rows over from him today with Kari had her hair tucked behind one ear and was scribbling in her notebook. She looked focused, calm even to him, a nice sight to see.

It was supposed to be another normal Thursday at Western View Junior High. But fate, apparently, had other plans.

"Alright class" Mr. Thurston said, pacing at the front of the room, chalk in hand "Who can tell me the answer to question number 9?"

BANG!!!

The wall behind him shattered in a violet burst of concrete and smoke. Students screamed. Chairs scrapped. A stack of books fell onto the floor. And then through the settling dust, a tall figure emerged, silver armor gleaming with a black cloak whipping in the air. His mask had jagged edges, his voice deep and distorted.

"Violet Parr!!" he bellowed, pointing a gloved hand toward the back of the room. "You're coming with me!"

Violet froze mid breath. Not again she thought

Tony blinked. Did he just say Violet?

Every muscle in her body screamed run, but Tony Rydinger's wide eyes caught hers and that tiny hesitation cost her a second too long. The villain charged at her. Violet's chair clattered backwards as she stood, heart racing. Students ducked beneath desks. Mr. Thurston dove for the phone. Tony grabbed Violet and Kari's arms.

"Violet! What is -"

"Get down!" she shouted with a flicker of fear in her eyes

And then before anyone could blink, a glowing violet dome of energy burst outward from her palms. The entire front half of the classroom shimmered with the light of her force field, crackling with kinetic energy. Tony and Kari stumbled back staring at their best friend, the quiet girl who now was standing in front of them like something out of a comic book.

"You've got to me kidding me" Tony whispered

The villain slammed a fist into the barrier, the shockwave rattling the windows.

"Impressive" he growled "But pointless"

Violet's hands trembled, her shield flickering.

"Please" she hissed through clenched teeth, "Not here... Didn't really want to do this at school"

Then she vanished. One blink and she was gone. Tony's jaw dropped. Kari fainted "She's invisible" Tony shrieked

The next moment she reappeared behind the villain landing a solid kick that sent them staggering backwards into a locker. Tony looked towards Violet, and she was glowing. A purple shimmer wrapped around her hands pulsing with energy like lightning trapped under glass waiting for the villain to make his next move. The man fired a blast at Violet's, but her force field caught it mid-air, deflecting it to the ceiling.

Everybody screamed. Violet didn't even flinch.

"Stay away from my classmates!" she shouted

"You can't hide behind your little bubble forever, Incredible Girl!"

Tony blinked Incredible?

Another crash could be heard. This time the door burst open. A blur of red lightning zapped through the room, scattering papers everywhere.

"Vi!" Dash shouted, "Mom's on her way!"

VI? Mum?  Tony's head spun

"Dash?! What are you..." Violet started but before she could finish a stretching arm whipped through the broken window and yanked the villain clear off his feet. Seconds later the wall shimmered as Elastigirl herself swung herself through the window, her voice calm and commanding.

"Good work, sweetie. I've got it from here"

Violet let out a breath and dropped her arms "Thanks, Mum. Sorry for the mess"

And that's when it hit Tony, like a falling building or lightning bolt. Her mum. Violet Parr's mum... is Elastigirl.

Reporters later that day would call it "a minor explosion caused by a faulty gas line". Sure. because gas lines always come with supervillains and glowing purple shields. 

Reporters swarmed the school gates in the afternoon. The official story had been released, and the government "cleanup team" (a.k.a. The Supers Division) had made sure no one would remember the details. Except Violet made sure Tony was nowhere to be seen before they erased the memories.

Tony sat alone on the bleachers outside his backpack beside him, the orange sky dipping low behind the gym, the air buzzing with leftover adrenaline. The scene replaying in his head. Tony remembered everything, the shield, the shimmer, the look in Violet's eyes when she realized he'd seen it all. Violet Parr. A superhero. The person he was stealing glances of in the classroom, a superhero. Footsteps crunched on the grass.

"Hey" Violet said softly

He turned. She was back in her regular clothes, her hoodie and jeans, hair covering her face, hands stuffed in her jacket pockets, but her eyes, those same violet eyes, looked nervous.

"So" she said quietly fidgeting with her sleeve "You saw"

Tony gave a half laugh, shaking his head "Yeah. Hard to forget your best friend blowing up half of the classroom Vi"

She sighed, sitting next to him. "I was going to tell you... someday. But you know superhero secrecy and all"

He looked at her, really looked at her and smiled "You don't have to appologise for saving everyone"

Her eyes softened, a mix of relief and nerves "You're not freaked out? They're going to erase memories, the government I mean. If they can catch it in time, no one will remember"

He frowned "And me? I thought that was the coolest thing I had ever seen. You just stopped a supervillain in algebra class"

She looked at him like she wasn't sure if she wanted him to forget or not "you weren't supposed to see any of this"

"Well, I think it's kinda awesome" he smiled faintly

"Everyone's minds have already been erased. Just don't tell anyone and you'll be fine" Violet smiled shyly

Tony raised his hand "Scouts honour" he said proudly, Violet just chuckled. "So, your mum is Elastigirl, your brother's the fastest kid alive and you can do what? Go invisible and make force fields?" he smiled still dazed

"Pretty much" Violet shrugged

They sat in comfortable silence for a while. The chaos of the day melted into a strange kind of calm, the kind that only happens when your entire world has changed but you're okay with it. Finally, Tony turned to her.

"Vi" he said gently "You know you really are.... Incredible"

She rolled her eyes, but cheeks turned pink. "You're terrible Rydinger"

He smirked "Maybe so Parr... but I guess now when I ask you out on a date it's going to be way more interesting, huh?"

"Did you just say, when you ask me on a date?" Violet asked surprised

"Yes. Yes, I did" Tony smirked

"Well then I guess let's just hope when that happens, there will be no supervillains"

"No promises," Tony replied, winking.

(Word Count - 1548)