The roar of the Manta Jet's engine was suddenly swallowed by a violent shriek as Buddy Pine's cape caught in the turbine blades. Time slowed as the fabric yanked him backward, dragging him helplessly toward the gaping maw of the engine. Metal screamed and twisted in protest as the jet spiraled out of control, and Buddy was torn from the wing, flung into the open sky, his body tumbling like a ragdoll surrendered to the merciless pull of gravity.
Panic crippled his breath. His limbs flailed, useless against the merciless pull of gravity. The world below seemed monstrous, vast and indifferent, rushing to meet him.
Well, this is just great, Buddy thought bitterly, twisting helplessly through the air. Kidnapping a baby to leverage the supers… in retrospect, definitely not one of my greatest ideas. But hey, who thinks straight while plummeting through the sky, right? Falling from a crashing plane wasn't exactly the retirement plan I imagined either. Unless I'm supposed to be some kind of superhero who sticks the landing, and spoiler—I'm not.
Fragments of memory crashed through his consciousness: dreams once vibrant, now frayed and haunting. The burning ambition that had driven him, surging hotter than the midday sun—or maybe just the side effect of surviving an explosion—faces blurred, promises broken, hopes shattering alongside the plane's twisted wreckage.
Of all the ideas I ever had—maybe holding on for dear life would've made a good one. But nooooooo. Gotta make a dramatic exit instead.
Sound grew distant, swallowed by an eerie silence punctuated only by the rush of wind tearing past his ears. Time seemed to splinter—fracturing into endless moments stretched thin, stretched wide, stretched beyond reason.
Then, suddenly, everything collapsed inward. A blinding flash engulfed him like white-hot fire, searing away terror, pain, and the relentless fall all at once.
He tumbled through a blur—a rushing void that twisted and spun until seconds folded back on themselves like a tightly wound spring snapping free.
When Buddy's senses returned, he was sprawled across the battered seat of a police cruiser, his head throbbing as the smell of burning rubber and wet asphalt filled his nostrils. Red and blue lights blinked through the windshield, reflecting off shattered glass nearby and the twisted wreckage of the railway bridge.
Outside the vehicle, the police sergeant and the younger officer talked quietly near the rear door, their voices hushed but tense.
"Bomb Voyage got away with the money from the bank while all this was happening," Sergeant Harris said sharply, her gaze fixed on the chaos around the ruined bridge. "This kid's got to understand exactly what he's involved in. We're heading to the station to call his mother. She deserves to know where he is."
The younger officer, Jenkins, nodded, running a hand through his hair as he looked toward the cruiser. "I still can't get over it... a ten-year-old with rocket boots causing this kind of mess. But then again, we do live in the age of supers."
Sergeant Harris frowned, but said nothing more before both climbed into the front seats of the cruiser.
Inside, Buddy's eyelids fluttered open slowly to muffled voices cutting through a fog reminding him of a dream. The landscape outside was distorted, colors bleeding together through tears that burned his eyes. He felt a pulse of deep confusion thrum through his skull. Nothing made sense.
He looked down at his hands—small, unfamiliar, trembling. His breath hitched as his gaze drifted upward to the tattered light blue and white suit covering his torso—the unmistakable insignia of the IncrediBoy—and the rocket boots strapped securely to his feet. The reality hit him hard; the knowledge of who he was and where he was collided with the undeniable evidence before his eyes.
The overwhelming memories of recent past crashed against the present moment, leaving him numb. He barely grasped what it meant to be back here, here where he was a child again, but with the heavy weight of full knowledge pressing down on his mind.
The stern eyes of Sergeant Harris met his as she spoke gently, "Buddy, you're safe now. We're taking you to the station."
But inside Buddy's mind, all he could feel was the void of disbelief, the terrifying uncertainty that this — whatever 'this' was — wasn't over. The cruiser's engine hummed softly, a stark contrast to the chaos outside, as Buddy struggled to process the whirlwind of emotions swirling within him. The weight of his past loomed large, a shadow that refused to dissipate. He was back in a time he thought he had left behind, yet the memories of his adult life clung to him like a second skin.
As the vehicle pulled away from the wreckage, the sirens wailed, cutting through the thick air of confusion. Buddy's heart raced, not just from the adrenaline of the moment but from the realization that he was once again a child, a boy with dreams of heroism and the weight of expectations pressing down on his small shoulders.
"Why am I here?" he whispered, more to himself than to the officers. The question hung in the air, heavy and unanswered.
Sergeant Harris glanced at him through the rearview mirror, her expression softening. "We'll figure it out, Buddy. Just hold on."
But holding on felt impossible. The world outside blurred into a kaleidoscope of colors and sounds, each one a reminder of the life he had lived, the choices he had made, and the mistakes that had led him to this moment. He was a child again, yet the echoes of his adult self screamed for recognition, for understanding.
The cruiser turned a corner, and Buddy's gaze fell to the streets he once knew so well. Familiar landmarks passed by, each one a fragment of his past, a reminder of the boy he had been and the man he had become. The juxtaposition was jarring, a cruel twist of fate that left him reeling.
"Buddy, we're almost there," Officer Jenkins said, his voice steady and reassuring. But the words felt hollow, a promise that seemed impossible to keep.
As they approached the station, Buddy's mind raced with questions. How had this happened? What did it mean for him? And most importantly, how could he navigate this strange new reality where he was both a child and a man, a hero and a failure?
The cruiser came to a stop, and the officers exchanged glances before stepping out. Buddy remained seated, his heart pounding in his chest as he took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever lay ahead. The door opened, and the cool night air rushed in, a stark reminder that he was still very much alive, still very much here.
"Let's go, Buddy," Sergeant Harris urged gently, extending her hand toward him.
With a hesitant nod, he took her hand, feeling the warmth of her grip as he stepped out of the cruiser. The world around him felt both familiar and foreign, a strange blend of nostalgia and uncertainty. As he walked toward the station, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a journey he never expected to take, a journey that would force him to confront not only his past but also the hero he had always wanted to be.
~End of Chapter~
So any thoughts and ideas, please help as there is a TON of knowledge about The Incredibles Universe (like I recently discovered that the name of the jet is The Manta Jet because of it's design). Also the two officers are my own original characters which I swapped out for the ones in the movie (the part where Mr. Incredibles tells the two officers to take Buddy home and make sure to let his mother know what he has done or been up to? Can't remember really it's been ages since I've watched the movie... For starters I probably should watch both movies to better the world and characters instead of diving head first in writing this fanfic 😂) also Buddy's Mother is also going to be my own character.
~ Also where do Authors get their Book Cover Image from (I was considering just using Ai), because they look so cool with the image of their respective characters and the title of their story. ~
Just realized as I was writing the above paragraph (not the one about book covers) that I don't know how the process of my fanfic reaching readers works? How will they promote a "rough draft" of only one chapter... Damn I talk to much (type to much? 🤔) ... Ohk bye. 👍
*This is a work of fiction and is intended for entertainment purposes only. I do not own The Incredibles or any of its characters, settings, or related intellectual property. The Incredibles is the property of Pixar Animation Studios and Disney. This fanfic is created purely for the enjoyment of fans and is not intended for profit. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.*