Sky High Life (Patreon)

A/N: Another Story I worked on my tablet. I told you guys I have lots of ideas.

Sky High Life

If finding himself in a new world in a new, younger body with strange memories wasn’t bad enough, it also had to have superheroes and super villains. It felt weird to interact with all these teenagers since he had the mind of a twenty five year old man, and why can he only glow? He had to be able to do more!

Join him in his journey to realize his true potential and place in this new, strange yet fascinating world. 

Episode 1: Blast off!

Zachary Braun

“Woah.”

He woke up, wet and naked in the bathroom floor. He looked around and suddenly the influx of strange memories slammed into his head. He collapsed back on the floor and started to throw up. He heaved and wretched, until he felt like his stomach was tied into knots and his throat was burning, probably due to the stomach acids.

“Fuck.” He gasped. One moment he was just reading some random transmigration story and sleeping shortly, and the next he was here, in a new younger body. He looked at the mirror, and must have stared at his reflection for more than a minute, taking it all in.

Bright, blonde hair and sky blue eyes greeted him back, along with a fairly normal face and body. He was… Zachary “Zack” Braun, and he was about to go to Sky High in a week. He learned that he was also dumb, as he stared at the bathtub full of water and a hair dryer inside it.

He still didn’t have any powers and he didn’t want to be the only kid in there without any powers. In a fit of desperation and with reading too many comics, the old Zack tried to electrocute himself while inside the tub.

That didn’t work and he only felt agonizing pain as a result. He was lucky to be alive… well maybe not lucky, seeing as how he was now with jumbled memories.

“Zack! What did you do!”

He could hear his mom yelling from the bottom of the stairs.

“Nothing mom!” He shouted back. He quickly cleaned up the mess he made and put on some clothes. Old Zack was trying to look like a rapper, and he picked out the ones with the simplest design and color. A simple shirt, his least baggy pants and a pullover. He needed to sort things fast.

He ran down stairs and realized his latest stunt had shorted out their electrical power. All the lights were off, and he found his mother, that was a strange concept since he’d been an orphan looking at their breaker. Betty Braun, a former sidekick. She married her father, Bernard Braun also known Power Torch because of his ability to emit fire from his hands. They were divorced, with her dad finding a new partner with another superhero. Last he heard, they were somewhere on the east coast.

She was struggling to fix the circuit breaker because all the power in the house had gone out. A sudden yellow light filled the room and her mom turned towards him with a smile on her face.

“Thanks Zack. I…” His mother looked amazed and he realized that it had something to do with him. He looked down and realized every part of his body was glowing, literally.

“Mom?” Was this his power?

“Congratulations Zack!” Her mother abandoned her attempt to fix the circuit breaker and engulfed him in a huge hug. “This is wonderful news! We have to celebrate!”

He nodded, though he was distracted, trying to get a feel for his new power. Glowing, that was it? There had to be more. At this rate he’d end up in hero support.

He spent the rest of the week in a frenzy trying to get hold of his power. He realized one thing first, and that he needed to focus. He felt stronger when the glow surrounded him, and based on tests he made the stronger the glow, the stronger he became. It felt like his body was being supercharged but it was also tiring to maintain it.

He then started playing around with his new power and realized that he could change its density, from a faint shimmer to a more solid golden structure surrounding his body. It was a pity he couldn’t experiment more on a public gym to test his full strength with their weights, but he was able to lift the furniture inside their house easily while his mother cleaned the carpet. The days passed and the more he practiced the more that he could maintain his golden aura. It was like a muscle that grew stronger the more he used it.

His father was also happy when he learned the news and sent him a larger allowance than usual and even invited him to the west coast for a visit during Christmas. He didn’t say yes, preferring to stay with his mother during the holiday.

He established a near military schedule on his remaining days, practicing as much as he can, working out by jogging every morning. It was tempting to use his power to boost his stamina but he knew the rules. Secrecy was paramount in the superhero world.

On the very last day before Sky High, he was testing his powers at their backyard, running back and forth and testing his speed and reflexes when he tripped. He was about to crash on the lawn when he realized there was no pain. He opened his eyes and realized he was floating!

His eyes widened in surprise. This changes things. Flyers were always held in a high regard according to his father’s stories.

His Mom was equally excited as he was, and even pointed out her observation when she watched him float and move around their living room for a few minutes.

“Maybe your power is instinctive.” Her mother shared. “You just have to will your power to move and focus.”

She was right. The stronger he concentrated, the more that his power responded to his will. It was like he was some sort of green lantern from his older memories!

“So does that mean I don’t have to take the bus?” He asked.

“You need to in your first day.” His mom explained. “Then you can apply for a flyer license if you pass their evaluation. The school’s location is a highly guarded secret, and flyers are usually given watches that shows the school’s coordinates every morning.”

He spent some of his father’s allowance to upgrade his wardrobe. Practical, sturdy, clothes that wouldn’t be distractions when he was using his powers. He had a big breakfast that morning, and received another hug from his mom before he left for the location that the bus would pick him up from.

There were already a few kids waiting on the corner, and he waited patiently with them. No one spoke to each other, and he could tell they were worried about leaking the secret. The bus finally came, and he frowned. It looked far too normal to be a bus that would take them to a secret high school for super hero kids.

 “Get in.” The bus driver replied and introduced himself. “I’m Ron Wilson, bus driver.”

“Is this the bus to…” A smaller black kid asked, but was rudely interrupted by the man.

“Shhhh!” Ron Wilson hastily looked around. “Do you want every super villain to know where the school is? Keep it zipped!”

“Yes sir!” The kid nodded quickly.

He climbed in last and found a seat near the back. There were other kids already inside, looking bored. He looked around, trying to get a hint of everyone’s powers by their appearance, but they all looked normal.

They made two more stops and then the bus driver announced they were heading for the last stop. He spotted Leila and Will immediately around the corner. Ron Wilson once again tried to intimidate them when Will without care mentioned Sky High, but quickly backed off when he mentioned his last name.

He even announced his friend’s presence and his famous lineage.

Will Stronghold. Son of Commander and Jetstream.

“Zack!” Will looked relived and rushed to take the open seat beside him. He must have been embarrassed by all the attention from the bus.

The bus moved another few blocks and picked up another kid.

“That’s the last. We’re going to Sky high right now.” Ron Wilson announced once the bus doors were closed and started moving to another direction, away from the suburban houses.

“So, did you get your powers?” Will asked.

 “I did, about a week ago.” He replied.

“So what is it?”

“You just have to wait and see.” He smiled. “You could say it’s very convenient.”

He noticed that Will’s face fell upon hearing his answer. He wondered why.

“Not even a hint?” Leila asked, seating across them. Leila’s powers manifested when they were younger. She had the power to control plants and it only grew stronger over the years. He was pretty sure she could grow a tree if she wanted.

 Will’s parents, the Commander and Jetstream were a famous superhero tandem. The commander had incredible strength and durability, while Jetstream flew faster than a Jet. Estimates about her top speed were rumored to be around Mach 2, twice the speed of sound. 

“Let’s just say it’s very shiny.” He replied.

“You’re different.” Will observed. “Does having your powers finally manifest really change you?”

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“Usually you should be bragging about it to everyone on the bus.” Leila piped in.

“Yeah well, wielding powers need discipline focus and control.” He shrugged. “Maybe I started to control my impulses.”

“You have changed.” Will noted, wearing a puzzled expression on his face.

“Hey, I’m still Zack.” He patted his childhood friend on the shoulder. “Powers or no powers.”

They soon reached a section of the elevated highway that lead to an unfinished ramp. The driver ignored the closed sign, and then harnesses activated in their seats, wrapping them tight and secure around their bodies. The speed increased and suddenly they were taking off.

All the kids yelled, either in excitement or fear. He just watched through the window, enjoying the feeling of being in the air. Any fear of heights vanished when he realized he could fly, though he never flew higher than their privacy fence. It was a rule his mother insisted he follow, and he agreed, seeing the logic in it.

He felt his body being pressed to their seats as the bus rapidly increased its velocity, and soon they were among the clouds. Moments later they were on a level flight and he spotted a structure in the distance.

This was it, the fabled Sky High. He kept an ear out as Ron Wilson started his introduction about the famous school.

“Kept aloft by the latest in anti-gravitational propulsion, she is in constant motion as a precaution against those who otherwise might have nefarious plans. Her location is supplied only to qualified individuals, such as myself, Ron Wilson, bus driver.”

The school was shaped like a massive flying saucer with a flat top where the school building was located. There was a large expansive lawn around it, along with basketball courts, a soccer field and even a running track.

He spotted other yellow busses already parked in a designated landing zone. It looked theirs were the last.

“Easy does it.” He heard the bus driver at front as they prepared to land. “Like a whisper.”

It was not a whisper. They bounced a few times on the runway before they turned to their parking spot thirty seconds later. He looked around and took it all in. He spotted a few flyers arriving in pairs and headed to the front of the school.

At the nearby lawn cheerleaders practiced their routines, and aside from the flying students and floating campus, this really felt like high school.  And if this was a high school, there also had to be bullies.

It didn’t take long, as a speedster travelled around their group, herding them closer. A guy that could stretch to impossible proportions cart wheeled in front of them, demanding a fee for some fund since they were from the welcoming committee.

“Okay guys, that’s very funny. I’ll take it from here.”

A very pretty girl in a pink cardigan approached them and introduced herself as Gwen Grayson, the student body president. Pity, he found her physically attractive, but with his adult mind he wouldn’t hit on anyone here. It would feel too weird.

Gwen Grayson gave a few rules regarding the invisible barrier at the edge of the school, how they weren’t supposed to wander to close to the edge.

He looked at Will and realized his friend was smitten, and he nudged him with an elbow. Gwen seemed to have noticed this as she bit her lower lip in amusement after her speech.

They were escorted to the gym by Gwen, where the principal waited behind a podium.

“Good morning. I am Principal Powers, on behalf of all the faculty and staff, welcome to Sky High! In a few moments, you will go through power placement and your own heroic journey will begin.”

“What’s power placement?” He heard Will ask.

“Sounds fascist.” Leila noted.

He wondered why Will never asked about Sky High from his parents.

“It’s to separate the class according to their roles.” He explained. “My mom’s from hero support, and dad ended up in Hero class.”

His mom’s telekinesis was a bit weak, though it was handy for getting the remote or house keys. That was about his mother’s limit, and weight and distance also mattered.

“…For now, good deeds and good luck. Let the adventure begin!” Principal Powers turned into a white ball of blinding light and disappeared from the podium and out the gym door. “Comets away!”

A man wearing the typical gym teacher clothes appeared next to the podium, wearing a Sky High baseball cap and shades. He had a sports silver whistle hanging around his neck and a clip board on his arm.

“I am Coach Boomer. You may know me as Sonic Boom.”

He tried to hide his smile. Coach Boomer was such a funny name.

“Here’s how power placement is going to work. You will get up here and show me your power.” Coach Boomer stared at them for a moment. He just couldn’t take the man seriously with such a funny name. “And yes, you will do so in front of the entire class. I will then determine where you will assigned, Hero or Sidekick.”

“Now, every year, there are a few students, or as I like to call them, whiner babies who see fit to question and to complain about my placement. So let’s get one thing straight, my world is law. My judgment is final, so there will be no whiner babies. Are we clear?”

His fellow freshmen responded, but it seemed it wasn’t loud enough for Coach Boomer.

“I said… ARE… WE…. CLEAR?” Coach Boomer asked, displaying his power.

They pushed back by the sonic waves the man generated, and he must have unconsciously used his power to shield him from the waves since Coach Boomer pointed at him.

“You! Glowing boy!” The gym coach pointed at him. “Get over here!”

He focused his power and floated up in the air and landed on the platform. He heard the gasps of surprise from his fellow freshmen but didn’t pay them any more attention. This was it.

“A flyer huh?” Coach Boomer wrote something on his clip board. “Is that all you can do?”

“It can enhance my strength and speed.” He replied. “I haven’t tested my limits yet.”

“And how fast can you fly?”

“I haven’t tested that too. My mom said not to fly higher than the privacy fence.”

“Well you’re here now, and Sky High is the place to test those limits.” Boomer replied. “Prepare yourself. Car.”

He wondered what that meant when he spotted a car falling from the ceiling. He willed his powers to manifest and allowed it to envelop him completely. He immediately felt the strain on his arms, back and body, but he withstood the impact. A moment later he threw the side.

“Passable.” Coach Boomer observed. That was passable? Who the fuck designed this test? “Now let’s see how fast you fly.”

The floor underneath his feet suddenly swung like a trap, launching him in the air. He once more focused his power and allowed him to move around the gymnasium in a loop. He wanted to yell as he circled the gym a few times but heard a whistle.

He reluctantly flew down to the platform, unable to hide the smile on his face.

“Hero!” Coach Boomer declared and handed him a sheet of paper. “You can sit in the side or head to the cafeteria and wait for your classmates there. Submit this slip to the school secretary.”

He suddenly felt hungry. He hadn’t used his powers to that extent before. He nodded and was about to fly, when the coach warned him that the use of their powers were not allowed in the hallways.

It took him asking an upperclassman, but eventually he finally found the school secretary’s office.

“Congratulations on making it to the hero track.” The school secretary, an elderly lady smiled at him. “Coach Boomer always forgets to give directions. Can you find the cafeteria from here?”

 “I already know the way.” He replied.

“Good.” The secretary handed him a new set of papers. “This will be your class schedule from now on. Now go have lunch, you look like you need it.”

His stomach chose that moment to grumble, causing the woman to laugh. “Go on.”

The cafeteria wasn’t too busy and food selection was alright. He had just finished a burger and fries when another cafeteria tray filled with food landed across from him. He looked up to see a small, curly haired kid with glasses grinning at him.

“I’m Larry.” The kid extended a hand.

“Zack.” He returned the greeting and shook the kid’s hand.

“That was sick.” Larry began. “I thought I would be the one to surprise the class first, but that display… man that was something.”

“What can you do?” He asked.

“I turn into a 10 foot Rock Golem.” Larry replied. “Coach Boomer thinks I’ll grow stronger with age, who knows, maybe my golem form will increase in size too.”

They were soon joined by a kid who could shape shift, another with acid spit and finally a guy that can produce four more arms. They were discussing their classes when Andrew, the guy that could shape shift suddenly covered his mouth to hide his laughter.

“Watch this.” Andrew whispered and suddenly transformed into Coach Boomer. He nearly choked on his food while the rest of the table laughed.

He spotted Will passing by and overheard one of freshmen with Will complaining about Coach Boomer’s decisions.

“You’ve got a problem with me?” He had to give it to Andrew, he could even imitate Coach Boomer’s voice.

“No!” The small black kid squeaked in fear.

“No, what?” Andres asked again.

“No sir, Coach Boomer!”

Andrew released his control, reverting back to his original form. “Sorry sidekick, just messing with you.”

“You’re not supposed to use your powers in the hallways!” The small black kid complained.

No one really paid attention. Andrew’s powers were discrete and quiet. Seeing Will looking so nervous, he deposited his tray to the return area and joined his friend in their table.

“Zack?” Will looked confused as he sat in front of him. “What are you doing here?”

“Checking up on you.” He replied. “Why do you look so nervous?”

“I’m next.” Will replied. Leila looked worried and he stared at their faces.

“What’s wrong with that?” He asked. “I mean you told me before that you were around half a strong as the commander. A car should be pretty easy for you.”

Will released a sigh and looked around first before he leaned forward. “I lied.”

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“I lied.” Will repeated. “I don’t have any powers. I just did that to keep up appearances.”

“Oh.” He wasn’t as close to Will as Leila was and finally understood his predicament. Having met Will’s parents, he knew how demanding they could be and expected nothing but the best for their only son. He wondered how the Commander would take it if he learned Will was placed in hero support.

“You just have to tell Coach Boomer the truth.” He advised.

“That’s easy for you to say.” Will replied. “Mister I have cool, glowing powers that lets me fly.”

“Will…” Leila tried to talk to him but their friend stood up and left the table. The redhead sighed and rubbed the side of her head in frustration. “Sorry for that Zack. You know he didn’t mean it. He just needs the space.”

“What about you?” He asked his other friend. “Did you finish your power placement?”

“Sidekick.” Leila instantly replied.

His eyebrows shot up upon her reply. “Sidekick? With your powers?”

“Participating on these tests just supports a flawed system.” Leila looked annoyed. “I’m here to make a statement and to create change in Sky High.”

His friend meant well, but he believed she was too idealistic. There was a reason there were separate tracks for heroes and sidekicks, though he did agree with her up to a point.

“Leila, the reason there are different classes for heroes and sidekicks is because of their fighting ability.” He explained. “That’s what my mom told me. We are trained to use our abilities to their outmost potential, and limiting that to conform to the weakest members in our superhero circle will weaken that potential.”

“But!” He raised a finger to stop his friend from responding, and she already looked annoyed. “I agree with you that totally separating the two groups leads to unfair treatment. I think we should share some classes, at the very least.”

Leila’s train of thought seemed to have derailed. She stared at him, with her head tilted to the side seemingly deep in thought.

“Huh, you have changed.” Leila finally spoke. “You’re way more mature than I’m used to.”

“Is that a bad thing?” He asked.

“Not at all.” Leila stood up and he mirrored her actions. “I’m going to watch Will’s power placement. You?”

“I’m going to get a flier license.” He replied. “Mom said when I get one I don’t have to wait for the bus every morning.”

He arrived back at the secretary’s office. Thankfully he was the only flier in the freshman batch and he was quickly accommodated. There were several forms to fill, as well as a demonstration of his flight ability, this one given by Principal Powers herself.

“Bruce did tell me about you.” Principal Powers shared as they walked outside. “Now, give me three laps around Sky High’s perimeter. I want to see speed and control.”

He did so and soon flew up and pushed hard. The world became a blur, but he was able to circle the school. Below other students pointed up at him, but he didn’t pay them anymore attention. He quickly finished his third lap and slowly descended in front of the Principal.

“Could use some work.” The principal observed. “But for your first flight outdoors, not bad. How long can you maintain it?”

“I did practice floating for over an hour.” He replied. “Non-stop.”

“That should do it.” The older woman gave a firm nod and handed him a piece of paper. “Head to Mister Medulla at the Science Department. He should give you your new watch. Good showing, Mister Braun.”

The watch. He knew from his mother’s stories that it was a device only for flyers, the only way they could locate the school since it was always moving. It was also cool looking, and packed with advance tech like an advance holographic communications systems and emergency locator beacons. It was a status symbol among the students and highly coveted.

The professor took one glance at his slip and handed him the flier’s watch. He spent a few minutes listening to the scientist’s explanations and coded in his home address. With that he could now fly home.

“Do not abuse it.” Professor Medulla warned him. “I don’t want to see you being late because you didn’t have to wait for the bus and slept in, Mister Braun.”

SIDE…..KIIICK!

The scientist’s office windows rattled when they all heard Coach Boomer’s voice. The scientist looked unfazed while he looked around. What the hell was that?

“Bruce, he always had a problem controlling his voice.” Professor Medulla replied. “Anyway, since this is your first day and you don’t have any classes today, you can head home now. Report to me if your watch is malfunctioning or there are any other issues.”

“Thank you Professor.” He replied. Sweet, he didn’t have to wait and quickly grabbed his bag from his newly assigned locker. With his backpack strapped to his bag and new watch on his right wrist he left the building and took off. Eager to test his watch he tapped its side, and the surface of the watch shifted from its sleek classic look and now displayed information about his altitude, speed and current coordinates.

He followed the coordinates heading to his home and soon he was up in the clouds, looking down on his backyard. He dove down and made a superhero landing. He always wanted to try one, and he found out that it hurt his knees a bit.

“Will! The yard!” His mother shouted from the kitchen. She must have been washing dishes and looking at the right moment he landed.

“I’ll fix it!” He replied quickly.

Dinner that night was eventful and he showed off his new watch and schedule to his mother. When asked about Will, his mother was shocked.

“Will Stronghold, sidekick?” Betty Braun looked shocked. “Oh no. Steve is going to get pissed.”

“We’re you close to them in high school?” He asked.

“Not really.” His mother replied. “Sidekicks and heroes really don’t mix back then. But even I knew Steve has a temper.”

With some time to spare he left and headed out. He needed a drink, but with his age, that could prove difficult. He decided to explore this new world, starting with Maxville City. As he flew around, he noticed that it was a strange combination of New York and Los Angeles. With high rises downtown and sprawling suburbs in the outskirts it was a large city with a harbor down south. He flew towards that direction, and for the rest of the day he practiced his flight abilities.

By the time he got home, he was starving and sweaty, having ran out of stamina halfway back and resorted to walking after taking a break.

“You’re really focused on controlling your powers.” His mother commented when he arrived. “I’m proud of you, Zack.”

“Thanks Mom.” He took a quick shower and had dinner and second helpings.

He woke up early morning the next day and had a quick work out by taking a quick jog around the neighborhood. If he was going to increase his stamina, he had to work on his own body first. He formed a diet plan, and decided to head to Sky High to see if they had a gym. He had a suspicion they had extensive facilities for training the body. With his bag packed with extra clothes and a towel, he flew towards Sky High, following the coordinates from his watch.

There was no else there and even the buses were still parked, the drivers talking among themselves though they did pause in their conversation as he flew over them and landed right at the steps of the school entrance.

“You’re pretty early kid!” One of the drivers called out.

“Just excited!” He replied with a wave. “First day of classes.”

He was right, there was a gym filled with weights and other exercise equipment in the back. He quickly got to work, working on various muscle groups. By the time the alarm in his watch beeped, he realized had spent nearly an hour working out.

The hot shower was soothing, and he stepped out wearing new clothes and encountered a strange group of students down the hallway of the still empty school. The student body president was walking along, surrounded by her group that composed of some cheerleaders and the two bullies that tried to take a fee from them.

They immediately stopped talking among themselves, and he just gave them a cursory glance and walked past. He could already smell the food from the cafeteria and he worked up a good appetite.

“Zack, right?” Gwen Grayson called out just as he moved past them.

“Yeah.” He paused and glanced at them.

“You’re here pretty early.” Gwen noted.

“I used the gym equipment.” He explained. “Is that against the rules?”

“Oh not at all!” The pretty student president replied. “I was just surprised that a freshman was using it this early.”

“You’re the freshman flier!” The cheerleader approached. “I’m Penny. Nice to meet you!”

“Likewise.” He replied. “I need to get to the cafeteria.”

“Don’t keep let us keep you.” Gwen quickly replied. “Nice seeing you Zack.”

He didn’t bother to reply. That was a weird clique.

He ate leisurely, since he knew he had plenty of time before classes start. He decided to make this into a regular thing since he enjoyed working out in peace.

On their homeroom class, they got Coach Boomer. He handed them personal assessment cards and when he turned it over he noticed that they were still blank.

[Zackary Braun - Freshman]

Age 15

Powers: Light energy manipulation/ Flight capable

[Strength]  _ /10

[Speed] _ /10

[Intelligence] _ / 10

[Stamina] _ /10

[Power] _ /10

[Combat Ability] _ / 10

[Max Flight Speed - ____]

“We will fill those blanks in the course of the week.” Coach Boomer stated. “Now that you’re in Hero class, we will start with a series of comprehensive exercises to test of all your abilities and what your current limit is.”

“At the end of each quarter, you will have periodic exams and at the end of each school year those stats will be updated.”

 “And you, flyboy!” Boomer instantly singled him out. “You get to test how fast you fly later in the afternoon.”

The texts were extensive, and dangerous. The school nurse, an older woman codenamed X-ray was watching them carefully.

The maximum weight he could carry with his full power was surprising. 6 metric tons. With his light powers increasing his physical abilities, he was ahead of the class in most aspects and only Larry was stronger when in his golem form.

At the end of the day, he finished his flight exam and clocked in a speed of 500 miles per hour, nearly the average speed of a jetliner but that drained him quickly and he had to land and rest for half an hour before he was able to fly back to the campus.

By the end of assessment week, he finally had his data compiled.

[Zackary Braun – Freshman, Hero Class]

Age 15

Powers: Light energy manipulation/ Flight capable

[Strength] 3 /10

[Speed] 4 /10

[Intelligence] 6 / 10

[Stamina] 4 /10

[Power] 3 /10

[Combat Ability] 4 / 10

[Max Flight Speed – 500 mph]

“Don’t worry about your initial ratings.” Coach Boomer assured them. “Those stats will slowly grow over time, and each hero has an attribute which he or she excels at.”

His freshman class started to disperse, some of them comparing their ratings. He didn’t bother to check with others, he was more concerned about how to unwind and relax.

It had been a hell week for the entire class and the written exams made it worse. He needed a break and was in desperate need of a drink. Saying goodbye to his class he headed to the yard and took off. He was getting better with flying, he could feel it. He didn’t have to focus that much anymore, his powers responding to his subconscious.

He needed a drink, but that crosses out any bar due to his age. He suddenly had an idea, a memory from his other life. Convenience stores.

He flew nearer the port and landed in an alley. With a hood on he wandered around the area and found a rundown convenience store.

He knew he looked young, but he just needed a sip of beer, something to take the edge off. He knew he just needed to act confident, that what he was doing was routine. Either way, he knew these places were regularly robbed and hoped the cashier wouldn’t give a fuss about his presence.

He got some sixes and handed a crisp 20 dollar bill. The man stared at him and he shrugged and offered a bribe. “You can keep the change.”

The cashier grabbed the twenty and resumed reading his magazine.

Success! He stored his purchase inside his bag and quickly left. He still had  a few hours to kill before he had to get home and decided to head to a rundown warehouse he noticed on his way over.

He quickly landed on the very top of a stack of empty shipping containers and opened a can. It was still cold, and he took a couple of swallows. He suppressed the reflex to cough, and sighed and leaned back to watch the sunset over Maxville city.

“Are you going to share that?” He looked over and spotted the last person he expected to see in this abandoned area. Gwen Greyson. She stood out in her one of her pink outfits in contrast to the rundown, rusty and grimy area of the abandoned warehouse complex.

“What are you doing here?” He asked.

“I should be the asking the question.” Gwen replied, raising a well manicured eyebrow. “This is my spot when I needed to relax.”

He pretended to look around and shrugged.

“I don’t see your name on it.” He took another sip and let out a belch. Fuck. That hit the spot. He could already feel the edge wearing off due to his new body’s poor resistance to alcohol. He heard a strange whirring sound and flinched when Gwen landed on the container he was sitting on.

“How did you do that?” He asked. Damn, he didn’t even see her move.

“Gravity propulsion embedded on my heels.” Gwen explained. “Now are you going to share or am I going to report you?”

“Didn’t think you’d resort to blackmail.” What the hell, he couldn’t finish all six anyway with the way his body was tingling with just one can. He took another cold can of beer from his bag and put on the sport beside the teen girl.

He didn’t bother to speak to her, as he stared out at the sunset once more. He finished his can just as the sun had set and stood up. He took one look at Gwen who seemed to be content just sitting there and placed another can beside her.

“Here.” He didn’t have to worry about her, he knew she was a senior and must be capable of protecting herself.

He was about to fly off when Gwen asked him a question.

“Why did you go here?” The girl asked.

He scratched his head. Teenagers, he really didn’t have the patience to deal with their angst. They were pumped so full of hormones, and with their immaturity, they were still struggling to find their own identity.

“I just needed a place to think.” There, he was sure the girl wouldn’t read much to what he said.

“Huh. So do I.” Gwen gave a small smile. “And the beer? You don’t look like the rebellious type.”

“Beer’s a good way to unwind.” He replied. “And I suggest you don’t judge someone based on their appearance. Looks can be deceiving.”

“Very true.” Gwen actually laughed. He found her weird, though she had a nice sounding laughter. “See you around, Glow Boy.”

Damn, she even thought of an insulting nick name for him.

“See you around, Princess.”

He thought the nickname suited her with her skirts and matching pink outfits. At school, she was surrounded by her cheerleader posse and the two bullies were always around her vicinity.

The expected eye roll did not come. Instead Gwen tilted her head and seemed to like his nickname for her.  “Good one.”

He flew off, enjoying the slight buzz from the drink.

He got to see his childhood friends the next day. Will looked nervous when he approached him during lunch break.  He was followed by Leila and a few of their classmates.

“Hey Zach, about the other day.” Will took a deep breath and stepped closer towards him. “I’m sorry about what I said. I was frustrated and jealous…”

“And…” Leila nudged him with her shoulder.

“…and I took it out on you.” Will added. “I’m sorry, Zack. You didn’t deserve that.”

“You’re forgiven.” He replied. He had to admire Will’s willingness to acknowledge his mistake. “Have a seat.”

“Sidekicks and heroes aren’t supposed to eat together on the same table.” The small black kid piped up.

“Do I look like I care about that?” He asked him. “Besides, Will and Leila are my friends. Come on, have a seat.”

They reluctantly sat down, and pretty soon he was a having a nice conversation with Will and Leila about their classes. The short black kid finally had a name, Ethan. The Goth girl with the pink highlights was aptly named Magenta and they were both shape shifters.

Will was in the process of sharing his experience with the standard sidekick set of gadgets, or more commonly known as SSG when Larry appeared at his table.

“Hey, Zach, wanna seat over with us?” The small boy asked.

“What for?” He countered.

“You know.” Larry looked uncomfortable. “You’re sitting with them.”

“Will and Leila are my childhood friends.” He explained. He had no plans in confirming with high school cliques. “I don’t see a rule against it.”

“Suit yourself.” Larry shrugged and left.

“Man, that was so awesome!” Ethan gushed. “Can we always seat here with you?”

Will looked uncomfortable and leaned closer to their table. “Am I crazy or that guy behind me is staring at me?”

He gave a quick glance, and sure enough, a black haired older teen in a leather jacket was starting daggers at Will.

“That’s Warren Peace.” Ethan whispered.

“I’ve heard about him.” Leila shared. “His mom’s a hero and his dad’s a super villain. Baron Battle.”

“And your dad put his dad to jail years ago. Quadruple life sentences.” He spoke up. “No wonder he’s glaring at you.”

“And no chance of parole after his third life.” Magenta added.

“He’s… not going to suddenly attack me, right?” Will suddenly looked nervous and started fidgeting in his seat.

“I don’t think so.” Ethan replied.

“Great.” Will nodded his head. “Barely a week in Sky High and I already have an archenemy. Is he still looking?”

“No.” Leila answered confidently.

“You sure?” Will made the mistake of turning around, and matched gazes with Warren Peace. He quickly turned around and stared furiously at Leila. “I thought you said he wasn’t looking!”

He decided to distract his friend and brought up his assessment card. “Have you finished with your assessments?”

They all clustered around his card, staring at his stats.

“Ohhhhh so this is a hero assessment data card.” Ethan gushed.

“Why does it have fancy golden borders and lettering?” Leila complained.

“Can I see yours?” He asked.

Leila nodded and produced a gray card. It was very different from his. There were no fancy borders or lettering and there was no embossed logo of Sky High at the back.

[Layla Williams- Freshman, Hero Support Class]

Age 15

Powers: N/A

[Strength] 1 /10

[Speed] 1 /10

[Intelligence] 6 / 10

[Stamina] 1 /10

[Power] 1 /10

[Combat Ability] 1 / 10

[Max Flight Speed – N/A]

“Why are you powers not stated?” He asked Leila.

“She didn’t participate in power placement.” Will shared that.

“I know, but they haven’t asked you what your powers are?” He looked at Magenta and Ethan’s puzzled faces. “Guys, Leila has incredible powers, she certainly has one of the stronger powers in our freshman batch, hero class included.”

Leila looked embarrassed and a flush had appeared on her cheeks as Magenta and Ethan stared at her.

“Is that true?” Ethan asked.

“It’s true.” Will answered for his best friend. “She controls plants. She can grow trees in seconds.”

“That’s awesome.” Magenta added.

“My power is called Agrokinesis.” Leila finally spoke up. “I manifested my power early in my childhood.”

“Yeah.” He nodded, recalling something Will’s mother told his mom some years ago when they met in a grocery store. “I remember what your mom said, you were toddlers naked in a kiddie pool when Leila…”

“Zach!” Leila hissed.

“Really?” Magenta stared at the two blushing, embarrassed teens.

Will looked like he had given up on life and started banging his head on the cafeteria table.

“Leila did what?” Ethan pressed, eager to hear more of the story.

Hanging out with his two childhood friends resulted in him getting an invitation to do their homework in Will’s house. While he had a different class, he accepted the invitation. His mom seemed happy he was still hanging out with Will.

“Send Josie my regards.” His mom told him before he left. It was late in the afternoon, and with how he flew more at night, he started working on his powers. This time he needed stealth, and a glowing streak of light was noticeable against the night sky.

He could do it after several hours of trial and error, though he found he didn’t fly as fast as he could have, but the golden aura around his body was noticeably less bright than usual, almost faint.

He practiced that for tonight, and was about to land when he noticed a figure matching his descent to Will’s backyard. At first he saw the cleavage, and then the smiling, pretty face. Damn, Will really had a pretty hot mom.  

They both landed at the same time, Jetstream with a far more elegant landing compared to him.

“Is that you Zach?” Will’s mother greeted him. “Wow you’re growing like a weed!”

“Mom says hi by the way.” He blurted out, flustered in the presence of such a famous and beautiful woman.

“I’ll visit Betty when soon, we need to catch up.” Josie lead the way and opened the back door for him. “I didn’t know you could fly.”

“It’s a recent thing.” He answered. Inside the house, he could already hear his schoolmates’ voices in the Stronghold family living room. It looked like their timing was perfect, as he found the Commander, also in his iconic costume, talking with the guests.

“Steve, look who I encountered in the skies on the way down.” Josie appeared on the living room and stood beside her husband. “Power Torch’s son, Zach!”

“Zach!” The Commander’s smile widened when he spotted him. “How’s Bernard?”

“He’s doing fine, sir.” He instantly activated his power as the commander gave him a slap in the back. Even with that, he still struggled to remain upright.

“Showing off your new power, eh?” Steve looked at him from head to foot. “Was that an energy barrier that I felt?”

“Yes sir, it allows me to fly too, though not as fast as Jetstream.”

“What’s your top speed?” Josie asked.

“Around 500 miles per hour.” He answered.

“I’m sure you’ll hit mach 1 soon.”

He quickly joined his school mates. They seemed more comfortable around him this time, and Magenta was curious about what time of homework he brought with him.

“That’s all?” Magenta seemed annoyed at how easy his homework was. “All you have to do is memorize the super villain registry?”

“It’s not as simple as it sounds.” He replied. “We have to memorize everything about them, powers, habits, favorite food, and even their favorite type of music. It’s very demanding.”

“Knowing your enemy is half the battle.” It looked like the commander was listening in and entered the living room once more and started grilling the Ethan and Magenta about their powers.

It was an awkward moment, the commander didn’t have a poker face and he noticed the man’s bewilderment as Ethan and Magenta explained the limits of their respective shape shifting abilities. He also didn’t control his voice well, and with his sharp senses he could hear the conversation between father and son.

“Does that kid, you know really melt?” The commander’s deep voice easily carried to the living room.

“Sometimes.” Will sounded awkward.

“They really lowered the bar for some superheroes at that school since I went there.” He felt pity as Ethan shrunk to himself.

“Should we go?” Magenta look annoyed now.

“Actually, he’s a sidekick.” Will tried to explain.

“Oh! Well, that makes sense!” The Commander replied.

“Yeah, actually, they’re all sidekicks, except for Zach.”

“Of course he’s not a sidekick, he’s Bernard’s kid!” The Commander laughed. “Anyway, good for you, son. Kid of your stature, hanging out with some sidekicks? As a freshman? You and Zach have guts. And I can only imagine what your grandfather would have said if I brought some of them home.”

“You know, there’s nothing wrong with being a sidekick, Dad.” If there was one thing he could say about Will, was that he was brave. Very brave.

The conversation between father and son grew more awkward until Will finally admitted that he was also a sidekick.

WASHED OUT!!!

The windows of the house rattled from the Commander’s enraged voice. He was pretty sure he could give Coach Boomer a run for his money. Will stood his ground, and proclaimed he was proud to be a sidekick.

“Guys! Don’t react!” Leila warned them. “Pretend that everything is normal. Please!”

They all shared looks of understanding, though he could see the small smiles on Ethan and Magenta’s faces.

Will finally arrived, looking embarrassed.

“What?” Their host asked.

“Nothing.” Leila quickly replied. “So what page are we on the homework, Ethan?”

“Page nine.”

That night, he took a longer route to get back home. Will’s confrontation with his father gave him something to think about. His friend boldly declared he was fine to live his life as a sidekick. What about him? He had been granted a versatile power, something that even he noticed his teachers gave pause whenever he showcased his abilities.

He wanted to see what his limits were. Could he fly faster than Jetstream? Could he withstand a full on attack from the Commander? He’d find out, in this world, and maybe have fun along the way too. For now, he was still giddy with excitement whenever he used his powers. He’d push himself to his limits.