Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

As Zach stood amongst the group in Power Placement, towering over the rest, he radiated confidence. Whether that was from his body language, his outlandish and neon attire, or just simply him, he screamed confidence. That's what Zach hoped, anyway.

He was nervous. Zach knew his power was odd and nearly useless. So, he couldn't help but feel almost strange standing amongst everyone. Amongst Layla, Will, Magenta, Ethan, everyone.

As Larry - looking like a rock covered, Hulk wannabe - finished showing off his powers, Coach Boomer writing something down as he muttered "hero", Zach spoke up to Will.

"So, he's good?" Zach said, trying not to let his nervousness show, "Well, I'm better."

Zach patted Will's shoulder, Will trying to stop him from going up those metal stairs that could leave him to his impending doom. Zach gets passed Will, however, strutting up to the podium.

"Did I say you were next?" Coach Boomer scoffed, seeing the neon teen approach.

"Name's Zach, Coach Boomer. Try not to drop your clipboard." Zach said, shaking out his arms, as if to shake off all of the negative energy.

And then, Zach brought his hands together, clapping once, outstretching his arms soon after. Nothing happened.

"Any day now, superstar." Coach Boomer said sarcastically, Zach trying to think of an excuse.

"I'm doing it." Zach said, trying to seem like he's not at all worried.

"Doing what?" Coach Boomer asked, Zach turning to look at him.

"I'm glowin'." Zach said.

"I don't think so." Coach Boomer said, circling Zach.

"Well, it's..easier to see in a dark room. Maybe we could turn off these lights. You could cup your hands around your eyes and look real close-" Zach started to ramble. He always rambles when he's nervous.

"Sidekick." Coach Boomer said, cutting him off.

Zach sighed, squeezing his eyes shut in slight frustration and anxiety, "Um- Are you sure you wanna do that-?"

"Sidekick!" Coach Boomer, well, boomed, sending Zach launching across the room, slamming into the wall.

That was the first day that Zach hated his power.

Chapter Text

It's been four years, to the day, when Zach was pronounced a sidekick, or what this school called "hero support". But it all seemed like the same old shit in the long run after four years.

Zach tried to convince everyone that he was on the track of being a real hero, but all he has to his name now is that he's a human glow stick that has some sort of connection to the Commander and Jetstream. Sadly, that famous hero connection doesn't make someone a jerk themselves. Even having the ability to say "I helped save the school from Royal Pain's attack" left Zach a laughing stock.

Zach can't help but feel jealous of his best friend, Will Stronghold. He's destined to be the most famous hero some day. Zach doesn't understand how Will didn't become a pretentious asshole by now, all of his friends being sidekicks.

Zach...just feels bad..for himself. For his friends that aren't named "Will". But mainly himself. All he can think about is negativity as he waits for the bus, disgusting by his own power and himse-

Suddenly, the sound of a school bus' loud engine and squeaky brakes approaches, snapping Zach out of his thoughts. Once the bus stops, the doors swing open, revealing a "I'm done with this shit" Lash. Lash has his same old striped sleeves under his bus driver uniform. Zach can't help but snicker, stepping aboard.

"Since when have you been a bus driver?" Zach says jokingly.

"It was the only way they would let me back in school." Lash mutters, "It was either that or being expelled."

"How's Speed doing?" Zach asks, Lash rolling his eyes.

"Expelled." Lash retorts, "'Said being a bus driver is 'humiliating'. Gwen's expelled too, they didn't give her a chance."

"And Penny?" Zach questions.

"A lunch lady." Lash says, "Kinda sexist, don'tcha think?"

"A little." Zach nods, making his way to his seat.

As he approaches the back of the bus, he spots purple and black hair over one of the seats, the sight making him smile. Zach quickens his pace, finally spotting her face. Magenta. His girlfriend of four years. He met her on the first day of Sky High, helped each other save the school...and they've been dating ever since.

Zach takes a seat next to Magenta, who rolls her eyes.

"You can't spend two minutes away from me, can you?" Magenta scoffs.

"I will neither confirm nor deny," Zach laughs slightly, "but I missed you."

"You just confirmed it," Magenta says, "because we hang out together yesterday."

"So?" Zach raises his hands in defense, "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing. You're just adorably clingy." Magenta smiles, Zach feeling his face heat up at the sight of her grin.

"'Adorably'?" Zach asks, the word being repeated making him more flustered than he already is.

"Yeah, 'adorably'." Magenta repeats, rubbing Zach's knee.

Zach has always found himself easily flustered, and Magenta always takes full advantage of it, leaving Zach a blushing idiot.

The bus stops once more, two more people boarding onto the bus hand in hand. Will and Layla. The school's most popular couple...and most loyal friends...nothing's gonna change that. Will and Layla approach, sitting in the seat across from Zach and Magenta.

"Hey!" Will says happily, "How are you guys...?"

"Good..." Zach answers, Magenta nodding in agreement.

"How was your summer? You two do anything fun?" Layla asks, Magenta just nodding once more.

"I went vacation with my family." Zach says happily, "It was really ni-"

"We went on vacation with your family together. Your mom is a tough lady to bargain with. I had no choice but to go with you." Magenta retorts.

"You sound like you didn't like it." Zach's tone changes to a sad one.

"I never said that. I loved the vacation." Magenta says reassuringly, "Your mom's just stubborn."

"True..." Zach's smile quickly comes back.

—

It doesn't take long for them to get to school, the bus zooming through the sky like it always does. The memory of their first maiden voyage to Sky High makes Zach laugh a little, remembering how everyone screamed in terror, Ron muttering "freshman". Hilarious.

As everyone exits the bus, they're greeted with new and old faces. New freshman flood the courtyard. They stare in astonishment at the school, trying to figure out how the school is floating, something Zach still hasn't figured out (even if the scientific analysis was explained to him, he doesn't remember how).

There's an abundance of things going through Zach's mind. This year, he's being assigned a hero to support, who will give him his name. He hopes Will chooses him. Will would let Zach use the name "Zach Attack".

This year, Zach was Mr. Boy's teacher aid. He'd be able to help the new kids with their work, and possibly get to know some more people like him.

And, because he was one of the "famous and significant sidekicks" that helped with the Royal Pain attack, Zach gets to sit in on the new freshman's Power Placement, along with his friends.

"Are you ready for Power Placement?" Will asks, "Maybe you'll find someone with your power."

"Yeah.." Zach says, the sarcastic and joking tone Will had makes his stomach churn in guilt (for himself), "...maybe."

—

As they make their way to the gym, Zach can hear Principal Powers giving her usual speech, as well as her saying some recognizable names.

"Now, today you will be joined by one of our heroes in training, Will Stronghold and Layla Williams, and some of his..colleagues-" The way Powers says "colleagues" makes Zach feel a twinge of anger, "-Magenta Lilac, Ethan Arno, and Zach Springer."

Why was Zach last in the list? He doesn't know, but the feeling of being last, like always, made him feel jealous and angry.

Suddenly, the light-ball version of Powers busts through the door, nearly running into the group. As they enter, the freshman look their way in awe. The students that aren't silent are whispering to their friends and gawking at the sight of them, especially Will.

Zach spots Coach Boomer, who has his regular "mean, douchebag coach" personality on high. The new kids all seem...exclusive to their own styles, some even looking like they copied their way of dress right out of Zach and his friends' freshman yearbook. Coach Boomer pays no mind to Zach's friend group, keeping his attention on the freshman.

"You." Coach Boomer points to a flowy, black haired girl with moderately tanned skin. She's weathering a white button up shirt under a denim jacket along with a long, flowing blue and white tie-dyed shirt that seems like an abstract cloud display other her brown combat boots, "You're first. Up here. Now. What's your name?"

The black haired girl makes her way up the stairs, "Gale."

"Alright, Gale." Coach Boomer says, spitting her name out like venom, "Show us what you've got."

"Well...I can't right now." Gale admits, Boomer raising a brow.

"You can't?" He asks, Gale nodding, "Or you just won't?"

"I...can't." Gale says hesitantly, "It only works when I experience negative emotions. Then it storms."

"But you seem like a happy ball of sunshine..?" Layla interjects.

"That's the problem." Coach Boomer grumbles, "Sidekick."

"But-" Gale tries to say.

"Side. Kick." Boomer separates his words for emphasis, "Don't make me tell you aga-"

Thunder suddenly rolls in the distance, the sky slowly growing dark.

"...you're still a sidekick." Coach Boomer laughs.

Gale stomps off the platform and to the back of the group, Layla whispering a "You did great" that she obviously didn't hear. Coach Boomer points to a shorter boy with ginger hair poking out from behind his full face mask with a smiley face on it. The boy had had been picking at the gloves he's been wearing the whole time along with the edges of his brown sweater sleeves. He's wearing blue jeans that are almost too big for him and white sneakers.

"What's with the mask and gloves?" Coach Boomer asks insensitively.

"I don't like my power..." The boy mutters, barely audible.

"Come again?" Boomer asks, irritation lacing his voice.

"I don't like my power," The boy says louder, voice threatening to crack, "..sir."

"Well," Coach Boomer says, stooping closer to the boy's level, "that's a shame isn't it? Get up here."

The boys stops picking at his gloves, hands visibly shaking. He hesitantly steps onto the platform, Coach Boomer glaring down at him.

"Gloves and mask off." Boomer says sternly.

The boy hesitantly starts to take off his gloves, revealing his skin glowing unnatural purple color, like one of those light sanitizers. Then, his mask comes next, the color of skin staying the same glowing color. His features are barely visible through the light.

Zach can't help but feel bad for the nervous boy, the ginger's whole body shaking from anxiety and fear. Coach Boomer's face screams "trying not to laugh".

"What's your name son?" Coach Boomer asks, fake sympathy leaking through.

"...Yoovee." The boy - Yoovee - says shyly, causing Boomer to snort out a laugh.

"That's horrible." Coach Boomer says through a laugh.

"Asshole." Zach mutters to himself, catching Coach Boomer's attention.

"What was that?" Boomer asks.

"Nothing." Zach says mainly.

"Uh-huh." Boomer says, "Well, Yoovee...you're a sidekick. You'll get along well with Zach."

Yoovee just...says nothing..hesitantly walking back to the group of freshman, putting his mask back on solemnly.

The same anger that Zach felt before slowly wells up again, faster this time. Coach Boomer had no right to treat Yoovee like that just because of his power.

The rest of Power Placement zooms by, powers varying in importance and uselessness as they went. One girl who was named Fisher had the power to manipulate and create water and various liquids, immediately placing her with a hero status. There was a boy named - or presumably nicknamed - Stretch who was able to make himself taller and shorter, and oddly heroic power in Coach Boomer's eyes.

All of these powers seemed so odd and interesting, making Zach feel jealous once more, thankful when the bell rang so that he could hurry out of there to class to help Mr. Boy by being a teacher aid.

Today was going to be long.

Chapter Text

The rest of the day flies by fast, Zach meeting all sorts of new people. He had befriended Gale that morning, who was still pissed off about Power Placement judging by the storm raging outside.

Now, it's lunch time, and there's a student that's not anywhere to be seen. Yoovee.

Zach tells Magenta that he'll be right back, making his way to the bathroom, being the one place he hadn't checked. As he opens the the bathroom door, he spots Yoovee. He's sitting in the corner on the bathroom, in the floor, eating a bagged lunch...the sniffles of apparent past crying being heard.

"Yoovee?" Zach asks, causing Yoovee to nearly jump out of his glowing skin.

Yoovee just sighs, "What do you want?"

"I just came to check on you." Zach says in a calming tone, "You ok? Why're you eating in here?"

"No, I'm not ok." Yoovee says, "Would an ok person be eating in the disgusting bathroom floor?"

"I guess not." Zach says dumbly.

"Did you come to torment me and call me some stupid nickname?" Yoovee asks, Zach shaking his head.

"Of course not..." Zach answers.

"And why should I believe you..?" Yoovee sniffles once more.

"We're more in the same." Zach shrugs, Yoovee scoffing.

"How so?" Yoovee says, obviously not believing him.

Zach brings himself to the light switch, turning off the light momentarily to show his neon green glowing form. He then turns the light back on, "See?"

"...I guess we're...kind of similar, Glowstick." Yoovee says, Zach putting on a fake offended look...that Yoovee obviously interpreted as real, "Oh, shit- Sorry..- I don't- I-I don't know why I said that-"

"No, it's alright..!" Zach quickly says reassuringly, "I just didn't know you had the ability to say something even slightly mean."

"...it was mean..?" Yoovee says nervously, "I-I-"

"I'm telling you, it's ok." Zach steps closer to Yoovee, "It was funny."

"You sure..?" Yoovee asks, Zach sitting down beside him.

"Mhm." Zach nods, "You wanna go back out there and sit with my friends and I?"

"But what if someone says something mean to me again?" Yoovee asks, looking up at Zach.

"I'll make sure they won't." Zach says, "Nobody really bothers me. It comes with my superiority."

"'Superiority'?" Yoovee asks, confused.

"It's a long story."

—

It doesn't take long for Yoovee and Zach to become closer friends, Yoovee practically following Zach around like a lost puppy. All the time Yoovee is around Zach is the time he's not bullied for his power, so they're quite dependent on the taller blonde. Zach doesn't mind at all, just wanting Yoovee to feel safe.

Zach never really thought about how difficult it could be to be a freshmen. Sure, he was once a freshmen as well, but...all those bad memories had just..gotten pushed to the back of his brain.

Freshmen year wasn't that bad, was it?

--

“Will!” Ethan yells, Lash grabbing him by the sleeve as he drags him around the corner.

Will quickly rounds the corner, Layla following suit. Lash and Speed have Ethan by the arms, trying to stuff him in a locker..beside him, in the next locker, is a certain glowing fellow, the tiny slits in the locker glowing green.

“Woah, woah, woah! Hey!” Will intervenes, Lash and Speed hesitantly stepping away from the youngest Stronghold, “Come on, buddy. Easy guys.”

Lash pushes Ethan out of his grip, who sluggishly continues down the hall.

“Thanks, Will.” He says sheepishly.

“Alright.” Will mumbles.

“Hey, you ok?” Layla asks, Ethan nodding.

“Yeah, thanks.” Ethan says.

“Zach, too.” Will says sternly, Lash standing in front of the glowing locker as if it’d hide the obvious. Lash steps out from in front of it, opening it in aggravation.

“Come on.” Lash grumbles.

“Not so tough when my boy’s around, are you?” Zach says, trying to intimidating as he struggles to get out of the locker to the two douchebags, which immediately fails as he retreats, bumping into the locker door.

—

Ok. Maybe freshmen year was kind of shitty, but hey! He survived! He helped save the school for God’s sake!

He doesn’t want Yoovee to struggles the way he did…so he doesn’t really care as long as the other glowing boy stays safe. Zach just met Yoovee and he's like a brother to him, and he has the bond with him...that feels like it could never be broken. And it's only been a day.

It was time to get back to hero support classes, Magenta sitting in the seat in front of Zach, Yoovee sitting to his left, and Gale to his right. It's a chaotic bunch, most of their time being spent talking to each other instead of Mr. Boy's lecture.

"I heard Lila Beauregard is throwing a hero level party over at the old, abandoned barn at the end of Moonlight Avenue." Magenta brags, "She's inviting all of the side kicks."

"Who's Lila again?" Yoovee asks.

"Isn't she the girl that can turn into a bouncy ball?" Gale asks, Zach shaking his head.

"That's Iris Chaney," Zach says, "Lila is the one who can create a swarm of butterflies."

"Oh." Yoovee says quietly, "...there's too many people in hero support to remember."

"I know right..." Magenta agrees, laughing a little, "And apparently Lila's supplying all the booze that an alcoholic can pray for."

"Hell yeah..." Zach says under his breath.

"You've never been drunk in your life, Zach." Magenta retorts.

"So?" Zach says, leaning over his desk a little, "There's a first time for everyone."

"Yeah, and there's a first time for everyone to lose their virginity." Gale snorts.

"Zach hasn't even done that yet." Magenta reveals, Yoovee having to hold back a wheeze, Gale covering her mouth to muffle her giggles. Zach goes bright red with embarrassment.

"Neither have you..!" Zach whisper yells.

"So what? I'm waiting for the perfect moment, babe." Magenta says, turning in her seat so she can lean closer to him, "Just wait until the party..maybe then it'll happen, baby."

Zach is at a loss for words, Magenta smiling and turning back around in her seat. Yoovee and Gale are left speechless, and Zach is left quickly raising his hand..asking to be excused.

Chapter Text

Zach awakes from his sleep, being abruptly greeted by a splitting headache and the smell of alcohol. What in the hell happened?

Zach looks around the room...it's..not his bedroom..and not his bed. The blankets that cover him are scratchy and nearly unbearable to be in contact with and it feels as if he's laying on a mattress and a mattress only, but there's a lovely warmth to it.

He looks over, seeing Magenta curled up by his arm. Her black and purple hair is disheveled and the blankets are moved just low enough to reveal something shocking to Zach. She's completely and utterly naked, and so is he.

Zach doesn't remember a thing from the night before and the act of trying to gain the memories making his head hurt more, his stomach doing flips. But maybe that's just the hangover.

Zach looks around further in the room...the room smells musty and is dark, the cracks in the wooden barn walls letting very little dim light into the room. Zach sighs, taking the blanket off himself before pulling the blanket over Magenta's shoulder so that she's no longer exposed.

Zach goes to stand up to get dressed, but maybe he stood a little too fast because before he knows it, he goes from towering to suddenly eating the dirt..or the splintering wood floor for that matter.

"Fuck." Zach swears under his breath, trying to stay quiet to not wake his sleeping girlfriend-

"Zach..?" Magenta asks, sitting up slightly, "What are you..-? ...where are your clothes?"

"In the floor over there.." Zach says quietly, Magenta looking down at herself, quickly pulling the blanket up to cover up her bare chest.

"I guess the party was a success, wasn't it?" Magenta snickers.

"I guess so..." Zach replies, righting himself to sit back onto the mattress.

"Shit-" Magenta suddenly mutters, lightly grabbing Zach's chin so that he can turn his head to look at her, "Zach, honey, you're bleeding.."

"Am I?" He asks, Magenta rolling her eyes.

"Yes, you are, you lovable idiot." Magenta laughs, "Damn, you really are shit..didn't you?"

"I wouldn't say that," Zach sigh, "but yeah, I did fall flat on my face and ultimately eat shit."

"C'mon," Magenta sighs, grabbing her clothes out of the floor, "let's get dressed and then I'll you get cleaned up..."

"Hey, Mag..?" Zach asks.

"Yes, honey?" Magenta returns, smiling from the nickname.

"What day is it..?" Zach questions, "Because wasn't yesterday Monday…-?”

Both of their eyes widen as Zach’s words trail off, staring at each other in complete horror: “We’re late!”

—

Zach and Magenta had never scrambled so quickly to get ready, luckily catching the (late) bus as it was passing Will’s house, but Will must’ve been able to manage waking up at the right time..also given he wasn’t at the party…to only other person on the bus was Gale, and she looked just as miserable as the two love birds.

“Jesus, you look like shit.” Magenta mutters when she sees Gale, who rolls her eyes.

“I feel like shit,” Gale groans, “and speak for yourself.”

It doesn’t take long for them to arrive at the school, stumbled down the bus steps to get into the high school, running at the near speed of light to bang on Mr. Boy’s class door. When the door opens, Mr. Boy looks mortified.

“Why are you so late?” He asks in a worried tone, turning to Zach to see the small gash on his forehead, “And what happened to you?”

“It’s..It’s a long story.” Zach pants, exhausted from the running.

“Just..- Just get to your seats, guys…” Mr. Boy sighs, the three hungover teens pushing themselves through the door.

Once Zach’s in his seat, Yoovee’s jaw nearly drops, “What happened to you?”

Yoovee drops his voice into a whisper, “You look like hell.”

“Yeah..?” Zach asks, Yoovee nodding, “Well, I’d say I just got back.”

As if on cue, a roaring pain shot through Zach’s skull. It nearly knocked him into the floor he grabbed his head in anguish, choking back the croak of pain as he gripped his own bleach-blonde hair.

“Jesus-” Yoovee gasped.

“Zach-?” Magenta asks, her tone worried and her words quick but quiet, “Zach, are you ok..-?!”

“Y..- Yeah, I’m fine-” Zach waves a hand of reassurance, “I’ve had a migraine all morning and the face plant probably just..added to it-”

Despite his words of protest, the pain increased..nearly making him tear his own locks out. Zach quickly raises his hand, asking to be excused before practically running to the bathroom.

When he reaches the bathroom, his knees nearly buckling under his like a baby deer or moose walking for the first time, dripping the sink before he can hit the linoleum. Zach looks up at his reflection, letting the reality and realization sink in.

The pain..was coming from his cut?

But that’s impossible. This pain wasn’t a simple sting from the gash on his forehead, just above his right eyebrow…it was a throbbing pain..as if taking a 2 x 4 to the dome.

Zach lets a shaky hand go to the cut, almost absentmindedly, to lightly poke it. He’s only curious..but when the blood suddenly starts dripping, he nearly reels back so hard he could land on his back.

Zach quickly tears away a piece of the rough, nearly sandpaper-esc paper towel out of the dispenser, holding it to the cut for a few seconds. When he moves it away, it’s as if the bleeding stopped as soon as it started. Except this time it was even more jarring.

The cut was glowing. It was glowing a dull yellowish-green color, just like when Zach’s body would glow.

This can’t be real, Zach thinks, the hangover’s messing with my mind! That’s all..!

So, he places the paper towel back to the cut, expecting it to soak up more blood..but the only thing that happens…is the smell of burning emanating in the room. Zach drops the paper towel out of terror, watching in horror as the paper towel melts into ashes and yellowish-green glowing embers..did he really do that?

Zach looks back at his reflection, then at the paper towel..then back to himself.

“What the fuck is happening to me..?”