Choking On Gravity
By- Shiva's Avatar
Palms pressed against the window, the middle-aged matriarch's lips moved in silent monologue. She felt the chill of winter outside seeping through glass to assail her fingers, knowing all to well that she need only take a single step back to remove her discomfort. But like so many things, she couldn't bear to tear away from that which hurt her, and, like so many other things, she instead chose to embrace the pain tighter. Her forehead touched transparency, and she closed her eyes to fight back tears.
"I would just again like to voice my objection to this utter lunacy," came the scathing tone of Dr. Medula.
She had no desire to debate with the, argumentatively mad, genius. She knew what she was doing was foolish, was stupid, and could well cost her everything she had worked so hard for. But that changed nothing. This needed to happen. It was the closest to closure she knew she would ever come.
"Not only is this abject favoritism, it serves no purpose other then to pamper an already lauded boy's ego. Yes, I will admit that we are all in Stronghold's debt for disrupting the schemes of that technopath wench … but what you are about to do goes far beyond any reasonable reward for that task …" the professor continued.
Again, she found that she couldn't dispute his words. This was unfair … it was favoritism of the worst kind. That didn't matter though … nothing mattered except that she made things right.
"It's not even as if it's exactly hard to understand why you're doing this. You always did have a … weakness for …"
He was making fun of her now, and she refused to allow him that. He could object as much as he desired, could try to derail her plans if he so chose, but she refused to allow him to mock her.
"Dr. Medula," she warned, turning from the window, and pinning the professor to his chair with a glare.
Dr. Medula had never been easily cowed. He had spent his life being right, and had never backed down to those who had disagreed with his casualest of assertions. At the age of thirteen he had berated Yale professors to tears because of their overwhelming incompetence, and by twenty he was allowed to cite "his own brain" for the entirety of his citation sections. That one glance though cut through years of well deserved narcissism, reducing the genius to muttering and fidgeting in his chair like the castigated students who normally sat there.
"I can understand your disagreement with my decision. And I appreciate your support, despite that disagreement. But do not presume that you may mock me for it," she said, her authoritarian tone subduing even the genius's mumblings.
A moment of silence passed.
"I just fear your ignoring the gravity of this situation …" Medula said, weighing his words carefully.
"Thank you, but I've thought about this situation at great length. I'm so well aware of the gravity of this situation that I could be barophobic …" she interrupted smoothly.
Medula was midway through a sarcastic laugh when there came a light tapping on the door, followed by an ear-rending crash as the heavy wood splintered, and a first size hole appeared.
"Shit," Will Stronghold hissed, angered at the continuous collateral damage his super strength seemed to cause. Withdrawing his fist he glanced though the peephole he'd unintentionally made, and flinched back at the glares his teacher and principal were shooting him.
"Sorry, Principal Powers," he apologized, eyes downcast.
"It's not a big deal. Please come inside William," she said calmly, clasping her hands together to hide their shaking. It all came down to this.
The knob twisted, and swung open … the hero teen's super strength again betraying him as the door slammed into the wall, causing spider-web cracks to appear in the oaken door. Will winced, Dr. Medulla's brow knitted in irritation, and Principal Powers fought the urge to sigh.
"Sorry," the teen mumbled, walking inside, eyes captivated with the floor.
"Don't worry about it William. Dr. Medulla, will you please take care of that?" it was more a command then a question. And with a melodramatic sigh of annoyance, the professor vacated his seat and produced a ray from a lab coat pocket. Two shots later, the door was fixed, leaving Will to gap in amazement.
"It's nothing special really. Its primary function is to force ions back together, normally for the purpose of reinforcing walls … though it actually has limitless uses …" the professor began, proud of his invention, holding the ray for Will's visual inspection.
"Yes. It's indeed a handy tool professor … but I think now is a poor time for a lesson about it. We have other matters to discuss …" she said, interrupting the genius for the second time. "William, please sit down,"
Principal Powers moved and sat down behind her desk, watching as Will awkwardly tried to sit down gently. She subtlety ignored Dr. Medula's withering glare at the fact that he lacked a seat, and continued to ignore the professor as he sulked just out of range of Will's peripheral vision. Instead she turned her full attention to the boy sitting across from her.
Darken his hair … lighten his eyes … grow the hair longer to give the boy something to frame his father's strong features … shrink the nose a touch … and widen his smile and … and … and …
"Ummmm … Principal Powers?"
She shook her head, mentally berating herself.
"Yes … I'm sorry about that," she said softly, unsure of how long she had been staring. She could all but feel Medula's scorn, but thankfully he remained silent.
"Now … I bet your wondering why you're here," she began, starting the speech she had spent the last week plotting out.
"Oh, I know that …" Will said, his gaze falling again to the floor. Principal Powers felt her throat freeze in fear.
That was impossible. There was no way he could know … he could never know! It was before his time! The intricates and complexities would be far too complicated for a mere high school student to comprehend. Desperately her eyes flew to Medula, the only person who could have betrayed her, who responded with a roll of his eyes. Principal Powers felt the room began to close in on her … the air dampen to the point where it became impossible to inhale. Gravity pressed down on her, choking her, killing her, mocking her … the room began to swim, and she felt herself begin to tumble into a endless abyss …
The next thing she knew Medula was holding a cylinder-like object over her mouth, which somehow was making the air breathable again. She started to push him away, but he angrily returned the machine over her mouth.
"Don't worry Mr. Stronghold … Principal Powers is prone to very bad asthma. The breathing difficulties are infrequent, but can be debilitating. They are, in fact, the reason she retired from superherohood. She'll be fine in a moment though …" the professor lied.
"And perhaps you should try listening before panicking," the professor hissed into her ear, before withdrawing back to his corner. Leaving whatever the invention was that allowed her to breathe sitting within easy arms reach.
"Ye … yes. Thank you very much Dr. Medula. It was foolish of me to forget my inhaler at home,"
"But one of many things you've down before," the professor countered. Principal Powers ground her teeth at her inability to respond to that verbal dagger.
Will Stronghold at this point was utterly confused, bordering on terrified.
"Look! I'm really sorry! I promise … I really, really promise to be more careful with my locker! I won't break another one I swear!" the boy blurted out, looking ready to flee the room at a moments notice.
Principal Powers rubbed a temple. She'd almost been undone by her own paranoia. Putting on a smile she didn't feel, she again took control.
"No! No! No! You've got it all wrong William. The school was made for easy repairs because we don't expect students to be able to control their powers without proper training. I'm actually here to present you with a schedule change …"
"Wha … what?! But I … my schedule … my friends … I can't just change classes mid-semester … and I already started to study for history exam and … I … I …I can't change classes. I can't," the boy responded, looking apologetic.
Principal Powers strode around her desk and putting a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. She longed to do more … pull him into an embrace, run a hand across his face, weep into his hair, but restrained herself.
"You needn't worry. Your friends will be joining you in your new class" she said softly.
"Class?" the boy questioned.
"Yes. Class. After taking note of your amazing accomplishment last year, the school bored decided that we should reward you and your friends. So Dr. Medula will be retiring from teaching mad science … in order to mold you and your friends into an excellent superhero force,"
The boy's eyes practically glowed, and Principal Powers' could feel the mentioned professor's scowl deepen.
"Bu … But I thought superhero teams were limited to two!" Will questioned, his tone filled with awe at this seemingly impossible gift. In a month he'd thought he was going to lose most of his friends as they were splinted off into teams … but to be a team. A single team ... such a thought was almost unheard of.
"Normally they are … but we've decided to make an exception in your case," she responded casually. Before she could say more, her words were cut off as the superpowered teens arms enveloped her into a crushing embrace. A normal human's spine would have shattered, and even the elder superhero felt the breath ripped from her lungs.
'Thankyou! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!!" the teen garbled, the words coming out in an impossible to understand mess. Principal Powers loosely embraced the teen … this was what she had wanted … had always wanted … ever since …
And then it was gone. The contact withdrawn as the teen released her, and turned his affections towards a scowling Dr. Medulla. Arms spread he stared to approach the teacher, but paused when the professor pulled a freeze ray from a pocket and aimed it at him.
"I understand your excitement Mr. Stronghold … but I'd much rather my vertebrae remain undamaged,"
For a second Will looked hurt, but that was instantly dispelled as he again turned back to Principal Powers.
"So we're all ganna be on a team? Me and Warren? And Zach? And Layla? And Magenta? And Ethen?" he asked, looking much akin to an overexcited puppy.
"Yes. All of you. Just have your parent's fill out these forms … and your new class will start after winter break" Principal Powers replied, smiling a small smile and handing the boy a packet of papers.
"Thanks! … Thanks so much!" with the ineloquence of youth he grabbed the packet from her hands, drowned her in a dozen more "thank yous" and then ran out the door, throwing it open with such exuberance that it smashed into the wall … leaving huge cracks in both wood and stone. Not that boy noticed, as he was already racing down the hall, screaming for his friends to come and hear the good news.
Principal Powers closed her eyes and savored that embrace in her memory, allowing a small smile to entertain her lips. While, Dr. Medula wearily again went about fixing the damaged door.
He could have been mine … she thought sadly, before Medula interrupted her thoughts.
"You realize of course the school bored will have your job for allowing this. They would never sign clearance on something so asinine,"
"Yes, I do realize that," she responded, not opening her eyes.
"You, of course, further realize the danger you've put that group in then?! Three of the members are sidekicks! And two of the other three have powers they can barely control! Peace's aim with his fireballs is moderate at best … and we've all seen the results of Stronghold's strength! They're all just as likely to get in each other's way and get killed … and please try note the importance of that word … kiled. Not to mention the fact that any villain they face will obviously target the weaker one's first, forcing the actual heroes to become entangled in zones were they unleash mass structural damage and civilian death! It will be a miracle if they survive they're first battle! Let alone become a team of reputable skill," the genius exploded.
Principal Powers cracked open an eye, and widened her smile at the enraged man.
"Why do you think that I had you teach them rather then Boomer? They need the best of instruction … and under your tutelage, I'll be amazed if they fail any endeavor they seek to try,"
"… Now you're just playing to my pride," Medula sighed.
"Yes. But that doesn't make it any less true,"
A long silence passed after that, both educators … both superheroes … locked in their own thoughts.
"So Abigail … does this make up for it? Is the guilt finally assuaged?" Medula asked a moment later, sounding tired. Principal Powers smile fell, and she shut her eyes to hold back tears.
"No. How could it?"
"You realize that Stronghold coerced you to do what you did. Barring that, I'm just as much to blame as he, seeing as I preformed the operation. You owed his whelp nothing,"
"It was my decision,"
"Please. Would you have done things different if you'd known the whole truth? That the 'oh so noble commander' realized that it would soon come to light that he was cheating on his flying fiancé … so urged you to handle the 'problem', so that he didn't have to air his dirty little secret?"
"Yes. He lied to me. Promised that he'd leave her if I gave him that one request … when in reality it was only to buy him time give her the very thing he took away from me. I realize all this now Medula … but all the knowledge in the world can't change the past,"
"Please? What is there to change? I gave you the answer you asked for. It liquefied the pesky embryo, and with a few hormone treatments you were free from any risk of infection. The whole situation could have been remedied had you talked to Jetstream then, and returned to your vocation. Instead you retreated from your duties, and had not a superhero academy just been constructed, you'd no doubt be in some dubious hotel right now, trying to solve your problems with some foul concoction of alcohol and caffeine," Medula hissed, angered by her martyrism for an entity she had never even known.
"It wasn't a problem Albert. It wasn't a 'pesky embryo'. It was a baby … it was my baby. And no matter what scientific terms you put to it … no matter how much you try to minimize it … it doesn't change the reality of the situation. I killed it. I killed my baby. I killed my baby to try and get someone else to love me. And everyday I have to look into a mirror knowing that I'm no superhero … that all I am is a murderer. Will could have … should have … been mine. A son to hold and caress. A boy to nurture and teach. A child I could raise to save the world when I eventually retried. But I turned my back on all that … gave it all up for the love of a lying narcissist. So who cares about my job here? Who cares is it all turns out to be a huge mistake? Did you see his smile? Did you feel his joy? I killed my child … it seems fitting I should at least bring happiness to hers,"
"I'm sure Jetstream would be tickled if she knew the cause of your altruism," Medula countered dryly. Principal Powers smiled a weak smile, causing Medula to sigh again.
"Its more complex then that you realize …" the professor began.
"Thank you for your help," she interrupted, causing the genius to sigh again.
"I really don't think you understand the gravity of your current situation …" Medula sighed.
"That I'm still in love with a conceited egoist who will never love me back? That I murdered my baby for the sake of convince and shaky promises of love? That guilt for these actions have haunted me for well over a decade … making me give up my job, and seek out a new one where I can pretend that other parent's children are my own, all so that I can have a hand in raising them? Or perhaps the point that I've just ruined my present career to bring a smile to the face, of the child of the women, I long nightly to be? Tell me DR.. Medula … what part of this situation have I missed? Please do inform me of what I seem to be unable to understand,"
Her hands moved up to hide her face, her expression a blurred line between hysterical laughter or uncontrolled sobs. Medula felt guilt creep down his spine to invade his person, as he finally realized that time had done nothing to help heal her wounds. If anything, it had merely given them a chance to infect … and no drug the genius could create could possibly purge her of her emotional pain. So softly, and gently, the professor placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to create even the illusion of human compassion.
"What have you missed? The gravity of your situation … as well as the people here to try and help you through it,"
Author's notes-
Niaho all! Just a few quick notes …
1) Disclaimer … I make no claim to own Sky High, or anything associated with Sky High.
2) This is in response to Azul Tigress challenge "secrets". It's a bit late (I blame college … well, and the fact that I found the challenge less then a week ago). But simply put I did a nice job of the interplay between the romance between the minor characters (Steve/Powers … with –hopefully noticeable- bits of Medula/Powers). It's not as edited as I would like (due to time constraints) … but in this fic I just think that it means I get wordy at points (and a few parts are annoying choppy …). … but I ramble.
3) The abortion issue is actually not a political snipe … but rather was an attempt to humanize superheros. I always thought it was easy to get caught up that their lives were awesome simply because they had supernatural powers … when in reality, those powers would make life MORE difficult not less. You still have to suffer through the very human emotions (Love, betrayal, sorrow, guilt, longing …) but you have added burdens and responsibilities (… I mean seriously, at the risk of sounding obscenely geeky … has anyone ever wondered how Will plans on hugging Layla as his powers continue to develop? A little to tight and 'pop' goes her ribs. – Or Warren having an accidental flare up –which I actually think someone is writing a fic about …- and immolating his lover/friend). I've always like Principal Powers and Medulla … but in the movie they didn't get the development I think they deserved. So … I figured with this challenge, "why not have Principal Powers be primary motivated by guilt? And have Medula supporting her because he loves her … while hating every decision she makes?"
4) … Everyone mark your calendars by the way. This fic actually DOESN'T seem to contain any elements of slash. Ha! A pox on all the unbelievers who thought I couldn't do it! (… and on that note I think I'll sign off).
--Laters all--