{"sf1_id":825147,"sf2_id":"A1pYQ2qe","title":"Hero Academy 1 Rewrite","author":"WolfenRyujin","words":3667,"posted_at":"2015-03-01T10:54:00.000Z","tags":["Alternate reality. antropomorphic","Character Development","Rottweiler","Story Series","Super Heroes","foo dog"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/825147-hero-academy-1-rewrite","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/A1pYQ2qe","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/25/5f/255fb60b-0ce3-402d-9645-6090b4f3aca5","description":"#5 of Hero Academy\n\nSo, as promised some time ago already, here's the rewrite of chapter 1 of Hero Academy, this should fit the story a bit more,\nas well as give some extra information.\nI changed some of the details to make them fit the story a bit better.\nNot gonna delete the original though, it's out there anyway and i think it should stay that way.","content":"++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++\n\n  \n\nStar Haven, a city planned with every intricate detail in mind, built from scratch.\n\nThe project had started almost two decades ago, architects, construction workers and\n\neven a few superheroes, all focusing their efforts on a single goal.\n\nSkyscrapers, gleaming like polished silver from the distance, made up the center, home to\n\ninternational companies, some of which had put money into the Haven Project themself.\n\nSuburbs that looked like the originals for magazine covers, or the background for a creepy\n\nsuspense thriller, made up the outskirts of this ambitious metropolis.\n\nThe project had started as a simple idea, a city that could actually withstand the growing\n\nproblems of having superheroes, and villains, around.\n\nPeople were grateful for the protection of course, but it also meant destruction should\n\na huge fight ensue, even though, often enough, the heroes tried to handle it\n\nnon-violently.\n\n  \n\nWhile only added to the project halfway into it's building phase Hero Academy was\n\nprobably the most important complex in the maze made up of concrete and glas.\n\nNot the most creative name it still showed the purpose behind the school,\n\nteaching young people with the potential, superpowered or not, to be heroes.\n\nShowing them how to use what they were able to do in a way that could benefit society.\n\nNot all would become crimefighters, some of them would go for quite normal jobs, still\n\ngiving it their unique touch with some of their powers.\n\nNonetheless they had to learn, learn how to control powers, focus them, and even \n\nto not use them for every, little thing as some were tempted to do as soon as they\n\ndiscovered them.\n\n  \n\nBrian \"Hammer\" Collins was the one to actually propose the academy a few years after\n\ngoing public with his identity.\n\nThe man had been a superhero for roughly a decade at that point, his first outing as more\n\nof a vigilante before he made his name known.\n\nThe rottweiler had early on become somewhat of a leader, some time after his big reveal\n\nforming the Protectors, organizing superpowered beings for the first time since the fifties.\n\n  \n\nHis newfound responsibility led him to retire the cape, or at least crimefighting unless\n\nit would become necessary of course.\n\nSometimes, for nostalgias sake, he still put on his old costume, reminiscing the good ol' days, \n\neven though they weren't that far away.\n\nThe other teammembers helped of course, taking in students as sidekicks, or even as teachers.\n\nAlthough every power had it's own flow, even enhanced strength not always the same for \n\nevery person, there often enough were similarities that allowed for basic training in a group.\n\n  \n\nIt wasn't a bad job, not a bad place to live in.\n\nWhile the crimerate wasn't down to the zero that the people behind the project had\n\nhoped to achieve, it still was quite low.\n\nThere still were people who thought they could take the heros of course, some with their\n\nown superpowers, some just equipped with gadgets or other hightech devices.\n\nAnd while the public still liked the heroes, everyone with powers knew that for each\n\nperson using it for the right thing there probabyl were two using it for their personal gain.\n\nThey kept on fighting, would always do that, none of them was perfect but they could \n\naim to be better everyday...\n\n  \n\n++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++\n\n  \n\nThe foo dog was still nervous as he checked out of his hotel room, smiling at the receptionist\n\nbefore heading out into the street.\n\nIt was sunny, not too hot but a pleasent warmth all around with a fresh breeze here and there,\n\nbusy cars making their way through the manmade canyons.\n\nJoshua still wasn't too sure about this all, today was the day he would meet with the dean, \n\nsee his new home for the next few years.\n\nIt all just felt so... big, too big for someone like him who, until recently, only had heard of\n\nsuperheroes on the news or the net.\n\nThe foo dog took a deep breath before shouldering his duffle bag, looking at his reflection\n\nin the head-high window of the hotel lobby, his mane still looked a bit chaotic, even with the\n\nhairband trying to tame it into a ponytail.\n\nHe took a few seconds to try and fix his look a little, hands moving through chestnut fur and platin\n\nblond hair before Joshua looked himself over again, sighing a bit.\n\n-Okay, you don't look perfect...you have no idea how exactly your power works, but you're accepted\n\ninto this school, now get a grip on yourself,- it wasn't the first time he held the little speech to himself.\n\nThis time however something was different, for a split second, the fraction of a moment, he could've\n\nsworn he saw someone else in the window, someone like him but not quite the same.\n\nAs he blinked in disbelief though the impression was gone, leaving him a bit befuddled.\n\n-That... was weird.-\n\nWith that he shook his head, started walking down the sideway to the busstation.\n\nWhile he still had time the youngster wanted to be on time, make a good impression with the dean.\n\n  \n\n++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++\n\n  \n\nAs so often Joshua strolled through the woods, enjoying the spicey scent of pine in the air, the cooling\n\nshades the woods provided and a wild blueberry once in a while.\n\nThere wasn't much to do in the little community he called home, the woods were as good as any other \n\nplace to pass some time although this grove was something special to him.\n\nWhen he was younger he had come here pretty often, pretended it was enchanted, filling the space with\n\nimaginary friends, Joshua never had been the most popular of kids at that time.\n\nIt hadn't changed of course, he still was the oddball of the school, constant target of ridicule, but while \n\nhe didn't like it, he wasn't as mad about it as any other person probably would've been in the same\n\nsituation.\n\nHe didn't like getting angry, he rarely did anyway, almost always going about with a smile, in a way he\n\nknew it wasn't normal yet he still enjoyed it, it seemed a bit easier than constant worrying.\n\n  \n\nJoshua, as usual for him, had spent a few hours when he decided to go home, do some chores, \n\nhelp his mother with dinner, maybe they would make some lasagna...\n\nLost in thought it took him a while until he heard it, faint, almost a whisper as a soft breeze made the\n\ntreetops rustle.\n\n'...lp...'\n\n-Huh?,- his ears twitched as he tried to find the direction from which the sound had come.\n\nIt didn't take him too long, the voice sounded weak and troubled, a slight hoarseness to it as if the \n\nperson had tried to shout for a long time.\n\nHad he been that much inhis own thoughts?\n\nJoshua shook his head as his feet already moved into the determined direction, he could worry about it\n\nlater.\n\nIt still took him a few minutes before he found the voice's source, a tree had fallen over and there was a \n\nperson underneath it.\n\n-Oh God!,- was all he could get out at first, moving already, trying to find a way to help the assumed hiker.\n\nThe trunk looked heavy, felt heavy too as he tried to lift it away, or even push it, sure, it moved a little\n\nbut fom what he could tell this was no solution.\n\n-How long have you been here?,- was his first question as he remembered that talking to a person\n\nin such a situation was important.\n\n'...hours, dunno what happened...,' the hiker, a cheetah as Joshua only now noticed, sounded exhausted, \n\nonly fitting if he had been here for hours.\n\nHe couldn't leave him to get help, even his own home was at least half an hour away if he were to run, \n\nand his cellphone wasn't on him either, he just never really needed it and out in the woods there was no\n\nreception anyway.\n\n-Do... do you think you could move if i lift the trunk?,- Joshua tried to sound calm, he was getting a bit\n\ndesperate, the man clearly needed help and at the moment, he was the only one here.\n\n'...could try...,' came the answer, weak and hoarse, the cheetah trying to smile a bit in return, he probaly\n\ncould tell that Joshua wasn't too sure if he could do anything after his previous attempt.\n\n-Okay...here we go... on 3...1...2...,- he had already squatted down a little, took a deep breath as he tried\n\nto summon as much strength as he could.\n\n-3,- came only a second later, but not once, as would be expected, from his lips, had he shouted and produced an echo? \n\nHe couldn't really tell, tried to lift with all his might, and for some reason the fallen tree moved.\n\nLittle by little he really lifted the trunk, could hear a painful moan from the cheetah as he, presumedly,\n\ngot out from under it.\n\n  \n\nSomewhere, in a candlelit room with a meditating lion at the center, a crack formed in an otherwise\n\nbeautiful amethyst.\n\n  \n\nHis head spun, his thoughts were a bit jumbled but he made his way, the lean cheetah braced against\n\none of his shoulders.\n\nIt had to be a dream, or some hormones had gone haywire in his brain, he thought.\n\nWhy else would he have seen four other versions of him helping with the trunk, one of them\n\npulling out the hiker from under it, and then vanishing into nothing.\n\nAdrenalin often was claimed to give you a boost in strength, speed, stuff like that, maybe it\n\nwas just something along those lines.\n\nFor some reason he felt a nagging fear, a sensation of dread at the prospect of finding an \n\nanswer to that.\n\nConfused he shook his head, only a few steps more and they would be at the doctor.\n\nHe didn't feel, or had chosen to ignore, the blood running down his muzzle from his nose.\n\n  \n\n++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++\n\n  \n\nAs buildings passed by, the bus stopping at a station here or there from time to time, Joshua\n\nkept musing a little.\n\nHe had asked himself quite often during the last few weeks why exactly he had been accepted.\n\nSure, he had talked to Mr. Collins on the phone, had gotten a letter presumedly explaining everything,\n\nbut he still didn't feel like a hero, not even after that incident two month ago.\n\nA deep breath later he shook his head, he got accepted into this school, was promised an education\n\nas well as training for his talents. \n\nHe didn't have to feel like a hero, he could just as well get a normal job later.\n\nAs Joshua looked up he noticed that the next stop would be his, slowly he got up, heading for the\n\ndoor with his luggage.\n\n  \n\nMoments later he stood at the gate to the campus, already he could see people of different age, \n\neither enjoying a bit of the sunny day lying on the grass, studying with fellow students,\n\nor training their skills.\n\nWhile there were no fireballs flung across, he still could make out people summoning small flames,\n\nice crystals or even sparks of electricity.\n\nSome even displayed their ability to fly and he could've sworn that there were one or two\n\nspeedsters as well.\n\nTaking the whole thing in it looked quite impressive, at the same time though doubt started to\n\ncrawl back into his thoughts, while he had an unique ability, at least he never had heard about \n\nanother person summoning clones, he just didn't feel like he could compare to these guys.\n\nStill, he was here and it was a bit late to make the step back, especially since the dean\n\nwas someone he could call a role model, someone he had wanted to meet for years now.\n\n  \n\nWith a deep breath and all the courage he could summon he made his first step onto the \n\ncampus grounds.\n\nHe was nervous, could feel his heartbeat in his entire body and if the feeling was any\n\nindication his ears probably were glowing like a flashlight.\n\nMost of the students didn't seem to notice him, some looked up as he passed by, smiled at\n\nhim, waved in a friendly gesture he returned, still Joshua could feel his tension rising.\n\n  \n\nSimply walking up to the front door of the building had been a taxing task for him, he took\n\nanother deep breath before walking in, looking around for a sign or anything showing \n\nthe general direction to the dean's office... or at least a restroom to throw some water in\n\nhis face.\n\nThe latter he found first, leaving his luggage next to the door before heading in, looking into\n\nthe mirror as he already opened the water tap.\n\n-Just keep calm Josh, you can do this, it's no big deal, just a talk with the dean.-\n\nHis reflection didn't show the conviction he tried to put into his words, seconds later\n\nhe splashed cold water into his face, once, twice, before he tried to dry it with \n\nsome papertowels.\n\nAs he looked into the mirror again a small voice whispered in the back of his mind, \n\nthe reflection somehow distorted as if it was trying to show him someone else.\n\n'Try to summon one, just to make sure that you could do it, what if he wants a demonstration?'\n\n-Jesus, what if he wants a demonstration.-\n\nWhatever calm he had been able to built up was gone in seconds as the thought occurred.\n\nHe had done it of course, quite often during those two months, right after the first call\n\nJoshua had received from the school he had tried to train, at least a bit.\n\nMaybe, just maybe he should try it, try to summon one of his doppelgangers, just to make\n\nsure, not once did he feel like he was manipulated.\n\n  \n\nSlow, deep breathing, closing his eyes before opening them again, looking at himself in \n\nmirror and trying to visualize a second reflection next to his own.\n\nLike fog being blown away by a soft breeze something was beginning to show,\n\nseconds later, the foo dog panting as he still wasn't used to it, there stood someone\n\npeople could mistake for a twin if they were to walk in now.\n\nSomething was different this time though, something...\n\nAs Joshua still looked into the mirror he slowly noticed a weird glow in his eyes,\n\nthe canines brow furrowed.\n\n-... that... never happened before,- he mused to himself, rubbing his eyes to \n\nmake sure he didn't just imagine it.\n\nSuddenly hands were on his shoulders, giving him a gentle massage, \n\nconfused he looked up just to see his doppelganger, smiling at him.\n\n'It's okay, just relax Josh,' his own voice said, just stronger, with more confidence.\n\nThey had been independed before but still, something was just... off.\n\nHe couldn't help himself though, relaxing a bit, leaning slightly back, it felt\n\ngood at the moment, slowly the other canines hands moved down his back,\n\nrunning over his sides before gently rubbing his tummy.\n\n'Now Josh, close your eyes and try to imagine another one, just for training.'\n\n-I... i can't, haven't been able to since that one time,- he looked up at his\n\nclone, swallowed a bit, why was he so intimidated?\n\n'Oh? I bet you can,' he whispered, rubbing his nose against Joshuas ears, softly\n\nrumbling.\n\n'Just give it a try, i'll help you.'\n\nThis wasn't how it usually went, they never were so talkative on other occasions,\n\nor so demanding.\n\nAnd yet...\n\n-Okay.-\n\nWhat was he thinking? But he did as instructed, slowly closed his eyes, tried\n\nto imagine another clone, just like the first as gentle hands still caressed his\n\ntorso, soon joined by another pair.\n\n  \n\nAs he came to his head felt dizzy, his thoughts jumbled and... and...\n\nHow long had he been standing here? Nervous he took a glance at his watch.\n\n-SHIT!,- was all he got out before his body started moving on his own already, \n\ntrying to run out of the restroom, his hands frantically grabbing his backpack and \n\nduffle bag.\n\nJust as he made it around the corner to maybe find someone who could point \n\nhim into the right direction he felt like he had run into a brickwall, \n\nlanding on his ass in a rather comedic display.\n\n-Uff...s...sorry.-\n\n\"You okay there?\"\n\nAs he looked up he saw a rottweiler, mid thirties but still in great shape, \n\nalthough the business suit looked rather comedic on the muscular hound,\n\nbefore he even realized by stature alone who it was he saw the edge of a black\n\nspandex costume at the collar.\n\n-Ha.. i... uh... Mr. Collins, Sir,- he stammered as he tried to get back up to his feet, \n\nthe rottweiler extending a hand to help him.\n\nThe towering man looked Joshua over as if he tried to remember him before a \n\nsmile spread on his muzzle.\n\n\"Ah, you must be Mr. Williams, Noxfires newest discovery.\"\n\n-Uhm, yeah... i, sorry for running into you, was just trying to get to your office.-\n\n\"Well, we can go there together, it's just a formality, a small talk before \n\ni show you to your room.\"\n\n  \n\n++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++\n\n  \n\nThe office wasn't quite what Joshua had expected, from all he knew about the rottweiler,\n\nhe would've guessed there'd be training equipment everywhere, or at least a few\n\nnewspaper clippings showing his achievements.\n\nBut this, it still was impressive with the expensive furniture and quite big collection\n\nof books on the high shelfs, just didn't seem to fit what he had pictured the hero to be like.\n\n  \n\n\"Sit down, make yourself comfortable,\" Brian said with a warm smile as he took his own seat\n\nbehind the huge desk.\n\nIn a way, Joshua thought to himself, seeing the man like this was more imposing than he had\n\nguessed.\n\n-Thanks,- was the single worded answer as he sat down himself, his luggage left near the door.\n\n\"Now, as we had talked about on the phone, you were accepted here after displaying your own,\n\nspecial talent,\" the rottweilers hands moved through some folders.\n\n\"Cloning yourself, right?,\" Hammer looked up as he had found the info in one of the files.\n\nJoshua nodded.\n\n-That's... that's right.-\n\n\"Nervous? You don't have to be.\"\n\n-I just don't feel like the right materia- -\n\nHe didn't get out much more as the rottweiler raised a hand to stop him.\n\n\"We talked about this already, i trust Noxfires judgement, when he says you have potential,\n\nbelieve me, you do have it.\"\n\nIntimidated the foo dog nodded, ears folding back a little.\n\n\"This is just a formality, i like to know my students a little, you know?\"\n\nAgain Joshua nodded, although a little bit less nervous, the other canine didn't sound angry, \n\nor even annoyed, rather warm actually.\n\n\"Now, if you don't object i'd like to see your power myself,\" he said with a smile that showed the\n\ncuriosity of a teenager.\n\n-Uhm, okay... here?-\n\n\"Well, as far as i know you wouldn't burn down my office or freeze the door with your power,\n\nso go ahead,\" again he smiled.\n\nJoshua slowly stood up, moved to the middle of the room and took a deep breath.\n\nA little demonstration wouldn't do much harm, would it?\n\nSlowly he closed his eyes, tried to imagine it, focus on the picture of another like him\n\nstanding there.\n\nThis time however he felt different, a weird tingling spreading over his body as he, for no reason\n\nknown to him, openend his eyes during the summoning.\n\n  \n\n-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n  \n\nHammer couldn't wait to see what the boy had in store.\n\nCloning oneself maybe wasn't the most impressive power on it's own, but with proper training\n\nit could become pretty useful.\n\nHe had talked about it with Noxfire some times now, they both agreed that this particular skill\n\nprobably wasn't one of those suited for battle, but in the civilian sector the applications were\n\nwithout comparison, on paper at least.\n\n  \n\nThe chubby foo dog stood there, took a few deep breaths as Brian kept his eyes on him.\n\nSlowly he opened his eyes as left and right of him something happened, as if someone was \n\nblowing away smoke or fog to make something visible.\n\nStrangely though this only held his attention for a few split seconds, his own eyes meeting\n\nthe student's, they looked odd, glazed over, unfocused, yet pretty.\n\nYeah, pretty was a good word, that glowing, pulsing, soft hue of pink slowly moving through \n\nthe iris.\n\nAnother warm smile started to form on the rottweilers lips while the two clones manifested\n\nfully at both sides of his new student.\n\n  \n\n-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n  \n\nSuddenly Hammer shook his head, Joshua standing there, panting as the two clones tried\n\nto support him, smiled at him before moving their attention to the dean.\n\nTwo? He managed two? That was... weird, he couldn't remember being able to move up\n\nfrom one even once after the incident, everytime he had tried to his head had started pounding.\n\n\"Impressive,\" he could hear from Hammer as the hound had finaly shaken off the dizzyness.\n\n'Thanks Mister,' one of the clones said, even saluting him while the other helped Joshua to\n\nstand straight.\n\n-Yeah, uhm, thanks-\n\n\"If it weren't for the difference in behaviour i probably couldn't tell you guys appart.\"\n\n'Well, that's the idea, isn't it?,' said the other clone now, grinning a bit.\n\nThey weren't usually so talkative, had he done something wrong? Visualized something\n\ndifferent? Joshua wasn't sure, but it did impress the dean.\n\n\"With some training i bet we can help you to master this, it's really an impressive\n\nability you have there.\"\n\n  \n\nJoshua didn't hear the praise anymore.\n\nConfused the two clones looked at him as he fell to the ground while they disintigrated.\n\nA small drop of blood running down the foo dogs nose as he lost consciousness.\n\nSomething had been odd the entire time, was the last thought Joshua's mind formed before\n\nhe hit the floor and everything went dark.\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Hero Academy","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/819890-hero-academy-4.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/869229-hero-academy-5.json"}}