The exhaust from the morning transit skiffs always had a faint, steamy smell.
Robert tasted it as he made a sharp left, flying two hundred feet above Sector Four. At fifteen, all arms and legs, he still hadn't adjusted to his latest growth spurt.
He dove to dodge a hovering cargo crate, pulled off a messy barrel roll, and yelled an apology to a street vendor arranging a display of glowing crystal-fruit using telekinesis.
"Watch it, kid!" the vendor grumbled, with a spark of annoyance.
"Sorry! Running late!" Robert called over his shoulder. He pushed his messy brown hair out of his eyes and sped up.
As a Power Replicator, Robert had choices for his morning trip to school. He was still holding onto the flight ability he'd copied from his neighbor earlier, but he needed more practice to avoid crashing into things or people. Even so, it was way better than taking public transport.
Below him, the skyline of Imperial City looked amazing. Tall glass towers rose up, neon signs flickering in the morning sun and advertising everything from cybernetic repair shops to therapy clinics for stress. This was a city where technology and new ideas thrived, a place made for them.
Robert glanced at his Nexband. It was 7:18 AM.
If he didn't get to the academy by 7:25, he'd miss his placement exam. That would mean no chance at the good classes, just the same basic, boring ones he'd had when he was younger.
He pushed his copied powers to the limit, a faint glowing aura trailing behind him as he switched to super-speed. The world turned into streaks of silver and neon. He weaved between a fleet of hovering cars, ignoring the honking from annoyed drivers.
The huge campus came into view, its big courtyards full of Meliorate students practicing elemental bursts and gravity tricks. Robert aimed downward, bracing for a rough landing.
He landed in the stone courtyard a bit too fast, his feet sliding across the pavement. He stumbled forward, waving his arms to keep from falling flat on his face in front of the main doors.
He caught his balance just as the final warning chime rang out across the campus.
"Cutting it a bit close, aren't we, Martinez?"
Robert looked up and winced as he straightened his jacket. Professor Vance stood by the entrance, a seasoned Meliorate with a stern look and a faint pulse of energy along his jaw. He held up a glowing datapad, tapping it impatiently.
"Just testing my aerodynamics, sir," Robert said, forcing a grin as he caught his breath. "Don't want my replication skills getting rusty before the exam."
Professor Vance sighed, but the corner of his mouth twitched up. "Inside. Before I take points off your starting grade for reckless flying."
In the main atrium, holographic announcements floated above the students, showing the day's schedule in glowing blue letters. Lockers hummed with biometric scanners, and the air buzzed with the energy of hundreds of teenage Meliorates who couldn't quite keep their powers under control. In one corner, a girl casually heated up a foil-wrapped pastry with a small burst of heat from her finger.
"Nice landing, crash-test dummy."
Robert turned and grinned. Freddy was leaning against a row of lockers. Robert was tall and always tripping over his own feet, but his best friend was short and solid, with messy blonde hair and a smirk that never seemed to go away.
Freddy didn't bother with a backpack. Instead, a messy stack of textbooks floated about two feet behind his left shoulder, wobbling in the air thanks to his not-so-great telekinesis. When one book started to slip, Freddy quickly reached out and shoved it back into the pile.
"I didn't crash," Robert said, walking over and doing their complicated three-part handshake. "I just slowed down using my feet."
"Uh-huh. I saw you waving your arms from the window. Very majestic." Freddy nudged Robert's shoulder. "What powers are you bringing for the exam?"
Robert closed his eyes, thinking about the flight and super-speed he still had. His powers didn't fade on their own, so he had to let them go. He dropped both, and the glow faded from his skin. "Clean slate. I just dropped flight and speed."
"Good call. You need your slots open for the practical." Freddy grunted as he floated his textbooks into his open locker. They landed on the top shelf with a loud, clumsy thud. "You nervous?"
"For the Concord accord class? No," Robert said, running a hand through his messy hair. "But the practical exam is going to be tough. They changed the environment this year. If I end up in a combat simulation and can't think of a good power combo fast enough, I'll be dodging plasma bolts with nothing but myself."
"Hey, I could always punch you in the shoulder before we go in," Freddy said with a grin. "You can borrow my telekinesis. Just throw some dust at the combat drones until they give up."
"Tempting. But Professor Vance is proctoring. If he sees me just using regular telekinesis, he'll take off points for being unoriginal. I'm supposed to demonstrate adaptability and creative power combos on the spot," Robert said, imitating Vance's serious voice.
Freddy laughed and slammed his locker shut. "Well, whatever you do, don't die out there."
The final bell echoed through the atrium, a deep hum that vibrated in their chests. The hallway chatter faded as students started heading to their testing areas.
"Showtime," Freddy said, his smirk turning into a look of focus. He clapped Robert on the back. "See you on the other side, bud."
"You too, Fred."
Robert took a deep breath and let the buzz of the academy wash over him as he joined the crowd heading to the exam halls. He relaxed his shoulders. He'd studied, his best friend was with him, and it was just another Tuesday in Imperial City. Nothing unusual was going to happen.
Or so he thought.