super speed and other exceptional abilities

[self_composed]

Wisconsin fast plants (so called because they are from Wisconsin, fast-growing, and plants) are the subject of Bella and Bridget's chosen bio experiment. It involves taking at least some measurements after sunset - Bella managed to find an exact specific experiment design that hasn't been done before, when she heard they were allowed to choose their own, and even though all it will determine is whether indoor plants without windows can "tell if it's night" even if you leave the light on all the time, she is slightly excited about this.

She meets Bridget there. They measure their plants in the lit room and the dark room, take pictures, and write down subjective evaluations of leaf droopiness. They leave.

They're about a third of the way to Bella's building when a man's voice behind them says, "Hello, girls."

Comments

[self_composed]

"Sorry to disappoint," giggles Bella, all innocence.

[regularsized]

"Don't worry about it," Bridget says dryly. "Lots of people don't have magic powers. I'd venture to say most people don't have magic powers, even."

[self_composed]

"Care to hazard a guess at a percentage? I think you know more people with magic powers than I do."

Actually, as far as Bella knows they're tied, and will be until Bridget meets Alice or Bella meets the mystery other person. But it would not do to share so.

[regularsized]

"I don't have a big enough sample size to even begin to make predictions," she says, "especially because most people I meet could have magic powers and I wouldn't know unless they decided to tell me."

[self_composed]

"True enough, I suppose. But how many people do you know who you think would tell you, if they did?"

[regularsized]

"I couldn't begin to say. How would I know?"

[self_composed]

"Other direction then - would you have ever told me, if you hadn't gotten shot right in front of me? Have you told anyone else besides Mystery Power Person? Did they have to see you get mysteriously not-injured first?"

[regularsized]

"I might have gotten around to it eventually. The main thing stopping me is the fact that it's hard to demonstrate without unnerving people."

[self_composed]

"You have experience with that?" Bella asks.

[regularsized]

"I did actually try to tell a couple of my friends in high school. They thought I was kidding and they were creeped out anyway. I didn't ever get to the demonstrating part."

[self_composed]

"Huh. So you're not overly worried about the being-whisked-away-to-a-lab thing."

[regularsized]

"Well, that is another, somewhat longer story," she says ruefully.

[self_composed]

"Storytime!" exclaims Bella. "Do tell."

[regularsized]

"Skipping most of the irrelevant details: I have been whisked away to a lab, it is not my favourite memory, and I have reason to believe it won't happen again."

[self_composed]

"Please, lay on the irrelevant details," says Bella, finding this explanation unsatisfactory.

[regularsized]

"Not my favourite memory," she repeats firmly.

[self_composed]

Bella is displeased. She files this away for later. "Fine. At least tell me how careful I have to be about telling other people."

[regularsized]

"I would appreciate it very much if you didn't mention my superpowers to anyone who doesn't already know."

[self_composed]

"Do I know anyone who already knows, at this time?"

Also, Alice totally already knows. Har har.

[regularsized]

"All our mutual acquaintances are your friends," Bridget points out, "and I haven't told any of them."

[self_composed]

"Didn't think so. Okay."

Bella looks at the ceiling. "Anyone else you may get around to telling eventually?"

[regularsized]

"That you know? Probably not."

[self_composed]

"Okay."

Bella takes out her phone and glances at the time. "And with that, I think I'm out of questions if I think of one more on the way out or not - I should head home. I'll see you in class."

[regularsized]

"See you," Bridget says agreeably.

[self_composed]

Bella lets herself out, hops on Tegu, and drives back to the dorm the way she came.

[So apparently I'm not the only person with a random power. I suppose this was more likely than me happening to have something that only happens to one in billions of people. The fact that I met one suggests that they're either pretty common - or there's a selection effect.]

Pause.

[Second possibility: slightly worrying.]