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

[regularsized]

It is in fact a pretty short ride on the bike, to a small, unremarkable apartment building where Bridget leads Bella up to a small, unremarkable apartment.

"Do you mind if I change my shirt first?" she asks as she closes the door behind them.

[self_composed]

"Go ahead," says Bella, sitting in the first chair she sees.

[regularsized]

Bridget darts into her bedroom and emerges about ten seconds later wearing the first shirt she grabbed.

"There, that's better," she says, and leans on the arm of her couch.

"So, I'm impervious to physical injury. I haven't always been. It started when I was a kid. You remember I told you my parents weren't funny? Well, my dad was the kind of not funny that lends itself to noticing when one day you can't get hurt anymore. I hope I don't have to draw you a picture."

She shrugs.

"Questions?"

[self_composed]

"Do you happen to know how you developed this power?"

[regularsized]

"I don't have any unshakeable theories, no. There were no fairy godmothers involved."

[self_composed]

Bella thinks.

"Did anyone besides you and your dad know exactly how not-funny he was?"

[regularsized]

"...Why is that relevant?"

[self_composed]

"You said no fairy godmother, but if it wasn't your own doing, and it wasn't your dad's, and people spontaneously becoming physically invulnerable isn't something on the books as a normal childhood event, maybe somebody else did it, because of that, and then if I want to find out what's going on I know where to look next. So. Non-fairy godmother? Your mom? Siblings cousins friends aunts uncles next-door neighbors?"

[regularsized]

"Why is someone else doing it any more likely than it happening spontaneously, if you've never heard of either?"

[self_composed]

"I didn't say I ruled out it happening spontaneously, but I can't get as far on that possibility through mere conversation," Bella says. "Or other routes either, really - I'm not qualified to look at your genes or whatnot even if you were inclined to let me, which, why would you, if you wanted that done you could do it yourself."

[regularsized]

"Well, to answer your question, I don't know for sure that anybody knew but there's some people that I don't know for sure that they didn't. Needless to say, I'm not in contact with any of them anymore."

[self_composed]

"Was there anything special about the day it happened, or the day before?"

[regularsized]

"Special meaning what? I was eight. I wasn't that observant."

[self_composed]

"I don't know, this phenomenon is weird enough that it could be related to anything. Was it your birthday? Did interesting things happen at school? Was the weather funky? Did you meet a strange old lady with whom you shared half of your lunch?" Bella shrugs.

[regularsized]

"You're a very curious person," Bridget observes.

[self_composed]

"Yes. Yes I am."

[regularsized]

"Okay," says Bridget. "What if I told you I'm not the only person I know who has mysterious powers spontaneously developed during childhood?"

[self_composed]

"That would be very interesting. Is the other person also indestructible? Did they also develop the power at age eight? Was it also uncommonly useful to them relative to the general population?"

[regularsized]

"I'm reluctant to tell you too much about them without asking them first, but: no, I don't think so, and less than it was for me."

[self_composed]

"Do they have an idea about where their power came from, perhaps one they haven't told you?"

[regularsized]

"If they have an idea, they definitely haven't told me about it. Our best theory so far is 'it just happens sometimes'."

[self_composed]

"How did you meet them? How'd you find out they had a power too?"

[regularsized]

"Nope," says Bridget. "I will ask them if I can talk to you about all that."

[self_composed]

Bella grumbles. "Fine. Back to your power. You've got an experimental mindset, haven't you, do you know your tolerances?"

[regularsized]

"I know my tolerances are mostly beyond my ability or inclination to find," she says. "Cold weather is uncomfortable but I didn't manage to give myself frostbite the one time I tried. I don't need oven mitts. I don't get chemical burns. I have yet to meet the impact that can so much as bruise me, and I am impermeable to sharp objects including needles, knives, and any power tool you can name. Which was very exciting to test, let me tell you. I also don't get sick, although I haven't deliberately tested my resistance to infection in any systematic way."