Immune (NaNoWriMo2014)(Wattys 2014)

10) First Second and Third World Problems (Part 4)

Nathan took the liberty of being the first to act. Walking up to Suzy, he hesitated, then marched straight through her.

In that brief second, he could feel her heartbeat just underneath his. He could feel her consciousness sitting under his head, the random sparks of neurons and electrons that translated into brainwaves and thoughts jittering his throat.

Then he stepped out the opposite side, and her presence faded. He felt a little cold as he parted from Suzy. It was unnerving.

He didn't even stop to consider what would happen if she wasn't insubstantial anymore. That could have been an uncomfortable scenario.

"So, you can become intangible?" He asked. Now, he was even more curious about her.

"At least I'm not the grassy version of Spider - man," She retorted with a surprising amount of hostility. Nathan raised an eyebrow.

"So, we both have a little secret, then. Do you have anything else that you can do?"

"And if I did, why would I tell you?"

"Fair enough." He took a step back, almost tripping on the boy who's eye he poked out. The boy held both hands to his face, and blood was dripping out of his fingers. Nathan looked at the staff on the ground several feet behind Suzy.

If I go and get it, it'll ruin the effect.

Then

Oh, yes. If I just thought that, then I'm an Earthborn, through and through.

He looked at the staff and its wooden texture. He knew it was just a facade, but it was worth a shot.

Come here.

To Nathan's utter amazement, the staff lifted itself off of the ground and flew towards his outstretched hand. As an added bonus, it went through Suzy's intangible body before it reached him.

Suzy squeaked, jumping as the weapon carved through her. Nathan cracked a smile, but instantly suppressed it.

"Well, I can do that. I can also turn myself into the bulkier, tree version, am water and fireproof – as you can see – and can control anything organic. As you can see." That barely scratched the surface of what he could do, but it was enough to hopefully get her to talk if she had anymore abilities. Why did he care? The hell if he knew. But she was intriguing.

He heard a moan from underneath him, and that reminded him of why he called the staff over in the first place. He gently tapped the end of it on the downed boy's forehead, and he felt a buzz as the tool jittered. The whole staff glowed a bright green, and the boy's whimpering came to a halt.

"Also, I can do that," Nathan added as the boy pulled his hands away from his face. His eye looked as good as new, and the blood on his hands had vanished. Tripping all over himself, the boy fled into the distance. The rain chose that moment to stop.

"So what about you? Care to share anything else that you can do?"

Suzy folded her arms, taking everything in. She was reacting pretty well to all he was doing, which made Nathan sure he had narrowed it down. "No. I can't do anything else. Even if I could, I wouldn't tell you. I barely know how to control this one.

Arcana, Heightened, or Esper. Hmm...

"What are your marks?"

"Pardon?"

"In school. What kind of grades do you get?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"Just answer –"