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Challenge #01727-D266: Special Needs

The concept is fairly vanilla. Not so very long ago historically, say a generation or three, people started occasionally randomly developing superhuman abilities. But the twist was that it was in a world with no assumed behavior of putting on tights and fighting crime. So for the most part, powers are more of an embarrassing social condition, roughly between genital herpes and Tourette's Syndrome, depending on the ability in question.

But who is to say a new ability will automatically be cool? Or useful? Or even dignified?

Examples from the dream: One person can hear the thoughts of lice within about a fifty yard range. Another can lift immense weights of corn. A third can rip sheet metal with her eyebrows. But only sheet metal. And only with her eyebrows. If one DOES develop a cool sounding power, it is often quickly fatal, or nearly so. Flight is cool. But how much experience do you have with steering your body through the air, or accelerating, or decelerating, or landing, or any of that when you suddenly fling yourself up off the sidewalk at roughly mach 0.5 in a crowded neighborhood ?

Like that.

Thanks. -- Bard2dBone

My name is Claire, and I'm a Floater. I'm one of the point one two percent of people afflicted with Floating Syndrome. For me, gravity is optional. I'm grade three, which means I have some control over when and how I float, but... it's not all the time. People think it is? But, it really isn't.

Like, they have some control over whether or not they're an asshole. But they don't, you know?

People see my warning bracelet and immediately ask a whole bunch of questions. I've been thinking of making up some FAQ sheets. Give them all the answers before they can bother to come up with the questions. But I've been told by my therapist that that sort of behaviour is hostile and we need all the tolerance we can get. All I can think about is how, not too long ago, Floaters were automatically saints. Now? We just have to have the patience of them.

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Challenge #01726-D265: One Natural Twenty

"I'm gonna need you to punch me in the face."

"Sure thing!"

"I'm a little worried that you didn't ask for a reason..." -- OohLookShiny

"There has to be a reason?" said Magnus. "I mean, I like punching and fighting and stuff..."

"Yes," said Taako. "That is true. But listen. We're friends. You should at least pretend that it's some kind of moral quandary for you."

Magnus clearly did not understand. "How's that?"

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Challenge #01725-D264: Blind Spot

"You can't just get lucky and expect everyone to treat you like an expert!"

"Why not? That's what you did?" -- Anon Guest

Ambassador Shayde glared at the junior aide. "I'm no' merely lucky," she said. "I got into the Ambassador gig by pure accident. Fer all that's happened, I could'a well had a knowledge base that missed everythin' the Archivaas ever had. I could'a been dismissed as a dangerous fraud if I'd never met th' Consortium o' Steam or no' known

Challenge #01724-D263: Strange Bedfellows

The "Remittance Man": usually the of the English Aristocracy, sent off with a generous "Remittance" - an allowance paid to him as long as he stay Away, and didn't embarrass the Family. (Back then he was usually a drunk, a letcher, homosexual or cheated at cards. The last was unforgivable.) -- Anon Guest

After the Scandal, it was decided that it would be for the best that Reginald be sent away to somewhere remote but civilised for the remainder. It was the

Challenge #01723-D262: Family is...?

I did not give that spider superhuman intelligence -- RecklessPrudence

Klaus looked at the spider. She was wearing a crinoline made out of her own silk. He turned back to Lord Falderil. "Really?"

"Absolutely not," insisted Lord Falderil. His lab had every known piece of intelligence-augmenting equipment known to Spark-kind and a few more that he had evidently made himself. "She was already intelligent. I've been augmenting myself so that I can keep up."

The giant spider, named Spinnerette, delicately put down

Challenge #01722-D261: Invaders vs Natives

Doctor Disco sighed. Clever, he enjoyed dealing with. Idiots were even more fun to be had. But an enemy with a single goal, moderate leadership intentions, and an analytical plan that still got bollixed up annoyed him no end. -- Fliss

It was days like this when it was difficult to tell who the real enemy was. He usually preferred siding with the ones who tried not to kill. Which, unfortunately, were not the humans, this time. The other side were the

Challenge #01721-D260: Been Bingeing Adventure Zone

[When someone is being encouraged to compromise their morals]

They've already put a lot of effort into the "not killing people" plan, they'd like to see it through to the end. -- RecklessPrudence

It certainly looked like the end for our heroes. Surrounded on every side by hostile forces. Outmanned. Outnumbered. If there were guns, they'd have been outgunned. But in this case, they were all out of spell slots and clever tricks. All they had left was their weapons and their

Challenge #01720-D259: High Alert Level

I may be a coward, but I will not let that define me. -- RecklessPrudence

My name is Val, and I'm afraid. Every day, every minute, all I can think of is the worst possible consequences that result from my actions. You might call it anxiety. I don't think it's anything as mild as that. I have a mechanical clock as an alarm, because what if the power fails in the night and all the electronic stuff doesn't work? I sterilise my

Challenge #01719-D258: Near Lethal Combination

Finally, almost thirty-five minutes into their wait and seventeen minutes into [Responsible Authority Figure]'s scolding ([RAF's best friend, Shit-Stirrer] kept track; the record was thirty-four minutes, twenty-seven seconds, which [Shit-Stirrer] was ashamed to admit was on account of [much-less-responsible person RAF is mentoring in the ways of fighting both physical and magical, often compared to an excitable puppy] and masochistically determined to beat)... -- RecklessPrudence

If enthusiasm was light, Paxifraxx would be a pulsar. Deadly when aimed in the right direction,

Challenge #01718-D257: Where Angels Fear

[Name] is a professional adventurer/planet saver with extremely acute hearing. The other speaker is their much calmer and more logical, though not necessarily smarter, best friend)

[Name] buried the pillow over their head and groaned.

“I can’t tell if those are gunshots or fireworks,” they whined.

“Do not be silly, [Name]. Fireworks are illegal on this planet.” -- RecklessPrudence

There's a reason why Iman Goodboy spends most of her time in her livesuit. She could control how much of the

Challenge #01717-D256: Show of Faith

"Shhhhh." [Name] put a finger to both of their lips. "Let's just enjoy this. Things are going to be awful in a few hours, but right now I've tricked myself into thinking we can handle this. Let me bask in it." -- RecklessPrudence

The human had a mantra for everything that was going wrong. Human Steve was multitasking. Gathering and patching and applying gum and ductape as fast as their two hands could manage. The mantra was four words, "I can handle

Challenge #01716-D255: One Pot Screamer

Hwell Barrow gets his hands on "knurd" that Discworld drink that you wake up sober with. He drank a Lot! -- Knitnan

Shayde is old enough to remember what 'Kickapoo Joy Juice' was, and when she or her friends were studying for extreme lengths of time, she had invented 'Kikyernuts Brain Fire'. Which was a carefully-calibrated mixture of every stimulant known to mankind at the time. In a dose so strong that it was fractionally short of being lethal. She had a

Challenge #01715-D254: Beautiful Downtown Babel

It was gridlocked regularly, so they added another lane. Then more cars and trucks came. -- Knitnan

Once, there was a city. It was by a natural port, so it grew with the aim of trade in mind. The lanes and byways were made by horses and the places where people thought it would be convenient to have a building. Cars came, and things changed. Narrow little lanes that could afford a horse became places to build. Wide lanes became wider. Traffic

Challenge #01714-D253: Discrete Service

The Exclusive Tailors and Modistes, who outfit Super Heroes. And you can send up Mr Humphries of "Are you being served?" here if you like. -- Knitnan

The Client had been aiming for a Look. That much was established. They kept asking for the special offers, and turning down the items available to the public. Finally, after fifteen different ensembles, they said, "Maybe... something from the basement?"

Ah. That was why they were taking their time and being so indecisive. "Of course,

Challenge #01713-D252: A Lesson For All

"Bellringer Sale! 80% off". Then the bell began to ring. -- Anon Guest

The luckless staffmember ringing the bell was on a stone plinth that served most of its time as a display area that could also be sat upon if a shopper was desperate enough. The shoppers were not desperate for a seat, right now. What they were desperate for was a bargain.

A rolling sea of humanity, flooding the area. A surge made of pure greed.

There were no staff

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Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #01727-D266: Special Needs

Challenge #01726-D265: One Natural Twenty

Challenge #01725-D264: Blind Spot

Challenge #01724-D263: Strange Bedfellows

Challenge #01723-D262: Family is...?

Challenge #01722-D261: Invaders vs Natives

Challenge #01721-D260: Been Bingeing Adventure Zone

Challenge #01720-D259: High Alert Level

Challenge #01719-D258: Near Lethal Combination

Challenge #01718-D257: Where Angels Fear

Challenge #01717-D256: Show of Faith

Challenge #01716-D255: One Pot Screamer

Challenge #01715-D254: Beautiful Downtown Babel

Challenge #01714-D253: Discrete Service

Challenge #01713-D252: A Lesson For All