"Why?—did they disappear? My power doesn't like squinting."

"That they did."

"Oh. That's weird but I guess it makes sense."

"Still, your lack of the virus does lend credence to your claims of otherworldliness."

"Yeah. Your world is weird."

"What makes you think that?" says a Jeanette entering the room. 

"Iunno. Lots of kids with powers. Mermaids. America doesn't exist anymore."

"Most places don't exist anymore. The nation states, I mean. America isn't the New Atlantis or anything. And powers come later in your world?"

"I'm the youngest parahuman I know."

"You're middle of the range here."

"Yeah, they told me. The next youngest parahuman I know I think was like thirteen?"

"That'd probably be too old to even Manifest here."

"Yeah. Weird."

"Any other differences you've noticed?"

"No giant monsters destroying everything, you need a virus to get powers, you don't need to be traumatized to get powers, they have existed for much longer, no glowing man made of gold who never sleeps and is always saving cities or cats..."

"So you're not unusual where you come from, aside from your youth?"

"My power is pretty good? But I think that just changes from person to person."

"Your power certainly is unique. There are object conjurers around, but they tend to focus around specific themes."

"I don't have a theme. But I have the, um, weakness."

"It'll remain confidential unless you go on a crime spree or the like. So, Zaneta told me you were interested in Manifesting?"

"Yeah. It sounds like a pretty good idea?"

"My main concern would be whether humans from where you come from are compatible with the virus, but I can probably figure that out with some tissue samples. And obviously, the matter of you already having powers raises questions."

"I could get two sets of powers!"

"Or your powers could change, or whatever supplies your powers could interfere with the Manifestation."

"But I like my powers."