"Curious," she explained with a shrug. "I don't understand other peoples' powers."
"I'm not convinced anyone does," Derek said. He'd all but forgotten about his computer. "Especially not Tumbleweed's powers. Have you met that guy?"
Nell nodded, eyes wide with recollection and understanding. "Oh yeah. I engineered for him 'the perfect underground greenhouse' for his plant monster things."
"I haven't heard anything about him lately," The Afterdark noted.
"I think he's waiting for this new batch to get big enough. Then he's gotta wait to get through all the cold months. I expect we'll see more of Tumbleweed next spring some time," The Fixer thought aloud.
"Never liked those plants. Can't read their minds."
"'Cause they're not affected by powers?"
"No, 'cause they're plants. I have no idea how they think." He paused. "The blond kid from Seer's place. I couldn't read his mind either."
Nell understood something and it showed on her face beneath her copper bangs. "Yeah. He's some kind of special. Doesn't think like normal."
"Every once in a while I meet someone like that. Sometimes I can't read people who don't speak English. I speak a little Portuguese, but that doesn't help me, not really. I also can't read people with mental disabilities like the kid."
"Portuguese?"
"I learned a little from my grandmother. My great-great grandfather was a slave brought to Brazil from somewhere in western Africa and his genes made it all the way here to The States through the generations," Derek recounted his heritage proudly.
"It's impossible to trace your genetics just looking at you," Nell said, raising an eyebrow.
The Afterdark knew this to be true. "When they talk about The Melting Pot, they mean me. Not sure about the eyes, though. They could be a weird genetic thing or they could be part of my powers." He indicated his alarmingly pale, reflective, eyes.
"And your height?"
"How many times do I have to say it? My size has nothing to do with my powers. Correlation does not imply causation."
"You sound so defensive," Nell said jokingly.
"Just sick of bullshit," Derek replied.
Nell smiled vaguely.
"I'm not convinced anyone does," Derek said. He'd all but forgotten about his computer. "Especially not Tumbleweed's powers. Have you met that guy?"
Nell nodded, eyes wide with recollection and understanding. "Oh yeah. I engineered for him 'the perfect underground greenhouse' for his plant monster things."
"I haven't heard anything about him lately," The Afterdark noted.
"I think he's waiting for this new batch to get big enough. Then he's gotta wait to get through all the cold months. I expect we'll see more of Tumbleweed next spring some time," The Fixer thought aloud.
"Never liked those plants. Can't read their minds."
"'Cause they're not affected by powers?"
"No, 'cause they're plants. I have no idea how they think." He paused. "The blond kid from Seer's place. I couldn't read his mind either."
Nell understood something and it showed on her face beneath her copper bangs. "Yeah. He's some kind of special. Doesn't think like normal."
"Every once in a while I meet someone like that. Sometimes I can't read people who don't speak English. I speak a little Portuguese, but that doesn't help me, not really. I also can't read people with mental disabilities like the kid."
"Portuguese?"
"I learned a little from my grandmother. My great-great grandfather was a slave brought to Brazil from somewhere in western Africa and his genes made it all the way here to The States through the generations," Derek recounted his heritage proudly.
"It's impossible to trace your genetics just looking at you," Nell said, raising an eyebrow.
The Afterdark knew this to be true. "When they talk about The Melting Pot, they mean me. Not sure about the eyes, though. They could be a weird genetic thing or they could be part of my powers." He indicated his alarmingly pale, reflective, eyes.
"And your height?"
"How many times do I have to say it? My size has nothing to do with my powers. Correlation does not imply causation."
"You sound so defensive," Nell said jokingly.
"Just sick of bullshit," Derek replied.
Nell smiled vaguely.
