writing prompts from tumblr and superpower

https://writing-prompt-s.tumblr.com/tagged/writers

There A lot of good stuff on there and in the Reblogs as well, I mean it. like this one.
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https://www.tumblr.com/shiningnightstars/735660707018883072/in-a-world-where-at-age-10-you-pick-your
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In a world where at age 10 you pick your superpower, you picked the seemingly harmless one. Yet now at 26 you are considered the most powerful person in the world
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Everyone else was picking very basic, everyday superpowers that would be useful for fighting their enemies and everyone they didn't like. I mean, fair I guess, but I just wanted to stay in the background. I didn't want to go out fighting crime or do anything crazy like that. I just wanted to maybe start up a flower shop, sell flowers all day, and maybe even get a girlfriend if I'm lucky. Sure I was 10 and wasn't completely sure where my life would lead, but I knew I didn't want to go out of my way to have a life where I wouldn't have any room for anything casual. So, I picked something seemingly normal for my dreams: the ability to grow any plants whenever. Wasn't anything crazy, and would absolutely help with the flower shop idea. Win-win.

It took a bit of getting used to at first, of course, since I never had a superpower before. Eventually, though, I did get the hang of it. I helped my mom with gardening, I would make flowers and plants for people's loved ones and partners, and I decorated my room with vines and flowers of all sorts. Though people found it weird that I went for such a harmless power. They would tell me things like, "Of course a girl would choose flowers for her power," even though most girls in the school had chosen other, more powerful superpowers. They were just trying to get on my nerves, and I understood that, so I ignored them.

As time grew and I got more and more used to my power, I was able to make bigger, stronger plants. I didn't realize that trees came with this magic, or even being able to form small forests of trees, ferns, flowers, and other plants of all kinds. Then again, I was only 10 when I chose this power. I wasn't able to predict this.

Still, I figured I wasn't as powerful as the other's, no matter how many times I thought I saw someone nervously step away from me in the halls or in the lunch line. 'It must've been my imagination,' I would think.

On graduation day, I came to the place where graduation would be held pretty early so I could sit by the doors and give the graduates various flowers as they enter. It seemed like a nice gesture to me, and I figured many would appreciate it. Plus, if they didn't like it then they'd either give them back or throw them away at some point. It wasn't much of a bother to me.

I never really went to college, as I didn't feel the need to. The plans I made when I was 10 really seemed to have stuck with me, though I was 19 and still didn't have girlfriend. Anyone who seemed nice enough didn't seem to like me very much, in fact several even seemed scared of me, which was odd. It wasn't like I was that powerful, right?

It took a couple years before I could finally set up my own shop. I started by working at various other flower shops or flower stands, but they didn't always feel as lively as I thought they would be, and I typically ended up quitting after a while. Eventually I decided to just work with my parents in the local library. It wasn't gardening or giving flowers to people, but it was something to give me a steady income so I could hopefully set up my own shop someday. Sometimes even my own parents seemed scared of me, which was weird. I still thought, however, that I was just seeing things.

By the time I turned 24, I had finally saved up enough money to start up my shop. It was in a very busy part of the city, and not many people went in, but the few who did were very delightful and loved my flowers. I started making income, and while it was less than while I was working at the library, it was enough to keep me going and I was doing something I loved.

Another year passed, and business started to get higher as more and more people found out about the shop through other customers and people decided they wanted to get their flowers at my shop. Though, of course this comes with some bad eggs. Every now and then, a customer would come through who decided that it's okay to yell at me and tell me I'm doing my job poorly and threaten me with whatever cool powers they have. I always managed to get them to leave, with or without buying anything.

It's been over 2 years since starting the shop. It's been going well so far, and my powers are stronger than ever before. That would make sense, of course, since there are plenty of people with fire powers that often light up whole forests and dry areas, and someone has to help replant. Being able to curate a whole forest is very useful in those situations.

However something weird happened today.

It was just another normal day in the shop. I woke up, got ready for work, made a salad using ingredients from my garden to pack for my lunch, and went to the bus stop and waited. It was quite dry out, I noticed, so I figured there would probably be several fires from those who can't hold back their stupid fire blasts for even a second.

I know I shouldn't judge people for their chosen powers, or even how they use them. A lot of people do that, and they even did that to me. I know that everyone is allowed to make their own decisions with their powers, but it still gets really frustrating having to clean up after them every night. I sometimes dream of a world where no one has any super powers, we all just stay the same. It would probably be a much better world. After all, people wouldn't be able to fight as easily without powers.

Anyways, I'm getting off track. I got on the bus and went to the closest stop to my shop, as usual, getting off and walking the rest of the way there before 8 am rolls around and I open the place up. Day continues normally, people come in to get some flowers, some even tip, they leave with whatever plants they got, and then I wait for the next customer.

However, this next customer was... Something different. She wasn't a robber, nor was she upset with my service. She just seemed... Angry. I couldn't figure out why. Not like I had the time to figure out why, as she came up to the counter and challenged me to a fight.

Now, if you happened to grow up in an area where challenging doesn't mean much, then let me explain. Where I live, if someone challenges you then that typically means they think you could beat them in a battle. It means they want a difficult, yet fair fight. It means they think you're a worthy opponent.

I had never been challenged before. People tend to leave me alone, and that tends to either means that they think I'm too strong or too weak. And at this point, I'm not quite sure which one.

She kept pushing me, continuously trying to get me to duel her. I didn't really know what to say, since I'm just a simple flower shop owner.

"Fight me," she would say with a bite in her voice.

"Let me prove my worth," she would say, and in a way I kinda felt like she might've been put down like I had when I was a kid.

"I'm- I'm quite sorry, ma'am, I'm just a shopkeeper. I don't know what you think I could do to give you a good challenge in battle. I've never even fought anyone before, let alone been challenged," I replied to her pleas with a bit of hesitance. On one hand, it's really cool someone thinks I'm good enough to be challenge. On the other hand, why would anyone want to challenge me?

"I've seen you. You've restored entire forests all by yourself, and you go right back to work, barely even tired from that. If I can beat you, maybe they'll finally see some worth in me."

I didn't know how to reply to that. I mean, my powers have never tired me out, and frankly I thought that was normal.

"What do you mean by that? Do people usually get tired from magic?" I questioned. Most people didn't go out of their way to talk to me for anything other than my business, so I guess it make sense if I didn't know some things, but... Still.

"That's what I mean. You're strong, you're powerful, I just need to beat you and I can-"

"I'm sorry. I'm not a fighter. I don't want to fight you. I can't fight." I couldn't just let her keep going on, talking about me like I'm some big, strong person with a ton of cool awesome powers, it just didn't feel right.

"...What do you mean? You can't fight? But how can you just make all those forests out of nowhere? You'd be an amazing fighter! That's why I want to challenge you." She seemed to be more confused now. Almost curious, in a way.

"The most a could probably do is summon a cactus underneath you, if I'm being completely honest here," I pause for a moment to let out a lighthearted chuckle. "I plant all day. I don't fight. You'd probably beat me much easier than you'd think, friend."

"Wait, but... Everyone says they never challenged you because you are very powerful fighter? How are you not able to fight?"

I was shocked for a moment. People don't talk about me, ever. Or at least that's what I thought. I always thought I was seeing things when people looked nervous around me, or when people seemed to try to stay away from me. Had I always thought wrong?

"...I... Where did you hear this?"

She looked at me for a moment, seemingly trying to remember. "I'm not entirely sure. I've heard it from several people. Is it not true?"

"...I've never fought anyone. I don't know where people would get that idea," I replied. "Do people actually talk about me like that?"

She lets out a sharp breath of the air, kind of resembling a slight laugh. "Many people know of you. You're known as the most powerful person in the world by many. You go a whole day using your magic, even using it for your job, and you don't get tired. You form whole forests from your finger tips. Did you seriously not know any of this?"

I look at her, searching her face for any traces of a lie. But I couldn't find anything. "People... Talk about me? In a way that isn't degrading?" I was trying to let it sink in. "I thought people hated me for my power. I thought people thought I was lame. You mean people actually see me as powerful?"

"Yeah! Everyone I've ever talked to is afraid to talk to you, but they all think you're cool!"

I try pinching myself. Maybe this is a dream. Maybe I slept through my alarm. Maybe I'm late to the shop.

Alas, I feel pain. "...I'm so sorry that you had higher expectations for me. Maybe I am powerful, even if that's not what I intended, but I couldn't fight you in a duel."

She lets out a deep sigh, seemingly remembering her point of coming here. "Well... Maybe I can find someone else. Star, what am I gonna tell my friends?"

I looked at her with a bit of sadness. "Hey, why exactly are you wanting to fight me, anyways? Other than proving your worth to the world."

She hesitated for a moment. "My friends think I'm weak. I wanted to prove to them that I can do things, that I can be strong."

I looked at her, trying to think about my next words carefully. "Your friends don't exactly sound nice, are they?"

She lets out a sigh once more. "They're all I got. It's them or nothing."

"...Say what. You go to your friends and say that you lost, but that I offered to train you. And instead of hanging out with them and listening to them degrade you, you can hang out with me, where I can let you work around the shop and even get paid a bit for your work, and I will make sure you won't be hurt like your friends do for you."

It was a big promise. I knew that. But this kid needed my help.

"...But what if they make fun of me for losing?"

I looked at her with all of my courage and strength. "Then you come straight to me. Don't even look back. I will keep you safe here."

Her face brightened up, a smile forming. "Thank you, Miss. I don't know how to repay you."

"You don't need to," I said. "Just coming in whenever you feel down and my shop is open will be enough."

She nodded quickly, and definitely seemed much happier than before.

"Say, kid, what's your name?" I asked, suddenly realizing I didn't know what her name was.

"Cass. That's what most people call me at least. And you would be uh... Mimosa, right?"

"That would be correct, yes. Nice to meet you, Cass!" I reach my hand out for her to shake. She grasps it, shaking firmly up and down a few times.

"Once again, thank you so much for this."

I go around to the front of the counter so I can properly stand in front of Cass. I put a hand on her shoulder and look at her in the eyes. "Thank you, for telling me about everything you've told me today. Not many people talk to me outside of business, and I'm so glad I got to hear more about what people say about me."

I bring her in for a hug, not too tight as to not make her uncomfortable, and she hugs me back as well. When we pulled away from the hug, I looked her in the eyes. I told her she could do this, that she learn how to be more than what her friends think of her.

She nearly cried, mouthing a few more 'thank you's. At this point, I'm beginning to believe she didn't get this kind of encouragement when she was younger. No matter, I'll be here for her now.

Before she left, I stopped her, handing her a flower. The mimosa flower, my namesake. She thanked me, quickly putting it in a pocket of her backpack, careful as to not squish the small yellow petals, and then went on her way.

Maybe Cass was right. Maybe I am the most powerful person on Earth. But that doesn't mean I have to fight people, I can be peaceful as needed. I can be powerful in the small things I do everyday.

At the end of the day, that's all we can do, isn't it?