So I'm settling into my new job, and I'd been presented with an unpleasant task: vivisecting a species of bird that has started falling out of branches here in Addis Ababa. They don't die - at least not right away - but they lose motor control and retain only basic autonomic functions. We'd like to know why, so that's where I came in.

I haven't had to vivisect an animal for years, though I've dissected quite a few in my time. We had a large sample size - lots of birds - and found out what it was early on. An enzyme that is secreted by certain tree slugs coats the berries of said trees and in large enough doses - as in, if you're a very small bird and eat lots of berries every day - can impair motor skills and cause brain damage in many species of avian.

Which brings me around to what I did. I have never tried to use my shapeshifting powers on a living thing, because it's okay if a lamp gets destroyed but I draw the line at killing an animal just because I think superpowers are neato. The animal in question, however, was too far gone, with no chance of survival, and was going to be put down, so...

Anyways. I couldn't do it. But here's the thing. Once I pulled one of the bird's feathers out I could change it to solid gold with little effort. But a feather that was attached? No luck.

A mental block? That'd be the easiest explanation. But I've been in contact with another nova in Utopia's Materials Engineering division with similar abilities and he says he can't do it either. It's unusual to find common ground with nova powers, so this stands out to me.

Are we both mentally blocked from using out powers in such a way on a living being, or is there something to the elusive quality of 'life' that's stopping us despite our efforts? And on a related subject for those of you who don't have a clue one way or the other: have you ever 'hit a wall' with your abilities and could not for whatever reason push past it?

My question is did the feather stay gold or did it change back into a feather. Cause if it is permanent I have a few things I'd like Mrs. Midas to touch for me... like these two 150 pound steel weights.

It changes back in about three hours, typically. So no destroying the world economy for you, sir.

I can only accellerate or decellerate the passage of time so much at a time, no matter how much effort I put into going further.

What the fuck does vivisect mean?

Opening an animal up like you're going to dissect it, and then do, only it's alive.

(edit: this definition is inaccurate)

Technically, it means surgery. The de facto usage is "opening up a live animal as part of an experiment."

The bird was alive only in a technical sense. Still. Unpleasant.

Ah. Gotcha.

No, you're pretty much spot on, actually.

I'm still depressed over it. I know it's my job but still.

Oh, well...ick. I was hoping I wasn't right, really. That's rare.

And people call me a brutal motherfucker.

I'm sure you're sweet on the inside. . . and we could vivisect you to see for ourselves! =D

I'm sure that it could definitely be arranged.

Obviously, I can't fly into space the way some can. I suppose that's a limit that's got little to do with my head-space and more to do with the laws of aerodynamics.