Ty couldn't bring himself to do anything yet. He had no idea what the limits or consequences of his power were. Imagine, just going around changing people! He had to test some more to see just what he could do. He waited until Ms. Paulson went inside and breathed a sigh of relief. Ty doubled back into the house and went to his bedroom. There, he sat on the carpeted floor and stared at his more handsome reflection in the mirror.
All right. So he could definitely mess with reality. He could age people. He could deage people. He could grow or decrease muscle, play with physicality. What did he have here that he could test more of his abilities?
His eyes fell on the outdated toy chest under his bed and he shrugged. He pulled it out and rifled through some old worn comic books, wooden toys, green army men. Not much. Ah! He found an old orange plastic Parasaurolophus.
Ty put the bin back under his bed and examined the toy in his hands. An idea came to mind and he smirked, setting the small figure down on his carpet and leaning in close to watch it carefully.
“Come alive.” He whispered, urging the little plastic dinosaur to gain movement and intelligence. At first, it seemed like nothing happened. The little dino toy stayed immobile on its side. Ty was about to give up, but gasped as the figure suddenly began moving of its own accord, trying to stand up as it kicked its legs frantically.
Ty blinked in astonishment and felt warm butterflies in his stomach as he realized he had just created an impossible life. With one finger, he helped the tiny figure stand stiffly. It was still just a plastic toy, after all, and creation and creator shared a nervous look at each other. Though completely expressionless, Ty marvelled as the little plastic hadrosaur stared at him. Could it see? He wondered. The molded eye details were looking in his direction.
Ty held up his finger, watching the toy dinosaur carefully, and his face lit up as it followed his movements perfectly. Yes, it could see. It might be molded plastic, but it was definitely aware. Next, Ty gulped as he tried to communicate with it.
“Hey there.” He whispered gently.
The parasaur adjusted itself and assumed a stance the actual creature would have, arms held against its chest, tail out, body at a horizontal angle. The tiny toy raised its head and cocked it to the side as if thinking.
Ty laughed in joy as the creature waved back gently, nervously taking a few steps back from the giant human and staring up, waiting.
Ty carefully reached forward and felt a pang of guilt as the plastic dinosaur jumped back and skittered away.
“Hey, hey!” Ty whispered. “It's okay! I'm not going to hurt you, friend. I just wanted to pick you up.”
This seemed to reassure the toy dinosaur enough. It nervously took a few shaky steps forward and stood in front of Ty's hand. It looked down to his palm and then up to Ty. The human carefully took his other hand and plucked the toy off the carpet with two fingers. It kicked desperately as it lost solid ground under its feet as Ty placed it carefully in his open palm. The dinosaur plunked down onto its knees and trembled slightly as Ty raised it into his vision.
“It's okay.” Ty whispered gently. “Don't be scared. I made you, little one. I'm not going to hurt you.”
The stiff expressionless face almost fell in relief. The tiny plastic parasaur nodded and seemed to relax, sitting back on its haunches and just waiting.
Ty gently turned his hand, careful not to drop his new friend, and looked it over. It was still a modelled plastic dinosaur. Its fingers were joined together, never meant to move. It had hard seam lines and little imperfections along the body. Yet somehow the plastic had become flexible and movable without actually turning to anything living. It didn't even have any colours. It was just a simple plastic orange hadrosaur. The kind you'd get in a dollar store package.
Ty stared at the dinosaur and tried to decide what to do next as it stared up at him from his palm.