Little John had watched Rosario take a run up to that question, watched her hurtle herself through the air with no idea where she was going to land, powered by the belief that not jumping was worse. His face softened in sympathy, doing his best to catch her. "You're different in the same way every person who ever lived is different," he said, setting his tea gently down. "A whole mix of possibilities in the shape of a person. Some've those possibilities might be a little more unusual, suuure," he said carefully, but he really didn't think it was helpful to anyone, getting stuck on their differences. "It doesn't set you apart from the rest of humanity, though."
"What possibilities?" Lyra asked, missing his whole 'you're still a person' point entirely. She was stuck on the differences. Who wouldn't be stuck on the differences?! "How unusual?"
Alrighty then. "All I meant by that is how you might pick up traits from your parents. Could be you have a natural affinity for something or other? Could be you feel drawn toward something or away from something else. Depends on the parent, to some extent. Been a long while since I knew the kids of anyone with a lot of power, but that's the impression I get. What say you, love?"