20th Fix

[technohippie]

After talking with Sanguinius, and realizing that his one-year Mayfield anniversary is around the corner, Quinn's had enough sitting on his ass doing nothing, watching his friends get hurt or droned for good.

But what can he do? His technological talents were no good here, a sort of reverse obsolescence. He wasn't physically strong - anything but. Stick-thin, 9 years as a smoker, and has barely ever exercised in his life. That, and he abhorred violence, and was a coward to top it off. What could he do?

It was time to change all that! He had to become a better person. Time to shape up, Quinn Hatch!


For the next few days Quinn will be up to the following things:

[1) Quitting smoking, going cold turkey. It's not the best way to do it, especially when you have a 2-packs-a-day habit. At home and at school, he'll be noticeably, uncharacteristically irritable. That ever-present cigarette not being in his mouth might be a clue to the observant.]

Okay, today in class, everyone's just gonna sit quietly and... read. Or somethin'. Whatever ya want, so long as it's quiet. Sound good?

[2) Jogging through the neighborhood. No, it's not a joke. Well okay, maybe it is, because it's pathetic. He's trying really hard, but he gets about two blocks before he's leaning against a lamp post, wheezing and sweating.]

This is... bullshit, man. People seriously... do this... every damn day? For miles?

[3) The garage doors of 339 Brady Lane are open as always, the space Quinn has converted into his hang out and shop. The giant TV is currently playing a movie. It's Cloverfield to anyone who knows it; to anyone else it's a shaky camera movie involving monsters and a lot of screaming, stupid people. Quinn only has it on for background noise, though. He's got parts strewn all over the table, as he's dismantled dozens of appliances and machinery. He's currently standing in front of his laptop, doing inventory on what he has. Feel free to stop in.]

[4)Speaking of laptops, in the mail Quinn gets his next regain - his first ever computer, given to him when he was only 8 years old, right after his technomancy powers came to be. Baffled as to why Mayfield would send him this, of all things, he gets a good laugh at it. You might come across him in the garage, playing around with it, smiling the whole while.]

Comments

[photonicfighter]

Magic. [She blinks a few times, face full of surprise.]

Having... abilities isn't unheard of where I'm from, but it's much more scientifically codified. It's all... telekinetic manipulation, and photonic manifestation and condensation. [There are little hand-wavy-circley-motions. And then she stops, looks downwards, and taps awkwardly at her chin.]

I shouldn't really talk. I'm no Technic user.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

I getcha. Psychic stuff like telekinesis is a bit different than what mages do, but from an outside view they'd seem pretty similar.

[photonicfighter]

[Dakki's curiosity is giving way to practicality. She laughs and flicks her hand upwards, trying to smooth back that unruly bit of hair.]

I'm no specialist on either topic. It works, right? It gets things done? It exists? That's the most important thing. Leave the "oooh, what is its" for the researchers.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[He laughs at that.] Ya got that right, darlin'. I gotta admit, I'm curious, but there're mages that dedicate their time to that stuff. I got other things to do.

[photonicfighter]

Scholars can figure out the why. I'm a fighter. Why doesn't matter when you've got a De Ragan to take down.

[Dakki laughs, then turns her gaze further down the street.]

I'd better finish my run, and get home. You should come stop by sometime, Quinn! I'm at 458 Stone Street.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Right. Thanks! I'm at 339 Brady. I'm usually in the garage so stop by any time.

[kleptophile.livejournal.com]

Seems similar enough to be basically the same, anyway, if our worlds have the same movies and shit.

['Technomancer' gets Quinn a raised eyebrow, although Lyn is way beyond being skeptical at this point. It's not something he's heard of before, though he's not sure if that's concrete proof that their worlds are separate or not.] Yeah? The hell is a technomancer? Exactly what it sounds like?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

A type of magic. Pretty rare, but not unheard of. My family's almost all mages, but I'm the only technomancer. I can talk to all kindsa machines and stuff.

[kleptophile.livejournal.com]

That's...actually pretty awesome. [Lyn is suitably impressed. Not that talking to machines sounds interesting in itself, save that Quinn has quite clearly demonstrated its practical applications...which seem quite cool.] Way more useful than most of my powers. [This is a subtle testing of the waters, although he already doubts Quinn is the type to flip out if he mentions the whole demon thing. Especially since he's some kind of technomage himself.]

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

It's done me a lotta good, I gotta admit.

Most powers I know are useful, unless they're the double-edged kind. Know a few folks stuck with that myself, back home. Can I ask whatcha do?

[gandere]

Ughh... of course it is. Still the future from where I am too. I'm from the year 2005.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Then this old thing should practically be a relic to you too.

[gandere]

Please don't insult ancient magical artifacts of the past by associating them with that thing.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Man oh man, you are one serious chick, huh? [He grins.]

[gandere]

I take magical artifacts seriously, yes. You would too if you understood their value?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

As a matter of fact, darlin', I do. They're just a rare thing in my world.

[kleptophile.livejournal.com]

[Despite his impression that Quinn is too relaxed to get upset by this, Lyn still watches him closely as he speaks.] 'M a demon. There's a few powers that come with the package. Speed, telekinesis, shapeshifting, pyrotechnics, teleportation...that kinda stuff.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[His eyebrows do raise at the mention of being a demon. There are summoners in his world, but demons aren't usually what they call out.] A demon, huh? That's a first for me. Sounds like ya get some nifty stuff, though. Mayfield given ya all that back yet?

[kleptophile.livejournal.com]

Every damn bit of it, yeah. I've been here for...shit, over a year now. It's just giving me back my tech and stuff now. [He shrugs slightly at this.] Just got my laptop back, although it's pretty goddamn useless without internet access, beyond the files I've got stored on it. I was gonna talk to the guy who suggested setting up some kinda server in Mayfield or whatever awhile back, but I dunno who it was - didn't matter at the time - and they never answered my call about it.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

That woulda been me! And we got somethin' like an internet, thanks to Ruri. I can get ya set up, no problem.

[kleptophile.livejournal.com]

[Lyn looks understandably startled. He'd thought maybe Quinn might know who it was if he had his own computer, but he hadn't figured Quinn was the guy. Talk about convenient coincidences.] Shit, really? Then you oughta listen to the phones better. Fuck, if I'd known you were right the fuck next door I could've gotten set up the same day.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Sorry man, usually I'm hidin' in here so I miss a lotta stuff. Bring it on over whenever 'n' I'll hook you up.

Crap, sorry about the delay! LJ Notify didn't tell me!

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

Yeah, no kidding.

Welp—we gotta make do with what you got.

[That gets Balin thinking.]

You been here a while, yeah? Were you here durin'a "spring cullin'" bullshit?

[kleptophile.livejournal.com]

[Lyn is considerably pleased by this.] Fuck, I could head back and get it now. I mean, it's right next door.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Hey, go for it, then. Ain't like I got much else goin' on.