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

Action - 3

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

[Balin's doing his usual physical training routine today, jogging through Mayfield's residential streets. He's wearing his AFS PT uniform, but there's another big tear across the stomach where it had been damaged again, this time by Keine. He doesn't look too happy about it.]

[He's also just as heavily armed as he has been ever since the Milkman took over as Chief of Police, with both his shotgun and his sidearm.]

[But as he crosses in front of 339 Brady Lane, the sounds of a movie playing from the garage make him slow down and listen. In fact, judging from the quality of the audio, someone's watching a movie made in—for Balin at least—recent years. Cloverfield didn't come out before the Bane invaded, though, so he doesn't recognize the film for what it is.]

[Nevertheless, it's enough to make Balin approach the garage and poke his head in with curiosity—then look absolutely shocked to see the modern electronics in there.]

Holy shit they were right!

[... yeah. Really shocked.]

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[Quinn's garage is a modern oasis in a 50s desert. Besides the 60-inch TV playing a movie from a laptop, there's also an iPad, a small rack of servers, a shelf of DVDs and even a DJ mix table. Quinn looks up at Balin, blinking in confusion.]

Huh? Who was right?

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

[Pardon while Balin just stares in awe at seeing sum 2010's all up in his 1950's.]

[Then Balin realizes that Quinn's talking to him. And looks a little startled.]

Uh—oh, hey! Sorry, just—holy shit, how did you get all this?!

[Coherent thoughts, what are those?]

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[Quinn grins a little.] Stay here long enough, and Mayfield will start moving you in piece by piece. All this stuff's shown up in the mail since I got here.

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

Really? So, what, eventually'a Postman might send your house if you stay long enough?

[Logical conclusion, of course. Hey Quinn, don't mind if Balin starts poking around in your garage looking at everything you've regained.]

... Okay, you're from some time near me, I get that much. What year was it for you when Mayfield dragged your ass in here?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Ha, wouldn't that be great. I wonder where they'd stick a condo like that.

[He doesn't mind at all. In fact, his mood is turning around, having a visitor from his time.]

Yeah? I'm from 2010. What about you?

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

[Balin makes a bit of an odd face.]

2014 for me.

[And here's your first clue that something's off about your fellow modern man, Quinn: He picks up the iPad, studying it curiously like he's never seen one before.]

... Apple made a bigger iPhone? When'd'at happen?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

'S an iPad. Came out a few months before I got here. Didn't really need it, but I wanted to play around with it. Ya never saw one before?

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

Huh—no, never seen one. We got somethin' that's kinda similar, but Apple didn't make it.

[He's messing with the iPad a little.]

So this is where we woulda been if'a Bane didn't hit ...

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Huh, really? Maybe we ain't from the same place then. Too bad. Hey, I'm Quinn, by the way.

[It's Quinn's, so there's a lot of apps relating to music and movies on there. And if you look hard enough, porn! Mostly as a joke, since he has really no idea what else to do with the thing.]

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Though'at's good news for you, trust me. Oh, and uh—I'm Balin.

[He tilts his head in the general direction of his house.]

I live over'ere on Goldberg Street.

[Balin looks back over the iPad, immediately checking out the movies and music—more the latter, specifically.]

Aw man, I ain't heard some of these in years!

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

I'll take your word on that, man.

[Oh ho ho HELLO NEW BEST FRIEND.] Well well, you stumbled into the right garage, my friend! You happen to be in the presence of a DJ. I got thousands 'n' thousands of songs for your listenin' pleasure. On that laptop, 'n' on those servers. Ya name it, and I probably got it.

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

[HOLY SHIT HE'S MAYFIELD'S EQUIVALENT OF NAPSTER.]

Dude, I—wow. I don't even know where'a begin.

[Yeah, he's that mystified. Though after a few seconds a song does come to mind.]

Uh—you got "Rooster" by Alice in Chains on'a servers?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Sure do, man. Gimme one sec.

[He grabs his laptop that was currently playing the movie, and simply lays his hand on it. The movie pauses, and in a manner of speaking, the song begins to play through the TV speakers without him so much as touching a key. He gives Balin a grin.]

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

[Balin's mindset: "FUCK YES."]

Oh my God I never thought I'd stop havin'a hear all them goofy doo-wop tunes!

[Though he does notice how Quinn didn't appear to open any sort of music player program or even look for the file on the servers. Huh.]

—Say, how'd ya do that anyway?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

I'm talented, what can I say. [He laughs.] I'm what we call back home a technomancer. I can talk to this stuff, and it listens to me. If ya can believe that.

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

Well, I got no choice in believin' it, don't I?

'Sides, it ain't too hard for me to accept. I'm'a Logos Receptive, after all.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

"Logos Receptive"? 'Fraid that's a new one on me, man.

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

"Logos" is'a name we've given'is system for manipulatin'a universe with a sentient mind. It ain't our thing though; it was developed by an alien race. An' "Receptives," they're people who've got'a right genes to understand Logos Elements so'ey can use 'em.

Lucky I caught ya after'is weekend, I can actually show people what I'm talkin' about now.

[And show he does! Rings of blue light swirl around his wrist, before he performs a hand gesture that looks like he's pulling down window blinds. Only instead of window blinds, something that looks like a bluish glowing holographic window (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5HVxjiZwYI#t=1m29s) manifests. It's mostly blank, but stick figure-like ideograms can be seen floating within it, just barely, forming phrases and sentences in an alien language.]

... Still can't do anything with it yet, but'ere it is. That's my "Tabula."

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Now that looks cool. What kinda things can ya do with it normally then?

Balin's totally gonna ask Quinn a favor soon. XD

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

Well, me? I'm a Demolitionist, so—I nuke shit.

that's fine, i think they're totally BFFs now anyway. XD

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Seriously? That's pretty awesome! That'll be handy to get back when ya do.

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

AFS Demolitionists, man. We're a megaton of fun.

But yeah. If or when I get my Logos Abilities back? I'm gonna pay'a Milkman a visit. Been itchin'a give 'em some payback after what'a fucker put'a town through.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Sounds like ya need that on a t-shirt or somethin'.

Sweet. Give him a blast to the nads for me, would ya?

[walking-nuke.livejournal.com]

If I have my way with 'em? There'll be nothin' but ash.

[A beat.]

Oh, hey, uh—this music'ere, an' your bein' a technomancer—uh, are you capable of makin' copies of'is stuff? Like, a set'a speakers an' a music player of some kind.

[Poor Caesar and Virginia, they're going to get blasted with Sonic-type damage!]