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

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[Quinn does know TF2, but only from playing the game, so Ms. Pauling won't ping on his nerd radar. But any mention of the RED or BLUs will; he's met RED Sniper before, too.

When he sees he has a visitor, he gives her a tired smile. He's used to people stopping by to take a peek; it's something he hopes for.]

Hey there.

[prpl_assistant]

(She gives him a slightly nervous smile in return.)

Hi. Sorry, I was just looking around. You've got a lot of interesting technology in here. I'm guessing that you're from the future?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

No problem, darlin', I like visitors.

From Mayfield's future, yeah. 2010.

[prpl_assistant]

Wow. No wonder I don't recognize most of this...

(She's very interested in his laptop as well.)

I'm sorry, but can I ask what is it that you're looking at? It looks like a computer, but it's quite small...

(Being from the 1960s, computers were still those big clunky things. She's never seen a computer that small.)

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what it is. When are you from? By my time, they've gotten even smaller than that one. [He'll hand her over the iPad to check out.]

[prpl_assistant]

Seriously? In 2010, they have computers this small? That's amazing! I could bring one around to do my work at home. I'm from 1968, and computers usually take up one quarter of a room back home.

(The iPad is a bit of a puzzle to her, but she gaps when the screen switches on after she touches it.)

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Ha! Yeah, I know. We've come a long way, huh.

Just press the icons on the screen and it'll do different stuff. I don't got a lot on that since I mostly got it as a novelty, I guess.

[prpl_assistant]

(She's a bit tentative at first about pressing the screen, but she soon gets the basic idea. She's really quite fascinated by how the iPad works.)

What does this icon do then, sir?

(She's asking about the iTunes icon. Does Quinn happen to have any Beatles inside there?)

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[He indeed does! He walks over to take a look.] Oh, that's for music. Ya can scroll through and press that to play whatever ya want. I got tons 'n' tons of music here with me, if there's somethin' you're lookin' for. [He points to his laptops and servers too.]

[prpl_assistant]

(The moment she sees the Beatles, she zooms in on that option pronto. Soon enough, the tune of "Hey Jude" fills the garage.)

Amazing! You don't need to have records or record players anymore with this computer. And you've got so many of their songs too...

(Beatlemania's just passed back at her world, so she's still a bit hooked on to it.)

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Thousands. And yeah, pretty much got the whole Beatles discography, though on there I just got a few of their tunes.

Nope, most music where I come from is all digital now, though things like records are still around and being printed.

[prpl_assistant]

(She's busy scanning his music library.)

So, everything in 2010 is in the form of computer data?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Pretty much. Books, news, weather, music, TV... It's awesome.

[prpl_assistant]

(She's already trying out some of the other songs from the future. Techno really has her confused.)

I definitely agree. Life seems so much easier in the future.

I'm really sorry, but I haven't introduced myself yet sir. I'm Miss Pauling.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[Being a DJ, Quinn has a lot of techno available! At least it's got a danceable beat?]

Quinn Hatch. Nice to meet ya. Dunno if it's easier or not, 'specially since here I feel totally out of place.

[prpl_assistant]

A pleasure, Mr Hatch.

Really? I feel that I'm the one who's out of place actually, eventhough I did grow up in the 1950s. There's not a lot of people from the 1960s here.

(She hands the iPad back to him. Techno's a bit too loud for her, unfortunately.)

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Heck, there're people that don't even come from this world, so I guess we should count ourselves lucky.

Wanna Fourth wall?

[prpl_assistant]

Speaking of which...you wouldn't happen to come from a world with a company called TF Industries, would you?

he doesn't openly fourth wall, he feels bad about it. XD but he might give it away...

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[Quinn ponders over this.] Huh. Why does that sound familiar?

[prpl_assistant]

It's a company that's involved in research and development back in my world. We're devoted to the highest level of craftsmanship and personal security, and our Engineers have designed quite a few inventions. We made the first prosthetic arm that responds to the human nerves just a few months ago.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Wow, nice! Sounds pretty advanced.

[prpl_assistant]

I'm pretty sure that the technological advancements in your time are way ahead, Mr Hatch. If the Engineers in your world can design computers that can carry on so many functions, I'd like to see what else they're capable of.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Solvin' all the world's problems, I'd hope.