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]

Sweetheart, I'm 30 pounds underweight with a 2-pack-a-day cigarette habit. Most I do is... [Well okay there is SOME exercise he likes to do, but he would never mention it in front of a lady he just met.] ... Nothin', really.

Maybe I can get ya to give me some pointers, then. I'm Quinn, by the way.

[photonicfighter]

Oooh... [She makes a bit of a squinty face. He's starting from disadvantageous position, he is. Not that it can't be worked around.]

I knew a man like you, once. Same sort of build. Same sort of hair, even. Drank like a fish. Only wound up in the Hunter's Guild out of family obligation. They assigned me to his team so I could get him up to speed. Last time I saw him? He could use a handgun nearly as well as I could, could keep pace with us without breaking a sweat, and had his Technic-timing down perfectly.

Yeah. I... think I could give you some pointers, Quinn. [She offers her hand for a handshake.] I'm Dakki. You interested?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Sound like I found the right lady, then. [Hand shake!] Alright, count me in, darlin'.

[photonicfighter]

[And there is handshaking! Dakki has a nice firm grip.]

For today, you might want to just walk briskly back to your house, get some water, and cool yourself down. However, if you're up for more... say, tomorrow? We can try something then.

They've got me being a housewife. [Dakki shrugs.] Pick a time of day, it'll work for me.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Okay. I think I can manage that.

After school then? I'm a teacher, but I only show up when I'm needed anyway. Like kids here need to worry about calculus on top of everything else this town puts 'em through.

[photonicfighter]

After school sounds fine. Hm. If I had more space in my back yard, I could...

[The thought stops mid-way. Having actual classes would be interesting, but not on such short notice, not without a plan, not without announcements...]

Ah, someday those kids will be getting out of here. If they care to learn, they should have the option. They should be ready for when we finally shut this place down.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

There's always the rec center, if ya want.

Well, if they're ever really worried about learnin' calculus, I'll teach 'em it. But for now, I ain't gonna make 'em sweat the small stuff.

[photonicfighter]

Rec center? [She doesn't seem to be completely familiar with the term.] That's... some sort of area with open space for people to... do things in? [But maybe she's in the right general area of concept...]

I'm not sure how many kids you'd have that would be interested... you have a point. Still! Education. It's important. People's brains need to stay sharp.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that'd be it. Lotsa gym stuff in there, a pool, things like that.

I know there're other teachers who take the work pretty seriously, so they still get learning time in.

[photonicfighter]

That... that sounds fantastic. Why haven't I found this place, yet? [Dakki laughs, embarrassed about her ignorance, but happy to be enlightened.]

How many of the teachers are actual people, anyway?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Well I guess ya wouldn't notice if ya didn't know what it was. [He smirks playfully.]

Hard to say. That number changes a lot.

[photonicfighter]

You'd think that the outside of the building would be indicative of what was inside, though. Maybe a picture on the sign? [She shrugs and laughs a little more.]

Hm. That much staff rotation, is there...?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Yeah, pretty much. There's a lot of non-drone ones at least. Popular profession, I guess.

[photonicfighter]

I thought that you didn't get to pick your job, though...?

Or a popular one to make people do? Teaching isn't exactly easy. Forcing people into it... well. Mayfield. [She gives a shrug. That's the town, for you.]

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, we don't get to pick. Calculus teacher is about the last thing I'd willingly pick!

[photonicfighter]

What would you pick, if you could pick? [Dakki says it with a curious little smirk, quirking her head.]

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

As a job, or a subject to teach? Cuz back home I pretty much already got the sweetest job.

[photonicfighter]

Ah? What do you do back home?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Work for my family doin'... Whatever needs to be done. IT, finances, diplomacy. Mage family, ya see.

[photonicfighter]

Your old job gives you quite the work load. [She sounds impressed. And then a bit confused, or maybe curious.]

Mage? That's... hmm. That's an old word. But I'm definitely from a different world than you are. What's that, if you don't mind me asking?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

It is, but a lotta mages are old-fashioned. Magic users. Almost everyone in my family has a special ability.

[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.