23rd Fix

[technohippie]

[Quinn hasn't been himself lately. The fallout event was rough on him, and he keeps losing friends lately. Finding April droned - seemingly for good - really stung. He seems to drift into space a lot, but if you ask him if anything is wrong, he gives you his usual grin and says he's totally cool. He spends a lot of time mindlessly playing video games in his garage.

And look! Something has come in the mail for Quinn Hatch today. Curious as to what they could be sending him, he's excited to open it. Mayfield has returned a lot cool stuff to him, but instead what does he find? A case of cigarettes. To the guy who's trying to quit. And has been failing miserably.

Well, Mayfield has won this battle. Anyone living in or passing by 339 Brady Lane today will find Quinn sitting on the porch steps, a box of Newports lying next to him, and a cigarette popped in his mouth. The nicotine doesn't seem to be helping much though. He looks a bit miserable. No sense covering it up now, he figures.]

--

[Phone call filtered from drones:]

Um. Hey guys. Hope you're all doin' better. I just wanted to let y'all know that April Sinclair seems to be droned for good. So, uh, if ya know her and see her, don't be too shocked. Sorry to drop bad news, but...

[Feeling awkward, Quinn just hangs up.]

Comments

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Stuff like that's always good. And Mayfield's been pretty good to me so far. Got a lot of my favorite electronics back so far. But... you didn't get your body?

[photonicfighter]

We all get beaten up enough around here. High quality medical supplies are welcome. Er...

[She blinks innocently.]

Didn't I already tell you? [And then flicks her eyes upwards, thoughtfully, as she tries to recall.] Oh. Oh, no, I didn't, did I... oh.

I'm a an android. A CAST. Or, I'm supposed to be.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[He looks surprised, but grins.] Whoa, seriously? You're an android? That's awesome. Wow, guess you been human here for awhile, then. Do ya ever get used to it?

[photonicfighter]

[This was a different reaction than the one she had gotten recently.

This was good! He seemed happy to hear it!]

I'm... not sure that it's awesome. Eheh.... I've been human since I got here, and that was back at the end of summer. It's very different than being a CAST. I'm almost always finding out some new little pesky thing that I hadn't even thought about.

[Then her expression becomes a bit sour.] I don't want to get used to it. I'm so weak, as a human.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Yeah, humans got that problem where we're all fleshy 'n' bony. I wonder if they'll ever give ya your actual body back, then. I bet they will. You know Jolt? He was human for a long time, and now he's a 25-foot tall robot again.

[photonicfighter]

Fleshy any bony really isn't the problem... humans are inconsistent! I'm normally very close to humanoid in design, but made out of artificial standardized components. That always react the same way. This body is always a little different, day to day, and I don't have nearly the handle on my emotions that I normally do...

[Oh, she said too much, didn't she? How embarrassing... and ARGH now she was BLUSHING, that burny-faced feeling SUCKED.

Time to move on.]

Jolt? I don't think I've met him. I've... talked to an Aaron Stack. He's very unhappy about being human. I'm also here with my partner, Gat... but he got his body back on his first regain.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

I guess that's the charm of bein' a human. We're wild cards. [He grins.]

Huh, I wonder how he got lucky but they're holdin' out on you? Ah well, stay here long enough, and you'll get it back.

[photonicfighter]

Wild cards... [She laughs, too.] I understand now why you're all so passionate. And I'm not sure if it's bad or if it's good... it just is.

Gat's always been a bit lucky. But I think being human was harder on him than on me. His design is a bit bulkier, and less humanoid. Mine's... almost the same as this [She gestures over herself] superficially.

I'll put up with anything this town throws at me, if it means I get my body back.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Just so long as ya avoid the post office. I'd hate to see ya with holes in your memory or whatever. Guess ya just gotta hang tight.

[photonicfighter]

I've thought about it... I always end up deciding against it. But I've really thought about it.

...anyway. Enough about that. I came here to see you. And... I have these.

[She reaches one hand behind her, and with a flash of blue light, produces a small metal tin with a wintery pattern printed on it. A bit of waxed paper is sticking out of the corners.]

For you. You sounded like you needed some cheering up.