Unexpected free time

[harlene_quinzel]

Wow. Well I have time off from work now. A whole week, even!
So, anybody wanna make plans? If not I'll just veg in front of the TV and it will be all your fault! You don't want that on your head!

Comments

[pogo_boy]

*After some research to track down what he hopes are the right coordinates, Quint teleports into the hallway outside Dr. Quinzel's apartment. He's dressed in a 'Break The Cycle' t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, and is carrying a backpack. He knocks on the door and waits...*

[harlene_quinzel]

*Harleen opens the door and smiles down at him brightly. She's wearing a pair of capri cut jeans and the camisole top that goes to her pajamas (black and red satin/silk with Betty Boop in a devil costume and the words "bad girl" across the front.) Behind her, her apartment is rather small but filled with brightly colored things. All of her furniture is animal print, though none of it matches and some are unrealistic (one butterfly chair is pink and black tiger stripes) and her walls have lots of movie posters and photos of family. Next to her laptop on a desk there's a picture of her at about age 10 in her gymnastics uniform that shares a frame with the medal she won that day. The laptop screen shows the Sages board. In the air there's the sound of 80's pop music and the smell of brownies baking in the kitchen*

"Wow, kid. You're fast! Well...at least you'll get to taste the brownies while they're still warm. I hope I don't burn them this time!"

She ushers him in and closes the door behind him.

[pogo_boy]

Quint looked around at the brightly colored room and smiled slightly. It almost reminded him of how Ballade would bring home bright or shiny things that caught his attention.

"It's very pretty here," he said shyly, quiet as usual. "I'm Quint... it's sort of short for Quintet.. um.. Wily." He'd hesitated a bit before using the last name, still not used to doing so.

[harlene_quinzel]

"Thank you! I'm glad you like the place."
She walks over to the oven and slides uses a dish-towel to protect her hand as she slides the brownies out and places the pan on the stove to cool.
"Quintet? That's an interesting name. I like it."

[pogo_boy]

He smiled slightly. "It's a music term. Three of my younger brothers are called Punk, Ballade, and Forte. I also have a younger brother named Zero, and my older brother is called Enker..."

[harlene_quinzel]

"Ooooh...all great names. I like the musical theme, too!"
She fans the brownies a bit and then walks into the living/bedroom and looks deep in though.
"Hmmmm...now what should we play? You know, there just aren't enough games for two people!"
She looks around the room.
"We could play some video games or....or I could tech you some tumbling. Not much of a game, but it's fun."

[pogo_boy]

"Tumbling?" He doesn't recognize the term, and for a brief moment is reminded of being shoved down stairways by Punk, or perhaps taking a fall off Sakugarne after being shot by Rock...

[harlene_quinzel]

"Um..yeah. Tumbling. It's floor gymnastics."
She looks around for a good clear spot in the cramped apartment. The only uncluttered area is the spot where her murphy bed folds down.
She flips backwards into the space landing on her hands for a second, then arching slowly back onto her feet.
"See? That, and cartwheels and other fun jumping moves. Jeez...I almost didn't stick that one. I need to get back into practice!"

[pogo_boy]

Quint smiles a bit. "I know some of that.. I..." He fidgets slightly. "I have better balance than my brothers," he says, not mentioning it was due to the design requirements of his weapon.

"I sort of... learned some things. It helped, in case I fell..."

He considered the floor space and did a neat little backflip to land beside her, smiling slightly. This was one of the few things where his brothers hadn't been better than him...

[harlene_quinzel]

"Ooh! Very nice!"
Harleen thinks for a moment.
"Why don't we take some of my mats and our fresh brownies and go play on the roof? I'm sure we can have lots of fun before the top floor residents get around to complaining!"
She smiles brightly.

[pogo_boy]

This time his smile is almost a grin... "Ok..."

[harlene_quinzel]

"Yay! This will be fun."
She goes to the kitchen and quickly piles the cooling brownies onto a plate and grabs a couple sodas.
"Quint, could you grab those mats next to the couch?"
There are 3 small, folded, gymnast mats next to the couch on the floor.
As she opens the front door, Harleen shuffles all that she's carrying to one hand and scribbles a note on a post-it and sticks it to the door: Gone to the roof. Be back later (drawing of a heart) Harleen

[pogo_boy]

Quint did as he was told, picking up the mats and following Harleen to the front door. Her enthusiasm reminded him of Ballade, when Ballade was in one of his good moods.

[harlene_quinzel]

They took the stairs to the roof, only two flights from Harleen's floor.
Once on the roof, Harleen laid out the mats, and set the brownies and drinks on the ledge.
She stretched out a bit, then went into a cartwheel followed by a handspring. "Wheee! Ha ha...It's been a while since I've gotten out to exercise."

[pogo_boy]

Quint smiles. "You're better at this than I am. Most of what I learned was... in case I fell, or how to flip back off of.. of things."

He wonders if he could do a cartwheel... he's never tried that before. It didn't seem to have much combat use, and... that was all that had mattered, before the Nexus.

Instead he does another little backflip of the sort he is used to... although doing one on such a soft surface as the practice mats feels strange to him and almost sets his balance off.

[harlene_quinzel]

"Well, I've had years of practice and good teachers."
She watches him do his backflip and smiles.
"I can try and teach you if you want."