Hey Baby. What's Your Ability?

Participants:

kimberlynn_icon.gif f_reed_icon.gif

Scene Title Hey Baby. What's Your Ability?
Synopsis Kimberlynn and Robin Hood meet for a second time. To discuss abilities and the possibility of ceasing to exist.
Date April 18, 2009

Wi-Fi Capable Bookstore


It's been a few days since she last used her laptop, since her date with Tobias, since she went on a shopping trip. It was glorious to have money for once, and Kimberlynn splurged a bit. She bought a new laptop and a new digital camera, one that works. In her spare time, she transferred files over to the new computer, so she can work on it, instead of the old one. It almost feels like she has a new home to her.
But she still doesn't have internet at home, so she takes her laptop and herself and goes to find a wireless-enabled bookstore or coffee shop. It's not difficult to find, and she sets herself up in the coffee shop of a large, impersonal bookstore. Not that she minds its lack of personality. She doesn't really care one way or the other, as long as it has wireless. It's cozy in the big, comfy armchairs, and she settles in for a while, with a cup of coffee on the small table beside her. She's doing some research for a story, for once. Normally, she'd just write and figure it's a fantasy setting, accuracy doesn't matter, but she wants it to have a little bit of fact this time. Though it's not like she's going to finish the story. There's no telling if she'll ever get around to it. And maybe her story is just an excuse to get online…and look for someone named Robin Hood.

The computer change threw him off at first. Looking around for the same address was a dead end, due to her having a new computer. He figured she may come back to the same bookstore as before, but she doesn't show for several days, he wonders if he lost her for good. Pity. She was probably the nicest person he's met in the past. He sets out a few sensors, to trigger when her bank account is accessed, so he waits.

He took an additional million from Nalani Hollingwood and just so happen to give Kimberlynn a few extra dollars — 10 thousand to be exact — from that particular fund, which she would see next time she balanced her check book. As he finishes his meeting with the other time travelers, he decides to see if he can track her down before he makes his trek to Pinehearst.

It is, in fact, the same bookstore she was at before, and she does, in fact, access her bank account online. When Kimberlynn sees the new total, she coughs, and would have choked on her coffee if she'd been drinking it. She pulls her computer a little closer to her, looking around surreptitiously, and soon logs out of her account so no one sees the exciting numbers on her screen. Now, she /really/ hopes to run into Robin Hood.

Almost instantaneously the IM pops up on he screen as she logs out of her account. It was what he was waiting for and he wasn't going to let her get away without seeing him today.

There you are. I've been waiting for you. I see you did get a new computer.

"There YOU are," Kimberlynn types, using upper-case letters for emphasis. She smiles to herself, and continues to type in the chat window, "I did. I couldn't resist. And I got a camera. And you've been waiting for me? I see you gave me more money…Should I email pictures to you?" She doesn't /really/ figure on discovering Robin Hood's identity or location via email, but at least then she'd have some way to contact him herself.

A soft ding precedes his response. Just leave them on your desktop. I can look at them there. She obviously still thinks he's a real person. Well, he used to be. I'm glad you took them. I have been curious about what you look like.

Kimberlynn takes a moment to open up the photos she downloaded from her new digital camera, and leaves them open on the desktop. Then she types a response. "I…want to know what you look like, too, of course. I'd say it's not fair that you see me, and I don't know what you look like. But you've done so much for me. So I can't thank you enough. Is there anything else I can do for you? I just feel like I owe you so much."
Rose pages: Oh and - you now have mail on Sam. Since I fail at noticing which alt is online /before/hand. :)

He views the pictures without opening them, scanning their binary bits and forming the pictures where he can see them. His response comes rather quickly. I don't know what I look like anymore. Considering he is only 7 years old in this time period, he isn't going to go around looking for a picture of him now. So I'm afraid I have nothing to show you at this time. And I really haven't a need for anything at this moment. Just be happy, and I'll come visit when I can. He doesn't say what sort of visit, leaving it open ended.

"After all you've done…I feel like I should be scared of you, but…I can't bring myself to be. Should I be more worried than I am, about people popping onto my computer or something? Or are you the only person who does this sort of thing? I kind of doubt it, there are hackers all over the world, I'm sure…Yeah, I can be happy. I'm…happier than I have been in a long time, but I can't help feeling a little guilty for enjoying the cash."

Reed chuckles to himself, remembering where the cash came from. Oh, please enjoy it. Who it came from, they are not going to miss it. Not one bit. As for if you should be scared of me? I have had others be happy at me, and others very angry at me. I'm not certain anyone has ever been scared of me. I know of others out there who are like me. In fact, they are not very happy with me either. But I'm not too worried about it. Enjoy the money. It's only right.

Kimberlynn bites on her lip as she thinks of what to say in response, and starts typing again. "All right, if you insist, I'll enjoy the money. Did you…look at my photos yet?" She's really wondering what he thinks of her, and whether he actually can see them on her desktop. She then types some more, "Are you in some kind of trouble? Other than the money thing? I can imagine that would get you in ALL kinds of hot water. I don't suppose you have a safe place to hide."

Reed is quiet for a moment, considering how to answer her question. He's going to be doing something rather dangerous soon, and he wouldn't want her to think he's just disappeared on her. I looked at your pictures already. You're very hot, I must admit. He lets that go through for a moment, then //I find places to hide just fine. You needn't worry about me. Though I cannot be sure how long I'll be around. There may come a time when I'll need to disappear, and if I don't get to say goodbye, I apologize in advance. But as often as I can, I will come see you. I am hoping I don't have to leave any time soon. I like you, Kimberlynn." he admits, having no idea where that came from. He's binary. He shouldn't be feeling these types of emotions, right?

She blushes upon reading the compliment, and then her face gets just a little hotter when Robin Hood admits he likes her. Though she figures she shouldn't read too much into it. "I…hope you don't disappear, and not just because you keep giving me money. I'd be very sad if you didn't say goodbye, if I didn't get to say goodbye to you. And…thanks. I guess I'm not shy about how I look."

Well, there's no reason you should be. You should try out to be a model or something. Though you'll probably get pretty famous and then what will I do? You'll forget all about me. He's teasing her just a little, but in his own mind he knows she's pretty hot, being a teenage boy and all. I'll do what I can to say goodbye if I have to go, but I have something really important I have to do and it can be a little dangerous. Risks and all. If something happens, you don't need to worry, it won't hurt me.

Kimberlynn pauses before typing an answer. "It won't hurt you? But it's dangerous. How do you figure you won't get hurt? Are you saying if you die, it'll be painless?" She's frowning at the computer, and realizes she's getting more than a little worried. "How important is it? World-saving important? Or what?" She looks around, just to re-orient herself in the real world for a moment, before turning her attention back to her laptop and the conversation going on there.

Explaining to her that he's a criminal from the future will come across as insane, so he decides against that route. She thinks he's a knight in shining armor and he kind of likes it that she thinks of him like that. That's right. I'll just cease to exist. It'll be like I've been deleted from your computer. As for how important it is, well.. it's important to me and a few of my friends.

Unable to bear the thought of someone just ceasing to exist, Kimberlynn frowns and shakes her head. "You'd better not just cease to exist. I like you how you are. Even though I don't know what you look like. You told me last time…that you're some kind of internet demon thing. Are you sticking with that story?" She decides to pursue that line of questioning for the moment. "Why would you say that? Do you just not want me to know who you are?"

There's no other way to tell you who I am. I am not making these things up. You know about abilities and that some people have different ones. This is mine. I live inside the Internet. Because I'm not entirely safe in here, all I can tell you is that I am called Robin Hood. He doesn't know how else to explain it to her that could make her understand. Reed adds a little something after that. Look, if something happens to me, at least you'll know I've done something good, right?

Kimberlynn is starting to believe it, especially with the mention of special abilities. "Wow. I think…that's making sense. Damn, I wish I had internet access at home, so you could just hide out there when you needed to. I guess…I'll know you've done SOMETHING good, with the money, but I hope if you disappear, it's worth it. Is it? Is it worth your…life, your existence?"

Reed's response is simply. If I don't, my existence will not mean much.

"Well, it means a lot to me, Robin Hood, whether or not you die with this…thing you're doing. Though I'd much prefer you to not die." Then she changes the subject, "How long have you been living in the internet? In computers?"

Well, that's a tricky question indeed. That math on that would look funny, actually being in the negative with the whole 'go back in time' thing. So he fudges the numbers a little bit. A couple of years. Ever since I got my ability. Something dawns on him, so he asks. Do you have any type of ability?

Kimberlynn thinks a bit before answering. Finally, she types, "I don't know yet. It sometimes seems like it, but …if I do, it's inconsistent. I seem to…pick up on other people's emotions," she explains hesitantly. There's only one other person in the world who knows about this, so she's a little nervous spilling it to someone else. But she has the strangest feeling she can trust Robin Hood.

Is there something in particular that you think you can do? Any sort of hint as to what it might be? He's happy to have this conversation turned back on her now. She might be curious about him, but he doesn't have a whole lot more that he can say to her.

"Well, when…I was at home one night, I felt unreasonable terror for a moment. I thought it was just me, but I've come to the conclusion that it wasn't. Later, at a restaurant, I felt something, a lot…of something. A jumble of things. I think I read other people. But it doesn't happen all the time. And it hasn't happened very often. So I don't think I'm very good at it. It…I don't know if I'd even count as Evolved," is her answer.

Reed does some quick research on testing in this time period, realizing that testing is only done in the case of some sort of law enforcement involvement. Kimberlynn sure doesn't seem like a criminal. Have you thought about getting tested? They will do it for free. There's a bit more involvement with that, like being registered and other such things — but he thinks that perhaps at least she'll know one way or the other.

Kimberlynn shakes her head, then types her answer, "No, I don't know. I probably should, but it's scary. People who have abilities are carted off to who knows where, and then they're never heard from again. I don't want that to happen to me. Of course, if I'm not even…on the scale, the tiers or whatever they call them, I guess it doesn't matter. Who do I ask for testing, then? The hospital? The police?"

I could probably protect you. There's alot of poking and proding and testing involved and will probably take up most of a day. There should be a testing center in your area. In fact, he finds the nearest one and pops up the address on her screen, complete with a Googlemaps directions listing. //Once your testing is done, I could go in and see if I can remove your name.. // Just a boy, trying to be a hero for his crush.

"Wouldn't someone remember me? Wouldn't it be…bad for someone to know I got tested, and then my name be gone?" she asks, very concerned about the results. "Also…wouldn't it be even more dangerous for you to do that? A testing center? Surely their security is very tight…and if someone's looking for you, wouldn't they be watching stuff like that?"

He almost says that security is much stronger in the future and this is a cakewalk, but Reed stops himself before it actually comes out. I'm not concerned about that. It won't be a problem. And do you know how many people get tested each day? It's up to you. If you really want to know.

"I'll think about it," Kimberlynn answers. She means it, too. She'll think hard about it. "And I'll let you know…somehow. Just promise me you'll be careful, won't you? I have to leave soon, I have kids to go take care of. Not mine! It's what I do for a living. Not much of a living, not at all. But…it helps out, and it keeps me from starving."

Take care of yourself, Kimberlynn. I'll be in touch. And if Reed can possibly help it — he will.


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