Here There Be Geeks

by **John Hino** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:07 pm

John sat under the shade of a tree, listening to music on his headphones and noodling with some complex schematics on the glowing holographic screen of his belt computer.

"Hmm... no... that won't work..." he muttered as he worked, bobbing his head to the music.

(Open)

by **Narrator** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:13 pm

The glowing 'screen' apparently attracted the attention of a couple bugs. A large grashopper in particular seemed to keep trying to land on the intangible hologram, flying around and through it.

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:17 pm

"Hey! Quit that! Shoo!" he urged, locking the touch input and trying to wave the insect away.

by **Narrator** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:24 pm

It lands on the nearby grass after being swatted out of the air.

And then proceeds to jump at the screen again.

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:34 pm

At which point he turned off the projector.

"Should have known nature wouldn't let me work in peace," he grumbled.

by **Narrator** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:43 pm

The grashopper just sits on his leg where it had landed and chirps, now that the shiny square has disappeared.

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:47 pm

"Aren't you afraid I'll eat you or something?" he asked, seriously wondering why he was talking to a bug.

by **Narrator** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:50 pm

The bug just brushes it's hindlegs along it's wings.

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:54 pm

He shakes his leg to scare it off.

by **Narrator** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:59 pm

And it jumps. Into John's face.

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:03 pm

"Gah! Agh! Get off!" he exclaimed loudly, trying to flick the insect off.

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:06 pm

It's big enough to be easily swatted away and it tumbles to the ground.

Meanwhile someone is running up to john, waving her arms around. "Stop! Don't!"

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:16 pm

He blinked and lifted his headphones. "What?"

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:18 pm

"We're sorry, it must have gotten away from us!" she says as she hurries up to John, holding out her hand for the locust to wobbly take flight and land in the palm of hand.

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:26 pm

"Oh! I... err... didn't know it was someone's... pet?" he answered apologetically, "I didn't hurt it... did I?"

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:27 pm

"What? Oh no no no, it's no pet. It's one of us."

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:29 pm

"One of... huh?" he asked, confused.

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:33 pm

"Us." she says, blinking up at John with big compound eyes while the grashopper jumps onto her head and disappears into her hair.

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:44 pm

"Oh. So that's your power," he said, "In that case I'm... really glad I didn't hurt you..."

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:46 pm

"It's okay. Sometimes birds get one." she shrugs.

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:57 pm

He took the headphones the rest of the way off.

"Really? Does it...hurt?"

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:09 pm

"Not really. It's like losing hairs."

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:53 pm

"Well that's good, I guess," he said, unsure.

"I should have known it wasn't a normal grasshopper. Bugs don't usually approach me so casually. Though I guess my computer screen lured it."

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:59 pm

"Oh we were way too far away for it to be smart. Why should it be afraid anyway?" she asks, tilting her head.

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 5:06 pm

"Natural instinct? Lots of reptiles... eat bugs..." he answered uncomfortably.

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 5:10 pm

Teri looks at him suspiciously.

"Bugs don't have many instincts by themselves."

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 5:55 pm

"They don't?"

Oh God I hope she doesn't know any Brazilian ants. It's not like I dipped them in chocolate!

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:39 pm

"They run away from stuff coming right at them, I guess. They don't recognize you as anything but a big blurry blod."

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:53 pm

"Interesting... I guess you can tell biology isn't in my wheelhouse, huh?" he chuckled.

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:57 pm

"Few people know what insects are like."

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:09 pm

"Yeah... ahem," he said, changing gears with a dry cough, "I'm John, by the way."

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:13 pm

"We're Teri!" she says cheerfully. "Nice to meet you!"

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:16 pm

"You too," he smiled.

"Well, since I know your power... I guess I owe you mine huh? It's... err... kinda complicated though."

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:25 pm

"You're a Dragon-Lizard-Dinosaur-Alligator."

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:47 pm

"Well there is that," he laughed, "But also... okay... ever hear the phrase 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger?' Kinda like that, but literal."

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:50 pm

"That doesn't sound very complicated."

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:59 pm

"Well there's more to it. There's this energy phase reversal... thing..."

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 9:05 pm

She blinks once and stares at John.

by **John Hino** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 9:10 pm

"Yeah... sounded like BS technobabble to me at first too," he admitted.

"Long story short by example, I got burned and now can freeze things with my breath."

by **Teri Napliotis** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 9:15 pm

"That makes more sense." she nods.

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