TABLE X - QUINN'S RAMPAGE

[Thy Dungyeon Maestyr]

While Quinn was waiting for Leo to finish up with Eli, he decided to give himself a kick in the pants and try another table. The one with the blonde girl and her...brother?...seemed innocuous enough. Putting on a warm-ish smile, he walked up and placed his hand on the back of the chair,

Quinn-
"If I may?"

The girl was down with it, but this dude had checked out, mentally.

Helen-
"You may! So polite."

Quinn-
His smile became a little more real and he sat. Sure, the checked-out guy was weird, but was it more weird than anything else tonight? He nodded at the woman, "It's how my mother raised me. I'm Quinn McReedy, ma'am."

Helen-
"Helen Fitzpatrick and this is Darren. How's your evening so far?"

Quinn-
"Relatively pleasant, actually. Pleased to meet you both. Have you enjoyed yourselves?"

Helen-
"Mm, Darren's having a rough night. Just quit the heroins. But I'm dandy!"

Quinn-
Quinn blinked at the heroine comment, "Ah...Yes...I can imagine that is...rough." He cleared his throat, "This game is...certainly something, isn't it?"

Helen-
"I knoow, but you've all been real nice."

Quinn-
Another small smile, "Yes...they're generally very good people. I'm rather glad I found them...or...August found me, rather."

Helen-
"So you guys made a movie. What did you do again? Wait, music right?"

Quinn-
"Yes, actually! I was the composer. It was a fun project. Did you enjoy the film, by the way?"

Helen-
"Err, I don't think any of us except Wilhelm saw it. But Marchese, he trusts Wilhelm's judgment and put this party together. We're friends or family friends."

Quinn-
Now that was a curious little detail and perhaps momentary confusion showed on his face, but it was gone quickly, replaced by a polite expression, "Are you? Forgive me, but I'm still sort of feeling out everyone's place in the game...Though I suppose that's not my 'job'..."

Helen-
"I think a lot of us could be just as confused as you, but the mystery is supposed to be fun, right?"

Darren-
"*grmbl*"

Quinn-
"To be honest, I like the truth more than mystery. All of this gives me a bit of a headache...though I suppose that makes me terribly boring," He sighed and looked at Darren in confusion, having almost forgotten Mr. Rainy Days was sitting with them.

Helen-
"Really, maybe it's for the best if we leave him alone. Heh."

Quinn-
"Yes, of course," he turned his full attention back onto her, "I'm not boring you, am I? I have a tendency to be...dull, I'm afraid."

Helen-
"Heh, what should you do, stand on your head? It's OK. So... seems like people are just asking each other a question or two. You want to go first?"

Quinn-
He offered a bashful smile at her reassurance before thinking of a question, "Okay..." he got a bit of a cheeky smile, "I've got one. If you could ask me anything, what would it be?"

Helen-
"Oh, heehee. Alright. Are you trying to charm me?"

Quinn-
"No, miss, just cleverly trying to shift the burden of questions onto you. Is it working?" his smile didn't fade.

Helen-
"Aww. Well, it won't be that easy. But I'll go first. Hm... What's your favorite TV show"

Quinn-
He chuckled, holding up his hands as if to say 'caught me!' before answering, "Hm...I like that one Period Piece...the one about that group of servants during a war...what's it called, again? I do love old-fashioned things."

Helen-
"Oh? Um... 'Montague'? That's not really my thing. Besides, the costumes are totally silly. No one dressed like that during the Revolutionary Cycle. Maybe, like, actors and weirdos at weirdo parties."

Quinn-
"Oh? You sound like you're very into history," now he was intrigued, "That also leads me to my first question...if you're not into that, what is really your thing?"

Helen-
"Really? Oh, um... I like 'Watch it or Be a Social Pariah Wednesdays', and I like cute boys - like in the bands. I have a lot of posters."

Quinn-
"Favourite band, then?" he knew these probably weren't the questions he should be asking, but this was more interesting.

Helen-
"Oh, it changes a lot, but right now it's still Boytown 5, no question! So what do you like, Quinn? When you're not working or whatever?"

Quinn-
"Well, I'm a big fan of my dog..." he said before holding up his hands again, "Kidding...mostly. Well...I collect music boxes and read, for the most part. I like my quiet nights in."

Helen-
"I'd say I do too, but I guess I don't like it quiet. But that's OK, I think quiet people are adorable. Like Chelly on 'Lolly Lane'."

Quinn-
"Lolly Lane?"

Helen-
"Oh, that's on Channel 3 on Thurdays at six. It's cute!" Quinn didn't watch the channel, but had the impression most of the stuff on there was very "family safe" and phony.

Quinn-
He put on a smile for her despite not knowing what on earth she was talking about, not willing to crush her enthusiasm, "Sounds great. So, I asked two questions in a row...you've got another one to ask me to make it even."

Helen-
"Hm, gosh. Let me think... What do you think of... Um... What's your favorite animal? Aside from your dog!"

Quinn-
"Favourite animal that's not my dog? Is there such a thing?" he asked with gentle teasing in his tone, "Okay, hm...I like blackbirds."

Helen-
"Why blackbirds? Can't they be kind of annoying?"

Quinn-
"Sometimes, but they're very, very intelligent...and if you believe old mythology, they're supposed to have a place of significance."

Helen-
"Are you guys really into spiritual stuff? I hear some words like that flying around the room."

Quinn-
"There is a certain fascination with it, I think. Me personally, I'm more interested in it academically. Logic and reason are my fallbacks...I don't really trust the realm of the mystic outside of that," from the way his voice dropped, almost in sorrow or bitterness, there was history there.

Helen-
"Hm... I guess there's more to you than I can understand with a little chat. I like to keep things light. You know, life is heavy enough."

Quinn-
"That it is...that it is," he confirmed, glad to avert it.

Darren stayed faceplanted.

Helen-
"Mm, well, what do you think? Are we done here?" She smiled.

Quinn-
Quinn smiled back, "I think you're right. I should probably go and see the other tables I've missed. It was lovely talking to you, though."

Helen-
"Likewise! Good luck, Quinn."

Quinn-
He stood, "Any recommendations on who I should see next?"

Helen-
"Vitus is a sweetheart. If you want to get somebody rough out of the way, maybe Thierry..."

Quinn-
"Thierry then? Very well. Thank you for the recommendation and enjoy the rest of the evening," he nodded his head again before moving towards the next table.

On approach, the young man was leaning on one arm, his face mushed in a palm. He made no motion of greeting.

Yikes, Quinn thought. This guy looked utterly unimpressed with absolutely everything. Still...maybe this wouldn't take very long? He shifted into a chair, feeling like the guy didn't care whether he was there either way.

Quinn-
"...I take it you're less enamoured with this game than the other guests?"

Thierry-
"Mm? Yeah. Family obligations, right? Thierry. This is Nick. You're Quinn."

Quinn-
"Yes. Pleased to meet you, Thierry."

Thierry-
"Mm. What are you into?"

Quinn-
"Music, mostly," he kept his answers short, trying to match Thierry's energy so as not to annoy him. Old social trick his father taught him.

Thierry-
"Uh-huh. What you into? Lythoninov and Maicharovsky? Baz Emerson and Queenie Brown? Tipler and Beatty? Guy Bopper?"

Quinn shuddered at the very mention of Guy Bopper.

Quinn-
"No. Not the last one. No."

Thierry-
He smiled. "Oh? You don't like 'rockin' that jukebox, oh oh'?"

Quinn's eyes rolled dramatically.

Quinn-
"Try having drunk businessmen begging you to play THEIR SONG at least ten times a day and see if you can stand Bopper ever again."

Thierry-
"It took repeated exposure to make you dislike the Bopper? He seems quite skilled at cultivating an instantaneous love or hate in most people."

Quinn-
"He had the benefit of the doubt at first, but upon forced repeat playings, he stepped out from under my rather small umbrella of patience," Quinn was letting his sarky, acerbic side out to play.

Thierry-
"*siigh* For me, music is like, say, like opiates are for the addictive. One advance builds upon another and I can't turn back. I can only tolerate the best, though sometimes my nostalgia for something I liked long ago brings it back for a few plays..."

Quinn-
"Music is addictive," Quinn agreed, "For me, it's the maths of it...the structure...how a good composer can make something perfectly structured sound like absolute chaos if they want."

Thierry-
"Music about the maths, you are like the one earlier who liked music for the sounds. Neither way captures the whole. Anyway, it's the hardest of heavy metal or nothing."

Quinn-
"It's not all about the maths...that's just what mesmerizes me," He held a hand out flat and rocked it back and forth in a 'not sold' gesture at the mention of heavy metal, "Metal is interesting, but not my cuppa."

The boy scowled.

Thierry-
"That's as much as we need to know about each other, dude."

Quinn-
"Fair enough. Shall I move on then?" Sure, the dismissal was abrupt, but overall the experience was far less traumatizing than he'd been expecting.

He rolled his eyes.

Thierry-
"Move along, lightweight."

Quinn didn't linger, just stood and shrugged internally to himself before deciding to take Helen's second suggestion. He'd try Vitus next...

As Quinn approached another table, the men were talking among themselves quietly until the brunette took notice.

Dude-
"Oh, have a seat. I'm Jack, this is Vitus. You were..?"

Quinn-
"Am I interrupting?" he asked sincerely as he took a seat, looking mildly worn out, "I'm Quinn McReedy. Pleased to meet you both."

Vitus-
"Not at all, but given the circumstance, it would be fine if you were. We all have to get to know each other a bit, right?"

Quinn-
"So it would seem," he mustered up a bit of a smile.

Awkward smiles for everyone! OK, Jack's was pretty half-assed and Vitus was the awkwardness masta.

Vitus-
"So, er, should we start with the questions or would you like to?"

Quinn-
"Maybe you should start. Give my brain a minute to catch up," he said somewhat apologetically.

Vitus-
"So... Read anything interesting lately?"

Jack-
"*groan*"

Quinn-
"I'm about halfway through an interesting dissertation on the satiric nature of Pre-Revolutionary Period religious hymns," he replied, not expecting a great response to that.

Vitus-
"Well... Quite interesting. Why were those hymns written that way? I've heard the songs, but I never thought to ask why."

Jack-
"..."

Apparently smoking indoors was cool here, and Jack decided to do it some more.

Quinn-
"Apparently it was a way for the musical revolutionaries to rebel against what they saw as archaic. It's the musical equivalent of a temper tantrum in the end," he said sedately and then considered Vitus, "My turn for a question, I think. What interests you and Jack, then?"

Vitus-
"I can be interested by almost anything, but now you've got me curious about the writers of those hymns. Like what--"

Jack-
"I'm not interested in that, at least..."

Quinn-
Quinn quirked up a grin, "It was considered a form of intellectual protest against what could have been called 'the establishment' of the era. Very scandalous at the time... And what are you interested in, Jack?" he asked with genuine curiosity.

Jack-
"Music from *this* century, dancing, fashion, video games, cars I guess..."

Quinn-
"Sorry, I already warned Helen that I can be a bit boring. I'll try and keep it a bit less dry?"

He was smiling, but faintly. Quinn seemed to like when someone was at least someone at the table was a little interested.

Jack-
"Not into any of that? You like anything from within our lifetimes?"

Quinn picked at his button-down and sweatervest combo.

Quinn-
"I'd say that's a 'no' on fashion, unfortunately. Not big on cars...I can Swing dance?"

Jack raised his eyebrows.

Jack-
"... OK..."

Vitus-
"Well, now how did something scandalous at the time manage to become meaningless pieties by the Queen's Age? I recognized the lyrics were a bit cutting, but no one seemed to register the meaning anymore. Er, seems. We just sing them in church in that monotone and..."

Vitus and Quinn bored Jack's ass off for a while, and then he continued on...