[ Chapter IX (9): "LAPTOP UNLOCKED" ]
[ "Why do you get a laptop and I don't?" ] Pat, the younger sister of Michael exclaimed visibly frustrated as she watches him fully takeout the machination from the box that it came from.
[ "I don't know, ask them." ] He gestured at the closed door, wherein at the moment his parents are in, "talking" to one another.
Apparently the laptop bought by his father was a surprise that even his mother didn't know about, but even more surprising was him losing his memory part. Which his mother kept from his father until now.
From what he heard his mother say, it was better to tell the news to him rather than through the landline. In case he ever did do anything abrupt.
Michael agrees with her. She did the right thing, and now, both of them are probably a sobbing mess inside the room. Not that he wanted that to happen in the first place.
[ "This isn't fair...!" ]
[ "Fu-..." ] He was about to curse outloud, but remembered his sister's age. That she is merely a baby in comparison to him, so he calmled down, giving the newly opened unused laptop to her. [ "Here, have it." ]
In which she immedietly snatched with glee, in excitement as she wasted no time turning the thing on, face smiling from ear-to-ear.
[ "Yey! Thank you, Michael!" ]
[ "Whatever." ]
Michael rolled his eyes, not used to having a sister who's expressive. Expressive in a positive way, because his original sister was expressive, sure... in the mean way that is.
67 curse words a minute, who wouldn't get annoyed by that type of person? He doesn't know. Thankfully this sister is not on that path, and is instead on the light side.
Shaking his head, he grabbed the nearby plate of cookies and began munching on it. The other hand grabbing at the remote, about to switch channels.
I wonder... what's on tv? He thought, wanting to actually know what is being brodcast at the time, the year is 2011 again after all. But before he could do that...
The remote on his hand was snatched back by his sister, so fast that he didn't even notice the fact, only after. [ "I don't want to play with your stupid toy anymors." ]
[ "Hmm, why?" ] Initially confused, he let it go. Instead dabbling on the cookies; which was also then taken by her.
[ "It doesn't have games, or WiFi." ]
He checked the laptop to confirm her suspicion, and yes, it doesn't have WiFi. Who could have thought?
But it does have games; Solitaire, Chess, and even a cake baking game called- Bake a Cake. Other than that, nothing else. Not even dinosaur in offline google.
[ "Yeah... it does sucks." ] He absentmindedly said, subconciously comparing it to the laptop that he owns. But he couldn't really complain, it's a belated birthday gift from his father.
A 4-day late gift, from August 20 to August 24, the day today. A Wednesday. Perhaps surprising even more is that, this came from his father; this time without any strings, or malicious intent.
Which in his eyes meant it's worth more than any of the expensive gadgets that he owns in his original timeline.
[ "But it's mine, you know." ] He added, earning an eyeroll from his sister who's more focused on the tv than on him.
[ "Yeah-yeah, whatever." ]
He played around with his latop, looked around and found out that it's an Toshiba brand, old school. To be precise, the laptop model is called Toshiba Satellite L655.
From the price on the box, he knows that it cost exactly $619. Was it a bargain? He doesn't know, but he knows that it's cheap compare to the ones he owns.
For the time period, and for his family's standing, it probably is expensive. Which makes him feel guilty inside, albeit a little bit. Because if they really are poor.
As shown by the lack thereof gadgets in the house, and proven by the state of his father's car- a wreck to be honest. Then he had just, in his first day here amongst many other days, wasted $1,000.
$400 from his mother relating to the checkup. $600 from his father thanks to the gift, a laptop. Which he apparently wished for days prior, having thrown a tantrum in receiving a football instead of it.
Which in his eyes probably led to him doing something erratic, something dumb, like climbing a tree for example. Subsequently leading to Michael possesing this variant's body.
[ "This kid..." ] Is a piece of work. He wants to punch his variant to the face, or shove his head on the toilet. But he can't, he doesn't know to communicate with him, or even if he can if he tries too.
He doesn't want to, you know, shove his own head down the toilet. Or punch himself, that'll be doing nothing other than hurting no one other than himself.
[ "Did you say something?" ]
[ "I didn't," ] He replied, before then exploring his laptop even more, testing features. [ "Leave me alone." ]
[ "Okay, Grumpy." ]
He clicked on the camera application, which caused the camera on the middle top to glow red. And for his face to be displayed on the screen.
He moved left-and-right, testing the small box of metal, then realizing that his image is wonky and choppy. Concluding that yes, this model is... below him.
Incomparible to the ones which will be released 14 years later. Though he can't blame the manufactorer, really. But he could say that technology here is prehistoric-like in comparison to the future. [ "Garbage." ]
But that opinion didn't stop him from taking a picture or two, trying his best to show a genuine smile. Albeit to no effect, as he could only see rehearsed, fake ones.
[ "Stop doing that, you look really ugly." ] He heard his sister commented, which made him frown and stop. [ "There, you look even better now." ]
He ignored her comment, as he then went and continue to play around with his newly acquired laptop. This time, Chess.
He played around with the Easy, Normal, and Hard AI of the app. Easily winning. For the first game he played white and did the Scholar's Mate- an early Queen attack supported by the dark square Bishop.
For the second game he played principle, black this time, as he went for a reverse Queen's Gambit setup. Easily winning before the 15th move due to the AI intentionally downplaying it's gameplay.
And finally for the third game, he played white again. This time he played the Spanish, sometimes called Ruy Lupez; an easy aggresive opening.
When the AI defended, he struck. Took the Knight in exchange for the Bishop, doubling the Pawns in turn. Something which benefited him in the long run, as he won, having promoted 5 Pawns into Rooks.
[ "That was easy." ] About to play something else, like for example Solitaire or that cake baking game, he paused.
Especially when the game offered him an higher difficulty, called Impossible by the thing. Which sounded like a challenge to him and his pride as a player of the game.
So with a sigh to himself, he then clicked play. Starting as black, he went for the most solid opening that he knows after c5- the Reverse Sicilian.
In short, both side has a Pawn pushed forward two squares from their initial position. For white c4, and for black c5.
Perfect... He thought, before then playing his move, taking turns with the AI which pauses every 3-4 seconds before making a move. The AI calculating, which is slower than Michael's rough calculation actually.
Surprisingly enought, after trading piece here and there. Michael was left with a Knight and 4 Pawns, against the AI which has a light square Bishop and 4 Pawns- one of the Pawns doubled on the e file.
In short, he is winning. Knights in endgames, if used correctly are highly more likely to win against a lone Bishop. And win he did, as he promoted a Pawn to a Queen and checkmated using that plus the Knight.
[ "Too easy." ] He went for another round, having been entertained. Then for another, then another. Then another.
Overall he won 6 out of 6 games by playing different openings for both sides; white and black. Only stopping when his parents finally finished "talking".
He could have sworn hearing something break inside that room, or drop. Or someone dropping on their knees, either crying or doing Lord knows what.
Michael didn't care, he is old enought to know. And when he seen his parents relaxed, like they weren't just fighting minutes prior. He knows that it worked.
He turned from his laptop to stare at his parents, both smiling. Even more so his mother, who looked like she just woken up, well-rested. Fully charged and all that. [ "So, who's hungry?" ]
[ "I am!" ] Lanna not knowing the situation turned her head from the tv to their parents, arms raised, voice high. Excited for dinner.
Finding out his parents active sex life wasn't on Michael's 2025- scratch that, yearly bingo list, whatever year that may be. But he guess, here it is, totally unwelcomed.
[ "Me." ] He continued, [ "Can I help chop something this time, Mom?"]
[ "Absolutely not." ] Which was instantly shut down by his mother, still with a smile. Albeit turned slightly dangerous when he mentioned chopping something.
[ "Well, was worth the shot." ]
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[ FUN FACT: "Months of the Year. Thirty days has September, April, June and November. All the rest have thirty-one days. Except February alone which has twenty-eight days clear, and twenty-nine in each leap year." ]
[ 11/28/2025 ]
[ 11/29/2025 ]