maskormenace | 003 - [Video] Happy Birthday, Chloe Price.

[It's a little after noon when Chloe turns her communicator on. She's sitting on an old white plastic deck chair, and from the look of the buildings behind her, probably on a roof somewhere in Nonah. She's in a worn old white tanktop with a skull on the front, her jeans-covered legs propped up on something, her coat hanging off the back of her chair. She's spent the morning avoiding people, not answering her texts, just...brooding. There's a cigarette between her lips, and she takes a drag off it before she catches it with her other hand, her attention mostly on the phone.]

You ever think about time 'n shit? Like, how it hella doesn't make any sense here? Like, okay, back home, before I wound up here, it was 2013 right? In October.

[She leans back in her chair, resting the phone on her leg, tilted up so all the screen really catches is her face and neck and the clouds.]

Suddenly I'm here, it's three years and a couple months later. Just, wham, welcome to the future except it's a weird fucked up cold war version of the future. And I get like, it's way worse for other people, right? Pulled from other centuries or other fuckin' planets with their own weird-ass calendars but.

Three years.

[She's not even really sure what she's going on about, honestly. She'd been puzzling this over in her head all morning and hadn't gotten anywhere, so maybe she thought rambling out loud would help. It wasn't really working.]

So here we are, right? March 11th, 2016. Shit had gone different, I'd be twenty-two today.

[She hesitates, her gaze distant, up on the clouds as she took another puff off her cigarette.]

Instead, I guess I'm twenty. Sort of. Minus a couple months. Still my birthday though. [And then she smirks, pointing the two fingers holding her cigarette at the sky.] Fuck you, universe. Chloe Price made it to twenty after all.

[She scooped up the phone again, and for a second is framed in the picture again, the camera half-covered by her thumb as she reaches for the disconnect. Her voice is quieter again.]

Didn't see that comin'.

[Click.]

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Then I'll see you tomorrow! Enjoy.

Cool. Thanks Doc! I'll meet you tomorrow.

[And then tomorrow comes, and Chloe is waiting...somewhere. Smoking. And a little bit hung over. But smiling. She had a nice night, it would seem.]

[And it's tomorrow! Doc's out bright and early, dressed in his brightest luau fashion. He notes her overall expression with a smile.]

Good morning, Chloe! I present to you your belated gift.

[He's labored a bit on the packaging to make up for the lack of surprise. The silver box now has an intricate blue bow, and there's a small card tied to the top with a picture of a cartoon cat. It reads:

'hoping ~~you have~~ you've had a purrfect birthday!'

And below that, a little note: 'Thank you so much for all of your help, Chloe. It's been a pleasure and I'm sure that will continue to be the case. Enjoy! -Doc'

Inside, of course, is the design they labored over together, smoothed out to perfection with a fresh coat of paint. And...well, there is one surprise. There's a rocket-thruster system that certainly wasn't there when she saw it last.]

[Chloe was grinning kind of ridiculously as she accepted the package.]

Thanks Doc.

[She's already tearing into it oops?]

Ooh, kitty card. [She snickers as she says this, putting it aside, and then heads for the real meat of the situation. Hoverboard. Holy fuck it was real. She picked it up gingerly, but then hesitated, because it did look different from last time she saw it.]

So...what're the side thingies for?

[Doc grins proudly.]

As I'm sure you're aware, a hoverboard cannot traverse water without a rocket upgrade.

That is, of course, a rocket upgrade.

A rocket upgrade. Holy shit.

[She turned the hoverboard over in her hands a few times. It was real. She hadn't thought it would actually happen.]

This is so amazing Doc.

[He just smiles fondly at her.]

I trust it's in excellent hands.

Oh man it is totally not.

[She chuckles.]

If I don't break at least one bone playing with this thing I am going to be hella disappointed in myself.

[He looks slightly worried, but practicality demands a simple response.]

You do have quick and simple access to medical attention, I hope?

Got a cell phone and 911, what else could I need?

[She sets the hoverboard on the ground, watching it float.]

You have a fair point.

[He grins and stands, all smiles.]

I believe you're all set. If you need any tips on its usage...well, I'll always be able to repair it, but Marty might be better for the day to day aspects.

Thanks Doc. Man...

[She picks up the hoverboard, and then blinks.]

You still want my help in your lab and junk right?

Of course I do! Marty has enough of his own plans that he can't assist full-time, and if I pursue my plans as they stand, I have a feeling I'm going to be very busy.

Man. I gotta meet him at some point.

[Meeting Marty wouldn't be as cool as meeting Doc, but it would still be awesome.]

He won't get jealous you've got new assistants right?

[Considering the events of their last few get-togethers...]

Let's just say we're working on that. But I'll be very glad to have you, and I'm sure he'd like you.

I'll have to meet him then.

[The jealousy thing didn't bother her, if anything, it sounded funny. Maybe she'd call him chicken, too.]

I'll have to see to it that he has a hoverboard that can keep up---not that I condone recklessness, mind you, but friendly competition.

...Hoverboard races?

003 - [Video] Happy Birthday, Chloe Price.

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