maskormenace | an (anti?) social experiment

[Doc sits in a room stockpiled with inventions. Crafted clocks, blenders, and a single hoverboard hovering at the side of the frame. It's a bit of a mess, but he's been busy. His smile's lopsided but just slightly cautious.]

I once thought I was too old to have a midlife crisis. How foolish I was! Though in hindsight, my entire scientific career of the past thirty years was one long shining example.

I have one powerful light in my life to guide me, but little else---only distant memories. I'm a little late to make a new year's resolution, but here it is: to take the risk of reaching out to the community again. I used fear and doubt as excuses to live in isolation for most of my life, and the moment my new life here hit a few snags I slipped back into that old pattern. Predictable, but disappointing.

So...hello again. I'm Emmett Brown, one of your many neighborhood mechanics...and for the thrill seekers among you, I've just restocked the hoverboards.

And I'm also seeking a brave dog-sitter, if anyone is interested. You'll be compensated well for your time, of course.

[He closes by pointing the camera over to the dogs in question---two white Samoyeds, all smiles, looking proud that they haven't made a mess today.]

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[ raven has never seen anything so beautiful in her life — from the dogs to the knickknacks behind him. she has never prided herself on being a woman who loves animals, but all that tech plus those white beasts has softened her completely. ]

Okay, Emmett Brown, if you tell me what the hell a hoverboard is, I'll dog sit your clouds.

[Even though he's fourteen, there's a sizable age difference between his biological parents, so in a way, Doc reminds Ezequiel of his father. It doesn't take long before he hits the video button in response and, despite how new he is to this place, this is familiar in its' own way.

His voice is soft, sympathetic.] My Mamãe always said midlife crises came from the same thing other crises came from - needing something for too long, and not having it.

I can dog-sit, if you'd like. I'm good with animals. Not as a superpower, I mean, I just kind of am, and honestly, after not getting to have pets back home, getting to hang out with dogs is basically repayment enough.

Hoverboards?! Yes! Wait, how much are they?

[He doesn't even care if his fangs are on full show given how excited he is and how wide-eyed and open mouthed he is at that prospect.

Even if he would probably fall right off the thing within seconds.]

And uh. I haven't had pets or anything but. Depending on timing between my studies I could try see on helping look after them for a bit?

[He cracks a smile]

Are you familiar with the concept of a skateboard? It's the same general idea, but it uses thrusters to hover above the ground instead of rolling on wheels.

Should I have Kepler demonstrate?

[The dog in question tilts his head.]

DID YOU SAY HOVERBOARD?!

[hello]

Or in my case...not caring whether I had something, finally gaining it, and only realizing what I had when it's gone.

[His expression's wistful, but positive. This does help.]

Then maybe I can bring them over to meet you, to start? But if after that you'd like one of your own I know there are plenty of opportunities to adopt. We have pets who need new homes after their owners were ported out.

[It's very welcome to see a familiar face, fangs or no. He flashes a toothy grin right back.]

For you? I'll let you give the display model a spin, and if you like it it's yours.

[Fortunately it's not pink---it's a metallic blue that he's become fond of.]

And I'd definitely trust you with them. Would you like to come meet them when you're free, just to get a feel for each other?

I did!

[He is unfazed.]

They're common enough in my Earth's equivalent era, but I've been working on improving the design I'm familiar with. This one can be used to cross bodies of water---up to about the size of an river.

Hgggg-- can I get one? Or two? How much??

$150 is the base price, including a choice of three base models and paint to your exact color specifications.

I--I can afford two! Yeessss!!

[HE'S SO EXCITED.]

Can I get one blue? I don't care whatever colour the other one is--!

Do you fear other people? [ or doubt them? ]/small>

[ unfortunately, raven's expression remains blank. skateboards didn't seem to make the cut on the "things to survive the nuclear apocalypse" list. ]

Can he?

[ yes pls explain professor kepler. ]

That's not uncommon, either. Sort of reminds me of my extended family, in a way.

[Much as he's clueless at helping people out in this situation, he's trying his best. His expression brightens at the mention of pets.]

That sounds good. And if the people I'm housed with are fine with it, I'd love to have a dog. Or a cat, but I always get weird looks from people when I meow at them and they meow back...

[Those dogs. THOSE DOGS. Those aren't dogs, they're clouds with faces. She's immediately enchanted.]

Any reason you make it sound like the Lord's work to dogsit them?

Of course! Black for the other, perhaps?

All right. Good boy, let's give this a try.

[Doc activates the hoverboard, leaving it to hover a few inches above the floor. He dangles a treat on top, and after a few seconds of waving it the poor dog climbs on. He gets his treat and a pet, and then Doc gently grasps the bottom of the board.]

You would stand here, as Kepler is, then use your foot to push off and glide.

[Kepler has not mastered that trick yet, so Doc gives the board a gentle nudge. The board slowly 'rolls' forward, eliciting a happy bark from the dog.]

long time no see on here.
they actually got the types of
materials to make hoverboards here?

[ professor kepler's bark is infectious, if it's a bark of happiness. raven looks amazed. she's spacewalked, dropped down to the ground, survived a bullet wound, and outwitted an a.i., but it's this that really gets to her. the amazing things that may have existed before the initial bombs, wiped out because of someone's ego ... ]

[ excitedly, ] How did you make that?

[Oh, goodness, Hange is charmed right away and a big grin sneaks across her face and shines through in her voice and in, of course, the video.]

Fear and doubt may continuously pose obstacles, but the battle isn't lost until you've given up on fighting. Congratulations, stranger.

If -- seriously?!

[....At least he has vampiric regeneration if he does -- for when he inevitably crashes on the thing. That's. Something.]

Sure! Just let me know on how much to feed them or when to walk them or whatever. If there's a particular schedule they're used to or something.

Slick and fancy... what about neon pink?

[LET'S GO FULL 80S ON THIS.]

I doubt that other people would be willing to trust me. Living here and making a life has helped, but it's a long-standing worry.

[That gets a smile from him.]

I'm sure there are cats to adopt too. And you can bark at Kepler and Christmas if you like. They love to 'sing'.

They're playful and energetic, and that can mean trouble if they get bored. Christmas here chewed my partner's highly expensive shoe the other day, and he was...displeased.

[He pets the dog in question, then pulls up a picture of the pet-shaming sign placed in front of a chewed shoe and obliviously happy dog.]

They need to be walked together. We've trained them out of pulling, but they easily become excited.

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an (anti?) social experiment

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