☮ 003 ((video))

[delincuente]

Who: Alex Russo and YOU
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: SS Paisley
When: Evening of 6/22

[Alex is hanging out in the galley, her socked feet propped up on the table and a glass of soda in one hand, when she switches on the video feed. Her little boom box is sitting next to her, quietly playing another traditional Earth hymn to the god Bill Murray. Enjoy that, floots.]

So. Last night as a teenager.

[She takes a sip of soda, and pauses for a second, wondering if she's about to burp.

False alarm.] What kind of reckless, immature shenanigans should I get up to before the big 2-0 gets here?

[She turns up R. Kelly, and starts singing along as she waits for a reply. What a jammin' birthday.]

Comments

Video

[cabbagedetective]

[Adachi's tone is friendly when the video feed clicks on to respond to Alex's transmission. Yet, despite his friendly tone, his words carry a somewhat discernible hint of bitterness to them.]

Ah, so it's your 20th birthday, huh? That puts you right on the cusp of adulthood. Enjoy it while you can, because being an adult can be a real pain in the ass.

[delincuente]

[Alex catches the bitterness beneath his tone, and has to keep herself from laughing.]

Yeah, it's bittersweet. I mean, it's not like being older gets you any perks here. And I still look sixteen, so there's that.

[cabbagedetective]

[Adachi looks around him, taking in the rather stale surroundings of the Drift Fleet ships' interior.]

Not exactly the most exciting of place's to throw a birthday is it?

Video

[onlyanapple]

There's always copious amounts of alcohol. That's a good start.

[delincuente]

Where do you even find any here? I should've stocked up back at the casinos.

[onlyanapple]

That's generally what I do. Stock up at the waystations and what have you.

I suppose you can have one of my bottles of Froot Loops wine if you want. It tastes like armpits, but it'll get you sufficiently hammered.

video;

[geonomy]

[Oh god, that song. Clay can't help grinning over it; Praise be to Bill Murray!]

Ah, the last day of teenagehood. I remember that like it was yesterday. [Well, it was only threeish years ago.] So, let's go over your personal checklist. Did you accomplish every reckless thing you wanted to do before the big 2-0?

[delincuente]

I didn't really have a list, just kind of played it by ear the whole time.

[She makes a show of starting to tick off her fingers.]

Let's see, I stole a subway car... drove without a license... flew without a license... accidentally altered reality...

Usual teenage stuff, you know?

[geonomy]

[Clay looks a bit surprised by all that, because - Altering reality? What? He can get flying/driving without a license, but - wow.]

Uh... wow. Totally the usual stuff, yeah.

Sooo, have you tried the whole "rebel against everyone because they don't understand me" thing?

video;

[ino]

[ She was going to give her an actual response, but ... ]

What is that song?

[delincuente]

"I Believe I Can Fly". R. Kelly, 1996.

[She keeps humming along.]

[ino]

Can he actually fly, or is it just inspirational?

audio;

[feathery]

Drop a phat beat and start some fires with the sick heat of your irresponsible freestylin'.

[delincuente]

You are so 1998, bruh.

[She'd be giving him an affectionate shoulder-shove if she could.]

I'm too lazy to rap. I'd average, like, twelve words a minute if I could.

[feathery]

Don't remind me. One day I'll come galumphing back out of the fossils of prehistoria, but until then you're stuck with my dated references.

[He would give her a shoulder-nudge back.]

I want to hear you rap.

action

[stefanged]

[Stefan doesn't have to be listening to the communicator to hear that music. After her broadcast, he wanders over to her, hot mug of tea in hand, and settles for leaning against the doorway.]

I haven't heard that in years.

[Still, his tone's light as he adds:] I'll have to figure out how to get you a cupcake or two. Wouldn't be a birthday without it, right?

[delincuente]

Finally, another 90s vet.

[She holds her fist out for a bump. Come on, man.]

Hey, I'm accepting donations all month. Good food's basically gold here.

[stefanged]

[He fistbumps her with his free hand, careful not to jostle his tea.]

What, no one else on this ship appreciates him? [Knowing the Fleet, it's also entirely possible they'd never heard of it.] The second we get a kitchen upgrade, I'll bake some for sure.

Won't be as good as my sister's, but you know. "The thought that counts," and all that.

[everydayhero]

What changes once you get to 20?

[i intend to keep being awesome once i get there, thanks]

[delincuente]

Absolutely nothing. Like, you can vote, but you still can't drink, or get a rental car? All it means is you keep screwing up the first number when you write your age.

[everydayhero]

... So, why do you have to do everything reckless right now? You don't want to be a boring adult, do you?

video

[blindoptimism]

[hello alex, here have a younger looking girl with the party sense of an old lady...]

Ah, h-happy birthday! [wow that's loud...]

[delincuente]

.. Thanks?

[Alex squints at the video feed, not quite recognizing the girl.]

video

[lord_wizard]

I think perhaps you shouldn't be in so much of a hurry.

[delincuente]

Never said I was in a hurry. No one actually wants to get old, and I'm, like, only ten years away from middle-aged now.