[Open/Catch-all] Don't you let them see your troubles

[twelfthsong]

Who: The Doctor and you!
What: A new place, lack of tech and friends means the Doctor is reluctantly getting his bearings while internally freaking out
When: Over the course of September
Where: Central Command, The Mage's Sector, Electric Heart + Mini Missions
Content Warnings: None, but will update if anything arises

the worst neighbour ever — central command

[A grounded, TARDIS-less Doctor is a bored Doctor. With no missions on the horizon and a reluctance to even participate in them, the Doctor has reverted to what he's always done when he gets bored: build.

Any neighbouring rooms in the residential parts of Central Command would have likely heard a lot of noise over the last couple of days including, but not limited to: dragging, banging, whirring, wielding, shouts of success, annoyed muttering and pacing at varying times throughout the day. Maybe you've been woken up by said noise or maybe worse, kept up by it. Either way, there's a very simple piece of paper that reads, "Do Not Disturb" slapped onto his door. Attempts to get him to shut up usually don't work and he might even poke his head out every once in a while to tell someone to go away because they're the ones disturbing him or give them some earplugs before shutting the door in their face.

The finale of it all results in a small 'boom' from behind the closed door to his room. It's enough to make some of the walls shake, the lights flicker, and moments later a tall man wearing goggles throws the door open coughing violently as smoke begins to spill out.]

Where are the extractor fans when you need them? I should have installed those first.

get in loser we're going to do research — library @ the mage's sector

[Typically when he lands in a place that he doesn't have any information on he'll do his research. Well no, that's a lie. He'll usually just dive right in and get to know a place via the locals if there are any because nothing is better than first hand experience. There are plenty of locals, but, ah yeah the talking bit. He's had his fill of talking to people which means that research is a very valuable and secondary option. That's how he stumbles upon the library in the Mage's Sector. It isn't quite as extensive as the one in the TARDIS - nothing ever will be - but it's got enough books here to satisfy his thirst for knowledge.

It's a good thing that this place doesn't close because once he's sat himself down with a large stack of books in a comfy armchair with a desk in front of him the Doctor isn't keen on moving. Passersby might notice that the titles and topics vary; all of them are about the Broken World and its history, the planet's vegetation, fauna, and local animals, technology, and the customs of the planet - but there's also one slipped in there that very obviously reads, 'Horsemanship For Dummies'. Is his notebook filled to the brim with notes about horse training? Maybe. It's none of your business. Linger long enough nearby and he might ask/tell you:]

Could you keep your breathing down?

guitar hero — vr @ the electric heart

[If you've never seen a Time Lord going through a mid-life crisis (can you even have a mid-life crisis when you're 2000 years old), now's your chance.

The Doctor has been shredding - quite literally - on the VR's version of the electric guitar all day. He's somehow found a pair of Rayban-esque sunglasses and is currently jamming out to a tune that some might recognize. Turns out that it's tied to a game that looks a lot like a familiar Earth rhythm-based game and he's doing an eerily good job of keeping up with the fast chords and beats he has to hit. By the time the song ends, the points total up on the screen announcing him as the current high score holder. While no one is playing with him (yet), there's definitely room for people to join in on another guitar (axe battle anyone?), drums, or any other instrument you fancy (is that a trombone flickering in the background?).

Maybe it isn't a visible mid-life crisis, but trust us he's definitely brooding about something because he doesn't seem the least bit pleased about securing the high score as he punches in 'Doctor Mysterio' into the name section.]

wildcard — pick your own adventure!

[The Doctor can be found in various places across the Witches Camp scavenging for parts, building things, or putting in time between the library, Central Command and studiously avoiding the infirmary. Need someone to bicker with? Do you also want to tell him his hair is unruly? He's your Time Lord.]

[ ooc: prose is absolutely welcome, I'll follow your lead. I'm also happy to throw up private top levels as a general catchall for the rest of the month. Feel free to reach out to me via journal pm or discord for plotting! ]

Comments

the worst

[tech_nically]

[Well, it's nice to know he's not the only one making a workshop of his quarters. The sounds have been fairly tell-tale, at least in the general idea of what might be happening behind that door. Tech isn't exactly a neighbor so far as room placements go, but this one is on the way out, and he's been in and out of his own room multiple times in the same span of days. It's difficult for someone to be bored when there's so much to research and seek out.

He's on his way back when the sound of an explosion of sorts thumps from that particular room, his head snapping up from staring at his tablet to look towards the door just as the man emerges from it, wreathed in smoke.]

...the existing ventilation does seem inadequate for combustive projects, yes.

[twelfthsong]

[The Doctor can't help but look mildly confused that someone is talking to him but still pushes the goggles up onto his head so that his wild hair gets even wilder.]

Thank you. Who builds a building without extractor fans in the first place? [And then he recognizes Tech pointing something like very botched cellphone in his direction.] Tech, isn't it?

[tech_nically]

Someone who doesn't anticipate its residents turning their personal quarters into workshops, I imagine.

[He arches a brow at the...whatever it's supposed to be, perhaps just slightly on his guard because it looks suspiciously like a taser- not that he's concerned about being intentionally shot at so much as accidentally. Still, he nods.]

That would be an affirmative.

[twelfthsong]

Well they should have accounted for it. [Who enjoys being reasonable anyway when you're in the middle of an internal crisis?] I'll get to it after this. Might be a little useless now but it's fine. Better to future proof.

Right. Lovely talking to you on the Tether app thing. [And then he approaches Tech, botched cellphone now not pointed directly at him but at the ground.] Do you still have your chip implanted?

get in loser - AKA two old men being nerds.

[bentheredonethat]

Either find a more interesting subject, or take a break and come back when you can focus.

[ Came the perfectly affable, cultured reply from the scruffy old man sitting at the next table over. If a book on the Zephyr, magic and the Broken World in general was not on The Doctor's table, it was quite possibly on Obi-Wan's. ]

the title of their spin off show

[twelfthsong]

[That response garners a bit of a huff from the Doctor as he glances over to look at whoever had just said that. Or maybe glare was a better word. Depends on how you interpret the eyebrows.]

What time is it?

[bentheredonethat]

[ Obi-Wan's eyebrows could be pretty damn expressive in terms of his mood, so he put a lot of stock in the language of eyebrows. Whether he gave much of a damn about eyebrow glares; that might be another story. ]

If you calculate time on this planet by a twenty-four hour rotation of its circular axis; it's approximate nineteen-thirty four. If you calculate time by some other measure, than I do not have an answer for you.

[twelfthsong]

[He's a Time Lord so time is his thing but when he's sucked into a reading vortex weeks could pass by and he wouldn't notice. There's something of a horrified gasp at Obi-Wan's answer and he rakes his hands through his hair.]

I've spent too long trying to make sense of horsemanship. It's that damn horse.

guitar hero

[doitinthree]

[Jim had been spending more and more time in the electric heart recently, due to both its usefulness in terms of technology available and for the wide array of entertainment it offered.

Passing through the VR section to see what people were up to- it really was like a holodeck- the sound of familiar music catches his ears, which is how Jim ends up stood beside a guy he doesn't know, who is apparently having the time of his life jamming out on the guitar. Once the song begins to end, he finally speaks up with a smile:]

Another fan of the classics? And top score too? Wow, I'm impressed.

[twelfthsong]

[He slips his Raybans to the edge of his nose before grinning slightly and pushing them back up.]

You know AC/DC? Everyone else so far seems confused and don't really know what to make of it.

[doitinthree]

[Jim offers a smile back in return, crossing his arms loosely as he continues to watch.]

I know them. Kinda have a thing for classical music, but yeah it's not really common where I'm from either, so I can understand that.

Want a back-up? Though I can't promise that I'll be any good.

[twelfthsong]

Classical is just as good. I think they have Violin or Cello Hero here too.

[And as he says them both instruments appear in the background behind him as if enticing them to play them instead of Guitar Hero. He seems to consider the offer for a minute before walking over and tossing him the hologram guitar.]

Ah, we can play easy then, kiddo. [Doctor, please don't use that word.] I'll even let you pick the song.

Guitar Heero - because I couldn't pass up on the chance just to make that pun.

[heeroized]

[Turn over a new leaf they said. Try to find new things you enjoy. Learn new hobbies. Fine, fine. They can't say he isn't trying. So picking one of the available instrument options - a bass guitar.

Does he know what he's doing? No. But it doesn't look complicated and he's just spent the last while watching this old guy - Who looks maybe too much like the Doctors for him to be entirely comfortable around him, made it seem fairly simple. If nothing else, he's got good reflexes and learns quickly. So it'll be fine.

But he doesn't bother to say anything, just stands and waits. They'll do whatever this game was whenever the other man queued them up for it. Not his business.]

stunning, amazing, perfection

[twelfthsong]

[Funnily enough this isn't the first time that day that someone had queued up for the game only to be met with the Doctor flat out ignoring them or not noticing them until well past the acceptable amount of time.

He could blame it on senility if he really wanted to but in reality, he was just being selectively ignorant of his surroundings. Thankfully this time around he catches a glimpse of the bass guitar being picked up and he glances up, sunglasses sliding just low enough so he can peer over them.]

Are you planning on standing there or are you going to join in?

Between that and the art? It had to happen. lol

[heeroized]

[Honestly Heero doesn't really care about propriety or what's acceptable. So it doesn't actually bother him.

The instrument feels awkward in his hands, but he tightens his grip, determined to see this through since he started. His pride not letting him decide to just leave like this. That'd be pathetic.]

I will join.

[He still had very little idea what he was doing, the opportunity to observe and learn had been convenient.]

gotta turn art into reality

[twelfthsong]

[The sunglasses go back up the bridge of his nose noting that the young man didn't seem to know what he was doing.]

Don't hold it like you're trying to choke it death. [He demonstrates how he's holding his.] You're not going to be able to play any chords that way.

( closed: clara + leia mini mission) — a quiet revolution doesn't mean anything unless I let it ou

[twelfthsong]

The Doctor hadn't intended to end up on a mission much less this one. In fact, he had staunchly refused to do anything of the sort, determined to stay stubborn and hunker down in The Witches Camp. Unfortunately for him, his plan hadn't encountered Leia's persistence or The Witches' meddling.

Apparently Leia had received a missive from their benevolent benefactors claiming that they had been assigned to rescue mission. The Doctor had a moment of contained rage at the thought of a ten year old being sent on a rescue mission into Sylphid territory but then he realized the Witches probably knew exactly what they were doing sending her with him. And if he didn't go, he realized quite quickly that Leia would likely go with or without him and his bleeding hearts and conscious wouldn't allow that.

He was checking over their given equipment, scowling even more at the gun, when he heard a set of footsteps approaching. The Doctor expected to see Leia but who he hadn't expected to see was Clara. "What is she doing here?" he asked Leia but pointedly looking at Clara.

[makemeasong]

Clara rolls her eyes. Of course.

But there's a surge of something close to relief and on its heels, a feeling like embarrassment after her hallucination. But instead of being nicer, he seems to have doubled down, and she rolls her eyes, one hand moving to her hip.

"She is being a responsible adult and not letting her go on a mission alone. What are you doing here?"

[precociousprincess]

Leia glanced up at and back and forth between them with a suspicious squint to her eyes. Clara had said she knew the Doctor from her home, but hadn’t mentioned how they knew each other.

Of course, Leia would be able to know anything she wanted without asking by poking around using this strange tethering ability. She’d mostly just used it to not die and be able to find people all the time, so far. But it also seemed to effect personalities, involuntarily, both ways.

Leia pretended she couldn’t tell whatever weird adult thing was going on between them - for now - rechecking her bag and supplies, securing the weapon Tech had acquired for her to her arm, and responded nonchalantly.

“He’s here because we got assigned to go on the mission together by the people in charge. He didn’t want to, but I made him.” She sounded ever so slightly smug.

“I wanted you both to come so I might have…forgotten to mention. Oops.” She was not sorry.

ooc: let me know if you want me to take out the part about the tether with clara if they haven’t yet or you changed your mind about it or if I somehow hallucinated the possibility entirely

( closed: tech mini mission ) — we carried on like wayward sons

[twelfthsong]

[The Troop had been a point of fascination for the Doctor since arriving. Of course there was all this unknown technology for him to discover and learn, but the number one rule of being a time traveller in any universe was to be curious about everything.

With his chip still in place he knew there wasn’t any way to tell if the Troop was sentient but he had a strong hunch it had to be. Mushrooms basically were what with their miles and miles of mycelium. He wasn’t arrogant enough to think he could handle connecting to it - kind of - but a Time Lord could dream.

He’d have to settle for studying it’s properties for the time being. The Doctor was triple checking he had everything he needed just as he saw Tech walk up.]

Ready?

[tech_nically]

[Tech has plenty of curiosity. He just rarely had time to indulge in it as part of a mission. In fact, this sort of mission is completely new to him but all the more exciting for the fact that they're expected simply to collect samples for research. Sure, there's concerns about spores and their ill-effects, but at least they sort of know what to expect, and have been provided gear. ...not the gear he'd prefer, but it's better than nothing.

His tablet in hand, the clone gives the Doctor a wave on his approach.]

I believe so. Just looking over the objectives again. If you're good to go, let's head out.

[twelfthsong]

[In true Doctor fashion he simply turns on his heel towards the Troop by way of telling Tech he's ready.

He's already shared his doubts about the war with Tech, so he feels comfortable enough sharing his doubts about the little sample collection mission they're on.]

I still have my doubts about some kind of biological weapon being produced from these.

( closed: rokuro ) — la belle fleur sauvage

[twelfthsong]

[There was no better place to learn more about a place’s flora and fauna than at a local greenhouse. While most of the flora in the Broken World seemed to err on the side of fungus, flowers still managed to persist symbiotically or stubbornly alongside their fungal cousins and thrived alone while under the care of some very persistent botanists and florists.

The Doctor figured that if there was the development of medicines from the Troop, what was to say that they couldn’t be combined with some of the local flora as well? That’s mostly why he finds himself in the Troop that day - but he’d be lying if he said that it was to keep his mind off of the things Clara had confessed to him after he had led her out of the Troop.

He’s currently deep in thought scanning and sketching a flower that looked a lot like Queen’s Tears except for the fact that it glowed a bioluminescent purpley pink when he hears the door to the greenhouse open. He normally doesn’t care about people being in the same space as him - it’s a public greenhouse after all - but he recognizes the tehterzilla from the conversation with Obi-Wan right after their disastrously public tethering.

Oh god no. His split second thinking isn’t very successful as he ducks behind a pillar that is far too skinny to hide even a stick insect-like man like him. Maybe if he just stopped breathing Rokuro wouldn’t notice him but probably not who are we kidding.]

[noisecomplaint]

[Of course Rokuro recognizes The Doctor right away. For a man with only one eye, he is relentlessly observant-- not that he doesn't have his blind spots. Say, The Doctor attempting to hide from him, which Rokuro should take as a cue to leave him alone.

Instead he makes direct eye-contact, and heads right for him. The social pincer tactic.

Sorry Doc. If you were anyone else Rokuro's personal research would be far more interesting, but as one the few recent arrivals who 'fully invested' in a formal tethering ceremony, Rokuro has so many questions.

A graceful bow, hands upon his thighs, and he looks back up at the older man with a polite smile.]

Doctor. It is I, Rokuro Unno. You may not recognize me, as the last time we spoke I appeared as mere words upon a 'screen' amongst many. I am pleased to more properly make your acquaintance.

[twelfthsong]

[Not the eye contact. For a man with one eye that was a lot of eye contact and god he hates it. His eyes do a quick scan of the area - maybe he could find an escape route. But to his dismay the only way was out the way Rokuro had come.

With Rokuro in front of him and bowing the Doctor gave a quick, tight lipped smile before bowing awkwardly back. Although his bow was more of a stiff, 20 or 30 degree one.]

Yup. Great. Grand to meet you. Now that you mention it you’re a lot more 3D in person than I thought you’d be.

[Oh the sarcasm.]