Arrival

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

[Beyond is standing hunched over on the Astral Plane, looking around and sucking the tip of his index finger in thought. His voice is quiet, from lack of use.]

There is a 30% chance I'm dreaming, and a 69% chance I'm hallucinating.

[After looking around for a while longer, he takes his finger out of his mouth and puts his hand in his pocket, like his other one is, and moves on to more important matters:] Does anyone have...jam? No, no. I've tried that. Ah...perhaps, yes. Yes. Strawberry jam? [A wide grin slowly breaks over his face.]

This...this is an opportunity. It is a break. It has been so long since I had jam. Why is that? Why...is there no sugar? What is the purpose?

[He pauses, putting his hand back in his mouth and chewing the fingernail.]

What are you all doing here?

Comments

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

But you're a police officer. Detective Inspector - pardon me. Don't you get a feel for cases, when there are millions of people in the world, and no evidence? [B doesn't realize that it would actually be more effective saying this to Gene. :|]

[didorothy]

Comparison doesn't work. You >don't 'get a feel' out of nothing; there are clues, however small, to guide you. Names don't work that way.

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

[Ryuzaki is remembering something the Doctor said. Slowly, he smiles.] Maybe in your reality they don't.

[didorothy]

[pulls out Fumie's glasses, flicking them on and typing away] Los Angeles doesn't have any records for a 'Ryuzaki' in the year 2002.

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

...[B pauses, and then laughs. His laugh? Yeah. Shinigami laugh. It's creepy. Then he repeats himself, even more childishly this time:] Maybe in your reality they don't.

[didorothy]

[...vaguely unsettled by that laugh, yes] These glasses aren't straight from my reality. They have access to information networks in all of them.

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

They do? [B is actually curious, but of course, distracting Sam doesn't hurt either.] That's impressive. How do they work?

[didorothy]

You'd have to ask the Twins. [looks over him critically] You still haven't given me your real name, and you haven't told me how you know mine.

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

The Twins?

Are you sure that isn't my real name? And you haven't told me what year you think it is.

[didorothy]

Lapis and Lazuli. The ones at the shop.

I'm certain.

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

[Beyond stares blankly.] What are you basing that on?

[didorothy]

The fact that there is no 'Ryuzaki' incarcerated in any 2002 Californian penitentiary in any reality.

[gut instinct, actually]

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

How do you know I wasn't lying about my penitentiary?

[♥]

[didorothy]

Behavioural cues.

[...which is to say, 'gut instinct']

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

What if I was lying about both?

[What? B, being childish? Never!]

[didorothy]

[oh, he is this close to going all 1973 on you, B]

What were you incarcerated for?

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

[Bwa ha ha.]

Stealing a piece of gum from the gumball machine.

[didorothy]

[stops, takes a step back, and shoves his hands into his pockets] It was a very important gumball machine, I hope.

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

Very. It means everything to me.

[didorothy]

Birthday Present?

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

[He grins at the word.] No. But it should have been.

[didorothy]

[mentally notes the grin]

What was it,then?

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

The gumball machine? Something I badly wanted, but couldn't have.

[didorothy]

But you stole from it anyway. Why?

[b-ittersweets.livejournal.com]

Because I have never been allowed gum, and it is all I have ever wanted.