Constellation 05

[scienceandgod.livejournal.com]

[Arthur appears on the Plane, looking very different to how he usually dresses. His hair is parted to the side, and his glasses have been replaced with thick, coke-bottle lenses. He's wearing a stripped polo shirt, a  fleece vest, and khaki pants.

There's also an inhaler in his hand, and he seems at quite a loss as to what to do with it.] This is....unusual.

Comments

[scienceandgod.livejournal.com]

Yes, someone's already explained to me what it's for. [a pause] Do you know who I am?

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

[A bit amused.]

Oh, well, deductive reasoning says that you didn't originally know what an inhaler was, that you know me and your speech patterns are remarkably similar to Arthur's. So that's my final answer. I'm also sure I'm right. 'Lo, Arthur.

[scienceandgod.livejournal.com]

[grins] Hullo, Doctor.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

This is a bit different, isn't it? Eyes and lungs are weaker. [Sorry Arthur, he's closer and looking over you.] Appears to be roughly the same age, I think. And definitely human. That's unusual to make changes like that.

[scienceandgod.livejournal.com]

[He takes a step back, automatically reaching up to hold his glasses to his face]

Different body. He already 'gauged the damage', so there's no need to do it again.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

[The Doctor notices and is a bit amused but doesn't show it - much.]

I did assume so. I'm not going to do anything, really. I was just curious. Same body, different body. It's a rather popular look.

[scienceandgod.livejournal.com]

[Oh Doctor, if Arthur knew the reason for your amusement. As it is, he just looks embarassed]

Ah, of course sorry. It belongs to someone, I assume, though I'm not sure to whom.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

It's a bit flattering, really. Statistically it isn't unlikely that there would be copies but that copies would wind up meeting, well, I wouldn't bet on those odds. [He's still eyeing him curiously.] That makes...seven? Though a few are related, so not sure that counts. Four different ones? No no, you, him and...this one. Three, then. Myself, my other self, the human one and the other human one.

[scienceandgod.livejournal.com]

Should this one count? I'm only in his body, and for all we know he could be a different version of one of us.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

Hm, well. Difficult to say. [He tilts his head.] I don't think so, though. There's nothing to suggest a metacrisis about this. And he doesn't really suit you, does he? [Nods down.] He doesn't use a bicycle nearly as much, I think.

[scienceandgod.livejournal.com]

[follows his gaze] I doubt he could manage it with the asthma.

It's a very uncomfortable thing to have.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, I imagine so. I've yet to have it. Or any breathing problems. It would be a bit strange. Still, I think it does prove this one is different. So! At least three other possibilities. I wonder how many others there are?

[scienceandgod.livejournal.com]

Maybe there's one for every universe. [Arthur sounds a bit distracted now, because he's looking over his body curiously]

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

Maybe. But the odds are higher that they're from one universe. [The Doctor follows his gaze.] Finding anything interesting?

[scienceandgod.livejournal.com]

[frowning] It's disconcerting. This body feels a lot weaker than mine, physically, though you wouldn't know it from looking at it.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

Mm, well. Try not to overstress it, right? Especially if he's particularly asmatic.

[scienceandgod.livejournal.com]

I'd rather not go through that again, so I'll be careful.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

[Quirks an eyebrow.] 'Again'?

[scienceandgod.livejournal.com]

I had to check whether I really did have asthma, or if the inhaler was just....there.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

Well, I suppose it's possibly he was recently handed an inhaler while the other person ran off for a quick...well, they really shouldn't be running off anywhere, actually.

[scienceandgod.livejournal.com]

I'd rather not run anywhere at the moment. It's not a very pleasant feeling, not being able to breathe.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

I usually don't have breathing troubles, not that you really need them to know that wouldn't be good. But heart troubles have been probably just as bad for running, I imagine.