[031]

[oliverplus]

[Oliver is very slowly getting through a pint of something blue as he sits at the bar, looking pensive. at the moment, he's holding the glass and sloshing it a bit, watching as the liquid slides around. he mutters to himself:] But what could've happened for all of them to be so....weird? It doesn't make any sense! [he sighs, taking another drink. currently, he's so focused on his own thoughts that he's unlikely to even notice someone joining him--which might be happening right now]

[ooc: Unbeknownst to Oliver, his flatmates have been replaced by Zygons as part of an invasion the Doctor is trying to handle. Anyone up for helping him work this out--or at least helping him through his sulking?]

Comments

[truth_is_cold]

[Rhade has been preoccupied, and therefore he's avoided the Plane for a while. He is here, though, today as Oliver is ruminating on something. He sits down beside of him and eyes items across the bar.]

What is so unusual?

[desertdaggers]

[he contemplates the liquid for a few moments before settling down next to Oliver, attention turning to his face.]

What doesn't?

[bonnypiperlad]

[And lo, a wild Jamie appears. Or wanders in, more accurately. Either way, he'll be taking a seat at the bar next to Oliver, giving him a puzzled look in the process.]

What do ye mean, weird? Who's being weird?

[oliverplus]

[Oliver jumps at the discovery that there is suddenly a person he doesn't recognise sitting next to him] Um...hi. [feeling a bit awkward, he shifts, turning toward Rhade. he waves a hand, trying to look cheerful and not half as worried as he really is] Oh, just my flatmates. Hey, are you new here? I'm Oliver. [he offers his hand--it seems the right way to greet someone in uniform]

[oliverplus]

Hawk! [Oliver smiles at his friend--but that smile quickly slips] Oh, just...my flatmates are acting really weird. And...well, I think something must be going on, but they aren't telling me what. [he takes another drink, frowning--but quickly snaps himself out of it. trying to sound cheerful, he asks:] How are you doing, anyway?

[oliverplus]

Jamie. [Oliver relaxes a little, smiling gladly at the sight of his friend] How are you? How's Victoria? [because those two questions definitely go together]

[at Jamie's question, though, his smile fades] My flatmates. [quickly] I mean--not Chloe! She's in Brazil. But everyone else... [he frowns] I don't know what's going on.

[truth_is_cold]

I've been here for quite some time. I'm just not particularly talkative. [He's had a lot on his mind. But he shakes the offered hand.]

How are they acting?

[desertdaggers]

Maybe you need to try another way of finding answers.

[but subject change, sure, why not! He reaches out for a a glass, with a slight forehead scrunch as some of the cut that are still healing pull.]

I'm alright- well, I'm doing better than I was a little while ago. Things are still a little troubled, but… [he'd rather deal with the Rolante soldiers, who are at least in control of themselves.

He gestures at Oliver's drink.] Is that any good?

[oliverplus]

[Oliver's handshake is vigorous but not quite as firm as it should be] Well, it's nice to meet you! What's your name?

Just really... [Oliver wrinkles his nose] Okay, so this is gonna sound mad, and I've probably been watching too much telly, but it's like they're being sort of...secretive. [quickly, he adds:] Which doesn't make any sense! I mean, we're just students at uni. You know? [he laughs uncomfortably. he's been telling himself how ridiculous these thoughts are for weeks, but it hasn't made them go away]

[oliverplus]

[he gives him a curious look at that] What do you mean?

What happened, anyway? [because Oliver is definitely eyeing those cuts]

Um... [he frowns at the glass, as though realising for the first time that you're supposed to taste beer while you're drinking it. he really has been very distracted. he takes another drink, considering] Yeah, I think so. It's just got this sort of...weird bubble gum-ish flavour. Don't ask me how that works. But it's on tap if you want some. [he gestures]

[bit_impossible]

[There has been one person he's been neglecting to check in with this entire time--not because he forgot, oh no; for once, he's remembered!--but he knows he can't risk doing it back in their reality. He's had to wait for Oliver to come to the Plane. That's a test in itself. Then again, to be fair, he hasn't exactly had much time to come to the Plane anyway.

Thankfully, Oliver's Plane habits are predictable, so he checks the bar first (with plans to go to the library next), and lo, there he is! The Doctor hurries straight over to him, his sonic screwdriver in hand.]

Oliver!

[oliverplus]

Doctor! [Oliver jumps at a combination of the Doctor's sudden appearance, the urgency in his tone, and the fact that he has the sonic screwdriver out] What is it? What's going on?

[truth_is_cold]

I don't even know if it sounds mad. [He smiles for the first time in a long time.] I don't know what a telly is.

[bonnypiperlad]

Ah, she's fine. She's off doing something in the TARDIS.

[And he'd gotten bored, which is why he was here now. But Oliver's reaction causes him to frown as well.]

Your flatmates? What are they doing that's making ye think that, then?

[desertdaggers]

Snoop around a little, see if anything looks out of place.

Ahhh… I got into some trouble getting out of being locked up. [he waves a hand] Not that I shouldn't have expected that in occupied territory, but I hadn't thought it'd be quite like that.

Bubble-gum? Alright. [hm. heading over to get himself a glass now, and he takes a sip.] …that's definitely odd. But in the kind of way where you want more. [more sipping as he comes back.]

[oliverplus]

Oh, sorry. [Oliver laughs a bit sheepishly] I mean, a television. Like...we use it to broadcast programs. Like theatre on a screen?

[not knowing anything about Rhade's world, he's not sure how best to describe it, but he's hoping from the look of Rhade's clothing that his world is futuristic enough for that to make sense]

Anyway, I just meant, the way they're acting... [a frown tugs at his lips] Well, it reminds me of the plot of a show. Not real life. So I must be...missing something. Or something. [he shifts a little uncomfortably] Because, I mean, they're not spies! They're just my flatmates. You know?

[oliverplus]

[that's not what he meant, but he'll let that go for now]

Just... [he pauses, thinking about how to explain] Okay, don't laugh. But they're being sort of...secretive. And not really doing stuff they normally do, like sports and video games and music. And...well, they're drinking weird things. I mean, not weird alcohol! Just energy drinks. Which is also weird. [quickly] But I know that all sounds really mad and I'm probably worrying over nothing!

[oliverplus]

Well... [he fidgets] I sort of...have a bit. Mostly accidentally.

Wait, what!? [this is news to Oliver, and he looks correspondingly surprised] But you're out now? Right? [hopeful]

[he chuckles at Hawk's assessment of the beer, though] Yeah, that's exactly it. [and he takes another sip himself]

[truth_is_cold]

[Rhade, who is made of paranoia, says] Are you sure they might not have been put up to something?

If you notice something is different, then something is different. You should show the initiative and discover what. It could be mundane or it could be a problem.

[desertdaggers]

Really? Did you find anything interesting? [he grins, raising his eyebrows.]

Yeah- well, more or less. The Rolante troops are a little concerned, but I can't blame them. They're more reasonable, though, it should be fine.

I wonder what it'd be like mixed with something else.

[bonnypiperlad]

[He's good too, really, apart from being bored. Which is rapidly changing as Oliver talks, and the frown deepens somewhat.]

Aye, well, maybe. What's an energy drink, though?

[oliverplus]

[Oliver frowns at that] Something like...what? [which is a silly question to ask considering he's the one who knows what they've been up to, not Rhade, but Oliver tends to speak before he thinks]

Well, I have already a bit. Sort of. [he pauses, thinking through how to describe his observations without sounding more mad than he must already] They're just...not really doing their normal hobbies. And they're drinking a lot of this weird energy drink--I mean, not that something like that should be related to anything. Just...it's something I noticed.

[he fidgets--here comes the really strange bit] And sometimes, when I get home, they're all gathered in Adam and Gaz's room. Talking really quietly, too. It's...bizarre. [quickly] But I haven't seen them do anything!

[oliverplus]

[he shakes his head] Just little things. Like, they're not really doing the stuff they normally do. And they're drinking this strange drink all the time. Which...I guess is a bit hypocritical to say right now. [he gazes at his own glass, smiling wryly] But sometimes, especially if I come home early, they're all gathered in Adam and Gaz's room. And they're just...talking. Like, softly. [he makes a face, still fighting between the thought that this is all nonsense and nagging worry] It wouldn't be so weird, but Sam's been with them, and normally she wouldn't be caught dead in their room. You know?

[he eyes Hawk at that response, though] A little concerned about what? Not whether or not to lock you up again--right? [hopeful]

[but at that suggestion, he raises an eyebrow, a bit of a grin starting to play over his lips] ...want to find out?

[oliverplus]

Oh, it's like... [he pauses, frowning as he thinks about how he can possibly describe this to Jamie] You know how coffee helps you feel more awake? Sort of like that--but made of other things. [thinking more about it, he adds:] I mean--it's not weird for Gaz. But it is for the others. And it's like they all got addicted to the same new brand all at once. [he wrinkles his nose] A brand that isn't even that good.

[truth_is_cold]

Of course you haven't, if they don't want you to see anything and you've not looked for it.

[Rhade was unrepentantly suspicious of odd behavior at this point.] I would deem it worth investigating, if that much is out of the ordinary.