[005]

[docinawall]

[Doc is sitting in the middle of the Plane, feeling rather bewildered. in one hand, he's holding a cup of coffee. in the other, a box of matches. and for some inexplicable reason, there is a walking stick and a baseball on the ground next to him. in fact, he's eyeing the baseball rather like he's addressing his next words to it]

You know what? I'm never taking my armor off while I'm here again. Not even to improve yoga flexibility! [the pout is audible in his tone]

[he takes a sip of coffee, though, and adds more reasonably:] At least they didn't put in any artificial sweetners. [and he takes another sip]

[ooc: Doc has woken up on the Plane after his Whodunnit murder! Come explore the clues with him.]

Comments

[filsdeliberte]

[Having no other direction in mind, the smell of coffee draws Canada to the heavy-looking figure sitting out in the Plane. Once he gets closer he can see that it's someone in futuristic-looking purple armor. He's a bit wary about approaching him until he catches him speaking to himself. He's curious about what happened to make him say that he'd never take off his armor again, but that bit about yoga was a kinda amusing.

He takes the opening offered by his comment about sweeteners-]

If I may say, maple syrup is the best way to sweeten coffee.

[docinawall]

Really? [Doc turns curiously to the other man] I've never tried that. Huh...I wonder if they have any in the kitchen. [his tone is a bit absent, as he's still a little out-of-it after his resurrection]

[desertdaggers]

[well, that's an interesting sight.]

Artificial sweeteners? Who would even imaging something so dreadful?

[he nudges the walking stick with one foot, considering.] It doesn't look like you'd need this in the armour… is it a friend's?

[docinawall]

[Doc ignores the fact that he's having a conversation with someone he's never met before and just dives right in to answers] I don't know! Probably scientists. They really don't appreciate the value of an organic diet. [he nods sagely]

Huh? [Doc blinks at the walking stick] No, that's mine. I think. [he pauses, tilting his head as he attempts to process through the haze in his brain] It was just sort of there when I woke up in that scary lab place, so I took it with me.

[desertdaggers]

[not a problem until one of them needs to use the other's name.] Maybe it would do them some good to try.

It makes as much sense as anything… But how did it get there with you? [he frowns] What place was this?

[docinawall]

[emphatically, he says:] It would!

[he shrugs] I don't know. I woke up, and it was there. I think I must have been attacked? [from his tone, that would-be statement is definitely a question] I was doing some yoga without my armor, and then I was in the lab! You know, the one in the shop? I mean, I've never seen it before, but it's definitely there!

[desertdaggers]

Attacked? You didn't see anything?

[he blinks.] I didn't realise… but then, I didn't go looking for anything specifically like that. I suppose it shouldn't be so surprising in a place like that. What happened there?

[docinawall]

[he squints at him for a moment] Uh. I don't remember.

I don't know! I woke up, and then some guy there told me to get out. He wasn't very nice. Oh, and I got a coffee! [he holds it up helpfully]

This weird stuff was just there. [he gestures at the walking stick and ball] And some matches, too. [he fishes in his armor for the box, eventually pulling it out and offering it to Hawk. if Hawk looks at it, he'll find it has the name and address of a nightclub in San Francisco, CA on it] I don't think they're going to be very useful here. Or in the desert. But I wouldn't want to refuse a gift! That would be rude.

[desertdaggers]

Really? That's too bad. [and odd. In a situation like that, something should have stuck, right?]

So we probably wouldn't get much information out of him. [he peers at it, and nods] Though that's better than nothing, at least.

So it's possible someone else put it there? [he reaches out for the box, memorising the name and address. It doesn't mean much to him, but maybe it would to someone else.] Mm, it would be. [looking up again] Is that where you're from?

[docinawall]

Yeah! Now I don't even know who...um... Hit me? Or whatever they did. [he nods] It's not bad. I mean, tea's more calming? But it has pretty good flavor.

I didn't put it there! [a beat] Uh. I don't think I did. That doesn't sound much like me. I don't even use a walking stick!

[he blinks] The desert? No, that's just where I'm being held hostage. [and he sounds remarkably blase about that fact, actually]

[desertdaggers]

Yeah. Which worries me; what if they tried it on someone else? [another nod.] That's good, then.

So probably someone else, then. But who? Do you know anyone who does?

Hostage? Who by, and why? [giving Doc a look]

[docinawall]

[Doc nods in agreement] That's why I'm keeping my armor on!

Use a walking stick? [Doc scoffs] I'm in the army. I mean, sure, lots of injured soldiers use them? But they only keep using one if they don't lose their leg.

[Doc's tone remains casual, despite the subject matter] Oh, his name's Wash. He can come here, too! But he says he's not holding me hostage, and the other him doesn't believe him. And uh. [he stops, thinking] You know, I don't really know? You'd have to ask him. Except probably the him back in the desert because here he says he doesn't know.

[desertdaggers]

Sensible move.

Ahhh, of course. But then, we're left with the mystery of who it does belong to, aren't we? And did they leave the ball and matches as well? [that, at least, seems reasonable enough.]

Wash? [there's a definite note of surprise in his voice.] That sounds odd, though… Why not?

[docinawall]

Well, they were all there when I woke up, so probably. Uh, unless a lot of people decided to drop things on the table. But I don't know, are there any lame smokers who play baseball on the Plane? Because if there is one, I bet he did it!

[he shrugs] I don't know! They're both Wash, but they don't listen to each other. It's kind of like a sci-fi movie. And not a very good one.

[filsdeliberte]

[Canada is curious for another reason- had he been drinking the coffee? His helmet's visor was up...
Crouching down beside the man Canada reaches into a pocket of his suit and pulls out a small bottle of dark coloured syrup. He presents it with a smile.]

Sorry, Starbucks doesn't have maple syrup, so I carry it around. Please, help yourself.

[desertdaggers]

I don't recall seeing one, but… Baseball?

Have you tried getting them to sit down with each other and have a good conversation? [confusing as that would probably be.]

[docinawall]

Yeah. You know, baseball. [helpfully] The sport.

[Doc considers] That's a nice idea? I mean, it's always great to talk out your differences! But like I said, one is here and the other isn't, so I don't think they can meet.

[even after all this time, Doc really isn't a paragon of working out Plane mechanics]

[docinawall]

[Doc blinks at him a little as that slowly registers. then he declares:] Wow! You must really like maple syrup. [he accepts the bottle, fumbling with it groggily before he manages to get a generous squirt of it into his coffee] Thanks! [he returns the bottle to Canada, now with a dripping top that he has left open. and then he holds the cup up to his helmet]

[maybe Canada is closing the bottle for him, or he just blinked, or maybe the process really is that invisible. but in any case, Doc makes a slurping sound, and there is now less coffee in the cup, but Canada will have caught no visible sign of how it got through the helmet]

Hey, that is good! Wow. I'll have to tell the guys!

[filsdeliberte]

I do, indeed... You're welcome. [Canada quiet answer trails off as he accepts the bottle back with a bit of a mental wince. So messy... But given how the man had fumbled with the top, perhaps he was just in a bad way at the moment. He cleans off the errant syrup with his left index finger and pops it in his mouth (ah, delicious ♥) as his right hand closes the bottle and stows it back in his pocket.

So he did indeed pretty much blink and miss it- suddenly there was less coffee in the man's cup, but he'd not noticed the visor move at all. So weird...
But he smiles happily (and perhaps a touch proudly) at the compliment.]

I'm glad you like it. [He holds out his hand for a handshake.] A pleasure to meet you. I'm Canada.

[desertdaggers]

I don't think we have it in my world. I haven't heard of it, anyway… Is there some way to recognise people who play it?

What if you took one to meet the other, though?

[docinawall]

[Doc is pleasantly surprised--if a bit confused--by the polite offer a handshake, but after just an instant's hesitation, he shakes Canada's hand. it's a bit of a weak handshake, though; he's still feeling pretty groggy] I'm Medical Officer DuFresne. But the guys all call me Doc. Canada--like the country? That's different.

[docinawall]

Your world doesn't have baseball? Wow, that's weird!

[Doc thinks about how to answer that] Uh...usually they wear a uniform. Or they might have a baseball with them! Or a bat. Or performance-enhancing drugs. Have you seen anybody like that?

[he blinks] How would I do that?

[desertdaggers]

Is it? It seems almost as weird there'd be a world that does have it, to me!

Not that I can recall, I fear. I'll have to look around. [a somewhat puzzled look.] Performance enhancing drugs?

[he spreads out a hand] Take him with you to the desert.

[filsdeliberte]

[He's a bit surprised that he gives such a limp handshake given his powerful-looking armor (he'd been bracing to have his hand yanked).

Canada purposefully keeps himself from correcting "I am the country" and just smiles- only 'different' if you think of him as a human.]

I am still getting used to thinking in such terms, but you could say that in my world, it's something rather unique.

If I may ask, where in America are you from, Doc?

[docinawall]

[matter-of-factly] Yeah, that's because your world is weird.

Yeah. [he nods] But if they've got those? They'll be hidden. So you should probably just look for the uniform.

[Doc's questioning look isn't visible through the visor, but it's audible in his tone] How do I do that?