♪ 02

[dododo]

[ Since there was no answer from the man who shouted when the stars went out, the Doctor's taken to wandering, holding firmly onto his small torch as he lights his way. One, to find Jamie or Victoria or... anyone he knows, and two, to try and figure this out because he'll be damned if he relies on someone who hides in the darkness to fix this for them.

He goes for the information kiosk first, but there's nothing to find there. Power outage, is the conclusion. ]

Do stars go out from power outages?

[ After that, he can be found anywhere on the Plane. There's light if you need it, even if it's not all that strong. He could be able to help in keeping alive.

Not necessarily with the light. More likely running. ]

Comments

[bonnypiperlad]

[It's probably not going to be too hard for the Doctor to find Jamie, at least. Once he'd procured one of the candles from the library, he'd set out as well. Unlike the Doctor's search for information, however, his driving goal currently is something altogether different - to find Victoria, in this case.]

Victoria! Victoria, where are ye?

[The longer it's taking to find her, the more anxious he's becoming. And if the Doctor can't hear Jamie, he might very well be able to see the coloured bits of light that are sparking around his fingers, adding to the illumination the candle is giving off. But it's also true Jamie is very loud, so maybe the Doctor won't need the extra bit of help.]

VICTORIA!

[dododo]

[ No, the Doctor will certainly not need the extra bit of help. He hears Jamie first of all, and he whirls around, tries to hear where it's coming from-- ]

Jamie?!

[ If he could just see something... ]

[bonnypiperlad]

Doctor? Doctor!

[A wave of relief washes over him. If the Doctor was here, then that was good. Victoria would stay with him, surely. Now, if he could just see where the Doctor was, that'd be even better - but he'd have to make do with trying to find him other ways.]

Doctor, where are ye?

[dododo]

[ Okay. He might have a direction, so he lowers his torch to not be blinded by its light and looks around. ]

Ah!

[ There's light, and he quickly makes his way towards it. ]

I'm over here!

[bonnypiperlad]

[He can see the Doctor's torch now, which is good - and he's quick to close the gap between them, giving the Doctor a thumping with his free hand to show that relief. He's careful to keep the candle out of the way, though, because it wouldn't do to set anyone on fire.]

Doctor, am I glad to see you! Where's Victoria, is she with ye?

[dododo]

[ The Doctor briefly grabs Jamie's arm and smiles, all teeth. Except it falls quickly enough because. Oh. ]

Ah, no, I'm afraid I haven't seen her.

[bonnypiperlad]

She's not?

[There goes that relief, replaced by clear - well, clearish, it's still dark - worry instead.]

We've got to go find her, Doctor! It's not good when it's dark here like this.

[dododo]

Take it easy, Jamie.

[ He pats Jamie's shoulder and gives a reassuring smile. ]

We'll look for her. I'm sure she's fine; you know she can take care of herself.

[bonnypiperlad]

[As comforting as those pats can often be, this time Jamie doesn't seem to be reassured by that, if at all. He shakes his head, quite emphatically, as if it'll help him make his point.]

No, ye don't understand, Doctor. Usually if we wind up trapped here it's because something's gone wrong. Something's broken, or someone's playing a game, and it's not safe here right now. She could be in terrible trouble!

[bit_impossible]

[Meanwhile, the older (but far more youthful-looking) Doctor has similar thoughts on his mind and has set his sonic screwdriver to torch-mode for this express purpose of searching the Plane. Truthfully, he hopes to run into an outlet that someone's accidentally yanked the Machine's cord from, but he knows in his hearts of hearts that he would've found such a thing long before now. Still, the thought is there--and he has seen stranger around here. Perhaps it'll be a giant switch instead...

Yet upon hearing a certain voice, he freezes.] No...this must be a trick... [And he falls silent, turning about and waiting for other voices to come, perhaps those belonging to his other selves. That's when he spots the other torchlight. What little light there is reflects back just enough for him to see that he really wasn't mistaken. That is his much younger self.

Forgetting his initial thoughts of this being a Plane trap set up for him, he makes a beeline towards him, a grin growing on his face.]

Ohhhh, look at you! [Don't mind him, he's just going to be pointing his torch all over his old self as he inspects him.] Look at your hair! It really does look like someone used a bowl as a guide, and blimey, I never really noticed how short you were until now. Well, of course I wouldn't, obviously, but you are that short compared to me. [Unconsciously, he straightens and steps back for a moment to get a look at his other self's torch.] And no screwdriver yet! That takes me back.

So! Where are you now, hmm? [He stops inspecting with his screwdriver-torch, instead folding his hands behind him while he rocks eagerly back and forth on his feet.] Still with Ben, Polly, and Jamie? Or--oh, let me guess!--have you met Victoria yet?

[dododo]

[ Excuse you, that light is shining right in his eyes for a second, and Two makes a disapproving sound as he shields his eyes. This would be far more bewildering if he hadn't already heard that there's another of him here, and he connects the dots quickly enough, the way this man. Talks. Blabbers on.

Does it ever end?

Scowling, he raises his own torch to return the favour and have a better look at this. Future self. Because it's got to be, doesn't it? Tall, skinny, a suit... And what is that hair? Like a hedgehog. Or porcupine, more like. ]

I do have a screwdriver, but it's hardly any use as far as torches go.

[ He huffs. ]

Ben and Polly were quite some time ago, as was Victoria. It's just Jamie now.

[ You know. Being the Time Lords' little helpers, remember that? ]

[bit_impossible]

[He's still all smiles, just as amused as his younger self is flustered.]

Oh, I know. I remember that screwdriver. Well, I remember a screwdriver, but then I had a shelf to put up and well... You'll understand one day.

And just Jamie? [Up goes an eyebrow in question, then slowly runs a hand through his hair.] Is it that time for you already?

[dododo]

It's sonic too, thank you, just not a torch. Is your memory really all right?

[ And, yes, it is that time for him already. Not to mention he skipped ahead a bunch because Jamie was here. However that worked.

He's actually a little put out about that. ]

[bit_impossible]

Ohhh yes, it is, thanks. The ol' noggin's in brilliant shape as always! But, well, I can't give away too much, though, you know? [He sniffs then starts walking around his younger self.]

So, what do you think's going on here, hmm?

[dododo]

[ He follows Ten with his gaze as far back as possible, looking none too pleased. ]

Power failure.

[bit_impossible]

[He nods.] Yeeep, I agree. Never seen it before myself--well, not here anyway. I've seen loads of power outages elsewhere. The Machine likes to do this every now and then, usually around the month of October... {He mutters more to himself now, brow furrowing.] No matter when or where I travel, it always seems to know...

[He pulls a face, realising he's just talking to himself now, and picks up his normal tone of voice.] Or so it's seemed to me.

[dododo]

October? Really?

[ What.

That's lame. ]

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies is also wandering the Plane with a torch. she was lucky enough to get drawn in while she was out on a case--"lucky" being used in a loose sense, of course. but while she certainly isn't happy about the situation, she is at least glad that it means she had her police equipment on her]

[when she spots the other light not far from where she is, she stops short, swinging her own torch in that direction. unfortunately, with the angle of Two's torch, she still can't see him properly]

[sharply] Hullo? Who's there?

[dododo]

[ The Doctor's torch stops moving for a while as he goes still and takes a moment to properly register that voice because it's... familiar. And a moment or two of digging in his memories and he remembers. ]

Ah, Patricia!

[ He'll head for her light then! ]

[grip_on_reality]

[she stays where she is, though she almost calls out again when it becomes clear he's not going to answer her question. but between his voice and the fact that he calls her by her first name, she has a feeling she knows who it is]

Doctor? That you? [she pauses a beat before adding, slightly accusatorily:] Don't tell me you decided to take a look at the workings of the Plane. [because while most things that happen on the Plane are spontaneous, it doesn't mean she would be surprised if this one were the Doctor's fault somehow]

[dododo]

Oh, yes, it's me!

[ And here he is, shining the torch straight into her face for a moment, smiling away. ]

You were saying?

[grip_on_reality]

Oi! [she shields her eyes, glaring]

[but now that he's had his fun, she decides it's time to get down to business] Look, what do you know about what's going on? 'ave you seen any clues to why this is 'appening?

[dododo]

We seem to be out of power.

[ He's getting increasingly amused about it because. The stars went out because there is no power. It's actually pretty hilarious when you think about it. ]

[grip_on_reality]

Oh, you noticed that, did you? [if Two didn't already realise that sarcasm is her default, it might be starting to stand out now]

[eyeing him, she presses:] And you've got no idea what caused it? [because if anybody in this place knows, she has a feeling it'll be one of him]

[dododo]

Not yet.

[ He points up. ]

The stars go out in a power failure.

[ It will never stop being funny now that he's realised how funny it is. ]