realityshifted

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doctor who (d1) patricia menzies

[023]

[Menzies is currently on her way to the kitchen, hoping to transport food supplies to additional accessible locations in the midst of the current crisis. however, out in the middle of the Plane, she encounters a familiar figure]

[the woman stands with her arms crossed, waiting. she's more put together than Menzies herself, with her dark hair tied back and her blouse and slacks neat and unwrinkled--a contrast to the sleep-deprived detective, rumpled and weary, who is approaching her. but this new woman also has eeriely glowing yellow eyes, and as she sees just who it is who's coming--and the expression on Menzies' face--her own expression shifts into a contemptful sneer]

Don't look so surprised. Or did you think you wouldn't see me because I wasn't in one of your mirrors? [the words are like a slap to Menzies, and this other woman knows it. she starts to smirk now] But you don't want everyone to know about that, do you? That you were warned that this would 'appen, and 'ere we all are just the same! Well, someone like you could never 'ave stopped me anyway, could you? Even with warning.

[tense, Menzies stops what she hopes is a safe distance from the woman. she ignores her taunting and demands:] What the hell do you want?

[the woman gives her a look of mock surprise] Sorry, am I interrupting? Gotta continue your food errand so you feel like you're in control of something, right? Otherwise you'd 'ave to admit that there's nothing you can do about any of this.

[Menzies flinches, unable to ignore that jab] I am doing something. And what's it to you?

To me? [the shadow laughs] It's nothing to me. Because you know what, DI Menzies? I know better. I know just 'ow useless we really are. I know about all the guilt we've got inside--the guilt you carry around with you like a festering wound. Verrelli. Grey. Gabriel. All that weakness is such a big part of me. Or 'ave you got it jammed down so 'ard you don't even know it for yourself?

[at that speech, Menzies just gapes at her double. and after a moment of sputtering, she declares:] Shut up! You don't know anything!

[but it's at that point that she hears someone coming, and both shadow and original turn to look, their faces almost perfect mirrors of each other--except that one has eyes ringed with dark circles and the other has eyes of bright yellow]

[ooc: Menzies faces her shadow! There will be a battle. Feel free to join in~]

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[North's not too far away from Patricia before this begins. He and Theta are on patrol and watching her back; after the last time the stars went out, he's just grateful there aren't any tall, white figures trying to kill them from the shadows. Nonetheless, the situation has made Theta feel uneasy. He can feel it from the little AI. This place is still too weird for him. Being in a training or battle situation is easier for him. Everything makes sense there, and everything can be explained.]

[But not here. North notices Menzies' dot stop suddenly in his motion tracker, so he starts heading over there just to make sure everything is okay before he resumes his patrol--but that's when he sees there's two of her.] Theta, are you seeing this? [...does one of them have yellow eyes? His eyes must be tricking him.]

There are two Patricias... [Slight pause, his voice a little quieter and nervous now.] H-How can there be two of her? There aren't any mirrors or hologram machines around.

[He starts running over as Theta asks him his question, his expression a mix between concerned and stoic.] I don't know, but we're gonna find out. [And he doesn't say anything else. He's listening to what the one is saying to the other, and he catches a solid glimpse of the others's glowing yellow eyes, confirming what he saw a moment ago. The difference in looks don't matter right now, though. What's being said...]

Ladies. [He comes to a stop, looking between the two of them through his helmet visor. For Patricia's sake, he's going to pretend he didn't hear any of what was just said. Maybe it'll stop the yellow-eyed one from saying anything else along those lines.] Hope I'm not interrupting. [He deliberately turns towards the one without the yellow eyes.] Trisha, you never told me you had a twin. [His tone may be light and casual, but he's on edge and ready for this to turn nasty. After all, they're on the Plane...]

[Menzies actually tenses at the sound of North's voice, more worried about how much he heard of that than the danger that she herself might be in. she throws him a glance when he speaks, but she focuses back on her double before she replies, her tone flat as she glares at the woman] I don't.

[but the shadow laughs with unreserved laughter that would never come from the original. smirking, she starts forward, but not toward Menzies--toward North] Ohhh, look who it is! No, I'm not a twin, North. I'm something much better than that. [her steps are measured--not slow but not in any sort of rush, more of a saunter than anything. and as she reaches him, she drapes her arms around his shoulders and leans in close] I'm her, but without any of those pesky reservations. [she lifts one arm so she can trace a finger down his visor] And if you take this 'elmet off, I'll show you exactly what you can get from me.

[Menzies bristles, striding forward herself, a hand on the baton at her belt] Get away from him.

And why do you want me to do that? [the shadow turns briefly to Menzies, that silky smirk now as cold as ice] Because you know it's true? Is that it? Because he can get so many things from me that he'll never get from you, the emotionally stunted ice queen. [turning back to North, her tone is playful again] You know, neither of us knows what you see in 'er. Somebody as warm as you, so fond of physical affection. You must really love the sex, 'cause we all know there's nothing else she 'as to offer you. [she grins, twining her arms together behind his neck] Don't we?

[The look on his face right now...! Heat flushes to his face and ears, momentarily thrown off by the openness the direction of the taunting has taken. What they do in their private time isn't common knowledge here. But the other things the double says are far more concerning than the subject of their sex life and how that's supposedly the only thing she offers him.] You know...[He starts to remove the double's arms from him, coldness slipping into his voice.]...you couldn't be farther from the truth. [He keeps his hands on her arms, his grip firm but not enough to hurt her.]

If you are her, you should know that. She has given me so much more than she gives herself credit for. [He lets the double's arms go, stepping away from her and towards Menzies.] No one else could ever do that. Not even a double this place has drudged up.

[her expression turns cold as he removes her, and she glares at him. but when he speaks, she starts to laugh--a bitter sound] Oh, love, you've got no idea. Ask 'er what you see in 'er. Go ahead, see what she 'as to say!

[Menzies glares, stepping up beside North. she ignores the taunting and demands:] What do you even want?

[but the double just smirks at her] See, no answer. And you know the worst of it? You just rejected 'er, North. The real her, I mean. Me. [her smile widens] I'm a shadow, the true self. And I've got everything of 'er in me--including everything that knows it's never gonna work between you two. Because either the Plane will just snatch you away one day, or you're gonna learn enough about 'er to run on your own. In fact, I could 'elp with that. Couldn't I, Trisha? [her grin at Menzies is full of venom] Maybe it'll even be a combo. Because maybe you'll figure out 'er grabs for control are all a facade to cover 'ow useless and powerless she really is. And maybe you'll figure that out at about the time your war breaks you--and she can't do a damn thing about it.

[this is too much for Menzies. without even thinking about it, she steps forward in front of North now, as if to guard him from her words, and yells:] Damnit, shut up!

[North can't help looking between the two of them now, and Theta has chosen to remain silent through all this. Despite himself, he can't help wondering how much truth there is to any of what the double is saying. He, too, fears what will happen if one or both of them never returns to the Plane. What if he forgot her like York did with Jacqli? What if it was the other way around and she never came back? But everything else before that, plus what he heard on his way over...]

Trisha. [He puts a hand on her shoulder, stepping closer to her but side-stepping her a bit so he can have a better look at her face.] Is any of this true?

[His voice doesn't carry any hint of hurt feelings or wounded pride--nothing of what he suspects the double wants him to feel. But he is curious, and worried that everything is true.]

Edited 2014-10-27 01:29 (UTC)

[to say Menzies is shocked by North's reaction would be an understatement. she stares back at him with fear in her eyes, jerking herself away and throwing uncertain glances at the double, also not able to believe that he's looking at her instead of it]

It's--it's not like that. [her tone is desperate] You can't tell me you're listening to that thing! It's just another of the Plane's tricks.

[for her part, the double scoffs] Then why are you so afraid? Feeling ashamed? Or maybe even guilty about the pathetic reality of who you are. [she smirks smugly] I bet that's the one, isn' it...Trish?

[Menzies recoils from the nickname as if she's been slapped, but then she steps forward, her face a picture of rage] What the hell are you even here for!?

[the smirk disappears now, and the shadow glares back at her with a cold expression] Isn't it obvious? I want you to admit it--that I'm you.

[but now it's Menzies who scoffs] Like hell you are!

[at that, the shadow lets out a sudden shriek--which is accompanied by a blast like an explosion, light and wind flying out from her. if North doesn't get his shield up quickly, both he and Menzies will be thrown back by it]

[He wants to protest that he knows better than to just believe something like that and that's why he was asking her for some clarity, but she and her double get arguing and before he knows it, the double is yelling.]

Theta, shield!

[He steps in front of Patricia as his bubble shield is activated, Theta still not saying a word. His hand automatically goes up to his face to cover his eyes from the flash of light.]

Trisha, are you okay? [He doesn't turn around to see her. He's not taking his eyes off whatever the double has become.]

[Menzies isn't expecting the double's sudden reaction, and she only manages to bring an arm up to protect her face--but then nothing hits her, and she realises that North has moved in with his shield]

Fine! But what...is that?

[the shadow's angry shriek has now trailed off into dark laughter. energy continues to pour from her as her form, formerly the perfect mirror image of Menzies' own, seems to simultaneously darken and melt into a black substance that not only reforms itself but grows. it spreads out in tendrils from her feet, across the Plane floor, and her hair too becomes tendrils sticking out on all sides, reminding Menzies of Medusa. then the shadow holds her arms out in front of her, and a glowing interface appears at her fingertips like some sort of floating keyboard. the tendrils all begin to crackle with electricity, looking more like cables than hair and certainly nothing like toes. her figure is reforming now, though--but it remains black, shot with lines of electric blue. and her face, still a perfect replica of Menzies', is gray set within it]

[Menzies recognises the style immediately--like something out of the film Tron. it's an absurd thought, but she also knows it's perfectly true. at first, she's gaping from behind North, still not really comprehending what this is, but then she tenses; she knows it's dangerous even if she doesn't yet know what it can do. she just hopes his shield can hold against it]

[for her part, the new creature lets her laughter trail off and just looks at them with her yellow eyes, grinning now] Ohhh, you'd better watch out now. She might be ineffective, but even HAL 9000's got nothing on me! [she types at her keyboard, and the tendrils snake out from her head and along the floor, making contact at various points along North's shield, and at the same time she sends threads of electricity crackling out from her body, along the tendrils, and finally into the shield itself] Ready for this? Let's heat things up!

[Theta's standing as close to North's head as he can possibly get without completely hiding. He has to be out now, he knows that, but that thing right there is scary.] N-North--!

It's okay, Theta, don't let it in! [North's rifle is in his hands, but he still hasn't fired yet. He's scared, too, but his concern outweighs it. He can't take the chance that this'll hurt Patricia.]

[He feels the creature trying to get in past the shield, and though he wants to stay fearful, he knows he can't. He has to protect his Freelancer and his special friend!] I'm trying! Don't talk to me, right now.

[North would shake his head, amused, in any other situation. He knows the AI needs to concentrate and none of them can afford him losing it. He reaches for the pistol at his side and hands it behind him.] Trisha, take this. Don't fire until I say to. The shield's holding strong and the bullet will only ricochet in here. But we'll need to talk about what that thing said. We're not going anywhere, and this thing isn't either.

[one thing Menzies can honestly say she wasn't expecting to do today is fight off a giant science fiction-influenced monster wearing her face. still, when North offers her the pistol, she doesn't hesitate. instead, she takes it with a firm nod, stepping up beside him and raising it as she readies her stance]

[but at his last statement, she throws him a glare. curtly, she says:] We can talk later. First we've gotta stop this thing.

[meanwhile, the creature itself continues working at its keyboard] 'ow predictable! But I've already played through this scenario. Just watch!

[as she speaks, the electricity calms back into intermittent sparks, and the tendrils that have stuck themselves like wires against the forcefield pull back--then surge forward again. this time, they snake over the surface of the shield, creating loops around it that resume crackling with energy. now the shield is being attacked by both the weight and the electricity, and their view of the creature outside begins to be obscured]

Damnit! [she throws a concerned glance at Theta, but, remembering that he chastised North, she directs her question instead to the Freelancer] 'ow much of a beating can this thing take?

[Zero preface, zero warning, zero indication that Jacqli is anywhere near the battle, until her voice ♪ carries over all else.

Here's a scenario you probably haven't played through, Shadow Menzies: a tiny, black-haired, red-eyed reyvateil launches a spinning scythe blade the size of a full doorway right at the back of your head. Have fun with that.

And if you so choose to look at her, her glare is full force and her steps are purposefully, confidently carrying her right over toward North and Menzies as though nothing of import stands between her and them.]

[Theta's furiously working to maintain the shield, but all his defensive data is geared to, well, normal things like bullets, grenades, rockets, and occasionally some of the experimental tech the others have recovered. He can proudly deflect every bolt of energy from Carolina's dual weapons! But the energy readings and sheer physical force that thing is making on the dome...]

[North's eyes flick up to one reading in his helmet visor in particular: shield integrity. The numbers flicker in ones and twos up and down from 100%, but they're dropping steadily as the tendrils closer around the shield.] We can do both, Tri--

[But that's when a song and a scythe comes in.]

[The sudden singing throws Theta off as he's distracted by both its suddenness and...well, by that voice. No one back home has one like it. And this is a scenario the Counsellor has neglected to run them through. Unfortunately, that means all that concentration he was using to keep the shield up is lost.] No! [He tries to bring it back, but it needs to be deployed again for it be truly effective.]

[North has to think quick in that split-second from when the shield flickers to when it goes out. They need to get clear and re-establish the shield, but those tendrils will fall on them and do all sorts of damage to them, especially Patricia. So, he has no choice but to grab hold of Patricia by the hips and as the shield breaks, he throws her out over the pile of tendrils that were coiling around the dome--and braces himself (and he knows he's in for it from Patricia after this is done). He grits his teeth, not wanting to scream as the electrified cords touch him.]

Edited (html fail /face in hands) 2014-11-06 22:24 (UTC)

[Menzies is about to tell North to stop focusing on that and tell her the plan of attack, but she doesn't get a chance to. she sees the shield flicker, and then North has grabbed her and thrown her clear]

[she lands hard on her back, knocking the wind right out of her but otherwise leaving her unharmed--which she knows has to be a better state than North is in. fighting to draw in breath, she pushes herself partway up. she can't call out to North the way she wants to, but she tries to at least move where she can see him because she knows that he just threw her clear instead of getting clear himself]

[there isn't enough warning for the shadow to do anything but start to turn around before the scythe hits it in the side of the head. the blade sinks into it as if the creature is made of putty instead of flesh. there is no wound, but the face melts black around the weapon--until the scythe disappears and the side of the face reforms] You'll regret that! I'm in control here.

[even as the shadow snaps at Jacqli, it starts to divert some of the tendrils from the collapsing shield to snake in her direction. the scythe did cause one change, though--the electricity briefly stops, meaning that the mound of coils that falls on North are just that for a few seconds. but then it reestablishes the current, and electricity begins to flow through both those and the ones that are coming around toward Jacqli. and with North seemingly safely in its clutches, more tendrils break away to make for Menzies, crackling with energy as they do so]

You think I can't lock onto three targets at once? Think again!

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