realityshifted

Entry tags:

doctor who (d1) patricia menzies

[024]

[Menzies is standing out on the now-empty Plane today when she makes both an announcement and a radio broadcast to any either near enough or tuned in to hear]

This is DI Menzies, to everyone on the Plane. I... [she hesitates. while her appearance is mostly consistent with her normal, composed self, for a second there's uncharacteristic nervousness in her demeanor that she's obviously trying to fight. but it's gone as quickly as it came, and she's all business again] I've got reason to believe there might be a flood on the Plane. Maybe it'll be related to the recent snow--I don't know. It might not even 'appen. But it could do, and I'd rather we were prepared than not.

So, any of you out there with access to safety equipment like life jackets or, hell, even a raft--anything you could temporarily bring to the Plane and store in public areas could be crucial. This includes water bottles and sealed, nonperishable food. I'll set up supplies on the top floors of the higher buildings.

[she pauses there. and then, with a sigh, adds:] Look, I know what this sounds like, and it's possible nothing's gonna 'appen. But this could be real, and lives could depend on being ready. I'll coordinate things if you've got any more ideas. Out.

[she shuts off the radio and takes in a deep breath. she has more reason than just the snow to suspect a flood--she's seen an ocean in her dreams, showing a moon and stars both above and below. and while the dreams are vague enough that she can't be sure to expect a literal flood, she's afraid there might be. still, knowing how strange the scenes in the dream are, she only hopes she's warning the people here about the right danger]

[Menzies stays out on the Plane for a while to repeat her warning. anyone who talks to her in person might notice that she's now wearing a ring on the ring finger of her left hand. but she's worried about a lot more right now than making an announcement like that]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[she raises an eyebrow at his little story but knows far better than to ask] Yeah, well, keep it on you when you're 'ere and leave it somewhere high up when you're not.

[his question puts her in mind of the ring, but from the serious expression on his face, it's obviously not what he's asking about] Well, being myself again isn't exactly recent. But if you're asking if I've died, no.

[as far as what's actually going on, she'll tell him eventually, but she'd rather start with reassurances first]

[He pulls a face and nods] Oh, yes ma'am. Will do, ma'am.

[But when she says that, he looks at her blankly--but then it hits him.] Oh, ohhh. Well, no--I mean, yes, I was wondering if you'd been killed, but you're you again! Obviously, else you'd be calling me 'Norm' again. Sorry 'bout all that.

[Of course, he's not thinking about the contact he made with her mind during that. He's thinking of how lousy the part of a companion he played during that. At least there weren't any Terravore this time...]

[she eyes him, and he's lucky that she's sure he knows better than to mean that mockingly] Good.

[but at that reaction, she frowns] Been a while since all that 'appened, Doctor. But yeah, I'm me again, thank god. [she smirks a little as she says it]

[but even if he's forgotten about the contact he made, she certainly hasn't, and she still firmly believes that she deserves an explanation for it. so she considers him for a moment, her eyes narrowing, before she asks:] If I refuse to tell you what's 'appened now, would you go into my 'ead again to find out? Is that what you do now?

[Yeah, that takes him aback. The surprise is very evident on his face.] What? No, why would you think that? I rarely do that, Patricia.

[she shrugs, keeping the expression on her face stony, though his surprise at the accusation is actually a relief] You did it easily enough. You didn't even tell 'er--me--that you were about to look at my memories. She might 'ave taken it fine, but you still did it without my permission--without hers, even. If you don't go around doing that, then why did you?

You--the "Doctor" you was convinced I was human. I had to see that your mind wasn't ruined by an experiment or worse--some alien influence or hypnosis from back home. But I knew any explanation I gave about what I was going to do would get me even more questions and delay me further. I had to see. Your life was at uncertain risk and I was only thinking about you.

You need to understand that I wasn't going to touch or alter any of your memories. They served as a guideline for me. If I could find a memory where our paths crossed, then I knew I could find you in there. [He looks away for a moment, remembering what he saw.] I've never seen anything like it. Your mind was nearly hollow, fragments clinging together to form the fiction the Plane had created for you. How was I supposed to explain that to you with the way you were? You had a hard enough time accepting poor Norm had any kind of ability that wasn't grade-A human.

[she sighs, letting her arms drop from over her chest. she got the answers she wanted, and she does understand at least some of his reasoning, so she feels safe enough to drop her cold front--though some of his comments have also chilled her to the bone]

Yeah, well. Thanks for 'elping 'er. Me. [the words are a bit begrudging; she still has mixed feelings, but she does want to give him credit for what he did do for her. she pauses for a beat, though, before addressing the questions his explanation just brought up] But what do you mean you can alter memories, anyway? You...what, could 'ave made me believe I was myself again?

[she doesn't like the sound of that, even if it's an ability he chose not to use]

[He half-smiles.] I couldn't leave you--her--without a companion. [It's in the motion of her hands dropping that he catches sight of a sparkle on her hand and discreetly peers at her hand. It looks like she's already got a companion of her own.]

Hm? Oh, no, I can't do that at all. I can only look but not touch. Bit like window shopping but minus the windows. And the shopping. [This...is a bit of a lie, but considering who she is, he reckons learning that he can suppress and block memories is not something she will appreciate learning about him.] I can share them as well! Well, that works better between other Time Lords; our minds are able to handle the shift in sense memories. Like if you ever want to see what you were like as a facsimile of me, I'd be more than happy to show you. But no, I couldn't have "changed" you back to how you were in your mind. The memories that make up who you are were hardly there. It'd be like if I tried to play alchemy but with your mind, making something wonderful from something basic and rudimentary and completely defying the laws of physics and chemistry as we know it.

[Or rather, how he knows it. He knows the detective is intelligent, but just not nearly as much as him.]

[at that, she gives a short chuckle] I don't think she knew what to do with you.

[but she raises an eyebrow at his...rather scattered explanation. he's right that she wouldn't like hearing that he can actually change memories, but he's also lucky that she doesn't know he's lying about it] Ah, no, thanks. I've already lived that.

[she shifts a little uncomfortably at his description of her mind, though, her words quieter when she says:] Well, it's all there now.

[He merely smiles. No one ever knows what to do with him.]

I'm glad you're all there--and I'm assuming your...fiance?...does as well. [He looks meaningfully at her ring, even more glad to be off this previous topic. There's a sparkle in his eye and excitement bubbling up to the surface waiting to burst out as he waits for confirmation that he's right.]

Edited 2015-04-02 05:14 (UTC)

[she smiles rather ruefully] North? You've got no idea. [out of everyone she met while she thought she was the Doctor, he certainly took it the worst. it still hurts to think about; she's never seen him so cold--certainly not toward her. but she quickly brushes past the topic] But like I said, it's been a while since all that 'appened.

[curious, she adds:] do you know 'im, then?

[it's perhaps a bit remiss for a detective to assume from the Doctor's words that he knows what he's talking about and didn't only just see the ring, but she probably has too much expectation of the Doctor knowing about everything already]

Nope! Can't say that I do. What's he like?

[Then the name really hits him.] Hold on, did you say his name is "North"? I know a young woman around here who calls herself "South". Does he also wear full body armor?

Ah...well... [that question catches her off-guard, and she actually finds herself at a loss] He's nice--too much for 'is own good, probably. He's a soldier. And from the future--from my point of view, anyway. You really 'aven't seen 'im around? He's been coming 'ere for ages.

Yeah. [she nods] South's 'is sister. Apparently somebody thought it'd be a good idea to name 'em all after American states. [she rolls her eyes] His armour's a bit darker, but same sort of thing.

[He can't help smiling as she describes him. Not because he approves of this human--he does; a genuinely kind and good soldier is hard to find in any time--but because of the expression on her face. And the way she describes him. He never thought someone like Detective Menzies would fall in love, and it's wonderful.]

Congratulations, Detective. You deserve all the happiness in the universe.

[she's surprised again by that reaction. but after a few seconds of a surprised expression, she turns it to a smile] Thanks.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[024]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject