IC Contact

[burnseternal]

"Greetings. This is Saint Walker. Do leave a message, and I will get back to you shortly."

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SURPRISE ACTION

[regenereight]

[ so the Twelfth Doctor is actually competent! And made a little 'here's what's going on' video that the Eighth Doctor saw via the sonic sunglasses. Turns out that losing one's memory is enough to make them properly paranoid (or, at least, enough to make his future regeneration properly paranoid. This Doctor's a bit rubbish when it comes to things like 'planning ahead.') So, while the Doctor knows that Saint Walker is his housemate, Saint Walker...just doesn't know that this is the Doctor.

He's in the kitchen, looking for something, in clothes that are still a size or so too big on him, when the Doctor spots Saint Walker and gives him a gentle smile. ]

Saint Walker, I presume?

HECK YEA

[burnseternal]

[Saint Walker is puttering around the kitchen as normal, but this time, it seems he's making a few new candles (it's really a fascinating hobby to be taught). The kitchen smells more like a forest than a kitchen, but Walker enjoys it. He's leaning over one of the pots, breathing it in when the Doctor walks in, and he greets the perceived stranger with a smile.]

You are correct! [One of the Doctor's friends, perhaps? Or Hazel's, or Jim's?] What do you need of me, brother?

[regenereight]

[ Yeah, you know that question about what do you need? As soon as he spots the pots, the Doctor just straight up forgets about the question and makes a beeline for the stove, wafting the scent from the pot towards him. ]

Oh, these smell heavenly!

[burnseternal]

[He chuckles.]

I'm glad you think so! I think they smell rather nice myself, but be sure not to eat them; they're perfectly edible, but I believe you would get a rather nasty stomachache from it afterwards.

[Don't eat candles, Doctor...! He leans over, giving one of the pots a stir.]

If you would like one once I am finished, however, that can certainly be arranged.

[regenereight]

Oh, I'd love one! [ the Doctor can't help but remark, with a little smile. Strange new world, stuck in a place that his future self was in, no idea how he got here, who cares! Saint Walker's offering him a candle! Points for the dimension already. ]

Of course, I don't have anything to offer you in return...if I'm stuck in this dimension long enough, I can knit you a pair of socks. And if I'm stuck short enough, I suppose a headband or a tiny scarf will suffice.

[burnseternal]

Oh, you need not offer me anything in return. I only ask that the recipients enjoy them, and that is quite enough reward for me.

[He turns to face the Doctor, hands tucked neatly behind his back.]

I do, however, feel moved to ask you for one thing: your name!

[regenereight]

Oh, I didn't tell you that? [ He looks a bit confused for a moment before giving Saint Walker a small sheepish smile that quickly morphs to a wide grin. ] I'm the Doctor!

[burnseternal]

[Saint Walker is, for all intents and purposes, good at looking calm at all times. Now, he does not -- not to a practiced eye, anyway; others who are not as aware of his idiosyncrasies may see a calm man. To the contrary, his eyes widen, just a touch, and his mouth opens as he registers this information, heart rate rising just a tic.

He recalls the Doctor speaking to him of Regenerations, after all.]

Did your previous form perish?

[regenereight]

[ The Doctor sees someone who's calm. But inwardly, he can't squash the small little feeling of sadness—there's something about the alien's face that's made him worried.

The fact that Saint Walker knows about regenerations explains everything. ]

Thankfully, no. He's from my future. I assume that I'm simply time-displaced, brought here for...some reason or another.

[burnseternal]

Oh! [All right, that's a flicker of a smile in response.] I am glad to hear it.

[And then, of course, a short, fleeting burst of shame. This version of the Doctor will be perishing at some point, of course, because how else would he meet his Doctor?

But nevertheless, Saint Walker is glad that his own Doctor is safe and sound, for the time being.]

Though perhaps, [he adds on, a little wryly,] the fact that I am acquainted with a future version of yourself is not good news. I do apologize for my relief.

[He inclines his head.]

Then it is good to meet you again, Doctor. I see that I need no introductions, however.

[regenereight]

There's no need to apologize, [ the Doctor responds, with a shake of his head. ] If you know a Time Lord for more than one incarnation, it's only natural you'd have a favorite. And there's no need to be sad or cagey about my death. Everything dies eventually, even Time Lords.

[ And that's just a flash of deja vu. Wasn't he talking about this with someone recently? But who exactly could it have been...well, more for later. ]

You don't need an introduction because my future self was kind enough to program a sort of introduction video in his sonic sunglasses. Apparently, he was a bit concerned about memory loss.

[burnseternal]

Ah! Yes, he did go through a period of forgetfulness. To create a document ensuring that one's future self does not forget is a wise course of action, I think, and one that many here could benefit from.

[It would be odd, wouldn't it be? To look at a piece of paper, and read about those that you should already know and love?]

It does simplify matters that he has included me by name in there.

[He picks up one of the pots and slowly pours the liquid within into one of the molds lined up on the countertop.] Is there anything that he has left out that you wish to know, brother? To come here is disorienting enough without having time travel involved.

[regenereight]

I do have a question, if you don't mind. How did you arrive in this world?

[ Because future Doctor arrived via the Porter. Hazel arrived via the Porter. This Doctor...didn't. ]

[burnseternal]

Certainly! I was Ported here, and ushered through a government facility to this very house. Was that not how you arrived here?

[regenereight]

It wasn't. I arrived here with no warning but, strangely enough, in my future self's room and wearing my future self's clothes.

[burnseternal]

[That gets a frown out of Saint Walker.]

As far as I know, that is unprecedented. Is it at all possible that you had a run-in with another who possesses time travel powers? I have been told that people here possess a great breadth of superpowers, as our hosts call them.

[regenereight]

If there was someone with a superpower to reverse one's personal timestream or to create a localized time distortion like this, the future Doctor would have known already. As Time Lords, we're exceptionally sensitive to matters like that.

[burnseternal]

It is possible that one was ported in, and then was immediately placed in a different city from ourselves, [Saint Walker points out, but only so that they can exercise every option available to them.] Is your future self also familiar with every device in this place capable of such a thing? Did he, for instance, recognize the Porter as one of these devices?

[regenereight]

[ And again, the Doctor shrugs. ] What I have to go on is the video he left via his sonic sunglasses. He said I was ported in, don't bother trying to go home, some more things about the timeline which I'm sure you'd find terribly boring, find Clara, Hazel, and Saint Walker.

[burnseternal]

Most curious. And, I think, something for which we will find answers in good time. In the meantime, I think, this is an excellent opportunity to get to know each other. I hope you were not pulled here at an inconvenient time, Doctor!

[regenereight]

It wasn't as inconvenient as it could have been. I had just finished an important matter with Charley—trying to deal with a house that wanted to kill me, nothing too much to worry about.

[burnseternal]

It would be worrisome should you have been taken in the midst of it trying to kill you, but I do hope that you managed to befriend it.

[Okay, so maybe that's Saint Walker's solution to everything.]

And Charley... that must be your traveling companion, correct? Are they also from Earth?

[regenereight]

I'm afraid that the situation was a little too far gone for befriending. But yes, she is my traveling companion and she is from Earth.

[ and look at that smile, that's the smile of someone who just adores Charlotte Pollard so so so much. ]

[burnseternal]

I suppose you will be happy to know, then, that your fondness for the people of Earth extends well into the future. How did you meet her, if I may ask?

[Does the Doctor just pick up strays?]

[regenereight]

[ yes he does ]

I picked her up after an airship explosion. Charlotte Pollard, unintentional survivor of the R101 airship disaster, fated to die in the explosion. I liked her too much to let that happen.