luministi | ❧ Off-Season 2

[For a long time now, he has remained silent, moving quietly from place to place, and observing. Always observing. He is the one who watches the watchers and knows, somehow, when things do not go the way he wishes them to. And he has gotten angry many times in the past, oh yes, but has yet to raise his voice even once. He doesn't need to. His associates' guilt and fear of him has kept them in check for a long time, but after too many disappointments and loss, he has no choice but to do everything himself. As he should have done from the beginning.]

[His presence, however, has not gone unnoticed. The other has been careful to mask its own presence, but has been hasty in past months. Then again, who else could break what he has created? This added difficulty has made him cautious and slow to make repairs, but now...he's almost ready. A test is what he needs now. He smiles, awaiting their reactions, and using a system he helped create, he sends two lines of text to those whose lives he can still touch, even from afar...]

[So, no matter where you are or what you are doing, a familiar device will chime. Perhaps you didn't even know you had such a thing on you, but for some reason, kept it on you at all times. Or you might be one of the lucky few to retain ready access to your memories in exchange for not being able to return home yet. Nevertheless, everyone with a CAT receives the same message at the same instant across the various worlds and universes:]

Soon, you will be returned to me. You will not escape again.

[The text remains on the CAT's screen before it saves itself to the device's text directory and replaces the top screen with the Town of Luministi directory, a list of familiar names and pictures suddenly displayed before you. What will you do now?]

❧ Plot Details: Off-Season 2

here

It can be found here

For those who went home

too

OOC comm

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'd definitely prefer not to! I don't think much of having my memories fiddled with like this.

Not much… it seemed to happen pretty quickly. There one moment, in Luministi the next… and the image of a man.

Aye, that's still the same, then. Did ye remember it at all until now, though?

[thinking…] We've been a bit busy, but I'm fairly sure I didn't. Definitely didn't the time before.

Say...you said you'd not had the CAT with ye before. Funny that ye do now and all of a sudden ye can remember things, don't ye think? Maybe they can do more than allowing ye to talk, or keeping track of people.

I mean, I'd not had my memories of the Doctor when I first came to town. Or, well, most of them, apart from that first time. What if it had a hand in unlocking them somehow?

Mm. It'd be good to find out what they can do, if that's the case!

Could be… Locking and unlocking any memory? That's something pretty powerful… Though, couldn't being around him have helped, too?

I know the Doctor was trying to figure one out, but I don't think he got much of anywhere with it.

But...aye. Being around him could have. And the socks that Sophie made me helped, too. Before that, though, after I came here. I started to have these dreams. Or, well, I thought they were dreams, at any rate. Bits of this mad life I'd not thought possible.

If the CAT has anything to do with your remembering now, maybe it helped things along to start with, and without it I'd not have remembered at all.

That's a shame. Maybe once you've found Resarci.

[another nod that goes unseen] That's right… I remember you talked about those.

…thinking about it that way's a little sad. Still… you know now, that's the main thing.

Oh, so ye do remember that as well. Maybe it's not the same as with me, then. It sounds as though everything came back to ye all at once.

...although I'll not say as I was meant to remember what I did.

Just about, I should say.

…maybe you had more to remember. But… from what you'd said, it sounded like they were deliberately repressed, so…

Aye. Maybe I'll ask the Doctor about what he thinks about the CATs being a part of things, though. Er. Assuming I can get past the lassies in the morning.

[There is a very faint feminine giggle just barely audible in the background, as if the sound is being picked up through a door.]

Och, there they go again. At least you've not got to worry about that part of things at the moment.

Mm. Maybe he'll be able to explain some of it.

…are they bothering you at all hours of the day? That's hardly fair to a man.

Only since they've found out we were here. It's not been that long since that, though. Maybe they'll get tired of it and leave me in peace.

Ye said ye knew someone like that on your world - dancers, wasn't it? How did ye get them to leave ye alone?

They're following you specifically? […well, it's happened, but it's fairly unusual.] Mm, hopefully.

Ah. Well… turned them around and pointed them in the direction of potential customers with more money. The Bazaar was fairly busy, too… [it wasn't too hard to slip away.]

Not all of them. Just this one group. They...ah. They're fans. My fans. I don't think giving them money would work, even if we had any.

I… see. [he thinks…]

Would you be able to make some sort of double of yourself to distract them?

…you're managing, though, right?

A double? How would I...hey, wait a minute. I think I see what ye mean. If I can get someone that looks like me, at least from a distance, then I could send them one way, and sneak off the other once my fans go after them. The question is, who could I use to do that?

...Mm? Oh, aye. Aye, I'm fine for now. But if I could get this idea to work I'd be much better.

Yes, that's what I was thinking of! Have you been able to talk to anyone there who isn't one of your fans?

Mm. I'm sure it'd take a load off your mind.

A few people, but I'd have to get out of here to find them. Say, I wonder if there's anyone by the window...

[There's the sound of footsteps, and something that could be a window sash being raised.]

Hey, I'm in luck. There's not anyone out here right now.

Ah, that's good! Shall I leave you to it?

Aye. It might be a wee bit difficult to talk to ye while I'm trying to sneak out of here. I'll let ye know how things turn out, though...once I'm somewhere where I can, that is.

Look, if I don't get the chance to get back to ye right away, be careful, aye?

Mm. Well, the best of luck to you! I hope it goes well.

…I will. [he laughs, a little] I'm not about to let these things get the best of me.

Aye, well, we'll see, but thank ye all the same. And...I know you'll be able to fight this and stay where ye are, but it's been good talking with ye again, Hawk.

Yeah. I feel the same way. I look forward to talking to you when we've both got a bit less on our minds!

Aye, me as well. Good luck, Hawk.

[And with that, there's a click and the connection goes silent.]

❧ Off-Season 2

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