[003] / θ-3

[fortune_sought]

[the Doctor and Sophie are at a table by the front windows in an open café in the southern shopping plaza. the building overlooks the botanical gardens, making for a pleasant and quaint atmosphere--the sort of atmosphere the town professes to exude. however, the scene inside the café is far from pleasant or quaint. in fact, the two appear to be in the midst of a rather heated discussion]

[Sophie has a cup of tea in front of her and is slumped over the table in a fashion that would remind her alarmingly of some of the stooping she did as an old woman. however, she is certainly not bothered about her posture at the moment. her face is extremely flushed, though whether from fever or anger is anyone's guess, and she is glaring severely at the man across the table from her] I am calm!

[the Doctor, his face reddened not only because of the impossible fever sweeping through his system but thanks to his deep annoyance with the woman he's sharing his table with, only rolls his eyes and barely manages to keep himself from throwing his arms up in the air in a completely dramatic show of frustration.]

Oh yes, that's calm. Next thing I know, you're going to be smashing your tea cup to the ground and professing the same thing! I only said you needed to relax or you'll get yourself into a deeper state of exhaustion than you're already in!

[scoffs, still glaring] And I'm sure your insults are perfectly calm as well! What we need is a solution! Until we have that, no amount of "relaxing" will solve anything.

Look, even if you won't, you've got to eat something. You need the fuel to keep functioning. [of course, the last thing he actually ate was a bag of candy floss and a corn dog a few days ago, but he doesn't exactly need food all that often.]

[he pushes a plate of pain au chocolat, or chocolate-filled croissants, her way, forcing his tone to be a bit gentler.] Humour me, will you? We can eat and solve riddles at the same time. It's called 'multi-tasking'.

[eyes him for a moment more and then sighs. reluctantly picks up one of the croissants, nibbling on one end of it. she's really not hungry and is a bit apprehensive that the food she attempts to eat might come back up in the middle of their conversation] You might be surprised, but we have multi-tasking in Ingary.

So what ideas do you have about the riddle? Or have you spoken to anyone else about it?

[he takes one as well, but merely keeps it on a small plate beside his glass of ice water. he reckons if his temperature continues to climb, he might even pass for a human in a thermal scan. it's an amusing thought, at least.]

Spoke to--[his previous self]--the other Doctor about this, but I've been trying to work out a solution of my own instead of solving the riddle. [pulls a face] My...own efforts haven't been nearly as successful as I'd hoped, so I'm giving that riddle another go! Got a few ideas of my own, of course, but let's see how the others are doing, hmm? I heard a few of them were up to something, but I was a bit busy at the time.

[he takes his CAT out, setting it on the table in front of them so both he and Sophie can be seen in a video broadcast to all the residential CATs.] Ah hello, there we are. How is everyone feeling? I gather no one's solved the riddle yet, but maybe we need to rethink things a little. Get a fresh--well, relatively speaking anyway--pair of eyes and ears on things. Where are you all at?

[ooc: Joint post! If you couldn't tell, the Doctor is blue and Sophie is orange. We'll both be tagging around. Join in the discussion so we can solve the mystery!]

Comments

[bit_impossible]

[he lets out a little noise that might be a derisive laugh when he hears that, but it's a bit difficult to tell when one is drinking out of a cup] At least it gives us something to do while our brains turn to mush.

And that thought had crossed my mind, but we can't afford to dismiss the threat outright, not when Sophie, Fuu, Xion--all of them--could die.

[collector]

I hadn't intended on it. You can just as easily die from slight of hand as something genuine.

[bit_impossible]

Thankfully, my lessons with Houdini never put me in much peril. But I'm not concerned about that. So long as they're safe...

[collector]

Nothing is safe any longer. [And for just that moment, he sounds so tired. But then it's back to brisk and controlled.] Suggestions, Doctor? If you aren't just bluffing about having ideas. I know you like to do that. I favour it myself.

[bit_impossible]

[he frowns. any other time he would bluff a bit, but not now that you've called him out on it, Brax.] More like a feeling. Something in that first verse of the riddle has been bothering me. It makes it sound like a virus or bacteria of some kind might be the source of the problem, but why would we be effected in the same manner as, well, everyone else? What sort of thing can do that?

[collector]

I can't think of anything in our universe. Well, no, that's not true. Aside from the idea of a Matrix simulation, there are always sentient technological viruses to consider. Program them to work at the same rate and effect the same symptoms and I'm sure you could pull it off.

[bit_impossible]

[he runs a hand through his hair, chuckling despite himself] I'd say someone certainly has.

[collector]

But it isn't the sort of technology you should find around here.

[bit_impossible]

That can be said for plenty of things, come to think of it. Even these devices. Ever notice how you simply can't leave a room without it?

[collector]

Indeed. It seems rather eager to stay around. Like Joseph, but without the winning personality.

[bit_impossible]

No, it makes up for it in other ways, I think! I do miss Joseph though. And everyone else. [he looks away, sniffing casually]

Anyway! Anachronistic technology, diseases that can specifically target everyone, and oh yes, let's not forget the incredibly fresh food. How it all gets in here, I don't know. Fresh bread and baked goods from the bakery makes sense at least.

[collector]

Before I decided that I much preferred the company of my tea and my bed rather than the outdoors, I was considering trying to map the points where the topography curves in on itself. The points where things meet in very non-Euclidean ways.

[bit_impossible]

Do you really think this place is laid out like that? You must've been very bored, or worse--the fever is making you delirious. [meaning that it never even crossed his mind to check himself]

[collector]

Doctor, I have a low tolerance for fools, and my tolerance is even lower when I'm ill and the fool in question is only pretending to be an idiot.

[bit_impossible]

And perhaps my--no, forget it. That was going to sound incredibly stupid--and you think I'm pretending! Well, mostly. You know, I was certain such things made sense in my head, but nothing does make sense here. Like that town history, and all the sundials set around town. Have you noticed them? There are about four of them. What with the town clock going off every half hour on the hour--with no variance or slowing down; everything is down to the very precise second--it makes you wonder why they need a sundial, let alone four, at all!

[collector]

Perhaps the town's designer wanted a motif.

[bit_impossible]

[sighs] Oh, perhaps. Or someone in town has a thing about time. Well, besides us, that is.

[collector]

Our time is presently running out. Perhaps they're in a similar situation.

[bit_impossible]

What, they need to get rid of us, so they can bring in the next batch of people? And here I thought we were entertaining enough!

[collector]

They must dislike the way you sing in the shower.

[bit_impossible]

What?! My voice isn't that bad! [he frowns severely] Besides, how would you know?

[collector]

How would I know? I wonder. I take it you'll be willing to help me with my mapping attempts once you're recovered?

[bit_impossible]

Consider me there with bells on! [and he just might wear one for real]

[collector]

Consider me armed with earplugs.

[bit_impossible]

Sounds like an interesting nickname. Or a codename. One of those.