Log - Catch-all for September/October - Open

[thedoctorsmate]

Who: Donna Noble thedoctorsmate & OTA
When: Throughout September/October
Where: Around the City
Summary: Happenings from the TDM and Donna snooping around town
Warnings: scopophobia; paranoia

I. Mired Way
"'Cha see that?" Donna whips her head to one side, searching the dark trees for whatever had caught on the edge of her vision. The sense of being watched is nearly overwhelming in a way she really doesn't like. The spotlight is all well and good, but only when you know where the rafters are and who's bloody well controlling the lights so you can yell at them to shut it off. "Over there! There it is!" She turns her head again.

"Oi! Whoever you are in the bushes, we came in here to get you, so maybe stop playing Where the Wild Things Are and come out on the path!" Annoyance. Better to project annoyance than the deep-seated fear that's gathering in her throat. She knows whatever that thing is, it's not who they came in looking for... but the way back seems unfamiliar and far more overgrown than it was a few seconds ago, and she doesn't know what else to do.

II. The Path More Traveled By
"This seems... nice." Too nice. Donna looks up through the break in the trees as she and her companion walk along. "I mean, if I'd hopped a fence to go dog-walking, I reckon this is the way I'd go mind you. It's not all creepy. Somehow, I thought it was gonna be creepier. Was the last time I was in here. Where even are we in the park? I dun' think my phone's GPS is working." It has them jittering around the entirety of Dogtown, as far as she can tell.

She glances over at the other person. "Well, don't look a gift horse, right? Maybe it'll be easy finding this bloke and telling him off, yeah?"

III. Girl Friday Around Town
Donna's a modern woman, and one who prefers to have a relatively active social life, even in Gloucester. Maybe especially in a place like Gloucester. It's why she can be found at the General's Store, scoping out some fancier trail mix options and hemming and hawing over that choice. There are a few other knickknacks she's also eyeballing as potential Christmas gifts. She hadn't had the connections or the money to do this last year, but by golly, she'll be starting early this time!

You might find her at one of the local cafes, sitting out on the patio and sipping an iced coffee while she scrolls her phone, taking in what's left of the summer while she still can.

Or maybe you'll find her at the library, sneaking around the shelves or tapping away at one of the terminals. She's clearly trying not to be noticed with mixed success. There are a few points where she straightens up and pretends at being a librarian when she spots someone moving toward her.

Or maybe you've been invited by Donna (or someone else) for an after work drink at one of the local bars. Donna has something fruity in-hand, and she's talking animatedly, either to you or someone nearby. "Have you seen the latest pictures from the new space telescope they've got? Bonkers what they're doing these days. I mean, I've seen a lot of that stuff from close up, and it's just... spot on, right there! Can you imagine how many people this is going to inspire? My granddad would be so happy. God, I hope he makes it all the way to now back in our world."

IV. Wilcard
Hit me up at switalia for specific scenarios you might want to play!

Comments

[thedoctorsmate]

Donna has several books out and is closely examining one of the shelves, looking for potential switches or anything else off. A familiar, and unfriendly, voice addressing her has her turning sharply to look at Jon, though. "Not sneaking up on a body," she hisses.

"It's a library. I'm reading." Clearly.

[the_archivist]

"I was hardly sneaking." He isn't a particularly stealthy person. Walking up to someone openly is not sneaking.

"And you aren't reading. Reading generally suggests looking at the books, not examining the shelves."

[thedoctorsmate]

"Ooo, aren't you a smartypants? Could be reading something on the shelves. People leave notes." She's temped at a library. She knows people are awful about that sort of thing sometimes. At least it provides some plausible deniability. "What're you doing here, then? Apart from interrogating other patrons."

[the_archivist]

"I am actually," Jon replies blithely. Why deny it? it's the one thing he has going for him.

"And I am researching," Jon says, holding up some of the books that he's been looking through.

[thedoctorsmate]

"Consider me to be researching, then, too. This place is... weird." Her eyes return briefly to the shelves. "Dunno if you went to that book faire they had a few months ago, but there were these quizzes that freaked a friend of mine out. Not to mention they already had me in the library system here when I definitely hadn't signed up for a library card. Seems suspicious."

[the_archivist]

"The whole area is weird," Jon points out. "But yes, I saw them. I'm fairly sure it was the work of the Eye. The quizzes were definitely related to people's secrets which is usually in the Eye's domain."

He is certain of it, in fact. It had known too much about him. And he is entirely too familiar with what his patron feels like.

[thedoctorsmate]

"Yeah, well, I want to find out who's behind it, don't you? I've had about enough of eyeballs around here. Those flowers at the festival, the birds. This town has got too many eyeballs, and I'd like to do a bit of jabbing them in the iris." She sniffs. "So, I'm looking for any clues. Like... like, I dunno. Eye sigils? Figured there might be weird marks around here."

[the_archivist]

"I mean... the Eye is behind it," Jon says. "It doesn't need to have a person involved. Sometimes things just happen." Perhaps it's just because he's here. What a horrible thought.

"Why would it need weird marks anyway? There's eyes everywhere. Every photograph of a person or animal, any books which have illustrations showing eyes. Any camera."

[thedoctorsmate]

Donna is quiet for a moment at that revelation. "Well, but not every eye is a problem. You haven't got spooky eyes on right now. It's not... watching us through each other." Is it? "That'd be ridiculous. Anyway, the Eye thing wasn't so big a problem when I first got here. It was all Buried and Dark and that thing. Tells us something's changed, right?

"So, what changed?"

[the_archivist]

Jon could explain that his eyes are always spooky eyes except it would be foolish to admit and he really hates the phrase 'spooky eyes'. "It could watch us through each other. Or potentially an avatar of the Eye could."

Elias could have, he thinks. He probably could if he really pushed himself, or if he'd tried in the apocalypse.

"What's changed is we seemingly thwarted a ritual attempt by the Buried, the Desolation, and the Dark. That weakens them. Sets them back. Leaves other entities pushing an advantage. And the Eye is something of a scavenger."

[thedoctorsmate]

"Okay, but that doesn't explain the eyes getting drawn up around town, does it? That's people doing that. And how would they know to start doing anything? It's not like these things talk to anyone. That's what they've said at ADI. So, I can maybe get how some of it's happening, but not other pieces. That doesn't add up."

[the_archivist]

"I think you're underestimating the abilities of the entities to manifest things." Eye symbols drawn on walls seems rather paltry compared to the Spiral's doors, or any number of Leitners.

"But perhaps there is someone influenced by the Eye in town. And drawing eyes on walls seems like something that feels right to do. That's what most of it is. Nightmare logic. It feels right so that is what works."

[thedoctorsmate]

She eyes him suspiciously. "I think you're talking out of your bum for someone who got here... what? A year and a half ago." He's human. Even concentrated study can't have given him that much certainty. Donna huffs and waves a hand. "Let's say you're right and it's just the Eye manifesting, maybe we should try to figure out why here? Why was it focused so specifically on us with having us in the library's computer system?

"That's weird." A pause. "But I didn't actually talk to any locals about if they were somehow signed up, too..."

[the_archivist]

He wishes he could just explain how he knows, why he's so certain, but he isn't willing to risk it.

"Because it wants to scare us? Libraries in general tend to have an association with the Eye. I'm not denying that there might be something specifically about this area, but a library is... fairly standard territory for the Beholding."

He knows that one for sure.

[thedoctorsmate]

"Okay, but it's like the eyeball thing." Or the Angels. "Any library's potentially territory for the Eye monster, but that doesn't mean every library is. You're not the least bit curious about why maybe this place? Why now? Why... anything?" She can't help huffing. "Did whatever was bad that happened to you involve asking too many questions, or something?"

[the_archivist]

"Yes, actually," Jon replies with a thin smile. "And the relentless pursuit of knowledge, especially when it might harm you, is also a very good way to feed the Eye, and become tied to it."

[thedoctorsmate]

To her credit, Donna does look momentarily taken aback and embarrassed. She hadn't actually meant to hit the nail on the head. That's... unfortunate. To say the least. She mentally fumbles a bit as she tries to come up with something else to say. "I'm sorry that happened to you, but not everything is going to happen exactly like it did in your world, Jon. You don't need to help me, but I'm gonna keep snooping around here to see if I can dig up any leads."

[the_archivist]

There is a grim sort of satisfaction to putting her off-guard. Cruel perhaps. But it was annoying to have this argument and not be able to speak the full truth.

"I definitely hope it doesn't happen like my world. The apocalypse is hardly a pleasant experience."

[thedoctorsmate]

"Yeah, well... I'll leave you to whatever you were doing." God, she doesn't know how to deal with him. He's just a mean bastard sometimes, but... then he says things like that and she pities him. What a mess.

[the_archivist]

Jon sighs. "What specifically are you looking for. I might be able to help. I can probably point you towards useful documents at least."

That might be less risky than letting her continue at will.

[thedoctorsmate]

She's a bit suspicious of his sudden offer to assist. Is he feeling bad about being a pill? Or was all of that just to see how far he could push before she'd leave him alone? Or does he just want attention, negative or otherwise? Donna frowns at Jon for a long moment.

"Like I said, sigils or symbols, maybe books that give off a woogily aura." She curls her fingers one by one a few times in a standard 'spooky' gesture. "Less the books and documents, more everything else in the environment. Things that don't belong here."

[the_archivist]

"'Woogily'," he says flatly. Really? But fine. It isn't as though he's having much luck with what he's reading. He does sort of miss the time when he could just grasp knowledge from thin air.

"Very well. I'll let you know if I find anything."

[thedoctorsmate]

Hey, it's a start for working together. "Thanks." She can be gracious! Even if she doesn't especially like him. "I'll just be here, looking around for a bit. Or you can find me at HQ. See you around, Jon."