bigapplesauce | HANDYSPLOSION [open to multiple]

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HANDYSPLOSION [open to multiple]

Andrew is snooping, but he's not getting very far with it. The trouble with absurdly powerful, government-sanctioned entities is that getting inside the base of such an organization tends to be a bit more complicated than showing up with a forged Health and Safety ID card. Of course, he could probably get inside very easily if he simply went up to the front doors and announced himself, but somehow he doubts he'd be likely to come back out without making a grand production of escaping, and he doesn't want to be too late coming home and make James worry.

The other trouble with Romac is that they're too smart to have anything interesting going on outside. After quite a bit of loitering -- more loitering than is probably wise -- all Andrew's seen is fairly ordinary people going in and out of the building. Disgruntled at their failure to be even the least bit interesting, Andrew finally gives up in disgust and decides to walk to the rebel base in order to say hello to a few people and use their private library.

He makes it less than halfway to the park before disaster strikes. Later, Handrew will be mortally embarrassed that the crisis didn't come about because some Romac agent spotted him and decided to make trouble, or because he had to run to intercept an alien, or even because someone got it in their head to mug him. No, this disaster occurs simply because neither Andrew nor a certain speeding taxi driver happens to be looking in the right direction at the right time. As the meta-crisis steps out into the intersection of Lexington and 59th (against right of way, if he'd bothered to notice), there's a deafening screech, an impact, and Andrew quite unexpectedly shatters.

The reflex to use his power when surprised likely saves his life. Twelve tiny Andrews are scattered across the road a moment later, all of them stunned to one degree or another. As they recover and realize what's happened -- and hear the yells of a few people who saw -- they all take the same course of action:

Run.

Unfortunately, very few of them run in the same direction. There's no plan or pattern to it, and very quickly the Andrews scatter to the four winds -- or at least to the four corners of the intersection. There are a few shouts (even New Yorkers tend to notice when someone explodes next to them) and one person even stoops and tries to grab one of the four-inch-tall Andrews, but he has quite a bit of experience in running for cover.

[OOC: Let me know where you want to encounter one or more Andrews, and I will write up an explanation of how he got there. The accident occurred at E. 59th St. and Lexington Ave. (the game map might help you here), and the Andrews have gone in every direction. Some Andrews will take advantage of the nearby subway entrances; depending where he enters he could do as he intends and go northwest, or he could get on the wrong train and go northeast, which would take him past Romac housing. Really, anything is possible -- though he's trying to get to either the Rebels or the TARDIS, he could get lost in any direction, or stay stranded near the intersection. Just write a tag indicating where your character encounters an Andrew and I'll work it out (or you can PM me or ping me on AIM if you want to hammer it out together). He'll be staying in twelfths, since merging into sixths would make him a foot and a half high, meaning he'd be still too small to get around without trouble but too big to go unnoticed. There might be multiple Andrews traveling together, so let me know if you want two of them.]

UPDATE, November 14: Nine Andrews are accounted for so far. One Andrew each currently reserved for Lucy, Spike, and Topher, meaning no more Andrews are available.

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Once more, Edgar cautiously slips his hand back into the pouch, trying to push it as close to the opposite opening as possible.

He turns to Almondine, prepared to give her the sign to keep up, but her attention is on the alley entrance. Her ears are pricked and her head is cocked, as if she is hearing something in the distance. She glances around as Edgar moves beside her and quickly sets off once she sees he is in motion.

By the time they reach the street corner again, she's broken into a trot and Edgar hurries to keep up, deftly weaving around pedestrians.

It's even worse than before, though Andrew's time out of the pocket has revived him at least a little. He clings to the finger and thumb holding him down, feeling like he's going to fall even with that support, and grits his teeth against the pounding in his head. How long should this take? How long can it take? How long has it even been? It feels like an eternity since they started.

Edgar doesn't realize he's doing it, but he's sending Andrew a steady stream of breathless reassurances, his own concern leading him to mentally babble.

Hang in there. We're making good time. You're going to be fine. We're almost there. Just a little further. It's going to be okay.

He's a little worried about Almondine, too. She's staying at the far reach of her leash, not quite dragging Edgar behind her (she's far too well-mannered for that), but definitely leading him. Considering that she's still following the direct line to the park, Edgar believes she's just doing her part to help him get Andrew where he needs to go as quickly as possible. She is managing to cut a swath through the pedestrian traffic that lets him more easily and swiftly move down the sidewalks.

Daine and Andrew had started out moving at a pretty good clip, all things considered, but once they actually left the park, they were forced to slow down - and stick a bit closer together. She doesn't want her lack of a leash to become too obvious, nor does she much want to aggravate Andrew's newly-healed leg. At least he can lean on her a bit if he needs to.

It isn't too long before she's within easy speaking range with Almondine, and after receiving a worrisome report on the other Andrew's condition, Daine assured the dog that she and another Andrew were on their way. Try to hurry Edgar along, she'd added, not liking how far they still are from the safety (and the healing technology) of the TARDIS.

After crossing 56th, Daine breaks into a trot again. She knows they're close, and when she finally spots them in front of a rather severe looking brown brick building on the far corner, she lets out a few barks to catch their attention, tail wagging. She throws a glance over her shoulder at her Andrew - that's Edgar! - and then breaks into a loping run to cover the last few yards between them.

How is he? she asks Almondine, her eyes worried despite her tail still going like mad. Any change?

Andrew tries to keep his head down, hoping the pedestrians among whom they pass will mistake him for a child. His proportions are wrong, but a casual glance might not register anything awry. Failing that, hopefully no one is rude enough to comment on a little person walking a dog as big as he is. Or jogging a dog, more like; he keeps having to break into a trot just to keep up with her on his stumpy little legs. ~~If only they had a little saddle for her to wear....~~

The only sign and explanation he gets for her dashing off ahead is an enigmatic glance over her shoulder, but Andrew gets it easily enough when he sees her go hurrying over to a young man -- or rather, to his dog. Andrew breaks into a run as well, stopping beside Daine with one hand resting on her side.

"Are you Edgar?" he asks, slightly out of breath and having to crane his neck to look up at the youth.

When Almondine suddenly stops, Edgar's surprised. Then a large dog bounds up to them, and he feels exasperation and a little anger rise at her actions. Of all the times for Almondine to be interested in another dog - she should know better.

But then something about the way the dogs greet each other stops him. Giving the bigger dog a once over, a suspicion blossoms in his mind.

/Daine?/ Edgar signs, cautiously hopeful.

Edgar blinks in surprise as what appears to be a child runs up to them, coming from the same direction as the dog. On second glance, he realizes that it isn't a child, and he recognizes the face.

/Andrew?/

Daine looks up at Edgar and lets out a short bark of confirmation. If only she could talk to him as easily as Almondine...

Well. She might not be able to talk to him properly, but at least she can make it easier for him to talk to her - and maybe get a little something across, herself. Throwing dignity to the winds, she shoves her head under his hand and tries to send him some feelings: her relief at finding him and her worry for Andrew. Then she peers up him anxiously, waiting for a response.

It's got to be Edgar from the way Daine is acting toward him, though it's not exactly reassuring not to receive any answer to the question. Andrew squints at the human, registering only belatedly that that was a bit of some kind of sign language. It takes even a second longer for him to realize that he understood it.

"Yes!" he exclaims. "Yes, that's me, I'm Andrew. Where's the other me, the little one? Well, littler?"

Edgar's head is spinning. He has no idea why there's another (bigger) Andrew, or why he and Daine were looking for them, or how they found them, or why Daine's in dog form - well, actually those last two answer one another, as well as providing an explanation for Almondine's unusual actions.

Before he can sign an answer to the other Andrew, Daine shoves her head under his free hand. Edgar gets a faint impression of relief and worry, and quickly fills her in.

The other Andrew's in my pocket, and he's in bad shape. He says he needs to get to the TARDIS. Do you know what that - what she is? Where she is?

Daine backs up a step with a low whine, then nods her head and looks back over her shoulder, toward the park. Then she turns her attention to Edgar's pocket. Goddess, she can smell the blood from here. There's a staircase carved into the building next to them - they can get out of the crowd (and the broad daylight) and have a look at him there before they head out. She goes ahead and climbs half the short distance, hoping the others will follow her lead.

Andrew frowns as Edgar remains uncommunicative. "Daine heard he'd -- I'd hurt my head," he says, deep concern written on his furrowed brow. He steps closer, reaching for Edgar's pocketed hand, but stops short of touching, turning his gaze back up at the human's face. Daine's whine catches his attention, and he gives a quick nod as he understands. "Come on, you can show me over here," he decides, turning to follow her.

Andrew, meanwhile, stirs in Edgar's hand at the sound of a familiar voice. "Doctor?"

Edgar follows behind the others, quickly understanding why Daine has led them there. As soon as they're mostly blocked from the street-level view, Edgar gently slides the smaller Andrew out of his pocket for the others to see.

Here, little concussed Andrew, have an extremely worried wolfhound peering down at you. Daine's too cautious of his injuries to get very close - even if he realized who she was, it would probably be disconcerting for him. She pulls back her ears and glances anxiously between the littlest Andrew and the other one.

Andrew sucks in a breath at the sight of his duplicate, feeling his heart thud faster. He reaches over again like he's going to take him from Edgar, but stops short and pulls his hand back again, really not wanting to jostle the little one. "Not good," he mutters. "Very very not good, what did you do to yourself, Andrew?"

"...Hit my head," replies the smaller one, surprising him by being conscious.

"Well, obviously," says Andrew sharply. Drawing in a ragged breath and rubbing his eyes, he says to the others, "I could absorb him -- if what happened earlier holds true, the injury won't be as bad once it's diluted by combining with the bigger, uninjured me. I just don't know how 'not as bad' it'll be -- there's no guarantee you wouldn't end up having to carry me, and I'd be bigger."

At this point in his day, Edgar doesn't even blink at the news that there are other other Andrews out there (or at least there had been). The absorbing part does get a few startled blinks from him, though. How unexpected.

He has no problem with the idea of needing to carry a larger Andrew back to the TARDIS, if need be. They can't be too terribly far away now, anyway. But he has to be able to tell Andrew so. With a pointed glance toward Daine (just in case she needed to provide encouragement and/or reassurance), Edgar holds out his free hand to Andrew.

Daine's inclined to go for the merging idea, too. Even if Andrew grows another foot, he'll be small enough for her and Edgar to manage him without too much trouble. The littlest Andrew's state is what really has her worried; she'd rather have one of him in a slightly less alarming condition than have one who's fine and one who's all but comatose.

When Edgar holds his hand out, Daine looks up at Andrew and wags her tail encouragingly. Just in case he really needs a clue, she raises one of her forepaws and waves it in Edgar's direction. ~~Go on, shake paws.~~

Andrew, for his part -- at least the larger Andrew -- is less gung-ho about the idea of merging. It's not that he's not worried about the smaller Andrew, far from it, but that merging his way into a head injury will mean he might well be utterly useless and helpless. Daine he trusts, but whether he's ready to entrust himself to her and Edgar in the hopes they won't get spotted and stopped by an agent of ROMAC (or just a concerned citizen in general) is another question.

"What?" he asks, looking between Daine and Edgar's outstretched hand. Why doesn't Edgar just talk to him -- or sign like earlier? What is it he wants?

"Hafta touch him," says the tiny Andrew, watching the goings-on through slitted eyes and realizing in a moment of clarity what's missing from this exchange. The bigger Andrew starts, eyes flicking down to his smaller self, then quickly sticks his hand in Edgar's.

Sorry, Edgar starts. I'm mute, and it's a lot faster to talk this way than it is for me to write things down. Oh, and I'm sorry if I sound like someone you know, he tacks on, to get it out of the way. It'll stop eventually.

He gives the smaller Andrew - who looks like he's clinging to consciousness by his fingernails - a worried glance.

I think you two should recombine, he says, somewhat bluntly. If it doesn't go as well as we hope for you, I can carry you back to the TARDIS, no problem. But traveling like this is going very badly for him, Edgar finishes, nodding toward the Andrew still in his hand.

Edited 2013-11-25 00:16 (UTC)

Maybe Daine should have thrown her paw on the pile, too; she has no idea what's being said. Even if she can't contribute to the conversation, at least she could hear both side of it. Belatedly, she sits on the steps and puts her paw on Edgar's wrist, sending him her confusion even as she looks to Andrew for a translation.

"He wants me to combine," explains Andrew with a glance at Daine. His mouth sets into a hard, worried line as he looks down on the smaller Andrew again. "Andrew --" he starts to ask, but the other one doesn't look up or even open his eyes in response to his name. For a split second Andrew is afraid the other one has stopped even breathing -- and even as he sees the little chest move and reassures himself that the situation isn't that dire in the next moment, he knows he's come to his decision.

He nods, not at all happy about it but compelled to agree. "I'm going to sit down," he tells Edgar, "And then I need you to hand him -- no, just hold him out so I can put my hand on him, that should work."

Looking around to make sure they're not being watched, he breaks the connection and sits down on one of the steps, leaning back to sort of lounge against the wall and the steps above and stabilize himself as much as possible.

Edgar's relieved for the smaller Andrew, but worried anew for the bigger one. Soon to be the singular Andrew, he supposes.

Once the bigger Andrew has settled himself on the steps, Edgar throws a few signs to Almondine, who climbs to the step just below the one Andrew is on and sits beside him. She leans lightly against his shoulder for support, should it be needed.

Edgar seats himself on the same step, by Andrew's legs. Then he carefully lowers his hand until the Andrew there is about chest level with his larger counterpart.

With Almondine there to lend Andrew some additional support, Daine resigns herself to keeping a lookout for any nosy two-leggers who might be passing by. She doesn't like turning her back on Andrew, despite her awareness that he likes to have some privacy (or he does when he's thinking about it), but needs must. Her eyes scan the crowds outside for gawkers, but her ears are trained on the Andrews.

Let me know when he's done, please, she requests of Almondine. She doubts Andrew's bashfulness would extend to a real dog, given he seems to forget she's watching whenever she's in animal shape.

Andrew gives Almondine a faint smile -- he doesn't know her, but presumably she's a good sort. He glances past Daine, uneasy about the possibility that someone will see what they're doing and get curious. There's nothing for it, though, but to try to get through it before that happens.

"Allons-y," he says with a slightly shaky breath, reaching gingerly for Edgar's hand. Looked at one way, he's saving himself. Looked at another, he's about to hit himself rather hard in the head. Andrew winces and very gently puts his fingers against the chest of his smaller counterpart, trying to ignore the way the other's breath catches despite his efforts not to press. It's harder without the other able to concentrate on the task of merging, but at least the littler Andrew isn't resisting, and after a moment his tiny form blurs into Andrew's hand and Andrew's form swells to a whopping height of 4'1" (or would, if he weren't partly curled up on the steps). He lets out a groan as he's simultaneously hit with a headache that wasn't there before and experiences his headache bleeding off to be much easier to bear than it had been. Sagging down onto the steps, he tries -- something he needs to do, brain, memories, how does he --

"Wha..?" he huffs, confused and frustrated with his confusion. Everything is clear now, and everything is an indecipherable whirl. The two perspectives are refusing to merge, but the influence of the injured Andrew is muddling him too much to allow him to go through his usual compartmentalization exercise.

It never occurs to Edgar to look away, so he watches, fascinated, as the Andrews merge.

It's clear right away that while the joined Andrew isn't in as bad a shape as his smaller version was, he still isn't doing all that well. Edgar isn't sure what he can do to help, so he just sits and waits.

Almondine, meanwhile, looks toward Daine, who has her back to them, and lets out a short, soft whine of concern.

Daine turns back around at Almondine's whine, and suppresses one of her own when she sees Andrew sprawled on the steps. He does look a lot better than the little one did, but he still doesn't look very good.

She reminds herself that the memory-sorting takes a little while - and that it might take longer than usual this time because the little Andrew had it so rough. Whatever his memories are like, it won't be any easy task to make sense of them. Climbing back up the steps, she sits above Almondine and gently rests a paw on Andrew's shoulder, waiting for him to recover himself.

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