HANDYSPLOSION [open to multiple]

[bluesuit_handy]

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.

Comments

[edgar_sawtelle]

Edgar chooses not to comment on the "we" usage. For what it's worth, Andrew does appear to be steady on his feet, so they can at least be on the move again.

Staying at Andrew's side, Edgar follows him out onto the sidewalk, once again heading in the direction of the park.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine isn't in a position to comment about his continuing confusion, but she does choose not to grumble about it. The important thing is that he's moving. Once they're back at the TARDIS, they can go back to the medical bay... though they might need help. She doesn't think Andrew will be in any shape to patch himself up this time - or to talk anyone else through it. They'll need the Doctor, and Mithros only knows where he'll be hiding.

Well, she is in dog shape. If she has to sniff the Doctor down, she will.

[bluesuit_handy]

Well, if they'd let him stay separate, he'd know perfectly well how to patch himself up. Of course, one of him might not have made it there in any condition to recover and be merged.

He toddles along, occasionally balking at some tiny obstacle in the sidewalk or a sudden movement from a passerby. When one person rushes past he actually goes backwards, sure he's going to be stepped on. For the most part, though, his ongoing confusion about how big and how many he is does not seem to interfere with his ability to walk, or with his understanding of where they need to go.

[edgar_sawtelle]

Edgar feels relief flood through him when he spots the edge of the park ahead, tension he hadn't been aware of suddenly easing.

Almost there, he says.

At the edge of the park, he reaches down to unclip Almondine's leash. She gives his hand a comforting lick, her tail cutting through the air a few times.

[wildmage_daine]

They've still got a little ways to go, but it's nice to be back in the Park. Daine checks in with the People, and is disappointed (if not especially surprised) to hear that no other Andrews have been spotted. Drat. For the moment, though, it might be just as well. She wouldn't want to feel obligated to chase down another little Andrew when she's already got this big one to look after.

She patiently leads the little company toward the Ramble, pausing whenever Andrew does (and occasionally swinging her hindquarters around to stop him from stumbling backwards when something spooks him). Nearly there, now, she tells Almondine. Will you and Edgar sit with Andrew while I try and find the Doctor? I can get us all to the medical bay, but I don't know how to fix Andrew, and I doubt he'll be able to work it out on his own.

[bluesuit_handy]

"She's in the Ramble," Andrew tells Edgar, though he feels a wave of relief himself as they get away from some of the bustle of the city. They're close -- he was just here, and it's been ages since he visited. He's given up on making his mind mesh for now, and the cessation of his conscious efforts to do so in favor of just letting himself stay split down the middle is probably doing more to fix the problem than he could do deliberately. Already he's steadier on his feet, and he's feeling the urge to look around for the other him that ought to be here less and less. "Daine knows the way, and once we get there I can...." he waves a hand vaguely. "Fix me."

[edgar_sawtelle]

Edgar nods his understanding. He's letting Daine lead the way, since she knows where they're going and he isn't entirely sure Andrew's mind is clear enough for the same.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine looks up at Andrew when he announces that he's going to fix himself, then very deliberately wrinkles her muzzle in a snarl. Don't be daft, Andrew. She won't have him pointing those funny instruments at himself while he's still all muddled.

[bluesuit_handy]

Andrew spots the teeth in Daine's expression, and glances around. "What?" he asks when he doesn't see any cause for it. "I can't go around like this, Daine," he says. "I know it doesn't look as bad now, but I have a head injury that needs looking to."

[edgar_sawtelle]

Edgar shares a look with Daine and suppresses a smile at Andrew's oblivious determination. He gently wraps a hand around Andrew's wrist.

We'll get you sorted out, he says. I think Daine just doesn't think you should try to do it alone.

[wildmage_daine]

Unaware of what Edgar's saying, Daine lets out a heavy sigh and shakes her head. Maybe she shouldn't have expected Andrew to remember what snarling means, but it was barely thirty minutes ago when they discussed it. Well, she can tell Almondine to stay put in the console room, and Almondine can help Edgar understand that they're to wait for her there while she finds the Doctor. Besides, without her guidance, she rather doubts Andrew will be able to remember how to find the medbay.

[bluesuit_handy]

Oh, he remembers -- she thinks he's being a bit of an idiot. He can't see how, though; it's only sensible for him to want to go treat himself as quickly as possible. For a moment he thinks of asking Edgar to carry him, since obviously that would be faster at his current size, but remembers before opening his mouth and making a fool of himself that he's not four inches tall anymore.

"Off the path here," he suggests instead, faaairly sure it's the right way. "And I'm sorry, but neither of you is exactly qualified to operate the equipment I'll be using."

[edgar_sawtelle]

Edgar gives Daine another look at they head off the path. He sidles over to her as they walk and lays a hand on neck.

I can hold him down if you want me to, he tells her, the hint of a smile in his voice. Not sure how much good that would do, though, he adds, watching Andrew tromp resolutely through the undergrowth.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine can't help being amused at the thought, and she grins up at Edgar, tail wagging. Hopefully it won't come to that, and Andrew will realize he's no more equipped to treat himself in his current, muddled state than Daine or Edgar would be.

Perhaps the fact that he's starting to veer off course will clue him in. Suppressing another sigh, Daine slips out from under Edgar's hand and trots over to Andrew. She gently takes his sleeve in her teeth and tugs him a little to the right, putting him back on track.

[bluesuit_handy]

But Edgar, what about the stately dignity of the Time Lords? You wouldn't want to mar his stately dignity, would you?

Andrew crashes through a shrub or two before Daine reaches him, too determined and set in his course of action to remember that no, he can't either step over two-foot-high undergrowth or slip through between the branches. He gives her a surprised look, finding himself tugged off course by her meddling. "What, girl, is Timmy down the well?" he asks. "It's that way," he adds, waving his free arm. He doesn't pull away, though, not wanting to injure her teeth.

[edgar_sawtelle]

Edgar has no problem marring anyone's dignity, for the right reason.

He bites back a smirk at Andrew's Lassie reference, then wonders if Daine would even recognize it. Safely assuming she won't, he allows himself a grin and reaches down to rub Almondine's head.

As he has no idea where they're supposed to be going, he doesn't bother trying to help Daine direct Andrew. He does, however, make a point to catch up to them and walk deliberately on Andrew's left, blocking any progress in that direction.

[wildmage_daine]

Who's Timmy? Daine wrinkles her nose in another purposeful snarl as she continues to lead Andrew in the right direction, ignoring his complaints and gestures. It's not too long before she's validated by a flash of blue paint through the early greenery. See, Andrew? It was this way.

[bluesuit_handy]

What is this, a frog march? "Daine, we're going to be wandering around all day if you don't -- oh." Andrew deflates a little as he catches sight of the TARDIS between the branches. "I would've found it eventually," he grumbles, knowing he wouldn't. He's at least feeling less confused than before, but he still can't quite resolve the world to his current scale.

[edgar_sawtelle]

Edgar frowns as they head, inevitably, toward the blue box. This isn't what he had in mind. Though, to be fair, he hadn't really had much in mind, other than getting Andrew to where he needed to go. Still, this isn't what he expected.

The box - he assumes this is the TARDIS - is on the small side. Really small. There's no way they'll all fit inside. He signs to Almondine to tell her they'll wait outside and slows his stride, preparing to find a place to sit nearby.

[wildmage_daine]

Now that they're in sight of the TARDIS, she's free to let go of Andrew's sleeve and look up at him, tail wagging good-naturedly. Sure, he's all confused - and understandably so - but he's got friends to help him with these things.

When she sees Edgar dropping back, she blinks at him, then shakes her head. It's shadier here in the Ramble, and even with Almondine beside him, he'll get chilled if he ends up sitting out here for too long in just a t-shirt. Besides, she needs someone to help keep Andrew from toddling off to who-knows-where while she tracks down the Doctor. She lets out a low whine, looking from Andrew to Edgar and back. Shouldn't they all be going in?

[bluesuit_handy]

Forgetting himself (or maybe forgetting her), Andrew absently pats Daine on the head. It's a gesture of praise, really. "Miss me, old girl?" he asks as he steps up to the TARDIS and strokes her wood paneling. He just left, but he also hasn't seen her in a good while. Opening the door, he glances back at the rest of the party. "Coming?" he asks, confused about why they're not at the door with him.

[edgar_sawtelle]

Edgar blinks at Daine when she whines at him, then at Andrew when he looks back at them. Then he blinks at Almondine, just for good measure. She stares back up at him blankly.

Finally, Edgar shrugs and walks over to join them at the door, Almondine at his heels. /Maybe it's bigger on the inside,/ he signs to her, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine tolerates the pat - given Andrew's state, this doesn't seem like a good time to quibble over how treats her unless he mistreats her, which she doesn't believe he'd do, regardless of how addled he was, even if she was a real dog.

She follows Andrew inside, tail wagging in encouragement for Edgar and Almondine.

[bluesuit_handy]

"C'mon, c'mon!" chirps Andrew, already bouncing up the walkway. The bouncing is an unfortunate choice, as he gets dizzy after a couple bounds and has to stop and grip a handrail. "This way!" he calls anyway, making a big 'come in' gesture with one arm but not looking up to see if Edgar and Almondine have come in, too busy trying to get his head to stop drifting.

[edgar_sawtelle]

Amused, and more than a little curious, Edgar follows Andrew and Daine through the door. The second his brain actually processes what it's seeing, he comes to a dead stop.

Almondine trots on down the walkway for a few feet before stopping to look back at him, but he doesn't really notice. Mouth gaping, he retreats the few steps he has made it into the box, then leans to either side to reassess its tiny exterior dimensions. Half expecting to encounter a painted wall, he slowly extends a hand toward the open area to one side the TARDIS. When he encounters only air, he cautiously reaches over to touch the side of the TARDIS itself. It's solid and a little warm and very definitely real.

He hears the clacking of toenails and looks down to see Almondine lay a paw against his leg. Her tail is wagging, but he can tell she can sense his astonishment and is concerned about it. He gives her head a comforting stroke.

Mind reeling, he walks back into the TARDIS and hears the door close behind him. The space is large, and there are doors leading off of it, so he can only imagine how much bigger it must be. She must be, Edgar mentally corrects himself. However strange it might seem, Andrew referred to the TARDIS as a she. And a box being female is no more unusual than a box that's bigger on the inside.

He can feel a grin spreading across his face as he joins the others.