[open] Toto, I don't think we're on Hedenex anymore....

[bluesuit_handy]

It's been so good to stretch his legs again after so long cooped up on the ship. Andrew loves traveling, of course, and he loves spending time with James and the dogs, but his tolerance for monotonous space journeys is diminishing rather than growing. Their first journey out from Earth was the longest, of course, since they had to reach a jump node before they could travel from world to world in a matter of weeks rather than months, but somehow just a week stuck in a space the size of a largish flat is almost unbearable to him now. If he had to do that longer journey again, he might go mad.

Despite his enthusiasm, there's only so much running about (much of it literal) he can do before he tires out. Hedenex is a friendly sort of planet, with more than a few things to do and see, but just now he's tucked back up in bed in the spaceship he shares with James, their dogs curled up nearby as if watching to make sure he doesn't go off again without them when he wakes up.

His sleep is troubled by dreams that are less bad, necessarily, than they are weird. He's in the midst of grudgingly assembling a floral arrangement under the watchful eye of a robot servant belonging to a version of the Master he hasn't seen in centuries when a chill wind suddenly blows through the beach house where he and Abraham Lincoln have been imprisoned together. He shivers in both the dream and in reality, shifting uncomfortably on the hard red surface of the bleachers that make up the roof of the Times Square TKTS booth. He's wrapped up surprisingly well for someone who was just taken away from his cozy bed and blankets, as he tends to layer up even when he goes to bed, but a fleece onesie with a hoodie over the top half and socks on under the enclosed feet is still not enough. At least he'll look dashing in that yellow ducky-themed print?

Comments

[wildmage_daine]

Daine swoops in for a landing, lighting on the back of the bench. Even though she's in falcon shape, the dogs are thrilled to see her--something she realizes she should have accounted for when the smaller one enthusiastically lunges for her, knocking her clear off the bench. She lands in an untidy heap just in time for the larger dog to snuffle at her, and she uses the dubious cover to shift into a dog shape, herself. There. Now they're on more even footing.

She allows the dogs to sniff her and tumble about a bit with her before asking them to hold off, and they obey, tails fanning the air. Turning her attention to Andrew, she shakes her head. No luck.

[bluesuit_handy]

What is it with animals launching themselves off him today? Andrew grunts, curling in on himself in a vain attempt to protect a delicate part of his anatomy, the matter of seeing what the dogs and his new friend are up to secondary for the moment.

"Nothing?" he asks, starting to get a bit worried. It's a big city -- but he's got to ope that James is somewhere in it. Otherwise, they're literally planets away from each other, and James -- who, incidentally, is the one with a working spaceship -- won't have any idea where to look.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine hops up onto the bench and shakes her head again before sitting down with a heavy sigh. She's tired, and it's cold, and she wants to go back to the base. Maybe she can coax Andrew into coming with her. She tilts her head at him, as if to ask if he has any ideas.

[bluesuit_handy]

Andrew hesitates a moment, but reaches over and lays a (cold) hand on her. "Thank you," he says sincerely, already thinking about what he's going to do. "What I need is something to detect his positronic impulses -- shouldn't be any other androids on Earth in this era to give me interference."

He sighs. He doesn't even have trousers, let alone the equipment he'd need for that.

[wildmage_daine]

She's not sure what most of what he's saying means, but whatever he wants to do, she doesn't think he's going to manage it without help--more help than she can give, anyway. Best try to get him to the base, if he'll follow her. Daine paws his arm, then hops off the bench and trots a few yards before turning back towards him, tail wagging. The other two dogs join her, all three of them training expectant looks on Andrew.

[bluesuit_handy]

He's already used the 'Timmy down the well' line, unfortunately -- and he's feeling a bit too blue to crack jokes anyway. Andrew lifts an eyebrow at her, but obediently gets up and follows. "Have a new idea?" he asks.

[wildmage_daine]

She wags her tail faster and woofs at him. Goddess, it'll be nice to change back into her human shape so they can talk proper, but at least dogs are expressive--and most two-leggers are good at understanding them.

She leads him across the park, drawing closer once they reach the sidewalk and instructing the other two dogs to do the same. Yuri's explained leash laws to her, and she doesn't want it to be too obvious at first glance that Andrew doesn't have any of them on leashes. At least they only have a short way to go and one road to cross; as long as they behave themselves, she doubts any two-leggers will give them all a second glance (unless it's to look at what Andrew's wearing).

[bluesuit_handy]

"Is there somewhere else you thin he might be?" asks Andrew, hoping for the best even though his crow-ermine-hawk-dog friend didn't seem all that hopeful a minute ago. He's probably attracting fewer curious gazes now than he was earlier; the dogs block much of the view of his legs in their ducky-laden glory, and he looks more or less like he could be a dog walker with the three of them clustered around him.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine glances up at him with an encouraging grin, but doesn't otherwise attempt to answer the question. She'd be stunned if they got to the base and found Andrew's friend there, but that's not why they're going--they're going so they can get out of the cold, and so she can change back into her human shape, put some clothes on, and help Andrew come up with another plan. At the very least, she could introduce him to some other humans who might be able to help him.

Ugh. The road crossing. She's no longer terrified of it, but she's still not a fan of all the cars. She waits for the light to turn, impressing upon the dogs that they are not to go into the street until she says so.

[bluesuit_handy]

"Any chance we could stop inside somewhere to warm up?" asks Andrew, his shivering having grown more pronounced since he lost his lap warmer. Finding James is of the utmost importance, of course, but it won't do anyone much good if he succumbs to hypothermia first. He watches the dogs as they wait at the light, trying to observe how she's communicating with them.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine nods, tail wagging. She feels a bit better about taking him inside now that he's asked.

The light changes, and she heads across the street, the dogs still keeping close to her and Andrew. Her hackles go up a bit as she passes the cars, but she doesn't break her stride. The dogs, wary of the cars but less upset by them than she is, ask if she's all right, and she reassures them until they've reached the other side of the street.

[bluesuit_handy]

Andrew's not bothered by cars in the slightest, of course -- but he does notice that his guide is on edge. "What is it?" he asks, looking around for signs of danger. Apart from the hackles, though, her body language doesn't seem all that tense or guarded.

His feet are starting to really hurt from walking so long on concrete without proper support, and he hopes he's right in thinking she's taking him inside somewhere now. He keeps his pace as steady as he can, though the ache from his feet and the cold is getting more and more pronounced.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine glances up at him a bit sheepishly and wags her tail, sorry to have worried him. They're not in any trouble, she just really doesn't like cars.

She leads him to the subway entrance and heads down the stairs, looking up at Andrew to make sure he's all right. He hasn't seemed all that phased by anything he's seen so far, but she doesn't want to assume he'll be fine with everything.

[bluesuit_handy]

"That doesn't tell me much," he tells her, laughing through chattering teeth. Maybe he should have sought out clothing first rather than last, particularly as he didn't actually find James or the dogs.

He pauses briefly at the entrance, giving her an odd look. "I don't have any money for the train," he points out. He follows after a moment, though -- even if he can only go down into the outermost part, maybe it'll be a little warmer than it is outside.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine spots the door to the base and leaves Andrew's side, trotting up to it. She scrapes her paw against it a few times, then lets out a quiet cough of a bark. Hopefully Phil (or whoever's manning the door today) will realize it's her and open up. It wouldn't be the first time she came back in animal shape.

[rebelnpc]

Before Andrew can go over to assist her with the door, it opens from within, revealing Phil. He gives Andrew a distrustful look, not recognizing him, then looks down and sighs at the dogs. "Daine?" he asks.

[bluesuit_handy]

"I followed her home," pipes up Andrew, getting a bit silly in his general misery. He wraps his arms tightly about himself, shivering visibly. "Can she keep me?"

[wildmage_daine]

It's occurred to Daine that the rebels might not be over-pleased at her bringing in strays, so she doesn't go out of her way to make it clear just which dog she is. All three of them wag their tails at Phil, pleased to be going inside.

She nearly gives herself away when she hears Andrew's joke--one she can actually appreciate. She tries to disguise her snort of amusement as a sneeze, then trots into the hall, heading for her room. The dogs can stay there for the time being, and once she's human and dressed, she can help Andrew.

[rebelnpc]

"Daine," Phil sighs again. "We can't -- Daine, you can't just bring in all the strays you find."

He doesn't have the heart to kick them out until she'll admit which one she is, though. "Don't blame me when they get put right back outside," he grumbles, shutting the door behind the little group.

[wildmage_daine]

But they'll behave themselves! Honestly, Phil, you won't even know they're there.

When Daine reaches her room, she paws the door open and sends in the dogs. Then she turns to Andrew and holds up a paw as if to say, 'wait.' This should only take a minute.

From inside the room, there's a meow of complaint. Shadow's not thrilled about the new roommates.

[bluesuit_handy]

"I don't eat much," Andrew reassures Phil in passing, trotting along after the dogs. He just waves a hand when Phil shouts after them that she'd better be taking his new friend to get registered. Andrew keeps his eyes open, peering about at everything in undisguised curiosity. He doesn't know what's going on here or why there's suddenly a secret lair under Central Park, but he'll go with it for now. He's wary, ready to make a run for it if things go sour, but Daine seems friendly and helpful, so he'll give her the benefit of the doubt for as long as he can.

"Wait here?" he asks, frowning around himself at the hall. That room doesn't look -- is that someone's bedroom?

[wildmage_daine]

Daine nods, then slips into the room, rearing up on her hinders to close the door. As she shifts back, she asks the dogs to leave Shadow alone (the cat, for his part, lashes his tail and offers to make himself scarce for the evening). The dogs agree to behave, happy to be indoors and not wanting to cause trouble. Daine dresses hastily, Shadow waiting by the door with his tail fluffed to twice its usual size. She's not surprised when the cat streaks out the door as soon as she opens it.

"Okay," Daine steps back out into the hall and smiles at Andrew, "that's better. Shall we find you some clothes?"

[bluesuit_handy]

Andrew startles when the re-opening of the door brings a cat running past his feet. He turns quickly, as if to follow it -- thinking it's Daine -- but no, sudden human! The head looks familiar, at least.

"Look at you, all pink and brown," he comments wonderingly. "Is this your usual form?"

[wildmage_daine]

Daine nods, feeling a bit shy under his scrutiny. "I'm a wildmage--that's what we call it in my realm. I've got magic that connects me to animals, so I can talk to animals and shape-shift. And heal, too. Though I can only do so much before I get tapped out." She smiles apologetically. "It's why I didn't talk to you too much--I was getting a bit tired."

She still is tired, in fact, but being back in her human shape helps. A little food, some sleep, and a few days of taking it a bit easier in the magic department will do wonders.

[bluesuit_handy]

"But not humans?" If she can connect to humans the same way, she might not be able to connect with him anyhow -- though she doesn't seem surprised that they couldn't communicate the way she does with animals.

"What is this place?" he asks. While he's fascinated by Daine and what she can do, he's more than a little curious about where she's taken him.