[open x3] I'm not big enough to house this crowd

[fragmentation]

James is having a pretty regular day. They're planetside, on a lovely little world called Hedenex. He's taking an exploratory stroll, dressed in one of his three-pieces suits, walking through the complex cityscape they're visiting, enjoying the unfamiliar sky.

He's spent most of the day running around with Andrew, seeing sights, meeting people, testing the cuisine, and letting the dogs stretch their legs a bit too. But Andrew and the dogs only have so much energy, so James has left them to get some rest. James doesn't really need to worry about those things, so he's been getting some exploring done on his own. It's a very welcoming area.

He's just about to head back to ship, when he stumbles. This in itself is unusual, given how surefooted he normally is. But it only gets weirder from there. His systems go haywire, his vision and most of his senses cut out completely. There's a moment of panic, but he doesn't have long to dwell on it before he wakes up in an entirely different place. That is, places.

--

James, or rather the Ambrose part of him, comes to on a streetcorner on the Upper East Side, near Harlem. He's breathing, which is most unconventional. When did he start breathing? Up until a moment (or however long it's been) ago, he was completely robotic.

It's not the first time he's been put in a flesh body, however, so he manages to adjust fairly quickly, getting slowly to his feet. He doesn't much care for the cold, though. Perhaps this is just another Time Scoop, but it's usually less unpleasant.

But no... Because there's something missing. Great chunks of his mind are gone, and he feels strangely empty. Oh, not his memories. Those are still there. Not as organised and reliable now he's got a biological body, but there. His two imported personalities. The Doctor and the Master. They're gone. Yet somehow he can still sense them. As if they're here, but not part of him anymore. He's not sure what this means.

It doesn't occur to him how strange he must look, standing here in the cold, looking confused and lost.

--

Across town, the Doctor wakes up. He's in a café in the East Village, down on 10th street - though he himself doesn't know much more than that it's a café, and that he's currently slumped against the wall in a booth.

He goes through much the same thought process as Ambrose. They have the same memories of course, more or less the same mental capacities; the only difference is how they react to it. And the Doctor is worried. Deeply worried. If he's split free, that means the Master is probably also wandering around somewhere. He can feel that much. A presence in his mind, but far too distant and vague for him to pinpoint it.

First of all, where is he? His surroundings aren't much help. Back in his old body, he could've smelled it. He's not sure how reliable this new nose is, but he hasn't the memories to recall which place smells like what anymore in any case. It definitely doesn't look much like Hedenex, though.

He prods the shoulder of a random patron. "Pardon me, but could you tell me where I am?"

--

Meanwhile, approximately right between the two others, in the back of a dark McDonalds on 42nd street, right off Times Square, the Master version of James wakes up.

He, unlike the two others, is not quite so worried, once he's realised what's happened. In fact, he's rather delighted. His personality is often kept quite buried, at least compared to the other two. He's not so keen on finding them, though he feels that they're here somewhere, now he's finally got a body of his own.

He grins to himself, and pushes out the backdoor of the restaurant, out onto 41st street. It's not particularly crowded, but there are a few walking around. "You, human, where am I?" he asks one of them.

Comments

[fragmentation]

He stares at her. "...Yeah, uh-huh," he answers sarcastically. "My name's James."

He had a moment there when he almost called himself the Master, but it's a bit too conspicuous. Easier to masquerade with the name of his other parts, and it's not the first time he'll have done so.

And he's still not entirely sure the bird can understand him, but he's going with it because he sees no reason not to. Not like he cares that some people seem to be crossing the street to not have to pass him.

[wildmage_daine]

James. He's tall, blonde, and his name is James! He even has the grey suit. Daine lets out an excited squawk and hops along the railing, resisting the urge to fly down to him. After all, it still might not be Andrew's James. And even if it is, he has no way of knowing she knows Andrew.

Unless she can tell him. "Aaaaaaang-kt-ew," she tries. "Aaaang-kt!-krrrew."

She hopes it's the right James. If he ended up here, then someone she knows could show up, too.

[fragmentation]

Wait wait wait! Did it say what he thought it said? He directs his attention more directly towards the crow now.

"Andrew? Do you know Andrew?" he asks, more excitedly.

While he may not be quite as attached to Andrew as the other parts of him, it's definitely interesting news. Well, not as attached in the same way, at least. Less worried about his well-being, but still quite focused on him in his own way.

[wildmage_daine]

It is the right James! Daine doesn't think she'll have much luck if she tries for a 'yes,' so she gives a vigorous nod, instead.

[fragmentation]

The Master grins broadly.

"Excellent!" he answers. On one hand he's disappointed he didn't come through on his so he could be free to do his own thing, but on the other, if anyone's gonna track him down, it's gonna be his other selves.

That's a thought. What if they find him first and warn him?

"Can you take me to him?"

[wildmage_daine]

Daine's not entirely sure where Andrew is, but there are only so many places she imagines he could be. She nods again, deciding to take James to the park. If Andrew isn't there, it'll be a nice enough place for James to wait while she finds him.

It's a pity she's still worn out from yesterday, otherwise she'd feel better about shifting a bit so she could talk to him with more ease. As it is, she doesn't fancy doing anything more complicated than a full shift into another animal, and only one of those. Best not to push it.

[fragmentation]

"Lead the way," the Master answers, gesturing for her.

He has only the most basic knowledge of New York, unfortunately. He had more, despite his interest in the Earth not being as great as the Doctor's, but those memories are gone. And since then, him and Andrew had no plans to visit that side of the pond, so there was never any reason to investigate.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine flies towards the square, lighting wherever she can every few yards or so to make sure James is keeping up. Once they reach 7th and turn towards the park, she flies a bit farther ahead, making sure to land in conspicuous places so he doesn't lose sight of her.

When she's a bit closer to the park, she reaches out with her magic to ask the pigeons if Andrew is there, doing her best to describe Andrew as a pigeon would see him. It's a bit tricky to hold the crow shape while talking to pigeons, but she manages.

[fragmentation]

The Master follows along at a quick pace. Having to navigate through crowds and traffic, while still keeping eye on the bird, and inspecting his surroundings at the same time is certainly a challenge. Especially as he's only spent ten minutes tops in a human body. Not that he's completely new to the concept, but it's been a while, and the sensory experience is quite different.

Particularly as he's starting to realise a few long-forgotten senses are present again. He can feel time around him. He can feel the rift. It's rather indistinct and confusing, given he doesn't remember what it was like having these powers, but it's also wonderful. And if he has time-senses, he might also have his telepathy. Hard to focus while he's following, though, especially since he can't touch the bird.

:What was your name again?: he asks, telepathically. It takes quite a bit of determination, but he thinks it gets through.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine lets out a squawk of surprise at the unexpected (if not unfamiliar) voice in her mind, so startled that she almost loses her hold on the crow shape and falls off of her perch and into the street. She regains her hold on the shape quickly enough, but the brief struggle probably would have looked quite horrifying to any outside observers. Taking to the air with a few choice curses in a crow's suitable vocabulary, she glares down at James. He doesn't have so much as a spark of wild magic about him. How is he talking in her mind?

How are you talking to me? she demands, more than a little bit flustered.

[fragmentation]

Whoops, didn't actually mean to alarm her that much. The result was a bit disturbing.

:I'm telepathic, obviously.: The duhh is implied. :Sorry, I didn't realise till a little while ago.: Not that this explains how completely cool he is with telepathy, if he didn't have it before. But hey, at least he apologised, that's something.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine isn't mollified, though at least she knows what 'telepathic' means thanks to Numair.

It's fair rude to just start talking in someone's head, she replies. That might be how she talks with the People, but that's how the People communicate--it's not something any old two-legger should be able to do. She lands on a traffic light and folds her wings huffily. I'm Daine, she begrudgingly adds, remembering why he spoke to her in the first place.

[fragmentation]

:Given you gave your name as Tk-aaaaaaaing earlier, I think you'll forgive me to communicate in a slightly more practical manner,: he answers, giving a good replication of the sound she made earlier. Probably wouldn't be quite as good if he had to actually make the sound out loud rather than in her mind, but nonetheless.

Now he can tell Daine is female as well, too. That wasn't exactly clear when he just had the crow shape to go by.

[wildmage_daine]

You try talking as a crow and see how well it comes out, Daine says, annoyed. She's beginning to wonder why Andrew was so eager to find this person; he's awfully snooty.

[fragmentation]

Realising that it would be a bad idea to piss off his new guide who seems to know where Andrew is, he changes his attitude. He's spent enough time as James to be able to fake it quite easily.

:I've offended you. I sincerely apologise. This is, however, still the most convenient way to communicate, so I hope you'll allow me to continue,: he tells her in a much kinder headvoice. Mind you, talking like this is mentally exhausting him, given how completely unused to it he is, and how he has to do it over a bit of a distance.

[wildmage_daine]

That's more like it. Daine ruffles her feathers, calming down a little. Apology accepted. While she waits for him to catch up, she adds, I s'pose we can keep talking like this. It's strange talking with a two-legger this way, but no less tiring for her than talking to one of the People would be.

She tilts her head at him, wondering if it would be easier if she rode on his shoulder--if she can just tell him where to go, there's no need to show him. She's not sure she wants to, though; he doesn't seem as friendly as Andrew was.

[fragmentation]

The Master has actually just been thinking the same thing. :Would you mind coming down here?: he asks, patting his shoulder. :It's much easier for me to talk if I have physical contact with someone,: he explains. His powers are limited when it comes to distance. Wandering around with a crow on his shoulder doesn't bother him in the least however.

[wildmage_daine]

Well, if he's going to ask outright... at least he was polite. If he annoys her again, she can just fly off--and if doing so would make it harder for him to talk to her, that might be no bad thing.

All right. She flaps down onto his shoulder, taking care not to whack him with her wings.

[fragmentation]

Oh hey, ouch, not used to birds landing on him, and he's a bit more sensitive to pain than most people would be, given how he didn't actually feel pain until today.

:Thank you,: he makes sure to add, to keep her satisfied. :So, where might I find Andrew?:

[wildmage_daine]

Hey, at least she's not in falcon shape. Crow talons aren't too bad by comparison.

I'm not sure, she replies honestly, but the park is the first place to check. It's just up this street.

[fragmentation]

The Master nods and continues in the direction they were heading. He can make out trees and the end of skyscrapers. They can't be more than 10 blocks away, actually. At least now he knows where they're going and he doesn't need to keep track of Daine as well, he can actually look around a bit.

:But you've met him, I take it?: he asks. :Tall, gangly fella, brown hair?: And honestly, describing someone as tall and gangly is a bit rich coming from him, as he's almost the same build, just not quite as abnormally skinny.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine nods before remembering she doesn't have to anymore. He came through yesterday. I found him back in the square. She shifts a little on James's shoulder, which makes a slightly better perch than Andrew's had--though more because James isn't shivering all the time than because he's all that much broader. No sign of the dogs, though.

[fragmentation]

The Master lets out a thoughtful huh. Yesterday? It's less time than that that he saw Andrew. But then they've been moved in time, so it probably could've been a lot worse.

He's not particularly bothered by the dogs' absence, but he knows James would be, so be tries to sound worried.

:I guess they're still back on the ship. At least William will take care of them.:

[wildmage_daine]

The robot squid. Daine remembers that much, and doesn't think she's likely to forget it. The fact that the last squid she dealt with was more of a kraken probably doesn't help. She doesn't like to think about what that beastie would have been like if he'd been all-over metal.

The pigeons start to get back to her, flock by flock. None of them have seen Andrew. Daine thanks them for taking the time to check, but doesn't mention their findings to James. They're still heading in the right direction, anyway.

Something occurs to her, and she gives James a shrewd look. Why'd you call that two-legger 'human,' before? He seems pretty human to her, even with the telepathy. She could understand using 'human' if you're People inside like she is, but it can't be that, because he doesn't have any wild magic.

[fragmentation]

:Because I'm not. I come from a different planet,: he answers, quite freely. Granted, it's far more complicated than that, and it would take a long time to explain, so he doesn't. Andrew had perhaps not let on the fact he wasn't human. Then again, Andrew actually appears to be human.

:What about you? You're not a regular crow.: Her mind seems approximately the same level of sentient as humans, and there was that somewhat unsettling display when he had taken her by surprise. If it hadn't been for that, the Master might've thought she was just a special crow, but now it seems more likely she's a shapeshifter.