[closed]

[devoutish]

WHO: Alfie Solomons, Dorian Gray, The (Twelfth) Doctor
WHERE: Heropa, Maurtia Falls
WHEN: Late December
WHAT: Chance meetings
WARNINGS: n/a; will edit if anything comes up

A - a shopping mall - Heropa

[Alfie does as much of his shopping as possible in small stores. They're much less common here than they are in his time, which makes it difficult, but over the months he's found a bakery he likes, and a greengrocer's, and a butcher's shop. He'll poke his head into the supermarkets and megamalls every once in a while - but he doesn't like them, he's not used to them, and, honestly, they're overwhelming. He doesn't need a store with an entire aisle filled with nothing but various flavors of breakfast cereal. It's ridiculous.

Still, while he avoids them like the plague when he actually wants to get some shopping done, he'll sometimes pay them a visit when he's in the mood to just be a tourist. There's so much to boggle at when he's just looking to kill some time. So that's what he's doing today - just wandering around Heropa's biggest indoor shopping mall, a few days before Christmas. It's a lot more chaotic than usual, but hey, he isn't planning to stand in any lines.

He's just on the cusp of getting bored and considering leaving when he spots a familiar face in the crowd. He isn't actually planning to stop and chat, but then eye contact is made, and... well. Okay]

Doctor.

[He tips his hat.]

Out braving the mad rush, are we?

B - a bar - Maurtia Falls

[Alfie likes this little place in particular, because it's conveniently located near his flat, and it serves this seasonal spiced rum drink that really is very good. He's not a heavy drinker, but he does indulge from time to time, and tonight seems like a good night for it. He's on the way back from services at his temple, wearing his yarmulke under his hat, and it's a quiet night - not completely empty, but close to it. There are a few patrons at tables near the back... and one very morose-looking guy sitting at the bar. Alfie opts for a bar seat himself, taking a stool a couple spots away from this sad specimen. And when his rum comes, he lifts his glass to him in a half-toast.]

Comments

[helpline]

Why d'you want to go back? They're not even close to achieving space travel!

[devoutish]

There's more to the world than space travel, mate. I've got a life there.

[helpline]

But it's obviously not your home. Going from your home planet to being stuck on nineteenth century Earth? That's horrible.

[devoutish]

[Alfie just looks at the Doctor for a moment, internally trying to decide if he wants to keep up the ruse. But then he sticks out his hand.]

Yeah. Alfie Solomons, Nineteen twenty-two Earth native. I was taking you for a ride, mate.

[helpline]

[ There's the world's longest pause while the Doctor slots everything into place. Well. That was rude. Of course he was going to believe someone when they say they were an alien, why wouldn't he?

A part of the Doctor's brain recognizes that Alfie's a human and was straight up taking him for a ride. But that gets squashed by the rest of the brain which points out that continuing to call him alien is most likely going to annoy him so hell yeah he's gonna do it. ]

Sure, "Earth native." [ he takes Alfie's hand and shakes it while making air quotes with the other hand. ] If that's the cover story you're sticking with, I can keep a secret.

[devoutish]

[Alfie isn't sure whether this guy is continuing to play along with a game that Alfie has just ended, or whether he really believes what he's saying. He's hard to read, and that in itself is kind of annoying - but it also makes him interesting.

He gives the Doctor a wink.]

My outfit's very authentic, isn't it? Yeah. It fools everyone.

[helpline]

Very period accurate, [ the Doctor remarks with a little nod and a grin. ] You're much better at subtle than some other time travelers I know.

[ like...the Doctor. ]

[devoutish]

Yeah, well, I've got practice, haven't I.

[Whatever that means in this context.]

Here, what have you bought? Gifts?

[helpline]

Last minute Christmas things as well as a few bits and bobs for myself. Anything with a plug is something for me and probably going to be dismantled in the next few days.

[devoutish]

Are you an electrician?

[helpline]

Not officially? [ said with a shrug. The Doctor's all nonchalance as he continues to talk. ] Really, what I mostly do is fiddle with things. It's been a while since I made a properly useful gizmo, I'm just debating about what to do next.

[devoutish]

"Let's see some examples." He pokes one of the bags with the toe of his boot. "Can you open up a bag in here?"

[helpline]

"Sure." Setting some of his bags down, the Doctor starts to open one of them, taking what looks like a dvd player out of the box. "I don't know what you think you're going to see though, all my good tools for dismantling things are back at the house."

Well, except for the sonic sunglasses, sitting handily in his pocket. But if Alfie really is from the nineteenth century, let's just keep the sunglasses to himself for now. They're already confusing enough as is.

[devoutish]

"Ah, I know about these." He motions to the DVD player. "I've got one myself."

[helpline]

"You do? They're handy, aren't they? A bit backwater, just wait fifty years, streaming's going to blow up big. However," and here the Doctor turns the DVD player over, tapping on the bottom of it, grinning all the while, "they're wonderful for dismantling. All those tiny little parts, perfect for building things like temporal flux detectors or arton energy stimulators."

[devoutish]

"You sound like you're good with this stuff. Yeah. Ever thought about trying to build a porter?"

He keeps his voice light, but he's very interested in the answer here.

[helpline]

"I'm already on at least one watch list," the Doctor remarks with an idle little laugh, trying to keep things nice and airy. "I'd rather not be on more of them."

So that's a no.

WHOOPS I'm sorry I didn't mean to change the format on you up there

[devoutish]

That's a shame. A man like you could be useful, for something like that.

no worries! c:

[helpline]

Perhaps. [ The Doctor idly says, like it's no big deal. ] Or perhaps since I'm the sort of person to meddle with thingsto begin with, they'd expect me building a Porter in the first place.

[devoutish]

Do you think you could? Theoretically, of course.

[helpline]

[ There's a pause before the Doctor answers, ]

I honestly don't know. The space and time travel I've got back home I know how to operate but I don't know how to build.

[devoutish]

I wonder if you could learn.

[helpline]

With learning, you need something to study from. Problem here, nothing to study from.

[devoutish]

You could study the theory of-- what would you call it, transdimensional travel, yeah? Surely.

[helpline]

Theory's not building. It's like cars. You know how a car works, right?

[ although after the Doctor says that he realizes wait, Alfie might not know how a car works... ]

Let's go with sewing machine instead. You know how a sewing machine works, right?