checkingout | a gent of good intent who's content to be ( OPEN )

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a gent of good intent who's content to be ( OPEN )

Who: Everyone!
Where: The initial arrival rooms, the main lobby, all over the place.
When: March 3rd
What: Welcome, newbies.

ARRIVAL.

you wake up when you hit the floor in a dark room, and the air is knocked out of your lungs. the carpet is threadbare, worn with use, kind of dusty. and you're not the first person to endure this crash landing. nor will you be the last.

once your vision rights itself, you can see the well-lit hallway through the doorjam straight ahead of you. not to say there’s monsters in the shadows, but something propels you towards that door and out into the bright hallway beyond.

and once outside your room, you can hear it: the steady thrum of rain outside.

MAIN LOBBY.

there's a staircase at the end of the lengthy hallway you tumble out of. grab your suitcase and follow the dull green exit signs on the ceiling until you reach the disappointingly bland stairs that lead you down to the ornate old fashion hotel lobby.

to your left is a warmly crackling fireplace, to your right is a lobby desk. straight ahead are three large sets of doors, though only one of them is open to the public. and outside the few (curtained, permanently dark) windows is the continually steady hiss of rain. once you leave the hallway you wake up in, you won't be able to return.

welcome to the hotel.

FRONT DESK.

though there is a bell and a plaque designating the desk to be the main desk, the customer service desk, there are currently no staff members behind it. none shall answer your calls, either.

terribly sorry for the inconvenience.

SCREENING ROOM.

on a long pull-down screen, a silent version of the phantom carriage will be playing on loop. at the back of the room, between the neat rows of fold out chairs, mounted on a wobbly table is the old-timey projector, and mounted on the walls are some rather old speakers that warble out "terrifying" old music.

along the curtained windows is another long table, with a large bowl of popcorn and a large hot drink dispenser full of hot water, but without any tea or hot chocolate packets around.

OTHER.

the ballroom is currently closed, and the grand doors locked.

there is no main door leading to the outside, good luck trying to find one.

the doors to the courtyard and breakfast hall are unlocked, but looks like you've missed the morning meal. sucks for you.

ROOMS.

you've a room key with your assigned room number on it. all the new guest residences will be located on floors three and four. while there is an open elevator in the main lobby, and the buttons light up inside, the doors will not close. all in all, you'll be better off taking the stairs.

while they're the same stairs you undoubtedly came down to get to the lobby, the door to the endless hall everyone woke up in will not reappear between the main floor and the subsequent residential halls.

there are twenty rooms per floor. feel free to get to know your surroundings; or your neighbors as they trickle in around you.

EXISTING GUESTS.

it's late when the newcomers arrive, there's a good chance you'd been about to go to sleep (or just waking up, who knows, your mom's not here to tell you when to go to bed or get up). but if you're paying attention, you might hear the hustle and bustle in the lobby below; or maybe you're just drawn there because your gut told you to go join the commotion. whatever the case may be, go mingle!

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[Oh look. A pretty woman. Brilliant!]

This? [he asks as he folds the cover closed. Not often he meets someone who knows what a vortex manipulator is. A few options come to mind, none of them exactly comforting.] That's nothing.

[When in doubt, change the topic.]

And who might you be? I'd ask where we are, but that would ruin all the mystery of our first date.

[Smooth. That look she's giving him should tell him she knows exactly what 'nothing' is.]

Vortex manipulator?

[But if he wants to change the subject, fine by her.]

Clara Oswald. [Yes, Jack, she is giving you a proper once over, definitely appreciating what she sees. But her heart really isn't in the flirting. Still too soon.] Not much of a date.

[Jack Harkness > smooth.]

Usually. But right now it's a great flashlight and non-working compass. At least I won't stub my toe in the dark. Hate it when that happens.

[Jack looks up and around them, shaking his head a little before his attention slides back to her. She's more interesting than the surroundings. Nothing has jumped out to try and eat him, and that's a good mark in Jack's book.]

I usually try for something more than impressive than this, but it is what it is. By this point, I'm usually running from something.

[That gets a rather unsurprised eyebrow raise. She thought as much. Her phone doesn't work here either.]

Yeah. Been there. [He's not wrong. It's mostly a good day by their usual standards.] Miss the running.

Guessing you've met the Doctor?

I don't. That's why I upgraded to an SUV.

[Not that it would help much in a building, but what the hell.]

[It's the second question that brings a thoughtful air to his flirting, tempering it down some. The quality of his smile becomes a little less.]

If I had, I wouldn't admit it. I'm Torchwood.

[And? She's waiting, but further explanation doesn't seem to be coming. Torchwood. Does that sound vaguely familiar or doesn't it? Hard to tell sometimes. Either way, it doesn't mean anything to her.]

Well, Torchwood, does this mean the date's over?

[Her tone's just a little too dry to be teasing, but she's in a bad mood. She'd thought maybe this day was getting better.]

Torchwood isn't my name. [His voice is gentle still but lower pitched.] It's who I work for, the Torchwood Institute. I run Torchwood Three. Their whole purpose is to apprehend the Doctor. Used to be at least.

[His cheer comes back full-force, only a small amount of it faked.]

You obviously never heard of me from a certain party we both know if you think any date with Captain Jack Harkness ends on a bad note. Care to take a stroll around and see what our new home has? [he asks, offering her his arm.]

Guessin' you haven't had much luck with that.

[It might be a question, but she knows the Doctor well enough to know he'd never make it easy. Besides, if they had, she thinks she'd probably know more about it.]

And it's not exactly new. [She takes his arm, though, with surprisingly little hesitation, smiling as she does.] I could give you the tour.

[If he's done much exploring, or any exploring, he can probably give the tour. There isn't much to see.]

Damnest thing about that. Soon as I took over, it stopped. Imagine that.

[A wink and he draws his arm back, other hand coming to rest over hers. Bad thing about being this close to Jack is the pheromones. He's already classified her as a possible Companion of the Doctor's, a friend at least.]

Lead on then. I'm not intimidated by a woman in control.

[Cue the leer because it's unsurprisingly true.]

[She's just starting to get over losing Danny. His pheromones are probably the last thing she needs right now. Too bad no one's warned her about that.

At least he seems to be a friend of the Doctor's. Not an enemy at least.]

Good. You should love me.

[It's quiet, maybe a little sarcastic. Maybe she's been called a control freak once or twice. She leads him toward the screening room, deciding it's as good a place to start as any.]

Sooo, Captain Jack Harkness, when are you from?

Before this all said and done, I'm sure I will. Haven't had a new Mrs Harkness in awhile. Might come as quite a shock to some people.

[He sounds serious, but Jack Harkness can sound like a lot of things. He claims he can do a perfect pterodactyl call. Despite his manner, at least he's not groping or trying to do anything he shouldn't. For once, he's being a perfect gentleman. Sort of. No one can control his thoughts.]

When? About the fifty-first century although I've been living on Earth since around 1869. Overshot the year I was aiming for by little over a century. What about you?

This is what passes for a movie here? Really?

A proposal on the first date. Moving a bit fast, aren't we?

[Clara Oswald is very good at hiding her emotions when she wants to be, and right now, she wants to be. Forcing down thoughts of Danny and awkward first dates, she even manages to make it sound like proper flirting.]

Boring. [Her time, not his.] Twenty-first century. Nothing unusual about it.

[The last may be a stretch, but guess who isn't interested in talking about her life right now.]

Last month's wasn't any better. At least there's popcorn.

[Was popcorn. Certain people seem to have stolen it. It's better than what they got. And unless he's keen on staying for the show, she'll be leading him back out and toward the empty breakfast hall. The courtyard gets a special mention, but she's not planning on going outside right now if he doesn't insist.]

It's always raining. That's the only door out. [Her free hand finds the door for the breakfast hall, pushing it open.] This is where you get breakfast.

Thought I'd get my bid in before everyone else.

[He pats her hand gently but nothing more than that. Jack may be many things, but trying to seduce someone who knows the Doctor right off isn't one of them. At least not until he's sure the Doctor isn't here. It's not fear but the Doctor might give him that look.]

[He battles aliens and all the monsters of the universe, and the Doctor makes him feel bad with a look. This is his life.]

No popcorn, always raining, and only one door. You sure we aren't trapped in a bad Agatha Christie novel?

[The empty room doesn't do much to settle Jack's slowly growing worries over this place.]

Oh, because there's loads of competition.

[They are all currently trapped in a dingy hotel with no hope of escape. Doesn't make for much of a dating pool. And most of them have other things on their minds. Like wondering how they're going to get out of this place.

She glances sideways, flashing him a small, amused smile.]

Not much plot. Unless almost freezing to death counts.

[There are also the weird gifts, the non-existent staff, and the way none of the furniture would burn when the heat had went out. Minor problems in the grand scheme of things.]

There might be. Some men and women are shy. Besides if he's here, he has these difficulties about me and his companions.

[It's a force of habit for Jack to not put a name to the Doctor without knowing for sure who are allies and enemies. The Doctor wouldn't have one this cute and not tell him, right?]

Freezing to death. Not a good way to go. Done it too many times myself. Maybe laying in some supplies wouldn't be a bad idea. Any ideas who's running the place? Or are there secret cameras watching?

[The look he gets is some combination of amused disbelief and irritation.]

He can get over it.

[She makes her own decisions, thank you very much. The Doctor's approval is nice, but she doesn't need it. (Lies. But try convincing her of that.) She'll do whatever she likes with whomever she likes.

It probably says something that she doesn't even pause to comment on his deaths. That's what traveling with the Doctor will do for you. Plus, she seems to remember Kate not Kate saying something about one of his deaths.]

Probably. [Hard to say which of his comments she's addressing.] I'm sure someone's watching.

Was hoping the Doctor'd know.

[If she ever finds him. She's been here a month without finding any answers. They could all use some of that clever right now.]

I like you. I really do. I made an excellent choice for the next Mrs Harkness.

[He nods as if this were a true thing forever and always. It isn't but what's the harm in it is his opinion. Besides, it could be something to needle the Doctor with later. Someone has to burst his bubble on occasion.]

I don't know about that. I'd rather him be on the outside finding things out instead of in here with us. They snatch him up, and our chances for rescue drop. My people back at Torchwood should be looking for me by now, but their resources aren't what the Doctor's are, especially if we've left Earth.

[These are the ways Jack's mind works.]

Obviously. [Clearly, she's happy to play along.] So when do I get a ring?

[All perfectly serious, like she really expects him to have a good answer and he might be in trouble if he doesn't. An outsider could get the wrong idea about this relationship, not that she particularly cares.]

He works better under pressure. [That may be her way of disagreeing.] What if they don't know we're gone?

As soon as I can find a jewelry shop in this creepy hotel. Failing that, when I can cut one out of some rock candy for you. I promise you the sparkliest one in the lot. How can you resist a man who courts you with sugar?

[His low laugh is free and easy, inviting her to play along and carrying along his end of the game. To the untrained eye, Jack could see the caring fiancé, content to give everything he has.]

If they don't notice, then it's a good thing he never chooses people who can't make it on their own. I think we can figure out what direction to run all on our own. [beat, pause] There's still a lot of that, right? Running all the time?

I'm surprised you weren't already taken. I must be the luckiest girl here.

[And she does seem very pleased to have caught him. She thinks they make a hell of a couple, even if they aren't a real one. It's easy, this game they're playing, maybe the easiest thing she's done in awhile. The easiest thing she's done since taking off with the Doctor again, and she hasn't even gotten a chance to enjoy that yet because she's landed in this place.]

Oh, loads of running. He loves the running. [Some things never change.] He probably hasn't changed much.

You've known him a long time?

You are!

[It's a tease as most things are with Jack, letting his ego be flattered just a little more than is probably good for him.]

Was never more physically fit than when I traveled with him. [He's still letting her lead them. If not, he'll head them back towards the check in desk or to her room. He tries to be a gentleman. Tries.]

That depends. What's he look like these days?

[She'll have to be careful with this one. She knows all about men and their egos, how difficult they can be given too much flattery. She's looking at you, Doctor.

She stops them near the door to the basement, about the only thing left to show him aside from the rooms, debating if she really wants to go back down there.]

Old. [There's a small, fond smile, but there's a certain sadness behind it.] A bit like a big grey stick insect. I swear those eyebrows have a mind of their own.

[Finally, she decides the answer is no. They can explore it another day. Like with the courtyard, she tells him where it goes and moves on, leading him toward the stairs.]

Laundry. And boiler room. A few locked doors.

Old. Damn. I was hoping maybe he had reacquired a taste for leather. Wasn't as fond of the bald head and big ears, but he was a good kisser.

[Jacks sighs a little in pleasure at the memory.]

Laundry. Hm. No way out there or through any of the pipes in the boiler room?

[All of this he intends to explore later, but it never hurts to ask.]

[Bald head and big ears...She can picture his face, but it's all a bit blurry now. She doesn't think she ever snogged that one.]

So's this one. [At least from what she can remember of that jumbled mess of memories.] Now, I wouldn't know.

[After a beat, she adds,] He dresses a bit like a magician.

[His question just earns him a look.]

What do you think?

Oh?

[And Jack has to tilt his head at that and grin a little. If the Doctor has fallen for another Companion, it wouldn't fully surprise him. A magician? Jack is intrigued now. That could be sexy.]

I'm guessing that's a no if everyone is still sitting here? Or no one has been stupid enough to try?

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thatimpossiblegirl - 2015-04-02 23:49 (UTC) - Expand

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