[open] and an awful lot of running to do

[alwaysmovingon]

The Doctor is actually okay. For the most part. More or less recovered from his run in with Aramat - if still prone to be a little jumpy and sleeping very decidedly in the TARDIS door locked no matter what - and just a bit perplexed by his recent brief stint as a woman (that was interesting, to be sure, somewhat unexplainable) he is in usual form

Comments

[silvereyedphage]

Muraki has been looking for the Doctor since that dreadful night in the basement, when he found out what his sister had been up to -- and when he nearly died from a hellish attack with her as the channel for that attack. Add to this, the phage is in season and it's making him irritable and nervy.

His friend and, perhaps, protector might find him in the library, running research on demonic possession and oppression.

[alwaysmovingon]

Library it is, then, and the Doctor will wander in sooner or later, sonic screwdriver tucked away once more, humming "Camptown Races" under his breath for no particular reason, with a set frown on his face. He knows nothing about your connection to Aramat, Muraki. He would be interested to know.

Twitchy, though. Very twitchy. However, for the moment... "Ah!" He says, with some amount of pleasure. "The good doctor, been some time since I've seen you about, hm?"

[silvereyedphage]

Muraki looks up from the black letter-printed book he's reading and manages a smile of pleasure. "The good doctor... I was going to address you with that very epithet, my friend," he says, with a chuckle. "How have you been?"

[alwaysmovingon]

The Doctor, of course, smiles back. "Been well, always, always all right, me, doing just fine," he says, rapidly, perhaps just a bit too much. Still twitchy, but - he's getting better than he was. "You? Look all right, quite recovered from our little mishap, yes? That's good. Been meaning to check in, easy to get distracted here, though..."

[silvereyedphage]

"I recovered within a day or two after the last time that we spoke, and I have been meaning to speak to you again since," he says taking off his eyeglasses and setting them on the spread-open book before him. "You're...certain that you're all right? You seem rather perturbed."

His concern is genuine, even a bit brooding, as if he knows what's bothering the Doctor, and he's merely trying to confirm it.

[alwaysmovingon]

For a moment, something flickers across the Doctor's eyes, but it is gone in an instant. "Perturbed, me? Nah, I'm all right. Perfectly fine, perhaps a little bothered that this place isn't cooperating like it might, but other than that - quite fine. I'm glad you're all right, how have things been, how are you managing?"

If we talk rapidly enough no one will notice there is anything amiss.

[silvereyedphage]

He doesn't press the matter, not for now, and instead, tries another tack. "I've been well myself, though I had a near miss involving an odd case of what looks like demonic oppression of some kind, somebody being used by what you might call the omega to my alpha," he says, tapping the book before him with one finger.

[alwaysmovingon]

...blink. "Demonic oppression, by which you mean...more precisely, please? That doesn't sound terribly pleasant. You're all right, though, I assume?" He draws a little nearer to look over Muraki's shoulder to see what he's reading, eyes racing down the page.

[silvereyedphage]

"It was one of the more unpleasant paranormal experiences that I have had," he says, looking away to hide a cringe at the memory of what transpired in the basement. "It differs from demonic possession, in that the entity is working through the afflicted person, rather than infesting their mind. I've been researching a means to break the connection in this individual, but so far, I have had little luck."

[alwaysmovingon]

The Doctor scratches his mouth, frowning. "I could - see what I can see, if you like? Or if that doesn't suit your fancy, describe more of what you felt, that sounds rather like - hm. Working through, how do you mean? It sounds strangely familiar, but I can't place it..."

And working through his numerous years of experience? ...takes a while.

[silvereyedphage]

"One might consider my situation a form of possession, though I would compare possession to a case of parasitism, while oppression is more a case of a demon using a person as a remote proxy, rather than a dwelling," he replies.

[alwaysmovingon]

"I suppose I can see the...hm. So rather like - yes, yes, I suppose I rather understand what you're...like the Ood, I - hm. Indeed. So what sort of a being would...what was this...'demon' using said person as a proxy for?"

So many questions. And so many trains of thought at once. But that's this one for you.

[silvereyedphage]

"It seemed to be trying to harm me, as if the demon thought me some kind of a threat," he replies. "The...subject was injured and I was trying to revive them, when of a sudden, she came to life and attacked me, when normally, this person would be very solicitous and even sisterly toward me."

[alwaysmovingon]

The frown deepens, and the Doctor taps his lips with one finger, idly. "Hm," he says, and then shakes it off. "--well. It sounds like the sort of thing I should look into. Who was the unfortunate?"

Ah, now we come to it.

[silvereyedphage]

"That would be Madame Aramat Drawdes, a young lady I've been treating as she needs it," he replies, realizing he's dropping a bomb.

Which amuses the phage inordinately.

[alwaysmovingon]

...The Doctor just blinks. Outwardly. That is all. "I see," he says, "Isn't that curious."

His mind is now ticking between some reaction to the regeneration energy, something suppressed that it somehow and I never want anything to do with that woman again, don't even think about it.

"How have you been treating her?" It's plain that he is revealing nothing, perfectly natural. A good liar.