[RL - Itsuki - A Warning Sign (Backdated to 04/04/10)]

[timey_wimey]

"And then Doctor - oh, but then..."

The Doctor frowned as Carmen spoke, her worried face speaking volumes about the prophecy she was seeing before she'd even made it. Whatever she was about to say, it couldn't be good. Not that it was good already - he'd already heard that your song is ending soon lark once before, from the Ood, and hearing it

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[smilingtransfer]

"It's high time all this sand got washed off," he agreed easily, watching the Doctor instead of Carmen. He wasn't psychic, not precisely. But enough time around the Doctor, and enough time around Haruhi, and most importantly enough time of Haruhi being around the doctor when her subconscious had already decided that he was the one with ESP gave him a niggling sensation that the woman was right, even though any thoughts about knocking hadn't even entered his mind before she said it.

[timey_wimey]

It was times like this that the Doctor was glad that Itsuki was as good - better, even - at covering this sort of thing up, ignoring it for a little, as he was. Anyone else he'd taken with him would have buried him under questions by now. He hadn't even meant to take Itsuki on an adventure like this particular one but... well, things happened with him.

For now, he just turned the key in the lock and pushed the TARDIS door open, keeping the conversation going. "Yeah, I thought so too. Thing about sand, it always gets into the most awkward places."

But really? His mind was still on what Carmen had just said. Because he'd heard it before. Thanks to the community, he'd heard it before, a voice from the future warning him about... well, the future. His own personal future.

He just hadn't expected the warning to come so soon.

[smilingtransfer]

"It's only to be expected at the beach, but it's a little troublesome when you're not prepared..." He made as though to take off his jacket, and then reconsidered, assuming that the TARDIS wouldn't appreciate the amount of sand he'd end up dislodging end up all over the floor. "I have to ask, do you ever manage a trip to a nice calm place where nothing surprising in particular happens?"

[timey_wimey]

The Doctor smiled wryly. "Of course I do! Trouble's usually only the bits in-between, you know. I manage my fair share of normal intergalactic tourist activity."

He moved to the console, flicking a few switches and pushing the lever down, watching the central column move up and down as the TARDIS moved.

[smilingtransfer]

"I'm going to have to make up my entire spring break essay this year, you realize." He was close enough to the console to fiddle with the switches, but he held back his natural curiosity. He quite liked living.

Speaking of natural curiosity... "You weren't surprised. You weren't confused, either." He kept his light, airy tone, not looking at the Doctor, not entirely sure what he was going to do if the Doctor brushed him off.

[timey_wimey]

"What, are you looking for me to apologise?"

That was what he had been going to say to Itsuki's spring break comment. But then Itsuki brought up what had just happened, just like the Doctor had been afraid he would. But well, he should have expected it, right?

"I had advance warning of the advance warning," he said simply, not meeting Itsuki's eyes.

[smilingtransfer]

"Mm. A warning..." He moved back a bit, to lean against one of the railings. "I suppose it can't simply be brushed off as Carmen's psychic wires becoming crossed, so to speak. I wonder why her, though? I wouldn't imagine psychics would be a particularly rare thing for you to discover."

After all, if he danced around the topic of what exactly it was a warning of for long enough, it might be easier to steer the conversation in that direction without the Doctor clamming up. (Who else had warned him? It couldn't have been while Donna was traveling with him or the entire world would know by now, the same with Haruhi. Did that mean it was recent? Did that mean it was coming soon?)

[timey_wimey]

"No," he said shortly. "It was too specific for that. Might not have sounded that way to you, but it wasn't meant for you, so I don't think she would have been too bothered about making sense to anyone else."

He shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets. "I dunno. Maybe she just happened to be in the right place at the right time. One of life's little coincidences," he finished, his lip curling ever so slightly.

[smilingtransfer]

"I didn't actually think it was a mistake," he said, with slight hesitation. "It felt... correct." A pause. "Apologies. I'm getting the distinct feeling you'd rather I wasn't here, and yet I'm tracking mud all over this conversation nevertheless."

[timey_wimey]

"Well, it's not every day you hear the news of what's probably your impending end," the Doctor said bluntly. "I don't imagine many people would want an audience."

[smilingtransfer]

"True." He paused for a while, trying to gather his thoughts, fidgeting a bit, and eventually came out with, "Well, this trip just became fairly awkward."

[timey_wimey]

"Just a bit, yeah," the Doctor sighed. "Not quite how I imagined spending Easter."

[smilingtransfer]

As Donna had so helpfully pointed out many times, Itsuki and the Doctor were more than a little similar when it came to difficult situations. Clam up, refuse all help, and pretend everything was all right. Any offers to help or to rally the more powerful members of the community would be thoroughly shot down, whether they'd be effective or not. And Itsuki was very nearly sure that something would be effective, when the time came.

"I don't see any particular reason to let the community at large know," he said idly. And while the Doctor was lulling himself into a false sense of martyr-like security, he'd be investigating things very carefully.

[timey_wimey]

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "You know me too well," he said, but any usual joviality that would have gone with that comment was gone at the moment. In fact, the Doctor's tone was almost subdued. "I was just about to ask you not to tell anyone. I don't want anyone else mixed up in whatever's going to happen, and that includes you, alright?"

Of course, he didn't really expect Itsuki to do what he was told. After all, when did anybody really listen to him? But it was worth a try, and this time, the Doctor fully intended to actually succeed in stopping anyone from putting themselves at risk. Anything that could happen that was powerful enough to... well, he didn't want any of his friends up against whatever was coming for him in however many days, weeks, months or years. Especially with who was almost definitely going to be involved.

[smilingtransfer]

"I can imagine the conversation now. 'Suzumiya-san, let me tell you about my trip. It seems the Doctor's not going to be around much longer. Well, time to start the club meeting.'" He shook his head. "I like to think I have a little more sense than that."

[timey_wimey]

"You know what I mean," the Doctor said impatiently, although in spite of himself, the corners of his lips did quirk upwards slightly.