fifth; [location: osten beach]

[notcursed]

It's done. Toby almost feels lighter, being away from the bulk of Taxon's people - but also knowing that Dean is going to be okay. Sure, there's the Supreme Takeover to worry about, but in typical Toby fashion he chooses not to see the gravity of it. At least for now. He wants to be where his head won't be filled with hundreds of thoughts that aren

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[glowingseer]

And isn't it just a perfect day to go to the beach? Thanks to Willow's clickety-clicking of the tablet, the location of the beach is clearly marked for her - and Cordelia, bored with hatching stuff, decided it would be great to start wandering about.

Which explains why she is now at the beach.

"This is so weird," she mutters. Alien people bringing this strip of Sunnydale into alien-land? Still weird. Will always be weird, in her opinion.

Cordelia looks around her - and spots a man sitting on the sand. "Hey," she calls out. "You're... uh, not one of those creepy NPCs or whatever, are you?"

[notcursed]

The female voice breaking the mesmerizing sound of the waves catches Toby's attention, its owner's question bringing out a small grin. He turns his head to look at her, raising his right hand to show the metal band around his wrist.

"Not as far as I know. It's safe."

[glowingseer]

"Oh thank god," she replies, grinning right back. Cordelia takes a few steps towards him. "I think if I encounter one of those weirdos out here, I'm gonna punch him or her in the nose. 'Coz they have. Noses."

[notcursed]

Toby looks amused, nodding. "You're right, they have noses. I wonder if they'd hit back."

He glances down the beach, nodding to indicate a man who he swears has been pacing there for the last ten minutes. "Let's just hope they stay on that side of the beach, huh?"

[songofspoilers]

For all River had immersed herself into Taxon life, what with the dig she was organising and her research, the big question never really went away. She tried not to think about it too much, but at moments like this when she walked the familiar waters' edge barefoot, she couldn't help ponder whether she really wanted the answers.

So when she paused a few feet away from Toby and looked out to the horizon, she barely noticed him. Just another mindless drone that their hosts had brought along presumably, in the corner of her eye.

"Maybe we're all dead." River mused, but the heat of the sand between her toes said otherwise as she wiggled her toes.

[notcursed]

Toby watched as River stopped a few feet away from him, and his gaze followed hers out to the horizon. When she spoke he wondered for a moment if it was aloud or in her head, the sound of the waves muddling that particular distinction. But only for a moment.

"I hope not."

[songofspoilers]

Toby piping up from behind her took her by surprise. "Sorry, didn't see you there." She offered by way of apology for the way she startled a little.

"Thought you were one of them." She laughs a little, realising how rude that probably sounds.

"Just an off hand theory, nothing in it." Despite her smiley dismissal of the theory though for his sake, her mind flits to the question of whether she is, the datacore flashing into her mind. River looks back out to the horizon. "I always find it calming, sorts out my thoughts."

[notcursed]

Toby nodded slowly with a faint smirk. "That's all right."

He looked out to the horizon again, watching the water all the way out there sparkle, the waves rise and fall. "Yeah... it's nice. I haven't been to a beach in a long time."

[who_never_would]

The Doctor is out for a walk on the beach. It strikes him as strange that someone would actually bother to bring a beach with them, but then again, maybe not so strange. Staring out at the 'infinite' horizon of that ocean is far better than staring at the walls of his ship. It's a grand illusion, and it makes him a little less claustrophobic than he's been in quite some time.

He's actually initially headed for that particular house on the shore's edge, a pair of black Chuck Taylors dangling in his hand, and his suit-pant cuffs rolled up over frightfully skinny knees. Resembling more skinny, overgrown boy escaped from prom than a man, he skirts along the water's edge, not having remembered the last time he'd walked barefoot in the sand.

If the other man is looking at him, he flashes a bright, childish smile in his direction. One pale hand gets raised in sheepish greeting.

[notcursed]

Toby is indeed looking at him, and at the acknowledgement he smiles and returns the wave.

"Hey there."

[who_never_would]

"'Allo," replies the Doctor cheerfully. Something about salt and wind and waves. Terribly uplifting.

He nods towards the water, British accent becoming a touch clearer the more he speaks. "Wonderful illusion, isn't it? Better than staring at walls and whatnot."

[notcursed]

He nods, staring out at the water again. Illusion... he knows it can't be anything else, but it's so real. Toby's almost annoyed that this guy would come over here and step on that blissful sandcastle of ignorance, but he knows it's not his fault.

"Yeah... it makes it seem less like we're caged in here. Like home's still out there."

[tattooedfacts]

Have a Leonard, Toby. He's on a beach, apparently. He doesn't really have a clue why or how though, or even where the beach is. It's nice though.

He's sat not too far away, sorting through his various polaroids and notes and trying to fathom out who he was following. Or why he's sat on a beach wearing a suit, would do, at a push.

It's kind of hard to concentrate on the present though, when the roll of the waves and the way the sun glistens on the water, reminds him of his wife. He can see her, splashing in the water and him giving chase playfully.

[notcursed]

Toby catches sight of these images, catches wind of the questions, and he's curious. He waits a minute before saying anything, just turning his head to watch this guy.

[tattooedfacts]

The notes don't answer much more than the same thing they've answered time and time again. If he could remember that, he might not be so confused. 'Taxon' and 'stuck here' give him pause for mentally 'what the fucking?' every time

[notcursed]

Leonard's memories drift past him like voices on the sea breeze, and Toby closes his eyes as he picks them up. ... There's something very off about this guy, and not just because he's on a beach in a suit.

Curious, Toby turns a little - just being friendly, yup, that's all - and gets up, wandering over in Leonard's direction. He stops, but not too close to him, and smiles.

"Hey."