[open] housewarming

[tutee]

who: Bill Potts and you!
what: making the TARDIS feel like home
when: throughout November
where: shops around town, in a park under a bridge
warnings: n/a, will edit as necessary


[ Bill has officially been living in the TARDIS ever since she was given the key and found it parked under a bridge in a park downtown. It didn't take long to move all her things there; she didn't have as much to move this time around. But even still, the TARDIS doesn't feel like a home. Or, more correctly, it doesn't feel like her home. She still feels like she's just borrowing space from the absent Doctor, waiting for him to come back or for the TARDIS to kick up again and take her to him. She doesn't know how to fly the thing, so it's only really good to her as a place to live.

So, she decides to make it feel more like somewhere she'd want to live.

She visits various shops in town, buying furniture and home decor. A lamp here, a throw rug there. Lots of wood and bright, warm colors. Piece by piece, she takes it back to the park, to that spot under the bridge where the bright blue police box is parked. Find her shopping, or bringing her purchases back to the park. Maybe you even find her carrying a large, rolled up rug that by all means shouldn't fit inside that police box, and walking right through the open door. ]

Comments

[namednothing]

[Once he'd noticed that the same woman had been taking several trips under the bridge several times, Odo became curious. Where exactly was she taking this furniture? It was possible she was stealing or looting, which case the constable really should be investigating further.

With duty in mind, he walks around to view the situation from a different angle, and sees the large blue box. He wasn't sure what it was, but the text above suggested it was police property of some sort. Feeling he had enough of a reason to at least ask a few questions, he quickly shifts so that he was wearing the Riverview police uniform, and approaches.]

Excuse me, what are you doing?

[tutee]

[ What is Bill doing? She's currently struggling with a heavy box, trying to unlock the door to the TARDIS without dropping the parcel in her arms. When suddenly, there's a... policeman questioning her. She stops for a moment, realizes how this must look. Her trying to get into a police box.

She freezes, turns to face him. ]

It's not what it looks like. I have a key!

[namednothing]

[Seeing her struggle with the box he comes over, offering in a gesture to take it from her. He's obviously curious about the police box, though, as he keeps glancing at it.]

A key to... what, exactly?

[That's right. A police officer that doesn't know what a police box is.]

[tutee]

[ She gratefully allows him to take the heavy box from her, now better able to unlock the door to the TARDIS. ]

To my... police box. [ She isn't sure if she should be going around telling just anyone what the TARDIS is. It isn't really even hers, after all. And the Doctor isn't here. ]

[namednothing]

[The weight of the package doesn't seem to bother him, but at that answer he gives her a dubious look.]

Your police box. I see. Are you a law enforcement official?

[He might not know what it's for, but it looks to be police property as far as he can tell. Who knows where she could have gotten the key.]

[tutee]

[ Bill instantly backpedals. ]

What? I-- No, it's not really a police box police box. It's not... It's from home. My home. It doesn't belong to the police.

[namednothing]

[The constable had no real means to verify her story, but she didn't give any signs to indicate she was not telling the truth. Still, her statement confuses him, and it shows on his face.]

Ah.

[He looks at the booth again, trying to make sense of what it was, but unable to see inside from this angle he was limited. When he speaks next his voice is less authoritative, and a bit softer.]

...and what is a police box?

[tutee]

[ Bill looks surprised. Shouldn't he know? He's wearing a police uniform, after all.

Maybe he's from the future or another world or something. He certainly looks alien. ]

It's, erm, a phone box? That you can use to call the police. See?

[ She walks over to the panel on the side of the TARDIS, pulling it open to reveal a telephone receiver inside. ]

[namednothing]

[He peeks in at the phone curiously, then backs up to eye the whole box.]

Did this come with you through the portal?

[There's also the question of where she planned to put all these furnishings, but investigating the portal and methods of arrival took priority for the moment.]

[tutee]

Not... at the same time, but it came through the portal, yeah.

[ At least, that's how she'd assumed it got there when the TARDIS showed up without the Doctor inside it. ]

[namednothing]

Interesting. I've heard of other things coming through separately, but I didn't think of something this large.

[He makes a mental note of it, then turns back to furniture to try to solve this other mystery. Perhaps she was homeless? The possibility of theft came to mind again, but he reserves his judgement for now.]

What were you planning to do with all...this?

[tutee]

You don't know the half of it... [ She mutters under her breath. The inside of the TARDIS is massive. ]

Oh, I was just... Storing it. In here. I'm moving out of the communal housing.

[ She doesn't mention that she's moving INTO the police box. ]

[namednothing]

[Furrowing his hairless brows, Odo looks from the pile of belongings to the police box, and back again.]

I can't blame you for that but... I wouldn't be so sure those things will all fit in there.

[tutee]

[ Bill gets a feeling if this conversation goes on too much longer, she's going to end up spilling more about the TARDIS than she's strictly comfortable with, so she moves to take the heavy box back from the policeman. ]

That's alright, I'm sure I'll find roo--!

[ Just as she is about to turn away from him and head back into the TARDIS, she slips and the box begins to slide out of her grip! ]

[namednothing]

[As she slips, Odo instantly breaks his humanoid form to allow both his arms to stretch out and become amber colored liquid tentacles. One reaches out to wrap around the box to prevent it from falling, and the other around the woman's shoulders to keep her upright.]

[tutee]

Oh--! [ Is all Bill has a chance to say as she watches the policeman reshape himself, turning liquid and flexible as he swiftly catches the falling box. She peers down at the arm around her shoulders, mouth wide. ]

You're-- [ Like her. ] What are you?

[namednothing]

[Once the box is securely on the ground and Bill is on safely on her feet, he lets go and draws himself together again, forming his previous appearance.

The question is not unexpected, and Odo answers without hesitation. He had learned not to be ashamed of what he was.]

I'm a changeling... are you all right?

[tutee]

[ Maybe not exactly like her. But still, alien! Interesting. ]

Yeah. I'm fine. [ Sorry, she's so curious. She doesn't think what she is is a changeling, as she's still... Bill-shaped. It's just that sometimes, she's dripping water. ]

Sorry. That was... You're made of liquid?

[namednothing]

[It wasn't a typical follow up question which made Odo wonder if she was some kind of scientist. Usually the first thing people wanted to know was what he could change into, or what he 'really' looked like.]

In my natural state I am a gelatinous liquid, yes.

[tutee]

Right. Sorry, it's just... I am too. Sort of.

[ She hasn't met anyone who was like her, aside from Heather. So he'll have to excuse her while she freaks out a bit. ]

[namednothing]

[That surprises him, the conversation suddenly changing from mundane to quite interesting. Her reaction made Odo wonder if she had ever met someone similar to herself before - was she one of the hundred? As much as he could hope, something seemed off about that idea. There's a delay before he replies, nodding his head slowly in understanding.]

...I see. I take it that this isn't common where you come from?

[A pause, then he adds;]

What do you mean by 'Sort of?'