Torchwood News

[bigbadrose]

Right, so...

On behalf of Torchwood Tower, I'm issuin' an apology for the Nightmare Room in the Haunted House. I'm pleased to say, it's otherwise been pretty successful, and we're still looking for ghosts, pokemon, or anyone else to come out and play! Free fear to feed on, and adjacent to the restaurant which is taking off pretty well!

But while we're not removing the Nightmare room or dungeon, it doesn't just have a psychic sign, it has a red flashing neon sign and a slider! Do not take the room lightly. It's meant to get into your head in a way normal things can't, yeah? Nothin' wrong with flipping the slider all the way down, I promise.

I still believe firmly that facing your fears head on is important... but it was never meant to traumatize anyone. Or hurt. [Rubs her face.] ALSO, we strongly suggest vampires, and those connected closely to them, just avoid it entirely. It's not bigotry, I promise, but as vampires are in need of blood and eat fear, they shouldn't donate either, yeah? Let us feed you instead, okay?

In lighter news:

If I can get a soundtrack up'n runnin' in the background to the place, maybe to help remind people that none of it is real.

How's this sound?

[Plays a bassline in accompiant to recording of the others except her "singing."]

Comments

[Video]

[hot_handed]

Your apology's unnecessary. If any shitheads are complaining about the haunted house being too scary, then they shouldn't have gone in the first place. That's the stupidest shit I've ever heard. Don't lower yourself to their level to make up for their weakness.

[Sorry for setting it on fire.]

[Video]

[bigbadrose]

I open the floor for you to handle all complaints about it then.

Do you believe in ghosts now?

Re: [Video]

[hot_handed]

I'll murder them.

...Still on the fence.

Re: [Video]

[bigbadrose]

That'll help them stop bein' wusses.

I'd encourage you to go the graveyards, but they don't like sunlight, so... [Shrugs.] Hopefully more will come enjoy the house?

Re: [Video]

[hot_handed]

Damn straight.

And what? See a fuckin' zombie? That's unhygienic.

Re: [Video]

[bigbadrose]

I actually haven't met a zombie here yet!

Which is kind of funny, because that's what I am used to dealing with a lot more, to be honest.

Re: [Video]

[hot_handed]

Bullshit.

[Video]

[storiesofmyown]

[It's late afternoon heading into evening when Martha steps away from the remaining group in the TARDIS, back to her own for a tick. There's something she needs to do involving a smart-phone and a mouthy blonde.

She's sitting on her bed with the back against the TARDIS's wall when the video connects and she looks much better than before.]

Go big or go home, that's you all over, isn't it? [There's a smile, a bit wry, and none of the bitter sharpness of before.]

[Video]

[bigbadrose]

[ROSE CRACKS UP AT THAT SO HARD.]

Yeaaaaah. A bit. [Jack. Torchwood, everything with the Doctor, the dimension cannon, the Nightmare room... MM-HM. Hell, that straight up WAS her problem with Ten! She didn't want to half-ass her love-life, and thus just tried to run for it instead. Ahhhhh...]

[When she gets the giggles under control, she FACEPALMS HARD.] I am sorry though. For yesterday. I promise I'm not always that bratty. I'd say not "usually," but it's been my worst habit for the better part of the last year here.

Re: [Video]

[storiesofmyown]

[When Rose starts laughing, Martha knows everything's going to be okay. She pulls her feet up onto the bed with her and does her best to relax. The tension in her isn't from Rose at all, anyway, so she laughs, too. Not as hard, but genuine.]

Nah [she says like someone they both know and love when the giggles stop] I still think collars are a bad idea, but then I just spent six months trying to stop the apocalypse to free him and Jack. It's none of mine, though, is it? What you lot get up to on your own.

Re: [Video]

[bigbadrose]

[TIGHT GRIN.]

[WELL. THERE'S THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.]

[She looks down at her nails and fidgets!!] It's not... not your business either though, yeah?

[FACE SCRUNCH And another laugh.] I told guitarist about the collar too, recently, and if you could have seen his face...

[Gently shakes her head with an equally soft smile.] I meant it as a joke all those months ago, never expected him to keep it up. But I think it's also his rebellion to his older selves in a way, yeah? [Finger over her lips.] But don't tell 'em I said that.

Re: [Video]

[storiesofmyown]

Not a word. [The promise is easily given. Martha Jones can keep a secret, yes she can, even if she prefers to be straight about things.

Which is why she's not going to let go of that bone of contention so quickly. Rose is nervous. She doesn't need to know her to see it, though for the life of her she can't see what Rose has to worry about from her.]

Hark, you. There's three versions of him, somehow, Jack, and a whole big world out there. I'll find my place, and you don't need to worry about me trying to take yours. As if I could.

Re: [Video]

[bigbadrose]

[Welp. Straight for it then...]

[Rose switches this quickly to a lock, and adds some extra encoding, since the Doctor could break through anything, but if she adds more to it, he'll feel guilty for trying.]

You already did, actually.

Well, not my place. You have your own here, yeah? I mean... with Jack and the Doctor.

He --

[Grits her teeth.]

[How to phrase it?]

[The only person who really knew how much it hurt Rose was 12. She had to do everything to bury it from Jack and 10.]

He missed you so much he left here. And Jack... [Doodles a finger on the desk.]

[Waves the hand, not really looking up or straight.] Don't worry about it. [She does look up, but her nerves freeze all over again.]

[Jack and her were always working so hard to be each other's heroes it was dysfunctional as hell, and no one knew how to fix it. And Fluffy... Whew. Between running away, and then asking him for a date, she knew she was yo-yoing him. She didn't want to. But what was even the alternative?]

[And 12 got it so well she didn't have to say anything. So it was just... better this way, wasn't it?]

He's still him, even when he's older. Just as daft as ever, yeah?

video

[ubiquitously]

I guess everyone here must be used to the Haunted Houses at carnivals, with plastic monsters and people in masks.

If you need any help with a soundtrack, I am registered as a composer here. I could lend a hand.

video

[bigbadrose]

Okay, be honest, is there anything locally you can't do?

[Doctor, eat your heart out. He fixes time, he composes, and he's got Rose smiling, DUN DUN DUUUUN.]

[ubiquitously]

I can't lose?

[That's a joke. Uai isn't going to broadcast his failings in public.

Not right now, anyway.]

You all don't need to worry about that time anomaly that formed in the Haunted House either. I'm pretty sure I straightened it out.

[bigbadrose]

[More giggles, and nods!]

Earnin' your keep not even your first week on the job!

Thanks. I've never seen anythin' like that before, ta be honest. Ahhh, I hope everyone's okay.

[ubiquitously]

I'm sure it'll be fine. It felt like whoever it was got a grip and spotted actively tearing at time and space, so I take that as a good sign.

That said. Did anyone get through without a breakdown?

[bigbadrose]

Yeah, MOST! Actually 99% I'd say! [Sighs and pushes her hair back with a hand.] Just the ones that didn't were pretty big deals, yeah?

Tea with Martha || At the Haunted Eatings

[bigbadrose]

Rose is going over the books, but luckily everything seems PRETTY OKAY TODAY. So she should be able to get a tea/lunch break in without rushing over to deal with catastrophes on the other side. Maybe. And if they do, well, Martha's been with the Doctor, she knows how it is.

Rose is accidentally sucking/chewing on the top of her pen as she makes more notes to the restaurant's take-out menu -- not operational yet, she's not sure who to hire for it, someone badass who could handle themselves, and trustworthy to deal with plasma orders, but also who could handle weird hours? Maybe Thatch would know.

Re: Tea with Martha || At the Haunted Eatings

[storiesofmyown]

Martha says her goodbyes and lets Jack and the Doctor know where she'll be, even though the Doctor -- nosy thing! -- already knows. Someone has to be a responsible adult in their relationship. Even though she's not much in a place she wants to be away from Jack, especially, she's used to being alone now, to traveling on her own time, and she was heading toward starkers sitting there in the TARDIS holding court.

So if she takes an extra ten minutes to go the long way around, she imagines Rose will forgive her. Considering the reason they're doing this at all, ten minutes late is a miniscule transgression. But she does find the Haunted Eatings easily enough and it's...odd, but somehow feels familiar.

She sees Rose, head bent over some kind of project, and clears her throat. "Hello, Rose Tyler."

Re: Tea with Martha || At the Haunted Eatings

[bigbadrose]

"Hey," Rose was gonna be casual, and was, starting off, but jumped up and hugged the other woman as soon as Martha was in Rose's line of vision, beaming bright as a sun. "Blimey you're a sight for sore eyes," she laughed. "What did the Doctor have you doin'? You look... ragged, yeah?"

And Rose thought she'd had it rough in the 5th dimension, yikes.

Re: Tea with Martha || At the Haunted Eatings

[storiesofmyown]

Although she's not expecting it, she ought to have been. Go big or go home. And that's Rose, all over. She thinks she's glad Rose decided to go big, and returns the hug tightly and with genuine warmth.

"Oi! Ragged my arse," she replies, clearly teasing. She looks like Hell and she knows it. But she's smiling nice enough as she steps back. "They told you about the Master and the Toclafane, yeah?"

Re: Tea with Martha || At the Haunted Eatings

[bigbadrose]

Rose giggled --

But at the mention of the Master, her expression flipped completely.

"No," she admited, pushing her hair back with a hand. "Only that they patched up over the Doctor leavin' him behind, which..." GROWLS. "I haven't. He told me Jack was takin' care things up in the future. Decided for me what was best for me, and one of my closest friends and didn't even allow me to--"

Deep breath. Counting backwards from 10. In French.

Where was she?

And that the Master tortured Jack. Because of Rose. Because Rose made him immortal. Because fixed points was death and torture on a TimeLord's instincts, the one of the few ways TimeLords could die without regenerating, and she did that to both her best friends, because she couldn't stand living without them.

Rose doesn't know if Martha knows that. Rose doesn't know if Jack wants her to know that. Rose is pretty sure Jack doesn't know that Rose knows about the torture. Rose is DEFINITELY sure that Jack and Martha don't know that the Doctor now and in the future still wants the Master to be his best friend and turn a new leaf.

She should have brought booze.

"Tea, yeah?" she gestured and held up a finger to grab an inventory list to see if they had vodka. They must for bloody mary's with real blood... right? Did they have the proper liquor licenses? Did Everglade even require it? Well, Matt would have known to check, he's from New York City, after all! Oh wait, all of it was moot. Rose couldn't drink on the job anyway. Had to set a proper example.

Bloody hell.

"I really wish my Dad was here," she groaned with a facepalm. "I hate being public face. I was gonna let Jack do all that, he's far prettier for it," tongue loll grin, "But..."

Well. Go big or go home, wasn't it?

Rose drank her tea, wishing it was vodka, imagining and willing it to be just in case that might somehow do something.

"I dunno if they told you what I did... they didn't until they got here. And that was just...." Rose threw both hands up in the air in exasperation. "What made me so livid all the time. They didn't tell me, I wasn't there for him, and Jack has... spent 150 years being there for me in ways no one in the universe, two of them knows."

Rose clenched her teeth and fists and let them tremble witht the anger, basslines throbbing in her head so she could calm down.

"So. No. They didn't tell me, because--" GRITS TEETH AND GROWLS. "They still are deciding what's good for me, and I get it, I do. I want to protect them, they want to protect me, that's normal. But..." Rose cracked her neck side to side and rolled it, rubbing it with one hand, and a deep breath. "I know.... some. Very little. Just barely enough." And not what Martha knows or how much Rose is allowed to share without the Doctor getting mad at her, or JACK, which would be worse and she would never forgive herself for...

She's mentally biting her hand and screaming into it. Don't mind Rose. "That the Master is a TimeLord," Did Martha know about the Time War? Did ANYONE in the universe really understand how much that affected the Doctor's every decision? Every single one, Rose could swear some days. "But mostly just how things turn out in the end, yeah?" Martha did well... and gave up on Ten ever seeing her romantically and decided not to waste her life, which good on her. Rose wished she knew how.

And Jack, was tortured and mentally scarred byond reason, and went back to Torchwood for Gwen, Ianto, and his team.

Rose drummed her fingers irritably without even realizing it.

Because then Martha got to be with Jack again at his Torchwood, and --

Deep breaths.

Guilt? Jealousy? Sadness?

She wasn't there for Jack. But she wanted to be. Would be here. Was trying to here. And as Fluffy said, that meant he needed Martha's support.

And so did Ten.

Rose really was debating the merits of role model vs. a drink.

Re: Tea with Martha || At the Haunted Eatings

[storiesofmyown]

After six months of being the one telling stories, it was novel to be the one listening. Not that she hadn't done months of listening, too, but this was a bit different, wasn't it?

More personal, that was for sure. But then, maybe it wasn't that different, in that she was still listening for who and what to avoid, how to get from here to the next place without falling into enemy hands. And she was still listening mostly because someone needed to talk more than because she needed to hear.

So she sipped her tea and watched Rose drum her fingers, trying not to wince at the memories it stirred up. Rose's huge emotions made it easier not to get stuck in her own head and it was, actually, a relief to have something else to focus on than everything Jack had told her.

But listening to Rose go on with that in her mind, it made sense of a few things. Mostly why Rose had been so jealous and territorial yesterday, even if trying to imagine the Doctor and her and Jack like that was doing her head in.

She scowled, finally, at where Rose left that and then reached across the table to take and squeeze the other woman's hand. "Two things, before I start telling you what happened. One, I know what happened with the other me here. Jack told me. And I'm okay with it, but I don't know yet if it's something I want."

That wasn't quite true. She did want it, did want the Doctor to love her and did want to love Jack the way he needed her to. What she didn't know if she wanted or could even deal with was all of this and everyone else they had in their lives being part of it somehow.

"Two, whatever happens here, it has to work for all of us. And what isn't going to work for me for bloody sure is trying to be with him with him still pining over you and not being with you when any idiot knows it's what you both want."

Which...really wasn't what Rose had said, but Martha figured it needed saying. "So, before I start telling you stuff that has to do with me, that I am going to tell you because it happened to me and I want you to know, I need to know we're on the same page here, all right?"