3 || VIDEO || 12/11 9 AM

[classicms_smith]

[The video clicks on.]

I love the holidays, really I do! All the talk about family and hope. Lovely, wouldn't have it any other way.

[She holds up a finger and looks rather annoyed.]

My problem comes when I've to buy three things for the same person in three different bodies. Pain in the neck all of them, but there you go.

[And now the flattest look at the camera before she trails into a smile by the end of it.]

And I know they're not going to go and make it easy on me and just tell me. So any suggestions for something to give a pedantic, childish, warm-hearted idiot will be greatly welcomed.

Comments

;video

[hellorhighwater]

Question: is this pedantic, childish, warm-hearted idiot clinically insane? Or just your average pedantic, childish, warm-hearted idiot? 'Cause I got some experience with the former.

Re: ;video

[classicms_smith]

Ah, you know? I think that would actually be up for debate.

[She knows very well that The Doctor can read this. It's clear in the little smirk she's got in the corner of her lips.]

But I would say the best sort of insane.

Which reminds me! What do you want?And the little girl that's with you, can't leave her out either.

Re: ;video

[hellorhighwater]

There's a good kind? Well...yeah, touche. I'd say don't get 'em something, get 'em something to do. This buddy I used to have, I always took him somewhere cool to do stuff. Spelunking in the Sage's Caverns, hunting drakes on the Isan border--cliff diving off the coast. That was a good one, s' how he met his boyfriend.

[...wait, did she just ask what Neil wants for Christmas? Cue a tiny double take, then a shy smile he can't quite hide.]

I--uh, if you mean Alice, she loves stories. Can't go wrong with toys, either--or her stuffed rabbit, Basil. Little outfits 'n shit for him would go over like gangbusters.

Me, uh--well, I don't celebrate Christmas like you probably do, so you don't have to get me anything. I mean, Eventide is similar, but...y'know. Seriously, I'm good.

[He's just visibly, unabashedly touched to know someone that's not in his family would want to get him something.]

Re: ;video

[bigbadrose]

Definitely clinically insane. But like Sarah Jane said, in the best way.

Re: ;video

[hellorhighwater]

Good to know--bein' that it's a fine line between good and bad. Least it was with my buddy back home.

[video]

[bigbadrose]

Over the top bright scarves and silly hats. There's five of him now. One's a woman.

Re: [video]

[classicms_smith]

Five of him? Good heavens, he really doesn't know how to keep himself alive does he.

[Head shake.]

That would only work for maybe two of the three I know. Er, here at least.

Re: [video]

[bigbadrose]

Nope. Really doesn't.

Oh yeah, Guitarist has better taste. Take him out for ice cream and a movie.

[video]

[guitar_hero]

All I need is your happiness.

[which is true in whatever face he's in.]

By the way, Miss Smith. Look outside. [it seems as if a present has been delivered. One with a big TARDiS blue bow and everything]

Re: [video]

[classicms_smith]

Oh that's not fair! You get that any time you see me. This's got to be special.

[And confused face but, whatever. She shrugs and leaves the communicator running as she peeks outside.

Twelve should be able to hear the gasp of surprise and see her hands going to her mouth. Give her several minutes while she just runs outside.]

[video] >[action]

[guitar_hero]

[he can see it in both places as he is lurking nearby and by the time she gets to the car he is casually sitting in the passenger seat]

Good evening, ma'am. Care for a ride?

;video

[adreamtorise]

[Did someone say 'shopping?' Allusion to shopping totally counts. The impeccably made up young blonde on the feed looks vaguely perplexed, but she's still got a ready smile.]

That's...a unique conundrum--one person in three bodies, I mean--but I do love a challenge.

[Propping her device up on the table she's seated at, Anne rubs her manicured hands together in delight.]

Let's start with the type of person we're dealing with--masculine or feminine tastes?

Re: ;video

[classicms_smith]

Well, it's the same person and...same body. simply, looks different and different parts of a personality are showing through.

[Sarah is not convinced. Well polished in her experience always leads to unhelpful.]

Both, either and neither. He doesn't really fall into any of that. Simply if he likes it, he likes it.

Re: ;video

[adreamtorise]

Hmmmm...interesting. [She props her elbow on the table and rests her chin in her hand, lips pursed in deep thought.]

How close are you? Friends, exes--office Secret Santa? I only ask because if you're not close, there's...well, several things I would eliminate from my list of suggestions.

[Video]

[nevercruel]

[The feed starts after the Doctor's already given a wheezing gasp that would have been downright undignified if anyone had heard it, but she still has a big, goofy grin on her face when it kicks on, her chin resting in her hands and almost looking like she's trying to hide the smile behind them.]

Oh there you are! They said you were hangin' around this place, too! Don't worry, I won't go snoopin' on what you're gettin' for the boys, though I will say, I have a feelin' just gettin' to see you again is treat enough for 'em.

[She looks a strange combination of misty-eyed and giddy, though she tries to put a little effort into being relatively calm. Back home, when she's living in linear Earth time, Sarah Jane is...well...no sense in getting herself all sad thinking about that, just enjoy seeing her, now.]

Question is, is there something Sarah Jane would want for Christmas? Just askin' for a friend. [Wink wink nudge nudge.]

Re: [Video]

[classicms_smith]

[Sarah frowned lightly, not recognizing the woman at all. She'd given up that bit of her self that knew the Doctor, that could recognize the twinkle in those blue eyes.]

Oh? They did? Well, I'd like to know who. Go telling on me, how am I supposed to keep a low profile.

[She tilted her head a little, something tickling the back of her mind but for the moment she let it set there. She'd peak once something more substantial cropped up but for now.]

Me? Oh, I don't know...a good pair of gloves at the moment. Place gets cold when it wants to.

[Video]

[nevercruel]

[It doesn't immediately hit her, the lack of recognition in Sarah Jane's eyes, though her reaction is just a little to the left of what she would have expected, and it makes her blink a couple of times in mild confusion that doesn't quite register in her consciousness.]

Rose an' the other Doctors. Just landed here an' I'm still hittin' the ground runnin', you know. Heads pulled in fifteen different directions around this place, an' I hadn't gotten around to goin' lookin' for you yet. Still trying to figure out how this whole place works, an' then I have those three to deal with, an' that always causes trouble for us. [Babble babble babble, as if she doesn't need to take a breath between words.]

An' now there's five of us here! [She gestures widely, settling back in to rest her face in her hands, exasperation mixing with the smile on her face.] Who in their right mind would want five of us? In one place?!? Someone who makes very poor life decisions, I would suspect.

[Normally, she would probably be a little much for other people when she gets agitated, but you're used to it, right Sarah Jane? It's nothing you haven't dealt with before. Her thinking-face perked up when gloves were mentioned, and there was a little mischievous glimmer in her eyes as she pondered the answer, still not quite realizing that she was talking Doctory circles around someone who she expected to know it was coming, but didn't.]

Just gloves, eh? I bet I could come up with somethin' a bit better'n gloves, but if you insist. [Gloves with pockets, maybe? Or with little heating elements built into them. Gloves that were temporally locked to her favorite jacket, so they were never left behind when she went out for the day? Or gloves that had a small tracking element built into them so that the TARDIS would always be able to find where she was, just in case something were to happen to her.

Actually, regardless of what types of gloves they were, they would probably have that in them regardless. She put that in her little mental box of Very Good Ideas For Later, Do Not Forget.]

[ locked from the lads ]

[storiesofmyown]

Right. Well. I've been having a bit of a think, and I think they could all do with a right proper bit of adventuring.

Now, I know we can't get out of here, but hear me out. There are dozens of gateways to elsewheres. One of 'em's bound to have an adventure or two.

What if we get together once a month or so and just go somewhere and see what we find? I can't speak for Herself, which is why I'm not locking it from her, but Himself in all his faces, I reckon time with us would mean more than anything, yeah?

Re: [ locked from the lads ]

[classicms_smith]

That's what I was thinking, but can't sneak around with them. Much too nosy about everything. And I doubt them being older changed that.

[She huffed and leaned on her hand.]

I know, but, they can pop over any time. Never needed invited before and shouldn't now. Maybe I'll just buy them all funny knickers and get them caught out in the rain in nothing but those knickers.

Re: [ locked from the lads ]

[storiesofmyown]

[ Martha giggles delightedly at the image. ]

They can pop over anytime, yeah, but getting all of us together at once might be nice for them...

[ Video ]

[fondofapples]

I'll shop for yours if you shop for mine.

[ A hint of a smile behind the more obvious exasperation. For whatever reason, Regina's quite comfortable with Sarah Jane. ]

The kids, that is. How on earth do you manage gifts for four children, without someone getting something 'better' than someone else? Add in a someday son-in-law, a 'no he's not my boyfriend,' a step-great-no-she's-not-my-daughter, and it's a regular headache.

And then there's Emma. [ Shit. It's clear from her face she'd not thought about Emma before now, and somehow she seems like the most important one. A sigh. ]

At least Neil's easy to shop for.

Have you considered magical gifts?

Re: [ Video ]

[classicms_smith]

Hmmm, I think I'll keep my alien problem.

[She pouts in thought, thinking over the vague ideas she'd gotten. Sarah never really settled down enough to make a friend, but Regina was steadily climbing up to be the first one she'd made in a while.]

I haven't thought about magic, but now I just might. Just to see the look on his face when he tries to figure it out. Oh, what about holiday baskets for the four kids? You know, candies and games and crackers. Maybe something noisy that can break easily?

Re: [ Video ]

[fondofapples]

Except for Alice, they're a little old for noisy things that break easily. [ And she's not entirely sure Arya and Charlie don't have PTSD. ] But baskets or stockings to fill in the gaps is a good idea.

[ She mmms thoughtfully. ]

I can enchant items with memories or bespell objects to animate them, if that would be of use. I can also shop with you to make sure you're not taken advantage of.

[video]

[goesagainst_thegrain]

[Here's a new face, wearing a very broad grin.]

Sarah Jane Smith! I'd heard you were here too, but it is different seeing rather than being told, isn't it?

[His coat is clearly visible through the feed, and only one person dresses this idiotically (some of the time).]

Re: [video]

[classicms_smith]

[She doesn't recognize him, but after everything else she does squint at him a bit. But it isn't the coat or the grin that clues her in. Normally just a look at his eyes and she'd get it but...she lost that.

But the way he says her name.]

Doctor?