[Nexus/Self-Cest] There's Been A Malfunction. . . .

[clockwork_doc]

*beep* "Damn."

*beep* "Damn!"

*beep* "DAMN DAMN!"

Doc glares at his PINpoint, staring at the error message on the screen. "Why are you giving me an error about returning to Chicago?" he demands of it. "I've gone there after LOLs plenty of times! I even gave this one some time to wear off! What's going on here?!"

The PINpoint, naturally, doesn't answer. Doc stares at it angrily for a moment. Then, slowly, his expression turns to -- almost fright. "Great Scott, am I stuck here?"

He'd thought being trapped in an alternate Chicago was bad. Being stuck in the multiversal Nexus, however. . .that's a whole different kettle of fish.

(OOC: In essence, this is just a write-up of why Doc and Victor are now just Nexusites, as I've left their original game. I've been meaning to do this for a while, so. . . .)

Comments

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor starts, almost but not quite falling off the bed. He turns to see -- "Al -- Miss Liddell?" he says, shocked. What's she doing here? How'd she find his door? Is this going to be another horribly awkward moment between them? (He really hopes not, one was enough.)

[save-us-alice.livejournal.com]

Alice feels herself turning pink again. "You can call me Alice, if you want," she says gently, opening the door a bit further. "May we come in?" She tilts her head to indicate Marty, standing beside her.

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor nods -- he honestly wasn't sure what to call her. On the one hand, she's an old acquaintance, on the other, she's also from the 1800s, like him. At least now he's pretty much used to using first names. And ah, there's Marty, which might explain her sudden appearance. "Oh -- yes, you may," he says, standing up like a good host. "Please do."

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

Alice walks straight in without preamble. Marty, however, hesitates briefly on the threshold. He sticks a hand in first and wiggles it. Nothing happens. He tries stepping inside, and gets the same result. He grins at the rather confused Victor and Alice. "First time I tried to get to Chicago with Doc, the PINpoint kept giving me an error," he explains. "I didn't know if I'd actually be able to get in." He looks around the little apartment. "So this is where you live, huh? Not bad. Kind of like my place at home -- only I don't have the little kitchen." Of course, Marty lives in a club/restaurant, so he doesn't really need one.

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Victor says. "That's peculiar." He'd have thought Chicago would have loved to get another person stuck in it. (When DID he start thinking of a city like a person?) He smiles slightly at the praise. "It's small, but it serves my purposes fine," he nods. "Er -- if you're looking for Doc -- Dr. Brown, I should say -- he stepped out for a little bit. He'll be back shortly."

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

"Everything that's happened to us is peculiar," is Marty's opinion. "But yeah, don't know what happened between then and now. Maybe the door portals are easier to use or something." He glances over at Victor. "Where'd he go?"

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

"To get his things," Victor explains. "He's moving here, into the room next to mine."

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

That takes Marty by surprise. "What? Why? Isn't he happy at the Conrad? I mean, I know he doesn't like that his room's in the basement, but he seemed to be dealing."

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor frowns and fiddles with his tie. "It's r-rather complicated -- I think h-he'd be better at explaining it," he admits. "Something to d-do with invisible Rifts. . . ."

He shakes his head and turns to Alice. "Er -- I a-assume you're h-here to see me?" he adds, feeling suddenly shy.

[save-us-alice.livejournal.com]

"Oh Jesus," Marty says, facepalming. Of course it would be complicated.

Alice nods, feeling rather shy herself now. "Yes," she confirms. "I -- I rather missed you, Victor. Or Master Van Dort, if you'd prefer. I know we had a terribly awkward moment at Captain John's party -- I'm sorry again for just kissing you like that -- but--" She scowls, frustrated with herself. "I'm sorry, I'm having a little trouble with the words. . . ."

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor smiles encouragingly. "That's all right, I o-often have trouble w-with them myself," he says with a self-deprecating laugh. "And -- and Victor's fine."

[save-us-alice.livejournal.com]

Alice smiles back, encouraged indeed. Especially by his willingness to be called Victor. "I think you speak fine," she says, chuckling as she realizes she's echoing her younger self from their first meeting. "Well, to cut to the heart of the matter, I'd -- I'd really like for us to be friends. I don't have many of my own back home, and I remember quite liking you when we first met. I still like you now. I want a second chance at having what we were denied as children." She finds herself blushing again. "You're not opposed to the idea, are you?"

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

"Oh, no!" Victor says, feeling a funny warmth deep in his gut. "I'd love to be friends. I -- I like you too. I never had many friends myself, so. . . ." His smile falters a little. "I'm not sure how often we could see each other, or how we could correspond, but -- I'd like to try."

[save-us-alice.livejournal.com]

Alice beams. "Wonderful. We'll work something out, I'm sure." She decides to risk taking his hand and giving it a quick squeeze. "You're such a nice man. I'm glad I got to meet you."

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor blushes as Alice squeezes his hand, but grins back. "We will," he agrees. "And I'm very glad I got to meet you." He'd always regretted not giving her his last name -- or figuring out a way to get her address so he could write. Awfully nice of the Nexus to give them a second chance.

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

Doc comes in during this tender moment, lugging a suitcase filled with his belongings (mostly his notes, his journal, the Marty scrapbook, and a couple of changes of clothes) and his flux capacitor. He left the Mr. Fusion he found behind -- a) because he never got it to work, and b) it reminds him a little too much of Dan at the moment. He stops in the doorway and blinks. "Marty? How did -- actually, I should have just asked you to do that first. Probably would have tipped me off that this wasn't the right Chicago from the start. And hello Alice, didn't expect to see you again for a while." Or ever, considering the incident at the housewarming.

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, Victor's let us know there's some sort of complicated situation going on here," Marty says, folding his arms at Doc. "What's going on?"

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

Doc sighs and sets his things down. "I don't know if you'll fully understand it, but I'll do my best to explain it clearly. The Rifts I described to you before -- the type I fell through, the holes between dimensions -- aren't the only type of Rift in Chicago. There's also what is commonly known as the Invisible Rift. Essentially, this Rift exists as a separate subuniverse in Chicago proper. It swallows individuals and traps them in a pocket of reality separated from the rest of Chicago. Some people are eventually released, but others never get out. My friend Revan was a causality of the latter." He sighs again. "And it appears Victor and I are too. We're the only inhabitants of this particular pocket of reality -- the rest of the city is empty. I suppose I'm fortunate the rest of the city exists, otherwise all my work would have been lost. . . ." He shudders at the mere thought. "That's why the PINpoint was giving me an error -- the invisible Rift probably altered my personal 'energy signature' or whatever it is these devices read again. The Place-Me-Quick machine gave as my home universe coordinates this little world. I have no idea how to go about fixing it, and considering I never got anywhere on trying to get back to our original universe. . . ."

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

Marty and Alice both stare as Doc explains what's going on. "Holy shit," Marty whispers. "So -- you guys are stuck in an empty version of Chicago? One that's not even caught up with the present?" He shakes his head. "Doc, sometimes I think the universe is out to get you."

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

"Essentially," Doc says, Victor nodding along. "I suppose it's not all bad -- my notes are still up to date, thank God, and I certainly won't miss the near-constant disasters that strike the city -- these little pockets seem immune to those. But I will miss those friends I had left." He sighs. "At least now you can come visit. And you too, Alice, if you want. I'm coming to live here so Victor and I can keep each other company. Neither of us want to live in totally empty buildings all alone."

[save-us-alice.livejournal.com]

"That's horrible," Alice says softly. "I'm so sorry for what's happened to you both. I wouldn't want to live all alone like that either." She looks a little surprised despite herself. "But -- you'd really want me to visit?"

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, that really sucks," Marty agrees sympathetically. "I hope you guys can figure out a way to go back sometime." Then he gives Alice a small smile. "Hey, I'd want you to visit. I think it would be awesome to be friends with Alice from Alice In Wonderland. You're cool."

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," Doc says, trying to sound more hopeful than he feels. "I'll keep working on it, see what I can do." He gives Alice his own smile. "And of course you're welcome here. I know we had a bit of a rough patch at the housewarming, but -- well, Marty said it best, I think."

[save-us-alice.livejournal.com]

Alice smiles back at them, feeling a surge of happiness. She hadn't expected this visit to go this well at all. "I'd love for us all to be friends," she says. "You can tell me all about the future. I know a little about it already, but it's all so fascinating!"

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

"We'll share whatever we can," Marty tells her with a laugh. "Hey, Doc, these two were talking about how they were going to talk to each other outside of meeting randomly in the Nexus -- you want to help them set up that e-mail thing? That way we can all get in touch with each other whenever."