Forums » General Roleplay » Meet Cute - The Blue Police Box (Closed)

"Oh, wow. What a character, I'll say! Ah, if only we have someone like her, being able to call up someone and they'd provide you the time, weather, and temperature. That'd really help people a lot here." Ace then laughed aloud when he mentioned the Operator having quite the ego. "Oh don't I know it. In fact, I know someone who's also full of himself. Difference was that he thinks he's the most attractive guy to ever exist."

"Yoouse sayin' there ain't no payphones here," The Doctor asked. "How das ya reach out an' touch someone? I guess ya don't. No wonders ya got people runnin' all over this place trying to avoid these entity characters. Anyway, when we get back to the TARDIS, remind me and I'll show yas what I mean." The TARDIS had a phone in a little door behind the white sign. They could dial up time and temperature without even having to step inside.

The Doctor mentioned he'd visited a place on Earth helping four humanoid turtles and their rat sensei rescue their human female companion as they continued to chit-chat.

"Huh." Ace said aloud, turning left at the corner and avoiding some puddles that were on the ground. "I think I might know the place you're talking about. Anyway- those kids you mentioned made you go back in time just because they missed their friend's birthday?" She gasped incredulously, shaking her head in mild disapprovement. "How trivial. If I ever dare to such a thing, I would've been sent straight into Tartarus before I can even blink! But overall... it's quite the story you have!"

The Doctor also managed to avoid the puddle and kept walking. Whether he had seen it or got lucky in not stepping in the middle of it was unclear.

"Nah, they didn't make me do nuttin'," The Doctor clarified. "I ran into one of 'em one time. Nice kid. I think his name was Matt. Anywho, his best friend's goil was upset they forgot her birthday. Ya know how teenage goils get. I mean what's a guy to do? So I did'em a solid and took 'em back there so they could throw her a real swell surprise party. Then, as I was taken 'em back to their own timeline, we got to talkin' and I mentioned this fancy to-do and they wanted to know if they could see it. Them political shing-digs ain't my bag... but I sez, 'sure, why not I sez' and dropped 'em off for a bit... and the rest is history cuz I already told yas what happened from there. So's anyways... these entities and this guy you keep alludin' to... what's the story there? Are these things bringin' people here to hunt for sport or somethin'? This ain't my first rodeo wit seein' stuff like dat, ya know?"

Four humanoid turtles and their rat sensei.... Ace furrowed her eyebrows in slight confusion. Now that she thought about it, it sounded a little too familiar. Was it a something she once read or watched, back Still, she didn't want to assume things, so she just kept quiet.

"Payphones? Technicallly on certain levels they exist... but they're mostly useless. I'd say they're more of a prop than anything. Maybe because they lack the phone operator handling the incoming calls." Ace clarified, giving him a half-shrug. "But we do have phones, if you already have one beforehand and are lucky enough not to break or lose them. The catch is that you can't contact anyone outside of this realm. Searching up stuff over on Google? That, you can! ...If you have a connection, WiFi or something. So we mostly use walkie-talkies or other communication devices instead! Granted, they only work if the other person you're contacting are on the same level as you."

"But I appreciate the offer, I'll hold you to it! I've never used a payphone before and I am quite curious to see how that works!" She added with a bright smile.

Ace hummed when The Doctor questioned about the existence of the entities.

"Well, not exactly!" She shook her head. "Not really, I mean. It's a tale as old as time. Entities are what they call creatures who inhabit this realm. They call it the Backrooms, we call it the Inbetween. You could say this place is what connects other universe together, the gaps the exists between them. Err, I'm getting off-track here. Wanderers, in which I mean people who fall into this place, just so happens to be a part of their.... um. Diet. For some entities, at least. There are passive ones. Do keep in mind that most of these beings are not some mindless monsters. Some are sentient, others behave similarly like animals, and a few are-" Ace paused, trying to think of a good wording. "-similar to humans? In a way that they are sentient races. They are the 'humans' of this place, and others are the 'fauna' and 'flora'."

The path they had taken at the junction lead to a narrow, dark tunnel. Ace stopped in her tracks and stared ahead. Blinking once. A shiver went up her spine as she could already sense the looming threat. Though she knew that not all dark spaces are dangerous and have something lurking in the shadows, she'd rather nor take the chance. She hissed through her teeth, snapped a finger, pointed back the way they came from, and smoothly pivoted on her heel.

"Dark spaces are a no-go~! Wouldn't want to encounter a Smiler now, do we?" Ace said rather cheerfully, going back the way they came from. There was only a long, dusty tunnel ahead. Water pipes still line the wall, but curiously, there's some sort of window on the right side, which obviously wasn't there before.

"Well, not exactly!" She shook her head. "Not really, I mean. It's a tale as old as time. Entities are what they call creatures who inhabit this realm. They call it the Backrooms, we call it the Inbetween. You could say this place is what connects other universe together, the gaps the exists between them. Err, I'm getting off-track here. Wanderers, in which I mean people who fall into this place, just so happens to be a part of their.... um. Diet. For some entities, at least. There are passive ones. Do keep in mind that most of these beings are not some mindless monsters. Some are sentient, others behave similarly like animals, and a few are-" Ace paused, trying to think of a good wording. "-similar to humans? In a way that they are sentient races. They are the 'humans' of this place, and others are the 'fauna' and 'flora'."

Connected universes. This was sounding familiar to The Doctor, but he kept to himself about that subject. He was interested in hearing what Ace knew or at least thought about such things. What was more interesting and more relevant to their current situation was the types of creatures that dwelled here.

"Tales as old as time... I know a thing or two about dat. Backrooms, Inbetween, Upside Down," The Doctor remarked. "I seen 'em all, I tell yas. But nuttin' I ain't heard before. Same story, different aliens. So lemme guess? Those stuck here are just gettin' by. Survivin' as it were. Tryin' ta make it another day, so to speak... a rat lost in a maze lookin' for the exit and the cheese."

The path they had taken at the junction lead to a narrow, dark tunnel. Ace stopped in her tracks and stared ahead. Blinking once. A shiver went up her spine as she could already sense the looming threat. Though she knew that not all dark spaces are dangerous and have something lurking in the shadows, she'd rather nor take the chance. She hissed through her teeth, snapped a finger, pointed back the way they came from, and smoothly pivoted on her heel.

"Dark spaces are a no-go~! Wouldn't want to encounter a Smiler now, do we?" Ace said rather cheerfully, going back the way they came from. There was only a long, dusty tunnel ahead. Water pipes still line the wall, but curiously, there's some sort of window on the right side, which obviously wasn't there before.

"A smiler? Yoouse means like one of them Cheshire kittens," The Doctor mused aloud, having pivoted from the Wizard of Oz analogy to Alice in Wonderland. The more The Doctor learned, the more he felt the shift from Baum to Carroll was appropriate and decided to continue with it in drawing analogies to their current environment. Then he noticed the window as Anna's attention shifted when she backed away from the shadowy passage. "Hey what's dat over there?"

Not knowing if the window was safe, he would defer to his guide for an explanation.

The moment he brought up the Alice in Wonderland analogy, Ace's face lit up. "I suppose that's one way to put it, yeah! Though take away the whole body and leave only the eyes and permanent cheshire grin, and boom- Smiler. It's exactly what it says on the tin."

Then she simply nodded to the Doctor's remark, a little curious at that. This man knew and experienced a lot more than she initially thought, and it made her wonder what kind of places he visited before. At least she didn't have to explain a lot of things to him to fully grasp the situation, or be cautious just in case he might be frightened by the whole ordeal. The latter is highly unlikely, as far as she's concerned, considering how chipper and bright he was.

"I'd really love to more about that place you mentioned." Ace inquired, flicking her eyes to him. "Upside Down sounds like hell. But, of course, I'm only judging it from the name."

Ace cleared her throat when she glanced back at the window. At a glance, it looked like any normal window. Behind the glass showed a hollowed-out section of the tunnel, and right outside the window stood a tall, shadowy being. Humanoid in appearance, with scrawny form and lanky limbs. Another notable feature is their extremely long arms, stretching down to the floor.

"...Windows." She informed, seemingly stating the obvious. She continued speaking while squinting at the object in question, trying to figure something out. "Not a window, but capital W Windows. That's their name. They're kind of like a Mimic; disguised as windows instead of loot-filled chests. Whatever view lies behind the glass wholly depends on which level it's located in. Not sure if this one is a Predatory Window or a Innocuous Window, though..."

Ace waited a moment before continuing her explanation. "Better keep a safe distance. Predatory Windows hunt anything that gets within range of the window; they'll lunge through the glass and try to grab their victim to drag them inside to eat them. Wanderers and other entities alike are part of their diet. Innocuous Windows, however..." She paused, turning around to walk the way they came from again, beckoning the Doctor to follow. Better not take any chances. She didn't want any action now and jeapordize her disguise early to whatever might be listening in on them now, assuming there are any.

She continued as they walked. "Innocuous are kind of a direct antithesis to their counterpart. Unlike Predatory Windows, Innocuous Windows present no harm and are safe to look at. They do have those shadow-like beings, but they are physically unable to attack."

Ace waited a moment before continuing her explanation. "Better keep a safe distance. Predatory Windows hunt anything that gets within range of the window; they'll lunge through the glass and try to grab their victim to drag them inside to eat them. Wanderers and other entities alike are part of their diet. Innocuous Windows, however..." She paused, turning around to walk the way they came from again, beckoning the Doctor to follow. Better not take any chances. She didn't want any action now and jeapordize her disguise early to whatever might be listening in on them now, assuming there are any.

"Sheesh, people eatin' windows," The Doctor remarked. "Whodda thunk it? Do da doors here eat people, too?"

She continued as they walked. "Innocuous are kind of a direct antithesis to their counterpart. Unlike Predatory Windows, Innocuous Windows present no harm and are safe to look at. They do have those shadow-like beings, but they are physically unable to attack."

"Ima assume they can't hurt yas as long as you don't open'em," The Doctor commented, more rhetorically than an actual question that he expected his guide to actually answer. He paused to gaze at the creature, from a safe distance of course. He then followed Ace further into the darkness. "Should we also be watchin' for poiple people eaters? Are they a thing here, too?"

"So yas was askin' about Eart'," The Doc said, circling back to her earlier question. "It's a real interestin' kinda place. It depends where and when you visit. After we get outta here and find this dame, I'd be happy to take yas, show yas around n' all. Not the sewer part in New York with them toitles I was talkin' bout. It's too much like here, I tell yas. But there are a lot of other real interestin' places. The above ground part of New York is real nice... well dependin' on where ya go n' all. Some places in New York... not so nice I tell yas... But also, there's other nice places like London... whether its the Victorian era or that planet's 21st century or all points in between... Or there is Barcelona, the city, not the planet although that place is real swell too, or maybe I can take you to Paree, the city of romance. They got this tower..."

OOC: I am soooo sorry! I have a private group I stage my posts in and accidentally posted my final draft there instead of here and just realized it. Feel free to reach out if I disappear for a few days. As The Doctor would say "On wit da show!"

"...You wouldn't believe it." Anya said, almost dryly. "Like the Windows, there are Predatory Doors, scientifically known as Aenigmatica ostium- fancy name, yes. But they're uncommon, though, so we don't have to wworry about them~!"

Probably. Maybe. Well, they are looking for the exit from this level, and what are the chances of encountering one? Then again, they only appear in places where both wanderers and entities are abundant, so it's unlikely to find one here.

"Mm, maybe? The shadowy people behind Innocuous Windows always disappear when you approach them." Anya added as she turned left at a corner, to a darker hallway. "People people eaters? You mean cannibals? They do exist... but not to worry, of course~!" She loudly said, holding up a finger. "They are not invincible, nor unkillable. There's Skinstealers too, but they can be defeated. Personally, I'd prefer to avoid them. There's one thing you should know about Skinstealers: 'Blood runs red, they're not dead; blood runs clear, don't come near'."

There was a beat. "The lines sounded rather weird out loud, but a warning's a warning, right~? Skinstealers are mostly in their disguise- which are, well, wearing the human they've preyed on before. It'll be tricky to spot one since they look just like a human, but their main difference is that their blood is clear, not red. So keep an eye on that."

Anya listened as the Doctor explained about Earth, her expression curious but a bit solemn. It's been a while since she saw the place, and it would be really ncie to see it for herself again.

"I've been there," she said. "But it's been a while. So yes! I'd be more than pleased if you would take me there! Paree and Barcelona, that sounds quite the place."

As they stepped further into the dark hallway, they rounded another corner, this time it was dimly lit by a nearly broken lightbulb. Further ahead, the hallway was engulfed in darkness. Anya pulled out a flashlight from her bag, turning it on.

"Got it. Don't look at nuttin' and don't touch nuttin'," The Doctor muttered. "I been in some weird places, but Sheesh. I bet if we close our eyes, somethin' else is gonna try to get us..."

It reminded him a bit of medusa, the dame with all the snakes. Then, The Doctor thought back to the weeping angels who would steal their victims life force and send them them back in time. They were the opposite of a medusa. If you didn't keep them in your sight, they would get you. The angels turned to stone statues and stayed that way as long as they were watched.

The next corner was completely dark. Ace the second pulled out her flashlight. The Doctor wondered if such a bright light source would draw monsters to them in the way a moth came to a flame. But he also reminded himself of the old saying "Darned if you do, darned if you don't." The lady magician seemed to know what she was doing and was the best judge of if and when it was safe to use a light source.

"I got to thinkin'," The Doc said in a low voice, speaking quietly just above a whisper and leaning into her ear. "These skin stealers... and who knows what else, with all these characters sneakin' around it sounds like there are things that could take over your mind or pull a lil' switch-a-roo if ya know what I mean. This ain't my first rodeo, I tell yas. Do ya think we should come up with some sorta code word or signal in case there is any doubt which one of us is which? Ya know, just in case?"

"Code or a signal, eh? Hmm..." Ace hummed aloud, tapping her chin as her gaze wandered off, watching as the end of the light lit up the dark hallway. The temperature, she realized, had began to noticably rise as every minute passes by. Better find the exit soon.

As an idea popped into her mind, she snapped her fingers and glanced briefly over to the Doctor with a bright expression. "Ah, I know! How about a secret code that goes like this; if one of us wants to check if the other is the real deal or not, they start with saying... for example, a fruit. Then the other, to prove they're the real one, says a sequence of words that goes like 'pronoun-adverb-adjective-noun' in that order. We can't use the same words twice in a row, though."

"I'll provide an example. I say 'banana!' and you'll say something like 'they hate salty screwdrivers'." Ace said, giving a half-shrug. "Clever, right? That way, the 'secret code' stays a secret. So even if something tries to mimic one of us, and say an already spoken code, we'll easily be able to discern which one is which~!"

A subtle sound of shuffling could be heard from behind them, though faint, alongside some quiet echo of a banged pipe. This prompted Ace to look over her shoulder, only to see darkness behind them. She couldn't quite make out what it could be. Maybe be a Hound, or a Smiler, or perhaps even a Skinstealer. Either way, she'd rather not take any chances.

Ace picked up her pace, though she tried not to make any more noise than she could. Soon they came across a well lit junction, and turned off her flashlight. She wasted no time to think, and smoothly turned to the left. Fortunately for them, it didn't take long for them to find a red emergency door on the left wall, at the same time banging could be heard in the distance.

"Door on the left side!" She quickly informed, already making a speedy beeline towards it. Before she place her hand on the handle, she made a brief inspection around the crevices and gaps of the door and, after checking there are no mysterious black goop between them, she pushed the door open to reveal what looked like your typical parking garage. It was a wide space with concrete pillars, hanging fluorescent lights, as well as a ramp leading up to a second floor. There were doors, jet black and metallic, on both sides of the wall, which would lead to more areas. Several crates could be seen strewn around.

"Here we are~!" Ace presented with a flourish as she stepped inside, beckoning the Doctor follow before closing the door back as quickly as she could.

"Code or a signal, eh? Hmm..." Ace hummed aloud, tapping her chin as her gaze wandered off, watching as the end of the light lit up the dark hallway. The temperature, she realized, had began to noticably rise as every minute passes by. Better find the exit soon.

As an idea popped into her mind, she snapped her fingers and glanced briefly over to the Doctor with a bright expression. "Ah, I know! How about a secret code that goes like this; if one of us wants to check if the other is the real deal or not, they start with saying... for example, a fruit. Then the other, to prove they're the real one, says a sequence of words that goes like 'pronoun-adverb-adjective-noun' in that order. We can't use the same words twice in a row, though."

"I'll provide an example. I say 'banana!' and you'll say something like 'they hate salty screwdrivers'." Ace said, giving a half-shrug. "Clever, right? That way, the 'secret code' stays a secret. So even if something tries to mimic one of us, and say an already spoken code, we'll easily be able to discern which one is which~!"

"That's usin' yer thinkin' cap," The Doctor remarked. "Yer a real smart goil!"

A subtle sound of shuffling could be heard from behind them, though faint, alongside some quiet echo of a banged pipe. This prompted Ace to look over her shoulder, only to see darkness behind them. She couldn't quite make out what it could be. Maybe be a Hound, or a Smiler, or perhaps even a Skinstealer. Either way, she'd rather not take any chances.

"Uh oh," The Doc mused, glancing behind him. "That don't sound good. I think one of yer sneaky sneaker things is creepin' up on us. Also, is it just me or is gettin' a bit warm in here?"

Ace picked up her pace, though she tried not to make any more noise than she could. Soon they came across a well lit junction, and turned off her flashlight. She wasted no time to think, and smoothly turned to the left. Fortunately for them, it didn't take long for them to find a red emergency door on the left wall, at the same time banging could be heard in the distance.

The Doctor did his best to keep up, placing a hand on Ace's shoulder when she extinguished the light. He didn't like the sound of whatever was going on behind them.

"Door on the left side!" She quickly informed, already making a speedy beeline towards it. Before she place her hand on the handle, she made a brief inspection around the crevices and gaps of the door and, after checking there are no mysterious black goop between them, she pushed the door open to reveal what looked like your typical parking garage. It was a wide space with concrete pillars, hanging fluorescent lights, as well as a ramp leading up to a second floor. There were doors, jet black and metallic, on both sides of the wall, which would lead to more areas. Several crates could be seen strewn around.

"Exit, stage left," The Doc replied. "I hope this ain't the people eatin' sorta doors."

"Here we are~!" Ace presented with a flourish as she stepped inside, beckoning the Doctor follow before closing the door back as quickly as she could.

The Doctor entered cautiously and looked around. "Tada," he added, a bit disappointed that 'Trixie' hadn't used the phrase herself, being a magician. "What's behind door #2?" He wasn't referring to a particular door, just more musing aloud about all the different doors and where each of them lead. The Doctor wondered how his guide would know which one to go through.

"We should remember where we parked," The Doc remarked, again being rhetorical and making a comparison to a real parking garage and the endless maze they'd entered. It would be easy to get lost and not find their way back. A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Speakin' of, do we know how to get back to the TARDIS? We're gonna have to do that at some point, ya know."

"I sure could use a fine cigar and a martini right about now," The Doc grumbled a moment later as the pair paused to study their new environment.

He reached into his coat pocket and produced a brown paper bag. It didn't have any booze, but instead contained some colorful, soft candies lightly dusted in powdered sugar. He selected one at random which happened to be cherry and popped it in his mouth. He then offered the bag to Ace. "Jelly baby?"

"'Tada'?" Ace blinked, looking surprised he'd even suggest it, which she then tutted and wagged a finger, as if chastising him for even suggesting such a thing. "Oh, no no no. Low profile, remember? Even if there's no one around, who knows if there's someone listening. After all, I do have a role to play; can't have myself break character now, yes?"

Her eyes swept across the area, taking in her surroundings. It was a bit foggy, but at the very least, they could still see. Just some mild fog, it seems. The neon lights above, she noticed, doesn't seem to flicker. That's a good sign. Means they have about... a couple of hours before a blackout.

"Ehh..." She hissed through teeth when the Doctor asked how they'll get back to the TARDIS- or whatever it is the blue police box is called. "...It's fiiiiiine. We'll cross that bridge when we get there! All the level's are connected in one way or another, although I doubt we'll return to the same spot where we left, but that's something we'll worry about later~!"

Ace stretched her arms out before preparing to walk, only to stop the moment the Doctor offered her some powdered gummies.

"Ooo, gummy babies. Don't mind if I do~!" She grabbed a few and popped one to her mouth. "Mmm. Got the lemon flavor! Yum."

After she demolished the rest of the Jelly Babies, she continued walking, motioning for him to follow along. "Come now! We don't want to be out in the open when the blackout happens. We'll be sort of fine in the maintenance halls there."

Ace walked over to one of the metallic doors and pushed them open, which revealed a hallway with white walls behind them; a contrast from the grey concrete walls from the main area behind them. There are other hallways branching to other areas on both sides of the wall. She started walking again, a bit faster this time as to not waste any time. Just need to find this 'Transition Zone'.

"Keep an eye out for any rooms that don't look like they belong in this area." Ace said with a hum, carefully avoiding a piece of rebar jutting out from the side of the wall.

As they walked further down the halls, there are a few doors on the walls, leading to small rooms. Ace checked every single one of them; opened one up, then closed it back when it's just a small room with some crates and empty shelves. Other objects such as plywood and toolboxes can be found littering on the floor.

The Doc grumbled when 'Trixie' called him out over his 'Tada' comment. "Sheesh," He muttered. "No respect, I tell yas..." However, she wasn't wrong. In fact, she was 100% correct about not blowing their cover, but The Doctor was not about to admit it to her, especially out loud. He was also not happy about her dismissing how they'd get back to the TARDIS. This place could have infinite levels and corridors and they weren't exactly dropping any bread crumbs. However, he trusted she knew what she was doing and he always managed to find his way back to his time machine in the end. He'd also left The Operator's toaster with it.

The Doc offered Ace a Jelly Baby. As he held out the bag, she took it from him.

"Ooo, gummy babies. Don't mind if I do~!" She grabbed a few and popped one to her mouth. "Mmm. Got the lemon flavor! Yum."

After she demolished the rest of the Jelly Babies, she continued walking, motioning for him to follow along. "Come now! We don't want to be out in the open when the blackout happens. We'll be sort of fine in the maintenance halls there."

"Black out," he questioned blinking. He took the brown paper bag back from her and tucked it into his coat pocket. "That don't sound good!" The last remark was unsettling. Being 'sorta fine' in the maintenance halls as opposed to completely safe wasn't exactly reassuring.

Ace walked over to one of the metallic doors and pushed them open, which revealed a hallway with white walls behind them; a contrast from the grey concrete walls from the main area behind them. There are other hallways branching to other areas on both sides of the wall. She started walking again, a bit faster this time as to not waste any time. Just need to find this 'Transition Zone'.

"Keep an eye out for any rooms that don't look like they belong in this area." Ace said with a hum, carefully avoiding a piece of rebar jutting out from the side of the wall.

"Don't worry my dear, my peepers is peeled," The Doc reassured her and hurried to keep up.

As they walked further down the halls, there are a few doors on the walls, leading to small rooms. Ace checked every single one of them; opened one up, then closed it back when it's just a small room with some crates and empty shelves. Other objects such as plywood and toolboxes can be found littering on the floor.

"What exactly is it we is looking for," The Doctor asked, noticing she had no interest in the tools. He glanced toward the crates, wondering if there might be something helpful inside them.

“Oh don’t worry~! When a blackout happens, we can just take cover in one of those small rooms and block the door.” Ace grinned and gave a half-shrug. She wasn’t all too worried about being plunged into total darkness.

“Some place with featureless grey carpets and white and blue tiled walls.” She answered the Doctor’s question while she opened another door, which led to a wide, L-shaped room with another door on the other end.

A few relatively small crates were stacked in the corner, along with a metal rack and a piece of wood next to it. A few random items could be seen on the shelf; a screwdriver, a fork, two bag of chisp, and a plastic bottle with the label ‘Almond Water’ which contained some sort of liquid, as well as some other items on the row under it. Ace made an instant beeline the moment her eyes narrowed to the items on the metal rack.

“Nope, no, useless..” She murmured, flicking the screwdriver and fork away, but pocketed the chips and bottle into her bag. “Ooh, chips and Almond Water~! The essentials of surviving this trecherous place.”

“We should stock up while we can.” Ace said to the Doc, motioning to the crates in the corner while she crouched down, picking only food and water.

Assuming the Doctor would open up one of the crates, which would take a bit of force to pry it open, its contents would be nothing short of an arm-sized crowbar, a bag of cotton, and some scissors.

The Doctor had so many questions but as he learned over his many regenerations, experience was the best teacher. Ace II seemed to know all about these blackouts and what to do when one hit. "Er, what causes these blackouts and how long do they last," He inquired as he poked around the room.

He found a random crate and struggled to open it. "They could leave a guy a crowbar or somethin'," The Doctor complained while Ace checked some others. He found something to use as a makeshift pry bar and finally, managed to get the wooden box open with some effort.

"Sheesh," He muttered, peering inside. "Wouldn't ya know it? They put the can opener inside it." The Doctor was referring to the crowbar he'd just found. He took it and the scissors and placed them in his knapsack. The metal bar might be useful as a bat if one of those smilers or people eating windows or whatever else happened to ambush them. He decided to carry it in his other hand and slung the pole with his bag over his shoulder again.

"Do we plan to do any sewin'? Is there some reason we need this bag of stuffin," he asked Ace, holding it up. Given she had rejected many of the items they'd discovered, he assumed the answer would be no.