Doc's Favorite Boyband - Part Three
Instinctively I began swatting away madly at the Doctor, but each time I should've made contact with his body my hand seemed to phase right through. Surprised, and a little bit confused, I slowly waved my hand back and forth through his face; and with each pass he looked less and less amused.
"Had your fill yet, Ginny?" he asked after the fifth pass of my hand, "Or do you want to keep trying to smack me?"
I tentatively lowered my hand and offered a quick apology before standing to face him. It was only then that I noticed that he was also slightly translucent like a ghost.
"Doctor, what's going on? Where are we?" I asked.
"Ooo, that's a toughie," the Time Lord said, passing right through the dining table and into the living room, "Physically, you're on the Tardis. All three of you. Haven't even left the venue yet actually, but your consciousness has been displaced here. Wherever here is, anyway." He looked briefly out one of the windows then back toward us to keep rambling, "Some kind of psychic plane, that much is clear. But why this setting in particular? What's so special about this specific house? Seems perfectly average for American suburbia. Well, save for the film tsunami outside but that's a question for another day."
"Wait a minute, you've got us all on the Tardis?" I asked. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Otto mouth the word 'Tardis' and all Geoff could do in response was shrug defeatedly.
"Yes, all three of you are connected to the telepathic circuits right now. That's how I'm here," the Doctor explained before clasping his hands together, "Now, come on gang! This specific house. What's so special about it?"
He definitely made a good point. From the moment I stepped foot onto the driveway I'd been dealing with some serious deja-vu. Something about the yellow car outside, the covered front door and the wood panelling lined with picture frames were definitely familiar. But why? Why was a house I've never visited before so vivid in my mind?
And that's exactly when it hit me.
"The Not Warriors house!" I exclaimed, confusion crossing the Doctor's face while realization rested on Geoff's and Otto's.
"Eh? 'Not Warriors house'?" the Doctor repeated before facing the duo on the couch, "Do either of you know what she's talking about?"
"Yeah, we do," Otto said, "We filmed a music video in a house just like this one."
"Which, little bit of a sidetrack here, quickly became one of my favorite music videos ever!" I added quickly, which earned me a quick smile from Geoff. Even in uncharted territory like this I couldn't help but fangirl a little bit.
"Okay, so projecting a location from your subconscious that you all have fond memories of. But why?" the Doctor asked, trying to pick up one of the NES controllers but forgetting he was non-corporeal. I took a seat in the recliner by the couch and looked out the window. The film tsunami had almost entirely receded by now, leaving only small strands to litter the glistening pavement.
"How long have y'all been here anyways?" I asked, turning to Geoff and Otto, "When I was still in Atlanta you were both… um, hypnotized for lack of a better word. So I imagine it's been a bit. What's the last thing you remember before coming here?"
Geoff leaned forward trying to run through his recent history. Otto looked up at the ceiling trying to do the same thing.
"Sorry If it's a big ask, by the way."
"Nah you're fine, really. It's okay," Geoff said, "It's just a bit fuzzy is all."
Heh, like the Waterparks song, I thought absentmindedly before returning to the task at hand.
"The last thing I remember was being in a hotel room in Charlotte a couple nights ago," Otto started, "We were playing Smash Bros on Geoff's Switch when Awsten said his head started hurting. We packed it up for the night and went to bed a little bit later. Next thing I knew me and Geoff were out in the street covered in film."
"And what about Awsten?" I asked. All this time I was half expecting the frontman to pop out from behind one of the doors to greet us, but for some reason he seemed entirely absent. Geoff sighed before standing up and offering me his hand.
"It might be easier to just show you," he said, leading me through the doorway behind the couch with the Doctor following behind us.
The lighting difference between the living room and the hall back to the bedroom was polarizing. Light blue flashes danced across the walls like moonlight in contrast to the living room's inviting yellow glow. From underneath a closed door, I was able to see more yellow light flashing rhythmically like a heartbeat.
"He was already shut inside when me and Otto got here," Geoff said, unlocking one of the many restraints on the door, "He practically begged us not to come in. Said he couldn't hold it back for long."
"Hold what back?" I asked, looking around for something to use as a makeshift weapon. I ended up settling on a miniature baseball bat and hoped that I wouldn't end up needing to use it. The Doctor took a more direct approach to figuring things out. Because he was just a projection, he was able to walk right through the door just as Geoff was working on the second lock. He quickly stopped after witnessing what just happened, instead turning to me in disbelief and pointing to the door.
"He can do that?" the guitarist asked, and I just shrugged.
"He's technically not here right? I think he's got ghost physics right now," I said.
"Makes about as much sense as anything here does."
I could see worry clear as day on Geoff's face. They'd all been through so much already and given the Doctor's track record I was pretty sure things were only gonna get weirder.
"I get it, y'know," I said quietly.
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"How you're probably feeling right now. All of…" I gestured quickly around me, "this. It can definitely be overwhelming."
He laughed a bit. "You say that like this is every day for you."
"Well… it kind of is, to be honest."
"You explore people's dreams on the daily?"
"No! Not necessarily. I mean, there was one case recently with some psychic pollen but that wasn't a typical occurrence. Totally accidental there, and I'm not making this any easier to understand, am I?"
Geoff shook his head defeatedly.
"Gotcha. Sorry, again. Hopefully we can get out of here soon and I can just show you what I mean by this being a typical day for me. Actions speak louder than words, anyways."
Geoff was about to lean against the door when there was a sudden crashing sound on the other side of it. I brandished the small bat and he hurriedly stood next to me as more crashes rang out. The light underneath the door started to flash faster and faster until it resembled a strobe light. Then just as nonchalantly as he phased through it, the Doctor phased back out the door with an excited look on his face.
"Well that certainly ticked him off." he said, running back into the living room, "Come on! We've got to catch the next film wave!"
Geoff and I looked at each other confusedly, then I ran to catch up to the Doctor.
"What ticked who off?" I asked the Doctor as he fruitlessly tried grabbing Otto's hand.
"I'll explain it all once you're out of here. Now come on! No time to lose!"
I started to follow behind the Doctor before he phased through the front door, gesturing for the guys to follow me; but when I turned around neither of them had moved out of the bedroom doorway.
"What're y'all waiting for? We can leave!" I said, reaching out to them. Thankfully, they didn't hesitate to join me and together we walked back out into the night.
In the middle of the road, the Doctor frantically waved for us to come stand in front of him. Rain was pouring down in sheets and soaked us to the bone by the time we reached the Time Lord who, of course, was dry as a bone.
"Right, I've got a good idea as to what's behind all of this but in order for us to get your friend back, you lot need to be back in reality," he said, motioning for us all to join hands, "Geoff, Otto, I know we haven't properly met so I'm sure this is going to be a big ask, but I need you both to trust me. Can you do that?"
"We're already in an Entertainment hellscape, Doctor Whoever-You-Are. What else have we really got to lose?" Otto said without hesitation with Geoff nodding in agreement.
"Valid point," the Doctor turned behind him quickly as a sudden splashing sound filled the air. He pulled a pair of binoculars from his pocket, looked through for a second, then turned back to face us. "Okay, big one's one the way. No time to lose! All three of you need to focus on things that keep you calm. Things that help you ground yourself in times of stress. Could be anything really; a person, a moment, a song, anything at all. Just make that your primary thought and hold on to each other. Very important part, holding on. If this all goes to plan you'll all be back on the Tardis before the film crashes."
"Before the film does WHAT?" I asked worriedly, tightening my grip on Geoff's hand and looking past the Doctor to see a massive wall of film barreling down the street.
"What did I just say Ginny? Calming thoughts!" the Doctor responded, "Now then, I'm going to have Amy disconnect me from the telepathic circuits to give you some more room to focus but you have to stay calm. Very important, staying calm. Stay calm, hold on to one another, and you'll be back before you know it, okay?"
I took a shaky breath, focusing back on the Doctor who was giving me a reassuring smile. I nodded, smiling back at him.
"Attagirl, Parks!" was the last thing he said before phasing out of the street, leaving the three of us to face the film tsunami. I turned to Geoff and Otto who were in turn looking back to me.
"Got your thoughts in order?" I asked, and they nodded.
"Yeah," Otto said.
"As much as they can be," Geoff added.
"Mine too," I replied before closing my eyes and taking in a deep breath, "Geronimo."
The sound of whirling film grew louder and louder in front of us, but I paid it no heed; keeping my thoughts instead on grounding myself. I felt the rain on my face, Geoff's hand around mine, the drenched fabric of my socks against my feet. I drew all my focus on a song that by this time my favorite band just recently released. The same song that house we were in was a music video setting for; and I recited the lyrics in my mind.
Our residence is in this bed. All I want's The Office and what's awful is (don't think like that). You couldn't get much sleep. I found you just in time. But hey, for what it's worth. I think you saved my life.
Suddenly the rain stopped and I could no longer hear the film swirling around me. I panicked, not being able to feel Geoff's hand in mine and reached haphazardly out for it; but when the back of my hand collided with stucco instead my eyes flew wide open. I was back on the Tardis sat against the wall by the doors. Geoff and Otto were propped against the wall opposite mine getting their bearings.
"Welcome back you lot!" the Doctor exclaimed, pulling me up to my feet then offering a hand to the guys, "See? Back on the Tardis just like I told you!"
"Yeah, great! Awesome! But where the hell are we now?" Otto asked, looking up at the console in bewilderment. The Doctor chuckled and clasped his hands together before turning to me.
"Do you want to do the honors?" he asked, and I nodded excitedly before facing the duo.
"Geoff, Otto, welcome to the Tardis."