oo1 | video

[neverginger]

[A device clicks on, and a face appears on the network: a thin one with a large nose and brown messy hair. And glasses. Needs the glasses to see, you know. He grins, all teeth.]

Alright, then, this is neat, isn't it!

[He's not really saying that to anyone in particular. Don't worry, happens all the time. You'll know if he's speaking to you directly. Most likely.]

Never seen this before. Well, seen things like it, but nothing's ever quite the same in two places, yeah? Bit rubbish that everything in here's made of wood, makes my screwdriver a bit obsolete, but still...

[He laughs, and steps back from the device, standing with his hands on his hips. He's in his suite in the Wood Sector. Pretty nice place, if you ignore the lack of sonic-ing abilities.]

Right. So. I'm the Doctor, just the Doctor, thank you, and I suppose I was brought here, same as all of you. Now who's got something interesting to tell me about their time here?

[A pause, and time to ruminate over a question that's been in his mind since he got here.]

And does anyone know what this planet's base is? Doesn't seem like most other ones. A bit harder, strange in places. What's it made from?

Comments

[neverginger]

Ah, bow tie? [He nods.] Dreadful things, bow ties, don't know what I go through that makes me think bow ties are a good option, but I'm sorry for it in advance. You remember that.

[And he pauses, thinking about her words. Doesn't say much, this one, but he supposes she wouldn't have to.]

Seen me? How's that?

[parallels]

I'm gonna tell him... you that you said that when I see you next.

[What a ridiculous sentence. She laughs and shakes her head. But then her face grows a bit more somber, more distant.]

I've seen all your faces, all the way to the first.

[neverginger]

[He grins.]

Hope you do.

[He won't remember, of course, but that's neither here nor there. And not something they need to think about right now.

But oh, that's interesting too, isn't it?]

How's that?

[parallels]

It's... Complicated.

[Which won't deter him but it at least gives her a bit of time to think about how to say it.]

[neverginger]

Right. As most things are.

[He's pretty sure she thinks too much.]

C'mon then, just tell me. I promise I'm quick on the uptake.

[parallels]

Right then. I'll try to make it short.

We went to your grave where our friends were being held captive. But it was a trap by this baddie, seemed like you knew him, The Great Intelligence to jump into your time stream and go into the past to kill you.

So... I jumped in after to help. My mind got all torn up, created echoes of me to help you, all of your faces. All the way back the first.

[neverginger]

[... He looks at her for a moment, listening, comprehending, and he opens his mouth to say something, but what is there to say? She's just another companion of the Doctor, sucked into time and space and used up and left to rot. Or pulled into an alternate universe. Or--

He'd like to think by the time his next regeneration comes around, he'd change. He'd learn his lesson and stop asking too much of people, expecting too much. But he knows he won't.]

I am so sorry.

[And he is. He means it, probably more than he'll ever mean anything else.]

[parallels]

It's fine.

I'm alright.

[She sees his face. She can feel his guilt and it makes her feel guilty. So she has to cut this off as soon as possible.]

[neverginger]

[No, no his guilt shouldn't make her feel guilty. That's not how it works. He's the guilty one, not her.

But he also would like to avoid all that uncomfortable-ness.]

Right. 'Course you are.

[parallels]

Oh.

Don't do the sad eyes. I hate the sad eyes.

[neverginger]

Can't just turn them off, I'm not a light-switch, thank you very much.

[But her comment did make him smile, at least. Fine, fine, he'll stop being sad.]

So you ended up here, then? How long ago?

[parallels]

Could do you some good to get it installed.

[She smiles back, a little sadly. She's able to make her way but she misses home, especially her Doctor and the children she looks after.]

Only a few weeks.

[neverginger]

[He scoffs at that. He's not a robot, thank you!]

Alien, not Cyberman, it's different, thank you.

[And damn, he's made her sad. He does have that effect doesn't he?]

I see.

[parallels]

I only said it would be useful. Not that it would be possible.

[She shakes her head with a tired grin.]

It's fine, really. I mean except for the whole between between life and death thing. Definitely prefer a solid answer on being alive.

[neverginger]

People tend to prefer that, yeah.

[Just something he's noticed. People always wanting to know if they're alive. Where's the fun in that?]

Is it enough that you're at least alive here?

[parallels]

No.

I have a life to get back to. A job to do. People to see.

I want nothing more to do with dying.

[neverginger]

S'not really how it works, I'm sorry to say.

[And he is sorry for it, just like he's sorry for every other pain he's caused her, however inadvertently.]

Are you sorry, then? That you helped me? Do you regret it?

[parallels]

Not even for a second.

You're my friend. My... my best friend.

[Welp. That's the first time she's ever admitted that aloud.]

[neverginger]

[Ah, and there's that loyalty he's used to from just about everyone he meets. But he does feel a certain amount of guilt that he doesn't even recognize her.]

Well, I'm sure you've got a good reason for that. Impeccable taste, of course.