09; A million spaces in the Earth to fill [but there's no going home]

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

[dysfunctional couples? They really have nothing on these two. Dysfunctional...well, sort-of selves. The one in the brown suit is sipping on a banana daquiri with a little umbrella in it (he'll be saving it for the little sunbathers on Tredronia as they need it more than he does)]

Right. So! Merging is supposedly quite complicated, or time consuming. Or both. Maybe. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, either.

[The one in the more casual attire sips on a pint, giving his other self a look] Well, it has to be less complicated and time consuming than explaining to people on the streets why I'm talking to myself. You really do need to figure something out.

Why do I have to figure it out? You're me---with less sartorial taste, of course---but you've got to have some of my cleverness in that human brain of yours. [he may be surly because of the rum in the fruity drink]

I'm clever! Besides that, you've had a merger before, I haven't. So you need to figure something out. [gives him a look] And I'm sorry, but having exactly two suits isn't anyone's idea of taste.

They're nice suits. Besides, at least I know what I like. [scratches his sideburns] Well, I know it's got a bit to do with psychic wavelengths, creating some sort of a bond between the two realities.

I know what I like. Wearing more than two things is actually considered quite healthy by most people. [takes a sip of his drink] A bond between realities? How did you manage to do that before?

I don't know. It just sort of happened over time.

It just sort of happened? Like what, you woke up one day and bam, merged reality?

No, not that simple. It just took a bit of time, like a melting block of ice.

Really? A bit of time? Can't we just speed the process up, seeing as we're sort of the same? We should have some sort of psychic wavelength all ready, I would think.

We probably can. [takes a sip of his drink] I'm just not the sort of person who would know about that.

Lot of good, you are. [sighs] Right, well, what sort of person would know, then?

The Master.

Oh, you've got to be kidding. Really?

Not exactly the universe's greatest tutor, I think. We'll figure it out, though.

If he would be the sort to know, it can't be that difficult, right? I mean, there are two of us, after all.

We've got plenty of time, though. No need to rush things.

Comments

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[She rubs her eyes, looking like she's taken three steps over the edge of Exhausted Cliff and is waiting for gravity to kick in.] You must be one of the human Doctors?

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Is it that obvious? [pause] So what's gotten you into such a state?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

I know the others fairly well. [She shrugs and winces because even THAT hurts.] What has me in this state is a dramatic violation of my principle that controlled substances are a crutch and temporary escape for weak-minded individuals.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Oh. [looks at her with concern] Well, we all have our moments. I'm sure there's a reason.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Contemplates thin air for a moment.] Is it irrational to feel as though someone or something that never existed has been murdered?

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Not if it's real to you, no.

[thinks]

My mate Donna, she had this entire world built around her. Husband, children, she was even dieting. [laughs sadly] And then it all turned out to be nothing but...well, seemingly nothing. That didn't make it any less real for her, though. It happened, and it still hurt.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Quietly] Donna-san...

...all of that? Really?

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

[nods]

Yeah, at least to my Donna. I'm not sure if it's happened yet to the one here.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[She closes her eyes] What did she do? Your Donna? When she found out it wasn't real.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Well, she didn't believe it wasn't real at first. Tried to hold onto that life, the husband, the children, everything. Eventually it all disappeared. When she found herself back in the real world, she looked for her husband, thought there might be a chance he was real. Turned out he was too good to be true.

And then she laid by a pool for a day, because she needed a break after that. Just like anyone would. Poolside. Barside. Whatever. It's nothing to be ashamed about.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

And if the husband was real? If one of the children was real? If the dog was real? [She stares at the back of her hand, at her naked ring finger. He'd even gotten her a ring, Western as that was.]

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Do you want it back? The husband and the children and the dog?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

...I don't know. [Traces the grains of the table wood.] Like I said. The husband... [Shrug] Who knows what he wants? If he wants it back or not.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

I'd find out. You're never going to stop wondering if you don't.

Easier said than done, of course.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

He can't even look at me. [Props her chin in one hand and stares into space again.] She looked like me, our daughter did.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Give him time, maybe?

Yeah? Did she have a name?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[She plans to give him lots of time. Yes. Looots of it.]

...Xin. For his sister.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

[sympathetic smile] It's a good name.