[002]

[oliverplus]

[Oliver is sitting out in the open on the Plane, near the collection of stars where he and Tamaki made snowmen. he has a small black datapad, similar in appearance to the iPod touch from just after his home era, in his hand. it is displaying a photo of a young woman, with wavy, longish blond hair and bright brown eyes. she is smiling and laughing, blushing faintly in embarrassment, with one hand just coming up to block her face from the camera.]

[Oliver smiles sadly at the picture for a few moments. then he swallows hard, reaching out to run a hand along the screen as though to touch the woman in the photo. the datapad responds by scrolling to the next picture, which is of the same woman, except she's turned her head and her hair is falling across her face now. she has her hands up to block even more of her face, but she's still laughing. Oliver scrolls through a few more photos of the same girl, the last of which is of the two of them, each with an arm around the other. it is taken at an awkward angle, and the Oliver in the photo clearly has his arm out, showing that he was holding the datapad to take the photo himself. the Oliver in the photo is also wearing the same clothing that he's wearing now--a green T-shirt with a logo for the "Desert Sand Brigade" and trousers that look like oddly-smooth jeans, betraying their futuristic, 27th century origins. they contrast with the girl's clothing--a purple, V-neck blouse over a white undershirt and jean trousers from the 21st century.]

[Oliver sighs, finally shifting his gaze from the datapad to a nearby clump of stars. his expression turns thoughtful, and he reaches out with his free hand to grab one of the stars, but it turns to dust in his hand. he speaks softly then, maybe just to himself or maybe half to the stars and whoever created them] Only once, huh? But...was it even real?

Comments

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[he plops himself down in front of Oliver, brushing aside some of the stars so he doesn't sit on a bunch of gold dust]

What wasn't real?

[oliverplus]

[jumps--he really wasn't expecting someone to come up to him right then--and looks up at Kaoru in surprise] Oh. Uh...well... [frowns, considering] Has anything weird happened to you lately, Kaoru?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

Plenty of things. But these star things are new...

[oliverplus]

Yeah... [glances at a nearby clump of the aforementioned stars] I picked one up, a couple days ago. [pauses] Have you?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

A day or two ago, can't remember which. It was weird though...

[oliverplus]

Yeah? What happened?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

Well you...you know, felt encouraged to make a wish, right?

[oliverplus]

Yeah. You too, huh? [glances at him] Did anything happen after that? I mean, not right after. Maybe not even here, but...

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

It didn't work. Not the first couple times.

[charmandsmiles.livejournal.com]

[hello, Oliver. Nine is just gonna observe him for a moment, before walking up and placing a hand on his shoulder] Suppose asking if you're alright is a bit of a stupid question.

[oliverplus]

[jumps slightly at the hand on his shoulder, but relaxes when he turns and sees who it is] Oh, hey, Doctor. [forces a smile, but it falters at the Doctor's comment] Ah...no, it's just...I think I might've been in an experiment.

[charmandsmiles.livejournal.com]

[frowns, concerned] You want to tell me about it? [it's not really a question]

[oliverplus]

[frowns, as though trying to come up with the right words to express what happened] I...went home. Really, actually home. Birmingham, February 2007. [his expression is a bit distant--maybe dazed--as he still can't believe this happened] It couldn't've been real, could it?

[charmandsmiles.livejournal.com]

[shrugs] I've got no idea. Seems like anything's possible when it comes to this place. [a pause] Did it feel real to you?

[oliverplus]

[frowns and offers the datapad to the Doctor. it's still displaying the photo of him with Chloe--who does look rather like Anna, though she obviously isn't Anna] I thought they'd disappear when it ended, but they didn't.

[charmandsmiles.livejournal.com]

[takes the datapad, scanning it with his screwdriver and frowning] Seems real enough. Might be able to find out for sure if your universe merges with mine, or one of my selves'...then we could take you back for a visit. If you wanted one.

[oliverplus]

[stares at him, surprised, then swallows hard] You...you mean that? That'd be possible? I mean...what if we're not from the same universe to begin with?

[shewalks-away.livejournal.com]

Was what real?

[oliverplus]

[looks up at the voice] Oh, hey Rose. [as he hasn't met two of anybody yet, he assumes she must be the new Rose he met recently. he tries to make his greeting cheerful, but it comes off rather subdued] Uh...well...you haven't picked up any of the stars, have you? [gestures at the collection of them near him]

[shewalks-away.livejournal.com]

Sorry, have we met or something? [thinks for a minute] Oh, you must've gone and met the other me, yeah? Showed up a little bit ago? [she looks around at the stars] First time I've gotten to see them all like this. Last time I was here it was all covered in snow. [sits down next to him, offering him a smile] But I'm betting you have picked them up?

[oliverplus]

[blinks, surprised] Oh. Yeah, that'd be her. Sorry. [frowns, staring at her briefly. he'd heard you could meet more than one of the same person here, but this is the first time he's actually done it] Wow. That's...sorry, that's a bit weird. [smiles sheepishly] I'm Oliver. Nice to meet you...Rose.

[at her comment about the stars, however, his smile fades to a worried frown] I picked one up--made a wish, and it turned to dust. Like in a film. And now... [reaches across, grabbing one of the stars, which immediately crumbles to dust] I think...it made something happen. But it couldn't've been real.

[shewalks-away.livejournal.com]

[laughs] Yeah, you're telling me. This has been like, the third or something other me I got to run in on since getting here. There's gotta be a medal or something for that, at least. [smiles warmly, hoping to make him feel less embarrassed] You too, Oliver.

[squints, looking at the stars, and then reaches out and picks one up. Nothing happens, not quite. She feels like she could wish for something, she's just not sure quite what to wish for. She lets the star fall back into the pile and she crouches down to examine the other stars, doing much the same. She looks back up at Oliver.]

But how do you know whatever it was, it wasn't real?

[oliverplus]

Really? Now that's weird! I wonder if I'll run into any other me's... [which is a rather disturbing thought, so he's not going to pursue it] But you're right, that's medal-worthy for sure! [smiles amiably; this sort of conversation is easier than talking about the stars, so he'll put it off for just that moment more]

[watches curiously as Rose examines the stars, noticing that none of them turns to dust in her hands. when she turns back to him, he frowns, averting his gaze] It's impossible! I mean...you've been with the Doctor, right? You can't just suddenly travel across hundreds of years and millions of miles on your own. It doesn't happen like that. So...it couldn't've.

[shewalks-away.livejournal.com]

Just gotta find someone to go and give me that medal. I'd still lose out to the Doctor, he's got like half a dozen of him running around or something. He's always gotta be showing off, doesn't he?

[smiles]

If you've been with the Doctor you start to figure that impossible really doesn't exist. You've been with the Doctor, yeah? You're telling me after everything you've seen, you really believe anything is impossible anymore.

[oliverplus]

[smiles] I don't think he'd be the Doctor if he weren't showing off in some way.

[makes a face] No, I know. I took pictures and everything, and I've still got them. [gestures with the datapad] But...I guess... [frowns, trying to work out how to put this into words] It wasn't supposed to be possible. It wasn't supposed to happen. How can the Plane do something like that, in my universe? And...and what's it mean, if it did? [sighs] What do I do now?