realityshifted | (no subject)

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doctor who (dk) the ninth doctor

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[The Doctor is not, surprisingly, brooding in the bar. In fact, he's not even brooding! He actually appears to be genuinely happy, in a "beaming away like Father Christmas" sort of way...and he's humming. A bit off-key, yes, but it's distinctly "Luck Be A Lady."

There are a few bits of TARDIS machinery piled up nearby -- the Doctor is actually taking Omega's advice, and repairing them. Of course, he's doing all this in the middle of the library, utterly oblivious to the fact that he might be disturbing someone's peace and quiet.]

((ooc: Nine has been bumped to a bit after the end of the Doctor Dances, fyi! Slow tags may be slow 'cause of work, but. :|))

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[fluuuuush Niiiine] Thank you. I - feel the same.

My world doesn't entirely accept vampires, but they're known. And not starving can do wonders for a person's attitude. [speaks with experience, yes]

[now it's Nine's turn to be embarrassed] Er. You do? I mean -- I'm glad.

[nods] We had vampires in my universe a long time ago, but they were a different sort. Dunno if I've mentioned them.

Of course I do.

[shakes his head] Not yet. How different?

[smiles, before launching to story time] There was a race called the Great Vampires, a long time ago. They were massive creatures, and one of them could drain a whole planet dry if they wanted to. They fought a war with the Time Lords, but the Time Lords won that one, fighting them off with bowships to pierce their hearts.

Now we've all essentially got an internal directive to kill any vampire we might find, thanks to a certain Founder. [bitter? yes.] It's an urge I've been fighting on the Plane.

[his eyes widen when he listens, and then

he smiles, in clear admiration] You've done it remarkably well, then.

[sounding a bit guilty] I nearly caved when she told me what she did to the TARDIS. But I've got to give everyone a chance.

[quietly, his eyes dimming] I can understand that impulse.

[frowns, then gently] How d'you mean? 'Cause of the wolf?

[softly, glancing down at his hands] Because of the war.

[he reaches over, squeezing one of those hands in an attempt at comfort] Ah, makes sense. War does that sort of thing to people. [he speaks from experience :/]

[looks up, startled slightly, smiling faintly] Hard to imagine you in a war.

[distantly] Wasn't me. Well, it was. Just not...this me. Regenerated at the end of it.

[after a moment, softly] But still the Doctor.

[nods] Think I mentioned it to you once before, the Last Great Time War. Between my people and the Daleks. [he's quiet for a long moment] [a long pause] The Daleks are the scum of the universe. Hate's the only emotion they're bred to feel, and they'd wipe out the whole universe for the survival of their species if they had a chance.

[closes his eyes briefly] I had to make a choice, Remus. My planet or the universe. And then I didn't feel much like the Doctor anymore. [and that's just the cliffnotes version :/]

[for a moment, he only stares, an aching shock in his eyes

and then he reaches out his hand, to squeeze the Doctor's, and whispers]

So you're the reasons thousands of billions of people are still alive.

[he's just as startled by the gesture as Remus was, but he returns the squeeze after a moment] And the reason two entire species are dead. Ten million Dalek ships on fire, and the Time Lords burned with them.

Two species to save the universe. [deep breath] Is that...so different than dozens of people to save the world? [there's no gentle shield to his words, his eyes; the raw struggle is clear in both]

[softly] No, suppose it's not. Scale doesn't matter when lives are involved.

Would you condemn us, then?

[shakes his head] 'Course not. You did what you had to do.

Then it makes no sense to condemn yourself, unless you think you're better than us.

[wry smile] It's sort of the opposite.

Why?

Why d'you think?

[straightens, crossing his arms] If it's because you should have found another way, then you could say the same thing about us. About anyone who's ever had to take a life.