realityshifted | ♢ 5 ♢

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tales of symphonia (d2) marta lualdi

♢ 5 ♢

[Marta has arrived on the plane, wide-eyed and tense. In her hands, she holds a letter. A very formal letter. A letter that she would rather she never received in the first place.

She doesn't stay standing for long. In fact, she very quickly falls to her knees, her gaze still on the letter in her hands as she reads it over, and over, and over... Anyone who even remotely comes close will notice that she's trembling.]

The Doctor...? Why? Why is this happening?! I don't want to kill the Doctor! I don't want to kill anyone...

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[Oh for the love of...]

When?

[She doesn't look up. But at least she closes her eyes, no longer reading the letter for the 320948th time.]

The day after tomorrow, it says.

[Mu glances idly at the watch from the Doctor.]

You may not have to.

[Emil sees her fall and runs quickly to her side.]

M--... Marta, what's--

[And then he sees the letter trembling in her hands. It only takes a second for him to realize what that means. His blood turns to ice, and something about his expression hardens. He's got a good grip on her now, one arm around her shoulders, the other reaching for the letter so that she'll stop obsessing over it.]

Those bastards. It's not gonna happen.

[The Doctor is taking her news much more calmly, but that doesn't prevent the ache of sympathy when she sees Martha. She folds up her own letter and tucks it in her pocket before approaching.] Hello.

[Because it seems only polite, once she's close enough, she settles onto her knees as well. See how non-threatening she is?] You're Marta Lualdi?

[She lets him take it, not that she'd be foolish enough to try and fight it at all in the first place. Her arms fall limply to her sides and she closes her eyes tightly.]

Emil... how? No one's been able to stop them so far!

[Marta looks up at her and nods, the letter momentarily forgotten (physically, anyway).]

I am... Who are you? [Even her voice is trembling.]

[She follows his gaze to the watch, thinking it'll explain, but it doesn't.]

Huh? But... how?

I'm the Doctor.

[She glances, maybe a little involuntarily, at Marta's letter.]

[Marta blinks, then her eyes go a little bit wider as her eyes briefly flick back down at the letter.]

You... So we have to fight?

Well, I've no particular urge to fight you. Do you want to fight?

[She's fairly sure she knows the answer to this question already, but it's best if she makes sure.]

No, not at all! But I don't want to die, either!

[She pauses, takes a deep breath to attempt to steady herself... but her voice is still trembling.] What should we do?

[With something of an encouraging smile:] Oh, that's all right; I've no intention of letting you die.

I was thinking about board games. Do you like those?

Edited 2010-07-22 18:38 (UTC)

[She has no idea what that means, but... she'll take it, for now. She can't exactly think straight at the moment anyway. Maybe she'll think on it later.]

Board games? I think I've played one before, a long time ago. Why?

Well, I don't see why we should be made to fight if neither of us cares to. Really, all we can be forced to do is show up at the specified time. Once we're in, we can do whatever we like. [And die if the sand runs out before anyone dies, but she's going to brush past that in hopes that Mart won't think about it. There's no need.]

Did you like it? I think they might be the easiest to bring into the coliseum.

[She nods. The Doctor brings up a good point...]

Board games... sound fun. [She manages a small smile, but it's very, very forced. She's still upset that this has to happen at all.] I can bring pillows for us to sit on, maybe some drinks or food if we get to a town before we're... c-called back here.

[It's a good sign, though, and the Doctor tries to encourage it along by reaching out to squeeze her hand lightly.]

That sounds good. I can bring snacks as well, I think. And definitely the games, I've got loads of them.

[He holds her against him without asking. It's the least he can do. Personal contact isn't his favorite, but there's something so important about doing that right now, about tucking her head beneath his chin in that certain way, trying to stave off her oncoming tears.]

I know it might be hard after the Temple of Ice... but do you trust me?

Which Doctor?

The letter d-didn't say, but the Doctor that came to talk to me was a woman. She's the first woman Doctor I've seen here.

[She's shocked that he's the one initiating the clinging, but geez, is she glad for it. Her arms end up around him just perfectly and she rests herself against him. The tears fall, but at least she isn't sobbing and sniffling loudly.

Hard to trust him? Never. Besides, wasn't the Temple of Ice her fault...? It doesn't matter right now. There are deeper worries.

She shakes her head.] I trust you, Emil. Always.

[The smile seems a little less forced after the reassuring touch.]

This is starting to sound more like a small party than a deathmatch, you know?

[He still feels like he failed her, even in this form. But that's quickly washed away when he feels her crying against him. He sighs, shifts so that she can basically lay in his arms if she wants and be as comfortable as ever. It's an unconscious thing by now, though he can't explain why... or come up with excuses for why he allows this sort of behavior.

The hum of her mana signature feels nice to him though... and its color is pleasant, unobtrusive, even to someone like him who loves the darkness. He relishes it, just as secretly as he relishes the smoothness of her hair between his fingers, her tiny but strong heartbeat against his chest.

The things he's been given are so precious, and he...]

I'll protect you no matter what.

One of the Doctors is working on a way out of this.

[She closes her eyes and nods. She even breathes a small sigh of relief. Her fears aren't completely alleviated by any means, but the fact that someone as clever as one of the Doctors is planning something gives her a little bit of hope.]

Good. I'm really glad. I wish I could help, but...

[She's glad for his touch, glad for his warmth, so very glad that he's here with her and letting her stay like this. She can barely handle how she's feeling, and just the thought of what Emil must be going through and how he must feel about this... she hates it. She hates that he has to be hurt by this. She hates it more than she hates being stuck in a fight to the death against someone she doesn't even know, who surely doesn't deserve this either...

And how does this all end? If she dies, she'll come back, right? Isn't that how it works around here? But it's still a terrifying thought, and she shudders before shifting her body just a little closer to his.

But with his promise to protect her, she calms a bit. She feels safe where she is right now.]

I know. Thank you so much.

Well, it is our deathmatch. We can use it any way we like.

[And... die at the end! But whatever, pleasantness beforehand.]

She's the only woman Doctor here.

...best of luck, I guess. If there is such a way to have best of luck during this affair.

Oh. So, you know her?

Thank you. I'll probably need it. [She looks quite like a wilted flower right now.] Someone said that there may be a plan to stop these, but... I don't know anything about it.

We all know each other. At least, a little bit.

[He frowns.] I'm sure that someone has a plan. Whether it works or not is another story.

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