realityshifted

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doctor who (d1) oliver day

[013]

[Oliver is standing out in the open on the Plane. he looks rather nervous and uncertain, fidgeting where he stands, and there's a deep sadness in his eyes. he's been trying for weeks to hide how the recent events made him feel--in fact, he hasn't been on the Plane very much lately because of it. but now, he's made a decision. so he takes a deep breath, then starts talking as loud as he can] Hey, everybody!

I...I don't know if this'll help, but...well, they made it sound like it would, didn't they? And it can't hurt...Not any worse than what's happened already...I hope...

Anyway, Meredith said someone voted for the right person. If we can find everyone who voted for someone other than the Master, maybe we can work out who it is. Or...maybe that person can work that they did it? If they don't already know.

So, if you voted, say something! I'll keep a list of who got voted for.

And...if it was you, but you didn't want to say, or you didn't realise but you do now, say something, okay? Please. As long as we don't know, we might not be able to do...anything.

[stops, his voice catching on that last word. looks down for a moment as he tries to collect himself. he swallows hard, then looks up again] Also... [hesitates, regret flitting across his gaze] If anyone sees Leela, could you tell her I need to talk to her?

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Shut up! You voted for blame, and the blame fell on someone! What did you think voting was going to do, give the person at fault a vacation?!

When someone asks you to point out the person at fault it means they're going to be punished. You're so damn naive—

[Asch realizes he's going on a tirade and shuts up, but man, the desire to punch in his face is huge. However, it's a bit of a defense mechanism too. The guilt behind all of this is sickening, permeating deep into every angry angle of his body.]

Edited 2010-11-20 01:43 (UTC)

[looks away from Asch, unable to stand the feeling of that guilt mixing with his own] [softly] How much choice do you think we had?

[His fists clench at his sides, unclench, clench again. He rests his palm on his sword hilt. That helps. It's the little things that keep him from completely losing it and acting like a child-- he's not his replica, he's not! He's not.]

Don't vote. It might be easier for you than sentencing someone who didn't even do it.

[looks back up at Asch; sharply] But not voting meant making it easier for them to sentence the Master at all!

[but then he lowers his gaze again, feeling far more defeated than angry]

They...they set us up. Even if I--if anyone--had acted differently, do you really think this wouldn't have happened anyway?

[softly] It's not your fault, you know.

One or two different votes wouldn't have upset the majority. [Defensive body language is go.] I know we were set up; it was obvious from the beginning. There was never really a 'harmless' course of action— which is why whining about it is pointless.

[He's about to say something else, and then Oliver chimes in with that. It hits home, makes him /stop/ for a second, and then he's lashing out again. If there was a wall around, he'd be hitting it. But there isn't... so he gets to wave his arms around like an angry person.]

O-of course it's not my fault! I'm not stupid!

[... guiltguiltguiltguilt.]

[puts his hands up defensively] Okay, okay!

[quietly, trying to sound as calm as possible. maybe that will help?] But...you voted for the Master, right?

[He folds his arms and looks away.]

No. Did you?

No. I voted for someone else.

Weren't you making another list?

Ah...yeah. I'm making a list of people who got voted for, so maybe we can work out who it really was.

... Put my name down, then. I'm sure at least one other person voted for me.

[Asch, you dumbass.]

[stares] You mean...you voted for yourself?

... I didn't do it to be noble, so don't get any stupid ideas.

But... [sputters] Why did you do that!?

Isn't it obvious?

[Asch falls silent and turns away again. He thinks this might be a good time to leave. Popping off the Plane is a bad idea since he's in the middle of something and doesn't want to mess up his chance to change things. He considers the library...]

You could've been punished if more people voted for you! [watches him turn away and starts after him] Hey! Asch! Where are you going?

No more than anyone else.

[He does stop, though he's clearly struggling with it.]

What?

But...

[flinches at that] Well, you don't have to just...walk away!

I made a decision. It might have been the one to trap you and everyone else here. Whether I could have been punished or not is irrelevant. If I'm at fault, I'll eventually have to face the consequences.

[He turns his head to talk over his shoulder.]

I have things to do. Time won't stop just because you want it to.

[And he continues on. Oliver can follow him if he wants, but he might just walk faster. Pfffft.]

[shocked] Wait...you think you actually did it!? Asch! [he does try to follow, but he is just a regular bloke when it comes to speed] Wait!

That's what I said! If all you're going to do is repeat me, then shut up!

[He continues walking. Oliver has about thirty seconds to justify himself, and that's being generous.]

But...but if you did it, you must've made a choice before it all started. We all made choices after the announcement! Asch! Is that what happened?

[OH. OH. He pauses!!!!]

I did make a choice. It wasn't in some stupid tiny room with a fon machine, but I consulted Meredith and made a decision based on that. That means they knew about it.

[blinks. if Oliver could try to blame what he did to stop the death matches, it makes even more sense for Asch to think a conversation with Meredith started it all. but...what could he have asked Meredith that might have done all that?]

Do you really think what you asked her could have caused this?

I told her that I wanted to rewrite the past of my world. [He stares at the floor hard.] We talked about consequences, that I would have to pray to the Machine itself if I wanted to reverse the changes I was going to make. I never appealed to the Machine but I still made a decision. It wasn't long after that when we were all trapped.

Nothing else substantial ever turned up. [And thus, the guilt.] It's the only explanation, don't you get it?!

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