realityshifted

[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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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?!

[stares. rewrite the past? oh Asch, you have gotten yourself into a mess, haven't you?] Wh...what?

[it takes him a second to respond as he's too shocked to have any idea what to say] No. No, it's not the only explanation. What would trapping you--trapping us--on the Plane have to do with making things happen back in your world?

It meant that dreck couldn't screw it up anymore!

[He pauses, and he knows he's sort of losing the argument, but that just irks him more. THIS ISN'T ABOUT LOGIC. It's about Asch Being Guilty and needing to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.]

... I didn't want anyone to interfere. I decided not to let anyone stop me. Maybe they saw that. Anyone else would have come forward by now or left some clue behind.

If you have a better candidate, let's hear it.

[he has no idea what Asch just meant by that, but the yelling and the guilt are making him increasingly more frustrated] Me, for one! Even I've done more than that!

What are you talking about? You haven't done anything! [Seriously, Oliver is like Mr. Exposition, at least in Asch's head. He sits around, takes notes, jumps around excitedly to try and help people, and then hides in the library.

... He has such a good impression of him.]

[that's a frighteningly accurate impression, really. except Asch is missing that Oliver sometimes hides at the bar]

I have! I told you about the death matches, didn't I? But I didn't tell you how we stopped them.

What the hell does that have to do with anything?! That was before I even got here!

[THEY DON'T UNDERSTAAAAND EACH OTHER. Obviously this means they'll be great friends someday.]

But it was a choice, too! Everyone helped break the barrier, but stopping Weber and the King from putting it back up...sending them to another multiverse--those were choices the Doctors and I made!

[they really will be :D]

[Asch hesitates, but only for a second.] The boy said that someone made a choice and everyone else was being forced to suffer the consequences. One person. Not a team of people trying to save lives.

[He smiles wryly, feeling almost that he's won despite everything.]

You aren't the type to do things alone.

[you really do know him too well, Asch]

Well...yeah. But I stopped the barrier alone! I mean... [sighs, seeing Asch's point. Braxiatel shot down that idea, too] Just, any choice could've done it. There's no way to know.

I don't have any proof either way. I might as well assume the worst.

[After all, he's pathetic enough to have let Akzeriuth happen, despite knowing about it seven years in advance.]

What for?

Because that's what always happens! [He tries to rein in his anger but only barely succeeds, every word seething with annoyance, self-disgust, and all that damn guilt.] Don't try to convince me that I should've voted differently. It's over with, so leave me alone!

[Oliver is getting angry right back--though for completely different reasons] I don't care how you voted! Why do you want to believe it's your fault?

[Oh, Oliver... you and your shounen hero nonsense.]

It's none of your damn business! I'm not going to justify myself to an idiot!

[WALKING AWAY NOW. For real. Time to throw some books in the library.]

[yells after him] Asch, blaming yourself isn't helping anything! Asch!

[watches him go, fists clenched in frustration]

[If you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of the library door slamming REALLY FUCKING HARD.

He's such a child. Seriously.]

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