#tytnw: fivey

[tremastersweb]

By the time the pair had reached the mountain, the sun had set and the cold had become apparent. The Doctor hadn't complained at all during their hike as to not alert his counterpart of his strain, yet he was about to do so for a different reason.

"Ah. What use is a torch when you can't see anything?"

He let out a frustrated huff, and as if the old torch had taken offense to his comment, it turned off. He gave it a few smacks to get it working again, its light illuminating the thick fog that surrounded them and mixed with the clouds of used air the cold made visible out of their mouths. He looked at the tracker, still nothing in sight.

"...Arthur was not lying about the cold... are we near? We have been walking for a while, we should be near, unless we're lost, but we can't- are we lost?"

...He was clearly frustrated. He looked at the Magister, expectant.

[tremastersweb]

During the short moment the Magister is gone, the Doctor does his best to fix himself. The Time Lord fragment's words still swirl around his mind space, clashing with each other, attempting to find a place to call home as they lose their battle against the newer thoughts that attempt to dismiss them, to find a fault, to contradict them. He goes to dry his eyes, only to notice a stain of blood in his coat's sleeve. He grimaces. Not that its orange tint is any less distressing. He shakes his head and takes a deep breath, then dangles his arms before starting to stretch - maybe then he can stop trembling. He has work to do, and better do it quick. He does not want to be a burden.

His stretches are interrupted by two notifications, which only help to further unsettle him. He's seen this before, and he gets a very, very bad feeling about it. He glances over to the twin TARDISes, considering if he should go check, then again, he does not know which one is which... so, instead, he quickly types a message. When he hears the Magister's voice, he almost jumps in place.

"Ah! I- Yes- Yes, of course. Are you?"

He sends it, and stuffs his phone back in his pocket, following him.

"...If you get a notification, that was me, ignore it, just... checking on Koschei."

He's clearly distressed. Still, he positions himself at one side of the cabin, readying himself to help lift it, hands still shaky, yet hiding it by firmly holding to the ship's exterior.

"...On three?"

He sighs as he rambles, simply listening to it... it was... nice, he hadn't really given him a chance to do so, not since... not since the academy.

"Yes, they turned up at my door one day, it was... quite the surprise to me, as you can imagine..."

He still remembered that day, how both suns had been shining bright in the sky, how there was a nice warm breeze in the air, and how he'd been so ready to get on with his day, only to have the calm shattered by their arrival.

"They said that they believe it was... someone who took issue with house Oakdown when I was newly loomed, the youngest, the easiest target... or possibly someone who had a problem with my Mother... other than that, no, they were unsure... and I haven't managed to find out myself since, I..."

He listened, as he spoke some more, letting his eyes slip shut as he did so, not offering any more explanation on his attempts at breaking the curse, not now, not when he felt like he'd break all over again if he delved deeper into it than he had in several decades, when he'd started to give up on it as a whole and focus on just him... on just Theta...

And then... a gentle hand on his face, and he found he couldn't look away, swallowing slightly and single-heartedly attempting to look away from the direct eye contact, of the many swirling emotions he could see on his face...

... His hands were deceptively soft for someone who didn't wear gloves...

... And then the hand was removed from his face and he dropped his eyes to gaze at the floor, and he picked his words back up as he accepted his hand, carefully standing with his help, responding to his prior questions as he went.

"I... never hated you, no... I- even if things had been different, I probably would have stayed until I was ready anyway... what with the mentorship that I'd only recently accepted when you left, a personal offer from the very best, I- that wasn't something I would have been able to pass up, you know? I was a bit sad, but I didn't hate you for it."

He lets out a sigh, tucking the necklace back into the safety of his shirt, then moving further inside the van, to where the two TARDISes had been placed.

"She would have loved to meet you too... but you're right... we should be more worried about Arthur right now... I think the sacktruck is in this one, just a moment."

He opens the door of one of the two cabinets and steps inside, returning not too long later with a sacktruck and making his way back off of the van, heading towards Vera's TARDIS.

"Well, are you ready to move her then?"

[tremastersweb]

"You're right. But when you look across the vastness of the universe, up close, even in the midst of the most dire situations, there's always people helping each other. Being kind. To those who need a hand, and against those who make it impossible to exist in such conditions... Those who seek to maintain and amplify their individual power... Whether a society applies this at large or not is clearly not a question of nature, but nurture... I mean, it is survival after all, to help each other, and to accept diversity."

He tilts his head back, looking at the ceiling, memories of the many times he had witnessed such acts lighting up his eyes as a smile forms on his face. He then thinks of Vera, who with her own amnesia and through her fears, doesn't seem to have it in her to give up when it comes to helping her fellows, even faced with tasks that seem rather impossible. All her research on the virus, which so far seems to go nowhere, yet she still tries, because she cares.

Then 'Lin, who despite having clear trouble in understanding social interactions and how to take care of herself, seems to try her best to help as well. Her explorer spirit, and how she brings gifts with every single one of her expeditions. All the times he's caught her by the medbay door, keeping him company, despite everything he'd done.

Then, he glances at the Magister, who not only has done his fair share of help for everyone as well, but he alone had decided to go rescue Arthur, and as far as he'd been telling him, he's always had it in his hearts. He looks at his clothes, ones he'd been saving for him, in the case The Master would have accepted to travel with him, to see all this wonder together. He looks... beautiful, this way. Truly. He wonders how it could have been, if it wasn't for the curse. Well, he'd rather share this joy with him than never.

"...I just wonder why we can't do the same, instead of forcing each other into silence, when we struggle. We're supposed to be the "most advanced planet" in the Universe, and surely, in some aspects, but...! I firmly believe advancement should not equal power and repression, but compassion instead... And it will never be perfect, it can't be, but it can be better, less lonely, more hopeful... you know?"

His smile disappears as he remembers, once again, that their planet is gone.

"Or, well, maybe, it could have been."

He sighs and fidgets with his fingers, then glancing at his counterpart's as well, until he speaks.

"...Ah."

He observes his claws. Well, at least the bleeding won't be a problem anymore, but... A sting of guilt punctures his chest as he realises, it's his fault. That's the virus further advancing, and he made him worry. He frowns as he goes to wash his hands, returning his attention to the inhalers and unboxing the second. He definitely doesn't feel ready for them, but that's something he must sort out. If not for himself, he can always do it for someone else, again, that is easier. He stuffs it in his other pocket, and carefully gets off the bed - the room isn't spinning anymore, everything is back to its proper space in his perception, and he's not shaking half as much, albeit he's still a bit weak.

"I think so, yes, that at least, I... By how much have we delayed...? We better get to it as soon as possible- I would appreciate it if you drove, yes."

[tremastersweb]

"...Fascinating..."

The Doctor inspects both the twin TARDISes, well, at least in the exterior they are indistinguishable. He glances at the Magister, and looks around his surroundings. So far, not a soul in there. He settles on taking the TARDIS to the left, gently placing a hand on her surface, his expression turning to concern.

"...I'm so sorry. We'll figure this out, okay?..."

Then he lifts it, taking a deep breath, he'll need all of his oxygen, everyone would, right?

"...By the way, shouldn't he be here? You know... Koschei."

[tremastersweb]

Somewhere inside an improvised solitary confinement cell, feline ears perk up at the sound of distant steps, pertaining to a beige silhouette. They promptly stop as the blond Time Lord inspects the console, imbuing his sleeve with humidity from his breath and cleaning off a bit of dust off her surface. He rounds her, stopping again near the door lock lever and resting both his hands there, awaiting the Magister's arrival. His voice resonates in his direction.

"Are we ready? You'll have to guide me over to your van, I haven't left the TARDIS since you..."

He clears his throat, idly tapping the lever's handle with his hands.

"...well, I hope it's not too far away."

[tremastersweb]

Hello Arthur, I am so very sorry, we got a bit delayed. We are now getting fuel to make sure we can reach you without issue, just... hold on until we're there, alright? It will only be a few hours now.

Ah... do you think there's any furniture you can throw in the fire? A chair, perhaps? Again, I don't think it's a good idea to go out. I have some food prepared, there's still plenty more in the TARDIS, I'll make sure to get you something warm to drink, alright? If the pictures disturb you, you may cover them, or turn them around perhaps, well, I'm not sure whether that would be disrespectful, but your health is more important right now!

Hello Arthur, are you holding up well? We have arrived to Vera's TARDIS, now it'll take us a bit to move everything, but we'll be going towards you soon. Please stay cautious, don't go out and take care, alright?

-The Doctor ( @tremastersweb )

Doctor! Hello, i uh.. i missed you.. um.. I've just been asleep for a while.. and it's got colder up here, i tried to go out to get more firewood but it's... It's really foggy, like.. can't see two meters in front of me foggy.

I think I'll just have to put the remaining firewood from the cabin on and hope it lasts till you get here. It's rather miserable, there's no food besides the little cocoa left in that tin and um.. a few moldy potatoes that I'd rather not touch.. and i think the isolation is getting to me. I haven't actually seen a living person since i got here, and the old photos framed on the wall just make it worse, like I'm being watched by dead people-

Oh god I'm completely rambling, i must sound out of my mind, I'm sorry. I.. think I'll just curl up by the fire and.. sleep some more...

[tremastersweb]

The Doctor sits up when he receives the mug, remaining close to Arthur and carefully tucking the blankets in between him and his thigh. He then removes the protective plastic and begins to stir with the lolly, a profound sigh escapes him as he glances at the Magister for a second. He clearly knows what he's doing, a lot better than he does.

He looks back at the mug, focusing on the circular movement which seems to gradually and without his awareness blur his vision of everything that is real around him, silently flushing the crackling sounds of the fire with the swirl away from his perception. His body is unusually still, save for the stirring. He is breathing, in and out, slowly, automatically, as any and all sensations in his body that would usually be identified as emotions get relocated somewhere else within his psyche, away from the present, away from becoming an inconvenience.

He blinks, gently swaying his head as he notices the task had finished, much faster than he thought, or at least that's how he had perceived it. He brings the mug to his face, sniffing it, the heat and strawberry scent partially bringing him back to reality.

He then sets it on the floor, carefully, away enough from them so it doesn't accidentally spill when he turns to Arthur, slides an arm under his torso and gently lifts him to sit. Still supporting his weight, leaning him a bit on his shoulder, he adjusts the blankets so they cover as much of him as possible, then grabs the mug and brings it to him.

"Here, Arthur, drink this. It'll make you feel better."

He lifts it closer to his face, waiting to see if he can manage to grab it, not planning on letting go of it whether he did or not, after all, it'd be likely he'd drop it.

[tremastersweb]

Okay… I’ve hooked the tracker up to my phone, we should be good to go now!

-Vera ( @livingwiththedrums )

Well- yes- not so fast, you still have to explain to me how it works, yes? Besides, I'd like to see your creation! Oh- oh. The fire- Can you come over?

[tremastersweb]

internet search how to get cats off your console your ships console your time traveling ships console oh it's all right it won't work because internet hasn't been working for a while now oh wait wait it's typing isn't it oh is it back so it seems Wait no don't post that don't don't don't velvet stop it

[tremastersweb]

Is that so? You are quite handy, did you know?

We're... alright, just a slight delay, we'll be loading in on fuel soon as well, that is if there's still any left, so with both your aid and that, we should be just fine!

Getting to Arthur will take a bit still, I'll... inform you when I can, okay?

Vera! Everything alright over there? We're about to move now, so far everything is clear, although if you were to exit the TARDIS I'd advise you to bring a lantern, ah, and it might be a bit tight to move there, but... well, all of them are together now!

- The Doctor ( @tremastersweb )

oh! hi, Doctor! we're doing okay! i should have a backup power supply ready for the van in about... 30 minutes, at least! how are you and the Magister doing? was the rescue mission a success?

[tremastersweb]

"Alright! Four it is..."

The Doctor scurries into his TARDIS, leaving the door open to ease his own work. The empty containers were... to the right? Yes. Surely they should be to the right.

He walks briskly across corridors, almost passing the workshop, then he gasps, turning back on his feet. Well, it will only be a second. He knocks on the door, before opening it.

"...Vera? Hello! It's me. The Doctor. Is all going well over there?"

He walks a bit closer, observing her and her work, offering her a small smile, certainly not his usual bright one.

"Did you find the water dispenser, in the end? Ah, I had the chance to visit your TARDIS, well, she seems to be alright."

As he speaks, he tries to remember the exact room he had stored the containers. He's almost got it.

[tremastersweb]

Ouch ouch ouch my bones wait don't post that

[tremastersweb]

The Doctor's lips curls into a smile that of relief at the sound of 'Lin's voice. He takes a deep breath, then waves at her. After permitting himself a few seconds of rest, and discarding the possibility of running, he walks to meet her.

"'Lin...! Oh, I'm so glad you're okay."

He holds her shoulders, partly to reassure himself of her safety, partly to help keep his own balance, although he makes an effort to conceal the latter.

"You had me worried there, you do know the TARDIS is practically infinite, yes? What if you get lost, and never find your way back?"

He takes a moment to look around. The sight is breathtaking, more so than the scent that permeated the air, perhaps a bit too overwhelming.

"...Although I must admit this room is quite spectacular... Do please tell me you haven't been eating anything unfamiliar now, have you?"

"'Lin!!"

An out of breath Doctor barely holds himself upright as he reaches half of the mountain. He calls in the distance.

"'Lin, where are you?"

( @tremastersweb )

She has been wandering a copse of bronze-leafed trees as if in a trance, quietly humming some tune she half-remembers from her childhood, the ground beneath her naked feet somehow not even once having rocks, sticks and other kinds of detritus sharp enough to pierce her soles. Her pockets are full of odds and ends she's found, her haul to bring back to her friends.

The scent of myrrh and incense is heavy in the air, and she's absentmindedly running the pads of her fingers on the oddly smooth bark of the smoky bronze trunk of one of the trees when she hears the Doctor's yell, snapping out of her daze and turning towards the direction she's heard the voice.

"Doctor?"

She moves to leave the forested area, so she can manage to see the Doctor. He sounds winded, no need to make him hike into the woods.

[tremastersweb]

[TARDIS LOG - AUDIO TRANSCRIPT - 0333 - MEDICAL BAY]

THE DOCTOR: ...your fault too, isn't it?

THE MASTER: Technically speaking.

THE DOCTOR: Well then, I must go.

THE MASTER: ..........ur laundry?

THE DOCTOR: What's that? Ah!

[UNINTELLIGIBLE]

THE DOCTOR: Oh no you don't-

[UNINTELLIGIBLE]

[SOUND OF METAL HITTING THE FLOOR]

[SOUND OF FELINE HISS]

[SOUND OF THUD]

[SOUND OF DOOR CLOSING]

THE DOCTOR: ...why do I bother?

[END OF REQUESTED FILE]

[tremastersweb]

[TARDIS LOG - AUDIO TRANSCRIPT - 0330 - MEDICAL BAY]

THE MASTER: ...you failed to enact hm? And now it riddles you with guilt.

THE DOCTOR: That's enough out of you.

[SOUND OF STEPS]

THE DOCTOR: ...I hope this time has taught you something. Although I don't...

[END OF REQUESTED FILE]

[tremastersweb]

[TARDIS LOG - AUDIO TRANSCRIPT - 0329 - MEDICAL BAY]

THE MASTER: ...What are you so scared of, my dear?

THE DOCTOR: I'm not-

THE MASTER: Oh, but you are! You are as full of fear as you are of hatred. Need I remind you of...?

THE DOCTOR: There's no need. I didn't- I wasn't- I wasn't thinking. And you're wrong. I don't...

THE MASTER: Right! Because you cannot...

[END OF REQUESTED FILE]