empty in the valley of your heart

[cricketycricket]

[when the sun comes up through the windows, that's the Doctor's first clue that the castle is up to its tricks - normally, in the TARDIS, he's not woken by the onset of light, he just ... wakes up whenever he wants.

so at first he's completely up for this, curious as he sits up in the bed he's been placed in. no TARDIS, that's fine - he'll be alright without the old girl and she can handle herself. but it looks like a normal castle room ... ]

Hm.

[well, nothing for it. he gets to his feet and stretches - then turns to survey the rest of the room and realizes who's sleeping on the other side of the --

oh no. Rassilon's earlobes, NO. he is NOT staring at a sleeping Master. he's just NOT.

except he totally is.]


Well, damn.

Comments

[traken_master]

[The Master can't help chuckling.]

Of course, I do have to wonder at your motives, when it comes to your traveling companions. They seem, mostly, to be young, pretty, and not terribly bright.

[cricketycricket]

Well, it isn't as though I hold auditions, you know. They're almost always in the wrong place at the wrong time. I thought you'd have figured that out by now.

[traken_master]

Really? So, it's simply coincidence and fate that almost all of your companions are beautiful girls, barely out of adolescence, with, mostly, just enough brains to admire how brilliant you are? Not a single, crusty old man or woman in the bunch? No dried up old school teacher, with a droning voice? Oh, believe me, Doctor, I've noticed.

[cricketycricket]

As a matter of fact, it is. [he scowls. look, it's not his fault that the WRITERS of canon are leches.] I don't think I care for what you're insinuating.

[traken_master]

[The Master gives him a bland smile.]

Insinuating, my dear Doctor? I'm insinuating nothing about you and your precious little herd of children. In fact, I believe this conversation began with my admission that not all of them were bad.

[cricketycricket]

[he breathes in, slowly, his nostrils flaring EVER so slightly. so this is how it's going to be.]

Right, then. You have fun disposing of the rest.

[and he'll just wander over to a chair and pull a well-loved paperback novel out of his coat, followed by his brainy specs. you're on mute. have fun with that]

[traken_master]

[Most of the decorations are gone, anyway, so the Master abandons cleaning, in favor of sitting across from the Doctor in a chair backwards. Leaning forward, the Master rests his chin on his crossed arms and studies his best, much annoyed, enemy.]

You don't seem to care much for matching wits in this regeneration. It makes me miss your third self. He could be sharp-tempered, but at least he brought some relish to our game.

[cricketycricket]

[he'll ignore him for the span of a few pages, then answer without looking up]

I've told you - this is Paradisa, not the world at large. The game has changed somewhat.

[traken_master]

We no longer have all of space and time to dance in, true. Still, we were talking about banter. Are you enjoying your book or is it merely useful for ignoring me?

[cricketycricket]

I'm enjoying it immensely, actually. [he holds it up a bit so that he can see it properly] It's about a young man who decides to teach abroad in China. ... And pardon me if I don't consider crass insinuations a proper form of banter. You used to be above cheap shots at my character, as I recall.

[traken_master]

Hm. Was that a cheap shot, Doctor? I apologize. I didn't realize it was one of our rules that only you are allowed to take shots at my character. I'll try to keep that in mind, from now on.