(no subject)

[allpurposescarf]

[And here we have a new face. One who seems to have a fairly interesting choice in clothes, if the over-long scarf is any indication. Still, he doesn't seem to mind it any. In fact, he seems to be far more interested in the communicator itself.]

Ah, there we are. You know, it really is fascinating how many different ways to talk to people there are. You’d think that sooner or later all devices like this one would end up looking he same, but I’ve seen so many different kinds, over the years. And none of them are at all alike, except in what they do. Communication, no matter what form it takes.

So, hello, then! How are you all doing, out there?

Comments

[raisethemoon]

He wears a garment of blue, and his mane - or his hair, I suppose - is brown and rather unkempt.

[She sees no harm in describing him; even if he IS an enemy, the town is small enough that they'll have to run into each other at some point or other. This means she can see his reaction, if there is one this time.]

[allpurposescarf]

It would be hair, yes. But he's not any Doctor I know. Which must make him a future one.

[raisethemoon]

...a future version of yourself, then?

[Explain, sir.]

[allpurposescarf]

Well, he's certainly not a past me. Otherwise I'd have recognized him.

[raisethemoon]

Oh, but of course. [Can you hear the sarcasm]

He looks very little like you.

[allpurposescarf]

Well of course he does! Otherwise I'd be him.

[There's a pause, and then he continues on.]

How much has he told you about himself?

[raisethemoon]

Evidently not a great deal.

[voice][private]

[battleborndr]

Luna, I-- [wow he really doesn't know what to say, actually]

[voice][private]

[raisethemoon]

[Oh. Dear. She hadn't even thought.]

I hardly expected you to tell me every detail of your history, Doctor. Do not fret. [Mind, it's apparently a rather large detail, but she doesn't have much ground to preach about secret-keeping.]

[voice][private]

[battleborndr]

It's just... it's complicated. [He also hoped that it would never come up.] I'm him, but I'm not. I sort of... diverged from him, far into his future. [He's not entirely sure how much sense he makes, but at least he's attempting to be nice to Luna, which is a whole lot more than Four is getting.]

[voice][private]

[raisethemoon]

I see. [Not a whole lot of sense. At least she's totally used to the idea of time travel by now, but divergence?] And you are apprehensive of seeing your past self...or someone similar...once more?

[voice][private]

[battleborndr]

[He's silent for awhile, and when he answers, he's very quiet.] "Apprehensive" is putting it a bit lightly.

[voice][private]

[raisethemoon]

Indeed.

[She's seen your nightmares, Doctor. She was understating on purpose.]

Wherefore? He does not seem so terrible as all that.

[voice][private]

[battleborndr]

[Of course it's Luna of all the people--ponies--that gets him to confront the real problem. Luna is probably the only one that could; she's seen his dreams. There's no going around that.]

...No, he's not. [Admitting that is hard. He wants the Doctor--all of them--to be awful, but it isn't the truth. But how does he explain this?] You know how dreams and nightmares can focus on one particular aspect in reality, and distort it into a completely different meaning? [He doesn't wait for an answer; he honestly expects it would be "yes" given her nature.] It's kind of like that. "The Doctor" isn't my enemy, not... not really. [breathe] But he's a representation of what I'm lacking... That I suppose I'm not... a completed person yet. I don't understand who I am yet. Luna, I'm not ready for him to be here.

[voice][private]

[raisethemoon]

I see.

But these things rarely happen when we are ready for them. Perhaps reaching an understanding with him will allow you to move forward more readily. [A pause] You have never seemed "incomplete".

[allpurposescarf]

Yes, I'm beginning to see that. It's called regeneration. A sort of... second chance, if you will.

[raisethemoon]

That is not especially enlightening.

[allpurposescarf]

To put it into very basic terms, we change. Complete cellular regeneration.

[raisethemoon]

Oh? All on your own?

[allpurposescarf]

In a manner of speaking. It's just not something we can do all the time.