asgardeventide | 1st Mishmash ~ [Video]

[When the recording starts, the Doctor is busy poking around and checking the functions of the bracelet, so maybe it was turned on by accident, maybe not. He’s talking, and it certainly isn’t to the network, so it might seem very accidental.

But who knows. Maybe even he doesn’t.

The surroundings behind him are moving and his footsteps can be heard, so he’s definitely pacing as he talks. Occasionally, Rory comes into view.]

--separated from the TARDIS. That’s fine, not new, it happens, we’re always reunited in the end, that’s fine.

[Not that he sounds like he really thinks it is.]

But there’s something else. I’m not really used to being taken from the TARDIS and discovering that something’s really not right.

--actually, I’m used to that too. We are used to that.

[He spins around and finally is no longer looking at the bracelet, but at something else (Rory) and the footsteps stop.]

I mean not right in the way that I don’t hear what I should hear, don’t see what I should see, don’t… Everything is just wrong, they took away my Time Lord-yness, Rory! It’s like I-I… I’m…

I’m practically human.

[So. Very. Affronted, and he sounds it.

He continues moving, and this time his arms seem to be very much involved as the screen moves a little bit every now and then, angles changing just slightly.

Briefly, the sound of Rory's voice cuts in with a "but, Doctor--" before being cut off by more of the other man's ramblings.]

I don’t really see the point of that. Or, well, I guess I do, a bit, if they insist on putting something in us then maybe it doesn’t work if they… But still! They apparently didn’t think about asking or explaining because, honestly, I would’ve been happy to help and I’m certain you would have been too but— Ah.

[His expression shifts into one of dawning realisation and he starts pacing properly again, bringing Rory back into view.]

Ah, but the houses. See, I always liked the idea of the old mythic gods because they were always so… human, completely unlike those one-god-only religions who insist their god is perfect when, really, it seems in the books to me like they’re perfectly imperfect— But, anyway! The gods!

They’re human, mentally, and they have houses and, oh, it’s all about individual traits, isn’t it? Then, logically, if they bring in people to all the houses, there would be those that wouldn’t want to help, and if there are only people who would be kind enough to want to help then… where would the energy come from? They bring people of so different personalities together and, oh, that is clever, that is very clever, I like that. People clash, and then there are sparks and energy, [wriggles fingers,] and colour and life because humans are just beautiful like that, aren’t they?

[ Again, Rory tries to present an opinion: "Well, yeah, I suppose--" before being cut off again. ]

And we’re from the outside, so we’re the only ones that could fix whatever it is that’s covered this land. They are clever. Cunning, kind of rude, actually, but clever. Aren’t they, Rory? You have you agree with me on this one. What I don’t understand, [he shakes his index finger,] is why they keep things from us. What do they hope to gain from that? If they want us to fight a war, why don’t they say so right away so people can be prepared? It just seems very counterproductive. It doesn’t make any sense. But it has to!

[He knocks the heel of his palm against his forehead and marches towards Rory.]

What am I missing? I’m missing something! [And he grabs Rory’s shoulders, almost shakes him.] What am I missing?

[Somewhere in the shaking, Rory finally has an opportunity to get a word or two in. Literally, just a word or two. He’s clearly used to this.] Could you not do that? Look, what did you do before you had the--

[Sucking in a breath, the Doctor turns on his heel and walks the other way, running his fingers through his hair before he finally looks back at the bracelet. Rory stays in the background now that the angle isn’t constantly changing.]

Oh! Hello! So that’s what you were doing, you beauty. Don’t mind that, I was just... just... thinking out loud. I’m the Doctor. Just the Doctor. [A pause.] You... don’t have any idea, do you?

((OOC: The Doctor's first post with a Rory cameo... thing. Not really an intro, because he's all dived into this business ok he's got dis. Oh, and it's after his thread in the mingle log. The Doctor is just black, and poor Rory's one line outside brackets is blue.))

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[That isn't what Rory thinks. Sometimes, he isn't happy with the Doctor. Sometimes, he absolutely hates the decisions the Doctor makes or the decisions the Doctor pushes him into making, but the man has become an enormous, inescapable part of his and Amy's lives.

Yes, the Doctor's mad. He is most definitely mad. Rory knows that. He's steered he and Amy into danger in that blue box far too many times, but Rory also knows that the Doctor is a good man. He's a good man, and nothing is ever going to prevent him from helping people.

Rory would gladly stop travelling with the Doctor in favor of setting down with Amy, but he would never trade in the travels he's already had.]

Christmas dinner. You invited yourself.

[It's just vague enough to avoid any spoilers, just in case this Doctor hasn't made it to that point yet.]

[A pause, and he turns his head to give Rory an incredulous look. Not that he really doubts Rory or anything, it's just. Uh.]

Christmas dinner? I invited myself? I don't just do Christmas dinners.

Well, apparently for us, you do. I suppose that means you're from earlier on than me.

[For once, he knows more than the Doctor and he really doesn't want to mess up any wibbly wobbly timeline things by revealing more than he should. Particularly, things pertaining to River.]

What happened to you last?

For you... Always so special, you Ponds, what have you done to me?

[He doesn't really sound awfully troubled, though. If he invited himself for christmas dinner... does that mean he's dropped them off at that point? With no intention of traveling with them again?

Hard to know for certain. He doesn't ever really go back...]

Demon's Run.

[All that needs saying. Or, well.]

The very end of it.

Ah.

[It's really all he can say for a very long moment, really. Demon's Run was full of conflicting emotions for Rory. What happened to Amy there is one of the things he'd love to push behind that Roman door--for himself and for her. But there was also a very odd, very confusing sort of joy when River revealed herself. Genuinely indescribable, really.]

You know, then.

[That thing will leave its scars, there's no way it won't. No matter if he knows that River... Melody... will be all right, as all right as she can be, it's still, in the end, his doing, his fault. The consequences of his actions and innocent people getting dragged into it.

River wouldn't be the person she is without it, and as much as he loves the person she is... If only he could have...

Swallowing, he nods.]

I know.

Did it turn out all right? You and Amy, are you...?

[Are you even a little fine, or did he destroy you completely?]

[He seems reluctant to give a straight answer, because he isn't so sure that they'll ever be completely fine. How do you recover from that, and how do you comfort someone who has been through that? That's where it hits Rory the hardest. The fact that he was never able to do anything to fix it.

Crossing his arms over his chest, he gives a vague sort of nod.]

We were handling it. I guess we just tried not to to talk about it much. Bit like the other thing. The Roman thing.

[Good lord, he and Amy have been through a lot.]

Yes, the Roman thing...

[He's silent for another while. All that, yet here Rory is, trying to cheer him up, yet he invited himself over to Christmas dinner well after the fact, yet they are still... He had hoped, of course, but never really expected...]

You're still with me. Why can't you people ever leave? Everyone who travels with me... Everything that happens to you people, and you never leave. Only rarely. Why?

You know why I stayed.

[Amy. It's always been Amy and it will always be Amy. The Doctor charms everyone he meets. He's the type of man that you want to join on adventures and run away and leave everything else behind, but if not for Amy, Rory would have never hopped aboard at all. Not even if it had been offered to him alone.

And then he realises that he's just used past tense. Sharing just a little can't hurt, right? The Doctor must already be suspecting it.]

And we didn't have a choice anyway. You left us.

[After a pause, he tacks on:]

Spoilers.

[Right. Amy. But there's no Amy here, and Rory could have punched him for everything he's put them through and left it at that. And yet, Rory's put up with it all and become a very close friend, and he really just can't understand it. No matter how much they may enjoy adventures like he does...

Why do they always put up with so much?

That word gets a bit of a laugh from him, though, and he braces his hands against the table as he leans back. That's usually how it goes.]

Something must've happened, then.

[He doesn't answer the Doctor's question, because he's sure the Doctor already knows. He puts up with it because of Amy, Amy puts up with it because she's full of adventure, and they both put up with it because they love the Doctor and they don't want to see him leave.]

A lot of things happened.

["You tried to get rid of us once, then you made us think you were dead. Lucky your wife's up on things," is what he really wants to say, but that feels like far too much information, even for a man who hops through space and time.]

I don't think I should tell you any of them, though.

Of course not.

[He shakes his head.]

You're going to go all River on me now. At least I can probably count on you to not tease me with it.

[Especially when he doesn't know how long it'll be until he can expect to experience it, while with River he knows it'll eventually happen.]