Dust Bowl Dance [The Doctor]

[simm]

This place hadn't seen a whisper of life in a very long time.

Once, many years ago, it had been a center of buzzing activity, people overflowing it's boundaries, the air filled with the laughing of children, the roar of the roller-coaster. Lights had flashed bright overhead, casting their shimmering glow on the movement below.

But nowadays it was a ghost park. With the creaky gates chained together with the word 'HAZARD' slapped over the bars in thick black lettering, it had been sealed away, abandoned and forgotten by the people and owners alike. Flaky, orange rust had eaten it's way through most of the buildings, and rides, leaving them weak. With each soft flutter of wind that dared pass through, the structures creaked and waned, the old coaster tracks threatening everyday to fall to dust.

And it felt right to be here.

A sharp crack resonated through the still silence, and the chains once again fell from the old gates with a thump. The gates swung open slowly, the rotten joints protesting with squeaks and groans. But he paid them no mind. The noises were but whispered nothings smothered by the crashing noise trapped in his skull. Louder and louder, it beat out it's familiar tune, harsh and endless.

But he moved onwards, ignoring the thundering noise in his head, shrugging the hood of his jumper over to shroud his paled skin. He moved quickly, eyes darting from left to right with animalistic franticness. Oh yes, he'd smell him out here, even amongst the tang of the sea wafting in from the bay, and over the stink of the cars; he would find him. In this dead, lonely place. His home, of sorts. How fitting.

The Master paused and threw his gaze back to the opened gates, his mouth curving upwards in a vicious smirk. "Come and get me." He turned his back on the gate, breaking into a run, heading deeper into the remainders of the coaster ride.

[The Doctor]

Sunlight glistened within the blue-within-blue sky overhead. Gazing up into the clouds and into the eye of sun it was old. It was looking into a window of the past. Eight minutes ago shined up in the sky like an icon. In many cultures the sun was valued. The sun was a star. Like any other which twinkled in the heavens during the night. It would be the closest thing to time travel while the blue box refused to move from its spot upon Roald Dahl Plass upon the invisible elevator of Torchwood Three.

Footsteps clicked on the pavement. They squished against the ground beneath them and could sense the rotation of the Earth below them. It was the sound of converses clashing against the road as the owner of the shoes had not other means of transport since the blue police box originating from another world light years away refused to preform her duty to her owner who was growing mad from the boredom of being trapped upon the premises of the Earth.

Planet Earth was a cage for the genius who needed to fly and explore the universe.

Approaching the gate the newcomer started at the sign which read 'HAZARD' but took no notice of it. Hazards was the newcomer's middle name (not literally of course as the newcomer did not have a name. His name was taken away from him as a wee child). He needed an adventure and something in the wind was becoming him. It was a sense an old fragrance which pulled him in like Jupiter to Io. The place looked abandoned and neglected for sometime. There were no sounds of laughter trickling from the place. Yet the newcomer felt the urge to enter-- something old was beckoning him and he knew he had to go inside the gates of the abandoned amusement park.

The gates creaked as he entered and he ran a hand though his messy mob of chestnut brown hair. This time there would be no running away-- running away this time would not be an option. The scent carried across the sea. It was like the moon rising over a wave -- horns playing a rich clean angelic note above the orchestra. He tensed knowing what it was and it was not possible, it was impossible.

"He's dead. I saw him die... he's dead."

[/color]

Yet the scent was there as thick as the smog of Saturn's orange moon Titian. The Doctor swallowed and spun around looking about the landscape closely. There was no sign of the so called dead spirit. Of the so called dead Time Lord who used---- no he lost him a long time ago when he pushed him in a black hole and Koschie decided they should be foes rather than bosom friends. Memories filled in his head the good and the bad. The happy and the sad. Everything they ever shared was all inside his mind's eye. "I'm losing it, I must be mad as he is dead. Its this stupid TARDIS... its all her fault."[/color]

"AND YOUR SUPPOSED TO BE THERE FOR ME!"[/color] he called out into the wind. It was directed to his TARDIS who was a whiles away on the Plass. If Koschie heard it would be just as true to him as well because he didn't stop the Doctor from running away. He let him go and when he tried to take him home it was too late already.

A flicker of light and he saw something move in the corner of his eyes. The Doctor acting on instant began to run after it accelerating closely behind it as he was always been a fast runner. [/blockquote]

[simm]

The dilapidated structure was nothing more than some rotten planks of wood and a couple of criss-crossed metal bars which the rust had long since chewed it way through.Large gaping holes left the failing structure so very exposed to the outer elements. Grass had punctured it's way through the concrete, nature reclaiming what was once hers. But it meant so little to him as he moved, trampling the strands underfoot. Here, hidden beneath the shadows of the building, he was invisible, blending in so perfectly, like a predator stalking it's prey. But he wanted his prey to find him, to know he was there. He needed it.

The Master paused, hand braced against the damp wall. The fingers idly tapped out the four beat rhythm against the failing building, unnoticed by their owner. He narrowed his eyes. Could it be? So soon? He breathed in deep, filling his lungs. Oh, it was. There was no mistaking that scent. Amongst the stink of humankind and their filth, he could smell him. His grin sharpened, grew wilder. Quiet whispers and murmurs not meant for his ears were carried on the wind, just audible over the endless din because he wanted so badly to hear this. The disbelief was truly amusing. How could the dear Doctor ever think that he of all Time Lords would ever let himself be conquered by death? Hah! He should have died a long time ago, and should have stayed dead. But he was never one to do as he should, not now, not ever.

A yell sounded out into the air, rife with pain and loneliness and ager and so many emotions all at once. His face twisted into a maniacal grin, barely staving off fits of laughter that were dying to escape. But not yet, no. He needed the prey to come to him, first. "I'm here, find me, find me now, find me."

The patter of rubber soles against the ground and the chase was on. The Master turned and ran, feet slamming against the ground at a rapid rate. He was faster than before, stronger. It was a bizarre feeling, wonderful and thrilling. But with life, even this warped life, had come the drums, louder than ever. Could there be no peace in his mind? No, never. just the constant drumming, never-ever ending, never failing.

The Master jammed his heels into the ground, twisting around the face his oncoming target. The hood slipped back with the force, unveiling the whitened hair and pale flesh. He threw back his head and howled, a pure animalistic roar. The noise rattled in the air, even after he'd shut his mouth, teeth clenched tightly in a warped grin, eyes bulging. He stood, long enough to be seen as proof before he tensed his legs and leapt, impossibly high. He sliced through the air overhead, landing heavily behind the Doctor, the ground buckling beneath the force. And he ran again. This was not the beginning of the chase, just the continuation of a centuries old help and harm relationship.

The Doctor would know now, undeniably, the Master had returned, his mind ever more lost in the grip of feverish insanity.

[The Doctor]

Rubber-soles clashed against the ground as a tan jacket donated by no other than Janis Joplin herself fluttered behind him. Clad in a blue suit with a dark crimson shirt and violet hued tie the Doctor darted off towards the Master. He knew he was here amidst the abandoned amusement park. He had to keep running. There wasn't another option. Running was the only option. It had always been the only option.

The race was on.

Acceleration, the Doctor had it but now the person he was chasing seemed to be faster, and stronger than before. Yet he kept going and following him down not really sure if this was some macabre game of cat and mouse or just some personal comedy of his opponent. why he chose their meeting place amidst an disregarded amusement park the Doctor had no idea. He just knew he had to continue chasing him just as the Master did all those many moons ago when he attempted to bring the Doctor back home. The Doctor reused as he was not ready to go back home and thus pushed him into a black hole making their deep friendship come to a crashing end.

Everything changed that day, nothing was as it was, as it should be.

Wanting to help his now blond survivor he kept pursuing after him at full speed ahead and pushed as much energy into it as he could. The Doctor stopped abruptly as his opponent jumped into the air.Well that was unexpected...

[/color] he thought as he looked around for where the Master might have landed. "No need hiding-- dead men tell no tales."[/color] The Doctor always wanted to say that and now was the perfect time as the Master was technically dead. And then he turned around spotting the Master and began with the endless chase across the stars and time it self.

"YOU CAN STOP RUNNING, IT'S NEVER BEEN YOUR THING, YOUR THING WAS THE DRUMS! LET ME HELP YOU!"[/color] he called after him as he ran without much trouble as like he said running had always been his cuppa tea while the Master claimed to have drums in his head. The Doctor believed them but never heard of them himself-- and secondly had never heard of a Time Lord hearing drums before. It wasn't natural and the Doctor didn't wish to think the Master as insane. He just wanted to help him.

"Please let me help you."[/color][/blockquote]

[simm]

The plea reached his ears instantly, and his pace stalled, teetering away until the Master was stood still, his back facing the Doctor. His head turned slightly, dark eyes visible amongst the pale skin and bleach-blonde hair. The drums, the endless drumming, it was certainly his 'thing'. The Doctor had spent his life running; from danger, from his people, from any scrap of responsibility that dared rear its head. Oh, and he had been so ready to finally accept the responsibility of watching over him, so very prepared. And he seemed willing to accept it again.

The Master twisted his neck, the vertabrae cracking with each movement. "You? Help me?" He spun on his heel, facing the Time Lord whom he spent so many years chasing and narrowed his eyes. "You mean become your little pet? Let you keep me locked up somewhere when I can't harm any of your precious little humans? No, no, no, no!" He shook his head furiously fast, his finegr wagging childishly as the grin on his lips twisted into something madder. "Never. I don't need you." He held his hand up, as blue lightning crackled around the digits, putting on a mocking smile, "I'm perfectly fine!" The hand lashed out, the blinding streaks flying loose like a whip. They crashed into the ground, rupturing the earth beneath, sending flecks of it flying upwards.

He lowered his hand to his side, the energy dissapating from the limb. He turned his head the side, eyes widening to match the smirk. "I'd say improved, wouldn't you, Doctor?" The new improved Master from beyond the grave, save for two things. There was this ravenous hunger that clawed at his stomach, wild and primal, urging him to seek out the nearest fleshy creature and strip it bare. Oh the thoughts of salty, juicy, tender meat to rip and tear! The city was full of walking punds of flesh, all gorged on their own fat ridden diets. He dragged his tongue across his lips at the thought of it all. Hungry, so hungry. But then there was that drumbeat, One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. Louder and louder than ever before, tearing his mind asunder. Why wouldn't they leave him in peace?!

[The Doctor]

Standing still he gazed at the Master with big round eyes. All he wanted to was help. That was what he was good at, helping. He was also good at other things like running for an example. The Doctor didn't want to take him in the TARDIS and lock him up. It wasn't what the Master thought he just wanted to help him and make the Master better. That was all he ever wanted and maybe their lost friendship. The Doctor missed that. He missed having the Master as his best mate.

Simple demands seemed impossible with this duo.

"Yes, let me help you."

[/color] The Doctor nodded with encouragement. He did wish to help the Master with both of his beating hearts. Sighing the Doctor wished the Master would accept his help. He needed to be helped. Yet he listened to him. He opened his ears and listened taking in every word of his old friend. Those words were important to him and he treasured each and every one of them. Sighing again he ran a hand though his hair and waited musing. It wasn't just Humans that he liked (well fell in love with a few but that wasn't the point) he liked all creatures big and small which was his point. However the Doctor kept his mouth still for a moment to let the Master say what he had to say, "Ah but you do need me. I can help you, and I think you know that deep in your hearts."[/color]

Blue lighting came from the Master's hands. The Doctor's hair stood up straighter than it had been. If it had been spiky and all over the place now it was worse due to the static electricity. But he's been though worse electricity because he helped Benjamen Franklin with the ever famous key and kite experiment back in the eighteenth century. He moved back with a jump.

"You could have given me a warning or something, like I dunno, caution oncoming electricity!"[/color]

An improvement? Rasslion no, more like a bloody safety hazard. It seemed like the Master was back and bad as ever. In all honestly it scared the Doctor a bit because the Master was just hurting himself and possibly even killing himself with all that excess energy.Shaking his head with a snort the Doctor pressed his lips together."Your killing yourself that's what your doing. Just let me help you. We can be friends again, please, one more chance I won't runaway this time. Your everything to me, your all I have left. Please Master."[/color][/blockquote]

[simm]

A short bark of laughter escaped his throat. He trained his wild eyes on the man in front of him, arms hanging loosely by his sides, head titled back slightly to regard the Doctor. Oh, the look the dark-haired man gave him, eyes wide and pitying. He half expected for the bottom lip to start trembling too. "What kind of 'help' could you offer me?"

Maybe, a long time ago, when his sanity was not as brittle and faded as it was now, when they had been the closest of friends, he would have taken the Doctor's hand and let him help. Let him fix this broken mockery of an old enemy, an older friend. But not now, never now. He didn't need the Doctor, he didn't. "No. No, no, no, you think too highly of yourself, Doctor! I could rip you apart here and now, with my bare hands and not feel a thing! Hah!" Spittle speckled his chin as he cackled, making him look rabid. And it didn't look a smidgen out of place with the rest of his gaunt, dirty, dishevelled form.

The Master's eyes rolled in their sockets. Here came the Doctor, singing the same old tune, pleading with every fibre of his being. Ever the people's saviour. Hence his name; he wanted to fix people, make them better. He leant forwards, hands resting on his thighs. "Does it drive you crazy? He wiggled his eyebrows and slapped his thighs witha vicious grin. "Does it? Knowing that out of all those people you've saved and helped and fixed and made better, does it drive you crazy knowing that you could never ever ever save me?"

He leapt upright, doing a bizarre 360° turn on one foot, planting the other back down firmly into the ground. The muscles in his neck strained and stood out, lined by harsh shadows on the pale skin. "You'll never make it better. You made me this way! Revel in the success of your creation!" He cackled manically, the noise rebounding all around them, echoes chiming with the original howling guffaw. The Master's flesh flickered suddenly, becoming all-but transparent save for an ethereal blue outline around the bones that stood out from underneath. Eyeballs flick from side to side widly, the jaw bones working harshly; all of it was hideiously visible until the skin flickered back into it's solid state. His dark eyes met with the Doctor's. "Aren't you proud?"

[The Doctor]

Edging forward again he slowly offered his hand to him. He moved closer with caution as if the man across from him with the white-bleached hair was a wild animal. His chocolate eyes tarried upon his target as he slowly crept forward. The Doctor stopped as he found himself a few feet away from the Master, from his old long lost friend. He still had faith that perhaps his friend was in their somewhere and just wanted to reach out to him to help him get back into his old skin. It seemed after many years of rivalry this task was just as impossible as it sounded. Perhaps if he had came back home with him those many moons ago on Darkheart Colony they might have saved the friendship that they cherished."I can do many things, I can fix you, help you, maybe if not fix -- I could find the source of those drums you hear."

[/color] He never heard them but that didn't mean he didn't believe him. The Doctor didn't think the Master could lie about that. Other things yes but the noise within his skull, never, not in a million years.

Lingering still and silent in his spot he felt a pang of pity for the older Time Lord. Those several years apparently did make a difference over time. The gap was so small all those years ago but now it seemed like a fault line. Koschie used to lead them amidst the crimson meadows of his father's estates, used to help him with his homework, used to be someone he could look up to and protect him from the harms of the universe. Now he was broken and needed help. The Doctor died several times in the pursuit of attempting to help him. He even became blond once for him. He would do it again and again if it was to permanently mend the Time Lord across from him.

There were other things that couldn't be saved. Things such as planets. One planet in particular burned in his mind as the Master questioned him about saving him. Looking away he could feel the tears forming and he forced himself to blink. Now was not the time to reflect the past. Nor could he save Romana or Rose or even Astrid, there were lots of people he couldn't save inducing their race of the Time Lords and all the things that lived on Gallifrey. All were gone thanks to him. The Master didn't understand and if he did this was sheer mockery.

"How dare you, how dare you.You don't get it. You'll never get it and if you even get close to getting it, you'll never reach enlightenment."[/color] He bit the words so harshly the peak of his older self before he met Rose shined though before he caught himself and breathed deeply trying to relax himself from going on a dark tangent. Snorting he smirked shacking his head and let out a little laugh. "You think its all about you, that's your problem."[/color] The Doctor paused seeing something beautiful within his train of thought. "Your on a one way track to destruction if you don't think outside the box. I can help you. Let me help you. Just for once lets put the past behind us and start from square one.Take my hand and lets start over."[/color]

Proud of this new Master. Never, he wanted his old friend back. He wanted to help him. Shaking his head once more he broke the eye contact and stuffed his hands into his pinstriped pockets. "You don't get it and quite frankly I don't think you ever will. But I'm still here holding out my hand to you. All you have to do is take it to start on your journey to healing because I don't want to have to lose the one thing I have left."[/color]

The Doctor moved closer to him, hand still outreached "Take it.TAKE IT! Please take it."[/color] Tears formed in his eyes as he was not to sure how much longer he could try to gain an old friend back. The battle had raged for centuries over time and space.It was no where near being over. It was just the beginning.[/blockquote]

[simm]

The Master watched the Doctor somewhat suspiciously, eyes narrowed. The gaze drifted to his best friend and greatest enemy's outstretched hand, urging him to take the leap of faith, to take his hand. The pale man looked back to the Doctor, eyes hard and cold. The Doctor was treating him exactly how he looked; like an untamed thing. He wanted so much to bark with laughter into his face, degrade him, belittle him; but the Doctor's words hung so clear in his mind. And for one of few times in his very long life, the Master felt uncertain. "Find the source?" he echoed. Find the source and end it. He'd be free of them then. He could live in peace. The Master turned his head slightly, the smallest of laughs escaping. "And then we'd all live happily ever after with scores of clouds, rainbows and puppy-dog smiles!"

A smirk danced on his lips. The Doctor was shouting now, he was angry, throwing insults with a viciousness unheard of for him. And the Master smiled. "Oh, look. Did I hurt your feelings?" He put on a childish pout, every feature exaggerating sadness, mocking the very emotion itself. And then the Doctor laughed. The Master's sarcastic toying slipped away like a mask discarded and he scowled. Oh and there he went again, the righteous, all-knowing Doctor. His lip curled in irritation. How was he to put the past behind him? Being left to rot in a black hole wasn't exactly an easy thing to forget. It was where his hatred had been born, where his intelligence found a new purpose, where Koschei finally died and the Master was born anew.

His dangerous playfulness had faded now, leaving only the wearied persona beneath the madness to listen to the Doctor's words. How tempting they were. "Tell me then; would it stop?" The Master stared straight into the Doctor's eyes, his hands trembling in their clenched fists. "Would it stop? The noise. That endless noise. The Drums, Doctor." One hand raised itself, tapping out the rhythm against his skull. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. "Will they stop?" The Master jerked his eyes away, clenching his fist in quiet frustration. Could the Doctor promise him that?

The Doctor's plea echoed in his ears, the hand reaching ever closer for him. He was begging him, pleading so fervently. The Master regarded silently it for a moment, and without a word, slowly lifted his own hand, fingers outstretched. He reached out, mere centimeters from the Doctor's own fingers when he stopped, a dangerous grin plastered on his features. "No." Electricity crackled around the digits threateningly as the Master threw his hand forward and let the lightning loose.

[The Doctor]

Eyes wide and childlike in wonder he stepped closer not holding back now. There was no holding back, he needed to defy gravity and not even the Master was going to hold him down."Yes,"

[/color] the Doctor encouraged. "Together we can find it and end them. I can make it better if you take the first step."[/color] The Doctor hoped the Master would listen to him and do as he prescribed. If he just listened for once maybe he could be better. Perhaps if he gave it a go just one time to see if the Doctor could do something. It wasn't like the Doctor was giving up on him. No, he was trying his best to help his long lost friend whom he wished to be a friend to again. The Doctor thought for a moment that he held persuasion over the Master for once yet he soon realized it was helpless because the conversation went cold and sarcastic.

"You have no idea... no IDEA!"[/color] he began now becoming frustrated with him. But it was typical, wasn't it? The usual really between the duo. Honestly there was not reason to get angered over the Master's decisions as by now it should be predicable. Actually he was predicable in some terms to the Doctor. Tears filled in his eyes as the Doctor felt a pine of aggravation build up upon him. Looking away he buried his gaze elsewhere so the Master would not see his hot tears upon his cheek.

Standing aside for a moment he simply let the Master speak. No more and no less simply speak and the Doctor listened. he always listened because he still cared. He still loved him deep deep down in a hidden part of his hearts. Somehow fate kept twisting them together and then he found himself starting at him and weakly nodding. Silently saying "yes." He wanted to help even if it was all lies he would do anything in the cosmos to stop the drums for his friend. No matter the price, even if it meant death.

He didn't move he let the blue lightening strike him down to the ground as he wanted to show using imagery that he still cared and was not giving up so fast. The Doctor whimpered slightly as he fell on his face on the cold dirty ground. It hurt, but he had to stay strong to possibly win the favor of the Master. "Now will you let me help you?"[/color][/blockquote]