(no subject)

[almightysound]

Mundane. [Koschei tilts his head and almost smiles.] So, here we are again. I won’t trouble you with some long-winded threat. Tedious. Unnecessary--we’ve done this before, danced this dance in other homes for how long, now? Two years? Two and a half?

[Actually, it’s only one and a half.]

That brief? Hm. Irrelevant, anyway. Just remember that this is, as you say, a new start. The background and key points in my life that you’ve fleshed out, implemented from the start. I am not kind. I am not good. I am an agent of the Celestial Intervention Agency and, despite your frequent--and wholly annoying--second-guesses, I will be the Master one day.

Whether you like it or not.

Comments

[adlunam]

Things change, people change. A lot more than you would originally imagine.

[almightysound]

I am very aware.

[adlunam]

And yet so cemented in the conjecture that you won't?

[almightysound]

I have changed already, and will again. But not in the same way they my...[He waves a hand.] alternate website copy has.

[dreamsofthestars]

You're cheery.

[almightysound]

Of course. It's been a nice week.

[Beat.]

Oh. Sarcasm.

[dreamsofthestars]

Don't tell me you're losing the ability to hear sarcasm.

[almightysound]

Each regeneration has its drawbacks, Theta.

[dreamsofthestars]

[ Makes a face. ]

Of all the things to lose.

How old are you now, then?

[ofdrumsthesound]

How loud are your drums?

[an_escapologist]

Really? you're the Master? But you're such a baby! Look at you, gosh.

[almightysound]

Is it because I don't have a bloody goatee?

And I am not the Master. I will be him. Future tense, do keep up.

[an_escapologist]

No. [said very plainly, with a little headtilt as she takes in the unfamiliar face] I don't think it'd suit this face; you're just-- I mean, you look like you could be my age! I know you're not, of course, but the Master I'm used to looks about fifty; all sort of distinguished, you know, grey at the temples and all that.

[And she dismisses the clarification with a little wave of her hand.] Well, but you're still the same man. What's your name, then?

[She'd never thought about the Master having an actual name; suddenly she's rather curious.]

[almightysound]

[He just rolls his eyes. Koschei doesn't care about his alternative versions, to be perfectly honest. They live his lives, just a touch different. Or drastically different. He's in his timeline, within his universe, and that's it.

But yes. He'd look rubbish with a goatee.]

Koschei. And you are?

[an_escapologist]

Jo. Jo Grant.

[She earnestly proffers a hand, before giving him a suspicious look.]

If I shake your hand, will you try and hypnotise me or break my neck or something?

[bynomeansfond]

[Whether or not the Master is in the habit of looking backwards on his life honestly depends on the subject. He is not, however, generally in the habit of considering himself in retrospect. He has rather more time to do so now than he has had in previous lives, but it still feels rather a distasteful exercise to him. So it's something of a surprise to see this young version of himself here.]

[The body is not one he recognises-- it's a peculiarity of the multiple universes that meet here that one encounters potential, alternate regenerations-- but he could hardly fail to know himself.]

Well, of course you're not kind, you're CIA. I always imagined that any CIA agents who so much as exhibited a hint of the stuff were force-regenerated in hopes that their next body would be more sensible.

[almightysound]

Mm. Ritualistic suicide, I've heard. Forces a new perspective along with a new gender.

[He may or may not be joking. There's something familiar about this fellow--the look in his eyes, the countenance, the way his hands are clasped behind his back, it screams another version of Koschei. And, judging from the dark shades and cut of his suit and the facial hair, this one goes by a particular sobriquet.

Koschei leans forward. Tilts his head to the side--and then actually recoils. An android?]

What the shit.

[bynomeansfond]

[And have a deep eyeroll for that, Koschei.]

Yes, the body's mechanical. Are you going to require more background, or will you be satisfied with that?

[almightysound]

[Of all the things he was expecting, that was really not one of them. He draws back--even robots need personal space--and thinks.]

And just how bored were we to create a duplicate? And had we drunk so much to forget our Asimov?

[Because honestly, who else would have created such a splendid crime against sentient life?]

[bynomeansfond]

[Rather archly, because he anticipates your judgement, Koschei, and seriously does not have time for it.]

It isn't a duplicate. Well. Not as such.

[chosetorun]

The Master? Really? That's -- an interesting option, I guess. As far as titles go, it's aspirational. [He raises his eyebrow still because w e l l it's a strange speech to hear.] You're not that bad, Kosch.

[almightysound]

According to my--what's the word? Mundane? Well, whatever he calls himself: I'm apparently [he draws the word out with relish] destined to become a horrendous, egotistical mass murderer.

[chosetorun]

I prefer mun, mundane is a little rude, don't you think? They're not that bad. [He shrugs somewhat earnestly.] But life is never that set place. Well, okay, I can believe the egotistical thing. But the rest isn't set.

[almightysound]

He's proven to be adequate over the last eighteen months. [He chuckles.]

I only have the ego befitting of my talents, Theta.

[chosetorun]

They have their uses. Mine would be a bit more useful if he slept less but humans seem very predisposed to sleeping a lot. Awfully boring, sleep, I never liked it myself. So much wasted time.

Is one of your talents showing off? [He rolls his eyes playfully.] If so, your ego definitely fits it well.