| Date: 5 January 2008
Characters: The Master, Professor Yana Location: at the lake Link to IJ: thread #25737 |
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 "How could you stand not being able to think when they were loud, if there was a chance to stop them?" He couldn't imagine that. |
 The Master made the almighty effort required to open his eyes and push up onto an elbow so that he could see the Professor.
He gave the answers he'd repeated over and over, because Yana wasn't the first to ask. "One: I didn't want him poking around in my head, not once we were advanced enough that he had a chance of doing it. Two: I didn't think he could actually do it. Three: they may drive me crazy sometimes, but those drums are what make me me. Satisfied?" |
| "Satisfied that at least two-thirds of that is rationalization? Yes." |
| The Master rubbed his forehead weakly. "They're not normally this bad," he whined. "Normally they're just... there. Yes, they get loud sometimes, and they get annoying, but they also drive me and inspire me and - they're part of me."
He didn't know why he was trying to explain this to someone he'd just been molesting but for some reason it seemed important to make Yana understand. |
| "Inspire you to do what?" He was starting to get angry again, which was good because it meant that he might actually be able to get up in a minute. |
| "To do great things, of course. To work towards mastery over the universe, to eliminate those who aren't worthy of being mastered, and - oh, you know, all those usual supervillainy things."
He grinned. He was starting to feel better, the beat of the drums changing abruptly from an annoyance, something he was resisting, to an encouragement, spurring him on into conflict. Oh yes, he wouldn't want to be without his drums. |
| "Is that how you see yourself? Some kind of supervillian? Taken over any galaxies lately?" Yes, that was quite a bit of scorn, actually. |
| The Master sat up properly and fixed his former self with an icy gaze.
"Before I ended up here," he said coldly, "I had the Earth at my feet, the Doctor and a universal constant in my power, and I was building a fleet to take over the universe. That is very much how I see myself, Professor." The word came out as a full-on sneer. "And it's how the rest of the universe will see me too. It's really not something to be ashamed of." |
| Not if I can help it. "Something to look forward to, then," he said wryly, and got to his feet, hoping it didn't look like quite as much a feat as it had been.
"I'm sure you'll understand when I say that I hope I don't see you again for a very long time." He turned and started the long walk back to the hotel. |
| The Master watched him go. "Oh, do look forward to it, Professor," he said, just loud enough to carry. "Because it's going to happen, a lot sooner than you think."
Yes, it was corny. Again. What the hell. He hadn't actually lost. He was still in there. He might not be able to get out, but he was still there. And where there was life, there was hope. He rolled onto his back and stared up at the sky. He'd just rest here a while. Till he actually had the strength to get up. |