likesimpossible: (0112)
The Doctor (10) ([personal profile] likesimpossible) wrote in [community profile] entrancelogs2014-09-01 07:01 am

Who ever thought that wagon travel was a good idea?

Who: The Tenth Doctor and OPEN.
Where: The Oregon Trail.
When: 8/31 to 9/4.
Rating: PG-13, but probably variable.
Summary: The Doctor strikes out on an adventure, has a good two days, contracts an illness and dies, and then becomes a ghost.
The Story:

Day One

It doesn't take the Doctor long to realize what's going on when the mansion changes and vendors selling various useful but slightly antiquated goods crops up. That, and the sudden appearance of wagons, makes things very clear, and for some reason he can't quite explain, this just excites him.

Granted, he feels just a bit odd, what with the new clothes he's wound up in, and of course, he still can't forget the fact that he's been turned human for the second or third time now, but the excitement of adventure is just unavoidable.

When he's not buzzing around gathering supplies for the journey, he's just wandering around looking for people to join him on the trip, because it would be a long and lonely one if he didn't have someone to come alongside.

Day Two

The second day of the trip sees the Doctor and his traveling companions through quite a few harrowing adventures, from nearly sinking as they attempt to cross a river to trying to take down a herd of buffalo.

Not the entire herd, now, but at least one or two sizable specimens to provide them with food. But either way, there's guns and ammunition and the odd buffalo and other creatures just plodding by their wagon.

It seems like it would be a shame to pass up this opportunity. Or at least, that's what the Doctor tells himself as he somewhat reluctantly loads up his gun and looks for a target.

Days Three and Four

By the third day, some of the fun and excitement has dwindled. Somehow, or by terrible luck, the Doctor's failed to hunt and bring home a buffalo, and the supplies are slowly running out. But then there's a brief glimpse of hope when an outpost appears in the distance. Just maybe it'll be their saving grace.

...Except once they get to said outpost rather early in the morning, there's nothing there but clocks, so they have no choice but to continue and ignore the increasing empty space in the back of the wagon.

Fast forward to several hours later, and the Doctor's no longer at the head of the wagon. He's lying down in the back, feeling the worst that he's ever felt in his long life. Or at least, it feels like it's the worst. He's feverish and tired, and really, it's like nothing he's experienced before now.

It's miserable, and he's miserable, and he can't do anything about it but lie there and hope that it passes quickly, one way or another.

But luck isn't with him, and as time passes, the Doctor only gets worse until the evening of the fourth day, the sickness finally overtakes him and he dies.

Day Five

Well, then, what's a ghostly Doctor to do? There seems to be quite a few options open to him, but he spends most of his time flitting back and forth between wagons, looking for people to trouble with his relentless commentary and oh-so-helpful comments.

But really, can anyone blame him? Being a ghost is considerably better than dying in the back of a wagon, and after going through that unpleasantness, the Doctor just wants to put it from his mind and hover around as a ghost until this completely mad event ends.

Good luck, everyone, you're now going to have a ghost-Doctor paying you a visit.
selfrespecting: (cautious)

[personal profile] selfrespecting 2014-09-04 02:08 pm (UTC)(link)
The Doctor's laughter only earns him another glare for his trouble. If looks could kill, Martha would most certainly have put the Doctor in a grave all over again in that moment. It's just not very nice, is it, to sneak up on someone like that. She's had enough issues with trying to keep everyone in her wagon alive, and she gets the feeling not all of them will see it out to the end.

Granted, if all that happens if they become some kind of cartoon ghost, then maybe it wouldn't be such a huge loss.

She recovers her packet of jerky and starts on another piece. It's not particularly good, but she's hungry enough that she'd eat anything right now, and she doesn't want to fall ill. The death may not be permanent (even less so than back at the mansion), but the sickness that leads up to it still doesn't look very pleasant.

"Are they not?" she shoots back at him as she leans up against one of the wagon's inner walls, still appearing a bit put out. "And how many ghosts have you met, exactly?"

Knowing the Doctor, it's quite a few.
selfrespecting: (worried)

[personal profile] selfrespecting 2014-09-08 01:37 am (UTC)(link)
It's not that Martha begrudges that Doctor having some fun. She just would have preferred that she not be the victim of his little prank, although her heartbeat is already normalizing, so she'll forgive him. This time.

She's a little surprised that the Doctor doesn't have some story about an adventure with a ghost, honestly, but she shrugs her shoulders at that question. He makes a point -- it still doesn't give him license to sneak up on her like that.

"You'd do good to find yourself some chains, then," she says, and while her tone is firm she mainly means it as a joke. If he really wants to go spook other people, she won't stop him. In fact, her expression becomes more somber as she leans toward him and looks him over. As comical as it might be now, the Doctor still died.

"I'm... I should have been there, to help you. I'm sorry."
selfrespecting: (sad smile)

[personal profile] selfrespecting 2014-09-10 03:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"It is a bit odd that they didn't give you that to start with," Martha agrees. She's not certain they'll come across any spare chains, and even if they did, they could probably be put to better use in some other way. But it's natural to joke around with the Doctor like this.

Of course he tries to tell her that it's fine, that there's nothing she could have done. Martha hadn't even been present, though, as they'd been in different wagons. Maybe if she'd been with him, this wouldn't have happened. He'll be fine once the event's ended, of course, but Martha should have been looking out for him.

She can tell that he means every word, though, and so in the end Martha smiles somberly and nods. "I would give you a hug, but..." She reaches toward him and watches as her hand goes right through his shoulder.
selfrespecting: (watching)

[personal profile] selfrespecting 2014-09-19 04:34 am (UTC)(link)
Martha is hardly an authority on the accuracy of ghosts in the first place, beyond what she's read in books or watched in films. Even so, she returns that grin, because they may as well try to make a joke of this bizarre situation. Better that than dwelling on the Doctor's fate.

She very much doubts that it's pleasant to be hugged by a ghost, and the sour look on her face communicates that perfectly. "As soon as you're whole again, you'll get a nice long hug." One of the ones where the Doctor pulls her up off her feet. Martha's always liked those ones.

"Normal enough," she agrees. Normal for his standards, anyway. There's no such thing as normal, really -- everyone is unique in their own way, that's something the Doctor himself taught her.

When the Doctor asks after her, Martha's quick to wave him off. "I'm fine. I don't seem to have caught the illnesses some of my wagonmates are afflicted with." She's extremely relived for that, because these 19th century illnesses are downright horrific at times.
selfrespecting: (off we go)

[personal profile] selfrespecting 2014-09-22 05:34 pm (UTC)(link)
The Doctor can beam in more or less any situation, even when he's a ghost. It's an infectious thing and she returns the bright smile. They need to make the best of this situation.

As he weighs the pros and cons of being incorporeal, Martha snickers at him. "It's true, floating quickly in one direction just doesn't have the same effect." In fact, the mental image is enough to give her a brief case of the giggles. The Doctor's always been good at cheering her up, even in unfortunate situations. "Hopefully it's only a couple more days."

He's really worried about her, though. Martha's flattered by it, and at one point it would have been enough to make her flush. Instead, she just winks at him. "Well, one of us has to make it through in one piece," she decides. "I have no intention of succumbing to anything, so don't even fret."