----------------------------------------
“RUN!”
The TARDIS team were being chased away by a group of hostile aliens shooting at them, after they managed to escape from the after being kidnapped.
“I can’t run this much!” Ayumi said.
“Hang on, Ayumi! We’re almost there!” Conan said.
The group jumped inside the TARDIS, which it immediately dematerialised, they were finally safe.
“Finally…” the Doctor said, panting.
“Did we really have to land in that swamp?” Shiho was annoyed.
“It’s not my fault! That was the safest place to land according to the TARDIS! the Doctor justified himself, “Anyway, it’s better if I bring you back home-”
*BOOM*!
An explosion occurred, making everyone fall to the ground.
“W-What’s going on?!” Mitsuhiko asked, panicked.
“Something hit the TARDIS!” the Doctor quickly rushed to the console.
“You don’t say!” Shiho said.
“Hold on! I’ll try to outrun them!” the Time Lord said, pulling down the lever.
The TARDIS started flying faster through the Time Vortex, its wheezing, groaning noise became louder.
the TARDIS was hit once again, causing its doors to open.
“Grab onto something!” the Doctor started panicking.
His companions immediately obliged but suddenly, another turbulence made Ayumi losing her grip.
“AYUMI!” Conan tried to grab her but he missed.
The girl screamed in terror as she fell out the TARDIS
“AYUMIIII!” Everyone yelled in unison.
the Doctor finally managed to stabilise the box. His companions weren’t…Doing too fresh.
“Ayumi…” Genta quietly said.
“Is…Is she…Is she dead?” Mitsuhiko asked the Doctor, as his eyes watered.
“No, I think she’s still alive.”
“Now that you said that, I didn’t see Ayumi fall in that Vortex, she disappeared…” Shiho said.
“As if something caught her…I’ve got it! She got kidnapped!” Conan said.
“But…How can we find her?”
The Doctor pressed various buttons on the console. “A-ha! I can still localise her vitals! Now I just have to lock on the coordinates and…Voilà!” He pulled down the lever as the TARDIS gained speed.
However, they weren’t the only ones who were chasing the kidnapper of a friend…
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The TARDIS landed in a Victorian-looking mansion.
“So, Ayumi should be in this mansion, correct?” Conan said.
“Well, yes, her vitals says she’s nearby, somewhere in this place.” the Doctor said.
“What are we waiting for, then?!” Mitsuhiko said, “We have to save her!”
“Calm down.” Shiho said, “Ayumi will be fine, no need to panic.”
“Anyway, let’s split up for the search. Genta, Mitsuhiko and Conan will explore the left section, while Shiho and I will go forward. Remember to use your badges to tell us if you find something important.”
The TARDIS nodded and followed the Doctor’s instructions.
However, soon they found that something was wrong with this mansion. Around every five minutes, the group always keep returning to the starting point where the TARDIS landed.
“Again?!” Genta groaned, “it’s the seventh time we return to the TARDIS!”
“We can’t keep it going like this!” Mitsuhiko complained.
“It’s not like we have other choices.” Shiho said.
“Let’s continue, pay attention for clues.” Conan said.
The group kept walking and walking and walking until Conan’s group bumped into someone.
“Oh dear, are you okay, child?” An elderly voice spoke.
“Huh, and I thought we were alone here…” a younger male voice spoke.
“What are children doing here?” A young female voice spoke.
Conan, Mitsuhiko and Genta stood up and looked closely at the three strangers.
The old man looked to be in his early 60s. He had shoulder length greyish white hair and blue eyes, a double-breasted black coat with a beige waistcoat, a blue ribbon tie and grey trousers.
The young man, presumably in his early 40s, was rather good looking. He had short brown hair and brown eyes and was wearing a brown suit with a black and green tie.
The woman, presumably of the same age as the young man, was tall, with short dark hair and green eyes. She was wearing a beige turtle-neck jumper and black trousers.
“You’re…Not aliens, are you?” Genta asked, looking at the three strangers suspiciously.
“Oh, no, no no! Dear child, these fellows are as human as you are!” the old man chuckled, “I’m the Doctor, these two are Barbara Wright and Ian Chatterton.”
“ Chesterton .” Ian corrected the old man.
Conan, Genta and Mitsuhiko were puzzled.
“Sorry, did you just say that your name is “the Doctor”?” Conan asked.
“Well, it’s not really my name, but yes.” “the Doctor” said, “Why do you ask?”
“But…How is that possible? You’re not the Doctor!” Genta asked.
“We have come to this place with our friend the Doctor! And he’s not an old man!”
“Your friend might be a Doctor, but I am the Doctor! The original, you might say! Hmm!” the old man said.
“We shall see.” Conan turned on his Detective Boys badge. “Doctor, can you hear me?”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“Yes, I can. What is it, Conan?” the Doctor said.
“We encountered a group of strangers while exploring, three adults: An old man, a young man and a woman.” the bespectacled boy explained, “the old man told us that he’s the Doctor.”
“Oh, really?” the Doctor said, “Tell me, that old man, does he have a white hair and wears a black suit.”
“Well…Yes, he does.”
“...And the other two, ask them where they are from and what was the year when they left.”
“Why? Do you think they’re time travellers too?”
“Just ask them.”
“Excuse me.” Conan went to Ian and Barbara, “My friend wants to know where you are from and what year you left.”
“London, 1963.” Barbara said.
“Did you hear them?” Conan said.
“...I think I know who they are. Try to return back to the TARDIS, I’ll wait there.”
“Got it.” Conan turned off the badge, “follow me. We’re heading back to the TARDIS.”
“The TARDIS?” Barbara repeated, puzzled.
“They got a TARDIS, too?” Ian said.
“Well, let’s find it out, hmm?” “the Doctor” said.
----------------------------------------
After some minutes, the group returned to the TARDIS, with the Doctor and Shiho waiting for them.
“That old man…” Shiho thought, “It’s the same I saw in that photo.”
“That’s the TARDIS!” Barbara commented.
“Why are the windows bigger?” Ian commented.
The old man walked in front of his companions, looking at the Doctor. “So you’re “the Doctor” these children were talking about. I don’t know who you are but, by looking at the TARDIS, I believe you’re a Time Lord too, hmm?”
“Well, not exactly a random Time Lord.” the Doctor smiled, “Conan, Genta, Mitsuhiko, I’d like to introduce you Ian Chersterton and Barbara Wright, the first humans I’ve travelled with. As for that old man, meet…Myself from the past!”
Everyone in the room was very, very confused.
“That old man is you?!” Genta said, “But he’s…Old!”
“Genta, just because I look like a human child doesn’t mean I am one. You see, my people, the Time Lords, have a special ability called “Regeneration”: Everytime we die, we change our appearance and personality, for a maximum of 12 times. That man over there is my first incarnation, how I originally look, the First Doctor, you could say.”
“Regeneration…Time Lords…” Shiho repeated in her mind, “Why do these words sound so familiar?”
The First Doctor seems to believe his future incarnation’s words. “Well, I’m rather curious, which incarnation are you?”
“I’m the Eighth.” the Doctor said, “Anyway, back to business: What are you doing here?”
“Susan has been kidnapped by someone and it led us here.” Ian said.
“Her too?!” the Doctor said
“Yes, unfortunately. And I suppose you and your young friends are here for a similar reason, am I right?” the First Doctor asked.
“Correct once again.” the Doctor said,
“Anyway, we should think of a plan for finding Susan and their friend.” Ian said.
“I agree, they’re probably very frightened at this moment.” Barbara said, worried.
----------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Ayumi woke up in a dark room. Her head was hurting, and her vision and recent memories were quite fuzzy.
“M-My head…” She meekly moaned, “Where…Where am I?”
“Hello? Is someone there?” A female voice spoke.
“Huh…Yes, I am.” Ayumi responded, “Who are you?”
Ayumi’s vision became clear again and saw her “cellmate”: A teenage girl with short black hair and blue eyes, wearing a grey jumper and blue trousers.
“My name’s Susan Foreman.” Susan introduced herself, “You’re a human, right?”
Ayumi immediately recognised the teenage Time Lady, “You…I recognise you! You’re the Doctor’s granddaughter!”
Susan tilted her head, “You know my grandfather?”
The little girl nodded, hopeful and energetic. “Yup! I travel with him and my friends! I’m sure they’re coming to rescue me!”
Susan softly chuckled, “I think Grandfather and the others are already looking for me, he can get quite aggressive when I’m in danger. “Say, Ayumi, I believe you’re from Grandfather’s future, right? How is he like with you?”
Ayumi blushed, “He’s…He’s very kind. He’s patient, brave, smart, he’s so cool!”
Susan smiled at Ayumi’s childish and innocent admiration for the Doctor. “Looks like Grandfather didn’t change much in the future, eh? I’m happy to hear that.”
Suddenly, the room they were in starts moving.
“W-What’s going on?!” Ayumi started panicking.
“I don’t know - And I don’t like it!” Susan said she instinctively hugged Ayumi, hoping she could act as her shield in case of potential attacks.
Meanwhile, the two TARDIS teams were still making a plan.
“Have you two finished over there?” Ian asked the two Doctors.
“Be patient, young man, be patient!” the First Doctor said.
“Aaaaaand, done!” the Doctor said.
The two came out from the First Doctor’s TARDIS, holding a bizarre machine.
"What's that thing?" Genta asked.
"You see, child, this machine will help find the exact location of Susan and the little girl.
"If this thing works it should amplify the range of my sonic screwdriver, so it can captate Susan's heartbeats." the Doctor said.
"Her…Her heartbeats?” the human companions repeated.
“I see, you Time Lords have two hearts, therefore you have a different heartbeat compared to a human’s. So, the sonic screwdriver should captate three different signals, you two and Susan.” Shiho said.
“Correct, child.” the First Doctor said, “Well then! Let’s see if it works, hmm?”
The Doctor activated the machine, his sonic screwdriver emitted a louder noise.
Then, the noise changed into a 4-rhythm noise.
*BEEP-BEEP-BEEP BEEP! BEEP-BEEP-BEEP BEEP!*
"Follow me!" The Doctor said
The group followed the child-looking Time Lord left and right, up and down through the corridors.
Eventually, they reached a room that looked like a lab. At the centre, they could see Susan and Ayumi trapped in a cage.
“There they are!” Ian said.
"Ssh! Quiet!" The First Doctor whispered.
"What's wrong? Why are we still here?" Genta asked.
"Because we may fall into a trap." Conan said.
A man entered the room, presumably a scientist.
"Ah, good morning, ladies." He said. "I do apologise for the turbulent journey to here.”
“Who are you?! What do you want from us?!” Susan asked, while Ayumi was clinging on the teen’s leg.
"Oh, my name is not important. What is important is you two, specifically, your DNAs."
"Our…DNAs?" Ayumi shyly repeated.
"Precisely, I needed DNA for two creatures: A human, one of the most creative beings in the universe and a Time Lord, from the oldest and most advanced civilisation in existence for my experiments.”
“Experiments?” Barbara said.
“What does he want to do with them?” Mitsuhiko said.
“Definitely something that isn’t nice or painless.” Shiho said.
“What should we do, Doctors?” Conan said.
“I think I have a plan…” the First Doctor thoughtfully said, then he looked at his future self, “Or should I say, we have a plan! Hmm! Now, listen up…”
----------------------------------------
A couple minutes later, the mad scientist prepared to start the experiment by extracting a sample of DNA from his two prisoners.
Susan however had a plan, the instant he opened the cage, she would charge at him so that she could let Ayumi escape and find help.
Yes, this plan was heavily flawed, but there's no harm in trying.
The scientist opened the cage and Susan enacted the plan, temporarily stunning him.
“Run, Ayumi, run!” Susan yelled.
“B-But-”
“No buts! I’ll be fine! Just run!”
The little girl, given no choice, obliged with the young Time Lady’s plan and ran away as fast as she could.
But unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.
The scientist quickly pushed Susan away and grabbed Ayumi by the hair.
“Let me go! You’re hurting me!” The child tried to free herself for dear life, despite her strength not being enough for the adult’s grip.
“Oh, you little-You will pay for this!”
“Oh, really? First of all, could you stop pulling that poor child’s hair?” an old voice spoke.
“It’s very impolite, you know?” the voice of a child spoke.
“Who’s there?! Who talked?!”
The two Doctors stepped out of the shadow, Susan and Ayumi regained their hope.
“Hello, we’re the Doctor.” the child-looking Doctor said.
“We believe you have something that doesn’t belong to you, hmm?” the First Doctor said.
“Grandfather!/Doctor!” Susan and Ayumi said in unison.
“Tch!” The scientist ran towards one of the machines.
“CONAN, NOW!” the Doctor said.
The young Detective hit the machinery with a soccer ball, destroying it.
Ian jumped from the balcony and fought the scientist, eventually knocking him down.
After being freed, Susan and Ayumi rushed and hugged their respective Doctors.
“Oh, Grandfather, I was so scared…” Susan said, weeping.
“It’s okay, my child, everything is fine now…” the First Doctor headpatted her.
“Glad to see you two safe and sound.” the Doctor said.
The rest of the two TARDIS teams quickly ran to the two girls.
“Susan, are you okay?” Barbara asked.
The Time Lady nodded, “I am, thanks.”
“Thank god you’re safe!” Mitsuhiko said
“I was scared too, but Susan protected me! She was very brave!” Ayumi said.
“Oh, really? Usually you’re quite the scaredy cat, Susan.” Ian jokingly said, the teen sheepishly chuckled.
“So that girl is your granddaughter, eh, Doctor?” Conan said.
“Correct- Oh, where are my manners - Guys, I’d like to introduce you to Susan, my granddaughter.”
“Hi…” she waved her hand.
“Wow, she’s pretty…” Mitsuhiko slightly blushed.
“Of course she is! She’s my granddaughter!” the Doctor smugly said.
Susan came closer to the future incarnation of her granddaughter.
“So…That’s how you’ll look, Grandfather?” She asked, scanning him with her eyes, “You look so…Small!”
“I know, your old man doesn’t look bad in this incarnation, eh?” the Doctor chuckled, “Well then, I think it’s time we depart, I don’t want to weaken the Web of Time even more.”
“Oh, yes, I suppose you’re right.” the First Doctor said.
The Doctor went to his original companions. “Even if it has been short, it has been a pleasure to see you guys again.”
“The feeling is mutual.” Barbara said.
“Since you’re the Doctor from the future, can I ask you a question?” Ian said.
“Sure, go on.”
“Will we…Ever return home?” Barbara asked.
“Wel-”
“Of course you will!” the First Doctor interrupted his future self, “Did you have any doubts?!”
“Well, I don’t blame them, back then I was rubbish at piloting the TARDIS.”
The First Doctor was offended, while Susan burst out laughing while the two older companions held the laugh.
“Anyway, time to go.”
“It’s been nice to meet you.” Conan said.
Ayumi hugged Susan, “I’ll miss you…”
“Same…” the Time Lady ruffled her head, “Take care of Grandfather for me, okay?”
“I will!” The little girl said.
So, after giving their farewells, the two TARDIS teams returned to their ships and dematerialised.
<-------To Be Continued--------