Doctor Who: A Deal with Time

[ArlequineLunaire]

Georgiy and Baskoro now come running the other way down the Draconian pseudo-street right towards us, like they've circled around the entire ship, or this one part of it anyway. When they catch up to us, both are so winded and gasping for breath that having run around the whole ship could be exactly what happened. I can't spot any of sign of a glowing wound on Georgiy like the ones Shesha gave to The Doctor and… me, but Baskoro isn't so fortunate, having one right down the side of his scaly face. Before anyone can say anything, already the two quantum quarters of Shesha that went after them catch up to us.

"Everyone, behind me," The Doctor says. The three of us do as she says, with Georgiy I doubt having the time or breath to protest her again. The Doctor then uses her sonic screwdriver to reactivate the laser gateway, with us on the opposite side this time, as these selves of Shesha ran into the lasers just as her others did. All four of her now having felt the same pain, it occurs to me.

Again Shesha splits, with the quarter of her that's free of the lasers stumbling down in front of us. Baskoro as her father swoops in instantaneously to catch her, looking her in the eyes and saying, "Shesha, it's me, your father! Whatever's happened to you, stay- stay strong, we shall fix this!"

"I'm afraid that may be wishful thinking," The Doctor mutters. Per her words, I get a closer look at this self of Shesha… and my whole soul shivers as I see what looks like a corpse long rotted, I can even see bone. Yet for a second, it looks like she's moving on her own.

"Oh, what would you know, you meddling bat?!" Baskoro then roars back at The Doctor, nostrils fuming and tail twitching. "If she's dead, then I have every right to accuse you of her murder! You leapt at the chance to spring all those lasers on her, on my very daughter!"

"Professor Baskoro, you of all people know more than enough about quantum physics to know what happens when a so-called genius forces atomic laws and structures onto our classical realm," The Doctor glares down at him, her voice like ice against his fire, "After whatever experiment her husband put her through, your daughter if anything was 'undead', and I use that word charitably, before I even got here."

"No, that can't be," Baskoro says, shaking his head, "My dear Urataro Ikari was my peer in Chronophysics, and he never would've done… this to his own wife, my daughter! Yes, I had concerns about the marriage as any father would have, let alone one with a human son-in-law, but I gave it my blessing for I knew Ikari was not that sort of man."

"Ikari may not have been that sort of man," The Doctor says, looking down at Shesha's corpse self, "back when Shesha was alive, or at least not dying. But not everyone takes gracefully to mourning. Baskoro, did your daughter have any health problems? Any, ahem, targeted attacks on her, Human-Draconian tensions being what they are?"

Baskoro at first shakes his head, "No, my Shesha was always as fit as a fiddle, but targeted attacks…" he pauses, but then says, "It can't be! If my daughter was a hate crime victim I would've heard, I- well wouldn't have I?" It's then he stands up almost triumphantly and says, "I've got it! She was kidnapped and experimented on by some ne'er-do-well pretending to be Ikari. Think, good woman, we've only heard his voice, which could easily be faked, and said voice refuses to acknowledge I'm here. It can't be Ikari, I know it!"

Having heard the voice question whether the real Baskoro could be on this ship at all, I get the idea in the back of my mind that this theory could be him projecting. No, this must be the real Baskoro, no pretender would get that torn up over their daughter's death. Well, maybe someone Shakespearian-trained I guess, if Shakespeare's still a thing this far into the future. No, he of all writers would have to be- ah, I'm getting sidetracked.

"We can't be sure till we find whoever the voice is in person," The Doctor says, starting to fume herself, "Till then, your assertion only has so much evidence. By the way, my good Draconian, is 'Doctor' honestly too hard for you to say, hmm?"

All the while, I see Georgiy looking back and forth at both Baskoro and The Doctor. With how he's got on with both before, I'd take it he instinctively wants to disagree with them both… but wouldn't know how to without it looking like he's on the other's side. Er, I might be psychoanalysing too much there, maybe he's just confused by all the quantum physics talk? Even I'm struggling to keep up with it too.

"Hey, um, maybe we should just leave them to talk it out, maybe we can scout out the ship a bit more?" I suggest to him. "Though er, not too far as to lose them, of course."

"Oh, I'd be happy with losing those two," Georgiy has to say, before he glances at the wto quarters of Shesha, "And putting as much distance between me and her as possible before she comes after us again. Think my legs are gonna snap in two, er in four, if I have to do any more running, so sneaking away's a fine alternative by me."

I really wish he hadn't put it like that, but I nod at him before we head up the stairs. We then find ourselves not in an old mansion or a Draconian market street, but what looks like a university lecture room. One clearly from the future of course, with a giant floating sphere instead of a projector, and the weird translucent look of all the seats.

"Wait, Shesha's husband and father were professors, and The Doctor said we were just on a Draconian street…" I get to pondering, "That Victorian room by the airlock, maybe that was where Shesha and Ikari used to live? Because if so," I push up my glasses as I smile, "then maybe the ship's rooms are all modelled on places from Shesha's memories! Ah, um, you think that's a good theory?" I ask. Were The Doctor in earshot, I hope she'd compliment me for my initiative, but she could just as well scold me for leaping to conclusions like Baskoro. Or The Rani.

Instead, Georgiy shrugs and says, "Yeah, sounds like that checks out. That monster- ah Shesha, one of the rooms she sent us running through was some old Earth manor-type deal, plus one that Professor said was a Draconian grotto. Huh, y'know that could slot in with either of those theories," he then grins as he scratches his chin, "If this is that Ikari behind this, then the ship's room designs are him getting all nostalgic. If it's some impostor who kidnapped Shesha, then we've got one serious stalker on our hands. Guess either one could've thought the room designs could help to placate her quantumised, er quantumified self, but hah, fat lot of good that's done."

I'm starting to see why the Doctor's so skeptical of Georgiy. I mean yes, he's had a real facetious streak since we met, but he can't be this way all the time, can he? "You're, er, quite cavalier sounding about this, given we just got attacked. You saw The Doctor, she still got serious about things by this point," is how I put it to him, wondering whether I should've been more confrontational or not?

"Huh, 'cavalier'?" Georgiy asks me, before he sighs. "Lavinia, Vinnie, can I call you that? Believe me, I'm freakin' terrified. Like yeah, you always expect danger when sneaking aboard a ghost ship, but… not 'inch of your life' danger, not 'there's this quantum zombie dragon' danger. Adventures stop being fun and exciting once you realise how high the stakes are, and that it's your head that could be on them, ya know?" As he lets all of that out, I see his once vivacious face look utterly drained.

I know the feeling. "Georgiy, before I met The Doctor, I was whisked away from my mundane life off to an otherworldly castle, watched over by godlike beings and with statues and suits of armour walking around. It sounds like a fantasy, really you may think I'm just spouting nonsense, but my point is… I've seen a dream come true only for it to be a waking nightmare. I, I know how you feel."

I knew it I might've said too much, as Georgiy just stares at me not knowing what to say to that. Still, he breathes out and says, "That's one elaborate metaphor, but I kinda get what you're saying. That stories are only fun to us 'cause we're the audience, not the main characters. And everyone thinks they wanna be that main character, but they really don't. Gotcha."

I smile back at him, then say, "That's why as soon as this is over, The Doctor says she'll take me home. I mean, I'd love to explore the universe, I really would, just," my head tilts down, "not if this is what it's like."

With those words, with that name even, my getting through to Georgiy is swiftly annulled. "Really, you gotta bring up The Doctor again? Other than springing that trap, what makes you so sure she's gonna solve this, that some jailbird like her can get you home in anything but a coffin? You wanna warn me about stories come true, well what does that say about you hyping The Doctor up as some great and noble hero?"

"S-She was the one who saved me from that castle!" I blurt out at him without once considering my words.

"Oh, not a metaphor then, you genuinely believe in walking statues and extradimensional castles," Georgiy groans at me, hands thrown up.

"You live in a galaxy of dragon aliens and ghost ships, don't tell me what is or isn't true!" I yell back at him, any thought of being non-confrontational long gone. I know, everyone has different standards for what's 'normal' and 'reality', but not everyone puts it like Georgiy just did!

But then we both stop, as suddenly that glowing wound Shesha dealt me starts flaring up. I wince, but it's not like it's the worst pain I've felt, even on this ship. After that comes this weird sensation like… I'm in two places at once, that's the only way I can describe it. Then as I stand here in this replicated lecture hall, I see something before me that very much bears the mark of Castle Oterne…

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

Spoiler: Other Selves BGM

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j7LEEzjrso

I feel every inch of me freeze, seeing the last thing I'd ever want to see. Right in front of me I see… me, stained with all the marks of Oterne. Her skin is blurred just like one in 'close communion' with Those Above, her whole body flickering in and out. Trying to escape my paralysis I step back, and I see and feel her taking a step back at the same time. "Are you…" I strain to say, before I force out, "You can't be me!"

"What? Vinnie, who are you talking to?" Georgiy asks me, trying to snap me out of it. "I'm right here, and I'm definitely Georgiy. Why'd you ever think I was you?"

"I know that. I mean the girl, whoever's in front of me," I stutter out, pointing forwards right at this doppelganger, only for Georgiy to shake his head.

"It is useless," my duplicate says, in what sounds like my voice but drowned in reverb, "He is too far removed from the salvation Oterne offers." How could she, how could anyone or anything resembling me even say something like that?

"Lavinia, I'm telling you, you gotta be seeing things," Georgiy says, before he remarks, "Though sheesh, that wound the monster lady gave you is seriously acting up." It's for the best that Professor Baskoro isn't around to hear that said about his daughter… even if Georgiy had to run for his life all over this ship because of her.

But I was losing track of the main point. "My wound?" I ask, reaching out to touch it only for it to flare up, a similar golden glow surrounding my other self as it did. At the same time, I can dimly hear the crackling of Urataro's voice from below.

And then on cue, the 'monster lady' Shesha charges right into this lecture room. Georgiy and I on instinct leap behind a row of chairs, yet my other self shows no reaction to Shesha at all, nor Shesha to her.

"So that's how it is, hmm? Anytime we make the slightest breakthrough with Shesha, her blasted husband has to barge in and ruin every… thing," The Doctor says as she runs in, her voice faltering as she looks in the direction of my duplicate.

"Doctor, don't look at her. She can't be me!" I yell to her.

Then The Doctor replies and I have no idea what to think. "No, that would be me," she says.

"Honestly, good woma- Doctor, I tell you that voice can't be Professor Ikari. Why in all cosmos would he keep Shesha away from the aid of her own… father?" Baskoro comes in, calls out, and stops just as The Doctor did on seeing my duplicate, or what I thought was my duplicate. Sure enough, both their wounds are glowing too.

"What, don't tell me you're all suffering from deep space fever or something? 'Cause I don't know what you're all looking at, but I'm seeing nothing!" Georgiy says.

Putting it all together I say, "Wait, Georgiy sees nothing, and he's the only one Shesha didn't wound."

"Quite insightful, Lavinia," The Doctor says. I'm sure she means well, but I can't help thinking she already worked that out herself and just wanted to make me feel special. "Now, you say you see yourself before you?" she asks me.

"Yes, myself, only if…" I begin. I wish I didn't have to say this next line, but I manage, "If you'd never rescued me from Oterne and if I, if I became as Those Above would want."

"Why would you not want that?" my duplicate asks, her words making me feel like I have worms all through my spine.

"Oterne? Those Above?" Georgiy and Baskoro, of all two people, say in unison.

"It's another story for another time," The Doctor says to them, but then sighs, "Alright, in short, you'll recall I said I rescued Lavinia from a mindwipe? Oterne's Those Above were the perpetrators. Now, Baskoro dear, do you see some version of yourself before you?"

"No, that can't possibly be me," Baskoro says on impulse, before he admits, "Well, he does bear some of my features, certainly," he then strokes his moustache, "yet this vision before me is no Draconian, but… a human."

"Hah, join the club," Georgiy smirks at him.

"And here I stand before me too," The Doctor says, "my prior incarnation. Or not so prior, if my hunch is correct. I doubt this is another case of Time Lord scooping." She then approaches my other- no, her other self in her eyes, and asks, "Well now, survived the fall into Oterne? Or did that fall never even take place for you- no, for what remains of you? And no, I'm afraid I'm not Seiobo, Guardians rest her soul."

Scooping? Seiobo? Guardians? Even if I had time to ask what any of these were, I expect I'd still get 'another story for another time'.

"Incarnation? Time Lord?" I hear Baskoro mutter to himself, before he approaches his own other self and asks, "So, assuming you are in fact an alternate Professor Baskoro, I do suppose infinite universes means one of me must be human in one of them, tell me. All this nonsense with our Shesha, is it true in your timeline too?" Looking like he's hearing a reply, Baskoro nods, frowns, and goes, "…I see then." I'd ask, but it seems too personal.

"So, a quantum neurotoxin, have we? The infection from those wounds dear Shesha gave us is making us see ourselves from alternate timelines," The Doctor surmises, "Many Worlds Theory in action, though this era should now know it as not just 'theory'. Just like the quantum selves superposed on Shesha."

"Well, I could've easily told you that," Baskoro protests.

The Doctor just pushes past him to confront her own other self. "Well now, Doctor, Theta Sigma, Merlin, what have you, if you're here you may as well make yourself useful," she begins, but then she's wrenched upwards where it looks like something's strangling her! "Ah, I see what's happened in your timeline. The Master succeeded, didn't he?" she then says.

"The Master?" I ask, to keep up appearances anyway. I was already told by part of the TARDIS who The Master is, but I was also told not to tell The Doctor I knew. And it's not like Baskoro or Georgiy know.

"Like The Rani, they're an old enemy. He was made a 'cellmate' of mine until recently," The Doctor says while struggling to get free of her other self's hold, "and in another timeline, it looks like he got his way. Turned my still unregenerated self into a mind-controlled puppet of his, but this is more than mere hypnosis. Some sort of brain implant I take it?"

I'd rush in to help, but I can only see my own other self, still in Oterne. I tense up even trying to look at her, but… I can't just leave her. I can free her if I can just make her feel emotion, like with the Butler, right? "T-Try to remember," I begin, "You're from the 1960s, you live in northwest England, you read lots of books, and not just what Those Above told you to. Austen, Brontes, Alice in Wonderland, A Wrinkle in Time, Carbonel!" I list off, and I think it's working? She looks right at me, becoming less blurred as she does.

"Look, from what you've said my- our Shesha still exists in your universe," Baskoro then addresses his other self, "I saw my Shesha's other human self superposed onto her, does this mean she was taken from your timeline? Even if not, then for all the pearls in Draconia, you can't sit around knowing what happened to any version of your daughter!"

"My apologies for what I'm about to do, but you'll understand once you're me, won't you?" The Doctor cryptically says to her other self. I then see her activate her sonic screwdriver, reach forward and yank out something only she can see.

It's then the glow on our wounds starts to subside, as my other self then fades just as she's about to show an emotion again. Without thinking I rush forth to try and take hold of her, but too late, she's already gone. "Doctor, you think she'll be okay in her timeline?" I ask.

"Hard to say, Lavinia dear, we are talking all possible universes," The Doctor says, trying not to sound dispirited, "Meanwhile, I committed quite the faux pas of forcing a past incarnation of mine to regenerate. Was the price of getting The Master's mind-control circuits off him, the old snake sure wired those in good."

I tried to reawaken my other self's emotions, the other Doctor regenerated as she'd done, and the other Baskoro had been warned what was going on with his daughter. So we'd cured the 'quantum neurotoxin', for however long, by bringing our other selves in line with this reality?

All the while Georgiy has been staring at us taking into and being janked around by thin air. Of course, him not seeing anything had helped us figure out what had happened to us. I try to tell him that with, "Georgiy, ah, thanks for acting as a neutral party there," but he still looks flustered, and not just by the thin air.

"What do you mean 'regeneration' and 'Time Lord'?" he then flat-out asks The Doctor, "You can't be saying you're from Gallifrey of all planets, its people want nothing to do with anyone, you'd think they were a myth. Yeah, this has to be another con you're pulling."

"No, her being Gallifreyan would explain one thing," Baskoro says, unusually agreeably, "The Karshtakavarr was described very differently to the woman before us, him being an old yet spry gent with curly silver hair and a mighty nose."

"…You had to include that last part?" The Doctor asks.

"Ahem, but we found he was a Time Lord, so I assumed he'd regenerated, and it seems I was right," Baskoro goes on. He then looks at me and asks, "Records also have it you were travelling with an earthling girl, my, would your Lavinia be her?"

"Oh, regenerated plenty times more," The Doctor says, "As for Lavinia, oh my no. She's from Earth of course, but the young lady I was travelling with back then was one Josephine Grant". Like with the Master, I'd heard from the TARDIS fairy that The Doctor had taken companions before me, so I try to look like I haven't. She then more gravely asks Baskoro, "Tell me, the last time you saw him, in person anyway, how much did Urataro Ikari talk about us Gallifreyans? Because he brought up my people to me first thing."

Baskoro falls silent for a bit, only gradually admitting, "Well, yes he talked quite a bit about everything Gallifrey. But it's only natural any self-respecting chronophysicist would want to discuss your fine people, they were the pioneers of our craft after all."

"Did he, now?" The Doctor mutters, "Because I may've worked out exactly what Ikari's plotting here."

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

Have a rough sketch by me of (right to left) Lavinia, The Doctor, and of course the TARDIS for scale:

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

More character sketches, of The Doctor and Lavinia on their own and also one of The Rani:

Spoiler: The Doctor

Spoiler: Lavinia

Spoiler: The Rani

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

A follow-up to my crossover omake for A Little Vice, has final chapter spoilers for it:

---

The Two Chiros​

Not for the first time, I sat with a lump in my throat outside the Guidance Counselor's office. But for the first time, I was seeing someone completely different than Mr. Noir, someone who Inessa had even vouched to me for. I was flattered, too flattered really, that she'd go out of her way to recommend the new Counselor to the likes of me. But hers was a somewhat guarded recommendation, so I was still trembling more than I should have.

"Miss Dunne, the Doctor will see you now," came the soft yet scratchy voice of Miss Mortlake. My face scrunched up being called by that prefix, but I only got as far as opening my mouth to correct her before I stopped. I was no Miss, yet the thought of being addressed as Mr. instead gave no comfort either.
Best to chalk it up to a simple mistake, Mortlake and I had barely interacted after all.

Lavinia Mortlake, I think I full name was, had... some connection to Counselor Naotake? She'd showed up the same time the new Counselor had, with her having gotten a job on staff through them. I guess maybe she was the Avaritia to Naotake's Noir. In the general sense of course, unless there really was something supernatural going with them, which really wouldn't surprise me by now.
She had what could be called an 'overachiever' or 'smartest in class' look to her, with her glasses, dark braids, and freckles. Made me think back how much I'd been slacking in my own studies.

I stepped back into that Counselor's office once again, and my eye immediately caught on something Mr. Noir certainly didn't have. A large box draped in a woolen sheet dominated much of the room. I magnetically moved towards it, my hand outstretched, before I heard a loud cough and a velvety yet firm voice proclaim, "Chiro Dunne, I believe your business is with me."

"Ah yes, of course, so sorry!" I blurted out upon Counselor Naotake calling me out, my face already flushed. I then sat down before the Counselor; 'Dr. Kaguya Naotake' emblazoned atop her desk. Towering over me, she was as intimidating as Mr. Noir was, with her long midnight black hair marked by a single silver streak, deep and piercing eyes, and her dark, elaborate dress like that of a doll from hundreds of years ago.
I tried to keep Inessa's recommendation in mind as I gazed upon her, yet simultaneously, I had to commend her on dressing so strikingly. I knew I was far too self-conscious to wear an outfit like hers.

What she did next caught me more off guard, she actually smiled and chuckled at me. "Really, my dear Dunne, no need for apologies. Protective as I am of her, I can't blame you for taking such notice," Doctor Naotake said, her voice lighter and softer. For some reason, I took that the 'her' she mentioned wasn't Miss Mortlake.
"In fact, that's exactly what I've been meaning to talk about with you," she said next, her voice again growing firmer. "I hear you have a rather nasty habit of apologising when you have absolutely no need to. Awfully improper and impolite of you... though now I've said that I suppose your natural inclination is to apologise. That one's on me, I admit."

She was all too right, as I was about to say sorry before her words stopped me midway. I was even about to say sorry for saying sorry. I then changed it to, "Yeah, I suppose that's true," but then had to ask, "Wait, how did you know? I thought these sessions started with you asking me what the problem was? Er, or so I've experienced."

"Simple, my dear. Miss Brandt told me all about you," Doctor Naotake said, then eyed me closer, "and how you've found yourself swept up from one bad situation to another." I winced and nodded, but then she said, "Chiro, I absolutely do not blame you for that, doing so would help nothing. If I may play the 'relatable' card, I found myself in quite the bad crowd in my own schooldays. Why, some would insist I still run with a bad crowd even now."

I shuddered to ask just what about this 'bad crowd' Inessa had told her about. I knew she absolutely wasn't the sort of person would just tell on me, especially with something of Abyssal Forest magnitude. And yet, given what I'd done, didn't people have every reason to be warned about me?
Clearing my throat, I ventured "So, you're saying I can get out of this bad crowd? Cause if so, er, thanks for the encouragement, but I really believe I've gotten in too deep now..."

Before I could finish, Doctor Naotake then raised a hand, as a butterfly suddenly came flying in and landed on her fingers. "Can a butterfly break free of its cocoon, or a snake shed its skin?" she asked me. "Of course they can, as can you break free of the two prisons you find yourself in. I shouldn't need you tell you what the first is, but the second, Chiro dear, is the one you've built in your own mind. I'm not saying everything will be fine if you just escape your self-loathing, there's still an arduous road ahead, one I've walked myself. But they say 'all journeys begin with a single step' for good reason."

"No, I can't!" I gasped, nearly losing control of myself, before I blubbed, "I'm... I'm not that sort of person." I wasn't even a butterfly or snake, but a bat. I could picture Naotake saying that was but semantics, but I wasn't assigned that animal for no reason.

Dr Naotake then sighed; I couldn't blame her as her exhaustion with me emanating like miasma from her. "I am most likely going to regret this, dear Chiro. In my deal with time, this is a most grey area," she said. All I could think at the moment was what a 'contract with time' even was, I think I would've heard if there was a Saint or Beast with time powers. "But I can see drastic measures are called for. Bear with me a little while, I'm just off to fetch someone."
Drastic measures? No, please, not for someone like me, I'm not worth them. And definitely not if it involves messing with time or breaking a deal. Of course, I was too weak to voice any of this before the Doctor did what she did.

She then lifted up the cloth to reveal what I could only call a blue box underneath, stepping inside. Wait, it had 'Police' written on it, didn't England have those way back in the day? The weirdness of a British police box being here was then eclipsed as it vanished right before me, making a wheezing, groaning noise as it did. I know I really shouldn't have been surprised by a sight like that anymore, yet I still found myself almost falling back in my chair.

While Dr Naotake was out, Miss Mortlake came back in and asked "Guess she talked to you about apologising too much, right? She tells me that all the time too." I nodded, which made her come closer and add, "But if The Doctor says there's a way, then there really is a way. I used to be in, well, she called them a 'cult'. I thought I'd be trapped there forever, yet she really got me out. So I know, I just know she can do the same for you!" her voice raised.

I instinctively shook my head, about to say that she was worth it, I wasn't. And that whatever her situation was, mine was completely different. Except, was it? I knew nothing about the cult Miss Mortlake used to be in. It couldn't have but somewhere in the Abyssal Forest, but who was to say there weren't... other places?

That wheezing, groaning sound came back again, and Dr Naotake walked out along with something else, both having somehow fit in that one box. That someone else was... me? No, she looked like just me, but there was no way it could be! This person was a girl, and I'm not, I can't be...

"Quite the adventure, but we've finally made it," Dr Naotake said despite having been gone only seconds. "Chiro Dunne, since you're still shy with introductions," she added, patting the green girl on the back, "may I do the honours? Chiro, yourself from the future. Miss Chiro, yourself from the past." Hearing that nearly broke me.

"I, I know I'm going to stumble saying this, but I really am you! Er, I mean you're going to be me," the future 'me' pleaded with me. i trembled as I saw she was even holding Count Fruitula, if a little patched up.

I blushed again and felt the urge to leave the room, were Miss Mortlake not blocking my way. I just shook my head fast and faster instead, then said to the girl from the future, "N-no, I'm sorry, whoever you are you've gone too much out of your way for me. There is absolutely no way you can be me., you're too pretty, too feminine, too-"

"I remember," the girl suddenly said, "I remember saying those exact same words. Chiro, myself, please, don't hurt yourself by saying that. It'll only be start, but you have to be kind to yourself, tell yourself you can change for the better! It's, well, a lesson I still have to learn even now. I'd give anything to have learned it sooner..." she looked downcast, then muttered, "I still don't think I can truly love myself, but you have to try! At least accept yourself, accept you are-"

"A girl?" I asked, with me feeling ashamed over how quickly that word came to my head. Again, I was about to say no, and again I couldn't. I felt I had to say no, but did I really want to?

"If it helps, I used to look like a man myself. Granted, I have, how to put this, certain 'privileges', but the principle's the same, " Dr Naotake chimed in, "If a caterpillar cannot imagine itself a butterfly, how shall it ever grow?"

My 'future self' then looked at Dr Naotake and, with some hesitation, asked, "Doctor, may I? I know you don't like this sort of thing..."

"Well my dear, I did say your circumstances called for drastic measures," Dr Naotake said back to her, then narrowed her eyes, "but any damage to your own timestream is on you, am I clear?"

She winced and nodded, before 'myself' looked at me and said, "Gentle as a spring breeze, Angelic Saint Humanitas takes the stage!"
Were Miss Mortlake not there to catch me, I would've fainted seeing this girl who said she was me transforming into the very image a Saint right before me. I am no Saint, that should be proof she couldn't be me, yet she still said, "Chiro, I was you, so I know you cannot believe this, even I still find it hard to believe, but..." she said as I was engulfed in her green aura, "This is your future!"
Upon detransforming, she looked back at the blue box and said, "Suppose I really should go, timestream and everything. Not to mention how Michael would react to what I just did."

"Oh yes, that 'Who is like God'. We shall have words," Dr Naotake said, then smiled at 'me' and said, "It's all perfectly normal, my dear. My own interactions with my past selves have never gone smoothly either. But that's another story for another time."

Having no way to believe what I just saw, I tried asking something else instead, something more plausible... relatively. "Dr Naotake, er, if I may ask, how is it you can all fit inside that box?"

"The word you're looking for is TARDIS, Chiro dear. And it's simple, a little thing we call dimensional transcendence. Oh, and you can just call me 'Doctor', only reason I call myself Kaguya Naotake is your school made me give some name when I set up shop as Counselor here," The Doctor told me.
She then looked past me at Miss Mortlake and said, "Lavinia dear, time we were off. Now this whole business with the Daleks exploiting the Abyssal Forest has been sorted, our job here is done." Wait, Dalek? Did she mean the Beast of Wrath?

"Ah, can I just have a few more minutes? There are people here I wanna say goodbye too, that's all," Miss Mortlake asked, having to readjust her glasses. That she already had people to go out of her way to say goodbye to cast a dark mirror on my own social skills.

"Alright, just a few more minutes. I've always found farewells rather bothersome myself, but if they mean that much to you," The Doctor told her.

Before Miss Mortlake got back, I knew I should ask one last thing... I just didn't know what. The thought of my own future, my own identity, was still burning in my head. Yet I froze at the thought of asking about, well, who I really was, even if that was what these sessions for. So instead, I asked maybe not the best question, but definitely no small one either. "Doctor... are you an Angel? You don't act like a beast at all, but I'd know if you were a Saint."

"I'm The Doctor," was all she answered. In turn she asked, "The question you really should ask, Chiro, is who you are."

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

Sketch of an idea I had for the TARDIS Console Room. Thought to bring in Shinto shrine (the Time Rotor) and Art Nouveau (the railings and curved surfaces) inspiration to emphasise the TARDIS' organic nature. Though it doesn't quite match up with the more gothic description I gave earlier, but isn't out of step with it either

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

"It's obvious, is it not? Through superimposing Shesha's alternate universe selves upon her, our Ikari, or the person taking his name if you won't drop that little theory of yours…" The Doctor begins, side-eyeing Baskoro, then lowers her voice, "is trying to replicate Time Lord regeneration."

Baskoro opens his mouth looking to protest, but then stops to admit, "That does indeed fit with Urataro's pursuits. Well, if this is the Urataro I know, then he must have been trying to resurrect my Shesha, he never would've used her as a test subject alive. Which if so…" he pauses, "Does this mean he hasn't acknowledged me over the radio because he's too ashamed, of what's become of Shesha?"

I feel trained to expect some self-affirming quip back from The Doctor like 'Ah, so now you see reason', but I may have leaped to misjudge her. For instead, she gives a more solemn reply, "It would seem so. We won't know for certain though until we finally track down Ikari," then sighs, "Though if Shesha was dead before his quantum 'resurrection', then I'm afraid she is truly gone. Even regeneration cannot save the already dead."

Hearing that, Baskoro cannot muster a word of reply, though looking at him I can see his soul sinking. All my loved ones are still alive, at least in what memories I have of them, I hope that's still true when- if we get back. But seeing what's come over Baskoro, for the first time it's like I feel what it's really like to lose a loved one, when it's not Oterne but death that takes them from you.

I'm anticipating Georgiy will have something to say, regardless of how much he knows about chronophysics. Sure enough, he goes, "Y'know Doctor, situations like this wouldn't have ever happened if you Time Lords weren't so stingy with your knowledge, told the rest of us how we can all regenerate."

The Doctor snorts at him for that remark, before she takes a deep breath and tries to put it more graciously, "Mr. Nikitich, do you not think that if I could convince my people to share their secrets with everyone else, they would? I know my people all too well, they would see granting other species regeneration as akin to giving first aid to ants."

"Oh, so you're calling us ants now?" Georgiy has to say.

"Absolutely not. Had you paid closer attention, you'll note that what I said other Time Lords would think," The Doctor says, then hisses, "Assuming you didn't just say that to antagonise me. And even if they would, they couldn't. The secret of how to grant regeneration to whole species died with whom we're told discovered it, Rassilon our Founder. All even I know about what lies behind it is something to do with the Time Vortex."

Georgiy takes in that whole explanation, borderline rant really, then crosses his arms and has to say, "Huh, so you don't claim responsibility for what your own people have done? Or rather, didn't do?"

"Mr. Nikitich, do you claim responsibility for the actions of the whole human race?" The Doctor starts by glaring at him, I may not be her focus but even I can feel her gaze piercing into me. She relents though, then brings herself to say, "…I do claim responsibility for my people, I've spent most of my lives doing just that.
Anyway," her voice rapidly brightens, "We can't confront our Ikari in person if we keep dawdling around here. Poyekhali, everyone!"

The Doctor's attempt at cheer doesn't prove infectious, as Georgiy, Baskoro, and I walk along in silence after her. An occasional snort from Georgiy becomes the only sound. I'd say anything to lighten the mood, but I just don't know what. I mean, if even The Doctor can't lift our spirits, who can?

At least it's not long before we find what may be the most important room so far… a wedding chapel. I guess it more than makes sense it'd be here, with this ship being made up of scenes from Ikari and Shesha's lives. The right-hand side fits with what I remember of chapels from Earth, though the pews look more like Perspex or some sort of crystal glass than wood, a sign of the times I suppose. The left side seating however is taken up by jewel-lined nests, I'm guessing for the Draconian friends and family. Further along there's an array of flowers and gift baskets lined up on the human side and gems and even old weapons on the Draconian, with what I can only describe as 'scientific equipment' given on both. I run my hand along one of the flowers, almost expecting The Doctor to reprimand me, though I'm not sure for what. But the flower feels too, how do I put this, 'artificial' to be one, so either that's what all flowers feel like now, or more likely it's a replication like everything else here.

Either way I remark, "It's a lovely wedding, ah I mean, I imagine I must've been." Aside from all the tension between species, but I know enough to keep my mouth shut on that part. I can now see Baskoro's eyes welling up, though I soon learn this is due to something far more than wedding memories.

"Ahem, there's a friggin' dead body in here!" Georgiy has to put it like that, as he points to the far end of the room, "Think we can leave the wedding compliments till later."

It's then I see an open coffin propped up against the altar. The sight would've once sent me screaming, but after Oterne, my thoughts just turn to how lucky the corpse is that it hasn't had its own soul crushed and melted down into a tool. And with Shesha's monstrous remains roaming around, that someone did die I suppose was only inevitable, if anything I feel the weight of awful anticipation now being lifted. Or, shameful as it is to think, maybe that's just because the dead person isn't anyone I know… but it's someone Baskoro clearly does.

It becomes painfully clear that wedding memories weren't the only reason Baskoro was crying, as he sobs out "Urataro!" on rushing over to the corpse. And with his labcoat and future gear, the corpse does generally resemble my mental image of the man who hounded us over the intercom. From the glowing marks around him, it looked like he died after his own bride, or what she'd become, had attacked him. A death I'd never wish on anyone, even if he was our enemy.

The Doctor, her expression quite unmoved unlike everyone else's, then steps forward to scan the dead Ikari with her screwdriver, which earns her an instant glare from Baskoro. "Really, can you not see I am trying to determine the precise cause of your son-in-law's death?" she hisses at him.

"Can you not at least wait before you treat the man like a study specimen? Leave him some dignity," Baskoro says back, clenching his claws.

"Oh, you'll find his corpse has had more than enough time," The Doctor mutters, "On top of his decomposing, the scan shows the killing wounds were dealt to him a fair while back. Some days ago, I'd estimate. Well, for what meaning 'days' have out in the void."

"Oh no, nonono," Georgiy says, then continues after a deep breath, "We heard that guy talk right to us over the radio, how the hell is that even possible if he's been dead for days?! What, is it another quantum thing?"

Shaking her head, The Doctor says, "No. Were that true, newer wounds would be overlapping with the older wounds, yet none are on him. Though there's the possibility his quantum wounding has left him in a state of superposition, with one of his living selves overlapping with his dead self. But in that case, it would've worn off by now, for the man before us is all dead."

"Now look here," Baskoro bursts out again, his tail thumping, "I may be a Professor of Chronophysics, but that does not mean I will tolerate my son-in-law being treated like some quantum animal to dissect!"

"My, do forgive me, I wasn't aware you were against us finding out the nature of your own son-in-law's death," The Doctor 'apologises' while glaring down at Baskoro.

"Dissect the guy all you want," Georgiy again goes and say, "Look, I barely knew him, but he treated us like bottom-of-the-barrel scum from the moment we set foot on this ship. What reason have I got to pay respects to this one dead guy?"

The Doctor needed no prompting to step right in between Georgiy and Baskoro before everything can just get worse between them. Again, she'd probably admonish me for thinking this, but I'd give anything to just be back in the TARDIS right now. We've found Urataro Ikari, figured out how he most likely died, and if we stay Georgiy and Baskoro will just keep arguing with each other. Or Shesha will find us. Or even those alternates of us could come back. Or…

I shudder as another possibility behind Ikari's mysterious death comes to me. I move forward step by step to ask The Doctor about it, each leg shaking as I fear I'll just rile up Baskoro again. I know, I shouldn't judge him, nobody close to me that I know has died, except maybe the butler. Anyway, I bring myself to ask The Doctor, "What if Ikari knew what we'd say, even though he was already dead, because a time traveller went back and told him? The Rani?"

"Yes, thank you Lavinia," The Doctor says, then grits her teeth, "I was afraid of that."

Spoiler: The 'Darkness' BGM

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDvq9iKAMGw

"Really, Doctor? Embarrassed your own tag-along figured out the answer before you?" a deep, dark, creaking voice chuckles from nowhere. It's then none other than the 'TARDIS fairy', that strange jackalope doll I met before, jumps right out in front of me onto my shoulder. "Though Miss Mortlake, do you have to assume this can only be the work of The Rani? For shame, did I not teach you better?"

With a glare like cold fire, The Doctor then snarls at the TARDIS fairy, "Get off her. Now." I'm left paralysed too, even though I know The Doctor isn't glaring at me, I think. Still, I thought The Doctor loved the TARDIS, how can she be this hostile to a part of it? Unless…

"Why certainly," the fairy grins at The Doctor, and then… unravels itself right in front of me. I watch almost frozen as the TARDIS fairy comes apart, its string and horns falling all over me, as what I can only call a pitch-black cloud of fog rises above me. Three crimson lights then appear amongst the darkness, two forming what I think are eyes, and the third a jagged grin.

"You called yourself a TARDIS fairy. T-that was a lie, wasn't it?" I try to speak up at this- this thing, somehow standing my ground as desperate as I was to run.

"Not one of my best, I'll admit. Still, Miss Mortlake, that alias at least gave me the pleasure of getting to know you without a certain someone rudely interrupting," the thing I'd called a fairy says, their 'eyes' flaring at The Doctor.

"Wait a minute Doctor, you know this… whatever this is?" Georgiy asks, backing off from both.

"Whatever you are, what do you want with Urataro Ikari?" Baskoro demands. Unlike me, if he's afraid you couldn't tell.

"You address me as a 'what'?" the darkness hisses at them, then sighs, "I suppose it can't be helped. It's the sad norm that vermin should display such discourtesy towards their natural superiors. As for your Ikari, I am only here to help the good scientist. Well, was and will be only here to help," they chuckle at, er, whatever they just said.
"But yes, why not have our dear Doctor introduce one such as I? Go on, Doctor, address me as one should. Say my name."

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

Spoiler: Chibified

Spoiler: Coat and Cane

Spoiler: Gothic Gown without stairs

Spoiler: Gothic Gown with stairs

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

While my Doctor usually wears black, I had her in red here to better contrast the TARDIS and not blend in with the darkness. Got the outfit the idea from a side-character in Batman TAS. Tried an overlapping technique to give the pencil colours more vibrancy

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

Some older sketches of Lavinia solo:

Spoiler: Standing

Spoiler: Reading

Spoiler: Reading redraw

 

[ArlequineLunaire]

Wrote The Rani using mechanical limbs before, so here they are in her TARDIS. Made them magnetically floating to distinguish them from Doc Ock.
Feel the multi-arms suit her Hindu title, though given she's a Time Lord I guess in hindsight I could've just written that she'd regenerated with multiple limbs