TARDIS

“Very good!” The Doctor rubbed his hands together, sporting a soft grin like the Cheshire Cat as he sauntered back over to the console. “I see a few of you are undecided, but that is perfectly acceptable. No need to make a decision here and now. Besides. I expect most of you would prefer to get your bearings before being sent into the heart of darkness, wouldn’t you?”

Raising his finger high, he slammed it down on one of the buttons. The doors opened wide, beckoning them to explore the wonder that was the Quantum Axis.

“Regardless of whether you accept, this will be your home for the forseeable future. As I said, you’ve been plucked from your respective universes and unstuck from time. The only way to put you back there without being trapped in your universes is to undo whatever corrupted it in the first place."

He grabbed another jellybaby from the bag and plopped it in his mouth, swallowing it one quick gulp.

...should he have told them?

Would they be so eager to accept if they knew?

...probably not.

For now, he put it aside. He'd cross that bridge when they came to it.

If they ever did.

"But as long you’re here, the rest of the universe may as well be a still painting. You can take a stroll through the park, have a drink at Quark’s, set yourself up in the Quantum Axis Condominiums, or even partake in the Full Matter Holosuites! And the multiverse will be none the worse for wear when you’re done. Incidentally, I’ve already arranged rooms for the lot of you. Never hurts to be prepared. So! Anyone fancy a walk?”

Edited by kkhohoho on Oct 5th 2020 at 8:05:00 AM

Doctor Who — Long Way Around: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13536044/1/Doctor-Who-Long-Way-Around

Makoto walked up to the Doctor, hands in pockets.

"If getting a room means I have to accept your job, then gladly. Lead the way"

He was extremely tired, and stressed with all that had happened. He just needed a good rest.

I can't say goodbye to yesterday…

Lapine could only roll her eyes at the red human. It was weird; in the midst of her anger at the audacity of the weirdo who somehow brought them here, being confronted with this arguably much more... personal transgression somehow brought her back to her senses. Like being reminded of a constant reality helped re-assert her sense of 'normal'. She could think a little straighter.

"Well," she said to the red human, dryly, beginning to squirm as if to signal that she wanted to be put down now. "I hope you don't make a habit of doing this to every 'cute' animal you see. It could be your death one of these days."

"If you think like a child, you will do a child's work."

Setsuna

"I mean, it's not like I go up and hug every critter I see. But you were just so cute and fluffy and—!"

And then the little bunny started squirming. Again. Again and again and again.

There was probably a reason for that.

"Oh. Sorry. Should probably let you down now, huh?"

And she did just that.

"Like, if it makes you uncomfortable or something, I'll try to stop. But seriously, I just wanna pick you up and cuddle and pet you and—!"

...dang.

She was doing it again, wasn't she?

"Sorry, sorry! But it's really hard to resist! Though I think part of that is, uh, it's kind of soothing? Like, I kinda sorta get angry and murdery and stuff. Like when I threatened to club ya. Sorry about that. Again. But seeing anything so cute and fluffy... I just forget about everything else and all of the bad stuff goes bye-bye. So... it helps. But I don't want to piss you off or anything either! So I'll try not to do that. Least to you. Okay?"

---

TARDIS

"If you insist." The Doctor turned from Makoto, pointing his umbrella towards the open doors. "If anyone else wants to head to their apartments, follow me. They're actually quite nice! The flooring matches superbly with the drapes."

Edited by kkhohoho on Oct 5th 2020 at 2:35:32 PM

Doctor Who — Long Way Around: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13536044/1/Doctor-Who-Long-Way-Around

Jo

“God I could use a drink right now. Alright, mate. Lead the way. I wanna see where we're sleeping, first of all,” Jo nods to the Doctor, moving alongside him and taking the opportunity to look him carefully up and down. “If you uh... don't mind me asking, how... what age do you reckon you are? I know from the show that you got a few years on you, is all. Just for curiosity's sake.”

There was a sense that she knew that he wouldn't fall for this excuse, but it wasn't truly for his sake anyhow.

bork

Roon

"That sounds like a good idea to me" Roon says as she walks over to her rigging and picks up her gauntlets and tucks them under her left arm, and once she had them settled she patted the rigging and walked towards the door followed by the mechanical beast. "I'll follow along behind you all"

Mason

Jo's hug really did help, despite outward appearances. He hiccuped a bit and resisted the urge to hug them back, lest it get...weird and oddly clingy. But he did nod his head in appreciation all the same, mumbling off a "thanks" before wiping his eyes with the broad of his hand. All he needed to do was help out here, right? And his world would be okay? Good? Saved?

Sounded like a plan to him.

But with all this emotional crumbling on the horizon it dawned on him just how exhausted he saw and how much he just wanted to rest up on his wounds from his previous fight. So he nodded his head and he gestured.

"I'd like to find a place I can start setting up my Fullbottles and where I can make new ones. Something tells me..."

He glanced at the little group around him and nodded. "I'm gonna be able to make quite a few after all."

Is it selfish that I'm happy as we pass the setting sun?

TARDIS

"Who can say? I've been doing this for so long that even if I did know, I'm probably wrong. For Rassilon's sake, I've seen those later seasons. From the worlds where I'm merely some product of mass entertainment? And at some point, I simply start over and begin again from some arbitrary date. What truly matters is how old you feel. And I feel... old. Very old. Old enough to stop taking chances."

He looked Jo over. Almost like he was searching for something. As though he had seen an old friend, only for them to turn around the corner just before he could say hello. "You know, I knew a Jo once. Lovely young girl. Always managed to turn the tables when the latest rotten scoundrel thought they had us but good. However, you don't share that same infectious exuberance. Tell me, Jo. How old are you? Fair's fair."

Edited by kkhohoho on Oct 5th 2020 at 9:55:13 AM

Doctor Who — Long Way Around: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13536044/1/Doctor-Who-Long-Way-Around

"Sure, another temporary bed sounds fine. I'm gonna call home once we're settled in, let the parents know I'm doing fine yaknow?"

He lets off an awkward little laugh, though there's a pointed look to his eyes.

It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.

Jo

“Infectious exuberance? 'Aven't heard a more British thing in my life,” Jo chuckles, nodding along to the Doctor's explanation and seeming to reflect his emphasis regarding his age with a saddened, tired look in her eyes also. Only for her to pause and contemplate his redirection of the question, briefly looking around at the others in a tentative fashion before lowering her head and answering in a quiet, almost haunted tone.

“I can't remember.”

She straightened her back thereafter, sucking in a breath in an effort to compose herself. Those piercing eyes of hers continued to stare at the Doctor's own, as if desperately clinging on to some sort of kinship—until she eventually shrugged and let her gaze wander again, resigning herself to her own admittance.

“Lost... count. I tried, I think... probably, can't even remember that. Tell you what is memorable, though. Two letters. J-O. Useful, too. Both a bloke and a woman's name. Don't need changing. An' not as confusing as naming myself ‘Me’.”

She looked up at him again at that, fiddling with the strange locket around her neck in an idle fashion.

”D'you change, Doctor?”

Edited by Enirboreh on Oct 5th 2020 at 3:38:13 PM

bork

With everyone...or at least most deciding to find out where they'd be statying for the foreseeable future, it only made sense to follow. Exploring could wait a little longer and knowing where to go meant less time stumbling around trying to find where he'd be resting later as Lee quietly adjusted the gloves on his hand, but still getting silence from the V.A.C Glove.

"...Hopefully it'll be a bit more spacious than the rooms in the underground bunker."

Hope you weren't expecting anything witty here. Maybe some day.

"Thank you," Lapine said as she was put back down on the floor, dusting herself off. Registering everything the red human said, she didn't have much else to say. She just nodded. "I understand. You might want to train that tendency outta you sometime."

She walked over to stand near the weirdo... who was apparently a doctor. Doctor... who? No idea, nobody had given her a name, so it'd just have to be 'doctor' for now. Whatever the case, she'd thought over what she had to say after receiving that suppression hug.

"Alright... let me honest with you, 'doctor'. I think you're a charlatan with delusions of grandeur, and this whole thing is a setup. Or this is just how you get your sick kicks. Whatever. Look, you've already interrupted me in the middle of a job, and probably sold my ship for scrap, which doesn't do you any favours, but if returning to my universe hinges on me playing errand-bunny, I spose I don't have much of a choice. What have I got to lose, anyway? We only live for 14 years and I've made it through 8. It's a wonder I'm even alive right now."

She paused for a moment to give what she was about to say some extra weight... standard drama procedure in the business, of course. "Just know that if you try and screw me over, I will kill you. Oh, and don't call me 'Ms. Lapine', it's 'Ms. D'arotte' to you. 'The Garrote' will also suffice. But you don't get to call me Lapine. That's a privilege you don't have and at this rate are very unlikely to ever get. You understand?"

She silently hoped that off-handedly mentioning her ship might get an answer from him about what the fakken' hekk actually happened to it. If she could get the El-Ahrairah back, or get DIGGS back, find a way to contact Tadd... she could certainly use the help right now.

Edited by PresidentStalkeyes on Oct 5th 2020 at 4:27:50 PM

"If you think like a child, you will do a child's work."

TARDIS

"Understood, Ms.Lapine. And if you do ever kill me, I suspect you'll have every reason to."

He turned back to Jo. "Yes. Very much so. I used to say it was merely a matter of perception. That it only changed the way I perceived things. That ultimately, the person I remained intact. But I'm starting to wonder."

He stopped in front of the doors. His gaze shifted towards the nearest panel. Resting on a hook was a black jacket. It had seen some wear and tear. Had seen some history.

But it hadn't been worn in the longest time.

"I used to travel with someone, you know. A few people actually. Helped keep things in perspective. Or so I thought. But after wading in the universe's murky depths for so long, you still start to forget. You begin to lose that perspective. No matter who you travel with or what you do. That last one especially."

He planted his umbrella on the floor, resting on it like an old man with a cane. The years suddenly starting to show. "Now? They're all gone. Not because they're dead. Oh, I'm sure they died at some point. At one point or another, everyone dies, don't they? Even I'm certain to someday. No. They left. All of them. Because... they couldn't accept it. Couldn't accept me. And it's only now that I'm starting to wonder if what I did, if everything I did, was right."

WERE WE EVER MATES?!

A single tear rolled down his cheek. But with one deft move of his hand, it was gone. Without a second wasted.

"Sometimes I wonder if I am the same man — the same men — from all those years ago. And if any of them would take the same actions I have. I'm almost certain some of them would all but condemn me. But what about you, Jo? Have you changed?"

Edited by kkhohoho on Oct 5th 2020 at 10:50:00 AM

Doctor Who — Long Way Around: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13536044/1/Doctor-Who-Long-Way-Around

Wolfgang

Little Wolf debated going to the park, seeing all the weird and wondrous sights the place had to offer, but he'd heard another whisper, and it was one he couldn't ignore.

"Apartments sound nice." He nodded at the Doctor's offer, before casually sidling up to the chimera lady.

"Hey." He whispered, "I heard. I don't know what you did, but I can kinda guess. It was humans, wasn't it?" Wolfgang looked down a moment, at the charm bracelet he wore around his ankle. "They don't really come after us much anymore, but my Pack has always had trouble with normal humans. Hunters sometimes snoop around the area. Grandpa told me how he used to fight them. To kill them. He doesn't do it any more, but..."

Wolfgang smiled, gently placing a hand on her shoulder carapace. "I understand what could push someone to do that. Whatever you did in the past, that's the past. I won't judge you for it, and I won't let anyone else here judge you either. Okay?"

Lowering his hand, he held it out for a handshake. "So, ya wanna be friends?"

What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?

Yuan

Yuan looked over at Lee with a nod.

"That's true, I do have other talents. I can fly, spit fire out of my mouth, hit like a truck... that's normal for my species, though."

She took another look around the room, and remembered something blindingly obvious.

"...Then again, I guess my species isn't normal here. So maybe I'll seem a little more impressive here than I do back home. Heh, that's a plus."

Like everyone else seemed to be doing right now, she followed the Doctor.

"So we get our own apartments, huh? Nice!"

Something Lee said makes her pause, though.

"Wait, you were in an underground bunker, too? Weird, I was in one before I ended up here. I uh... needed to hide from some bad guys, I'll put it that way."

Jo

“...Never know why... but I don't stay dead,” Jo admitted after a pause, albeit in a stiff tone—recognizing the Doctor's vulnerability and giving him a pitying (if not slightly awkward) glance. “I've... been a lot of folk before... I don't even remember who I were to begin with. Just... ‘Jo’. Don't know when I got them dogtags. P'raps during some war. Can't be too long ago. It's hazy; it's hard to remember back too long.”

The others seemed... preoccupied, which gave her incentive to continue. But this was venturing out into dangerous territory, and she knew that saying too much could ruin things...

“...I've never met someone... who can do the same thing. It's... weird,” she admitted, flicking her eyes over towards the Doctor again in a manner almost plaintive. “Have you... got any tips for me, mate? I... I've never known what I've been doing before now...”

bork

Apartments

"Not as such, no. I've never known what I'm doing. not until this incarnation anyhow. And somehow I've made it through. The trick is to act like you do. Even when you're not sure how you got from messing about with a long scarf to toppling empires like it's Tuesday. I'd also suggest keeping a journal, if you haven't already. Helps when you're not sure where you put those brainy specs or sticks of celery."

By now, most of the crew had arrived at their apartments. It was like a large roman tower stretching ever onwards and upwards towards infinity. Though for those who peeked inside, it was a different story. It was a wide and spacious luxury hotel, painted in a swirling mix of blue, green, and purple like being surrounded by a cerebral vortex. Strangers and travelers of all shapes and sizes walked through the lobby, ranging anywhere from funny animals, to perfectly ordinary human beings, to flying purple people eaters. The halls were cut from the same cloth, littered with all sorts of customers and residents, and nearly stretching on forever.

"Quite a sight, isn't it? As I said, your rooms have already been arraigned. Each of them is a holosuite fitted with soft telepathic circuts. They'll sense your personal prefernces, and create a room that suits you before you even enter. There also basis anemities in the lobby. Refreshments, staff, dining areas, etc. Though I suspect your rooms will already have everything you need. You can stroll inside and get yourself settled as soon as you're ready! Unless you have other buisness to attend to?"

Edited by kkhohoho on Oct 6th 2020 at 12:15:10 PM

Doctor Who — Long Way Around: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13536044/1/Doctor-Who-Long-Way-Around

Carmaria

As much as Carmaria was expecting Wolfgang to approach her, she was honestly hoping he didn't overhear, and he wouldn't. Obviously though, that was too much to ask for. She winced as she prepared to be questioned on the "unspeakable things" she had done and "horrors and cruelty" she had committed (and did the Doctor really need to be so descriptive?), but somehow that wasn't what happened.

Without hearing her side of the story, or really any side of the story, the Little Wolf put his hand on her shoulder and proclaimed he wouldn't judge her for what happened in the past. Carmaria doubted he'd say that if he knew what he was talking about, but he seemed exceptionally sincere.

"What I did was a little different then self-defense... but if you're serious, than I could honestly use a friend." She wrapped her right tentacle around his outstretched hand and shook. "I'm Carmaria." Something Wolfgang had said earlier stood out in her mind. "So your world has Hunters too?"

Nancy Weaver—Deja Vu

Nancy just stood in the apartment complex, admiring the sheer scale of the building for a while, before she came back to her senses. Now, this wasn't exactly a Nexus with portals leading to different worlds, but it was close enough to make something in Nancy's heart jump for joy.

"This place is amazing!" she giggled. "Just look at all the people here! The last time I saw so many people of different stripes gathered in one place was..."

There was a pregnant pause.

Nancy shook her head, looking confused. "...I'm sure it was an odd dream. Never mind. But this place sure does look like it came straight out of that dream!" she said, perking right back up. "All that's missing is a man with a magically infinite book as the receptionist to come and check us into our rooms! ...But, ah, wait, this isn't a hotel, now is it? How absent-minded of me."

She continued to stand where she was, trying to calm the strange feelings this place stirred in her.

Edited by JumpingFruit on Oct 6th 2020 at 11:13:50 AM

I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.

Apartments

Suddenly, a man in a black suit appeared behind Nancy. Almost like popping out of the shadows. He was sharply dressed, strumming his pencil thin moustache in one hand and holding a large book in the other as he bowed with utmost elegance and grace.

"Greetings! Alfred Jeeves at your service. I'm one of the staff for Quantum Axis Condominiums, and I couldn't help but notice you were fasnicated by this most humble abode. Are you looking for a room?"

He pulled out his book, flipping through it for pages and pages on end. No matter how many pages he flipped through, there always seemed to be another. As though it ran on forever and ever and ever.

"I believe Suite 666 is availible. Not the most hospitable, but it serves those with... perculiar interests. Unless you're looking for something else? Or perhaps you already have a room, in which case I'm making a fool out of myself! My most humble apologies."

Doctor Who — Long Way Around: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13536044/1/Doctor-Who-Long-Way-Around

Nancy Weaver—Got A Feeling So Mysterious

"Oh, er, hello..." Nancy greeted, as Alfred Jeeves popped up to check her in just as soon as she said the words. Wrong. All wrong. "That sounds pretty interesting, even though I'm pretty sure I already had a room reserved here for me. I'll go check it out nonetheless. Thank you very much, kind sir."

Nancy and Seamstress bowed politely in tandem and then Nancy started to walk off in the direction of Suite 666. For all intents and purposes, that was an ominous number. However, maybe she could find who she was looking for there...

What the hell is HIS NAME—

I can't remember—

Was he my uncle at some point?

Sei...sen...?

Edited by JumpingFruit on Oct 6th 2020 at 1:17:22 AM

I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.

Jo

“I keep a journal already, mate. Well, a few. I got a new one recently,” Jo shrugged in reply to the Doctor, before quietening as they approached their new residence. If she was surprised at all (which she likely was) she hid it exceptionally well, and gazed up at the height of the structure before finally whistling.

“Better than some apartment off in Dartford, I'll tell you that much. Holosuites, you say? Fancy tech, too...”

She adjusted the collar of her jacket, suppressing a light shiver out of anticipation. So this would be their new home for the foreseeable future. She couldn't deny its luxury, but...

“...you mentioned some sort of bar, right?”

bork

Makoto, in his apartment, was once again examining his Evoker. Millions of thoughts were running through his head, but the one that overtook the others was "I want to go home". He was rambling to himself about what jobs he had to do.

"Maybe shadows? Hopefully...I know I how to deal with them..."

Then, he remembered something VERY important. He shouted it out quite loudly.

"THE DARK HOUR!"

I can't say goodbye to yesterday…

Tibalt was deep in his own thoughts about whether to call home and whether it would be kinda pathetic if the telepathic circuits ended up making his room just like home when the kid he expected would be a quiet, near-silent protagonist shouted out the name of a core feature of his world. Naturally, it caused him to jump.

"What about it? W-whatever it is!? Does the Dark Axis have it's own hour or something?"

It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.

Makoto realizes what he just did. And, more importantly, how he shouldn't have said anything. He sighs.

"Ok...c-can you keep a secret? As in, keep a secret as if your life depends on it? Because, i-if I tell you, it will."

I can't say goodbye to yesterday…