Human Nature
Tardis…
The Doctor, Martha, Jared, Kirito, Asuna, Karen, and Miyu run into the Tardis, closely followed by a blast from an energy weapon.
"Get down!" The Doctor said, as Kirito deflected the energy beam with a sword, with his back turned.
"Saved you guys." Kirito said, and Karen slammed the door shut. "That was easy."
"What was that?" Karen asked.
"Martha, did they see you?" The Doctor asked.
"I don't know." Martha said.
"But did they see you?"
"I don't know. I was too busy running."
"Jared, did they see you or your mates?" The Doctor asked, looking at Jared.
"I don't think so." Jared said, eating some jelly babies. "I was making pop culture references with Miyu, Karen was annoyed by it. And Kirito and Asuna were getting comfortable with each other."
"You lot, it's important. Did they see your face?"
"No, it would be impossible." Miyu said, smirking. "What do you think we are? Dummies?"
"Off we go!" The Doctor said, setting the Tardis in motion. "Argh! They're following us."
"How can they do that? You've got a time machine." Asuna said, walking towards the Doctor. "They can't just follow us like that. It should be impossible."
"Stolen technology. They've got a Time Agent's vortex manipulator. They can follow us wherever we go, right across the universe. They're never going to stop, unless. I'll have to do it. All of you, you trust me, don't you?" The Doctor asked, looking at his companions.
"Of course I do." Martha said.
"Kirito and Asuna are a couple." Jared said, still eating the jelly babies. "Karen and Miyu won a Squad Jam together. And I have my faith in you, Spaceman."
"That's good to know that you lot have someone to rely on. Because it all depends on all of you." The Doctor said.
"What does? What are we supposed to do?" Martha asked.
He holds out an ornately decorated pocket watch, "Take this watch, because my life depends on it. You lot, this watch. The watch is…"
Doctor's room…
The Doctor is lying on a bed in an old-fashioned wood panelled room. A clock is ticking. There are voices in the corridor outside. He gets up, and there is a knock on the door.
"Come in." The Doctor said.
Martha enters, carrying a breakfast tray and wearing maid's uniform complete with little cap. She turns her back when she sees he isn't fully dressed, "Pardon me, Mister Smith. You're not dressed yet. I can come back later."
The Doctor puts on a dressing gown.
"No, it's all right, it's all right. Put it down. I was er. Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams." The Doctor said.
Martha puts the tray down on a table by the leather settee and draws the curtains.
"What about, sir?" Martha asked.
"I dream I'm this adventurer. This daredevil, a madman. The Doctor, I'm called. And last night I dreamt that you were there, as my companion." The Doctor said.
"A teacher and a housemaid, sir? That's impossible."
"And I dreamt of other people there as my companions."
"What kind of people?"
"Someone who knows how to cook, someone who knows how to deflect magic or bullets with a sword, someone who wears all pink, someone who wields two grenade launchers, and someone who knows what's to come."
"That doesn't make sense at all. Why would any of those people be companions to you?"
"I'm a man from another world, though." The Doctor said.
"Well it can't be true because there's no such thing."
"This thing. The watch is…" The Doctor said, picking up the ornate pocket watch from the mantlepiece for a moment then puts it back. "Ah, it's funny how dreams slip away. But I do remember one thing; it all took place in the future. In the Year of Our Lord two thousand and seven."
"I can prove that wrong for you, sir. Here's the morning paper. It's Monday, November tenth, nineteen thirteen, and you're completely human, sir. As human as they come." Martha said, giving the Doctor a newspaper.
"Mmm, that's me. Completely human."
Farringham School…
The boys are singing 'To Be A Pilgrim' at morning assembly, and the Union Flag is raised on the flagpole outside the magnificent Gothic Revival building. Kirito and Asuna are having a picnic on the school courtyard with Jared.
"How does he not notice you?" Kirito asked, looking at Jared.
"You forgot that I'm wearing this." Jared said, wearing his TARDIS key around his neck. "I'm not supposed to be here, you know."
"You mean out here." Asuna said, eating a slice of cake. "In 1913."
"Yeah."
"How's it going with Martha?"
"Oh, you know. Making sure she doesn't blurt out the truth."
"And how about the Doctor?"
"Karen has it covered with Miyu." Kirito said. "When it comes to the watch."
"So, those two stop by his room now and then. Good." Jared said, happily.
"Yeah. And the Doctor? Been making sure that man doesn't remember too early."
"Thanks, both of you, I really appreciate it." Jared said, standing up and walking away from Kirito and Asuna. "I'm not really invisible, just unnoticed."
Corridor…
After class, he walks along a tiled corridor which the three housemaids, Martha, Jenny and Karen are scrubbing on their hands and knees.
"Morning, sir." Martha said.
"Yes, hi." The Doctor said, going up the stairs.
Miyu then walked up to Martha, Jenny, and Karen.
"What's going on, girlfriend?" Miyu asked, looking down at Karen.
"This isn't fun." Karen said, letting out a sigh.
"Want me to do it for you?"
"No, I can do it. Plus aren't you supposed to be watching over something?"
Two senior boys stop.
"Er, now then, you three. You're not paid to have fun, are you? Put a little backbone into it." Baines said.
"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." Jenny said.
"You there, what's your name again?" Hutchinson asked.
"Martha, sir. Martha Jones." Martha said.
"Tell me then, Jones. With hands like those, how can you tell when something's clean?"
They walk on, laughing.
"Too bad LLENN and Fukaziroh aren't a thing yet." Miyu said, drinking a juice box. "They won't be for over a hundred years. We would totally kick ass right now."
"Yeah." Karen said, looking up at Miyu. "So, you're leaving the watch there."
"It's fine. Yui will let us know if someone takes it."
"We're relying on an artificial intelligence."
"She's smart. And she's helpful."
Upper corridor…
"Excuse me, ma'am." A boy said.
A neat woman in starched nurses uniform meets the Doctor, who is carrying a large pile of books.
"Oh, good morning, Mister Smith." Joan said.
The Doctor drops some of the books, "There we go."
"You know, spending some time in the past." Kirito said, walking around the school with Asuna. "It's…"
"Nice?" Asuna asked, holding Kirito's hand. "I agree. No bosses, no Doctor, no TARDIS. In fact, there's no magical girls, witches, and Grimm too. For once, we're normal. And alone."
Joan takes the books from his arms, and the Doctor picks up the fallen ones, "Good."
"Do you think Jared is making this chapter all lovey-dovey?" Kirito asked. "With us being here."
"You know, you're right. And plus all of that stuff with you almost dying. To one of the remaining Laughing Coffin." Asuna said, laughing a little. "That's in a completely alternate timeline."
"It is."
"And then me having to save you. You being broken, that won't happen. Will it?"
"Not as long as you're around. That Carrionite, Lilith. She said something about Sachi and Yuuki coming back."
"Did she?"
"She did."
"Don't we just." The Doctor said.
"So, these books. Were they being taken in any particular direction?" Joan asked.
"Yes. This way." The Doctor said, entering a smaller corridor to bump into Kirito. "Sorry, Mister Kirigaya and Miss Yuuki."
"It's fine." Kirito said, as the Doctor lifted him off the ground. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
"How about we walk together? The four of us?" Asuna asked, looking between the Doctor and Joan.
"I'm fine with that." Joan said, smiling. "How about you?"
"Me too." The Doctor said, walking away with Joan, with Kirito and Asuna behind them. "I always say, Matron, give the boys a good head of steam, they'll soon wear themselves out."
"Truth be told, when it's just you and me, I'd much rather you call me Nurse Redfern. Matron sounds rather well, matronly." Joan said.
"Ah. Nurse Redfern it is then."
"Though we've known each other all of two months, you could even say Joan."
"Doesn't this seem a bit familiar to you?" Kirito asked, looking at Asuna.
"It does." Asuna said, happily. "You were so stubborn back then, you still are."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kirito asked, as there is a notice board at the top of a flight of stairs.
"Nothing. I just can't think about how this is so similar as to how we first got together."
"As a couple?"
"Yeah."
"Have you seen this, John? The annual dance at the village hall tomorrow. It's nothing formal, but rather fun by all accounts. Do you think you'll go?" Joan asked.
"I hadn't thought about it." The Doctor said.
"It's been ages since I've been to a dance, only no one's asked me." Joan said.
"Hey, Kirito." Asuna said, looking at her boyfriend/husband. "You haven���t taken me to a dance in a while. It's not too late for us to do a slow dance."
"I don't know." Kirito said, as the Doctor started backing away nervously. "It's a nice day outside…"
"Well, I should imagine that you'd be, er, I mean, I never thought you'd be one for. I mean, there's no reason why you shouldn't. If you do, you may not. I, I probably won't, but even if I did then I couldn't. I mean I wouldn't want to…" The Doctor said, bumping into Kirito.
"Doctor, Kirito." Asuna said, looking at the Doctor and Kirito. "The stairs!"
"What about the stairs?" The Doctor asked.
"They're right behind you." Joan said, and down the Doctor and Kirito go in a flurry of books and papers.
"Get off me." Kirito said, as the Doctor is sitting on top of him.
Doctor's room…
"Kirito, you should have looked where you were going." Asuna said, as she gave Kirito a glare.
"I know. But the Doctor fell on top of me." Kirito said, and Joan tends to the back of the Doctor's head. "It does hurt. Like a lot."
"You really should have looked where you were going."
"You should have caught me." Kirito said, while Martha bursts in.
"Are they all right?" Martha asked.
"Excuse me, Martha. It's hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking." Joan said.
"Sorry. Right. Yeah." Martha said, and she goes back to the door and knocks on it. "But are they all right? They said you and Kirito fell down the stairs, Sir."
"No, it was just a tumble, that's all." The Doctor said.
"More like he almost broke my dominant hand." Kirito said, annoyed.
"Have you checked for concussion?" Martha asked.
"I have. And I daresay I know a lot more about it than you." Joan said, angrily.
"Sorry. I'll just tidy your things." Martha said.
"I was just telling Nurse Redfern, Matron, Kirito and Asuna too, about my dreams. They are quite remarkable tales. I keep imagining that I'm someone else, and that I'm hiding." The Doctor said, happily.
"How are hiding?" Kirito asked, walking towards the Doctor.
"They're almost every night. This is going to sound silly."
"Come on, tell us." Asuna said, walking towards the Doctor. "We won't tell, promise."
"I dream, quite often, that I have two hearts." The Doctor said.
"Well, then. I can be the judge of that. Let's find out." Joan said, using her stethoscope to listen to the Doctor's chest. "I can confirm the diagnosis. Just one heart, singular."
"I have er, I have written down some of these dreams in the form of fiction. Not that it would be of any interest."
"I'd be very interested."
"Well, I've never actually shown it to anyone before." The Doctor said, giving Joan the handwritten book.
"A Journal of Impossible Things." Joan said, looking at lots of inky scrawl and pictures with Kirito and Asuna. "Just look at these creatures."
"Now that looks like a bin where we take out the trash." Kirito said, looking at the drawing of a Dalek.
"Don't know how this looks like rubbish. But such imagination." Joan said.
"It's become quite a hobby." The Doctor said.
The Moxx of Balhoon, Autons labelled as plastic men, Yui labeled as a pixie, one of the Pompadour clockwork robots.
"How did Yui end up in there?" Asuna asked.
"I don't know. Maybe it has to do with Jared taking her on adventures without us." Kirito said.
"It's wonderful. And quite an eye for the pretty girls." Joan said, ending up on a page of Rose Tyler.
"Oh no, no, she's just an invention. This character, Rose. I call her, Rose. Seems to disappear later on." The Doctor said, going to another page that has Cybermen and the Tardis, labelled magic box. "Ah, that's the box. The blue box. It's always there. Like a like a magic carpet. This funny little box that transports me to far away places."
"Like a doorway?" Joan asked.
"Mmm." The Doctor said, looking at sketches of earlier Doctors. "I sometimes think how magical life would be if stories like this were true."
"If only."
"It's just a dream." The Doctor said, looking at drawings of the pocket watch.
Corridor…
Martha runs after Joan with Kirito and Asuna, "Ma'am? That book."
"Oh, I'll look after it. Don't worry. He did say I could read it." Joan said.
"But it's silly, that's all. Just stories." Martha said.
"Who is he, Martha, Kirito, and Asuna?" Joan asked.
"What are you talking about?" Kirito asked, holding Asuna's hand.
"It's like he's left the kettle on. Like he knows he has something to get back to, but he can't remember what."
"That's just him." Martha said.
"The three of arrived with him, didn't you? And Martha, he found you and Karen employment here at the school, isn't that right?" Joan asked.
"Karen and I used to work for the family. He just sort of inherited us."
"Well, I'd be careful. If you don't mind my saying, you sometimes seem a little familiar with him. Best remember your position."
"Yes, ma'am."
TARDIS…
"So, this is where you've been." Miyu said, coming out of a hallway. "Hey, let's play some Yoshi's Crafted World together."
"Yoshi?" Jared asked, walking towards Miyu. "What's going out there?"
"It's just slow and boring." Karen said, headphones in her ears. "Why are you two in the mood to play a mellow game like Yoshi?"
"Why are you interested in playing Yoshi?" Miyu asked.
"Because there hasn't been any action these past few weeks."
"I'm giving Kirito and Asuna rest and relaxation." Jared said, leaning against the TARDIS console. "Sorry about bring you two along."
"You wanted to avoid Avengers:Endgame spoilers for a while. That's why you chose to go to 1913." Miyu said, smirking. "Just don't worry about it. We'll be fine."
"You sure?"
"You're the one with the foreknowledge right? We'll take down some bad guys later."
"I don't know where the family is. It's been a while."
"You know what they say. Third time's the charm."
Gun Gale Online…
Jared has been deflecting bullets using the photon sword, with LLENN taking the close range shots with her luck and P-90, and Fuka being the support with her grenade launcher.
"You know, you're not bad." LLENN said, looking back at Jared. "Where did you learn skills like that?"
"Kirito." Jared said, deflecting another bullet. "My reaction time has gotten better ever since I've started playing more shooters."
"This isn't that much different from any shooters of your time. Like Fortnite and Apex Legends." Fuka said, sending some grenades from where she is sitting, taking out enemies in the process. "What do you say we go to a bar with Yang Xiao Long later?"
"You just want to ask some guys out."
"Or guys ask me out. So, is it a deal?"
"Me going to a bar with you and Yang? I'm all in."
"Got another one!" Fuka said, seeing the dead icon above a player. "You need to lessen your stress and burden."
"Totally beats writing an essay or doing mathematical problems any day."
"You two should focus on the battle at hand." LLENN said, taking out another enemy at close range with her P-Chan.
"I know." Jared said, slicing a place behind LLENN to eliminate them. "I've been focusing on what the family will do next."
"Any ideas as to what they're doing?"
Outside the pub…
Evening.
Martha brings four pints to a table, "Ooo, it's freezing out here. Why can't we have a drink inside the pub?"
"Now don't be ridiculous. You do get these notions! It's all very well, those Suffragettes. but that's London. That's miles away." Jenny said, angrily.
"But don't you just want to scream sometimes, having to bow and scrape and behave. Don't you just want to tell them?"
"Kirito." Asuna said, placing her hand on top of Kirito's. "The dance? Will you take me?"
"I'm not really sure." Kirito said, sadly.
"We've known each other for over two years. And something is bothering you. What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"If you tell me what's wrong, maybe I could help you."
"It's just that we never danced before. All we did was take down bosses in SAO."
"You should have said that in the beginning."
"I know." Kirito said, and something flashes in the sky.
"Did you see that?" Martha asked.
"See what?" Jenny asked.
"Did you see it, though? Right up there, just for a second."
"Martha, there's nothing there."
Joan is walking through a field when she is blinded by a green light that appears to be searching the ground. Then it disappears. She runs.
"Matron, are you all right?" Martha asked.
"Did you see that? There was something in the woods. This light." Joan said.
The Doctor arrives, "Anything wrong, ladies? Far too cold to be standing around in the dark, don't you."
"There, there. Look in the sky." Joan said, looking at the light crossing the sky.
"Oh, that's beautiful." Jenny said, happily.
"All gone. Commonly known as a meteorite. It's just rocks falling to the ground, that's all." The Doctor said.
"I think it landed in the woods." Asuna said, squeezing Kirito's hand.
"No, no, no. No, they always look close, when actually they're miles off. Nothing left but a cinder. Now, I should escort you back to the school. Ladies?"
"No, we're fine, thanks." Martha said.
"Then I shall bid you goodnight." The Doctor said, walking away with Joan.
"Um, Jenny." Kirito said. "Where was the light heading? The one that was up in the sky."
"That's by Cooper's Field." Jenny said, as Martha leaves with Kirito and Asuna. "You lot can't just run off. It's dark. The three of you will break a leg."
Jenny follows Martha, Kirito, and Asuna.
Cooper's Field…
Baines has found the stash of beer bottles when the green light comes down to the ground near him. It lands and the light goes out. He goes to investigate, "I say, hello? Was that some kind of aeroplane? You chaps all right?"
He walks into a green forcefield.
"What? That's, that's impossible." Baines said, pressing his hands against it and moves them sideways. There is a clunk as a hatch opens. "Some kind of door. Hello? Is anyone there?"
He goes inside. Martha, Jenny, Kirito, and Asuna arrive.
"There you are. Nothing there. I told you so." Jenny said.
"So that's Cooper's Field." Kirito said, looking around.
"As far as the eye can see, and no falling star. Now come on, I'm frozen to the bone, let's go. As your Mister Smith says, nothing to see."
Kirito and Asuna's house…
"Is it okay with us being here?" LLENN asked. "This is wrong."
"Jared said it's fine." Fuka said, eating a slice of cake.
"How about we keep an eye on the watch?"
Jared is lying down on the couch, feeling a bit exhausted after getting a lot of kills in Gun Gale Online, "LLENN, tea!"
"That watch is a bit lame." LLENN said, looking at Fuka. "It's full of circles."
"I think it's cool." Fuka said, happily. "How about we go do some shopping later?"
"Tea." Jared said, too tired to get up.
"Shopping before World War 1?" LLENN asked.
"We'll be wearing some nice outfits. And it's before the Roaring Twenties too." Fuka said, smirking.
"Tea!" Jared said, losing his patience.
"I forgot that's it's a party." LLENN said, smiling.
"Tea!"
"I just realized that this is something out of Love Live." Fuka said, opening up the game menu and tossing a thermos to Jared. "Here you go, handsome."
"Thank you. I finally got it." Jared said, picking himself up to get him some tea.
(Jared's POV)
Tardis…
Martha bicycles out to an old barn with Kirito and Asuna walking behind her, and the three of them go inside. The medical student uses the key she was given at the end of 42 to unlock the Tardis.
"Hello. I'm talking to a machine…" Martha said, annoyed.
Memory - Tardis…
"Get down! They're following us. They can follow us wherever we go. Right across the universe. They're never going to stop. Martha, you trust me, don't you?" The Doctor asked.
"Of course I do." Martha said.
"Because it all depends on you. Martha, this watch is me."
"Right, okay, gotcha. No, hold on. Completely lost."
I entered the TARDIS console room with Kirito and Asuna. I'm eating some jelly babies in the process, not knowing what's going on right now, "What's going on?"
"It looks like the Doctor is panicking over something." Asuna said, studying the Doctor closely.
"Someone or something are chasing us across all of time and space." Martha said, sadly.
"The Family of Blood." I said, frowning.
"Who are the Family of Blood?" Kirito asked.
"Something I didn't want to think about for a while."
"Those creatures are hunters. They can sniff out anyone, and me being a Time Lord, well, I'm unique. They can track me down across the whole of time and space." The Doctor said.
"Huh. And the good news is?" Martha asked.
"They can smell me, they haven't seen me. And their life span'll be running out, so we hide. Wait for them to die."
"But they can track us down."
"That's why I've got to do it. I have to stop being a Time Lord. I'm going to become human." The Doctor said, as a headset is lowered from the ceiling of the Tardis. "Never thought I'd use this. All the times I've wondered."
"What does that do?" Kirito asked.
"It's called a Chameleon Arch. Rewrites my biology. Literally changes every single cell in my body. I've set it to human." The Doctor said, putting the watch into the headset. "Now, the Tardis will take care of everything. Invent a life story for me, find me a setting and integrate me. Can't do the same for you, Martha, Kirito, and Asuna. You'll just have to improvise. I should have just enough residual awareness to let you lot in."
"Let me guess, TARDIS guard duty." I said, leaning against the TARDIS console.
"TARDIS guard duty. Kirito and Asuna have enough knowledge to keep me and Martha in check. You should call Karen and Miyu, those Squad Jam winners to help you maintain the Old Girl."
"Fine by me. I can finally relax after all of the running and traveling across all of time and space."
"But, hold on. Doctor, if you're going to rewrite every single cell, isn't it going to hurt?" Martha asked.
"Oh, yeah. It hurts." The Doctor said.
"This is one of the most terrifying things I've ever watched." Asuna said, in shock.
Martha, Kirito, Asuna, and I watch the Doctor suffer.
Tardis…
Martha turns on a recording the Doctor made earlier.
"This working? Martha, before I change, here's a list of instructions for when I'm human. One, don't let me hurt anyone. We can't have that, but you know what humans are like. Two, don't worry about the Tardis. I'll put it on emergency power so they can't detect it. Just let it hide away. Four. No, wait a minute, three. No getting involved in big historical events. Four, you. Don't let me abandon you. And fi…" The Doctor said, on the scanner.
Martha fast forwards it, "But there was a meteor, a shooting star. What am I supposed to do then with Jared, Kirito, and Asuna?"
"And twenty three. If anything goes wrong, if they find us, Martha, Jared, Kirito, and Asuna then you know what to do. Open the watch. Everything I am is kept safe in there. Now, I've put a perception filter on it so the human me won't think anything of it. To him, it's just a watch. But don't open it unless you have to. Because once it's open, then the Family will be able to find me. It's all down to you, all of you. Your choice. Oh, and thank you."
"I wish you'd come back."
"That was useful." Kirito said, rolling his eyes.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Asuna asked.
"I don't know, it has been a while." I said, drinking my cup of tea.
"Wait, where are LLENN and Fukaziroh?"
"I think they went to the game room." Kirito said, picking up a note on the ground. "Does that mean…"
"Yeah." I said, smiling. "Tim is gonna get the watch like he is supposed to. Karen and Miyu make a great team, but one of them could mess up."
(Open POV)
Doctor's study...
Latimer knocks on the door, and the Doctor opens it, "You told me to come and collect that book, sir."
"Good lad. Yes. Yes! The Definitive Account of Mafeking by Aitchison Price. Where did I put it? And I wanted a little word. Your marks aren't quite good enough." The Doctor said, looking at Latimer.
"I'm top ten in my class, sir."
"Now, be honest, Timothy, you should be the very top. You're a clever boy. You seem to be hiding it. Where is that book? And I know why. Keeping your head low avoids the mockery of your classmates. But no man should hide himself, don't you think?"
"Yes, sir."
The Doctor searches the shelves of his library alcove, and Latimer notices the watch, "You're clever. Be proud of it. Use it."
Latimer picks up the watch and hears voices.
"Time Lord. Hide yourself." A mother said, in the watch.
"The secret lies within. I'm trapped. I'm kept inside the cogs." The Doctor said, in the watch.
Latimer opens the watch, and outside in the grounds, Baines turns around.
"In the dark, waiting. Always waiting." The Doctor said, in the watch.
Latimer closes the watch and puts it in his pocket. The Doctor returns with the book.
"Fascinating details about the siege. Really quite remarkable. Are you all right?" The Doctor asked.
"Yes, sir. Fine, sir." Latimer said.
"Right then. Good. And remember. Use that brain of yours."
"Power of a Time Lord." The Doctor said, inside the watch.
As the Doctor hands the book to Latimer, he sees images of the Doctor using his sonic screwdriver.
"You're really not looking yourself, old chap. Anything bothering you?" The Doctor asked.
"No, sir Thank you, sir." Latimer said.
Dormitory…
Latimer runs up to his dormitory, where he opens the watch again, and some golden energy drifts out.
"You are not alone. Keep me hidden." The Doctor said, inside the watch.
"And infinite fire. Burn with light. Burn in time." Some voices are heard, in the watch.
Latimer sees Daleks, Cybermen, Ood, Werewolf, Racnoss, Lazarus, Sycorax. Baines sniffs.
Kirito and Asuna's house…
Jared appeared in the living room to see Kirito and Asuna in the room with LLENN and Fuka.
"What have you been up to?" LLENN asked.
"Oh, you know. Relaxing in here." Jared said, with Yui sitting on Kirito's shoulder.
"She's adorable!" Fuka said, walking towards Yui. "Is she a pixie?"
"She's our daughter." Asuna said, smiling.
"But a pixie?"
"I'm my own, living, thinking person." Yui said, happily.
Shooting range…
The boys are practising firing machine guns at rough targets on ground below the terrace wall, watched by the Doctor and the Headmaster. Latimer is feeding in the ammo belt for Hutchinson.
"Concentrate." The Doctor said, as Joan comes out of the school. "Hutchinson, excellent work."
"Cease fire!" Rocastle said.
"Good day to you, Headmaster."
"Your crew's on fine form today, Mister Smith."
"Excuse me, Headmaster. We could do a lot better. Latimer's being deliberately shoddy." Hutchinson said.
"I'm trying my best." Latimer said.
"You need to be better than the best. Those targets are tribesmen from the dark continent." Rocastle said.
"That's exactly the problem, sir. They only have spears."
"Oh, dear me. Latimer takes it upon himself to make us realise how wrong we all are. I hope, Latimer, that one day you may have a just and proper war in which to prove yourself. Now, resume firing."
World War I…
As Hutchinson starts firing again, Latimer hears the whine of mortar shells and finds himself on the front lines of World War One.
"Mind the wire. Keep your heads down!" A man said, nearby.
Latimer is helping his comrade back to safety in the trenches. He looks at the watch, "One minute past the hour. It's now. Hutchinson, this is the time. It's now."
A shell screams towards them.
Shooting range…
The machine gun has stopped firing.
"Stoppage. Immediate action. Didn't I tell you, sir? This stupid boy is useless. Permission to give Latimer a beating, sir." Hutchinson said.
"It's your class, Mister Smith." Rocastle said.
"Permission granted." The Doctor said.
"Right. Come with me, you little oik." Hutchinson said, as him and his friends leads the stunned Latimer away.
Baines looks at the Doctor and sniffs.
"Anything the matter, Baines?" The Doctor asked.
"I thought. No, sir. Nothing, sir." Baines said, walking away.
"As you were, Mister Smith." Rocastle said.
"Ah, Pemberton, Smythe, Wicks, take post." The Doctor said, walking up to the wall. "Ah, Nurse Redfern."
"Er, I'll give you back your journal when next I see you." Joan said.
"No, no, no. You don't have to."
"If you'll excuse me, Mister Smith. I was just thinking about the day my husband was shot."
Farringham village…
Two workmen are hoisting an upright piano up to the first floor window of the Ironmongers. The Doctor and Joan are walking together. The two run into Kirito and Asuna who were looking at a flower shop.
"Kirito, how about this one?" Asuna asked, holding a bouquet of roses. "Is this good?"
"I don't know about roses." Kirito said, taking out enough pounds to give to the man.
"Oh look, the Doctor and Joan." Asuna said, receiving the flowers and dragging Kirito to the Doctor and Joan. "Let's go!"
"His name was Oliver. He died in the battle of Spion Cop. We were childhood sweethearts. But you see, I was angry with the army for such a long time." Joan said.
"You still are." The Doctor said.
"I find myself as part of that school watching boys learn how to kill."
"Don't you think discipline is good for them?"
"Does it have to be such military discipline? I mean, if there's another war those boys won't find it so amusing."
"Well, Great Britain is at peace, long may it reign."
"World War 1." Kirito said, frowning. "That starts next year."
"Or as they know it at the time, the Great War." Asuna said, holding Kirito's hand.
"All of those people, dead."
"Just because of one murder."
"Everyday life can provide honour and valour, and let's hope that from now on this, this country can find its heroes in smaller places." The Doctor said, as a woman rings her bicycle bell as she peddles along.
"Oh no." Kirito said, while the men with the piano struggle as it dangles from a fraying rope. "That'll end badly."
"I'll help them." Asuna said, as a woman pushing a perambulator comes around the corner.
"In the most…" The Doctor said, seeing a boy standing next to him, with a cricket ball in his hand. Some more of the rope frays and the piano drops a bit. "Ordinary of, of deeds."
"It looks like we don't have to save them after all." Asuna said when the Doctor grabs the cricket ball, throws it at the scaffolding outside the Ironmongers, which falls and hits a plank that sends a brick flying through the air to knock down a milk churn in front of the perambulator, stopping it just before the rope finally gives up and drops the piano to the ground mere feet in front. "Wow."
"He still has his reflexes." Kirito said, when the piano falls to pieces and the baby starts crying.
"Are you all right? How's the little one?" A workman asked.
"Lucky." The Doctor said.
"That was luck?" Joan asked.
"Nurse Redfern, might I invite you to the village dance this evening, as my guest?"
"You extraordinary man."
Field...
The Doctor and Joan are walking along a cart track with Kirito and Asuna behind them. There is a scarecrow nearby.
"Kirito." Asuna said, squeezing Kirito's hand. "Aren't you going to take me to the dance?"
"I think so." Kirito said, happily. "Yeah. Not like I have anything better to do."
"What about Martha?"
"What about her?"
"A girl at every fireplace." Joan said.
"Ah, now, there I have to protest, Joan. That is hardly me." The Doctor said.
"Says the man dancing with me tonight."
"That scarecrow's all skewed."
They walk up to it, and the Doctor ties its arm back onto the cross-member.
"Ever the artist. Where did you learn to draw?" Joan asked.
"Gallifrey." The Doctor said.
"Is that in Ireland?"
"Yes, it must be, yes."
"Martha just seems you know..." Kirito said, looking over at Asuna.
"Into the Doctor?" Asuna asked.
"Yeah."
"Really? Right. Yes. Well, my work is done. What do you think?" The Doctor asked.
"Masterpiece." Joan said.
"All sorts of skills today!" The Doctor said, happily.
As the four walk away, the scarecrow turns its head to watch them.
Doctor's study…
The Doctor is making a sketch of Joan. And Kirito is doing the same with Asuna.
"Can I see?" Joan asked, while the Doctor sits next to her on the Chesterfield. "Oh, goodness Do I look like that? Are you sure that's not me?"
"Beating calcium with vinegar." Kirito said, looking over at a sketch the Doctor made of a Slitheen on the previous page. "Huh."
"Is this really me?" Asuna asked, looking at the sketch Kirito drew of her. "Me in Sword Art Online, ALFheim Online, and Gun Gale Online."
"That's how I see you."
"You make me way look way too beautiful."
"And Yui does look like me." Asuna said, flipping to the next page of the sketchbook Kirito has of their daughter. "And she looks like you too."
Kirito strokes Asuna's hair and the Doctor does the same with Joan, and the two couples kiss their respective lover.
"I've never er…" The Doctor said, kissing Joan again, before the door opens. "Martha, what have I told you about entering unannounced?"
Martha runs out again.
Outside the Doctor's study...
"That wasn't on the list." Martha said.
Tardis…
"Let me guess, the Doctor is in love with Joan." Jared said, eating some onigiri.
"Yeah." Martha said, running through the recording of instructions again. "She has. I knew that Kirito is in love with Asuna."
"Four. You. Don't let me abandon you." The Doctor said, on the TARDIS scanner.
"That's no good. What about the stuff you didn't tell me? What about women? Oh no, you didn't think of that. What in hell am I supposed to do then?"
"Thank you."
"You had to, didn't you? You had to go and fall in love with a human, and it wasn't me. Now I know how Kirito's harem feels when said Black Swordsman just has feelings for Asuna Yuuki."
"Yup." Jared said, still snacking on the rice ball. "All of those girls are infatuated with him.
School grounds...
Young Latimer is sitting on a bench by a tree, holding the watch and hearing voices, including the Doctor's.
"Darkness is coming." A woman said, on the watch.
"Keep me away from the false and empty man." The Doctor said, on the watch.
"The last of the Time Lords. The last of that wise and ancient race." A man said, on the watch.
"Merge with the faces of men." A woman said, on the watch.
Latimer sees Baines walk up to Mister Clark, then a red balloon bobs along behind a wall and the little girl joins them. All together they tilt their heads to the right and sniff deeply.
TARDIS console room…
"Hey." Asuna said, entering the TARDIS console room wearing a period dress.
"Wow." Kirito said, at a loss for words. "You look…"
"Don't leave your mouth open. What do you think?"
Kirito is looking up and down at Asuna's outfit that consists of her usual colors red and white.
"You look wonderful." Kirito said, wearing a suit and tie.
"We're wearing our usual colors again." Asuna said, smiling.
"Yeah. Just in time for the dance."
"Are we actually doing it? Us dancing?"
"I don't see why not. We already have the clothes ready."
Doctor's study…
Joan shows off her party dress.
"You look wonderful." The Doctor said.
"You'd best give me some warning. Er, can you actually dance?" Joan asked.
"I'm not certain."
"There's a surprise. Is there anything you're certain about?"
"Yes. Yes." The Doctor said, taking Joan's hand.
Servant's quarters…
Martha is pouring a cup of tea and Jared is listening to music by Aqours on his phone, with his headphones on his ears when Jenny comes in. The tray has three cups and a small cake on a stand.
"There you are. Come and look what we've got. Mister Poole didn't want his afternoon tea so Cook said we could have it. And there's enough for two. What are you standing there for?" Martha asked, when Jenny sniffs deeply.
"Jenny, are you okay?" Jared asked, drinking his cup of tea.
"I must have a cold coming on." Jenny said.
"The problem is, we keep thinking about them, but we don't know what to do." Martha said.
"We really don't, and I have foreknowledge of it." Jared said, placing his headphones on his neck. "I usually have a backup plan. But I don't know what to do next. When it comes to them."
"Thinking about who? And foreknowledge about what?" Jenny asked.
"Mister Smith and Matron. Because it's never going to last. He's going to leave in a few weeks." Martha said.
"Why?"
"Mister Smith's contract working here is ending soon." Jared said, sadly. "And Matron Joan Redfern is going to be so heartbroken. I feel bad for Joan, mostly."
"Leave for where?" Jenny asked.
"All sorts of places. We wish I could tell you, Jenny, but it's complicated." Martha said, smiling.
"In what way?"
"We can't tell you." Jared said, placing his tea cup on the tray. "I'm sorry."
"It sounds so interesting. Tell me. Tell me now." Jenny said.
"Would you like some tea?" Martha asked.
"Yes, thanks."
"I could put a nice bit of gravy in the pot. And some mutton. Or sardines and jam. How about that?"
"I like the sound of that."
"Right. Hold on a tick." Martha said, leaving the room with Jared.
Courtyard...
"Martha, that was one of the Family of Blood." Jared said, taking out his sword from its holster, as he is running outside with Martha. "I forgot one of them would show up there."
Jenny goes to the window and fires a green energy ray at Martha and Jared from a gun, which Jared deflected the green energy ray with his sword.
Doctor's study…
Martha bursts in with Jared, breathless, "They've found us."
"This is ridiculous." Joan said, annoyed.
"Martha, I've warned you. And who is he?" The Doctor asked.
"They've found us, and we've seen them. They look like people, like us, like normal. I'm sorry, but you've got to open the watch. Where is it?" Martha asked, searching the mantelpiece with Jared.
"Crap, I forgot where it went." Jared said, looking back at Martha. "Where did it go? I know Tim has it. The watch. I thought Tim would return it with me being here, but he didn't."
"What are you talking about?" The Doctor asked.
"You had a watch. A fob watch. Right there." Martha said.
"Did I? I don't remember." The Doctor said.
"Wait, he lost the watch." Kirito said, looking at Jared. "How could he lose a thing like that?"
"I don't know." Jared said, taking out some bubble tea to drink it. "Tim goddamn has it!"
"Where is he?" Asuna asked. "Maybe we could find him. And get the watch back."
"Maybe."
"Good. This is nineteen thirteen." The Doctor said.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, but I've got to snap you out of this." Martha said, slapping the Doctor, hard.
"Martha!" Joan said, angrily.
"Wake up! You're coming back to the Tardis with us." Martha said, as she and Jared are dragging the Doctor away with them.
"How dare, how dare you. I'm not going anywhere with an insane servant. Martha, you are dismissed. You and your friend will leave these premises immediately. Now get out!" The Doctor said, pushing Martha and Jared out into the corridor. "The nerve of it. The absolute cheek. You think I'm a fantasist? What about them?"
"The funny thing is, you did have a fob watch, right there. Don't you remember?" Joan asked.
Courtyard…
Martha and Jared bumps into Latimer as they run back to the servant's wing.
"Oh, sorry!" Martha said.
"Be careful next time, Tim." Jared said, smiling.
Latimer has a vision of Martha in her 2007 clothes, and Jared in his 2019 clothes.
"Sorry." Martha said.
"Martha? Jared?" Latimer asked.
"Not now, Tim." Jared said, running with Martha. "We're kinda busy."
Martha and Jared goes to the Tardis and starts searching the Doctor's pockets for the watch.
TARDIS…
"So, did you find it?" Miyu asked, entering the TARDIS console room.
"No." Jared said, walking towards Karen and Miyu. "It's not there. Like I said it would."
"Where could it be?" Karen asked.
"The dance! It has to be!" Martha said, running out of the TARDIS with Jared. "You two wait there."
Entering the village hall…
"She's infatuated. You're a dangerous man." Joan said.
"You've taken my arm in public." The Doctor said.
"I'm very scared." Joan said, and Latimer watches from around the corner.
"It's kinda nice how the TARDIS is still translating our Japanese into English." Asuna said, walking behind Kirito.
"Have you noticed that we blend in pretty well?" Kirito asked, entering the building with Asuna, and behind the Doctor and Joan. "Despite us being not from here."
Latimer follows as the beggar checks the coins in his cup.
Village hall…
"Ladies and gentlemen. Please take your partners for a waltz." Chambers said.
The village band starts playing.
"You're pretty good." Asuna said, dancing in sync with Kirito.
"I never knew I was this good." Kirito said, bumping into the Doctor and Joan. "Sorry."
"It's my fault." The Doctor said.
"So, we'll tell him eventually." Asuna said, still dancing with Kirito.
"Only if we're supposed to." Kirito said.
"We just don't know when." Asuna said, and a little girl is sitting at a table in the hall.
(Jared's POV)
Outside the village hall….
Martha and I walked up to the door.
"Oh, staff entrance, I think, Miss, Mister." The beggar said.
"Yeah? Well, think again, mate." Martha said, angrily.
"We don't have the time to help you." I said, and scarecrows watch from the bushes. "Sorry."
Village hall…
"Hey." Asuna said, looking over at me.
"Hi, Lightning Flash." I said, holding my sword. "Or is it berserker healer?"
"Stop it."
The Doctor and Kirito are fetching refreshments when Martha and I sit down at the table with Joan and Asuna.
"Please, don't. Not again." Joan said.
"He's different from any other man you've ever met, right?" Martha asked.
"Yes."
"And sometimes he says these strange things, like people and places you've never heard of, yeah? But it's deeper than that. Sometimes when you look in his eyes you know, you just know that there's something else in there. Something hidden. Right behind the eyes, something hidden away in the dark."
"I don't know what you mean."
"Yes, you do. I don't mean to be rude, but the awful thing is it doesn't even matter what you think. But you're nice. And you're lucky. And I just wanted to say sorry for what I'm about to do."
The Doctor returns to the table with Kirito, "Oh, now really, Martha. This is getting out of hand. I must insist that you and your friend leave."
"Oh, we're breaking character then." Kirito said, as Martha holds up the sonic screwdriver. "What is that in Martha's hand? You should know what it's called."
"Come on." Asuna said, happily. "You know what it's called."
"It's as easy as Hanamaru saying…" I said, smiling. "Zura."
"John, what is that silly thing? John?" Joan asked, while the Doctor takes the screwdriver.
"You're not John Smith. You're called the Doctor. The man in your journal, he's real. He's you." Martha said, and the little girl smiles.
"Crap." I said, turning my back to see Lucy Cartwright there. "They're here."
"Who's here?" Kirito asked.
"Is it the Family of Blood?" Asuna asked, turning around to see Latimer also in the hall.
"Yeah." I said, when Latimer looks out of a window and a scarecrow pops up in front of him, so he closes the curtain again. "It is."
"There will be silence! All of you!" Clark said, while scarecrows entered the room. "I said, silence!"
"Mister Clarke, what's going on?" Chambers asked, and he gets vapourised.
"Mister Smith? Everything we told you, just forget it! Don't say anything." Martha said.
"We asked for silence! Now then, we have a few questions for Mister Smith." Baines said.
"No, better than that. The teacher. He's the Doctor. I heard them talking." Lucy said.
"You took human form."
"Of course I'm human. I was born human, as were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mister Clark. What is going on? This is madness." The Doctor said.
"Ooo, and a human brain, too. Simple, thick and dull."
"But he's no good like this." Jenny said.
"We need a Time Lord." Clark said.
"Easily done." Baines said, stepping forward and raises his ray gun. "Change back."
"Kirito!" I said, tossing one of my swords to Kirito, and the other to Asuna. "Asuna!"
"Thanks." Kirito said, looking down at his sword to see that it is Elucidator. "Oh, one of the swords from SAO. How did you…"
"And my rapier." Asuna said, looking down at her sword. "How…"
Jenny grabs Martha and Lucy grabbed me, and the two puts guns to Martha's head and my head.
"Get off me!" Martha said, angrily.
"Let go!" I said, annoyed. "Son of a…"
"They're your friends, aren't they? Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?" Jenny asked.
"I don't know what you mean!" The Doctor said.
"Wait a minute. The maid and her friend told me about Smith and the Matron. That woman, there." Jenny said.
"Then let's have you." Clark said, taking Joan and puts his gun to her head.
"Have you enjoyed it, Doctor, being human? Has it taught you wonderful things? Are you better, richer, wiser? Then let's see you answer this. Which one of them do you want us to kill? Maid, fanboy, or matron? Your friends or your lover? Your choice." Baines said.