Silence in the Library

(Jared's POV)

Oniyuri...

"So, you're going to the beach." Ruby said, looking at me.

"Yeah." I said, letting out a sigh.

"Well, after all of this walking. And what happened to your Uncle Qrow. I just thought…"

"You want us to stay here. And, um, look after him."

"Ruby Rose, I love you, I do. Yes, I've been denying it."

"Why do you like those magical girls?" Qrow asked. "And why did they cause such an impact for you? It's not like you've gotten attached to them.

"It's a long story." I said, laughing a little. "They helped me when I was at an all time low. After the Fall of Beacon."

"After Penny and Pyrrha." Jaune said, sadly.

"Yeah." I said, looking away guiltily. "They have a killer soundtrack like you guys. Well, um, back home. The stuff about Magical Girls, Soul Gems, Uwasa, Rumors, Witches, and Familiars, it just sounds so cool."

"That doesn't sound too different from us." Ren said. "Over here, our lives are like fairy tales. Grimm, the Four Maidens, the Grimm Reaper. We're based off of fairy tales back home for you, you said."

"You are. But magical girls have more of a limit than us huntsmen and huntresses. A magical girl can't be more than a hundred meters from their Soul Gem, which is bad. But there is one thing I don't like from them, which are Doppels. They pop right out of the Magical Girl."

"They pop?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah. But from Yachiyo said…" I said, sadly.

"Magical girls kill other magical girls." Qrow said. "It does sound like the truth, like it does for us. Especially for what you said before, about there being something called the Wings of Magius. Them wanting to free Magical Girls."

"Yachiyo went through a similar experience to Homura." I said, walking up to Ruby for a hug. "But I realize that I'm becoming those two overtime. I don't, I don't know if I can do this."

"You can. I can." Ruby said, happily. "We all can. Just come back safe."

The TARDIS began materializing, and I opened up a portal for Rena, Kaede, and Momoko to walk through it.

"Are we going somewhere?" Momoko asked.

"I hope it's good." Rena said, blushing a lot.

"Is it nice?" Kaede asked.

"We're going to the beach!" I said, looking at the three magical girls.

I ran into the TARDIS with Rena, Kaede, and Momoko, and the blue box began dematerializing, leaving behind Team RNJR and Qrow Branwen.

Tardis…

"Books. People never really stop loving books." The Doctor said.

Library…

The Tardis is in a mostly empty area with just a few small cases of books.

"Fifty first century. By now you've got holovids, direct to brain downloads, fiction mist, but you need the smell. The smell of books, you lot. Deep breath." The Doctor said.

(Open POV)

Staircase…

A massive marble job.

"The Library. So big it doesn't need a name. Just a great big The." The Doctor said.

"It's like a city." Kaede said, sadly.

"It's a world. Literally, a world. The whole core of the planet is the index computer. Biggest hard drive ever. And up here, every book ever written. Whole continents of Jeffrey Archer, Bridget Jones, Monty Python's Big Red Book. Brand new editions, specially printed." The Doctor said, as we look over a balcony onto roofs below. "We're near the equator, so this must be biographies. I love biographies."

"Of course you would love biographies." Rena said, blushing. "There's always a death at the end."

"You need a good death. Without death, there'd only be comedies. Dying gives us size." The Doctor said, as Kaede picks up a book and I took it from her.

"Careful, Kaede. Spoilers!" I said, holding the book and putting it back where it came from.

"What?" Kaede asked.

"These books are from your future. You don't want to read ahead. Spoil all the surprises. Like peeking at the end." The Doctor said.

"Isn't travelling with you one big spoiler?" Donna asked.

"She does make a good point." Momoko said. "It's us magical girls that can't know too much about the future."

"I try to keep you away from major plot developments. Which, to be honest, I seem to be very bad at, because you know what? This is the biggest library in the universe." The Doctor said.

"So, where is everyone?" Rena asked.

"It's quiet." Kaede said, sadly. "Too quiet."

The Doctor used his screwdriver on a nearby information screen, bringing it online.

"Is it the library?" Momoko asked.

"Nope, but Rena, Kaede, you're both right on the mark." I said, happily. "It's the planet that's quiet. The whole planet."

"Maybe it's a Sunday." Donna said.

"No, I never land on Sundays. Sundays are boring." The Doctor said.

"Well, maybe everyone's really, really quiet."

"Maybe they will." Momoko said. "But this is a computer, right? Won't they show up on the system?"

"Doctor, Jared, why are we here? Really, why?" Donna asked.

"That is what I want to know too." Rena said, crossing her arms and blushing. "Why are we here?"

"Well, we're just passing by." I said, pacing back and forth. "Nothing that major."

"No, seriously. It was all let's hit the beach, then suddenly we're in a library. Why?" Donna asked.

"Now that's interesting." The Doctor said.

"What is?" Kaede asked.

"Scanning for life forms. If I do a scan looking for your basic humanoids. You know, your book readers, few limbs and a face, apart from us, I get nothing. Zippo, nada. See? Nobody home. But if I widen the parameters to any kind of life." The Doctor said, as the screen says Error 1,000,000,000,000 lifeform number capped at maximum record. "A million, million. Gives up after that. A million, million."

"But no one is here." Rena said. "Like, it's way too quiet."

"And not a sound. A million. million life forms, and silence in the library." The Doctor said.

"But there's no one here. There's just books. I mean, it's not the books, is it? I mean, it can't be the books, can it? I mean, books can't be alive." Donna said.

"Unless it's a Pokémon or a Familiar." I said, looking back at Rena, Momoko, or Kaede. "Right?"

"Right." Kaede said.

The five of us reached slowly for a book. A voice makes us jump.

"Welcome." A node said, nearby.

"It came from over there." Kaede said, looking at a certain direction.

"Yeah." Rena said, taking the lead with Kaede. "It did."

Library…

We returned to the mostly empty room.

A vaguely humanoid sculpture by a curved desk turns its head and speaks with a female voice from a small face on its surface, "I am Courtesy Node seven one zero slash aqua. Please enjoy the Library and respect the personal access codes of all your fellow readers, regardless of species or hygiene taboo."

"That's a real face." Rena said, looking at what is in front of her.

"Yeah, don't worry about it." The Doctor said.

"A statue with a real face, though? It's a hologram or something, isn't it?" Donna asked.

"No, but really, it's fine."

"It isn't fine." Rena said, angrily. "How is it fine? It's a statue with a real, human face on it."

"Additional. There follows a brief message from the Head Librarian for your urgent attention. It has been edited for tone and content by a Felman Lux Automated Decency Filter. Message follows. Run. For God's sake, run. No way is safe. The library has sealed itself, we can't. Oh, they're here. Argh. Slarg. Snick. Message ends. Please switch off your mobile comm. units for the comfort of other readers." The node said.

"And this is why I brought along three magical girls." I said, smiling. "It's why we're here. Were there any other messages? That has the same date on it?"

"One additional message. This message carries a Felman Lux coherency warning of five zero eleven…"

"Okay, okay, we get it." Rena said. "Just play it."

"Message follows. Count the shadows. For God's sake, remember, if you want to live, count the shadows. Message ends."

"Rena? Kaede? Momoko?" I asked, looking at the three magical girls.

"Yeah?" Momoko asked.

"Is everything okay?" Kaede asked.

"Nope." I said, sadly.

"What's wrong?" Rena asked. "Don't tell me you're fine."

"Just, stay out of the shadows."

"Why, what's in the shadows?"

Stacks…

"So, we didn't come here for a visit." Momoko said.

"Yeah, Jared and I kind of, sort of lied a bit. I got a message on the psychic paper. And Jared knew this was coming.�� The Doctor said, taking out the psychic paper, and the message reads: The library come as soon as you can. x. "What do you think? Cry for help?"

"Cry for help with a kiss?" Donna asked.

"Oh, we've all done that."

"We have." I said, happily. "Hell, I've done it to Yang a lot. Maybe…"

"Who's it from?" Kaede asked.

"No idea." The Doctor said.

"So why did we come here? Why did you…" Donna said.

"Donna." The Doctor said, and the lights behind us are going out.

"What's going on?" Rena asked.

"Run!" Momoko said, while we can't get the nearest door open.

"Come on." Kaede said, trying to open the door.

"What, is it locked?" Donna asked.

"Jammed. The wood's warped." The Doctor said.

"Well, use the sonic screwdriver." Momoko said, happily. "Open the door with it."

"He can't. That stupid sonic doesn't work on wood!" I said, laughing a lot.

"What, it doesn't do wood?" Donna asked.

"Hang on, hang on. I can vibrate the molecules, fry the bindings. I can shatterline the interface." The Doctor said.

"Oh, get out of the way." Donna said. "Let's go, Rena."

Donna and Rena kicks the door open.

(Open POV)

Rotunda…

"Oh, hi, Charlotte." Jared said, looking at the security camera. "Sorry about us interrupting your visit to the library. Do you mind if we stop here? For a little bit? Pretty please."

The Doctor, Donna, Jared, Momoko, Rena, and Kaede see a small metal globe fall to the ground.

"What is it?" Kaede asked.

"It's a security camera." Rena said. "But why did it shut down?"

"Well, we are dealing with a little girl." Jared said, looking over at Rena. "I know who she is."

"Um, who's Charlotte?" Kaede asked.

"She's this girl. I feel bad for her. You know, I've always wondered why Kyubey never got to her."

The Doctor is using his sonic screwdriver on the security camera, "Nice door skills, Donna, Rena."

"Yeah, well, you know, boyfriends. Sometimes you need the element of surprise. What was that? What was after us? I mean, did we just run away from a power cut?" Donna asked.

"Maybe." Rena said.

"Are we safe here?" Kaede asked. "Are there no shadows?"

"Of course we're safe. There's a little shop." The Doctor said, as a sign on the wall says The Shop, and Entrance This Way. He gets the camera open. "Gotcha!"

"No, stop it. No. No." The girl said, as her words scroll across a little panel on the camera.

"Ooo, I'm sorry. I really am. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It's alive." The Doctor said. "You're right Jared, I did upset a little girl. But why?"

"You said it was a security camera." Donna said.

"It is. It's an alive one."

"It's she." Momoko said. "Well, he did say that we're talking to a girl."

"Others are coming." The girl said, her words appearing on the panel.

"Others?" Rena asked. "What others?"

"The library is breached. Others are coming."

"Um, others?" Kaede asked.

"Others? What's it mean, others?" Donna asked, going to a Node. "Excuse me. What does it mean, others?"

"That's barely more than a speak your weight machine, it can't help you." The Doctor said.

"So why's it got a face?" Donna asked.

"This flesh aspect was donated by Mark Chambers on the occasion of his death." The Mark Node said.

"It's a real face?!"

"It has been actualised individually for you from the many facial aspects saved to our extensive flesh banks. Please enjoy."

"It chose me a dead face it thought I'd like? That statue's got a real dead person's face on it."

"Yeah, that's messed up." Rena said, blushing a lot. "Why donate faces like that?"

"It's the fifty first century. That's basically like donating a park bench." The Doctor said.

"It's donating a face!" Donna said.

"Donna, wait!" Jared said, grabbing Donna as she backs away.

"Oi. Hands."

"Um, Donna." Kaede said. "Look at the shadow."

"What about it?"

"Count the shadows. That's what that thing said, I think."

"One. There, counted it. One shadow."

"Yeah. But what's casting it?" The Doctor asked, as it's a triangular shadow. "Oh, I'm thick! Look at me, I'm old and thick. Head's too full of stuff. I need a bigger head."

"Um, we're running out of power." Kaede said, as the light in adjoining corridor is going out.

"This place runs on fission cells. They'll outburn the sun."

"So, why's it dark?" Rena asked.

"It's not dark." Jared said, taking out his nanotechnology bow.

"That shadow. It's gone." Donna said.

"We need to get back to the Tardis." The Doctor said.

"How come?" Momoko asked. "We're safe here."

"Because that shadow hasn't gone. It's moved."

"Reminder. The library has been breached. Others are coming. Reminder. The library has been breached. Others are coming. Reminder. The library has been breached…" The Mark node said.

A door is blown open in a flash of bright light, and six spacesuited figures enter. The leader adjusts her polarising filter so we can see her face.

"Hello, sweetie, darling." River said, looking at the Doctor, then at Jared.

"Hi, River." Jared said, happily. "How are you?"

"I'm good."

"All of you. Turn around, get back in your rocket and fly away. Tell your grandchildren you came to the library and lived. They won't believe you." The Doctor said, angrily.

"Pop your helmets, everyone. We've got breathers." River said.

"How do you know they're not androids?" Anita asked.

"Because I've dated androids. They're rubbish." River said.

A man speaks.

"Who is this? You said we were the only expedition. I paid for exclusives." Lux said, angrily.

"I lied, I'm always lying. Bound to be others." River said.

"Miss Evangelista, I want to see the contracts."

"The both of you came through the north door, yeah? How was that, much damage?" River asked.

"More than enough damage. And it was fun too." Jared said, smiling. "I do love a bit of danger, now and again."

"I know." River said, looking at Jared. "Nice bow."

"Nanotech. You like it? It's something I got inspiration from..."

"From Tony Stark, yeah, you do love your heroes, darling." River said, and she looked back at the Doctor. "Got a problem with archaeologists?"

"I'm a time traveller. I point and laugh at archaeologists." The Doctor said, angrily.

"Ah. Professor River Song, archaeologist." River said, holding out her hand.

"River Song, lovely name. As you're leaving, and you're leaving now, you need to set up a quarantine beacon. Code wall the planet, the whole planet. Nobody comes here, not ever again. Not one living thing, not here, not ever. Stop right there. What's your name?" The Doctor asked, running up to Anita.

"So, who's River Song?" Rena asked.

"River Song?" Jared asked. "She's someone who will be special to me."

"Special?" Kaede asked.

"How is she special?" Momoko asked. "Do you like her?"

"I don't know yet." Jared said, smiling. "I only know of her, I don't know her personally yet."

"When will you know her?"

"Next year." Jared said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Um, next year?" Kaede asked.

"In 2010. Roughly. Around a wedding involving two Ponds."

"Ponds?" Rena asked. "How does two bodies of water have a wedding?"

"They just do." Jared said, excitedly.

"We're not looking for a way out. Miss Evangelista?" Lux asked.

"I'm Mister Lux's personal everything. You need to sign these contracts agreeing that your individual experience inside the library are the intellectual property of the Felman Lux Corporation." Evangelista said.

"Right, give it here." The Doctor said.

"Yeah, lovely. Thanks." Donna said.

The Doctor, Donna, Jared, Momoko, Rena, and Kaede tear up the contracts.

"My family built this library. I have rights." Lux said.

"You have a mouth that won't shut up." Rena said, blushing a lot.

"Rena's right, you don't, Mr Lux. Doctor, you think there's danger here?" River asked.

"Something came to this library and killed everything in it. Killed a whole world." The Doctor said.

"There could be a danger here." Jared said, taking out milk tea to drink it. "Who knows? I know, I do."

"That was a hundred years ago. The Library's been silent for a hundred years. Whatever came here's long dead." River said.

"Bet your life?" The Doctor asked.

"Always. Like my darling Jared, here."

"What are you doing?" Lux asked.

"He said seal the door." Other Dave said.

"Torch." The Doctor said.

"You're taking orders from him?" Lux asked.

"Spooky, isn't it?" The Doctor asked, taking Lux's torch and shines it into the far recesses of the round room. "Almost every species in the universe has an irrational fear of the dark. But they're wrong, because it's not irrational. It's Vashta Nerada."

"Um, what's Vashta Nerada?" Kaede asked.

"It's what's in the dark. It's what's always in the dark. Lights! That's what we need, lights. You got lights?" The Doctor asked.

"What for?" River asked.

"Form a circle. Safe area. Big as you can, lights pointing out."

"Oi. Do as he says."

"You're not listening to this man?" Lux asked.

"Apparently I am. Anita, unpack the lights. Other Dave, make sure the door's secure, then help Anita. Momoko, Rena, Kaede, secure all of the exits, you three are magical girls. Mister Lux, put your helmet back on, block the visor. Proper Dave, find an active terminal. I want you to access the library database. See what you can find about what happened here a hundred years ago. Pretty boy, Flash Gordon, you're with me. Step into my office." River said.

"Professor Song, why am I the only one wearing my helmet?" Lux asked.

"I don't fancy you." River said.

The Doctor goes over to Dave at the terminal and Jared goes off to the three magical girls, to help them out. Lux takes off his helmet.

"Maybe I can help you girls out." Jared said, looking back at the magical girls.

"Pretty boy, Flash Gordon. With me, I said." River said.

"Flash Gordon?" Jared asked, still holding his bow.

"Um, I think it's a compliment." Kaede said, sadly.

"Flash?"

"Maybe.��� Rena said, as Jared ran off from her, Momoko, and Kaede.

"Don't let your shadows cross. Seriously, don't even let them touch. Any of them could be infected." The Doctor said.

"I can't believe Jared brought us to a library." Rena said, annoyed.

"It's not that bad." Momoko said, happily.

"Um, why infected shadows?" Kaede asked.

"I don't know." Rena said. "How am I supposed to know that?"

"Maybe Jared could tell us." Momoko said. "Now isn't the time to fight."

"Okay. But what do we do?"

"We do as River said."

"Do you think Jared will tell us who River actually is?" Kaede asked.

Evangelista talks with her boss.

River takes a battered book from her backpack. Its cover is blue with eight squares.

"Thanks." River said.

"You're welcome, River." Jared said, smiling.

"Why are you saying that? Why are you happy for seeing her? For what reason?" The Doctor asked.

"The usual. For coming when I call." River said.

"Oh, that was you?"

"Yup, it was her." Jared said, sipping on some milk tea. "Thanks for stating the obvious, Spaceman."

"Doctor, you're doing a very good job, acting like you don't know me. And Jared, you're doing a very good job, acting like you know of me. I'm assuming there's a reason." River said, looking between the Doctor and Jared.

"A fairly good one, actually." The Doctor said.

"Okay, shall the three of us do diaries, then? Where are we this time? Er, going by your face, Doctor, and by the color scheme Jared has been wearing, I'd say it's early days for the both of you, yeah?" River asked, flipping through her diary.

"Yup, the lovely colors of blue and white." Jared said, looking down at River's diary.

"So, er, crash of the Byzantium with the three magical girls we have here now. Have we done that yet?" River asked.

"Nope. Haven't done that yet." Jared said, frowning.

"Right. Oh, picnic at Asgard with the Holy Quintet. Have we done Asgard yet?" River asked, flipping through her diary still.

"Nope." Jared said, looking down guiltily.

"Blimey, very early days, then. Whoo, life with time travellers. Never knew it could be such hard work." River said, looking up at the Doctor and Jared. "Look at the two of you. Oh, you're both young."

"I'm really not, you know." The Doctor said. "Only Jared is."

"No, but you are, Doctor. Your eyes. And Jared's eyes. The two of you are younger than I've ever seen you both." River said. "Jared, you haven't lost the ones you loved. You haven't gone through Thanos or Haven yet."

"Yeah. I'm early." Jared said, looking up at River. "But I can't wait to get to know you. Adventures to see, right?"

"Jared, how are you so calm around her?" The Doctor asked, and he looked back at River. "So, you've seen me before with Jared, then?"

"Doctor, please tell me you know who I am." River said.

"Who are you?"

"Here it comes." Jared said, when a phone rings.

"Sorry, that was me. Trying to get through into the security protocols. I seem to have set something off. What is that? Is that an alarm?" Dave asked.

"Doctor? Jared? Doctor, Jared, that sounds like…" Donna said.

"Yup, ring, ring, ring. Phone call. Phone call." Jared said, happily.

(Jared's POV)

"Did you just?" Rena asked.

"Yeah." I said, laughing a lot.

"I'm trying to call up the data core, but it's not responding. Just that noise." Dave said.

"But it's a phone." Kaede said.

"Let me try something." The Doctor said, typing away on the keyboard.

"So, how much of today do you know?" Rena asked.

"More than I should." I said, pacing back and forth.

The screen says Access Denied.

"Okay, doesn't like that. Let's try something else." The Doctor said, as we're looking at the computer screen. "Okay, here it comes. Hello?"

"Hello. Are you in my television?" The girl asked, on the computer screen.

"Well, no, I'm, I'm sort of in space. Er, I was trying to call up the data core of a triple grid security processor."

"Would you like to speak to my Dad?"

"Dad or your Mum. That'd be lovely."

"I know you. You're in my library."

"Your library?"

"The library's never been on the television before. What have you done?" The girl asked, on the computer screen.

"Er, well, I just rerouted the interface." The Doctor said, and we lost connection with the girl.

"What happened? Who was that?" Momoko asked, looking at the message Access denied.

"It was the girl I was talking about." I said, sipping on the milk tea still.

"I need another terminal. Keep working on those lights. We need those lights!" The Doctor said, angrily.

"You heard him, people. Let there be light." River said, and the Doctor goes to the other terminal, where River left her diary. When he picks it up, she takes it from him. "Sorry, you're not allowed to see inside the book. It's against the rules."

"What rules?" The Doctor asked.

"Your rules. Even so, Jared's rules." River said, looking at the Doctor. "He cares about me, as much as you will."

"Crap." I said, when books start flying off the shelves. "She had to do that."

"What's that? I didn't do that. Did you do that?" The Doctor asked, looking at Dave.

"Not me." Dave said.

The Doctor's screen says Cal Access Denied, "What's Cal?"

"Spoilers." I said, and the bombardment of books finally stops. "You'll find out soon."

"Why aren't things normal around here?" Kaede asked.

"Because our lives aren't normal." Momoko said, happily.

"Says the one who have animal felt socks." I said, looking back at Momoko.

"How do you know about that?"

"Mitama told me."

"Now I have two people who can bribe me with that."

"Yup."

"Wait, you have that?" Kaede asked. "Ooo, can I see them?"

"No." Momoko said, as more books shoot off their shelves.

"What's causing that? Is it the little girl?" River asked.

"But who is the little girl? What's she got to do with this place? How does the data core work? What's the principle? What's Cal?" The Doctor asked.

"Ask Mister Lux." I said, enjoying my milk tea.

"Cal, what is it?" The Doctor asked, looking at Lux.

"Sorry, you didn't sign your personal experience contracts." Lux said.

"Mister Lux, you're dealing with something more dangerous than a Witch. And what are you protecting? Is it a patent?" Rena asked, angrily.

"I'm protecting my family's pride."

"Well, funny thing, Mister Lux. Rena and I don't want to see everyone in this room dead because some idiot thinks his pride is more important." The Doctor said.

"Then why don't neither of you sign his contract? I didn't either. I'm getting worse than you lot." River said.

"Okay, okay, okay. Let's start at the beginning. What happened here? On the actual day, a hundred years ago, what physically happened?" The Doctor asked, while a panel slides up in the wall.

Evangelista and Kaede notice it.

"There was a message from the Library. Just one. The lights are going out. Then the computer sealed the planet, and there was nothing for a hundred years." River said.

"It's taken three generations of my family just to decode the seals and get back in." Lux said.

"Um, Rena, Momoko?" Kaede asked, fixated on the panel.

"Not now." Rena said, walking towards me.

"There was one other thing in the last message." River said.

"That's confidential." Lux said.

"I trust these men with my life, with everything." River said.

"Thanks for that, River." I said, happily. "Can't believe you've known me for that long."

"You're welcome, darling."

"You've only just met them." Lux said.

"No, they've only just met me." River said.

"Um, should we check it out?" Kaede asked.

"Maybe later." Rena said.

"This is a data extract that came with the message." River said.

"Four thousand and twenty two saved. No survivors." I said, looking down at the message.

"Four thousand and twenty two. That's the exact number of people who were in the library when the planet was sealed."

"But how can four thousand and twenty two people have been saved if there were no survivors?" Rena asked.

"It doesn't make any sense." Momoko said. "That many people can't just disappear. Unless it's in Kamihama City."

"That's what we're here to find out." River said.

"And so far, what we haven't found are any bodies." Lux said.

Lecture hall…

Evangelista explores the open panel with Kaede, "Kaede, what are you exactly?"

"I'm a Magical Girl." Kaede said.

The two girls goes down a short passage to what might be a reading room or lecture hall.

"And what exactly is that?" Evangelista asked.

Anyway, every flat surface has books piled on it. Evangelista steps into the darkness and screams.

Kaede uses up a good chunk of her magic to defend herself, tainting the Magical Girl's Soul Gem, "Oh, no…"

The Doctor leads the way to investigate. We find a skeleton in rags.

"Everybody, careful. Stay in the light." The Doctor said.

"You keep saying that. I don't see the point." Dave said.

"Who screamed?"

"Miss Evangelista." I said, as Momoko took out a Grief Seed.

"Where is she?" Rena asked.

"Miss Evangelista, please state your current…" River said, as her voice echoes from very nearby. "Please state your current position." She took a lit comm. unit from the remains of the skeleton's collar. "It's her. It's Miss Evangelista."

"We heard her scream a few seconds ago. What could do that to a person in a few seconds?" Anita asked.

"It took a lot less than a few seconds." Momoko said, placing a Grief Seed on Kaede's Soul Gem.

"What did?"

"Hello?" Evangelista asked, her voice coming out of the comm unit.

"Er, I'm sorry, everyone. Er, this isn't going to be pleasant. She's ghosting." River said.

"She's what?" Donna asked.

"Hello? Excuse me. I'm sorry. Hello? Excuse me." Evangelista said, her voice through the comm unit.

"That's, that's her, that's Miss Evangelista."

"I don't want to sound horrible, but couldn't we just, you know?" Dave asked.

"This is her last moment of living. No, we can't." Rena said, annoyed.

"A little respect, thank you." River said, agreeing with Rena.

"Sorry, where am I? Excuse me?" Evangelista asked, her voice coming out of the comm unit.

"But that's Miss Evangelista." Donna said, as Kaede's Soul Gem is back to how it was.

"It's a data ghost. She'll be gone in a moment. Miss Evangelista, you're fine. Just relax. We'll be with you presently." River said.

"What's a data ghost?" Kaede asked, lifting herself off the floor.

"There's a neural relay in the communicator. Lets you send thought mail. That's it there. Those green lights. Sometimes it can hold an impression of a living consciousness for a short time after death. Like an afterimage." The Doctor said.

"My grandfather lasted a day. Kept talking about his shoelaces." Anita said.

"She's in there." Donna said.

"I can't see. I can't. Where am I?" Evangelista asked, her voice coming out of the comm unit.

"She's just brain waves now. The pattern won't hold for long." Dave said.

"But, she's conscious. She's thinking." Donna said.

"I can't see, I can't. I don't know what I'm thinking." Evangelista said, her voice coming out of the comm unit.

"She's a footprint on the beach. And the tide's coming in." The Doctor said.

"Where's that woman? The nice woman. Is she there?" Evangelista asked, her voice coming out of the comm unit.

"What woman?" Lux asked.

"She means. I think she means me." Donna said.

"This is sad." Kaede said, sadly.

"It is." Rena said. "Why is she confused?"

"That's how it is." I said, letting out a sigh. "When people die around here."

"Why is it like that? Can't they just change it?"

"I, I don't think they can." Kaede said.

"They can't." I said. "It's a worse version of Doppels for you Magical Girls."

"It is." Momoko said.

"Yeah. What do you think of this?"

"I, I don't like it." Kaede said.

"Me too." Rena said. "They should make it more moral."

"No. I don't think they have the courage to change it." Momoko said.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not going to tell them." Donna said, as the green light starts blinking.

"Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh." Evangelista said, her voice coming out of the comm unit.

"She's looping now. The pattern's degrading." River said.

"I can't think. I don't know, I, I, I, I scream. Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream."

"Does anybody mind if I?"

"Ice cream. Ice cream."

River turns off the comm. unit.

"That was, that was horrible. That was the most horrible thing I've ever seen." Donna said.

"Same here." Kaede said, letting out some tears.

"No. It's just a freak of technology. But whatever did this to her, whatever killed her, I'd like a word with that." River said, angrily.

"I'll introduce you." The Doctor said.

Rotunda…

"I'm going to need a packed lunch." The Doctor said.

"Hang on." River said, going through her backpack.

"What's in that book?"

"Spoilers." I said, frowning.

"Who are you?" The Doctor asked, looking at River.

"Professor River Song, University of…" River said.

"To me. And to Jared. Who are you to us?" The Doctor asked.

"Again, spoilers. Chicken and a bit of salad. Knock yourself out." River said, handing the Doctor a bento box.

"Right, you lot. Let's all meet the Vashta Nerada." The Doctor said, holding the flash light and the bento box.

(Open POV)

ALFheim Online...

Kirito and Asuna is lying down in the world they love so much with Yui, but the artificial intelligence picked something up ahead of time.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Yui said, looking at Kirito and Asuna. "Something's happened. Or will happen."

"Yui, what is it?" Kirito asked.

"Jared has been uploaded to another server against his will."

"He might need some help getting out." Asuna said.

"Yeah, I wonder what another AI could do." Kirito said, smirking. "Yui, can you get us in there?"

Rotunda…

The Doctor is scanning the floor with his sonic screwdriver and the three magical girls are making sure no Vashta Nerada get through.

"You travel with them, don't you? The Doctor and Jared, you travel with them." River said.

"What of it?" Donna asked.

"Man, this is so boring!" Jared said, pacing back and forth. "Who knew looking for shadows can't be entertaining. I should have stayed with Ruby. But at the same time…"

"You want to stay here with us." Momoko said, looking at Jared.

"Yeah…"

"You know them, don't you?" Donna asked.

"Oh God, do I know those men. We go way back, these men and me. Just not this far back." River said, sadly.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"They haven't met me yet. I sent them messages, at two different points in time, but it went wrong. They arrived too early. This is the Doctor and Jared in the days before they knew me. And the Doctor looks at me, he looks right through me, and Jared admires me as much as he does with Ruby Rose, and it shouldn't kill me, but it does."

"What are you talking about? Are you just talking rubbish? Do you know them or don't you?"

"Donna! Quiet, I'm working." The Doctor said, angrily.

"Sorry." Donna said, sadly.

"Donna. You're Donna. Donna Noble." River said.

"Yeah. Why?"

"I do know the Doctor and Jared, but in the future. Their personal futures."

"So why don't you know me? Where am I in the future?"

"Okay, got a live one. That's not darkness down those tunnels. This is not a shadow. It's a swarm. A man eating swarm." The Doctor said, throwing a chicken leg into the shadow. It is only bone by the time it hits the floor. "The piranhas of the air. The Vashta Nerada. Literally, the shadows that melt the flesh. Most planets have them, but usually in small clusters. I've never seen an infestation on this scale, or this aggressive."

"Wait, um, does that list include Earth?" Kaede asked.

"Mmm. Earth, and a billion other worlds. Where there's meat, there's Vashta Nerada. You can see them sometimes, if you look. The dust in sunbeams."

"If they were on Earth, we'd know." Donna said.

"Nah. Normally they live on road kill. But sometimes people go missing. Not everyone comes back out of the dark."

"Is it every shadow?" Rena asked.

"Nope, but any shadow." Jared said, taking out his bow, turning it into dual swords.

Rena, Kaede, and Momoko transformed into their magical girl forms.

"So what do we do?" Momoko asked.

"Daleks, aim for the eyestalk. Sontarans, back of the neck. Vashta Nerada? Run. Just run." The Doctor said.

"Run? Run where?" River asked.

"This is an index point. There must be an exit teleport somewhere." The Doctor said.

"Don't look at me, I haven't memorised the schematics." Lux said.

"God, this is why I love arcades or amusement park rides! They always have a small, little gift shop. Just so they can sell you stuff." Jared said, laughing a lot. "Now you see why I'm an impulse buyer, I just can't resist them."

"You're right. Brilliant! That's why I like the little shop." The Doctor said.

"Okay, let's move it." Dave said, heading towards the shop but the Doctor spots something.

"Proper Dave, stay where you are." Rena said. "Even if you don't want to. You have to."

"Why?"

"I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. But you've got two shadows." The Doctor said, as Dave has two shadows at right angles to each other. "It's how they hunt. They latch on to a food source and keep it fresh."

"What do I do?" Dave asked.

"You stay absolutely still, like there's a wasp in the room. Like there's a million wasps."

"We're not leaving you, Dave." River said.

"Course we're not leaving him. Where's your helmet? Don't point, just tell me." The Doctor said.

"On the floor, by my bag." Dave said, as Kaede goes to get it.

"Don't cross his shadow. Thanks. Now, the rest of you, helmets back on and sealed up. We'll need everything we've got." The Doctor said, putting Dave's helmet on him.

"But, Doctor, we haven't got any helmets."

"Yeah, we don't, but we're safe, super temp." Jared said, smiling.

"How are we safe?"

"Nope, we're not safe. I just wanted a way to make sure I don't panic."

"And he wanted you to shut up." Rena said, looking at how Jared was acting. "By lying."

"Professor, anything I can do with the suit?" The Doctor asked.

"What good are the damn suits? Miss Evangelista was wearing her suit. There was nothing left." Lux said.

"We can increase the mesh density. Dial it up four hundred percent. Make it a tougher meal." River said.

"Okay." The Doctor said, using his screwdriver to adjust Dave's suit. "Eight hundred percent. Pass it on."

"Gotcha." River said, holding up a sonic screwdriver of her own.

"What's that?"

"It's a screwdriver."

"It's sonic."

"Yeah, I know. Snap." River said, upgrading everyone's spacesuit.

The Doctor grabs Donna and Jared.

"With me. Come on. Rena, Kaede, Momoko, don't use up a lot of magic." The Doctor said.

Shop…

"Oh, we're finally doing another shopping spree!" Jared said, looking back at Donna. "I want to go to Akihabara and buy loads of manga and merchandise! Or I can buy loads of books for Blake and Kako!"

"Yeah." Donna said, looking back at Jared. "Is it a good time to shop?"

There is a lectern by a small dais with three roundels in it.

"No talking, just moving. Try it. Right, stand there in the middle. It's a teleport. Stand in the middle. Can't send the others except the magical girls, Tardis won't recognise them. I'll send Rena, Momoko, and Kaede later, I promise." The Doctor said, looking at Jared.

"What are you doing?" Jared asked.

"Neither of you have suits. You're not safe."

"You don't have a suit, so you're in just as much danger as we are and we're not leaving you…" Donna said.

"Donna, Jared, let me explain." The Doctor said, and Donna and Jared teleport away. "Oh, that's how you do it."

"Doctor." Rena said, nearby.

Rotunda…

Donna and Jared start to materialise inside the Tardis, then flicker, scream, and vanish.

"Where did it go?" The Doctor asked.

"It's just gone. I looked round, one shadow, see." Dave said.

"I hope this means we can leave." Rena said. "I don't like it here. It's not as fun as I thought. Maybe, if it had some CDs."

"I don't know why we're still here. We can leave him, can't we? I mean, no offence." Lux said.

"Shut up, Mister Lux."

"Did you feel anything, like an energy transfer? Anything at all?" The Doctor asked.

"No, no, but look, it's gone." Dave said, turning around.

"Um, er, stop." Kaede said. "Stop, please. Stop moving."

"They're never just gone and they never give up." The Doctor said, sonicing the floor by Dave. "Well, this one's benign."

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Dave asked.

"We didn't turn off the lights." Momoko said. "They're on."

"No seriously, turn them back on."

"They are on." River said.

"I can't see a ruddy thing." Dave said.

"Dave, turn around." The Doctor said.

Dave turns back to the Doctor, his visor completely dark, "What's going on? Why can't I see? Is the power gone? Are we safe here?"

"Dave, I want you to stay still. Absolutely still." The Doctor said, and Dave jerks. "Dave? Dave? Dave, can you hear me? Are you all right? Talk to me, Dave."

"I'm fine. I'm okay. I'm fine."

"I want you to stay still. Absolutely still."

"I'm fine. I'm okay. I'm fine. I can't. Why can't I? I, I can't. Why can't I? I, I can't. Why can't I? I…" Dave said, as his comm. unit lights blink.

"He's gone. He's ghosting." Momoko said, sadly.

"So, why is he still standing?" Rena asked.

"Hey, who turned out the lights? Hey, who turned out the lights?" Dave asked.

"Doctor, don't." Kaede said, looking at what the Doctor is doing.

"Dave, can you hear me?" The Doctor asked.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Dave asked, grabbing the Doctor by the throat. A skull is now visible in his helmet. "Who turned out the lights? Hey, who turned out the lights?"

"Excuse me." River said, zapping the zombie with her sonic screwdriver, freeing the Doctor.

"Back from it! Get back. Right back." The Doctor said, as Zombie Dave lurches a step towards them.

"Wait, it's not moving very fast." Rena said, looking at the suit. "That's good."

"It's a swarm in a suit. But it's learning." The Doctor said.

Zombie Dave has four shadows, and they are growing.

"What do we do? Where do we go?" Lux asked.

"See that wall behind you? Duck." River said, firing a gun at the wall and makes a square hole in it.

"Squareness gun!" The Doctor said, happily.

"Everybody out. Go, go, go. Move it. Move, move. Move it. Move, move." River said, as everyone went through the hole.

Stacks…

"You said not every shadow." Kaede said, frowning.

"But any shadow." The Doctor said.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Dave asked.

"Run!" River said.

The group then began running away from the Vashta Nerada.

"This is more crazy than Witches." Rena said.

"But this is more fun." Momoko said, happily. "We're living like how Jared does it every day."

"Um, more like any other day." Kaede said.

Somewhere amongst the massive shelves of books, the Doctor is trying to sonic a light fitting.

"Trying to boost the power. Light doesn't stop them, but it slows them down." The Doctor said.

"So, what's the plan? Do we have a plan?" Momoko asked.

"We've been here for a while." Rena said. "When are we going home."

"I, I don't know." Kaede said.

"What are we waiting for?" Momoko asked.

"Our lift back home." Rena said. "Jared told me about it."

"Which is?"

"What's the plan?" River asked.

"I teleported Donna and Jared back to the Tardis. If we don't get back there in under five hours, emergency program one will activate." The Doctor said.

"Take them home, yeah. And I assume that Jared linked up these magical girls' Soul Gems to his nanotech. To take them home too. We need to get a shift on." River said.

"They're not there. And this explains why Momoko, Rena, and Kaede are still here. I should have received a signal. The console signals me if there's a teleport breach." The Doctor said.

"Well, maybe the coordinates have slipped. The equipment here's ancient." River said.

The Doctor goes to a nearby Node, "Donna Noble. There's a Donna Noble and a Jared Shay somewhere in this library. Do you have the software to locate their positions?"

The node turns its head. It has Donna's face.

"Donna Noble and Jared Shay have left the library. Donna Noble and Jared Shay have been saved." Donna Node said.

"Donna." The Doctor said, sadly.

"Donna Noble and Jared Shay have left the library. Donna Noble and Jared Shay have been saved."

"How can it be Donna? And how can another out there be Jared? How's that possible?" River asked.

"Donna Noble and Jared Shay have left the library. Donna Noble and Jared Shay have been saved."

"Donna." The Doctor said.

"Donna Noble and Jared Shay have left the library."

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Dave asked, nearby.

"Doctor!" Rena said, blushing.

"Donna Noble and Jared Shay have been saved." Donna node said.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Dave asked, nearby.

"Donna Noble and Jared Shay have left the library."

��Doctor, we've got to go now!" River said, angrily.

"Donna Noble and Jared Shay have been saved."

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Dave asked, nearby.

River and the Doctor run, followed by Rena, Kaede, Momoko, Lux, the other Dave and Anita.

"Er, this is bad." Kaede said.

"Ya think?" Rena asked.

"There is no way out of here." Momoko said.

"We can't teleport out of here. Because some idiot linked our Soul Gems to his tech."

"Um, why did he create that fail safe?" Kaede asked.

"Maybe, he forgot that this would be coming." Rena said.

"Rena, don't speak about Jared like that. He cares about us." Momoko said.

The group are trapped between shadows.

"Doctor, what are we going to do?" River asked.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Dave asked.

"Donna Noble and Jared Shay have left the library. Donna Noble and Jared Shay have been saved." Donna node said.