The Day of the Doctor (Part 2)
Tower dungeons...
"Come on, you lot, get in there." The warder said.
"Ow." The War Doctor said, annoyed.
The warder leaves, shutting the door behind him.
"I can't believe this is your idea of fun!" Weiss said, angrily.
"Well, we are in medieval times." I said, leaning against the wall. "Anyway, we're dealing with three Doctors here. Three massive headaches."
The Doctor finds a piece of metal bar and starts scratching on a stone pillar, "Oi! We're not massive headaches. Even so, you're not wrong. Three Doctors in one cell? That's going to cause some nasty anomalies if we don't get out soon. At least Jared is fine with Team RWBY and Kazuto Kirigaya."
"What are you doing?" The 10th Doctor asked.
"Getting us out." The Doctor said, as the War Doctor is using his sonic screwdriver on the wooden door.
"The sonic won't work on that, it's too primitive." The 10th Doctor said, looking at the War Doctor.
"Shall we ask for a better quality of door so we can escape?" The Doctor asked.
"Okay, so the Queen of England is now a Zygon. But never mind that. Why are we all together? Why are we all here? Well, me, Chinny, Kirito, Jaune, and Team RWBY, we were surprised, but you came looking for us. You and Jared knew it was going to happen. Who told you?" The 10th Doctor asked, walking up to the War Doctor.
I looked over to see Moment Rose holding a finger to her lips.
"Spoilers!" I said, laughing a lot. "I knew because of the TV show, but I can't tell you the true reason why. Not yet."
"Oi, Chinny?" The Doctor asked.
"Yeah, you do have a chin." The 10th Doctor said.
(Open POV)
Under Gallery...
The stone dust is being analysed.
"Marble, granite. A lot of different stone, but none of it from the fabric of the building. It's like somebody smashed up a lot of old statues. Are there any missing?" Osgood asked.
"Don't think so. Why would anyone do that, anyway? I mean, I know we're meant to keep an open mind, but are we supposed to believe in creatures that can hide in oil paintings and have some sort of a grudge against statues? You all right?" McGillop asked.
Osgood uses her inhaler, "We have to go, right now, this minute."
"What's wrong?"
"The things from the paintings. I know why they smashed the statues." Osgood said.
"Why?" McGillop asked.
"Because they needed somewhere to hide."
The nearby statues raise their dust sheets. Zygons! They attack McGillop first, and Osgood runs.
National Gallery...
Osgood gets into the National Gallery and shuts the door, but a Zygon smashes through the painting of Elizabeth and the tenth Doctor. She gets into the open lift but it will not move, so she slumps in the far corner.
"The Doctor and Jared will save me. The Doctor and Jared will save me. The Doctor and Jared will save me. The Doctor and Jared will save me. The Doctor and Jared will save me." Osgood said, worried.
The Zygon transforms.
"Excuse me. I'm going to need my inhaler. I so hate it when I get one with a defect. Ooo, you've got some perfectly horrible memories in here, haven't you? So jealous of your pretty sister. I don't blame you. I wish I'd copied her." Osgood-Z said.
"So do I!" Osgood said, angrily.
The Zygon is standing on the end of Osgood's scarf, so she gives it a sharp tug and down goes her duplicate, allowing her to escape.
"Oh, for goodness sake." Osgood-Z said, annoyed.
Tower environs...
"The Doctor and Jared will be trying to send us a message. We're looking for a string of numerals from around 1550, approximately. Priority One. I'm going to need access to the Black Archive." Kate said.
Black Archive corridor...
"The Black Archive. Highest security rating on the planet. The entire staff have their memories wiped at the end of every shift. Automated memory filters in the ceiling. Access, please." Kate said.
"Ma'am." Atkins said.
Kate hands him her key, "Atkins, isn't it?"
"Yes, ma'am. First day here." Atkins said.
"Been here ten years." Kate said.
Black Archive...
"Isn't a lock and key a bit basic?" Jaune asked.
"Can't afford electronic security down here. Got to keep the Doctor and Jared out. The whole of the Tower is TARDIS-proofed. They really wouldn't approve of the collection here in the Black Archive." Kate said, looking at Jaune. "Jared would approve of Torchwood Three's collection and Sarah Jane Smith's collection though. Mostly because he trusts both groups more than me."
"But you let me and Jaune in." Clara said.
"You and Jaune have a top level security rating from your last visit."
"Sorry, our what?" Clara asked.
"Apologies. We have to screen all their known associates. We can't have information about the Doctor, Jared, and the Tardis falling into the wrong hands. The consequences could be disastrous." Kate said.
"What is that?" Clara asked.
"Time travel. A vortex manipulator bequeathed to the UNIT archive by Captain Jack Harkness on the occasion of his death. Well, one of them. No one can know we have this, not even our allies." Kate said.
"Why not? Why can't they know about a vortex manipulator?" Jaune asked.
"Think about it, Jaune. Americans with the ability to rewrite history? You've seen their movies if Jared showed you them." Kate said.
"Okay, so this is how we're going to rescue the Doctor and Jared." Clara said.
"I'm not sure there's enough power for a two-way trip. In any event, we don't have the activation code. The Doctor and Jared know we have this, so they've always kept the code from us. Let's hope they change their minds." Kate said, while her phone rings. "Yes? Well, if you've found it, photograph it and send it to my phone."
Clara and Jaune spots Osgood and McGillop.
"Er, Kate? Should they be here? Why have they followed us?" Clara asked.
"Oh, they've probably just finished disposing of the humans a bit early." Kate said.
"The humans?" Clara asked.
"Dear me. I really do get into character, don't I?" Kate asked, spitting some venom at Clara and Jaune, then transforms into a Zygon.
"The Under Gallery is secured." Osgood-Z said.
The numbers on the photograph on Kate's phone include 231163.
Clara grabs the vortex manipulator, puts it on and copies them into it, "Jaune, let's go."
"Right." Jaune said, looking at Clara. "I know what it's like to use vortex manipulators because of Jared."
"Prepare to dispose of two more humans. We have acquired the device." A Zygon said.
"Activation code, right? Let's go, Jaune." Clara said, as she disappeared with Jaune who placed his hand on the bottom of the vortex manipulator.
(Jared's POV)
Tower dungeon...
The Doctor is still scratching his message.
"In theory, I can trigger an isolated sonic shift among the molecules, and the door should disintegrate." The War Doctor said.
"We'd have to calculate the exact harmonic resonance of the entire structure down to a subatomic level. Even the sonic would take years." The 10th Doctor said.
"No, no, the sonic would take centuries. Oh, we might as well get started. Help to pass the timey-wimey. Do you have to talk like children? What is it that makes you so ashamed of being a grown up? Oh, the way you both look at me. What is that? I'm trying to think of a better word than dread."
"So, how long have they been doing this for?" Ruby asked.
"A while." I said, leaning against the wall. "They are going to do this for a while longer."
"Why are there three Doctors again?" Weiss asked.
"Because there has been a single moment waiting for one of them."
"A single moment?" Blake asked.
"It's history for them. All decided. They think their future is real. They don't know it's still up to you." The Moment said.
"I don't talk about it." The War Doctor said.
"You're not talking about it. There's no one else here." The 10th Doctor said.
"Go on, ask them. Ask them what you need to know." The Moment said.
"Did you ever count?" The War Doctor asked.
"Count what?" The Doctor asked.
"How many children there were on Gallifrey that day."
The Doctor stops his scratching, "I have absolutely no idea."
"How old are you now?" The War Doctor asked.
"Ah, I don't know. I lose track. Twelve hundred and something, I think, unless I'm lying. I can't remember if I'm lying about my age, that's how old I am." The Doctor said.
"Four hundred years older than me, and in all that time you've never even wondered how many there were? You never once counted?"
"Tell me, what would be the point?"
"Two point four seven billion." The 10th Doctor said.
"You did count!" The War Doctor said, angrily.
"You forgot? Four hundred years, is that all it takes?"
"I moved on." The Doctor said.
"Where? Where can you be now with Jared and Team RWBY that you can forget something like that?"
"Spoilers." I said, sadly. "I am not telling you what I recently went through with the Doctor. But Team RWBY and I made Atlas fall into Mantle. Along with that, we went through a place called the Ever After. That place wasn't pretty."
"No. No, no, no. No excuses and going around that topic. For once I would like to know where I'm going with you and Team RWBY." The 10th Doctor said.
"No, you really wouldn't want to know. I'm not even sure the Doctor, my Doctor, would tell you. Would you, Raggedy Man?" I asked, looking at the Doctor.
"You're right. I won't tell him." The Doctor said.
"I don't know who you are, either of you. I haven't got the faintest idea." The War Doctor said, looking between the 10th and 11th Doctors.
"They're you. They're what you become if you destroy Gallifrey. The man who regrets and the man who forgets." The Moment said, looking between the 10th Doctor and the 11th Doctor. "And Jared, Team RWBY, and Kirito learned from both of them. Kirito and Jared are like a combination of the man who regrets and the man who forgets. For different reasons. The moment is coming. The Moment is me. You have to decide."
"No." The War Doctor said.
"No?" The 10th Doctor asked.
"Just, no." The War Doctor said.
The Doctor laughs.
"Is something funny? Did I miss a funny thing?" The 10th Doctor asked, looking at the Doctor.
"Sorry. It just occurred to me. This is what I'm like when I'm alone." The Doctor said.
"You know what I've wondered." Yang said. "Why do they always have the same sonic screwdriver?"
"Do you mean they have the same software with a different case?" Blake asked.
"Yeah."
"It is a bit weird." Weiss said.
"Um, how long did they say they were apart again?" Ruby asked.
"I think they said four hundred years." Kirito said.
"Four hundred years is a long time, isn't it?" I asked, walking over to Ruby to grab her hand.
"Four hundred years." The War Doctor said.
"I'm sorry?" The 10th Doctor asked.
"Your friends are on to something. At a software level, they're all the same device, aren't they? Same software, different case." The War Doctor said.
"Yeah." The 10th Doctor said, taking out his sonic screwdriver.
"So..." The Doctor said, also taking out his sonic screwdriver.
"So, it would take centuries for the screwdriver to calculate how to disintegrate the door. Scanning the door, implanting the calculation as a permanent subroutine in the software architecture and, if you really are me, with your sandshoes and your dickie bow, and that screwdriver is still mine, that calculation is still going on." The War Doctor said, scanning the door with his sonic screwdriver.
"Yeah, still going." The 10th Doctor said, reading the scan off of his sonic screwdriver.
"Calculation complete." The Doctor said, reading the scan off of his sonic screwdriver.
"The Doctor. The reason why you're so good is because each version of you is the same person. But you have a different face." I said, smiling.
"Hey, four hundred years in four seconds. We may have had our differences, which is frankly odd in the circumstances, but, I tell you what, boys. We are incredibly clever." The Doctor said, while Clara opens the door with Jaune behind him and nearly falls in and Jaune falls on top of her. "How did the both of you do that?"
"The door wasn't locked." Jaune said, getting up from Clara and lifting her up from the ground.
"Right." The Doctor said.
"So they're both you, then, yeah?" Clara asked, looking between the 10th Doctor and the War Doctor.
"Clara, you met them before. When you hopped into my time stream that was fused with the Doctor's. Don't you remember meeting and seeing them there through your echoes?" I asked, looking at Clara.
"A bit. Nice suit." Clara said, happily.
"Thanks." The 10th Doctor said.
"Hang on. Three versions of the Doctor in one cell, with Jared and his friends enjoying a show you were doing by the sounds of it, and none of you thought to try the door?" Clara asked.
"It should have been locked." Kirito said.
"Yes. Exactly. Why wasn't it locked?" The Doctor asked.
"Because I was fascinated to see what you would do upon escaping. I understand you're rather fond of this world. It's time I think you saw what's going to happen to it." Elizabeth said, entering the jail cell.
Tower of London...
"So, girls, I'm sorry I wrapped you all in this." I said, sadly.
"Don't worry about it." Ruby said. "We wanted to come."
"It's not like you'll replace us, right?" Blake asked.
"I think it's about time you four take a break from all of this adventuring with me and the Doctor." I said, frowning.
Zygon control centre...
Another part of the Tower dungeons.
"What if we don't want to take a break?" Yang asked.
"You have to." I said, sadly. "I can't rely on you four forever."
"Who, um, did you find to replace us?" Ruby asked.
"Mikoto Misaka, Shirai Kuroko, Saten Ruiko, and Uiharu Kazari."
"They're like us then." Weiss said, her hand on her hip. "Why am I not surprised?"
The Zygon puts his hand on a glass cube with dents in the corners, then vanishes. The 3D landscape painting from the Under Gallery is nearby.
"That's him! That's the Zygon in the picture now." Ruby said, walking towards the painting.
"It's not a picture, it's a stasis cube. Time Lord art. Frozen instants in time, bigger on the inside, but could be deployed as..." The War Doctor said.
"Suspended animation. Oh, that's very good. The Zygons all pop inside the pictures, wait a few centuries till the planet's a bit more interesting, and then out they come." The 10th Doctor said.
"You see, Clara, they're stored in the paintings in the Under Gallery, like cup-a-soups. Except you add time, if you can picture that. Nobody could picture that. Forget I said cup-a-soups." The Doctor said.
"And now the world is worth conquering. So the Zygons are invading the future from the past." Clara said.
"Exactly."
"And do you know why I know that you're a fake? Because you're such a bad copy. It's not just the smell, or the unconvincing hair, or the atrocious teeth, or the eyes just a bit too close together, or the breath that could stun a horse. It's because my Elizabeth, the real Elizabeth, would never be stupid enough to reveal her own plan. Honestly, why would you do that?" The 10th Doctor asked, walking towards Elizabeth.
"Because it's not my plan. And I am the real Elizabeth."
"Okay. So, backtracking a moment just to lend context to my earlier remarks."
"My twin is dead in the forest. I am accustomed to taking precautions." Elizabeth said, producing a dagger from the garter beneath her skirts. "These Zygon creatures never even considered that it was me who survived rather than their own commander. The arrogance that typifies their kind."
"Zygons?" Clara asked.
"Men."
"And you actually killed one of them?"
"I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but at the time, so did the Zygon. The future of my kingdom is imperilled. Doctor, Kirito, can I rely on your service?"
"Well, I'm going to need my Tardis." The 10th Doctor said.
"It has been procured already." Elizabeth said.
"And I think I need the help of my friends." Kirito said. "The ones that are inside his TARDIS."
"They are waiting for you. I already told them the situation. The bits Jared left out."
"Ah. That explains why mine didn't come out." The 10th Doctor said.
"But first, my love, you have a promise to keep." Elizabeth said.
Castle courtyard...
"I now pronounce you man and wife." The Clergyman said.
"Woo hoo!" Clara said, excitedly.
"You may kiss the bride."
Elizabeth does the enthusiastic kissing to the 10th Doctor.
"Is there a lot of this in the future?" The War Doctor asked, looking at the Doctor.
"It does start to happen, yeah. It mostly started with Kirito and Asuna rubbing off on me and Rose Tyler." The Doctor said.
"God speed, my love. I want to see you and Kirito plan double dates for Asuna and me." Elizabeth said.
"We will be right back. Kirito, time to let the rest of the SAO Survivors help us." The 10th Doctor said, running into the Tardis and starts cranking her up.
"Right then, back to the future." The Doctor said, entering the TARDIS with Clara, Team RWBY, Jaune, and I.
Tardis...
"You've let this place go a bit." The War Doctor said, looking around the console room.
"Ah, it's his grunge phase. He grows out of it." The Doctor said.
"Don't you listen to them." The 10th Doctor said.
"Sexy, can you keep my past self and the SAO Survivors from coming in here?" I asked, when an alarm sounds. "Thanks."
"Guess I should be going." Kirito said, leaving the console room to head towards the hallways. "I'll see you around."
"Bye, Kirito." I said, smiling.
The tenth Doctor gets an electric shock, "Ow! The desktop is glitching. With Kirito reuniting with the rest of the SAO survivors here."
"Three of us from different time zones. It's trying to compensate." The War Doctor said.
"Hey, look. The round things." The Doctor said, happily.
"I love the round things." The 10th Doctor said.
"What are the round things?" The Doctor asked.
"No idea."
I went over to the TARDIS console and flicked a switch to take out a strawberry sunrise with no ice and had one of those tiny umbrellas in there, "Here you go, Yang."
"Strawberry sunrise?" Yang asked, grabbing the glass from me. "Is that storage?"
"Yeah. River told me about it ages ago."
"Oh dear, the friction contrafibulator. Ha! There, stabilised." The Doctor said, while the desktop changes again.
"Oh, you've redecorated. I don't like it." The 10th Doctor said, channeling the 2nd Doctor.
"Oh. Oh yeah? Oh, you never do. Listen, we're going to the National Gallery. The Zygons are underneath it." The Doctor said.
"Nope. We're going to the Tower of London. The Zygons followed Jaune and Clara to the Black Archive." I said, sadly.
I got three stares from the Doctor, War Doctor, and the 10th Doctor.
"Okay, so you've heard of that, then." Clara said.
Black Archive...
"The equipment here is phenomenal. The humans don't realise what half this stuff does. We could conquer their world in a day." McGillop-Z said.
"We were fortunate, then, in our choice of duplicate." A Zygon said.
"If I were human, I'd say it was Christmas." McGillop-Z said.
Humans Kate and Osgood enter.
"No, I'm afraid you wouldn't. We're not armed. You may relax." Kate said.
"We are armed. You may not." The Zygon said.
"Lock the door. I'm afraid we can't be interrupted. You don't mind if I get comfortable?"
"You don't mind if I do?" The Zygon asked, transforming into Kate, and sits down opposite her at the table.
"You'll realise there are protocols protecting this place. Osgood?" Kate asked.
"In the event of any alien incursion, the contents of this room are deemed so dangerous, it will self-destruct in..." Osgood said.
"Five minutes." Kate said, while the alarm sounds and the countdown starts. "There's a nuclear warhead twenty feet beneath us. Are you sitting comfortably?"
"You would destroy London?" Kate-Z asked.
"To save the world, yes, I would."
"You're bluffing."
"You really think so? Somewhere in your memory is a man called Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart. I am his daughter."
"Science leads, Kate. I believe that's what you told me during the Year of the Slow Invasion. When Amelia Jessica Pond and Rory Arthur Williams were still traveling with the Doctor and me. Is that what you meant that year? Is that what your father, the Brigadier, who I met, meant?" I asked, appearing in front of Kate as a hologram.
"Jared?" Kate asked, looking at my hologram.
"Augmented reality technology from the 2020s, Kate. It has the same technology as the one used for Ordinal Scale. This was a gift from me to your father. I gave it to him after I talked to him with Sarah Jane Smith ages ago. It has a hotline straight to my Augma which I have connected to the TARDIS." I said, as my hologram is still looking at her.
Tardis...
"Anyway, I know about the Black Archive. I've been there with Sarah, Rani, and the Brigadier when the Bane invaded again back in 2009. I also know about the security protocol you set up. Kate, please. Please tell me you're not about to do something so stupid!" I said, angrily.
"I'm sorry, Jared. Switch it off." Kate said, with her hologram right in front of me.
"You're not as sorry as you will be!" Jaune said, looking at Kate's hologram. "What you're about to do, Kate. This is not a decision you will ever be able to live with!"
"Kate, we're trying to bring the Tardis in. Why can't we land?" The Doctor asked.
"I said, switch it off." Kate said, with her hologram still within the TARDIS console room.
"No, Kate, please. Just listen to me!" The Doctor said, annoyed.
"The Tower of London, totally Tardis-proof." The 10th Doctor said.
"How can they do that?" Clara asked.
"Alien technology plus human stupidity. Trust me, it's unbeatable." The Doctor said.
A stasis cube is on the console.
"We don't need to land." The War Doctor said.
"Yeah, we do. A tiny bit. Try and keep up." The 10th Doctor said.
"No, we don't. We don't. There is another way. Cup-a-soup. What is cup-a-soup?"
(Open POV)
National Gallery...
Back we go to an earlier scene.
"What happened?" The Doctor asked.
"Easier to show you." Kate said.
The Doctor, Clara, Team RWBY, and Jared leave with Kate. McGillop with Osgood and Jaune answers his phone.
"McGillop." McGillop said.
Tardis / National Gallery...
"Take a look at your phone and see who you're talking to." Jared said, leaning against the TARDIS console while wearing his Augma.
"But that's not possible. I was just..." McGillop said.
"You were just talking to me. I know. I'm a time traveler. And so are my friends. I need you to take the Gallifrey Falls painting to the Black Archive. Do you understand?"
"Understood, sir. But why would I take it there?"
Black Archive...
2:59 and counting.
"One word from you would cancel the countdown." Kate-Z said.
"Quite so." Kate said.
"It's keyed to your voiceprint."
"And mine alone."
"Cancel the detonation!"
"Countermanded."
"Cancel the detonation." Kate-Z said.
"Countermanded." Kate said.
"We only have to agree to live."
"Sadly, we can only agree to die."
"Please, Doctor, Jared. Please save us. Please save us. Please save us." Osgood said, scared in a corner.
Gallifrey Falls...
Time begins to move inside the 3D painting, which contains three extra figures by the image of an exploding Dalek.
"Exterminate!" The Dalek said, angrily.
Three sonic screwdrivers send the unhappy pepperpot crashing out of the painting and into the Black Archive.
Black Archive...
The Dalek is followed into the Black Archive by three of the same Time Lord. The Dalek expires.
"Hello." The War Doctor said.
"I'm the Doctor." The 10th Doctor said.
"I'm Jared, this is Team RWBY and the Rusted Knight." Jared said, exited the painting.
"Sorry about the Dalek." The Doctor said.
"Also the showing off." Clara said.
"Kate Lethbridge Stewart, what in the name of sanity are you doing?" The Doctor asked, walking up to Kate.
"The countdown can only be halted at my personal command. There's nothing you can do." Kate said.
"Except make you both agree to halt it." The 10th Doctor said.
"Not even three of you."
"You're about to murder millions of people." The War Doctor said.
"To save billions. How many times have you made that calculation?" Kate asked.
1:36.
"Once. Turned me into the man I am now. I'm not even sure who that is any more." The Doctor said.
"You tell yourself it's justified, but it's a lie. Because what I did that day was wrong. Just wrong." The 10th Doctor said.
The War Doctor turns to look at the Moment.
"And, because I got it wrong, I'm going to make you get it right." The Doctor said.
"How?" Kate asked.
"Any second now, you're going to stop that countdown. Both of you, together." The 10th Doctor said.
"Then you're going to negotiate the most perfect treaty of all time." The Doctor said.
"Safeguards all round, completely fair on both sides."
"And the key to perfect negotiation?"
"Not knowing what side you're on."
"So, for the next few hours, until we decide to let you out..."
"No one in this room will be able to remember if they're human..."
"Or Zygon." The Doctor said, jumping onto the table. "Whoops a daisy."
Three screwdrivers do something to the memory filter in the ceiling. The countdown reaches 7 as the humans look befuddled.
"Cancel the detonation!" The Kates said, at the same time.
It stops at 5.
"Peace in our time." The Doctor said.
"So this is what you saw me as." Ruby said, looking at Jared.
"Yeah. I'm sorry." Jared said, sadly.
"It's okay. I forgive you."
"Why do you forgive him?" Weiss asked. "After everything you went through in the Ever After."
"It's because talking to the Blacksmith helped."
As the Kates talk in the background.
"How did the Blacksmith help you?" Blake asked, looking at Ruby.
"She did." Ruby said, smiling.
"That's good." Yang said, happily.
"It is." Jared said, grabbing Ruby's hand. "I'm sorry about the pace of this adventure. I truly am."
"It's not that bad." Jaune said. "At least we're not running around and defeating monsters."
"It's funny, isn't it. If I'm a Zygon, then my clothes must be Zygon, too. So, what happens if I lose a shoe or something?" Osgood-Z asked.
Osgood coughs, and her duplicate returns the inhaler with a shush gesture. Meanwhile, Clara explores the photo array of past companions, starting with the Doctor's granddaughter, Susan. Then Clara goes to the War Doctor, who is sitting in the seventh Doctor's big leather chair.
"Hello." Clara said.
"Hello." The War Doctor said.
"I'm Clara. We haven't really met yet."
"I look forward to it. Is there a problem?"
"The Doctor, my, my Doctor, he's always talking about the day he did it. The day he wiped out the Time Lords to stop the war."
"One would."
"You wouldn't. Because you haven't done it yet. It's still in your future." Clara said.
"You're very sure of yourself." The War Doctor said.
"He regrets it, my Doctor regrets it. And Jared whenever he is with Team RWBY and Jaune Arc. The Doctor regrets wiping out the Time Lords to stop the war. While Jared regrets helping Team RWBY and JNR to make Atlas crash into Mantle. I see it in both of their eyes every day. They'd do anything to change it."
"Including saving all these people. How many worlds have their regrets saved, do you think? Look over there. Humans and Zygons working together in peace. How did you know?" The War Doctor asked, looking at Clara.
"Your eyes. You're so much younger." Clara said, sadly.
"Then, all things considered, it's time I grew up. I've seen all I needed. The moment has come." The War Doctor said, while the Moment is standing nearby, watching them. "I'm ready."
"I know you are." The Moment said.
"Who's there? Who were you talking to?" Clara asked.
The War Doctor, Doctor Eight point five, has vanished.
(Jared's POV)
Barn...
"You wanted a big red button." The Moment said, while a red, rose-like button stands on a stalk above the Moment box. "One big bang, no more Time Lords. No more Daleks. Are you sure?"
"I was sure when I came in here. There is no other way." The War Doctor said.
"You've seen the men you will become."
"Those men. Extraordinary."
"They were you."
"No. They are the Doctor."
"You're the Doctor, too. What do you think of Jared, Team RWBY, and Jaune Arc?"
"They were extraordinary also. But I am not like them either. Even so, I'm not the Doctor. And no. Great men are forged in fire. It is the privilege of lesser men to light the flame, whatever the cost." The War Doctor said, as his hand hesitates over the button as he recalls the sound of children's laughter.
"You know the sound the Tardis makes? That wheezing, groaning. That sound brings hope wherever it goes." The Moment said.
"Yes. Yes, I like to think it does."
"To anyone who hears it, Doctor. Anyone, however lost." The Moment said, and the sound of the time rotor is heard. "Even you."
Two Tardises park themselves in the barn. Enter the Doctors, Clara, Team RWBY, Jaune, and I.
"I told you. He hasn't done it yet." Clara said, looking at the Doctor.
"This is similar to us making Mantle fall into Atlas, isn't it?" Jaune asked.
"Yeah. That was Ruby's plan." I said, sadly.
"It wasn't the best plan. But I thought it would work at the time." Ruby said, frowning.
"Go away now, all of you. This is for me." The War Doctor said.
"These events should be time-locked. We shouldn't even be here." The 10th Doctor said.
"So something let us through." The Doctor said.
"But who let us through?" Weiss asked.
"Do you know?" Blake asked.
"Well?" Yang asked, looking at me.
"Just a single moment in time." I said, smiling.
"You clever boys and girls." The Moment said, happily.
"Go back. Go back to your lives. Go and be the Doctor and the heroes that I could never be. Make it worthwhile." The War Doctor said.
"Was this how you felt?" Ruby asked, looking at me. "When it comes to Atlas and Mantle?"
"Yeah. I felt the same way as you, Ruby." I said, grabbing Ruby's hand. "That wasn't the best time for me."
"I agree. We were at our worst there."
"I wish we had the equivalent of that for where we aren't alone."
"But this time..." The 10th Doctor said.
"You don't have to do it alone. And neither do you Ruby, Jared, and Jaune. Coke and join us." The Doctor said, looking at Ruby, Jaune, and I.
We put our hands on the button together.
"Thank you." The War Doctor said.
"Thank you, Doctor." Ruby said, her hand on the button.
"Thanks." Jaune said, his hand on the button.
"Thanks a lot." I said, as my hand is on the button. "The three of us needed this as much as you three did."
"What we do today is not out of fear or hatred. It is done because there is no other way." The 10th Doctor said.
"And it is done in the name of the many lives we are failing to save." The Doctor said, while he looks at Clara, who shakes her head. "What? What is it? What?"
"Nothing." Clara said, sadly.
"No, it's something. Tell me."
"You told me you wiped out your own people. I just. I never pictured you doing it, that's all."
"Take a closer look." The Moment said.
It suddenly goes dark.
"What's happening?" Ruby asked.
"Nothing's happening, Ruby. It's a projection." Weiss said, looking at her surroundings.
"It's a reality around you." The Moment said.
We are seeing Gallifrey at war.
"These are the people you're going to burn? Isn't there anything you can do to stop it?" Blake asked.
"There isn't anything we can do." The 10th Doctor said.
"He's right. There isn't another way. There never was. Either I destroy my own people or let the universe burn." The Doctor said.
"Look at all of you. The three Doctors. The warrior, the hero, and the Doctor. And look at you, Jared. You and your friends." Clara said, looking at the three Doctors and I.
"And what am I?" I asked, walking up to Clara.
"Have you really forgotten?" Clara asked, looking at me.
"Yeah. Possibly."
"We've got enough warriors like the survivors of Sword Art Online. Any old idiot can be a hero like Jaune Arc, also known as the Rusted Knight."
"So, what do I do?"
"What you've always done. Be a Huntsman. That's all that matters. That you're all here together. Jared, you being with Team RWBY. When each of you are on your own, you may be strong. But you are so much more together. As a true team. You told me the bond you made with Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long is unbreakable. And I somewhat remember that when I saw your past with them. It's not the same when the five of you aren't with each other working together to save the day."
"Oh, Clara. Thank you. That made my day." I said, giving Clara a long and passionate kiss. "I needed that."
I then let go of Clara after giving her that kiss.
"You're welcome, Jared. Doctor, you told me the name you chose was a promise. What was the promise?" Clara asked.
The fighting seems to have stopped on Gallifrey.
"Never cruel or cowardly." The 10th Doctor said.
"Never give up, never give in." The War Doctor said.
The images vanish.
"You're not actually suggesting that we change our own personal history?" The 10th Doctor asked.
"We change history all the time. I'm suggesting far worse." The Doctor said.
"What, exactly?" The War Doctor asked.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have had four hundred years to think about this. I've changed my mind." The Doctor said, sonicking the big red button back into the Moment box.
"And I have had our whole journey in the Ever After to realize that I have changed my mind as well." I said, looking at Team RWBY and Jaune. "That was such a mind warp. I just can't."
"There's still a billion billion Daleks up there, attacking." The War Doctor said.
"Yeah, there is. There is." The Doctor said.
"But there's something those billion billion Daleks don't know." The 10th Doctor said.
"Because if they did, they'd probably send for reinforcements."
"What? What don't they know?" Clara asked.
"This time, there's three of us." The Doctor said.
"Oh! Oh, yes, that is good. That is brilliant!" The War Doctor said, happily.
"Oh, oh, oh, I'm getting that too! That is brilliant!" The 10th Doctor said, excitedly.
"Ha, ha, ha! I've been thinking about it for centuries." The Doctor said.
"And I've been thinking about it ever since I reunited with Team RWBY and Jaune in the Ever After." I said, looking at Team RWBY and Jaune.
"She didn't just show me any old future, she showed me exactly the future I needed to see." The War Doctor said.
"Now you're getting it." The Moment said.
"Eh? Who did?" The Doctor asked.
"Oh, Bad Wolf girl, I could kiss you." The War Doctor said.
"Yeah, that's going to happen." The Moment said.
"Yeah. It will. That was one of the biggest shipping moments back home for me." I said, laughing a lot. "Especially when it came to Bad Wolf."
"Sorry, did you just say Bad Wolf? Jared, is it the end of the universe? Is Rose coming back?" The 10th Doctor asked, looking at me.
"Nope. She isn't. She is exploring Pete's World with the Meta Crisis Doctor."
"So what are we doing? What's the plan?" Clara asked.
"The Dalek fleets are surrounding Gallifrey, firing on it constantly." The War Doctor said.
"The Sky Trench is holding, but what if the whole planet just disappeared?" The 10th Doctor asked.
"Tiny bit of an ask." Clara said.
"The Daleks would be firing on each other. They'd destroy themselves in their own crossfire."
"Gallifrey would be gone, the Daleks would be destroyed, and it would look to the rest of the universe as if they'd annihilated each other." The War Doctor said.
"But where would Gallifrey be?" Clara asked.
"Frozen. Frozen in an instant of time, safe and hidden away." The 10th Doctor said.
"Exactly." The Doctor said.
"Like a painting." The War Doctor said.
Kirito and Asuna's home...
I've been hanging out inside Kirito and Asuna's log cabin while my physical body is asleep in the National Gallery in the year 2013. Clara is watching my body as Team RWBY is chatting with the survivors of Sword Art Online here. Team RWBY and Jaune Arc have been sent back home to Remnant with them waiting for me to come to them at any time. So far everything is nice and peaceful with Yui having this monitor up waiting for a phone call to start through a link to the TARDIS.
"Um...how much longer are we going to wait?" Silica asked.
"Well, this is going to take some time." Leafa said.
"How much longer do we have to wait anyway?" Lisbeth asked.
"How am I supposed to know that?" I asked, drinking a cup of tea.
"You are the expert here at times like this."
Holo-monitors appear as the Doctors introduce themselves.
"Hello, hello, Gallifrey High Command, this is the Doctor speaking." The Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Hello! Also the Doctor. Can you hear me?" The 10th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Also the Doctor, standing ready." The War Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Dear God, three of them. All my worst nightmares at once." The General said, on the monitor.
"General, we have a plan." The 10th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"We should point at this moment, it is a fairly terrible plan..." The Doctor said, on the monitor.
"...and almost certainly won't work."
"I was happy with fairly terrible." The Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Sorry, just thinking out loud." The 10th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"We're flying our three Tardises into your lower atmosphere."
"We're positioned at equidistant intervals around the globe. Equidistant. So grown up."
"We're just about ready to do it." The War Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Ready to do what?" The General asked, on the monitor.
"We're going to freeze Gallifrey." The Doctor said, on the monitor.
"I'm sorry, what?" The General asked, on the monitor.
"Using our Tardises, we're going to freeze Gallifrey in a single moment in time." The 10th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"You know, like those stasis cubes? A single moment in time, held in a parallel pocket universe." The War Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Except we're going to do it to a whole planet." The Doctor said, on the monitor.
"And all the people on it." The 10th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"What? Even if that were possible which it isn't, why would you do such a thing?" The General asked, on the monitor.
"Because the alternative is burning." The Doctor said, on the monitor.
"And I've seen that." The 10th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"And I never want to see it again." The Doctor said, on the monitor.
"We'd be lost in another universe, frozen in a single moment. We'd have nothing." The General said, on the monitor.
"You would have hope. And right now, that is exactly what you don't have." The Doctor said, on the monitor.
"It's delusional. The calculations alone would take hundreds of years." The General said, on the monitor.
Each Tardis has a stasis cube on the console.
"Oh, hundreds and hundreds." The Doctor said, on the monitor.
"But don't worry, I started a very long time ago." The 10th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Calling the War Council of Gallifrey. This is the Doctor." The 1st Doctor said, on the monitor.
"You might say I've been doing this all my lives." The Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Good luck." The 2nd Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Standing by." The 3rd Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Ready." The 4th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Commencing calculations." The 8th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Soon be there." The 5th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Across the boundaries that divide one universe from another." The 7th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Just got to lock on to his coordinates." The 6th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"And for my next trick." The 9th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"I didn't know when I was well off. All twelve of them!" The General said, on the monitor.
"No, sir. All thirteen!" Androgar said, on the monitor.
"Oh, the 12th Doctor." I said, happily. "I can't wait to meet him someday."
A new pair of grey eyebrows is seen on one of the monitors.
"You like him, don't you?" Asuna asked, looking at me.
"Sir! The Daleks know that something is happening. They're increasing their fire power." Androgar said, on the monitor.
"Do it, Doctor. Just do it. Just do it." The General said, on the monitor.
"Okay. Gentlemen, we're ready. Geronimo!" The Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Allons-y!" The 10th Doctor said, on the monitor.
"Oh, for God's sake. Gallifrey stands!" The War Doctor said, on the monitor.
Tardises rush towards the planet and surround it, then whiteout! I looked at the survivors of Sword Art Online with a sad look on my face.
"I'll be right back. I promise." I said, walking up to Lisbeth and Silica for a group hug. "This won't take too long."
I then loaded up the menu in ALfheim Online and logged out of the game, with me removing my Augma and opening my eyes to see that I am in the National Gallery with Clara looking down at me to give a massive hug.
(Open POV)
National Gallery...
Having a cup of tea in front of Gallifrey Falls. Three Tardises are lined up by one wall. The opposite is decorated with a collection of roundels.
"I don't suppose we'll know if we actually succeeded. But at worst, we failed doing the right thing, as opposed to succeeding in doing the wrong." The War Doctor said.
"Life and soul, you are." Clara said.
"What is it actually called?" The 10th Doctor asked.
"Well, there's some debate. Either No More or Gallifrey Falls." The Doctor said.
"Not very encouraging." The War Doctor said.
"How did it get here?" The 10th Doctor asked.
"No idea." The Doctor said.
"There's always something we don't know, isn't there?" The 10th Doctor asked.
"One should certainly hope so. Well, gentlemen, it has been an honour and a privilege." The War Doctor said.
"Likewise." The 10th Doctor said.
"Doctor." The Doctor said, happily.
"And if I grow to be half the man that you are, Clara Oswald, I shall be happy indeed." The War Doctor said.
"That's right. Aim high." Clara said, happily.
"You'll get to have adventures with me and Team RWBY also. I guarantee it." Jared said, walking up to the War Doctor to hug him.
"Team RWBY. Who are they anyway?" The War Doctor asked, looking at Jared.
"They're Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long. They're not my friends. They're my family."
"In other words, they're your companions."
"Yeah. They help keep me grounded whenever we're with the Doctor together."
"Now that makes a lot of sense. What about Clara Oswald?" The War Doctor asked.
"She is as important to me as Team RWBY is. Clara is my true grounding." Jared said, smiling.
"I won't remember this, will I?" The War Doctor asked.
"The time streams are out of sync. You can't retain it, no." The Doctor said.
"So I won't remember that I tried to save Gallifrey rather than burn it. I'll have to live with that. But for now, for this moment, I am the Doctor again. Thank you. Which one is mine? Ha!" The War Doctor said, going into the shabbiest Tardis.
It dematerialises.
Tardis 8.5...
The Warrior begins to regenerate, "Oh yes, of course. I suppose it makes sense. Wearing a bit thin. I hope the ears are a bit less conspicuous this time."
National Gallery...
"I won't remember either, so you might as well tell me. Because Jared didn't want to tell me." The 10th Doctor said.
"Tell you what?" The Doctor asked.
"Where it is we're going that you don't want to talk about."
"We saw Trenzalore, where we're buried. We die in battle among millions."
"That's not how it's supposed to be." The 10th Doctor said.
"That's how the story ends. Nothing we can do about it. Trenzalore is where you're going with Jared." The Doctor said.
"Oh, never say nothing. Anyway, good to know my future is in safe hands. Keep a tight hold on it, Clara. And keep a tight hold on Jared, Team RWBY, and Team JNR's futures too." The 10th Doctor said, placing his cup of tea on the bench.
"On it." Clara said, with the 10th Doctor kissing her hand.
"Trenzalore. We need a new destination to go with Jared, because I don't want to go." The 10th Doctor said, getting into the next, not brightly painted, Tardis and it dematerialises.
"He always says that." The Doctor said, sadly.
"Clara, I think he needs a moment with that painting." Jared said, looking at Clara.
"He does, doesn't he?" Clara asked.
"Yup."
"How did the both of you know?" The Doctor asked, looking between Clara and Jared.
"Those big sad eyes." Clara said.
"You have those big sad eyes that Hibiki Tachibana has, you know." Jared said, laughing a lot. "That's what gave you away, Raggedy Man."
"Ah." The Doctor said.
"We always know. Oh, by the way, there was an old man looking for you. I think it was the curator." Clara said, going into the TARDIS with Jared.
TARDIS...
Jared placed his Augma back on his head and he closed his eyes after going back down to sit on a chair in the TARDIS console room.
"Link Start." Jared said, sitting in the chair with his eyes closed.
Kirito and Asuna's home...
"How'd it go?" Silica asked, when Jared appeared back inside the log cabin.
"Well, I didn't want to reveal the secrets of the painting to the Doctor." Jared said, looking down at Silica.
"That would have been spoiling the fun out of it." Yuuki said.
"It would."
"So, where are you going next?" Asuna asked.
"I was thinking of London." Jared said, going towards a wall to lean against it.
"London? Again?" Sinon asked.
"I was more so eyeing 221B Baker Street."
"Baker Street? As in Sherlock Holmes?" Leafa asked.
"That's the one."
"That does make a lot of sense." Yui said, frowning. "Sherlock Holmes lives in the 21st century."
"Are you going to bring Team RWBY and Jaune with you?" Lisbeth asked, sipping her cup of tea.
"Nope. After everything I went with them in the Ever After..."
"The Ever After was as dangerous as SAO." Silica said, sadly.
"Yeah. I love Team RWBY and Jaune too much to lose them to the dangers of Sherlock Holmes cases. I'm thinking of finding and contacting Mikoto Misaka, Shirai Kuroko, Saten Ruiko, and Uiharu Kazari. They could trust me or they will trust me given enough time."
"Fair point. It did take time for us to warm up to you." Asuna said, smiling. "Come on, let's go outside."
The survivors of Sword Art Online and the people after it exited the log cabin to admire the view of the forest which Jared likes because it reminds him of home very well. Clara appeared inside the log cabin and she then followed Kirito and Asuna out there.
"After a day like today, I need this. Time to sing one of my favorite songs. That my favorite shark gremlin sang. I got my ticket for the long way 'round. Two bottle o' whiskey for the way. And I sure would like some sweet company. And I'm leavin' tomorrow, what do you say? When I'm gone. When I'm gone. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. You're gonna miss me by my hair. You're gonna miss me everywhere, oh. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. When I'm gone. When I'm gone. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. You're gonna miss me by my walk. You're gonna miss me by my talk, oh. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone." Jared said, walking outside to join the survivors of Sword Art Online, his back is at the log cabin Asuna bought with Kirito and Yui, as he gazed out at the view of the woods. "I got my ticket for the long way 'round. The one with the prettiest of views. Bok bok! It's got mountains, it's got rivers. It's got sights give you shivers. But it sure would be prettier with you. When I'm gone. When I'm gone. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. You're gonna miss me by my walk. You're gonna miss me by my talk, oh. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. When I'm gone. When I'm gone. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. You're gonna miss me by my hair. You're gonna miss me everywhere. Oh, you're sure gonna miss me when I'm gone. Man, Gawr Gura. I adore you so much. You and the rest of HoloLive English."
There is a blue sky above him. Jared stands behind Kirito and Asuna, as Clara is admiring the world that is ALFheim Online at the entrance to the log cabin. Klein then flexed images of girls he liked in front of me, Silica, and Lisbeth on the user interface of the virtual reality game.
"When I'm gone. When I'm gone. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. You're gonna miss me by my walk. You're gonna miss me by my talk, oh. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. Klein just flexed in the middle of me singing Gawr Gura's song. What?" Jared asked.
There is a camera in front of Jared, Clara, the Sword Art Online survivors, Leafa, Sinon, and Alice. From left to right it is Silica, Lisbeth, Alice, Klein, Kirito, Asuna, Yui, Agil, Eiji, Yuuna, and Yuuki. Behind the virtual reality players, it's Jared and Clara.